May 12 2023

Profiles in SciFi Romance: Regine Abel Talks Lizardmen and More

NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Regine Abel, who does amazing world building and brings her previous experience as a game designer to bear on her writing. She’s also created a hugely varied list of romantic characters from Lizardmen to outer space Dryads.

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you ever read and what did you like about it?

RA: I can’t remember specifically which one was the first. I only know that it had to be between Laurann Dohner, Kaitlyn O’Connor, Angela Castle, and Jeanette Lynn. My gut says the first book was either Ral’s Woman or Fury (New Species) by Laurann Dohner.

I had read a lot of sci-fi and dystopian novels before, especially books by A.E. van Vogt, but never sci-fi romance. As a huge sucker for romance in all its forms, I got hooked. It felt like such a fresh take on it, not to mention discovering completely new worlds and species. No other genre offered that. The possibilities were just infinite. I was growing numb to all the billionaire and contemporary romance. None provided the kind of escape sci-fi romance does, with wondrous new worlds, unique species, and exotic cultures. And other authors in the genre continue to blow my mind with their creativity.

ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you wrote?

RA: The first sci-fi romance book I wrote was Escaping Fate (Veredian Chronicles 1) a little over six years ago. I’d been beta reading for many authors (published and aspiring) for years. Often, I’d reflect to myself on the way they went about a great idea and how I would have written it differently. That planted the seed of me getting down to it.

One day, after I finished binge reading Tracy St. John’s Clans of Kalquor and then Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changelings series, I realized how crazy in love I was with both those worlds. I started thinking I would love to write a book that combined Tracy’s type of intergalactic political intrigue and “Mars needs women” trope, with Nalini’s psionic powers and societal conflicts. Then I thought why don’t I do exactly that instead of whining about how the authors I beta read for should have written their stories? That same night, I started outlining Escaping Fate. Five weeks later, I wrote THE END.

As a slave, Amalia’s unique psi powers made her Gruuk’s favorite pet. When she escapes to Xelix Prime, she meets her future husbands, Khel and Lhor. Together, they set out to destroy Gruuk’s slaves ring and bring back hope to both of their dying species.

ASM.: Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

RA: When I published I Married A Lizardman (Prime Mating Agency) in May 2021, I never expected it to become my all-time bestselling book. It outsold my previously bestselling book three times over.

The funny thing is that it all started as a fluke. I’d seen a fan art contest about Meoraq, the hero of R. Lee Smith’s epic novel The Last Hour of Gann. I’m not an artist, but I make my book covers using photomanipulation. Therefore, I didn’t participate. After the contest ended, I wondered if I could have pulled off something half decent and decided to try to make a lizardman. By the time I was done, it had gone from a personal challenge into an actual book cover with a story I was itching to write. And thus was born I Married A Lizardman.

On a side note, the original title was actually supposed to be “My Alien Babysitter” and have a completely different storyline.

A marriage of convenience between a human female and a sweet but grumpy lizardman gives rise to some epic and funny awkwardness as they work through their differences and solve the danger that threatens their clan.

ASM.: None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?

RA: That’s a tough one. I can think of various worlds I would love to live in. But if I had to narrow it down to a single one, it would probably be Xecania, the homeworld of Olix in I Married A Lizardman. They have a very simple culture, but with a strong focus on nurturing everyone’s personal aspirations, a good work-life balance, a strong community while respecting each other’s independence and privacy, and a great respect of nature and their environment. Although they are primitive in many ways, they are open to technology and gradually integrating it in a thoughtful and prudent way, while remaining true to their roots. But then, the same could be said about Trangor from I Married a Naga. It was a really close runner up in trying to pick one.

ASM.: Both are such well-constructed societies that I can imagine living in either. Which leads nicely into our next question: How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

RA: World building for me usually starts first with identifying the species of the hero. Then I will read up everything I can about the creature that inspired it. For example, when I wrote I Married A Naga, I read up on snakes.

I have an outline document in which I note that the traits that really stood out to me, including links to pages and videos. I have an images folder as well for visual references. Then I start figuring out how I would integrate or adapt those traits to my hero’s species, and I start answering questions related to that. How would that trait affect their lives and environment? How can I weave that into the story? For example, having a snake tail instead of legs affects their architecture, furniture, transportation. Since they don’t to eat every day, it changes the social dynamics of family dinners, going out to eat/drink with friends or for a date. Figuring out these elements is 60% of my world building and often inspires specific scenes in my books. The rest, I just wing it.

I don’t use post-its and don’t make fancy diagrams. I just have a whole lot of bullet points that I refer to when I start outlining the book.

ASM.: Which character in your books is either most like you or who you’d like to be and why?

RA: The character who is most like me is definitely Amalia from Escaping Fate. They do say authors write themselves into their books. As she was my first book, I can totally see it. She’s mischievous, has a potty mouth, can sometimes come across as immature in her playfulness, but she’s also super loyal to those she loves and will eat you alive if you cross her.

If I were to choose who I would like to be, I’d have to say Mercy from Ravik’s Mercy (Braxians 2). She’s totally badass and doesn’t take shit from anyone. She’s smart, powerful, beautiful, and fearless. She has a heart of gold, but if you mess with her, as she says, she only has one mercy, and that’s her name.

ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

RA: I’m a bit on a fence here as to how to answer this question. Technically, my most recent book was Bluebeard’s Curse as I more than doubled its length from the original novella which I had published six years ago. So does it truly qualify as the most recent? The folktale Bluebeard inspired that book. I love fairy tales, but I’ve always hated that women in classic fairy tales were often portrayed as weak, driven by their passions and desires to the point of obsession. And only a good, strong man could save them from whatever danger they had brought upon themselves because of said weaknesses. I liked the idea of Bluebeard, but not the fact that his wives died because they couldn’t control their curiosity, and that he cruelly set them up for failure. I wanted to give a plausible reason as to why a strong woman would struggle to resist temptation, and why he had no choice but to kill his wife if she failed.

But if we look at the latest book that I wrote from scratch (not an expansion), then it would be I Married A Dryad. For the longest time, I had wanted to write a Dryad in my PMA series (since each hero is inspired by either an animal, a monster, or a mythical figure). For this specific species, it was a TV show I watched as a kid that inspired it: Space Pirate Captain Harlock. The main villains were a humanoid plant species called the Mazone. I hated that they were villains and wanted to write my own good Dryad story. I had just struggled with making a book cover I loved ahah. As I had referred to Edocits (a Dryad species) in previous Prime Mating Agency books, I already had a basis for them. It was then just a matter of fleshing out their world. As I loved the movie “Avatar”, I wanted to include my spin on their spirit tree and of the symbiosis between the people, the creatures, and the land. The veris of my Dryads is my spin on the Tsaheylu of the Na’vi—the braid connection. Except my veris have a lot more different uses, including as weapons and communication tools.

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?

RA: It’s a coin toss between I Married A Lizardman and I Married a Naga in terms of most fun to write because of the cultural differences. In the Lizardman, it was all about poor Olix being traumatized about humans, whereas in the Naga, it was all about Serena freaking out about the Ordosians culture and anatomy. In both cases, I was cracking myself up just writing those scenes. But then I Married A Minotaur was also a blast because of the sassy banter between Zatruk and Rihanna.

Anton’s Grace and Raising Amalia were the most difficult to write. I was bawling my eyes out writing these books because there are some major tear-jerking scenes. But Anton would have to be the hardest. He’s definitely an antihero with a major redemption arc. The heroine, too, was challenging because she suffered from dependent personality disorder, which made her very different from my usually sassy, confident, and badass heroines. I find it unfortunate that readers sometimes just seem to want cookie cutter personalities. I can’t write the same heroine over and over again. Different personalities are just as worthwhile.

It was my first time writing a dark romance. Many times, I considered toning things down to make them more palatable to a greater audience, but then I wouldn’t have been true to the characters. Both MCs needed to be broken in order to be reborn, embrace their true selves, and grow together. In the end, they became one of my favorite couples. But you have to go into this book with an open mind and remember that they live according to very different social rules. What we humans would consider abhorrent is normal in their culture.

ASM.: I love the in-depth character analysis and I agree about not wanting to write cookie cutter indivduals. Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?

RA: I would have to say Aleina from Twist of Fate (Veredian Chronicles 4) and Anton from Anton’s Grace (Braxians 1). I can’t go into too much detail about Aleina without giving major spoilers. But reviews and feedback about her really made it clear to me that there are double standards in what readers find attractive in a man but when done by a woman, she’s suddenly bitchy or unlikeable. Aleina is a very strong leader. She’s devoted her life protecting others. People felt she wasn’t sweet enough to the hero because she wasn’t submissive enough and clearly stated she didn’t need a man to protect her (which she genuinely didn’t). Although she isn’t the ruler of her people, she pretty much had the lives of her entire endangered species in her hands and put their needs and her duty before anything else. If I had written that exact same character as a male, they’d be licking him up lol.

As for Anton, he does certain things that would be deemed unforgivable by certain readers, but that’s because they look at him with human eyes and based on human standards. They judge the heroine just as poorly for not being a tough gal. But if you take a step back and look at them through the lenses of their world, you will soon realize she’s actually really strong, just not in a gunslinger way. And he has a heart of gold, but he’s just been beaten up so much growing up, he’s carrying so much trauma, and he’s so desperate to belong that he grows blind to the fact that he’s becoming the same type of monster who made his life hell.

ASM.: Key and important point about trying to view the challenging characters through the lens of their own civilization, culture and experiences. That applies in real life too, I think. Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?

RA: Mars needs women and fated mates are my favorite. It’s unfortunate that some people think that fated mates means instant love. It’s not the case. I don’t like instant love. I like to see the relationship develop between the characters, whether they were initially attracted to each other from the start or not. Most of my books are fated mates. In my Veredians and Xian Warriors series, one of the two MCs has a physiological reaction when they meet the one. So they know they have found their soulmate, but they still need to get to know them and fall in love. Someone realizing that singing is their passion and vocation won’t make them a prima donna overnight. They will still need to do the work for that to come true. It’s the same with my fated mate characters. They still need to build the relationship.

I don’t really dislike any trope although I’m not a big fan of slow burn, unless they are very well written. Often, I find the delays are artificial or caused by silly reasons to needlessly drag things on. But my biggest issue isn’t so much a trope as much as character behavior. TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) characters are instant DNF (Did Not Finish) for me, as well as conflicts that could be resolved with a single adult conversation, but the characters keep throwing hissy fits and walking away over a misunderstanding. I’m generally not keen on conflicts between the couple unless external factors are causing that conflict. But I love seeing them working together to resolve it.

ASM.: I’m in agreement with you on both sides of the tropes you mention. I have a similar thing in my Badari Warriors where the main male character recognizes his fated mate but the human woman often doesn’t feel it at first. And I’ve thrown books against the wall when the miscommunication artifice goes on too long! Do you also write other genres?

RA: I have a couple of paranormal romance novels. I wish I had time to write more of them. But they are a lot more challenging to me to the extent that they all take place on modern-day Earth, which is a bit more restrictive. With SFR, the sky isn’t the limit. There are no limits. If I can think it, I can write it. Who can argue that this world functions the way I wrote it?

ASM.: What’s next for you?

RA: My priorities for the rest of this year are writing the final book of my Xian Warriors series, getting back to my Veredians, and finishing (or getting close to finishing) at least one of the two graphic novels of my books that my artists are currently working on. It is a little challenging as I have so many irons in the fire at the same time, between writing, translations, audiobooks, running an Etsy store, and Patreon. But as I’m a sucker for punishment, I am also participating in my first book signings this year (three in total). So I’m quite the busy bee.

ASM.: Wow, that’s an understatement with all you have going on! What’s on your To Be Read List?

Honestly, I don’t even know where to start, the list is so long. But definitely high on my list, I desperately want to catch up on Opal Reyne’s Duskwalker Brides.

ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

USA Today bestselling author Regine Abel is a fantasy, paranormal, and sci-fi junkie. Anything with a bit of magic, a touch of the unusual, and a lot of romance will have her jumping for joy. She loves writing hot alien warriors meeting no-nonsense, kick-ass heroines. Her novels are steamy, action-packed, and with the twists and turns you never saw coming.

Before devoting herself as a full-time writer, Regine had surrendered to her other passions: music and video games! After a decade working as a Sound Engineer in movie dubbing and live concerts, Regine became a professional Game Designer and Creative Director, a career which has led her from her home in Canada to the US and various countries in Europe and Asia.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/regine.abel1

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https://www.instagram.com/abel.regine/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/regineabel

Tiktok

https://www.tiktok.com/@regineabel_books

Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/regineabel

Regine’s Most Recent SFR Novel:

I MARRIED A DRYAD (PRIME MATING AGENCY)

He was her perfect match.

Fed up with the deadbeats and jerks infesting the standard dating pool, Maeve reaches out to the Prime Mating Agency, hoping to improve her luck. Her fear of ending up with some weird primitive alien is immediately alleviated when she’s paired with a stunning Edocit. Smart, funny, sweet, and as hellbent in protecting the weak and the oppressed as she is, Helio exceeds everything she ever dreamed of. If only she didn’t have to keep so many secrets from him.

Helio hadn’t been actively looking for a mate, least of all an off-worlder. But the moment he lays eyes on Maeve, he’s smitten… but also intimidated. Aside from the cultural shock their pairing is bound to give her, he’s a mere bounty hunter, while she’s a brilliant, high-ranking officer of the Enforcers, the elite intergalactic peacekeeping forces. Despite his insecurities, they’re off to a great start… until tragedy strikes.

With the lives of countless innocents on the line, will the clash of their respective worlds tear them apart, or will they overcome adversity to prevail against evil?

AmazonKU

LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (listed alphabetically by authors’ first names):

May 10 2023

New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for MAY 10

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

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available.

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ALIENS ON EARTH by Various

What’s worse than being mated to an alien warrior? Finding out your new mate is exiled to Earth, which means your hopes of getting off this forsaken rock just went out the window of his broken down spaceship. In this limited edition collection of romances you’ll find heroes and heroines thrown into heart-pounding adventures as they help their alien mates escape condemnation to exile on Earth, while others settle into a comfortable almost-human existence. Out of this world romance can be found here on Earth with this limited edition collection of alien romances brought to you by a diverse group of USA Today bestselling authors along side some new and notable voices in the genre. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

WHEN SHE’S WARY by Ruby Dixon

Being stolen from Earth has taught me that there’s nothing in this universe to be trusted. Not people, not promises. So I make sure that I’m prepared for the worst at all times. I fill my homestead with pit traps. I make weapons for fun. I avoid my friendly neighbors.
And I never leave my house if I can help it. So when I find a deathly-ill cat alien on my living room floor, I do what any sensible human woman would do. I put a stun-stick to his jock and demand answers. He should be scared. Terrified. So why is this idiot flirting with me? AmazonKU

AZIEL (ELYON’S WARRIORS BOOK ONE) by Eve Langlais

It took an angel to make me believe in love. As a woman of science, I am an unabashed, agnostic atheist—until I meet my first angel. Aziel, with big, beautiful wings, claims he’s here to stop humanity from being annihilated. Sounds impressive, but I have questions. Full of arrogance and demands, he wants access to my life’s work while blaming me for the coming apocalypse. It seems my innocuous signal seeking life beyond our galaxy succeeded. Someone heard my invitation, and now the world is in grave danger. At least according to Aziel. As I get to know him, I find myself reevaluating everything I thought I knew. More surprising than my sudden belief in religion, though, is my irrational love for an overbearing angel. But will he defy Heaven’s orders to save me?

Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

RESISTANCE (THE INTERSOLAR UNION SERIES BOOK FIVE) by Etta Pierce

Imani James was a hunter, the kind that tracked and killed poachers in wildlife reserves in Tanzania after serving in the army for most of her twenties. She was good at her job, the best, but getting information and support from the Intersolar Union to protect Renata, the human colony on Yaspur, was like pulling teeth. So much so, that it reminded her of the corruption and illegal trade that plagued her work back on Earth. When Imani finds out that Arms Master Vindilus Calgari is leaving Renata to “investigate” the corporation that’s buying up enslaved humans in the Outer Rim, she’s determined to keep him in her sights. She’s done her research. Vindilus was a black market enforcer before he donned his starched uniform. What’s to say he won’t make a sly deal that puts the fragile colony in jeopardy? Imani’s hard-headed suspicions and sharp wit push Vindilus over the edge. He’s been keeping secrets from her for months, but not for the reasons she thinks. When rising tempers lead to tangled sheets, their lives are thrown into uncharted territory. Will they learn to accept each other before their enemies gain the upper hand? AmazonKU

THE UNCANNY ADVENTURES OF ADAM HONEY by Lex Baker

The world seems to be falling apart, all thanks to some ancient lifeform awakening and preying on unsuspecting humans. Deputy Adam Honey and his husband are the only ones who can save humanity from annihilation, and possibly the world from destruction, but it’s a tedious, bizarre journey — and Deputy Honey is four months pregnant, because it’s never that easy. In a slightly dystopian future where people have tried to save the planet with devastating consequences, Adam is on a journey from his childhood at an orphanage to becoming a happy sheriff’s deputy on Nantucket Island to saving the world. The key to saving humanity is for him to understand who he really is.

Amazon Apple Books Kobo

SIENNA (ALIEN FUGITIVES BOOK TWO) by Mel Teshco

He’s a bounty hunter sent to Earth to capture her. She’ll fight tooth and nail for her freedom. Sienna Moore is a revered rare—a Strazan native with unique powers—who escaped to Earth with six other Strazanian rares from their vicious, Dronian enemy. Survival is now her only plan. After shifting into human form, she uses mind control to conceal her true identity. Except, nothing can stop the Dronians from closing in on her, or the bounty hunter from another planet who is now also on her trail. Gray Bastine has only one goal: track down Sienna and capture her before the Dronians find and kill her. With his own planet in danger of becoming the Dronians next world to conquer and destroy, he’ll use force if necessary to get Sienna to tell him everything there is to know about their common enemy. A pity she isn’t so easy to acquire. The longer it takes to claim her, the more he realizes her safety is no less important than those of his own people. Even worse, their attraction is making this a mission impossible.

Amazon Apple Books Kobo

SENTINEL’S LOCK (AELARAN WARRIORS BOOK TWO) by Elin Wyn

I’ve fallen too hard, too fast, for this alien warrior. And now our story might be over before we’ve even had a chance. Something in Kael’s past has broken him, made him unable to trust anyone else. And our enemies seem determined to turn us against each other. The danger to the Earth is spiraling out of control. And the danger to my heart is only a breath away. AmazonKU

SPECTACLE OF THE SPRING QUEEN: A STEAMPUNK NOVELLA (SEASONS OF SOLDARK) by Liz Delton

When Mae Wright inherits a shop in Soldark, her dreams of opening her own seamstress business come true. But when she lands in Soldark and bad luck strikes, she’s forced to choose between saving her dog, or the money she came with. With Bobbin safely in hand, she must find a way to make it in a new city almost penniless. Things change when she meets Des, who hires her as a costume designer for the Proserpina Theater. Spending her meagre earnings simply on clothes and food, she’s thrown into destitution yet again when her shop demands more repairs than she can afford. And with the theater close to the brink of going under, she and Des decide to team up to design a costume for the annual spring festival contest—the winnings enough to save both of them from sinking. But with the spring festival looming, Mae finds herself immersed in the comfort and beauty of the Proserpina, the place pulling her away from her own dreams. And when she realizes her feelings for Des, she finds herself even more torn between the two worlds. But her contract is ending, and time is running out to make a decision on her future. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

ORC’S BAIT (CRUCIS ORC TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Eden Ember

One second I’m at the top of the highest peak in New Mexico camping with my friends, the next I’m waking up in a stasis pod. This can’t be happening. Aliens aren’t real. Are they? No, I’m being tricked, there’s a hidden camera somewhere. My friends are playing tricks. Then I see him coming at me looking like a real monster. Surely this is a joke. Yet he’s tall and thick and very muscled, and not human. And strangely the attraction is real. Something electric and magnetic passes between us. They say you can’t change fate. And fate has brought me to a place so far from my home, and to a being who looks at me with fresh desire in his eyes. AmazonKU

BANG BANG BODHISATTVA by Aubrey Wood

VS Note: Not a romance but an LGBTQ+ scifi cyberpunk release of note.

It’s 2032 and we live in the worst cyberpunk future. Kiera is gigging her ass off to keep the lights on, but her polycule’s social score is so dismal they’re about to lose their crib. That’s why she’s out here chasing cheaters with Angel Herrera, a luddite P.I. who thinks this is The Big Sleep. Then the latest job cuts too deep—hired to locate Herrera’s ex-best friend (who’s also Kiera’s pro bono attorney), they find him murdered instead. Their only lead: a stick of Nag Champa incense dropped at the scene. Next thing Kiera knows, her new crush turns up missing—sans a hand (the real one, not the cybernetic), and there’s the familiar stink of sandalwood across the apartment. Two crimes, two sticks of incense, Kiera framed for both. She told Herrera to lose her number, but now the old man might be her only way out of this bullshit…A fast-talker with a heart of gold, Bang Bang Bodhisattva is both an odd-couple buddy comedy that never knows when to shut up, and an exploration of finding yourself and your people in an ever-mutable world. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

RESONATE (THE AVALON SERIES BOOK ONE) by Erin Wilkerson

Sixteen-year-old Tamar Linsky has had enough of the never-ending quakes and destruction on an increasingly unstable Earth. Seeking refuge in humanity’s first lunar colony, Lunar Base One, she leaves the slow destruction of her world behind to make her mark as a groundbreaking scientist. While navigating the challenges of the high-tech research facility filled with the brightest young minds from around the globe, she finds herself distracted by a handsome prankster—knowing relationships are forbidden—who threatens to inhibit her goals. Once a catastrophic event back on Earth cuts off all communication with the planet, Tamar and her team must find a way to survive on their own.

Amazon Apple Books Kobo

ALIEN HOPE (FATED MATES OF THE SEA SAND WARRIORS BOOK 14) by Ursa Dax

ABBY – I have a secret. I’m pregnant. With a human baby. And not a much-needed girl the Sea Sand Gahns would welcome. Nope. I’m carrying a 100% human male. So when the kind, quiet Bitter Sea warrior Kohka tells me he’s leaving for the Deep Sky settlement, I convince (aka, beg) him to take me along. I just need to get away from here. Once in Deep Sky territory, I can lose Kohka and have my secret baby in a cave somewhere. Alone. It may not be the best plan, but it’s the one I’ve got. The only problem? The longer I’m with Kohka, the less I want to leave him. He’s stoic and self-effacing and awkwardly adorable in the sweetest possible way. He makes me feel safe. But if he finds out I’m pregnant, he’ll drag me back to the settlement as fast as he can to try to keep me protected, even if it’s the last thing my child needs. The safety of my baby boy must come first. I have to figure out my next steps in the Deep Sky territory on my own. Even if those steps lead me away from the one man I suddenly want to run to. KOHKA – I once thought nothing was as beautiful as the Bitter Sea. Seeing Abby’s face up close for the first time proved that wrong. It’s not only her face I like…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

DUALITY: A DARK STAR MERCENARIES SHORT STORY by Anna Carven

A short, spicy, “slice of life” story that was featured in my Facebook group. By request, I’m making it available as an eBook. Featuring Abbey and Tarak, it’s for existing fans of the couple and the series. Amazon

ALIEN’S BOUNTY by Lena Grey

He’s close to avenging his brother’s death…until he meets his fated mate. Zoren has tracked the most wanted assassin in the galaxy to a dangerous outlaw planet. Xfier killed his brother, and when Zoren catches him, he’ll finally have his revenge. Then, he stumbles upon Vivi. His desire for the tiny human with hair the color of flame and skin as pale as sand burns as bright as the Entwined Souls mark on his chest. Vivi belongs to him, and nothing will stop Zoren from claiming her. Even if keeping Vivi means letting his brother’s killer slip through his hands. Again. AmazonKU

KEY TO HIS HEART (CYBORG ALIEN BRIDES BOOKS ONE) by Athena Storm

His people crashed onto my world. And he crashed into my heart. The alien calls himself Tavion. Sure, he may be part machine. But down there…he’s all man, if you know what I mean. His ship crashed from the future. But he’s stolen my heart for eternity. He and his people need to go home and because he came from the future he can’t take me with him. But the only way they can do return is if I help them find the artifacts they lost when they crashed onto our world. It’s a dangerous adventure. And if we succeed…It’ll mean he’ll be gone forever. Can our love rewrite the celestial script? Or are we fated to flicker away like a dying star? AmazonKU

FOREVER FATED by Athena Storm

I’ve been a treasure hunter all my life. Until one day I hit pay dirt……and found the love of my life. I was held prisoner by space pirates. Until Graff came to my rescue. He had come for his young niece and nephew when he found me as well. He freed my body…And captured my heart. But before we could understand what happened, the universe turned against us. It seems the stars themselves seek to stop our love. And I am left with one giant question. Do I give up everything I’ve ever worked for? To save the love I never knew I desired? AmazonKU

HEALER OF THE DOMINI (MATES OF THE DOMINI BOOK THREE) by Talia Rhea

SCARLET DIDN’T NEED ANYONE – Being abducted and living on an alien world was no reason to give up on her dreams. She was used to fighting for herself, even if she had to do it alone. But fighting for the future of humanity on the universal stage was a bit further than she was comfortable going. Luckily, she has an ally in her corner to help her out. And best of all, he is only trying to be friends. He hasn’t said a word about being her mate and that’s how she prefers it. HAVALI NEEDS HER DESPERATELY – He didn’t deserve a mate, but he couldn’t keep himself away any longer. He was willing to do whatever it took to gain her affection – manipulating her because he was a terrible male. But no matter what, he was going to make sure she was safe. Even if the thing he had to keep her safe from was himself. He wasn’t worthy of her, but he was going hide just how despicable he was because he had to have her. THE UNIVERSE NEEDS ALL OF THEM – There’s a lot that humanity can bring to the universe, they only have to convince them that it’s not something done on their back. A task that seems impossible as their ability to mate and breed with other species is the only thing they care about. It’s not just the future of humanity their fighting for, its their dignity and safety. Because not everyone is willing to respect that, and they’re desperate enough to do anything to get their human breeder. AmazonKU

BEYOND POWER (SPECTRAL SERIES BOOK ONE) by Lina Hart

VS Note: Cliffhangers.

