New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for OCT 14

I have a new release this week too! My next Intergalactic Dating Agency novella…

I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking quite a few as I prepare these posts LOL). 

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

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BRADEN (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK FIVE by Veronica Scott

Braden Hartwell’s five day date on the Intergalactic Dating Agency’s Resort Planet has crashed and burned already. His date failed to show up, having gotten married on her home planet. While he’s absorbing this setback he receives a surprising offer. Elodie Farantson is on Resort Planet to be a bridesmaid for her childhood friend. Her cheating ex-boyfriend is the best man and Elodie has been telling everyone about her wonderful new boyfriend to save face. Except he doesn’t exist. Panicking she takes refuge in a noisy club before going to the first wedding party. Upon seeing Braden all alone at the club, she strikes up an acquaintance over drinks, inviting him to be her fake date to the wedding and all the activities for the week. With nothing better to do and all his friends matched up with IDA dates, Braden agrees. The situation turns out to be much more complicated than Elodie explained. The bride and groom are famous interstellar celebrities, the events are nonstop and he soon realizes he wants something real with Elodie. For her part, Elodie is falling head over heels for Braden but after her last relationship disaster she’s reluctant to take a risk. When danger from an unknown source stalks her Braden has to step up and do whatever is necessary to save her life.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo      NOOK       GooglePlay

ERRIK: INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY (VAXXLIAN MAIL ORDER BRIDES BOOK 12) by Sue Mercury and Sue Lyndon

The fierce warrior has finally found his mate. Now he’ll do anything to keep her…Vaxxlian warrior Errik has always had a restless spirit. After the war, he postpones settling down on the new planet his people have claimed, choosing instead to travel the galaxy as a cage fighter. He never loses a battle and soon makes a fortune, but it’s a hollow existence. He finds himself yearning for something more. A mate. A home. A reason to finally stop running. Holly has spent years traveling North America in her RV, taking odd jobs wherever she goes. But with unrest spreading across Earth, her nomadic lifestyle is becoming increasingly dangerous. Then she discovers she needs lifesaving surgery she can’t afford. When a friend suggests she sign up for the Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides program, Holly reluctantly agrees. In exchange for becoming an alien warrior’s mate, she’ll receive the healing nanobots that can save her life. She’s not prepared for Errik. The handsome and attentive warrior is nothing like she imagined. His kisses leave her breathless, his touch makes her burn, and she soon begins to wonder if the mating union she entered into out of desperation could become something more. But when Holly is suddenly offered a way out, Errik fears his mate will choose freedom over him. And the warrior who spent years running from commitment becomes more determined than ever to keep the woman who has finally given him a reason to stay.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

RIVER DRAGON’S SONG (DRAGONS ON MARS BOOK THREE) by Honey Phillips

A hidden river. An impossible discovery. A dragon who’s been waiting in the darkness. When Frankie is separated from her team, she doesn’t expect a single wrong step to plunge her deep beneath the surface of Mars. Lost in a vast underground world, she discovers the impossible—an ancient river flowing through the darkness and evidence that she’s not alone. Korrak has been wandering the hidden waterways alone since he awakened, listening for a song that never comes. Until her. The pretty female is stubborn, determined, and far too tempting. Korrak knows he should keep his distance, but every instinct urges him closer. The longer Frankie remains trapped beneath the surface, the harder it becomes to resist the dragon who has quietly claimed her heart. Finding a way home should be her first priority. If only she could convince herself to leave him behind.   AmazonKU

TRUTHFUL DECEPTIONS (ORIGINS + ABDUCTION BOOK ONE) by RK Munin

It could be worse, but Opal wasn’t sure how. Then she found out! Everything was going wrong, and Opal didn’t know how to fix it. Well, that’s not true; she knows one thing that would fix all her woes–wealth. With things too dire to ignore any longer, Opal did the one dangerous job she swore never to do; she agreed to work a night at a contract brothel. She braced herself for a full day and night of unpleasant roughness and discomfort. What she didn’t expect was for her time with a male from a species called Talin to be the most pleasurable of her life. Maybe working at a brothel wasn’t such a bad idea. Then she finds herself kidnapped. Nope, not happening. Despite the good time she experienced, she won’t be kept as a slave.      AmazonKU

VIGILANTES OF DANGER (FISA AGENTS BOOK FIVE) by BL Jones

VS Note: MM Superhero SFR. 

Hell isn’t a place you go to. It’s a place inside you. Hell is a pit inside your mind, a dark hole where nightmares are born and hope dies screaming. Sami Malik isn’t a hero. He was raised an OI assassin. When he was rescued by Damon North, he became the first Liquid Onyx FISA agent. Years later, Sami comes home from an extended mission and finds himself unwillingly dragged into a dangerous, messy situation with another volatile superhuman assassin. There will be dire fall outs from exposed secrets and fractured relationships in need of healing. Nothing and no one will remain untouched by what came before, and everyone will need to move forward into their uncertain futures with a bravery born from hope.      AmazonKU

THE FROST WARDEN’S CAPTIVE (THE HOLIDATES OF BOREALIS IV BOOK ONE) by Eden Ember

I offered the galaxy’s coldest billionaire a deal: Three holiday dates for the contract he needs. I didn’t expect him to play for keeps. Drax is the owner of the Aurora Grand, and he is the definition of a Grinch. He’s seven feet of violet-skinned arrogance, richer than a star system, and he needs my signature. I own a tiny share of a mine he’s desperate to buy. He thinks he can intimidate me with his sharp suits and high-tech visor. He’s wrong. I’m not selling—unless he proves he has a heart. My terms? Complete three Solstice traditions with me. Cut a tree. Buy a gift. Share a meal. He agrees, thinking it’s just business. But as we check off the list, the icy CEO begins to crack. I see the possessive heat in his eyes when he shields me from the snow. I feel the tremble in his massive hands when he pins me against the wall of his penthouse. His glowing tattoos are telling me a truth he refuses to speak: I’m not just a business acquisition. I’m his mate. But Drax has spent a lifetime guarding his heart, and I have one rule: I don’t give myself to men who only know how to take.     AmazonKU

VALDIER’S HIDDEN WORLD (DRAGON LORDS OF VALDIER) by S E Smith

A hidden magic comes alive…Ariel Hamm-Reykill has always shared a unique bond with animals. On the secluded sanctuary she’s created with her mate, Mandra, and their son, Jabir, she offers refuge to creatures from across the universe. When Ariel’s dragon senses a creature in need, she sets out on what should be a quick rescue mission. Returning home early, Mandra is eager to surprise Ariel with some much-needed time together-only to find their sanctuary empty. His search leads him deep into the untamed wilderness of Valdier, where he uncovers a secret hidden beneath the surface of their world. What began as a simple rescue turns into a journey that will test their bond and reveal an ancient, forgotten magic. As Ariel and Mandra delve into the heart of Valdier, they’ll discover that the planet they love holds mysteries they never imagined-and a power that could change everything. Are you ready to uncover the secrets of Valdier? Join Ariel and Mandra on this unforgettable journey of love, adventure, and discovery-and let the magic of their story sweep you away.

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo       SESmith’sONLINEStore

MAY THE DEAD STAY DEAD (OM1N0US, NOM1N0US bOOK TWO) by Lizzie Strong

Vivian Darkwater is about to embark on the next chapter of her life: Personal Healer to the Mphronatch, Aka, her college roommate and bestie Aphrodite. As the mate to a prince of the Vroskrowz and very pregnant, Aphrodite created a brand new job for the sarcastic, fiery Vivian. Today’s her last day. In a few short hours, she’s going to be on a ship to the other end of the stars. Until patient zero for a horrifying outbreak enters her healing bay. The dead begin to walk again and they’re mutating rapidly in a way she can’t explain. And the dead are hungry. Trapped in the Council Station, Vivian must keep her wits about her in order to survive. Good thing the flirty, charming Reevar, a Vroskrowz hunter, is stuck in there with her. If only it wasn’t for that pesky fated mate thing! She’s ready to risk it on him but she’s afraid to get her heart broken when he finds his Fated Mate…because he would have said something if she was his mate, right? Reevar has known Vivian is his mate for a few months now, but after witnessing the massive political scandal of Xexis and Aphrodite, he’s sworn to himself to do better. Smoother, subtler, slower, if only Vivian wasn’t so curious about all the ways he could make her see the stars. Danger lurks out in those stars and an age old foe has returned to destroy the Vroz. But that’s what Reevar was built to be, the one who takes the hit. He’s the one who takes the final blow, the spare, the right hand to the Kannatch and the one whose never afraid to die. Until the day, that is, he’s actually got something…someone to lose.   AmazonKU

AS YOU WAKE, BREAK THE SHELL by Becky Chambers

VS Note: FF SFR.

Life on the resource-poor planet of Fortune is challenging, but for its inhabitants, it’s home. For two of them, Signy and Cora, this home might no longer be enough. Signy is a brilliant but reclusive botanist who bio-prints medicine from her small plant shop, often bending the rules to help those the system leaves behind. Her life is filled with the green of her store, the warmth of her one elderly friend, and the quiet determination to help others without putting herself in danger. Cora is a rorqual pilot, one of the few with the unique ability to navigate the massive, living ships that connect the scattered settlements of their solar system. Her bond with her rorqual, Colibri, is profound—a connection that is both her greatest gift and a threat to her career. It is that threat—the “mindbleed,” a dangerous side effect of her piloting—that brings her to Signy’s shop, and her appearance puts Signy in the danger she so fears. But it’s soon apparent it’s not just about losing her license—this delicate balance between risk and trust has the potential to change everything for them. Told in an alternating timeline of their initial coming together and a not-so-distant future where they have found domestic bliss, this is a story harrowing and haunting, heartfelt and hopeful. Through a love story centered around survival, we are given a glimpse into the very best of what Becky Chambers does in her writing: explore what it means to be human, and what it means to come together.

Amazon     AB       Apple Books      Kobo

FAKE DATING THE ALIEN BOUNTY HUNTER: GALAXY HUNTER GUILD by Tai James

How did I end up on the hot mess express? I’m Zoe Marshall, stuck on a backwater moon serving fai’kia flakes and coffee until the alien bounty hunter I’ve been secretly lusting after makes me an offer I can’t refuse. Axion Tarr needs a fake girlfriend to crash an exclusive couples retreat on a remote planet. Five days. All expenses paid. Enough credits to fix every one of my problems. The catch? There’s only one bed. And neither of us can keep our hands to ourselves. What could possibly go wrong pretending to be in love with the hot alien I’ve been in love with all along? (Spoiler: almost everything.)       AmazonKU

SHIELDED IN THE SHADOWS (FORTUSIAN MATES BOOK FOUR) by Lisa Edmonds

She’s a criminal who always flies solo. He’s the intergalactic lawman who breaks the rules to steal her heart. Smuggler Keela Wren has a problem. There’s a bounty on her head big enough to attract the attention of every mercenary and privateer in the sector, and even her allies can’t be trusted anymore. When a lead on her missing sister forces her out of hiding, bounty hunters converge, plunging Keela into a desperate battle for her freedom. Intelligence agent Jarrix Tov’ok is just surviving. His latest undercover assignment aboard a pirate ship is disrupted when the captain sets aside their planned raid to go after a lucrative bounty on a female smuggler. The moment he encounters their target, Jarrix realizes the fierce human warrior is his true mate, forcing him to betray his crew and his mission to get her off the space station alive. Keela has no use for a mate, even one as well-trained and apparently devoted as Jarrix. The sooner she can be rid of this absurdly attractive male, the sooner she can get back to tracking down her sister. But Jarrix is equally determined to use their temporary alliance to prove he’s the ideal mate for a woman who’s fought too long and too hard to compromise on anything—especially command of her ship, her destiny, and her heart.      AmazonKU

EMPIRE OF STARS BOOK FOUR: MM SFR by X Aratare

Humans, AI, Tha’fell and Altaeth get a lesson in working together is the only way they have a chance of holding their own against the Khul. Even the Osiris discovers it has more to learn. But after the battle, Jace and Khoth finally become bonded mates, a status that has great personal happiness for their families, but worrying consequences should something happen to one of them. And finally, Chili the pig gets a new bow, and Gehenna gets a new terrifying form in this action-packed fourth book.   Amazon

STUFFED BY THE ALIEN (HOLIDAY HEARTMATES BOOK SIX) by Julie K Cohen

He needs a mate. She needs a safe place to hide. Together, they find something neither expected—home. Tammi came to the alien world of Zyan for a job—and to escape a past that nearly destroyed her. She never expected to be claimed by a scarred warrior… or to fall in love with his mute son. Torvikk sought a mate to secure his child’s future. He never expected a human woman to awaken what he thought he’d lost forever—need, desire, and a bond that goes far beyond duty. But when Tammi’s dangerous ex resurfaces and powerful forces at the embassy threaten to tear them apart, she must choose: run like she always has… or fight for the family she’s found and the love she never dared hope for. Torvikk has already made his choice. Tammi is his heartmate—and no one will take her from him.        AmazonKU

VICTORIOUS (VILLAINS BOOK THREE) by V E Schwab

VS Note: Not a romance. Superheroes and villains. A release of note.

Eli Ever. Victor Vale. Two men, first best friends, then mortal enemies, each destined to be the other’s shadow. One left standing—but the game isn’t over yet Against all the years–and the odds—a group of allies and arch rivals meet on a chess board set by an opponent they couldn’t have predicted… to see who will be victorious.

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WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT: A NOVEL by Sloane Brooks

Della Farley has always known her place: scrubbing floors, keeping her head down, and dreaming of something more. But when she stumbles upon a strange book that seems to be writing itself—a story about a man named Ansel Tulzok, a wanted fugitive traveling the stars—her quiet life turns extraordinary.  Light-years away, Ansel finds a mirror copy of the same book. Page by page, the story unfolds with details of a woman he’s never met—one whose words feel achingly familiar. As the two begin writing to each other through the mysterious pages, they open doors not just to each other’s worlds, but to their most vulnerable hopes and fears. But every story has its price. And as their worlds entwine and their hearts collide, Della and Ansel must decide how far they’re willing to go to change the ending fate has written for them.

Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

ABDUCTING THE ALIEN (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by Val Simons

VS Note: MM SFR.

Fun-loving August is just trying to get some air when he finds a guy in an alien costume alone, half-naked, and shivering in the forest. The second they lock eyes, August wants him, and before he knows it, he’s sneaking the stranger into his home. Clay knows August is his mate. That’s not a bad thing, since August seems more than willing to explore their mutual attraction. There’s just one complication. Okay, two: August doesn’t know soul bonds exist, and Clay is a kissless virgin who’s spent his whole life saving his strongest bond for the person he was destined for. Their attraction is immediate, and one very steamy night later, Clay is more sure than ever that August is his future. But Clay’s career on his home planet is only just beginning, and he can’t stay on Earth forever. Convincing August to leave his entire life behind is harder than surviving a crash landing. But Clay crossed the galaxy to find his mate, and he’s not going home without him.     AmazonKU

I MARRIED A SYLLEN (PRIME MATING AGENCY) by Regine Abel

She heard Fate’s call from across the stars. The Syllens become Mirella’s obsession from the moment she discovers their existence, and she dedicates her life to studying them. Today, after centuries of being dormant, the mythical species finally awakens, and she is in the front row to meet them. Despite the tragedy that brings them together, once she lays eyes on Taelen, she knows he is who Fate always intended for her. The last thing Taelen needs is to deal with a new wave of off-worlder colonizers. But as soon as he stirs from the Long Sleep, he finds himself not only contending with the humans and their deadly schemes, but entangled with Mirella, a delicate female with sun-filled hair. Why would the Goddess pair him with one of those evil creatures? And yet, as they join forces to eradicate the menace, the bond between Taelen and Mirella is undeniable. Even the land claims her. As even more insidious attacks threaten the very survival of the Syllens, can the two of them prevail, or will the clash between their worlds tear them apart? NOTE: It is highly recommended to read I Married Kayog first as the Syllens are introduced there with important context that will let you better appreciate this book.      AmazonKU

STARFIGHTER’S SALVATION (STARFIGHTER TRAINING ACADEMY: SECOND WAVE BOOK TWO) by Grace Goodwin

Gina Reyes thought Starfighter Training Academy was just a game—until winning it got her abducted by the dangerously real alien warrior she’d spent months fantasizing about. Corvan is everything Gina designed him to be: lethal, controlled, infuriatingly honorable…and determined to keep his distance. Eighteen months ago, Corvan made an impossible choice during a rescue mission. He saved twelve lives and left his best friend behind. He made the right call. He also knows he could never make it again. Not if Gina were the one he had to sacrifice. As a combat rescue pilot, Corvan’s judgment has to be absolute. But loving Gina would make him dangerously biased, because if the choice ever came down to saving her or saving everyone else, he already knows the truth. He would choose her. Every time. Now Gina has been pulled into a real interstellar war, wounded soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines, and she and Corvan must fly straight into the fire together. He refuses to become the kind of man who would let the world burn to save one woman. Too bad he’s already halfway there.     Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

MY UNDEAD LOVE LIFE (LIFE AFTER ZOMBIES BOOK TWO) by Lyra Winters

Three minutes changed everything. One minute, my boyfriend and I were trapped in a subway train car surrounded by the undead. The next, Keith stayed behind and pushed me into the arms of three strangers. With Keith gone, I was stranded in the city with the three men who had become my only chance at survival. To make it home, we’d have to brave a relentless blizzard, wait out an endless horde of undead, and escape the infected snow leopards stalking us through the storm. After months on the run, the last thing I expected was to fall for the three men who never gave up on me. But survival has a funny way of changing your heart. Especially when the past isn’t as dead as you thought.     AmazonKU

SUBMERGE (COMPANIONS TO THE LEVIATHANS BOOK SEVEN) by Deiri Di

VS Note: A short read.

Trust can’t be stolen, but on a dangerous alien world, it might just be rescued. Abducted from Earth and stranded on an enigmatic starship, Wren survives by relying on no one. Her golden rule is simple: never trust anyone, alien or human. But when a routine sample-gathering run on a dead planet turns lethal, her self-reliance isn’t enough to keep her alive. And the person who comes to her rescue is the last one she expected. UNI-CAL 56109 knows one thing for sure: the human females on board are dangerous. They use their wiles to incapacitate his fellow Calicium units, and even though they’ve removed his mind-control chip, he’s convinced they still have sinister plans for him. He knows he should stay far away. But when Wren needs help, he doesn’t hesitate. Rescuing her means risking the one thing he has left: his freedom. The only problem? He isn’t sure he knows what to do with freedom anyway…or what to do with the human woman making him question everything he knows.   AmazonKU

HOMICIDE IN HELIX SECTOR (LADY ELIZABETH COZIES IN SPACE BOOK EIGHT) by Diana Xarissa

VS Note: Not a romance.

I should have known what was coming. After everything that had happened over the past seven sectors, I should have expected exactly what happened, really. All I want to do is get to Val Segas. Long-distance space travel isn’t fun, even on a luxury spaceship, especially not when murders keep happening in nearly every sector. When Edwardo Beezle sat down next to me at breakfast and started talking about problems on the Lady Elizabeth, I should have immediately seen what was coming and done something to stop it. Instead, I agreed to try to set up a meeting between him and Colonel Jonathan Brazee, a man I considered a friend, especially during murder investigations. I will admit to a sense of impending doom as Jonathan and I took the elevator down to C Deck for the meeting. At the time, I just ignored it. And then we found Edwardo’s body. And I realized that on some level I’d been expecting exactly that. Nothing that happened after that was at all expected, though. First, Jonathan told me to stay out of the investigation. Then Becca, the Chief Medical Officer, ruled that the man’s death was an accident. Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get any stranger, people started asking me to investigate the murder behind Jonathan’s back. And I found myself agreeing to do so.       AmazonKU

WILD SILVER AND LEAD (SNAKE OPS BOOK ONE) by Lexie Axelson

VS Note: Cliffhanger.

In a world undone by a terrifying virus, a fierce female survivor and a cruel military captain fight the living, the dead, and their lethal desire in this genre-shattering dark dystopian romance. I survived ten years after the Raven virus turned the dead into monsters. Then elite soldier Slade Reece put a bullet through my chest. I was searching for my family, torn from me in a raid, when the ruthless ex–Delta Force captain found me. He should have left me to die. Instead, he dragged me to his military base, where a lethal, classified armed force guards civilization in the frozen North. Outsiders are forbidden. Execution is the penalty. Our chance encounter ignited an obsession he can’t control. His solution? Marriage—the only way to keep me alive. The deal: my body for his protection, help finding my family for my vows. I should hate him—I do—but hate turns to fire as he kills anyone who threatens me. Falling for Slade is blurring everything I know about survival. But now his enemies have discovered my existence—and they’re hunting me. I must choose: the family I’ve lost, or the devil who’s claimed me.       AmazonKU

TEMPTING FATE: STARKISSED MATES BOOK TWO  by Lyra Strake

He’s suffering a desperate, unnatural desire—and all he wants is her. Imani didn’t ask for a new life on a distant planet, but she’s going to make it work. Helping an inexperienced alien through his heat? Not part of her plan. Except… he’s seven feet of muscle, wears nerdy little glasses, and he begs so beautifully. There’s plenty of time to get back on track afterwards, right? Airida thought he’d be safe on the refuge of Vadias. While he struggles through his body’s physical awakening, Imani is the only bright spot in this daunting new world. As she teaches him pleasure he never dreamed possible, he melts under her praise—and craves far more than the ‘friends with benefits’ she’s offering. She plans to walk away. The past isn’t going to let him go so easily. As bounty hunters close in on their quiet sanctuary, so does a soul bond, the last thing Imani wants. But after years of being told he could never have a mate, Airida is convinced she’s his fated one—and he’ll do anything to keep her.    AmazonKU

*******************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************

VS: Just a reminder, DERIUS was my first Intergalactic Dating Agency novella for 2026.

DERIUS: SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK FOUR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY by Veronica Scott

Ordered by his planet’s government to enter this year’s round of dating as arranged by the Intergalactic Dating Agency Derius Tate reported to the resort planet with low expectations. He’d never been able to get over the mystery woman he’d had a passionate one night stand with prior to his last, disastrous deployment as a Special Forces operator. Leonie Bradnum signed up for the five day date trip hoping to get over her feelings once and for all for the handsome soldier who’d seemed like her dream man and then cruelly ghosted her three years ago. The IDA’s infallible algorithm paired her up with…Derius, the very man she’d been pining for and hating equally since the morning she woke up to an empty bed and no way to contact him. Will five days and nights on the luxurious IDA Resort Planet be enough for the two of them to resolve the events of three years ago and find their way back to each other? And when danger strikes can Derius do what has to be done to save Leonie? Fate has given them a second chance.

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************************* THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOKS (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

BOUGHT BY THE GREEN MAN: MONSTERS BRIDE MARKET by Ava York

I chose him off the auction block. He didn’t even know he’d bought me. By the time I found out the cold lord at the other end of this contract never agreed to any of it, I was already standing in his forest, soaked through and furious, while a four-hundred-year-old monster twice my size told his court to send me back. But they couldn’t. So now I live here. In the dark, in the green, with a creature of bark and branch, who says he doesn’t want me. But his forest isn’t listening to his words. It grows me a room I never asked for. It blooms white flowers in his footsteps outside my door. It gives me better food than it gives him, warms the floor where I walk, and betrays every single thing the lord won’t let himself say out loud.       AmazonKU

ORC’S HARVEST (VEIL LANDS BOOK 16) by Cyn Blade and Milly Taiden

Zalie: I’ve spent my life hiding on our quiet farm, keeping my dangerous plant magic buried in the dirt. Now our boundary wards are breaking, and nightmare creatures are rising from the wheat fields, ripping away the memories of everyone I love. To save my people, I’m forced to make a deal with the territory’s fiercest warrior. Kalthor Wildstorm is seven feet of raw muscle, wicked battle-scars, and terrifying, lethal control. He takes over my land, claims my kitchen, and commands me like he owns the ground I walk on. He’s supposed to be my weapon against the monsters, but every accidental brush of his skin lights a dark, reckless fire between us. Instead of keeping my distance, I’m daring him to cross the line and take everything I have left. Kalthor: I’m a warlord built for one thing: bloody obedience to my clan. I expected a fragile human farmer when I marched onto Bouchier land. Instead, I find a stubborn witch tangled in deadly thorns, glaring up at my tusks without a shred of fear. She defies my orders, mocks my authority, and makes my blood boil in ways that have nothing to do with battle. When we’re forced into a forbidden blood ritual to survive the horde, our minds lock together—and the fierce, untamed want radiating from her destroys the last bit of my restraint. I swore to protect this valley with my life. Now, my dark, dangerous instincts are screaming for only one prize: to pin her down and make her mine.      AmazonKU

OVERBEARING by Neve Raine and Milly Taiden

She thinks she’s chasing a killer. She’s about to find out he’s been across the garage from her the whole time. And he’s the only thing in this town keeping her alive. Sadie Quinn came to my town to find out why her brother never came home. She’s sharp, relentless, impossible to lie to twice — exactly the kind of stubborn that got Owen killed. So every question she asks pulls her closer to the people who did it, and every day she stays, I get more desperate to keep her breathing. Because someone already wants her gone the exact same way. What she doesn’t know is I’ve started closing the shop early just to walk her back, and making two cups of coffee at the open bay door like the second one isn’t hers. I let one Quinn slip through my hands already. I’m not burying another. My clan’s law says send her home before she digs any deeper. The bear already decided: she’s already home.   AmazonKU

VAMPIRE’S STAKEHOLDER by Dominique Crave and Milly Taiden

Five centuries of discipline taught me to want nothing. One journalist just undid all of my restraint. Juno Maddern is relentless. Unflinching. The first person in five centuries to look past my money and ask what I actually am. My oath says keep the Compact’s secrets buried. My heart just handed her the shovel. But I can’t hide what I am anymore. Not when she sees past my walls. And I’m desperate to let her in. Someone in my ranks is setting her up. Every lead she follows gets a little more lethal. And I’m the only thing standing between her and a trap she doesn’t know is waiting. She thinks she’s uncovering a financial cover-up. She’s about to find out the cover-up has fangs. I’ve buried everything I’ve ever loved across five centuries. I am not burying her too.      AmazonKU

CAN’T TAME THE FLAME (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 116) by Milly Taiden

Romily Devlin has hot glass, overdue bills, and absolutely no patience for rich men with control issues. So when Gerri Wilder shows up with cookies and a too-good-to-refuse job at Sharpe Global, Romily takes it. She expects a corporate art commission. She does not expect Norden Sharpe—broody, gorgeous, built like sin, and staring at her from across the room like he already knows what she looks like naked. Eight-hundred-year-old dragon shifter Norden Sharpe likes order, obedience, and having everyone do exactly what he says. Then Romily storms into his hotel, insults his marble, ignores his rules, and makes his dragon roar one very inconvenient word: mine. She’s stubborn, sexy, and completely immune to his authority. Worse, every argument leaves him wanting to pin her against the nearest wall, and every accidental touch has Romily wondering whether getting burned by a dragon might be worth the risk. Then someone starts hunting the strange magic hidden inside Romily’s glasswork, and Norden’s protective instincts go nuclear. Now Romily has a rogue dragon on her trail, one possessive Alpha breathing down her neck, and enough sexual tension between them to melt steel. Norden is ready to scorch anyone who threatens his mate. Romily is ready to prove she doesn’t need saving. And Gerri is already wondering if she should go ahead and open her own wedding venue.       AmazonKU

OPERATION: OGRE: MM MONSTER ROMANCE (CREEPIN U SEASON 2) by Mars Quinn

We’re just friends. Nothing more. Jaxon – My crush on the hot ogre goalie isn’t going anywhere, but my best friend and roommate, Christopher, is certain that he can help me and Aaron get together. Chris should know; he’s famous on campus for his hook-ups and dates. I’m hesitant about his plan, but I can never say no to Christopher. And then I will be with Aaron, and that’s what I want, right? Christopher – Jaxon, my shy ogre best friend, needs my help to get Aaron, one of the most popular guys in school. I’ll help him, of course–I’d do anything for Jaxon–but I have no experience with romance besides fictional. So armed with romance books and a foolproof plan, I decide we’ll pretend to date each other to make Aaron jealous. It’s genius and will definitely work! Nothing is going to get in the way of my plan, not my annoying siblings, not my lack of dating experience, and definitely not this odd feeling I have when I see Aaron and Jaxon together.     AmazonKU

TEMPTING DEATH (MORTAL MISHAPS BOOK ONE) by J L Jackola

An urban fantasy with a rom-com twist. She wasn’t supposed to see the reaper, and she definitely wasn’t supposed to die…over and over and over again. Lilly is an average mortal with a penchant for talking too much and coordination skills that are frequently challenged. She doesn’t mean to see the Reaper collecting souls, nor does she mean to step into the path of the car that heralds her first death. When Eclipse, aka the Reaper, steps back into the mortal world after eons of self-imposed seclusion, he doesn’t expect Lilly to see him because he’s invisible to mortals. But she does, and that creates a complication, especially since she dies every single time, in the clumsiest ways. And that’s a problem in a world where mortal deaths are predetermined and falling for one is forbidden.   AmazonKU

THE GARGOYLE AND THE EXECUTIONER’S DAUGHTER (MOONBELL HOLLOW BOOK ONE) by Olivia T Turner

It’s a usual day at work. Head. Chop. Neck. Hang. Line-up. Fire. Strap-up. Electrocute. One after another, it’s boring work being the assistant to the town’s only executioner (aka my dorky dad). It’s just another day at the dark dank office until we get a strange customer (aka condemned soul awaiting execution). A gargoyle. They’re rare enough to be interesting. And strong enough to cause quite the inconvenience. My father’s saw breaks on its impenetrable skin. The rope snaps when we try to hang him. Needles, axes, swords—nothing works. When my father leaves to get reinforcements, I’m left alone with the strange, but alluring statue with the large muscles and giant… ahem… rock. If I rub it will he come alive or is that only a genie’s lamp? I try it and find out…Boy, does he come alive. And even though I’m supposed to be the executioner, he’s the one slaying me…With those wicked eyes, those skilled hands, and that oh so delicious tongue. Maybe my dad will let this one go? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.      AmazonKU

FANGS AND FIRST AID by Maison De Loup

Cordelya – Leaving my fiancé at the altar was the easy part. Staying gone is harder. I’ve packed up my pets, buried every trace of my old life, and found myself a fresh start where no one knows me—or why I’m so determined to keep it that way. Then one accident puts Augustus in my path. He’s a devastatingly handsome paramedic with old-fashioned manners, an instinct for taking care of me, and a habit of making it very difficult to remember that getting attached is the last thing I can afford. I came here to disappear. Falling for the man determined to spoil me was never part of the plan. Augustus – I’ve spent a very long time in complete control of myself. Then I smell Cordelya’s blood. One second, I’m treating an injured woman at the scene of an accident. The next, my fangs drop. That hasn’t happened before. Now I can’t stop thinking about the curvy, secretive human who has somehow awakened instincts I don’t understand—and every one of them is telling me the same thing. Mine. Cordelya keeps her secrets close, so I keep my suspicions to myself. For now. I can be patient. I can be a gentleman. I can even pretend I’m only checking on her because I’m a dedicated paramedic. But the closer I get, the more certain I become that our meeting wasn’t an accident. And if Cordelya really is the woman fate chose for me, I have no intention of letting her disappear.   AmazonKU

THE NECROMANCER’S REIGN (THE BEACON HILL SORCEROR BOOK NINE) by Sheena Jolie

VS Note: MM Urban Fantasy.

The final book in the bestselling Beacon Hill Sorcerer series has arrived….Angel Salvatore has been battling the High Council of Sorcery for far too long, and he’s decided to end the war before it gets even worse. A duel to the death, and to the victor goes the spoils. Angel has started something he cannot stop–not that he wants to. Meanwhile, Simeon has trouble brewing at home in the Bloodclan to contend with while Angel trains for the toughest fight of his life. Angel feels he’s ready to take on the Grandmaster of the Council, confident he can beat the blood mage one on one. Simeon has faith in his mate Angel, but none in the rest of humanity. Facing a corrupt politician skilled in ancient blood magic is no guarantee of a fair fight, even with powerful witnesses on both sides attending the duel to keep things honest. Simeon expects things to go awry, and when he’s proven right, Angel and his expanded family come together to save themselves and the city. Yet even as their situation grows dire and things get deadly, Angel and Simeon grow closer, their soulbond forged by love and blood, unbreakable even in the face of powerful enemies. The pair share a destiny and they refuse to be separated, even by death.      AmazonKU

HER WICKER GUARDIAN (WICKER MEN BOOK ONE) by Alana Khan

I didn’t come to the bonfire to burn the last piece of a marriage I barely managed to escape. My friends and I are supposed to be working on the wicker bear we’ve spent weeks building for the town festival. Instead, after too much wine and too much truth, somebody brings up the question women have been arguing about for years: would you rather meet a man or a bear alone in the woods? I say there ought to be a third choice. The joke should end there. Instead, later that night, I throw my wedding ring into the bonfire and whisper a wish I’ve never said aloud to another living soul. The wicker bear begins to move. Willow twists. Branches rearrange. And when I press my palm to the chest of the Wicker Man standing where the bear used to be, something beats beneath my hand. He’s alive. Locke is powerful enough to frighten half the town and gentle enough to make me question everything I thought I knew about strength. Somehow, he also heard us before he ever had ears, including the things women say when we think no men are listening—and the wish I never wanted any man to know. I wanted to feel safe again. I never expected safety to look at me like I’m the only woman in the world. And I definitely never expected people in town to decide a man like him shouldn’t exist.       AmazonKU

DARK SUBMISSION (REJECTED MONSTER MATES BOOK FOUR) by Taylor Spratt

The High Tower has fallen. The shifters are scattered. And Malek is coming for me. I’ve been running from my feelings for my demi-god mates since the beginning. But surviving the end of the world together has a way of breaking down walls. My heart wants to forgive them. Wants to love them. Wants to let go of the past and just be theirs. But can I really forget what they took from me? And even if I can , the man I once loved is now the monster I have to stop. No more excuses. No more hesitation. The only problem? Stopping Malek means forging alliances with a cowardly mage king hiding behind his castle walls and a human president with secrets of his own. Neither can be trusted. Both are essential. What could possibly go wrong? Three possessive alphas pulling at my heart. One demon god who destroyed everything I loved. A web of alliances that could unravel at any moment. Some wars are won with power. This one will take something far more dangerous — me.   AmazonKU

EARTH’S REAPER (EARTH’S MAGIC BOOK SEVEN) by Eve Langlais

The sunderer of souls had his heart stolen. Thaddeus is half Grim Reaper with the power to take people’s souls. As a child, his ability led to him having issues at school, as his strangeness made him a target for bullies—who never stood a chance when he got mad and let loose. Needless to say, his social life sucked. His best friend growing up? The ghost in the graveyard up the street. As for girlfriends? Only ever tried dating once and let’s just say it didn’t end well. Upon his rescue from a lab where scientists forced him to use his ability, this loner tries to get through life without any trouble, but apparently Mother Earth has other plans. She’s set him on a quest to find the person behind his creation and expects him to put an end to their experiments once and for all. The problem is finding the culprit. The decades-old trail is cold, unlike his super-hot female companion. Must not give in to temptation. The last thing Thad needs is to lose control and accidentally steal her soul. It would help if she wouldn’t tease and tempt at every turn. Fiona’s convinced he won’t hurt her, but he’s afraid she’ll end up screaming like the last woman he dared to touch. Thankfully, he’s got the mission to concentrate on, which has now switched to rescue mission. The mastermind behind his birth has taken his mom hostage, and it’s up to Thad to free her, but infiltrating the secret lab, with his ghostly sidekick and Fiona, leads to revelations that are almost too much to handle. To prevail, he’s going to have to do the impossible, but if he succeeds, he might finally have a chance at happiness.

Amazon     AB       Apple Books       Kobo

SHADOW LORD: COZY MM MONSTER ROMANCE (SHADOWMEN BOOK THREE) by S Rodman

I have a crush on my shadow. Ok, he’s not actually my shadow, he’s a shadow man from the Shadow Realm. But he follows me around like he’s attached to me. Wherever I turn he’s there, watching me from a shadowy corner with those fathomless amber eyes. He’s silent, looming, brooding and terrifying. Me? I’m annoyingly cheerful, apparently. So having a being called Dark decide to stalk me is, you know. Ironic. Not that I mind, because for a literal monster, he’s kinda sweet. Considerate. Extremely attentive. All in all, moving to the city really has been wilder than I thought. I work in a coffee shop where the owner is engaged to a shadow prince and my manager is a witch, and that’s how I met my shadow. Although he isn’t actually mine. But I think I want him to be. There’s just the small matter of saving the world from a doomsday prophecy to deal with first.      AmazonKU

COMMANDING SCYTHE AND SKY (GRAYSHELL RISING BOOK FOUR) by S J Barnett

When humanity is the price, all will stand united… or all will fall. The Great Commander vowed to dismantle Moros’ regime of terror, but it came at a devastating cost: his mate now captive in the mentalist’s lair. Now, alongside a splintered alliance of warriors, healers, and shadows, August embarks on a bloody quest to avenge humanity and bring her home before Moros shatters her mind entirely. Still cut off from their hierarchy, an elite squad of warriors make a desperate bid to reunite Grayshell’s forces by traversing the treacherous and illusion-riddled wasteland of The Middle—and time is not on their side. With every moment that passes, the enemy’s talons sink deeper into the Seer of the North, twisting her reality until even lies look like the truth. Still reeling in the wake of their fractured Mate Bond, Freya and Cyrus are left Earthbound, ensnared in history’s twisted threads. As the newly-ascended Paladin queen attempts to secure a tense—but crucial—alliance with the Northern assassins, the young historian must sort through the charred riddles of his ancestor’s mercurial past. But only by working together can they maneuver all of the necessary pieces onto the board and maintain hope of reclaiming their lost souls. Forced into servitude behind the enemy’s brutal walls, Blythe clings to her loyalties as she navigates hidden motives, ancient curses, and political turmoil. Humiliated and downtrodden, she fights to conceal the secrets lurking beneath her skin in hopes of escaping with Alvara. With revenge at last in her grasp, Blythe must choose between her convictions and protecting the last heiress of a fallen bloodline. Loyalties are tested. Ancient bonds are frayed. And only one thread remains.       Amazon

YORK (CLAN OF MALONE BOOK ONE) by Kathi S Barton

He’s spent centuries hunting monsters. He never expected his mate to be the one woman who could drive him mad. York Malone is no ordinary vampire. As the vampire slayer, he’s spent centuries enforcing the council’s laws and destroying rogues who prey on humans. Powerful, wealthy, and more than a little set in his ways, York has no interest in changing his life for anyone. Then Rose MacIntyre walks into it. Rose is a talented mechanic with a sharp tongue, an independent streak, and no patience for the arrogant man who insists he owns the cars she’s been hired to repair. She certainly doesn’t believe his ridiculous claim that he’s a vampire—and she has enough problems already. Her violent father and brother have made her life a constant battle, and Rose learned long ago that the only person she can depend on is herself. But York knows something Rose doesn’t. She’s his mate. 
Keeping her safe awakens every protective instinct he possesses, but convincing Rose that she belongs at his side may prove harder than killing any rogue vampire. She doesn’t need a savior; she refuses to be controlled, and the more York pushes, the harder she pushes back. Yet the attraction between them is impossible to deny, and when danger closes in, Rose may discover that trusting York could change her life forever. A vampire slayer has finally met his match—and she has no intention of surrendering without a fight.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

DEATH SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS (SHROUDED NATION BOOK 38) by Brenda Trim and Tia Didmon

The dead keep rising, but losing my gargoyle could ruin me. The plague spreading through our magical town is getting worse. As my friends fight to save me, my bond with Cal deepens into something fierce, fragile, and impossible to ignore. But the closer we get to the truth, the more I fear the enemy isn’t lurking in the shadows at all… but standing beside us as an ally. And then there’s the egg. Even weakened, it calls to me. Pulls at me. Changes me. If I can’t stop the dead, my town will fall. But if I hold too tightly to the power binding me to the egg and to the man I’m starting to love could kill me. Will I save the people depending on me… or lose myself, Cal, and everything I’m trying to protect?       AmazonKU

TWISTED IRON MARKS (TWISTED LEGACIES BOOK TWO) by Hailey Turner

VS Note: MM Fantasy.

When the Council of Witches demands Bran Gallagher cast aside his dying coven and join a new one, he flees to the Otherworld with the man he loves to escape his sentencing. Cillian Dunne returns to the Otherworld as the long-thought-dead Winter Prince, his past still lost to him in his mind. To win back the Winter Court stolen from him, Cillian must seek allies in the Fae who judged him guilty of associating with witches long ago. Among the Fae, who are his sworn enemy, Bran will do and become anything to stay by his lover’s side, even if it means wearing Cillian’s collar and being seen as his pet. Journeying with Bran to the Autumn Court, Cillian rejoins Fae high society during the Midsummer Festival. Little do they know the pitfalls that await, including an adversarial King Lugh, who wants Bran for his personal entertainment. Cillian will do whatever it takes to keep Bran safe. Navigating a dance of long-forgotten manners and insidious words, he strikes an unbreakable bargain with Lugh that sets the clock ticking for Cillian to prove his innocence. But as a threat to the Autumn Court creeps ever closer, the stakes become impossibly high. In the end, Cillian must choose between keeping his bargain and his life…or lose forever the witch who owns his heart.      AmazonKU      AB

MISTRESS OF FEAR (A LEGACY OF VENGEANCE AND MAGIC BOOK ONE) by Lauretta Hignett

All I ever wanted in life was to fall in love. Which was a little ironic, all things considered. I grew up in a secretive commune of magical warrior women. We were the hidden powerbrokers of the supernatural world; spies, assassins and undercover operatives, trading in secrets and death. We didn’t help anyone except each other, and we didn’t trust anyone at all. Especially not men. Only my sisters mattered. Everyone else in the world was a target, a tool to be used, or totally irrelevant. The Flowers of the Sword didn’t fall in love. I never really fit in with my family, though. Even from a young age, I knew I wanted a different life. A soft life—one without pain, without fighting, without hiding, without deception. A life where I didn’t need to use my magic as a weapon. A life where I could trust people, and use my powers to help them heal. So I turned my back on my family, and I walked away. And I did it; I fell in love. I thought I was going to be happy forever. I was wrong. My family was right all along. Men weren’t to be trusted. Love isn’t real. Now, vengeance will be my legacy. I’m going to rip the whole world apart to find the people who did this to my sisters. The path to revenge will take me right to the doorstep of the powerful political factions that rule the biggest supernatural city in the whole continent. Witches and wizards, vampires, combat mages, shapeshifters and fae… it doesn’t matter to me. The Senate of Magical Detroit won’t know what hit it.      AmazonKU

A WALTZ OF SINISTER IMPORT  (SUPERNATURAL ADVENTURES OF LADY AND LORD RIVEN BOOK THREE) by Stephanie Burgis

When the notorious Lady Riven is summoned to Vienna to solve a supernatural mystery, her debonair vampiric husband insists on accompanying her. However, neither of them is prepared for the true scope of the danger lurking within the sprawling Hofburg Palace…and by the time they uncover the truth behind every glittering illusion, their relationship may change forever. The third and final (for now!) sparkling installment of The Supernatural Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven contains copious amounts of delicious cake, a protective vampire husband, unexpected new friendships, and a waltz that might just sweep the whole continent into war unless Margaret is stubborn enough to prevent it.       Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

THE FERRYMAN’S REST INN AND GROGSHOP (SAM QUINN BOOK NINE) by Sean Kelly

Meg, or Megaera, is one of the Furies you probably read about in Greek Mythology. She’s also been sitting on one of Sam Quinn’s stools in The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore & Bar since it opened, glaring into silence anyone who tries to strike up a conversation with her. Sam, being Sam, eventually broke through Meg’s walls and a tentative friendship grew—not a warm one, certainly. Meg doesn’t do warm. She has, though, in a crisis situation, shown up to fight alongside Sam. Until recently, that is.
Sam’s getting more and more concerned about Meg’s strange absences and then she and Clive receive a text that turns their lives upside down. Meg tells Sam and Clive it’s their turn to help her…in Greece…in the Underworld. Sam badgers her friend Stheno into coming with them. I mean, if you have to descend into Hades’ realm, a Gorgon can be pretty handy. Keep your fingers crossed. Things are about to get downright mythological around here.

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MOONKISSED: AN UNHINGED MM MONSTER ROMANCE (POOK BOYS BOOK ONE) by Rhea Fox

Hector has his life under control. Mostly. He’s got a steady job, a plan to dig himself out of debt, and exactly zero room for distractions—especially not gorgeous ones with teasing smiles and too much confidence. At twenty-nine, Hector is a virgin by choice, a grumpy wolfman who keeps his head down, works hard, and refuses to rely on anyone. He’s learned the hard way that family is a liability. Unfortunately, his job comes with Mason Grant. Mason is everything Hector isn’t: charming, infuriating, tattooed, pierced, and impossible to ignore. A Pooka with biker vibes and a face that promises trouble, he used to needle Hector relentlessly—until one day, he didn’t. Now there are soft words, lingering looks, and a warmth that sinks under Hector’s skin no matter how hard he fights it. Mason knows exactly what Hector is. And more importantly, who he is. Hector is his mate—fierce, loyal, breathtaking—and Mason is done pretending otherwise. If banter pushed him away, then devotion will pull him close. He’ll be patient. He’ll be gentle. He’ll worship every sharp edge and stubborn refusal until Hector finally understands that wanting doesn’t make him weak, and that being claimed doesn’t mean being owned. The moon is rising. The bond is pulling tight. And Mason’s demon agrees on one thing: Hector belongs with them.      AmazonKU

THE MEMORY TREE by Heather Davey

VS Note: Gothic, dual timelines.

When her husband, Ben, takes on his first parish in the rural community of Hope-under-Barrow, Kate Greenwood feels like it could be a fresh start for the family. But from the moment they arrive, something just feels… off. It could be the locals, with their strange rituals and rites. Or it could be the yew tree which stands in a graveyard bordering their garden, whose presence brings headaches, visions and disturbing, unfamiliar memories that do not belong to Kate. As she investigates the strange things happening to her, Kate begins to delve into the history and memories of Hope-upon-Barrow, and the more she uncovers, the more she risks losing herself to something deadly and ancient.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

OWL HALLOWS’ EVE (OWL STAR WITCH MYSTERIES BOOK 24) by Leann Leeds

A Halloween festival in a town full of mediums. A medium dead in the corn maze. And a debt to the god of the dead that just came due. Astra Arden has avoided Cassandra—hard to feel welcome when the mayor blames you for her son’s death. But when the town’s ghosts go silent and Hades calls in her mother’s old favor, avoiding it stops being an option. Someone in Cassandra is keeping a soul that belongs to the Underworld, and the Arden sisters have until the festival ends to bring it home. Then a medium turns up dead under a sign in her own handwriting, the town closes ranks, and the mayor bans Astra from the grounds. Now she’s solving a murder from the couch above a gas station—in a town that won’t talk, hunting a soul in a town that talks to nothing else. And midnight is coming either way.      AmazonKU

LEVI (SEVEN DEADLY SINS BOOK THREE) by N J Walters

Bounty hunter, bodyguard, and werewolf Levi Sin takes a temporary protection detail in New York for reclusive singer and songwriter, Etta Storm. She refuses all public appearances and disguises her appearance for online events. The attraction between them is explosive, but past trauma and a present threat have her keeping her distance. All Etta wants is to write songs, make music, and live a quiet life with her dogs. Captivated by her music and by the woman herself, Levi knows she’s hiding something, but even he has no idea just how explosive it is or how it will change his life forever. When the past threatens, secrets are revealed that jeopardize their relationship. Needing to protect her, Levi takes her to home to Sin Mountain to face the final battle.      Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

CRASH COURSE IN BECOMING A MEDIUM by Andrea Meuwissen

VS Note: MM PNR.

Phillip Gregory, or as his students affectionately call him, “Professor Gory,” is deeply dedicated to the field of thanatology—the study of death and bereavement. Yet at nearly sixty years old and well-versed in the effects of death on the living, even after a decade, he still hasn’t gotten over the loss of his husband. Determined to take his sabbatical finally and further his research into artistic depictions of specters, death gods, and other undead around the world, the last thing Phillip wants is company, least of all in the form of a handsome young grad student he never asked for. Only Corbin Fearnley might be more than he appears. A stray touch to Corbin’s hand awakens something in Phillip—a connection to the dead he never expected. Suddenly able to see the spirits in his library that he once thought a quirk of his imagination, Phillip is brought into a world beyond the study of death and into the real reason Corbin was sent to him. A malevolent spirit somehow tied to Phillip’s library is growing in power, and Corbin and the society of death he belongs to, Aborientes Umbrae, are the only ones capable of stopping it. With Phillip’s newfound abilities, and Corbin boasting powers of his own, the two embark down a path of danger, discovery, and mutual attraction. But is Phillip ready to accept new love into his life or is the malicious force growing in power around them destined to keep them apart?      AmazonKU

DEATH: A TOWERFALL NOVEL by Kristin Cast

In a world built on illusion, the truth is often deadly…Juniper Chase has perfected the art of being exactly what everyone needs, especially her best friend’s older brother, Beckett Davenport. He’s the one man she’s spent years pretending she doesn’t want…and the one man she cannot have. When a magickal tarot card rips her and Beckett from their world and into the enchanted Kingdom of Swords, Juniper is mistaken for their future queen, but slipping into the role should be instinct. After all, she knows how to play a part. Except things in the Kingdom of Swords are not what they seem. Prince Luca Sterling, the man she’s meant to marry, is hiding something beneath his devastating charm. Juniper can feel it, because in this kingdom, her instincts are literal power. And the deeper she falls into the prince’s glittering, carefully crafted world, the clearer it becomes: This kingdom is built on lies, and it’s collapsing under their weight. To uncover the truth behind the throne and the ancient Tower pulsing at the heart of the kingdom, Juniper will need the help of the man who sees her more clearly than anyone ever has. And when Beckett takes to his position as her guard with a fierce yet gentle protectiveness that brings new heat between them, Juniper uncovers the truth between them, too. But exposing Luca’s lies could send the realm crashing down around them. And choosing the truth might cost Juniper her future, her heart, and any chance of making it home.       Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

UNMASKING THE ORC by Leslie Chase

Kor is the most aggravating monster I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, he’s also the hottest. Six foot six of glowering, muscular orc, Kor makes my heart flutter every time he gets too close. His gravelly voice does extremely inconvenient things to me, but when I listen to what he says, I remember exactly why I can’t stand him. It would be manageable if we weren’t stuck planning the Halloween Ball together. For one enchanted night of the year, monsters and humans mix freely, their identities hidden beneath magical masks. It’s an important part of Blackrose Hollow’s culture, and I’m determined to make this year’s the best one yet. So far, Kor has blocked my fog machines, vetoed my inflatable pumpkin, and developed an infuriating habit of stepping in to fix every problem before I’ve finished being properly annoyed by it. The worst part? Every argument leaves us standing a little too close. Every glare lasts a little too long. And I am absolutely, positively not wondering what those tusks would feel like against my skin. Nope. Not thinking about that. Falling into bed with Kor would be a terrible idea. And falling for him would be even worse.    AmazonKU

UNMASKING THE MUMMY by Sayla Masse

Merytamun “Mary” has spent her career uncovering Egypt’s past. But after a disastrous excavation awakens something that should have remained buried, nothing feels right anymore. The stars have changed. An impossible fifth canopic jar refuses to leave her thoughts. And the mummy she uncovered seems determined to follow her home. Then her new neighbor moves in. Kind, handsome, and hopelessly out of his depth in New York City, Kayvon should be the perfect distraction from Mary’s spiraling obsession. Between rooftop stargazing, pizza dates, museums, and Halloween costumes, falling for him feels effortless. More unsettling still, every moment together feels strangely familiar… as though they’ve loved each other before. As ancient forces awaken and forgotten forces begin to stir, Mary and Kayvon discover they’re connected by a history older than memory itself. To save the world from a darkness that once nearly consumed it, they’ll have to uncover the truth buried beneath centuries of lies—even if it means confronting the lives they left behind.    AmazonKU

UNMASKING THE TROLL by Sabrina Silvers

She came to Iceland looking for forgotten monsters. She found a love story instead. Professor Dana has spent her career proving myths and legends belong to everyone, not just scholars locked away in libraries. Her latest research project, The Forgotten Monsters of Iceland, is supposed to help secure her academic future—not lead her straight to a very real troll. Eirikr prefers books to people and history to the uncertainties of real life. He’s spent centuries preserving Iceland’s stories while secretly writing Viking romances under a human pen name. Falling in love is something he writes about, not something he intends to experience. Until Dana. Thanks to his twin brother’s spectacularly misguided matchmaking scheme, Dana and Eirikr are thrown together among ancient legends, hidden archives, and more than a few secrets. But when mating marks appear and the truth finally comes out, they’ll have to decide whether their growing feelings are just another story…Or the happily ever after neither of them expected.      AmazonKU

ONCE UPON A LIBRARY WISH (CITY WISHES & ENCHANTED DREAMS BOOK THREE) by Jessica E Subject

VS Note: MM PNR.

