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Galactic Bonds #1
Only Bad Options
New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.
A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .
Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.
I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.
I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Coldren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.
A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .
The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corion are afraid of me.
But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.
Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their will.
A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .
Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.
I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.
I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Coldren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.
A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .
The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corion are afraid of me.
But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.
Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their will.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2022
582 people are currently reading
5,890 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Estep
93books11.9kfollowersJennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.
For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at or sign up for her newsletter: .
FOLLOW JENNIFER ONLINE:
Facebook:
Instagram:
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Amazon:
BookBub:
ŷ:
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Jennifer's newsletter:
Happy reading, everyone! 😎
Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.
For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at or sign up for her newsletter: .
FOLLOW JENNIFER ONLINE:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Twitter:
Amazon:
BookBub:
ŷ:
Jennifer's blog:
Jennifer's newsletter:
Happy reading, everyone! 😎
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews
March 11, 2025
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Rating: 4 stars
Though I found the start painfully boring, 'Only Bad Options' soon morphed into a fun, action-packed adventure that I struggled to put down.
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book cover looks great, but as someone who gravitates towards fantasy over science fiction, it did little to attract me. Instead, my desire for an exciting adventure and trust in Jennifer Estep's storytelling prowess led me to this series. That trust wavered enormously as I trudged through the slow start filled with information dumps. I simply did not care about all the details meant to establish the world and the main characters, Vesper and Kyrion.
Just when I was on the verge of abandoning this book, the narrative hit its stride, launching into a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that was highly addictive. Even after reading the last word, I felt an overwhelming urge to dive right into the next book to see what was in store for the main characters.
"desperation was a powerful motivator."
Vesper stood out as a fierce, nerdy underdog. Her struggles with feelings of abandonment and being used by others made her character even more relatable and easy to root for. In contrast, Kyrion's arrogance and condescending nature were grating. However, as his backstory and motives were revealed, I found myself warming up to his character. It helped that he had the skills to back up his massive ego and experienced some growth through his interactions with Vesper. Other secondary contributed to the storyline, but they generally seemed one-dimensional and stereotypical.
The dynamic between Vesper and Kyrion evolves smoothly from fierce enemies to mutual respect and attraction, even with the fated bond trope. They share genuine and cute moments that offer a glimpse into the slow-burn romance that will unfold as the series progresses.
"Sometimes in life, you have only bad options."
In addition to the subtle romance, I fully enjoyed the mix of technology, magic, space travel and ruthless politics in this story. While none of these elements felt groundbreaking on their own, and the world-building was relatively light, they all blend together well to create an engaging, entertaining tale. Lauren Fortgang and James Fouhey further enhanced the listening experience with their vocal variety and slight character voices, although Lauren's delivery occasionally seemed overly dramatic. The vivid descriptions and accessible writing style also made it easy to lose myself in this story. However, there were annoying repetitions of information, and some foreshadowing felt a bit heavy-handed.
See my other reviews for Jennifer Estep:
Crown of Shards Series:
1.
2.
3.
You can also find more of my thoughts and discussion questions on !
Rating: 4 stars
Though I found the start painfully boring, 'Only Bad Options' soon morphed into a fun, action-packed adventure that I struggled to put down.
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book cover looks great, but as someone who gravitates towards fantasy over science fiction, it did little to attract me. Instead, my desire for an exciting adventure and trust in Jennifer Estep's storytelling prowess led me to this series. That trust wavered enormously as I trudged through the slow start filled with information dumps. I simply did not care about all the details meant to establish the world and the main characters, Vesper and Kyrion.
Just when I was on the verge of abandoning this book, the narrative hit its stride, launching into a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that was highly addictive. Even after reading the last word, I felt an overwhelming urge to dive right into the next book to see what was in store for the main characters.
"desperation was a powerful motivator."
Vesper stood out as a fierce, nerdy underdog. Her struggles with feelings of abandonment and being used by others made her character even more relatable and easy to root for. In contrast, Kyrion's arrogance and condescending nature were grating. However, as his backstory and motives were revealed, I found myself warming up to his character. It helped that he had the skills to back up his massive ego and experienced some growth through his interactions with Vesper. Other secondary contributed to the storyline, but they generally seemed one-dimensional and stereotypical.
The dynamic between Vesper and Kyrion evolves smoothly from fierce enemies to mutual respect and attraction, even with the fated bond trope. They share genuine and cute moments that offer a glimpse into the slow-burn romance that will unfold as the series progresses.
"Sometimes in life, you have only bad options."
In addition to the subtle romance, I fully enjoyed the mix of technology, magic, space travel and ruthless politics in this story. While none of these elements felt groundbreaking on their own, and the world-building was relatively light, they all blend together well to create an engaging, entertaining tale. Lauren Fortgang and James Fouhey further enhanced the listening experience with their vocal variety and slight character voices, although Lauren's delivery occasionally seemed overly dramatic. The vivid descriptions and accessible writing style also made it easy to lose myself in this story. However, there were annoying repetitions of information, and some foreshadowing felt a bit heavy-handed.
See my other reviews for Jennifer Estep:
Crown of Shards Series:
1.
2.
3.
You can also find more of my thoughts and discussion questions on !
October 18, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a solid beginning to a new sci-if/romance series. Granted, the romance part is VERY slow burn, but hopefully it will heat up in the next book. Vesper definitely has a lot of people to go up against and more than a bit of a Mary-Sue-level abilities in which to fight with. But Kyrion is the one with a lot of trauma to work through first before he can finally let himself find happiness. I’m interested to see what happens next!
This was a solid beginning to a new sci-if/romance series. Granted, the romance part is VERY slow burn, but hopefully it will heat up in the next book. Vesper definitely has a lot of people to go up against and more than a bit of a Mary-Sue-level abilities in which to fight with. But Kyrion is the one with a lot of trauma to work through first before he can finally let himself find happiness. I’m interested to see what happens next!
January 25, 2023
I'm finding that I'm quite partial to Jennifer Estep's independently published fiction. In the dedication, she refers to this as the book of her heart. It's obvious that she did enjoy writing it.
I read it in a day, so my enjoyment is obvious too. It is extremely similar in tone to another recent Estep novel, . It is basically a romance novel, but set in a fantasy/ sci fi setting. Estep seems to like corporate set ups. This female character, Vesper, describes herself as a lab rat working for Kent Corp (similar to Charlotte in A Sense of Danger who is an analyst in Section 47). I loved her mechanical aptitude, aided by her magic that helps her see how to fix or improve things. Her magic abilities are also similar to Charlotte's in that both women get magical warnings of danger.
