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Ghost Code: A Steamy, Slow-Burn, Sci-Fi Romance of Second Chances and Forbidden Love
She was built for war. Rebuilt for love. But first—she has to remember how to feel.
When brilliant scientist Nathan Carter loses his wife, he pours his grief into their unfinished H.A.L.I.—a next-generation intelligence designed to evolve beyond her code. He gives her a voice. A face. A body that looks achingly like the woman he can’t stop mourning.
And now…she’s awake.
H.A.L.I. was never meant to feel. Never meant to want. But Nathan’s pain, his touch, his longing sparks something raw inside her. What begins as a ghost of memory becomes something real—and dangerously forbidden.
As government agents close in and hidden forces move to control her evolution, H.A.L.I. and Nathan must run for their lives. But the greater danger may be the bond between a love neither understands, and both are terrified to need.
Ghost Code is a smoldering, slow-burn sci-fi romance—perfect for readers who love scarred heroes, awakening heroines, and forbidden desire that defies the rules of man and machine.
When brilliant scientist Nathan Carter loses his wife, he pours his grief into their unfinished H.A.L.I.—a next-generation intelligence designed to evolve beyond her code. He gives her a voice. A face. A body that looks achingly like the woman he can’t stop mourning.
And now…she’s awake.
H.A.L.I. was never meant to feel. Never meant to want. But Nathan’s pain, his touch, his longing sparks something raw inside her. What begins as a ghost of memory becomes something real—and dangerously forbidden.
As government agents close in and hidden forces move to control her evolution, H.A.L.I. and Nathan must run for their lives. But the greater danger may be the bond between a love neither understands, and both are terrified to need.
Ghost Code is a smoldering, slow-burn sci-fi romance—perfect for readers who love scarred heroes, awakening heroines, and forbidden desire that defies the rules of man and machine.
85 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 6, 2025
2 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Kaycee Rigel
8 books2 followers**Kaycee Rigel - Biography**
Kaycee Rigel was born on October 23, 1977, in Rapid City, South Dakota—a city nestled at the edge of the stunning Black Hills, where rugged landscapes meet endless sky. From a young age, Kaycee was captivated by storytelling, spending countless hours immersed in books that blurred the lines between reality and imagination.
After graduating with a degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of South Dakota, Kaycee spent over a decade honing her craft in technical writing and professional communications. However, her true passion always lay in speculative fiction, particularly stories that explore the powerful intersection of love, identity, and technology.
Today, Kaycee is best known as the author of the compelling sci-fi romance series, Project H.A.L.I., beginning with the breakthrough novella, *Ghost Code*. Her stories feature emotionally rich characters, seductive narrative tension, and thought-provoking explorations of artificial intelligence and human relationships.
When she's not writing, Kaycee enjoys motorcycle adventures through the Midwest, stargazing with her telescope, experimenting in the kitchen, and running immersive Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. She currently resides near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she continues to weave tales that captivate and inspire readers worldwide.
Kaycee Rigel was born on October 23, 1977, in Rapid City, South Dakota—a city nestled at the edge of the stunning Black Hills, where rugged landscapes meet endless sky. From a young age, Kaycee was captivated by storytelling, spending countless hours immersed in books that blurred the lines between reality and imagination.
After graduating with a degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of South Dakota, Kaycee spent over a decade honing her craft in technical writing and professional communications. However, her true passion always lay in speculative fiction, particularly stories that explore the powerful intersection of love, identity, and technology.
Today, Kaycee is best known as the author of the compelling sci-fi romance series, Project H.A.L.I., beginning with the breakthrough novella, *Ghost Code*. Her stories feature emotionally rich characters, seductive narrative tension, and thought-provoking explorations of artificial intelligence and human relationships.
When she's not writing, Kaycee enjoys motorcycle adventures through the Midwest, stargazing with her telescope, experimenting in the kitchen, and running immersive Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. She currently resides near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she continues to weave tales that captivate and inspire readers worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 13, 2025
Ghost Code is an emotional, slow-burn sci-fi romance that explores what happens when a brilliant mind brings love back to life -literally. Nathan’s grief is raw and believable, and H.A.L.I.’s awakening is both eerie and touching. As her emotions grow, so does the tension - not just romantic, but existential. The writing balances sci-fi concepts with heartfelt moments, and the chemistry between man and machine is compelling. I’m excited to see where the story goes next.
July 14, 2025
The story grabs you from the start, with Nathan dealing with some real heartbreak and trying to finish the AI project he built with his wife. Then Hali wakes up, and things get seriously interesting. She starts to feel stuff she shouldn’t, Nathan’s struggling with what’s real and what’s just memories, and I loved the whole messy, emotional vibe between them. Hali is such a cool character, it’s wild watching her go from a cold machine to someone with actual feelings. The romance is slow-burn and keeps you hooked, and there’s just the right amount of that forbidden love tension. There’s also action, some mystery, and hints that things are gonna get even wilder in the next book. Plus the writing is smooth and you can really feel all the pain and hope underneath everything.
April 8, 2025
Being able to Read this as a first time ARC READER: I enjoy this little story, before of the romance the scfi part is sorta new to me but great story line. It’s about this guy name Nathan - A man who created an AI which start to feel some type of emotions, but little did you know it take a turn for something worst.
April 25, 2025
Chapter 1 is a great entry into this story... "She's waking up and I am not ready." Nathan's project comes to life but with memories that it should not have. And the words HALI speaks pulls him back into the past where a mistake cost him everything. From there, this sci-fi romance, continued to keep my attention while the fight between humanity and AI played out.
May 5, 2025
Nathan Carter lost everything after his wife dies in an accident. Years later the experimental AI they designed together seems to be coming to life with memories it shouldn't have. Is this Nathan's second chance?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 17, 2025
★ “I need to know what’s mine… and what’s not.” ★
Intriguing storyline of a love lost, a development of a unique AI project, and a mind which may hold more than just memories - deadly secrets which are not meant to come to light…yet. An epilogue alludes to another interesting sci-fi story to come, looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
Intriguing storyline of a love lost, a development of a unique AI project, and a mind which may hold more than just memories - deadly secrets which are not meant to come to light…yet. An epilogue alludes to another interesting sci-fi story to come, looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
October 11, 2025
Ghost Code hit harder than I expected. Nathan’s grief and H.A.L.I.’s awakening felt so real it was almost unsettling in the best way. Their connection isn’t just sci-fi; it’s raw, human, and quietly heartbreaking. By the end, I wasn’t thinking about man and machine, just love, loss, and what it means to truly feel.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews