Riding the Odds

by Lynda K. Scott

An act of desperation

and the beginning of seduction...

Spaceship captain Tara Rowan has her secrets. One is her Rider, Zie. Zie is an organic symbiote—like a living tattoo—that enhances Tara's physical abilities, including superhuman strength and reflexes. The other is the past she's tried so hard to leave behind her. But it's not until oh-so-sexy Trace Munroe decides to blackmail Tara that she realizes her secrets aren't so secret after all...

Trace is a Holy Knight who does everything by the book. Desperate to find a missing princess, he'll do whatever it takes to rescue her and bring her kidnappers to justice. Including blackmail. Yet something about the feisty ship captain draws Trace in and stirs his desire—even if she is a wanted criminal. Because the last thing he needs is any complications...especially when he has his own secrets to hide.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, Aliens, Dragons, Mystery, Adventure

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2015

About the author

Lynda K. Scott isn't really an alien or from another planet. If she was, she and her alien kitten, Wookie, would be headed to Alpha Centuri or Deneb to play tourist and write about what they find. Lynda is actually a 'ridge runner' from Kentucky, who likes to tell tales that entertain and amaze. Wookie, however, is an alien aka Queen of the Universe. At least, that's what she tells everyone.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great sci-fi romance involving an uptight hero and an independent woman. Tara comes across Trace while waiting for a cargo to transport. He claims to be a writer looking to shadow her for a novel he's working on. However, he's really the prince and a former Holy Knight. Tara's not just a transporter either. She's a legend, she's one of the few kids who survived a death sentence on a deadly planet.

Tara was the perfect heroine. She was strong, resourceful, loyal, and could take care of herself. So when Trace comes along pushing his way into her life, she pushes right back. She stands up for those who need help and she's compassionate to those less fortunate than she. She'll put her life on the line if it means saving someone she loves.

"Trust didn't come easy, not since the day the scout, Larsen, had found them on Eridani. Not since she'd learned that instead of rescue, she, Jackson, and Drummer would be executed for surviving when they had no right to survive."

Tara's never alone though. She has Zie, an alien life form that's pretty much a parasite. Zie is a Rider. Rider's need hosts to latch onto. If the host dies, the Rider dies. Riders take on a shape and look like a living tattoo that shimmer and move over their host. Zie was a fascinating creature that took the shape of a dragon on Tara. She was always moving around Tara's body and talking telepathically to Tara. When Tara needed an extra boost from Zie, Zie would move to Tara's face and mask her to give her special powers. Zie was probably the best thing in the whole story. She was so unique and fascinating.

"The little Rider swirled over her face and around her head in gleeful anticipation, and lashed her long serpentine tail. This, of course, fanned an itchy, prickly sensation between Tara's shoulder blades, a spot Tara could never reach."

The romance between Trace and Tara is slow building. At first Trace is just using Tara because he knows who she really is and he knows that she can help him find his sister who was kidnapped. So he pretends to be interested in her in order to try and get close to her, when that doesn't work, he pushes his way into her life and pretty much blackmails her into helping him. However, the romance was a complicated one. More so than just two characters from opposite sides coming together. Nope, over a span of time Trace's memory gets wiped causing him to "reboot" his memory without any of the attached emotions. So he wakes up knowing Tara, knowing they've been intimate, but feels nothing for her or the thought of having a relationship with her. That definitely added a twist to the story.

"If there'd been anything between them, any soft emotion, he'd lost it along with his memory of it. And he'd lost any right to reclaim it.

So yeah, you get some awesome sci-fi in this one. Between the Riders, Trace's drug, Trace's secret of being a Prince, Tara's secret of being "The Dragon", and her and Trace's adventure of finding his kidnapped sister.... there was never a dull moment. This is a full story, there are no cliff-hangers. However, if the author does decide to turn this into a trilogy or series by writing about the other two who are Tara's childhood friends and nest-mates, I will definitely be tuning in for them.


Favorite quote...
"For the first time, Trace wondered what it would be like to have a Rider, to have a companion who would never leave, never abandon its host.
The idea sparked a coil of loneliness inside him."

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and the mention of a symbiote dragon got my attention to this book and I knew I had to read it. Weirdly enough the whole dragon symbyote thing is also the thing I loved most about this book. All in all it was a fun and enjoyable book and I am happy I read it, but there were all these little issues I had with the story. For example the whole drug plot line seemed a bit redundant to me, it left a bad taste in my mouth and then it didn't add anything to the story. Then there was the whole we love each other, but we can't be together thing and they never really talked about it, because while they did have time to have sex, but have no time talk as then suddenly the plot starts moving. And there was a scene involving wildlife that only seemed there to further the romance.

I did like the story, but when at the end we figure out what was going on and it's just a bit lame. I don't know I just hoped for more. And while the events were fun to read, the main plot just wasn't all that interesting. I can't really explain it better, but while it was fun, it just wasn't great.

The characters are a fun cast, but Zie, the dragon symbiote was definitely my favourite character. Tara and Trace are both nice characters and I admired some things in them, but I never really cared for them. They are both very loyal and will do everything for those they love. I did think it was a bit weird both their names started with a T, it makes it easier for me to differentiate between characters when they first letters differ. The side characters were mostly that side characters, they had some motives and personality, but not enough to make me really care about them. Beside Zie ofcourse.

I did love the connection Tara and Zie had and it added something very unique to this book. It was definitely my favourite part of the story and if only for that it was worth the read. They have a very unique bond and are like best friends that do everything together and the whole interplay and how Zie could enhance Tara her abilities was interesting. At first I was a bit confused whether Zie was a real dragon, but it becomes obvious soon that she is more a sort of tattoo that can move over Tara her skin, it was very cool and almost makes me want to have a rider of my own.

While this is a sci-fi book I would definitely classify it as a romance first and sci-fi second. The romance was the focus of this book and it was done well with the sci-fi elements in the background. While I liked the romance, I didn't really feel it at times. And it's a bit of an enemies to lovers trope, which didn't completely work for me. The transition was a bit too fast and I just missed the tension between them.

The world building was pretty well done. While the romance is the focus, the sci-fi made a great background and while nothing is explicitly mentioned or explained the world building was interwoven in everything and it made for a sci-fi world I love to read more books in. The sci-fi elements definitely gave this book a nice touch and the whole jump and rider aspects were a nice and unique addition. While I would've loved to learn more about this world, there was the right amount of world building for the story and it just fit well with the story.

