A review by robinwritesallthethings
Barbarian's Prize by Ruby Dixon

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What It’s About: Tiffany comes into focus as we learn about the secret trauma she endured during her captivity and her frustration with being the most desirable of the last eligible women left in the tribe.

Spice Level: This one is more of a slow burn in terms of sex, with a lot of playing and exploring before the deed is finally done. It’s smoking hot all the way through and well worth the wait.

Realism: It would be easy to not feel bad for Tiffany. She’s attractive and skilled and all of the alien guys want her for their mate. But a deeper dive into her history and personality make her an entirely sympathetic character. I found her reaction to her trauma heartbreaking, but also understandable. I also like that this volume really dove into the idea of how resonance and falling in love aren’t necessarily the same thing, and how that might make people reluctant to have extraneous relationships for fear of what might happen later.

Trope Alert: Friends to lovers, friends with benefits.

Trigger Warnings: Rape trauma. In particular, there are some flashback scenes.

Final Thoughts: I have to say that I loved the sweet way Salukh treated Tiffany, both from the beginning and after he realized why she was so reluctant to pursue any kind of relationship. He was a perfect gentleman, and it was so nice to see how he respected Tiffany’s feelings.
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