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 #87: Warleader by Susan Grant

Finn Rorkken is an infamous Drakken warleader.

Brit Bandar is the Coalition's greatest military commander.

Now they're forced to serve together on the same starship.

The mission: diplomacy.

The objective: keeping the peace.

Not so easy to do when your sworn enemy is living next door.

Welcome to the Borderlands, where rules are meant to be broken…


A decade ago, I read Moonstruck by Susan Grant, and the story and characters utterly captivated me, so I was very excited to see a brand new release largely based on the original story, but with an all new title and awesome new cover.

Admiral Brit “Stone-Heart” Bandar is a tough-as-nails military leader who is secretly struggling with a past tragedy. Unfortunately, her new orders from the Coalition will test her toleration to the breaking point.

Finn Rorkken is a warleader for the opposing side, once known as the Scourge of the Borderlands, but now being given an unexpected new mission--serve at the side of the very enemy he once matched wits with.

I found this enemies-to-lovers tale between two strong-willed characters with a galaxy of barriers to overcome, a compelling, action-packed and memorable read, with some well-timed gems of humor. Warleader is the first book in the Borderlands Series.

This recommendation is by Laurie A. Green
Book site: Warleader

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 #56: Inherit the Stars by Laurie A. Green #scifi #sfrom #spaceopera

To escape the merciless Ithian Alliance, Sair, a fugitive slave, makes a desperate deal with Drea Mennelsohn, captain of the prototype ship, Specter. But putting his life in the hands of a woman as mysterious as she is beguiling could turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life, especially when the price on his head begins to escalate. 

Drea seems to want far more from the fugitive than just payment for his passage on her ship. Though neither can deny the sizzling chemistry and growing bond between them, Sair must soon make an agonizing decision that could result in the loss of the remarkable woman he has fallen in love with—and their chance to inherit the stars.

Inherit the Stars has left me with several questions I've turned over in my head several times in the months since I've read it. What are acceptable lengths to go for peace? How much can we impinge on free will to create a peaceful society? I know I fall on one side when it comes to such things (as do our heroes in Inherit the Stars), but there's a case to be made that their techniques are not acceptable or right. In science fiction, we have access to alternative weapons that raise ethical questions I find fascinating to ponder- especially as we liken them to technology we have access to today.

The story is purely from the hero's point of view, which I think works better for some readers and worse for others. I'd recommend it for its excellent secondary characters and its original ideas on what weaponry and disability could look like.

Author site: Laurie A. Green | Romantic adventure-- anytime, anywhere.

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #55: Paradox series by Rachel Bach #scifi

Devi Morris isn't your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It's a combination that's going to get her killed one day - but not just yet. 
That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn't misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she's found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn't give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.

(blurb from Fortune's Pawn)

Spanning three books, the Paradox series follows the galaxy-changing adventures of Devi Morris, a space mercenary that gets in way over her head and proceeds to kick backside on her way out. She considers her power armor suit, the Lady Grey, her BFF, names her weapons (one after her grandmother!), and doesn't take "no" or "can't" for an answer. Although this leads to some problematic behavior in the beginning, it's more often what she needs to get her out of the many tight spots she gets thrown into or throws herself into. There's an alien plague, space squid, another dimension, bio-engineering, and international conspiracies hiding the truth, if any of those elements attract you.

The secondary characters and galaxy are portrayed with bold detail and complex morality. Themes highlighted include who watches the watchers and what are acceptable sacrifices for the greater good. Devi's relationship with her love interest, the brooding and lethal Charkov, gets rather rocky during the series, but be assured there's a happily-ever-after for them! The romance may not be the focus of the books, but it is tightly interwoven in a fantastic space opera.

Author site: Rachel Aaron/Rachel Bach: Official Author Site

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 48: Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner. 

As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

In Enemy Within, everybody's got layers of secrets and at least one angle. The major characters have complex stories and goals and have to make some difficult decisions to get those accomplished. What do the deliciously disturbing space bugs want with Ari? Who is she really loyal to, and why is that important to Cullin?
The romance is tested hard- at several points I thought it was unworkable.

This book wreacked havoc with my emotions. I felt for Ari, who gets pulled through all kinds of wringers. Cullin was a little harder for me to get a handle on, but his confusion and frustrations made sense and felt real. Add spaceships, some politics, murky alliances, fencing, and aliens, and this book packs quite a wallop. This story's been on my keeper shelf for years and inspired me try writing myself. It ends well, and the characters definitely earn it!

