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A review by rjordan19
Fated to the Alien Grump by Erin Hale
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (In all of these, I find myself wanting just a bit more character depth, more background)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I think there was a good build up here!)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (about average?)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: First person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: It takes a bit – about 18% in (chapter 3)
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, but it’s a preview in the next book’s character, Sage. The last chapter of the book is kind of like an epilogue though, taking place a week in the future from the end of the story.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book format
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because you’ll gain knowledge of the clan and characters as well as a bit of world building. But I did love that Hale started this one with a bit of a prologue that sets up Maeve leaving Earth and coming to Tavikh so it doesn’t start you off in the middle of the world (like book 2 did a bit). If you want the full story, you can also get Fated to the Lost Warrior as a newsletter grab freebie (which is the prequel novella).
Basic plot:
Maeve is aboard the ship bound for Tavikh under a new name and is hoping for a new life
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting (primitive)
- this takes place in a futuristic time period (Earth is sending people to populate the planet Tavikh)
- alien hero/human heroine
- fated mates
- denial of a fated mate bond (she doesn’t just give in when it happens)
- survival themes
- hero runs the forge
- heroine has abuse and trauma from a prior relationship to overcome
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- slower burn
- found family vibes for heroine (with the other females on the planet)
- virgin hero
- scarred hero
- lower to mid steam – 2 full scenes (but it feels like a touch lower page count)
Ages:
- Didn’t catch either?
First line:
Sweat trickles down my back and nausea churns in my stomach.
My thoughts:
I love that Hale included not only content warnings for her books, but also a note on chapter 1 that if the book opens to this page, the content warnings are available in previous pages. I personally have not come across triggers or content that bothers me, but I like to be cognizant of it for others and really appreciate Hale’s extra touch of empathy here (especially because many times e-books open after where content warnings are usually placed)
I was worried about getting into this one because Benham and Maeve are not together too often in the beginning of the book. It takes about 35-40% until they really start interacting and I was foaming at the mouth for them to be on page together more 😂 When they are together it’s perfection!
Benham is so deliciously gentle with Maeve, and so sweet. I loved their progression to getting to know each other and slowly opening up. Slower burns with tension build up are my favorite and I found that here. I still think I like the prequel novella just a bit more (Fated to the Lost Warrior) but this is a close second. I ended up really loving this couple.
Cock/Hero Stats: (some of this is taken from prior books about the culture and may not be specifically mentioned in this novel)
- mating bonds are never broken, even in death. If either dies, their mate follows them on their journey to the lands of Deeka
- They have a belief system of ‘gods’ that’s integrated through their thought process but not overwhelming (mention of Deeka blessing them/prayers sent)
- translators are used and gets most language across but there are some nuances that are lost
- hero smells faintly like chocolate
- hero’s cock has nodes that run the length of it and fill with ‘mating fluid’
- cock has a head that is flared and shaped like upside down umbrella
- when the mating nodes open there are tiny hairs that release a fluid that enhances pleasure
- yellow eyes with vertical pupils
Endearments
The heroes call their mates ‘keeshla’.
Quotes/thoughts: (Any mistakes are my own)
“Benham?”
He stops hammering and gives me his full attention.
“Would it be okay if I...if I touched you?”
“Is that what you would like to do?”
No. Yes. Maybe. My hands shake and I clench and unclench my fists. “I think so.”
“My Maeve,” Benham says softly and hearing him call me his makes my stomach flip-flop in a weird way. “I would like nothing more than that, but I want you to know that you want to, not just think you do. When you can say yes without hesitation, then I welcome all of your touches.”
