What do you think?
Rate this book
Riv’s Sanctuary #1
Riv's Sanctuary
Abducted from Earth over a year ago, Lauren spent most of that time getting accustomed to her new life as one of the “animals” in an alien zoo.
When she’s sold by the zookeeper, her life takes a turn she wasn’t expecting. She has no idea where she’ll end up till she’s brought to a sanctuary owned by a tall blue hunk of an alien called Riv.
Riv’s life is quiet and peaceful in a place as far away from civilization as he can manage. So when an annoying chatterbox of a human ends up on his doorstep, he’s less than pleased. The human disrupts his life and his solitude and he can’t wait to get rid of her.
He’s not interested in helping her, and he’s definitely not interested in love.
Except…she’s managed to wheedle her way in and suddenly those barriers around his heart don’t seem so strong anymore.
He has two options: Let her go.
Or let her in.
Riv’s Sanctuary is a full-length standalone sci-fi romance featuring a lovable heroine and a hot, grumpy, and possessive hero who would do anything to protect the one who shows him how to love.
If you like sexy aliens, adventure, and steamy romance, check out Riv’s Sanctuary.
This standalone book contains:
- Steamy scenes
- HEA
- No cheating
- No cliffhangers
When she’s sold by the zookeeper, her life takes a turn she wasn’t expecting. She has no idea where she’ll end up till she’s brought to a sanctuary owned by a tall blue hunk of an alien called Riv.
Riv’s life is quiet and peaceful in a place as far away from civilization as he can manage. So when an annoying chatterbox of a human ends up on his doorstep, he’s less than pleased. The human disrupts his life and his solitude and he can’t wait to get rid of her.
He’s not interested in helping her, and he’s definitely not interested in love.
Except…she’s managed to wheedle her way in and suddenly those barriers around his heart don’t seem so strong anymore.
He has two options: Let her go.
Or let her in.
Riv’s Sanctuary is a full-length standalone sci-fi romance featuring a lovable heroine and a hot, grumpy, and possessive hero who would do anything to protect the one who shows him how to love.
If you like sexy aliens, adventure, and steamy romance, check out Riv’s Sanctuary.
This standalone book contains:
- Steamy scenes
- HEA
- No cheating
- No cliffhangers
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2020
542 people are currently reading
1398 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
May 28, 2021
I liked the book so much that I finished it in 8 hours straight.
May 4, 2024
i don't know why i didn't read this sooner. there wasn't unnecessary drama and the love story between them was so sweet and they created a real bond 🥺 plus i love weird alien animal companions so bonus point for that 🦮
also can we talk about authors creativity with the word fuck?? it's so funny to me that they always find a different version 😂
also can we talk about authors creativity with the word fuck?? it's so funny to me that they always find a different version 😂
January 7, 2023
Lauren (h) is a tough, tough cookie. Not only has she been abducted from earth and thrown into an alien zoo as an "attraction" to be leered at at worst, and gawped at in a non-sexual way at best, I liked that there was light shed onto some of the things we don't account for that is just as hard to survive as other horrors if not harder - time that stretches into what feels like eternity when you're forced to live day by day, without purpose, no possibility of freedom, waiting for change and dreading it at the same time. She's been in that zoo for about a year when the zookeeper decides to get rid of her. Safe to say this book kept me on the edge of my fucking chair the entire time.
Lauren finally meets Riv (H) the owner and creator of his sanctuary for animals that are mostly rescues (?) and I thought "phew, finally she can sink into the floor and have a nervous breakdown in peace and relative safety" BUT NO, the threats to her life and the questionable status of long term shelter and safety continue to be a problem because Riv - the anti-social, unempathetic (in some ways atleast) alien wants to get rid of her ASAP.
Riv has a harrowing back-story BUT let me tell you that in a 300-something page ROMANCE book there either needs to be a bunch of stuff that's off-page so we can get maximum MC interaction that helps us sink into watching a believable romance unfold OR if there are things on-page then the writing needs to be of higher quality to depict complex things well. There are pieces of his trauma that are peppered on page in many places in the story - but what I'm referring to that needs to be swiftly pushed off page or done REALLY well is his anti-social behaviour - give the readers too much of that and the romance feels unrealistically rushed - and that's what I feel happened in this story. He kept pushing Lauren away through absolute non-communication, and there is one scene where he tries to get rid of her which made it hard not to really dislike the guy. For a guy who's been through slavery himself, one would think he would easily have empathy for her plight but no. Despite knowing very well that she's an intelligent being like himself and NOT a pet/animal equivalent (even saying that makes me feel bad, animals don't deserve to be treated any less than us), he doesn't involve her in any decision-making regarding HER OWN LIFE. He was quite disappointing as a character for most of the book.. though I felt bad for the hell he's been through, and that's what kept me going. He also seemed a bit slow to get to some basic understanding of some things here and there - and this is definitely a writing issue. Some authors know how to deliberately pen characters that are a bit slow, this isn't one of those cases.
The writing was also repetitive enough to annoy me, it seemed to me that the author made up for lack of material (character depth and plot) by repeating things to create unnecessary bulk.
The last third of the book had me warming up to Riv a bit more but because it took so long to get there, with minimal character depth, I still felt like I was hugging a paper of a person than someone substantial and full. They should have had way more interactions and conversations beyond just basic declarations of their trauma.
I liked the steam, but again - some more of that than what was given and more conversations and romance would have been lovely.
This is one of those alien abduction romances that is set in a terrifying world filled to the brim (what feels like) with slavery of all kinds (in the background) and the author makes it a point to remind you just how deadly the world is over and over again without the protection of someone, preferably a strong male - a thing I don't really love as a concept and I don't mean that as a criticism, just that it's a setting and an environment that I find impossible to believe anyone relaxing in for any length of time. What if the male were to be compromised in some way or the other? What is the fate of a lone female in such instances?
I'd rec this, if you're curious and have KU.
👽 This was my first buddy read with RLBooks and my second buddy read ever! Still a noob to buddy reading, I'm enjoying this strange new feeling of discussing a book as I'm reading it. Glad we picked an alien (wooo aliens ftw!) romance 😉👽
‼️TWs: threats and mentions of slavery including sexual slavery, threats of r*pe, parental abandonment
Lauren finally meets Riv (H) the owner and creator of his sanctuary for animals that are mostly rescues (?) and I thought "phew, finally she can sink into the floor and have a nervous breakdown in peace and relative safety" BUT NO, the threats to her life and the questionable status of long term shelter and safety continue to be a problem because Riv - the anti-social, unempathetic (in some ways atleast) alien wants to get rid of her ASAP.
