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Ice Planet Barbarians #12
Barbarian's Redemption
For seasons, I have waited for her - my perfect mate.
In a tribe full of happy couples, I am alone. But I am not content to remain this way. There are no eligible unmated females left, so I will do whatever it takes to bring females back to our tribe...even if it means doing something wrong. Even if it means I must purchase my mate on the intergalactic black market. I will do anything to possess her, to claim her as my own.
But will my ruthless move turn my female against me before we ever meet? Can she ever forgive a male that bought her freedom?
In a tribe full of happy couples, I am alone. But I am not content to remain this way. There are no eligible unmated females left, so I will do whatever it takes to bring females back to our tribe...even if it means doing something wrong. Even if it means I must purchase my mate on the intergalactic black market. I will do anything to possess her, to claim her as my own.
But will my ruthless move turn my female against me before we ever meet? Can she ever forgive a male that bought her freedom?
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2017
About the author
Ruby Dixon
128 books11.3k followersRuby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 913 reviews
August 7, 2022
5 Elly and Bek Stars
May have spoilers
13 Books in and this series is still as addictive as ever. I don't know what magic Ruby Dixon weaves into these books but I can't get enough. Bek has been the tribe's jerk for a long time. Impatient, hot tempered, and dismissive of others feelings, Bek was my least favorite Alien of all the blue aliens. He really redeemed himself in this book. I was proud of Bek's growth. He was so soft with Elly. He took his time, gave her space to feel safe. Respected her wishes and he had her show him how it felt to be a slave. Elly made Bek more kind and caring. He started thinking of others and the impact his actions had on them.
Elly was different from all the other human women. Stolen at 13 years old she had been abused as a slave for 10 years when she came to Not-Hoth. She didn't bathe and was covered in nasty, smelly dirt so people would not want to buy her. She didn't talk and wouldn't eat or drink in fear of being poisoned. No matter how fearful, or how damaged Elly was, she fought. She was brave and did everything she could to protect herself. I know a lot of people seen her as weak, but all I seen the survivor fighting for her life. I loved how much she came out of her shell after she learned to trust Bek.
I loved Bek and Elly together. They brought out the best in each other. They had a strong connection that you could feel through the pages. Of course their love was a slower burn as Bek had to earn Elly's trust, but it was still filled with passion. I liked Gail a lot in this book. She was such a momma bear to the other girls and very protective of Elly. I enjoyed the children and seeing their little personalities as they start to grow up a bit. I hope Ruby Dixon writes books for all the children as well. If you have not tried this series you should it's amazing!
May have spoilers
13 Books in and this series is still as addictive as ever. I don't know what magic Ruby Dixon weaves into these books but I can't get enough. Bek has been the tribe's jerk for a long time. Impatient, hot tempered, and dismissive of others feelings, Bek was my least favorite Alien of all the blue aliens. He really redeemed himself in this book. I was proud of Bek's growth. He was so soft with Elly. He took his time, gave her space to feel safe. Respected her wishes and he had her show him how it felt to be a slave. Elly made Bek more kind and caring. He started thinking of others and the impact his actions had on them.
Elly was different from all the other human women. Stolen at 13 years old she had been abused as a slave for 10 years when she came to Not-Hoth. She didn't bathe and was covered in nasty, smelly dirt so people would not want to buy her. She didn't talk and wouldn't eat or drink in fear of being poisoned. No matter how fearful, or how damaged Elly was, she fought. She was brave and did everything she could to protect herself. I know a lot of people seen her as weak, but all I seen the survivor fighting for her life. I loved how much she came out of her shell after she learned to trust Bek.
I loved Bek and Elly together. They brought out the best in each other. They had a strong connection that you could feel through the pages. Of course their love was a slower burn as Bek had to earn Elly's trust, but it was still filled with passion. I liked Gail a lot in this book. She was such a momma bear to the other girls and very protective of Elly. I enjoyed the children and seeing their little personalities as they start to grow up a bit. I hope Ruby Dixon writes books for all the children as well. If you have not tried this series you should it's amazing!
June 21, 2017
Eight years after the first humans have arrived at the ice planet, Bek is still without a mate, without kits and completely desperate to finally have a family.
Since there are no females available at the planet anymore, Bek does the unthinkable. He asks Captain and Trakan to bring back to the Ice planet five human females, one for him and one for each of the unmated sa-khui (As he is a good man, Bek thinks of his friends, too). What he does not realize is that the only females that can be brought at this planet are bought slaves.
Unfortunately, the pure and innocent sa-khui do not understand the concept of slavery. Most of the five females that are brought in the planet have been slaves of aliens and treated like weird animals for a great number of years and they are totally traumatized. Especially when they look at the huge blue aliens with the horns, the women think that they will be suffering again a great deal.
Bek is lucky to resonate almost straight away. Sadly he is shunned from the tribe for his behavior as a Rule Breaker and his future mate is not willing to follow him since she is the most traumatized of the women. Smelly and unclean for many years, Elly is hidden under layers of accumulated dirt and filth.
Bek needs to be extra cautious and extra sweet to woo scared Elly. That’s a first for the most brute, rough guy of the sa-khui tribe.
Yes, the grumpy brute will become a sweetheart really soon!
I have only two comments for this book:
1. Before I read this book, I really wanted someone tougher for Bek’s mate. I would like to see some tension, some fights and lots of groveling from him. It would have been interesting to see him with someone like Liz. But I think in the end, the sweet, scared Elly who need to be protected and cherished works just fine. It was nice for me to see the sweatest side of Bek.
2. I didn’t think after Rukh and “Barbarian Mine”, I would discover someone else in this series with a desperate need for bathing. Lots of hygiene issues in this book hahaha
I really wish Elly have taken a bath sooner.
Since there are no females available at the planet anymore, Bek does the unthinkable. He asks Captain and Trakan to bring back to the Ice planet five human females, one for him and one for each of the unmated sa-khui (As he is a good man, Bek thinks of his friends, too). What he does not realize is that the only females that can be brought at this planet are bought slaves.
Unfortunately, the pure and innocent sa-khui do not understand the concept of slavery. Most of the five females that are brought in the planet have been slaves of aliens and treated like weird animals for a great number of years and they are totally traumatized. Especially when they look at the huge blue aliens with the horns, the women think that they will be suffering again a great deal.
Bek is lucky to resonate almost straight away. Sadly he is shunned from the tribe for his behavior as a Rule Breaker and his future mate is not willing to follow him since she is the most traumatized of the women. Smelly and unclean for many years, Elly is hidden under layers of accumulated dirt and filth.
Bek needs to be extra cautious and extra sweet to woo scared Elly. That’s a first for the most brute, rough guy of the sa-khui tribe.
Yes, the grumpy brute will become a sweetheart really soon!
I have only two comments for this book:
1. Before I read this book, I really wanted someone tougher for Bek’s mate. I would like to see some tension, some fights and lots of groveling from him. It would have been interesting to see him with someone like Liz. But I think in the end, the sweet, scared Elly who need to be protected and cherished works just fine. It was nice for me to see the sweatest side of Bek.
2. I didn’t think after Rukh and “Barbarian Mine”, I would discover someone else in this series with a desperate need for bathing. Lots of hygiene issues in this book hahaha
I really wish Elly have taken a bath sooner.
January 7, 2023
I can’t believe I am still loving these books after so many!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🤎🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌎
Character development: 😠😘🤓😍🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elly - she was stolen from Earth when she was just thirteen years old, has been a slave to three different owners in the last 10 years and is now on on another slave ship. She knows the drill when buyers come by. She keeps herself dirty, keeps her hair over her face and makes herself look as awful as possible so nobody buys her.
The Heroes: Bek - He feels lonely in his tribe since so many of the males have found their mates among the human females that have crash landed on the ice planet. Since there are no females left that are unmated, he is willing to do almost anything to get a mate of his own, even buy one on the black market. Some of the other Sa’Qhui males go to a slave ship and buy all five human women aboard.
