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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EINAR by Jewel Shipley and Jennifer Julie Miller
Rowan – After years of captivity, I finally escape, and in the process of running from one monster, I find myself in a world that defies belief. I’ve been abducted by creatures that only exist in mythology and every time I open my eyes, there’s a new level of hell. I pray for it all to stop. Just when I’m moments away from peace, a beast comes out of nowhere, picking me up in his huge arms, offering me what I’ve always dreamed of. Out of the darkness comes an opportunity, a second chance, and all I have to do is find enough courage to reach out and grab it. How can I believe he’s going to make it better when he’s a monster too? Einar – The gods have forsaken my family. We were abandoned in a world where we were forced to fight and steal for survival. My brothers and I raided a bug ship, expecting to loot it and leave. Instead, I found her broken and moments from death. That is when I realize everything I was subjected to prepared me for this moment. The gods knew my Starshine was broken, and I was the only one that could possibly erase the emptiness in her eyes. Can she see past the beast to the male inside? AmazonKU
BORN FOR LACE: A DARK LOVE STORY (THE CRADLED COMMON) by Nicci Harris
VS note: The author sez: “a romance-driven adult sci-fi novel set in a dark dystopian society.”
Dahlia is a Lace Girl. Her role is the first mental health initiative of The Trade, successfully halving depression in The Cradle. Accompany. Relieve. Soothe. That is her Meaningful Purpose. She is content and protected until her life changes forever when her best friend dies giving birth, leaving her caught in a civil war with two things: A baby who belongs to the regime and the name of a man who can help them escape. Lagos the Rogue is a seven-foot-one, grumpy brute who grunts rather than speaks, kills without remorse, and finds her innocence infuriating. But, he also guards her like a rabid dog, is inked from neck to toe, the strongest, most imposing man she has ever seen, and…He is brutally beautiful. She can’t deny his magnetic pull until she discovers he is precisely the danger she is desperately trying to escape. AmazonKU AB
RESCUING MARA (WARRIORS OF ARACATE BOOK TWO) by Marit Prins
Mara – My entire life has been spent in service of the Sternotheri. My mistress kept me safe and now it’s time for me to pay her back. The Warrior who rescues me claims that I’m his mate, but she says he can’t be trusted. Everyday is a battle between what I have been taught and what he makes me feel, what he makes me need. Could I be wrong? Could he be my everything? Only, will he still want me when he knows what I’ve been hiding? O’Rec – The lost Prince of Arracate, that’s what they call me throughout the Galaxy after the destruction of our planet and the loss of my family. Right now, I feel even more lost than then, because I found my mate, my Zarra, only to realize she is controlled by our nemesis. I am going to do everything in my power to rescue her, to build our bond and show her that I am not what she thinks I am, and that we can be so much more – we can be everything. AmazonKU
THE RADIO EFFECT – SCIFI ROMANCE SHORT by Eliot Ason
Halloween, 1938 – A radio broadcast has Ruth on edge. Even with the announcer stating it was only a “holiday offering” it seemed real. Too real. And now her dog won’t stop barking into the pitch black night that surrounds the farm. Zessur is wandering the galaxy with no real destination in sight when his ship’s repairs can no longer be delayed. Landing on the nearest inhabitable planet is his best option. While preparing to disembark and get the repairs started a tight feeling invades his chest as an enticing scent tickles his senses. He knows what they mean, but what will the inhabitant of this planet Earth think of being his mate? AmazonKU
EXILES ON EARTH (OUTCASTS OF OLORIA BOOK ONE) by Bea Tama
Exiled to Earth. Expected to die. I crashed into her life—now I’ll do anything to win her. Ilia is a space-faring clone, engineered to lead, built to serve. He fought for the chance to enter the prestigious Olorian Mating Games, only to be exiled for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, stranded on an uncharted world, he and his crew confront an infuriated human female with fire in her eyes… and no warriors of her own to protect her. Just what I needed Ellen’s barely keeping her family farm afloat, clinging to dreams of what it could be. What she doesn’t need is a spaceship crashing onto her land, or the massive scaled alien who steps out of the wreckage. Now the barn she wanted to convert to a bed and breakfast is shattered all over the lawn, and this huge scaly dude is to blame. Him, the hulking, petrol blue-scaled alien warrior now stubbornly fixing everything he wrecked. The… attractive, color changing alien. Who builds her up as easily as he fixes her barn. But time is running out – Everything in Ilia wants the beautiful, independent female. All he has to do to please her is rebuild what he destroyed and guard her land and her dreams as fiercely as if they were his own. But Ellen isn’t looking for a mate, and if she was, why would she ever choose a lowly clone? Ilia will have to prove he’s worthy of more. Amazon
ALIEN HEALER’S TOUCH (NYXARI BONDMATES BOOK TWO) by Ava York and Bella Blaze
The crash didn’t kill me, but this bond just might. Silver markings spread across my skin like wildfire, tying me to Kavan—a seven-foot, emerald-skinned alien healer whose touch ignites sensations I never knew were possible. One little activation of ancient technology, and now we’re psychically linked—sharing every thought, every memory, every forbidden desire. When we’re apart, I ache for him. When we’re together, I burn. But this planet isn’t just changing me—it’s killing others. A deadly epidemic is sweeping through the human settlement, and the cure lies in the alien medicine I can only unlock through my connection with Kavan. Commander Hammond doesn’t care about the cure. He sees our bond as a threat, branding me as “contaminated” while using my friend Claire as a test subject. Meanwhile, storms are ripping the planet apart, and every tremor weakens the bond Kavan and I need to survive. I never asked for this connection. I never asked to crave him. But now, saving my people—and the alien who owns my heart—means risking everything. The clock is ticking. The storms are coming. And if we fail, we’ll lose more than just each other. AmazonKU
THE ACADEMY: LIMINAL SPACE BOOK THREE by Cari Z
VS Note: LGBTQ SFR.
As Cody Helms steps onto the prestigious grounds of the Alliance Military Academy, he knows he’s finally leaving his childhood on the Fringe of settled space behind. But his dreams of becoming a cadet come with a catch—he’s got to survive living with three roommates, including a volatile chemist, a Legacy with a chip on his shoulder, and the first alien to ever attend the Academy. The Alliance is in a fragile state, and Cody wants to fight for it. But there’s more at stake than his dreams. With his family’s safety on the line, Cody must learn to trust those around him, including the person he may be falling for. Will he make it out alive, or will his future—and his newfound love—be cut short? AmazonKU
THE ALIEN’S TWISTED STARGLOW CASTLE (EMPIRE OF FROST AND FLAME BOOK THREE) by Margo Bond Collins
She’s pretty sure Cinderella never had to dodge so many assassins. Lara Evans never wanted to join the Ice Court nobility. But as the peace summit begins and Duke Ivrael’s plan to overthrow Prince Jonyk unfolds, she and her sister Izzy must navigate the treacherous world of Caix politics, where one wrong curtsy could mean their execution. In the meantime, Izzy’s attraction to fierce firelord princess Rhaela and Lara’s own forbidden connection to Ivrael are drawing more attention than any of them can afford—especially with the prince’s spies watching their every move. Worse, Lara suspects a sinister truth lurks beneath Ivrael’s rebellion, and she fears his plans may be even more dangerous than the prince’s cruelty. With assassins stalking the palace halls, her enemies closing in, and more than one ally choosing betrayal, Lara must decide if she can trust the man who enchants her heart but refuses to reveal the whole truth. And as the Evans sisters are learning, in a court built on magic, lies, and ice, trust can become the deadliest weapon of all. AmazonKU
BOUND TO THE MARAK (STOLEN FROM EARTH BOOK ONE) by Callia Silver
Leonie never expected her quiet life as a nurse in London to end with her being abducted by aliens and sold at an intergalactic auction. But when a masked figure shatters the frenzy with a single word and claims her as his own, everything changes. She’s taken aboard his ship, given luxurious quarters—and watched. Touched only with care, but owned completely. He speaks in a strange, lyrical tongue. He never removes his mask. And yet, his presence wraps around her like gravity. Leonie doesn’t know who—or what—he truly is. But one thing is certain: he’s not just powerful. He’s dangerous. As desire begins to blur the line between captor and companion, Leonie must decide if she’s falling under a spell… or stepping into something deeper. Because whatever he is, he isn’t letting her go. Not now. Not ever. AmazonKU
MENACE (HAUNTED RELICS BOOK 10) by Sybur Phyre
The Titans have just days to repair their ship and get human survivors off of Planet Ellipsis before enemy reinforcements arrive to end their chances of escape forever. Sefina – All I ever wanted was someone I could trust not to lie behind my back. I’ve been sold out, sold, used, and abused by the supposed good guys in this battle for human and Titan freedom. Now I’m stuck with someone worse than all of them…Menace. He is a brooding Titan, a lurker, a know-it-all, and a stealth model that won’t leave me alone. I wish I knew what had crawled up his muscled backside and died. Then we could get on with this mission. The survivors can’t fight off the mutant wolves that hunt our camps at night. We need to focus on the task at hand…staying alive. To make matters worse, Commander Savage sends Menace and me alone on a secret mission to recover an item essential to the rebellion, something the enemy stole that could be the key to our successful escape. We’ll get it if Menace stops fuming for one second and manages to keep his hands off of me. When our mission goes sideways, I learn something new about him that changes everything. Menace is anything but his name inside. He’s not like…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU
AURETHIA RISING by Atlas Laika
VS Note: LGBTQ SFR.
