I went into this book not knowing what to expect. Overall it was entertaining and I thought the two romantic leads had good chemistry and pretty solid banter, so I enjoyed watching their relationship develop over the course of the book. The world-building was intriguing and learning about Icthian customs and culture was very engrossing. Especially further into the story when we see Fia surrounded by more of her people, it was a lot of fun seeing her interact with other Icthians and trying to re-integrate into that world after so long apart.

Having said that, I did struggle a bit with the pacing in the first half. It felt like it took a long time for things to pick up and despite the fact that the protagonists met very quickly, it took a while for their relationship to progress. Largely this is personal preference, I love a slowburn but I generally enjoy if there's more tension during the lead-up. However I really liked the characters and thought they felt fleshed out and real in a compelling way, including the supporting cast like Carissa.

By the time we hit the halfway point, there was a lot more going on and the pacing really improved. Without getting too much into spoilers, I felt very swept up in the second act plot reveals and conflicts it brought into Davik and Fia's relationship, it all felt extremely well-implemented. And that singular moment with Davik discovering what the word "ilsuir'a" means was such a crystalizing perfect moment of dramatic tension coming to a head, quite possibly my favourite moment in the novel.

I also appreciate how the story bucked some common romance genre tropes, it honestly felt like a fun and fresh take. The amount of agency Fia had in the relationship stood out to me and I loved that she was the overprotective one making unilateral decisions for the benefit of her partner (they were both protective of each other certainly, but the way this trope usually plays out would be the more masculine partner making that sacrifice/decision and I really enjoyed this subversion). Especially in the epilogue, it's so easy for books like this to fall into cheesy cliches in the name of getting that Happily Ever After, but I was pleasantly surprised that those tropes were subverted as well. The final line gave all the closure it needed to without falling into the pitfalls of cheesy romantic gestures, just a delightful implication of what was to come. It was a clever and satisfying ending, very well done.

This book really won me over and I appreciate the way it played with the conventions of the genre to make something fresh and unique. Would recommend to anyone who loves a strong, lizard lady romantic lead (and who doesn't).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!!

4⭐️
This was so good!
This book had the perfect blend of Romance and Sci-Fi plot. I absolutely loved the politics in this book. The ending?! SHOOK. I was glued to my Kindle.
But the Romance! Such a well done slow burn. Davik & Fia go through hell and back to be with each over. Their relationship builds is an extremely sweet way and I love to see these 2 soften for each other.
Can’t recommend this book enough!

I love a good alien romance and this one hit all the right notes!! Cute characters and good plot! Loved the political aspect between two worlds too ❤️

I honestly was a little shocked when this book was over 300 pages. I figured it would be a quick read, not so much world building and plot, and it would be a good ole time. The only thing I was right about was the good ole time. I FLEW through all 450 pages of this book. I immediately found myself intrigued by the Icthians and obsessed with our girl Luecifia. I really enjoyed not typical this was in regards to a "monster" romance and we got a very serious plot. I loved how plot heavy the novel was while still giving us the delicious romance between Davik and Fia. What really drew my eye was that we were given a "female" monster who is taller and just as badass as the love interest. It is a wildly under-utilized trope and I need more of it. That being said, I will 100% be reading the next book with a male Icthian as the love interest.

This is a 6⭐️ read for me. It gave me all the feels. It delivered on a really great love story. I love the fact that Leucifia was vocal and assertive and it was wholeheartedly embraced. The banter was filled with innuendo, sarcasm as a lot of wittiness. Davik was a great character as well. He is the type to think and feel deeply. He is such a golden retriever. They both balanced and complemented each other quite well. This is a great romance that I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. The tension between both of the characters was amazing and I loved the flirty vibes that both of them were giving to each other. I would definitely recommend this book to others..

4.5 Stars out of 5!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Onyx Sullivan for the ARC.

As my first ever alien romance, Signal Lost completely won me over. I was drawn into the harsh, politically charged world of Tau Ceti and the conflict between desire, loyalty, and survival from the very first chapter.

Leucifia is an intelligent FMC who is strong, disorientated, and driven to learn the truth about her history. I enjoyed watching her slowly and reluctantly fall in love with Davik while navigating a galaxy that has changed without her. Their dynamic is sweet, amusing and full of electricity.

The combination of romance and dystopian science fiction feels natural, and the world building is rich without ever being overpowering. Despite my lack of familiarity with the genre, I found it to be really captivating.

Overall a fantastic, addictive read that sets a high bar for alien romance. I’m excited to continue the Tau Ceti Awakened series.

Sometimes when picking up a paranormal romance, you think that you'll just get an alien and a human who like to have sex and that's it. However, that wasn't the case for these two in Signal Lost. Signal Lost provided a depth that not a lot of paranormal romances do. The plot follows Leucifia as she's accidentally retrieved from her cryopod but her soon-to-be love interest, Davik. As she slowly starts to awaken, she discovers that she's been asleep for over 200 years and all that she once knew is lost....or so she thinks. Throughout her journey with David and crew, she's looking to hopefully find the place and people she calls home while assisting the rusty cargo ship with finding Davik's brother (a.k.a. Carissa's husband and father of her unborn baby). What else unfolds is a slow budding romance between Davik and Fia that makes the stakes even higher because now Fia must determine what matters more, her duty or her love?

