A-
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Theme: Forced Proximity (stranded, safehouse, etc)
Archetype: Royalty
This is one of those times where I wished technology had advanced so much that I could start this review with a video of me winking and doing sassy finger guns at you, and you all would just GET IT. Because that’s how this book made me feel. This sci-fi romance was nearly everything I ever hoped and dreamed I could find in this subgenre. I also don’t want to take up valuable reading time.
So if you want the tl;dr version: read this book.
Right now.
Immediately.
Here are more details if you’re into that kind of thing, which I am.
Ada von Hasenberg is a woman on the run. For the last two years, she’s been dodging her father’s attempts to bring her back and force her to go through with her arranged marriage. The book opens up with Ada being captured and thrown into a cell next to Marcus Loch, literally the most notorious criminal in the galaxy. For a time, he had the highest bounty in the universe, until Ada surpassed him. Knowing what it’d mean if Ada gets turned over to her father, she makes a bargain with Loch: help her escape and he’ll be rewarded handsomely. As an added bonus, Loch doesn’t want to miss an opportunity to stick it to the three ruling High Houses: the von Hasenbergs, the Rockhursts (the family of Ada’s betrothed), and the Yamados.
What follows is an exciting cat and mouse game around the galaxy with schemes, space battles, and one of my favorite things in the world: having to share a bed and snuggle in minimal clothing for warmth because one of you might die of hypothermia.
And yes, there’s romance!
There are many things I loved about this book and I’ll do my best to corral everything into cohesive thoughts.
Ada is wonderful. She’s strong and smart, but knows her limitations. Growing up as part of a ruling family, she was trained in a lot of ways as a means of protection but also as subterfuge. It’s understood that when you marry a member of another house, it’s simply an excuse to have the High Houses spy on one another under the guise of marriage. I appreciate that she knew what she was good at and used her skills, rather than trying to be the best at everything. For example, she knows she’s rather shit at a hand to hand combat. In a fight, her goal is to incapacitate her attacker enough to allow her to run away to safety.
She also surrounds herself with such lovely people. With five other brothers and sisters, I had wrongfully assumed that they’d all be garbage people who are corrupt with power. But no, they’re all sweet baby angels. The support Ada’s escape and frequently keep in secret contact with her to help in any way they can. One of her older sisters is even trying to get the youngest sister to follow in Ada’s footsteps and flee an arranged marriage. All of the von Hasenberg siblings know their lives are to be used as pawns for favorable connections. To see them all band together as a supportive unit really warmed my heart.
Through the course of the book, Ada acquires a ragtag crew of people. Some are people she’s just met, while others are old friends who know Ada needs their expertise to get out of some sticky situations. There’s a really adorable scene where she’s trying to dissuade her newfound friend Veronica to not come with her and instead winds up taking on not only Veronica, but another person as well. Even while actively trying to talk people out of going on a very dangerous mission, people are drawn to help her. They want to help her, even with things are dire, and I love that touching display of friendship.
Loch is a complicated hero. He’s wanted for mass murder, but of course, not all of that is what is seems because hello…he’s supposed to be the hero. I don’t want to spoil his secrets and while things made sense after the reveal, I wished it was explored a little further. However, I think this was more indicative of a first person POV shortcoming, and why I typically prefer more than one point of view. I need to know what the hell everyone is thinking and feeling because I’m a nosy bitch.
Because the book is firmly from Ada’s perspective, there are lulls in the action. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it did create some pauses that were longer than I wanted. There were times when Ada went off on her own to investigate something or do some recon and when she was alone for too long, I missed seeing her interact with other people. I’m not sure if that’s a testament to how much I enjoyed the characters and dialogue or if it’s more indicative of Ada alone not being able to hold my attention as well. But given my earlier waxing poetic of Ada, I’m think it’s much more the former.
Author Jessie Mihalik seems to know what the people want and I’m never one to turn down a bit of fan service. Was a sparring scene between two attractive shirtless dudes necessary? Probably not. However, I am but a simple woman.
When I [Ada] realized they weren’t actually going to kill each other, I focused on the fight itself. All of that exposed skin and honed flesh working with such obvious strength and skill…I hated to admit it because it was violent and uncivilized, but it was hot. A quick glance at Veronica proved I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
There are lots of little moments like these, moments that remind me a lot of the best fanfiction I used to read. There really wasn’t any need for this scene in the book, but it was fun and sexy and gives the reader time to breathe and giggle and get a little giddy.
When it comes to sci-fi and fantasy, world building is always something I have to factor into my reading experience. Do I understand how the governing systems work? What about the technology? For the most part, everything made sense. It was futuristic enough for me to believe technology had advanced, but it still retained things that are familiar to me like comm tablets and hard vs. digital currencies. The formation of the three High Houses, which rule from Earth, wasn’t explained in this installment. Given the names and distinctive features of the houses, I assumed the three of them originated from the regions of superpowers we have now: North America, Europe, and Asia. That’s what I’m going with in my brain.
With over a decade of reading romance under my belt, I know what I like and what I don’t like when it comes to a series. Since this is the first book in what I THINK [italics] is a trilogy, I had this worry that the subsequent books would follow Ada and Loch. I’m not a fan, unfortunately. I want each book in a series to follow a new couple. I think it’s because my attention wanes for a couple after two or three books.
