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Charlie's Bargain
Charlie is just trying to survive. After losing her fortune she flees her home planet and hides from her bloodthirsty creditors on a mining colony so horrible its residents just call it Hole.Lynx is a Xorn, one of a feared race of non-humans known for their savage lusts. From the first instant he sees Charlie, he knows she is the only woman who can satisfy him.Charlie wants nothing to do with the huge, muscular man with golden eyes, but in order to survive on Hole she will have to overcome her fear and make a bargain with the fierce Xorn—a bargain of desire, pleasure and pain that will force her to see herself and Lynx in a whole new light.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2008
31 people are currently reading
1130 people want to read
About the author
Evangeline Anderson
297 books5,048 followersEvangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 26, 2012
Charlie’s Bargain
My kindle kept telling me that it wanted me to read this story. For some reason, even though it was Evangeline Anderson and I tend to enjoy her work even when it kind of sucks, I just kept pushing it aside. This weekend I wanted a quick and dirty read, and decided to give this story a shot. I was pleased when I learned from the description that it was sci-fi. What I didn’t expect were rape apologetics disguised as a ridiculous and disturbing love story.
Here’s the breakdown:
Charlie and her younger brother have lost their family fortune and are now living on a dangerous rough n’ tough planet of exiles called Hole. Charlie works to support them as a bar maid. While working, she encounters a huge golden-eyed Xorn, a race of dangerous humanoid aliens "savage lusts" (LOL). Apparently, Xorn experience a 6 week period called “yearning” in which they feel overpowering sexual need. The only thing that can quench their desire are the sex fluids of another. Already I was raising an eyebrow. Kind of gross. Xorn also have the ability to mentally “touch” another, including being able to turn on a woman and make her “honey” gush like a fire hydrant. Ick.
This particular Xorn, named Lynx, is a powerful man who owns multiple bars. He knows more about Charlie than she thinks; for not only does he secretly stalk her at night (not like that's creepy or anything) he also knows that she’s the one for him even though they haven’t had a conversation ever, because he’s magical and awesome like that. His desire for her is overwhelming and he can’t resist molesting her with his mental touching abilities. He causes her to gush like a fountain, which scares the crap out of her, and makes her even more resistant to him. Knowing he has no chance of wooing her the old fashion way,our incredibly smart Xorn hero contritely asks for her forgiveness and explains his nasty personal problem, asking for her help. JUST KIDDING GUYS. That would be just a little too close to smart and normal, and we need to keep this book down and dirty. Instead Xorn tricks Charlie’s brother into a $40,000 debt, knowing that she will sacrifice herself to keep him from having to work in the planet’s deadly mines, to pay it off. This is when Lynx lays the truth on Charlie…well, minus the tricking her brother part. He tells her that he needs her honey to satisfy his needs for 6 weeks. At first she refuses but Lynx’s overwhelming need to claim and own Charlie completely, pushes him to manipulate her for the safety of her brother. She gives in but chickens out at the last second and refuses to comply. Once again Lynx shows her how much he loves her by fulfilling every woman’s fantasy: Being raped on a gynecologists table. Lynx causes her body to feel pleasure against her will as he takes her honey by force, while she cries and begs him to stop. It’s super sexy and romantic. Oh and there’s also a nasty little gang rape scene in here somewhere, in which another bar maid gets whored out against her will and passed around the bar. This scene didn’t sit well and was very disturbing, especially when I don’t expect to see that kind of thing from this particular author. It came off as gratuitous and it certainly was not sexy.
Following their first encounter, Charlie finds herself unable to stop thinking of the forbidden pleasure she felt while being raped. She begins to have Stockholm syndrome-ish feelings for him, even though she tries to tell herself that he’s not a good guy, that he took her by force. Still, when she returns to him for their next meeting, she has dinner with them and they connect. She willingly gives him what he needs afterward, but a sudden wave of desire overcomes her and she feels the need for them to go all the way and have sex. He tells her she is now feeling the “yearning” but much sooner than he had anticipated. It’s too dangerous for them to have sex or for her to go down on him (for some stupid and contrived reason that is never fully explained). Instead he says, he will bone her in the booty. Because of his huge size and girth, Charlie freaks out, unable to fathom taking him in that forbidden spot. Instead she semi-tricks him into taking her the old fashioned way, which he does but in the process he forms a life bond with her and must take her in the booty anyway. She refuses, but you know the drill. He forces her, inspite of her promising to never forgive him. Don’t worry, he was crying the whole time. At least he was sorry.
