Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon

Rating -
Standalone - Royal Artifactual Guild #1
Release - October 15, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / marriage of convenience
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - 432 pages



Bull Moon Rising offered up so many goodies to entice a reader like me:

* monster romance

* marriage of convenience

* sexy and grumpy minotaur

* haughty and optimistic heroine

* interesting plot

* several side characters with endearing qualities

* made up history and archaelogical digs

Aspeth has always been intrigued by artifacts and has spent her life reading about the history and discovery of them. When her father gambles away the last of their most valuable artifacts, she decides that it's up to her to save their hold. Along with her best friend and maid, Gwenna, she travels to the guild to become a fledgling, hoping to grab a few artifacts for herself.

What she didn't count on was the immediate dismissal from the members of the guild. It was definitely a men's club and I loved how Aspeth didn't take any of their crap. She was there and she wasn't leaving without the chance to prove herself able. Booksmart and courageous, she was easy to root for.

My favorite character was Hawk, for many reasons. He was someone who lived with the guild without really being a part of it. His race was used and abused and discriminated against and still Hawk acted with honor and respect and devotion. He was such a wonderful male and I lived for his irritable attitude and movements, his self-reflections, and his growing feelings for Aspeth.

I thought this story would be absolutely filthy, but it wasn't. It had its moments, but this was a story about discovery—of self and of wonders.



Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.

Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)

Visit http://www.rubydixon.com for more information.

Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

Rating -
Standalone
Release - July 2, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Heroine 1st person
Heat - explicit to filthy
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - 536 pages




After many, many years of a tentative truce, two kingdoms were on the brink of war. The only thing that has kept the people blessed is the seven years committed to the tower. One person from each faction must sacrifice these years to calm the goddess. Two people prepared to be shut off from the rest of the world, their people, their freedom.

Princess Candra was not prepared. As a last minute fill-in, this spoiled brat had no idea what she was in for. There was no one to dress her, bathe her, prepare her meals, or generally make her life easier. She had to do everything herself, including preparing and administering her medicine. Girl was absolutely clueless and provided me with endless fun, at her expense.

So there Candra was, with a chronic blood illness, trapped in a tower with one of the enemy. However, Nemeth was far from the bad guy. He took care of her, shared his supplies with her, and made her fall helplessly in love with him. And when I thought that was all for this story... the author gifted me with so much more.

There was danger and intrigue, honor and betrayal, tons of love and sexy times.

If you weren't a fan of this author before reading this book, you'll be one after.



Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.

Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)

Visit http://www.rubydixon.com for more information.

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Prison Planet Barbarian by Ruby Dixon

Being kidnapped by aliens is one thing.

Being kidnapped by aliens and then sent to a prison planet is something infinitely worse.

Here in Haven's prison system, I'm stranded among strangers, enemies, and the most ruthless criminals in the galaxy. There's no safety for a human woman here, especially not one branded as a murderer. I'm doomed to a fate worse than death.

Then...he decides I should be his. His name's Jutari. He's seven feet tall, blue, and horned. He's an assassin and one of the most dangerous prisoners here. He's like no one I've ever met before...and he might be my only chance.

This story stands completely alone and is only marginally connected to the Ice Planet Barbarians or Corsairs series. You do not need to read those books in order to follow this one.



I haven't read many romances centered around a prison, but I think this might be a trope I want to see more of. Especially with how much I've enjoyed this story.

Chloe had been kidnapped to be a sex slave for some alien bigwig. In defense of her own body and free will, she inadvertently kills a bunch of aliens at once. For her crimes, she's transported to an alien prison and the horror show seems to be endless. For some reason, one of the guards has taken a special interest in her (ewwww gross) and the only one who can protect her, surprisingly, is another inmate — a hot, tall, horned, blue alien of a man.

I freaking loved Jutari. A pirate, an assassin, one dumb move got him caught. But he's not stuck. He's just biding his time and with Chloe's safety at stake, he's intent on putting his plan in action.

