Review: Stud

Stud (Cat Star Chronicles - Book 8) by Cheryl Brooks


Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc.
Genre: Sci-Fi  Romance
Pages: Paperback, 385pp
ISBN-13: 978-1402251689

ISBN: 1402251688

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)


Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound


Cheryl Brooks on the WEB: website, blog, facebook, twitter


Books in the Series: Slave (2008), Warrior (2008), Rogue (2009), Outcast (2009), Fugitive (2010), Hero (2010), Virgin (2011), Stud (2012) 


CoverArt: Click on the picture for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Stud


Synopsis:


THEY'RE GALAXIES APART...


Even for a Zetithian, Tarq Zulveidione's sexual prowess is legendary. Believing it's all he's good for, Tarq sets out to perpetuate his threatened species by offering his services to women across the galaxy...

BUT ONE FORCE CAN BRING THEM TOGETHER...


Lucinda Force is the sensitive dark horse in a self-absorbed family, repeatedly told that no man will ever want such a plain woman. Lucy longs for romance, but is resigned to her loveless lot in life - until Tarq walks through the door of her father's restaurant on Talus Five...


Thoughts:

Cheryl Brooks has the market cornered on Sci-Fi romance! Brooks has seen great success with her Cat Star Chronicles series. Book eight, Stud is no exception to the rule. It is a heart-stopping adventure and a very sensual romance wrapped into one. Brooks' world-building skills are put to the test, with main character Tarq and his quest to re-populate his dying species. Readers will once again be swept away to worlds unknown and find themselves falling in love with the Zetithians.


Now in it's eighth book, the Cat Star Chronicles has found a great following. Cheryl Brooks has many fans that span the genres. Being a long time fan of science fiction it was really easy for me to like this series. I had not read too many sci-fi novels that pulled off the romantic element very well before starting this series and I was really impressed with Cheryl Brooks. She was able to pull of the sexy scenes and atmosphere while still filling her book with all sorts of aliIens and strange new worlds. Sometimes I think it's easy for writers who write contemporary fiction because they don't have to dream up their worlds, where as sci-fi writers don't have that luxury.

The world building in this series and especially in this particular book was amazing. Brooks has established the Zethithian society and given readers a rough idea of how things work and what makes this cat-like species tick. She has made it a point to allow readers to see the sensuality and utter-sexiness of Zetithian males and explained the mating process and that sort of thing in previous books, but in Stud it becomes a bit more realistic as Tarq sets out to do what Tarq does best, pleasure women and in this case propitiate his species. 

I loved the fact that Brooks continues to introduce new aliens and interesting inter-galactic places, while still remaining true to her core group of characters. Readers who fell in love with protagonists from other Cat Star Chronicle books, don't have to worry that they'll never hear of them again. Brooks often gives cameos to past heroes and heroines and continues their stories while forging new territory with each new couple. 

Brooks has such a knack for character building. This isn't the first time readers have hear of Tarq. This is just when it's time for his story to take place. He has been on the edges of the story for awhile now and it's finally time to see what makes Tarq tick! I love the overall sexy attitude Brooks writes with and it makes perfect sense for her to bring readers a character like Tarq who is so confident in his sexual abilities but lacking in self-esteem in other ways. Pairing him with a human was a stroke of genius and readers are going to fall in love with him all over again.

Stud is a great addition to the Cat Star Chronicles series and to sci-fi romance in general. Along with Linnea Sinclair, Chery Brooks is one of my favorites in the sub-genre. Brooks provides just the right balance between aliens and lovers. If you're a sci-fi fan you won't want to miss this one. If you're a romance fan, you'll like it too. It's never too late to start the series, when Brooks gives readers enough information to make reading each one easy, while still leaving a little something, something to the imagination. 

Stud is available February 7th from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Cheryl Brooks is a critical care nurse by night and a romance writer by day. A lifelong lover of horses and animals in general, she lives with her husband, two sons, two horses, four cats, and one dog in rural Indiana. She enjoys cooking, gardening, and has played guitar since the age of ten. A member of the RWA and INRWA, her previously published works include The Cat Star Chronicles series: Slave, Warrior, Rogue, Outcast, Fugitive, Hero and Virgin. Utilizing her rich fantasy life and a knack for unobtrusive boy watching, she is currently branching out from paranormal romance into erotic novellas, both contemporary and paranormal, and loving it!