"Twisty action in new sci fi romance series"

By: Jessie Mihalik

Genres: Science Fiction

Posted: February 8, 2022

You guys, Jessie Mihalik has done it again- bringing us a knock-out sci-fi romance in HUNT THE STARS. Mihalik’s last series was the Consortium Rebellion, an outstanding sci-fi romance series following three sisters as they spy and fight to save the galaxy.  These previous works left me with high expectations of Mihalek, and HUNT THE STARS delivers in spades as the first in the Starlight’s Shadow series.  Fans of Rachel Bach’s Paradox series or Sandy Williams’ Anomaly series will likely adore this book, as will fans of the TV show Firefly.  This is an auto-buy author for me, and HUNT THE STARS is worthy of my "Keeper" shelf.
 
Octavia Zarola is a kick-ass intergalactic bounty hunter.  Tavi is a former war hero whose main goal is to keep her tiny and close-knit former fellow soldiers-turned-bounty hunting crew safe and together. Much to her dismay, this means accepting an unwelcome job from Torran Fletcher, a Valoff general and former war foe.  Tavi and her crew agree to an astronomical bounty to find a lost item for Torran, and travel back to their sworn enemy’s planet for the job. The worldbuilding is fantastic. So lush and compelling!
 
One of the best things about this book is the found family that Tavi has built with her human crew.  As Torran and his small hand-picked Valoff team pursue the job at hand, Torran and his soldiers come to a loose accord and may even be building some cross-species friendships with Tavi’s crew.  However, there are so many delightful twists and turns here, and the story kept me guessing constantly.  Tarren is grim yet sexy, and the questions about his motivations and honor kept me reading far into the night.

Jessie Mihalik’s new sci-fi romance series is all that I could hope for. Another 5 star read by this author.  I was glued to the page by the action, romance, and intrigue along with plenty of curveballs in book one of this new series. With HUNT THE STARS, Mihalik continues to demonstrate a deft touch and fabulous worldbuilding to satisfy the reader.

Book Summary

 

Octavia Zarola would do anything to keep her tiny, close-knit bounty hunting crew together—even if it means accepting a job from Torran Fletcher, a ruthless former general and her sworn enemy. When Torran offers her enough credits to not only keep her crew afloat but also hire someone to fix her ship, Tavi knows that she can’t refuse—no matter how much she’d like to.

With so much money on the line, Torran and his crew insist on joining the hunt. Tavi reluctantly agrees because while the handsome, stoic leader pushes all of her buttons—for both anger and desire—she’s endured worse, and the massive bonus payment he’s promised for a completed job is reason enough to shut up and deal.

But when they uncover a deeper plot that threatens the delicate peace between humans and Valoffs, Tavi suspects that Torran has been using her as the impetus for a new war. With the fate of her crew balanced on a knife’s edge, Tavi must decide where her loyalties lie—with the quiet Valoff who’s been lying to her, or with the human leaders who left her squad to die on the battlefield. And this time, she’s put her heart on the line.

Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

Hunt the Stars

by: Jessie Mihalik

Starlight's Shadow #1

Harper Voyager
February 1, 2022
On Sale: February 1, 2022
Featuring: Octavia Zarola; Torran
432 pages
ISBN: 0063051036
EAN: 9780063051034
Kindle: B09411B7Q4
Paperback / e-Book / audiobook

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