I’m a sucker for a good Dude, Where’s My Shirt book cover, especially when the dude happens to be an alien with otherworldly physique and skin tone. A good cover gives the imagination a little something to go on as you read the author’s descriptions of the characters.

This novella tells the story of a big day in the lives of our pink skinned, purple haired electrified bounty hunter Willekk vra Xirashi, and our alien obsessed heroine Jules. Will is on Earth hunting down a swarm of parasites threatening to make their homes in the brains of unsuspecting humans. He does his best to blend in, but when your best is walking around on the beach in nothing but stolen swim trunks, someone is bound to notice. Except…no one really does. That is, until Jules and her bff Becca cross paths with him. Becca is overcome by his hotness and moves to introduce herself. He is way more interested in finding his target and blows her off. When he does finally make contact with the pair again, he is drawn to Jules. Turns out he’s found his fated mate in Jules and now has to continue his mission under the assumption that he will have to leave her behind so he may as well not get too close.

Of course that is not how fated mates work. Their paths cross again and this time, they move forward together and Jules finds herself having the weirdest day of her life.

I don’t want to give away the whole story because it’s short enough to read in one sitting and you should just do that if fated mates alien romance is your thing. The characters are great. Jules is autistic and if you are also neurodivergent, you’ll find her internal dialogue highly relatable. Will saves her life, is observant and adjusts his behavior to meet her needs without being told to do so, and gets her off repeatedly without asking for anything in return. He is absolutely unrealistic, but you know what? We want our book boyfriends to be perfect, not real. And Becca truly is Jules’ ride or die.

I really enjoyed this and now I have to read the rest of the series. Big thanks to Latrexa Nova for sharing this one with me. You can preorder today and read it starting January 21, 2024.