Aubin by Annabelle Rex

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Before getting to some book club books over the weekend, I wanted something shorter to read after work Thursday and Friday. I decided to go back to my novella/short book default of Sci-Fi Romance! After bingeing Annabelle Rex's Intergalactic Soulmates series during the Kindle Clear Out Readathon earlier this year, I was excited to see she had written more in the same universe! The 5th book is Aubin. I ended up reading this in one sitting. I also applied this read to the pink on the cover prompt for the Summer of Swoon!

Before I go too much into the book, I want to chat about the author's note at the end. In the previous book, things were wrapped up pretty well and this series was originally only planned to have the 4 books. Annabelle noted that she kept thinking about after the events of those books and once the DNA match program has been accepted and Earth more integrated with the rest of the universe. That's were this series continues. It is set in the same universe, but won't deal directly with the previous characters. She also has a note about this books premise, which is a unique take on the alien fated mates trope that I really liked.

We meet Sophie, our heroine, commiserating with her friends. Her long time boyfriend of 6 years has taken the match test and would like Sophie to take it as well. They were both solo vloggers about travelling, but once they started dating merged their channels. Anthony has in his mind the perfect plan. They both take the test and prove that they are perfect for each other, further cementing their plans. He takes it first, before telling Sophie and doesn't get a match. He then pushes her to do it. This puts Sophie in such a terrible position whichever way she chooses. She ends up taking the test and they find out that she has a match, an alien named Aubin.

I really enjoyed the look at the match test and how it could affect those currently in a relationship. Of course, since it's a romance, we do get insight into how they really weren't as perfect of a match and Anthony was continuously expecting Sophie to be the only one to compromise and fit his plans. She is heartbroken and then feels guilty to Aubin that she can't be excited and in the same mindset as him upon matching. This then becomes an extraterrestrial epistolary romance, which was super fun. It'll take Aubin about six weeks to get to Earth and they take that time to send video and text messages to each other. I love how as Aubin gets closer they both are starting to really fall for each other and get impatient to have in person conversations. When Aubin arrives, their first meeting is so beautiful and I absolutely loved it. It had me grinning.

Another thing I want to mention is Sophie being able to find herself again before immediately jumping into a relationship with Aubin. It felt really well done and realistic the way that she was able to be pushed by herself and her friends to reset. She also gets back into her original style of travel vlogging and will be doing so throughout the universe now! This just really hit me and was so well done. I'm excited that Annabelle decided to continue the series, but branching out from her original group of characters. I'll definitely read more of the series and excited there's at least 3 more books out or planned. I also saw that there is a novella that's free from her newsletter that's connected to book 2, Cael, and is about the match of his sister. I'm really happy to jump back into Anabelle Rex's writing and will keep an eye out for future releases!

Have you read Aubin?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Aubin, Annabelle Rex, 5-stars, 0 days, eBook, 162 pages, published in 2020

Tarkken by Annabelle Rex

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The fifth book I read for the Kindle Clear Out Readathon was Tarkken by Annabelle Rex. This is the fourth and I think last book in her Intergalactic Soulmates. I've seen other covers, but the series lists I've seen only lists four. Plus the epilogue makes me think that this was the last book planned. Once again this doubled up on prompts already covered on my bingo board.

This book focuses on the computer whiz Marta (who we met in Cael and is Asha's best friend) and Tarkken (who is Cael's head of security and also his tech man). I was really hoping after reading Cael that Tarkken and Marta would be paired since they both had kind of similar roles. Tarkken also makes fun of humans and their pets, especially cats and I could see the set up since Marta has a kitty named Mouse. 

Marta's backstory was little more angsty than I was expecting, with her father constantly getting arrested and basically abandoning her without actually realizing how his actions were affecting her and their relationship. Tarkken's race is an empathic race, and to function properly must connect emotionally with others. While surface probing can help when it's large groups of people, what's really needed for his health is a deep emotional connection. Being that his home planet everyone is pretty much open emotionally all the time, he's almost neuro-diverse in that he's okay with reading others but can't stand to be read himself.  Throughout all the books, Tarkken was my favorite hero. Tarkken and Marta end up hunting the leader of the anti-alien hate group and at a club end up kissing to cover up them being in a restricted area. Quickly after, they can't stay away from each other. Marta and Tarkken are my favorite couple of the series, and if it wasn't for her father and the overarching plot, this would've been my favorite book of the series.

A big reason it didn't get 5-stars was the epilogue. It's a year or so later and there is a global government now and Earth is finally coming together. There's a bill passed that aliens are now considered "people" and are subject to laws and all the benefits of being "human." Like adoption and those that attack them being able to be persecuted. Not only was it a little long, but we meet this random other match and learn about them a little. Plus we spend a lot of time with the other three couples, including a surprise marriage for Cael and Asha. I just wanted more HEA for Marta and Tarkken. I also didn't like that their plan was to separate from everyone else and go on their own adventures. Wouldn't Cael still need his head of security to the other places he visits? I don't know, the epilogue just ruined my enjoyment and I almost wish I didn't read it. Although, it was cute that Tarkken created a little cubby for Mouse so Marta didn't have to give her up and even got a special permit to take her with them. 

Overall I enjoyed this quick little novella series and it was nice to read some alien romances that didn't have the women being kidnapped and tortured before being rescued by their heroes. I'll definitely read more from Annabelle Rex. It'd be nice to get more alien with my alien romance though. But like I've said, these were quick fun reads that was a perfect in between my planned historicals. Oh, and I didn't mention, but this also doubled for the short story or novella prompt. 

Have you read Tarkken?

