Why I Wrote CAMRON Badari Warriors SciFi Romance with Excerpt

VS: From the Archives…

Camron is the eighth book in the Badari Warriors world (the seventh numbered book) and as always I wanted to tell a different story than the readers have seen before, within the general framework. I mean, obviously each novel contains a genetically engineered soldier of the far future, the evil alien scientists known as the Khagrish and a human heroine (or hero, as was the case in one book where I had a Badari woman). And the combat against the Khagrish is ongoing. But I try to provide a new adventure each outing.

When I sat down to write Camron, I had a couple of concepts in mind. For one thing: the way the book opens, with a dramatic crash landing and the need for Gemma, the heroine, to save his life, instead of the big, strong Badari being the rescuer as one might expect. Many books ago I introduced the mind control drug the Khagrish have developed and inflict on the Badari at times to render these amazingly capable men helpless and totally at their mercy. My question to myself was, what if Camron was literally unable to take action to save his own life, even in a dire crisis? And how would the human heroine help him?

I thought it started the book off with a good twist.

Another aspect of plot I’d been wanting to use for quite a long time was the idea of the bad guy hunting the hero and heroine. The new Khagrish security commander regarded the two as ‘big game’ and wanted the excitement of pursuing them in a deliberately staged hunt. Which of course he’d film because as we’ve seen in previous novels, like KIERCE, the Khagrish are all about their videos. The hunt is a trope that has been used successfully in movies like 2010’s ‘Predators’, one of my favorites, and a classic TV movie about a big game hunter turning on his guide while they were out in the desert, and hunting him. I think that one’s been remade two or three times! The Khagrish in my novels are of course extremely arrogant and so the villain gives them a three hour head start. Very bad idea!

Having Camron and Gemma on the run, trying to escape and get back to the sanctuary valley allowed me to bring forward two other plot elements from earlier books (no spoilers) that I hope the readers will appreciate seeing resurface and/or explored a bit more.

I really enjoyed writing this book and I hope the readers will find Camron’s journey with Gemma too! Although it’s part of the larger series CAMRON can be read as a standalone.

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The blurb: Dr. Gemma Madarian is far from her home in the human Sectors, kidnapped along with hundreds of other humans to be used for horrifying experiments conducted on a remote planet by alien scientists.

She and another prisoner, Camron of the Badari, are the only survivors of a deadly crash landing. She’s paired up with the genetically engineered soldier by their mutual enemies and sent fleeing through rough country, hunted for pleasure by an enemy officer and his ferocious trackers.

The enemy wants a triumphant kill. Gemma and Camron want to survive.

Camron never dreamt of having a mate but Gemma shatters his preconceptions and makes him desperate to do everything in his power to save her life and claim her for his.

There’s no help or refuge to be had in the desert where they’re fleeing for their lives.

Or is there?

Will Camron and Gemma live to fight another day and explore the growing attraction between them, or will ancient secrets and bitter rivalries end their bid for freedom?

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     Google 

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The excerpt:

They’d been flying for perhaps half an hour and Gemma was drowsing, head against the vibrating bulkhead, when the flyer took an abrupt turn to port, before straightening again. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she sat up and her gaze met an equally alert glance from the prisoner on the litter. Clearly, the maneuver hadn’t been normal. Even as she had the thought, the flyer nosed up dramatically, the engines whining as if pushed beyond their limit, before rolling over and falling into a steep dive.

Gemma heard herself screaming as she hung onto the straps for dear life. The women next to her were having hysterics and the guard had undone his own safety harness and was fighting to make his way up the aisle toward the cockpit. Gemma heard Yunnivannx cursing as the door swung open but the words were lost in the general noise. As the violent gyrations continued, a cargo container broke loose, careening through the space, striking the guard and bowling him over in a shower of blood.

“Brace yourself,” the captive shouted to her in Basic.

She did her best to curl into a ball, head down, and prayed to the Lords of Space.

The impact when the flyer plowed into the ground was the most horrifying thing she’d ever experienced. Later she could only remember fragments of what happened, as if she’d had her eyes closed intermittently. When the violent rolling and all the horrific sounds had stopped she was hanging upside down in the straps, blood dripping from a cut on her forehead.

Coughing from the acrid smoke drifting in the air, she stared at the flyer’s cabin. “We’re on fire,” she said, feeling stupid and slow and incapable of motion.

“Not yet,” the man in the litter said. “But soon. Get yourself loose or die, lady.”

Gemma stared at him, trying to process the words. Her mind was fuzzy. He was still strapped into the antigrav litter, which must have saved his life by countering the effects of the crash to some extent. Wondering why he wasn’t fighting to get himself loose, she fumbled with the buckles, too woozy to remember how the mechanism worked until by sheer accident she hit the right place on the latch and fell with a jarring thud to the floor, which had been the ceiling. Checking on the women who’d been seated next to her, she saw at a glance the first was dead, eyes wide and staring, her neck at an impossible angle. The second woman was moaning. She’d been impaled by a piece of loose metal from the shuttle’s structure and Emma’s educated guess was she’d also soon be dead. Removing the spike would only kill her sooner. The lab tech was lying underneath a large section of the bulkhead. Gemma ‘s assessment was he’d been crushed. There was no sign of the guard but the back end of the shuttle was missing, the remainder a contorted  tangle of metal and wires.

Moaning sounded from the front of the shuttle, where the cockpit had been, and she took a step toward the flyer’s bow.

“Save yourself,” the man in the litter said. “The Khagrish wouldn’t help you if the situation was reversed.”

He was her priority before considering anyone else. She climbed on the debris where his litter sat precariously and worked on the clamps restraining him. “Are you okay? No pain anywhere?”

“I think there may be internal injuries but I’ll heal.” He sounded so eerily calm she assumed he was in shock.

She got the clamps to retract and stood back, waiting for him to rise. “Well, come on.”

He grimaced and she noticed his eyes were blazing pools of light in the dim, smoky cabin. “I can’t move.”

She stepped closer and ran her hands over his limbs, assessing the bones. Not unexpectedly his pulse was fast, but strong.  “I’m not finding anything obviously wrong. Do you have sensation in your extremities? Are you paralyzed?” Sparks flew from a panel between her and the only way out of the flyer and she cringed but continued her rapid exam. “There’s no blood, reflexes seem in order—”

“Drugged. Khagrish med. I can’t do anything unless I’m ordered to do so.”

Gemma pushed her hair out of her eyes, noticing a bad scratch on her lower arm with a piece of shrapnel protruding. Feeling eerily detached, she pulled the shard out and threw it to the deck. “I don’t understand.”

“Lady, we don’t have time to chitchat. Order me to get to my feet and then tell me to get you out of here.” His voice was harsh.

********************************

Veronica: But of course it won’t be that simple!

 

New Releases in Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for JAN 8

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.

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RISKING HER HEART (RED PLANET FATED MATES BOOK NINE) by Miranda Martin

A forbidden love, a deadly mission, and a passion too fierce to deny. I was never supposed to end up on this desolate, sun-scorched planet. And falling for Zas’tu—a powerful alien dragon-man with burning eyes and a warrior’s heart—wasn’t in the cards either. But when survival—for me and every last human left—means trusting him, I don’t get a choice. He calls me his treasure, and no matter how hard I try to keep my distance, I can’t ignore the way he sets my soul alight. The cult-like Order he escaped is hunting us, determined to claim me and the other human women for their twisted purposes. Now, Zas’tu and I must brave the brutal desert, battling its relentless dangers and the ghosts of his past to find a new haven. The stakes? Everything we hold dear—and a love I’m terrified to admit is real. With enemies closing in and hearts on the line, will we find salvation—or lose everything to the sands?     AmazonKU

ALIEN OF THE FUTURE (A NEW HOME BOOK THREE) by A G Wilde

Donna – I’ve been burned too many times to believe in fairy tales. So when this golden-eyed alien, Tovan, shows up claiming I’m his destined mate, I’m not buying it. Sure, he’s gorgeous and infuriatingly persistent, but I’ve got a farm to run and a life to live. I don’t need some whirlwind romance complicating things. So, why does my heart race every time he’s near? Tovan – From the moment I saw her, I knew. Donna Johnson is my kahl, my destined mate. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted: strong, passionate, and beautifully stubborn. But she denies our connection, pushes me away at every turn. I must prove to her that our love is real, that we belong together. For without her, my life, my existence, will never be complete.     AmazonKU

GRULEN: SVESTI FATED MATES BOOK SEVEN by Wavy Martin

Former slave meets recovering amnesiac and new memories are made. 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. Morgan can’t catch a break. Kidnapped and forced into slavery by aliens, rescued, then she was kidnapped again and experimented on by the Zuvgran. She’s not looking for love, just some peace to recover. Grulen suffers from amnesia. He knows he has an important mission, but he can’t remember what it is.       Amazon       Kobo

FRACTURED UNITY (THE LADY BANE BOOK TWO) by Rachel Ford

An AI whistleblower. An ancient conflict. A faltering Union. When the Union’s new AI, Groundbreaker, releases troves of data revealing deep corruption and crime within the Union and her member planets, the fallout is immediate and widespread. Leaders are toppled, governments overthrown, and longstanding bonds broken. The Union has never been more vulnerable. So when a terrible scandal on Kudar threatens to spawn intergalactic war, sundering any hope of reconciliation between member worlds once and for all, the admiralty enlists the help of The Lady Bane and her crew to find a peaceful resolution. It’s a political minefield, where one wrong step can impact the fate of billions. But when terrorists start targeting the crew, the danger becomes personal.   AmazonKU

A DELICATE CONQUEST: EXQUISITE FEVER DUET BOOK TWO (DARKSTAR MERCENARIES) by Anna Carven

It was supposed to be a straightforward assignment. Mavrel Yrixis had traveled to Earth to assist his boss, former High Commander Jerik Garul, in meeting his biologically determined mate. With the exception of a few minor human-related incidents, the mission had gone to plan. Jerik found his mate—with the assistance of Mavrel’s extensive technological expertise. Mavrel never expected he would encounter a human who sparked his interest. In the face of difficult circumstances, Bea had charmed him with her confident demeanor, effortless beauty, and a smile as radiant as Earth’s sun. He can’t stop thinking about her. Even worse, his Mating Fever has been triggered, and there isn’t a single thing he can do to stop it. He isn’t ready for this. He needs to find a way to stop it before it interferes with his plans. But nature has other ideas, and there’s only so long that one can fight the inevitable, especially when the other party is so infernally tempting—and seemingly willing.     AmazonKU

HER ALIEN GUARDIAN (GALACTIC DISCIPLINE) by Emily Tilton

After she is freed from captivity aboard a Vionian ship, Tessara is given as a gift to a huge, fiercely handsome alien warrior who will have the right to use and enjoy her as he pleases. Though he is kinder than the brutes from whom she was rescued, Tessara’s new master quickly proves himself more than ready to …(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)      AmazonKU

SAVED BY THE BARBARIAN WARLORDS (STOLEN PLANET BOOK SIX) by Charmaine Ross

Drowning wasn’t on my agenda when I woke up this morning. Neither was being hunted by reptilian monsters or rescued by three impossibly gorgeous aquatic warriors. But here I am, fighting for survival in an alien ocean while my body undergoes changes I never wanted. Calder, Eryx, and Riven claim I’m their fated omega—their destined mate. They say the bonding light that connects us proves it. I’ve spent my whole life avoiding attachments, but now my traitorous body craves their touch with an intensity that terrifies me. Living among the very beings who tried to kill me isn’t exactly ideal. But when ancient betrayals surface and centuries-old deceptions unravel, I might not have a choice. We never dreamed we’d find our omega in the depths of the Great Oceans. Izzy is everything we’ve waited for—fierce, independent, and carrying the power to either unite or destroy our world. Time grows short as we discover our most trusted advisor has been orchestrating our people’s downfall for centuries. The ulgix’s grand scheme threatens not only our world but Izzy’s home planet Earth as well. Their armies gather, and their true intentions emerge. We have mere days to rebuild alliances with our lost people, earn our mate’s trust, and forge a bond strong enough to withstand the coming storm. The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance, and only our fated connection with our omega can tip the scales. But first, we have to convince her to let us in. Before everything we love drowns in darkness.     AmazonKU

THE FIRST ALPHA KING (ALPHA GENESIS: A DARK SCIFI ROMANCE SERIES) by Belle Knock

Ivy, dearest. You thought I was harmless. You thought the disease turned me into a monster. You didn’t know I was a monster all along. I will conquer the world to have you. The laws say I shouldn’t have you, so I’ll change the laws. I’m sorry, dear. The disease didn’t change me. It allowed me to show who I already was. -Oleander     You’re a freak, Oleander. Why did I ever trust you? You’ve become a monster. You’ve ruined my life. You’ve held me prisoner. And now, you ask for my love? Don’t make me laugh. -Ivy     AmazonKU

TERRAN PASSIONS by Echo Ishii

Two novellas of the Terran Republic Universe – Terran Temptation – Dr. Annalisha Montague has earned a glowing reputation as a Terran scientist. She has also attracted the attention of two men, a senator who wants her for her bloodline and a Terran commander who wants her heart and soul. Will she choose to honor her bloodline or her heart? Terran Seduction – Diana Aventina is a ranking senator serving the Terran Republic. Her lineage is one of power and influence. She’s courted by powerful men for a bloodline match, but hasn’t found anyone suitable. Power means sacrificing everything for a higher cause, even love. Brennus is a legendary commander picked to lead all the armed forces. On the mysterious wintry world of Sobek he’s discovered a weapon that may change the future of the Terran Republic. His star is on the rise, and he wants a powerful woman like Diana by his side. But the weapon might not be all it seems. And a new line of Terran soldiers threaten the stability of the Republic. Brennus and Diana can’t fight their desire for each other, but they may lose the Republic in the process.   AmazonKU

STALKER by Athena Storm

I came to Alpha Centauri Station to kill a monster. Not to get tangled up with his daughter. Maryse is fire wrapped in sweetness, with a sharp mind and curves that make it hard to focus. She’s forbidden, dangerous, and everything I can’t afford to want. But when she lands in my arms, all bets are off. I’m here to end the man who ruined my life. But now I’m fighting something bigger. The pull to claim what’s mine. I can destroy anything in my path. But this force she wields? It will destroy me. What is it? Love.     AmazonKU

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

VS: I’m in the mood for highlighting my scifi romance gladiator series! KYDEN is the first book in the Badari Gladiator series…

KYDEN: BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK ONE by Veronica Scott

Kyden is the top ranked gladiator in the Five Systems but he’s hardly there by choice. Unscrupulous guards faked his death in the lab where he was created and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. He has no idea where his home is or how many years have passed since he was condemned to a life of endless combat. Kill or be killed is the rule and a Badari never gives up. He’ll fight to stay alive until the Badari goddess sees fit to decree his death.

Elara Vasclavian is the daughter of a senator, as far removed from the life of a gladiator as a noblewoman can be until through the machinations of a political enemy, she ends up in terrible jeopardy. Abducted and given to a group of drunken gladiators for their amusement the night before the games, Elara vows to put up a fight but there’s no real hope of saving herself. Until Kyden steps in, responding to the goddess’s commandment to protect those who are smaller and weaker. And discovers she’s his fated mate.

Rescued, Elara returns to her life of privilege but she can’t forget the man who saved her life. The gulf between their places in the Five Systems is unbridgeable, no matter how much Kyden longs for even a glimpse of her in the arena audience. No matter how much she feels the pull to be by his side. As matters stand, they cannot be together…Or can they?

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo      Nook      GooglePlay

************************** THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT  IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOK  (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

CURSED (COURT OF ISLES BOOK ONE) by Gina LaManna

Allie Wells is many things: Doctor. Runaway bride. Fae. Except for two huge problems: She doesn’t believe in magic. The Fae were killed off centuries ago. Alessia “Allie” Wells is a woman of science. She doesn’t believe in things like werewolves and vampires, sparkly or otherwise. Until her wedding day, when a darkly alluring man appears and kidnaps her in the middle of her glamorous Upper East Side nuptials, whisking her away to a magical island. As the weeks pass, Alessia struggles to accept this new world—an enchanting land rife with fascinating creatures—and her place in it. She soon learns of the curse that is holding her new island captive…and killing everyone on it. Only a true Fae can break the curse. Which is impossible, seeing as Fae have been extinct for centuries. When Alessia discovers that she is the only remaining full-blooded Fae in existence, she accepts her responsibility to save the island, and everyone on it. The longer Alessia stays, the more she falls in love with her new home. For the first time ever, she feels like she belongs. Not least of all because of the intensely powerful man who has slowly been capturing her heart…But if Alessia can’t undo the curse holding this island hostage, then none of it will matter—because she’ll lose everything she’s come to love.     AmazonKU

BATTLE FOR THE SHADOW PRINCE (A BARGAIN WITH THE SHADOW PRINCE BOOK TWO) by Genevieve Jack

My shadow prince was wrested from my arms and dragged through a portal, and I don’t know who took him or why. Damien showed me my power as a woman and as a mage, and he means everything to me. He built me back up after my ex tore me down. And now he’s gone. I’ll stop at nothing to free him, but when I learn the vampire queen is responsible, things get complicated. The subterranean city of Night Haven isn’t accessible by humans, and even the most powerful magical creatures in my life won’t dare challenge the vicious and bloodthirsty Valeska. Everyone tells me there’s nothing I can do, that I’m not strong enough to free him. They tell me to give up. But I’d rather die than live a life without my mate. So there’s only one thing I can do. To save my monster, I must become one too.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

RORY (THE CALHOUN BROTHERS BOOK ONE) by Minerva Howe

VS Note: MM PNR.

