Loved by the Lion By Evangeline Anderson

'Loved By The Lion' is Evangeline Anderson's latest addition to the 'Kindred Tales' series. It's hard to believe that this book is the fortieth in the series! In this book of hers, she introduces a new type of Kindred, the Monstrum Kindred. Having met them briefly in a previous work where they fight to protect their home planet against the Darklings, this book offers more to that saga in the form of Chief Commander Rarev, one of their own. We also get to see the supremely interesting Minister Emilia Oxley, who has not one, not two, but three huge crises to deal with, that too around Christmas time. She discovers that her husband is cheating on her, a furious mob is baying for blood outside her residence, and on top of all these, she is also just entering the Menopause phase in her life. Just when it feels like the sky is falling down on her, enter Rarev. He has always had a crush on Em, and he finds her to be an extremely attractive female. He rescues her from the mob and they sail to safety in his ship. They reach Rigellen Five, where, in pursuit of the right to mine an extremely rare and powerful mineral, Yillium, they have to compete and win in a set of intimate Trials as a couple pretending to be in love. How long can they keep pretending? Will they fall in love eventually? Can they save the Earth from the impending destruction? That's what the book tries to answer.

Having read a few previous installments in the Kindred Tales, this book manages to stand out due to a plethora of reasons, foremost among which is the electrifying chemistry between the protagonists. Em and Rarev are both brilliantly created characters who manage to win your heart instantly. They're lion-hearted(one of them, literally), and as representatives of their people, they're loyal, caring, and always ready to make sacrifices. Both are complicated in their own right, with Rarev having vowed to never claim a bride, and Em having lost faith in love, and the ability to love herself for the person she is. Despite these, the Trials take them on an adventurous journey of sorts, where they both evolve as individuals and begin to value and discover each other along the way. 

The style in which the book is written makes it a breezy read from start to end. Personally, the author's personal notes of sorts are extremely endearing. The plot is intricately and intriguingly woven, while the sprinkling of romance strives to enhance the overall reading experience. On the whole, it's a well-written, feel-good romantic adventure that enthralls you from beginning to end.