Happy Independence Day in the USA!
As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).
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COLLISION (BOOK THREE OF THE PROPHECY SERIES) by Lea Kirk
A heart-rending loss…
Flora Bock will never forgive the Anferthian invaders for murdering her birth-parents. Growing up with the grandson of her sworn enemies is living a nightmare—until the day she sees him through the eyes of a young woman. But giving her heart to him is the ultimate betrayal of her parents’ memory.
A life in peril…
There are precious few places in the galaxy where Fander K’nil is safe. One look into Flora’s beautiful, hate-filled eyes is proof enough that Terr is not one of those places. He must keep her at a distance and stay alive long enough to fulfill his destiny. No matter what his heart desires.
An empire at stake…
Just as Fander and Flora begin to discover the depth of their feelings for each other, they are thrust into a deadly game of politics and assassination with an enemy who stops at nothing to stay in power. With the lives of everyone they love at risk, they must find a way to avert a new invasion before it’s too late—even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.
VORDOL’S VOW (RISING SONS BOOK 2) by Dena Garson
VS Note: This story first appeared in the COSMIC CABARET collection. I LOVED it. A fun story.
A long time ago Vordol Silveira learned that if he wanted to become the best bodyguard in the galaxy he needed to keep everyone except his brothers at arm’s length. That vow served him well until he runs into the now grown-up daughter of his former mentor while working a security job aboard the LS Quantum.
Pitannah Lorento is a Quantum waitress who dreams of winning this year’s intergalactic burlesque competition in order to pay for her mother’s expensive medical treatment. Seeing Vordol again brings back years of unfulfilled desires – a distraction she doesn’t need. Yet, she’s no longer an awkward teenager and he is sexier than ever.
Vordol’s client’s safety has always come first but when Pitannah is threatened, his heart demands he make her priority. If he somehow manages to keep them both safe through the competition, his vow may become obsolete.
STEEL (DARK MONSTER FANTASY BOOK 2) by Cari Silverwood
A high-class, high-paying job being a principle data extractor for CESS industries, travelling the stars…good stuff, right, she tells herself. Except what she really needs is to find out who she is, her past, the names of her parents, and to maybe actually hook up with a male who turns her ON.
She adores the big guys like the orcs but the rules of proper society say humans must never mix with orcs.
Then a day comes when it all changes. The world crashes down about her and her half-orc guard, Hoss, the only survivor of her security squad. She has the hots for him and he wants into her pants.A final, desperate, go-out-with-a-bang decision turns everything upside down.
They don’t die. They get rescued. Oops.
She did it with an orc and now he wants Ember to be his. Forever.
Impossible.
FINDING THE JEWEL (A KINDRED TALES PLUS NOVEL) by Evangeline Anderson
VS Note: I like her writing. Sounds steamy HOT.
Chloe Deems is a plus sized girl with pink hair and an attitude –she owns her curves. Which is one reason she’s so upset when she gets abducted by aliens and forced to live in a Smart House designed to make her lose weight. She has to weigh in every day and the smart-aleck talking scale decides what she’s allowed to eat which is always lettuce and celery and never the delicious Thin Mints she can see peering tantalizingly out from behind the unbreakable glass cupboard in the kitchen. To Chloe, it seems like things just can’t get any worse…until a prospective buyer comes to look her over.
Tark is a Beast Kindred who has been on the outside looking in his whole life. A debilitating stutter has kept him from finding a mate or settling down. Finally he gets a prophesy from a priestess telling him to seek for an elusive jewel which can cure his voice and Tark knows just where to look for it—in the house where Chloe is being held prisoner. ..(much more blurb on ebook seller site…)
THE TIGER QUEEN by Raisa Greywood
I’m the last of the Andreyev tigers. My species is extinct, except for me. Tigers used to be considered royalty. Atlanta is cold and dark now, and no safe haven remains in the once vibrant city. The devastating solar storms a hundred years ago saw to that. There is no prey and no chance for a mate in this poisoned world. Hunger and attrition have no respect for the shifter hierarchy, though. I am empress of a dying empire.