BUT! And I wish I could follow that with a ten lines of exclamations. (Ed. note: who’s stopping you?)
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The next book will be about a different couple.
I’m not sure if this little snippet is in the finished version, as I have an ARC, but the next book is titled Aurora Blazing. The main characters will be Bianca, one of Ada’s sisters, and the von Hasenberg security director, Ian.
Ada is also rumored to have killed off her first husband for being an asshole.
The book is due out later this year, which thank god. Because I want it now.
For those readers who prefer to wait until all the books are out and are on the fence about this one, there is not a cliffhanger in this book. There’s definitely an HEA for Ada and Loch, though it looks like there will be a plotline that threads all the books together, given the family dynamics and political intrigue revealed.
I am so incredibly happy that this book is in the world, especially after feeling like I’ve exhausted all my sci-fi romance options. Polaris Rising is exciting. It’s funny. It’s fan-fucking-tastic. My quibbles are minor in comparison to the joyful Good Book Noises I made while reading this.
What the heck. Bring out the finger guns!
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Thanks!
This showed up on my kindle this morning, so clearly past-me made a great decision. Thanks for the review!!
I just one-clicked this so hard I hurt my finger is all I’m saying.
Nice. I’ve heard murmurs about this one. I’ll be putting it on my list of choices for the Romance-opoly sci-fi square.
@JoanneBB: Same here! I just love these surprise presents from Past Me!
Amanda, has anyone mentioned you have a bright future in sales? Well done.
Meow! CLICK!
Crap, I would totally have preordered this one if it wasn’t priced as a trade paperback. 🙁 Oh well, I think I’m number four on the library hold list.
Also, snuggling for warmth is one of my fave plot points. It’s the ultimate version of the close proximity / trapped together theme. 😀
@MaryK: Same! I also love “Oops, there’s only one bed in this room” scenes.
This sounds like everything my Han and Leia shipping little heart desires. Putting on the shopping list now.
What a fun review, Amanda! I’m now even more eager to read this.
I just finished this book and agree with your review 100%. So looking forward to the next book and glad the wait isn’t too long. Off to go re-read!
I ordered this from Barnes & Noble because I’m trying to buy more paper less ebooks. I pick it up tomorrow from the store!
I was on the fence but this review had me buying – thank you!
I picked this up after a recommendation on Ilona Andrews’ blog, yesterday. This review just bumped it up to near the top of the tbr pile.
I inhaled this yesterday and its definitely one for the ‘repeat read’ pile.
BTW if you need something to tide you over until Book 2, Jessie Mihalik also does a free weekly serial on her website … also sci fi with a romance thread. I discovered it last year the Ilona Andrews blog (snap @Smmoe1997) it fills the Friday gap nicely now that we’re between Innkeeper episodes!
I really enjoyed this book it was everything my little heart desires in a romance. Action, intrigue, sex, humor, and some of my favorite tropes. 🙂 It’s actually been awhile since I read a book that TRULY pleased me. 5 stars!
Great book. I took a risk and read it befor the reviev on sbth but ufff 🙂 we made it 🙂
I loved this book!
I just read it and it was okay. I would give it a solid B. I was disappointed that the main attraction between the two leads seemed to be physical only. Loch was so one dimensional that I didn’t buy the romance at all. That said, competence porn, intrigue, and fun world building kept me reading and I will read Bianca and Ian’s book. I was actually more interested in what was going on there than I was in Ada and Loch.
I got half way through this, mostly because of an Audible glitch and came back to read the review again because I thought I must have missed the fact that I’m 95% sure this story started out as Chronicles of Riddick fan fiction. A big muscly hero with silver flashing eyes that let him see in the dark, a bald head and gravelly voice who is super great at murder and has some animalistic tendencies? Hello?
@V – Yes! I just got my library copy last night and got about 3 chapters in before having to shut down the Bad Decisions Book Club. I was coming over here today to say that the hero reminds me of Riddick in the movie Pitch Black. I really liked that movie and character so I have no complaints and am anxious to get back to the club tonight.
I should have remembered that this was more romance than space opera, which is not a bad thing, it’s just not space opera. I will finish the book later today and my beefs thus far are: insta-lust; sexy-times while running for their lives; alpha male pissing contest. The problem, solely mine, is forgetting all the things that made this such a fun review and not being in the same head space when I began reading. The book IS fun, no question.
One thing I will never get because I was born old and cranky: Women, we do not ever need to lose our concentration or wits around attractive men, we just don’t. I understand why writers do it (in my cynical opinion, solely to show how hot the men are) and I would love for it to stop. /flounce
> Given the names and distinctive features of the houses, I assumed the three of them originated from the regions of superpowers we have now: North America, Europe, and Asia. That’s what I’m going with in my brain.
This made me hardddddd pass. There’s so much smarter sci-fi that isn’t all Clash of Civilizations.
This reads like Riddick fan fiction with a heavy-handed drop of sci-fi allegory. The male protagonist’s character is flat (but horny), the female is whiny, and the “houses” are obviously representative of current earth politics. I give it a D and I typically love romantic sci-fi.
I loved this book! If you are a fan of Ilona Andrews just buy it right now. I can’t wait for the next book.