by John Wiswell
First published 2024
Shesheshen lives as a shapeless blob in a crumbling manor until hunters force her to flee. She builds herself a body from old bones and metal scraps, but the chase sends her tumbling off a cliff. Homily finds her broken form and nurses her back to health, mistaking the monster for an injured human. Shesheshen sees potential in this caring woman. Homily would make the perfect host for her eggs, allowing their offspring to consume her from within. But as they grow closer, Shesheshen discovers humans approach love differently. She wants to reveal her true nature, yet Homily confesses she came here hunting the very shapeshifter who supposedly cursed her family. Shesheshen never cursed anyone, but she must solve this mystery to protect their budding relationship. The hunt intensifies around them while Shesheshen investigates Homily's twisted relatives. She needs to uncover the truth before they both die. More challenging still, she must learn to build a future alongside Homily rather than literally inside her.
Genres: romance, fantasy, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Crumbling Manor
310 pages · Hardcover · DAW
Content warnings: body-horror, violence