Laws of Attraction by L J HachmeisterLaws Of Attraction by L.J. Hachmeister is an erotic space romance. Nikkia (“Niks”) is a nurse aboard the medical mission starship Mercy. She works hard helping others as part of the Sentient Outreach and Humanities Organization (SOHO). Niks feels lucky to have landed attractive military man James, but she can’t deny that her relationship with “Mr. Predictable” leaves her feeling unseen and unfulfilled. At least she has her ride or die best friend Syra to keep life interesting.

James is lieutenant commander for the Dominion who are at war with the United Starways Coalition (USC). The Dominion crew is ostensibly onboard the Mercy to provide protection, but their primary objective is to scour the starways for telepaths. Some telepaths have the ability to heal and some to harm, and their fate is central to the conflict. The USC allows telepaths in their organization, while the Dominion sees them as an unacceptable threat. Niks has felt disdain for telepaths since childhood when she was traumatized by the death of her parents during a violent protest for telepath’s rights. However, something shifts when she uses a new piece of medical technology.

The Med Oculus allows for a sort of virtual reality immersion inside a patient. Niks is one of the first to use the tech when she tries to save a badly injured woman trapped under rubble. After being revived, the patient fights Niks off and runs away. However Niks finds herself linked to the woman, “Rex”, even after they part. When Niks sleeps she seems to enter Rex’s consciousness. Rex is a telepath and a sex worker, and she is in grave danger.

Will Niks leave the safety of her old life to help the woman she has come to know so intimately? What will the Dominion do when they find out a powerful telepath is on the loose, and that a nurse knows more than she is letting on?

The Characters

The story is told in the first person from Niks’ point of view. She is responsible, brave, and committed to helping others. At the start of the book, Niks pushes her unrealized desires to the back of her mind, convinced she should be happy with her long term relationship. As the story moves along we see those desires unbound by her intimate connection with Rex.

We see through Rex’s eyes when Niks is sleeping. Rex is able to help others realize their deepest needs, but she doesn’t allow anyone to make a true connection with her. She has spent her life on the run and has left a trail of broken hearts behind her. Between Rex’s internal conflict and the external threat posed by the Dominion, a happy ending for Niks and Rex often seems impossible.

While Niks and Rex are the primary characters, I can’t overlook Syra. Syra is a fellow nurse and as sexually free as Niks is inhibited. She is happy to blow off steam with men or women, and no one can drink her under the table. Niks can’t help but feel things when she is around her attractive best friend, but she has always been too scared to do anything about it.

The Writing Style

The writing is solid, and the book does a good job of building tension. The last half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat even as I found some of the narrow escapes to be quite improbable.

My Favourite Parts

The relationship between Niks and Syra was hands down my favorite part of the book. I could feel the years of familiarity and depth of feeling between these two best friends. If Hachmeister writes a follow-up, I would love to see even more of Syra and her escapades.

Heads Up

This is an erotic romance with several scenes that will leave you blushing. Readers should be aware there are graphic heterosexual sex scenes. Still, this is primarily a love story between Niks and Rex.

The Conclusion

You should buy this book if you enjoy sexy space adventures with a healthy shot of action.

Excerpt from Laws Of Attraction by L.J. Hachmeister

Syra caught up with her as the lift dropped them off at admitting. How she looked well-rested, her makeup fresh and her hair perfectly curled, Niks didn’t know.

“I don’t need to ask, do I?” Syra said, looking Niks up and down, half-smiling, half-cringing.

Already self-conscious of her ragged appearance and mismatched scrubs, Niks grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled her in close. “You owe me some fluid resuscitation—and probably a dose of vetynol for this headache.”

Syra giggled and followed her through to admitting. “Fair enough.”

Pulling Syra along, Niks led her friend through the crowd of medical staff milling around the nurse’s station waiting to be briefed, back to one of the storage rooms. Niks grabbed the fluid kit off the shelf, and a few other meds, and set them down a cart before taking a seat on top of a mobile biosystems analyzer.

“Give me your arm,” Syra said, unwrapping the kit and priming the fluid line.

Niks offered her left arm, and with the other, covered up her eyes, too embarrassed and frustrated to look her friend in the face.

“It’s not that bad, is it?” Syra asked as she attached the fluid to Nik’s forearm and hooked the bag to one of the shelves. “I’ve seen you way worse.”

“No,” Niks muttered, watching the yellow-tinged fluid flow into her veins. After injecting a cocktail of drugs into one of the IV ports to ease her hangover symptoms, Syra crouched down and rested her hands on Niks’ knees. “What’s up, girlie? Talk to me.”

Those eyes, Niks thought, taking in only a glimpse of the warm brown of Syra’s gaze. Her friend’s hands felt good on her legs, the touch full of care and interest, and willingness to hear her through.

But she didn’t want to admit the frustration and anxiety she didn’t understand, or even attempt to verbalize the emotions roiling through her. Instead, she looked up at the rapid-infusion bag, watching the last few drops shoot down the IV line.

In three minutes I’ll feel better.

And yet, she still slipped: “So, last night, did you even get his name?”

The question came out with a hint of jealousy she hadn’t intended, but Niks covered it up with a nervous chuckle.

“You know the answer to that.” Licking her lips, she moved her hands up Niks’ thighs. “But I must say—those fresh recruits sure work harder than the veterans!”

Niks laughed as Syra raised and lowered her eyebrows and stood up to shimmy her breasts in her face. Be it the rapid infusion, or her friend’s ridiculousness, she felt better, the uncomfortable truths of the night before fading back from her immediate concern.

“All right,” Syra said, pulling out the IV and bundling up the kit to throw in the trash. “Better?”

“Yes, much.” Niks stood up and gave her friend a hug, not letting go even when Syra tried to pull away a second time. Turning her head, she whispered into her friend’s ear: “Thank you.”

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