Barbarian Lover
Ratings67
Average rating3.6
«You are entirely too cold, my lovely mate. Let your male warm you up. »
«”How long does resonance last?” “Until I plant a kit inside you.” »
Rating: 4.75/5 ⭐
Genre: Alien Romance
Tropes: Alien, Kidnapping, Infertility,
Format: KU ebook
Pages: 191
Spice: 3
Kira who? Sorry, all I see is a bad ass bitch here.
Omg, I loved her progression.
Aehako was obviously fantastic. I totally loved him when I was introduced to him in Barbarian Alien, and he ‘allowed' himself to be kidnapped by Liz, and that personality shines on in his very own story. Just a down to Earth (
ok ok after DNFing book #2 I decided to try this one bc I still think the goofy-ass worldbuilding is fun but I just couldn't deal with the enemies to lovers of it all and ummm we're BACK hehe
and honestly I can't really explain why bc this whole premise is full of stuff I don't normally enjoy (“fated mates”, pregnancy, etc) but idk when you're on an ice planet the rules don't apply. (I think it probably does go back to the podcast discussion we had about the first book, about it being like kind of an anticapitalist fantasy where you don't have to work or make decisions you just like, vibe in a cave? which obviously is not a life I would CHOOSE but umm it's fun to read about I guess?)
Also the whole time Kira was like "oh no I'm infertile" I was like babe obviously your space parasite will heal you and I was a little surprised literally no one mentioned that but also it was nice that her alien bf accepted her even when he thought she was infertile. Also I appreciated but also LOL'd at Ruby Dixon's author's note about how she was wary about magically curing infertility so she carefully researched to find a condition to give Kira that could reasonably be cured. By the alien parasite!!! lol incredibleeeeee
anyway I took this to a beach house and read the whole thing in one day sooooo....yeah
I loved Aehako!!! He was so charming but a sweet protective guy to quiet Kira. He called her sad eyes as a term of endearment and it was everything
“Barbarian Lover” stands out not only for its thrilling narrative but also for its progressive approach towards child-free relationships. In a genre often dominated by traditional family structures, this book refreshes with its respect for the choice to remain child-free. The author delicately balances the romance and adventure elements while offering a thoughtful portrayal of a relationship where having children isn't the pinnacle of success or love. This perspective is a welcome and necessary addition to the romance genre, offering validation and representation for readers who choose a similar path in their lives. It's a powerful statement in a subtle package, intertwining a gripping story with a modern take on personal choices and love.
Rating: 4.1 leaves out of 5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Genre: Fantasy/Aliens/Romance
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yeah
I think this is by far the best one in the series I have read. Kira's story was had me kind of broken and towards the end had me pretty scared. It was a really touching story that was a lot more focus on bonding.
2023 RE-READ
Aehako remains one of my favorites. I suggest not listening to the audiobook for this one. The voices were not my ish and made him sound like a goof. He is light hearted but not an idiot.
Back into this series after a long time away
Getting back to Ice Planet Barbarians was a treat! I loved Aehako and Kira together! Aehako is a total sweetheart. Sweet Kira basically becomes a badass, and I loved it!