The Bond that Ties Us

Eternal Bond #1

by Christine d'Abo

First in the Eternal Bond seriesHaylie knows her life is about to change the moment she sets foot on the Eurus colony. What she didn't count on was her instant, overwhelming sexual desire for the seven-foot-tall, sexy as hell alien ambassador. He's in her every thought and dream, teasing and taunting her body into a sexual frenzy.Kamran has waited his whole life to find his bonded mate. When she arrives in the form of a slender human with brilliant eyes, he can't stop his all-consuming need to possess her. If their bond is discovered, they will be forced by Briel law to leave the colony, giving up the lives they've worked so hard to build.While Haylie and Kamran fight their growing desire, their colony is threatened by an unseen enemy. When the colony comes under attack by a brutal alien force, can Haylie and Kamran keep their bond a secret and stop the invasion in time to save everyone?

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Erotica, Aliens, Paranormal, Adult, Fantasy

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2007

About the author

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over forty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.


My thoughts on any of my Goodreads reviews are only my opinion as a reader. I don't post anything here that I'd give less than three stars to.

Reviews

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

++Spoilers++

3.5 stars

It took me awhile to get into the book but at about 60% is where it really took off.

It's not a hard core science fiction read, (it is more romance driven) so I am excusing lack of technology and world building in my rating.

I was a little put off at the dialog in the first "lovemaking" scene. I have no problem with dirty talk, but here.. it was a bit of a turn off. The heroine exclaims in the heat of passion "oh shit!"
umm... no. I personally don't find this exclamation erotic.. it's more like what I'd say if I stubbed my toe. The scene was still hot, and thankfully the multiple other sex scenes did not repeat it.

The other thing that put me off was the lack of falling in love. It was all lust..at first. It became pretty clear soon after that it was done so for a reason. To make a point. Here let me try to clarify.

So the heroine is human, and is assigned to a planet as security cheif for the human population. She has an insta lust for the alien ambassador and he with her. His race only bonds with their mate ..when found. But his race has never bonded with a human before.

During the story it is clear she is his mate, but she, being human is not really into it because the love hasn't come yet and she is not sure if it will. This alien race, bonds to their mate due to biochemistry.. not love, and stay bonded to their mates regardless if they ever fall in love or not. This also bothers the heroine.

There is more to the story.. and stop reading here if you don't want this very big spoiler.





In short...The bond the H & h share is broken..when the antagonist dies. It seems he is the cause for the unnatural bond the H & h shared to begin with. The good news is, by this time, the H & h have fallen in love and still wish to marry.


So there it is. Hang in there, don't be put off by the lack of love in the beginning, it does get better.

All in all the story could have been executed better, but as a whole was enjoyable for me. A nice break from a few bad reads I just had.

If you can get this for low cost or free.. I'd recommend it. I may try other books in the future by this author for she seems to show good potential.


Safety:

Hero-Virgin
Heroine-Experienced
Cheating-No
OW/OM-No
Violence- a little
Cursing-yes
Sex-lots and it's pretty hot. well done (except for the bit I mentioned above)
Adultery-No
Rape-No
Marriage-not confirmed but mentioned they weanted to be, so I'd say yes
Baby-no
Abuse-no
Torture-No
BDSM-A little. Hero has arms tied to bed..heroine in control. One scene.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/27/2019)! 🎁

[Karen Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good, funny characters; girls pals are amusing and perfect together; guys are interesting and willing to learn.

With other reviewers - I seriously have to wonder what you expect from a book labeled erotica and skip the sex bits? Why?

Looking for the other books and the communities the writer is building.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really more of a 3.5, especially when I'm cranky or caffeine deprived.

Steamy and yummmy. Nice strong protagonists and interesting conflict that drives the story. I'm not a huge fan of a prevalent motif utilized (dream sequences), but I liked a lot of what the book offered.

Cons: Simplified resolution and some Deux ex Machina

[Annette Aguilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whom to trust, no one!

A beautifully written adventure that leaves you desperate to finish it to find out who the evil villain is! It will keep you guessing, second guessing, and completely confused as to who is controlling the evil that is slowly stalking them! Who is good, who is evil, and who is betraying and controlling them! No one is quite who they seem! Enjoy!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A five star personal classic.

This was the first naughty SciFi book I ever read. A jewel from Ellora’s Cave that lit up my nights! It felt like coming home and seeing old friends, friends-with-benefits ;)

[Miku · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had been good read. Haylie and Kamran's instant attraction were well explained and was not just regarded with them being soul mates. There was a lot of things going on in the book with the romance and trouble in the Eurus colony and the characters interaction.

