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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SSLY: BOOK 3 IN THE GALAXY PIRATES ALIEN ABDUCTION ROMANCE SERIES by Alana Khan
Carrie – An abducted human slave deemed too old to mate escapes to the far end of the galaxy, but has no prospects and no way home. She’s drawn to the mysterious male who keeps his face covered and his head down. He wants little to do with her until he discovers she holds the key to saving his daughter.
Ssly – Abducted from his planet at the barrel of a laser and forced into slavery, he risked everything to rescue the defenseless human child about to be subjected to his master’s perversions. He kept her safe while on the run until she’s injured. Now he needs the help of the human woman whose interest in him becomes far too personal. Why would she risk her life to save them both? And why can’t he keep her out of his dreams? Journey with Ssly and Carrie as they travel the galaxy, race a hover-chariot, steal an expensive painting, buy illegal guns, survive a shootout, kill more than one bad guy, save a life, and discover all the ways a prehensile tail can be put to good use. *wink*
HER CYBORG CAPTOR (TERRAS FIVE 7) by Anne Kane
Keily: Human. Curvy. Independent. An intense, do-good activist who’s never without a cause to throw her limitless energy into. She likes her sex hot and impersonal. She doesn’t have time for silly romantic dalliances. She has a planet full of Battle Rats to save!
Ryker: Cyborg. Scarred. Cynical. Rejected by the females of Terras Five, he becomes one of the most sought-after mercenaries in the galaxy. But when he accepts a contract to capture a female activist he finds out not all females find his scars terrifying. One particular human female finds them incredibly sexy. Engine failure, hastily terminated jumps, and a fluffy stowaway challenge the unlikely pair to work together to find their way home and into each other’s hearts.
THE WORST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS (THE SALVAGERS BOOK 3) by Alex White
VS Note: Not a romance but I know a lot of SFR readers love Firefly and the Expanse so if this series appeals to fans of those….a release of note.
The rag-tag crew of the Capricious hunts down rogue AI, ancient colony ships, and the biggest treasure in the universe in this pulse-pounding space adventure for fans of Firefly and The Expanse. The crew of the Capricious seems to leave a trail of devastation wherever they go. But with powerful enemies in pursuit and family and friends under attack planetside, there’s no time to worry about all that. Ensnared by the legend of Origin, humanity’s birthplace, and a long-dead form of magic, the Capricious takes off on a journey to find the first colony ship . . . and power that could bring down gods.
URSA MAJOR (CYBORG SHIFTERS BOOK 7) by Naomi Lucas
Terraform Zero, a virtual reality colonization game, has swept the galaxy by storm. The Champions are household names that give humanity hope. Vee Miles believes she is good enough to compete amongst them, but the costly entrance fee is holding her back.
Enter the Earthian Planetary Exploration Division. Still reeling from a publicity nightmare named Zeph, the corporation is desperate to change the public’s opinions toward Cyborgs. They offer to sponsor Vee. The EPED gets the PR boost, and she gets to keep the prize money. The EPED’s deal comes with strings though, and she has to pretend to be a made-up Cyborg shifting bear named Cypher. A male that had the look of a Viking space warrior, with enough scars and otherworldly brawn to make any woman swoon. An imaginary male that makes her heart race…Little does she know she’s being used as bait to lure the real Cypher from his den. He’s out now. He’s coming for her, and there’s no place virtual or otherwise for her to hide.
LOVED BY A BEAST (HEARTS OF STONE BOOK 5) by Miranda Bridges
My marriage is in trouble. Jaxar and I didn’t exactly have a regular romance since he abducted me and then sent me on a journey that could’ve resulted in my death. But that’s neither here nor there. And what doesn’t kill you, makes you bitter. I mean, stronger. Anyway, the point is that my husband, who I adore, is becoming distant. That, plus my hormones, are turning me into someone I don’t recognize. With war imminent, now is not the time to be insecure and emotional, and yet tell that to my pregnant self. All she wants to do is eat and cry. *insert eye roll here. I need to figure out how to save my relationship with Jaxar, as well as lead my people or I won’t be just dead emotionally, but physically as well. And I didn’t travel all across the galaxy to just give up now. Guess it’s time to grab my hairpins and put on my big girl panties because I’m going to let my inner Boraq come out to play.
CHAOS VECTOR (THE PROTECTORATE BOOK 2) by Megan E O’Keefe
VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note.
Sanda and Tomas are fleeing for their lives after letting the most dangerous smartship in the universe run free. Now, unsure of who to trust, Sanda knows only one thing for certain — to be able to save herself from becoming a pawn of greater powers, she needs to discover the secret of the coordinates hidden in her skull.
But getting to those coordinates is a problem she can’t solve alone. They exist beyond a dead gate — a Casimir gate that opened up into a dead-end system without resources worth colonizing, and was sealed off. To get through the dead gate, she needs the help of the enemy Nazca. But some Nazca are only interested in the chip in her head — and they’ll crack her open to get to it.
TREY: SONS OF TALLEV BOOK 4 by Cailin Briste
She’s the opposite he can’t resist. Trey Johannsen’s preference is to stick to managing a private club on Beta Tau. It’s dark. It’s sexy. The cries of pleasure, the thud of a flogger, and the mingled scents of arousal and fear are evidence he’s damn good at it. So when his boss insists Trey’s perfect for assisting a new hire to develop a cabaret, Trey is nonplussed. How the hell do you make burlesque accurately represent the lifestyle? Then he meets her, and instant attraction has him imagining peeling her clothes off, tying her to a bed, and sinking into her until she can take no more. He’s determined to make her his own despite differences that could thrust them into bitter conflict. A lust-inducing man isn’t on Patsy O’Shaughnessy’s shopping list. Her commitment to refuse his overtures, they’ll be coworkers after all, slides into oblivion. She’s got a lot on her plate, but dessert never hurt a girl. Especially when the dessert is built like a Celtic warrior of old, lacking only the kilt and sword.
REDEEMED BY THE CYBORG (CYBORG PROTECTORS BOOK 8) by Alyse Anders
A criminal redeemed by love from across the galaxy. Rennick is guilty. In a moment of mental trauma during battle, he’d killed his best friend and his patrol, only to be brought back to life as a cyborg. After the war, he paid for his crimes, housed in the darkest cell in The Prison and left to his shadowy thoughts. He’s shocked when an unexpected light shines in to the darkness of his mind – Tara, his mate, is awake.
Tara left Earth knowing no one would miss her. When she’s told her cyborg mate is a murderer, she’s unable to accept this, not understanding what she’d done to warrant having a mate like Rennick. When Rennick is offered the opportunity to be cybernetically linked with Tara to fix his dark nature, he sees it as his one chance to be redeemed . Together they must work together to stop an attack that could destroy all cyborg life on Zarlan.
ICE REVELATION: ICE TRILOGY BOOK 3 by Kevin Tinto
VS Note: I went back and checked book 1 of this trilogy and it sounded intriguing so I put it on my TBR list. It is listed in scifi romance but I’m politely sceptical. Seems more like romantic elements to me…Anyone read it?
Leah Andrews is on the Antarctic Continent, her single-minded goal, return the Ancients to their destiny while at the same time, hoping that will stop the increasingly powerful and destructive Anomaly, that threatens a planet-wide extinction event should it continue to widen its grasp.She is far from the only interested party in finding the source of the extraterrestrial Anomaly. The Russians and the American military are desperate to reach ‘Complex 2’ and harvest the bounty of hyper-technology, then destroy the alien Anomaly. Jack Hobson is trapped in the USA, with no way to reach Antarctica through traditional means. He must formulate an audacious plan risking his life and those of the Globemaster pilots, Major Janie West and Captain Charlotte Ross.The Russians, the Americans, Leah Andrews, and the Ancients begin to converge on the bottom of the world, in the thrilling ending to the ICE Trilogy!
SIX MILLION DOLLAR ZOMBIE by Imogene Nix
VS Note: From late July
What do you get when you mix a priest and a kindergarten teacher in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? Lots of red-hot sparks of passion. Dove may be a priest, but he’s also a man, and he’s been alone for a long time. Rescuing Leonie by the side of the road is just the first step on a journey no one expected—one that just might lead to love.
Leonie’s family is gone, the zombies are chasing her, and she’s on the run, when she’s rescued by a priest on a motorbike and taken to a community which welcomes her. Life should only get better, but the forces that began the apocalypse are building an army of mutated, super-strong zombies. They plan to overtake everything those in the communities have built. Times are only going to get tougher until they can defeat those with no interest in survival.