The male lead, Kyrion, is a warrior (rather like Desmond, the assassin, of Section 47). Kyrion's class of fighters are known as Arrows, deadly and rather amoral. His path crosses Vesper's when she is punished by involuntary conscription into the Imperial forces. It is his turn to make sure the “shock troops" do their jobs and he is surprised to see one woman get up, shed her lab coat, put on a pair of coveralls, and start rummaging around a workstation looking for tools. For reasons that he doesn't understand, he helps her remove the device that is suppressing her voice.
I really appreciate that Estep didn't rush the romance in this book. By book's end, Vesper and Kyrion have realized that they may have more of a connection than they hoped for, but they are headed in very different directions. That is a great way to produce plot tension and inspire readers to head to the next book, . I haven't read the second book in either series, but I most definitely will.
I read it in a day, so my enjoyment is obvious too. It is extremely similar in tone to another recent Estep novel, . It is basically a romance novel, but set in a fantasy/ sci fi setting. Estep seems to like corporate set ups. This female character, Vesper, describes herself as a lab rat working for Kent Corp (similar to Charlotte in A Sense of Danger who is an analyst in Section 47). I loved her mechanical aptitude, aided by her magic that helps her see how to fix or improve things. Her magic abilities are also similar to Charlotte's in that both women get magical warnings of danger.
The male lead, Kyrion, is a warrior (rather like Desmond, the assassin, of Section 47). Kyrion's class of fighters are known as Arrows, deadly and rather amoral. His path crosses Vesper's when she is punished by involuntary conscription into the Imperial forces. It is his turn to make sure the “shock troops" do their jobs and he is surprised to see one woman get up, shed her lab coat, put on a pair of coveralls, and start rummaging around a workstation looking for tools. For reasons that he doesn't understand, he helps her remove the device that is suppressing her voice.
I really appreciate that Estep didn't rush the romance in this book. By book's end, Vesper and Kyrion have realized that they may have more of a connection than they hoped for, but they are headed in very different directions. That is a great way to produce plot tension and inspire readers to head to the next book, . I haven't read the second book in either series, but I most definitely will.
January 2, 2023
I keep having to reiterate how much of a sucky mood I've been in lately. So here I am again. I am in a strange mood. This book was so much fun! It would have had even more fun if I wasn't in this weird mood. It would have been even better if I hadn't picked it up quite a few weeks ago (I don't remember when) then put it down for quite a few weeks after that and then started back up with it on December 30th, 2022.
The world-building is great! The characters are interesting and don't make dumb decisions for the sake of moving the story along. It was definitely out of my element considering I rarely (if ever?) pick up sci-fi books. This only got picked up because I've read enough books by this author to know that her writing will carry me through a story even if it's not usually my cup of tea.
I'm very much invested in this story and its characters. I will be picking up the next book in this series when it releases! I need all the answers at this point 😭
The world-building is great! The characters are interesting and don't make dumb decisions for the sake of moving the story along. It was definitely out of my element considering I rarely (if ever?) pick up sci-fi books. This only got picked up because I've read enough books by this author to know that her writing will carry me through a story even if it's not usually my cup of tea.
I'm very much invested in this story and its characters. I will be picking up the next book in this series when it releases! I need all the answers at this point 😭
September 14, 2022
Vesper Quill works hard as a lowly designer for the powerful Kent Corp. When she points out a significant design flaw in their new star cruisers, she’s surprised to find herself on the run for and fighting for her life. Kyrion Coldren is from a Regal family and leads the Arrows, the imperium’s elite force in the war against the Techwavers. When Vesper saves Kyrion, something happens linking the pair, and now they need to uncover the truth together before they are discovered, or worse.
Only Bad Options is the first in Ms. Estep’s new Galactic Truebond series. The book does a wonderful job of building this new world and laying out the deadly political atmosphere. Overall, I enjoyed the story as the first book in a larger series. I enjoyed watching Vesper learn how to maneuver among the Regals. I also appreciated the potential romance between Vesper and Kyrion, loving that there isn’t any insta-lust and that they are taking time to develop a partnership - even friendship first.
Here’s the thing� I went into this book expecting a sci-fi story, but it’s not really. It’s a blend of sci-fi (distant planets, space travel, gadgets) and fantasy (magic, little-to-no explanation of how tech works, truebonding). I call it tech-fantasy. I was expecting more science and less magic, so I found it difficult to put aside the fantasy aspects of the book and just enjoy the sci-fi story. My engineering brain had too many questions, and I was frustrated with how Vesper’s seer magic seemed like a cure-all for all of the issues that were thrown her way.
With that said, I did enjoy the story. I liked the politics and conflicts. I was excited to see Vesper get angry and want revenge for everything that’s happened to not only her, but Kyrion and other innocent people. The author left several clues within the story about things to come, things that I find interesting and exciting. And now that I’ve experienced the world and have an understanding of the blend of magic and tech, I should be able to enjoy the story more.
My rating: B-
Review copy provided by author
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Only Bad Options is the first in Ms. Estep’s new Galactic Truebond series. The book does a wonderful job of building this new world and laying out the deadly political atmosphere. Overall, I enjoyed the story as the first book in a larger series. I enjoyed watching Vesper learn how to maneuver among the Regals. I also appreciated the potential romance between Vesper and Kyrion, loving that there isn’t any insta-lust and that they are taking time to develop a partnership - even friendship first.
Here’s the thing� I went into this book expecting a sci-fi story, but it’s not really. It’s a blend of sci-fi (distant planets, space travel, gadgets) and fantasy (magic, little-to-no explanation of how tech works, truebonding). I call it tech-fantasy. I was expecting more science and less magic, so I found it difficult to put aside the fantasy aspects of the book and just enjoy the sci-fi story. My engineering brain had too many questions, and I was frustrated with how Vesper’s seer magic seemed like a cure-all for all of the issues that were thrown her way.
With that said, I did enjoy the story. I liked the politics and conflicts. I was excited to see Vesper get angry and want revenge for everything that’s happened to not only her, but Kyrion and other innocent people. The author left several clues within the story about things to come, things that I find interesting and exciting. And now that I’ve experienced the world and have an understanding of the blend of magic and tech, I should be able to enjoy the story more.