Riv has a harrowing back-story BUT let me tell you that in a 300-something page ROMANCE book there either needs to be a bunch of stuff that's off-page so we can get maximum MC interaction that helps us sink into watching a believable romance unfold OR if there are things on-page then the writing needs to be of higher quality to depict complex things well. There are pieces of his trauma that are peppered on page in many places in the story - but what I'm referring to that needs to be swiftly pushed off page or done REALLY well is his anti-social behaviour - give the readers too much of that and the romance feels unrealistically rushed - and that's what I feel happened in this story. He kept pushing Lauren away through absolute non-communication, and there is one scene where he tries to get rid of her which made it hard not to really dislike the guy. For a guy who's been through slavery himself, one would think he would easily have empathy for her plight but no. Despite knowing very well that she's an intelligent being like himself and NOT a pet/animal equivalent (even saying that makes me feel bad, animals don't deserve to be treated any less than us), he doesn't involve her in any decision-making regarding HER OWN LIFE. He was quite disappointing as a character for most of the book.. though I felt bad for the hell he's been through, and that's what kept me going. He also seemed a bit slow to get to some basic understanding of some things here and there - and this is definitely a writing issue. Some authors know how to deliberately pen characters that are a bit slow, this isn't one of those cases.
The writing was also repetitive enough to annoy me, it seemed to me that the author made up for lack of material (character depth and plot) by repeating things to create unnecessary bulk.
The last third of the book had me warming up to Riv a bit more but because it took so long to get there, with minimal character depth, I still felt like I was hugging a paper of a person than someone substantial and full. They should have had way more interactions and conversations beyond just basic declarations of their trauma.
I liked the steam, but again - some more of that than what was given and more conversations and romance would have been lovely.
This is one of those alien abduction romances that is set in a terrifying world filled to the brim (what feels like) with slavery of all kinds (in the background) and the author makes it a point to remind you just how deadly the world is over and over again without the protection of someone, preferably a strong male - a thing I don't really love as a concept and I don't mean that as a criticism, just that it's a setting and an environment that I find impossible to believe anyone relaxing in for any length of time. What if the male were to be compromised in some way or the other? What is the fate of a lone female in such instances?
I'd rec this, if you're curious and have KU.
👽 This was my first buddy read with RLBooks and my second buddy read ever! Still a noob to buddy reading, I'm enjoying this strange new feeling of discussing a book as I'm reading it. Glad we picked an alien (wooo aliens ftw!) romance 😉👽
‼️TWs: threats and mentions of slavery including sexual slavery, threats of r*pe, parental abandonment
March 18, 2021
3-3.5. I would have rounded up to 4, except the last 20% of the book really bummed me out with respect to character development.
The beginning of the book started like most “captured by alien” tropes—beautiful young female awakes in space, beholden to aliens who want something from her. In this case, she is trafficked and put in a zoo for a year, treated no better than a zebra. The zoo’s owner becomes freaked out about trafficking illegal, unregistered, “species,” so he arranges to sell Lauren on the black market.
The buyer bought Lauren for he and his wife (a bed pet? Ewww), but upon his wife’s disapproval of the gift, manages to drop Lauren off at what amounts to an alien wildlife sanctuary.
The above tweak on the “taken by aliens” trope is nice, and intrigued me to keep reading. I’ll admit, I’ve been on a serious alien bender, and have grown weary of the same-ole-same-ole. There are no “fated mates” and “breeding” tropes here, thank the stars.
Enter Riv. I loved reading his perspective, which was fresh. Again, no “me big blue alien and mah magic cootie tells me you’re mah mate! Rarrr!” Riv is damaged and angry and surly and basically every Clint Eastwood character. Can’t Lauren just shut the f-k up and leave him alone in gd peace, already?” I liked this part of the book. The small annoyance (and this is done a lot in these kinds of alien books) of miscommunication—reading Riv’s interpretation of Lauren’s English—kinda spoiled part of the *cute factor* of seeing Lauren from Riv’s perspective, but I digress. The slow-burn between these two was nice and again, refreshing, until, suddenly, about 80% into the book, Riv awoke to deciding he just...loved her. I mean, this isn’t a spoiler. It’s totally a romance, right? But, there was no big even to set off Riv’s feelings. And, yeah, I guess in real life, these kinds of realizations happen in the background of life, but I was hoping for something a bit more action packed to ignite Riv’s feelings. And there were so many possible ways to do this effectively, with the groundwork of “trafficked illegally by aliens” embedded into the world building.
The last 20% was a lot of “I love you” mush, and I’ll admit, it just didn’t fit with Riv’s character. He was, days ago, surly and angry and then all of a sudden he’s holding her and snuggling and telling her she’s his one and only...After the author dwelled on Riv’s trauma and PTSD so hard, it felt really, really fake.
So, I DID enjoy this book. I wanted it to role into a second (with a change in the ending, of course). I am intrigued enough to read onward, and if you like these kinds of novels, definitely pick this one up!
The beginning of the book started like most “captured by alien” tropes—beautiful young female awakes in space, beholden to aliens who want something from her. In this case, she is trafficked and put in a zoo for a year, treated no better than a zebra. The zoo’s owner becomes freaked out about trafficking illegal, unregistered, “species,” so he arranges to sell Lauren on the black market.
The buyer bought Lauren for he and his wife (a bed pet? Ewww), but upon his wife’s disapproval of the gift, manages to drop Lauren off at what amounts to an alien wildlife sanctuary.
The above tweak on the “taken by aliens” trope is nice, and intrigued me to keep reading. I’ll admit, I’ve been on a serious alien bender, and have grown weary of the same-ole-same-ole. There are no “fated mates” and “breeding” tropes here, thank the stars.
Enter Riv. I loved reading his perspective, which was fresh. Again, no “me big blue alien and mah magic cootie tells me you’re mah mate! Rarrr!” Riv is damaged and angry and surly and basically every Clint Eastwood character. Can’t Lauren just shut the f-k up and leave him alone in gd peace, already?” I liked this part of the book. The small annoyance (and this is done a lot in these kinds of alien books) of miscommunication—reading Riv’s interpretation of Lauren’s English—kinda spoiled part of the *cute factor* of seeing Lauren from Riv’s perspective, but I digress. The slow-burn between these two was nice and again, refreshing, until, suddenly, about 80% into the book, Riv awoke to deciding he just...loved her. I mean, this isn’t a spoiler. It’s totally a romance, right? But, there was no big even to set off Riv’s feelings. And, yeah, I guess in real life, these kinds of realizations happen in the background of life, but I was hoping for something a bit more action packed to ignite Riv’s feelings. And there were so many possible ways to do this effectively, with the groundwork of “trafficked illegally by aliens” embedded into the world building.