Angelia is a hardware tech genius who enjoys her solitary life amid books and robotic technology until a man with silver eyes shapes a new path for her future. As they navigate their feelings for each other, they discover that a few innocent lies only scratch the surface of the dangers they must face together. In a dystopian future, Marina is one of the few surviving human beings on Earth. She fills her isolated days maintaining her high-tech compound, making supply runs to the now desolate New Eastland, and coping with the loss of her mother. One day, her security perimeter alerts her to the presence of a supposedly extinct cat. Before coming to terms with her new feline friend, a traveler appears at her door, calling into question everything she thought she knew. A scientist obsessed with finding a super healing gene sets off a chilling chain of genetic events, unleashing a new breed of extraordinary humans. As those without the gene become expendable, a terrifying struggle for survival ensues, and the consequences of playing with genetic fire changes the course of humanity. As the cast of characters grows in this time-jumping journey, everyone will be faced with one impossible question: what is worth more: evolution and power or love and passion? AmazonKU

MIRROR OF THE SUN (ENHANCED BOOK SEVEN) by Victoria Sue

VS Note: I went back and read the blurb for book one and it seems “enhanced” involved genetic engineering or DNA manipulation of some sort, conferring special abilities.

Together, they might stand a chance. Divided the world might never survive. Richard, chased by the memory of losing his entire team in Syria, agreed to help his younger brother Talon, in an attempt to forge bonds between them that had been broken when Talon had transformed. Adam, terrified of the team that had given him a chance at life, finding out what he had done. Would it result not only in losing the family he had always wanted but never had, but the real risk of harm to those not expecting it, and knowing he was going to be forced to choose between the two? Sawyer, torn between the real possibility that his ability was out of control, and terrified to admit it even to those who had always had his back, was secretly being drawn to both the warrior that might save the world, and the innocent that might have to sacrifice himself for it. And the very real possibility that the evil they faced would defeat all three. AmazonKU

DEEP (THE DEEP BLUE COLONY SERIES BOOK ONE) by Melanie Bokstad Horev

VS Note: Not a romance but a YA dystopian scifi release of note; sounded good to me.

Ryler is a young resident of Deep Blue, an underwater colony that’s home to the last survivors of a global environmental disaster. A disaster that wiped out humanity hundreds of years ago, leaving the surface air toxic and the last hope of humanity beneath the waves. After the devastating and unexpected death of his grandmother, Marna, who also happens to be the president of the colony, Ryler teams up with his friend Anna to uncover the truth behind her suspicious demise. Their investigation takes them down a dangerous path, as they discover shocking secrets and a killer on the loose who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden. With time running out and their own lives on the line, Ryler, and his friends must race against the clock to solve the mystery and escape the clutches of an invisible enemy. Will they make it out alive? AmazonKU

VALKYRIE: THE AVIAN CLONE CHRONICLES by Cheryl Brooks

Stunningly handsome Avian clone Valkyrie is highly intelligent with superior senses and a pair of golden wings, but he has one trait that allows his horrific past to haunt him—he can’t forget anything. Zia, a lovely Mordrial woman with telepathic abilities, works in the orphanage where she and her elder sister, Letsa, grew up. But now Letsa is dead—killed by an unknown assailant with an illegal laser weapon. The police are stumped, and Zia hopes Val’s legendary computer skills can help her crack the case. When Val reluctantly agrees to help Zia, he gets far more than he bargained for as their working relationship develops into something much deeper. Zia suspects that Val might be The One, but first she must help him let go of the past and move on, as they risk their lives to bring a killer to justice.

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SPACEPORT: SECURITY (SPACEPORT ONE) by Shelby Morgen

Haze. A seedy bar on the edge of nowhere. The perfect hideout for those with nothing to lose. Welcome to Spaceport Adana. In a dark corner, a woman who’s seen too much. A man who moves through the shadows with the grace of a cat. She’s on his tail, and he’s determined to find out why. Once he might have been flattered to have her checking out his ass. Now he knows women are dangerous. And far, far too expensive. But Commander Kala Decoltéir always gets her man, and she wants the space pirate they call Dancer — no matter who — or what — he is. This time, Dancer has no escape. Publisher’s Note: Spaceport is a multi-author shared universe that does not need to be read in order.

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

VS: Picking a book from my backlist at random, here’s STAR CRUISE IDOL’S CURSE, which I think doesn’t get enough love despite the presence of Charrli, the adorable scifi dog, a diva with butterfly hair and a cursed alien rock!

An unusual bequest….

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

Until the rock disappears from her office…

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

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

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

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******************************OKAY, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT (because my own books pay my bills) AND ONWARD WE GO!**************************************************

HEART STINGS: AN ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN NOVELLA by Jennifer Estep

VS Note: Re-release.

Heart stings can be the most dangerous wounds of all . . .Lorelei Parker has had plenty of “heart stings” in her life—moments that are both happy and sad. With her grandmother’s recent marriage, Lorelei has had far more good times than bad lately. That all changes when a ruthless Ashland underworld boss starts threatening her, but Lorelei is determined to figure out why the other crime boss is so interested in her thriving business. She vows to use her elemental Ice and metal magic to do whatever it takes to defend herself and her family. Also in the mix is the mercurial Hugh Tucker. Lorelei doesn’t know what the vampire is up to, or if he’s a friend or an enemy. Tucker might even be something else, something more—if Lorelei can stay alive long enough to figure out whose side he’s really on . . .Note: Heart Stings is a 38,000-word novella from the point of view of Lorelei Parker. It takes place after the events of Last Strand, book 19 in the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Heart Stings first appeared in the Dirty Deeds 2 anthology in 2022. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

SILVER SOLDIERS: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY BOOK SEVEN by Various

VS Note: I one clicked. A variety of scifi romance, PNR and more by great authors.

SILVER SOLDIERS: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY will satisfy the reader who craves stories with older alpha male heroes…This collection features “silver soldiers”—those salt-and-pepper hotties with crow’s feet earned through rugged training and years of combat. Former soldiers finding their footing after their first careers, or current soldiers nearing the end of their military careers.

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DRAGON FIGHT (THE DRAGON QUEEN BOOK TWO) by Sam Hall

I escaped the terrible queen’s clutches so I should be safe, right? Apparently the fates didn’t get the message because while I’m on my honeymoon someone tries to kill me.
Twice. And right in the middle of it is him. Crown Prince Draven. He’s waiting until my guard is down, but is it to kiss me or kill me? Or both? AmazonKU

THE DRAGON’S AFFIRMATION (PERIDOT DRAGON SHIFTER BROTHERS BOOK THREE) by Marie Johnston

Memphis – Introducing humans into our world is dangerous enough, but when my twin’s mate has a worried brother who charges in at the wrong time to see me in full dragon mode, it’s downright deadly. To save all our scale-covered behinds, I take the brother as my mate. I might’ve spared him, but I’m the one who has to live with a guy who’s bitter about our circumstances and revolted by me. Vaughn – Memphis is the most sinful-looking woman I’ve ever met. But that’s the problem. She’s not a woman. I’ve seen what she can do, and it’s terrifying. I’m a doctor. Violence and chaos turn me off—until I get a glimpse of the toll being a ruler of a small town full of dragon shifters takes on her. Yet if I start seeing her as a partner, a real person, I have to accept that I gave up everything to keep my sister safe. My practice. My home. My lonely single life. I’m little more than a prisoner, but the more I’m around Memphis, the harder it is to care. AmazonKU

MOORED TO YOU by Selene Kallan

When Niahm, the beautiful stranger who saved her from danger, drops his cloak to the floor, Leo battles her anxiety and picks it up for him. She doesn’t know Niahm’s cloak is actually his Selkie skin, and that her act of kindness is a marriage proposal of sorts.
Niahm doesn’t hesitate to pop the question, turning Leo’s world upside down. She is not ready for commitment. Her broken heart can’t take another blow. Still, Leo can’t deny her connection to Niahm is magical. Literally. Will Leo be able to let go of her past and give into Niahm’s charm? Or is their future star-crossed? Fire and ice sizzle to steam…Morgan is Leo’s best friend/fierce protector. And she will make damn sure Niahm doesn’t hurt Leo. This makes her collide with Gwyn, Niahm’s sister—a beautiful, icy female who infuriates her. After an epic row, Morgan and Gwyn settle on a truce that becomes much more. They burn and melt each other’s barriers with every fiery kiss. But when Morgan’s darkest secret is revealed, will her relationship with Gwyn survive or sink? Amazon

INCUBUS by Pelaam

Geoffrey of Whalley is a Slayer on the mend. Still healing from an almost fatal demon hunt, his full recovery has been slow, with missing memories and odd dreams impeding his recovery. A call from a friend to investigate a report of an incubus in a small village, sure to be nothing more than an innocent falsely accused, gives him an easy job while he regains his full strength, and an opportunity to find a new intermediary, one who suits better than the last. When Geoffrey arrives, he finds the accused is new to town, and none of the usual signs of an incubus. But four people have disappeared recently, and he refuses to leave until he finds out why. There is evil in the village, but not in the form Geoffrey imagines. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

BRYONY (DRAGON DESCENDANTS BOOK FOUR) by Eileen Troemel

What do you do when confronted with an angry earth dragon? Exactly what she tells you to. Newly mated young couple Bryony and Zonlet love exploring caves. During a nearly fatal catastrophe, they run headlong into Gidor an earth dragon. Gidor offers more than just advice and with her gift they work with the other Guardians to solve a mystery. Will Bryony and Zonlet complete their fated mission or turn their backs on the dragons? AmazonKU

THE WOLF KING’S CHOSEN (PACK ROYALTY BOOK ONE) by Milly Taiden

“It’s hard to believe that the agreement between myself and her father was forged so long ago. Tonight I am bringing my bride home, regardless of what anyone has to say about it.” There was a pause in the conversation. “You know, boss, there will be other people who will want to talk to and dance with Lexi tonight. It is her 21st birthday ball. Is that going to be an issue?” Xander stifled a growl. He knew it was her birthday but he didn’t want anyone near her. “I’ll just have to stay by her side all evening. Conversation is fine, but no one else will dance with her. No one would dare take mine.” Xander knew that he had a nasty reputation, but h..(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

NO HARM NO HOWL (PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 73) by Milly Taiden

Gia Dodson fell on hard times when she got laid off. When Gerri Wilder told her about an opening for her dream job, it sounded too good to be true. It’s the job Gia always wanted, but does Gerri have an alternative motive of the tall, handsome and growly kind? Russ Waters is tired of being alone. He wants his mate, and he wants her now. When he sees an online ad for the Paranormal Dating Agency, he clicks on it before he can talk himself out of it. He isn’t sure what to think about the mysterious owner or her confidence, until he lays eyes on the beautiful, funny Gia. His mate. Now, all Russ has to do is convince her to stay. He comes up with an elaborate scheme to get to know her better on a business trip to Vegas. Everything is going great until one of his enemies sets their sights on his new mate. AmazonKU

SLIPPERY WHEN YETI: MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Tana Stone

Elena has never fit in. She grew up in Miami, but she hates hot weather. Everyone in her family is spontaneous, but she’s always been a planner. Luckily, her organizational skills make her ideal for the wedding planning job in Screaming Woods. Sure, the name of the town is a bit quirky, but as a wedding planner who specializes in theme weddings, Elena isn’t shocked by much. Until she’s lost in a freak snowstorm and rescued by a . . .When Fynn was turned into a yeti in the accident that transformed his town and his friends, he abandoned civilized life. Living at the top of a nearby mountain means he stays cold and creates his ice sculpture art away from prying eyes. He’s perfectly happy being on his own—most of the time. But then he saves a pretty woman wandering in the snowstorm.
Now they’re stuck together in his mountain cabin until the storm passes and they can return to their normal lives. That is, if Fynn will let go of the woman he knows is meant to be his. AmazonKU

DEMON’S OWN: MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Rochelle Paige

Living in a town turned monstrous didn’t leave much hope for finding love, especially when you unexpectedly wound up with horns and flames swirling in your eyes. Koen Kelly didn’t think he’d find a ray of sunshine to ever break through his grumpiness. Then he met Soraya Lovejoy. The pretty author wasn’t afraid of much except for her looming deadline. She needed inspiration for her next paranormal romance, and staying in a place with real monsters seemed like the perfect way to get it. Only she never expected to find her own happily ever after with one of them. AmazonKU

TURNABOUT IS FAIRY PLAY: MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Andie Fenichel

Lorenzo – I rarely eat the food at my upscale Italian restaurant. Vampires need blood, not pasta. I crave the hunt, but I’m not a killer. A lady-killer, yes. There’s something about the vampire in me that lures women. The only woman immune to my allure is my dearest and oldest friend, Lily. She helped me survive my transition to vampirism, despite also becoming a monster of sorts. Kind and full of life, Lily is everything I’m not. My unbeating heart wants more than friendship with the fairy, but I’m afraid to ruin our friendship. Besides, what would she want with a broody vampire? Lily – As a fairy, people rarely take me seriously. With my glow and wings, I understand why they look at me and think of Tinker Bell, not Aristotle, but the degree I’m working toward will prove them wrong. As if by some miracle, I think I may finally have a boyfriend, too. He’s not the man I really want, but my vampire friend Lorenzo is off-limits. Besides, a human boyfriend may be a better choice since every woman in town isn’t chasing him. If only my heart would accept that Lorenzo isn’t the man for me. AmazonKU

A MONSTER WORTH FIGHTING FOR: A MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Ava Ross

Grumpy, growly wyverns don’t deserve true love—or do they? I’ve worked hard to accept what happened after I sipped that strange brew and turned into a wyvern. Scaly skin? It protects me from the weather. Wings? Flying’s cool. And the claws on my thumbs make it easier to craft chainsaw wood sculptures. But then Nettie, a too-adorable woman with curves that go on forever and long hair the color of the sunset, arrives on my doorstep. She insists we were married by proxy. Thanks for asking me to sign those papers, Mom. When a freakish storm hits the area, we’re stuck together trying to figure this out. Did I mention my log cabin only has one bed? My lonely heart keeps insisting I should keep her, but what woman wants to be a wyvern’s bride? AmazonKU

MY EYE ADORED YOU: MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Kylie Marcus

Kamila – Boys are barely a blip on my radar when I first meet my dad’s gorgeous business partner, although there’s nothing boyish about Mr. Reece—he’s all man. Or rather, monster. Seeing the sexy cyclops was the highlight of each week, even though nothing could ever come of my adolescent crush. When Mr. Reece moves on to a new venture, I’m devastated that I’ll never see him again. Then, a few years later, I discover he’s opened a college for monsters. Suddenly, my wildest fantasies seem within reach. Enrolling at Munston College for Monsters is the perfect solution. I need an education … and Mr. Reece is just the monster to give it to me. Private tutoring with my one-eyed professor? Yes, please. Reece – Ten years ago, I would’ve laughed if someone had told me that running a college is my dream. But that’s exactly what Munston College is—a safe environment for monsters to learn and be accepted for who they are. But lately, there are whispers from worried students about a threatening presence on campus. And when Kamila, my former business partner’s beautiful half-Valkyrie daughter, is attacked, the threat becomes personal. As I nurse Kamila back to health, I must figure out how to protect her and the other students from an unknown danger. But Kamila tempts me in ways that should be illegal, distracting me from my job for the first time in my life. Kamila is young, gorgeous … and off-limits. So why can’t I stop thinking about having her in my bed? AmazonKU

MUST BE CLOWNING ME (ONCE UPON A BITE BOOK THREE) by Charity Parkerson

Only Jake could get attacked by a vampire clown the moment he moves his therapy practice to New Orleans. Fortunately, the town is rife with supernatural clients to keep his business afloat. But life has always enjoyed a good laugh at Jake’s expense, and he can’t stop thinking about one client in particular. The vampire who found him and saved him. Having a vampire therapist is a bit of a dream come true for Aaron. He’s been needing one for a while. Aaron has a barrel full of issues to work out, and it’s easier if his therapist knows about the supernatural world. Unfortunately, Aaron never expected his therapist to be so hot, and they have a connection from day one. There’s no way for him to stay on task. Aaron doesn’t know if he’s getting better or if he’s falling in love. Truthfully, he’s also not sure if he cares anymore, as long as he gets to keep seeing Jake. AmazonKU

SHIFTER’S ESCAPE (PURPLE OASIS BOOK SEVEN) by Laura Greenwood and Arizona Tape

A princess in a tower, a daring escape, and a really annoying goose. What could possibly go wrong? If there’s one thing raven shifter Morgan wants more than anything, it’s to leave the Nest and the tyrannical rule of her father, even if it means cutting ties with the only family she has left. When Gus left Purple Oasis in search of the bird shifter paradise he’d been promised, he quickly discovered that the Nest wasn’t as idyllic as it first seemed. After Morgan overhears Gus talking about wanting to leave, she finally thinks she might have the chance she needs to escape, but should she trust the goose shifter she’s never met before, or is it a trap set by her father?

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TRADING NAMES FOR POLITE SPRITES (OBSCURE ACADEMY BOOK SIX) by Laura Greenwood

A group project brings two exes together – can they ignore the attraction between them?
When Essie breaks things off with Byron, she says it’s because she doesn’t want things to get complicated. But in reality, she has a secret she doesn’t want him to expose. Byron isn’t about to let Essie go without a fight, especially when even she admits they’re good together. Can Essie learn to trust Byron before the truth comes out and ruins their chances of being together?

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RIOT OF AUTUMN (WILD HAVEN SERIES BOOK FOUR) by Lizzy Prince

I am winter born, of element and alchemy. I am spring born, master of life and shadow.
I am summer born, cast in dreams and enchantment. I am autumn born, forged in fang and spirit. Over the last year, the Fae have slowly been creeping onto our island. Wild Haven has always been quirky, but I never would have guessed it was home to a thin spot between our world and Fairy. The Fae say they just want to get home, but I don’t believe them for a second. The Duke of the Summer Court is here. Six of my friends have bonded, nearly forming a magical coven that can wield massive amounts of magic. My powers are growing and Ezra’s magic is too crazy to be real. Everyone is pressuring me and Ezra to bond, but what if we’re playing right into the Fae’s hands? If Wild Haven is relying on me to save the day, we’re screwed. AmanzonKU

HIS HEALING HEART (GRAY VALE PACK BOOK THREE) by Eve Riley

Music summons the savage beast…Skilled Chicago surgeon Ethan Roddick abandoned his wolf heritage—and elitist parents—when heartbreak tore his world apart. He swore never to let love sink its fangs into him again, but when a meaningful family commitment lures him home to Stoke Ridge, his determination is tested by Gabriel Mendoza, a sexy human with soulful dark eyes and the voice of a bourbon-soaked angel.
Pressured by his parents to mate—to a suitable shifter, of course, and preferably a female—Ethan is instead drawn to the sassy singer whose heat seems destined to heal the rift between his two halves. As passions rise, so too do tensions, and anyone who’s not a predator becomes, by default, prey. Can these fated mates fight old clan prejudices and find their future together? AmazonKU

THIEVES AND MONSTERS (THREE FATES MAFIA BOOK ONE) by Clio Evans

When it comes to stealing from mafia men, there are three rules. Don’t get caught. Don’t be seen. And most of all— don’t fall in love with them. After being hired to steal a painting, I find myself ensnared. Damon, Minos, and Aaecus are monsters, and they only want one thing. Me. Seven days of sin in exchange for freedomfrom the Three Fates Mafia. If only it were that easy. The strings of fate have bound the four of us together, and not even gods or monsters can keep us apart. AmazonKU

DEAD TO THE WORLD (CROSSROADS QUEEN BOOK ONE) by Annabel Chase

Lorelei Clay isn’t like other people. She isn’t even like other supernaturals. Her specialties are the nightmares of the living, communication with the dead, and cooking bacon until it’s golden brown and perfectly crispy—no magic required. Six months ago she moved to the ultimate fixer upper, a monstrosity from the Gilded Age that borders the local cemetery in the sleepy Pennsylvania town of Fairhaven. Lorelei is content to spend the next few years in solitude, renovating the house and avoiding humanity, until a missing young woman disrupts her plans. Lorelei’s search for the teenager means crossing paths with the residents she’s successfully avoided so far, including the human police chief, the coven, a cursed vampire, the assassins guild, the werewolf pack, and the mysterious and infuriatingly alluring owner of The Devil’s Playground, an elegant nightclub that caters to the local supernatural clientele. Lorelei plans to find the girl quickly and return to the privacy of her castle walls before anyone learns her secrets, but you know what they say about the best laid plans.

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LOVING THE WOLF (SWAT BOOK 14) by Paige Tyler

When you find your fated mate, don’t let go…The problem with Jenna Malone is that she’s werewolf Trevor McCall’s best SWAT buddy’s sister. Trevor suspects she’s The One, but how the heck can he make a move? When Jenna invites Trevor to visit her in Los Angeles, he has his chance. But what’s hiding in LA is much more dangerous and complicated than any of the SWAT team could have guessed, and Jenna’s right in the middle of it.

