Barbarian’s Prize is a beautifully fragile love story. At times, it’s joyful, many times it’s fearful, tear-jerking and heart-wrenching. And maybe, just maybe it’s a little hopeful.

This story crushed my heart so much. I felt so bad for Tiffany. I completely understood her pain and grief in dealing with the horrible thing that happened to her. I just want to give her a big hug!

At times this was a hard story to read because Tiffany’s anguish is palpable. It’s so hard for her to be a part of the tribe as one of only two human females who haven’t resonated with a Sa-khui (blue barbarian) warrior. Her lovely skin tone has attracted the attention of several barbarians vying for her affections and Tiffany would prefer to be invisible. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but she can’t stand the thought of being claimed or to have someone turn on her in anger.

To help Tiffany deflect this unwanted attention, Josie (the other unmated human female) devises a plan to keep the barbarians busy by having a competition and the winner gets to escort Tiffany and Josie on a trip. Everything’s going well until the other barbarians discover Salukh has been making time with Tiffany while the others have been out competing and this sparks several fights causing Tiffany greater anguish. Her fears aren’t unwarranted but they’ve all but crippled her. Tiffany needs a friend and Salukh is perfectly unassuming and “safe.” He only seems to want to be her friend and help her conquer her fears… until he wants more.

Salukh is a strong, patient and hunky barbarian that sees under the surface of Tiffany’s fake smiles and happy appearance. He knows she’s his, despite his silent khui (symbiotic organisms that allow the humans/barbarians to live on the planet AND they sing to another khui when they have found their perfect match for the purposes of procreation and sexytimes).

Salukh befriends the lovely Tiffany and the more time they spend together, the deeper he falls for the lovely human. It is a difficult road for these two. Only time will tell what happens to the pair.

This was a hard story to read but it was a good story. I experienced so many emotions and a few tears. Tiffany and Salukh paired well together and he was just what Tiffany needed.

On another note, the steaminess level of this book is definitely of the same caliber as the other books in the series. I recommend reading them all and I’m absolutely looking forward to the next one!

Tiffany is one of the last human women on available “Not-Hoth” with the others having resonated and mated. So she’s inundated with male attention, something she doesn’t feel comfortable with at all. Tiffany isn’t interested in any male after her time in the “bad” alien’s spaceship. The abuse and assaults she suffered, which she has yet to share with anyone else, has made any male attention repugnant. That is except for Salukh. He doesn’t pressure her like the other males and it’s easy to talk to him about her time and life on Earth and soon she finds herself confiding bits of her horrific time on the spaceship.

Salukh is sure Tiffany is his mate, but can’t understand why they haven’t resonated yet. He’s patient though, even more so when he finds out what she’s been through and sets about to win her friendship first and then her heart. I loved Salukh.

My heart went out to Tiffany in this installment. The sa-khui men didn’t mean to make her uncomfortable and it’s not their fault since Tiffany hasn’t told anyone the reasons why the attentions are so difficult for her. I felt bad for the guys that participated in the contests for Tiffany that Josie set up. Salukh suffered too because Tiffany wouldn’t speak up, but at the same time I know she went through hell so I couldn’t fault her too much. With Tiffany’s past experience you might think we’d skip the major sexy times present in the previous books, but that’s not the case. It is a more of a slow burn to start but grows into a sexy inferno! This series is hot stuff!

Barbarian’s Prize dealt with the aftermath of serious trauma, but was balanced with snarky, fun humor so it wasn’t predominately dark. I laughed at the bits with Chompy and smiled when Tiffany spent time with the new babies. Ice Planet Honeymoon is included in this Berkley special edition, which was a complete delight! Loved getting more of Chompy (too cute and funny!) and seeing Tiffany and Salukh more in the future.

I really enjoyed reading Barbarian's Prize. It's the latest book in the insanely internet popular Ice Planet Barbarians series to be published in print. I actually devoured the entire series back when they were released on Kindle Unlimited only. I think Ruby Dixon is a great writer and these books are all funny and entertaining, while touching on some very, very serious issues. She handles it well and I would definitely recommend this book to fans of science fiction romance.