To conclude: This was a fun and enjoyable read, but I had some issues with it as well, some plot liens didn't work for me, but in general I enjoyed reading it. My favourite part was the dragon symbiote Zie and her bond with Tara. The world building was also done well, very subtly, but it was still enough to give a distinctive flavour to the world and story. I would love to read more books set in this world as I really liked the setting and the idea of riders.

[Kerri (Book Hoarder) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this one.

Look at the cover! *_* I am such a sucker for covers, honestly, that's what made me want to pick up this book.

Riding the Odds was such an interesting combination of romance and sci-fi, I quite liked the contrast, to be honest. Let's start off with part of the description:

Spaceship captain Tara Rowan has her secrets. One is her Rider, Zie. Zie is an organic symbiote—like a living tattoo—that enhances Tara's physical abilities, including superhuman strength and reflexes. The other is the past she's tried so hard to leave behind her. But it's not until oh-so-sexy Trace Munroe decides to blackmail Tara that she realizes her secrets aren't so secret after all...

I LOVED the idea of a living tattoo, and throughout the book it's honestly quite fascinating. Right away I was intrigued because it reminded me a bit of Harry Potter (though off the top of my head, I can't remember whether moving tattoos was canon or fanon). Mix that with a little intrigue and a little romance and that's the way to get me interested in a story!

I loved the character of Tara. She's got a mixed past and vulnerability, but she's also brave, smart and caring, too. The relationship that she has with Zie, her Rider, was a pleasure to read - although Zie has an almost childlike quality, it's obvious that she is very intelligent and cares about Tara quite a bit. She's strong and the two of them are mutually dependent and make for quite the fearsome duo, which I loved. Especially when it comes to romance, which so often just focuses on the guy being brave and strong and rescuing the woman and less on having her be amazing in her own right.

Now Trace... Trace I was more iffy on. To be quite honest, it could just be the mood I was in while reading this book, but I was just really irritated by the whole 'guy behaves like an asshole but it's because of ____ reasons which make him a good guy, honestly!' trope that was on display in this romance. The reason I say that it might just be the mood I was in while reading this book is that, well, this trope is incredibly common in romance, and normally it doesn't really bother me. I guess perhaps Trace just wasn't well constructed enough for me to be completely taken in...

Now this brings me to my next two points, which were regarding the plot and the romance. First of all, I found the story pretty interesting. Trace is searching for his missing sister and that happens to bring up a lot of things that Tara thought she had left behind a long time ago. Along the way we learn about a fascinating world that Lynda K. Scott has built, the Riders, and the story twining it all together. I think my biggest complaint is simply that it took too long. I just didn't feel that this book needed to be 350 pages, there were bits along the way that could have been cut or trimmed and the story still would have maintained its integrity.

As for the romance, while I enjoyed bits of it, to be honest in some ways it was the weakest part of the book. Trace and Tara's attraction was overemphasised and made me roll my eyes more than once, and sometimes the descriptions were just too much. (Heart shaped rear? Eyes sparkling with jade and amber and chocolate? Yeah.) They both repeatedly tell the reader how very attracted they are to the other, and the descriptions really just went on for too long, and it's something that detracted a bit from my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. There's chemistry between the two main characters, an interesting story to be told, and a fascinating world that they're living in. I'm definitely glad that I picked this up!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Lacey's Love of Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

Within reading the first few pages of this book of this book I immediately fell in love with Zie. Zie is a Wild Rider bonded to Tara, both physically, mentally and emotionally. Zie gives Tara more strength and better fighting skills. Zie has a childlike nature about her, she brings a sense of innocence to this book, thus demonstrating a child-parent dynamic between Tara and Zie. Zie brought some much needed 'lightness' in an angst-ridden book - there's not a lot of angst, but there is a some.

The book begins with Tara winning a game of cards in a tavern in a Space Station. After taking her winnings she's about to leave the tavern, when she first spots Trace Munroe in a booth in the shadows across the way. Zie, noticing Trace too, comments on how "pretty" Trace is and how she wants to mate with him.

When Tara is first intoduced to Trace he tells her that he is a writer wanting to interview her about Trading for his new book that he is writing on. He promises to pay her for her time. Although needing the money, Tara declines his offer and leaves the Space Station on a job. Trace is actually the adopted son of The King, and is investigating the disappearance of his sister Katerina. Trace believes that Jack Brown, a guy from Tara's past, has kidnapped Katerina, and thinking Tara may be involved or could lead him to his sister, stows-away on her ship.

The relationship between Tara and Trace was both messy and sweet. Both have their secrets they want to keep hidden, yet neither can deny the attraction between the two of them. Trace is a Holy Knight, so knows Tara's real identity that she wishes to keep hidden. Trace uses this information, and his ownership of Tara's ship and control over her freedom, to blackmail her into helping to find his sister. Trace is unable to get past Tara's childhood; for 42 days her and a group of children were the only remaining survivors left of their planet Eridani due to the plague. Trace, and the rest of space, believe that Tara and her friends ate the younger children to survive - no one really knows the truth. Trace uses this as an excuse to keep his distance from Tara, intending to keep his focus on finding his sister. Helping out on Tara's ship, Tara sees a side of Trace she can admire, not knowing he is a HK, who she despises.

However, Trace has a problem with his memory - he takes String, which is a drug, to help him remember and make sense of things. However, Tara cannot have a druggie on her ship. She hates them. During this time Trace gets his own Rider, Bran. Zie recognises Bran as her bond mate, thus Trace and Tara are destined to belong together, regardless of circumstance.

After saving his sister, Trace loses all his memories and returns to his Kingdom. The book ends with Tara playing cards in the Space Station tavern with her friends. Trace opts in to play the game - not recognising anyone due to lack of memory. Zie and Bran are ecstatic to see each other, due to being bond mates. When Tara and Trace touch, Zie and Bran connect and Trace gets his memories of Tara back.

This book was a short, sweet love-story between a narrow-minded Knight, and an independent, strong Trader.


This book was given by Entangled Publishing and the Author for an honest review (ARC).






Find my review at: http://laceysloveofliterature.blogspo...

[Sarah Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find that I enjoy space odyssey types of books and after finishing “Riding the Odds” by Lynda K. Scott can say the book thoroughly entertained me. There was suspense, good world building, and a steamy love story. What more can a girl ask for when wanting to escape between the pages of a fun read?

