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Gennekt #2
Contagion
One OCD neat freak alien.
One human woman.
Both are abducted and held captive in a very unsterile environment.
What more could go wrong?
~
Simmi: I’ve broken free and I’ve also freed the human who was held captive with me. But I don’t know where we are, and I don’t know where my home is. The local wildlife may be smaller than I am, and maybe they don't have fangs near as large as mine, but I’m still terrified. My issues with germs--and my uncompromising avoidance of all the things that I’m afraid of coming into contact with--is going to get me killed in this wilderness.
Thankfully, Aurora lets me follow her.
Thankfully, she seems to know the way out of this endless and inhospitable woodland and desert biome.
But by the end of our journey, she’ll suspect she’s harboring a contagion. I have no way to know it, but she’s afraid to tell me. Afraid of how I’ll react once I find out what she’s carrying.
***Note: This 40K, Standalone story is intended for readers 18+ due to romantic elements and adult themes. There is no cheating. There is one really germphobic alien. Thankfully, there's also a really understanding woman who is starting to fall for him. Spoiler: They're totally gonna have a Happily Ever After... just as soon as they can get off this planet that’s trying to kill them.
One human woman.
Both are abducted and held captive in a very unsterile environment.
What more could go wrong?
~
Simmi: I’ve broken free and I’ve also freed the human who was held captive with me. But I don’t know where we are, and I don’t know where my home is. The local wildlife may be smaller than I am, and maybe they don't have fangs near as large as mine, but I’m still terrified. My issues with germs--and my uncompromising avoidance of all the things that I’m afraid of coming into contact with--is going to get me killed in this wilderness.
Thankfully, Aurora lets me follow her.
Thankfully, she seems to know the way out of this endless and inhospitable woodland and desert biome.
But by the end of our journey, she’ll suspect she’s harboring a contagion. I have no way to know it, but she’s afraid to tell me. Afraid of how I’ll react once I find out what she’s carrying.
***Note: This 40K, Standalone story is intended for readers 18+ due to romantic elements and adult themes. There is no cheating. There is one really germphobic alien. Thankfully, there's also a really understanding woman who is starting to fall for him. Spoiler: They're totally gonna have a Happily Ever After... just as soon as they can get off this planet that’s trying to kill them.
152 pages, ebook
First published November 18, 2019
775 people are currently reading
2247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 661 reviews
April 23, 2020
Honestly I laughed harder than the first book in the series "Contaminated".
Can you imagine a control freak, neat freak, clean freak alien lost somewhere in a earh jungle far away from his sterilized, germ free lab and planet?
The only person who can help him is a human girl.
Of course they will fall in love.
Can you imagine a control freak, neat freak, clean freak alien lost somewhere in a earh jungle far away from his sterilized, germ free lab and planet?
The only person who can help him is a human girl.
Of course they will fall in love.
January 18, 2021
4 to 4 1/2 stars
This novella is told from the POV of the obsessive-compulsive, germophobic, alien hero, Simmi, who finds himself in an unexpected situation in an unfamiliar, panic-inducing environment.
He doesn't mean to be a hilarious stressball, but sometimes he really is.
(And I'm not the only one who thinks so.)
And after everything the human heroine, Aurora, has been through?
He's just what she needs to feel needed, safe, and to find her laughter again...
Cute, funny story. Glad I read it.
This novella is told from the POV of the obsessive-compulsive, germophobic, alien hero, Simmi, who finds himself in an unexpected situation in an unfamiliar, panic-inducing environment.
He doesn't mean to be a hilarious stressball, but sometimes he really is.
(And I'm not the only one who thinks so.)
And after everything the human heroine, Aurora, has been through?
He's just what she needs to feel needed, safe, and to find her laughter again...
Cute, funny story. Glad I read it.
November 1, 2023
my rating was 4 but after reread i'm giving 5 because why not😋
~~~
august 21, 2022
i enjoyed this so much 🤨
~~~
august 21, 2022
i enjoyed this so much 🤨
December 3, 2022
Simmi is like Niles Crane and Sheldon Cooper combined. This persnickety, germaphobic alien was silly and endearing. I liked him very much in the first book and he’s even better in his own. His relationship with his human Aurora was lovely and sweet. I like it when two ‘people’ find each other and make each other better. Lots of funny moments as Simmi is forced out of the safety of his restricted life and goes on an unwanted adventure, meeting and rescuing Aurora, as they are both taken by human pirates or bandits. This is the part that I felt was less enjoyable. I think a lot of detail was left out as to where they were, why they were taken and the escape and rescue was done very quickly in the beginning. The book started after Simmi was abducted and I think this was a mistake. I think we should have seen the abduction happen to better understand what exactly brought Simmi and Aurora together. Also, I wanted to know more about Aurora, this book was told in Simmi’s POV and he is kind of a self absorbed alien. We are shown all his thoughts, and though they are hilarious, he didn’t really take any time to get to know Aurora and therefore we weren’t given much information about her and her backstory. This was a miss because I didn’t feel like I knew her or could really connect with her.
