Step into the weirdly wonderful world of monster romance books, where the only thing scarier than the love interests are the dating tips. Ever think your ex was a bit clingy? Try dating someone with actual tentacles. We’ve left vampires and werewolves behind in the dust of paranormal romance. So forget about the traditional fur and fangs; we’re diving deep where Mr. Right might just have a few more arms than you bargained for. If you’re up for love stories that might involve a bit more… suction than you’re used to, then buckle up.
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What is monster romance?
A monster romance is one of the many tropes contained in the romance genre – sometimes it is also referred to as a creature romance. It usually means that the hero – usually the “monster” is male – is extremely non-human. And I don’t mean Ruby Dixon Ice Planet Barbarian non-human, where the character is basically human shaped but with bigger muscles and a few added extras. I mean heroes that are considered taboo, ugly and non-humanoid. In the dark you know they’re a monster.
What genre is monster romance?
Monster romance blends into fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal romance, but it’s all about where the story takes place. If it’s set in a completely made-up world full of magic, we call it fantasy monster romance. Stories that whisk you off to space or distant planets fall under sci-fi monster romance. And when the tale happens in our world but includes monsters or supernatural creatures, it’s paranormal monster romance. This way of categorizing will help you find exactly the kind of monster love story you’re in the mood for, whether you want magic, space adventures, or a touch of the supernatural in the everyday.
Is monster romance spicy?
Monster romance can definitely turn up the heat, but it doesn’t always have to sizzle with erotic elements. While many stories in this subgenre explore the passionate and sometimes wild side of love, bringing a level of spiciness to their narratives, there are plenty of monster romances that lean towards the sweeter side. These stories focus more on the emotional connection and the tender moments between characters, offering a heartwarming exploration of love that transcends appearances or species.
Should I read a monster romance?
If you’re not sure whether you would like a monster romance, here’s a test for you: watch the 2016 Warcraft film. If you, like me, completely overlook Travis Kimmel’s character and instead start having some spicy fantasies about the orcs… well then, you’ve come to the right place.
We are going to explore some of our favourite monster romance books. Where skin can be green, blue, scaled or furry. Where horns, tusks, tails and mandibles are a must have. In fact, the more likely they are to give the muggles nightmares, the more we want them.
Monster romance books weirdness meter
Navigating monster romance is like exploring a buffet where the dishes range from slightly unusual to “what on earth is this?”. To help you pick your perfect plate, we’ve crafted the Weirdness Meter, with categories to fit your appetite for the extraordinary.
Alien Lite
For Beginners Who Prefer Their Coffee With Just a Splash of Alien
Starting off with something a bit unusual but not too out-there, “Alien Lite” is where the main characters look a lot like that cute guy next door, just with a few extraterrestrial secrets. Perfect for those who are saying, “I’m ready for a little weird, but let’s not get crazy.” Think of it as meeting someone on a dating app who turns out to be from another planet. A great place to start is with Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, where the love interests are blue, alien, but surprisingly human-like in more ways than one.
Beast Mode
For the Reader Ready to Add a Little More Strange to Their Reading List
So, you’ve had your first alien date and you’re ready for more. “Beast Mode” introduces you to creatures that might not win a beauty contest in the traditional sense but have hearts of gold (and possibly a few magical powers). Here, things get quirky, like dating a guy who turns out to have a tail. An ideal book to dive into is Grimspace by Ann Aguirre, offering a perfect blend of action, alien intrigue, and romance that’s out of this world, yet not too far out of our comfort zone.
Tentacular
For Those Who Say, ‘Bring on the Weird’
By now, you’re saying, “Normal is overrated, and who needs humans, anyway?” Welcome to “Tentacular,” where our love interests might have more in common with an octopus than any Earth-bound creature. This is for those who find the prospect of dating a multidimensional being with tentacles kind of, sort of, totally exciting. Dive into The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith, where the hero might not look anything like your standard Prince Charming, but the emotional journey is as real (and as complex) as it gets.