UNDER THE CAPE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF SUPERHERO ROMANCE by Various
Super speed, incredible strength, the ability to fly, throw fire, read minds or change forms. What superpower would you choose if you could? Would you be the hero or the villain? And how would it affect your relationships? The challenge of connection, secrets, and the murky line between good and evil are explored in this collection of 11 original romances…
BASTILLE SPHERE by Leona Windwalker
The Bastille Sphere: a penal colony being developed by Harmony Inc. Entry is one way only, with no way out. It’s supposed to be for habitual reoffenders and the worst violent offenders. River knew there was a chance that he and his brother would fall behind on the loan they took out to cover their mother’s medical bills and funeral. He never expected Harmony to call in the debt under the Debtor’s Prison Act. He certainly wouldn’t have believed that they’d send him to Bastille to become a gladiator’s prize. Leyland knew just how corrupt Harmony was. Eager to populate their colony, they used the system to grab anyone they thought wouldn’t be missed. If they qualified for gladiator training, it was a bonus, as the broadcast games added to the revenue the colony brought in. The prize: A fight to the death with the winner gaining his parole. He couldn’t leave Bastille, but would gain a modicrum of freedom, including his own home behind the walls of the Compound outside of the prison grounds, and be gifted with a mate. It was a win/win as far he was concerened. Leyland would either be freed by death at last, or he’d win and gain as normal a life as Bastille offered. If only it was that easy.
SEVEN DEVILS by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May
VS Note: Not listed as a romance…
When Eris faked her death, she thought she had left her old life as the heir to the galaxy’s most ruthless empire behind. But her recruitment by the Novantaen Resistance, an organization opposed to the empire’s voracious expansion, throws her right back into the fray. Eris has been assigned a new mission: to infiltrate a spaceship ferrying deadly cargo and return the intelligence gathered to the Resistance. But her partner for the mission, mechanic and hotshot pilot Cloelia, bears an old grudge against Eris, making an already difficult infiltration even more complicated. When they find the ship, they discover more than they bargained for: three fugitives with firsthand knowledge of the corrupt empire’s inner workings. Together, these women possess the knowledge and capabilities to bring the empire to its knees. But the clock is ticking: the new heir to the empire plans to disrupt a peace summit with the only remaining alien empire, ensuring the empire’s continued expansion. If they can find a way to stop him, they will save the galaxy. If they can’t, millions may die.
COURT OF LIONS (MIRAGE SERIES BOOK 2) by Somaiya Daud
VS Note: A release of note. I put it up here in SFR because the blurb mentions ‘planet’...sounded lijke a fantasy otherwise.
On a planet on the brink of revolution, Amani has been forced into isolation. She’s been torn from the boy she loves and has given up contact with her fellow rebels to protect her family. In taking risks for the rebel cause, Amani may have lost Maram’s trust forever. But the princess is more complex than she seems, and now Amani is once more at her capricious nature. One wrong move could see her executed for high treason.
On the eve of Maram’s marriage to Idris comes an unexpected proposal: in exchange for taking her place in the festivities, Maram will keep Amani’s rebel associations a secret. Alone and desperate, Amani is thrust into the center of the court, navigating the dangerous factions on the princess’s behalf. But the court is not what she expects. As a risky plan grows in her mind, and with the rebels poised to make their stand, Amani begins to believe her world might have a future. But every choice she makes comes with a cost. Can Amani risk the ones she loves the most for a war she’s not sure she can win?
HARROW THE NINTH (THE LOCKED TOMB TRILOGY BOOK 2) by Tamsyn Muir
VS Note: Not a romance.
She answered the Emperor’s call. She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only friend. In victory, her world has turned to ash. After rocking the cosmos with her deathly debut, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth, a mind-twisting puzzle box of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems in the halls of the Emperor, and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman’s shoulders. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath — but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her. Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor’s Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?
IT CAME FROM THE SKY by Chelsea Sedoti
VS Note: OK not a romance, not exactly scifi but it sounds fun.
This is the absolutely true account of how Lansburg, Pennsylvania was invaded by aliens and the weeks of chaos that followed. There were sightings of UFOs, close encounters, and even abductions. There were believers, Truth Seekers, and, above all, people who looked to the sky and hoped for more. Only…there were no aliens. Gideon Hofstadt knows what really happened. When one of his science experiments went wrong, he and his older brother blamed the resulting explosion on extraterrestrial activity. And their lie was not only believed by their town—it was embraced. As the brothers go to increasingly greater lengths to keep up the ruse and avoid getting caught, the hoax flourishes. But Gideon’s obsession with their tale threatened his whole world. Can he find a way to banish the aliens before Lansburg, and his life, are changed forever? Told in a report format and comprised of interviews, blog posts, text conversations, found documents, and so much more, It Came from the Sky is a hysterical and resonant novel about what it means to be human in the face of the unknown.
NOT COMPATIBLE (STAND ALONE TALES BOOK 11) by Viola Grace
She works at a space station catering to everyone else’s virtual fantasies. When a man gets stuck in the scenario she must wake the sleeping prince. Styra works at the Blue Station and has been programming since she was able to reach a keyboard. When she became and adult she went from writing the simple scenarios and backgrounds to guiding tangled clients through the environments they had selected. Lately, she has been going in to pry out the difficult cases and making sure that everyone plays by the rules. Her boss calls her in on her day off and sends her in after an imperial captain. Somehow, he has gotten stuck in one of their fairy tale environments.
She headed in to find the missing client and the computer had locked him in the role of the sleeping beauty. The criteria was clear. A kiss was necessary to wake him and the protocols were set. Once he was awake she was ready to get him out of the scenario but the computer was still locked. Yr-el wasn’t counting on his distaste for the virtual princess, but his drake had wanted to play in the scenario. When he wakes in the arms of a woman with moonlight for skin he begins to understand why he was steered to this station at this time. All he had to do was get her to release the drake the same way she had released him and he could begin a courtship.
RAZAR (JORKAN PROTOCOL MATES BOOK 2) by Ava York and Starr Huntress
They say she’s another Jorkan’s mate. They’re all wrong. I know it in my soul. She’s mine.
CLAIMED BY THE CONQUEROR (ALIEN MASTERS BOOK 5) by Alyx X
Who wants to farm carrots when you can sneak aboard the spaceship of the burliest, largest, Alien you’ve ever seen and go for a carrot hunt of your own? My great-grandfather set my family up for generations thanks to an exclusive farming contract from TerraLink. We were going to survive on this dying rock surrounded by food and water and everything reserved for only the wealthiest of humans. I don’t want a damn bit of any of it. I’m gonna find my way off this planet if I have to bribe every Alien Overlord that TerraLink brings to give a tour of ‘their farm’. My dear old dad is onto my game however, and after being discovered one too many times with my pants down, I’m getting out of here. I’m hitching a ride off this rock, by any means necessary. The Alien Conqueror, Qui, had been all into me back on Earth, but discovering me laid out on his bed when we were already thousands of miles away from Earth must have been quite a shock, because he tied me up in the brig with a dire warning that’s making me all tingly with desire. I’d happily stay down here, except this Alien is a bit darker than I bargained for, and if I don’t stop him from enacting his plans, those stars I want to travel are going to become a distant memory.
ALIEN PRIMAL’S MATE (PRECURSORS BOOK 3) by Athena Storm and Ann Hale
My head says no. But my heart says yes. I shouldn’t be having these thoughts about an alien. My imagination should not be running wild about Ehro. But ever since he rescued me and saved my life, I can’t get him out of my head.
I want his shadow to blot out the sun when he’s next to me. Hold onto his horns as he lifts me up. Ride on his back as he carries me on his massive shoulders. I want to whisper and coo into his ear as he holds me up with one giant arm.
Then I want to nestle myself in his warm body. I need to get a grip. I have to take care of my people. I can’t be playing house with a massive alien warrior. But no matter how hard I try I can’t stop. And no matter what happens… I won’t stop. Ever.
HIS HUMAN PRIZE (ARGENTUM ALIEN WARRIORS BOOK 1) by Diana Winters
VS Note: From July 31.
