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Deviant Warriors of Kar'Kal #1
Alien From Nowhere
When plundering a ship in uncharted territory, abide by one rule: Finders. Keepers.
Niko was looking for loot when he found his fated mate. The only problem is that she wants nothing to do with him. To convince reluctant Raina that she belongs at his side, Niko will buy her time with a promise to rescue more of her kind. But as he calls in some favors, this pirate will be forced to face the ‘family’ he had vowed to leave behind him.
DEVIANT WARRIORS OF KAR’KAL
Fans of Voss’s Virgin Warriors of Kar’Kal will love this new series which follows a race of alien warriors that have long been banished from their home planet. Living on the fringes of the civilized galaxies, the Deviants of Kar’Kal have been surviving as pirates, sellswords, and thieves. But in the wake of a tragedy, these outlaws will have the chance to take back their birthright. The path to their home planet unexpectedly begins with a pact to rescue a handful of stolen females scattered across the universe like so many stars...
Niko was looking for loot when he found his fated mate. The only problem is that she wants nothing to do with him. To convince reluctant Raina that she belongs at his side, Niko will buy her time with a promise to rescue more of her kind. But as he calls in some favors, this pirate will be forced to face the ‘family’ he had vowed to leave behind him.
DEVIANT WARRIORS OF KAR’KAL
Fans of Voss’s Virgin Warriors of Kar’Kal will love this new series which follows a race of alien warriors that have long been banished from their home planet. Living on the fringes of the civilized galaxies, the Deviants of Kar’Kal have been surviving as pirates, sellswords, and thieves. But in the wake of a tragedy, these outlaws will have the chance to take back their birthright. The path to their home planet unexpectedly begins with a pact to rescue a handful of stolen females scattered across the universe like so many stars...
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First published December 4, 2022
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Gemma Voss
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
May 7, 2024
Great, strong heroine, awesome hero, good chemistry, what more can you ask for in a sci-fi romance?
The book follows Raina, who gets (in classic SFR style) kidnapped by aliens and then dumped in a cargo hold in dead space. Niko, an alien pirate, finds her and tries to convince her that she’s his mate. It doesn’t go well for him, at first.
Niko is the epitome of a golden retriever boyfriend, and it’s head-over-heels insta-love for him. I loved that the heroine compares him to a crow following her around.
Raina, who is traumatized but fierce and determined, is very skeptical of his advances and takes more time to fall in love—it’s more of a medium burn on her end.
Now, I love my heroines morally grey, violent, unreasonable, and selfish. Raina’s headstrong, but she’s honestly not that severe. I would have been happy with her being even more distrustful and difficult.
Sidebar here: Why is it that romance readers will forgive a truly insane amount of morally dubious behavior from an anti-hero, including heroes who treat women like dirty dish rags, but the second someone writes a heroine who’s independent and stands up for her own needs, who doesn’t roll over instantly when handsome man waves his magic dick at her, everyone’s all “she’s mean” “she’s bitchy” “she’s manipulative”
Like!!!! She’s been kidnapped and held prisoner by a bunch of men! Then some himbo with alpha delusions comes along and tells her to just relax and sit back because he will protect her, and she’s just supposed to take that at face value? I’d be a lot more concerned if the heroine wasn’t a bitch!
But I digress.
This was a very cute alien romance. There was some space opera worldbuilding and broader politics at play in the plot, but honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to deep-dive into a new sci-fi world—I was mostly just there for the couple—so most of it went over my head. I’ll pay more attention in the sequel.
The steam was also awesome and really refreshing. Both the hero and the heroine had switch vibes, something I don’t get to see much of in erotica actually.
Definitely now a fan of the author and I’m excited to read more of her stuff.
The book follows Raina, who gets (in classic SFR style) kidnapped by aliens and then dumped in a cargo hold in dead space. Niko, an alien pirate, finds her and tries to convince her that she’s his mate. It doesn’t go well for him, at first.
Niko is the epitome of a golden retriever boyfriend, and it’s head-over-heels insta-love for him. I loved that the heroine compares him to a crow following her around.
“There’s a bird called a crow. It’s clever with shiny black wings and somewhat mysterious—”
His eyes twinkle and he hums in appreciation. “I like this—”
“And they never shut up, squawking all day,” I add. “If you feed them once, they start stalking you and following you around everywhere.”
Raina, who is traumatized but fierce and determined, is very skeptical of his advances and takes more time to fall in love—it’s more of a medium burn on her end.
Now, I love my heroines morally grey, violent, unreasonable, and selfish. Raina’s headstrong, but she’s honestly not that severe. I would have been happy with her being even more distrustful and difficult.
Sidebar here: Why is it that romance readers will forgive a truly insane amount of morally dubious behavior from an anti-hero, including heroes who treat women like dirty dish rags, but the second someone writes a heroine who’s independent and stands up for her own needs, who doesn’t roll over instantly when handsome man waves his magic dick at her, everyone’s all “she’s mean” “she’s bitchy” “she’s manipulative”
Like!!!! She’s been kidnapped and held prisoner by a bunch of men! Then some himbo with alpha delusions comes along and tells her to just relax and sit back because he will protect her, and she’s just supposed to take that at face value? I’d be a lot more concerned if the heroine wasn’t a bitch!
But I digress.