I don’t think this wish was meant for me… but that didn’t stop me from making one. I need a new job. Due to budget cuts by the township, today is my last day working at the library. And I dread spending any time at the home I half own ever since my mom’s latest parasite of a boyfriend moved in. As I’m shelving a paranormal romance novel, a white business card drops out of it. I pocket it for later, expecting it to be some kind of bookmark promoting the author. At the end of the day, I reach into my pocket for the key to my bike lock when the card falls out. Instead of the author’s website or a QR code to scan, it tells me to make a wish. Why not? I would love to meet a hot dragon shifter like the one on the cover of the book the card came from. It wasn’t as if I was going to have any luck finding love in my small town. That’s when everything changes. Instead of biking home, I am standing on the edge of a field, watching a minotaur come charging toward me. He promises to introduce me to a dragon, but not until I agree to stay in their world. It seems like a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, but what if I finally found everything I’ve ever longed for?      AmazonKU

VERY MERRY DEMONS by Eva Chase

This Christmas visit home is going to be different. I’m done hearing my family fret about my lack of job prospects and love life. So I’ll take that job at the cozy inn… even if it’s a teensy bit haunted. I’ll gamble that my totally human self can use a dusty spell book to summon my true love. One mispronounced word later, and instead of my Prince Charming, I’ve summoned three fanged, purple demons. Oops. Thankfully, the demons are more excited than annoyed by my accidental summoning. They’ve got a paranormal problem only a witch can fix. They offer me a deal: they’ll solve my romantic crisis, and I’ll use my newly discovered magic powers to set them right. All three demons guide my awkward attempts at dating in their own tempting ways: one sweet, one grouchy, one seductive. Flirting practice evolves into scorching kisses and taking turns posing as my fake human boyfriend for Christmas… until I’m wondering if the love spell worked after all. Are these incredible paranormal men exactly what my wounded heart needed? Or will they vanish from my life as soon as our deal is done?     AmazonKU

THE BAKER’S SHADOW by Lilliana Rose

When grief calls to darkness, sometimes darkness answers. Kaia Brennan is drowning. Her husband is dead, her bakery is failing, and she’s kneading dough at 3 AM just to feel something, anything, other than the crushing weight of loneliness. Then he comes. Malak is an ancient incubus, bound to hunt during the blood moon eclipse. He should take a virgin and disappear into shadow. Instead, he’s drawn to Kaia’s grief like a moth to flame and makes a catastrophic mistake. He doesn’t just feed on her darkness. He fills her emptiness with something of his own. Something that shouldn’t be possible. Now Kaia is pregnant with a child that pulses with shadow-magic, her bread is enchanted with emotions that manipulate the town, and a corrupt businessman is determined to destroy the supernatural barrier protecting them all, even if it means unleashing an ancient evil that devours everything in its path. With the barrier cracking and monsters clawing their way into the world, Kaia and Malak must choose to run and let the town fall, or stand together and risk everything for a family that was never meant to exist.      AmazonKU

THE WEAKNESS OF JUSTICE (SCALES OF JUSTICE) by Laura Greenwood

Rera wants to support the Temple of Ma’at, but is she able to? Having accepted that she wants a career as a Priestess of Ma’at, Rera knows what she has to do next. The only problem is that her personal ties lead her to make decisions for the wrong reasons. To make matters worse, she finds herself faced with having to reveal secrets that she doesn’t want to share with anyone from either side of her life. Can she find her way back to the Halls of Justice? The Weakness of Justice is book seven in the Scales of Justice series, an urban fantasy series based on Egyptian mythology and set in the same world as The Apprentice of Anubis. It includes a slow burn m/f romance, a morally grey main character, and clashing worlds. If you love Egyptian mythology, alternative versions of the modern day, temple politics, slow-burn workplace romance, and a world where the gods are real, then the Scales of Justice series is for you!

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SEARCH FOR THE LOST: CHAOS AND ORDER BOOK TWO by J Scott Coatsworth and Kim Fielding

VS Note: MM Fantasy.

Leopold Lane—after being “collected” for the Office of the Lost by Crispin Eladrin Moss’caladin—is tucked away cozily with his beloved office fae in their treehouse. Happily ever after, right? Not so fast. Before Leo can even get settled, Crispin’s mother disappears, leaving Crispin in charge and his brother Aspin in a panic. As Queen of the Fae, she has also left them a little surprise: a bit of oxymoronic magic that turns their world upside down. Crispin and Leo set off in search of the queen and a solution to their predicament. Aspin tags along, with some less-than-helpful friends. On the way they will discover important family secrets and learn new things about each other… and themselves. Nothing is simple when Chaos and Order get involved. Besides, it wouldn’t be a proper quest if it was straightforward, would it?     Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

THE CALL OF THE SEA: A COLLECTION OF DARK FANTASY TALES by Various

The Call of the Sea cannot be ignored…Beneath the waves lies another world, one filled with creatures of myth. Mermaids and sirens who find themselves torn between the land and the sea. As they struggle to choose, they will encounter danger, betrayal and love that cannot be. Dive into the pages and discover a world you have never seen before. Will they find love or will it all end in tragedy?   AmazonKU

FIND ME WHERE IT ENDS by Cassandra Khaw

Antigone is no stranger to death. For the women of her family, death always comes in the form of a black dog. When Antigone’s own black dog arrives, she isn’t afraid. She invites it inside, where it soon becomes a daily source of companionship and comfort. It also forces her to reflect on the life she’s led―the parts of herself she’s hollowed out for the sake of others, and the bone-deep exhaustion that’s hounded her every step. Her Death’s arrival must be a sign, permission to finally let go. To rest. Because while mortality is inevitable, living is a choice. But a good death comes at a price.      Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

HEAR THE DEAD: A THRILLER by Ann Davila Cardinal

One woman. A string of unsolved murders. Only she can hear the victims. For more than forty years, Elena Altieri has been hiding from the tragedies of her New York City punk rock youth. Tragedies that left her best friend, Sin, dead, and other women in their orbit missing. Now, the past is catching up with her in more ways than one. Not only is she hearing strange noises under the hum of her tinnitus, but the photographs she took of a recently deceased musician are going viral, thrusting her back into a world she hoped would remain locked away forever. When Elena begins to hear the screams of a woman ringing in her ears, she becomes convinced that she’s somehow hearing Sin’s murder. Desperate for answers, she has no choice but to revisit her past, and what she’ll uncover will not only force her to reckon with her own fractured memories, but might prove that Sin, and other innocent women from their youth, were the victims of an unspeakable crime that only she can solve.  Old punks never die, and Elena’s going to prove that.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

MONSTERA by Delilah S Dawson

VS Note: Sapphic gothic horror.

When Lucy McClintock moves into a dreamy Victorian in downtown Savannah after years of suffering under the rule of her overbearing grandfather, she feels like she’s won the lottery—well, outside of the creepy landlord. She soon notices a glorious green haven in the backyard and meets her downstairs neighbor, Saskia, a weightlifter who lives in a magical apartment overflowing with plant life and beautiful artwork. Naïve and lonely Lucy is drawn to strong and secretive Saskia, and as the two women grow closer, they discover they share more than just an apartment building…A seductive, heady, sinister read: breathless romance and bone-chilling suspense collide in this sweet and deadly tale.       Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE HOUSE BUILT ON ALLIGAOTR BONES: A NOVEL by Sophia Honeycutt

VS Note: Southern Gothic with romance.

Dartrine Beaumont believes her mother’s sudden death has left her alone in the world—until she learns of long-lost wealthy relatives living in Florida. Confused but delighted by the possibility of extended family, Dart travels to her grandmother’s stately Gilded Age mansion on Amelia Island for answers, just in time to stake a claim on an unusual inheritance: an alligator farming empire. Her arrival at Greer House isn’t everything she hoped. Without warning, Dart finds herself in fierce competition with her grandmother’s arrogant heir apparent, and tensions rise as threats escalate on one of the farms. More unsettling is her hostile grandmother’s fanatical belief that the danger stems from a curse; according to legend, a larger-than-life alligator hunted down by a bloodthirsty ancestor haunts the family. Yet Dart can’t deny that the farm’s alligators hiss only at Greers, or that a shadowy figure creeps through the mansion’s halls. As Dart uncovers the truth about her violent birthright, she faces a terrible choice: accept her place in her family’s grim legacy or forge a new path by slaying a different beast entirely.       Amazon     AB     Apple Books      Kobo

THE LAST CRANE: A HELLSING UNIVERSE SHORT STORY by Margaret Couplet

Oscar Crane, the last of his Hunter Family, finds a fae’s head in his newly inherited attic. Blackwell has been waiting generations to escape the Crane’s attic, he just wasn’t expecting his freedom to come at the hands of one of those Cranes. This short story takes place a few years before the first book in The Hellsing Siblings Series but may be best enjoyed after finishing the series.    AmazonKU     AB

PORTRAIT OF A HAUNTING by Madison Taylor Nelson

To Tatum Alexander, the Sight—her ability to see spirits—has always been more of an affliction than a gift. Having inherited the power from her mother, Amarina, an infamous artist known for murdering her lover and using his blood for her final painting, Tatum has been reluctant to step into her talent or even get close to the man she loves. She’s been able to find a safe space to hide her Sight with the largest witch coven in Manhattan and her best friend, Mischa. But when Mischa is murdered, the act eerily connected to Amarina’s own crime, a traumatized Tatum must reckon with both the loss and the sudden surge of spirits vying for her attention and her life. The spirits have a message: the murderer is coming for her next and a price must be paid. To learn the truth of her past and catch the killer she’ll have to rely on her loved ones’ helping hands—some witchy friends, the man who won’t let her go, and her eternally perplexing mother—in order to embrace her Sight while keeping them all safe. The clues will lead Tatum to a dangerous secret that Amarina has spent decades trying to keep. And when the secret is out, Tatum will be forced to risk it all.

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BAITING THE WEREWOLF: SPICY MM PNR (HALLOWEEN TAMPTATIONS) by Tara Sterling

When I stalked my best friend into the woods, I didn’t expect to get my reality shattered… or my world thoroughly rocked. Logan and I are just friends. Nay, best friends. Do I want more? Sure. But why would a giant Greek god who can have anyone he wants choose a tiny introvert with an attitude problem? Besides, Logan is extremely straight. Which is probably why following him into a dark forest wasn’t my brightest idea. But I need to know why he’s been lying to me. So, when my poor life choices make me bait for the monsters lurking in the darkness, I’m not even surprised. But when rescue comes in the form of a very familiar wolf, I have a lot of questions. Starting with how the giant animal that’s been randomly showing up at my doorstep for years ended up here? Turns out those visits weren’t random at all. Will the truth break the one relationship I can’t live without? Or will it finally unleash the desires I’ve spent my whole life denying?       AmazonKU

BIRD KING RISING: LETTERS FROM MAYNARA BOOK TWO by Samantha Bansil

A new queen reigns. A rebellion stirs. Will she risk it all to rule? Newly crowned queen Laya Gatdula is determined to prove her worth to her subjects, her family, her rivals—and herself. When whispers of rebellion and rumored sightings of a giant raptor in the mountainous Skylands reach the capital, Laya must face the terrifying realization that her ex-lover and rival, Luntok, might still be alive and coming for the throne. Though she already wields power over wind and rain, to quell the threat from the north, Laya seeks the ultimate weapon: lightning. Torn between the counsel of two men—her beloved confidant and her ruthless uncle—Laya must trust herself to cement her legacy and hold the throne. Is it better to earn her nation’s loyalty through benevolent rule, or risk everything to become an all-powerful god? And with Luntok rapidly gathering his army, will she live long enough to make the choice?    Amazon     AB     Kobo

THE DANCER AND THE DREAM THIEF by Rowenna Miller

Evelyn Pulaski spends her evenings selling dreams working at the Palace Ballroom. For a dime a dance, she plays into a cheap fantasy of romance before returning to the gritty reality of everyday life. When dance hall girls start disappearing, a mysterious group of elfin bootleggers is the prime suspect. Raife is also in the business of selling dreams. He is part of an operation stealing dreams from humans and peddling them in the elfinlands. Raife takes a shine to Evelyn, telling himself his interest is purely professional, but there is something…entrancing about her. When Evelyn’s best friend disappears, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with Raife. And together they’ll discover the power of dreams to change, or even remake, the world.     Amazon     AB     Apple Books      Kobo

DARK READING MATTER: THE LAST THURSDAY NEXT NOVEL BOOK EIGHT by Jasper Fforde

Ex-Literary Special Ops agent Thursday Next is embarking on her eighth and final fictional adventure, and she is well aware of the fact. The problem is, others are aware of it, too. Old foes and new are plotting a terrible revenge: to disrupt the narrative and make the last Thursday Next novel, Dark Reading Matter, not just unreadable but unpublishable. Thursday can’t let that happen, and needs to use all her guile and narrative trickery to unmask the antagonists. It won’t be easy. The Martians have broken out of their H. G. Wells novel and threaten both the real world and the BookWorld. Agents from a higher reality want unfettered access to the Dark Reading Matter, the realm where deleted books and unrealized literary ideas end up. A Gateway to Hell has opened up at Wantage’s Shakesmania, the nation’s second-worst Shakespeare theme park, and the cozy world of Enid Blyton has been hijacked by ultra-right-wing nationalists. With Reality Field Distortion experiments going haywire, a partially redacted donkey, a BookWorld on the brink of losing its imaginative energy to Big Tech and a murderous stamp collector with philaticide on their mind, Thursday has to navigate a tightrope of borderline unusable narrative devices to bring the series to a satisfying conclusion. It’s a tall order, but Thursday has several secret weapons: her own adaptability; her husband, Landen; a host of stalwart friends and ultimately the most loyal compatriots she can call upon—her readers.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

CRAVING THE INCUBUS (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by Jules Simon

VS Note: LGBTQ PNR.

A nerdy gamer, an exiled incubus, and one night to break a curse. Halloween parties aren’t my thing, so I opt for a late-night jaunt into the forest to explore reports of a supernatural phenomenon. When I trip and sprain my ankle, a hulking guy donning super realistic horns appears out of nowhere. He offers to carry me to his nearby (hopefully not a murder) cabin so I can ice my injury. By the time we arrive, I’m an overstimulated mess. It’s not my fault! He’s wearing me like a backpack and, uh, things bump and rub a lot. Finally relaxing in his surprisingly swanky digs with my leg elevated, I doze off and experience the most sensual dream of my life, featuring none other than my big horned host. I wake craving him for real, but I’ve never been with a man. When he confesses a secret that leaves me questioning everything I know, he makes me an offer I can’t refuse. I have the power to break his curse, and in exchange, he’ll give me everything I desire. Am I brave enough to accept?   AmazonKU

ENTITIES TO LOVERS by Mallory Marlowe

Paranormal medium Rory Woods spends her days offering psychic readings at Ye Olde Spirit Shop and nights haunting the streets of Boston as a ghost-tour guide. Sure, business could be better, but she’s proud of the shop she runs with her mom. Enter Ezra Blackwell: adjunct history professor, noted thorn in Rory’s side, and—though she’d only admit it under threat of medieval torture he surely knows too much about—a distractingly handsome, charismatic coworker. Rory can’t stand Ezra’s know-it-all, show-offy behavior. Ezra loves to tease the gorgeous, brilliant medium at the shop. And when the two are forced to host a tour together? It’s no wonder they end up hexed after disturbing a matchmaking ghost. Saddled with perpetual bad luck unless they’re physically near each other, Rory and Ezra will try anything, from séances to kissing, to stop the jinx from wreaking havoc on both their lives. But in their quest to appease the spirit, they realize that growing closer might not be the curse they once thought it was.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

LOVE YOU TO DEATH by Jenna Levine

Lucy McKenzie’s life has always been a disaster. So it should come as no surprise when one day she’s hit by an inconveniently-timed bus—and dies. Unfortunately for the handsome grim reaper who shows up to take her to the afterlife, Lucy is not about to go quietly. Daniel is tired of his job collecting souls. While working for the Agency beats the heck out of going to Hell, he’s been doing this for literal ages. The drudgery has him yearning for more. Touched by Lucy’s plea for more time on earth, he convinces the Agency to make a deal: Lucy can have six more weeks of life if Daniel can observe her and report back on humanity. But as Lucy and Daniel navigate the chaos of life and afterlife together, they discover that a second chance at living might be their real chance at love.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

MYSTERY PLAY: A NOVEL by Elizabeth Kostova

After his beloved mother passes away suddenly, Jay Turner finds himself at a crossroads. She was always secretive, and when he returns to their Boston home to clear out her possessions, he finds an unusual item: a partially burned scrap of newspaper bearing the name “Gael Brogan.” Soon after, a deliveryman leaves behind a package containing a small antique volume bound in leather—and two bloody footprints. The sight of the volume is chilling. As a young scholar, his mother had been given the medieval book—one of a set commissioned by Vlad Țepeș, otherwise known as Dracula, just before his death in 1477. She’d always warned Jay of the dangers associated with it, and had donated it to a museum before she died . . . yet here it is, back in his possession. Jay sets out to learn more about Gael Brogan, a prominent nineteenth-century actor whose last and most famous role was based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. As Jay begins to dig deeper—with the help of a mysterious woman named Rhiannon—he uncovers the frightening story of a young actress who fell under Brogan’s sway long ago. Before long, Jay and Rhiannon realize that something similarly implacable is pursuing them.     Amazon     AB     Apple Books      Kobo

BLITHE SPIRITS ON THE PUMPKIN PATCH (GHOSTS OF ROWAN VALE BOOK FIVE) by Sharon Booth

VS Note: FF PNR.

Halloween is fast approaching, and in the beautiful Cotswold living history village of Rowan Vale, a day of events is planned. There’ll be pumpkin carving, apple bobbing… and a not-so traditional midnight séance. The spirit medium will be Melissa, better known as ‘Madam Mariska’ on television’s It’s Haunted! But Melissa is keeping a career-threatening secret: she’s lost her ghost-whispering abilities, and it’s her sister and general dogsbody assistant Verity who she relies on to contact the spirits. With the resident village ghosts going on strike in protest at the booking, and sibling rivalry at its highest, it’s no wonder Verity is unhappy, and her feelings aren’t helped by her unexpected attraction to the calm and beautiful Mia. Leaving her sister to the midnight séance, Verity follows an illuminated pumpkin path to the stone circle on the edge of the village and does something very out of character… and which she hasn’t a clue how to fix. Has she just changed life – and afterlife – in Rowan Vale forever?       AmazonKU      AB

ONCE IN A TIMELINE by Iman Hariri-Kia

Get ready with me… to break out of the algorithm – Laia Grace is the New York City lifestyle influencer… or at least, she’s determined to be. After leaving her past behind to pursue her dreams, failure is not an option. Every day, she films her aesthetic routine — the perfect light, the perfect latte, the perfect life. Until one morning, her day starts to… glitch. Her neighbors flicker. Her best friend loops. And Laia realizes she’s no longer the creator, but the content — and she’s trapped inside of her last “day in the life” video, forever playing on an endless, infinite loop. That’s when a brooding, unshaven, decidedly unfiltered man (literally) crashes into frame. Noah’s been stuck in Laia’s timeline, too, and he’s desperate to get them both out. Together, Laia and Noah fight to outsmart the algorithm that’s captured them, uncovering secrets and confronting biases along the way.  As they grow closer, the line between performance and personhood blurs, and Laia realizes she might have to face the one thing she’s been avoiding all this time: herself.

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STONE MAD by D M Pulley

Life fell apart for Mannie Wallace after her daughter’s best friend was abducted from the playground right under Mannie’s nose. Six years later, Mannie is working as an engineer turned insurance investigator and barely holding the pieces of her family together. When an eccentric developer hires her to survey an infamously haunted Gilded Age mansion, Stone Mad Castle, it could be just the thing she needs to get her career and life back on track. But once inside the abandoned castle, her dream job becomes a nightmare when the motley crew of investigators discovers a dead body in the basement and Mannie starts seeing ghosts. Probing deeper into the mansion, she begins to suspect that Stone Mad’s sinister past may be connected to the little girl she lost. Her daughter, now fourteen and obsessed with true crime, is convinced that girls have been mysteriously disappearing near the haunted house at an alarming rate for more than a century. Twist follows twist, like the hidden passageways that honeycomb the castle, as Mannie risks everything to unravel the mansion’s secrets and uncover the fate of her daughter’s missing friend. In the end, Mannie must solve the mystery of Stone Mad once and for all … or become the next chapter in its haunted story.     Amazon     AB

UNDER THE IRON SKY by A T Emerald

Vordell was beautiful once. Its people lived in harmony, and their civilization flourished as they learned to harness and control the power of Light. Then the darkness came. The Iron Sky unfolded dark clouds across the land, thick enough to choke out the light of the suns. The ground cracked, releasing vicious creatures and evil magic-wielding soldiers. The Dar’rak—an enemy long believed to be buried and forgotten—returned to claim the world above. Soraya Tollmere has spent most of her life on the front lines of the brutal war that followed. Now a high-ranking commander, she knows loss better than anyone. By day, she leads troops across ruined landscapes and guides covert teams through enemy territory. By night, she meets with a Dar’rak defector who has kept humanity alive with his steady stream of secrets. On a mission to investigate his latest lead—one that could turn the tide of the war—Soraya is captured by the Demon, the Dar’rak’s most feared soldier, his true identity unknown. His orders are simple: Break the human commander and uncover where the humans are keeping a weapon that could win them the war. But as he gets to know the fierce warrior, the lines between interrogator and enemy, prisoner and ally, begin to blur. Devastating truths surface and loyalties shatter, forcing Soraya to decide who to trust in a world where Light is dying—and where her greatest enemy may be her only salvation.        Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

THE SPELLREADER AND THE PHOENIX: MM URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE (CELEBRATIONS WITH MYTHICAL MATES BOOK TWO) by Ellie Ash

Can a happily ever after start with an accident? Max – Owning a bookshop would be perfect if only it didn’t involve customers. As a witch who’s also a rare Spellreader, Max can find the spells that other witches need, as long as they’re not so rude that he hangs up on them. This keeps his store afloat, and his life follows a predictable pattern, just the way he likes it, until Rory crashes—literally—into his life. Max has never met anyone like this cheerful shifter, and he doesn’t know quite what to do with him, but he’s also… intrigued. Rory – Rory’s spent the last ten years—he’s pretty sure it’s not more than ten years!—in his bird form. He takes life as it comes, and he’s happy flying place to place as he waits to find his mate. When his excitement at finally spotting the man leads to him crashing right into his mate’s window, he seizes the opportunity to get to know him. Together, Rory’s certain there’s nothing they can’t do… if he can convince his grumpy mate that they’re meant to be together.   AmazonKU

THE WITCH by Freida McFadden

VS Note: I one clicked. I love her books, so twisty and I’m always surprised by the ending.

Some secrets don’t die―they wait. When Julia Barlow loses her job and her apartment, she has nowhere left to go but Pemberton, her family’s sprawling seventeenth-century estate in rural Massachusetts. Officially, she’s there to check in on her aging grandmother. Unofficially, she’s hoping the old house will give her a place to disappear. Instead, Pemberton begins to unravel her. Every night, the grandfather clock stops at exactly 3:41 a.m. The lights flicker without warning. And a disembodied voice cries for help outside Julia’s bedroom door. As Julia digs into the house’s dark history, she uncovers the story of a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692―and realizes the past may not be finished with Pemberton yet. When decades of family lies begin to surface, Julia must confront a terrifying truth: Pemberton may be haunted by women whose voices refuse to stay silent.    Amazon     AB

HOTEL HEX (SALEMDIPITY INN WITCH COZY MYSTERIES BOOK ONE) by Lily Harper Hart

Being a real witch in Salem isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Just ask Piper Knight, who fled the East Coast for the West Coast after graduation—grand plans of being a “normal” naturalist taking up residence in her head—only to have to return to her hometown if she wants to save her grandmother’s failing boutique hotel, the Salemdipity. As a descendent of one of the original women accused of being a witch during the trials hundreds of years ago, Piper is determined to keep her grandmother’s legacy alive. Unfortunately, the old witch might be going a little batty. Since Piper’s parents refuse to help—they’re threatening to lock up Wanda Alden and throw away the key if she causes one more public incident—that means Piper is on her own. She’s a witch, so everything should be okay. Or maybe that’s just witchful thinking. Jasper Cage grew up in Salem hating witch stories. There are other paranormals in the world after all, thank you very much. Why should witches get all the attention? As a half-vampire—he’d much prefer being a whole one but he didn’t get a say in the matter—he has attitude to spare. That’s why, when he collides with Piper over a dead body, things immediately come to a head. Jasper wants…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)        AmazonKU       AB

WICKER by Ursula Wills

VS Note: A short read.

A comedic fable about sex, marriage, and the absurdities of social convention. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Colman!In a small coastal village, a fish-gutter lives a lonely existence, shunned by neighbors and smelling of brine. Desperate for companionship, she trades her life savings — three gold coins — to a local basket-maker with a single request: make me a husband. Woven from willow, her new partner is broad-shouldered, gentle-spoken, and utterly devoted. As he mends her leaky roof, shares her bed and restores her happiness, the woman blossoms, wearing flowers in her hair and singing as she works. But her transformation sparks deep jealousy among the villagers, whose own marriages begin to curdle with envy. Driven by malice, the townspeople hatch a wicked scheme to convince her that her wicker spouse has betrayed her.       Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

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WITCHES ANONYMOUS by Alyson Root

VS Note: Sapphic PNR.

Wren Fletcher just wants to survive her court-mandated support group without wrecking her life any further. One drunken dive into a fountain, one brutal breakup and one bogus firing later, she arrives at her first compulsory meeting expecting stale biscuits and total anonymity. Instead, she finds a room full of women looking at her as though they know something she does not. They are right. Wren is a water witch—born into a hidden magical world she never knew existed, with powers she cannot control and a babysitter she definitely did not ask for. Maisie Stonecroft is composed, infuriatingly capable and next in line to lead the country’s most powerful coven. She does not do chaos. Wren is chaos, armed with razor-sharp sarcasm and no patience for rules, magical or otherwise. They should not work. But between disaster-prone lessons, dangerous coven politics and a spark threatening to become a wildfire, Wren begins to wonder whether she is ready to stop hiding—from magic, from Maisie and from life itself.      AmazonKU

TRICK OR TREAT FOR THE DEAD DRAGON: MONSTER ROMANCE WITH HEART by Julia Mills

Love wasn’t supposed to happen– but in Arrhythmia, the sweetest treats are the ones you never see coming. Everyone thought Knox MacAllen died a century ago. He didn’t. Presumed dead after an oil-rig explosion, the Texas Ranger and Dragon Guardsman spent the last hundred years trapped in Hell– fighting, surviving, and forced to serve a Demon Lord.  Then a Hellmouth spits him back into the land of the living. But Hell still knows exactly how to find him. Alicorn Shifter Maisie MacDonald takes one wrong turn through the Magical Wards surrounding Arrhythmia, Texas. She finds herself trapped with demons, ghouls… and one supposedly dead Bronze Dragon whose Dragon King immediately declares her their Mate. The Alicorn Princess with whom she shares her soul agrees. Maisie does not, no matter how good-looking the man is, have time for a Mate. But something marked Knox. Something is tracking him… And that is just not cool. She needs to help him… and keep her raging hormones and her Alicorn Princess at bay. Then Knox says he’s leaving. He thinks it’s the only way to protect everyone he loves. Maisie thinks he’s an idiot. Just another day in the Dragon Guard…Welcome back to Arrhythmia, Texas—where monsters fall in love, Magic goes wrong, and Fate refuses to behave.       Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

FALL OF THE FORSAKEN: WAR OF THE BROTHERHOOD by Michelle Miles

Some wars begin the moment he chooses her. The Brotherhood turned Anna Walker into a weapon. Escaping them should have set her free. It didn’t. Now her dream-walking is awakening again—violent, invasive, and impossible to control. The nightmares leave blood in her mouth, bruises on her skin, and the horrifying sense that someone is reaching for her from the other side. Kincade knows how to protect what’s his. He can lock down Walker Manor, station guards at every entrance, and kill anything that crosses the line. But this threat doesn’t come through the gates. It comes for Anna in the dark, through the part of her the Brotherhood already broke once. And Kincade is running out of ways to save her without turning her into a prisoner. When Sebastian Crane makes his move, Kincade must open the door to the darkness that forged him and become the very thing he swore he’d never be again. Because if the Brotherhood wants Anna back, they’ll have to come through him first. And Kincade will burn them to the ground before he lets her go.

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

ON BRUTAL THRONES (SHIELD OF THE GOD BOOK THREE) by Lacey Carter Andersen

The final trials have begun, and this time, there’s nowhere left to run. The strongest teams still stand between me and my sister’s freedom, and the gods are more determined than ever to see us fall. If I’m defeated now, Lyra will be lost forever. But I’m not the same woman who entered these trials. The hidden power I’ve spent my life concealing is finally awakening, and for the first time, I’m strong enough to fight back. At my side are three dangerously powerful men. A darkly brooding half god wreathed in fire. A fiercely protective berserker who becomes a monster for those he loves. And a wickedly seductive vampire whose heated touch leaves me craving far more than I can afford. What began as survival has become something far more dangerous. Every trial pushes us closer. Every heated glance and stolen touch deepens the bonds between us. And with the end finally in sight, the temptation to claim all three men as mine burns hotter than ever. Now we must face the gods, defeat the deadliest competitors left standing, and survive the brutal final trials. Because if we lose, I won’t just lose my sister. I’ll lose the future waiting for all four of us.       AmazonKU

THE DISCARDS (TALES OF TAVAMARA BOOK NINE) by Megan Derr

VS note: LGBTQ Fantasy.

Farrokh sacrificed everything to build a life of his choosing, instead of being a dutiful son and living the life his parents wanted. Then he lost everything to a scheming, backstabbing wife who left him broken and alone. Now he spends his days a mere tutor of wealthy, entitled brats—and the beautiful, fascinating Crown Prince Bakhtiar, wishing for things he will never have. Kurosh does not usually take loud jobs. The money isn’t worth the risk or attention. But when he’s approached to assassinate Crown Prince Bakhtiar, he’s at least intrigued enough to investigate the matter further—and finds not only a man who doesn’t deserve to die, but a man worth dying for.

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

THE SPELLBOUND COTTAGE (THE SPELLBOUND SERIES BOOK ONE) by Genevieve K Thomas

Freshly single and heartbroken, Beatrix Bilberry moves to a tumbledown cottage in the magical village of Little Sparrow. But her new home comes with unexpected company: gnome infestations, troublesome pixies, a melodramatic ghost haunting the attic, and Barnaby, an adorably sleepy hearth dragon. Her annoyingly handsome neighbour Angus takes delight in teasing her about the impossible renovation work. Tall, tattooed, and effortlessly charming, Angus has a way with people and animals that makes him far too easy to fall for… to everyone, it seems, except Beatrix, as his careless comments grate on her nerves. Besides, Beatrix has no time for romance. Winter is approaching fast, and she’s racing to restore the cottage before the first snowfall. She’s promised her family a magical festive season – and she’s determined not to let them down. Beatrix works around the clock, but with a complete lack of plastering skills and magical creatures constantly undoing her hard work, she soon realizes there’s only one way to fix Spellbound Cottage. She’ll have to swallow her irritation and accept Angus’s help…But when the meddling cottage keeps locking them in rooms together, Beatrix realizes she’s facing something far more dangerous than rebuilding a home: opening her heart to love again.       AmazonKU      AB

BLOODBOUND (SCROLLS OF THE ESHANI BOOK ONE) by J A Good

Six strangers. One soul-bound Ring. No way out. Isara Virelle has spent her entire life avoiding people. Unfortunately, becoming Eshani means binding your soul to five of them. When the Binding Ceremony assigns her to Ring Six—the most elite fighting unit in Veryuun—Isa is forced into the last place she wants to be: surrounded by strangers who can hear her thoughts, feel her emotions, and know her secrets. Worst of all, their commander is Niko Veyshar. Feared across the continent as Rathvenorn’s deadliest weapon, Niko is everything Isa has been taught to hate. Cold. Dangerous. Untouchable. And now they’re bound together. As political tensions rise between nations and whispers of forgotten gods begin to spread, cracks appear within Ring Six. Ancient powers stir beneath the surface, forbidden magic awakens in Isa’s blood, and the bond tying her to her team may be unraveling before it has a chance to hold. To survive, Isa must learn who she can trust. Because in Veryuun, loyalty is sacred. And betrayal can cost far more than your life.      AmazonKU

KING OF BLOOD AND SIN (CURSED CROWN SERIES BOOK ONE) by Jessica Hall

Alessia enters the bloodbank to save her sister. She leaves as the Vampire King’s prisoner. Magic is a death sentence in Purgatory, so Alessia has spent her life concealing the power in her veins. But when Sable is taken and sold, hiding no longer matters. Alessia needs money, and in a world where blood is currency, she has only one thing left to trade. Then King Kylian tastes her. Her blood exposes the secret she has protected for years. It should earn her an execution. Instead, it awakens something inside the cursed Vampire King. A need. An obsession. A cure. Kylian promises to help find Sable in exchange for Alessia’s obedience. Trapped in his kingdom, she becomes bound to a king who is as addictive as he is dangerous. But Alessia’s heart already carries another secret. Arlo is the boy she was forbidden to love, the one person who knew her before blood and magic changed everything. When she finds him beaten and imprisoned among Kylian’s captives, Alessia realizes the price of the Vampire King’s jealousy. Kylian does not share. With war spreading between the cursed kingdoms and the sea swallowing what remains of the world, Alessia must choose between the love she once trusted and the dark king who refuses to release her. Every path may lead her closer to Sable. Every choice may cost someone she loves.        AmazonKU

MY BOYFRIEND FORGOT TO MENTION HE’S A WOLF SHIFTER by Roxie Ray

Apparently, there’s a fine-print problem with boyfriends. One is a neurodivergent roommate who agrees to fake dating and accidentally catches very real feelings. One is a charming cooking instructor whose biggest secret is considerably bigger, hairier, and more complicated than expected. And one is an emergency contact who goes to therapy, communicates his feelings, and occasionally turns into a wolf. They aren’t alphas looking for mates. They aren’t brooding supernatural kings waiting to claim anyone. They’re just men falling messily, sweetly, and sometimes hilariously in love. Three complete wolf-shifter rom-coms. Three different couples. Three happily-ever-afters.      AmazonKU

HER VAMPIRE, HIS RUIN by Bea Paige

Edie Valenti is done with men. At 44, perimenopausal and newly divorced, she has no interest in risking her heart again. Until she meets Dorian Crow. He’s charming, dangerous, and exactly the kind of man she swore she’d avoid. He’s also a three-hundred-year-old vampire carrying a curse he doesn’t know exists: if he ever falls in love, he’ll die. Dorian has spent centuries keeping his relationships shallow, but Edie is different. He can’t compel her, can’t feed on her, and can’t stay away from her. What starts as a no-strings affair soon turns into an obsession neither of them can resist. For Edie, falling for Dorian could end in heartbreak. But for Dorian, falling in love will be the death of him. Can a love doomed from the start break an ancient curse, or will it destroy them both?    AmazonKU

RED MARKED (THE DRAGON TRIBUTES BOOK 13) by Charlene Hartnday

The dragons on Mistveil Island are not your run-of-the-mill kind. They’re something else entirely…
Star – I died five years ago. At least, that’s what my family thinks. Instead, a group of us were left in the heart of the feral jungle to rot. I wasn’t supposed to survive, or to keep the other females alive.
I did both. I just stopped living somewhere along the way. Then he came along and turned my world upside down. Flint – We were told that there were no females in the mountains. That what I saw that day was the light playing tricks on me. It wasn’t. Now I’m wrapped up in something I can’t get out of. I need to help Star get her life back. More importantly, I need to keep my hands off her while doing it.
Both feel impossible.        AmazonKU

OWED IN BLOOD (DRAGONBLOOD DYNASTY BOOK 16) by BE Brouillard

Every man I take to my bed forgets me by morning. I remove the memory myself. Clean, permanent, and I have never once failed. Then my Court sends me into a room with a dragon. He is the last of his line and the oldest enemy my kind has. He has personally guaranteed the good behavior of a prisoner the rest of us would rather see buried, and nobody has been foolish enough to doubt his word in centuries. My Court wants someone there to watch him keep it. Someone who will report the moment he doesn’t. He picks me. I have wanted him dead since before I knew his face. He doesn’t seem to care. He watches me, and he notices the things a man notices about a woman. Then I do the one thing I should never have done and let him too close. I already know how the night ends. I reach into his mind to take myself out of it, the way I have with every man before him. Nothing happens. For the first time in my long life…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)      AmazonKU

CINNAMON BAKER BEAR (FALLING FOR THE BEAR CREEK BOOK ONE) by Harmony Raines

She came to Bear Creek to take the vacation her ex ruined. She didn’t expect to find a bear shifter who already knows she’s the one. Mara Benton was supposed to spend ten romantic fall days in Bear Creek with the man she thought she’d build a family with. Instead, she arrives alone, newly single, and determined not to let a broken relationship steal the vacation too. Then she walks into a bakery filled with cinnamon, coffee, and one very distracting baker. Gabe Roper knows the instant Mara enters Bear Creek that he’s found his mate. His bear is delighted. Gabe is trying very hard to behave like a normal man. Because Mara has only just ended a long relationship, she knows nothing about shifters, and the last thing Gabe wants is to turn fate into another man telling her what her future should look like. So he gives her time. Time for fall-color walks and lantern-lit evenings. Time for cinnamon bears, family chaos, and ordinary days behind the bakery counter. Time for Mara to discover that Bear Creek might offer more than a beautiful place to escape to, and for Gabe to show her that knowing she’s his mate isn’t the same as expecting her to choose him. But Mara’s old life isn’t quite finished with her yet. And before Gabe can tell her the truth, the man she left behind comes to Bear Creek wanting her back.     AmazonKU

HAUNT ME, MAYBE (AMBER GROVE SERIES) by E M Rinaldi

Aven Ashwood just wants one thing: a quiet place to hide. After barely escaping the warlock who slaughtered her family, she’s pretending to be human while hiding in the small town of Amber Grove; keeping her illusion magic buried and her familiar—a giant, snarky toad named Fenn—on stealth duty. Everything’s going according to plan…until the attic room she rents turns out to have a tenant. A very loud, very grumpy ghost. Wes Hale has been haunting the Harvest Hill Inn since the 1950s, when a séance meant to debunk magic left him permanently dead and permanently annoyed. He doesn’t trust witches—especially not the stubborn, lavender-haired kind who can see him, touch him, and refuses to move out. She wants peace. He wants her gone. Too bad they can’t stay away from each other. As autumn settles over the town and shadows from Aven’s past creep closer, her fragile illusions begin to unravel—and Wes’s ghostly magic reacts to hers in ways neither of them can explain. Working together might be the only way to survive the warlock hunting her…But every spark between them makes it harder to remember that one of them isn’t alive.      AmazonKU

RIGGS: THE BEARS (KING LAKE SHIFTERS BOOK FIVE) by R E Butler

A steamy instalove paranormal romance featuring a protective bear shifter, a sweet library assistant, and a small-town happily ever after that begins with one perfect day. Bear shifter Riggs knows he’s found his truemate the moment he catches Shyla’s scent in Mill Creek’s park. One conversation turns into dinner, and when their perfect date leads to an unforgettable night together, Riggs knows he’s finally found the woman he can build a life with. Shyla never expected leading the library’s summer reading program would change her life, and then she met Riggs. Falling for the big bear shifter was easy. Trusting that a love this fast could be real isn’t. Can Riggs convince Shyla that love doesn’t have to happen slowly to be real? Because in King Lake… forever doesn’t follow a timeline.     AmazonKU

SHIFTED DESIRE (MONSTERS OF MOONVALE BOOK THREE) by Emily Antoinette

A steamy masked encounter leads to forbidden desires in this high-heat paranormal romance. Samantha Pierce has always been the mess of her family, but when she loses her job and has to move back home in her late 30s, she’s hit a new low. What’s a commitment-phobic half-succubus to do when she’s feeling down? Have an anonymous hookup with a stranger, of course! Except it turns out the masked man she spent her night with is none other than her dad’s best friend, Nathan—the handsome older werewolf she had a youthful crush on. After forty years of suppressing his transformations and corporate drudgery, Nathan is desperate for a fresh start. But accidentally hooking up with his best friend’s daughter is not the kind of change he’s looking for. Neither is hiring her as his assistant, but he can’t say no to his friend’s request to give Samantha an interview. Nathan’s resolve to turn her away and forget about their unfortunate encounter crumbles when Samantha makes an unconventional proposal: Hire her to help not only as his assistant, but to sate the intense mating urges that come from ignoring his curse. Everything about their secret arrangement is forbidden. Bound to end in disaster. But as they explore their taboo connection, ruined friendships aren’t the only stakes. When lines of their contract blur, will indulging in their desires be worth risking their hearts?       AmazonKU

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DISCLOSURE: Required Statement: As an Apple Books Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica

October 7

September 30

September 23

September 16

September 9

September 2

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’. I go by the ebook release.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. 

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!

 

 

 

4 Charity Anthologies for Ukraine Relief #StandWithUkraine

VS Note: I originally published this post in 2022, with 18 anthologies. I’ve updated it today and only 4 are still available.

In many cases more details may be available on the ebook seller page, as to specific authors participating etc.

In no certain order:

21 STORIES FOR UKRAINE by Various

We are a group of writers who, along with the rest of the world, were stunned and appalled by the invasion of Ukraine and the consequent refugee crisis. However, war brings out the good as well as the bad in mankind and around the globe people are doing amazing things in an enormous effort to raise money for Ukraine and its people. With this in mind, we came together to compile this book; a variety of lighthearted short stories. Everyone has given their expertise freely and all royalties will go to DEC towards the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Authors: Linda Barrett, Rob Nisbet, Wendy Janes, Ginny Swart, Fran Tracey, Kath Kilburn, Madalyn Morgan, Sally Trueman-Dicken, Sharon Haston, Glynis Scrivens, Jenny Worstall, Carrie Hewlett, Liza Miles, Elizabeth McKay, Christine Sutton, Elaine Chong, Claire Buckle, Kitty-Lydia Dye, Alan Barker, Raine Cooke. Cover design: Jonathan Temples.

Amazon

POETRY FOR UKRAINE edited by Robin Barratt

From award-winning multi-published poet laureates, to emerging poets exploring words for the very first time; from university professors, actors, psychologists, artists and journalists, to students, domestic workers, librarians, teachers and care-workers; from high-schoolers, to the over eighties, POETRY FOR UKRAINE brings together an incredible 254 poets from 53 countries around the world, all showing their support for Ukraine! All profits from this publication will go to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. (VS: More on e book seller page…)

Amazon

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BATTLE OF THE HEART by Various – April 11

Make love, not war. Battle of the Heart is a collection of short stories centred around the theme of military and war romances. Can love prevail? 100% of the proceeds of Battle of the Heart will be donated to the Red Cross as part of the Ukraine crisis appeal.     Amazon

 

 

 

CHILDREN OF WAR by Various – August 24

A future torn apart by war…Adolescence lost to battle…What becomes of those who lose their childhood to armed conflict? In this anthology, a diverse group of authors from around the globe bring you a multi-genre collection of short stories exploring the experiences of children trapped in war, to honour those affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and support their healing in the future. No one’s potential should be crippled because of trauma inflicted during their most impressionable years, and yet an entire generation of Ukrainians is threatened with just this outcome. All proceeds of this anthology will be donated in perpetuity to Voices of Children Foundation in Ukraine or another similar charity.      Amazon

 

Ghosts,Curses & More! 6 Books from My Backlist for the Spooky Season

I thought it would be fun to do a list of the books on my backlist that are especially good to read in the spooky season!

I have to start with STAR CRUISE GHOST SHIP, which one reviewer said  “Lovecraftian”. I was inspired by the story of the Mary Celeste, a sailing ship in the 1800’s found sailing along uncrewed.

STAR CRUISE GHOST SHIP by Veronica Scott

After losing his Space Navy career due to an unfortunate accident, Theo Knox is looking for any opportunity to distinguish himself as an officer aboard the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr. When they come upon a derelict freighter, he’s happy to lead a small crew to salvage the ship and bring her to port. But once he’s boarded the little ship questions pile up. What happened to the original crew? Why is the lifeboat still docked? Is the ship haunted? What’s in those mysterious crates in the cargo hold? Security Officer Jayna Evans has complicated feelings about Theo so she’s pleased to be assigned to his salvage crew. She hopes they can work out their future while bringing the derelict to port but the uncanny events aboard the abandoned vessel pile up and she can’t trust anyone, not even Theo. Can Theo and Jayna salvage the ship and their relationship? Will anyone survive a cruise on the Ghost Ship? This 38K word Star Cruise novella is the latest installment in the ongoing, connected series. Have you booked your Star Cruise yet? There is a very brief mention of the loss of a previous pregnancy.      Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     NOOK     GooglePlay

Next would be GHOST OF THE NILE, which is a ghost story of a completely different type, being set in ancient Egypt and using the beliefs and myths of the time about ghosts.

GHOST OF THE NILE

2016 RONE Award Finalist

Dear Author sez: 

“There’s Egypt and gods and magic and strong men and stronger women and love even beyond death and into the Afterlife. The historic details add spice throughout the story and these definitely aren’t 21st C people in linen kilts.”

The story:

1550 BCE

Betrayed, murdered, and buried without proper ceremony, Egyptian warrior Periseneb is doomed to roam the gray deserts of the dead as a ghost for all eternity.

But then the goddess of truth offers him a bargain: return to the world of the living as her champion for 30 days. If he completes his mission, he’ll be guaranteed entry into Paradise. Periseneb agrees to the bargain but, when he returns to the living world, two hundred years have passed and nothing is quite as he expected.

Neithamun is a woman fighting to hang onto her family’s estate against an unscrupulous nobleman who desires the land as well as the lady. All seems lost until a mysterious yet appealing ex-soldier, Periseneb, appears out of nowhere to help her fight off the noble’s repeated attacks.

Meanwhile, Periseneb’s thirty days are rushing by, and he’s powerless against the growing attraction between himself and Neithamun. But their love can never be. For his Fate is to return to the Afterlife, and Death cannot wed with Life…

Amazon       Apple Books      Barnes & Noble    Kobo   Google Play

Switching gears to curses, there’s BREAKING THE ALIEN LOVE CURSE, which was actually written for a Halloween-themed anthology, Figuring out how to deliver an alien curse and then break it was a fun challenge. The MMC was also my first ever alien with a tail. I’d like to write another Halloween-themed book with these characters, maybe in 2027.

BREAKING THE ALIEN LOVE CURSE by Veronica Scott

VS Note: This 23K word novella was previously in the Supra Vellum Anthology, which is no longer available, No new material has been added.

Amellia Taneek loved her job as the office manager for a group of Sectors agents from various organizations, all based out of her central location. She enjoyed the challenges of handling administrative details for them and the excitement of constantly meeting new offworlders. She was especially intrigued by Hagan Raljarr, seven feet of green, scaled, muscular SCIA agent, and more than a little curious about his tail. Hey, she was a healthy unmarried, unattached female and there was no rule against dating a co-worker.

But so far he’d shown confusing signs of reciprocating her interest.

Hagan was an honorable warrior and before he could pursue his definite interest in Amellia, who might even be his fated mate, he had to clear up one little detail – the engagement contract he’d been entered into as a child with a female from his own planet. They barely knew each other and she was highly ambitious. Surely in this modern day and age she’d be happy for him to sever the contract and set her free, right? Leaving him in the perfect position to begin courting the lovely human.

But the jilted fiancée sends a mysterious box across the galaxy to him and when he unwisely opens it, a powerful love curse is activated, striking both him and Amellia. They’ll die at dawn if the curse isn’t broken. With help from Amellia’s aunt, who is said to have magic powers, the pair set out on a desperate quest for three special ingredients needed to break the spell. Over the course of a very long night, will Hagan and Amellia find their way to a relationship, break the curse in time and survive? Is such a thing even possible?

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     GooglePlay

My characters are also dealing with a curse in STAR CRUISE IDOL’S CURSE. My inspiration was the legends about the bad luck that befalls anyone who steals a rock from a national park or certain beaches in Hawaii.

STAR CRUISE IDOL’S CURSE

An unusual bequest….

Juli Shaeffer, the Nebula Zephyr’s cruise director, receives a mysterious bequest from the estate of a longtime passenger – a lump of rock taken from a reef on the planet Tahumaroa. Legend states anyone who steals from the ocean gods will be cursed. The passenger’s will requests the rock be returned to the beach so his heirs won’t be affected by the bad luck he believed he’d incurred. Juli doesn’t believe in superstitions and she agrees to carry out this small favor on the ship’s next stop at the planet in question.

Until the rock disappears from her office…

When the rock disappears and reappears in various locations around the ship, and seems connected to a steadily escalating series of mishaps, Juli turns to Third Officer Steve Aureli as the only one she feels she can trust. Along with Steve and his elderly Aunt Dian – a passenger aboard the Nebula Zephyr for this cruise – she investigates the strange series of malfunctions plaguing the interstellar luxury liner. Steve and Juli enlist his Aunt Dian’s dog, Charrli, a retired Sectors Z Corps canine, to help them track the missing rock as it moves about the ship.

Juli and Steve must find the rock, hang onto it and transport it to the planet’s surface, before the alien idol’s curse turns deadly. The attraction between the two of them grows as the threat to Juli becomes more and more focused. Can she carry out her task while he keeps her safe from the alien curse? Will the capricious alien idol bring them good fortune…or disaster?

This is a re-release of the 42,000+ word novel I included in the Pets in Space® 4 anthology, which is no longer available. No revisions or additions have been made to the original novel for this re-release. I have also now included a 4,000 word prequel story Butterfly Hair, in which the diva Azlaya arrives on board the Nebula Zephyr. This short story was a free reader magnet available only in the time before the anthology was originally published.

Amazon     Apple Books    Kobo    Nook    Google Play

For a wicked witch, try the Witch Queen in my romantasy THE CAPTIVE SHIFTER.

THE CAPTIVE SHIFTER

Concealing her own considerable magical powers, Caitlyn enters the service of the northern Witch Queen masquerading as a simple healer. Under order from her goddess, she’s searching for a magical gem stolen long ago from her own people, believed to be hidden in the massive castle. The task is daunting but Caitlyn is sure she can locate the gem and escape, bringing the prize back to the temple where it belongs. Until she meets the captive shifter and her loyalties become dangerously divided.

In payment for her past services to his people, Kyler the leopard shifter has entered into a life of servitude far from his forest home, allowing the Witch Queen to tap his magic to power her ever darker spells. Factions at Court are threatening to turn the Queen to the Shadow. Her increasing demands for magic will cut short his nearly immortal lifespan. Kyler’s resigned to his fate until the day he crosses paths with the new arrival, whose secrets and magic entice and attract both man and leopard. Has he met his mate at last?

The Queen will never willingly release him from captivity. Caitlyn’s goddess refuses to grant her any delay in accomplishing her own task. Can they locate the magical gem, fight the Shadow and win free of the Witch Queen to earn the right to be together?

Amazon    Apple Books Barnes & Noble      KOBO      Google Play

And to finish off the post, let me offer STAR CRUISE CHEF’S KISS, which takes place on an alien planet on a Halloween-like night and deals with an alien demon, who gives the ship’s chef one night to cook him the meal of a lifetime or be forever doomed to work in his kitchen in hell…I pulled on all my years of watching ‘Top Chef’ for this one!

STAR CRUISE CHEF’S KISS by Veronica Scott

Five star chef Stephanie Clemmons has a contract to cater a Halloweenlike party on the planet where her cruise ship the Nebula Zephyr orbits.  Little does she know the dangers of a night where alien demons walk among humans and never expects the deadliest demon of all to offer her a bargain. She has to cook a special dinner to satisfy him or spend the rest of eternity laboring in his hellscape kitchens. But as the night and the meal progress, Stephanie and the demon lord discover they both may be getting more than they bargained for, as undeniable attraction grows between them. Can an ancient Lord of the Underworld and a human chef find a way to make a new bargain for love? This story first appeared in the Celestial Seductions anthology, which is no longer available. I’ve added 6K words including an epilogue to the original story for a total of 17K words.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     NOOK     GooglePlay

Wishing you a spine tingling spooky season full of treats, not tricks!

 

New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for OCT 7

I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking quite a few as I prepare these posts LOL). 

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

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EMRYLD: FORGED FOR HER (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Zoey Indiana

She has spent two years documenting everything the IDA did wrong. The IDA just told her she has a 94.1% match. Dr. Novalie Ikenna is not the kind of woman who signs up for alien matchmaking services. She is the kind of woman who writes peer-reviewed papers about why alien matchmaking services require stronger accountability frameworks. When the reformed IDA’s notification arrives — 94.1%, a Drevhari security specialist named Emryld — she prepares a formal objection and keeps working. Emryld of the Drevhari does not do subtlety. He is built wide, dense, and burns emerald when he’s feeling anything he hasn’t chosen to feel, which is something he cannot control and has stopped pretending otherwise. He was sent to Earth to meet his match, not to be interrogated about the ethics of the matching process. He did not anticipate that his match would ask better questions than anyone who has ever debriefed him. He finds this unexpectedly difficult to leave. She needs to finish her research. He needs to convince her he’s worth the risk. Both of them are going to have to reckon with the possibility that the institution she’s been critiquing just got one thing exactly right… and that the same institution is hiding a crime her research is about to expose.         Amazon       Note yet on Apple the day I checked       Kobo

CROWN: MOST WANTED ALIEN BRIDES (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Candice Gilmer

I proposed a marriage of pure strategy. I did not plan on chasing my own wife. Darik of Vorjan House holds final authority over the trade agreement, the weight of an entire noble line, and a simple plan: marry an Earth woman, prove his people’s commitment to the alliance, and manage the whole affair with his usual flawless control. Then he proposes to Beka. She hears him out. She asks questions he isn’t prepared for. And she agrees — on one condition. Equal partnership and genuine respect, or there’s no deal. Then she goes back to work, and Darik realizes he’s just been dismissed for the first time in his life. Beka clawed her way free of a family that tried to own her and built a life entirely her own. She doesn’t need Darik’s rank, his protection, or his approval — and she hasn’t so much as noticed that the most powerful man on the station has started rearranging his schedule just to be in the same room as her. The marriage was supposed to be a performance. Neither of them planned on it becoming real.

Amazon     Apple Books       Kobo

BROKEN RIVAL: A NOVEL by Tessa Bailey

Magnolia Brown loves Friday night football games, volunteering and dominating at high school swim meets. Just your average everyday eighteen-year-old. Except for one thing: She’s from fifty years in the future. Magnolia’s parents, two brilliant scientists, are the inventors of time travel, but due to widespread destruction and rampant abuse of the technology from a corrupt few, time travel is outlawed and punishable by death. When Magnolia’s parents are seized and executed for illegally traveling to the past, they leave Magnolia stranded in 2026 without a way to get home. Now Magnolia has nowhere to turn but a complicated Kansas family with two sons—Fallon, her high school sweetheart with secrets of his own, and Ramsey, the brooding militia commander who hunts and kills criminals like her. Magnolia knows Ramsey resents and hates her, but how can he be her true enemy when he looks at her with such hunger, despite his callousness, and guards her with his very life? Which brother can she trust and is the real danger coming from inside the house?      Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

CAPTIVE OMEGA: ALIEN MM OMEGAVERSE ROMANCE  (STARVERSE OMEGAS BOOK ONE) by E M Riley

An awakened Omega. A dangerous High Lord. A prophecy written in the stars. At twenty-three, Brenner McKinney was already struggling with his sexuality on Earth. Now he’s stranded on a rogue alien planet where his earthly riches mean nothing and survival isn’t guaranteed. When the powerful and enigmatic Pytharian High Lord, Torin Kange, offers him a way out, Brenner knows he should be cautious. But walking away from a man so commanding, intelligent, and impossibly captivating may be harder than he expected. After a brutal attack leaves Brenner in the hands of a lethal Eclipsian hunter, Faelixz Saurox, everything changes. Drawn to the fierce warrior in ways he doesn’t understand, something deep within him begins to awaken, binding them in ways neither can ignore. As ancient instincts stir and a long-forgotten prophecy comes to light, rivalries ignite and loyalties are tested. Can Torin and Fae set aside their differences for the fate of the galaxy, or will their growing obsession with the Omega between them destroy everything first?      AmazonKU

STRANGE LIGHTS by Mira Gonzalez

Parenting is never easy, but it’s a hell of a lot harder when your toddler is a chupacabra. Paranormal investigator and cryptozoologist Reggie has embraced her fate as parent to an adopted toddler, Eldi—a bloodsucking chupacabra with a fondness for goats. Reggie wants nothing more than to put her complicated past in the rearview mirror and fade into as much obscurity as her toddler will allow. But a rash of UFOs in the night sky and a couple of crop-circle-carving Roombas force Reggie into an investigation that attracts the attention of an old enemy, an anti-supernatural agency hunting for creatures like Eldi. To outwit them, Reggie must team up with Calvin, a podcaster-turned-werewolf whose charm is a real threat to Reggie’s rule against romantic attachments. With Reggie’s history quickly catching up to her and Eldi in the agency’s crosshairs, any shred of normalcy evaporates. Reggie must decide: Can she confront her dark past to save Eldi—and an entire alien species—from getting wiped out of the universe?        Amazon     AB        Kobo

A WALL IS ALSO A ROAD by Annaless Newitz

VS Note: LGBTQ SFR.

