He wanted to take without giving, and she accepted his offer. No one ruffled Cisnetta Fowler’s feathers like Major Atrates Geswin, the infamous Ugly Dukeling. Her first glimpse of the handsome alien hybrid had her dismissing his crass moniker, until his abrasive attitude proved the gossip to be true. He was an arse, but an arse that she both needed and wanted. Thankfully, Cisnetta was one tough … Cisnetta was one tough bird who never turned-tail and ran.
Major Atrates Geswin, second-in-line to the Andrake dukedom, found himself locked in a skirmish with an astounding woman. Cisnetta Fowler handled his insults as if he passed her fluffy ducklings. But rather than softening him, she inflamed his Otar-alien side, spurring him to seize, to demand, to want… All that stood between his victorious claiming of her was a vicious, pet swan with a neck-wringing fetish.
As far as Atrates was concerned, Cisnetta was his for the taking.
This story is a science fiction alien romance retelling of The Ugly Duckling. It is intended for mature readers.
Cosmic Fairy Tales
The Ugly Dukeling is part of the Cosmic Fairy Tales collection, a collaboration of authors retelling beloved tales with a science fiction romance twist. Each book is a standalone, containing its own Happily Ever After, and they can be read in any order. Be sure to explore the other titles in the collection:
The Hunchback by Regine Abel
The Lion and the Mouse by Emmy Chandler
The Frog Prince by Tracy Lauren
The Ugly Dukeling by Bex McLynn
Contaminated by Amanda Milo
Jackie and the Giant by Honey Phillips
Escaping Wonderland by Tiffany Roberts
Rampion by Susan Trombley
more
A lovely, fun, sweet read that had me smiling almost the entire time! Cisnetta was a wonderful woman, so understanding and patient, and perfect for Atrates. As for Atrates, our hero, I adored the foul tempered, possessive, insecure man. And his relationship with with Cobbs, Cisnetta’s pet swan, was just hilarious. Wonderful writing, and amazing world-building, especially for a shorter read. And the heat between the hero and heroine was through the roof! Loved it!
This retelling is so awesome, I enjoy reading it very much. Couldn’t put the book down. I’ve always loved the way Bex writes and hope to read more of her books. I’ve enjoyed reading all of her books and I add this one to my reread list. I can’t wait for more of her books. I’m so excited!
This is a delightful version of The Ugly Duckling fairytale. I love the character of Cissnetta who’s reactions to situations is fresh and Atrates is tough and grumpy but with hidden depths. And then there is Cobbs (and what can you say about that!) All in all, a great read for fans of syfy romance and fans of fairytales. Enjoy!
Have no idea what to call this…..scifi, fantasy, fairytales???? How about we just go with awesomeness for the win???!!
No idea how she does it but this is going to be a world that we need more of, I’m fascinated by these hybrids……need to know more. The side characters intrigued me too!
Atrates and Cisnetta were perfect for a scifi fairytale……nailed this story and left me all happy and satisfied but wanting more too. Perfect way to feel after the end of a great read.
Oh, how I loved this book! Major Atrates Geswin, who’s second-in-line to be duke, is quite a grumpy curmudgeon. Atrates is an alien hybrid, a halfling, who is scorned by his regal father. He’s called home, as the old man is on his deathbed. Atrates would rather be as far from the estate as possible when he, literally, runs into the beautiful and vexing Cisnetta. Cisnetta Fowler is in the employ of Trone, Atrates’ brother. She is the protector of abused women and the owner of one very unruly black swan. She knows how to deal with a male with ruffled feathers. Be patient during the world building in the first couple chapters, because then you’ll discover how brilliantly this story has been written! It’s technical, but all makes great sense as the story unfolds. Ciss is a gentle soul with a frenetic energy. She gets the job done at ALL hours. Atrates has something she needs and she has something that soothes Atrates, as well. To find out what happens you’ll definitely want to read this “Ugly Duckling” story re-fashioned! It was a right, clever romp!! 5 stars
A fairytale fantasy!
This story just doesn’t want to be stuck in a single category. It’s fairytale, with sci-fi setting, in a country firmly ensconced in days of yore. I adore our broody hero and his helpful, rescuing lady-love. The quirky, humorous phrasing tickles my fancy. The word-play is fun!
There are many allusions to the Ugly Duckling fairytale, but this is a unique story that delivers the same moral message. Colorful, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable!
Once again, I am charmed by another story from this author. This is a retelling of The Ugly Duckling, but with a bit of science fiction twist to it, which I adore, since I love my sci-fi. There is some new terminology to learn, but the author does a great job at helping you understand them quickly, instead of being halfway through the book, with you still scratching your head, wondering the meaning of a word.
This story was a bit shorter than some of her other works, yet I was not left with feeling like I was missing out, or overly rushed to hurry and fall in love with the characters. As with most shorter novels, insta love, with not much depth, is expected because it’s harder to convey all those feels with fewer words. With this book, however, depth was given. I appreciate the fact that I was shown reasons to feel love towards the two main characters, as well as feel their falling in love for each other.
I think we all can identify on some level with both the main characters in this book. I identify with Ciss because she has a calm, and patient, demeanor with an open acceptance of people for who they are, and not what society expects them to be. I strive for that very thing with the people in my life, and the new people I’m lucky enough to meet, is to love them as they are. On the flip side, with Atrates (love his name, btw), while I can’t identify with his gruff sexiness that makes our Hero all the more yummy, I can identify with the insecurities he feels in himself for his perceived differences, while at the same time, he tries to hide that deep down, he desperately wants to be accepted and loved for all his differences. I love all the warm feels I got from reading this and getting to see that love and acceptance went both ways for both of them and made each other whole.
Personally, I loved this book! I have yet to read anything by this author that has left me unsatisfied.
If you want a short read that still gives you all the feels while enjoying the backstory, I definitely recommend this book. If you like longer novels that are even more fleshed out with all the feels, I definitely recommend this author!
Happy readings!!
P.s., I forgot to mention how much I love reading something that’s not bogged down in grammatical errors…
I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Bex McLynn. It was a unique spin on the tale of the Ugly Duckling. The world Bex wrote is enchanting and magical. It gave me a Jane Austen vibe with folklore and aliens.
This felt like an amazingly written balance of Jane Austen meets Scifi Romance. It was a beautiful story that not only touched my heart, it make me laugh out loud and had me smiling as I read the ending. I absolutely loved it!
*WARNING* contains sexual content
I think the the fairytale of the “Ugly Duckling” and this one are really nothing alike, although, I believe the moral is the same, but you should read it and judge for yourself. This is definitely different with the frenesia concept (not telling what that is). Genetically modified beings traded for technology. All things sci-fi, not to wordy and of course an HEA for the perfect SFR.
I simply adore the way the author skillfully blended the charm of a historical romance into this clearly Science-Fiction story. It was something I’ve never seen done before, and wouldn’t have expected to work, but the result is amazing!
The characters felt alive. Atrates—strong and even brutish, yes so very vulnerable, my heart broke for him. And Gisnetta—practical, level-headed, and with a difficult past herself.
The sex scenes were superbly crafted, leaving me hot and bothered and in a near ‘frenetic’ state myself. 🙂 And the world building left me wish for many more stories set in this world.
This is a second book I’ve read by Ms McLynn, and she has already become one of my one-click authors.