Aurora Blazing

by Jessie Mihalik

October 1, 2019 · Harper Voyager

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Aurora Blazing is the second book in The Consortium Rebellion sci-fi romance series and as a sci-fi romance fan, I feel warm and fuzzy that this series is in the world for me to enjoy. Though this installment had more of my catnip than the first book, Polaris Rising, returning to the series made me realize some repeating elements that bothered me. If you’re part of the “Slow Burn Just Kiss Already Dammit” club, though, you’ll be white-knuckling this one.

After her older brother, Ferdinand, goes missing, Bianca von Hasenberg is determined to find him at all costs. She has cultivated a large (and very secret) network of spies and intel, plus she has a special ability that makes her uniquely able to track him down. However, she’s next in line as heir to House von Hasenberg and, with her father preferring to lock her away until Ferdinand is found, Bianca must escape her gilded cage if she hopes to make a difference.

Ian Bishop is the security director for House von Hasenberg and while it’s his job to keep Bianca safe, his first allegiance is to her father. Once Bianca flees the planet, Ian is tasked with retrieving her, setting off all the forced proximity, cat-and-mouse goodness you can handle.

I absolutely adored Bianca as the heroine. Her backstory is rife with tragedy (content warning, but the details are in the spoiler below) and she’s secretly built this intel empire while engaging in sensitive court politics and etiquette.

She also lives with chronic pain and illness related to ability to decode communication signals with her damn brain. Bianca lives with debilitating migraines, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Ian is a mysterious hero, though it’s the nature of his job as security director to be rather tight-lipped. He’s routinely dressed in suits, looking suave as heck, and has a no nonsense attitude. He’s the sort of hero that you really want to see get mussed up and out of sorts. And you do; I can assure you. Lots of mussing happens.

While I’d never quite mastered Mother’s trick of looking down on everyone regardless of height, I also refused to let him believe he could look down on me, so I met his gaze head-on. If eyes were the windows to the soul, then, by all appearances, his was a lonely, desolate place.

Oh yeah, prepare to be mussed, sir.

Bianca and Ian do a lot of sniping and snarking at one another. They have a bit of a history, as Bianca had a huge crush on Ian when he was first employed by House von Hasenberg seven years ago. Her attentions were harshly rebuffed, though Bianca still harbors a bit of “appreciation” for Ian’s appearance. Can’t blame her.

Their relationship also has frequent examples of something I absolutely love: when the heroine routinely outsmarts the hero. Her contacts are more far-reaching than Ian’s and they’ve even encountered each other through one of Bianca’s alternate digital identities, and he doesn’t even know it.

But Ian underestimates Bianca a lot, assuming she’s “air-headed” and the stereotypical spoiled, privileged rich girl. I so enjoyed watching Bianca get closer and closer to losing her cool with Ian and his stuffiness.

I fist-pumped the air after this scene, where Bianca warns Ian his plan to rescue Ferdinand will get him captured by the syndicate holding her brother hostage.

Bright, furious rage turning the world red. “When you get caught, and you will get caught, I am going to make you beg on your knees before I get you out.”

I don’t know about you, I’m always here for heroes begging on their knees.

One thing I wish was a bit different with Bianca and the series as a whole is the notion that everyone is some sort of young prodigy. So far, none of the main characters have reached their late twenties, but are incredibly accomplished and gifted. Bianca is twenty-five and is one of the best spies on Earth, though her identity remains a secret to a majority of her contacts. Ada, the heroine in Polaris, is in her early twenties and has earned one of the highest bounties in the galaxy. It’s a minor gripe; I hope in a future book there’s more equity between age and experience.

I think some comparisons to the first book, Polaris Rising, are necessary because Aurora Blazing is different in terms of character types. Polaris puts you right into the action with Ada and Locke meeting within the first few pages. There’s some insta-lust and a large emphasis on action with Locke being a card-carrying member of Team Alpha Protector Hero. If those things put you off Polaris, you may find Aurora to be more your speed.

The romance is a heck of a slow burn, as Bianca and Ian don’t get into their forced proximity until a hundred or so pages into the book. Ian borders on a beta hero but with more of a steely resolve as he secretly pines for Bianca. I’d also say that this installment has more of an explanation on how technology works in this world. Because of this, it took me a while to get into it because I’m in the mood where I want smooching ASAP.

Still, Aurora Blazing was a great sci-fi romance read. I’m so enjoying this setting and getting to know all the von Hasenberg siblings. My biggest complaint for the series as a whole is the single heroine POV, and I felt that more here with Ian because he’s such a reserved character. TELL ME WHAT YOU’RE THINKING YOU STOIC HUNK OF A MAN!

And, dare I say it, I preferred Bianca over Ada as the heroine. Ada is more kickass, undoubtedly, but Bianca’s backstory combined with hiding her schemes behind a materialistic space princess front was more appealing to me. I love a heroine who reveals she’s had the upper hand over the hero all along.

The excitement over Aurora Blazing is well-warranted, though I think your reception to this one depends on your feelings for Polaris Rising. There’s so much catnip here with class differences, forced proximity, a slow burn romance, and a bodyguard/royal pairing that it’ll tick a lot of romance boxes with readers.

If you’re looking for a more immediate romance, you’ll have to exercise some patience here, but I’m glad I was able to wrangle all the ants in my pants because Bianca and Ian’s romance is worthy of all the happy sighs and Good Book Noise.