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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WEAPONS MASTER (GALACTIC GLADIATORS HOUSE OF RONE BOOK 6) by Anna Hackett
VS Note: I’ve loved all her Galactic Gladiators, always so happy to see a new book! One clicked of course.
A grumpy cyborg weapons master collides with a feisty mechanic from Earth who turns his ordered existence upside down. Abducted from her exploration ship and enslaved on a desert world, mechanic Bellamy Walsh has fought for her survival. She’s had to fight for everything in her life, and she doesn’t ever expect things to be easy. After being rescued by the tough, deadly cyborgs of the House of Rone, she is shocked to find herself drawn to a grumpy beast of a cyborg. A genius weapons master who prefers his solitude. A man with scars of his own. A man whose brawny arms are the only thing that chase away Bellamy’s nightmares.
Maxon Shaye likes to be left alone to work. He doesn’t mind his fellow cyborg brethren, but he finds people annoying and chaotic. He’s disconcerted by his growing need to keep Bellamy Walsh safe, and thinks she’s irritating and brash. The woman keeps invading his workshop, getting in his space, and…the even more infuriating thing is that he’s actually starting to like her there. What he doesn’t like is her burning need to throw herself back into danger. Bellamy is determined to help bring down her captors—the metal-scavenging Edull and their deadly desert battle arena—and that makes her a target. She knows too much and the Edull will stop at nothing to silence her. Maxon will do anything to keep her safe, even if that means threatening the growing bond between them. But in order to destroy the Edull’s arena once and for, Maxon and Bellamy will put everything on the line—their desire, their love, their lives.
PETS IN SPACE 5 by Various incl me, Pre-Order
VS Note: Normally I don’t do pre-orders but this is the once a year anthology for which I’m the co-founder. Releases October 6th.
Are you ready? Pets in Space® 5 is back for the fifth amazing year! Twelve of today’s top Science Fiction Romance authors have written 12 original, never-before-released stories filled with action, adventure, suspense, humor, and romance that will take you out of this world. The giving doesn’t stop there. For the fifth year, Pets in Space® will be donating a portion of the first month proceeds to Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that supports our veterans and First Responders. Pets in Space® has donated over $15,000 in the past four years.
Amazon Apple Books Nook Kobo GooglePlay
SPACE STATION DOWN by Ben Bova and Doug Beason
VS Note: Not a romance but any book that evokes “Die Hard”….a scifi release of note. I one-clicked.
When an ultra-rich space tourist visits the orbiting International Space Station, NASA expects a $100 million win-win: his visit will bring in much needed funding and publicity. But the tourist venture turns into a scheme of terror. Together with an extremist cosmonaut, the tourist slaughters all the astronauts on board the million-pound ISS—and prepares to crash it into New York City at 17,500 miles an hour, causing more devastation than a hundred atomic bombs. In doing so, they hope to annihilate the world’s financial system.
All that stands between them and their deadly goal is the lone survivor aboard the ISS, Kimberly Hasid-Robinson, a newly divorced astronaut who has barricaded herself in a secure area.
JUST IN TIME: AN OUT OF TIME STORY by Pauline Baird Jones
VS Note: I love PBJ’s books! One clicked…
He’s racing back to rescue the future. She’s trying to survive her present. Will the past doom their love? Undisclosed location, present day. Fearless scientist and military pilot Ty Granger has dedicated his life to hunting down those who tamper with time. So when someone attempts to stop the development of a cutting-edge plane in 1954, he’s forced to make a risky jump back through a temporal vortex. But his mission takes a twist when he falls for the revolutionary device’s beautiful inventor…who only has days left to live.
Edwards Air Force Base, 1954. Alice Merriweather is desperate to prove her extraordinary creation can fly. So when a handsome stranger offers to be her test pilot, she overlooks his claim that he’s from the future. Fearing that a rival plans to sabotage her project, Alice risks trusting the mysterious man who treats her like an equal. As history grows fragile, Ty fears the clock will expire on saving his love from her terrible fate. And though Alice has fallen hard for the futuristic man, she’s prepared to sacrifice her life if it means her radical work and the man she loves will survive.
With shadowy enemies threatening to erase Ty and Alice’s existence, will they find their happily ever after?
FORBIDDEN FROST (ELEMENTAL ALIEN MATES BOOK 2) by Riley Onyx
From above the planet is beautiful, on the ground it’s terrifying. No scans picked up the aliens, yet they exist. Part humanoid, part elemental and one hundred percent domineering. I never asked for him to save my life after my ship crashed. But he did, and then he stung me with his mating barb. Claiming me. His skin is rough and cold, but his touch awakens a heat I’ve never felt. I shouldn’t want him…When my camp is raided, I need to make some quick choices because he broke the rules and a price must be paid. I can’t let him die for saving me.
THE ALIEN’S SAVIOR (DRIXONIAN WARRIORS BOOK 5) by Ella Maven
“I’ll do anything to make sure she’s safe. Even from me.” Naomi: All my life, I’ve been protected. First by my older brother, and now by a crew of women on a strange alien planet who insist on protecting my virtue. Who cares about virtue? I have to make the most of this situation, and if that means shacking up with a big blue guy, I’m not opposed. So when I find that the very alien who I’m convinced is my mate has gone off on a reckless mission, I risk it all to bring him back myself.
Gar: Anger doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel when a fragile female puts herself in harm’s way for me. And not just any female—of course she’s the one I can’t resist. But I don’t deserve her, and I’ll never bind her to my doomed destiny. Except now she’s in danger, and if it’s the last thing I do in my cursed life, I’ll make sure she’s safe. Even from me.
DHAKHAR by Annabelle Rex
When Dhakhar and his crew board a suspicious vessel, he thinks they’re about to find a shipment of illegal weapons. But the cargo is actually something far worse – a collection of cryogenically frozen women, abducted from an unknown planet. And Dhakhar has just accidentally woken one of them up.
Waking up in a box full of freezing water has not been Charlie’s favourite experience. Discovering she’s lightyears from home only makes matters worse. But for some reason, the aliens who’ve rescued her think she’s a princess, and Charlie is just going to roll with it. If they realise she’s utterly unimportant, they might just try to force her back inside her icy coffin so they can ship her home without any hassle. Although, she might come to regret opting to take the long way home with surly Captain Dhakhar.
BOUND (FATED MATES OF THE KALIXIAN WARRIORS BOOK 4) by Presley Hall
After watching my friends find bliss with their gorgeous alien mates, I’ve secretly been hoping the same thing would happen to me. Still, when Prince Khrelan singles me out and invites me to stay in his palace so he can learn more about the human race, I’m terrified. He’s commanding, powerful, and insanely handsome—and he’s skeptical of the mate bond between Kalixians and humans. He wants to prove the bond isn’t real. It’s my job to convince him it is.
But when chemistry flares between us like wildfire, it may be more than we can resist…Even if neither of us is ready for what it could mean.
FATED MATE CONQUERED: A DARK SCIFI MAFIA ROMANCE (VOSTRA CRIME LORDS BOOK 2) by Luna Voss
The first time I met Kora, I was trapped behind a force field and she was my prison guard. Now I’m the one in charge. She’ll follow my rules, or get thrown over my knee and soundly disciplined. That’s the way of the Vostra. But something about this defiant little female captivates me. Makes me want her more than I should. When she goes into heat, I’m going to make her mine.
COSMIC LOCK (GRAND MASTER’S GALAXY BOOK 6) by Aurora Springer
Three sets of enemies and a wormhole to shut? Follow the superpowered Griffins on a rollercoaster adventure where new threats counter each success. Grand Masters Violet and Athanor Griffin return from beyond the Cosmic Rift with two shiploads of rescued children and escaped slaves, but their enemies have not been idle in their absence. Avalon is in flames and their baby son is missing. Finding him may be the easiest of their problems. They must unite the fractious Grand Masters, stop the bloodsucking Ixioths from enslaving sentients, and seal the cosmic rupture to prevent new incursions of the vindictive Nulls. The clock is ticking. They have twelve days to squash their enemies before their final venture into the alternate universe. Can they overcome the challenges and secure peace for the galaxy?
ESCAPING CONFLICT (ISLAND REFUGE EMP BOOK 1) by Grace Hamilton
VS Note: Dystopian scifi, not a romance.
