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Mail-Order Alien Grooms #1
So I Married an Alien
What’s a girl to do when her cat dies and a plague wipes out most of the male population? Why, she marries an alien, of course!
Amara is a party girl with a boring day job, on the search for meaning in her life. When she applies to the Galactic Matching Program looking for an alien husband of her own, she’s paired with Roth’kar, a four-armed Karthinian with adorable antennae. Four arms may present problems when it comes to buying new clothes, but Amara’s excited to find out what else her new husband can do with them.
Roth’kar was raised in poverty on a ship in deep space, scrounging for enough to live. His plan to escape? The Matching Program, where all he has to do is please a human bride for thirty days to earn full residency on Earth, and then he’ll be free to do as he pleases. Though the planet is overrun with strange, dangerous animals—spiders, disgusting!—Roth’kar is thrilled to finally feel the sun on his face.
But he didn’t expect his new wife to be sweet and thoughtful, teaching him the value of kissing, the thrill of clubbing, and the simple joy of a walk in the park. As Roth’kar falls for Amara, will his plans change?
This is a sweet and spicy rom-com (with a little bit of angst) about a strong and silent alien seeking a new life, and the fun, earnest human woman who just wants someone to love. You can expect weird peen, lots of steam, cultural confusion and a heartfelt HEA.
Amara is a party girl with a boring day job, on the search for meaning in her life. When she applies to the Galactic Matching Program looking for an alien husband of her own, she’s paired with Roth’kar, a four-armed Karthinian with adorable antennae. Four arms may present problems when it comes to buying new clothes, but Amara’s excited to find out what else her new husband can do with them.
Roth’kar was raised in poverty on a ship in deep space, scrounging for enough to live. His plan to escape? The Matching Program, where all he has to do is please a human bride for thirty days to earn full residency on Earth, and then he’ll be free to do as he pleases. Though the planet is overrun with strange, dangerous animals—spiders, disgusting!—Roth’kar is thrilled to finally feel the sun on his face.
But he didn’t expect his new wife to be sweet and thoughtful, teaching him the value of kissing, the thrill of clubbing, and the simple joy of a walk in the park. As Roth’kar falls for Amara, will his plans change?
This is a sweet and spicy rom-com (with a little bit of angst) about a strong and silent alien seeking a new life, and the fun, earnest human woman who just wants someone to love. You can expect weird peen, lots of steam, cultural confusion and a heartfelt HEA.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2025
27 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Lyonne Riley
27 books803 followersLyonne Riley writes super steamy monster romance, fantasy romance, and sci-fi romance. She lives in the middle of nowhere with her spouse and two dogs, writing spicy fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
July 15, 2025
Earth needs men
🛸 Bookish Thoughts
This was such a cute alien romcom. Very low angst, and a sweet HEA.
I loved Roth’kar 😍 He was such a thoughtful, loyal softie. His backstory seriously broke my heart. He grew up in poverty, never knowing when he would eat again 😭 He was smitten with Amara pretty quickly and loved cooking for her! He hates spiders, which made me love him even more! He also hates dogs with a passion. Definitely a cat dad 🤣
Amara took a bit longer for me to connect with. She is definitely a type B, impulsive girlie who does not always think things through. But she was so lonely and just wanted companionship. She really cared for Roth’kar and wanted to provide for him.
The ending was sweet and I will definitely be continuing with the series.
✨What You Can Expect
• Earth needs men
• Alien mail order marriage
• Cinnamon roll MMC
• Lonely party girl FMC
• He had four arms 😏
🛸 Bookish Thoughts
This was such a cute alien romcom. Very low angst, and a sweet HEA.
I loved Roth’kar 😍 He was such a thoughtful, loyal softie. His backstory seriously broke my heart. He grew up in poverty, never knowing when he would eat again 😭 He was smitten with Amara pretty quickly and loved cooking for her! He hates spiders, which made me love him even more! He also hates dogs with a passion. Definitely a cat dad 🤣
Amara took a bit longer for me to connect with. She is definitely a type B, impulsive girlie who does not always think things through. But she was so lonely and just wanted companionship. She really cared for Roth’kar and wanted to provide for him.
The ending was sweet and I will definitely be continuing with the series.
✨What You Can Expect
• Earth needs men
• Alien mail order marriage
• Cinnamon roll MMC
• Lonely party girl FMC
• He had four arms 😏
June 29, 2025
This read was such an indulgent read and I mean that in the best way possible. I am such a sucker for any sort of matchmaking, arranged marraige type reads when at least one party is non-human so I was really excited to see that Lyonne Riley was jumping into the world of aliens with one! I mean, who wouldn’t want a gorgeous, muscley four-armed alien determined to be the best possible husband he can be once he falls in love with you (including foot rubs, hot meals on the table without asking, and mind-blowing sex)?
Roth’kar was perfectly doting and sweet, eager to learn and determined to ease Amara’s burdens, but I think what made this read so good was the fact that Amara was also incredibly doting and determined to take care of Roth’kar from the get-go. I loved that Lyonne Riley flipped the typical mail-order bride trope so that it was the woman in the relationship who had to provide financially, take on taking care of all of the groom’s needs from food to clothing, and help them assimilate to Earth life. Amara wanted a life companion and was ready to step up to the plate to do what she could to make them happy, and idk it was really refreshing?
