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A review by rjordan19
Xora by Olivia Riley
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I like my scenes longer and more explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
More character focused or plot focused? a mix of both but maybe a bit more plot
When mains are first on page together: Took a little bit – about 12% (chapter 3)
Cliffhanger: This ends with a happy for now for the mains
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Riley’s Vrisha Warriors series but I see an author note that readers will have more understanding of the setting if they read books 1-4 in Dark World Mates first. (Heart’s Prisoner is book 1)
Basic plot:
Xora and Grace are both just doing a job but eventually become curious about each other.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting
- hero nurses heroine to health
- work place romance
- language barrier
- never been kissed hero
- lower steam – 2 full scenes
First line:
The planet was on fire.
My thoughts:
So, I do kind of wish I had seen the author note about reading her Dark World Mates first before starting this (I saw that as I was writing my review for this haha) because I found myself a bit overwhelmed with the world building here – especially the hero’s culture? I ended up kind of not connecting with those parts at all and just wanting to move on back to Xora and Grace things.
This novel felt rather slow to me. And in some ways I liked that. So many alien romances I pick up are quite fast, with lots of plot pulling you here and there and this one had a slow growth of character development and relationship growth that I thought was a lot deeper than what I’ve read in many of my alien romances lately. So I loved that aspect to it. It was so much more rewarding to see these two get to know each other and fully CHOOSE each other – and not be forced in to a mating frenzy by a fated mates hormone circus. So I liked that and the relationship just had this ‘real’ feeling to it that I really appreciated.
I guess I just got a bit bored with this one, though? There were a lot of slower parts to me and it did feel like I was waiting forever for them to grow closer. The steam was a bit of a let down to me – like it was fine but I guess I was expecting more? I’m not sure.
I did like a lot about the book and will definitely pick up some more by this author.
Cock/Hero Stats:
- Hero is a Vrisha
- scales that resist flames and a spiny tale
- red eyes, fangs
- no hair
- scales and gills. Scales are rough yet smooth
- no nipples or belly button
- cock is hidden
- he has a film over his eyes like a second eyelid
- cock has a bulge at the base and is self lubricating
- humans are not allowed on hero’s planet
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- toxic work environment/manipulative/abusive boss
- bigotry/racism – certain alien species are treated badly/judged and mixed relationships are especially frowned upon by others
- scene of almost drowning
- harvesting materials from a planet
- some scenes of danger, violence, death and attacks
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? Kind of? It’s mentioned the heroine has her shot so she won’t get anything (I took it as some kind of STD protection? I’m not sure)
How’s the consent? It’s good – they are both agreeing parties!
64% - kisses
69% - 🔥Xora sucks Grace’s wounds, oral for her, her on top
“But there are parts that I do enjoy, despite their oddness,” he continued playfully. He tilted her head up. “Your eyes. They remind me of the fiery mountains of my old home. And your throat…” He released her jaw to trail a finger down the curve of her neck. “Is very biteable.”
72% - a mention of him taking her with her uniform around her knees (there’s not real details and it’s only a few sentences)
80% - 🔥 bj for him (incomplete), missionary
He whispered something she didn’t quite make out. One of his hands slipped around her head, taking a fist of her hair. “Incredible,” he growled.
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I like my scenes longer and more explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
More character focused or plot focused? a mix of both but maybe a bit more plot
When mains are first on page together: Took a little bit – about 12% (chapter 3)
Cliffhanger: This ends with a happy for now for the mains
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Riley’s Vrisha Warriors series but I see an author note that readers will have more understanding of the setting if they read books 1-4 in Dark World Mates first. (Heart’s Prisoner is book 1)
Basic plot:
Xora and Grace are both just doing a job but eventually become curious about each other.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting
- hero nurses heroine to health
- work place romance
- language barrier
- never been kissed hero
- lower steam – 2 full scenes
First line:
The planet was on fire.
My thoughts:
So, I do kind of wish I had seen the author note about reading her Dark World Mates first before starting this (I saw that as I was writing my review for this haha) because I found myself a bit overwhelmed with the world building here – especially the hero’s culture? I ended up kind of not connecting with those parts at all and just wanting to move on back to Xora and Grace things.
This novel felt rather slow to me. And in some ways I liked that. So many alien romances I pick up are quite fast, with lots of plot pulling you here and there and this one had a slow growth of character development and relationship growth that I thought was a lot deeper than what I’ve read in many of my alien romances lately. So I loved that aspect to it. It was so much more rewarding to see these two get to know each other and fully CHOOSE each other – and not be forced in to a mating frenzy by a fated mates hormone circus. So I liked that and the relationship just had this ‘real’ feeling to it that I really appreciated.
I guess I just got a bit bored with this one, though? There were a lot of slower parts to me and it did feel like I was waiting forever for them to grow closer. The steam was a bit of a let down to me – like it was fine but I guess I was expecting more? I’m not sure.
I did like a lot about the book and will definitely pick up some more by this author.
Cock/Hero Stats:
- Hero is a Vrisha
- scales that resist flames and a spiny tale
- red eyes, fangs
- no hair
- scales and gills. Scales are rough yet smooth
- no nipples or belly button
- cock is hidden
- he has a film over his eyes like a second eyelid
- cock has a bulge at the base and is self lubricating
- humans are not allowed on hero’s planet
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- toxic work environment/manipulative/abusive boss
- bigotry/racism – certain alien species are treated badly/judged and mixed relationships are especially frowned upon by others
- scene of almost drowning
- harvesting materials from a planet
- some scenes of danger, violence, death and attacks
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex?
How’s the consent?
64% - kisses
69% - 🔥Xora sucks Grace’s wounds, oral for her, her on top
“But there are parts that I do enjoy, despite their oddness,” he continued playfully. He tilted her head up. “Your eyes. They remind me of the fiery mountains of my old home. And your throat…” He released her jaw to trail a finger down the curve of her neck. “Is very biteable.”
72% - a mention of him taking her with her uniform around her knees (there’s not real details and it’s only a few sentences)
80% - 🔥 bj for him (incomplete), missionary
He whispered something she didn’t quite make out. One of his hands slipped around her head, taking a fist of her hair. “Incredible,” he growled.