The Arcav Kings Mate (Arcav Alien Invasion #1, part 1) by Hope Hart

The Arcav Kings Mate (Arcav Alien Invasion #1, part 1) Reviews

• 
  PamG

  THE ARCAV KING'S MATE by Hope Hart is a well written short science fiction alien romance novel. I rated this one 3.5 stars and rounded it down to 3 stars. While the novel starts in Illinois, it ends on a space ship. The Arcav invade Earth and human leaders decided not to fight. Human women were forced to give blood so they could be tested for compatibility. The female lead is Harlow Black, a police officer in Chicago who is announced as mate the the Arcav King. She is a strong character and there is no instant love between her and Varian, the Arcav king. What follows is an entertaining read.
  
  The characters felt real and three-dimensional and there is plenty of internal and external conflict to keep the pace moving well. The motivations are believable and well-drawn and the emotion is appropriate to the situations. The stakes and tension are high throughout the book. The author does a great job of worldbuilding with vivid descriptions that give a clear sense of time and place. The plot is clever, compellings, intense and thought-provoking.
  
  While this is largely a sci-fi alien romance novel, there are other underlying themes that are explored to some degree. These include taking charge of your life versus having it decided for you, domestic abuse, desire to explore, lack of communication, family relationships, substance abuse, greed, cultural differences and much more.
  
  The reason for three stars versus 4 stars is due to the fact that this book ends in a cliffhanger. I recommend that those who enjoy science fiction alien romance novels check out this novel and see if it is for you. The second book in the series concludes Harlow's and Varian's story and I look forward to reading it.
  
  I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
• 
  Mallaidh

  Am I reading a different book than everyone else? So many 4 and 5 star ratings, and for me, this book left me feeling dirty, and not the sexy way.
  
  Look, if you look at my shelf, I like me a good smut novel. I like me a good sci-fi romance. I like me a good alpha male. BUT, I also like me a good, sweet story with compelling characters and a HEA. Where both characters grow and learn from each other and end up in a good place because of it.
  
  There was none of that here. Let's just list off the multitude of Red Flags:
  
  1. Aliens come to our planet and run tests to find compatible mates for their men. Those mates are taken off world AGAINST THEIR WILL. There is mention of a woman that was taken from her husband and CHILDREN because good d***, y'all. NO.
  
  2. Rape. This book should have come with a trigger warning, because the H is this story is a giant effing rapist and anyone who says otherwise is deluded.
  
  3. Our heroine is taken from her job, family, friends, PLANET, and forced to give up all her hopes and dreams. Literally forced. She makes it really effing clear she doesn't want any of this, and at one point literally puts a GUN TO HER OWN HEAD in order to get the point across. The H tells her that if she kills herself, he'll destory her entire species. Gaslighting ain't sexy, y'all!
  
  I mean, I could go on and on. This book is trash, and I literally cannot fathom why anyone would find it sexy. It's been a really long time since a book made me so angry. Burn it with fire.
  
  Only gave 2 stars because I did finish it, hoping there would be a happy ended. Nope. Big ole cliffhanger.
• 
  Romance

  Nothing in the description alerts readers that this is a cliffhanger nor that it is really about a kidnapped woman, forced to have sex with an alien who is mentally abusive.
  
  Now I love a romance and I’ve read plenty of cheesy romances filled with kidnapping And fighting h and H etc, but this isn’t romance. Nothing in this story even hinted at romance. The h is forced to leave her job, her career, her home, her planet, her family, friends and her pet. That’s right we have a strong human woman, a police officer, who is forced on the run like a criminal because she is selected by aliens who’ve invaded to be a mate to an alien king. So, basically Harlow is forced to sacrifice herself for an alien that thinks of her and treats her like a possession. He doesn’t care about her at all. He’s never met her. He wants sex and to bend his mate to his will. Not romantic. He calls Harlow “mate” rather than her name even though she asks him to call her by name. This isn’t a couple and it’s disturbing to read reviews where women think she’s a bitch for not handing over her life and trying to escape this horrific future of being a slave to this “king”. I’m thinking they wouldn’t feel that way in her place.
  
