I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

I am fascinated by science fiction involving aliens and this had some practical scenarios that I hadn't thought of before. However, the rest fell flat, maybe because the things focused on were mundane and questions were left unanswered. I started and stopped multiple times and never finished.
Is there a thing such as sci-fi lit, like chick lit?

This story is quite different than most science fiction books. I would almost call it science fiction lite and even romance lite. Questions arise that are not answered. Who are these aliens and why are the focused on Mars but not Earth? Why do travelers need to go into stasis if the trip to the alien planet is only 10 days away. For that matter where id the planet and what is the means for traveling the great distance? I agree the characters are not very well developed and the conversations are stilted. It seems most of the book is dedicated to eating meals.

I was provided an ARC by Netgalley in return for an honest review. Based on Mars, the heroine, Syl, is the manager of a luxury hotel and hosting a new alien species. Imagine trying to translate, find and provide things that are, literally, out of this world. You're introduced to lots of supporting characters and it's an interesting world build. Syl becomes targeted by someone(s) and that forms the basis for most of the book's story, as well as her relationship building with the other book characters.
Nice book; a good beach read, if you like alternate world scenarios and the intersections of alien cultures. The heroine does get her HEA, noting this is the first book in a series, so there's more to come with Syl and her friends.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more in the series! Characters were fun and interesting. Hope to see more soon.

I was really interested by this book, hoping that it would have, maybe, the same atmosphere than "The innkeeper chronicles" by Illona Andrews, a series I like very much for all its little flaws. I wasn't waiting for some hard science-fi or even for some serious science-fi, but was ready for a light and pleasant read, with some delicious change of scene from my everyday life... But I was disappointed and annoyed, and couldn't read past 33 per cent of the book.

The beginning wasn't to bad, I rather enjoyed the main theme. I don't mind slow writing with a lot of mundane details in fantasy or science-fi books, as it gives some depth and substance to an imaginary world. But I quickly realised that the author had chosen a very expeditive kind of narration, keeping to the outlines of the story. To seduce me this kind of story has to follow some rules and to express the reality of an imaginative mind. Alas, in this book there was no sense of wonder, no excitement to discover some new world, new alternative reality...

The story begins on Mars where humans have been living for a while. But we could have been anywhere or Earth just now for all the differences (none) between our existence and the heroine's. The story hasn't any roots, we have nothing to imagine this life on Mars (under a dome? terraforming?). No detail either to help figuring the characters, what they look like (just some perfunctory description for the alien and maybe the bestie), it's impossible to "see" them or their surroundings.
Al this lack of padding was uncomfortable but still not the worst.
The scenario was so transparent and awkward, especially about the science aspects, that it was painful to read. I don't pretend that one have to have read extensive science-fi books to write some; I don't even think mandatory to have read any. But for shame, some little reflection should be made about the subject! How a scientist about to go away from Mars, for the first time, to another planet, couldn't have thought about the situation of this planet, not to know if it was in the same solar system or not? How could anyone think to accept a travel cryogenic treatment that haven't been test on humans before? (and to make one character go and try - oh, I've just try this afternoon it's okay - is not a satisfying answer!) And what about making some travellers chose cryogenation for a travel, to save time and senescence, when the journey is about to last ten days?!
I just couldn't read more especially as it was still, and the third of the book, a bunch of mundane details over and over, about some aliens who were so much like humans in their ways that one couldn't help thinking about the interest of their existence in the book.
All in all this book has a strong childish vibe, innocent and uninformed, that may present some charm for some readers - but not for me.

I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone else than some reader interested by a light science-fi fiction, mundane and slow, with a possible romance - a reader who have little or no interest in science credibility in science-fi books, and don't mind imagine a story with very little help from the writer.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a great series starter and enjoyed the sci-fi story. I liked that the author put a lot of thought into the different scenarios that a hotel offering rooms to new types of aliens would run into. I liked that the language barrier and conversations were unique and staccato as they would be between two species as well as the difficulty of idioms etc.

I thought the characters were all well rounded and added to the story and plot. The secondary characters created more drama and made the book flow well. I also liked that the terms of affection were different and as such created a need for open communication. I liked that they were different and unique.

I also enjoyed the plot and the suspense as well as the romance angle, however I do wish that had been fleshed out a bit more, as it felt almost awkward at times between Syl and Dedare. The word building was great and I thought the author had a well thought out creation. She made the reader think of things you wouldn't necessarily think of when reading of alien interaction, but that would crop up. There were times it felt more like a memoir than a novel but, i took that as the authors style choice.

This is a nice easy read with some really great characters.
Unfortunately the story itself is let down with alot of unnecessary background to bulk it out.

I chose this book because I was enamored with the idea of a human being an innkeeper on an alien planet and having adventures.

I ended up DNF-ing this book ten chapters in at the 31% point for a couple of reasons.

First of all, it was a third of the way done and they were just arriving on the alien world. My issue is not that I couldn’t be patient through an introduction to the characters, the plot, and transition, but that I was bored by tedious details. There were four chapters during the packing phase dealing with- yep, packing.
Secondly, I never really warmed up to the main character, Syl, and found her companions okay. But then at the point I decided to end things, it was because Syl got snotty and bossy when it wasn’t a good time. She had nearly ten chapters to get used to the idea that she was freely agreeing to pioneer a human visit to an alien planet with an alien culture (as in a culture not like hers, LOL). Her first little hiccup and she cops an attitude toward anyone and everyone because she was inconvenienced (not hurt or harmed, just inconvenienced).

Yeah, I figured I wasn’t interested in waiting to see if something was going to happen when I was barely tolerating the heroine at the same time. Let’s just say it was a bit mellow and slow build for my sci-fi tastes and expectations. Maybe it would work for others.

I rec’d this book from Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.
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A true look in the future when Mars becomes colonized. I had to laugh when a certain guest came to stay at the inn. The characters are interesting. The whole book is fun and I've called a book that. Can't wait for the next one.

Given this book via Netgalley for free for a honest review.

A nice fast paced read, an enjoyable a fun weekend read!

This was an OK read. It could have been great as I was drawn in and very interested in the characters. However a large portion of the book is spent on conversations that are are not relevant to understanding the characters, or driving the plot. Conversations about packing, then arranging to have more conversations about packing, the same conversations multiple times with the same people over the same subject There is also a ton of hotel management stuff which should have been interesting considering it's a new species and planet but it was made boring and bland, this left me frustrated and annoyed. If you can get past the mundane, this story has a good shell, and the author made me interested in the characters and the possibilities of what was to come.

A big Thank you to NetGalley and Wild Rose Press for the ARC for my honest review. This is my first time reading this author. I rate this book a 4.5. I have not read a book like this ever. It combines science fiction, mystery and romance and throw in aliens. It has it all-this is not to say that there aren't issues in the book but I was so fascinated with the characters and alien planets that I overlooked them. There are no unresolved issues and there is nothing to explicit in the book-it was just a fast fun read. Give it a try. Hope you enjoy it as well.