When Rory moves up the mountain to live with the wolfpack he’s been supplying with food and necessities for years, he’s feeling a little… bereft. His dragon friends have disappeared, and his brothers don’t need him at their trading post. He tries to find a purpose, helping anyone who needs it inside the pack. And then an injured wolf he’s never seen before limps into his life, shot by either a poacher or a rival pack, and Rory knows he’s something special. Fen is wounded in his heart as well as his body, on the run from wolves who broke up his small pack, and shot by an unseen enemy. When he limps into Rory’s life, he’s just trying to survive, but he knows he’s been given something special in Rory. He has a mate. Too bad he’s just a carpenter and not a growly warrior who can protect Rory from all the stuff that’s about to come down on the Uinta mountain pack. Can Fen and Rory make it work when the pack is at risk?   AmazonKU

ADRIFT IN CURRENTS CLEAN AND CLEAR (WAYWARD CHILDREN BOOK 10) by Seanan McGuire

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her. Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she’d been missing from birth. It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong. It wasn’t her. Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake–and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyyreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people. But even in Belyyreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure.

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE CAPITAL OF DREAMS: A NOVEL by Heather O’Neill

Sofia Bottom lives in Elysia, a small country forgotten by Europe. But inside its borders, the old myths of trees that come alive and faeries who live among their roots have given way to an explosion of the arts and the consolations of philosophy. From the clarinetists to the cabaret singers, no artist is as revered as Sofia’s brilliant mother, the writer Clara Bottom. How can fourteen-year-old Sofia, with her tin ear and enduring love of ancient myths, ever hope to win her mother’s love? When the country’s greatest enemy invades, and the Capital is under threat, Clara turns to her daughter to smuggle her new manuscript to safety on the last train evacuating children from the city. But when the train draws to a suspicious halt in the middle of a forest, Sofia is forced to run for her life and loses her mother’s most prized possession. Frightened and alone in a country at war, Sofia must find a way to reclaim what she has lost. On an epic journey through woods and razed towns, colliding with soldiers, survivors, and other lost children, Sofia must make the choice between kindness and her own survival.

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

THE DRYAD STORM by Laurie Forest

Who can survive the Shadow storm?  Black Witch of prophecy Elloren Gardner Grey has unleashed her powers and embraced her legacy as a Dryad and guardian of the Forest. But the losses—of life, of love—have been almost too great to withstand as the Shadow continues to devour the world. With only a tattered shred of hope remaining, the Bearers of the Wand of Myth must battle their way back to each other to mount a final stand. But Elloren and her allies are not only facing Mage Vogel’s advancing forces—the armies of the Eastern Realm will stop at nothing to see the Black Witch struck down.  With Elloren’s bonded mate prophesied to kill her, Shadow demons rising, and the ties between allies unraveling, can this fracturing world unite to face down the coming storm?

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

IN LOVE AND DEATH by Aldrea Alien

VS Note: MM Romantasy

In one day, Dylan’s whole life was destroyed. In one night, he may have found the beginnings of a new one. Still grappling with the loss of his home, Dylan has no choice but to head for Wintervale. His one solace is in travelling the same direction taken by the enemy. But the truth behind the attack on the spellster tower suggests things aren’t as clear-cut and the enemy may well be closer than they thought. Crossing the kingdom also means remaining in the presence of Tracker, the King’s Hound who Dylan’s repressed desire refuses to let out of his head. The man’s gentle protectiveness, coupled with his flirting, certainly doesn’t help. It taunts him with ideas of the night they shared in the tower becoming something more, a thought that is no less ridiculous than remaining unleashed. After all, it’s a hound’s job to escort or kill spellsters. They do not disobey orders. They do not falter. And they do not fall. Especially not in love.     AmazonKU

IMMORTAL by Sue Lynn Tan

The young heir to a mortal crown, Liyen ascends a precarious throne when her grandfather dies, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals and take vengeance against those she feels responsible for his death. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.  But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

MOTHER OF ROME by Lauren J A Bear

The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children. But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.
Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir. Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh. Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land. To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight. All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS: A NOVEL by Adrienne Young

James and Johnny Golden were once inseparable. For as long as she can remember, James shared an almost supernatural connection with her twin brother, Johnny, that went beyond intuition—she could feel what he was feeling. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life. When James arrives in the secluded town of Six Rivers, California, to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to revisit the ominous events of their shared past and finally face Micah, the only other person who knows their secrets—and the only man she has ever loved. But as James delves deeper into Johnny’s world, she realizes that their unique connection hasn’t completely vanished. The more she immerses herself in his life, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was hiding something, and he’s not the only one. The deeper she digs, the more she is compelled to unravel the truth behind the days leading up to Johnny’s death. Ultimately, James must decide which truths should come to light, and which are better left buried forever.

Amazon     AB     Apple Books     Kobo

ATOP THE TREES, BENEATH THE MOUNTAINS (UPON HER DIVINE BODY BOOK ONE) by SM Reine

VS Note: MM fantasy.

When he’s called to a distant tower, Esor an Amen believes he’s taking an ordinary teaching job. Instead, he finds a dangerous family with ancient secrets…and a dark lord obsessed with him. Lord Corvin stalks Esor through shadow and controls his every movement. Though Lord Corvin is set to marry a lady, he makes it clear there is only one prize he desires: Esor bound in his bed forever. The Dwarven Warlord approaches the port city. No army can stop him. He seeks a hostage as revenge, and he will not settle for less than Lord Corvin’s lover. But there is more to this pursuit than Lord Corvin will reveal. They will tear the world asunder for his heart.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

THE STARLIGHT HEIR by Amalie Howard

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.” When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved. But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia. When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

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WAY OF THE WOLF (MAGNETIC MAGIC BOOK ONE) by Lindsay Buroker

You can only escape your destiny for so long…It’s been more than twenty years since tragedy prompted Luna Valens to walk away from her pack. Scarred by her past, she’s done her best to lead a normal human life. Thanks to a potion that suppresses her magic, nobody around her has a clue that she’s a werewolf. Until…Her potion supplier disappears, her family reestablishes contact, and a mysterious werewolf with a metal detector and a penchant for calling her my lady saunters into her life. As if all that weren’t enough, someone from her past is trying to kill her. Someone dangerous. To survive and figure out what’s going on, Luna will have to once again embrace her power. But, after so long, will she be able to summon the wolf?      AmazonKU

RITE OF BLOOD AND PATIENCE (HOUSE OF BLOOD AND ROSES BOOK FOUR) by Laura Greenwood

Beatrice never expected waiting for her wedding was going to be hard. Beatrice thought that learning how court politics worked was hard before, but now she’s discovering what it means to be a future princess, while juggling living with her brother’s new wife, and trying to build a relationship with Linc, she realises she’s only just scratched the surface. Rite Of Blood And Patience is book four of House Of Blood And Roses. It is a fantasy romance series full of vampires, court intrigue, and a slow burn hidden identity arranged marriage m/f romance.

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WHERE THERE’S SMOKE: MM PNR (ELEMENTALLY YOURS BOOK FOUR) by F N Manning

When fire meets water, can love extinguish the turmoil? Argyle is more familiar with schools of fish than a college education. Half-water nymph and half-human, Argyle is building a life on land for the first time at age 42, which includes taking classes in order to help others with his magic. But when his studies hit rough waters, he partners with an irresistibly hot fire mage for tutoring. Samson knows how to bring the heat. The 26-year-old fire caster seems interested in Argyle despite their age difference and he’s quick to flirt, but the man has trouble opening up about his own magical issues. And while the chemistry between them is undeniable, their fire and water powers clash, creating only smoke. Just as their bond begins to blossom, trouble brews under the surface in Argyle’s seaside home. Cruel magic poisons the water and threatens Argyle’s family. Argyle and Samson may be the key to combating the damage, if they can find a way to unite their conflicting elements. Will their connection save everyone, or will it all go up in smoke?       AmazonKU

HOWLING WITH WOLVES (JAMES PACK BOOK NINE) by Lacey Thorn

Emma…Starved and beaten by my father, I was sure death was close. Then a rescue was followed quickly by loss. I’m taken away and tossed at the feet of the James Pack. One brother dead. One brother missing. One brother I never knew existed. None of those things dampen the need that fills me when I’m confronted with two males who both have me screaming one word. Mine. Anthony…
I knew she was mine the moment she appeared. Her scent wrapped around me, calling my wolf. Mate. I’d protect her, avenge her, and never allow her to be hurt again. Donovan…She called to the soul of my wolf. Every bruise and mark awoke a primal force within me. I’d prove my worth as a mate by spilling the blood of all who’d harmed her.

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KINGDOM OF FAEWOOD (FAE OF WOODLANDS & WILD BOOK ONE) by Krista Street

On the Silten continent, I’m the only fae who can walk the Veiled Between. My rare power is immense and dangerous, so the authorities have entrusted me to my guardian who controls my potent magic with an enchanted device. To avoid the device’s searing punishment, I submit to a dutiful life. Until one terrifying night everything changes. I’m taken captive by the ruthless Dark Raider—an outlaw wanted in all four kingdoms, who hides behind a mask, and has a body created for sin. But the Raider whispers a promise I can’t resist—use my magic to find who he seeks, and he’ll obliterate my chains.
Finally, the freedom I’ve craved is within my reach. Yet finding who he hunts plunges me into a game of deceit among the kingdoms. After uncovering truths I was never meant to know, I’m caught in a web of betrayal, and if I can’t find a way to break free, I’ll have simply traded one imprisonment for another.      AmazonKU

SLEIGHBELLS WITH SATYRS: GREETINGS FROM MONSTER TOWN by Evangeline Priest

Sleighbells with Satyrs is a sweet yet spicy novella set in the Obsidian Rift universe. It’s part of GREETINGS FROM MONSTER TOWN, a multi-author, small town, monster romance series. Each story can be read as a stand-alone romance.       AmazonKU

TAKEN TO THE DEADLANDS (STOLEN DEMON BRIDES BOOK ONE) by Ella Mae

From Elle Mae comes a spicy sapphic novella series where super-powered humans are kidnapped and sold at demon auctions. Who knew faking seeing ghosts could send me straight to hell? Literally. One moment I was in my shop, minding my business, and the next a crazy winged lady knocked me out and the next time I woke up, I was in the demon realm. Turns out, humans with special abilities are highly valued… because they taste better. When they forced me out on that stage, I was prepared to be eaten. What I didn’t prepare for was a hot yet exceedingly annoying demon to buy me. She says she wants help and needs my powers to do so… but what happens when she finds out it’s all a lie?     AmazonKU

BETTER LUCK HEX TIME (MOONSTONE BAY COZY MYSTERY BOOK 15) by Amanda M Lee

Moonstone Bay is in a tizzy. Not only has a new village been discovered—it was hidden by magic for hundreds of years—but family members long thought dead are back and infiltrating lives that had changed in their absence. It is not all smooth sailing. Hadley Hunter is trying to keep things under wraps but she’s as excited to explore the village as anybody. There’s just one little problem. How did a body make it into the village when it was magically warded to keep people out?
A local shifter is dead and Hadley and her merry band of paranormal powerhouses are on the case. She thought the village had given up all of its mysteries. What if she was wrong, though? Hadley’s dreams are being haunted, her future uncertain, her friends in turmoil. Is it an old enemy coming back, or is someone new—someone terrible—on the horizon? Hadley is about to find out. She’s not going to want to hear the answer. Nobody is.     AmazonKU      AB

FERRETING OUT THE SHADOWVEIL AMULET (DAME OF THE MIDNIGHT RELICS BOOK SIX) by Brenda Trim

The day started with what I’d call an average “Save the Trees” episode—except these trees come with their own dark, twisty secrets etched into their bark. So here I am, Nylah, part-time relic hunter, full-time sarcasm wielder, knee-deep in ashes trying to figure out why magical runes are decorating my wildfire. My partner-in-crime, Kaiya, and I are no strangers to the supernatural, but let’s just say it’s not every day your average wildfire doubles as a rune-inscribed puzzle box. Cue the magical link to Aeira, our resident Fae and elemental whiz, because clearly, this is above my pay grade. While she’s usually good for a spell or six to clear things up, today’s advice is more “watch out for dark magic” than “here’s how to extinguish enchanted fires.” Super helpful, right? As we dodge flaming branches and smoke thicker than the plot of this mystery, we’re piecing together clues that suggest something—or someone—with a flair for the dramatic and a desire for destruction is toying with us. And not in the fun, “let’s play a game of magical hide and seek” kind of way. So here’s the deal: stick with me through a tale of fire, magic, and family drama as thick as the smoke surrounding Asheville. We’ve got runes, relics, and a possible supernatural arsonist on our hands. Just grab a frosty beverage first; it’s going to be a hot one.      AmazonKU

MERRY IN MOONVALE (MOONVALE MATCHES BOOK THREE) by Hailey Blackwood

A holiday novella set in the charming, magical town of Moonvale. Enjoy another glimpse into the lives of the characters we know and love. Sugar, spice, and everything nice (and also baby dragons). With Merry Day right around the corner, the folk of Moonvale are preparing for the holiday while hoping to avoid any more magical mishaps—especially because magic has finally returned to the realm, throwing everyone off-kilter. Ciders are flowing, pastries are baking, and gifts are being prepared. But Kizzi brought three elusive dragon eggs to town, and miraculously, they’re hatching. Can Kizzi and her best friend Fiella keep the dragons contained and save the town from destruction, or will Merry Day be ruined? Merry in Moonvale is a Moonvale Matches novella that takes place after the events of Love Letters & Thirst Tonics and Cauldrons & Cat Tails.      AmazonKU

FROSTBITE, LOVEBITE (HARPER VALLEY WITCH BOOK TWO) by Megan Derr

VS Note: MM PNR

With Valentine’s Day approaching, Match is looking forward to being a mushy, romantic cliché with the boyfriend of his dreams. The fight to get his pay increased hasn’t been going well, and he’s long fed up with the bitter cold of winter, but snuggling with Ronan after a day spent picking herbs and flowers is pretty good compensation. Until he returns to his apartment only to find an eviction notice, despite having done nothing to merit it—and then the town is struck by a deadly Jack Frost, and the Guard goes to work in earnest to stop it. But when he stops at shop after shop for help, for food, as he works through the day and night, Match is turned away and thrown out by people he thought were his friends.

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DARK HOPE (A CARPATHIAN NOVEL 38) by Christine Feehan

Silke Vriese Reinders knows a war is coming. The demon slayer has seen it over and over again in the cards—and the battle won’t just be for the survival of her remote village, but for all mankind. Silke knows the only way to win will be with the help of the Carpathians. A fact that fills her with trepidation, as she is fated to be the lifemate to one of the ancient supernatural warriors—bound to a complete stranger and responsible for his soul. One of the oldest, most dangerous Carpathians, Benedek Kovak is more beast than man. Locked away for centuries, the only thing that has stopped him from becoming one of the monsters he’s sworn to defeat is the thought of his lifemate. When Benedek senses the impending danger, he sets out to find her before it’s too late. But their enemy has laid a trap that pushes him closer to turning than ever before. For so long Benedek has felt nothing. Now, some dark art is compelling him to indulge in cravings he thought long buried. He has no hope that anyone can restore what’s left of his tainted soul, but Silke is nothing like he imagined. Perhaps she’s strong enough to fight back the darkness. Perhaps together they can defeat an adversary hell bent on destroying them all.

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THE FIRST CURSE IS THE DEEPEST (A RETURN TO MAGIC COZY MYSTERY BOOK EIGHT) by Lily Harper Hart

When a young girl goes missing on the way to her bus, Maddie Graves-Winters goes searching and finds the sort of mystery she never wanted to uncover. The girl, crying and shaking and talking about a monster, is okay when Maddie finds her. What they discover with the girl isn’t, however. When Maddie and her husband Nick were in high school, three teenagers went missing. Everybody assumed they fled to Detroit for some fun and never came back, but it turns out, they never left Blackstone Bay. The new case seems to coincide with the old case but nobody can figure out how. Even when Maddie calls in her friend Ivy Morgan to help, there are more questions than answers. Blackstone Bay always felt like a safe place to live. Now Maddie isn’t certain. On top of that, her son is having dreams where he’s lost in dark woods. They’re the same dreams Maddie is having. The same monsters haunting them both. When the unthinkable happens and another girl goes missing, the clock starts ticking. Can Maddie save the day, or will the past ruin the present all over again?     AmazonKU     AB

BULLY ALPHA’S SECRET BABY (STARFIRE HOLLOW ALPHAS BOOK ONE) by Lyra Atlas

My brother’s best friend was my tormentor…and impregnated me with his secret baby girl…He bullied me for being a fat outcast, and made a bet to take my virginity. Years later, he’s the Alpha. When he hears I’m a psychic witch, he claims me back. He forces me to become his mate…not knowing that he’s my secret baby’s daddy…He used to call me fat, socially awkward, and physically weak. I resent him for how brutally he took me, then rejected me. I resent my heart for falling for him. Everyone knows that relationships between Alphas and shiftless outcasts like me are forbidden. Yet he forces me into a mating ritual with him, and I have no choice but to obey. He’s rich and arrogant, and used to getting what he wants. So when he wants it, my body spreads itself helplessly out on the mattress for him. When he wants it, my plus-size curves expose themselves, to be taken advantage of by him. But when he finds out my baby girl is his, will he claim us as his little family? Or will the Alpha reject his mate again?     AmazonKU

BRING ON THE BROCCOLI: REAL WEREWOLVES DON’T EAT MEAT 7 by Karenna Colcroft

VS Note: MM PNR.