Inspite of being anally raped, and them having only one real date, Charlie realizes that she has real feelings for Lynx. And she theorizes, even though he took her by force; it’s not like he didn’t need it bad. He was feeling the yearning after all. But her ex fiancé suddenly reappears in her life and says he wants her back and he’ll pay off her debt. She goes along with it, leaving Lynx to marry the other guy. Lynx is desperately in love with Charlie and gives her a final speech about how he’d do anything for her (though apparently that doesn’t include not raping her. He has to do that because of his overpowering need for her. Otherwise this wouldn’t be the sexy, erotic, story that it is.) but she won’t have it. She leaves to marry her boring fiancé, while Lynx is left behind to die alone. Literally; for once bonded, Xorn can’t be apart from their mates for too long or they shrivel up and die. There is no explanation for why this would be. I guess separate vacations would be impossible. Anyway, long story short, Charlie realizes she really loves Lynx, and also that she does have a fortune left to her after all, through an estranged aunt. How fortunate! She returns to Lynx finding him cold and lifeless on his deathbed. She revives him through the magical powers of her vag honey, and they re-enact the bonding sex ceremony to seal their bond forever. HEA, the end.
I get the feeling that Anderson was trying to produce a story similar to that of Claimed, but it didn’t come across well at all. The heroine was written too prudish while the hero came across as a rapist. Well…he was a rapist. I’m sorry but there’s no getting around that. What galls the crap out of me though, is that there are literally lines in the story where the heroine excuses the rape, because “he NEEDED it.” WTF. NO. Anderson should know better than this. That is never ever ever acceptable. No means no means no. Maybe Anderson thought that she had written a scene that was more dubious consent than rape but she failed. There was too much crying and reluctance on the heroine’s part to make the scenes enjoyable. These scenes made Lynx’s character irredeemable in my opinion, and the supposed romance between them consequently, seemed more plausibly like Stockholm syndrome than love. Whats more, I’m finding that Anderson seems incapable of thinking outside of the story tropes and character archetypes that -she is stuck-in. Except for the rapist part, Lynx was far too similar to Teague from Planet X and Baird in Claimed for my liking. A big, dark haired, golden-eyed animalistic man with an overpowering need to claim his one and only soulmate; and a reluctant, boring heroine? That describes most of her work. I’m looking forward to the day when she evolves a little bit and does something different and maybe a little more challenging. Maybe like actually build a loving relationship between two characters rather than forcing them together with rape or some deadly or stressful situation which brings about the “I love him” revelation from the heroine. I know it’s hard work Evangeline, but most relationships are ;)
My kindle kept telling me that it wanted me to read this story. For some reason, even though it was Evangeline Anderson and I tend to enjoy her work even when it kind of sucks, I just kept pushing it aside. This weekend I wanted a quick and dirty read, and decided to give this story a shot. I was pleased when I learned from the description that it was sci-fi. What I didn’t expect were rape apologetics disguised as a ridiculous and disturbing love story.
Here’s the breakdown:
Charlie and her younger brother have lost their family fortune and are now living on a dangerous rough n’ tough planet of exiles called Hole. Charlie works to support them as a bar maid. While working, she encounters a huge golden-eyed Xorn, a race of dangerous humanoid aliens "savage lusts" (LOL). Apparently, Xorn experience a 6 week period called “yearning” in which they feel overpowering sexual need. The only thing that can quench their desire are the sex fluids of another. Already I was raising an eyebrow. Kind of gross. Xorn also have the ability to mentally “touch” another, including being able to turn on a woman and make her “honey” gush like a fire hydrant. Ick.
This particular Xorn, named Lynx, is a powerful man who owns multiple bars. He knows more about Charlie than she thinks; for not only does he secretly stalk her at night (not like that's creepy or anything) he also knows that she’s the one for him even though they haven’t had a conversation ever, because he’s magical and awesome like that. His desire for her is overwhelming and he can’t resist molesting her with his mental touching abilities. He causes her to gush like a fountain, which scares the crap out of her, and makes her even more resistant to him. Knowing he has no chance of wooing her the old fashion way,
Following their first encounter, Charlie finds herself unable to stop thinking of the forbidden pleasure she felt while being raped. She begins to have Stockholm syndrome-ish feelings for him, even though she tries to tell herself that he’s not a good guy, that he took her by force. Still, when she returns to him for their next meeting, she has dinner with them and they connect. She willingly gives him what he needs afterward, but a sudden wave of desire overcomes her and she feels the need for them to go all the way and have sex. He tells her she is now feeling the “yearning” but much sooner than he had anticipated. It’s too dangerous for them to have sex or for her to go down on him (for some stupid and contrived reason that is never fully explained). Instead he says, he will bone her in the booty. Because of his huge size and girth, Charlie freaks out, unable to fathom taking him in that forbidden spot. Instead she semi-tricks him into taking her the old fashioned way, which he does but in the process he forms a life bond with her and must take her in the booty anyway. She refuses, but you know the drill. He forces her, inspite of her promising to never forgive him. Don’t worry, he was crying the whole time. At least he was sorry.
Inspite of being anally raped, and them having only one real date, Charlie realizes that she has real feelings for Lynx. And she theorizes, even though he took her by force; it’s not like he didn’t need it bad. He was feeling the yearning after all. But her ex fiancé suddenly reappears in her life and says he wants her back and he’ll pay off her debt. She goes along with it, leaving Lynx to marry the other guy. Lynx is desperately in love with Charlie and gives her a final speech about how he’d do anything for her (though apparently that doesn’t include not raping her. He has to do that because of his overpowering need for her. Otherwise this wouldn’t be the sexy, erotic, story that it is.) but she won’t have it. She leaves to marry her boring fiancé, while Lynx is left behind to die alone. Literally; for once bonded, Xorn can’t be apart from their mates for too long or they shrivel up and die. There is no explanation for why this would be. I guess separate vacations would be impossible. Anyway, long story short, Charlie realizes she really loves Lynx, and also that she does have a fortune left to her after all, through an estranged aunt. How fortunate! She returns to Lynx finding him cold and lifeless on his deathbed. She revives him through the magical powers of her vag honey, and they re-enact the bonding sex ceremony to seal their bond forever. HEA, the end.
I get the feeling that Anderson was trying to produce a story similar to that of Claimed, but it didn’t come across well at all. The heroine was written too prudish while the hero came across as a rapist. Well…he was a rapist. I’m sorry but there’s no getting around that. What galls the crap out of me though, is that there are literally lines in the story where the heroine excuses the rape, because “he NEEDED it.” WTF. NO. Anderson should know better than this. That is never ever ever acceptable. No means no means no. Maybe Anderson thought that she had written a scene that was more dubious consent than rape but she failed. There was too much crying and reluctance on the heroine’s part to make the scenes enjoyable. These scenes made Lynx’s character irredeemable in my opinion, and the supposed romance between them consequently, seemed more plausibly like Stockholm syndrome than love. Whats more, I’m finding that Anderson seems incapable of thinking outside of the story tropes and character archetypes that -she is stuck-in. Except for the rapist part, Lynx was far too similar to Teague from Planet X and Baird in Claimed for my liking. A big, dark haired, golden-eyed animalistic man with an overpowering need to claim his one and only soulmate; and a reluctant, boring heroine? That describes most of her work. I’m looking forward to the day when she evolves a little bit and does something different and maybe a little more challenging. Maybe like actually build a loving relationship between two characters rather than forcing them together with rape or some deadly or stressful situation which brings about the “I love him” revelation from the heroine. I know it’s hard work Evangeline, but most relationships are ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2011
Decent book but the hero's need to taste the heroine's love nectar made me LOL. Lots of juices in this one 0_o
August 30, 2011
I've already read a few other Evangeline Anderson books, so when I started this one I knew a few things about the style of story she writes.
First, the characters are fleshed out and real. She doesn't just tell the reader the hero is alpha and dangerous, she shows you.
Second, the love scenes are hot, I mean like a summer in Arizona and they are frequent. It's a small complaint, but I don't need that many love scenes to get that the hero and heroine are into each other, so I skim.
So, anyway, I didn't go into this book expecting Barbara Cartland or Debbie Macomber's style of closed door love scenes.
But with that in mind, there were a few love scenes that made me cringe. When I say cringe, I really mean that I set down the bowlful of corn flakes with sliced bananas I was eating and gagged just a little bit (no puking though, thank goodness). My gagging was so loud that my husband looked at me with a frown and I couldn't tell him what was the matter with me, because he would tease me about it endlessly.
