Review: Love: Universal by Dawn Flemington

Author: Dawn Flemington

Publisher: Loose Id

Pages/Word Count: 104 pages

At a Glance: Aliens, overbearing parents, and strange anatomy meet in a short but interesting read.

Reviewed By: Jennifer

Blurb: John Russell, a UFOlogist, comes home for a much needed break, only to find his ex-lover AdienKaper has moved in next door. They made a perfect couple except one thing: Adien doesn’t believe in UFOs or extraterrestrials.

After spotting a meteor shower, John goes to investigate, only to find a dark crystal. Later, that same crystal produces an alien who is looking for Adien. It seems Adien is needed back home on Xulpath as soon as possible.

But Adien doesn’t believe he’s an alien and he doesn’t want to go.

After Adien’s memory block wears off and he accepts who he is, trouble starts brewing. The government gets wind that there are aliens around and they want the aliens. John, with the help of his grandmother and Dr. Kolbi, try to help the aliens get back home.

The thing is, John really doesn’t want Adien to leave without him.

Review: Lately I’ve had a thing for sci-fi, especially the kind with aliens and humans falling for each other. Love: Universal falls into this category, even if for some of the book the alien didn’t know he was an alien due to a sort of memory suppression thing.

I enjoyed John, Adien, Dr. Kolbi, and especially John’s grandmother. Actually, of all the characters, she was my favorite. She’s feisty and surprisingly accepting of the most bizarre things. Like the fact that her grandson is dating an alien, among other things I cannot reveal in a review or it would give away a major plot point.

John’s father is a horrible person, like so many parents I’ve seen in gay m/m romances lately. Not sure why that seems to be the ongoing trend, but for his character it suits him. Again, I can’t really reveal why because it would give away an important plot point, so you’ll have to read to find out.

The sex in the book is interesting. I’ll admit I giggled through most of it, but it’s definitely one of the most creative male alien sex organs I’ve seen in fiction. How John wasn’t freaked out, though, is beyond me, because I would have been running—and alternating between screaming and laughing—in the other direction.

I actually would like to read another book with John and Adien to see how they adapt to their new relationship and new life. It would be interesting to see certain people brought together and watch John adjust to knowing aliens do exist and, well, that he’s dating one.