Review: Very good PNR/space story :D
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 9, 2014
4 starsThis was a very good story. I liked Nori and Menelaus and was very pleased with the story with it's dips and turns.Nori is a shifter known as a Shakien Cat. She was sold to slavers when she was 6 and went through torture and torment at their hands for 2 years before she changed and killed them all. Because of her loss of control during this time Nori is always worried she'll lose control of her anger again and hurt people in a blind rage. She tries very hard to always keep control of her anger. The exact details aren't given but sometime after that Nori is adopted by an ambassador in the league of planets and gains an adopted sister named Lara. Lara and Nori are traveling and on a strange planet when they find themselves in trouble.Menelaus is the King of his people (but a King that's voted in by the people). His lands are the section of his planet that's decided for years (like thousands of years) to stay "low tech" and produce all the food for their planet. The other government on the planet is "high tech" and mainly functions by buying the food from Menelaus' people and using it or selling it off-world for what ever they need. Menelaus has never had an interest in dealing with off-world issues but when he finds an off-world woman that's fiercer than any other woman he's met, Menelaus decides to make her his.TBH, the first bit of the story was a little confusing...it jumps straight in to Nori going to the "low tech" side of the planet to look for Lara who headed over there without Nori for some reason. You just have to go with it and things clear up as the story unfolds. The first issue Nori encounters is a woman on the road that challenges Nori...apparently so she can get married the next day. Nori doesn't want to fight but when forced in to it, beats the woman quickly and moves on looking for Lara. Since Lara tends to get in trouble a lot Nori shows up just in time to help Lara in a bind. As things are getting straightened out, King Menelaus shows up and there's an instant connection between Nori and Menelaus. Nori doesn't want to acknowledge it though and tries to just get back to the "high tech" side with her sister. Nori finds out the woman on the road was the woman that would have been getting married to the King if she'd beaten Nori. Menelaus didn't like her and was quite happy not to have to marry her and when he sees Nori, he knows that she's who he really wants. Menelaus makes it plain he wants Nori and will try to keep her against her will so Nori makes an escape for her and Lara but breaks some laws about border crossing and is help captive by the "high tech" government, eventually getting tricked back to Menelaus's side of the border. Nori objects to Menelaus wanting to keep her long term but her mating instinct kicks in with Menelaus and they become bond, becoming life-mates. She stays with him for a couple weeks but then makes her escape.Menelaus searches all over for Nori but can't find her and is torn up by that fact. He can hardly breathe knowing he lost her and realizes just how deep his feelings are for her. Fortunately, there's some intrigue that draws Nori out of hiding. While trying to help someone, Nori gets captured and Menelaus (trying to find Nori) gets captured as well. Once they're reunited (in captivity), it becomes apparent how hard the separation was for both of them but they don't have time for much as there's backstabbing nobles trying to take Menelaus' throne and 2 governments on the brink of war. In an attempt to stop the war and save their people, Nori and Menelaus have many hardships to get past. Once the immediate danger is past, Nori and Menelaus do find time to re-bond (hot, sweaty, moaning re-bonding) as well as some talk and Nori realizes she's in too deep and wont be able to leave Menelaus again. She's freaked out by this because of her worries about her control and hurting people. Menelaus doesn't give a damn and wants her no matter what, sure they can control it. It's pretty cool because they both kick butt on their own during the fighting and it shows just how good of a match they are. Nori just had to stop fighting their connection and Menelaus had to stop trying to force her to stay and instead convince her. They do manage to find a balance and I loved how the story concludes with the war issue straightened out, the bad guys taken down and Menelaus and Nori starting their HEA while bringing their people in to a new age.I really enjoyed this story. I liked the characters....both Nori and Menelaus are great and I liked a lot of the secondary characters. I kind of wish this would turn in to a series because I'd love to see Lara get a book...as well as the General and Menelaus' sister. I'd recommend this story. Thumbs up. :D