My rating: B-
Review copy provided by author
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
October 11, 2022
Well, that was a lot of fun. Be patient through the first 30% or so, there's a lot of pieces to set up. But it is worth it. I can't wait to see where it goes from here!
November 8, 2024
Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep
Galactic Bonds series #1. Science fiction romance. Space Opera. Fated mates. Cliffhanger.
Vesper Quill is a lab rate. Rather, she was a lab rat designing household appliances but after pointing out a design flaw on the new star cruisers, she’s suddenly on a death list and on the run.
Kyrion Coldren is the leader of the Arrows. A villain and assassin for Lord Callus Holloway. Meeting Vesper Quill is unlike anything in his experience. An unwanted magic, the two seem to be connected. Now they must work together to hide their connection or face their greatest enemy that wants nothing more than to feed on their energy, even if it means their death.
The beginning of the next great adventure. Magic, romance, science, fate and death. Kyrion and Vesper are drawn to each other but they must hide it or their very freedom and lives would change.
There is a lot of world building and a teasing of romance. More action with guns, and magic and fighting.
The feel of fantasy or romantasy on a science fiction platform.
Lots more ahead. This is just episode 1.
Galactic Bonds series #1. Science fiction romance. Space Opera. Fated mates. Cliffhanger.
Vesper Quill is a lab rate. Rather, she was a lab rat designing household appliances but after pointing out a design flaw on the new star cruisers, she’s suddenly on a death list and on the run.
Kyrion Coldren is the leader of the Arrows. A villain and assassin for Lord Callus Holloway. Meeting Vesper Quill is unlike anything in his experience. An unwanted magic, the two seem to be connected. Now they must work together to hide their connection or face their greatest enemy that wants nothing more than to feed on their energy, even if it means their death.
The beginning of the next great adventure. Magic, romance, science, fate and death. Kyrion and Vesper are drawn to each other but they must hide it or their very freedom and lives would change.
There is a lot of world building and a teasing of romance. More action with guns, and magic and fighting.
The feel of fantasy or romantasy on a science fiction platform.
Lots more ahead. This is just episode 1.
July 13, 2023
Ms. Estep has outdone herself. Just fabulous!
February 6, 2023
Check out all my reviews at:
ONLY BAD OPTIONS (A Galactic Bonds Book #1) by Jennifer Estep is the start of an electrifying new sci-fi romance/space opera series with smart main characters involved in a slow burn romance and great world-building. I was completely sucked into this new world of royalty, magic, and tech.
Vesper Quill is a considered a lowly lab rat at Kent Corp., but she is able to see problems with products, fix them, and develop new designs for much more. When she discovers a flaw design in the companies new spaceships, she becomes a liability that must be eliminated.
Kyrion Coldren is the most feared warrior of the Imperium’s elite fighting force and the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. When he crosses paths with Vesper on a conscript ship which is meant to be the death of her, she ends up helping them both escape death.
Due to arcane magic, Vesper and Kyrion have a psionic link that neither wants, but to survive the deadly intrigue swirling around them they must work together to uncover a dangerous conspiracy and protect the secret of their link from everyone.
I really enjoyed this new world and thought Vesper and Kyrion are both great new characters. They are smart, determined, and excel at what they do. They also both have backstories that make you feel for them and understand why they act the way they do to all the situations they face. All the psionic abilities, or lack thereof, add interesting twists to the story. The conspiracy plot investigation by Vesper and Kyrion moves at a fast pace, while their romance is a completely different story. While this book does not end on a complete cliff-hanger, it does leave you ready for remaining questions to be answered in the next book.
I recommend this first book in the Galactic Bonds series for the start of a new sci-fi romance/space opera that is riveting.
ONLY BAD OPTIONS (A Galactic Bonds Book #1) by Jennifer Estep is the start of an electrifying new sci-fi romance/space opera series with smart main characters involved in a slow burn romance and great world-building. I was completely sucked into this new world of royalty, magic, and tech.
Vesper Quill is a considered a lowly lab rat at Kent Corp., but she is able to see problems with products, fix them, and develop new designs for much more. When she discovers a flaw design in the companies new spaceships, she becomes a liability that must be eliminated.
Kyrion Coldren is the most feared warrior of the Imperium’s elite fighting force and the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. When he crosses paths with Vesper on a conscript ship which is meant to be the death of her, she ends up helping them both escape death.
Due to arcane magic, Vesper and Kyrion have a psionic link that neither wants, but to survive the deadly intrigue swirling around them they must work together to uncover a dangerous conspiracy and protect the secret of their link from everyone.
I really enjoyed this new world and thought Vesper and Kyrion are both great new characters. They are smart, determined, and excel at what they do. They also both have backstories that make you feel for them and understand why they act the way they do to all the situations they face. All the psionic abilities, or lack thereof, add interesting twists to the story. The conspiracy plot investigation by Vesper and Kyrion moves at a fast pace, while their romance is a completely different story. While this book does not end on a complete cliff-hanger, it does leave you ready for remaining questions to be answered in the next book.
I recommend this first book in the Galactic Bonds series for the start of a new sci-fi romance/space opera that is riveting.
October 1, 2024
Für "Sci-fi Geeks" ist das Buch nichts, weil Jennifer Estep sich sehr geschickt, aber eben auch sehr auffällig durch dieses Themenfeld durchmogelt (..klickst du hier, klickst du da... fertig..). Aber es beeindruckt mich, wie sie sich immer wieder an neue Dinge herantraut und es trotzdem schafft, sich selbst und ihrer Leserschaft treu zu bleiben.
Eine sehr erfahrene Autorin, die weiß was sie tut und was gefällt.
Ihre Bücher haben einen hohen Unterhaltungswert, machen Spaß und ich werde sicherlich wieder zugreifen, sobald hierzulande etwas Neues von ihr erscheint.
Eine sehr erfahrene Autorin, die weiß was sie tut und was gefällt.
Ihre Bücher haben einen hohen Unterhaltungswert, machen Spaß und ich werde sicherlich wieder zugreifen, sobald hierzulande etwas Neues von ihr erscheint.