The Story: When Elly fights against her captors, she is shocked into unconsciousness. She wakes in the med bay of a new ship. It happens to be the ship that came from the home world of the Sa’Qhui people. They had promised Bek that they would return with humans that had been taken from Earth in exchange for a box of credit chips that Bek found aboard a crashed vessel.
I thought this book was a bit different than the rest as the women didn’t arrive via a crash, but were brought there by specifically by Bek and everyone in the village is mad at him for buying the women as slaves. Though nobody seems to realize that if Bek didn’t buy them and free them on the Ice Planet, then the women really would have been slaves, so he saved them more than anything.
I really liked Bek in this book, I know he was Claire’s former pleasure mate and he wasn’t a very nice guy, but he has definitely redeemed himself in this one and was very likable. Elly was definitely suffering from PTSD after everything she has been through, and at times seemed very small and fragile, but her inner strength was always there and I related to her more than a lot of other heroines in this series.
This story is told in dual points of view via dual narration. The narrators are Mason Lloyd and Hollie Jackson who do the narration for most of Ruby Dixon’s books and do a great job as always. I like Mason Lloyd’s cadence for the aliens, it leads authenticity to the audio, in that they would really speak a bit stilted since they don’t understand all the words of the human language.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🤎🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌎
Character development: 😠😘🤓😍🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elly - she was stolen from Earth when she was just thirteen years old, has been a slave to three different owners in the last 10 years and is now on on another slave ship. She knows the drill when buyers come by. She keeps herself dirty, keeps her hair over her face and makes herself look as awful as possible so nobody buys her.
The Heroes: Bek - He feels lonely in his tribe since so many of the males have found their mates among the human females that have crash landed on the ice planet. Since there are no females left that are unmated, he is willing to do almost anything to get a mate of his own, even buy one on the black market. Some of the other Sa’Qhui males go to a slave ship and buy all five human women aboard.
The Story: When Elly fights against her captors, she is shocked into unconsciousness. She wakes in the med bay of a new ship. It happens to be the ship that came from the home world of the Sa’Qhui people. They had promised Bek that they would return with humans that had been taken from Earth in exchange for a box of credit chips that Bek found aboard a crashed vessel.
I thought this book was a bit different than the rest as the women didn’t arrive via a crash, but were brought there by specifically by Bek and everyone in the village is mad at him for buying the women as slaves. Though nobody seems to realize that if Bek didn’t buy them and free them on the Ice Planet, then the women really would have been slaves, so he saved them more than anything.
I really liked Bek in this book, I know he was Claire’s former pleasure mate and he wasn’t a very nice guy, but he has definitely redeemed himself in this one and was very likable. Elly was definitely suffering from PTSD after everything she has been through, and at times seemed very small and fragile, but her inner strength was always there and I related to her more than a lot of other heroines in this series.
This story is told in dual points of view via dual narration. The narrators are Mason Lloyd and Hollie Jackson who do the narration for most of Ruby Dixon’s books and do a great job as always. I like Mason Lloyd’s cadence for the aliens, it leads authenticity to the audio, in that they would really speak a bit stilted since they don’t understand all the words of the human language.
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February 12, 2017
5 Stars!
After all this time Bek finally gets his happily ever after.
"It has finally happened, and my female... she is perfect.
In order to get a mate Bek decides to use the captain and crew from Farli's book to transport human slaves to Not-Hoth, but all's well that ends well I suppose...
First off, let me say what in the hell happened to Bek? Who was this gentle, patient, and kind alien I was reading about? What happened to the impatient, mean and easily annoyed Bek who everyone steered clear of? This guy definitely turned a new leaf, and I thought his relationship with Claire's son was absolutely adorable.. But seriously this new Bek was unrecognizable!
Elly has been captured from earth and sold in the intergalactic slave ring when she was thirteen. She is extremely mentally wounded and doesn't trust easily - she has had abusive masters and is apprehensive of Bek because he technically bought her and is her new master. Bek doesn't fully understand the ramifications of his actions - buying these humans didn't seem like something wrong to him but he eventually learns and feels remorseful. Elly's walls slowly come down and learns to trust and love Bek.
"Bek, I never had a home before I got here. I was never safe. You are my home. You are my safe. I'm with you forever."
Bek never treated Elly like second best. He knew deep down he liked the idea of Claire more than he actually loved her. She was a rare female and he wanted a mate - but he never felt about Claire what he feels for Elly. And even though Elly feels slightly jealous she understands and accepts their friendship.
"I wanted a mate, but I never imagined one as perfect as you. I am lucky beyond my wildest dreams."
Due to Elly's scarring past she has an aversion to touch so this book had tons of foreplay and no sex till the very end. But it was quite nice seeing their relationship develop at a slower pace as Elly slowly got out of her shell.
Overall adorable read!
After all this time Bek finally gets his happily ever after.
"It has finally happened, and my female... she is perfect.
In order to get a mate Bek decides to use the captain and crew from Farli's book to transport human slaves to Not-Hoth, but all's well that ends well I suppose...
First off, let me say what in the hell happened to Bek? Who was this gentle, patient, and kind alien I was reading about? What happened to the impatient, mean and easily annoyed Bek who everyone steered clear of? This guy definitely turned a new leaf, and I thought his relationship with Claire's son was absolutely adorable.. But seriously this new Bek was unrecognizable!
Elly has been captured from earth and sold in the intergalactic slave ring when she was thirteen. She is extremely mentally wounded and doesn't trust easily - she has had abusive masters and is apprehensive of Bek because he technically bought her and is her new master. Bek doesn't fully understand the ramifications of his actions - buying these humans didn't seem like something wrong to him but he eventually learns and feels remorseful. Elly's walls slowly come down and learns to trust and love Bek.
"Bek, I never had a home before I got here. I was never safe. You are my home. You are my safe. I'm with you forever."
Bek never treated Elly like second best. He knew deep down he liked the idea of Claire more than he actually loved her. She was a rare female and he wanted a mate - but he never felt about Claire what he feels for Elly. And even though Elly feels slightly jealous she understands and accepts their friendship.
"I wanted a mate, but I never imagined one as perfect as you. I am lucky beyond my wildest dreams."
Due to Elly's scarring past she has an aversion to touch so this book had tons of foreplay and no sex till the very end. But it was quite nice seeing their relationship develop at a slower pace as Elly slowly got out of her shell.
Overall adorable read!
May 17, 2022
I don’t care what Ruby or anyone else says about the cover…it’s a horrible cover IMHO.
Before starting the book:
Generally, I have been waiting for Ruby to release IPB next in the series, but without even starting this, I do not like it. If Bek wanted Mate so desperately, why he didn't leave with the rest of his kind on his original planet? And why did he ask for humans? Why can't his own kind? I don't like him very much…
During reading the book:
Maybe my opinion will change…
After reading the book:
No, no heart-changing happening. Initial thoughts still hold. Actually, Elly’s situation changed drastically but was that enough? No, not ok. Bek’s decision to ‘buy’ slaves from the alien trade market, was a no-no. Not ok, never ok.
Having said that it was ok novel. Elly was a bit of a challenge to like and we already know what a pleasant personality Bek has, so both remained mute for most of the time.
But after a while, they grew on me. I still find it hard to digest Bek’s personality change but hey, it can happen…overall I guess I might be waiting for the next one on the series but I hope this series will gain momentum.
Also, I think I’d like to see if there is any way these people stop human trafficking in their intergalactic affairs, well wouldn't that be nice. It’s like a big blue elephant sitting in the room no one wants to address…*Sigh*
Before starting the book:
Generally, I have been waiting for Ruby to release IPB next in the series, but without even starting this, I do not like it. If Bek wanted Mate so desperately, why he didn't leave with the rest of his kind on his original planet? And why did he ask for humans? Why can't his own kind? I don't like him very much…
During reading the book:
Maybe my opinion will change…
After reading the book:
No, no heart-changing happening. Initial thoughts still hold. Actually, Elly’s situation changed drastically but was that enough? No, not ok. Bek’s decision to ‘buy’ slaves from the alien trade market, was a no-no. Not ok, never ok.
