Expanded Book Reviews

Affaire de Coeur - Six Stars
Reuel Shatar, Governor of Planet Pyrali rules under the aegis of Alliance Galactic Empire. He, the first born son, the Cadish, must have a son and heir. Through the minuscule bite of an insect he is unable to have children with a female of his own species. Great lengths are taken to find a suitable female of another species who would be able to accept his seed and give him an heir.

Christa Kirklan, an Earthling, though a teacher, is treated as a second class citizen. The Earthlings crashed on one of Pyrali's three moons and were subjugated. Christa is an outspoken advocate of freedom and equality for her people. Her views of the Alliance as a government of suppression cause her to be charged with treason.

These two disparate beings clash when Reuel finds that Christa is the woman compatible to him; able to give him many sons. He will do anything to do his duty, even take this alien to wife. Christa feels the power and magnetism of this man but he is an Adarian and one of the oppressors. Disguising his reactions to this fiery woman, he uses every means to persuade her to be his wife. He believes that once he has Christa in his bed, she will conform to the norm of an Adarian wife.

Keep your eyes out for more works by Patricia Waddell. A remarkable writer with considerable talent. Ms. Waddell writes THE ALLIANCE as a romance set in the future. This is a sensuous love story filled with conflict on greater issues like prejudice, freedom, equality, and social morays. You might call this a Science Ficition Regency Romance. Another keeper from LionHearted.

Romantic Times - Four Stars
Contrary to the movie title of a few years back, Earth girls are not easy. Reuel Shatar, the governor of Pyrali, decides to take Earthling Christa Kirklan as his wife because it seems her womb is just the right one to guarantee him a male heir.

Christa, whose outspoken ways have gotten her imprisoned, really has no choice but to marrry Reuel, considering her only alternative is to be exiled. Christa makes the best of a bad situation vowing that as lady of the land, Earthlings will no longer be outcasts.

Lord Shatar is unaccustomed to a woman having her own mind and her own opinions. Where he is from, women speak only when spoken to. Women from his planet don't even have breasts unless they are nursing. Despite their differences, Lord Shatar finds himself falling in love with Christa and her maddening ways.

After Christa's world literally comes crashing down around her, she learns that she not only has a responsiblility to her people whose lives hang in the balance, but to be honest with herself about her feelings for her lord.

Ms. Waddell weaves a tale that's out of this world.

Romance Communications
Romantic Science fiction takes a new upturn in THE ALLIANCE. The super talented Patricia Waddell commands attention with this, her first book. And it's a personal keeper in my budding ebook library.

The Governor of Pyrali, Lord Reuel Shatar as Cadish (elder son) of his house must produce a son who will be the next ruler for the Alliance. When an insect bite renders him infertile to females of his species, the Adarians, he finds that he will be able to produce heirs with an Earthling. The young female is being held in prison for voicing her opinion that the Alliance is a government of suppression. Reuel will do his duty to his house and the Alliance. He finds that the female chosen fires his blood. He wants her no matter what. Her outspoken tongue and fierce independence force him to resort to blackmail to gain her consent to wed.

Christa Kirklan debated the rights for equality for the growing population of Earthlings on Pyrali which are treated as second class citizens. She voices her opinion before the council, only to find herself in prison for treason. She is offered little choice. Though her pulse pounds when the powerful and attractive governor enters her cell and later passes judgement on her, Christa may surrender herself to marriage but refuses to conform to the norms of a Pyrali wife.

Plot: A powerful man is forced to turn to a woman of another species for a son and heir. The problems of social norms, freedom, equality and prejudice offer wonderful internal and external conflict. These two alien lovers work to understand the needs of their hearts through pride and prejudice.

Characters: Studmuffins aside, Reuel is a virile, powerfully attractive man who holds to the needs and duties of his position. Christa, Earthling, wishes equality and honor in love and marriage. Reuel's councilor and aid, Minlim makes an excellent foil between the two passionate lovers. The Earthling, Daran, and Favin, Reuel's military aid, make for good contrast. All are well developed and believable.

Craft: An individual story telling voice combined with the ability to write compelling though deliciously sensuous love scenes, makes for a writer of great talent.

Romantic Bower
The Alliance deserves the highest recommendations. Among the usual ebook fodder, this tale of galactic romance is a shining example of top quality writing. LionHearted choose well with this tale of manners, customs and morays challenged when a man in need weds the right woman for the wrong reasons. A regency set in space, perhaps? Sexy, sensual and fun to read. Thank You Patricia Waddell.