Bookishly Yours, 

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Tarkken, Annabelle Rex, 4-stars, 0 days, eBook, 152 pages, published in 2020

Garrant by Annabelle Rex

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The fourth book I read for the Kindle Clear Out Readathon was book three in Annabelle Rex's Intergalactic Soulmates series, Garrant. This doubled up for prompts that were already taken on my bingo board.

So Garrant is different from the first two in that we aren't focusing as much as the overarching plot. Between Cael and Garrant (the books), Asha and Cael have put together an intergalactic games. Basically it's the Olympics, but broadcast through the universe and will feature both the human and intergalactic competitions. It's meant to be a show of good will for everyone and to help with Earth's integration. So I would classify this as a alien, fated mates, sports romance. 

Garrant is a hyperdisk athlete, which is described as a mix of basketball and football (I'm assuming the soccer football since this is mainly set in England). From the descriptions it seems more like hockey, but with a frisbee sized puck that's thrown between players. Also they wear propulsion shoes, so they're all above an anti-gravity field and kind of flying. Garrant is friends with Cael's sister, so when the group gets together for the opening ceremony, he meets Asha's sister Nell. They immediately are attracted to each other and sneak away for a quickie during the after ceremony cocktail party. 

Nell's 5 year-old son Mikey was such a sweetheart throughout this book and I loved how drawn to Garrant he was. They had such a great relationship. We also deal with Nell's ex coming back now that she's related to the new princess. He plays it off that he's interested in knowing his son and getting back with Nell, but it's really because she's become "someone." Another storyline is that Garrant is injured and this will be his last big competition before retirement. He is dealing with what comes next for him after he retires, especially since he doesn't have a match/family to spend time with. I loved the connection that Garrant and Nell shared and I loved that this was separate from all the political goings on in the other three books. If I look at the books as a whole, this would be my favorite. Once again though, I wanted more alien from him. He is covered with tattoos that are important moments in his life, but that was really the main difference. His race has this fun almost pathway-type ability that comes from meditation. Garrant hasn't mastered it though since he can't seem to sit still long enough to form that connection, but in a frank conversation with Mikey he finally achieves it. While that is alien, it's more of a meta-physical/mental power. Even though this was my favorite of the series, it didn't have that extra oomph that made it a 5-star for me. However, I did immediately jump into the fourth book Tarkken. 

Have you read Garrant?

Bookishly Yours, 

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Garrant, Annabelle Rex, 4-stars, 0 days, eBook, 136 pages, published in 2020

Cael by Annabelle Rex

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The third book I read for the Kindle Clear Out Readathon was Annabelle Rex's Cael. This is the second book in her Intergalactic Soulmates series and focuses on Prince Cael. I used this for the novella or short book prompt on my bingo board.

Our heroine Asha is mechanic and also takes on small jobs for money. She is paying back loan sharks for alien technology eye replacement for her nephew Mikey. She only has three months left, but he decides instead that she's going to take the DNA Match in exchange for the remaining debt. If she is matched, she's supposed to steal a translator and bring it back. There is a big tea party even happening (the books are set in Britain) and there's an anti-alien hate group that causes riots and ruins the event. Asha ends up saving Cael and they get separated from his bodyguards and everybody else. Asha was such a strong character, but I did think that she was a little too against the match the further we got in the story. I feel like she should've softened to Cael a little sooner and slowly so that it didn't seem like a complete 180.

I did enjoy Cael, but I did wish that he was a bit more alien. I do understand and that he was the easiest to appear human since he was the dignitary and it helped so humans wouldn't be quite as afraid, but I wanted more alien. Overall I enjoyed this quick fated mates-esque novella and am intrigued to see how the overarching plot with the hate group wraps up. I did immediately jump to the third book, Garrant, so there's that. I know this review is a little shorter, but it was cute and fine and a good break from all the historical romance I've been reading. Just not much else to say about this one.

Have you read Cael?

Bookishly Yours, 

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Cael, Annabelle Rex, 0 days, eBook, 141 pages, published in 2020

Randar by Annabelle Rex

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The second book I read for the Kindle Clear Out Readathon was Randar by Annabelle Rex. This is the first book in her Intergalactic Soulmates series. This both works for the novella or short book prompt, as well as the new author prompt. I chose for it to be on new author on my bingo board.

So after reading a lot of historical romance lately, I wanted a little bit of change before jumping into one of my other planned books for the readathon. However, most are full length and also historical. I just kind of scrolled through my kindle for a bit looking for someone I hadn't tired yet, and settled on Randar.

In this world, aliens have come to Earth and are working to integrate humans into the intergalactic community. They've brought fun new technology, including the DNA match test. This is a test that provides you a Match (once they're in the system) to kind of your fated mate. It is super successful and gave this short series a fated mates feel. Randar is a body guard to the Prince Cael (who is the hero of book 2) and ends up matched with Angela. Her friend drunkenly signs up her up after a bad date and she gets matched. As aliens are still fairly new, there aren't too many humans signing up for the program and there is a lot of picketing and protests against aliens. 

There is a lot of commentary in these books, and usually more than I care to read about so blatantly, but I did still enjoy these books. What's fun about these is that despite them being matched, it's made clear that both parties have to work on the relationship and still do the work to really have a successful relationship. Angela and Randar's first meeting is rough as each are making assumptions based on their experiences and not the fact that they are with a different species. Angela deals with a lot of abandonment and body issues, but I loved that Randar was very communicative once they broke through that barrier. I didn't like the congressman type villain that was causing Angela's insecurities to rise again, it just felt unnecessary. I did love that she overcame them and didn't lean on Randar to stand up for herself. Even though this was a shorter novella, I enjoyed the overarching plot and was intrigued to read more. I immediately jump into Cael, the second book.

Have you read Randar?

Bookishly Yours, 

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Randa, Annabelle Rex, 4-stars, 0 days, eBook, 110 pages, published in 2020