There’s always a catch, right? I find myself in a bit of a pinch. I’m thrown in a holding cell, paraded in front of every kind of alien imaginable, and told I’m going to be the prize in some barbaric gladiatorial competition straight out of a movie. But the biggest pinch of all comes when—like any decent prisoner—I attempt to dig for my freedom (and my sanity), and I’m poisoned to death by a critter. But fear not, because I discover the afterlife is full of big silver alpha-angels who look like Greek statues and wanna do naughty things to you. Except… that’s not strictly true. That was the poison talking. Apologies for getting all our hopes up. My savior isn’t an angel, but he does give me the kiss of life… transferring some of his weird silver symbiont to me in the process. The catch? He saves my life, so now I need to give him one. A brand new shiny one with chubby cheeks and his father’s eyes. So… yeah. I should be running for the hills. Everyone knows betraying body syndrome is clichéd, right? But have they ever had a weird silver symbiont go to town all over them? Well I have. And now my previous existence on Earth seems downright dull as dishwater in comparison. The only problem? I might have unknowingly made a deal with a devil. I’ll have his symbiont, but do I really want his spawn?
THE FIRST SISTER TRILOGY BOOK 1 by Linden A Lewis
VS Note: Not listed as a romance.
First Sister has no name and no voice. As a priestess of the Sisterhood, she travels the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth and Mars—the same ones who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister’s hopes for freedom are dashed when she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no power, and a new captain—Saito Ren—whom she knows nothing about. She is commanded to spy on Captain Ren by the Sisterhood, but soon discovers that working for the war effort is so much harder to do when you’re falling in love.
Lito val Lucius climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but was defeated in combat by none other than Saito Ren, resulting in the disappearance of his partner, Hiro. When Lito learns that Hiro is both alive and a traitor to the cause, he now has a shot at redemption: track down and kill his former partner. But when he discovers recordings that Hiro secretly made, Lito’s own allegiances are put to the test. Ultimately, he must decide between following orders and following his heart.
ALIEN COMMANDER’S CAPTIVE (OREAN WARLORDS BOOK 1) by Aline Ash and Athena Aston
I know those golden eyes mean danger…One moment I’m celebrating with my friends, and the next my lush curves are being covered in oil and I’m on the block to be sold to the highest bidder. In space. Because the people who abducted me? They were aliens. I don’t like the way any of them are eyeing me. Especially the terrifying octopus-like creature who wins the auction. Yuck. should be thankful when I’m rescued and taken to Commander V’orin. He’s got rippling muscles and a tail, shimmering skin, and a package I can’t take my eyes off. He says I am free, so why won’t he let me go home?
The frail human female is mine…the little human, L’isa, has no idea what I’m capable of, or what I rescued her from. I am a Commander in the Imperial Army and have no time to watch over her, but when orders come from the king I have no other choice. Her soft curves ignite my desires but I can’t let her distract me from my duty. Fated mates are a legend, and I will not succumb to a childish fairy tale. And yet, the closer we become, the more I need to make her mine. How can I keep her when she’s determined to leave me forever?
UNTAMED: AN ENDING WORLD SURVIVAL NOVEL (SAVAGE NORTH CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by Lindsay Pogue
It’s been eleven years since a pandemic devastated the population and left survivors with superhuman capabilities, and the world has finally settled into a new sense of normal. Beau has learned to embrace and grow into his Ability, but when he loses his best friend, Beau’s world crumbles all over again. Brokenhearted, he embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery, fraught with danger and adventure, and most unexpectedly, love. But the scars left in the wake of the Virus run deeper than Beau can possibly imagine. Those who were isolated during the outbreak have remained unchanged and vulnerable to Crazies and Ability-enhanced humans alike. When Wren, a native to the wildlands, finds Beau at his worst, the two lost souls learn to trust each other despite the turbulent paths that have brought them together. But the horrors Beau has faced over the years are nothing compared to what unfolds after a single reckless decision. And in a race against time, he must act quickly, drawing upon his survival skills and native teachings, or risk losing Wren forever.
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS by Micaiah Johnson
VS Note: Not a romance. Intriguing concept…
Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total. On this dystopian Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now what once made her marginalized has finally become an unexpected source of power. She has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.
But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.
ALIEN WARRIOR’S MATE (PLUTONIAN WARRIORS BOOK 1) by Nelia Alarcon
I’m on the alien auction block in outer space. That’s a sentence I thought I’d never say. But there’s no way I’m going down without a fight. These evil alien jerks will sell me over my dead body. Which is something they seem rather eager to do. Until a hot, blue-alien with tattoos and purple eyes steals me away from the auction. His touch makes me tremble. And not from fear. But my alien rescuer has a secret and I might not survive when it’s revealed.
Can I trust my heart or will this alien be the death of me?
BACILLI (THE EXPERIMENTS BOOK 1) by A P Foote
The world fell apart faster than anyone would have thought. Not from nuclear war, or famine. No, the military was messing with things that should have never been tampered with. No one has the right to play god—or hire biochemists and virologists to create weapons. But they did, and in doing so created a lethal virus that is wiping out the human race in some form or another. They never intended for them to get out, for things to turn catastrophic in the matter of minutes, but it happened, and there’s no going back. My name is Billie, and the military took something of mine. I will do anything—and WILL—to get it back. My immunity is the key to survival, and the Experiments extinction. But who is the real danger? The Experiments? Or the other Survivors. Bacilli is Apocalyptic Reverse Harem Romance, and the first in the series.
GLORIOUS DAY by Skye Kilaen
The bodyguard is a traitor. The princess is her one true love. And the revolution is almost here. Elsenna Hazen left spaceport security and ended up a royal bodyguard. She should have known better than to fall in love with a princess. It’s been two years since one ill-advised kiss in the garden pulled them apart. With uprisings in the streets, the nervous princess transfers Elsenna back into her service. Her Highness has no idea Elsenna is leaking data to the revolutionaries bent on overthrowing the princess’s oppressive father. Now Elsenna wakes up each day wondering what will happen first: her own execution, or that of the woman she could never stop loving. When rebel attacks escalate and the king plans retaliation, Elsenna discovers that the fights for her love and her life are one and the same.
THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS by Justin R Smith
VS Note: Not listed as a romance…
Since she was a child, Kristín Ormsdóttir has had the ability to spot people who are marked for death, causing other children to shun and bully her as a witch. She yearns to escape her tiny Icelandic fishing village and see the world.
Kristín gets her golden ticket out when she passes the Temple of Knowledge Exam, a test of knowledge and — secretly — of latent psychic powers. Her prize is a coveted position in the Temple, learning and participating in its research. In her honor, Germany’s kaiser even diverts a packed commercial zeppelin flight to take her there.
On this flight, though, nothing is as it seems. After she’s mistaken for the Iron Throne’s heiress, murderous palace intrigue and wars derail Kristín’s cherished plans — forcing her to walk a tightrope, weighed down by deadly secrets.
One slip could land her in prison — or a grave.
IN A DRAGON’S SOUL (DRAGONS OF MOUNT TERES BOOK 4) by Riley Storm
They’re both keeping secrets, but only one could get them killed…Samantha Hall never asked to be told the secret of dragons. She was content working at the nicest restaurant in Five Peaks, living with her best friend and saving up for her dream. Life was good. Now she’s lost her best friend and, even worse, the dragons have decided she can’t be trusted. So they’ve kidnapped her and taken her to their mountain stronghold.
Sache Teres doesn’t sleep much anymore. His dreams are plagued with nightmares about the black mark on his past. His fellow dragons judge him for it too. Not with words, but he can see it in their eyes. He’s not welcome and he knows it. If he leaves though, they’ll think he’s just turned traitor. There’s no winning. That is, until the gorgeous human woman arrives at the compound, fresh with the knowledge of dragons and looking for a way home.
When the hunky shifter with haunted eyes volunteers to escort Sam home, she can’t believe her luck. A way out! She just has to put up with him being around for a little while, until she’s gained the dragons’ trust. It should be easy, but having a dragon shifter around brings its own set of problems. Tensions flare over unexpected bedroom intrusions, late night longings and evil dragon attacks. Through it all, Sam keeps her distance. She knows that letting Sache in would mean heartbreak in the end. It always does. No man can handle her secret, not even a dragon shifter. Or so she thinks.
ECHOES OF THE STORM: A MILITARY SPACE OPERA by Charlene Newcomb
VS Note: Not listed as a romance but sounds good.