This book passed my naughty threshhold and sailed into kink land. Everyone has a kink land, some are bigger than others and everyone's is different. Mine has things like same-sex love scenes, footplay, copious amounts of bodily fluids and scented oils (I hate fragrances, so maybe it isn't so much a no no as a personal peccadillo when I put scented oils into my no no kinky land?).
Anyways, this book had bodily fluids, a lot of them, it was drenched in them, sodden, soaked, mushy, sopping, submerged and every other word you can think of that means, wet. So, if this is an erotic direction you can embrace, then this is the book for you.
Me, I had to reread The Hobbit until I calmed down.
First, the characters are fleshed out and real. She doesn't just tell the reader the hero is alpha and dangerous, she shows you.
Second, the love scenes are hot, I mean like a summer in Arizona and they are frequent. It's a small complaint, but I don't need that many love scenes to get that the hero and heroine are into each other, so I skim.
So, anyway, I didn't go into this book expecting Barbara Cartland or Debbie Macomber's style of closed door love scenes.
But with that in mind, there were a few love scenes that made me cringe. When I say cringe, I really mean that I set down the bowlful of corn flakes with sliced bananas I was eating and gagged just a little bit (no puking though, thank goodness). My gagging was so loud that my husband looked at me with a frown and I couldn't tell him what was the matter with me, because he would tease me about it endlessly.
This book passed my naughty threshhold and sailed into kink land. Everyone has a kink land, some are bigger than others and everyone's is different. Mine has things like same-sex love scenes, footplay, copious amounts of bodily fluids and scented oils (I hate fragrances, so maybe it isn't so much a no no as a personal peccadillo when I put scented oils into my no no kinky land?).
Anyways, this book had bodily fluids, a lot of them, it was drenched in them, sodden, soaked, mushy, sopping, submerged and every other word you can think of that means, wet. So, if this is an erotic direction you can embrace, then this is the book for you.
Me, I had to reread The Hobbit until I calmed down.
February 25, 2021
A well constructed sci fi base for this story. It reminded me a little of Ms Anderson's later Kindred series of which I have read some.
My main dislike was Charlie the " I don't understand what you want..." heroine, nearly drove me mad with her total naivety . You would think working in a sleaze bar, where any sort of sex was available would have given her an education!!!. But in many places she was a total duh.
AS I haven't read all the many Kindred books I am unsure if the Xorn have been further explored, but would like to see it so.
My main dislike was Charlie the " I don't understand what you want..." heroine, nearly drove me mad with her total naivety . You would think working in a sleaze bar, where any sort of sex was available would have given her an education!!!. But in many places she was a total duh.
AS I haven't read all the many Kindred books I am unsure if the Xorn have been further explored, but would like to see it so.
August 4, 2023
This is a science fiction erotic romance. I didn't expect a lot, and having already read other stories by Evangeline Anderson, I knew there would be a lot of sex. Still, it was better than I expected. I don't mean the sex scenes; those were rather middling, but the story behind them was actually quite well-built. For a short story, the plot is really developed, and the characters are not just some shadowy people without past or depth like in other erotic romances. However, in my opinion, Charlie is a bit too scared for someone described as very brave. This was definitely one of those erotic romance short stories that is nice to read.
April 19, 2011
HaHaHA! I'd forgotten how much I love these stories. High literature this ain't. But they sure are fun. :D
May 30, 2011
The species work was good and well as the emotions. However, more plot would have been nice and follow up at the HEA.
Spolier!!!!!!!
My main issue with the book is the fact that there were rapes in the books. A barmaid who also sold sex (not the herione) was raped twice. She was gang raped the second time. There was no pleasure but the rape was descibed erotically. And it was not. Also, even after the herione witnessed the rapes of this woman and the woman was telling the truth about something she was doing, the heroine called her a whore. This was out of character and not to mention awful.
The makings of a book book and a good writer are in here. I am risking another book hoping the writer improves.
Spolier!!!!!!!
My main issue with the book is the fact that there were rapes in the books. A barmaid who also sold sex (not the herione) was raped twice. She was gang raped the second time. There was no pleasure but the rape was descibed erotically. And it was not. Also, even after the herione witnessed the rapes of this woman and the woman was telling the truth about something she was doing, the heroine called her a whore. This was out of character and not to mention awful.
