Free (Kobo/iTunes/DRM-free) Birthright [Australian Sci-Fi Alien Invasion w/Romance]

[ATDrake]

Birthright by UK-born Australian author Valerie Parv (ISFDB) is the 1st novel in her Beacon series of alien contact science fiction novels with strong f/m romantic elements, this installment setting up assorted strangers contacted by unusual visitors, who will attempt to form a specialized group to fend off the impending alien invasion, free courtesy of publisher Pan Macmillan Australia's Momentum imprint.

This is the featured Free Book of the Week in the iTunes Australia & New Zealand stores, and is being made free to promote the upcoming 3rd-in-series, due this week.

While the blurb recommends this series for fans of Linnea Sinclair (apparently a romance author who incorporates strong science fiction elements into her stories), and author Parv is also primarily a romance writer herself and sets this in the same fictional country as some of her romance novels take place in, her editorial remarks about the series indicate that she wrote it with a primarily sfnal intent in mind, with the romantic elements secondary to the overarching plot, and the later books continue the fight of all three "beacon" characters against the aliens, rather than switching from couple to couple's adventures as in dedicated romances. YMMV, if you were hoping for more or less relationship drama in it, though there may perhaps be lurking love triangles.

Currently free @ Kobo & iTunes (both available to Canadians, and DRM-free @ Kobo), as well as directly from the Pan Macmillan Australia webstore (ADE-DRM DRM-free ePub with limited downloads, available worldwide), and possibly other places linked on the Momentum catalogue page. This will likely drop later @ B&N, Amazon, Google Play & eBooks.com, where Momentum freebies often also show up, once the pricing schedule catches up.

And this has been the selected 3rd (non-repeat) free ebook thread of the day.

Because it's always a treat to receive sfnal freebies, and it's rather nice of Momentum to give us a new one while repeating the old, for the benefit of Gentle Readers that might have missed out last time around. Also, I like the notion of this being set in an invented modern country, which is something that happens a lot less in science fiction than it does in fantasy; especially an invented country with such mundane roots as being a fictional background for contemporary romance novels, so bonus points for interesting worldbuilding recycling and thence expansion (or just channeling one's inner Borges).

Enjoy!

Description
A threat beyond anything humanity has ever faced is racing toward our solar system. Will those who can stop it learn to work together before it's too late?

Adam Desai is a self-made man. From humble and mysterious origins he has built a career as the director of a prestigious space center. He is also a man who knows right from wrong, and something about the impending launch of the shuttle Arrafin seems very wrong.

Deputy Governor Shana Akers is used to handling high-stakes situations. But can she believe Adam’s suspicions? The launch is worth millions to the local area, and she knows she’s not always the most level-headed when it comes to Adam.

On the day of the launch, Adam is confronted by a pair of mysterious visitors, and suddenly everything he has ever believed about himself must change. Faced with a danger that threatens the entire planet, Adam and Shana must find the strength to trust not only each other, but the visitors, whose unusual abilities defy explanation.

Only united do they stand a chance of averting disaster, and their choices will set them on a path to reclaiming humanity’s birthright.

This thrilling story of aliens living among us is perfect for fans of A.G. Riddle, Rysa Walker and Linnea Sinclair.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

snip...

as well as directly from the Pan Macmillan Australia webstore (ADE-DRM epub with limited downloads, available worldwide), and possibly other places linked on the Momentum catalogue page.

FYI, you actually get a DRM-free ePub from Pan Macmillan

[ATDrake]

^

Really? Cool! Fixed in the OP; thanks for letting me know.

When they'd made the initial switch over from offering the freebies directly at the Momentum website to PM AU, there was so much FAQ stuff about needing an Adobe ID and purchases must be downloaded within 30 days or else (with, as it turns out, a tiny line buried within all that about some downloads still being DRM-free), and I'd missed the brief window during which the last one they offered actually did drop to free in the store, apparently, so I couldn't check to see what one actually got and didn't feel like trying at 3 am in the morning this time around.

But finding out that they do still offer these things DRM-free via the direct-buy (even if it's just for 30 days and not a 10 download attempts limit dual-format bundle like before) is great.

[AnemicOak]

Yeah, their info is really messed up. They mention ADE in a few places and a 6 device limit and stuff like that, but what I got was a simple DRM-Free ePub.

[FizzyWater]

It's no longer showing free anywhere (in the US) except the Panmacmillan website. And since I'm at work, I can't test if it'll let me actually purchase - the site with the cart on it is blocked. Sigh.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't check iTunes. Don't do Apple.

[TrevorViking]

^ still free at itunes

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

It's no longer showing free anywhere (in the US) except the Panmacmillan website.

AFAIK there and iTunes are the only places it has been free for the US (so far anyway).