Finally back in Massachusetts, vegan werewolf Kyle Slidell hopes for a peaceful life with his mate, Anax Tobias Rogan. But the pressure of ruling all werewolves in the United States is getting to Tobias. Kyle worries that the gentle, compassionate man he fell in love with is becoming like the previous Anax: a power-mad ruler who is all too eager to kill. An old friend comes to Tobias for help in rescuing his mate from an abusive Alpha. As the extent of the Alpha’s crimes comes to light and the Alpha flees, Tobias sentences him to death. And he seems all too eager to carry out the sentence. As they and their guards search for the fugitive Alpha, Kyle will do anything to ensure that the power within Tobias doesn’t take control—including becoming the Anax’s enforcer.     AmazonKU

THE VENGEANCE OF ALARI: A REALMS OF ELSWYTH STANDALONE by Willow Asteria

The sea isn’t always bluer on the other side.When Calliope seeks out the truth about the history of the royal family of the mer, she learns she can transform into a human. She travels through a portal to the human realm of Elswyth, leaving behind her life as a princess. On the other side of the portal, she is greeted by her long lost uncle, Arik. Her mother kept everything about him a secret, so she is surprised when her uncle steals her magic and leaves her to die. With the return of The Delmari, a dangerous sea monster, Killian Darksea travels to the island where it all began to finish what his grandfather started. He is shocked to find a woman stranded on the island that the monster claims as his own. The two quickly realize they have more in common than expected—specifically, they discover that their enemy is one in the same. Calliope teams up with the Darksea pirates to get vengeance on the man who stole everything from her. When her uncle conjures a storm and threatens to drown the world, will the little mermaid and the pirate Captain be able to stop the rains before it is too late?   AmazonKU

DARK HOURS by Linda Mooney

After eliminating the ruling family of Noranye, Gola’s next and true target for revenge is the dead king’s commander of the Royal Guard, Centurion Kayge d’Bayar. However, she doesn’t want to outright kill him. No, the witch’s plan is to utterly destroy him mentally and emotionally by going after the one true love of his life, Emers Ammin of Deccatar. And she will use every dark power at her disposal to do so. But first she must find where the newly married couple has escaped to, and she doesn’t care who she has to torture to get that information, even if it is the priest who married them.

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FORGIVING MY CHUCHUNYA (SNUGGLING UNDER SNOW DRIFTS BOOK FIVE) by Marilyn Barr

Hannah – I’m trapped in a horror movie and I’m not ‘final girl’ material. Blame Mercury retrograde, but against my better judgment, I took a position as a traveling nanny—the Canadian Arctic can’t be too cold in the summer, right? Not even my tarot cards could predict my employer would book the cheapest, shadiest tour operation to guide us. Our buses now rust on the bottom of the Arctic Ocean and my rescuer refuses to return me to the group. Did I mention he’s disguised as a yeti? Yeah, he’s eccentric but there isn’t another soul for miles, so I’m stuck with my warm and fuzzy companion. Gleb – Kidnapping, chasing, and hoarding our mates are ingrained in Chuchunya culture. The clan leaders support males who claim human women as mates. However, when I drag Hannah from the freezing ocean’s depths and nurse her to health, the leaders declare I must return her to her pleasure mate or face shunning. She’s my dushevnayasvyaz and belongs in my home, not with a human who can’t protect her from the dangers of the Tundra. I’ll never give her up, so we are shunned…alone under the permafrost…with her pleasure mate at the bottom of the ocean where I left him. Will Hannah and Gleb survive without the support of the Chuchunya clan, or will his primitive lifestyle break her spirit? Will their dushevnayasvyaz hold them together when Hannah discovers what happened to her boyfriend, Jack?     AmazonKU

HOW TO HACK A HELLHOUND (HELLHOUNDS OF PARADISE FALLS BOOK TWO) by Shannon Mae

VS note: MM PNR.

Quinton – Getting kidnapped and held hostage in a human trafficker’s basement was not on my bingo card. Getting rescued by a paranormal being was also not on my bingo card. (Apparently I needed to trade in bingo cards.) The guy who took me may be dead, but I know there are more people behind the operation, and I plan to shut it down. If I need to get the help of one of the creepy glowing eyed dudes to do it, I will. It turns out Liam is incredibly sexy and really good with technology, too. He may be great at hacking into computers, but I’m determined to hack my way into his life. Liam – Ever since I looked into the feisty human that Dexter rescued from a basement, I’ve been a little… obsessed. Is it wrong that I watch him all the time and hack into all his technology? I’m just trying to keep him safe. After all, he’s sticking his nose into some troubling areas, and I can’t deal with the thought of him getting taken again. Of course I offer to help him when I discover his mission to take down a trafficking ring, although my motives aren’t exactly pure. The little human attracts me in a way that I can’t explain, and my hellhound thinks he’s mine, whether he wants to be or not.   AmazonKU

BOUND TO THE ORC WARRIOR (BRIDES OF THE MOON BLADE CLAN BOOK FIVE) by Krista Luna

My new witch powers tether me to the grumpy orc. I can’t get more than twenty feet away from him! When I storm out of my ex’s engagement party, a meddling goddess whisks me away to Faerie and marries me to a massive grump of an orc. As if that’s not enough, I can’t leave his side without my teleportation magic throwing me straight back into his arms! I dreamed of leaving my small town and traveling, but I never imagined anything like this. I feel like I landed in one of the books I love, with fated mates and close proximity dialed up to eleven. Wranth’s gorgeously muscled body and exciting air of warrior prowess sure don’t hurt any either. Then there’s his swoon-worthy vow to protect me. I’m supposed to reopen the doors of Faerie and return magic to Earth—if enemies don’t stop me first. It’ll also break the tether and allow me to go home to friends and family. But the longer I’m with Wranth, the harder it is to picture life without him.     AmazonKU

BETRAYED MATE (REJECTED FATE TRILOGY BOOK ONE) by Jen L Grey

My fated mate betrayed me, leaving me broken and alone. As the future second-in-command of my pack, my destiny was clear—until the leader of a rival pack rejected our bond, shattering my heart and destroying my world. But his cruelty didn’t stop there. He unleashed a brutal attack, slaughtering everyone I loved. Barely escaping with my sister, we were hunted, wounded, and desperate. Swept into a raging river, I thought death was inevitable—until Ryker, a dangerously sexy shifter cloaked in shadows, pulled me from the water. Ryker isn’t my savior. He plans to leave me broken and vulnerable, but his pack intervenes, offering protection and a promise to help me find my sister. Yet Ryker’s ruthless nature and untamed power terrify me as much as they captivate me. As secrets unravel and our connection deepens, I realize our bond could destroy us. To survive, I must risk everything, including my heart, and do the one thing I swore I never would—trust Ryker, even if it means confronting the darkness within us both.      AmazonKU

A SECRET CRUSH VALENTINE’S (HOLIDAY SHIFTERS OF FROST MOUNTAIN) by Lisa Daniels and Scarlett Stone

Escaping death twice in sixteen years? Now, that’s real luck. Then again, it means I’m accident-prone.
Not exactly the type of gal you’d ask to the Valentine’s Day dance. I just wish my high school crush had asked me…Before we fell through the ice and he disappeared forever. Was I a goner when my plane crashed on Frost Mountain sixteen years later? Nope. Bumping into him was the real shocker. This sizzling dragon shifter can’t possibly be the same guy I lost in high school…Except it is. He’s bigger, hotter, darker. A real survivor. But crashing on Frost Mountain couldn’t possibly have been good luck…Valentine’s Day is approaching, and once again, we’re on thin ice. The Collectors are everywhere. They’re ruthless marauders who steal rare items and kidnap creatures on the mountain. And they’ve got a new target…ME.     AmazonKU

HOW TO RESCUE YOUR SURPRISE BABY (CLOSET BABY CHRONICLES BOOK EIGHT) by Anna Wineheart

VS Note: MM MPREG PNR.

Telos has a secret he’s taking to his grave. Instead of the small, vulnerable men he’s supposed to want, he can’t stop thinking about a certain broad-shouldered shifter in his alpha friend group. The man he’s on a rescue mission with. Of course, Mav hates his guts. Mav scoffs at Telos’ dinosaur forms; he doesn’t catch on when Telos flirts with him. He’s annoying and aggravating, and he’s totally Telos’ type. F*ck his life, right? When an old hookup calls Telos to tell him he’s a dad, and that his new baby has just been kidnapped, everything gets more complicated. Why is Mav looking at him strangely? Why is Mav offering to help with the baby? It doesn’t make any sense. Telos is just falling deeper in love with him. And his heart is going to shatter by the end of this.     AmazonKU

ASHES TO ASHES by Lexi Ostrow

One stolen kiss is all it will take to burn it all to ash. Ashe found herself chained to a demon, sold to pay off her stepmother’s debt. All she wants is her freedom, and there’s nothing she won’t do to get it. Including embrace the advice from an honest-to-goodness angel. Leviathan, Prince of Envy, wants only one thing – to be the envy of every subject in every realm. He’s realized he needs a wife to do it. With the angel’s magic transforming her, Ashe has one night to steal a kiss from Leviathan if she wants her freedom. That kiss won’t come easy, and both have to decide what they’re willing to burn to ash to achieve their goals.      AmazonKU’

THE WAR WITH WINTER (SOLSTICE SHIELD BOOK FOUR) by Kacey Lee and Becky Tama

Trapped. Cold. Alone. We were meant to save Winter, and instead we lost him. Haru, Summer, Otto and I are doing everything we can to get him back, but I have my reservations. He may no longer know how to cook, but he smiles! I want him to remember me, but the pain of the past might not be worth. So, now I must choose, use Dr. Smith and get my Winter back or risk losing him and the seasons forever.     AmazonKU

SPELLBOUND by Laurel Richards

A powerful spellcaster, Hex works as a field agent for the State Watchmen Occult Division. When a museum curator is murdered with fangs and claws, he’s sent to investigate. Local law enforcement is convinced that Sarah is the culprit. She’s a recently turned shifter and an employee of the museum who was seen arguing with the victim. Hex isn’t so sure she’s guilty, though, and not only because he’s captivated by her. Sarah is no ordinary shifter, and this is no ordinary case. A break-in at the museum, magic artifacts, and a trail of dead bodies point to something sinister. Hex and Sarah team up to hunt for a powerful relic and the people who will stop at nothing to get it.

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WAITING FOR ETERNITY (LOCH & KEY SERIES BOOK TWO) by Alyson Root

VS Note: FF PNR.

Erin Hanson thought the hardest part was behind her…With Amelia by her side, Erin finally has a chance at the eternal love they once thought impossible. But as Erin’s thirtieth birthday approaches—and with it, the deadline for her transformation from human to vampire—the certainty of their future starts to unravel. Mysterious changes in Erin make her transformation dangerously unpredictable, threatening the life they’ve dreamed of sharing for eternity. Desperate for answers, Erin and Amelia travel to the shores of Ireland, seeking guidance from the only known couple to achieve a successful human-vampire bond. There, they stumble upon an ancient prophecy—a legend of a vampire who can restore sanity to the Fallen. Could Erin’s changes be tied to this myth? As they uncover secrets that could change everything they know, their journey may not only decide their happily ever after but also shape the future of both the human and vampire worlds. With tensions rising between both worlds, and enemies lurking in the shadows, Erin and Amelia must navigate a web of deception that could alter the fate of both species forever. But one major question looms: Is the world ready for what their bond might unleash?     AmazonKU

PUPS AND POISON (VAMPIRE VETERINARY MYSTERY BOOK TWO) by Sedona Jade, Amy Stake and Sedona Ash

I’m ready to sink my fangs into this new mystery and do whatever it takes to solve it… as long as it doesn’t involve stakeouts. Everyone knows stakes and vampires just don’t mix. After hiring a new vet tech, things at Sunny Days Animal Clinic are running smoothly. Well, as smoothly as they can, considering the chaos our paranormal patients cause on a weekly basis. I was relieved to finally get a day off, and when Detective Ryder asked me to walk his adorable pup Benny, I was happy to do him a favor in exchange for puppy kisses. A visit to the new dog park seems like a wonderful way to spend the afternoon, but Benny proves he has the chops for detective work by uncovering a dead body. And it isn’t long before the poisoner proves they don’t plan to stop at just one murder.   AmazonKU

TYR (SPEED DATING WITH THE DENIZENS OF THE UNDERWORLD) by Rebekah Ganiere

A battered heart. A fierce protector. A battle that could steal his soul. Tyr, Norse God of War, has spent the last thousand years trying to keep his emotions under tight control—because if he has a bad day, so does everyone else. But when an old friend comes to him for help, Tyr can’t help but promise to keep his friend’s daughter safe. Celeste is half-angel, half-demon, and has been taught to keep her psychic abilities to herself. But when her mom sells her to a drug dealer as payment for a debt, she finds herself on the wrong side of the man’s fist. As Celeste’s father goes to deal with his ex and her drug-dealing boss, Celeste is left in Tyr’s care. The problem is Celeste makes Tyr feel things he’s never felt in the eternity of his existence, and the longer she’s with him, the harder he fights to keep her safe from the man hunting her—and from himself. Will Tyr be able to protect his heart? Or is he doomed to fall for the enchanting Celeste?

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STONE (GRIFFIN BROTHERS BOOK SIX) by Kathi S Barton

Stone Griffin thrives on order and purpose, balancing his life as an elementary school teacher with his ancient legacy as a wolf shifter. But when a chance encounter hurls him into the orbit of Sage Tigner, a fiercely independent woman on a reluctant rescue mission, his iron control begins to crack. Sage has no time for complications, especially ones that involve supernatural creatures and the secrets they keep. But as danger closes in and Stone’s protective instincts awaken, Sage discovers there’s more to life—and love—than she ever imagined. Bound by fate, Stone and Sage must learn to trust each other and the fate that binds them. Can a lone wolf find his mate and the courage to embrace his destiny? And can a woman who’s always stood alone accept that sometimes fate knows best?

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SPIDER DEMON’S KISS: DARK MM PNR (MAFIA ALPHA SIHIFTERS BOOK ONE) by Alex McAnders

VS Note: From DEC 21. 

I never expected to get married, especially not to the deadliest man in the Sato clan—a creature who thrives on chaos and may already be plotting my demise. But when loyalty to my pack demands a sacrifice to unite our families and seize control of New York’s supernatural underworld, I have no choice. Kuroi Sato isn’t the silent assassin I expected. Instead, he’s a storm of disobedience, dangerously unpredictable, and too alluring for his own good. Born from a curse that nearly shattered his father’s empire, he’s a spider demon who needs structure, discipline, and a firm hand—mine.
Every whispered secret points to Kuroi spinning me as his next victim, but my instincts say otherwise. Beneath the chaos lies a man desperate for control, even as he fights to submit. Together, we’re a deadly combination—but will it destroy us both?  In a world where loyalty is power and blood is currency, I’ll either tame Kuroi—or die tangled in his deadly web.      AmazonKU

MIDNIGHT AUTO PARTS  (THE BODY SHOP BOOK THREE) by Hailey Edwards

The whole dying thing sucked, but Frankie isn’t going to dwell. She’s focusing on the positive. She’s alive. Ish.Her family is safe. Her business is booming. She’s even got a boyfriend. Everything is coming up roses in Thunderbolt, Georgia. Until a client decides she needs more time and makes a run for it in her loaner body. Too bad for the client, the last thing Frankie does before a loaner hits the showroom floor is microchip them for this very reason. Finding the runaway soul will be a piece of cake. Or it would have been if she hadn’t bumped into Carter, who’s working a case that gets tangled up in Frankie’s repo. Missing women. Stolen cars. Alien abductions? The only way to get Frankie out of trouble is to help Carter uncover who’s behind it all. And pray the answer isn’t her client.   AmazonKU
FAE RECKONING  (ROYALS OF EMBERMERE BOOK FIVE) by Lucia Ashta

Defeat the queen and reclaim the realm—or all is lost forever. Despite beating the queen at her own wicked game and completing the Fae Heir Trials, the tyrant refuses to hand over the crown. Instead, she claims she’ll rule forever. Using corrupt blood magic, she’s made herself immortal. As true mates, Elowyn and Rush are supposed to be in this fight together. But the queen has stolen Rush’s memory. When she needs him most, Elowyn can no longer rely on the warrior drake who’d do anything to protect her. With the queen in pursuit, Elowyn has no choice but to run, abandoning him to the queen’s evil clutches. Any hope for the salvation of their world falls squarely on Elowyn’s shoulders. She is the true heir to the royal throne, daughter of the rightful queen. She’s been chosen by the dragons themselves for a grand destiny. Her friends have come to see her as their realm’s only hope. But Elowyn’s destiny has been hidden from her all her life, and now she must master the magic she should have learned as a child when there’s no one to teach her. If she doesn’t, her mate bond will be destroyed, and the friends and dragons she’s sworn to save will all die. The Mirror World itself will fall to eternal darkness. The queen has made a single, fatal mistake, however. She believes she’s already won. While Elowyn wasn’t learning to use her magic, she was learning how to fight—and how to winThe Fae Heir Trials might have ended, but the battle for the Mirror World has only just begun.    AmazonKU

FROSTING AND FAIRIES (SUGAR SNACK WITCH MYSTERIES BOOK SEVEN) by Danielle Garrett

A romance book festival comes to Winterspell, but not everyone is feeling the love. Small-town journalism isn’t exactly a thrill ride. Between PTA meetings and bake sale bulletins, I was drowning in monotony. But when I begged my editor for a juicier assignment, I should’ve been careful what I wished for. Enter the Summer Lovin’ Book Festival. BOGO deals on paperbacks with a side of beefcake, as five hunky models vie to become the next Captain Riker Bones, the shirtless swashbuckler adorning Grandma Rose’s favorite bodice-rippers. Sure, a little eye candy never hurt anyone, but ten minutes of watching grown women cry over washboard abs has me wishing I’d volunteered to write up the waste management ordinances instead. But when one of our would-be pirates turns up dead in his hotel room, my puff piece transforms into a full-blown murder mystery. And the plot thickens faster than my family’s famous buttercream when a poison-laced cupcake from Sugar Shack is found at the scene. Now I’m racing against time to catch a killer, clear my family’s name, and keep Grandma Rose from sailing into the sunset with one of the wannabe pirates. Someone pass the rum.     AmazonKU

AN UNWITTING BARGAIN by Grae Bryan

VS Note: MM PNR.

