It was really interesting getting to read about how Thar'oc and Rikki get together in this book after having read Caught by the Alien Mercenary and hearing about them briefly. They were both really likable characters and I enjoyed their story as well as the epilogue at the end. I put There's an Alien Down My Chimney on my TBR list since it is about Thar’oc’s friend Ru’ol and his mate so that should be fun to read. I also look forward to reading more about the other characters in the Monster Mercenary Mates series.
Monster Mercenary Mates
Prequel is Protected by the Alien Mercenary: A Steamy Sci-fi Monster Romance: Thar'oc & Rikki
Caught by the Alien Mercenary: Captain Asmoded & Manyin
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trapped in a terrible situation, I decide to hire a mercenary to help me escape. Pay him? I’m sure we’ll figure that out…
Rikki
I’ve been kidnapped and auctioned off. I’m not waiting around for my new ‘owner’ to do whatever he wants with me. When he leaves me with his guard in a sleazy bar, I see my chance.
There’s this even more terrifying looking male, horns, glowing blue lines on his skin, and a freaking tail! The glances he gives me leave no room for interpretation. He wants me. I can work with that…
When I hear he’s a mercenary, I take a gamble, and offer him the sweetest of payment if he helps me escape. Once he has me alone, I soon discover that the price is much steeper than just my body. He might just demand my heart.
Thar’oc
When I see her, I’m not the only one who stares, but I am the only one who cares. A tiny little human, trapped in a terrible situation. She’s all fire, bravado, pale skin, and wild curls.
Then she offers me a deal I simply can’t refuse. Against the wishes of my friends, the advice of my mentor, and my sanity, I take her. Once I’ve taken her, I won’t let her go. Ever. She’ll soon discover that she’s mine to protect, to spoil, and to pleasure.
Those that seek to steal her from me will learn that nothing gets past a Kertinal in mating rut.
This is a standalone novella and part of the My Monster, My Protector series. This steamy sci-fi romance features one stoic, pistol-wielding mercenary, a plucky, desperate heroine, and a steamy HEA.
The series
In a world where the things that go bump in the night don’t just lurk—they love, My Monster, My Protector offers a darkly intimate look at the bond between beast and beloved. Each book unearths a new, primal protector—creatures feared for their strength, shunned for their form, and yet drawn irresistibly to the women who refuse to flinch. These are not fairytales dressed in velvet; they’re raw, feral romances where danger is constant, and devotion runs deeper than instinct.
Read full series description
What makes this series stand apart isn’t just the heat or the tension—it’s the surprising tenderness found in places most would never think to look. Set in richly imagined worlds filled with ancient curses, shadowy forests, and hidden realms, the stories balance gritty survival with slow-burning connection. Heroines aren’t here to be saved—they’re survivors in their own right, and sometimes it’s the monster who learns what it means to be human.
Part paranormal romance, part monster fantasy, this series thrives on contrast: beauty and brutality, fear and longing, otherness and understanding. For readers who crave protective anti-heroes, haunting atmospheres, and stories that blend myth and menace with deep emotional payoff, this series slips under the skin and stays there.
2024Protected by the Alien Warmachine 
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2024Protected by the Alien Space Guardian 
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2024Protected by the Wild Bigfoot 
2024Protected by the Alien Privateer What did you think of this book?
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