This was a rocking and rolling, action-packed, totally swoon-worthy end to what's been a great series so far. Mihalik really knows how to craft a scifi that has a great world, complicated politics, and supremely high stakes and still be able to zoom in to the heart of her characters and deliver a stunning romance.

The stakes, like I said, are super high- big huge war on the horizon if the team fails here. She takes her time setting up the real mission, almost lulling you into a false sense of, well, not quite security, but your heart isn't quite in your throat until you really see the big picture. I don't want to throw any spoilers into the mix, but I will say that I was sad to wait so long for the entire crew to be together again.

As far as characters go, Lexi and Nilo are absolute dolls. There's a delicious "he fell first and fell hard" (or at least admitted it first) trope happening that I couldn't get enough of. I did wish it was more of a slow burn like the other two, but we've been waiting the whole series for this explosive duo, and the plot ramped up enough to slow it down to my preferred level after their initial reconnection.

As always, the complex world and the many moving parts kept me entranced, and for those who are looking for a sci-fi/fantasy romance with those two elements balanced well? A true delight. Don't sleep on Starlight's Shadow!

I was quite excited for the final book in the Starlight's Shadow trilogy and it did not disappoint!⁣
Lexi Bowen is a recovery specialist and she's quite morally flexible...😂 Unable to resist a good challenge(and money ofcourse) she accepts a job that brings her back to Valovia - where she might be hunted down but she's ready to take risks. Unexpectedly her meeting with the client ends up becoming an ambush and she's whisked away by Nilo - a Valovian teleporter with whom she shares a complicated history. He had kinda seduced her and then stolen her job the first time that they'd met and Lexi is still pissed about that😂 And things take a turn for the worse when they try to track Morten and Fev's location and have to work together to rescue their respective crewmates!⁣
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I'd been waiting to read Lexi and Nilo's story after seeing glimpses of them in the previous books and surprisingly this wasn't a slowburn like the author's other books(steamwise). But the relationship development takes time because Lexi is quite closed off and the action takes a front seat in this one! Nilo is protective and caring while giving Lexi the space that she needs. The overarching plot also reaches a conclusion in this one and I loved having the crew back together again! Though most of the loose ends are tied up I'd love to see more stories set in the same world! I think Hunt The Stars(book one) still remains my fave in this series though!⁣
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Overall, this was a satisfying conclusion and I'd highly recommend this series if you're looking for a scifi(space opera) read with lots of action and romance too!❣️✨

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞.5
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨


First Impressions
Capture the Sun is the third and the finale in the "Starlights Shadow" trilogy and if you have been paying attention to the series, then you know the plot is coming to a climax in this installment and that there are some unresolved issues to be worked through with our couple of this installment. This was also a couple I wasn't looking forward to, I knew that there would be plenty of angst, and some of this author's heroines, don't always work out for me. However, I was hopeful for this one here. And while I really enjoyed my time with this one, it was a bit lackluster for me personally.

First Line
I'd sworn I would never set foot on Valovia again, but I was about to prove myself a liar.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Nilo
A Valvolain Teleporter, has psychic abilities, and has to be careful around touching but has secrets of his own and reservations when it comes to Lexi.

The Heroine: Lexi
A recovery specialist, strong and sassy, and has to get creative in order to be a survivor. She tends to lean towards thievery and is out to defeat the FHP.

Summary
Lexi Bowen hasn't felt much shame in the profession that she has chosen for herself. Even those she called family, she knows don't approve of what she does, she does what she needs to in order to survive and get ahead of the FHP. She was left for dead once and refuses to risk that ever happening again. Her morals tend to fluctuate at times, but loyalty to those she loves always is a priority but her first loyalty is to herself. When she bumps into Nilo again, she is afraid to open her heart to him as she did once before and he hurt her in ways she won't even admit to herself. But as they join forces and start a fling of sorts, the heart is bound to get involved...

What I Loved
There were many elements to this story that became redeemable for me in this one. One is the world building in how Jessie Mihalik is able to craft her stories. She is a powerhouse of a storyteller especially in the world building and plot aspects of a story. Its what I really look forward to every time I pick up one of her books and in this one it really delivered on all fronts where those elements are concerned. You definitely know what you will get with a Mihalik novel and its so fun to see such an author becoming so well known and well loved. The bantering between these two are beyond entertaining. Its an interesting dynamic in how the author implements humor, because it comes out of nowhere at times when the reader least expects it. I absolutely fell so hard for the hero, Milo. He is one sexy man that is packed with secrets and mystery and I just wanted to dig deep into his character and even though this is more from the perspective from Lexi, I appreciated what we received from the hero in this one and the type of man he becomes with Lexi. The plot of this finale will definitely take your breath away, especially once we get to the third act of the story, is where it really builds into such a thrilling crescendo and loved how all the little details get tied together.