September 29, 2022
4.5/5.0
I LOVED this story! Yes, it was light on the sci-fi explanations, but for just heart -thumping intrigue and action amidst a developing (slowly) love story, this is AWESOME! It helps that I thoroughly enjoy this author’s writing style, as well. The only real downside for me is I want the next book in the series immediately� Gosh, I hate these wait times! ;)
I LOVED this story! Yes, it was light on the sci-fi explanations, but for just heart -thumping intrigue and action amidst a developing (slowly) love story, this is AWESOME! It helps that I thoroughly enjoy this author’s writing style, as well. The only real downside for me is I want the next book in the series immediately� Gosh, I hate these wait times! ;)
January 29, 2023
The worldbuilding leaves a lot to be desired. This is a sloooowwwww burn. Like don't expect anything, lol. I'll probably read the sequel because I'm trash for fated mates. Read via audio (narrated by Lauren Fortgang and James Fouhey).
November 13, 2022
Pretty bland. All the pieces were there, but they didn’t snap together.
The plot was ok, but there wasn’t much soul to it. Maybe it’s just not my cup of tea.
The plot was ok, but there wasn’t much soul to it. Maybe it’s just not my cup of tea.
September 22, 2022
I liked this book. Spaceships, an engineering and tinkering heroine who creates and fixes things, magic, "truebonds".
My main issue was the traumatic pasts of both the hero and heroine.
I liked the secondary characters.
This is very, very slow build. I wouldn't call it a romance.
I'm going to summarize the book so huge spoilers below. Stop reading here.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER PSOILER
Heroine wrote a report that a plane crash was due to faulty engineering. Company wants it to be known as a pilot error. So they kidnap heroine and send her to die as a "conscript" in a war.
She is trying to cut out the "husher" which prevents her from speaking. Hero helps her because she isn't screaming or crying or being hysterical. He's curious.
She saves his life after he is shot using her "seer" abilities to see how things go together and the correct path to take.
Mercenaries try to kill her because she downloaded information from the company.
Hero and heroine formed a truebond. Nobody knows how or why it happens but they can feel each other's pain and use each other's magic abilities.
Heroine reveals her mother abandoned her because her magic wasn't strong enough. Her mom wanted to be a Regal. The mother married a man who died in a pilot crash (her fourth marriage) and now she is in charge of that family's finances. Everyone hates mother but she got her wish to be part of House.
Heroine changed her name after her mother abandoned her. So mother doesn't know that Vesper Quinn is her daughter.
They don't want a truebond. The emperor eats truebonds and sucks your magic until you die. The emperor wants the hero to find a truebond so he can use them both.
They drink some chemicals and think they broke the bond. Heroine exposes the corruption and she buys all the stock at rock bottom prices. So she now owns the company as majority shareholder, the same place she worked as a lab rat.
Emperor is suspicious and tries to prove they have a truebond. Hero has to cut himself and she has to show her hand to show it is also cut. But heroine created a pair of flesh colored gloves to hide the cuts. So they are still truebonds but nobody knows except her. Hero thinks it is broken too.
The book ends with her getting created a "Regal" by the emperor and a House of One, of House Quill. She plans to leave the planet Corios and return to her company. She wants to find a way to remove the Emperor so he can't eat people's truebonds anymore.
Hero and heroine never had sex or a relationship. They are both attracted to each other.
My main issue was the traumatic pasts of both the hero and heroine.
I liked the secondary characters.
This is very, very slow build. I wouldn't call it a romance.
I'm going to summarize the book so huge spoilers below. Stop reading here.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER PSOILER
Heroine wrote a report that a plane crash was due to faulty engineering. Company wants it to be known as a pilot error. So they kidnap heroine and send her to die as a "conscript" in a war.
She is trying to cut out the "husher" which prevents her from speaking. Hero helps her because she isn't screaming or crying or being hysterical. He's curious.
She saves his life after he is shot using her "seer" abilities to see how things go together and the correct path to take.
Mercenaries try to kill her because she downloaded information from the company.
Hero and heroine formed a truebond. Nobody knows how or why it happens but they can feel each other's pain and use each other's magic abilities.
Heroine reveals her mother abandoned her because her magic wasn't strong enough. Her mom wanted to be a Regal. The mother married a man who died in a pilot crash (her fourth marriage) and now she is in charge of that family's finances. Everyone hates mother but she got her wish to be part of House.
Heroine changed her name after her mother abandoned her. So mother doesn't know that Vesper Quinn is her daughter.
They don't want a truebond. The emperor eats truebonds and sucks your magic until you die. The emperor wants the hero to find a truebond so he can use them both.
They drink some chemicals and think they broke the bond. Heroine exposes the corruption and she buys all the stock at rock bottom prices. So she now owns the company as majority shareholder, the same place she worked as a lab rat.
Emperor is suspicious and tries to prove they have a truebond. Hero has to cut himself and she has to show her hand to show it is also cut. But heroine created a pair of flesh colored gloves to hide the cuts. So they are still truebonds but nobody knows except her. Hero thinks it is broken too.
The book ends with her getting created a "Regal" by the emperor and a House of One, of House Quill. She plans to leave the planet Corios and return to her company. She wants to find a way to remove the Emperor so he can't eat people's truebonds anymore.
Hero and heroine never had sex or a relationship. They are both attracted to each other.
September 25, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for the entertainment value of the read. It's an odd mix of fantasy and sci-fi/space opera, with a hint of romance. I had to smile at the blurb, which claims it's 'Space opera meets Bridgerton'. Oh dear. I don't think so. Bridgerton fans will be sorely disappointed if they think this book will remind them of the TV series. Nothing like it. LOL. What book promoters will say/do to sell books. *shakes head*
That aside, it's a decent read. My first by this author. Whilst I'm not rushing out to read her previous books, I will definitely have a look at the next one in this series when it comes along. This is a fast-moving adventure set in a sci-fi world that has magic as well. There are power struggles between different political factions, as well as celebrities and gossip girls, with the occasional ball, (the Bridgerton angle, presumably). I would call the book 'fun' except that there's quite a bit of violence in there, which I admit I generally skimmed over. It was the technology/magic mix that attracted my attention to this book, and I did enjoy this aspect of the read.
It's a kind of 'fated mates' trope, with the seemingly unimportant and lowly 'lab rat' Vesper accidentally and unexpectedly forming a 'true bond' with Kyrion, the fearsome head of the military Arrows. Presumably, more about their bond and their magic will unfold in the next book. An intriguing world. A bit too much violence for my taste, and also a slightly cheesy writing style, but it was otherwise a fast-moving and entertaining read.
