Beast Unburdened

Gladiators of the Vagabond Book 1

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 04 Apr 2022 | Archive Date 24 May 2022

Talking about this book? Use #BeastUnburdened #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Abigail

Monsters are real. And so are aliens…

The beast was terrifying. Eight foot tall, covered in green scales with horns that would make a bull jealous. When they threw me into his cell, expecting him to knock me up so they could sell his offspring, the last thing I expected was to find a gentle giant.

Okay, okay, not that gentle. He did kill a guy and tossed his corpse at my feet the moment we met. Not exactly romantic.

But he gives the best cuddles, that counts for something right?

Ziame

When the slavers threw a pretty human into my cell I knew I had to act. Everything had been building up to this moment.

To break out of this cell.

To free my brothers from a fate in the arena.

I have to step up. I have to be more than the mindless beast I’ve pretended to be.

To save the pretty female I have to be their leader.

…and maybe I can convince her to stay by my side while I do it.

Abigail

Monsters are real. And so are aliens…

The beast was terrifying. Eight foot tall, covered in green scales with horns that would make a bull jealous. When they threw me into his cell...


A Note From the Publisher

,

,


Advance Praise

"1. Absolutely amazing book it had so many wonderful parts to it!! I’m hoping for a second book to follow more into Abigail and Ziame’s life together!! It’s a definite must read book.

2. Superneat book, good likable characters, new species, surprising twists, humor. Not going to say more, just read it. 

3. I got sent an ARC of this book and not being a huge Sci-fi fan I didn’t know what to expect.

The fresh style and intriguing storylines of this debut novel had me on the edge of my seat till the very last page.

You will definitely empathize with most of the characters and probably find the protagonist likable.

It’s a good book to forget reality’s problems for a while and get immersed in a futuristic world where everything is so much more interesting.

An easy read that leaves you wanting to know more about the story’s world. Hopefully there are sequels to come. Don’t lose a chance to get to know Abigail and Ziame a bit better. Kudos to a very gifted writer, that has a lot more to show for her work! 

NOTE: I took these reviews off Goodreads but some of them overlap and are also on Barnes & Nobles

"1. Absolutely amazing book it had so many wonderful parts to it!! I’m hoping for a second book to follow more into Abigail and Ziame’s life together!! It’s a definite must read book.

2. Superneat...


Available Editions

ISBN 1230005452057
PRICE $3.99 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 17 members


Featured Reviews

Not being a hug fan of science fiction or space related plots, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It starts off a bit dark with a kidnapping and enslavement, but the plot quickly becomes warm hearted and sweet. I loved that the main female character was strong, but had moments of true emotion (AND is a woman of color) and the male main character didn't fall into any of the classic misogyny tropes or attitudes while still being a strong and complex character. A few plot points felt a bit too long (the fight scenes were a bit too long for me), but it's a quick read that checks off all the romance tropes in a new way.

Was this review helpful?

Beast Unburdened was a very engaging Sci-Fi Romance whose plot although not a new one of human females abducted from Earth by alien slavers turned into an exciting read as the author infused her story with its own enticing vision of that happenstance and its ultimate outcome.
Populated with a variety of fascinating alien species encountered by the lead Abigail after she is awakened from stasis and then thrown into a cage to be breed with the BEAST a Lacerten male, the only known one in the universe and not at all what he wants his captors to believe he is makes the revelations even SWEETER as the story progresses.
I loved that the heroine Abigail was a woman of color which is always a pleasure to read in a narrative.
This one is well written and told from the perspectives of Abigail and Ziame (the Beast) with plenty of action, suspense and a delicious romance that blossoms between the two.
A story well told and enjoyed by this reader who is looking forward to reading more of this author’s works in the future.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Was this review helpful?

Beast unburdened Robin O'connor.
Gladiators of the Vagabond Book 1.
Abigail
Monsters are real. And so are aliens…
The beast was terrifying. Eight foot tall, covered in green scales with horns that would make a bull jealous. When they threw me into his cell, expecting him to knock me up so they could sell his offspring, the last thing I expected was to find a gentle giant.
Okay, okay, not that gentle. He did kill a guy and tossed his corpse at my feet the moment we met. Not exactly romantic.
But he gives the best cuddles, that counts for something right?
Ziame
When the slavers threw a pretty human into my cell I knew I had to act. Everything had been building up to this moment.
To break out of this cell.
To free my brothers from a fate in the arena.
I have to step up. I have to be more than the mindless beast I’ve pretended to be.
To save the pretty female I have to be their leader.…and maybe I can convince her to stay by my side while I do it.
Absolutely brilliant read. I loved the story and characters. 5*.

Was this review helpful?

Beast Unburdened by Robin O’Connor
Gladiators of the Vagabond #1

Smiles for miles…loved this story! A good alien romance is hard to beat and this one swept me into an intriguing world with characters I fell in love with…or hated deeply. Great story!

What I liked:
* Abigail: human, female, captive, tall, dark skinned, curly hair, bank teller, open minded, good with numbers, strong, independent, intriguing, no shrinking violet…perfect for the story and for…
* Ziame: alien, from Lacerten, sentient, intelligent, skilled in subterfuge, gentle giant, lethal, strategic thinker and planner, team player and leader, fell for him just as Abigail did…
* The setting: on a spaceship out in space
* The introduction to the various species that were slaves and gladiators
* The gladiator theme and knowing that all the males were strong, lethal, and from various planets
* The plot, pacing, and overall story
* The growth of the relationship between Abigail and Ziame
* Meeting the characters that will no doubt be in the future books of the series – can’t wait to hear more about them and who they might end up with
* The wide variety of aliens and how they were able to communicate though from various species/planets
* The fight scenes in the arena
* That though the gladiators were lethal, they didn’t really enjoy what they did…at least most of them didn’t
* Being able to dislike/hate the bad guys
* Reading a new-to-me author and enjoying her story
* All of it really except

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait for the next book in the series
* Not a dislike but a notice that this version is an ARC and I am sure that the final version will have slight editing fixed taken care of

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC – this is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Was this review helpful?

I chose this book nudged by a family member encouraging me to read outside of my usual genres.

This SciFi romance novel was set on an alien spacecraft. The main protagonist, a female black woman herself human, finds herself held captive by sentient alien beings, but that is just the story's beginning.

I enjoyed this story more than I expected. It was an easy read, complete escapism that left me wanting to understand more about the new world in which Abigail found herself. I hope there will be more in this series.

I would like to thank #BeastUnburdened #NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this advanced copy in exchange for my own honest review. This book was due for release on April 4, 2022.

Rating 4.0 / 5.0

Was this review helpful?

This was a dark and disturbing read that also had a heart-warming element to it. It was well written with a compelling and gothic storyline and well developed characters. This was a really enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Aliens, space travel, gladiators, prison breaks, and romance - what more could you want?
I loved the world building and character development in this story. Abigail was a wonderful lead - strong, willful, and caring. Ziame was a classic misunderstood, calculating, and clever counterpoint.
My only issue was a stylistic choice that may not bother everyone, but I found it very confusing. Having dialogue from different characters in the same paragraph took me out of the flow of reading.
On a whole, definitely worth the read!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: