Big week for new releases – wow!
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).
***************************
THE CYBORG’S SECRET BABY (IN THE STARS) by Cynthia Sax
VS: I love Cynthia’s cyborgs and one clicked this!
A fierce cyborg warrior and his curvy human female share a no-longer-so-little secret.
Stealth, a K Model cyborg, knows his passion for Zebrina, the commander’s human daughter, is forbidden, yet he can’t resist the curvy female. He craves her touch, cherishes her sounds of pleasure, would do anything to keep her safe.
When he’s faced with the choice of protecting his fragile human or living to see the next sunrise, he chooses her, always her, sending Zebrina halfway across the universe to safety. He doesn’t realize their stolen moments had consequences neither of them believed possible.
After hearing her warrior died in battle, Zebrina focuses on the last gift he gave her. Doing what is right for their child is her sole priority. She will put their son’s happiness first, even if that means choosing another male over the love of her life.
DRAGO: STARGAZER ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES #13 (iNTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Tasha Black
VS Note: I was lucky enough to receive an ARC on this one, always fun to have a new book from Tasha!
When Arden Green was hired as a lab tech, she didn’t expect her duties would include delivering titillating movies to hunky aliens and retrieving their specimens. But when she finds herself in Stargazer, Pennsylvania doing just that, she figures things can’t get any worse. Until she starts to fall for one of the men she’s supposed to be studying…
Drago has made the extraordinary journey to Earth from faraway planet Aerie. But his life as a lab subject is simple. He eats, he reads, and he dutifully tries to click permanently into his human form. Most of all, he lives for his momentary daily contact with lab tech Arden Green, the woman he recognizes as his mate the first time he sees her.
But the delicate balance at the lab won’t last forever. When circumstances force Drago and two of his brothers to flee, Arden must help them escape. But can she keep her relationship with her subject professional? Or has science blinded her to true love?
FRACTURED STARS by Lindsay Buroker
VS note: YAY! A new title from Lindsay. One clicked.
McCall Richter finds criminals, con men, and deadbeats better than anyone else in the empire.
She’s proud of her success and that she owns her own spaceship, especially since she struggles to understand human motivations, can’t tell when people are lying to her, and is horrible at recognizing faces. Being autistic in the empire is frowned upon—and there’s a handy normalization surgery to correct it—but she’s managed to prove her worth and avoid irking the tyrannical regime.
Except for one thing.
Two years ago, she liberated the android, Scipio, from an imperial research facility where he was treated worse than a slave. He’s become her business partner and best friend, but if the empire finds out she has him, a “normalization” surgery will be the least of her worries.
When her ship is confiscated by a cyborg law enforcer needing to transport prisoners, McCall knows she and Scipio are in trouble. Worse, the enforcer’s pilot is a former bounty hunter and business competitor she beat to the prize many times in the past.
Soon, he’s snooping all over her ship and questioning her about her past.
And there’s something strange about him. He knows far more about what she’s thinking than any human should.
It’ll only be a matter of time before he discovers her secret. And then what?
THE GAME OF LUCK (A FELICIA SEVIGNY NOVEL) by Catherine Cerveny
VS note: I very much enjoyed the first two books in the series, so this is on my TBR list.
The perfect society One Gov engineered from Earth’s ashes is beginning to crumble. As social unrest and dissatisfaction spread throughout the tri-system, One Gov struggles to maintain order, and a single misstep could see civilization spiraling into chaos.
During this dark time, Felicia Sevigny is eager to use her card-reading ability and new position with One Gov to help restore peace. But she soon learns that the game of politics is a dangerous one, and being married to Alexei Petriv, head of the Tsarist Consortium and One Gov’s biggest rival, is not necessarily a hand in her favor.
When members of her family begin to disappear, the stakes skyrocket. There are those who would stop at nothing for the chance to exploit Felicia’s luck gene to seize power all over the tri-system. And as the threat of revolution seems imminent, it may be that this time, nothing will be enough to keep Felicia and everyone she loves safe-not even luck.
TARJEN: STAR-CROSSED ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Susan Hayes
Tarjen never expected to go to Earth again. The first time, he was there to protect Crown Prince Joran as he claimed his mate and returned her to Pyros. This time, Tarjen is on his way to claim a mate of his own.
He’s studied human courtship behaviour, memorized his match’s file from the Star-Crossed Dating database, and prepared himself for the moment he’ll meet his mate. He’s planned everything perfectly so that nothing can go wrong. Not like the last time they were here.
ICE: A QURILIXEN WORLD NOVELLA: INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY (GALAXY ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES BOOK 4) by Michelle M Pillow
Alpha male alien Izotz (aka Ice Storm Chaos) isn’t one for space exploration. He finds enough action fighting for survival on his frozen tundra of a home world. When the promises of Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides tempt his brothers into signing up for a trip to Earth, he’s hard-pressed to say no to the fantasy. Not many remain on the planet of Sintaz, and this may be his only chance to find a mate to warm the freezing nights. What he hadn’t planned on was the fact the woman of his dreams would want to capture him and put him in a cage.
When Elle took the mercenary job hunting UFOs, she thought it would be an easy paycheck from an eccentric, crazy man. Little did she know extraterrestrials were real and freaking sexy to boot. If she can ignore the blue skin, surely this hunky alien can overlook the fact she’s the reason he’s now her boss’ science experiment.
THE PASSION SEASON: BOOK 1 OF THE COVALENT SERIES by Libby Doyle
When Special Agent Zan O’Gara investigates a ritual murder, she meets the only man who’s ever been able to reach beyond her emotional defenses. Little does she know he harbors a dangerous secret.
