Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

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Description:
A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Coldren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

The name Kyrion Coldren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corion are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their will.

•••••••

Barb’s Review:
Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep is the first book in her Galactic Bonds series.  As noted, many times, I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep, having enjoyed all her fantastic series.  I was thrilled to learn that she was starting a different kind of new series, and after reading the first book, I can’t wait for more.

This series centers on Vesper Quill, our heroine, who works for Kent Corp, in their research and development lab.  Vesper is considered a lowly lab rat and a seer, she has uncanny ability to find flaws and fix anything in high tech equipment, as well as brew makers/appliances.  She discovers a terrible conspiracy, and before she can point it out, the tables are turned, and she is sent away to be eliminated. 

Kyrion Caldaren, is a powerful and arrogant leader of the Imperium Arrows, who is known to be the most notorious assassin, having killed many; he reports directly to Lord Callus Holloway. During a battle, Kyrion accidently meets the low lab rat, who is sent out to fight the battle in front of them, knowing Vesper was expected to not survive.  But she manages to use her seer knowledge and experience on the weapons used, Vesper manages to save herself and Kyrion. 

Kyrion, at first, is not planning on saving her, but in a short time, he finds her abilities intriguing. They start out as enemies, with Kyrion thinking she is a spy, and in time they become partners in stopping the evil Kent family, who have teamed with the enemy. 

What follows is an exciting, action filled, suspenseful story that kept me unable to put the book down. Vesper was a great heroine, as she was not only smart, savvy, but her abilities was amazing; as some of her other abilities, allowed her to see things beyond, an discover many secrets. In time, I began to like Kyrion, who earlier was not really likable.  Only Bad Options had a Galactic theme, with seers, powerful psion, magic, telekinesis, telepathy, as well as spaceships, blasters and great technology. 

The last third of the book was extremely tense and exciting, with a few surprises along the way. I enjoyed watching Vesper and Kyrion begin to work together, as they eventually made a great team.  I will not tell too much more, as it would be spoilers, but it was a wild satisfying ending.

Only Bad Options is a different and intriguing Sci-Fi and Fantasy new series that is very well written by Jennifer Estep.  I loved both Vesper and Kyrion, and look forward to see what Estep has planned in future books.   I suggest you read Only Bad Options, as I fully enjoyed it.

Sandy’s Review:

ONLY BAD OPTIONS is the first instalment in Jennifer Estep’s adult, sci-fi GALACTIC TRUEBOND space-opera series. This is thirty-seven year old R&D tech specialist Vesper Quill, and thirty-eight year old, leader of the Arrows Kyrion Coldren’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Kyrion and Vesper) ONLY BAD OPTIONS follows in the wake of our heroine discovering a possible fatal flaw in in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, a safety hazard that had already killed several hundred people. In an effort to keep Vesper quiet, our heroine is imprisoned and set to fight a war on another planet, a fight that is meant to end in her immediate death but Vesper isn’t about to go down without a fight, and alongside the infamous personal assassin of Lord Holloway, our couple manage to reach the relative safety of an enemy ship. With her ability to ‘see’ and ‘fix’ things, Vesper and Kyrian manage to escape only to come up close and personal with the people who want her gone but all is not well with our story line couple when blood contact reveals a Truebond mate, a mating neither wants or is willing to accept. As our couple must come to terms with their unknown future, the enemy begins to circle, hoping to destroy everyone in their way.

ONLY BAD OPTIONS is a space-opera-esque, Cinderella-esque, story line reminiscent of many of Jennifer’s previous series. Friends turned enemies, dysfunctional family bloodlines, power and control, magic and mayhem, attraction and rejection. The reader is pulled into a sci-fi fantasy of betrayal and vengeance, and a hierarchy of command desperate to rule without question. Like most dystopian story lines, there is limited to no romance as the couple must fight for their lives, all the while rejecting the attraction to one another, and the potential for a broken heart. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the characters are numerous, powerful and determined. If you are looking for romance, there is none-only rejection and second thoughts.

Jennifer is graciously offering a $10 Amazon Gift card to ONE (1) lucky commenters  at The Reading Cafe:

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8. Giveaway open Internationally

9. Giveaway runs from September 21 – 25, 2022