Roth’kar might have left his old life behind with less than admirable intentions, and that might blow up in the third-act (which may have made me teary… his gift 😭) but over the course of the story we get to see him realize a marriage involves two people with dreams, not just him dreaming of escape, and then fret about how crappy it was to decieve his sweet wife. When it all comes to a head, he takes responsibility in the best way (I’m trying to keep this as vague as possible) and I really love the way the story ends. It was incredibly sweet!
I inhaled the book in one afternoon because I got swept away in their adorable romance. I loved the heavy emphasis on bonding over food and cooking, as well as the unique anatomy and spicy times that were both panty-melting hot and cute & clumsy at times. I also enjoyed the modern AU setting that felt realistic and familiar enough that I wasn’t spending too much time worrying about the setting and the novelty of a world where aliens coexist with humans, kinda.
I think that fellow alien romance fans will enjoy this cute alien romcom & I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys matchmaking/arranged marriage romances too. Maybe you’ll find that you like non-human romances too! ;)
Thank you for the ARC, Lyonne, it's always a pleasure reading your work! 💙
Roth’kar was perfectly doting and sweet, eager to learn and determined to ease Amara’s burdens, but I think what made this read so good was the fact that Amara was also incredibly doting and determined to take care of Roth’kar from the get-go. I loved that Lyonne Riley flipped the typical mail-order bride trope so that it was the woman in the relationship who had to provide financially, take on taking care of all of the groom’s needs from food to clothing, and help them assimilate to Earth life. Amara wanted a life companion and was ready to step up to the plate to do what she could to make them happy, and idk it was really refreshing?
Roth’kar might have left his old life behind with less than admirable intentions, and that might blow up in the third-act (which may have made me teary… his gift 😭) but over the course of the story we get to see him realize a marriage involves two people with dreams, not just him dreaming of escape, and then fret about how crappy it was to decieve his sweet wife. When it all comes to a head, he takes responsibility in the best way (I’m trying to keep this as vague as possible) and I really love the way the story ends. It was incredibly sweet!
I inhaled the book in one afternoon because I got swept away in their adorable romance. I loved the heavy emphasis on bonding over food and cooking, as well as the unique anatomy and spicy times that were both panty-melting hot and cute & clumsy at times. I also enjoyed the modern AU setting that felt realistic and familiar enough that I wasn’t spending too much time worrying about the setting and the novelty of a world where aliens coexist with humans, kinda.
I think that fellow alien romance fans will enjoy this cute alien romcom & I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys matchmaking/arranged marriage romances too. Maybe you’ll find that you like non-human romances too! ;)
Thank you for the ARC, Lyonne, it's always a pleasure reading your work! 💙
July 20, 2025
Ain’t nothing better than alien romance!!!!! Need an alien to let me teach them what a kiss is!!!
June 28, 2025
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Spice: 3/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to similar books in the same genre*
The Catalog: FM, human x alien match program, arranged marriage, medium burn, unique peen, adorably expressive antennae, teaching him to kiss, alien MMC is the fish out of water, learning Earth escapades, cozy vibes
Synopsis: After Amara’s beloved cat dies, she realizes how lonely she is without a partner in her life. With the shortage of human males on Earth, she decides to apply for a Matching Program designed to match singles across the galaxy. Roth’kar will do anything to leave his miserable life, including marrying a complete stranger. After all, once their trial is up, he’ll obtain full residency on Earth and then he can forge his own path. Except Earth, and the human woman he’s marched with, are more than he ever dreamed.
Thoughts:
If I hadn’t already sworn my allegiance to I Married a Lizardman, this would be my favorite alien romance. I love literally everything about this book and I’m so, so honored to have been able to ARC read it.
First, the plot is unique among popular alien romances in the sense that instead of the human FMC being the fish out of water, it is the alien experiencing a new planet. And my gods, what an incredibly hilarious experience it is. I haven’t laughed out loud this much in a while.
The FMC, Amara, is incredibly relatable and I really love how she approached living with, and supporting her new alien husband. I also really love when FMCs in these situations aren’t shy about their attraction and own it!
The MMC, Roth’kar, owns my entire heart. He is authentic to a fault, curious, adoring, and so freaking funny. In a word, he’s darling. I cannot express to you how well Lyonne Riley wrote his character — his experiences and reactions to things on Earth are so perfect.
The romance is what I would categorize as medium burn, where there’s fast attraction but a slightly slower build up to deeper feelings. I personally thought the pacing of the romance worked perfectly. And I cannot neglect to tell you that Roth’kar has a special alien peen (which y’all know I adore).
I recommend this book to literally everyone! I’m serious, read it.
Spice: 3/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to similar books in the same genre*
The Catalog: FM, human x alien match program, arranged marriage, medium burn, unique peen, adorably expressive antennae, teaching him to kiss, alien MMC is the fish out of water, learning Earth escapades, cozy vibes
Synopsis: After Amara’s beloved cat dies, she realizes how lonely she is without a partner in her life. With the shortage of human males on Earth, she decides to apply for a Matching Program designed to match singles across the galaxy. Roth’kar will do anything to leave his miserable life, including marrying a complete stranger. After all, once their trial is up, he’ll obtain full residency on Earth and then he can forge his own path. Except Earth, and the human woman he’s marched with, are more than he ever dreamed.
Thoughts:
If I hadn’t already sworn my allegiance to I Married a Lizardman, this would be my favorite alien romance. I love literally everything about this book and I’m so, so honored to have been able to ARC read it.
First, the plot is unique among popular alien romances in the sense that instead of the human FMC being the fish out of water, it is the alien experiencing a new planet. And my gods, what an incredibly hilarious experience it is. I haven’t laughed out loud this much in a while.
