Jennifer Estep is one of my favorite authors, and I have read all of her books. I am also a fan of space operas, and this book gave me (almost!) everything I wanted! And can I just say I love that the MCs are both in their mid- to late-30s? I wish more authors would age up their protagonists so that we could get a better sense of how their personal backstory informs their current choices. As a worldbuilding book that ends on a cliffhanger, this ticked all the boxes: great tension, believable actions by the MCs, solid interiority, and most importantly, chemistry between the characters (side characters included). I am eager to read the rest of the series!😍