  It’s also disturbing that these aliens rip families apart and when other humans try to help women escape, they are punished. Not easy to overcome this to make any of the setup to cause me to like these aliens. I found it humorous they were going to protective the insignificant humans from the bad aliens. I was thinking they can’t be any worse or different.
  
  The willing women are like brainwashed cult members. After Harlow is on the ship she meets women selected for her to meet and they have been brainwashed and are trying to turn her into a Stepford wife. This is not romance but misogyny. I also found Harlows guilt for trying to escape wasn’t believable. I skimmed to the end in hopes that the H would let her go. No such luck. I sincerely doubt there is any way book 2 could correct what has been done.
• 
  M

  Few spoilers ahead.
  
  So I feel like the minority here. I was really looking forward to reading this book as the blurb sounded interesting. From the beginning to the 50% mark, I was very intrigued and I loved that she was trying to keep her freedom. I also loved how he was trying so hard to find her. So it made me want both of them happy.
  But then that came to an end when he just became worse than an alpha. Especially toward the end when she did make a reference to a similarity of an abusive relationship when she would be on patrol. I viewed the same way when she stated it that way. I absolutely also hated the fact that they would tear families apart. While it's stated that they don't harm children physically, they sure don't have a problem with killing them emotionally or psychologically. I mean, to have your mother ripped away from you. And H seemed so concerned when he found out she was in a foster home and was enlightened that children are sometimes neglected or physically or sexually abused. Just seemed EXTREMELY hypocritical. The more I talk about it the more I really don't like it. I even have a down turned face.
  Not for me and I won't be reading the second book.
• 
  Motaung

  For a small book, this one packs quite a punch, it totally caught me by surprise, and I didn't see it coming. And I think I am totally and irrevocably head over heels, smitten, in lust, besotted, obsessed, in love, with a golden horned king from out of space.
• 
  Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon)

  Absolutely Awesome Read, well written, great characters, Awesome story line, easy read to hold you on their journey, this genre might not be for everyone but its a really wonderful story cannot wait for more from this Author.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Jessie

  I did not like this story. I hate the H and I think Brenna should have given his assholery royalness more hell.
• 
  Emily Pennington

  This is one of those situations where I absolutely cannot blame any woman who chooses to reject the fate that someone has decided for her without any input from the woman whatsoever. Since the Arcav appeared, and with no more female babies being born on their planet, all human females must submit to a blood test for compatibility with an Arcav. If the lady matches up on the monthly drawing day, she is snatched up and taken away to produce children and keep her new mate happy. There is no appeal allowed. If chosen, the female must give up all rights as an independent, thinking woman and become property to be handed off to a new owner. If she is already married, it doesn’t matter anyway – she becomes alien property and is taken from her human family.
  
  Harlow Black is a cop who finds out, while at lunch with her partner, that she is compatible with the Arcav King Varian. Instead of being owned, she elected to run rather than humbly turn herself in for collection. Her partner is part of the resistance and their network takes steps to help her escape. Even if the alien is a good one and the life she is selected for is more glamorous, it still takes away her choice and a strong woman could not accept such terms. Yes, he will certainly have to chase her and will have to earn the privilege of winning her heart. In the meantime, another vicious alien species is headed for Earth. Can the King deal with them while trying to capture his runaway mate?
  
  Although I obviously find the concept of taking people’s choices away uncomfortable, the author does a good job in the story line describing what it’s like to outrun an advanced alien race. Our attention is drawn to the things that the woman would have to give up, the total upset of her life, loss of friends and family. The characters are well-defined as the reader sees their personalities in coping with the adversity being faced. I think this book will have readers that love it and readers that hate it but we reviewers should be able to separate our own emotional response and give the book a fair evaluation. (That is likewise true for those who give low scores for not liking cliffhangers which have no bearing on whether the book is good or not.)
• 
  Icu2qtpi

  Impressive
  
  This book came up as a recommendation from Amazon as I was one-clicking another sci-fi alien romance by a Fav author. I figured, what the hell, and downloaded the sample. Color me intrigued!
  