The FMC, Amara, is incredibly relatable and I really love how she approached living with, and supporting her new alien husband. I also really love when FMCs in these situations aren’t shy about their attraction and own it!
The MMC, Roth’kar, owns my entire heart. He is authentic to a fault, curious, adoring, and so freaking funny. In a word, he’s darling. I cannot express to you how well Lyonne Riley wrote his character — his experiences and reactions to things on Earth are so perfect.
The romance is what I would categorize as medium burn, where there’s fast attraction but a slightly slower build up to deeper feelings. I personally thought the pacing of the romance worked perfectly. And I cannot neglect to tell you that Roth’kar has a special alien peen (which y’all know I adore).
I recommend this book to literally everyone! I’m serious, read it.
July 1, 2025
This is a saccharine sweet with big shots of steam, mail order alien groom romance from the incomparable Lyonne Riley.
A virus in the not so distant future wipes out more than half of all male humans on earth. After a five year dry spell in the dating department capped off by the death of her beloved cat, Amara signs up for an alien trial marriage service. After a fairly quick acceptance and little notice by the agency, she’s matched with a seven feet tall four armed alien who knows very little about our life on earth.
Roth’kar has never known life outside of the hulking space station he lived and worked on his entire life. It was a life of poverty, hard work, and little if any hope for improvement. Eager to escape the drudgery and crushing despair, Roth’kar signs up to the matchmaking service for a chance at something different, not necessarily to gain a spouse.
Once the pair meet and begin discovering each other, however, their connection becomes undeniable, and Roth’kar’s ulterior motives take a backseat to the very real feelings he’s developing toward his bride.
I loved this funny fish out of water/cultural clash take on arranged interspecies marriage. At just under 200 pages, it’s a perfect way to spend a stormy afternoon.
I was fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and I’m happy to share my enthusiastic review.
A virus in the not so distant future wipes out more than half of all male humans on earth. After a five year dry spell in the dating department capped off by the death of her beloved cat, Amara signs up for an alien trial marriage service. After a fairly quick acceptance and little notice by the agency, she’s matched with a seven feet tall four armed alien who knows very little about our life on earth.
Roth’kar has never known life outside of the hulking space station he lived and worked on his entire life. It was a life of poverty, hard work, and little if any hope for improvement. Eager to escape the drudgery and crushing despair, Roth’kar signs up to the matchmaking service for a chance at something different, not necessarily to gain a spouse.
Once the pair meet and begin discovering each other, however, their connection becomes undeniable, and Roth’kar’s ulterior motives take a backseat to the very real feelings he’s developing toward his bride.
I loved this funny fish out of water/cultural clash take on arranged interspecies marriage. At just under 200 pages, it’s a perfect way to spend a stormy afternoon.
I was fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and I’m happy to share my enthusiastic review.
July 16, 2025
✨Release Week✨
You can’t go wrong with a Lyonne Riley book. There’s just something in the formula. This is the start of a Mail-Order Alien Grooms series! Roth’kar and Amara were adorable from the start. There were ups and downs and so much humor. I can’t wait to read Fiona’s book!
“The cheese is, I must admit, my favorite part. It’s gooey and salty and absolutely perfect. I think, after our meal, that I could eat much more cheese.”
“I think I understand it now. It is a dance, yes, but also a tease. It is intimacy and touch, it is closeness and affection, just as much as it is a hint at lust. It is so many things, and gross is not even at the top of my list.”
Read this if you enjoy:
🛸 Aliens
💜 Arranged marriage
🛸 ~Different~ anatomy
💜 Steamy romcom
Cover art and design by: la.fumettista
You can’t go wrong with a Lyonne Riley book. There’s just something in the formula. This is the start of a Mail-Order Alien Grooms series! Roth’kar and Amara were adorable from the start. There were ups and downs and so much humor. I can’t wait to read Fiona’s book!
“The cheese is, I must admit, my favorite part. It’s gooey and salty and absolutely perfect. I think, after our meal, that I could eat much more cheese.”
“I think I understand it now. It is a dance, yes, but also a tease. It is intimacy and touch, it is closeness and affection, just as much as it is a hint at lust. It is so many things, and gross is not even at the top of my list.”
Read this if you enjoy:
🛸 Aliens
💜 Arranged marriage
🛸 ~Different~ anatomy
💜 Steamy romcom
Cover art and design by: la.fumettista
July 11, 2025
I’m in love with Lyonne Riley. She can do no wrong. What a fun concept and such a charming couple. I’m obsessed.
It was a flip from the typical alien romance of “no women” and “girl not that interested and has to be convinced of value of mating”. I liked the flip flop. This one reminded me of Ruby Dixon’s short and fluffy Risdaverse.
Also I love the way he made up for coming to earth and entering a marriage with ulterior motives. He makes up for it in a big way and I teared up over his gift!
Alien. Few men. Arranged marriage. He just wants a green card marriage. Unique alien peen. Awkward sex. Beta MMC. Cozy. Taught to kiss. Fish out of water.
No OMD/OWD. No cheating. No real breakup. Fast attraction, medium burn relationship.
It was a flip from the typical alien romance of “no women” and “girl not that interested and has to be convinced of value of mating”. I liked the flip flop. This one reminded me of Ruby Dixon’s short and fluffy Risdaverse.