Hot chemistry, a protective and possessive alien, a sort of useless and sweet and vulnerable heroine, a bunch of crazy and scary drama, and my interest to read even more made this story so worthwhile.


I force myself to remain casual, seated against the wall near the glass. I turn my head leisurely, as if barely interested in Noku’s reappearance. It does no good to show too much interest in something or else it’ll be used against you.

Even so, it takes everything I have not to jump to my feet when the ssethri guard appears, a small unconscious form slung over his shoulder. I realize he’s heading toward my location when my shock- collar lights up and pins me to the ground, along with everyone else in the cell.

Noku steps inside and flings Kloo- ee’s small form to the ground. “You wanted to rape her? She’s all yours. Teach her a lesson,” he snarls. “Use her hard and use her well.”

And with that, he turns and leaves.

The glass slides back into place between one breath and the next, and there’s a breathless pause between all of us in the cell. Cthorn is the first to get to his feet, and he takes a step toward Kloo- ee’s unmoving body.

“Don’t,” I warn him in a low tone.

He freezes in place and then drops to a crouch, watching me.

They’re all watching me.

I glance at the guards, but they’re watching Noku leave. I move toward Kloo- ee and turn her over. Marks from the shock- stick cover her face and neck. Her face is swollen and purple from the beating he’s given her, and as she rolls flat onto her back, I can see additional dark bruises on her skin through the pale material of her jumper.

He’s beaten her badly.

Rage blisters through my brain. I’m going to make Noku pay for this. I’m going to rip the scaly skin from his body while he’s still living and stuff it down his keffing throat. To treat a female like this is unconscionable. To treat my female like this will result in a slow and painful death.



Ruby Dixon is the secret penname of a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. As Ruby, she writes sexy barbarian aliens, grumpy shifters, and domineering bikers.

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The Half-Orc's Maiden Bride by Ruby Dixon

Lady Iolanthe of Rockmourn Keep expects to be a spinster all her days. She is very tall. She is very poor. And she is thirty. What lord could possibly want her?

But then her father returns with news that he has found a bridegroom for her - one that is impressively tall. One that is strong, and bold, and wealthy. And best of all? He wants Iolanthe. It seems too good to be true.

And when Iolanthe gets her first look at her husband-to-be, she realizes why.

No one mentioned the 'orc' part of things...



I didn't know how this story was going to turn out, but I know what RD does, and that's deliver, so I wasn't even worried. So what if the hero was a half-orc? So what if I constantly wondered how his tusks didn't get in the way, especially when they came close to sensitive bits? This story gave me exactly what I was looking for — sweet, sexy, swoony fun!

I loved the way the author created this story. The relationship between the characters was so beautiful to me. Iolanthe had lived her life knowing she was unwanted. There was no one to tell her different. And Agakor believed that no human lady could ever come to love him. He was half-orc after all. But what neither of them could have expected... that there was someone who would be the absolute perfect someone for them. That's what they were for each other.

Agakor gave Iolanthe all of the love she had been missing and she did the same to him in return.

Loved it!

And now I'll leave you with some sexy Orcs...



When I imagined myself taking a human lady as a bride, I didn't think further than that. I wanted a son to cement my claim upon this land, and a bride to ensure that I would look legitimate in the eyes of the other lords. I want them to see me as just another lord, not a squatter or an interloper who bought his way to a lord's title and keep with coin. A bride was just another piece of the puzzle, another way to get respect. I imagined her as something to endure, someone that would be horrified at who she had to marry, but who would put up with me because of the gold I paid her father.

I never imagined someone like Iolanthe. Someone who would shyly meet me in all my desires, someone who is as fascinated at touching me as I am with her. Someone who looks at my run-down keep as her home and even now works to clean it from top to bottom and make it presentable. I didn't imagine that my wife would like me, much less be eager for my touch. From the moment she petted my cock like it was a puppy, she's held my heart in her hand.



Ruby Dixon is the secret penname of a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. As Ruby, she writes sexy barbarian aliens, grumpy shifters, and domineering bikers.