The makings of a book book and a good writer are in here. I am risking another book hoping the writer improves.
September 5, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It is porn for women. Total erotica.
Very *stimulating*. Don't buy this book and expect Brontë.
You can read the synopsis so I will spare you that repetition.
I did see in several of the reviews that a few readers were very put off by the 'rape scene'.
** No one's sexual fantasies are the same. Some of us are even into what might be considered KINKY fantasy material. Rape fantasies are not uncommon. Bondage fantasies are also not uncommon. **
The author includes both of the above in this book, & she does it in a way that does not glorify violence towards women.
I personally found the author's imagination & writing to be *quite* enjoyable. The fact that she wraps up every character with an enjoyably happy ending is just icing on the cake.
Very *stimulating*. Don't buy this book and expect Brontë.
You can read the synopsis so I will spare you that repetition.
I did see in several of the reviews that a few readers were very put off by the 'rape scene'.
** No one's sexual fantasies are the same. Some of us are even into what might be considered KINKY fantasy material. Rape fantasies are not uncommon. Bondage fantasies are also not uncommon. **
The author includes both of the above in this book, & she does it in a way that does not glorify violence towards women.
I personally found the author's imagination & writing to be *quite* enjoyable. The fact that she wraps up every character with an enjoyably happy ending is just icing on the cake.
Read
July 7, 2014Cliffhanger: No
HEA:
Cheating:
Rape:
Violence: none
Sensuality level (1 being kissing only and 5 being Penthouse Letters graphic:: 4, graphic and erotic
Grammar errors/typo level (1 being what you'd see in any book, 5 being this read like a rough draft): 1
Would I re-read?: No
August 11, 2016
I didn't hate this book, I honestly didn't, but seriously? It was so boring and it had an overdoing-it happy ever after.
First issue: it was more boring than reading a biography for Kristen Stewart, and we all know how boring she can be. At least that's what the television said, I don't know how accurate that is.
Anyway, the book was really disappointing. I wasn't disgusted by the scenes in the book, the things in the real world, our world I mean, are much more disgusting and horrifying than anything that has happened in this entire story. The main girl character, I'm not even gonna bother remembering her name for the simple reason that I can't and am too lazy to go check for it. She was stupid and naive in my mind. She literally didn't think.
Then her brother, he is an even bigger idiot. You get a couple of wins in a card game, then you challenge the big alien dude and poof! You've lost everything and are now in a massive dept. Nice job, kid, you did well.
Her alien-stalker-to-be-boyfriend was okay. Well, I don't know how you'd describe him, he isn't like overbearing alphas, but that was the only word I could find for him. I guess he really does love her and such, but this whole thirst thing going on with him is pretty dumb. Again, this is a story that is missing detail, but I'm not gonna bother arguing with that because I'm not intrigued. I don't think I ever was.
The rape scenes weren't rape just so you know. The main definition is the "unlawful compelling of a person to have intercourse." He didn't do that, he licked her and she just started bawling like a baby. She knew what she was getting into. She's even scene is happen.
Then the ending was horrible. He's dying when she finds him, so she gives him her 'honey' to give him life back. You have to read it to understand why it was so horrible, and like other fairy tales. Don't get me wrong, I cab read a few fairy tales every once in a while. This book was boring, don't get it. One star is the final rating.
First issue: it was more boring than reading a biography for Kristen Stewart, and we all know how boring she can be. At least that's what the television said, I don't know how accurate that is.
Anyway, the book was really disappointing. I wasn't disgusted by the scenes in the book, the things in the real world, our world I mean, are much more disgusting and horrifying than anything that has happened in this entire story. The main girl character, I'm not even gonna bother remembering her name for the simple reason that I can't and am too lazy to go check for it. She was stupid and naive in my mind. She literally didn't think.
Then her brother, he is an even bigger idiot. You get a couple of wins in a card game, then you challenge the big alien dude and poof! You've lost everything and are now in a massive dept. Nice job, kid, you did well.
Her alien-stalker-to-be-boyfriend was okay. Well, I don't know how you'd describe him, he isn't like overbearing alphas, but that was the only word I could find for him. I guess he really does love her and such, but this whole thirst thing going on with him is pretty dumb. Again, this is a story that is missing detail, but I'm not gonna bother arguing with that because I'm not intrigued. I don't think I ever was.