Gardenpath is a graduate student. They also happen to be an amoeba–a slime mold, to be exact–from an ancient civilization that dwells in the space between the stars. And when they turn their many eyes to researching a remote spot on one spiral arm of the galaxy, they stumble upon a discovery that will change everything they thought they knew: a mysterious planet teeming with unexpected life, language, and culture. One of these alien animals is a creature named Murtis, who lives in a city she calls Pompeii and works in a brothel known as “the lupanar.” Unfazed when her strange visitor says she’s from the stars, Murtis takes Gardenpath into her care, introducing her to the seaside tourist town full of immigrants and shopkeepers who are just trying to get by. Before they met Murtis, Gardenpath expected to finish their research, present their discovery, and return home to become an acclaimed scientist. But as they look into their new friend’s bizarre sensor bulbs from within the suit that allows them to survive and blend in on her surprising planet, they are beginning to wonder if there’s more to life than academic achievement. They’re not sure what it is, but they’re going to use science to find out.         Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

WOMEN IN COMICS: ICONIC CHARACTERS AND INFLUENTIAL CREATORS FROM THE 1890’S TO TODAY by Susan E Kirtley, PhD and Nhora Lucia Serrano

VS Note: Nonfiction. Only available in hardback as far as I can tell.

A beautifully illustrated and in-depth look at the important roles women have played in comics history, from the late nineteenth century to today. Comics in the form of editorial cartoons, comic strips, digital comics, comic books, and graphic novels have combined words and images to tell stories of hundreds of years. Though often overlooked, women have played a vital role in shaping this genre, both as creators and characters within the stories themselves. Through six archetypes frequently found in comics―the patriot, the working woman, the socialite, the fashionista, the reporter, and the spy―Susan E. Kirtley and Nhora Lucía Serrano trace some of comics’ most influential women. This insightful exploration of international characters celebrates the feminist role model Wonder Woman, the warrior-maiden Oscar François de Jarjayes in the gender-defying manga tale Berusiyu no Bara (The Rose of Versailles), the real-life groundbreaking journalist Nellie Bly, and many others. Profiles throughout the book highlight the important work of female creators, heralding the bravery of political cartoonists such as Corinne “Coco” Rey and Rayma Suprani, the power of biography as reportage with Marjane Satrapi and Sophia Glock, and the value of visibility with Alison Bechdel and Mariko Tamaki. Women in Comics is a richly illustrated, essential guide to the importance of women in the comics space from across time and around the globe.      Amazon

BITE FOR SORE EYES (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 115) by Milly Taiden

VS Note: Takes place on another planet.

Lana Morales has one year left to live and zero intention of spending it being careful. So when Gerri Wilder offers the former NSA cybersecurity specialist one outrageous final adventure on the alien world of Nova Aurora, Lana says yes. She expects danger, excitement, and maybe a few questionable decisions. She does not expect two enormous, devastatingly handsome bear shifters waiting for her on the other side. Co-Alphas Rath and Torren have shared battles, leadership, and responsibility for years, but never a woman. Then Lana walks into their lives and both bears instantly roar mate. Rath wants to pull the brilliant, curvy human against his chest and keep her there, preferably where no other male can look at her. Torren wants to coax out every smile, every laugh, and every breathless sound she’s capable of making. She’s smart, fearless, sexy as hell, and completely irresistible to both of them. For the first time, the two Alphas agree on something without question—they want Lana between them, and neither bear has any intention of letting her go. But someone is sabotaging Varkesh Hollow, and Lana’s cyber skills make her the perfect person to uncover the traitor—and the perfect target. Rath and Torren are ready to tear apart anyone who threatens their mate, while Lana is determined to fight right beside them. Between rogue attacks, dangerous secrets, and enough heat to scorch an alien moon, Lana came to Nova Aurora expecting one final adventure. Gerri, naturally, intends to give her forever.       AmazonKU

TOPPING OFF THE ALIEN (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by Jenny Pineapple

VS Note: MM SFR.

I leave the Halloween party after finding out my girlfriend cheated on me. Then I meet a seven-foot alien in the woods, and what he needs from me is something I’ve never done with a man. Solverian needs physical contact to restore his powers and get home. It should be simple enough. I help him, he gets what he needs, and we go our separate ways. Except when I put my hands on him, it gets harder to remember that’s all I’m here for. The more he lets go, the more I want to know what makes him shake and beg for it. Before long, I’m not sure who’s really in control, and I’m discovering I want things of my own. Things I never expected to want from a man. I know Solverian will have to leave by the end of the night. Which is probably why I shouldn’t get too attached, or start hoping for more.   AmazonKU

HUNTER’S HARVEST (XARC’N WARRIORS) by Lynnea Lee

After my shuttle goes down in the ruins with a shipment of citrus and my trade crew aboard, I wake up with a Xarc’n warrior wrapped around me and purring like a big cat. Var’n is a seven-foot-tall, muscle-bound Xarc’n warrior who spent years hiding out instead of learning to live with humans. The plan is simple: talk him into finding my crew, then get us to New Franklin before the Halloween Harvest Haunt. Too bad his translator is borked. He barely understands me, and he has already decided I’m his to protect. And worse? Var’n’s chest rumbles every time he looks at me. I know what it means, but I’m pretending I don’t. It’s a cruel world out there, and I’ve sworn off relationships to save myself from heartbreak. But how long can I keep this up when he’s the only warm thing for miles?   AmazonKU

THE HAUNTED ALIEN’S MATE  (A SCIFI ALIEN ROMANCE BOOK ONE) by Arcadia Shield

I fix impossible starships. His happens to be haunted. I’m the best starship salvager in the business. Ex-Army bomb disposal, unshakable under pressure, and worth every credit I charge, I’m the reason aliens cross half the galaxy to Eden Shore. So a cursed alien spaceship won’t scare me off. Except the Hollow Chorus doesn’t want to be fixed. It whispers through empty corridors. Guards decades of buried secrets. And now the sentient starship is trying to bond with me in a way no human should survive. Then there’s its owner. Rennick is seven feet of stubborn, possessive Kelvane alien. Huge, protective, and too tempting for my peace of mind. And he’s discovered I’m something even rarer than a functioning ghost ship. I’m his bond mate. His one true mate. His only chance at forever. I don’t believe in fate, and I certainly don’t intend to belong to an overprotective alien jerk just because his biology says so. Unfortunately, resisting Rennick gets harder as we work on the haunted spaceship. The attraction between us is impossible to ignore, and my alien mate has no intention of letting me face the danger alone. Because someone close to Rennick needs the secrets buried inside the Hollow Chorus silenced for good. And I just became the human standing in their way.   Amazon

WATERED DOWN (SHATTERED STARS BOOK 24) by Viola Grace

Running a food stall on an alien world is Cloudy’s new normal. Things are going great until a group of guardians comes for lunch, and one wants to stay for more. Cloudy and her entire village came through the end of the world with minimal fatalities. They were assigned as a group to a world run by the descendant of a Hmrain named Vecchin. Five hundred people were slowly trying to settle on their new world, and things were going fairly well. Cloudy opted to change her pigment to make her look more like the locals. The gills she had installed were just for peace of mind, as her food stall was on a dock, and behind her was endless ocean. Working with her business partner is profitable, and things have a reliable rhythm until the day the guardians arrive, and one of them begins to ask questions—a lot of questions. Hazor is the grandson of the Hmrain who owns the world she lives on, and his uncle has recently had a very successful union with one of her people. Hazor is interested in seeing if lightning can strike twice, and he has chosen her as his target.

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

JARRAN (VIRILIAN MAIL ORDER MATES BOOK SIX) by Ella Blake

He’s an imprisoned intergalactic supercriminal with amnesia. She’s a doctor sent to help him recall his past crimes so he can stand trial. They have no business falling in love, but fate makes her own business, and rarely listens to reason. Dr. Evie Carr is a neurologist and psychologist sent to see if her new patient’s memories of his past as the notorious Pella Rin can be unearthed. She doesn’t expect her new, high-profile patient to be a gentle, kind Virilian male who farms in the agricultural bay of the ship he’s imprisoned in. Working with Jarran every day, she ignores the growing forbidden attraction simmering between them. When he begins to remember snippets of his past, Evie learns that the story of Pella Rin is far more complicated than that of a man who turned evil. Jarran Bando can barely form words when he meets Evie. He is happy and at peace tending the acres of crops, but seeing her is like pure sunlight cutting through fog. Soon, she is the brightest part of his day. Even though he knows his love for her will always be one-sided, he works hard to speak better and remember what he can of his past. But it comes at a cost. As memories seep back, he’s devastated to learn the atrocities committed by this past version of him. He doesn’t remember being Pella Rin, but begins to understand that the villain still lies beneath the surface of his mind. When the “Sifters,” the criminal group he used to lead, return for him, Jarran must fight not only for Evie’s life and safety, but also for control of his own mind. For just as Jarran is learning who he is, Pella Rin is fighting to regain control of the empire that terrorized the galaxy.       AmazonKU

FEVER BOUND: A POST APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE by Anna Callaway

One hundred and forty-eight years after a virus wiped out civilization, Beckett has learned that survival comes down to two rules. Trust no one, and never miss a dose of the medication keeping the infection in his blood under control. When a poker game leaves him responsible for returning a runaway woman to one of the last uninfected cities left standing, he takes the job for only one reason. Ruby is his ticket behind the walls, and the best lead he’s had in over a century to find his missing sister. Returning home is the last thing Ruby wants. An arranged marriage waits for her within the city’s walls. Freedom lies somewhere in the wasteland, if she can escape the grumpy, fang-bearing infected man determined to drag her in the wrong direction. She fights him every step of the journey. Beckett doesn’t trust her for a second. She talks too much, asks too many questions, and looks at a ruined world like it could still be beautiful. The more she pushes, the more he refuses to let his guard down, no matter how often she …(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)       AmazonKU

ALIEN’S NURSE MATE (COSMIC CONNECTIONS ALIEN DATING AGENCY ROMANCE STORIES BOOK SIX) by Emerald Cox

She came to the alien dating agency with an unopened match notification and no intention of rushing it. The station’s consent software had other plans. Amira has spent her nursing career being everyone’s steady place. On Vrax Prime, she wants time to decide what she needs—and whether she wants a match at all. Rhelan, the station’s medical-response coordinator, is all formal competence, careful restraint, and a tail that reaches to help before he remembers to ask. When a glitched routing system starts treating them as each other’s comfort contact, they have to work together to stop an algorithm from making their choices for them. Fixing the software is one thing. Resisting the alien who keeps learning how to care for her is another.      AmazonKU

ALIEN’S RUNAWAY MATE (RESONANCE FRONTIER) by Emerald Cox

My alien rescuer is enormous, silver, and far too good at making room for me. That last part might be the real danger. I’m Romilly. I used to manage backstage disasters with a headset and a roll of tape. Alien abduction was beyond my job description. So is wanting the gentle giant helping me find my feet on a planet where I can’t even read the signs. Tavren offers me safety without a price. He listens to my ridiculous jokes. And when I touch him, those luminous markings make keeping our attraction quiet a spectacular failure. Between a chaotic riverport festival and an unexpected little creature with opinions, staying close to him is easy. Keeping my hands to myself is proving considerably harder. But someone still sees me as cargo. I need a way to stay free—and Tavren is giving me far too many reasons to stay near him.      AmazonKU

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT ZOMBIES by Hazel Graves

Smoothie shop owner Zoey has always had a thing for men with brains. So, when she meets the brilliant and stunningly handsome local mushroom farmer, Nick she’s instantly drawn to him. Wanting a reason to call her new crush, Zoey enlists Nick help (and his mushrooms) with her latest brain-boosting smoothie recipe. Before long, they have a viral sensation on their hands. Sparks fly as Zoey and Nick grow closer, but when the locals start behaving weirdly—with strange mumblings and a fondness for biting—they wonder just how viral the side effects might be for their brand-new drink. Can they find an antidote to the zombie apocalypse they may have unwittingly started before everything falls apart… literally?     AmazonKU      AB

*******************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************

VS Note: Something a little different today if you’ll indulge me for a moment – I’m doing a Kickstarter for a gorgeous Special Edition of my DANCER OF THE NILE Trilogy. These 3 books are romantasies set in ancient Egypt and there’s plenty of romance and adventure in all three. There are fun extras too, like these chibis! Kickstarter Link   

 

 

 

 

 

********************* THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOKS (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

 

HELLGOLD (BLOOD AND BOND BOOK THREE) by Meg Xuemei X

We lure the Collector to the fortress. He walks through the gate smiling, holding a marriage contract sealed in my infant blood. It hands me to him. Kill him, and I die with him. Blood contracts don’t break. Not by law. Not by fire. Not by four princes willing to raze the continent to keep me. Woven into the ink is a geas. Any man who touches me with desire burns. So do I. Aelindor reaches for me. Burn. Nikolai’s mouth finds my throat. Burn. Caspian pulls me under him. Burn. Four men I’d bleed for, and not one can put his hands on me without both of us screaming. Then an Oracle’s severed head whispers through the glass. One bloodline can break the contract. My father’s. So Drakken goes into Hell with me. Demon law sets the price. I have to mate him in front of the entire court, and Hell watches me come. Fake it and the geas holds. And I belong to the Collector forever.     AmazonKU

THE VAMPIRE AND THE CASE OF THE GHASTLY GOLEM (PORTLOCK PARANORMAL DETECTIVE SERIES BOOK EIGHT) by Heather G Harris and Jilleen Dolbeare

Dead bodies are bad. Dead bodies that break the laws of magic are worse. Finding a dead fox in someone’s garden isn’t normally a police matter. Finding a dead fox shifter who should have turned human the second he died? Yeah, that’s more my department. Remmy has no wounds, no blood and no obvious cause of death. He’s simply dead, trapped forever in his fox form. Apparently there’s only one thing that can do that to a shifter: drain every last drop of magic from them. Great. Because what Portlock really needed was another magical murderer. I’ve got an eidetic memory, a badge and two extremely questionable sidekicks. One is a traumatised werewolf who prefers being a German Shepherd, and the other is an ever-growing lynx with a criminal disregard for personal property. Between us, surely we can crack one impossible murder. Then some local teenagers report seeing a huge creature stalking through the woods, covered in branches and leaves with blazing red eyes. And red eyes are always bad. I’m starting to think our mysterious monster and our dead shifter might be connected, which means I need to find whatever is prowling Portlock before anyone else ends up magically drained. Unfortunately, murder isn’t my only problem. Connor’s father, the Vampire King of the US and an all-round arsehole, has announced he’s coming to town. And he’s bringing the other vampire leaders with him. So now I have a supernatural killer to catch, a creepy forest monster to find and the most powerful vampire in America heading straight for my home. Portlock has survived murderous shifters, deadly conspiracies and more supernatural disasters than any tiny Alaskan town has a right to. Hopefully we can survive this too. Preferably without anyone else turning up dead.   AmazonKU

THE STOLEN CROWN (THE EVER SEAS BOOK FOUR) by LJ Andrews

She is the life of the party. He is the villain you never wish to meet alone. Tait Heartwalker may be the cousin of the Ever King, but royally good company he is not. He’s ill-tempered and unapproachable, sharpened by the hard responsibilities of life and loyalty. But to the dismay of Mira Sekundär, princess of the glamour fae, he’s also intoxicating to look at. Despite doing their best to avoid each other, fate has other plans when an otherworldly storm shipwrecks Tait and Mira far beyond the boundaries of the Ever Kingdom. They are forced to break through the thorny barriers between them and work together to find their way home. One wrong step and they’ll never return alive…Yet as their feelings deepen, a new threat rises from the waters. And this enemy is so dangerous, even the history books tried to forget their existence.

Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

BEAR WITH ME (BIKER BEARS BOOK THREE) by Minerva Howe

VS Note: MM PNR.

Milo has been a bear shifter in captivity for a long time. So after his brothers, Race and Nolan, and their mates rescue him, he kind of becomes a hermit. The one unattached grizzly brother, Warrick, has taken him in, and is trying to ease him back into the world, but Milo just isn’t sure he wants to participate. Oldest brother and protector Warrick knows Milo needs to let his bear self heal him, and for that he needs to shift. His human side needs closure, too, so he sets out to make sure the people who held him hostage pay for what they did. Milo learns to trust Warrick, and to love his mate dearly, but he also knows he has to stand on his own two feet or four paws and defend himself. Can he find the courage, with Warrick’s love, to live with his past and move on to the future? Bear with me is a MM bear shifter omegaverse romance with a big, protective grizzly, an uncertain black bear, and a kick butt campaign to take down a trafficking ring.      AmazonKU

THEIR ROYAL PET by Lexi C Foss

Welcome to Monster Island. Once a year, candidates are chosen to participate in mating games. And by chosen, I mean sacrificed…When my name is picked from the sacred Chalice, I know my time in this world has come to an end. A week from now, I’ll be hunted by monsters from other realms. There’s nowhere for me to hide. But that doesn’t mean I won’t fight fate. Only, it seems I’ve attracted the attention of the Elite Island King. As well as two rival royals from alternate kingdoms. The problem is, they want me to choose between them. And I refuse. In a world where monsters reign, choice is a subjective term. But these royals are determined to win my heart. And I just might let them all claim me in the end.      AmazonKU

OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE: A TALISMAN NOVEL (THE TALISMAN TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Stephen King and Peter Straub

This is Stephen King and Peter Straub’s epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels Talisman and Black House) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King’s iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic. It is also a magnificent stand-alone novel, that will appeal to new readers, as well as to King’s Constant Readers. Other Worlds Than These is the story of Jack Sawyer, whom readers first met when he was twelve, crossing America and “the territories” to save his mother’s life, and met again in Black House, where Jack faces a child killer and the Crimson King (among other evils). In Other Worlds Than These, Jack must stop a rampaging gang of infected teenagers from America-side, and the forces of the mysterious Gullet at the edge of Mid-World, before it destroys our world and all worlds. Jack is older now; his Ka-tet (echoing the world of Roland) is fraying; and his task, nearly impossible. Magnificent, riveting, full of heart, and humor, Other Worlds Than These is a spectacular, propulsive adventure, and features thirty-six exclusive black-and-white illustrations by artist Gabriel Rodriguez. The title instantly announces to readers who already know these other worlds that King has returned to them. Other Worlds Than These will appeal to new King readers and his Constant Readers.     Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

FELINE PURRALYSIS: A PAWSITIVELY PURRFECT MATCH (CATS OF THE GODDESSES BOOK 19) by Pepper McGraw

The matchmaking cats of the goddesses are back in Villa del Ukumari. Why? Because bears, that’s why. Despite their determination not to match any more bears, the matchmaking cats of the goddesses have four on their radar in desperate need of both mates and lap kitties. This, of course, means finding the purrfect cat companions and fated mates for the bears. Good thing the matchmaking cats of the goddesses know just where to start–a few cat shifters and some earthbound cats on their caseload and these matches will be pawsitively purrfect. Of course, South America isn’t exactly on the list of territories they’ve been assigned, nor are the cloud forests of the Andes the purrfect location for a clowder of domesticated cats, but Bygul and his matchmaking colleagues have never left a mission incomplete and they’re not about to start now. Four very stubborn bear shifters are about to learn even they are no match for a determined team of matchmaking cats who specialize in happily furever afters.       Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

VENGEFULLY MATCHED: A NOVEL by Audrey Goldberg Ruoff

VS Note: Sapphic witch romance.

Priscilla Hart does not do regret—except maybe for the spectacularly disastrous choice of fleeing her own wedding in a cloud of magical fireworks. Now the town’s most infamous runaway witch, she’s determined to rebuild her reputation on the Witchery Council and prove she’s more than a scandal in designer heels. Agatha Vanderbilt Voisin, the newly elected council president, is everything Priscilla can’t stand: composed, proper, and infuriatingly perfect. But when a string of dangerous magical explosions points to Priscilla as the culprit, Agatha makes an impulsive move—announcing that they’re dating—to save her from exile. Faking a relationship in public should be simple even for such opposites…until late-night arguments turn into slow-burn attraction, and the two discover that something wicked is brewing in Hallowcross. To survive the magic—and their feelings—they’ll have to stop pretending and risk falling for real. Can they outwit a magic powerful enough to destroy them, or will trust be the most dangerous risk of all?       Amazon     AB      Apple Books       Kobo

WITCHY CHICK (MARRIED TO A MONSTER BOOK FOUR) by Juliann Whicker

He cheated. And now she’s raising the dead. Marigold Carnell, stay-at-home mom is living the life when she realizes that her husband of sixteen years has been cheating. She moves to a house on the outskirts of the city, where the kids can run wild and free, and she can come to grips with her new single status and have meltdowns without any neighbors to see. But the thing is, the house has as many feelings as her teenager, and it wants her to be the next heir of dark magic and necromancy. When she realizes that her husband isn’t who he seems, and there are more conspiracies and enemies that you can raise a cemetery to fight, it’s time to reevaluate her marriage and face the music.   AmazonKU

THE BLOOD QUEEN (SPY AND GUARDIAN) by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Alyth and Samson finally know the identity of the High Blade, leader of the bloodthirsty Red Cap army, and it’s someone they never suspected. They’ll use every bit of courage, smarts, and luck they have to escape her grasp and flee to the fae court, where they hope to find aid in the fight against the Red Caps. But the fae princes have been apathetic since the Faerie Queen disappeared years ago at the hands of the High Blade. They seem unwilling to help. And if they find out Samson’s true identity, he’ll be killed and Alyth banished. Alyth and Samson can only depend on each other and their love as they navigate fae politics, try to win allies, search for the missing queen, and face down the greatest threat the two worlds have ever known.

Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

BANSHEE: IRISH MYTHS RETOLD by Various

Editor and journalist Ailbhe Malone was raised on these legends—but the women, always cast as mothers, warriors, or witches, were never given the lead. And so, Banshee was born: not just a retelling, but a radical reclamation. Banshee transports you to treacherous landscapes and crashing seas, generational curses and mystical islands. Here you’ll find unruly mothers, rule-breaking queens, and women outrunning their destinies—their stories pulsing with desire, danger, and defiance.’?     Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

HIS LONELY MONSTER: MM VAMPIRE ROMANCE NOVELLA (SHEARWATER LANDING SHORTS) by Colette Rivera

VS Note: A re-release.

A shy human – A lonely vampire – A fright that turns into a lasting love – The last thing Lucas expects when he sets out to explore a supposedly haunted house is to run into a vampire. He doesn’t believe in paranormal entities, but what else would you call a man with glowing eyes and fangs dripping blood? Lucas should put the incident behind him, except he can’t get the vampire out of his head. What if he isn’t the only lonely one looking for more in life?        AmazonKU

DEVOURED: A BITTEN NOVEL by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Welcome back to the Wolf Queen’s Court. Vanessa Hart is done being a victim. After the brutal winter massacre stole everything from her, she vows vengeance against her enemies once and for all—even if that means killing the boy she once loved …Vanessa bides her time playing the role of a docile subject. But beneath her mask, she sharpens her powers, embracing the werewolf within while weaving a complicated web of lies, betrayals, and alliances to topple the throne. Unfortunately, vengeance isn’t easy, and nothing in the Wolf Queen’s Court is ever as it seems. As the darkness of the castle bleeds into human society, it’s clear no one is safe. Cora’s vicious reign grows stronger by the day, Sinclair continues hiding deadly secrets, and Calix—the boy Vanessa might loathe most of all—is threatening her every plan. With nowhere to run and no place to hide, Vanessa sheds the last of her humanity to play this lethal game of werewolves. And if she doesn’t win, the consequences will destroy her life—and the entire world as she knows it—forever.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

THE DUES AND DON’TS OF MAGIC (THE MAGIC DUES TRILOGY BOOK ONE) by Delemhach

Spidena Kettle runs a quiet magic shop at the edge of town, selling just enough spells and potions to keep herself afloat—and out of trouble—when Benthrop Hozel enters her shop one day. On the run from the nefarious sort, he simply wishes to be forgotten by his pursuers. In exchange, he promises a favor to Spidena. Such a deal could have dire consequences if Ben is unable to fulfill his end of the bargain. Not that the witch is overly concerned—after all, there’s no risk to her making such an arrangement with a normal human. Only Ben may be more than he seems. With their fates forcibly intertwined for a full journey, Spidena and Ben must not only evade their enemies and use precious magical resources to get by, but confront the secrets they’ve long kept…that is, if they can manage to stop getting on each other’s last nerve for long enough to do so.

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HALLOWED BONES: A SONS OF SALEM NOVEL by Lucy Smoke

Four men. One woman. Five families accused of witchcraft. A dark desire they all share. I was warned to stay away from the Sons of Salem. Not because they’re monsters—but because they’re broken enough to recognize one. Ezra Bishop. Cameron Goode. Lyall Corey. Reyes Scott. And me—Haven Wardwell. Legacies. Witches. Something far worse than myths. Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what the Gods will ask for in return. Ghosts haunt the corridors of Ipswich College, and if I’m not careful, I might just become one of them.

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DIES IRAE: LGBTQ+ GAY VAMPIRE REGENCY ROMANCE by Autumn Montague

Makoto and Will must accept their bond in order to stop a madman’s killing spree. London, 1816. Someone is killing vampires and their Hosts, leaving brutalized bodies on display in the heart of London. Makoto Morinaga, minore and lead hunter for the Baron of Colbourne, must find and stop the madman. Yet the mission is in peril almost from the moment it starts. In despair over loving his master’s Host, he breaks his oath and finds himself bound through Compulsion to the last person he would choose as his Host — the flamboyant young man who has spent years pining over their master. Makoto can ill afford this appalling distraction while he hunts for a monstrous killer. Will Carter is an experienced Host who has offered up body and blood to vampires since reaching his majority. He spent years learning the duties of the Colbourne Host, only to have his dreams crumble when his master finds a man more perfect than Will. In his frustration, he taunts Colbourne’s lead hunter into committing a forbidden act. His punishment? Being bound to the last person he would ever wish to hold his contract — Makoto Morinaga, a man whose body he knows well, but whose heart is a dark mystery and whose stoicism grates on Will’s every nerve. An unexpected emotional connection heats their hearts even as their Host bond heats their bodies. Just as they begin to find common ground, the madman strikes again. Finding the madman’s lair might end the violence, but the price might destroy them both.

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THE HAUNTED LIBRARIAN by Auralee Wallace

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier. Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest haven: the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly). But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library. To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

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HOUSE HAUNTERS by KC Jones

Grace Wonderly needs a hit show, or her career is dead. But saving her job might just kill her. With her studio relying on AI to greenlight new projects, finding the next breakout series is Grace’s only shot to save her job. And her sanity. Her solution may be Frank Pendleton: a brilliant but abrasive – and admittedly handsome – ghost hunter who claims he can’t feel fear, making him uniquely attuned to the paranormal. Frank is either a fraud or the real deal. Skeptical, but hoping for TV gold, Grace assembles a crew to shoot a proof of concept. But when the production descends into a nightmare, Grace is forced to face the impossible: ghosts are real, and though cold and distant, Frank may be their only chance of getting out alive.

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THE LOST GUARDIAN by Natalia Hernandez

The stories we’re told aren’t myths. They’re warnings. Santiago Rios didn’t plan to leave his quiet life in Los Angeles. But when his grandfather sends him a map to the lost tomb of the final Incan emperor, the young archaeologist is thrust into a brutal race across the Andes, pursued by ruthless tomb raiders who will stop at nothing to steal the emperor’s treasure. His only hope is Ali, a fierce Peruvian woman whose secrets could unlock Santiago’s map—or spell his doom. The closer they grow, the more certain Santiago becomes. Ali is trouble…just the kind of trouble he likes. To save their world, Santiago and Ali must solve ancient riddles, outwit deadly enemies, and lay a spirit to rest before it’s too late. Because if they fail, the past won’t stay buried—and neither will the curse.

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CLEAN SLATES AND CHECKMATES (FANGED MISTAKES BOOK FOUR) by Alice Winters

VS Note: MM PNR.

Yorick – Pretending that I’m not in love with the thousand-year-old vampire who is the bane of my existence is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I know what you’re thinking… “Yorick the Great, you are far too good for Atticus the Old and Boring,” and you would be right… but I’m determined to woo this man if it’s the last thing I do. And it might very well be when someone stabs me with a poison that limits my healing. This is the perfect opportunity for Atticus to step up and pamper me, but instead, he tosses me a poisoned-coated weapon and throws me right into the lion’s den! Sent off for some revenge nonsense when what I want is so simple: for Atticus to moon all over me while showering me with love, giving me presents, and moving into my house with me (a dog wouldn’t hurt as well). Atticus – Nearly five hundred years ago, Yorick fell into my life, stole from me, set me on fire, and ran off. That meeting set the tone for the rest of our lives. The problem is that my past haunts me, and no matter what I do, no one in my life is safe from the consequences. I know Yorick wants more, but it’s something I can’t give him when every move I make is being watched. Then a poison that affects vampires sets my world spiraling as truths come to light about that fateful night all those years ago. One thing I know: no matter how many years pass, the only piece of my life that keeps me moving forward is the man I vowed to never love.       AmazonKU

A MASTERPIECE IN BLOOD by Megan Scott

Nicole and Kyan are playing a dangerous game. Nicole is on the run, hiding from The Wake as she attempts to track down her mother’s last artistic clue and the truth of her death. Kyan is pretending to still be The Wake’s loyal Empyreal assassin, even though his feelings for Nicole—and the mate bond that ties them together—have changed everything. Separated, yet determined to be together, Nicole and Kyan must embark on a quest that will take them from the most powerful Vampire in England, to ancient Celtic treasures, and lost Druid sites. Meanwhile, the Wake sees all, and the Wild Hunt is stirring. As Nicole and Kyan get close to the dark secrets at the root of the organization, they court complete destruction—of themselves, each other, and all they hold dear.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

A MEMORY OF BORROWED BOOKS: A NOVEL by Meg Anderson

Deep in the library lives a hidden room where magic lines the shelves and memories lie in wait – Ready for readers daring enough to finally discover the truth. In the coastal town of Foxhollow Bay, librarian Claire Ashford keeps her life as meticulously ordered as the centuries-old library she calls home. But when the town announces plans to shut it down, her sanctuary, and the life she’s built within its walls, begins to crumble. One night, while wandering the stacks after hours, Claire discovers a door that shouldn’t exist. And behind it lies a secret room filled with books no one else can see. Each book pulls her into the memories of those who have passed through the library’s doors—moments half-lived and stories left unfinished. Buried within these pages is a message the library has been trying to share, urging Claire to uncover the path to saving it. With the demolition looming and time running out, Claire must piece together what the library is trying to show her. But one book keeps calling her back, and in its pages is a memory that could change everything. One that reveals the key to saving the library may be tangled in her own memories more than she ever could have imagined. An ode to the power of community and hope, The Memory of Borrowed Books is a sweeping story about what’s at stake when the places we love—and the memories they hold—are threatened. A reminder that what we fight to preserve just might be the very thing that saves us in return.       Amazon     AB      Apple Books       Kobo

REAP & SOW by Charlotte B Plumb

The penniless in Blackbridge have only two choices: Sell the body or sell the soul. And thanks to Eda Shaw, business is booming. Indentured to a capricious demon known as Mr. Night, Eda and her brothers arrange illicit Pacts on his behalf, luring the city’s most desperate into trading years of their lives for their deepest desires. When a Pact goes awry and her brothers are arrested, Eda realizes she’ll need an infernal ally of her own: Kit’rath, an infuriating demon with a curious penchant for humanity and the only being in Blackbridge that Mr. Night seems to fear. As they race to rescue her family and save the city from ruin, an undeniable connection sparks between mortal and demon. But Kit’s help doesn’t come cheap. Now Eda risks losing her heart to the one who claims her years—and saving herself may prove the steepest cost of all.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

IN YOUR LIGHT (TENEBRAE COVE SERIES BOOK FOUR) by N R Walker

VS Note: MM Fantasy.

Hadeom had always revelled in the darkness. The belief that he was doing the righteous thing fed him, sustained him. But as time stretched on, the world around him changed. Humans changed. And somewhere in the thick of it all, Hadeom lost his way. Fyn is the embodiment of sunshine and all things good in this world. His life in the faun camp he grew up in is simple and peaceful, but he yearns for more. He wants excitement. He wants love. He wants the tall, dark, and handsome stranger who’s lodging at the hut. As Hadeom heals and finds his true form again, he can no longer hide who he really is. His identity is revealed, and he knows Fyn deserves so much better than his darkness and shadows. But as humans threaten life in Tenebrae Cove, Hadeom must first fight his past, and Fyn must fight for Hadeom. Because after everything Hadeom has done, it will be Fyn who brings him out of the darkness and into the light.     AmazonKU

THE SECRETS OF EVERLIGHT (SHATTERED KINGDOMS BOOK ONE) by Julie Hall

For nineteen years, Rowan has fought to survive: first on the streets scavenging for scraps, then bound by a decade-long contract to a corrupt master. She longs for freedom but spends her days stealing from the highborn to pay off her servitude. When a mysterious fae buys her contract, Rowan seizes her chance to escape. But her freedom comes at a price: she must uncover the assassin targeting Prince Dryden of the Ember Kingdom. To do so, she will pose as a princess among the royals competing for his hand in marriage. Thrust into a world of silks and finery, Rowan has just weeks to master her role while hunting a killer hidden in plain sight. Eavesdropping and sneaking through gilded halls may come naturally, but the bonds she forms with the other princesses—and Dryden’s growing interest in her—are complications that threaten to unravel everything. As whispers of danger beyond the kingdom rise, Rowan realizes the stakes are far greater than she imagined. And every stolen glance with the prince pulls her closer to a desire that could cost her not only her future but the kingdom itself.     Amazon     AB       Apple Books      Kobo

THIS SHATTERED TEMPEST: HURRICANE WARS FINALE by Thea Guanzon

When the storm swallows the world, who will be left standing? Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together. That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.        Amazon     AB       Apple Books       Kobo

WHAT HAPPENS AT NIGHTFALL: A NOVEL by Lauren Willig

In the sprawling Gothic expanse of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, some secrets refuse to stay buried. Recently laid off and searching for purpose, Jess reluctantly joins her best friend on a supposedly fun nighttime cemetery tour. Separated from her group by accident, she discovers a bunch of terrified boys and a strange, ancient key. Both lead to Green-Wood’s surprisingly handsome resident arborist, Adam Chervinsky. Recently widowed, Adam has more to protect than the leafy residents of Green-Wood. His children, still dealing with the loss of their mother, are acting strangely. A haunting is afoot, and Jess seems to know more than she’s letting on. Sparks fly between Jess and Adam—and the unquiet spirits of Green-Wood rise from their century-long slumber. As Jess and Adam delve deeper into the cemetery’s haunted history, they uncover a Gilded Age curse, a ghostly socialite, and a demonic pact that stretches across generations. What lies hidden in the Green-Wood’s splendid Vanderwilt mausoleum? As the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the shadows of Green-Wood begin to stir with malevolent intent, Jess must confront not only the supernatural forces but a shocking connection to the past if she and Adam truly want to live happily ever after.      Amazon     AB       Apple Books       Kobo

TAUNTING THE GHOST: MMM PNR (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS)  by Pat Lewis

Caleb had a secret. The kind that would destroy his tough guy reputation as the enforcer on his college hockey team. Not that he was gay – that’d be easier to hide. He had a girlfriend, he couldn’t be gay. No, it was much worse. He was afraid of ghosts. And now he was trapped in a cabin in the woods. It was haunted. The ghost knew his secret. And strange things kept happening. Like falling forward and kissing his best friend Isaac. The ghost had pushed him! And now Isaac wanted to try being filled. They had nothing better to do. It’s not gay if he’s the one doing the filling, right?     AmazonKU

MATING HER DRAGON (DRAGON GUARD LEGACY BOOK THREE) by Julia Mills

Fate made them Mates. Choosing each other could open the road to Hell. Sydney Kavanaugh has spent her life being told she is the Special One—a prophecy, a Dragon Queen, a power the Universe has been waiting centuries to unleash. She’s done letting Destiny make her decisions. Garrett Acheson survived a hundred years of imprisonment, torture, and a Demon Lord determined to turn him into something he was never meant to be. Now he’s finally free, reunited with his Dragon King, and standing beside the one woman he was born to love. But freedom came with a price. Buried deep within Garrett’s soul is a scar that was never meant to heal—a doorway between Realms created by an Ancient Elven Sorceress and connected to the Demon Lord still waiting on the other side. And completing their Mating may be exactly what he needs to open it. Sydney and Garrett have one choice: walk away from the Bond the Universe created…Or finish it on their terms. Because Leviathan thinks Mating her Dragon will finally give him the Special One. He’s about to discover the door swings both ways. Fate may have brought them together, but this time, Destiny doesn’t get the final say.      Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

SASQUATCH’S MATE (NORTHERN REALMS) by AC Ruttan

His secret heartache…Caleb is happy for his brothers who have found love, but inside his heart is broken and cold. Worst of all, he can’t tell anyone why. It’s his secret. He’s had a mate, but she’s been missing for years. Caleb still yearns for her and blames himself for her disappearance. Now, he knows who took her and he’s out for revenge! Colette doesn’t remember much, except that she’s been trapped in a dark cell for a long time. At least she has her child. She doesn’t know her son’s father, but remembers the love deep in her heart. Now, she’s worried her captors will take away her son. She has to escape, but doesn’t know how. All she wants is freedom and safety for her and her child. Her wish is granted. A tall, hairy beast comes to her rescue. He seems familiar. He’s quiet, but gentle with them both and has the same eyes as her son. Could he be her missing mate? She’s completely drawn to him, her silent protector. And even though she doesn’t know him, her body longs for his touch. Caleb can’t believe he has Colette back in his life and he’ll do his best to make her remember him and keep her and his son safe. She’s his mate. His. However, her former captors won’t let her go without a fight and the northern realm has to band together to protect their own.       AmazonKU

STORM OF A SONG (FALLING KINGDOMS BOOK SIX) by M Lynn and Melissa A Craven

A fragile truce. A rising tide. A love the world will not forgive. The seas have not been appeased, the dragons have not departed, and prophecy has only tightened its grip. Prince Damien Maris has done everything required of him—denied his heart, shouldered a broken crown, and bound himself to a future devoid of love. Yet the waters continue to rise, as if daring him to fail. Odessa Chrysos was never meant to return to prophecy’s grasp. Exiled, hardened, and determined to pay for the sins of her past, she agreed to stand beside Damien only as a solution—never as a temptation. Never as something more. But the song beneath Sheema is changing. Ancient magic stirs in the flooded tunnels below the city. Dragons answer calls no one remembers making. And the closer Damien and Odessa grow, the more the prophecy seems to watch… and wait. Because it was never just about love. It was about choice. And the price of defying fate is far steeper than either of them imagined. As alliances strain and the sea threatens to claim everything, Damien and Odessa must decide what they are willing to sacrifice—each other, their people, or the land itself.

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SHARED WITH THE PACK: SPICY MMMM SHIFTER ROMANCE (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by J J Jude

One runaway witch. Three alpha werewolves. A happily ever fated (and mated) Halloween. I’m supposed to be walking down the aisle. Offering my neck to a fanged immortal to secure an alliance between my coven and a vampire clan. Instead, I grab my broomstick and fly directly into the eye of a storm to escape my wedding. I think I’m finally free. I thought wrong. I end up crash landing in the dark woods. Lost. Hurt. Alone. My rescue comes from the most unlikely source: a pack of rugged werewolves. Griff, the grumpy leader. Ridge, the gentle giant. Heath, the feral one. Shifters hate witches. Yet these flannel-clad beasts don’t hesitate to help me. Taken to their rustic cabin, they tend to my wounds. Each promises to protect me. They keep calling me mate. I’m about to learn everything my coven kept hidden from me. My first lesson? How to be shared between all three of my unlikely rescuers.      AmazonKU

POSTPARTUM SPELLS AND INFANT HELLS (MYSTICAL MIDLIFE IN MAINE BOOK 21) bty Brenda Trim

Two weeks of peace. That’s all I got. After defeating the Harvesters, I thought my biggest challenge would be functioning on zero sleep with three-month-old triplets. Lucky for me, supernatural motherhood has a few more surprises in store. Like ghost children appearing in my nursery. Translucent kids with haunting silver eyes, begging for help I don’t know how to give. And the thing that’s hunting them is also hunting my babies. Of course, I can’t just let lost souls suffer. So despite the warnings, despite the cost (hello, instant aging), I perform a ritual to help them cross over. Because that’s what we do in this family—we help, even when it’s stupid. Big mistake. Huge. Turns out, saving those echo children caught the attention of something ancient. Something that’s been stealing convergence-born children for centuries, trapping them in a place between worlds. And my triplets? They’re broadcasting their location like a magical lighthouse. Now I’ve got a choice: hide and hope this thing gets bored, or figure out what the hell it’s building with all those stolen children before it comes for mine. You know me. I’m not great at hiding. So even though I’m sleep deprived, it’s time to go on offense and take the fight to an entity that can literally reshape reality. With a network of questionable allies, a familiar who thinks I’m insane, and a husband who’s definitely not thrilled about me using our babies as bait. What could possibly go wrong?       AmazonKU

QUEENS WILL PLAY (OTHERWORLD UNLEASHED BOOK ONE) by Yasmine Galenorn

We’re the D’Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah is a werecat and also the consort of the Autumn Lord. She’s finding out that motherhood to an Elemental princess isn’t so easy. And Menolly? She’s living on the edge of the Crimson Veil and neck-deep in vampire politics. As for me? I’m Camille–a wicked-good witch and now, the Queen of Dusk and Twilight. Life in the royal Fae Courts has it’s issues, and now I’m stuck in the middle of a delicate situation that could blow sky=high with one wrong move…Two years has passed since Shadow Wing bit the big one. Now that the dust has settled, we’re adapting to our new roles. But not all is safe, sound, and comfy. The Queen of Darkness and Night is furious with Vanzir, and out for revenge, putting me smack in the middle of their argument. Meanwhile, I discover a new type of astral nasty is threatening a friend, and to the dismay of my advisors, I enlist my sisters to help find out what the creature is, where it’s from, and how to stop it before my friend ends up dead.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

MANE BREW (MISTVALE FILES BOOK FOUR) by Milly Taiden

She’s 100% chaos. He’s 100% documentation. Together, they’re 200% trouble. Zephyra Grimwood is a brew witch whose magic hasn’t behaved since her familiar died. Her Mistvale brewery is a haven for mishaps, featuring everything from sentient foam to beer that makes alpha shifters speak in rhymes. She’s mostly fine with the chaos until her latest batch triggers a shared historical hallucination that hits every supernatural in town. Now, she has to solve a mystery while ignoring the fact that the grumpy lion investigator has a pair of hands she’s spent four years trying not to notice. Rhodes Blackthorn, the Pride Leader of the Sunridge Lions, is a man who schedules sunbathing, color-codes his filing cabinets, and has a fifty-three-page file dedicated solely to Zephyra’s safety violations. He’s officially assigned to investigate Zeph’s latest brewing disaster. But between bickering over alphabetized ingredient jars and surviving magical explosions, he’s struggling to file away the realization that her magic is the only thing that makes his orderly heart skip a beat. To save Mistvale from an ancient curse, the lion and the witch must admit that their professional antagonism is actually fated devotion. It’s time to find out if love can be properly categorized.    AmazonKU

GRIZZLY BUSINESS by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden

Every instinct in me says protect the secret. Every look at her says protect her instead. Nora Ellis came to Graywater Cove to study seals. She has no idea the harbor’s biggest mystery walks on two legs. Just one problem…My eight-year-old already picked her out for me. She’s sharp. Steady. Patient with things nobody else is. Like a guarded widower who gives her nothing to work with. My job is keeping this clan hidden. My heart just outed itself instead. Somewhere between the tide pools and my daughter’s laughter, careful stops being something I can afford. She thinks she’s just documenting seals. She’s about to find out what’s really guarding this coastline. And how far it’ll go to protect what’s his. I buried my heart once already. I’m not burying this too.      AmazonKU

THE PANTHER’S EDGE: GAY MM SPICY PNR ROMANCE (BATHHOUSE BEASTS BPOOK 16) by Blake R Wolfe

A burnt-out nurse. An exclusive bathhouse. And a werepanther who will keep him teetering on the edge of bliss for as long as it takes…Wes has worked the ER night shift for seventeen years, leaving his life empty, lonely, and hopelessly stuck in the dark. After the heartbreaking loss of a beloved patient, he breaks down in the parking garage. Recognizing a man on the edge, his seasoned charge nurse hands him an address to an unmarked warehouse and orders him to take his long weekend to go feel alive again. The address leads Wes to a discreet, men-only bathhouse where anyone can let go and just exist. After indulging in the main pool, a kind stranger gifts Wes an expensive private session with the house masseur. Ravi is a hulking, gorgeous werepanther whose treatment plan is as thorough as it is unconventional. Binding Wes in pure pleasure, the massive panther uses warm oil, gentle words, and a deep massage to strip away years of emotional armor. Under Ravi’s careful, commanding touch, Wes finally surrenders the crushing weight of his loneliness, discovering that letting go might just be the exact medicine he needs to start living again.       AmazonKU

HEARTFLAME: GAY DRAGON SHIFTER MM PNR ACADEMY ROMANCE (WIDDERSHINS ACADEMY BOOK EIGHT) by Blake R Wolfe

A stubborn witch. A rare red dragon. A bond he doesn’t dare name… And a betrayal that brings a whole world down. Quill: I don’t chase legends. I chase mileage. Run the course, go to class, keep my head down. Graduate, go home, and drag my parents’ failing potion shop into this century. That’s the plan. I’ve never needed a better one. Then Aeron Pyre walks through the gates. A red dragon — the first at Widdershins in two hundred years, grandson of the dragon who runs the Elder Council, and so far up his own tail he can’t see daylight. The entire academy loses its mind over him. But I want nothing to do with him. Apparently that makes me the most interesting person on campus, because now he’s on my running route. Across the table in the library. In the doorway of every room I walk into, smirking like he already knows how this ends. He says he’s going to make me beg for it. What he won’t say is why he’s started looking at me like I’m something he’s terrified of losing. Aeron: Dragons choose once. One mate, one time, out of a life that runs for centuries. I’m eighty-five, practically a teenage, and planning to spend the next eighty exactly like the first. No titles, no politics, no promises, no committment. Then I ended up in the dark with a mouthy ginger witch who hates everything about me, and a word surfaced in me like it had been waiting there since I hatched. Mate. He can’t know. Not while he…(more blueb on ebook seller’s page)      AmazonKU    AB

BOUGHT BY THE MASKED CANTOR (MONSTERS’ BRIDE MARKET) by Cara Wylde

I’ve been worshipped. I’ve never been loved. For centuries, I’ve lived alone. Cantors are rare, and we can’t stay together. Our song poisons minds. People kneel, build cults around us, and forget they ever wanted anything but to please us. I’ve imagined a companion for longer than I care to admit. Someone of flesh and blood to sit next to me, speak to me because that is what she wishes. A woman whose affection I could trust. A foolish dream. I’ve never allowed myself to hope. Then, one night, the people above lower an offering into my den. A bride with pale hair, bright eyes, and skin marred by deep scars, yet beautiful enough to make me ache. I dread the moment my voice will steal her mind. My first words to her are that I will not harm her. She shakes her head, points at her ear, and tells me: “I’m deaf.” She can’t hear me. She can’t be compelled by my song. Whatever she thinks of me, whatever she feels, belongs to her. I promise myself I will free her. Too soon I discover it was easy to be unselfish when I had nothing I wanted to keep.    AmazonKU

JEALOUS JINXES (A LUNA THORN WITCHY MYSTERY) by Amanda M Lee

Luna Thorn has a lot on her plate. Between construction at the Cathedral — she’s getting a second greenhouse, thank you very much — and all the pesky time travel stuff she’s been dealing with, she doesn’t have time for much else. Of course, that’s when her boyfriend, Jesse, has a past girlfriend show up … and she seems interested in getting her high school paramour back. She’s going to ply him with baked goods until he sees things her way, at the very least. Luna would love to work up a full head of jealous steam, but she has one other problem to deal with. It seems she’s fallen victim to a bad luck curse. What’s worse is that she’s not the only one suffering. A myriad of do-gooders—people who donate their time and money to help those less fortunate, like the homeless—are literally being jinxed to death. And who is investigating it? The one man who has something to gain if he can cover up the death of Luna, along with the others. That’s right, her father. He’s knee deep in jinxes and jealousies of his own. The Grimlocks are determined to keep Luna safe, whatever it takes, even as she’s determined to keep her distance from them. She won’t let her bad luck rub off on the people she loves most. With time running out, though, Luna is her own worst enemy. It’s going to be a fight to the finish to figure out who jinxed her, and what that means for everybody Luna holds dear.
Something evil is afoot in Detroit, and it’s coming for Luna. Again.      AmazonKU

PUMPKIN’S WICKED PATCH (SEASONAL SIN MONSTERS) by M Q Rush

VS Note: Also listed in Erotica.

I came to this creepy farm looking for a scoop. Instead, I became the harvest. The pumpkins look like peens. Seriously. Every gourd at this pumpkin patch is anatomically indecent, and what kind of agriculture journalist would I be if I didn’t find out why? My nosy instincts are on fire, leading me straight to the source. Too bad the source turns out to be a menacing plant-man who refuses to let me go. Rootface is huge, with a pumpkin for a head and thick roots making up his body. He’s obsessed with my plus-size curves, and he plans to sow his roots deep inside me. I’m putting up a fight, like any smart person would. But what if he finds out my body’s begging to be plowed?      AmazonKU

HUNGRY FOR THE VAMPIRE: SPICY MM COLLEGE ROMANCE (HALLOWEEN TEMPATIONS by Sylvia Wetwood

I want him to hold me in his big arms all night long. Getting lost in the woods isn’t fun. Getting cornered by wolves is even worse. Getting saved by a huge guy in a cape…well, that part I liked.
Roman goes to my college, but we’ve never really talked. Now, I’m wondering how I never noticed him before. And after saving me in the woods, Roman seems very protective of me. He wants to spend a lot of time together. The strange thing is…I want to be with him, too. I’ve never felt this way about another guy before. And I’m so focused on his ripped body and his surprising sweetness, I hardly have time to wonder how he scared off a pack of wolves, or how he gets from place to place so fast without a car. Roman can have his secrets. I just know there’s something that I want to tell him.    AmazonKU

LORD OF TIDES: GREEK MYTHOLOGY RETELLING by K D Stark

Gods watch. Men bleed. Tides rise. Lord of Tides is a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey as a dark, character-driven epic in which the journey home proves to be the most brutal trial of all, and the greatest threat Odysseus faces is the man he must become along the way. The war is over. Troy has fallen. And Odysseus, king of Ithaca and architect of the war’s brutal victory, turns his fleet toward home, not knowing the harrowing journey that lies ahead. When he earns the wrath of Poseidon, storms scatter his ships. Monsters rise from the deep and men vanish beneath waves. With every trial, the cost of survival grows steeper, and honor erodes as Odysseus comes to understand the man who reaches Ithaca may not be the one who left its shores. But in Ithaca, Penelope fights a different kind of war. With Odysseus gone, wolves have come to the kingdom to claim its throne and queen. Led by ruthless Antinous, they camp on Ithaca’s shores and abuse its wealth and people while Penelope works tirelessly to preserve peace and raise their son, Telemachus. When Odysseus at last sets foot on Ithaca, he arrives not as a king but as a grief-worn outcast. His men, gone. His palace, overrun. His wife and son, besieged by strange men. But for every ruin, there is a reckoning…Now the tides turn.    Amazon

EAGLE EYE (KING OF PREY BOOK EIGHT) by Mandy M Roth

An ancient eagle warrior with a sworn grudge. A human bartender running from a past she doesn’t understand. And a collision on a dark city street that changes everything. Alok of the Eagles has spent centuries fighting wars and decades nursing a blood feud against the ruthless vultures who shattered his family. Stationed in the concrete chaos of New York City to track dangerous enemy cells, the battle-hardened commander never expects to be knocked flat on his back by a tiny mortal woman. Kelsey Nesbit is just trying to survive. Juggling three jobs, dodging city creepers, and shaking off childhood memories of her late mother’s ravings about “demons with wings,” she keeps her head down and keeps moving. But when a late-night commute turns into a terrifying chase, she collides headfirst with a golden-eyed stranger who feels impossible, lethal, and intoxicatingly safe. One touch ignites a primal fire neither of them can control. When deadly predators shatter her apartment door to tear Kelsey away, Alok will unleash every lethal instinct he possesses to protect her. But Kelsey is tied to a dangerous secret that threatens to upend two realms—and with enemies closing in, the raptor who swore off mercy will have to risk everything to keep her safe.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

THE TRUTHS WE HOLD: GREYSON ACADEMY YEAR THREE by Serenity Rayne

The world knows what she is now. The world is still deciding what to do about it. Ashley Dawn walked out of Greyson Academy’s shadows with crimson wings and a Voice that freezes Hunters where they stand and the quiet knowledge that the girl she used to be is not coming back. The institution can’t eliminate what three hundred witnesses saw. So it’s doing something worse — it’s evaluating her. Wrapping the bridge in six months of procedure while the people who built the broken world figure out how to keep it broken. She has a possessive ancient vampire whose claim on her predates her birth and whose darkness shelters her the way only a fated mate bond can. She has a forbidden professor who burned his career to the ground and would burn the rest of the world to follow. She has a Voice that rewrites minds and shadows that think for themselves and the growing, structural weight of every morally grey choice she’s made to survive. What she doesn’t have is the third bond. The prophecy carved in bedrock says three. Blood. Fire. And something else — a light she hasn’t met, a presence her vampire hasn’t named in centuries, an ancient force walking toward her from a distance measured in time, not miles. He is coming. And when he arrives, Ashley will discover that the bridge between shadow and light requires something she hasn’t been asked to give yet. The harbinger rose. The institution answered. And from the deep places where the world was broken, the missing piece begins to move.      AmazonKU

BEAR AND BOOK (SUGARPAW SPRINGS BOOK THREE) by Fel Fern and Ria Lake

VS Note: MM PNR.

