New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday February 28

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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STAR CRUISE: SONGBIRD by Veronica Scott

VS NOTE: Yes, one from me! My scifi rock star romance! This novella was previously released in the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 anthology, which is no longer available (except perhaps for a few secondhand paperbacks). I had so much fun writing a rock star romance 🙂

Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.

Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.

Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?

Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N

WICKED MATE (WARRIOR OF ROZUN BOOK 2) by Zoey Draven

Cara Call never expected her life to take such a dramatic turn after she fell in love with her wicked alien captor, Devix. Now, after escaping Sarkon’s grasp, they are building their lives together on the peaceful colony of Rozun.

Then, their lives change forever when Cara discovers she’s pregnant.

With a difficult and potentially dangerous pregnancy ahead, Devix takes Cara to the only place he knows they can get help: his home planet of Luxiria. The same planet he was wrongly exiled from, accused of a heinous crime he didn’t commit.

But Devix will do anything to protect his fated mate…even if it means confronting the wrath of his species and the ones who betrayed him.

RISHALT (TAXYON SPACE BOOK 2) by Aurora Springer

Dr. Nikki Bell is devastated when the Watchers reappear without her alien lover. Why did he return to his home planet without even leaving a message? In search of answers, Nikki jumps at the chance to join the diplomatic team invited to visit the aliens’ home world. On Rishalt, she must contend with the intricacies of Warrish society and an undercurrent of hostility.

Kiron Arqin Ramis is summoned home by his family to the unwanted honor of a new triad and union with a high-ranked female. Unable to forget Nikki, he endures a perilous exile on a wilderness planet instead of complying with his family’s demands. But, the Triarchs have other plans for him.
Stakes are higher than the lives of two individuals. Earth leaders are desperate to acquire the alien interstellar technology, while Warrish dispute the benefit of allying with inferiors. Can Nikki and Kiron pierce the barriers separating them to find happiness with provoking an unequal war?

STOLEN FOR THE ALIEN PRINCE by Leslie Chase

Xendar: Marrying the imperial princess wasn’t my idea, but it will stop a war between our nations. I didn’t expect to actually like her, though. She’s not what I expected, almost as though she isn’t a princess at all.

Instead of being vain and self-obsessed, she’s shy, frightened, vulnerable… and amazing. Her passion, her inner strength, everything about her calls to me, makes me want to claim her as my mate. Together we could stand against anything. If only she would look at me the same way.

Hope: Being abducted by aliens was bad enough, and now I’m supposed to marry one? He’s an alien prince, proud and arrogant, and worst of all he thinks I’m some kind of space princess!

All I have to do is keep up the disguise until I can get away and back to Earth. But the longer I’m with Xendar, the less I want to escape. It’s hard to think about leaving when I’m wrapped in his arms, held against his incredible body.

He’s not the only problem, though. Someone doesn’t want the prince and princess to have their happy ever after, and they don’t mind killing us both to stop it. If Xendar can’t keep us both safe, my secret won’t matter to anyone!

PEARL’S DRAGON (DRAGON LORDS OF VALDIER BOOK 10) by SE Smith

VS Note: Previously published in the Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2 anthology.

Asim Kemark has lived a long, lonely life. It is his pledge to his former king and to Mandra Reykill that keeps him, his dragon, and his symbiot from going mad. He has given up on finding his true mate and devotes himself to caring for the wide assortment of creatures on Mandra and Ariel’s mountain retreat. The last thing he expects to happen when he visits the palace is to lose control of his dragon and his symbiot after they sense their true mate. Before he knows it, he has kidnapped her!

Pearl St. Claire is enjoying a new adventure – learning to live on an alien planet. As a mature woman in her sixties, she thought she had experienced just about everything life could throw at her – only to discover she hasn’t really experienced anything yet! She is both amused and exasperated when one of the dragon-shifting aliens kidnaps her, believing she is his true mate.

Life is no longer boring or lonely as Asim courts the enchanting and spirited, human woman, but he isn’t the only one who has noticed Pearl or the unusual animals under his care. When poachers attack, determined to steal the exotic creatures under his protection – including Pearl and a new clutch of alien eggs from Earth – he will do everything he can to protect them. Can one dragon keep the most precious creatures under his care safe, or will he lose the biggest battle of his life?

KARAK INVASION (ALIEN SHAPESHIFTERS BOOK 3) by Ruby Ryan

Brandi Forbes is sick of her work at Mountain Home Air Force Base. A once talented pilot but now a Lieutenant Colonel, the only thing she ever gets to pilot these days is the stack of paperwork on her desk.

Until she’s visited by two Karak aliens who warn her of a potential Wolvae invasion of earth.

And as important as that may be, it’s tough for Brandi to focus while the aliens look like male super models.

But before the three of them can come up with a plan, Brandi and her two new Karak hunks learn the Wolvae are already on earth gathering reconnaissance! Now they must work together to stop the Wolvae scouts from returning to their fleet with vital information—or else risk a full invasion of earth.

As they battle the Wolvae in the forests of Idaho, Brandi realizes her connection to the two Karak shifters is stronger than just a soldier’s camaraderie. Can they stop the Wolvae in time—and then figure out what to do about their own scintillating attraction?

URIM (WARRIORS OF MILISARIA) by Celeste Raye

Josephine Landers had been a nurse in the experimental labs on Earth. She sought redemption by taking an assignment to be the medical aid for a species called the Pura. She was to care for them while they made a new planet ready to sustain their people. The discovery that they were trespassing on Milisaria’s territory had Josephine acting as peacemaker.

Milisaria’s population was growing too quickly for their planet to sustain them. They needed more land to grow crops. Urim took a contingent of Knights and farmers to one of Milisaria’s empty planets. He was to oversee the planting of crops. A human female put a wrench in his plans, by arguing that another species needed the planet more.

Unlike Milisarian Knights, the Pura were not giants trained in battle from birth. They appeared small, and weak. Their refusal to retreat from a planet belonging to a race of warriors seemed almost laughable. But, the Pura had a secret army which they controlled at the touch of a button. This army felt no pain and couldn’t die.

HIS VIRGIN PRINCESS (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES, THE VIRGINS BOOK 3) by Grace Goodwin

VS Note: I do enjoy Grace’s steamy story telling. On my TBR.

Danielle arrives on Everis excited to meet her new mate. She watches as her friends find happiness while haunted by dreams of an Everian Hunter who will not come for her—a mate who refuses to claim her. But something isn’t right. The dreams turn dark. Tortured. Her mate is suffering, and nothing will stop her from finding him—especially not his stern orders to choose another, to protect herself above all others, and cherish her life above his own.

Gage of Everis is heir to a seat on the Seven, the ruling council of families that have held power on Everis for thousands of years. He’s the last prince of his line, the last surviving heir, and someone doesn’t want him to rise to his place on the ruling council. Betrayed, tortured and alone, Gage has found solace in knowing he’s protected his Marked Mate from sharing his fate. But his stubborn bride refuses to listen to reason.

When she finds him, there will be a reckoning. Not only is Gage determined to find those who betrayed him, but to conquer the wild huntress who came for him in the dark and stole his heart.

her dragons treasure

HER DRAGON’S TREASURE (DRAGON GUARD NO. 29) by Julia Mills

Decades trapped at the bottom of the sea. Doomed to spend eternity in a watery grave, the Guardsman known as Atticus had given up hope, resigned to his fate, then the impossible happened, the voice of his mate shone a light into his dark, dank tomb.

Tired of being the youngest and smallest, Talullah ached for adventure. Her heart and soul longed for a chance to prove she had dreams bigger than the sea and deeper than the ocean and possessed the strength and determination to carry them out.

Forced to the bottom of the sea by her dreams of a warrior in need, Lulu is caught in the middle of an underwater earthquake that triggered a tsunami, threatening both land and sea. ..(a LOT more blurb on the ebook seller’s site…)

THE DRAGON’S SPELLBOUND ALIEN: A NOCTURNE FALLS UNIVERSE STORY by Fiona Roarke

Bianca Forrester may be a mind-reading alien from Alpha-Prime, but she’s an Arkansas girl at heart who leaps at the chance to work as a psychic in Nocturne Falls. The Halloween-themed Georgia town is the perfect cover for werewolves, gargoyles and, lately, aliens looking to stay under the human radar. Not only will it be an adventure, it’s the perfect place to dodge her mother’s matrimony mania.
Half-human, half-dragon shifter Warrick Hart has never forgotten the fear and loathing he faced as a child in Europe when superstitious humans and human-hating supernaturals chased his family from town to town—until they landed in the haven that is Nocturne Falls. The lingering trauma has made Warrick wary of most relationships, despite his mother’s pleas for grandchildren.