The battle for Torredo is over, but the war has just begun…Jack Gamble’s lover is a double agent. Norse betrayed the resistance and now commands Galilei’s military operations. Rallying what remains of the resistance and their galactic allies wasn’t part of Jack’s plans. His contacts are scattered, maybe dead. Streams are broadcasting his face from one end of the galaxy to the other, and mercenaries under the command of Captain Ben Stone intercept his ship. Space pirates, friendly interrogators, security grunts, and Norse stand in Jack’s way. Can he trust Stone? The intriguing captain has his own problems with the empire – and an interest in Jack. Jack isn’t looking for a one-night stand, and any emotional entanglements need to be off the radar. He has a rebellion to win and a world to take back. Failure means his people will never break the empire’s chains, and his homeworld is screwed. Norse already did that to him. He won’t let it happen again.
HECTIC: POWERHOUSE INSTITUTE BOOK 2 by Athena Franco
Between cramming for midterms and fighting crime, my superhero grad school life is challenging enough. A villain network has made itself at home in my city, kidnapping and trafficking young preternaturals. My team and I are determined to bring down the mastermind responsible, even if it means getting in over our heads. In the midst of late night surveillance and study sessions, I’ve gone and made things complicated by falling for my stakeout partner. Charming, sexy, and funny, Hector’s everything a woman could want. Except we’re former best friends who kind of live together and I sort of used to date his brother. I’m not the only one with regrets. Hector’s always been there for me, but the lies he’s told shatter my trust in him. As the bad guys close in and the choices become impossible, I have to decide between our friendship, the mission, or the newfound passion sparking between us.
THE ENFORCER ENIGMA (THE SAN ANDREAS SHIFTERS) by Gail Carriger
ENFORCER – Judd has wandered from pack to pack his whole life, searching for wolves who will accept him for who he is and who he loves. Now he believes that he’s finally found the right pack and the right man. NERD – Rejected by his family for being gay and geeky, Colin has never fit in with werewolves, yet now he is one. He doesn’t know how to react when Judd starts courting him. He’s even more lost when a famous singer, the selkie mob, and the feds also start chasing him. Can Judd protect Colin and still prove his love? Can Colin figure out why enemy shifters are invading his favorite cafe? And what’s with all the gold sparkle?
THEIR CONTROLLED CHAOS (WINTERVALE PACKS BOOK 4) by Milly Taiden
Jinelle Sutton has known from a young age that she is more than human. Chaos is a big part of her life and she’s learned to ball it up and hide it away from the world. Which isn’t too hard because she’s always been a bit weird. A high IQ and social awkwardness means she’s got very few friends. She longs for the day she doesn’t have to hide who she is. When she hears about a surrogate program with an alien shifter planet she jumps at the chance. After all, who to better understand her than alien shifters?
Daeria is much more than she expects. Her new friends are also surrogates and have special abilities of their own. She feels like she belongs for the first time in her life. Then there are the four wolf shifters who each claim to be her mate. The war that took so much from the Dearia shifters may have ended, but they’re still dealing with the aftermath. The evil that wants complete control over the planet seeks out a powerful relic that gives him anything he desires. It’s up to Jinelle, Harland, Turk, Seff, and Merric to find the relic before Xaxhin does. All the while, Jinelle’s powers grow stronger and more uncontrollable. Then again, when has chaos ever been controlled?
MIDNIGHT SUN by Stephanie Meyer
When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella’s side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward’s version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.
This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?
BRIDE OF THE SEA MONSTER (WELCOME TO HELL BOOK 9) by Eve Langlais
Watch out for those umbrella drinks. Not even one day at sea, and I find myself the bride of a sea monster. In order to break a curse, I am supposed to marry a sea monster. Considering I only barely tolerate seafood, that isn’t going to work for me. Nor will I be guilted into doing it. Why should I wreck my life for a stranger? Instead, I leave on a cruise and get bitch-slapped by fate. The first night aboard, not only do I get wasted, I accidentally wind up married to the multi-armed beast I’d sworn to avoid. Turns out he’s not half bad, though, which is why I am trying to find a way to break the curse before he turns into a monster forever.
THE AUNT WHO WOULDN’T DIE by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
VS Note: Reviews are all over the place on stars. Magical realism. Reviewers note there really isn’t anything humorous despite the blurb. A release of note…
Somlata has just married into the dynastic but declining Mitra family. At eighteen, she expects to settle into her role as a devout wife in this traditional, multi-generational family. But then Somlata, wandering the halls of the grand, decaying Mitra mansion, stumbles upon the body of her great aunt-in-law, Pishima. A child bride widowed at twelve, Pishima has finally passed away at the ripe old age of seventy. But she isn’t letting go just yet. Pishima has long harbored a grudge against the Mitras for keeping her in perpetual widowhood, never allowed to fall in love.. Now, her ghost intends to meddle in their lives, making as much mischief as possible. Pishima gives Somlata the keys to her mysterious box of gold to keep it out of the Mitras’ hands. However, the selfless Somlata, witnessing her new family waste away their wealth to the brink of bankruptcy, has her own ideas. Boshon is a book-loving, scooter-riding, rebellious teenager who wants nothing to do with the many suitors that ask for her hand. She yearns for freedom and wants to go to college. But when her poor neighbor returns from America she finds herself falling in love. Perhaps Pishima’s yearning spirit lives on in her own her heart?
EVER CURSED by Corey Ann Haydu
The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired. Cursed.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box. But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.
WOLF’S BANE (WOLVES NEXT DOOR BOOK 1) by Auryn Hadley
Leaving my husband was hard. Trying to face the world alone with my teenage daughter is the sort of thing nightmares are made of, but I caught a break. My best friend just hired me for a great job. It’s not anything special, simply managing the leasing office of this very fancy and highly exclusive neighborhood, yet the perks mean I get my second chance. Speaking of perks, my rent-free house is right beside not just one handsome man, but five! Each one is hotter than the last, and all of them seem interested in me. Maybe I can’t remember the last date I was on, but if I want to master being a strong woman, then this is a good place to start. It’s just dating, right? Normal life stuff. Not so much. Everyone around us has these strange golden eyes. Then there are the questions no one will answer. And who cares if there’s a lot of wildlife running around at night? I do, especially when a wolf keeps sneaking into my backyard. I have a kid to worry about. Things have got to change before someone gets bitten! Normal is going out the window, and fast. My neighbors say I don’t belong here, and they don’t mean because I’m Hispanic. Never mind that I just heard a man growl. Now they’re talking about fated somethings, and I’m pretty sure they mean me.
I feel like I’m going crazy! Because when I said I wanted to learn how to be strong, this wasn’t what I meant at all. Still, when it comes to taking care of my little girl, I will definitely learn how to be the biggest bitch on the block. I just hope that doesn’t become literal.
HEALING LANCE (A WARRIOR’S REDEMPTION TRILOGY BOOK 1) by M D Grimm
A baby’s laughter. A mind uncaged. Lance is known as Scourge, the warrior in the black armor, the dog of the warlord Ulfr Blackwolf. He was just a boy when Ulfr found him and molded him into the perfect weapon. He slaughters and pillages on command, merciless and numb, devoid of emotions. Then a baby girl laughs at him during a raid. And everything changes.
When Gust, a talented healer, is out deer hunting and stumbles across a magnificent horse bearing a mortally wounded rider, he has no idea that his life is about to change forever. Gust applies all his skills to his patient, determined to save the rider’s life, and is rewarded when the man opens his eyes. As friendship, and more, bloom between warrior and healer, so does the danger over the horizon. Ulfr has not forgotten, and Lance must take his first steps on the long road to redemption.
VAMPIRE’S PROMISE (MAFIA MONSTERS SERIES BOOK 3) by Atlas Rose and Kim Faulks
He captured my hand and kissed my palm. “If anything happens to me they’ll take care of you.” Tears shimmered in my eyes, like a damn burst inside me. A car crash finally igniting. He was the flames. They were all the flames. urning inside me like a damn inferno. He stretched my arm over my head. I lifted the other in instinct, feeling his fingers grip my wrist. I’d never been so turned on…so agonizingly desperate for a man to consume me. “You are ours.” He warned. “Say it…say who you belong to.” “You.” My heart blazed as I whispered. “I belong to all of you.” They promised to keep me alive. They promised to keep me safe. But what happens when death is payment for a debt I never knew? Death or an eternity in servitude? The Costello’s are steeped in betrayal. Lies and corruption taint my family’s bloodline, owing debts to monsters more dangerous than the Vampires I love. Now the Inner Circle has come to collect. Only I won’t go easy. To protect those I love I’ll fight for them a thousand times over…if need be I’ll die as well. In a dark alley I face down my corrupt past. I have one small chance to keep us alive. As my thoughts turn to those I love; Elithen, Hurrow, Justice, Rule and my savage Unseelie bodyguard, Russell, I pray we make it…hearts and lives intact.
