Fated Mates

Warlord’s Destiny by Delilah Devlin

As a member of the Mellusian royal family, Mora was chosen to fulfill the decades-old Promise of a bride for Lord Tetrick, the ruler of Kronak. Although, by rights, it was Mora’s older sister who should have fulfilled the promise, Mora was chosen because she was - according to her parents - “sturdy.” In truth, Mora was a buxom, sturdily built girl, but she was nervous and – almost – frightened by the prospect of a future on another planet, among barbarian people. She had even heard rumors that they could make a woman scream with delight from their lovemaking ...

This one is very good. While not breaking new ground in the genre, it is well written, with a plot that moves along fast, and a believable conflict between the protagonists. The love scenes are extremely erotic, and involve male/female and multi-partner sexual activity. I really liked the fact that the heroine is a large-sized woman who learns that she can be sexy too.

Love Me Tomorrow by Sally Painter

Only a million humans had survived the Final Coup years before, when the Demrons invaded Earth and destroyed human civilization, as we know it. Commander Shalene Courers was among them – she lost her husband that terrible night. Now, she commands a reconnaissance troop of rebels, trying to cause as much trouble for the Demrons as possible. On one mission, they discover that a human collaborator is helping the Demrons. Shalene is determined to capture the traitor, and make him tell everything he knows to help the rebel cause. But the situation is not quite as it seems – for either of them – and they find they must work together to save the human race.

This is a science fiction story that skillfully incorporates romance/erotica elements. The story is quite interesting, with a fairly complex plot. I quite enjoyed it, although I did think the author put too much emphasis on a relatively what I felt was a minor plot point, and then had to rush the climax and conclusion. The sex scenes are quite explicit, with just a hint of kink.

Secrets of the Wind by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Major Chastain Neff is a Riezell Guardian, a highly trained member of a special force within the Fleet. The Guardians protected important people from assassination. When the story begins, Neff and her partner have just completed one mission successfully, by saving their client and blowing away the bad guy. Although Neff is due several days of leave – and does she need it! – her superiors give her another assignment immediately. She is to protect the heir-apparent of the Council of Cosaint, Prince Ruan. Ruan, on the other hand, is a warrior himself, and thus unlikely to go along with the Council’s plans. Therefore, a bit of subterfuge is required, and Major Neff must pretend that she is a helpless female and play upon Ruan’s protective instincts and libido to get her into his household where she can protect him.

This is a very interesting science fiction love story that integrates the two different styles quite well. The writing is literate and engaging, and there are some twists and turns of the plot that will surprise the reader. I found it slightly difficult to follow in some spots, because the back-story is revealed piecemeal throughout the action. The reader must flip back and forth in some places to understand the timeline. This was a minor problem, however. The love scenes are quite graphic, and, in some cases, funny – the characters seem to have a liking for role-playing during their love-making.

I enjoyed all three stories in this book, although I will admit that I enjoyed Warlord’s Destiny the most. OK, I’m a sucker for arranged-marriage-to-barbarian prince-from-another-planet stories! Maybe it’s the idea that change, even if one doesn’t choose it, can be good. This book is a fun read, and I recommend it to those readers who enjoy futuristic romantica.

Reviewed by: Jean