Bianca doesn’t believe in love at first sight. Warrick would never trust a woman with his heart. But Nocturne Falls is a place where never becomes now and beliefs can change on a spell.

DUKE DU JOUR (LORDS IN TIME SERIES) by Petie McCarthy

VS Note: From January

Jared Langley, present-day Duke of Reston, tumbles into an abandoned fountain on his ducal estate and travels back in time to the year 1816. There, Reston servants and local villagers think him a dead ringer for his namesake and rakehell ancestor–the seventh Duke of Reston, gone missing at the Battle of Waterloo. Unfortunately, Seven got mixed up with French spies out to assassinate the Duke of Wellington, and an unwary Jared ends up in their crosshairs.

Lady Ariana Hart has loved Jared Langley, the seventh Duke of Reston, since she was twelve years old, until the night the rogue broke her heart. Given up for dead, her rakish neighbor makes a miraculous return from Waterloo–only Jared shows up a changed man and reignites all the feelings Ariana had long ago buried.

Jared is in a race against time. He must waylay the suspicions of his quirky servants and neighbors, get to Wellington before the French spies do, fix his fountain–before Seven shows up–so Jared has a way home, and definitely not fall in love with the irresistible Lady Ariana.

OATH FORGER (BOOK 1) by Nia Mars

I’m a scavenger. So what? With society’s collapse on Earth, I do what I have to for survival. Especially after I’m kidnapped by space pirates. I have no idea why the five most powerful rulers in the universe decide that I’m the Oath Forger, the one foretold to fuse their royal houses together and bring peace. But I’m going to play along. Because, hey, it’s better than probes in uncomfortable places. Now let’s just hope they don’t find out I’m lying.

THEIR MEMORIAM (UTOPIA INC BOOK 1) by Jazz Michaels

Valda Bashan woke to the inexplicable—a biosphere where she and four others were the only occupants. She had a life before she woke, a life which seemed many years away and just like yesterday. A computerized voice welcomed her to Memoriam, the biosphere’s name and the job she’d accepted. The terms were clear, she and her companions had to make it work and only when they were complete would they be free to move on to the next task.

Andreas, Hatch, Oz, and Dirk couldn’t be more different, and each man seemed to be in the same boat as she. They didn’t remember agreeing to the project or what task it was they had to complete. If they can’t work together, they may never be able to escape. First, they have to learn to get a long, which might prove the most impossible task of all.

DRAGON VIP: MALACHITE (7 VIRGIN BRIDES FOR 7 WEREDRAGON BILLIONAIRES BOOK 1) by Starla Night

Dragon shifter CEO Malachite “Mal” Onyx doesn’t have time for relationships. But the domineering billionaire has no choice – either marry a human female and produce dragonlets or return to his home planet Draconis and take the claw of Empress Horribus.

Where can he find a willing bride? Preferably one who is lush and curvy, with soft brown hair and sparkling green eyes, and who makes his soul light on fire. Like that shy, secretive intern, Cheryl…

Drooling over smoking hot dragon shifters under the pretense of drawing them is a definite perk of Cheryl’s graphic design internship. Especially the hard-bodied CEO, who’s as ripped as Superman and flies, too.

But when her next “duties as assigned” turn out to be marrying him, she has to think hard before turning Mal down. There’s something sweetly endearing about his impossible demands, and the toe-curling kisses offer their own irresistible enticement….

A dragon male has never turned down the Empress. Dragon society is about to be rocked by a shy, curvy female from an unimportant little planet named Earth!

HIS HUMAN BRIDE by Anne Bordeaux

Rune-Yon is like nothing Katharine Leigh Parker had ever dreamed of. Twin moons in a purple sky illuminate her lover, Breccon Tallel, as he drives her to the brink time and time again.

But Breccon’s people are ailing, and Katharine can help—if she can prove her loyalty. Pledge her body and soul to Breccon and her allegiance to all Rune-Yonians.

Five impossible tasks stand between Katharine and a new forever. Together with her alien mate—touching, kissing, loving—she can do anything. For she is Breccon’s, and Breccon is hers.

THE WARRIOR (MEN OF THE NORTH BOOK 5) by Elin Peer

Magni knows what he wants and he’s used to getting it. As the second in command in the Northlands, he doesn’t care that he comes across as rude or domineering. Asking for permission or apologizing for his actions is for weaker men.

Six months ago, Laura was Magni’s sweet and submissive young wife. Tempted to experience the independence of women in the Motherlands, and to learn martial arts, she ran away. Now, she’s back. Stronger and more confident than before. Determined not to let a man dominate her, not even the one she once fell in love with and married.

Is there a way for Magni and Laura to be a couple again with her need for independence and his need for control? And can someone as proud as Magni overcome his anger with Laura for leaving him in the first place?

CHARM THIS (300 MOONS #9) by Tasha Black

Trendy charm necklaces bring customers into Rachel DelGato’s small local jewelry shop. But Rachel’s true calling is selling antique engagement rings. The running joke in Tarker’s Hollow is that her rings are enchanted, since the couples who wear them never seem to split up. If only Rachel were the warm and fuzzy type who believed in that kind of thing, she might be wearing one herself.

Handsome wolf-shifter Jack Harkness is hanging his own shingle as a general contractor. When his old high school crush, Rachel DelGato, needs his help at her store over the holidays, Jack doesn’t know whether to be overjoyed, or afraid that the torch he’s carried for her will turn into an epic conflagration big enough to consume them both.

Whatever happens, both the man and his wolf are determined to melt Rachel’s icy facade and charm the woman within.

THIS COLD BLOOD (FINDING ASTRID BOOK 2) by J L Caid and Jaxson Kidman

I’m still dead. I know how I died. And these four vampires can’t get enough of me. But believe me, this is far from over…

1.The black figure is chasing me.
2.I face the man who killed me.
3.We face a darkness I never thought possible… hint: more vampires who are for some reason really mad at me.

If that’s not enough, Seth, Layre, Darick, and Kryan want me to play “tag” … naked.
Yeah, things are going just fine being dead.

THE DRAGON’S MAGICAL BRIDE: A NOCTURNE FALLS UNIVERSE STORY by Tina Moss and Yelena Casale

Breaking a love spell on an ex-boyfriend never landed on Mirna Turan’s bucket list. But then the universe has a way of turning best laid plans upside down, even for a magical druid.

Now, destiny is pushing Mirna back to Nocturne Falls, the hometown she has avoided for the past six years. She needs to go back to correct this mistake and acquire the dragon’s eye stone. When fate intervenes by bringing a dragon with a secret back into her life, will he make her want to stay?

Being a dragon in this town never bothered Danila Smirnoff as fur, fangs, and even scales, are welcomed in Nocturne Falls. But harboring a secret about his supernatural side means keeping Mirna at a distance. Will she be able to break down his walls and tame his dragon, or will the truth tear them apart forever?

METAMORPHOSIS (BONDS OF DESIRE BOOK 1) by McKenna Jeffries

VS Note: Apparently this is a paranormal romance.

Richard Falk has one person who can push all his buttons. She is irritating, aggravating, and does not listen to anything he says. Yet he is seeing her in a different light, one where her stubbornness gives him a different feeling… attraction. Wanting this opinionated woman isn’t a problem. The real challenge is convincing her that they are meant for each other. He would have to give her the right incentive to convince her to give him a chance.

Allison Watts is tired of Richard telling her what to do. He might be her boss at work, but in the other aspects of her life, she is the one who makes the decision. His moodiness, rudeness, and unwanted opinions lead her to do something that has far-reaching consequences… of the most pleasurable kind. But she cannot give in and have him for her own. Can she… maybe she could. Richard is driving her into a frenzy of need that only he can quench, tempting her with more than she could ever want.

They are undergoing a change… a Metamorphosis.