This was a very cute alien romance. There was some space opera worldbuilding and broader politics at play in the plot, but honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to deep-dive into a new sci-fi world—I was mostly just there for the couple—so most of it went over my head. I’ll pay more attention in the sequel.
The steam was also awesome and really refreshing. Both the hero and the heroine had switch vibes, something I don’t get to see much of in erotica actually.
Definitely now a fan of the author and I’m excited to read more of her stuff.
April 24, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
This was a mostly funny and sweet sci-fi read with a fair amount of action. Raina (h) is a human who was abducted from a colony in space and has been shuttled with other humans from slaver to slaver. She's feisty to the point of being reckless and TSTL at points. After her most recent reckless stunt, she's abandoned in a cargo hold that's overtaken by space pirates and she's found by Niko (H) who immediately recognizes her as his fated mate. I loved Niko. He's bold, hilarious, has swagger that he backs up, and he needs Raina. Except Raina takes time to stop being reckless, she doesn't believe in fated mates, and she's stuck on being independent to the point of refusing much needed help. I didn't love Raina until she began softening. These two travel around a bit, get into a couple of tight spots, and explore what a mate bond means to them. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, slight sort of om drama maybe from aliens that want the h for themselves (the interest isn't reciprocated), and neither are virgins (not much history given on h that I can recall and it's mentioned a couple times that the young generation for H's people experimented with each other to gain experience but no on page details, although I wished it had been explained more succinctly).
I enjoyed the world building that's slowly revealed when it comes to Niko's people, who are endangered. He's living as a loner but there are hints early on that he has an actual home that he avoids. He is slow to be vulnerable about that side of him with Raina and I do wish that he'd shared more with her earlier on. Both of their backgrounds are given and their personalities are well-fleshed out. Raina's surprisingly competent for someone who rushes in to dangerous situations. While her character wasn't my favorite, I did like the development of her accepting the mate bond and how Niko proved to her over and over his feelings were real. Their connection felt very genuine beyond just fate with how they meshed and ultimately loved and supported each other. The steamy times don't offer much in the way of unusual alien anatomy, but there is aphrodisiac saliva. Plenty of steamy times, but still with a plot, and there is a more playful/fun primal play scene involving chasing through a garden.
In terms of plot, Raina's determined to save other humans and Niko's on board with helping if it keeps him near his mate. Of course, this has the potential for danger and there may be other dangers lurking around. There is on page violence and death (not of main characters). I really enjoyed the later part of the book with the side characters introduced and the setting (not spoiling).
The story ends in a HEA/HFN with the couple in love and mated, but there's a cliffhanger for what I'm guessing is the overarching plot for the rest of the series thanks to a side character's dramatic announcement. But Niko and Raina's story is wrapped up and complete, although I'm sure they'll appear in other books in the series based on where this leaves off. Overall I really liked this read by a new-t0-me author. I would have enjoyed it more if Raina was toned down a little because her personality and behaviors were a little across the line for me personally, but I could see others enjoying her more.
This was a mostly funny and sweet sci-fi read with a fair amount of action. Raina (h) is a human who was abducted from a colony in space and has been shuttled with other humans from slaver to slaver. She's feisty to the point of being reckless and TSTL at points. After her most recent reckless stunt, she's abandoned in a cargo hold that's overtaken by space pirates and she's found by Niko (H) who immediately recognizes her as his fated mate. I loved Niko. He's bold, hilarious, has swagger that he backs up, and he needs Raina. Except Raina takes time to stop being reckless, she doesn't believe in fated mates, and she's stuck on being independent to the point of refusing much needed help. I didn't love Raina until she began softening. These two travel around a bit, get into a couple of tight spots, and explore what a mate bond means to them. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, slight sort of om drama maybe from aliens that want the h for themselves (the interest isn't reciprocated), and neither are virgins (not much history given on h that I can recall and it's mentioned a couple times that the young generation for H's people experimented with each other to gain experience but no on page details, although I wished it had been explained more succinctly).
I enjoyed the world building that's slowly revealed when it comes to Niko's people, who are endangered. He's living as a loner but there are hints early on that he has an actual home that he avoids. He is slow to be vulnerable about that side of him with Raina and I do wish that he'd shared more with her earlier on. Both of their backgrounds are given and their personalities are well-fleshed out. Raina's surprisingly competent for someone who rushes in to dangerous situations. While her character wasn't my favorite, I did like the development of her accepting the mate bond and how Niko proved to her over and over his feelings were real. Their connection felt very genuine beyond just fate with how they meshed and ultimately loved and supported each other. The steamy times don't offer much in the way of unusual alien anatomy, but there is aphrodisiac saliva. Plenty of steamy times, but still with a plot, and there is a more playful/fun primal play scene involving chasing through a garden.
In terms of plot, Raina's determined to save other humans and Niko's on board with helping if it keeps him near his mate. Of course, this has the potential for danger and there may be other dangers lurking around. There is on page violence and death (not of main characters). I really enjoyed the later part of the book with the side characters introduced and the setting (not spoiling).
The story ends in a HEA/HFN with the couple in love and mated, but there's a cliffhanger for what I'm guessing is the overarching plot for the rest of the series thanks to a side character's dramatic announcement. But Niko and Raina's story is wrapped up and complete, although I'm sure they'll appear in other books in the series based on where this leaves off. Overall I really liked this read by a new-t0-me author. I would have enjoyed it more if Raina was toned down a little because her personality and behaviors were a little across the line for me personally, but I could see others enjoying her more.
