Marljas and Sheala, we met them in Brianna and for the first part of this book the stories were overlapping. Because of this you could read this as a stand alone (although I think it would be a shame to miss Brianna's spirit). I thought this was okay, Sheala is kidnapped and raped, Marljas saves her, at which time Sheala marries Marljas. Then Sheala has to get over her fear of intimacy (which might not be so bad if she wasn't a Drakian, with a culture known for hedinism). The struggles that Shea and Marl go through are believable, and the worlds that are painted by Mays are very interesting.
This and Brianna were not the first two sci-fi romance that I read, but of what I've read they have felt like sci-fi (something I appreciate). Upon finishing this I went to the Ms. Mays website to find out when/if there will be another, and I was both delighted and disapointed a new one will be released mid-June but it focuses on Meri so it will be more of a prequil. Thing is I know that Meri will end ulp with Ademis I want to know about Ban, and Sosha, and if Deni's baby is a girl... ( )