Review: Haven 6 (A New Dawn #3) by Aubrie Dionne

by Rachel ElizabethOctober 23, 2012

TLDR Recap:

Eri has spent her whole life aboard the ship The Heritage. The product of an unauthorized pairing, she is the only person without a lifemate. Her life finally gets interesting when her commander gives Eri a mission; she is to be a scout on the planet they’re about to land on. Eri will be sent ahead of her people to spy on those who are currently residing on Haven 6. Eri never expected to meet Striver, though, and soon she’s left feeling conflicted over where her loyalties really lie…Haven 6 is a Recommended Read!

Title: Haven 6
Series: A New Dawn #3
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Prominent Characters: Eri, Striver
Recommended Reader Age: 16+
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Sexual Content Level: Very little

***This review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence!***

Thoughts:

Eri is a linguist on The Heritage, a colonization ship that has been traveling through space for 300 years. The one thing she wants more than anything is the one thing she can’t have; a lifemate. Eri’s parents were not matched by a computer- instead they fell in love and had her. Unfortunately, that means that Eri is unlike everyone else on her ship, and although she’s tried to request the permission to get a lifemate, she continues to be denied. When The Heritage’s commander calls Eri to her office, the last thing Eri expects to hear is that the commander has a mission for her. Commander Grier has received reports that the planet they will soon be landing on, Haven 6, may not be uninhabited. She wants Eri to travel with a small exploratory team ahead of everyone else so she can study and befriend the creatures living on the planet. The commander wants Eri to report back on everything- what the people there are like, what weapons they have, their level of intelligence…and how can they be exterminated.

Striver is a leader for his people on Haven 6. He protects them from the far less civilized Lawless who live on the other side of the wall. When he spots a ship landing in Lawless territory, he knows he has to do something. He can’t allow the Lawless to get their hands on the technology that the people aboard that ship have. Gathering a team of fighters, he heads out to rescue the newcomers, despite the fact that he knows they can’t be trusted. It’s then he meets Eri, a colonist who he is instantly drawn to. He’s reluctant to trust her, but the more he’s around her, the more complex his feelings become.

I really felt for Eri in this book. She’s a sweet and compassionate woman but she’s not really appreciated by anyone but her sister because she’s different. She wants so badly to have a lifemate, and that hope keeps getting crushed every time she’s denied. The only reason she was even chosen for the mission was because she was a linguist and her skills might be needed if the people on Haven 6 spoke a foreign language. It was nice seeing her grow as a character into a confident person after what she had to deal with abaord The Heritage. Striver was the perfect match for her because he accepted Eri for who she was and never judged her, which is exactly what Eri needed. She found love without having to rely on a computer to find someone for her.

I really liked Striver too. He was a selfless, strong leader for his people. I felt for him, as well, with everything that was going on with his brother. There was a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but ne never crumbled under it. And the way he took care of his mom was really touching. I also admired Eri’s sister, Aquaria. I loved how she recognized how The Heritage’s matchmaking system wasn’t as perfect as people made it seem. I always have respect for characters who are willing to say what other people are afraid to.

Haven 6 was a fun read with some really good world-building and a sweet romance. It’s the first book I’ve read by Aubrie Dionne and I think she did an awesome job creating a unique and refreshing story.

Memorable Quotes:

Well that’s a pretty good way to go…

They huddled together waiting for another sound. Eri welcome his warmth against her bare skin. He smelled like fire smoke and pine, wilderness and fresh air. His chest was hard against her shoulder. She turned her head, her nose brushing the firm line of his chin. She met his gaze, and the intensity in the green flecks drew her in. They breathed together in sync, her lips so close to his. If she was going to die, at least she’d die happy.

Awkward.

“Enough flirting!” Riley threw his hands up in the air. “I’m sick of both of you.” He strapped his backpack on and started down the incline.
“What does he mean by flirting? I don’t seem to recall the word in my old texts. Not all vernacular words make it into my files.”
Striver pushed aside a mossy branch. Thank goodness this one didn’t.

If you liked Haven 6…

You should check out Paradise 21, book 1 in the New Dawn Series. You don’t need to read the first two books in the series to enjoy Haven 6 but you might have a better understanding of the world and its characters if you start at the beginning.

I also highly recommend Demon Retribution by Kiersten Fay, which also happens to be the winner for the GraveTells Readers Choice Awards for favorite story of August 2012. (You can check out the GraveTells review for Demon Retribution here.) This book is also the third in a series called the Shadow Quest series, but like Haven 6 it can be read as a stand-alone. Demon Retribution is also a sci-fi romance book with many races of creatures. Oh, and there are some seriously drool-worthy alpha males in the books.