Recommended monster romance books
So, here we are, here are some of my favourite monster romances. I’ve added a variety of books from holy-crap-you-want-that-in-your-lady-garden to books that are a little more entry level. The best part about it is you can pick most of these monster romance books on kindle unlimited.
Alien Lite monster romance books
Radiance by Grace Draven
read this is you want:
Let’s ease you into the monster romance trope: Radiance by Grace Draven is set in a fantasy world where our hero and heroine are pushed in to a political marriage. Our heroine Ildiko is human, and our hero Brishen is…not. As Ildiko so succinctly says about his looks: “Had you crawled out from under my bed when I was a child, I would have bludgeoned you to death with my father’s mace.” However, both are considered beautiful in their own cultures but, look strange and ugly to each other.
At its heart this is a friends to lovers story, where characters both have to overcome not only their physical differences, but their cultural ones as well. This book is also packed with political intrigue with some action thrown in as well as the romance. It’s a great book to give a try if you want to dip your toe into both the fantasy genre and the monster romance trope.
~THE PRINCE OF NO VALUE~
Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.
~THE NOBLEWOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE~
Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.
Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.
Two unwanted royals, Ildiko niece of the Gauri king and Brishen prince of the Kai are to marry. Their value to their people is defined only by what benefits a political marriage will bring. But, the Gauri and Kai are two vastly different races. However, despite their differences Ildiko and Brishen manage to see beyond the superficial differences and something beautiful begins to grow. But, there is more to their marriage then just them and not everyone wishes the couple success…and they’re willing to do anything to break them apart.
Although this book has some political intrigue and some world building, at heart, this book is a romance. In Radiance, Draven concentrates on the relationship between Ildiko and Brishen. The first hurdle is their appearance: Ildiko is considered beautiful by her people, and yet a hag by Brishen’s peoples standards. And Brishen looks like a creature from a nightmare to Ildiko, but in his own culture he is considered very handsome. This book looked at the way they overcame their own perceptions of beauty to see a little deeper. The result of which was a romance that steadily developed from an unlikely friendship to something that burned a lot hotter.
Draven made the journey from strangers, to friends, to lovers a very natural transition and I couldn’t help but really love both characters. Both Ildiko and Brishen are overlooked by their own cultures and so despite their many differences, they also find they have a lot in common, making the basis of their friendship seem very real.
As this book focused on the romance and relationships, the world and story building was fairly light touch. And although it may have been nice to add a bit more politics to increase the amount of intrigue, I was absorbed enough by the romance that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It also made Radiance quite a light and easy read leaving a lot for Draven to explore in future books in this series. Future books that I fully intend to read.
in conclusion
I highly recommend this book, especially if you already enjoy Fantasy Romance, it was an unexpected delight and I now fully plan on reading Grace Draven’s entire back list.
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog May 27, 2016
RADIANCE IS A PERFECT WINTER READ! WANT MORE?
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The Orc Wife by S.J. Sanders
read this is you want:
Don’t you just hate it when you pass out in the wilderness and then get kidnapped by an orc who takes you to his dimension and decides to keep you as a pet? I know I do. Or maybe I won’t mind too much if I take The Orc Wife by S.J. Sanders as my guide.
After mentioning the Warcraft film in my introduction, I had to get in an orc romance recommendation. The Orc Wife is a cute romance between our grumpy orc hero and the baffling human woman he accidentally kidnaps. I say accidentally as initially he thinks she’s an animal and he fancied keeping her as a pet.
If you aren’t in the mood for an orc, S.J. Sanders dominates the monster romance trope and has a variety of monster heroes for you to chose from. I recommend The VaDorok by S.J. Sanders for those of you who want your hero on the furry and horny side.
I Married a Lizardman by Regine Abel
Sci Fi Romance
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As a third child Susan doesn’t have many prospects on her farming colony, which is why she signs up to a mating agency. She never expected to be matched with, well…. a lizardman. A massive, scaly grumpy lizardman.
