Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep Series: Galactic Bonds #1
Published by Self-Published on September 20, 2022
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Pages: 398
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .
Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.
I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.
I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Coldren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.
A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .
The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corion are afraid of me.
But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.
Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their
A company lab tech knows something she shouldn’t about the crash of the company’s new prototype ship and this lands her a one-way ticket into a war zone between the Regals and Tech-wavers and a conspiracy that leads straight to the throne. Jennifer Estep is a long-time established author of urban fantasy, fantasy, and sci-fi romance and I’ve been meaning to try her work, but Only Bad Options turned out my first venture and it will be the first of many, now.
Only Bad Options as the first in the Galactic Bonds series introduces the futuristic world where three human factions vie for control of their corner of the galaxy. Some humans possess psychic talents, others lean on tech for power, and still a third group just wants balance from both. It’s a tough, competitive life and in the midst of this is seemingly unlucky Vesper Quill.
Vesper is introduced as a lowly lab rat working in the corporation of one of the Regal Houses and her immediate supervisor is her ex who dumped her for the big bosses’ daughter. But, Vesper is more than people know. She has some expertise in repairing and inventing things from coffee makers to weapons. She also has psychic talents that aid her in this. She also has some Seer talent that helps sometimes, but more often than not confuse her, especially the mind setting she can enter in her dreams. Both expertise and psychic gifts land her in the crosshairs of ruthless Rowena Kent, owner of the company and leader of a Regal House, who wasn’t thrilled when Vesper noticed problems with the space ship model.
Vesper gets tangled with one of the Regal King’s cold and lethal elite Arrow warriors and they accidentally match on the psychic level into a legendary rare Galactic Bond. They are a hostile partnership focused on ending the unwanted bond and getting the evidence of the Kent Corporations’ sabotage of the fleet to the king- a king who is dangerous and evil as an of the tech-wave enemies because he would use their hidden bond to increase his own power.
Only Bad Options started slow as it introduced the world of the series, the main players and the plot set up, but once it got rolling with the suspense and intrigue and crackling of attraction for the main pair as well as reveals about them and their pasts, I was drawn fully in. I’m not as sold on the romance just yet, but theirs is an ongoing story so I’m content to see how it places out. Only Bad Options ended at a good place to stop, but also showed there is a lot more to come. Now, I’m excited to keep going with the series to see what comes next.
About Jennifer Estep
Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
Jennifer writes the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series. She also writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series and the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series. Jennifer also the author of the Bigtime paranormal romance series and Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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- Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep @jenniferestep.bsky.social @Jennifer_Estep @sophiarose1816 - June 8, 2025
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- 🎧 The Mint Julep Murders by Angie Fox @AngieFoxauthor #TaviaGilbert @audible_com #LoveAudiobooks @sophiarose1816 #JIAM - June 1, 2025
I’m going to read it some time I own the audio of this one.
I was really glad Lola suggested it for a Buddy Read so I had the incentive to finally get busy on the series.
This is an author I’ve been meaning to try as well!
Yeah, I was really interested in her Gin Blanco assassin series and just never got around to it and then a few others that caught my eye. Finally, I took the plunge and had a good time with this one. 🙂
Yay, I enjoy this series. Glad you are starting it!
Finally, right? 😉 I’ve reached the third book and still excited to keep at the series to the current one.
It would be weird to have a photographic memory. I wonder how far back someone like that can remember? This sounds good.
That’s a very good question. Not like they’re a computer and simply have files erased when memory storage starts to get full. LOL