What I Struggled With
I really struggled with the heroine in this one. I do think I need to be in a certain mindset to truly enjoy this type of heroine and I just don't think I was in for Lexi. She is a character that I haven't truly enjoyed in the trilogy and I was curious if Mihalik would be able to redeem her character for me. While there was some positive aspects to her growth that we see in this one, she was so emotionally constipated to the point that it really starts to rub you the wrong way. I honestly wanted to shake some sense into this gal, she was challenging to relate with at times.

Overall View
Despite some of my reservations, Capture The Sun is a story that will leave you in suspense in the most delightful way. Its a story of adventure, sassy characters, and a journey worth taking a chance on...

Favorite Quote(s)
Nilo had somehow wormed his way into my heart, and I wasn't above trying to steal his in return.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Character Types: Thief, Sassy and Snarky
Themes: Psychic Abilities, Angst, Ship Star Faring Adventures, Space Opera, World Building a Focus
Tropes: Fling, Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Book Perspective
1st POV

Recommendation For Reading Order
I do recommend reading this series in order due to the nature of the world building and the details in which we see building within each book. And there are circumstances and moments that happen between this couple that occur in previous books that will make more sense if you read those prior to this one.

Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes. There is a steady amount of sex scenes, not super explicit but not soft either. Its steady and strong throughout the story.

In my mind Jessie Mihalik’s books are more space adventure stories with some romantic plot. Sometimes the adventure overtakes the romance but in this case the balance between the two felt just right.
I really liked the main characters and found their romance both very engaging and convincing. I loved the dynamics between, the push and pull. Her concerns, his secrets they felt very real and relatable.
We are already familiar with some elements of the culture of the Valoffs and I liked how they were further developed here. The idea of cooking for someone as their love language hits home for me.
In previous books I was put off by the sense of obligation to protect your partner that is a central element in the moral code of the Valoff. I felt it did create a very unequal footing between the heroes (all Valoffs so far) and the heroines (human women).
This aspect felt more balanced here. Don’t get me wrong, Nilo still felt he had an obligation to protect Lexi and felt like a failure when she got hurt, but Lexi pretty much acted in the same way. They both were ready to sacrifice their lives for each other.
The space adventures were dynamic and tense, there was treason and fights and manipulation and next-level technologies.
We get the whole team together and it was nice seeing everyone again, the couples from the previous two books and new relationships in the making (a potential trouple, though I don’t know if we will get to see their romance on the page).
In short, I quite enjoyed this installment in the series, I would say it’s my favourite so far.
CW: violence, life-threatening injuries, kidnapping,

This is the third and final book in this trilogy, and while everything was nicely wrapped up I would love to get more books set in this world!

Capture the Sun isn't as action-packed or emotionally fraught as the first two books in this series, but still sucked me in from the first page. Lexi and Nilo already have a bit of a past, and maybe could have had more if Nilo hadn't stood Lexi up at a bar, and stolen the job she was working... So when he shows up just when Lexi needs a bit of rescuing she isn't sure if she can fully trust him... Even though it's looking like she doesn't have much of a choice at the moment.

The chemistry between Nilo and Lexi was evident, though she continuously denied how she was feeling and Nilo just waiting for her to accept the feelings are real and that he feels the same. I loved the conclusion to the story and getting to see all my favorite crew mates from the first book. Luna is as always one of my favorite animal sidekicks, and I can't wait to see what Jessie Mihalik is going to write next!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon/Harper Voyager, and Ms. Mihalik for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

It was fun to see Tavi and Torran again, even if I had to do it with a lesser character. Ha ha, I jest. Lexi and Nilo had been set up in book one and referenced in book two so I was completely expecting them to throw some sparks in book three. I probably should have skimmed the first two books just to refresh on some of the minor characters but I was back in the swing of things fast enough.

