The Fractured Crown Trilogy Series by Nova Valentine

He was sent to conquer her world. She was never meant to save him. When Chicago falls under alien occupation, field medic Mara Kessler survives by patching up the broken and staying invisible. But after a brutal skirmish leaves a wounded alien commander trapped beneath the ruins, she makes a choice that changes everything. She saves him. Commander Caelis Vaelor is no ordinary soldier. He is Crown Prince of an empire built on conquest... moreHe was sent to conquer her world. She was never meant to save him. When Chicago falls under alien occupation, field medic Mara Kessler survives by patching up the broken and staying invisible. But after a brutal skirmish leaves a wounded alien commander trapped beneath the ruins, she makes a choice that changes everything. She saves him. Commander Caelis Vaelor is no ordinary soldier. He is Crown Prince of an empire built on conquest. And when Mara’s touch triggers an ancient Life-Bond—linking their bodies and pain together—their fates become biologically, irrevocably entwined. If he dies, she dies. If she suffers, he feels it. Hunted by human Cleaners and alien Purge Squads alike, they are forced into hiding—into proximity neither of them can afford. But as war rages above and orbital fire scars the sky, the bond begins to change more than their nervous systems. It changes loyalties. When the alien Crown demands a public vow that could shatter what they’ve built, Mara and the fallen prince must. Will they be weapons for their species…. Or the first spark of something stronger than empire? Emotional. Intimate. High-tension. Perfect for fans of life-bond romance, alien princes, forced proximity, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers in a war-torn world. less

The empire summoned him home. He brought the revolution with him. After defying a High Regent and stabilizing Earth’s most volatile integration zones, exiled alien prince Caelis Vaelor is forced to answer to the Crown itself. The Life-Bond tying him to human medic Mara Kessler has become more than scandal—it has become a threat to imperial doctrine. Summoned to the heart of the alien empire, they stand trial before a civilization built on hierarchy, engineered loyalty, and biological control... moreThe empire summoned him home. He brought the revolution with him. After defying a High Regent and stabilizing Earth’s most volatile integration zones, exiled alien prince Caelis Vaelor is forced to answer to the Crown itself. The Life-Bond tying him to human medic Mara Kessler has become more than scandal—it has become a threat to imperial doctrine. Summoned to the heart of the alien empire, they stand trial before a civilization built on hierarchy, engineered loyalty, and biological control. The verdict fractures the empire. Caelis loses his claim to the throne. The bond cannot be severed. And integration is no longer rebellion—it is evolution. But when political factions begin weaponizing the new doctrine, Earth becomes a proving ground for something far more dangerous than invasion. Because peace without control terrifies empires. And this time, the war will not be fought with fleets. It will be fought with choice. For readers who. Protective alien warriorStrong human heroineHigh-stakes political tensionForced proximity through a biological Life-BondSlow-burn intimacy against an interstellar backdropThe fracture has widened. And there is no going back. less

The war was never about Earth. It was about extinction. Inside the heart of a dying alien empire, Mara Kessler finally sees the the invasion was never conquest. It was desperation. The species is collapsing from within — their DNA unraveling, their engineered hierarchy strangling evolution itself. And the Life-Bond she shares with Prince Caelis? It was never an accident. It was the beginning of something the empire was too afraid to become... moreThe war was never about Earth. It was about extinction. Inside the heart of a dying alien empire, Mara Kessler finally sees the the invasion was never conquest. It was desperation. The species is collapsing from within — their DNA unraveling, their engineered hierarchy strangling evolution itself. And the Life-Bond she shares with Prince Caelis? It was never an accident. It was the beginning of something the empire was too afraid to become. As the alien High Council fractures and militant factions push for renewed war, Mara and Caelis stand at the center of a choice that could redefine two worlds. Humans demand equality. Traditionalists demand purity. The empire teeters on civil collapse. To save both species, Mara and Caelis must undergo full convergence — a permanent transformation that could stabilize the genetic decay spreading across the stars. It could also kill them. If they survive, they won’t just change an empire. They’ll become the first bridge between worlds. Above the Shattered Empire is the explosive, emotional finale to the Beneath the Ruined Sky Trilogy — a high-stakes sci-fi romance filled with forbidden love, political upheaval, forced proximity, and an evolution neither species was prepared for. When extinction comes for your world…. What are you willing to become? less