Alien in the Attic

Thryal Mates, Book 1

De: Celia Kyle

Narrado por: Elliott Sands, Rachel Woods

An unexpected inheritance brought Carmen Flores a sprawling mansion—and an even bigger (sexier) secret.

Carmen thought her grandparents left her a house, but instead she finds Arccoo, an alien prince, hiding in the attic. Trapped on Earth, he has no way home until rescue arrives. Except he's on Earth just long enough for romance to spark between him and Carmen.

When Arccoo leaves for his home planet of Thryal, Carmen decides she's not ready to let the sinfully seductive alien go. With her sisters' help, they repair the damage to the ship he left behind and race after the alluring alien.

But Thryal isn't the paradise they imagined. They are met with suspicion and prejudice from the alien race. Even worse, many are willing to do anything to keep Carmen away from their beloved prince.

They've traveled across the stars to find each other, but can their love survive on Thryal? Or are they doomed to burn too brightly until it all goes up in flames?

Contains mature themes.

©2024 Celia Kyle (P)2024 Tantor Media

Haunted Mansions, Lost Artifacts & Big Hearts

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😋😀😍🤯
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Alien in the Attic (Thyral Mates, #1)

Author: Celia Kyle
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Narrators: Elliot Sands & Rachel Woods

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Carmen

Carmen and her sisters, Elena and Sophia, return to their grandparents’ sprawling, long‑abandoned mansion — a place steeped in mystery and whispered to be haunted by the locals. With their grandparents declared dead after vanishing five years earlier, the sisters inherit both the estate and the lingering ache of loss.

While Carmen approaches the move with a mix of nostalgia and caution, her sisters are far more delighted by the idea of a haunted house than disturbed by it. The three of them grew up on their grandparents’ fantastical tales of space travel — stories they never believed, but always cherished. Now, stepping into the mansion feels like stepping into the echo of those stories… and into something far stranger than they ever imagined.

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Arccoo

Arccoo is a prince of Thyral — but as the second-born son, his destiny lies not on the throne but among the stars. His role as emissary has taken him across galaxies, yet his mission to Earth is the most urgent of his life.

He’s searching for an ancient artifact capable of healing any illness, a relic hidden away long ago because of its dangerous potential. With a deadly virus ravaging his people, Arccoo’s quest is no longer diplomatic — it’s a race against extinction.

Stranded on Earth after his ship’s energy crystals burn out, he hides within the mansion while awaiting rescue… unaware that three human women are about to turn his mission — and his heart — upside down.

📚 The Plot

Arccoo’s covert stay in the mansion becomes complicated the moment Carmen and her sisters move in. His cloaking device hides his body but not his presence — footsteps, shifting objects, and unexplained interruptions quickly convince the sisters that their new home is very haunted.

Eventually, Arccoo reveals himself to Carmen, drawn to her warmth and curiosity despite knowing he must leave as soon as his people arrive. Their connection grows in the shadow of inevitable separation, giving the romance a bittersweet, star‑crossed quality.

Meanwhile, the sisters embrace the mansion’s “haunted” reputation, even throwing a Halloween party enhanced by Arccoo’s alien tech — a charming, playful highlight of the story.

But when the girls stumble upon their grandparents’ secret room and discover power crystals of their own, the plot takes a sharp turn into the unbelievable. Their spontaneous decision to follow Arccoo to Thyral — aided by a ship that conveniently knows the way — stretches plausibility more than a little.

🌟 Strengths

• A refreshing twist on sci‑fi romance tropes. No abduction, no forced proximity in space — instead, an alien stranded on Earth and a human heroine who chooses connection rather than being dragged into it.
• A tender, tragic romance. Carmen and Arccoo’s love grows with the full knowledge that their time together is limited, giving their relationship a quiet emotional weight.
• Playful, atmospheric world‑building. The haunted mansion, the Halloween party, and the blend of alien tech with earthly superstition add charm and originality.

💔 Limitations

• Uneven pacing and immersion. Some sections lack the emotional or narrative depth needed to fully pull the listener in.
• Plot conveniences that strain believability. The sisters’ sudden spacefaring adventure — complete with autopilot coordinates to a distant planet — feels more like a shortcut than a natural progression.

🎙️ Narration

The dual POV narration by Elliot Sands and Rachel Woods is serviceable but not particularly immersive.

• Elliot Sands delivers a competent performance with the slightly formal tone often used for alien heroes, though his voice skews older and lacks the deep resonance one might expect from a towering extraterrestrial prince.
• Rachel Woods has a distinctive cadence that may not work for all listeners; her drawn‑out syllables and audible “reading” quality occasionally pulled me out of the story.

💬 Final Assessment

This audiobook offers a charming blend of haunted‑house whimsy, interstellar stakes, and a tender, doomed‑from-the-start romance. While the premise is fun and the emotional beats between Carmen and Arccoo land well, the story’s weaker pacing and improbable plot turns keep it from reaching its full potential. The narration, though adequate, doesn’t elevate the material.

Overall, it’s an imaginative, lightly emotional sci‑fi romance with memorable moments — enjoyable for fans of cozy alien tales, but not without its bumps along the way.