After dropping out of college, tech-savvy Elna is determined to bring her family’s vineyard into the twenty-first century. Located on its own island in California, Elna hopes her resourcefulness will finally earn her father’s respect and keep visitors flocking to their idyllic retreat. But her ambitions are shattered when a catastrophic EMP attack descends on North America. With only a brief warning before the missile strikes, Elna and her father soon realize they are marooned on their island with an unusual group of guests. With no power, electricity and little chance of reaching the mainland, life in paradise quickly sours. Food and water is growing scarce; they have no access to medical supplies; and they have no idea what’s happening in the world outside of their vineyard. They must find a way to unify as a group – fast. But when an unexpected assailant threatens their lives; Elna’s father goes missing; and another guest is gravely injured, remaining on the island together is no longer an option. A journey to the mainland won’t be easy, and even if they make it there’s no way of guaranteeing what horrors could lie in store for them. In a world where science and reason have descended into post-apocalyptic anarchy, it seems survival of the fittest reigns supreme.
RESON’S LESSON: A XENO SAPIENS NOVEL (GENETICALLY ALTERED HUMANS BOOK 16) by Rena Marks
Maximus Xeno Sapien or Reson Xeno Sapien? Lorelei: She has one month to become a bride. A possibility is a platonic relationship, of course. But for some reason, Lorelei’s heart wants Reson, the bad-boy Xeno Sapien. The play-boy. The one who never takes life seriously. She just can’t seem to entrap him, while a better possibility is another Xeno Sapien who wishes for a platonic mateship, just like her. Maximus Xeno Sapien is ultimately the smarter choice. Reson: The last of the three musketeers, Reson is the only one of their group left unmated. For a brief span of time, it seemed he found the female meant to be his. But then he remembered what happened to the last one during their days of captivity. No amount of therapy will erase those memories. It’s up to Reson’s beloved makeshift Xeno Sapien family to get him to face his fears before he loses Lorelei to his nemesis. Especially when he learns Max has no intentions of keeping their mating platonic.
STAR DAUGHTER by Shveta Thakrar
VS Note: Not listed as a romance...
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal.” But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens—and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
BRYK (MAIL ORDER BRIDES OF CRAKAIR BOOK 2) by Ava Ross
Will a hot-blooded, seven-foot-tall, scaly green alien meet his match in a feisty woman from Earth? After losing her husband, Sadie is afraid of getting her heart broken again. On a dare, she signs up for the Extraterrestrial Matchmaking Service, and she’s paired with Bryk, a seven foot tall, scaled alien from a distant world. At their first touch, a gleaming symbol appears on her palm. Bryk tells her it’s a matebond, and she’s his destined mate. He makes her pulse sing, but does she dare take a chance with someone new?
When Bryk applies for the Selection, he’s matched with Sadie. At their first meet-up, his matebond ignites and now he’ll do anything he can to win her heart. But Sadie has been hurt in the past and is afraid to trust. Refusing to admit defeat, Bryk talks her into giving him seven days to convince her she wants to stay. Bryk will need to pull out every Crakairian trick he can think of to win her heart. Can two very different souls find love with each other on a planet far from Earth?
ACCELERANT: A SUPERHERO REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE (THE PTB ALLIANCE BOOK 2) by Katelyn Beckett
VS Note: From late July…
Good things never die. After a brutal battle with my new boyfriend’s sister, we’ve had a handful of hard facts thrown in our faces. Someone wants the Alliance put down. His sister, Isabella (superhero alias Melody) has her hands in it, somehow. Scribe isn’t the protective powerhouse we always believed him to be. We are not the unstoppable force we thought we were. And Nishelle is alive. I served years of my life in prison, was branded a murderer for accidentally mixing her medication with something that killed her. And yet, she showed up at our most dire moment and saved our lives. Why has she been hiding? Why did she let me go to prison? Most importantly, why is my Ember calling herself Ardent and acting like I’m poison? So many questions and so few answers. Worse, my powers aren’t responding the way they usually do after blowing myself out trying to put down Melody. We’re all stuck in the hospital and there’s someone pulling the strings out there, making our lives harder and putting all of us at a risk I’m not comfortable with. I can’t wait to get out of here and wrap my hands around their neck. And I can’t wait to get home so I can bury myself in my men… and maybe Nishelle, too.
MIRAGE (WEB SHIFTER’S LIBRARY BOOK 2) by Julie E Czernada
VS Note: A scifi release of note, not a romance…this series is on my TBR List…
Relationships get complicated when you don’t know who—or what—you really are. Esen must find a way to rescue a hapless group of chimeras, beings who are a new and unique blend of species she knows, when she can’t become one herself. When Evan Gooseberry tries to help, he is shattered to learn he himself isn’t entirely Human and begins to suspect his new friend Esen isn’t what she seems. Complicating matters, a mysterious contagion has killed the crew of the ship that brought the chimeras—and Evan—to Botharis. Everyone’s been quarantined inside the All Species’ Library of Linguistics and Culture, including over a hundred disgruntled alien scholars.
The risks climb as Skalet and Lionel continue their quest to solve the disappearance of Paul’s mother’s ship, the Sidereal Pathfinder, only to find themselves caught in a tangle of loyalties as Skalet is betrayed by her own Kraal affiliates, who infiltrate the Library. All of which would be quite enough for one Web-being’s day, but Paul Ragem hopes to rekindle the romance of his first love. A shame Esen hasn’t told him who’s hiding in their greenhouse.
UNDERGROUND BRIDE (PAETHIAN WARRIOR MATES BOOK 1) by Loretta Johns
Mandy – I thought the only good alien was a dead one. Those Pig Faces and Tooth Fairies razed human civilization and forced us underground a couple hundred years ago. I’d still be there, except my mother told us we had to flee the compound for our very lives. My brothers and I figure we’ll hide out or maybe find other survivors band together to kick some alien butt. Until the first thing we see are a squad of pink, fanged Tooth Fairies waiting for us with ray guns at the ready. Horlas – When the humans asked me to check out what looked like yet another historical underground bunker site, I felt it was a waste of time. They are always either empty, or filled with the dead, and nearly always in serious disrepair. In the early days, the bunkers also housed dissidents who attacked us and any humans they found fighting by our side, thinking we were the aggressors rather than those who came to save their world. As a result, by treaty, we had the responsibility to make sure these were safe to enter. I never expected to find my mate ready to attack me.
MY HIGHLAND LAIRD: SCI REGENCY BOOK 5 by J L Langley
Bannon Thompson, talented artist and youngest son of the Duke of Eversleigh, is hastily shipped off after his latest indiscretion. After crashing on rural Skye, leaving him and his valet the sole survivors of a diplomatic mission, Bannon must navigate the complexities of a primitive clan society and take up a role he never wanted: helping a sexy Highlander ensure the safety of both their planets. Laird Ciaran MacKay wants nothing more than to keep his clan safe from the off-world intruders who killed his father. Suspecting complicity among his own people, he has no choice but to trust outsiders from a spaceship crash—and he can’t seem to fight his attraction to the stubborn redhead. Drawn to the handsome laird, Bannon risks a bold affair. But there is more at stake than reputations as they find two lost Regelens and uncover the Intergalactic Navy’s plot.
WAR’S END (THE REUNION TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Imogene Nix
Forced apart by war five years ago, Renjiro and Selina have another chance at love. Can they make it work or does fate have other plans? Without the citizenship of the Federation, Indy pilot Selina Codecko is treated like a second-class citizen. When she gets caught up in a bar brawl she’s arrested and finds herself in the hands of the Justice Officers. Renjiro Ito has dreamed of Selina for five long years. As the Commander of the Justice Officers, the plight of this one woman will turn his life upside down. But there’s more going on than just the fate of one woman—there’s a seething underbelly that wants to destroy their newly expanded Federation. The chances of a future together are slim, but they’ll take any chances that come their way. Will it be enough?
SIA MARTINEZ AND THE MOONLIT BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
VS Note: Not a romance. A scifi release of note…
It’s been three years since ICE raids and phone calls from Mexico and an ill-fated walk across the Sonoran. Three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.” Sia knows that her mom must be dead, but every new moon Sia drives into the desert and lights San Anthony and la Guadalupe candles to guide her mom home. Then one night, under a million stars, Sia’s life and the world as we know it cracks wide open. Because a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car…and it’s carrying her mom, who’s very much alive. As Sia races to save her mom from armed-quite-possibly-alien soldiers, she uncovers secrets as profound as they are dangerous in this stunning and inventive exploration of first love, family, immigration, and our vast, limitless universe.
INNOVATION: QUEER SCIFI’S SEVENTH ANNUAL FLASH FICTION CONTEST by J Scott Coatsworth and Various
IN-NO-VA-TION (Noun) 1) A new idea, method, or device. 2) The introduction of something new. 3) The application of better solutions to meet unarticulated needs. Three definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell. Here are 120 of our favorites. Innovation features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
HAVEN 7 – A POST APOCALYPTIC HAREM by Misty Vixen
Things finally settled down for David and the ladies. After tackling the dual menaces of the stalkers and the vipers, they have at last secured peace for themselves. And though the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, a blessedly boring routine settling in, David has stayed vigilant. He knows that nothing lasts forever, and peace can be snatched away in an instant. The day he’s waiting for arrives as summer bakes the land and a new group of people appear in the region. Though standoffish at first, he soon learns that they’re refugees of a tragic situation and are just looking for a new home. As he and the others agree to help them, David begins taking on a new journey, but in doing so may put himself, and those he loves, on a more dangerous path than ever before.