RED HEIR by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey
Imprisoned pickpocket Loth isn’t sure why a bunch of idiots just broke into his cell claiming they’re here to rescue the lost prince of Aguillon, and he doesn’t really care. They’re looking for a redheaded prince, and he’s more than happy to play along if it means freedom. Then his cranky cellmate Grub complicates things by claiming to be the prince as well. Now they’re fleeing across the country and Loth’s stuck sharing a horse and a bedroll with Grub while imitating royalty, eating eel porridge, and dodging swamp monsters and bandits. Along the way, Loth discovers that there’s more to Grub than meets the eye. Under the dirt and bad attitude, Grub’s not completely awful. He might even be attractive. In fact, Loth has a terrible suspicion that he’s developing feelings, and he’s not sure what to do about that. He’d probably have more luck figuring it out if people would just stop trying to kill them. Still, at least they’ve got a dragon, right?
SHIFTERS GONE WILD: A SHIFTER ROMANCE COLLECTION by Various
Fall in love with this paw-some collection of 12 shifter romances.From spell-binding romances to heart pounding adventures, there’s something for everyone in this collection of paranormal and urban fantasy romances. Whether you want to challenge the alpha, fall for the bear, or fly with the dragon, you can find it all within these pages. This set includes full-length books by: New York Times Bestselling Author Felicity Heaton USA Today Bestselling Authors Keira Blackwood & Liza Street USA Today Bestselling Author Ann Gimpel USA Today Bestselling Author Laura Greenwood USA Today Bestselling Author Skye MacKinnon USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Rivard USA Today Bestselling Author Arizona Tape J.A. Belfield Ophelia Bell Marie-Claude Bourque T.K. Eldridge Kate Rudolph
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SUCKER PUNCH (ANITA BLAKE VAMPIRE HUNTER BOOK 7) by Laurel K Hamilton
When a fellow U.S. Marshal asks Anita Blake to fly to a tiny community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on an emergency consult, she knows time is running short. When she arrives, there is plenty of proof that a young wereleopard killed his uncle in the most gruesome and bloody way possible. As the mounting evidence points to him, a warrant of execution is already under way. But something seems off about the murder, and Anita has been asked for her expert opinion on the crime scene. Despite escalating pressure from local cops and the family’s cries for justice for their dead patriarch, Anita quickly realizes that the evidence doesn’t quite add up. Time is against Anita, as the tight-knit community is up in arms and its fear of supernaturals is growing. She races to uncover the truth and determine whether the Marshals have caught the killer or are about to execute an innocent man—all in the name of justice.
SHIELD IN TIME (WOMEN OF TIME BOOK 8) by Eva Blackwing
Astrid’s life was boring. Sure, she owned and taught at the dojo her grandmother had left her, but she didn’t have anything else going on. No friends, no boyfriend (not that she really needed one, right), no life. Well, except her dog Jax. On October 31st, her thirtieth birthday, her life takes a turn. She found a letter and a necklace from her grandmother. Putting it on led to her waking up in the 700s, confused, lost, and totally out of place. What else is there to do but figure out a way home? Though maybe Astrid’s journey has more than just some self-discovery in it when some mysterious Vikings cross her path. Will she figure out how to get home? Or will she discover something more important along the way? Only time will tell.
CURSE A BREW STREAK (A SUPERNATURAL SPEAKEASY COZY MYSTERY BOOK 3) by Lily Harper Hart
Ofelia Archer is living the dream … or as close as seemingly possible. She owns her own business, her father seems to be on an even keel, and her new relationship with Detective Zacharias Sully is cruising right along. Everything changes in an instant, though, when screams from the street lead to zombies running amok through the French Quarter. Ofelia is a tough witch who takes no guff but even she is at a loss. Who is creating the zombies? Where are they coming from? They’re not rising from the dead as much as being bumped off and used as an invading army.
Sully wants to take control of the investigation but the higher-ups in the New Orleans Police Department assign the case to a new detective, much to his chagrin. That detective is keen to find answers. Unfortunately, he’s looking hard at Ofelia to find them. Sully and Ofelia are going to have to work together to find answers. Their adventure will lead them from the French Quarter to the Garden District and beyond. Even then, when things start coalescing, gnashing teeth won’t be the worst of their problems. Months ago they were two factions working on their own. Now they’re together, and stronger for it. Not all the magic in the Big Easy is good. Some is evil … and the two sides are about to collide.
DARK POSSESSION (PURE/DARK ONE BOOK 14) by Aja James
VS Note: Not a fan of the cover…
Alend Ramses is not who he seems…The first-ever Dark King, the most powerful vampire ruler in the world, was once the lowest of the low. A slave who became a Consort who became a King…he’s lived long enough to learn from his mistakes and never repeat them. Or has he?Eveline Marceau knows a lot…The Pure Ones’ Seer and Scribe is an intellectual female with hidden depths, which no male across time has come close to uncovering. She is certain that Ramses is no different; she knows what she wants, and he is exactly opposite. But she doesn’t know everything. Their paths cross unexpectedly… Pulled into the Dark Ones’ dizzying world of intrigue, violence and mayhem, the meek little “librarian” shows her steely backbone and holds her own. By all appearances, she is one of the Dark King’s possessions, a symbol and portent for a potential future as tensions between the Dark Ones and their enemies run high. Appearances can be deceiving. Can Eveline work with Ramses to steer Destiny in the right direction, or will history once again repeat itself toward a bloody, oppressive end?
THE IMMORTAL CITY (THE SACRED DARK) by May Peterson
I don’t remember you… Reborn as an immortal with miraculous healing powers, Ari remembers nothing of his past life. His entire world now consists of the cold mountainside city of Serenity. Ruled with an iron fist. Violent. Lonely. I may never remember you…Regaining the memories of who he once was seems an impossible dream, until Ari encounters Hei, a mortal come to Serenity for his own mysterious purposes. From the moment Hei literally falls into his arms, Ari is drawn to him in ways he cannot understand. Every word, every look, every touch pulls them closer together. But I’m with you now…As their bond deepens, so does the need to learn the truth of their past. Together they journey to find an ancient immortal who can give them what they both want: a history more entwined than Ari could have ever imagined, but which Hei has always known. It’s the reason they will risk the world as they know it to reclaim who they used to be—and what they could be once again.
THE EYE OF EVIL (THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS) by Pelaam
VS Note: From early July
In the upcoming council elections of the rural town where he lives, Jason is working as assistant to his cousin Neil, a man who’s as narcissistic as he is ambitious. Almost running into Morena, the fortune teller from the visiting fair, Neil is able to turn the situation to his advantage and look good in the small community by offering free seats to the fair’s big top. Paranormal detective Garen begins an investigation into a death where the victim is turned to stone and finds an unlikely ally in the victim’s housekeeper, Chloris Webling, a woman with powers of her own. However, when they are attacked by something that kills with fang and claw, Garen needs the help of his husband Luke. Against his cousin’s wishes, Jason begins a relationship with Anaru, the nephew of one of Neil’s competitors. Jason’s concerned that not only might Neil discover his deception and sack him, but also about the infected bite on Neil’s forehead, which seems to be getting worse and making Neil more prone to furious outbursts than normal. Luke comes to believe that the strange growth on Neil’s forehead is a manifestation of the evil eye of the demon Balor and that the fortune teller is using Neil as a vessel for the demon. When the battle begins, it pits Garen and his forces against Madam Morena and her deadly familiar, while Luke and Chloris track down Neil to prevent the demon from using him as a gateway into the human world.
DARK ARTS (SOCIETY OF ANCIENT MAGIC BOOK 1) by Fiona Starr
They say being called to the world’s oldest magic organization is the pinnacle of achievement for a witch. The lottery is done in secret. The names appear by magic. Membership in this exclusive club is like receiving a golden ticket. When you’re called—you go, because that’s how it has always been. With only a trace of magical ability, I’ve accepted a different role… a life of service to the witching community. So when the leader of the Society of Ancient Magic arrives at my door to escort me to initiation, I’m convinced there’s been a mistake. My name doesn’t belong on their list. And yet…The first guy I meet makes me feel like a princess. The second one I meet sparks an inferno in my heart. The third feels like the reason I was born. They are the sexiest males I have ever met. Dazzled by the glamour and the fabled history, I let myself fall into a world whose mystery and intrigue are as seductive as they are secretive. But not everything is as it seems within the Society of Ancient Magic.