Barakiel accepted his solitary life after the rulers of his homeworld banished him to Earth, but his growing power has him crackling with restless need. He knows he should stay away from the captivating Zan O’Gara before his enemies make her a target. No matter. There’s no taming the unruly passion of a Covalent warrior.
As Zan’s investigation brings her closer to the truth about her lover, Barakiel realizes his presence on Earth has placed its most vulnerable citizens in danger. Compelled to protect them, he undertakes a series of duties he may not survive, even as Zan rescues him from a deadened heart.
AISAAK: DELTA UTOPIA BOOK 6 by Celeste Raye
Running from the pain of losing his first love in a tragic manner, Aisaak found himself on the way station and entertainment mecca known as Delti Utopia 6. He had no interest in getting involved with it’s tourists or inhabitants, human or alien. Yet, in order to save a damsel in distress, he does exactly that.
Irene left her isolated home in search of adventure. She got more than she bargained for on the way station. Nothing was as it had been advertised. She built a good life in spite of her disappointment. Then, her sister went missing. Irene made it her mission to find Savanah. What she found was trouble.
Aisaak couldn’t deny his attraction to Irene, nor could he stand aside and allow her to be harmed. He chose to use the beast inside him, a golden weredragon, to protect her from evil.
The pair found help in unexpected places, among those who should be their enemy. The joined forces took on a powerful man who’s name struck fear in the deepest recesses of Aisaak’s soul.
Good versus evil has always been the ultimate battle. The winner should take all. Will he?
SOLD TO THE ALIEN CARTEL by Corin Cain
The cartel planet of Titus is far away from the reach of the Aurelian Empire, the seven-foot-tall Greek Gods that rule with iron fist. It’s the only place I can hide from my dark past.
The only problem? When pirates capture you, there’s no help coming. My innocence is the only thing that keeps me from a fate worse than death.
Taken, beautified, and presented in an alien auction house to the billionaires and criminals of the lawless planet, they expect me to be obedient. I can fake it… for as long as it takes to get my blade between the throat of whichever giant marble-skinned Aurelian buys me.
That’s what I thought, at least…
Until I’m told that the crimelord Kargoth will be placing a bid on me. The rogue Aurelian owns half of Titus, and every cop, politician and official is in his pocket. With a reputation for bloody violence and a stern temper, I can only imagine the fate of whatever poor woman he buys.
If he chooses me?
I’ll kill him.
FAULTLESS (DETYEN WARRIORS BOOK 4) by Kate Rudolph and Starr Huntress
Laurel Ormand doesn’t know where she is or how she got there. Her head is bandaged and half of her hair is cut off, and a kindly alien is telling her he rescued her from the intergalactic slave trade. So why does she hear screams echoing in the halls of his space ship? When she follows the sound, her world is torn apart once more and she will need to rise out of the ashes if she is going to survive and make it to freedom.
Druath NaKam is a faithful soldier of the Detyen Legion. He’s been trained to endure the worst hardships his enemies throw at him, even if his life is destined to be brutally short. But nothing prepared him for torture at the hands of a sadistic scientist with a grudge against Detyens. The only thing that can keep him sane is the woman on board who might be his destiny, but the road to escape is long and treacherous.
When Laurel and Dru thrust into a world on the brink of war, solving a centuries old mystery might be the key to saving Earth. But when an uncovered betrayal threatens to destroy Laurel, Dru will do anything to make her whole, no matter the personal cost. Laurel will need to find the strength to heal and Dru will need to become the warrior he was born to be if their bond is to flourish before all hope is lost.
GRENVILLE (TRI SYSTEMS RANGERS BOOK 2) by JC Hay
Are they orbiting each other, or falling?
Yancey Grenville thought he knew his place in the pack – the clown, the one who always made everyone else happy. A stress reliever for his battle family and for the women he’d spent time with along the way. No one to be serious about, and not someone to settle down with. An attitude that he thought suited him, until a solo mission with the one person he wanted to see him as more leaves him scrambling for a way to erase his reputation.
Lt. Imee Lewis fought tooth and claw to earn her reputation as one of the best pilots in the JTF, and no one cheered her on, or up, like the ranger she’d pulled off the battlefield more than a year earlier. Not that she thought she could ever be serious about “Good Time Grenville” – her own scars, and the divide of rank were enough to keep the relationship strictly friends.
But when a covert mission traps the two of them together in a half-derelict mining ship, proximity leads to more than familiarity. As the gravity between them gets stronger, they realize that the walls they tore down will be impossible to replace when the mission ends, and everything they’ve built for themselves could be destroyed.
PRINCE OF FIRESTONES (THE KRAVE OF EVERTON BOOK 2) by Zoey Draven
When Eve Tesler booked a visit with one of Madame Allegria’s Krave, notorious alien lovers with special, non-human skills between the sheets, she never thought that she’d fall in love with him…or learn about the dark secrets behind the well-known brothel.
Now, after escaping from Everton with Khiva, they land on Dumera, a neutral colony where they hope to start a future together without having to hide in shadows. But the memory of Madame Allegria and the Krave they’d had to leave behind still haunt them, as does the memory of Khiva’s missing mother and brother.
To complicate matters, as they begin to navigate life together in a new, strange place, something unthinkable happens: Eve becomes pregnant.
STRIKER (HEXONIAN ALIEN ROMANCE BOOK 2) by Charmaine Ross
Captain Vivien Demazi didn’t believe in aliens. Having spent a lifetime in the military tends to beat out such fanciful notions. But being abducted by giant Reptiles and crashing on a frigid alien planet, the last thing Vivien expects is to find herself in the protective arms of a golden-skinned, drop-dead gorgeous alien.