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PROFESSOR ALPHA (ALPHA FOR HIRE BOOK THREE) by Lorelai M Hart and Aria Grace

Alpha Alex loves his job as a mathematics professor at the local university. Teaching the next generation and helping them find their place in this world is fulfilling in a way nothing else is. If only the pay matched. When his landlord announces the house he has been renting is being sold, Alex needs money–fast. Alpha for Hire just might be the solution he needs. Omega Hollin gave up his dream of going to college and becoming a statistician in order to help keep his family afloat. He didn’t want his sister to do without when he could help. Getting a job just made sense at the time. After tragedy strikes, his priority changes. He no longer has to work to give his mother and sister the life they deserve. Now it’s only him. When an unexpected settlement check comes in, he knows what he needs to do. It’s time to go back to school and follow his dreams. It would make both his mother and sister proud. If only school was as easy as it had once been. Alpha for Hire to the rescue! AmazonKU

THE DRAGON AND DOLPHIN’S BEAR OMEGA (OMEGAS OF ANIMALS: SD BOOK SEVEN) by Lorelai M Hart and Wendy Rathbone

Air, sea, and land… oh, my – Alpha dolphin shifter Treyton longs to return to his hometown of San Diego. After years on the east coast working, he’s ready for a change. When a new position at the shore is advertised that fits his expertise, he sees it as a sign that it’s finally time. Alpha dragon shifter Enzo grew up not wanting to be part of the family business. He was going to go to law school and make it all on his own without any help. He likes his job, but deep down he misses his family and when his cousin calls and asks him to come to the San Diego office, he can’t help but say yes. Omega bear shifter Ryder’s cleaning business is starting to take off. What started as a one man show cleaning a couple of local banks at night has exploded into a ten man operation in just over two years. When the hottest club in town calls him about being on his roster, he nearly declines, unsure if he can balance one more client. But this is Animals. Who can turn down an opportunity like that? AmazonKU

THE DARK ELF’S SECRET SON (SECRET BABIES FOR PROTHEKAN DARK ELVES BOOK SIX) by Celeste King

Dark elves ruin everything they touch. And there’s one thing they’ll never touch…my child. My dream was to be a musician. But a secret tryst with a dark elf master gave us something neither of us were prepared for. Something that sent me running – to save his life and mine. A son. I hid him from his father’s cruel family. And for a time, we were happy with our new life. Until one day he found us. I know he loves our child. But his world is cruel and a human mate and her secret son are inconvenient at best. Dangerous at worst. He may just decide it’s best if we don’t exist. Our lives are in his hands. What will he do with us? AmazonKU

REPLACED MATE: BOOK FOUR OF THE FALLEN BLOOD SERIES by Sara Snow

Was I not good enough? Devoted enough? What was he doing that was making her so much happier than when she’d been with me? As Sariel and Aria begin to settle, uncomfortable truths come to light and threats of a new kind come forward. It shouldn’t be a shock to their systems, and yet they’re both left fumbling as they try to adjust after yet another misadventure. They’re caught in a war they didn’t start and never wanted, forced to choose their sides and make their own way in the world. With the Resistance supporting them, they begin to thrive; taking a moment to get to know one another seems like a solid plan, right? AmazonKU

FRACTURED GLORY: RISE OF THE DREADS SERIES by Loren Hart and YD La Mar

There’s a war coming. Six kingdoms struggle for control of the world while wrestling with their demons within. Alliances are formed and lovers betrayed, while leaders plot and scheme. It is a world in which fear germinates like a seed in the ground. But seeds bear fruit. And when the fruit of fear bursts from the ground, everything will change. Six kingdoms. When it’s done, only one will survive to tell the tale. ***These authors have teamed up to bring you, Fractured Glory, six dark fantasy standalone novellas. Featuring stories from heroes to villains, each tells their version of the lost history of the Rise of the Dreads. Dangerous and exciting, experience one thrill ride after the next, as you find all kinds of morally gray characters living between these pages. Readers are invited to go deep into this fantastic world and experience the heart-pounding account of the Midsummer Festival, the event which will forever change the world!***

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OUR HIDEOUS PROGENY by C E McGill

It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men. . .Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the Arctic, but she doesn’t know why or how. . . .The 1850s are a time of discovery, and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary is keen to make her name in this world of science alongside her geologist husband, Henry—but despite her sharp mind and sharper tongue, without wealth and connections their options are limited. When Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle’s past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing her and Henry’s professional and financial future. Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland; to Henry’s intriguing but reclusive sister, Maisie; and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret. A queer, feminist masterpiece inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic, Our Hideous Progeny is a sumptuous tale of ambition and obsession, of forbidden love and sabotage and a twisty Gothic adventure that may forever change your view of human nature. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

MY NEIGHBOR THE VAMPIRE (SHADOWING JANE SERIES BOOK ONE) by Brenna Harlow

Samuel was never supposed to stay in New York City. Jane hadn’t imagined leaving. After Samuel is summoned to the city by his wicked ‘uncle’ and a cult of shadowy vampire overlords, he’s forced to blend in, pretend to be human, and find an acceptable place to take up residence. However, his new human neighbor’s sensual moans each night are driving him crazy, and he wonders if he’ll survive the experience intact. Especially when an intruder breaks into her home and Samuel busts through the wall in order to protect her. His scheme to break away from the Night Order’s influence is now ruined, and since she’s witnessed his true nature, the girl’s life is unavoidably entwined with his. With limited options, he makes the only possible decision; To disappear with her. AmazonKU

THE STONE INITIATION (GARGOYLES OF STONEHAVEN BOOK ONE) by Debbie Cassidy

There’s no place for a half blood at the gargoyle table. I’ve been a shameful secret all my life. Shunned by my pureblood gargoyle father to keep up appearances. But it never mattered because I had Romi. My half-brother. My best friend. My true family. Until death took him from me. They say it was an accident. I say that’s bull. They’re hiding something, and the only way to get to the truth is to step into Romi’s world. Stonehaven Academy is where Romi worked with his elite guard to hone the next generation of warriors, and it’s where I’ll find my answers. A world where I’ll be pitted against pureblood gargoyles and not expected to survive. A world of secrets, revelations, and forbidden fruit in the form of Serath—the lethally beautiful sigma leader of the elite team. If I want answers, I’ll need to get close to the sigma. I’ll need to play with fire and be prepared to get burned. But there’s a reason Serath is off limits. A reason, that could mean the difference between life and death. Because the Stone Council is hiding a horrific truth. One, that if revealed, could tear our world apart. AmazonKU

GRIM AND BEAR IT (STAY A SPELL BOOK SIX) by Juliette Cross

Not even Death can take her from him. Clara Savoie is so confused. She is absolutely positive that Henry Blackwater is practically in love with her. But for some strange reason, he won’t even ask her on a single date. Time to take matters into her own hands. When Clara shows up on his doorstep with an unusual invitation, tempting cupcakes, and naughty innuendo, Henry has no choice but to say yes. Now he’s the newest member of the High Tea Romance Book Club. While Clara learns the haunting secrets of her broody grim, Henry shows her what commitment from a necromancer truly means. But when his father is arrested for murder, Henry is dragged back into the nightmare he’s been avoiding all his life. When he steps back into his father’s world, he isn’t just endangering himself but also the bright, beautiful woman he can no longer live without. But he just might have to. AmazonKU

A PRIEST, A PLAGUE AND A PROPHECY by M D Grimm

“Orcs are the answer but what is the question?” Elias is a priest at the Temple of the Divine Sibyl. When he becomes lost in the woods after his brother’s hunting party abandons him, it’s just his luck that he’d stumble upon an angry orc caught in a trap. Unable to stomach the suffering of others, Elias throws self-preservation to the wind and frees the orc. Then Gurrkk—that’s a name?—ends up leading him to safety. Gurrkk finds himself rather smitten by the sweet, awkward human. He’s always been fascinated with his people’s sworn enemy, and now he has a life debt to fulfill to maintain his honor. Hiding an orc among the temple’s crypts wouldn’t have been Elias’s first choice but Gurrkk is stubborn about leaving. As they learn each other’s languages and spend more time together, Elias realizes they’ve become friends… and maybe more. And when the dying sibyl gives her last prophecy, Elias knows it wasn’t chance that brought them together, it was the gods. But why?

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SIGILS AND SPELLS by Various

Time to claim your magic…Discover enchanting tales of fantastical feats with tantalizing heroes and bold heroines you won’t soon forget. Filled to the brim with evocative paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales of powers untold and swoon-worthy fated mates, its time to seize the ability to take a voyage between the pages of this unique limited edition collection and discover worlds inhabited by witches & wizards, mages, shifters, vampires, demons, dragons, fae, and more.

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WOLF’S WINTER WISH: CANON AND EIRA (THE MACCONWOOD PACK TALES BOOK TEN) by C D Gorri

Some wishes come true in the strangest ways… Meeting her mate while treating him for a concussion was not how Eira Sidak expected her holidays to go down, but sometimes accidents happen. When the she-Wolf took up her residency at Macconwood Memorial Hospital, she expected long nights and plenty of cases. She just wasn’t expecting him.
Cannon Bartolf was aptly named, or so everyone in his Pack said. Always charging in headfirst, it’s no surprise a spontaneous game of football ends with him in the ER. At the mercy of his doctor, Cannon wants nothing more than to go home—with her. Will the surprisingly sexy little she-Wolf grant him his holiday wish?

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WAIT FOR ME (WATERS OF TIME SERIES) by Jody Hedlund

Dawson Huxham blames himself for his sister’s death . . . until he briefly crosses time and discovers she’s alive in the Middle Ages. Hoping to reconnect with her, he searches for the holy water that will help him visit the past for a longer duration. But he realizes he’s not the only one looking for the miraculous water. Terrorists are threatening him and watching his every move. As Dawson locates holy water from an unlikely source, he crosses fully into the past where he meets a beautiful noblewoman, Philippa Neville, who is desperately trying to escape her uncle’s plans for an arranged marriage. When danger closes in, Dawson agrees to wed her in an effort to thwart her uncle’s schemes. As forces in both the present and past conspire against the newlyweds, will they find a way to be together before the swiftly moving waters of time separate them forever? AmazonKU

CITIZENS OF SHADOW (BEGUILED BY NIGHT BOOK TWO) by Nicole Eigener

A chance to live life over, to correct one’s mistakes — is it a blessing or a curse? In Beguiled by Night, Vauquelin, an ancient, queer vampire living in present-day Los Angeles, finds his time unwinding like a spool of dirty thread til he’s re-deposited into seventeenth century France: he seizes the chance for redemption. In Citizens of Shadow, he clings frightfully to his aim — until he learns the hidden costs of tampering with fate. Centuries of self-exile and isolation claim their due. What glory might unfold when you open your heart to what else is to come … and what rewards will you reap when you embrace your authentic self? Lush, gothic horror unfolds in Citizens of Shadow, a queer dark fantasy of vampires, time travel, and sinister secrets threatening to unravel an eternal existence. AmazonKU

CURSED (BOUND BY SHADOWS BOOK TWO) by Ann Gimpel

Magic runs strong in me, but power isn’t enough. I’ve traveled a long road since the Coven kicked me out. It’s only been a matter of weeks, but it may as well be years. I’ve learned a lot, and nothing at all. One thing’s for certain: my life up until now has been a sham. My wolf, beloved familiar, knew far more than he disclosed. Hard to fault him since he was trying to keep me safe. Mother, the one witch who could have shed light on my origins, is dead. Try as I might, I couldn’t save her. Along the way, a Fae took me under his wing, but it’s confusing. Damien says he loves me. I have no idea what I feel beyond sorrow and anger. All I want is to torch the Coven guild house, avenge Mother’s death, and locate Hecate, goddess of witches. Secrets of my origins lie within her. Secrets forged centuries ago. At one time, I was important to her, critical enough to bend rules. She’s abandoned me too, except she doesn’t get to walk away. I will find her and demand answers. Answers to shape the rest of my existence.

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TIMEBORNE (BLADE OF SHADOWS BOOK ONE) by Sara Samuels

She was born in darkness, under the shadow of a full moon during a solar eclipse, with a mysterious black dagger at her side.As a child, Olivia James witnessed her mother’s gruesome murder. As an adult, her godfather has trained her to be a skilled fighter. But when Olivia’s boyfriend betrays her and threatens her life, setting off a string of events that catapults her back in time from 21st century Seattle into 3rd century Rome, the secrets of her past begin to unravel. The discovery that she is a Timeborne, one with the ability to travel across time, is just the beginning. Soon Olivia finds herself under the protection of—and owned by—Roman Alexander, a former gladiator and bodyguard to the emperor. Torn between his duty to his emperor, a desire for vengeance, and a longing to search for his lost twin brother, Roman now has the added complication of protecting this strange woman from the depravity of ancient Rome. Worse, he finds himself falling for her, despite accusations that she is an enemy spy. But even Roman is no match for the dark shadow that has pursued Olivia into the past. A fighter in her own right, she’s forced to work with Roman to find a way back to her own time. Do the ancient scriptures on her dagger hold the key? Can she trust Roman with her secrets? And can she fight her enemies and protect her heart at the same time?

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SOUL OF IRON (SIN CITY KILTS) by January Bain

Can two wild souls survive the storm? Mira, a zoologist and secret cryptozoologist at Vegas Zoo, has observed an unusual wolf prowling the confines of the zoo and her own property. But her dream of discovering a new species and documenting her find brings her up against Vegas’ werewolf community when rumors of her discovery of this dangerous hybrid threaten to expose them. Calan Creig, a Highland Heathen Wulver Enforcer and head of Worldwide Security for Lycans, is summoned to Vegas to investigate. Although Mira’ s eager to study this Tasmanian wolf lookalike, thought extinct for almost a hundred years, Calan is convinced he’ ll be able to distract her and put obstacles in her path to prevent the discovery from being widespread. A playboy, he enjoys women and looks forward to seeing what Vegas can offer him— but what it brings him is Mira, his mate! But the hybrid wolf craves Mira to strengthen his own bloodline and will stop at nothing to have her. Now Mira and Calan must work together to eliminate the threat of this renegade wolf… if they can find their way past their deep mistrust issues. It seems impossible, but with Mira’ s life and all that Calan holds dear at stake, it’ s the only hope left. AmazonKU

DRAGON CROWNED (THE DRAGON OF 23RD STREET BOOK THREE) by Kenley Davidson

VS Note: A re-release, prviously published under another pen name.

You know it’s time to reconsider your life choices when…Where do I start? Technically, it could have been worse. My visit to the dragon enclave could’ve ended with me being eaten. Somehow I survived—with a few new bruises—and now all I want is to go home. Back to Twenty-third Street. Back to my house, my cat, and my grumpy gargoyle roommate. But nothing is as simple as it used to be. My store is in shambles, the man who might just be my mate has disappeared, and every bounty hunter in Oklahoma seems to want a piece of my hide—literally. Worst of all? The hunters aren’t too picky about who gets hurt, and everyone I care about is now in their line of fire. I’ve never been the sort of dragon to back down when the going get rough, so I can’t help but get involved. But this time, it’s going to take more than a bit of dragon fire to keep my newfound family safe. The fae queen has been making her own plans, none of which involve us surviving the next ten days. When we can’t seem to stay ahead of her magic or her mercenaries, the only chance to save the people I love is a potentially deadly gamble—where a single mistake could bring disaster not only for us, but for every Idrian refugee on Earth. Only one thing is for certain—I’m going to need a lot more tea. AmazonKU

STARSEER by Natya Hernandez

Fifteen-year-old Etar can see the future in the stars—a rare skill even among magicians. But while other Starseers before him have become the stuff of legend, Etar has never predicted anything more exciting than the weather. Orphaned at age five and living under his uncle’s disapproving gaze, he yearns to prove his worth. Disaster strikes when, in defiance of his uncle’s orders, Etar breaks into the Starseeing Dome—an ancient structure built to potentiate the powers of Starseers. Aided by the Dome, the stars send Etar a vision of ironclad warships destroying Skalland, the tiny island he calls home. Hunted by a bloodthirsty admiral who seeks to enslave his newly awakened powers, Etar will have to fight to protect his friends while grappling with his past, his out-of-control magic, and a budding friendship turning into something more. AmazonKU

A SHADOW CROWN (THE HALFLING SAGA) by Melissa Blair

To the kingdom, Keera is the king’s Blade, his most feared and trusted spy and assassin. But in the shadows, she works with Prince Killian and his Shadow—the dark, brooding Fae, Riven, who sets her blood on fire. Together, they plot to kill a tyrant king. In Myrelinth, the lush, secret city of trees, Fae, Elves, and Halflings like Keera live in harmony. But Keera cannot escape her past: her crimes against her own people have followed her all the way to the Faeland. There is a traitor in their midst, and Keera is the top suspect. Keera finds comfort in the allies that have become her family. She swore she would never open her heart again after a loss she barely survived. But she will soon find she has more to lose than she ever imagined.

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TO SHAPE A DRAGON’S BREATH: THE FIRST BOOK OF NAMPESHIWEISIT by Moniquill Blackgoose

The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon. Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed. For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound—both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects. Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they’re also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing—and they might just be the ones to do it. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

BLEEDING HEART (THE CARDPLAY DUOLOGY BOOK TWO) by Brittany M Willows

Spade, Heart, Diamond, Club. Four legendary Suits. Four chosen Keepers. One world at stake. When hell breaks loose, who will be holding the cards? After a valiant rescue mission saw to the end of the criminal organization Blackjack, Cardplay has taken advantage of the relative peace following their victory to recuperate. However, no news isn’t necessarily good news. Two Blackjack operatives are still at large, presumed to have fled with the Warden of the Void and their unmasked leader to his estate in the cliffs—well out of Cardplay’s reach, and safe behind a wall of deceit and strategically-lined pockets. To make matters worse, a revelation about the identity of the Heart’s Keeper has everyone walking on eggshells. All that stands between the mundane world and untold chaos is a single unbroken seal. One mistake and the futures, dreams, second chances, and fresh starts they’ve all been working towards could be ripped away. The magical era was lost once already. Is it doomed to be lost again? AmazonKU

TO MARRY A FAE by Miranda Bridges

He’s the fae prince… and the prize for the Bride Games. Too bad I’m not interested. Does that stop him from coming into my life and forcing me to compete? No. Does that stop me from keeping up with my personal agenda? Also no. The competition is fierce and the contestants are even worse. As we enter each round of elimination, I wait for my dismissal. Returning home is my end goal. Not swooning over some fae. Even if he’s charming. And he makes me feel alive. Which I won’t be for much longer if I stay in the Games. The closer I get to the prince, the more my life is in danger. Or is it my heart that’s truly in jeopardy? AmazonKU

VISITING THE VARIKS (LORDS OF DISCORD) by Jocelynn Drake

VS Note: MM, Vampires series.

While everyone has found their happily ever after, the four brothers and their loving father are still finding mischief and tender moments. This collection of EIGHT stories touches on each of the Variks and includes a never-before-release novella, Gideon’s Ghost Story. Fall in love with Aiden, Marcus, Rafe, Bel, and Winter all over again. Visiting the Variks is an approximately 50,000-word collection of stories for the Lords of Discord series that contains silliness, surprises, sexy times, and one brand-new happily ever after. Amazon

ATALANTA by Jennifer Saint

When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing. Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis’s warning, she begins to question the goddess’s true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart? Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

THE BOOK THAT WOULDN’T BURN (THE LIBRARY TRILOGY BOOK ONE) by Mark Lawrence

The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities. The girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust, where nightmares stalk and no one goes. The world has never even noticed them. That’s about to change. Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

THE IRON VOW (THE IRON FEY: EVENFALL BOOK THREE) by Julie Kagawa

After leaping through the portal to Evenfall, Meghan and her companions find themselves in a terrifying new world where Nightmares roam and glamour is nearly nonexistent. As their magic wanes and the creatures of Evenfall rise against them, the race to find the Nightmare King grows ever more desperate. But what they discover—about Evenfall, about the Nightmare King, about themselves—will shake everything they thought they knew to the core. The Nightmare King stirs. A world hangs in the balance. And as twilight descends upon all the realms of Faery, Meghan and her allies must make one more impossible choice. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

QUEENS OF WONDERLAND: A NOVEL (DEFENDERS OF LORE BOOK TWO) by Gama Ray Martinez

After saving reality and overcoming the numerous challenges that Neverland threw at her, Vanessa has been tasked to save Michael Darling from himself: he’s grown obsessed in his role as a Knight of the Round and will stop at nothing to find the ghost of James Hook, nearly getting expelled from the Knights in the process. It’s up to Vanessa to keep him safe, she can’t lose her partner to Hook’s sword. So together it’s off to Wonderland in pursuit of the pirate. Except, unlike Neverland, neither Vanessa nor Michael have ever been there before. But someone they know has: the Lady who leads the Knights…who turns out to be none other than the legendary Alice. Her extensive knowledge about the land could change the game and bring them one step closer to finding Captain Hook…and in a world where games are taken quite seriously—and no less than six queens are vying for power—it will take them putting all their heads together to make it through. Or they just might find them lopped off. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

REVELATIONS (BELLE MORTE SERIES BOOK TWO) by Bella Higgin

Truth comes at a cost. Ever since Renie Mayfield survived the merciless attack on Belle Morte that killed donors and vampires alike, she is forever changed. Now a vampire, the agonizing transformation of her body and mind is rivaled only by uncovering the horrific truth about her sister, June, who has escaped the mansion in her rabid form, adding even more chaos to Renie’s reality. As the vampire responsible for Renie’s change, and now her distress, Edmond Dantes remains in his own desperate place. He’s confined in the secret cells of Belle Morte, awaiting the arrival of the council and the subsequent punishment for his actions. Edmond questions if what he did was right and deeply regrets what has become of his home. Desperate to free Edmond, find June, and bring justice to whoever is behind the recent violence, Renie is out for blood in more ways than one. The smell of corruption is embedded in the walls of Belle More, but behind the walls are even more secrets that may lead to the truth and to justice.

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A RELENTLESS THIRST (THE WRAITH BROTHERHOOD BOOK ONE) by Evelyn Lederman

VS Note: from APRIL 27

Her job is her life. He’s a broody immortal. When the sparks fly, will they burn down all they know? Austin, Texas. Mallory Stewart still misses her brother. After a school shooting tore him from her world, the now-ATF agent dedicates herself to keeping others from knowing the same pain. But a rare social outing stirs a deep desire when she meets an intriguing man with ties to vigilantes. Vampire Blake Andrews lives to do his master’s bidding. Purposely getting turned to aid in avenging his father, the workaholic obeys orders and seeks out a stunning redhead the older vamp desires. But he’s unprepared for the hunger the long-legged beauty arouses in his undead heart. Accepting a dinner invite, the last thing Mallory expects is for the night to end in a hail of bullets and a revelation that triggers conflicting emotions. While Blake impulsively kidnaps the gorgeous woman to protect her, only to put his existence in peril when he stands between her and his sire. With rival factions and bared fangs circling, can they survive to find an eternity as one? AmazonKU

SOME BUNNY TO LOVE (VIRTUE SHIFTERS BOOK SEVEN) by Zoe Chant

She’s having a bad hare day…Rabbit shifter Emmy didn’t mean to get caught in a quick-release trap. Luckily, the hiker who rescued her is purely hop stuff—and Emmy is sure he’s her fated mate, too. But he’s clearly a through-hiker, probably not even stopping in her home town, so even if he’s hare today, Emmy is afraid he’ll be gone tomorrow! He finds her ear-resistible…Karl’s goal to hike across the country is going well…until the biggest, fluffiest bunny he’s ever seen draws him off the beaten path and into the small town of Virtue. When he meets Emmy, Karl instantly knows he’s found someone special, but he isn’t sure love at first sight is something he should spring on the most adorabunny woman he’s ever laid eyes on. Emmy is a hop-timist at heart, and she knows if she can just get up the nerve to tell Karl her secret, they’ll have the Easter holiday of their dreams—in the most egg-citing way possible, as Emmy fulfills her annual role as the town’s Easter Bunny! AmazonKU

SAVAGE SHIFTER CRAZED (FEROCIOUS PROTECTIVE BEASTS LOVE CURVES BOOK TWO) by Olivia Dove

GRACE – Shifters destroyed my life. Granted it wasn’t much of a life, but at least it was mine. I witnessed a crime so of course I tell the police, And what’s my reward for trying to put the evil shifter culprits behind bars? Spending the rest of my life in witness protection, that’s what. I’ve been given a new identity and a job working as a farmhand in Montana. I don’t know a thing about animals or living in the country, It’s going to be terrible. Or at least that’s what I thought until I meet the guy who is basically my new boss… Brandon lives on the ranch with his two brothers, But he’s the only one I’ve got eyes for. He’s got to be ten years older than me, about a foot taller, with the muscles of a God and the heart of a saint. And maybe I’m just crazy but I think he kind of likes me. I’m supposed to be in hiding, but somehow I finally feel found, But how can anything happen between us when I’ve got such a big secret hanging over me? BRANDON – My bear has been going crazy lately searching for our mate. We roam every night searching …(more blurb on ebook seller page…) AmazonKU

THE VEIL OF TIME (THE LADIES OF THE LABYRINTH BOOK TWO) by Hope Carolle

VS Note: From APRIL 19.

She journeyed through time in search of da Vinci…King’s College PhD candidate Gabriella Palmer is sixtieth in line to the throne, yet has only forty pounds to her name. She’s got no man, no money, and she must reluctantly return to her dissertation. So when offered the opportunity to travel back in time to meet her hero, the great Leonardo, she accepts the mission to find one of his missing paintings and bring it back to 2023.
…what she found was the love she’d always dreamed of. Accompanied by a cantankerous “bodyguard” named Graham, and time-travel expert John Stafford, Gabby experiences a series of misadventures— from an attempted seduction by Henry VIII, to peril at the court of France’s King Francois I. But meeting the Tudor hunk whose painted portrait has hung on her bedroom wall since she was a teen, was a definite upside. And what she learned…Gabby discovers that life—in any era—can teach her more than she’d ever learn in school. Love is timeless. AmazonKU

THE BEAR FINALLY FINDS HIS MATE (A SECOIND CHANCE AT BEAR CREEK LODGE BOOK SEVEN) by Harmony Raines

VS Note: From APRIL 20.

