Setting: The Planet Windarra, sometime in the future Sensuality: 8 Born and raised in the far-off East on the Planet Windarra, Sariana Dayne's business expertise is desperately needed by the West sector's flamboyant Avylyn clan, but even her cool logic can't solve a serious business theft. Desperate, she devises a scheme to employ a member of the warrior Shield clan in the recovery operation. Unfortunately for Sariana's peace of mind, her practical plan turns shaky when she gazes into the fierce eyes of the Shield mercenary Gryph Chassyn, and realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Gryph takes one look at Sariana and decides that she's one of the few women in the world who could become his Shield mate. Unfamiliar with the West sector's Shield society, Sariana can't even guess what mating with Gryph will do to her life--she only knows he stirs a depth of passion in her that she can't deny. Before she grasps the consequences, Sariana is allied with the powerful mercenary and they set off on a dangerous journey to recover the stolen prism cutter. Along the way, they discover unexpected possibilities in their bonding, even as their lives are threatened with deadly peril. And if they can only survive the obstacles, Gryph and Sariana just may change the future of Shield society forever. The multitalented Krentz flexes her fantasy muscles in this absorbing story of love on a planet far, far away. The heroine is sharp-tongued and quick-witted and she's paired with a hero who is equally intelligent and physically powerful. As expected from Krentz, the fast-paced story is expertly plotted with superb sexual tension in all the right places. Small wonder that Krentz is on the shortlist of the most successful romance authors of the decade; two chapters into this novel and you'll know exactly why she's so popular. --Lois Faye Dyer