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- parental death
- remembrance of an abusive relationship for the heroine on Earth, including physical abuse
- some brief mentions of furs/hunting for food
- mention of prior attacks on the village but nothing on page
- implied rape of heroine by her boyfriend
- side character remembers her sisters suicide
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Hows the consent? It’s very good! The hero is gentle and asks and goes slow to make sure the heroine feels safe
54% - kiss
61% - kisses
67% - kisses, light touches
84% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
94% - 🔥 dirty talking hero, oral for her, missionary with tail play on the clit
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (In all of these, I find myself wanting just a bit more character depth, more background)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I think there was a good build up here!)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (about average?)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: First person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: It takes a bit – about 18% in (chapter 3)
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, but it’s a preview in the next book’s character, Sage. The last chapter of the book is kind of like an epilogue though, taking place a week in the future from the end of the story.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book format
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because you’ll gain knowledge of the clan and characters as well as a bit of world building. But I did love that Hale started this one with a bit of a prologue that sets up Maeve leaving Earth and coming to Tavikh so it doesn’t start you off in the middle of the world (like book 2 did a bit). If you want the full story, you can also get Fated to the Lost Warrior as a newsletter grab freebie (which is the prequel novella).
Basic plot:
Maeve is aboard the ship bound for Tavikh under a new name and is hoping for a new life
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting (primitive)
- this takes place in a futuristic time period (Earth is sending people to populate the planet Tavikh)
- alien hero/human heroine
- fated mates
- denial of a fated mate bond (she doesn’t just give in when it happens)
- survival themes
- hero runs the forge
- heroine has abuse and trauma from a prior relationship to overcome
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- slower burn
- found family vibes for heroine (with the other females on the planet)
-
- scarred hero
- lower to mid steam – 2 full scenes (but it feels like a touch lower page count)
Ages:
- Didn’t catch either?
First line:
Sweat trickles down my back and nausea churns in my stomach.
My thoughts:
I love that Hale included not only content warnings for her books, but also a note on chapter 1 that if the book opens to this page, the content warnings are available in previous pages. I personally have not come across triggers or content that bothers me, but I like to be cognizant of it for others and really appreciate Hale’s extra touch of empathy here (especially because many times e-books open after where content warnings are usually placed)
I was worried about getting into this one because Benham and Maeve are not together too often in the beginning of the book. It takes about 35-40% until they really start interacting and I was foaming at the mouth for them to be on page together more 😂 When they are together it’s perfection!
Benham is so deliciously gentle with Maeve, and so sweet. I loved their progression to getting to know each other and slowly opening up. Slower burns with tension build up are my favorite and I found that here. I still think I like the prequel novella just a bit more (Fated to the Lost Warrior) but this is a close second. I ended up really loving this couple.
Cock/Hero Stats: (some of this is taken from prior books about the culture and may not be specifically mentioned in this novel)
- mating bonds are never broken, even in death. If either dies, their mate follows them on their journey to the lands of Deeka
- They have a belief system of ‘gods’ that’s integrated through their thought process but not overwhelming (mention of Deeka blessing them/prayers sent)
- translators are used and gets most language across but there are some nuances that are lost
- hero smells faintly like chocolate
- hero’s cock has nodes that run the length of it and fill with ‘mating fluid’
- cock has a head that is flared and shaped like upside down umbrella
- when the mating nodes open there are tiny hairs that release a fluid that enhances pleasure
- yellow eyes with vertical pupils
Endearments
Quotes/thoughts: (Any mistakes are my own)
“Benham?”
He stops hammering and gives me his full attention.
“Would it be okay if I...if I touched you?”
“Is that what you would like to do?”
No. Yes. Maybe. My hands shake and I clench and unclench my fists. “I think so.”
“My Maeve,” Benham says softly and hearing him call me his makes my stomach flip-flop in a weird way. “I would like nothing more than that, but I want you to know that you want to, not just think you do. When you can say yes without hesitation, then I welcome all of your touches.”
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- parental death
- remembrance of an abusive relationship for the heroine on Earth, including physical abuse
- some brief mentions of furs/hunting for food
- mention of prior attacks on the village but nothing on page
- implied rape of heroine by her boyfriend
- side character remembers her sisters suicide
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
54% - kiss
61% - kisses
67% - kisses, light touches
84% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
94% - 🔥 dirty talking hero, oral for her, missionary with tail play on the clit