Also I love the way he made up for coming to earth and entering a marriage with ulterior motives. He makes up for it in a big way and I teared up over his gift!
Alien. Few men. Arranged marriage. He just wants a green card marriage. Unique alien peen. Awkward sex. Beta MMC. Cozy. Taught to kiss. Fish out of water.
No OMD/OWD. No cheating. No real breakup. Fast attraction, medium burn relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2025
This was so cute and also hit me in my feels like Lyonne always manages to do
I love the switch up on the matchmaking trope! I'm so used to human women being sent off to a different planet to be the mail order bride so its really refreshing to have the alien male come down to earth! My favorite parts were Roth'kar learning earth things and human ways 😊
Romance- Sweet and fun💜
Spice- Excelent🌶️
Peen- Special🍆
A fun funny time!
I love the switch up on the matchmaking trope! I'm so used to human women being sent off to a different planet to be the mail order bride so its really refreshing to have the alien male come down to earth! My favorite parts were Roth'kar learning earth things and human ways 😊
Romance- Sweet and fun💜
Spice- Excelent🌶️
Peen- Special🍆
A fun funny time!
July 11, 2025
I received an ARC of this book in return for my honest review. I really enjoyed this story! It was short and sweet, a bit rushed in places, but when you are less than 200 pages, that's very understandable. I'd suggest this book to someone looking for a quick read with nice spice, or who was wanting to start out their alien romance journey. Unfortunately, as much as I liked the book, the things that kept me at 3 stars instead of 5 are editing/proofreading (minor, but enough to distract me a little), the slight rushing at times, and some of the plot points that are commonly used in romance. Overall though, I enjoyed the story and look forward to Fiona's!
July 2, 2025
This was such a fun, quick read!!
I really liked the premise of a world post-pandemic that nixed a lot of the male population, leading to human women starting to reach out to an alien mail order groom service. It’s such a unique idea that I can see so much interconnected standalone goodness to come from and I LOVE IT!!
I’m really enjoying trial marriage books like this one, where there is a bit of a forced proximity/marriage of convenience feeling to it, but there is also the “well, we’re technically a couple…should we shag?” 🤣
I loved all the cultural differences we saw and it was fun watching the couple adapt to each other's! I loved the idea of a translator implanted so there was no language barrier. Don’t get me wrong, the communication barrier trope is fantastic, but this just made so much sense for such a short period of time that the couple had to get to know each other.
I loved that Roth’kar didn’t necessarily come into the marriage with the best reasons, but he ultimately fell so hard for Amara. It was fun watching this progression, especially with as no nonsense as he was.
Speaking of which, I laughed so hard at all the things “wrong” with Earth that totally perplexed him. One specific part that had me snorting in the least ladylike fashion imaginable was when they were talking about candles during spicy times:
Ever so practical, and ever so hilarious.
I loved how Lyonne made it very clear from the beginning that aliens and humans cannot reproduce. I love that this means there will be no babies in at least some of these couple's (see, I’m saying that hoping this is a series!) HEAs. There is nothing wrong with kids, I have two of my own. But the fact that we will have representation that you do not need to have children to have an HEA is paramount!!
Lyonne + aliens = spicy times and weird peens. Yeah, I ate that shit up.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the mother and daughter (Sylvia and Izzy) Roth’kar befriended at the park. Not only were they an accepting duo who genuinely wanted to know more about Roth’kar and other aliens, but Sylvia gave Roth’kar the final kick he needed to get Amara back. She was blunt but honest with him when he needed it most, and I really hope we see these two in a future story of their own!
Thank you to Lyonne Riley for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
4.25 stars
I really liked the premise of a world post-pandemic that nixed a lot of the male population, leading to human women starting to reach out to an alien mail order groom service. It’s such a unique idea that I can see so much interconnected standalone goodness to come from and I LOVE IT!!
I’m really enjoying trial marriage books like this one, where there is a bit of a forced proximity/marriage of convenience feeling to it, but there is also the “well, we’re technically a couple…should we shag?” 🤣
I loved all the cultural differences we saw and it was fun watching the couple adapt to each other's! I loved the idea of a translator implanted so there was no language barrier. Don’t get me wrong, the communication barrier trope is fantastic, but this just made so much sense for such a short period of time that the couple had to get to know each other.
I loved that Roth’kar didn’t necessarily come into the marriage with the best reasons, but he ultimately fell so hard for Amara. It was fun watching this progression, especially with as no nonsense as he was.
Speaking of which, I laughed so hard at all the things “wrong” with Earth that totally perplexed him. One specific part that had me snorting in the least ladylike fashion imaginable was when they were talking about candles during spicy times:
“Sexy…lighting.” Roth’kar appears even more perplexed now. “But it is a fire hazard.”
Ever so practical, and ever so hilarious.
I loved how Lyonne made it very clear from the beginning that aliens and humans cannot reproduce. I love that this means there will be no babies in at least some of these couple's (see, I’m saying that hoping this is a series!) HEAs. There is nothing wrong with kids, I have two of my own. But the fact that we will have representation that you do not need to have children to have an HEA is paramount!!
Lyonne + aliens = spicy times and weird peens. Yeah, I ate that shit up.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the mother and daughter (Sylvia and Izzy) Roth’kar befriended at the park. Not only were they an accepting duo who genuinely wanted to know more about Roth’kar and other aliens, but Sylvia gave Roth’kar the final kick he needed to get Amara back. She was blunt but honest with him when he needed it most, and I really hope we see these two in a future story of their own!
