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Where did you come from, Eric?

A mysterious satellite crash. A late-night car accident. And a stranger who looks shockingly identical to the man on the front of Joanna’s book.

After hitting Eric with her truck in the middle of the Wyoming wilderness, Joanna has no choice but to take him back to her cabin. But his wounds heal suspiciously fast, and she begins to suspect his concussion is covering up some deeper secret.

She never would have guessed the truth.

When she discovers the man she’s taken to bed is actually Arix, a shapeshifter alien from the Karak Dominion of Planets, it’s all she can do not to run away in terror. But UFO hunters who witnessed the spacecraft crash begin snooping around her cabin, forcing Joanna and Arix to find a solution that keeps them both safe — which leads to them making an impossible, and downright crazy, decision.

KARAK CONTACT is the first book in the new Alien Shapeshifters romance series. It’s a full-length, standalone science fiction alien shifter romance novel, with steamy love scenes that will leave you fantasizing about your own first contact. And of course, a guaranteed Happily Ever After!

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2018

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About the author

Ruby Ryan

21 books54 followers
Ruby Ryan is a small town Texas girl with a big, steamy imagination. She grew up on hard Science Fiction and Fantasy, and loves writing her own with a particularly romantic bend. After all, everything is better with a little romance!

Everyone has an email newsletter these days. But if you sign up for Ruby's, she promises only to send you the juiciest deals and promotions! You can sign up for it here: http://eepurl.com/c_pwcX

Need to contact Ruby directly? you can reach her at [email protected]

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5 stars
24 (31%)
4 stars
27 (35%)
3 stars
16 (21%)
2 stars
6 (7%)
1 star
3 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Angie.
1,225 reviews208 followers
October 22, 2019
I woke in darkness.
Darkness was anathema to the Karak. We existed and thrived in light, the brilliant beams from distant stars spread wide across the universe. The photons that made up our bodies left us in perpetual glow, a constant, reassuring presence that was more Karak than anything else in the universe.

4.5 stars!

Another lovely alien romance! What really stood out to me in this novel was the voice of our alien, Arix--it was so unique, awed, stilted, and awkward at times just as one would imagine an alien who is discovering humans for the first time would view our customs. And I really enjoyed being in Arix's head and viewing the wonders of Earth and human emotions through his eyes. This story was also heavily dosed on the insta-love, but I don't mind this trope in alien or shifter romances. Jo was a such great heroine in this novel as well--horrified at first but later coming to see Arix as he truly is, a gentle soul. There was one scene that bothered me a bit where Other than that, it was an enjoyable read filled with sexy tension and alien hunters!!
Profile Image for Debra Johnson.
10.8k reviews169 followers
March 5, 2023
Purch Amazon Sept. 14, 2018
Karak Contact by Ruby Ryan
Genres; Adult, Romance, Sci=Fi
3.5 Stars

Has a lot of promise. I enjoyed most of it.
There are a areas that need improvement.

Interesting plot. Composition needs work.

MC's were likable. Joanna's character needed more detail & elaboration. There are holes in her makeup that really stand out. Ex: How old is she? How did her husband die? How long has she lived in Elijah, Wyoming? There is a lot of detail about her missing that would help the reader connect to her.

World build was okay. The backgrounds of the main mc's, other characters ect. was lacking. Not enough to kill your interest in the story. However, enough detail was missing that is was noticeable and left me unsatisfied.

Flow was passable. The story is 'Very' slow moving. It needs more actions & less words. Some statements are repetitive.

There were a few editing errors. Most of these are a wrong word used.

Ex: "I would prefer to say, but only if that's okay with you."
Should say "I would prefer to stay, but only if that's okay with you."

There are also some impossible gymnastics that seem to occur during the intimate scenes.
On the plus side there are some very steamy scenes. These adult scenes did not take over the whole story. They were intimate and adult, but not overly done.

My last problem are areas that are disjointed. This happens a few times and disrupts the flow of the story.

Hopefully, these things are corrected in the next book, which I have and will be reading. There is enough talent & promise in this book for me to continue exploring this author. Her creation of the Karak is very different from any other adult sci-fi I have read. I am curious where she is going with this world.