Never give your name. Never accept a gift or favor. Never eat the food of the realm. Benny is having the best summer ever. He’s made a new friend, and now he’s getting an extended vacation at a private island. And sure, his buddy didn’t ask Benny’s permission before taking him there, but what could be so bad about exclusive sandy beaches and a free stay in a fancy villa? Helio is having the worst time of his life. Here he’s gone to all the trouble of kidnapping a human to the fae realm, and the man doesn’t even have the decency to be afraid. Benny’s broken all the rules, and Helio has a right to keep him, but his prey doesn’t even realize he’s been captured. Is this human messing with Helio, or is it truly possible for one man to be so damned oblivious? An Unwitting Bargain is a 15K novella featuring an oblivious himbo human and the morally gray fae he’s accidentally driving a wee bit mad. There’s a kidnapping that goes unnoticed, a magical villa with a crush, and an extremely wholesome human who just wants to make his new friend happy.     Amazon

THE PACK’S DOCTOR by Cooper

Yara Ellis is a medical student, hiding in a human university while she studies to become a doctor. Unlike most students, Yara is majoring in human medicine, veterinary medicine, and minoring in zoology. Since the packs are constantly at war, she knows that there are never enough doctors to help injured pack members. She’s been on her own for several years, escaping from her previous pack and making her own way in the world, hoping to one day return to her roots and become the premier doctor of the packs. Warren Hill is an Alpha, caught up in the constant wars that abound between the packs and the battles that are never-ending. He’s a young Alpha, strong and powerful, but because of the constant fighting between the packs, he’s never been able to find his mate. One day when Yara is letting her wolf run, she comes across Alpha Warren, caught in a bear trap. She’s heard of this, packs leaving traps so that other pack’s members will get caught and either die a slow death or are easily killed. Warren is in his wolf form, unable to shift without ripping his leg off. Yara carefully springs the trap, releasing him from his metal capture. However, Warren recognizes her as his mate and when his pack arrives, he’s unwilling to leave her behind. Yara doesn’t want to return to Warren’s pack but is unable to fight against the Alpha. When she hears that the one who desperately wants her, the one she ran to get away from, is now Alpha of his pack, she realizes that the safest place for her may be with Alpha Warren, even if he is her mate and even if he is unwilling to ever let her go.

Amazon     Kobo

POWER OF DRAKEN (FATED TO THE DRAKEN RIDERS BOOK ONE) by Alex Lidell

ROWAN – I’m an alchemist, not a soldier. But when your mother is an ambitious war hero and your rare magic is the key to defending the kingdom from draken-riding fae, you don’t get a choice. So here I am—gritting my teeth through brutal drills, hiding the growing dizzy spells, and wondering how much more my defective body can take before it breaks. Then the three most powerful men claim me for their squad, and my world tilts. Kai, Kyrian and Logan are gorgeous, cold, and far too dangerous. Their every glance is a challenge, every touch sparks heat I can’t ignore. It feels like fate is pulling us together—whether I’m ready or not. But the trio hides dangerous secrets. They are fae. Enemy agents sent to steal my magic and tear apart all I’ve swore to protect… and I may already be too deep to escape.     AmazonKU

THE WITCHY WOOD AND THE WYRDLY WISE (WONKY INN BOOK 19) by Jeannie Wycherly

Lawks a lordy! Whittlecombe’s villagers have found an anonymous corpse on the village green!
They can’t talk about anything else. Well … apart from rumours of sightings of strange antlered creatures roaming the countryside at night, that is. They point their fingers at Whittle Inn and mutter under their breath about witches and witchcraft. Meanwhile Alfhild Daemonne, our favourite wonky witch, has her hands full. Her inn is full to bursting and something odd is happening in Speckled Wood. It’s weird, it’s witchy and it’s definitely wonky!     AmazonKU

TAKEN BY THE FAERIE (TAKEN 8) by Megan Slayer

Thaddeus Maguire is a vampire. He can’t remember the last time he felt young, vibrant and alive. He’s made choices he regrets, but when one of those mistakes comes back to haunt him, he’s forced to face his past. The only place a hungry, beaten vampire can heal and recharge is the best sanctuary for anyone paranormal. Eerie. When he forces himself through a portal to his hometown, he lands at the feet of the most beautiful flame-red haired Faerie he’s ever seen. The moment he looks up at Tasia, he’s in love. But who could love a broken vampire? Tasia isn’t afraid of the damaged vampire, and she’s determined to make him see he’s more than his mistakes. Can they outrun his past and find a future before his biggest mistake destroys them? Love is possible when you’ve been taken by the Faerie.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

STORM’S MISTAKE (NO WOLVES ROAD BOOK TWO) by Sam Crescent

Lisa was never going to forgive him. After falling in love with an Alpha, giving herself to him, and seeing a future with him, Lisa had her heart crushed. He was only using her. She was not a wolf, so she wasn’t good enough to be his mate. Breaking up with him, was the only thing to do. Shadow wasn’t ready to end things with her. From the moment he first saw the human, he knew he wanted her. What he didn’t expect was to fall hard and fast. But she’s no wolf. She can never be his mate. Then why can’t be bear the thought of losing her? His mate was supposed to be another wolf. But Lisa did something to him, and now he cannot stop thinking about her. He has to do something to win her back, to gain back her trust. When he finds out she is pregnant with his child, he knows this is the only chance he is going to get to make things right. Lisa never intends to forgive Shadow. Being around him, day after day, it gets harder to keep him at arm’s length. And the truth is, does she really want to? What harm is there in forgiving?

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

BLAZING REACTIONS (MATCHMAKER’S BOOK CLUB BOOK SEVEN) by Milly Taiden

When Dr. Asher Andrews—a brilliant but gravely ill scientist—risks everything on a dangerous lab experiment, she never expects her boss to become her mate. Now that Asher’s DNA has mutated, she’s gone from quietly dying to suddenly burning up with attraction for the one man who she’s tried to keep at arm’s length. Balancing her failing dragon form and the sizzling desire tethering her to him is tough enough—especially when he’s a drop-dead gorgeous billionaire dragon shifter who’s used to calling the shots. Talon Draker has it all: wealth, power, and the kind of commanding aura that makes everyone take notice. Leading an ancient dragon clan and protecting its secrets would be simpler if his latest biotech acquisition hadn’t landed him face-to-face with a no-nonsense scientist who’s not about to let a life-threatening condition slow her down. Now, Talon’s grumpy dragon is obsessed with Asher—and as the heat between them boils over, keeping things purely professional becomes impossible. Thrown into a whirlwind of betrayal, and snarky banter that could spark a forest fire, Asher and Talon must unite to stop Talon’s treacherous brother from seizing Asher’s newly altered DNA. Between her sassy comebacks, his overprotective alpha instincts, and a world on the brink of upheaval, their chemistry is impossible to ignore—and so is the mate bond forging between them. Can a determined scientist and a fiercely possessive dragon shifter forge a future under the weight of modern dangers, or will the secrets of Asher’s transformation scorch their chance at a happily ever after?     AmazonKU

THE BLACKSMITH IN MY TAVERN: TALES OF BLEAKNESS (COVETED PREY BOOK 16) by L V Lane

I’ve been in love with the local blacksmith for as long as I can remember. With his big, capable hands and acres of shoulders that I can’t help but admire. Only he’s older and a widower. To him, I am nothing but a too-young, too-bold tavern wench. He has rejected my every advance. But his eyes tell a different story. No matter, I’m cursed to be stubborn. I’m determined to claim my blacksmith and his heart, whatever it takes. The Blacksmith in My Tavern is a short story that follows the HEA of Betsy and Heath, whom we first met in The Wolf in My Tavern.     AmazonKU

GIFTED TO THE FROST KING: A MONSTROUS HOLIDAY SERIES BOOK ONE by Charlotte Swan

VS note: From DEC 24.

Dove Kline has been preparing for this day since the moment she turned twenty-five: the day she and the other unmarried people her age are left out in the freezing snow to await him. The Frost King. The last time he took a human tribute from their small provincial town has been lost to time. Yet this barbaric tradition remains in the hopes that the harsh winters that plague their land will finally be lifted. Dove expects this offering to be like all the others, and she’ll return to her loving mother and sister before the sun sets. Those hopes are quickly dashed when he appears. The Frost King is a legend—a monster that lurks in the deepest, darkest parts of her nightmares. Yet, the figure before her, atop a magnificent white horse, is alluring. Numb from the cold and the shock of seeing such a creature, Dove is powerless to resist as The Frost King breaks from tradition and claims her. Together, they ride away from all she’s ever known and cross over the cursed Frost Mountains. There, Dove learns there may be more to The Frost King than meets the eye. One minute, he is hot, burning with such unbridled intensity for her—only to turn cold the next—as if two different males exist within him. Locked inside his castle, Dove must uncover the secrets he holds dear if she ever wishes to leave this place. An ancient curse. A burning cold. A temptation he shouldn’t give into. This human is different from all the others he’s seen over the centuries. She tempts the parts of him that remember the male he once was—not the beast he’s been transformed into. With time quickly running out, she may be his last possible chance at salvation. Will she succumb to their burning passion and help thaw his frozen heart? Or will the deadly curse turn their fledgling bond into ice?   AmazonKU

A SNOWSTORM AND A STRONGHORN (EVERSHIFT HAVEN BOOK FOUR) by Aurelia Skye and Kit Tunstall

I, Fiona MacLean, am a lost soul trying to find my way—and I never expected to stumble into a magical town or into the arms of a seven-foot-tall Minotaur. After my mother’s death, I set off on a road trip through Montana, looking for…something. I didn’t know what until a freak snowstorm caused my car to crash and led me straight to Bram Stonehorn. He’s a gentle giant with the face of a bull, the patience of a saint, and the ability to make me question everything I thought I wanted in life.
Trapped together in his cozy cabin while the blizzard rages outside, Bram teaches me survival skills, wins at chess every time, and slowly chips away at the walls I’ve built around my heart, but when the storm clears and I’m introduced to Evershift Haven—a hidden town full of magic and chaos—I have a choice to make. Do I leave behind the enchanting world I’ve discovered and the Minotaur who’s already claimed my heart? Or do I embrace the magic, mayhem, and love that Evershift Haven has to offer?     AmazonKU

THE BOOK OF NAMES by Alex J Hodson and C W Mercedes

When Cassidy Ashwood is nearly killed by werewolves on a full moon, but mysteriously spared, her life takes a turn. Suddenly, Cameron Adolpha, the CEO of the company Cassidy works for, begins to show interest in both her and the crescent moon birthmark on her wrist. While she is drawn to Cameron, her involvement with him could jeopardize her career goals, and hinder her from a longing closeness with her late mother. Cameron has many titles, one being the alpha of a powerful werewolf pack. He is willing to do anything to put an end to a twisted tradition known as The Book of Names—a body count list that is forced upon all of the males in the werewolf bloodline. When Cameron learns that Cassidy unknowingly can help him do this, he’ll go to any length in order to reach his goal. “The Book of Names” is a Dual POV experience filled with a yearning romance, healing from family trauma, and secrets that unfold and reveal truths for Cassidy and Cameron. Will they be able to navigate these shifts together while also fighting a greater enemy?     Amazon

THE WITCHWOOD BOYS DID ME DIRTY by C M Stunich

These forgotten witches aren’t too wicked to fall for. A coven of shadows with a curse on my heart and my house. They bake f*cked-up cupcakes in my kitchen and unalive influencers in my front yard. These men make zombies out of their own relatives, and a panting mess out of their own wife. The Witchwoods are a violent stain on the world. Eradicating that blight is worth the dirty, rotten things we do. With a second coven’s sacrifice, we can close the gate. Locking the Hag Wytch in her supernatural prison has to be easier with more witches. Bet nobody wants to help me in exchange for cumcakes, huh? The Witchwood Boys Did Me Dirty is a reverse harem/why choose romance (meaning one woman with three men). It’s a dark, sensual romantasy with a splash of campy horror. Inside, you’ll find graveyards, romps in dark woods, and confessions of undying love.   AmazonKU

BLOOD WOLF: A BRIDE FOR THE BLOOD LORDS NOVELLA (THE INFERNO UNIVERSE BOOK THREE) by Alessa Thorn

Feared by both wolves and vampires, the last thing Thor expected was to have a wolf fall at his feet and ask for help. He shouldn’t get involved in pack politics, and wargs shouldn’t have mates, but one hit of her scent, and every part of him knows that this she-wolf belongs to him. Nicola was raised an Alpha’s daughter, but nothing since her father’s death has gone right. The new pack leader has kept her imprisoned, trying to force a mating bond with her so she won’t share the secret she uncovered: the wolves want to start a war with the vampires, and she will do everything she can to stop it.
When her inner wolf leads her to Lord Thor, Viking vampire and scariest bastard alive, she knows that with his help, she can take down her old pack before they tear Inferno apart. It’s taboo for wolves and vampires to mix, so the fact that Thor is her fated mate and makes every part of her burn is just something else the pack will want to kill her for. The wolves are about to get a lesson in what happens if you mess with Thor and his wargs. You play Viking games, expect to win Viking prizes, and Thor isn’t going to stop until Nicola is safe and his forever.     AmazonKU

COVETED: A PSYCHIC VISIONS NOVEL by Dale Mayer

So, what happens when one desperately wants something but can’t have it? And what happens if that person puts plans into motion to get all that is coveted? And… what happens to the innocent victims along the way? Kylie Oakwood is a new police sketch artist with an amazing talent but also a very secretive past. She’s desperate to make a good life for herself and to forget all about the tragedy in her life. Not that it’s easy being in the one field she should most likely avoid. Detective Porter Hanson takes note of the nightmares in the back of this young woman’s eyes, but it’s so easy to forget when he sees her artwork and how well she handles the witnesses. She’s a unique personality, and that rubs others in the department the wrong way. But, for him, something about her brings out his protective instincts. The trouble is, he cannot figure out why he is supposed to be protecting her—or maybe that should be more about who, or better yet, what? Especially when weird things start happening around her.

Amazon     AB      Apple Books     Kobo

UNWILLING QUEEN (KINGDOMS SERIES BOOK ONE) by Lexie Winston

Colbie Karridge lives in the neutral zone and is perfectly happy running her bakery, creating delicious, sweet treats for both humans and shifters alike who venture into the shared area.
Her life is simple, but she thought she was happy. Until now, she has forgone friendships and relationships with the opposite sex in the pursuit of success, but with that success comes the realisation that her life is empty. Sure, she has her mom, but her mom, an in-demand fashion designer, has managed to have friends and suitors as well as a booming business. Colbie wants that too. It’s the coronation year for the new shifter King or Queen, and both human and shifters are buzzing with excitement which spills over into the neutral zone. An early morning walk to the bakery and a surprise in the alley behind her shop, changes everything. Colbie’s life is never going to be the same again, and she may have bitten off way more than she can chew.     AmazonKU

BEGINNING FATE (ARC NEXT CLASS BOOK ONE) by Julie Trettel

Denny doesn’t want to grow up or ever leave the comfort and safety of Archibald Reynolds College. It’s his home and there’s no place else he’d rather be. in contrast, Lauren was forced to grow up quickly. The majority of her life she has been the sole caretaker and protector for her deaf sister. Now her sister is all grown up and off to Archibald Reynolds College. Lauren has no idea what her future may hold, but it certainly isn’t the sexy, flirtatious tour guide they’re assigned at orientation who just happens to be her one true mate.      AmazonKU

WILD IVY (KINGS OF THORNFIELD BOOK THREE) by Eve Newton

Love. Vengeance. Finality. I’ve always been the hunter, but now I’m also the hunted. Every clue we unravel entangles us further in a web of power and deception stretching far beyond the university. In this supernatural game of cat and mouse, love is our most potent magic and our greatest weakness. The fight for our immortal happily ever after had better be worth the price of our souls. This is a dark paranormal academia reverse harem with plenty of TWs. This takes place in an entirely fictional world set in the UK.      AmazonKU

THE VANISHING BOOKSTORE by Helen Phifer

‘Every story needs a happy ending. And you can’t have yours until you find the bookstore.’  1692. On the outskirts of Salem, a bookstore stands covered in overgrown vines. Inside, a young woman hides a linen-wrapped journal under a loose floorboard and runs away, panicked by the sound of hounds barking in the distance. The bookstore vanishes into thin air…Present day. Stepping inside a pale-pink house on one of the oldest streets in Salem, Dora can’t believe she’s about to finally meet the mother she thought died tragically when she was just a child. But the excitement is short-lived. Dora’s mother has fear in her eyes, and with a trembling voice she whispers: ‘my life is in danger, and now so is yours…’ Desperate not to lose her mother all over again, Dora digs into her family’s mysterious past, and stumbles upon a seemingly impossible secret: the key to their survival is hidden in a bookstore that no one has seen for generations. Losing herself amongst thorny brackens and twisted ferns, Dora eventually finds the path that leads to the bookstore. But someone is watching her. They’ve been waiting for her. As she pushes open the beautiful blue door hidden amongst the sharp brambles, and stands in front of rows of crumbling leatherbound books with faded pages, she has no idea of the secrets she is about to uncover. Or that her life is in more danger than ever before.     AmazonKU     AB

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

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

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

January 1

December 25

December 18

December 11

December 4

November 27

“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’.

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. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. I won’t feature a cover in my weekly promo for this post if I believe or suspect it was largely or completely done with AI and I use the AI or Not tool to decide.

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!

Close the Door Snippet DANGER ON THE NILE Paranormal Romance in Ancient Egypt

The excerpt, from close to the beginning of the book. Mayet, a new priestess, is in the inner sanctum of the temple, cleaning the altar: 

The sound of the heavy door opening caused Mayet to spin with a gasp. She wasn’t finished yet—the high priestess was early. Punishment for disappointing the goddess would be swift and Mayet would walk in pain for several days after the whipping she knew would be meted out. Or perhaps the priestess would be more merciful and spare the rod but put her on bread and water for a few days.

But the door seemed to be stuck, opening only a small way and Mayet heard whoever was at the entrance breathing heavily, almost gasping. She rushed to the portal, finding the high priestess clinging to the locking mechanism, her dress stained with blood, her wig askew and her eyes wild. Her elaborate makeup was smeared and the kohl left tearlike marks on her cheeks.

“Help me, child,” Inu said in a weak voice.

“What happened, my lady?” Trembling, Mayet supported the other woman and half carried her to the closest surface where she could sit. She glanced at the door, worried about the sounds drifting in from the outer temple area. Shouts, screams and the clang of metal. Swords? Here?

“Close the door quickly,” Inu said, slumping against the wall, smearing blood across the vivid paintings of the goddess in her garden as she moved.