But this was still a silly and funny adventure with a happy ending. Finding out what Aurora’s job was was particularly hilarious, but I won’t spoil it.
But this was still a silly and funny adventure with a happy ending. Finding out what Aurora’s job was was particularly hilarious, but I won’t spoil it.
November 23, 2019
Simmi to me embodies the best of Sheldon Cooper and Robert Downey Jr with a little bit of fierce predator thrown in (although bless his heart, Simmi doesn't KNOW he is a predator!) Just what I needed to end a stressful work week. 4.5 stars
December 26, 2022
4.5 - 4.75 ⭐ I'm not one for precise decimal point stars but this one ranks just under Contaminated for me because despite Contagion being amazing and Simmi being ADORABLE, Contaminated is king.
RTC
RTC
February 10, 2022
**4.6/5 stars**
This short novel was so fun to read! It is not mentioned anywhere, but it seems to be the second installment in a series of standalones. The first one being Contaminated . Skipping that one by mistake, I had no issues reading Contagion as a standalone. But I have to admit that, at the start, I did feel slightly confused as to why Simmi was talking so familiary about his friend Erreck and his human mate Skynan, as if I was supposed to be familiar with them as well. Now I know why!
I don't think the blurb on Goodreads does Contagion justice. In fact, the blurb is the reason why I took so long to pick up the book. The story starts with Simmi, a Genneӝt (Pronounced ''Gennext'' or ''Gennekt'', I suppose) who wakes up disoriented and tied to a table and who is surrounded by human men planning to do some experiments on him. By pure luck and human idiocy, Simmi is freed from his captivity, and this is where he meets and helps Aurora, a young woman who was also held captive by the men. They escape together, and from there, have to find their way back to their respective life.
The story is solely told by Simmi, a strange and endearing germaphobic alien with OCD who is stuck on an unknown planet. I honestly thought that this concept would be annoying with time, but I was pleasantly surprised at how wrong I was. I loved Simmi and his panic episodes, his weird analytical way of speaking, his unfamiliarity with affection, his curiosity and his moments of bravery. Everything about him was adorable and comical. I think by alien standards (lmao), that he was a virgin before meeting Aurora but I'm not sure. He was also such a beta male, but I did appreciate how protective he was of Aurora, willing to fight his fears to save her when she needed itor not.
I think Aurora was absolutely perfect for Simmi. She had a way to ground him and she was able to help him during his panic attacks or his weird OCD episodes. What I loved about her, was how she was able to coax Simmi out of his comfort zone, leading him, persuading him... I never felt like she was impatient with him or even frustrated. She was always helpful and considerate of his fears, acknowledging them without ridiculing him. She did laugh but it never was in a mocking way. She was honestly so likeable and nice.
This pair was truly amazing. I loved how well they complemented and respected each other. They had a nice chemistry, and it was just so simple, in a good way. There was no angst or unnecessary drama. I had no idea that I needed Simmi and Aurora in my life, and together, they've earned something I rarely bestow; the comfort-book tag...because yes, I will probably read this short novel again, when I'll need some sweetness and love in my life.
✔️HEA
✔️Short Novel
✔️Hero POV
✔️Beta H
✔️Sweet/Strong h
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No separation
🔥 Steam level: 3.5/5
⚡Trigger warning
Would I recommend this short novel? Absolutely!
Especially if you feel like reading something sweet and fun, with hot alien steam.
This short novel was so fun to read! It is not mentioned anywhere, but it seems to be the second installment in a series of standalones. The first one being Contaminated . Skipping that one by mistake, I had no issues reading Contagion as a standalone. But I have to admit that, at the start, I did feel slightly confused as to why Simmi was talking so familiary about his friend Erreck and his human mate Skynan, as if I was supposed to be familiar with them as well. Now I know why!