*Note: This is a stand alone with an HEA. I very much appreciate that! From what I can tell, all this author's books are stand alones!
January 15, 2018


I guess I surprised myself here when I picked up this book from Amazon. If you had asked me a week ago if I would be reading something about aliens or shifters I would have stared ad you wondering if you knew me at all. But I guess sometimes it just takes the right approach to change your mind and as it seems I am quite partial to the old fashioned approach on aliens and also there seems to be a small possibilitiy I am actually starting like shifters. Well at least if they are dragons #lol (this shifter/dragon comment has nothing to do with this book though)

Anyway this book takes the really oldfashioned approach on the subject of aliens and while there were some things I would have liked to be differnt in the grand total it was really a good read. Not perfect but somehow I am feeling really generous towards this book and I will rate it with 5 stars. I hope to read more from this author / series


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Profile Image for  B. Sinsational.
167 reviews11 followers
January 21, 2018
🌶 Sexy 🌶 Enticing 🌶 Alien 🌶 (a) Must read🌶
WOW! What a book! That was my absolute initial, highly spontaneous reaction once I had finished reading it! This is the first book I’ve read from this author so I had no expectations on style or quality. To my great enjoyment I found it was exceptionally well created. Looking at the specifics of this book I found that it definitely had a storyline that was more than captivating, and main characters that are very vivid and full dimensional, strenght and weaknesses included. The other people featured in the book Is also portrayed in depth so you cant help but to like some, loath some, and everything in between.
This is absolutely not a book for non-adults since there is adult scenes. The heat and spicyness of those parts must be the source for global warming, cause its beyond HOT!
Heat-level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 (to get five chili’s it has to have a storyline that compliments and merges with the heat, and not just random smut thrown in for good measure)) This book definitely has earned all five of them.
In an overall view this book is WoW-AWWW-Some! In plain words: If you like hot & spicy, unpredictable, superbly written,kick-a*s reads, this is THE book to read!
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
18.8k reviews319 followers
January 10, 2018
Arix, a scout for the Karak Dominion, was aware that he did not know where he was – his memory was not restored; something was abnormal. Having a photon-based body, and able to shift into different forms at will, his kind were virtually indestructible. Amnesia should not have happened. He saw what was inside his ship when his sight returned and he viewed the damage around him. He noticed the pull of gravity -- not the artificial kind on the ship, but something else. He had been in stasis but was now on a planet’s surface. His ship was completely destroyed, dented and clawed. He sensed radio waves and momentarily had hope of rescue – but the content made no sense whatsoever to him and did not communicate.

At the bar, Harry was trying to talk Joanna into having one more drink, beyond her usual. Her off-duty police officer friend, Leslie, told her there had been a communication satellite collision and it delayed her getting to the bar. Leslie gave her a sexy romance novel with a good-looking guy on the cover and Jo went out in the snow to drive home. Thinking about the novel, she didn’t see the figure in the road until she hit it. It had sort of looked like a beam of light at first, but it was solid somehow. The man was bleeding and a bone stuck out of his arm. Yet he sat up and moaned. He flat out refused to go to the hospital; since Jo was a veterinarian, she had some supplies at home to help him, so he agreed to go home with her. But once in the car’s lighted interior, she didn’t see the broken bone??

At home, she checked for wounds but couldn’t find anything. His confusion no doubt meant he had a concussion. He ate two plates of stew and told her his name was “Eric’s”; he did look much better after eating. Jo wasn’t aware that the Karak could shift forms and he had read the last image in her mind to assume this body that looked like the model on the cover of her book!

Every day, Arix became more and more human, most especially with his emotions. He began dreaming at night. He realized he needed to shift back to Karak form daily to remain stable. He hurried outside and backtracked to his crashed ship, but it was no longer there. He had forgotten to bring a coat and was now shivering violently, which prevented him from shifting to Karak to keep him from freezing. He started to run to generate warmth, but he couldn’t keep going. He mentally called out to Jo, knowing he was too far away, as he collapsed unconscious onto the road. Would he die now, no longer able to shift and save himself? Would Jo somehow sense that he needed her help? Would a Karak rescue team find him in time? And who took his ship and would be searching for the alien?