This books is a favourite of mine for a number of reasons: one, I adore a grumpy hero and Olix is grumpy, stubborn and adorable. Two, I love a competent heroine. Susan has grown up and worked in a farming colony. She knows her farmer stuff and her skills become an important part of the story. But, what I loved most about this book was seeing Olix and Susan working hard to understand and communicate with one another. And with that understanding their romance blossomed, overcoming their different appearances and cultures.
CURIOUS ABOUT THE PRIME MATING AGENCY SERIES?
Then don’t miss our Prime Mating Agency series reading guide + reviews
Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley
Paranormal Romance
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Did anyone else like that old Gargoyles animated TV show? Maybe had a little thing for Goliath? If you did, then I have the perfect book for you Carnage by Sandra R. Neeley. Carnage is a gargoyle who, along side other gargoyles and other paranormal creatures, lives in the South Louisiana Bayou. They keep their existence from humans secret. Until one day Carnage rescues Carolena and takes her home with him.
Carnage is considered dangerous, erratic and violent by the other members of his kind. This image isn’t helped by the fact that he is unable to speak and he’s a bit more in touch with his instincts than others. But one look at Carolena and he’s devoted. And Carolena quickly begins to feel the same. It’s. Adorable.
THE FANGOVER PODCAST DISCUSSES CARNAGE BY SANDRA R. NEELEY
Listen to the episode and read our book review
Claimed by an Alien Warrior by Tiffany Roberts
Sci Fi Romance
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Tiffany Roberts – a husband and wife author team – write some of my favourite alien and monster romance books. For me, it all started with their Kraken series where the heroes live in the sea and have tentacles instead of legs. That series was a prime contender for a place on this list and I would definitely recommend reading them. However, Claimed by an Alien Warrior cinches it as my favourite book by Tiffany Roberts.
I really loved the whole concept – Ren, our alien hero who is green, scaled, has four arms and Predator hair is an alien monster on the run from a government facility where they were experimenting on him. Julia happens to be in the right place at the right time and has a car….so he kidnaps her and her car to get away. Thus begins their road trip/escape and the beginning of their romance.
An otherworldly warrior desperate to escape Earth. A curvy human female who’s his only hope—and his deepest desire.
After losing her job, apartment, and boyfriend in one afternoon, Zoey doesn’t think things can get any worse. Then an uninvited passenger—green, four-armed, and sexy as sin—proves her wrong by dragging her into his frantic escape. Helping Rendash is the right thing to do, but it means becoming a fugitive and risking the only things she has left—her life, and her heart.
Weakened by years of captivity and torture, Rendash, an elite aligarii warrior, seizes his only opportunity for freedom. Alone in an alien wasteland, he seeks the aid of a human, one of the very species that imprisoned him. But he finds himself inexplicably drawn to Zoey, and his need to protect her soon wars with his mission to return to his homeworld.
With a shadowy government agency pursuing them, Zoey and Rendash must race across the country before he is recaptured, and she is thrown in a dark cell as a traitor to her kind. But their greatest obstacle may be the most unlikely—their insatiable attraction to one another.
Ingredients
1 Alien Hero
– Optional (but vastly improves the recipe) Alien Hero should be distinctly different from humans for example, extra appendages such as arms or eyes, and green scales
1 Human Heroine
– Optional (but vastly improves the recipe) Human Heroine is curvy, brave and down on her luck
Handful of Evil Government Agents
Instructions
1. The Alien Hero must beat the Handful of Evil Government Agents until they are scrambled
2. Once scrambled separate the Alien Hero from the Evil Government Agents
3. Add the Alien Hero and Human Heroine to a small enclosed space, we recommend a good SUV.
4. The combination of the Alien Hero and Human Heroine will react. Warning, this will produce a lot of heat so handle with care.
5. The heat will eventually cause the Alien Hero and Human Heroine to rub together and blend to become one unit – also known as a HEA.