February 14, 2023
Well done feisty FMC
Our danger prone FMC, Raina, is found my our pirate MMC, Niko, on a slaver ship. She is fiery and inventive and he loves all of her schemes and can laugh at everything. They had a great bantering dynamic and a love story focused on mutual respect with a side order of the fated mates trope. Both MCs seemed aware of their flaws and both took risks in their own way with their hearts and lives. The overarching premise was interesting and involved a long ago gen0cide of Niko’s people and the loss of their home planet. It primarily focused on Raina wanting to rescue her other friends who were abducted.
Spice: 3-4 scenes, aphrodisiac saliva
Triggers: abduction, near death experience, brief description of gen0cide, allusions to SA (not MCs), prolonged captivity
Our danger prone FMC, Raina, is found my our pirate MMC, Niko, on a slaver ship. She is fiery and inventive and he loves all of her schemes and can laugh at everything. They had a great bantering dynamic and a love story focused on mutual respect with a side order of the fated mates trope. Both MCs seemed aware of their flaws and both took risks in their own way with their hearts and lives. The overarching premise was interesting and involved a long ago gen0cide of Niko’s people and the loss of their home planet. It primarily focused on Raina wanting to rescue her other friends who were abducted.
Spice: 3-4 scenes, aphrodisiac saliva
Triggers: abduction, near death experience, brief description of gen0cide, allusions to SA (not MCs), prolonged captivity
June 7, 2025
MF Alien Romance
Space Pirates
One Sided Mate Bond
Fierce & Feisty FMC
Devoted MMC
Fun Banter
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
This was such a fun read!! These two characters were so amazing! Raina is such a badass and unapologetically fierce female! And the cherry? Nico was supportive and encouraging of that fierceness. Even when he felt that protective and possessive need from a mate bond, he didn’t try and hold Raina back. The plot kept my interest and there was some good amount of action to keep everything balanced and very entertaining.
Spice wise, let me tell you something. There is some smoking chemistry here. It’s a bit of a slow burn because Raina is giving off some major black cat energy, but Nico is a patient guy and when it finally hits 🥵 There’s some excellent banter, a little bit of good boy vibes and some saliva with some intriguing traits.
This was my first book by this author and I’m excited to read the rest of this series.
Space Pirates
One Sided Mate Bond
Fierce & Feisty FMC
Devoted MMC
Fun Banter
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
This was such a fun read!! These two characters were so amazing! Raina is such a badass and unapologetically fierce female! And the cherry? Nico was supportive and encouraging of that fierceness. Even when he felt that protective and possessive need from a mate bond, he didn’t try and hold Raina back. The plot kept my interest and there was some good amount of action to keep everything balanced and very entertaining.
Spice wise, let me tell you something. There is some smoking chemistry here. It’s a bit of a slow burn because Raina is giving off some major black cat energy, but Nico is a patient guy and when it finally hits 🥵 There’s some excellent banter, a little bit of good boy vibes and some saliva with some intriguing traits.
This was my first book by this author and I’m excited to read the rest of this series.
July 1, 2025
When I walked past Gemma Voss’s table at Monsterotica, I stopped short. This series quite literally caught my eye. And man, the first book in this series was GOOD.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Alien from Nowhere by Gemma Voss
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Deviant Warriors of the Kar’Kal character series. Book 1.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book on Kindle. 🆓 on KU.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Sci-fi romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Enemies-to-lovers, fish out of water, banter for days, fated mates.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Niko is an alien pirate raiding a lost cargo hold when he finds Raina, his fated mate. She’s on a mission to find her friends, who were abducted from their home planet - and doesn’t have time for love.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I’m always on the hunt for a new bingeable sci-fi series. Sometimes I feel like I could cut my entire account and just dedicate it to sci-fi novels. And this… whhhhew this is my new obsession.
Niko was hysterical, and every bit of the alien MMC I crave. He was protective and bossy, but completely enthralled with Raina from the start. He played the long game, and let her be her chaotic self. Raina was all fiery passion, and I loved how she slow-burned her way to Niko.
I can’t wait to read more in this world!
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Alien from Nowhere by Gemma Voss
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Deviant Warriors of the Kar’Kal character series. Book 1.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book on Kindle. 🆓 on KU.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Sci-fi romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Enemies-to-lovers, fish out of water, banter for days, fated mates.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Niko is an alien pirate raiding a lost cargo hold when he finds Raina, his fated mate. She’s on a mission to find her friends, who were abducted from their home planet - and doesn’t have time for love.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I’m always on the hunt for a new bingeable sci-fi series. Sometimes I feel like I could cut my entire account and just dedicate it to sci-fi novels. And this… whhhhew this is my new obsession.
Niko was hysterical, and every bit of the alien MMC I crave. He was protective and bossy, but completely enthralled with Raina from the start. He played the long game, and let her be her chaotic self. Raina was all fiery passion, and I loved how she slow-burned her way to Niko.
I can’t wait to read more in this world!
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶
August 15, 2024
"This feral female is mine"
Niko, a pirate alien, is raiding a cargo hold for loot when he finds his fated mate. Raina isn't having any of it and refuses to 'belong' to anybody.
Raina's first interaction with Niko is headbutting him and tying him up at gunpoint.
