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A review by a_reader_obsessed
Barbarian Lover by Ruby Dixon
4.0
4 Stars
I can’t fault Dixon for not only bringing the smexy but also delivering on legitimate fears and longings.
This story focuses on Kira, whose aforementioned fears are well grounded in logic.
So, what happens when a completely alien race, with close to 10 times more males than females, finds out one of the compatible humans may not be able to potentially provide a family, that the implied reciprocity is broken? Who’s to say that they wouldn’t just toss her out of the cave, no longer willing to waste precious effort and resources? Granted, the Khui have been nothing but kind and generous, taking fabulous care of Kira and her companions, but the constant worry and anxiety understandably weighs heavily.
Rest assured, this alien race are the good guys, but you can’t fault Kira’s way of thinking. She doesn't want to lead anyone on, and she doesn’t want to connect with another should he happen to resonate (mate) with someone else down the road.
In stark contrast, Aehako is the complete opposite of Kira. Carefree, optimistic, and blatantly flirty, always with a smile, his personal philosophy is to grab any happiness one can because brutal reality will always take precedence by default. Aehako finds Kira intriguing, his only goal is to take away some of the sadness emanating off of her, and he purposely chooses her despite the lack of the adamant pull of resonance that has yet to surface.
Obviously, I enjoyed the inner conflict of Kira. Aehako (though far from being a slouch) was a breath of fresh air for not being the surly alpha male many of these sorts of stories offer.
This had a bit of everything - humor, angst, action, and spice - perfect escapism to indulge in!
Ice Planet Barbarians Series
1. Ice Planet Barbarians - 3.5 Stars
1.5. Ice Panet Honeymoon: Vektal & Georgie - 3 Stars
2. Barbarian Alien - 4 Stars
2.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Raahosh & Liz - 4 Stars
3. Barbarian Lover - 4 Stars
3.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Aehako & Kira - 3 Stars
4. Barbarian Mine - 4 Stars
4.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Rukh & Harlow - 3 Stars
4.75. Ice Planet Holiday - 3.5 Stars
I can’t fault Dixon for not only bringing the smexy but also delivering on legitimate fears and longings.
This story focuses on Kira, whose aforementioned fears are well grounded in logic.
So, what happens when a completely alien race, with close to 10 times more males than females, finds out one of the compatible humans may not be able to potentially provide a family, that the implied reciprocity is broken? Who’s to say that they wouldn’t just toss her out of the cave, no longer willing to waste precious effort and resources? Granted, the Khui have been nothing but kind and generous, taking fabulous care of Kira and her companions, but the constant worry and anxiety understandably weighs heavily.
Rest assured, this alien race are the good guys, but you can’t fault Kira’s way of thinking. She doesn't want to lead anyone on, and she doesn’t want to connect with another should he happen to resonate (mate) with someone else down the road.
In stark contrast, Aehako is the complete opposite of Kira. Carefree, optimistic, and blatantly flirty, always with a smile, his personal philosophy is to grab any happiness one can because brutal reality will always take precedence by default. Aehako finds Kira intriguing, his only goal is to take away some of the sadness emanating off of her, and he purposely chooses her despite the lack of the adamant pull of resonance that has yet to surface.
Obviously, I enjoyed the inner conflict of Kira. Aehako (though far from being a slouch) was a breath of fresh air for not being the surly alpha male many of these sorts of stories offer.
Spoiler
In all honesty, I would’ve loved to have seen Kira and Aehako stay together despite not having the official mate bond, but I appreciated they chose each other before it happened, making their connection that much more sweet!This had a bit of everything - humor, angst, action, and spice - perfect escapism to indulge in!
Ice Planet Barbarians Series
1. Ice Planet Barbarians - 3.5 Stars
1.5. Ice Panet Honeymoon: Vektal & Georgie - 3 Stars
2. Barbarian Alien - 4 Stars
2.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Raahosh & Liz - 4 Stars
3. Barbarian Lover - 4 Stars
3.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Aehako & Kira - 3 Stars
4. Barbarian Mine - 4 Stars
4.5. Ice Planet Honeymoon: Rukh & Harlow - 3 Stars
4.75. Ice Planet Holiday - 3.5 Stars