Two centuries ago, House Henly of Aurethia and House Volkov of Griea penned an engagement, promising a union between rival houses and their respective homeworlds. Elio Henly has been preparing for marriage his entire life. As the Henly heir and future steward of Aurethia, he will inherit great power, including control of a lucrative trade route, and ownership of the most precious substance in the Greater Universe — Avara. The mysterious blue crystal native to Aurethia is the sole treatment for parsec sickness, an epidemic ravaging space travelers within the Greater Universe. But when he meets Cael Volkov, the charming heir of the outfitted military planet, Griea, everything he thought he knew about his homeworld, his family, and his heart is turned upside down. Cael Volkov has been raised to conquer. Champion in the Tupinaire, commander of the Royal Reserve, and son to the mighty Legatus, Cael knows his mission is simple: gain the Aurethian heir’s trust, learn everything he can about the forest moon, and prepare to take it by force. But the longer he spends with Elio Henly, the quiet, brilliant Aurethian prince, the more he questions everything he was taught, and begins to push back against the rhetoric seeded in him by a lust for vengeance. Aurethia Rising is an Achillean Space Opera with a happily ever after promise AmazonKU
BILLIONAIRE ALIEN BOSS DADDY by Athena Storm
She walks into my office thinking she’s here for a job. She doesn’t know I’ve already chosen her.
I’m Shomun Vakarr—billionaire CEO, alien commander, and the last line of defense in a war Earth doesn’t know is coming. Clarice Redding is supposed to be a spy, planted to uncover my secrets. But from the moment I see her, I make a decision. She’ll work for me. She’ll answer to me. And she’ll learn exactly what it means to belong to me. She says she’s here to gather intel. I say she’s here to obey. Read on if you want more than just a love story because this is a war story, a redemption arc, and a fight for survival across the stars. If you’re into fierce heroines, alien warriors with secrets, and a bond that defies galaxies—welcome aboard. Strap in, because once this ride starts, there’s no going back. AmazonKU
LIV: A TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE (THE RIPPLE EFFECT SERIES BOOK FOUR) by Cally Jackson
It’s June 2045, and the day Liv Carter has been dreading her whole life has arrived: her twenty-first birthday. Despite undergoing an experimental treatment to halt her hereditary Time Travel Disorder (TTD), Liv is certain she’s going to travel. Her mum, Millie, and aunt, Caitlyn, have spent years preparing her for this moment, but nothing can ease the anxiety churning in her gut. As if that wasn’t enough, her wealthy and charming boyfriend, Emmett, just proposed—in front of everyone. On paper, Emmett’s perfect. In Liv’s heart, she’s not so sure. Those doubts grow stronger as she gets to know Eli, the caretaker of Wattle House: a haven for time travellers. Eli is warm, funny and compassionate (not to mention super hot), and Liv feels drawn to him in a way she never has with Emmett. But when her experimental treatment backfires, Liv finds herself hurled into not one, but multiple past eras. TTD is hard enough to manage under normal circumstances, but Liv’s episodes are unlike anything she’s ever heard of: wild, unpredictable, and relentless. With survival her top priority, Liv tries to push aside her feelings for Eli. But she can’t ignore the unexplained sadness in his eyes—or the connection she feels every time he’s near. AmazonKU
IF THE STARS ARE LIT by Sara K Ellis
VS note: FF SFR.
If the Stars Are Lit is a speculative mystery exploring the implications of AI, memory, and loss. When the starship ferrying her to Earth is gutted by an explosion, Joss Carsten is left alone and adrift, struggling to reestablish contact with humanity. But her health is fading fast, and her isolation is triggering painful hallucinations of Alice, her long-estranged wife. In an act of self-preservation, the ship’s onboard system generates a gemel – a sentient holographic AI, born from Joss’s own psyche. The catch? This one is a ringer for Alice. Now, trapped with an “Alice” who knows all her secrets, Joss must confront her old ghosts as they race to unravel the mystery behind the ship’s destruction.
GALACTIC DEVOTION (GALACTIC MATES) by Luna Wren
Sarah – For three years since my sister vanished on a Zexian tribute ship, I’ve kept all aliens at arm’s length. That carefully controlled existence shatters when a chance encounter with a purple-skinned delivery driver triggers a rare biological connection that refuses to be ignored. Vraaz knows civilian Zexians like him aren’t meant to find human mates. But, neither of us can deny the electric connection forming—one that causes me physical pain when we’re apart and an almost psychic awareness when together. As our forbidden bond deepens, I discover it’s changing me on a biological level, creating a connection that transcends species barriers. But when I’m assigned to cover the first Tribute ceremony since my sister’s disappearance, we must confront our past scars if we want to have a future together. AmazonKU
***********************BRIEF BREAK BEFORE THE FANTASY/PNR BOOKS!**************************************
VS: I’m working on my next new book and it just might be good four in my gladiators series, so I’ll feature KYDEN, book one in the series, from my backlist!
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?
KYDEN is the first book in a new series, spun off from my ongoing Badari Warriors series. Kyden is a Generation Five Badari whereas the main characters in the long running series are from a later time and are Generation Eight. This new series stands alone and you don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. I couldn’t resist the temptation to tell a few other Badari stories, set in the galaxy’s Hinterlands, and who can resist gladiators?
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************************** 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!*********************
BETRAYED: OMEGAVERSE BOOK SIX by Evangeline Anderson
Connor: I lied to protect her… but now I’d burn the world to keep her. It started as a lie. I found the letter in my cellmate’s trash—his little sister reaching out, just wanting a connection. I missed my own sister, so I wrote back, pretending to be him. Just one letter. One lie. But I couldn’t stop. By the time I got out of prison, I only meant to give her one good memory—proof her “brother” was doing okay. But Sunny wasn’t what I expected. She was sunshine in human form… and the Wolf in me roared that she was mine. Now I’m trapped between a lie I never meant to tell… and a mate I can’t walk away from. Sunny: I shouldn’t want him—but I do. In every filthy, forbidden way…For years, I wrote letters to the brother I barely remembered—until the day he finally wrote back. He was kind. Thoughtful. Everything I needed. When he got out, I begged him to stay with me. But now that he’s here, nothing feels right… except the way I feel when I look at him. Because he’s not really my brother, Kane. And the truth? It shatters me. Worse, the real Kane is out of prison now—and he’s not just a liar. He’s a killer. And he’s coming for me. I just hope I survive the fallout… of being Betrayed. AmazonKU
CASTLE OF HORROR ANTHOLOGY VOL 12: RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES by Various
Mike is a siren with a law degree, and he’s straddled his supernatural heritage and living among humans for years without a hitch. Yet, dating a human is a first for Mike. Corvin is bookish, cute, irresistible. It doesn’t take long before Mike knows he wants to share all his melodies with him. And it should be that easy, except the good things in life rarely are. Siren in Love contains some gore, minimal decapitation, a hangry vampire boss, and books. So many books. Amazon
Together in one volume for the first time: Emilie and the Hollow World – Running away from home and stowing away on the wrong ship, Emilie embarks on a fantastic adventure. Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use an experimental engine to journey to the interior of the planet, but when the ship becomes damaged on arrival and evidence points to sabotage, they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with a strange new race. Can Emilie and her new-found friends possibly reach the surface world again? Emilie and the Sky-World – When Emilie arrives in Silk Harbor, Professor Abindon, an old colleague of her friend Lady Marlende, warns them of something strange and potentially deadly in the sky, a disruption in an upper air aether current. On further investigation they realize it’s a ship from another aetheric plane. How to determine if it’s a friendly explorer, or something far more sinister? Nothing less than a journey into the dangerous air currents will do. Join Emilie and she navigates the strange landscapes of the upper air, and the deadly menace that inhabits the Sky World.
As a prey shifter, Arleyis is used to being chased by the wolves around town. They would love nothing more than to capture a sweet rabbit and steal his heat. That’s why he’s always made sure to be far away from others when his heat is due. Too bad, nature decided to change the timeline without notice. Fen didn’t realize how different he had become once he left his small town for a big city. Being back home and seeing what his old friends do for fun leave a dour taste in his mouth. Especially when the prey his friends are hunting smells do good- smells like his. Once Fen gets Arley in his arms he knows he will do anything to keep him safe- to claim him as his. . Arley knows there’s only one Wolf that he can trust- and he will follow him anywhere. Even if that means leaving the place he’s always called home. AmazonKU
The future wasn’t supposed to look like this. Norman turned to cutting-edge technology in a desperate attempt to save his fading mind. But when the AI meant to help him woke up—and took control—his good intentions became a living nightmare. Now, Norman’s body is a battleground, and the clock is ticking. Samantha Moon—vampire, private investigator, and now a reluctant tech-sleuth—must track him down before the rogue intelligence fully consumes its human host. If she fails, Norm won’t just disappear into the shadows—he’ll seize control of a nuclear facility, and unleash devastation on a scale no one can contain. From sabotaged yachts to secret laboratories, Samantha races against time, battling human and supernatural forces alike. But Norm isn’t just surviving—he’s evolving. AmazonKU
DEMON’S FLAME: MM PNR (DEMONIC TALES AND ADVENTURES BOOK FOUR) by Shea Balik
Chaos reigns as Alec’s powers spiral out of control in his desperate quest for his kidnapped love, Kian. Sentinels scramble to contain the fallout, but Alec’s power was overwhelming. The world watched the devastation, clueless as to the cause. The phrase echoed in Alec’s mind – “I’d burn the world down for Kian.” He never thought he’d possess such destructive capabilities. Guilt gnawed at him for those who perished. Collateral in his loss of control after Brant, his own brother, abducted Kian. His motive was singular – find Kian before Brant killed him, even if it meant decimating the planet. Meanwhile, Kian, new to demonhood, struggled against Brant, to save himself and innocents caught in the path of destruction. Guiding him was the first Danara, the most potent demon in history. But the damage already inflicted was not going unnoticed. While Alec hunted desperately for his mate, an impending attack by a deadly enemy loomed over the demons. Will they hold up against the assault or will Alec’s uncontrollable wrath obliterate all life on Earth first? Is love potent enough to triumph over evil? Amazon
MONSTER’S BABY (BLACKTHORN ACADEMY FOR SUPERNATURALS BOOK 17) by Gina Kincade and Erzabet Bishop
Magical messes? Mayhem? Welcome to another year at Blackthorn Academy…A love potion gone awry messes with the beginning of Siobhan’s last year at Blackthorn Academy. One of her favorite professors is suffering the side effects of the potion, and she and Aiden have volunteered to look after him while the other professors hunt for a cure. And then valuables start going missing. On top of all that, the Magical Olympics, an event that takes place once a decade, is happening this fall. Siobhan’s fourth and final year is shaping up to be her most memorable yet!