I wasn't really expecting Lexi to be the complicated character out of the two. Previously she seemed like such an easy-riding Indiana Jones-style character, all brash and dash and bravado, but she really had some issues. I liked that it took her time to unravel them. Nilo seemed so transparent in comparison. It was nice to see the Valovian culture get a little more air time. While the story was a little slow to start it did pick up around 30%. I really enjoyed the technology and the talents in this story, and the balance between the sci-fi and the romance. I'm sad to see this series end and I would definitely read more if the author chose to continue it... or to try whatever she writes next.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚀 Book Review 🚀

I have enjoyed being in the world of the Starlight Shadow series and Capture the Sun by @jessmihalik was the perfect way to cap the trilogy.

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Teaming Up
✔️ One Bed

I have been so curious about this couple since book 1 and loved how their story played out here.

Lexi was my favorite character in this series. First of all, she's the thief archetype and a master of disguise (my fave character in any team/heist story). She loves luxury but hates feelings and being vulnerable.

So of course, her perfect match is Nilo who isn't any of those things. He's practical, not showy, kind of stoic in that "As You Wish" Westley from Princess Bride way.

Seeing one struggle with her feelings (she can't possibly have them! feelings are dumb and people let you down!) and one knowing his feelings but trying not to spook the other - it was a fun dance.

One bed is one of my favorite tropes and I adored how many times these two were in a one bed situation (his cabin has one bed! this transport has one cot!).

My fave non-romantic scene was seeing Lexi in action trying to get information. It was fun and propulsive - it felt like watching a movie.

Highly recommend this! Incredible world-building, fun action scenes, great characters and character arcs, perfect steam level. 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

This was great! I really liked Lexi and Nilo and thought that the chemistry between them was incredibly well done. I loved getting a closer look at Nilo’s abilities and I thought that it was obvious very early on just how much he cared about Lexi. The story had its fair share of action and excitement and I was worried about the characters more than once. I believe that this book did a wonderful job of wrapping up a very enjoyable trilogy.

Lexi basically works as a thief when she is not on a mission with the crew of the Starlight. She finds herself in trouble on a job and Nilo is there to whisk her away to the safety of his home. When she learns that her friends aboard the Starlight might be in trouble she is determined to do what she can to help. Nilo also wants to help his friends but is equally focused on keeping Lexi safe. I thought that they made a fantastic pair and loved watching Lexi learn to trust Nilo.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I thought that it was a very entertaining read. It is the third book in the Starlight’s Shadow series which ideally should be read in order. This book features a different couple than the two previous books so it could work as a stand-alone if necessary. I enjoyed getting a chance to catch up with this fun group of characters and was thrilled by Lexi and Nilo’s happily ever after. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Harper Voyager.

I have been hoping for Lexi and Nilo’s book since they were introduced in Hunt the Stars, and they did not disappoint! This book had me on the edge of my seat, had me blushing, giggling, and feeling all the feels.

The electrifying conclusion to this trilogy that is a perfect combination of sci-if and romance follows Lexi Bowen, professional recovery specialist, which is really a fancy word for thief, as she follows her latest contract to Valovia and unfortunately back into the orbit of Nilo Shoren, teleporter and the man who stole a job out from under her years ago. When the contract goes bad and Nilo materializes to get her out of a jam, Lexi finds herself battling her feelings and annoyance towards the charming Valovian. But then the Starlight’s Shadow crew goes missing, and the pair have to learn how to trust each other with the task of tracking them down, and with their hearts, so that they can team up and keep the galaxy from falling back into war.

This book was EVERYTHING to me. I love a good second chance romance, and Lexi and Nilo just hit different. Their chemistry is absolutely electric. Every interaction between the pair had me absolutely dying, whether I was swooning, giggling, or screaming at them to just get together already! As with the other couples in this series, Lexi and Nilo compliment each other so well, and as with the other books in the series, Mihalik made Nilo’s powers so. Dang. Attractive. First it was telekinesis, then telepathy, now I’m finding teleportation attractive?? Someone help me.

The story was absolutely action packed, and I loved the espionage vibes as we follow Lexi assuming various identities to try and track down her squad. Not to mention I loved seeing the whole Starlight’s Shadow crew fully reunited, which hasn’t truly happened since Hunt the Stars. The found family dynamic between all the characters is so strong, and I absolutely adore seeing them all interact with each other.

I know this is the conclusion to the utterly delightful Starlight’s Shadow trilogy, but I can only hope there will be at least one more installment in this series someday (I mean Anja and Liang are right there). Regardless, this is a series that I will absolutely, wholeheartedly, always recommend, even for people who do not read science fiction. The action is non-stop and the romances in each book will have you hooked until the very end!