I don't think the blurb on Goodreads does Contagion justice. In fact, the blurb is the reason why I took so long to pick up the book. The story starts with Simmi, a Genneӝt (Pronounced ''Gennext'' or ''Gennekt'', I suppose) who wakes up disoriented and tied to a table and who is surrounded by human men planning to do some experiments on him. By pure luck and human idiocy, Simmi is freed from his captivity, and this is where he meets and helps Aurora, a young woman who was also held captive by the men. They escape together, and from there, have to find their way back to their respective life.
“I eye the muddy bank leading to the water’s edge, and decide I’ll accept death by dehydration.”-Simmi
The story is solely told by Simmi, a strange and endearing germaphobic alien with OCD who is stuck on an unknown planet. I honestly thought that this concept would be annoying with time, but I was pleasantly surprised at how wrong I was. I loved Simmi and his panic episodes, his weird analytical way of speaking, his unfamiliarity with affection, his curiosity and his moments of bravery. Everything about him was adorable and comical. I think by alien standards (lmao), that he was a virgin before meeting Aurora but I'm not sure. He was also such a beta male, but I did appreciate how protective he was of Aurora, willing to fight his fears to save her when she needed it
“I like viciousness from you. Even when you promise things that make you sound like a mad scientist.”
-Aurora
I think Aurora was absolutely perfect for Simmi. She had a way to ground him and she was able to help him during his panic attacks or his weird OCD episodes. What I loved about her, was how she was able to coax Simmi out of his comfort zone, leading him, persuading him... I never felt like she was impatient with him or even frustrated. She was always helpful and considerate of his fears, acknowledging them without ridiculing him. She did laugh but it never was in a mocking way. She was honestly so likeable and nice.
“I’ve never been so female-handled in all my life”-Simmi
This pair was truly amazing. I loved how well they complemented and respected each other. They had a nice chemistry, and it was just so simple, in a good way. There was no angst or unnecessary drama. I had no idea that I needed Simmi and Aurora in my life, and together, they've earned something I rarely bestow; the comfort-book tag...because yes, I will probably read this short novel again, when I'll need some sweetness and love in my life.
✔️HEA
✔️Short Novel
✔️Hero POV
✔️Beta H
✔️Sweet/Strong h
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No separation
🔥 Steam level: 3.5/5
⚡Trigger warning
Would I recommend this short novel? Absolutely!
Especially if you feel like reading something sweet and fun, with hot alien steam.
November 18, 2019
I was excited to continue the story and read about clean freak Simmi, and the book didn't disappoint!
I had so much fun reading about this apex predator who is often frightened, defiantly neurotic, and hilariously naive about the trappings of humanity- such a cute germ hating bean.
I also laughed at the ridiculousness at the start of the story when Simmi was more worried about the dirt and unsanitary nature of his surroundings than being threatened by his kidnappers....and chipmunks!
I also liked how he let Aurora take the lead when she was uncomfortable, and really trusted her.
I had so much fun reading about this apex predator who is often frightened, defiantly neurotic, and hilariously naive about the trappings of humanity- such a cute germ hating bean.
I also laughed at the ridiculousness at the start of the story when Simmi was more worried about the dirt and unsanitary nature of his surroundings than being threatened by his kidnappers....and chipmunks!
I also liked how he let Aurora take the lead when she was uncomfortable, and really trusted her.
January 20, 2021
Second installment to this standalones series, first is Contaminated, followed the germophobe Simmi.
As fun and entertaining as the first book, still laughed my head off at some situations and how Simmi reacted.
Definitely worth a try for an quick LOL read.
As fun and entertaining as the first book, still laughed my head off at some situations and how Simmi reacted.
Definitely worth a try for an quick LOL read.
April 24, 2022
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: eBook
Source: KU
Prompt: Reading weird romances
♡ Alien hero
♡ Novella
♡ Cinnamon roll hero
This book was adorable. I can’t wait to read more by this author. I related wayyy too much to the hypochondriac germaphobe alien hero. All the times the heroine rolled her eyes at him, I found his fears to be extremely understandable.
Format: eBook
Source: KU
Prompt: Reading weird romances
♡ Alien hero
♡ Novella
♡ Cinnamon roll hero
This book was adorable. I can’t wait to read more by this author. I related wayyy too much to the hypochondriac germaphobe alien hero. All the times the heroine rolled her eyes at him, I found his fears to be extremely understandable.
December 22, 2023
Audiobook review Dec 22nd, 2023:
Still 10/10. Still love Simmi SO MUCH and love Aurora and so happy for both of them. I've recommended these books so many times and I will continue to do so, but now I can recommend the audiobook versions because Nick Cracknell was an excellent audio narrator for Contaminated and Contagion.