DOCTOR OF HIS DESIRE (WARRIORS OF THE AUGUR NEBULA BOOK 6) by Juniper Kerry
When Dr. Julia Foxe volunteers for a breeding program on the distant planet of Beshtast, she doesn’t really want a mate. Instead, she’s planning something much bigger: a special clinic for human women carrying alien babies. There are women out there who need help, and she’s going to help them. The breeding program is her ticket… as long as she doesn’t fall in love.
After the bombing of Xenyle, Prince Elter is damaged. His leg pains him, his scars pain him, and the trauma makes it hard for him to sleep. Once the most even-keeled of the princes on the Council, he now experiences fits of explosive rage he cannot control. When he lays eyes on Julia, he knows instantly that they are bonded. But such a beautiful creature deserves someone whole; not a broken man who drinks himself to sleep every night. For her sake, he cannot reveal the connection he knows is there. Julia faces many challenges as she works to open her clinic. Perhaps the biggest challenge is resisting the pull that draws her to the broken prince. Will she be able to keep her focus on her plan, or will she give into temptation? And what will Prince Elter do, as the drive to connect with Julia grows ever stronger?
RHONDA WRAY: RAPTOR WRANGLER by Charon Dunn and Sally Smith
VS Note: OKay, not a romance, the plot sounds FUN.
Rhonda Wray: Raptor Wrangler is about a teenage girl who was innocently trying to listen to some live music … her favorite boy band happened to be playing a festival on a dinosaur planet … when bad things suddenly happened. Now she and her trusty robot are all alone in the wilderness, picking up survival skills and looking for her favorite singer, Sebastian Rose, just in case he needs to be rescued.
There’s hard science, explosions, plenty of dinosaurs (with feathers), diversity, no sex (although there are a few references to it), less violence than many dinosaur stories, cliffhangers galore, and a little bogus science just to honor the fine tradition of speculative fiction (what if raptors had syrinxes and could sing like birds?).
GALACTIC ALPHAS: SCIFI ROMANCE OMEGAVERSE COMPILATION by Juno Wells
Nothing can keep these Alphas from their Omegas. In “Alpha’s Omega,” Remy meets Maya, an Omega with good reasons to distrust and avoid all Alphas, but he’s determined to prove to her they aren’t all bad. In “Buying His Omega,” Ryder had no intention of spending a year of credits on the Omega in the box, but her pain is undeniable, and his Alpha instincts insist he has to rescue–and claim–Daisy. In “Claiming His Omega,” Quinn helped rescue Azaria but walked away. He doesn’t want an Omega, and she doesn’t need an Alpha until events bring them back together.
ALIEN WARRIOR’S TROPHY (CONQUERED ALIEN MATES BOOK 8) by Athena Storm and Tara Starr
Valk has built his career on pain. And now he’s looking for his next victory. He finds it in me. At first I’m scared.
I’m helpless. Shaking. Cold and alone. There’s no hope for me. And then our world explodes. We’re attacked.
Now I’m stuck with a monster, fighting for my life. Yes, Valk did burn down my store – which was my only source of income. He did capture me. He was planning on passing me to the highest bidder. Its true I was nothing but an object to him. But then the [enemy] attacked, and I became something else. I became his lover. And he became my protector. He fed me. Clothed me. Took care of me. He kept me safe. He kept me alive. And made sure I knew one thing… That I was his. Forever.
MONSTER: A DARK ALIEN ROMANCE (REAPER’S PROPERTY BOOK 1) by Athena Storm and Cara Stone
Reapers. We think they’re cruel. But we don’t know the half of it. Yet. MY ship was raided. And now I’m owned by a monster. He saw me. Felt me. And claimed me. I became a pet. His property. I never broke under the lash. The pain only made me stronger. I’m determined that I will win. He will yield to the desire I bring out. His will is my command. His words are my truth. Some may think that he broke me. Other’s will think I’ve tamed him. You know what? I don’t care. All I know is this. I’ve won the love of this monstrous alien warlord. He makes me feel like someone treasured. Rather than something used. This giant brutish beast…Who has stolen a little piece of my soul. Has merged it with his own.
A QUEEN’S THRONE: THE IRON LOTUS SERIES BOOK 1 (A STEAMPUNK NOVELLA SERIES) by Nicole Adamz and Brooke Chastain
Sometimes love comes second to need. Zhēnzhū hates being poor, but she loves her family. A vague shadow clings to her family after one decision by her father sent the Méilís into poverty, and they never recovered. Now, her father is fighting in a war raging inside of Milgrim: one side promotes reckless advancement of technology while the other side urges caution. The responsibility of keeping the family together falls on Zhēnzhū’s mother and the four girls. As the eldest daughter, Zhēnzhū takes her duty seriously but can’t help yearning for more. When Zhēnzhū is accused of something she didn’t do, her job is placed in jeopardy. Desperate, Zhēnzhū struggles to forge a new path but becomes entangled with two men. Both offer her a chance at a different life, but she isn’t sure what choice to make. Clinging to the past, and hope for the future, Zhēnzhū’s troubled heart makes a surprising discovery. Will her final choice help her family?
THE GIRL IN THE STEEL CORSET (THE STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Kate McLaughlin
VS Note: Not listed as a romance…
In 1897 London, sixteen year-old Finley Jayne can depend on no one but the ‘thing’ inside her.
But, when a freak accident puts her in the path of Griffin King, a powerful young lord with secrets of his own, Finley realizes she’s not so alone after all. She joins Griffin’s team of strange and gifted teens to fight a dark presence threatening the empire, but it will take all of her strength to stand against the force of darkness within herself.
ALIEN’S BEAUTY (GALACTIC FAIRY TALES BOOK 1) by V K Ludwig
VS Note: From late July
Kidnapped by the Aurani prince, Ada Alvarez has one chance to survive her captor: pretend she’s as precious as he believes. The horned beast who captures her cares little for Ada’s beauty. Robbed of his birthright by her father, Prince Kerien knows only ugliness and deceit hides underneath her soft skin and gentle curves. With the power core of his ship dying and the survival of his people at stake, Ada’s exchange for ransom is inevitable. Kerien never expects to find beauty underneath the facade of Ada’s studied smiles. Or a sincere care for his people. Never did he expect to care for a human female worthy of a kingdom. When his ship threatens shutdown, it’s no longer certain if Ada is the salvation of his people, or his own eternal downfall.
XYRU (ALIEN BARBARIANS BOOK 3) by Eden Ember and Eve Laird
Mare Whittingham works on Zeta for Earth Relief. When Allegra introduces her to the alien, Xyru, she can’t understand how any human can fall for an Aaran barbarian alien. Though she thinks Xyru as hunky for a blue alien, she could not imagine actually being with one. There is no time for Xyru to convince Mare she is his fated mate. Taking matters into his own hands, he captures her right as the Torq Runner takes off. No matter how she hates him and wants nothing to do with him, he is convinced he can change her mind. Mare escapes and hopes never to see the blue alien again. Xyru goes after her while the Torq Runner leaves him behind in hopes of saving her. Will he find her and save her before she falls prey to the savage planet? Will she survive being on her own and realize her true feelings for the barbarian alien?
HER OBSSESSION (AUCKLAND STEAMPUNK FIRST CLASS 3) by Barbara Russell
Revenge was the only thing she could think of . . . until she met him. New York, 1860 – When her family was killed in one of the anti-technology anarchists’ terrorist attacks, Clarissa Fox swore revenge. A respected and rich entrepreneur in New York City, she owns the most flourishing factory of steam engines and steam-powered gadgets. Money and technology are what she needs to bring down the anarchists, but her secret weapon is the Sarleet—the biggest, purest diamond in the world. To be honest, she has no idea what to do with the darn stone, but since the anarchists are desperately searching for it, then it must be important. So when Ryu, an agent of Military Intelligence Seventh Division of New Zealand—asks her to give him the Sarleet in exchange for his help to stop the anarchists, she refuses. She doesn’t need anyone’s help, least of all the help of a posh, unbearable . . . charming MI7 agent. But when he proves to have a particularly intriguing superpower—he can suck the life out of a person—Clarissa decides that maybe she can endure a temporary alliance with him. As they fight to bring down the most dangerous criminal organisation in the world, the biggest threat for Clarissa might be to lose her heart.
THE SALVAGER’S STOLEN MATE by Elena Carvalho
Today’s not turning out well, and I’ve barely finished my coffee. An expensive piece of hardware just melted all over my truck’s engine. My genetic compatibility tests came back … I’m supposed to marry a man I hate. That man just picked a fight with the hardware salvager who’s got the piece I need. He’s huge, armed to the teeth, has a forked tongue that just flicked at me like a snake. And he’s decided that claiming me as his bride instead is an appropriate revenge for insult. FML. I should have just gone back to bed. Once I’m a captive on his ship, I discover that he’s much more than what he seems. Soon, I’m falling for the being hidden under his savage exterior. Yet one look at his cargo tells me he deals on the black market, where human lives are bought and sold alongside our technology. Plus, I quickly learn that there’s more than just my fear of what lies ahead conspiring to tear us apart…Can I trust him? Can we make it work despite the odds? Or will the forces at work succeed at destroying our bond?
BETRAYING KO’RAN (ALTORIAN CYBORGS BOOK 1) by J Thompson
VS Note: An expanded re-release. I have to say I think the character’s first name is unfortunate.
Ko’ran Edwards, Commander of Terra One, is carrying the fate of his entire race on his weary shoulders. Wounded and betrayed, his home destroyed, he needs to find a way off the planet and back to what’s left of his people, and to do it, he’s going to need the help of an unexpected—and utterly captivating—human woman. Bethany Walker lost everything the day she watched her husband die: the love of her life, a career she adored, and any hope for her future. Trapped in a bitter cycle of loneliness and grief, the arrival of a gorgeous cyborg with a familiar face changes everything.
SHADOWBORN QUEEN (DARK FAE PARANORMAL PRISON SERIES BOOK 3) by G Bailey and Scarlett Snow
The throne is my fate…and I can’t escape. I’m Izora Dawn and I’m finally free from the prisons I was stuck in. Except for a tiny problem: The Enchanted Forest is at war, the Shadowborn Academy is nearly destroyed and I have to stop the titans before they destroy the world and take the last of my family with them. Turns out the outside world is far more dangerous than any prison could be. With my mates at my side, I will find the Titan keys and end their destruction for good. I can’t fail, my sisters need me and so do the light fae…or what is left of them. And royal fae never give up.
STORM FORGED (DEATH BEFORE DRAGONS BOOK 6) by Lindsay Buroker
Moving into a rundown Victorian house with a vampire living in the basement isn’t as bad as I thought, but things go from weird to weirder when a badly injured gnome collapses in my back yard. The surprising part? It’s my friend Nin’s long-lost grandfather. Since he’s unconscious, we can’t figure out who’s chasing him, or where he’s been all these years, but if we can’t help him, he’ll die. To make matters worse, there’s a new dragon in town. A female dragon. Everyone knows females are more dangerous than the males, and this one takes an instant dislike to me. It seems that she wants to date my mate, Zav, and has his mother’s approval. If I can’t avoid her wrath and find a way to cure the gnome, Nin’s going to lose her grandfather, and I’m going to end up deader than the vampire in the basement.
VANESSA YU’S MAGICAL PARIS TEA SHOP by Roselle Lim
VS Note: I love this magical realism genre. It’s on my TBR List.
Vanessa Yu never wanted to see people’s fortunes—or misfortunes—in tealeaves.
Ever since she can remember, Vanessa has been able to see people’s fortunes at the bottom of their teacups. To avoid blurting out their fortunes, she converts to coffee, but somehow fortunes escape and find a way to complicate her life and the ones of those around her. To add to this plight, her romance life is so nonexistent that her parents enlist the services of a matchmaking expert from Shanghai.
After her matchmaking appointment, Vanessa sees death for the first time. She decides that she can’t truly live until she can find a way to get rid of her uncanny abilities. When her eccentric Aunt Evelyn shows up with a tempting offer to whisk her away, Vanessa says au revoir to California and bonjour to Paris. There, Vanessa learns more about herself and the root of her gifts and realizes one thing to be true: knowing one’s destiny isn’t a curse, but being unable to change it is.
PRINCE OF CATS: AUTUMN COURT BOOK 1 by Tasha Black
VS Note: Another new series from Tasha!
Piper Lee has spent a lifetime training to become an Olympic archery champion, and her dream is so close she can practically touch it. But a chance encounter with a wickedly handsome stranger turns her life upside down in a single night of pleasure so intense it feels like magic. Her workouts and training sessions have now been replaced with cuddling and caring for a baby boy she loves more than life itself. She expects them to have a wonderful life together, and she plans to go back to archery when he’s older. The one thing she doesn’t expect is ever to see his father again.
When Prince Killian of the Autumn Court spots a beautiful, mortal woman through the magic mirror that serves as a gateway between realms, he decides to give her a single night of unbridled ecstasy, in exchange for an heir. He does not expect to fall desperately in love with her. He does not plan to hunger for her during his absence. And when he returns for his son, he certainly does not expect Piper to chase them back across the veil.
When Piper and Killian find themselves pursued by mythic creatures in faerie and targeted by an unknown enemy, they must work together to get baby Kieran back to the Autumn Court unharmed. But once they are there, Piper will have to live a lie if she wants access to her child, and to the man whose love she knows she cannot deny. And when evil follows them into the very walls of the palace, only Piper can fight back against the court that threatens her family.
MAGICAL MIDLIFE DATING: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (LEVELING UP BOOK 2) by K F Breene
She must learn to fly, but can she withstand the allure of the handsome new teacher? The decision has been made. Jessie has taken the magic, and all the weird that goes with it. Including wings. There’s only one problem – she can’t figure out how to access them. Through a series of terrible decisions, Jessie realizes she must ask for help. Gargoyle help. But she could’ve never predicted who answers her call – he’s an excellent flier, incredibly patient, and a good trainer. He’s also incredibly handsome. And interested. Maybe flying isn’t the only thing she needs help with. Maybe she needs help getting back on that saddle, too, emerging into the dating pool.
Except, the new gargoyle is also an alpha, just like Austin, and the town isn’t big enough for two. Turns out, flying is the least of her problems.
KISS OF SNOW (ROYAL HEARTS BOOK 2) by Elizabeth Briggs
She would do anything for her kingdom. He would do anything to protect her. After the King of Talador’s mysterious death, Princess Lily must prepare to take the throne, even if she doesn’t feel ready yet. As her coronation draws near, an attack on her life sends her fleeing the castle with her devoted Captain of the Guard, Keane, the one man she trusts above all others. When she arrives at her other palace, she is courted by seven handsome suitors, all hand-selected to potentially be her future King. With her kingdom in danger and her forbidden magic growing stronger, the last thing Lily wants to do is select a husband—especially when she’d rather be with the man who’s been by her side for years.
Now that Lily is going to be queen, Captain Keane understands she needs to marry a nobleman, even if the thought makes him want to run his blade through every one of her suitors. As long as he hides his true feelings for Lily, he can continue to protect her—even if no one can protect his heart. But when the attacks on Lily grow more dangerous and a threat from the past emerges, they must embrace her magic and their forbidden love if they’re going to save her throne.
BLACKSTONE RANGER CHARMER (BLACKSTONE RANGERS BOOK 2) by Alicia Montgomery
A lion shifter waiting for the inevitable.Lion shifter Gabriel Russel knew what the future held for him. As the only male in his family, he was expected to marry a lioness worthy of his name and create a lasting alliance to expand their Pride’s influence and power. However, when fate brings him his beautiful mate, he knew there was no way he was going to bend to his pride’s will. Of course, he also has to convince his human mate that they were meant to be together, but surely, he could win her easily with his charms, right?
A scarred woman, starting her life over after tragedy. A tragic event in the past has left deep scars–emotional and physical–on Temperance Pettigrew and her confidence has been left in tatters. Still, she’s managed to pick herself up and start again in Blackstone, Colorado. But when Gabriel literally crashes into her kitchen, she’s not sure what to do or even what he wants. He follows her around, sends her gifts, and is inserting himself into every aspect of her life. Her broken soul tells her this can only end in heartbreak, but Gabriel seems determined to tear down all her walls.
Though Gabriel and Temperance grow closer, outside forces are determined to keep them apart. Can Gabriel convince her that despite her scars, she’s the only woman for him? Can Temperance trust him not to break her heart?
PENNED IN (A FARM-TO-FARM MYSTERY) by Lynn Cahoon
Contented employees make for a successful restaurant, which is why the County Seat’s crew goes on a quarterly out-of-office meeting. This time, the location is the Old Idaho Penitentiary near the Boise Foothills, a prison brimming with ghostly lore. The lock-in features actors role-playing as guards, fascinating prison stories . . . and an unscripted murder. Who sentenced one of the faux guards to a very authentic death? Angie, her boyfriend, and the County Seat gang are locked in with a killer—excellent motivation for a little sleuthing. Between ghostly apparitions and flesh-and-blood suspects, Angie’s plate is full, but will her luck, and her life, hold out until the gates reopen at dawn?