FREAKY SEAS (A MYSTIC CARAVAN MYSTERY BOOK 10) by Amanda M Lee
Mystic Caravan Circus is heading to Charleston and – per usual – trouble is not far behind.
For Poet Parker, who is grappling with saying goodbye to her assistant, she’s looking forward to quiet nights on the beach and quality time with her boyfriend. All that changes when the sea starts giving up its dead … and they appear to be hungry. Under normal circumstances, zombies wouldn’t be a big deal. They’re slow, lumbering, and easy to dispatch. This infestation is different … and they appear to be controlled by a strange creature long since thought extinct. Gorgons were believed to be things of myth and legend but one is haunting the beaches of Charleston … in close proximity to the circus and a writer’s retreat. In fact, the nutty individuals spouting fantastical stories and trying to one-up one another in the bluff house overlooking the circus grounds are all suspects because one of them is controlling the gorgon. Finding the individual responsible for causing endless upheaval and death is no easy task, though. Poet is a fighter but this battle is all-encompassing. Not every monster is obvious. Sometimes they hide behind human faces. This time Poet is going to have to wade through layers of darkness to find the light. Surviving to see the final sunrise will take them all working together … and even then they might not be strong enough to claim victory. Darkness is coming. Will anyone survive to see the dawn?
BREAKING EVEN: A MAGIC OF MAYHEM WORLD STORY (MAGICAL PRISON BOOK 3) by Nicole Zoltack
Freedom. Glorious freedom! Sophie and I are no longer stuck in Magical Prison. But that doesn’t mean we’re truly free. We aren’t safe. Neither is the entire world. The head master of Magical Hunters Academy’s actions would have caused paranormal creatures to be outed. I couldn’t let that happen because it would cause war. I never realized that my actions, however, would cause another war, war among the paranormal creatures. Clearing Sophie’s and my names isn’t my biggest concern after all. Trying to stop the war and surviving is.
HUNTED MATE (FATED MOUNTAIN WOLF PACK BOOK 4) by Jessica Aspen
A forbidden love…Too many secrets….Fated to be Mates…Glimpses of her dead sister push Sarah to leave the safety of her rich, privileged life, and venture into the dark. But when pursuing the truth leads to more than she’s bargained for…she risks not only her life, but the life of her sister—If Glenna is still alive…Caleb’s been tasked with keeping Sarah out of harm’s way—as well as hide every detail of her sister’s new existence as a wolf shifter. But how can he do that when sexy Sarah is determined to turn over every rock and hunt out the pack’s secrets? And when a mysterious informant contacts Sarah—Caleb knows she’s in danger. To protect Sarah, Caleb risks his job, his status in the enforcers, and his life. But most of all…he runs the risk of losing his fated mate.
RISE BY MOONLIGHT by Nancy Gideon
VS Note: I’ve been enjoying the snippets she’s shared from this book…
He’s the Promised One –A Mobster’s attack dog turned legitimate business powerhouse, Max Savoie is the reluctant leader of New Orleans’ shapeshifter clan. They’ve kept to anonymous shadows, working and living unnoticed by the human world until their new Shifter King’s past draws dangerous outsiders who threaten all.
She’s the Protector – A fiercely determined NOPD detective, Charlotte Caissie has sworn to defend her beloved city and her unborn child from both criminals and otherworldly factions at war. While standing boldly at the side of her mate/husband, secrets from the past return to shake the foundation of her beliefs. They have a Problem – Walking a marital tight rope between opposite worlds, Max and Cee Cee’s paths place truth and trust at odds when outside threats force enemies to become allies. The time to take a stand for their family and their future is at hand. Time to rise together for the survival of all they love!
CROSSING TIES (THE FAMILY NOVAK BOOK 5) by Susi Hawke and Crista Crowne
When Rory O’Malley’s dad goes missing, with only a photograph of him unconscious and covered in blood to clue them in to what happened, he does what he’s always done. He steps up and takes care of things. His quiet competence has been the O’Malleys’ strong backbone for years. He’ll get his father back, and his kidnappers will regret having ever messed with the O’Malley boys. He didn’t expect his bloody brother Patrick to go dragging the Novaks into family business. But Rory might have forgiven that if Misha Novak didn’t smell like his mate. He doesn’t have time for that kind of distraction, no matter how sexy. Misha has always believed work and play go hand in hand. And that’s even more true when he finds his fated mate while on a rescue mission. Rory’s a tough nut to crack. Misha doesn’t want to break him… but he will do whatever it takes to soften him up. Hopefully, saving Rory’s da should do the trick. Rory is chagrined to realize that he needs the Novaks to access the only people who can help him untangle this mess—the Chen dragon triad. Events bind the two lovers closer and draw them together until even stern and controlled Rory might not be able to avoid his destiny.
THE BACHMANN FAMILY SECRET by Damian Serbu
Jaret Bachmann travels with his family to his beloved grandfather’s funeral with a heavy heart and, more troubling, premonitions of something evil lurking at the Bachmann ancestral home. But no one believes that he sees ghosts.
Grappling with his sexuality, a ghost that wants him out of the way, and the loss of his grandfather, Jaret must protect his family and come to terms with powers hidden deep within himself.
THE LOST HEIRESS by Cassidy Cayman
Catie Ferguson wants freedom. Her family wants her to marry so she can inherit her vast fortune, but she thinks adventure is worth more than any amount of money. She’s so sure of it, she runs away from everyone who cares for her to start a new life in a faraway land.
Oliver Cliffstone has loved Catie for a long time, and both his common sense and his mother think it’s time to give up on the flighty farm girl, no matter how much she might be worth. When she runs off, his heart overrides his common sense and he goes after her. Surely she’ll be reasonable and return with him, won’t she?
Of course not. They both end up further from home than either of them could have ever imagined, fighting for the lives of people who haven’t yet been born. And who may never be born if they don’t succeed. Pirates, accidental time travel, and sweet romance abound in this new series featuring beloved characters from the Lost Highlander books.
BONDED TO THE SOLDIER WOLF (SHIFTER NATION: SPECIAL OPS SHIFTERS: LA FORCE BOOK 3) by Meg Ripley
Ever since my abuela posed that question to me years ago, I’ve been on the hunt for my one true mate.
But of all the places, I never imagined finding her in a cemetery while on a mission with the Special Ops Shifter Force.
Penny’s voluptuous curves made my inner wolf stand at attention, begging to claim her. And I knew focusing on this mission was suddenly going to be a hell of a lot harder than I thought. Spirits of dead shifters have been wreaking havoc all over L.A. And I’m working with Penny’s ghost hunting crew to solve this freaky mystery once and for all.
But my hackles raise when I realize one of her teammates is her prick of an ex. And my protective instincts tell me he’s hanging around for all the wrong reasons. When the truth comes to light and Penny’s life is in danger, nothing will stop me from keeping her safe. But will her personal ghosts put our fated destiny on the line?
MY TWO TIGERS (DOUBLE DESERT SHIFTERS BOOK 7) by Mia Wolf
I know their type. They’re macho jerks and completely useless. They party like they’re on the brink of extinction, and they think they’re all that. Women fall over themselves to get to them all the time. Well, I won’t. I vowed to do the exact opposite: stay away from them as much as I can. To me, men are like needy houseplants The problem is that if you ignore them, they don’t quietly die. The bigger problem is that these two have been ordered to work on my new project. I’m stuck with them, whether I like it or not. I have to look at those tasty bodies day in, day out. They boss me around, and slowly, they’re getting to me. Slowly, my desire for them is getting the better of me. I still have my pride to maintain, though. The problem is that my pride is starting to want something from them. It wants to lie right here with them. In the dirt, like the wild cats that we are.
THE QUEST by Pam Binder
Medieval Highland apprentice witch Ana de Dannon is desperate to free her imprisoned mother and needs a champion. Her evil stepbrother has offered her mother’s freedom in exchange for his defeat at the tournament. Knowing it’s a trap, she still summons a legendary warrior. But instead of Cuchulainn, a famous 21st century quarterback appears.
Kenneth MacKinnon (Mac) is stunned he has traveled to 14th century Scotland but agrees to help Ana free her mother if she will return him to the future. Fighting their mutual attraction, Ana trains Mac for the competition. He is a fast learner, with a kind heart buried under his arrogance, but he has much to learn. Ana fears their chances of escaping with her mother—and their lives—diminish by the day.
