Choosing Theo
Broody mercenary meets feisty Earth woman in this slow-burn romance with tension, trust issues and undeniable chemistry.
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What Is This Book About?
Jade never expected to wake up in an alien world, but here she is — kidnapped from Earth, sold like cargo, and now stuck on a planet where the local custom is marriage or bust. Turns out, the Clecanians, a race of tall, ridiculously attractive aliens, have a major population imbalance. Too many men, not enough women. Their solution? A society where women are revered and precious, but also forced to marry different men every year in order to help replenish the population.
Since Jade comes from a primitive world without interstellar tech, Clecanian law forbids returning her to Earth. To keep her safe, the Queen orders her into a three-month marriage contract—just long enough to have a mate who’ll protect her and help her adapt.
She has one job: pick a husband. Easy, right? Wrong. Because Jade doesn’t want a husband—she wants to get the hell home. But since she can’t do that just yet, she makes the one choice no one expects: Theo.
Theo is a walking red flag. Big, brooding, covered in dark tribal markings, and about as warm as a frozen asteroid. He doesn’t want a mate, and he sure as hell doesn’t trust Jade’s reasons for picking him. But their forced arrangement turns into something neither of them saw coming.
Too bad Jade still plans to leave. And Theo? Well, he’s not about to make that easy.
Quick Facts
HEA: Yes
Tropes: Fated Mates, Alpha Male, Forced Proximity, Cohabitation, Arranged Marriage, Pregnancy.
POV: MMC and FMC
Trigger Warnings: None
Books in Series: 7 as of 1/31/25
Overall Story: ★★★★
Character Development: ★★★★
Plot: ★★★★
World Building: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★★
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Theo had always longed to know how it felt to hold a female in his arms as he slept, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that he never would.”
My Take (Very Minor Spoilers)
Choosing Theo is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi romances. I’ve reread this series multiple times and am diving in again to do each book justice in this newsletter.
Jade has everything I love in an FMC — she’s smart, brave, and feisty. But she’s not perfect. Despite her gorgeous red hair and striking eyes, she’s insecure about her curves. Theo, however, takes one look at her and knows he’s never seen anything more beautiful.
Our broody MMC has his own insecurities. What Jade assumes are black tattoos are actually scars from a childhood accident. Clecanian women aren’t forgiving, and Theo has been shunned his whole life. But to Jade’s human eyes? He’s downright irresistible.
Of course, Theo refuses to believe that and decides she must be a spy — because why else would someone want him? Clearly some enemy has decided to weaponize this beauty against him.
The author nails the world-building in this story, pulling you into Clecanian culture through Jade’s perspective. And the tension? Chef’s kiss. The push-pull between Jade and Theo is electric, with her ultimately deciding this broody bad boy is hers.
And when he finally falls? He falls hard.
Our hardened mercenary even finds himself thinking things like: “Theo had always longed to know how it felt to hold a female in his arms as he slept, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that he never would.”
Le swoon.
If you’re looking for a steamy PNR that’s complete brain candy, this book hits all the right notes. Be prepared to stay up all night reading — I’ve finished it in one sitting every time.