  I am so glad I did! 😜 First off, this Author, Hope Hart, has a writing style that is smooth and seamless. I really felt Harlow's anger, fear and frustration at being forced to give up everything she'd worked so hard to accomplish in her life. It's not fair. But, in the same breath, you sympathize with Varian and the incredible pressures he is facing. Trying to balance his emotions with the needs of his people and the continuation of his species is almost overwhelming. The author weaves her tale in such a way that you can't help but to silently root for these two, strong willed individuals and hope that they both can set aside their differences and revel in their similarities, because there are many. I have already one-clicked the next book in the series and I am so glad to have found a "new to me" author that I enjoy so much.
• 
  Jodie

  Disclaimer - I’m on a mission at the moment to find new, amazing books to add to my bookshelves. So my tolerance for books I’m not immediately sucked into is pretty low. I’m looking for engaging writing, well-developed characters, and engrossing plot lines.
  
  I quite like a sci-fi romance lol. They are guilty pleasures for me, I think. From time to time I pop by to see what’s trending in the genre and pick one up at random.
  
  I always end up skimming these sorts of books :) I didn’t really like her. She was so focused on running from him, which is fine, but it was to the point I was turned off them as a couple.
  
  I wouldn’t mind reading about other couples in this series though. I like my heroines a little softer.
  
  Skimmed.
• 
  SheLove2Read

  This is a book you will either hate or love, for exactly the same reasons. And I can certainly see why for some readers it's hate, but for myself, the more I read, the more I loved it.
  
  Aliens have invaded Earth, taken over, and are selecting women to be mates through a blood lottery (a blood test indicates which women would match one particular male). It's abhorrent to us, but I see the reason why: their race is dying and they are desperate. Harlow, a cop, has unexpectedly matched their King, and she doesn't accept her fate, she runs.
  
  This is one part of the book I loved. When Harlow runs, some Americans help her at risk to their own life, and I couldn't help but feel pride in knowing that if this truly happened, I know there are folks out there who by God WOULD do this. And Harlow is smart, traveling in the dark, switching cars, and lying low in the daytime when she would easily be found. But eventually she is, and she doesn't go easy.
  
  Of course this IS a romance, and eventually things work out, but it's hard fought, and I liked that too. Harlow feels every emotion you would expect. And I know some readers are screaming Stockholm syndrome, but I didn't see that. I saw a woman who was placed in a position she did NOT want to be in, fought hard to get out of, but eventually comes to term with it and is able to use some of her newfound influence to make life easier for others around her. It's not the life she grew up wanting, but that possibility ended for everyone when the Aliens landed, and now she's finding a new normal and allowing herself to find happiness too. 5 stars
• 
  Kristy Mills

  I love a story where the h runs, and the H chases. And a good portion of this book is the h running.
  
  Harlow is a strong character. She does not want to give into the aliens that have invaded earth and she does not want to just give her life up and mate with their king because they decreed she is his mate. So she runs. And Varian, the king, is baffled. He doesn't understand why his mate would not want to run to him. He's a bit arrogant at the beginning, and he said and did some things that ticked me off, but not too terribly. I started to feel a bit bad for him. Harlow sure did make him work for it. I also liked that at the end of this book, there was more to their story. Because with how stubborn Harlow was, she needed another book before her feelings for Varian would be believable. She was not happy in this book. And I ate it up.
• 
  Poplora

  I can't. It's rapey and I feel like crying
• 
  TP

  Let me first say, it is not a 4 star read, not really.
  I Still wanted to highlight this gem after so many bad apples lately.
  This book had it all so far, it just missed the special spark and more interesting aliens and creativity to set it apart from all the books out there.
  What this book has to show for itself is a thought through plot, character development, emotional conflicts and growth.
  It has complexity and an awesome lead character.
• 
  Ivy Deluca

  This review covers both books because...sigh, this is a cliffhanger. More on that later.
  