The main character, Tara, is a ship captain who takes independent contracts to move shipments of goods between planets. She works alone, and has only a small number of people she trusts. Work is scarce since she has to find work from port to port, and she is barely scraping by financially. Her background is sketchy to say the least, and is a main plot point throughout the story. Enter Trace, a very handsome (and wealthy) author who is doing research for his next book and wants to interview Tara to get a real-world feel for the main character. His offer of big bucks for the interview triggers all of Tara’s red flags as too-good-to-be-true and she rejects him. His motives are not as they seem, and he is definitely hiding a big secret. The story progresses from there and weaves a tale of loyalty, family (the kind you are born into, and the kind you make when you have no one else), and love.

One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was the relationship between Tara and her rider Zie. The author did an amazing job of creating this abstract notion of a parasitic creature, or a “rider”, and making it one of the most loveable and amazing characters of the book. The interactions between Zie and Tara as well as the details about riders and how they work really made this book for me. I loved the creativity of it, and how well Linda K. Scott really developed the character of Zie. She made me want a rider of my own!

Even though I really did enjoy the book, I need to add that is one aspect of the plot that bothered me a little. Tara is a very smart and independent character who has had to be extremely aware of her surroundings and “in the know” since childhood. These skills were critical to her survival. They are an ingrained part of her. She travels alone from planet to planet, her own keeper per se, and is not a naïve person. That being said, everyone (and I mean everyone) knew who Trace really was from the moment they saw him except for her! From the lowest of the lowlife to the highest official, as soon as they saw Trace they knew exactly who he was. She is the only person we meet in the book who has no idea who he is. This bothered me because it seemed so out-of-character based on everything else we see from her. Her ignorance of his true identity lasts for about 50% of the book.

The love story between Trace and Tara is a slow burn. I actually loved that the author didn’t have them jumping each other two chapters in. Their love and affection grows through experience and time together which was so refreshing to read. They do not actually have a sexual relationship until around the 65% mark of the book. In truth, Tara is very put off by his behavior for most of the first half. I really enjoyed their banter, and how she made him work for her affection.

This was a good book. The plot is well developed and fast paced. The story is juicy, and the book is a very nice length. I would love to read more stories from Lynda K. Scott in this colorful and unique universe she created.

~An advance reading copy of Riding the Odds by Lynda K. Scott was kindly provided to me by Entangled: Select Otherworld Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.~

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are in the mood for a sweet sci fi romance with a little adventure than this new to me author might just deliver. Here we have a strong ,noble hero with an agenda of his own that most certainly does not include falling for a criminal. The criminal though is Tara a feisty independent woman and her past means that she is reviled by many and yes that happens to include our hero Trace. Two very different backgrounds and there's a whole lot of secrets between them. Tara has an unusual companion that she relies on and Trace is about to learn that if he wants to succeed in his quest than it's time to put prejudice aside and embrace all kinds of possibilities !
Well this had all sorts of ways it could go and although I guess the ending might have been a little predictable I thought the author gave an interesting read with a very unique adventure. I really liked Tara but have to confess it's her symbiotic friend Zie that really kept me turning the pages . Zie is very funny and not at all what I imagined her to be and let's face it many would consider Zie to be a parasite . Then we have the hard headed and very narrow minded Trace, now this guy is prepared to go to any lengths to rescue the princess and if that involves drugs, coercion and down right lying then he is prepared to do it. What he doesn't expect is how he feels for Tara and here is where if honest I stumble a little. Tara is no slouch when it comes to looking after herself and I thought of her as quite a canny sort but she just didn't see through Trace! It felt to this reader that nearly everyone they encountered had a fair idea just who Trace really was and yet Tara remained in the dark for most of the book.
If you are in the mood for a romance with lots of misunderstandings that finally end with a very sweet happy ever after than this story just might fit the bill. It's not a cliff hanger although we do meet characters who could easily expand this world the author has created. Lots of ideas from memory stealing drugs to space pirates and of course the amazing Riders. Yes there's romance and saucy scenes here but it's not just an excuse for sex scenes . This was an adventure in space but for me the star was most definitely Zie!
I was gifted a copy by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desperate to find a missing princess, Trace will do whatever it takes including using Tara’s secret past to blackmail her but something about the feisty ship captain stirs his desire – even if she is a wanted criminal in this tantalizing sci-fi fantasy romance.

The characters grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning, Tara as the feisty spitfire heroine with a past that she desperately needs to keep hidden and Trace is the strictly by the book Holy Knight who breaks all of his rules to find the missing princess. The reader can’t help but get caught up in their romance as they both learn some hard truths and trust while trying to stay alive and with the explosive chemistry between them makes for some very entertaining clashes. While their attraction may burn hot their relationship will takes lots of give and take to even have a hope of achieving an HEA which provides quite a few chuckles for readers along the way in this steady to fast paced and smooth flowing adventure of a romance.

Lots of excitement ensures that there is never a dull moment whether it is because of the romance, finding the princess, Zie’s charming insistence, their fiery clashes or trying to stay alive and lots of twists and turns keeps readers wondering what will happen next. The well written scenes and detail paint vivid images that capture the imagination and bring the story to life and the fascinating new world draws the readers and ensures that they can’t put the book down until they have read every last word.

This story had me completely enthralled from the very beginning with its interesting and different elements and I loved all the intriguing characters and fascinating creatures, especially Zie and including the lion ant…even if it did try to eat Tara and Trace. I don’t know if Lynda K Scott intends on writing more books in this tantalizing world but I certainly hope so because I would love to go on more adventures with these characters and their charming riders.

[Ronnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ebook copy of this book by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I should be reading fantasy books and here I am reading sci-fi after glorious sci-fi. I didn’t regret picking up Riding the Odds though, hell, not for a minute. Frankly, I didn’t expect it to be as engaging as it was; I found myself lost in between the pages right after I started reading it.

The reason why I requested this book on NetGalley was because I loved the concept. A female spaceship captain and a space knight (how cool is that) go searching for a missing princess – I read the synopsis and I just couldn’t ignore the existence of this book anymore… Thank God.

The descriptions of the space stations and planets where the story was set were very vivid. The characters were extremely well-written and I loved how detailed their backstories were. Knowing about their previous ordeals, it was easier to understand their ambitions and their reactions to certain events. The chemistry between Tara and Trace was very strong but – thankfully – they didn’t jump into bed with each other too early (like it happens in many romance novels). Their relationship developed nicely as they crossed the universe and experienced hardships together.

