Liger

The female had been just a small child when her village was wiped out by the people who lived on the far side of the planet. She saw her parents and her siblings die on their swords. All of her race was wiped out. These Others took her and made her a pampered pet, groomed and adorned, sitting on a cushion at the foot of the queen’s throne. She never spoke, and the Others thought she was a wild animal. Now, she was feeling the first pangs of her heat, and if she did not get a mate, the unleashed power would driver her mad. If that happened, she was determined to try to kill as many of them as she could reach before they killed her and gain her freedom that way. Then they brought a captive male to her. His name was He-o, a name that meant “freedom.” And then he promised her that they would be free...

This was a great story! The underlying theme is the arrogant misunderstanding of one race by another, an important and very contemporary topic. Don’t get me wrong – this novella is neither preachy, nor boring. On the contrary, the science fiction plot is straightforward and moves along at a brisk pace. There are no flat nor slow moments, and the story is so engrossing that this reader lost track of time! The protagonists are very appealing and real, and the secondary characters are interesting and engaging. The alien sex scenes between the heroine and hero are very explicit and very steamy, with the charm of innocence and love. I recommend this book highly both to science fiction fans and romance readers.

Reviewed by: Jean