SHADOW FORGED - Press Release

Forty-year-old Caroline is too old to start dating and too bored with her vibrator, but what other choices does she have. On the day she burns her shirt and breaks a fingernail, she meets Etterian warriors. As part of her job at E.S.A. (Earth Space Association,) she must ‘entertain’ the hot-as-apple-pie Chief Engineer she suspects isn’t who he claims to be.

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Operations Commander Malo, Head of Espionage, must act as an engineer and ambassador, hoping to invite human females to visit Etteria and save his dying race. From Princess Oriana, he has strict instructions to distrust humans. What he finds he cannot trust are his emotions and his body whenever in the presence of the human ambassador, Caroline. She does not believe in soulmates or in a forever with him. Convincing her to choose him is the greatest task ever set before him, one he cannot afford to fail.

Until she is stolen from him. He calls in favors, utilizes all his resources to find her. And when he does, he is never letting her off his battleship...or his bed.

Title: Shadow Forged

Heat Level: 4/5

Genre/subgenre: SciFi Romance

Target audience (age group, reader type): Adult

Word count or page count: 73492/315

Release date: Mar-23

Publisher: Sevannah Storm

Series info: The Gifting Series #6

Short blurb:  Spinster Caroline is an astrophysicist with a love for ice cream, and it shows, on her backside. Clumsy and timid, she’s bowled over by the alien ambassador who’s shadowed and lethal. A glorious romance is on the horizon, except his jilted lover has other plans. 

One-line hooks or taglines:

Too old for dating. Too bored for solo play. Just right for alien obsession.
Dating at 40? Sure. Falling for an alien spy? Unexpected.
He’s undercover. She’s out of her depth. Their chemistry is no secret.
Trust no one. Love no one. But what if that someone is her?
Mission: save a dying race. Challenge: keep a stubborn human woman.
When she’s taken, he launches a war—on the battlefield and in the bedroom.

Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/bPNd8j

Excerpts:

He spun and pinned her to the thin wall. Resting a palm on either side of her ears, he leaned in but was careful not to press his body to hers. Therein lay his doom.
Words lodged in his throat.
What she meant to him swelled, rose, overflowed until only warmth engulfed his chest.
He studied this beautiful creature, wishing he knew how to convey what she invoked within him.
He pressed his forehead to hers for a moment, allowed himself to share her breath, before he pulled away.
Never would he reveal how much effort it took to do so.

“Do not look away. I want to watch you find your pleasure. This moment will be cherished for an eternity.”
Her heart melted like a ball of hot toffee.
She sighed and met his gaze, just as he thrvst into her again.
It was too much. He was too…
She shattered, arching and writhing beneath him but not once breaking eye contact.
His cheeks darkened, his eyes aglow. “You are beautiful.”
And she believed him.

Until she faced him. He felt her gaze traveling up the length of him to his jaw as if her hands caressed him. A white-hot pleasurable torment lanced through him. His fingers fisted when his legs weakened, threatening to drop him to a knee. He struggled to control his breathing, enduring vision after vision of her spread before him.

His breath caught as she undid each tiny button with slow, methodical movements. He wanted to rip it off her now that she was alone with him. “You’re not ripping off the shirt or skirt,” she said in a regal tone.

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Reader reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2023
I enjoyed this one a lot. I loved Caro, she is typical of a lot of females and was very relatable. I thought Izzy was a hoot and helped add to the story.
I laughed at the Etterian males and their night out on the town. What a culture shock.
I loved how Caro showed her strength of character after being kidnapped and didn't let the hatred totally consume her even though you know she wanted to. She was still able to find some good in some of the aliens.
Was very well written and loved the plot line.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2023
Wonderful characters, danger, action, adventure, fated mates, alien male, human woman, entertaining. Protective alien male, Malo, that will do whatever it takes to protect and find his fated mate an older human woman, Caroline. Loved that this story features a woman in her 40's rather than in her 20's. Us older woman are not dead yet. We want romance and love too!

4.0 out of 5 stars Good part of the series
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
Malo and Caro are a good couple. I love how they meet and the way they are together. Its a good story and a excellent part of the series. The author does a good job of keeping the stories continuous and throwing just enough to keep you engaged. Good characters both old and new and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

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Discussion or book club questions:

Caroline is a forty-year-old woman skeptical about dating and soulmates. How does her age and attitude affect her relationship with Malo?

Malo must balance his roles as spy, ambassador, and lover. How do these conflicting identities impact his connection with Caroline?

How do Caroline’s doubts about soulmates challenge Malo’s belief in destiny and duty?

What moments in the story reveal the softer side of Malo beneath his tough exterior? Did this make him more relatable?

The story explores themes of trust, duty, and desire. How do Caroline and Malo each wrestle with these themes?

How does the dynamic of a “taken” or kidnapped partner complicate or heighten their romance?

In what ways does the story address skepticism about love and the supernatural bond of soulmates?

How is age portrayed in the book? Does Caroline’s age add depth or obstacles to her romantic storyline?

Malo’s undercover mission adds layers of tension. How did the espionage elements affect your engagement with the romance?

What were your favorite scenes that balanced humor, suspense, and steamy moments?

How does the rescue or retrieval mission change the pace or stakes of the story?

If you were Caroline, how would you react to discovering Malo’s true identity?

What advice would you give Malo to win over a stubborn human woman?

Imagine a sequel—what challenges or new missions might test their relationship?

What’s one scene or moment you’d love to see expanded or told from Malo’s perspective?

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Relevant tropes or keywords:

Soulmates
Kidnapped
He falls first
Alpha hero
Aliens on Earth
Damsel to not.