I can’t believe it! Tiffany Roberts managed to get a hold of my recipe (as above) and used it to create Claimed by an Alien Warrior. She followed it very closely, even adding in the optional extras! The final product was a very tasty alien sci-fi romance.
Zoey and Ren were forced together by circumstances and chased around the country as evil government flunkies tried to track them down. Their destination was Ren’s crashed ship. Once they found it Ren could finally go home after years spent in captivity being experimented upon. Although Zoey and Ren’s relationship didn’t start well…he did hijack her and her car after all, they quickly move past it. Zoey very quickly empathises with Ren’s situation and agrees to help him. From there the romance grew.
This is one of those romance where the hero and heroine are forced together through circumstances and so intimacy is rapidly formed. I enjoyed seeing Zoey and Ren becoming closer and eventually an attraction begin to grow despite their differences – both in looks and culture. This is something that Roberts does really well in Claimed by an Alien Warrior and their previous books; they get two vastly different characters and smosh them together until they form a warm and gooey romance we can all enjoy.
The only thing that I wasn’t sure of was the length of the cross country chase. I really liked it at first, it added an edge of excitement and urgency to the story, which resulted in Ren and Zoey having to trust each other very quickly. However, it felt too stretched out. I would have preferred that they found Ren’s craft more quickly and perhaps we spent more time on Ren’s home world watching him and Zoey adjust. It would have been interesting to see Zoey being the “alien” rather than Ren. However, this didn’t detract from the central focus of the book; the romance, which I very much enjoyed.
in conclusion
This was a great book; sexy with a dash of action and had two very likeable characters. If you like an alien sci fi romance I highly recommend you pick it up and give it a try. I will now sit back in anticipation to see what this wonderful husband and wife author team will give me next!
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog August 20, 2018
Alien Keeper by Ursa Dax
Sci Fi Romance
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You may remember years ago that dinosaur erotica got thrust into the spotlight. I don’t usually like to malign any type of romance but a lot of them were, well…terrible. However, Ursa Dax has created a race of alien people that definitely have that dino vibe. They have scales, sharp teeth, spikes, run on all fours and are about 9 feet tall. But, despite their terrifying appearance and fighting prowess, they are complete teddy bears when it comes to their mates.
You’ll notice that this is book 9 in the series. The previous 8 books has a different type of monster hero. They aren’t quite as non-human as Grim, our hero from Alien Keeper, but they are still almost 8 foot tall with tails. I would recommend reading this in order, just know that the heroes get taller and more monstrous as the series goes on. Yum!
Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett
Sci Fi Romance
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If you want something cute, with a dirty talking wolf daddy then you need to read Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett. It’s the beginning of the Leviathan Fitness series, which promises to be choc full of sexy monster heroes. As well as wolven heroes, it looks like we will be treated to orc, griffin-like dudes and tentacled hotties. Sign me up!
The Scorpion’s Mate by Susan Trombley
Sci Fi Romance
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Kidnap a human goth girl? Check. Be experimented on by evil, yet beautiful, aliens? Check. Fall in love with an alien scorpion monster man? Double check. This may have been one of the first books I ever read which had a true monster as the hero. And, not just in appearance. Thrax is not only unhuman, he’s had a brutal life. That life has moulded him into a maim and kill first, maybe ask questions later kinda guy. And I am here for it!
Claire
I learned the hard way not to go UFO-hunting without expecting to be abducted.
After a camping trip looking for little green men turned into a real alien abduction, I found myself trapped in an alien research facility. What’s worse is that the eerily beautiful aliens running the place intend to use me as a lure—and potentially much more—for their actual test subject.
They’ve turned a monstrous alien scorpion into a humanoid super-soldier using their advanced genetic engineering. Unfortunately for them, their new monster wasn’t cooperating with their plans.
At least, he wasn’t until he caught one whiff of my pheromones and imprinted on me.