This couple has been teased since book 1, and I have been looking forward to their story!

Lexi Bowen is a great thief, among other illustrious skills. Post-war she's been working as a "recovery specialist" where she hires out her skills for top dollar, all over the galaxy. On one such job a while back, she met a Valovian teleporter, who charmed her, and then stole her job. She felt betrayed, and hoped to never see him again. But, when he turns out to be the best friend of your bestie's new boyfriend, you're out of luck.

Nilo Shoren fell for Lexi from jump, and he hated having to do what he did to her. He always hoped to be able to make it up to her, but even when he sees her again, she won't give him the time of day. But later, when a job puts her in unexpected danger, and he's in the right position to help, he does it without question. Can he get Lexi to believe that everything between them was always real?

Lexi and Nilo had wild chemistry, and it was fun watching Lexi try to ignore it, while Nilo used it to his advantage at every turn. Their situation finally gave him the chance he needed to make things right with her, and he wasn't going to waste it. Lexi had some unresolved trauma from the war, and Nilo, having been through similar problems, was really there for her. I enjoyed their banter, and how they worked so well as a team.

This series is all from each book's heroine's POV, which I mostly don't mind, but in this book in particular, it grated a little bit for me towards the end. When the whole crew was back together, and we could only know what Lexi knew, I wished for so much more. I really loved the characters in the first 2 books, and I would've enjoyed seeing a little more of the crew than we could get through Lexi's eyes alone.

Overall I enjoyed this installment, though not as much as the first 2. I really hope this isn't the end of the series, because there are more characters I would love to see get books, especially Eli and his triad!!

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.

Yesterday I shared some memes about “just once to get it out of our systems” & it might have been on my brain because of this book, Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik.

Our poor lust-stricken leads try that around 20% & gee, I’m so sorry it doesn’t work ;).

Why are they so determined to do it once? Lexi Bowen, a recovery specialist (read: basically a thief, for good sometimes but often for money), feels like she was previously betrayed by Nilo Shoren. Not letting herself be vulnerable with too many, Lexi feels doubly wounded by what he did.

So in this book our leads come back together & amidst various little misunderstandings & the memory of Nilo’s past actions they try to do it *just once.*

Space opera lovers, fans of (eventual) solid communication, & those interested in a scene where a heroine has an orgasm stimulated by a mental experience the hero gives her might be into this one.

There are moments when this book—like others I’ve read by the author—feels too bogged down by detail & I struggle to concentrate, but overall these adventures are fun & steamy & feature leads who are brave in pursuit of what they think is right, thieves or not.

4⭐️. Out 06/20.

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds a copy of the book over gray rocks at the beach. A piece of driftwood is in the background, as is a blue sky.]

My love for Jessie Mihalik and her sci-fi romances was not diminished at all by this book, because once again it's excellent. Just about everything about it I found spot on, from the romance, to the action, to the found family. Seeing as this is the last book in a trilogy and I don't want to spoil anything I'll do my best to be somewhat vague, but while to begin with I wasn't sure how I would like a book centered on Lexi and Nilo when there were other relationships that could have been explored I turned out to really enjoy the two, and it was great getting to know them both a little better. My only real "complaint" is that I want more to the story as a whole; and I certainly feel that there's enough room for that to happen (so fingers crossed). The fact that Mihalik's work isn't bigger than it is is such a shame, because it is SO GOOD, but somehow it just keeps flying under the radar. I would not hesitate to suggest this to any fan of the romance genre, and think it would be a great next step for those that enjoyed the Ice Planet Barbarian books (although they're not by any means the same thing). The culmination of this three book story-arc was satisfying, but if Mihalik decides to write more in this world I for one would not be disappointed at all. She's definitely cemented herself as one of my auto-buy authors and I will be eagerly awaiting whatever it is she comes out with next. In the meantime I'll be binging her first series, which I started but never finished. There's no time like the present.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book and series. And author in general. I used to be like "HEA romances are boringzo because it's all irritating couples drama that would be solved if they just talked to each other and knowing how it's going to end ruins the whole thing". And I was wrong. I was very wrong. I was just reading bad romances. Because it turns out that if the author plots their book correctly, it's pretty hard for a couple to sit down and work out their differences when they're being shot at and the fate of the known universe is at stake. Even if they want to do the sitting down part and know that they should.