This was genuinely such a good story with fantastic and unique world building and lovable characters. The chemistry between Raina and Niko was perfect and the book, while a standalone, does open up for a continuing story with other characters.
Thoughts:
👽 "Anybody here seeking matehood can mate with this knife". Get it girl, I love a fiesty FMC.
👽 Niko is one of the cheekiest golden retriever book boyfriends I've come across and I adore his banter.
👽 Aphrodisiac saliva 👅
👽 YES to a sci-fi romance without pregnancy
Niko, a pirate alien, is raiding a cargo hold for loot when he finds his fated mate. Raina isn't having any of it and refuses to 'belong' to anybody.
Raina's first interaction with Niko is headbutting him and tying him up at gunpoint.
This was genuinely such a good story with fantastic and unique world building and lovable characters. The chemistry between Raina and Niko was perfect and the book, while a standalone, does open up for a continuing story with other characters.
Thoughts:
👽 "Anybody here seeking matehood can mate with this knife". Get it girl, I love a fiesty FMC.
👽 Niko is one of the cheekiest golden retriever book boyfriends I've come across and I adore his banter.
👽 Aphrodisiac saliva 👅
👽 YES to a sci-fi romance without pregnancy
October 5, 2024
What I really liked about this book was the way the established channels and authorities were presented. The crew accomplishes one mission by simply...calling the cops. Not as action-packed as a boarding party with lots of grenades but makes way more sense in a galaxy that has actual government. Not every system has to be lawless or corrupt. It was a nice change.
The romance is typical of alien romances, humanoid peen, humanoid alien, mating bond, growling, primal. We DO get a wedding ceremony and some space stations. A favorite microtrope of mine is present- (re: boy alien) hair being culturally significant.
The story is pretty standard alien abduction/rescued by space pirates. Humans are rare but not lesser and Earth is a member of the system Alliance.
The camaraderie and pirate shenanigans are lacking, the ship and side characters are set dressing so far. This book leads directly into the next, plot-wise, so here's hoping we get to know everyone better.
The romance is typical of alien romances, humanoid peen, humanoid alien, mating bond, growling, primal. We DO get a wedding ceremony and some space stations. A favorite microtrope of mine is present- (re: boy alien) hair being culturally significant.
The story is pretty standard alien abduction/rescued by space pirates. Humans are rare but not lesser and Earth is a member of the system Alliance.
The camaraderie and pirate shenanigans are lacking, the ship and side characters are set dressing so far. This book leads directly into the next, plot-wise, so here's hoping we get to know everyone better.
June 29, 2023
I was not expecting to like this as much as I did! I really loved this book so much and I especially loved how it didn't automatically throw you into a smutty story. There is tension and there is build-up between the characters and it was ugh *chefs kiss*.
August 29, 2023
I loved this!
We had:
🤍 Space pirates
🤍 Stabby heroine + cinnamon roll hero (with a twist)
🤍 Fated mates
🤍 Aphrodisiac saliva
🤍 Cool female alien side characters (there are criminally too few of these in other books tbh)
The tone of this book perfectly thread the mood-needle I was in (you don’t even want to know how many alien roms I DNFed before this one). We had some action and emotion but mostly it was all about really compatible characters being super soft for each other. My heart.
The worldbuilding was great—these aliens were planet-less space refugees with an interesting culture and political situation that I’m looking forward to exploring more in the other books.
And this couple’s dynamic was really unique. On the one hand, we had a classic stabby heroine + cinnamon roll hero couple. Raina was loyal, aggressive, and kicked alien butt. And Niko was a charming and smirky pirate, always the first person voting for Raina to be included in (even in charge of) dangerous situations (and more than a little excited by her tying him up at gun point).
Yet on the other hand, Niko’s crazy fated mate horny brain would go into bossy boots mode. And Raina was into it, and Niko made sure she was into it. So their whole vibe was switch-y, the dirty talk was 🔥, the consent was 🔥🔥, and I was rooting for them so hard.
We had:
🤍 Space pirates
🤍 Stabby heroine + cinnamon roll hero (with a twist)
🤍 Fated mates
🤍 Aphrodisiac saliva
🤍 Cool female alien side characters (there are criminally too few of these in other books tbh)
The tone of this book perfectly thread the mood-needle I was in (you don’t even want to know how many alien roms I DNFed before this one). We had some action and emotion but mostly it was all about really compatible characters being super soft for each other. My heart.
The worldbuilding was great—these aliens were planet-less space refugees with an interesting culture and political situation that I’m looking forward to exploring more in the other books.
And this couple’s dynamic was really unique. On the one hand, we had a classic stabby heroine + cinnamon roll hero couple. Raina was loyal, aggressive, and kicked alien butt. And Niko was a charming and smirky pirate, always the first person voting for Raina to be included in (even in charge of) dangerous situations (and more than a little excited by her tying him up at gun point).
Yet on the other hand, Niko’s crazy fated mate horny brain would go into bossy boots mode. And Raina was into it, and Niko made sure she was into it. So their whole vibe was switch-y, the dirty talk was 🔥, the consent was 🔥🔥, and I was rooting for them so hard.
November 26, 2024
Not for me, 2.5 stars. It started off promising, with a spirited heroine but she is very combative and keeps trying to be casual. Which is fine but I didn’t enjoy it.
