Possible Spoilers:
Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon is the second book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, and wow—there are 21 books in total! This installment focuses on Liz, a feisty and rebellious human, and Raahosh, a grumpy, brooding alien.

First off, I loved Liz. She’s spunky, outspoken, and stubborn—a total troublemaker who refuses to let anyone silence her, even in a situation where the humans are heavily dependent on their alien hosts for survival. Despite the unavoidable bond created by their Khui (the alien symbiont), Liz isn’t about to just roll with the alien mating customs; instead, she’s determined to shake things up.

Raahosh, on the other hand, is a lonely, scarred outsider who doesn’t quite fit into his own culture. His desperation after finding Liz as his mate leads him to make some questionable decisions—like abducting her and hiding her away—but you can’t help but sympathize with his backstory and loneliness.

What makes this book shine is how Liz and Raahosh are both fiercely independent and yet manage to come together, learning that while they don’t need each other, they definitely want each other. Their dynamic is fiery, fun, and packed with tension. Liz’s antics especially kept me entertained throughout.

Oh, and yes—it’s spicy. Very spicy.

I’m giving this one a solid 4.5 stars. It looks like the next book will follow Kira (a quiet and level-headed human) and Aehako (an endearing, free-spirited alien). I’m excited to see how their story plays out!