My Primal Mate by Susan Trombley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ariyah

My new next-door neighbor looks like a demon—and acts like one too!

Most of the Akrellians now living on Earth after saving humanity from an alien invasion are super polite. The red-scaled, black-quilled behemoth living next door is a notable exception, and he doesn’t bother to return my enthusiastic greeting with anything more than an impatient growl.

But I know the secret to making friends, and that secret is a dozen red velvet cupcakes with cute monster faces on them, just in time for Halloween. The grumpy, smoldering volcano of a male might pretend he’s not interested in my offering, but he can’t resist my sweet treats for long.

Of course, he might just be too hot to handle, because this Akrellian serves a darker Dancer, and the drumbeats from his primal song draw me to the domineering and demanding male while his wild howl thrills my blood—even as it sends me fleeing. When he gives chase, I try not to reveal how eager I am to be caught.

It’s just too bad that he believes I’m an assassin who tried to poison him.

My Primal Mate

Cupcakes & Cosmic Misunderstandings

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️🤎
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂☺️😘🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine: Ariyah

Years after Earth’s near-collapse under the brutal invasion of the Menops—a parasitic alien race that conquers worlds and leaves devastation in its wake—humanity survives thanks to the intervention of the Akrelians. These alien allies now live among us, forming tight-knit communities. Ariyah, a resilient baker with a tragic past, hasn’t felt drawn to anyone since losing her childhood sweetheart in the apocalypse. But when a solitary Akrelian male moves in next door, her curiosity—and attraction—spark something she thought long buried.

🦸🏻‍♂️ Hero: Zernogal

Zernogal is the last surviving member of the Blood Rising tribe, a faction of Akrelians who refused to abandon their ancient, blood-soaked rituals. Imprisoned for years by the cosmic syndicate, Zern was supposed to be executed. Instead, he was quietly exiled to Earth, shunned by his own kind and forced into isolation. Grumpy, guarded, and steeped in a religion that feels suspiciously like devil worship, Zern is not your average neighbor. He’s also not prepared for Ariyah’s cupcakes—or her kindness.

🔥 Plot Snapshot

Ariyah’s welcome gift of Halloween-themed red velvet cupcakes sets off a hilarious misunderstanding. Zern, who routinely drinks poison and survives, devours the entire batch and promptly falls ill. Convinced Ariyah is a hired assassin; he launches a paranoid investigation into who sent her. Meanwhile, Ariyah just wants to flirt with the hot alien next door. The result? A delightfully absurd slow-burn romance with murder accusations, cultural confusion, and unexpected emotional depth.

❤️‍🔥 What Hit Home

• The tone is unapologetically silly, but the character work is stellar. I usually struggle with overtly alien heroes, but Zern’s personality won me over fast.
• Zern’s bafflement at human customs adds layers of humor and heart.
• His conviction that Ariyah is trying to kill him? Comedy gold.
• Ariyah’s attraction—partly fueled by Akrelian adult content—is oddly endearing and refreshingly honest.
• Zern’s bloodthirsty religious beliefs are played for laughs, and his inner monologue is hands-down the highlight of the book.

🤨 Room to Grow

• Honestly, not much to critique. It’s silly, yes, but in a way that works.
• The next book features an ant-like alien hero, which normally wouldn’t appeal to me—I prefer my leading men less… exoskeletal. But this story charmed me so thoroughly I might just give it a shot anyway.

🎧 Narration Vibes

Told in dual POV, the narration by Gabriel de Leon and Reagan West is pitch-perfect. Gabriel’s deep, deliberate cadence suits Zern’s alien formality and linguistic awkwardness. Reagan West, one of my favorite female narrators, brings warmth and expressiveness to Ariyah, sounding age-appropriate and emotionally grounded.

📝 Final Thoughts

This audiobook is a chaotic, charming blend of post-apocalyptic grief, alien absurdity, and unexpected tenderness. If you like your sci-fi romance with a side of poisoned cupcakes and misunderstood seduction, this one’s for you.

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