Striker’s first mission upon his promotion to Commander of Starlight is to rescue the human female last seen smuggled onto the planet Callisto – a planet long occupied by the malicious Reptiles. He must stop her from falling into their hands at all costs. The fate of the known universe rests on his success…(more blurb on ebook seller page…)
UNCONTROLLABLE (BEYOND HUMAN) by Nina Croft
Quinn Sutherland, second in command of the Tribe, a group of powerful telepaths, has always been certain of who and what he is—one of the good guys. All he wants is to keep his friends safe—no easy feat when everyone in the world is after them. While on a rescue mission, he meets a mysterious FBI agent, who appears to know a lot about them, and seems to want the same thing he does. But her assignment could literally mean the death of him…
When Melody Lyons is inducted into the Federation’s elite Bureau of Time Management, it’s the pinnacle of her ambitions. Only when she’s sent back to the twenty-first century to eliminate a group of rogue time travelers, she never guesses she’ll fall for a man who died two thousand years ago… Quinn awakens emotions she hadn’t known existed, and for the first time, her loyalties are tested.
HONEY FROM THE LION by Jackie North
In present day, Laurie, tired of corporate life, takes a much-needed vacation at Farthingdale Dude Ranch.
The very first night a freak blizzard combined with a powerful meteor shower takes Laurie back to the year 1891. When he wakes up in a snowbank, his only refuge is an isolated cabin inhabited by the gruff, grouchy John Henton, who only wants to be left alone. His sense of duty prevails, however, and he takes Laurie under his care, teaching him how to survive on the wild frontier.
As winter approaches, Laurie’s normal fun-loving manner makes it difficult for him to connect with John, but in spite of John’s old-fashioned ways, the chemistry between them grows.
Sparks fly as the blizzard rages outside the cabin. Can two men from different worlds and different times find happiness together?
KEEPING PACE by LJ Vickery
Pace Ruffalo, retired US Army Space Ranger, and full time long haul space trucker, is tired of playing the field. He’s anxious to find the right woman and settle down to start a family, but he’s tired of the waifish, doe-eyed debutantes his mother parades in front of him. He wants a woman with a sturdier build, maybe some muscle, who will satisfy his diverse libido. When Gerri Wilder of the Paranormal Dating Agency says she has someone who fits the bill, Pace jumps at the chance.
Lola Xeltrax doesn’t much like her planet’s requirements for becoming a wife and mother, so when Gerri Wilder makes her first appearance on Gemma-Hydrox, she’s thrilled the woman picks her as the match for a male from Earth. Now if she can just seduce him…maybe when she tells him her secrets he won’t run away. Then Lola will have the best of both worlds.
BLOOD KING: REVAMPING THE MONARCHY (THE HEART NEBULA BOOK 3) by Ava Cuvay
Kazandra Lyon’s failed life sucks. But her vacation to a popular destination-planet sucks on a whole new level when she’s abducted and whisked off to a dark castle mired in twilight. She struggles against the attacks of a bloodthirsty monster and her growing attraction to the sexy and mysterious vampire king. Amidst murdered palace staff, political power struggles, and the king’s blood-searing seduction, has Kaz bitten off too much? Will she return to the unhappy safety of her failed life or stick her neck out and embrace a future with the lusty king who thirsts for her?
Away from his homeworld for far too long, King Rune Lahdunae’s political influence has weakened and his vision for his people is now a relic from a bygone era. He struggles to regain his royal standing as monarch, resurrect his race’s proud heritage, and keep his randy fangs off his beautiful guest. Yet Kazandra’s spirit and humor arouses a hunger in him more primal than the need for her life-giving blood. Can he entice her to remain as his honored guest… and possibly his wife? And can he thwart the relentless killer who is drinking his people dry before Kazandra becomes the next victim?
GUARDING HIS MELODY (ENHANCED WORLD BOOK 4) by Victoria Sue
Deaf since childhood, Sebastian Armitage had a promising musical future until his dreams were shattered when he transformed at twelve years old. In a world where enhanced humans are terrorized and imprisoned, his life shrinks around him even more as he suffers the torment of his father’s experimental research to enable him to hear.
Gray Darling—struggling with the scars left by his experience in Afghanistan—agrees to provide short-term personal protection when anonymous threats escalate into assault on those closest to Seb.
As the lines between protection and attraction blur, Gray and Seb can’t ignore the intense feelings drawing them together. But secrets and betrayals might prove deadly, unless Gray is willing to risk it all. And Seb must find the strength to make his own future and sing his own song.
THE CYBORG’S MAIL ORDER BRIDE (2075 MISSION MARRIAGE) by Fiona Roarke
The world has changed. Women have almost no rights and men hold all the power. The insidious influence of the oppressive Vanguard Group is spreading around the world and beyond. But while they can try to roll back the clock on social progress, they can’t control the human heart. Or the will to rebel.
College student Abigail Bryce never imagined she’d one day find herself on a mining outpost far from Earth, waiting to be sold to the highest bidder. She expected her soon-to-be husband to be a grimy degenerate, not a driven man with muscles on muscles and chocolate-brown eyes she could sink into.
Logan “The Hammer” Thornton decided to bid on the blond beauty the moment he saw her. If he had to have a short-term bride to satisfy his genetically enhanced libido and keep him in top form to wrench Cobalt-X out of his mine, he might as well have one who made his pulse jump. He never guessed she’d be so sweet, smart and full of passion.
