"A crash landing leads to true love with the enemy"

Mea is a pilot for Earthforce, fighting the Gaians in a war her heart doesn't believe in. She had been impressed into serving in the military after the destruction of her way of life and family. Because she was allowed to fly, her life wasn't horrible. However the ability to out fly and out maneuver the enemy doesn't save her when the Gaians win the battle with Earthforce and capture her starship. Unwilling to be taken captive she flys into deep space planning on finding a deserted planet to live on until she can get rescued.

Having a Gaian pilot follow her might change things a little but when she can't take the shot to kill the enemy, she strands him with her...

I was very impressed with BELOVED ENEMY. Janet Miller had the hard task of writing almost the whole story around only two characters and I really enjoyed the book. Not only did she create a world on which our couple could survive, she created a story where they came together out of necessity to survive and loneliness rather than because there were vicious animals that would kill them. So the story was fast-paced, interesting and very enjoyable without being suspenseful.

The Gaians, to me seem like an almost idealistic society. Even in battle they don't try to shoot to kill but to paralyze all the Earthforce ships. Then they transplant all the prisoners to unknown relocation planets. The men are only attracted to women they can "attach" to, and the women, while able to be with any male, when they "attach" to a man it will be for life. Because of this, their ways are considered strange and they must be absorbed into the conglomerate of Earthforce. Actually, Earthforce really reminds me of the evil empire from "Star Wars."

Mea loves to fly and the idea of being permanently grounded made her fly into space rather than get captured with her shipmates. She was raised as a Traveler (a futuristic gypsy) and is also very creative with her hands even though she is not very domestic.

Kavath, the Gaian shot down by Mea joined the military because he was unattached. To prevent attaching, men generally wear a mask so they don't smell the pheromones given off by women. So he was really surprised to find out that the enemy pilot was a woman and one he could attach to. As a hero, I liked him, he is resourceful and considerate and yet knows what he wants and is willing to out wait Mea to get it.

Kavath won't settle for anything less than marriage before he "bunks" with Mea so they actually get to know each other first through a tentative truce and then as friends. The sexual attraction is there because Kavath inadvertently attaches to Mea (he is able to unattach through her rejection). Because of her own history with Earthforce, I was actually ready to smack her because she had such a hard time believing his own story about what Earthforce had done to his people. Thankfully that really didn't last to long.

BELOVED ENEMY is a great story that I think anyone who loves futuristic tales will enjoy!

Reviewed by Cynthia Eckert
Courtesy eBookIsle
Posted April 20, 2006

Summary

In the far distant future, during a war that no one really wanted, two starfighter pilots become stranded on a deserted jungle planet. Both have skills the other needs for survival and they decide to work together rather than fight.

But there is more than that between them. Earthforce's Lieutenant Meagan An Flena turns out to be Gaian Pilot Kavath Terrell's sexual match. Kavath attaches to Mea and she's attracted to him, but neither of them want to commit to a relationship.

At least that's what they tell themselves.

As they work together for survival, both soon realize that what they have in common just might be more important that what keeps them apart.