SFRB Recommends #88: A Conspiracy of Whispers by Ada Harper

For Olivia Shaw, the danger of her assignments as a deadly Whisper agent is matched only by that of her hidden status: Liv is one of the caricae, extremely rare women capable of bearing children and therefore controlled by the Syndicate’s government. When her handler sends her into the Quillian Empire, her mission is complicated by stumbling upon a kidnapping in progress.

Liv is drawn deep into political upheaval when her hostage is revealed to be the infamous Red Wolf, Galen De Corvus, brother of the Quillian Empress. Worse yet, he is an altus, more sensitive than most to the pheromones of caricae. If he realizes what she is, he could expose her secret to either government and doom her to a life as breeding stock.

Quillian nobleman turned operative Galen never planned to involve himself with a citizen of the cold, cruel Syn, but Olivia entices him more than she should. As they work together to protect his royal sister from a violent coup, the passionate bond between them proves to be more than mere biology. And Liv must decide if that bond is worth dropping her guard for both an enemy and an altus.

Olivia and Galen are a good couple: he's a patient sweetheart and helps ground her. She, on the other hand, challenges him to look at the world in a different way than he is used to. Olivia has plenty of agency despite her disadvantages, and her guardedness makes sense.
The secondary characters (Galen's sister, her spymaster, two other caricae, Olivia's caretakers, and a cat named Plan B) leap off the page. I never forgot who anyone was or what they wanted. Their motivations clash, and resolving those is not a simple matter.
Well-drawn factional politics dominate this book. Add in clear action scenes, biopolitics, and romantic elements, and we have a multifaceted story that I'd recommend to any science fiction fan. There's a lot to explore here.

This recommendation by Lee Koven
Book site: Ada Harper / Amanda Hackwith romance

SFRB Recommends #86: The Rule of Luck by Catherine Cerveny

Year 2950. Humanity has survived devastating climate shifts and four world wars, coming out stronger and smarter than ever. Incredible technology is available to all, and enhancements to appearance, intelligence, and physical ability are commonplace.

In this future, Felicia Sevigny has built her fame reading the futures of others.

Alexei Petriv, the most dangerous man in the TriSystem, will trust only Felicia to read his cards. But the future she sees is darker than either of them could ever have imagined. A future that pits them against an all-knowing government, almost superhuman criminals, and something from Felicia's past that she could never have predicted, but that could be the key to saving -- or destroying -- them all. 

This series starts with fantastic worldbuilding. Felicia is fighting for her reproductive rights, and finds that the truth about her blacklisting is far more complicated than she was led to believe. In light of this, should she fight her biology? Is it destiny?

The action is clear and fast-paced. I love the philosophical questions this series raises, and look forward to reading further. 

This recommendation by Lee Koven.
Book site: The Rule of Luck

SFRB Recommends #82: Escape From Zulaire by Veronica Scott

Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

I shortened this excerpt, because I think the events are fun enough to discover on their own.

This novel takes place over a very short period of time, and the world of Zulaire springs to life quickly. Rich sensory detail makes the environments vivid. Scott sets up several intriguing cultures and factions that left me wanting to spend more time in Zulaire. 

The action and chase scenes are clear and well-paced. The baddies are creepy. The blend of action movie and intriguing worldbuilding is not one I find often.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.
Author/book site: Escape from Zulaire - Veronica Scott

SFRB Recommends #80: The Spiral Path by Lisa Paitz Spindler

After defecting from the Star Union eleven years ago, Starship Captain Lara Soto is now the leader of the free Chimerans. Her only regret is the intense young officer she left behind. When Terra's S.U.S. Interlace goes missing with her brother Rafael on board, she has to push aside the pain of her betrayal and team up with her old love once again.

Commodore Mitch Yoshida has never stopped thinking about the woman who deserted him. He's also witnessed firsthand the Terran discrimination Lara foretold, from sequestering Chimerans on starships to enforcing indentured military service.

With Rafael and the Interlace crew held prisoner, Lara and Mitch must travel to a whole new dimension to secure their release. Will they be able to resist their long-denied attraction and complete their rescue mission?