THE TEMPLE: A GUARDIANS OF DESTINY BOOK by Jean Johnson

VS Note: This one got really mixed reviews so far.

The Guardian of the Fountain of Mendhi is dying, and her successor must step up to the task. Disciplinarian Pelai is ready to accept the burden of managing the powerful magics, but the timing is inconvenient. She has one last Disciplining to perform: assigning the punishment of the three Puhon brothers–men whose lives are entwined with a prophecy of a cataclysmic demonic invasion.

Six months of travel have given Puhon Krais time to reflect on, regret, and repent his many mistakes. But the worst lies just ahead: defying the leadership of Mendhi means suffering harsh punishments at the hands of the Disciplinarians once he comes home. Commanded by his Goddess, the proud Painted Warrior must find the strength to submit to his destiny…or find himself, and his whole world, on the wrong side of history.

For in the end, one brother is destined to save humanity, one will betray humanity, and one will walk away from his humanity.

THE TROLL BRIDGE by Jenny Schwartz

VS Note: Seems to be a coming of age story, not a romance, has good reviews.

Trolls aren’t born. They’re made, and they fight for the kingdom of Adynn. They are its first and fiercest protectors, guarding the roads into the mountain kingdom.

When young Morgana befriends a newly made troll boy and names him Peter, she unwittingly reveals her magic to his creator. Sorcerer Veritas removes her from her remote village to the School of Sorcery. There she will learn to cast spells and forge charms, but she’ll also learn the high price of friendship, and the reality that someone with her magical ability will always be a target for others who seek power.

War is coming to the kingdom of Adynn. The Vlad Empire, with its death magic and slaves, is closing in. Morgana will be trained as a war wizard, but in her heart she resists the role. She doesn’t want to fight and she refuses to kill. So Sorcerer Veritas will provide a little motivation.

ETERNAL DESIRE: THE SIREN COVEN by Kim Loraine

Izzy: Dying young is tragic. Dying young and being reborn over and over for all eternity? That’s exhausting. My goal had always been to reunite with my sister witches and break the curse put on us. Love was a risk I wasn’t willing to take. It wasn’t worth knowing it’d end in heartbreak. Then a handsome beast found me and took me as his mate. Grant McTavish linked our souls without giving me a choice. Now, with a ticking clock, a shifter pack on the hunt for me and my sisters, and Grant trying to claim my heart, I’ve got to save myself in order to save the man I don’t want to love.

Grant: I never thought I’d find my mate. I’ve watched my pack members find theirs time and time again, but for me, it wasn’t an option. I do my job, fight to keep my pack safe, that’s it. But when my beauty walked into my life, there was no stopping my instinct. Izzy is mine, and no curse is going to take her from me. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. She may think keeping her love from me will keep me alive when her curse takes her, but I know better. We’ll have our happily ever after. I’ll make sure of it.

FATED FOR THE DRAGON (LOST DRAGONS BOOK 2) by Zoe Chant

All his life, Isaak Vallas has been tormented by the beast that lives inside him. Desperate, he retreats to his private island, hiding away from the world in fear that his dragon will slip his control and hurt someone. But when a curvy beauty breaks into his self-imposed isolation, Isaak just might have found the one person who can calm his beast and heal the conflict inside his tortured soul.

Bird scientist Josie Torres isn’t sure what to expect when her search for the world’s rarest bird leads her to a seemingly idyllic Greek island, especially when the locals try to warn her away. Sun, sand, and surf tempt her to let her hair down, but the greatest temptation of all comes in the form of a sexy mystery man with blazing green eyes, an athlete’s body, and a family secret that could threaten them both.

Is Isaak truly the island’s monster, or merely the victim of a much greater evil? As an implacable enemy closes in on them both, Josie and Isaak must work together to untangle the secrets of Isaak’s past before he loses his mind – and his life.

HER BEATING HART (BEATING HART SERIES BOOK 1) by J L Ostle

VS Note: The reviews are mixed. I debated listing this but the concept sounds fun – vampire rock stars, reverse harem…. As always, sample and see what you think! I have not read it. The play on ‘hart’ vs ‘heart’ in the title makes me nuts – the editor in me wants to fix it, even though I get that it’s intentional LOL.

Ivory Bennett has a gift.

She can shield the innocent from supernatural influence, but is it as simple as it seems?

Vampire rockers Beaten Hart hire her to protect their crew and fans, but who would protect their hearts from her?

When Ivory’s gift turns out to be a lot more than anyone could imagine, and darkness threatens to pull her under, can Slate, Rush, Zeke and Caspian protect her, before the worst happens?

RANGER DREW (SHIFTER NATION: WEREBEARS OF ACADIA BOOK 4) by Meg Ripley

Fighting fires was my duty at Acadia, but the day I met Kathleen, nothing could have prepared me for the fiery passion that would ignite between us.

She came here to explore the beauty of our national park, and from the first time my eyes met her emerald green gaze, instinct kicked in and my inner bear knew I had to claim her as my mate.

But the more I tried to get to know her, it seemed the less I knew. As it turned out, she’d been spying on my clan and delivered us an ultimatum: we could either surrender ourselves to the government as test subjects, or be destroyed along with the park we called home.

She swore she was being blackmailed and promised to help us defend Acadia. But would her betrayal of my trust extinguish the flames between us once and for all, leaving nothing but the ashes of what could have been?

HER ASSASSINS (KINDRED SOULS BOOK 1) by Helene Gadot

As the bastard child of parents who weren’t kindred souls, Rhapsody has spent her life on the move, music her only companion as she makes her way as a traveling bard who sings out against the king’s law. A law that makes it illegal to marry anyone but your kindred soul.

But when a trio of assassins sent by the king to silence her invades her camp one night, they’re unable to finish the job, declaring her their kindred.

Rhapsody never thought she’d find hers, much less three of them, and she certainly isn’t interested in having her freedom and choices stripped away by the bond.

The problem is, she may need them to stay alive because they weren’t the only ones the king sent after her.

Unable to deny or fight the attraction she feels for them, Rhapsody faces her most difficult choice yet — run as far and fast as she can or accept the three assassins as hers.

DRAGONLUST (SHADOWSWORD’S HAREM BOOK 2) by Rebecca Baelfire and Jenifer Knox

They should be my enemies. But in a world of danger, now they’re all I have.

I’ve spent the last seven years searching for my father and the dragon shifters who kidnapped him. Just when it seems the answers I’ve been looking for are in my grasp, everything goes awry. Now I have no choice but to put my life and trust in the hands of dragon shifters—one with a secret agenda who’ll do all he can to make me his, and two whom I’ve never even met.

Am I walking into a trap, or do they hold the key to more than just my salvation?

When a new evil rises, the danger is greater than ever, and there are two things I know to be true. Nothing is what it seems, and all of us are running out of time.

My name is Helena. All my life, I’ve had to fight to live, and now I have to fight for those I love. No matter what, I will never be taken.

FIRE AND BONE by Rachel A Marks

Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party—one that turns out to be a trap.

Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted—especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld.

As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out whom to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing is for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.

MODRED-NIGHT WOLVES by Lisa Daniels

Kiara never expected to be shipped off so soon. She always thought it would be her older sister to get married first. She never took well to lessons, to learning to be a proper princess… and now they expected her to help forge the alliance between her people and the people of Kanthus.

The Kanthians were said to worship gods – false ones. Those with such blood in their veins usually ended up with yellow eyes.

And somehow, they expected Kiara to marry one. Except, the arranged alliance and potential marriage didn’t quite work out the way she expected.

IT TAKES A COVEN (A WITCH CITY MYSTERY) by Carol J Perry

When Lee Barrett joins a former student’s bridal party as maid of honor, she expects cake tastings and dress fittings. But wedding planning becomes more peculiar than Lee’s scrying talents could ever predict. There’s a magical baker, a best man with a checkered past, and a talking crow named Poe as the ring bearer. There’s also a kindly old man dead under his apple tree—one of a series of unexplained deaths hanging over the Wiccan community . . .

With witches dropping dead before they even come out of the proverbial broom closet, Lee’s best friend, River, fears she might have somehow unleashed a terrible curse on the city. Now, aided by Poe and her clairvoyant cat, Lee sets out to investigate. Are lives being claimed by vengeful supernatural forces—or by something more shocking? She soon discovers, casting light on the wicked truth can be one killer commitment.

