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List Price: $6.99
Our Price: $6.99
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: HQN Books
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780373772599
ISBN: 0373772599
Label: HQN Books
Manufacturer: HQN Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 384
Publication Date: 2008-06-01
Publisher: HQN Books
Studio: HQN Books
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Editorial Reviews:
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Peace was for little girls
And Coalition starship admiral Brit Bandar was one tough woman. A mere intergalactic treaty could never get her to trust the Drakken Horde. There was too much bad blood between the Coalition and the Horde and, for intensely personal reasons, Brit wasn't sure that she was through spilling it! But now a peaceful accord had made Finn Rorkken, a notorious Drakken rogue, second in command on her starship, and through some grand cosmic irony front and center in her thoughts...and her heart. Warleader. Pirate. Either title sat easily on Finn's battle-hardened shoulders. Though second in command to "Stone-Heart" Bandar? That one would take some getting used to. Peace required as much sacrifice as war so he'd comply even if his reaction to the gorgeous admiral fell decidedly outside protocol. But would he end up kissing or killing her if the galaxy's tentative truce turned into all-out war?
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good lite sci-fi romance with an Alpha female - 1st in the Borderland series
Comment: The war is over. Finally there is peace in the galaxy. The Coalition, Drakken Horde and Earth are now united (The Triad Alliance). But Admiral Britasha Bandar doesn't like it one bit. She's made a career out of capturing and killing the vile Drakken. The same people who made her into the emotionless leader of the Coalition forces she is today. Brit didn't get the nickname 'Stone Heart' for nothing. Now the alliance wants her to command a diplomatic ship called Unity bringing stabilization and reorganization. If that wasn't bad enough, her ships crew will be a mixture of those peoples. And her second in command is none other than the former Imperial Fleet warleader (and sometimes pirate) the Hordish Finnar Rorkken -her nemesis. The one man she was never able to capture. Their attraction is immediate. Soon Finn finds that under Birts icy exterior lies a woman who needs to be healed and loved. But will she ever allow him close enough?
I loved this book. A nice change having the heroine be the alpha instead of the hero. Brit is a fearless, somewhat emotionless and controlled leader. And just like in other romances (except of course its usually the hero), she needs the perfect someone who will show her unconditional love and patience. Finn is that man. But don't be fooled, he's not the shrinking violet type. He provides the support and love Brit needs while giving her the space to make her own decisions. And boy! are they smoking HOT together! Just a really great couple.
There is also an interesting secondary romance with Brit's assistant and another member of the crew. That one had me guessing and hopefully Grant will expand on it in future books.
Admittedly I don't read sci-fi (something about Star Trek makes me want to burst out laughing) so I can't compare this to that genre. But I do read a lot of contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. And I found Moonstruck to be way above average compared to a typical romance (especially anything harlequinn). The sci-fi part is just right IMHO. Not overly detailed (eyes glazing over) but enough to be intriguing. And I loved the romance mixed with a bit of space adventure.
I'm not sure I'd recommend Moonstruck to strictly sci-fi readers -not meaty enough. But romance readers should enjoy this lite sci-fi romance book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Could have been good...but wasn't
Comment: I bought this book based on the great reviews here, but I dont understand how reviewers are giving this 5 stars, but to each their own. It is certainly not like Asimov's Foundation epic as someone suggested. I dont recall the Grand Master writing fluffy harlequin romances set in space!
It's not even Star Trek unless you take the episodes with Kirk and his many love interests and put them all together in one story.
The main character, Brit, held no interest for me whatsoever. She is supposedly very complex, yet she was very one dimensional. She had an interesting and sad back story and I'm all for female leaders, but the writer never made me care very much for this character. The male hero in the story is much more interesting, and I would have preferred a story with Finn and his crew more than this story, which held no surprises and began to bore me so much in the middle that I stopped reading, only to finish to make this review a fair one. It was tough to finish!
It's not such a bad book as far as slight romances go, if that is what one is looking for (the cover of the book should have tipped me off), but it could have been much better had it gone deeper into the different people on the ship and their different histories. The best parts of the book was when it was just focusing on the crew (which was unfortunately not nearly enough), and not on Brit AKA Admiral Stone Heart (a nickname that became tiresome by the first few chapters) and how many times she wanted to have sex with someone just to get him out of her mind. Go figure.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Sexy Space Epic
Comment: I loved this book. Moonstruck reminded me of all those classic space epics I adored in my youth - things like Asimov's Foundation series. Two galactic empires have fought a long and bitter war. When one empire collapses and sues for peace, an uneasy truce results.