It’s a fast paced book but lots of world building at the end, you know it heading for a series but after skimming the last 30% I lost all interest.
It has decent spice when they get together.
You KNOW they will look for more humans to have as mates, apparently we are a very compatible breed 😂
It’s a fast paced book but lots of world building at the end, you know it heading for a series but after skimming the last 30% I lost all interest.
It has decent spice when they get together.
You KNOW they will look for more humans to have as mates, apparently we are a very compatible breed 😂
June 8, 2023
I’ve been ruined for all other males by Niko La’Nira
First off, this book has the most stunning cover I’ve seen this year — probably longer but let’s just say of 2023. It immediately drew me in & I downloaded it but sat on it for weeks due to mood reading & other things. I can’t say I wish I hadn’t because waiting meant it came up in my book club and I got to read it with a server full of friends but at the same time, I wish I hadn’t. It was SO GOOD.
I am well and truly ruined for all alien romance moving forward, as well as for any future partners (especially of the male variety) because Niko is, hands down, the most supportive, most non-toxic-masculinity masculine, most delicious males I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. He is the biggest freakin simp and I LOVED him. He’s all about consent, about his mate’s wildness, about meeting her where she is and giving her space but also believing in her so dang fiercely… never mind the intimacy perks and how badly I want my very own Kar’Kali now lol. Gemma Voss does an incredible job making him this super desirable, super “what women actually want” version of a mate while not losing the things that make men masculine; he’s a warrior through and through, he’s possessive at times, he wants to prove and protect, and he initially has this very devil may care attitude that we all love, even when we say we don’t lol. But he’s also SO WHOLESOME. Agh, I feel like I could gush about him for hours.
And this isn’t to say that Raina isn’t incredible either, because she absolutely was. She was wonderfully dynamic: bad@$$ in her own right, has a tragic backstory but none of it involving SA (thank gawd), is hard working and self sufficient, fierce, strong, loyal, but also soft, caring, compassionate, loving. (And my favorite part in their dynamic was the push and pull that was in and out of the bedroom! Switches ftw) She wasn’t a victim but she also recognized when she needed help. She’s also one of the best written Black women I’ve read in scifi; her skin tone is never described in gross ways, her hair and features are mentioned often enough to remind you she’s not white but not often enough that it feels like it was a choice done for attention. And all the other humans are described similarly, including the white women, which I think is where a lot of authors fail. If you’re going to describe one you gotta describe them all!
Anyway I’m getting off topic. The plot I won’t wax poetic about because I really can’t say much without giving anything away. I will say there’s a few spots where I wish there was more information. I felt like we were drifting in space alongside Niko & Raina at times, and not in a good way, in a “this seems empty and vast” way. However, the other parts more than made up for it and the characters are just so dang good. I can’t wait to read more!!
First off, this book has the most stunning cover I’ve seen this year — probably longer but let’s just say of 2023. It immediately drew me in & I downloaded it but sat on it for weeks due to mood reading & other things. I can’t say I wish I hadn’t because waiting meant it came up in my book club and I got to read it with a server full of friends but at the same time, I wish I hadn’t. It was SO GOOD.
I am well and truly ruined for all alien romance moving forward, as well as for any future partners (especially of the male variety) because Niko is, hands down, the most supportive, most non-toxic-masculinity masculine, most delicious males I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. He is the biggest freakin simp and I LOVED him. He’s all about consent, about his mate’s wildness, about meeting her where she is and giving her space but also believing in her so dang fiercely… never mind the intimacy perks and how badly I want my very own Kar’Kali now lol. Gemma Voss does an incredible job making him this super desirable, super “what women actually want” version of a mate while not losing the things that make men masculine; he’s a warrior through and through, he’s possessive at times, he wants to prove and protect, and he initially has this very devil may care attitude that we all love, even when we say we don’t lol. But he’s also SO WHOLESOME. Agh, I feel like I could gush about him for hours.
And this isn’t to say that Raina isn’t incredible either, because she absolutely was. She was wonderfully dynamic: bad@$$ in her own right, has a tragic backstory but none of it involving SA (thank gawd), is hard working and self sufficient, fierce, strong, loyal, but also soft, caring, compassionate, loving. (And my favorite part in their dynamic was the push and pull that was in and out of the bedroom! Switches ftw) She wasn’t a victim but she also recognized when she needed help. She’s also one of the best written Black women I’ve read in scifi; her skin tone is never described in gross ways, her hair and features are mentioned often enough to remind you she’s not white but not often enough that it feels like it was a choice done for attention. And all the other humans are described similarly, including the white women, which I think is where a lot of authors fail. If you’re going to describe one you gotta describe them all!
Anyway I’m getting off topic. The plot I won’t wax poetic about because I really can’t say much without giving anything away. I will say there’s a few spots where I wish there was more information. I felt like we were drifting in space alongside Niko & Raina at times, and not in a good way, in a “this seems empty and vast” way. However, the other parts more than made up for it and the characters are just so dang good. I can’t wait to read more!!
February 10, 2025
Alien From Nowhere features Raina, human and Niko, alien. Raina has been kidnapped and Niko happens to come across her and discover that she’s his mate. Together they work on rescuing the other women who were kidnapped with Raina, along with an amazing amount of banter.