Having said that it was ok novel. Elly was a bit of a challenge to like and we already know what a pleasant personality Bek has, so both remained mute for most of the time.
But after a while, they grew on me. I still find it hard to digest Bek’s personality change but hey, it can happen…overall I guess I might be waiting for the next one on the series but I hope this series will gain momentum.
Also, I think I’d like to see if there is any way these people stop human trafficking in their intergalactic affairs, well wouldn't that be nice. It’s like a big blue elephant sitting in the room no one wants to address…*Sigh*
February 16, 2017
These big, blue aliens are my guilty pleasures! LOL
This is not a heavy duty read, but I love how it makes me feel inside: really good!
I hate cold places, but I wouldn't mind living there. The people are really nice, without guile and without malice. They're like a good natured children who work really hard to make a good life for themselves.
I know, I know, it's quite impossible, but it's like anice dream of happy ever-after. And thet's why I like it so much!
I loved how Elly explained to Bek the concept of slavery. It was very clever of her: show not explain.
Bek was a classical blue barbarian with his ideas, but I like that he was ready to be patient and give Elly time to anjust!
All in all another beautiful love story!
This is not a heavy duty read, but I love how it makes me feel inside: really good!
I hate cold places, but I wouldn't mind living there. The people are really nice, without guile and without malice. They're like a good natured children who work really hard to make a good life for themselves.
I know, I know, it's quite impossible, but it's like anice dream of happy ever-after. And thet's why I like it so much!
I loved how Elly explained to Bek the concept of slavery. It was very clever of her: show not explain.
Bek was a classical blue barbarian with his ideas, but I like that he was ready to be patient and give Elly time to anjust!
All in all another beautiful love story!
May 7, 2019
I didn't love this one as much as the others. Not sure why, I got quite bored in the second half of the book. I'm thinking it's heroine's fault. She just kind of annoyed me a bit.
Shelved as 'safe-but-gonna-pass'
February 9, 2017
February 10, 2017
-I swear I was reading three other books when I found out this book had released and I wondered if I would be torn, flipping between all these stories. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t stop and read this in one night. The latest (and possibly my favorite, yes it's that good) book in this series keeps giving me what I want: loving, protective hot blue aliens who would do anything for their human mates. And cooties. It’s still a tad crackilicious, but this entry has alot of heart and I am WIDE OPEN for Bek. #justsayin’
-Bek was the pleasure mate of one of the original humans to crash land on the planet and he was a bit of a jerk. Impatient and desperate to connect, he came off as a surly jerk in earlier books. While I was willing to give him a chance, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it. Boy did he change my mind. Bek’s so understanding and caring, and his loving, tender side was all sorts of swoony. Better yet, his personality wasn’t completely transformed. He’s sweet and seeing his layers was great, but he still has no fucks to give unless it’s for his mate, and I liked that just fine.
-Elly is one of the latest human women added to the tribe, and she was not as lucky as the first humans. She was kidnapped as a kid, and has lived as a slave for 10 years, being treated as less than nothing. When Bek buys her and the other girls from slavers, there is little that she trusts or believes in. She's just trying to survive minute to minute. When the surly sakhui and the abused human get together, I melted like ice cream in a baby’s hand.
-All the books are on Kindle Unlimited, so it’s easy to catch up with the series. And trust me, if you enjoy one, you’ll tear through this series like a hot knife through butter. They’re that addicting.
-The plot has some very familiar beats and they follow their own formula, but Ms. Dixon has done a great job in finding ways to expand the ‘verse, to keep the characters as individuals and still giving each romance plenty of heart. I haven’t hit one yet that felt like it’s a paint by numbers. I’ve grown to have a great affection for these sweet and simple characters and I think that Bek’s story opens up the next chapter and I can’t stop reading.
-They’re all easy reads, usually a couple of hundred-odd pages of story, just enough to build the overarching storyline and to give the individual romance a chance to shine.
The Bottom Line
Planet Blue Balls is still as addictive as ever. I adored Bek, and I’m loving how Ms. Dixon finds a way to keep it going. If you love your cracky sci-fi romances, I encourage you to try it out.
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December 15, 2017
4 Redemption stars!
Wow, I didn’t think I would like this one. Who knew Bek would get his book? I wasn’t a fan of Bek considering how he treated Claire. I found him really impossible to deal with and short sided, however, it goes to show everyone has their side of the story.
Bek has always wanted one thing, to have a mate and kits. If you think about it, it’s kind of depressing. All the women are taken in the tribe and what is there left to do? Well purchase some slaves of course.
I felt like Bek really shined in this one. I liked how he’s willing to do ANYTHING to get a mate and I love how it shows his desperation. It’s endearing and nice to read.
The Heroine is a slave and I love all of her quirks. She’s scared, dirty and rough, but I feel like she’s the perfect mate for Bek.
Barbarian’s Redemption is not what I expected. I started to read this book and a few hours later I realized I was almost done. It just sucked me in! If you are skipping around in the series, this is a must.
Wow, I didn’t think I would like this one. Who knew Bek would get his book? I wasn’t a fan of Bek considering how he treated Claire. I found him really impossible to deal with and short sided, however, it goes to show everyone has their side of the story.
Bek has always wanted one thing, to have a mate and kits. If you think about it, it’s kind of depressing. All the women are taken in the tribe and what is there left to do? Well purchase some slaves of course.
I felt like Bek really shined in this one. I liked how he’s willing to do ANYTHING to get a mate and I love how it shows his desperation. It’s endearing and nice to read.
The Heroine is a slave and I love all of her quirks. She’s scared, dirty and rough, but I feel like she’s the perfect mate for Bek.
Barbarian’s Redemption is not what I expected. I started to read this book and a few hours later I realized I was almost done. It just sucked me in! If you are skipping around in the series, this is a must.
July 1, 2020
Barbarian’s Redemption is book twelve in the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon.
Dixon did well in her redemption of Bek, who has been a jerk in the past. And now we get to see inside his head. See his grumpy jerky self and see that there is more to him.
It’s been eight years since the first humans arrived on the ice planet. Bek is still mateless and he’s desperate. He does the unthinkable and asks the visitors to their planet to bring back five human females, but what he doesn’t know is that the only human females available are the ones you can buy on the slave market. Things don’t go as planned for Bek and he finds himself ostracized from his tribe.
The pure and innocent sa-khui do not understand the concept of slavery. These five women who are brought to this ice planet have been in slavery for many years and are traumatized. When they meet these big blue horned aliens they don’t feel safe. They feel like they will suffer again.
As always we have some issues to resolve. We see Ellie has some major defense mechanisms to cope with her abuse. It’s understandable, but did; become a bit old. We see Bek change his tune and his jerky self; becomes sweet. All around their romance was agreeable.
Barbarian’s Redemption was another entertaining and adorable read in the Ice Planet Barbarians series.
Rated: 4 Stars
Dixon did well in her redemption of Bek, who has been a jerk in the past. And now we get to see inside his head. See his grumpy jerky self and see that there is more to him.
It’s been eight years since the first humans arrived on the ice planet. Bek is still mateless and he’s desperate. He does the unthinkable and asks the visitors to their planet to bring back five human females, but what he doesn’t know is that the only human females available are the ones you can buy on the slave market. Things don’t go as planned for Bek and he finds himself ostracized from his tribe.
The pure and innocent sa-khui do not understand the concept of slavery. These five women who are brought to this ice planet have been in slavery for many years and are traumatized. When they meet these big blue horned aliens they don’t feel safe. They feel like they will suffer again.
As always we have some issues to resolve. We see Ellie has some major defense mechanisms to cope with her abuse. It’s understandable, but did; become a bit old. We see Bek change his tune and his jerky self; becomes sweet. All around their romance was agreeable.
Barbarian’s Redemption was another entertaining and adorable read in the Ice Planet Barbarians series.
Rated: 4 Stars
March 8, 2017
Bek's story was everything I hoped for and more. Elle was just who he needed. She was strength and steel inside the quietest fortress of what seemed like a broken girl but she truly was so brave. I loved how Bek came to realize the repercussion of his actions.. his grovel was epic.