Aliens from a place called Ximera offer safe haven for humans. They want mates, too, and they offer fresh air and green space. It’s very tempting, and my tiger is hungry. My misgivings are put to rest when I go to the Exodus Authority and see the face of my mate. He is arresting. Not human, but his otherness is enticing. Even through a vid screen his fathomless brown eyes bore into my soul, and I want him. He is mine. And I don’t give a rat’s ass about who I have to eat to get him.
MATED TO THE ALIEN LORD (CELESTIAL MATES) by Leslie Chase
With her life on Earth going nowhere, Gemma needs a fresh start. Enter the Celestial Mates Agency, who say they can match her with the perfect alien. And despite the dangers of his planet, Corvax is everything she could have asked for — impossibly hot, brave, and huge.
Now that she’s seen him, there’s no way she’s going back.
Corvax is the Protector of Clan Rohar, and his clansfolk are his priority. If that means putting off finding a mate, so be it — he can make that sacrifice for his people. The clan is in trouble, and that comes first.
His clan have other ideas, though. They want to see Corvax happy, which is why they’ve set him up with a human without his knowledge. Corvax’s first thought is to send her straight back to Earth, but once he meets her he’s not sure he can bear to let her go.
Being the mate of an alien lord isn’t free from dangers. Between storms, pirate attacks, and kidnappings, can Corvax keep Gemma safe? Or will his rivals tear them apart?
DAY OF WRATH (TAKING SHIELD BOOK 5) by Anna Butler
In less than a week, Bennet will finally return to the Shield Regiment, leaving behind the Gyrfalcon, his father, his friends… and Flynn. Promotion to Shield Major and being given command of a battle group despite the political fallout from Makepeace the year before is everything he thought he wanted. Everything he’s worked towards for the last three years. Except for leaving Flynn. He really doesn’t want to leave Flynn.
There’s time for one last flight together. A routine mission. Nothing too taxing, just savouring every moment with the best wingman, the best friend, he’s ever had. That’s the plan.
Bennet should know better than to trust to routine because what waits for them out there will change their lives forever.
VESTA EXILED: VESTA COLONY BOOK ONE by Sterling R Walker
Sixteen years since the last supply ship.
Fifteen years since the last communication from Earth.
The deadly Plague that condemned Vesta colony to exile claimed the lives of half the adults. It also changed the DNA of the exposed children, gifting each with a unique mental ability called a Talent. Now grown to adulthood, those with Talents are feared by the rest of the colony.
Corban Abrams and his brother Thane are orphans of the Plague, Strays raised by their abusive Uncle Leighton who has risen to power. With the aid of their Talents, the brothers discover Leighton’s cruel plan to take control of the Strays.
When Corban sees a mysterious young woman in one of his premonitions, ready to strike him down with a sword, he is forced to make an impossible decision: find a way to change events to save his own life or join forces with his future killer to save the Strays.
PURE BOND by Kim Knox
VS note: Previously published by Samhain. Seems to be a ‘short read’ per Amazon category.
What was more important? A stupid lump of rock or me?
Cam Vasek made the wrong choice. And for that, I would make him pay.
Or so I thought.
ALIEN OUTCAST (CLANS OF KALQUOR) by Tracy St John
She escaped to Kalquor to warn the empire…but did she bring its destruction instead?
When a rogue Kalquorian raider snags a Bi’isil cruiser in Empire space, the outlaw crew is hoping for supplies. Instead, they find a Tragoom and an Earther woman with a dire warning: Bi’is is set to unleash a fatal plague on the Kalquorian Empire.
Piper Warren, with the help of her friend Ob, has faced death to save the Kalquorians from utter destruction. Instead of help, she stumbles on a ship filled with men who swear no loyalty to anyone but themselves. Can she convince them to set aside their lawless ways to save their people?
Captain Nako turned his back on Kalquor after Fleet Command decommissioned his raider. ..(MUCH more blurb on ebook seller’s page)…
CLAIMED BY THE ALIEN MERCENARY by Viki Storm
One more job and I’m out. I’m done with this lousy planet. Deliver the human female to the Imperator of Fenda so he can have an exotic new addition to his royal harem.
But I can’t get enough of her. This feisty little human has the spirit of a true Zalaryn warrior.
Just my luck. I’ve been blessed with a bonded mate–and she’s the property of another male.
I don’t care what the law says: she’s mine.