This was delightful. I love how strong of a character Raina was. Often (not always) but often the humans in the alien romance are shell shocked and scared. Raina was the antithesis of that, a complete badass who was completely unafraid of stabbing bad guys or her mate.
Niko, for his part was pretty great. I liked how much he adored Raina and how much he understood her fiery nature. Again, often (not always) the aliens in alien romance are incredibly possessive, which Niko was, but we also got to see his rational “she gets to make her own decisions” side and that was the best.
Overall, the plot was fun, I definitely want to continue the series. I loved that it felt different than other alien romances I’ve read - and I’ve read so many!
This was delightful. I love how strong of a character Raina was. Often (not always) but often the humans in the alien romance are shell shocked and scared. Raina was the antithesis of that, a complete badass who was completely unafraid of stabbing bad guys or her mate.
Niko, for his part was pretty great. I liked how much he adored Raina and how much he understood her fiery nature. Again, often (not always) the aliens in alien romance are incredibly possessive, which Niko was, but we also got to see his rational “she gets to make her own decisions” side and that was the best.
Overall, the plot was fun, I definitely want to continue the series. I loved that it felt different than other alien romances I’ve read - and I’ve read so many!
December 9, 2022
This was an exciting and action packed series opener that I found totally engaging. I love that Raina was so fierce and strong. Niko was beyond patient as she gave him a run for his money ;P Together, they were a fab couple that really ended up with a lot to deal with as they headed for their HEA. Pirates, rescues, fighting, suspense, drama...you can see it's a page turner ;D I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next one :D
April 18, 2023
Excellexy!
I was gonna say s*xcellent, but we all know our Bot Overlords would then bounce my review.
This book? Where has this book been all my life?! The mfc is a salty badass with out seeming to be in god mode, the mmc is a delicious blend of laid back intensity AND likes to talk dirty! I enjoyed the dot matrix out of this book, and am definitely now invested in this universe!
I was gonna say s*xcellent, but we all know our Bot Overlords would then bounce my review.
This book? Where has this book been all my life?! The mfc is a salty badass with out seeming to be in god mode, the mmc is a delicious blend of laid back intensity AND likes to talk dirty! I enjoyed the dot matrix out of this book, and am definitely now invested in this universe!
April 20, 2023
“You really think I lock you in rooms for my own entertainment, don’t you?”
So many questions left at the end of this. There is a lot of vocabulary for this book, its a medium burn and has some decent action. I ended up rating a four for the world building but I almost rated a three because I felt it is a little lacking but that's most likely my personal preferences. This is book one so I am sure the remaining questions will be answered in the following book(s).
So many questions left at the end of this. There is a lot of vocabulary for this book, its a medium burn and has some decent action. I ended up rating a four for the world building but I almost rated a three because I felt it is a little lacking but that's most likely my personal preferences. This is book one so I am sure the remaining questions will be answered in the following book(s).
April 7, 2025
Space pirate? Down bad begging MMC? A lil stabby? This was so much fun, I ate it up. I love space pirates so much so I knew I would like this and it didn’t disappoint. I will def be reading more from this author! What a good time!!
November 13, 2023
An okay read
There was something in the story that I wasn’t quite meshing with, can’t tell you what though.
What I can tell you is that I enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading the next book whenever the mood strikes.
There was something in the story that I wasn’t quite meshing with, can’t tell you what though.
What I can tell you is that I enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading the next book whenever the mood strikes.
Read
March 30, 2024DNF 57% - this started out well, I just lost interest
dnf-2025
October 28, 2025DNF 10% just not in the mood
January 12, 2024
The perfect book for ending a four month long reading slump I just couldn’t shake!
For me, this book had the perfect balance between world/plot building and romance/smut. There wasn’t lengthy descriptions of monotonous daily activities or places; there was just enough to get the idea and move along with the story. It kind of felt like you were along for the ride with the FMC as she navigates the different locations, which fit perfectly with pacing of the plot.
I did like how the FMC was characterised, she is stubborn, determined, and reckless. But, she was never made out to be selfish, unreasonable or unyielding to the point of being hated by the other characters, which I found refreshing. She was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her (that was in her power to influence the progress)!
The MMC naturally had Insta-love vibes, and the FMC (in my opinion) had enough pushback or resistance that made sense for her character and the situation they were in. The MMC also wasn’t a doormat, which is also a plus, but had a personality that wasn’t just “big strong primitive male, female does what I say” (also refreshing). The MCs worked well together, but not too well that it was unbelievable.
A good balance of plot and romance/smut, and there was no self-centred/self-inflicted ignorance or hatred between the two MCs based on race/culture/appearance etc (that I spotted, please like me know if I did miss something). It didn’t take itself too seriously, but the mechanics behind the book didn’t instantly fall apart once you started asking questions.
The only thing that I had a major problem with was how time was measured. A sentence or two could have easily explained it (I.e., “… which is equivalent to about x minutes back on earth.”). This is probably just me being too lazy to figure it out though, or just accidentally missing the explanation tbh 😂
Can’t wait to start the next one 😊
For me, this book had the perfect balance between world/plot building and romance/smut. There wasn’t lengthy descriptions of monotonous daily activities or places; there was just enough to get the idea and move along with the story. It kind of felt like you were along for the ride with the FMC as she navigates the different locations, which fit perfectly with pacing of the plot.
