An imperfect hero battles his inner demons in a race against time to save the woman he loves…
First he had to rescue her. Then he’d try to win her back.
A Marine serving in the galactic frontier, Lieutenant Lukas Frank has a lot in common with a street dog named Bang-Bang; they both started off as scrappy orphans fighting to survive–and beat the odds. Things change when Bang-Bang leads Lukas to starpilot Captain Carlynn Riga. The tough war hero learns what it means to surrender–his heart. Lukas’s struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, threaten to tear the three of them apart, but nothing threatens them more than when Carlynn goes missing in action. Now the rugged, emotionally scarred Marine and his K-9 partner must find Carlynn and bring her home, or risk losing everything he has finally found worth fighting for.
(Expanded from the novella “Stray”, originally published in the Pets in Space 1 Anthology)
A note from the Author: Star Hero is a stand-alone HEA novella in the world of the Star Series. It’s not necessary to read this one in series order (it contains no spoilers) but if you would like to know the suggested reading order, Star Hero takes place simultaneously with Star Champion (previously titled The Champion of Barésh) and after “The Prince, the Pilot, and the Puppy” from Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2. I hope you enjoy this latest installment in the Star Series!
******************* Review of Star Hero
I first encountered this story in the original Pets in Space 1 Anthology. It was one of my favorites, so I was very please to be able to read the expanded version.
I loved the story of the scarred hero, Lukas, and the cheerful heroine, Carlynn, who get together with the push of a dog, Bang-Bang. It is practically love at first sight, but things get rocky when Lukas has problems with PTSD. Like any new relationship, the first glow of love is dimmed by real life issues and unless Lukas and Carlynn can work through them, there will be no HEA.
Who is the hero of the title? Star Hero is full of heroes/heroines. Bang-Bang, Carlynn and Lukas are all heroic in their own ways, each characters getting his or her own moment to shine.
Why did I connect with this book? There was one defining moment. It happened a bit later in the story. Carlynn, in an effort to distance herself from a fiance who is not dealing with his problems, takes on a mission away from the station. Lukas and Bang-Bang get left behind. Then this happens:
He bent down on one knee, and Bang-Bang’s paw hooked over his forearm. “She’s missing.” He managed to get the words out. Inconceivable words. It seemed surreal that he might never see Carylnn again. Might never hold her…
The softest of sorrowful, high-pitched whines exited Bang-Bang’s throat, and Lukas almost lost it. He pressed his check to Bang-Bang’s. Kindred spirits, they were.
I’ve had that experience too. My dog Cocoa, who missed her sister dog who had just died, came to me to get and to give comfort. That was 20 years ago, but I still remember that moment clearly. I imagine many people who have bonded with a dog have had a similar experience. The author’s depiction of that comforting bond between pet and human is something I connected with very strongly.
So read Star Hero for the romance, for the heroics or for the story of a special dog. All are great reasons! Then, then I recommend you check out the connected story in the anthology Embrace the Romance, Pets in Space 2: Susan Grant’s The Prince, the Pilot and the Puppy.
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Links
Add Star Hero to your Goodreads shelf:
Purchase Star Hero or Embrace The Romance:
Note: for a little while longer, a portion of the proceeds from sales of Embrace the Romance will be donated to HeroDogs.org, who provides service dogs for US veterans.
The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!
10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.
Review of Embrace the Romance
Embrace the Romance is a large volume made up of 12 original stories and 826 pages. 826 pages! Personally, the idea of 826 pages of SciFi Romance with pets makes me giddy. What’s not to love? After hours of enjoyment, I can firmly say it was time well spent!
I am not going to review all the stories in Embrace the Romance, but I will highlight a few….
First, I will mention Pet Trade, by Carol Van Natta. Pet Trade takes place in the Central Galactic Concordance universe. There is no need to have read any of her books in the series to appreciate this little gem.
Ms. Van Natta has a knack for writing down-to-earth characters that don’t even live on Earth. Bethnee Bakonin’s past experience in the shady pet trade business has left her damaged, both mentally and physically, but on frontier planet Del ‘Arche, she has found a home and a life as a veterinarian. Axur Tragon crash landed on Del’ Arche, only to discover his cargo included a stash of designer pets. He needs help taking care of those pets and that is how Bethnee and Axur meet. It is a tenuous meeting, but the animals, which they both love, making the meeting the start of a budding relationship.
What follows is a story of two people helping each other heal from a past that has betrayed them. The abundance of charming animals in the story is delightful and their loyalty to Bethnee and Axur will become an important part of the story when the bad guys show up. Pet Trade is one of the few in this collection that reads like a novel to me, as opposed to a novella or short story. Complex characters and a rich plot make Pet Trade a story to really get involved in.
