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Monday, July 17, 2023

Review: Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon

 

Barbarian's Mate (Ice Planet Barbarians #6) Special Edition by Ruby Dixon
Publication Date: July 11th 2023 by Berkley
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher 
Rating: 

My Thoughts:
Josie has witnessed all the other women from the shipwreck mate, fall in love, have babies, and she wants what they have. Love and a family. Josie had a sad upbringing being tossed about from foster home to foster home. She’s longed to feel loved and cherished. She wants to resonate and finally gets her wish, but it’s to Haeden, the grumpy alien male that glares at her every chance he gets. She can’t stand him, and they’ve been sparring since the beginning of the series. So, she’s sooo not happy about that!

Haeden wasn’t one of the males clamoring for a human female mate. We knew he had a mate that died and sa-khui only mate once, so I wasn’t sure how he was able to resonate to Josie, but all is explained as Haeden reluctantly reveals his sad story. It also explains why Haeden was so growly and glare-y at Josie and I could completely understand.

I’ve been waiting for Josie’s story with Haeden since their interactions have spanned the series and the story did not disappoint! Josie had such a traumatic upbringing so I could totally understand why she wouldn’t want to mated to someone she thought didn’t like her. She fights the mating and it would’ve been better if they had some frank conversations. Still, it didn’t play out too long and I was happy Haeden got to see Josie as a smart, capable woman instead of the fragile human he thought her to be. Haeden was a complete sweetheart once he started talking.

I wonder about the island Josie spied while on her journey, with its greenery. Josie’s discovery on the crashed ship opens up possibilities in the coming books. Don’t want to spoil so I won’t say more, but that discovery had me eager for more!

I read the first three books a while back, but was happy to get back this spicy, sci-fi series and get the special edition print copies! I love the new covers and novellas included!

4 Stars


Book Description:

The next novel in the international publishing phenomenon the Ice Planet Barbarians series, now in a special print edition with a bonus novella!

Josie has always dreamed of finding The One, but the hunter chosen for her is nothing like what she expected (or wanted)—but he might be exactly what she needs.
 
“Resonance” is supposed to be a dream—that’s when your soulmate is chosen for you. And every woman on the ice planet has hooked up with a big, hunky soulmate of their own—except me. So do I want a mate? Heck yeah. More than anything, all I’ve ever wanted is to be loved by someone.

But the soulmate chosen for me? My least favorite person on the darn ice planet. Haeden’s the most cranky, disapproving, unpleasant, overbearing male alien . . . so why is it that my body sings when he gets close? Why is he working so hard to prove to me that he’s not as awful as I think he is?

I hate him . . . don’t I?

About the author:


Ruby Dixon is an author of all things science fiction romance. She is a Sagittarius and a Reylo shipper, and loves farming sims (but not actual housework). She lives in the South with her husband and a couple of geriatric cats, and can’t think of anything else to put in her biography. Truly, she is boring.

19 comments:

  1. I tried to win a copy of this one from Goodreads because it sounded like a fun story. Glad it turned out to be a 4-star read. :D

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    1. I really enjoyed it. The whole series is fun, and spicy! I bet you could get a copy from the online library. The audios are on mine too. :)

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  2. It seems like *everyone* was reading this series a couple years ago and I just never got around to picking them up. It sounds like it's just as strong six books in. Haeden's background sounds like a sad one. :(

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    1. Yes, it was quite the hit and Berkley wisely snapped it up and issued the special editions. Both Haeden and Josie had a sad backstory! I was horrified to learn Josie's but touched that she was still filled with the desire to give love!

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  3. The cover makes me think this would be a fun one. Glad you enjoyed it so much and I'll have to go back to the beginning and check it out.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  4. I've only read a couple of these and they were steamy.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  5. I didn't realize these were a repacking. It's a great touch to include the novellas for the fans out there. Glad to hear you enjoyed revisiting this world

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  6. Interesting situation for both of them and I can see why this particular romance had you curious.

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  7. Some day, I am going to try an alien romance. I confess I would have been curious too.

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  8. I'm glad the will they won't they that has spanned the series finally had the payoff both characters deserved!

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  9. I have never read these, but I have heard so much about them

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  10. I keep seeing this series around but haven't tried it yet. I t sounds like a fun one.

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  11. I read this book some years ago and really had a fun time with it. I hope you love discovering what is on the island haha

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