The last 20% was a lot of “I love you” mush, and I’ll admit, it just didn’t fit with Riv’s character. He was, days ago, surly and angry and then all of a sudden he’s holding her and snuggling and telling her she’s his one and only...After the author dwelled on Riv’s trauma and PTSD so hard, it felt really, really fake.
So, I DID enjoy this book. I wanted it to role into a second (with a change in the ending, of course). I am intrigued enough to read onward, and if you like these kinds of novels, definitely pick this one up!
March 1, 2023
"Tell her a year ago that she’d be thinking a big blue guy was attractive and she’d have been like “um, no.” But the Scowlmaster was..."
This was a fun sci-fi romance!
So we have some great characters in this one that include-- a grumpy alien farmer named Riv (aka "Scowlmaster") who also raises alien animals, and a human named Lauren who ended up in an alien zoo as a pet human after being abducted from Earth.
Things start to go sideway though when Lauren is sneakily fobbed off onto Riv as an unintelligent animal in need of sanctuary. However, instead of an ex-zoo animal in need of care, he gets saddled with a sassy and strong willed human whom he can't understand...but seems to be falling for anyway.
Highjinks and romance ensue while both of our leads are just trying to find their own way in life and heal from their past traumas. We get a side of schmexy fun, as well as and a cute slow build romantic relationship.
Check it out on KU!
January 5, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up, I really do wish for that half star option
This was a buddy read (my first one!) with Shruti since the love for alien romance is strong in both of us. I liked Riv’s Sanctuary, but I needed a bit more balance between the darker parts of the hero’s past that’s left him closed off and the humorous, lighter parts. I also would have liked more sweetness. Lauren (h) was a great character who adapted to her abduction from Earth, then being in a zoo, only to be sold in a market, and then landing in an animal sanctuary against the owner’s wishes. Riv (H) is a big blue alien who was abused as a child and has isolated himself caring for animals on his farm. His initial reaction to an intelligent being *and* a female was not good. Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama, h wasn’t a virgin, and I wasn’t sure about H because of his negative feelings about females but it’s not explicitly said that I can recall.
Lauren had quite the stressful journey but she was smart and she kept her cool in many of the situations. She also had moments of real bravery and determination. Some of the scenes involving what would happen to her next made me really anxious. Then she has safety at the Sanctuary but she’s also not welcome there with Riv’s attitude. He’s very snarly and determined to get rid of her. His reactions make sense as his past is revealed, however I did want him to soften earlier. As Lauren shows who she is and tries to find a place there, Riv is both annoyed and baffled by her. His perceptions do change but the flip to deeper feelings felt abrupt. Both have caring and compassionate moments with each other that were very sweet and I wanted more of those. The tension between them in terms of attraction was built well so when the steam starts, it made the scenes feel natural. This is a slow burn and slow build though because of their pasts and current situation.
Other than the aliens who are or might be threats, excluding one alien who’s good and does help in his own way, most of the book is Lauren, Riv, and the cute alien animals. Riv’s brother and his best friend do make appearances but both are brief (each has their own story in this series). There are suspenseful and tense scenes as Lauren, and sometimes Riv, are in danger from bad aliens.
The book ends with a HFN/HEA of Lauren safe from further exploitation, the two of them in love, and a two week into the future epilogue with a bit of a surprise that leads in to one of the other books. I’ve previously read book 2 and liked it a bit more since I didn’t feel as weighed down as I did in parts of this one.
Trigger warning: recollections of child abandonment and abuse; worries over possible SA; trafficking of humans by aliens
This was a buddy read (my first one!) with Shruti since the love for alien romance is strong in both of us. I liked Riv’s Sanctuary, but I needed a bit more balance between the darker parts of the hero’s past that’s left him closed off and the humorous, lighter parts. I also would have liked more sweetness. Lauren (h) was a great character who adapted to her abduction from Earth, then being in a zoo, only to be sold in a market, and then landing in an animal sanctuary against the owner’s wishes. Riv (H) is a big blue alien who was abused as a child and has isolated himself caring for animals on his farm. His initial reaction to an intelligent being *and* a female was not good. Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama, h wasn’t a virgin, and I wasn’t sure about H because of his negative feelings about females but it’s not explicitly said that I can recall.
Lauren had quite the stressful journey but she was smart and she kept her cool in many of the situations. She also had moments of real bravery and determination. Some of the scenes involving what would happen to her next made me really anxious. Then she has safety at the Sanctuary but she’s also not welcome there with Riv’s attitude. He’s very snarly and determined to get rid of her. His reactions make sense as his past is revealed, however I did want him to soften earlier. As Lauren shows who she is and tries to find a place there, Riv is both annoyed and baffled by her. His perceptions do change but the flip to deeper feelings felt abrupt. Both have caring and compassionate moments with each other that were very sweet and I wanted more of those. The tension between them in terms of attraction was built well so when the steam starts, it made the scenes feel natural. This is a slow burn and slow build though because of their pasts and current situation.
Other than the aliens who are or might be threats, excluding one alien who’s good and does help in his own way, most of the book is Lauren, Riv, and the cute alien animals. Riv’s brother and his best friend do make appearances but both are brief (each has their own story in this series). There are suspenseful and tense scenes as Lauren, and sometimes Riv, are in danger from bad aliens.
The book ends with a HFN/HEA of Lauren safe from further exploitation, the two of them in love, and a two week into the future epilogue with a bit of a surprise that leads in to one of the other books. I’ve previously read book 2 and liked it a bit more since I didn’t feel as weighed down as I did in parts of this one.
Trigger warning: recollections of child abandonment and abuse; worries over possible SA; trafficking of humans by aliens
January 29, 2022
It was okay. It seemed abrupt how it went from snarling Riv wanting nothing to do with Lauren to they were soul mates. I wish there was more of a build up/development in their relationship from nothing to everything. I love grumpy male characters who soften and love their h with everything they have. I wanted more of them once they got together too. Not just one day. So I felt a little cheated and still wanting more at the end. Meh.
October 22, 2020
I did not like this book. I saw a great idea but with very poor execution. I understand the grumpy hero trope, I love a grumpy hero trope but the idea with that trope is that underneath the grump he has to be kind and caring.
My problem with Riv is that for more than 80 per cent of the book he is not kind to Lauren, treating her like just one step above an animal. Not starving and throwing her on the street is the minimum, but that's all he does. For the most part he ignores her for days and days.