I saw that he's narrated Amanda Milo's Stolen by an Alien series as well although I'm not sure I want to dive into a reread or the audiobook versions of those ones. I like his narration well enough that I dug through his other stuff and added a couple other things I haven't read yet though. In 2024, one of my reading goals is going to be diversifying my reading format a bit more by reading more physical books and trying out more audiobooks so doing a re-read of these top favorites was a fantastic way to dive into it.
I also wish I could get a poster of the paperback cover where Aurora is holding Simmi because it's so frickin cute and perfect.
Original Review Sept 24th, 2022:
I would describe this book as kind of fluffy, which might seem a bit odd given the nature of our chitin covered, germophobic alien. :)
This was a light, easy read with a lot of humor and some good vibes. I really loved Simmi's personality and could relate to both Simmi and Aurora's different perspectives on trying their best to survive in an unexpected, uncertain situation. The growth of their relationship felt natural and I really enjoyed the little ways they came to balance each other. It was really cute and I hope to find more stories just like it!
Still 10/10. Still love Simmi SO MUCH and love Aurora and so happy for both of them. I've recommended these books so many times and I will continue to do so, but now I can recommend the audiobook versions because Nick Cracknell was an excellent audio narrator for Contaminated and Contagion.
I saw that he's narrated Amanda Milo's Stolen by an Alien series as well although I'm not sure I want to dive into a reread or the audiobook versions of those ones. I like his narration well enough that I dug through his other stuff and added a couple other things I haven't read yet though. In 2024, one of my reading goals is going to be diversifying my reading format a bit more by reading more physical books and trying out more audiobooks so doing a re-read of these top favorites was a fantastic way to dive into it.
I also wish I could get a poster of the paperback cover where Aurora is holding Simmi because it's so frickin cute and perfect.
Original Review Sept 24th, 2022:
I would describe this book as kind of fluffy, which might seem a bit odd given the nature of our chitin covered, germophobic alien. :)
This was a light, easy read with a lot of humor and some good vibes. I really loved Simmi's personality and could relate to both Simmi and Aurora's different perspectives on trying their best to survive in an unexpected, uncertain situation. The growth of their relationship felt natural and I really enjoyed the little ways they came to balance each other. It was really cute and I hope to find more stories just like it!
nope
November 18, 2019Connected to Contaminated. Simmi is in Contaminated first. So read Contaminated first before this one if you don't want to read things out of order.
by order of publication... "Standalones"
1. Contaminated
2. Contagion
by order of publication... "Standalones"
1. Contaminated
2. Contagion
July 20, 2022
4.5 stars
After reading Contaminated, I was excited for Simmi's story and this was exactly what I was hoping for. Simmi (H) is an alien who's been abducted from his home planet by humans. Unfortunately for Simmi, he's a germaphobe on a strange planet in a difficult position. Luckily (for him), he has Aurora (h), who was also abducted but for different reasons (no graphic details given). Reading about these two as they escape capture, navigate a wilderness, and fall in love along the hilarious journey was amazing. I was laughing and also warm and fuzzy seeing Simmi only relax for Aurora. This story is told in first person narrative, only male POV. No ow/om drama (Simmi does get j/p majorly), it's not specified but assumed he's a virgin and h is not, no bc. I highly recommend these books and reading Contaminated first. I think this stands alone well enough, but definitely more enjoyable read after the first, plus it's also an excellent read.
After reading Contaminated, I was excited for Simmi's story and this was exactly what I was hoping for. Simmi (H) is an alien who's been abducted from his home planet by humans. Unfortunately for Simmi, he's a germaphobe on a strange planet in a difficult position. Luckily (for him), he has Aurora (h), who was also abducted but for different reasons (no graphic details given). Reading about these two as they escape capture, navigate a wilderness, and fall in love along the hilarious journey was amazing. I was laughing and also warm and fuzzy seeing Simmi only relax for Aurora. This story is told in first person narrative, only male POV. No ow/om drama (Simmi does get j/p majorly), it's not specified but assumed he's a virgin and h is not, no bc. I highly recommend these books and reading Contaminated first. I think this stands alone well enough, but definitely more enjoyable read after the first, plus it's also an excellent read.
January 4, 2022
A rare 100% male-pov MF romance! Was really nice.
I laughed out loud multiple times when I read this. It's really funny.
