For me, this was an experiment as I had not read the earlier book in the Galactic Bonds series, a space-traveling campaign with ruling houses, wars, politics and terrorists, and romance. Could I read episode 2.5 as a standalone? ONLY HARD PROBLEMS did not work well for me in that way. The first third of the book rehashes the end of the previous book, while everyone’s getting ready to go to a ball. Then there’s a ball. The author must have been giggling when she had a character called Jane dancing with a character called Austen. By this time, I was skipping pages, I admit, as I wanted to get to a point where something was happening. And then the action did start.

Zane Zimmer is a playboy and leader of the security force the Arrows for his noble House. He’s been instructed to pay court to Lady Asterin, although they don’t much like each other, for political reasons. But Zane’s thoughts are mainly on the discovery that he has a sister called Vesper, who seems a much more interesting person. She vanished with a boyfriend at the end of the previous story before Zane could start getting to know her. Now Kyrion and Vesper are on the run.

Throw in an ongoing Techwave terrorist plot, and the Summer Solstice ball is certain not to go smoothly. Zane is not the sharpest arrow in the quiver, because what you do when you see someone moving furtively where they shouldn’t be, is you alert the guards. Zane is too egotistical to get help. The action comes thick and fast after that scene, so I’d call it worth the wait. 

Jennifer Estep has penned several action and romance sci-fi books, and her Galactic Bonds tales incorporate some psychic abilities such as telekinesis, telepathy and empathy. Along with blasters and spaceships, this makes for a fun read. After finishing ONLY HARD PROBLEMS I would definitely like to go back and read the earlier books to catch Vesper’s story, so from that point of view the novella works. I suggest reading the stories in order if possible.