Tit for Tat

by R. Cooper

Tat never expected a future. A lower-caste Luudi who left her planet and made a new home with a group of idealistic humans, she spends her time looking out for new family and working in secret to rescue refugees from a neighboring country. She is content with what she has, if sometimes lonely.

Then a Pros arrives their tense little border town. Although mostly human, the Pros were genetically engineered to look perfect and to offer pleasure, both physically and psychically. Beautiful, sophisticated Cin is no exception, which is why when she approaches Tat, Tat knows it can’t be personal. Luudi are big, strong, purple, and impervious to psychic influence—making Tat the safest outlet for someone like Cin. Tat says yes with no expectation that Cin would ever want more, while convinced the danger will eventually drive Cin away.

But the Pros can take care of themselves, as well as any quietly heroic Luudi who catches their eye—if only that Luudi would let them. Tat has spent so long helping others find a future, it doesn’t occur to her to seek out her own even when her silence might cost her the one she wants.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Aliens, Novella, Queer, LGBT, Lesbian

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2019

About the author

I'm a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love. Also known as, "Ah, yes, the one with the dragons."



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Or just visit my website to find everything all in one place and also a few Free Reads: https://www.riscooper.com/

Reviews

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was just okay for me. It was a really interesting world and story: inter-species sci-fi romance set against a backdrop of a refugee crisis between two women who seem to be uniquely made for each other. Cin is a Pros, a kind of augmented human who has devastating psychic powers in intimate moments. Tat is a Luudi, a purple-skinned, tailed species who are immune to said psychic influence. Tat and her found family work to rescue refugees from a neighbouring city, and when Cin comes to town, they strike up a relationship that's supposed to be purely physical, to give Cin some much needed release. But of course, they end up falling for one another.

So, the storyline was all the way up my alley, and the characters had a lot of potential? I just didn't like the way this was told: really confusingly, with a lot of gaps that the author went back to fill in later in the story. I never feel like we really got a trued sense of Tat and Cin's relationship (outside of their potent physical attraction), and it wasn't super believable to me when they fell in love. Maybe it's a case of this being a novella, and not enough time being spent on developing the relationship. But I also found the plot confusing, and just the way information was disseminated to the reader wasn't always coherent, no matter how many times to went back to reread certain things.

But I did really like the found family aspects of this, all the supporting characters, and just the really unique concept behind the romance. I think this is one I'd have liked if it were a lot longer, or a lot shorter. Not bad, overall.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

FF romance between an alien and a mostly human woman. Deals with cultural misunderstandings and a lot of sex. There's a few distracting plots about government oppression, gang warfare, rescuing people, and enemy agents.
Tat's species places great importance on personal connections, and she has formed a family with her crew. She hopes for a closer connection with the enhanced human Cin.
Typos: have for hand ("they have her a bottle"), extra word ("Tat pulling her back her fist"), hurting for hurtling ("a body came hurting into the room").

[Felix Léon · Rating 5 out of 5]

*emerges after reading for multiple hours*
Ugh, is good.

Raise your hand if you're keent 🖐️

The mutual pining gets lost in interspecies translation, and it is delightful.
I was invested in the social commentary going on in the background as well and I think Cin has the power to give just the push needed on the little band for a revolution.

I recommend this book.

[Pernilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet gay sci-fi romance novella. More focus on the romance than the plot (most of that is just used as backdrop to the love story, and is merely mentioned in passing and pretty much glossed over), but nicely written for all that, even if it could have done with some proof reading.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a little while to warm into but once I did - oh! Feels like a cross between Firefly and Izzy & The Right Answer - so a typical Cooper story about pining and not understanding/trusting signals, negotiating differing ways of experiencing love/attraction, against a backdrop of empire and resistance.

[Guadalupe]

I loved the world building, and every character, especially Tat. I think this book is a great example about how R Cooper can write two characters trying their best and fighting for their happiness in a world that's trying its best to bring them down. As usual, insightful, touching and sweet.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor character development, nonsense plot, scattered world building. Go read Taji of the Rings instead.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well drawn world and delightful characters

I enjoyed this book very much. More than I expected. For some reason the title led me to expect a fluffy light romp. There was MORE to the book than light romance...characters fighting for a cause, issued of being an outcast and still finding your way. I felt like I knew all the characters very well by the end of the book.

[Allyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 - I absolutely adored this book! Already on my top reads of 2020 ❤️

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome feel good read

I was quickly caught up in the story and loved it. Nice surprise bonus short at the end as well

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet, cute novella from R. Cooper. This is also (I think) her first published f/f romance? Tat is a member of a crew working against the sci-fi equivalent of ICE and US border patrol. She falls in love with a very beautiful human-hybrid named Cinnamon. Since Tat's another species from most of the people she's around, she has some self-esteem issues but everything works out in the end. There's also a bonus m/m love story that's very cute. The whole vibe reminded me of Alexis Hall's Prosperity-verse (very accepting of different kinds of ways of interacting with the world) which I enjoyed.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth your time!

I have been a fan of Ms. Cooper for years and I have loved every single one of her gay male love stories. But when I learned that she was going to publish a love story between two women, I got so excited. And she did not disappoint. And while it is set in an alien world with different races, cultures and countries, where oppression based on being different has geopolitical consequences, this is a book is not about purple skin or psychic abilities. It is about how feeling comfortable with in your own skin opens you to !ove.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about Tat and her Cin

This is a beautiful story with an added extra at the end, which helped resolve a couple of questions I had about the characters.
It is so easy to immerse yourself in one of R Cooper's fantasy worlds and this story is no different. A lovely escape from reality with beautiful story telling. Thanks

[Keziah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[sharon williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story

Editing needed some work. However, the story itself was very Charming. It was not my usual read but I really enjoyed it.