Daughters of Hestia by Marcella Strang Bixler:

4 Stars

After a cruel decision banished Vesta from her home, she searches the wider universe for her place — usually finding little comfort. When she’s recalled by the Legion, everything changes.

I enjoyed this story, and I don’t want to take too much away from that, but, for the first chunk of the story, I felt like I knew where things were headed — and really loved it. Then, once Vesta was back on Hestia, it turned into something else. It’s still good, but less sharp and original. Less industrial and gritty, more eco-adjacent romance.

Marcella Strang Bixler’s worldbuilding is solid. Without overcommitting, she paints textured scenes, highlighting ingrained cultural biases. The main characters are given some nuance; however, the baddies could stand a little more development. How did they come to be the way they are, to value what they do? The pacing is excellent — every part of the story felt like it was moving toward a specific goal.

If you’re craving a woman-forward, sci-fi romance that lightly explores in-world cultures, I recommend Daughters of Hestia. It’s a fun, creative, and slightly spicy.

Thank you to Books Go Social for the opportunity to read Daughters of Hestia. I was given a complimentary copy through NetGalley and am voluntarily writing this review.