Depositphotos

DANGER ON THE NILE (CHILDREN OF FATE) by Veronica Scott

1550 BCE. Mayet is a newly appointed priestess at the temple of Isis in a southern Egyptian border town. When enemies attack the city, she must flee alone with a sacred effigy to keep the invaders from claiming it and using it for their own magic rituals. Joining with other refugees from the stricken city, she has to hide the statue from curious eyes and comfort her companions as if she was a learned, senior priestess. They all look to her for leadership on their desperate trek north. With the enemy close on their heels, Mayet stumbles over an ancient, abandoned fort, where her party takes refuge. Surrounded and trapped by the invaders, she faces a bleak future.

Khay is a high-ranking Egyptian officer, sent by Pharaoh to negotiate treaties with various southern tribes. He and his soldiers narrowly escape an ambush at the city where Mayet’s temple was located and are on the run from the invaders when he sees the shelter of an abandoned fort. Now he and his men are also trapped inside the stout walls with no food and no hope of rescue. Yet he has no regrets for the priestess leading the refugees is the woman the goddess Isis has shown him in a vision, the one who could become his wife.

Together Mayet and Khay must find a way to bring their people to freedom. Will Isis listen to pleas from such a fledgling priestess? Khay comes from a famous family, smiled upon by other gods – will any of them come to his aid? As the pair struggle to stay alive and save the other Egyptians, attraction grows and unites their hearts. But is there to be a future in this world, or only in the Afterlife?

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     GooglePlay

My other ancient Egyptian paranormal romances…

By veronicascott Posted in Snippet

I Have to Fight Snippet from RENNYR SciFi Romance Gladiator

Sharing from my second scifi romance gladiator novel RENNYR (BADARI GLADIATORS BOOK TWO).

If you want the full story of what this couple goes through and how they battle to survive and protect each other, and their romance, with all the nuances and details, the book is available wide. 

The excerpt:

All along the corridor the force barriers deactivated and men were herded away as he had been previously. His own cell remained locked. Rennyr paced, the great beast inside him impatient to get on with whatever today held for them.

He paused in midstep and rushed to the force barrier as a new squad of guards and robos arrived, passing him by again and going to the big cell at the end of the corridor. He heard a commotion, shouted orders and the buzz of blasters and guessed a few of the prisoners must have resisted the guards. Heart beating wildly, he prayed to the goddess the woman hadn’t been involved. Footsteps echoed and the remaining special prisoners marched past his cell, closely watched by the guards. Rennyr focused on her in the middle of the group, pale and appearing shaken but unharmed.

She glanced at him and for a moment time stopped. Swallowing hard, he yelled out, “What’s your name?”

“Jaine,” she said as she kept walking, jostled by the men around her.

“I’ll find you,” he shouted but she was too far away now to acknowledge his pledge.

“Hey,” Rennyr yelled at the guards, surprised and worried because no one was stopping to collect him. “You forgot one. Let me out.”

Captain Symonds shook his head. “Calm down, you’re not fighting today. You can relax. Westklin’s not going to waste a potentially valuable property like you on another death match, not now. You passed the test.”

“But I have to fight,” he said, dismayed not to be given the opportunity to defend his newly found mate.

VS: So what will Rennyr do next? Jaine has no chance in the arena…more next week.

RENNYR (BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK 2) by Veronica Scott

Rennyr was a genetically engineered senior soldier in his Badari Warrior pack until one day he woke up on a strange planet naked, disoriented and about to be sold into the gladiator arena for the rest of his life. Unscrupulous guards faked his death in the lab where he was created and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. Kill or be killed is the rule in his new life and a Badari never gives up. He’ll fight to stay alive until the Badari goddess sees fit to decree his death and release him from the wretched existence.

Jaine Mitchel of the Sectors was on her way to an exciting research internship until pirates seized the spaceship on which she was a passenger and took her to feature in a gladiator ‘death match’ in the galactic hinterlands. She has no hope of surviving in the arena until a man she only glimpsed in passing breaks out of his cell and saves her life, declaring her to be his fated mate. Given to Rennyr as his reward for winning the death match, Jaine must share a cell and a bed with the handsome, not human, gladiator and together they have to find a way to survive in this merciless world of violence and death. Their mutual attraction is off the charts. Falling in love is the easy part, finding a way to escape or even to remain together is the challenge. At any time their mutual owner could decide thumbs up or thumbs down on one or both of them, or sell them separately.

Their only hope is a mysterious gladiator master from offworld who may be coming to buy Rennyr. Will he take Jaine as well? Could Rennyr win freedom for them both if he does well enough in the arena? Badari Warriors claim their mates for life and Rennyr has no intention of losing Jaine…RENNYR is an 80K word novel and can be read as a standalone. KYDEN is the first book in the series.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     Google Play

VS: There’s also a box set available with all three titles in one! Available wide. Here’s the AMAZON link.

How Many Oxygen Breathers Snippet WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM “Titanic in Space”

The excerpt: The ship has suffered an unexplained accident and the crew seems to have disappeared. In the absence of any crew members Special Forces operator Nick Jameson takes charge of loading a lifeboat. The D’vannae Brother helping him is an assassin/bodyguard serving an alien goddess of flames.

“Quiet down now,” he said, watching the people in the front row of the mob, getting eye contact, to personalize his commands, make them feel like responsible individuals, not a mindless, panicking herd.

The blaring sirens and recorded emergency warnings cut out, resumed briefly and then died away in a slowly fading gibber­ish. The lights in the corridor flickered, causing gasps here and there in the crowd.

“Are there any SMT officers or crew here?” Nick said.

Desperation, fear, and puzzlement on the faces in front of him. Many sidelong glances, mute head shakes.

Silence.

“All right, then. I’m Captain Jameson, Sectors Special Forces. I’m taking charge of this LB portal. I need four volunteers besides this man,” nodding at the D’nvannae, “to help me keep order here. You can’t all get into this LB. No one’s going to make it off unless you keep your heads and we go about this calmly and quickly.” He pointed at some likely candidates. “You, you, you and you.”

He’d picked out a quartet of fairly good-sized men, who seemed calmer than some of the others ringing him. Pointing at the Broth­er, he said, “What’s your name?”

“Khevan.”

“Fine, Khevan, you and these four gentlemen form a ring. No one gets by until I say so. Watch my back while I open this damn portal.”

Nodding, the D’nvannae and the four men linked arms and established a peri­meter. Nick gave his attention to the locked access. Damn, there should have been at least one SMT crew person at each LB by now, with the unlock code, getting the civilians safely off the ship as fast as possible. Nick spared a second and a small part of his mind to swear at the inefficiencies and lax disci­pline of this ship’s captain. Lucky for all these nice people I know how to open the thing.

Nick scanned the portal info display as he keyed in a code on the access panel. “Capacity one hundred sentients,” the label declared in Basic and the other five languages. Okay, Jameson, quick, calculate what the limit really means, what the margin of design safety probably was. How many extra oxygen-breathers can I shove onto the thing without killing them all?

As the door cycled open, Nick assessed the waiting throng. The crowd, even larger now, probably in excess of two hundred men, women and children, pressed forward. They were pushing his ring of volun­teers closer to him before the men dug in and shoved resolutely back.

“This LB can only support one hundred and twenty-five,” Nick announced to the assembled passengers, pitching his voice to carry to the edge of the crowd. “I’m not allowing one more person to board beyond the limit. I’m taking children and their caretakers first, followed by as many other adults as possible. Anyone with children, come forward now. We’ve got no time to lose. No luggage! No pets!”

Depositphotos

WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM

Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several otherinnocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.

But can Nick conquer the demons from his past that tell him he’ll fail these innocent people just as he failed to save his Special Forces team? Will he outpace his own doubts to win this vital race against time?

Amazon     Apple Books  Barnes & Noble    Google Play   Kobo

Audiobook, narrated by Actor Michael Riffle – Available Now at Amazon and iTunes

Available as a box set with the two sequels!

New Releases in SciFi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for JAN 1

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.

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BOUND (GLADIATORS OF THE GRYN BOOK THREE) by Hattie Jacks

The alien virus I caught after I was taken from Earth has left me a shadow of my former self. The only saving grace, my voice is unaffected, but it means I’m the songstress to a wealthy alien who keeps me like a canary in a gilded cage. Then, after someone attempts to assassinate him, he employs a gruff, grumpy former Gryn gladiator as his personal bodyguard. Rych is intimidating and handsome in equal measure, with a penchant for training outside my window in the early morning, all muscles, feathers and very little in the way of clothing. I might be able to sing, but speaking to him is a different matter entirely, and I’m sure a virtual god like Rych wouldn’t want a broken thing like me anyway. Until the assassin strikes again and I find myself stuck in a cave with a massive feathered gladiator who is too hot for words. As we attempt to get back to Tatatunga and he takes care of me without making me feel like a burden, I find myself falling more and more for my big brooding bodyguard. Until I discover the truth about the virus infecting me and if we don’t find a cure, then not only will I lose him, I’ll lose my life. And I’m not ready to die yet.     AmazonKU

I MARRIED A CATMAN by Regine Abel

He was the dream mate she never expected. When Ophelia seeks the services of the Prime Mating Agency to find her soulmate, she’s floored to learn that her perfect match is Gaelec, an intimidating, feline-looking ex-convict. Despite her better judgment, she agrees to the union only to discover that a sweet and cuddly male, with the fluffiest fur, hides behind the stern but sexy mountain of muscle that is her new husband. She was his anchor in the tempest. After serving twelve years in the worst prison in the galaxy, Gaelec just wants to go home to a quiet life. But the evil forces that led to his incarceration are once more set on ruining his life. Having a brand-new mate thrust on him—and a human at that—is the last thing Gaelec needs. And yet, he soon finds himself unable to resist the sweet but strong woman, with her adorable freckles and adventurous spirit who makes him want to purr again. With so many forces conspiring to bend him to their will, can Gaelec finally find the peace and happiness he seeks with his Ophelia, or will they bring him down a dark path again?     AmazonKU

UNCOVERED BY THE ALIEN COMMANDER (THE KLENDATHIAN CYCLE BOOK FOUR) by Lara Roth and Selina Sky

Tyrxie – Lost, and alone on this rundown starship is dangerous, but it’s all I’ve ever known. I’ve mastered the art of hiding in plain sight, dodging the gaze of my volatile captain and dangerous males. But when the powerful Klendathian Commander Xandor boards our ship, there’s nowhere to hide from the hulking hunter. His intensity is a force of nature, and his fierce golden eyes always uncovers me, forcing me to confront the past and reveal who I am… and what I am. But how can I trust him when my very survival demands I betray him? Xandor – As Second of Clan Draxxus I’ve conquered battlefields and planets alike—and I’m undeniably its most handsome warrior. With no fated mate to bind me like my chieftain, I was the perfect choice for this mission of peace. Then I boarded this junk heap of a ship and found… her. Tyrxie. This fascinating human who somehow resists my obvious charms, hunts my thoughts like a stalking venefex! Behind her wary eyes lies both pain and a hidden fire. Though she fights our connection, I’ve sworn to protect her at any cost. But as ancient hatreds resurface and revenge threatens all, can I prove that my true strength lies not in my claws, but in our growing bond?     AmazonKU

KNUT (GALACTIC CYBORG HEAT SERIES) by Jessie Rose Case

Christmas. A human festive holiday. A female child gifted. It held no real meaning here other than a celebration and exchange of gifts. A revival of the old faiths on a dying Earth had given solace to many. What had once been a Christian faith diminishing, had been thriving by the time they’d left. Many joined the Colonisation Program owned by Earth Corp. Not interested in faith, Earth Corp didn’t care what you believed in. If you met the criteria, and or had the credits to pay for a seat, were aged 18 – 30, fertile, with no partner, happy to bring new life to a new world, deliver 100 years of mining rights to Earth Corp selling their children and grandchildren into slavery for those precious minerals, you could go. That’s how desperate thousands were. And 400 years later…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)   AmazonKU

DIAMOND (ALIEN HUNTING GROUNDS BOOK FOUR) by Kyla Breene

Rin – Brutality has been the cage surrounding me for most of my life. Each regime comes and goes, but the goal remains the same. To take our voices. Our education. Our freedom. Now this alien says he plans to confine me. No. This is a new world, and I refuse to live the same oppressive way light years from Earth. His actions let me know he doesn’t just embrace violence, he loves it, and I just can’t accept that. Or him. Kuret – How will I protect her? How can I fulfill my promise if she says one more act of aggression, and she will leave me? The moment I see her, I can’t keep images out of my head of how her white hair would look against my skin. But it cannot be. She is far too young for a donor, and I can’t be the cause of her death. I would never forgive myself. It shouldn’t matter if she can’t forgive me for what I did when we first met. It’s not as if males and females can be friends… or more… but hope simply won’t die.     AmazonKU

KAMEER’S MATE (WORLDSHIP BRIDES BOOK FIVE) by Sue Lyndon

Betrothed to a wealthy human Founder, Mandy is relieved she won’t be forced to mate with one of the Darrvason aliens who are helping her people, unlike most of her peers. But then the unthinkable happens. A huge alien named Kameer takes a liking to her, and her fiancé mysteriously dies. After Kameer, a renowned Darrvason engineer, is assigned to make repairs on the human worldship, he encounters an enchantingly beautiful female called Mandy. He immediately decides she’ll become his mate, no matter the cost, and when he discovers she’s betrothed to a human male, he quietly resolves the situation. Then he’s quick to take ownership of the trembling female and claim her as his mate. Despite her reluctance, he also begins training her to be a proper, obedient wife. Mandy is terrified of the controlling Darrvason male who’s decided she’ll belong to him forever. Her trepidation deepens when she learns he paid a hefty bribe to secure her hand in marriage, though she can’t deny the warm feelings Kameer’s touch elicits within her. His dominant mating leaves her breathless, and his strict punishments make her ache with longing. But how could she possibly find happiness with the possessive male who is likely responsible for her fiancé’s death?     AmazonKU

VILLAINOUS ALL THE WAY (VILLAINOUS THINGS) by C Rochelle

A sweet n spicy collection of bonus tales, first shared on Pa*tre*on and featuring the guys and gals (and nonbinary aliens) from the superhero x villain MM+ (& FF!) romance series – Villainous Things (along with the MCs of the Villains in Space spin-off series)! Simon Says: It is required that you read Villainous Things 1-5 first, and highly recommended that you also read Earth Boys Are Easy (Villainous Things, book 4.5 & Villains in Space, book 1), before tackling this bonus collection! Otherwise, you may miss some important backstory… (AND GET SPOILERS YOU MAY NOT WANT!)     AmazonKU

ROYAL MATE by Grace Goodwin

How can I stand by while she chooses another, when my heart, my soul, and everything I am screams that she was born to be mine? She appeared in Alpha Station like a lightning strike—unexpected, breathtaking, and utterly unstoppable. A human woman, demanding answers, demanding to go back to Earth. But the moment Paige stepped into my world, I knew the truth, she belonged to me. As a male of honor, I tried to honor her wishes and send her home. The Coalition Fleet refused to allow her return to Earth, and then revealed the truth about her past. She’s not human. She’s Insurian royalty, stolen as a child and believed dead for twenty-five years, and raised on Earth. Her sudden return has shaken the planet, and the throne she never knew she inherited comes with a dangerous legacy. The same traitors who murdered her parents are still here, watching, waiting for their chance to strike. The long-lost princess is betrothed to a prince, bound by a contract written before she was born. She’s not mine to claim, but I can’t let her go.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

HIS EMERALD LADY (ALIEN BRIDES LEGENDS) by C V Walter

VS Note: From NOV 29.

When wounded soldier Robert stumbles into a mysterious castle during a storm, he finds himself captivated by its beautiful and enigmatic mistress, Greta. Behind the castle’s ancient walls lie secrets beyond imagination – servants that aren’t human, rooms that appear and disappear, and technology that seems more magic than science. As Robert and Greta grow closer, he discovers she harbors a devastating secret: once a month she transforms to be trapped and tortured by the very castle that protects her. Their growing love may be their salvation or their doom, as dark forces gather to claim Greta for sinister purposes that span worlds. Together, they must unravel the castle’s mysteries and face dangerous truths about Greta’s origins before their sanctuary becomes their prison. But can love forged between a soldier and a monster survive when ancient powers come to collect their due? A spellbinding blend of romance, fantasy and science fiction that questions what it means to be human in a universe far stranger than we imagine.   AmazonKU

A SYMPHONY OF STARLIGHT by Amy Zed

In a world where the talents of the wealthy are enhanced with cyborg modifications, Gemma is a musical prodigy on the run from the family that rules the planet. She’s hiding in an off-grid city of gangs, traffickers, and outcasts, working the electronic rave scene and supplementing her income with small-time hit jobs. But when her boss is murdered and her pursuers close in, Gemma takes a risky bounty that lands her stranded on a poisonous planet with a cocky hitman, a mysterious space captain, and a misfit crew, racing to fix a broken ship while keeping her identity hidden. And when Gemma discovers that both captain and hitman are hiding deadly secrets of their own, the struggle to survive becomes a dangerous game of who to trust with her life.     AmazonKU

EMPOWEREDS: A POST APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE by Janette Rallison

Twenty-one-year-old Charity Huntington has spent her life in hiding, dodging a government that hunts down Empowereds—those with forbidden abilities. Her father is one of the last remaining psychics, and their family lives as harvesters, working in isolation to avoid the authorities. She knows the rules: keep their family secret, trust no one, and never draw attention. Charity especially ought to be wary of the new hire, Enzo. The man is tall, dark, and a bit too cocky. He also has a mysterious past and some serious gun skills that don’t match his story.
Of course, knowing the rules and following them are two different things when a guy looks as good as Enzo. She’s in danger in more ways than one. Enzo Valdez is a government officer tasked with a deadly mission: go undercover, locate the psychic hiding among the harvesters, and eliminate them with extreme prejudice. But when he meets Charity—captivating, kind, and everything he didn’t expect—his loyalty begins to waver. Falling for her could mean betraying everything he’s sworn to uphold…but resisting her may be impossible.     AmazonKU

HIS FIERCE FUGITIVE (EARTHLY POSSESSIONS BOOK TWO) by Jinx Layne

I’m on the run from half the aliens in this galaxy. The last thing I need is a fated mate. IRIS – Being abducted by aliens was bad enough. But getting sold to a twisted collector, tossed into a brutal prison, then forced to survive in a savage jungle wilderness? Even worse. I swore I’d never let another man control me, but after a daring escape, I’m trapped yet again. This time with my rescuer… a towering, silver warrior who claims my best friend—now a queen!—sent him to save me. He’s fearless, protective, and annoyingly kind, which only makes it harder to keep my walls up. But with danger lurking in every shadow, I’m left with no choice. If I want to live to see my friends again, I’ll have to put my life—and maybe my heart—in his hands. TAK – The moment I lay eyes on Iris, I know she’s mine… even if she doesn’t believe it. She’s ferocious, strong-willed, and hardened by betrayal. But beneath all that, I see the delicate heart she’s trying so hard to protect. Winning her trust won’t be easy, but bringing her back to Ydris is my sole mission, and I’ll destroy anyone who tries to hurt her. Because no one takes what’s mine.   AmazonKU

SUDDEN ATTRACTION (SOUL MATED BOOK TWO) by Rebecca York

VS Note: I believe this is a re-release.

Gabriella Bordeaux rushes home after a frantic call from her mother. She arrives to find Mom has died in a fall down the steps of the decaying plantation house where Gabriella grew up. Or was it murder? Is Luke Buckley, the secretive man renting one of the nearby cottages, a killer?
The moment Luke and Gabriella touch each other, they establish an intimate link. Thoughts and memories zing back and forth between them along with an overwhelming sexual craving. Before they can explore their astonishing connection, they’re on the run from the man desperate to unlock the secrets of Gabriella’s past–and from the mob boss bent on killing Luke. Can they uncover the mystery of their shared past and avoid the enemies closing in on them? Strengthening the psychic bond that ties them together may be the key to their salvation.   AmazonKU

NAGA PRINCE’S MATE (NAGAS OF NIRUM BOOK ONE) by Celia Kyle and Anne Hale

Some marriages start with a loving “I do.” Theirs starts with a lie. When human Kleena is snatched off the streets of Jorvla and thrust into an auction, she expects to find herself at the mercy of her buyer, not rescued by a Naga prince—even if he is a warrior haunted by the ghosts of his own devastating legacy. To keep her safe, they’re forced to pose as newlyweds—an impossible feat when they don’t even like each other. However, as days stretch into weeks, their forced proximity begins to feel a little less like punishment… and a lot more like a blessing. Especially when one night changes everythingBut convinced he’s destined to destroy anyone he loves, Naga Prince Erhan pushes Kleena away—and straight toward the Naga noblewoman who is supposedly Erhan’s real fiancée. With their love on the line, they’re both forced to make a choice. Will they let the past define them…Or find a future together?

Amazon     Apple Books    Kobo

CYBEREVOLUTION AFTERMATH: HERCULES HCS600.1 by Kaitlyn O’Connor

The first Bella realized she was in serious trouble, she found herself fleeing the planet and neck deep in cyborgs bent on romancing her. All Bella needed was an escort that looked like a tank to make her black-market purchase. It never occurred to her that Sebastian HCS 00571 might get her into more trouble than she could handle.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

AMOS VOS OMNES: A POLLENVERSE SHORT STORY (MONSTROUS SHORT TALES) by YD LaMar

Bred for unseen purposes, Ame yearns for freedom beyond the colony that made her. But when fate leads her to the rainforest, this alluring hybrid will need to survive a dangerous new world. After a fateful encounter, brooding Jurion takes Ame in, triggering a forbidden desire neither can deny. Their secret union shatters when long-buried truths unexpectedly surface. Now Ame must stand alone and her only hope lies with the complicated man who once offered shelter. What happens when forbidden passion ignites between an alluring hybrid and a complicated Cicadoidea? Will love sustain them – or doom them both?   AmazonKU

SAINT (DEMONS OF FOXGLOVE GROVE BOOK THREE) by Chani Lynn Feener

VS Note: Author states books must be read in order. MM Why Choose. This seems more PNR or Fantasy to me but it’s listed in Science Fiction.

Nix Monroe has had it with playing things safe. Where exactly has that gotten him anyway? In the bed of three of the Demons of Foxglove Grove, in over his head. Since he arrived at the prestigious university, nothing has gone his way, and nothing has been what it seemed. Now that he’s finally discovered the truth behind what his cousin was up to, he’s reevaluating his next moves. Starting with what to do with the Demons and all of the lies and secrecy between them. Lake is still as desperate as ever for the crown, but does that desperation now rival the one he feels toward Nix? West has positioned himself as a friend and confidant, but can Nix really allow himself to trust in that, or is this another carefully constructed ruse put on by the Demon to keep him in line? Yejun is supposedly remorseful, but Nix isn’t sure he can forgive, especially when a part of him still seeks vengeance for his cousin and the part the Demon played in her demise. One thing is clear: Night of the Nightshade heralds the start of either the end or beginning for all of them. After giving the Order what they want isn’t enough to stop the threats, will Nix band with the Demons and wrestle for control over Club Essential, or will he seize the first real chance he gets at escape with both hands and flee? Does he really have a choice? Did he ever?   AmazonKU

ICARUS RISING (MAGIC AND MOTHERBOARDS BOOK TWO) by Stephanie Burke and Areana Senoj

Dark clouds are gathering. Icarus is the light at the end of the tunnel. And in his wake: Chaos. Even though dark clouds gather in the distance, Asher, Vers, and Korya start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That “Light” is named Icarus, and with him comes chaos. Even as the trio’s immediate problem is solved, more people are out to get them. With danger at every turn, they can only depend on each other. Who is this mysterious alien called Icarus? Is he there to help protect them from the DPL or are they about to become victims of an insidious plot to end the planet? Either way, the friction is burning as they take one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of Asher’s parents’ death, and what the DPL is hiding.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

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

VS: Here are my 2024 New Releases one more time! I was surprised how many I did release this year…

Link to my Amazon Author Page. The books are also available on KOBO Plus, Apple Books, NOOK and GooglePlay.

************************** THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT  IF YOU DECIDE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOK  (because my own books pay my bills) AND A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU ALREADY HAVE! AND ONWARD WE GO!*********************

 

GUARDED BY THE GARGOYLE: A HIDDEN HOLLOW NOVEL by Evangeline Anderson

Willow – What do you do when the huge stone gargoyle you just happen to touch comes to life and declares he’s your protector? Well if you’re me, you try (unsuccessfully) to send him away. But Kael doesn’t want to leave my side. He says he has to keep me safe from the danger coming after me and I can’t exactly deny it. I have an abusive ex who’s determined to get back together—whether I want to or not. Kael – The moment I felt Willow’s touch, I knew she was the one I had been waiting for. She woke me from the slumber of stone and made me flesh again. How could I help falling in love with her? But she refuses to let me get close to her—her past relationships with human men have ruined her trust in anyone male. How can I prove that I’m not like them? And how can I convince her to let me protect her? I’m sure I’ll find a way because in the magical town of Hidden Hollow…anything is possible.   AmazonKU

HALF DEAD (CROSSROADS QUEEN BOOK EIGHT) by Annabel Chase

Lorelei Clay wants to play offense for a change. She’s tired of hiding from the past she didn’t even know she had. With a promising relationship and new friends in a small town she loves, Lorelei wants to be free to live life on her terms, without the threat of death or capture hanging over her. Kane Sullivan hasn’t exactly been hiding from his past—more like he moved without a forwarding address. Unfortunately for him, the boss he tried to overthrow never gave up the search. And now the former prince of hell has been found. Kane wants to do whatever it takes to keep his problems from endangering his found family. He knows better than anyone what Lucifer is capable of. Lorelei is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the demon she loves, but if she can’t convince him to get in the game, they risk losing everything they’ve built together. When the supreme demon finally makes his move, Lorelei realizes there are some nightmares that even she can’t control.   AmazonKU

FOXY LADY (MAGIC OF WISHES AND DREAMS BOOK SEVEN) by Allie McCormack

Harper O’Neill, a shy fox shapeshifter in her late twenties, finds her carefully constructed life shattered when a chance encounter in Yosemite National Park is caught on camera, exposing her secret to the world. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Harper is forced to flee her home in California, leaving behind everything she knows and loves, seeking refuge in the seemingly safer Hudson Valley. Haunted by the past and terrified of exposure, she desperately seeks a new beginning, a place to hide and heal. Nathan Burke, a kind and thoughtful musician, leads a quiet life teaching music in the Hudson Valley. Recently introduces to the world of the supernatural, he’s surprised to find himself drawn to the mysterious Harper, whose quiet nature hides surprising depths. Their paths cross amidst a growing crisis when the existence of shapeshifters is revealed to the world, throwing their lives and community into turmoil.     AmazonKU

EDMUND, ACCOUNTANT OF THE NIGHT (MERSETON TALES BOOK TWO) by Angel Martinez

Ro Laceleaf, failed forester, is the sole member of Merseton’s town watch. It’s not an exciting job by any means, but after Geoffrey’s disastrous necromantic experiments, the townsfolk insist it’s necessary. Ro is both diligent and bored out of his skull, until one night he’s called to an emergency at Mrs. Pickle’s. A vampire is attacking her house. On the run for several years, Edmund is near starvation and out of options. His last hope for refuge? Merseton. He’s heard the town welcomes people outside the ordinary. Edmund’s certainly not an ordinary vampire. While he expected suspicion and initial hostility, he didn’t anticipate a beating with a wet kitchen mop. Ro needs to make the determination—is Edmund a monster or a potential resident? The more he speaks to Edmund, the more horrified Ro becomes over what he’s been through. Edmund’s telling the truth—Ro’s certain of that—but he’s not telling all of it. Ro needs to gain Edmund’s trust to learn the whole story, about Edmund and the terrifying enemies hunting him, while not letting Edmund become a distraction. Yes, fine, he’s already a distraction. But Ro’s not going to fail, not this time. The town, and Edmund, will be safe, no matter what Ro has to do.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

JASPER (WERE ZOO BOOK 20) by R E Butler

Wolf shifter Jasper thought his night shift as a security officer at the Amazing Adventures Safari Park would be like any other, until someone showed up at the front gate asking for him. But he never could have imagined that the person standing before him would be the one who shattered his heart seven years ago: his soulmate, with her piercing violet eyes. Melody, a non-shifting wolf, had been happily making plans with her soulmate Jasper when he suddenly disappeared without a word and she spent seven years trying to get over the loss. But when a new alpha takes over her pack and all hell breaks loose, Melody’s father sends her on a mission to seek out Jasper’s help. Despite their mutual feelings of betrayal, Jasper and Melody must put aside their distrust in order to save her parents and protect the pack. When the new alpha abducts Melody, will Jasper be able to get to her in time?

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

A FALLEN MIDLIFE (WITCHING AFTER FORTY BOOK 22) by Lia Davis and L A Boruff

VS Note: From the blurb for book one: “Widow and empty nester, Ava Harper, never dreamed of turning forty without the love of her life. Nor did she know she would bury her favorite aunt, who raised her after the death of her mother, a few years later. Then again, she doesn’t have the power of foresight. No, her powers are much darker. Powers she has kept behind lock and key.”

Join Ava and the gang as they solve another mystery in Shipton Harbor.   AmazonKU

CELESTIAL ALPHAS (THE NEXUS SERIES BOOK TWO) by G Bailey

I know three important facts—I’m locked up, and my mates betrayed me. Severi isn’t dead. If I don’t get out, Starlight City is going down with my Nexus. After running for five years, I’m back in Starlight City and my mates finally found out what is wrong with my Nexus. In an unexpected turn of events, my own mates turned against me and handed me over to the new Alpha Supreme, leaving me no choice but to face a trial that will determine my fate in light of the crimes I have been accused of. Even if I didn’t want to kill anyone, even if it wasn’t my choice and even if everyone who died deserved it. Onyx, Finnegan, Rhodes, Hollis and Aleksander finally know why I rejected them, and they are grovelling for my forgiveness, while fighting to make sure I’m released and safe…but they don’t know about Severi. There is a monster in the darkness, and this time it isn’t just me. If Severi gets me…my Nexus will be the last thing Starlight City sees before it is gone.     AmazonKU

BATTLE FLUKE (LOVE, TAILS AND BATTLE WAILS BOOK THREE) by Adrian J Smith and Neen Cohen

VS Note: LGBTQ Fantasy.

Hurt from failing to rescue Princess Soulara, Honour is taken in by Kyree, a deep sounding mer she’s been working with. Honour and Kyree find themselves captive to usurper, Hudson, and with no hopes of warning their people about Soulara’s doom. With the battle falling apart right before her eyes, Honour sees no escape from total annihilation.
Hudson craves power and control, something her mermaid tribe will never give her in their patriarchal beliefs. With a cohort of followers, Hudson fights her own people in a battle for power. Unexpectedly, her crew finds two washed up mers who claim their underwater haven is under attack. But will Hudson believe them? Can she risk failing her people if she doesn’t? As a pacifist, Kyree is thrown into the chaos of a battle. With a mer bent on violence and one bent on rules, she’s caught between a rock and a hard place. Feeling attraction to both is the last thing she planned. And yet, working together might be the only solution when it comes to ending the war against humans. Will they discover love during the darkest time the ocean has seen? And will Kyree finally admit her secret…that she has the missing hope they’re searching for?   AmazonKU

THE ORC’S PROMISED BRIDE (FIVE KINGDOMS BOOK TWO) by Honey Phillips

Lothar tells himself that he is entering the Bride Trials merely as a way to test his strength and skill against other orc warriors. But when he realizes the female he is given a chance to court is in love with another, he finally admits how much he longs for a mate of his own. He does the honorable thing and withdraws from the Trials, retreating to the wilderness to lick his wounds – only to find a strange female desperately in need of his help. Haunted by a troubled past, Jana lives as a virtual recluse, hiding away from everyone. Her one refuge is her beloved garden – until she suddenly finds herself in a strange new world. The massive orc who finds her has a charming smile and a quick wit, but there is a loneliness in his eyes which matches her own. Can they find refuge in each other, or will they both end up alone again?   AmazonKU

SUNRUNNER (THE SUMMERTIDE CHRONICLES BOOK THREE) by Sam Burns

My father is missing, and along with him, the Sunrunner family stone, Nausa. My aunt swears this is common for him, but I know different. Yes, my father is lost deep in his addictions, but he’s never disappeared before. If it weren’t up to me to handle the mess my family has made, I’d be a thousand miles away by now. But time is running out and the threatening eruption of Mount Slate keeps inching closer. Now, Half the Moonstriker family has come to help me look for Nausa, including Kit, a freaking assassin, and his brother Frost, the most beautiful man ever born. Frost almost makes me want to stick around, for the first time in my life. But suddenly, nothing can go right. From a near-miss in the car to an ugly realization about my entire childhood, not to mention the way Kit Moonstriker keeps looking at me like he’s deciding where to stab, saving the world isn’t as simple as it sounds.     AmazonKU

RED CAP’S SECRET BABY (MIDNIGHT HOUR MATES BOOK THREE) by Tai James

In a world where love is a weapon, she was his sharpest blade…until she left him bleeding. Meg, a human changeling raised by trolls, knows the Unseelie Court as a realm of darkness where every shadow conceals a threat. Her only light? Grimkel, the fierce redcap general whose touch sets her soul on fire. But when Meg discovers she carries Grimkel’s child, she realizes too late their secret passion has become a deadly liability. Bespelled and banished to the mortal world, she loses all memories of the Fae and her redcap lover. For years, Grim thought Meg had run, leaving him without a word. Years later, fate brought them face-to-face once more. Grimkel’s fury is matched only by his undeniable desire to learn the truth. The extent of betrayal—a child, his child, hidden from him and his lover’s memory wiped—he vows to wreak vengeance on those who tore his family apart and reclaim Meg’s love.   AmazonKU

BALDR’S SECRET MATE: GAY VIKING WEREWOLF SHIFTER ROMANCE (MATED TO THE VIKING ALPHA BOOK THREE) by Blake R Wolfe

The mage trapped by a magical shield has been my best friend for nearly a decade. But he doesn’t know his destiny is to kill my family. Or that he’s my mate. Baldr – I met Mist the day he arrived in Fenris. It’s hard to ignore magic like his when I thought I was the only mage in town. We became fast friends and it wasn’t long before I realized he was my mate. But he’s being held captive by the enemy, and tortured so that he can be used as a weapon against me and my family. I want to be with him, to tell him I love him. But I’ve seen the future and my visions are never wrong. Mist will be the one that gets me killed. Mist – I’ve been trapped in this magical bubble for almost a decade. Stolen from a home I can barely remember and tortured by a crazy werewolf to do his dirty work, I’m all alone in this world. Except for my best friend, Baldr, who makes it all tolerable. Being a witch too, he understands me on a level nobody else can. But recently I’ve been realizing how much I care for him. In fact, I think I love him. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t know anything else or because he’s actually the guy for me. All I know is that I don’t want to ruin our friendship. If he leaves, I’ll be all alone again. However, I’m a danger to him. I still can’t control my magic and it’s only a matter of time before it consumes me. When that happens, I want him as far away as possible.      AmazonKU

PEACEMAKER (KINKAID SHIFTERS BOOK THREE) by Bianca D’Arc

Colt, the youngest of three Navy SEAL brothers, is used to living on the edge. With his siblings mated and settled, he’s now solo, on a high-stakes mission to protect a young woman from deadly danger. But when his quest takes him into clan territory, Colt must confront a family he’s long been estranged from to right old wrongs and make peace. Faith has spent years honing her magical powers in secret, knowing that soon she’ll face a trial to prove her power. She never expected to have a brooding, irresistibly handsome lion shifter like Colt as her protector, but as danger escalates, Faith struggles with her growing feelings for Colt and the pressing duty to stop a looming demon war. Will love or duty guide her path?

