Books like 'Forged in Shadow'
Readers who enjoyed Forged in Shadow by Anna Carven also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
futuristic science fiction alpha male aliens competent heroine fated-mates creative-anatomy independent heroine non-human-hero tortured hero
-
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada... -
Three Babies and the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips
Can a jaded alien warrior redeem himself in order to protect the woman and children who need him? After a painful divorce, Linda takes a job as the chief administrator of a rural hospital. Her hard won peace is shattered when strange black-suited men raid the maternity ward and she finds herself on board an alien spaceship... -
A Family for the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips
A grumpy alien warrior. A pregnant librarian. A ready-made family?Wanda has never hankered after excitement - or romance. A quiet life as a small town librarian suits her just fine. But while she doesn’t need a man, she does want a child. Just as her hard-earned dreams come true, she is abducted by aliens...Categorized as:
aliens forced proximity alpha male creative-anatomy non-human-hero m-f science fiction pregnancy -
Craved by the Hunter by Lynnea Lee
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSAMWhen a legendary PIP model shows up in my shop, I jump on the chance to work on the sentient shuttle, until I meet Pip’s owner. The surly hunter hates humans and has earned himself the nickname Loose Cannon... -
-
Coveted by the Hunter by Lynnea Lee
HEATHERWhen I offered to help the scary alien hunter rescue his friend, I had no idea the seven feet tall brute planned on abducting me. Now I’m stuck in a shuttle with my growly, purple captor, speeding away from everything I ever knew.Nov’k is sinfully handsome, covered in muscles, and claims he wants to wake up every day with me in his arms. He makes me feel beautiful for once in my life...Categorized as:
aliens strong heroine fated-mates alpha male m-f creative-anatomy dual-pov post-apocalyptic -
Krac's Firebrand by S.E. Smith
Section K Replication Alluthan Clone, or Krac as he was now called, had one focus in his life; protecting the descendants of the Freedom Five who ruled Earth’s council. Rescued by members of the family from a secret facility, he pledged to do what he could to always keep them safe. Things become personal when insurgents target a special member of the Freedom Five, Gracie Jones-Jefe and her family... -
Conqueror by Anna Hackett
After two years of alien captivity, Evie is free, but her captors have changed her. Now struggling to control a terrifying new power, her only hope is one formidable, dangerous alien king.Logistics manager Evie Mason is no longer a prisoner on an alien space station, but she’s far from Earth, suffering nightmares, and fighting to ignore the growing power inside her...Categorized as:
aliens forced proximity alpha male strong heroine fated-mates m-f science fiction futuristic -
Desired by the Hunter by Lynnea Lee
AanyaI should never have slept with Haax’l.The grumpy alien warrior claims he doesn’t want a mate, but now he’s glaring at me and acting super possessive. All while telling me he’s not interested.Argh! Talk about mixed messages!Well, he and his magnificently muscled butt, regal horns, and chiseled jaw can go take a hike, because I’m looking for a warrior who knows what he me...Categorized as:
strong heroine alpha male fated-mates aliens m-f dual-pov creative-anatomy post-apocalyptic -
The Arcav Prince's Captive by Hope Hart
Can you ever truly escape the past? Everly, tough, fierce ex-federal agent has broken with her past, moving to Arcavia and training as the Queen's guard. Along with the challenges of adjusting to a new planet, she's dealing with a disasterous complication: The fallout from an incredible, stolen night with Korva, a broken male known as a traitor amonst both Arcav and humans...Categorized as:
aliens non-human-hero m-f science fiction futuristic explicit-plentiful length-short -
Captured for the Alien Bride Lottery by Margo Bond Collins
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI refused to be in the Bride Lottery—so now I’m a runaway bride.Somehow, I knew my name was going to be drawn in the Bride Lottery—the hellish agreement that Earth’s leaders had made to sell us to the aliens who protected our planet.I’d grown up with the propaganda. It was our civic duty. Men registered for the draft, women registered for the Bride Lottery...Categorized as:
aliens fated-mates creative-anatomy non-human-hero m-f dual-pov science fiction futuristic -
Callum by Honey Phillips
Can a weary alien warrior and a wary human widow learn to love again?The life of a warrior is all Callum has ever known, but after a long, meaningless war he is tired of fighting. Instead, he chooses to accompany his brothers in arms to a new life on a backwater planet and finds an unexpected peace in the hard work of restoring their isolated ranch...Categorized as:
forced proximity aliens fated-mates non-human-hero m-f science fiction futuristic insta-love -
Jo's Journey by S.E. Smith
Jo Strauss was committed to two things in her life – her family and her life as an acrobat/high-wire performer. She takes both very serious. Her life was orderly, in control, and she was finally settling down in one place so she could spend more time with her parents instead of moving all over the world every few weeks... -
The Alien's Sacrifice by Ella Maven
I don’t deserve her, but I’ll risk everything to save her.Tasha: We’ve carved out a little life for ourselves on Corin—me and the other human survivors. It’s not perfect, and I miss Earth, but we could never return. Not after what was done to us. Not after what we’ve become. So we keep to ourselves, hiding from anyone and anything that would do us harm, until our peaceful settlement is raided... -
Brilliant Starlight by Anna Carven
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsAbbey We're back on Silence , orbiting the Dark Planet while my husband handles unfinished business on Kythia. For some reason, he seems a little bit tense. According to Tarak, Kythian politics can be complicated, especially when the entire Kordolian Empire has just been destroyed. I hope things don't get too complicated, because I don't want to be stuck here for too long... -
-
The Arcav Captain's Queen by Hope Hart
She wants her planet back... ... But all he wants is her. Forced to become a monster to survive her father’s cruelties, Saria wants only one thing: To convince the Arcav King to help her lead her people out of the darkness and into the light. She has no intention of mating anyone. Least of all Roax- the bossy bodyguard who the Arcav King ordered to be her shadow...Categorized as:
aliens non-human-hero creative-anatomy m-f military science fiction futuristic explicit-plentiful -
Hunted by the Alien Berserker by Mina Carter
She’s a pilot, not a people person. What does she know about keeping a bunch of women alive on an alien planet?Even worse, said planet has alien cavemen intent on carrying them off to their lairs to… do whatever it is alien cavemen DO to their captives. Yeah, that doesn’t take a genius to figure out...Categorized as:
aliens forced proximity m-f competent heroine strong heroine alpha male dual-pov military -
Paul's Pursuit by S.E. Smith
Paul Grove loves two things in the world more than anything else: his daughter, Trisha, and roaming the mountains and forests of Wyoming. One he would kill for, the other is who he is. He has spent his life devoted to his ‘little’ girl, even though she isn’t so little anymore. When she disappears, he focuses all of his hunting and tracking skills on finding her...Categorized as:
alpha male aliens independent heroine fated-mates non-human-hero m-f science fiction shapeshifters -
Tordan by Jennifer Julie Miller
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLunaThey stole my dreams, my hopes, my very identity, and I had no idea. Years went by and I did everything I was told, I was always the perfect specimen, and the perfect lab rat. I was dissected, even maimed all in the name of science. Then one day a strange smoky voice entered my head, and I knew things were not as they seemed... -
Hunter's Price by Lynnea Lee
XIK’NMy mission is simple. One: retrieve the shuttle. Two: don’t get caught.The tiny human female who answers my transmission is just a bonus. Every ounce of my being tells me to take her, touch her, and taste her. I earn her trust instead, and we talk for hours through our shuttles.When hostile humans turn on May and her friends, she steals the shuttle for herself... -
Legacy by Tana Stone
The Drexian Academy has four schools and four rules. Beware of the Assassins.Don't cross the Blades.Trust the Irons.The Wings go as one.Break them at your peril.Ariana is the first human instructor at the Drexian Academy and the first female to teach flight to cocky cadets. She’s the best Earth has to offer with a lot to prove...Categorized as:
aliens m-f competent heroine non-human-hero dual-pov explicit-open-door futuristic first-person-pov -
Kraving Tavak by Zoey Draven
A female is the last thing I want or need.Doesn’t matter if they’re Laoti, or Luxirian, or human….females mean trouble and I’m so vauking tired of trouble.What I want is to spend my days in peace. After years of working in a brothel, of being pawed at and owned and consumed by women, I want to be left alone.Then I see her... -
The Arcav Guard's Female by Hope Hart
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s on a quest for revenge… ...But he’s on a mission to make her his... After being abducted by aliens and rescued by the Arcav, all Peyton wants is revenge. Well, that, and a trip straight back home to Earth where she belongs. She’s not interested in the handsome Arcav Guard who stares at her so intently. Even if he does make her wish she’d met him before her captivity... -
Dark Minds by Michelle Diener
The mind is the most powerful weapon of all . . . Imogen Peters knows she's a pawn. She's been abducted from Earth, held prisoner, and abducted again. So when she gets a chance at freedom, she takes it with both hands, not realizing that doing so will turn her from pawn to kingmaker...Categorized as:
aliens competent heroine dual-pov non-human-hero science fiction futuristic open-door -
Home World by Erin Raegan
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsPeyton I fell in love with an alien. Our world was invaded by carnivorous freaks and the Dahk swooped in and saved me and my friends. They want to save the Earth but we are our own worst enemy, or so I thought. The truth is we have no idea what's out there. Now I'm on my way to Home World. The Dahk's world. An alien world. I had no choice, it was taken from me... -
-
Protected by the Alien Mercenary by Robin O'Connor
Trapped in a terrible situation, I decide to hire a mercenary to help me escape. Pay him? I’m sure we’ll figure that out…RikkiI’ve been kidnapped and auctioned off. I’m not waiting around for my new ‘owner’ to do whatever he wants with me. When he leaves me with his guard in a sleazy bar, I see my chance...Categorized as:
aliens m-f dual-pov fated-mates creative-anatomy multicultural alpha male non-human-hero -
Agent of Change by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
IT STARTS WITH A MAN WHO WAS NOT WHAT HE SEEMED... “The man who was not Terrence O’Grady had come quietly.” Introducing Val Con yos’Phelium – interstellar spy, starship pilot, musician, and incidentally, a brother to Clutch Turtles... -
The Arcav Commander's Human by Hope Hart
A lifetime of duty to his people… …Or the woman who could be his? Jaret has been completely dedicated to the Arcav race for centuries. His only focus is the continuation of his species. Known for being cold and remote, no one is more surprised than Jaret when he insists on leading the mission to rescue the humans kidnapped for slavery...Categorized as:
aliens non-human-hero m-f futuristic science fiction explicit-plentiful length-short -
Alien in Disguise by Cara Bristol
Hell hath no fury like a woman abducted by aliens…twice.The space cruise is supposed to be the vacation of a lifetime. Instead, Jessie Sayles gets abducted by aliens. After the rescue, she’s determined to sound the alarm that humans have been targeted by a galactic slave cartel...Categorized as:
aliens forbidden love m-f dual-pov forced proximity creative-anatomy contemporary suspense -
Sanctuary for the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips
Can an alien warrior and an orphaned infant provide a new beginning for a lonely woman? Tired of relentless hours, arrogant clients, and endless demands, Barbara is ready to abandon her career as a corporate attorney for a simpler life. She doesn’t expect that life to involve an alien abduction, an abandoned baby, and an all-too-intriguing alien warrior with a very friendly tail...Categorized as:
aliens alpha male m-f creative-anatomy fated-mates non-human-hero strong heroine competent heroine -
Oh No, I Stole An Alien Furball And Kissed A Beastmaster by Kate Sinner
In space, no one can hear you squeal over cute, trouble-making alien furballs... or a unexpected romance. All I wanted was a fluffy friend, but now I'm knee-deep in an adorable infestation threatening to destroy everything we've built. As the furry menace multiplies, our once-bustling hotel teeters on the brink of ruin... -
Double Take by Cara Bristol
