Note: this post first appeared in the Roswell Daily Record…

I think almost every author has a book of the heart (or two) that never got the reader love and attention to truly launch it the way the author wanted or hoped for. This seemed like a good topic to explore around Valentine’s Day.  I recently asked some of my SciFi Romance author friends which book of theirs falls into this category and why, if they had an idea about that.

For myself it would be my most recent new release, Arrival (Planet of Last Resort Book One). I’m not saying it’s had a poor reception but I had hoped it would do much better. I think the challenge might be that the story of a doctor and a soldier and a colony on an alien planet in trouble contains zombies. I personally love zombie stories but they can be quite gory and violent. In my book I do “zombie lite”, as far as all the distressing details. I think it’s probably too mild to appeal to most fans of zombie tales and the fact there are zombies might be scaring off scifi romance readers. Either way, I had a blast witting it and have no regrets! Amazon     Kobo      Apple Books   NOOK      GooglePlay

For Cassandra Chandler, Gray Card (The Department of Homeworld Security Book 1) is the missed opportunity. “I think Gray Card is my most overlooked book that readers could truly enjoy. The heroine is nerdy and smart and infuses life with such fun, I wish I could hang out with her in reality. It’s so heartwarming to see the hero learn to accept himself as she accepts him, even though he knows his people will always see him as a failed genetically engineered specimen.”  VS: My guess is this fun series with a bit of a 1950’s scifi vibe was too early (released in 2019). I think it would fit in today’s marketplace quite well. Of course the books are still available but it’s hard to make a splash with a backlist series.     Amazon

It’s the cover model for Ava Cuvay when she hazards a guess as to why Love and the Corps (the Heart Nebula Book Two) didn’t skyrocket. “I believe my “Love and the Corps” is my most overlooked book… maybe because the guy on the cover resembles a certain cover model popular in the 80s. Or maybe the space military theme doesn’t resonate.” VS: I do have to admit the stockphoto model on the cover sure does look like that 80’s guy.     Amazon

Sometimes even an SFR superstar like S. E. Smith has one she’s a bit wistful over. “Command Decision: Project Gliese 581g” is one of those sleeper stories that captures your imagination. A grounded science fiction romance, it is filled with action, adventure, suspense, humor, and unforgettable characters that remind you of some of the classic science fiction movies and series that helped ignite this genre. The story idea came while I was attending a Star Party at Fort Davis and the Lowell Observatory.”     Amazon     AB

Leda Palmer’s theory about her book is simple: “I released my debut on a “stuff your kindle” day – all those readily available free books made my posts get buried… live and learn!”  Bloodlust Voyage: Cosmic Lovers Book One is an enemies to lover tale with an SFR spin.     AmazonKU

Pauline Baird Jones cites her most recent book ScytheQ: The Cyborg Chronicles 6 as in need of more love: “I had a hard time picking, but I do think my latest release could use a boost! I think it is a fun option for readers because the cyborg is a woman and the cover is pretty awesome.” VS: I sure enjoyed it – maybe readers weren’t ready for a female cyborg?

Cynthia Sax cites Dark Thoughts (refuge Book One) as a book of hers where the readers weren’t as welcoming as usual. “It might surprise folks but I believe Dark Thoughts didn’t get as much love as I would have liked it to have. It wasn’t a cyborg romance, which is what many readers expect from me. And it didn’t fit into the alien romance category as the hero is a modified humanoid. It is also darker in tone because the hero kills frequently and enthusiastically. But it doesn’t fall into dark romance. And some readers describe it as being ‘fun.’ “ VS: It’s one of my all time favorites from her so opinions do vary!     Amazon

Regine Abel thinks she might have picked a less than favorite fairytale to rework when it comes to The Hunchback (Dark Tales). “A sci-fi fairy tale retelling of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame where Quasimodo finally gets the girl. I’m not sure why it didn’t get the love I thought it should have. It was part of a collaboration. The only two reasons I could think was that people mostly want retellings of specific fairy tales (Beauty & the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Cinderella, and Snow White). To me, The Hunchback was the ultimate Beauty and the Beast story, but handled poorly. Although it showed that despite his appearance, Quasimodo wasn’t a monster, it still sent the message that he was too ugly to earn the love of the heroine. The pretty soldier got her.” VS: But not in Regine’s book – the alien ‘hunchback’ in this version does get his Happy Ever After ending with the Female Main Character. Yay!      AmazonKU

CHRYS: Thornscore, Volume 1 by EG Manetti was a standalone sci-fi romance “…where a space journey turns friends to lovers while dealing with industrial sabotage and a murder mystery.” VS: Was it the murder mystery that leaves the book needing more love? Sometimes mixing genres can be a turnoff for a portion of the readership. Or perhaps it was the standalone aspect because some readers prefer complete series. Either way, I thought it was an excellent book.     Amazon

Cara Bristol’s Under Fyre (Alien Dragon Shifters 1) might have fallen into the same challenge with mixing genres, as she states the book “… is a fiery, enemies to lovers alien romance loaded with political intrigue. It’s more than a romance, it has a great subplot.” VS: All I know is I enjoyed it.     AmazonKU

I have more examples of books in need of love (which equates to readers, reviews, ratings, word of mouth kudos) but only so much space today! Happy reading!