I’ve got a plan. And I can’t wait to claim my prize…
JULA: I suppose this spaceship is better than rotting in an Earth jail cell. Because that’s where I belong. I’m a thief. A killer. Trust means nothing to me… unless I can use it to get what I want.
This alien mercenary thinks he can tame me, thinks he can use me as a pawn in this intergalactic war? Let him try.
He’s making me sweet promises, but too bad for him, I know how this game is played. I know the rules. And I know how to win.
If I want to get off this planet, I have no choice but to trust him.
But when he tells me that I’m his bonded mate, I realize that maybe this isn’t a game after all. Maybe it’s something much, much more.
THE HIDDEN QUEEN (THE TRUE IMMORTALS SERIES BOOK 2) by E M Jaye
Eleanor never thought that her life would be anything more than the poverty she grew up in. But fate has other ideas. On her twentieth birthday Eleanor reported to the Claiming Ceremony. All women are required to enter, she never knew that she would be claimed.
Now she is more than just a mate to an alien warrior, she is a mate to the alien warrior. Danion Belator of Old, King of the alien race that saved humans from extinction is now her mate. She fears she has traded one master for another, until Danion transforms her.
She never knew she had strength within her, but Danion knows she does and will not rest until he awakens it. He brings out the fire hidden within. Where once she was meek, she is assertive. Where was she was afraid, she is brave. Where once she was alone, she now is mated.
Danion waited for eternity to claim his mate, and when she was finally within his grasp his enemies attempted to kill her. He swore bloody revenge against them.
But their assassination attempt uncovers hidden secrets about his young mate. Things that defy all reason, and that could very well mean the death of the galaxy.
With war upon them, Danion and Eleanor must fight for not just their lives, but all life in the galaxy. Danion needs Eleanor’s help to win this war, but his mate is unaware of her own strength. No worries, he will help her discover the Queen hidden inside her.
ALIEN BRIDE by Tracy Lauren
Alessandra Kennedy wakes up to a veritable hell, locked in a cage and held captive by aliens. But her greatest fear is of what lies beyond those cell doors. What horrors will the new life beyond her prison have to offer? She imagined every worst case scenario and all the horrible things that might await her, but never once did she imagine she would become an alien’s bride. The strange new culture that takes her in certainly does things differently than humans. Will she be able to get through the time she shares with her alien husband (without arguing) for long enough to make it home? Or will she lose her heart somewhere along the way?
Kye Amara, the rich and cocky diplomat, has always had everything at his disposal: money, women, success. But when a neighboring government tries to impress him with a gift of five beautiful slaves he finds himself drawn to one of them. Quickly this human tears down everything Kye thought he knew about himself, challenging him in a way he has never experienced before. Has Kye Amara finally met his match? And will he be able to prove he is man enough for his ALIEN BRIDE?
GENE BORN: AWAKENING (THE KOCI HYBRID SERIES BOOK 0) by Lily Griffin
VS Note: From May.
They never said life was fair, and they proved that statement was true over and over again. They lied to us. They changed us. They hurt us. They controlled us. The government used us to improve the human genome through gene modification. Earth was dying and they needed the humans to be stronger, faster, and harder to kill while traveling through space in their search for a new home. Then they took it even further when an alien species called the Koci were shot down right before the last Exodus ships were scheduled to leave. What they didn’t count on was our determination to win back our minds and bodies. We have awakened, now it is time to take back our freedom.
THE ALIEN EXILE: SYREK (CLANS OF THE ENNOI) by Delia Roan
The alien mercenary Syrek Ar’Zathris inherited many sins from his warmonger father: his looks, his battleship, and his cutthroat reputation. When a mission goes wrong, Syrek winds up with a freezer full of human abductees in cryogenic slumber. The only one he really wants though is the dark-eyed beauty who stirs his Ennoi passions. She might be the one to finally melt Syrek’s heart, but first, he has to melt her cool exterior.
Mara Desai is obedient, hardworking, and always follows the rules, but she doesn’t need a rulebook to know she should stay away from Syrek. He’s trouble, from his smirk to his strut. As much as she resists, Syrek draws her in, tapping into a wild part of her she’s always hidden. But her friends are still encased in ice, and she must save them from a powerful alien enemy who approaches.
