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katiekeske's review
I don't like the instant attraction Shade has for Maddie. It doesn't make any sense, and I prefer when the characters have to get to know each other and trust each other before they start thinking of each other romantically/sexually. Maybe I'm just not in the right mood for this and I'll finish it another time. I love this author's Vrisha series, so I wanted to like this one.
poppymonster's review
4.0
Not her best work, but still a good book
Maddie has crash landed on a planet where an infamous crime lord, who hates humans, reigns. Shade has legit reasons to hate humans and also understandable reasons to be unhappy about Maddie’s crash. He tells her she has to work off the price of what she destroyed in her landing.
I had mixed feelings about their love story, but I couldn’t help but be interested in Shade and the description of his appearance. Riley likes her aliens to be scary and clearly alien.
Maddie was a bit too feisty in that she made some rash decisions and said some things when most everyone would recognize it wasn’t the right time or place. I’m ok with a strong FMC, but she still needs an intelligent head on her shoulders.
It was fun to have such a niche type of dancing represented.
Overall, the world building and character development was well done in this alien version of a mafia/motorcycle club boss book.
Spice: 3 scenes
Triggers: dubcon (power exchange situation), kidnapping, violence, trafficking
Maddie has crash landed on a planet where an infamous crime lord, who hates humans, reigns. Shade has legit reasons to hate humans and also understandable reasons to be unhappy about Maddie’s crash. He tells her she has to work off the price of what she destroyed in her landing.
I had mixed feelings about their love story, but I couldn’t help but be interested in Shade and the description of his appearance. Riley likes her aliens to be scary and clearly alien.
Maddie was a bit too feisty in that she made some rash decisions and said some things when most everyone would recognize it wasn’t the right time or place. I’m ok with a strong FMC, but she still needs an intelligent head on her shoulders.
It was fun to have such a niche type of dancing represented.
Overall, the world building and character development was well done in this alien version of a mafia/motorcycle club boss book.
Spice: 3 scenes
Triggers: dubcon (power exchange situation), kidnapping, violence, trafficking
faridea's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.25
_ashton_reads_'s review
3.0
Tropes:
~alien romance
~darkish elements
~kidnapping
~blackmail/debt
~alien mafia vibes
~villain hero
I adore Olivia Riley, but this one was a bit of a miss for me. The set-up was great, but it felt a bit rushed and kinda instalove and probably would've benefited from being a longer book (it clocks in around 200 pages). I also struggled to ever see the hero as being as scary and dangerous as other characters claimed. Brownie points though for the heroine having a unique career (she was a dancer/entertainer who specialized in aerial dancing.
~alien romance
~darkish elements
~kidnapping
~blackmail/debt
~alien mafia vibes
~villain hero
I adore Olivia Riley, but this one was a bit of a miss for me. The set-up was great, but it felt a bit rushed and kinda instalove and probably would've benefited from being a longer book (it clocks in around 200 pages). I also struggled to ever see the hero as being as scary and dangerous as other characters claimed. Brownie points though for the heroine having a unique career (she was a dancer/entertainer who specialized in aerial dancing.
sunshine_12_10's review
4.0
I've been waiting for the expansion of this story since I read the original short in the anthology "Claimed By The Stars." Learning more about both characters especially a little more of Shades back story, his care for the community, and the traditions of his people deepened the story for me. I always enjoy learning more about the characters' motivations through the use of subtext. Olivia is great at character and world building.
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.
bookbonds's review
adventurous
fast-paced
2.75
this book should’ve been much longer tbh. we needed more time with the main couple to see their relationship develop. also maddie is fucking annoying 😭 bit entitled and also just impulsive at times. i actually liked shade though. the plot is there, the idea of it is great.. it just all felt too fast.
oriental_muse_0818's review
DNF at 54%. At this rate, if I roll my eyes any harder, me poor eyeballs are gonna stick to the back of my head...
This had the feeling of being wayyy too bizarrely rushed with unnecessarily stupid and senseless insta-lust–that was really absurd and ridiculous; to the extent there was practically zero coherent plot/background-setting development. The main characters were plain annoying, very difficult to connect to, had no depth whatsoever and their actions were quite incomprehensible !
Unfortunately, a very disappointing read considering how much I adore Ms. Riley's previous novels :(
This had the feeling of being wayyy too bizarrely rushed with unnecessarily stupid and senseless insta-lust–that was really absurd and ridiculous; to the extent there was practically zero coherent plot/background-setting development. The main characters were plain annoying, very difficult to connect to, had no depth whatsoever and their actions were quite incomprehensible !
Unfortunately, a very disappointing read considering how much I adore Ms. Riley's previous novels :(