The daughter of an American international businessman, Elizabeth Evans grew up in three different countries in Asia. Seeing herself as an adopted daughter of Asia, the region became part of her identity and her soul. When she and her husband had three sons, they thought their family was complete, but fate had other plans for them. When they set out to adopt a daughter into their boy-majority family, they looked to the Eurasian country of Kazakhstan. Their adoption trip had too many tense moments, with missed flights, scary Russian officials and spy-novel worthy checkpoints. Elizabeth doesn't hold back in talking about the difficult aftermath of adoption, something that she feels is important to share to reassure adoptive parents that they are never alone in their journey.

Twenty years ago, the aliens invaded Earth. They ransacked the planet, but left more than just destruction in their wake. Mankind soon discovered alien DNA in the minds of their most gifted children. Emily Talbert hates her orphanage, especially since the mysterious "rehoming" of all of her friends. But when it is her turn to leave, a deadly explosion destroys the shelter. Emily is the only one to get out alive thanks to a young, promising military man, Jared Williams. He soon discovers that they are too similar. With the Alliance on their tail and all hope gone, he is forced to make a difficult decision that could prove fatal.