Admiral Brit Bandar has made vengeance against the Drakken her life's work, so she's pretty ticked off when she's given command of a diplomatic vessel that will boast a combined crew of Coalition and Drakken forces. The name of the ship is Unity and the very idea is so repugnant to Brit, she can't even say the ship's name out loud. Imagine how annoyed she is when she learns that her first officer is Drakken. And not just any Drakken, either. It's Finn Rorkken, a Drakken Warleader and pirate she chased all over the galaxy and never managed to capture. Brit can't stand the idea of the guy being anywhere near her ship. Until she finally lays eyes on him and discovers he resembles her long-dead husband.
Finn knows the Admiral wants him, because hey, what woman wouldn't? He's good-looking, powerful and smart. But unlike the Admiral, he's also tired to death of war. He welcomes the truce, hoping it will bring luxuries like adequate food and medicine to his people. So far, it's certainly worked out well for him. He's got a cushy new job as Brit's second-in-command; and soon he's moonlighting as her personal boy toy. But along the way, is he selling out his own people for comfort and security?
Susan Grant's story goes beyond the superficial love story to explore what makes these two complicated people tick. Both Brit and Finn have known war for so long, they have no clue how to cope with peace. When a nation's whole identity revolves around defeating the enemy, what's the point of life when the war ends? Brit especially is not sure about the answer. Grant does a beautiful job of gradually unfolding Brit's complicated feelings as she tries to relearn what it means to be a woman and not just a soldier. Moonstruck offers a vivid, believable science fiction universe combined with a sensitive, sexy love story. A great discovery!
Customer Rating:
Summary: suburb military science fiction romance
Comment: Coalition Admiral Britasha "Brit" Bandar 'Brit is upset with the changes that impact her. The courageous warrior knows she must adapt as the Coalition has merged with Earthling and Drakken to forge a Triad; she grew up believing the Drakken were the enemy who must die and now they are allies and on board.
Brit Commands the Unity with her second in command a Drakken, Finnar "Scourge of the Borderlands" Rorkken. He is a former leader of the Drakken Horde and is proud to be on board the key example of peace the Unity although he is concerned about his superior officer as they have battled one another for years. Still Finnar also knows the assignment will include better working conditions for his crew. However, neither expected an attraction hotter than a star while they battle their unwanted feelings they also confront terrorists threatening the fragile peace.
Expanding the Grant universe, MOONSTRUCK is a suburb military science fiction romance starring Beloved Enemies. The Jasper saga (see YOUR PLANET OR MINE, MY FAVORITE EARTHLING, and HOW TO LOSE AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL IN 10 DAYS) goes into the Borderlands of outer space with this terrific entry as the lead couple have a lifetime of combat leading to total distrust; however failure to communicate will prove disastrous as many from the three sides want the Triad to fail. Fans will be "Star" struck by Susan Grant's extraterrestrial talent as this may be her best sci fi tale to date.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Rating:
Summary: Gut wrenching and heart warming - Grant's new space romance is a keeper!
Comment: Susan Grant introduced us to Aviation Romance with strong female aviator/role models such as Jas Hamilton (THE STAR KING) and Jordan Cady (CONTACT) and Earth to alien cultures. Like CONTACT which dealt with terrorism in the aftermath of 9-11, Ms. Grant's latest novel MOONSTRUCK is very edgy dealing with the scars left by war. This is a tale about an injured but strong woman, an honorable man who had been her sworn enemy and the healing power of love. Did I say that I simply love an edgy paranormal romance? I really adored this one.
In MY FAVORITE EARTHLING (Otherworldly Men series: Book 2) the Goddess herself, Queen Keira of Sakka, had killed the Drakken leader and with the help of thousands of Draaken faithful who had worshiped the goddess in secret, had put an end to the brutal galactic war between their peoples. Earth, the backwater home of Keira's consort Prince Jared, had been declared a holy untouchable Shrine. The Coalition government and their former enemy the Drakken Horde were no more. Instead the two would unite, along with Earth, to form the new Triad government. And they all lived happily ever after, right? Not quite.