LAST OF THE MOON GIRLS by Barbara Davis
Lizzy Moon never wanted Moon Girl Farm. Eight years ago, she left the land that nine generations of gifted healers had tended, determined to distance herself from the whispers about her family’s strange legacy. But when her beloved grandmother Althea dies, Lizzy must return and face the tragedy still hanging over the farm’s withered lavender fields: the unsolved murders of two young girls, and the cruel accusations that followed Althea to her grave.
Lizzy wants nothing more than to sell the farm and return to her life in New York, until she discovers a journal Althea left for her—a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her grandmother’s name. But to do so, she’ll have to decide if she can accept her legacy and whether to follow in the footsteps of all the Moon women who came before her.
BEAUTY FROM ASHES: AUTHORS AND DANCERS AGAINST CANCER ANTHOLOGY
VS Note: My author friend Ruth A Casie has a story in here. The one review of the anthology so far seems pretty brutal. No idea if any of the stories are fantasy or PNR but it’s for a good cause. Anyone else have more insight? 19 Stories.
DISCOVERY OF MAGICK (DARK LIGHT ACADEMY BOOK 1) by Tabitha Stephenson
Life was predictable, though far from exciting, in Boring, Kansas.I’d thought about getting a job and maybe taking some community college classes after graduation. Those were all part of the plans I’d sort of made with my best friend since elementary school. We’d even talked about sharing a crappy apartment somewhere in our little nowhere town. Then my aunt and uncle surprised me with a graduation trip and it changed everything.No, really. EVERYTHING.For one, we’d not only left our little town of Boring, Kansas, but the United States– no, actually, the human world– entirely. I was going to college all right, only it was one for witches to hone their skills. Boy, was I ever behind. I hadn’t even known I was one. That should have made things hard enough, but I caught the attention of one of the hottest guys I’d ever seen, though I wasn’t sure if he liked me or hated me. Add to that, I also got noticed by the popular girl who saw him as hers. Oh, and did I mention I somehow acquired a ghost cat as a familiar? Or that the hot guy comes as some sort of magical package deal with his two best friends? Yeah, my life in Boring was over and interesting just might be overrated.
WINTER’S KISS (TIME AFTER TIME SERIES BOOK 2) by Dee Davis
Now that the overbearing men in her family are gone, Ailis Davidson sees the chance to right her family’s many wrongs and bring peace to the valley she loves. The only problem is that someone wants her dead. Ranald Macqueen has lived his life brandishing a sword for others. Now on the eve of his greatest triumph, serving as guard for his king, a wee fairy of a woman has interrupted those plans with the need of his protection. As Ailis and Ranald fight against an unknown enemy, they are drawn together by a powerful connection. A love that promises something greater than either of them has ever imagined. But before they can have a chance at true happiness—they have to survive.
THE WARRIOR’S PROGENY (THE HEAVEN AND EARTH SERIES BOOK 2) by Jeny Heckman
Colton Stone, a newly traded tight end, arrives in his new city ready to play ball. His reputation is as beaten as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation, he accepts. A decision that could be fueled by magical interference. When he meets Dr. Lillian Morgan, he isn’t certain what to think.
A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends’ wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. She adores her work as a pediatric surgeon, but the football player reminds her of a child. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of immortal gods. So is the love developing between them natural or part of a larger prophecy?
THE MORNING FLOWER: THE OMTE ORIGINS (FROM THE WORLD OF THE TRYLLE) by Amanda Hocking
Welcome back to the kingdom of the Omte—a forest realm where secrets and danger, human nature and ancient mythology collide. Where truth is stranger than fiction. Searching for answers to her own shrouded origins, Ulla Tulin’s journey of exploration takes a sudden turn when Eliana is kidnapped. Turning toward the Omte capital instead of the institute where she hoped to learn the truth about her identity, Ulla must put Eliana’s welfare before her own—a sacrifice that will present all new dangers to them both. When history is still unwritten. Ulla never expected that once she arrived she’d discover the identity of a Skojare man who crossed paths with her mother—a man who could very well be her father. Given the man’s connections to the Älvolk, a secret society tasked with protecting the location of the First City, Ulla is soon dispatched to Sweden to find him. One woman will dare to go wherever fate will take her…
Now Ulla, along with her maybe boyfriend Pan, finds herself on a desperate race against time to locate her kin—who could very well pose a danger to her kingdom. Nobody and nothing is as it seems as she penetrates the dark heart of the Älvolk…all the way to the secret Lost Bridge to the First City, where an unknown future awaits for Ulla and her kind.
YESTERDAY’S BLOOD (A SLIP IN TIME BOOK 5) by Jane O’Brien
Yesterday’s Blood, Book 5 of O’Brien’s series A Slip in Time, begins in the year 2025 where we last left Daniel Kent, the deputy sheriff. Having come across some heirlooms in an old secretary drawer, he handles each one carefully wondering who they belonged to and how they were connected to him. After looking into his genealogy, he discovers a name on a Civil War medal which not only is on his family tree, but is the same name as his own. Puzzled, he picks up the Bowie knife next, but as he does so, he nicks his finger, causing a flow of blood to drip onto the leather case. Once the droplet in his ‘present time’ touches the stain from the ‘past’, Daniel is thrown into a trip he had not expected to take.Where will Daniel land? Will he end up in a strange place and a different century than his own; will he be with Dora, his ex-wife, who has gone before him back to 1881? Dora was eager to return to the past and the love of her life, but what will she find when she arrives? Is Wade available, and if so, does he still want her?Francine and Luke are excitedly making plans to start their family. The orphan train is once again coming their way. If they are able to get any children, Fran wonders if she will be able to stay in the 19th century and continue her life as the mother she has always longed to be. Or will the Universe upset everything and send her back, leaving Luke alone as a single parent?Best friends, Ruth and Mavis, still long for a man to fall in love with. They dream about a handsome stranger who will step off the steam driven train at the depot in town. Will these young women each find a suitable match in the small town of Twin Lake, or is there an unknown person waiting on the horizon for each of them?
WHAT A GIRL WANTS by Kate Steele
Four women find their destinies embracing the paranormal.
Almost Home: When Shannon’s car breaks down a quarter mile from her house, she braves the moon-drenched shadows and comes face to face with her destiny.
What Friends Are For: What girl would refuse the offer of sex from the sweetest, handsomest, most intelligent man of her acquaintance? The only trouble is, he’s my best friend. And I think I’m in love with his brother!
A Heart Concealed: Rafe Kutter is cursed … or so he believes. Lindy Timberlane sorely tests his resolve. When Lindy learns Rafe’s secret she’s determined to risk her heart to keep this very human and vulnerable bear shifter from condemning himself to a life without love.
By Blood’s Decree: Dana Hamilton has a few problems — healing powers that make her blood ambrosial for vampires, self-renewing virginity, and a sexy vampire who not only makes her doubt her preconceived notion that all vamps are evil, but brings out her desires with a capital D.
SORCERY OF A QUEEN (DRAGONS OF TERRA BOOK 2) by Brian Naslund
They called her the Witch Queen…Driven from her kingdom, the would-be queen now seeks haven in the land of her mother, but Ashlyn will not stop until justice has been done. Determined to unlock the secret of powers long thought impossible, Ashlyn bends her will and intelligence to mastering the one thing people always accused her of, sorcery. Meanwhile, having learned the truth of his mutation, Bershad is a man on borrowed time. Never knowing when his healing powers will drive him to a self-destruction, he is determined to see Ashlyn restored to her throne and the creatures they both love safe.
WHAT THE FRACK (THE ABC’S OF SPELLCRAFT BOOK 7) by Jordan Castillo Price
VS Note: From June
It’s all fun and games until something blows up. Thanks to the recent explosion in Pinyin Bay, most of its residents got out while the getting was good. Not Dixon Penn. He grew up there, and from the power plant to the strip malls, the city is full of fond memories. But if the mysterious corporation that bought up the shoreline doesn’t stop drilling, memories may soon be all that remain. Yuri Volnikov is finally fitting in. He crossed an ocean to find a loving home with Dixon. Now, that home is threatened. And he won’t give it up without a fight. The drilling has attracted plenty of attention. While a harebrained reporter covers the scene, a traveling geologist shows up who might shed some light on the situation. He’ll need all the light he can get, since he can hardly see three feet in front of his own face. Whoever is digging up the shore, they’re using Spellcraft to exploit every possible loophole so no one can put a stop to their operations. Can Dixon and Yuri defuse the Craftings before Pinyin Bay goes up in smoke?