The rape scenes weren't rape just so you know. The main definition is the "unlawful compelling of a person to have intercourse." He didn't do that, he licked her and she just started bawling like a baby. She knew what she was getting into. She's even scene is happen.
Then the ending was horrible. He's dying when she finds him, so she gives him her 'honey' to give him life back. You have to read it to understand why it was so horrible, and like other fairy tales. Don't get me wrong, I cab read a few fairy tales every once in a while. This book was boring, don't get it. One star is the final rating.
October 31, 2011
I thought I would be getting a hot and heavy but fun sci fi romance. Instead I got a tale of a heroine who is down on her luck and working as a waitress whose hoohaa could compete with Niagra Falls. An alien hero who has a gyno instrument and that allows him to 'drink' from the fountain of lube and is part of his mating ritual. And semi rape voyeuristic scenes of another woman being forced to do a menage. It wasn't sexy, and it wasn't even campy fun. May do a full review later.
October 20, 2011
Good story, with an alpha hero physically perfect for me ^^
just to say the heroin is a little too shy for me, she is shy too much and too long !
just to say the heroin is a little too shy for me, she is shy too much and too long !
August 2, 2014
DNF. That was disgusting.
October 7, 2023
Ehh... I'm not sure why Anderson has to make all the females stupidly naive and have such sexual hang-ups they seem to all have been shammed or shamed themselves into thinking sex is somehow wrong specifically anything oral... though all the guys have some sort of need to do oral the females all resist it, and fight their desires.
The premise of the alien species and their biological particularities is fine but the girl and the xenophobic attitude they all have including her is beyond ridiculous. She watches the miners behaving like animals but somehow that isn't as bad as this alien who has never actually done anything "bad"
She and her brother brought their situation on themselves but she blames him for it all. Her brother stupidly gets in to a gambling game that gets them into massive debt. She agrees to a deal to pay it back but keeps trying to renege all the while suspecting him of being the liar. He tells her not to run and the consequences because he physically won't be able to control his reactions and she intentionally, knowingly choses to run to trigger that reaction then decides to hate and blame him for those consequences.
The premise of the alien species and their biological particularities is fine but the girl and the xenophobic attitude they all have including her is beyond ridiculous. She watches the miners behaving like animals but somehow that isn't as bad as this alien who has never actually done anything "bad"
She and her brother brought their situation on themselves but she blames him for it all. Her brother stupidly gets in to a gambling game that gets them into massive debt. She agrees to a deal to pay it back but keeps trying to renege all the while suspecting him of being the liar. He tells her not to run and the consequences because he physically won't be able to control his reactions and she intentionally, knowingly choses to run to trigger that reaction then decides to hate and blame him for those consequences.
April 24, 2025
I've read about 20 of Evangeline Anderson's books and endless alien romances and this was the one that focused the most on dub/non-con situations, making it a hard read (at least for me). (I've only read one other book in this genre with a non-con situation - ahem, Ruby Dixon)
In this story Charlie is on a planet called "Hole" after her parents died and she couldn't afford to take care of her brother any other way. She's a waitress at a bar that is filled with miners (all human, which apparently makes them 'better" than the Xorn aliens that are also around) who take a lot of liberties with one of the other waitresses and no one seems to care.
Meanwhile Lynx is a Xorn who has found his fated mate in Charlie. He maneuvers a situation where she is beholden to him and she agrees to help him out (though she can be a very annoying character herself). Long story short, they end up together.
If you are looking to read some Evangeline Anderson books, I prefer the first 20 or so of the Brides of the Kindred series, which have 0 dub- or non-con situations, and better plots.
In this story Charlie is on a planet called "Hole" after her parents died and she couldn't afford to take care of her brother any other way. She's a waitress at a bar that is filled with miners (all human, which apparently makes them 'better" than the Xorn aliens that are also around) who take a lot of liberties with one of the other waitresses and no one seems to care.
Meanwhile Lynx is a Xorn who has found his fated mate in Charlie. He maneuvers a situation where she is beholden to him and she agrees to help him out (though she can be a very annoying character herself). Long story short, they end up together.
If you are looking to read some Evangeline Anderson books, I prefer the first 20 or so of the Brides of the Kindred series, which have 0 dub- or non-con situations, and better plots.