BUT
I just didn't connect with the romance? There was too much "but somehow he didn't mind". It's a lazy way to explain when a character randomly reacts differently with no narrative reason. It's pretty common that "somehow" the other lead is just different. Well, as a reader I want to know. I'll accept a few of these, but there were too many.
Which lead me to not really connect with the romance.
Simmi was lovely, though. He was an incredibly different and funny MMC.
So 3,5 stars rounded down.
I laughed out loud multiple times when I read this. It's really funny.
BUT
I just didn't connect with the romance? There was too much "but somehow he didn't mind". It's a lazy way to explain when a character randomly reacts differently with no narrative reason. It's pretty common that "somehow" the other lead is just different. Well, as a reader I want to know. I'll accept a few of these, but there were too many.
Which lead me to not really connect with the romance.
Simmi was lovely, though. He was an incredibly different and funny MMC.
So 3,5 stars rounded down.
March 3, 2022
This was surprisingly entertaining
ignoring the fact, that this is NOT how anxiety and phobia works and can be repressed with „love“, I was rather entertained by the book and how playful and fun it was. But especially with the very adorable, very charming, awkward hero.
At the same time he was a little too OTT and shrieky for me and in the second half was barely recognizable anymore, as if he was another being. And the explanation of „normally that would be gross, but somehow not with her“ got rather old really quick. Although it was delightful to read the adventure from his point of view, that also meant it was hard to connect with the heroine, whom I found rather flat and uninteresting.
The OTT characterization continues on with almost every other male they encounter, and all of them were either nasty or leery.
I thought some aspects were rather interesting and had a promising premise, and for such a short and quick read it was absolutely okay. World and culture building are obviously utterly lacking in such a novella, but that ultimately wasn’t the goal of the story of course. and how the hero was described, sometimes with a normal kissable mouth, but also a snout and everything else made the picture of him in my head rather confused.
ignoring the fact, that this is NOT how anxiety and phobia works and can be repressed with „love“, I was rather entertained by the book and how playful and fun it was. But especially with the very adorable, very charming, awkward hero.
At the same time he was a little too OTT and shrieky for me and in the second half was barely recognizable anymore, as if he was another being. And the explanation of „normally that would be gross, but somehow not with her“ got rather old really quick. Although it was delightful to read the adventure from his point of view, that also meant it was hard to connect with the heroine, whom I found rather flat and uninteresting.
The OTT characterization continues on with almost every other male they encounter, and all of them were either nasty or leery.
I thought some aspects were rather interesting and had a promising premise, and for such a short and quick read it was absolutely okay. World and culture building are obviously utterly lacking in such a novella, but that ultimately wasn’t the goal of the story of course. and how the hero was described, sometimes with a normal kissable mouth, but also a snout and everything else made the picture of him in my head rather confused.
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January 6, 2023
3⭐️ Germaphobe alien gets abducted and finds himself in the middle of nowhere... Now, what could go wrong?
Simmi is a scientist whose life revolves around obsessive cleanliness and sanitary spaces, until he's abducted by three humans and taken from his home planet. After a fortuitous explosion that frees him and pulverises his kidnappers, he tries to find his way out of the ship he's in... only to find he's not the only being the attackers had aboard. Now, next to human female named Aurora, Simmi needs to find a way to return home and survive the wilds of a new and unknown planet.
This novella was cute, and although I have the same complaint I had with Contaminated which is that I don't think there's enough chemistry between Simmi and Aurora, this was a fun read. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult life would be if anyone where to have Simmi's level of neurosis, but reading about it was enjoyable - especially when he forgot about germs because, well, kisses! (I don't know how realistic that is, but it was cute). Aurora's carelessness paired with her humour and infinite patience was the perfect counterpart to Simmi's OCD induced rambles.
Not the best alien story I've ever read, but definitively not the worst.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/ 5
Simmi is a scientist whose life revolves around obsessive cleanliness and sanitary spaces, until he's abducted by three humans and taken from his home planet. After a fortuitous explosion that frees him and pulverises his kidnappers, he tries to find his way out of the ship he's in... only to find he's not the only being the attackers had aboard. Now, next to human female named Aurora, Simmi needs to find a way to return home and survive the wilds of a new and unknown planet.
This novella was cute, and although I have the same complaint I had with Contaminated which is that I don't think there's enough chemistry between Simmi and Aurora, this was a fun read. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult life would be if anyone where to have Simmi's level of neurosis, but reading about it was enjoyable - especially when he forgot about germs because, well, kisses! (I don't know how realistic that is, but it was cute). Aurora's carelessness paired with her humour and infinite patience was the perfect counterpart to Simmi's OCD induced rambles.