That aside, it's a decent read. My first by this author. Whilst I'm not rushing out to read her previous books, I will definitely have a look at the next one in this series when it comes along. This is a fast-moving adventure set in a sci-fi world that has magic as well. There are power struggles between different political factions, as well as celebrities and gossip girls, with the occasional ball, (the Bridgerton angle, presumably). I would call the book 'fun' except that there's quite a bit of violence in there, which I admit I generally skimmed over. It was the technology/magic mix that attracted my attention to this book, and I did enjoy this aspect of the read.
It's a kind of 'fated mates' trope, with the seemingly unimportant and lowly 'lab rat' Vesper accidentally and unexpectedly forming a 'true bond' with Kyrion, the fearsome head of the military Arrows. Presumably, more about their bond and their magic will unfold in the next book. An intriguing world. A bit too much violence for my taste, and also a slightly cheesy writing style, but it was otherwise a fast-moving and entertaining read.
September 12, 2023
This was FUN. I don't normally do a ton of SFF romance but the radical change of pace really worked for me with this. Hoping that the library comes through with book 2 quickly so I don't forget the world building.
September 22, 2022
So much potential, such bad execution. I tend to really like this genre and the book description sounded great. I did not like this book.
The first 2 chapter were devoted to letting the reader know that the main character was not like other girls (sighs) she was normal but “unique� and not a mindless drone like all the rest. That gets real boring real fast.
Every single side character introduced was painfully 1-dimensional and mostly made stupid decisions that tended to benefit the two main characters against all odds. It felt like a lot of things were forced to make sure the MC’s didn’t die when they really should have, and it wasn’t written in a way that could be explained away with magic or chance, it was just poor storytelling.
What’s more, there were a bunch of “dramatic� & “emotional� moments that either came out as awkwardly emo or pure cheese, which caused more wincing than laughter in my case.
For example:
“You have her eyes.� His lips lifted briefly, then plummeted back down. “Yes. Everyone used to say that, especially right after she died. Now no one cares what my eyes look like, only what I can do or who I can kill for them.�
Just yikes, and of course only the super special magic girl MC can see this as everyone else is too stupid to live.
There were some funny bits, but they weren’t nearly enough to float the book to a better rating.
I liked the ideas behind the book and feel like it could have been so much better.
The first 2 chapter were devoted to letting the reader know that the main character was not like other girls (sighs) she was normal but “unique� and not a mindless drone like all the rest. That gets real boring real fast.
Every single side character introduced was painfully 1-dimensional and mostly made stupid decisions that tended to benefit the two main characters against all odds. It felt like a lot of things were forced to make sure the MC’s didn’t die when they really should have, and it wasn’t written in a way that could be explained away with magic or chance, it was just poor storytelling.
What’s more, there were a bunch of “dramatic� & “emotional� moments that either came out as awkwardly emo or pure cheese, which caused more wincing than laughter in my case.
For example:
“You have her eyes.� His lips lifted briefly, then plummeted back down. “Yes. Everyone used to say that, especially right after she died. Now no one cares what my eyes look like, only what I can do or who I can kill for them.�
Just yikes, and of course only the super special magic girl MC can see this as everyone else is too stupid to live.
There were some funny bits, but they weren’t nearly enough to float the book to a better rating.
I liked the ideas behind the book and feel like it could have been so much better.
September 23, 2022
3 stars
Author includes minimal explanation of the technology, true mate bond, &/or magic. Mostly fantasy (technology), Sci-fi seems limited to the location/world the story takes place in. It’s unique but not an incredibly entertaining read. It’s a slightly above average read IMO. I will continue the series.
Author includes minimal explanation of the technology, true mate bond, &/or magic. Mostly fantasy (technology), Sci-fi seems limited to the location/world the story takes place in. It’s unique but not an incredibly entertaining read. It’s a slightly above average read IMO. I will continue the series.
March 13, 2025
3.75⭐️
Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep is a fun, fast-paced sci-fi romance with a strong heroine. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the mix of space opera, magic, and political intrigue.
The story follows Vesper Quill, a scientist and low-ranking employee at Kent Corp, who suddenly finds herself framed for treason. What I loved about Vesper is that she’s not your typical action-packed heroine—she’s intelligent, resourceful, and deeply logical, which makes her a unique protagonist.
Kyrion is the kind of hero I enjoy—dangerous but honorable, brooding yet not overbearingly so. His telepathic abilities added an intriguing dynamic to his relationship with Vesper. There’s a definite slow-burn romance, which I appreciated.
The plot moves quickly, full of corporate betrayals, dangerous missions, and high-stakes confrontations. There is a mix of futuristic tech and mystical powers, that Estep makes her own. That said, some of the secondary characters felt a bit underdeveloped, and I occasionally wished for more depth in certain aspects of the world-building. Still, the fast pacing and engaging main duo more than made up for it.
Overall, Only Bad Options was a great read. It’s got action, intrigue, romance, and a heroine who relies on her brain as much as her survival skills. If you’re a fan of sci-fi romance with a touch of magic, this is definitely one to add to your list. I’ll be eagerly grabbing the next book in the series!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep is a fun, fast-paced sci-fi romance with a strong heroine. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the mix of space opera, magic, and political intrigue.
The story follows Vesper Quill, a scientist and low-ranking employee at Kent Corp, who suddenly finds herself framed for treason. What I loved about Vesper is that she’s not your typical action-packed heroine—she’s intelligent, resourceful, and deeply logical, which makes her a unique protagonist.
Kyrion is the kind of hero I enjoy—dangerous but honorable, brooding yet not overbearingly so. His telepathic abilities added an intriguing dynamic to his relationship with Vesper. There’s a definite slow-burn romance, which I appreciated.
The plot moves quickly, full of corporate betrayals, dangerous missions, and high-stakes confrontations. There is a mix of futuristic tech and mystical powers, that Estep makes her own. That said, some of the secondary characters felt a bit underdeveloped, and I occasionally wished for more depth in certain aspects of the world-building. Still, the fast pacing and engaging main duo more than made up for it.
Overall, Only Bad Options was a great read. It’s got action, intrigue, romance, and a heroine who relies on her brain as much as her survival skills. If you’re a fan of sci-fi romance with a touch of magic, this is definitely one to add to your list. I’ll be eagerly grabbing the next book in the series!
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
November 7, 2022
We meet Vesper Quill, a seer with photographic memory who works as a lab-rat at Kent Corp. House Kent also designs star cruisers and when one crashes, it is Vesper who discovers why. When she realizes there is a coverup, she finds herself on a ship bound for danger. To survive, she’ll have to fight and place her trust in a Kyrion Coldren.
