Book Review: Calamity by Constance Fay

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Calamity by Constance Fay

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance

Series: Book 1 of Uncharted Hearts

Publisher: Bramble (November 14, 2023)

Length: 320 pages

Author Information: Website

Taking breaks is essential, and I’m a big believer in mixing it up. While I know I can be picky when it comes to romance in my SFF, sometimes a good genre mashup is exactly what I need in a palate cleanser, a bit of a breather from my heavier reads.

Enter Calamity, a new title released from Bramble, Tor Publishing’s freshly launched romantic imprint for science fiction and fantasy. A popcorny delight that launches readers into the Uncharted Hearts series where steamy romance meets spacefaring action, the story follows Temperance “Temper” Reed, an exiled member of a wealthy family hoping to make her own way in the galaxy. After refusing to bow to her older brother’s unsavory ways of doing business, Temper joins up with the crew of a ramshackle scouting ship, embracing the newfound camaraderie right up until her intense love affair with the captain blows up spectacularly in her face following his painful betrayal.

Living up to her nickname, our protagonist gives in to her impulses and buys the ship from the captain after he puts it up for sale, hoping to keep the rest of the team together. But the purchase ends up cleaning out her bank account, leaving nothing for upgrades…or anything else, really. So when the second son of the Escajeda family hires Temper for a mission to scout out the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2, she literally cannot afford to say no even though she can’t stand the guy. Devastatingly handsome and recklessly captivating, Arcadio gets added to the crew roster under his official title of head of security, but everyone knows he’s there as his family’s spy. As our misfit ensemble heads out into the great unknown on a journey marked by unpredictable threats, Temper will also be tested by the undeniable chemistry between her and Arcadio. After all, the biggest danger they face might not be out there among the stars but instead hidden in the depths of their own hearts.

I was surprised to find out that Calamity is Constance Fay’s debut. Not only does it blend genres with ease, but the pacing is also smooth and rapid, delivering plenty of twists to keep readers flipping through the chapters. Sure, the overall plot may be treading familiar ground, and I am particularly reminded of Jessie Mihalik’s Consortium Rebellion, a sci-fi romance trilogy which also deals with the interstellar drama of wealthy megacorp families and enemies-to-lovers storylines. Yet where the novel shines is its execution and the author’s ability to inject a sense of enjoyment into even the most familiar themes in this well-loved genre. Of course, we know what’s coming; the romance between Temperance and Arcadio is both expected and predictable, but arguably half the fun is in watching things play out the way we want them to. Fay delivers the results in a way that’s both heartwarming and steamy, which made Calamity an immensely satisfying read.

But balancing romance within a story is also a delicate task, and you don’t want the romantic elements to overshadow everything else, especially the sci-fi aspects and world-building in this case. Calamity succeeded in keeping the plot convincing and the characters strong, complemented by engaging relationships. Granted, side character development is where the novel falters, as there are hardly any memorable crew members besides our two main protagonists. With that said, it’s easy to forgive this when the world-building provides such a rich backdrop for the scouting vessel’s escapades, and the many conflicts they face make up for the book’s weaker areas.

All told, this makes me excited to see what more Bramble has to offer, as Calamity sets a very promising precedent for the future of this SFF romance imprint. I’ll also be keeping my eye on Constance Fay’s future projects and put the next Uncharted Hearts novel on my to-read list.