I'd recently finished reviewing the first in this series so I was happy to move on to the review copy of the second right after!

I was impressed that the story continued with a lot of the hallmarks of a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I had assumed that it would taper off a bit after the first. But there are still some key story beats to it. However, and I'm speaking as vaguely as I can here to avoid spoilers, I don't think there'll be much more of the Beauty and Beast vibes in the next book. So it'll be interesting to see where it goes next post-retelling.

The book does a pretty good job of showing Corinne's change in personality during her time on the ship. Joanna is also given a few extra abilities, as well as a few extra limitations, that flesh out the mechanics of the AI nicely. Del probably gets the least development due to the nature of the story, but you do get a lot more of his backstory and it provides a lot of important context for his moodiness.

As for the sisters, Jexrah felt a bit too much like a stereotype at times. The evil woman just there to get in the way. Meervit was a bit more nuanced. And while I do like that the story hinted that Jexrah wasn't tormenting Corinne just to be mean, I'd have liked to see something of that in her actions. Something on page to make her seem more than pure antagonist.

In my review for the first, I mentioned that it felt like there was a bit too much worldbuilding exposition given all at once, with very little ways to make sense of it. In this book, there's much less given. So much less, in fact, that you probably could have moved some of the exposition of the first to this one without losing that much. But I did enjoy the hothouse becoming a much more useful plot point than before.

The ending wasn't an exact recreation of the B&B story, but enough to be an homage. I really appreciated how tense and fraught it was. I also appreciate how there is both much that's been fixed and much left up in the air. It definitely feels like the characters have moved forward, but that there's also plenty of room for further books in the series.

Over all, if you enjoyed the first one, this one will give you more of what you loved.

After reading Unearthly and coming away feeling lukewarm about Corinne and Del’s relationship, Gallagher turns up the chemistry and heat in Starcrossed. What I felt Unearthly lacked, this next instalment in this alien abduction romance series certainly fulfilled. Picking up where Unearthly ends, Corrine is faced with meeting two members of Del’s family. Straight away, it’s obvious Del’s sisters have come on board with an agenda.

Packed with lots more of Gallagher’s clever world-building, we learn more about the ship, Del’s world, (his alien ‘physique’ ahem) and his nation’s politics. But what really got me hooked was the link back down to Corinne’s friends in Montana where a new plot twist develops. I loved this reminder of Corinne’s life on earth, and for me, it helped make the ‘should she stay, or should she go’ argument all the more juicy.

Corinne’s apathy in trying to escape in book one annoyed me a little, but by the time she came to fully considering her escape plan in this instalment, I had a good laugh at myself, because I knew both she and I didn’t really want it to happen. So, ha ha. Joke’s on me.

Gallagher’s writing flows with just the right balance of description, great dialogue, lots of wit, and a nice touch of hot & steamy action between the two MCs. I only have one gripe, and to avoid spoilers, it involves the departure of a character near the end of the book. It felt weirdly out of place. Maybe it’s a plot twist which book 3 will explain, but I’d anticipated (and hoped) for a detention/jail outcome for this person, but what appears to have happened kind of yanked me out of the story.

Despite that one small thing, I’m happily giving 5 stars, and I’m definitely in the queue for book 3; Ascended.

It’s all very well to make out with an alien prince. A few kisses should be harmless—right? Yet that alien prince is the only male present on the spaceship that serves as Corinne Kaminski’s gilded prison.

THE BLURB

Faced with a thorny status quo, Corinne begrudgingly keeps plotting her escape, despite her growing feelings for Del.

Complicating matters even more is the sudden, grand entrance of Del’s sisters onto the ship. The two cunning princesses would be most unhappy to learn that their brother, heir to the throne of Ailopt, has his eye on a human girl from Montana—and that said human girl returns his affection.

Then a chance at freedom becomes tantalizingly close, just when things are heating up behind closed doors. Corinne will have to decide what’s more important: returning home for good or taking a chance on cosmic love?

TONE OF THE BOOK

Starcrossed is a neutral toned novel. There isn’t any comedy to make it a light hearted novel. The character drama isn’t particularly heavy, though if you are after a lighter/fun novel to read you may find it a bit strong.

SENSITIVE TOPICS

This novel is aimed at mature readers.

It features some action scenes, although not particularly gory in any manner.

The focus of the novel is on adventure. There is some talk of death and dealing with post-traumatic trauma.

SERIES SYNOPSIS

Starcrossed is the second novel in the Beauty and Her Alien series.

The novel is 194 pages long, making it shorter than a standard romance novel length (of 300 pages average).

You can find out more about this series on the Beauty and Her Alien Series Review page.

REVIEW

I enjoyed Unearthly, the first novel in the series. Starcrossed takes the story to another level. Whilst Unearthly was primarily used to establish setting and to introduce characters, Starcrossed brings across the tension, drama, character development and action.

In Starcrossed you start to learn about Del’s backstory, and it’s so intriguing. Many of his behaviours from the earlier novel and beginning of this one start to become more apparent. The entire backstory is relatively slow reveal over a number of conversations and clues, and you’ll find yourself turning the page to find out what happened, and what will happen.

I particularly enjoyed Corinne’s slow emotional change that occurs throughout the novel. There is no “insta-love”, but a slow and growing mutual respect between her and the alien prince. Even then, her experience on board the space ship is ripe with misunderstandings and cultural differences.

There is significantly more world building within this novel. You will get a brief glance at the planet that Del will one day reign. The introduction of his sisters on board will also present you with more insights into their culture. In fact much of this novel could highlight some of the future tensions and many of the challenges that Corinne will face in the future.

Starcrossed is also a bit more action heavy. The threat posed by the sisters brings about a level of tension that hangs in the air. Whilst Corinne’s own actions and adventures on board are set up to build towards the climax of the novel.

FINAL WORD

I really enjoyed reading Starcrossed. I loved the slow build up of action, and how each scene adds to a character’s story or purpose. I am looking forward eagerly to the third instalment of the series.