Not the best alien story I've ever read, but definitively not the worst.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/ 5
January 12, 2022
It was cute and funny 😊
December 10, 2022
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline/World Building: 📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes! It’s delightful
Perspective: First person present tense from the hero’s point of view
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from A Love Less Ordinary )
Should I read in order?
It is okay as a stand alone (I did!) but there’s plenty of mention of the prior couple so I think you’ll get more enjoyment if you read Contaminated first.
Basic plot:
Simmi and Aurora were abducted and held captive – but they escape together and work to find safety.
Give this a try if you want:
- Earth setting
- Scifi romance
- Alien hero/human heroine pairing
- Bit of a road trip feel
- So much humor and fun
- lots of hero perspective! The whole book is from his point of view.
- 1 full scene (in a short page count)
- Opposites attract
- Protective/jealous hero
My thoughts:
Oh this book just took me totally by surprise in the best way. The best way!!! Amanda Milo has such a fun writing style, I just adored this adventure so much. Everything about it from the very first page, to her author notes, to the about her section. Every bit was delightful!
This entire book is from Simmi’s perspective and that in itself made it special to me. I loved getting a full view of an alien hero perspective. He has some OCD and definitely does not appreciate germs, but ends up making allowances when his heart falls for Aurora.
It is a shorter novel, and the plot focuses on their present time adventures. Because of this the actual world building and character depth are on the light side. I’m not sure if there was some world building in Contaminated. From what I gathered here, Earth has made alien contact and while there’s some bigotry against them, aliens seem to be recognized and accepted in some places. They are called offworlders.
The humor in this story was so sweet. And I did get the paperback which includes artwork from Chloe Gross that depicts a wonderfully hilarious scene from the story. I am just in awe of how much I loved Milo’s work here. It was so fun, unique and different. I will absolutely be seeking out more from her.
Cock/Hero Stats:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline/World Building: 📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes! It’s delightful
Perspective: First person present tense from the hero’s point of view
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from A Love Less Ordinary )
Should I read in order?
It is okay as a stand alone (I did!) but there’s plenty of mention of the prior couple so I think you’ll get more enjoyment if you read Contaminated first.
Basic plot:
Simmi and Aurora were abducted and held captive – but they escape together and work to find safety.
Give this a try if you want:
- Earth setting
- Scifi romance
- Alien hero/human heroine pairing
- Bit of a road trip feel
- So much humor and fun
- lots of hero perspective! The whole book is from his point of view.
- 1 full scene (in a short page count)
- Opposites attract
- Protective/jealous hero
My thoughts:
Oh this book just took me totally by surprise in the best way. The best way!!! Amanda Milo has such a fun writing style, I just adored this adventure so much. Everything about it from the very first page, to her author notes, to the about her section. Every bit was delightful!
This entire book is from Simmi’s perspective and that in itself made it special to me. I loved getting a full view of an alien hero perspective. He has some OCD and definitely does not appreciate germs, but ends up making allowances when his heart falls for Aurora.
It is a shorter novel, and the plot focuses on their present time adventures. Because of this the actual world building and character depth are on the light side. I’m not sure if there was some world building in Contaminated. From what I gathered here, Earth has made alien contact and while there’s some bigotry against them, aliens seem to be recognized and accepted in some places. They are called offworlders.
The humor in this story was so sweet. And I did get the paperback which includes artwork from Chloe Gross that depicts a wonderfully hilarious scene from the story. I am just in awe of how much I loved Milo’s work here. It was so fun, unique and different. I will absolutely be seeking out more from her.
Cock/Hero Stats:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
March 1, 2022
Simmi is an alien, who’s led a quiet, peaceful, and insulated existence on his home planet. He and the human heroine, Aurora, have both been held captive by a small group of dangerous but stupid human men on an unnamed planet. When the men holding them are killed through an accident of their own making, Simmi and Aurora set out through the wilderness to find a city. Their wilderness trek was my favorite part of the book. The novella is told from Simmi’s POV, which came across as innocent, endearing, and very funny in this part of the book. Simmi is anxious and also a germaphobe, and at one point he jumps into a river to save Aurora. Once they’re back on the riverbank, he discovers a leech on his leg and gets very upset (I don’t blame him, I would do the same thing.) Aurora gets it off of him and then says, "The leech didn’t even bite you.’” Simmi’s response: "My voice notches up to an unnatural frequency. THEY BITE?’ *Cue loud, loud mental shrieking.*”
The book took a sharp turn once they reached the city. Every single man who saw her was after Aurora (was she some future version of Helen of Troy?) and Simmi’s personality changed to a “Don’t even look at my woman” stud after he and Aurora had sex. 🙄
(First half was 3.5 stars, second half was 1 star. Averaged out to 2.25 stars.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2019
Have a mentioned lately that IM TOTALLY HERE FOR THE 'STORY TOLD FROM THE ALIENS VIEW' scifi romance?
Oh...well. Hell yeah. This shiz is the bomb.
I totally tripped and crashed through the window that is tumblr's Humans Are Space Orcs posts, and this book seriously just capitalized on that fantasy.
An alien? Who is a dearsome predator who also has no clue he's a fearsome predator? Whose also a germaphobe? Lost on Earth? With a human? That will questionably turn into dirty, germ-prone steam?
SIGN ME UP BI*CH.
Side Note/QUESTION: Is that some strait up alien DingDong as the cover? (yes, dingdong. You get it.) Cause if so, YOWZA
4.55 spend-pods-y'all stars☆
Oh...well. Hell yeah. This shiz is the bomb.
I totally tripped and crashed through the window that is tumblr's Humans Are Space Orcs posts, and this book seriously just capitalized on that fantasy.
An alien? Who is a dearsome predator who also has no clue he's a fearsome predator? Whose also a germaphobe? Lost on Earth? With a human? That will questionably turn into dirty, germ-prone steam?
SIGN ME UP BI*CH.
Side Note/QUESTION: Is that some strait up alien DingDong as the cover? (yes, dingdong. You get it.) Cause if so, YOWZA
4.55 spend-pods-y'all stars☆
June 4, 2020
I really recommend reading
prior to this book. I felt a little lost and some things are still not really clear to me.
I absolutely loved Simmi, he was hilarious with all his antics. He manages to free himself and Aurora from some slimy humans and they find themselves in the wilderness.
Amazing story but I wish it went all the way to the
prior to this book. I felt a little lost and some things are still not really clear to me.I absolutely loved Simmi, he was hilarious with all his antics. He manages to free himself and Aurora from some slimy humans and they find themselves in the wilderness.
Amazing story but I wish it went all the way to the
September 14, 2022
4.5 stars. What a charming, light story. It hints at some darker and deeper issues but skates across them to remain stress free and a fun read. So fun to see the story from the alien’s perspective. And the interactions between the alien germaphobe with the practical kind human are so entertaining.
November 18, 2019
Yes! It's finally here! It's Simmi time!
As fun as the first installment, Contagion follows our favorite obsessive-compulsive, tail-sheathing germaphobe, Simmi. Like the last story, this one is told 100% from his point of view, which is delightful and very funny.
Simmi has found himself in some trouble. He wakes up in a filthy room with human men who want to cut him open. He's not sure how he got here—or where here even is—but the infection potential danger is real. Through an interesting twist of fate, Simmi finds himself free and discovers he's not entirely alone: there's a human woman in captivity with him. In an uncharacteristic move, Simmi frees her and attaches himself to her as they go on a search for civilization. Hilarity ensues as Simmi is introduced to nature...and the dreaded chipmunk.
Like the last installment, this one is full to the brim with humor—much of it at Simmi's expense—and heart. Protective Alpha Simmi is amazing, and his pairing with Aurora is perfect.
Thank you for the gift that is this book, Ms. Milo. All the puffy heart love for Simmi.
As fun as the first installment, Contagion follows our favorite obsessive-compulsive, tail-sheathing germaphobe, Simmi. Like the last story, this one is told 100% from his point of view, which is delightful and very funny.
Simmi has found himself in some trouble. He wakes up in a filthy room with human men who want to cut him open. He's not sure how he got here—or where here even is—but the infection potential danger is real. Through an interesting twist of fate, Simmi finds himself free and discovers he's not entirely alone: there's a human woman in captivity with him. In an uncharacteristic move, Simmi frees her and attaches himself to her as they go on a search for civilization. Hilarity ensues as Simmi is introduced to nature...and the dreaded chipmunk.
Like the last installment, this one is full to the brim with humor—much of it at Simmi's expense—and heart. Protective Alpha Simmi is amazing, and his pairing with Aurora is perfect.
Thank you for the gift that is this book, Ms. Milo. All the puffy heart love for Simmi.