Author site: Marcella Burnard, Official Website

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 47: Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair #scifi #sfrom #romance

The universe isn’t what it used to be. With the new alliance between the Triad and the United Coalition, Captain Tasha “Sass” Sebastian finds herself serving under her former nemesis, bio-cybe Admiral Branden Kel-Paten—and doing her best to hide a deadly past. But when an injured mercenary falls into their ship’s hands, her efforts may be wasted …
Wanted rebel Jace Serafino has information that could expose all of Sass’s secrets, tear the fragile Alliance apart—and end Sass’s career if Kel-Paten discovers them. But the bio-cybe has something to hide as well, something once thought impossible for his kind to possess: feelings...for Sass. Soon it’s clear that their prisoner could bring down everything they once believed was worth dying for—and everything they now have to live for…

The strongest aspect of this book is its protagonists, who are classic foils to each other. Kel-Paten is collected, vulnerable, and self-sacrificing, a combination that manages to win over Sass (and many readers). Sinclair explores his cybernetics and how they affect his interactions with others in a sympathetic manner. Kel-Paten cannot admit how he feels apart or what he wants for himself to anybody else, and his struggles manifest in interesting ways. Sass has fewer hangups: she came to her position via her ability to think outside the box. Her cleverness and guile won't let their partnership during the mission be boring.

Games of Command is a long and twisty read featuring a compelling romance, political and metaphysical mysteries, and psychic teleporting cats. Any one of these would have sold the story to me, but having all three puts this book on my keeper list.

Author site: www.linneasinclair.com

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends 36: The Key by Pauline Baird Jones #sfrom #scifi #romance

When Sara Donovan joins Project Enterprise she finds out that what doesn't kill her makes her stronger. An Air Force pilot - the best of the best to be assigned to this mission - Sara isn't afraid to travel far beyond the Milky Way on an assignment that takes her into a galaxy torn apart by a long and bitter warfare between the Dusan and the Gadi. After she's shot down and manages to land safely on an inhospitable planet, Sara encounters Kiernan Fyn - a seriously hot alien with a few secrets of his own - he's a member of a resistance group called the Ojemba, lead by the mysterious and ruthless Kalian. Together they must avoid capture, but can they avoid their growing attraction to each other? A mysterious, hidden city on the planet brings Sara closer to the answers she seeks - about her baffling abilities and her mother's past. She has no idea she's being pulled into the same danger her mother fled - the key to a secret left behind by a lost civilization, the Garradians. The Dusan and the Gadi want the key. So do the Ojemba. They think Sara has it. They are willing to do anything to get it. Sara will have to do anything to stop them

I read this while reading through the Nebula Nights collection. Having read an extract, I wished to read the whole book. I was not disappointed.

Pauline has a sense of humour I love, which comes through clearly in this story. Given some of the tough situations the main characters, and particularly Sara, find themselves in, the humour did much to lighten up what could have been a rather dismal read.

The romance is good, and I loved the SF side of the story too. It all worked together, and the worldbuilding (or civilisation deconstruction?) is fascinating. A tale with a relatively simple premise, but some feisty characters that flesh it out. Not to mention the creepy creeps (villains).

A good read, or as I've classified it in my head, space romp.

Author site: Perilous Pauline

SFRB Recommends 34: Aurora Rising by G.S. Jennsen #scifi #romance #sfrom

This week's recommendation comes to you from Sabine Priestley.

BOOKS: Starshine and Vertigo, books one and two in the Aurora Rising series.

AURORA RISING is an epic tale of galaxy-spanning adventure, of the thrill of discovery and the unquenchable desire to reach ever farther into the unknown. It's a tale of humanity at its best and worst, of love and loss, of fear and heroism. It's the story of a woman who sought the stars and found more than anyone imagined possible. 

I fell hard and fast for these books and can’t wait for the third to come out. Jensen is brilliant in her use of technology. Alex and Caleb both had me early on. Jennsen uses deep description on nearly every page which can drag at times, but her story telling is riveting enough to more than make up for any lag. When the heat shows up between our MCs it comes hard, fast, and oh so delicious. These books have a little bit (or a lot) of everything. Warring factions, romance between enemies, aliens attacking the human race, f-ing portals (I love portals), love, lust, betrayal and redemption. There are even dragons, but I’m not saying when or where. The list goes on. I highly recommend the Aurora Rising series.

Author site: GS Jennsen

SFRB Recommends #21: Visionary of Peace by Cindy Borgne #scifi #romance

Visionary of Peace by Cindy Borgne

Book Description

Ian Connors had planned to use his visions to spy on Marscorp in order to maintain peace, but flashbacks and nightmares make it impossible. Since two years of peace have passed due to a stalemate, Ian decides to try and live a normal life, until one day he has a vision so horrifying he has no choice but to become the seer he once was or Vallar will have no future. While he struggles to regain his ability, the Marcs plot to capture him alive in order to complete a deal for their return to Earth.

Why is it recommended?

This is the second book in the Vallar Series. For those who met Ian Connors in the first book, it is primarily an opportunity to see what happens to him after he leaves Marscorp. And trouble, it seems, is never too far away.

Borgne weaves a tightly-structured story with plenty of surprises along the way. One can definitely learn from the example she sets in story-craft. 

Author site: Cindy Borgne | Speculative and Paranormal Fiction

SFRB Recommends #19: Starheart by Greta van der Rol #scifi #romance #spaceopera

Starheart by Greta van der Rol

Book Description

Freighter Captain Jess Sondijk thought she had her life under control until Admiral Hudson's Confederacy battle cruiser stops her ship to search for contraband. His questions reopen matters she had thought resolved. What if her husband's death during an official boarding wasn't accidental?

Hudson has his own questions. Who in the Confederacy is trading with the Ptorix? And what price is high enough to pay for starhearts, the prized jewels the aliens call the windows of the soul?

Jess and Hudson's interests collide in more ways than one as they follow a shadowy trail of deceit and corruption in search of the truth. But while Jess is more than willing to put her life on the line to protect what's hers, Hudson must balance the risk of inter-species war at worst and the end of his career at best, in a deadly game of political intrigue, murder and greed.

***

It took me a while to get around to reading this book after I bought it on Amazon. Let me tell you one thing: don't do it. You buy it, you read it. It's that good.

A real page-turner, I really struggled to put this book down. The world-building is excellent, with just a snippet here or there that reveals more of the setting as one gets deeper into the book. The characters are vivid and well-rounded, and there's plenty in here to keep you guessing about... well, a lot.

Overall, an excellent read, and highly recommended.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.
Find it on Amazon US HERE.

Author site: Greta van der Rol - writer, photographer, animal lover, space nut

SFRB Recommends #18: The Catalyst by Chris Reher #scifi #romance #spaceopera

About The Book

Lieutenant Nova Whiteside, on an apparently routine assignment aboard an interstellar transport, finds herself the target of an assassination attempt. Her escape leaves her with no option but to rely on Seth, a former lover, for help.

Unfortunately, she realizes that they are now on opposite sides of an escalating war between the Commonwealth Union of Planets and an increasingly dangerous rebel organization.

In trying to find who is threatening her life, they discover a plot to destroy a distant planet - a world inhabited by creatures that are the key to Nova's survival - and a conspiracy that threatens the stability of the Union Commonwealth.

***
Why It's Recommended

Although this is the second book in the Targon Tales series, it can be read as a stand alone, and I think it is the best of a great series. It has a strong female lead character, space battles, mystery, conspiring with rebel forces, spies and a love story all rolled into one epic space opera book that isn't weighed down by bloat.

I thought the pacing in this book was excellent, starting off right away with space pirates capturing an imperial vessel where Nova has been assigned to protect an asset - a squid-like alien in a jar. This begins her journey to uncovering the truth of the aliens while she races to save her own life. She becomes the carrier of a catalyst agent that could be the key to changing the balance of power between the imperials and the rebels. At her side is Seth, a former lover who wants to scratch the former part off the title while still holding onto secrets he is reluctant to reveal. In the end, they will have to find trust in one another or all could be lost.

I think this book will appeal to both Science Fiction/Space Opera readers and Science Fiction Romance fans. It's a good 'bridge book' for those who are just starting to venture into one genre from the other (either pure sci-fi to sci-fi romance or vise versa).

Find it on Goodreads HERE.
Find it on Amazon US HERE

Recommended by C.E. Kilgore at TracingTheStars.com

Author site: Chris Reher - Author

SFRB Recomends #17: Sovran's Pawn by JC Cassels #scifi #romance #spaceopera

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe. 

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns. 

