Beyond the Next Star - Johnson, Melody

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Résumé :
She wasn't dreaming, in a coma, having a mental breakdown, or in hell.She was abducted by aliens. An intolerable order.Before Commander Torek Renaar can return to active duty, he's ordered to purchase an animal companion to help relieve his PTSD symptoms. But having been a caretaker for and lost a loved one, keeping even one little human alive is a challenge he feels doomed to fail. It doesn't help that his animal companion is the newest, most exotic breed on the market, demanding constant attention, daily grooming, and delicate handling. If she doesn't die first in his incompetent care, she'll be the death of him. A desperate charade.After witnessing the murder of her domestication specialist, Delaney McCormick allows her new owner to treat her like the pet he believes her to be. If anyone suspects she's more intelligent than a golden retriever, her murder would be next. She endures the humiliation of being washed, the tediousness of being trained to sit and come, and the intrigue of hearing private conversations. But in Torek's care, she finds something unexpected on this antarctic planet, something she never had in all her years on Earth while house-hopping between foster families: a home. A deadly secret.As companionship grows to love, must Delaney continue the charade, acting like an animal and hiding from the murderer waiting on her misstep? Or can she trust Torek with her secrets, even if the truth threatens everything he holds dear-and both their lives?

Biographie:
Melody Johnson is the award-winning author of the out of this world Love Beyond series and the gritty, paranormal romance Night Blood series published by Kensington Publishing/ Lyrical Press. She graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College with her B.A. in creative writing and psychology.Earning the 2021 Maggie Award of Excellence, Beyond the Next Star (Love Beyond, book 1) is an exciting branch from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series and taking it to new worlds. Her first published novel, The City Beneath (Night Blood, book 1), was a finalist in the Cleveland Rocks and Fool For Love contests.When she isn't writing, Melody enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, and exploring her new home in southeast Georgia. Stay in touch with Melody on social media or her website: authormelodyjohnson.com