Back in Not Hoth and I love it here and my toes are frozen walking in my Rothys in 30 degree wind, they haven't warmed up so I feel like I am there.
Tiffany is one of the women who was abused by the horrible aliens before the sweet blue aliens and she is dealing with the trauma of that. She is having trouble with all the attention being one of the only non mated women left and she just wants space but doesn't want to ruffle feathers or say no.
Her champion is such a sweetie who she has put in the friend zone and asked to help her with getting comfortable with intimate touch. He knows that he is her true mate but observes her and knows she is uncomfortable with touch so he just waits for her to lead him. The patience he has with her is so sweet and he is definitely playing the long game since he wants his khui to prove to everyone what he knows is true. These books are always a treat. I know I can read them on KU but I keep requesting them off netgalley lol. I should start collecting the special edition covers.

Thank you berkleyromance for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

AHHHHUQBAJQJSHQIABAHAH

SCREAMING

CRYING

THROWING UP 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

MOVE OVER RAAHOSH…. THERE’S A NEW FAVORITE ALIEN IN TOWNNNNNNN 💕💕

I know most people think this series is unhinged and all smut no plot but let me tell you how absolutely wrong you are.

Ruby Dixon has done with her 7ft, golden retriever aliens what many authors of contemporary romance CANNOT COME CLOSE to pulling off. Yes the plot can be a bit repetitive with 19 books and about 11? Novellas… BUT she has this artistic way of being in very real and important issues to these stories.

This book follows the story of Tiffany and my absolutely favorite blue baby ever ✨HAEDEN✨ and the way Ruby handled Tiffany’s trauma having been SA by the abducting aliens was extremely well done. I have read contemporary romances where it did not get handled properly and ugh just makes my skin itch. I think they have one of the best romances in the series and I will die on this hill. The competition was the only aspect I didn’t enjoy because it felt a little pointless but having finished the series I can tell it was also used to show off the remaining single aliens and build up on their characters for when their books came. Needless to say, I am absolutely obsessed with the aliens, the girls, the kits, and of course my queen Ruby.

I started this series for fun and it has changed so much honestly. I will never stop recommending it to everyone so give it a go!

i never thought i would see the day that i give a IPB book a 5 star rating but here we are

tiffany and salukh were just the cutest and have officially become my favorite couple (sorry liz and raahosh) salukh was so understanding and patient with tiffany, letting her take control and move at her own pace

also the set up for josie’s book??? ohh i’m too excited

thank you Berkley for the arc of the new special edition version!

I am delighted every time NetGalley approves me for another Ruby Dixon book. These are generally light, fun, absurd (but in the best way), quick reads, and while not high literature definitely enjoyable. This entry in the barbarian alien-verse was no exception but it did focus on a serious topic. Mild spoilers but tw: for rape. The scenes aren't graphically described but it is a major topic in the book.

Tiffany is one of the last un-mated or un-resonated women on the planet which makes her very popular. However, Tiffany was raped by the little green alien men while on the ship and has a lot of trauma to unpack from that experience. She is uninterested in a mate and frankly nervous from all the attention.

Salukh is Tiffany's friend but clearly wants to be more. He sees her as his mate even though they haven't resonated and wants to be there for her no matter what. When Tiffany suggests experimenting to try to work through her trauma Salukh is onboard though clearly, he wants more. To complicate matters Tiffany still has a lot of attention from the other men some of whom are getting less patient.

The romance between Salukh and Tiffany is very sweet and I liked that they chose each other first and didn't just resonate. Salukh was so funny and patient and Tiffany's hesitancy and skittishness seemed pretty realistic. And of course, this would not be a Dixon book without the spice.

I think my only issues were the lack of consistency between the main novel and the extra novella. In the novel, Tiffany says her parents were killed in a war and in the novella, she says they were killed in a car accident. I also thought that Tiffany got over her trauma too quickly in that she and Salukh finally have sex and then she's immediately fine and there are no more nightmares or issues with the other men.

