If we’re friends on StoryGraph or Goodreads (and you check the social feeds), you may have noticed I’ve been on a bit of sci-fi kick. And by sci-fi kick, I obviously mean science fiction written by not-men, and also about not-men. (And also I mean most of them thus far have included a romance, as a little treat.)

Well, this is one of the books that started it all. Really, the book club I’m in with friends started it, because we’ve been reading books at least partially set in space in Q1. But while we were picking books, we came across Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax and while we didn’t pick it because we don’t read a ton of romance in book club, I immediately added it to my Kindle Unlimited library.

Married to the Alien Cowboy is a the first in a series of mail-order bride-style romances between humans and… well… alien cowboys. What the human women who sign up for the program are not told—however—is that the aliens are technically convicts banished to their dusty, desolate planet to atone for their crimes (though there’s more to the crimes, which readers will find out). All of the women who sign up clearly have specific motives, but Cherry, the FMC of this one, finds herself with Silar (the MMC) because she’s running from the mob and doesn’t want to be found. She expects maybe a loveless marriage. She gets more than that.

As you might imagine given the concept, miscommunication abounds in Married to the Alien Cowboy, but it makes sense that it would, given the culture clash. This was a fun, cute romp, if not a bit simple, and I had a great time. Readers who prefer low-angst stories will be happy there’s no third-act breakup. Though one should also keep in mind this is a human/alien romance, and uhh there’s different… hardware. So just be ready for that.