Not everyone was happy about the new arrangement. Admiral Brit Bandar, commander of the Coalition Space Ship Vengeance had spent her career hunting down Hordish pirates, among whom she'd earned the name Admiral Stone-Heart, and protecting the Coalition worlds from the Imperial Armada . It had been a name well earned for her heart had turned to stone following the Massacre at the Arrayar Settlement which had taken her beloved family from her. To Brit the only good Drakken was a dead one. Vengeance even more than a sense of duty had spurred her to become the most successful commander in the Coalition forces, winning more battles than any other. Her business with the Horde was far from finished. No one other than Prime Admiral Zaafran knew of her secret pain, a pain she both buried and revived on shore leave in the pleasure dome of a resort planet. It is there that she is contacted to report to the Ring to receive her new assignment -- a diplomatic assignment. Peace wouldn't last, of that she was certain. Imagine her chagrin upon arriving at the Ring and smelling -- Horde!
Drakken Warleader Finnar Rorkken, of the former Imperial Fleet, had been summoned to the Ring as well. Prior to his promotion he'd been a notorious pirate tagged The Scourge of the Borderlands. Although he is not certain whether the trip indicates a new assignment or a trial for war crimes he is optimistic for he has very little to lose. He and his crew are on the verge of starvation. Brit had come close to capturing Finn several times. He'd respected and admired her as a worthy opponent and was more than a little intrigued by his rival. She had held a secret admiration for her adversary as well and she fully expected to make him pay for that. Imagine her dismay to learn that her new assignment would be a diplomatic position as the Captain of the Triad Alliance Ship Unity, commanding a crew consisting of Coalition, Earth and Drakken, with Rorkken as her second in command!
No, she couldn't relegate the Drakken crew to menial tasks as far from her sight as possible, they were to be integrated and if she didn't like it she would be reassigned to dry dock. For the first time in her life duty would have to come before her need for vengeance. Her career was her life. But nothing could have prepared her for the shock of meeting Finn or his resemblance to an older version of her dear departed husband, the love of her life murdered by his kind.
Finn sees the assignment as an opportunity. Orphaned as an infant in a Coalition attack, he'd been rescued and then abandoned on another world and raised by other homeless children. His crew was his only family and he would do anything to convince Brit to take them aboard the Unity. He's floored by their first meeting. He'd admired Brit before but couldn't reconcile Admiral Stone-Heart with the woman he'd kill to have in his bed. Brit is shocked and dismayed at the medical reports that reveal his meager beginnings, the last thing she had wanted was to see him as human. With both hiding their feelings, working together is NOT going to be easy! It's not long before she realizes there is only one way to get him out of her system. She was going to hate herself in the morning, or would she?
Brit wasn't the only one dissatisfied with peace. When communication is lost with the Cupezikan science outpost in the Borderlands, the Unity is sent to investigate. What they find is a brutal slaughter. Has Brit gotten gotten her wish or have time and Finn finally healed her wounds?
Oh my! The interaction between these two star-crossed lovers is as complex as it is heartwarming. Brit's feelings are raw and heart wrenching, due to her devastating tragedy that has stolen her faith. What begins as admiration, curiosity and intense attraction for Finn quickly becomes a need to know the woman he's come to love in every sense of the word and to do whatever it takes make her whole again. For that to happen, Brit must let go of both her pain and her hatred. The result is a touchingly beautiful romance filled with courage and heart that was pure pleasure to read.
On a final note, I very much enjoyed the secondary thread, the adventures of Admiral Bandar's assistant Lt. Keyran. Hadley is a true innocent who hero-worships Brit. Brit sees her own strong potential in the girl and plans to toughen her up on this assignment. In the meantime the hopeless romantic from a planet of hopeless romantics becomes caught up in a romantic triangle between Rueben Barrientes a.k.a. Tango, a big time player from Texas and Battle-Lieutenant Bolivarr, a shy former Drakken Wraith assassin who has amnesia due to a near fatal injury. She's swept away by the smooth talking Tango but the mood ring he gives her has other ideas. This side story brought humor to an otherwise intense situation. I do hope we see Keyran and Bolivarr again.
For me a keeper is a gut wrenching, edge of the seat novel that makes you laugh, cry, and sigh, one that you can't put down until you've finished the last word, and then want to read all over again. MOONSTRUCK is a keeper! ~ Reviewed for PNR Reviews
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