I loved how gender stereotypes were busted in this book. Tara is a very feminine woman, but at the same time she knows how to fight and her favourite free time activity is playing poker with a bunch of men at a smoky bar at some distant point of the galaxy. Trace (whom I call space Jamie Fraser, because physically he resembles Jamie a lot and he used the words aye, lass and lad often – don’t mind me), though otherwise a very manly man, is afraid of the sight of his own blood. The part where it turned out was hilarious. He is very tender and all in all a good man and an enjoyable character.

I cannot fail to mention Zie here, because she’s basically the third protagonist of Riding the Odds. Zie is Tara’s rider, a tattoo-like creature that lives on Tara’s skin. She was totally adorable. I wouldn’t mind having a rider myself, because it means you’re never alone, there’s always someone there for you. Tara had a very close relationship with Zie, which was heartwarming to read about.

My favourite secondary character was Drummer, who was like a brother to Tara. I enjoyed the dynamics between him and Trace, I liked to see how their opinion changed of each other as the story developed.

Before you pick Riding the Odds up, acknowledge the fact that it is a (sci-fi) romance novel with erotic bits in it. The book is not overstuffed with sex scenes though, which was another pleasant surprise for me – it’s getting harder and harder to find an erotic novel that has an A+ plot and doesn’t solely focus on certain physical activities.

I recommend Riding the Odds to those who loved the tv show Firefly and generally to anyone who likes sci-fi and doesn’t mind if their reading material is spiced up with a bit of romance.

This review was originally posted on Paradise Found

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traisdan Munroe (Trace) is the adopted son of of the King of Empyrea, who adopted him when Trace's father, his best friend died in a plague. Formerly a Holy Knight (something like Templar Knights? They enforce the law & are deadly, trained fighters) he resigns when his adopted sister, Princess Katerina is kidnapped. In desperation to find leads to locate her Trace has resorted to taking an illegal drug, String, which enhances the ability to correlate disparate facts into a comprehensive whole but the side effects are total memory loss whenever he sleeps and has to restors his memory each time using his P.A.

With the help of String, Trace narrows his investigation to Pirates and straight to Tara Rowan, a beautiful Independent Trader and poses as a writer researching the life of a trader to get her to take him on her next flight. When Tara refuses, he stowaways on her ship.

This book was amazing. A thrilling plot with 2 amazing, strong, protagonists with pretty explosive chemistry. Witty, entertaining dialogue and just the right amount of sexual tension. Yes, there's sex but it was a nice compliment to the story and never just gratuitous.

Tara has secrets, & in protecting them she doesn't dare let herself get too close to Trace no matter how attracted she becomes. She's quite a kick ass heroine but with a vulnerable side that makes her all the more likable. I loved her relationship with Zie, her rider. Zie has amazing capabilities yet is very child like and innocent. It's so amusing that they all seem very moral (swearing is frowned upon! as is lying) & chastise their hosts accordingly!

As the story progresses, the author tantalizes with little bits more of Tara's history & background. There's so much going on: suspense, mystery (who kidnapped the princess & why?), action & never forgetting the totally swoon worthy burgeoning relationship between Tara & Trace.

The ending is beautiful & poignant (I cried) with the depth of love between Tara & Trace.

This is the 1st I've read of this author & I can't wait to read more. I hope she writes a series. Love the Riders & their hosts.

Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading this author who has given me such a fascinating treat. In order anymore for me to read this genre that ventures into space it really has to pick my curiosity. I tend to anymore shy away from otherworld novels unless it is the paranormal kind. The characters in this novel right away pull me in. Tara is different but good at hiding why. You also get a instant liking to her rider Zie. Being pestered by Trace to take him along on her next cargo delivery is not getting him anywhere so he stows away. Up until this point the author gives you excellent descriptions of things,people and the place they are at that by now my curiosity is now immersed into the story. Trace himself is quite the character. The things he has to do in order to stay on track in his mission to find his sister is interesting to say the least. In all of this neither are looking for love even though they are both starving for it. Once they are on their way the author then gives you quite the adventure because it will not be quite the easy task to find and follow the path where the sister might of been taken. Trace will also see first hand that Zie is not the woman he thought she was either. The chemistry between them builds and the a relationship forms that trust will be the biggest obstacle neither have it but both need it. Success will also be in can they both work together to come out of this alive. Jam packed with lots of elements you could desire and want in a romance novel of this sort. These two will get the best thing out of all of this-lasting love the kind that can overcome many a odd. So needless to say I was very satisfied with this ride into the different. received a arc for a honest review.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tara is an independent trader with a past and a secret. I thought she had a pretty good head on her shoulder. She's smart, resourceful and she can take care of herself. When Trace walks into her life, she has to decide if she will help him find his missing sister, or lose everything she has worked so hard for. I loved the idea of a Rider and Zie was truly fantastic. The way that Tara and Zie interacted and complimented each other was fun to watch. I so wanted a wild Rider by the time I finished reading RIDING THE ODDS. Trace is the adopted son of the royal family. When his sister, the princess, goes missing he is sure the pirate Jack Brown is responsible. He knows Tara is a criminal and part of Jack's inner circle so he searches her out and blackmails her into helping him. I wasn't sure what to think of Jack in the beginning of the book, he quickly grew on me though.

Trace and Tara come from two different worlds, but their connection is there from the instant they lay eyes on each other. The romance is slow and when they finally throw caution to the wind they are pretty hot together. I kinda liked the fact that they didn't instantly throw themselves at each other. There were moments I thought they would, but Tara was pretty good at holding herself together.

RIDING THE ODDS was fast paced, full of action and entertaining. The characters were easy to like and the story was interesting with a great world to play in. I don't see any word of this being part of a series yet, but I would read more in a heartbeat.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I got this ARC from Entangled Publishing for an honest review.

So. The book itself was pretty good, and it focused around a women named Tara Rowen, who is uptight and stubborn, and a guy she met named Trace Monroe.
Both had their own agendas in the book; however, their stories fitted quite well, and it was enjoyable.
Of course, our main character, Tara, doesn't like Trace very much, and he had to basically go above and beyond just to try to get into her good graces.
What I really liked in the book was the Riders.
(Zie, you're awesome.) the Riders are basically (well, what I imagine as I read, anyway) like a conscious that look like a swirly pretty tattoo on the characters skin. (Did I mention that the people who host them have enchanted skills? ;) )
They're just so cute!
I really enjoyed this book, from the Riders , to our stubborn but lovable characters, to the cute romantic scenes.
So all those people who are reading my review, go read it! Buy it! Its awesome!

