Capture the Sun
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Lexi Bowen, a high-end recovery agent and thief extraordinaire, is well paid for her services. On her last visit to Valovian space, she earned the ire of the crown by helping to thwart an Imperial plot and swore to never return. But a very lucrative commission has drawn her back to the capital. Shortly after arriving, a trio of military guards attempts to kidnap her, but she is rescued--literally teleported away--by the last person she wanted to see, Nilo Shoren. He says the Empress set a trap and intends to use Lexi to lure her crewmates from Starlight's Shadow to come to the rescue. During Eclipse the Moon (2022), Lexi's bounty-hunting friends were hired to track down the human traitor Frank Morton, and with her current retrieval job canceled, she plans to join them. But when she loses contact with Shadow's crew and learns they have been captured, Lexi reluctantly decides she will need Nilo's help to save her friends. Series fans will savor the intrigue, adventure, and romance of the Starlight's Shadow finale.

Mihalik sticks the landing in the fast and fun final installment to her Starlight's Shadow trilogy (after Eclipse the Moon). Recovery specialist (read: thief) Lexi Bowen arrives on Valovia for what she thinks is a run-of-the-mill retrieval job, only to learn she's been set up. With her life imperiled by the Empress of Valovan, the last person she expects to come to her aid is Nilo Shoren, a former crewmember of the Starlight's Shadow who betrayed her earlier in the series. Eager to avoid getting hurt again, Lexi wants nothing more than to get away from Nilo and off Valovia, but with the empress's Sun Guardians, elite soldiers with terrifying capabilities, on the hunt, the pair must go into hiding together. Then Lexi and Nico receive news from the Starlight's Shadow that sends them running right into more danger to save the lives of the crew they both care about so much. Mihalik effortlessly balances fast-paced action with palpable tension--and chemistry--between Lexi and Nilo. Fans won't want to miss this exhilarating conclusion. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (June)

Lexi Bowen knows her skills as a recovery specialist means that she is not always considered on the "right side," but it is a lucrative career and she can be flexible with her morals. Besides, the war between the Valovians and FHP nearly cost her life, and she is done with all of that. But then her latest gig takes her right back to Valovia, where the Queen is still looking for her. Add to that crossing paths with the Valovian teleporter Nilo Shoren, who took her last job, and Lexi is ready to get off-world fast. When her former captain and crew disappear in Valovian space, however, Lexi and Nilo must work together to find their friends. Neither want to face a new war between their people--or the feelings that are growing between them. Loose plot points are gathered together in this third volume, creating a cohesive space opera romance series. VERDICT Following Eclipse the Moon, the "Starlight's Shadow" trilogy ends as it began: with strong female protagonists, an engaging science-fiction setting, and a sexy romance.--Kristi Chadwick

A thief and a teleporter team up to save their former crew in the finale of Mihalik's Starlight's Shadow trilogy. Lexi Bowen is one of the most accomplished recovery specialists--code for thief--in the galaxy. She's nervous about taking a contract that requires her to return to Valovia, home planet of the ruthless enemies she once fought as a soldier, but the payout is too enticing to decline. Once she arrives on Valovia, she is almost immediately cornered by the Empress Nepru's private guards. Teleporter Nilo Shoren appears in the middle of the altercation and teleports her to safety. Lexi's history with Nilo is complicated. They were both crew members on Starlight's Shadow, but Lexi has never forgiven Nilo for luring her to what she thought was a date only for him to steal a job right out from under her. She can't understand why Nilo would save her now, and she's determined to escape Valovia on her own. Nilo convinces her to accept his help escaping the empress, but their plans change when they discover Starlight's Shadow and its crew are missing. Lexi and Nilo suspect that their friends were heading for the planet Rodeni, trying to capture a fugitive, and they set a course to mount a rescue mission. Lexi is a likable, tough-as-nails character determined to make it on her own. The truth is that she suffers flashbacks and panic attacks from the war, and she is afraid to show her vulnerabilities to Nilo. Although she tries to convince herself that her attraction to Nilo isn't serious, she finds it impossible to resist him. In order to be together, they must learn to trust and openly communicate with each other, whether on the battlefield or in the bedroom. An epic space adventure. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Lexi Bowen, a high-end recovery agent and thief extraordinaire, is well paid for her services. On her last visit to Valovian space, she earned the ire of the crown by helping to thwart an Imperial plot and swore to never return. But a very lucrative commission has drawn her back to the capital. Shortly after arriving, a trio of military guards attempts to kidnap her, but she is rescued—literally teleported away—by the last person she wanted to see, Nilo Shoren. He says the Empress set a trap and intends to use Lexi to lure her crewmates from Starlight's Shadow to come to the rescue. During Eclipse the Moon (2022), Lexi's bounty-hunting friends were hired to track down the human traitor Frank Morton, and with her current retrieval job canceled, she plans to join them. But when she loses contact with Shadow's crew and learns they have been captured, Lexi reluctantly decides she will need Nilo's help to save her friends. Series fans will savor the intrigue, adventure, and romance of the Starlight's Shadow finale. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

Lexi Bowen knows her skills as a recovery specialist means that she is not always considered on the "right side," but it is a lucrative career and she can be flexible with her morals. Besides, the war between the Valovians and FHP nearly cost her life, and she is done with all of that. But then her latest gig takes her right back to Valovia, where the Queen is still looking for her. Add to that crossing paths with the Valovian teleporter Nilo Shoren, who took her last job, and Lexi is ready to get off-world fast. When her former captain and crew disappear in Valovian space, however, Lexi and Nilo must work together to find their friends. Neither want to face a new war between their people—or the feelings that are growing between them. Loose plot points are gathered together in this third volume, creating a cohesive space opera romance series. VERDICT Following Eclipse the Moon, the "Starlight's Shadow" trilogy ends as it began: with strong female protagonists, an engaging science-fiction setting, and a sexy romance.—Kristi Chadwick

Mihalik sticks the landing in the fast and fun final installment to her Starlight's Shadow trilogy (after Eclipse the Moon). Recovery specialist (read: thief) Lexi Bowen arrives on Valovia for what she thinks is a run-of-the-mill retrieval job, only to learn she's been set up. With her life imperiled by the Empress of Valovan, the last person she expects to come to her aid is Nilo Shoren, a former crewmember of the Starlight's Shadow who betrayed her earlier in the series. Eager to avoid getting hurt again, Lexi wants nothing more than to get away from Nilo and off Valovia, but with the empress's Sun Guardians, elite soldiers with terrifying capabilities, on the hunt, the pair must go into hiding together. Then Lexi and Nico receive news from the Starlight's Shadow that sends them running right into more danger to save the lives of the crew they both care about so much. Mihalik effortlessly balances fast-paced action with palpable tension—and chemistry—between Lexi and Nilo. Fans won't want to miss this exhilarating conclusion. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (June)