Enslave Me Sweetly by Gena Showalter
Book Stats:
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: SCi-fi/Paranormal Romance
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Downtown Press
Release date: June 6, 2006
Series: Alien Huntress #2
Source: Personal Shelf
Reviewed by: Tynga
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
Eden Black walks among humans, protecting them from the murderous evil of other-worlders who abduct and enslave. And though she appears to be human herself, Eden is an alien, a Raka, distinguished by her golden hair and skin, and gifted with the ominous ability to kill without remorse -- and with total accuracy. That is, until the fateful night she has one shot to eliminate her target, a human slaver -- and misses.
"Failure" is not in Eden's vocabulary. Neither is "partner" -- but that's what she is forcibly assigned after recovering from her disastrous mission. A sexy, steely-nerved human agent, Lucius Adaire enjoys nothing more than sparking the fury -- and rousing the desire -- of the fiery female assassin too proud to admit defeat. Locked in an assignment they cannot afford to lose, Lucius and Eden find themselves bound in two high-stakes, heart-pounding games: the sensual web of kill or be killed, and the erotic dance of seduction.
Eden Black is like no other. She is a Raka, an almost instinct race of aliens (on earth that is) because they were hunted for their skin and hair. See, both are made of pure gold and human greed couldn’t resist skinning them. Rakas are a very peaceful race and that’s where Eden distinguishes herself: She is an assassin, a remorseless one at that. Craving to prove everyone she’s as good as any man, she takes a risky mission all on her own and fails. Setting free a terrible criminal. Result? Her boss pairs her with stubborn and seductive Lucius Adaire to fix her mistake.
Before I talk to you about the novel per say, I’d like to make quick mention of the cover and title. While they are relevant to the novel, I find them misleading. It really give this novel a strong BDSM vibe but it’s not the case. It is a romance, but the slaving refers to a) the fact that Eden is hunting a human-slaver selling them to otherworld creatures & b) the fact that Eden can’t help but be entranced by Lucius. No BDSM here!
I loved Enslave Me Sweetly, second book in the Alien Huntress series, right from the start. Gena Showalter has an amazing talent to blend action and romance perfectly, in this instalment is no exception.
One of my favourite aspect is the fact that Eden is an alien and her love interest is a human. Too often the female is the weak human (don’t get me wrong, Lucius is FAR from weak) and the hero is a strong paranormal. It was refreshing to meet a strong other-worlder heroine standing up for herself in a violent world. I loved Eden’s wits and resourcefulness even though her stubbornness can get her in trouble. Lucius (or luscious as Eden calls him ^^), is amazing! I love his rebel vibe and the fact that he learns to trust Eden and praises her good moves.
Fast-paced and action-packed, this novel was an extremely quick read. Barely 300 pages long, I was done reading within a couple of hours and even though the story wraps-up perfectly, I couldn’t help but want more. Why all good things are always over so quickly?
The smoothness of the plot has a lot to do with Gena Showalter’s amazing skills and I enjoyed how every actions scenes blended perfectly with the following one, providing the readers with a seamless read. I was stunned when Eden & Lucius’ plans went havoc and I cherished the way Eden managed to get out of trouble, all on her own and save the day. Alpha male is one thing, but a strong heroine is worth its dime!
Despite the sci-fi set up of the Alien Huntress series, each novel reads like any paranormal romance which is why I love this series so much. I’m not a sci-fi fan but Showalter managed the perfect balance to suit me. Aliens open to a whole new world of possibilities because let’s face it, whatever the lore, a vampire will always be a vampire.
I strongly suggest you give the Alien Huntress series a try because I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. I was reluctant at first, thinking aliens? really? But boy, putting aside my prejudice was well worth it! If you’re looking for originality in your romance, search no more, this series is just the thing for you!
This is one of those series that I remembering having read and enjoyed way back when and keep meaning to revisit. Thanks for the reminder! :D
ReplyDeleteJust glad to hear it!
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