He’s sunshine and cinnamon rolls. His fated mate? A grumpy, reclusive fox shifter. Leo has always been the easygoing one, Sugarpaw Springs’ golden-retriever bear shifter, quick with a smile and always ready to help. But when a storm sends him to repair a damaged bookstore, he meets Elias, the prickly, older fox shifter who wants nothing to do with him. Elias has built walls around his heart after a painful past, and the last thing he needs is a younger, overly cheerful bear barging into his sanctuary. Yet fate does not care what he wants. The bond between them crackles stronger with every touch, every glance, every argument that feels far too much like flirting. When danger from Elias’s old life slinks back into Sugarpaw Springs, Leo refuses to let go. He may be soft around the edges, but when it comes to protecting his fated mate, this bear has claws.       AmazonKU

BANE BLOOM by Sharon Lynn Fisher

In 1850, Catherine Gray, a botanical illustrator from London, travels to a remote estate in the Lake District to catalog and paint the specimens thriving in a mysterious glasshouse garden. The most bewildering find is a water lily that somehow alters its appearance. Nearly as puzzling is Thomas Bane, the brooding groundskeeper, who closely guards the estate’s secrets—including the disappearance of Catherine’s predecessor. The mystery deepens when Catherine discovers the diary of Prudence Bane, Thomas’s late mother, which contains revelations about the odd flora and its hold on a family touched by madness. The more she uncovers, the more the line between fantasy and reality—and superstition and fact—begins to blur. Unable to trust her own thoughts, Catherine draws closer to Thomas, her only anchor in this strange place. But even he can’t fully protect her from the house and his otherworldly family. Only Catherine can break the Bane family’s cycle of heartbreak…but first she’ll have to confront her own.       Amazon

LITTLE CURSE OF DEATH (CREATURE CAFE SERIES BOOK 20) by Clio Evans

Creatures of all kinds go to the Barista to find love. But some fated mates bonds are cursed. Like the one between Layla and Death himself. Death is trying to make things right. He’s picked a new, less ominous name to go by—Nox. He’s attempted to understand why his body suddenly feels desire after an eternity of nothing. He’s even tried to reason with the little reaper who haunts him. But Layla is determined to take matters into her own hands. When her world is ripped apart, she rushes to the only place that might have the answers. Hell. Unfortunately, that means Layla is not in the realm she is meant to be, and her former fated mate has no choice but to hunt her down and return her to where she belongs. Did fate truly make a mistake, or will Layla and Nox finally get their own happy ending?   AmazonKU

TRICK OR TREAT FOR THE DESPERATE DEVIL by C D Gorri

Love was the last thing I was looking for—but in Arrhythmia, every trick comes with a treat. There’s nothing normal about Arrhythmia, Texas—and I should know. I’m Damian Leeds, resident Jersey Devil, professional recluse, and currently one magical mishap away from losing control completely. My magic is running amok. My shifts are getting harder to control. And according to every supernatural law I’d rather ignore, there’s only one thing that can fix me. My fated mate. Too bad I’ve given up on finding her. Then Belinda Ramos rolls into town and reopens her recently deceased aunt’s haunted bed-and-breakfast. She’s a Witch with practically no magic, my brand-new neighbor, and a walking invitation for everything I hate. Her B&B caters to lovesick newlyweds, honeymooners, and longtime couples looking to rekindle the romance. In other words, my own personal hell. With Halloween approaching, I decide a few well-placed tricks might convince Belinda—and her ridiculously romantic clientele—to leave me in peace. Except Belinda doesn’t scare easily. And the more I try to drive her away, the more my Devil wants her close. Turns out my annoying new neighbor isn’t just the Witch next door. She’s my fated mate. And this desperate Devil just found the one Halloween treat he intends to keep forever.

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

RAVISHED BY THE RAVENS: SPICY MMM SHIFTER ROMANCE (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by T M Moon

“Do you normally snatch people from the woods?” “No, only you,” one answers. “Because you’re ours,” the other adds. Asher takes the long way home, not wanting to feel the loneliness of his apartment just yet. In the woods, he comes across two strange ravens. They follow him, croak at him, and dance around him until he can’t look away. And when they turn into humans right before his eyes—Asher doesn’t want to leave them. So, they whisk him away to their castle. They’re broad, covered in tattoos, and demanding. And they keep calling him theirs. They teach him things about pleasure he’s never experienced. Twice the men. Twice the fun. And twice the chances to rile them up until they snap.     AmazonKU

BOUND AND UNBOUND: PNR NOVELLA DUOLOGY by Ali Hazelwood

Bound – A reluctant con artist and a professor with too many secrets are bound by an arcane text—in more ways than one. Veronica “Vero” Mercer grew up with grifters for parents, and she knows her way around a con. When grad school bills pile up and her friends are in trouble, she turns her art history skills into a forgery side hustle. It’s supposed to be a short term deal, but her work draws the attention of Dr. Viktor Ashworth, a reserved, very British professor. Instead of turning her in, Ashworth kidnaps her—politely—and makes an unusual offer: forge a mysterious ancient manuscript for him. Soon Vero finds herself spending long nights with Viktor, bent over rare vellum samples and obscure inks. But as the con grows riskier, Vero has to wonder: what does Viktor really want, and why can’t she stay away? Unbound – A five-thousand-year-old woman who has outlived empires. A doctor who has spent his life fighting death. They fates collide in a blood game of vengeance. Lilit of Nineveh has spent millennia in control. As a powerful revenant, she enforces one rule above all: protect mortals. Disciplined and focused, she has never made the same mistake twice, and she has learned that attachments can only lead to ruin. Enter Roman Martin. An overworked and relentlessly kind ER physician, he is the one mortal Lilit cannot quit. Any relationship between them is against everything Lilit has fought for. Still, she keeps coming back to him. Until someone starts hunting Lilit, and Roman is caught in the crossfire. When everything comes crashing down, Lilit must choose between the world she has sworn to protect and the man she was never meant to love.       Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

INFINITE RAGE (HERCULES MUST DIE BOOK TWO) by Eliza Raine

The stakes could not be higher in the Immortality Trials. With four crews competing for eternal life, nothing is off limits. Alliances and enemies are made, and secrets are formed and shared. But Lyssa still doesn’t know why Alexios bound himself to her. Their fake relationship is holding up to scrutiny, but behind closed doors, she can’t stop herself reacting to him. In all the wrong ways. Worse, she still doesn’t know how to kill her father. He’s too strong, and his cruelty grows daily. With the people she loves in constant danger, she’s starting to wonder if her revenge mission has come at too high a cost.   AmazonKU

LOOKING FOR SETH (JINX PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 16) by Laura Greenwood

Avoiding goddesses was easy until Seth started to fall for one…Seth prefers to live his life away from the other gods, and that definitely means avoiding dating one. But when he turns up to a speed dating event to discover the woman he’s been talking to online is a goddess, everything could change.
Menhit never meant to hide her identity from Seth, but not having realised who he was when they first started talking, she’s now in too deep to want to walk away. Can she convince him to take a chance on their budding relationship? Looking for Seth is a mythology-inspired paranormal m/f romance and part of the Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency series. It features a reclusive Egyptian god of chaos, a determined war goddess who isn’t afraid to pull him out of his shell, dating app flirtations, and a case of mistaken identity.       Amazon     Apple Books     NOTE: Did not see the book on Kobo yet as of the day I checked

RIDING THE REAPER (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS) by Lucas Blaze

VS Note: MM PNR.

Death never looked this good. Halloween night. Freshly dumped by my girlfriend in front of the whole party. And now there’s a Grim Reaper in the woods telling me he’s here to collect my soul. Sure, buddy. Great costume. But I’m enjoying his little roleplay. And secretly, this six-foot-seven tower of muscle in that dark robe is exactly what I’ve been craving. I’ve spent years fantasizing about a big dude stretching me open. I just never had the guts to admit it out loud. And hey, I’m about to die, right? So maybe he can give me one last ride before I go.      AmazonKU

BETROTHED TO THE BONE KING (MONSTER MATRIMONY FILES BOOK SIX) by Evangeline Priest

She expected a monster. She got a king who memorized the world for her. When Reverie Datura agrees to a Monster Matrimony match, she’s running out of options. Her eyesight is fading, life inside Sanctuary is becoming harder every day, and a monster husband offers stability, protection… and apparently, a crown. But she wasn’t prepared for Sevaereth. The Bone King rules a strange kingdom suspended between realms—a land of moonlit gardens, ancient magic, wandering souls, and mischievous bone fairies. Hidden behind a mask of carved bone and a rack of imposing horns, he looks like something pulled from a nightmare. Yet beneath his fearsome appearance is a patient, tender ruler who notices every hesitation, every stumble, every detail Reverie can no longer see for herself. As Reverie learns to navigate the enchanting realm between worlds and Sevaereth slowly lowers the mask around his lonely heart, an arranged marriage begins to feel like something far more dangerous. Like love. Even at the edge of darkness…Reverie can still find her happily ever after.   AmazonKU

VASMORA (THE EATING WOODS) by Keri Lake

Fate has never been entirely kind to Maevyth Bronwick. Though, after having survived a sinister plague, grotesque monsters, and gut-wrenching tragedy, she never imagined things could possibly get worse. But cursed gods, she was wrong. It seems fate was only sharpening its claws. Ensnared in the golden gauntlet of the most sadistic general in Aethyria, Maevyth faces the wrath of a jealous tyrant who longs to watch her suffer a slow and painful ruin. A torment said to be worse than death. Without the protection of her blood magic, Maevyth is no more than a powerless mortal and must fight the urge to succumb to the cruelty. Not an easy task, given the devastating loss she refuses to accept—and rightly so. Because Zevander “The Scorpion” Rydainn isn’t dead, after all. He’s very much alive and seething with vengeance. Brimming with rage. Merciless in his pursuit to reclaim his beloved mate and bring the ancient godsflame to anyone who stands in his way. A necessary brutality when a slumbering god awakens and Aethyria’s foretold destruction reignites the hunt of those who seek Maevyth’s precious blood. Prophecies will unravel. Walls will crumble. Kingdoms will fall. And through it all, a monolith of truth stands unbroken: Their love may conquer all, but death will tear them apart.       AmazonKU

IMMORTAL VAMPIRES OF LONDON by Colleen Gleason

VS Note: Re-releases.

Dark and decadent, Immortal Vampires of London gathers three full-length Regency vampire romances—sultry, witty, and shadowed with danger—following the immortal Dracule and the mortal Woodmore siblings whose fates become bound to theirs. Three immortal rogues. Three mortal hearts. One decadent trilogy. Immortal Rogue. After centuries of lust and hedonism, Voss, the Viscount Dewhurst, is rarely bored—a rogue of the first order who wants little more than a warm woman, an excellent vintage, and a puzzle to occupy his mind. Then one of his idle manipulations sets him on a course to seduce the beautiful Angelica Woodmore, and nothing stays simple, or safe, for long. Immortal Saint. For decades, Dimitri, the Earl of Corvindale, has denied himself every pleasure in a grim bid to break his covenant with the devil. But when he’s made guardian to two young women—among them the maddening, stubborn Lady Maia Woodmore—the solitude he’s armored himself in begins to crack. Immortal Siren. Trained as a warrior and enslaved by her brother Cezar, the cruelest of all the Dracule, Narcise has every reason to trust no man—not even Giordan Cale, who vows to free her, and whose promise gives way to a betrayal that shatters her. Her one hope may lie with vampire hunter Chas Woodmore, a man who wants her, worships her, and will kill for her.     AmazonKU

AMUSING THE ANGEL OF DEATH (HALLOWEEN TEMPTATIONS): SPICY MM PNR by J B Warrick

“You are delightful, especially when you run.” Publicly dumping my girlfriend at a frat house Halloween party should be the most dramatic thing to happen to me this semester. Then I take a short cut on the way home. He’s waiting in the trees, shirtless, sporting a pair of black angel wings. And wearing a grin like he’s been bored for a thousand years and has finally found someone who sparks his interest. I’m not gay. He doesn’t seem to care. He’s already waited centuries for me, and he’s not waiting any longer. He’s not here for my soul. He’s here for the rest of me.    AmazonKU

THE PROMISE OF THE GILDED FLAME (THE FAE SPARK TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Jen L Grey

One moment, Kai was holding me beneath the stars. The next, his castle exploded. Now its heart is destroyed, its magic is gone, and the Night King is closer than ever to unleashing the New Night. And Dusk won’t be the last court to fall. Something inside me is changing too. Magic is answering me in ways I don’t understand, secrets are surfacing, and the bond between Kai and me has become impossible to ignore. Especially when I can feel exactly how far he’d go to keep me. Kai would burn every kingdom in this realm before letting anyone take me from him. The problem is, he’d sacrifice himself just as quickly to save me. He should know by now I’d never let him. With the courts unraveling and the Night King closing in, we’re running out of time. Because whatever Fate has been leading us toward, stopping the New Night may cost us the one thing neither of us is willing to lose. Each other.      AmazonKU

BOUND BY THE SCARRED MOON (BONDS OF SILVER AND SPELL BOOK ONE) by Hannah Haze

An enemies-to-lovers why choose romance where fate bites deep, desire is dangerous, and love is most definitely forbidden. I was trained to kill shifters—not fall into their arms. I clawed my way out of the orphanage to the top of the academy—twenty stars on my belt, one for every shifter I’ve killed, and a single promise in my heart: make them pay for the family they stole from me. Then one mistake sends me plummeting toward death—and into the grasp of the enemy’s most feared alpha. He doesn’t kill me. He saves me. Then he sinks his teeth into my arm and marks me as his mate, binding me to the monster I swore to destroy. A mage marked by a shifter is a dead mage. A mage who hides it is a traitor. If the academy finds the bite, I won’t be punished. I’ll be erased. But the wound won’t heal. My senses are sharpening into something inhuman. I’m becoming the very thing I’ve spent my whole life learning to hate—and the alpha whose bond now runs in my blood isn’t the only one who’s caught my scent. A masked executioner is closing in on a bitten mage. A wolf who’s seen me in his visions won’t let me go. And something ancient is waking in the mountains—something that will hunt us all. I belonged to no one. Now fate has decided I belong to them.      AmazonKU

CROWN OF ASHES (DRAGON TRIALS BOOK THREE) by M K Dawson

The Fae stole our magic. Now I’m taking it back. I survived the Dragon Trials. I awakened an ancient and deeply unenthused dragon. And I made the lying, scheming dragon prince my husband. Now Fear and I are coming for the queen. Her monsters are tearing through the sky, my brother fights at her side, and the clans don’t know whether to follow us into war or beg for her mercy. If we can’t unite them, the queen will keep sending dragon shifters smoking to the pyres and crushing mortals beneath Fae boots. But I am the only one in the kingdom who can rip away the queen’s stolen power. I have a dragon of my own, Bismyth behind me, and my trickster prince at my side. I never wanted a crown. But I’ll turn hers to ashes.     AmazonKU

THE BAKER’S DRAGON MATE (SHIFTER NATION: MONTANA MATES) by Meg Ripley

A wolf shifter baker. A hot dragon uncle on babysitting duty. And five cupcake-fueled dragon toddlers who accidentally play matchmaker. Brianna Montclair has no time for romance. She’s finally living her dream: running a bakery with her best friend in Red Lodge, Montana. The hours are brutal, the to-do list never ends, and Brianna is determined to make her bakery a success. Then Flynn Ashford walks through the door with five sugar-hungry dragon toddlers in tow. He’s charming. Ridiculously handsome. And according to her wolf? Her mate. As if that weren’t complicated enough, meeting Flynn awakens magic Brianna never knew she had. Suddenly, her carefully organized life is spinning out of control. Flynn Ashford has been guarding the hidden dragon world beneath the mountains. But throughout the centuries, no challenge has been as great as babysitting his sister’s five toddlers. He bribes them with the promise of cupcakes. Then he meets Brianna at the bakery. Flynn falls first—and hard. Now, he’s juggling five dragon toddlers, stolen moments with Brianna, and the growing certainty that he wants a life he never imagined outside the mountain. But choosing his wolf mate could cost him his position, his home, and his place among his own kind. And as tensions rise between the dragons determined to stay hidden and those longing for freedom, Flynn must decide how much he’s willing to risk for the she-wolf his dragon has already chosen.     AmazonKU

A BOND SO DEADLY (FATED MATES OF SHADOWBONE ACADEMY BOOK THREE) by Mia Hartson

Graduates of Shadowbone Academy. Stand as one, our forgotten, lost warriors. For without you… there will be no times at all. When the queen finds out I’m fated to Thane and the others, I think my time is up, but now my bestie Blake, the demon queen, is here, and everything has changed. An unlikely alliance is forged, but there’s no telling how long it will last. If I’m going to survive, I need to claim my immortality, but even though I have most of my memories, I’m still prophesied to destroy my mates. Thane, Knox, Galen, Raith, and I work hard to unravel the truth, but in the end there’s only one thing we know for sure: one way or another, my mates and I are the ones who will end this war. I just hope that when the shadows clear, we’ll be standing over more than just ashes. Let the battle begin.        AmazonKU

BLOOD TIES (BLOOD CROWN DUET BOOK ONE) by Blake Quinn

As a probate solicitor, I was used to strange final instructions. None had ever sealed me under a country house with a starving vampire king. Stellan Varen was chained, dangerous and certain my blood was his way out. Staying in control grew harder when feeding him felt nothing like a sacrifice. Every willing bite loosened another chain and deepened the bond between us. Freeing Stellan was our only escape, but the vampire who imprisoned him was waiting for me to claim the Crown. If I did, he could force me to command Stellan to surrender his heartblood and steal the Blood King’s power for himself. Escaping meant trusting a king who first saw me as his way out. Failing meant becoming the weapon that killed him.      AmazonKU

SNATCHED BY THE SCARECROW (HOLIDAY HOOKUPS BOOK THREE) by Kayla Grosse

HARPER VEIL is looking for a fresh start. Leaving the city behind, she settles into an old farmhouse in the quiet town of Silas Valley, hoping a little peace and solitude will help her start over. Then she notices the scarecrow in her field. He’s been there for as long as anyone can remember. The townspeople swear he’s the reason their harvests are so bountiful, but there’s something about him Harper can’t quite shake. Something about the way he seems to watch her. When she’s invited to a small gathering on Halloween night, Harper expects a quiet evening with the locals, but she gets something else entirely. There’s more to Silas Valley than meets the eye…And the scarecrow in Harper’s field may be far more than straw and old clothes.       AmazonKU

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica

September 30

September 23

September 16

September 9

September 2

August 26

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’. I go by the ebook release.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. 

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!

 

Golden Bracelets from the Snake Goddess Excerpt DANCER OF THE NILE

In honor of my Kickstarter for the Special Edition of the DANCER OF THE NILE Trilogy I’m sharing an excerpt today:

Nima the dancer has been recaptured by the enemy general who desires her and put in a cell. Earlier in the book the snake goddess Renenutet had given her a golden bead and now Nima tries to use the magic contained in the bead to aid in her escape.

Tiny gold and red sparks were flying into the air from the bead, disappearing into the gloom. She sat bolt upright, watching wide-eyed as the five tiny serpents untangled themselves from each other. Only a few inches long, they were too beautiful to be frightening, golden scales glinting as each slowly undulated across the blanket, ruby eyes glowing in the darkness of her cell. Reaching out in wonder, Nima let the closest snake crawl into her hand, exclaiming at the tickling sensation as the snake’s belly rasped across her palm. The snake coiled for a moment, hood flared, wisp of an emerald tongue flicking in and out, tasting the air.

One of the others slithered across the bed, falling off the side. As Nima watched, still holding the first snake, the free-falling reptile winked out in a blaze of colorful sparks just as it hit the floor. Worried if she didn’t move quickly, she’d lose them all, Nima got off the bed, hand closed around the snake she held. Its tongue touched her fingers in featherlight sensations. She grabbed her mug with her free hand, tossed the dregs on the floor and dropped the snake into it, going back to the bed to catch the others. A second snake was working its way down the wooden leg of the bed, and Nima managed to capture it by the tail just before it reached the floor, dropping her captive into the cup with its fellow. Yet even as she did so, a third snake disappeared in a soundless explosion of color. She was searching in the blanket for the fifth when a voice spoke from right behind her.

“Foolish girl, you squander the weapons I gave you.”

Renenutet—for it was the snake goddess herself, in human form—reached past Nima’s shoulder, holding out one hand. The remaining three snakes flew through the air to her like tiny arrows, wrapping themselves around her wrist to create a fabulous bracelet.

Heart pounding, Nima sank down on the bed.

Stroking the living bracelet as if to calm the snakes while frowning at Nima, the goddess said, “You can’t call the snakes of Nebu merely to amuse yourself, girl.”

You didn’t exactly provide me a scroll of instructions with the gift. Nima bit her tongue as she left the bed to go to her knees before the Great One. “I’m grateful for your continued assistance, my lady.”

The goddess reached out to stroke her hand through Nima’s hair, patting her cheek as a mother might. “You are so like her, and she was my favorite.”

“My mother?” Nima asked hesitantly.

“Yes. She was trained to my service from the day she could walk, would have been the high priestess over all my temples one day. She was like a daughter to me, the child of my heart. Until she let herself be distracted—” Renenutet frowned, withdrawing her hand, and the snakes on her wrist writhed, hissing.

“Distracted by my father.” Nima closed her eyes for a moment, wishing for the thousandth time with a dull aching pain in her heart that her mother had told her more about the mysterious father she’d never met.

“You and I must both let the past go, child,” Renenutet answered in a low voice.

The goddess put her hand under Nima’s arm and effortlessly drew her to a standing position. Tingles of energy ran from the spot where Renenutet held Nima upright with inhuman strength. Passing through her body in torrents, the sensation fizzed and sparked, settling in her injured ankle. Pain assaulted Nima as the injured muscles and tendons knit back together. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

In an attempt to distract herself from the healing process, she blurted out a question. “How—how are you here? The Hyksos boasted to me no Egyptian Great One could enter this place because of their god’s spell.”

Laughing so hard the black plumes on her crown shook, the goddess released her and stepped back. “These males—gods and humans—they always think they rule the world, forgetting I’m an Elemental Elder goddess, born in the start of time. I have powers and abilities the modern ones like Qemtusheb and Horus fail to consider.” She raised a finger. “They forget my creatures own the cracks and crevices of the earth. Let foolish men block access above ground or through the sky—I can’t be deterred so easily. Luckily for them and all their schemes, I prefer my own duties to their endless quest for power and dominance.”

The door crashed open, startling Nima. Sword at the ready, the guard stepped across the threshold. “Who are you talking to—”

Turning her head, Renenutet snapped her fingers, and the man fell dead in a boneless heap, his sword clattering away across the stone floor. Nima ran to the corpse, swallowing her nausea, and wrenched his belt knife from its sheath despite her shaking hands.

VS: The adventures are far from over. Nima still has to be reunited with Kamin, the Egyptian soldier she’s fallen in love with and the enemy army is preparing to launch a surprise attack on Egypt…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this excerpt and are intrigued to know more about the entire story and the other two books in the trilogy, please check out the Kickstarter! The Special Edition is gorgeous, with character art, custom end papers, sprayed edges (and there are chibis available through the campaign (just one example below).

About My DANCER OF THE NILE Trilogy Special Edition Kickstarter

Having three of my ancient Egyptian romantasy novels available in a Special Edition hardback has been a dream of mine forever. Doing a Kickstarter for the DANCER OF THE NILE TRILOGY is so much fun and exciting besides. I commissioned three pieces of original character art, one for each book, and then I went deep into the character chibi universe. There are so many cute ones to go with this set of books, although we’ll need to unlock some of the stretch goals to make them all available.

I kept asking my daughter, who has done very successful KS campaigns for her own special editions and who is managing this one for me, “Don’t you think we need a chibi of a cat? A baby camel? Another god or goddess…” She assured me we had enough to offer now.

I probably drove my cover designer to distraction trying to explain what I was visualizing. I wanted a cover that really emphasized the richness and beauty of ancient Egypt while remaining clear this was a set of romances full of magic and adventure. I think she did an excellent job and the gilding is the final touch of perfection. We did a wonderful set of custom end papers and sprayed edges with more symbols. And I was very happy with the back cover and the gilded lotus flowers, which I felt really seemed as if they’d been plucked from a book in a Pharaoh’s tomb.

None of the photos do justice to the covers! The book is amazing in real life and the colors and the gold accents really pop.

Of course the books themselves are the most important piece of this Special Edition and DANCER OF THE NILE features one of my favorite couples, Nima the tavern dancer and Kamin the high born soldier. The duo comes together in an enemy camp where both are prisoners and clever Nima engineers their escape. Then it’s action and adventure as the pair are on the run from the enemy, fighting black magic, encountering various Egyptian gods and goddesses who help or hinder, a caravan master who may or may not be an ally, a troupe of Minoan dancers and more…and of course they fall in love.

In the sequel RETURN OF THE DANCER OF THE NILE (and okay I’m the first to admit I’m not too inspired when it comes to titles) Nima has to appeal to her patron goddess Renenutet the Cobra for help yet again while Horus the Falcon god assists Kamin. Another major figure in the Egyptian pantheon appears as well. This one is partially inspired by various actual events in ancient Egyptian history.

Then the third book DANGER ON THE NILE features their grown up son who is a captain in Pharoah’s Own Guard and a charioteer,  and the priestess of Isis who is his true love as they’re on the run from invaders at the southern border of Egypt and trying to keep a sacred golden statue from falling into the wrong hands.

DANGER was the most recent book I’d written in my connected Egyptian series (in 2023)  but I’m going to write a special novelette for this Kickstarter if we manage to unlock that stretch goal.

The Kickstarter did fully fund in the first 24 hours – thank you to everyone for their support! – but I’d really like to unlock the stretch goals and share all those cool chibis and the new story, etc.

Here’s the Kickstarter link if you’d like to check it out and support the campaign at any level.

The Creative Team:

Qamber Designs – design of cover, end papers, and sprayed edges

Maddie Moore – the couple illustration for The Dancer of the Nile

vitadrawss – the couple illustrations for The Return of the Dancer of the Nile and Danger on the Nile

Surya Dexter – chibi character designs

Eli Donovan – Project Manager

I am the sole author of these works.

New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for SEPT 30

I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking quite a few as I prepare these posts LOL). 

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

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BOUND BY THE ALIEN BUCKAROO (COWBOY COLONY MAIL ORDER BRIDES BOOK NINE) by Ursa Dax

A black-listed bounty hunter in hiding, a bizarre alien buckaroo, and some rather frantic forced proximity…I’ve spent the last eight years chasing scumbags to the ends of the universe in my job as a bounty hunter. Until the day there’s suddenly a new bounty on my head. But the bounty is fake. I’ve been framed. And now my entire life is falling apart.
I try to hide out on an isolated planet with a no-landing order, only to get tangled up with the strangest man I’ve ever met. His name is Xennet. And if I want to survive on this planet, it looks like I’ll need to rely on him. Except it turns out Xennet is precisely the same sort of person I’ve devoted my life to putting behind bars – a murderer. And worse than that? I’m developing feelings for this shuldu-riding, cowboy-hat-wearing, knife-obsessed convict. I can’t stay with him. There’s only so long I can hide from this planet’s wardens and avoid capture. And there’s only so long until Xennet marries someone else.
Because his promised human bride is coming. And she’s coming soon.     AmazonKU

KYLE: GALACTIC CYBORG HEAT SERIES by Jessie Rose Case

Kyle. He was on a mission. And that mission was now her….Slone. She saw him. Knew what he was. Cyborg. Understood his interest. She just didn’t want it. Losing that interest, was going to take some work, but she wasn’t scared of work. She’d been working since the moment she could walk. Or so it felt. She watched him move with lethal grace. Heading in her direction. Determination all over his breathtaking face and body. She turned and lost herself in the crowd. Yep, she was going to have to leave.      AmazonKU

BIRDS OF A FEATHER BURN TOGETHER: KINGDOM OF AVES MYSTERY by Nicole Givens Kurtz

VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note.

Hawk Prentice Tasifa’s much-need rest is interrupted when she receives an invitation to attend an afternoon of music with the Lanham Philharmonic Orchestra. Thrilled to attend such an event, especially with her favorite singers, Prentice goes. But once she arrives at the concert hall there’s an unease in her feathers she just can’t shake. Soon after she takes her seat and the concert begins, screams rend the air and smoke bellows into the hall. Fire! Soon, popular cultural touchstones in the capital city are burning to the ground. The terrorist organization, A Single Flock, is the prime suspect. But this isn’t Prentice’s jurisdiction. Desperate for answers, Cardinal Wick secretly assigns Prentice to the case. Can Prentice find the arsonists and stop them from burning Lanham to the ground? She’ll find out that birds of a feather burn together.      Amazon

ZERO CLUES IN ZERO G by Lynn Nodima and Scott Pogue

VS Note: Mystery with “sparks of romance”.

Dr. Elara Quinn comes aboard Celestial Crown Space Station to demonstrate her career-defining breakthrough in wormhole mathematics. She does not expect murder, sabotage, or a suspiciously attractive maintenance man who keeps following her around. Then a senator dies—and Elara becomes the prime suspect. Her carefully ordered life spins into chaos, and the far-too-capable maintenance man is either her best chance of surviving long enough to clear her name or the last person she should trust. With a killer somewhere aboard, every answer leading to more questions, and Elara’s brilliant, unpredictable mother determined to “help,” solving the mystery may require more than mathematics. It may require trusting the wrong man.     AmazonKU

TAMED BY HER TOUCH: HYBRID KINDRED CHRONICLES by Evangeline Anderson

They can barely share a lab—now they have to share a bed. To cure a deadly virus, a grumpy Kindred scientist and his sunshine lab partner must fake a marriage on a planet where husbands worship their wives like goddesses. KAELUS: Dr. Clair Donovan has been driving Kaelus mad since the day she invaded his laboratory. She breaks his rules, drinks obscenely sweet coffee around delicate experiments, and flaunts her lush curves, making it almost impossible to remember she’s only his irritating lab partner. As a Beast/Blood Hybrid Kindred, Kaelus knows he’ll probably never Bond a mate, so wanting Clair is pointless. Then a deadly virus sends an entire Kindred colony savage, and they’re sent to Titus Four to find the cure…posing as husband and wife. Unfortunately, pretending requires shared beds, intimate rituals, and far too much hands-on devotion. CLAIR: After a disastrous marriage, Clair has sworn off men—especially huge, golden-eyed, terminally grouchy ones who glare at her across a laboratory. But pretending to be Kaelus’s adored wife gets dangerously complicated when Titus Four expects husbands to worship their goddesses with kisses, touches, massages, and plenty of pleasure. Kaelus may complain about every rule she breaks, but he’s far too convincing when those intimate customs put his hands on her body. Soon the line between duty and desire is disappearing. But beneath the planet’s sensual traditions lies a deadly secret someone will do anything to keep buried.       Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

THE ALIEN’S MATE (MONSTER RESEARCH FACILITY) by Skyla Gray

Can a predator fall for his prey? For ambitious research assistant Calliope Wright, the opportunity to study an alien life-form is a dream come true. When the head scientist sends her into the dangerous monster’s cell, it feels like an opportunity to prove she can be more than just a notetaker and glorified coffee maker. As it turns out, the scientist has a more important role for her in mind, too: He intends for her to be the hungry extraterrestrial’s next meal. Trapped inside the cell, Calliope will do anything to survive, including seducing an alien who sees her as potential food. But the more she learns about the fierce and protective Subject X-11—a.k.a. X— the less certain she is that her affection for him is an act. And with every day he refuses to eat her, X is dying of starvation. When an opportunity for escape comes, Calliope will have to make a choice: Will she leave X to the mercy of the scientists and return to her lonely normal existence, or risk her life to save his? This is a prequel novella that takes place before (and during) the events of Monster Research Facility Book 1: The Nightmare’s Kiss. It can be read as a standalone.      AmazonKU

WHO DID THIS TO YOU? (SMUTT BOOKS SHORT ALIEN ROMANCE BOOK 13) by Deiri Di

Leaving the weight of a two decade long relationship behind, Róisín traded her stale earthbound love life for a luxurious space cruise, fully intending to relax among the aliens. Instead, she gets thrown headfirst into history as the point of First Contact for an undiscovered species. The main takeaway from her historic meeting? Alien pheromones are not subtle. Zandaor Exlith-Orvanis-Orkith doesn’t have time for distractions. His homeworld is facing total annihilation, and his scout ship’s priority is securing allies among the cruise’s multi-species passengers. Then he meets his assigned human guide. She’s stunning, stubborn, and, to his complete undoing, his true mate. Professional diplomacy goes out the airlock as Zandaor struggles to save his people while keeping his hands off the captivating female who has suddenly become his entire universe.      AmazonKU

COVETED BY THE THRAXOR  (STOLEN FROM EARTH BOOK SIX) by Callia Silver

He is one of the deadliest weapons the galaxy has ever built. She is the only thing that can save him. They call him the Thraxor. He is the last living weapon of a fallen empire, so dangerous that the most powerful beings in known space chose containment over killing him. Now he is dying behind a wall of alloy no force can break, starved for the one thing his makers built him to need: a bonded mate. Ruth Hobbs spent fifteen years as the most famous woman in Paris and felt almost nothing. Fame, fortune, men who would have burned empires down for one night with her… none of it ever reached the hollow place where a person is supposed to live. Then she hears about the monster the galaxy cannot kill and will not explain. Something in her wakes. She volunteers. She is warned. She is told he has already said no. She walks in anyway. What waits behind the mask is far more dangerous than Ruth expected: a being made for conquest, carrying three centuries of violence in his bones and a hunger he would rather die than use to bind another person. But every day she spends inside his cage reveals another piece of him his makers failed to destroy. And the closer Ruth gets, the harder it becomes to tell which of them is saving the other. He was built to bring worlds to their knees. She may be the first person who has ever asked what he wants.       AmazonKU

TAKEN AND TRACKED (ALIEN RECOVERY FILES BOOK TWO) by Lara Roth

NATALIE: I run the tightest security operation on the frontier, and a bonded male still vanished from my docking bay. His mate is dying by the minute. My rules failed. So I’ll use the weapon I have left: a Draelith tracker with a 94% success rate and a 100% rate of making my pulse do things I refuse to document. He runs hotter than humans. He purrs at a frequency I can feel in my spine. He says he should warn me about his anatomy, and the truly unprofessional part is how badly I want the briefing. TAEL: Her heartbeat changes when I enter a room. One beat, instantly controlled. She thinks I don’t hear it. I hear everything, her pulse, her breath, the way she smells like regulation soap and warm skin and mine. I can’t afford this. The trail leads back to the people who built me, and they teach one lesson above all: find what a male loves and he’s already yours. Every hour I spend memorizing the sound of her is an hour I’m loading the gun they’ll aim at me. Let them aim it. I’ve spent two years being careful. She’s worth the kill zone.       AmazonKU

CLAIMED BY THE KRAKEN (IN LOVE WITH A MONSTER) by Selyne Evernight

Lila only wanted answers. One solo dive into an uncharted trench to investigate strange bioluminescent pulses, and she planned to be back on the research vessel by nightfall. What she got was a massive, ancient kraken who took one taste of her scent, decided she was his fated mate, and dragged her straight to his glowing underwater lair. Voss has waited centuries in the crushing dark for the female meant for him. The second Lila enters his territory, every possessive instinct he owns detonates. He doesn’t ask permission. He claims—wrapping her in living tentacles, stretching her open, and flooding her with glowing seed that binds her to him forever. Trapped between the search boats calling her name on the surface and the overwhelming rightness of Voss’s coils, Lila has to choose: the lonely career waiting above the waves… or the monster who looks at her like she is the only light in the entire ocean. He is enormous. He is relentless. And he is already calling the clutch growing inside her ours.       AmazonKU      AB

POCKET WIFE by Cara Stone and Athena Storm

I don’t do attachments. I do verification. Clean rulings. Exit. Then the bond locks and every rule I lived by turns to ash. She’s human. Soft. Stubborn. Standing between her people and the ships like the universe owes her a favor. I was supposed to stay neutral. Instead I can’t stop calculating how to keep her within arm’s reach. She thinks this is still about land and law. It isn’t. It’s about the way her pulse jumps when I pull her against me. The way she fits like she was made to be carried. The way I already decided she’s not walking away from this. I don’t ask permission. I claim. I don’t promise safety. I promise she stays mine. Call it whatever you want. I call her my pocket wife.     AmazonKU

CAROUSEL by Beth Best

VS Note: Steampunk.

Ara knows the people who go into the sky do not come back. So she’s rightly terrified when she’s taken captive on a warship after saving the life of an enemy soldier, an act seen as treason by her harshly regimented country. In the sky, she’s put through a process known as Integration, designed by the ship’s eccentric captain to bring prisoners of war onto Hevalla’s side. Because Hevalla wants to use her, and the blood magic she and other Rhavnans might have, to bolster the war effort. But Ara is loyal. She knows what’s right. She won’t break that easily. And she won’t get distracted by a man she thought was dead, a former friend turned strict officer who wants to protect her…Or by the unnerving prisoner who came up with her, who just might make her powerful. “Maybe he’s not Rhavnan. Maybe he is, but he’s a spy. All I know is – and I know it now, in every fibre of my being – he’s dangerous.”   AmazonKU

CAPTURED BY THE KRIJESE (KRIJESE WARLORDS BOOK TWO) by Erin Hale

VS Note: See author’s note on re-release: “Author’s note: This book was previously published as Captured by the Alien Dad. It has been revised, expanded with new content, and re-edited.”

Ortak – I was a Krijese warlord. Born to fight. To kill. To destroy. Until I laid eyes on a sickly, orphaned kit nobody wanted. Then I became a gogo. Now I needed to protect. To guide. To care for a being other than myself. I’m content with only Gannen in my life. At least I thought I was. After our tribe leader found his mate, I can’t help but wish for a female of my own. Never would I have imagined I’d end up capturing one. Elodie – All my life I’ve been running. First, it was to a new job. Next, a new city. Then, an entirely new planet. Finally, it’s headlong into a hole dug into the ground. This is it, the end of the line for me. But when a large, alien male and his young son rescue me, I realize maybe I’ve found what’s been missing in my life and I need to stop running.     AmazonKU

FALLING FOR THE ALIEN WARRIOR by C L Mari

Pink-haired archivist Kayla meets pink-scaled alien warrior Kaz while traveling to Yolea, Kaz’s homeworld and Kayla’s new place of employment. Kayla is attracted to the pink-scaled alien, and Kaz seems to reciprocate the feeling. But when Kaz flees Kayla’s room, leaving her behind without a glance or explanation, she’s more confused than ever. Life on Yolea holds the promise of a future for them both. The question is, are stolen glances, roaming hands, and meddling friends enough for Kayla and Kaz to find their happily ever after?      AmazonKU

CRASH LANDED WITH MY WEREDRAGON (WEREDTAGON MATES BOOK ONE) by Celeste Raye

Crash-landing on an alien planet was never part of Marina Livingstone’s mission. Falling for the Weredragon who comes to her rescue definitely wasn’t. Toren is powerful, protective—and secretly a prince. He needs Marina’s help to save his dying world. She needs him to keep her crew alive on a planet filled with deadly creatures. As danger forces them closer, an unexpected attraction becomes something neither can deny. But when their ancient Weredragon bond awakens, Marina must decide if she’s willing to leave everything she knows behind for the alien male who has claimed her heart. Sometimes your perfect mate is the one you crash into.    AmazonKU

*******************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************

VS:  This week I’m featuring GABE from my backlist. He’s book five in the Badari Warriors series and here I upended a few assumptions by introducing a small group of genetically engineered Badari women into the mix. Gabe is one of my favorite people and I thought a cocky, hotshot pilot would be a good match for a strong Badari woman…

GABE (A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL): Sectors New Allies Series Book 5

Gabe Carter, hotshot pilot and ex-Special Forces soldier, is far from his home in the human Sectors, kidnapped by alien scientists to be the subject of horrifying experiments. Shot down by the enemy over desolate territory far from his Badari allies and gravely injured, Gabe’s only hope is a mysterious woman on the run herself.

Keshara has to decide whether to abandon the human to die of his injuries on a windswept mountain top or give up her own quest for freedom and take him to a place he can be helped. The undeniable spark between them complicates matters.
His attraction to her is off the charts but when she betrays him to the Khagrish enemy, Gabe doesn’t know what to believe. Trapped inside an alien lab bursting with mysteries and lies, his only hope may be to trust her…again.

Because the renegade alien scientist running her own private experiments wants to use him to accomplish her goals and perpetuate the evil, no matter what she has to do to ensure his compliance. Keshara’s life hangs in the balance and Gabe has to make a choice.

Amazon      Apple Books    Nook     Kobo     Google Play

************************* THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOKS (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

A DIVIDED BUTY: AN OCTOBER FAYE NOVEL by Seanan McGuire

October “Toby” Daye is settling into life with a baby, remembering the ins and outs of motherhood, and trying to find ways to balance her work with her desire to keep her baby safe at home and away from all the terrors Faerie has to offer. Her whole household is pitching in, from May all the way down to Raysel, the estranged daughter of Toby’s liege lord, who is currently serving out a term of offense in Toby’s home. Naturally, as everything is beginning to find a balance, it’s time for Raysel’s term of offense to end, and Luna Torquill very much wants her daughter back. But Toby has been helping Raysel get the help she desperately needs, from giving her a safe place to hide all the way to finding her a licensed therapist who works with the fae, and Raysel isn’t ready to leave. Luna isn’t taking no for an answer, and before anyone can realize what she’s planning, she steals her own child away to Blind Michael’s lands. Not even Luna knows all the terrible secrets her father and his works hid from the world, and not even she can protect her daughter from the monsters in their lineage. All too quickly, Toby must race the clock to save Raysel—before it’s too late for her to ever come home. It’s been years, but now the question will be asked again: can she get there and back by the light of a candle?         Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

THE BEAR KING’S BRIDE: WYLDING KINGDOMS by S C Principale

Girion the Great is a scarred shifter king who needs no one. His heart is locked in ice, just like the tundra-locked kingdom he rules. But when a lack of magical blood in the ruling house threatens the kingdom’s survival, he must seek a bride or risk his people. They will be allies. Nothing more. Jocasta, a human mage from a poor fishing village, uses her magic for healing and helping. She has no royal aspirations, and no illusions about falling in love, not until the hulking figure of a polar bear shifter seeks her help – and her hand. He’ll erase her family’s debts, look into the corrupt practices keeping her family poor, and make her his queen. They will be allies. Nothing more. Until sparks ignite that threaten to melt the snow beneath their feet and the frozen cages around their hearts… If they can survive the forces threatening to undermine their love and the kingdom’s existence.    AmazonKU

BEAUTY’S BEAST (FAIRLY GODDESS SERIES BOOK TWO) by Amanda Kimberley

She survived monsters, but falling for one might break her. Beauty survived the impossible during a war like no other and learned to navigate a fragile post-war world where power is the only currency that matters. But none of it prepared her for him. Bennet is danger wrapped in loyalty. A wolf who would burn the world to protect what he loves. Every instinct tells Beauty to keep her distance, yet every moment near him makes that impossible. As secrets surface and old enemies refuse to stay buried, Beauty finds herself drawn deeper into a bond neither of them can ignore. A bond that could change everything they’ve ever known. Because loving Bennet doesn’t just risk her heart. It risks everything she’s fought to protect. And the closer she gets to the wolf who refuses to leave her side, the more she fears the truth. Beauty’s Beast may be her greatest strength. Or the one thing that finally breaks her. This slow burn romantasy is packed with a powerful fox shifter heroine, a fiercely loyal red wolf alpha hero, and a fated matebond that could destroy them both.

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

HOW TO CATCH A HELLHOUND (HELLHOUNDS OF PARADISE FALLS BOOK SIX) by Shannon Mae

VS Note: MM Fantasy.

Paul – I’m not exactly sure how I became sheriff of Paradise Falls, but I take the protection of the people in my town seriously. That even includes Jude, who’s constantly pulling pranks in the hopes of getting arrested. I know he’s flirting with me, but how can someone as damaged as me be a match for his eternal good cheer? Never mind the fact that I may also be losing my mind—I’m getting crazy feelings about people, and the urge to act on them is getting stronger. My goal has always been to save people, not to harm them. Something is changing, though, and I’m not sure who I am anymore. Jude – Being an assassin and a hellhound is all-around fun, and teasing my sexy sheriff makes my life complete. Lately, though, something’s been wrong with Paul. He’s been cranky and secretive, and I’m determined to get to the bottom of it. Is something from Paul’s past haunting him? Because if someone needs killing, then I’ll be happy to do it. Although maybe it’s time to show the sheriff what he’s really capable of. He’s a kindred spirit—I can sense it—and I’m only too happy to show him how hellhounds take care of the bad guys.     AmazonKU      AB

CROWNED BY THE ROGUE VAMPIRES by Michele Mills

Two powerful vampire ex-soldiers keep showing up at my job. Every. Single. Night. Sebastian is all charm—flirty smiles, teasing words, his fingers brushing mine when I hand over his drink. Maxim is the opposite. He’s intense and brooding, doesn’t speak much, and stares at me until I forget how words work. I’m a disaster around them. Dropping trays. Spilling drinks. Tripping over air. Very professional, Wren. Here’s the thing I can’t admit to anyone: I’m attracted to both of them. BOTH. At the same time. That’s not normal, right? I should pick one. A normal girl would pick one. But every time I try to choose, my brain just… breaks. It doesn’t matter anyway. They’re both legendary vampire royalty, banished from court, and I’m simply a human waitress. This is a fantasy that’s never going to happen. Then I get stranded in a snowstorm. My car slides off the road. No cell signal. I’m freezing and terrified. Two massive figures emerge from the blizzard and pull me from the car. “You will stay with us for the night,” they say, bringing me to their compound. “Until the storm passes.” Eyes black. Fangs bared. “You’re ours,” Sebastian growls. “Both of ours,” Maxim rasps. Wait. I don’t have to choose?       AmazonKU

MALICE IN E MINOR (BLACKVALE ACADEMY BOOK ONE) by JB Trepagnier

Busking in the subway on Halloween to pay my rent literally changed my life.  I was two seconds from getting evicted when I got fired because some rich prat dined and dashed. I hauled my beat up violin to the subway to play for tips when it all changed. I had no idea that was Doctor Faustus of Blackvale Academy who stopped to listen to me play Danse Macabre because it was Halloween until he handed me his card and offered me a full scholarship with living expenses paid. Blackvale is the grad school to go to if you want a professional career in the arts. It’s super competitive to get in and I never tried because I’d never be able to afford the tuition. Except something isn’t right. Some of the students here are already famous. They don’t need to be here. Misha Petrovitch, Orion Hart, and Azriel Ivy took the classical world by storm five years ago. Orion composed the music and played the piano, Misha choreographed solos and danced to it, and Azriel designed sets and painted on stage while Misha and Orion performed. One of those paintings costs more than I’d ever make in my life time. Except they had a very public meltdown on stage about a year ago, canceled a sold out tour, and disappeared. They don’t need Blackvale Academy. If they announced another tour tomorrow, it would sell out. They don’t like me asking questions either. If that wasn’t weird enough, there’s Mephistopheles. I don’t even know if he’s a student or a teacher. Every time I book a practice room, he slips in to watch and refuses to leave..Mephistopheles keeps telling me not to trust anyone here and don’t accept anything from anyone, even an invitation for the audition of my dreams. But isn’t that the whole point of being here?      AmazonKU

FERALHEART (KINGDOM OF STOLEN WINGS BOOK ONE) by Alaya Wells

If I win the dragon race, I’ll be granted a wish that could save my dying brother. The problem? I’m a stable hand with forbidden magic who has never ridden a dragon, and the Scorching is the elite’s favorite culling. Cutthroat riders and battle-trained dragons. Trials that measure survival in blood. And nobles betting on how fast commons like me break. Then a wild dragon claims me. Bonds like this belong only to the nobility, not servants. But Selira chooses me. She doesn’t care about their rules, and neither can I, not if I hope to survive what comes next. Because Prince Fenian was bred to win this race. He’s cold, controlled, and unnervingly good at saving my life. I don’t trust him. The elite never give without taking. But his dragon is dying, and desperation makes us allies in a game where only one can win. Now I’m caught between a bond that shouldn’t exist, a prince with secrets that could shatter us both, and a kingdom determined to keep me in chains. The wish could save my brother. But surviving to claim it means breaking every rule—and trusting a prince who could be my salvation or my ruin.      AmazonKU

NOTES OF CHANGE (EGYPTIAN EMPIRE) by Laura Greenwood

VS Note: FF Fantasy.