Jesse finally finds his mate. Well, first he finds her daughter. Which leads to him finding his mate. But will they get the happy ever after they deserve? AmazonKU

HEART BOND (ELVEN ALLIANCE BOOK EIGHT) by Tara Grayce

Fan favorites find their happy endings in this collection of Elven Alliance short stories and novellas! King of Escarland – When King Averett is shot on his coronation day, sparks fly between him and the captain’s daughter Paige. The Guard and the Maid – Iyrinder is the perfect elven guard, but will he find his happily ever after with the human maid Miss Merrick? Or will a near tragedy cut their love story short? Peril in Mongavaria – A dangerous mission to a foreign kingdom isn’t the ideal honeymoon. Jalissa, princess of the elves, thought she knew what she was getting into when she married Edmund, the spy prince of Escarland. But a week after their wedding, they must embark on a dangerous mission to an enemy nation, putting their wits, their skills, and their new marriage to the test in ways they never imagined. Inventor – Machines have always made more sense to Lance Marion than people. But when the elf Illyna walks into his life, his inventions might not be enough to build a happily ever after. This collection also includes the stories Birthdays, The Wager, The Proposal, Naming the Kitten, Family Vacation, Investigating, Weapons Collection, Failures and Forgiveness, and Nightmares and Monsters. AmazonKU

FLYING FANCIES EPISODE ONE by Odette C Bell

It’s not easy when you’re a runaway princess and the kingdom’s most notorious thief has indentured you. Beatrix Fontaine ran from her stepmother for a very good reason – if the Queen Regent discovered Beatrix is a powerful healing witch, the kingdom would hunt her. So it’s best to run first, correct? That was the theory, but when the inexperienced Beatrix runs into the very experienced, handsome, and calculating thief, Darian Gram, things get tricky. Darian’s a runaway himself – from the law, at least. Oh, and from family and friends – anyone foolish enough to have ever lent him a cent. With enemies that could fill one of those newfangled steam dirigibles, his best chance has always been on his own. But when a certain doe-eyed powerful witch wanders across his path, he can’t help but indenture her. Taking what he wants comes naturally to Darian. But so does trouble. When they find themselves, ironically, on the kingdom’s flagship dirigible packed with enemies and spies, they must unfortunately work together. It’s that or die. And Darian can’t die. Beatrix’s contracted never to let him. Worse, all too soon, he steals her heart, and thieves like Mr. Gram never let you go once you’re theirs. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

THE GIANT AND THE WITCH (WITCHES OF NEW YORK BOOK FOUR) by Kim Richardson

After Shay and I moved into Valen’s place, I thought I could finally get a well-deserved break from the madness of this city and spend some quality—naked—time with my giant. But when someone finds an emaciated body in Valen’s restaurant, I know I’ll never catch a break. And it gets worse. More bodies turn up, and a Gray Council investigator starts snooping around The Twilight Hotel as well as Valen’s restaurant. The evidence points to my giant, but if Valen is found guilty of these murders, he’ll get a one-way ticket to the paranormal prison. And I’ll never see him again. Ever. I’m not about to let that happen. Then the unthinkable occurs. While I’m trying to clear Valen’s name, someone I care about is wounded by an old enemy and takes a turn for the worse. As the clues start to fit together, I realize I must defeat this old nemesis to keep my loved ones safe—and find the real killer. AmazonKU

TWIST OF FATE (SYNDICATE MASTERS: MIDWEST) by Delta James

After being fired as a reporter in New York City, Quinn took advantage of a bequest from a relative and moved to New Orleans, trying to figure out what to do next. When one of the local papers gives her a chance, she makes the best of it, quickly becoming the Gazette’s rising star. Working with an informant, she sets her sights on a notorious Cartel. Bodie is the head of the syndicate that controls the Crescent City. He wants to stop the Cartel from using the Port of New Orleans to import its new, deadly designer drug and using the Mississippi River to disburse it to the rest of the country. Once he realized she was his fated mate, nothing would stop him from claiming her. After a not-so-chance encounter during Mardi Gras, Quinn finds herself bonded to the notorious gangster. Fate may have made them mates but can they work together to bring down the Cartel before it’s too late? AmazonKU

THE FAVOURITE (BRIDES OF KARADOC BOOK SIX) by Alice Coldbreath

Alisander de Balon, fifth Viscount Bardulf is a lot of things. Ambassador. Diplomat. Spy. He is also bored as hell at the Argent King’s court. His only diversion these days is tormenting staid Jane Cecil, the Queen’s favorite Lady-in-Waiting. Seeing her vexed amuses him more than any royal entertainment. Jane has finally found her place at Court, and it is among the Queen’s retinue. All she wants to do is faithfully serve Her Majesty, something she could do in peace if it was not for the Queen’s countryman, Viscount Bardulf, who seems to delight in baiting her! Neither Bardulf nor Jane could have foreseen the sudden tragedy that leads to their hasty union and certainly, neither of them could have anticipated that they would fall so easily into different roles… that of husband and wife. Amazon

THE UNSEELIE KING AND I (UN-FAETED KINGS BOOK TWO) by Milana Jacks

Augusta – You’d think that as the Royal Seer, I would’ve foreseen the tall, shadow-cloaked fae appear in the gardens. And how we’d share a bench, intimate conversation, and a kiss. But I didn’t. When he offers his arm to escort me back to the King’s ball, I find myself taking it. And learning his identity. The Unseelie king, a reclusive male with magic too powerful to comprehend. Clearly, I shouldn’t have kissed him. My mistake. My huge mistake. For now, the Unseelie king demands something my king isn’t willing to give. That I become his bride. Aamako – They say I’m mad. I say I’m happy, living in seclusion with only the furniture for company. Talking furniture that have opinions. But still. Happy. Only one thing forces me to the halls of Seelie Court. Thwarting my nephew’s plot to steal my throne. For that, I need a bride. I meet her as soon as I step into the Golden Palace gardens. The Royal Seer, a beauty with laughter made of sunshine, intriguing boldness, and a kind heart—a tempting combination I must resist. Although I knew this engagement was never real, it begins to feel anything but. And now I’m not sure how I’ll ever let her go. AmazonKU

THE WAY YOU BREAK (CREATURES OF SCALES AND SAVAGERY BOOK ONE) by K J Jackson

Destiny isn’t for the weak. Skye Walters thought waking up on the side of a river with no memory was her biggest problem. She has no idea that Aiden, the man who saved her from drowning—the man she’s now forced to depend on—is more than a mere mortal. He’s a warrior of ancient. And he’s never going to let her go. With no memory, nowhere to go, Skye stays in the mountain town, only to discover she herself, has unexplained powers. Her life, her destiny, are soon out of her control, as are her feelings for Aiden. The deeper she gets sucked into Aiden’s hidden world, the more the past, and who she really is, threatens her future, her love, and her sanity. AmazonKU

WARDEN OF WATER (REIGN OF DRAGONS BOOK THREE) by D N Hoxa

The time has come to end the reign of dragons. My family has played god with shifters for over eight centuries. They’ve conquered in silence, have gathered and saved power for themselves, failing their people. No more. The draca live. All four of us are alive, on the same timeline, and we have what it takes to summon the Ether, bring back the balance of elements in our world. Give the people back their magic. Put a stop to the Azarius reign. Except the Ether might not be who we think he is…Will summoning him really be the beginning of a new, better world? Or the deadliest mistake anyone’s ever made? AmazonKU

KNOT INN LOVE by Liliana Carlisle

Three mysterious Alphas. A girl with no past. James. Grey. Beau—they’re the handsome, unattainable Alphas that run the Aurora Inn. One minute they’re kind, the next minute, they’re cold and distant, shrouding themselves in secrets. They make me want things I shouldn’t—and make my body crave things it shouldn’t. I’m a Beta—there’s no place for me in their world, let alone their hearts. Yet this pack—and their cat—have other ideas.
And if I don’t find out what they want with me…I’ll either lose my mind or give in to my desires. Maybe a little bit of both. AmazonKU

CALHOUN: PERRY’S NEST BOOK THREE by Kathi S Barton

Ruby Thimble didn’t have anything left to lose. She had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and now her days were numbered. She sold everything and decided she wanted to spend what time she had left with her sister, Rosie. Rosie struggled with dark thoughts. Ending her days here on Earth remained forefront in her mind. But when her sister just suddenly showed up on her doorstep and her days were numbered by no choice of her own, Rosie wasn’t having it. She had to do something. She knew a bear shifter and knew he could help. She’d get down on her knees and beg if she had to. Calhoun Meyer didn’t know what he could do to help, but he and Rosie were supposed to be leaving to work for Hamish in a few days, so he said he’d help her sister if he could. When he arrived at the camper to see what he could do, if anything, it hit him that Ruby was his mate.

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FOREVERMORE (CROSSBREED SERIES BOOK 13) by Dannika Dark

Keystone’s planning an unforgettable wedding, but there’s only one problem: the groom is missing. To top that off, the father of the bride is out of town, leaving Raven to wonder if destiny has screwed her over once again. Despite the setbacks, she’s full steam ahead—even if that means showing up at the altar alone. Hilarious antics ensue as readers catch up with their favorite characters. A high-octane chase, a tattoo gone wrong, and a stunning surprise. Will Christian pledge his eternal love, or has the twice-burned Vampire gotten cold feet?

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THE ENFORCER: ZEPHYR HILLS PHANTOM M C BOOK ONE by Darlene Tallman

Tressa Powers hasn’t had an easy life. She’s learned to keep to herself. Growing up, books were her escape. When she finally purchased an e-reader, she found a whole new world— indie authors. Tressa gets the chance to attend a book signing where many of her favorite authors will be. Real-life bikers will also be in attendance. She decides to splurge on a VIP ticket to the event instead of a general admission one since it will come with a swag bag. While traveling to the hotel she’ll be staying at, she gets a flat tire. She’s in the middle of trying to get the lug nuts off when a tall, tattooed biker stops to help her change it. Even though she doesn’t get a good look at the man, she feels a sense of longing. Something she’s never experienced before. Pushing the sensation aside, she vows to enjoy her once-in-lifetime dream. Tressa doesn’t expect to see him again or be in a position so many of her favorite heroines find themselves in. Enroute to the clubhouse, Chaos spots a vehicle on the side of the road. From what he can see, it’s a female trying to change the tire. His mother’s teachings return to him causing him to stop and offer her help. Because of the gear he wears while riding, Chaos isn’t able to catch her scent. ..(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

THE ALPHA’S ARRANGED MATE (ALPHA WOLF ISLAND BOOK TWO) by Kayla Wolf

He’s the cruel alpha of the enemy. And I’ve been chosen to marry him. He’s everything I hate. An entitled billionaire, an arrogant alpha wolf, and much older than me. They told me our arranged marriage doesn’t need to be consummated. But now that I’m his mate…how much longer can I hide my feelings…and my pregnancy? Guys like him get what they want and are obeyed without question. I wish I’d never gotten the order to marry him, but I have no choice. We need to fight the demons together. It’s purely political. I couldn’t love him if they forced me to. But all my rationality doesn’t save me in the dangerous moments. The moments when I’m trapped on his yacht with him.
The moments when he releases my shame and takes what’s his. The moments when his hands stroke my growing belly and I want only one thing…To give my alpha his baby. AmazonKU

CRAVING HIS VIRGIN MATE (POISON WOLVES MC BOOK TWO) by Sam Crescent

All of her life, Agatha Preston never felt like she belonged. Her parents made her keep secrets about herself and what she was capable of. After their death, there’s nothing for her in the city. She doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it in a small town called Poison. The locals are awful and rude, but she loves the town and there’s no way she’s leaving. There was a human in town and that always had the pack on edge. They had to keep every single part of their lives in check, which was exhausting. Boyan tried to persuade the little human to leave town. There was only one problem—he knows there’s something off about her. Agatha is not quite human, and she’s not quite wolf either. It’s in her scent, in her eyes, and certainly in her ability to heal fast. The woman he starts falling in love with is not all wolf and she isn’t all human. A year ago, they discovered a vet who found out about them, and he tried to turn innocent people into wolves. Several humans had been infected with wolf blood. None of them had survived. The vet had a lot of files in his practice—one of them titled Agatha Preston. Panic unlike anything he’d ever felt consumes him. He finally finds his woman that was all his and now, there was a chance he wasn’t going to keep her. They have to find someone who worked with the doctor before it was too late. Every second she stays in Poison, the stronger her wolf is becoming. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

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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…

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

I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post but after that I’m not responsible.

Required Statement: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifiying purchases.

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

May 6 2023

Write This Down Weekend Snippet

(Pssst: I currently have a mega sale on my Badari Gladiators boxed set, books 1-3 – just $.99!!! Check it out below the post – scroll all the way down.)

Taking a snippet from my scifi rock star romance STAR CRUISE STAR SONG. I’ve jumped ahead after Addy and Ryder spend a little time in his cabin, listening to music and talking. Now she’s back in her own cabin on the crew’s deck. I’m switching to Ryder’s POV as he reflects on the date in his luxury suite many decks above.

The damn cabin seemed twice as forlorn with Addy gone. She had a positive energy Ryder found refreshing and it hadn’t been a boring evening after all. Probably the most chaste evening he’d spent with a woman ever. Grinning, he chuckled. I never knew I liked the shy ones. He’d been tempted to kiss her at the gravlift, to see if he could spark a reaction and extend the evening together, but at the last second he’d been overtaken by an unaccustomed sense of discretion. After only a few hours Addy mattered to him in an indefinable way. Although she was intriguing, he’d have to move with caution if he wanted to pursue this. She wasn’t a groupie pining for a rock star to fuck. Hells, she didn’t even know he was a rock star, or a has been anyway.

As he walked past the piano bench, the piece of paper where she’d drawn the visualization of what she said she heard when she was near the engines caught his eye and again he heard the notes of the new song in his head. Breaking stride, he sat at the piano and hesitantly played a few notes before frustration with a tinge of fear caused him to stop. Grimly he started again, focusing on Addy’s face as she’d been drawing—the expression of sheer happiness transformed her from a pretty girl into a person of rare beauty in Ryder’s opinion—and this time music flowed.

I’ve got to write this down.

Before the tune escaped.

Here’s the official blurb:

Addy Tryndall is a fresh graduate from a highly respected engineering college in the Sectors, on her way to a plum job on the Nebula Zephyr cruise ship. She knows she’ll be on probation but she’s determined to succeed and nothing is going to distract her.

Ryder McRhodes is a has-been interstellar rock star, on his way to reunite with his fellow band members to see if the lightning of mega success will strike twice for them. He isn’t sure he wants to be in the spotlight again and he hasn’t been able to write music since the band broke up.

Addy has secrets. Ryder needs a muse to unblock the creative flow…could her tightly guarded past be the answer to his problem? When the two are thrown together in an attempt to avoid the interstellar paparazzi he’s intrigued. She’s wary.

And someone is sabotaging systems on the Nebula Zephyr. Addy unwittingly finds herself in the middle of the situation while juggling her increasing attraction to Ryder and her challenges on the new job. Can she trust him with her secret? Or will he break her heart?

The danger on board comes ever closer to Addy as the cruise continues…

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BADARI GLADIATORS BOOKS 1-3 by VS Note: I’ve bundled my three gladiator books into a box set and put it on sale for $.99 this month! Of course I’m hoping if readers like my gladiators they’ll want to read the ongoing, original Badari Warriors series too. And if you’re already a fan of one or both series, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This Badari Gladiators box set gathers the first three science fiction romance novels from this series into one collection. Featuring genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then unscrupulous lab techs faked the deaths of a few men, smuggled them off the planet in cryo freeze and sold them to be gladiators. They meet their human fated mates in alien arenas and must fight to save themselves and their mates. Kyden is a Generation Five Badari whereas the main characters in the long running series are from a later time and are Generation Eight. This new series stands alone and you don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. I couldn’t resist the temptation to tell a few other Badari stories, set in the galaxy’s Hinterlands, and who can resist gladiators? Please note each novel has been previously published on its own and all are standalone tales. No new material has been added, aside from a brief Author’s Note about why I wrote each novel.

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May 5 2023

Profiles in SciFi Romance: Kayelle Allen

NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Kayelle Allen, a prolific author of science fiction and science fiction romance. Ms. Allen is also well known for her staunch support of other authors, from running a book blog to creating and running the Marketing For Romance Writers group, which has an emphasis on peer mentoring and outreach on many major social media platforms.

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance or science fiction book you ever read and what did you like about it?

KA: I don’t remember the first one. My parents always had these books sitting around, and I was born reading, I think. I remember covers from my early childhood but have no idea what the titles were, or who the authors might have been. The first one I remember was The Languages of Pao by Jack Vance. I was eight, and that was heavy reading for a young kid. But it inspired me to write. When I grew up, I wanted to be able to tell stories that talked about people. When I was about six, I told my mother I wanted to write a story about cats. As it happened, my first published book was At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, which featured a half-human half-Kin (a feline-type race). So I did, in fact, grow up to write that book.

ASM.: I like the symmetry of that arc! What was the 2-3 sentence logline?

KA: …its simple tagline was, “She’s addictive. He can’t touch her. But what if he kissed her just once?”

ASM.: Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

KA: A Stolen Heart. It’s book one in my Thieves’ Guild Academy. The hero is in multiple books, and if you want to find a place to start in my story universe, that book is ideal. It introduces a host of characters who appear in other books and series. I write in a single story universe, so if you like characters in one book, you’re likely to find them in another.

ASM.: None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?

KA: Any book set in the Tarthian Empire. There are several series set there, and twenty-two planets make it up. There would always be something to see. Subscribers to my newsletter can download various maps, including an overall look at the galaxy and its empires, Tarth City, and even the planet Sempervia, from the Bringer of Chaos series. I’m visual, so I sketch things, or hire artists to create concept drawings. When you sign up for my newsletter, you get the first story in the Chaos series, as well as an illustrated behind-the-scenes book. I have several of those. Once you’re a member, you have access to a dozen free books with all sorts of background, inside stories, and expanded epilogues. I know the Empire well, and it would be a great place to see.

ASM. Perfect lead-in to the next question which is how do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

KA: All the above. I learned early on that with a big series set on more than one world, I needed to keep good records. My readers catch details that I miss. I once wrote that 101 people followed the immortal king, Pietas, when he left Sempervia, where he’d been exiled. A few books later I mentioned there were hundreds. I had to produce a reason. I decided that once he left the planet, others who had followed him pre-exile returned to his side. The idea led to the concept of fealty—a test to prove loyalty and immortality. It’s been part of more than one book, and plays huge roles in Surrender Love, Forever Love, and Ring of the Dragon.

ASM.: Which character in your books is either most like you or who you’d like to be and why?

KA: I’d love to say I’m most like Pietas, as he’s my favorite character, but I’m probably more like his twin sister, Dessy (aka Rheyn). She’s smart, powerful, detail-oriented, and doesn’t put up with nonsense. She’s also usually on the wrong side of almost any situation and far too blunt.

ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

KA: The latest is A Divided Heart: Thieves’ Guild Academy. In A Stolen Heart, the character Brinn had a big part, and I always wanted to explore his story. He was instrumental in bringing about the adoption of Senth (who was in my first book), and I thought… What if he adopted a little HalfKin of his own, thinking he would get this sweet little child like his foster brother? But the little girl he fosters is four, going on forty, and has a mind like a steel trap. She’s far more advanced than others and can already read, write, and has hacking skills. Brinn has both hands full dealing with her, all while reuniting with the handsome headmaster at the Academy. Fun story to write, and I am ready to take on more in that series. It consists of A Stolen Heart, A Broken Heart, and A Divided Heart, and they are available at all retailers. A Divided Heart releases May 27, 2023.

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?

KA: Ring of the Dragon was the most fun to write. It was all from the point of view of Pietas, and I love writing about him. The cosplayer Nik Nitsvetov has portrayed him in three different cosplays, and I have thousands of pictures of him. When I need inspiration, I open one of the photo folders and look. In this book, things about Pietas that I never knew (or even thought of) came to the surface. It answered questions I’d had about his character and personality, and opened the door wide for a new series. Although Ring of the Dragon is the first book I’ve written in the Heart of the Immortal King series, it is not the first chronologically. If it goes according to plan, I’ll have half a dozen books by the time I’m through.

ASM.: I always love it when a character reveals more about themselves to the author. Also, how cool to have a cosplayer so invested in one of your key characters. Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?

KA: Easily, it’s Mahikos. He’s the father of Pietas, and he’s a thoroughly disagreeable person. One reviewer referred to him as a man who “needs killing.” He’s interesting to write because he rarely lets a chance pass to needle his son. Even the rare compliment is voiced in a snide manner. But he’s immortal, and he is not going to be easy to dispatch… even though fans want to see him gone.

ASM.: Do you have a ‘writing buddy’ pet?

Author’s own photo

KA: I don’t have living pets, but I do keep two adorable baby dragons on my desktop. Their names are Stormsinger (white) and Fireshade (red). They can be found in Ring of the Dragon as well as a few other books. I had them custom made by a company I discovered on Instagram.

ASM.: Truly adorable. What’s next for you?

KA: I’m a plotter, so for me, the next book is in the details. I’m simultaneously making notes on two series and have ideas for several more. I plan to finish my science fiction series Bringer of Chaos, and add a few books to my new MM Romance series Thieves’ Guild Academy, and I’m eager to write another book in the series Heart of the Immortal King. Readers who want to know when a book is released can join my newsletter as “new releases only” and get one email when a book comes out. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

ASM.: What’s on your To Be Read List?

KA: Multiple books in various genres. Because I have a book blog (Romance Lives Forever) I’m exposed to new books every day, and often see what’s coming before it’s released. I’m never at a disadvantage when it comes to having books to read. I love all genres of MM Romance, most Historical Romance as well as Sci-Fi Romance, but anything that holds still long enough for me to focus on it is going to be read.

ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

Kayelle Allen—Writer of misbehaving robots, role-playing immortal gamers, warriors who purrrrr, and romance that lives forever. Sign up for her newsletter and get Sci-Fi stories, book recommendations, and other reader exclusives. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kayelleallenbooks

Kayelle’s latest book (releases May 27):

In a school filled with hackers and thieves, how do you trust your heart?
The Thieves’ Guild Academy teaches three things. Honor above profit. Skill above chance. Family above all.
So when the Academy decides to turn away an alien child who’s too unruly to train, Professor Brinn Halin intercedes. Despite the warnings of his handsome ex, the Headmaster, he fosters the precocious four-year-old girl.
Academy Headmaster Kam Zavala oversees a school full of trainee thieves and hackers, and he’s used to their tricks. This latest student, a headstrong but brilliant little girl, has gone beyond a simple hack. Her work threatens to implode the ancient Academy itself. As a disaster of epic proportions unfurls, Kam must take action.
But when the child’s breach uncovers a deeper, more insidious hack, the two master thieves must work together. Is there truly honor among thieves? These two have a second chance to prove it, save the child, the Academy, and restore their newfound love.
The question is, will they trust their well-honed instincts, or follow their long-divided hearts…
◆An MM second chance sci-fi romance set in the Thieves’ Guild Academy

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LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (listed alphabetically by authors’ first names):

May 3 2023

New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for MAY 3

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

‘AB’ denotes audiobook and the Amazon buy link.

NOTE: I’m doing my best to avoid listing anything generated from use of AI but it’s sometimes tricky to detect from the resources I have available.

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SILVER STRANGER: WORLDS AWAY: WARRIORS OF VALOSE SAGA 12 by Iona Strom

Alyssa – I should have been worried about not flubbing up my first day as an intern in NASA’s undergraduate program for planetary research. Instead, I was terrified of which alien prisoner I was bought to pleasure first. Anyone but the silver male they called the Berserker. He terrified me the most. Drekkor – Stolen from the Trisess Forest on my home world by little gray freaks, I was sold, then forced to fight in an arena for the pleasure of others. Losing was a death sentence. As a seasoned warrior of Valose, I had the fighting skills to keep myself alive no matter what monster they pitted against me. To the chagrin of my jailers, none stood a chance. Then she was tossed into my cage, a curvy distraction they thought would soften me. Instead, she triggered a biological response that should not be possible. That a female of another species could breathe life into my ancillary heart seemed impossible, but the adrenalyne that pumped through my veins might be the fuel I needed to rescue us both. AmazonKU

ALIEN RULER (ALIEN INVASION BOOK EIGHT) by honey Phillips

Can a protective alien warrior save a fragile woman from his enemies – and his own desperate need? Leslie is used to being the quiet twin, but she has no intention of remaining silent when her sister could be in danger. Nisani, the Vulfar Ruler, is big, gruff, and intimidating – but he’s the only one who can help her. Nisani bears the overwhelming weight of his responsibilities patiently, just as he was raised to do. Hiding his attraction to the beautiful human in his care is much more difficult, even though he knows she can never be his. When an unexpected attack leaves Leslie and Nisani stranded together in the wilderness, civilized rules no longer seem to apply. But can their fiery attraction survive a vicious plot – and the return to their previous lives? AmazonKU

THE RENTAL 2 by Linda Mooney

Megan Kolt has been trapped, a prisoner in her own body, for the past six years. Her husband, Turner Kolt, has watched her slowly waste away in a coma, but he’s been assured her brain is functioning and she still has her senses. When offered a chance for his wife to live vicariously through someone else through a fairly new service from Rall Rentals, he wants to let his wife experience…something. Anything. Wanting to use her own life to help others, Jory Wittenhouse applies for the Rall Rentals program to allow others who are less fortunate to live through her. After vigorous testing, she’s approve and given a special case, not the usual disabled or handicapped client. The renter is completely comatose and paralyzed, but still reacts to stimuli. She’s told the woman’s family wants her to spend whatever time she has left being happy, and Jory wants to give her that. Turner has his reservations, and questions are raised. He proposes the opportunity to meet the rental, if she’s willing, to put his own mind at ease, under the guise of letting Megan see his face one last time. He wasn’t expecting her to be perfect. For Megan, that is. He wants Megan to experience what it’s like to be alive again, to be loved, and that’s why he’s attracted to Jory. Because Megan is in there somewhere, or so he’s trying to convince himself to ease the guilt. But as much as he wants Megan to live again, Turner isn’t living himself. Time and love will make that decision for him.