With everything they treasure at risk, the lovers will have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for love… and how hard they are willing to fight for their beliefs.
KAADE (WARRIORS OF CADIR) by Stella Sky
My name is Ivy Elm. I have been trained as a spy from a young age,
so when the SpaceAdministration Extraterrestrial Watch invited me
to go to Cadir and monitor the war happening between the Gilds
and Atherien Parduss species, saying yes was a no-brainer.
That is… until I am paired up with the sexy and mysterious Atherien shifter, Kaayde.
Sent into the rebel camp to find out their true plan of attack on the
alien government, his muscular body and dark, seductive eyes have
me lusting after him like never before.
Kaayde is a warrior with a deep secret. ..(more blurb on ebook seller site…)
RANE (MY SINGLE ALIEN BOOK 5) by Arcadia Shield
Rane is an Olickie – a diplomatic support advisor who is tired of massaging the egos of overpaid administrators. His enhanced mind manipulation ability makes him invaluable. One day, after almost derailing peace talks, he discovers he’s not as important as he thought he was.
Nell is sick of aliens. She thinks they’re weird, freaky, and they give her the chills. This wouldn’t be a problem if she didn’t surround herself with them every day. She has to, it’s her job as a matchmaker at My Single Alien. It’s also a way to help get free from the crippling fear she has about her own alien abduction. Nothing she does works. Nell just doesn’t get the attraction to aliens, and the daily battle she faces with her terror is ruining her.
One night, Nell stumbles into Rane’s art studio, and everything changes…(more blurb on ebook seller site….)
WAKING THE DREAMER by K Aten
By the end of the 21st century, the world had become a harsh place. After decades of natural and man-made catastrophes, nations fell, populations shifted, and seventy percent of the continents became uninhabitable without protective suits. Technological advancement strode forward faster than ever and it was the only thing that kept human society steady through it all. No one could have predicted the discovery of the Dream Walkers. They were people born with the ability to leave their bodies at will, unseen by the waking world. Having the potential to become ultimate spies meant the remaining government regimes wanted to study and control them. The North American government, under the leadership of General Rennet, demanded that all Dream Walkers join the military program. For any that refused to comply, they were hunted down and either brainwashed or killed.
The very first Dream Walker discovered was a five year old girl named Julia. And when the soldiers came for her at the age of twenty, she was already hidden away. A decade later found Julia living a new life under the government’s radar. As a secure tech courier in the capital city of Chicago, she does her job and the rest of her time avoids other people as much as she is able. The moment she agrees to help another fugitive Walker is when everything changes. Now the government wants them both and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want.
THE CALCULATING STARS by Mary Robinette Kowal
VS Note: NOT a romance. Sounds like intriguing scifi though.
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.
Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.
OAK AND THORNS (THE WILD HUNT BOOK 2) by Yasmine Galenorn
Caught between the worlds of Light and Dark Fae, Ember Kearney was born with the mark of the Silver Stag. Rejected by both her bloodlines, she’s turned her back on her people to become a freelance investigator. Ember and her best friend Angel are led into a glittering world of conspiracy and danger when they are recruited to join the Wild Hunt, run by Herne, son of the god Cernunnos and the Faerie goddess, Morgana. Now, Ember must not only face her heritage, but she’s bound to preserve the balance between the Fae Courts, for if order isn’t maintained, war and chaos will spill out into the mortal realm.
Oak & Thorns:
When Herne and Ember are approached by the matriarch of a group of water-horse shifters to help find her cousin’s murderer, the Wild Hunt is drawn into a dark and shadowed world of the Ante-Fae. But as the team delves into the details of the grisly death, they uncover evidence of a string of murders that leads them directly into the court of Blackthorn. Caught in a mire of political intrigue and shadow magic, will Ember and Herne be able to bring the serial killer to light, or will the King of Thorns manage to silence them forever?
MIDNIGHT (NIGHTMARE DRAGONS BOOK 1) by Terry Bolryder
Nathan Lancaster. Elusive billionaire. World-wide philanthropist. Monster.