I did like how the FMC was characterised, she is stubborn, determined, and reckless. But, she was never made out to be selfish, unreasonable or unyielding to the point of being hated by the other characters, which I found refreshing. She was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her (that was in her power to influence the progress)!
The MMC naturally had Insta-love vibes, and the FMC (in my opinion) had enough pushback or resistance that made sense for her character and the situation they were in. The MMC also wasn’t a doormat, which is also a plus, but had a personality that wasn’t just “big strong primitive male, female does what I say” (also refreshing). The MCs worked well together, but not too well that it was unbelievable.
A good balance of plot and romance/smut, and there was no self-centred/self-inflicted ignorance or hatred between the two MCs based on race/culture/appearance etc (that I spotted, please like me know if I did miss something). It didn’t take itself too seriously, but the mechanics behind the book didn’t instantly fall apart once you started asking questions.
The only thing that I had a major problem with was how time was measured. A sentence or two could have easily explained it (I.e., “… which is equivalent to about x minutes back on earth.”). This is probably just me being too lazy to figure it out though, or just accidentally missing the explanation tbh 😂
Can’t wait to start the next one 😊
April 14, 2023
Not a fan of the style it was written in. Stopped somewhere between page 22-30 when the MMC said something like “I wonder if she’s feisty in the bedroom too” after being punched in the back while capturing her, gave me the ick.
August 14, 2025
Now it’s been a while since a I’ve read a GOOD alien romance. I really enjoyed this, just the right amount of romance, with a good plot and it was well written thanks god. Loved it. Cant wait to read the other books
September 29, 2024
3.5 stars!
Wish I knew there was a whole Kar'Kali series before this one. Oops!
"Why do men have a habit of choosing one sentence you said and responding only to that comment when you've said so many other important things?"
Girl. The accuracy.
Wish I knew there was a whole Kar'Kali series before this one. Oops!
"Why do men have a habit of choosing one sentence you said and responding only to that comment when you've said so many other important things?"
Girl. The accuracy.
December 11, 2022
The FL made me uncomfortable with the need to engage in abuse against the ML when he wished her no harm.
July 9, 2025
I don’t know how Alien From Nowhere slipped onto my TBR, but I’m officially sending a fruit basket to whoever put it there. This is sci-fi romance done exactly how I like it: strong, smart heroine, cinnamon roll alpha with a pirate edge, and a whole lot of spicy tension wrapped in plot-rich goodness.
Raina, our FMC, is the definition of “not here for your nonsense.” When she’s kidnapped by aliens, she immediately makes herself a problem—and I love that for her. After getting dumped in a cargo pod as punishment (rude), she’s literally jettisoned into space mid-pirate attack. That’s when Niko, our scarred, brooding alien pirate, stumbles across her and recognizes his fated mate. So naturally, he “rescues” her by claiming her as loot. 🫠
Does Raina go along with this fate-mate nonsense? Absolutely not. And she lets him know it. But Niko is patient, protective, and weirdly charming for a space rogue with emotionally constipated tendencies. His people are endangered and his past is tragic. The chemistry between them? Atomic.
What makes this book sing is how earned the romance feels. Niko doesn’t just declare they’re meant to be (which he does) — he proves it. Again and again. There’s a slow burn emotional build-up, with plenty of banter and quiet vulnerability threaded into the action. By the time they give in to the bond, you’re cheering them on like your OTP just kissed in the season finale.
Tropes:
🛸 Alien x Human
🛸 Fated Mates
🛸 Pirate with a heart of gold
🛸 Grumpy x Snarky
🛸 Forced proximity
🛸 Found family themes
Read Rating: 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Spice Scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Magic Meter: 🧬 No magic but sci-fi adjacent
Raina, our FMC, is the definition of “not here for your nonsense.” When she’s kidnapped by aliens, she immediately makes herself a problem—and I love that for her. After getting dumped in a cargo pod as punishment (rude), she’s literally jettisoned into space mid-pirate attack. That’s when Niko, our scarred, brooding alien pirate, stumbles across her and recognizes his fated mate. So naturally, he “rescues” her by claiming her as loot. 🫠
Does Raina go along with this fate-mate nonsense? Absolutely not. And she lets him know it. But Niko is patient, protective, and weirdly charming for a space rogue with emotionally constipated tendencies. His people are endangered and his past is tragic. The chemistry between them? Atomic.
What makes this book sing is how earned the romance feels. Niko doesn’t just declare they’re meant to be (which he does) — he proves it. Again and again. There’s a slow burn emotional build-up, with plenty of banter and quiet vulnerability threaded into the action. By the time they give in to the bond, you’re cheering them on like your OTP just kissed in the season finale.
Tropes:
🛸 Alien x Human
🛸 Fated Mates
🛸 Pirate with a heart of gold
🛸 Grumpy x Snarky
🛸 Forced proximity
🛸 Found family themes
Read Rating: 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Spice Scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Magic Meter: 🧬 No magic but sci-fi adjacent
December 9, 2022
Raina is great and I loved her but I can see that she could be something of a Marmite character for some. She fights longer than she should against things, she waits past the point of sense in trusting and believing things she is told and she is more than a little trigger-happy! That said she is loyal to a fault and when she considers you a friend it's a done deal. Her current experience of pirates being none to good since they not only stole her and her friends from their farmers but then also proceeded to mistreat them while they had them, she's not going quietly even if the handsome pirate who has her over his shoulder is telling her she's safe now. Niko has long given up on the dream of finding his mate, not that he clung to it especially hard before. He is absolutely entranced by the fire his mate has but he would like it to be directed somewhere other than at him. He does all he can to try and show her how he feels, he tells her the truth even when it is not the best course of action and he protects her. He just wants her to want him back but it seems that humans don't work that way and they have no mate-bound. So that being the case he will stay by her side for as long as she'll let him and help her until she leaves him.