March 27, 2024
I’m being generous with 2 stars.
I liked that there weren’t typos, I noticed two - “thought” was written instead of “through” and the other time was in dialogue where the MCs were speaking to each other in their minds and the author italicized that dialogue but didn’t un-italicize when she should have.
I think the story had potential. Definitely erotica-filled.
But I hated that Charlie pretty much was raped every time except when she somehow finally realized she loved Lynx and revived him from the almost dead.
Charlie was quite unlikeable as a character. Naive and innocent, judgmental, goodie goodie, stupid, she was probably supposed to come off as an innocent, pure person but instead seemed stupid and ignorant.
I liked that there weren’t typos, I noticed two - “thought” was written instead of “through” and the other time was in dialogue where the MCs were speaking to each other in their minds and the author italicized that dialogue but didn’t un-italicize when she should have.
I think the story had potential. Definitely erotica-filled.
But I hated that Charlie pretty much was raped every time except when she somehow finally realized she loved Lynx and revived him from the almost dead.
Charlie was quite unlikeable as a character. Naive and innocent, judgmental, goodie goodie, stupid, she was probably supposed to come off as an innocent, pure person but instead seemed stupid and ignorant.
October 6, 2025
This book was truly original. Just the whole concept of the thirst is something so original it gave me goosebumps. A fantastic read! A great new twist on the old concept of"slut shaming" and women feeling bad about themselves for enjoying their bodies being worshiped. I really enjoyed this book, and bit just for the spiciness!
January 5, 2018
It was a bit different from the books I'm used to read so I was a bit skeptical at first. It prove itself to be great read, I'm surprised in a good way (with is not often). Yeah it is strange but I liked it.
May 15, 2022
I heard about this one on the Read Me Romance podcast and was intrigued. I didn't enjoy it. The book is filled with manipulation, miscommunication, and lying, and is just generally strange. I usually love the "undesirable" hero trope, but this one wasn't it for me.
August 25, 2025
I truly enjoyed this book. Love how it made true intimate sex feel special and everyother kind of sex abnormal. It took sex to another level, not just a kind of moment thing but a bond for life. It a must read.
September 27, 2020
Hot and sexy. Dual POV, well written and edited. A really engaging and enjoyable story including the female lead working past prejudice to see the being the male lead is.
June 8, 2023
TRIGGERS: sexual assault, prostitution. Terrible narrator. The whispering was annoying
Read
December 31, 2023Terribly long and immature
February 29, 2024
Charlie, the most annoying thing ever.
March 18, 2017
One of my favorites. Great book. Hottest sex ever. Great world building. Love Sci/fy/
December 15, 2012
I was really feeling sad for Lynx at first because well he's not so repulsive right? maybe scary but not so 'icky' to be around with right? I think he's really nice, gentle, sweet and caring (aside from being extremely gorgeous :p) and I'm kinda annoyed with Charlotte Elizabeth Owen-Stratton a.k.a Charlie in here, I think she's over reacting with what she's hearing about the Xorn people(which Lynx is a pure-bred one)like it always kept on popping in my head that
why not give him a chance to prove himself?? DAMN IT!
and I think he's really lonely....*sigh and I don't know what to feel with this book, I've got mixed emotions in here, it was okay and at the same time 'not so okay'. Good thing Charlie redeemed herself remarkably at the end. It's just that..after I finished reading this one, I still feel quite sad with Lynx even if it has a HEA in it and I DON'T KNOW WHY he kinda reminds me of Kurt Teauge in Planet Xalso by Ms.Evangeline Anderson except that Lynx has golden vertically slitted pupil eyes(like that of a cat) and Kurt Teague has completely silver eyes that has second black eye lids that protectively covers his eyes when in contact with glaring lights, but both of them are compared to a scary savage beast or to a wild and feral animal and they both came from another planet and both are very massive, very muscular and very huge men with dark hair. So I think they have plenty in common :)
April 19, 2012
2.75 Stars! (I am being a tad bit generous.)
Structurally not a bad story....Characters were developed, I liked them and felt the author did a good job allowing us to get to know them and get inside their head. But the end was very predictable and the sex, although smoken' did not translate into love for me.
The author tried to connect the feelings these two had for each other and for the female I just did not get it. What were her feelings based on? I just did not feel their connection.