Overall though this was a really fun read and definitely sets the stage for the next book in the series. I definitely recommend to romance novel fans.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley

I loved Tiffany's story and the fact that some of the trauma from the alien abduction on the ship was shown. It feels like that was not dealt with in many of the other books in this series so far.

I think this one might be my favorite of the books I've read in the series.

I've been curious how Tiffany's story was going to move forward after everything that happened to her. The plot was considerate of her trauma (Salukh doesn't just "heal" her) and allowed her to work through her past and slowly find her way towards her HEA. Of course Salukh is a fantastic mate for Tiffany and together they have friendship, understanding, and a slow burning chemistry.

Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read with characters who were easy to root for. And I can't wait to get to the next book. I'm beside myself with Josie's set up.

FYI: memories and talk of rape -- it's not quite off the page, but not quite on the page either

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the digital arc free of charge**

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. Dixon for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I read this book back in 2016 so I was eager to see what might have been changed in the interim. I was also to see if I felt the same way about Tiffany, whom I recalled really disliking seven years ago. While I can't say that Tiffany's choices would be my own, I found that seven years and a pile of more life experience later (sigh) I have more understanding for why Tiffany was so tongue-tied in the face of the abundant male attention.

Do I think she should have taken advantage of one of the MANY opportunities to speak up and say "Hey! I don't want this!"....? Yessssss I do. But I'm not a survivor of physical and sexual trauma, so I don't think it's an analogous situation. I could say that I would wish Tiffany had spoken up, that I wish she'd been more honest about her wishes, that at the very least she could have been more up-front with Josie, her friend who treated her with unconditional love and support. But. It's not my story, it's Tiffany's.

Salukh is an actual saint: endlessly patient, waiting uncomplainingly for Tiffany to realize he was there, is there, and will be there forever. I know Ms. Dixon is partial to her "cinnamon bun heroes" but I'd say Salukh is a strong contender for top 3 exemplar of the type. His sugar:spice ratio is heavily skewed towards sugar.

Josie (and Haedon) stole the show, though, as they did the first time I read the book. Looking forward to seeing how Ms. Dixon updates their story 😁

Out of all the books to get me out of a reading slump ...

Yes, yes, I'm back. Every time I swear I'm done with this series another lands in my lap and I have to refrain from buying every single one. Many thanks to Berkley for sharing this one with me! It's not my favourite but it's a pretty darn close second.

Tiffany's story dips into a more darker territory than the others did as she was one of the abducted girls who was r*ped by the evil little orange men. As such, she is glad that she has not resonated yet because she doesn't think she can be intimate with anyone again after that was taken from her. Enter Salukh, the one blue alien who is not falling over her feet but is playing the long game. Dude is so incredibly thoughtful and kind to Tiffany as she tries to regain her confidence and trust in a partner that it nearly made my cry.

Again, I ask how in the world these silly ridiculous books are so good. Will you be seeing me again soon? Probably. Josie's story already looks like it's going to be fun so be back when I hit my next reading slump.

This has been my favorite so far of the series! The love between Tiffany and salukh had to fight for their love but Saluki was so steadfast and lovable I can’t stand it! Tiffany needed time and space to heal from her journey to not hoth and Salukh was just the alien to give her everything she needed.

This was a pretty fast read and I’m even more in love with this new edition after seeing a white woman on the original cover when Tiffany is clearly described as a black woman. This cover needed to be redone as Justice for Tiffany as a beautiful and loved character.

You know, JUST when I think I couldn't possibly love a big blue alien any more... Ms Ruby Dixon introduces another seven foot masterpiece and I SWOON!

TW: tr@uma, r@pe (off-page, mentioned, not described)

5 ⭐️
4🌶

Tiffany is a beautiful woman carrying a heavy burden among the sa-khui on Not-Hoth. Her experience with the Basketball Heads and Little Green Men was one of trauma, fear, and violation, and while she works alongside the women and sa-khui, she must also heal. And she cannot do it alone.