THE LIBRARIAN’S VAMPIRE ASSISTANT by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

VS Note: Sounds good!

Who killed Michael Vanderhorst’s maker? It’s a darn good question. But when the trail brings Michael to hellishly sunny Phoenix, Arizona, his biggest problem soon becomes a cute little librarian he can’t seem to stay away from. He’s never met a bigger danger magnet! Even her book cart has it out for her. And is that the drug cartel following her around, too? “Dear God, woman! What have you gotten yourself into?”

Things go from bad to worse when local vampires won’t play nice.

Can this four-hundred-year-old vampire keep his librarian safe and himself out of hot water? Can he bring his maker’s killer to justice? Yesterday, he would’ve said yes. But yesterday, he didn’t have a strange connection with a librarian. Yesterday, people weren’t trying to kill her.

HAWKYN: A DEMONICA UNDERWORLD NOVELLA by Larissa Ione

As a special class of earthbound guardian angel called Memitim, Hawkyn is charged with protecting those whose lives are woven into the fabric of the future. His success is legendary, so when he’s given a serial killer to watch over, he sees no reason for that to change. But Hawkyn’s own future is jeopardized after he breaks the rules and rescues a beautiful woman from the killer’s clutches, setting off an explosive, demonic game of cat and mouse that pits brother against brother and that won’t end until someone dies.

Aurora Mercer is the half-wytch lone survivor of a psychopath who gets off on the sadistic torture of his victims. A psychopath whose obsessive psyche won’t let him move on until he kills her. Now she’s marked for death, her fate tied to that of a murderer…and to a sexy angel who makes her blood burn with desire.

DEMON ESCAPE (THE RESURRECTION CHRONICLES BOOK 4) by M J Haag

Eden Terry survived the first ring of hell only to end up in the second one.

With nothing but a trowel and her wits, she’s determined to escape the work camp holding her prisoner. She dreams of finding a safe haven and living in the new, devastated world on her own.

However, surviving alone after she escapes proves more difficult than she ever imagines. While running from zombies and hellhounds, a new creature emerges. This one isn’t after her blood. He wants much more.

Eden must decide who the real devils are between man and demon. Choosing wrong could cost her life; choosing correctly could lead her to the haven she’s been searching for.

THE CURSE (SHIFTER ORIGINS) by Harper A Brooks

For wolf-shifters like Astrid marked by the curse, time is running out. If she doesn’t find her soul’s mate before her twenty-fifth Blue Moon rises, she will die. And with only three weeks left, things aren’t looking good for her. True love just doesn’t fall out of the sky.

Lone wolf Erec is determined to stop a crazed killer from harming anyone else. Even if it means helping a rival pack. But he never expected to feel such a pull for the alpha’s beautiful daughter, Astrid. He doesn’t have time for distractions if he wants to find a killer before his final Blue Moon rises.

Danger looms, and the swirling patterns on their skin mark them for death, but Astrid and Erec are willing to do whatever it takes to save the pack, even if they die trying.

PERFECT MATE (PROJECT REBELLION BOOK 1) by Mina Carter

VS Note: A re-release that sounds REALLY good. One of the reviews mentioned that the series ‘stopped’, which does give me pause. I hate starting a series that just…ends, you know? Still, I might not be able to resist.

Lillian’s life is… dull. The highlights of her day, other than her skinny hot chocolate, are the hunky guards who work in the military wing. It’s classified and way above her pay grade, but she can’t help feeling sorry for the hollow-eyed men and women they shuffle past reception. Then a late night emergency is wheeled in, his abdomen shredded and covered in blood. They’re not an emergency room but she can’t turn him away and risk a death on her hands.

Unable to get the handsome soldier out of her mind, Lillian sneaks into the restricted area and finds herself thrust into a world where nothing makes sense. A world where men aren’t always men, the dead walk, and her handsome soldier is way more than he seems…

Her scent calls to him. She’s his. Now he has to keep her alive.

Jack Harper was a soldier, a good one… then the Project decided to play god. Now he has permanent anger management issues and a monster living inside him. Used as a weapon, he’s been waiting for a chance to strike back. But the Project are onto him.

Ruled unstable, a kill order is passed down on Jack and his squad and they are transferred to St.Margarets. Play-things for the head docs until a bullet to the back of the head deals with them for good. But Jack isn’t going down that easily, not when the delicate scent he’d been waiting for all his life wraps around him.

The delicate human woman is his mate. And he’ll fight anything the Project throws at him to save her.

Monsters do exist…and they’re the good guys.

MOONLIGHT AND MAGIC (DAUGHTERS OF SELENE BOOK 1) by Rebecca Airies

Lorelei is searching for the truth. A witch, part Erysi, she needs to discover who the ghost terrorizing the city is, even if it is her grandmother, and stop that spirit before anyone else gets hurt. The treachery she uncovers goes deeper than she ever imagined and leads her to a gorgeous, arrogant, muscled, Erysi warrior who makes her burn with desire.

Quintus needs to get back to his mission after being encased in a spell for years. Helping sexy witch, Lorelei, might help him get that back on track, because her grandmother was probably deeply involved in every part of it. Every time they’re together, it’s hard to keep his mind on the hunt and off her sweet body. The attraction between them burns out of control.

Lorelei and Quintus’ hunt leads them to a plot that could rip apart the lives of innocents. They must work together if they hope to stop the dangerous scheme. Even as she fights at his side, she falls for him. With so much danger around them, she can’t risk love or weakness. Maybe after they finish the fight, they can claim the love building between them.

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

I don’t ordinarily list re-releases…

Also, I may include only the beginning of the book blurb…(you can always read the entire blurb at your favorite ebook seller.)

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday January 10

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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HUNTED BY THE CYBORG by Cara Bristol

VS Note: I’ve been waiting for this one, love Cara’s books! One clicked.

Billionaire Carter Aymes, director of Cyber Operations, a covert cyborg force, devotes his wealth and life to saving others, rescuing hostages and other victims from desperate situations. His ultimate mission is to hunt down and eliminate Lamani, the alien terrorist mastermind, before he conquers the galaxy.

When Carter hires Beth O’Shea, a vulnerable but courageous woman with connections to his past, their attraction is immediate and strong, but he knows getting involved with her is a bad idea. He’s her boss, and he has way too many classified projects to protect to risk letting someone get close.

Rejected by the progenitors who cloned her, Beth is determined to live a normal human life, beginning by getting an ordinary job with a security firm. But, from the start, she questions the extraordinary secrecy surrounding the organization. She can’t help but wonder about the tall, muscled, larger-than-life director who gave her a chance when she desperately needed one. Could he ever be romantically interested in a woman like her, in a clone?

When Beth is attacked, they both realize how short and tenuous life is, and their mutual attraction becomes too powerful to resist.
As their relationship heats up, so does the urgency to capture Lamani before he can unleash a stealth weapon at a critical planetary Summit meeting. With time running out, Carter discovers that stopping Lamani may require sacrificing Beth’s life.

Will Carter be able to rescue her, or will his new love be the one person he can’t save?

Amazon iBooks B&N Kobo Google Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU

CRACKED CONTROL (TALES OF THE CITADEL BOOK 60) by Viola Grace

Addy was a lost Terran. Her ship was captured on the way to the Alliance training center, and she and the other occupants were held for experimentation.

Months of agony with her fellow humans dying under the test-to-destruction methods of the researchers ended the day that Addy was taken to the edge of her limits. A rescue operation came to save her and the other survivors, and she was sedated for the trip back to the Alliance.

Addy lay in stasis while the world she had set on its path to destruction shattered and the rescue shuttle fought for its own survival.

Thirty years later, Addy is woken to find that the world has changed, she is alone at a base, and she has the power in her cells to break the world under her feet. No pressure. Ha.

FIGHTING FOR THEIR MATE (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES BOOK 12) by Grace Goodwin

VS Note: I enjoy this series!

Once a commander with the Intelligence Core for the Coalition Fleet, a mission gone wrong forced Chloe to return to Earth injured and dishonored. But she’s seen too much and is restless in civilian life. This drives her to do whatever it takes to return to space, to where she belongs, so she volunteers as an Interstellar Bride. She’s shocked to discover her mate is human, but he’s like no one else she’s ever met…and he’s taken a second, a huge Prillon warrior equally determined to seduce her body and win her heart.

