Alien Eyes

Why I read this book: I always love to try new to me authors and the blurb sounded fantastic.

This might just be my favorite Sci-Fi of 2020. The duet starts with phenomenal world building (I’ll be posting my review of Book 1 soon) and this book is the perfect completion. This is not a stand alone book and you will need to read the first book in the duet.

Both of the MCs have pasts that haunt them. I could feel for Adil who left his home planet, Earth, angry. He had reason to be. But this story to me was more about Eshile and how he was such a tormented character. Especially now that both he and Adil were back on Eshile’s planet, Yalphor after the war that Eshile was very much a part of… on the losing side.

His trying to find a way to fit in while raising a child with Adil touched me deeply. Living in a society that is rebuilding itself after being ravaged by war wouldn’t be easy for anyone, but for Eshile, who is known and despised by some…well, I could really feel for him.

There were great scenes that were full of drama and suspense blended perfectly with the struggles any couple might face while raising a child. I loved the sense of how realistic this felt.

I also loved that these characters had a little kink going on in their lives. While not predominant in the book, there was definitely a Dom/sub dynamic between Eshile and Adil. It worked for them and the story.

I highly recommend this duet to any of our Sci-Fi fans.

The Review

After Adil and Esihle meet on a space station orbiting alien refugee Esihle’s home planet of Yalaphor, their relationship of lust and intensity gradually blossoms into love. Now on Yalaphor, the two care for Sehthe, a young girl who has been orphaned by the same war that cast Esihle out of his home.

To keep their new family safe, Esihle and Adil must come face to face with the worst of Yalaphor, each other, and themselves. This heartfelt follow-up to Storm Caywood’s debut novel, Alien Hands, continues a story of redemption and love.

Review:

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was excited to get my hands on the sequel.

While the first book was a sizzling love story, Alien Eyes delves deeper into the relationship between the protagonists, showing their adjustment to life on Esihle’s home planet of Yalapha and cheering them on as they clear the hurdles necessary to begin a family. Sethe is both adorable and complex, and the author does a beautiful job of painting her relationships with both Adil and Esihle, as well as the larger family dynamic.

What I love most about this author is the way she portrays intimacy, both physical and emotional, and this book excelled in that regard. Relationships between characters were fully explored, encompassing issues such as the impact of Esihle’s past on his family, Adil’s wonder in raising a child of a different species, Sethe’s trauma and growth, and Adil and Esihle’s struggle to keep the spice in their relationship despite the demands of parenting (spoiler: the spark is definitely still there). The burgeoning family dynamic is beautifully painted, and both realistic and lovely. And Sethe’s relationship with her dragon is beyond adorable.

The author does an excellent job of using plot points to further each character’s personal growth. Esihle’s unique journey is full of emotional tension, and their relationship is tested as he deals with his own demons as Adil faces struggles and feelings that are completely new to him. In the end, their deeper understanding of both themselves and each other strengthens the bond between them. And the happy ending was well earned and so, so satisfying.

Alien Eyes is well written and engaging–a great read and I highly recommend it!