Volatile Conjunction by Mary Ashe [Review]

Volatile Conjunction (Rogue Justice #2) by Mary Ashe
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 7, 2024

Rogue Justice
1. Celestial Velocity
2. Volatile Conjunction - Paperback | Kindle

Mary Ashe
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

They’ve loathed each other for years, but now they must work together to protect their people in this spicy scifi adventure romance, the second novel in the Rogue Justice series.

When a mistake lands mercenary Ivan Halonen squarely in enemy territory, there’s only one way teaming up with his beautiful and deadly nemesis to rectify it.

Space pirate captain Amaryllis Vertè could have gone the rest of her life without running into Ivan again, but when the job she’s on falls apart, putting her crew’s future in jeopardy, she must put her faith in a man she’s been at odds with for years.

“Complicated” doesn’t begin to define their relationship, but now they’ll have to resolve their differences and work together long enough to pull off a daring heist and protect their chosen families. If they can’t, it’s not just the future of their crews that’s in danger, it’s the future of space travel.

Thoughts on Volatile Conjunction: Oh man. Ivan and Amaryllis miiiight have a teeny, tiny enemies to lovers thing going on here. They fight as foreplay and practically singe anybody in the vicinity of their interactions with the heat they generate. That said, Amaryllis is more about asserting herself (and her famous temper) than having any actual real issue with Ivan. And on Ivan's side? Well, he might have initially viewed Amaryllis as an enemy (for reasons!), but he's since seen that she's not nearly as pirate-y as her Space Pirate Captain designation might imply.

Let's just say that these two have sparks and they're both under the mistaken impression that they might be able to bang those sparks out of their systems and leave it at that. (miiisssssstaken. So mistaken!)

So. This time around, Ivan ends up as the "guest" of Amaryllis and her crew after he gets accidentally shot (by one of Amaryllis's tertiary hangers-on). Unwilling to leave him to potentially bleed out, Amaryllis loads him onto her ship and THINGS HAPPEN. Because sparks. And Ivan's not really good at hiding how much he wants her. And, frankly, she wants him just as much. Yes. THINGS HAPPEN.

To complicate matters even more, soon Amaryllis and Ivan (plus Amaryllis's crew and a couple of crew members from Ivan's ship) are on the trail of Bea's revolutionary propulsion system. The more dangerous the situation, the closer Amaryllis and Ivan get and soon they'll burn down anyone who tries to keep them apart. I might be speaking metaphorically there, but I also might not be. Because THESE TWO.

A little danger, a ruthless pirating organization, some technological wizardry, a very scary ally, family, a man who is very invested in making sure his pirate captain is in a good mood, and a lady who fights hard for the people she cares about most. GOOD STUFF.