Saving Askara by J.M. Link
Victoria’s day starts out like any other aboard the transorbital ship, Phoenix. Such is the life of an emergency medicine specialist in the age of “post-discovery”. Sure, she had always dreamed of interacting with intelligent extraterrestrial life- the real thing, not those microbes on distant moons. Who wouldn’t? She was still happy with her career, however mundane and demanding it might be. That’s what it took to run a ship the size of a small city smoothly. Monotony. But all that changes one morning, and suddenly she’s not so sure she didn’t stick her foot in it…
Be careful what you wish for.
***
Escape had been their only drive, and even death was preferable to the alternative. But they never thought their flight for freedom would put them in an uncharted system. Forced to interact with an isolated world and its inferior, albeit curious people. When it affords them an unforseen and unprecedented opportunity to take back their world from those who seek to destroy them, however, Aderus begins to wonder if it wasn’t fate. Earth’s proposal is shocking and uncomfortable for a fierce, independent race that relishes in their solitude. But the more he learns of humans, the more he comes to admire and respect them. One, in particular.
*WARNING* Not intended for readers under 18.
Contains explicit sexual content.
The novel introduces a group of (all male) aliens who managed to escape a prison. They are at war with another race and their main goal is to free their females who are still imprisoned. Seeking help they contact earth.
Ok, let’s get my only point of critique out of the way before I start gushing: The plot explains some things a little too conveniently. For example the way the heroine remains practically the only liaison between the aliens and the humans requires some suspending of disbelief. But this is nitpicking when applied to a book about highly fuckable aliens. ;)
The aliens in this book are not just humans with different skin color and some fun accessories like a spare dick but truly alien in appearance. They reminded me of the Yautja from Predator with only their mouths being not quite so extreme. Coming from a violent but advanced society their rules and behaviors are quite different from human norms. Also their females are described as stronger and even more violent than the males. Only the strongest get to mate…
The protagonists Victoria and Aderus experience neither instalust nor, god forbid, instalove. Instead they slowly get to know and become strangely fascinated by each other. Lots of talking, confusion, awkwardness and cultural misunderstandings ensue. It’s adorable.
Victoria is the first who realizes that she’s sexually attracted to Aderus and she definitely acts upon it. To ascertain her dominance and therefore desirableness she even manages to knock him out (by surprise) in front of an audience. Poor Aderus doesn’t know if he should be angry, embarrassed or horny.
Saving Askara is a wonderful character driven slow burn romance with an emotionally satisfying pay off. Nothing is rushed, everything happens at the right time. When they finally have sex it’s hot and sexy but also awkward, a little bit frightening and confusing which keeps their first time from being unrealistic (as far as alien fucking goes) and makes it even more intense.
Oh, and the best thing? Saving Askara seems to be the first in a series. :)
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