From the moment he was born, Nathan knew he couldn’t let anyone know who, or what, he was, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to make his way in the world. And he’s fine alone, seriously. Until a curvy, persistent reporter steps up and turns his whole world upside down. She’s lighting up all the corners of his darkness and endangering the secrets he has always held so dear. So why can’t he imagine ever letting her go?
When journalist Lillian Goss discovers that the world’s most eligible bachelor might be a criminal, she isn’t afraid to get the scoop at all costs. Unlike the rest of the world, she isn’t dazzled by Nathan’s easy smile, scorching blue gaze, or notable philanthropy. She’s determined to expose his dark side, until she manages to get up close and finds Nathan altogether different than she thought. He’s even willing to grant an exclusive, if Lillian is willing to walk into the shadows that surround his life and heart.
The more Lillian gets to know Nathan, the more complicated her feelings get for a man who’s much lonelier than anyone knows. Yes, he has secrets, but he also is braver, and kinder, than she ever imagined. But as attraction burns hot between them, and an unknown stalker enters the picture, one questions arises for Lillian above all… Where does Nathan go after Midnight?
BLACK CROWN (THE DARKEST DRAE BOOK 3) by Kelly St Clare and Raye Wagner
With Tyrrik by my side, I’ll lead the charge to remedy it all.
After discovering the rightful heir to the Phaetyn, an alliance with the healers should be easy as pancakes. But while the armies of Verald and Gemond march to the border for war, the emperor delivers a crushing blow that threatens to put everything at risk.
As I fight my father’s staggering power, I’m compelled to face evil on his terms. A twisted darkness worse than anything I’ve experienced.
Nothing could’ve prepared me for this.
How far would you go to defeat a merciless sovereign?
THE MERMAID’S RETURN (THE SIREN SERIES BOOK 3) by Kellie McAllen
Thrust into an intriguing world of merfolk she never knew existed, Coral is awed and inspired by their dual existence. And after unexpectedly finding the one person who knows the truth about her past, Coral realizes she’s lived most of her life under a spell of lies.
Determined to free her people from the deception that’s held them captive, Coral returns to her underwater home. But she soon realizes that defeating a powerful stronghold is more than one mermaid can handle.
Lucky to have escaped with her life, Coral returns to the land and the men she loves. But when duty calls her once again, Coral must decide once and for all between her heart and her destiny.
MISTAKE OF MAGIC (POWER OF FIVE BOOK 2) by Alex Lidell
Quint magic has never chosen a human before, and the Elders Council is convinced Lera is a mistake.
When the quint refuses to be cleaved apart, the enraged elders give them a choice: exile from Lunos or demotion to the lowest of trainees. Subject again to the humiliations and deadly trials they endured centuries ago, the males now face a new challenge—training Lera to survive.
River, Shade, Coal, and Tye will do whatever it takes to keep Lera safe. But Lera will do whatever she must to keep them together—even if it means putting herself in mortal danger.
INTENDED BONDMATES by D Lieber
No one said guarding a faeling from bloodthirsty vampires would be easy. In fact, Runa trained all her life to protect her intended bondmate, Konner, until he could awaken his full magic.
She was looking forward to her time with the young fae until tragedy shattered her plans. For the last thirteen years, she’s been bound with Mikhail. Neither of them was happy with the arrangement, but she never thought he’d request to unbind from her early. When all hope of Runa fulfilling her rite and joining werewolf society is threatened, Konner comes through and agrees to become her bondmate.
But Konner hasn’t forgiven her for abandoning him. And Rowan, bound with Konner’s brother, is hostile toward the fellow werewolf who left him to protect two faelings alone. As Runa tries to make up for her past betrayals, Forbidden thoughts and urges imperil all of their futures.
THE BLACK WOLF by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
Raised in seclusion, Cara Kirk-Killion knows that she will never find the man who haunts her dreams until she ventures out into the world. But it’s Were cop Rafe Laundau’s job to protect this shape-shifter from her own na•veté. Yet he needs her as much as she needs him—to help his pack rid Miami of a vampire horde, and to satisfy a desire he’s never felt before.
CONSTANTINE: A HISTORY PART 3 by Donna Grant
The third – and final – short story involving Constantine, King of Dragon Kings from New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant. Fans of the Dragon King series will want to get another peek into the mysterious leader’s past.