Thank you to Lyonne Riley for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
4.25 stars
July 18, 2025
Very fast and fun read about Amara, a woman who enters an inter-galactic matchmaking program, and Roth'kar, the alien who applies desperate to escape poverty of his space ship life. Riley writes these light and fluffy romances with such humor and cleverness. Most of the male human population has been wiped out in a virus, which is why the alien matching program exists. Amara says "Believe me when I say I did try dating other women, but it wasn't for me." actually making explicit a point I always wondered about in these single-gendered environments, but had never seen on page before.
Roth'kar is in the program to get past the 30 day trial marriage and then get his earth visa and do his own thing. "I do not want to give her any reasons to end the trial. Once the thirty days are up and I am a permanent resident of Earth, then I will sort out the logistics." He doesn't exactly share this goal with Amara, and it's all moot soon enough, as he falls for her big heart and kind ways. Their interactions and POVs are really interesting, as he calibrates his actions and responses to what he thinks she wants in a partner, and she tries to build an actual emotional connection. "I can sense she's nervous, but she appears to be a kind enough human and is enthusiastic about our future. I think this will work in my favor."
Listen. Did there maybe need to be more orientation for the humans entering this program? Sure. Should Amara have maybe done a little more adjusting for cultural differences? Or maybe a little more explaining about recreational substances than "Want to try something new?" Some might argue yes. And when Chekov's secret goes off, could she have been a little more open to talking it through, given that she knew what a truly crap situation he was escaping on his space ship? Ideally, sure.
One hallmark of these softer, rom-commy Riley books is that everyone is basically nice and kind and just doing their best. If you like a low-conflict, steamy romance with an unusual premise (and I should remind us that alien anatomy is....varied) then I bet you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for an arc.
Roth'kar is in the program to get past the 30 day trial marriage and then get his earth visa and do his own thing. "I do not want to give her any reasons to end the trial. Once the thirty days are up and I am a permanent resident of Earth, then I will sort out the logistics." He doesn't exactly share this goal with Amara, and it's all moot soon enough, as he falls for her big heart and kind ways. Their interactions and POVs are really interesting, as he calibrates his actions and responses to what he thinks she wants in a partner, and she tries to build an actual emotional connection. "I can sense she's nervous, but she appears to be a kind enough human and is enthusiastic about our future. I think this will work in my favor."
Listen. Did there maybe need to be more orientation for the humans entering this program? Sure. Should Amara have maybe done a little more adjusting for cultural differences? Or maybe a little more explaining about recreational substances than "Want to try something new?" Some might argue yes. And when Chekov's secret goes off, could she have been a little more open to talking it through, given that she knew what a truly crap situation he was escaping on his space ship? Ideally, sure.
One hallmark of these softer, rom-commy Riley books is that everyone is basically nice and kind and just doing their best. If you like a low-conflict, steamy romance with an unusual premise (and I should remind us that alien anatomy is....varied) then I bet you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for an arc.
July 9, 2025
Overall: 4.50⭐️
This read while short-ish (less than 200 pages) contained SUCH a sweet story while also bringing in pockets of well written heat…honestly, it’s so on brand for Lyonee & I love her writing style because of it.
This mail order alien groom romance follows Amara, a hard working woman who just wasn’t satisfied with the VERY limited dating pool (the male population was cut half after a virus swept through Earth). After losing her beloved cat, Elvis, she was determined to find her life partner while curbing her desire to not die alone (honestly relatable — we all deserve love am I right?!)
Her solution? Signing up for an Alien Marriage Matching Agency! And to her surprise not only was she accepted rather quickly, her match is a 7ft four armed hunk of an alien named Roth’kar.
Roth’kar grew up rather unconventionally. He never had a true home to speak of, but rather grew up on a part of a ship referred to as “the Hole.” Honestly, comparable to a jail like hell where food and clean commodities were few and far between. Who would want to live like that? Roth’kar’s solution? Sign up to be a mail order alien groom so that he can get the hell out of the Hole.
Throughout this book, I found that I loved getting to see the vast cultural differences between Amara and Roth’kar. So much so that I found myself giggling at having a front seat to Roth’kar learning Earth experiences for the first time.
I was fortunate to have gotten this book as an ARC from Lyonee in exchange for an honest review.
I know that alien/paranormal romance is not for everyone, but I do think this book is perfect for those who would like to dip their toes into my personal favorite genre while still enjoying the “romcom” vibe that it brings. It’s fun, it’s sweet, it’s quick…but it’s also got a hunky alien who goes out of his way to impress his wife.
This read while short-ish (less than 200 pages) contained SUCH a sweet story while also bringing in pockets of well written heat…honestly, it’s so on brand for Lyonee & I love her writing style because of it.
This mail order alien groom romance follows Amara, a hard working woman who just wasn’t satisfied with the VERY limited dating pool (the male population was cut half after a virus swept through Earth). After losing her beloved cat, Elvis, she was determined to find her life partner while curbing her desire to not die alone (honestly relatable — we all deserve love am I right?!)
Her solution? Signing up for an Alien Marriage Matching Agency! And to her surprise not only was she accepted rather quickly, her match is a 7ft four armed hunk of an alien named Roth’kar.
Roth’kar grew up rather unconventionally. He never had a true home to speak of, but rather grew up on a part of a ship referred to as “the Hole.” Honestly, comparable to a jail like hell where food and clean commodities were few and far between. Who would want to live like that? Roth’kar’s solution? Sign up to be a mail order alien groom so that he can get the hell out of the Hole.
Throughout this book, I found that I loved getting to see the vast cultural differences between Amara and Roth’kar. So much so that I found myself giggling at having a front seat to Roth’kar learning Earth experiences for the first time.
I was fortunate to have gotten this book as an ARC from Lyonee in exchange for an honest review.
I know that alien/paranormal romance is not for everyone, but I do think this book is perfect for those who would like to dip their toes into my personal favorite genre while still enjoying the “romcom” vibe that it brings. It’s fun, it’s sweet, it’s quick…but it’s also got a hunky alien who goes out of his way to impress his wife.
July 5, 2025
A plague wipes out most of the male population on Earth. Amara’s cat dies. Naturally, she signs up for an alien matchmaking service to ease her loneliness. What starts as a convenience marriage with Roth’kar, a four-armed, antennaed Karthinian, quickly turns into something far more tender. I wasn’t expecting to fall so hard for this story, but here I am rooting for the quiet alien husband who’s afraid of squirrels and just wants to feel the sun on his face.
This book hit all my comfort trope buttons: trial marriage, fish-out-of-water alien trying to adjust to Earth life, slow emotional build, and some truly fun spice (yes, the anatomy is alien, and yes, it’s very effective). But what really worked for me was how mutual the care was. Roth’kar doesn’t just arrive as a novelty to amuse Amara, he learns, yearns to contribute, and falls hard. And Amara? She doesn’t just want someone to serve her needs; she shows up for her husband, even when it gets complicated.
Was his initial reason for applying a little sus? Sure. Did the third-act moment hurt? Definitely. But watching Roth’kar grow beyond survival mode into someone who dreams with Amara, not just for himself, was beautiful.
If you like:
🪐 Alien mail-order grooms
💋 Soft aliens learning to kiss
🔥 Unique equipment + cultural confusion
🍲 Bonding through food & cozy domestic scenes
Then this sweet and spicy rom-com might just melt your little human heart.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book.
This book hit all my comfort trope buttons: trial marriage, fish-out-of-water alien trying to adjust to Earth life, slow emotional build, and some truly fun spice (yes, the anatomy is alien, and yes, it’s very effective). But what really worked for me was how mutual the care was. Roth’kar doesn’t just arrive as a novelty to amuse Amara, he learns, yearns to contribute, and falls hard. And Amara? She doesn’t just want someone to serve her needs; she shows up for her husband, even when it gets complicated.
Was his initial reason for applying a little sus? Sure. Did the third-act moment hurt? Definitely. But watching Roth’kar grow beyond survival mode into someone who dreams with Amara, not just for himself, was beautiful.
If you like:
🪐 Alien mail-order grooms
💋 Soft aliens learning to kiss
🔥 Unique equipment + cultural confusion
🍲 Bonding through food & cozy domestic scenes
Then this sweet and spicy rom-com might just melt your little human heart.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book.
June 28, 2025
Lyonne flipped the alien trope and I love it! Human men are in limited supply and human women are getting mail order alien husbands. I dropped everything when this ARC came in. Also fancy 🍆 alert! My jaw hit the floor when Lyonne posted art on patreon. I'm still trying to cope.
Roth’kar is a sweet alien desperate to get off the spaceship he's lived his whole life. He's mesmerized by the sun and the trees. A 2 bedroom apartment feels like a palace. He's terrified of these strange animals on Earth. I loved seeing him learn about Earth. Some parts seem so backwards to him, as the technology is antiquated. But there is nature and freedom and joy he's never experienced. He learns about food that actually tastes good, Party Girl Culture, and kissing.
Amara loves clubbing and her friends, but she feels lonely. She's been fine without a partner, but her kitty died a few months ago and she is forced to admit she needs someone to share her life with. (Pet death was off page/prior to start of the book, but discussed in loving memory) She adores his enthusiasm about Earth and wants him to have a life he can enjoy.
The main conflict revolves around his reasoning for joining the matchmaking service. Which, I'll be honest, I felt like Amara overreacted.
Roth’kar is a sweet alien desperate to get off the spaceship he's lived his whole life. He's mesmerized by the sun and the trees. A 2 bedroom apartment feels like a palace. He's terrified of these strange animals on Earth. I loved seeing him learn about Earth. Some parts seem so backwards to him, as the technology is antiquated. But there is nature and freedom and joy he's never experienced. He learns about food that actually tastes good, Party Girl Culture, and kissing.
Amara loves clubbing and her friends, but she feels lonely. She's been fine without a partner, but her kitty died a few months ago and she is forced to admit she needs someone to share her life with. (Pet death was off page/prior to start of the book, but discussed in loving memory) She adores his enthusiasm about Earth and wants him to have a life he can enjoy.
The main conflict revolves around his reasoning for joining the matchmaking service. Which, I'll be honest, I felt like Amara overreacted.
July 12, 2025
Many of us love the “Mars Needs Women” trope—but what if it were the other way around? What if Earth needed an alien marriage program to save women and humanity from extinction? That’s what this story is all about. Amara signs up for the Mail-Order an Alien Husband program, and that’s how she’s matched with Roth’kar.
This story is a bit sweet, especially seeing how Roth’kar learns to enjoy the simple things on Earth and ends up falling for Amara—even though she wasn’t what he expected at first. It’s a whole new world for him, and he does his best to adapt, becoming a thoughtful and loving husband who helps out around the house to show his appreciation for Amara. He’s incredibly sweet and considerate.