For more than half the book he doesn't have a translator so he can't understand her. He knows she's talking and makes zero effort to communicate. Doesn't even ask her what her name is. In fact he doesn't even consider the possibility of communicating with her until his brother mentions it and the brother asks her name!
He's constantly considering dumping her back at the market where she will likely be sold into slavery or worse and even though he doesn't do it, he's seriously considering and doesn't understand why it's wrong.
The author writes a tortured past for him to explain why he hates women but at the end of the day he hates all women because of his bad experiences. That's not ok.
This is 87% into the book:
"I wanted to apologize ..." he said. "I've been a bad host to you."
"Not completely. And even then, you're more pissy than abusive." That made her chuckle and he felt his face soften a little.
So, yeah. That's not romantic. The hero is an asshole that treats the heroine like crap (but hey, the author argues that's ok because it's not abusive) and when he throws a crumb her way they're in love more than 80% of the way through the book.
This is just bad, bad, bad. This could have been a really sweet romance and I loved the idea, but the execution was not good.
My problem with Riv is that for more than 80 per cent of the book he is not kind to Lauren, treating her like just one step above an animal. Not starving and throwing her on the street is the minimum, but that's all he does. For the most part he ignores her for days and days.
For more than half the book he doesn't have a translator so he can't understand her. He knows she's talking and makes zero effort to communicate. Doesn't even ask her what her name is. In fact he doesn't even consider the possibility of communicating with her until his brother mentions it and the brother asks her name!
He's constantly considering dumping her back at the market where she will likely be sold into slavery or worse and even though he doesn't do it, he's seriously considering and doesn't understand why it's wrong.
The author writes a tortured past for him to explain why he hates women but at the end of the day he hates all women because of his bad experiences. That's not ok.
This is 87% into the book:
"I wanted to apologize ..." he said. "I've been a bad host to you."
"Not completely. And even then, you're more pissy than abusive." That made her chuckle and he felt his face soften a little.
So, yeah. That's not romantic. The hero is an asshole that treats the heroine like crap (but hey, the author argues that's ok because it's not abusive) and when he throws a crumb her way they're in love more than 80% of the way through the book.
This is just bad, bad, bad. This could have been a really sweet romance and I loved the idea, but the execution was not good.
July 3, 2021
This is a really sweet romance, perfect for fans of the grumpy-sunshine trope and a man alien who's only soft for his pets. Lauren has lived in an interplanetary zoo for the past year until one day she gets sold on the black market, only to find herself dropped off on the doorstep electrical barrier of a big alien guy who is not pleased to learn that he's now harboring a female human within his sanctuary. Riv is a reclusive guy who lives on a farm caring for abused and neglected animals. When he gets tricked into taking in a human, he doesn't know what to do with himself or her.
Even when Riv wanted to get rid of her, he was still inexplicably protective of her and it was really sweet to read. His tortured past was sad and explained why he was suspicious of people, particularly women, but I liked how he and Lauren slowly got to know each other and open up. Despite his gruff exterior, he would do these romantic things (such as secretly making Lauren's workload lighter and washing her hair when her hands were blistered).
Even when Riv wanted to get rid of her, he was still inexplicably protective of her and it was really sweet to read. His tortured past was sad and explained why he was suspicious of people, particularly women, but I liked how he and Lauren slowly got to know each other and open up. Despite his gruff exterior, he would do these romantic things (such as secretly making Lauren's workload lighter and washing her hair when her hands were blistered).
He was doing half the work but still leaving enough so she felt like she was doing something.This is a great read for anyone who's in the mood for a really sweet, light, slow-burn alien romance!
September 28, 2020
Real rating: 4.5⭐︎
TW/CW: this story references child sexual abuse/rape
A surprisingly light and easy to digest read, despite the heavy subject matter.
My absolute favorite romance trope is Grumpy Loves Sunshine, and this one is pretty close. Give me a grumpy recluse for a hero, and I'm a pretty happy reader. Lauren isn't quite Sunshine, but she's pretty darn sunny in comparison.
Lauren was abducted about a year ago and has been living in a zoo where aliens watch her every day. If she's lucky they're just curious about her, but many have made it clear they're having...um, other thoughts. At least she's safe behind her barrier, fed, and no one is trying to stick anything in her, even though this comes with the price of having no private moments during daylight hours. But one day she's ripped from her safe little bubble and put back out with all of the depraved aliens who seem eager to use a being they view as barely above an animal. The one who ends up purchasing her seems to be okay enough, until he has to immediately rehome her for reasons. At least he knows of a place where he can dump her, if she'll be quiet long enough for him to pass her off as a discarded pet. She's not totally sure about the sanctuary keeper, but she can deal with grumpiness as long as he's a decent person.
Riv has had a really rough life, and all he wants is to care for his abused and discarded animals out in the boonies where no one bothers him. He hates people, but he hates females most of all. Every single one has done awful things to him, but he's safe on his farm with his brother. But. He owes someone a huge favor for helping him get his life back on track, and he's just come a'calling with an animal who needs a home. It isn't until it's too late that he realizes that 1, it's sentient and definitely not an animal, and 2, it's definitely...gulp female. He needs to get rid of her and quick, before she can try to harm him too.
I really enjoyed this story and had a difficult time putting it down. It's a nice slow burn with a pretty believable relationship build as Lauren and Riv feel each other out and process their own traumas. I had some pretty good laughs in here too: The real "action" starts about 90% into the story, but when it gets going, it's pretty steamy.
The biggest issue with this text is typos, so here are some of the things I most loved about this particular story:
+ Lauren respects Riv and his need for space, even though she's attracted to him and aroused. She isn't aware of his past and only knows that he hates having her around, so she does her best to comply with that while still trying to find ways to do nice things for him to thank him for taking her in.
+ She didn’t need niceness. Goodness was more important.
Louder for the people in the back! Who cares about politeness when it's covering up apathy and lack of caring for others? I will take an unpleasant but decent person any day of the week over a polite one who's terrible and harms others.
+ While not outright saying it—and maybe not intentional—I liked that this story drove home a point about a world building trope a lot of SFR utilizes: everyone believes humans are barely more than sentient animals and really good for having sex with. But anyone (humanoid, like 99% of these stories) who spends more than 10 seconds actually observing humans would realize this isn't true. Riv figured this out almost immediately, by just seeing another bipedal creature very similar to himself who seemed to be speaking, even if it was unintelligible to himself. Aliens in these stories choose to see humans as lesser to justify the abuses they put them through and feel like they haven't done anything wrong. (And humanity has done this to each other, and continues to do it. I'm looking at you, Capitalism and Racism.)