Lord Reuel Shatar, Cadish of the Seventh Noble House of the Alliance and Governor of Pyrali is in a pickle. His line is in jeopardy due to the bite of an insect. He cannot have children with a woman of his species. Luck is with him, he can plant his seed in an Earth woman's womb. There is the perfect woman being held for her revolutionary opinions on the rights of Earthlings who had crashed on Pyrali's moon several generations ago.

Christa Kirklan believes that the Earthlings deserve representation in the government, and in voicing her opinion finds herself threatened with exile unless she accepts Lord Shatar's offer of marriage. The Adarian belief that males reign supreme clashes with Christa's sense of independence. Reuel, in his sense of masculine superiority, believes that he can tame his wife in bed. :-) Men!

Kathy's Fave and Raves / Kathy Boswell - Four Thumbs Up
Reuel Shatar, Cadish of the Seventh Noble House, has a big problem. He has to find an alien female to marry and to try to impregnate due to the bite of a pesky insect. He's given this task to his advisor. His advisor has found the perfect female BUT she's been put in the Penal Quarters because she'd asked the Planetary Council let an Earthling to sit on the Council. Reuel thinks Earthlings are irresponsible, ill-mannered and unworthy. Christa Kirklan is a beautiful but outspoken Earthling who only wants equality on this alien planet for her fellow Earthlings. When Reuel blackmails her into accepting his proposal of marriage, Christa, at first, refuses, but then decides maybe this is the way to try and change these arrogant Andarian's minds about Earthlings. Little does she know she has a long, difficult road ahead of her. Can she curb her stubbornness and can Reuel try not to be so arrogant so they can work things out to the benefit of them both?

This most enjoyable book was about compromise and mostly it was about achieving love even when all seems hopeless. I most especially enjoyed the happy ending. I look forward to reading more of Patricia Waddell's work.

About.com Romance Fiction / Katriena Knights - Four Hearts
Reuel Shatar, Governor of the planet Pyrali and Cadish of the Seventh Noble House of the Alliance, must fulfill his duty to produce a royal heir. Unfortunately, a medical affliction has left him unable to reproduce with a woman of his own race. In order to father a child, he must join with an alien.

The alien of choice, according to extensive medical and genetic testing, is Christa Kirklan. Her medical profile indicates she's likely to provide him not only with a child, but with a son. Unfortunately, Christa's an Earthling. Her home planet isn't even a member of the Alliance--the representatives of her race arrived on Pyrali after wrecking their ship on one of the planet's moons. Earthlings are considered rude, insolent, and irrational. And Christa herself is currently confined to the Penal Quarters for daring to insist that Earthlings should have a representative on the Planetary Council. Yet this is the woman Reuel's most trusted advisor has chosen as a suitable wife.

Meeting Christa, Reuel does indeed find her insolent and irrational, unwilling to conform to the strict rules of conduct demanded of a Governor's wife. He also finds her intriguing and infinitely desirable.

Christa herself isn't impressed by Reuel. She finds him arrogant and controlling, and decides she'd rather be exiled for her crime than become his wife. But Reuel's advisor points out the advantages of being the Governor's wife, among them an instant change in status for all Earthlings on Pyrali. In spite of her misgivings, Christa decides to accept the marriage for the sake of her people.

Christa and Reuel face a rocky road, with Reuel bound to a lifetime of tradition and Christa unwilling to sacrifice her freedom and her self-respect to bend to that tradition. But the attraction between them is undeniable. The situation seems hopeless until sudden tragedy brings both of them to the blinding realization of what is most important in life.

Unlike most futuristic romance, THE ALLIANCE is heavily character-oriented. Reuel and Christa are presented in three dimensional reality, forced by their relationship to explore their own faults and prejudices while searching for a middle ground which will allow them to love each other. Their feelings for each other challenge them both, bringing into focus the flaws in both long-standing belief systems.

Pyrali itself serves as a character, as well, presented in careful detail. The Alliance and the planet Pyrali are as essential to the story as its lead characters, and are treated as such.

THE ALLIANCE goes beyond the cliches of most futuristic romance and presents living, breathing characters in a living, breathing world. This is an enjoyable and well-crafted book which should please any lover of romance.