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LADY’S STEED (SWORDS AND TIARAS BOOK ONE) by Eve Langlais

Avera long ago came to terms with being the forgotten royal. As fourth in line, she was never expected to inherit the throne. All that changes when her entire family is assassinated and she barely escapes with her life. Stepping into the role of queen takes her into a world she never could have imagined. One of plotting and intrigue. Hidden passageways. Magical and murderous statues. And traitors determined to steal her throne. When the choice becomes flee or die, she embarks on a pilgrimage to an ancient place, one that holds a terrifying secret and sets her on an impossible and deadly quest. Avera isn’t a champion or a fighter, however she’s also not a coward. Someone has to act. There is a dark force stirring, one that threatens not just her kingdom but the entire world.

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THE ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVES: IT’S CALLED MURDER, BRENDA (AN ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVE MYSTERY BOOK ONE) by Dakota Cassidy

I’m Nina Statleon, a vampire (with a little bit of witch thrown in for good measure—a sucky, magic less one, if anyone asks), for those interested. My best friends, Marty, a werewolf and and Wanda, a halfsie, have talked me into opening a detective agency for paranormals. Let me be real clear, I do not want to be a detective and I think this idea is bananapants. Now the dungeon in my castle in Long Island is our new office, I call the murder basement, filled with watercolor landscapes, throw rugs and uncomfortable furniture—all in the name of making our clients comfortable. That said, my partners in this new adventure don’t care about all my protests. That’s how we end up with our first client, Brenda Bronkowski, an older vampire the human police are hunting down for murder…Brenda fell for one of the oldest tricks in this new age of technology’s book—a romance scam. .. (more blurb on ebook seller’s page)

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THE VAMPIRE’S BITE (LAIR OF BLOOD BOOK ONE) by L C Mawson

VS Note: FF Urban Fantasy

Ava knew that vampires being real was ridiculous… But she didn’t have another explanation…When my best friend started acting weird and then disappeared, I knew that ‘was turned into a vampire’ was a ridiculous answer. But when my friend stopped eating and her eyes changed colour, and she started to avoid the sun like she was allergic… Well, I was struggling to come up with another explanation. And then I ended up in the middle of a vampire attack and, well, it turns out that vampires can’t make you forget something you already knew about, and I wasn’t smart enough to play dumb. Shit…The vampire who tried to erase my memory seems decent, and he says that he’s willing to protect me, but I have to move into his coven, and their leader seems too interested in me for my own good. And then there’s my best friend, apparently still here, and potentially at risk for letting me figure out the truth. Protecting both of us from the perils of vampire politics might take more social skill than I’ve got, but I don’t exactly have a choice.   Amazon

WAITING FOR PSAMATHE: JINX PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY by Laura Greenwood

Can a Greek goddess find love for a second time? Psamathe believes she’s already had the love of her life, no matter what other people tell her. But when a Jinx event comes to her hotel, she finds herself on the end of Aphrodite’s meddling, and the love goddess is determined to find her a match. Seal shifter Zale has always admired Sama from afar, but believes she’s out of his reach as a goddess of sand and sea. When the tides finally turn, they realise that they could have something special between them, all they have to do is follow their hearts. Waiting For Psamathe is a mythology-inspired paranormal m/f romance and part of the Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency series.

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VACATIONING WITH THE VAMPIRE IN HALLOW’S COVE by Lyonne Riley

After making a big mistake at work, Maisie is told to take a mandatory vacation and get her head on straight. But when she chooses Hallow’s Cove as her retreat destination, she doesn’t realize it’s a town inhabited almost purely by monsters—including her grumpy new landlord, Barnaby. It’s no secret that Barnaby the bookstore owner is a vampire, but he’s long since tamed his urge to drink human blood. That is, until Maisie arrives in Hallow’s Cove. Her blood smells utterly wonderful, and Barnaby finds himself drawn to her scent just as much as he is to her genuine, curious personality. But Barnaby fears his attraction, too, because he carries a secret: inside every vampire is a monster, one that’s never been seen or written about. The closer he gets to Maisie, the higher the risk that it could escape containment. When sparks fly between them, will the hidden creature emerge and ruin his chance at love?      Amazon

BEING WITH MY DRAGONS (DRAGONS OF TELLUS BOOK THREE) by Lilly Wilder

I traveled to a new world to find the three men who loved me, who could become powerful dragons. Elliot, the athlete who took my virginity. Byron, the romantic aristocrat who became my defender. Cade, the “bad boy” who found redemption with me. We shared a passion that changed my life, just as my genius-inventor father’s invention that brought me here could change the world. But the terrible enemy that we’d faced before was still out there, bent on revenge. The dragon lord, Nidaag, who wanted to conquer humans and rule the world, captured me, my father, and Elliot, to take my father’s work and use it as a weapon, and punish Elliot and me for defying him. It was up to Byron and Cade to find us, or their world and mine would pay the price.     AmazonKU

THE KELPIE CRUSH (RAGDOLL BOOK TWO) by Alexa Piper

VS Note: MM PNR.

A Fae walks into a bar and catches a hungry kelpie’s eye. Rob’s current goal in life? Do not eat people. That’s easier said than done when you are a kelpie in the service industry, especially when a nice-smelling, yummy-looking man walks into your bar. Yet, patrons especially are not for eating, and it should have ended there… except when Rob smells that delicious scent again, the beautiful stranger needs help. A half-elf, half-fae, Bertrand just wants to live a normal human life and work as a journalist. When he pursues a story about people going missing, what he finds is anything but normal. Coming face to face with a kelpie stallion might be enough to help Bertrand see where he fits in perfectly, except Bertrand doesn’t really know what to make of his chance encounter. There is also a story he needs to unravel before he can even think about Rob’s advances.

Amazon     Apple Books     NOTE: Not on Kobo the day I checked

DAGHEL: DARK ORCS OF HELFALLOW by SJ Sanders

n the eastern kingdom of Zyerk, the Cold Mountain orcs are notorious for their barbarous raiding, plundering tradelines that stretch between the capital city Zyl and that of the far-flung lands of Fountainne to the west. Not even the rail lines are exempt from the occasional attack. It was a risk that any traveler takes, and it is a risk that I was willing to take for the sake of a new life far from where my reputation as a courtesan and dominatrix was known. But when Daghel and Drisk drop from the heavens like spirits of death amid the shrieks and bellows of conquest, my life changes forever. Captive, lover, mate to monsters beyond reckoning… the Cold Mountains, a deadly, secretive wyvern, and an orc with power beyond reckoning seeks to take everything from me, including my heart.      AmazonKU

FAE TRINITY (ZOEY’S REVENGE BOOK EIGHT) by Amelia Shaw and Maggie Shaw

VS Note: From the blurb for book one: “I’m a pixie-sized bounty hunter on a mission, and I have one goal: Revenge.”

Melinda, Helix and Hawk must battle to the death to save themselves, and the love they’ve fought so hard to build. The final book in the Zoey’s Revenge series is HERE!  MFM slow burn romance

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MATED TO WOLVES (POWER MAGIC BOOK TWO) by Amelia Shaw and Tamsin Baker

I’ve always been a big girl… and girls like me don’t normally attract the attention of gorgeous wolf shifters. But all that changes when my friend Tania makes a wish…Suddenly, the curvy and strong witches have immense power—and our magic seems to be directly proportional to the size and strength of our bodies. Now I’m being noticed! Having landed the job of my dreams I’m settled and finally feeling content with my life for the first time in a long time. But when I attend my best friend’s wedding, everything changes. Two gorgeous shifter brothers try and stake their claim on me. I’ve been hurt before…With the anxieties of my past still fresh in my heart, I run. But it seems my potential suitors aren’t willing to give up so easily. They appeal to my better nature, begging me to heal their wheel-chair-bound sister. I can’t refuse to aid an innocent girl—especially when I’m a gifted potions master. I’ll help no matter what, but I’m going to need reinforcements!     AmazonKU

SOAR (THE BLAZE LEGACY BOOK FIVE) by L R Friedman

VS Note: LGBTQ Fantasy.

Those who craved power with insatiable fervor never stayed in the shadows for long. In the final battle, everyone has a part to play. Aislin attempts to make amends with her thorny past but comes face to face with the very evil that’s tormented her since escaping the Silent Woods. As she’s forced to confront her waking nightmares, Kyleigh grapples with the fallout of her decision at the barrier. With their kingdom’s last line of defense torn away, she turns her focus to unlocking the Valídus Véneníficium’s secrets and tracking down their enemy. In order to gain insight into Inverno’s newest captives, Redmond reclaims his role as Celaria’s villain, and tensions flare as he and Kyleigh try to salvage their crumbling kingdoms. But unexpected magic takes root, drawing the Revered and their champions into the Enchantress’s twisted plan. Can they break free from her grasp and unite the realm? Or is Celaria destined to go up in a fiery blaze with the legacy of everything they’ve sacrificed?     AmazonKU

THE BOND THAT BURNS (BLOODWING ACADEMY BOOK TWO) by Briar Boleyn

At Bloodwing Academy, blood is currency, but a dragon’s legacy is priceless–and as dangerous as fire. I thought surviving my first year in Bloodwing’s deadly halls would be enough. I was wrong. I accidentally woke a dragon–a creature of myth, of death, of fire. Now every highblood house wants control over me and the dragon’s legacy I carry. But here’s the truth: I have no control. I’m bluffing my way through every encounter, trying to keep everyone from realizing that I’m not the one pulling the dragon’s strings. And then there’s Blake Drakharrow. I thought he was on my side, that I might even be able to trust him. But he betrayed me. Now I’m his only blood source. How messed up is that? In a place like Bloodwing, where power and survival are everything, this bond may well be the death of us both. Unless I can find a way to end it. In this world of vampires, dragons, and lies, there are no happy endings. Just legends–and the darkness it takes to make them.   AmazonKU

THE LIES THAT BIND (EMBER WAR BOOK TWO) by Leia Stone

When Aisling ascends the throne as empress, the weight of the crown is heavier than she ever imagined. Her father’s brutal murder leaves her with two burning purposes: find the killer and make them pay. But her quest for vengeance leads to an act of retaliation that shifts the tides of war—and awakens a formidable new enemy. Through the chaos, Kohen is her anchor. His unwavering love and loyalty are the only constants in her life. Yet when a shocking revelation emerges, Aisling is forced to question everything she believed to be true—even the bond she thought unbreakable. In a world where trust is a fragile weapon, can Aisling hold her empire together, or will her pursuit of justice cost her everything?   AmazonKU     AB

PRIMAL (WOLF RANCH BOOK SEVEN) by Renee Rose and Vanessa Vale

PACK RULE #7: PACK SECRETS MUST BE KEPT – I’m supposed to erase her memory, not claim her. My son’s date knows too much. The most important rule of the pack has been broken: She’s seen him shift. The alpha orders me to make her forget, but one hint of her scent and I know the truth—this human is MINE. Riley’s half my age. She has her whole life in front of her. If I claim her, I lock her into a fate she never even imagined. Besides, she thinks I’m a player–only out for one thing. I should stay away. Should let her go. But Riley is too sweet, too beautiful, and far too mine. Now she’s caught between our two worlds—one side thinks we should steer clear of each other. The other wants a forever bond…either way, she’ll suffer the consequences. She doesn’t understand the bond between us, but I can’t protect her without it. When danger comes for her, she has to trust me to keep her safe—the wolf who was born to be hers.

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GRIFFIN (PECAN PINES BOOK THREE) by Fel Fern and Kara Kitt

As an enforcer for his pack, Griffin knows how to handle trouble. But when he takes a much-needed break to attend a gaming convention, the last thing he expects is to be thrust into a dangerous situation. While cutting through a park on his way to dinner, he spots someone familiar—Michael, a popular streamer Griffin has secretly admired. Only this time, Michael isn’t surrounded by adoring fans—he’s running for his life. Griffin’s protective instincts kick in, and his wolf is more than ready to defend. After confronting Michael’s stalker, Griffin steps in to offer safety, but the spark that ignites between them is more than either of them anticipated. Michael is vulnerable, terrified, and somehow still trusting Griffin with his life—and maybe more. As danger looms, Griffin realizes that keeping Michael safe is about more than doing the right thing. There’s something deeper between them, a connection Griffin can’t ignore. And with a stalker lurking in the shadows, he’ll need to use every ounce of his strength to protect the man who’s quickly becoming more than just a fleeting crush.      AmazonKU

GUARDED BY THE YETI: MONSTER SECURITY AGENCY by Cara Wylde

A mute girl and a furry beast once got snowed in at the North Pole. 
Ysella is a mafia princess. I saved her and her brother when a rival family tried to wipe them out, and now her brother wants me to take her far away, somewhere no one will find her. The farthest place I know is my cabin in Alaska. But is this a good idea? Absolutely not. I shouldn’t have accepted the job in the first place. When my MSA handler insisted, I should’ve admitted I’m not the right man for it. It’s not that I can’t protect Ysella from her family’s enemies. It’s that…I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect her from myself. You see, as a Yeti, I have one weakness: a woman’s pheromones can make me go berserk.    AmazonKU

STALKING WENDY DARLING by Leigh Kelsey and Lysandra Glass

The villain gets the girl in this seductive new romantasy stand-alone, where Wendy Darling disguises herself as a man to join Hook’s crew with the express purpose of killing the captain. My island home lives by one rule: never draw the attention of Hook’s crew. When you see black sails, keep your head down. When they notice you, run. But I’ve never been one for rules. And while Hook’s morals are grey, mine are pure black. When Hook takes my sister, he and his crew of blackhearts will learn an important lesson. Never—ever—mess with the Darlings. There’s just one teeny, tiny issue: Hook survives my murder attempt. And becomes maniacally obsessed with me.     AmazonKU

SHARDS OF DESIRE (DRAGONS OF SIN) by R L Caulder

A princess by birth right. A warrior in spirit. A bargaining chip for my kingdom that marks me for death. Everything I dared dream of for my life is scorched to ash when I’m forced to marry our enemy: The icy dragon king of Andrathya. My father believes marriage can bridge the gap between us and the beasts we once considered allies. We once held soul bonds with those very dragons before a curse shattered the world we had known for centuries, leaving war imminent on the horizon.
I think him a fool. I’d rather die with a sword in my hand than on my knees begging for mercy. After mere days in my husband’s possession, it’s clear to me I could never love a beast like him—to spend the rest of my days by his side isn’t an option. We must find a way to break this curse to restore peace to our kingdom. Maybe then I will be able to return to my home and forget about the cruel king I’m forced to share a bed with. The king that makes my heart thrum with need and my mind burn with frustration. He wants me to be compliant and silent, but I refuse to tremble beneath the ire of his gaze and sharpness of his tongue. A dangerous dance begins between us as we navigate our battle of wills and our undeniable draw for one another, all while unraveling the curse that leads both of our peoples to the edge of ruin.     AmazonKU

CURSE OF SILVER AND BLOOD: INFINITE ARCANA NOVELLA by Sheena Jolie

VS Note: An ‘expanded’ re-release.

Alec has been held prisoner for months, coerced into using his magic to manufacture illegal drugs for the mountain mafia. His gifts are profitable and dangerous, and his captors have no intention of letting him go. Alec engineers his escape–which lands him in the territory of a local legend–an ancient werewolf, a lone alpha cursed by silver and blood. Leif has been alone for a thousand years. Forced to keep his distance from his own people, Leif settles into the depths of the Appalachian Mountains and spends his endless days patrolling his territory. One night the forest is rattled by an explosion, and the sudden appearance of a bedraggled fae running for his life. Neither expected to come face to face with their fated mate in the cold, dark woods. Fate has a hand in uniting Alec and Leif–but it’ll be up to them to forge the nascent mate bond between them, and Alec and Leif have a fight on their hands–the mafia wants Alec back, and the curse laid on Leif is out for blood.     AmazonKU

VICTORY FOR VAMPIRES: A HAVEN EVER AFTER NOVELLA by Hazel Mack

It’s never been the right time for my mates and me. They had their dream of running a coffee shop in Ever, and I had mine climbing the career ladder at monster headquarters. Ambition has kept us apart for centuries. But when a work assignment brings me to their haven, proximity reinforces how much we long to complete our bond and remain together permanently. I come up with a radical idea to pitch to monster headquarters, an idea that’ll solve not only my long distance relationship problem, but the same problem for thousands of other monsters. But first, I have to convince my evil boss of the benefits to my plan. If I can’t get her on board I could lose more than my job. Pietro and Alessandro tire of us being apart. They want full time commitment. They deserve happiness. It’s now or never for our love. Wish me luck.   AmazonKU

LESSONS WITH A LICH: A DEAD CITY NOVELETTE by Emma Elizabeth

When seasoned battle necromancer Iris arrives at the Royal Academy in the Dead City, she expects a few years of intense study to earn her degree. She did not expect to find herself struggling with her attraction to one of her professors, a lich nearly twenty years her senior. After months of heated glances, will a romantic winter solstice be enough to bring them together?     AmazonKU

FOR WHOM THE BELLE TOLLS by Jaysea Lynn

Lily is less than thrilled about her arrival to the Afterlife, but what awaits her is more fantastical than she ever could have imagined. Deities wait in line at the coffee shop. Fae flit between realms. Souls find ways to make death a beginning. As Lily explores everything the Afterlife has to offer, she finds herself drawn to a place most people would rather avoid at all costs: Hell. What she discovers there subverts everything she’s ever learned, and Lily realizes the demons working at the gate to guide souls need help—badly. Armed with years of customer service experience and pent-up sarcasm, Lily carves out a place for herself among the demons, confronting, sassing, and aiding the spectrum of humanity to redefine justice and redemption. A chance meeting with Bel, a demon general with a distractingly sexy voice, sparks an immediate and deeply healing friendship. However, the undeniable heat between them simmers, and it’s only a matter of time before it combusts. Meanwhile, something stirs beyond the boundaries of their world, threatening to destroy everything they’ve ever known and everything that could be… unless they fight like Hell to stop it.       Amazon

WHITE LITTLE LIES (FOUR WAYS TO FATE BOOK THREE) by Sara C Roethle

Most people don’t relish visits from their former employers, and I’m usually one of them. But when my part-troll ex boss shows up with enchanted coffee and a lead on my missing mother, I find myself singing a different tune. Of course, there’s always a price, especially with people like Dawn. And unfortunately this new lead is almost as confusing as the growing connection between me and four different magical men. They might be the key to me traveling to different realms, but when I start to sense invisible golden threads binding us together, I can’t help but second guess everything. Regardless of those fears, we’ll have to test those bonds when finding a poisoned nymph pulls us right into a fresh mystery. Who would ever want to harm a young innocent girl, and what exactly does it have to do with the mystery surrounding my mother?   AmazonKU

CHAI AND CAT TALES (THREE MAGICAL MIDDLE EASTERN COZY FANTASY NOVELLAS) by Lynn Strong

Bask in a sunbeam with three cozy fantasy novellas of the Catsprowl, a busy neighborhood brimming with cats and cat-goddesses, book-keepers and bath-houses, piping hot chai, and pouncing kittens’ mischief. This volume includes the novellas The Prince of Her DreamsPriye, and The Potter’s Dream under one cover. The Prince of Her Dreams – Najra has three dreams in her life: First, catch the attention of a prince. (Specifically, the God-Emperor’s bookish youngest brother.) Next, get him to hire her to assist with his research in the marvelous Archives in Tel-Bastet. And then, at last, read ALL the books. Marrying the prince has never been in the plan. Najra has never lusted for anything but knowledge. Unfortunately, the prince has dreams as well. Because he’s also a prophet who foresees trouble coming…(more details on ebook seller’s page)      Amazon

CAULDRONS AND CHARACTERS (LIBRARY WITCH MYSTERY BOOK 15) by Elle Adams

Rory and her magical family are almost ready for the holiday season, but the preparations have an unexpected interruption when one of Rory’s Aunt Candace’s book characters walks right out of the pages. And then, to complicate matters, he’s the first to discover a dead body at the local karaoke club. As if defending a fictional character against a murder accusation isn’t enough, Rory also has to contend with someone spreading rumours that might lead to the library’s deepest secrets being exposed to the vampires hunting her family. Can she and the others stop a dangerous killer and protect their home… or have they all reached the end of their story?       AmazonKU

A PROMISE OF LIES (SHADOWS OF THE TENEBRIS COURT BOOK THREE) by Clare Sager

Bargained away to Dawn Court, Kat must play the part of a helpless human bewitched by the Day King. But beneath the veneer of submission, she’s playing a far more dangerous game—spying for Dusk Court, and for the one person who holds her heart: Bastian. Separated from the woman he loves, Bastian has no time to rage against fate—or his queen. With his city on the brink of collapse and war brewing, he must uncover the truth before a devastating betrayal shatters everything he’s fought to protect. As the enemy’s hold on Kat tightens, secrets from the past threaten to unravel the courts’ fragile alliance. Every step brings the couple closer to a deadly choice: risk everything for love—or lose it all to the lies that bind them.     AmazonKU

ALPHA’S RUNAWAY MATE (BROKEN BOND SERIES BOOK ONE) by Jennifer Eve

Six years ago, he chose duty over me. Then I was sold to a cursed pack, imprisoned for eight months, carrying his child. I escaped, swearing never to look back. But fate has other plans. Now, he’s trapped me in his territory with a spell. “You’re mine,” he says. Mine? What a joke. He has a fiancée. I have a child to protect. But his regret cuts deep, and his eyes burn with promises I can’t trust.  This time, I won’t break. This time, I fight—for me and my child.     AmazonKU

SECRETS & CURSES OF CRIMSON (SECRETS & CURSES TRILOGY BOOK THREE) by Shay Taylor

Back in Exile, Thea is plagued by the unshakable feeling that something is missing—something important. Each night, she is comforted by dreams of a man whose face remains a mystery, except for his piercing golden eyes. But as her dreams twist into nightmares, they unveil his perilous fate—a fate she is determined to rewrite. When an unexpected turn of events forces her back to Cerithia, it comes with a new mission: to eliminate the Crimson bloodline. Yet, everything shifts on the battlefield when Thea meets Cassius. His teasing words and commanding presence stir something deep within her—she realizes she’s found what was missing. With her prophecy still incomplete and her curse unbroken, Thea unearths dangerous truths that shift the course of her destiny. Can she embrace the will of the gods and rise as an unstoppable force, crumbling kingdoms and killing kings to claim her fate? Or will the secrets she now guards reshape the fates of both her and Cassius?      AmazonKU

HOSTILE HOLIDAY (STANDALONE TALES BOOK 19) by Viola Grace

Orla has been bullied, cursed, and locked in lower-level jobs because of family. Her mother is gone, her friends are in danger from association, and all she wants is peace. An invitation to her family’s Yule party, one day early, bodes ill and makes her queasy. Orla prepares for anything, but having her grandfather demand that she prepare to be an organ donor for him wasn’t on her bingo card. She agrees and begins plotting how to get out of it, but her brother curses her path home and sends her into an icy river. Got to keep those organs nice and fresh. Fighting her way out of the deadly water, she stumbles through the forest, holding only one thing she wants to keep with her—an ugly Christmas sweater that makes her feel warm and loved. It was thrifted, but it is now hers, and it feels like it was always meant to be with her. She is shoved through a dimensional rift by the avatar of winter, fights for her life in Winter’s arena, and learns a lot more about herself in the process. A clerical error changed her from guest to fighter, and when Winter comes to her rescue, it is the beginning of the end of her family and the start of an actual life. She is just happy to make it home for the holidays, armed and angry.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

THE CROWN (LOVE BEYOND DEATH – THE INNS BOOK FIVE) by Elizabeth N Harris

Elias died. Just outright keeled over, and he knew he had. Heck, he even had his own bones to prove it. But he’d won the battle, although he’d lost the war. However, Elias realised his job was not done because he returned as a spirit. The evil he’d fought may have been beaten, but it wasn’t vanquished. No. Now Elias had a whole other duty, one to ensure the evil didn’t escape The Crown. Ghosts were annoying, pesky things that shouldn’t annoy the living. He can bellow, be mean, shout and rattle his chains; he was dead, and she was living, and this was her inn. She’d bought it legally, and Callie was not budging. The dead wanted a fight? So be it. Callie would give Elias the fight of his sad little existence. Elias knows times have changed, and the years have ticked past. But he’s never met such an infuriating woman such as Callie. Worse, she’s keeping secrets from him. Callie demands his trust, but how can he offer it to her? If Callie won’t be honest with him, then he won’t be with her. But Elias fully intends to be the last man standing. Because he gave his life to save the world, and now he’d give his very soul. What would Callie, in her ignorance, sacrifice? Elias swore never to find out. The infuriating girl simply had to go.     AmazonKU

A REALM OF GRIEF AND SORROW (AGGONID’S REALM BOOK THREE) by Kathy Haan

VS Note: MMFM dark fantasy why choose.

Bound by a destiny she never sought and entangled with mates who would sacrifice everything for her, Morte’s fight to save her chosen family plunges her into the darkest corners of hell. With a tyrant king demanding her loyalty and a haunting secret that could shatter everything, she must make peace with ancient bargains, secrets thousands of years old, and soul-binding magic to protect the ones she loves. But power comes at a cost, and the River of Souls is always watching, ready to claim its price. As the threads of fate tighten and betrayal looms, Morte must make an unthinkable choice—one that could destroy her world, consume her soul, and redefine love, sacrifice, and power forever.     AmazonKU

THE TOWER OF WROUGHT TIME: TH BORNBANE SERIES by I A Takerian

Yvaine has taken her place as Queen of the Odelians, promising to lead the charge in the coming war. They’ve barely scratched the surface of her magick, and time has run out. The darkness inches through the Forgotten Wood, promising to sap the last bit of life from Zenafrost. Yvaine has no choice: The War Party must set out on a desperate quest through the Forests of Galion, following the rumor of a legend. Braving the druids of old, a long-warded curse, and the depths of an ancient library, they search for any means to defeat the forces of the Deceiver. But the aftermath of their clash with Delinval looms overhead. The factions of Zenafrost move against the Odelians, twisted by dark whispers and unspoken evils. Bound to the destiny of every and all, Yvaine races against the crumbling Dark Gate. Will she find the power she needs before their fates are sealed?     AmazonKU

A KISS OF HEALING & HONOR (DARKSTONE ACADEMY BOOK FOUR) by Bliss Devlin

When the treacherous Duke de Norhas kidnaps me from the Darkstone Academy for the Magical Arts and holds me captive aboard his flagship, I’m reunited under grim circumstances with my mother. She’s the lost heir to the throne, abducted and placed under a forbidden magical compulsion to love her captor. Back on land, Lord Ilhan of Parrish, my steadfast and reluctantly soul-bonded ally, devises a daring rescue plan. He joins forces with my other soul-bonded protectors: Lord Tama of the Sea People, the Dark Fae Prince Gwydion, and the Dragon Prince Boreas. As we go on the run from our enemies, my heart finds its anchor in Ilhan. But I’m only half human, and Ilhan is heir to a powerful nobleman. Even if we survive the Duke de Norhas’ attempts to overthrow the government, our love is forbidden by law and custom. As our magical bonds strengthen, I am torn between duty and desire, my kingdom or my heart. In a realm where love and magic are fatally intertwined, will my newfound strength carve a path to peace, or will the inferno of war devour everything I cherish?     AmazonKU

REVERSE HAREM WOLF’S PLUS SIZE BEAUTY (COMPANY 417 SHIFTERS SERIES BOOK 47) by Amelia Wilson

Deacon wants me, and that’s amazing since I’m a plus-sized girl. But that’s not it. Paul wants me, too. So does Al! I have three best friends who all want me, and I actually think they don’t mind the idea of sharing me! BETTI – “This man has to be the sexiest man imaginable. He’s tall and muscular. He has strong, masculine features. He’s a fireman, and hotter than any fireman I’ve ever seen on a calendar! This man is everything any woman could want!” A really sexy military man. A hot police officer. The sexiest fireman imaginable. Three men in uniform, and they all want me! I can’t pretend that doesn’t make me feel special. And I can’t pretend I don’t want them, too! But I have to admit I’m worried about when I’ll have to choose. I want to keep Deacon. And I want to keep the other two as well! When I have to choose, it’ll kill me! But… but wait a minute. Are they willing to let me have all three?…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page)     AmazonKU

MARRIED TO THE DEVIL (MONSTROUS MATCHES) by Lillian Lark

A witch trapped in a marriage of convenience to a deadly gargoyle, and the demon who is determined to protect her. I have the revenge against my father that I’ve always wanted. All it cost me was to get married… and the demon I’ve come to care for. Or did it? Married to the Devil is a standalone monster romance, but best read after Hoarded by the Dragon. This book has two love interests and there will be no choosing between the love interests.     AmazonKU
KNOTTY BARGAIN (MONSTER HOLIDAYS BOOK THREE) by Taylor Fox

My cousin is getting married. To my ex. Who cheated on me with her.
And the whole family insists I must go. I can’t show up single. I need a date, even if it’s a fake one. The spell was supposed to bring me love. Not a devil. Not the literal King of the Underworld. Now, I’ve accidentally bound ourselves, so there’s no way out of this. The Demon King will have to be my pretend boyfriend. Just one problem: no one’s ever made me feel the way he does. The lines blur until they disappear. He’s a monster and we were supposed to be fake. Then why does it feel so real?       AmazonKU

CRY FOR KRAMPUS: A DARK MONSTER ROMANCE (HOLIDAY HORRORS) by Aiden Pierce

I’ve been naughty… Like, run a car over your abusive ex kind of naughty. But it’s not the police coming to punish me. It’s the Krampus. It’s the best time of the year in the mountain village I call home, known for its Krampus lore and festive enthusiasm during the holidays. From the outside looking in, my life is perfect. I live in a winter wonderland, I’m engaged to the town’s beloved “honied ham man” and I run the town’s most precious flower shop. No one would ever know my fiancé is an abusive psychopath who’s threatened to kill me if I ever try to leave him. It’s a secret I’ve always kept hidden, my burden to bear. The only person who sees right through the mask I wear is my Christmas tree vendor. He follows me, watches me. He thinks he’s keeping me safe. Too bad my fiancé gets the wrong idea and flies into a jealous rage. This time, I fight back. Now, I’ve done something bad. To escape justice, I flee to a mountain cabin to drown myself in a bottle of eggnog and spend Christmas alone. Only I’m not alone. Turns out, the legends are true. The Krampus is real. And he’s come to punish me for murdering my fiancé.       AmazonKU

THE DRAGON’S CAPTURED HEART (THE DRAGON OVERLORDS BOOK SEVEN) by Riley Storm

I  should have died with her. When my mate died, I was meant to follow. But I survived, and now I’m an outcast among my own people. Then I meet her. Madison Page shouldn’t have any effect on me, yet when I lock eyes with her, something inside me stirs. She’s my enemy. But for some reason, I can’t stay away. I never wanted a mate again, least of all a human. But when my people demand eight women as tribute, Madison is one of them. The military says she’s a traitor, and I’m left with no choice but to take her to the island I call home. At first, she’s just another human. Someone I’m forced to put up with. But as fate pushes us to uncover the truth of my past, the more I realize I need her if I ever want to have a future. In a world torn by war and betrayal, I never expected to find love again. But now, I can’t imagine living without her.   AmazonKU

PAWSITIVE DATA (MACHMAKER’S BOOK CLUB BOOK SIX) by Milly Taiden

When Dr. Emma Greene, a genius geneticist with a soft spot for late-night cheeseburgers and science puns, stumbles onto a breakthrough that could save an entire panther shifter clan, her well-ordered life goes from predictable to oh-my-goodness crazy. Suddenly, Emma is dodging corporate saboteurs, shady intrigues, and…one ferociously hot panther shifter billionaire who won’t take no for an answer? Lucas Blackwood is more than just the tall, dark, and devastatingly alpha CEO of Blackwood Industries—he’s also the reluctant leader of a powerful shifter clan facing extinction. The last thing he expects to find in his high-tech lab is a quirky genius who makes his panther roar. His Emma won’t make things easy. She’s got no filter, is fiercely independent, and not really looking for a man—especially one with claws. Thrust into a whirlwind of danger and unrelenting attraction, Emma and Lucas can’t deny the electric chemistry crackling between them. As secret experiments spark shocking truths—and a steamy romance that burns hotter than a science lab on overload—they’ll have to decide if their bond can survive betrayal, hidden agendas, and a threat that puts everyone Emma loves in the crosshairs. Can they save his people—and their own hearts? Or will their life-altering discovery tear them apart before they can admit their love for each other?     AmazonKU

BRUTAL REIGN: FATED MATES MFM WOLF SHIFTER ROMANCE (SHADOWED HEIRS BOOK FIVE) by C J Primer

Both of us loved River Jacobsen, and both of us were bound to lose everything if we acted on it. So, we made a pact. We pushed her away to preserve our friendship, and in doing so, secured the future of our pack with a strong Alpha and Beta team at the helm. The night of the full moon changes everything when the fated mate bond snaps in between River and both of us. It should be impossible for one female to have two fated mates. It hasn’t ever happened before. River isn’t just an ordinary girl, though- she’s the only daughter of Alpha Theo, and she’s poised to become the first female alpha in our alliance. Now that we’ve spent years chasing her away, how the hell are we supposed to win her back? And if we can do it in time, how can we make it work between not only the three of us, but our packs, too? They say three’s a crowd, but fate has other plans.     AmazonKU

EAT. PREY. LOVE. (APEX ACADEMY CAPERS BOOK FIVE) by Cassandra Featherstone

Remember when I said being a teenager is bullshit? It still is—but so is trying to go to college while dodging murderers, mean girls, and salacious counselors who won’t leave you alone. As the miraculous predatory bunny, I’ve become the lynchpin for everyone’s evil plans. Since the attack at the Yule Ball, the Council isn’t playing games with the rebels. All the remaining heirs are being sent to the European academy–including this bunny, my five hottie boyfriends, my BFFs, and a crew of misfits. They think they can keep screwing with me and I’ll take it because I’m prey. Joke’s on them: I’ve survived everything thrown at me only to get smarter and stronger. If the Council and the magical rebels keep gunning for me, they’re going to find out what happens when I let the bunny out of the box. Karma is coming and I’m ready to serve it up with a wink and a smile.      AmazonKU

BLOOD PROPHECY (VAMPIRE-CURSED BOOK FIVE) by BE Brouillard

Vampires are parasites. Monsters. Killers. And now they’ve taken my grandmother. I’m going to find her, even if it’s the last thing I do. But the trail of dark magic I’m tracking leads straight to Lucien Marlowe, a power-hungry vampire who’d burn the world to ash just to rule the ruins. I might be in over my head. Now, finding Gran means working with the bloodsuckers I’ve despised all my life. And I’m stuck with the worst of them. Marcus Nightshade is an insufferable vampire soldier who’s as deadly as he is gorgeous. And damn him, he knows it. I don’t need his help. I don’t need his protection. And I definitely don’t need these electric shivers every time he looks at me. But Lucien’s world is darker than anything my magic can touch, and a deadly secret lies at the heart of the Bloodbane curse that plagues their kind. In fact, everything seems to be shrouded in secrecy. Even my sister’s irritating squirrel familiar seems to know more than she’s telling. With a coup threatening both our worlds and Gran’s life hanging in the balance, I’m running out of options. As much as I hate it, it looks like I’ll have to trust the enemy…and pray I don’t lose my soul in the process. Because the real question isn’t how far I’ll go to save the ones I love—it’s whether I’ll survive what’s waiting in the dark.     AmazonKU

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VS: GOT ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE REPORT for 2025? Not promising anything but I thought I should ask if there’s too much of anything, not enough of something…or anything else which would make the NR Report more useful in 2025. I just always have to keep in mind my time commitment to this, as I do have my own novels to write. Comment on the blog or send me an email (See “Contact the Author” in the blog site header). Thanks for the support in 2024!

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

December 25

December 18

December 11

December 4

November 27

“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’.

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. As far as covers go, I list the Amazon cover whether it’s AI or not. I won’t feature a cover in my weekly promo for this post if I believe or suspect it was largely or completely done with AI and I use the AI or Not tool to decide.

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!