A review by violetsto_
Earth Bound by Emma Barry, Genevieve Turner

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 a sharp and swoony space race workplace romance! sweet, sweet idiots (who are otherwise geniuses) to lovers.

“Whenever you’re in the same room, something crackles between you. You’re not looking or touching, but you sort of shift around and talk to each other, even when you aren’t addressing one another at all. It’s like you’re a binary star system, locked in orbit.”

pov: dual third person

characters: charlie and eugene have such chemistry! they have an exciting push-pull and a hot, hot, hot secret relationship outside of work at fictional nasa. charlie is a woman in stem that kicks ass in her field and wants to do something important. we see her struggle with lack of appreciation and professional recognition, except of course from our beloved eugene who sees her worth immediately! and eugene is married to his work (surprise) and will do whatever it takes to get the work done, until other things start to become more important.

He pursed his lips and exhaled. “You’re bright.”

“Noted.”

“No.” He waved her sarcasm off. “Beyond being smart, which you obviously are, you’re… competent. More so than any man working here. Their dismissal of you was outrageous.”

There was no getting control of her breathing now. She could feel her cheeks heating and sweat blooming on her palms. She didn’t say anything, although she repeated his words over in her head several times. Bright, smart, competent.

vibes (plot and setting): great 60s space race vibes. we are at a fancy civilian space lab or whatever, whenever we’re not at a seedy motel. the space race plot is a great premise and keeps the story moving and the characters challenged both intellectually and personally. the side characters are great and i might take a look at other books in the series. also, there are so many like science metaphors, it’s great!

smut: the smut! it truly is hot, hot, hot!!! the sexual tension build-up is soooooo good, too. he worships her, as he should.

In this room all of that energy, all of his observational power, turned squarely on her. His talented hands wanted nothing except to give her pleasure. His smart, crude mouth spilled heated words into her ear. His eyes saw when she hadn’t climaxed, and he didn’t seem to be able to until then. In short, he brought all his intelligence and creativity to bear on her, and it was thrilling.

and this darcy from pride and prejudice (2005) moment? perfection!

He stared at her hand stretched across the desk, her fingers reaching for his. To take her hand was the proper thing to do. She was wearing gloves, so it wouldn’t be his bare palm against her bare palm—but he didn’t want to touch her. It was bad enough that the sight of her made his brain scramble and her unflappable confidence made his heart race. What would touching her do to him? But even he couldn’t deny this act of propriety. He reached out and gave her hand the briefest of squeezes. And still his lungs hitched. “Fine,” he said, shorter than he would have liked. “See my secretary about the arrangements.” She said nothing in farewell, and he didn’t bother to look up from the reports on his desk as she left. But the hand with which he’d clasped hers clenched and unclenched on his thigh as the door clicked shut.