I'm so in love with this series.. I'm trying to read slowly..and now I'm almost caught up. Its just so captivating and I get lost after a few pages. Ruby I only wish I knew who your alter ego was because I I just bet I'd devour those stories too.
100% safe
I'm so in love with this series.. I'm trying to read slowly..and now I'm almost caught up. Its just so captivating and I get lost after a few pages. Ruby I only wish I knew who your alter ego was because I I just bet I'd devour those stories too.
100% safe
June 5, 2022
This ended up being a really sweet book. I'm amazed that Ruby Dixon can completely change my mind about Bek and make him likeable. Elly had a really rough life, but she's really strong and durable in her own way. I'm glad that Elly and Bek found each other. Their story is interesting and I really liked reading it.
July 2, 2021
2.5 stars
RTC
Notes:
--- Skipped books 11 & 12 - the blurbs didn't appeal to me (& reviews were more lackluster for those than others in the series), so I know I missed some things that probably fed into this story
--- Hard to like Bek after he was suck a dick to Claire (to be fair, the author noted at the end of the book that she didn't plan to write Bek's book so she probably made him more unlikable bc he wasn't supposed to be H material); Bek wasn't as much an alphahole in this story, but he was one up until now, so that is why he is labeled as suck n my tags/shelves
--- VERY slow burn, which made sense for the issues the h had, but still made it move slllllooooowwwly and was not Bek-esh bc that guy was hella grumpy and pushy with Claire
--- Story line was meh
Plot --- 2.5/5
Main Characters --- 3/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- some descriptions of slavery that may be disturbing to some (nothing sexual, at least not re the characters in this story)
Language --- yes! (lots of f-bombs and c-bombs)
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
RTC
Notes:
--- Skipped books 11 & 12 - the blurbs didn't appeal to me (& reviews were more lackluster for those than others in the series), so I know I missed some things that probably fed into this story
--- Hard to like Bek after he was suck a dick to Claire (to be fair, the author noted at the end of the book that she didn't plan to write Bek's book so she probably made him more unlikable bc he wasn't supposed to be H material); Bek wasn't as much an alphahole in this story, but he was one up until now, so that is why he is labeled as suck n my tags/shelves
--- VERY slow burn, which made sense for the issues the h had, but still made it move slllllooooowwwly and was not Bek-esh bc that guy was hella grumpy and pushy with Claire
--- Story line was meh
Plot --- 2.5/5
Main Characters --- 3/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- some descriptions of slavery that may be disturbing to some (nothing sexual, at least not re the characters in this story)
Language --- yes! (lots of f-bombs and c-bombs)
POV --- Dual
*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all
November 9, 2020
I really loved seeing Bek's development in this one! He really has grown since we first saw him in his relationship with Claire, and I loved seeing him having to learn and grow from his mistakes. And Elly honestly both broke my heart and made me proud of how she found ways to not break.
CW: physical & emotional abuse, enslavement
CW: physical & emotional abuse, enslavement
March 31, 2018
I had to stop reading this. I really hate the "abusive asshole is redeemed by the protective love he feels for a helpless woman" trope and that's essentially what this is. Brek's behavior in his relationship with Claire was verbally and emotionally abusive and, while Claire can forgive him, I don't trust that "resonance" will be enough to keep him from eventually feeling the same way about Elly. (We've been given examples where resonance didn't impact people emotionally, just sexually; they preferred to stay with chosen mates, or left their resonance mates after having kids. So...) Particularly given the way his relationship with Claire played out - she wasn't assertive enough, she didn't pick up tasks quickly enough, she could never do anything right - pairing him with another newcomer who is shy and easily overwhelmed and doesn't know how to do any Not-Hoth stuff just seems like a ridiculously bad situation. It's the exact same set-up he was in with Claire, and he clearly doesn't have the coping skills for that sort of relationship - and we haven't seen him do anything to develop them except for relying on resonance to "smooth things over." One of the things I have really enjoyed about this series is that Dixon doesn't actually approach resonance as a cure-all, but here, in this situation, we have a hero who's verbally abusive towards and unhappy in relationships with women who do not meet his expectations and a heroine who is incapable of meeting his expectations (because Elly, like Claire, is not a local, and is intensely shy and quiet), but hey, resonance will solve it all. I know this is a super-common trope in romance novels, but it is a super-common trope in romance novels that I don't read.
I'm disappointed, honestly - I've really appreciated that despite the very old-school "me barbarian, you Earth woman" set-up, Dixon has really developed fully-fleshed characters and complex and realistic relationships. There's usually a lot of reliance on consent - the woman always consents to the relationship and each progression - the female characters aren't always virgins, etc. I liked the fact that Elly's trauma was not sexual, which made sense and kept the titillation factor out of things, and the actual way the relationship progressed was less of an issue for me. However Brek wasn't getting enough emotional development for me to be comfortable with the idea that he's going to be a good mate this time around - like, it's great that he's realizing that slavery is bad, but I'd have been happier if he'd been able to come to that realization in a more general sense, i.e. before resonating with Elly and without the context we were given (how could people do this to his mate!), because someone who doesn't give a shit about bad things happening to people (or refuses to understand that bad things do happen to people) until they are people he personally cares about is not a romance hero to me. You know that study they did on how men don't believe gender discrimination is real until they have daughters and then they're horrified and appalled by it? That's how Bek reads to me.
I'm disappointed, honestly - I've really appreciated that despite the very old-school "me barbarian, you Earth woman" set-up, Dixon has really developed fully-fleshed characters and complex and realistic relationships. There's usually a lot of reliance on consent - the woman always consents to the relationship and each progression - the female characters aren't always virgins, etc. I liked the fact that Elly's trauma was not sexual, which made sense and kept the titillation factor out of things, and the actual way the relationship progressed was less of an issue for me. However Brek wasn't getting enough emotional development for me to be comfortable with the idea that he's going to be a good mate this time around - like, it's great that he's realizing that slavery is bad, but I'd have been happier if he'd been able to come to that realization in a more general sense, i.e. before resonating with Elly and without the context we were given (how could people do this to his mate!), because someone who doesn't give a shit about bad things happening to people (or refuses to understand that bad things do happen to people) until they are people he personally cares about is not a romance hero to me. You know that study they did on how men don't believe gender discrimination is real until they have daughters and then they're horrified and appalled by it? That's how Bek reads to me.
July 20, 2021
Totally gross lol.
The only reason I got through this book was because I wanted to be fair to the author and complete it before rating it. I'm shocked so many people gave this 5 stars. I've loved this series, it's perfect guilty pleasure material but as the books progress I notice hunters become more bold and desperate in their need for a mate and are willing to break rules with no regard for their human victim because resonance will cure all. When Haasen kidnapped Lila (who was deaf and scared) and then spent most of his book whining about how she wasn't an agreeable hostage it was gross.
This book is much worse.
The idea that Bek was so clueless about the idea slavery is not realistic considering how the human women arrived on their planet and also that the entire tribe views the aliens who took the women as bad. Also, that they are in a better position than they were is a coincidence because his request was to bring human women to him. They could have just as easily been kidnaped from earth and their families so he can have a "mate".
Shunning is stupid considering that buying slaves, not to free them but to mate them (and the khui doesn't care if they want to or not) is just as bad as buying slaves for other reasons. The entire plot with saving Erevair, who was barely in danger and thus this is used to redeem Bek from slave trading is laughable.
Vektal and George were quick to exile Rahoosh for kidnapping Liz but doesn't exile Bek for buying 5 slaves for unmated men to have sex with them. Vaza aided in this too but barely any mention of this or his punishment.
Elly has stokholm syndrome on steroids to the point where she doesn't care if Bek's presence makes the other women he purchased as slaves uncomfortable. This makes her someone I can't sympathize with. Utterly selfish with no care for the women who are in a worse position than her.
I literally couldn't enjoy the smut and mostly skipped it because the entire story was so gross. This is guilty pleasure with all of the guilt and no pleasure. Bek faced no consequences for his actions and was for the most part unapologetic until standing outside for a few minutes suddenly made him understand the institution of slavery was bad.