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

The catch is, no one and nothing are what they seem…

***

I'd had this on my Kindle for quite a while before I got around to reading it. I have to say I've regretted putting it off for so long a LOT. This has to be one of the most flawless and captivating pieces of space opera I think I've ever read. Did I mention it was SELF PUBLISHED? The author has gone all out to make sure this is a high quality piece of fiction, with none of the errors that plague some SP works. I didn't find a single mistake in the whole thing, and certainly no plot holes, inconsistencies, repetitions, head hopping - my pet peeves.

As to the story, think Firefly/Farscape/original Battlestar Galactica. Traditional space opera. Good sexual tension without any explicit scenes, excellent three dimensional characters with amazing depth, immense and detailed world building. Even though the hero is not the type of guy I would go for, his confidence doesn't come across as arrogance, and the banter between hero and heroine will put a smile on your face. I especially loved the scene where Bo and Blade first meet. While some may be disappointed in the lack of bedroom scenes or intimacy beyond some required nakedness and a kiss or two, I recommend this to any fan of scifi romance, and especially those just starting out and intending to self publish. This book is a standard you should definitely aspire to.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Find it on Amazon US HERE.

Author site: JC Cassels

SFRB Recommends #15: Dragonfly by Erica Hayes #scifi #scifiromance #sfr

Dragonfly- by Erica Hayes

This week's recommendation comes from Rachel Leigh Smith:

Carrie Thatcher is a tough Imperial counter-terrorism agent. Her mission: pose as a sexy cyber-thief to entrap the notorious rebel Dragonfly, who’s planning a heist on the space station Casa de Esperanza – an orbital casino on the fringe of Imperial space.

And this assignment’s personal: Dragonfly murdered her closest friend, and she’s in no mood to show him mercy. Even getting stuck with the partner from hell—Malachite, her sociopathic ex-lover and the Empire’s most dangerous agent—can’t dampen her relish for the kill.

With Carrie’s expert weapons skills and penchant for cracking codes, insinuating herself into Dragonfly’s confidence should be easy. But is he the ruthless killer she was led to believe? Or has her precious Empire deceived her? With Malachite watching her every move, the slightest flinch in loyalty means death.

Carrie is soon racing to uncover an audacious treachery that will shock the Empire to its core … if she can stay alive for long enough to expose it.


I don't usually read first person books, and this one managed to not only catch my attention but KEEP it. The world Erica built is based on Russia being the dominant power. I love all things Russian, so this probably had a lot to do with why I enjoyed it so much.

I did go through my usual missing his point of view, but I'm weird like that. A very enjoyable read with unique worldbuilding and an interesting heroine.

Author site: Erica Hayes - Urban Fantasy Author

SFRB Recommends #8: Empire by Michael J Hicks #scifi #romance #scifirom

Empire - Michael J Hicks

This is probably the first book I picked up that I could truly place within the modern SFR genre - that is, since my reading of Anne McCaffrey's novels. It is free on Amazon, and if I could put my reading of it into a single word, it would be 'Wow!' The book is arguably a war story, but it focuses on the brutal military training of Reza Gard, a human captured by the Kreelan Empire (yup, aliens, and about as alien as they can come) and a very unlikely romance.

The vision of this book is incredible, though I must admit I have yet to pluck up the courage to read further in the series. That should not detract from this recommendation, though. It's that one becomes so immersed in the alien mindset and world that coming back to reality almost induces culture shock! An excellent escapist novel - but don't expect it to be a pleasant read, necessarily. The Kreelans are brutal!

Author site: Author Michael J Hicks

SFRB Recommends #5: Seer of Mars #scifi #romance

Seer of Mars -  By Cindy Borgne

I picked this book up in early 2013. It quickly became one of the best books I'd read in a good while.

Cindy Borgne, a self-published author, creates a tangible corporate/military feuding society on Mars, with an innocent teenager caught in the middle. Ian Connors, a psychic, hates war, and when he causes a skirmish by revealing his visions to his Admiral (which he is required to do), he is disgusted by the results of his actions. Through the pages of this book we follow how he tries to escape from what appears at first glance to be his destiny, to reach for a vision he has little hope of achieving.

This book is written to a very high standard in both story-telling and language. It is not, strictly speaking, SFR, but it is unquestionably science fiction with romantic elements and, in fact, the events that unfold are driven by a vision Ian has of himself together with a woman.

It can be downloaded from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Author site: Cindy Borgne - Speculative and Paranormal Fiction