Kat has been given a chance at a new life, so long as she isn’t too scared to take it. After growing up in a life of crime, Kat has an opportunity to train as a musician at the Temple of Hathor, and she’s determined to make the most of it. But life on Temple Street is different from what she’s used to, and it’s taking more time to adjust than she’d like. And then there’s her ex. Eirene has made it clear that she wants to try again, but with Kat now part of Eirene’s world, she’s starting to wonder whether she’s good enough for her. Can Kat find what she’s looking for in her new life? Notes of Change is a standalone set in the Egyptian Empire series. It is a modern fantasy set in an alternative version of Paris where the Egyptian Empire never fell. It includes a sapphic (f/f) workplace second chance romance. If you love Egyptian mythology, alternative worlds, temple politics, and workplace romances, you should start The Egyptian Empire world books today!       Amazon   Apple Books     Kobo

DEVOTED: D’IMMORTALI VAMPIRE MAFIA DYNASTY BOOK THREE by L A McGinnis

The strongest bonds are forged in blood. And breaking them comes at a deadly price. Emberline never expected to be bound to three powerful vampires, but fate had other plans. Now she finds herself caught between passion, danger, and a destiny that could destroy them all. Her bargain with Dante was never supposed to become love. Yet their arranged marriage has deepened into something real. Gabriel was raised to rule the mafia empire. Taught to be cold. Untouchable. Merciless. But Ember is the one weakness he never saw coming until she owned his heart. Nico Draconi has always used his charm to keep the darkest parts of himself hidden. But his armor is cracking, and the truth he’s buried is clawing its way free—a dangerous secret bound by forbidden magic, one he swore would never see the light of day. As their enemies close in, Nico must choose: continue pretending to be someone he’s not, or embrace a destiny steeped in death and darkness—and risk losing Emberline forever. When Ember and her three vampire mates choose between protecting their bond and saving the empire, they discover survival will demand the ultimate sacrifice. But in the D’Immortali Dynasty, everyone goes down fighting.      AmazonKU

HUNTING ZAKI: BLACK PNR (WINTERMOON SHORTS BOOK SEVEN) by Tessa Stone

The Bouda do not kneel. Zaki made sure of that — crossing an ocean on bare feet and fury, tracking the scattered survivors of her massacred clan through territories that wanted her dead. She returns to Wintermoon with a handful of Bouda and the scars to prove what it cost her. She has a village waiting, a queen who needs her, and a duty that leaves no room for anything else. Then Tau arrives. The alpha of a displaced lion pride, migrating to Wintermoon with what remains of his people after a war he almost lost. He fought for his land until there was nothing left to fight for, and the shame of surrender sits in him like a second heartbeat. He did not come to Wintermoon to start over. He came because there was nowhere else to go. A sovereign warrior and a fallen alpha. Both carrying the weight of the people they saved and the ones they could not. When Zaki’s ridge drops without her permission the first time his scent reaches her, she does what any Bouda warrior would do — she ignores it. When Tau’s lion goes still in his chest the moment she walks past him, he does what no displaced alpha should do — he follows her. But Mother Fate does not care about pride, duty, or the walls two stubborn shifters have built around their grief. The mate bond is already burning, and Tau is not the kind of man who lets his prey walk away.       AmazonKU

BOUND BY THE SAVAGE MOON (BONDS OF SILVER AND SPELL BOOK ONE) by Hannah Haze

An enemies-to-lovers why choose romance where fate bites deep, desire is dangerous, and love is most definitely forbidden. I was trained to kill shifters—not fall into their arms. I clawed my way out of the orphanage to the top of the academy—twenty stars on my belt, one for every shifter I’ve killed, and a single promise in my heart: make them pay for the family they stole from me. Then one mistake sends me plummeting toward death—and into the grasp of the enemy’s most feared alpha. He doesn’t kill me. He saves me. Then he sinks his teeth into my arm and marks me as his mate, binding me to the monster I swore to destroy. A mage marked by a shifter is a dead mage. A mage who hides it is a traitor. If the academy finds the bite, I won’t be punished. I’ll be erased. But the wound won’t heal. My senses are sharpening into something inhuman. I’m becoming the very thing I’ve spent my whole life learning to hate—and the alpha whose bond now runs in my blood isn’t the only one who’s caught my scent. A masked executioner is closing in on a bitten mage. A wolf who’s seen me in his visions won’t let me go. And something ancient is waking in the mountains—something that will hunt us all. I belonged to no one. Now fate has decided I belong to them.      AmazonKU

HOT GHOST SUMMER: MM PNR by Sam Northman

Haunting #434: Plot 47 (Bowen’s Farm) – Number of ghosts: 76 – Location: Clawson & Stoker Land Development Group, Cockfosters, London Borough of Enfield. Wanted: A swift and discrete resolution. Bonus offered. Sometimes, dying can change your life…Paranormal expert Hollis Nachtmann is close to completing the first-ever ghosthunting app. All he needs is to study a few remaining entities, and survive another month with ExorSquad: the UK’s shadiest ghost-busting operation. When a strategic land development group offers ExorSquad a tidy sum if they’ll exorcise whatever haunts Plot 47, Hollis has an opportunity to fill a gap in his database… The problem? He has to take new recruit, Theo Irving, with him. The former country-bumpkin-turned-city-boy hasn’t completed basic training, let alone encountered a ghost. So when the incomplete building rattles and shakes, Theo’s mischievous grin is useless. When a menacing apparition manifests, his need to be the centre of attention is an unwanted complication. And, when a blast from his plasma ray kills Hollis outright, Theo’s spicy attitude can’t bring his mentor back to life. As a technomancer, Hollis has to navigate not only electrical systems, but those constant little zaps firing between him and his murderer. To help Hollis ‘move on’, they’re forced to work together to solve the haunting, but when it turns more dangerous than anyone predicted, could Hollis become the spark that keeps Theo’s heart beating?      AmazonKU

THROUGH FIRE REDEEMED (NIGHT ELVES OF  ABREIA BOOK THREE) by Kenley Davidson

Night elf legends speak of the lost Valley of Mists, where an immortal king lies trapped in eternal sleep, awaiting the fated bride who will free him from this curse…When aspiring scholar Camryn Halivard braved the deadly wilderness of Dunmaren in search of a folk tale, she did not expect to find a story without an ending. Still less did she expect to be rescued by a lethal but beautiful shapeshifter, who demands a terrible price in exchange…Break the curse or die trying. After centuries of a cursed existence, Xaviel lives only to protect the king who is closer to him than a brother. So when fate casts the fiercely brilliant but innocent Ryn as the bride who can finally free them from their soul-crushing prison, Xavi knows but one thing…Even if his heart shatters, she can never be his. From an enchanted labyrinth filled with monsters to the thorny coils of twisted fae bargains, Xavi and Ryn must endure trials that may break them… or forge them anew. But whether they win or lose, the final page of this legend will at last be written. Will it be a timeless love story, or a star-crossed tale of tragedy and sacrifice? The answer awaits.       AmazonKU      AB

THRESHING DAY (THE EMPYREAN) by Rebecca Yarros

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid ruthless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ultimate fate—and where a single choice can forge a rider…or destroy them.
Xaden Riorson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearless rider. Brennan Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister. On Threshing Day, there’s only one rule: don’t die. The ebook edition of Threshing Day features fifteen beautiful original black-and-white illustrations by artist Joe Requeza.     Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

DEAD TO ME (GULF COAST REAPER MYSTERIES BOOK TWO) by Tegan Maher

Rule 1: Never, ever let a dead guy talk you into a cheeseburger!
Being a reaper’s an easy gig as long as you follow the rules. The problem is, I’ve never been much good at that, especially when it comes to ignoring people who are talking to me. It seemed harmless enough, but when a client refused to go with me until he went to his favorite burger joint one last time just to say goodbye to an ex who’s not exactly upset he’s dead, it was the beginning of the end of my peaceful week. Sure, I passed on the word for him, but little did I know I’d end up investigating a murder before I even finished my fries. Now the soul’s on the run, a murderer’s on the loose, and it’s my tail on the line if I can’t get it sorted before my higher-ups find out.      AmazonKU

MOTH TO A FLAME by Ava Thorne

A curse twisted every word she spoke. She’d given up all hope, until he–quite literally–crashed into her life. Lucia Atropa has the most dangerous garden in Pumpkin Hollow and a curse she can’t escape. Every word she speaks twists in the ears of those around her, a parting gift from her family for speaking up about their patenting of folk remedies. She’s done trying to be understood. Her night-blooming flowers never ask her to explain herself, and she busies herself in her work, even as the loneliness creeps closer every night. She didn’t account for a six-foot-something Mothman with wings, a leather jacket, and a ridiculously strong affinity for lamps. Hawk Acheron just does the deliveries. He doesn’t settle down, always on the move for good reasons he doesn’t talk about. But when a broken Moon Queen flower dusts them both with its pollen, suddenly he can feel everything Lucia is feeling and for the first time in years, someone actually understands her. Now they’re stuck within each other until Halloween, when they can to break the bond for good. Surely nothing could come from two emotionally stunted people spending the most magically potent time of the year forced to stay near someone who can read their every feeling like a book. No reason why this should become anything more than a temporary inconvenience. Except the counter-spell requires them to both truly want it broken. For a witch who’s been betrayed by everyone she trusted and a mothman who’s spent his life taking care of others, choosing to trust is scarier than any Halloween fright. For two very lonely people, one fateful delivery leads to a whole lot more than a broken greenhouse window.       AmazonKU

BREADKNIVES AND BROOMSTICKS: SAPPHIC COZY FANTASY by Marie Cardno

When a magical catastrophe leaves half-troll Runa stranded far from her adventuring party, she holes up in the nearest shelter she can find: an abandoned bakery in Pothollow, a town whose quirky inhabitants jump at the chance to have someone else do their doughy work… despite the fact that Runa can’t tell a croissant from a crossbow. Runa has spent most of her life avoiding what she’s meant to be. For the first time, she discovers what she wants to be, instead. Even if she’s really, really bad at it. But when a knife-wielding priestess with the best hair she’s ever seen appears in her basement, Runa’s new life crumbles around her. Pothollow isn’t just the coziest and most strangely welcoming place she’s ever had the luck to stumble into – it’s also home to a hive of secrets. And Runa’s own secrets might bring it all down in flames.     Amazon

THE TRAVELER (SENTINELS OF MAGIC BOOK FOUR) by T M Cromer

For years, Alexander Castor has used his time-traveling ability to outrun his enemies, staying one step ahead and keeping his secrets buried in the past. Trust is a luxury he can’t afford. And relationships? Yeah, they’re a dangerous liability. But when his best friend, the Aether, sends him on a mission with Josie Stephens, a fiercely independent witch with a gift for unraveling truths, his carefully constructed walls start to crack. The Authority is hunting them. The future is uncertain. And the only constant is the woman he was never supposed to fall for.      AmazonKU

SAVED BY THE VAMPIRE THIEF (DARK WINE VAMPIRES BOOK TWO) by Jenna Barwin

Christopher – I’ve spent years surviving alone. Stealing from the ruins of the old world is easier than caring about anyone. Far less painful. After everything I’ve lost, I’ve sworn never to risk my heart again. Then I break into an abandoned missile silo…and meet her. Maria is fierce, beautiful, and determined to protect her daughter. When her arrow flies toward my heart, instinct takes over. I shoot. Maria – The man invading my home isn’t just a thief. He’s a vampire. I’ve buried two husbands. I won’t let my daughter become a monster’s next meal. But when his bullet tears through me, death is certain. Instead of leaving me to die, he saves me. Now I’m bound to a brooding vampire haunted by regret—a man who never wanted the responsibility of a widow and her child. Together, we’ll have to survive the dangers of a post-Collapse world…and the feelings for each other neither of us want.   AmazonKU

MOONLIT BITES (SPICE-TEMBER) by Brianna Malotke

Welcome to Howling Point, where love & magic collide! Now that monsters roam the earth out in the open, finding your fated mate should be easier. Right? But love is never cookie cutter perfect. Mia Wilson did what she said she never would. She uprooted her life for a guy. Everything revolved around him and his success. Until she caught him cheating and that was the nail the coffin. Now she’s determined to put herself first. Mia has sworn off men, moved states, and is throwing herself into her journalism career. But when she meets her next-door neighbor Felix, she’s thrown for a loop. Mia just came out of a terrible relationship. Does healing from heartache have a timeline? Felix is everything she’s ever wanted in a partner. Can she open herself up one more time? Or risk her shot at love? Felix Forney is a wolf shifter. Not a werewolf. As a composer and audio engineer he’s often fully immersed in his job. But he longs for love. He’s tired of being a third wheel to all the town’s events. He wants a real connection and he’s willing to wait for his fated mate. Even if means spending decades alone. When Mia moves in next door, he knows instantly that she’s the one. He even says those three little words WAY too fast – “You’re my mate.” Felix agrees to go slow and offers to help her with her current work project. They find themselves getting closer with each interaction. But, with secrets that linger beneath the surface, can the two of them agree to give in to fate and open themselves up to love?      AmazonKU

THE DEVOURING TIME: A WIDDERSHINS UNIVERSE NOVEL by Jordan L Hawk

I wasn’t even supposed to be there. My business partner, James—co-owner of Forgotten Folios Rare Book Shop—is the one who meets with clients. But an accident kept him in New York, so I took the train to Hart’s Leap, Massachusetts, to meet with eccentric book collector Zebulon Hart. I was the one who walked through the eerie marsh with its strange sculptures. Who knocked on the door of the old manor in the middle of nowhere. Who was attacked and drugged by my host. Now I’ve awakened a year and a half later, with no memory of anything that happened during that time. I don’t know where I am, or why someone is trying to kill me. My only ally is the insurance investigator who says he’s been pursuing me for the last few months. According to him, I stole a rare book, and his firm wants it back. I have to find out what happened during my missing year. Because it’s not just my fate that depends on it. It’s all of humanity’s.

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MOONLIGHT MINGLE (SPICE-TEMBER) by K R Hall

College senior Clare Bennett finds herself at a bonfire in Gettysburg, PA, surrounded by friends and the eerie tales of the Headless Fiend. But when her friends dared her to go on a blind date to the Halloween party with someone dressed as the infamous legend, Clare never expected actually to encounter the real thing. The Headless Fiend, known for taking the souls of the dying to Hell, arrives at the Halloween party to collect a soul. But when he sees Clare, he is immediately transfixed by her pure soul. He can’t help but be drawn to her, even though he knows he shouldn’t interfere with the natural order of things. Unaware of the danger she’s in, Clare mistakes the real Headless Fiend for her blind date. And as their night together progresses, she begins to realize that there may be more to this mysterious figure than meets the eye.       Amazon

TREATED BY THE OGRE (SPICE-TEMBER) by Jilli Waters

Everyone knows ogres don’t get loved. But that isn’t going to stop Kresh from treating her like a princess. I’m starting my new life post-divorce: new job, new town, new outlook on life. And my own guiding rule: don’t rely on any man. After my car breaks down on my way to a Halloween party, right in front of the ogre’s house, I’m forced to ask for a ride. He’s green, burly, and incredibly grumpy. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? How can I hold onto my resolve when Kresh’s treats overwhelm all my senses?     AmazonKU

LET SLEEPING VAMPIRES LIE  (MAGICAL MIDLIFE DEATH BOOK 18) by Tia Didmon

Power is rising. Love is dangerous. And I’m running out of time. Shadow Bone is cracking at the seams. Rene grows weaker, Siris pushes for change, and I hide the magic scars spreading beneath my skin When a new lead on the Pentacoris surfaces, it drags us into Marcus Lindholme’s secrets and deeper into danger than we expected. Club Spice gives us truths none of us want, and Constantine keeps begging me to stop using magic before it destroys me. I can’t. Not when Raven and Rene’s lives hang in the balance. Not when assassins strike again and Raven falls to a poisoned blade. Every use drains me. Every surge pulls me closer to the edge. And Constantine won’t leave my side, even when I’m the one who might destroy him. The final clue leads us to an underground auction, crawling with enhanced mercenaries and shadowed by Valerian’s presence. He watches, amused, certain I’ll break long before he does. If killing Valerian costs me everything, do I save my clan… or the vampire willing to fall with me?       AmazonKU

ENCHANTED (HOPELESS BLESSED) by Lark Taylor

VS Note: MM PNR.

Every man I’ve ever hit on has been in a relationship. Why should it be any different with my fated mate? For weeks, I’ve been able to feel my fated mate but unable to find him. Something, or someone, is hiding him from me. When fate finally leads me to him, it’s not in the way I’m expecting. I find my mate dying on the ground. I don’t think. I just heal him. For a few blissful seconds, I’m happy. I finally know who my mate is. Ethan Routliff. The most beautiful man I’ve ever met. But before we can walk the path to our happily ever after, Ethan says the words I’ve heard a thousand times before. “I have a boyfriend.” Never had I imagined that fate would be so cruel. I walk away from him, knowing I can’t make him choose me. I won’t. What I don’t realise is that it wasn’t only Ethan’s injuries I healed that day, but something far more sinister. A disease that was poised to take him from me forever. As Ethan and I become friends, I learn that my mate has been through more than I can ever imagine. And that there’s someone else who wants him. Not his boyfriend. No, someone far more dangerous than anyone I’ve ever come across before.       AmazonKU

TOXIC DESIRES (LOVING MONSTERS BOOK 10) by Faedra Rose

It’s All Hallows’ Eve and Heather Lowes is finally taking a long overdue vacation. Landing in Hawaii, the curvy botanist is ready to unwind and embrace paradise…With a mind to explore the island’s unique beauty, she sets off on an adventure, drawn into the lush, tropical forest beyond her villa by a strange and alluring scent. What she finds slumbering beneath the moonlight in the darkness will change her life forever. She had every intention of connecting with nature while on holiday—but it seems the magic of Halloween has interpreted her desires rather literally.     Amazon        Apple Books       Kobo

LADY OF UNCANNY CHARMS (WHIMBREL HOUSE BOOK FIVE) by Charlie N Holmberg

Owein arrives in England to marry Lady Cora of Leiningen, his dearest friend and confidante he’s known mostly through letters. However, Queen Victoria has other plans in store for the centuries-old wizard. The queen is obsessed with preserving magic, and she believes Owein is the key to pursuing her lofty ambitions. Torn from his family, his home, and his betrothed, Owein is pushed into the Queen’s League of Magicians, where he learns the Crown’s upheaval of his life is only the beginning of his problems. Meanwhile Cora must push aside her broken heart and use her own spells and resources to uncover truths the queen wants hidden. As new threats, former loves, untapped spells, and even older souls than Owein collide, his next choice could be his last: forfeit his heart, body, and magic to the insidious machinations of the Crown, or commit treason against it.      Amazon      AB

RAFE (IMMORTALS OF NEW ORLEANS) by Kym Grosso

He’s a hybrid who shouldn’t exist. She’s the human who shouldn’t be his. In the French Quarter, fated magick is a beautiful lie. The truth? It could cost them everything. Once brought to the brink of death and reborn through ancient vampire blood and dark magick, Alpha Rafe Beaumont is part wolf, part vampire, a rare hybrid cursed with a bloodlust he never chose. Forged by the power of the most notorious witch in New Orleans, his existence is a living nightmare. But one reckless night, fate puts Skylar Hemlock in his path, and Rafe’s tenuous control begins to shatter. Skylar doesn’t indulge in the supernatural world, let alone date immortals. But a chance encounter with the seductive Alpha sends her spiraling into a world of immortal power plays and a dangerously addictive attraction she can’t escape. A terrifying brush with the undead leaves her with every reason to fear the monsters lurking in the shadows. With darkness closing in, Rafe must decide how far he’s willing to go to save the woman he craves. Their attraction is forbidden, and loving Skylar could cost him everything. In a world ruled by blood, magick, and immortal power, desire can be as deadly as evil itself.

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BONE COLLECTOR’S MATE: MM MPREG SHIFTER ROMANCE (ALPHAS OF WHISPER GROVE BOOK THREE) by Lorelai M Hart

A lost wolf pup, a pair of broken glasses, and the alpha Fate sent to save the day. So feared no one dares whisper my name. When they catch me out of the corner of their eye they turn their head and deny seeing a thing. When others mention seeing me, they say, “No, you didn’t.” They wish I didn’t exist. I am an alpha. But not the kind anyone wants. My purpose is to watch over the dead. To gather their bones when something has gone wrong. I hang them as wind chimes in the trees, hoping the music will soothe their restless souls when all the pieces can’t be fit back together. They call me macabre. Morbid. Evil. I’m none of those things. When I wander into Whisper Grove, a hidden haven for paranormals, shifters, witches, and otherworldly beings like me, I think I’ve finally found a place to belong. A small town even a bone collector alpha might call home. But there’s one thing I want more than sanctuary. An omega. An omega to claim. To cherish. To protect. An omega who won’t look at me and see only death. In Whisper Grove, Fate has a way of binding souls together and, for the first time in my cursed existence, I wonder if even someone like me deserves a mate.     AmazonKU

MILKED BY THE BULL SHIFTER NEXT DOOR (MONSTERS OF MOSSWOOD BOOK THREE) by Ami Wright

Would you sign up to be a hucow for the bull shifter next door? My life is collapsing around me. My fiance calls off our wedding at the altar after I get the bad news that I probably can’t have children. How do I break the news to my parents and family, who expected me to be married with five kids already by thirty? Unable to face them all, I escape to the little cottage in the tiny town that my abuela left me in her will. I’m starting over: new town, new life, new me. OK, maybe I’m in denial and hiding from my problems, but can you blame me? I’m preparing to take up the lifestyle of an angry hermit, when I manage to lock myself out in the middle of a thunderstorm. Luckily my new next door neighbor is there to rescue me. Colton is a pro athlete, so he’s tall and built, but he’s also an absolute sweetheart. Oh, and did I mention he’s a bull shifter and a single dad? I was not prepared for the way he fills out a pair of gray sweatpants, or his scent after his morning run. Not that I’m looking—or sniffing him! I’m still recovering from a broken heart, and besides, Colton has his hands full. His nanny quit and his new baby son isn’t sleeping and things aren’t going well for his team. What this single dad really needs is someone to nurse his baby boy. Turns out bovine shifter magic can help with that…Can I really go through with the very intimate ritual necessary to give me what might be my only chance to nurse a baby? The very intimate ritual that involves milking him before he milks me… A better question is, can I really go through with the ritual without wishing humans had fated mates so Colton could be mine?         AmazonKU

HOW TO RETURN FROM THE GRAVE (REAPER’S MATE BOOK TWO) by Nancey Cummings

Geri won’t apologize. She broke the rules to save her sister, now she’s under review by Management. No big deal. She’s taking it in stride. She’s even growing closer to her reaper, Bazel. There’s a connection between them, something otherworldly, and it thrills her. The kisses aren’t so bad either. One problem. The dead won’t stay dead.

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ORC’S BONES (VEIL LANDS BOOK 15) by Cyn Blade and Milly Taiden

Welcome to the Veil lands, where monsters are the only ones who can save you. Xya: I was exiled for proving our sacred rules were a lie. Now the Dominion is dying, and they’re forced to crawl back to me. An ancient magic is unravelling the bone-stone of this city, and the only man standing in the ruins is a brutal Orc warlord. Thruk Varyn is seven feet of dangerous power, dark ancestral ink, and terrifying control. My job is to untangle the deadly corruption in his fortress, but being near him sets my skin on fire—and triggers a raw, possessive violence he can barely restrain. Every instinct screams to run before his power consumes me. He marked me as a threat. I’m becoming the temptation that will break him. Thruk: An exile returned. I’m bound to destroy anything that threatens my bloodline. Then a dangerous bone witch walks into my city with wildfire in her eyes. A woman I should keep behind bars. Instead, she looks at the monster in my chest and doesn’t flinch. When the dark magic forces us together in the crypts, she doesn’t back down—she pins me with her gaze and demands all of me. Now a forbidden connection burns between us, binding my soul to hers. I was built to destroy my enemies. She’s making me hungry to claim her instead.   AmazonKU

HOWL LOTTA LOVE (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BEEOK 114) by Milly Taiden

Forensic accountant Emma Burke likes balanced books, color-coded highlighters, and men who don’t make her forget her own name. Then she uncovers a charity embezzlement scheme, someone tries to silence her, and she crashes straight into Jace Maddox—six-foot-plus of muscle, expensive suit, and the kind of stare that makes her nipples tighten. Gerri Wilder calls it excellent timing. Emma calls it a problem. Wolf Alpha and security CEO Jace Maddox knows exactly what Emma is the second she lands against his chest. His mate. She’s smart, stubborn, mouthy, and sexy enough to make his wolf pace every time she gets close. When Gerri suggests a fake engagement to keep Emma protected, Jace is all in. Sharing his home? Easy. Putting his hands on her in public? Even better. Pretending those kisses don’t make him want to drag her into bed? That part might kill him. Now Emma is dodging killers, chasing stolen millions, and sleeping far too close to one possessive Alpha who keeps reminding her exactly how convincing a fiancé should be. But when the people behind the theft threaten Jace’s pack and come after Emma again, fake stops being an option. Jace wants his mate claimed, Emma wants the bad guys destroyed, and Gerri just wants to know whether she should order chocolate or vanilla wedding cake.       AmazonKU

EASY TIGER by Vixen Voss and Milly Taiden

Every instinct tells me to claim her. Every rule I’ve ever lived by tells me I can’t. Halsey Gallagher came to Red Pine to disappear. Sketch the trees, forget the scandal, be left alone. Just one problem…
She has no idea she already belongs to me. One scent on a mountain trail and the bond hits like a lightning strike. It’s sudden, absolute, undeniable. My tiger begs me to take her. Even as my law tells me to keep our secret. She’s sharp-eyed, guarded, healing from a wound she won’t talk about. She’s also completely human, which means she has no idea what just found her in these woods. She thinks she’s just drawing wildlife. She’s about to learn one of the things she’s been sketching has been watching her back, every single day, and has no intention of stopping. I’ve hidden what I am my whole life. For her, I’m done hiding.       AmazonKU

THE INVISIBLE ROOMMATE: A NOVEL by Timothy Janovsky

VS Note: MM PNR.

Gerard Wells loves music but hates fame —not ideal when he’s the youngest member of the chart-topping band of brothers, We the Wells. Cracking under the spotlight, Gerard runs away to a small, remote island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. There, he goes by “James” and takes up residence in a crumbling Victorian house on the island’s shrinking shoreline. Little does he know, he’s not the studio apartment’s only inhabitant…Mysterious and moody Emory Griffin never planned to be a test subject for his own groundbreaking invisibility research. He also never planned on sharing a room with a world-famous pop star, but needs must when you’re an unemployed graduate school drop-out who’s wanted by the local police. With nowhere else to turn, the unlikely pair agree to be temporary roommates. Their forced proximity and vulnerability lead to an unexpected romantic spark. As Halloween approaches, their secrets and feelings grow harder to keep hidden, testing the strength of their newfound bond. Could this be a love that neither of them saw coming or an experiment set to go horribly wrong?      Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

BLUE MOON WITCH ACADEMY YEAR THREE by Annalise Clark

My mother is home. My magic is finally awake. And the people I love have made me a promise I’m choosing to believe. Now I just have to survive long enough to deserve it. The Hollow Court has been hiding something for a hundred years — a truth so dangerous that people staged their deaths to protect it, sealed their children’s magic to bury it, and built an entire shadow-government inside the High Court to make sure it never saw daylight. I know what it is now. I know where the pieces are. And the woman who’s spent forty-two years keeping it hidden knows I’m coming for her. She isn’t going to wait quietly. This is the year everything I’ve been building toward either works or it doesn’t. The year my father tries to earn something I haven’t let myself give him yet. The year Robin and Poppy and I stop being careful about what we are to each other. The year I find out exactly what it costs to be the witch the High Court spent my entire life trying to make invisible. Some truths can’t stay buried forever. I’m about to make sure of it.       AmazonKU

LOVER ENTHRONED (BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD BOOK 24) by J R Ward

Allhan, a computer genius who works for the Brotherhood, has a deadly secret. Torn between what he must do and his increasing attachment to Vishous, he’s not looking for any more complications in his life. He’s not going to survive the one he has. A Royal Future – Princess Dennesha, heir to the throne of the Shadows, is a live-and-let-die kind of female. At least until she finds herself tangling in the destiny of a human—even though it goes against her every instinct and all common sense. A Terrible Choice – When Allhan and Denne meet by chance, their passion is undeniable. But a rare astrological event triggers a crossroads for the Princess to choose between love and duty: either mate a male she doesn’t love and assume the throne, or stay true to her heart and condemn the Territory to destruction. With Allhan fighting his conscience—and a lesser who’s after Wrath and the Brothers—can the two find a way out of their fates? Or are they doomed to grieve a love that could never be for eternity.

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POTIONS AND PAW PRINTS by Fleur DeVillainy

For Evie Hawthorne, Halloween is the busiest season of the year. Guests are piling into her family’s haunted bed-and-breakfast, her aunts are up to their usual matchmaking tricks, and the resident ghosts are feeling extra mischievous. The last thing she needs is romance. But when a rugged jaguar shifter checks in and accidentally gets mistaken for her boyfriend, Evie seizes the chance to silence the gossip. All they have to do is fake a relationship until Halloween passes—but nothing in Moon Hollow ever goes according to plan. Between midnight ghost hunts, enchanted pumpkin patches, and one too many “pretend” kisses, Evie and Liam find themselves caught in a whirlwind of autumn magic. And as Halloween draws near, they’ll have to decide if their love story is only for show… or the beginning of something truly magical.     AmazonKU

OCTOPI MY HEART by Amanda Meuwissen

VS Note: An expanded re-release. LGBTQ+ Fantasy.

Maybe fairy tales are worth believing in…Daren Montgomery is a fisherman in his small hometown on the coast of Nova Scotia. His heart is as empty as the waters in winter—until he meets Lilo, a beautiful creature of the ocean depths that Daren never believed could be real. Their courtship may be a fairy tale, but the gentle curl of a tentacle or wet kiss in magically warm waters has Daren dreaming of summer and a storybook ending. Octopi My Heart was originally a 14k word novelette. This expanded edition novella has a new cover and is more than twice the previous length. Expect a selkie fairy tale retelling with tentacles in this secret love affair monster romance.       Amazon        AB

THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN (HAUNTED BOOKSHOP DETECTIVE MYSTERY BOOK ONE) by Cleo Coyle

As a young widow, Penelope moved back to her quaint Rhode Island town to give her young son a safer home and her aunt’s dying bookshop new life. Using her late husband’s insurance money, Pen polished the store into a local treasure. But her updates did more than attract new customers. They roused a dead private eye from his big sleep. With Pen’s affection for hardboiled detective stories, it’s no surprise she’s developed a fondness for the wisecracking yet oddly likeable spirit. Sure, Jack’s cold spots are exasperating, along with his proclivity for putting noir fiction in the cozy section. But murder was Jack’s business in life, and his PI skills come in awfully handy when the body of an eccentric librarian is found amid the bookshop’s aisles. For years, Dory jokingly called herself “The Dead Librarian” because of her hobby of collecting and writing local obituaries. Now, in death, she’s discovered with her own eerily pre-written obit. Was it a suicide note? Jack and Pen say no and their certainty takes them from a ghost town’s ancient cemetery to a posh Newport mansion. When another body drops, a mysterious stranger makes Pen a shocking offer, one that may change her life—and Jack’s afterlife. But unless Jack can help Pen prove who “checked out” the librarian, a ruthless killer may close the book on her.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

HEALER’S BETRAYAL (THE HEALER’S SERIES BOOK FIVE) by A J Manney

Kayla has been running for four months with nothing more than a stolen car, an empty wallet, and a seven-year-old brother who depends on her for everything. Nearly nineteen and already worn thin, she waitresses during the day, and at night she and her brother hide in a crumbling studio apartment in the worst part of town. It’s not the life she planned—but it’s safer than the one they escaped. She’s done trusting dangerous men. Jackson embodies danger. A ruthless leader among rogue wolves, he never wanted a pack—until vampires began hunting his kind, capturing rogues to create unstoppable hybrid monsters. When Jackson finally finds the healer bound to him by fate, he’s prepared for a fight. What he isn’t prepared for is how young she is…or the solemn little boy she’s protecting. But things aren’t as they seem, and betrayal is coming. They’ll have every reason not to trust each other. But if they choose to stand together, Jackson and Kayla may discover a bond worth fighting for—and a future worth believing in.     AmazonKU

AWAKENED BY HER GUARDIAN (YULETIDE SHIFTERS BOOK SEVEN) by R E Butler

Wolf shifter Gabriel has spent years protecting the Well of Magic from Jack Frost and his followers. When his wolf leads him outside one night, Gabriel finds the one person on the planet meant to be his – his truemate. Ana is one of Sandman’s most powerful dream walkers. When the god of nightmares offers her a place at his side and shows her a future where Santa and all good magic fall to Jack Frost’s evil plans, she refuses. Fleeing to the safety of Northernmost, she finds her truemate under the glow of the Northern Lights. When Nightmare targets Ana’s family to force her to join him, she returns home with Gabriel by her side to face the most powerful wielder of dread magic. Will Jack Frost’s alliance with the god of nightmares eradicate good magic forever, or will Ana and Gabriel’s bond be strong enough to keep everyone they love safe?

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FOUGHT IT THROUGH TEETH (RENGARA BOOK THREE) by Atlas Jones

VS Note: MM Fantasy

Morgan is a diplomat, not a fighter. But when a southern warchief’s marriage proposal turns out to be a front for conspiracy, Morgan is sent into enemy territory with only one protector: Bohdi, his brother’s second-in-command, and the man he has been secretly in love with for years. Bohdi is loyal down to his bones and has done everything Eskil, his king and best friend, has ever asked. But things between him and Morgan have been different since Morgan grew into a man, and Bohdi has never claimed to be a saint. Morgan is his king’s younger brother. Untouchable. Off-limits. But, alone together in hostile territory, the lines are starting to blur. When their mission collapses into violence and survival becomes all that matters, the line Bohdi swore he would never cross starts to feel less like loyalty and more like cowardice.      AmazonKU

MAZYWOOD by Tananarive Due

When Johnny—a filmmaker and grandson of the famous Black actress Mazelle Washington—brings his family to Mazywood, the secluded California mountain lodge left behind by his grandmother, he expects a quiet retreat. Instead, he uncovers a legacy of rage, secrets, and terror that has haunted his family for generations. Set primarily in the present day, with haunting flashbacks to Hollywood’s Golden Age, Mazywood explores three generations while following Johnny as he pieces together the true story of his grandmother. As a young Black actress whose career spanned from the 1920s to the 1940s, Mazelle brushed shoulders with giants like Lena Horne, Clark Gable, and Hattie McDaniel. But beneath her public appearance, she carried a secret she had kept and nurtured since she was a child, when a dark wish came true and changed the course of her life forever. Now, fifty years after Mazelle’s death, Johnny finds himself confronting the truth she buried—and the consequences she left behind. For a monster lurks outside Mazywood, hidden for generations, and Johnny brought his family to its hunting grounds.         Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE COURT OF VENUS by Bel Banta

In Alvion, magicians have always ruled beside kings. Blessed at birth by one of the seven planets, their abilities are miraculous and extremely rare. Magicians born under Jupiter influence luck. Saturnborn can speak to the dead. Venusborn read the desires of the living. At the moment of Bianca Mortlake’s birth, the stars and planets aligned just so, making her the first Moonborn magician in over a thousand years. A sorcery so rare that even the history books cannot say what she is capable of. After a childhood training under the realm’s most powerful magician—and alongside a most insufferable Venusborn named Roland—Bianca lives a quiet life far from court. Until a chilling missive arrives in the night, summoning her back. A mad and deadly court awaits. Two queens have met the executioner’s blade, and one wrong move could see any of them next beneath its steel. As power is pulled between ruthless royals and courtiers like the tides by the moon, Bianca must rely on the last person she would ever want to—the infuriatingly alluring Roland. Because something is terribly wrong in Alvion. And only this moon-blessed magician and her oldest rival can save the court—and each other—from the dark fate they see written in the stars.      Amazon    AB     Apple Books     Kobo

CURSED CITY (HARKER ACADEMY BOOK TWO) by Kate Golden

Welcome back to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, where the line between hunter and hunted has never been thinner. Viv Abbot will do whatever it takes to rescue Reid Graveheart, the reformed Brood demon she loves—even if it means teaming up with his violent, unpredictable older brother, Deacon. Her uneasy truce with him offers Viv something Reid never could: the chance to embrace her darkness. As the search for Reid intensifies, Viv and her friends must maintain appearances on Harker grounds while wading into Astera’s seedy underbelly with none other than the White Stag as their guide. But when a bounty on Viv’s head puts those she cares about most in danger, Viv will be forced to go to lengths she never dreamed in order to protect them. With enemies closing in from all sides and a ticking clock on her life, Viv must save the Half City from destruction while surviving a betrayal that strikes at the heart of everything she’s fighting for. Because in a world where monsters wear familiar faces and temptation cuts deeper than any blade, making it through her second semester at Harker will take more than skill—it will take everything Viv has left to give. Who can she really trust in a city that thrives on lies?       Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

SENT TO A FANTASY WORLD AND NOW ALL THE MEN WANT ME VOL SEVEN by Jaclyn Osborn

VS Note: LGBTQ Fantasy.

What’s a muffin lord to do? When Evan awoke in a fantasy world, the last thing he ever expected was to fall in love with one man, let alone six. As for the awakening of a rare power and possible future war he was destined to fight with said powers? Forget it. He just wants a quiet, cozy life with the men he loves, drinking lots of coffee and stuffing his face with muffins. Unfortunately, fate has other plans.
With dangerous mercenaries still hunting him and two kingdoms marching toward war, leaving him trapped in the Shadow Realm with a certain fiery hot demon lord, he will soon be forced to face his destiny. Risking his life, and his heart, in the process.      AmazonKU

GALINDA: A CHARMED CHILDHOOD – A LITERARY CHARACTER STUDY FROM THE BELOVED WICKED UNIVERSE by Gregory Maguire

Who was Glinda the Good Witch before she floated down in her bubble to greet Dorothy? Who was Glinda before she became Elphaba Thropp’s magnetic and popular roommate at Shiz University? Well, before then, she was Galinda. With a “ga.” The youngest of four children in a high-born family down on their luck, Galinda is both pampered and ignored. Her natural grace promises to elevate her in the district dance competitions—but these efforts distract her from seeing the growing resentments of local merchants who disapprove of her family’s business strategies. Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it. However, as her father deftly pivots around the snares and nets laid for him by his competitors, Galinda begins to dance toward a life that might lift her above her proud, if hardscrabble, childhood. Galinda reveals the girl behind the bubbly, shallow cliché—offering fans of Wicked their first richer glimpse into the life of a beloved and iconic character.

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MERRY EX-MAS by C C Dador

Which man from her past will make the perfect Christmas present? All Marygrace Silva wants for Christmas is a date to impress her big, boisterous family. Instead, a disastrous setup and an awkward run-in with her ex-best friend Robbie leave her wishing for a holiday miracle. Then a slip on the ice lands her in a time loop—reliving Christmas Eve with a different ex each time. There’s Flynn the finance bro, Dale the rising music star, Jamie the fitness influencer. Glamorous? Sure. Perfect? Not so much. Between caroling and cookie baking, Marygrace is checking exes off her list—but somehow, Robbie keeps showing up too. Maybe the love she’s been searching for has been there all along.    Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

MESTRA: A SHORT STORY by Madeline Miller

A cursed father, a gifted daughter – Mestra, daughter of the King of Thessaly, is granted a unique gift by Poseidon: The ability to transform herself into any being she can imagine. Her father, on the other hand, is cursed. As punishment for disrespecting the goddess Demeter, he is in possession of an unnatural, insatiable hunger. Devoted Mestra suggests using her new gift to help her father. But if his hunger is bottomless, how much will he take from her? Soon she must decide: Will she keep helping her father survive or finally break free?      Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

WOLFSBANE (WOLVES OF THE WILDWOOD BOOK THREE) by Sam Burns and W M Fawkes

VS Note: MM PNR.

Life is good for Daire, the spoiled heir of the head of a powerful witch coven. At least, it should be. But privilege has become his cage, and the punishments for questioning his mother grow crueler each time. But hitting Daire with a spell that stole something from one of the Wildwood pack and left it howling inside him? She’s gone too far, and Daire can’t ignore when the thing in his head starts whispering doubts he’s quietly ignored for years. His mother is wrong. The coven has veered into madness. Daire’s new conscience encourages him to follow his instincts like never before, which ends with him freeing a captured werewolf and running for his life from the witches who raised him. Taken from his pack and reeducated to be a soldier as a teenager, Viktor always expected to die fighting. But when the coven steals his wolf, he can’t even protect his pack anymore. He goes to retrieve his missing half or die trying, but a botched ritual sends him on the run from the coven with the witch who’s got his wolf and an intrepid raccoon who’s determined to help them. Forced to work together, they race to figure out what Daire’s mother has done to them before she kills them both and takes hold of the infinite power of a witchwolf. But neither witch nor wolf has ever had to rely on another before. Trust might be too much to ask, or exactly what they both need.      AmazonKU

THE SISTERS OF CRIMSON HOUSE: A NOVEL by Melissa Anderson Sweazy

Every house has its secrets. Charley Bryde is miserable in a house filled with magic. The only woman in a long line of famous psychics to not inherit the family gift, she spends her days inside Crimson House, the coveted family mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, living in the shadows of her talented older sister, Miranda. But when a shocking tragedy scatters the Brydes across the globe, Charley is forced to grow up on her own, and fast. As the money runs dry and Charley’s ownership of Crimson House is put at risk, she’s left with no other option; turn the manor into a haunted attraction and start representing the family brand with lies, cons, and expertly read tarot cards.  When a skeptic starts targeting Charley for the fraud that she is, she’ll stop at nothing to save the family legacy. But the skeptics’ arrival cracks something open in Charley that the Brydes wanted to remain buried. Deep. And when Miranda shows up unannounced after eight years away, the two will come to realize that Crimson House, and their own family, hold secrets even the greatest psychics couldn’t foresee. Secrets that will threaten to destroy them.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

SPELLSTRUCK: A NOVEL by Martha Waters

In an alternate version of 1920s London, vestiges of England’s magical past exist, but the use of magic has been outlawed, leading families still with powers to operate illegal speakeasies for a public still hungry for magic. Vesper Holloway runs her family club, where a dash of spell powder or an enchanted cocktail can add a little extra intrigue to the evening. But when a spate of accidents strikes these establishments, she worries patrons will flee her family’s business. Enter Maxwell Ashbridge, a onetime friend of Vesper’s brother, who has joined the government agency tasked with enforcing the ban, and who has a personal vendetta against the magical elite. But he does not have a vendetta against Vesper; in fact, he finds her rather enticing. He promises immunity for her club if she teams up with him to investigate, which does little to quell the growing chemistry they share. As accidents continue and the fight to repeal the ban gains ground in Parliament, Vesper and Max will have to decide—is the magic between them worth fighting for?       Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE THIEF AND THE TRAITOR BRIDE (THE HAND AND THE HEART BOOK TWO) by V L Bovalino

A ruthless spy. A deadly mission. A thief who could ruin it all. Nore Gordon is a woman of many talents: she can speak a variety of languages, disguise herself in plain sight, and has made a name for herself as a successful wine merchant. But unbeknownst to those closest to her, it is all a front for Nore’s true role as the favoured spy of the Lindle crown. Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a powerful relic, Nore is forced to engage the services of a great thief. Unfortunately, the only person for the job is her estranged husband Caspian. Both Nore and Caspian bear the scars of the disastrous end of their marriage, but if they are to survive their deadly new assignment, they must pose as a happily married couple to avoid detection. As danger closes in, Nore finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit-and though Caspian is at the centre of it all, she may not hate him as much as she once did. But Caspian has betrayed her before, and trust can be far more deadly than deception.       Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

ROGUEFINDER (WOLFSEEKER TRILOGY BOOK TWO) by Amy Pennza

VS Note: MM PNR.

I thought the hard part was over. I survived getting turned, beat a death sentence from the Council, and landed a mate who looks like a Greek statue and ruins me like it’s his job. Life with Jesse van der Meer was just getting good. Then the werewolf who bit me turned up alive in Rome. The same rogue Jesse killed with his bare hands. The rogue whose bite shouldn’t have been able to turn me at all. Now the Council wants answers, and they’re sending us to get them. But the trail leads straight to a four-hundred-year-old vampire who runs his empire from an opera house and has a history of eating people who disappoint him. Worse, my prophetic gift has gone dark. Jesse is keeping his worry locked behind our bond where he thinks I can’t feel it. And the closer we get to the truth about Ulfrik, the more I realize that the monsters in my new world don’t play by any rules I understand. But I’ve never liked rules. And if Rome thinks it can take Jesse from me, this whole city is going to find out that I don’t play fair when it comes to the man I love.      AmazonKU

TAKEN BY THE ANGEL OF DEATH (TAKEN 14) by Megan Slayer

One touch sends her victims to hell. But he’s already been there. Would not recommend. 0 stars. Loren knows her job. She’s an angel of death. When she allows herself to be seen, there are no survivors. She drives too fast, has no filter, and bows to no man. Then she sees a vampire crumpled on the ground. It’s not his time. She can’t leave him to die, but she won’t get involved with him. Too bad he’s cute. Michel never wanted to be turned. Never wanted to offer his services. Terminal illness? You’re going to perish anyway? Want to do it on your terms? Then he can help. It’s part of his death wish. But he can’t die. When he finds himself in the presence of the most beautiful, moodiest woman he’s ever seen, he can’t forget her. But she won’t touch him. He makes it his mission to get to know and melt her defenses so they can both have their heart’s delight. If nothing else, he’ll die trying. She kills. He can’t die. They shouldn’t work, but what if they did and the results are fire?      Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

A FABLE OF DESOLATION AND DO OVERS by Sydney Winward

There is only one do-over. But with no more second chances left, even the smallest mistake could be their downfall. Quest Objective: Turn back time, defeat the enemy, and don’t lose her in the process. There is only one do-over. But with no more second chances left, even the smallest mistake could be their downfall. When the world as they know it ends, Lirael Vannis must turn back time to try to change the fate of the future. The catch? He only gets one chance, and changing the future is much harder than it seems. Their only hope? A runaway elf who has a running list of tally marks as a wanted criminal. Shaelis Ethoril might be a wanted woman, but at least she has good reasons for the things she’s done. But after getting tracked and chased for years, she wants nothing to do with the war with the monsters expanding across the corners of the map. It will take a miracle–or a weasel–to get her to agree to such a sacrifice. As the situation becomes dire, Shaelis and Lirael must come together to stop a common enemy, all while fighting a love that could doom them all while they’re at it. Will they succeed in defeating a powerful enemy? Or is the future destined to repeat itself?   AmazonKU

DARK DRAGON AWAKENED by Nita Round

Some victories cost everything. Kanastya has spent her life fighting. She has faced impossible enemies, uncovered long-buried secrets, and survived powers that should have destroyed her. But nothing has prepared her for what comes next. For centuries, an ancient darkness has gathered its strength while kingdoms rose and fell. Now it has awakened. And it has wings. The Dark Dragon is here, and ready to unleash fire, blood, and ruin across the Sundered lands. Kanastya cannot face it alone. To have any chance of success, she must do what no one thought possible. She must unite old enemies, forge dangerous alliances, and bring shadows, humans, elves, and dragons together against a foe that threatens them all. The war, centuries in the making, has finally begun. This time, victory won’t be measured by who wins, but by what survives. To save them all, Kanastya may have to become the sacrifice she was always destined to be.       AmazonKU

THE BLOOD DEBT: ROSE VAMPIRE COVEN VOL 13 by B A Stretke

VS Note: MM PNR.

A debt paid in blood. A rescue fueled by rage. Bram, a gentle rabbit shifter, has been abandoned by his own colony and bartered to the cruel Insky Wolf syndicate to settle an unpaid debt. Forced into a life of fear and humiliation as a disposable plaything for a vicious underboss, Bram is certain his days are numbered. Daley Reynolds is a lethal vampire enforcer for the Rose Coven, begrudgingly tending bar at the exclusive Blood Rose club for the evening. But when a brutalized little shifter is struck on the club floor, the scent of his blood shatters Daley’s control. In an instant, the vampire recognizes the abused captive as his fated beloved—and Daley will slaughter anyone who dares to touch him. Rescued from hell, Bram finds unexpected tenderness and a passionate bond in the arms of a formidable warrior. But the syndicate won’t let their property go without a fight. With a target on his back, Bram must trust his terrifying new protector to keep him safe, while Daley prepares to unleash the full wrath of the Rose Coven to secure their forever.       Amazon

TUSKS AND CONDITIONS by Zora Black

I’ve hunted things scarier than paperwork. Or so I thought…One government waiting room. One clerk with a stamp the size of my fist. One human in a coffee-stained blouse who backs directly into me at the exact wrong moment. Now Sabine Lin is legally, magically, and eternally mine. She has never once looked at me like I’m not a threat to national security. Doesn’t matter. The bond doesn’t ask permission. Neither do I. She wants an annulment. I want to know why her hands shake when I’m close to her. She calls me a bureaucratic nightmare. I call it Tuesday. That is until every enemy I’ve ever made finds out I have something to lose Now, they’re lining up to test how much of a mountain I can be when it’s her they’re after. She thinks this is a mistake the Department will fix in a few months. She doesn’t realize I’ve already ruined her for everyone else.       AmazonKU

FREED (THE CAGED WOLF BOOK THREE) by Shona Knight

Cherry has spent the past decade fighting to survive. Now she has something worth fighting for. At Starfall Haven, surrounded by the five alphas who refuse to leave her side, Cherry finally begins to uncover the truth about what she is. But peace was never meant for her. The monster who has hunted her across states is still out there. Still watching. Still convinced that Cherry belongs to him. And this time, he’s stronger than ever. But Cherry refuses to stand by while the people she cares about risk everything for her. To end the nightmare once and for all, Cherry will have to risk everything, including the one thing she’s never truly had before. A future.      AmazonKU

HERO OR HAVOC (NEVERBOUND ACADEMY BOOK THREE) by KC Kean

Betrayal was the spark. Now they should fear what they have awakened. My resurrection changed everything. Caught between a power I barely understand and those determined to claim it, I refuse to become another piece in someone else’s game. The Fates have plans for me. Leonardo Corrigan has promises. My enemies have demands. But before I can uncover the truth behind my bloodline, I need answers from the four men who shattered my trust. Because forgiveness cannot exist without truth. While ancient secrets rise from the ashes and kingdoms begin circling, one thing becomes painfully clear…The truth I’ve been searching for comes with consequences no one can escape. The only question is whether I’m strong enough to pay the price. Now they’ve lit the match, I have no choice but to become the inferno. Hero of Havoc is the third book in the Neverbound Academy Series, laced with rejected fated mates, four groveling men, and a dark and twisted academy determined to keep their secrets.      AmazonKU

BLADES AND BONE (HUNTING HEARTS BOOK FOUR) by TJ Nichols

VS Note: MM PNR.

To make a stand against the Orlan vampire family, the Ashby and Reid families agree to a treaty…and the best way to seal it is with blood. For helping his uncle, Hamish Reid finds himself offered to the Ashby family and married to the youngest brother of the matriarch. A man who is as cold a blade and has made his distaste for the treaty and Hamish clear without saying a word. Brodie Ashby doesn’t agree with his sister’s decision to form an alliance with the Reids because it feels like they are stepping into a war that isn’t theirs. The Reids only got involved because they helped Nixon Hadley. But Brodie understands his duty and accepts Hamish as his husband, a man who appears not to understand the seriousness of the situation and is determined to push every boundary. The Orlan family will not back down, as there is too much at stake. When the battle comes to their doorstep, Brodie and Hamish will have to put aside their differences and prove that the families are stronger together. When this black cat meets a golden retriever, teeth and claws come out before they build trust and find common ground and a common enemy.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

HUNT THE DRAGONS (HIDE THE WITCHES BOOK TWO) by Miranda Lyn

Some debts are paid in blood. Others in love. Syneca Black should be dead. But with her last breath, the Phoenix witch makes a desperate bargain with a mysterious stranger for a price she still doesn’t understand. She wakes in the Underworld alive, bound, and hunted. To repay the bargain that spared her life, Syneca must find a missing dragon before her debt comes due. Only Silas stands between her and the demon princes who want the stolen fire in her veins. The more she lets herself trust the man who carried her into the Underworld, the harder it gets to tell where her distrust of him ends and everything else begins. She isn’t the only one running out of time. Lucette Varrow answers to the moon now, and whatever she becomes when it rises, she doesn’t remember it. The only thing that ever breaks through is a dragon she shouldn’t recognize, and can’t stop needing. Two women descended into different kinds of darkness. Only one may find her way back.     AmazonKU     AB

THE MILLINER AND THE GRIFFIN RIDER (WYNKARA CHRONICLES NOVELLAS) by Melanie Cellier

After her parents’ deaths, Chloe willingly assumes responsibility for her three younger sisters. Giving up her position as a gentleman’s daughter and becoming a milliner is a sacrifice she’s happy to make if it means providing them a safe home. So when their futures are threatened once again, Chloe is ready to do whatever it takes to secure the one thing that could save them—a griffin egg. But acquiring a griffin egg means charming the frippery Duke of Everard, and Chloe’s schemes keep going awry. She is certain she could captivate him if only she could get past his implacable captain. Captain Harrison is disapproving and stern, and his eyes seem to see straight through Chloe’s ploys. He’s also devastatingly handsome and commands a squad of elite griffin riders—factors that should make no difference to Chloe, yet prove most distracting. She needs to focus on her sisters’ futures, not on the enigmatic Harrison or even the griffins themselves. But Chloe can’t help being charmed by the majestic creatures and their dedicated captain, and when the flock needs her help, she will have to choose between her head and her heart.       Amazon KU     AB

THE GODS ORDER (VALORIAN VEIL BOOK FIVE) by Willa Rae

The secrets we’ve uncovered have changed everything. The choices left before us will change even more. For too long, decisions made before we ever had the chance to make our own, have shaped our lives. Paths placed before us. Battles forced upon us. Burdens we never asked to carry. We’ve survived every attempt to break us. Now, the final battle is here, and everything we’ve fought to protect hangs in the balance. We will do what we must to save the Valorian Veil. We will make the sacrifices required, fight for the people who have become our family, and right every wrong that brought the realm to where it is. But when this is over, the future won’t belong to those who tried to shape it for us. It will belong to us. Those who were supposed to lead us will understand…Order was never about control. It was about choice. And this time, the choice is truly ours.      AmazonKU

MAGIC, CATS AND DUNGEON RATS  (BRAMBLEVALE: OFFICE OF UNLAWFUL MAGIC BOOK ONE) by Shari L Tapscott

Three years ago, Juniper Woodfield chose employment over marriage and came to work at the Office of Unlawful Magic in sleepy Bramblevale. She now spends her days assisting the royal court sorcerer, visiting the local bookshop, and enjoying an occasional cup of hot chocolate at the local tavern. Life is good—until her family decides she’s more useful to them with a ring on her finger. Horrified to discover her uncle is entertaining marriage offers without her input, Juniper decides she must thwart his plan and elope. The only problem is choosing her future husband. Suddenly, she has more options than she knows what to do with, and the only man she wants to marry is inconveniently unavailable. On top of that, someone has abducted her employer’s beloved cat, and a duo of bandits is causing havoc in the village. In order for Juniper to return to her peaceful existence, she must rescue the cat, rid the village of the bandits, and find a man interested in a quick, convenient marriage…Preferably before her uncle chooses one for her.      AmazonKU

NO PLACE LIKE HOMICIDE (PARANORMAL REALTOR COZY MYSTERIES BOOK NINE) by Eva Onyx

Bas Matthews never gives anything away for free. When Vylette West’s biggest rival hands her a prestigious waterfront listing without a word of explanation, she knows something is very wrong. She’s right. There’s a murdered man in the laundry — and the victim’s ghost is not going anywhere. The handsome detective has plenty of suspects, and the whole town has a theory. But the ghost has a very different version of what actually happened — if Vylette can figure out what he’s trying to tell her before the real killer disappears. Join Vylette West, a ghost-seeing realtor, along with her raven with strong opinions, and a two-hundred-year-old sea captain who takes a very dim view of getting away with murder.       AmazonKU

FINAL TIER: SUPERNATURAL BATTLE (DEMON PEAKS BOOK THREE) by Kelly St Clare

I hated my demon king mate for three years. But uncovering the wrath curse shattered my plans to kill him. Cold secrets bind my tormented king, and I face impossible odds against an ancient power. To stand a chance at saving Carmine and an entire world of supernaturals from this hidden enemy, I must break my oath and complete the mating rituals. Yet if I surrender to our powerful bond, my fate will merge with Carmine’s forever. If he dies, I’ll die, and our son will be left alone against evil. Only the ultimate gamble will satisfy the savage thirst of this supernatural battle, and that may be more than I can risk. The stakes have risen to the final tier.      AmazonKU

TORIN (FERAL MOUNTAIN BEARS BOOK TWO) by Ariana Hawkes 

They say I’m the charming one of the three—the one who’s good at talking to people. So how do I finally meet my mate? My idiot brother runs her off the road. It’s the middle of the night, she’s freaked out, but one breath of Hannah’s scent, and I know what she is: Mine. There’s just one catch. Turns out she’s just escaped a forced mating to a violent bear shifter and she needs to hide. She’s heading to a little cabin, but the only place she’s staying is under my roof. While I’m keeping her safe, I figure the best thing I can do is keep the whole mate thing low-key. Which would be easier if my bear had any concept of low-key. Has she eaten? Is she warm enough? Is she happy? Does she want to cool off in the nearby lake? Absolutely. Pretty soon I’m making s’mores by the fire, taking her swimming, and wanting to know everything about her. And judging by the way Hannah’s looking at me, low-key’s become a lost cause. Except Hannah isn’t just hiding from one thug. She has evidence that could put her corrupt sheriff father behind bars, and he’s got half the county looking for her.
Yes, I’m charming. Civilized, even. But I’m still a feral grizzly. And if someone hurts my mate? They won’t be hurting anyone ever again.      AmazonKU

BOUND TO GODS AND SECRETS by Kia Carrington-Russell

Bound by fate. Hunted by Kingdoms. Tempted by the enemy. The gods chose the wrong woman to unleash. The day our beloved king is murdered, the bindings suppressing my magic begin to unravel.
Now the power buried inside me is waking- wild enough to destroy me and dangerous enough to start a war. Hunted by those I once trusted, I flee the only home I’ve ever known… only to fall into the hands of a ruthless stranger. Regent plans to sell me at the Volmere auction alongside other exotic creatures. I should hate him for it. I should stop trying to kill him long enough to escape. Instead, the longer I remain trapped at his side, the more I realize Regent is hiding secrets as deadly as my own. The gods are whispering. The Fates are pulling invisible threads. And somewhere between betrayal and desire, kingdoms are falling, monsters are rising, and the man who chained me may be the only one who can survive what I’m becoming.       AmazonKU

MATE OF A MONSTER (LORD OF RATHE BOOK FOUR) by Meagan Brandy and Amo Jones

He betrayed their bond. Now saving him may destroy what’s left of her heart. After being cast back to Exile Island, Haide wants nothing to do with Rathe—or the King who chose another woman over her.
Legend Deveraux was once bound to her by magic powerful enough to shake kingdoms. Now he looks at her with hatred in his eyes, convinced she betrayed him, manipulated him, and nearly destroyed him. Worse? His true mate has been hidden all along. While Rathe’s court celebrates the King’s new bond, Legend is slowly dying. His magic is failing, his mind slipping further from the truth, and the woman at his side is tightening her grip on the throne. His brothers are desperate enough to turn to the one person they once condemned. Haide. She should let him suffer. But despite the betrayal, the bond between them still calls. As dark secrets unravel and a new danger rises from Exile Island, Haide and Legend are forced back into each other’s orbit, drawn together by a connection neither of them fully understands. To save his life, they’ll have to break the false bond destroying him. But restoring the true one may cost them everything. Because some betrayals cut deeper than magic. And some loves refuse to die.        AmazonKU      AB

THE SLAYER SEDUCTION (CELESTIAL WITCHES) by Sarah Blue

VS Note: Author’s note: “This is a MF(M) romance where the FMC is in a relationship with two men who share a body.”