The second time around will be double or nothing…Getting over the death of her husband has been a long, slow process for pottery artist Faith Hammond. But five years have passed, and she’s making a new life for herself, moving from Earth to planet Terra Nova and opening up a pottery shop. She’s finally finding the calm and focus she’s been seeking.Until there’s a knock at her cottage door... -
Khann: Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides #5 by Sue Mercury, Sue Lyndon
He’s the enemy—and she’s agreed to become his mate.Stranded on war-torn Earth with her young daughter, Belle is devastated to learn she has a terminal illness. Who will take care of her daughter after she’s gone? When she discovers Vaxxlians possess the technology to save her, she doesn’t hesitate to sign up for Vaxxlian Mail Order Brides—even if she does view the powerful aliens as the enemy...Categorized as:
aliens non-human-hero m-f dual-pov science fiction single-mother futuristic length-novella -
Xenon by Regine Abel
What is dead is never truly gone.When she embarks on a rescue mission in an abandoned lab, the last thing Kate Lewis expects is for a long dead Xian Warrior to rise from his ashes. Then he claims she’s his soulmate. Although she doesn’t doubt his sincerity, Kate cannot help but question the truth of his words... -
Treasured by the Hunter: A Post-Apocalyptic Alien Romance by Lynnea Lee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsABBY Years after the end of the world, my life is falling apart again. This time, I know exactly how to survive in the bugpocalypse. What I don’t know is what to do with the brawny purple alien following me around. Harb’k isn’t just big and strong, with a protective streak a mile wide, but he’s funny as hell too...Categorized as:
aliens m-f fated-mates non-human-hero science fiction post-apocalyptic futuristic dystopian -
-
Hugo by Jennifer Julie Miller
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMiyaI awaken to the touch of cold metal hands and talking holograms. Paralyzed and dependent on the Others. They tell me a story… at first; I refuse to believe. A story of no return and extreme loss, but one of the voices is different. He projects anger and distrust…but his hands… even though cold and hard, are always gentle... -
AvX by Jennifer Julie Miller
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIvyWhy are the last words ever spoken to our loved ones is in anger? I knew the moment I left it was a mistake, but my stubborn pride urged me forward. I’ve awakened to unimaginable horrors, pain unlike anything the human mind could conceive, until him. Now, I’m too scared to trust my own feelings, as they have only led me astray... -
A Very Arcav Christmas by Hope Hart
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBabies, weddings, and Christmas... oh my! For the human women on Arcavia, there's plenty to celebrate during the holidays. Sure, the Grivath are a constant threat, but with a surprise wedding to plan, a baby on the way, and even a visit from Santa, the first Arcav Christmas is sure to be incredible... -
Knightmaster by Anna Hackett
She was sent to forge an alliance with the deadly Oronis knights…and instead finds herself framed for abducting their queen.Xenoanthropologist Kennedy Black loves exploring new cultures with Space Corps. Everyone in her life has left her, so she happily fills the void with exciting adventures...Categorized as:
forced proximity aliens alpha male m-f military science fiction futuristic length-short -
Tracking Trisha by S.E. Smith
Trisha Grove enjoyed her job as a pilot for Boswell International but realizes something is still missing from her life – her family. She is ready to call it quits and head back home to Wyoming where her father lives. She never expected her last flight for Boswell would end with an unplanned trip out of this world... -
Hunter's Quest by Lynnea Lee
MORGANWhen the flesh-eating space bugs invading Earth didn’t make it up my mountain, I thought it was luck. I spent a quiet winter safe in my cabin as society collapsed around me.Turns out, a huge Xarc’n warrior has been stalking my land. Rhaz’k claims I’m “his,” but I belong to no one. His massive horns, fangs, and purple muscles turn my knees to jelly, but his cocky attitude is a hard pass... -
Caveman Alien’s Call by Calista Skye
When the ground split open, he threw himself into the chasm with me.But that was not because he wanted to save me…HaisleyA tribe of crazy cavemen wants to eat me.They’ve even put me in a pot and hung it over a fire.It’s a little much after I’ve been buried alive for the second time in two weeks and barely survived a terrible earthquake that tore the ground open...Categorized as:
alpha male multicultural aliens strong heroine fated-mates forced proximity science fiction humor -
Ambushing Ariel by S.E. Smith
Ariel Hamm has always had a tender heart. Her love for her sister, Carmen, and her best friend, Trisha, has always been a priority in her life. But at twenty-eight, she is ready to start focusing on what she wants. After her fiancée unexpectedly ends their engagement, she is searching to redefine who she really is. A pilot for Boswell International, she knows flying is not her first love...Categorized as:
strong heroine alpha male aliens independent heroine fated-mates non-human-hero m-f science fiction -
The Security Guy by V.C. Lancaster
Anna has been sent to the San Diego branch of the Department of Extra-Terrestrial Immigration from her London PR company to negotiate a contract. Her job is to help improve the public image of the local Teissian refugee community after it has come under attack from a local politician. On her first day there, she is invited to the office Christmas party...Categorized as:
aliens strong heroine men in uniform non-human-hero creative-anatomy m-f humor science fiction -
A Son for the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips, Bex McLynn
Can she create a new family with an alien warrior? On the anniversary of the disappearance of Mariah’s sister and nephew, Mariah returns to their last known location, expecting to find only painful memories. Instead, she encounters an alien spaceship and recklessly sneaks aboard, taking one last chance to be reunited with her family... -
-
Razor's Traitorous Heart by S.E. Smith
Kali Parks is a shadow in the war between two factions that are fighting to gain control of Chicago. Born and raised on the streets, she stands as a silent sentinel at her brother’s side as he battles to gain control. She will do whatever it takes to bring peace to those she has pledged her life to protect, including fighting against the creatures that came to their world almost six years before...Categorized as:
men in uniform alpha male aliens independent heroine non-human-hero m-f science fiction pregnancy -
The Arcav King's Obsession by Hope Hart
He Stole Her Life... ...Can he Win Her Heart? Just a few weeks ago, Harlow was living her life on Earth- locking up bad guys and drinking beers with her fellow cops after shift. She never wanted to be the Arcav King's mate. Unfortunately, she was outplayed. Now, Harlow must learn how to rule over an alien species, while making room for her mate's giant... ego...Categorized as:
aliens non-human-hero m-f futuristic science fiction explicit-plentiful length-short -
Hemi by Anna Hackett
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the middle of an alien invasion, a big, tough, tattooed former mercenary is finally going to chase down his woman. Camryn McNab knows love is a lie. Okay, maybe not for everybody--her fellow soldiers on Squad Nine have managed to fall in love in the middle of a vicious alien attack. But it's not for her. She comes from two people incapable of love... -
Odin by Tasha Black
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShe swore she would never love again, but this dragon warrior's heat might just melt her resolve...Liberty is a widow who's come to Lachesis for a chance to raise a child and get a fresh start on a far away frontier moon. But she isn’t ready for the baby to come with Odin, an Invicta dragon warrior who has sworn to protect the child with his life... -
Protected by the Alien Space Guardian: My Monster, My Protector by Bella Blair
In the depths of space our worlds collide…ZOE: After aliens invaded Earth I am abducted and taken on a spaceship, bound for an unknown fate. Not even the company of other prisoners grants any hope, as we are all struggling to survive.Just as it seems the ship is about to crash, a mysterious savior appears—a powerful alien with eyes as dark as space...Categorized as:
aliens m-f dual-pov fated-mates science fiction futuristic abduction explicit-open-door -
Torrvok by Alana Khan
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsTorrvok, a cunning and skilled warrior, protects Sierra from enemies who hunt them without mercy. But can he keep her safe from the raging beast writhing under his skin?SierraHe rescued me—twice—then protected me on a dangerous chase across a continent.Despite his warnings not to trust him, when we’re together I’m only aware of the pounding desire his presence ignites...
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.