Challenge Corner discussion

Rihanna is condemned to a twenty-year sentence on the most savage prison planet in the sector for a crime she didn’t commit. On the day of her transfer, she’s offered a deal to commute her sentence: an arranged marriage with a grumpy orc-minotaur who has muscles for days, devilish red eyes, and an insufferably smart mouth. Despite his species’ reputation for being violent brutes, Rihanna soon finds herself drawn to the gentle giant that lurks beneath his terrifying appearance.

Fearsome, savage, and yet so fluffy

When the agency informs Zatruk he’s been matched, the last thing he expects is for his mate to be such a tiny human. With his people rapidly entering blood rage, and the looming threat of war, he needs a queen to stand by his side as he strives to save his people, not a delicate flower. But he soon discovers that behind her fragile appearance, his little female hides a fierce and dauntless soul, with a sassy attitude that stirs him in unexpected ways.

With time running out, will Rihanna be the blessing he needs to achieve the peace his people desperately desire, or will they self-destruct?

Chapters One and Two

(view spoiler)[Based on the blurb, I was expecting the grumpy/sunshine trope, but if anything they seem to be playing out the smartass/smartass trope. (Is that a trope? If not, it should be.) I suppose it counts as Mate or Die/F*ck or Die, since Rihanna is given the choice to either marry Zatruk the moment she steps off the shuttle, and consummate the marriage that night, or spend the next 20 years on the worst prison planet in the galaxy. Assuming she survives long enough to be released.

I like what I've seen of both MCs, but we've only had Rihanna's POV so far. It looks like the next chapter is in Zatruk's POV, so that should give us a little more information about him. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[Awww I really love Zatruk, she’s right calling him sweet. The fluffiness is a perk lol. Hopefully she can help change his society a little more as well. I’m thinking him putting something in the villages food is probably going to come back to bite him 🫣🫣 (hide spoiler)]

Forgot to add the rest of my comments lol Ooops

53% (view spoiler)[Nothing like moving to another planet only to have the comforts of home at your fingertips ie. Chocolate :P (hide spoiler)]

74% (view spoiler)[I love that she's able to add in her rather unusual but nifty skills to help him and his people. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Absolutely loved this. The hero was immediately bonded to the heroine and I really loved watching him fawn over her and win her over. Glad they were able to get the rage in check because that was a bit much. I can't imagine trying to live peacefully with all of that. There's no place for it but now they have a ring to fight in rather than the streets! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters Three through Five

(view spoiler)[For a "primitive" society, it's surprising the Yurus a) have such strong opinions on consent yet b) have slavery. Although I think Rihanna's reaction would have been different if she was also told that slavery was limited to two weeks. Still distasteful, but not as bad as a lifetime sentence. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Five continued:

(view spoiler)[Not only is Zatruk a minotaur, apparently he's also a Jackrabbit! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Nine

(view spoiler)[It's smart of Rihanna to talk to a doctor about the fertility issue. Sometimes characters don't, and you end up with panic and misunderstandings. I like that Zatruk didn't get weird about it, either. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter Seventeen

(view spoiler)[The writing in this one is generally pretty good (not a given in a KU title), but there is the occasional weirdness.

"...it took all of my willpower to keep a neutral expression on my face as every male, including our females, echoed..." (hide spoiler)]

The End

(view spoiler)[It was a nice touch to put pictures of Zatruk, Rihanna, the sylphin, and some of the creatures of Cibbos at the end of the book. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 1 – 4 : (view spoiler)[Ohhhh I am having fun, I was so on the fence about this one because it isn’t really something I prefer in a romance but I am so glad Rihanna is not portrayed as just some dumb MC and is a badass female. Her clever sense and the way she defeated Whojin was extraordinary! I am also liking the fact that she didn’t just start swooning over Zatruk immediately but the attraction is building gradually (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5 – 8 : (view spoiler)[OFFOO the mate thing is not my cup of tea, I cringe every time I read Zatruk calling Rihanna his mate lol. That aside, I do enjoy the way they tease each other and also the fact that it isn’t just a romance and by the looks of it, Rihanna is about to play an important role in planet’s war and strategy plannings! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9 - 12 : (view spoiler)[What she did for Whojin was really sweet and the way she doesn’t turn away, is trying her best to better the lives of Yurus, I find it to be awesome. The chemistry between them can be felt as well but I am not too keen on the mating thing (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13 – 16 : (view spoiler)[YAYYY! They are doing pretty good for their people and the “mate” romance wasn’t huge in these chapters so I enjoyed them the most. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[This was unexpectedly a great enjoyment. There was romance and action and a badass heroine, what more do I need lol! They came up with such an amazing idea to keep their rage in check and it will also provide entertainment to everyone, plus the little kid hybrid’s existence in the epilogue made me a bit giddy ngl (hide spoiler)]