I especially loved his reactions to Earth’s “weird” things—like pets. Some of those moments had me laughing out loud!
This shows another side of Lyonne’s writing—this time diving into aliens—and once again, she totally nailed it. I can’t wait to see more from this new series. Who said ordering a husband by mail isn’t a good idea?
This story is a bit sweet, especially seeing how Roth’kar learns to enjoy the simple things on Earth and ends up falling for Amara—even though she wasn’t what he expected at first. It’s a whole new world for him, and he does his best to adapt, becoming a thoughtful and loving husband who helps out around the house to show his appreciation for Amara. He’s incredibly sweet and considerate.
I especially loved his reactions to Earth’s “weird” things—like pets. Some of those moments had me laughing out loud!
This shows another side of Lyonne’s writing—this time diving into aliens—and once again, she totally nailed it. I can’t wait to see more from this new series. Who said ordering a husband by mail isn’t a good idea?
July 4, 2025
I’m in love—Lyonne Riley did an alien!! And she absolutely nailed it. So I Married an Alien is everything I want in an alien rom-com: sweet, spicy, and laugh-out-loud funny. Amara is a fun, relatable heroine who just wants to find love after losing her cat (and most of the human male population), and Roth’kar? Whew. Four arms, adorable antennae, a soft heart, and a very fancy alien peen—what more could a girl want?
Their chemistry is off the charts, and watching Roth’kar fumble through dancing, park strolls, gin and tonics, and his first kiss had me grinning the whole time. This story has heart, heat, and Lyonne’s signature playful spice. I already own all her books, and this just reminded me why.
I can’t wait for more in this matchmaking series—aliens marrying Earth women after a plague wipes out human men? Yes, please. “Lyonne Riley, take us all the way to the stars!!!”
Their chemistry is off the charts, and watching Roth’kar fumble through dancing, park strolls, gin and tonics, and his first kiss had me grinning the whole time. This story has heart, heat, and Lyonne’s signature playful spice. I already own all her books, and this just reminded me why.
I can’t wait for more in this matchmaking series—aliens marrying Earth women after a plague wipes out human men? Yes, please. “Lyonne Riley, take us all the way to the stars!!!”
August 26, 2025
This was such a fun and unique read. The whole concept of marrying an alien could have felt over the top, but the way it was written made it charming, lighthearted, and surprisingly sweet. I really liked the characters and how their relationship developed, it had a good mix of humor, awkwardness, and genuine emotion that kept me invested the whole way through.
What I enjoyed most was how the sci-fi touches blended with the romance. It never felt too heavy or complicated, just enough to give the story a fresh twist while still keeping it really accessible. The pacing was solid, the banter made me smile, and there were also some heartfelt moments that gave it depth. Overall, a super entertaining and original story that felt different in the best way.
What I enjoyed most was how the sci-fi touches blended with the romance. It never felt too heavy or complicated, just enough to give the story a fresh twist while still keeping it really accessible. The pacing was solid, the banter made me smile, and there were also some heartfelt moments that gave it depth. Overall, a super entertaining and original story that felt different in the best way.
July 2, 2025
**Thank you to the Author for the ARC; all opinions are my own.**
4.5 ⭐️
3.5 🌶
I really really enjoyed this one!!!!
If you like alien romance and you need a quick, cozy rom-com, look no further! I loved Amara and Roth'kar getting to know each other and falling in love. It was so sweet! And the spice?! Whewww 🥵 Sometimes I feel like trial marriage rom-coms are too quick for me to enjoy thoroughly, but this was just the right length to enjoy everything!!
If you like:
☆ special equipment 🍆
☆ trial marriage
☆ discovering nature for the first time
☆ cozy rom-coms
☆ he-falls-first
Then pick this one up!!
4.5 ⭐️
3.5 🌶
I really really enjoyed this one!!!!
If you like alien romance and you need a quick, cozy rom-com, look no further! I loved Amara and Roth'kar getting to know each other and falling in love. It was so sweet! And the spice?! Whewww 🥵 Sometimes I feel like trial marriage rom-coms are too quick for me to enjoy thoroughly, but this was just the right length to enjoy everything!!
If you like:
☆ special equipment 🍆
☆ trial marriage
☆ discovering nature for the first time
☆ cozy rom-coms
☆ he-falls-first
Then pick this one up!!
July 2, 2025
A plague wipes out the male population on Earth and after Amara's, cat dies she realises how lonely she is and how much she longs for love, real lasting love. So she applies for a match making service to find a husband!
This book is full of heart and laughs it hits you in the feels immediately. Roth'kar has come from horrible living conditions and the arranged match is his ticket to a better life. The way he views his new life on Earth is so sweet and funny (including his deathly fear of.... squirrels!! 🐿 )
A quick, charming read that is full of humour and emotional moments and leaves you begging for the next one.
This book is full of heart and laughs it hits you in the feels immediately. Roth'kar has come from horrible living conditions and the arranged match is his ticket to a better life. The way he views his new life on Earth is so sweet and funny (including his deathly fear of.... squirrels!! 🐿 )
A quick, charming read that is full of humour and emotional moments and leaves you begging for the next one.