Good thing their marriage had a time limit. Because why would a woman like Abigail want a life with a cyborg freak like him?
AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING by Hank Green
VS Note: SciFi, not romance, no idea if there is any romantic element but it’s getting lots of buzz and the plot sounded interesting.
The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship–like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor–April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world–everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires–and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight.
Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity, and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.
Amazon iBooks
MAGE QUEEN DARK SCULPTOR 03 by D R Rosier
James Cook is the last Flesh Sculptor on his new world.
Things seemed to have worked out for him and his two mates. Though Karana turned from him things seemed to be going well, and at least they’re on good terms. Him and his mates are building a new home, and the three of them all have a good future partially mapped out.
It’s not all peaches and cream. They’re still awaiting word from Malburn on the success or failure of Queen Sera’s invasion. When word of those results do arrive, they come with a few surprises. He has no choice but to do what his conscience dictates, something he never thought he’d do, return to Malburn.
James is going to have to face something far scarier than simple assassins, or armies, he has to face a queen. What did she want, and would he be able to give it to her? It was foolhardy and dangerous to say no to a queen, but he couldn’t, wouldn’t, violate his oath.
PRIEST AND PARIAHS (CENTAURI SURVIVORS SECOND CHANCE CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by J Alan Veerkamp
Costa McQuillen has escaped from Earth, where being para-human—a Pariah—with tech empathic abilities is illegal, and marks him for extermination. Arrogant and standoffish, Costa is unable to trust anyone but is willing to risk everyone’s safety in his desperate effort to reach the planet Omoikane. His best solution, gaining passage on board the Santa Claus.
Arbor Kittering is the crew’s newest coding tech. Having spent a short time in prison for data hacking and falsifying government files, the Santa Claus is his last chance at a new start—if he can decipher the strange malfunctions plaguing the ship.
Eugene “Priest” Jones, the Santa Claus’s Head Pilot, is a bit of a scoundrel. Perpetually single, Priest is attracted to Costa and Arbor. In truth, he’d like to have both, but it’s clear even his grifting and gambling skills can’t make that happen.
Now as they all travel together, it appears Priest needs to make a choice before it’s too late as each of their lives intertwine with potentially dangerous and deadly consequences.
PHOENIX UNBOUND by Grace Draven
VS note: I love Grace’s books – I still swoon over RADIANCE – so I had this pre-ordered too.
Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire’s capital–her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village’s tithe has been the same woman. Gilene’s sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.
But this year is different.
Azarion, the Empire’s most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion–and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. Unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.
To protect her family and village, she will abandon everything to return to the Empire–and burn once more.
CROSS BREED (A NOVEL OF THE BREEDS) by Lora Leigh
VS Note: I think it’s fair to say that every other fan of her Breeds series and me has been waiting for this book! I had it pre-ordered.
The Breeds are humans altered before conception with the DNA of the predators of Earth. But although they all carry the genetic material of beasts within them, Cassandra Sinclair stands apart. A unique mix of wolf, coyote and human, she is revered by many—but preyed upon by others. She is fiercely protected by her community…but no one manages to stop her when she slips away one day to offer her body in exchange for her sister’s safety.
The man she succumbs to surprises her by unleashing her inner animal in ways she never dreamed possible—and provokes her deep, furious rage. To Cassie’s shock, he is the mate she has long awaited. She may never be able to forgive his deception. Still, as dangerous enemies track her, and as the threat of all-out war between Breeds and the humans who despise them hovers in the air, they must join forces and hold fast to each other.
But the passionate union between them holds a potential that could change the world—and some will do anything to stop it.
HOUR OF DARKNESS: A HUNTER LEGACY NOVEL (MIDNIGHT BREED HUNTER LEGACY BOOK 2) by Lara Adrian
VS Note: On my TBR
Born and raised as an assassin in the notorious Hunter program, Breed vampire Cain has since put his specialized skills to use as a mercenary willing to clean up any problem for a price. Or so he thought. After a job in Las Vegas strains even his dubious code of honor, Cain pulls up stakes and lands in Miami for a much-needed break. All he wants is time away to clear his head and regroup, but then a beautiful young woman is nearly killed in front of his eyes and the ruthless former Hunter becomes the only thing standing between her and a sniper’s bullet.
Marina Moretskova is no stranger to dangerous men. As the niece of a Russian organized crime boss, she’s grown up around killers and criminals. But her uncle wants out now, and he’s enlisted Marina’s help in buying his freedom by delivering valuable intel to a secret contact in exchange for protection. Not even Marina’s bodyguards are aware of her mission, so when an attempt on her life is averted by a handsome, steely-eyed vampire, as grateful as she is for Cain’s intervention, the last thing she needs is the shrewd Breed male nosing around for answers. Cain’s cold, haunted gaze and merciless abilities attest to his brutal nature, yet the rough, solitary Hunter stirs a powerful longing in Marina—a darkly seductive hunger—that she can neither afford nor resist. With a target on her back and covert enemies closing in from all sides, trust is a risk that can prove deadly . . . and the safest shelter she may find is in the arms of the most lethal man she’ll ever know.
TRIAL OF THREE: POWER OF 5, BOOK 3 by Alex Lidell
For Lera, training has never been so hard. With the males’ power roaring in her veins and River’s cold demand that she master the magic before the third trial, something has to give. Worse still, River is keeping something from her. Something about his past and Lunos’s future.
For River and Coal, the past must stay buried. Though one male’s nightmare sits on a throne and the other’s hides in his soul, they are equally unprepared for Lera’s startling determination to undress the truth.
