While this story dragged a bit during the set up, once our characters realize they are not getting out, they form a cohesive unit where everyone has specific task or responsibility. Taking Stock is a really humorous look what a reality series with a Big Brother-like set up would be if some sexy human looking aliens were thrown in the mix. They are clueless as to the fact that they are traveling through space, but they quickly realize that someone out there is watching. The Tantulan people, who had somehow been able to get into and become addicted to Earth’s reality style TV shows, will be watching the antics a la Big Brother as the humans try to make sense of what has happened to them and just survive. Kai and Rowe are aliens beamed down to earth to be shut inside a Supa-Mart with 9 humans while the whole building is transported through space and time to the planet Tantula. On the plus side, all the men are good looking, especially Kai and Rowe who seem to have noticed her and who she feels an unmistakable attraction to immediately. While there, something fantastical happens and she finds herself trapped inside the Supa-Mart with 10 other people and absolutely no means of escape. The night before she is to leave, though, she realizes that she doesn’t have anything to read and heads out to the 24 hour Supa-Mart to rectify this. Since her situation is terminal, she decides that she’s not going to sit around and wait to die and books herself on a Caribbean vacation over the Christmas holiday.

Zoe is a young woman who has recently been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and is given 3 months to live. I am not ashamed to admit it was the “interesting anatomy” that hooked me in. “Warning: This book contains two hot aliens with interesting anatomy, one lucky human heroine, zero-gravity menage sex, male-male tongue worship, and all the toys one super store can provide.” So, when this arc came to me and I saw this description in the warning, I knew I’d be in for something completely different.

Elsborg has quite a backlist and while I have only read two or three of her stories, I have had strong emotional reactions to both.

The Story of Us by Barbara Elsborg