Epeolatry Book Review: Calamity by Constance Fay

Ya know reader, I am really excited to review this book. It’s my first Adult Romance book and I knew there was going to be all sorts of spicy scenes and lewd jokes. I thought to myself, Handle this one with some class. With the highest of standards. It’s an Adult Romance in space! Think of all the taglines that get better with a little innuendo. You can’t be telling me, “In Space, no one can hear you scream,” didn’t just pop into your heads. But I am above that, dear reader, and I do not grasp quickly at such low hanging fruits…damn it! Reader beware, this book does contain sex and detailed depictions thereof.

Calamity is the debut novel by Constance Day and is published by a new publishing group from TOR, Bramble, a New Romantic Imprint. Set deep within charted space, Calamity introduces the reader to an expansive and detailed setting from the start. Controlled by factions known as “The Families”, the galaxy is run like the best criminal organizations. They divided up space and are looking to take control of as much of the raw resources as possible. You can’t do business in this part of space without working for one of the families.

Aboard the spaceship Quest, the new owner, Temperance Reed (Temper for short), is the reader’s first-person ride. She’s crass, brash, and witty—everything a reader could hope for in a main character. Fay does an amazing job filling in Temper’s background and allowing the character to develop. Banished from her own Family, Temper is trying to make her way in the galaxy, scouting for resources for any Family who will pay. Whether she’s playing the captain, being drugged by truth-plants, or unable to speak for various reasons, Temper still has jokes and quips galore.  

When Temper is summoned by the powerful Escajeda Family, their employment comes with a condition, a tag-along son, Arcadio Escajeda. He joins the crew as a chaperon sent along to ensure a successful mission. Fay’s male lead is very much involved in the story. By that, I mean in many cases the male counterpart in romance novels turns out to be a piece of meat for the more interactive parts of the story. In Arcadio’s case, he’s a perfect match for Temper, and their romancing is as sincere as their sparing matches, both physical and verbal. 

Temper and Arcadio are joined by a ship full of wonderful characters. Their interactions make for some of the best humor in the novel. Take your favorite group of mismatched individuals, throw in spicy dialog and you have the crew of the Quest.

The Quest’s crew meet many more individuals throughout the novel, and it would be hard to list them all. You’d think with so much packed into a novel, there would be pacing issues. To that end, the novel moves seamlessly from scene to scene with no rushing or slow gaps.

Calamity by Constance Day is the first book in the Uncharted Hearts Series from Bramble (with Fiasco, the second book, currently in the works). I highly recommend to any fan of science fiction, or great books in general, that you it pick up. The expansive setting, well developed characters, life and death adventure, and more than a little spicy romance makes it hard to put this one down.

/5

Available from Amazon and Bookshop.