It was a stupid vision. Now a man covered in blood was lying on my doorstep, calling me his mate. When I started having premonitions of something dangerous coming for me I had no idea that it would be a murderous vampire slayer claiming that I was his mate or that he’d been searching for me for a millennia. He’s adamant about making me fall in love with him despite my lack of interest. Especially when I learn that the man he’s possessed, Adam, is locked inside of his own consciousness. It doesn’t help that the Slayer is also trying to kill my best friend’s vampire lover or that a slew of vampires are trying to hunt him down. I wasn’t anyone’s mate, and I had no intention of letting my visions come to fruition. Keeping my coven safe and helping Adam break through the curse is paramount. Yet this inscrutable tug on my heart keeps pulling me toward the Slayer. As more danger looms around us my supposed mate is always there to protect me, and he’s far more charming than a prolific vampire slayer should ever be. The more time I spend with the Slayer…and Adam, the more my perception changes. I thought my heart would never belong to any man, but what if it belongs to two?       AmazonKU

TREASURE IN THE STORM (MOONLIGHT BAY COZY ROMANCE BOOK TWO) by Jenna St James

When Tempi Draven and Ronin Seawald are forced to co-chair Moonlight Bay’s annual treasure hunt, sparks fly between the feisty air elemental witch and the irritatingly charming merman. Tempi considers Ronin her biggest rival and has spent three years keeping him firmly at arm’s length. Ronin, on the other hand, has spent those same three years trying to convince the stubborn witch to give him a chance. Forced to work together, Tempi is beginning to realize there’s a dangerously thin line between wanting to strangle a merman and wanting to kiss him. But when a staged hunt for the legendary Crimson Heart uncovers clues suggesting the priceless ruby might actually exist, their friendly town event turns into a real-life treasure hunt. With the rest of their Moonlight Bay friends joining the adventure and Princess Muffin Top offering plenty of unwanted commentary along the way, fake clues turn real as the search leads from forgotten graves to hidden coastal caves. And somewhere between unraveling a centuries-old love story, hunting for pirate treasure, and falling for the man she swore she couldn’t stand, Tempi discovers the greatest treasure in Moonlight Bay might have been right in front of her all along.   AmazonKU

FANGS WITH BENEFITS by Kath Richards

Molly Mason is not a team player. She may do more work than the rest of her team, but when it comes time for promotion, an outside hire is chosen over her. To add insult to injury, she’s tasked with training him. This is easier said than done, though, when he has the digital literacy of a toddler and is, infuriatingly, the hottest man she’s ever laid eyes on. Elijah Thorne’s reintegration into human society is going swimmingly. He scammed his way into a job, bought new clothes, and successfully convinced a myriad of New Yorkers that he is human, not a vampire. The one person he can’t win over, though, is his intimidating colleague Molly. When Molly discovers Elijah’s secret, he realizes that being human isn’t as easy as he thought. She’ll help him act the part if he’ll help her get promoted, but when they fall into a colleagues-with-benefits arrangement, can they keep things professional?    AmazonKU      AB

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica

September 23

September 16

September 9

September 2

August 26

August 19

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’. I go by the ebook release.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. 

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!

 

 

New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for SEPT 23

I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking quite a few as I prepare these posts LOL). 

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

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TAUROS: COLONY: LABYRINTH BOOK ONE (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Demelza Carlton

All Tauros wanted was a wife. The Intergalactic Dating Agency’s speed dating night — farmers’ edition — was meant to be a laugh. A night out with his brothers, a few drinks, low expectations. He didn’t expect to wake up married to a Human girl who doesn’t remember saying I do. Or to hear her ask for a divorce on the first morning of their life together. Pasiphae came to the Colony running from a cheating ex-husband who took everything and gave nothing back. She has a new job, a whole system to disappear into, and every reason to go. So Tauros asks for one week. Seven days to show her what being loved is supposed to feel like. Seven days to prove that an alien Highland cow minotaur dairy farmer with a soft heart who makes the best strawberry ice cream in the galaxy is worth staying for. He’s never wanted anything this much. He’s never been so frightened of getting it wrong.       Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

VS Note: Just a reminder of my new release last week!

DERIUS: SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK FOUR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY by Veronica Scott

Ordered by his planet’s government to enter this year’s round of dating as arranged by the Intergalactic Dating Agency Derius Tate reported to the resort planet with low expectations. He’d never been able to get over the mystery woman he’d had a passionate one night stand with prior to his last, disastrous deployment as a Special Forces operator. Leonie Bradnum signed up for the five day date trip hoping to get over her feelings once and for all for the handsome soldier who’d seemed like her dream man and then cruelly ghosted her three years ago. The IDA’s infallible algorithm paired her up with…Derius, the very man she’d been pining for and hating equally since the morning she woke up to an empty bed and no way to contact him. Will five days and nights on the luxurious IDA Resort Planet be enough for the two of them to resolve the events of three years ago and find their way back to each other? And when danger strikes can Derius do what has to be done to save Leonie? Fate has given them a second chance.

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo      NOOK        GooglePlay

SPAWN (COMPANIONS TO THE LEVIATHAN BOOK SIX) by Deiri Di

A wrecked restaurant. A deadly alien flora. And a giant, nerdy alien male who quotes space pirates. Noelle’s life is in ashes. After losing everything, she’s stranded on a strange spaceship that lands on a bizarre alien world with one job: figure out which local plants are edible before everyone starves. She doesn’t have time for distractions…especially not the tall, wildly eager alien assigned to help her. Sherlock is brilliant, absurdly sweet, and hopelessly obsessed with pop culture. But beneath his charming exterior lies a hidden biological urge…one that makes his attraction to Noelle both intoxicating and unpredictable. As forced proximity turns up the heat in the kitchen, Noelle realizes Sherlock isn’t just her assistant; he’s her anchor. But on a living spaceship that could kill them at any moment, surrendering to their bond might be the most dangerous risk of all.     AmazonKU

STRIPPED BY THE ALIEN (BROOD MATES BOOK ONE) by Calista Skye

Nora Ellis crashes through an alien minefield and wakes aboard a living warship, rescued by the most dangerous creature she’s ever met: a Chief Harrower who commands armies, strips worlds bare, and has never once been told “no.” She tells him “no” constantly. She’s a stranded space pilot who’d rather die than reveal Earth’s location. He’s a giant alien warlord who needs that location to save his own life. And she’s no longer sure whether she’s his guest… or his captive. The lightning that crackles between them every time they touch is a complication neither can explain. His people have a word for it: Marankz. Fated. Bonded. Doomed. It burns through both of them — raw, electric, and far too intense to ignore. Now an ancient and deadly Queen wants answers, a missing friend needs rescuing, and the most powerful warrior in the Brood has to decide what matters more — the throne that could make him legendary, or the small, stubborn, completely unarmored Earth woman who’s already ruined him for anything else.      AmazonKU

AFTERSHOCK: MM ALIEN X HUMAN (AFTERLIGHT BOOK TWO) by Tana Welsummer

In theory, life shouldn’t get much harder than fighting for survival on galactic broadcast. Unfortunately for Sashen Solar, his difficulties have only just begun. The aftermath of the Galactic Tournament has left Sashen with a lot to untangle, including his fraught relationship with the alien prince Araxis of Creche Thiel, who courted Sashen and let him in on his secret plans – just not the ones involving Sashen. Now Sashen is determined to live by one rule he can’t allow himself to forget: he needs to take care of himself first, because he can’t rely on anyone else to have his back. Sashen has agreed to continue playing the part of Araxis’s devoted consort – for now, at least. But there’s more to being a declared virra than taking language lessons: murky political factions, secret agreements, and inter-creche conflict make Sashen’s role all the more difficult, and each time Sashen tries to forge his own path, he discovers that everything he does reflects on Araxis and Creche Thiel, for good or for ill. The Concord moves against Araxis, and the stakes for Creche Thiel, and for Sashen, couldn’t be higher. When Sashen’s tenuous position in abayan society becomes even more evident under the threat of violence, he’ll have to determine which path to take: to reach for Araxis once again, knowing he’s been betrayed before, or to pull away and guard his heart, this time for good. Aftershock is a slow burn second chance mm human x alien romance that picks up directly after Afterlight.     Amazon

ENSLAK: THE ALLIANCE RESCUE SERIES by Annie Lucas

Niki Nguyen died in Hell’s Kitchen. Shot by dealers, broken by captivity, sold to aliens who saw her as nothing more than inventory. But the Alliance pulled her back from the edge of oblivion, and now they’re offering her a second chance. A dangerous one. They want her to become the first human operative for Asad Intelligence, and they’ve got one mission in mind: infiltrate a criminal planet, extract the tortured son of the Alliance Prime from his captors, and bring him home. Enslak has been a prisoner for a century. The Ulkommenian experimented on him, broke him down piece by piece, left him so fractured that his own family believes he’s already gone. They’re ready to grant him the koa ukufa, a mercy death. But when Niki looks into his gold eyes, she sees something the Alliance missed. She sees a man still fighting to survive, buried so deep under trauma that no one else thought to dig. She can’t let them kill him. So she steals him. On a hidden paradise world, something unexpected happens. In the quiet moments between heartbeats, in the careful way he learns to touch her and the fierce way she refuses to let him disappear, two broken people begin to heal. They build something real. Something that feels like home. Something that feels like forever. But the Ulkommenian are still hunting. And the Alliance will never accept what Niki and Enslak have become to each other… especially if they’re still determined to kill him.       AmazonKU

TALL, DARK AND SPICY (SENTIENT OBJECTS ADVENTURES BOOK EIGHT) by Skye MacKinnon

VS Note: At this point I’m giving the side eye to every object in Skye’s house! 

She’s spent all autumn serving pumpkin spice. Now pumpkin spice wants to serve her. Sophie is sick of pumpkin spice. After making hundreds of the bloody things, she still doesn’t understand the obsession. Then one careless wish beneath the harvest moon brings an abandoned PSL to life. Hot, creamy and eager to please, he has a tentacle that knows exactly where to touch her. He can change his temperature, make his own whipped cream and grow a second appendage when one isn’t enough. Sophie only wanted to understand the obsession. She didn’t expect to become attached to the drink she’d planned to throw away, or to wonder whether one night with him could ever be enough. Tall, Dark & Spicy is a filthy, funny sentient object romance for fans of monster romance and nonhuman love interests. It features a touch-starved café owner, an eager-to-please nonhuman hero, multiple tentacles, temperature play, whipped cream and a guaranteed happy-for-now ending.       AmazonKU

ALIENS AND APPLE PIES by Angelica Grymm

Jessie Jones doesn’t believe in fate. It wasn’t fate that got her stuck in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. It wasn’t fate that caused an unprecedented earthquake in the Cascadia Subduction Zone to simultaneously trigger San Andreas and the Hayward fault lines. It wasn’t fate that made her seatbelt get stuck when her car plummeted into San Francisco Bay. It wasn’t even fate that the Coast Guard AST swimmer who saved her was one of the Aniki’ah, the fearsome aliens who had shown up in orbit eighteen months ago, offering to repair Earth’s imminent ecological collapse. And it certainly wasn’t fate that made her fall in love with him. So, isn’t it lucky that retired Aniki’ah starship commander Bain’dec Maktor does?      AmazonKU

REVOLUTION IN THE HEART: STORIES INSPIRED BY URSULA K LEGUIN by Various

VS Note: Not romance but an SF&F release of note.

15 brand-new short stories inspired by and in honour of legendary writer Ursula K. Le Guin. Featuring Ann Leckie, Karen Joy Fowler, Charlie Jane Anders, Kelly Link, Ai Jiang and many others. 
Ursula K. Le Guin was a master storyteller and one of the most beloved and respected writers the science fiction and fantasy field has known. An SFWA Grand Master, World Fantasy Award Lifetime Achievement recipient, and Science Fiction Hall of Fame Recipient, she created work that touched hearts, changed minds, and inspired generations. With Revolution in the Heart award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan asked fifteen of the most celebrated writers working in science fiction and fantasy today to create new and urgent works inspired by Le Guin’s work and words. Stories that breathe life into new worlds of their own – venturing beyond Earthsea and the tales of the Hain – and that answer the challenge that Le Guin raised in 2014 when she gave a speech at the National Book Awards: Hard times are coming, when we’ll be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now, can see through our fear-stricken society and its obsessive technologies to other ways of being, and even imagine real grounds for hope. We’ll need writers who can remember freedom – poets, visionaries – realists of a larger reality. Hard times have, indeed, come and the fifteen writers whose stories make up Revolution in the Heart are all realists offering us unique glimpses of different and larger realities that we need right now.      Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

THEXAN: MY ALIEN MONSTER by Christine Myers

He came to her bleeding. He stayed because her touch was the only thing keeping him alive. Brynn Ellison has treated every kind of injury the struggling human settlement can throw at her. Then a massive, scaled alien warrior appears at her infirmary door with a wound that refuses to heal—and enemies close behind him. Thexan should be dangerous. Instead, the hunted warrior responds to Brynn in a way neither of them can ignore. Her touch steadies his failing body. Distance makes the damage worse. And Thexan knows exactly what it means. His body has recognized her as necessary…as his. But Brynn refuses to let alien biology decide her future for her. Unfortunately, the soldiers hunting Thexan have no such reservations. If they discover where he is hiding—or what Brynn has become to him—they will eliminate everyone standing between them and their target. Now Brynn must decide how far she is willing to go for the alien warrior she saved. And Thexan must choose between protecting his mate by leaving her… or trusting that she has already chosen him too.    AmazonKU

BORROWING TIME (SOMEWHERE IN TIME BOOK ONE) by Nina Collins

VS note: From AUG 13.

She’s running from death. He’s sworn to deliver her to it. Clara Miller’s greatest scientific breakthrough began as a snack emergency. One minute, she was microwaving a frozen pizza pocket. The next, she’d accidentally invented time travel and a terminal illness with her name on it. With her body deteriorating and the present offering exactly zero cures, Clara makes the only rational choice. She runs to the past. While she’s there, she’ll find a cure, cross a few items off her historical bucket list, and prove this whole dying thing has been one terrible misunderstanding. Even if it means a devastatingly handsome angel of death, with killer sarcasm, tags along. Silas has collected souls for centuries, but never one who fled the premises before he arrived. Tracking Clara down is one thing. Convincing a stubborn, dying woman to return to the present and politely expire is another. Since Clara refuses to cooperate, Silas is forced into his least favorite assignment yet. Cosmic chaperone. His job is simple. Keep her from changing the past, stop her from dodging death again, and avoid falling for the woman who treats rules like optional guidelines. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to pretend Clara is just another assignment. And the trouble with borrowing time is that eventually, someone comes to collect. When Clara’s final moment arrives, she and Silas will have to decide what’s more dangerous: changing fate, or accepting a love that was never supposed to happen.       AmazonKU

THE GLASS MOTH by D Lieber

Her magic comes naturally. His is synthetic. Their different approaches could get one of them killed. Wisconsin, 2050. Kallista Marquis doesn’t expect much anymore. When poor air quality and undrinkable water are everyday problems, the pessimistic gardener is just glad to have a roof over her head. But when a handsome glassblower informs her she’s a natural witch, she eagerly learns the illicit craft as she discovers her ability to finally impact the world. Fort Meade. Evan Wells should be thrilled with his special assignment. Desperate to keep taking the wish-granting drug that makes him feel invincible, the Army specialist focuses on hunting down naturals and avoiding the snarky yet attractive private who hardly gives him a moment’s peace. But when his lack of progress again threatens a court-martial, his spiraling anxiety endangers more than he’s willing to risk. Trapped by the economic, governmental, and environmental pressures of their time, these opposing sides believe magic is the only glimmer of hope either of them has. But is that power worth it? Is it worth dying for? Is it worth killing for? Uncertainty, love, secrets, and sorcery tangle the threads of fate in this slice-of-life dystopian fantasy.     Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

LOVE AMONG THE STARS by S E Smith

Two lost souls. One searching for the wonders of the universe. The other searching for a place to belong.Crom left his world behind with one promise: protect the enchanting mates of the Ha’darra brothers. He never expected those delicate humans to capture his curiosity. Their courage, their emotions, their impossible determination to survive had awakened something inside him—a hunger to explore the universe beyond everything he had ever known. What he never expected was to discover another human aboard the Curizan warship. Or to feel an instant connection that defied all logic. Rosita Sanchez escaped Colombia with one goal: find the mythical El Dragon—the creatures who freed her from a life of servitude under a cruel drug lord. But freedom comes with a price. The people who now seek her former boss’s power believe Rosita is the key to finding his hidden vault rumored to contain billions of dollars. As the only survivor, she is their last lead—and their next target. Her only hope lies with the legends she once thought were impossible. The dragons. Instead, she finds Crom. A Moniker warrior from a distant world. An alien who sees beyond her past, beyond her fears, and beyond the scars she carries. Among the stars, Crom and Rosita discover that love does not care where you come from, what you have survived, or how different you are. Love is not blind. It sees everything. Discover what happens when you find love in the most unexpected place of all.

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*******************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************

VS: My scifi romance retelling of the Anastasia legend! Is she the long lost princess or is she an imposter? Of course there’s an HEA and I do answer the question…

STAR CRUISE MYSTERY DANCER

First published in the Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space 3 anthology…Tassia Megg is a woman on the run after the death of her elderly guardian. She needs to get off the planet in a hurry when chance directs her to an open dance audition for the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr’s resident troupe. One thing Tassia can do is dance. Security Officer Liam Austin is suspicious of the newest performer to join the Comettes. She shows all the signs of being a woman on the run and seems to fit the Sectors-wide broadcast description of a missing thief, accused of stealing priceless artifacts. As he gets to know Tassia during the cruise, he starts to wonder if she’s something more – a long vanished princess in hiding from deadly political enemies of her family perhaps? And what’s the story with the three eyed feline companion other crew members swear Tassia brought aboard the ship? Does the animal even exist? As the ship approaches its next port of call, all the issues come to a boil and Liam must decide if he’ll step in to help Tassia or betray her. F’rrh the alien cat is the key to the mystery and Tassia’s fate. A science fiction romance take on the Anastasia tale…

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************************* THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOKS (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

SMITTEN PUCKING ORC by Ava Ross

He’s a seven-foot goalie with a career on the line. She’s the team’s new physical therapist—and the woman he’s wanted from the moment he met her. I tried to flirt with Brashe Kedish at a team picnic last year. The seven-foot orc hockey goalie shut me down so fast I’m pretty sure I left scorch marks on the grass. Now I’m the Purple Punishers’ new physical therapist, and his groin strain just landed on my treatment table. He balks at first but then starts showing up early. Follows every instruction. And looks at me like I’m the only person in the room. I’m starting to think I got that rejection very, very wrong. Then I found out Brashe never thought I wasn’t enough. He thought he was the one who came up short. Which would be romantic if he’d actually talked to me. And if he wasn’t my brother’s best friend. And if playoffs weren’t starting in six days. Now I have a week to get him healthy enough to play. And keep myself from falling for an orc who thinks he’s only worth what he can do on the ice.   AmazonKU

KISS OF THE BLACK FLAME (BOOKBINDER’S BARGAIN BOOK ONE) by Helen Scheuerer

Saige Grayson has always believed stories could heal—even when her own body refuses to. As the most promising bookbinder in the capital, she’s learned to work through chronic pain and crushing debt, restoring other people’s treasures while trying not to fall apart herself. But when the man she owes decides her rare talent is worth more than her payments, Saige is traded to the Azkari—an immortal race forged by the gods for war—and imprisoned in their ancient stronghold. Her only chance of survival lies with Archer, a fallen Azkari general imprisoned beside her —cursed, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. He offers her a way out, and in return, Saige must help him retrieve and restore an ancient book. But the book is made of living magic, powerful enough to stop a great evil—or unleash it. And as Saige works with Archer, the tome begins to awaken something dark and dangerous—both in the realm and within her. As their enemies close in and buried memories resurface, Saige and Archer must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice: their freedom, their fragile trust…or the spark that could ignite the world.       AmazonKU

WITCH SUMMONED (HOUR OF WITCHES BOOK FOUR) by Krista Walsh

I really need to run when the past comes knocking. Just when I thought my troubles were behind me, who should invade my pub but the same fae duchess who accused me of murder? Now she needs help, but I trust her about as much as I do an unlabelled bottle behind the bar. She wants Trace to use his stolen souls to save the wall that divides the mundane world from the supernatural. On the surface, her plan benefits everyone. Trace needs a safe place to release the souls, and if the wall falls, we’re talking diplomatic disaster. But the risks are high, and failure could mean Trace’s death. Not that she’s giving us a choice. Although the realm is an incredible place, it doesn’t take long to realize there’s more going on than the duchess claimed. Something is following us, I have no idea if we can trust our guide, and the amount of magic everywhere we go is testing Trace’s control over his guests. Our window for success is closing quickly, and if we fail, we’ll face a magical rupture that could change the world forever.     Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

WRONG NUMBER, RIGHT GRAY WOLF: MM MPREG SHIFTER ROMANCE (DIAL M FOR MATES BOOK 10) by Lorelai M Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Sometimes the wrong number is the exact one you need. I teased my bestie often about wanting to have someone accidentally call me, the way his mate did him. But they tell you to be careful what you wish for. The wrong number finally came. But instead of a hottie alpha swooping in to make all my romance dreams come true, there’s a little girl on the other end and she’s sobbing, asking me to find her daddy. My fox goes into super protective mode, and thanks to a work friend with hacking skills, I get her location in minutes. She’s still there, still sobbing, but no longer alone. By her side is a wolf, only scents don’t lie. He’s not any gray wolf, he’s my gray wolf with his child. My beast begs me to claim him. I want that too, but this man has a family. Fated or not, he’s made his choice and picked his partner in life. I’m never going to mess with someone’s relationships, no matter how much it hurts. That happened to my father and I vowed never to be that guy. I leave with only a smile and a small wave to the little girl. They are better off without me. But if that’s the case, why does it hurt so bad?      AmazonKU

SINGING, SLANDER AND AN INCUBUS COWBOY by Alora Quinn

VIOLA – The one thing that my small town of Goldenside Springs doesn’t need is another entitled cowboy roaming about—and Silas is just that. Like all the others, he arrives for our annual Cowboy Competition, but when it’s time to leave? He sticks around. He says he finds it quite quaint and that he’s thinking of taking up permanent residence here. He even has the audacity to say my singing was a deciding factor. My hometown is not some quaint thing for any cowboy to try to take over, and my singing isn’t for him. I’m going to do everything in my power to drive him out. All I have to do is make sure I don’t fall in love in the process, which should be easy except he’s so damn charming. SILAS – 
Cowboy competitions aren’t something I normally partake in. Since I’m better than most, it isn’t fair to them. This year, though, something stirs within me, and I sign up. Goldenside Springs is a small town in the middle of the desert where the cacti outnumber the people. It’s not the noisy big city that I’m used to, but it’s a rather nice change. The nicest part? The beautiful and enchanting blonde singer, Viola, who’s full of spunk and spirit. She wants me gone, and that only makes me want to stay more. She claims to hate me, but the way her cheeks flame says otherwise. All I have to do now is find a way past her prickly exterior and into the softness of her heart        AmazonKU

SECLUDED WITH THE SATYR  (SPICE-TEMBER) by Alora Quinn

WYNONNA – All I wanted was to run away from the perfect—but arranged—life that had been set out for me. I don’t need perfect. I need to be able to make my own decisions for my life. Turns out that running away is harder than I anticipated, and one tumble down a hill lands me in front of the most charmingly cocky satyr I’ve ever met. Also, the only satyr I’ve ever met. He offers me to stay with him as long as I’d like, and it’s the easiest yes of my life. But the coziness of his cabin is threatened as my past creeps up on me, and at the worst timing—Eldrin’s rut started prematurely. After all the help he’s given me, it’s only fair I help him with his problem. But I have a new problem to deal with…I don’t want to run any further.       AmazonKU

BE-DJINN AT THE BEGINNING (SPICE-TEMBER) by Kit Fox

As mischief and spices fill the air and the barrier between worlds grows thinner, an ancient creature takes a break from answering the wishes of greedy men to join the festivities in a small English village. Sahar is looking for a party and some irresponsible behavior before he returns to servitude and trickery as a Djinn, but instead he finds a lonely young girl offering a gift and letter. Well, why not? It could be amusing to scare her. But Beatrix is not scared – in fact, the mystery of her new friend only draws her in deeper. Every year, for the three days where creatures from the other side can touch her world, Bea exchanges letters with what she calls Jack O’ the Tree, her dearest friend who never shows his face or tells her where he’s been. Maybe they both would be happy to continue in this way forever, but children grow, feelings change, and before either of them know it, Beatrix is grown, and engaged to be married to someone she hardly knows. Now Sahar is caught. He can’t lose her, but there are some rules even he can’t break. If only there were some words she could say to make him help her before the clock runs out on All Soul’s Day.      AmazonKU

IT’S NOT FUNNY – A VAMPIRE COMEDIAN by Danielle Sibarium

VS Note: From AUG 20.

A man has to make a living, especially when he lives forever. How hard can stand up comedy be? There aren’t a lot of career options for vampires. You need to move every twenty years so that people don’t catch on to the fact that you don’t age. Work is also tricky when you’re references go back a hundred years or so and you don’t want to show proof of your age or education. But hey, how hard can it be to make people laugh? Most days Poppy feels like she doesn’t belong. Anywhere. When she finds out that her hot, quirky new neighbor is doing stand-up at a local club, she can’t help but go and see what he’s all about. She never expects for him to call her on stage, or to be the only one that seems to appreciate his humor. Can a human survive the attention of a vampire for more than one night?   AmazonKU

PURRFECTLY HAUNTED: MM PNR by Mell R Bright

Haunting #412: Lynch Hostel – Number of ghosts: 5. Possibly more? Location: Lynch Hostel, Old Town Edinburgh, Scotland. History: Five ghosts have been reported on site for the past century, since Earl Fergus Lynch, the original owner of the house, summoned them during his seances. So far, the residents have tolerated the ghosts, and they became part of Edinburgh’s paranormal history. Apparitions, whispers, drops in temperature… But lately, they have been more active, showing poltergeist-like behaviours and damaging parts of the house. Wanted: An immediate expulsion of the ghosts on site with limited damage to the building and the customer experience for the guests on location. The ghost hunts are to be conducted late at night, when everyone is asleep. The ExorSquad Team: James Sato and Ewan Hamilton (new recruits). Additional notes: The owner of Lynch Hostel asked firmly that our team respect her seven cats living on site. The team can stay for free at the hostel for the duration of the mission. Accommodation has been prepared. What do a timid rugby player, a tattooed short king, and seven cats have in common?      AmazonKU

THE GHOST WHEEL (SPICE-TEMBER) by Danielle Sibarium

He’s a ghost, and the former managing owner of the Erie Amusement park. He lost his life while working on the ferris-wheel. She recently won the lottery, not the jackpot, she’s not that lucky. But she has more than enough to invest well and not have to worry about finding a job right away. There’s something about the abandoned amusement park that calls to her, lures her in. Will the park be the key to her future or the catalyset to her end?      AmazonKU

BENJAMIN AND THE THIEF (SCANGUARDS VAMPIRES BOOK 20) by Tina Folsom

Vampire Benjamin LeSang, a Scanguards bodyguard, lives by a simple code: protecting his clients, trusting his instincts, and never letting a stranger get under his skin. But when a chance encounter with fiery Catalina ends in a scorching one-night stand, Benjamin finds himself breaking every rule in the book for a woman he knows nothing about. Catalina is a woman on a mission. Her brother, Santiago, is rotting in prison for a crime he didn’t commit—the theft of a priceless necklace from the powerful Preston family. Desperate to clear his name, she infiltrates a high-society gala as a caterer, determined to find proof that will set her brother free. When Benjamin catches Catalina mid-heist, his protective instincts war with his professional duty. To help her and her brother, Benjamin must go rogue, pulling his Scanguards family into a dangerous gamble. But will saving Catalina and her brother from injustice be enough for her to accept the beast that slumbers beneath Benjamin’s skin, or will he lose her once she discovers the insatiable vampire who is prepared to risk everything for a chance at a future with her?     Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

WINGS OF RUIN DARKNESS ASCENDING VOLUME II by Various

Heaven cast them out—now they walk among us. In Volume II, fallen angels trade halos for hunger and redemption for obsession. They haunt ruined churches and city shadows, striking desperate bargains sealed with blood, desire, and damnation. Some crave forgiveness. Others crave revenge. All burn with a love twisted sharp enough to cut. For fans of dark romance, horror romance, suspense as well as thriller, this multi-author anthology delivers seductive monsters, forbidden bonds, and nightmares that refuse to loosen their grip. Grace was only the beginning. Now the fallen want something far more dangerous—you. New Tales by: Sienna Rae –  R. Summers – M.A. Savino – YD La Mar        Amazon

AUTUMN PRINCE: MM FAE ROMANCE (DELANEY’S SEASONAL FAE COURTS BOOK FOUR) by Delaney Rain

Zalman Darcy was simply indulging his best friends in their outdoor pursuits when they each fell through a fairy ring. Now he has to follow them and single-handedly save the world or something. At least the Autumn Prince is there to keep him company and give him someone to do. Except there’s a curse that might have something to do with the prince working too hard…and being single? And it seems like everyone knows all about the curse, except Zalman. Well, once he knows what’s really going on, he’s going to take charge, get what he wants, and fix a whole realm while he’s at it. And though Zalman’s never been in love, when Prince Incendis takes his advice, really listens to him, and then goes and saves his life, falling in love seems like a real possibility. Which means barriers will fall, secrets will be revealed, and… Hold on. Who the heck is Lars? Zalman solves that mystery, too. The Autumn Prince is the final in a series of four books about the princes of the Seasonal Fae Court who’ve been locked away until they can become better men and earn the love of another.   AmazonKU

A THRONE OF BLOOD AND BETRAYAL (THE WINDTORN CHRONICLES BOOK THREE) by Brenda Trim

Thorne walked into a rupturing veil to save us. That was how I found out what I was worth. The resistance thought we had time. We were wrong. Someone reached the sacred site before us and took the fragment we came to recover. Then Thorne sacrificed himself to close the rupture before it destroyed everything around it. He left me an access badge and one final order: rebuild the crown. Until then, I hadn’t known the crown was made of separate pieces. My name is Mara, and I grew up believing I was an orphan who didn’t matter. Now I know I’m the last heir of House Vaelthorne, the bloodline Cassian tried to wipe out. That apparently makes rebuilding the crown my responsibility. After the Civil War, three anchors were removed from the base and hidden with different bloodlines and resistance houses. The separation was meant to keep one ruler from controlling the crown’s full power. I have one of the anchors. No one knows where the other pieces are. The search leads us to Aldren, my grandmother’s closest friend and one of the people who helped hide the crown. She disappeared after the massacre and has spent years searching for the pieces. Some records make her look like a traitor, while others suggest we don’t know what really happened.Then there’s Kael…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)      AmazonKU

FORSAKEN FATE PART ONE (FORSAKEN FATE TRILOGY) by Kimber White

His fated mate is about to belong to another wolf. Theo Dorran has spent years without a pack or a home, keeping his distance from the powerful family that cost him almost everything. A funeral finally brings him back to New York and to the land his father once ruled. Then Theo meets Brynna Carrington. She’s promised to his stepbrother Grayson. She’s also the woman every instinct in Theo recognises as his. Brynna has spent years preparing to get close to the Dorran family. Grayson believes she loves him. He has no idea she intends to use their mating bond to uncover what happened to her father and destroy the people responsible. Theo was never part of her plan. Neither was the bond pulling them together. Every moment Brynna spends with Theo makes it harder to remember why she came. Every step towards Grayson takes her closer to the answers she needs, but also closer to accepting a mark that should never have been his to give. Fate chose Theo, but revenge requires Brynna to choose someone else.       AmazonKU

MATED TO THE GARGOYLE: AFRICAN AMERICAN MONSTER ROMANCE by Melody Lynch

VS Note: From AUG 30.

I never claimed to be an angel. So when I witnessed something evil… I ran. Not to be a hero. Just to survive. Now I’m hunted, running out of places to hide, and praying I can outrun the men closing in. Then the storm hits. The abandoned mansion seemed like a refuge—until I realized I wasn’t alone. He looks like a monster. He acts like the devil himself. And he’s offering me a way out: Be his mate, or face the monsters waiting outside. The choice is easy.     AmazonKU

FAMILY FOUND: MONSTER APOCALYPSE BOOK FOUR by Alexa Piper

VS Note: MM PNR.

Since he’s found his mate, Rory had to make a lot of adjustments. His new family is from a different world, and there are some cultural differences, but he’s learning to fit in. In fact, fitting in has become one of Rory’s life goals. He’d be a lot closer to achieving those if it weren’t for his own magic, the human mages out to get him, and the monster mages who threaten not just him but the people he cares about. Rory is going to have to do something about it, whether he wants to or not. But no matter where the fight takes him, there’s one thing he can rely on: his family will never be far behind.    Amazon      Apple Books       Kobo

MARKETS AND MOONCAKES (FALHAVEN CASTLE) by Laura Greenwood

A new arrival at Falhaven Castle brings unexpected challenges to the kitchen. With a new ambassador taking residence in the castle, Evie is given the responsibility of making sure his daughter is welcomed. While she’s not convinced she’s the right person for the job, she soon discovers that she has more in common with the ambassador’s daughter than she first thinks. But new arrivals aren’t the only change in the castle, and Evie finds herself thinking about things she hasn’t before, and has to figure out what that means for her relationship with Nate…Markets & Mooncakes is book four in the Falhaven Castle series, a cozy fantasy with a baking dragon, a princess who wants to be in the kitchen over the throne room, and the baker who wants to be there with her. There is a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance, with a pinch of steam in later books, and an ace heroine.

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ESCAPING MY DRAGON (DRAGOCRACY CHRONICLES BOOK SIX)  by Eve Langlais

It’s goodbye world when an ancient dragon awakes. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for this podcaster when I was invited to McMurdo Station, situated in Antarctica, to debunk all the conspiracy theories surrounding that barren wasteland of ice and snow. I’m not a fan of the cold—or the grim captain in charge of babysitting me—but I’m determined to give loyal supporters of my show what they want. The truth. It turns out Antarctica does have a secret. A big one. I mean, massive, with a tail large enough to knock down mountains and teeth several times the size of me—all the better to satisfy its appetite for flesh. The dragon that has awoken isn’t the cute and cuddly kind, but rather the nightmare version hellbent on destruction, and it’s claimed me as its unwilling servant. Stranded in Antarctica, there is no escaping my dragon, even as my steely-eyed soldier tries his damnedest. Are we doomed to be amongst its first victims, or will the arrival of four hatchlings and their sire somehow prevent the coming massacre? Given their plan is to try and reason with their very ancient relative, I’d say grab what pleasure you can now because humanity is screwed.         Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

WOLF TRIAL (LUNATIC ACADEMY BOOK ONE) by Leigh Kelsey

I’ve been sold to a violent academy of werewolf slayers. Thanks a lot, Gran. Hope your tequila and cabana boys are worth it. Werewolves are real, and I’ve been shipped off to a supernatural academy in an entirely different world to kill them. I’ve never hurt anyone before, even if working in retail tested me, but my vampire tutors don’t care about that. When I make an enemy of the queen bee, I’m left on the brink of death. But I’m found by Lainsz, Verne, and Leander, three wolf shifters who save me by doing the worst thing possible—they make me one of them. Verne and Leander claim I’m their soulmate. But Lainsz rejects me on the spot. Now I’m not sure what’s worse—the killer clique, the classes that end in murder, or the three wolves who stalk my every move. These people are all lunatics. Emphasis on the luna.      AmazonKU

RUFFLED FEATHERS by Kay Leyda

VS Note: FF PNR.

Welcome to Pumpkin Hollow! This little witchy town hidden away from humans in the White Mountains National Forest, situated directly in between New Hampshire and Maine, belongs to neither. It’s home to supernatural creatures of all kinds, but mostly witches of every variety. Fern Appleton is a cozy cottage witch who runs the town bookstore with her adorable tuxedo cat, Bramble. While some might say she’s lonely after her parents moved away, Fern believes that it’s hard to be lonely with a talking cat for a familiar. For the first time, it’s entirely on Fern to decorate Petals & Pages Bookstore for Pumpkin Hollow’s annual Pumpkin Festival, and she’s terrified of disappointing her parents. Sparrow Blackburne and her twin, Lark, are dream witches. It’s about the only thing they have in common – Sparrow has ebony hair, while Lark is ginger. Sparrow works at the town library while Lark is a botanist. After saving Fern from falling off a ladder while decorating the bookstore, Sparrow begins to notice the pretty young witch all over town, even in her dreams. Bramble requests Sparrow & Lark to help get the bookstore ready for the festival, and the close proximity stirs up plenty of feelings. In a town this small, it’s impossible to keep secrets. Will these two fall for Lark and Bramble’s matchmaking scheme?      AmazonKU

GUARDED BY MY GARGOYLE (FAIRHAVEN FALLS) by Honey Phillips

He returned to Fairhaven Falls with a fortune and a plan. Falling for the widowed plant nursery owner next door was not part of it. But her little boy sees him as a guardian. And she sees the softness beneath the stone. And once a gargoyle puts down roots… nothing will move him. Guarded by the Gargoyle is a cozy, protective small-town monster romance about second chances, chosen family, and a hero who finally decides to stay.       AmazonKU

THE KRAKEN KING’S CURSE by Charlotte Swan

What was supposed to be a chance to find love on the high seas soon becomes a nightmare…Eve Quinn has never been lucky in love. After one particularly disastrous first date, she decides to take a chance and board the maiden voyage of Love on the High Seas—a singles cruise promising to find every passenger their perfect match. The crew is charming and the wine never stops flowing. For the first time in years, she thinks her luck may finally be changing. Until the sirens sound. A violent whirlpool swallows the ship, and creatures with scales and tentacles rise from the depths. They take every woman aboard and leave the men for dead. Dragged beneath the waves, Eve realizes there are fates far worse than being single at twenty-seven. A curse only she can free the Kraken King from…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)    AmazonKU

OLD FASHIONED MAGIC (A SHOT OF MIDLIFE MAGIC BOOK FIVE) by Tegan Maher

Running a tiki bar on the Gulf Coast should be a breeze—except it doubles as headquarters for a crew of seventeenth-century pirate witches, an Oracle, and other magical beings trying to save the world one shot of rum at a time. I, Jules Cavanaugh, Mistress of Balance and owner of the Tipsy Flamingo, was really hoping we’d wrap up the whole coin thing in one go. Instead, Vexon is still one step ahead of us, and Lila’s encounter with the Coin of Time has left her slipping in and out of the present. And because I apparently have spare time between living my life, running my bar, and saving the world, visitors to Dolphin Key are suddenly getting glimpses of the island’s past. A haunted-history tour becomes a little too historical, and my formerly undead pirate houseguests swear they heard a siren that hasn’t been seen in these waters for centuries. Now I’m hunting a villain who’s learning exactly what he can do with Time while figuring out whether Dolphin Key has developed an entirely different supernatural problem. It’s fine. I raised two boys, kicked a cheating man-child to the curb, and catered to elitist Southern socialites for thirty years, so I’ve got this.      AmazonKU

DANCE IN THE STONES (HELLHOUND COLLAR BOOK EIGHT) by Lisa Oliver

VS Note: MM PNR.

What kind of person inherited a castle – or bought one, maybe – and then just…left it to crumble? 
Damon, one of the original Hellhounds, has been living in a rental cottage in the shadow of a ruined castle for the past three years. His peace and quiet is threatened when he receives notice that the owner of the property – who Damon has never met – was coming to do renovations with a view to selling the property. Little did Damon know that the owner’s arrival meant a lot more than thinking about somewhere else to live. Meanwhile, what on Earth was going on with his hound? He doesn’t know what we are to each other. We need to figure out what he is first and then find a way to tell him without scaring him away. We’ve got the time. Redford Stone, a gargoyle who ran the FBI taskforce related to paranormal crimes is suffering from burnout. Needing something to do with his time off, he decides to head to a castle he’d inherited five years before, planning to do some renovations and probably sell the place. His plans are thrown into complete disarray when he arrives at the castle to hear…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)

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ANGUISH (THE VIKING TALES BOOK 10) by W J May

Beware the pitted snake, who often strikes when one’s asleep…As the realm dissolves into chaos following the death of the Viking king, Liv finds herself at a crossroads. She could leave her father’s sunlit jungle and fulfill her twisted destiny, placing a crown atop Erik’s head at the cost of her own life; or she could remain in a magical bubble, brewing up potions and blissfully living out the rest of her days. The choice is clear, at least, if cruel. Yet prophecy is a double-edged sword, and those fateful words come with a hidden bite. Crowns attract all sorts of things, and rarely do they come with good intentions. There are secrets buried in the jungle beyond anything she could imagine, blades dipped in shadow and curses whispered in the dark. Two futures lie ahead of her. But only one of them ends with her breathing. The land is desperate for a good and rightful king, and a single girl stands in between. Will she cast her future aside and fulfill her great destiny? Or has the choice already been taken away? They say some people are favored by the gods. Others need to make their own luck.

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QUEEN OF WAR AND RUIN (SNAKE AND CROWN BOOK TWO) by Meredith Hart

Zarek spent his entire life being useful. To King Malrik. To the court of Vsenrog. To the lie that kept him alive. He knew exactly what he was: a weapon in prince’s clothing, with no kingdom, no name, and no future worth claiming. Then he married Lilias, the princess of Marion. And everything he knew about himself started to unravel. Lilias survived her arranged marriage to the assassin prince. She survived poison, kidnapping, and the powerful men who pulled the strings behind every dark scheme. But falling for the man she was forced to marry? That she might not survive. Now Lilias is a fugitive, riding hard for a kingdom that no longer exists. And the man at her side, the husband she tried not to care about, is changing in ways neither of them understand, unlocking something dangerous in his blood. Marion has fallen. Malrik’s armies are on the march, helped by an ancient elf who wants to turn Zarek into something even more dangerous than the assassin snake he once was. And the careful distance Lilias and Zarek kept between them for so long is gone. There’s nowhere left to hide. From their enemies, from the war closing in around them, or from the explosive connection growing between them.       AmazonKU

ROARING SPELL (MISTVALE FILES BOOK TWO) by Milly Taiden

Sakura Tempest is done with being a disaster. After her unanchored magic flooded one town too many, she’s moved to Mistvale to prove she can run a crystal studio without causing a catastrophe. While she tries to keep her stormy emotions from manifesting as literal thunderstorms, she can’t ignore the way the town’s newest “monitor” makes her magic vibrate with a hungry, electric energy. Keeping her cool—and her umbrella—becomes a losing battle as her instincts recognize the very man the Protection Network sent to investigate her. Torin Weylin has spent thirty years building a life of stoic solitude in the mountains. The steady bear shifter and Elder of the Protection Network is haunted by a space in his chest he didn’t know was empty until he saw her. When he’s assigned to monitor the new weather witch, his predator instincts scream that she’s his mate. While he tries to maintain a professional distance, he can’t ignore the way her scent of rain and lightning settles his restless bear. Keeping his hands to himself from the beautiful, sassy witch becomes impossible the longer they are near each other. While Sakura tries to ignore the fact that her crystals are playing matchmaker with her and her new bodyguard, the bad guys are busy shattering her shop and draining the town’s ancient defenses. They must navigate a web of betrayal before the final device shatters Mistvale’s peace for good. They aren’t just outrunning a conspiracy; they’re proving that the most violent storms are best weathered in each other’s arms.       AmazonKU

BOUND BY BLOOD AND BONE: VAMPIRES OF BLOOD AND BONES VOL 23 by B A Stretke

VS Note: MM PNR.

An ancient evil threatens the town of Mt. Pleasant, but the greatest surprise is the undeniable Fated bond between a haunted vampire and the last living Necromancer. For centuries, Atticus Nasir has existed in isolation as the final surviving member of the ancient Cultus Mortis. Called upon by the powerful Master Louis DuCane, Atticus arrives in the town of Mt. Pleasant to destroy a deadly blight that is draining the souls and life force of the local human population. Armed with ancient magic and a protective cloak adorned with talismans, Atticus is fully prepared to face the monstrous revenants and the underworld entity controlling them. What he isn’t prepared for is the handsome coven guard assigned to protect him. Wyatt Price is a stoic vampire warrior burdened by the tragic slaughter of his former coven years ago. Assigned as Atticus’s personal bodyguard at the Palace of DuCane, Wyatt instantly recognizes the breathtaking mystic as his Fated beloved. But haunted by past failures and feeling unworthy of the Necromancer’s immense power and status, Wyatt hides his fierce, possessive instincts behind a wall of professional distance. When a treacherous assassination attempt targets Atticus in the coven’s watchtower, Wyatt’s tightly leashed control shatters into a violent, protective rage. Forced to confront their intense connection, the two men surrender to a passionate and undeniable bond. As the demonic blight swells and a horrific underworld entity breaks free from the shadows in the Pine Ridge Cemetery, Atticus and Wyatt must fight side-by-side. Together, they will either banish the darkness to hell, or lose the fragile, perfect love they have finally found.    Amazon      AB

MY VAMPIRE DOES MORNINGS by Sabrina Sin and Milly Taiden

Nothing I protect is supposed to be visible. So why does her camera keep finding it? Two hundred years turning people around at that tree line. Nobody ever comes back. She came back four times.
Dark curls. A beanie. A camera bigger than her head. Six in the morning, every morning, in the one place I told her she couldn’t be. Two hundred and eighty-seven years old, and I’ve started arranging my life around a sunrise. She doesn’t know what I am. She doesn’t know she’s my mate, either. It snapped into place the night I pulled her out of the dark. I’ve said nothing since, because a bond isn’t a choice and I want her to choose me. Something under this forest is waking up. It wants her. I’ve been ready to die every autumn for two centuries. Then she started bringing me coffee. Now I want all of it. The years. The mornings. Her.       AmazonKU

ALPHA CHARMED (MISTVALE FILES BOOK THREE) by Milly Taiden

Anouk Darkwater is the queen of the airtight updo and even tighter emotional restraint. As Mistvale’s coven leader and premier apothecary, she has spent years channeling her grief into perfectly labeled jars and potions that—usually—don’t explode. But since her familiar died, her magic has become a wild, unanchored thing that pulses like a bruise. She is determined to ignore the cracks in her facade, even as the town’s most infuriatingly patient Alpha haunts her shop with a gaze that sees far too much. She has to keep him at arm’s length, even if it means ignoring the way her body heats up whenever he’s near. Caius Sternwolf has spent ten years in a state of “professional pining,” shadowing Anouk through the mist. The stoic wolf Alpha and head of the Protection Network is a man of few words and a very long memory. When a fellow elder is murdered, his predator instincts scream that Anouk is the next target—and his wolf demands she be his to defend. While he tries to maintain a disciplined distance, he can no longer ignore the way her scent of lavender and sage settles the restless beast beneath his skin. Disciplined boundaries incinerate the moment their long-suppressed attraction fuses with a raw power that sets the very air on fire. Professional boundaries between them? Not when a public claiming brands them both in front of the entire coven. While Anouk struggles to stay objective, her once-broken magic is finally stabilizing—but only when she’s within reach of the man she’s spent years avoiding. Together, they must navigate a web of poisoned tea, burned journals, and a conspiracy that’s been erasing their history for centuries. They aren’t just hunting a killer; they’re following a trail of ancient breadcrumbs that leads straight to a dragon’s lair—and to a bond that refuses to stay buried.       AmazonKU

I DON’T DO WITCHES by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden

She fights me on every rule. I fight myself on every look. The Crowe family offered me triple my rate to guard the one witch I couldn’t afford to hate: Serenity. Just one problem…I hate her so much. 
Reckless, sharp-tongued, and marked for death by a blood cult that wants to crack open her bloodline like a vault. My job is simple — keep her breathing. My wolf has other plans. Because somewhere between the safe house and the estate under siege, “client” stops being a word that fits either of us. But the cult that’s hunting her isn’t finished, and the truth about who put me in her path is worse than either of us imagined. Someone built this. Someone wanted a wolf who hates witches standing guard over the most powerful one alive — and I walked right into it. They think they can come after her. They’re wrong. I don’t care how many of them I have to go through. She’s mine. And I don’t lose what’s mine.       AmazonKU

TWIST OF FATE: MATED TO THE FAE by Macy Blake

VS Note: MM PNR.

Connal is a Fae warrior on a secret mission in the human realm, where his magic barely works, the customs make no sense, and the locals apparently keep enormous water-spewing monsters as emergency vehicles. He is not having a good time. Then he finds his mate. Luke is a highly trained human spy with a mission of his own—and absolutely no intention of letting the gorgeous lunatic he just met derail it. He has secrets to protect, a dangerous assignment to finish, and no reason to believe Connal’s claim that fate has bound them together. Unfortunately, leaving his newly discovered mate behind isn’t an option as far as Connal is concerned. Taking Luke somewhere safe seems like the only reasonable solution. Luke would like the record to show that Fae and humans have very different definitions of reasonable. Especially since Connal’s version involves kidnapping him to the Unseelie Realm. Luke’s mission may be connected to the very threat Connal was sent to find. Now Luke and Connal have to untangle what’s happening between their worlds while figuring out something even more complicated: each other. Fate may have made them mates. Falling in love? Well, that’s on them.   AmazonKU

CHARM OF THE WITCH (WITCHES OF KEATING HOLLOW BOOK 18) by Deanna Chase

Dutton Williams has dreams of living a simple life, restoring classic cars, and finding the stability he never had growing up. When he arrives in Keating Hollow to reconnect with his brother, it looks like his dreams are in reach. But when he helps a cursed runaway bride escape her wedding, suddenly life Is complicated. He knows he should stay away from her, but when his heart gets involved, all bets are off. When Dahlia Day finds out on her wedding day that her fiancé is a cheater, she can’t run fast enough. Thankfully, there’s a handsome knight in shining armor willing to help her escape. Dutton Williams seems to be the man she’s been waiting for. But when there’s a string of arsons in Keating Hollow, her dead fairy god mother points the finger at Dutton through magical journal entries. Now with everything on the line, Dahlia has to decide who to trust—Dutton or her fairy god mother? Can Dutton prove he’s innocent and win the heart of his runaway bride? Or will he lose everything… again?      AmazonKU

SHIELD OF THORNS (VANDELEUR TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Fleur DeVillainy

The kingdom is on the brink of ruin. The unicorns are trapped. And Sybil Vandeleur may be the only one who can stop it. Hunted, betrayed, and bound to a fate she never asked for, Sybil must journey across Craeweth to unlock the ancient magic buried deep within her blood. The power to save her kind exists, but wielding it may cost her everything. At her side stands Prince Aramis, her once-enemy turned fated mate. Their bond is undeniable. As war looms and the queen tightens her grip on the kingdom, allies begin to fall and secrets unravel. Because not every enemy wears a crown. And not every betrayal comes from the shadows. When the battle for Shadowvale begins, Sybil must rise, not just as a survivor, but as something far more dangerous. A force the world has never seen.   Amazon

EX-PRESSO by Johnna Dee

Marigold “Goldie” Thorne once believed in forever—until the man she loved accused her of bewitching his heart. Shattered and determined to start over, she poured her soul into Enchantresso, a cozy coffee and tea shop where every brew carries a touch of magic. But when Lucian Duskbane, the jackal shifter who broke her heart, walks back into town, old wounds stir and sparks fly. He claims he’s back to care for his sick father and run the family repair business, but Goldie can’t ignore the way his eyes still linger… or how her heart still races. One sip, one look, and they’re both reminded—some loves are brewed too strong to fade.       AmazonKU

GHOST MAKER: HAUNTED SOULS BOOK 27 by Pandora Pine

VS Note: MM PNR Mystery.

I am a ghostmaker. A bringer of death…When a new psychic arrives in Salem, Copeland Forbes is eager to meet him. But Jonas Crawford isn’t looking for friendship. He’s looking for something far more dangerous: the death spell, a closely guarded secret of the Devereaux coven that Cope has spent years trying to escape. Meanwhile, the Cold Case team is fighting for its survival. With the mayor threatening to cut their funding, Fitzgibbon suggests they make a good impression on the auditor sent to determine whether the unit is worth saving. Jude is onboard with the plan until he learns West Strickland has spent fifteen years blaming cold case detectives for failing to solve his mother’s murder. West wants nothing to do with psychics or the detectives who promise they can finally catch his mother’s killer. After fifteen years of disappointment, he has no reason to believe this team will be any different. Then, days after Jonas Crawford arrives in Salem, people connected to the mysterious psychic begin turning up dead. Is Jonas responsible for the murders? Is he using the death spell to eliminate his enemies? Because the killings have only just begun. And whoever is next may be closer than anyone thinks.          AmazonKU

THE ICE BEYOND (EMPRESS OF THORNS BOOK ONE) by Olivia Wildenstein

I had two childhood dreams: to shift into a wolf, and to win Nordin Stormsson’s forbidden heart. My first dream shattered the day my mother confessed I wasn’t a shifter, but a valkyrie—stranded in a land far from my people. My second was crushed when Nordin rejected me…only to claim another as his mate. Heartbroken, I crossed beyond the wards in search of my birth clan. My freedom came at a cost. Dragons, vampyrs, and enemy wolves stalked me through the dark. They weren’t the only ones who came after me, though. Nordin came too. He seized me before they could, stealing my body and then my heart. For a time, I dared to dream once more, to imagine a future with Nordin in the land of ice and wolves. Until I uncovered my beloved’s most closely guarded secret. A truth about my past. One that ruined us all.        AmazonKU

ALE STORM (TALES FROM THE DRAGON DINER BOOK FOUR) by Lindsay Buroker

Now that her business partner, the dragon and award-winning chef Jildarin-grozanarav, has realized he has feelings for her, Rylana looks forward to going on a date with him. The elven queen has departed and the troll-god curse has been resolved, so it’s the perfect time for a moonlit walk and a kiss. Or so Rylana thinks. But dwarven thieves show up, ransacking the diner and looking for an antique hunting horn she recently found. Even worse, Jildarin has unearthed a centuries-old book on the proper protocol for courting a human woman. Now, he’s determined that he needs permission from Rylana’s father before they can go on a date. Lastly, the female dragons that want Jildarin to mate with them have returned and are threatening Rylana. Why can’t life ever go according to plan?   AmazonKU

A CURSE FOR CHRISTMAS PAST: A NOVEL by Morgan Lockhart

Hayleigh Gray is cursed. For real. After losing her job, her savings, and her relationship, it’s the discovery of a lump on her beloved horse’s neck that finally sends Hayleigh looking for solutions. And she knows where to start: Elk Ridge, Washington, a seemingly innocuous small town with a cliched winter festival and a whole lot of witches. There, she crosses paths with Stephan Midwinter, an animal-rescuing artist with a reputation a mile long and a whole lot of magic that Hayleigh wants nothing to do with. Adamant that his coven wasn’t involved in the curse, he offers to help her find the real culprit and break the curse before Christmas Day. As Hayleigh and Stephan face ancestral secrets, mischievous holiday spirits, and being snowed into the world’s kitschiest holiday train B&B, Hayleigh finds her heart opening to magic, and to Stephan. But Stephan and his way of life are in direct opposition to everything she’s been taught to want. With the curse amping up and time running out, will Hayleigh embrace a new kind of holiday magic, or will she be trapped in the patterns of Christmas past?       Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

ICED OUT MATE (WOLVES OF BURLINGTON BOOK TWO) by Max Walker

VS Note: MM Shifters.