CURSED BY THE CROWN: KUMARI’S KITSUNE by Hanleigh Bradley
Trust was a liberty that as Kumari, Bae could not afford, especially after the murder of Bae’s mother, the late Kumari.
The Kumari bloodline had to continue regardless of the cost, even if it was the life of someone she loved.
There were only two things that a Kumari should trust; magic and her seven mates.
The race was on for Bae to find and claim her seven mates before she had to defend her realm from an unknown enemy.
With them, she still might not win, but alone she would definitely fail.
THE FORGOTTEN (SOCIETY SERIES BOOK 13) by Mason Sabre
Step one – escape
Step two – save the children
Step three – save everyone else
Humans call it science – The Others call it cruelty, fear, and excuses. Two years they’ve spent in captivity. Two years of Humans performing experiments on them and creating the unborn children Helena carries. But no more.
Tiger shifter, Stephen Davies, has more to fight for than simply his own survival this time. When the Humans try to transport him and his pregnant wife to another facility, he knows it’s become a make or break situation. Execution is coming.
A BEAR’S NEMESIS (SHIFTER COUNTY BEARS BOOK 2) by Dakota West
After all, her parents lead the world’s most prominent anti-shifter group. Now they’re taking Quinn to protest marriage rights in Cascadia, the shifter state.
Julius Bloom is grizzly shifter and lawyer, mated to the sexy mechanic Hudson Trager. For months Julius has been at the helm of the trial that will determine whether triad marriage is legal – not that the two men have had time to find a woman to complete their own triad.
The morning of the trial is the worst possible time to find the perfect woman – one they can’t resist. Of course, the curvy, gorgeous brunette happens to also be holding an anti-shifter sign outside the courthouse.
When they lock eyes, Julius feels something stir deep within, just as gunshots ring out. He doesn’t think twice. He’ll protect her at any price.
Quinn feels inescapably drawn to the two sexy, dangerous shifters, despite everything she’s been taught. When she overhears a plot by her parents to assassinate Julius, she’ll do whatever it takes to stop it.
Will it be enough, or were Quinn, Julius, and Hudson never fated to be together?
BLOOD MATCH (BLOOD TYPE BOOK 2) by K A Linde
A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided.
Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell.
Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham.
She just has to find the will to survive this game.
From the pawn, rises a queen.
PASSION IN THE BLOOD by Margaret L Carter
Cordelia and her twin sister don’t realize the mother who left them soon after their birth bequeathed them a dark bloodline. They’re half vampire. Although human in most respects, they possess certain psychic gifts. A friend of their late father’s, Karl, also a vampire, has been watching over their family for generations in honor of his love for their distant ancestor. When her sister is kidnapped and Cordelia must beg for help from Karl, she learns the truth about his vampirism and her own heritage. In the process, she and Karl form a blood bond that leads to deeper intimacy than either one could have anticipated.
ACT OF BROTHERHOOD (PSI-OPS IMMORTAL OPS BOOK 6) by Mandy M Roth
Captain Garth Ingersson is in charge of Paranormal Security and Intelligence Agency Special Ops Team Eight. Its a position he didn’t originally want, but one he has grown to accept. The men who look to him to lead are like brothers to him. Especially since he and his twin brother had a falling out years ago. Much has changed for this ancient Viking over the centuries, but one thing remains the same–never thinking he has a true mate. This six-and-half-foot-tall Scandinavian is about to have his world turned upside down.
MAX’S DESIRE (ALPHA PROTECTORS BOOK 3) by Elyzabeth M Valey
How can a man love a succubus without literally losing his heart?
Alpha Protector Max almost died during his last mission to Lust’s hellish lair, but the worst torture was his failure to save Eva, a young woman who begged for his help. When he meets her again in Spain, he discovers two things. One, she is his mate. Two, she is also a succubus.
Though Eva has not come into her full power, her love could still be fatal. For how long will he be able to defy her allure?
Pleasure is Eva’s business. Love isn’t.
Although unaware of her true nature, as a luxury escort, she is used to men falling at her feet. Yet, Max doesn’t. Though his attraction mirrors hers, the soldier does things differently and she can’t help falling for him.