Lila telling Bek she belongs to him - major eyeroll for someone who spent the entire book struggling with having owners.
This book was such a forced happy ending. This was the perfect opportunity to draw a line in the sand when it comes to desperation for a mate. There is a limit, just like rape is not an option, neither should buying slaves. Bek should have been made an example of and since it has been clear that resonance isn't always the answer. This would have been very entertaining to watch Bek resonate to Elly and have her hate his guts, he gets exiled and Elly gets a new Khui so she can resonate to another or not al all, leaving Bek with nothing and teaching him a lesson and the other hunters too. Instead, he commits a serious crime and gets his hearts desire and is the apple of the village's eye.
EW. This entire book was cringy. Sorry.
The only reason I got through this book was because I wanted to be fair to the author and complete it before rating it. I'm shocked so many people gave this 5 stars. I've loved this series, it's perfect guilty pleasure material but as the books progress I notice hunters become more bold and desperate in their need for a mate and are willing to break rules with no regard for their human victim because resonance will cure all. When Haasen kidnapped Lila (who was deaf and scared) and then spent most of his book whining about how she wasn't an agreeable hostage it was gross.
This book is much worse.
The idea that Bek was so clueless about the idea slavery is not realistic considering how the human women arrived on their planet and also that the entire tribe views the aliens who took the women as bad. Also, that they are in a better position than they were is a coincidence because his request was to bring human women to him. They could have just as easily been kidnaped from earth and their families so he can have a "mate".
Shunning is stupid considering that buying slaves, not to free them but to mate them (and the khui doesn't care if they want to or not) is just as bad as buying slaves for other reasons. The entire plot with saving Erevair, who was barely in danger and thus this is used to redeem Bek from slave trading is laughable.
Vektal and George were quick to exile Rahoosh for kidnapping Liz but doesn't exile Bek for buying 5 slaves for unmated men to have sex with them. Vaza aided in this too but barely any mention of this or his punishment.
Elly has stokholm syndrome on steroids to the point where she doesn't care if Bek's presence makes the other women he purchased as slaves uncomfortable. This makes her someone I can't sympathize with. Utterly selfish with no care for the women who are in a worse position than her.
I literally couldn't enjoy the smut and mostly skipped it because the entire story was so gross. This is guilty pleasure with all of the guilt and no pleasure. Bek faced no consequences for his actions and was for the most part unapologetic until standing outside for a few minutes suddenly made him understand the institution of slavery was bad.
Lila telling Bek she belongs to him - major eyeroll for someone who spent the entire book struggling with having owners.
This book was such a forced happy ending. This was the perfect opportunity to draw a line in the sand when it comes to desperation for a mate. There is a limit, just like rape is not an option, neither should buying slaves. Bek should have been made an example of and since it has been clear that resonance isn't always the answer. This would have been very entertaining to watch Bek resonate to Elly and have her hate his guts, he gets exiled and Elly gets a new Khui so she can resonate to another or not al all, leaving Bek with nothing and teaching him a lesson and the other hunters too. Instead, he commits a serious crime and gets his hearts desire and is the apple of the village's eye.
EW. This entire book was cringy. Sorry.
February 25, 2017
I couldn't be happier this author seems to keep finding ways to not only extend this series but to make it just as good as the beginning if not better with each book. Since this is number twelve in the series that really says something. This is one series I am always waiting for the next book. After everything we saw about Bek I couldn't wait for his book. Bek was a jerk but I love a hero who is a big jerk but turns it around and Bek certainly turns it around and he turns it around huge in this book. Sure what he did was wrong but come on the poor guy has no one with no hope for being anything but alone, and really he saved these woman.
Getting the others to find five woman was the best idea Bek ever came up with, so when he gets notice the ship is coming he knows he will finally resinate. Ellie has learned to protect herself being a slave for more years than anyone else. When they are sold again Ellie knows anything could happen. Seeing these new aliens all Ellie can think of is to stay invisible. Bek doesn't care if he gets in trouble he bought woman to his tribe but he is sad he hasn't resinated with anyone yet and then he does.
Bek is so happy he finally has what he has dreamed of but Bek doesn't really realize what he has and how hard it will be to bring Ellie out of her protective shell. When Bek finally gets time with Ellie he soon realizes how hard he has to work and how much he wants to work to not only have Ellie fall in love with him but more importantly for Ellie to feel safe.
I loved this book I knew this book would be great, it had to be since it was Bek. He proved himself a horrible alien, and then as we saw more and I knew when we had his book it would be great and I was not wrong. I loved Bek yes he stole woman but I loved him and he was more than willing to do anything and everything for Ellie. She became his world and making her well and safe was all he cared about, and he didn't factor at all.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and I couldn't be happier that the next book won't be the last. I loved Bek but Ellie was amazing, she has lived through horrible things and yet she is so strong and the growth you see in her is so great to see. I'm also so excited to see that this author is so creative with each book, and I love that she isn't a cookie cutter author she writes about all different kinds of woman which is so refreshing. I can't wait for the next book(which I seem to say in every review for this series). I also love that we don't have to wait too long between each book. We get a glimpse into the next book which is something that just made me all the more excited.
Getting the others to find five woman was the best idea Bek ever came up with, so when he gets notice the ship is coming he knows he will finally resinate. Ellie has learned to protect herself being a slave for more years than anyone else. When they are sold again Ellie knows anything could happen. Seeing these new aliens all Ellie can think of is to stay invisible. Bek doesn't care if he gets in trouble he bought woman to his tribe but he is sad he hasn't resinated with anyone yet and then he does.
Bek is so happy he finally has what he has dreamed of but Bek doesn't really realize what he has and how hard it will be to bring Ellie out of her protective shell. When Bek finally gets time with Ellie he soon realizes how hard he has to work and how much he wants to work to not only have Ellie fall in love with him but more importantly for Ellie to feel safe.
I loved this book I knew this book would be great, it had to be since it was Bek. He proved himself a horrible alien, and then as we saw more and I knew when we had his book it would be great and I was not wrong. I loved Bek yes he stole woman but I loved him and he was more than willing to do anything and everything for Ellie. She became his world and making her well and safe was all he cared about, and he didn't factor at all.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and I couldn't be happier that the next book won't be the last. I loved Bek but Ellie was amazing, she has lived through horrible things and yet she is so strong and the growth you see in her is so great to see. I'm also so excited to see that this author is so creative with each book, and I love that she isn't a cookie cutter author she writes about all different kinds of woman which is so refreshing. I can't wait for the next book(which I seem to say in every review for this series). I also love that we don't have to wait too long between each book. We get a glimpse into the next book which is something that just made me all the more excited.
November 7, 2021
2021 reread:
still my favorite in the series!! I love this one so much!!
💕ELLY & BEK💕
TROPES: alien romance, alphamellow, damaged heroine, fated mates, kindle unlimited, longing, character who cannot speak,
still my favorite in the series!! I love this one so much!!
💕ELLY & BEK💕
TROPES: alien romance, alphamellow, damaged heroine, fated mates, kindle unlimited, longing, character who cannot speak,
August 22, 2022
After what Bek did in the last book, I wasn’t sure how I’d like his romance. But I guess it was silly of me to question our blue alien queen.
I do believe she created a way too dark backstory for Elly, considering how lighthearted and fluffy these books are. The resolution of all that trauma wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been in another type of book.
But still, I read this in one sitting, totally consumed. So what the eff am I even complaining about lol
The way Elly only felt safe around Bek and how she opened up to him slowly was so beautiful and created such an intimacy between them.
I do believe she created a way too dark backstory for Elly, considering how lighthearted and fluffy these books are. The resolution of all that trauma wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been in another type of book.
But still, I read this in one sitting, totally consumed. So what the eff am I even complaining about lol
The way Elly only felt safe around Bek and how she opened up to him slowly was so beautiful and created such an intimacy between them.
