Barbarian’s Beloved by Ruby Dixon

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Title: Barbarian's Beloved
Author: Ruby Dixon
Series: Ice Planet Barbarians #17
Published by: Tantor Audio
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Hollie Jackson, Mason Lloyd
Length: 5 hours and 36 minutes
Genres: Romance, Erotic Romance, Science Fiction
Source: Hoopla
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Summer, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iTunes ✩ Libro.FM
My rating:

Blurb:

My tribesmates don’t understand her. The other humans think she’s weak. But no one knows my mate like I do. They don’t see her gentle heart or her brave spirit. I know why she struggles. I know how strong she is. And I know I’ll do anything to make her smile.

But can I convince her that she can be happy in this strange new world with me?

This story explores the long-awaited romance of Ariana and Zolaya. Even though it is a ‘flashback’ to the beginning of the Ice Planet Barbarians series, it can be read out of order. Enjoy!

My Review:

4 stars — I’m probably not one of those ones that was looking for an Ariana book…I mean, sure, I was curious, but I don’t think I even remembered her mate’s name most of the time!  And yet I really enjoyed this installment.

It was interesting because it starts in the “present”, but then flashes back to the beginning of their resonance, and then back to the “present” at the very end.  I enjoyed the format for the most part — I was invested, and it was fun to go back and see how it all started.

Ariana’s struggles with anxiety dominated much of the book, but I appreciated that glimpse.  I can’t even imagine what it must be like to then be thrust into this crazy situation without any of your safety nets.  I struggle more with depression than anxiety, but I still connected with what she was going through and the way the thoughts snowballed in her head…it felt real, and for me it was well done.

I think it made me love them together as a couple even more.  I LOVED seeing Zolaya court Ari.  He was so patient, and he truly understood how important it was for him to understand her anxiety so he could be of help.  He was sweet, patient, persistent…  Obviously not without missteps, but he did the best he could.  And I loved seeing Ari let him in…it was wonderful.

For all the anxiety stuff going on, the book was surprisingly playful at times!  I think that’s one of the things I enjoyed most about them as a couple…they were able to laugh and cry.

So yeah…I think I’ll enjoy sprinkling in these last few IPB books in between my Icehome ones…they’re like little treats for fans.