The celebration of friendship in Tiffany's healing journey was beautiful I fell absolutely head over heels for Saluhk from page 1. And while this story of healing is not an easy one to read, I'm so proud of Tiffany, so grateful for Josie, and am having a beautiful time getting lost in the frozen lands on Not-Hoth. I love the world that our characters are in, I thoroughly enjoy their adventures together in the caves, and the spice in this series is HOT even in the snow. I can't wait for more!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Romance, and Ruby Dixon for an ARC of Barbarian's Prize in exchange for an honest review!

This is the fifth book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series, and it’s a steamy, emotional, and entertaining sci-fi romance! Tiffany and Salukh are such amazing characters, and their love story is really powerful.

After the sexual abuse she endured when she was first taken, Tiffany doesn’t want to resonate with any male, but she does have a nice friendship with Salukh. He is a kind and respectful male, and he doesn’t chase and pressure her like the others do. I like how Tiffany and Salukh begin as friends before their relationship progresses into something more. Tiffany still has nightmares and is traumatized by what happened to her, and the thought of intimacy terrifies her. She needs time, trust, and patience, and Salukh is one of the few who understand that.

In the author’s notes, Dixon explains that Tiffany is the first protagonist who was a victim of sexual assault by the kidnappers, and her closest friend is as well. Dixon does a great job of showing how different people deal with trauma. I like that she created characters who all dealt with trauma, grief, and fear differently. It felt realistic and true to life.

There are some really comical parts too, which balance the more serious undertones well. I particularly like when Salukh misinterprets some of the common sayings on Earth. It adds a levity and humor to his conversations with Tiffany and is really endearing.

Can I just talk about how much I adore Salukh? Oh my gosh, he is just the sexiest cinnamon roll of an alien and the perfect match for Tiffany. He’s so patient and kind and protective, and I love that even though they haven’t resonated yet, he knows they are meant to be together. He’s so sweet when he talks to himself and encourages his Khui to resonate, like he can will it to happen. He is so deeply in love with Tiffany, and he is so selfless when it comes to her. Let’s just say, if I happened to get abducted and dropped on a planet with hunky blue aliens, I wouldn’t be complaining if they were anything like Salukh! lol

The story has as much spice as the previous books in the series, so grab a fan because their sexy times are steamy! And be sure to read the added scenes because they are fantastic. They delve more into how the couple adjusts to resonated life, new living arrangements and family relationships, and more. I thought these scenes were great. They show just how deep and lovely the bond is between Tiffany and Salukh, and they also reveal the problems and fears that often arise in a new relationship. Not everything is sunshine and roses, but Tiffany and Salukh share their concerns and fears and work together as committed partners, and I just love that. If I didn’t already adore this relationship so much, the bonus scenes would have solidified it for me.

The story also reveals who the couple will be in the next book, and I am dying for their emotionally charged enemies-to-lovers romance! They annoy and antagonize each other so much, and their verbal sparring and heated looks are fantastic! I can’t wait to see how they react to what happened at the end of this story!

Special thanks to Berkeley books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

A very fun, lighthearted and an enjoyable read. It was all about vibes and I happened to really love and enjoy it.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I was excited to dive back into our favorite blue aliens in Barbarian's Prize. This book picks up right where the last book leaves us and this time we get Tiffany and Salukh's story. Tiffany has had some trauma when the aliens abducted her before landing on Not-Hoth. She's not keen on male attention and doesn't really care that all of the males want to resonate with her. She doesn't want to resonate with any of them and doesn't want that choice taken away from her.

Salukh sees Tiffany's hesitation and is always giving her a wide berth. He knows that she spooks easily, but he feels it in his gut that she is his mate. When Tiffany finds away to keep the other males away from her, she asks Salukh to help her practice being intimate once again. Will Salukh be able to help her even though she doesn't want to resonate or mate with anyone, including him?