April 20, 2021
Bek + Elly
At last, we finally get to see our grumpy Bek find his mate! You know, I was imagining him with a sunshiny heroine - which is ironic because Elly is the COMPLETE opposite of sunshine.
Let me explain.
Bristly Bek decides he is tired of waiting for his one true love to just magically appear on Not-Hoth. That is why he talks Mardok's friends into bringing more enslaved humans to his ice-covered planet. Oh, and Vektal does not approve...
He instantly zones in on Elly. A human female who has never known love and has been treated poorly by her owners in the past. She does everything she can to not appeal to others - like not showering or talking. Bek knows that he made a mistake by "purchasing" the women now that Elly doesn't trust his intentions. He is going to have to let go of his Bristly Bek persona if he wants to win Elly's heart.
If there is one thing I love more than an overprotective alpha, it is a cinnamon roll alpha. Bek transformed into this overbearingly sweet alpha that FINALLY takes other people's feelings into consideration. His sweet Elly unlocks his heart in many ways. It was so heartwarming!
And as much as I love Bek, I loved Elly just as much. People labeled her as broken or weird but I loved her whole strong yet quiet personality. She's an understated badass.
5 stars!
At last, we finally get to see our grumpy Bek find his mate! You know, I was imagining him with a sunshiny heroine - which is ironic because Elly is the COMPLETE opposite of sunshine.
Let me explain.
Bristly Bek decides he is tired of waiting for his one true love to just magically appear on Not-Hoth. That is why he talks Mardok's friends into bringing more enslaved humans to his ice-covered planet. Oh, and Vektal does not approve...
He instantly zones in on Elly. A human female who has never known love and has been treated poorly by her owners in the past. She does everything she can to not appeal to others - like not showering or talking. Bek knows that he made a mistake by "purchasing" the women now that Elly doesn't trust his intentions. He is going to have to let go of his Bristly Bek persona if he wants to win Elly's heart.
If there is one thing I love more than an overprotective alpha, it is a cinnamon roll alpha. Bek transformed into this overbearingly sweet alpha that FINALLY takes other people's feelings into consideration. His sweet Elly unlocks his heart in many ways. It was so heartwarming!
And as much as I love Bek, I loved Elly just as much. People labeled her as broken or weird but I loved her whole strong yet quiet personality. She's an understated badass.
5 stars!
September 13, 2020
Hermosa historia.
Pensar que odié a Bek en la historia de Claire, pero aquí se reivindicó totalmente, un personaje maravilloso. Creo que su gran transformación ha tenido algo que ver con el gran amor que va floreciendo hacia Elly, querer ser un mejor hombre para ella.
Elly con muchos traumas y gracias a la paciencia y al cariño de Bek ha podido florecer poco a poco. Una de mis historias favoritas de la serie.
Pensar que odié a Bek en la historia de Claire, pero aquí se reivindicó totalmente, un personaje maravilloso. Creo que su gran transformación ha tenido algo que ver con el gran amor que va floreciendo hacia Elly, querer ser un mejor hombre para ella.
Elly con muchos traumas y gracias a la paciencia y al cariño de Bek ha podido florecer poco a poco. Una de mis historias favoritas de la serie.
February 9, 2017
I only wish this had been longer. Sigh. I loved Bek and I thought he ended up with the perfect woman. Their relationship developed naturally and unhurried. I do think he should have gotten more credit for actually rescuing the women from way worse. He did specify women who were in trouble and headed for worse. Anyway, love the series, keep it coming.
February 21, 2017
I love Bek!
In previous books Bek was a character that I didn't like especially his treatment of Claire. However as I continued the series and I saw more of Bek I (and apparently so many other readers) were hoping for Bek to have his HEA with a mate. I'm glad to have read his and Ellie's story. What a great couple!!!
In previous books Bek was a character that I didn't like especially his treatment of Claire. However as I continued the series and I saw more of Bek I (and apparently so many other readers) were hoping for Bek to have his HEA with a mate. I'm glad to have read his and Ellie's story. What a great couple!!!
March 27, 2022
Ahhh Bek, why?
I get this is supposed to be his redemption arc, and that he really didn't understand the full implications of his actions, but I still find it a bit distasteful.
Warnings: heavy themes, be cautious!
I get this is supposed to be his redemption arc, and that he really didn't understand the full implications of his actions, but I still find it a bit distasteful.
Warnings: heavy themes, be cautious!
February 12, 2017
I wasn't really fired up about Bek. Being that he was a dick to Claire and all. But the author redeemed him enough I suppose. These stories are very much the same but I still enjoy reading them.
September 21, 2019
Yes!! I was hoping Ruby Dixon would write a book about Bek. Definitely saw a whole different side to him from what he was like to Claire. Poor Elly and What she went through after being kidnapped at 13.
She just doesn’t like talking,” Chail answers for Ell-ee, who remains silent.
There is a foul smell in the room, and I suspect it is coming from one human in particular. “She does not like bathing, either, it seems.”
“Elly’s had a hard time,” Chail says and moves forward protectively, careful not to touch Ell-ee but putting her body in front of her.
“So hard that she cannot use soap-berries?” I snort.
Chail gives me an incredulous look. “You’re standing there in a fur diaper and you’re going to give her shit about her bathing habits?”
“All right, that’s enough,” Trakan says, snapping his fingers at the humans. “Be nice.”
“She does not have to be nice,” Vaza steps in, protesting. “I like Chail’s fire.”
Chail just looks back and forth between us, uneasy. After a moment, she lifts a finger and points at Vaza. “If I get to pick, can I be owned by this one?”
The big blue alien marches out of the medical bay and down the corridor. He’s silent as he walks, and I mentally cringe, waiting for his anger to explode on me. He moves down the halls of the ship, and then, ahead, I see the others waiting. My fellow human slaves are bundled head to toe in a massive amount of furs, only their faces peeping out. The alien called Vaza stands next to them, spear in hand, and it looks strange to see him in a loincloth next to the furry human bundles.
Resonance.
Just thinking about it makes my khui begin a slow, steady song. It has finally happened, and my female…she is perfect.
Well, she smells bad enough that my eyes water being near her, and she will not speak, but I know Ell-ee is the mate I have been waiting for. Even when she is at her most afraid, she does not cry. She is brave. Determined. Clever
I jog forward, ignoring Raahosh’s muttered curse. He does not pursue me when I move to stand next to Chail and walk next to her. They want me to keep away from my mate. I ignore the anger that burns in my gut at the thought and focus on Chail.
She notices I am walking at her side and gives me a side glance. When I do not leave, she frowns. “Can I help you with something?”
Her words are polite, but it is strange; her tone does not indicate she wishes to help at all. “I have questions for you.”
“You assume I want to talk to your blue ass.”
“Not my ass,” I correct her. “You can talk to my face.”
She wiggles her fingers in the air.
I watch them, confused. “What is that?”
“What is what?”
“This?” I wiggle my fingers at her. “Is it like this?” I show her my middle finger, a gesture that Leezh has made a lot of use of in the past few seasons.
“Been flipped off a few times, have you?” Chail has a strange look on her expressive face. “Those are air quotes, and don’t change the subject. Are you going to rape her?”
And Miss Zalene, we don’t tell people that they’re weird. It’s not nice.”
Zalene shrugs her little shoulders. “Mama says that Bek isn’t nice. She says he’s a tête de noeud. Mama says that means dickhead in her language.”
A horrified laugh chokes out of Gail, though she tries to smother it. I press a hand to my mouth, silently laughing even as I chew. Bek is a dickhead? It fits. I decide I like Zalene’s mama, even if her child is a little talky.
“Is Vaza your mate, Gail? Did you resonate to him?” Lukti asks, all innocence.
“Resonance is gross,” Zalene declares. “My mama says that resonance makes you want to put your tongue in the other person’s mouth. Yuck!”
“You don’t need resonance to do that,” Erevair tells them. “I saw Vaza do that to Gail yesterday.”
More words. Sweet words, but still as empty and cold as the air around me.
There’s a long pause between us as we walk, and then Bek grunts. “I wish you would acknowledge that you have heard me, at least.”
