Varrik va’Rin is the lord of an ancient noble house. On Homeworld Kes, his bloodlines are unparalleled and he wields an incredible amount of political and social clout. He’s used to getting what he wants.So when he sees the strange, delicate human known as Milly, he decides he wants her. And he’ll do anything to have her, reputation be damned.
Varrick va’Rin is a high-ranking nobleman bored with his life. He’s tired of the parties, of the sycophants, of the women vying to be his mate. And then he does the unthinkable: something so deviant, so disgusting he risks losing his reputation and ranking in society. He falls in love with an alien from a D Class planet, a human. A pretty human with a sassy mouth and whole of lot spunk. Milly.
Pretty Human is a rags to riches story inspired by the movie Pretty Woman. I loved, loved, loved this novella. It was exactly what I needed at the time: short, sweet, and light.
4.5 stars. WARNING! This review contains spoilers! in the third paragraph!
Talk about how a simple book pulls together the Ice Planet series, Ice Home series, the Corsairs series (plus one spin-off), and the Risda III series, and possibly a few more…. to form the Risdaverse. And to think I almost overlooked this book in the first place! Good thing I’m a completist when I am reading a series.
Varrik is a Mesakkah noble who doesn’t want to go to a 1-2 month-long country estate party, especially since the host of said party wants to mate him. He’s terribly bored with life in general, but when he beholds the sight of a “gift” to another guest, a human female, he impulsively demands an exchange of gifts. (She gave him an archeological site for him to waste a ton of credits on. Talk about a money pit…) Milly is a recently abducted Human who hasn’t even wrapped her head around the fact she’s a slave in a much bigger universe than she previously had known, and now she’s either sex slave or a family pet to a big, blue, alien guy with metal-capped horns, three fingers and a thumb, and a switch tail! But instead of treating her like a pet, she’s become his companion, his confidante, and eventually. his mate of equal standing.
For a short story, it does pack a lot of material. I’m usually not into short stories, but I found this one quite satisfactory, and I know I’ll be rereading this story again and again. It’s lovely and not without its redeeming qualities. Considering how these two characters WILL be regretted in future stories, you may as well get to know them at the beginning of their relationship rather than in the middle.
Lord Va’Rin became fascinated with a human, that belonged to another and decided to acquire her for himself, he doesn’t take no for an answer, Milly fall for Lord Va’Rin without even knowing she was, she thought she was doing what she needs to survive but was falling in love all along, these two are very happy and belonged to one another.
I enjoyed the world created, and I am hooked to read the other books.
Really interesting ideas, well described social structure like the ball and the smart clothing that comes with it.
Great writing style.
The human Molly was cute and the her owner was interesting and not cruel like the rest of his race.
Sweet little sugar cube
Such a delicious little taste of life in the Messakah homeworld culture. Bored, over-privileged Lord va’Rin gets one look at illegally “imported” human Milly, and WHAM! Money, power, status, and the gilded life can’t compare. She’s direct, sassy, funny, whip-smart and sensitive to his moods and needs. That humans are considered one step up from vermin is no obstacle to true love. There are two things wrong with the little novella: it’s too short. It’s too sweet On the other hand… It’s the perfect prequel to a series exploring the civilization and culture of the alien Messakah, a world Ruby Dixon clearly knows more about than she’s telling…
I really loved this take on Ruby Dixon’s aliens in sort of a Jane Austen class hierarchy. The hero was charming and a gentleman and loved the spirit of the heroine.