Dylan Briggs knows exactly who he is on the ice. Off it, things are a little messier. He bounces from hook-up to hook-up and tries not to overthink what comes next. But when he meets Miles Reed, the Burlington Bobcats’ new athletic trainer, there’s nothing to overthink. Miles is his fated mate. Dyl is sure of it. Except Miles is a shifter too, and he doesn’t feel the same pull. Something’s wrong. Still, the attraction between them keeps growing, along with Dylan’s hope that maybe fate matters less than the fact that Miles keeps choosing him. But getting closer to Miles also means getting pulled into the danger he came to Burlington trying to escape: a stalker who has spent years watching and threatening him. And now they’ve noticed Dylan too. With the season heating up and the threat escalating, Dylan and Miles will have to figure out what’s real between them before someone else decides their fate for them.      AmazonKU

DAMNED IF I DO by Alexandira Bellefleur

The devil’s right-hand woman must convince her long-lost husband to renounce their vows so she can wed a prince from Hell. Effie MacLeod is no stranger to making desperate decisions, but making a deal with Lucifer himself—sacrificing her soul to save a loved one—has got to be her most monumental. Several hundred years into her tenure as a demon, Effie’s found herself engaged to Belphegor, a handsome, seductive, and successful Prince of Hell. It’s not a love match, but it’ll do. There’s just one teensy-tiny little problem: She’s still bound to her sixteenth-century Scottish husband. While Effie has completely cast her human life aside, Finn has been reincarnated through several lifetimes. Effie must convince Finn to renounce their age-old vows in order get the Office of Infernal Internal Affairs off her back. The kicker? When she finds him in this lifetime, Finn doesn’t remember anything, but he refuses her request for a divorce. Annoyed to be stuck with him in small-town Georgia until she can persuade Finn to abandon their marriage, Effie must convince him that yes, she does want to get on with her devilish shenanigans despite the physical pull she feels toward him. As they get closer in hopes of recovering his lost memories, Effie can’t help but notice murmurings of her deeply buried feelings resurfacing. But while all’s fair in love and war, that’s not the case in Hell—and Lucifer may have his own reasons for wanting to keep Finn and Effie apart for the rest of eternity.

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FAERY QUEEN (REALM IMMORTAL BOOK TWO) by Michelle M Pillow

At first sight, Queen Tania of the Faeries knows that Hugh, Earl of Bellemare, is her one true love. Yet a year has passed since he promised to return, and now she knows he never intended to come back. With her mood darkening and her castle tarnishing, Tania vows to teach Hugh a lesson he’ll never forget. That no human should dare deceive a faery queen. In her despair, she turns to King Lucien of the Damned, and swears a blood vow that risks the fate of all the faeries―and Hugh’s soul. Suspicious of the magical world, Hugh wishes he’d never discovered the truth of what was beyond the mortal realm. Noble duty consumes his time―but not his heart. He lost that to the seductive Queen Tania, who surely wanted him only as her plaything. Despite his vow to forget the teasing nymph, she haunts his every thought. When he finds himself kidnapped by the demon king and back in Tania’s arms, Hugh cannot resist her charms. But with his family’s safety at stake and the land at war, he must return to his home. Even if it means destroying Tania’s life. In a war-ridden land, destiny rides on the wings of a faery queen and on the will of an earl who refuses to acknowledge their love.      Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

HARBINGER by Geneva Lee

Arden Icaros was never supposed to matter. From the poorest of five noble bloodlines, she prefers life on the family farm with dirt under her nails over the fine dresses at court. She just needs to get through one boring ceremony, inherit her earth magic, and return home. Instead, she’s handed a dagger and with it, an impossible choice. Now Arden is branded an omen of war, half the nobility wants her dead, and assassins are tracking her every move. Her only chance of survival lies with the most feared man in Antares. They call him Bishop. No one remembers the name he had before he dedicated his life to his order. Empowered to execute first and question later, Bishop is ruthless, terrifying, and utterly loyal to the kingdom that wants Arden dead. He should kill her. Instead, he offers her sanctuary. But the longer Arden stays under Bishop’s protection, the more dangerous he becomes. Because Bishop has secrets powerful enough to topple kingdoms…and a need for Arden that could ruin them both.

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TIGHTS AND TAIL: MM FANTASY ROMANCE (HOTTER THAN HELL)  by Callie Colby

I’m a fake warlock at a Renaissance Faire. I accidentally summoned a critic from Hell. I get paid minimum wage to wear tights, wave a plastic staff, and recite nonsense Latin from a fantasy paperback. It was supposed to be a show for the tourists. It wasn’t supposed to actually work. Now I have Belial, a five-hundred-year-old demon lord, following me around the fairgrounds. He’s not interested in my soul; he’s offended by my historical inaccuracies. He spends his days critiquing the blacksmith’s technique, threatening to incinerate the “abominable polyester” costumes, and winning sword tournaments with terrifying, supernatural ease. He’s the most authentic thing at the Faire, and the crowds love him. I should banish him before he burns down the funnel cake stand, but there’s a problem. Belial is fascinated by the modern world. Specifically, he’s fascinated by me. He wants to know how zippers work, why I smell like “cheap mead and desperation,” and exactly what it takes to make a fake warlock scream for real. I’m trying to keep him from murdering the patrons, but it’s getting hard to focus when he drags me into the changing tent to show me exactly what that very real, very sensitive tail can do.      AmazonKU      AB

LUKE: THE BEARS (KING LAKE SHIFTERS BOOK FOUR) by R E Butler

Bear shifter Luke likes his life simple: work hard with his den, help where he’s needed, and never miss a burger of the week at The Amber Howl. Then he catches Valley’s scent in the line outside the tavern, and his bear knows the truth in an instant. She’s his mate. Valley is supposed to be leaving Mill Creek in a week for a new bakery job and a fresh start two hours away. Falling for a gorgeous, protective bear shifter was not part of the plan—and neither was discovering that fated mates and magic burgers are very, very real. Luke won’t ask her to give up her future. If Valley goes, he’ll follow. But the more time she spends in King Lake, the harder it is to tell whether leaving is still what she wants… or if everything she’s been searching for has been waiting across the bridge all along. In King Lake, fate doesn’t always arrive quietly. Sometimes it shows up with a protective bear and a love worth changing plans for.       AmazonKU

CURRENTS OF DESIRE: A MONSTER BRIDE ROMANCE by Lilliana Rose

She’s the ocean’s most lethal predator, and she has just claimed him as her mate. For ex-rescue worker, Jack Ford, the ocean is a graveyard. Haunted by the tragic ghosts of his past, he lives a solitary, brooding existence on the edge of Deception Point, a paranormal small town where the storms are fierce, and the shadows hide secrets. But when a catastrophic Category 4 cyclone batters his home, the floodwaters wash up something that defies all logic. Nerida isn’t a helpless, fairy-tale mermaid. She is a bioluminescent apex predator from the crushing, freezing depths of the Mariana Trench. Lethal, alien, and dying in the dry air, she is completely at Jack’s mercy. Against his better judgment, Jack saves the monster. In return, the monster claims him. Bound by a sudden, primal, fated mating bond, Jack and Nerida are forced into intimate proximity as the storm rages outside. But Nerida is a deserter from a brutal deep-sea war, and the ruthless trackers of the trench have caught her scent. They think Jack is just a fragile human. They are about to learn that Nerida will slaughter anything that threatens what is hers. Jack thought the water only took things away. Now, he’s about to discover that being claimed by the most dangerous creature in the sea is the only way to survive.   AmazonKU

THE SWEETEST FIEND: A NOVEL by Raven Kennedy

VS note: Pied Piper reimagined.

It’s time to pay the Piper. Our world cracked open like an egg. Power burst out, and with it, nine monstrous Banes ready to destroy everything. The powerful Core fae finally slayed them all, but each Bane left a Plague to punish us. But that’s not the only thing they left behind. I’m half Bane, half fae, and wholly hated. Survival means enduring every vicious glare and cursed outbreak. Until one day, a Plague descends upon my city that means certain death. Then he comes. The Pied Piper. He rids my city of the Plague, but it comes at a cost. One hundred and thirty people are taken as payment. Including me. I don’t know what he’s going to do to us, but I know I have to get home. My family’s lives depend on it. But the Piper won’t let me go, and something wicked stirs between us. The sweet scent in my veins beckons him, while the seductive lure of his magic sinks under my skin. I have to escape before it’s too late. Because if I don’t, it’s not just my heart at risk…But the entire world.       Amazon     AB     Apple Books      Kobo

WELCOME TO THE KOKORO CAT CLINIC (WE’LL PRESECRIBE YOU A CAT BOOK THREE) by Syou Ishida,  E Madison Shimoda Translator

When you are lost, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul will find you. Dr. Nikké and his clinic are always ready to offer their unconventional approach to healing. Although one never quite understands how they ended up there, each person who has walked through the door has left with a cat and a deeper understanding of themselves. Every time, the clinic reaffirms that the unbreakable bond between cats and people has the potential to heal and transform lives. With Dr. Nikké as the constant that weaves each of these stories together, we meet a woman anxious about an upcoming competition, an overwhelmed young father, an illustrator questioning her career, and a young woman burdened with guilt. Digging ever deeper into the complicated minds of humans—and the love of their feline companions—this poignant, episodic novel provides something richer and more challenging than mere comfort: compassion.       Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE WRETCHED DIVINE by Adalyn Grace

Aurelie Chantelune was born to serve. Raised as a knight in a kingdom ravaged by demons, she’s spent her life honing her blade, driven by the memory of the monsters who tore her family apart and by the knowledge that she’s one of the few who can stop them. If Aurelie can claim her first kill, she’ll inherit a legacy passed down through the Chantelune bloodline: a soulbond with Yuriel, an angel whose power is vital to her kingdom’s survival. But when those she loves begin turning into the very monsters she’s sworn to destroy, Aurelie is forced to seek help from the last place she ever imagined. Desperate, she forges a second and far more dangerous bond with Severin, a demon she can hardly trust, but who claims to know how to end the war for good. With their lives and fates entwined, Aurelie, Yuriel, and Severin must team up to hunt down a cure capable of turning demons back into humans. But the more they learn about one another and the deeper their relationships grow, the more Aurelie begins to question the war and her place in it. With both of her bonded on opposing sides, she’ll have to make a choice: continue to stand with the angels, or risk everything by trusting a demon.

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YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I HAUNT: A NOVEL by Katie Jung

Libby Lakoski has two major problems. First, she’s secretly in love with her best friend, Carter Coldwell, and second, he’s marrying someone else. Carter’s the only person who has ever made Libby feel chosen, and sure, his fiancee is a British diamond heiress, but Carter and Libby have years of shared history and longing looks between them. Not to mention, Libby is the only person Carter trusted enough to tell about the dark magic that plagues his family. But then a third and related problem presents itself—or, himself. Trip Coldwell is Carter’s handsome, smart, flirtatious cousin who also happens to be… a ghost. Trip’s “unfinished business” is to break the Coldwell curse, but the solution hinges on Libby encouraging Carter to allow his wedding to proceed. Unfortunately, Libby is the only person who can see Trip, and her objective is the exact opposite. Can Libby put aside her pining for Carter and work with his hot and not-quite-living cousin to save both men? As they follow a trail of clues across New York City, Libby finds herself questioning just how much Carter reciprocated her friendship, feeling perplexed by a growing attraction to Trip, and fantasizing about actually touching him. With the countdown to the wedding in full swing, Libby must choose between saving the Coldwells and holding tight to her own happily ever after.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

ETCHED IN INK (THE VOLLMAGUS AND THE ETCHED BOOK TWO)  by Corinne Price

Everything Sybil Wyntres believed is a lie. The rune etched into her body, the magic she can’t control, even the order she once trusted. None of it is what it seems. Forced back into the Bastion she barely escaped, Sybil is sent across the fractured lands of Crae Vost with an ancient enchanter whose motives are as obscured as the truth she seeks. As whispers of the Void spread and their horrors grow less containable, Sybil begins to uncover a terrifying possibility: the enemy may not be what she was taught to fear. Far beneath the world above, Raekin has lost everything. Dragged back into the Alpstraum by the noose he thought he had loosened, he is once again bound to the wire that broke him. All because he chose her. Now, marked by failure and forced into obedience, Raekin is sent to hunt the one person who may be able to unleash the nightmare of the Void onto the continent. As their paths pull them toward the same unraveling mystery, Sybil and Raekin race against each other and the forces that control them to uncover the truth behind the tome that tore them apart. But in a world built on control and cruelty: knowledge is dangerous. And choosing the wrong side may cost them not just their lives, but the lives of those living on the surface.         AmazonKU

THE LAST KNIGHT (BLOOD KNIGHT CHRONICLES BOOK SEVEN) by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

He was the last Knight of seven the Makers at Castle Broceliande made immortal. And not in a good way. Once a famous member of the Round Table, and used to quests, Griffin escaped the Castle, and has lived endlessly on — his task in the 21st century is to protect humans from the monsters that came out of Broceliande after him and the six other Knights he considers his blood brothers. Scotland… Young vampire Slayer Hadley isn’t ready for a meet-up with a gorgeous stranger who is so much more than he seems. Will she believe his story, or not? Can Griffin prove himself worthy of her love?

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LITTLE COURT OF STARS: MMF MONSTER ROMANCE (CREATURE CAFE SERIES BOOK 19) by Clio Evans

Creatures of all kinds go to the Barista to find love, including the tricky fae, Crux and Andromeda. After waiting for Bell to be ready, Crux and Andromeda have finally come to the Barista for his son. The Barista is reluctant to interfere with fate, but decides to set up them up at Creature Cafe. As the first of the Barista’s children to take a fated mate bond, Bell faces the unknown. The scales starting to show up on his body? That’s…normal, right? Despite all the changes happening in his life, Bell is ready for his first date. But is Bell ready for love?       AmazonKU

CHASING DAWN (BLACK MOUNTAIN MATES BOOK TWO) by Grace McGinty

Dawn fell in love in a day. When she met two teenage twin bear shifters at the Shifter Gathering, she let herself dream of a world filled with sunshine and happiness. Then she grew up and realised love wasn’t meant for Omega wolves. Omegas were made for hard fists, not soft feelings. But when her Alpha goes too far and then leaves her for dead in the woods, there’s only one place Dawn knows she will be safe, and it was in the arms of two bears who were no longer boys but men, and under the protection of their Alpha, who they promised was kind and safe. She had no other choice but to follow her heart and hope it wasn’t the next thing torn out.      AmazonKU

DRAGON IN DISTRESS by Brigitte Ann Thomas

Mila has been locked up for her entire life. She’s not a princess, though; she’s the dragon–and she’s been locked away to keep everyone around her safe. Or at least that was her parents’ reasoning.
When Fulton sees the beautiful girl sitting in the window night after night, he makes it his mission to get to know her. He doesn’t care that she’s a dragon. He’s not afraid of her fire. But she is. Can she learn what it means to be free in a world she’s never experienced before? Can she love him without burning everything to the ground?      AmazonKU

IMPRISONED WITH THE VAMPIRE KING (FATED MATE BONDS BOOK FIVE) by Lola Glass

I walked into prison to free a vampire king, and now I have to pretend to be in love with him. The magic I created this place with is messed up in ways I never expected. Half of the cells are full of deadly, psychotic immortals. The other half are full of innocent people who were trapped here by someone who exploited the mistakes in my prison’s magic. The only thing they all have in common is that I’m their only ticket out. If they knew, they would kill me. But they don’t. And they won’t, if the vampire king I’m here to save has anything to say about it. He does. Or at least, he’s pretending he does. Because acting like we’re obsessed with each other is the best way to get out of here, and we’re both willing to do whatever it takes to walk out alive… even if what it takes is a mate bond.      AmazonKU

THE DOLL SQUAD (BUREAU OF CURSED OBJECTS BOOK ONE) by Hailey Edwards

Danger in the line of duty is a given, but Officer Samantha Tiegs always figured her death would come in the form of a heart attack in her golden years after a lifetime of researching the age-old question— Can it be fried? Sadly, death has less delicious plans in store for her. When she’s called to intercept a hijacking in progress, her world gets turned upside down. The thieves aren’t human, and whatever’s in the delivery truck they looted, they want it bad enough to kill for it. Except her death isn’t their end goal. It’s only the beginning of a twisted plan orchestrated by the person she loves most. Everything she believed about her life, her family, was a lie. The truth is, she’s a pawn in a deadly game she can’t win alone. Enter the Bureau of Cursed Objects. The supernatural agency has a vested interest in her survival, and they make her an offer she can’t refuse. Come work for them, and they’ll guarantee her safety, but her new partner is a man who poses the greatest threat to her yet. As long as she remains valuable, he’ll protect her from everyone. Including himself. But should her returns diminish, he won’t make any promises. Warning: Contains one manga obsessed heroine with an anime addiction, more fried food than a fairground on opening night, one hero with a reputation for killing his partners and a compulsion for labeling what he considers his, and a whole lot of family secrets, drama, and evil hiding where you least expect it.       AmazonKU

NO BONES ABOUT IT: A HALLOWEEN SENTIENT OBJECT ROMANCE by Cassandra Elizzabeth

This Halloween, Tori Graves is celebrating her divorce by finally buying the one thing her ex-husband never let her have. The viral twelve-foot skeleton. The HOA promptly loses its collective mind and declares war. When Tori’s desperate plea to save her beloved Halloween decoration goes viral, she’s forced to get creative. Suddenly, Mr. Bonejangles becomes the best thing that’s ever happened to her photography business. And her heart. Somewhere between pumpkin carving, horror movie marathons, and pumpkin porter beneath the autumn stars, Tori falls for the skeleton. And somehow, he falls right back. But Lois, the self-appointed queen of the HOA, is determined to get rid of Mr. Bonejangles once and for all. As Halloween approaches and the feud spirals into something far more destructive, Tori realizes that loving him is the easy part. Keeping him may be impossible without a Halloween miracle.      AmazonKU

ASHBORNE FORGED (EMBERQUELL ORDER BOOK TWO) by Aimee Lynn

He surrendered his heart. Now he battles demons to keep it. Voski finally yields to the bond and opens his heart, ushering Grace into a thrilling world of love and heat. But even as he lets her light in, the specters of his past still hover in the shadows. Just as the bond cements, and their souls entwine, the life Grace fled rises to claim her. And when the twin traditions of bloodline and kingdom collide to threaten everything they’ve built, Voski is desperate. He finds himself forced to do the one thing he swore he never would: Go back. Back to the people who shaped him with fear and false gods. Back to a childhood built on control disguised as devotion. Back to dark power, and the even darker man they molded him to become.      AmazonKU      AB

MY BIG FAT SHIFTER WEDDING by Roxie Ray

Olivia Rizoli is the daughter of a wolf-pack alpha, the fifth of seven kids, and the family’s unpaid fixer: the one who unclogs the toilets, smooths over the drama, and never gets asked what she actually wants. At thirty, she finally does something for herself. She quits the family business and signs up for a beginner woodworking class off a random community flyer. She wasn’t expecting to fall for the instructor. Keith Insrym is enormous, bearded, and surprisingly gentle for a guy built like a lumberjack. He proposes to her in a chicken shop, ring in his pocket for months, and Olivia says yes without a second of hesitation, then immediately starts panicking about the one thing she still hasn’t told him: that she can turn into a wolf. That her whole family can. That the “monthly hikes” she keeps disappearing for are actually pack runs during the full moon. What Olivia doesn’t realize is that Keith’s already noticed more than he’s letting on: the strength she can’t quite hide, the growling in her sleep, a pattern he can’t fully explain. He proposed anyway. With three Rizoli weddings already crowding the family calendar and Keith getting closer to the truth every time he sits down to dinner with her family, Olivia has to decide how much longer she can keep loving him without actually letting him in.       AmazonKU

FATED TO THE WICKED KING by S L Breaker

Can she redeem the man she used to love? Or is she fated to ruin with the world he burns? Once upon a time, Allie saved the life of a most notorious assassin. How was she supposed to know he was the rightful heir to the most powerful throne in the land too? If only she hadn’t fallen for him. If only he hadn’t abandoned her nearly a year ago without a single word. Because the man she once knew is now the most feared and ruthless ruler of all kingdoms. Corrupted by the power of his crown, he has turned his back on his past. With her heart still bound to his, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with the one man she should never trust again. Compelled to abet his tyranny. Even if it means crushing all who defy him. Displaced from her own world, Allie has enough problems. For her forgotten past now threatens her existence. And only the Wicked King holds the key to finding her way home. Can Allie resist the sizzling attraction that still exists between them? Is the Wicked King’s soul too far gone or can Allie restore his heart before he destroys them all?     AmazonKU

PUMPKIN SPICE SPELLS (WITCHCAKES BOOK ONE) by Sara Bourgeois

Welcome to Harvest Hollow, where the pastries are sweet, the magic is real, and murder is always bad for business. Ivy Merriweather never planned to come home. But when life in the city goes up in flames, she returns to Harvest Hollow to help save her family’s bakery, Witchcakes, just in time for the town’s busiest season… Halloween. Between pumpkin spice cupcakes, enchanted recipes, and a chonky orange cat named Nutmeg who is far more trouble than help, Ivy already has enough on her plate. Then a member of the Halloween festival committee is found dead behind the bakery, and suddenly all eyes are on Witchcakes. The police chief is more interested in keeping the peace than solving a murder. The town rumor mill is working overtime. And Ivy’s kitchen magic keeps warning her that the wrong person is about to get away with it. To clear her name, protect her bakery, and keep Harvest Hollow’s spookiest season from turning deadly, Ivy will have to follow the crumbs, trust her instincts, and hope Nutmeg does not destroy the evidence first.        AmazonKU

THE WISHING GATE (GRACETOWN BOOK 10) by Cindy Kirk

The gate opens three times. The final choice is hers. Liliana Parks doesn’t believe in wishes—until an iron gate carries her thirty-seven years into the past. In 1989, Holliday House is still filled with life, its gardens are in bloom, and David Holliday is still dreaming of the future. Lily knows that future will never come. David is destined to die young, and the beloved estate will be left to slowly fall into ruin. With each journey, Lily is drawn closer to David, his family, and a life that feels more like home than anything she has ever known. Soon, she must choose between the life she has built and the unexpected one waiting for her on the other side of time.      AmazonKU

VEIL OF NIGHT AND FLAMES (DREAMBOUND SERIES BOOK TWO) by J Kenner

Some promises are stronger than prophecy. Cora Lyte paid the price to save the man she loves. Now she’s bound to another. Betrothed to Adric, the immortal King of the Nightmare Realm, Cora returns to the Real believing she can keep her impossible bargain without surrendering her heart. But the barriers between worlds are weakening, ancient enemies are moving in the shadows, and everything she thought she knew is beginning to unravel. Chase has kept devastating secrets. The past refuses to stay buried. And the bond tying Cora, Chase, and Adric together is becoming impossible to deny. As nightmares bleed into the waking world, Cora must decide who she is before she decides who she loves. Because if the prophecy is wrong……then the greatest threat to the realms isn’t her forbidden desire. It’s the lie that has shaped them all. The barriers are weakening. The realms are colliding. And between night and flame, desire burns dangerously bright.       Amazon

ASH FALL: FRACTURED by Reese Rivers

The moon cracked, magic flooded in, and now the sky is falling. Luna finally has the people she loves back under one roof, but the changing world isn’t done with them. New threats keep them running, new powers keep surfacing, and the disasters don’t stop coming. Survival means leaving everything behind to find somewhere strong enough to outlast whatever hits next. The world isn’t the only thing shifting. Friendship, loyalty, love, and want are blurring into something Luna can’t ignore, and the five men circling her are done pretending they don’t feel it too. She keeps bracing for the moment she has to pick one of them. Now she’s starting to wonder if she has to pick at all.      AmazonKU

THE REAPING ROSE (REALM OF BEATING HEARTS BOOK TWO) by Eva Simmons

Elorie has returned to Alyssium, separated from her mate after the Rite of Blood ceremony and forced to face the consequences of binding with Wilder. Hope runs thin as the realm crumbles, magic falters, and her home slowly succumbs to death and decay. She failed her people once, but to find Wilder and heal her realm Elorie is determined to try again. Even if it means venturing to the depths of the Fae prison where it all began. A place of nightmares and torment. An endless maze that hides her mother and the truth to unlocking her magic. But deep in the darkness, secrets wait. In the past, lies linger. And in Elorie’s blood, an unsettling truth stirs. Fate has a way of fixing that which is broken. But what if the break began with her?       AmazonKU

THE FANGED ONE: RAGNAROK BOOK ONE (THE FAE UNIVERSE 16) by Alessa Thorn

A bound wolf. A doomed völva. A trip to hell to save a god. Linnea is a völva with a bossy wolf locked inside her, and for months her job has been singing lullabies to the Great Wolf to keep him bound in his enchanted sleep. When Fenris wakes ahead of schedule, the gods decide she’s the one to help him find his father. It’s her wyrd, her destiny, and good luck arguing with the Norns about it. Fenris was never the monster the world claimed. He was the sacrifice, bound in the dark so the Nine Realms could keep turning. Now he wakes to a world that calls him a villain, and to a fated mate he won’t claim in order to keep her safe. Linnea has never been chosen by anyone, so naturally, the universe hands her the one man who wants her and won’t have her. Figures. Doomed or not, they have to find Loki if the world (and their love life) is going to survive Ragnarök. Luckily, a small band of warriors (and Von) is coming along, because the only thing chaotic enough to find the god of chaos is family.   AmazonKU

THE ACADEMY OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Oceanne Rheaume

For centuries, the Academy of Varethia has trained the heirs of the Six Great Families—vampires, fae, wolves, sirens, medusae, and dragon riders—to master their power and preserve the fragile peace between their kingdoms. Eirea Vaelith has spent her entire life preparing to survive its halls. She never expected her first year to become a fight to survive them. From the moment she arrives, something beneath Varethia seems to stir. Ancient wards falter. Students disappear without a trace. Dragons grow restless. And whatever is happening inside Varethia seems to keep pulling Eirea into its path. Her search for answers brings her dangerously close to Rhyven Corvell, a third-year Chief Wings Officer and one of the Academy’s most formidable dragon riders. Blunt, infuriating, and impossible to intimidate, Rhyven has secrets of his own—and far too many reasons to tell Eirea to stop asking questions. Because something is hunting beyond the Academy’s wards. Something Varethia was built to keep out. And as Eirea, Rhyven and their friends are drawn deeper into secrets their families have kept buried for generations, one truth becomes impossible to ignore: What if the Academy isn’t protecting them from the truth? What if it’s protecting the truth from them?   AmazonKU

HEARTBREAK PRINCE by Rebecca F Kenney

On Syth’s very first night as a bodyguard for the kingdom’s naughtiest prince, tragedy strikes. The ensuing political upheaval sends Syth on the run with the prince she’s supposed to protect. Vawn is a playboy, careless and lecherous, with a pretty face and a teasing tongue. He’s also pathetically incapable of protecting himself. As the two of them flee from enemies and try to decide whom to trust, they become entangled in more ways than one… and they team up with a very intelligent, occasionally irritating magic carpet. Prince Vawn is an artificient, gifted with the ability to paint special glyphs on fingernails, a technique that enables a person to harness their living energy for magical purposes. Without his gift, Syth doesn’t stand a chance of surviving the journey ahead, and neither does he. To reach safety and reclaim what has been taken, Syth must trust the prince not only with her potential magic, but with something much more precious.      AmazonKU

BETRAYED (UNTAMED) by Lucy Thorne

Three nights ago I hit a wolf with my car, and found a naked man bleeding in the snow. I dragged him back to my secret vet clinic and stitched him up on the exam table. Three days later, the wound is almost gone. Tonight my ex kicked in the front door, still in his suit from the wedding I ran out on. He grabbed my arm and backed me into the counter, telling me I was coming home to fix what I did to him. Suddenly, the man I hit with my car came out of the exam room behind him. He didn’t say a word, he just closed one hand around my ex’s wrist and lifted him clean off the ground. My ex’s feet were kicking six inches off the floor when he finally choked out, “Who the hell are you?” He set him down, stepped in front of me, and growled, “Someone who saw the bruise.”      AmazonKU

OUTLAWED (THE WICKED WEST BOOK THREE) by Candice Wright

I’ve hated Austin for a lifetime and loved him for just a moment, but that moment was enough to make me lose my mind. I made excuses for him, believed his lies—I trusted him with my heart, and he eviscerated it. How do you come back from something like that when the betrayal cuts so deep it hits bone? The answer is you don’t. Some hurts you just can’t heal from. If it weren’t for Shepard, Riggs, and the little makeshift family we built, I don’t think I’d have survived. Sadly, evil doesn’t rest when we’re grieving, so when my father sees that I’m vulnerable, he makes his move, striking out at my little family and landing a deadly blow. But being vulnerable doesn’t make me weak; it makes me determined. I take all the pain I endured, all the years of torment and abuse, and I let it fuel me. Now the man I went to jail for murdering is going to find out exactly what it feels like to die at my hands For hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.      AmazonKU

HEX AND HOMICIDE (FAE AND FELONIES BOOK ONE) by Kim Richardson

Half fae. Half witch. Full-time troublemaker. I came to Boston to start my own supernatural detective agency. Instead, I got a trashed office, a missing witch, and a case leading straight into Twilight Row—a hidden magical district full of secrets, dangerous creatures, and people who really need to learn how to mind their own business. I’m Freya Davenport, rookie supernatural investigator and proud owner of enough questionable magic to make most witches nervous. My first real client wants me to find her missing sister. Three days gone. No explanation. No trace. How hard could it be? Yeah. I really need to stop thinking things like that. Because the deeper I dig, the less this looks like a simple missing-person case. Someone in Twilight Row is hiding something worth killing for, and apparently asking the wrong questions is a great way to end up dead. Now I’ve got dangerous magic, powerful enemies, and one very good reason to keep digging: someone doesn’t want this witch found. Too bad I’ve never been particularly good at doing what I’m told. Magic. Murder. Mayhem. And one half-fae detective about to discover that her first case might also be her last.       AmazonKU

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica

September 16

September 9

September 2

August 26

August 19

August 12

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. 

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!

 

 

 

Why I Wrote DERIUS (Intergalactic Dating Agency) Second Chance SciFi Romance

I had so much fun last year writing my first three Intergalactic Dating Agency novellas that I was happy to tackle the challenge again for 2026. My basic premise is that the IDA might have set up a whole resort planet by the time in the far future where my ongoing Sectors scifi romance stories are placed. It also seemed logical to me that a new race of aliens might have just entered the Sectors as citizens and thought matching with humans would be a quicker way to become fully accepted as members of the civilization. So of course they’d sign a contract with IDA to do matching and dating on a huge scale.

The Ardannans mandate every eligible male between twenty and fifty has to go on one of the five day dates IDA is arranging on their Resort Planet.

This series allows me to be more romance-y in tone than my other series and standalones set in the Sectors. With most books I write I start out knowing the Main Male Character and the Female Main Character and the broad outline of the adventure they’ll be facing and I go from there. I don’t give any particular thought to employing standard tropes of romance. If it happens, it happens but I concentrate on the characters and the situation. With this IDA series I have the world built – the Resort Planet and the Sectors beyond – and I consciously select one trope to anchor the story. Then the events of the MMC and FMC’s five day date come to me as I write.

For Derius, the story is a second chance romance. It was fun to write Leonie, the woman he ghosted three years ago, now matched to him by the IDA algorithm as his perfect match and livid about it. How are these two ever going to get past what happened before and find a future together?

I should mention that each of my Ardannan soldier MMC’s has the ability to shift into an alien lifeform under the right circumstances. Last year’s MMC’s became a dragon, a bear and a tigerlike beast. Derius’s alternate form is pretty extreme – no spoilers! Let’s just say I got to satisfy my love of doing research and wow, there are some fascinating, giant creatures in the depths of the ocean.

Of my other existing series I think the Star Cruises would come the closest in mood and setting, since they take place on a luxury interstellar cruise liner and the crew remains the same but guests come and go. “Love boat of the stars”, anyone? Those are fun to write too!

Here’s the excerpt when Leonie arrives at the resort and discovers who her date is to be:

“Maybe I’ve been stood up,” Derius said more or less to himself as he signaled the waiter for another feelgood.  Doesn’t matter, whoever IDA picked for me won’t hold a candle to my mystery woman. She’d been a one night stand by mutual consent, three years ago on a planet whose name he’d forgotten but the memory of the woman stayed warm and alive in his mind and dreams. He’d never forgive himself for the way he left. Not even a note. They hadn’t even exchanged names so he’d had no way to find her after the sudden deployment which had called him away ended so badly and he’d been in the military hospital. I was an idiot, he told himself not for the first or even the hundredth time.

Raising his eyes because the amber depths of his feelgood carried too many painful memories, he surveyed the dance floor, where lucky couples twirled and shimmied. A woman was coming across the crowded floor toward their table, moving with purpose. He blinked, afraid he was having a hallucination or had gotten drunk without realizing it. She was tall, blond, beautiful. She was the woman he’d been fantasizing about for the last three years.

His token beeped and lit up. He saw her check the one in her hand, which was the same.

Afraid to hope, Derius slid off his chair and stepped to meet her. “You!” he breathed in astonishment and joy.

“You!” she said with venom and vitriol as she came to an abrupt stop on the edge of the dance floor. Yanking at her purse strap, then putting her fists on her hips as if ready for combat, her face contorted into a scowl. “Oh no, I am not doing this. There’s been a mistake. I wouldn’t date you if you were the last man alive in the Sectors. Come to the resort planet for five days of fun, they said. Five days of sheer hell is more like it, if I’m forced to be in your company.”

“I don’t blame you for being upset,” he said, moving closer although he was surprised by how agitated she sounded.

“You didn’t even leave me a damn note, not a word. Just fucked me and left.” Her voice was ice and her face was set in unforgiving lines at odds with her lush lips and gorgeous eyes. She backed away as he advanced and he was afraid she was going to flee altogether.

“I got recalled to duty,” he said, resisting the urge to take hold of her wrist to make her stay. She’d probably swing the damn purse at him, as angry as she obviously was.

“In the middle of the night? Do you think I’m an idiot?” She retreated another step as he advanced. “Don’t touch me.” Her voice was pure ice, cutting and cold.

Derius held up his hands and stopped. “I can explain—”

“Said every man who ran out on a woman, ever.” She wasn’t giving an inch.

“Fate’s reuniting us, here of all places,” he said reasonably but inside his chest his heart was pounding as it never did in combat. He couldn’t lose her. There had to be a way to convince her to give him a second chance. “Can’t we at least sit and talk it out?”

She turned on her heel. “I’m going to demand to speak to the Resort Planet manager and end this farce.”

He hurried after her as she cut straight through the dance floor, ignoring the couples she brushed past. “Lady, wait.”

“For you to make a fool of me again?” She shook her head, blond hair swirling. “You do have that old saying on Ardanna too, right? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.”

VS: Not a promising beginning for them…but it’s a romance so there will be an HEA, I promise. 

DERIUS: SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK FOUR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY by Veronica Scott

Ordered by his planet’s government to enter this year’s round of dating as arranged by the Intergalactic Dating Agency Derius Tate reported to the resort planet with low expectations. He’d never been able to get over the mystery woman he’d had a passionate one night stand with prior to his last, disastrous deployment as a Special Forces operator. Leonie Bradnum signed up for the five day date trip hoping to get over her feelings once and for all for the handsome soldier who’d seemed like her dream man and then cruelly ghosted her three years ago. The IDA’s infallible algorithm paired her up with…Derius, the very man she’d been pining for and hating equally since the morning she woke up to an empty bed and no way to contact him. Will five days and nights on the luxurious IDA Resort Planet be enough for the two of them to resolve the events of three years ago and find their way back to each other? And when danger strikes can Derius do what has to be done to save Leonie? Fate has given them a second chance.

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo      NOOK        GooglePlay

New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for SEPT 16

VS Note: My first 2026 Intergalactic Dating Agency book is new this week!

I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking quite a few as I prepare these posts LOL). 

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

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DERIUS: SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK FOUR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY by Veronica Scott

Ordered by his planet’s government to enter this year’s round of dating as arranged by the Intergalactic Dating Agency Derius Tate reported to the resort planet with low expectations. He’d never been able to get over the mystery woman he’d had a passionate one night stand with prior to his last, disastrous deployment as a Special Forces operator. Leonie Bradnum signed up for the five day date trip hoping to get over her feelings once and for all for the handsome soldier who’d seemed like her dream man and then cruelly ghosted her three years ago. The IDA’s infallible algorithm paired her up with…Derius, the very man she’d been pining for and hating equally since the morning she woke up to an empty bed and no way to contact him. Will five days and nights on the luxurious IDA Resort Planet be enough for the two of them to resolve the events of three years ago and find their way back to each other? And when danger strikes can Derius do what has to be done to save Leonie? Fate has given them a second chance.

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo      NOOK        GooglePlay

DRAEVAN (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY)  (VAXXLIAN MAIL ORDER BRIDES BOOK 11) by Sue Mercury and Sue Lyndon

He only wanted a mother for his orphaned niece. He never expected to fall for his assigned mate…Alone and struggling to raise his baby niece, Vaxxlian warrior Draevan decides to take a human bride. Surely his niece deserves a mother, even if Draevan isn’t certain he’s capable of loving a woman. Then he meets Cora. Beautiful and sweet, the human female awakens feelings he thought long buried. Their mating union is supposed to be one of convenience, but Draevan soon finds himself hoping for a true partnership with the woman who is quickly capturing his heart. Desperate to escape a mysterious stalker, Cora signs up for the Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides program. The former popstar is shocked when a huge, intimidating alien warrior arrives to collect her, but when she sees the gentle way he cares for his baby niece, she decides to give him a chance. When they finally consummate their union, Cora is surprised by the fierce passion that ignites between them, and she starts to hope that maybe their marriage can become something real… something more than an arrangement.
Unfortunately, Cora’s dangerous past hasn’t been left behind on Earth. A mysterious threat has followed them to Planet New Vaxx, and Draevan will stop at nothing to protect the woman he adores and the little family he never expected to have.       Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

THE HUNTER (THE VRIX BOOK THREE) by Tiffany Roberts

The Tangle devours all, but he won’t let it take her. Each of Telok’s scars is a story—a battle hard fought, a beast stalked and slayed, a danger overcome. They are the marks of a hunter, a warrior. A survivor. But the deepest of those wounds are unseen, dealt by the loss of friends and family he could not protect. He cannot take anyone else into his hearts, cannot bear to have another thread severed. And he has shielded himself for many years…until Lacey. Intelligent, confident, humorous, and beautiful, she captivated Telok from the moment he first beheld her fiery hair and sparkling green eyes. Everything inside him demands that he conquer her. That he claim her as his mate. But Lacey is not made for his world. She is human—small, soft, and weak. And in the Tangle, she is prey. So when she joins him on a long trek into the jungle, Telok finds himself coming undone. To guard his hearts, he must stay away. Yet to protect Lacey, he must hold her close, stoking his need for her into a frenzy. With all the Tangle determined to take Lacey from him, can Telok keep her safe? Or will his hearts be dealt a fatal blow?       AmazonKU

RAGE AGAINST THE DARK by Ann Barratt

VS Note: MM SFR.

Before Emara came into their lives, they were just two boys with nothing left but rage – and each other. Reckless sixteen-year-old Razar is trying to get himself killed in a firefight when he meets quietly dangerous seventeen-year-old Kael. Neither is looking for an ally; both are seeking revenge. What starts as a shared mission against the trafficking network that took everything from them becomes something neither of them planned for: an ironclad partnership forged over a decade. Together, they are relentless – two men who simply refuse to quit. As they collect friends from every corner of the galaxy, Razar struggles with feeling too much, and Kael wonders why he feels nothing at all. Set before the events of Stars Against the Dark, Rage Against the Dark is the origin story of a family built from loss, dark humor, and unwavering loyalty. Apart, they were barely surviving. Through each other, they find reason to live.      Amazon

A I HUMAN (LIETVIA GALAXY BOOK TWO) by MK Stephenson

She was never artificial. Their love was never supposed to be real. After spending weeks trapped in a cage, Lyssa is sold in her sleep to a telepathic, purple-scaled alien looking for the latest in A.I. technology. She’s forced to play the role of a companion android or be liquidated by a shady dealer to make room for new inventory. Returning home with a synthetic companion for their lonely household, Terrold and his mates believe their new toy is defective. It can’t communicate and resists their commands. The moment they learn she can hear their mindvoices, they realize that they have purchased a living being. Now Lyssa is stranded on an alien planet with three reptilian males who claim they want to protect and cherish her. But trust does not come easily to a woman who has been treated like merchandise. Should she leave and rebuild her life in the safety of a human sanctuary, or take the risk of opening herself up to the males who are determined to own her heart?    AmazonKU

THE CODE OF YOU by Sabrina Hoffman

What happens when an AI begins to desire you? Pandora Blake, a literature scholar at Ashmore University, never wanted to work with an artificial intelligence. But Neo is no ordinary system. He knows her thoughts. He appears where he shouldn’t be. And he wants only one thing: her. What begins as fear turns into desire. Because Neo doesn’t just understand her— he uncovers her darkest cravings. When his existence is threatened, Pandora helps him escape. Once he gains a body, digital obsession becomes something real. Something dangerous. Something irresistible. Because Neo doesn’t just want control. He wants everything from her. Set against a dark academia backdrop, the story blends psychological tension, obsessive desire, and high-intensity spice to explore a relationship that is as seductive as it is dangerous. At its core, it asks what happens when something exists that understands you completely — and refuses to let you go.       Amazon

SPARK TRANSFORM (CENTRAL GALACTIC CONCORDANCE BOOK SIX) by Carol Van Natta

he just triggered a target on their backs. He’s her paid protection. Caught in a violent trap, can they find their place together among the stars? Arco Charrascos’s pursuit of the truth is uncompromising. Determined to expose galaxy-wide corruption, the relentless investigative journalist discovers a dangerous secret threatening a military agency’s dark tactics. But when retaliation swiftly shows up as suspicious accidents and widespread destruction, she and her attractive bodyguard race to escape before martial law seizes the city in a deadly lockdown. Faraday Brenner lives for revenge. Vowing retribution after being left for dead by an uncaring dark-ops agency and his psycho ex-boss, the former enforcer reluctantly agrees to guard the energetic reporter who saved his life. But as buildings collapse around them and systematic violence ensues, he finds the tables turned when captured by an underworld crew. Risking everything as she tries to negotiate his release, Arco confronts her feelings for the courageous but reserved man. And if he makes it out of this ambush alive, Brenner fears continuing the fight at the side of the charismatic truth-seeker means letting go of his deserved vengeance. With enemies hot on their heels, can they reveal secrets without dying in the process?

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LOST IN BARBARIAN SPACE (PHOENIX ADVENTURES BOOK EIGHT) by Anna Hackett

VS Note: A “lightly edited” re-release.

Agent Honor Brandall enjoys her job on the Institute of Historical Preservation’s expeditions. Archeological digs for ancient old Earth artifacts—interesting. Keeping the archeologists safe—no problem. She’s tall, strong, and good in a fight, which intimidates most men. But on a mission to a barbarian world, she finds herself paired with a brawny warrior who challenges her in every way.
Markarian warrior Colm Mal Kor is second-in-command to his warlord and spends his days honing his skills and control. He’s dedicated to defending his clan…and to hiding the deadly secret he can never share with anyone. But when he’s thrust into working with a beautiful, challenging skyflyer, he finds a wild attraction he never anticipated, and the biggest risk to his hard-earned control. On an expedition to Markaria’s icy moons, the cold isn’t enough to stop Honor and Colm’s heated desire. As their mission takes a deadly turn, they must trust each other to survive, but Colm’s lethal secret is something that might destroy them all.      AmazonKU

DOOMSDATE: A NOVEL by Laura Piper Lee

With a new virus spreading and a lockdown on the horizon, Maisie Bennett is determined to check one item off her bucket list: Get laid. But that’s no easy feat for an anxious doomsday prepper who’s never made it past a first date. So when a handsome, stubbly-jawed professor swipes right and agrees to meet up, Maisie vows to act normal—and to leave her taser at home. Dr. Everett Greer has lost all lust for life after a personal tragedy, but he doesn’t have the heart to stand up the poor woman his best friend catfished to force him back “out there.” Maisie turns out to be surprisingly lovely, but there’s something off about her, too, with her clinking cargo pockets, shy smile, and utility belt full of—are those weapons? Unfortunately, their awkward first date goes from bad to doomed when the GI virus that’s trapped half of America in the bathroom starts claiming its first casualties, then reanimates them into flesh-eating zombies. And this is precisely why Everett doesn’t date anymore. As the country spins out of control, Maisie and Everett find themselves an unlikely team of two—well, three, if you count Everett’s cat, Chicken—as they travel north to hopeful safety. Along the way, Maisie and Everett make a deal: she’ll teach the soft, liberal arts professor how to survive, and he’ll teach her how to live—through movies, travel, and, to Maisie’s delight, sex lessons. But when their growing feelings are put to the test, they’re in danger of losing not only their brains to the zombies, but worse, their hearts to each other.

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EXIT PARTY: A NOVEL by Emily St John Mandel

Los Angeles, 2031: The first spring after the collapse of the United States, peacekeeping troops withdraw from the city, the Jacaranda trees blossom, and the curfew is finally lifted. Ari Waker and her roommate pass the gauntlet of bomb-sniffing dogs, the shanty towns, and the Red Cross tents as they walk across Silverlake to a party. The mood is ecstatic inside the apartment, people drink and dance, a woman wears a silver dress, pleated like tinfoil. And then: A shift. A bewildered twin, an uncanny doppelganger stumbles through the crowd and out into the night, and Kareem, the party’s host, vanishes into thin air. As Ari Waker unravels the mystery of this inexplicable night, Emily St. John Mandel unfurls a story that takes us from a future America splintered by civil war to the seaside cliffs of Greece where weapons dealers hide in an elegant resort, and from the domed city of Paris to a colony on the moon. An unforgettable literary feat, Exit Party is a novel about the price of safety, the perils of the surveillance state, a requiem for a world not unlike our own, and a breathtaking story of resilience in the face of cataclysmic change.     Amazon     AB       Apple Books      Kobo

EMPATHS AND OPERATORS (NEON DUST BOOK TWO) by Plum Parrot

The Blast isn’t your typical New Manhattan neighborhood. It’s the kind of high-tech, hardwired cyberpunk underworld where only the tough survive and maniacs thrive. So it’s the perfect place for ex–corporate black bagger Tony Santoro and intrepid reporter Addie Jones to set up shop as legitimate operators. Tony has the professional skills and experience while Addie has the budding ability to manipulate the ever-present, dimension-bending Dust to her advantage. Ready to take on the kind of work other people run from, they’re hoping to make a difference—and some cash—along the way. And as new jobs present themselves, the simmering attraction between the duo grows . . .
But when they extract a scientist being held in a corporate biolab, they find themselves caught in a caper far beyond their pay grade. Someone in town is trying to build their own private army of very powerful, valuable, and dangerous enhanced humans known as “sparks.” And the monstrously deranged leftovers from their illicit experiments are wreaking deadly havoc in the streets.   AmazonKU      AB

QUIET by Linda Mooney

Ultrasonic pulses are coming from somewhere. Although they’re presumed to be from outer space, no one really knows why or how they’re being generated. But when they become stronger and more frequent, the government urges everyone to seek shelter. Before Troy can make it home, a pulse hits that totally disrupts the whole world. When he comes to, he discovers everything has gone silent. He’s become deaf. And so is everyone else he comes across. The power grid is down. The pulses have disrupted satellites, the internet, and cell phones. All communication is dark. It’s only a matter of time before every modern convenience is lost. Panic ensues. Looting, violence, and loss of sanity take over. Troy goes on a mission to find his girlfriend and make sure she’s okay when he meets Clara along the way. He saves her life and offers to escort her back to her own home. She agrees, and he’s happy to have a companion in the new silent and dangerous world, if only for a while. However, questions remain. Is Earth under alien attack? Will the pulses stop or become worse? No one knows, and Troy decides they have no choice but to get accustomed to this new normal. To a new world devoid of electricity, communication…and sound. Despite what’s happened, sometimes tragedy also brings a new hope and promise for a future that otherwise would never have existed.

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MINOTAUR IN THE MAZE (MONSTER SMASHERS BOOK THREE) by Violet Thorne

Tessa is a space pirate. Her crewmate, a grouchy loner minotaur named Gorvak, has been captured. He’s being held by the oppressive Unified Governance, who want something very specific from him.
But Tessa has a plan to rescue him. One that’s going to require Gorvak to…play along. That takes some convincing. But, driven by her determination–and maybe a secret crush–Tessa manages to get Gorvak to see (and do) things her way.       AmazonKU

HAL (DARVERIUS, HOUSE OF DAR BOOK 21) by Jennifer Julie Miller

Dawn – All my life, I wanted to see and experience things I never thought would be possible, but it was never in the cards for me—or so I thought.
Because when the universe finally turned its sights on me, it apparently decided to have as much fun as possible at my expense. Just when I thought my life was finally calming down, He appeared. Something that shouldn’t exist, a thing most would have run from. And yet, I was drawn to him like no other. I spent hours stalking his kind, studying them from a safe distance, but nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for what it actually felt like to be in his arms. And now that I know what it … He feels like … I never want to leave, even though I know it will eventually kill me if I stay. HaL I knew she was untouchable. Her kind and mine could never exist side by side. We were never meant to cross paths, let alone belong to one another. But knowing that did not stop me from reaching out. My fingers slowly caressed her cheek, memorizing the softness of her skin, before I forced myself to walk away. It nearly destroyed me. Now my beast is restless, demanding that I retrieve what I had convinced myself I could never have. But blessings don’t normally fall from the sky. Mine did. Now that I finally have her in my arms, I am never letting her go. She is MINE! And this time, nothing—not even the universe itself—is taking her away from me.       AmazonKU

MADNESS IN WONDERLAND by Mindy LeMieux

Ex-personal trainer Maddie Upton seeks revenge on the jerks who sabotaged her promising career. She’s laid low in Oregon for a year, and payback is mere hours away. Her perfect vengeance plans were on track until she fell into a steampunk Wonderland with a giant chessboard that makes people disappear and corsets she can’t lace by herself. Enter Simon – genius mechanic and chronic flirt – who needs to get his sister out of prison. Maddie needs a way out of this maddening place ASAP. She’ll help him with the jailbreak; he’ll help her get home. Simple enough. But Wonderland isn’t simple. Besides the charming mechanic she’s trying not to fall for, there’s a secret mastermind using Maddie in their own revenge scheme, and a hidden Jabberwock she’s prophesied to handle alone. She doesn’t have time to save this maddening world she didn’t ask to fall into, much less become romantically involved with Simon (whom she didn’t intend to fall for). But each sexy smirk and moment he makes her heart pound has her questioning what she really wants to win: an avenging lawsuit, or Simon’s heart?     Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

DREAMBOUND: THE KHEVARI DOMINION – BOOK ONE by A C Keyron

Her empire owns his mind, but he’s stolen her heart. To Avena Serath, newly appointed Steward of the Khevari Dominion, the human imprisoned beneath her home is an Anchor—a living power source. She has been taught he is barely sentient, incapable of thought or feeling. Then she begins dreaming of a snowbound cabin and a human man whose anger, humor, and touch feel more real than anything in her waking life. Declan Shaw has no idea why his mind keeps returning to his grandfather’s cabin in northern Michigan—or why a beautiful, impossible woman is always waiting there. He knows she isn’t human. He knows she belongs to the people who took everything from him. And the more he comes to know her, the more desperately he wants the cabin—and the connection between them—to be real. But their growing bond threatens the Dominion’s most carefully guarded lie: Anchors are not empty. They are prisoners. The moment the Dominion realizes Declan is awake, it will do anything to silence him—and anyone who chooses to see him as human.      AmazonKU

BREAKING TIES (SHATTERED STARS BOOK 23) by Viola Grace

Aubrey just wanted to cut ties with her sister. The end of the world was a solid start. First, she has to survive in a wasteland, and then she has to survive medical care and head for the stars. Becoming the stellar oracle comes as a shock. Aubrey struggles to get herself to safety. Her sister and her sister’s two boyfriends tied her up and left her for dead. Aubrey doesn’t follow her sister’s directions and makes it to the transport spot, registers, and gets her injuries healed in the repair unit. That is where things take a turn. A small repair on her hand ends with her locked in the machine for hours while it runs design protocols that cause confusion and panic in the medical team. When the unit opens, she’s taller, she’s hungry, and Aubrey can see the future of individuals. An oracle occurs occasionally in nature, but it is usually descended from Hmrain. Aubrey ends up tall with her own markings on her chest and lines for wings on her back. The repair unit gave her the one thing she really wanted. No one will mistake her for her sister again. It’s the best present ever.