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew what to expect when I read the synopsis for this book. What I didn’t expect, was all the detail and thought that went into the story. I mean, a living tattoo? That is something that really stood out to me while reading the book.

I was quickly swept up in the story. All the details we see through Tara’s eyes are astounding, really. And then there’s the aspect of Tara’s “living tattoo”, which is actually scientifically described in the book as a, organic symbiote.

I didn’t expect to read about romance in this book. Although, the romance was a nice surprise on my end!

I really wish there was more to the story. Sadly, (even though some of you would think otherwise) Riding the Odds is a standalone. And a great one at that. I’ll be remembering the fighting, the strength, the dragons, and Tara (with her symbiote) for a long time.

Thank you to netgalley and Entangled for allowing me to read this book!

[Rachelle (ReaderRachelle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best science-fiction romance I've read in a very long time.

The world building in this novel was phenomenal, I never felt alienated by the world and I never had difficulty remembering any of the relevant information. I was very intrigued by the concept of Riders and how the author executed lived up to my expectations.

It was fantastic to see such a strong well-rounded female protagonist and also to have a male lead that wasn't the stereotypical tall, dark and brooding alpha male.

I was really pleased to see the romance wasn't the dominant focus of this story, it just happened to be a great complementing factor to the plot. I would have been just as happy reading this with Tara and Trace having developed a strong friendship rather than a romantic entanglement.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Karleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riding the odds was given to me as an advanced reader copy by Entangled Publishing, for an honest review. I am not being paid in any way, these are my honest and real opinions on this book.

I'll be honest I picked this book because of the cover, I thought it looked really interesting and beautiful. I had no idea it was a romance until I was half way through it and decided to go back and check. I don't usually go for romances, they make me feel uncomfortable, but this book was actually quite good even with all the romance............ Read more at my blog

[Julie Salinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of story I just love to read. Tara is an independent space captain. She know how to survive her world, and is certainly helped by a symbiotic creature named Zie, dragonlike, and always hungry. Her path crosses with Trace, not accidently, and they tumble into danger and adventure. Sci-fi, fantasy, and very imaginative. The hot romance scenes don't hurt either.There is closure, but I do hope a sequel will follow. I did receive a copy from Entangled Publishing for an honest review. It is one of my favorites this year.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Riding the Odds was a great Sci Fi/Space adventure read that features the awesome enemies to lovers scenario.
As the synopsis tells us – Tara Rowan has secrets, secrets that could mean death because of the past she wishes would just stay there. Tara is also the owner of a rider, a dragon like symbiote that lives in her body and gives her enhanced abilities, hers is called Zie and they have a close bond because they have been together a long time. Tara is also an independent trader who scrapes by making a living by transporting goods around the area with her trusty spaceship. She keeps people at arms length for fear they will find her secrets…. That is until Trace Monroe walks into her life and the problems begin.
Trace is a Holy Knight, he ekes out justice to those who break the laws and none will feel his wrath more than the ‘scum’ who have kidnapped his sister. He will stop at nothing to find her, even using a little blackmail to get Tara to help transport him and give him an ‘in’ with the lower class people….. he knows her secrets and is not afraid to use them…. But he has secrets of his own… and neither are prepared for the desire that their chemistry sparks in each other.

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. The characters were really good and easy to connect with; Tara had a hard live that is slowly revealed as the story goes on, her secret is pretty bad in a sense but understandable and until people have her side of the story, they shouldn’t judge as they have done. I love her connection to her Rider – Zie – I’m always wary of stories where two beings are inhabiting one body, most of the time because it’s some kind of domination issue and they spend the book trying to wrestle control from each other so I was pleased that this wasn’t the case here and they cohabited perfectly so that it was an asset rather than a disadvantage. Zie was sweet and funny, she was like a little childish conscience at times and always made me smile and I love how she was displayed on Tara’s body and how she could move around…. Very cool!
Trace was just what Tara needed to add some sweetness into her bleak life. He has it all going for him and boy do they clash, they both struggle with their want for each other, they argue over what to do, he surprises and challenges her in ways she has not been before and the sexual tension is rife! Trace struggles because the secrets he holds mean that he shouldn’t be with Tara but that’s not what his body is telling him. He is definitely a good match for her though, she challenges him too especially his need to do everything by the book but they complement each other immensely.
The storyline was really good, I often overlook this genre and I don’t know why because most of the time they are awesome and I love it even more when there’s romance. Some major points that made me love this story are; The world building – there are different planets, different atmospheres, different inhabitants and it was all very intriguing, the author did a really good job of explaining things about them that made it easy to read and get into; The Rider situation, I liked the idea of what they are and what they do, it was interesting and enjoyed the relationship between the Rider and the host; The secrets – who doesn’t love secrets in book? We know a couple from the start but that’s not to say the characters do and they keep you reading and involved in the story waiting for them to be revealed; The disappearance of Trace’s sister – you are never quite sure what’s happened to her, was she kidnapped? Did she run?.... and it’s the thread that ties everything together in the end. The action – there are plenty of skirmishes and life threatening situations throughout the story that really give it that danger factor and also an insight into how Tara/Zie work together and about who Trace really is…. It adds a big excitement to the story as we often wonder if they will make it out alive… and then there’s the romance to sweeten the pot and adds that right amount of love and hope so you can route for the characters in every single way. That is just the tip of the iceberg to what this book did for me, I loved it! And I hope there’ll be more from this world.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC copy of Riding the Odds from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

4 stars

A female spaceship captain and a space knight (how cool is that) go searching for a missing princess.

Tara Rowan is a host to a Rider, a dragon shaped symbiote named Zie, that lives within her and is visible on her skin. Zie is also wild and therefore illegal. Tara is captain of a cargo spaceship and Zie enhances her physical abilities, superhuman strength and reflexes and how she flies her ship. She also has a past from which she is hiding. While looking for cargo Tara stumbles into pirates, a missing princess and an mysterious writer who she finds irresistible.

Trace is a holy knight of the empire who has resigned his commission to look for his missing sister, the princess. He has one link to her possible whereabouts, Tara Rowan former plague orphan, pirate and associate of the legendary Jack Brown. Trace blackmails her into helping him find his sister and also leading him to Brown who he believes is behind it all. Trace didn't count on the attraction to Tara and the guilt about blackmailing.

I enjoyed this book. The world building is spectacular. I want to know more about the empire and the knights, the failing terraforming and the cargo families. I want to know about the planets and the riders and the pirates and slavers. I was fascinated by the whole thing.

