3.5 stars

**ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.**

Basics
+ setting: a pleasure cruise on the spaceship Ignisar
+ (fMC) Elanie - half-human Bionic made to work on the spaceship, dry/straightlaced
+ (mMC) Sem - the spaceship's Portisan doctor, awkward and adorable

Likes
+ human-AI element
+ Elanie's hormone upgrade leads to misunderstandings she bluntly asks the doctor about, which in turn puts him an awkward spot or two
+ Portisan elements (physically fragile, webbed hands and feet)
+ grumpy x sunshine
+ forced proximity
+ dangerous climate
+ cult vibes
+ fake marriage to go undercover

Dislikes
- watching Elaine have a relationship with a jerk in the beginning
- the resolution was over a bit too quickly to feel fully satisfying

Comp titles: Ice Planet Barbarians x Murderbot Diaries

Genres: romance, science fiction, science fiction/fantasy

“𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩. 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠.”
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧.”
𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐝, “𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩! 𝐄𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞?”
“𝐍𝐨.”
“𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝-𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝.”
“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠,” 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. “𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞.”
𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫. “𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞. 𝐀 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧.”
“𝐖𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.”
“𝐔𝐡 𝐨𝐡,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬. “𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞.”
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦.
_________________________

I, Bionic is the second book of the Ignisar series which is compiled of stand alone stories set in the same world. It follows the love story of Elaine, a half-human Bionic commissioned and created to work on the ship Ignisar, and Doctor Sem Semsen, a Portisan with a fragile physical system and webbed hands and feet who serves as the only doctor on the ship most known for being a pleasure cruise. If you were a fan of Ice Planet Barbarians, but wanted a tad less smut and a hair more plot with far more of a sci-fi edge then this book is PERFECT for you!!

It is very much grumpy-sunshine, as Elaine is a very dry, very to the point Bionic still trying to adjust to the feelings and emotions that the other people around her emote. Sem is an awkward, at times gawky, and absolutely adorable guy who finds himself inexplicably drawn to Elaine. However when a mysterious voice that has been hacking into Bionics’ systems to lure them away in a trance targets Elaine, he finds himself following her in an effort to keep her safe at all costs.

What follows is a forced proximity, sizzling attraction between the alien who is smitten with the bionic who barely cracks a smile. As they spend more time together, however, Elaine finds herself embracing her feelings and allowing herself to find happiness away from her work (which is the only thing she was truly created for) and with the doctor who warms her from the inside out. As they work together to keep each other safe and alive they finally find the source of the call; a commune like settlement inhabited solely by Bionics who want more than a programmed, commissioned, slave driven life that is quickly extinguished when their system becomes outdated. Masquerading as husband and wife, Elaine and Sem begin to find true happiness in this alternate reality…or so they think. Sometimes if something seems too perfectly good to be true it is in fact too good to be true and they soon find themselves risking it all to bring justice to their newfound friends and to escape the clutches of the commune’s leader, hopefully with their lives.

This book was really so cute. Sem was truly adorable and Elaine was funny in her innocent, dry, inexperienced way. I got MAJOR secondhand embarrassment in the first 30% of the book with the double meanings to Sem and Elaine’s earlier interactions as she seeks his advice in her sex life. He’s a DOCTOR, use your imagination ;-) However, the underlying plots…Elaine not settling in a loveless relationship with a jerk just to check a box and fulfill her role in a “relationship”, Sem’s overcoming his sense of reticent duty to pursue the woman he is falling for, and ultimately the bigger questions of race, nationality, prejudice, racism, who is “deserving” and who is “inferior”, to name just a few, are all VERY well executed even if at times the story itself feels cheesy and a hair too dry/underdeveloped.

Overall I really did enjoy this book!! It was different and sweet and I loved the sci-fi aspect with entirely original characters and creatures (GROVER❤️❤️). I recommend this book to IPB lovers for sure and to anyone looking for an offbeat, fun, VERY sex positive, Doctor Who-esque adventure!!

Thank you SO much to NetGalley, City Owl Press, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bionics and humans in relationships, bionics and emotions, so many things to consider and so many things to go wrong! A brilliantly thought out book with some amazing twists and turns. I loved the main characters and as for Elanie’s Personal discoveries, they were really bittersweet. A great book

For the most part, I found the book interesting. I just couldn't get all the way into the storyline. Just seemed alittle off.

