My Name is A’yen (A'yen's Legacy #1) by Rachel L. Smith

Science Fiction Romance

From Goodreads:

They've taken everything from him. Except his name.

The Loks Mé have been slaves for so long, freedom is a distant myth A'yen Mesu no longer believes. A year in holding, because of his master's murder, has sucked the life from him. Archaeologist Farran Hart buys him to protect her on an expedition to the Rim, the last unexplored quadrant.

Farran believes the Loks Mé once lived on the Rim and is determined to prove it. And win A'yen's trust. But she's a breeder's daughter and can't be trusted.

Hidden rooms, information caches and messages from a long-dead king change A'yen's mind about her importance. When she's threatened he offers himself in exchange, and lands on the Association's radar. The truth must be told. Even if it costs him his heart.

My Name is A’yen is Rachel Smith’s first Science Fiction Romance novel and she is off to a very good start.  A’yen and Farran meet the first time when she purchases him.  There is no love or lust at first sight.  Smith lets the two work together before any attraction develops.  There are problems with that attraction.   A’yen, like the rest of his race, cannot be freed.  Farran’s Father keeps some of the worse breeding farms making it difficult for A’yen to trust her.  While Farran is trying to find the Loks Me home world there are many who are trying to stop her.  A’yen loved his first and only previous owner and is still struggling with his loss.  Things often do not look that great for the two.

The pacing in My Name is A’yen keeps the story moving while setting up the character growth, world building, back-story and plot development.  The story is told from different points of view.  Several times when the point of view switched it was very disorienting as there was no build up just an abrupt change of both viewpoint and location.  Many times that change introduced both new characters and a new setting.  It just took a few seconds to realize what had happened and get back in the story so that was a minor problem but one that I noted each time it happened.

This is book 1 in the A’yen Legacy.  While the book ends with somethings settled there is a lot more story to tell.  Hopefully book #2 will be out soon.  There is a lot more work to be done before A’yen and his people are free.

Rachel Leigh Smith published My Name is A’yen in 2014.