I also liked the plot. Tara has a past and she is going straight. That past was because her parents died and the ship she was on crash landed on a deserted planted filled with wild riders. Trace is part of the group that accused Tara and her friends of cannibalism that made them wanted by the government and forced them into surviving on the run. I liked that Trace and Tara came from opposing sides. It was an interesting clash. I also loved Zie!!!! She was awesome and the relationship between Tara and her made the book.

My one hand up on the book was the romance. The book is more romance oriented then sci-fi. Trace and Tara both thought that the shouldn't be with the other and then they kept coming up with new reasons why. It was super annoying. Then they sleep together and keep doing it. There is a point when Tara is basically told who Trace is and she flat out ignores it. She doesn't ask, doesn't think about it, just ignores it. Then Tara looses her temper with Trace and tells him her past and he's just like okay. They didn't talk about it. He never actually came clean with her. It drove me nuts.

I also thought that it ended abruptly and didn't answer all my questions. I think that there needs to be another book. I want to see what happens with the pirates/slavers because that wasn't delved into. I want to see Drummer and Jack cleared. I wanted more info about String and how Trace got it. And what about the Holy Knights. Its got corruption and it need to be dealt with. There were quite a few unanswered questions.

Overall the sci-fi aspects were fantastic. I really enjoyed the book and I would totally read any potential sequel.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review**

4 ½ stars!

When Spaceship Captain Tara Rowan first meets writer Trace Monroe, she immediately feels a spark of attraction. But she can tell he is hiding something, especially seeing as trust is not something Tara Rowan gives easily. In a competitive business of hauling cargo through space, Tara has an advantage that few others have – she has a “rider” named Zie, an organic symbiote—like a living tattoo—that enhances Tara's physical abilities and gives her flight benefits. Not only that, but Zie is an illegal wild born rider, not a legal bred one. Zie has protected Tara for years and helped her to get herself straight in the face of diversity after her parents were killed from the Risien Plague that killed many other as well.

In efforts to protect herself and Zie, she never has gotten into relationships or close to anyone, finding that simply having Zie is enough as her companion. But Trace stirs something frightening and wonderful inside of both Zie and Tara – something she is willing to run the other way from…far, far away from him. Only Trace isn't willing to give up so easily – he’s looking for his missing sister, the Princess of Empyrea, Katerina (Trace was adopted by the King and Queen upon his father’s untimely death, also from the Plague) – and through his research, he’s learned that Tara is linked to Jackson Brown, a known pirate. He will stop at nothing to join Tara on her ship and investigate what she knows and how he can get close to Jackson – even if it means lying to Tara. Unfortunately for them both, the pilot has been lit, and going through several live or death situations together ignites a powerful flame. But can they get past each other’s indiscretions and be together, or are their other forces that will tear them apart?

First off, I just loved Zie – her child-like look on situations is refreshing and seems to help guide Tara’s moral compass. They are dependent on each other for everything – from food to protection, but you can feel the love they have for each other as well. And Zie is a great judge of character – when she first meets Trace, he tells Tara he’s pretty…not that Tara disagrees. Then there is Tara herself, whom is strong, smart, and very resourceful. While she doesn't easily trust, once she does she is so with wild ferocity – as she does with Jackson. Trace is not only a beautiful specimen of a male, but he loves his adopted family – not because of their position in life, but because they always treated him as their own. So when you add two strong personalities together, add some heat, and sparks are going to be flying – lighting everything in their path on fire! I really enjoyed the story – it was a relatively quick read and did throw out some surprises and twists along the way. Strong characters, strong relationships, and mostly-strong story = good sci-fi YA read with a little steam to wind down (or UP) any evening!

[Ivey Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ridding the Odds was full of everything I love in books. It had jealousy, action, alpha males, kick-ass women who don't think of themselves when they should be, and a story line that will have your heart racing. It has an engaging start which is crucial for me in books, and I was pulled into the story immediately. Also, the plot is one that everyone will like, I think. The only small problem I had was with the world building because it is a little hard to grasp at times. This book obviously features a futuristic world, but the terms and places leave the reader a little lost without explanation. However, that didn’t take that much away from the story for me because I was focused on the characters and action, not the explanations of the places and their significance.

Now, on to the characters! The characters were really complex and well rounded. I really got a feel for them as I read the book, and that's really important to me as a reader. I loved Tara Rowan and Zie, Tara’s rider. The idea of a Rider or a living entity on your skin like a living tattoo is pretty awesome. It was always interesting to see them interact in the book. Tara is a character that I cheered for throughout the book and wanted to protect. I felt for her on an emotional level and I wanted things to go her way. Trace, the hero of the story, blackmailing her just adds to your protectiveness of her. I kind of hated Trace for it, but then again, I knew he is doing it for a good reason. Trace is a hottie, that's for sure, but I didn't trust him at first. I had a feeling he was going to hurt Tara, and even though I love books where the hero makes a plan that ends up hurting the heroine but then he still falls for her, the betrayal still hurts. To add to that, I loved how Tara and Trace's relationship was a slow burn and when it came to light there was no stopping the passion.

I liked the dual POV in Riding the Odds too. It allowed me to see both sides of what Tara and Trace felt, which was crucial in this book. It made me not hate Trace as much for blackmailing Tara. The dual POV also gives us two different views of the action that happens and I liked that. This story is fast paced, and there is never a moment lacking in action or emotion. I didn't expected to love this book as much as a did. I was surprised when this book made me tear up a time or two because it just got to me. The greatest books will make you feel something so much that you just feel overwhelmed and that's how I felt with this book. I haven't read a lot of futuristic otherworldly books, but Riding the Odds is pushing me to start. The ending had me feeling elated and overjoyed. I loved it. Although, the world is a little confusing and could have used a little work in the building and clarifying, I think this book is great! I highly recommend it to sci-fi, space, or futuristic genre lovers. Even if you like adult fantasy I think you will like this book!

[Book Gannet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I loved this space romp adventure starring a brave captain, her cute living tattoo and the handsome guy on a mission. Tara was courageous, loyal and gutsy without being smart-mouthed and feisty just for the sake of it. She’s seen and done things in order to survive that she isn’t proud of, but she’s not about to apologise for them either. It’s a tough universe, but she’s no fool. Except where Trace is concerned. Her lack of curiosity about the massive hints everyone they meet drops about him almost drove me nuts! Her Trace-shaped blind spot seemed really out of character, then again that might have had something to do with Zie and her love of her pretty.