The tale that unfolds has houses fighting for more power, evil lords and a few swoons as Vesper finds herself bonded to Kyrion Coldren, the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force.
The world-building was delivered as the story unfolded and we learned about the different houses, the tech wars and the evil lord who wants Coldren bonded and in his grip.
Vesper is smart, exceptional with gadgets and leary of people. Giving her history this all makes sense. The one thing she craves is to belong. Coldren, however, watched his parents suffer because of their bonding and has shut himself off from others. He has many enemies, from those who wish for his title to those that want to use him for his lineage.
The romance will be a slow burn over the course of the series. We are already seeing character growth. Now we need trust. I loved their interaction and the denial as we witnessed the bond grow. Both deserve a happily ever after and I am rooting for them.
Lauren Fortgang & James Fouhey narrated giving us alternate POVs from Vesper and Coldren. I enjoyed listening and felt they captured the characters� unique personalities. The two work well together, from pacing to tone.
Perfect for fans of science fiction romance, space operas and romantic suspense off planet. Estep pulls the reader in and holds them until the end. Looking forward to the next!
The tale that unfolds has houses fighting for more power, evil lords and a few swoons as Vesper finds herself bonded to Kyrion Coldren, the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force.
The world-building was delivered as the story unfolded and we learned about the different houses, the tech wars and the evil lord who wants Coldren bonded and in his grip.
Vesper is smart, exceptional with gadgets and leary of people. Giving her history this all makes sense. The one thing she craves is to belong. Coldren, however, watched his parents suffer because of their bonding and has shut himself off from others. He has many enemies, from those who wish for his title to those that want to use him for his lineage.
The romance will be a slow burn over the course of the series. We are already seeing character growth. Now we need trust. I loved their interaction and the denial as we witnessed the bond grow. Both deserve a happily ever after and I am rooting for them.
Lauren Fortgang & James Fouhey narrated giving us alternate POVs from Vesper and Coldren. I enjoyed listening and felt they captured the characters� unique personalities. The two work well together, from pacing to tone.
Perfect for fans of science fiction romance, space operas and romantic suspense off planet. Estep pulls the reader in and holds them until the end. Looking forward to the next!
September 26, 2022
Things were a bit slow at the start, but that was ok. You had to learn the world, the levels of people, once that was set things picked up.
I liked Vesper. She has been shit on often in her life, yet she keeps going. Her mind is one that sees things and knows how to fix them, making her job easy. I hated how much she got screwed over there, although it did bring her to some good things, or at least I think they are good things.
Kyrion, comes off cold and very aggressive, but as you learn his history, his actions make sense. Kyrion seems to be constantly surprised by Vesper, in good and bad ways, but mostly good. She steps up to what is needed to be done and does them, sees the bond as something different than him, but also very much understands why his views are as they are, due to her magic. Vesper's greatest gift to Kyrion was at the end and he didn't even know it. I have a feeling Kyrion will search Vesper out and realize just what she has done for them both. It will just take the next book for it to happen. I look forward to it for this reason alone, but I also want to see what Vesper is planning to do with her new company. I have a feeling if her and Kyrion team up together in the way they are supposed to, they could do great things!
I liked Vesper. She has been shit on often in her life, yet she keeps going. Her mind is one that sees things and knows how to fix them, making her job easy. I hated how much she got screwed over there, although it did bring her to some good things, or at least I think they are good things.
Kyrion, comes off cold and very aggressive, but as you learn his history, his actions make sense. Kyrion seems to be constantly surprised by Vesper, in good and bad ways, but mostly good. She steps up to what is needed to be done and does them, sees the bond as something different than him, but also very much understands why his views are as they are, due to her magic. Vesper's greatest gift to Kyrion was at the end and he didn't even know it. I have a feeling Kyrion will search Vesper out and realize just what she has done for them both. It will just take the next book for it to happen. I look forward to it for this reason alone, but I also want to see what Vesper is planning to do with her new company. I have a feeling if her and Kyrion team up together in the way they are supposed to, they could do great things!
September 25, 2022
This popped up as a recommendation for me several times on Facebook and Amazon (apparently our AI overlords know that I love sci-fi romance!). So when I saw it was finally released, I couldn’t resist picking it up. While it’s overall a very enjoyable first addition to the series, there were also several things that didn’t quite work for me.
Vesper works in R&D for a corporation run by a powerful Regal family, one of the elites of the Imperium. While she’s full of ideas for everything from improving brewmakers to weapons, a power hungry ex stole most of her ideas and has used the promotion to keep her sidelined. When she identifies a flaw in the new line of Starcruisers, she runs afoul of the Regals� and then she meets Kyrion. The soldier’s convinced she’s useless at best and a spy at worst, but after she saves his life, it seems he’s stuck with her. With a conspiracy threatening to topple the Imperium itself, can Vesper and Kyrion find a way to work together, or will their distrust ruin their chances of preventing disaster?
The blurb lists it “space opera meets Bridgerton.� Definitely space opera, yes, as it’s more focused on the characters than whizbang gadgets, but the Bridgerton bit is a harder sell for me. Is it because of the Regals, houses with psion powers like telekinesis and empathy? The fact that there’s a scene with carriages (for no discernible reason)? And while it teases enemies-to-lovers and soul mate tropes, this is definitely more sci-fi with a strong romantic plot line rather than sci-fi romance. It also appears like the series will be following the one couple, so assume from that what you will about the HEA state at the end of this book.
I generally liked Vesper though I found her a bit uneven character-wise. She’s smart enough to not panic and think her way out of a bad situation but not smart enough to realize that pushing her findings about a deadly crash will make her a company liability. She also has a magician’s bag of magical powers, from a talent for fixing things (which I thought was super cool!) to supposed perfect recall (which only came up a couple of times honestly, in very deus ex machina ways) to, well, some other spoilery things. My favorite thing about her, though, was that every time she realized she’d ended up in a bad situation (again) she didn’t wail and gnash her teeth, she got angry (and, eventually, she gets even).
Kyrion is the epitome of the Bad Boy Regal, captain of the emperor’s elite soldier unit, the Arrows (huh, where have I heard that before?), and rumored to be the emperor’s personal killing machine. He’s initially way too far over the alphahole line for me, though it’s revealed he has some very good reasons for being cynical, paranoid and a general jerk. So, yeah, I wasn’t that upset to realize that the romance plot line wasn’t going very far in this book, truebond or no. Rather than the usual instalove, there’s a ton of distrust (layered with a good dose of “the truebond must be making me attracted to them!�) and general suspicion. It’s only because they’re forced to work together that they start to respect each other and even become friends. There’s some particularly sweet moments where they open up to each other that gave me some hope for them.
