All or Nothing

by Miranda Sapphire

Joss
As far as I’m concerned, hell is being stuck at a soul-sucking retail job while your mom insists you go to nursing school and get back with your toxic ex. All I want to do is write about people falling in love and nurse my poor broken heart in peace. I definitely need a vacation…but getting abducted by aliens wasn’t what I had in mind. Although, when a smoking-hot green dude with horns buys me to set me free, I realize that maybe this is my chance to turn this catastrophe into a blast-trophe and live out my own alien romance…

Xollen
I can’t take it anymore—I’m so lonely and miserable that I’m willing to break every hygiene law on Billieu to hire some company for the night. But I should have known I was too stupid to handle even that. Instead, I find myself the sweaty, anxious owner of five female slaves, my entire savings account cleared out to rescue them from a fate worse than death. All I wanted was to free them, but when the soft, gentle human in the group asks to stay with me and help me get back on my feet, I can’t say no…

Joss and Xollen have a lot of work to do to get their new life as roommates up and running smoothly. There’s getting Joss set up as a citizen of an alien civilization, finding a new place to live, navigating how to work together, dodging Xollen’s terrible parents, and figuring out if the attraction they feel for each other is just that…or something more.

Will finding each other prove to be a dream come true, or a nightmare they can’t wake up from?

Content slavery, abduction, mentions of fatphobia and racism, narcissistic parents, toxic relationships, manipulation and emotional abuse, mention of homelessness and housing insecurity, discussion of poverty, graphic sex scenes.

alien abductions, human women facing enslavement by aliens, alien peen/”what that dick do?”, MMC with anxiety, “get your ass to therapy” (and he does!), culture shock/fish out of water, hygiene laws, roommates.

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Romance, Aliens

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2023

Reviews

[buket · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you liked CONTAGION by amanda milo try this one!!!

like the contagion, in this one the hero was a little prissy and heroine was more down to earth. the plot wasn't similar just the dynamic reminded me of them!! (both the heroes have no problem being called princess 💅🏽)

the hero was so lovely, i even tolerated his temper tantrums. he tries to find himself a companion(because he's so lonely🥺) but as a result he bought 5 slaves to free them 💪🏽 one of that said slaves is our heroine joss, she LOVES alien smut. sometimes in the books it gets cringy when the heroine mentions she likes reading alien romance but in this one she was so relatable 🤌🏼 if i were to kidnap by aliens i would live my best life too not gonna lie i don't care what will happen to the earth 🏃🏼‍♀️

this was dual pov, both virgins, no third act break-up and ow tried to break them but she was unsuccessful 💃🏼 PLUS he goes to therapy because he wants to be better for her and himself 😭 i loved this because it was more structured than most alien books. plot was interesting and the author created an interesting world 🤌🏼

I considered whether I could convince her to let me put her into one of those slings I saw parents carry their small children around in, letting me touch her soft skin and keep her sweet warmth near me always.

can't wait for other books!! also i wanna know why uraka keeps honking joss's boobs 😂😭

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

How cute was this? Xollen was an anxious disaster and had quite the temper because of unmanaged triggers. Joss was a softhearted woman who’d been through abusive relationships and had done years of mental health work. There were times I was concerned that she let things that Xollen did go a bit quickly, but she still set boundaries to protect herself. They had a sweet relationship with each other and learned how best to support the other over time as they learned how to communicate better. I appreciated the effort required from both characters to make a successful relationship.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: narcissistic parent, emotional abuse and manipulation, kidnapping, slavery, threat of SA, discussion of homelessness, poverty, and housing insecurity, mention of racism, fat phobia: internalized and from outside

[Grey Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are SO. MANY. things to like about this!!

The Cover!
It's beautiful and cute and the overall mood really encapsulates the couple well. I will say the blurb and book make it clear that Xollen, the main male character, is minty green and not blue, though. Our main female character Joss is supposed to be a big girl and identifies as biracial (half white, half latina) and that wasn't as obvious from the cover, either. Both great things in the book's favor that I don't want people to miss out on!

The Dedication:

For all my fellow monster fuckers, who look at weird shit and think, “hell yeah I want to fuck that.”

And for the big girls who think no one will ever want them. I’m sorry, but you’re just wrong.

The Humor!
The writing style is definitely right up my alley. I loved the humor in this book. It was effortlessly funny and the jokes felt natural, very organic to the characters. I highlighted SO much stuff.

This is the alien romance our female character Joss is reading at the beginning and I want to read THIS book too!

I was pretty sure that the sexy but surgically muted alien assassin was about to bone down on the human woman he’d rescued from slavery, and I’d been waiting all day long to dive back into this juicy piece of sci-fi smut.

The Character Development!
The characters were instantly attracted to each other and their relationship develops VERY quickly. That often is not done well in books where they don't have that "will they or won't they" tension because the book lacks other sources of narrative conflict to keep it interesting.

I'm happy to say that isn't a problem here because the relationship development doesn't stop at the initial attraction - it begins! Like a real relationship! Both Joss and Xollen struggle to overcome their cultural and economic differences, personal flaws, and difficulty with communication. But they 1) both struggle together, 2) work together on improving issues as they come up, especially the communication issues, and 3) are willing to learn and genuinely put in the time and energy to make real change.

Joss and Xollen were both seeking treatment prior to the events of the story and Xollen actually changes up his treatment to seek out therapy. Yes, you heard that correctly - a male main character in an alien romance gets therapy. And it helps him and their relationship and his relationships with everyone else around him SO. MUCH. Ugh, it's so great to see in a book like this!

Joss and Xollen were also both great matches for each other. The way they were written to complement each other was done very well.

My one and only gripe is more of a personal issue than anything objectively lacking from the story.
Joss is described as being a big girl but at one point says she's under 250lbs and I was disappointed. Do women that size deal with fatphobia, an unhealthy focus on weight loss, and an overwhelming, insidious, toxic sociocultural obsession on physical appearance that is neither realistic nor obtainable? Absolutely, and any feelings and experiences related to it are valid. But as someone who is heavier than that, I made the incorrect assumption that "big girl" meant big like me when that wasn't the case.

PS - there's a pronunciation guide in the back!

[spidermse · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There was just something about a guy willing to burn everything to the ground for you that really soaked the 'ole panties."

Loved this story! It had been on my tbr for a while so when I had the chance I decided it was finally time to read it. Cute alien romance with some delicious spice...hello magic 💦😏 Give me an anxious alien MMC and I'm in love!

Their relationship happened sort of quickly but it didn't feel very much like insta love, and I liked that they were friends at first and just wanted to help each other out with their new lives. Xollen's outbursts and struggles with anxiety really hit home for me and it felt almost too hard to read sometimes (for personal reasons) but the characters were very supportive of each other and worked hard on themselves to be the best partner they could be. I loved that Xollen not only went to therapy but changed to a different therapist when he realized the one he was seeing wasn't the right fit. 💖

Can Uraka be my best friend too? 😁

Can't wait to continue with the next book!

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 34%. It’s just not working for me.

[Alien Peen Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Strange Love and Contagion will love this book! Xollen was a quirky, anxious and adorable himbo, who had some shit to work through, and Joss was a strong badass human whose done the brain work in therapy! I loved the realness of their relationship, and the growth of this accidental hero Xol. The side characters were so amazing too! The female alien orc-like bestie has my WHOLE HEART. Loved her! Overall a really fun, humorous, sweet, REAL, slow burn with spice romance!

[Mattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved this book! Joss and Xollen are so adorable!! I Beta read this book and I will be buying a physical copy too! The characters go through really relatable problems and situations, which is something I personally love! Xollen is a cinnamon roll and Joss is learning to stand up for herself. I highly recommend checking this book out when it releases!

[D.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was FUN.
I'm obsessed with Uraka.
Xollen is my new boyfriend now - sorry, I don't make the rules. That's just how it is.
The smut was excellent.

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning to an SFR series

First, Uraka just plain rocks; she's hilarious and awesome. Now that I've gotten my fangirling out of the way... The worldbuilding is interesting, the characters are engaging, and there is more angst and panic attacks than doom and destruction, which is spectacular. After reading multiple books filled with torture, death, and impending doom, AON was a refreshing, engaging break. Joss and Xollen are a believable couple working to overcome some significant issues. There is graphic sex. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Sunshine]

DNF 50%. I really like the premise of this but the MFC just ended up grating on me over time.

[Serena Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Todavía estoy buscando al "alien rollo de canela"...




•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.




All or Nothing Interstellar de Miranda Sapphire Serie Interstellar Attraction libro 1

Argumento:

Joss

En lo que a mí respecta, el infierno es estar atrapado en un trabajo minorista que te chupa el alma mientras tu madre insiste en que vayas a la escuela de enfermería y vuelvas con tu ex tóxico.

Todo lo que quiero hacer es escribir sobre personas que se enamoran y cuidar en paz mi pobre corazón roto.

Definitivamente necesito unas vacaciones... pero ser secuestrada por extraterrestres no era lo que tenía en mente. Aunque, cuando un tipo verde y ardiente con cuernos me compra para liberarme, me doy cuenta de que tal vez esta sea mi oportunidad de convertir esta catástrofe en una explosi- trofe y vivir mi propio romance alienígena...

Xollen

No puedo soportarlo. Ya no, me siento tan solo y miserable que estoy dispuesto a violar todas las leyes de higiene en Billieu para contratar compañía para pasar la noche. Pero debería haber sabido que era demasiado estúpido para soportar incluso eso. En cambio, me encuentro como el dueño sudoroso y ansioso de cinco esclavas, con toda mi cuenta de ahorros vacía para rescatarlas de un destino peor que la muerte. Todo lo que quería era liberarlas, pero cuando la humana suave y gentil del grupo me pide quedarse conmigo y ayudarme a recuperarme, no puedo decir que no...

Joss y Xollen tienen mucho trabajo que hacer para poner en marcha su nueva vida como compañeros de cuarto sin problemas. Hay que establecer a Joss como ciudadana de una civilización alienígena, encontrar un nuevo lugar para vivir, descubrir cómo trabajar juntos, esquivar a los terribles padres de Xollen y descubrir si la atracción que sienten el uno por el otro es solo eso... o algo más.

¿Encontrarse será un sueño hecho realidad o una pesadilla de la que no podrán despertar?



Mi humilde opinión:

Estaba emocionada por leer este romance alien con compañeros de cuarto. El comienzo tuvo humor y después las especies de aliens, el mundo y cruce de culturas fueron interesantes pero...

Mientras que Joss me caía bien, Xollen me caía faltal! No podía creer que Joss pensara en él como un alien rollo de canela! Él podía ser un niño rico engreído, quejoso, un imbécil con un problema de ira e inseguridades que no paraba de tratar mal a Joss. Me pareció increíble lo que hizo al comprar a las mujeres para salvarlas, lo encontré heroico pero el héroe se cayó para mi cuando se quejó delante de Joss por haber gastado todo su dinero para rescatar a las mujeres que estaban a punto de ser vendidas como esclavas sexuales y tener que vender todas sus joyas y ropa de diseñador para pagar una multa!

Admiraba la paciencia infinita de Joss, fue siempre dulce y comprensiva con Xollen. Se aguantó todos sus ataques verbales a pesar de tener sus propias inseguridades con las que aún estaba trabajando. Ella le aconsejó buscar ayuda después de uno de sus arranques de ciego enojo. Pero cuando él lo volvió a hacer, no me sentó bien que lo perdonara rápido porque su mirada de cachorrito herido o su rostro apuesto apenado le hacían imposible no hacerlo. Él tenía que trabajar por su perdón. No le vi sentido a su explicación de que la alejaba porque la amaba y tenía miedo.

Esta es una historia con protagonistas rotos y los traumas que afectan su confianza, es un tema principal a lo largo de la historia cómo enfrentarlos al encontrar una persona que entiende porque atravesó lo mismo.