I like Haylie and Sara's friendship the same with Taber and Kamran's relationship. The only reason that stopped me from giving this a five star was the lack of investigation and depth of the real threat in the colony. I know the problem was well explained but I just found it somewhat lacking with what happen to Sean and the former chief the aftermath of the attack and how Haylie and Kamran never really had an actual conversation about the problem at hand when they all they do was had sex. The dreams weren't all that well explained to what it meant like the little Sean in the dream. That is my only problem with the book. I do recommend everyone to try and read this book to anyone who wants to have a light read.

[Ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This book really surprised me on so many different levels. First of all I'm not into sci-fi romance stories but this one convinced me that I am missing out on some very good books out there.

This book not only had an incredibly HOT romance going on but a mystery plotline that keep me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen next and who was involved in the murders and sabotage on the colony.

Where to begin with this review. The book starts off with Haylie arriving at the colony and immediately she starts feeling hot and bothered and is ready to have an orgasm just by being near the Briel ambassador Kamran. Now I love how the author describes this hunky alien describing him as a 7 foot Greek God hung like a stallion (LOL I'm not exaggerating she describes exactly how large he is. LOL yes I know I'm a perv). :)

Before they know it they are drawn to each other like moths to a flame due to the biological ways Briels find their mate and engage in some very intense lovemaking that has them trying to catch their breath. As time passes they find they can't keep their hands off each other and out of each others' mind literally. Due to their bond they can feel what the other is feeling and are able to communicate with each other telepathically. However, that bond has somehow allowed for an evil force to invade their dreams as well that are real and able to inflict deadly results.

There were several surprises in the book that gripped me and made me feel the pain and anguish that Haylie and Kamram were going through at times that made the book more appealing. Not only is it able to get you all hot and bothered, but allows you to develop an emotional connection to the characters and their plight.

I highly recommend this book to anyone you wants a hot, erotic romance that actually has a romance as well as an intriguing mystery to keep the reader on their toes. This is the first book in the Eternal Bond series and now I am hooked and plan to read the rest of the books in this series.

P.S. I LOVE the book cover SO HOT! Makes me want to know who is the guy? :)

5 Stars

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sci-fi erotica that starts with Security Chief Hailey, newly arrived to the outer colony Eurus after a two-year cryo-sleep, having a near orgasm while standing in line eyeballing an alien hottie. Guess it was a long time for her.

The story is focused and intense and not just a backdrop for the sexual action, of which there is a lot. Alien bug creatures are threatening to attack the human colony, our alien hottie is an ambassador of another, benevolent alien race trying to broker an accord between the humans and the bugs. The colony adminstrator is acting funny. Strange events happen on the colony - miners are hurt, computer hackers are murdered, and our security chief and the alien ambassador hook up on the observation deck. Deep Space Nine was never this intense.

Very cool book. I look forward to the next in the series.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sexually satisfying book, but would have been better if the male were stronger. I feel as if the focus was on how strong the female was. All I learned about Kamren is the fact that he heals faster than a human. Even that could have been more than what the story turned out to be. I like thinking that fate wins in the end and was disappointed in the way the story ended. I guess I'm old fashioned, but I would like to think that soul mates do exist and that it is possible to find that mate no matter how many delays in the road. I don't like to think that the couple may not have been truly meant to be if not for some circumstantial clues that were manipulated into something that should never have worked. I understand and agree with the concept of free will, but also believe that sometimes things were meant to be no matter what the circumstances

[Chappy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. The author has an uncanny gift of bringing love, lust and aliens together in a good way. She makes even human/alien love something to cherish, I could go for a slice of Briel right about now. You can really feel the chemistry between Kamran and Hailley...HOT. I will eagerly read the following books in this series...and I know that Christine won't disappoint.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexy with an interesting plot. There were a few small things that could've been better, that's why 4 stars instead of 5. I think I'll re-read it at some point, and I'm reading the next in the series right away.

[Brutally Honest · Rating 5 out of 5]

So let me just say that THIS is how scifi romance should be written. Christine d'Abo sets a high bar for other writers to reach. I can't even write a review because I loved it so much.

[Heather Rosman]

Join Haylie Bond on an adventure across the universe in THE BOND THAT TIES US by Christine d'Abo. Join her as she fights off evil insects and falls in love with an alien Ambassador along the way.

