Please let this be the start of a series! Kimberly Lemming can write a ridiculous, spicy SFF rom-com like nobody's business. A wildlife biologist is abducted by aliens and dropped on a world full of anachronistic dinosaurs and ice age mammals, not to mention two horned aliens who say she's their mate. But despite having a lion friend, Dorothy's not about to let a bunch of ridiculous creatures dictate her fate. Dorothy's got her own life plans, and they do not involve having alien babies as part of some messed up alien breeding program, thank you very much. Hot sex with her hunky new alien beaus on the other hand? That, she's happy to sign up for. First--or maybe second-- she's got some alien researchers to punch and jurassic wildlife to observe, though.


I think I have a new favorite Kimberly Lemming book.

This is my first Kimberly Lemming and it absolutely blew my mind! I mean, I knew I was in for a wild ride solely based on that title but I don't think anything could have prepared me. This book was so fun and smutty but also so cute. It's actually the perfect mix and I'm so happy that I read it so early - now I can make my way through Kimberly Lemming's backlog! Genuinely such a bonkers book and full of excitement - everyone needs to read this one!

This book is a tough one for me- I am often conflicted when I read books I only kind of like from authors I love! I really enjoyed the Mead Mishaps fantasy series, so I was very excited about Lemming venturing into a more science fiction place. What I loved most about Mishaps is the silliness of the world. It is a high fantasy world, but it doesn't take itself seriously. It's fun, it's sexy, and it's hilarious! So I went into this book with high expectations.

I didn't realize this was a plural romance when I started reading it, but I have enjoyed them before. I liked both of the love interests, and I liked Dorothy. She's an interesting character and I get her. I like that there is tension between all three members of this trio, all of whom come to an understanding together by the end of the story. They get closure together, which is hard to do when you have to focus on the internal lives of three characters from one perspective.

I think the content warning at the beginning of the book is apt, since if you can't tolerate a sex-pollen/kinda-dubious-consent situation, this book isn't for you. I don't usually mind that sort of thing, and I have mixed feelings on it here. I can enjoy this kind of fuck-or-die situation when ultimately the characters are compatible and would participate enthusiastically even without encouragement. The place where it gets sticky for me is when choice is removed from the situation by an outside party. While Dorothy expresses attraction and interest in both of her mates before they are targeted, she would not have made the choices she made without uncontrollable lust. And this lust is brought on by an owl-like species basically using abducted human women to restore another species they accidentally almost decimated. I get that life on Earth is no picnic, but Dory doesn't spare a thought for her home planet, despite the lack of necessities on planet Waffles. Will the owls be supplying them with everything they need? Will Dory get her bonnet?

I also just do not get the owls engineering a planet for the *species name* and abducting human women to repopulate their species with. I get that the idea is that it's an underfunded project, but it seems like it would be a lot less work to just, I don't know, find a remote place on earth to drop them? And the owls are unable to communicate with the humans and *other species* at the beginning, so they think they aren't a sentient species. Are there not legal consequences to doing this kind of thing to sentient beings????

I liked the story well enough, and there were moments where I just cackled out loud laughing. I guess my main issue is this: it makes no sense what the owls do in the first place. So, they destroy a planet and only preserve the males of the species by accident. Sure, I buy that. Then, they terraform a planet with some flora and fauna from Earth (incorrect era, but still Earth) because they figure out that human women can be altered to reproduce with *species name.)

It might make some degree of sense to "use" humans to solve the not having women issue, but what I don't get is the new planet and why they had to abduct people in the first place. Maybe you can put it down to the program being underfunded, but why didn't they just tamper with the appearance of the *aliens* and drop them on earth? The owls said they were trying to preserve the species, but they clearly didn't care about cultural contamination, so if you're going to put aliens and humans together, why not bring the aliens to the humans? They were clearly okay with messing with human biology, so why is that different?

Like, Sol was a lawyer. We know their society was advanced! So why are they all okay with being left on planet Waffles to live in a warped simulacrum of Earth? Like, at the end of the book they just punch the guy in the face and go on their merry way. I would want to kill the little feathery assholes! And I like owls.

I should have never doubted that Kimberly Lemming could flawlessly switch from fantasy to sci-fi! Just as fun as it sounds, with extra friends made along the way.

I was really excited to read this book, but it unfortunately fell really short for me. I understand that a book like this is supposed to be wacky and far-fetched, but when you just keep adding a ton a random stuff just to show that this planet is weird, it really made me feel super disconnected and unable to get a clear setting in mind. The spice was written well, and the characters are overall enjoyable, but it felt like a knock-off Ice Planet Barbarians. But not a good knock-off. The best way I can describe this book is by using the dessert 'everything-but-the-kitchen-sink'. A bit too much, making the plot a bit messy and unenjoyable. Rating it a three because the characters, spicy scenes, and the probability that others will enkoy this more than me.

The hijinks and humor of a typical Kimberly Lemming novel combined with the romance of a Ruby Dixon book. Super fun, but definitely don't come here for the plot. I'll read anything Kimberly Lemming writes - smut or not.