And knowing that the couple is going to end up happily together? Is rather comforting in a decade where the entire world is a runaway dumpster fire headed downhill into the rapidly-rising ocean current.

This is, obviously, the conclusion to a trilogy so maybe start at the beginning if you haven't read the first two? [Ed note: My review of the second book, Eclipse the Moon, which is where I started with this author and now I've ready most of her stuff.] The world-building and politics of the story is worth it even if you aren't interested in the soon-to-be happy couple. I really love the Valovian culture and the Empress' wicked bodyguard. The FHP is just like our government but in space! (Spoiler: they suck.)

So yeah. Space intrigue, thieving, hoverbike battles, enemies to lovers, corrupt governments, politics, petty revenge, blowing things up, and teleportation. If any of that sounds intriguing… read it.

We met both Lexie Bowen and Nilo Shoren in previous books in this series. And I do believe it would help to have read the other two books. I know I've read at least one of the two and still felt like I was missing some information. Besides, Mihalik is a fun writer and you might as well enjoy them all.
So, Nilo took a job from Lexie (and that is, frustratingly, never really talked about to clear up exactly why but maybe it was in the book I haven't read) and she's concerned he's about to do it again. Instead, he is on Valovia to save her from a trap. And they go from one adventure to the next. There is not a lot of relationship building in this story but it is still a fun read and I feel like there might be more coming in this series.

Four stars
This book comes out June 20, 2023
Follows Eclipse the Moon
ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyage and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A fun finale to the Starlight’s Shadow series…

Capture the Sun is the third, and presumably the last, in Jessie Mihalik’s Starlight's Shadow series. And it’s a very nice finale, wrapping up the overarching Federated Human Planets (FHP)/Valovian Empire storyline, while somehow also managing a happy ending for a “new couple”, Lexi Bowen and Nilo Shoren.

As with the couples from the earlier books, there’s one (Nilo) from the Empire and one (Lexi) from the FHP, and those different backgrounds lead to lots of chances for miscommunication. When you also mix that with some past emotional damage (which is why I put the quotation marks around “new couple” up above), things get even tougher. Piling it on even more, it's not like Lexi and Nilo get a lot of time to talk about this - instead they spend a good chunk of the book busy fleeing the evil schemes of the Empress and her agent, Sura Fev. And as if that weren’t enough, in the background, the rest of the Starlight’s Shadow crew are trying to keep the series villain, Frank Morten, and his evil allies from re-starting the FHP/Valovian War – and Lexi and Nilo want to help with that too. Whew! So basically what you have is a romance buried inside a break-neck-paced space opera, but somehow it all works.

All-in-all, I liked Capture the Sun just a smidge more than its series predecessors, mostly because it seemed as if Lexi was a little more honest with herself than the average heroine with communication issues. At one point, in fact, she even says flat out that she doesn’t deal well with emotions. So kudos to her for a bit of self-awareness. And although it’s a little sad to be saying good-bye to the series, it was also a lot of fun to see Morten realizing that his Senate allies aren’t going to be able to save him, and that he’s headed for a prison on Titan. And this might not even be a totally final farewell to the Starlight’s Shadow world: there were a couple of little hooks with Liang and Anja, towards the end of Capture the Sun, that make me think that there might be a short-story or novella still to come. But even if not, I’m sure Mihalik will move on to something else that’s fun to read.

Finally, of course, my thanks to Harper Voyager/Avon and Net Galley for the advance review copy! Oh yeah, and one quick side note: the FHP-Valovian War/Frank Morten storyline is rather central to the events in Capture the Sun, so although you could probably still enjoy this book without reading the previous two books, I’d recommend that you do…

This 3rd and final book of the Starlight’s Shadow trilogy – and one that really needs you to read the first two books to jump into the plot line. Each book of the series centers on a partnership between a human and a human-like alien with super powers from the planet Valovia. Across the series, the Empress of Valovia has been up to secret moves in order to restart a war between the human federation and the Valovains – despite the prior recent war having caused devastation on both sides before a peace treaty got signed.

Lexi, a human professional thief for hire, has taken on a mission to Valovia only to find herself set up in a trap. She joins forces with Nilo, a teleporting Valovian she met on prior joint missions. Her former spaceship crew disappears in Valovian space, and the hunt is on both to find and free them as well as stop the galaxy’s superpowers from reentering war. And like the other books in the series, romance blooms amid the danger.