But when Mors’s Emperor Jawrar makes a play for Lunos, neither Lera’s fledgling magic nor the males’ old wounds can remain untouched—not if their world is to survive.
THE WOLF AT BAY (BIG BAD WOLF) by Charlie Adhara
Going home digs up bad memories, so it’s something Bureau of Special Investigations agent Cooper Dayton tries to avoid. When he’s guilted into a visit, Cooper brings along Oliver Park, his hot new werewolf partner, in the hopes the trip will help clarify their status as a couple…or not.
When Park’s keen shifter nose uncovers a body in the yard and Cooper’s father is the prime suspect, Cooper knows they’re on their own. Familial involvement means no sanctioned investigation. They’ll need to go rogue and solve the mystery quietly or risk seeing Cooper’s dad put behind bars.
The case may be cold, but Park and Cooper’s relationship heats up as they work. And yet if Cooper can’t figure out what’s going on between them outside of the bedroom, he’ll lose someone he… Well, he can’t quite put into words how he feels about Park. He knows one thing for sure: he’s not ready to say goodbye, though with the real killer inching ever closer…he may not have a choice.
TRISKELE (THE TRIALPHA CHRONICLES BOOK 2) by Serena Akeroyd
The Fates wanted more for her, now she’s got to man up to tackle the future they’ve handed her…
Thalia Lyndhoven’s got balls.
Well, not literally. But she has the cojones to do what needs to be done to make things right in her Pack. Nor is she afraid to dirty her hands or push her nose in where angels would fear to tread.
Speaking of…
With two of her three mates at her side, Thalia’s life has never been brighter. For the first time, she’s hopeful for tomorrow. She’s freer than she’s ever been, even if she does have the burden of a prophecy riding on her coattails.
In walks mate number three. Not only does he have wings, a beautiful face, and an attitude, he has news.
A SECOND prophecy…(more blurb on ebook seller site…)
MIRACLE BEYOND MEASURE (MIRACLE TRILOGY BOOK 2) by Linda Mooney
Life on the run is hard. Food is limited, and clothes are difficult to come by, but I’ll keep going. We’ll keep going. We have to. The world is depending on us.
My name is Casi Clarity, and there’s a prophecy that says I will be the one to save the world, along with my protector, Coheed. But we don’t know how, or when, or why. We just will.
Our travels have taken us to New Orleans, where the demons are getting stronger, smarter, and harder to evade. With new allies and enemies alike, who can I trust? Is my protector even who he says he is?
I’m in the fight of my life, with or without Coheed, but fighting without the help of my love is impossible to fathom. I’d rather die myself. But if I did, would I stay dead this time?
My name is Casi.
The undead call me Little Mouse.
Coheed calls me his Miracle.
A SNICKER OF WEREWOLVES by MaryJanice Davidson
From the darkly humorous imagination of NYT and USA Today best-selling author MaryJanice Davidson comes her first all-werewolf anthology. A SNICKER OF WEREWOLVES is the book Davidson’s readers have been clamoring for: an all-werewolf collection of reprinted short stories and novellas, including out-of-print stories that are nearly impossible to find.
From a werewolf hunter as deadly as his quarry, to a blind werewolf who trips over the love of his life (literally!), as well as a lonely, cynical werewolf who doesn’t believe in vampires (until one catches and, ahem, eats her), it’s clear that falling for werewolves is as dangerous as it is deeply satisfying.
THE BOSS by Abigail Owen
Finn Conleth leads his team of enforcer dragon shifters with an iron fist and a cold heart. Every dragon seeks his destined mate, but the process to turn the woman he once thought was his killed her and devastated him. He will never risk his heart again. His team is his family now. When his body eventually gives out, he’ll leave, living his last days alone.
Delaney Hamilton moved across the country to escape the freak fires that plague her. But when another suspicious fire erupts and rapidly escalates around her, her hopes for a new life go up in smoke. She has no choice but to turn to the mysterious men who come to her aid.
Finn knows the fire is dragon-caused, which puts Delaney’s problems directly in his jurisdiction. No matter how her wounded grey eyes call to every part of him, he refuses to risk her life in the mating process.
Until another dragon threatens to claim Delaney for his own, and Finn has to sacrifice everything to keep her alive.
BLESSED FURY (ANGELS OF FATE BOOK 1) by C S Wilde
Guardian angel Ava Lightway has spent a century watching over her charges, whispering the words of the gods in their ears. But her peaceful existence ends when she’s assigned to Liam Striker, a supernatural detective with no memory of his past.
Liam might be Ava’s biggest challenge yet. Stubborn and dangerously captivating, he’ll stop at nothing to find the demon who murdered his father. Even if it costs him his life.
Keeping death away from her new partner is an impossible task. And even if their investigation doesn’t destroy Ava, succumbing to Liam’s smoldering touch just may.
FIRE, BRIMSTONE AND CHOCOLATE CAKE (THE DRAMATIC LIFE OF A DEMON PRINCESS BOOK 1) by Mina Carter
After a coup in hell, Lucifer’s niece, Jynx Morningstar, is on the run with the king of hell in her back pocket (in handy stone doll form) and a hellcat with delusions of grandeur. To save her uncle and by extension, hell and the world above, Jynx must evade the legions of hell, master her human magic and track down her father: a healer witch.
Simple. Yeah, right….
What she doesn’t expect is to walk into the middle of a shapeshifter/vampire turf war, a sexy as sin alpha werewolf who claims she’s his one true mate, or to actually care what happens to the residents of small town, Boring.
