by Nalini Singh
Part of Psy-Changeling, book 1
First published 2018
Sascha Duncan lives in terror of discovery. In her world, the ruling Psy have eliminated all emotion from their race. Any sign of feeling marks someone as defective and condemns them to rehabilitation, a process that erases their mind completely. Sascha conceals the emotions that surge through her, knowing exposure means psychic death. Lucas Hunter belongs to the Changelings, beings who shift between human and animal forms. His people treasure the very sensations the Psy have abandoned. When a killer murders several Changeling women, Lucas suspects a Psy assassin. He needs access to Psy society to find the murderer who killed his packmate. Sascha becomes his way in. Lucas expects to find another emotionless Psy, but Sascha responds to him with surprising warmth. The animal side of his nature draws him to this woman who should feel nothing. As they work together, Sascha struggles to hide her growing feelings while Lucas fights his attraction to someone from an enemy race. War threatens between their peoples, but a deeper danger stalks them both.
Genres: science-fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-romance
Setting: Psy Society
353 pages · Kindle Edition · Berkley
Content warnings: violence