Okay… who gave this author the audacity to smash Predator and Bridgerton together and somehow make it WORK?! I went in thinking, alien romance? not my jam. I stayed because apparently I am weak for a hulking, armour-clad alien who against his better judgement befriends a human, who bakes and brings him gifts! By chapter four I went from skeptical to hooked faster than Ved went from “humans are weak” to “actually this one is mine."

I absolutely adored Isobel, her strength, sharp wit, and the way she shoulders the weight of an arranged marriage she doesn’t want made her so easy to root for.....and Ved Qon Cleave (yes, that’s actually his name, not the latest IKEA flat-pack wardrobe) is the perfect mix of terrifying space warlord and secretly-soft-when-it-comes-to-her.

Special shout-out to the little details that made this book unforgettable: Exxo, the AI with attitude, the whole “locking” situation (yes, THAT kind of alien biology 👀) and the deliciously starborn (fated) mates tension. This book had perfectly balanced spice, enough to make me blush, but not so much that I needed an intermission and a glass of water.

This book is ridiculous in the best way possible, equal parts banter, battles, and bodice-ripping (literally, because alien hands don’t mess around). If you’ve ever thought, “What if Jane Austen wrote Alien vs. Predator after one too many glasses of wine?” … this is your book.

I absolutely cannot wait to read more about this universe!