The Blarmling Dilemma (Hearts in Orbit Book 1)

Phoebe Callista rescues a pair of endangered Blarmlings and becomes the target of a manhunt led by a corrupt Galactic Marshal. On the run with her alien contraband, she encounters Rigel Antares, a bounty hunter whose failing ship and difficult past make him desperate for income. Phoebe and her Blarmlings represent his chance at the repairs he needs—until personal feelings complicate the arrangement. Forced into an alliance, Phoebe and Rigel travel through pirate-infested wild space, encounter a traveling intergalactic circus, and visit a world stuck in the dark ages. As they face mounting dangers, their connection deepens and their fates become intertwined. This is the first book in the Hearts in Orbit series.