I’ve been on vacation, but I’m back and here with a book review!

I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of Love Galaxy by Sierra Branham. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general. This book tells the story of Temmi, a young woman struggling with difficult circumstances on her barely hospitable planet. From the horribly unhealthy conditions, to her brother’s recent disability to her mother’s chronic illness, Temmi is desperate to make ends meet. However, a chance encounter with the royal siblings of the entire galactic empire during their press tour leads to Temmi being selected for the new season of the reality show Love Galaxy, which this year features both royal siblings seeking a spouse. Temmi is out of her depth in this new setting, but determined to succeed and get the promised payout at the end—and maybe the power to incite change is appealing too. But things take a turn when Temmi’s interactions with the princess (the sibling she’s not supposed to be flirting with) have unexpected chemistry, and then a worse turn when contestants start turning up dead…

I really need to start double-checking if books are part of a series, because I had thought that this was a standalone. Nothing in the description or anything indicated that this was a series opener, so imagine my surprise when I got into the final act of the story and realized there was no way to wrap everything up in the remaining page count. I’m not against series, but I would like to know upfront if I’m starting one! Ugh. Anyway, I’ve been deceived again.

However, the fact that this wasn’t a standalone didn’t stop me from enjoying it! I have never watched or even considered watching reality tv shows, but the premise of this still intrigued me. A space empire having a dating show for the royal heirs? I’m here for it. And honestly, while this could easily be compared to The Selection series at first glance, it actually bears more resemblance to The Hunger Games series. The indictment of reality tv’s often exploitative and deceptive nature, the commentary on class differences and imperialism, the complexities of living in the spotlight and how that attention affects romantic relationships—all that just screams Hunger Games to me.

The main character Temmi even reminds me of Katniss. She’s a bit rough around the edges and doesn’t abide nonsense, but is also a fish out of water in terms of speaking like and dressing the part of a potential ruler. However, I think her characterization is a little less inconsistent than Katniss, though I did overall root for her. Any person who tells it like it is in a situation that’s designed to glorify an empire is someone I’m going to automatically be inclined to like.

The other characters were pretty good too, especially the royal heirs Spie and Nix. I think their sibling dynamic was pretty good, and I liked their respective chemistry and rapport with Temmi. However, I think Nix’s infatuation with her was a little rushed, and I wasn’t that invested in it (perhaps because I’m too jaded to care about a romance that’s taking place on a reality show). But overall, I liked him. And Spie’s care for Temmi was better, which is good, because that’s the main romance of the book. The other side characters like Kalvin, Arbora, and Cailin were all decent as well, fulfilling their roles in the plot well while also keeping me guessing.

Because while there’s already a lot going on in this story, there’s also the murder mystery element. Luckily, that doesn’t prove to be too much, and the various plot threads interweave quite well, which is impressive. The deaths affect the course of the show, and have wider ramifications for the empire, which ties back into the book’s themes. Branham balances all these plot elements skillfully. And the twist at the end was pretty well executed too, though I’m sure more aware readers will have picked up on more clues that I did. I think I’m just bad at solving murders (which is funny considering my adoration and long reading history with Sherlock Holmes and similar characters).

The final act of the story was quite a turn from what had come before, but it was compelling and hard to put down. Fortunately, I had several hours of traveling last week and was able to finish half of this book in one sitting! I’m glad I did, because it was a good, if tense, time. I’m still annoyed that this wasn’t a standalone, though.

However, in the end, Love Galaxy was a good read. The premise is excellent, the settings and plot are well written, and the characters are pretty good as well. A lot of this might resemble The Hunger Games books too closely for some readers’ taste, but I didn’t mind. I’m not sure if I’ll read the sequel (whenever it might come out), but I’ll still keep an eye out for it! And Branham has impressed me, so I’ll watch for more books in general from her going forward.

Love Galaxy will be published on April 21st, 2026!