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HER ALIEN PRINCE (TREASURES OF TRILLUME BOOK TWO) by Sky Robert

Rejected from the mating ceremony, Mabel finds a unique way of making her dreams of a family come true, though she may have to defy the leader of her planet to do so, and work with a species that isn’t known for playing fair to have everything she desires. Trent is the prince of his planet Krelis, and his mother, the queen, is on the verge of issuing a hostile takeover of yet another planet. The only way to stop a war and stop the hemorrhaging of his warriors is to seek a political mate bond with the future leader of Estreldez, but the one that stirs his mating glands is an advisor outcast from her clan. AmazonKU

ERA’S END (THE CRICKET CHRONICLES BOOK SEVEN) by Ryann Fletcher

The Near Systems are on fire. People are dead, and the Coalition is denying the blame. Rebel factions are waxing and waning as the crew battles against fuel shortages, rivals, blockades, and dangerous enemies. In Era’s End, we return to all the previous characters as the series comes to its explosive climax. Join Captain Violet, Alice, Larkin, Evie, Georgie, Henry, Mae, Bailey, Rosie, Delia, Cass, and Olivia as their stories continue.

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PROTECTOR: RAGE (A DARK MATE-CLAIM ROMANCE) by Nora Ash

I want her dead, but for a woman like her there is a far worse fate: She may hate me.
She will still be mine. I awoke in hell. I don’t know who I was before, or where I came from. If I ever knew anything but darkness and pain. What I am now is a machine. A weapon, whose every breath is controlled by the technology fused with my very DNA. Bound in eternal servitude. She did this. Doctor Adelaide Thompson made me into the perfect soldier. A protector, incapable of doing her harm. But all I fantasize about is my hands around her throat. Her soft, pink lips gasping for air, and the drum of her pulse under my palms. I hate her. I want her. And I am the only one who can save her life. She won’t like the price…Rage is the first book in the dark mate-claim serial, Protector. Brace for twisted romance and evil cliffhangers.

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PROTECTOR: TREACHERY (A DARK MATE-CLAIM ROMANCE) by Nora Ash

I created him. Put him back together when he was nothing but ripped muscle and snapped bones. I made him stronger. Faster. Lethal. I molded him into a weapon. And for three years, I controlled his every breath. He hates me for it. I hate him, too. When I was weak and desperate and thought I would die, he was the one who came for me. He claimed my freedom to save my life, and I am no longer the one in control. Now, he is my unwilling protector, and I… I belong to him. NB: This is part 2 of Nora’s Protector serial. Make sure you read part 1 – Protector: Rage – first.

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LOST PLACES: STORIES by Sarah Pinsker

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

A new collection from the author of Nebula Award winning A Song for a New Day and Philip K Dick Award winning Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea. A half-remembered children’s TV show. A hotel that shouldn’t exist. A mysterious ballad. A living flag. Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author Sarah Pinsker’s second collection brings together a seemingly eclectic group of stories that unite behind certain themes: her touchstones of music and memory are joined by stories about secret subversions and hidden messages in art. Her stories span and transcend genre labels, looking for the truth in strange situations from possible futures to impossible pasts. Amazon

THE WARDEN (ALIEN BRIDE: FIRST CONQUEST BOOK ONE) by Sarah Alder

Just when I thought life couldn’t get any harder, I’m abducted by aliens and dropped on a hostile alien planet. Everything is trying to make me its next snack…even one of the natives that call the planet home. Tall, grey-skinned, with piercing amber eyes, Zarris watches me with a different kind of hunger. I tell myself I don’t have time to notice the fearless, scarred man who makes my heart race. Finding a way back home has to be a priority. However, my determination to return to Earth sets into motion a chain of events that won’t only change my future but Zarris’ too. And once I save us both, there’s no turning back. AmazonKU

GHOSTLY GAME (A GHOSTWALKER NOVEL BOOK 19) by Christine Feehan

VS note: I used to LOVE this series but drifted away from it. I do still read them on occasion so I pre-ordered this one. Sounded good.

Gideon “Eagle” Carpenter is used to rolling with the punches life has thrown at him. It’s the only thing that’s kept him alive. He and his team of GhostWalkers have seen and experienced it all. He does his best to live with all the sins written on his soul. Then he hears the laughter of a woman with the ability to erase—even for a few precious moments—the darkness of his past. Laurel “Rory” Chappel has always been a nomad. She’s accustomed to taking care of herself, despite the physical challenges she lives with. She thinks she’s too weak to find real love, but that doesn’t stop her interest in Gideon from turning into a full-on addiction. He’s all rough edges and danger contrasted with a tenderness that makes her feel safe. Still, after a life spent in motion, she’s not sure she knows how to stay in one place. Gideon hopes he can persuade Rory to take a chance on him with every electric touch. But soon, life conspires against him, forcing the GhostWalker to risk everything to protect the woman he loves.

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AVX (DARVERIUS, HOUSE OF DAR BOOK EIGHT) by Jennifer Julie Miller

Ivy – Why are the last words ever spoken to our loved ones is in anger? I knew the moment I left it was a mistake, but my stubborn pride urged me forward. I’ve awakened to unimaginable horrors, pain unlike anything the human mind could conceive, until him. Now, I’m too scared to trust my own feelings, as they have only led me astray. I push his kindness away, striking out in a rage of harsh words and unwarranted anger. As this new future is revealed to me, I crumble away inside,…slowly and insidiously. How much more do I have to lose before I realize my sole chance of happiness is standing in front of me? AvX – She is like a wild animal, cornered and frightened, unwilling to accept any sort of kindness. A fiery soul trapped inside a mind littered with insecurities and heartache. I ache for a kind word or a gentle touch as my body reacts to her slightest touches. How do I convince her to put aside the pain she has endured and take a chance on the unknown,… on me? The fates put her in my path for a reason, and I will find a way to tame the fire that consumes her. AmazonKU

ALL IN A NAME (CASE FILES OF HENRI DAVENFORTH BOOK NINE) by Honor Raconteur

VS note: Listed in cozy steampunk mysteries.

Someone left Jamie a prezzie and she would like to return it with a no thank you. It all starts with a dead Robert Martin, the man who killed RM Burtchell. Jamie doesn’t know how, but it’s obvious he was yanked out of high security prison, murdered, and dumped on her front doorsteps. Now the situation is entirely out of control. Someone obviously wants her attention–her people are being targeted and hurt, they can’t catch a lead, and it’s bringing up Belladonna vibes. Jamie would like to request a new plot device. AmazonKU

DEVIK: SVESTI FATED MATES BOOK TWO by Wavy Martin

Shades of gray meets black and white and results in color. Thirty years ago, the Zuvgran released a virus that killed most Svesti females and rendered the remainder infertile. The Svesti initiate first contact with Earth when their scientists discover that humans and Svesti can interbreed. Humans may be able to save the warrior species that has been protecting Earth’s region of space for a century. Emmy is just trying to stay out of jail. She’s been ordered to hack Svesti technology and bring back everything and anything that will advance her country’s plans. She pushes limits to push people away. Devik is intelligent, strong and sexy with an unshakable foundation of right and wrong. He’s also the head security officer on the space cruiser.

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SENTINEL’S GATE (AELARAN WARRIORS BOOK ONE) by Elin Wyn

My mission was everything. And then there was her. My duty is to protect the portal. Drive away any humans who might come close, make sure nothing comes through. But when a beautiful researcher nearly falls to her death near my hidden outpost, nothing is simple anymore. Amina has seen too much. Knows far too much. There’s only one thing to do. Erase her memory and send her away. But strange things are happening in the town of Blackwater. Strangest of all? I can’t let Amina go.

Amazon NOTE: I would suspect this is AmazonKU but as of today when the report is finalized, it doesn’t show that.

KRANTOR’S MATE by M M Wakeford

One day, on a planet far from Earth, I meet my fated mate. The only problem is, he’s in love with someone else. Martha has enrolled on a six-month exchange program to the planet Ven, whose people have recently made first contact with Earth. Newly single and broke, Martha looks forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to find out more about the Venorians, an intriguing humanoid race of massive bronze-skinned people. As the son and heir of the Kran, planet Ven’s ruler, Krantor has four somars—men who are his lifelong bodyguards and companions. He loves them all dearly, but one of them, Prilor, he loves best of all. Krantor knows he’s destined to meet his fated mate one day, but it’s Prilor he wants to spend his days and nights with. And he certainly hadn’t banked on his fated mate being a human! Will Martha give up her life on Earth for a fated mate who already loves another? And what of the feelings she has developed for Shanbri, another of Krantor’s somars? Author’s note: this is a standalone sci-fi romance with steam and spice aplenty, featuring FM, MM, and MFM relationships, and a guaranteed HEA for all. AmazonKU

THE ANDROID WHO SEDUCED ME: AN UNLIKELY HERO by L Taylor

VS note: Saw this recommended by Brooke_and_Books on Tiktok

They want me dead, and I know I won’t survive. Then a wealthy friend gives me a state-of-the-art robot for protection. The problem? The A.I. is designed for pleasure. I can’t reject the offer; it’s my only hope. Of course, I refuse to use the robot for what it is originally intended. I need a bodyguard, not a A.I. boyfriend. But the robot, it seems, has other plans. AmazonKU

ALIEN PROTECTOR’S SUNSHINE (FATED MATES OF THE QOL’RAKII BOOK TWO) by Maddie Syn and Ami Wright

Abducted, stranded… fated? Faith – For once, I left behind the family farm and headed for the nearest space station. But I should’ve known I couldn’t trust just anyone. Soon, I was in the hold of an alien ship, held captive while a crew of fearsome creatures salivated over me. I manage to escape by chance, sneaking away from the ship after an attack., Lost in the wilderness of an alien planet, I am awakened by Audun. My alien rescuer is utterly beautiful and exactly the kind of guy I could easily lose my heart to. I’ve already fallen for his adorable dragon companion and I’m half in love with the pristine planet they help protect. So when he brings me to safety and watches over me, he’s almost irresistable, despite the language barrier. When we finally get my translator working and I find out he’s taken an oath to wait for his fated mate, that shouldn’t be a problem. I have responsibilities back on Earth after all. So why am I finding the thought of saying goodbye so darn impossible? Audun – I will do anything to protect my planet and my people, for I am slated to be their next leader. I’m sent to investigate the abandoned ships of our defeated enemies and report back. But…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

TRAPPED (BRIDES OF THE KINDRED BOOK 29) by Evangeline Anderson

Seline Kennison has a secret crush on the huge Dark Kindred warrior who acts as her Protector. Nox watches over her when she goes on diplomatic missions for the Kindred and keeps her safe when they are on strange planets together. There’s just one problem—Dark Kindred don’t have emotions. So how can Nox ever return her feelings when he has no feelings to return? Nox the Dark Kindred warrior is having a problem—he has started having dreams of the curvy human woman he’s supposed to protect. And all the dreams are sexual in nature. Nox doesn’t know what to make of this—he’s never had emotions before but the feelings of tenderness, protectiveness, and desire seem to be growing inside him and they are all aimed at Seline. What is he going to do? Things come to a head when the two are assigned a new mission—to go and bargain for the other half of the Far Box, an ancient artifact that is said to be able to control time and space. They have the first half but the entire artifact is needed for it to work—or so they think. But as they fly through the fold in space something strange happens…and they find themselves in an alternate universe. Now Nox and Seline must try to navigate in a universe where everything is turned on its head. The powerful Mistress they were going to bargain with turns out to be a demanding Master. Within his domain, the Halls of Pain, Nox and Seline find a whole new dynamic. No longer coworkers, now they are Dom and sub and they must play their parts as if their lives depended on it—because they do. But will the two of them ever make it home to their own universe? Or will they be forever Trapped?

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PERFECT MATCH: MY MERMAN PRINCE by I T Lucas

The beautiful architect working late on the twelfth floor of my building thinks that I’m just the maintenance guy. She’s also under the impression that I’m not interested.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I want her like I’ve never wanted a woman before, but I don’t play where I work. I don’t need the complications. When she tells me about living out her mermaid fantasy with a stranger in a Perfect Match virtual adventure, I decide to do everything possible to ensure that the stranger is me. AmazonKU

PERFECT MATCH: THE THIEF WHO LOVED ME by I T Lucas

VS Note: From APRIL 15

When Marian splurges on a Perfect Match Virtual adventure as a world infamous jewel thief, she expects high-wire fun with a hot partner who she will never have to see again in real life. A virtual encounter seems like the perfect answer to Marcus’s string of dating disasters. No strings attached, no drama, and definitely no love. As a die-hard James Bond fan, he chooses as his avatar a dashing MI6 operative, and to complement his adventure, a dangerously seductive partner. Neither expects to find their forever Perfect Match. AmazonKU

THE LION AND THE DAHLIA (THE ORCHID AND THE LION BOOK TWO) by Gabriel Hargrave

It’s been months since Earth supported a pro-Purity coup on Baldwin, and Laith Ritter is settling into his new home on Europa Station. He’s a hit at work, he’s building a life with his boyfriend and Dom, Dorian Vidales, and he’s found a family, one that he would do anything for. He’s even caught the eye of his handsome coworker, Omar. On the surface, it would seem Laith’s star is on the rise and still climbing. But in reality, he’s struggling. And so is Dorian. He’s desperately trying to find his boyfriend, Kenny, and figure out how to help his coworkers who got arrested the night of the raid. And unlike Laith, Dorian’s not as big a hit as he used to be, which is hurting his already fragile ego. With their relationship already shaky, the last thing they need is to get swept up in more chaos. But some always manages to find them…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

BOUGHT BY THE ALPHA ALIEN (AUCTIONED TO THE TAL ALIENS BOOK ONE) by Serena Astra

VS Note: From APRIL 19.

I agreed to go work on an alien planet, but I didn’t realize that would include getting auctioned off to the highest alien bidder. Not even an hour passed between waking up from cryo after arriving on the Tal planet and an alien getting the winning bid and taking me back to his mansion. Strangely enough, he left me mostly alone. I was supposed to be a servant, so why did I feel so pampered? If only I could understand the mysterious Tal that bought me. The more time I spent in his house, the more I realized he wasn’t the scary Tal I thought he was. But it didn’t change the fact that he bought me, so why was I developing feelings for him? AmazonKU

GUARDING HIS MATE (FATED MATES OF THE ATARI BOOK FOUR) by A G Wilde

All I’ve ever wanted is a mate. But not just any mate—I long for a female who sees beyond my royal facade and falls in love with the real me, Da’red, and not the prince.
When a series of unexpected events leads me to cross paths with a captivating human, I can’t help but wonder if fate has finally brought me the one I’ve been searching for. As I find myself drawn to her, risking everything to keep her safe, I start to believe in the magic of the fates. And when a single touch from her makes my life organ skip a beat…I know that I’ve found something rare and precious. Every moment with her feels like a stolen treasure. For this female is different from all others. The thought of her in the arms of another makes me want to defy my kingdom and risk it all for a love that transcends status and power. But can our love truly withstand the weight of the crown? And are we strong enough to conquer the darkness lurking in the shadows? AmazonKU

CAGE OF DESIGN (CAGE OF GLASS TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Genvieve Crownson

Luna didn’t mean to leave Zander behind, it wasn’t part of the plan. But now she’s on the run and must find a way to save Zander before it’s too late. It’s just her luck that the cocky, arrogant Erick Brevard is her only hope to do either. One thing she knows for sure is she can’t get Zander out alone, so she’s stuck with smooth-talking Mr. Suave who’s used to getting what he wants. Luna is done being a pawn in the government’s plot to create a super race. When she unveils a diabolical plan that involves sending her back in time with no guarantee she will be able to return, she goes undercover on a mission to reclaim the one object that can stop them before it’s too late. But does saving humanity mean losing Zander forever? Or even herself? AmazonKU

CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER TEEN SUPERHERO by Keith Hartman

It’s not easy being invulnerable. Back in high school, Josh was secretly the famous superhero KID QUASAR! But he was so busy saving the world that he never had a chance to make any friends. Let alone a boyfriend. So now Josh is living in his mom’s basement, struggling to get his first real job after nearly failing out of college. Because it’s hard to be an A-student when alien arms dealers decide to attack Cleveland in the middle of your sociology final. And as his mom keeps pointing out, being a superhero doesn’t actually pay anything. Worse, Josh isn’t even a big-name superhero anymore. Some showoff named Comet Boy came along, rescued a few celebrities, and became a social media darling. And suddenly, nobody cares about Kid Quasar. Like so many young guys, Josh is feeling lost. He can’t be the person that he was back in high school. But he can’t figure out what comes next. And even though he has this one amazing thing that makes him special, there’s no way for him to make a living at it. He’s a misfit who can’t find a place for himself in the world. And then Josh meets Rick, the guy who might change everything. There’s just one BIG problem. AmazonKU

THE FERRYMAN: A NOVEL by Justin Cronin

VS note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note. It reminds me of “Logan’s Run” from the description. I’ve had it pre-ordered forever.

Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh. Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process—and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming—which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry. Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group—known as “Arrivalists”—who may be fomenting revolution. Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized—and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.

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BADARI GLADIATORS BOOKS 1-3 by Veronica Scott

VS Note: I’ve bundled my three gladiator books into a box set and put it on sale for $.99 this month! Of course I’m hoping if readers like my gladiators they’ll want to read the ongoing, original Badari Warriors series too. And if you’re already a fan of one or both series, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This Badari Gladiators box set gathers the first three science fiction romance novels from this series into one collection. Featuring genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then unscrupulous lab techs faked the deaths of a few men, smuggled them off the planet in cryo freeze and sold them to be gladiators. They meet their human fated mates in alien arenas and must fight to save themselves and their mates. Kyden is a Generation Five Badari whereas the main characters in the long running series are from a later time and are Generation Eight. This new series stands alone and you don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. I couldn’t resist the temptation to tell a few other Badari stories, set in the galaxy’s Hinterlands, and who can resist gladiators? Please note each novel has been previously published on its own and all are standalone tales. No new material has been added, aside from a brief Author’s Note about why I wrote each novel.

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WRITTEN IN THE STARS by Leslie Chase

VS note: A re-release.

Running a bookshop on a pirate space station isn’t easy, but Megan’s determined to keep smiling. A lot of hard work and a bit of luck will let her save up enough for a trip back to Earth—but then Drask walks into her shop. The grumpy alien mercenary is infuriating, arrogant, and hotter than molten steel. It wouldn’t be so bad if he wore more clothes—the blue-skinned alien’s muscles are a distraction Megan doesn’t need. Talbrek Station is the perfect place to lie low, and that’s what Drask needs after a mission gone wrong. Finding a bookshop is an unexpected benefit, especially one run by the sexiest woman he’s ever seen. Exasperating, smart, and unwilling to back down from anything, Megan is everything Drask desires, wrapped up in a curvy package that won’t let him think straight. When the local criminals threaten both Megan’s bookstore and her pet, Drask can’t stand aside. Not even if it drags them both into a gang war. AmazonKU

COSMIC VALOR (COSMIC HONOR BOOK ONE) by Jade Waltz

When Jaiya takes her twin brother’s place on a diplomatic mission to end a war that’s been raging since her childhood, she discovers how it all really began. Disguised as a young male diplomat, Jaiya meets Prince Idris—her greatest rival in their space battles—his royal assistant, Erlyn—who never leaves his side—and is assigned to be guarded by Raizxl—who blames humans for losing his mate. If she cannot convince her people and the enemy to put aside their differences and choose peace instead of war, she risks returning as a traitor to her race instead of as a hero. The longer she’s in their presence, the more she feels at home amongst those in their space station. Determined to save their people at any cost, something about them calls to her—and she does not know why.
When they discover the truth, will they be able to get past her betrayal to work toward peace? Or will it only add fuel to the fires of war? AmazonKU

BOOMSLANG (NAGA BRIDES BOOK FIVE) by Naomi Lucas

I have lost my chance to claim a bride. No more females remain. They have all been taken by naga males that will kill to keep them. So, when I hear a female scream within my territory, I do not hesitate. I go after her, intending to claim her for my own and prove my strength. My worth. This is my chance. Except… she is not one of the human females I have come to know. She has just arrived. She is hurt, afraid, and fleeing from another male. But she does not want to be saved, she wants to fight. And she does not want to bask in my nest, she wants to leave. She has secrets and she refuses to share them. This human female is far more than I bargained for… Good thing I’m up to the challenge. AmazonKU

THE MINOTAUR’S MATE: A GAY MONSTER ROMANCE by Delaney Rain

All his life, Nat Konstantinidis has watched helplessly as his people sacrificed their own to the Minotaurs who dominate this planet. Are they killed? Are they eaten? No one knows what happens to the captives, but Nat is determined that this is the year it finally ends. Whatever it takes, he’s going to stop the sacrifices. But from the first moment he’s handed over to one of the beasts, nothing is what he thought it would be. Now Nat doesn’t know what to believe, but he might know whom to trust—the Minotaur prince Nat might not hate as much as he thought he did. What’s a virgin to do when a big brute looks at him with hearts in his eyes while making promises about saving the world together? And did he just propose? AmazonKU

FIERCE ALIEN (FIERCE ROMANCE BOOK 4) by Maggie Carpenter

Abby was thrilled to be on Earth’s first Mars Colony. But now abducted by fearsome aliens she’s absolutely terrified. What horrors lie in store…? Waking up in a strange chamber, she is shocked to meet a startlingly handsome, human-like male. He introduces himself as Zaroff, but whatever reassurance his familiar form offers, it quickly disappears. He will be teaching her how to please the alien ruler, and any disobedience will be punished. In spite of the bizarre and frightening circumstances, Abby finds herself increasingly attracted to the powerfully muscled alien. As time passes, she realizes she wants to be with him, and hates the idea of becoming the ruler’s mate. Can she convince Zaroff to keep her? Even if she succeeds, will the ruler allow their union? AmazonKU

BEAST’S SECRET BABY by Grace Goodwin

Atlan Warlord Velik is hanging on to sanity by a thread. His mating fever rages. His beast fights him every moment. The beast needs to hunt. To kill. To find their mate or surrender to a glorious death in battle. He volunteers for a mission so dangerous, he knows he will not return. Waiting to deploy, he is lost, keeping distance between himself and those his tormented beast could destroy. His fate is sealed…until his beast picks up her scent. Sees her face. In an instant, the beast knows this human woman belongs to him and no one else. No beast has ever claimed his mate, then left her behind. If he survives the mission, he will beg her forgiveness. He must live. He must return to her, even if he suspects the gods themselves want him dead.

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OTHERWORLDLY MATCH: EMBRACING DARKNESS: BOOK FIVE by Millie Lowell

VS Note: From the blurb for book one of the series: “Otherworldly Match is a Science fiction LGBTQ+ romance with Non-Binary aliens with human partners….The Kathar escaped a great plague on their home world and to prevent extinction, they require compatible humans to breed with. But what predatory secret are they hiding? They are non-binary, empathic, and romance (and mating) with the Kathar is totally out of this world.”

The Tseka have declared war, and will march. The NS unit are all the stand between the red creed, and the genocide they desire. As the stakes are raised, so does the drama and romance for our main characters. Voc and Eleanor truly explore their Dom Sub dynamic and their love is stronger than ever. When will Cole get Aziz back into his arms, and find out just how different Tyeke is as a true dark one. Filipa finally arrives, but how will Avath react to news that she is carrying an extra passenger? What is the Monarch and Holly Harper planning? Poor Pela. Who is the Kathar on the front cover, and how are they pinnacle to victory or defeat of the Tseka? AmazonKU

THE VITRUVIAN MASK (THE ROBOTICIST OF VERSAILLES BOOK TWO) by BJ Sikes

VS Note: Read the blurb for this steampunk story and had to just say wow, what a complex and different vision! Put it on my TBR list. I think I’d better go back and start with book one.

