schomj's review
2.0
So I have this problem with books like this, where something is described as Terran (Earthan, etc.) when it's really US American. Like the Terran language here? Early 21st century American English. The culture? Early 21st century lower middle class white culture. And so on. If that's how you want to design your character, that's totally fine, but the planet Earth extends beyond the Florida state border.
The heroine in this case spends all her time yelling and swearing at people (she's been kidnapped, I get the anger) but then is described as having diplomatic talents. Really? Where? Were they lost in the transporter, because I never saw them. She also repeatedly calls herself a "healthy fluffy girl" who "doesn't do cardio" and is frequently presented as physically weak. So I'm not sure how health is being defined here. (And mostly don't care, except that it's stated often enough to have pushed my *puzzled head tilt* button. Plus I know some healthy fluffy girls and they're pretty kickass so this description seems kind of insulting.)
The "romance" is equally baffling -- fwiw the h/h don't have sex until the last chapter, I think after they declare "I love you"s, but I'm not positive and don't care enough to double-check. There's really nothing leading up to it except for fighting so it's not like I believe/care anyway.
The heroine in this case spends all her time yelling and swearing at people (she's been kidnapped, I get the anger) but then is described as having diplomatic talents. Really? Where? Were they lost in the transporter, because I never saw them. She also repeatedly calls herself a "healthy fluffy girl" who "doesn't do cardio" and is frequently presented as physically weak. So I'm not sure how health is being defined here. (And mostly don't care, except that it's stated often enough to have pushed my *puzzled head tilt* button. Plus I know some healthy fluffy girls and they're pretty kickass so this description seems kind of insulting.)
The "romance" is equally baffling -- fwiw the h/h don't have sex until the last chapter, I think after they declare "I love you"s, but I'm not positive and don't care enough to double-check. There's really nothing leading up to it except for fighting so it's not like I believe/care anyway.
amazingamy's review
3.0
3.5 I wanted to round that up to 4 because overall I really enjoyed the story but I found the h too obnoxious to do so.
mousegoddess's review
3.0
In spite of the typical "Terran=American!" bullshit (why do people insist on following this INCREDIBLY idiotic idea that English must be the future default btw? I mean, yeah, I get it, English language book but... English is the third most spoken language on Earth today and not by a small margin either. It makes no sense.) I thoroughly enjoyed this book, silliness and all. Why? Because it was INTENTIONAL. The parts that were funny were SUPPOSED to be, not because the author didn't know how to use the English language they're SO SURE is/will be dominant. She may have made some borderline word choices, she may have bought into the American culture is the future trope, but at least my enjoyment fit the author's goals.
ETA: So something was squirming in the back of my brain and once it floated to the surface I had to come back and take the rating down a notch. I understand that this is an (apparently) heterosexual romance, I get that. But the way things are framed in this is super white savior and painfully heteronormative. White savior is my least favourite trope, but the give and take in the story balances it out. The heteronormativity on the other hand... When you frame an alien species as a more evolved form of humanity and THEN present them as purely heterosexual to the extent that even relationships of convenience between two men aren't even a possibility even though they never have contact with females... That's kind of a problem. Because that presents heterosexuality as the more evolved state. I'm not asking that the author write sex scenes between two guys, but the absolutist manner in which she uses the tropes makes me uncomfortable. The fact that I'm pretty certain it was not conscious or malicious doesn't ameliorate that.
ETA: So something was squirming in the back of my brain and once it floated to the surface I had to come back and take the rating down a notch. I understand that this is an (apparently) heterosexual romance, I get that. But the way things are framed in this is super white savior and painfully heteronormative. White savior is my least favourite trope, but the give and take in the story balances it out. The heteronormativity on the other hand... When you frame an alien species as a more evolved form of humanity and THEN present them as purely heterosexual to the extent that even relationships of convenience between two men aren't even a possibility even though they never have contact with females... That's kind of a problem. Because that presents heterosexuality as the more evolved state. I'm not asking that the author write sex scenes between two guys, but the absolutist manner in which she uses the tropes makes me uncomfortable. The fact that I'm pretty certain it was not conscious or malicious doesn't ameliorate that.
tle's review
5.0
Loved this
It didn't take long to read but I was laughing and completely enjoying myself. I think I have read everything by this author and been amazed
It didn't take long to read but I was laughing and completely enjoying myself. I think I have read everything by this author and been amazed
bookgyrl's review
DNF at chapter 15. I just could not stand the heroine, Joyce. Plus I thought the commander was supposed to be a warrior and alpha. Not so much here.
poisonivy70's review
3.0
Decent enough entertainment, I liked the setup for the Doshan. The story is a bit redonkulous at times, the language was anachronistic and I would have loved a bit more depth to the plot, but I knew what I was getting when I chose this and I got it. For a crackilicious read, I was entertained.
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