The Red Woman on Mars

Description

“[A] stormy sci-fi Pride and Prejudice riff…Barner creates a tangled web of passion and politics on the way to a triumphant ending….This fast-paced space romance is good fun.” —Publishers Weekly

Vivian Bowen leaves Earth for Mars, seeking safety and a fresh start after seven long years in a climate refugee camp. She’s determined to fulfill her contract as a Red Mother by selecting a Martian partner and bearing genetically modified children to fund her family’s survival back on Earth. In sixty days, everything will be secure.

But beneath the glamorous lifestyle of the Martian oligarchs, with luxurious gowns, lavish balls, and charming suitors, lies a dark reality. The Red Mothers initiative is controlled by the Intelligence, an AI worshipped as a god, indifferent to the pain the women will experience as they carry out their contractual duties.

When her younger sister is seduced by a dangerous Martian soldier and breaks her contract, Vivian joins forces with Xavier Dorsey–a charismatic and infuriating Martian politician hellbent on shutting down the Red Mothers initiative. Caught between the security she’s always craved and a passion-filled-but-uncertain future, Vivian must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice for freedom–and for love.

The Red Woman on Mars is Claire Barner’s stunningly imaginative sophomore novel, perfect for fans of Brigerton and speculative romances like The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.
Binding Type: Paperback
Author: Claire Barner
Published: 07/28/2026
Publisher: Diversion Books
ISBN: 9798895151518
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 1.00″ H x 8.40″ L x 5.50″ W

About the Author
Claire Barner is the author of sci-fi/romance novel Moonrising. She studied public policy and education at the University of Chicago and has spent her career in operations. She and her husband are raising three children and love exploring Chicago’s garden walks, lakefront, museums, and forest preserves. She leads the parent engagement group at her children’s school and is committed to enhancing equity at Chicago Public Schools.