1881: The electric lights of Paris have been extinguished. The Naturalist revolution is over. Adelaide was on the losing side. Once the Royal Scientist Doctor for the now-dead cyborg monarchs of France, she’s now a fugitive, hiding from the new king’s Police Sécrète. Pregnant and alone, she seeks refuge in a Parisian hospital but things have changed there too. What was once a cathedral of Science is now a bastion of ignorance and superstition. The battlefield veterans whose Augmented prosthetics she once created are shunned by the new regime and come to the hospital for her help. But her nemesis, the father of her child, has returned to France and threatens to reveal her illegal activities to the authorities. Can Adelaide repair her Augmented patients without losing her freedom … or her life?

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CUDDLING WITH A COYOTE (WOLVES OF STONERIDGE BOOK 61) by Charlie Richards

Out of the Cage: While doing a favor for the leader of a wolf shifter pack, a spec ops soldier makes the discovery of a lifetime. After having been illegally experimented on by a shadow branch of the military bent on creating the perfect super soldier, Ulrick Lanston needed a place to relearn himself. Not only did they bond him with a massive jaguar, allowing him to turn into the cat at will, they’d messed with his brain, taking away his free will. After losing his handler and ending up at loose ends, Ulrick tracked down an old army acquaintance he could trust. That led him to Alpha Declan’s wolf shifter pack, and he’s been hiding out with them for over a year. They’ve helped him come to grips with the changes made to him, teaching him how to become one with the animal now living within him. When Alpha Declan asks Ulrick to sneak into the territory of a coyote shifter pack to look for a missing pack member, he can’t say no. While doing reconnaissance, Ulrick runs across the prettiest coyote he’s ever seen. His jaguar wants to rub all over the wonderful-smelling shifter, marking him as his own. Ulrick knows what that means. His cat has decided the coyote is his mate. Can Ulrick win the affections of the skittish coyote shifter and bring him home with him while still fulfilling his mission for Declan? Amazon Apple Books

THE ROBOT BROOD by Adrian Blue

The robotic revolution swept across the planet like a tidal wave, crushing all human resistance. Humanity was left cowering in fear of the superior machines’ strength and cold intelligence. But that wasn’t enough for the robots. After years of secret machinations, the robot/human hybrid experiment is ready to be unleashed. All they need now are willing female hosts. They may have no need for mankind, but womankind…Jade’s heart raced as Ivan’s metal fingers skated across her flesh, sending an electric shock of pleasure and fear through her body. She had never trusted robots before—but Ivan was different. He seemed to understand her innermost thoughts, unleashing a wave of emotions she hadn’t been prepared for. With every touch and passing moment, she felt herself succumbing more deeply to him, sinking deeper into an emotional abyss of vulnerability and comfort, despite being terrified by how quickly she had come to depend on him. AmazonKU

THE SHADOWHUNTER: WITCH BOUND BOOK TWO by Opal Reyne

When her younger sister is stolen in the dark of night, Valerie infiltrates the northern kingdom to rescue her. Parading around as a human and hiding her Witch scent, she doesn’t realise she’s stepped onto a Dragon’s hunting ground – or that the Dragon has settled his lustful sights on her. She only wanted to save her sister, but she can’t resist the way he sets her heart on fire. Hiding his Dragon linage, Geryon cares little about the gala thrown to find the king a wife. It’s nothing but a means to an end – a trap. That is until a certain, cold-hearted woman enthrals him as she flits around the palace with her unfeeling grace. As every day passes, his desire to see her fall into rapture within his arms grows stronger. He even considers keeping her. But, their game can only last so long before they discover that neither one is who they are pretending to be. What will happen when Geryon realises the human he has been bedding is actually something in which he hates the most? AmazonKU

FUSED (LEGACY OF MAGIC BOOK SIX) by Lindsay Buroker

Matti Puletasi finally has the chance to confront those who kidnapped her parents, and she’ll do it with Sarrlevi, the elf assassin she’s come to love, at her side. But now that they know great and powerful dragons are involved with the organization, they may be in over their heads. Their opponents aren’t just kidnappers. They’re on the verge of enacting a plan they’ve been working on for decades, one that could cut off Earth from the rest of the Cosmic Realms and bring humanity to its knees. All Matti ever wanted was to find her parents, but it may be up to her to save the world. AmazonKU

CITY OF DAWN (NIGHTMARKED BOOK FOUR) by Kat Ross

Seven keys and seven gates, forged by a god’s rebellious seventh son. They lead to the fabled City of Dawn. But is it a treasure trove . . . or a gilded prison? Hurled halfway across the world, Malach and Alexei must join forces to stop the body-snatching alchemist Balaur from stealing an elixir of immortality—assuming they don’t end up killing each other first. To complicate matters, Malach discovers he’s the spitting image of a dead angel who caused both the first and second Dark Ages. Gavriel Morning Star still has a bounty on his head—and the draconic creatures looking for him tend to shoot fire first and ask questions later. Kasia and the witches are hunting Balaur, too. The trail leads to the Masdari capital, where a new Imperator is about to be named. She will have to confront her own worst fears—and master the art of Dreaming—to finally face her nemesis in the liminal realm. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

ETERNAL (THE BLACKWATCH CHRONICLES BOOK FOUR) by H M Clarke

Dagan Drake is dead. The Brotherhood is on their tail, and Ryn Weaver and her companions are alone and desperate. But she’s not about to let their enemies win. As they trek through the treacherous mountains in search of answers, Ryn stumbles upon a shocking secret. One that could change everything. But when they finally return to the shattered remains of Kaldor, they find the city under siege. The Brotherhood has taken the King Regent, and they won’t stop until they’ve won control of the city. Can Ryn and her companions muster the strength to save Kaldor from a third attack? Or will the Brotherhood finally triumph and seize control of the entire country? AmazonKU

MARKED FOR RUIN: STONES AND CURSES SERIES BOOK THREE by Lissa Bolts

Hey… it’s Nora. Again. And this time, I’m in way over my head. The jinn are being hunted right and left, and as their unwitting leader, that paints a sparkly neon target on my back. Yay, me. The druids are my biggest threat. They’re dark sorcerers who fuel their filthy magic by feasting on the souls of others like they’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet. As for me, well… I’m the main course. But I’ve got news for them. This jinn is off the menu because I’m done running. Rafe and I are finally on the same page, and although I want nothing more than to get lost in those depthless grey eyes, we’ve got work to do. He’s sacrificed so much to ensure my survival, but the other jinn doubt my ability to lead, and what’s worse, I’ve gone and allied myself with the fae. The fae! They’ve forced me to see the cost of the druids’ magic—a plague of darkness spreading across the land. If left unchecked, it will consume everyone and everything in its path. And the only one powerful enough to stand against them? The one with an actual chance at making them pay? You guessed it. Me. AmazonKU

SUUZU AND THE NINE NIPPETS OF LEGEND (AMARANTHINE INTERLUDES) by Forthright

He’s more accustomed to speaking for others than speaking up for himself.
Stranded at Stately House, Suuzu Farroost is restless and fretful and lonesome for Akira. Waiting is a misery, and all he has to hold onto is the memory of a fleeting kiss, a circlet of nippet eggs, and one very stubborn, very outspoken valet. To keep him from wallowing, Suuzu’s friends find ways to distract him, and as one story leads to another, the phoenix learns about the special place nippets hold in avian lore, especially where courtship is concerned. *A short story set immediately after the events of Bk5: Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate. Amazon

THE MARK OF CAIN (INFERNAL ROYALS BOOK THREE) by Emma Dean

Can Jessica James make it through the hunter exam in one piece? Someone stole Jess’s memories and she’s pretty damn sure it was her mother because no one else but a night witch could mess with someone’s head like that. She can’t remember anything before getting left on the ranch with Doc either and for the first time, Jess understands how much that should bother her, but it doesn’t. Not really. Because both of her parents abandoned her. Now a sickness has taken hold of her body which should be damn near impossible considering she’s both a witch and a hunter with blood ties to Lilith, but no one can deny that she’s a lot weaker than she used to be. Not even Jess can ignore it anymore. She just needs to make it through the exam in one piece so she can get her hunter’s license – which isn’t as easy as that asshole tiger had made it sound. Then she can worry about everything else. But the Council of Paranormals doesn’t want someone as dangerous as Jessica James to succeed and they’ll do anything to stop her. AmazonKU

WOLF OF STARLIGHT (THE SHIFTER REJECTED SERIES BOOK SIX) by Amelia Shaw

Talia is stolen, but Galen won’t give up until he finds her. Demons and Shifters.

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RUTHLESS MATE (THE MARKED DRAGON TRILOGY BOOK ONE) by Jen L Gray

Two dragon princes. Arranged to marry one. Kidnapped by the other. I’d always hoped to marry for love. Fate had other plans. My mundane life gets spun off its axis when my family is threatened. The price of protection for the people I love? A forced marriage to a handsome, enigmatic man who holds… dark secrets. He’s fighting a war I didn’t even know existed. Thrust into the world of the supernatural, I’m kidnapped by his brother. And now, I’ve become a pawn in their sinister game. I shouldn’t be attracted to my captor. But something about Thorn overpowers my soul and makes me want to forget all the unforgivable things he’s done. Yet, none of it matters in the end. I won’t let my family suffer, which means going back to the man I must marry to save them. Even if it destroys me. AmazonKU

FIELDWORK by Charles Payseur

VS Note: From APRIL 22

Agent Ignacio Ritter is happy serving the CXO, the Central Xenomorph Organization, from the safety of his desk. He has good reasons for avoiding field work like the plague: his parents died in the field, leaving him to be raised among wolf-shifters. Because of his adopted family, everyone thinks he is a wolf, a lie that protects him from the ridicule he’d face if he revealed the truth. When the charming and dangerous tiger-shifter Agent Reed Daily chooses Ignacio to help close the book on a gang threatening to tear Chicago apart, Ignacio can’t refuse. Perhaps it’s the chance to avenge his parents, or perhaps it’s the tight fit of Reed’s suit and heat Reed’s smile ignites in Ignacio. When the chips are down and whole city’s depending on him, will Ignacio prove himself man or.

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THE SINNER AND THE SCHOLAR (THE SINNER SISTERHOOD BOOK ONE) by Lana Percherczyk

Amidst darkness and sin, two unlikely souls find themselves twisted in a forbidden affair that could cost them everything. Thea, a stunning beauty with a troubled past, was ripped from an orphanage by the Hildegard Sisterhood for her wicked ways. Trained as a seductive assassin, she’s given a purpose as a Sinner: to bring balance to a world designed by men. She never expected the arrival of an arrogant scholar from the all-male Team Saint to bring her to her knees. Wesley is a relentless demon hunter for the most mysterious entity in the world—the Vatican. His mission is simple: destroy evil wherever it may hide. But when sassy and smart Thea ruffles his feathers, he can’t resist falling into temptation. She’s the one he’s been searching for his entire life, but she belongs to the Sisterhood, an organization he’s sworn to destroy. Thea and Wesley’s worlds collide when they discover a lost prophecy has the key to saving a loved one in each of their lives—but it will only work for one. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned… I killed a man.”

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THE RUTHLESS FAE KING (KINGS OF AVALIER BOOK THREE) by Leia Stone

Lucien Thorne is the most vile monster in all of Thorngate. As Winter King, he rules our land with an iron fist and a cold, dead heart. And my father has just informed me that I am betrothed to marry him….As the Princess of Fall, it is my duty to marry whatever suitor my father chooses for me, but Lucien is not someone I can fathom spending the rest of my life with. Not even for duty. When he arrives to negotiate my dowry, I break protocol and take matters into my own hands. But the more time I spend with this mysterious man, the more I wonder if the rumors about him are even true. As I get to know the real Lucien, I start to discover that there is a dark history in his family, one that explains his ruthless behavior. One I plan to expunge if I am ever to live out my life in the Winter Palace in peace. As much as I want to hate Lucien Thorne and everything he’s done to our realm… I cannot deny my heart. AmazonKU

CRAVING MADNESS (RECLAIMING WONDERLAND BOOK ONE) by R K Pierce

It’ll take luck, strength, and madness to rid this wondrous land of its current nightmare. I’d written off my trip down the rabbit hole as a fever dream until the Hatter sends me a plee for help. Wonderland is in trouble, and everyone’s counting on me to save them. Only this isn’t the Wonderland I remember. Wicked magic and danger lurk around every corner, and I no longer recognize the animals I once knew. They’re now sexy shifter men bent on avenging their home and reclaiming the land, but it’s clear they want to claim me too. And I’m eager to let them. AmazonKU

SAVED BY THE BEAR by Holly Day

VS Note: From APRIL 22.

Would knowing how you die change the way you live? Frode Hall inherits a book that promises to tell his story, and it does. It starts with a recap of his childhood, leads him through his teens and into adult life. Then it turns a page and shows how he dies in a car crash the following day. Frode panics, but can he trust the book? It’s showing a huge Grizzly sneaking around the garden, and there are no bears in the garden, only Imre, his neighbor. By not being in his car when the predicted car crash was to take place, he survives another day. But someone has learned he has the book, and it’s showing ninjas breaking into his apartment to get it. Unsure of what to do, Frode turns to Imre. Frode doesn’t know what to believe about his growling and talk of mates, but he trusts Imre to help him. They leave the city in a hurry, but will the book give them enough warning to keep them alive or will their journey end in a gruesome prophecy? Amazon Apple Books Kobo

BIG BAD ME by Aislinn O’Laughlin

Canadian teenager Evie Wilder just found out she’s a werewolf. Now her mom’s gone missing, she and her sister Kate have to go into hiding, and there’s not a single helpful vampire slayer to be found. With the help of Kevin, the dorky-hot manager of the guesthouse where she and Kate lie low, Evie starts to harness her wolfish side. But Kevin seems to know a suspicious amount about vampires…Meanwhile, animal attacks are increasing, local teens are going missing, and Evie is about to find herself at the centre of a supernatural showdown.

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ANOTHER ROUND OF SASS (SASSY EVER AFTER BOOK NINE) by Milly Taiden

Cassie Wescott had walked away from her hometown over a decade ago with no desire to look back on her old life. When she’s called home to help her elderly mother, Cassie realizes that running was probably one of her biggest mistakes ever. Especially when it was from the man she’d always loved. Jackson Smith was lucky to have found his mate early in life, or so he had always thought. That was until a stupid misunderstanding sent her fleeing. Has his luck suddenly changed when he pulled into the gas station and saw her? Jackson doesn’t know what brought Cassie back to town, but he is bound and determined to be the reason she stays. It’s going to take everything he’s got to not only keep Cassie safe, but get her to give their relationship a second chance. AmazonKU

THE CAPTAIN’S REVENGE (THE SYREN’S MUTINY BOOK TWO) by Jessica S Taylor

VS Note: From APRIL 18

“Not all treasure is silver and gold.” Caelum stopped his father, but at what cost? Brigid was gone, taken by the very woman she once owed her life to, and Caelum was now wanted for his father’s murder. Now, he has to deal with the aftermath of his decisions, and with the other syrens who only seem determined to make his life more difficult. Brigid, torn from the new life she had begun to make for herself, must now endure the wrath of the goddess who had saved her. To survive, she shuts herself down, silently hoping that Caelum will rescue her and silently resigning herself to the fact that he won’t make it in time before her body succumbs to Cliodhna’s torture. When whisperings of a mysterious witch in the South reach Caelum, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Brigid back, including giving up that which he holds most dear. But will he be able to save her in time? And will what remains of his father’s crew really give up that easily? Amazon Apple Books Kobo

SOVEREIGN: SOLDIERS AND SWORDS BOOK THREE by Margaret Couplet

Clark’s squad is on the run from the entire Dindeary Nation, they may have just defected from the Imperial Army, and Harry has just revealed something that could get them all killed if the wrong person were to find out. They need a plan, some way to save themselves from the storm that would be the entire planet hunting them for sport but when the Milson Family Sword, Linsmora, reveals that the heir to the Dindeary throne is hiding a dangerous secret that could shake the foundations of both countries they may not be able to run. Adam’s brother is alive and the secret he was keeping on Harry’s behalf is finally out in the open. Life has gotten infinitely more complicated in a variety of ways in the span of one terrible morning and now Linsmora is offering him an opportunity he had never thought possible. Harry never wanted to rule but it’s starting to look like that’s the only option that will keep them all alive and stop the dindeary from falling into outright civil war. Afterall, aren’t those who would be most suited to rule the people that least want to? AmazonKU

IMAGINARY FIENDS (A RETURN TO MAGIC COZY MYSTERY BOOK THREE) by Lily Harper Hart

When it comes to magic, Rowan Gray-Davenport has always been grateful to be part of the club. She never wanted to be the leader of it, though. All of that is about to change.
When Rowan’s friends Sally and Demarcus arrive on their new purchase, a vintage steamboat they want to refurbish so they can turn it into a floating restaurant and casino, Rowan and her husband Quinn are thrilled to reunite with them. That only lasts until their daughter Lana asks about the invisible children on the boat. It seems there are a lot of them, and they just might be dead. It appears the new boat is haunted, and the ghosts are looking for vengeance. They seem to have their sights set on Lana…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU

DARKE MUSIC (DARKE PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS) by Rosanna Leo

She’ s no stranger to ghosts. But love? That’s a mystery. Historian Susannah Darke is no stranger to haunted houses. As one of a trio of ghost-hunting sisters, she’s had plenty of experience investigating the paranormal. When an opportunity arises to explore a haunted opera school in Toronto, she jumps at the chance, even though she once had her own frightening brush with its resident ghosts. Noah Bellamy is the dean of the Asch Institute of Opera, and a former opera singer himself. He was once a student at the Asch and is well-acquainted with its boisterous spirits. But when the activity worsens, threatening one of his star students, he knows he has to take action. The fact that Susannah and Noah have been hooking up for the past year complicates things, but they agreed long ago to keep things casual. As long as they both remember their boundaries, the investigation should go smoothly. When the paranormal activity begins to target them personally, it becomes harder not to seek comfort in each other’s arms. For the first time ever, Susannah and Noah have to decide if it’s worth taking a chance on love. The ghosts present a huge challenge, but battling their personal demons may be even harder. AmazonKU

DIAL W FOR WITCH (WICKED WITCHES OF THE MIDWEST BOOK 22) by Amanda M Lee

The Happy Holidays Players—a renowned acting troupe—is coming to town and Hemlock Cove is bursting with excited residents who want parts in the winter festival. That includes the three Winchester matriarchs, who are vying with one another for top billing. Bay Winchester doesn’t care about the pageant, but she’s more than happy to sit back and watch the shenanigans. That is until her husband Landon Michaels calls with a request for her help. It seems there was a prison break twenty minutes away … (more blurb on ebook seller’s page…) AmazonKU

ALPHA OF MORTAL FLESH (DARKMOURN UNIVERRSE BOOK THREE) by Ben Alderson

Witch. To Darkmourn, Rhory Coleman is married to the Head of the Crimson Guard – when in reality, his husband is nothing but a monster. Since his mother was brutally murdered by rogue vampires, and his father died of a broken mind – Rhory was left in the hands of someone who was supposed to love him. Someone who vowed to protect him actually threatens his existence with every breath. Rhory must hide his innate powers alongside the bruises left by the hand of his husband. Until everything changes when a mysterious summons requests Rhory’s ‘unique talent’. He finds himself standing before a paranormal threat, one unlike anything Darkmourn has seen before. Wolf. Calix Grey is a monster. Everything has been taken from him. His brother, his parents, his heart. He has nothing left to fight for – until fate comes knocking on his door. He believes Rhory Coleman is the key to ensure his brother is returned home – but is the price to pay worth the pain? After years of peace between the mortal and immortals of Darkmourn – the Crimson Guard are corrupted by those who are clouded by dark pasts. Murders are left unsolved. Family secrets are tangled in a web of iron. And it will take those who lost everything to discover their truth. Even if that means unleashing a dangerous creature into the streets of their home. AmazonKU

WILD SCOTTISH KNIGHT (THE ENCHANTED HIGHLANDS BOOK ONE) by Tricia O’Malley

The knight was supposed to be a man. Not me, Sophie MacKnight, a marketing associate from California. This must be a practical joke that the Scots play on visiting Americans. Because otherwise I’ve inherited a haunted castle in Scotland, along with one irritatingly sexy Scotsman, who would be delighted if I turned tail and ran. Frankly, I thought I would fly here, sell the heap of bricks, and head back home to a life that I…well, I was comfortable with at the very least. Instead, the people of Loren Brae are in trouble, and it appears that as the new owner of the castle, I’m next in line to reinstate the magickal Order of Caledonia. Which means, first, I have to learn to believe in magick. And secondly, I have to train to become a knight. And my trainer? None other than Lachlan Campbell, the grumpiest man I’ve ever had the annoyance of meeting. It’s a toss-up who is pricklier, Lachlan, or his kilted Chihuahua, Sir Buster. Not only does Lachlan think that I can’t hack it, but he also resents my claim on his castle. If only he didn’t look so devastatingly hot in his kilt. Now, I’m stuck proving myself to him, all while trying to figure out how to help my new friends in Loren Brae. Sparks fly as our swords meet, and we battle our rising attraction for each other. Who will win in this (Highland) game of love? AmazonKU

BLUE MOON WITCH ACADEMY YEAR TWO by Annalise Clark

Hyacinth finds out the real reason her magic was suppressed, and it’s tied to the reason her mother died. She learns some shocking truths about her father who had hardly been around for years, and a dark entity continues to attack the school. Students and staff must come together to fight the evil that threatens their academy. The true identifidentity High Witch from the prophecy is revealed. A bond between three friends becomes something more. The school fights back against a dangerous enemy. Time Witches, magical portals, prison worlds, unleashed demons, and many unexpected twists and turns await you in year two of Blue Moon Witch Academy. AmazonKU

BEWICCHED: THE SEA WICCHE CHRONICLES by Seana Kelly

We here at The Sea Wicche cater to your art-collecting, muffin-eating, tea-drinking, and potion-peddling needs. Palmistry and Tarot sessions are available upon request and by appointment. Our store hours vary and rely completely on Arwyn—the owner—getting her butt out of bed. I’m Arwyn Cassandra Corey, the sea wicche, or the wicche who lives by the sea. It requires a lot more work than I’d anticipated to remodel an abandoned cannery and turn it into an art gallery & tea bar. It’s coming along, though, especially with the help of a new werewolf who’s joined the construction crew. He does beautiful work. His sexy, growly, bearded presence is very hard to ignore, but I’m trying. I’m not sure how such a laid-back guy got the local Alpha and his pack threatening to hunt him down and tear him apart, but we all have our secrets. And because I don’t want to know his—or yours for that matter—I wear these gloves. Clairvoyance makes the simplest things the absolute worst. Trust me. Or don’t. Totally up to you. Did I mention my mother and grandmother are pressuring me to assume my rightful place on the Corey Council? That’s a kind of governing triad for our ancient magical family, one that has more than its fair share of black magic practitioners. And yes, before you ask, people have killed to be on the council—one psychotic sorceress aunt comes to mind—but I have no interest in the power or politics that come with the position. I’d rather stick to my art and, in the words of my favorite sea wicche, help poor unfortunate souls. (Good luck trying to get that song out of your head now.) Amazon Apple Books Kobo

THE TIDES OF HEALING (THE DRYAD CHRONICLES BOOK FIVE) by Callie Pey

Time has run out. Cholios’ direct attack on Voreios failed to lure Aurinia out but left the grove’s defenses crippled. A harsh reality sets in that there are no safe places on Artemesia left. More pieces of the puzzle are revealed as the Shadow God tempts Aura with everything she could want, but at what cost? Desperate to put all of this behind her, Aura turns to the rest of the gods for clarity on the plan. When they continue to withhold information, her team is left to make their own strategies that don’t quite line up with each other. Stuck in a prophetic cycle where the past collides with the present, Graak, Kelan, and Aura are forced to come to terms with the simple fact that the only way forward is to meet destiny and not everyone is guaranteed to make it back. The countdown to the final fight has begun, and no one can outrun fate. AmazonKU

SEA OF MISTS (KNIGHT PROTECTOR: BLACK WYVERN BOOK THREE) by Rachel Ford

Knight Protector Portia Daysen and Captain Valia Iceborn may have rescued the legendary black wyvern hatchling from one peril, but the struggle for his freedom – and their lives – is just beginning. The route to safety lies across the perilous Sea of Mists. But those treacherous waters can only be navigated by moonlight. With a Northern knight and a Southern inquisitor on their tails, each hellbent on revenge, the pair is running out of time and options. But there are worse things than their pursuers lurking in the Sea of Mists. AmazonKU

BLOODY BRATS (VAMPIRE KINGS BOOK FIVE) by Loki Renard

The End. An imprisoned shifter wolf turning more feral by the day. An estranged master vampire deeply in love with the boy he cannot have. Will and Maddox are prisoner and progeny of Gideon, original vampire, and embodiment of all evil. To reunite, they must escape the inescapable. Kill the unkillable. And forgive the unforgivable. AmazonKU

MONSTER MILKING MOTEL: A SHATTERED EARTH NOVELLA (MONSTERS & ROMANCE) by Harpie Alexa

VS Note: Listed in Erotica.