The next story I want to bring to your attention is Time Trap by Pauline Baird Jones. Once again, Ms. Jones tackles time travel with her usual quirky humor. This time, she uses a manhole cover to effect the time travel. It’ll make you think twice about stepping on one of those when you walk down the street.
The animal in this story doesn’t seem so much a pet. Sir Rupert is a parrot. A very smart parrot. He talks. Yes, I know parrots talk, but Rupert has actual conversations. Rupert is more of a co-worker to Madison, who is trying to ferret out a mole working against the Rebellion. (See how I snuck in another animal or two there.) Escaping the traitor’s trap sends her right into the arms of Sergeant Briggs (via the manhole cover). Briggs is a well-liked character from a previous Project Enterprise novel, so I was very happy to see him get his own story. The interaction between Madison, Briggs and Sir Rupert is entertaining to read and they really do make a great team. Of all the stories in Embrace the Romance, Time Trap was the most fun!
By the way, Sir Rupert is only one of several amazing birds in this collection. Birds are cool!
I have time to mention one more story. Meet Luna. Made up of a mixture of dog, cat, mongoose and weasel genes, Luna the stardog is the pet heroine of Courting Disaster by Laurie A. Green. Are you a cat person or a dog person? I love both, so I think Luna may be the perfect pet.
Courting Disaster takes place in the Inherit the Stars universe. Since I loved that book, I was very happy to get another story. In this one, the Ithians are back. They were the bad guys in Inherit the Stars, but as you know, whenever a major military or political revolution takes place, there will be pockets of malcontents leftover. This is a great tie-in to the previous story.
But you want to know about the hero and heroine don’t you? Captain Navene Jagger, successful, about to get the appointment of a lifetime, is sorely disappointment when he gets assigned to a wreck of a cargo ship. His mission is to escort Ketsia and her companion through the Bradley Rift, a rogue-infested area of space.
To begin with, there is a major lack of understanding about the past that Jagger and Ketsia must work through. That will take some time – as it should. There are some major complications to overcome, such as Jagger’s ego and the Ithians. I had to chuckle just a little at the excuse to get Jagger and Ketsia naked before they were ready to, you know, get naked. But it served it’s purpose. 🙂 Overall, the romance moves at good pace, taking up a good portion of the story before love is declared.
Luna is as much a heroine as the humans in this story. Not only does she like to sit on your lap, cuddle and just be a pet, she is very smart and will do her best to make sure Jagger and Ketsia have their happy ending.
Embrace the Romance isn’t just a fantastic collection of stories. It also has a greater purpose. Hero-Dogs.org will receive 10% of the profits of the first month’s sales. Really, I don’t think there is a better reason to spend money – getting a book you enjoy and helping a really good cause.
The styles of the authors of Embrace the Romance are as varied as their pets are unique. You may not love every story in the collection, but Embrace the Romance has something for everyone that claims to be an animal lover and a SciFi Romance lover. The variety is, perhaps, the best part of this collection. You can remain planetbound, visit a space station or take an interstellar flight. The pets range from purely speculative creations to pets that resemble earth animals. And if you imagine your favorite type of heroine or hero, Embrace the Romance will have the story for you. Embrace the Romance is 826 pages of pure fun!
I received an advance copy of Embrace the Romance so that I could bring you this honest review.
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Dedication
This review is dedicated to Ozzie. 14 years ago, Ozzie the kitten, was found alone and hungry on a school bus on a Monday morning. He came to our home and befriended our other cat Maddie, who had been lonely. He slept in the Christmas tree the first year. He chased and retrieved balls just like a dog. He shared the Lazyboy with my hubby and the bed with both of us. He was always in the room, needing to be a part of everything that went on in his house. Ozzie enjoyed sitting by me while I was reading SciFi Romance. And he purred at the drop of a hat. He warmed our heart for all those years. Ozzie passed away on October 9, 2017. He is missed.
Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2
Release Day! October 10, 2017
(That’s tomorrow!)
The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors, brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!
10% of all preorders and the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.
A Novella in the Dragon Lords of Valdier Series By S.E. Smith (New York Times/USA TODAY Bestselling Author)
Asim Kemark has lived a long, lonely life. It is only his pledge to his former king and to Mandra Reykill that keeps him, his dragon, and his symbiot from going crazy. He has given up on ever finding his true mate and devotes himself to caring for the wide assortment of creatures on Mandra and Ariel’s mountain retreat. The last thing he expects when he visits the palace is to lose control of his dragon and his symbiot when they sense their true mate. Before he knows it, he has kidnapped her!
Pearl St. Claire is enjoying a new adventure – learning to live on an alien planet. As a mature woman in her sixties, she thought she had experienced just about everything life could throw at her – only to discover she really hasn’t experienced anything yet! She is both amused and exasperated when one of the dragon-shifting aliens kidnaps her, believing she is his true mate.
Life is no longer boring or lonely as Asim courts the spirited human woman who has enchanted him, but he isn’t the only one who has noticed Pearl or the unusual animals under his care. When poachers attack, determined to steal the exotic creatures under his protection – including Pearl and a new clutch of alien eggs from Earth – he will do everything he can to protect them. Can one dragon keep the most precious creatures under his care safe, or will he lose the biggest battle of his life?
A Grim Pet
A Novella in the Tornian Series By M.K. Eidem (USA TODAY Bestselling Author)
The Great Raptor is a fearsome and deadly creature; and while the raptor is no one’s pet, he is fiercely protective and loving of his family…
Carly and Miki have never forgotten the story that Grim told them of the Great Raptor, the symbol of their new home world Luda. Yet, it is the comparison their mother once told them of the Great Raptor to Grim that gives them the courage to help the injured bird they find in the garden.
Find out what happens when their single act of love, faith, and kindness creates far-reaching consequences that no one, including their mother and Grim, could ever have predicted.
The Prince, the Pilot, and the Puppy
(“Star Puppy”) A Novella in The Star Series By Susan Grant (New York Times/USA TODAY Bestselling, and RITA Award Winning Author)
Trysh joined the Space Forces with the secret hope that her absentee father might notice her accomplishments and acknowledge her. At the top of her game as a starfighter pilot, the last thing she needs is a way too charming prince to get in her way. Trysh had learned at a young age what happened when a person lost their heart to someone above their social class – it led to heartache.
Prince Rornn feels fortunate he can pursue his passion both in the air and on the ground. He decides being third in line for the throne definitely has its advantages – it allowed him to join the Space Forces as a top-gun starfighter pilot. What he doesn’t expect is to find a woman there who not only competes with him – she completes him!
Everything Rornn tries appears to push Trysh further away – that is until they rescue a tiny, starving yipwag pup from an alien world. It turns out that “Puppy” is as good at sniffing out terrorists as she is at helping her two clueless humans figure out that they need each other as much as they do her.
Can Rornn convince Trysh that he is nothing like her father and that she is just the right woman for him before the terrorists discover their furry little companion?
Hunter Gils has put his past in the military behind him. Now his focus is on his bar and the less than savory clientele. Life is perfect – except for a gray-eyed beauty who refuses his advances.
Narelle Bindu wasn’t immune to the tall, dark stranger working at The Zone. He wanted her – and she wanted him. The only drawback was she didn’t have room in her life for a man, not even one as tempting as Hunter.
When a deadly attack creates the perfect opening for an old enemy, the two lovers must work together to survive. What they never expect is to find an ally willing to help them – even if that help has four legs. Can their four-legged friend keep Hunter and Narelle alive long enough to find out that one night would never be enough?
Rescued by the Cyborg
A Novella in the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance Series By Cara Bristol (USA TODAY Bestselling Author)
A cyborg’s haunted past and a Faria’s clouded future entwine…
Hostage and sole survivor Solia waits for death at the hands of vicious predatory aliens when Cy-Ops agent Guy Roarke disobeys orders and charges in. A former medic, he initiates emergency medical procedures before rushing her to Cybermed.
Guy is taken with Solia, but the guilt of a past mistake won’t allow him to plan for a future with the delicate, brave beauty. Life is so uncertain, he can’t even keep Mittzi, the kitten his niece gave him. What he can do is see to it Solia gets the help she needs for a full recovery. But when best intentions place her in greater danger, it’s up to a little kitten to make everything all right again.
Star Cruise: Songbird
A Novella in The Sectors SF Romance Series By Veronica Scott
Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.
Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.
Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?
Madison lives by the rules of a time travel rebel – never tell anyone your real name, not if you want to remain alive. On the track of a traitor, Madison and her parrot partner, Sir Rupert, time travel into a trap. Their only way out sends them back in time and into the arms of a man that ignites a fire inside her.
USAF Master Sergeant Briggs is in trouble – not the kind he’d like to be, but still in trouble. He is bored out of his mind! Ordered to recuperate on a quiet bay away from the Garradian outpost, he’s ready to mutiny and go back to his beloved engines. When his friends send him a gift from Area 51, he figures it will relieve his boredom for an hour or so – until he turns it on and he gets his second present of the day.
Madison would love to get to know Briggs better, but it is just too dangerous. Unfortunately, she might not have much choice. With a Time Service Interdiction Force on their heels, can the three craft a plan that will save a base full of geniuses and technology and discover a happy-ever-after forged through time?
Courting Disaster: StarDog 2
A Novella in the Inherited Stars Universe Series By Laurie A. Green
From monk to married…
Captain Navene Jagger’s certainty he will be promoted to command a new battleship is doused when the admiral instead assigns him on what appears to be a suicide mission. If that wasn’t bad enough, he finds his self-imposed decision to be a military monk is thrown to the far reaches of the galaxy when he is ordered to escort Ketsia Tayah and her StarDog through the treacherous, rogue-infested Bradley’s Rift in a battered derelict of a vessel – a task that also makes him have to confront his painful past.
Ketsia’s past had taught her a lot. The universe was not only a very dangerous place, it turns out that it is also a lot smaller than she would have liked! Ketsia is rattled when she discovers that she and her StarDog are to be escorted by the man she formerly had a crush on. She swears life couldn’t get any more complicated until they are thrown into jeopardy and have to pretend they are married!
Jag soon realizes there is more at stake than his pride when dangerous rogues threaten their spaceship. After he learns the ship, the mission, and the StarDog are all much more than they seem will he be able to save Ketsia, his career, and the day? Or will self-sacrifice be the only way to save those under his protection?
Marco Dar’s position as an Earth Protector means he spends an incredible amount of time alone in space. His only company is with the talkative com unit. It isn’t until he stops at the Galaxy Spinner restaurant that he discovers his com has become sentient – and it wants a physical form!
Dr. Zara Mancini hasn’t seen Marco Dar in over eleven years. As far as she is concerned, that still isn’t long enough. When Marco approaches her with an unusual request, she is torn between her fascination with the project, and wanting to leave him eating her space dust.
Marco is quickly falling all over again for Zara’s beautiful smile and gorgeous lips. Young and foolish, he sabotaged their relationship years ago. Now he has a second chance. Can he convince Zara to help his AI, and prove to her that he is a different man?
A dedicated Defender to the core, Gib is willing to go to any planet the Galactic Alliance sends him. That is, until he’s sent with his squad to Hemera for their Alorama ceremony, far from any threat of Erebus invasion and with no chance for promotion.
Vilarra has lived on Hemera all her life, working hard in the kitchens of the royal palace until she achieved lead hand. But learning of the universe beyond her world reveals her insignificance and shreds her sense of accomplishment and purpose.
With the help of a furry, little tibbar, Gib is determined to win the affection of Vilarra, prove to her how significant she is to him and the people who depend on her. But will his personal mission be cut short before he has the chance to win her heart?
Pet Trade
A Novella in the Central Galactic Concordance Series By Carol Van Natta
The vast Central Galactic Concordance strictly prohibits genetic experimentation and alteration of humans on any of its 500 member planets. Unfortunately, animals are not included in those regulations…
Veterinarian Bethnee Bakonin has made a home for herself on a frontier planet in the frozen north. Her minder talent for healing all kinds of animals would ordinarily assure her success, but her unwilling stint in the shady pet trade industry left her damaged and scared.
“Volunteered” for a black-box research project, elite forces Jumper Axur Tragon now has dangerous experimental tech in his cybernetic limbs. He escapes the project and steals a freighter, but ship damage forces him to crash-land in the northern mountains of a frontier planet. He’s surprised to discover the freighter’s cargo contains a secret shipment of designer pets. Determined to do right by them, he enlists reluctant Bethnee’s aid in caring for them—a definite challenge, considering Bethnee is terrified of him.
They will need all the help they can get from their unusual pets to save the day when ruthless mercenaries pose a threat. Can Axur and Bethnee work together to overcome their limitations, or will they lose everything they have vowed to protect – including each other?
Daya Tattujayan is the manager of a remote and nearly derelict space mining station. She has plenty of problems to deal with even before the interstellar syndicate that owns the station sends an auditor to check up on her work.
Rik Gole is a nomadic interstellar auditor with no roots to tie him down. He is ruthless when he has to be and very good at what he does, but Rik would be the first to admit that a woman like Daya and a place like this station are way outside of his previous experience.
Before Daya and Rik can decide whether they are antagonists, allies, or something more, an unexpected enemy attacks the station. To save their lives, they must dare to trust each other. And they need help from a very unconventional defender—Daya’s mysterious alien pet, the mascot of Star Corner Station.
This review is dedicated to Ozzie. 14 years ago, Ozzie the kitten, was found alone and hungry on a school bus on a Monday morning. He came to our home and befriended our other cat Maddie, who had been lonely. He slept in the Christmas tree the first year. He chased and retrieved balls just like a dog. He shared the Lazyboy with my hubby and the bed with both of us. He was always in the room, needing to be a part of everything that went on in his house. Ozzie enjoyed sitting by me while I was reading SciFi Romance. And he purred at the drop of a hat. He warmed our heart for all those years. Ozzie passed away on October 9, 2017. He is missed.