Now, Thrax is determined to keep me, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect me, even if it means tearing the research facility apart to escape.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve finally found a place where I fit in perfectly—right in the clutches of his four arms, two of which boast massive insectoid pincers that could snap my head off my shoulders.
I trust Thrax not to hurt me though. I just wish I could trust any of the other aliens that surround us.
Another day, another human woman kidnapped by aliens for experimentation but who ends up falling in love with an alien hybrid scorpion monster man. It sounds more like the plot for a sci-fi horror than a romance. And, some of it is a little horrifying. But it isn’t Thrax, the scary scorpion alien who who is the true monster in this book.
For those of you who, like me, enjoy a sci-fi alien romance where the hero is more monster than human then this is the book for you. But, Thrax didn’t only look different his thought processes were alien as well. I admit, even I found him quite hard to visualise! But, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the concept of him. I liked the heroine Claire as well, she got me at ‘lip piercing’ and funky hair, we pierced folks with bright hair have to stick together! But, aside from her appearance, I also appreciate a brave heroine. So, I liked that I didn’t have read a few hundred pages about her freaking out regarding Thrax’s appearance. Instead she starts to see beyond it fairly quickly.
In The Scorpion’s Mate Trombley is also building up her universe. However, this aspect felt like it was clumsily tacked on at the end. Which, I can understand why as both characters are isolated from intergalactic life until right at the very end when they are suddenly introduced to the wider universe. But, it didn’t seem to fit well for me and I thought it disrupted the flow of the book.
in conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed this book, Thrax and Claire kept me glued to the page. Their relationship was funny, sexy and sweet and I couldn’t get enough of them. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog June 9, 2018
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Saving Askara by J.M. Link
Sci Fi Romance
read this is you want:
I feel like there should be a subgenre of monster romance for all the heroes that have a striking resemblance to the Predator, you know – the alien in the film Predator that first graced our screens in the 80’s. Saving Askara would definitely be part of the sub-genre, not only does the hero look a bit like Predator he also has, what I imagine, is a similar culture. War and violence are just a part of their lifestyle, so much so that they are almost on the brink of extinction. It made for an interesting clash with our heroine, a doctor who is thrust into the job of ambassador between humans and the Askara.
This was a great story, beautifully told and I loved seeing Elizabeth and Aderus work together and see the respect and attraction grow between them. Warning though…it does end on a cliffhanger. However, the next book Chasing Earth is already out and available on kindle unlimited so – unlike me – you won’t have to wait long to find out what happens next.
Victoria’s day starts out like any other aboard the transorbital ship, Phoenix. Such is the life of an emergency medicine specialist in the age of “post-discovery”. Sure, she had always dreamed of interacting with intelligent extraterrestrial life- the real thing, not those microbes on distant moons. Who wouldn’t? She was still happy with her career, however mundane and demanding it might be. That’s what it took to run a ship the size of a small city smoothly. Monotony. But all that changes one morning, and suddenly she’s not so sure she didn’t stick her foot in it…
Be careful what you wish for.
***
Escape had been their only drive, and even death was preferable to the alternative. But they never thought their flight for freedom would put them in an uncharted system. Forced to interact with an isolated world and its inferior, albeit curious people. When it affords them an unforeseen and unprecedented opportunity to take back their world from those who seek to destroy them, however, Aderus begins to wonder if it wasn’t fate. Earth’s proposal is shocking and uncomfortable for a fierce, independent race that relishes in their solitude. The more he learns of humans, however, the more he comes to admire and respect them. One, in particular.
Very recently I have been laid out with really severe back problems. I literally couldn’t do anything, even now tying shoe laces requires a quick rest and some painkillers to recover. But, there has been a little light in the recent dark miasma of pain. I couldn’t do much more than lie down, so I had plenty of time to further develop my obsession with all things alien romance related. This is how Saving Askara wandered into my world.
