Hunt the Stars

The heat is on in Mihalik’s addictive Starlight’s Shadow series launch (after the Consortium Rebellion series). Captain Octavia “Tavi” Zarola and her bounty hunting crew are approached by General Torran Fletcher about locating a stolen ring. Tavi needs Torran’s money, but the recent war between the Valovians and the Federated Human Planets makes the job complicated: Torran is a Valoff, an alien race similar to humans but that has developed telepathic abilities. Tavi is a war hero for the other side and there’s a price on her head in Valovian space. As the search begins, tensions run high between the Valoffs and the humans on Tavi’s ship, and even higher between Torran and Tavi themselves. When the job proves far more complicated than merely finding the ring, Tavi’s life—and her heart—are at risk. The tenuous peace between the FHP and the Valovian government hangs in the balance as Tavi and her crew race to complete the job. Mihalik artfully juggles palpable romantic tension and fun action to create an epic page turner. This is sure to excite anyone who likes their space opera with a bit of spice. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Feb.)