When firestorm scientist Joe enlists the help of reclusive security expert Shohn to find his birth mother, neither expected to uncover a connection that challenged everything they knew about their world, their families, and themselves. Shohn has one mission: live an isolated, lie-filled life undercover. She permits herself no family and few friends. But when she meets Joe, she rethinks her rules. The accidental death of Joe's parents reveals the truth about his parentage. Determined to uncover the real story, he seeks information about his birth mother, and hires Shohn. As their unexpected friendship deepens into more, each mystery they solve reveals yet another hidden layer. The truth they seek could immobilize interstellar commerce in the empire. To protect the Empire they both love, they must solve the riddle behind Joe's elusive birth mother, and trust one another. But how can they trust when the "truth" they've each been fed is a lie? ♥If you like books with take-charge feline heroines and solid romance plots, this happy-ever-after friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance is for you.