This story has several fascinating concepts in it. Lara has to live between worlds and doesn't really belong in either. It's a fresh take on being a mix of peoples. The physics concepts aren't run-of-the mill for science fiction: dimensional attunement and space travel are explored in an original manner. 

Mitch and Lara are both likable, competent characters. It's easy to root for them (and for Lara's brother). There's a also super spooky villain who is still sympathetic.

Author/book site: Lisa Paitz Spindler
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 78: Huntress of the Star Empire by Athena Grayson

Ever since she was found in the aftermath of alien attacks, Treska Sivekka, the Huntress, has been trained to hunt down threats to the security of the Union that gave her an identity, and the Union’s biggest threat–psypath Micah Ariesis–is in her crosshairs. The Huntress’s neuro-collar and repulsor cuffs may keep Micah’s mental talents under wraps, but getting him in handcuffs was the easy part. Every scumbag in the star system wants a piece of the Huntress and her bounty. But when the Union’s biggest threat exposes the lies around Treska’s missing memories, he may be the only one she can trust.

I love when science fiction can ask questions about society. In Huntress, Grayson posits one possibility of what happens when factions use tragedy for their own gain. Horrific alien attack? Let’s use that to our advantage and try to use it to shape society the way we want to. Let’s persecute the purple people and psychics! Let’s clamp down on decadence! Let’s brainwash people to not commit vice! 

The lead and side characters are sympathetic, heroic, and memorable, trying to deal with questions of how to make it in a society that exploits or demonizes them. The adventure is good pulpy fun, and the attraction between Micah and Treska, while present at the beginning, manages to develop organically. 

Site: Author Site | Huntress of the Star Empire

n.b. So far, we have one “season” of the Huntress. Micah and Treska have more of their story to tell us. This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 77: Willing Skin by Ella Drake

Sylla Viola has never put down roots. When she's forced to abandon her life, she leaves everything behind. Nothing to miss. Nothing to regret. Not even the loss of her body. Using a DNA mod that changes her into a male half-human Scoriah, she's poised to get away from the hunter on her trail. Until she runs into the one man who can see through her disguise. 

Docked at Station Viesel, Echtei Bronson helps a lost male Scoriah. One minute in his company threatens Echtei's control. One glimpse of the woman inside and he can't keep his hands off. One heated touch and he gives in to the need to wreak havoc on anyone who touches Sylla--a woman who could never stay with a man forever tied to family and home. 

But even Echtei can't defeat what's chasing Sylla--a ruthless cyborg hunter who has shown that a Scoriah is no match for him. Echtei won’t give Sylla up without a fight. It's face the impossible or die trying, even if survival means war. 

Willing Skin asks some excellent questions about desire and bodies. The tech that Sylla uses makes her need to adjust to a body she wasn't born with. In many romantic commitments, we attest that we will love a person even though they will change through the years. In Sylla's case, she changes bodies fast. Luckily, Echthei wants her with whatever body she's got, even if she appears male to him.

I also enjoyed the family dynamics in this book. The reader gets to know Echthei's clutch-mates and understand the special not-quite-human bonds that. I hadn't read any previous books in the series, but the characters who were the heroes of other stories were vivid enough that I'll have to go back and read from the start. Bonus: hot and chilling cyborg whose workings made me say both "ooooh" and "ewwww."

 Book page- Willing Skin (with buy links and excerpt)

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 75: Relaunch Mission by Robyn Bachar #sfr

Living mission to mission on the fringes of civilized space, Captain Lindana Nyota has managed to keep her crew paid and her ship in one piece. Barely. The privateer's life of stealing Soviet supplies for the Alliance is taking its toll on everyone. Down a crew member, she now has to take on a new intel officer and hope it's someone she can trust. 

Lieutenant Gabriel Steele knew Lindy wasn't expecting him to walk out of the air lock and back into her life, but he didn't think he'd get his nose broken. As an intelligence agent for the Alliance, Gabriel has spent his career in deep cover, his sense of self crushed under layers of deceit—starting with the lies he had to tell Lindy years ago when he left her. A fresh start is all he wants, but the Alliance and his secret orders have already jeopardized that. 