But when Death comes a’knocking she must make a choice. Go big and reveal what she is, or go home and leave them to their fates… A demon would leave them in a heartbeat, but can Jynx rise above her demon blood and prove what a true princess of hell is made of?
MORE THAN A PHOENIX (PHOENIX BROTHERS) by Ashlyn Chase
Mallory Summers is losing it. She’s discovered she can talk to dead people—and she might be able to shift to monkey form. Firefighter Dante Fierro knows the quirky beauty isn’t crazy—just supernatural. But what would she think if she knew his secret?
Hothead Noah Fierro has his own sparks flying with gorgeous ER doctor Kizzy Samuels. While the attraction is mutual, so are the supernatural secrets. With this much sizzle going on, how do you not get burned?
Fighting fires is easy… Finding love is the hard part.
CURSED (COVEN OF THE RAVEN BOOK 1) by Shona Husk
Oskar Quigley knows exactly when and how he’ll die.
Living with a death curse isn’t easy, but after generations of research handed down to him he thinks he knows how to defeat the Thomas, his great uncle and a witch gone bad who caused the problem. There’s just one thing he never accounted for: another victim.
Mylla has been Thomas’s servant for as long as she can remember, but her memories can’t be trusted. The marks on her wall add up to decades, and her diary is a muddled collection of rambling. When Oskar arrives to tend the gardens she needs to warn him that bad things happen, difficult when she can only talk on Thomas’ command. But she doesn’t need to talk to steal a few moments for herself in Oskar’s bed as she tries to convince him that magic is real.
With time running out and Thomas’s suspicions growing, Oskar is forced to act. But if living with a death curse is hard, learning to live is even harder.
PURRFECT FOR ME (BUILT FUR LOVE BOOK 3) by Terry Bolryder
Hunter Raines is restless. Now that his friends are mated, the cougar inside him is pacing, ready for the next adventure. But everything changes when curvy, sweet Kelly walks into the bar, hiding secrets and radiating fear. Hunter’s cougar is ready to pounce on whatever is threatening her, and Hunter is pretty sure that he just found a reason to stay in Silver Lake.
Kelly doesn’t know how much longer she has until the horror she’s been running from finds her. Hopefully, her move to Silver Lake will give her the peace and quiet she needs to get back to work. But maybe even work can wait when a sexy man with blond hair, blue eyes and magic hands shows up unexpectedly, offering help with her wreck of a cabin.
It doesn’t take long for warm friendship embers to burst into white-hot lust. Meanwhile the monster stalking Kelly is still coming ever closer, threatening to destroy them both. But Hunter knows something Kelly doesn’t: that the overprotective cougar inside him won’t let anything happen to the woman he knows is his mate.
TOUCHED BY DEATH (GODS OF DEATH TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Ruby Ryan
Beth Carter is a private investigator preparing for the biggest case of her life. When she narrowly misses getting hit by a train, she counts her blessings and goes about her day.
But in the underworld, the representatives of death from every pantheon were already preparing to harvest her soul and escort it to the afterlife. Beth’s near-miss causes the wheels of fate to come to a screeching halt—and rips some gods out of the underworld.
Now four gods of death walk the earth: the Greek god Thanatos, the Egyptian deity Anubis, the Aztec immortal Mictlantecuhtli, and the Celtic goddess Morrigan. Still hungry for Beth’s soul, they must discover what strange fluke caused Beth to avoid her fate—and then bring her soul back to the underworld before it’s too late.
Yet Beth isn’t ready to accept their harsh truth, especially while focusing on her career-making case. Can she find a way to convince them to let her stay in the mortal realm? Or will she eventually succumb to their almost lustful desire for her soul?
A BILLIONAIRE WOLF FOR CHRISTMAS by Terry Spear
Wolf shifter Dr. Aidan Denali has been working day and night to find a cure for werewolves’ alarmingly sudden decline in lifespan. The key to the problem eludes him. But when Aidan grudgingly leaves his work to do some holiday shopping, he meets a remarkable she-wolf whose mysterious pack could bring him one step closer to the answer.
Dr. Holly Gray is thrilled to meet the wolf who’s been working so hard to help others. Now, it’s her turn to help him. But while their attraction is sizzling, the packs are at odds, and the danger is increasing. It’s going to take a holiday miracle for Holly and Aidan to get themselves—and their loved ones—out of this alive.
DRAGON’S SHADOW by Allison Morse
Royal twins ripped apart at birth become reluctant champions of good and evil. Kylie, a teenage science geek, has no faith in people. Instead, she relies on what she trusts the most, the facts—what she can see, touch, and hear but never feel. With enough pain to deal with in her own world, she is thrust into another—a kingdom at war whose strange inhabitants fear one thing the most—the return of the dragon. All of this is illogical to Kylie, but even more so, when she discovers she belongs there. Her brother, Prince Jarlon, journeys to kill the dragon who has laid waste to his kingdom. His only hope for destroying the beast is help from his sister, whom he has never met. Will their paths cross before the beast’s malevolence infects Kylie and turns her into his creature or will Jarlon have to destroy her, too?
TOUCH THE SKY (MATED BY FATE) by Kari Cole
Sheriff Vaughn Ellis’s very existence as a rare double-shifter defies the natural order. It also makes it extremely difficult for him to get close to anyone. To trust anyone. It’s nothing Vaughn can’t handle, until a seductively sweet woman arrives in Black Robe, and suddenly he can’t think about anything but her.