And Eva is terrified by her recurring nightmares. When someone from her past shows up, and the dreams become reality, there is only one thing that can save Max’s heart.
SCANDAL ABOVE STAIRS (A BELOW STAIRS MYSTERY) by Jennifer AShley
VS Note: Although the blurb doesn’t sound like it, this is supposedly a paranormal mystery. Not sure how much romance there may be.
Priceless artwork has gone missing from the home of a wealthy baronet, and his wife stands to take the blame. When Kat’s employer asks for help in clearing her friend’s name, Kat trades her kitchen for the homes of Mayfair’s wealthiest families. Soon antiques are disappearing not only from the extravagant households of connoisseurs and collectors, but from the illustrious British Museum.
As the thefts increase in frequency, Kat calls upon her friend Daniel McAdam, who has already set himself up in a pawnshop on the Strand as a seedy receiver of stolen goods. When a man is murdered in the shop, Kat must use all of her wits to see that the thieves are caught and justice is done.
WOLF’S MATE (CRESCENT MOON SERIES BOOK 7) by Katie Reus
Erica’s time away from her pack was just supposed to be fun. Then she met Hudson. Instead of the no-strings attached fling, she ended up falling for him. But they’d promised each other that they’d keep things casual. Instead of risking her heart, she ran. Now she’s pregnant—and he’s determined to claim her. But the last thing she wants is to be an obligation to him.
Now she’s pregnant.
Erica could never be a duty to Hudson, but for some reason that’s what she thinks she is. He tried to go slow, to give her space—so he wouldn’t scare her off. Now he realizes that was a mistake. It’s time for this wolf to claim his mate. Unfortunately a neighboring pack is stirring up trouble for his pack, and his she-wolf is determined to keep walls between them. Walls he intends to bring down once and for all.
BOLT CASTLE BEAR (NORTH PEAK SHIFTERS BOOK 4) by Haley Weir
When Jenna arrives in Blue Ridge, she hopes to find a family of shifters to become a part of. Her parents were killed in a tragic accident when she was just a little girl, and her grandmother who raised her just recently passed. Now, she’s more on her own than eve as she tries navigate the world as a shifter.
Strong, sexy, and protective Xander has always been an integral part of the Collins family, guiding the brothers on their journeys to control their bears. Meeting Jenna changes his life in ways he didn’t think possible, but he has secrets that could threaten their budding romance.
Grave danger is approaching and Xander must formulate a plan to protect the Collins family and everyone in their lives.
A TOUCH OF STARLIGHT (OTHERWORLD ACADEMY BOOK 3) by Jenna Wolfhart
After discovering my true heritage, I’m finally back to training at the academy so that I can become the powerful fae I was always meant to be. My four seductive instructors are by my side, and the realm is finally healing after years of conflict between the courts.
Until one of the fae at the academy is murdered…and then another. It looks like the killer is a dangerous wolf-like beast, one lashing out at random victims by instinct. But I’m not convinced.
Storms are brewing in the skies once again. Shadows loom on the horizon.
The Dark Fae are coming.
And they’re coming for me.
THE RISE OF BABYLON (HAREM OF BABYLON BOOK 2) by G A Rael
No pressure, right? Jordan can barely keep her accidental fiancé from learning the truth about her smart-mouthed familiar, let alone juggle five relationships and the fate of the world.
Her escape from Hell hasn’t gone unnoticed, either. One archangel in particular isn’t fond of his destined role in Jordan’s harem, and he’s got an army of devastation on his side to ensure that she can’t bring back the ancient city she was destined to rule.
The line between enemies and lovers blurs as Jordan and her men prepare for Judgment Day. Babylon is rising, but will Jordan survive the fall?
WRITTEN (THE LIBRARIAN’S COVEN BOOK 1) by Kathryn Moon
From her first step onto Canderfey University’s campus Joanna Wick, the new librarian-in-training, is overwhelmed by the bustle of people and the wealth of magical information now available to her. Most overwhelming of all, she attracts the attention of three handsome professors. But Aiden King, Callum Pike, and Isaac Metclaffe are a coven waiting to find their fourth and complete their home and Joanna knows she can’t be that witch. She’s barely magical.
When danger crawls onto the campus from the edges of the Hand Woods, and irrepressible feelings crawl into her heart, Joanna Wick must explore her own identity and abilities.