July 5, 2025
Thank you so much Lyonne Riley for sending me an ARC of your latest release! I am so excited for this series and I loved this first one so much! Amara is so amazing she is girl who likes to party and live her life and now after the death of her cat she is feeling alone and wants to share her life with someone, enter Roth’kar! I love that Roth’kar is a mail order groom I feel like that is unique and not something that you see too often! I’ll be honest I was a little unsure of Roth’kar at first because of his reason as to why he signed up for matching program because I was worried that Amara would be hurt. But watching their feelings grow and evolve was so beautiful! Some of my favorite scenes are the ones of Amara teaching Roth’kar about Earth and it just ends up coming off the wrong way and he is a little little afraid of things but he is so cute how he tries to protect her from everything!
This was so cute and I can’t wait to see more of this world! Thank you again Lyonne Riley!
This was so cute and I can’t wait to see more of this world! Thank you again Lyonne Riley!
July 5, 2025
Such a cute story!
Roth’kar and Amara are so sweet together. I love the tentative start and Amara’s excitement when the two first start their trial period together. And things just get better and better as the two characters get to know one another and become invested in the relationship.
If you enjoy monster romance, strangers to lovers, found family, a few pleasantly spicy scenes on the page, and a happy ever after then this is for you!
Roth’kar and Amara are so sweet together. I love the tentative start and Amara’s excitement when the two first start their trial period together. And things just get better and better as the two characters get to know one another and become invested in the relationship.
If you enjoy monster romance, strangers to lovers, found family, a few pleasantly spicy scenes on the page, and a happy ever after then this is for you!
June 28, 2025
This books was so sweet, spicy and fun! I absolutely devoured it. It was so much fun getting to experience Earth through Roth’kar’s eyes and it definitely made me stop and appreciate all of the luxuries and things we have here (that I often take for granted) 🥰
Thanks Lyonne for choosing me to be an ARC reader!
Thanks Lyonne for choosing me to be an ARC reader!
July 7, 2025
Absolutely at this book up. I’m so excited for this series to continue! I loved Roth’kar and how he was eager to be a good husband to Amara. And vice versa. Amara wanted to not be lonely anymore but she equally wanted to be a good wife, a good companion and friend.
I love Lyonne Riley’s writing so much and this book was no exception.
I love Lyonne Riley’s writing so much and this book was no exception.
July 3, 2025
NOTE: I received a free Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
3.5 out of 5 -
Overall this is a cute alien romance with a heaping helping of spice, a dose of alien peen, and a sprinkling of "fish out of water" tropes. While I'm not a huge fan of "fish out of water" in general (no matter the media - books, tv, movies - it can make me cringe), they are mostly out of the way after the first half of the story. I enjoyed seeing Amara and Roth'kar's relationship develop, both emotionally and physically.
3.5 out of 5 -
Overall this is a cute alien romance with a heaping helping of spice, a dose of alien peen, and a sprinkling of "fish out of water" tropes. While I'm not a huge fan of "fish out of water" in general (no matter the media - books, tv, movies - it can make me cringe), they are mostly out of the way after the first half of the story. I enjoyed seeing Amara and Roth'kar's relationship develop, both emotionally and physically.
July 5, 2025
This was so cute! I loved Amara and Roth’kar and their mail order role reversal! So many sweet moments, and so much adorable alien naivety. Give it a read if you’re looking for something cozy and spicy!
July 18, 2025
I like that this is set on Earth. Lots of cuteness and some spice. This is a great book if you want something you can read in an afternoon.
August 8, 2025
oh this was so lovely and sweet I just love a monster (is an alien a monster?) romance GOD. Finished it in a day. NEED an alien husband to dance with me in the club
July 3, 2025
So I Married an Alien was a book that I wasnt super excited for, souly because it wasn't really on my direct radar. I more recently got the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Arc team and so when this came my way I was like 'huh, well I mean I do really like aliens' and it ended up being another absolute banger by Lyonne. Idk why I don't just know by now that basically everything she writes I will love 🤣
The dynamic between Amara and Roth’kar is fantastic, even if sometimes Roth'kar doesn't know what he's doing and Amara has to kind of hold his hand which can kinda give caretaker vibes in the beginning (which I think may kinda sorta be the point?) by the end of the book these 2 stand on even ground with one another and make a fantastic pair. I love how they both grew and were willing to bend their sense of normalcy in order to make it work between them. I also love a man who is a big softie for a cat...human, alien or otherwise 🤣🩷
Watching Roth'kar learn about earth really was a joy.
5/5 in my book and the spice level was perfect for their story. Absolutely loved it.
Thank you once again to Lyonne for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story and review it. 🩷
The dynamic between Amara and Roth’kar is fantastic, even if sometimes Roth'kar doesn't know what he's doing and Amara has to kind of hold his hand which can kinda give caretaker vibes in the beginning (which I think may kinda sorta be the point?) by the end of the book these 2 stand on even ground with one another and make a fantastic pair. I love how they both grew and were willing to bend their sense of normalcy in order to make it work between them. I also love a man who is a big softie for a cat...human, alien or otherwise 🤣🩷
Watching Roth'kar learn about earth really was a joy.
5/5 in my book and the spice level was perfect for their story. Absolutely loved it.
Thank you once again to Lyonne for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story and review it. 🩷
July 2, 2025
Oh this was so good. It was a sweet and cozy alien romance that made me swoon. While ROTH’KAR going into the trial marriage with the best intention he quickly started falling for his temporary wife. The feelings that he had for Amara became very real very fast. Amara was just a smitten with him from right for the beginning. they're so cute together. And yes, he has a special alien peen.
July 27, 2025
Cute, sweet slice of life alien romance. I like that this was an earth needs men scenario. It was a bit predictable, but still enjoyable.
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