La portada del libro me resultó graciosa pero no fue la historia de amor que me hiciera reír o me conociera. Para mí había demasiado drama sucediendo y era frustrante ver a la heroína siendo continuamente herida mientras consolaba al héroe y le hacía ver que necesitaba terapia para solucionar sus problemas. Joss se merecía un alien rollo de canela de verdad y no Xollen.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the emphasis on therapy, but it was a far too much about that (including describing therapy appointments in detail).

And then while I love Sapphire's A Light in the Dark and thought the world-building was pretty solid there, it just felt so flimsy here:
-alien dad (in a galaxy far far away and humans haven't made any contact yet) is described as wearing khakis(!), button down shirt and glasses
-an alien fancy dinner just happens to be multiple courses in the same exact WASP standard of soup then salad then entrée then dessert
-an alien dress is described as having sweetheart neckline and loads of tulle.
-the alien boyfriend refers to his girlfriend as a minx, this wasn't a case of her translator providing the closest Earth equivalent, he's calling her this in his own head.

[Danni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very solid 3 ⭐️ for me.
I thought Xollen was so cute. He was so sweet, but also not a pushover. I really enjoyed watching him overcome his insecurities. I think that Joss was perfect for him. Joss was a little much for me. She had worked hard on her own insecurities before she was abducted, but they were still so much. She had to remind herself throughout how her therapist would like her to react- and it was just a lot to keep hearing about.
The story was so adorable. I loved how the ‘slaves’ got saved and then how the friendship evolved. There was a fair amount of drama to keep you invested. I just didn’t love the end. So much happened in such a short span of time and it was a bit unrealistic… even for an alien romance. Just a bit messy.
Overall it was fun and lighthearted- exactly what I needed.

[Melo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing isn't bad, the plot however left a lot to be desired for me. 2.5 * to be fair. When I do find myself digging into the sci-fi genre shock horror I'm actually looking for something extraterritorial to read. More shockingly with world build and everything... What exactly is alien about this alien his skin colour??? That he is a germaphobe??? This is another "self help" book disguised as a novel, I use the word novel very lightly.

As much as heroines that are broken records about going back home annoy me, the fact that this heroine was like okay I'll just willingly offer myself to move in with the chap (my bad, "alien") who bought me because he's nice....is like girl did you miss the lesson about stranger danger in pre school??

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it possible to describe a romance between a kidnapped human and her alien rescuer cozy? After reading All or Nothing I certainly think so! Joss and Xollen’s story was so captivating because Miranda Sapphire was not afraid to lay it all out with her characters’ flaws. Xollen is not a perfect, stoic paragon of masculinity, he’s a sweet guy who’s struggling to find his place and his purpose. His character arc was really compelling. Joss’s was also but in a different way - she can’t return to Earth to confront the sources of some of her issues so she has to do more internal work. This was quite an emotional journey for a relatively short book, but really satisfying too!

[Unusable Booklore · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alien delight

Initially I only picked this up because I wanted to read an interconnected novel by Miranda. I’m pretty glad I picked this up first. Her writing, world building and compassion for her characters isn’t something I would have wanted to miss.

This book is filled with:

A Curvy FMC
A Size difference (he thinks she’s smol)
A Sensitive romance/drama loving MMC
Instant attraction
Mutual First times
+++ mental wellness rep

Added bonus:
Seggs lessons
So much 👅 plus fancy 🍆 and magic 💦

[kristin]

This was fun! 🤸🏼‍♀️

If you've ever yelled "just talk to one another!" at a book, then I think you'll appreciate how the main characters in this book make efforts to communicate better and more openly with one another.

This book successfully combines light-hearted humor with serious topics of anxiety and toxic relationships, which, imo, is a difficult thing to pull off, so 🫡.

I'll read more in this universe by this author.

[Kelspar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book and I didn't get off to a great start and it never got better. Things just felt really cringey throughout and we had and I Love You at a week?

Idk, I just didn't vibe with this. It was still pretty sweet, just not my cup of tea.

[Scooby2]

DNF

[Jack-Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, some real theraphy!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joy to Read

So sweet, soft and beautiful. I enjoyed every moment. I’ve read another one of this author’s works. I’m hooked. Please give her a try.

[•° Whimsy Fairy °• · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute! Loved every part of this!