The author did a great job setting up the beginning and the attraction.....I just felt it petered out towards the middle of the novel. Maybe if the book were longer than 168 pages and a little more relationship building went on in the middle.
I got a bit creeped out by the "drinking apparatus"...and the mating ritual....too much talking about it. And, I just knew when she went back to him to save his life how she was going to do it.....Please.....:-P
Anyway, I had hoped for more emotion and felt it was a little too bare bones for my taste.
Structurally not a bad story....Characters were developed, I liked them and felt the author did a good job allowing us to get to know them and get inside their head. But the end was very predictable and the sex, although smoken' did not translate into love for me.
The author tried to connect the feelings these two had for each other and for the female I just did not get it. What were her feelings based on? I just did not feel their connection.
The author did a great job setting up the beginning and the attraction.....I just felt it petered out towards the middle of the novel. Maybe if the book were longer than 168 pages and a little more relationship building went on in the middle.
I got a bit creeped out by the "drinking apparatus"...and the mating ritual....too much talking about it. And, I just knew when she went back to him to save his life how she was going to do it.....Please.....:-P
Anyway, I had hoped for more emotion and felt it was a little too bare bones for my taste.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2011
Good story but I getting deja vu while I was reading it especially toward the end. Charlotte "Charlie" and her brother Will are running from debtors after her uncle squanders all of their wealth and her fiancee breaks it off. She's barely making it as a waitress and her brother as a busboy. Lynx is a Xorn who lives on this backwater planet of misfits and runaways owning a casino. He's scented Charlie and knows she is the "One" for him, but now he has to convince her. Xorn are known as emotional vampires and are feared and hated and that's all Charlie knows.
There's this big scene toward the end that I kept thinking I've read this before, I knew what was going to happen next and I even knee the final emotional scene. I just don't remember from where because the beginning of the book was unfamiliar. 3.5 stars
There's this big scene toward the end that I kept thinking I've read this before, I knew what was going to happen next and I even knee the final emotional scene. I just don't remember from where because the beginning of the book was unfamiliar. 3.5 stars
August 8, 2012
Futuristic fantasy feel erotica read heavy on the erotica.
Has a descent story line that I loved with a LOT of erotica. The fantasy tag is the premise the author used for the alpha male hero Lynx to have poor innocent human Charlie have prolonged sex over. That was quite a stretch to believe. No spoilers but if you can believe that such a theory is real the overall story is pretty good. There's also some scenes of dubious/non consent, public sex, and language in this book that some readers might find objectionable but don't involve the central characters. I personally was ok with all that but wanted to put it out there.
The outcome is predictable but if you like a raunchy read involving alpha dangerous men finding their mate in an unusual fashion and a lot of seduction and sex thrown in, you'll definitely like this book.
Has a descent story line that I loved with a LOT of erotica. The fantasy tag is the premise the author used for the alpha male hero Lynx to have poor innocent human Charlie have prolonged sex over. That was quite a stretch to believe. No spoilers but if you can believe that such a theory is real the overall story is pretty good. There's also some scenes of dubious/non consent, public sex, and language in this book that some readers might find objectionable but don't involve the central characters. I personally was ok with all that but wanted to put it out there.
The outcome is predictable but if you like a raunchy read involving alpha dangerous men finding their mate in an unusual fashion and a lot of seduction and sex thrown in, you'll definitely like this book.
November 14, 2014
I love reading Beauty and the Beast stories and in this one, Beauty meets her Beast, in space. This trope is way up there on my favorites list and this story is a pretty great example of it.
Lynx is ridiculously hot and while I liked Charlie, she got on my nerves just a little mid-way through the book. I really liked some of the ideas in this story and would like to read more about this version of the universe.
The only reason it did not receive a 5 star is because of a couple scenes with a fellow barmaid. Believe me, you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there but I don't want to post any spoilers so that is all I'll say about it. I just had a problem with how the scenes were handled and how the heroine reacted to them.
All-in-all, this one will definitely be read again.
Lynx is ridiculously hot and while I liked Charlie, she got on my nerves just a little mid-way through the book. I really liked some of the ideas in this story and would like to read more about this version of the universe.
The only reason it did not receive a 5 star is because of a couple scenes with a fellow barmaid. Believe me, you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there but I don't want to post any spoilers so that is all I'll say about it. I just had a problem with how the scenes were handled and how the heroine reacted to them.
All-in-all, this one will definitely be read again.
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