This is the debut novel by author J.M. Link and she has certainly started with a bang! I loved it. Link’s aliens were unique and interesting and I really like the intrepid Victoria, the heroine of this book. Victoria and Aderus, our alien hero, did far more to keep my mind occupied and away from the war zone that was my back than my stacks of painkillers. Instead my mind was floating off into space with the very prickly Askara who are an anti social race with a tendency towards violence as displays of dominance. They are also on the brink of annihilation due to a war.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I love my aliens to be as unusual as possible, aka i love a monster hero. I need to get myself a mug saying “The weirder the better!”. And I like my aliens to be different in more than just appearance. So, although the Askara race were definitely NOT just humans with pretty colour skin, their differences were more than just skin deep; their culture was worlds apart from humans. I really enjoyed seeing Aderus and Victoria slowly getting to know one another and try and over come the massive culture shock.
Now, here comes the stinger. This ended in a cliffhanger! Most of this book showed Victoria integrating with the Askara and her developing and tumultuous relationship with their appointed leader Aderus. Then just as things started to heat up. BOOM. It was over. I was devastated and I am now anxiously awaiting the release of the next book so I can see the conclusion of Victoria and Aderus’ relationship. Then, hopefully, Link will continue with more Askara/human romances afterwards.
in conclusion
This book won’t be for every one; however, if you like an intense alien romance with a fierce non-human alien (although still humanoid, no tentacles this time!) then you need to give this a try.
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog May 3, 2018
The Bridal Hunt by Jeanette Lynn
Paranormal Romance
read this is you want:
Have you ever had the urge to have carnal relations with the abominable snowman? If you have, welp, I have the book, nay the series, just for you. In fact, let’s make it better, how about a menage with the abominable snowman and his brother? You would definitely need a vacuum cleaner with a pet attachment (all that hair!) but judging from The Bridal Hunt, it would all be worth it.
Ruth’s Bonded by V.C. Lancaster
Sci Fi Romance
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There are certain plot devices that will immediately have me grabbing for a book. One of them is when the characters can’t speak or understand the same language, and for some reason aren’t able to learn. For example, in Transcendence by Shay Savage, the hero doesn’t have Wernicke’s area, which is the part of the brain responsible for processing language. This book has that plot device. Due to Gron, our hero, being a completely different race it somehow makes him unable to ever understand human language and our heroine Ruth likewise can’t, and will never, be able to understand his. I just love that way it means they have to find other ways of communicating with each other. And it’s just so…romantic. To fall in love with someone with such a huge unmovable obstacle in your way.
For anyone else who adores this plot device, or just wants to give a try, I recommend picking up Ruth’s Bonded, it’s a lovely story and Gron despite his fearsome appearance is a marshmallow.
When Ruth finds herself abducted and thrown into a cell with a big scary alien, naturally she’s terrified. At first. But when she’s forced to get along with her furry, tailed cellmate (and her clothes get stolen) things slowly start to change between them. After they escape onto an unknown alien planet, they’re finally free to explore their feelings and each other, but can they survive with only each other to rely on and no way of communicating?
Gron is from a matriarchal society where the males obey their Queens, so when a beautiful but strange female is dropped into his cell, he doesn’t know what to think. Is she a victim like him, or is she being used by his captors to control him? Either way, he knows he must control his instincts or he will end up inescapably Bonded to her. The delicate Queen needs his help to survive, and it is his duty to serve her, but can he do it without losing his heart?
Gron our alien hero and his fellow alien friends have a pelt, tail and big sharp fangs, so if that doesn’t rev your engine, then this isn’t going to be the series for you. Gron lives in a matriarchal and primitive society where the females are larger and more aggressive. The female, the Queen, rules over an all male tribe and has a select few of those males as her mates. It’s good to be Queen! But, Gron has been abducted from his tribe and locked in a metal box. Ruth, a human woman is thrown in with him. This is where the fun begins and our story starts.