Thanks to Avon, Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Lexi and Nilo have met before, under less than ideal circumstances. Lexi would rather have nothing to do with the Valovian. In addition to the fact that he stole a job from her, there is that never-trust-a-telepath issue that stems from her war experiences. But when she gets into some peril and he swoops into to assist, it seems the two will be working together for the foreseeable future.

The non-stop action and high stakes are enhanced with danger, weapons and lots of explosions. Eventually, Lexi and Nilo will meet up with the rest of the Starlight’s Shadow crew and then things get a little more interesting. I enjoy this series more when there is a crew as opposed to just two people. More personalities to mix things up!

This book does not build on the series much, rather it is a continuation of old story lines. This lack of complexity makes it a bit tedious when Lexi and Nilo are constantly getting into trouble and having to bail each other out. And after each episode, Lexi denies her feeling for Nilo, while he just waits her out. Is there attraction? Yes. Is it undeniable? I really can’t tell.

In the Starlight’s Shadow series, I enjoyed the first book immensely. However, I have found books 2 and 3 to be a bit formulaic and not as entertaining. This series is for scifi Romance readers. Not much scifi and emphasis on Romance.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.

I feel like this series has been a bit uneven. One of the problems I had reading this book is that I remembered nothing at all from the previous 2 books and that's a me problem, obviously, that could have been easily rectified had I reread the 1st 2 books before starting this one. However, that aside, I do think this book had some pacing issues and could have easily been 50-60 pages shorter. It lagged in certain places and there were scenes that felt unnecessary to the overall plot and also didn't really serve to further the romance in any meaningful way. I mean, it took me almost a whole week to read this book, mostly because I was a bit bored by it.

I liked the 2 main characters a lot, obviously they had been set up from book 1 but I wanted more from their romance. I don't know if this is the final book in this series, but if it is, I would be disappointed because there are several characters whose romantic storylines were left unresolved, including a potential triad that has promise to be very very good.

💫🪐🌙 Capture the Sun ARC Review 🌙🪐💫

Thank you so much to Jessie Mihalik & Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read & review this book!

Capture the Sun is a sci-fi romance & book 3 in the Starlight’s Shadow series! Recovery Specialist Lexi has found herself on Valovia for a job. Since the Valovian Empress is still looking for her, all she has to do is use a false ID, get to a meeting, take the job, & avoid Nilo - the hottie who screwed her over on a previous job. However, that all goes to hell in less than 10 minutes when she realizes she’s been set up and the only person she knows who can help her get off the planet is Nilo, the last person she wanted to see…

OMG this book!! I have adored these two characters since they were introduced back in Hunt the Stars! Their chemistry & tension has been building for three books and they were worth the wait! I adored both Lexi & Nilo - they were strong characters who both struggled with their emotions & being vulnerable.

Overall this was a 5 star read for me! I love the story, the world building, & the entire cast of characters, including cameos from the first two books! I’m sad that the series is complete - I’m not ready to let them go! 😫 I need more hot Valovian aliens in my life!! This book ramped up the spice & tension as well as well!! Three flames for spice!!

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers, forced proximity, & “I need to get you out of my system, so let’s bang”, then this book is absolutely for you!! While this book is technically a standalone with Lexi & Nilo, I’d absolutely recommend reading the first two books first as there is an overarching storyline.

Review will be posted to Amazon upon publication.

What a conclusion! As much as I wish this series would keep going, I loved the way Mihalik was able to pull plot threads through this series so that while each book follows a different couple the political intrigues of the universe stay fresh and exciting. I think this was the slowest of the books (maybe with the exception of the first 25% of the first book where you’re first introduced to the characters and the world. That being said, I read it in two sittings. I have been waiting for Lexi and Nilo’s story since the characters were introduced in that first book and I think this couple and this book are my favorites of the trilogy.

In Capture the Sun, we’re really able to see how Lexi deals with the trauma of her chaotic upbringing and the PTSD from the war and I loved watching her learn to trust in her friends and in Nilo. We also get to see more of the crew of Starlight’s Shadow which I loved. I would love if Mihalik would write novellas or something about the couples that didn’t get full books in this trilogy.

While this ultimately wasn’t a perfect book or a new all time favorite, I did really enjoy this entry and would give the series overall a 4 star rating. I would recommend for those who are looking for a sci-fi romance series with an equal balance of worldbuilding/politics and romance.