+ There's the right amount of angst in here, mostly from Riv. There was just enough to question if he was going to make some stupid choices along the way and what the consequences of them may be, without wanting to chuck the book in frustration. He confronted and reexamined his feelings pretty regularly, which was a nice change. He didn't switch from NO to YES! with little in the middle. There was a lot of gray area he slid through as he started to realize he was having feelings that made him vulnerable and he grappled with his own panic taking over.
+ Lauren was spirited but learned from previous experiences what her boundaries were and wasn't TSTLing all over the place like a panicky ninny, even when she had justified reasons to let her Fear Brain take over. I like that she was smart and, most importantly, thoughtful.
+ And really, this story is cute and marshmallowy.
TW/CW: this story references child sexual abuse/rape
A surprisingly light and easy to digest read, despite the heavy subject matter.
My absolute favorite romance trope is Grumpy Loves Sunshine, and this one is pretty close. Give me a grumpy recluse for a hero, and I'm a pretty happy reader. Lauren isn't quite Sunshine, but she's pretty darn sunny in comparison.
Lauren was abducted about a year ago and has been living in a zoo where aliens watch her every day. If she's lucky they're just curious about her, but many have made it clear they're having...um, other thoughts. At least she's safe behind her barrier, fed, and no one is trying to stick anything in her, even though this comes with the price of having no private moments during daylight hours. But one day she's ripped from her safe little bubble and put back out with all of the depraved aliens who seem eager to use a being they view as barely above an animal. The one who ends up purchasing her seems to be okay enough, until he has to immediately rehome her for reasons. At least he knows of a place where he can dump her, if she'll be quiet long enough for him to pass her off as a discarded pet. She's not totally sure about the sanctuary keeper, but she can deal with grumpiness as long as he's a decent person.
Riv has had a really rough life, and all he wants is to care for his abused and discarded animals out in the boonies where no one bothers him. He hates people, but he hates females most of all. Every single one has done awful things to him, but he's safe on his farm with his brother. But. He owes someone a huge favor for helping him get his life back on track, and he's just come a'calling with an animal who needs a home. It isn't until it's too late that he realizes that 1, it's sentient and definitely not an animal, and 2, it's definitely...gulp female. He needs to get rid of her and quick, before she can try to harm him too.
I really enjoyed this story and had a difficult time putting it down. It's a nice slow burn with a pretty believable relationship build as Lauren and Riv feel each other out and process their own traumas. I had some pretty good laughs in here too: The real "action" starts about 90% into the story, but when it gets going, it's pretty steamy.
The biggest issue with this text is typos, so here are some of the things I most loved about this particular story:
+ Lauren respects Riv and his need for space, even though she's attracted to him and aroused. She isn't aware of his past and only knows that he hates having her around, so she does her best to comply with that while still trying to find ways to do nice things for him to thank him for taking her in.
+ She didn’t need niceness. Goodness was more important.
Louder for the people in the back! Who cares about politeness when it's covering up apathy and lack of caring for others? I will take an unpleasant but decent person any day of the week over a polite one who's terrible and harms others.
+ While not outright saying it—and maybe not intentional—I liked that this story drove home a point about a world building trope a lot of SFR utilizes: everyone believes humans are barely more than sentient animals and really good for having sex with. But anyone (humanoid, like 99% of these stories) who spends more than 10 seconds actually observing humans would realize this isn't true. Riv figured this out almost immediately, by just seeing another bipedal creature very similar to himself who seemed to be speaking, even if it was unintelligible to himself. Aliens in these stories choose to see humans as lesser to justify the abuses they put them through and feel like they haven't done anything wrong. (And humanity has done this to each other, and continues to do it. I'm looking at you, Capitalism and Racism.)
+ There's the right amount of angst in here, mostly from Riv. There was just enough to question if he was going to make some stupid choices along the way and what the consequences of them may be, without wanting to chuck the book in frustration. He confronted and reexamined his feelings pretty regularly, which was a nice change. He didn't switch from NO to YES! with little in the middle. There was a lot of gray area he slid through as he started to realize he was having feelings that made him vulnerable and he grappled with his own panic taking over.
+ Lauren was spirited but learned from previous experiences what her boundaries were and wasn't TSTLing all over the place like a panicky ninny, even when she had justified reasons to let her Fear Brain take over. I like that she was smart and, most importantly, thoughtful.
+ And really, this story is cute and marshmallowy.
May 4, 2021
4 stars ⭐️
What a great story. Plenty of action, a snarly big alpha male who turns out to be a big softy, and a sassy female who awakens his heart again.
What a great story. Plenty of action, a snarly big alpha male who turns out to be a big softy, and a sassy female who awakens his heart again.
October 5, 2020
This wasn’t a bad short book, but the author seemed to run out of ideas.
I liked the characters, the world building and the plot.
But it got a bit boring after a while in the sanctuary. The plot seemed to stop and it was all about the characters, their thoughts and emotional struggles, which was fine in the beginning as it was interrupted by small but funny situations, until it wasn’t anymore and it only repeated itself.
The grand finale was a bit anticlimactic, I was waiting for it and a bit disappointed in how easy it went along. And the author only seemed to focus on the two of them getting into bed.
That was disappointing, as the author proved she can do this.
The cover was a bit misleading, cause the main male character isn’t described looking like a simply humanoid species only blue. He is described way better like shown on the cover.
I liked the characters, the world building and the plot.
But it got a bit boring after a while in the sanctuary. The plot seemed to stop and it was all about the characters, their thoughts and emotional struggles, which was fine in the beginning as it was interrupted by small but funny situations, until it wasn’t anymore and it only repeated itself.
The grand finale was a bit anticlimactic, I was waiting for it and a bit disappointed in how easy it went along. And the author only seemed to focus on the two of them getting into bed.
That was disappointing, as the author proved she can do this.
The cover was a bit misleading, cause the main male character isn’t described looking like a simply humanoid species only blue. He is described way better like shown on the cover.
August 23, 2020
Excellent read
I love love the relationship build up made for Lauren and Riv. I was feeling the emotions as my own - it was so consuming. I was disappointed the other series kind of ended( i hope there will be more books though),but this spin- off is so good and we get to see other types of aliens and planets, as humans are dragged from their primitive class 4 planet XD
I love love the relationship build up made for Lauren and Riv. I was feeling the emotions as my own - it was so consuming. I was disappointed the other series kind of ended( i hope there will be more books though),but this spin- off is so good and we get to see other types of aliens and planets, as humans are dragged from their primitive class 4 planet XD
January 6, 2022
4.5 stars. After reading so many inane alien romances, this one stands out. It has a plot and depth of character development that really intrigues and draws me in. The two characters have both had some hard times. Riv is a bit ridiculous in his thoughts to just throw the troublesome human back out there... but his actions are a lot more caring. He has been abused and is afraid of letting someone in.