When an infamous pirate and friend of Lindy and her crew is reported alive and in possession of knowledge of a powerful Soviet weapon, finding her before the enemy does is paramount. But Gabriel can't do it without regaining Lindy's trust—and hopefully rekindling what he once sacrificed in the name of duty.

Gabriel and Lindy get a second chance at love, although he has some proving to do before she'll accept it. He's got some groveling to do, and his feelings for Lindy are complicated by his current mission and several revelations about the hidden agendas of both of their bosses.

Factional politics play a big role in the story. The alternate history and future presented are well articulated and though-provoking. In this universe, the Cold War didn't end, and the space race only ramped up. Some of the technology showcases Soviet aesthetics: I was reminded of the Soviet specimens in the Museum of Flight.

Bachar keeps raising the stakes for our heroes, and the tension is punctuated and amplified by action scenes that flow well: the fights are meaty and intense. The crew of the Mombasa is fully fleshed out, with vivid characters: the rivalry between engineering and the captain's brother always entertains!

Book page: Robyn Bachar - Books

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 73: Atrophy by Jess Anastasi

Twelve years on the prison planet Erebus makes a man long for death. The worst part for Tannin Everette is that he was framed for murder. He's innocent. When the ship Imojenna lands for emergency repairs, Tannin risks everything to escape...only to find himself face to face with the captain's undeniably gorgeous sister.

Zahli Sherron isn't planning on turning Tannin in. In fact, she actually believes him. Sure, he's sexy as every kind of sin, but he's no criminal—so she hides him. But no one escapes from Erebus and lives to tell about it. With every day that passes, Zahli further risks the lives of the entire crew...even as she falls in love with a man she can never have for herself. 

Atrophy focuses on one ship, the Imojenna, which has an amazing crew with memorable characters. Zahli's brother Rian has a tendency to steal the show, and he involves Tannin in his berserk quest to destroy an enemy most people don't believe exists. I've a soft spot for computer hacker heroes, and Tannin gets to use his skills in many interesting ways.

The universe is rich and believable, and the antagonists are original and creepy. The plot kept me guessing, and the scenes are well-balanced and flow together smoothly. 

Author site: Jess Anastasi

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 72: Race to Redemption by Shari Elder #sfr

Intergalactic storm racing champion Elaina Carteret had it all—fame, wealth, men—until a horrific accident took it away. To get it back, she agrees to pose as Lainie Carter, medical transport pilot and corporate spy. Her risk-taking attitude infuriates Dr. Erik Johansen, who runs the medical outpost with an iron hand, a permanent scowl and the tightest bod on the planet. 

Unable to forgive himself for a past tragedy, Erik works himself into an early grave. He has no patience for the insubordinate Lainie Carter, who can’t take an order, disrupts routine, and flames his body to ash. 

When the outpost is attacked, they're thrown together in a race across the desert to stop a deadly biogenetic weapon. As a fragile trust blossoms between two damaged hearts, their pasts resurface and threaten their growing bond.

There's a ton of plot (and action!) packed into this high heat read. It's a detail-rich universe that has shaped the leads into very interesting people. All the characters are complex and original, and I grew to care a lot about their fates.

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Author site: Life's a Story - Write it Bold

SFRB Recommends 70: The Champion of Barésh by Susan Grant

Jemm Aves toils for a mining company by day, but at night she is a successful bajha player, disguised as a male to compete in the violent underworld of the colony’s fight clubs. Every win puts her one small step closer to her goal: saving enough to escape Barésh with her family. When a royal recruits her to be a star player for his team, her ruse proves to be her most perilous game yet when it puts both their lives—and her heart—at risk.

Prince Klark is eager to reverse his reputation as the black sheep of the Vedla clan. If his bajha team can win the galactic title it would go a long way toward restoring the family honor that his misdeeds tarnished. On Barésh, he tracks down an amateur who has risen to the top of the seedy world of street bajha, offering the commoner a chance of a lifetime: a way off that reeking space rock for good. But his new player comes with a scandalous secret that turns his plans and his beliefs upside down. He sets out to win a very different prize—his champion’s reluctant heart.