Not only do Ruth and Gron have massive cultural and societal difficulties to overcome, they also have to do this without being able to speak to one another. For reasons explained in the series they are unable to speak or understand one another’s language. This means they have to find other ways to communicate. I admit, this aspect of the story was strange at first they never have a typical verbal conversation through the whole series. But I found the way they came together where they could only demonstrate their feelings through actions and body language really sweet. It was all show and no tell. For the reader it is made easier as the book switches between Ruth and Gron’s POV. So, even though Ruth and Gron don’t know what the other is thinking, we do.
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog May 5, 2018
Listen to Francesca’s interview with One True Pairing Podcast where they discuss Ruth’s Bonded and bigfoot erotica!
Chimera for Christmas by Ursa Dax
Sci fi Romance
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You want an adorable Christmas romance, with a grumpy minotaur monster hero…who makes the best damn coffee and pastries in the universe? I know I certainly do. This novella was a lovely little read to get you into the Christmas spirit, monster style.
Broken Earth by S.J. Sanders
Sci fi Romance
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Welcome to the end of the human race. Humans are almost extinct and the ones that survive are becoming increasingly ruthless, savage and murderous as they compete for resources. That is why Terri avoids other humans and has learnt to survive on her own. Until she meets Veral, an alien cyborg with a remarkable resemblance to Predator. This was a romance mixed with post-apocalyptic survival story – complete with cannibals – which really makes you question who the real monsters are.
Strange Love by Ann Aguirre
Sci Fi Romance
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Strange yet wonderful. Those are the adjectives I would use to describe Strange Love. It’s also another romance where the hero has a close resemblance to Predator. However, he may look like a scary mo-fo on the outside, but he’s a complete cinnamon roll on the inside. In fact, it is our heroine, the poor woman who was accidentally kidnapped who ends up competing in a bloodthirsty tournament so that she can be with the alien guy of her dreams. Annnnd, as for sexy times (I don’t want to give away too much), lets just say who penetrates who isn’t quite what you expect.
Mandy and the Tentacle Monster by Bebe Harper
Sci Fi Romance
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If the cover of this book doesn’t make you want to grab it and never let it go then there isn’t anything more I can do for you. But I am going to try. The hero has tentacles, is adorable and worships our heroine. ya know, once they figure out the whole communication thing. He does make the initial mistake of thinking she’s a pet. Luckily, he likes to pamper his pets, and it doesn’t take him too long to figure out she’s a sentient being. When it comes down to it this book is a sweet pet-to-friends-to-lovers book where the hero has tentacles and I loved it!
Mandy is abducted by aliens and kept as a pet. These aliens seem nice enough, but she needs to figure out how to communicate with them and get back to Earth. Her alien captor finds everything about his new pet adorable, from her tiny toes to her blunted claws to her shiny mane. He will do everything in his power to make sure that his cute little pet remains healthy and happy. But what happens when this giant tentacled alien finds out his lovely pet is a sentient person who wants more from him than pets and treats?
This is a slow-burn alien/human romance intended for adult readers.
I like to think that I can’t be seduced by a cover. Well, that’s a big fat lie. I picked up Mandy and the Tentacle Monster by Bebe Harper for two reasons:
- The cover. Pin up girl being cuddled by tentacles. Yes please!
- It’s called Mandy and the Tentacle Monster…of course I am gonna read it.
So, although seduced by the above I had fairly low expectations, we all know that I love alien books and the more alien the better. I’ve also enjoyed alien books involving tentacles before as well. However, there is a difference between the books I have enjoyed and straight up tentacle porn. The reason I enjoy books with characters that look so different is that I am a sucker for romances where the main characters fall for one another despite their differences, in both personality and appearance. And it doesn’t get more different than having tentacles instead of legs. I want them to fall in love and have a connection, not just shag about. Hence, my disinterest in tentacle porn.
Was this book more than just characters having slightly taboo sex? Yes. It was freaking adorable. Our alien hero was a complete cinnamon roll, who adored our heroine. And our heroine was a sassy human woman in a weird and tricky situation who grabs life by the tentacles and goes for it.
