To See the Sun

By: Kelly Jensen

Narrated by: TJ Clark

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies - what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion - someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He’s spent his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he’ll do just about anything - even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael’s has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work - until Gael’s past catches up with them, threatening Abraham’s livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

©2018 Kelly Jensen (P)2019 Riptide Publishing

Sci-Fi Romance

Spoilers deliberately avoided. There is no way to rave about some of the characters or twists and turns without ruining surprises.

Jane Austen said, “My characters shall have, after a little trouble, all that they desire.” One gentle phrase to sum up the essence of romance stories. While there are wonderful science fiction elements to this story, the fundamental promise to the reader is around love. The trouble that will be faced throughout the book is not left to mystery. In the first chapter, we meet Gael and quickly learn the essence of the very real, very difficult series of problems he is going to face.

In truth, that is just as well. This is no mystery, this is a love story. To cheer on our guys as they learn about each other and work through their issues, we need to love them. Here, Kelly Jensen never fails to deliver. We cheer on the guys as love overcomes trouble and grows into something beautiful.

The story has everything you might want: advanced technology, new concepts of the frontier on other planets, and secondary - but - important - characters that also have a chance to develop into three-dimensional people. The intriguing science fiction element of this story is not to be ignored. And while this may stand out among her collected works, Kelly Jensen delivers us another engaging romance worthy of bearing her name.

Cute SF Romance with some Spice

This book definitely delivered on the warm, fuzzy romance bit. It also has enough action and suspense to keep you interested throughout, and the science fiction backdrop and frontier world give some futuristic Western vibes. It's not the deepest story I've read, but if you want a fluffy romance novel with a bit of neat world building and a steamy scene or two, this hits the spot nicely.

Loved the story and the wonderful narration

loved it from the start!
The world building was wonderful, I could imagine it effortlessly.
The main characters were likeable, their struggles were believable and they felt genuine.
As the lively side characters.
Through the book there was this cozy, warm feeling portrayed by the characters and the scenery (although their world was harsh).

Also I loved TJ Clark's voice and narration!! He is SO talented.
I recommend.

Fresh Take on Romance

This is not typically what I imagine when I hear the phrase "romance novel". The sci-fi back drop to this story feels really fresh and exciting and is used perfectly to create some unique obstacles to the main love story. And it is certainly that. A real love story with a ton of heart. TJ Clark's narration completely brings these characters to life and draws you into their journey. You'll fall in love too.

loved it!

This story was a wonderful mix of futuristic space odyssey and old wild west charm. very sweet with characters I cared about. will definitely recommend to a friend.

Now a sci fi romance fan

I will be honest. I have never really been a big sci-fi fan. But when I saw that this was sci-fi romance I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did. This was a new experience for me. I loved it. I couldn't get enough. I found myself listening every chance I got because I was so involved with the story. And the narrator did a great job. His narrating made the story come alive and his different voices for the different characters really fit. This is the story of Gael & Bram. Gael has had a hard life. Life is rough in the under city. Always doing what he can to survive. He is forced to do a job he can't stomach. Now he is on the run and he posts online as a mail order husband and signs a contract with a lonely farmer named Abraham (Bram for short). As soon as he arrives to Bram things don't go as expected. But in the chaos they form a bond and true love might be obtainable. That is if they can survive Gael's past finding him. This was a great story that kept me guessing. I loved Gael and Bram from the start and was rooting for their love and safety the whole time.

Great Book

TJ Clark offered a wonderful performance for this story. I loved the world and characters. It was a sweet slow burn in a really cool sci-fi setting. Thoroughly recommend checking it out. It's definitely going to be one I come back to again.

Love, Home and Family

Maybe not just a slow build Wild West romance set in outer space? Maybe there is a reason Gael has not seen the sun? The narrator does a good job with each character and that helps move the story along. It’s interesting that Kelly Jensen takes on so many themes in this story; good and evil, trust, home, love, family, justice. Jensen chooses to set us in a boundary of poisonous mists on a plant with no atmosphere in deep crevasses. I think she is saying something. It appears we only get to to see the sun when we are with the people we truly care about.

WOW!

Where do I even begin? This story was so well written and TJ's narration drew me right into the story. When it started coming to the end of the audiobook I wasn't ready for it to be over. What a great book and performance!

good world building and hopefull story

This is kind of a space western with mineral claims, farmsteads, mail order brides and rough territory justice. 4.5 stars for both book and narration.

Gael Sonnen was born on Zhemosen into a life bereft of any redeeming value and one full of trouble. At the end of a series of awful events, he flubs a felony job his employer tasked him with. This also involved a young child, Avi, who is street smart and she follows him after he tries to get away. Gael's only friend sets him up with a holo video on a "social" site in hopes someone offers him a contract as a way off the planet.

Abraham Bauer used to be a miner on Alkirak, after 30 years serving the company he becomes a farmer. A minors life is not for families and now that Bram is mostly settled, he craves a family. He sees Gael's holo video and is captivated by Gael's shy almost smile. He sends his own holo video and Gael is attracted to Bram's quite shyness as well. Gael agrees to Bram's contract and makes the 4 week trip thru hyper space.

Upon landing everything is different that what anyone expected. The planet is much more desolate than Gael thought it would be. The sun which is what he wanted to see and feel more than anything is so scorching one cannot experience it without major protection. Avi stowed away in a locker and put Gael as the owner. Bram and Gael know nothing of Avi and thus begins the relationship between them all. A relationship that starts as lies.

Even though the start of this instant family is worse than tenuous, because all three of them are actually good people, they gradually do become a family. All three MC's are fleshed out well. The world building of Alkirak is impressive. It is a planet that is in the very beginning of being terra formed and is very inhospitable to off planet flora and fauna alike.

The lies that start the relationships keep getting peeled away like an onion, but each layer is more painful than the last. So trust between them is tenuous. By the time the major storm occurs, trust between them is at its most tenuous. The storm is both planetary and human in nature.

Because this is a romance, you know it will work out in the end. The physical world Ms Jensen created and the complexity of the people would be great to make this into a series. She touches on many themes that could be further explored such as bullying, slavery and corporate greed.