Haylie Bond arrives at the Eurus colony after a two-year trip in cryosleep from the Earth. She is determined to make a good security chief but makes an interesting first impression when she is overwhelmed by her hormonal response to the Ambassador from Briel. Haylie doesn't know what to do because she can't control the feelings she is experiencing and her friend Sarah, the new doctor for the colony, believes that she is having an adverse reaction to space travel. The last thing she needs is to be sent back to Earth because of sickness.

Ambassador Kamran always believed he would never find his true mate. Kamran's siblings all found their mates; knowing that he didn't have a destined partner, and likely wouldn't find one because of the diminishing number of female Briel born each year, Kamran's life is even lonelier. A Briel mate is chemically designed for his or her partner before birth; their relationship is predetermined. Briel mates know each other by the immediate physical response to each other's bodies reminiscent of Christine Feehan's Carpathian series. So when Kamran has a response to the new human security chief, Haylie, he is shocked and doesn't know what to do.

Kamran and Haylie begin a secret affair. If the Briel counsel knew, they would insist that Kamran and Haylie return to the Briel home planet and begin reproducing in order to further the culture. But keeping their affair secret soon becomes the least of their problems as they are faced with a war with the evil insectoid race, the Ecada.


Christine d'Abo has created two very absorbing characters. Kamran is not just a stoic alien; he is a being with a lonely past. Haylie is a take charge, take no prisoners kind of woman readers can respect. Their story is a sweet one, set on a plot of adventure and intrigue. I only hope Ms. d'Abo continues her story-I'd like to see Haylie's friend Sara find a little love too.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a great book. It had a great story, there were little bit no grammatical errors, the protagonists were likable and believable and the world building was pretty good but why the preponderance of sex on every page? How does an alien who never had sex know so much about an alien female's body and the words to use to arouse? Why is this alien so anatomically correct and not have any differences. The idea of bonding was great and when the bond was broken it was way to convenient that the Council "knew a way" to fix it. Too cheesy in some parts and but the story has merit.

[Shyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bond that Ties Us

First thing, if an author writes a story then they should have enough sense to do a good job of editing!!!

They came together unexpectedly and are trying there best to understand what is happening to them. If only things would stop happening so they could be together for life.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crazy Monkeys

I never thought I'd say that a book had way too much sex. This day is that day.

Not sure if I'll read book 2... Maybe if it has more substance and less crazy monkey sex?

[Nessa]

Smutty plot. It was okay, but I was craving more depth and character complexity, so this barely fit the bill. I got bored after the first time they did the deed, which was pretty quick. Insta-lust is a hit or miss for me. Insta-love? Not my thing.

[Sylvie Howick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and I have to say WOW, great story, and characters you can really fall in love with.

[Sabrina Kennard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This had passion adventure with a twist. Good read with good detail. Wonder what another book would be focused on, this can read as a stand alone.

[Christine]

Four out of Five Stars from Just Erotic Romance Reviews - Reviewed by Francesca Hayne

The Bond That Ties Us is a fascinating futuristic tale that I greatly enjoyed. The underlying currents surrounding the threat to the colony keeps tension infused in the story. The plot flows smoothly with plenty of action to keep both the sex and the relationship fresh and intriguing. I found the alien customs and mores of the Briel people to be compelling and I would have loved to see their unusual conventions explored in more depth. Kamran is the typical ambassador; he thinks with his head and is a balanced character. Because of this, I loved seeing when he lost control with Haylie, allowing his biology and instincts to take over. In many ways, Haylie is quite like Kamran; she has a goal in mind for her life, yet she listens to her desires, making her occasionally impulsive. She has an intuitive personality. The sex, while spicy and imbued with passion, doesn’t underrate from the growing love story between Kamran and Haylie. Sometimes too much sex can detract from my enjoyment but I didn’t feel that happened with The Bond That Ties Us. It had just enough sex to keep me absorbed in the plot. While Kamran and Haylie have sex rather quickly in the timeline of the story, it was not out of place or awkward. In fact, the sex helped make their growing bond more believable. Those readers who are looking for in-depth plot and enticing romance with a futuristic tone will find The Bond That Ties Us an appealing read.