UNNATURAL OMEGA (ALPHA ELITE SERIES BOOK 2) by V T Bonds
Britani – I’m stuck. Stuck in a lonely world of mourning. Once a month I travel to the pier and find peace in the barren desert, reliving the wind swirling my parents’ ashes away. If only I’d skipped my trek this month. For a moment, they held me tight again. Now I’ve found the true meaning of hell. Kwame – Something is wrong. Honed instincts won’t let me celebrate Seeck and Nova’s union. A seething black cloud of premonition warns of terrible things to come.
Things I can’t control. Things I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, much less my lifemate. Deadly things. Horrible things. Nightmares come to life. How can I save her from an enemy I never knew existed?
WILD: A SAVAGE ALPHA SIHIFTERS ROMANCE by DD Prince
Ivy’s weekend misadventure in the sticks goes from bad to worse when she hits an animal with her car and winds up in a ditch. One minute, she’s faced with a giant black wolf and the next, he’s transformed into a naked man before her eyes. And he insists – she’s coming home with him. Tyson hasn’t been in man form for years, for very specific reasons. Instead, he’s chosen to stay a wolf, deep in the forest. He didn’t grow up with his pack and he doesn’t have a solid understanding of human or shifter nature. All he knows is Ivy is meant to be his.
DRAGON’S RUNAWAY BRIDE (RUNAWAY SHIFTER BRIDES BOOK 1) by Sky Winters
Garrett – I was hired to track down an omega, Wanted for murder. It’ll be easy. Just seduce her with my alpha nature, turn her in. Except she’s not the guilty little omega I thought she’d be. My alpha nature wants me to protect her, Like a force out of my control But is the cost too high?
Maddie – It was going to be the wedding of the year. I was marrying the perfect alpha—or so I thought. Walsh Black ended up being a murderous beast And now my ex-fiancé is hunting me down. Framing me. His dragon eyes hungry for my blood. My only hope is a cop from the shifter police force, The one Dragon I truly want. But will he ever believe me after my betrayal?
WOLF’S RUNAWAY BRIDE (RUNAWAY SHIFTER BRIDES BOOK 2) by Sky Winters
Brock – I’m hired to get dangerous jobs done. Make things disappear. No one in this city messes with me. But I never thought I’d wake up married to a virginal wolf. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t make my feeling for her disappear.
I want to help her. I want to protect her. But now that her ex-fiancé is in town, It might be the final thing that pulls me under.
Milly – Running away from my wedding, and my evil fiancé was easy. The hard part? Waking up and finding myself in an accidental marriage. He’s a bad wolf and he has secrets. But it doesn’t make me want him any less. And what will happen when he finds out my secret? Can a marriage without trust ever last?
REBORN: DEMON HUNTER ANGEL ROMANCE (WILD HUNT BOOK 4) by Nancy Corrigan
A random act of violence forces Rowan, a female rider in the Wild Hunt, to face eternity without the man she loves. She fills her nights with hunting and her duty to mankind…until she meets Trevor, a human who helps her remember love. Trevor’s cocky. He’s rude. He’s difficult. And he doesn’t look upon her with fear when she turns into a beast from Hell. He demands her love. How is a daughter of the Devil supposed to resist someone like Trevor? Especially when he reminds her of the man she once loved and lost. One goal sends Trevor O’Connor prowling the streets at night—revenge against the man preying on tall, dark-haired women. But in the ‘Otherworld’, plans never go as expected, especially when he’s only a human playing with monsters…or sleeping with one of them. From the moment Trevor laid eyes on Rowan, he was hooked. If she’d stop talking so much, she’d be the perfect woman—hot, dangerous, and just the right mix of innocence and deadliness. But Rowan does talk. A lot. And somewhere along the way, he’s fallen in love with her. There’s only one problem. She’s been cursed. And if they can’t break it, they lose…everything, including each other.
STARTING OVER: TWO WEREWOLVES FOR PETER by D J Heart
VS Note: From mid July
Set up to take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit, Peter faces ten years behind bars at Lockland Omega Penitentiary. It’s hell. Unable to handle the intense heat-blockers used to keep the prison under control, he decides to sign up for the Delinquent Omega Matching Program, hoping against hope that a good alpha is better than spending the best years of his life drugged up and locked away in a cell. The program assigns him to Tex Wilson and Carver Wilde. The two alphas have been searching for a mate for years, and when Peter reads their profiles, he understands why. They’re the kind of alphas that send sane omegas running for the hills. Dominant, aggressive, and kinky in ways that Peter has no idea how to deal with, the idea of belonging to them scares the living daylights out of him. How the program decided that they were compatible with him, Peter has no idea.
JASMINE (SPELL LIBRARY BOOK 12) by Crystal North
Jasmine: an insanely talented half-witch who can’t see her own worth, even though the humans and the Supes of Silver Springs all adore her; shop owner; holistic healer; visionary; fortune teller. The only problem she ever has with fortune telling, however, is her own. All she ever gets is visions of trees when she tries. You know the saying, can’t see the wood for the trees? Well, Jasmine just can’t figure out what it all means. However a spelled library book, left behind in her shop by accident, may just give her the clarity – and romance – that she’s been missing. Fate has funny plans for Jasmine, no matter how disbelieving she is, or how hard she tries to fight it! Take a firefighting shifter, fae builder twins, and the hottest bouncer you’ve ever seen, despite his unusual appetites…four guys named after trees and one witch who’s still too clueless to see the sexy answers staring her in the face. It’s got to spell a recipe for disaster, right?
REBEL BITTEN (BLOOD ALLIANCE BOOK 4) by Lexi C Foss
Once upon a time, humankind ruled the world while lycans and vampires lived in secret.
This is no longer that time. Willow – They’re chasing me, even into my dreams. And when I awake, I see him. Striking black eyes with a hint of the devil inside. He’s my savior and my worst nightmare combined. Because he owns me. He found me. He saved me. But I don’t want to be owned. I want to be free. Even if it kills me.
Ryder – I needed a diversion, a plaything, something to distract me from this perpetual boredom. And she appeared as if the Almighty above had heard my prayers. Or, more accurately, the devil. Because I’m not a good man. Humanity died inside me long ago. It was what I needed to survive. But she’s such a pretty little thing. I think I’ll keep her and make her mine. At least for a little while. Humans are so fragile, after all.
IMMORTALITY: A DARK WITCH’S TALE (THE IMMORTALS BOOK 4) by Maggie Shayne
A CORRUPT LEADER…Thirteen little girls are sired by a power-hungry king with delusions of grandeur. His actions are guided by self-serving prophets who crave nothing more than power of their own. Thirteen little girls are trained to fight, to kill, until only one remains. The survivor will be used as a tool by those in authority, a puppet of her father and his soothsayers. A STEP TOO FAR…But when the boy she loves is torn brutally from her life, Puabi will be used no longer. And so begins her rise to power in one ancient city-state after another. In her quest for vengeance, she will rip the crown from the heads of a corrupt king, and she will steal the immortality from his heart, even though doing so will cost her very soul. She is the darkest villain among her kind. A SPARK OF HOPE… And yet, there is hope for redemption, even for one as evil as she. The journey she must take in a quest for healing, wholeness, for restoration of her true self, is one that will sweep readers irresistibly into its current.
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VS: Some titles from my backlist for good summertime reading!
STAR CRUISE: IDOL’S CURSE Amazon Apple Books NOOK KOBO
STAR CRUISE: MYSTERY DANCER Amazon Apple Books NOOK KOBO
STAR CRUISE: SONGBIRD Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N
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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:
“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months. And I may mention ‘special items’.
I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…
I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post but after that I’m not responsible.
Woot! Look at all the awesome SciFi Romances! Happy release week, everyone!
Some great books again. Love the Nancy Gideon series. Read the first ones years ago. Tasha Black sneaked a new one in this week, set in her Fae world. I’m loving this series
Gill
Yes, I’m on a snippet hop with Nancy G and I do like her style, very lush writing. Saw Tasha’s book on FB this morning – I have a noon cutoff on Tuesdays when preparing the post or I’d never be able to “close it” and hit publish every week (and get back to writing my own novels), so she’ll be on this list next week. Smartest thing I ever did for myself was deciding to be flexible on how I was defining “new release”, as in within a two week or so time frame! Takes some pressure off.
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