Small Town Mate (Smutt Books Short Alien Romance, #4)

Annabelle is done with bad first dates.She’s done with men who panic when the bill arrives, who think a mortgage and a retirement account count as a personality, and who spend the entire evening talking without ever wondering who she is. She’s done with human men.She’s ready for someone alien.The Norratar have integrated into human society with undeniable benefits but some resistance. Advanced medicine. Clean energy. Interstellar trade. So when Annabelle signs up for the Norratar mate-matching program, it feels less like a risk and more like a step in a new direction, especially with long-term benefits that come with the contract.Her father disagrees.He spends his nights glued to an entertainment channel that insists the Norratar are manipulative, dangerous, and quietly invading humanity. Annabelle ignores him…until her mother insists she bring her new match home for Christmas dinner.Now Annabelle must decide whether she’s brave enough to defend her choice.One alien.One deeply suspicious family.And a holiday guaranteed to test if new love can survive first contact with the in-laws.A high-heat heart-forward sci-fi romance about finding connection across cultures, challenging prejudice, and falling for someone who doesn’t put up with your family but supports you for still loving them.