The world of Barésh is convincing and vivid. The bahja (which I can best describe as sensory-deprivation fencing) matches are even more intense, whether in a bar, or a training exercise, or an emotional duel. I do wish we got to experience a few more in the professional arena.

Jemm is a treat. She's driven, kind, and not cowed by Klark. Her family relationships also feel authentic, and I love her interactions with her difficult brother.

Author site: Susan Grant

This recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 68: The Snow Queen by Joan Vinge

The imperious Winter colonists have ruled the planet Tiamat for 150 years, deriving wealth from the slaughter of the sea mers. But soon the galactic stargate will close, isolating Tiamat, and the 150-year reign of the Summer primitives will begin. Their only chance at surviving the change is if Arienrhod, the ageless, corrupt Snow Queen, can destroy destiny with an act of genocide. Arienrhod is not without competition as Moon, a young Summer-tribe sibyl, and the nemesis of the Snow Queen, battles to break a conspiracy that spans space.

Loosely based on the Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen features a girl who must battle obstacles to rescue a boy she cares for from a woman who has hardened his heart. That's what they have in common- Andersen didn't figure nanomachines, galactic governments, spaceships, and cloning into the original story.

A fascinating cast save this book from being too much of a standard hero's journey. Smugglers, gamblers, prophets, technicians, and police officers have to clash and work together towards the ending. The plot is complex and rich, and touches on many philosophical questions without throwing them too hard into the reader's face.

Although the heroine and hero's relationship is paramount and enduring, others get involved to create a love quadrangle that gets complicated, since Moon and her Sparks spend many years apart with him believing he'll never see her again. Strictly speaking, the book's probably not a romance novel. However, it does end in a Happy For Now, to be continued in The Summer Queen.

Author site: Joan D. Vinge

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 66: The Caphenon by Fletcher DeLancey

On a summer night like any other, an emergency call sounds in the quarters of Andira Tal, Lancer of Alsea. The news is shocking: not only is there other intelligent life in the universe, but it’s landing on the planet right now. Tal leads the first responding team and ends up rescuing aliens who have a frightening story to tell. They protected Alsea from a terrible fate—but the reprieve is only temporary.

Captain Ekayta Serrado of the Fleet ship Caphenon serves the Protectorate, a confederation of worlds with a common political philosophy. She has just sacrificed her ship to save Alsea, yet political maneuvering may mean she did it all for nothing.


Alsea is now a prize to be bought and sold by galactic forces far more powerful than a tiny backwater planet. But Lancer Tal is not one to accept a fate imposed by aliens, and she’ll do whatever it takes save her world.

I enjoyed the way first contact worked in this book-- I got introduced to a full and vivid society through the eyes of the ship’s crew. I also liked the how the story addresses some larger questions of what to do what desperate tactics people must sometimes employ in a war and the toll it takes on them.

The romance plot in this story (f/f, fade-to-black heat level) is atypical in that it showcases a couple who’ve already gotten together, though only recently. Their new relationship is tested by a worthy rival and the circumstances that force some decisions that hurt them. I really believed that by the end the two of them could weather anything together.

Author site: Chronicles of Alsea

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #62: Prince of Passion by Jessa Slade #sfr

When mercenary raiders targeted the empathic crystals that imbue the legendary l’auraly lovers with extraordinary sensual prowess, Icere, the last male l’auralyo, helped destroy the crystals. Rather than let the source of uninhibited pleasure be corrupted into a mind-controlling drug, he allowed his passionate destiny to remain forever unfulfilled. Now, Icere channels his fury into revenge. Tracking the raiders through the interstellar sheerways to a watery world infamous for its aphrodisiac liqueur, he finds a queen—as adrift and alone as he—forced for years into a fate she never desired.

Saya-Rynn inherited duty, command and control from her cruel grandfather and fought to transform her dangerous planet into a paradise for her people—but the price was literally a poison that runs through her veins. Though she feels as ancient as the seas, she finds herself awash in the hot male potency of the young Icere. Still, she resists the chance for indulgence she thinks has passed by her. But when the raiders strike again, Rynn must embrace her troubled legacy, and Icere will find his place as a lover and a fighter. Together, the reluctant ruler and the deposed prince of passion find common purpose, combating the mysterious entity seeking to rule the sheerways, and claim a love as bright as the infinite stars.


Slade's language is fantastic. Descriptions are lush and sensual without being explicit, and I'm not just talking about the love scenes. The aquatic world is detailed and rich, with interesting festivals and customs. The story ratchets up the tension at a steady clip, and I found myself spellbound by the seas, the sea monsters, and the give and take between the characters.

Icere and Rynn, the leads, are fascinating people. Both lead lonely lives that make them have to tamp down their own wants and needs, and they recognize that in each other and find it irresistible. Everything Icere was raised and trained for is gone, and he's made his life's mission to save others in honor or what he lost. He's controlled intensity, and when he focuses his attention on Rynn, it's delicious. Rynn has had few choices in her life: raised to be queen and also to carry death in her touch, which she's learned painful lessons from. She's devoted to her children and her people, even if it's not her desire to rule. When she finds someone who appeals to her as herself, her falling for him is amazing to behold. I held my breath for the two of them until the last page.


Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 61:Chain Reaction by Zoë Archer #sfr

Elite 8th Wing pilot Celene Jur was taken captive after a mysterious device temporarily disabled her ship's controls. Three solar months later, when Celene receives intel on the man who built the device, she's ready to get the bastard. Only problem is, the higher-ups think her mission partner should be Nils Calder, a tech-head who can understand the disabling device. The attraction between them is electric, but Celene needs a soldier who can watch her back as she exacts her revenge.
Nils knows his department is nicknamed NerdWorks. Pilots like Celene think the closest tech geeks come to combat is all-night Nifalian chess tournaments. But behind the NerdWorks insignia on his sleeve Nils is an able fighter, ready to prove himself and gain Celene's trust. The desire between them is unexpected, but with the fate of thousands hanging in the balance, the hotshot pilot and the tech genius must succeed in their mission—no matter the cost.

Watching the sparks fly between Nils and Celene was quite a treat. Nils Calder makes an appealing hero: cool, confident, and sincere. Celene has to grapple with whether anyone is really interested in her, or just the image that her reputation has created. Their attraction and relationship are convincing. Both of them have doubts, but they're clearly good for each other. The action scenes are fast-paced and easy to follow: there's a good battle simulation near the beginning to ratchet up the tension and prime us for later combat sequences.
Chain Reaction is the sequel to Collision Course. The two books are linked but stand alone.

Author site: Zoë Archer - Adventure and Romance

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 60: The Scarabaeus Saga by Sara Creasy #scifi #romsf

Trained since childhood in advanced biocyph seed technology by the all-powerful Crib empire, Edie's mission is to terraform alien worlds while her masters bleed the outlawed Fringe populations dry. When renegade mercenaries kidnap Edie, she's not entirely sure it's a bad thing . . . until they leash her to a bodyguard, Finn—a former freedom fighter-turned-slave, beaten down but never broken. If Edie strays from Finn's side, he dies. If she doesn't cooperate, the pirates will kill them both.

But Edie's abilities far surpass anything her enemies imagine. And now, with Finn as her only ally as the merciless Crib closes in, she'll have to prove it or die on the site of her only failure . . . a world called Scarabaeus.

This duology is one of the more original works I've read. Edie has to use her brain and skills to get out of a bunch of situations: Finn's her brawn. Hacker heroines are close to my heart, and Edie's specialty is something I've never considered before: using code to manipulate biological material and terraform planets. The antagonists have fascinating agendas and the worlds created feel fresh.

The romance takes a while to get going, and the books are Romantic SF rather than SFR, but there is a HEA for Edie and Finn. The first book ends a little abruptly and leads straight into the next one, so read them together!