I have to admit for most of the book I found Trace less compelling. He’s handsome, yes, he’s on a mission to save his sister, true, he’s willing to go to incredible lengths to get her back, fine. It’s not that I didn’t like him – ’cause he’s sexy and strong and loyal and all - I just liked Tara more. I really didn’t like the way he blackmails her at times, but considering his background it kind of made sense – until he hears a different side of the story and suddenly changes his mindset completely… really? I know he’s emotionally entangled, but I found his swift acceptance a little hard to believe. However, by the end I loved him, for reasons I won’t go into here.

But none of that really matters when compared to Zie. I loved her. The whole Rider concept – creatures that can bond with a host to essentially become a living tattoo that can enhance their host's speed, strength, stamina, recovery, etc – is wonderful, and Zie was particularly special. I love how she’s always hungry, adores Trace and takes care of Tara. Their relationship was the best bit of this book for me. The fact that she’s a little dragon is just a bonus. I was fascinated by her and the others belonging to Tara’s friends – I could happily read books just about the Riders, though I guess they need a host to come along too.

In all this was a great adventure with fun, friendships and some sexy moments travelling across the stars to places better left well alone, and others that beg to be explored further. The main characters make for compelling leads and the underlying adventure is almost as good as the romance, though both pale in comparison to the Riders themselves. If you like your space romps with a hint of magic, loads of romance and a touch of adventure, then you should enjoy this. I certainly did. I really hope there’s more to come.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riding the Odds is sci-fi at its best. We have a female spaceship captain (an Independent so she’s on her own out there in the void of space) – a feisty, charming symbiote who steals not only hearts but the story – and a Holy Knight, who is deep undercover in his search for his missing sister, a kidnapped princess.

Read on for my thought on Riding the Odds. No true spoilers, promise.


Tara Rowan is a spaceship captain, an Independent who is not part of the big guy companies, so she has to scramble to find cargo hauls. She is a survivor, in far more ways than being a one woman crew. Tara has a past, an infamous past, that she has worked hard to put behind her. But life doesn’t always let the past lie.. in the past.

Trace Munroe is a former Holy Knight. He has resigned from the organization in order to search for his missing adopted sister who has been kidnapped. He has more secrets than Tara, and is trying just as hard to keep them from being discovered.

Zie is a symbiote, a Wild Rider who is attached to Tara in the form of an elegant, moving tattoo. She is charming, childlike and speaks to Tara through their shared mental link. Zie is a creature of few words, and they aren’t always the correct words but she gets her meaning across to Tara easily. But don’t be fooled by Zie’s charm. In a heartbeat she will put Tara in a defensive stance ready to increase her power and strength to fight anyone or anything that threatens them.

The search for a missing princess will take them all into parts unknown, as well as a past best left in the past.

There we have the main characters of Riding the Odds. I completely enjoyed this novel. I found it easy to follow, yet enough clues were spaced out (not a pun) throughout the story to not give away too much too soon. I don’t want to know the entire story by chapter 4 – and Riding the Odds kept me searching for information all the way through to the end.

In the same thought – this is as far as I will be going into the story. This is one you must read to form your own opinions of, to enjoy the full story and to, quite frankly, fall in love with Zie. (you won’t be able to help yourself on that one).

I found Riding the Odds to be fast paced action, with characters that I rooted for (even when they were being dumb) and wanted Tara and Trace to have their happy ever after.

Did they? You tell me – after you’ve read the book. :)

I would recommend this one to friends and family without pause. It was a great read, one that I believe you would enjoy as well.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I liked the world that Ms. Scott created, a really interesting premise and engaging characters.

We have Tara on one hand. I really loved her character, guys. She was so strong, yet very vulnerable once you get to meet her and hear her back story. I just wanted her to finally have her happy ending, this girl deserved it like hell. Tara went through a lot, and most of it was alone, yet she still kept fighting. Loved, loved her.

I also loved the idea of a living tattoo. Zie was a great companion, and since they could communicate with each other, she served as a great counselor when Tara needed advice. I really liked their relationship, Zie was more than just a living tattoo, she was a friend. It still didn’t mean that Tara didn’t feel lonely, though.

Enter Trace.

I wasn’t sure if I liked this guy or not, he was such a jerk at the beginning, and even when I understood where he was coming from, I still wanted to punch him. He had a lot of secrets, as did Tara, and many of them were even dangerous to her. I did like that he was crazy loyal, even when some of that loyalty was misplaced.

In the end, the guy wasn’t that bad and I was glad that he gave Tara a chance after learning her story. He started pretty judgmental towards her in the beginning of the book.

There was a lot of adventure here and some mystery to unravel, as well as romance between Trace and Tara. I don’t know if there are plans for more of this story, but I was really interested in what would happen after the book was over. Did Trace clean her name and of her friends? Was the real killer brought to justice? I would really like to know what happens with them after the end of the book.

An entertaining story in the end.

*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*

[Jasmyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing sci-fi romance. It had everything!!! We had spaceships and distant planets, strange and deadly native animals, and riders. I really want to have a rider - if I say pretty please will someone go find me one? This was a great addition to the story and allowed it to really blossom and go in so many great directions. A rider is a creature - sort of like a 2 dimensional mini-dragon - that lives on your skin. And they bond with you and talk to you and make you stronger and better. How awesome is that!

Tara is an independent trader. She doesn't work for one of the big families so she struggles to make ends meet and stay out of trouble. But it seems to find her. In this case, trouble comes in a really nice looking package named Trace. Now, he doesn't tell her the whole story when they first meet or she would have turned tail and ran in other direction. Instead they find themselves caught up in a search for Trace's sister that uncovers a much bigger plot that could have serious consequences for the universe overall.

Their journey was a very interesting one. Trace has a huge handicap that I don't want to say too much about because it's a pretty big deal. It almost ruins everything when Tara finds out the whole truth, but I forgave him for the lies and deceit because he really did have a good reason for them. Their romance was an odd one, with both taking a long time to truly trust each other.