ReCon Captain, Seth Mills, lost both of his brothers to the Hive, and vows to continue fighting. His bride is an unwelcome shock, and he agrees to the Prillon custom of taking a second to protect the innocent woman destined to be his. No matter how determined he is to resist her allure, one touch, one kiss, and he knows he can never let her go.

Although she surrenders to their dominant touch, Chloe is no innocent. She’s a commander with secrets she can’t share. And when the entire Battlegroup is caught in a deadly Hive trap, she’s the only one who can save them all, no matter the cost. But Chloe’s mates won’t let her go into battle alone. No matter the risk, they’re willing to sacrifice everything…and fight for their mate.

THE VANISHING SPARK OF DUST by Sara Baysinger

Stand up. When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she’s determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best assets are her eyes and ears. And if she’s brave enough, her voice.

Be heard. Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader and in line to inherit his father’s business. But his growing feelings for Lark, the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might spark a change that flares across the universe.

Fight back.

SYRIN’S MATE (ALIEN BOUNTY HUNTERS BOOK 4) by Michele Mills

Syrin of Forty-Six is a berserker.

Outlawed from Chronos and removed from the Xylan mating database, he’s a fierce warrior with a bloody past. And now he’s a convict, thrown into the most notorious prison in the four sectors.

Since Sara is also an inmate, she can’t exactly judge. And as the only female prisoner on Detention Center: Zeta 149, she really, really needs protection. So when the prison guards throw Sara into a cell with the unstable berserker, placing bets on how long she’ll live, she’s willing to trade her virginity if he’ll agree to become her protector.

But instead of taking her offer, Syrin lays some ground rules: he’ll never be her pleasure mate, never want her, never desire her, ever. But despite his aura of don’t f*cking bother me, Sara can’t keep her eyes off his bulging biceps and the sexy fangs that peek out from his perfect lips. Sharing a cell with a towering, muscular male who IS NOT attracted to her is sheer torture…but then his bare hand accidentally touches hers…

And all hell doesn’t break loose. Instead a Xylan berserker does, and that’s much deadlier…and much sexier.

OBERON DRAGON (STAR-CROSSED DRAGONS BOOK 1) by Sage Hunter

Oberon. Strongest of the Dragon Shifters. Elected Warrior to protect his people. But when he awakes on earth, he learns he is unable to use his shifter powers. On the brink of death, he is saved by a human female.

Jenny can’t trust men. She was abused by her father, and betrayed by her late husband. But when she finds a gorgeous man lying naked in the desert, she is compelled to help him. Enraptured by his mysterious magnetism, she nurses him back to health. When Oberon finds out Jenny is in danger he must make a choice—seek out the members of his crew and find a way back to his home planet, or protect the woman he loves.

Will Oberon be Jenny’s first true protector? Or will he betray her like the rest?

THEON UNTAMED by Hannah Davenport

VS Note: Debated adding this title as it has some very mixed reviews re editing/grammar. But as always, sample first, right? I have not read it.

Catalina – During her captivity on a Turei ship, Alan is her only companion, another human in the midst of the unknown. He is her friend, her comforter until they are rescued by a Curazin vessel. Alan follows Toran, the ship’s captain, to Azziar to look for his own sister, while Catalina is sent to the untamed planet of Curaz.

This is not her world. These are not her rules. Forced to live a certain way, Catalina rebels, deciding to live her life topside, where the air is clean, and the sun kisses her skin.

And then she meets him…He is her knight in shining armor until someone knocks her unconscious and dumps her in the Northern Clan territory.

She thought it was bad before, but nothing can compare with this.

Theon, leader on the topside, spends his time training on the fields or patrolling the boundary. The females are few, and none of them can hold his attention for long. Until a chance encounter with her…
Catalina piques his curiosity, and when he meets her, he finds the delicate female witty and sharp-tongued. The two are inseparable until Theon has to leave for patrol. When he returns, she’s gone.

AZLO (WEREDRAGONS OF TUVISO) by Maia Starr

Sergeant Sheila Adams is dealing with more than she can handle. After losing herfiancé to the Clenok cyborgs, she wound up inProvidence, a small human hideout. But she wasn’t expectingit to lack leadership, and that she would become that leader. So when the mysterious weredragon alien shows up, she’s suspicious that he is actually there simply to help the humans. Why does she feel turned on by him? Why does he look at her with desire? She’s the leader, and can’t give in to this alien brute.

General Azlo Bron will do right by his King. He has a mission and will not fail. But when he starts to experience the symptoms of the Blackness plague he knows that his time is now short. The cure? Mating with a human female. But he wants Sheila Adams, and she is cold to him. Waiting for her could bring about his death, but there is another human willing to mate with him. Now he must decide. Should he wait for what his heart wants? Or give in to another and save his life?

When Sheila sees this suspicious weredragon named Azlo in action, she can’t help but to find him irresistible. He is a military might to behold. She wants to give in to her desire for him, but can’t let go of her deceased fiancé. But when she finds out that there is more to Azlo’s desire for her, she feels betrayed.

But with the threat of an oncoming cyborg army, she knows that she needs him now more than ever, even if she does not trust him.

KAVE (WARRIORS OF ETLON) by Starr Huntress and Abigail Myst

When the Ministry of Alien Affairs had come knocking at her door, offering her a deal she couldn’t refuse, she seized on the possibility to heal her war damaged father. Now she only had to convince her new alien husband to pull the right strings. Kave probably wasn’t going to be very cooperative with her knife stuck in his chest.

Can Kave and Humility overcome their unfortunate first encounter to start and heal the family they have always wanted to have?

BLOOD FURY: BLACK DAGGER LEGACY by J R Ward

A vampire aristocrat, Peyton is well aware of his duty to his bloodline: mate with an appropriate female of his class and carry on his family’s traditions. And he thought he’d found his perfect match—until she fell in love with someone else. Yet when his split-second decision in a battle with the enemy endangers the life of another trainee, Peyton has to face the idea that his future, and his heart, actually lie with another.

Novo, as a female in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training program, feels like she has to prove herself to everybody—and she has no interest in being distracted by falling in love. But when Peyton proves to be so much more than a rich playboy, she is forced to confront the tragedy that has broken her soul and closed her off from love.

As the two grapple with Novo’s past and Peyton’s present, another couple must contend with a connection that is unparalleled—and potentially scandalous. Saxton, who has had his heart broken, discovers in himself a deep-seated attraction to Ruhn, a new member of the household. But will the other male explore the connection? Or will he close his mind and his heart to what could be true love . . . and cost Saxton everything?

ORIGINS (HERITAGE OF POWER BOOK 3) by Lindsay Buroker

VS Note: Books 1 and 2 of the series, DRAGON STORM and REVELATIONS, came out in December and I missed them – sorry!

Are you still human if your father was a dragon?

Even though Captain Trip always knew he was a little odd, he’s still shocked by the revelation that the elder gold dragon, Agarrenon Shivar, sired him. It’s time, however, to accept reality and learn to use his power, even if it alienates him from his magic-fearing friends—and the woman he’s come to care about. With enemy dragons threatening to kill or enslave everyone in his homeland, he has no choice.

But even if he becomes a great sorcerer, it won’t be enough to fight off all the dragons threatening Iskandia, so Trip suggests a mission to General Zirkander. He wants to lead a team, with the scholarly Lieutenant Ravenwood’s help, to locate his sire. Agarrenon Shivar, once respected and feared by his own kind, may be the perfect ally for Iskandia—if Trip can talk him into siding with humanity.

Just one problem: the ancient dragon hasn’t been seen for thousands of years, and Trip has no idea how his long-dead mother found him.

KALKIN (APACHE COUNTY SHIFTERS BOOK 1) by TL Reeve and Michele Ryan

Keeley Blueriver is not doing a very good job hiding out. After being viciously attacked, she and her sister Danielle pack up and move across the country to Window Rock, Arizona. But Simon found them before, and he’ll do it again. How and when are the only questions.

Kalkin Raferty, Alpha of the Raferty pack, has spent his life protecting his family and pack from outside threats. He believes his time for finding a mate has passed. Who would want an old Alpha wolf?

A chance meeting puts Kalkin face to face with his destiny and now he can’t get the blonde-haired, hazel-eyed woman out of his mind. His wolf is poised to claim her, but with danger lurking around every corner, is he willing to risk everything to have her?

BURNING YULETIDE (WARBLER PENINSULA BOOK 3) by Siobhan Muir

VS Note: I’ve been enjoying the snippets Siobhan has been sharing on the Sunday Snippet hop. Put this on my TBR.

stelle Three-Hearts has one goal for the holidays – finish her charity calendar for the ‘Smoke Detectors in Every Building’ program to provide fire safety for the citizens of Three Lakes. Luckily, her uncle is a captain for the fire department who’s recruited volunteers to pose for the sexy firefighter calendar. There’s nothing more fun to look at than half-naked firefighters all year round.

Mark Redfeather, a Firebird shifter, has learned to use his birthright for firefighting rather than fire-lighting. When his captain asked for volunteers for the charity calendar, he had no plans to participate – until he meets Estelle, and recognizes her as his mate.

Estelle is human and knows nothing about the Elder Races, but when an arsonist strikes her home and studio, Mark is forced to reveal his secret. Estelle must decide if he’s the monster she fears or the man who sets her heart on fire.

ANIMAL INSTINCTS by Patricia Rosemoor

Half-human, half-Kindred, Luc Lazare doesn’t want more complications in his life. He’s focused on protecting his shapeshifting family and love is the last distraction he needs.

Skye Cross has the ability to talk to animals. Her most recent animal rescue mission–stopping an alleged dog fight–actually involved shifters in a primal battle. Her investigation leads her to Luc, a man whose powers both unsettle and intrigue her. Skye quickly finds herself caught in a dangerous world she never knew existed, while relying on a man she couldn’t possibly trust.

Coming from two different worlds, can Luc and Skye overcome the obstacles fated to keep them apart?

SIGILS AND SPELLS by Various

A dangerously beautiful vision of unique worlds that’s sure to leave its mark.

Cross through the looking glass into Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Dystopian realms where you’ll meet valiant heroes, kick-ass heroines, and dangerous creatures waiting to unveil the hidden corners of the universe.

SIGILS & SPELLS includes more than twenty exclusive novels that roam the sands of Egypt, slip into the shadows of 1940s Los Angeles, voyage to the mystical land of Mabi, and dare to traverse the stars.

From the deserts of Africa to the streets of San Antonio, mythological adventurers strike out to discover brand new worlds and unravel the mysteries of Earth in a limited edition boxed set offering the diversity and originality you haven’t been able to find before now.

SIRENS AND SCALES by Various

From the darkest skies to the deepest seas, dive into a breathtaking collision of mermaids, dragons, sirens, and more in SIRENS & SCALES, a unique Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Collection!

Your travels through these stories of dazzling ocean tides and the dizzying reaches of the heavens will leave you breathless. Join dragon shifters and mer-creatures for an experience of salty seafaring adventures and magnificent airborne enterprises where sky meets sea, love meets its match, and imagination has no end.

With 26 full-length stories of enchanting fiction, you’ll learn the secrets of Atlantis, soar to uncharted peaks, and discover creatures of wing and fin and those who love them.

DRAGONSTEEL (SHADOW SWORD’S HAREM Book One) by Rebecca Baelfire

My name is Helena, and I’ve been on the run my entire life.

Every day my father and I protect each other from the dragon shifters who’ll stop at nothing to see us dead.

Until he’s captured.

Pursued for powers they’re convinced I shouldn’t have, the only ones who can help are my childhood friend who’s half-werewolf, and a mysterious dragon shifter with a secret agenda.

When a new evil rises, the danger is greater than ever, and one thing is certain. My father and I are both running out of time.

STORM CROSSED (THE GRIM SERIES BOOK 4) by Dani Harper

Heir to a noble fae house, Trahern is forced to watch helplessly as his twin brother is cruelly changed into a grim—a death dog—as punishment for falling in love with the wrong person. Trahern doesn’t believe love exists, but he will do anything to keep his brother alive—even join the Wild Hunt and ride the night skies of the human world.

Lissy Santiago-Callahan believes in love but has no time for it. She’s busy juggling her career as an academic and her home life as a single mom to a young son with Asperger’s. Her hectic life in sleepy eastern Washington is made even more chaotic with the sudden arrival of a demanding fae and his unusual “dog.”

Mortal and immortal have nothing in common, and the attraction between Lissy and Trahern surprises them both. But when their desire places Lissy and her child in the path of a deadly faery feud, will the connection last, or will their separate worlds prove too great a divide?

PURSUIT OF MAGIC (DRAGON’S GIFT: THE VALKYRIE BOOK 3) by Linsey Hall

Finally, I know what I am. A DragonGod. I’ve been gifted with the magic of the Viking gods. Except my new powers are devouring each other. If I don’t fix this soon, I’ll have no magic left–and no magic means no soul.

To save myself, I must go on a quest through the realms of the Viking gods. It’ll be the most dangerous adventure of my life, taking me past monsters and deadly worlds. Fortunately, the Celtic war god Cade is at my side, along with my friends and allies.

Things get even more dangerous when I learn that I must destroy the Rebel Gods’ stronghold to keep my magic. If I don’t succeed, I’ll become a walking husk of a DragonGod, wishing only for death.

So I guess it it looks like the fun is about to start.

LEADER LION (PROTECTION, INC BOOK 5) by Zoe Chant

Strong-willed stage manager Grace Chang once longed for success and love. Then she got burned by a charming cheater. Okay, forget love. Now she’s aiming for success with her new job on Mars: The Musical, but dangerous sabotage threatens to make it Mars: The Megaflop. As for men, she’s done with them. Especially charming ones. Done!

Charming lion shifter bodyguard Rafa Flores lets his teammates believe he’s a carefree ladies’ man. But he secretly spends his nights alone, longing for the mate he’s never found–until he gets a job guarding Grace. Now he must solve a mystery, court his true love, protect her from a deadly assassin, and explain that he’s a shifter without sending her running for the hills. Piece of cake!

One alpha lion shifter and one strong woman are about to face the toughest challenge of their lives. No, not the assassin. Love.

WINGS OF STONE (PROTECTORS OF MAGIC BOOK 1) by Jenna Wolfhart

Human. Weak. Sick. That’s what I’ve been told I am all my life. But when magic hunters attack the castle where I’ve been kept hidden since birth, I discover my whole world is built on lies.

Because the hunters are after me.

Running for my life, I’m rescued by four dangerously handsome gargoyle shifters. They say they’re here to save me…but maybe they only want to save themselves.

Because, as it turns out, I’m not merely human. I am a Protector of Magic–if I die, magic will vanish from the world. And my four winged guardians will turn to stone forever.

SERPENT’S BITE (THE LAST SERPENT BOOK 4) by Tansey Morgan

Ever since I became what I am, there have been wolves snapping at my heels, harrying me, trying to weaken me. I hate to admit it, but they’ve been winning. Recently I fled to London to try and get away from one set of problems, only to land right in the middle of another, and at this point I’m not sure which is worse. Two mentors are still missing, someone is synthesizing a drug made from the raw energy all supernatural creatures possess and selling it to others for a cheap thrill, and I haven’t heard a peep from the group of fanatics looking to kill every single female supernatural on the planet, which worries me. But if I thought I was in trouble before, things are about to get a whole lot worse, and there’s no way in hell I’m ready – none of us are.

With the help of Dante, Leo, the Keeper, and the four gorgeous men who see me as some kind of queen, I’m going to start pulling at the threads that keep these mysteries hidden and see what falls out. It’s time for this serpent to draw her fangs, and bite back.

LURE OF THE FOX (ALOHA SHIFTERS: JEWELS OF THE HEART BOOK 6) by Anna Lowe

Desert fox shifter Ella Kitt has no problem risking her life — but never, ever her heart. Not that she expects to do either when she flies to Maui to help her Special Forces comrades with an easy security job. Or maybe not so easy, because she’s forced to work — and live — in close quarters with smoking hot army hero, Jake McBride. Jake isn’t just the one-night stand who makes her scarred heart flutter and her fox’s tail wag — he’s also a human, totally off-limits to shifters of her kind.

Head over heels in love? Not Jake McBride. It’s just that he can’t shake Ella out of his mind — or his dreams. But when destiny reunites him with his kick-ass lover, he can’t deny the attraction any more. There’s something powerful and alluring about Ella — plus a hidden, sensual side he longs to set free.

At the same time, mystery surrounds Ella and Jake’s new employers at Koa Point. How exactly can a group of Special Forces vets afford to live on an exclusive oceanfront estate? What deadly enemy is closing in on their sun-kissed corner of paradise? And is that enemy targeting someone at the estate — or targeting Jake?

MIKHAIL: A ROYAL DRAGON ROMANCE (BROTHERS OF ASH AND FIRE BOOK 2) by Lauren Smith

A dragon never leaves his hoard unguarded. His heart is another matter.

The second eldest in an ancient line of Russian dragon shifters, Mikhail Barinov had one job: protect one of the family hoard of jewels. Distracted by the English virgin queen Elizabeth, who was as dazzling as she was devious; he lost everything. Five centuries of exile later, news that a construction crew has unearthed a massive trove of gold and jewels sends him racing to London, determined to steal back his family’s treasure…and his honor.

Professional gemologist Piper Linwood can’t wait to bury herself in her newest project, evaluating a hoard of Elizabethan-era treasure. But both her life and career are threatened when a mysterious, brooding man with a dangerous smile—and an even more dangerous kiss—snatches the lot.

Unwillingly swept along for the ride, Piper discovers Mikhail is no mere thief. And the dragon on his back is more than a tattoo. It’s a living, breathing extension of a bad boy she’s finding harder and harder to resist. But his heart is a treasure she can never own…because to save her career, she’ll have to betray his trust.

VAMPIRE VIGILANTE by Sparrow Beckett

The Huntress – a vampire with lethal determination, Natalia hunts down and exterminates rogue werewolves. After burying her heart centuries ago, she now lives only for revenge. When a werewolf serial killer leaves a swathe of carnage, she’s forced to team up with the alpha of the northwest werewolf pack. Cristian’s obnoxious sex appeal throws Natalia’s methodical and spartan existence into turmoil.

Cristian can’t help be intrigued by the icy Natalia. He hasn’t been drawn to a female since his mate died decades past. Now, he vows to pry away her hostile mask and discover the woman it conceals.

Will Natalia allow Cristian to lay claim to her heart if it means sacrificing part of her identity?

HAVING HER ENEMY’S SECRET SHIFTER BABY by Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix

Reese can’t get the delectable she-wolf Jane Coleman out of his mind. They shared one passionate night on a Ft. Lauderdale beach and she disappeared by morning. He should forget her, but his wolf won’t let him dismiss the memories of her silken skin, lush curves, and seductive smile.

Even as he fights to keep his lands out of the hands of a rival pack, he can’t suppress his constant craving for the female werewolf. The last place he expects to find the alluring stranger is at the side of his sworn enemy—her father.

He should crush her father and walk away, but one sniff changes Reese’s plans. Jane is pregnant with his pup and he will have them both!

EYE OF THE FALCON (PSYCHIC VISIONS BOOK 12) by Dale Mayer

As a young girl, Issa, bonded with her pet falcon was the lookout for her father’s smuggling operation in Ireland. After everything blew up one night and her father and brothers were killed, her mother brought her to America to start over.
Immigrating was hard, but eventually she grew up and pursued a career in environmental sciences and continued to follow her passion for falconry. But she doesn’t find the same special bond with another falcon. Until one fateful day when her world explodes again…
Eagle, a former military pilot, has retired to his small ranch outside of Denver, Colorado where he runs a rescue center for raptors in need. One falcon is acting irrationally. Eagle’s only recourse is to euthanize him, but the falcon rips free. Although injured so badly he shouldn’t be able to fly, the falcon disappears into the skies.
The next night the falcon returns with a beautiful but seriously injured young woman in tow… carrying a message of death and destruction for the both of them.

SHELTERED (THE CITIES BELOW) BY Jen Colly

VS Note: Vampires

When Bette Dautry comes to him, seeking his protection, Guardian Rollin Casteel suspects the mysterious beauty has an ulterior motive. Unable to resist her seductive charms, he soon hungers to mark her as his. Only Bette disappears before he can sink his teeth into her tender flesh, leaving Rollin with one mission: to find her—and to claim her. . . .

Bette seduces Rollin intent on conceiving his child, believing the mother-child bond to be the only kind of love she can sustain—the only kind of love that can keep her alive. But she never expects to feel so much for her strong and silent lover. Then she discovers Rollin is none other than the heir to the Balinese throne—a man too noble—too dear—to play a role in her dark scheme. A man she would willingly die for, if only he would set her free.

CLAIMED BY HER DRAGONS by Kate Richards

Walter the Wizard/dragon shifter hasn’t poked his head outside his cave in weeks. With his current project going every which way but right, his client breathing down his neck, and the neighbors complaining about the odors you’d think you could skip your mumble mumble year reunion—especially when you don’t have a lady in your life at the moment. And you’ve bragged otherwise. But you’d think wrong.

Conflagration Brown’s very nervous about leaving his hoard to attend an event in a nearby city. The wizard who moved into the cave next door is not only absolutely the noisiest neighbor anyone could ever be cursed with but the guy he competed against in everything in high school. And nearly had a thing with. Once he learns Walter is not only attending but bringing a stunning date, he has to top him. What better reason for two dragons…whose rivalry masked an attraction neither was ready to acknowledge way back when…to call Gerri Wilder at the Paranormal Dating Agency for help.

Gina Toriello, plus sized model, actress, and jaguar shifter might have been a little less than specific in her conversation with Gerri Wilder, but she honestly doesn’t know what she wants in a date. And since ordinary men haven’t been much to write home about, she wants something different. Maybe she shouldn’t have written off shifters as mates. Or maybe she just needed two.

If all goes well, they’re going to set the reunion on fire. Or if all goes wrong.

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Last week I got a really rave review for my paranormal romance Lady of the Nile from Rabid Reader’s Reviews – WOOT! – and I was also flattered to discover some lovely fan art on Facebook based on one of my older Egyptian novels. So here’s a reminder of my Gods of Egypt series!

canva all 7 books corrected

Buy Links for Lady of the Nile:

Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

I don’t ordinarily list re-releases…

Also, I may include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday November 15

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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I have a New Release! The 4th in my alien empath series, set in the Sectors, can be read as a standalone:

THE FATED STARS by Veronica Scott

Larissa Channer, a tough no-nonsense mercenary in the Sectors, is celebrating success on her last job and a big bonus, with no slightest thought of taking on another assignment anytime soon. Out for a night of carousing with her friends at a third rate carnival on a backwater planet, she walks into the tent of a fake fortune teller and finds herself confronting the most intriguing man she’s ever seen. But something’s wrong, ominous currents lie beneath the surface of their encounter and Larissa can’t leave well enough alone.

Samell, a powerful, high born empathic priest, has been kidnapped from his own primitive planet along with a number of his people, and sold to the shady operator of an interstellar carnival. Kept enslaved, pretending to be a fortune teller while forced by his captor to steal information from the minds of all who come before him, Samell despairs of every breaking free.

Until Larissa walks into his tent and he recognizes the warrior who might mean the difference between life and death.

The situation becomes dire when Larissa and Samell come to the attention of the Shemdylann pirates who kidnapped him in the first place and the deadly Mawreg, aliens who threaten the Sectors. Can she save herself and the empathic alien noble, and derail the Mawreg plot against the Sectors? And will the soldier end up with her prince when all’s said and done?

Buy Links: Amazon Kobo B&N iBooks Google

HER CYBORG BEAST (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES THE COLONY BOOK 4) by Grace Goodwin

VS Note: I LOVE these COLONY books! Grace was kind enough to send me an ARC – interviewing her tomorrow for USA Today/HEA and needed to read the book in advance – but otherwise I would have been one clicking today!

Caroline Jane (CJ) Ellison has a gift for analysis. When a Wall Street deal goes bad, the choice between prison or the Interstellar Brides Program is a no-brainer. She’ll go. She’ll leave Earth, her past, and her mistakes behind. The decision is logical, not emotional. Until she wakes up on another world with a huge Atlan Warlord, her matched mate, refusing to claim her.