October 16, 2021
Very cute read. Even if this scenario (an actually alien alien) is not your favorite - and that would be me - Contagion is an entertaining, funny story. I'm still smiling about it as I write this, which has to be a good sign. : )
September 5, 2025
When the human is the one perceived as the alien
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 STARS (ROUNDED UP)
Ever think about how we would be considered aliens from an extraterrestrial creature's POV instead of the other way around?
That's how this book went since it was purely told from the MMC's POV.
The MMC, Simmi, is a germaphobe who easily gets panicked over unknown creatures (like a squirrel, a leech, and mosquitoes), so there were just a lot of funny moments that made the novella an enjoyable read. My notes and highlights are littered with those moments and the 🤣 emoji.
Our FMC, Aurora, was perfect for Simmi because she was patient (except for when he had his initial panic attacks) and lighthearted when it came to Simmi. No unnecessary drama, she was unafraid to be honest with Simmi and go after what she wanted. Aside from that, she didn't really stand out much to me.
I loved that Simmi suddenly developed protective instincts for Aurora and how she was an exception for him. Also, she gets him to calm down by kissing him, and she can easily get what she wants when she smiles at him. Tell me that's not cute.
The spice was hot. I loved seeing how much he wants her. He gets a bit feral when she taunts him and it was nice.
Finding out what "contagion" means in this book was also a pleasant surprise. I did not see that coming. I have questions but I'll just ignore them.
While this was enjoyable, it didn't quite make me intrigued about Genekt and the other couple so I probably won't be reading any other books from the series.
DO I RECOMMEND? Yes, if you're looking for a quick, fun read.
WILL I REREAD? Maybe.
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 STARS (ROUNDED UP)
Ever think about how we would be considered aliens from an extraterrestrial creature's POV instead of the other way around?
That's how this book went since it was purely told from the MMC's POV.
The MMC, Simmi, is a germaphobe who easily gets panicked over unknown creatures (like a squirrel, a leech, and mosquitoes), so there were just a lot of funny moments that made the novella an enjoyable read. My notes and highlights are littered with those moments and the 🤣 emoji.
“If we’re lost out here for much longer, and our situation becomes the direst of circumstances, you have my permission to eat me after I perish.”
“Shut up, Simmi,” Aurora says on a laugh.
“But only after I perish,” I stress.
“Simmi!” She’s cackling into her hand.
Our FMC, Aurora, was perfect for Simmi because she was patient (except for when he had his initial panic attacks) and lighthearted when it came to Simmi. No unnecessary drama, she was unafraid to be honest with Simmi and go after what she wanted. Aside from that, she didn't really stand out much to me.
“Yeah, ‘drown.’” She widens her eyes at me. “If you fish me out of the water because it looks like I’m sleeping, that’s bad.”
I loved that Simmi suddenly developed protective instincts for Aurora and how she was an exception for him. Also, she gets him to calm down by kissing him, and she can easily get what she wants when she smiles at him. Tell me that's not cute.
Against all reason: I like Aurora. She is not orderly. She is anything but quiet. She’s technically an antithesis to everything I prefer.
The spice was hot. I loved seeing how much he wants her. He gets a bit feral when she taunts him and it was nice.
Finding out what "contagion" means in this book was also a pleasant surprise. I did not see that coming. I have questions but I'll just ignore them.
While this was enjoyable, it didn't quite make me intrigued about Genekt and the other couple so I probably won't be reading any other books from the series.
DO I RECOMMEND? Yes, if you're looking for a quick, fun read.
WILL I REREAD? Maybe.
November 19, 2019
Brilliantly FUN
This is the second book by Amanda Milo that I've read. I really enjoyed the first - but this one ... so LOL funny. I absolutely loved Simmi - what a delightful bundle of neuroses! So much nicer reading a book that made me laugh than others that have made me cry. Last - I'm so with you on leeches, had one on me once 40 odd yrs ago - some things never leave you :-)
This is the second book by Amanda Milo that I've read. I really enjoyed the first - but this one ... so LOL funny. I absolutely loved Simmi - what a delightful bundle of neuroses! So much nicer reading a book that made me laugh than others that have made me cry. Last - I'm so with you on leeches, had one on me once 40 odd yrs ago - some things never leave you :-)
June 5, 2020
super cute book.
August 26, 2023
Oh, Simmi! He had me rolling on the floor throughout the whole book LMAO He is the most endearing germophobe ever.
Aurora was just the perfect female for him and this was an amazing short story.
Aurora was just the perfect female for him and this was an amazing short story.
July 3, 2020
Sooo cute and hillarious! 😊 Reviewwww when l can
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