I shoot him the bird.
A moment after I do, I regret it. I’m impulsive despite my fear, and I worry it’s going to cause me to get hurt again. Will you ever learn, Elly? Jesus. I keep my shoulders stiff, mentally cringing, waiting for him to strike me.
But I only hear a startled laugh. “I will take that response, Ell-ee. Thank you.”
Humans…when we get sick, we vomit or sweat. Make faces. I had an owner that…he thought it was funny to watch. He would trick me by giving me good food one day, and then something bad the next.”His thumb strokes the back of my hand again. “So you eat…only when someone else eats before you?”
I nod slowly. “Safe.”
She just doesn’t like talking,” Chail answers for Ell-ee, who remains silent.
There is a foul smell in the room, and I suspect it is coming from one human in particular. “She does not like bathing, either, it seems.”
“Elly’s had a hard time,” Chail says and moves forward protectively, careful not to touch Ell-ee but putting her body in front of her.
“So hard that she cannot use soap-berries?” I snort.
Chail gives me an incredulous look. “You’re standing there in a fur diaper and you’re going to give her shit about her bathing habits?”
“All right, that’s enough,” Trakan says, snapping his fingers at the humans. “Be nice.”
“She does not have to be nice,” Vaza steps in, protesting. “I like Chail’s fire.”
Chail just looks back and forth between us, uneasy. After a moment, she lifts a finger and points at Vaza. “If I get to pick, can I be owned by this one?”
The big blue alien marches out of the medical bay and down the corridor. He’s silent as he walks, and I mentally cringe, waiting for his anger to explode on me. He moves down the halls of the ship, and then, ahead, I see the others waiting. My fellow human slaves are bundled head to toe in a massive amount of furs, only their faces peeping out. The alien called Vaza stands next to them, spear in hand, and it looks strange to see him in a loincloth next to the furry human bundles.
Resonance.
Just thinking about it makes my khui begin a slow, steady song. It has finally happened, and my female…she is perfect.
Well, she smells bad enough that my eyes water being near her, and she will not speak, but I know Ell-ee is the mate I have been waiting for. Even when she is at her most afraid, she does not cry. She is brave. Determined. Clever
I jog forward, ignoring Raahosh’s muttered curse. He does not pursue me when I move to stand next to Chail and walk next to her. They want me to keep away from my mate. I ignore the anger that burns in my gut at the thought and focus on Chail.
She notices I am walking at her side and gives me a side glance. When I do not leave, she frowns. “Can I help you with something?”
Her words are polite, but it is strange; her tone does not indicate she wishes to help at all. “I have questions for you.”
“You assume I want to talk to your blue ass.”
“Not my ass,” I correct her. “You can talk to my face.”
She wiggles her fingers in the air.
I watch them, confused. “What is that?”
“What is what?”
“This?” I wiggle my fingers at her. “Is it like this?” I show her my middle finger, a gesture that Leezh has made a lot of use of in the past few seasons.
“Been flipped off a few times, have you?” Chail has a strange look on her expressive face. “Those are air quotes, and don’t change the subject. Are you going to rape her?”
And Miss Zalene, we don’t tell people that they’re weird. It’s not nice.”
Zalene shrugs her little shoulders. “Mama says that Bek isn’t nice. She says he’s a tête de noeud. Mama says that means dickhead in her language.”
A horrified laugh chokes out of Gail, though she tries to smother it. I press a hand to my mouth, silently laughing even as I chew. Bek is a dickhead? It fits. I decide I like Zalene’s mama, even if her child is a little talky.
“Is Vaza your mate, Gail? Did you resonate to him?” Lukti asks, all innocence.
“Resonance is gross,” Zalene declares. “My mama says that resonance makes you want to put your tongue in the other person’s mouth. Yuck!”
“You don’t need resonance to do that,” Erevair tells them. “I saw Vaza do that to Gail yesterday.”
More words. Sweet words, but still as empty and cold as the air around me.
There’s a long pause between us as we walk, and then Bek grunts. “I wish you would acknowledge that you have heard me, at least.”
I shoot him the bird.
A moment after I do, I regret it. I’m impulsive despite my fear, and I worry it’s going to cause me to get hurt again. Will you ever learn, Elly? Jesus. I keep my shoulders stiff, mentally cringing, waiting for him to strike me.
But I only hear a startled laugh. “I will take that response, Ell-ee. Thank you.”
Humans…when we get sick, we vomit or sweat. Make faces. I had an owner that…he thought it was funny to watch. He would trick me by giving me good food one day, and then something bad the next.”His thumb strokes the back of my hand again. “So you eat…only when someone else eats before you?”
I nod slowly. “Safe.”
November 22, 2019
In the last book, Bek, ever so desperate to have his own resonance mate, gets Captain and Tranak to agree to bring human women to him...5...for the exact number of unmated males on the planet. And so this story begins with those 5 women having been purchased as slaves and brought to the ice-planet without so much as a howdy ma'am. Vektal and Georgie immediately tear into Bek for his actions, but he's so not sorry because he has no idea what he done wrong. He got women for everyone, didn't he? And he's way too fascinated with the small, dirty one to whom he's finally resonated, but she of course wants nothing to do with him. So he patient and adoring and then she doesn't want to be away from him. But Elly has a tragic past and she finally begins to teach him why his actions were so wrong, but she can forgive him because she has a better life now.
Yeah, I wasn't digging this the way others were. It's pretty obvious to me that the author never intended Bek to have a book because I don't know that enough was done to make me forget that he was an asshole to Claire (borderline emotionally abusive) and that he doesn't give a flying f**k what anyone else wants so long as he gets his way. Nor could the author have done this because if he wasn't this kind of guy, he never would have arranged for the buying of human women. So I went into this story not liking Bek.
I was ambivalent about Bek and his purchasing of slaves. One could argue that he rescued the women from slavery and purchased their freedom. Bek however does not understand this concept of slavery and being treated as less than human, thus we cannot view his actions in a benevolent light. This is what dooms him in my eyes. Bek never cared where the women came from as long as he got them there. So that means, sure they could have been slaves and found a better life...no problem. But it also means they could have been perfectly happy in whatever life they had and he'd have felt the same way...perfectly happy to have a mate no matter how it could have ruined her life. Fortunately for him, it didn't. But that's beside the point - he didn't know how he was getting his human women. It takes Bek a good part of the book before he starts to get an inkling of what he did and that was well after his strange and sudden personality transplant. It's like resonance turns him into a gooey, ever-patient and completely unselfish dream mate. There just wasn't enough "journey" for this to make sense to me. And Elly's "lesson" on being a slave that lasted about 10 minutes apparently had him seeing the light and fully understanding what Elly had been through and what he'd done wrong. Really? That's like saying you understand racism because I treat you differently for 10 minutes. And even worse was that in the end, the human women and Bek are the only people who have an inkling of what slavery means and EVERYONE is ready to forgive Bek because he says he's sorry. And really, what does he suffer for his actions? He gets everything he wants anyway - while none of the other hunters are resonating.
This story just didn't work for me. It felt kinda forced, like trying to make it so Bek turned out to be a good guy and learned his moral of the day, but I didn't really feel like he did. I think this would have had to have gone much deeper and for Bek to feel a lot more suffering for me to believe that.
Yeah, I wasn't digging this the way others were. It's pretty obvious to me that the author never intended Bek to have a book because I don't know that enough was done to make me forget that he was an asshole to Claire (borderline emotionally abusive) and that he doesn't give a flying f**k what anyone else wants so long as he gets his way. Nor could the author have done this because if he wasn't this kind of guy, he never would have arranged for the buying of human women. So I went into this story not liking Bek.