While I enjoyed Salukh and Tiffany's story, I wasn't prepared for the emotional trauma that Tiffany was facing after her assault/rape with the aliens on the ship. This book was definitely a lot more serious compared the previous others before. The Bachelor-ish side story wasn't a favorite, but I still enjoyed the interactions with everyone from previous books.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Tiffany is one of only two unmated earth ladies left and because of that she has become the most popular lady on the ice planet, much to her dismay. Tiffany was not treated kindly by the aliens who kidnapped her and the other ladies, and it has left some scars. Tiffany just wants to be left alone to figure herself out, but that's hard when several well meaning but pushy males keep following her around. Sweet, patient Salukh has been a friend to Tiffany, a shoulder to cry on and company when she needs it. But he wants Tiffany to be his for always, and maybe she wants that too, but first she needs his help to work through her trauma.
Once again, Ruby has written a wonderful real heroine and a cinnamon roll hero. This book feels a bit different because Tiffany needs to heal and Salukh is patient, sweet, understanding, and most importantly supportive. I loved the couple from the first chapter and just wanted the best for them. Bless Ruby for including a trigger warning as well, I found that so very kind, especially as a trauma survivor myself. Great book, and I look forward to the next.

"The next novel in the international publishing phenomenon the Ice Planet Barbarians series, now in a special print edition with a bonus original novella!

Tiffany doesn't care about all the attention she's getting from the alien men, but there is one particular hunter she can see herself with - if only she can find a way to move forward from the past....

It's hard being the most popular girl on the ice planet. The alien men are falling all over themselves to impress me in the hopes that I'll take them to my furs. But they don't know my secrets. And they don't realize that behind my smile, I just wish they'd take their courting presents and their competitions for my affection and go away. I want to be left alone. But on a planet where women are a scarcity, that won't be happening.

If I had to choose a mate...it'd be someone with a gorgeous blue body, big horns, and the most intense gaze ever. Someone who knows the truth of what happened to me and why I don't like attention. Patient, handsome Salukh knows my secrets. He knows why I have nightmares and why I don't trust anyone. He's willing to let me "experiment" with him. I can use him. Take what I need from him to work through my trauma. He's been a good friend and the best shoulder to cry on.

There's one small problem.

When it comes to us, he doesn't just want to be my friend. He wants to be my forever. And day by day, he's getting harder to resist...."

But Salukh could be the one!

BARBARIAN'S PRIZE • Ruby Dixon

How did such a ridiculous, smutty series so completely steal my heart? Like seriously, the chokehold these big blue aliens have on me is almost as unreal as how perfect these books are! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe I am already on the FIFTH installment of this series! I guess when I can easily devour one of these books in a day or two, I shouldn't be too surprised LOL. But I digress, let's focus on the stars of this installment: Tiffany and Salukh.

Oh, Tiffany. She seemed to be living her absolute best life on Not-Hoth while in reality she was being haunted by her own demons (very similar to our girl Kira). **TRIGGER WARNING!** During this story we learn about the heart-wrenching details of the assault Tiffany experienced at the hands of Book One's alien kidnappers, and how even a year later, she is still suffering nightmares and very real symptoms of the trauma she has survived.

While most of our big blue barbarians are competing for Tiffany's affections by trying to smother her with gifts and attention, Salukh takes a different approach. This lovely, patient alien takes the time to be exactly what Tiffany needs - a friend. Salukh really has all the traits anyone could want in a partner.

I know the biggest complaint with this story stems from how passive and wishy-washy Tiffany came off, but I thought this was an excellent portrayal of the realities of being a survivor. Yeah, Tiffany was really standoffish. She never spoke up about what she wanted (or didn't want), which led to some drama. And yes, when Tiffany and Salukh resonated, the hang-ups that had been built up most of the story seemed to vanish. But it all worked for me. Healing and behavior is not consistent. It can paint a person as weak, annoying, etc. to someone who isn't willing to look deeper.

Which leads me to Josie...WHAT AN ANGEL. She didn't need the details to support Tiffany in any way she could and I love her for that. While Tiffany and Salukh was all friends-to-lovers, I am READY for the enemies-to-lovers that I know will be Josie and Haeden.