I cannot wait for the second book in this series which involves a stranded kraken alien on Earth. If you, like me, enjoy an alien romance I highly recommend giving this a try. If you are new to alien romances I am not sure this is the best place to start – the hero is a colour changing half man, half kraken after all, but if you can see past that, give it a go!
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog June 4, 2021
Cottonwood by R. Lee Smith
Sci Fi Romance
read this is you want:
The tagline/blurb for this book is: “They never meant to come to Earth. They were never allowed to leave. Welcome to Cottonwood.”. It gave me chills when I first read that, and now knowing what it means…it doubles them. If you are in the mood for a darker read, which has some uncomfortable parallels to the current world and how humans like to treat those they consider “other”, then this is the book for you. Amidst that, it does have a lovely slow burn romance, but it is a difficult read that I guarantee with have you weeping.
I should probably also add a content warning for violence, cruelty and torture and, if memory serves me correctly, sexual assault and rape.
They never meant to come to Earth. They were never allowed to leave…
Welcome to Cottonwood.
Aliens have arrived on Earth, only the didn’t mean to. Their ship malfunctioned and now they’re stranded. Fast forward a few decades later and all the aliens are dumped in squalid camps to be forgotten about. With most humans believing that they are too stupid and violent to join mainstream society. It doesn’t help that they look like bugs with a humanoid body.
Sarah naively goes into the Cottonwood, a new reservation for the “Bugs” as she wants to help integrate them into human society. What she finds is horrifying. But she does as much as she can and is especially drawn to Sanford and his adorable son T’aki. She knows she has to help them escape and get back to their home, even if she has sacrifice everything to do it.
R. Lee Smith has been recommended to me before, especially her epic tale The Last Hour of Gann. However, it is this book Cottonwood that captured by attention. It was a moving and emotional read that I couldn’t put down once I started reading. Those of you who follow my reviews know that I adore sci fi alien romances, indeed my love of the genre is what prompted me to pick up this book. However, this isn’t a fluffy love story between a human woman and her gorgeous alien. Instead Smith has given us something a little bit different to get our teeth into.
Let’s start off with the romance, Sarah and Sanford start off with a wary friendship, which grows closer and closer until a romantic relationship seems inevitable. The growing respect and love between Sanford and Sarah as well as the adorable T’aki, Sanford’s son, is one of the sunny spots in a book that is otherwise a depressing tale of humanity’s worse traits. If the book wasn’t peppered with sweet moments between Sarah, Sanford and T’aki, this book would have been too bleak.
Cottonwood is an immigration camp where the aliens are forced to work in recycling. This is just a euphemism for forced labour in a massive rubbish heap whilst living in a dirty slums. Due to the aliens bug-like appearance humans have discarded them with an “out of sight out of mind” mentality leaving them in the power of those who can exploit them. We experience this from Sarah’s POV as she enters Cottonwood wanting to help those inside but instead gets slowly disillusioned.
I found the portrayal of every human, apart from Sarah, as callous, cruel, uncaring or condescending a little off putting and uncomfortable. But, it added to the hellish and depressing atmosphere of the place and explained why Sarah took all the risks and actions to try and help Sanford and T’aki. And, ultimately it made the ending of this book all the more triumphant.
I really enjoyed this book, the romance in it was powerful but a slow burn and the story itself was touching. I definitely found myself wiping away a few tears as I was reading. If you like a really intense read, regardless of the genre, with some social commentary than this is the book for you. It is certainly down as one of my favourite reads of this year.
Reviewed by Suzanne on Under the Covers Book Blog May 7, 2018
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Thanks for this post, I’ve discovered many alien and monster books because of Suzanne.
I’ve read books from some of these authors, but not these exact books. My intro to monster romance was a couple alien-human romances like the Border Worlds Saga from Mark Alder and then Starkissed by Lanette Currington.