Both he and Lauren have had similar bad experiences with being taken from their lives and subjugated to others. The act out pretty positively and end up respecting each other... and loving each other.
There's some requisite smut that is sort of on par with the rest of this genre, but it's not the driving part of the plot. They don't just fall in bed together even though they are both attracted right away. This is a slow burn, lovely romance with some great world building that makes me want to learn more and be there for the rest of the series.
Both he and Lauren have had similar bad experiences with being taken from their lives and subjugated to others. The act out pretty positively and end up respecting each other... and loving each other.
There's some requisite smut that is sort of on par with the rest of this genre, but it's not the driving part of the plot. They don't just fall in bed together even though they are both attracted right away. This is a slow burn, lovely romance with some great world building that makes me want to learn more and be there for the rest of the series.
December 27, 2021
Alien FarmLife Romance 👽🛸🐄🤠
Interesting setting but everything was very predictable
Grumpy hero / headstrong positive heroine
Standalone, hea
No mating tropes
Interesting setting but everything was very predictable
Grumpy hero / headstrong positive heroine
Standalone, hea
No mating tropes
February 1, 2022
4.7 stars.
First off let me just warn you to check trigger warnings before reading this book.
Nothing happens on page, but a lot of past abuse is thought about, talked about, and Lauren spends a year in an alien zoo enclosure that was basically like solitary confinement in a fish bowl, with less privileges.
Even still, I would say this book is pretty light.
It’s got moments of humor and cute alien animals.
It’s most definitely got a sunshine/grump trope, but Lauren isn’t bubbly and cute, she’s just nice and caring and sweet in comparison to Riv’s standoffish demeanor.
This is the very definition of a slow burn.
Riv has an extremely difficult time trusting anyone, especially females, because of his past experiences.
It takes him a long time, and a lot of Lauren’s hard work, to make him finally see that she’s not out to hurt him or take advantage.
When he does see that though…it’s all kinds of hot.
The sex, though we don’t get much of it and it doesn’t finally happen until almost the very end, is totally worth the wait.
He’s got an alien, *ahem*, 🐓.
And he seemed pretty thirsty, if you get my drift. 😂
I wish there was more to the story, because I really liked getting to know these characters. And the sex was smuttastic.
But I really enjoyed what we did get and I think I’ll be reading the next one.
Hopefully it’s just as good.
Plus. The next one is about Riv’s brother Sohut, and he has a tail…
Just imagine all the possibilities.😂
First off let me just warn you to check trigger warnings before reading this book.
Nothing happens on page, but a lot of past abuse is thought about, talked about, and Lauren spends a year in an alien zoo enclosure that was basically like solitary confinement in a fish bowl, with less privileges.
Even still, I would say this book is pretty light.
It’s got moments of humor and cute alien animals.
It’s most definitely got a sunshine/grump trope, but Lauren isn’t bubbly and cute, she’s just nice and caring and sweet in comparison to Riv’s standoffish demeanor.
This is the very definition of a slow burn.
Riv has an extremely difficult time trusting anyone, especially females, because of his past experiences.
It takes him a long time, and a lot of Lauren’s hard work, to make him finally see that she’s not out to hurt him or take advantage.
When he does see that though…it’s all kinds of hot.
The sex, though we don’t get much of it and it doesn’t finally happen until almost the very end, is totally worth the wait.
He’s got an alien, *ahem*, 🐓.
And he seemed pretty thirsty, if you get my drift. 😂
I wish there was more to the story, because I really liked getting to know these characters. And the sex was smuttastic.
But I really enjoyed what we did get and I think I’ll be reading the next one.
Hopefully it’s just as good.
Plus. The next one is about Riv’s brother Sohut, and he has a tail…
Just imagine all the possibilities.😂
August 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Loved the slow burn of this and couldn’t put it down for the first 60% or so.
The ending was a little abrupt and I did feel like we went from grumpy to lusting in like half a page, but I still read this super fast and really enjoyed it!
Loved the slow burn of this and couldn’t put it down for the first 60% or so.
The ending was a little abrupt and I did feel like we went from grumpy to lusting in like half a page, but I still read this super fast and really enjoyed it!
January 25, 2023
She was alive. Every day, that one fact kept her going. Despite what was thrown at her, she was going to survive.
3 stars
After seeing this book recommended so many times in my alien romance groups, I have to say that I'm so disappointed after finally reading it. For me, it was missing many of the elements that I usually enjoy in alien romance--danger from the alien planet, new alien culture, steam!!--and I just never fully connected with the story or characters. The writing felt inconsistent as sometimes Riv would know human words/phrases and other times he would be adorably confused and irritated by them. Also, the romantic buildup between Riv and Lauren was too much of a slow burn for me; there wasn't even a kiss between them until 80% in! Overall, this book missed the mark for me and left me wanting more.
Tropes: fated mates, grumpy/sunshine, alien abduction romance, language barrier, heroine-in-danger, tortured hero, hate-to-love-you, EXTREMELY SLOW BURN
April 22, 2022
Lauren was abducted from Earth a year ago and has been recently bought by a new alien owner. However, said alien realizes that he made a mistake of purchasing Lauren and is not allowed to return her. So what does he do with her? He leaves her on the doorstep of an alien animal sanctuary. The owner of the sanctuary, Riv, is not too happy about this and has no idea what to do with a human woman. But then this damaged hero might learn to love the chatterbox of a woman the more he gets to know her.
This was so cute!!! I love alien romances that deal with farms/animals for some reason, and this one was so much fun. I love all the alien animal species and how Riv cares and loves all of them. I love how we got to see Riv's walls fall for this small woman also. It was really cute! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
TW: slavery, kidnapping, death, previous SA
TROPES: alien romance, books with pets, damaged hero, kindle unlimited, language barrier, nightmare savior, reluctant to love (hero)
This was so cute!!! I love alien romances that deal with farms/animals for some reason, and this one was so much fun. I love all the alien animal species and how Riv cares and loves all of them. I love how we got to see Riv's walls fall for this small woman also. It was really cute! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
TW: slavery, kidnapping, death, previous SA
TROPES: alien romance, books with pets, damaged hero, kindle unlimited, language barrier, nightmare savior, reluctant to love (hero)
March 6, 2023
After reading and loving Sohut’s Protection, I felt a need to reread the first book again.
