By. Lea Linnett
It’s not easy being human when Earth is run by aliens.
Lena has been locked up, imprisoned in a multi-species penitentiary on Earth, and all she wants is to get back to what she’s good at: keeping her sister safe.
Kormak is a levekk—a member of the same cold-blooded, alien species that enslaved her planet—and he is the key to her escape.
Kormak hates humans, and he’s not afraid to show it. They burn hot and bright but are snuffed out quickly, and the last thing he wants is a human slowing him down.
But she needs a protector, and he’s drawn to her flame. When an accident derails their escape and strands them in the wintry wilderness, just who will end up saving whom?
There are some alien romance stories where the physical characteristics of the "alien" are extremely similar to that of a human. This is usually based on a "panspermia" theory that life on the earth originated from microorganisms or chemical precursors of life present in outer space. So, this would allow for "aliens" from different planets to be almost identical to us.
There are also alien romances where authors use their clever imaginations and create beings that are quite different than us; mannerisms and physiology. In those cases, especially when romance is involved, we as reader's need to open our minds and just go with it. Her Cold-Blooded Protector falls into this category.
Now having said that, this story is definitely a romance. A gut-wrenching, "why can't they just be together" kind of romance. When so many other alien-related romance stories are chock full of action, warfare, and dangerous space travel (not always a bad thing), the meat of this story is watching two beings fall in love while so many things try to keep them apart...including themselves.
Our main characters, Lena and Kormak, meet while breaking out of a multi-species penitentiary on Earth. Of course this Earth is very different than the one we are familiar with. The story is set hundreds of years after the planet has been invaded and taken over by a race of Aliens called the Levekk. Humans are seen as a "bottom-of-the-barrel" sub-species and unfit to fraternize with, let alone have loving relationships with.
As accidental and unlikely partners in a prison break, they inexplicably find themselves traveling together for days to reach their destination. Lena wants to get to her sister and Kormak is looking for revenge on the human that had him incarcerated in the first place. Both characters are struggling with preconceived judgments about each other and some serious self-doubt about their own worth. Their arduous journey together creates a perfect backdrop for self discovery and forbidden love to take place.
One thing I did find intriguing, and something we don't often see in paranormal romances, was a flawed hero. Our typical hero is usually unbreakable, secure, and confident. Almost perfect. Kormak is certainly strong and intimidating, but he is by no means perfect. He has insecurities and has made many mistakes which has caused him a great deal of regret. This really humanized him in a way that made him endearing and able to empathize with.
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. It is well written and sprinkled with fantastic imagery and vocabulary. But, I did think it dragged a little in some places with over description and unnecessary reiteration. Ms. Linnett does a great job developing the characters and I felt emotionally invested in our couple and anxious to see if they did get that happily ever after neither of them feel they deserve.
Thank you Ms. Linnett for a unique read. I'll definitely take a gander at book 2.
What did you think?