  The Sitch: The Arcav (this bit's a little hazy) "invade" Earth by telling humans that due to a poisoning of their own planet's blah blah blah (you'll learn all about it in a later book, so I won't dive into it now), no females are being born and they are in search of mates. Lo and behold, humans are biologically compatible and can be mated to Arcavans.
  
  However, it's just a genetic lottery - if a human female's DNA matches with an Arcav male, they're mated. No choice, or even a guarantee of love, it's just genetics - they're "claimed" and their lives are no longer their own. When Harlow, a human cop just going about her day, finds out that she's a match to an Arcav male and not just any male, but the Arcav King, she refuses to give in. With the help of her partner and an anti-Arcav group, she goes on the run. King Varian is thrilled to come to Earth and claim his mate. He is under pressure to produce an heir, but he believes in matings and is thrilled to see the human meant for him. And then she runs away, and he's all like "dafuq?" He's not prepared. He's like a cishet rich white dude - he can't imagine a world where a woman wouldn't be thrilled to be with him. So he vows he will find her and he will take her, no matter what. The chase is on, things get kind of gray and questionable but eventually, romance happens.
  
  The Good: Ahem. Yes, I love SFR. And yes, I can get down with an easy instalove kind of read, no tea, no shade, crackilicious reads are so fun. However, what I really love, in my heart of hearts, when the hero has to work for it. HARD. Seeing a SFR that really delves into a heroine’s lack of choice when “claimed” and not thinking it's all hugs and puppies that some strange, powerful alien wants to take her choice away? It's great to work through those feelings, and examine her conflict when her freedom is unilaterally taken away from her. It doesn’t happen often enough.
  
  Even if I don't love multi-book romance arcs, I have to give it up to Ms. Hart - seeing ALL the emotional beats play out, including dealing with the emotional fallout for both MCs, kept me engrossed in this story.
  
  The Bad and Everything In Between: It’s a cliffhanger. So far I’ve read more cliffhangers this year than I have in YEARs. Who even am I? The only thing that makes it tolerable is being able to read the next book right away.
  
  Normally romances that span more than one book isn’t my jam because it’s rare that I think a story wouldn’t improve with some judicious editing. Now, there are some grammatical/typographical errors here, but the overall romance worked, and the work being put into the HEA works well enough that I could look past the need for a cliffhanger. Plus the rest of the series seems to be one book/couple which is more my speed.
  
  Oh and the covers are kinda cringe but I’ve seen worse so I can live with it.
  
  The Bottom Line: I really liked the angst, and Harlow and Varian’s romance kept me turning the page all day long, so well done Ms. Hart. And the teasers for future couples have me on the hook, so much so that I just downloaded the entire series. If you’re into SFR, you may like it too.
• 
  Rasa Ievkalne

  I am so sick of books where strong heroine is turned into idiot by her body. I don't care if author needed a way to make romance work somehow-that is not a solution.
  
  So,for the first half we get this strong,determined heroine on the run for her freedom. Yes,heroes perspective was nice and all,but it should in no way change heroine at the snap of fingers. Especially, if it is done by her being unable to control her bodys response to the point she loses her personality. It was ridiculous. For those who object-no matter physiological response,sex without consent is rape. And heroine objected. A lot. He still raped her. But she orgasmed,so all is good and dandy ,right? Wrong. She was his prisoner, his rape receptacle. Everything was forcefully stripped from her-freedom, choice, life, friends, job, dreams. But that is OK,cause she is woman so it is her duty to endure with smile. Of course,some may view this as romance, but all it did for me was be disgusted deeply by king.
  
  I have read books with lots of rape in them and loved them in the end. In none of them rape was portrayed as the peak of romance and something victim should not only accept but wish for. Here rape equals love.
  