CRY OF METAL AND BONE: EARTHSINGER CHRONICLES BOOK 3 by L Penelope
As desperate Lagrimari flee their barren land for a chance at a better life in Elsira, a shadowy group with ties to the Elsiran government launches an attack on their own soil. With threats of more violence, an unlikely crew is assembled to investigate. Among them are Lizvette Nirall, a disgraced socialite seeking redemption for past mistakes, and Tai Summerhawk, a foreign smuggler determined to keep a promise he made to a dead man. It’s a race against time in this world of deadly magic, secret agendas and court intrigue to discover those responsible before the next assault. And in another land a new enemy awakens—one that will strike terror into the hearts of gods and men.
MY DREAM WOMAN: BOOK ONE IN THE GUILD OF DREAM WARRIORS SERIES by C H Clepitt
When your dreams are real there’s no-where to escape! Andi is just holding it together. Working two jobs means she doesn’t need to rely on anyone, but doesn’t have much of a life. In her dreams, however, she is a hero: battling monsters and saving innocents. When her dream woman turns out to be very real, Andi’s life begins to spiral out of control. Step into an exciting urban fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat. Think The Book of Abisan, only sexier!
TEN ARROWS OF IRON (THE GRAVE OF EMPIRES BOOK 2) by Sam Sykes
Sal the Cacophony — outlaw, outcast, outnumbered — destroys all that she loves. Her lover lost and cities burned in her wake, all she has left is her magical gun and her all-consuming quest for revenge against those who stole her power and took the sky from her.
When the roguish agent of a mysterious patron offers her the chance to participate in a heist to steal an incredible power from the famed airship fleet, the Ten Arrows, she finds a new purpose. But a plot to save the world by bringing down empires swiftly escalates into a conspiracy of magic and vengeance that threatens to burn everything to ash, including herself.
PRELUDE FOR LOST SOULS by Helene Dunbar
In the town of St. Hilaire, most make their living by talking to the dead. In the summer, the town gates open to tourists seeking answers while all activity is controlled by The Guild, a sinister ruling body that sees everything. Dec Hampton has lived there his entire life, but ever since his parents died, he’s been done with it. He knows he has to leave before anyone has a chance to stop him. His best friend Russ won’t be surprised when Dec leaves—but he will be heartbroken. Russ is a good medium, maybe even a great one. He’s made sacrifices for his gift and will do whatever he can to gain entry to The Guild, even embracing dark forces and contacting the most elusive ghost in town. But when the train of Annie Krylova, the piano prodigy whose music has been Dec’s main source of solace, breaks down outside of town, it sets off an unexpected chain of events. And in St. Hilaire, there are no such things as coincidences.
ROARING by Lindsey Duga
Colt Clemmons is an agent in a specialized division within the Bureau of Investigation—one that hunts down not just mobsters, but also monsters. For reasons that are kept top secret, Colt is the only person who can resist a siren’s voice. But he’s never had a chance to test this ability. The last siren left in the world mysteriously disappeared years ago. Then one night, with a single word, she reveals herself. It seems too good to be true. And it is. Because nothing about this siren—her past, her powers, or her purpose—is what it seems.
MERMAID COVE AND SEASIDE SUNDAES (ONE SCOOP OR TWO) by Karen Michelle Nutt
One selfless act as a teen unfairly caused Sirena Seafair to forfeit her ability to shift into a mermaid. Fifteen years later, her mundane life is about to change when Jack O’Casey arrives in the Irish town of Grimm Nitch and opens his restaurant, Mermaid Cove. The man is bound and determined to make Sirena his no matter what. But if by chance, Sirena can find a way to reclaim her life as a mermaid, will she leave Jack and her human life behind in exchange for a life beneath the sea? Or will surrendering her heart to love be the magic she’s been waiting for all along?
IGNITING DARKNESS (COURTING DARKNESS DUOLOGY BOOK 2) by Robin LeFevers
When you count Death as a friend, who can stand as your enemy? Sybella, novitiate of the convent of Saint Mortain and Death’s vengeance on earth, is still reeling from her God’s own passing, and along with him a guiding hand in her bloody work. But with her sisters on the run from their evil brother and under the watchful eye of her one true friend (and love) at court, the soldier known as Beast, Sybella stands alone as the Duchess of Brittany’s protector.
After months of seeking her out, Sybella has finally made contact with a fellow novitiate of the convent, Genevieve, a mole in the French court. But Sybella, having already drawn the ire of the French regent, may not be able to depend on her sister and ally as much as she hoped. Still, Death always finds a way, even if it’s not what one expects.
No one can be trusted and the wolves are always waiting in this thrilling conclusion to the Courting Darkness duology, set in the world of Robin’s beloved His Fair Assassin trilogy.
SHIFTED RULE (THE WOLVES OF FOREST GROVE BOOK 3) by Elena Lawson
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…I don’t think so. I hated Ryland from the start. Now that he’s my alpha, hate is nowhere near a strong enough word. I’m barely holding on as it is, I don’t need him barking orders at me every chance he gets. Layla and Viv aren’t speaking to me, and I mean, I can’t really blame them. Each day brings them closer to a full moon that could change them both forever. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. At least I have Jared and Clay. I think we may have found the answer to our little mate bond problem and I finally feel…happy.
But then I begin to unravel a secret decades in the making. One that shakes me to my core and makes my wolf feral with rage. The time for recklessness and fear is at an end. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my mates and my friends, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. My enemy is about to learn that no one messes with my family.
ONCE UPON A FAIRY TALE NIGHT: A COLLECTION ORE RETELLINGS by Various
When it comes to romance, everyone could use a fairy godmother once in a while. Or at least a magic wand. This hot new collection of fairy tale retellings has it all—enchanting Regency ballrooms, demon-infested forests, billionaire-controlled boardrooms, and dark alien planets. And all our fairy tales come with a twist. Our heroes and heroines will take you to the depths of hell and the top of the castle’s spire as they move from Once upon a time to Happily ever after. Featuring a variety of romantic subgenres—contemporary, historical, paranormal, science fiction, reverse harem, and more—these retellings will satisfy your cravings for every style of fairy tale romance, whether you like it sweet or steamy, slow-burn or fast.
SET FIRE TO THE GODS by Sarah Raasch and Kristen Simmons
Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators, and she knows the brutal nature of war firsthand. But after her mother dies in an arena, she vows to avenge her by overthrowing her fire god, whose temper has stripped her country of its resources. Madoc grew up fighting on the streets to pay his family’s taxes. But he hides a dangerous secret: he doesn’t have the earth god’s powers like his opponents. His elemental gift is something else—something that hasn’t been seen in centuries. When an attempted revenge plot goes dangerously wrong, Ash inadvertently throws the fire and earth gods into a conflict that can only be settled by deadly, lavish gladiator games, throwing Madoc in Ash’s path. She realizes that his powers are the weapon her rebellion needs—but Madoc won’t jeopardize his family, regardless of how intrigued he is by the beautiful warrior. But when the gods force Madoc’s hand, he and Ash uncover an ancient war that will threaten more than one immortal—it will unravel the world.
WILD WARRIOR (WEAVERS CIRCLE BOOK 2) by Jocelyn Drake and Linda Elliott
Baer Manning – What happens when Baer spills his big secret about monsters and magic to a total stranger?Chaos. In Baer’s defense, he really thought Wiley was a lost brother. This case of mistaken identity forces the cute artist to stay at the plantation house for his own protection while they search for a way to take down a witch. Wiley Stuart – He never should have gotten in Baer’s Jeep. But in Wiley’s defense, Baer is really sexy. And funny. And so sweet. And did he mention sexy? All his life he’d dreamed of superheroes and a life of action. He just never expected to find himself swept up into a world filled with monsters and goddesses. Wiley will do anything to stay with this magical band of brothers and help them with their fight. He just wished he could be Baer’s soul mate.
VIXEN: A DARK PROTECTORS/ NOVELLA by Rebecca Zanetti
Tabi Rusko has a simple to-do list: Rob a bank, steal a recording, set up a lucrative factory, and survive the assassins on her tail. Sure, she’s a demoness with the cunning and instincts that come with her species, but she’s always spent more time exploring than training, and her fighting skills are okay at best. One sexy man, a human cop no less, is responsible for her being stuck in a small hick town and forced into a human anger-management group that’s crazier than her. To make matters worse, his dangerous blue eyes and hard body leave her breathless and ready to rumble, and his overbearing attitude is a challenge a demoness can’t refuse.