Author site: Sara Creasy

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 59: Prince of Dragons and the Orion Series by Cathryn Cade #sfrom

Sirena Blaze has left a string of smiling males across the galaxy-but she's not smiling now. After two attempts to sabotage her ship, it's time to call for backup. Her warriors deserve the best, and that means recruiting a member of the elite Serpentian guard as co-commander. 

One look at Slyde Stone, and Sirena's smile returns. She sets out to indulge in the sensual delights for which his people are legendary. Slyde would like nothing more than to bed the famous beauty, but a secret binds the hands that burn to take her. He is a half-dragon shifter, a race thought to be nothing more than a myth. He's real, and so is the code he must live by-he can mate only once.

Sirena's fury at Slyde's refusal knows no bounds-until saboteurs loose a pair of deadly serpents on board the Orion. And the infuriating man has the gall to make a wager. If she finds them first, she can have him. But if he wins, she must agree to be his alone-for life.

Warning: Space cougar on the prowl, a handsome virgin in her sights. Hot love scenes, and even hotter dragon shape-shifting.

I have all four covers up of the Orion series because Prince of Dragons is probably best appreciated if you read the other books in the series. However, Prince of Dragons is by far my favorite because the couple start on equal terms, at least in their minds, and their tangling has some excellent kibbutzing. Sirena is a confident, independent heroine, and Slyde respects her for that.

Cade invents some interesting alien races, especially the Serpentians- humanoids with some snakey features. Fans of Star Trek Vulcans may also appreciate the Indigon, a highly logical psychic race. The books are erotic romances and are also related to the Lodestar series.

Author site: Cathryn Cade - Red Hot Romance

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #58: The Outer Settlement Agency series by Lyn Brittan #sfr #sfrom

• 
  
• Solia's Moon: When her terraforming company expands beyond creating habitable places to creating humanoid life, Lunar Physician Solia Calian has to find a way to stop them. She’ll have the help of a mysterious sheriff, Giancarlo Sable, but they’d better hurry up. When the creatures they want to liberate start turning on them, figuring out where the real danger lies is the only way to leave the colony in one piece.

• Anja’s Star: Losing a pirate’s spaceship is rough…especially when he’s your boss. The clock’s ticking for her to get it back and the only one who can help her is a hot cop with a dangerous smile.
• Quinn’s Quasar: Half clone, half human, Quinn’s on a mission to bring down one of the wealthiest men in the Quadrant. Too bad he’s got his heart set on winning her love.
• Lana’s Comet: A military doctor desperate to have some fun before basic training, Lana goes out for a night on the town and to hell with the consequences. Oh, but fate has the last laugh when her hunk shows up the next day for basic training.
• Vin’s Rules: The bad boy of the Outer Settlement Agency, Vin Dhoma loves his crew and his job. All he wants is a little fun. Unfortunately, he’s on a mission with the most uptight woman on the planet. With a little charm, he’s determined to make the hottie loosen up a bit. Okay, a lot of charm…

I thought this series got stronger as it progressed, and especially recommend Lana's Comet and Vin's Rules. I read Lana's Comet first and thought it stood on its own, but it was cool to go back and read about the origins of the clones in earlier books. The characters are very distinct from each other and have credible motivations that let them banter and bounce off each other well.
I especially liked how Brittan explores serious subjects, such as how space travel and settlement can affect the future of labor and personhood, while giving the stories plenty of humor. 

Author site: Lyn Brittan - Where Action, Adventure, and Romance Meet

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #57: Beyond Galaxy's Edge by Anna Hackett #sfrom

Ambitious Patrol Captain Nissa Sander has spent three years at the galaxy’s edge keeping the law and order, and chasing scoundrel smuggler, Justyn Phoenix. But the charming rogue has always outwitted her and she’s had a hard time ignoring his hard body and handsome face. But when one of the galaxy’s most important documents—the US Constitution—is stolen, Nissa finds herself working with the very man she’s been trying to throw in her brig.

Justyn Phoenix embraces life and offers everyone a wink and a smile. He’s also in love with a spit-and-polish Patrol captain. Yep, crazy in love, and he knows she’ll never love him back. But when the opportunity arises to work alongside Nissa on a wild and crazy mission to recover the US Constitution, he can’t resist.

