My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. When I first started reading this book, I thought to myself “this is BONKERS!” but in, like, a great way that kept me reading any chance I had. I very quickly acclimated to the genre-bending rom/com/adventure/space of Jess K Hardy’s new universe. So glad this will be a series!

Here’s what I know: I can absolutely 100% put my trust in Jess K. Hardy to write something I don’t even think I’ll like (sci fi) and she’ll have me in the palm of her hand by the end of the story. Did I expect to find myself crying in the middle of a book about an outer space pleasure cruise ship? No, no I did not, and yet that is the beauty of Hardy’s writing—she takes you through all the emotions from laughter, to sexy times, to grief.

Sunastara and the Venusian on the front end, is not what I would typically envision as a romance due to its setting, and yet it had the most wonderful heart a romance reader could want. It was a breath of fresh air to read a romance in a futuristic universe and I loved all of the quirky sci-fi world building elements, many humorous and most fascinating. Sunny is the Hospitality Director for the Ignisar, a pleasure cruise on one side of the worm hole. When her one-night stand “Joshua” shows up as the newest crew member, Sunny cannot believe the odds that she would ever see the most memorable night of her life again face to face. Sunny is a modern woman. She doesn’t do relationships, she never dates a co-worker, but she sure knows how to have a good time. Fortunately Freddie, aka Joshua has a proposition that might ease Sunny into the idea of entertaining something more with him.

Jess Hardy is excellent at writing “book boyfriends”; men that women love and fall hard for, and WOW! is Freddie at the top of my list. Sure he’s handsome, intelligent, and charming, but he also really wants to woo Sunny, he genuinely listens and remembers things about her, he is a caretaker and kind to others, and also great with kids—basically the whole package. There is a beautiful moment between Sunny and Freddie where he helps her through her grief that I will probably never forget (see above mentioned sobbing) and he’s so patient with Sunny as she processes her loss. This book is also smoking hot, from their dating app hook up to the malfunctioning pleasure pods, Hardy knows how to write steam. The emotional investment combined with stellar storytelling make Sunastara and the Venusian a book that I know I will continue to think about after the last page has been read. I received an early copy. All opinions are my own.

CW: child loss, loss of a spouse and grief surrounding that