Oops, she did it again! (read the book before you impart judgment) Jess K. Hardy has come out with another absolute BANGER of a book, and I would like to officially pledge my undying love and devotion to all things Ignisar.

Seriously, I can't believe what a blast this book was. The instant that I found out the second book in the Ignisar series would be following Elanie's story, I literally squealed with joy. A gorgeous, blunt, won't-take-your-shit bionic who just got a hormone upgrade and starts feeling...feelings? Sign. me. up.

And who better to guide Elanie through the confusing paths of her newfound sexuality than Dr. Semson - the blue-skinned alien of my wet dreams (Ice Planet Barbarians, who?).

This delectable story has it all - love, adventure, humor, and slow-burn spice that is... *fans self* the slowest, most decadent of burns. Sexual frustration, thy name is Sem. Not to mention the imaginative sci-fi elements that are just the cherry on top of this masterpiece.

These books deserve so much more recognition; I can't even believe how much I love them. I'm confident that any other book in this series will be added to my favorites shelf. So, if you're reading this, I implore you to pick up these books. You won't regret it.

Thank you, NetGalley and City Owl Press, for the ARC!

Link to Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4672581066

Jess Hardy has such a talent for fun, steamy sci-fi and it shows in this fast-paced tale of cosmic sexual awakening. As heartwarming as it is hot, I, Bionic is perfect for anyone seeking a sweet escape.

Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for allowing me access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I, Bionic begins just after the end of Love in the Time of Wormholes, the first Ignisar book, but it can be read as a standalone as most of the key players are introduced or reintroduced at the start of the book. I would recommend reading the first book either way because Jess K Hardy's blend of drama and humor is truly thoroughly enjoyable.

That said this story picks up where the last left off where Elaine, a bionic, think half human half machine, has decided to get her hormone upgrade which opens her world to numerous pleasure but also means she's going through robot puberty.

Sunny suggests that she goes to see the ship physician, Sem, who happens to be a blue empath from the planet Portis who have the reputation of hating bionics because they can't get a read of their emotions, so it feels like they're interacting with television static.

As Sem blunders his way through explaining the changes that Elaine is experiencing due to his growing attraction to her a mystery is unfolding on the ship that seems to be hacking into bionics and overriding their functions.

I really enjoy how Jess K Hardy adds a pinch of mystery to her stories, it's woven through in such a way that enhances the main plot without upstaging the romance and it's a good thing because Elaine's cluelessness and Sem's crush is adorable to watch.

I actually really enjoyed this! Sem was so sweet and felt genuinely about Elanie. Elanie came across as cold and unattached but the character progression was really well done. There was a couple of times that the next chapter was a progression in time which took some getting used to. I really enjoyed it overall

I, Bionic
Ignisar, Book 2
by Jess K. Hardy

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

This book was released 4/7/22 and is available on kindle unlimited. This is the second book in a series and I have not read the first which explains why I felt some gaps in the world building but not so much that I was lost.

Our heroine is a bionic humanoid AI who can have hormonal biological functions but also be wiped clean and rebooted like a computer. Our hero is a blue alien empathy who can feel everyone’s feelings except hers. Which of course the challenge only makes her more intriguing to him. He is the sole ships Dr on a futuristic space pleasure cruise and she is one of the staff members. As a bionic she’s essentially a slave and never gets a day off. There was a surprising amount of deep philosophical examining of these sci fi future politics. While steamy this book also offered humor and adventure.
4/5

Review Once again, Jess Hardy has managed to make me laugh, cry, and fan myself with my kindle. I don't even read sci fi, but Jess Hardy is an insta buy, no questions asked. The characters come alive on the page and it's just a great story. Highly suggest picking up the Ignisar series!!!

This is a wonderful romp through space. I really enjoyed reading See and Elanie's book. Both are kinda grumpy and a little clueless when it comes to intimate relationships; Elanie because she just upgraded and Sem because for once in his life he can't get a read on someone. This is an instant attraction but slow burn kind of book which I really enjoyed. Once these two given in though; its smoking. I look forward to the next in the series.

I, Bionic is the second book in the Ignisar series, featuring two new members aboard the ship—Elanie and Sem.

Elanie is a half-human bionic—who just installed her hormone upgrade. Remember puberty? This is what Elanie has the joy of experiencing now. There are so many new things going on with her, and she enlists Sem’s help to explain it all. The problem is, Sem develops a bit of a crush on Elanie despite his role as doctor and their rather uncomfortable conversations. But then Elanie attempts to leave the ship via an escape pod…and Sem jumps in with her. (What?!)