The world building was amazing and the history of the characters was so developed that you couldn't help but just believe in them. I wish there was more to this story because I just don't want to let it go.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars (would have been 4 with a better hero). I enjoyed the setting and the story. I loved the Riders and Tara is a great heroine (except for her poor taste in men). I enjoyed the arrival of Drummer and would have enjoyed the story a lot more if it had Drummer, Tara & Jackson interacting. I liked the idea of the close bond they all had built on the shared trauma of their childhood and wanted to see more of that. What I didn't particularly like was our hero which made it hard to enjoy the book as much as I should have. Trace is an arrogant, judgmental ass. The fact that he is trying to get his sister back is supposed to excuse all manner of poor treatment in his behavior with Tara (and sadly Tara seemed of this view too). But he basically randomly decided it was Jackson who took his sister just because there were rumors of him being a pirate. There was no evidence or clues pointing to him when Trace decides he did it and then tracks down Tara and threatens to ruin her (and possibly get her killed for her alleged crimes). He judges her as a criminal (again based on rumors) and is disgustingly self righteous about her criminal past while forcing her to admit an attraction then rejecting her cause of her past, then seducing her again. He REALLY irritated me. Tara's reactions to him irritated me too. There is one part where she goes rushing off to rescue him all distraught that he is in danger and it is her fault cause he got taken while she was meeting her contact. Umm no it is not your fault Tara, the only reason either of you are there is because he is BLACKMAILING you into taking him to dangerous places to search for his sister. Everything that happens to him ( and the stuff that happens to you) is his own damn fault.

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

First of all, it was a great surprise to read this sci-fi romance and adventure book., I enjoyed it and liked it. And what a well written book. I was at first quite lost in the story, it jumped into an unknown era, place, time and characters. But as the story moved on, pretty quickly, I understood that Tara and Zie were two entities in one. A rider in a host and Tara and Zie were not the only one. What a Rider gave to the host. The differences were quite set between people without Rider and those with Rider. Than came who Tara was, her story and friendship. Skipping those backgrounds information which would be in depth with further reading. A writer, Trace, came to her but he wasn't what he pretended to be, because he was in a quest for searching his adopt sister, a princess. Trace was a male, with rule because he was a Holy Knight. So combine Holy + Knight it sounded more than a police or FBI.... scary, rule, loyalty etc.... The story wasn't just a quest but also love. Love between Zie and Tara, it was just so sweet. Zie was just pure , innocent, a little sister but also an older sister where you can ask advice, someone who appease you. A love without boundary. She is just Zie, happy Zie, fewer words but bigger impact. Love between brothers/sister. Loyalty and sense of humanity. Then for sure love. Where this book would not be for young reader. That was where I liked it more. It wasn't young adult. But adult quest, feeling, love. So reading this book was a great choice. Some would not like it because not their genre but it felt right for me.

[Sierra the Nerdgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Riding the Odds" Review             “Riding the Odds” was a sci-fi romance book that had me hooked from the start. This sci-fi has remarkable world building and the concept behind the Riders—beings that are live tattoos that enhance human abilities—is so intriguing. The world kept getting more interesting with new developments and the different sci-fi elements.
            The romance part of the book was equally as satisfying. Tara and Trace have such great chemistry despite their best efforts not to have it. Tara is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t let anyone push her around. Her dedication and loyalty is very aspiring because no matter how much her life is in danger, she will do is right. Trace… while his character was pretty interesting and I really shipped him with Tara, his character kind of bother me some. There are decisions he made that I didn’t entirely understand. The whole memory situation to me felt kind of irrelevant, though I understand why it was used, especially near the end when I nearly had a damn heart attack.
            Overall this sci-fi romance was a highly satisfying quick read and I would totally recommend it with a solid four stars.
            -I would like the thank the wonderful team from Entangled Publishing for sending me an ARC of this story. I’m so thankful for having the chance to review this book.

[Rhianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic scifi adventure with a hearty romance!


When it comes to the romance genre scifi romance has always kind of been the odd man out. But it's amazing books like RIDING THE ODDS that make me wish more of my romance loving friends were into it.

While it took me a few chapters to warm to it, it wasn't long before I was burrowed deep into one of the neatest sets of scifi world building I've come across in a long time. I'm admittedly still full of questions and eager to see this book as a series, it's got that much packed into it. Tara is a pretty great character and if you love a heroine who is her hero's equal as much as I do her relationship with Trace is going to be a favorite. They have secrets from one another that provide a healthy dose of conflict but most of what keeps them from getting together with ease is outside problems. Back-stabbing allies, blackmail, kidnappers, and the every day issue of being able to afford to eat. It's an epic adventure story that brings two great characters together.

If you've enjoyed previous scifi romances from authors like Nina Croft, Cheryl Brooks, or Katee Robert you have to read RTO! Though my review is shorter than most it's because it was simply that good and if I elaborate too much I might ruin some of the surprises. I will definitely be watching to see what Scott has to add to the genre next.

Notes: ARC received via publisher.

[Lori L MacLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy a good SciFi romance, and this book definitely fits that category. Loner Tara Rowan is an Independent Trader who travels the galaxy, picking up jobs carrying cargo between planets. Trace Munroe is a Holy Knight who was adopted into the royal family. When his sister goes missing, his investigation leads him to Tara.

Tara has many secrets she'd like to keep buried. When Trace blackmails her, she is forced into helping him find his sister. Things get complicated as their attraction to each other and their distrust of one another grow. Throw a gang of murdering pirates into the mix, and the action really takes off.

I like Tara's courage, independence, and strength of character, and the way she kicks butt when threatened. No damsel in distress is she. Her relationship with her Rider, Zie — a dragon symbiote, like a living tattoo that glides over her skin — was my favorite part of the story. Their telepathic exchanges cracked me up.

There were some sex scenes that were a little too explicit for my taste, but that's just my personal preference. I also could have done without some of the descriptions of boobs and butts and other body parts and the characters' constant thinking about these things about half way through the book. It started to get in the way of the story, and I was glad when the action picked up again.

All in all, it was an exciting read with likeable characters, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who likes romance with their SciFi.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Entangled Teen for a free honest review.

The story itself was interesting but for some reason I couldn't really get into it until closer to the end.

The world building was done with a specific beauty, and I enjoyed the way things were described and set up. The author had great detail in how the economy worked within this world, and the workings of the spaceships were interesting to read.

What I enjoyed the most was the fact that Tara was a strong main character. This was definitely not a princess that needed saving. Yet, this was a large cover of how vulnerable she actually was. Her past has a lot to do with how she acts and motivates her, and the whole connection with Zie was a great addition.

Trace was a whole other story. He was not a "like at first sight" character for me. He eventually grew on me, but it took a little time. Learning more about him helped as the story went, but there is still something about that guy that rubbed me the wrong way.

The mystery that surrounds the story is what kept me reading, even when I almost stopped. I hate not finishing a mystery, sometimes you just have to know what happens!

All-in-all, I found this book to be enjoyable. While it was not a top favorite for me, I would recommend it to others.