Merrick's Maiden

By: S. E. Smith

Narrated by: Suzanne Elise Freeman

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author S. E. Smith brings another action-, adventure-, and suspense-filled story to transport listeners out of this world.

Merrick Ta'Duran is the powerful leader of the Eastern Mountain Clan on the Prime world of Baade. His people, known as the Ghosts of the Forests, live high in the Eastern Mountains. Merrick feels the weight of responsibility as the males within his clan become desperate to find mates among the few remaining females. When word comes that a new species has been discovered, he knows he must do what is right for his people, even if it means traveling to a strange alien realm to do it.

Merrick's world changes when he is injured and captured by a ruthless group of humans. Drugged and held against his will, he is the subject of experiments and testing as the humans try to discover where he came from and to duplicate his strength and ability to heal quickly. After months of captivity, he fears his life will end on the strange world - until one chance encounter gives him hope.

Addie Banks' life has been one of silence since a devastating illness when she was 16. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she goes to school during the day and works at night to put herself through college. Her life unexpectedly changes when she stumbles across something she wasn't supposed to see while at work. Now she hears a voice in her head, and it is driving her crazy. Her only hope for peace is to help the creature talking to her to escape from the men holding him.

Merrick knows the female who helps him is his bond mate. She may deny it. She may fight it. She may even try to run from it, but it won't matter. She is his, and he will do everything he can to convince her: hold her or even kidnap her if that is what it takes to make her realize that they belong together.

Will Addie hear the love and longing in Merrick's voice? Can she trust and accept the new life he has to offer? Or will a ruthless killer silence him before she gets a chance?

©2014 Susan E. Smith (P)2016 Susan E. Smith

WITH MS S.YOU'RE GUARANTEED A GOOD SCI-FI ROMANCE

The Publisher's Summary pretty much sums up the plot - ruthless humans capture Merrick, repeatedly do various nasty experiments which slowly drain his strength and they have every intention of killing him..... and soon. While innocent Addie is at her evening cleaning job she stumbles across a chained and imprisoned handsome stranger with silver eyes and it's a case of wrong place wrong time.... or perhaps right place right time? Because the safe silent world Addie knows is about to become dangerous - but oh so yummy too as the mesmerizing Alien vows to protect, honour and love her as his words invade her silent world and his body claims hers. Merrick can't believe that finally he's met his Mate..... however the timing and circumstances couldn't of been worse... then, in true S E Smith style, things do in fact get worse as Merrick and Addie fight for freedom, fight to stay alive, fight for their relationship.... and fight the sick and twisted monsters who've held them captive.

Any fan of this series already knows that they're going to get an action packed listen peppered with danger, humor, sex, passion, romance and sex because these sex starved possessive Warriors just can't stay out of trouble in their quest to claim their Mates. Multiple POV's but mainly the H & H, entertaining Sci-Fi romance, a handful of various secondary characters thrown in plus the old familiar ones too and the narrator was good. It's instant everything... but hey and a shrug - there's absolutely no complaints here.

Worth a credit? Yes it would have been but, at under $10 I saved the credit for a more expensive listen and so I just bought it.

12 of 14 people found this review helpful

Disappointed

What would have made Merrick's Maiden better?

I couldn't wait to listen to the last book so I bought it rather than wait for my credits. I skipped a lot of chapters. I was boring and not as good as the others. At least they didn't say bond-mate every other sentence like the last books.

What could S. E. Smith have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Written it better?

Did Suzanne Elise Freeman do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

She was fine.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Serious disappointment.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Read other books first

This book is an erotic romance with scifi.

From the first page I should have listen to the other books first, I was so lost.

Addie lost her hearing at 16 and has only kept 2 people close to her, not even her family can see how strong she is. Until she is hired to clean an office with a caged man in it, or is he?

Merrick is trapped on earth and needs to be free to go back to his home planet. Nothing will stop him, well until Addie comes walking into his room and he know she is his mate. Not not only does he need to flee he needs to claim what is his.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Book 5: well done

Some of the overlaps from previous stories is a bit confusing, but can't speak to whether it's more or less confusing to have read the previous stories, as I'm pretty tired while writing this. Narration fits the story. I would like it even better without some of the mispronunciations.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Silent World of Love - Warrior Style!!

Would you listen to Merrick's Maiden again? Why?

Oh I am sure I will - as I have just about all of SE Smith's books. Love the characters, hate the villains, friggin love the author!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Oh I think I loved Addy the most, however, Merrick was a close second.

Have you listened to any of Suzanne Elise Freeman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes I have, and Suzanne is great, she is starting to get right up there in status as David Brenin. (Love that man!)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Well I could understand Addy being upset thinking Merrick had just left her. She as hurt and angry, but she still loved him. Thinking she had to push him from her mind, only to run smack-dab into him. Then how he had saved her, but she still couldn't forgive the hurt she felt. Then finding out he had no choice, because he almost died. Great!

Any additional comments?

The end when not only did she get her hearing back, but was going to have twin girls! Awesome. Now I understand the bad guy getting away, because someone must get him. I just don't want Derek or Runt's story (and I know there will be a story!) having to cross paths with him. I do hope that Derek finally catches Runt - even if she is young. Oh SE Smith you have made me a happy customer. But hurry and release more books on Audible. Hugs & Kisses!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Another winner by this narrator!

Another winner by this narrator!
While on earth helping Tansy, Merrick is kidnapped. He is kept in a lab and experimented on. He is knocked out with a strong tranquilizer before they take him to the lab so he isn't sure what they are doing to him. All he knows is that he feels disgusting when he awakes. He is not sure that he can mentally hang on much longer.
Addie has been deaf since and illness when she was sixteen. She is now finishing up college and is working two jobs in order to get away from her too protective family. The first day of her job as a cleaning lady in a lab, she sees a man caged. One of the guards tell her to forget that she was ever there because that floor was supposed to be off limits to her. The caged man had touched her while she was there and now she has tattooed circles on her hand. She hasn't heard a voice in many years but she now hears a man in her head.
Merrick realizes that she is his bond mate and tries to warn her away from going to work the next day. She didn't listen and now she is kidnapped too. The lead scientist wants to find a way to clone the "alien male".
There is plenty of exciting things going on in this story. It is a nice addition to the series

good book

good book and good story for a rainy day hope all enjoy this book smile

Not The End

This cannot be the absolute end. We have to know Avery, Derrick and Runt's stories.

Wonderful

Ms. Smith is at her usual best. Can hardly wait for the next in the series.

Love this

This series was by far the best alien, action and romance I have read. Looking forward to reading Derricks story, hopefully very soon.

Merrick's Maiden

I thoroughly enjoyed this book the courage of a deaf girl, was well well thought out and written them to get hearing back as well as finding out that she was having twin girl's was a brilliant twist at the end

Wow, the Cosmos' Gateway series is awesome

S.E. Smith is a very talented author indeed, coupling her wonderful stories with the vocal performances of Suzanne Elise Freeman is definitely a winning combination

I am really looking forward to hearing the next in the series on Audible 😊