Evan O’Connell just wants to enjoy his time out of the military by policing a small town and hopefully pulling cats from trees and helping old ladies cross the street before he succumbs to the disease plaguing him. The last thing he needs is a stunning, too sexy, pain in the butt blonde casing his bank and causing a ruckus everywhere she goes. There’s something different about her that he can’t figure out, and when she offers him immortality in exchange for her freedom, he discovers that isn’t enough. One touch of her, a whirlwind beyond his imagination, and he wants the Vixen to be his forever, as soon as he takes care of the centuries old killers on her tail.
THE PRINCESS GAMES (THE PRINCESS TRIALSA BOOK 2) by Cordelia K Castel
The stakes are higher and the competition more brutal in round two of the Princess Trials. Zea’s relationship with Prince Kevon intensifies, and she must choose between the prince and the rebel who holds her heart. When her enemies uncover a secret that drives a rift between Zea and Prince Kevon, she’s not only battling for survival but facing execution.
BREAKAWAY (CIRCLE OF THE STARS BOOK 1) by Sadie Jacks
VS Note: PNR Reverse Harem
They are coming. Hollyn Parker is running for her freedom. For her life. Born and raised in a community that subjects her to the worst kinds of horrors, she must escape, or she will die. Thrust into a world that is so unlike her own, she finds herself in another prison. At least this one has a set of sexy triplets willing to help her. But the haven they offer isn’t without its own perils. When her old life catches up to her, she must make a choice. Save the men who have sheltered her. Or trust them when they say they can handle her past.
DEMON GUARDIANS by Jessica Coulter Smith
VS Note: A re-release of novellas.
Demon Guardians: Sexy, seductive demons craving submission. For centuries, they’ve stayed silent, hidden, observing and interfering without being detected. Each guardian demon has a charge to watch over, and it’s always a woman. But there’s only so much a demon can take…Bale: Alia’s a magnet for trouble. It’s time for her reckless behavior to stop, before it gets her killed. Aleixo: Monica has terrible taste in men. Aleixo’s drawn a line, and when her current man crosses it, Aleixo will break all the rules to save her from herself. Rorlan: He’s always been Larissa’s guardian. But now he’s claimed her heart. Dominguez: A single night of passion with Amara, or a lifetime of love? How is a demon to choose? Aires: He’s falling in love with Della. But what happens when two sexy as sin demons want you body and soul — and aren’t into sharing? Publisher’s Note: Demon Guardians contains the previously published novellas Demon Guardians Bale, Aleixo, Rorlan, Dominguez, and Aires.
ONCE UPON A TEMPTATION: A TWISTED FAIRY TALES LTD ED COLLECTION by Various
Once Upon a Temptation is a collection of twisted fairy tales that will blow your mind. Forget the version of these tales you knew before, and dive into the dark, mysterious worlds these authors have crafted. With shapeshifters to witches, to princesses and mermaids, this compilation will have something for everyone ranging from sweet to steamy, to dark and thrilling. These enchanting tales will quench your need for fantasies of your favorite kind.
PARANOIA, PIXIES AND…PROPHECIES?: A PARANORMAL WIMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (MUIDLIFE MAYHEM BOOK 4) by Melinda Chase
If there was one thing I’d learned over the last few months, it was that absolutely nothing lasted forever. Which was probably why I’d been so surprised when Hunter announced he was staying in Portland. I couldn’t help but think, and hope, that it had something to do with me, a forty-year-old divorcee who was half witch and half fae. Or maybe that was just a pipe dream. Either way, a new hunk isn’t the only thing that’s changed in my life within the last forty-eight hours. For starters, I freed an elf from prison based solely on the fact that he knew my grandfather’s name. And then that elf promptly had some sort of magical heart attack, leaving me to wonder just what the heck is going on in the world of the fae. I won’t have to wait too long to get answers, though. In fact, they’re coming at me more quickly than I can even think.
VISIBLE PANTHER LINE (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 27) by Milly Taiden
Sky Adler isn’t looking for a man. She’s happy being Gerri Wilder’s newest assistant and excited she’s on a mission to scope out a new client. She did not expect the town residents to treat her like she committed a crime and for the client to be hot enough to melt the ozone. She definitely needs a cold shower, but she’s a professional, she can handle it. Maybe. Hopefully.
Damien Grimes isn’t looking for a mate and has worked damn hard for the evil image he puts out. But when he meets Sky, that all changes. The very image of a playboy jerk is now what’s keeping his mate from wanting to give him a chance. He needs a small miracle, urgently, if he ever wants to get her out of her clothes and into his bed. And he really really wants that. It’s hard for Sky to not judge Damien based on her research, but she’s trying. Things are bumpy, but headed in the right direction when trouble comes calling and Sky needs saving. She has to allow Damien to be her hero and stop denying the love she knows she feels for him, or risk going home with her heart broken.
BULLY BEAR (WEREBEAR CREEK BOOK 3) by Layla Silver
I hate the way he zeroes in on me whenever we’re together. He’s a bad boy with clear opinions about goody-two-shoes girls like me. But no matter how much I try to avoid him, I can never for long. Because he’s my brother’s best friend and always knows how to find me. Things take a turn for the worst when I’m forced to work with him. This situation has “epic nightmare” written all over it. The worst part? I’ve been madly in love with him for as long as I can remember. I can’t stop staring at his utter perfection, and the questions are coming unbidden. What would it feel like to run my fingers through his hair? Would his rakishly trimmed beard prickle against my palm if I cupped his cheek?
What would his lips feel like if he stopped teasing me and kissed me instead? And most importantly: Will I ever find out?
TIME CROSSED WEDDING: GUARDIAN OF THE STONES TIME TRAVEL, BOOK 2 by Jane DeGray
When time-crossed lovers Ashley DeGray and Lord Robert Spycer fall in love in 1363 England, Ashley realizes she needs to return to her modern world to explain to her mother and brother her choice to stay with Robert in his medieval world. Her family has already suffered the loss of her dad, missing for two years, and she cannot disappear and leave them wondering again. Little does she know that her medieval man will follow her or that Abasi, an unscrupulous London antiquities dealer, will be on their trail hoping to catch a time traveler as the pair flies to Ashley’s home in Houston. The lovers plan a small Texas wedding with only family but are chased by Abasi’s men, sending their car careening through a Guardian stone into 1863 Lawrence, Kansas. Robert, Ashley, her mother and brother must fight their way back home through a Civil War border battle, but not without surprises from the past, a timely wedding, and a familiar witch.
LOVE AT FIRST SPELL (FAIRY FALLS MYSTERY BOOL 1) by Samantha Silver
Welcome to magical Fairy Falls, where love is in the air and killers are on the loose. Mina Tiller, a high-powered advertising executive whose only goal is to get that corner office, never thought living life in the fast lane would mean actually getting hit by a car. But when she’s struck by a taxi and the cab comes out of it the loser, Mina discovers something her mother had been hiding from her for her whole life: Mina is a witch. And you thought your family had secrets. Travelling to the paranormal town of Fairy Falls, Mina almost immediately finds herself embroiled in controversy when a wizard is poisoned right in front of her. Never one to sit on the sidelines, when Mina is asked to stay in town until the investigation is completed she decides to take matters into her own hands. With the help of her Pokemon-obsessed cousin and a talking cat with a dramatic streak, Mina sets about finding the killer. Between crazy relatives, magical gym sessions, and duelling paranormal families, Mina quickly finds a murder investigation might be the most normal thing about Fairy Falls. And who exactly is the strange journalist with the gorgeous green eyes that she keeps running into? However, as Mina gets closer to finding the murderer, she finds out that small towns don’t necessarily mean small secrets. Can Mina solve the case before the killer turns Mina’s new fairy tale life into a nightmare?
HIS HEATED CARESS (REAL MEN OF WILDRIDGE BOOK 5) by Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix
VS Note: From late July
A star bright enough to light up the big screen. A dragon strong enough to light up the sky. Wyntir Ignis may look like a movie star, but this fashion-forward dragon shifter actually protects them. As a personal security specialist for Wildridge Security, her job is to ensure the safety of the firm’s clients. Including one particular A-lister who makes the mistake of laughing in her face when she introduces herself as his new bodyguard. Jerk. A sexy jerk, but still a jerk.
World-famous action film star and single dad Stark Bradford has a reputation to maintain. It’s not that he thinks a woman can’t be an effective bodyguard—especially a dragon shifter—but the celebrity gossip sites would chew him up and spit him out if someone as feminine as Wyntir “protected” him. The only problem is that his shifter son does need a guard so he accepts, under one condition…When Stark’s first plan to explain Wyntir’s constant presence backfires, his son comes up with a perfect alternative: a fake relationship. Stark thinks it’s awesome. Wyntir…not so much. Between putting on a show for the paparazzi and dealing with his “biggest fan”—and despite their rocky start—they find themselves growing closer. Will they figure out how to survive in the Hollywood jungle, or will a surprise threat destroy any chance they have for a future?