*(:)* *(:)* *(:)* *(:)*
I’ve been reading a lot of SciFi romance lately and when I saw this one recommended it sounded interesting, was available on KU so decided to give it a read. It started out a bit slapstick but then settled down and became a surprisingly emotional book.
Lauren was kidnapped from Earth and for the past year has been held as a zoo exhibit on a planet of small alien creatures. Though after a series of events she ends up in a sanctuary for hurt and abandoned animals run by a big blue humanoid named Kiv.
Kiv does NOT want her there - AT ALL and pretty much ignores her ver presence. Lauren is somewhat apprehensive about this guy but considering he seems to love the animals and treats them very well, he has reasons for why he is the way he is. He’s been betrayed by those he shouldn’t have been and was sent to work in mines under horrendous conditions while trying to look after his younger brother. He has no reason not to believe that Lauren is just using him and will end up betraying him too.
But the book is about him coming to see the real Lauren and since this is a romance, seeing them fall for each other. I really like Lauren. She is resilient and manages to remain optimistic no matter her circumstances. But the real star of the book is Kiv. He’s just so broken and damaged, the reader can’t help but fall in love. I love that this book took the turn it did and as such, I pass on the recommendation. I got it through KU so I say give it a read.
*(:)* *(:)* *(:)* *(:)*
I’ve been reading a lot of SciFi romance lately and when I saw this one recommended it sounded interesting, was available on KU so decided to give it a read. It started out a bit slapstick but then settled down and became a surprisingly emotional book.
Lauren was kidnapped from Earth and for the past year has been held as a zoo exhibit on a planet of small alien creatures. Though after a series of events she ends up in a sanctuary for hurt and abandoned animals run by a big blue humanoid named Kiv.
Kiv does NOT want her there - AT ALL and pretty much ignores her ver presence. Lauren is somewhat apprehensive about this guy but considering he seems to love the animals and treats them very well, he has reasons for why he is the way he is. He’s been betrayed by those he shouldn’t have been and was sent to work in mines under horrendous conditions while trying to look after his younger brother. He has no reason not to believe that Lauren is just using him and will end up betraying him too.
But the book is about him coming to see the real Lauren and since this is a romance, seeing them fall for each other. I really like Lauren. She is resilient and manages to remain optimistic no matter her circumstances. But the real star of the book is Kiv. He’s just so broken and damaged, the reader can’t help but fall in love. I love that this book took the turn it did and as such, I pass on the recommendation. I got it through KU so I say give it a read.
May 1, 2021
This 4-stars is GENEROUS, but I'm giving it because this book beat my expectations. Yes, they were low, but the author has some skills and I felt she gave the characters depth.
There are issues. The hero is more than just a grump, he's a jerk bordering on irredeemable. When you get his backstory, you get his hatred for women, but at the same time the fact he almost tosses the heroine into the slave market where he KNOWS what will happen to her based on HIS OWN experiences is more than just a stretch. I just don't see someone who was victimized be so willing to toss someone else into that scenario regardless of what a 'pest' they might be.
I liked the heroine. She's almost a bit too perfect and tries her best to win the hero over. On the other hand, I get why she did everything without complaint because pissing someone who basically controls your life and future isn't the brightest idea. I'd be compliant, too.
Which leaves the power imbalance. They weren't equals. Until he begins to like her, he could've gotten rid of her in the worst possible manner and there would've been nothing she could do.
However, having said all that, while I was reading, I really liked the story, characters, and universe. I probably won't reread it and it's certainly not an island keeper, but the author told a story that kept me interested.
There are issues. The hero is more than just a grump, he's a jerk bordering on irredeemable. When you get his backstory, you get his hatred for women, but at the same time the fact he almost tosses the heroine into the slave market where he KNOWS what will happen to her based on HIS OWN experiences is more than just a stretch. I just don't see someone who was victimized be so willing to toss someone else into that scenario regardless of what a 'pest' they might be.
I liked the heroine. She's almost a bit too perfect and tries her best to win the hero over. On the other hand, I get why she did everything without complaint because pissing someone who basically controls your life and future isn't the brightest idea. I'd be compliant, too.
Which leaves the power imbalance. They weren't equals. Until he begins to like her, he could've gotten rid of her in the worst possible manner and there would've been nothing she could do.
However, having said all that, while I was reading, I really liked the story, characters, and universe. I probably won't reread it and it's certainly not an island keeper, but the author told a story that kept me interested.
September 23, 2020
I did like it . . .
This was pretty good. Once you get past the repetitive mind vomit of the female lead (telling us how she has given up on returning home) and you get past the male lead constantly stating his need to get rid of her, the world building is good and the anticipation just keeps you turning the pages.
There are some small mistakes like spelling and missing words. Or places where it sees the author may have taken a break and come back to write but has forgotten what she said before she took a break.
You don't get to the happy ending (HA!) literally until THE END, about 90% into the book. But you are so happy for them, you just let the disappointment of having to wait (what seems Iike years) just slip away. I will be reading the next book, so the 3 stars are good stars.
This was pretty good. Once you get past the repetitive mind vomit of the female lead (telling us how she has given up on returning home) and you get past the male lead constantly stating his need to get rid of her, the world building is good and the anticipation just keeps you turning the pages.
There are some small mistakes like spelling and missing words. Or places where it sees the author may have taken a break and come back to write but has forgotten what she said before she took a break.
You don't get to the happy ending (HA!) literally until THE END, about 90% into the book. But you are so happy for them, you just let the disappointment of having to wait (what seems Iike years) just slip away. I will be reading the next book, so the 3 stars are good stars.
May 3, 2021
DNF
I have read 200+ pages of this book but couldn't bring myself to read anymore.
The intimate scene happens 20 pages or sth before the book ends, which I hate about these kind of books. I am not reading these books to read about ordinary life, this is alien romance and I expected some intimacy happening but nope. Until the last pages or sth Riv dislikes the heroine. Why is this book this long? There was nothing happening.
I waited so long for tides to turn but that didn't happen. This book just annoyed and bored me. I expected so much more.
There is no adventure, no action, no bedroom action till the end. Why would anyone read this book then?
I have read 200+ pages of this book but couldn't bring myself to read anymore.
The intimate scene happens 20 pages or sth before the book ends, which I hate about these kind of books. I am not reading these books to read about ordinary life, this is alien romance and I expected some intimacy happening but nope. Until the last pages or sth Riv dislikes the heroine. Why is this book this long? There was nothing happening.
I waited so long for tides to turn but that didn't happen. This book just annoyed and bored me. I expected so much more.
