Aries
He’s an admitted killer with a secret past.
She’s the only woman who can save him.
In a ritual that forbids touch but demands intimacy, one accidental brush of skin could result in death.
Callie
I volunteered to save him without thinking twice.
Now I'm stuck in ancient redemption rituals with the brooding gladiator I've carefully avoided for five years.
The rules are simple:
• live together
• prove our bond is genuine
• absolutely no touching
But as each intimate trial reveals the honorable male behind his walls, I'm facing an impossible truth: the gladiator I thought cold and distant has been protecting me all along—from himself and the truth behind his so-called crime.
Aries
I don’t deny I killed someone. I deserve death.
But Callie sees something in me worth saving—even as I push her away.
The rituals demand emotional intimacy.
The trials forbid even a single touch.
Every confession peels back my armor.
Every moment with her tempts me to risk everything.
When our enemies sabotage the trials to ensure my execution, I’m left with one impossible choice:
Accept a pardon that means losing her forever—
Or risk death for a love I never thought I deserved.
This enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn sci-fi romance features a protective hero with a tragic past, a strong heroine who stands her ground, and trials designed to break even the strongest connection. If you like emotional healing, hard-won trust, and love that defies the harshest judgment, this book delivers the perfect blend of action and romance that USA TODAY Bestselling author Alana Khan readers expect.
Alana Khan
Alana Khan writes where the heart meets the stars, blending raw human emotion with the thrill of otherworldly adventure. A USA Today bestselling author, she has built a devoted following across the worlds of sci-fi and monster romance, crafting stories that are as emotionally charged as they are unapologetically steamy.
Before she began creating alien warriors, battle-scarred heroes, and fierce heroines fighting for love among the stars, Khan worked as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and PTSD. That background threads through every page she writes. Her characters, whether human, hybrid, or something far stranger, are never simple archetypes. They are survivors. They carry wounds, face inner darkness, and heal through connection. It is this emotional depth that gives her romantic universes a pulse that feels utterly real, even when set light years away.
Galaxy Gladiators Alien Abduction Romance Series
Galaxy Gladiators Alien Abduction Romance Series consists of twenty-two books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Reviews and Comments
This was my first book from this series that I have read and while I am sure there are aspects I would have enjoyed more if I was more familiar with the series it still worked as an enjoyable standalone. I really enjoyed getting to know both Callie and Aries in this story and seeing the two of them work through all their past misunderstandings and issues as the story progressed and their shimmerling companion Spark was cute as well.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.