COYOTES OF YELLOWSTONE by Lena Austin
VS Note: A re-release of 3 novellas
There’s something stirring in Yellowstone besides an ancient super-volcano. The wild things are slowly revealing themselves as shifters to the few humans who help them, something that hasn’t happened since the Native American shaman communed with the older races of the West. A vulcanologist, a geologist, and a TV survival show host will find themselves caught up in coyotes and controversy. Things are about to get a little wild in Yellowstone. Publisher’s Note: Coyotes of Yellowstone contains the previously published novellas Coyote Non Grata, Wild Thing, and Man vs Wild.
A TASTE FOR MAGIC (FAMILIAR KITTEN MYSTERIES BOOK 5) by Sara Bourgeois
When a diner at Bella Vita nearly drops dead during dinner service, nobody believes it was an attempted murder. Kinsley has to go out on a limb to find the answers before the would-be killer strikes again.
A Tasted for Magic is book five in the Familiar Kitten Mysteries cozy mystery series. You’ll find no swearing, gore, or adult situations, but you will find magic, mystery, and a hint of lighthearted mayhem.
THE BOOK OF THE BLADE (VESIK 16) by Eric Asher
The magic needed to save Damian requires three coins. One of which is from a world not their own. Thankfully, Cornelius, an elder blood mage, knows the way. After passing through a Seal between worlds, Beth and Cornelius realize traversing the strange new realm will require the help of a Sage. But all is not well in the Shadowed Lands. Eldritch influence is seeping in, diminishing their powers, and threatening the realm’s very existence. To learn more of the coin, Beth and Cornelius must stand with the Sage, but the price of knowledge may be their souls.
THE SHADOW’S EDGE: THE CHRONICLES OF DARIUS (THE DAGGER OF DESTINY BOOK 18) by Jess Thomas
VS Note: From June
Words can affect another; it doesn’t take a weapon to slice someone to pieces, only an unkind word or action. Now add black magic, and you’ve created a recipe for disaster. The light peels back the dark, and Darius finds he can’t hide from who he is. Formed by centuries of experiences, he has risen as high as someone can rise. With his family and his mate Finnal, he struggles to accept his new position of Solarist. Why then do unsaid forces call out to watch his back, while the shadows of his past are haunting him? Secrets will be revealed, and a love of the ages is once again is put to the test. Will Darius be able to fix his fate as well as Finnal’s? Our hero won’t be able to run and hide from the damage that’s been done; he must face it with his clan and move forward each day with determination away from the Shadow’s Edge.
FIRST FOREST (STANDALONE TALES BOOK 12) by Viola Grace
Abiha must ask the spirit of the first forest to allow her sister’s wedding, and she never expected his conditional answer. Abiha has been banned from her home in the village of the first forest. Once she left, she must wait for an invitation to return. Finally, her mother needs her to return to gain the permission of the elders for her sister’s wedding to a local young man. Abiha is on the next transport home. She changes into the traditional garb that is all that is ever worn in the village, leaves all her tech behind, and after a security check, she enters the walled forest and inhales the scent of home. Her mother is as cold as she remembers, and her sister is as charming and loving. Once she drops her things at her family’s house, she goes to the temple to greet the spirit of the first forest, formally asks the elders in the village for permission, and hears the forest spirit agreeing to the union on one condition. She has to agree to him. Kiloh has watched the village for generations, watching and waiting for the genes to create someone compatible with his energies. When Abiha returns, his wait is over.
IAN: MCCRAY BRUIN BEAR SHIFTER ROMANCE by Kathi S Barton
Things hadn’t been going very well for Lucy and her two sisters. When their parents died, their uncle had moved in and took over. The girls, apparently, were too much trouble to worry about, so he’d dumped them onto the streets to fend for themselves. It was just luck that Ian McCray and his family had found Lucy that day. Both Lucy and her sister, Jilly, were in bad need of medical attention. Ian was just thrilled to have found his mate alive. In their situation, it could have been much worse. Lucy was thankful for the help, but she was just going from one man to another lording over her and dictating what she could and couldn’t do. It was marry Ian or lose her sisters for good. Ian was a nice man, but she was tired of everyone telling her what to do.
MARKED BRIDES: SIX ALPHA SHIFTER ROMANCES by Various
Marked Brides is a collection featuring six brand-new, scorching hot shifter romances from six wonderfully talented authors.
STEALING TIME by B W Haggart
VS Note: From mid July
Shackled and dressed in a neon orange jumpsuit, art thief Cassie Sinatore awaits extradition at Heathrow Airport. An accident with a nearby experimental radar plane throws Cassie back in time, dumping her in a wooded countryside. The rider who discovers her is charismatic, more compelling than any man she has ever met. She chalks up the man’s Regency outfit and odd behavior to the eccentricity of the rich. Or maybe he is just a nutbar, but the man is offering a ride.
Lord Ross Kerrington, the new Earl of Drayton, having returned from the wars in 1815, finds the Kerrington family in turmoil, lunatic women who make him consider returning to the army. The alluring woman he discovers in the estate’s Greyfield Woods strikes him as equally mad. The woman wears bizarre attire, acting with a peculiar cheekiness that borders on insolence. Considering the very real dangers a madwoman faces encountering the surrounding inhabitants, he decides to bring her home to safety until he can decide what to do with her. Unexpectedly, his family has other ideas.
Faced with the realization she is trapped 200 years in the past, Cassie resolves to win her independence using her cat-burglar skills. Then things get complicated. Against her will, she finds herself caring about the Kerrington family, fighting a powerful attraction to the very proper Ross. Dependent on the Kerringtons’ good will, Cassie finds it increasingly difficult to navigate London society, the family, and even more, her growing passion for Ross. Besides, someone is trying to kill him.
RENOVATION SPELL (A MAGICAL MYSTERY BOOK 2) by Amy Boyles
Clem’s dog can talk? Is it possible for her life to get any more complicated? Of course it is. Even though Clementine is dealing with upheavals in her life (encountering an evil wizard from her past, talking dog), she is determined to keep things normal–meaning, business as usual. But when a house cleansing goes terribly wrong and someone winds up murdered, keeping things normal seems to be a pipe dream. To make matters worse, Clementine is the only witness to the crime. And when the body disappears, no one believes that a murder was ever committed. But Clementine is convinced that a crime took place and she is determined to catch the killer. To add on even more mayhem, Malene Fredericks wants her help spying on their neighbor, Clem’s dog can now talk, and Rufus Mayes is still hanging around looking for the memory spell that she has hidden. As Clem sorts out her feelings for Rufus and searches for a killer, she finds herself entangled in a darker mystery than she ever imagined. And when everything comes to a head, Clem finds herself face-to-face with danger. Will she escape, or will she become the next victim?
BEAR’S STRENGTH (GUARDIANS OF THE PHOENIX BOOK 3) by JL Madore
With five very different personalities bound by the universe, it’s no surprise ‘aligning our quint’ isn’t as easy as I hoped. Still, when all the life and death obstacles hit us, it’s Musketeer time – All for one and one for all. Do we have the juice to pull it together and unite the realms? Um… no one seems to agree on that. The one thing that everyone is straight on, though, is that the corruption in the upper levels of the Fae Concealment Office must be rooted out and stopped. What do superpowered teenagers have to do with anything? Who is moving behind the scenes to make our lives more difficult? And what’s the real reason Brant is holding back because I know it isn’t what’s happening behind closed doors. As a woman who’s never made it work with one guy, do I have what it takes to make it work with four? Gawd… I hope so.
THE TIED: A DARK ROMANCE (POSSESSIVE GODS) by Loki Renard
If she will not be my guest, she will be my prisoner. War has come to our world and the demigoddess of Okeanus is given to me to keep safe beneath my waters. How is an ocean god to keep such a guest from escaping? Ties. A lot of them. Wound from seaweed, blessed with charms, they’re practically inescapable. At first I tie her out of practical need, but every time I bind her, my hidden appetites grow stronger and my darkest desires become harder to suppress.