I was ambivalent about Bek and his purchasing of slaves. One could argue that he rescued the women from slavery and purchased their freedom. Bek however does not understand this concept of slavery and being treated as less than human, thus we cannot view his actions in a benevolent light. This is what dooms him in my eyes. Bek never cared where the women came from as long as he got them there. So that means, sure they could have been slaves and found a better life...no problem. But it also means they could have been perfectly happy in whatever life they had and he'd have felt the same way...perfectly happy to have a mate no matter how it could have ruined her life. Fortunately for him, it didn't. But that's beside the point - he didn't know how he was getting his human women. It takes Bek a good part of the book before he starts to get an inkling of what he did and that was well after his strange and sudden personality transplant. It's like resonance turns him into a gooey, ever-patient and completely unselfish dream mate. There just wasn't enough "journey" for this to make sense to me. And Elly's "lesson" on being a slave that lasted about 10 minutes apparently had him seeing the light and fully understanding what Elly had been through and what he'd done wrong. Really? That's like saying you understand racism because I treat you differently for 10 minutes. And even worse was that in the end, the human women and Bek are the only people who have an inkling of what slavery means and EVERYONE is ready to forgive Bek because he says he's sorry. And really, what does he suffer for his actions? He gets everything he wants anyway - while none of the other hunters are resonating.
This story just didn't work for me. It felt kinda forced, like trying to make it so Bek turned out to be a good guy and learned his moral of the day, but I didn't really feel like he did. I think this would have had to have gone much deeper and for Bek to feel a lot more suffering for me to believe that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
The couple: Bek and Ellie
Romance genre: Aliens
Series: Ice Planet Barbarians
Length: 238 pages
Plot: Bek is tired of not resonating. He's tired of being the one left out. He's tired of being the bad guy. This is what moved him to make arrangement for the delivery of five female human slaves at the end of the last book. See, the sa-khui don't understand what a slave is, or the concept of buying people, or even money, so to him, what he did was ask the merchants to bring some more women to the planet. Well, that's what he gets, but nobody resonates right away. Instead, what he sees is horrifying - the women have shock collars on them, they are weak, and one of them, Ellie is dirty and seems like she can't talk. Needless to say, Bek and Ellie do not make good impressions on each other, so it should be no surprise when they resonate.
But as is the tradition, much to Vektal's dismay, Bek takes Ellie away, and when he actually gets to know her, we the readers really get to know Bek. Ellie explains slavery, and makes Bek see why what he did was so wrong and why the tribe is shunning him (an idea that's not exactly working). Bek starts to understand why Ellie is the way she is.
Character development: Poor Ellie. She survived though, and with her fire still intact. At first, I thought, "oh, that's not fair, to saddle her with mean ole angry Bek," but you knew he had to be hiding some trauma of his own. I mean, his was nothing like Ellie's, but this isn't the trauma olympics, so it's fine. He was lonely and angry and sad and misunderstood. He finally made things up with Claire, but he wanted a mate of his own. Ellie was perfect, because she didn't know about or care about all t he stuff that happened between him and the tribe before, and she needed him badly enough that it gave her a chance to reallyget to know him. And once they started making that connection, it was reallybeautiful.
Next book in the series: Barbarian's Lady
Romance genre: Aliens
Series: Ice Planet Barbarians
Length: 238 pages
Plot: Bek is tired of not resonating. He's tired of being the one left out. He's tired of being the bad guy. This is what moved him to make arrangement for the delivery of five female human slaves at the end of the last book. See, the sa-khui don't understand what a slave is, or the concept of buying people, or even money, so to him, what he did was ask the merchants to bring some more women to the planet. Well, that's what he gets, but nobody resonates right away. Instead, what he sees is horrifying - the women have shock collars on them, they are weak, and one of them, Ellie is dirty and seems like she can't talk. Needless to say, Bek and Ellie do not make good impressions on each other, so it should be no surprise when they resonate.
Resonance. Just thinking about it makes my khui begin a slow, steady song. It has finally happened, and my female…she is perfect. Well, she smells bad enough that my eyes water being near her, and she will not speak, but I know Ell-ee is the mate I have been waiting for.
But as is the tradition, much to Vektal's dismay, Bek takes Ellie away, and when he actually gets to know her, we the readers really get to know Bek. Ellie explains slavery, and makes Bek see why what he did was so wrong and why the tribe is shunning him (an idea that's not exactly working). Bek starts to understand why Ellie is the way she is.
Character development: Poor Ellie. She survived though, and with her fire still intact. At first, I thought, "oh, that's not fair, to saddle her with mean ole angry Bek," but you knew he had to be hiding some trauma of his own. I mean, his was nothing like Ellie's, but this isn't the trauma olympics, so it's fine. He was lonely and angry and sad and misunderstood. He finally made things up with Claire, but he wanted a mate of his own. Ellie was perfect, because she didn't know about or care about all t he stuff that happened between him and the tribe before, and she needed him badly enough that it gave her a chance to reallyget to know him. And once they started making that connection, it was reallybeautiful.
“You are my world, my mate.” I study her beloved face, humbled that I am lucky enough to resonate to such a female. “I wanted a mate, but I never imagined one as perfect as you. I am lucky beyond my wildest dreams.”
Next book in the series: Barbarian's Lady
May 6, 2020
5+ stars!
Bek is by far my favorite alien hunk. Oh my god! I was so unsure of Bek in the previous books. He was so grumpy and desperate for a mate so I assumed his story would be quite whiny, but boy was I WRONG!
The book picks up where we left it in the previous book. Bek has asked Cap-tan and Trakan to help him buy human slaves and bring them back to the Ice Planet. They do and bring back five human women that have been sold to them as slaves. Among these women, there is one who's different from the other. She's quiet and hides behind her filthy hair and stinky odor.
Elly was abducted by aliens ten years ago and has since been a slave to aliens. She's had a couple of 'masters' and has been poorly treated by them all. She's lost faith, and so when two big blue aliens come and buy her and her fellow humans, she's broken. Elly has created a wall of filth that has protected her from being sold. No one wants a dirty, stinky slave. So when she's sold off, she tries to escape a couple of times but always fails.
When they land on the Ice Planet and are taken to the tribe, everybody is furious with Bek for stooping so low, and he's shunned from the tribe. And when Elly gets her sa-khui, Bek and she resonates. But because of Elly's past, she's unsure and scared of all aliens, especially the one that bought her.
Bek however will not give up on his mate. He has waited this long, he can wait some time more. I loved how patient he was with Elly. Accepting her, dirt and all. When he would take a bite of her food before giving it to her to reassure her that nothing had been poisoned, I completely swooned. He was such a grump to everyone except for his mate.
Bek is by far my favorite alien hunk. Oh my god! I was so unsure of Bek in the previous books. He was so grumpy and desperate for a mate so I assumed his story would be quite whiny, but boy was I WRONG!
The book picks up where we left it in the previous book. Bek has asked Cap-tan and Trakan to help him buy human slaves and bring them back to the Ice Planet. They do and bring back five human women that have been sold to them as slaves. Among these women, there is one who's different from the other. She's quiet and hides behind her filthy hair and stinky odor.
“You’re standing there in a fur diaper and you’re going to give her shit about her bathing habits?”
Elly was abducted by aliens ten years ago and has since been a slave to aliens. She's had a couple of 'masters' and has been poorly treated by them all. She's lost faith, and so when two big blue aliens come and buy her and her fellow humans, she's broken. Elly has created a wall of filth that has protected her from being sold. No one wants a dirty, stinky slave. So when she's sold off, she tries to escape a couple of times but always fails.
When they land on the Ice Planet and are taken to the tribe, everybody is furious with Bek for stooping so low, and he's shunned from the tribe. And when Elly gets her sa-khui, Bek and she resonates. But because of Elly's past, she's unsure and scared of all aliens, especially the one that bought her.
“You are my world, my mate.” I study her beloved face, humbled that I am lucky enough to resonate to such a female. "I wanted a mate, but I never imagined one as perfect as you. I am lucky beyond my wildest dreams."
Bek however will not give up on his mate. He has waited this long, he can wait some time more. I loved how patient he was with Elly. Accepting her, dirt and all. When he would take a bite of her food before giving it to her to reassure her that nothing had been poisoned, I completely swooned. He was such a grump to everyone except for his mate.
“Bek, I never had a home before I got here. I was never safe. You are my home. You are my safe. I’m with you forever.”
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