  2 stars purely for the first half of the book. Second half was disgusting and repulsive.
• 
  Nessa

  THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE ENTIRE DUOLOGY.
  
  SO...THIS DIDN'T LIVE QUITE UP TO EXPECTATION BECAUSE SHORT OF THE HERO BEING ALMOST DOORMAT AND THE HEROINE BEING CLOSE TO A BITCH.
  
  HERO is a King of the Arcav and because of his brother's betrayal, his people cannot find a mate of their own. This leads to finding human mates and when he does find his compatibility, she runs away from him. So he chases her and tries to tie her down. Don't get me wrong, I was okay with him but I couldn't help but feel sorry when his mate fought him at every turn and he's definitely not a brutal alpha type. In short, he was the heroine's own bitch haha.
  
  HEROINE was a cop and now she's a bride of an Arcav King. Hell no. So she runs from him and ends up leading the King on a merry chase. Even when he's found her in dreams or in reality, she doesn't relent and fights him tooth and nail. I do hate the fact that she doesn't even give the poor male a chance or get to know him or his situation.
  
  OVERALL there wasn't much of a serious plot going on that reels the reader in. And the characters weren't on a much likeable scale.
• 
  Patricia Hoffstaetter

  This is a splendid Sci-fi alien romance with an intriguing plot & interesting characters, and I really enjoyed reading it. I will admit that I enjoyed the defiance displayed by the main female character (a cop, Harlow) and the sheer determination display by the main male character (the Arcav King, Varian), there is good support from the secondary characters.
  There is: twists & turns, intrigue, some suspense, aliens, humans, an organization (Humans against Arcav aka HAA), friendship, family issues, blood tests, mates, mating bands, resistance, adventure, action, desperation, defiance, determination, threats, manipulations, some steam, compromises, enemies & an attack.
  Sadly this book does end with a cliffhanger & I look forward the next book with great anticipation.
  
• 
  Debbie Benson

  I received this book as part of an ARC review. I liked how Harlow didn't bow down to her new fate and fought to have her own terms. Varian is determined to claim his mate. Varian is forced to learn to negotiate if he wants to win Harlow. Varian managed to capture and complete the mating bond but still has to work to win Harlow's heart. My only complaint is the abrupt ending of this book. While I don't mind serialized novels, I usually want to wait until I have all of the series before I start reading. This is why I gave a four instead of a five. That being said, I will be waiting for the next book to be released.
• 
  Lisa M

  This story drew me in. I enjoyed the pacing until I realized it ended with a cliffhanger! I truly dislike cliffhangers! Ortherwise I would have given this a 5. Harlow is a cop dealing with the fact the the Arcav have taken over and need females. All women have their blood tested to see if they match with an Arcav. If so, the woman has to turn herself in to be collected and become a mate of the Arcav. Harlow is announced as the Arcav kings mate. She decided to run rather than submit.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Lisa

  Great start
  
  The Arcav have been looking for their human mates. Each females blood has been tested and as the Arcav find their one true mate through the testing the human females are announced and given 5 hours to turn themselves in for transport to meet their Arcav match.
  There are some who are not interested in being a mate. Harlow is a police officer and has no desire to be matched. When it is announced that she is the King's mate the adventure begins.
  This book has a cliffhanger, but is a good story and makes me want to read more.
  
• 
  shawna

  A rare good alien read
  
  I'm impressed we have a fighter not a whiner women who is mated to a Alien. The story is mostly about Harlow running from her alien mate. She is eventually caught and most must come with terms that she is mate. I felt that the situation and the way Harlow acted was realistic. I'm ready to read the next book to the series.
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  Serena Nicholls

  A whole new world
  
  I loved this book ....a new world to disappear into when you want a break from reality. Arcadia is just the place to retire to....full of Alpha males and strong female characters you just want to high five !!! The story between Varian and Harlow has you glaring and laughing all at the same time. Brilliant looking forward to reading g the rest of the series