This story is delightful. Elanie’s direct approach to communication and (new) feelings, the varied beings aboard the ship (a blue McDreamy!), Britney Spears-infused karaoke, oodles of sexual tension, all mixed up with a ton of laughs makes for a fast, enjoyable read.

I highly recommend this series to fans of sci-fi and romcoms. It will NOT disappoint!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley & City Owl Press and am leaving an honest review.

Big thanks to Victory Editing for the e-ARC of this book. This review is being given honestly abs all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I, Bionic is a sci-fi romance about an empath doctor who meets a robot and they end up on an involuntary space adventure. This was a pretty good book and I had a good time with the characters and the plot. I think my only issue was the unethical medical aspect of it, the hero is attracted to the heroine while she is his patient which included some moments of tension while he was examining her and it just felt a bit iffy. There was nothing super creepy or over the line during these scenes but it made me a bit uncomfortable.

Overall 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 based on my enjoyment.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book. I, bionic was a quick and easy read. I agree with the description that I, bionic is comparable to Ice Planet Barbarians but definitely way better. I have not read the other books in the series but plan on doing that now that I’ve read this book. If you’re looking for a quick, spicy, off-world read, this is a great book for you.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, loved it! What a great book, most of the time reading alien romances means you lose out on actual plots and great dialogue to just get to the smut. This book seemed to have it all, the banter, humour, good story and great characters.

I read it as a standalone but will definitely be going back and reading Sunny's story.

I, Bionic meets up seamlessly with the events in Love in the Time of Wormholes. Again, we’re on the space pleasure cruise ship, The Ignisar, but this time Jess K. Hardy introduces us to Elanie, the loveable but uptight bionic who is Sunny’s assistant and friend. There’s a new mystery afoot on the The Ignisar, tied to larger unrest in the Wormholes world, and complicating matters, Elanie has upgraded her hormones package, and is unsure how to navigate her strange, but wonderful new body. Enter empathic (and gorgeous) Portisan Dr. Semson, who Sunny enlists to guide Elanie through bionic puberty. Cue hilarious conflicts and misunderstandings, an unexpected twist you won’t see coming, and all the alien steam and spice you could ask for, plus a nice dose of healthy romantic relationships and sweetness. (It’s Ice Planet Barbarians without the cringe-worthy parts).
If you loved Wormholes, you’ll enjoy I, Bionic just as much. Revisit characters you’ve come to know and love, and fall in love with new ones. Snappy, readable prose, all the feels, humor and fun on every page, this book is a steamy and adventurous continuation of the series, further developing the world Hardy has created, upping the stakes for the future of The Ignisar. I, Bionic is accessible and genre-bending Sci-Fi Romance at its best.

I adored Love in the Time of Wormholes, the first book in this series,so naturally I was really excited for I, Bionic -- and it far exceeded my expectations! I loved it so much!

This romping space romance encompasses everything I love about Jess K. Hardy’s work: it’s funny, creative, and sexy, while encased in a wonderful, sweet, gooey tenderness that makes my heart flutter.

Sem and Elanie are everything!!! Also always, Jess’s characters--in this case, a dreamy blue-skinned doctor and sassy and seriously hot Bionic--are fundamentally kind and caring. Even in the funny ups and downs of their introduction and relationship (including a really hot doctor’s office scene that manages to not blur any ethical/power lines; Britney Spears karaoke; a space-ship wreck; bonding and cuddling (for warmth, of course) in just one cave; amazing, empowering sexual exploration; and lots of adventure), they are kind, forgiving, inquisitive, and generous with one another.

I, Bionic has a perfect balance of world building for me-- enough detail that I feel immersed in the fun world Jess has created on the edges of the Known Universe without hitting me on the head with details I’ll never keep track of. I felt fully grounded in the world(s) of the book, and enjoyed the ride of meeting characters of various species, huge penises and all. The ethical underpinning of the book--discussions about the rights of Bionics--was poignant without getting preachy, and I was rooting for Sem and Elanie from the very beginning.

Jess manages to write my absolute favorite kind of sex scenes: they are SO hot but very safe and tender at the same time. These characters take care of eachother, and it makes everything hotter and sweeter.

Jess has become a “sure thing” author for me--I know I will love anything she does, and I know she’ll take care of me as a reader.

In short, I’d love a billion more books like this--one for every star in the Known Universe, please!