VS Note: I have a few more to add to the original post – I only get so much room in the newspaper for my column.

Time Traitors by Eli Donovan – “Romancing the Stone meets Jurassic Park”. Time travel, romance and dinosaurs! Not sure why this one didn’t take off more rapidly but her backlist is heavy on fairy tale retellings although she has written SFR, including two Pets in Space anthology stories. Full Disclosure: the author is a close relative of mine and I was a beta reader for this book – I loved it!      Amazon

The Colony by Laurel Richards – “Not everyone will make it out alive.” This excellent  SFR gave off a few Aliens vibes to me inagoodway. I reviewed it for a romance platform at the time it released and I loved it. I relished the two main characters and their growing relationship, the setting and the mystery of what happened… Amazon

The Cat Ship Trilogy by Jody Wallace, who said this about the books: “Far future post-apoc with older and more diverse protagonists and criminally intelligent talking cats REALLY mucking things up for everyone! The Cat Ship trilogy starts with Catalyst.”     VS: And the cat on the cover even looks like my cat Jake so it should have been a big hit, right?      Amazon     AB

Clarissa Lake says this about her book: “Narzek: Farseek Warrior Series Book 2 is one of my most overlooked books. It is a spicy romance space adventure. Abducted by aliens on her way to a desert war zone Cayla is rescued by Narzek, her fated mate.”  VS: Sometimes the second book in a series just doesn’t go, for whatever reason.     Amazon

VS: Love From Mars has a great cover I think and here’s what author J. P. Cawood says about the book from her backlist: “In Love from Mars, a journalist can’t help falling in love with her astronaut subject despite him having a one-way ticket to colonize Mars.”      Amazon     AB

Ruffled Feathers (Once Upon A Harem) is an ugly ducking retelling from Stephanie West. VS: Perhaps this version suffered from the same problem as Regine Abel cited above, basing the story on a less than overwhemingly favorite fairy tale. Personally I give kudos to the author for being inventive!     AmazonKU

Speaking of inventive, Alien Reindeer’s Bounty (A Winter Starr Book Six) from Nancey Cummings and Starr Huntress ranks high up there. The author had this to share: “I wish my sweet little Hallmark Christmas movie inspired shifter romance got more attention. It has all the things I love about cozy holiday movies (second chances, snow!) but is spicy. And a reindeer shifter.”   Amazon     AB

Author Holly Hanzo says this about Bavrilz: Klagan Warriors Book Two: “I absolutely love my book Bavrilz. He’s grumpy only because he feels like he could have done more to save his first mate, and he’s a soft marshmallow inside. The heroine is self sufficient and determined, and imho the perfect 2nd chance for Bav to fall in love again.”       AmazonKU

SJ Sanders describes Argurma Warrior (The Argurma Chronicles Book One) thusly: “Argurma Warrior (first book of Argurma Chronicles that is a spin off series from the Argurma Salvager Trilogy) is one of my most overlooked books. The MCs crashland on an abandoned island laboratory with secrets of its own. There they find evidence of forbidden experiments, and terrible monsters.” VS: Sounds like a winning mix of ingredients to me!      AmazonKU

From Alana Khan’s wish list we have Revikk (Galaxy Sanctuary Alien Abduction Romance Series Book Three). The author says: “Revikk: An Angsty Dominant Alien Hero Sci-Fi Romance is one of my favorite books that I’ve written. I love angsty heroes and it doesn’t get more angsty than this (his backstory, wow!) His character arc is amazing–he grows so much.”      Amazon

“I would love more people to read Mated to the Alien Rogue! It’s a spicy grumpy sunshine romance with a fierce, stabby heroine and the alien warrior who adores that about her! It also brings the entire found family of humans and Zaarn together in a thrilling fight to claim a new home world!” shares author Krista Luna. VS: This is book six in the Fated Mates of Zaarn series.     AmazonKU

The Akseli (Aldebarian Alliance Book Four) is Dianne Duvall’s entry. “I’d love for more readers to find THE AKSELI (book 4 in my series, but it can be read as a stand-alone). It’s full of action, adventure, romance, camaraderie, and humor that readers said had them laughing out loud. It’s such a fun escape with a strong hero, kick-ass heroine, and lovable secondary characters.”    Amazon     AB

And last but cvertainly not least, we have Leslie Chase: “I think my most overlooked book is Her Alien Rebel, the second of my Salvaged Hearts series… which fizzled after two books, because there just weren’t enough readers. Those that read it liked it, I just wish more people gave it a chance! I loved writing the misfit all-woman crew of a space salvage ship, and was looking forward to pairing them up with their fated (cyborg alien warrior) mates! Maybe, if more people give it a shot, I’d be able to go back and write the rest of it? ”   AmazonKU

NOTE:  Many of these books are available on other platforms but I can only spend so much time on these posts versus writing my own books. At least this way you can see if a book is in KU or likely to be wide on other platforms.