But nothing on this treasure hunt is as it seems. The trail leads them to fake documents, rival treasure hunters, and a millennia old mystery. As the hunt takes them beyond the galaxy’s edge, Justyn and Nissa will face the firestorm of their desire, and soon learn if they can survive long enough to save the galaxy.

Beyond Galaxy's Edge features some of the more lovable protagonists I've read in a while. Smuggler-with-a-heart-of-gold may have been done before, but Justyn Phoenix doesn't seem too good to be true. Any lady would be lucky to have his attention, and he has good taste, too! Nissa, meanwhile, shows us that bald women with reptilian heritage can be objects of desire. For those wondering, she doesn't have any different organs that I know of. I also enjoyed the bestiary in this book: some killer plants kept my heart rate up and brows close to my hairline in one sequence.

Nissa also has to deal with an issue close to my heart: parental pressure to excel balanced with respect and love. I, too, have a brother who I've felt I had to "make up for" with career and achievements (although on a smaller scale than Nissa). I've wanted to make my parents proud, achieve whatever they could not, and make our futures secure. They reinforce that, even though what they want most is for me to be satisfied with my life. There will always be that thread of tension in our lives, and I believe that familial relationships are key to a story that moves me.

Author site: Anna Hackett | Action Romance | Science Fiction Romance

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #54: Faring Soul by Tracy Cooper-Posey #scifi #romance #sfrom

Rumors emerge that Catherine Shahrazad, possibly the oldest person in the galaxy, has returned from the fringes and has been seen in Federation space. Wherever she goes, her name and her history cause civil unrest, riots and worse. The Federation Board doesn’t want her there.  Neither do the leaders of Cadfael College, the educators and moralists of the galaxy. No one pays any attention to the reticent navigator called Bedivere X, who pilots her ship better than she does.
The truth about Bedivere threatens the entire Federation.
His feelings for Cat might just save everyone.


"Je pense, donc je suis." -René Descartes
 
One of my favorite aspects of science fiction is the questions it makes us ask about ourselves and society. Faring Soul intertwines questions with the romance. What does it mean to love another, and what does that do for our identities? Is love what makes families, societies, religions? I enjoy when a book makes me think about these possibilities and how their underlying principles may apply to us today.

Cooper-Posey explores love and consciousness (not to mention aging, parenting, and bigotry) with enigmatic and interesting characters: they are questing for answers as much as I am. Their questions are different because they have been shaped by societies very different from my own. Catherine's mission during the story may seem like a small favor against a big backdrop, but its repercussions will send ripples through states, churches, and corporations across the universe.

Catherine and Bedivere get a Happy For Now, as Faring Soul is first in a series called Interspace Origins. Their story will be continued in Varkan's Rise and Cat and Company.

Author site: Tracy Cooper-Posey

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #51: Debbie Diesel by Nathalie Gray #scifi #romance #sfrom

Her name is Debbie Diesel—the meanest, loudest, most obnoxious woman this side of the Valerian System. And nothing will stop her from adding another trophy to her demolition derby collection. But fate throws a rivet gun in her thrusters when a new racer, Kai, comes onboard. And he has trouble written all over his wiry, centerfold-quality body. Good thing he’s always loved a good fight, because Debbie Diesel is about to give him the ride of his life.

Originally published as Demo Derby in 2006, this story opened my eyes to what SFR could be. The protagonists are fascinating, flawed people: Kai's hypercompetitiveness causes him problems, and Debbie's got impulse control and anger management issues. She's not a conventional heroine in any way. The side characters also stick in your brain, for good or ill. All of them manage to develop further during the course of the story.

The action's pretty over-the-top and gritty: it had better be, since it features a demolition derby in space! If you like fast-paced erotic romance with a dose of punk, this one's for you (complete with a spectacle of an ending). Vehicles, encounters, oh my! Prepare for impact!

Author site: Nathalie Gray | Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance

Recommendation by Lee Koven.