There is no adventure, no action, no bedroom action till the end. Why would anyone read this book then?
December 23, 2020
Quick(ish) Review
This is a new to me author and I have to say she hooked me with one of my personal kryptonites - a grumpy/tortured hero. This is a weirdly paced book with long periods of quiet character connection between Riv and Lauren, punctuated with some violent moments that could be difficult as one scene involves a child. Also, Riv’s past is pretty horrible and traumatic, and told to the reader in flashbacks. However, I was drawn to Riv and Lauren, their chemistry is good and while it was a slow burn, the payoff was well done.
The setup for this ‘verse is intriguing and finding out that it’s tied to another series makes me want to check out more from this author. If you love alien sci-fi rom with grumpy heroes with darker elements, you may enjoy this.
This is a new to me author and I have to say she hooked me with one of my personal kryptonites - a grumpy/tortured hero. This is a weirdly paced book with long periods of quiet character connection between Riv and Lauren, punctuated with some violent moments that could be difficult as one scene involves a child. Also, Riv’s past is pretty horrible and traumatic, and told to the reader in flashbacks. However, I was drawn to Riv and Lauren, their chemistry is good and while it was a slow burn, the payoff was well done.
The setup for this ‘verse is intriguing and finding out that it’s tied to another series makes me want to check out more from this author. If you love alien sci-fi rom with grumpy heroes with darker elements, you may enjoy this.
August 28, 2020
Beyond impressed
I read a ton and love a good alien romance. This is my first time reading this writers work and now I'm hooked. I want more. So very well written. Loved the characters and storyline. Sadly in this genre books tend to feel overly similar but thankfully this was a one of a kind. Unique and fun from beginning to end. Can't recommend this book enough.
I read a ton and love a good alien romance. This is my first time reading this writers work and now I'm hooked. I want more. So very well written. Loved the characters and storyline. Sadly in this genre books tend to feel overly similar but thankfully this was a one of a kind. Unique and fun from beginning to end. Can't recommend this book enough.
February 4, 2022
I just wasn't impressed by this. I didn't feel a connection between the characters, the plot was just alright, and it wasn't different enough from the typical alien romances that I read to stand out.
There wasn't anything inherently wrong with it, and it may be enjoyable as a quick, light-hearted read for those who are really into alien romances. Just not the book for me it seems.
There wasn't anything inherently wrong with it, and it may be enjoyable as a quick, light-hearted read for those who are really into alien romances. Just not the book for me it seems.
November 21, 2024
This was a fairly typical alien romance tale. It was a slow burn forced proximity romance with a bit of tension added by the threat of death for humans in this dangerous alien society.
The premise was fine. Lauren, abducted from Earth by alien slavers, has been stuck in an alien zoo for a year. We join the story just as things go from bad to worse as her abusive and neglectful Zookeeper owner decides it is time to sell her. She ends up back on the auction block and, due to a bizarre sequence of events, in the care of the anti-social Riv. Riv ran an out of the way animal sanctuary and was not impressed to learn his new “rescue” was the worst sort of sentient creature, a chatty one!
The story was OK and the characters likeable enough and easy to root for. I do love the forced proximity trope and slow burn romances so I’m not totally sure why I never truly connected with this tale. I was just never fully sucked into or engaged by the story. It was OK though just a bit so-so.
I’ve read a few alien romances this year and this one definitely felt a bit familiar and run of the mill compared to the better offerings in the genre.
Rating: 3 stars. I think it helped the tale was not particularly short. I’m not sure if I’ll read the second book in the series or not.
Audio Note: Hollie Jackson did a decent job with the audio.
The premise was fine. Lauren, abducted from Earth by alien slavers, has been stuck in an alien zoo for a year. We join the story just as things go from bad to worse as her abusive and neglectful Zookeeper owner decides it is time to sell her. She ends up back on the auction block and, due to a bizarre sequence of events, in the care of the anti-social Riv. Riv ran an out of the way animal sanctuary and was not impressed to learn his new “rescue” was the worst sort of sentient creature, a chatty one!
The story was OK and the characters likeable enough and easy to root for. I do love the forced proximity trope and slow burn romances so I’m not totally sure why I never truly connected with this tale. I was just never fully sucked into or engaged by the story. It was OK though just a bit so-so.
I’ve read a few alien romances this year and this one definitely felt a bit familiar and run of the mill compared to the better offerings in the genre.
Rating: 3 stars. I think it helped the tale was not particularly short. I’m not sure if I’ll read the second book in the series or not.
Audio Note: Hollie Jackson did a decent job with the audio.
May 27, 2024
Bonus points for the variety of alien species
January 10, 2021
A grumpy, surly alien with a lot of unresolved baggage and an abducted human just trying to find a safe place in this new world she's found herself in. Riv prefers quiet and animals with NO women around to bother him. Lauren is...talkative after a year of solitude and she's most definitely a woman, so she's already got some points against her in Riv's book when she ends up at his sanctuary.
But Riv's not heartless. He might not want Lauren on his property disrupting his normal routine, but he can't just throw her out. As it turns out, the more time he spends with her, the more he doesn't hate having her around. She might be talkative, but she works hard and she (mostly) stays out his way and the animals ADORE her.
On Lauren's end, the only thing she's looking for is a safe place to be dropped with someone who's "nice." Riv isn't nice in the strictest sense of the word in the beginningm but he's not cruel either. Lauren's determined to make herself useful so Riv doesn't have a reason to boot her from his sanctuary. Her determination and get up and go attitude make Riv start to question whether all women are like the ones he's known in the past. Which, you know, is good since these two have some chemistry.
An abduction, a few not-so-nice aliens, a farm full of animals, and one grumpy alien who has to come to terms with more than a few things before he can find his happy place. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
But Riv's not heartless. He might not want Lauren on his property disrupting his normal routine, but he can't just throw her out. As it turns out, the more time he spends with her, the more he doesn't hate having her around. She might be talkative, but she works hard and she (mostly) stays out his way and the animals ADORE her.
On Lauren's end, the only thing she's looking for is a safe place to be dropped with someone who's "nice." Riv isn't nice in the strictest sense of the word in the beginningm but he's not cruel either. Lauren's determined to make herself useful so Riv doesn't have a reason to boot her from his sanctuary. Her determination and get up and go attitude make Riv start to question whether all women are like the ones he's known in the past. Which, you know, is good since these two have some chemistry.
An abduction, a few not-so-nice aliens, a farm full of animals, and one grumpy alien who has to come to terms with more than a few things before he can find his happy place. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews