Possible Spoilers:
Barbarian Lover by Ruby Dixon is the third book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, and it focuses on Kira and Aehako. Kira is a serious and guarded character who has endured a lot, being one of the first humans (outside of the tanks) abducted and tagged with a translator device in her ear that she can’t remove. Her primary struggle is feeling unworthy—of love, happiness, and connection—while also worrying incessantly.

Aehako, on the other hand, is her opposite: carefree, patient, kind, and relentlessly charming. His pursuit of Kira is persistent, and while in real life such persistence could feel like harassment, in the context of this story, it works because Kira genuinely likes his attention. Her hesitance stems from fear and self-doubt, not lack of interest. A highlight for me was his amusing courtship gift—lighthearted moments like that really added to the story’s charm.

A major hurdle for Kira is that she’s barren, which feels significant in a culture where having children is a key goal, especially given how small their tribe is. She’s afraid that Aehako will eventually leave her for someone he can “resonate” with—someone who can give him children.

I really appreciated the character growth in this book. Kira learns to trust, embrace her worth, and live in the moment, while Aehako balances his carefree nature with genuine concern and seriousness about their relationship. Their dynamic is sweet, and I enjoyed their journey together.

That said, I had mixed feelings about the ending. While the implication that they may now be able to have children is a “happy ending” in many ways, I wish the story had left them unable to conceive. There’s something powerful about the idea of two people choosing each other despite that obstacle, and it would have been refreshing to see them remain childless but fulfilled. Instead, it felt like the story defaulted to children being necessary for a happy ending.

This is a very spicy science fiction romance, with plenty of heat and humor to keep things entertaining. Overall, this book is light, fun, and an easy read, keeping me hooked on the series. While it didn’t fully meet my hopes for Kira and Aehako’s story, it was still an enjoyable addition. I’d rate it 3.5 stars—entertaining, but I wish it had taken a more unconventional route with the resolution.