November 4, 2023
I loved this book!!
Wow. So much packed into one book. I picked this up because I got wind of ARC applications being open for the second book in the series, and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous covers. But wow, this book totally exceeded my expectations and this is definitely a new favorite alien romance series for me!
They're alien space pirates...do I really have to say anything else? Seriously though, I was immediately drawn into this galaxy and the world building was great. Not only is this a great romance, but a great story, and one I will be eagerly continuing. Both of the main characters were very kickass and cool, I loved the dual POV, and there's an entire host of amazing side characters that felt so fleshed out even if we only saw them for a few pages. I hope we get to see more of them in the future!
I loved Niko's nickname for Raina + the story behind it, I'm really excited to start the next book but also need Mak's romance in my life ASAP, oh, and the aphrodisiac saliva was a nice touch ;)
Wow. So much packed into one book. I picked this up because I got wind of ARC applications being open for the second book in the series, and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous covers. But wow, this book totally exceeded my expectations and this is definitely a new favorite alien romance series for me!
They're alien space pirates...do I really have to say anything else? Seriously though, I was immediately drawn into this galaxy and the world building was great. Not only is this a great romance, but a great story, and one I will be eagerly continuing. Both of the main characters were very kickass and cool, I loved the dual POV, and there's an entire host of amazing side characters that felt so fleshed out even if we only saw them for a few pages. I hope we get to see more of them in the future!
I loved Niko's nickname for Raina + the story behind it, I'm really excited to start the next book but also need Mak's romance in my life ASAP, oh, and the aphrodisiac saliva was a nice touch ;)
August 21, 2024
"I don’t want children or responsibilities. I just want my freedom. I want to have fun."
Oh wow, I always love aliens and their galaxy adventures and this one is doesn't have a lot of world-building so I'm literally learning as I go along.
Niko, an alien pirate found his fated mate in a cargo hold so he took her in and they went on an adventure together while getting to know each other.
My mistake as I read this book first because I was confuse with a lot of terms they used and the world they were in. It was not explained in the book so idk what the hell was going on, but I just went along with the vibes. I love the FMC in the book, she's such a hard-ass and knows what she wants. I love her energy and how feisty she is.
The whole book was a roller coaster ride because there's time that the momentum's so good, I can't stop reading and there's the other time where it was pretty stagnant that I contemplated either not reading the second book or will dnf. Gladly, I pushed through and I do admit that I'm intrigued with the story of the girls.
Oh wow, I always love aliens and their galaxy adventures and this one is doesn't have a lot of world-building so I'm literally learning as I go along.
Niko, an alien pirate found his fated mate in a cargo hold so he took her in and they went on an adventure together while getting to know each other.
My mistake as I read this book first because I was confuse with a lot of terms they used and the world they were in. It was not explained in the book so idk what the hell was going on, but I just went along with the vibes. I love the FMC in the book, she's such a hard-ass and knows what she wants. I love her energy and how feisty she is.
The whole book was a roller coaster ride because there's time that the momentum's so good, I can't stop reading and there's the other time where it was pretty stagnant that I contemplated either not reading the second book or will dnf. Gladly, I pushed through and I do admit that I'm intrigued with the story of the girls.
December 22, 2022
Fantastic Start to a New Series
Raina is not taking this alien abduction thing quietly - she’s planning to fight every step of the way. Including fighting Niko when he “collects” her from an ejected cargo hold. For Raina and Niko, the fight is the foreplay - from banter to actual blows, the build up to happily ever after for these two takes time, but boy does it pay off. I loved this world, it’s characters and particularly Raina and Niko’s romance - it’s not cookie cutter, and it’s built on respect and brutal chemistry. Gemma Voss is a new-to-me-author - the unique cover and different-from-the-norm title drew me to this book, while the story itself made the ride so worthwhile. I’ll definitely be back for more!
Raina is not taking this alien abduction thing quietly - she’s planning to fight every step of the way. Including fighting Niko when he “collects” her from an ejected cargo hold. For Raina and Niko, the fight is the foreplay - from banter to actual blows, the build up to happily ever after for these two takes time, but boy does it pay off. I loved this world, it’s characters and particularly Raina and Niko’s romance - it’s not cookie cutter, and it’s built on respect and brutal chemistry. Gemma Voss is a new-to-me-author - the unique cover and different-from-the-norm title drew me to this book, while the story itself made the ride so worthwhile. I’ll definitely be back for more!
December 11, 2022
This is an incredible and well written start to a new alien romance series. It follows Niko and Raina’s story which sees Niko looking for loot when he comes across Raina, his fated mate. Raina wants absolutely nothing to do with him but he manages to persuade her by agreeing to rescue other human females. The storyline is incredible and has amazing world building, fated mates, action, danger, steamy scenes and more, with a happily ever after ending. The characters are fantastic with lots of details about them. I was hooked from the start of this story and highly recommend reading it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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