LEGENDS OF SHON-DAR: LADY CHANTALLE: HIGH MAGISTRATE OF STONECREST
VS Note: From APRIL 11.
Enter the world of Stonecrest through the eyes of Lady Chantalle of Winsham—magistrate by day, mystic by night. This collection of short stories follows her journey from courtroom intrigue to clandestine dealings as Madame Celeste at the Mystic Parlor. When the realm’s most feared assassin leaves a baby in her care, Chantalle’s life takes an unexpected turn. As she balances motherhood and duty, danger follows close behind. From royal matchmaking and demon encounters to tense trials and fragile alliances, each tale reveals the heart of a woman forging her own family in a world of secrets, magic, and unexpected love. Amazon AB Apple Books
BONDED TO THE FALLEN SHADOW KING (OF FAE AND WOLF TRILOGY BOOK ONE) by Jen L Grey
Taken from Earth and thrust into a ruthless bridal competition in a fae realm, I’m forced to fight for a crown I don’t want in order to survive. Vad, the dark, sexy, powerful heir of the Shadow Fae, is doing the one thing he never wanted—searching for a bride. But I don’t fit in here, and the top contestants want me dead as soon as I arrive. Bound by Fated magic and trapped in a deadly game, Vad’s every cold glance and harsh words remind me that he doesn’t want me, and I sure as hell don’t want him. Yet there’s no denying the sparks between us, and the way his touch ignites something in me I can’t control. As the contest grows more dangerous, all I can focus on is survival which becomes harder and seems to be slipping through my grasp. But I won’t go out without a fight… even if it kills me sooner. AmazonKU
NEVER NIX UP: A SAPPHIC FAE ROMANCE (THE ARUN NIXES: A SAPPHIC GODSTOUCHED ROMANCE SERIES BOOK TWO) by Ali Williams and Ellie Rose
Being a Nix is bad enough, what with water pollution and the world’s aversion to river demons, but when the River Arun’s Goddess turns matchmaker, nothing will be the same again for the Nixes of her river. Hazel – Art is my passion, my escape from the future my parents carved out for me. I paint her river, and the river goddess Trisantona keeps me free of local Nix politics. I am hers to command…aside from the half hour every day that I spend in Finn’s vegan bakery, eating pastries so flaky I could swoon. How can I hide my love for a human from my family when Trisantona is so determined to force me into a Happy Ever After? Welcome to the Godstouched Universe, where the Gods interfere in the lives of mortals, magic leaks back into our world, and love conquers all. Never Nix Up is a forbidden love sapphic fae romance, where an artist river nix falls for the vegan baker she shouldn’t. AmazonKU
RIDING THE CENTAUR LORD: A GASLAMP MONSTER ROMANCE (MONSTROUS GENTRY) by Evangeline Priest
Anahera Vinther has had enough of men–both gentry and peasant alike. When a centaur lord deigns to enter her father’s tavern, she is pleasantly surprised to find a monster more gentle than any noblemen she’s come across. Lord Kadeus Ormond, Earl of Claymoor, is convinced he is better off alone until he stumbles upon her. The tavern master’s daughter is nothing like the demure lady-wife he thinks he needs, but she is everything he wants. And he will do anything in his power to claim her as his. AmazonKU
SEDUCED BY THE SHEDU: A TIME FOR MONSTERS ROMANCE by Roslyn St Clair
VS Note: A shedu is an ancient Assyrian diety often depicted as a human-headed bull or lion.
From Ancient Uruk to Victorian London… a tale of adventure, brotherhood, and romance – Alad, an ancient shedu, was born to protect Uruk and its king. But as Gilgamesh descends into a flurry of excess and violence, Alad wants freedom from both his destiny and his best friend. When he and Gil fight over a temple dancer, Gil gives him the space he desires by cursing him into stone. Waking in Victorian London nearly 4500 years later, Alad immediately recognizes the woman whose caress freed him from the curse. But Charlotte isn’t Karu, the temple dancer with whom he was infatuated. They might look alike, but their personalities are very different. Plus, Charlotte gazes at him with heat in her eyes, heat he returns. Wanting her is second nature, but until he knows more about the terms of his curse, all he can do is keep the compelling woman close and hope he doesn’t destroy her life in the process of unraveling the past. Charlotte, a paid companion, is greedy for adventure, even though it will mean her ruin. Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend time with the magical creature who shifts into four forms, all of them amazing? Yes, he’s a monster. But he’s also the kindest, most understanding, most enticing being she’s ever met. He makes her fallen past feel unimportant. He gives her a new perspective on what her life could be if she’s brave enough to take a chance. Time spent together in London Society and a trip to Gilgamesh’s tomb cements their bond. But can a shedu survive in Victorian England, especially when no one can ever know what he is? Sometimes destiny can’t be denied, even if it has to sleep for thousands of years to get its way. AmazonKU
A BLOODY BARGAIN: MONSTERS AND GODS ROMANCE (SPITE AND SPIRITS BOOK ONE) by Etta Pierce
Ancient, enslaved, a hunger worse than death…D’abel has been trapped for centuries by the time a human woman kills his guard. And the moment he sees her, he needs her. Her flesh within his python fangs, her blood on his scales, her tongue tangled with his…He will have all of her. Her violence, her hate, and her soul. Compulsive, dangerous, a ticking time bomb…Tessa Voss knows that her time is running out. Someday she’ll make a mistake. Someday she’ll kill the wrong person. When she finds an ancient creature chained up in the Welsh countryside that says he can help? She has no choice but to make a deal. Amazon
THE INCANDESCENT by Emily Tesh
VS note: Sapphic dark academia fantasy.
“Look at you, eating magic like you’re one of us.” Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school’s boundaries from demonic incursions. Walden is good at her job—no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself.
MISTAKES AND BAD CHOICES (CHRONICLES OF A MISSPENT YOUTH BOOK THREE) by W J May
After an attack on their president leaves the Privy Council reeling, it’s all hands on deck. Guilder University is shut down, and agents are called in from every corner of the world. Aria and her friends begin the dangerous task of interrogating the prisoners, but in a terrible twist of irony, the greatest threat to the Council is coming from within. When her little brother is arrested by a taskforce intent upon seizing power, Aria finds herself searching for allies in the most unlikely places. From the depths of the past, to the uncertainties of the future, the stakes have never been higher and the world is up for grabs. The clock is ticking and not one, but two lives hang in the balance. The Xavier Knights are growing restless, and there’s trouble at the gates. Can Aria manage to put the pin back in the grenade? Or were some alliances always meant to break? Nothing is predestined. The obstacles of your past can become gateways to new beginnings.
BENEATH SCALES AND SHADOWS by Tera Nova
A fatal accident should have ended her life. Instead, Sora awakens in a royal maid’s body on Artania—a realm where monsters exist alongside humans who hunt omegas for generations. When her dance partner’s mask shatters during the Midwinter Ball, revealing the Dragon King himself, silver scales shimmer beneath her skin—exposing her forbidden nature and the very prophesied Luna he’s searched for all his life. Now caught between Artania’s warring kingdoms, Sora must choose: Surrender to the dragon’s burning claim, thus saving him and his people —or deny the fire awakening in her blood and ever finding a way back home. AmazonKU
THE BEAST IN THE DARK (PARNORMAL DREAMS BOOK THREE) by Faedra Rose
VS Note: Short novella.
When Rosalie stumbles into the Twilight Realm, her entire sense of reality shifts. All the fairy tales and bedtime stories she read as a child are true! Monsters exist—and their king wants her. With no choice but to agree to the strange beast’s terms, she must run for her life. But despite the terrors of the woods, the beast is more than the fur, fangs, claws, and horns he first appears to be… and is more than willing to satisfy his rose’s dark desires!
ROGAN (FATED DRAGON DADDIES BOOK FIVE) by Pepper North
VS Note: MM PNR.
Brooks Battlefield always does things his way. Part of his plan is to get back to Wyvern someday. When he was ready. Had he only known…A delicious scent signals Rogan that someone extraordinary is in town. His prey may try to resist, but the red dragon won’t allow him to deny the bond that links them together. Change has come to Wyvern. A centuries-old pact between the founders and their powerful allies could save the inhabitants of the city once again, but only a dragon Daddy can truly guard his mate from harm. AmazonKU
TRAINING MY HUMAN (THE DRAGOCRACY CHRONICLES BOOK ONE) by Eve Langlais
So it turns out dragons are real. I never suspected the lava rock I threw into the firepit was actually an egg. I’m blown away when it hatches to reveal a reptile with a voracious appetite. Cute little bugger, until it learns to talk. The bossy critter thinks he can order me around. Claims he’s a dragon. Says when he grows strong enough, he wants to rule the world. I say go ahead. He can’t do any worse than our current politicians. However, his plans for planetary domination have hit a slight snag. Seems my little fella—who grumbles that I’m not honoring him properly—is wanted by the government. Or so the goons that show up on my property claim. I have my doubts as to their identities. Even if they’re telling the truth, I’m not about to hand over my new pet, but how’s a woman who inks tattoos for a living supposed to keep a dragon safe? The local pet shop owner—hunky, plaid-wearing Maddox—has a few ideas, but my little dragon isn’t keen on running. Can I keep my dragon out of the clutches of those who’d steal him for personal gain? And if we do have to flee, will Maddox come too? I need all the help I can get with figuring out life with the lizard. Humans. Bah. They’ve gotten uppity since my maternal progenitor conceived my egg. It will take much training before the female I’ve commandeered is suitable for service. So much for her to learn, starting with proper meals. She tried to feed me bugs as if I were a simple lizard! Then she dared to abandon me so she could work—incentive for me to build my hoard so she can devote her time fully to me. I’ve allowed her distraction with the male, but only because he will serve me too, and sooner than he thinks, since my enemies are already closing in. But they’ll learn a dragon, even one newly hatched, is a force to be reckoned with, and if you mess with those I’ve claimed, you will face my wrath!
THE OCEAN’S HEART: THE LUNATERRA CHRONICLES by Debbie Cassidy
When the Sea King falls for the fake princess meant for his son. Royal by name only, Thalia Faircaster has lived her life by the sword, in service to an isle that is rapidly descending into ruin—the lands growing bitter and infertile, even as the population grows. When an alliance with the Northern Sea Realm promises her people a new home, Thalia willingly accepts the charge of escorting her adopted sister across the oceans to witness her wed to the Sea King’s only son. King Vaarin’s people are cursed with infertility, and a royal marriage with a blessed Faircaster royal will dispel the blight on his people. But the sea is a mercurial mistress, bringing a storm that tears Thalia’s sister and crew from her, leaving Thalia for dead. Until King Vaarin finds her, mistaking her for the crown princess. He believes Thalia to be his son’s betrothed, the key to restoring the fertility of his people, and his to protect until they reach safe waters. The alliance is vital to Thalia’s people, and so she takes her sister’s place. Willing to woo the prince and seal the agreement. So why is it the ancient king that makes her pulse race? AmazonKU
TAKE ME (ON THE PROWL TWO) by Crystal Jordan
VS note: A re-release.
Ex-model and fashion designer Andrea Cruz doesn’t need anyone—she had to make her own way in the human world after her Panther Pride leader father rejected her and drove her out. She’s spent over a decade away from her own kind, hiding the feline within her. But her father died and her older brother took over as leader and has demanded she return home to swear fealty to him. As much as she dreads returning to the San Francisco Pride den, she has no choice. Even worse, the moment she arrives she senses her fated mate. Miguel Montoya, her brother’s second-in-command. The man brings out the submissive nature she’s tried so hard to suppress, but he tempts her mind with daring games and teases her body with dark, forbidden pleasure she can’t resist.
HUNTER’S SKY (HUNTER’S CREEK BOOK FOUR) by Victoria Sue
VS note: MM PNR.
In the small shifter community of Hunter’s Creek, bear shifter Zack is fiercely protective of his young son and his family. He’s always harbored a deep-seated aversion to wolf shifter Victor Ramirez, despite Victor’s undeniable skill as the beta-commander of the neighboring wolf pack. Zack goes to great lengths to steer clear of Victor—until the night a human is savagely attacked and abandoned on their doorstep. Lachlan “Mo” Granger, a human schoolteacher desperately searching for his missing sister, is viciously attacked and inexplicably heals by the next day. Victor never intended to claim one mate, never mind two. After seeing his abusive father murder his mom and defenseless younger sister, Victor grows a cold hard shell around his heart that he needs for survival. But with shifter children disappearing, danger circling, and tensions threatening to ignite a war, the three men are forced into a reluctant alliance. As unexpected bonds begin to form, secrets unravel—and the line between enemies and soulmates starts to blur. When tragedy strikes and Victor realizes what he stands to lose, will he be able to fight for the family he never thought he deserved? Because for the first time since he lost everything, Victor finally wants something more. He wants a future… and he wants it with them. AmazonKU
INKED IN ASHES (INKBOUND BOOK ONE) by Shannon Mayer
I’ve spent twenty-five years in the Hollow, poor as dirt, cursed with a stepmother who hates me, and dreaming about a faraway land that I don’t understand. Only two things that make life worth living are my falcon, Fetch, and my best friend, Molly. But when Moll’s plot to land a royal husband at the palace ball goes horribly wrong, I find myself staring at a king with a glass stiletto buried in his chest and a blood-covered Molly standing over him. We’ve got to move…and fast, or we’ll both wind up swinging from the hangman’s noose. Worse? The palace sorcerer is using everything he can to find the culprit including raising the dead. More complicated? Duncan…brother to the King, whose eye I’ve unintentionally caught, a man whose secrets might be deadlier than the undead soldiers breathing down our necks, is making me second-guess everything I’ve ever known. With revolution brewing and a mysterious man calling to me from my dreams, I have no choice but to embrace my fate…But what if my fate is beyond anything I could ever imagine? What if the only land I’ve ever known isn’t home at all? What if I’m trapped inside a fairytale, and the only way out…is through?AmazonKU AB
HER DRAGON DEFENDER: A RAPUNZEL RETELLING (FATED MATES OF MIRROR ACADEMY ROMANTASY SERIES BOOK ONE) by Demelza Carlton
Eden expected to attend her first Mirror Academy Ball with her best friend, raising money for the animal sanctuary. She didn’t expect to spend the night searching for her missing friend…or to wind up trapped in a tower. Blaze gatecrashed the ball to search for his sister, but all he finds is her best friend, in trouble and at the mercy of his worst enemy. He doesn’t believe in fated mates, let alone that a human could be mated to a dragon. Yet Blaze might just have to believe that fairytales can come true.
DRAGONS AND DUMPLINGS: A FALHAVEN CASTEL PREQUEL by Laura Greenwood
VS Note: From APRIL 30.
A princess who wants to bake, a visiting delegation, and a dragon egg in the oven. Princess Evie loves nothing more than spending the evening baking in the castle’s kitchen with her best friend Nate, even if she’s supposed to be attending royal functions and meeting ambassadors. When a foreign delegation visits, Nate manages to get some new recipes for them to try. But that’s not all that’s new in the kitchen when Evie is gifted a dragon egg and told to keep it in the fire. Now, dumplings aren’t the only thing being made in the kitchen. Dragons & Dumplings is a prequel to the Falhaven Castle series, a cozy fantasy with a baking dragon, a princess who wants to be in the kitchen over the throne room, and the baker who wants to be there with her. There is a slow burn friends-to-lovers romance, with a pinch of steam in later books, and an ace heroine.
LUCA (VEILED CITY BOOK THREE) by Eryn Hawk
VS note: MM PNR.
Luca Haryk is ridiculously happy and in love—an easy feat with an adoring soulmate by his side. Despite his anxieties over his new position, he’s found a home in the Otherworld and has everything anyone could ever dream of. So why does he still feel like a puzzle with a missing piece? When a secret door appears in the palace library, hiding old documents that may belong to his dad, he’s suspicious, but he also can’t help following the clues. For twenty-seven years, Luca has wondered about the guy his mom refused to talk about, and has questioned whether there’s more to himself than he was made to believe. He doesn’t know if he’ll find exactly what he seeks, but he can no longer ignore his need for answers. What is that proverb about a cat and curiosity? Cair will do anything for his mate. He is his heart, his world, and nothing matters more than Luca’s contentment. Therefore, the moment the determined little creature finds breadcrumbs leading to the lands outside the Kingdom’s borders, he doesn’t think twice about indulging him. Except, when they’re set on by a group of reapers, Cair is reminded of how mortal his human is, and he doubts intention alone will be enough to keep him safe. He would tear the realm apart to protect Luca, but there has to be a more peaceful way. Is being a prince of the Fae really the path fate has laid out for him? Their trip to the Outerlands isn’t as simple as they had hoped. There are dangers lurking in the shadows, and outside forces rooting against them, but together they can overcome it all and figure out a way to keep their happily ever after. Can’t they? AmazonKU
RANGER’S CODE (LONE STAR WOLF EANGERS BOOK TWO) by Delta James
She runs a cupcake shop. He’s a wolf shifter with a badge. When sweet meets savage, sparks fly, and danger rises. I don’t scare easily. Not when my gourmet cupcake shop, Sea Salt & Sugar, is the hottest spot on the strand. Not when I’ve built everything from scratch with a whisk, grit, and stubborn dreams. But lately, things aren’t adding up—employees quitting without notice, orders going missing, small “accidents” that feel anything but accidental. I should’ve known telling my best friend would lead to trouble, especially when her big brother is none other than Gideon Bonham. Former military. Texas Ranger. And the man who once starred in every teenage fantasy I ever had. He shows up with a wink and an application to be my assistant baker. I rip it up. He bakes anyway. Turns out, he’s not just Kari’s older brother anymore. He’s a wolf shifter on a break between assignments, and now he’s in my kitchen, under my roof, and way too close to the parts of me I’ve kept carefully locked away. But the threats are escalating. The saboteur is getting bold. And every time Gideon’s near, my heart beats louder than my KitchenAid mixer on high. When the case is closed, will he walk away or stay to claim his mate? AmazonKU
MAGIC BETRAYED (SHIFTER OF SHERIDAN AVENUE BOOK TWO) by Kenley Davidson
Well that didn’t go quite the way I expected…So the short version is, I used my forbidden magic. But weirdly enough, I’m still breathing. Not only that, but I have a job, a great apartment, and a boss who isn’t nearly as grumpy as he wants everyone to think. The only flaw in all this happiness? I can’t leave the Shadow Court. Ever. Which means there’s no way of finding out whether Callum-ro-Deverin hates my guts. I get it. He’s a fan of law and order, and my very existence is now a crime. That must be why, when he does finally return to the city after the Symposium, he makes no effort to even talk to me. I feel like a fool for thinking we were friends. For considering for even one moment that there might be a spark of something more. But when a mysterious enemy attacks me and kidnaps my family, I’m left without options. I’m going to need help—powerful help—and I’m going to have to master my unwanted magic as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the only help available is a gorgeous dragon king who may or may not want to lock me up forever. But if it will save my family from a fate worse than death? I’m willing to sacrifice anything… including my future and my freedom. AmazonKU
BOCHICA: A NOVEL by Carolina Florez-Cherchiaro
In 1923 Soacha, Colombia, La Casona—an opulent mansion perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall—was once home to Antonia and her family, who settle in despite their constant nightmares and the house’s malevolent spirit. But tragedy strikes when Antonia’s mother takes a fatal fall into El Salto and her father, consumed by grief, attempts to burn the house down with Antonia still inside. Three years later, haunted by disturbing dreams and cryptic journal entries from her late mother, Antonia is drawn back to her childhood home when it is converted into a luxurious hotel. As Antonia confronts her fragmented memories and the dark history of the estate, she wrestles with unsettling questions she can no longer ignore: Was her mother’s death by her own hands, or was it by someone else’s? In a riveting quest for answers, Antonia must navigate the shadows of La Casona, unearthing its darkest secrets and confronting a legacy that threatens to swallow her whole.
A HUNGER SOFT AND WILD: A SAPPHIC VAMPIRE ROMANTASY by Moira Darling
A dangerous mercenary. A runaway vampire. A hunger neither can resist. Aria Valienne spent her life under the iron rule of a vampire clan who sees mercy as weakness. Now hunted, wounded, and desperate for freedom, she flees into the wild—only to be found by a hardened mercenary with sharp eyes and an even sharper blade. Roan should be just another danger in a world that seeks to devour her, yet something about the woman makes Aria hesitate…and hunger. Roan Talrik knows better than to get involved. She’s spent years selling her sword, keeping her past buried and her heart untouched. Helping a runaway vampire is a mistake—one that should have ended the moment Aria could stand on her own. And yet, every night by the fire, every stolen glance, every quiet confession sinks its teeth into Roan’s resolve. When the shadows catch up to them, will they survive the hunt—or will they be forced to sacrifice everything for a love they never meant to find? AmazonKU
A CHARMING TOUCH OF TAROT (THE GIN AND TARO BOOK CLUB TWO) by Melissa Holtz
Four friends discover that their new magical skills may not be enough to save them from a stalker hell-bent on turning their lives upside down. Alyssa, Nina, Lanie, and Corinne’s friendship is being put to the test. With Nina’s marriage falling apart, Lanie acting distant, Alyssa’s new romance, and no one quite trusting Corinne, this may be more than their bond can take. But when Nina appears at Alyssa’s door, and confesses not just a decades-old secret, but a newfound magical power, the friends know that the only way to face this is together. Someone has been blackmailing Nina for years, but lately the threats to reveal her secret have changed to threats on her life, and on the lives of those she loves. With Alyssa contacting ghosts for insight and Nina getting used to her telepathy skills, they dash from city to city to track down the threat. There’s someone out there that will go to any lengths to keep their control over Nina, and it will take all four friends to get out of this without ruining, or losing, their lives. But with the strength of their friendship—and a little help from the beyond—these women are out to prove they’re not to be messed with.
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: RAVENLOFT: HEIR OF STRAHD by Deliliha S Dawson
A party of adventurers must brave the horrors of Ravenloft in this official Dungeons & Dragons novel! Five strangers armed with steel and magic awaken in a mist-shrouded land, with no memory of how they arrived: Rotrog, a prideful orcish wizard; Chivarion, a sardonic drow barbarian; Alishai, an embittered tiefling paladin; Kah, a skittish kenku cleric; and Fielle, a sunny human artificer. After they barely survive a nightmarish welcome to the realm of Barovia, a carriage arrives bearing an invitation: Fairest Friends, I pray you accept my humble Hospitality and dine with me tonight at Castle Ravenloft. It is rare we receive Visitors, and I do so Endeavor to Make your Acquaintance. The Carriage shall bear you to the Castle safely, and I await your Arrival with Pleasure. Your host, Strahd von Zarovich – With no alternative, and determined to find their way home, the strangers accept the summons and travel to the forbidding manor of the mysterious count. But all is not well at Castle Ravenloft. To survive the twisted enigmas of Strahd and his haunted home, the adventurers must confront the dark secrets in their own hearts and find a way to shift from strangers to comrades—before the mists of Barovia claim them forever.
A GODDESS UNRAVELED (OLYMPUS RISING SERIES) by Morgan Rider
Lexi Maxwell has grown up surrounded by wealth and privilege, but also by rules. The rare moments of freedom that Lexi enjoys come when she’s out riding, but even then there are strictures on where she can go—and with whom. When she arrives home for a weekend-long celebration in honor of her college graduation, Lexi is surprised by the number of eligible bachelors who vie for her attention. She doesn’t have a lot of experience with the opposite sex, but these loudmouth, arrogant boys fail to impress her. Enter the mysterious Luke Carrington. She is instantly drawn to him, but despite his charm and intelligence, her parents and godfather warn her to stay away from him. Lexi, however, cannot be deterred. When Lexi learns that her life has been one long lie, and the people claiming to be her family aren’t who they say they are, she turns to Luke for solace. It doesn’t take long for him to earn her trust—and her heart—and suddenly Lexi is willing to follow him anywhere to keep him close. Even into the underworld.
THE DRAGON KING’S FIREFIGHTER (THE DRAGONS OF SERAI BOOK 16) by Amy Sumida
VS note: MM Fantasy.
I put out fires. He ignites them. When a naked man stumbled out of the wildfire we’d been battling for over a week, I figured he’d escaped from some psych ward in the middle of nowhere. We all did. Who else walks barefoot through hell with a grin on his face? But then Kaspian did the impossible. He stopped the fire—snapped his fingers, and it died. You save a firefighter’s life, and you become more than a mystery. You become family. After that, I didn’t care if he was a lunatic, an alien, or the Dragon he claimed to be. Family is family. So I brought the naked man home. And slowly, impossibly, he made me believe. Now I’m caught between two kinds of fire: the one burning behind Kaspian’s eyes—and the one he lit in my chest. The men in black are closing in, and protecting him might cost me everything. But the longer I stay by his side, the less I care about the cost. And the more I crave the blaze we’re becoming. AmazonKU
ISABELLA NAGG AND THE POT OF BASIL: A NOVEL by Oliver Darkshire
In a tiny farm on the edge of the miserable village of East Grasby, Isabella Nagg is trying to get on with her tiny, miserable existence. Dividing her time between tolerating her feckless husband, caring for the farm’s strange animals, cooking up “scrunge,” and crooning over her treasured pot of basil, Isabella can’t help but think that there might be something more to life. When Mr. Nagg returns home with a spell book purloined from the local wizard, she thinks: what harm could a little magic do? This debut novel by beloved rare bookseller and memoirist Oliver Darkshire reimagines a heroine of Boccaccio’s Decameron in a delightfully deranged world of talking plants, walking corpses, sentient animals, and shape-shifting sorcerers. As Isabella and her grouchy, cat-like companion set off to save the village from an entrepreneurial villain running a goblin-fruit Ponzi scheme, Darkshire’s tale revels in the ancient books and arcane folklore of a new and original kind of enchantment. A delightful and entertaining story of self-discovery—as well as fungus, capitalism, and sorcery—Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a story for those who can’t help but find magic even in the oddest and most baffling circumstances.
THE SECRETS OF MAIDEN’S COVE by Erin Palmisano
VS note: Magical realism. I pre-ordered this, sounded good.
When Grace Cleary’s father passes suddenly, she realizes that the life she has shared with her husband Richard is not the one wanted for herself or her daughter, Bayla. When she inherits Cleary’s Crab Shack, her father’s seafood restaurant and the center of the small Maiden’s Cove community, it gives her the push she needs to leave her controlling husband. She and Bayla leave in the night and return to Maiden’s Cove. The restaurant has suffered from the loss of her father and it is up to her and her family, friends, and the community, to save it from closing. When Grace’s estranged childhood best friend, Isla, returns to Maiden’s Cove, the old rumors and myths about Isla being a mermaid begin yet again. Grace knows that this is their last summer together and their one chance to make amends. What started off as a bright summer turns dark as the shadow of Richard looms over Grace and Bayla. He’s not ready to let his family go. He’s not ready to let his family go. But Grace is building a new life and reconnecting with everything she has missed from her childhood. As the summer unfolds with delicious seafood, hot summer days and nights, unexpected romance, and a little bit of mermaid magic, can the women reconnect with one another enough to find themselves again and heal from the years apart and away from the one place that is truly home?
SESTIA (FIVE QUEENDOMS BOOK THREE) by G R Macallister
While a fragile peace has begun to settle across the Five Queendoms of the known world, trouble brews beneath the smooth façade. The first gate between the Underlands, where Eresh rules over the shades of the dead, has already been opened—and the scheming shade of a dead sorcerer has evil plans he hopes to unleash on the world. In the world Above, the Scorpicae struggle to find a path forward in defeat, the embattled regent of Paxim gets more than she bargained for, and a young woman who barely survived the Sun Rites finds herself the indispensable right hand of a priest-queen whose sanity appears to be slipping away. As living women across the Queendoms take desperate action to stay alive, and dead women plot to regain what they’ve lost, the time for the next Sun Rites nears. When five queens gather in the Holy City of Sestia for the most important ritual of their lives, who will be left standing?
SWEETER THAN HONEY: A SAPPHIC CEO VAMPIRE ROMANCE (FANGS AND FEUDS BOOK TWO) by Remi Lebeau
What if your hot boss…is also a bloodthirsty vampire? Lily Harper has a huge crush on her boss. Renata Espina is the ruthless, high-achieving, drop-dead gorgeous CEO of an elite chain of luxury hotels. She also happens to be a vampire. And Lily doesn’t have a chance with her. An endless optimist with a sunny disposition, Lily works harder than anyone at the company. But Renata is married to her work, and she doesn’t have time for romance. That is, until an unexpected situation thrusts them into each other’s arms. Suddenly, Lily is swept up in Renata’s fast-paced, high-stakes world of vampire politics and intrigue. But is it too much for a down-to-earth single mother to cope with? Will Renata be able to put her work aside and let Lily in? And can Lily handle the glamorous but dangerous vampire underworld? AmazonKU
A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE: A NOVEL by April Asher
At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Festival Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a heartsick witch could do. Run. Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown—with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow—hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify—and control—her fiery abilities. Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door. Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Highest Fated Mates Percentage in the World. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE.
WHAT SLEEPS WITHIN THE COVE: OF FLESH AND BONE BOOK FOUR by Harper L Wood
Once, I bartered my soul for my mate. Offering Mab my bound allegiance was the only way to save Caldris’s life—the only bargain I could make to keep us both from the Void. After cruelly murdering the King of Summer, her own brother, Mab became unhinged and there was no telling what she would do. Caldris is safe for now because of my sacrifice, but at a cost. Queen Mab only wants one thing from me. Then, I was banished to Tartarus, from where few ever return. Mab has demanded a tribute—a snake from the crown of Medusa. Navigating through the horrors of Tartarus, I must pass the Trials of the Five Rivers to prove my worth to the primordials and steal the unthinkable. All without my magic. Now, I must embrace my darkness, my past. To survive, I must discover who I am—who I’m fated to be. Human, and Fae, and something… other. Embracing all the sides of magic, light and dark, is the only way to escape Tartarus and get back to Caldris. I will save him, the Fae, and the humans from Mab. Even if it kills me.
WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED: A NOVEL by Lorna Graham
VS note: Magical realism. I put it on my TBR List.
Everleigh Page is on the cusp of greatness. Executive producer of an award-winning primetime news magazine, she’s just been offered a role never attained by a woman at her network: president of the news division. It will be her job to shape coverage of world events and mold the journalists of tomorrow. Too bad in order to get here she’s sold out most of the principles she held as an idealistic young reporter. Too bad she’s just, at the direction of her boss, fired two of her best staffers and killed an important investigative story that could save lives. As a woman, she knows, you have to play ball to get to the top. Even if it means bending your moral code or breaking up with your boyfriend. Sean may be the love of her life, but his large, complicated family has started taking up too much of her time. Her younger self wouldn’t recognize her. Or will she? When a college reunion takes a mystical twist, Everleigh finds herself defending her choices to the toughest critic in the world and confronting a crucial question: can she possibly right all the wrongs she was willing to tolerate just an hour ago?
ONLY A CHAPTER by Heather Tracy
VS note: Bisexual time travel romance.
A call to change a lifetime…Clare O’Donnell is in a dead-end relationship with her girlfriend, until she receives a phone call that changes her life—literally. In one timeline, her biopsy results are positive for cancer. In another timeline, her results are benign. In one timeline, the faceless person she has romantic dreams of becomes masculine. In the other timeline, they become feminine. Her world begins to diverge, sending Clare on differing journeys of self-discovery and romance. In both, her dreams seem to show what might happen, and she realizes they all started after she survived the fatal car crash that took her parents. There is one constant: that no matter the challenges she faces, this is only a chapter of her life. Explore how one phone call could change your life forever. AmazonKU
MY GRUMPY WOLF (MIDDLEMARCH SHIFTERS BOOK 17) by Shelly Munro
Maia is excited to score a rugby contract to play for a women’s team, and when it places her in the same small country town as her childhood crush, she isn’t sure what reaction to expect. But it certainly isn’t his grumpy rejection and watching Henry’s back as he flees her presence. Wolf shifter Henry lost his mate when a madman murdered her, and he isn’t about to risk his heart again despite the attraction simmering between him and the younger, sunshiny-bright Maia. The age gap is too large. He’s best to continue his solitary life rather than gamble with love. In a shocking twist, someone attacks Maia, and Henry finds he can’t ignore this beautiful woman who brings out his protective instincts. He can’t walk away, even though history seems to be repeating itself. She needs him, and he’s falling in love. And that’s where his problems begin.
It’s been five years since Blood Moon Pack’s Alpha died. Five years since Sara went off on her own without a pack. Now she has her own bar, a makeshift pack, and the perfect pittie pooch. That is till her toxic ex decides he wants her back, using his sway as a Vampire Council Member to kidnap her. Sara isn’t helpless but there’s only so much a lone wolf can do…Five years is a long time but Malcolm still cares for Sara. Not that anything would ever come of it. He’s much too big, too scarred and ugly to ever be loved by her or anyone else. But when he finds her captive while working a job for Blood Moon Pack, Malcolm can’t leave her to rot as a vampire captive. Both wolves have their respective allies and enemies– but what are they to each other? With tensions high and the sexual tension even higher, Sara and Malcolm will both have to face their pasts if they want a future together. AmazonKU
BLOOD QUEEN (ETERNAL DESCENT (MISTHALLOW ACADEMY) BOOK THREE by Eve Newton
The truth about the sire bond severance is worse than anyone imagined, and it leads right back to the origins of vampirism itself. As bonds shatter and chaos spreads, I’m caught between three men who could save me or destroy me. My father’s ancient blood runs through my veins, but it’s my choices that will determine the future of vampire-kind. I just never imagined that choosing who to trust—who to love—would mean the difference between salvation and extinction. AmazonKU
RAVENOUS (WOLF RANCH BOOK NINE) by Renee Rose
PACK RULE #9: FATE COMES SECOND FOR A SINGLE DAD – I didn’t move to Cooper Valley for love. I’m here to raise my daughter in peace, work at Wolf Ranch, and keep my wolf on a tight leash. Because I don’t have time for distractions. Or complications. And definitely not both in the form of a female. Joy is my new next-door neighbor—sweet, sexy, and entirely off-limits. She always has a messy bun and a laugh that melts steel. She makes my little girl giggle like I’ve never seen before. She makes me burn with need. She’s sunshine. I’m thunderclouds. I tell myself I’m too gruff, too brooding, too busy being a father to want her. But my wolf doesn’t care about rules. He thinks she belongs to him. He knows she smells like fate… and tastes even better. How can I stay away? In the end, it seems fate will decide for me. AmazonKU
DARK ROVER’S LUCK (CHILDREN OF THE GODS PARANORMAL ROMANCE BOOK 95) by I T Lucas
For five decades, Fenella has led the life of a ghost, wandering from place to place and relying solely on herself. Now, while seeking refuge in the immortals’ hidden village, she uncovers an unexpected connection that may inspire her to stay longer than she planned. Din has held a torch for Fenella for half a century. Yet, instead of the spirited bartender he fell for, he encounters a hardened, disillusioned nomad who struggles to remain in one place for long. Some secrets are meant to remain buried, while others are destined to be revealed, and sometimes, luck is simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. AmazonKU
BARGAINED FOR BY THE DEMON (LOVED BY THE MONSTER BOOK FIVE) by Shonna Preston
Five months ago, Talia Taylor finally found a job where she got to use her art history education, after years of working random office jobs. Since being hired, she constantly finds herself fantasizing about her boss, Aster. Asteroth is a bargainer demon who’s been dealing in souls for the last century since he came to Earth. After hiring Talia, he’s found a brightness in his life when it used to seem so filled with darkness. One evening, Aster requires her to stay late as they receive a special shipment. When one of the items isn’t on the delivery slip, Aster sets out to find out what it is. Talia opens the box to find a dozen of the most beautiful…(more blurb in ebook seller’s page) AmazonKU
HEARTSONG: A GARGOYKLE MONSTER ROMANCE (WAR OF THE UNDERHILL BOOK ONE) by S E Wendel
A gargoyle warrior unprepared for the modern world…Fifteen hundred years ago, Frey and all his kind were cursed by the vicious fae queen, their magick stolen and their bodies rendered stone. It has been a hellish existence, frozen in time as the world changes around them. A proud warrior, Frey rages against his stone prison, but with every year that passes, hope slips away that the curse can ever be broken. That is, until he and some of his kin are placed in an odd little museum. And she walks through the door. A modern woman not ready for a medieval male…Anna Kincaid has struggled most of her life, but she’s finally landed a job that will help her get ahead. It feels too good to be true—full healthcare and helping manage a museum full of exquisite artifacts? Her heart and history degree are thrilled, but something about the museum is….strange. The owners are a mysterious couple who call the collection the clan. And the collection is…well, monstrous. Huge, savage-looking statues from the late-Celtic period. Magick stolen can be reclaimed, and curses cast can be broken…When the museum is stormed by masked commandos one night, it isn’t even the weirdest thing to happen. No, that has to be when one of the statues comes alive to save her. Or when he flies off with her. Or when he tucks her into his big body and growls mate. AmazonKU
SEA OF EVIL AND DESIRE (THE DEEP SAGA BOOK ONE) by J Strelou
Beneath the waves, an ancient feud between the Mer and Drowned has simmered for centuries, sparked by a forbidden love and a tragic curse . . .Morgana Scott isn’t like anyone else—she senses people’s feelings. The unexpected death of her grandmother sends her to Ruadán’s Port, a windswept seaside town on Scotland’s Isle of Islay. Steeped in superstition and shadowed by eerie tales of Mer, Selkies, gods, and ghosts, the town holds a history as restless as the sea itself. Here, she meets Finn—magnetic, dark, and utterly unreadable. His mystery pulls her in, but the very thing that intrigues her might be why she should keep her distance. As the festival of Samhain approaches, the ocean whispers tales of the dead, and an ancient prophecy stirs—one that could unravel everything Morgana thought she knew about herself and the world beneath the waves. AmazonKU
Like most ancient rites celebrated in the current time, the rut weekend is a mix of the old ways and donuts. Sure, it’s a sex rite. One weekend of no-holds-barred deerkin running in a field—stags and does getting busy under the midnight moon. But it’s also held at a nice convention center with a complimentary breakfast buffet in the morning. The three female deerkin who meet at the orientation presentation are quite vocally adamant that they aren’t there to find a man. Tawny wants a baby.
Eiren wants an adventure. Rora just wants to be wanted. So, the three will run with the stags in the wild wind, run and hope to be caught by some man-buck with antlers and a broad chest and a deep voice. At least one of them will accidentally run into a wolf. And despite what they claimed to want, they’ll all walk out of the convention center entangled with a man in some way, shape, or form. Whether it’s happily, or ever after, or something else entirely. AmazonKU
A SUMMER WITHOUT YOU by Caitlin Moss
VS Note: Time Travel romance. Sounds cute, added it to my TBR List.
Savannah Swanson is an author and self-proclaimed nomad, wandering from town to town to fully immerse herself in each setting before weaving it into her next romance. She’s written love stories in bustling cities, quaint beach towns, exotic destinations, and charming suburbs. But when her publisher demands a small-town romance, she balks—until she remembers the one place she’s avoided for years. Roslyn, Washington. It isn’t just another dot on the map. It’s where she left Graham Stewart, the man she almost chose, the love she almost had. And as fate would have it, he’s still there—now a rugged dairy farmer with a life far different from her own. A near collision on the highway sets off an unexpected shift in her world, revealing glimpses of what life could have been if she’d said yes all those years ago. As Savannah navigates the pull of past regrets and present possibilities, she’s forced to decide: is love just something she writes about, or is it something worth staying for? AmazonKU
THE WOLFGUARD’S MATE (MARKED BENEATH THE MOON BOOK THREE) by Lola Glass
I hooked up with my twin sister’s brother-in-law under the full moon… and ended up mated to him. Did I mention that he’s a stoic, grumpy a-hole? Or that he abducted me and locked me in his gigantic mansion in the forest? Yeah, okay, so things could be worse. But an accidental mate bond isn’t for the faint of heart. There are things to figure out and verbal battles to be fought, but one thing is for sure: For better or worse, there’s no way out of this relationship. AmazonKU
FACETS OF ATTRACTION (BETAS IN WAITING BOOK 30) by Viola Grace
Asel survived the worst the Stronghold could do, but now, she was home and trying to fit back into a life that wasn’t her size anymore. Asel is a twin, and she clung to that after the Elite took her. She made it her focus to keep them from knowing about her sister. When they finished toying with Asel, they threw her into a pit and drained her power for years. Her energy made the Elite’s magic. When the ladies arrived to free the Stronghold, she escaped after they had gone, on her own, and with the others in her oubliette. They went two years back in time, returned to the family farm, and began their recovery. Emotional support chickens to the rescue. With her twin, Honey, she jaunts off to do some work in the islands, and when she returns home, her job as a hotel clerk is thrown into disarray by her sister leading Asel’s mates to her, and so, Asel returns the favour with Honey. Finding balance with their partners is tricky, but with a little effort and a lot of patient courtship, they find their way. The wilding and the princess have met their matches. Amazon NOTE: Not on Apple Books or Kobo yet as of the day I checked.
LIFEBOUND: A DARK FAE ROMANCE (ROYAL SINS BOOK ONE) by D N Hoxa
Nobody ever believed me. Not when I was five and told them about the boy with pointy ears who saved my life in the forest. Not during thirteen miserable years of bullying and being labeled the town weirdo. Until a guy with golden eyes and a royal guard escort shows up at my door to drop a bombshell. That little boy? Yeah, he’s real. And he’s a fae Prince. And he magically linked my life to his when he saved me. I know what you’re thinking. Lucky girl, right? Wrong. Because now the Prince is sick and apparently, I’m the only one who can save him. How can I possibly say no? That’s how I find myself in the fae realm, where pretty much everything either wants to kill me, eat me, or…use me for something worse. If not for the gorgeous fae who saved my life, I’d have died an hour in. Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Grumpy has annoyingly beautiful eyes, a voice that sounds like sex, and a tattoo that screams trouble. He says his name is Rune, and he’ll take me to the Prince safely—if I do what he says. Unfortunately for me, he looks like he’s made of shadows and really bad decisions, so naturally, I follow him. But the more time we spend together, the more near-death experiences we go through, the more Rune gets under my skin. He makes most people look the other way, but he’s sweet when no one’s watching. He makes my heart do really weird things. And just when I think my life couldn’t possibly get any crazier—it does. Turns out, this whole saving-the-Prince business can get a girl into a whole lot of trouble, and I’m not entirely sure I can handle it this time. AmazonKU
THE BURNING SOUL (RYLAN FLYNN MYSTERY BOOK SIX) by Dawn Merriman
I’m Rylan Flynn. I hunt for ghosts and restless spirits, and solve the mysteries that make them haunt the living. Flames leap from the windows of the burning house and smoke fills the air. I know immediately that this is no ordinary fire… With chaos all around her, the ghost of a young woman stands on the lawn, watching the blaze. I call out, but she vanishes before I can learn what happened. When the police find her body in the ashes, it’s clear that she was murdered. A new twisted killer is stalking my hometown…The obvious suspect is my friend Graham Rock. The house belonged to Graham, and the ghost I saw was his ex-girlfriend. Could he really be capable of something like this? Or is someone trying to destroy his life? I’m desperate to find the truth. But my relationship with Detective Ford Pierce is in ruins, and he won’t let me join his investigation. Even worse, an evil spirit that I trapped years ago has escaped. I need Ford’s help to track it down, but with so much tension between us I don’t know if he’ll believe me. When another house burns down with someone inside, I know it’s on me to find answers—alone. Is the spirit behind these lethal attacks? Can I find the link between the victims and unmask the killer before the flames claim another soul? AmazonKU AB
FAVORED BY THE STARS (BOUND BY THE VEIL BOOK FOUR) by Helen Scott
Darkness is on the verge of swallowing everything. My only choice is to confront my fate if I hope to save those I love…The Void Dragon Empress is rising, and I’m the only one who can stop her. As we traverse these warped and corrupted lands, secrets come to light and sacrifices beckon. Can I harness the power of the moon that burns within me? Or will it end up destroying all that I care about? Will my courage be enough to unite these fractured lands, where every shadow conceals dangers and every ally keeps secrets? Favored by the Stars is the fourth book in the spellbinding Bound by the Veil series. Dive into a world where romance blooms amidst danger and destiny hangs by a thread. AmazonKU
DAUGHTER OF TIDES (BORN TO SEA AND STORM BOOK ONE) by Kit Rocha
Aleksi, the charming and charismatic god of love, is dying. But nothing can stop the Lover from completing his final quest: a dangerous diplomatic visit to a former adversary. Setting sail for a mystical kingdom of ice, Aleksi is joined by Einar the Kraken, infamous pirate lord, and Naia, a sweet young water nymph. Intoxicated by the pair’s electric connection, Aleksi vows to enjoy his last days by playing matchmaker, pushing away his own desires for the sake of theirs. But he’s unexpectedly caught up in a raging game of seduction. As the trio navigates turbulent seas and the political perils of the Ice Queen’s court, dark secrets reveal clues to one’s tragic past and another’s epic destiny. Aleksi’s powers spin out of control while love and lust run wild. And when enemies emerge from the shadows, the Lover is forced to make a choice. Will he give away his heart to save all that he holds dear? AmazonKU AB
SAVORING HER SNAKE: EMBRACING THE BOND by T D Edwards
He lives in the shadows, determined to stay there until her. Heath is a snake shifter who hides his animal and the power he wears on his skin. He shoves away the hurt he feels when the two men he considers brothers walk out of his life. Pretending he enjoys the silence he lives in, he allows them to remain in his past. When they force themselves and the family they have gathered into his world, he is reluctant to reveal his secrets. He has given up the idea of a mate who will accept him and his choices. Sure, such a woman doesn’t exist; he is not expecting his mate to run into his world. Ignoring the rumors of his dark side, he will prove them all true to keep her. Juliana is a human who knows about the creatures who hide among them. Unconcerned about the magic surrounding her, she focuses on surviving her family and the demons she lives with. She spent her childhood raising her brother and continues to fight for their relationship while he uses his fists to make money and push his memories away. She races to her brother’s side when he gets hurt, having no idea the beast she will encounter. Juliana is drawn to the quiet, mysterious stranger, who makes her feel the safety she has craved. She must decide if she can be the woman to tame the beast and give him the family he deserves. Heath will have to accept the gift the universe gave him and embrace the darkness within to deal with the threat, trying to take it away. AmazonKU
MYSTERIES AND MERLOT: MYSTERIES OF MERI (FAMILIAR KITTEN MYSTERIES BOOK 31) by Sara Bourgeois
Kinsley Wilson has enough on her plate: a donut shop to run, two daughters to raise, and magical powers she can barely control. (The exploding toaster incident was THREE WEEKS ago, thank you very much.) Plus, she’s got Meri—a black cat familiar whose sarcasm could curdle milk—and Bonkers, an orange furball who considers reorganizing the pantry by “chromatic aromatic system” to be his sacred duty. Between Meri’s cutting commentary and Bonkers’ catastrophic enthusiasm, Kinsley’s magical household barely needs actual spells to create chaos. So when her mother drags her to a wine tasting at Elderwood Family Vineyard, Kinsley is just hoping to enjoy some fermented grape juice without accidentally levitating the glassware. Instead, she gets murder. When a notoriously harsh wine critic is found dead in the barrel room, Kinsley’s empathic abilities sense something beyond ordinary malice at play. The vineyard itself seems to pulse with secrets—ancient magical lineages, mysterious soil, and a hidden project someone would kill to protect. Now Kinsley must work alongside her sheriff husband to solve the case before the killer uncorks another deadly vintage—all while keeping Bonkers from declaring himself “OFFICIAL DETECTIVE FAMILIAR” and Meri from solving the case through the sheer power of withering disdain. Some wines improve with age. Some secrets ferment into murder. Some familiars should never be left unsupervised. AmazonKU
CROWN OF BETRAYAL AND BLOOD (DRAGONS OF TIRENE BOOK THREE) by Nina Frost
“In every shadow of fate, there is a truth you cannot see.” In the short time since Lark Axton first arrived in Tirene, everything has changed. After the drachen rose from their slumber and embarked on a ravenous rampage across two kingdoms that ended in the king of Tirene’s death, rumors of unrest beyond the castle walls begin to swirl. Sterling/Knox—the prince of both Tirene and her heart—must prepare to take the throne, and although the nobles believe the drachen were vanquished, Lark remains unconvinced. She’s almost sure the drachen fled. That means they’re still out there…waiting to return. Determined to learn more about the unknown dark force that spills blood and spreads terror, Lark embarks on a quest for answers, journeying to uncharted lands shrouded in legend and mist. Instead, she finds a death sentence. Because the drachen is far more dangerous than she imagined, threatening all that she loves. Time is running out, and it’s up to Lark, the only dragoncaller in Tirene, to save Sterling, the kingdom, and the dragons she’s sworn to protect. No matter the cost. AmazonKU
THE ALPHA’S STOLEN MATE (FATE’S CALL BOOK ONE) by Jennifer Eve
My boyfriend cheated on me and blamed me for it? Well, I just fell into his best friend’s bed. And accidentally got knocked up by the future Alpha. Six years later, I live off the grid with a five-year-old who growls when he’s hungry. No pack. No drama. No men with pretty lies and dangerous eyes. Until one phone call ruins everything—My father’s dying. And I’m dragged back to the wolves who once tore me apart. Now I’m home. With a secret that bares tiny fangs. And a spine sharpened by survival. Gabriel—my sin, my son’s father—is standing there like he didn’t ruin me with one night and vanish before sunrise. He wants answers. The pack wants control. But me? I just want to survive this visit. Unless he begs. Then maybe I’ll give him hell first. AmazonKU
CURSE OF THE SUN AND STARS by Zara Storm
Powerless, alone and on the run—her only hope is a ruthless fae prince…Moments away from being captured and returned to a prison where she is hunted by her own guard, Ana strikes a desperate bargain. “I’ll trade you,” she offers the gray-eyed prince. A secret for her life. “No.” With one word, Prince Leon leaves her for dead. Ana swears to hate him for a thousand lifetimes. But fate has a twisted sense of humor. When her parents are murdered, Ana learns the truth of her imprisonment. She is the heir to the throne of Trova—hidden from the world because she was born without magic. Her first act as queen? Punish the assassin accused of their deaths—the same fae prince who left her to die. But Trova’s court is a viper’s nest of betrayal, and someone there wants her dead. After a failed attempt on her life, Leon uses the chaos to take her hostage—a means to his own escape. Forced into close quarters on the run with the man she vowed to destroy, Ana battles to ignore the pull of Leon’s fathomless gray eyes and the fire sparking between them. As a zealot rises to plunge Trova into war, Ana must master a rare, untamed magic awakened within her… and decide if trusting Leon is the key to saving her kingdom—or the mistake that will destroy it. AmazonKU
DEADWOOD (SECRETS OF SERPENTINE BOOK ONE) by Karley Brenna
Auria Tenere has spent her life locked away in the castle she calls home and forced to serve her father, the king of Amosite. Clinging to bedtime stories of extinct fae and dragons in hiding, she believes there’s no hope of ever leaving the confines of the palace. That is, until her father arranges for her to be married to a stranger. After being able to leave the chasm for the first time in her life with her betrothed, Auria’s group is soon attacked, leaving them no choice but to find shelter in the nearest town. But Deadwood isn’t all that it seems, and the tales she once thought were simply bedtime stories turn out to be more real than she ever could’ve imagined. Faced with the lies she has been told her whole life, Auria is determined to unravel the secrets being kept by those in this outlaw town. Including those of the closed-off man she isn’t certain she should let close—the one man her father seems scared of. From the moment she set foot in town, he’s had his sights set on her, and Auria wants to know why. But soon, being stranded with him isn’t her only problem. Not when the king decides he wants his daughter back, no matter the cost. AmazonKU
ATONEMENT (BLOODSTONE LEGACY BOOK TWO) by V E Huntley
Aden thought nothing could be worse than killing the woman he loved. He’s about to learn how wrong he was. Three centuries of guilt. Two souls reunited. One chance to defy fate. The second installment of The BloodStone Legacy—a dual POV, dark, seductive paranormal romance about destiny and the prices we pay for love powerful enough to transcend both death and time. Dive into the darkness now—and discover why some loves are worth burning the world for. AmazonKU
FREED WOLFSBANE (WOLVES HOLLOW UNIVERSITY BOOK THREE) by E L Finley
I traded my freedom to protect the ones I love. Now, I’m their prisoner. Locked inside a Knights facility, I’m nothing more than a test subject—poked, prodded, and dissected for the magic in my blood. They want to use me to expand the curse and sever the bond between shifters and their animals—forever. I can’t let that happen. But escaping won’t be enough. Not when innocent shifters are trapped in here with me. And not when the Knights are closer than ever to unraveling everything that makes us who we are. Breaking out is only the beginning. To destroy the curse, we’ll have to chase ancient myths across continents, unlock forgotten magic, and face enemies who will stop at nothing to win. With my mates at my side and a band of unlikely allies behind us, the final battle is coming. Because the only way to end the curse…is to walk straight into the heart of it. And this time, not everyone will make it out alive. AmazonKU
THE WITCHES CATALOG OF WANDERLUST ESSENTIALS (NATURAL MAGIC BOOK TWO( by Ciara Blume
Zani, a vampire-slaying, relic-hunting witch whose satchel is always packed for adventure, faces her most mortifying mishap yet: losing a dangerously enchanted artifact. Just her luck that the bloodstone amulet goes missing right before an eclipse that could awaken its curse. Enter Will, a half-fae rogue with the rare gift of opening portals through space and time. He’s always admired Zani’s adventurous spirit from afar. When she approaches him with the request to journey through history to help her recover the bloodstone, he can’t resist the opportunity—or her company. As centuries-old mysteries unravel around them, Zani and Will discover a sense of belonging neither has experienced before. Their practical partnership evolves into something unexpected just as they realize their mission isn’t only about saving the world. It’s about finding where they fit within it. In a place where magic hums beneath every cobblestone, The Witches Catalogue of Wanderlust Essentials is a cozy fantasy adventure that proves the greatest treasures are the friends and family that feel like home. AmazonKU
SOMETHING BREWED THIS WAY COMES (THE HOLLOW HEARTH SERIES) by Tansy Applewood
I just wanted to make espresso and vibe. Now I’m soulbonded to a cursed, grumpy forest guardian with antlers. (For fans of autumn magic, monster boyfriends, and gnomes who won’t mind their business.) I run a coffee and curio shop at the edge of a cursed forest. My muffins spark personal revelations. My espresso might be enchanted. And the emotional support gnomes under my floorboards won’t stop matchmaking me with the guy who just walked out of the woods. Antlers. Growly voice. Eyes like golden ruin. His name is Thorn—and according to my accidentally sentient pet Mumblefluff, he’s cursed, dangerous, and 100% my problem now. Turns out I’m part of some ancient soulbonding ritual no one warned me about. I thought I was just a barista with good instincts. But the flamefox picked me. The forest knows my name. And the monster? He wants more than coffee. AmazonKU
FIRED UP LOVE (ENCHANTED FALLS BOOK FOUR) by Milly Taiden
Lioness shifter Zina Parker has poured every coin of her inheritance into Purrfect Oasis Spa. Opening day should be a triumph, yet one smoldering glance from a dragon elder sets her nerves fizzing harder than her espresso machine. Commanding, unreadable Xai Emberwylde strides in with a “routine inspection,” but the way his molten-gold eyes linger on Zina’s mouth has nothing to do with building codes. Her lioness purrs; Zina growls back. She does not have time for destiny-level distractions. Five-hundred-year-old dragon shifter Xai is used to ruling every boardroom and council chamber with icy precision- until a petite lioness in yoga pants flips his world on its horns. Zina’s quick wit, sun-kissed scent, and steel-spined loyalty ignite a wildfire beneath Xai’s centuries-old self-control. His inner dragon croons to claim the fiery spa owner, but Xai’s new elder duties -and lethal politics that follow them- demand flawless focus, not the intoxicating taste of lemon panna cotta kisses. When sabotage rocks the spa and an ancient Blood-Moon ritual threatens to rip the ley-lines of Enchanted Falls apart, Zina and Xai must fuse lion ferocity with dragonflame to protect the town- and each other. A hostile takeover contract with a hidden mating clause, a kidnapped heiress, and the resurrection of the long-dormant Founding Pyre force them into a perilous dance of claws and embers. Only by embracing the impossible bond blazing between them can they stop the dangerous bid for ultimate power before the moon bleeds red. Sometimes the hottest spa treatment is the dragon determined to claim your heart. AmazonKU
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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:
“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months. And I may mention ‘special items’.
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!















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