New Releases in Science Fiction Romance for Late April

One of the things I love most about science fiction romance is that every week literally brings new titles from a wide variety of authors. It’s not such a good thing for my one-click budget or my lengthy To Be Read List!

Cyborgs are always a popular hero trope in SFR and Cynthia Sax writes some of the most angsty and sexy man-machine soldiers in anyone’s universe. Her Taking Vengeance is the 12th book in the Cyborg Sizzle series. The story: The only force stronger than their hate is their love.

Vengeance hates all humans. They killed every being he ever cared about. When the huge C Model cyborg is told he’s genetically compatible with the enemy, he makes it his mission to capture the female and use her to expel all humans from his home planet. That should be disappointingly easy. She’s a weak, fragile human.

Then she blows up his ship, blasting to bits his preconceived notions about the enemy.

Astrid, aka the Buoir Berserker, hates all cyborgs. They killed her entire clan, including her baby sister. The warrior female has vowed to hunt down and destroy the enemy. When a savage cyborg arrogantly puts his hard, sexy body within her reach, she does the only thing a female can do—she peppers his muscular physique with projectiles.

The more passionately they fight, the stronger their attraction becomes. Neither of them will relent on their missions, yet they can’t keep their hands off each other. Their battle will either end in love to last an eternity or in death.

I’m happy when a book I didn’t even know I was waiting for pops up in the new releases, which was the case with The Hero Within, book 3 in Bec McMaster’s Burned Lands post-apocalyptic series.  I loved the first two books, which have a Mad Max feel to them, so of course I had to one-click this title. The plot: Can this villain become her hero?

As the only healer in a war-stained town, Eden McClain is devastated when the salt plague sweeps through the Wastelands she calls home. Suddenly she’s racing against time to save her people—and her niece—before it’s too late. When she hears whispers of a cure, she knows she can’t cross the dangerous Wastelands by herself to get it. She needs a guide. And she’s just desperate enough to turn to a man who once betrayed her.

Redemption comes at a price…

After years living on the leash of an evil outlaw, Johnny Colton is finally free, but that doesn’t mean he can wash the blood off his hands. The easiest way to deal with the past? Just stop caring. Which is working perfectly for the rugged outlaw, until a beautiful ghost from the past rigs a trap for him.

The last person he wants to see is the woman who haunts his dreams, but as Eden points out, he owes her one. The only problem? This plague is man-made. Someone unleashed it. Are they walking into a dangerous trap? And can two past enemies learn to trust each other enough to survive?

Space pirates are another ever popular theme and Ruby Dixon’s Corsair series has proven to be ar bestselling entry in the genre. Enticed by the Corsair is the latest and here’s the blurb: No one likes a rebellious captive.

I learned that the hard way. I’ve been abducted from earth and cruelly tormented for my fighting spirit until I learned that the only thing that would keep me safe is to be sweet and calm and agreeable. It’s what keeps me alive.

When I’m rescued by space pirates, they tell me I’m safe. I’m told I can be myself again, get as angry as I want, laugh and cry and scream all I need. I don’t believe them, of course. I certainly don’t believe Alyvos, the ‘muscle’ of the pirate ship. Everyone says that he likes nothing more than a good fight, but to me, he’s kind and protective. How can I fear someone who holds me tenderly through the night and has fuzzy skin?

But my pirate wants more from me than I’m ready to give. He wants my fiery spirit…and I’m not sure it’s there anymore.

Prison planets are yet another popular trope, although not usually one of my favorites personally BUT Emmy Chandler’s new Prison Planet series was so good, that once I tried the first volume, I binge read all three available books and can’t wait for more.  Author Chandler writes a gritty, down and dirty world but somehow her heroes and heroines rise above and the reader is definitely rooting for them. The latest is Champion and here’s the official synopsis: “Ms. Wolfe, you’re the only woman who’s ever requested the arena.”

Sylvie Wolfe made a bad decision, for a good reason. Now, sentenced to death for her crime, she has only one decision left to make—the method of her execution. Most people pick lethal injection.

Sylvie demands death by combat.

Her choice gets her sent to the prison planet Rhodon, where in zone one, the galaxy’s most dangerous convicted murderers fight to the death on camera in a gladiatorial-style competition that will end with one inmate being declared the champion. And having his—or her—death sentence commuted to life in prison.

Graham Anderson thinks he’s lost his mind when he sees a woman in zone one. He pulls Sylvie into his cell just before lockdown, temporarily shielding her from a throng of monsters intent on laying claim to her. By the time the doors unlock at dawn, he’s made nearly a hundred vicious new enemies and lost his heart to the fiercest, sexiest, most determined woman he’s ever met.

With death looming in the arena and foes aligning against them behind the scenes, Sylvie and Graham must fight for every moment they share. But in the end, there can be only one champion. Which means only one of them can leave the arena alive…

Anna Carven is just out with Taming Chaos, book one in her Darkstar Mercenaries series, which is a spinoff from Dark Planet Warriors. I’m a huge fan of her invincible Kordolian warriors so I glommed onto this book immediately. The plot: Torin Mardak came to Zarhab Groht to hunt. Some idiot’s been selling Callidum weapons on the black market, and he’s been tasked with finding the traitor.

The illegal trading station isn’t exactly Torin’s favorite place in the Nine Galaxies. It’s dirty, chaotic, and full of thieves and murderers, but as an elite Kordolian First Division warrior, he’s the most dangerous thing on this floating cesspit, and he won’t let anything stand in his way.

But when he encounters a group of humans who really, really shouldn’t be here, his priorities might just have to change, because one of them is about to get betrayed in the worst possible way…

And she just so happens to be exactly his type.

Evolved by new-to-me author N. R. Walker tackles the always intriguing topic of androids becoming self aware. This one is on my TBR List for sure. The blurb:  In 2068, androids are an integrated part of human life. Big Brother no longer just watches from the shadows. It’s in every household.

Lloyd Salter has OCD issues with noise and mess, and he’s uncomfortable with human interaction. When his ex claimed the only thing perfect enough to live up to his standards was an android, Lloyd dismissed it. But two years later, after much self-assessment, he thinks he may have been right.

SATinc is the largest manufacturer of androids in Australia, including the Fully Compatible Units known as an A-Class 10. Their latest design is the Synthetic Human Android UNit, otherwise known as SHAUN.

Shaun is compatible to Lloyd’s every need; the perfect fit on an intellectual and physical basis. But Lloyd soon realises Shaun’s not like other A-Class androids. He learns. He adapts. Sure that SATinc is aware Shaun functions outside of his programmed parameters, Lloyd must find a way to keep Shaun safe.

No one can know how special Shaun is. No one can know he’s evolved.

Hopefully I’ve given you some exciting new content  for your e-reader! My job here is done…for now, mwahahahaha!

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