This book was absolutely BONKERS and so fun and goofy. You really just gotta go into it with no expectations, it went to so many different places with nonstop action. I really liked the main character, and I love that it’s an MMF pairing! At some points it was a little too over the top, but I still had a fun time reading it. If you’re a fan of the author’s, definitely check this one out!

🌈Queer rep: MMF main pairing (throuple), bi/pan male main characters

I'm thinking that Kimberly Lemming's writing style just isn't for me. I was really excited to read this one because of how much hype Lemming has on TikTok, and I thought the premise was fun, but it just didn't end up working for me.

I enjoyed the lion, Toto, in this book. Also, the humor was fun and light. Unfortunately, I just don't think this book was for me. I can see others loving this book.

I can’t get enough of Kimberly Lemming’s books! This one was no exception.

This premise was so preposterous yet very fun and entertaining. The spice level was even a bit spicier than her other books I’ve tried, so be prepared for some racy bits.

The aliens and animal characters were clever and in some cases endearing. The pacing and plotting were very good. The action scenes were exciting.

I absolutely love to escape into her fantasy romance worlds! I may not read them during lunch at work anymore, though, because I could feel my face heating up during the spicy bits! 😂

This would be a perfect recommendation for a fan of Sarah J Maas who wants something lighter, or fans of Travis Baldree who want something racier.

This book is silly, fun, full of action, ridiculous, cute, spicy, and somehow also completely adorable.
Toto, Dory’s lion companion, is the best. I want to be part of a lion’s pride, get to hang out with him, and receive solid advice from. Also, “I’ll eat your heart and shit out your dreams!” is exactly what I expect a lion to yell at someone grabbing him. It took some time for the other main characters to grow on me but I’m so glad they did. The sweet moments between them took me by surprise. There is some definite spice, Dory does get to have two alien lovers. Sol and Lok are different personalities and even builds, but both are plenty hot.

Small Spoiler
Around the half-way point of the book, the characters have a moment of laughing together about the absurdity of it all, what is happening, their “mission”, etc. It is the most at ease Dory felt since arriving on the planet and it somehow made me more comfortable in the book, as well. Like, I’m reading this way over the top, hilarious, heart-touching book, and it is so much fun that even the characters are laughing about it.
End

Overall, I’m so happy I read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was ABSOLUTELY WILD. I'm a huge Kimberly fan so I was clamoring to get this. I was so surprised by the love interest which was really refreshing. I loved this and would definitely read the next. Thank you for the early copy!

I liked this book concept but the exection fell flat for me a bit. If you want a short funny romance though, it's good.

Kimberly Lemming is now an auto-buy author for me! This is a bonkers sci-fi romance fever dream complete with TWO fated mates, a talking lion, dinosaurs, a hodge-podge terraformed planet, and so much more. While it was a little light on character/relationship development, it was an action-packed joy to read and I'm on the edge of my seat for the next one!

Holy convoluted story, Batman...

I really enjoy Lemming's world-building in this one - women of Earth who are a moment from death are abducted by an alien race who are running scientific experiments to colonize another world. On this world, they have also introduced a race of flame-throwing warrior aliens whose planet was destroyed. Earthlings and this species are genetically compatible, so the abducting race have mixed the flora and fauna of their worlds, creating a poisonous plant and dinosaur infested hellscape. Oh, yes, and there's a lion.

I wanted to love this story, but 75% in, I had to give it up due to the utter unpredictability and lack of brain power to continue following the whiplash-inducing turns of events. Too much for me.

This book was the most bonkers thing I ever read and it’s literally my new favorite thing. This book was just everything and I really loved it the only downside was that I read it all in a day and have to wait for this to actually come out so I can get closer to the next book which I feel like is going to be twice as bonkers and I’m both terrified and thrilled for it. Kimberly Lemming could write anything and I would read it. Loved this so much. This was my favorite book this year and let’s just consider it the top contender for next year too.

I loved this! It was ridiculously funny, I was literally laughing out loud. I was annoying my roommates nonstop, telling them about one-liners, talking lions, and owl-sized aliens. We're far enough out that I won't say too much about it, but I definitely recommend reading it in February! I will note, it's described as a rom-com and while it is a romance and very funny, it is higher stakes than what I would officially call a rom-com. Lots life-or-death situations over the course of the book. (Think a funnier Ice Planet Barbarians). Nonetheless, I had an absolutely blast reading it!

I have read and absolutely LOVED the Mead Mishaps series from Kimberly Lemming. This book fell short for me. I didn't get attached to the characters at all. It lacked the humor I was expecting and the plot was just lacking. Perhaps I went in with too high of expectations? This was just a mediocre. It felt rushed and the spice felt forced in (not as in non-consensual, but as in the author had a quota of spice scenes and threw them in randomly).

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming is an absolute blast! It’s quirky, hilarious, and full of witty dialogue, blending romance and sci-fi in the most delightful way. The absurd yet lovable characters keep you laughing as they navigate wild situations and romantic tension aboard an alien spaceship. If you’re looking for a light, fun read with a unique twist, this one’s a must!

This poly alien romance, reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, was everything I have come to expect from Kimberly Lemming and more! I am obsessed with the sheer originality of this book and just how fun and smutty this story was!