This was a fascinating story with a totally different kind of creature. The story line definitely pulls the reader in right from the start! I enjoyed how Arix took on more and stronger human attributes as he stayed in human form; it seemed like he might even be falling in love which would not be allowed. Likewise, it was frustrating to see him fall helpless in the freezing cold, unable to save himself. Jo was a wonderful character, hard-working, caring, with good friends in her life. There are many things going on in this story. I definitely recommend it and believe you will enjoy it as I did. Although I received a copy of this book, I voluntarily chose to write a review to share with others.
Profile Image for SBee Reviews.
2,417 reviews75 followers
February 6, 2018
Review Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

When things seem too good to be true…

I received an Advance Reader Copy for Karak Contact: An Alien Shifter Sci-Fi Romance (Alien Shapeshifters, Book #1) written by Ruby Ryan and voluntarily reviewed this book. The last time Earth was visited by a Karak scout, it was a relatively unadvanced civilization. But when Arix’s ship suddenly crashes over Elijah, Wyoming, he really was in a tough spot and quickly shifted to fit in as best he could, and he took special notice of a certain book lying in the vehicle of the woman who saved him.

Jo had no idea what to make of the man who was injured and claimed memory loss, but she took him in nonetheless and took care of him. She couldn’t help feeling the pull of attraction to him though, especially when he weirdly looked just like the guy on the cover of the book her friend had leant her, but when some local townies start making some strange claims, she starts to become suspicious of the man she was sheltering in her home.

Arix himself undergoes self-imposed conflict with regards to his strict duties and his purpose on the planet, as well as how to save himself from the situation, but starting to have feelings for this human female specimen.

This was an enjoyable first read from this author, and I like Leslie the Sheriff’s character as well.
Profile Image for Annie.
1,885 reviews12 followers
February 15, 2018
ByAnnie K 69on January 10, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Arix is a Karak scout. An explorer who travels the galaxy exploring worlds. He crash lands outside a tiny and remote Wyoming town. Disoriented, he is drawn to a light and hit by a truck.
Joanna is heading home after a girls night out with her best friend. A beam of light, then a figure in the road. She can't believe she hit someone. When she gets out to help, she is more shocked that he looks just like the man in the cover of her romance novel. He is confused and adamant about not going to the hospital, so she takes him home to patch him up, sure he has a concussion at the very least. His strange behavior seems to confirm it.
Something about Arix brings out Joann's protective nature. Soon she is falling for him. Arix can't help falling for Joanna, violating his mission edicts.
Loved Joanna and Arix's story. Fast paced and a little steamy. Great alien romance, reminded me a little of the 80's movie Starman.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I bought a copy in support of the author, will be reading again
Profile Image for Rachel.
Author 115 books5 followers
May 24, 2018
I am reviewing this through individual books due to the box set being unavailable.

Alien Shifter Box Set by Ruby Ryan - This box set includes the books; Karak Contact, Karak Warrior and Karak Invasion.

After initially struggling to get in to this set, an unusual situation for me and solely due to outside influences, I settled into the story of aliens and humans. From the initial concept of shape-changing aliens who watched the galaxies for signs of intelligence, to the maniacal traits of some humans, I thought the story-line was thoroughly entertaining. The characters were well thought through and personalities were accurately portrayed through written word, in such a way that the reader can see familiarities. A well written series of books, all interlocking with the background characters, and a series I think will fulfil all the needs of romance and sci-fi lovers alike. Well done, Ms Ryan.
Profile Image for Caroline Doig.
5,399 reviews46 followers
January 12, 2018
Fantastic read this is the story of Joanna and Arix, Arix crash lands on earth disoriented he see’s lights and stands in the middle of the road. Joanne is on her way home from a night out hits something that was on the road. Joanna couldn’t believe that she hit a man, she see’s that he’s badly injured but he doesn’t want to go to the hospital so she takes him home to help him. Joanna can’t believe that the man she hit looks so much like the man on her romance novel. Arix is a shapeshifter but he can’t remember anything that has happened. Great love story and the chemistry between Arix and Joanna is scorching hot. Great characters and storyline and I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Steph.
165 reviews
January 10, 2018
I enjoyed this book it has an interresting story and is well writen. You will find sexy characters, some actions and some funny comments. Arik's real form fell a bit weird to me, but overall I liked the book and found it easy to get caught up in it. It a romantic story with sexy scenes. It will most definitely read the next book. (Don't worry there is not cliffhanger)