He’s a possessive Alpha and the only thing he wants is her. Brianna had adapted quite well since The Shattering. She’s carved out a decent life, a healthy split between her daily job and all the other things that she enjoys. Nothing will stop her from living her life exactly the way she wants to…Except Lycaon. He will. He can’t stand the other males around her. He wants to smash them to a pulp. In order to keep from going insane, Lycaon devises a plan, one that will allow them both to have everything they have ever desired and then some…Question now is, how much will she beg for her freedom? Because if she begs, he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to give her up. AmazonKU

HURRICANES, HEROES AND HAIL MARYS (TWISTED SISTERS MIDLIFE MAELSTROM BOOK SEVEN) by Brenda Trim

As a magical hurricane bears down on the Crescent City, the Twisted Sisters must brave the rain and winds to hunt down the source before everyone they love is killed…
When one of their own is framed for multiple murders, the Voodoo Queen and Baron Samedi quickly, become the least of the Twisted Sisters’ concerns. As Delphine’s stalker grows bold, the sisters do what they can to ensure Phi’s students remain safe despite the fact that the evidence suggests something far more terrifying than evil loas and mambos. Could a mundie serial killer really be on the loose? Concerns over the return of the Skinwalker continue to grow, compounded by the mystery of a supernatural storm threatening to be the worst the city has ever seen. The search for the origins of the meteorological magic leads them below the city streets to a secret demon ward before nearly blowing them away. Confronting those involved in the chaos challenges the sisters’ desire to make friends rather than enemies, but it will take the help of every friend and ally they’ve ever made through the Aegis Council if they’re to have any hope of saving those they love most. AmazonKU

A FIENDISH MIDLIFE (WITCHING AFTER FORTY BOOK 15) by Lia Davis and L A Boruff

Ava Calliope Howe Harper Walker has led a full and eventful life. She moved home to embrace her magical heritage, and now she’s living a fuller, even more event-filled life. Things never seem to slow down. Alfred is safe at home, but now he’s human, like, alive but still hasn’t woken up. If Ava wants to keep the wonderful Viking in her life, she’s got to wake him up. Meanwhile, Olivia is on a mission to figure out what’s going on with her son. Sammie knew where Alfred was… how? And is he having nightmares or visions? Nobody knows, but Mama Bear Olivia is going to find out and make sure her son is safe and happy. Oh, Luci. Our dear Satan Claus is having some hellacious problems of his own. He’s going to have to ask his friends and family for help with this one, despite being vehemently against any form of assistance when it comes to his infernal kingdom.
Ava’s powers are still on the fritz, but she’s determined to get this newest mess figured out. With Drew and Olivia at her side, she’s going to get this sorted and maybe, just maybe, life can finally calm down. Ha! Yeah, right. AmazonKU

AN OTTERLY RIDICULOUS RIDDLE (CORNELLIS ISLAND PARANORMAL COZY MYSTERIES BOOK TWO) by Lia Davis, L A Boruff and Lacey

VS Note: A re-release.

Brandi Best has nothing tying her down. Nothing keeping her in Arizona. No kids, no husband, and her parents passed away years ago. When she finds out a town in Ireland will actually pay her to move there? Why not spend the second half of her life in a gorgeous country by the sea? But things aren’t all that they seem. In preparing to move, Brandi discovers some big secrets about herself and her parents. First and foremost, that she’s adopted. And then she finds a journal written in her father’s handwriting claiming Brandi was found in that same Irish town she’s heading too. Is it a coincidence, or something more? Still, starting over is everything she hoped for and more. An exotic location, new friends, and new adventures working in the local bar. Things are going really well… until she falls into the ocean. Touching salt water for the first time does something to her. Something… fishy. And her life gets even more confusing when she meets the handsome descendant of a pirate who swears he can help her find the truth about her past. All it’ll take? More adventure. More danger. And a hunt for an incredible treasure. Brandi doesn’t know what to believe, but she’s going to have to figure something out soon, or she’s going to have one whopper of a tail to tell. AmazonKU

ICICLES AND IRONIES (TRIXIE TOWERS BOOK SIX) by Scarlett Dawn

Thrice headed, thrice fanged,Punisher eyes weighed clever. Whilst regal duties ye divide,
Awash moonlit fur, misery lies. ‘Tis howling bane, thy veiled misdeed, Fever stalks ye grandest creed. Crimson death shall be delivered, Creep of shivers, screams be hither. AmazonKU

THE DEMON GOD’S DESIRE (DEMIGOD MONSTERS OF PROTHEKA TWO) by Celeste King

VS note: I really struggle with whether to put her books in my SFR grouping or my Fantasy/PNR grouping. (I’m not sure it matters to anyone but me LOL.)

He’s spent his life devoted to his goddess. It’s time he worships someone new. Me. When his unit brought the wounded warrior, Guilri, to my camp, I had no choice but to heal him. It would be inhumane to let someone so hot die. As he came back to life, I realized my mistake. He was a threat. Not to my body…but to my walled off heart. Only Guilri has been strong enough to tear down my barriers to love. But the goddess he fights for is a vengeful deity. She will not sit idly by as her champion finds love in the arms of a human woman. She will force him to choose…His destiny. Or his heart? AmazonKU

CLYTEMNESTRA: A NOVEL by Costanza Casati

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot. But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice. Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods’ hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did. If power isn’t given to you, you have to take it for yourself. Amazon AB Apple Books Kobo

TOO SWEET: A HIGH SCHOOL VAMPIRE ROMANCE) by Monroe Wildrose

Briar makes a deal with her school’s star basketball player, Darcy, to fake date in spite of their glaring differences. But when she finds out he drinks blood with his sack lunch, and that her ex wants his kind dead… she might be in over her head. Darcy agreed to be Briar’s “boyfriend” until the end of the school year. Now, if he could just control his tottering teenage-vampire hormones, and be rid of the intrusive romantic thoughts about Briar (that are coming much more frequently than he would like.) Amazon

CURSE OF ASH AND IRON by Christine Norris

All The World’s A Stage, As They Say…In 1876 Philadelphia, Benjamin Grimm knows real life is much like the theater-people play their parts, hiding behind the illusion of their lives and never revealing their secrets. When he reunites with his childhood friend Eleanor Banneker, his delight turns to dismay. On learning she has been under a spell for the past seven years, forced to live as a servant in her own home, he realizes how sinister some secrets can be. Ellie has spent the long years since her mother’s death under her stepmother’s watchful and unforgiving eye. Bewitched and hidden in plain sight, it seemed no one could help Ellie escape. Not even her own father, likewise bespelled. When she encounters Ben one evening, he seems immune to the magic that binds her. Her hope rekindles along with their friendship. But time is running short. If they do not find a way to break the curse before midnight on New Year’s Eve, both Ellie and her father will be bound forever.

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THE MANGO TREE by S C Principale

Isle San Belle is in your blood, and your blood is in Isle San Belle…Rosaline has magic in her blood, but it’s been strangled by her cruel stepmother. Forced from her island home as her stepmother transforms it into a tourists’ playground, a grieving Rosaline follows a tiny voice into the darkness. What awaits? A shapeshifter who claims to be the link between Rosaline’s dormant magic and her mother’s final gift. Avion has waited his whole life for a chance to help Rosaline blossom, but the girl he meets is withered and powerless. Or so it seems…Can Rosaline and Avion restore each other’s magic and the power of Isle San Belle? Amazon

GEORGIAN GHOULS (HALLOWED HOMES) (HAVEN HOLLOW BOOK 28) by H P Mallory and J R Rain

There have been a rash of grave robberies in Haven Hollow lately…So maybe it’s not such a surprise that during one of my open houses, I find my eyes tracking every movement of a suspicious-looking character. Suspicious, as in everything about this guy, is shifty… from how he keeps trying to avoid attention to his extreme interest in my client’s china cabinet. So when the same man winds up dead on a random grave in the cemetery between Poppy and Wanda’s houses? Yeah… something is rotten in the state of Oregon. Things get even stranger when I find two objects randomly stashed in strange hiding spots—objects that hum with their own type of electricity. As if all of that weren’t enough to ruin a girl’s day, there’s my relationship with Roy…Roy believes we are destined to be together—that it’s written in the cosmos. But I’m not sure how I feel about that—actually, I am sure how I feel about it—I don’t like it. Not one bit. Because all I want—more than anything else—is to be loved and desired for me. Not for my Succubus pheromones and definitely not because Fate willed it so. AmazonKU

CAKE CRAFT by Hannah-Freya Blake

I used to know the Devil, only back then he was called Arthur, and he was a seventy-eight-year-old dairy farmer from Yorkshire. Kat is haunted by memories of her past. Memories of her first job at a nursing home, where Arthur Shipton would raise hell in search of his flat cap. Of boyfriends who preferred prettier girls, and the cakes she ate to fill her hungry heart. Now thirty, no amount of comfort food can help her get over her divorce. But Stella—Arthur’s granddaughter—might. Beautiful and mysterious, there’s something about Stella that inspires Kat to leave the safety of her couch. She can’t help but think Stella has something to do with Arthur’s recent death, but the closer she gets to Stella, the less it matters. With Stella’s magical pull, Kat feels an old hunger—one long since buried with the crumbs of cake—reawaken. Cake Craft is a dark, bisexual novella set in the Gothic moors of Yorkshire with a pinch of the paranormal. It’s a story of trauma, desire, and hunger—and a whole lot of Grandma’s ginger sponge. This edition also includes the following short stories by Hannah-Freya Blake: ‘Mother Magpie’, ‘House Proud’, and ‘Old Jack’. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

KLUTZ: PHOENIX UNLEASHED (BUT DID YOU DIE? BOOK FIVE) by Sedona Ashe

Surprise! I died…again. Except this time, I’m dead-dead. I’m told this is the type of death that not even a Phoenix can come back from…It’s a good thing I suck at following the rules.Klutz: Phoenix Unleashed is the final book in the But Did You Die series.Ryls comes into her full power and does what she does best… create chaos! Nothing in heaven or hell will stop her from getting back to her mates. Phoenix Unleashed is filled with steam, humor, and includes a HEA ending- I pinky promise! AmazonKU

A CUPID BET by Sedona Ashe and Starling Dax

Stupid cupids, save your arrows and stop betting on me. I’m not playing hard to get. I just don’t want to fall in love! Seen it, gagged over it. No thanks. I don’t care how hard those two sexy cupids try to make me fall for someone. It’s not happening! Thanks for the effort boys… but I’ll pass. I’m nothing more than a bet to them. Well, the joke is on them, because they’ve both fallen for me! And now they’ve stopped trying to get me to fall in love with a human and set their sights on me. These cupids are determined to win my heart, even if being with me will cost them everything… not just their cupid title. I’d better stockpile some cupid-be-gone spray, since these winged hunks won’t stop following me around like lovesick swans. They are kind of sweet, I guess, but I’m not in the market for any man, let alone a cupid… or two. AmazonKU

PACK OF LIES (POISONVERSE) by Olivia Lewin

An omega test subject. A secret facility that needs her back. The scent-matched pack with secrets. I’ve been at the Centre for years; enough time that freedom isn’t something I consider anymore. So when a pack of alphas break me out and swear to keep me safe, it should be a dream come true. Especially when they claim I’m their scent matched omega. But years of tests and experiments have ruined my sense of smell, and I’m forced to take their word for it. They’re handsome enough to be a dream pack, but I know better than most if something seems too good to be true, it is. After so long surviving alone, I don’t know how to trust anymore, and I can’t shake the feeling that they’re keeping secrets from me. Secrets with the potential to tear us apart. I have two options:
Trust that a misfit omega like me can have the life I was too scared to hope for, or go back to protecting myself alone. Even if I go with them, could I ever fall for this pack? Or have years of experimentation left me a broken omega? AmazonKU

EARTH (DAUGHTER OF NATURE BOOK FOUR) by L C Mawson

Finding my sister was one thing, keeping her alive is another…I expected a fight when I found my sister, not to find her next to death. Now I’m on a time limit to save her, and I’ve already exhausted every option in front of me. Well, except for trying to yet another teacher from yet another magical faction that no one is sure even exists any more…If you love kick-ass heroines and magical adventures, you’ll love EARTH, the fourth book in L.C. Mawson’s new F/F urban fantasy series, Daughter of Nature.

Amazon NOTE: Other books in the series are on Apple Books and Kobo

THE BEWITCHED HOUR by Audra Hershey

Salem, Massachusetts 1692. Fiery Abigail Smith is too beautiful for her own good in the fervent community of Puritans exiled from England. As her father grieves her mother’s death, Abigail must save her siblings from starvation –she trades her body for food until a jealous wife betrays her as a witch. On the eve of the trial that will surely end in her execution, she prays desperately for rescue. And finds herself falling through time to meet a modern man who will save her life and win her heart! Danvers, the modern era. Michael Tennant has business success and the money that follows, but his love life is in tatters. Heartbroken after discovering The One loves another man, Mike has sworn off women – only to find one dressed like a filthy pilgrim in the middle of his flagship store! Mike and Abigail could live happily ever after if Abigail didn’t shift from past to present without knowing why. And the man charged with destroying Salem’s witches is stalking her in both timelines – hoping to be her executioner regardless of what era they find themselves in. Will they send him back to his own time, or is Abigail doomed to living for what little time she has left as one of Salem’s nameless witches? AmazonKU

THE STOLEN THRONE (DOMINIONS BOOK TWO) by Abigail Owen

My twin sister is the true queen of Aryd. She survives, hiding and clinging to life in the desert, while I reign as the false queen alongside the monstrous King Eidolon. There’s only one escape from this gilded prison: Reven. My Shadowraith. My heart. Only the shadows that he struggles to control are growing more sinister, more powerful. It’s just a matter of time before they turn on him…and on me. Even escape doesn’t mean true freedom, though, when we’re still on the run from Eidolon’s unstoppable armies. And when we discover there’s a traitor among us, I have no choice…I must become the queen I was never meant to be. Because as one evil hunts me, the other loves me more than himself. And my fate lies with both. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

A DRAGON’S CURSE (THE HIDDEN REALM BOOK TWO) by Heather Renee

Some things can’t be fixed. Dawsyn – I risked everything to keep my best friend alive and now…I have no idea what to expect next. All I know for sure is that Knox needs to die. Whether that’s by my hand or someone’s else’s, I don’t care. Cillian – With everything falling apart around me, all I can focus on is Dawsyn. Keeping her safe and by my side is what matters most after the betrayal we’ve been through. Though, the war we’re about to face isn’t making any of this easy. AmazonKU

GRANDMASTER OF DEMONIC CULTIVATION VOL 5 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Foes, allies, and one reassembled fierce corpse converge on the Guanyin Temple for a climactic showdown. With decades-long schemes finally unveiled, and dark secrets unearthed, the events of this rain-battered night will decide not just the fate of the entire cultivation world–but also that of a love story two lifetimes in the making. Also included are eight short stories that focus on the future and the past. From magical incense burners to tense banquets, to lotus-pod hunting and nighttime expeditions with the juniors, these stories span from dawn to dusk and so much more!

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A KISS OF EMBERS (SUNLIGHT AND SHADOW BOOK FOUR) by Sydney Winward

She’s the enemy. Loving her could turn his world to flames. When Seraphina Nova’s younger sister is captured by her enemy, the Forest Fae, she will do everything in her power to get her back. Even if it means breaking into enemy territory, taking the chief’s heir as her prisoner, and using him to ensure her sister’s safe return. Getting poisoned and literally dragged across the entire forest had never been on Bastien Dalena’s agenda, even if his captor had nice legs and beautiful wings. Despite the danger to his life, he knows one thing—Seraphina’s kiss is hot. It’s fire. It’s deadly. And he can’t help but want to feel the burn of her flames. But as war reaches its peak between their people, an unexpected danger threatens their lives and forces them to fight together and build a fragile trust. Time is running short. He must form an alliance with Seraphina… Before their people destroy each other first. AmazonKU

DRAGONFALL by Laura Lam

Long ago, humans betrayed dragons, stealing their magic and banishing them to a dying world. Centuries later, their descendants worship dragons as gods. But the “gods” remember, and they do not forgive. Thief Arcady scrapes a living on the streets of Vatra. Desperate, Arcady steals a powerful artifact from the bones of the Plaguebringer, the most hated person in Lumet history. Only Arcady knows the artifact’s magic holds the key to a new life among the nobles at court and a chance for revenge. The spell connects to Everen, the last male dragon foretold to save his kind, dragging him through the Veil. Disguised as a human, Everen soon learns that to regain his true power and form and fulfil his destiny, he only needs to convince one little thief to trust him enough to bond completely–body, mind, and soul—and then kill them. Yet the closer the two become, the greater the risk both their worlds will shatter.

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IN AN ORCHARD GROWN FROM ASH: A NOVEL (THE WIND-UP GARDEN SERIES BOOK TWO) by Rory Power

The Argyros siblings have lost everything. With their father dead and their family home captured, they’re no longer the rulers of their fractured kingdom—and no longer bound to each other. In the frozen north, Rhea struggles to wield her newly inherited command over death and to find her place in an increasingly distrustful rebel group. Chrysanthi travels to a distant, war-torn land in search of her elusive brother Nitsos, certain that he is there on a dangerous mission to restore the family to its former glory, this time with himself at its head. And Lexos, now stripped of all his power and a political prisoner of the Domina family, is left to rot in a hauntingly desolate palace with nothing but thoughts of revenge. Alone and farther apart than they’ve ever been, the siblings must reckon with the pain of their past and find a new path forward—or risk their own destruction.

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FOURTH WING (THE EMPYREAN BOOK ONE) by Rebecca Yarros

VS note: Sounds good! Put it on my TBR list.

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

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MAGICIAN AND FOOL: BOOK ONE, ARCANA ORACLE SERIES by Susan Wands

Pamela Colman Smith, newly arrived from New York to her birthplace of London, is received as an oddball in Victorian society. Her second sight helps her in her new job: illustrating tarot cards for the Golden Dawn, a newly formed occult group. But when Pamela refuses to share her creations with Aleister Crowley, a controversial magician, he issues a threat: give up the cards’ power, or he’ll harm her muses. In the midst of this battle, two of Pamela’s idols, the actors Henry Irving and William Terriss, take her under their wing. Henry, who tutors her as the leader of the Lyceum Theatre, becomes the muse for her Magician card. William Terriss, teaching her by examples of instinct and courage, becomes the muse for her Fool card. As Pamela begins to create the tarot deck, she is almost overwhelmed by the race to possess the magical power of her cards. In order to defeat Aleister, Henry and William will have to transform into living incarnations of the Magician and the Fool—and Pamela will have to learn how to conjure her own magic.

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THE STRADIVARIUS by Rae Knowles

When a surprise inheritance and whirlwind romance offer Mae a chance to escape her repressive aunt, she’s all too eager to elope and start life anew in her childhood home. But when she and her new husband arrive, the towering Victorian sits in disrepair, and Mae learns that her father’s decade-old, unsolved murder is still a source of rumor and speculation in town. Leading the charge to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death is Ollie, a vibrant genderqueer and an outsider in their hometown. Sure that solving the cold case will land them a coveted job in the police department, Ollie gains access to the Victorian by agreeing to do maintenance work on the property. Inside, Mae is taunted by a feminine specter, soft voices from empty rooms, and distinct melodies of Lady Paola: the priceless, Stradivarius violin stolen the night of her father’s murder. Forte, mezzo-forte, the measured, andante cadence. Her hiss, her pull, her scream. Mae fears the house is haunted by her father’s spirit, her husband believes she’s going the way of her mother–slipping into madness, but Ollie suspects something more sinister is at play. If Ollie and Mae can’t work together to uncover the Victorian’s secrets, Mae will join her mother in an institution or her father in the grave.

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WE DON’T SWIM HERE by Vincent Tirado

Bronwyn is only supposed to be in rural Hillwoods for a year. Her grandmother is in hospice, and her father needs to get her affairs in order. And they’re all meant to make some final memories together. Except Bronwyn is miserable. Her grandmother is dying, everyone is standoffish, and she can’t even go swimming. All she hears are warnings about going in the water, despite a gorgeous lake. And a pool at the abandoned rec center. And another in the high school basement. Anais tries her hardest to protect Bronwyn from the shadows of Hillwoods. She follows her own rituals to avoid any unnecessary attention—and if she can just get Bronwyn to stop asking questions, she can protect her too. The less Bronwyn pays attention to Hillwoods, the less Hillwoods will pay attention to Bronwyn. She doesn’t get that the lore is, well, truth. History. Pain. The living aren’t the only ones who seek retribution when they’re wronged. But when Bronwyn does more exploring than she should, they are both in for danger they couldn’t expect. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

SPRING’S ARCANA (THE DEAD GOD’S HEART BOOK ONE) by Lilith Saintcrow

Nat Drozdova is desperate to save a life. Doctors can do little for her cancer-ridden mother, who insists there is only one cure—and that Nat must visit a skyscraper in Manhattan to get it. Amid a snow-locked city, inside a sleek glass-walled office, Nat makes her plea and is whisked into a terrifying new world. For the skyscraper holds a hungry winter goddess who has the power to cure her mother…if Nat finds a stolen object of great power. Now Nat must travel with a razor-wielding assassin across an American continent brimming with terror, wonder, and hungry divinities with every reason to consume a young woman. For her ailing mother is indeed suffering no ordinary illness, and Nat Drozdova is no ordinary girl. Blood calls to blood, magic to magic, and a daughter may indeed save what she loves…if it doesn’t consume her first. This is the way to the Dead God’s Heart.

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THE THORNS REMAIN by JJA Harwood

1919. In a Highland village forgotten by the world, the young people who remain after war and flu will soon head south to make something of themselves. Moira Jean and her friends venture to the forest for a last night of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She too planned to leave once – but her lover died in France and, with him, her future. The friends light a fire and dance. But, with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees. The Fae have joined the dance. Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away. For the Fae feel left behind and forgotten too. Led by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends – and fast, for the longer they spend with the Fae, the less like themselves they will be upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltane, they will be lost forever.

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OWNED AND KNOTTED (DARKLY EVER AFTERVERSE BOOK TWO) by L V Lane

VS Note: Listed in Erotica.

When you live in a world where alphas ruled all, you have to fight for the scraps, for your place, and demonstrate that you’re more than a breeder. So that’s what I did, and with my two alphas at my side, I made a safe community among the desolation. But peace never lasts. And my alphas are keeping secrets. When our community comes under attack, the mysterious leader Rowan offers protection for a price—Me. Can I trust the enigmatic alpha, Rowan? And more importantly, do I have a choice?

Amazon NOTE: Book one is in AmazonKU

MARK OF A CRESCENT MOON by Clara Fay

VS Note: From APRIL 17.