The product of a witch/werewolf pairing, Hannah Cochran gets the odd-wolf-out thing. But when she uncovers a major threat to the lycanthrope world, she finds herself playing nice with the sexy sheriff. Abiding by the law isn’t usually Hannah’s style, but nothing catches her breath quite like the commanding attraction she feels toward Vaughn.
Working closely together only intensifies their fated connection, making it impossible to deny—or resist. Hannah fears that getting involved puts Vaughn in danger. But when she becomes the target, it’s Vaughn who’ll have to decide which rules he’s willing to break to save the woman he can’t live without.
AVALON by J Scott Coatsworth
Tony has been taking care of Jake for a year, ever since his partner became sick. It’s clear to him that it won’t be long, so when Jake asks to go to the ocean, Tony leaps at the chance to do something to make him happy.
But when they get lost in the fog after wandering farther down the beach than Tony has ever gone, a deserted cottage beckons them by the water.
There’s magic in the little house by the sea, and it will change them both forever.
Note: This short story first appeared in the MCB Quarterly.
THE RUINS OF BETRAYAL (SONG OF THE SWORDS BOOK 4) by Tami Etherton
Taryn will risk everything to save those she loves, even if it means sacrificing her dragon soul.
After a brutal attack leaves Taryn near death, Rhoane must heal more than her broken body. Their search for the men responsible will lead them to a conclusion neither expected, but one that challenges more than their beliefs.
Now that he’s King of the West, Zakael will stop at nothing to possess Taryn and her vast powers. But is he willing to forge a deal with Kaldaar himself to claim what he believes is rightfully his?
THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD by Rena Rossner
VS Note: Not romance but has been getting a lot of buzz.
IT HAPPENED AT THE BALL by VariousEyes behind jeweled masks meeting across a room of twirling dancers.
Gloved hands touching fleetingly—or gripping swords…
Anything can happen at a ball.
You are invited to enjoy these stories of fancy and fantasy from thirteen authors, framed in the splendor and elegance of a ballroom. Be it at a house party for diplomats and thieves, or Almacks in a side-universe in which the Patronesses have magic, or a medieval festival just after the plague years …
*Prepare to be swept into the enchantment of the dance!*
EYE OF THE TIGER: PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY by M L GuidaSeth Reese lost his mate, Cora Amici, to his rival. His life has been miserable without her. All he has his motorcycle shop. Their high school reunion is coming up. Can he win her back? At a last resort, Seth calls Gerri Wilder for help.
Gerri invites them for dinner. Fireworks explode when Cora and Seth meet and he thinks he has a chance.
His rival threatens to destroy their happiness. He gives Seth an ultimatum–his shop or Cora. Seth’s not the same tiger and rises up to meet the challenge. Will he sacrifice his shop for his mate?
SIXTH (ONE OF US SERIES BOOK 1) by Kim FaulksThere’s a place from my nightmares. A place where bad things hide.The memories kept me awake for most of my life. But it’s not what keeps me awake anymore.
It’s her. She calls me, desperate and pleading. Like a shining star I can’t quite find. I feel those men from my nightmares coming for her. Only she can’t sense them—she can’t see. ..(more blurb on ebook seller page…)
WARRIORS (THE LIBRARIANS COVEN BOOK 2) by Kathryn Moon
Joanna just wants to spend the holiday curled up with her coven of handsome professors, but family obligations wait for no one. Instead of wintery cuddles, she’s up to her neck in the Pike brothers and their wives, a cast of political figures invited to their dinner parties and, worst of all, Callum’s father, Duncan. Duncan Pike is a nasty piece of work–not only did he place a young Callum in the heart of an ugly war, he disapproves of Isaac and Aiden.
Duncan claims a new war is coming, and it looks like he might be right. As if that weren’t enough, the infamous warrior Sabine York is showing a marked interest in Callum–is she after revenge? Or does she want to add Callum to her coven of soldiers?
When trouble strikes and Callum is separated from the rest of the coven, Joanna, Isaac, and Aiden must travel from the library to the capitol to Vermenia, desperate for their reunion. And, on his own for the first time in years, Callum must tread carefully back into the waters of war he’s spent decades avoiding.
Can they fight through the people and the miles standing between them and return safely together again?
SAVING HIS VIX by Rebecca Airies
VS Note: Was in an anthology previously.
With a hate group targeting her, Jessie Coulter’s hiding and hoping to avoid being staked as a vampire. Stupid fanatics don’t even realize she’s not a vampire. At least not yet.
Devon Knight couldn’t get Jessie out of his mind even after she brushed him off. When he learns she’s been targeted by a society determined to exterminate vampires, he steps in to protect the woman who has haunted his thoughts.
Jessie can’t deny the heat raging between them. It flares so hot that it’s impossible to resist. Devon’s discovered her secrets and he’s not about to leave her to face danger alone. Now they both have to survive the people coming to kill them.
GIVE THE DARK MY LOVE by Beth Revis
Seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy with only one goal in mind: master the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island’s wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen.
Until she meets Greggori “Grey” Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that’s for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the north, and it’s making its way toward the cities. With her family’s life–and the lives of all of Lunar Island’s citizens–on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague.
Grey and Nedra grow close, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy’s most dangerous corners–and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.
DANNAN (THE UNSEEN BOOK 3) by L A Boruff
Jen Johnson loved to read about supernatural creatures. She’d always dreamed of climbing into the pages of her books to become a vampire or werewolf. Imagine her surprise when she almost dies falling down the steps of the courthouse, only to save herself by turning into a flying dragon.
It’s a dream come true, right?
Alexander, leader of all of the Fae—actually, they prefer Dannan, thank you—and his cousin Roan try to help her acclimate to her new life, but it isn’t until she meets Doryu, a gorgeous Sárkány shifter that things start to get interesting.
