Taken by the Alien Next Door by Tiffany Roberts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An undercover alien. A curvy human female he’s desperate to claim. One month to make her his.

Tabitha Mathews has never had much luck with men. Her past relationships only left her heart aching and her self-esteem beaten down. But who needs them? She’s doing just fine on her own. She has a booming home business, an adorable, mischievous dog, and she just became a first-time homeowner…right next door to the hottest man she’s ever seen.

Oh, did she mention that he happens to be an alien? An alien with dreamy, glowing eyes, wicked fangs and claws, and a tail.

But she’s not supposed to know that, and only finds out after her wonderfully considerate dog leaves a big, odorous gift in her neighbor’s back yard—which promptly results in her being kidnapped.

Now she’s tied to the alien’s bed, because of course he’s come to Earth in search of a mate—and he wants Tabitha to fill that role. More specifically, he wants her to carry his baby.

Saying he’s moving fast seems like a bit of an understatement. Is Tabitha willing to accept her alien abductor as a mate? Is she ready to be a mother?

And he’s generous enough to give her four whole weeks to decide.

It’s not like it’s the biggest decision of her life or anything…right?

More Than Just a Neighbor

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🩷💚❤️💙
Spice/Steam: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂😁🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Solo Narration

Characters and Plot

This story introduces two seemingly ordinary neighbors who are anything but. Logan Ellis appears to be a quiet, thirty-two-year-old woodworker trying to build a peaceful life after relocating from Montana. He keeps to himself, sells handcrafted pieces online, and longs for companionship. Beneath that human identity, however, Logan is actually Zevris Akkaron, an elite alien operative known as an althicar. He serves in the Exthurizen, a covert military division of the Azmus Protectorate, with a long history of dangerous missions across multiple planets. Despite his lethal skillset and hardened past, Zevris shares one very human desire: he is lonely and wants a lasting partner.

Next door, Tabitha Matthews is starting over in her own way. She has taken a leap of faith by quitting her stable job to pursue her passion full time. With the love and encouragement of her beloved grandmother Nan, who raised her, Tabitha had built a growing YouTube channel called Lush Lathers. Her content is gaining traction, and sales of the soaps and lotions she makes are doing well. She is determined to make this new chapter work. Though optimistic, she carries understandable anxiety about her future.

When Tabitha and Logan meet, their connection is immediate and genuine. What unfolds is a blend of sweet neighborly romance and high-stakes alien secrecy. Zevris must carefully balance his hidden identity with his growing feelings for Tabitha. As their relationship deepens, the tension between truth and deception builds, forcing Zevris to confront whether he can truly have the life he wants without revealing who he really is.

Highlights and Limitations

One of the strongest aspects of this audiobook is the contrast between Zevris’s dual identities. The juxtaposition of a battle-hardened alien operative with a soft-spoken, lonely craftsman adds depth and intrigue to his character. His internal conflict feels authentic and engaging. He is on his last mission which is to find a human female to spend his remaining years with as his mate, and trying to find one using dating apps hadn’t been going well, until Tabitha moved in next door.

Tabitha is equally compelling. Her entrepreneurial spirit and emotional warmth make her easy to root for. Her past relationship with her grandmother added a layer of heart to the story and grounds the more fantastical elements.

The romance itself is well-paced and satisfying. It leans into both emotional intimacy and physical chemistry, which fans of alien romance will appreciate. The fact that Zevris kidnaps Tabitha shows the way the two worlds collide in a funny way. Though Zevris knew that Earth females would not like this method, he knew Tabitha had shown signs of attraction. The alternating points of view between Logan/Zevris and Tabitha allow listeners to fully experience both sides of the relationship.

At times, the plot leans more heavily on romance than on the broader sci-fi elements. Listeners hoping for deeper exploration of the alien world or the Exthurizen may find those aspects somewhat underdeveloped. Though I did like some of the scientific advancements and technology the aliens used, such as the holoshroud, which is a holographic technology that disguised his alien appearance and made him look more human.

There are also moments where the pacing slows, particularly in the middle portion of the story, as the focus remains on domestic interactions rather than external conflict. While this strengthens the romance, it may feel slightly repetitive for some listeners.

Narration

Zachary Zaba delivers a strong solo performance, especially considering the dual perspectives. He does a solid job differentiating between Zevris and Tabitha, giving each character a distinct tone and emotional presence. His portrayal of Zevris captures both the character’s quiet intensity and underlying vulnerability. Tabitha’s voice is handled with care, though there are occasional moments where the distinction could be sharper.

Overall, the narration keeps the listener engaged and effectively conveys both the emotional beats and the tension of the story.

Final Opinion

Taken by the Alien Next Door is a charming blend of cozy romance and sci-fi intrigue. It excels in character development and emotional connection, even if it does not fully dive into its larger interstellar premise. Fans of alien romance who enjoy a strong emotional core with a touch of suspense will likely find this audiobook very satisfying.

It is ultimately a story about identity, vulnerability, and the universal desire for companionship, wrapped in an entertaining and heartfelt package. There are a lot of intimate scenes for those who love alien smut, and though I usually hate when the female protagonist in a romance is a curvy girl, I actually liked it in this one. Mainly because the plot didn’t dwell on Tabitha being overweight and it was only used to further the plot about Zevris choosing her as a mate and thinking she is beautiful just the way she is.

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