Lyrik's Reviews > Stranded

I saw this series recommended in a Ruby Dixon fan readers group on FB and I was a little worried that it would be a knock off version of IPB. I can gladly report that it is not! Of course this book does have some tropes that are often a hallmark of sci-fi romances - language barrier, fated mated, devoted dudes.

I liked that the world was different enough to be considered alien, but not so different that I would find it strange. There's breathable air, an ocean, fruit, trees, cat-like predators, and other small animals.

The dudes are a greenish brown, have silver eyes, fangs, tails, retractable claws, and have a mating node. The men know that have met their linasha (fated mate) when they meet them in the dreamspace - a type of shared dream while sleeping where there is no language barrier and they can sex it up until they wake. Each person has full autonomy while in the dreamspace and can remember what happens there. Although there is still a language barrier while awake, I found this to be a clever way to get past it so they could start to build their relationship.

The basic premise is Liv wants to survive a crash landing, and Gregar wants to find his linasha. Liv is the leader of the human woman. Gregar is the chief of small, female-less tribe. Once he gets to Liv, she realizes her dreams were real while he realizes she didn't fully understand the dreamspace. They work together to decide how best to keep everyone safe and try to build their relationship in the physical world.

Liv is strong and smart, but not so stubborn she becomes pigheaded. Gregar is thoughtful and kind. I don't think either characterization was super deep, but it was enough for me to care about and root for them. I look forward to spending more time on this planet and seeing how the women integrate with the tribe.