Proceed With Caution:
This book contains mentions of slavery, human trafficking, death, and violence.
The Basics:
When She Purrs is the first full length story of this series, and it does standalone. It's set on Risda III, a farming planet in the far reaches of space where rescued human slaves are sent to start new lives. We're following Kim, a human woman who's trying to protect her farm, and Nassakth, her praxiian neighbor whose courting gestures have not gone over well.
This book is connected to Deceiving the Corsair. Kim and Nassakth meet Zoey's three brothers, but it's not necessary to read that one to follow the plot.
My Thoughts:
I am loving this series so far and was happy to get a fully fleshed out story in this newish world. When She Purrs is all about Kim's botched attempt at getting a husband to protect her and her farm. She's been freaked out by the dead animals left on her porch and the....man juice sprayed across her door, so she's desperate. In her desperation, she hires a bounty hunter to kidnap a nice man, bring him to her, and make sure they get married. Well, she winds up with the alien who's been leaving these gifts on her doorstep: her adorably misguided neighbor!
When She Purrs starts out so fun! Kim has no idea what to do with the large alien tied up in her kitchen. He's not who she wanted, so does she let him go? Does she kill him? Does she just accept him as her destiny? On top of that, she accidentally drugs him! She only grows noli flowers and the pollen from them acts as an aphrodisiac on the praxiians and too much causes some intense side effects. To say she's in a mess would be an understatement! She handles it though, and Nassakth is finally able to explain his actions toward her. Clearly different species have different mating rituals. He just has a big ol' crush on Kim!
Obviously, Kim and Nassakth have to get together, because Romance novel. But that's not the end of their journey. It's just the beginning. When She Purrs continues with Kim and Nassakth getting to know each other better and healing together. Both of them are former slaves. Kim was a sex slave, as most humans in this world are, and Nassakth was sold as a child to become a gladiator. They have both have some inner work to do and need the support of their partner. It's all very sweet.
But When She Purrs doesn't end there! Nope, it keeps going! There's a lot going on, but it never felt like too much. Kim and Nassakth just have a lot of story to tell. Kim is still insecure about her place in the world and in Nassakth's life. He has some unresolved issues from his past which I found really interesting. There's some great world-building here, and I'd love more books with the praxiians. They're so different from the mesakkah that we've gotten use to through Ruby Dixon's other series.
Anyway, I really liked When She Purrs. There's a sweet romance, great world-building, a decent external plot (it's kind of in the background, then gets resolved, and then is over).