All the makings of a cult classic.
Sunastara “Sunny” Jeka is good at her job as hospitality specialist aboard the pleasure cruise ship Ignisar. So good, in fact, that she manages to juggle the delicate and differing needs of every species on board without too many disasters. Sure, there is the occasional fire, perhaps an errant and dangerous shaker of salt, or a swimming pool cursed to remain waterless, but most customers leave satisfied. Especially the ones Sunny pays a private visit to off the clock! Her horizontal escapades are no secret to the crew, but rarely does this interfere with her professional demeanor. That is, until the moment her most memorable one-night stand, Freddie, becomes her coworker. Determined to keep things above board, Sunny sets some boundaries. For a while, they maintain their resolve. “They walked side by side back to the deck twelve crew quarters, but at a distance Sunny deemed safe enough to discourage any accidental fornication in a dark hallway or maintenance closet.” But balancing the needs of politicians, magicians, cannibals, and her own tragic past with her ever-present desires may be too much for even Sunny to pull off.
Silly, sappy, sultry and sinful, Love in the Time of Wormholes marries science fiction and playful romance and settles them on an intergalactic cruise ship. Jess K Hardy masterfully encapsulates all that is good about sci-fi and distills it down to the best, most humorous elements, casting off the excess like unwanted space rubbish. The development of each character, from charming, charismatic scene-stealing Freddie to an awkward crew member who hates being around people, is sublimely composed. In addition to the several developing love stories, the plot broadens dramatically to include some real political power-plays, all while capturing the behind-the-scenes moving parts of working on a ship. Well, a spaceship. The mercury is certainly rising in this sarcastic and sexy rom-com featuring a reckless but nurturing protagonist that anybody would love to have as a friend. With all the makings of a cult classic, Love in the Time of Wormholes is a ridiculously funny novel with a surprising amount of heart.