And what is going on in the town? Some of those people aren’t what they seem. If Jen sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong, maybe she’ll get some answers the Unseen world needs. And maybe her nosiness will only get her heartache.
BLEAKE SPIRIT (BLEAKE SHIFTERS BOOK 4) by Lesli Richardson
Honestly, Dewi preferred fighting the Segura drug cartel to having a froufrou wedding. But she’s survived both with her sanity intact.
Barely.
That’s due in no small part to Ken and Nami accidentally finding her grandfather, who everyone believed was dead for nearly fifty years. In addition to serving as the Targhee pack’s Head Enforcer, and head of the expanded Pack Council, Dewi’s next challenging mission is trying to teach Duncan about safely navigating a whole new world.
Like texting. And Facebook.
And of course life is never easy for Dewi, Ken, Badger, Beck, Nami, and the rest of their extended family. So when Badger’s old friend comes asking for the Targhee pack’s help, they can’t turn him away.
Even if it brings a new and fuzzy foe into their lives when they’re asked to help his loved one stay…incorgnito.
Who knew cute could be so deadly?
FOR A MUSE OF FIRE by Heidi Heilig
Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick—a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood.
But ever since the colonizing army conquered their country, the old ways are forbidden, so Jetta must never show, never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad Emperor has a spring that cures his ills—and could cure Jetta’s, too. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues her.
But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.
HIDDEN (DEEP OPS) by Rebecca Zanetti
Hide. That’s all Pippa can do to escape the terror chasing her. But now that she’s off the grid in a safe house, she finds plenty of interesting things to watch through the window. Like her new neighbor, with his startling green eyes, killer smile, and sexy bad-boy tattoo . . .
Run. Malcolm West is fleeing the hell he unleashed in his last assignment as an undercover cop. A backwoods bungalow sounds like the perfect place to start over. Until he discovers he’s been set up . . .
Fight. Someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to bring them together. No matter how much he resents that, and his own driving needs, Malcolm will have to dig deep and let loose the banished killer inside himself, or Pippa’s fears could come true faster than the flip of a bolt in a lock.
GROW SOME GILLS: PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY (MAKING WAVES BOOK 2) by Savannah Verte
Sturgeon Barrow is a stubborn Mer with a wild side he doesn’t control. Defiant and difficult, he nearly flees before getting the chance to meet the one meant to tame him. Leave it to Gerri to plant a seed so tempting, he can’t bring himself to resist.
Nera Daren knows who her destined mate is, a Mer with a playboy reputation. She’d had no regrets when she chose to return solo to the black waters without meeting him, but can she stay there? Whispers in the dark shed light on mischief afloat in the waters above her world, forcing her to realize she might care after all.
The water realms hang on the precipice of destruction as inhabitants are mysteriously disappearing. Is there time to come together to consummate their bond, or will it have to wait?
Gerri’s timing is never off…or is it?
THE SECRET SHE KEEPS: FOUR PARANORMAL ROMANCE STORIES by Various
VS Note: See ebook seller site for individual story blurbs.
DARK WATER by Tricia Tyler
Psychic Evangeline Broussard is certain nothing will ever induce her to work with law enforcement again –until a serial killer starts using her small bayou town as his own personal hunting ground. The powdered sugar on her beignet though is being forced to work with Special Agent pain-in-the-ass, Nick Garrison, whose cynicism toward her psychic ability is matched only by his hotter-than-a-Louisiana-summer sex appeal.
Nick’s opinion of so-called psychics is carved in stone, as well as on his heart, which puts his best friend’s little cousin squarely off limits, regardless of how much the sassy, Cajun, spitfire turns him on. But when her supposed sixth sense, and a leak in the local police department, put her in the crosshairs of the killer, she’s the only one who can save them all.
A YEAR AND A DAY (FAE HAVEN BOOK 1) by Elizabeth Silver and Jenny Urban
He wasn’t looking for love, but he’ll break all the laws of this realm and the next to keep it.
Reserved, bookish Ben isn’t looking for a relationship. Then he meets Niall, a gorgeous stranger with a knack for avoiding direct questions, and tumbles headfirst into love. Niall is perfect in just about every way, right up until he leaves town for a short trip…and vanishes off the face of the earth.
A magical being trapped in his own realm, Niall fights to return to this world to be with Ben. But by the time he gets back, more than a year has passed, and Ben refuses to believe Niall’s story of fae and magic.
With only a month to woo Ben back and earn a chance at staying permanently, Niall is willing to try anything to be with the man he loves. Then Niall’s world spills over into ours and puts Ben’s life in danger, and it becomes a race to save Ben before their stolen time comes to an end.
***************************************
VS Note: Since the 3rd annual Pets In Space: Embrace the Passion anthology of new scifi romance stories will be out on October 9th, I thought I’d highlight my stories from the first two anthologies today, which are available separately now, since the anthologies are only out for a limited time each year. THe link is to my Amazon Author Page but the books are available on all major ebook seller platforms.
***************************************
LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:
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…
I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post but after that I’m not responsible.
I’m amazed every week by how many awesome authors of scifi there are out there. Thanks for doing this post.
Pingback: Taste of Cyn – The Cyborg’s Secret Baby Featured On Veronica Scott’s New Release List
Thank you so much for mentioning The Cyborg’s Secret Baby. (tackle hugs)
Happy release day, everyone!
Pingback: New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday October 10 | Veronica Scott
Pingback: New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday October 17 | Veronica Scott