Struggling to make sense of her life after a bitter divorce, Fleur La Salle has returned to her hometown of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, to rebuild her self-confidence. She longs to rekindle the passion for painting that she lost during her brief marriage. Even more urgently, she hopes to discover the meaning behind her recurring dreams of a mysterious woman pleading for help, dreams that increasingly feel real. Fleur’s grandmother Eileen, the healer who raised Fleur, intuits a connection between these dreams and their family secret: generations of women said to suffer from an ancient curse. So when a strange letter arrives from Scotland, Eileen encourages Fleur to act quickly, to go claim her disputed inheritance and uncover the details of their shadowy ancestry before it’s too late. On the remote Scottish Isle of Mull, Fleur stumbles upon a hidden portal of standing stones where her dreams become visceral encounters that cause her physical trauma. Suddenly, the year is AD 560, when Picts roamed, establishing societies of myth and magic. Fleur finds herself racing against time to unlock the secret of her family curse and to unravel the meaning of her dreams. Could she be the mysterious woman, and could the man recently appearing beside her be Thomas B. Hayden, the attractive historical architect Fleur briefly dated back home—the same man now disputing Fleur’s inheritance? Are her dreams a peek at true love’s destiny . . . or a warning? AmazonKU

GHOST OF HONOR (HAUNTED SOULS BOOK 14) by Pandora Pine

When an invitation to a murder mystery weekend at the Wilder Mansion is delivered, Detective Jude Byrne is all in for a few days of rest and relaxation, even though the house is rumored to be haunted by Aramis Wilder, who was viciously murdered nearly forty years ago. Jude figures with his detective training he’ll be able to solve the fictional crimes in no time. Psychic Copeland Forbes knows better than to take things at face value. The party is being hosted by Minerva Wilder, older sister of the murdered Aramis, who does not believe the man convicted in her sister’s death is guilty. Cope thinks the invitation is a thinly disguised ruse to get a detective and medium to help solve the decades-old murder once and for all. When one of the invitees is none other than Aramis’s convicted killer, newly released from prison, Jude wonders if he’s back to take revenge on the people who sent him to jail or to prove he was innocent all along. After a prominent guest is brutally murdered, Jude and Cope realize there is a killer with unfinished business among them. Only one person has all the answers, the ghost of honor, Aramis Wilder. Will she reveal the name of her killer, or will Jude and Cope be next? AmazonKU

DARKNESS BETWEEN THE STARS (FATELESS TRILOGY BOOK TWO) by Lindsey Sparks and Lindsey Fairleigh

Only he can prevent the tapestry of time from unraveling. Only she can kill him. Yet he will do anything to claim her. Tarset, a captive of time, is trapped in one of the most tumultuous periods of Egypt’s history. Torn between her fated soulmate, Atum, and the life she left behind, she must grapple with a heartrending choice. As she navigates her new reality, a dangerous, uncontrollable power grows within her, threatening to consume everything in its path. Haunted by the guilt of a deadly event born from her burgeoning abilities, Tarset fears there will never be a place for her in this ancient era or the future she left behind. As her power spirals out of control, Atum becomes her anchor. But will his love be enough to save her from the encroaching darkness? Can Atum help Tarset tame the inferno within and forge a destiny that unites the fractured timeline, or will the shadows of her heart swallow these star-crossed lovers whole? Amazon Apple Books Kobo

COME BACK TO ME (KNOTTY PINES OMEGAVERSE BOOK TWO) by Sirena Song

Lizzy Lockstead recognized her pack as a girl. Too bad they didn’t. After years of pinning for Jacob and his pack, Lizzy has given up on fated mates, scent-matches, and love. Coming into her twenty-first year after graduating from the state Omega Finishing Academy, she makes her way back home to Knotty Pines, resigned to settle for a life without her alphas by her side. Just when she has given up hope, the pack comes for her, pleading forgiveness. Will she find room in her heart to forgive her alphas and join the pack she knows is meant for her? Can she trust them with her heart after all this time? Jacob Edwards lost his omega right out from under his nose. After years of searching for his pack’s omega, he realizes she was there all along. His best friend’s younger sister wasn’t the omega he was expecting, but when he finds a trace of her scent the summer she turns twenty-one there is no denying who she is to them. The hunt is on, but Lizzy blocks them at every turn. How could he, Mateo, and Rhett make such a huge mistake? How will he ever get her to come back to him when they denied her for so long?A rejected-mate and a pack sworn to bring their omega home. Can Lizzy swallow her pride in order to forgive her alphas? AmazonKU

THE UNSTOPPABLE STORME: ZODIAC MAGIC ACADEMY (EXEMPLAR HALL BOOK FIVE) by JL Madore and Ruby Night

Second year at Exemplar is about to begin, and Dean Belmont and the Celestial Council have no idea what’s coming for them. Wyatt, my pain in the butt Gemini twin, is free from Branston’s evil juju. My mates, while not totally all-in with each other, are all-in with me. And the Magi Resistance is taking down Magi-tek servers and searching the planet for our founding father—Griffin Galilei. Celestial Council, we’re coming for you. Dean Belmont and the Branstons may have messed up ideas of how to use Wyatt and me to get the power they crave, but they’re delusional. We’re not going to be their puppets. We’re not going to sit and watch them leech the Source from the fae citizens. And I’m certainly not going to play a staring role in Chad Branston’s personal Handmaid’s Tale. Yeah-no, never going to happen. With threats mounting within the walls of Exemplar, lines are drawn, and the survival of the Magi Knights hangs in the balance. Luckily, I’m not alone. I have…Maverick – my protective and broody wolf. River – my loveable and loyal bear. Brody – my vampire, hot for teacher mentor. Jack – my not-so-nerdy genius. AmazonKU

THE WEREWOLF AND THE OFFICER: CINCINNATI SHIFTERS BOOK FIVE by B A Stretke

Parc Kingsley has watched his brother wolves and shifters at the Mercer coven find their mates, and while he is a bit envious, he is happy with his life and happy to wait for fate’s time to play out. That time schedule moves a lot faster than he expected when the Cincinnati Police conduct another midnight raid on Club Zephyr and Parc comes face to face with an Officer named Danny Atwater. Parc knows that nothing in his life will ever be the same. Officer Danny Atwater is new to the Cincinnati force. Coming from the Police force in Toledo, he’s been on desk duty for past few months. He’s the newbie and he knows they need time to feel him out, but he feels ready to be off the desk. What he doesn’t expect is that his first night off the desk is a raid on the infamous leather and dom club Zephyr and that the man he would meet that night, Parc Kingsley, would lead him into a world of danger, love, and corruption. Only together will Parc and Danny keep themselves and the pack safe. Fate and love is never wrong. Amazon

ALL FOR THE KNOT (THE PACKVERSE BOOK ONE) by Ember Blaze

VS Note: Previously published on Vella.

It’s the night before my wedding, and I just found out my beta fiancé is cheating on me.
When I receive a series of texts from the other woman, complete with photos and screenshots, I have to make a choice. Option #1: Roll over and take it, because that’s what everyone expects from people like me. Option #2: Maturely contact him before the wedding and call things off. Option #3: Show up at the church in full bridal regalia and blow up his effing life. Guess which option I chose? Revenge is sweet, right up until he destroys me in turn, leaving me with nothing and no one. Penniless, with no job, no family, and no place to live, I accept help from the charismatic owners of Club Zephyr, London’s hottest new adult nightspot. Gruff ex-constable Spencer, who plays white knight on his days off. Dark-eyed Hamid, whose hidden depths are even darker than mine. Aloof Xavier, with his tragic past and lonely present. And sweet, broken Angel, whose trust issues pulse through his veins like fresh blood. Our sharp edges should slice each other to ribbons, but instead, we slot together like puzzle pieces. I never wanted a pack, but now I’m second-guessing myself. As we inch closer, I feel myself sliding into a new kind of danger. It’s easy to say “no strings attached,” but how long can I keep my heart unbound? AmazonKU

ALL FOR KNOT: BOOK TWO (THE PACKVERSE TWO) by Ember Blaze

VS Note: Previously published on Vella

Just when I think I’ve escaped my troubled past, everything around me blows up.
My life with the Corbyn pack feels like a fairytale. I have friends, a great job, a hot boyfriend, and a rich, successful pack offering to bond with both of us. But my cheating ex has secrets of his own, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I can’t bring him or his slimeball family down. When he uses my men as leverage against me, I’m not sure my new relationships will survive the carnage. Will my pack stand by me, even when I’m on my knees? AmazonKU

TWISTED SHADOWS (BLACK ONYX ACADEMY BOOK TWO) by Nikita Parmenter

Farren and her men suddenly find themselves thrust into the next challenge in the Warrior Games, but it appears that the fae world has taken things into her own hands, throwing things their way that they hadn’t even thought to prepare for. It doesn’t help that she hasn’t deemed it necessary to fill them in on the finer details. Yet. Shocking truths and revealed secrets keep them all on their toes, add in some bloody deaths, pasts coming back to haunt them and a healthy dose of corruption. They’re about to find themselves on a twisted ride that none of them can get off of, and if the feelings between them all continue to grow, they won’t want to. AmazonKU

HECK NO LEO (DARLINGTON PACK SERIES BOOK FOUR) by Dylan Reece

Jumpy investigator Quentin never expected a small town single dad to be his biggest weakness. Or welcome him into his family. On the hunt for a lead in small town Darlington, Quentin instead finds Leo, a broad-chested shifter alpha. The man’s surly and grumpy with a clear distrust for visitors. But, there’s no denying that he puts Quentin in a toe-curling heat he’s never felt before. With feisty twin daughters, Leo has no time for the sweet-scented omega poking around his pack. Even if destiny has other ideas, Leo won’t admit his wolf’s obsession means Quentin is his fated mate. It’s clear – he needs protection. Quentin can’t be distracted from his mission. Everything depends on it. Until an unexpected attack leaves the hurt omega in Leo’s care. The human never expected to be protected… Or given sweaty self-defense lessons. Or be invited to eight-year-old girls’ birthday party. Or be told he’s destined as Leo’s mate. But the hunter has become the hunted. The longer Quentin stays, the closer his villains come. And they’re out for shifter blood. There’s only one way to protect his newfound family — and it might tear Quentin and Leo apart. AmazonKU

MISSY’S RETURN TO WEST POINT (MISSY THE WERECAT BOOK 11) by P G Allison

Missy returns to West Point after her semester at the Naval Academy. Things all seem to go nicely at first. Her mobster buddies are no longer causing problems. Things in the Mid-East are winding down and the U.S. will be withdrawing its troops later that year. Everyone is watching how the new administration in the U.S. will be handling things. The transition team does have concerns, however. Once they discover supernaturals exist and how some of them have been helping defend the country, their initial reaction is to seek some rules for engagement. Missy is so powerful they consider her to be a weapon of mass destruction which must be controlled. Then, the new Defense Secretary asks Missy to use her teleporting ability to do some more spying. What threats might there be from secret nuclear programs being carried out by their enemies? What will she find? And … what will she be asked to do about it? AmazonKU

RESTORATION AND RUNES (MAGICAL RENOVATION MYSTERIES BNOOK 13) by Amy Boyles

Can a cursed playboy warlock solve a murder and mend his ways before it’s too late?
Life is going great for Clementine. She’s engaged to a fantastic guy in Rufus and has started planning her wedding. It’s all bluebirds and bouquets. That is until her fiancé’s cousin shows up. He’s a warlock in trouble. You see, he’s cursed. Devlin has been hexed so that his magic doesn’t work. No problem. Rufus is a fantastic wizard. He can cure Devlin in record time. The only problem is—Rufus doesn’t want to. Devlin is a playboy with a huge emphasis on the play part. He’s always got a woman on each arm—and sometimes those women are married. Before Rufus will cure Devlin, he must stop all the womanizing. Done. Sort of. When one of Devlin’s girlfriends winds up dead, he becomes the primary suspect and he wants to flee the scene of the crime. Can Rufus and Clem convince Devlin that they need to find the killer? Will he grow up enough to help them and win back his power? Or will Rufus’s cousin sink in the mire of his own immaturity and spend the rest of his life in prison? AmazonKU

KING OF TRICKSTERS (FAE TRICKSTERS BOOK TWO) by S L Prater

Rain clings to life by her fingertips. She’s lost too much blood. The assassin circles her, waiting for her to succumb, but Rain made a vow to her mate, the Duke of Night. She promised him the head of his enemies, and she longs to seat him on the empty throne. Night only offered her a marriage of convenience. Now she’s determined to win his heart and keep hers beating. Succumbing just isn’t in the cards. The looming war between Seelie and Unseelie threatens to overwhelm all that she holds dear, but Rain has a will unmatched by death. When knocked down, she always gets back up again. She’ll search through the mysteries of her past to recruit every available ally. She’ll face each adversary who threatens her new unconventional family with her dagger in hand and her demon familiar at her side. The duke doesn’t believe in love, but Rain just might trust in it enough for the both of them. AmazonKU

HAUNTED MATES (THE NEW HEMLOCK WOLF PACK SAGA BOOK THREE by Maggie Hemlock

Years ago, at a carnival, Alpha Bear, Nem, was told that a spirit followed him around. He never really gave it a second thought. Fortune tellers are all about the mysterious, the absurd, and just making their bucks, right? He walked away with a funny story to tell, but when he arrives in Heartville to meet his newborn godson, Prince, the pack’s seer keeps giving him dirty looks that don’t go away after he meets his true-mate in the woods. Omega wolf, Cedar, believes he’s cursed. Perhaps it’s carried over from something that happened during the War of the Wildlands, or maybe his captors did something magical to him that he didn’t know about. Either way, months after he’s saved and set free, he still faints anytime he feels any real emotion. He’s decent enough at hiding it. At least, he was until he met his true-mate, Nem. No one can ignore their emotions when they meet the person who sets off their true-mate response, but Cedar just wants to live a normal curse free life. Together Nem and Cedar are haunted by the past, by Cedar’s curse, and by Nem’s ghost. Will love be enough to overcome the unseen things that haunt these true-mates? AmazonKU

BLOOD BINDING (AN OBSCURE CITY BOOK TWO) by Viola Grace

VS Note: Listed in Erotica.

Atty is contracted to a wolf pack to fulfill a prophecy, and they have educated her to be a good mate to their upcoming king. The night before her wedding makes her throw fate to the winds, and the next day at the ceremony, she rejects all that she had been raised to expect and makes a run for it. Her exit from the pack did not leave her unscathed, so she drives as far as she can and pleads her case to the moon when forced to walk. She sits and draws patterns on the stone under her before feeling serenity flow through her and giving her the strength to continue her journey. Years pass as she goes from menial jobs to manager positions to opening her own café in a downtown highrise. When she meets the building owner, there is something familiar about him, and the familiar thing is her own magic in a huge grey body covered with carved glyphs. How he got her power is a mystery, but the look in his eyes says that they have met before. She hates to think it, but he’s right. Amazon

CHRISTMAS WRAITH (HAUNTED EVERLY AFTER BOOK TEN) by ReGina Welling and Erin Lynn

VS Note: From the blurb for book one: “If you like plucky heroines, lovable characters, and ghost mysteries set in Maine, you’ll love this cozy, paranormal series.”

“Tis the season to be haunted…falalalalalala AmazonKU

THE FUTURE AESOLINA (ESRYIAN TALES BOOK FOUR) by Leona Sure

VS Note: A re-release of a serial formerly on Vella.

She fell in love with the charming lord. Now, she has to learn to live with the dragon. The revelations of Wylhier have Cera questioning the nature of her relationship with Isael. Meanwhile, Isael finds himself reevaluating his priorities as a figure from his past reemerges. AmazonKU

VALKYRIE RESTORED by TB Mann

Five years ago, I awoke in a Greek hospital with no memories except for a name, Elin, some numbers, and a restless urge to search for something. Since then, I’ve travelled the world looking for a place where I can finally rest. BiFrost, Manitoba is where I find home. Or maybe it is just my sexy, married neighbours, Arran and Hurrit, that make me feel that way. They own a charter service for hunters and fishermen, for people who want to explore. And boy do I ever want to explore. As we draw closer, secrets need to be shared. Ones that can either make us or break us. The problem is… I don’t even know my own. But when all is revealed and the dust settles, will the relationship we forge be one of the casualties? Amazon Apple Books

THE ELUSIVE GRIFFIN (MYSTICS OF MISTVALE BOOK ONE) by Stella Rainbow

Memphis – Moving to Mistvale was the best decision I could’ve made for myself and my son Neel. I loved having the Mistvale clan to depend on, and Neel was flourishing. But when he kept mentioning the griffin librarian who seemed to elude me every time I visited the library, it made me curious. Who was this man, and why was I the only one who hadn’t seen him? When we finally crossed paths, it was for a completely different reason. The griffin needed my help, and I couldn’t bring myself to say no, Orion – Being a librarian in a small town where a storm dragon watched over the supes was safe. It was secure. I liked my life, even if it got somewhat lonely. Being lonely was better than being hurt. When my past came back to haunt me with what looked like a wicked twist of fate, I needed help. Asking an incubus for help was the last thing I wanted to do, but his son convinced me it would be a good idea. What I hadn’t expected was how sweet this particular incubus was. I just needed his help, but I couldn’t help liking him more with each day we spent together. AmazonKU

ALL HER FEELINGS (THE UNITAM REALM SERIES BOOK FOUR) by Sunny Hart

Holly has spent her life in the background ever since she was little. Whether it was helping her papa or helping her best friend, she’s spent years playing supporting roles to the others around her. Until she met her mates. Now this Empath witch is dealing with some very big feelings as she becomes the sole focus of two fierce Fae twins and an elegant Elven warrior. But there’s barely any time to get to know each other before corruption strikes again, unleashing a new wave of uncertainty across an already shaky Realm. When the clues lead their path close to home, will Holly learn that stepping out of the shadows and into the light is sometimes the only way to fight for the life you really want? Or will she continue to play the supporting role even at the cost of her mates? Read on for Holly and her mates’ journey as they root out the rest of the corruption so the Realm can begin to rebuild. This is a why-choose paranormal fantasy romance with MMF and FF in it. AmazonKU

CLAIMED WOLF (CLAIMED BY THE SEA WOLVES SERIES BOOK THREE) by Elizabeth Blackthorne

Three possessive alpha brothers. One ruined omega finding her strength. And two pack leaders intent on a war that could divide them all forever. For years, the High Rocks Pack and the Sea Wolves have been locked in a ruthless battle for supremacy. But upon my arrival on Desolation Island, I claimed a mate that had been designated for another – the alpha’s other daughter. Now, he languishes in a hospital bed, seething with hatred towards me. Lucas and Asher have forgiven me, but we’re far from out of the woods yet. The secrets behind this war stretch further back than I imagined, threatening to unravel fragile alliances between packs, leaving all of us – including our unborn child – on the brink of destruction. Can I convince Maverick that I never meant to hurt him? That my love for him was never an act, but the calling of my heart. Can Lucas and Asher help me unearth enough evidence to bring our enemies down before they crush us? And will I survive long enough to bring my baby into this crazy world? All I know is, wolf shifter or not, these men belong to me. I have claimed them for all time, and I will fight to the death for what is mine. AmazonKU

VALKYRIE’S CHOICE: MONSTER BETWEEN THE SHEETS SEASON TWO by Fiona Davenport

Being turned into a Valkyrie put a crimp in a girl’s dating plans, even when the rest of the town was full of monsters. Isla Hart figured the odds of finding her happily ever after were slim when she sprouted wings…until she saved Cooper Madison’s life and couldn’t get him out of her head. Too bad he was human, and it wasn’t as though she’d ever see him again anyway. Unable to pilot planes after an accident, Cooper was in search of somewhere to figure out what came next. When he rented a cabin near where his plane had gone down, he never expected to run into the woman he thought was a figment of his imagination. Or that he’d fall head over heels in love with her. AmazonKU

BEARLY TART (HONEY POT HOLLOW BOOK TWO) by Loni Ree

Wilder Bearly – It’s true. I’m a dumb*ss. Doing my brother a quick favor leads to the biggest shock of my life—his mate’s youngest sister is my soulmate. The second Cora Sweet opens the door, I lose my heart and my mind. My mouth takes off without consulting my brain or my inner bear and I end up p*ss*ng her off. After convincing myself I can fight this attraction, I act like an idiot and give Cora more reasons to hate my guts. When I finally wake up and admit she owns me heart and soul, I have my work cut out for me. The youngest Sweet sister isn’t ready to forgive and forget. My mate is determined to put me through the wringer and my only choice is taking my punishment like a man. After all, I’ll do whatever it takes to win my sweet tart’s heart and keep her forever. Cora Sweet – Wilder Bearly is the biggest, hottest jerk I’ve ever met. One second he’s grumbling under his breath that I’m his mate then the next second he’s hauling ass in the opposite direction. I tell myself it’s for the best since I’m nowhere near ready to settle down but Wilder’s rejection hurts. Big time. I tell myself to forget about him and move on. Too bad, I find it almost impossible to avoid the surly bear shifter. The more we’re thrown together, the stronger the pull between us grows. But I’m not ready to give in just yet. I’m going to take great pleasure in torturing him before I cave and admit my heart belongs to the big jerk. AmazonKU

THE VAMPIRE KING (THE IMMORTAL C ROWN SAGA BOOK ONE) by Kenya Wright

VS NOTE: OK I had triggers right there in the blurb. Bad things happening to children.

As a human domina, Camille‘s only purpose in life is to birth vampire children for the powerful the Quiet King. Trapped within the castle walls under strict rules and constant surveillance by guards, Camille has spent the last two years, witnessing the brutal slaughter of innocent babies and insurmountable atrocities to other women. Camille decides to take matters into her own hands and plans to escape with the help of a vampire Path Finder named Xander, who is known for aiding many humans out of slavery. But as Camille and Xander embark on their adventure, she soon discovers that Xander holds secrets that could change their world forever. Together, Camille and Xander navigate a dangerous and thrilling journey filled with romance, mystery, and edge-of-your-seat action. AmazonKU

STEALING SNOW (ONCE UPON A SHIFTER BOOK FOUR) by Skye Alder

He could show her they’re meant to be. Sayer is used to getting what he wants. He’s got more money and power than most and he’s used it to get to where he is today. Now that he’s settled, he’s looking for the missing piece of his life. His mate. When he catches her scent, he figures that mating her will be as easy as everything else in his life. He was wrong. Not only is Snow content with her simple life in the woods but she’s got three overprotective brothers who aren’t going to let Sayer anywhere near their little sister. Not without a fight, anyway. Sayer can’t stay away, though. Not when he’s finally found his missing piece. She’s his fated mate, the sweet, pure snow to his jaded wolf, but Sayer knows that this isn’t a fairytale. She loves her family and is never going to leave them behind. Unless he can change her mind and steal her before she has a chance to get away. AmazonKU

RUIN (KINDRED: THE FATED BOOK TWO) by Donna Grant

Banished by his father and laird, Rory Sutherland does what he swore he’d never do—return to Scotland. But a dangerous threat has risen, and it’s turned its gaze to his beloved home. He risks everything to find the witch who can stop the growing menace. Asa’s power and beauty excites him. Her allure seduces him. She’s his match in every way. And nothing will ever be the same after being touched by her magic. For Asa, being a witch has been a blessing and a curse. For every good thing in her life, the tragedy that follows has been crushing. She’s rudderless, adrift without a plan. Until a dark, sexy Highlander crosses her path with a dire warning. She’s being hunted by a dark force that intends to use her powerful bloodline. Bound to Rory by their quest and Fate, a passion ignites that consumes them. Against all odds they found each other, but they need to survive the coming war…or be ruined. Amazon Apple Books Kobo

TAKEN BY THE GARGOYLE (TAKEN TWO) by Megan Slayer

Spread the ashes, find her future, meet an overly eager harpy, a gargoyle and the love of a lifetime? Belle might not be new to Eerie, but she’s got a lot to learn. Belle Isle came to Eerie because she needed to hide, but also to spread her late mother’s ashes. According to the will, she needs to visit Chester’s Corners within Eerie. The job seems easy until her car breaks down, stranding her on the side of the road. She’s convinced she’s at her lowest point. Then she sees the gargoyle, and her entire world changes. Azel wasn’t looking for love, but he knew the moment Belle set foot in Eerie. His harpy eagle, Melanie, knew there was something special about Belle, too. He refuses to let her tackle the job of spreading those ashes alone — especially when he finds out she’s being followed by a shadow from her past who wants to ruin her future.

Amazon Apple Books Kobo

DARKNESS RISING: ANGELS OF THE VEIL BOOK TWO by Nita Round

Specialist wanted to work with an Old Family business to neutralise problems as they rise up. When fearless, paranormal hunter Cassie Evans reads the classified ads she knows this is no ordinary funeral home job. The owner hasn’t a clue about the true meaning of inherited old family traditions and rituals. And the dead do not always stay dead, they sit up, and they bite. Cassie loves nothing better than despatching rogue paranormal creatures. Now she finds herself babysitting a client that is clueless of her heritage and the magic that lies dormant within her. Magic that is required to keep the gate to hell from opening. Cassie must navigate their differing beliefs and unravel the secrets of her heritage, as they work together to stop the Hell Gate splintering beyond repair. But as an unexpected attraction develops, Cassie finds herself torn between her duty and her heart.Darkness is rising, and it’s coming straight for Cassie. AmazonKU

HELL TO SLAY: MEL’S VAMPIRE COVEN THREE (THE INFERNAL RENDING UNIVERSE) by Traci Lovelot

What’s the worst thing a vampire hunter could ever experience? Yeah, I got turned. And on top of that… My coven felt my suffering through our bond, making one of my vampire mates come unhinged. My tempting twins want to go on the warpath, too, but my coven and I need to dress our wounds, share our secrets, and heal our hearts. Along the way, we’ll discover how strong we are together. But to ever be worthy of redemption, I’ll need to face my greatest nightmare: The demon hunter I used to love. The vampire I murdered. The devil himself. If we can’t stop him, he’ll torture my mother’s soul for all eternity. Of course, he won’t stop there. He wants to conquer everything, leaving behind only death and flames. Can our brave vampire coven triumph over true evil to save the world? AmazonKU

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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