Red-Haired Ash Reads

Zylar of Kith Balak is an awkward and extremely sweet alien who is just looking for a nest mate. After he fails the annual Choosing for the fourth time he knows he only has one more chance at finding a mate. He tries to use a matchmaking service to find a new mate but a freak solar flare and a damaged ship AI lead him off course to the planet Earth, and to Beryl Bowman.

I was so surprised by how much I loved this story. Zylar is an incredibly sweet and caring alien who is constantly looked down upon by his family, and especially his brother. When he abducts Beryl he thinks their marriage of convenience will be emotionless but he quickly realizes that isn’t the case. I really enjoyed learning about Zylar and his species. They are not humanoid really and their whole culture is very regimented and follows a strict mating code. Zylar was a sweet alien who truly just wanted love and happiness and he found that with Beryl.

Beryl was a smart and courageous woman. She accepts her abduction relatively well and agrees to the marriage without knowing anything about Zylar or his culture. I really enjoyed watching Beryl kick ass during the Choosing matches. One of my favorite parts of this story though was the fact that Beryl’s looks were considered terrifying, especially when she smiled. It was a nice change of pace for an alien romance. 

The romance between these two was so sweet. They slowly got to learn about each other, their cultures, and what intimacy is like. These two really took their time getting to know each other and each other’s bodies. Sex between them doesn’t involve penetration, outside of fingers or toys, because Zylar’s alien parts don’t work that way, but their sex life was still very steamy and emotional. I enjoyed this difference and how they still found ways to be intimate with each other. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this couple and the trials they faced. I am looking forward to reading more of this series and learning more about this world. 

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