After years of high performance science fiction, the pace of these books was initially difficult to adjust to. Am I ever glad I adjusted! It is so refreshing to to read about day do day reality, albeit from a future perspective. The stories and characters have such a genuine feel that you forget that you are reading fiction. The heroes and heroines are surviving in day to day life with real world feelings and emotions, not conquering the galaxy or fighting off the next wave of invaders who would enslave mankind. I was drawn into the stories because they resonated real world difficulties that were relatable. If you are looking for an entertaining space opera without the typical shoot them up, this is it!