[ILove MadsMikkelsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

pas baca sinopsis nya sih mikir "wah, kayanya bagus nih..." Haylie, salah satu perwakilan dari ras manusia yg dtugaskan utk sebuah misi di sebuah planet (nama planetnya apa ya?) dan dsana bertemulah dgn sang duta besar dari ras alien, tinggi, jantan, seksi, dsb.. dan merekapun sejak pertama kali ketemu sudah ada 'debar2 asmara' (ceileeh istilahnya)

ya singkat kalimat, debar2 yg mereka rasakan itu ternyata tanda2 mereka itu pasangan, dimana itu hasil karya dr salah satu dokter alien di planet itu, dan dokter itu si penjahatnya di buku ini. tujuannya apa? pokonya si dokter ini muak sama ras manusia.

tapi akhirnya dokter itu mati, dan bonded mate antara Haylie dan Kamran pun mwnghilang. tapi mereka udh terlanjur saling cinta dan para petinggi di planet itupun merestui serta mengikat mereka kembali sbg pasangan. anehnyaaaa...

hmmm.. make love scenesnya seru, tp dr segi cerita..... ga tau yaa apa genre sci-fi ini ga cocok buat aku atau apanya, pokonya ga nikmat bacanya. hampir ga mau kelarin malah!

[Crystal S · Rating 2 out of 5]

How about a disclaimer first. I have to be in the right mood to read erotica, otherwise I get irritated at all the rampant sex. I think I may have burned out on erotica a while back because I haven't not been irritated by them in a long time. (Why did I read this then you ask? For a challenge it fit in and I gave the 2nd book in this series 5 stars so I figured I'd enjoy this one too despite my general annoyance with erotica lately).

So, I admit I'm probably being overly harsh with my rating. Having read the 2nd book first (over 2 years ago) and rating it 5 stars, I started with high hopes. But there was too much sex getting in the way of what could have been a really interesting and fun plot if it was fully developed. Not that it was one of those erotica's without a plot; it DID have one. It was just kind of surface-y and weak. No detail to it. We barely got to know our characters in depth at all. Overall, it was just kind of blah.

[Daisy Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting read for me. Having always been a movie Sci-Fi fan, it comes as no surprise that I like Sci-Fi books as well.

Christine d'Abo has created a story that is intriguing, hot and romantic. I loved her characters. They're strong, committed, and kick ass without being jerks, snarky, or asses. I loved the suspense in the book. I was slightly surprised at who the "mastermind" was. I figured it out about 3/4 of the way through the book and it surprised me when I found out. I'm still unclear of his motive, but that' ok. I still really liked the story!

I really looking forward to reading more from this series!

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am glad that this one wasn't the first book I read by this author as it was just ok for me. I liked the theory of the mates, how when they realize their mate is near they will do anything to get to them. I also loved watching Kamram and Haylie react to that bond, how it is normally dealt with in Kamram's world, and how it would affect them where they were.

The other part of the book with what was going on the planet was pretty predictable. It was easy to guess who the bad guy was.

I liked the ending, was glad that Kamram and Haylie were able to get back what they lost.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little sexy sci-fi romp. There were a couple of times where I wasn't sure if things would end up in the realm of Happily Ever After. There was the requisite mayhem and sexin' (not at the same time) and some funky, creepy aliens. I like.

This book was a free Kindle download I picked up 12/19/11 for the Why Buy the Cow? reading challenge.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been easily a good sci-fi, if the author hadn't gone erotica. It's a pity, because the plot is interesting. Three races mingling, different customs, someone who want to disrupt peace talks, a bombing, a woman officer falling for someone she shouldn't.

I kept skipping the sex scenes, going for the action. But alas, they were many and too soon :) (Ever read of sexual tension, Ms d'Albo? . I was told it is as good as the actual deed, if not better...)

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! Not only did it have great sex, but the mystery of all the issues taking place on the Eurus colony add to the excitement of the story.

I love the building of the relationship between Haylie and Kamran. I kept guessing who was the bad guy and was surprised who is was at the end (though it was probably obvious to some).

Again, I loved this story and look forward to reading it again and again.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I expected when I started reading this book. I got it as a freebie and thought why not I'll give it a try.

I certainly wasn't expecting to like it. I tend to avoid anything sci-fi'ish but this book didn't feel like it was. Yes it was set on a different planet but once you start to get to know the characters you just fall into the story.

I will certainly be adding the next ones in this series in my TBR pile.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was plenty of action and sex in this book, but for some reason I just wasn't pulled in. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood, or perhaps it was not a book for me - I'm not sure. Like other reviewers, I do not like dream sequences in the books I read. I will generally pass up books if I know there will be dreams in the story. Feeling constantly fuzzy while reading a book annoys me and that is how this felt.