As for other cons, there’s a rather large chunk of infodumping at the beginning (gee thanks, Vesper’s gossip channel watching roomie!). Some of the names were eyeroll worthy as well. Honestly, every time they mentioned Regals, I had that Lorde song stuck in my head (“And we’ll never be roooyyyaaaaals�). And Techwavers? Eek. It had that feeling of using random scifi names for regular things just to, you know, prove it was in a sci-fi universe.
To be honest I could nitpick this to death and that’s really too harsh. While there were a lot of eyerolls, I genuinely had a good time with the book. The action portions in particular were amazing. The political machinations are pretty fun, as is watching Vesper adjust to the Regal lifestyle. Since a good chunk of that involves her eating a lot of really good fruit and cheese, I definitely empathized with her (and made my own charcuterie board). I liked how protective she was of her friends (and even Kyrion) and I really appreciated that her reaction to wrongdoing was to get angry. I’m as much a fan as anyone of even-keeled heroines, but given *waves hands at world* it’s so freeing to see one who gets so incredibly angry and then uses that a to fix the situation. And watching two lonely people like Vesper and Kyrion start to learn to trust each other? Magic.
Overall, I’d give this 3.5 stars. It’s a solid first book in a new series and hopefully the next book will be even better!
Vesper works in R&D for a corporation run by a powerful Regal family, one of the elites of the Imperium. While she’s full of ideas for everything from improving brewmakers to weapons, a power hungry ex stole most of her ideas and has used the promotion to keep her sidelined. When she identifies a flaw in the new line of Starcruisers, she runs afoul of the Regals� and then she meets Kyrion. The soldier’s convinced she’s useless at best and a spy at worst, but after she saves his life, it seems he’s stuck with her. With a conspiracy threatening to topple the Imperium itself, can Vesper and Kyrion find a way to work together, or will their distrust ruin their chances of preventing disaster?
The blurb lists it “space opera meets Bridgerton.� Definitely space opera, yes, as it’s more focused on the characters than whizbang gadgets, but the Bridgerton bit is a harder sell for me. Is it because of the Regals, houses with psion powers like telekinesis and empathy? The fact that there’s a scene with carriages (for no discernible reason)? And while it teases enemies-to-lovers and soul mate tropes, this is definitely more sci-fi with a strong romantic plot line rather than sci-fi romance. It also appears like the series will be following the one couple, so assume from that what you will about the HEA state at the end of this book.
I generally liked Vesper though I found her a bit uneven character-wise. She’s smart enough to not panic and think her way out of a bad situation but not smart enough to realize that pushing her findings about a deadly crash will make her a company liability. She also has a magician’s bag of magical powers, from a talent for fixing things (which I thought was super cool!) to supposed perfect recall (which only came up a couple of times honestly, in very deus ex machina ways) to, well, some other spoilery things. My favorite thing about her, though, was that every time she realized she’d ended up in a bad situation (again) she didn’t wail and gnash her teeth, she got angry (and, eventually, she gets even).
Kyrion is the epitome of the Bad Boy Regal, captain of the emperor’s elite soldier unit, the Arrows (huh, where have I heard that before?), and rumored to be the emperor’s personal killing machine. He’s initially way too far over the alphahole line for me, though it’s revealed he has some very good reasons for being cynical, paranoid and a general jerk. So, yeah, I wasn’t that upset to realize that the romance plot line wasn’t going very far in this book, truebond or no. Rather than the usual instalove, there’s a ton of distrust (layered with a good dose of “the truebond must be making me attracted to them!�) and general suspicion. It’s only because they’re forced to work together that they start to respect each other and even become friends. There’s some particularly sweet moments where they open up to each other that gave me some hope for them.
As for other cons, there’s a rather large chunk of infodumping at the beginning (gee thanks, Vesper’s gossip channel watching roomie!). Some of the names were eyeroll worthy as well. Honestly, every time they mentioned Regals, I had that Lorde song stuck in my head (“And we’ll never be roooyyyaaaaals�). And Techwavers? Eek. It had that feeling of using random scifi names for regular things just to, you know, prove it was in a sci-fi universe.
To be honest I could nitpick this to death and that’s really too harsh. While there were a lot of eyerolls, I genuinely had a good time with the book. The action portions in particular were amazing. The political machinations are pretty fun, as is watching Vesper adjust to the Regal lifestyle. Since a good chunk of that involves her eating a lot of really good fruit and cheese, I definitely empathized with her (and made my own charcuterie board). I liked how protective she was of her friends (and even Kyrion) and I really appreciated that her reaction to wrongdoing was to get angry. I’m as much a fan as anyone of even-keeled heroines, but given *waves hands at world* it’s so freeing to see one who gets so incredibly angry and then uses that a to fix the situation. And watching two lonely people like Vesper and Kyrion start to learn to trust each other? Magic.
Overall, I’d give this 3.5 stars. It’s a solid first book in a new series and hopefully the next book will be even better!
April 15, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up! Cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Space opera, politics, magic, and drama galore, what's not to like? The book is told in two POVs and I'm glad for it as I loved being in both their heads. Vesper is a lab rat who has quite a backstory and is sick of being overlooked and used. She's working for a company that might not be what she thinks they are. I appreciate how well she thinks on her feet and her intelligence and snark in general. Kyrion on the other hand is a cold hard killer, or at least that is all he lets anyone see. There's an unwanted instant connection between the two, some enemies to lovers type trope going on as well, but it isn't as instalove as I feared from the synopsis. There's some great character growth and we see them getting to know one another. We get a lot of action scenes in the book and I enjoyed every one of them. Well described so I could see them playing out in my mind even with the magic and tech mixed in.
Sometimes there are only bad options. Reading this book is not one. If you like space opera and fantasy give this one a try!
Space opera, politics, magic, and drama galore, what's not to like? The book is told in two POVs and I'm glad for it as I loved being in both their heads. Vesper is a lab rat who has quite a backstory and is sick of being overlooked and used. She's working for a company that might not be what she thinks they are. I appreciate how well she thinks on her feet and her intelligence and snark in general. Kyrion on the other hand is a cold hard killer, or at least that is all he lets anyone see. There's an unwanted instant connection between the two, some enemies to lovers type trope going on as well, but it isn't as instalove as I feared from the synopsis. There's some great character growth and we see them getting to know one another. We get a lot of action scenes in the book and I enjoyed every one of them. Well described so I could see them playing out in my mind even with the magic and tech mixed in.
