Cy'ren Rising is the name of this series about a spacefaring race. I had not read the previous titles but jumped straight into the action. After all, it's easy to pick sides when a troop is attacking mercenaries holding a bunch of slaves in a space station brothel.

Bryn, the brave woman who led her companions through the fighting to safety, was formerly a shadow sword fighter. She has a female partner Sabine, who was drugged to make her amenable in the brothel. The Cy'ren people have some physiological differences to humans, aside from their violet-coloured skin and golden eyes, and Bryn just has to hope that the doctors aboard the troop ship can help them. If not, she might lose her mate - one way or another.

The captain of the ship, the formidable Captain Hawke, has more weighty matters on her mind. A bioweapon is being developed and Hawke's crew were searching for information about it on the space station - freeing slaves was a bonus. She can't make detours for anyone's convenience, and her Lieutenant Commander Jace Harrow, who helped free the women, is growing ever more fascinated with Sabine. If he falls under the spell of her pheromones, who knows what might happen?

I enjoyed the well-realised background of the military ship and all the details were convincing, such as a hissing of air conditioning and the wiring problems with a circuitry panel. We could be pretty much living on that ship, there is so much realism. Females in the Cy'ren people are scarce so they now have fewer rights and freedoms than before, as they are needed to preserve the race. The plucky Sabine and Bryn want to insist that they will not be separated, but their options may be limited.

Some vampirism is involved and partner-swapping, so the adult romance in MORNINGSTAR may not be for everyone, but SF fans will find a lot to like. I enjoyed this original read by Robyn Bachar about brave, determined women and men who have to work around gender role models, with plenty of action and even zombies.