Aiden has been waiting twenty years to complete his coven. Callum doesn’t want to disappoint his covenmates by turning down another potential fourth. Isaac has found a home with them both and only wants the best for his lovers. Have they found what they’ve all been waiting for in the skittish new hire at the university library?
HELLHOUND IN A HANDBAG by Viola Grace
Freddy was born to take the mantle of hellhound, but she wasn’t fond of the idea. Wearing the responsibility to atone for the work of a homicidal ancestor, Freddy is the eleventh generation tied to the victim’s family, and being bonded to a mage halfway around the world is tiring.
At a moment’s notice, Freddy can be yanked from an event or her own bed and pulled across the world to act as the mage’s familiar.
Her friends want to help, but there is only one way to get her out of the indentured servitude that her family has landed her in. She needs to find a stronger mage to take her on as a familiar. The hard part is finding a stable mage to link to. The weird part is watching her friends auditioning them.
GONE WITH THE MINION (MADDER THAN HELL BOOK 1) by Renee George
To save her family, Southern Belle Olivia “Liv” Madder made a bargain with a demon lord and ever since, she’s been haunted…by her three dead sisters, and her own guilty conscience. Every decade, since the deal, Liv has had to find a human willing to bargain their soul with Moloch. If she fails, even once, he’ll not only drag her to Hell, but he’ll take her sisters, too. It doesn’t mean she can’t make Lord Jerkface miserable in the process by removing his lesser demons from the Earthly plane.
When her latest contracted soul dies before the bargain is sealed, she has less than four days to find another soul or her own agreement will be broken. But Moloch offers her a get-out-of-Hell-free card: steal an old book once owned by paranormal researcher David Jensen. The same David Jensen she fell in love with sixty years ago but left to protect him and his family. Then Moloch drops the biggest bombshell: David has died.
Heartbroken and feeling she has no choice, Liv makes the trip to Sanctum, Missouri only to find David’s grandson has the book. Worse, he’s keeping a mysterious family secret that threatens Moloch, Liv, and her three sisters. What’s a minion to do when her world falls apart? Get Madder than Hell and kick some demon butt.
BURN DRAGON BURN (DRAGON GUARD SERIES BOOK 34) by Julia Mills
Solving murders and bringing bad guys to justice was all Nat ever wanted to do. She couldn’t imagine being anything but a Homicide Detective. It was who she was. What she could use her Gift for. Her absolute obsession.
Then he walked into the Precinct…Tall, handsome as the Devil and hotter than homemade sin, Special Agent Rafe O’Rhordan was everything she never wanted and the one thing she couldn’t live without – a man strong enough to corral her and secure enough in himself to resist the temptation…(much more blurb on ebook seller site…)
WAKING THE DEEP: MOUNTAIN MERMAIDS (SAPPHIRE LAKE) by P Jameson
Welcome to Aurora Falls. Home of platter-sized pancakes, the Northern Lights, and… a lake full of finned immortal warriors in search of their mates. This mountain getaway is full of sexy shimmering secrets just waiting to be revealed…
Cursed to reside in Sapphire Lake until he finds love was never how the warrior, Mansen, pictured his fate. Having a shimmering tail instead of legs wasn’t on his bucket list either. For ages, he’s searched for her, the one who can free him from the water, but came up empty handed. Now, he’s resigned to living as a merman and making his three days a month on land count… in carnal ways. Until he finds a female in his lake that needs rescuing.
Doe doesn’t know her real name. Or where she came from or who she was before the overbearing man fished her from the lake where she was drowning. She only remembers the fear that sent her into the lake in the first place. Fear she can’t explain, yet it’s the only thing that feels real. It and the strange, exciting connection to the man who saved her. But he has secrets she might not be ready to accept and her secrets may be even bigger.
Together Mansen and Doe will have to untangle the mystery surrounding them and Sapphire Lake if they ever want to live free. But are they ready for what they’re about to face. Thrills, spills, and… tails?
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VS Note: Highlighting one of my favorites from my backlist, STAR CRUISE: MAROONED!
Meg Antille works long hours on the interstellar cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:
My standard Notes and Caveats:
The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.
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 every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…
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