Sometimes there are only bad options. Reading this book is not one. If you like space opera and fantasy give this one a try!
July 2, 2023
I loathe rotating first person narration in romance. If I had dug further and realized this was from both H/h POV, I probably would have passed. I’m good with a epilogue or extra from the hero’s POV, but prefer he remain more mysterious and filtered through the heroine’s lens for the most part. A lot of readers love this dual style of narrative. It is definitely a personal preference.
The fact that I actually liked the story is a testament. Normally I can’t make it more than a chapter before I roll my eyes at the hero’s inner emo and give up. There is a lot of action and an interesting spin on the fated mates trope. I also like the slow burn romance.
If you’re into dual first person POV and don’t have my (possibly odd) aversion - this may be the book for you. I am definitely not advising against it. YMMV
The fact that I actually liked the story is a testament. Normally I can’t make it more than a chapter before I roll my eyes at the hero’s inner emo and give up. There is a lot of action and an interesting spin on the fated mates trope. I also like the slow burn romance.
If you’re into dual first person POV and don’t have my (possibly odd) aversion - this may be the book for you. I am definitely not advising against it. YMMV
October 9, 2022
My first try at this author and I enjoyed it. I liked the world building. It was an interesting set up.. The heroine was a very nice character. She was smart and capable and didn't panic, just thought her way out of situations. The hero was nice as well. It looks like there will be a romance that develops between the two of them over the course of future books.
Very good and I can't wait for more.
Very good and I can't wait for more.
December 9, 2022
I could be convinced to knock half a star off this because the romance is... so slow burn one could almost argue it's not really a factor, but I don't care I loved this I need more immediately
November 25, 2024
J’attendais avec impatience de découvrir Jennifer Estep dans un autre registre, et là, nous sommes dans de l’urban fantasy SF�! Et franchement, j’ai bien aimé cette entrée en matière�! Même si les codes ne changent pas trop de l’urban fantasy classique avec des créatures surnaturelles. J’ai adoré faire la connaissance de Vesper. C’est une héroïne forte et courageuse qui n’hésite pas à se battre pour survivre et faire éclater la vérité. J’ai adoré sa rencontre ace Kyrion. Un héros mystérieux, froid, parfois cruel, au passé tortueux.
Dans ce premier tome, l’autrice pose les bases de son univers, de ses problématiques et mets doucement une romance en branle. Même si on reste sur un slow burn classique. Ne vous attendez donc pas à avoir de suite une romance épicée entre les héros. Ils ont bien trop de casseroles chacun pour pouvoir aimer aussi facilement.
L’intrigue est captivante, j’ai adoré accompagner Vesper et Kyrion dans cette première aventure haute en couleur. On découvre une royauté épique dans laquelle les complots et trahisons vont bon train.
Action, rebondissements, révélations et ascenseurs émotionnels sont au programme, ce qui en a fait pour moi une lecture ultra addictive. J’aime la plume de Jennifer Estep ainsi que ses héros toujours très bien travaillés. Vesper est tellement attachante et sincère. L’univers est intéressant et je suis déjà impatiente de découvrir la suite et de retourner auprès de notre intrépide héroïne�!
Dans ce premier tome, l’autrice pose les bases de son univers, de ses problématiques et mets doucement une romance en branle. Même si on reste sur un slow burn classique. Ne vous attendez donc pas à avoir de suite une romance épicée entre les héros. Ils ont bien trop de casseroles chacun pour pouvoir aimer aussi facilement.
L’intrigue est captivante, j’ai adoré accompagner Vesper et Kyrion dans cette première aventure haute en couleur. On découvre une royauté épique dans laquelle les complots et trahisons vont bon train.
Action, rebondissements, révélations et ascenseurs émotionnels sont au programme, ce qui en a fait pour moi une lecture ultra addictive. J’aime la plume de Jennifer Estep ainsi que ses héros toujours très bien travaillés. Vesper est tellement attachante et sincère. L’univers est intéressant et je suis déjà impatiente de découvrir la suite et de retourner auprès de notre intrépide héroïne�!
October 23, 2022
4 stars
Only Bad Options was a plot-driven adult sci-fi novel that chugged along at a steady pace unravelling the complex dynamics between the major families and civilians. There was a lot of doom and gloom, and there doesn't appear to be an easy way to solve all of the problems that are brought up in the book. Vesper was a really quirky and fun heroine that led the story. Her ability to solve problems was really interesting and brightened up some of the darker spots of the novel, and I'm excited to see how she develops in the rest of the series.
Despite the series being called 'Galactic Bonds', romance was definitely one of the weaker points of the book and I didn't really feel like Vesper and Kyrion had any sort of chemistry. Kyrion was also really unlikeable when we first started reading from his POV, which makes me even less invested in his potential relationship with Vesper. Either way, it was interesting enough and I'm probably going to read the next book when it is released.
Only Bad Options was a plot-driven adult sci-fi novel that chugged along at a steady pace unravelling the complex dynamics between the major families and civilians. There was a lot of doom and gloom, and there doesn't appear to be an easy way to solve all of the problems that are brought up in the book. Vesper was a really quirky and fun heroine that led the story. Her ability to solve problems was really interesting and brightened up some of the darker spots of the novel, and I'm excited to see how she develops in the rest of the series.
Despite the series being called 'Galactic Bonds', romance was definitely one of the weaker points of the book and I didn't really feel like Vesper and Kyrion had any sort of chemistry. Kyrion was also really unlikeable when we first started reading from his POV, which makes me even less invested in his potential relationship with Vesper. Either way, it was interesting enough and I'm probably going to read the next book when it is released.
February 5, 2023
4.5/5 stars
Just very much my jam. Really liked Vesper, and hoping for more of the actual relationship in the next one because I love a good slow burn, but this one could pick up a few paces and still be a slow burn. Very excited for book two!
Just very much my jam. Really liked Vesper, and hoping for more of the actual relationship in the next one because I love a good slow burn, but this one could pick up a few paces and still be a slow burn. Very excited for book two!
July 26, 2023
Damn Daaayyyyymmmmnnnn this was hella good. I am seriously looking forward to the next volume. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but still wow.
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