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. We started off slow with building the foundation of the story and characters. It did feel like it was taking too long but once Fia and Leucifia started interacting more frequently and the reader gets more of their banter and internal monologue, it's easier to sit for the ride. Their romance is a slow burn so if that's not to the reader's taste then it won't go over well. There are heated moments but not a lot and honestly I find their love for each other more on the sweet side than "heated." I think their slow burn helps move the plot along as well because they want to protect each other no matter what. At this point though we are focusing on trying to get Davik's brother back and help Fia.

Right around the halfway mark of the book is when the plot starts to pick up and we are seeing some decisions that need to be made in order to preserve their relationship and homes. I will say that in the first half, the fantasy part of the novel is a little confusing but it starts to make more sense as the story progresses. The reader gains a better understanding of the stakes on how it all came to be. With that being said, the amount of depth that's included for the world building might've done better in a continuing series rather than a standalone because I think it would be interesting to see what happens next with the Federation. Maybe that'll be present in the second book.

Overall, I had a great time reading this I would definitely recommend it to others who want a bit more bite in their paranormal romances. Can't wait for the second book. I hope it's with Vek!

I'd like to start by thanking the author and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to read, I'm sorry it's delayed but I've been going through the trenches. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.

I really enjoyed this one, especially because the female fmc was the alien as opposed to it being the male. Fi is a bad ass ex soldier who was kept in cryostasis for so many years and then accidentally freed by Davik and his sister in law (who is absolutely amazing and I love her). This story is about her coming to terms with what life looks like for her people in this new world, and it's also about her opening herself up to trust and love, whilst constantly remembering her duty. Davik is an absolute cinnamon roll, who just wants to fix and help everyone even at a detriment to himself. He can cook, fix things and just is so caring and considerate. I would burn the world down for him. He was also a POC which was so great to read about, because a lot of books that I read don't have that rep!! He is also a yapper which I relate to on a spiritual level.

Their connection throughout this story felt so genuine and because it was a slow burn with both of them being awkward and fumbling, it made everything feel real and believable. The way that you could tell they truly cared but kept putting their own roadblocks in the way had me groaning yet laughing because same guys.

ALSO THE PLOT????? This was a massive part of the book and it was an alien romance book where the plot was more prominent than the smut and it shocked me but I was absolutely here for it! Like we were in the thick of it exploring war, rebellion, corrupt governments and the hard life that comes from living in this system. I bloody loved it. I hope we get more books in this series because I want to explore the world and understand more about Tau Ceti.

Overall, I had an absolute blast and found this a refreshing and new alien romance which I want more of please! Onyx Sullivan wove together an amazing world and story that I hope to explore more!

What you'll find:
🪐 She's the alien and is an ex soldier
🪐 Size difference where she's the tall one and he's the shorter one
🪐 Slow burn!
🪐 Relationship trouble more about external factors rather than a conflict between the mc's!
🪐 Forced proximity
🪐 Black cat x golden retriever
🪐 Banter!
🪐 He begs and she growls

Quotes:
🪐 "Also, he has not fucked this fish. If he had, he would not be walking."
🪐 "You only get one life. Make it worth something."
🪐 "This world is just so wrong, so empty. Everyone I knew, lost. Even the strangers here, my kin. They wear that cursed thing, and I cannot hear them. The world is so distant, so quiet."
🪐 "I awoke unmoored, lost, and alone on his ship. He asked for nothing but my name and how we could help."
🪐 "Every time you cross path with a sad girl, you try to fix her life. And then shit falls apart because, shocker, you burn yourself out and can't handle that the sad girl is not magically un-sad because you her a pet cat, or something."
🪐 "I don't care if my life gets more complicated with you around. I want a life with you in it, thorns and all."

🪐Ex-soldier alien fmc with bionic powers from a bygone era (she looks similar to Nautolans from Star Wars and is also an aquatic species)
🪐South Asian-coded human mmc engineer / smuggler with cybernetics
🪐Tall fmc x short mmc
🪐She's older! (But also spent 265 years in cryostasis...)
🪐He cooks for her!
🪐She gives him a sensual electric massage to treat chronic pain
🪐Mental health themes
🪐Dystopian future where aliens lost the war, in a far away star system with terraformed planets, but most of the story takes place on spaceships, space stations, etc.
🪐Slow burn (no insta fated mates hurray! they go on dates even!)
🪐External obstacles to the relationship rather than a conflict between the mcs, they're so respectful towards one another
🪐Brewing rebellion side plot

It's rare I get a good role reversal story that has it all: great characters to root for, interesting worldbuilding, romance that develops and isn't treated as a given, external plot outside of the romance... and this one delivers!

This book has been my comfort read, I kept taking it in small sips like a fine wine. It's definitely worth savoring the delicious slow burn, and witnessing how the mcs try to carve space to hang out or go on dates in between all the smuggling, spying, trying to get by and avoiding getting arrested.

Thank you Netgalley, Onyx Sullivan and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC!