Dance with the Alien Devil: Brides of the Vinduthi, Book 4 by Ava York

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In a world where danger lurks at every turn, I never expected to find love in the arms of a Vinduthi hitman.

In the moment I meet Makar, I know he’s trouble.

A dangerous Vinduthi mafia member who buys my contract on a whim, he seems cold and emotionless. But beneath his hardened exterior, I see a hidden kindness within him.

The more time we spend together, the more I feel a magnetic pull towards this alien assassin. Makar’s gentleness and protective nature awaken feelings I never expect, challenging the walls I keep up to shield my heart.

Yet our loving moments are fleeting, torn apart by Makar’s dangerous work and his mysterious family ties. When Makar’s enemies target me to get to him, I realize I must transform into something new if I’m to stand by his side—no longer just a dancer, but a fighter, ready to face any threat.

Makar’s passion for me ignites a fire within, showing me a future I once thought impossible—to belong at his side, loved for all that I am. But our journey to build a life together means fighting for our love at every turn, facing those who would tear us apart.

A Promising Premise That Never Fully Lands

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

🎧 Audiobook Review: Dance with the Alien Devil (Brides of the Vinduthi, #4)

Author: Ava York
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Narrators: Oliver Highpoint and Mia Madison

📚 Characters and Plot

Sophia begins this story as a dancer on the Thodos III space station, living a life that’s technically her own but still shaped by the consequences of her mother’s gambling addiction. Sold into a contract at seventeen to pay off those debts, she’s spent years performing at the club and trying to keep her head down. But Sophia has a spine of steel, and when a patron crosses the line and touches her during a dance, she snaps—again. Her outburst puts her at risk of punishment, but she’s unexpectedly shielded when a Vinduthi cartel member requests a private dance and pulls her out of the line of fire.

Enter Makar, an assassin for the Fangs cartel. He’s lethal, disciplined, and not the type to be distracted by a human woman… until Sophia. The moment he sees her, something shifts. That spark turns into a full blaze when four aliens storm in, claiming they’ve purchased Sophia’s contract on behalf of the man she attacked. Their intent is clear: take her back for punishment. Makar’s response is equally clear—he offers to buy her himself. When they refuse, he eliminates the threat and purchases her contract outright, setting the stage for a partnership neither of them expected.

🌟 Strengths

• Sophia’s determination to help Makar with his mission—tracking down Goren at Alkard’s command—adds a welcome layer of agency to her character. She’s not just a damsel pulled into danger; she’s a fierce, capable heroine who refuses to sit on the sidelines.
• Makar’s reputation as a top-tier assassin gives the story a strong foundation of danger and intrigue. Even though we eventually learn he isn’t as invincible as he seems, that vulnerability adds dimension to his character and raises the stakes.

💔 Limitations

• The motivation behind the hit on Goren felt underdeveloped. While the plot ties back to the stolen weapons from earlier books, the connection to Goren never fully clicked for me. It’s possible I missed a detail, but the narrative didn’t make the reasoning compelling or clear enough to hold my attention.
• Compared to previous installments in the series, this story didn’t land with the same emotional or narrative impact. I struggled to fully connect with Sophia and Makar as a couple and found myself less invested in their journey than I expected.

🎙️ Narration

The audiobook uses a dual POV structure with dual narrators—Mia Madison and Oliver Highpoint—both of whom have been consistent voices throughout the series. Madison continues to deliver a strong, engaging performance, bringing warmth and grit to Sophia. Highpoint, however, takes a different vocal approach with Makar this time, and it didn’t quite work for me. His interpretation leaned unexpectedly soft or feminine, which didn’t match the character’s lethal, hardened persona. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, but it did pull me out of the story more than once.

💬 Final Assessment

Overall, this installment had promising elements—a fierce heroine, a dangerous assassin with hidden vulnerabilities, and the familiar cartel-driven tension of the series—but it didn’t fully live up to the momentum of the previous books. The emotional connection between the leads felt muted, and some plot motivations lacked clarity. Still, fans of the series may appreciate the continued world-building and the glimpses into the cartel dynamics. For me, it was a decent addition but not a standout chapter in the saga.

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