The Alien’s Bite: Craving the Heveians, Book 1 by Ella Blake

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kora

My nightmares didn’t prepare me for this.

Abducted off the space station where I teach the standard galactic language, I’m imprisoned with two other women in a cold, dirty cell on an alien ship. We’re destined for something worse than death until a fierce, blue-haired alien male rescues us. We recover on his ship with his group of Heveian pirates. There, the attraction that formed when he first carried me in his arms grows into a force neither of us can deny. But something else has taken up residence on the ship. Something that will stop at nothing to destroy us all.

Ryland

I was trained from my royal youth to fight. Even here, as a rogue raider in exile with my rebellious friends, it’s the role I play, until I hold Kora in my arms. She makes my fangs ache. She makes everything ache. My protective instincts roar as I vow to protect my mate against any who would harm her. But how can I protect her from an enemy so insidious that it can turn our crew against each other? I will keep Kora safe, even if it means the ultimate sacrifice.

The Alien’s Bite

Hot Fangs, Cold Cells and Lukewarm Narration.

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😋😀😍
Narration: 🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Kora

Kora’s journey begins on a bustling space station, where she teaches the standard galactic language to a rotating cast of alien visitors. Earth is in her rearview mirror after a traumatic miscarriage and a failed marriage—her ex wanted kids, she couldn’t, so she launched herself into the stars to escape. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans: she’s abducted by a hostile alien race and thrown into a freezing cell with two other human women. The food? Rancid and inedible. Survival isn’t a given.

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Ryland

Meet Ryland—a fang-sporting, brightly haired space pirate from the heveian race. He’s the security chief aboard a rogue vessel crewed by exiles who pillage their way across the galaxy. Ryland’s people were once victims of a deadly virus engineered by the United Coalition for Peace (UCP), who wanted their mineral-rich planet for themselves. Salvation came via a human woman whose rare blood carried the cure—setting the stage for the “fated mate” trope that Ryland seems ready to embrace the moment he lays eyes on Kora.

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📚 Plot Snapshot

Kora and her fellow captives share the same rare blood as the woman who saved the heveian king—making them highly valuable to the UCP (for reasons that are a bit hand-wavey, considering the cure already exists). Unable to return to Earth, they find reluctant refuge among space pirates, with Ryland taking a particular interest in Kora. There’s chemistry, danger, and just enough teeth to keep things interesting.

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🌟 Highlights

• Space pirates. Yes please.
• Fangs. Vampire-adjacent aliens always earn style points.
• Bright hair, bold vibes. The heveians bring color—literally.

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💔 Misses

• Plot originality? Thin. Classic alien romance tropes abound.
• Narration letdown. A performance that lacked…performance.

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🎙️ Narration Breakdown

Eric MacArthur and Dani California alternate POVs, but the execution left much to be desired. Their delivery felt more read than lived—flat, monotone, and lacking the emotional intensity these interstellar stakes deserved. MacArthur’s voice didn’t carry the depth or presence expected of a commanding alien male. California’s tone was passable, but ultimately unremarkable.

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🔚 Final Thoughts

If you’re here for space pirates, fated mates, and a dash of galactic drama—this audiobook scratches the itch. Just don’t expect a fresh take on the genre or gripping narration. It’s popcorn sci-fi romance with familiar seasoning.

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