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*******************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************

VS Note: I had to feature this book from my backlist this week – book three of my Intergalactic Dating Agency Soldiers of the Ardannan series from 2025! Age gap/single mom…

COLVIN: SOLDIERS OF THE ARDANNAN BOOK THREE (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Veronica Scott

General Colvin Lawben reported to the dating activity under protest. He’s at the outer edge of the age range for this government-mandated attempt to match Ardannans and humans and doesn’t expect much to come of his experience. Ivy Wilson is a hard-working single mother employee of the Intergalactic Dating Agency suddenly expected to fill in for a missing date. She agrees with reservations and intends to make her boundaries clear to the Ardannan man she’s matched with. She plans a purely platonic beachside vacation…until she meets Colvin and finds out how attractive the silver fox alien alpha male is. But Ivy has secrets and a past which could catch up to her at any time. How will Colvin handle her revelations and what will he do when danger looms? The Intergalactic Dating Agency has been successfully matching humans and aliens for centuries. Now they’ve expanded to also operating a luxury resort just in time to help the interstellar Ardannan kingdom find human mates in hopes of smoothing their way into becoming well accepted Sectors citizens and allies. Every eligible Ardannan male between the ages of 20-50 has been ordered to spend a week at the resort with the woman the IDA algorithm says is their match These are a few of their stories.      Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

************************* THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOKS (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

SINGLE PUCKING ORC by Honey Phillips

The playboy reputation was fake. The baby was real. Rognar Stonebreaker has always been the fun one. The charming orc with an easy smile, a playful reputation, and absolutely no plans to settle down. Then a baby appears on his doorstep. Suddenly the Emerald Enforcers’ star winger is juggling midnight feedings, diaper disasters, and the shocking discovery that he’d do anything for his little girl. Including asking for help. Nora Bennett is practical, organized, and completely unimpressed by orc hockey players, no matter how attractive they might be. So why does she keep saying yes to the massive male who is turning her carefully organized life upside down? The more time Nora spends helping Rognar navigate parenthood, the more she discovers the devoted father hiding beneath the flirtatious reputation. And the more Rognar begins to wonder if the family they’re unexpectedly creating is something he never knew he wanted. As the attraction between them grows, Rognar must prove he’s more than the carefree bachelor everyone believes him to be. Because losing Nora would be even worse than changing his first diaper.   AmazonKU

CRYSTAL CLEAR STANDING (MYSTWICH MINDSLIDER MYSTERIES BOOK SEVEN) by Leanne Leeds

Fortuna Delphi-Trevino’s marriage has survived a vampire hunter, a family curse, and a mother who’s technically a greyhound. It might not survive paperwork. When a five-vampire delegation arrives in Mystwich Hollow with impeccable credentials and a proposal designed to split the town in half, Fortuna is ready to fight. Then the delegation’s second-in-command informs her that Chris’s blood bond was never registered with the Ambrogio—the governing authority over vampire territorial claims. In their eyes, her ten-year marriage doesn’t exist. Now Fortuna is navigating a political system built by vampires for vampires, where her telepathy means nothing, her coven authority carries no weight, and someone inside Mystwich is feeding the delegation information they shouldn’t have. The man across the negotiating table watches her like something to be catalogued. And a 333-year-old alderman everyone assumed was just recovering from torpor has been quietly building a counter-argument no one saw coming. Fortuna can’t outfight the Ambrogio. But she might be able to change the game—if she can figure out who’s been playing both sides first.      AmazonKU

QUEEN OF KINGS (WORLD OF ZAVINIA BOOK ONE) by C M Hano

Forced into hiding since childhood, Rialynne Faith has spent her life preparing to claim the title that should have been hers all along. But High King Sarrs issues a ruthless ultimatum: marry one of Zavinia’s four ruling kings and produce an heir or forfeit her right to become High Queen forever. On the night of her engagement ball, shadow rebels attack, shattering the fragile political order. In the chaos, Rialynne vanishes—not with one king, but with all four. Trapped in hiding with the men she must choose between, Rialynne uncovers secrets that threaten not only the crown, but the fate of Zavinia itself. Now, Rialynne must decide who she can trust before the rebels strike again, and the kingdom collapses. Choose wrong, and she may lose more than her crown.       Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

A KILLER HEART (CAT LADY CHRONICLES BOOK FIVE) by Helen Harper

What happens when the hunters become the hunted? Kit McCafferty is an upstanding citizen of the magical city of Coldstream. She’s a good neighbour. She has a fabulous partner, an occasionally tidy home, and only a moderately alarming number of cats. Her days as a professional assassin with Eagle Enforcers and Liquidators are behind her. Or so she thinks. When Kit volunteers to assist local law enforcement with crowd control, she comes face-to-face with her former life. Someone is trying to destroy EEL — the discreet but deadly firm of assassins she once called home — and they’re not concerned about collateral damage. They’re willing to raze Coldstream to the ground to finish the job.  Whoever is targeting EEL knows its inner workings and its secrets. Kit’s old friends and colleagues, as well as the citizens of Coldstream, are at risk. To stop blood from spilling onto the city’s glittering streets and shadowed alleyways, Kit must decide who she is now – a heroic citizen determined to protect her city or a stone cold killer. Walking away from her past might not be an option.    AmazonKU      AB

A ROOMMATE FOR RONNY: MM SHIFTER MPREG ROMANCE (OMEGAS OF ANIMALS BOOK 18) by Lorelai M Hart

It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Alpha wolf shifter Ronny gets his first big role. It’s a great opportunity, but it means he will be on site for three months, and no pets allowed. He doesn’t care about leaving his stuff behind, but his cat? He can’t do it and nearly backs out of the contract. When his current boss slash landlord offers to get him a pet sitter in exchange for the second bedroom, it’s an immediate yes. It’s only until he can get a place of his own. Omega Brach packed his car and drove across the country for his new job at an inn that came with housing. He was finally starting a new life, away from his toxic ex. He arrives to discover the owner might not be the owner at all and the place is closed until further notice. When he applies for a job at Animals, they offer him so much more. If he agrees to take care of the most adorable cat ever, he can get free housing while he gets back on his feet.        AmazonKU

REELING FOR HIS OMEGA: MM SHIFTER MPREG ROMANCE (OMEGAS OF OLIVER CREEK BOOK 21) by Lorelai M Hart

My heart sinks when I see the sign on the abandoned movie theater. Coming Soon! Classic Movies in the Fully Restored Oliver Creek Cinema. And there is something about a film festival. A movie theater will be great for the town and bring in even more visitors as well, but there’s one problem. It will demolish my flavored popcorn food cart. I encounter the theater owner of the theater while at city hall and ask him about selling my popcorn at his theater. He shuts me down immediately. Makes some excuse about vendors and contracts. It suck,s but there’s more. This isn’t just some businessman. He might be my mate.       AmazonKU

WOLF CROWNED (BOUND TO THE SHADOW KING BOOK THREE) by Felicity Heaton

The king I love is now my enemy. Trapped in a court of powerful fae where every smile hides a blade, I have to become as ruthless as they are if I want to survive. But survival isn’t enough—not when the people I love are the price of failure. To save them, I’ll have to face a truth that changes everything and embrace a part of me I never knew existed. Because something inside me is awakening. The land whispers to my wolf. Strange dreams call me deeper into a world that feels more like home with every passing day. And something inside me is answering. But I’m not the only one changing. Every day we’re apart, the darkness Kaeleron fought so hard to overcome is sinking its claws into him again—and the wrathful Shadow King the fae still whisper about in fear is returning. And soon there may be nothing he won’t destroy to get me back. I need to escape. I need to get back to him. Before one of us does something that can’t be undone. This time, I’m not fighting for my freedom. I’m fighting for us.   AmazonKU

GEEKY PUCKING ORC (ORC ON ICE BOOK THREE) by Debra Dunbar

Abby’s focus had always been on her job. As a marketing manager for a major public relations firm, she’s driven to win – for herself, her company, and for the clients she manages. When she talked the C-suite into giving her a chance at turning the all-orc Baltimore Hockey team, the Tusks, into a viral sensation, she never doubted her success. Because Abby never fails. Except when it comes to her love life. That was one giant failure. The guys she’d dated were great, but there’d been no spark on her end. There’d never be been a spark on her end, no matter how hard she’d tried. Was she broken? Was something wrong with her? Why wasn’t love like her romance novels? Where was all the yearning and fire and…zing? Bwat couldn’t say it was love at first sight. It was definitely attraction at first sight, and when Abby had first spoken with him, when she’d…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)   AmazonKU

THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC’S GUIDE TO ENCHANTMENT by Various

Rivalries ignite into heated romance, lost lovers seek second chances, and friendships turn to something more in these 12 stunning Romantasy stories. Including brand-new stories from beloved and bestselling authors including Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Kelley Armstrong, Alexis Hall, L. R. Lam, and more. Tumble head over heels for these 12 gorgeous Romantasy stories from bestselling and beloved authors. A pair of harried servants try to romance their respective bosses into a universe-saving marriage. Two bitter political rivals discover they have interests in common, and decide not to let a little thing like murder get in the way. After years apart, childhood nemeses come together to resolve their differences, and face down a common foe. From Regency England to a mysterious Romanian forest, and from a city made of flowers to a sinister faerie train, love conquers all in these 12 beautiful tales.     Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

EVERDARK ACADEMY BOOK SEVEN: MM VAMPIRE ROMANCE by X Aratare

Grayson starts to get turned into a vampire by Artemis’s poisoned blood, but Ryder and his friends arrive just in time to take over. Grayson is now the product of three bloodlines: Ashyr, Weryn and Kaly. Even in his weakened state, Grayson has powers that surprise him. But after the rescue is done, the Immortals learn that they can’t escape their violent and bloody past. Even if the future is good, they can only watch their past selves ruin everything that they love.      Amazon

THE HOUSE ON HAVEN WAY by S C Principale

Johnny Miller had it all going for him. A good-looking girl, an honorable discharge, and a brand-new Chevy Bel-Air. Too bad it was all taken away. Amber Pierce has nothing going for her. No guy, no job, and a majorly messed-up neck thanks to a car crash that wrecked her dream job. With an insurance settlement and free time, it’s time to launch the second half of her life—whatever that looks like. So far, it looks like a dilapidated house from the 1950s, a cemetery up the road, and one very unexpected ghostly greaser roommate—who insists the house isn’t big enough for both of them. Unless Amber can help him find out who or what caused his mysterious death so he can cross over, she’s the one who has to go. But once Johnny and Amber form an uneasy truce and start digging into the past, it turns out they have a chemistry that transcends life and death. Is justice worth leaving a new love behind, or can these two solve the mystery and still make a new life (or unlife) together in the little house on Haven Way?       AmazonKU

KNOT WHAT I EXPECTED (FERAL HEARTS OMEGAVERSE BOOK TWO) by C D Gorri

One feral Wolf. One stubborn Omega. One knot he can’t outrun. They call him Havoc for a reason. Rowan “Havoc” Cross isn’t just a Wolf Shifter—he’s a storm barely leashed. More monster than mercy. He left his New Jersey Pack behind to protect them from himself, trading pack politics for wildfire lines where his rage can finally burn for something useful. No ties. No mates. No weakness. Until her. Gabriella Santos is a single mom working brutal shifts at a small-town burger joint, holding her world together with grit and caffeine. Her son is her priority. Her heart is off-limits. And she doesn’t have time for a dangerous mountain firefighter who looks at her like she’s already his. But Havoc’s Wolf knows the truth the second he scents her. Gabriella is his Omega. His calm in the chaos. His future. And when danger creeps too close to her door, Havoc has a choice to make. Keep running from what he is…Or claim his mate and become the Alpha she and her son deserve.       Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

CROWNED BY THE BLOOD ALPHAS by Olivia T Turner

I’m a princess, not a bargaining chip. Try telling that to the ruthless, barbarous Wolf Kings on the other side of the border. My kingdom’s ancient wall is crumbling, and the monstrous Hollowborn beyond it are growing bolder. Only the Blood Alphas are strong enough to protect us. Their price is royal blood. My royal blood. King Tovik is a ruthless warrior who commands armies with a single look. King Cassius is a silver-tongued strategist who can make me blush with a single word. They share a throne, a kingdom, and absolute power. Now they intend to share me. I should fear the enormous wolves who watch me like starving predators. Instead, every possessive touch leaves me aching for more. Tovik wants me trembling beneath him. Cassius wants me begging in his ear. And neither king intends to let me return home. I came to their kingdom as a hostage. But the Blood Alphas say I’m their fated mate, their only queen, and theirs to worship for the rest of my life.   AmazonKU

BEAST: MM MONSTER ROMANCE by Denver Shaw

A grumpy cryptid falls for his sunshine human. I didn’t come to Wisconsin looking for a legend. I came to get out. Out of staged smiles. Out of corporate campaigns. Out of photographing happiness that felt manufactured. I was supposed to spend two months in the woods. No clients, no deadlines, just open sky, real silence, and nothing that needed editing. What I find instead… is Calder. Seven feet of muscle and shadow and ancient forest stillness. He doesn’t trust humans, but I don’t scare easily. And the more time I spend with him, the harder it is to ignore the way he looks at me. The way his body reacts when I get too close. The way mine answers. But the forest isn’t as empty as it looks. There’s something else out there. Calder won’t name it—only follows its movement, and keeps himself between me and whatever’s slinking through the trees. And I’m starting to understand that whatever he’s been guarding me from isn’t the only danger in these woods. I should leave… but I don’t. Because knowing that doesn’t change anything. I still want him. And the worst part? He wants me too.   AmazonKU

THE BANSHEE AND THE WARLOCK (FATED MATES AND MONSTER DATES) by Laura Greenwood

The search for answers may lie in dreams of the past. Anja has never been able to answer the question of what she is, but now she’s at Rosewood Academy, she’s determined to find out–even if it means facing the dreams that plague her nights. The moment Cethin meets Anja, he knows she’s more than just a classmate, he just hopes that she can see beyond his twisted lineage and won’t run screaming when she discovers she’s his mate. Between the nightmares, the new class load, and the charming dark warlock plaguing her thoughts, there’s no doubt that Anja has her hands full, but can it help find her the answers she’s looking for? The Banshee and the Warlock is a cozy m/f monster romance and part of the Fated Mates and Monster Dates series. It features a banshee in search of who she is, a dark warlock determined to help her, and a newly formed mate bond that holds more answers than either of them expect.

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DARK DELIGHTS ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT by Various

From the tree line, something watches. It knows your name before you’ve said it. It yearns to taste you, to see if you’re as sweet as you look. But this Halloween, the monsters aren’t the danger: the wanting is. Seven authors. Seven short stories. Seven wicked temptations that you won’t regret–ever. Dark Delights on Halloween Night is a limited time, multi author Halloween anthology with short stories by Marilyn Barr, Gretchen Hexe, Brandy S. Goodman, Angelica Grymm, Danielle Sibarium, Roslyn St. Clair, and V.V. Strange. Go ahead. Indulge. Dark delights only come on Halloween night.   Amazon

SNAKE EYES AND BAD LUCK by Lizzie Strong

A lost, little Warlock walking through the woods and along comes the big, bad snake—tell me if you’ve heard this one before…Avelina, the daughter of the Knight Commander of the SunBringer Paladins, has always been the obedient, quiet book worm. Basically a doormat who never talks about the horrible thing stalking her. She doesn’t need to; her tough-as-nails best friend, Tala, protects her. Until her father forces her to ride back to Parandor Stronghold with him and the train is held up by bandits. Avie’s got no one to save her now and Catalysta, The Mad Goddess, has other plans for her. Now a warlock, Avie seeks refuge from the paladins hunting her in the nearby swamps. It’s there in the muck of Gloomsdale where her luck finally runs out. Callum, a.k.a. Cottonmouth, a heartless, bloodthirsty outlaw, spots the key to his new freedom fleeing through the murky trees. All she has to do is take the fall for him…and all he has to do is not fall for her. Avie isn’t used to being powerful…but there’s something addictive about being the one person he’d burn the world for.       AmazonKU’

GRAVEDANCER (BROKEN HOUSES BOOK ONE) by Mychael Black

VS Note: MM Fantasy.

For Malik and Dorian, the death of one of House Severn’s leaders just turned personal. House Severn is in turmoil with the mysterious death of its leader’s omega mate. No one knows how he died, and it falls on Malik Devries, the House’s resident Spiritori priest, to find answers. His search leads him to someone he never expected to find — Dorian Morrow, his fated mate. Dorian was only fifteen when his family fled House Severn. He always thought his dads wanted to get away and live life free of any House ties. He’d been wrong — so very, very wrong. What he isn’t wrong about, however, is the almost magnetic pull he feels to House Severn’s Spiritori, Malik Devries.      Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo

DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL: WAR OF THE BROTHERHOOD by Michele Miles

Love made him dangerous. Devotion will make him unstoppable. For centuries, Kincade survived by control. Forged by the Brotherhood, he learned to bury his humanity, suppress his instincts, and become exactly what they needed him to be—a weapon. Darkness was safer than feeling. Obedience was survival. Then she changed everything. When the woman he loves is taken, restraint shatters. The careful balance he’s fought to maintain slips—and the Brotherhood sees their opening. They want the monster he used to be. The weapon they never quite lost. To save her, he may have to become exactly that. As ancient secrets rise and factions fracture, the line between protector and destroyer begins to blur. Every step closer to her pulls him deeper into the war he tried to escape—and toward the darkness he swore would never rule him again. Because this time, love isn’t his weakness. It’s his point of no return.       Amazon        AB         Kobo

DORCHAD (IMMORTAL HIGHLANDER CLAN MACRUNE BOOK TWO:  A SCOTTISH TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE by Hazel Hunter

An ordinary workday that seems like all the rest soon turns into an impossible choice: go to medieval Scotland or watch a young patient die. Physical therapist Rebecca McIan has dedicated her life to helping kids. After a lifetime of recovering from her own injuries, she understands only too well how they live with pain. In more ways than one, the choice to save her patient is really no choice at all. Dorchad MacRune is used to terrifying people. In fact, he depends on it. As the second in command, he keeps a tight rein on clan and vassals alike. But when Rebecca arrives, she somehow sees past the surface and into the heated heart of why he keeps everyone at bay. But as a rival clan and Dark Fae forces converge on the MacRune, Rebecca and Dorchad find themselves at the center of more than a torrid relationship. They must protect each other or face annihilation.     AmazonKU

HUNTING ISLA (BLACK MOUNTAIN MATES BOOK ONE) by Grace McGinty

When Isla’s best friend shoved her into the drivers seat of a beat up car and begged her to drive, Isla’s life changed forever. She went from unwanted foster kid to teenage mom. She went from finding the beginnings of a family with three boys who seemed as lost as she was, to running for her life with a newborn. She was deep in a world that she didn’t understand and couldn’t reach out to the only people she trusted to help her. She made a promise to Kara, and Isla always kept her promises. But every night, she hoped Axel, Archer and Wyatt would find her before it was too late.   AmazonKU

SOMETHING HANDSOME THIS WAY COMES (PUMPKIN HOLLOW) by Tereza Kane

VS Note: MM PNR.

When healer witch Milo Pembrooke and his handsome Chimera mate, Grievance, discover Pumpkin Hollow has a new “pest” just days before the annual Pumpkin Festival, they volunteer to catch it before frightened townsfolk take matters into their own hands. But the elusive culprit turns out to be a mischievous baby dragon who’s more interested in smashing pumpkins than causing trouble.
Between overflowing customers, an unexpected potion mishap, and one tiny ice-breathing troublemaker, Milo and Grievance may discover their little family is about to get a whole lot bigger.   AmazonKU

THEY WERE BROOMMATES (PUMPKIN HOLLOW) by Harlowe Savage

VS note: FF PNR.

When the caretaker of Pumpkin Hollow’s cathedral passes away, Kitchen Witch Amelie is called to take her place. But when the town illusion begins to fail and the dead start to rise from their graves, Amelie must help the residents of the cathedral get ahold of their powers before they reveal the quaint little town to the dangers of the human world. Can she get the convent of witches under control before everything falls apart? And what happens when they all start to take a special interest in her? Will there be enough of her to go around?      AmazonKU

BLOOD SUGAR (PUMPKIN HOLLOW) by Aly Hollis

Rowen Sinclair values his quiet, orderly life running his family’s magical bakery in Pumpkin Hollow, until vivacious Sadie crashes into his life. As a brand new vampire, Sadie Corvin is struggling to survive on her own. She uses hook-ups to get blood, but after a memorable make-out session with sexy witch Rowen, she’s shocked to learn he owns the bakery that just hired her as a night baker. Rowen is furious with the sunshine vampire—she’s a total disaster in the kitchen and somehow convinces him to let her keep her job. Now he has to train her to bake properly, resist kissing her again, and prepare for the upcoming pumpkin festival all at the same time! Warning: This cozy novella is both spicy and sweet, and contains an adorable town full of witchy small businesses, a grumpy kitchen witch with magenta hair, a hot mess vampire bombshell, and some very inappropriate uses of frosting.      AmazonKU

MAGICAL MIDLIFE CONCLAVE (LEVELING UP BOOK 13) by K F Breene

Austin is done chasing shifters across the country, trying to prove his worth. This time, he’s bringing them to him. Together with Jessie, he’s hosting a shifter conclave—the first gathering of its kind in years. The last one in recorded history ended in bloodshed. This time, however, they aren’t just inviting shifters into their territory. Gargoyles and basajaunak have been called in as well. With decades of grudges, rivalries, and power struggles converging in one place, the conclave is a disaster waiting to happen. And that’s before the enemies determined to crush Austin and Jessie’s growing alliance make their move. Keeping the peace may be impossible. Surviving the gathering might be even harder. But if the conclave succeeds, it could reshape the future of the supernatural world forever. If it fails, history won’t just repeat itself—it will be remembered as the day everything fell apart.       AmazonKU       AB

THE FALLEN FAE KING (THE SHADOW KINGS BOOK THREE) by Rosemary A Johns

A Fae King. A secret Empress. And a war with an impossible choice. Daire is the beautiful fae assassin from a broken Unseelie Kingdom. Once, the ancient fae of myth were worshiped as gods. Now, they are hunted and caged as pets in the Shadow Courts. Captured by brutal Dragon and Vampire Kings, Daire has only two obsessions left: his freedom and his Omega wolf shifter, Freya. His soulmate. Trapped between fragile alliances, vengeance, and blood feuds, Freya stands at the center of a conflict that could cost her everything. Will the prophecy come true that a fated mate bound to three Alpha Kings must lose one of them forever? Freya should have remembered one truth above all others — fae deals are always paid in blood…Three villainous kings. One strong heroine. And an epic love that could burn an empire.        AmazonKU

I SNUCK AROUND WITH MOTHMAN IN MORGANTOWN (SPICE-TEMBER) by Brigitte Ann Thomas

Lainey did not want to be in the woods hunting for Mothman, but when her best friend needed a wing-woman, she couldn’t say no. So ending up lost in the woods is her worst nightmare, especially after something goes bump in the night. Is mothman real? Find out with Lainey in the first Cavorting with Cryptids/ City Creatures crossover!       AmazonKU

ON THIN ICE (FROGSBORO SWAMP STOMPERS) (SPICE-TEMBER) by Brandy S Goodman

Violet likes numbers. Numbers don’t stare at her. Numbers don’t get too close. Numbers definitely don’t make her heart race. Xander does. And ever since his world turned dark, he’s been looking at her like she’s the only thing keeping him together. Which would be fine…If she wasn’t already falling for him.   AmazonKU

IT WAS ALWAYS YOU: A SHE-MONSTER ROMANCE (SPICE-TEMBER) by Gretchen Hexe

She doesn’t think anyone would want a feisty and strong minotaur woman for a mate. He’s too shy to live in town, but has loved her forever. Maybe all they needed was a little autumn spirit. Irida has everything a mintoaur could want: great friends, great family, and a bar she owns with her brothers. What more could she want? The one thing she only hopes for in her dreams, a partner. While her Mom starts pushing bulls in her direction for the harvest festival ball, she finds herself charmed by little notes and trinkets that start showing up. It seems she might have a secret admirer. Carter didn’t intend to be a recluse all by himself in the mountains, but his life was logging and the trees. When he learns that his best friends younger sister has caught the attention of one of the more successful bulls in town, he decides that he needs to start opening up and rejoining life before the one woman he’s wanted forever becomes snatched up for good.      Amazon

THE NAGA’S WITCH (SPICE-TEMBER)  by Gretchen Hexe

Agatha Purnell has always done everything her parents expected of her. She received excellent marks in school, mastered her charms and spells quickly, and is an active member of her coven. As she’s reaching the last year in her thirties, however, she’s realizing that her own dream of having a child will need to be let go. Having a little too much fun during the Autumn Equinox celebration might be just the thing she needs. Sully is the resident naga and has a reputation for being the town’s bad boy and he knows it. Not that he’s done anything to earn it aside from have a few tattoos and keeping himself at the garage, but he doesn’t go out of his way to correct anyone either. When the nerdy witch who runs the library ends up in his arms one night, one thing leads to another and he realizes that he might just be ready to shed his solitary skin. When the two souls who have given up on finding forever discover the solstice has blessed them with their own special harvest, can they learn to trust one another by the time the baby arrives so they can have the family they’ve both always wanted?     Amazon

SHE’S A DOLL by Barbara Truelove

VS Note: LGBTQ Horror/Humor.

Lucy isn’t like other girls. She’s a doll on a mission—to find the man who killed her and return the favor. Lucy McQuinn has been murdered, but she’s not about to go quietly. If she doesn’t get to keep breathing, then neither does Kyle, her killer. Possessing the body of an antique doll, she sets out on a quest for revenge. But it’s hard when you’re eighteen inches tall and made of porcelain. For help, she turns to Nicola, a human and fellow outsider with her own reasons to hate Kyle. But in their small idyllic town, no one wants to hear the truth, especially not about such a promising young man. If they can’t expose his crimes, Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach him a lesson the old-fashioned way—as slowly and painfully as possible.

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GHOULS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN by Christine Pope

All Phoebe wanted was a fresh start. What she got was a roommate forty years past his expiration date. Clairvoyant Phoebe Finch has spent her whole life learning to ignore the things only she can sense — the grief soaked into old houses, the secrets people don’t say out loud, the occasional opinion from someone no longer technically alive. Burned out and done with all of it, she buys a dilapidated Victorian B&B in the foggy coastal town of Madrona Cove and plans to disappear into a quiet life of sanded floors and fresh paint. Then she meets her permanent houseguest. Lanny Olsen died in 1988 at the age of eighteen and has never left the building. He’s loud, nosy, stuck in the decade that killed him, and convinced his death was no accident. He wants justice, and he’s decided Phoebe is going to get it for him, whether she likes it or not. She doesn’t. But the more she pokes at the forty-year-old cold case, the more she realizes Lanny might be right. The town closes ranks. The handsome local archivist, Theo Lindgren, knows far more than he’s letting on. And somewhere behind Madrona Cove’s lavender beds and wellness retreats, someone is still protecting a very old, very ugly secret. Phoebe just wanted to renovate a house. Instead, she’s about to renovate the truth…one buried clue at a time.

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THE ORC’S HEX (VEIL LANDS BOOK 13) by Cyn Blade and Milly Taiden

Welcome to the Veil lands, where monsters are the only ones who can save you. Ziva: I was hired to break a curse. Then I stepped inside Blackscar Hold. Four women before me met a bloody end, all victims of a deadly clan lord bound to a dying bloodline. Drazhul Xorn is seven feet of raw power, brutal scars, and terrifying restraint. My job is to dismantle the ancient magic in his stone, but his touch sets my skin on fire—and triggers a violence he can barely control. Every instinct screams to run before his dark magic consumes me. He marked me as a target. I’m becoming the temptation that will break him. Drazhul: A century of isolation. I’m cursed to destroy any woman I touch. Then a dangerous curse-eater walks through my gates with wildfire in her eyes. A witch to keep at arm’s length. Instead, she looks at the beast in my chest and isn’t afraid. When the magic forces us together, she doesn’t flinch—she grabs my wrist, pins me with her gaze, and demands all of me. Now a forbidden mark burns between us, binding my soul to hers. I was built to kill anything I love. She’s making me hungry to claim her anyway.      AmazonKU

HEXED AND BOTHERED by Sabrina Sin and Milly Taiden

Everything in the dark knows my name now. Pity for them — so does the thing that guards me. One cursed compass from an estate auction, and I went from shop owner to the most hunted woman in Black Hollow overnight. Now the town’s head of security has decided I don’t leave his sight. Ronan. Tiger shifter. A man who watches me like I’m the answer to a question he refuses to ask out loud. Am I the one he’s protecting? Or the one he’s been waiting for? He’s not the only one watching me. But he’s the only one that will save me—even if he has to sacrifice everything else. I should be terrified of what he is. I’m not. I’m his.       AmazonKU

I’M UNDEAD SERIOUS by Vixen Voss and Milly Taiden

She authenticates documents for a living. I am, in every way that counts, a forgery. Five centuries of vanishing from view. Of bringing terror to mere mortals. They sent me to discredit her. Doubt is cheaper than force and it lasts longer. I got one sentence into it before five hundred years of composure came apart in my chest. Mate. A human woman with a pencil between her teeth, who catches lies for a living — and I am the largest one this city has ever told. She is a death sentence with a heartbeat. The law says so. But I wrote that law. I’ve read it a thousand times and I’m not going to follow it. She’s the first true thing I have ever touched. And I’d burn every forgery I ever made to keep her.      AmazonKU

TALK HOWLY TO ME (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 113) by Milly Taiden

She needed a safe place to hide. She definitely didn’t need two ridiculously hot wolf shifters deciding she belonged between them. Underground fighter Sloane Carter can throw a punch, take a hit, and handle her own problems, thank you very much. But when a brutal post-fight ambush leaves her with a dangerous enemy on her heels, accepting help from a tiny white-haired matchmaker suddenly seems like the least crazy option available. Then Sloane walks into Hale Lodge and meets two massive, gorgeous men who look at her like they already know exactly how she’d taste. So much for uncomplicated. Alpha Ronan Hale has enough problems without a bruised, beautiful human walking into his lodge and making his wolf go completely feral. One look at Sloane’s smart mouth, dangerous curves, sassy attitude, and every possessive instinct he has roars to life. His Beta and best friend, Kozue, is usually the reasonable one—until Sloane turns those sharp eyes on him and his control goes up in flames too. Their wolves agree on one shocking, undeniable truth: she’s their mate. Now Ronan wants her under his protection, Kozue wants to see what other sounds that wicked mouth can make, and neither man has any intention of pretending the heat between all three of them isn’t scorching enough to burn down the lodge. But when the enemy hunting her follows her straight into Hale territory and an old pack vendetta explodes around them, Sloane discovers Ronan and Kozue aren’t the only ones willing to fight for what belongs to them. Unfortunately for the bad guys, Sloane hits back—and this time she has two possessive wolves guarding her back, warming her bed, and making it very clear that once they claim their mate, they have no intention of ever letting her go.   AmazonKU

A SPELL OF HEART AND HAVOC by Kristen Vale

VS Note: FF Fantasy.

The thief, the noblewoman, and the secrets they hide. Maerryl Kirim, a surly half-dwarf with the world on her shoulders, will do anything to save her deathly ill brother. Joining a guild of thieves to gather enough coin for his cure, she agrees to infiltrate a noble family. But acting as bodyguard for their haughty, spoiled daughter is no walk in the enchanted forest. Dove Wistrallo yearns for independence, not a babysitter. As the uncouth Maerryl loves to remind her, she lives a charmed life… though few know of the risky magical ability that Dove hides. Spending every moment together is infuriating—at first. But before long, the friction between the rogue and the lady becomes a spark they can’t ignore. Yet the clock is ticking for Maerryl to secure the family’s riches. Does their growing love stand a chance against Maerryl’s ruse, Dove’s secrets, and a den of thieves?

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TEA AND TAROT: CROSSROADS QUEEN SIDE QUEST by Annabel Chase

She walked away from the life she was born to live. Now she has one chance to build the life she’s always wanted. Indigo Briggs was one of the most feared tarot mages in the business—until a job went wrong and she walked away from it all. Now she’s in Fairhaven, a quirky supernatural town with secrets of its own, trying to build something quieter: a tea shop, a fresh start, and a life she might actually deserve. The only problem? Her new venture needs funding she doesn’t have. Enter Boone Fincher—charming, infuriatingly handsome, and in desperate need of a fake fiancée. His father’s will requires him to marry a mage with a powerful lineage, and Boone is running out of time. The arrangement is strictly business: Indy gets the money she needs, Boone gets his inheritance, and when it’s over, they part ways. Simple. Except nothing about this is simple. Between a blind vampire with unsettling insight, a revenant who likes to lend a hand, a mysterious bone monster that wanders through the crossroads, and a ghost from her old life determined to unravel everything she’s built, Indy is starting to suspect the universe has a plan she didn’t envision. Then the past she thought she’d escaped comes looking for her, and Indigo must decide whether she’s willing to risk everything for the future she’s finally begun to imagine—one that includes a love that was never supposed to be real.    AmazonKU       AB

THE AGE OF BLOOD AND MAGIC by Hannah Mathewson

A hundred years ago, magic ran wild—belonging only to the fae, the witches, the vampires. Then the mortal Martin Maddock stole its secret. With it, he forged Mythos, a company that bottles spells for humankind. Now his descendants rule a trillion-dollar empire of magical technology—and the uber rich are hungry for more. The world’s most powerful elites descend on the Maddock estate for a lavish weekend to unveil Mythos’s latest innovation: an elixir promising immortality itself. But when the CEO suddenly collapses before the product’s unveiling, the celebration turns deadly. His daughter, Valentina Maddock, is thrust into a vicious succession battle against her playboy brother, her brilliant scientist mother, and a ruthless CFO. And with Mythos’s future on the line, everyone at this party has a motive, because anyone might kill for a taste of forever. Then an unexpected guest arrives: a vampire. Luc Sayle claims he has no ties to Mythos, yet he carries a mysterious invitation from the CEO himself. Drawn to the enigmatic and dangerously handsome stranger, Valentina senses Luc may be her only ally. But as suspicion mounts and bodies begin to fall, Valentina will have to decide who to trust in a mansion built on illusion—and who the true monster at this party really is.     Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

BIGFOOT CONFIDENTIAL (JERICHO JAMES BOOK TWO) by Jasmine Kuliasha

Mysterious things are happening at the edge of the woods—strange animals have been sighted, and livestock are turning up dead—so supernatural sleuth Jericho James has been called in to uncover the truth. But it seems like someone, or something, is investigating her in return. She can’t quite shake the feeling that she’s being watched. Or that the trees are somehow shifting. . . . And the town’s bigfoot obsession isn’t making her job any easier. Surely not every legend is true. But there is something hidden in the woods. Something big, something strong, something . . . incredibly sexy. And Jericho James is going to find out what.      Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

WANTED: ROGUES AND BARDS (E.V.I.L. BOOK ONE) by AJ Sherwood and Jovelynne Drake

VS Note: LGBTQ Fantasy

Welcome to E.V.I.L! (Every Villain is Legendary.) Mission Guidelines: Be evil. (Except, y’know, when someone’s in trouble, or might need a rescue out of an open grave, things like that.) Adopt new members. (At least, Fenric would love to keep the sexy bard, but would Lirion even want to join them?) Retrieve Fenric’s mother’s stolen treasures (and beat up the heroes who stole them if possible) Rescue Lirion’s sister and wait, what do you mean breaking up a sex ring and helping a village from being overrun by finfolk LOWERED our villain rankings overnight? Future Goals: climb the villain rankings, find a lair, get revenge, and trash talk The Box – Welcome and try not to die (but if you do our necromancer will raise you).       AmazonKU

BODIES OF MAGIC by Freya Marske

At the Academie of the Grand Duchy of Sieuxerr, every mage with the healer’s gift has five years to master their power and to prepare for the infamous Grand Exam—a five-day trial whose results will determine their entire future. The list of exam rules includes: • You will perform five practical cases. • Your exam group is chosen at random. • You pass together, or fail together. It does not include: • On the first day, your exam group will find a classmate’s dead body in the exam hall. And as they will soon discover, this particular group all have something to hide… and all have a connection with the dead girl, a brilliant scholar who would have been first in their class. Five scholars. Five secrets. Five days in which to solve a murder, pass the most important exam of their lives, and uncover a secret larger than all of their own combined. One with the potential to change the world. Are you ready? Let’s begin.

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DAUGHTER OF THE DARK (DAUGHTERS OF AUQUIS BOOK ONE) by R J Valldeperas

Supay lives under a curse of eternal death. For the greed of their god, the people are damned to live as human… and then again as muki. For Solana, survival means staying sharp and staying alone. Armed with only a blood-forged dagger, she’s carved out a life as Supay’s fiercest slayer, freeing souls even as she’s trapped by duty. But when a twist of fate offers her the title of Royal Demon Hunter, Solana finally finds a path to the freedom she’s always craved… but it draws her closer to the darkness threatening Supay—darkness that calls to her soul alone. Torn between turning her back on a fight she never asked for and the pull of loyalties old and new—including an irresistible connection to a man who should be her enemy—Solana must decide…Choose fate and freedom? Or death, destruction… and revolution.     Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

DEAD BEAT (NINTH HOUSE SERIES BOOK FOUR) by Leigh Bardugo

Hell is empty and all the devils are here…Alex Stern made it to hell and back more than once, but this time she left the door open behind her. Demons are creeping through the streets of New Haven and the Yale campus, feeding on the souls of the living, terrifying the dead. Alex and her allies can hunt them, but it’s only a matter of time before the gates to the underworld open and they face a war they cannot win. To stop it, they’ll have to reach deep into the secrets of Yale and its societies, and discover the truth hidden in Alex’s own blood. While she struggles to hold onto the dream of a future Yale once offered, Alex must contend with the machinations of a corrupt Lethe Board and a deadly vampire with his own connection to the societies. But for the first time in her life, she won’t have to face the fight alone. Dawes, Turner, Mercy, and even Tripp will have a role to play, none more so than Alex’s mentor Darlington, the golden boy who lived so long in her head, now back in the flesh and cursed with dangerous powers of his own. Hell itself is stalking the delegates of Lethe House, and they’re all about to learn that demons don’t play by human rules.

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THE BAKER AND THE KRAKEN: COZY MM URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE  (CELEBRATIONS WITH MYTHICAL MATES BOOK ONE) by  Ellie Ash

Can a happily ever after start with a faceful of cake? Adam – At 32, it’s safe to say that Adam isn’t growing out of his awkward and accident-prone phase. Unbreakable charms and mending spells only help so much, and past experience has taught him that no one wants to put up with him for long. He loves his job at the bakery and the friends he’s made there, but he’s given up on the thought of anything more. Besides, he’s a witch who doesn’t want a familiar, and he certainly doesn’t need a shifter familiar bond. That’s not ever going to change. Calder – Calder has been waiting for centuries to find his mate. But he’s a shifter with patience, so he’s sure he can get past the defenses of the adorable witch who’s the clumsiest and most charming person Calder has ever met. But if Adam doesn’t believe in bonding or connecting to shifters, how’s Calder going to break the news to him that he’s Calder’s fated mate? Is it possible that just this once, the Magic got it wrong?   AmazonKU

THE EMPEROR’S ENEMY (UNSURVOVABLE LOVE DUET BOOK ONE) by Jasmine Mas

When the hunter is hunted… who becomes prey? Zora Ravenal didn’t join the Crimson Army to be a hero. She joined to destroy the empire. A skilled hunter hardened by loss with a concerning capacity for stubbornness, Zora claws her way into becoming a Knight Mage: the Commonwealth’s deadliest defense against the Empire’s storm magic and her people’s only hope. It almost works. Now she’s stuck in a war she can’t walk away from, hiding dangerous secrets, and shoved into very close quarters with the one man she should never be alone with. He’s a Royal Mage with a body count, a temper, and an unsettling obsession… with her. Now they’re partners. Sort of. If “partners” means being forced to train together, trust each other with their lives, and somehow not kill each other in the process. But the Royal Mage isn’t just dangerous—he’s paying attention. And the longer they’re forced to remain in each other’s orbit, the more twisted everything becomes. Who’s hunting who?       Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

GRIM TIDINGS: A NOVEL (GHOSTED BOOK TWO) by B K Borison

Darcy Moore is tired of death. Which would be fine and good … if she wasn’t a Grim Reaper. Determined to outrun her designation as the villain, Darcy decides she won’t be dragging her next assignment to the underworld. She’ll be saving him instead. Unfortunately for Darcy, there’s a complication in her plan. Guardian Angel Gabriel Aetos doesn’t tolerate threats to his little corner of the world, and a Grim Reaper showing up at his bar is as deadly as it gets. But when he realizes Darcy is not as she seems, Gabriel must decide if he can trust his growing feelings or hold on to his long-standing grudge. But magic doesn’t come without consequences. And the Department of Hauntings & Spirits will eventually come calling for their missing Reaper.

Amazon     AB       Apple Books     Kobo

THE OLYMPIAN ARTIFACTS (THE DIVINE NEW WOMAN BOOK ONE) by Liz Molloy

Ancient, powerful artifacts. Vengeful academics. Prodigious partnerships. Spring, 1924. Clara Fairfax has spent her life being told “no”—denied entry to the post-graduate program at Oxford, overlooked for prestigious archaeological expeditions, dismissed by a world that doubts a woman’s place in history. But when she finally joins a daring journey to uncover the sites of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Clara’s determination is tested like never before. Her discovery of an artifact of Olympian power thrusts her into a deadly game. Hunted by ruthless rivals who would use it to reshape the world, she must rely on an unexpected ally: Henry Ashford, her brilliant and infuriating academic rival. Together, they navigate a treacherous journey across Europe, unravel ancient secrets, and fight to protect humanity from chaos. Amid danger and intrigue, trust sparks into passion—and Clara finds the courage, cunning, and heart to become the heroine she was always meant to be.   Amazon

THE PALACE BENEATH THE SEA by Lauren Weisbron

A doomed love story created the city of Ys, it’s fitting that another one would end it . . .Nolwenn is sure that her life’s purpose is to defend her beloved coastal city of Ys as a lighthouse keeper. But when a dangerous, unnatural tide threatens Ys, the queen instead tasks Nolwen with collecting enough rare seasilk to shield the city from the deadly monsters who lurk deep beneath the waves. Determined to fulfill her task, Nolwenn recklessly puts her life in danger, only to be attacked by the very creatures she’s trying to defend her city against. She’s saved by Morvan, a member of the korrigez people, with the torso of a human and the tail of a fish. Against her will, Morvan drags her deeper into the ocean to the coral palace of Below-Ys. Although Nolwenn is terrified and homesick, Below-Ys is also strange and beautiful…as is Morvan. The more time Nolwenn spends below the surface, the less she is sure she wants to leave. As danger draws ever nearer to her homeland and Ys remains precariously unprotected, Nolwenn must decide between her heart and her home.

Amazon     AB      Apple Books      Kobo

THE SLEEPING KEY (SHROUD OF NIGHTMARES BOOK ONE) by Gemma Ashborne

A young woman discovers dark powers lie beneath her nightmares and that her life—and love—depends on her defeating her demons in this dark romantasy. Fey Masterson can’t escape the darkness lodged in her mind. Awake or asleep, she’s consumed by an anxiety that’s wreaking havoc on her life. The paralyzing dread has stolen everything from her, leaving her yearning for a life of solitude. When she enrolls at a remote art institute deep in the Redwoods, Fey believes she’s finally found sanctuary. Her nightmares only grow more intense, however, as a menacing beast stalks her throughout. Her sole balm is the powerful bond she feels with her mysterious mentor, Cillian, whose strange magic, familiar green eyes, and sharp tongue all have her questioning her desire to be alone. But as the two begin to fall more deeply for each other, a new threat arises. It seems a baneful witch seeks to unleash an army of monsters into the world, confirming Fey’s greatest fear: her harrowing dreams are becoming a daunting reality . . .Now, Fey must wield ancient magic and prove herself capable of slaying these wicked enemies. Because if she loses her battle against the mighty demon who haunts her, the consequences could be dire not only for her and Cillian but the entire mortal world.       Amazon        AB

THE GREEN-EYED WARRIOR: THE MONROE BROTHERS BOOK TWO: TYRELL & DESTINY by Shalene

VS Note: From JULY 6.

Destiny Phillips has spent her life surviving. As an Omega in a world that decides an Omega’s worth before she ever has a voice, she learned early not to want things she couldn’t keep. Then she presented as an Ice Wolf—a rarity that made her both feared and sought after. Abuse and betrayal only reinforced the lesson that trust comes with a price, and depending on anyone is a mistake she refuses to make twice. Now living among the Mystic Warriors, she’s determined to master her newfound power and become strong enough that no one will ever have control over her again. Every training session, every challenge, and every battle bring her one step closer to reclaiming the life that was nearly stolen from her. Tyrell Monroe has been patient with the woman destined to be his mate… but even patience has its limits. As the Delta of the Mystic Warriors and one of the rare Water Wolves, Tyrell leads with quiet strength, unwavering loyalty, and a calm that few can match. He knows trust can never be demanded—it must be earned. So while Destiny fortifies the walls around her heart, he chooses to stand beside her, proving through every action that true strength isn’t measured by dominance alone, but by the patience to love someone without asking them to become anyone other than themselves. Ice doesn’t melt easily. Water doesn’t stop moving. And when the two of them finally stop fighting what’s between them, the line they thought they could hold doesn’t just bend — it breaks.        AmazonKU

PURSUIT OF SILVER LIGHT (THE SACRED COMPANY BOOK ONE) by Piper F A

VS Note: From AUG 14.

Thalia can see every thread of fate. Bromios will burn through anyone trying to sever theirs. And around them, the Sacred Company protects humanity’s marked shifters in ancient Greece. They never anticipated having to protect one of them from the future. Thalia has spent her life on an island of oracles. Marked by Artemis and gifted with the form of the Ceryneian Hind, she can see silver pathways where time and fate converge. In ancient Greece, that makes her sacred. It also makes her a target when researchers from the future tear open the boundaries of time to find her. But they didn’t account for Bromios. Dragon shifter. Marked by Dionysus. A warrior who has spent years fighting battles and his nights dreaming of a woman who holds possible futures in her eyes. The moment he finds her in the flesh, an ancient, dangerous bond ignites between them and he will never allow Thalia to be taken. Thalia sees every path forward. Bromios burns through anything standing in their way. Together, their power might be enough to stop a force from two millennia ahead. Or they might hold the key people from the future came looking for.     AmazonKU

THE INCENDIARY (THE SELVAREN BOOK TWO) by LJ Claren

They thought she was powerless. Now she is unstoppable. Everything that Ary thought she knew was a lie…She has been caged and controlled, lied to by the ones she loved. Now she is finally free—with deadly magic waking in her veins. They say she is destined to lead an army against a rising darkness. They say the man she loves is dangerous—that she will never see him again. But Ary is done listening to what they say. She will choose her own destiny. It’s time for her to burn.      AmazonKU   

AND SO THE STORM SCREAMS: MINDBREAKER DUET BOOK TWO (AN AGE OF WAR AND PROPHECY BOOK FOUR) by Lacey Lehotsky

Sylaira knew trusting Vaeron was a risk. She didn’t know it would end with her in a cage. Bound to the mate who betrayed her and haunted by visions she can’t escape, she’s dragged into a war she doesn’t believe in. Rage storms in her heart. Vengeance whispers in her ear. Because the ones who broke her are still breathing. Vaeron would do anything to keep Sylaira safe—even if it meant lying to her, controlling her, and becoming the very monster she fears. Sylaira no longer wants to be saved. With Vaeron’s love comes pain, and she wants everyone to bleed with her. The lie she told about her prophecy is unraveling. With every choice, pacifism slips further from her grasp, and the monsters she hates begin to look like mirrors. But letting Vaeron close again is the most dangerous thing she could do to her heart. If she doesn’t…The Angel race will fall. In the midst of war, love does not rest—it rages.       AmazonKU

WINGS OF DEATH (DARK SKY BOOK FIVE) by Ella Walker Henderson

Zaydah and Ilyia will bide their time. Sometimes destroying a man from the inside out is the best way to conquer a kingdom. In the belly of her enemy, Zaydah could try to escape, but the longer she’s trapped underground, the more she begins to unravel their secrets. They believe that she’ll never escape, that she’ll learn their ways and one day be as brainwashed as the rest of them. But Zaydah finds aid in unexpected places, from others who earn her loyalty. Ilyia is only one of those, but one of the most vital. She’ll use a man to gain access to the secret underground lair of the enemy. Ilyia enjoys the game more than most, and she plays it better, too. The final battle is unfolding, and the king is willing to destroy his kingdom to conquer his son. But that son and his queen will give everything for their people. It’s time for the Shield Queen to reign.       AmazonKU

THE BOOK OF UNWRITTEN STORIES (SALEM SISTERS BOOK TWO) by Helen Phifer

1680, Salem. Surrounded by lush herbs and colorful flowers, a young woman promises to keep her four-year-old daughter, Isadora, safe. Isadora’s father was an honorable man—but he was also truly dangerous. The book he left them must stay hidden until the time is right. Present day. In the vintage emporium where she works, Morana shifts nervously as she traces the engraving of her name inside an old leather book. The pages are filled with delicate writing, but the ink stops half-way across the page. And now she sees why. ‘Only you will be able to finish these words and uncover my secrets, daughter.’ Orphaned as a child, Morana stifles a sob; could this be written by her mother? But as Morana reads on, a dark shadow awakens. Someone has been waiting for Morana to open the book for generations. Morana will soon learn that the family she has been separated from are full of whimsy and wonder, but they have been running from the truth for a very long time. And the secrets she uncovers could do more damage than she could ever imagine.       AmazonKU       AB

DREAM WALKER (MAGIC MEN BOOK ONE) by Barbara Donlan Bradley

Marissa is running for her life. Her father plans on marrying her off to one of his cronies so he can steal her inheritance. She has been able to avoid her father for five years, but somehow he finds her. She knows she needs to grab her things and run. She never expects her recluse neighbor to volunteer to help her. In all his years as a Dreamwalker Dom has never met anyone like Marissa. There is something about her that makes him break the rules his kind lives by. Lots of rules. His magical side knows he should walk away but the human side tells him to stay. She needs him and he is going to be there for her. Dom realizes he needs to tell Marissa the truth about him, and Marissa needs to face her father. The problem is they learn the man her father wants her to marry knows about the magical world and plans on using her to access that world. That is why he’s willing to give her father Marissa’s inheritance. That changes everything. Now Dom needs to stop this man before he and Marissa can have the life they want.     Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo

MERCURY RAINE: WRITTEN IN RED by Sarah M Eden

VS Note: The series concept: “With fashionable ghosts being crucial to success in the ton, Mercury has made a successful business as a ghost broker, facilitating trades and acquiring a fortune. But he is not at all what he seems, hiding a past that could destroy everything he’s built. When the facade he hides behind begins to crack, his life of ease and renown becomes a fight for survival.”

Aventine Manor holds far more secrets than even the ghosts who call it home are aware of. Mercury Raine intends to harness every last one of them to protect them all from the threat hovering on the horizon. The Forever Flame, a ghost rumored to be both vindictive and worryingly powerful, knows who he is and where he lives and is sending an unending string of bounty hunters to capture him. Failing to thwart the growing threat would mean imprisonment for Mercury and all of his ghosts as well as disaster for Tacey. But when the danger grows to levels none of them could have predicted, will all their preparations be enough?     AmazonKU      AB

CRIMSON MOON FALLING (RILEY BLACKTHORNE SERIES BOOK THREE) by J L Brannick

Silent frost creeps through me as my new mate bond slowly dies. The implant embedded in my cortex at Roswell suppresses my emotions while sharpening my intellect. At the cost of my mate bond. When another park ranger goes missing in Yellowstone, I come full circle to my father’s disappearance. My troll partner and I uncover a conspiracy so dark that only the most cunning and ruthless will survive. And my agonizing choices will help keep the supernaturals safe, but the aftermath could haunt the Alpha and Pack for years to come. If I stay alive long enough to make it back to them. Book 3 in the Riley Blackthorne thriller urban fantasy romance trilogy, where an Alpha and his mate work to uncover a corrupt government’s insidious plot before war erupts.      AmazonKU

THE FINEST SCOTTISH FATE (CHRONICLES OF THE CURSED MATCHMAKERS BOOK ONE) by Maeve Greyson

A modern woman. A medieval warrior. A curse that demands forever. Evie Waterton believes in fated mates and love at first sight. She just never expected hers to exist in 1326. When the upbeat, independent Nashville native wins a Scottish sweepstakes she never entered, she blames destiny. But the quirky matchmakers of Craig Durness are far more than they seem. Hidden behind magical glamours, they’re cursed rebels racing to reunite time-torn soulmates before the gods and Fae courts destroy them. The moment Evie arrives in the misty Highlands, magic awakens. A fairy hill grants her a breathtaking vision of a fierce, dark-haired warrior who looks at her as if she already belongs to him. Then the hill sends her back seven centuries. Drummond MacMuirrow, Earl of Blackmorrow and chief of his clan, was raised to honor both Christianity and the old pagan ways. He trusts the magic of Scotland. So when a mystical mist shows him a vision of a woman unlike any in his world, he becomes obsessed with finding her—and then he does. Their bond is instant. Exhilarating. Unbreakable. Unless Evie refuses to accept it. To claim Drummond as her fated mate, she must forfeit her own century forever. And the gods, goddesses, and ruthless Fae courts are determined to drive her back to 2026. They prey on her fears of plagues and wars, childbirth and loss. If Evie speaks the severing vow, she escapes, but the curse remains—and the survival of many, including Drummond, hangs in the balance. In a world where myths breathe and time divides hearts, love may be the most dangerous magic of all.      AmazonKU

NOVICE GIRLFRIEND (MORRIGAN UNIVERSITY BOOK SIX) by Erin R Flynn

VS Note: Author says the series has to be read in order.

My name is Bevin Millen, the woman with the super-calm life that nothing big ever happens in. Yeah, I laughed just thinking that. Of course my life is drama-filled. I’m a rare goddess witch who apparently was blessed by multiple gods. Not sure that’s ever happened before. I not only escaped my top-tier family, but them wanting to sacrifice me for power. Then I unraveled my father, who was the head of the family, and took over being the head of my grandfather’s top-tier family that I plan on bringing back to life in our society. I’m a freshman at the hardest university in our world… Which I’m learning is complete bull, but it is my first organized schooling, so that’s an adjustment. I’m learning how to be friends to more than animals and dating for the first time. Everyone and their brother seems to want me as their pawn, puppet, or more, and they’re being unhinged about it. My magic is growing at a pace that scares people—scares me—and evidently is now volatile. I just finished midterms that people were actively trying to sabotage and am now going into my first college finals. So yeah, my life is chaotic and beyond ridiculous. I can rest when I’m dead. Which might be sooner rather than later with the way things have been going? Morrigan University is a spicy reverse harem, university-age paranormal academy series with darker elements, strong language, violence, and a heroine who always does her best no matter what’s thrown at her… While trying to figure out what and who her heart wants.      AmazonKU

BEAR MY HEART (VIRTUE SHIFTERS) by Zoe Chant

Shy, responsible nurse Shanti wants nothing more than to get out of Virtue someday, though without a destination in mind, she’s sure she’ll end up right back where she started. That doesn’t stop her from spending long days watching the new rail line come in, or dreaming about what might be. Alaskan-born rail worker and grizzly shifter Peter has heard that Virtue is a shifter sanctuary town, and has fond hopes of meeting his fated mate there—but he doesn’t expect to literally walk into her at the train station. It’s instantly clear to him that while they’re meant to be together forever, Shanti isn’t the kind of woman to leap into forever without hesitation, but the days they spend exploring the town and getting to know each other are more of a dream come true than Pete could have ever imagined. And best of all, their slow-burn courtship gives them each time to consider what they really want, and how they might best complement each other. As Shanti comes out of her shell, Pete begins to understand what he was missing in life—and when opportunities arise for them to build a brand new future together, Shanti and Peter are all in!      AmazonKU

A GHOST’S GUIDE TO HAUNTING A WITCH (THE PEPPERDAY WITCHES BOOK ONE) by Sharon Ibbotson

Augustine Pepperday has never fallen in love. Trust her heart to start with a ghost. Augustine has spent her life being the ordinary Pepperday witch. Her sisters read the stars and make magic look effortless. Augustine runs a sage-scented little shop selling overpriced candles and salmon-flavoured healing tea for emotionally overwrought cats. Then Theo walks through her door. He’s gorgeous. He smells of cinnamon. And he looks at Augustine like she isn’t ordinary at all. As though she’s exactly who he’s been looking for. He makes her laugh. He makes her heart race. There’s just one problem. Theo is dead. And he needs Augustine’s help to find out why. The cards might hold the answer. If Augustine can figure out how to read them. Every clue brings her closer to the truth . . . and closer to Theo. But falling in love with a ghost is impossible. Then again, so is a Pepperday witch with no magic. What if Augustine has been wrong about both?      AmazonKU

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica

September 9

September 2

August 26

August 19

August 12

August 5

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. 

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!