{"id":32250,"date":"2026-09-08T12:47:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/?p=32250"},"modified":"2026-09-08T12:49:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:49:47","slug":"review-i-punched-an-alien-and-now-were-in-couples-therapy-by-kimberly-lemming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/08\/review-i-punched-an-alien-and-now-were-in-couples-therapy-by-kimberly-lemming\/","title":{"rendered":"Review \u2764\ufe0f I Punched an Alien and Now We\u2019re in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s not in Blair\u2019s nature to just give up. Not when she\u2019s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she\u2019s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And\u00a0definitely<\/span>\u00a0not when she\u2019s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he\u2019s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to\u00a0get\u00a0<\/span>ready.<\/span>

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she\u2019s that arrogant King Osid\u2019s\u00a0mate<\/span>.<\/span>

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they\u2019re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of\u00a0The Bachelor<\/span>\u00a0with\u00a0Survivor<\/span>. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say…encouraged\u00a0<\/span>by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are\u2014somehow\u2014even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.<\/span><\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Release Date:<\/strong> Aug 18, 2026
Heat Level:<\/strong> Hot
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Penguin Group
Imprint:<\/strong>\u00a0Berkley\u00a0
Price:<\/strong> $10.99<\/p>\n

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Lemming consistently creates fantastical worlds, with plenty of heart, heat, and chaotic action. Honestly, all things I love.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I finally got my hands on a new\u00a0Kimberly Lemming<\/strong>\u00a0book. I was even more excited that Lemming had moved into the sci-fi romance category and anxious to see what type of world\/story she would create. Unfortunately, I haven\u2019t been able to read the first book in this series, and it did not work out in my favor. That being said, this story can be read as a standalone, but I don\u2019t think it works as well as one since I was pretty confused for the first half of the story. There were elements from book one woven into the pages, and story points from book one involving the main characters of this book that were completely left out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for the rest. The worldbuilding is perfection, wide-ranging with outrageous elements that are classic to the author\u2019s style. We have alien species, we have dinosaurs, and human females running amok. There are crazy weapons, alien features that are both pleasurable and purposeful. Not to mention who wouldn\u2019t like to encounter some animals that talk. The setting is filled with various dangers and interesting technology, which we get plenty of exposure to and explanations that don\u2019t overwhelm. I love sci-fi where I\u2019m told not how the sausage is made, but how the sausage will impact the characters (take that however you will).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking of characters, I enjoyed both\u00a0Blair<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Osid.<\/strong>\u00a0Though both characters are rough around the edges with a severe case of distrusting others, for very valid reasons. I had a hard time connecting with Blair as her emotional past was kept pretty vague for the first two-thirds of the book. She came off as a chaos muppet who purposefully disagreed with everyone and everything and if her internal feelings had been explored a bit more, I feel like I would\u2019ve enjoyed the character sooner. I didn\u2019t really find common ground with Blair until those elements of her past finally came forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Other elements that impacted me included the pacing. It\u2019s action-packed with high-stakes\u2014life & death ones. Though there were some issues with the order of the details, chronological jumps without clear explanations of where we were in the timeline, which might confuse some readers. The fated mates mixed with some enemies-to-lovers worked well, and I enjoyed the clashes instead of insta-love that typically comes with fated mates. Osid had to work hard to woo his queen; bonus, I loved both characters and how they grew to realize they could depend on each other.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall, this won\u2019t stop me from picking up another Lemming book, but I definitely need to go back to book one to make sure I\u2019ve had the full experience. If you enjoy Ruby Dixon, it\u2019s worth picking this one up.<\/p>\n

~ Landra<\/em><\/p>\n



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Amazon<\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0iBooks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0B&N<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Kobo<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google Play<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t <\/div>\n\t \n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a4181aeb9cd5641e30023b9b4d3e00d","name":"beverley","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"beverley"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog"],"url":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/author\/beverley\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"builder_content":"<img src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg\" title=\"i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming\" alt=\"i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?w=973&ssl=1 973w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?resize=195%2C300&ssl=1 195w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?resize=664%2C1024&ssl=1 664w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?resize=768%2C1184&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?resize=400%2C616&ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 973px) 100vw, 973px\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\u2019s not in Blair\u2019s nature to just give up. Not when she\u2019s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she\u2019s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And\u00a0definitely\u00a0not when she\u2019s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he\u2019s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to\u00a0get\u00a0ready.<br><br>But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she\u2019s that arrogant King Osid\u2019s\u00a0mate.<br><br>Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they\u2019re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of\u00a0The Bachelor\u00a0with\u00a0Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged\u00a0by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are\u2014somehow\u2014even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/3_5-hearts-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"44\"><\/p> <hr> <p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Aug 18, 2026<br><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Hot<br><strong>Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Penguin Group<br><strong>Imprint:<\/strong>\u00a0Berkley\u00a0<br><strong>Price:<\/strong> $10.99<\/p> <hr> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Lemming consistently creates fantastical worlds, with plenty of heart, heat, and chaotic action. Honestly, all things I love.\u00a0<\/em><\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I finally got my hands on a new\u00a0<strong>Kimberly Lemming<\/strong>\u00a0book. I was even more excited that Lemming had moved into the sci-fi romance category and anxious to see what type of world\/story she would create. Unfortunately, I haven\u2019t been able to read the first book in this series, and it did not work out in my favor. That being said, this story can be read as a standalone, but I don\u2019t think it works as well as one since I was pretty confused for the first half of the story. There were elements from book one woven into the pages, and story points from book one involving the main characters of this book that were completely left out.\u00a0<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As for the rest. The worldbuilding is perfection, wide-ranging with outrageous elements that are classic to the author\u2019s style. We have alien species, we have dinosaurs, and human females running amok. There are crazy weapons, alien features that are both pleasurable and purposeful. Not to mention who wouldn\u2019t like to encounter some animals that talk. The setting is filled with various dangers and interesting technology, which we get plenty of exposure to and explanations that don\u2019t overwhelm. I love sci-fi where I\u2019m told not how the sausage is made, but how the sausage will impact the characters (take that however you will).\u00a0<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking of characters, I enjoyed both<strong>\u00a0Blair<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Osid.<\/strong>\u00a0Though both characters are rough around the edges with a severe case of distrusting others, for very valid reasons. I had a hard time connecting with Blair as her emotional past was kept pretty vague for the first two-thirds of the book. She came off as a chaos muppet who purposefully disagreed with everyone and everything and if her internal feelings had been explored a bit more, I feel like I would\u2019ve enjoyed the character sooner. I didn\u2019t really find common ground with Blair until those elements of her past finally came forward.\u00a0<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other elements that impacted me included the pacing. It\u2019s action-packed with high-stakes\u2014life & death ones. Though there were some issues with the order of the details, chronological jumps without clear explanations of where we were in the timeline, which might confuse some readers. The fated mates mixed with some enemies-to-lovers worked well, and I enjoyed the clashes instead of insta-love that typically comes with fated mates. Osid had to work hard to woo his queen; bonus, I loved both characters and how they grew to realize they could depend on each other.\u00a0<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall, this won\u2019t stop me from picking up another Lemming book, but I definitely need to go back to book one to make sure I\u2019ve had the full experience. If you enjoy Ruby Dixon, it\u2019s worth picking this one up.<\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>~ Landra<\/em><\/p> <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br><br><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4xaLPdS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/4xfTlo5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iBooks<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/i-punched-an-alien-and-now-were-in-couples-therapy-kimberly-lemming\/1148772400?ean=9780593818664\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B&N<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/i-punched-an-alien-and-now-we-re-in-couples-therapy-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kobo<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Kimberly_Lemming_I_Punched_an_Alien_and_Now_We_re?id=RVOZEQAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Play<\/a><\/strong><\/p>","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/i-punched-an-alien-kimberly-lemming.jpg?fit=973%2C1500&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32250"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32258,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32250\/revisions\/32258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}