I received a free copy of this book I am voluntarily leaving a review. I also got the book on amazon.ca to support this great author
498 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2018
Shifting into local residents, looking like romance novel hunks

Eric is going into earth orbit when his ship gets hit by a satellite. Eric just gets time to shift into human form before loner Jo hits him with her truck in the middle of a snow storm on her way from the tavern. It all gets complicated when the local conspiracy brothers find the crashed space ship. Adult readers due sexual and violent content.
Profile Image for Caroline.
770 reviews8 followers
May 23, 2018
This was great! I loved the shifting from photons to human! That put a whole new spin on the shifter theme and made the book that much more interesting and then, add to that the whole alien thing and it all serves to make a great read! The romance was good but the whole Roswellesque side made it even better as an adventure too

Very highly recommend this!
704 reviews5 followers
January 21, 2019
What would you do if you found an alien ? This book goes through the reality of really finding an alien and what could really happen. Luckily, this time isn't real because I think the military would get involved before the public.This book is fast paced and well written. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Heather Black.
Author 15 books6 followers
February 29, 2020
Good read

Definitely an interesting read that keeps you turning the pages. A romance entwined with sci-fi and action. Arix has to figure out how to get home after crash landing on earth. Jo can't believe she just hit a man on her way home, but he has a secret and Jo is determined to find out what it is. Can she handle the truth when she finds out?
Profile Image for Chelsea Ortiz-Gonzalez.
1,184 reviews4 followers
January 10, 2018
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.I loved this book. Sci-fi romance never fails to make me happy. Ruby Ryan will now be added to my list of authors to look out for in the future. I would highly recommend this book.
Happy reading!
Rating 5 stars
Profile Image for Barbara.
18k reviews8 followers
January 12, 2018
Woman Sheriff, Two eccentric men, one Alien and the woman who finds him and a small town made this a very good read. Enjoyed it from the first to last page I will be looking for more books in this series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Raina.
3,977 reviews31 followers
June 1, 2018
The story does remind me of the old Starman movie from the 80’s. But this guy is way more cute and definitely has learned a sense of humor. I don’t want to spoil anything but there are quite a few scenes that made me laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am starting book two right away.
Profile Image for Leah.
138 reviews42 followers
September 22, 2018
Eh 2.5 stars not for me

I love a good alien book. This just fell flat for me. Too much sexual tension in the beginning. It was hard to get through. Just was not my type of writing style. If you do not mind the instant sexual thoughts and tensions, then you may enjoy this book.
208 reviews
January 25, 2018
my first read by this author what a gripping story loved the whole storyglad there was a hea although i hope leslie gets her own story
34 reviews8 followers
September 26, 2018
Sexy Aliens...Yes

I absolutely loved this book.It has aliens,shifters and human falling for a alien! What more could you want? Very well written,I enjoyed this very much!
Profile Image for Thinxsphinx.
360 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2019
4 stars

In this erotic alien romance, Joanna learns that helping someone who is injured becomes complicated when that someone, Arix, is an alien.
Profile Image for Sue.
350 reviews18 followers
November 23, 2019
Short introduction to a alien series. Good so far. On to book 2.
Profile Image for Debora  Barnett.
594 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2021
Her alien lover

Joanne hits a man with her truck. He tells her his name is Arix and he is from Karak . They become lovers.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
284 reviews1 follower
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 16, 2018
DNF at 24% sorry when I start skimming it's over. It felt really slow to me.
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