DAMIEN’S MATE by Anastasia Wilde
Damien Fernandez never claimed to be one of the good guys. The last time he tried—saving a shifter woman from being murdered by his ex-boss—he ended up with his employer in jail, no severance pay, and an effed-up knee from where an exploding building fell on it. But when he finds a gorgeous, sexy thief about to be outed in public as a shifter, he can’t stop himself from helping her—even if it means losing another job and almost getting blown up. Again. Lila Mondray, lion shifter, has been raised from childhood for one mission, one destiny—to hunt down a priceless set of magical artifacts and return them to the Dragonlands, restoring her exiled family’s honor. Now she’s almost there. She just never figured on her singular focus being derailed by a drop-dead-gorgeous, ridiculously persistent human bodyguard who makes her question everything her father raised her to believe. And when he takes her into hiding with the Wild Blood Crew, a whole new shifter world opens up in front of her—and so does her heart. So when Lila’s mission takes a disastrous turn, it’s up to Damien and the Wild Bloods to show her what love, family and loyalty really mean. But will they be too late?
CASTING A SPELL: A ZODIAC MAGIC NOVEL by PE Kavanagh
VS Note: From early JULY
Everyone has gifts. Hers happen to be illegal. Getting outed as a witch is the worst thing that’s ever happened to Libra. Worse than the betrayal of her blabbermouth ex-husband. The last straw? The big, dumb bodyguard who thinks he can protect her from a witch-hating gang. As if. Ash has one foot out of the life he’s grown to hate. The last thing he wants is to save one more life, but they’ve dragged him back in. All he has to do is guard some woman, supposedly the most powerful Magical in the country. Too bad she’s rude as hell and doesn’t believe she’s in danger. And he’s pretty sure she’s put a spell on him, because he can’t stop thinking about her. When the line between the good guys and the bad guys vanishes, working together might be their only hope. Becoming lovers, however, might just kill them.
BEE’S ENRAGED BEAST (JAMES PACK BOOK 4) by Lacey Thorn
Belinda…I don’t belong. Despite my alpha brother’s protection, many in our pack don’t want a freak like me around. My one chance at acceptance lies with my mate. I know he’s searching for me, but he’s not the only one. I don’t want to die without knowing his face, experiencing his touch, feeling his love. Beast…I don’t belong. With a name like Hannibal, is it any wonder? Most call me Beast, usually in a voice filled with fear. I’m a reaper of sorts. A wolf who hunts down bad wolves, bringing justice for those who most need it. My one shot at acceptance lies in finding my mate. When the man I’m hunting takes a hostage, he signs his death warrant. Once I catch her scent, I know who she is. Mine. Any harm she suffers will be returned tenfold, and her justice will be given in blood and death.
SUMMER SEMESTER (OMEGA WOLF ACADEMY BOOK 1) by JJ King
A brand new life, a brand new school, and three hot guys to drive her crazy. Lexi thought her first semester at Omega Wolf Academy would be relaxed and easy, but that’s not proving to be true. Having had zero experience with guys her entire life, Lexi’s world is turned upside down when not one, not two, but three seriously sexy guys all set their sights on her. Things get complicated really fast, especially when she discovers they’re best friends. Lexi is just finding her place at OWA when a dark part of her past tears her world apart. Will her secrets destroy the connection she has with Lucian, Dimitri, and Chase or will her men rise up to defend what they’ve built against the shadows that haunt her?
RULER: WOLVES OF WILD PAYNES by Kiki Burrelli
It all started with a mouse and a note. After that, Faust kept receiving strange messages delivered by forest animals. He’s no cartoon princess and this sh*t is weird but not life-threatening. He ignores it until he receives a flurry of notes all with the same message, help me, and there is no way Faust can ignore the odd messages any longer.
Storri was locked in a tower over five years ago, trapped there by a man he trusted. The man claims to be protecting Storri from himself and others, but Storri never had any enemies—only a teacher he thought had been a friend. Storri’s ability to communicate with animals helped him stay sane in isolation, but after so long alone, hope has faded. Rescuing his prince is only half the challenge. Faust and his pack already have a mystery, and they’ve never been closer to finding out who destroyed their family and why. But with knowledge, comes danger and the man who took Storri isn’t the only one willing to do anything to get their hands on him.
FAE ROSE ACADEMY: YEAR TWO (FOR THE PURELY DIVINE BOOK 2) by Quinn Ashwood and Avery Song
I, Rosadette Campbell, have finally been told the truth of my heritage and all that’s been hidden from me. It’s shocking, heart-clenching, and makes me want to run back to my life as human scum in the lower lands. But I’ve fallen in love with this world, and with a daring and humble prince, so I’m determined to give it all a second chance. And not for nothing, this may be the opportunity I’ve long sought, because my many questions will lead to answers and those willing to aid me in my conquest. Before I venture into the darker depths of year two, I must walk within the shadows of my birthplace and discover how powerful a fae like me can become. I’ll face the raging magic of the lands and seas, as well as the hidden secrets that separate the purely divine from the deadly. Darkness is brewing, revenge is calling, and I know a certain prince is waiting for my swift return. Let him endure the loss of my rose, for I am in a place of belonging and when I return for my second year at Fae Rose Academy, I hope he’s ready. I hope they’re all ready.
MORNING STAR by K M Raya
My name is Raven. Just, Raven. Like the bird, except my wings are much cooler. They allow me to do lots of things, namely–killing demons. That’s right. Demons. I’ve been on my own for years now. Just me and my devilish little cat, kicking a$$ and taking names. I’ve spent nearly my whole life hunting the evil beasties and protecting helpless humans, but I had no idea I was being hunted right back. Remember those wings I mentioned? Yeah, well it sort of means I’m not human at all.
So, after years of minding my own business, one teensy, tiny slip up brings me face to face with an elite team of beautiful, deadly celestials–guardians of the human race and punishers of demon kind. Just my luck, right? They may be easy on the eyes, but they’re also grumpy as hell, hot-headed and full of themselves. Also, they just so happen to claim that I belong to them. Well, to their race, that is. But getting that distinction through their immortal heads is another challenge. After getting kidnapped by these strange men, I’m forced to plead my case to their archangels, but not before I’m faced with an unexpected betrayal and deadly prejudice among the other celestials. Now I have no choice but to prove my allegiance to good rather than evil when my lineage is suddenly called into question. There’s a darkness living inside of me that’s begging to show its face. If I’m not careful, I just might welcome it.
FORTUNE ACADEMY: YEAR THREE by J R Thorn
I’ve done it. My five virtues have finally accepted me and it’s better than I could have ever imagined. Hendrik, Orion, Dante, Kaito, and Logan each fill a void inside of me that I hadn’t realized had been aching. One problem: something is still missing… Or someone. I sense another Virtue coming my way… and the guys are not going to like this one. Cole is unlike any of my Virtues. He’s a monster—just like me. Abused, beaten, and downright vicious. My guys think I should chase him away, but if being a monster has taught me anything it’s that everyone has a heart. It might be cold, hardly beating, and a bit broken, but I’ll find a way to reach him… monster to monster.
DRAGON’S OMEGA MATCHMATE (DRAGON’S MATCHMATE AGENCY BOOK 5) by Maia Starr
Catarina is the omega of my clan. A clan where I brought her. Helping her escape the Omega Hearts Agency came with consequences. I’ve fallen for her, but I can’t act on it. She’s forbidden… and tempting. And what’s worse? She has a terrible secret that’s a risk to her life. My obsession with Catarina has no conditions. I’ll possess her, keep her, and make her mine. I always protect what’s mine. Catarina is my responsibility. And escaping this clan is the only way to keep her safe. But could I lose her if there was resistance? I’ll fight until we’re free. Until her secret is no longer a threat to her.
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VS: I combined romantic suspense with science fiction romance to write my Alien Empath Series. One of my favorite connected mini series, set in the Sectors!
STAR CRUISE: STOWAWAY: The cargo master who found her as a stowaway on his ship wants to help but can she escape the reach of the crime syndicate? Amazon Apple Books Nook Kobo Google
DANGER IN THE STARS: In love with mob enforcer who guards her, can she trust him? Amazon iBooks Kobo Barnes & Noble Google
TWO AGAINST THE STARS: On the run from the Amarotu Combine, she risks it all to save an imprisoned soldier. Amazon iBooks Barnes & Noble Kobo Google
THE FATED STARS: A mercenary and an enslaved empathic fortune teller join forces to bring down the interstellar mob. Amazon Kobo B&N iBooks Google
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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.
Another great week. Pretty sure the Imogene Nix is a rerellease, as I have it , in the trilogy, already. I do wish authors would say so when this happens
I thought that I Nix book was a re-release but I always hesitate to say so if the author doesn’t address it and if I don’t find older copyright dates in the front matter. I’m with you – I really dislike it when authors don’t put a note in the blurb to alert readers of a re-release! Thanks for the information!
Wow, what a week! I’m going to have to 1-click several of these 🙂
Yup, I one clicked more than once LOL. Occupational hazard of putting this post together! My kindle stays full….so glad you find the report useful!
Thanks so much for the shout-out for Just in Time! Even though it has a lot of sci-fi elements, the cover doesn’t really shout that.
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