Warlord Rezzer is contaminated. Weak. The Hive captured him and stole his soul, his very beast. A mate is out of the question when he can’t become what he was born to be, a beast, her mate, her protector. Forced into the Brides Program testing against his will, Rezzer has no intention of claiming the beautiful, sassy female who arrives on the Colony. The Hive stole his beast, but not his honor. He vows to give her to another, a worthy male, a beast who is whole — one not hunted by the Hive as part of a dangerous new experiment to win the war.

CJ takes one look at the wounded warrior before her and knows she will never be able to let him walk away. He’s hers now, her perfect match. And if that means she has to seduce the beast or face off with the Hive to save him…that’s exactly what she’s going to do. She lived her life following the rules. With everything on the line, it’s time to break them.

EUROPA (TAXYON SPACE BOOK 1) by Aurora Springer

VS Note: I’ve been reading the snippets of this on the Weekend Writing Warriors blog hop and have been SO impatient for the book to release. One clicked!

What alien creatures lurk under the icy surface of Europa?

Dr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface of Europa. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants.

Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders.

Nikki’s unexpected meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can the daredevil scientist and scarred Watcher forge a new alliance despite their people’s antagonism?

Amazon iBooks Amazon International B&N Kobo

RYDAK’S FALL (A WORLD BEYOND BOOK 5) by Michelle Howard

Rydak knew he’d never have a Chosen. His empathic touch blessed and cursed him with the ability to read and sense the emotions of everyone he came in contact with. Until her. Lissi Alonson, sister to the Unit Leader of the Jutak warriors he respected and a woman he’d be a fool to fall for.

For years, Lissi had a crush on the elite soldier in her brother’s Unit but the proud Jutak ignored her every attempt to get his attention. Then one night changes everything and he’ll defy his personal rules to spend his life with her by his side.

How far will Rydak fall?

VYCON (ZENKIAN WARRIORS) by Maia Starr

Nicole has a job, defuse the tensions between the earth army and the Zenkian Grantsion
alien army that is attempting to help them fight the invading aliens known as the
Waysaw. When she is assigned to escort Commander Vycon Dase during his mission to
help the earth army defend the copper mines against the invading aliens, she knows that
she can’t resist him. But it’s against the rules for both of them to be intimate, she is human and he is alien – but breaking the rules is just too damn hot…

Commander Vycon Dase hates humans, but the humans and his own race have a common enemy known as the Waysaw. He is appalled that his leader has asked him to journey to earth to help him deliver a message of an oncoming invasion by their common enemy and to help the weak humans toughen their defenses, but that is before he meets her. When he is asked to guard the important human female Nicole Plimoc, he finds himself conflicted between his loyalties to obey the rules of never being intimate with humans, and his desire for her.

When she tells him her secret, he abandons her only to discover the error of his ways.

Will he reunite with her before the invasion? Or will he lose her… forever.

KEECHA (RATHIER WARRIORS) by Stella Sky

Dr. Alice Tanner is used to being ostracized. Sure, she’s smart, but would it kill the
universe to let things go her way for once? The other scientists in her elite research
group never hesitate to give her a hard time. It’s a pretty typical day then, when Alice
and her group are abducted and dumped on a terrifying prison planet. Even that
might not have been so bad, until she’s found by a sexy but cocky alien who practically
makes her his prisoner…

Commander Kecha Thornax is fierce, strong, and brave, but his animalistic desires are
awakened by the peculiar human female. Everything about her is different, from her
personality to her slight, fragile, arousing body… Kecha vows to protect her from the
dangers of the prison planet and makes up his mind to claim Alice once and for all…

Their temptations on the prison planet risk their lives, so Kecha swears off his desires
until they are in a safe place. He promises to take her to Earth, but now that she has
been claimed, there is no way he will let her go…even if that means stooping to
deception and risking everything.

PSION’S CHILDREN: ALEDAN SERIES BOOK 5 by Christine Myers

Jamerin Narcaza was the strongest human psion alive. They called him the Promised One; his mission is to free the Psions of Aledus. Only the Wholaskans of Velran were strong enough to control him, so they taught him to control himself by following the strict Psion Code of Ethics.

Because he revered the Wholaskans Jamerin adhered to those principals until he met her. Parei was his psi-mate, and they were going to take her away. That’s when he went against everything he had been taught to control his parents’ minds and make them let Parei stay.

How could a boy so bad be destined to perform a task so honorable? Can the Wholaskan’s reform him where his parents can’t? Will he destroy their minds like his grandmother nearly had years before he was born.

Can he really free the minds of Aledus?

SNOWED IN WITH THE ALIEN BEAST by Starr Huntress and Kate Rudolph

After her space ship crash lands on an alien planet, Stella finds shelter in a nearby cave that is much more than it appears. But when a hidden door closes, she’s trapped inside… and she isn’t alone. Monsters lurk in the shadows and another survivor, mysterious and beastly, takes her under his protection. He promises to keep her body safe, but her heart is another matter.

Arest knows nothing but blood and death. Yet, when he sees Stella, his only thought is to keep her from harm. ..(much more)…

SNOWED IN WITH THE ALIEN WARLORD by Nancey Cummings and Starr Huntress

Penny is having the worst year. First the pretty lizard aliens show up and start murdering people. Then the “good aliens” arrive and claim they’ll defend Earth and save humanity… for a price. She knows a protection racket when she sees one. And the price? Married to an alien? No thank you.

Kol has one mission: destroy the Suhlik. He’s not interested in this new planet, Earth, or the strange soft-skinned inhabitants. On a scouting mission, he catches the luscious scent of his mate and must find her in the rubble of a ruined city and bring her to the safe zone…(much more)…

LIEUTENANT’S MATE (FARSEEK MERCENARIES BOOK 2) by Clarissa Lake

Lieutenant Commander Pyrron Advantu, right hand man and friend to Commander General Maktu of the Farseek Brigade is a man used to getting what he wants as are the men and women of the Farseek Brigade. Until their world was left in ruin they were the Transtellar Consortium’s most elite and formidable warriors. Each of their ten dreadnaught starships carried a dual force of star warriors and ground fighters.
Outraged that the Consortium knew of the attack on Farseek and kept that knowledge from the Brigade fighting for them on a distant front, the Farseek warriors withdrew from the Consortium to become the Farseek Mercenaries. The high paying rescue of a world governor’s daughter and her companion was their first mission. ..(more)..

RAISING AMALIA (VERIDIAN CHRONICLES BOOK 0) by Regine Abel

Sevina has never known life outside a slave ship… until today. At twenty-two, she’s sent to Eryon Valis, a Korlethean slave with whom she must mate as part of their master’s psi breeding program. When a prophecy sets a target on her, Eryon secretly shields her and their unborn daughter from those who would harm them.

Unbeknownst to Sevina, her mother Maheva faces her own emotional turmoil while playing a dangerous game to protect her children from the crew and the twisted Guldan beliefs of their Master Gruuk.

As one tragedy compounds another, will Fate forsake them or set the path to a better future?

KASH: STAR CROSSED ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Susan Hayes

Kash knows he’ll never be allowed to claim a mate. A lifetime of military service has left him too battle-scarred and broken to be considered for the off-world mating project his rulers have created to save their people.

His job is to make sure the more fortunate males get to Earth to retrieve their mates. All he has to do is pilot the ship, stay undetected, and keep an eye on things from orbit. It should be the easiest mission of his career…until he lays eyes on the one thing he never expected to find. His mate.

THE ROSWELL AFFAIR by Anne Bordeaux

Seven feet tall. Dark skin. Blue luminescent tattoos. Do they cover his entire body?

Katharine Leigh Parker’s orders are the last things on her mind when she sees him. She went from fetching coffee to communicating with an honest-to-god alien in barely a day. But this was no little green man.

First contact happens right there with him—Breccon Tallel—still chained to the table, their fated bond overshadowing her analytical mind. Her duty.

Breccon promises Katharine pleasures unlike any she’s experienced if she frees him. The scientist in her weighs the risks. The human fears the unknown. But the desire—the need—in her knows she’ll give in to whatever Breccon asks.

TAKEN BY THE TIGERLORD (SPACE SHIFTER CHRONICLES BOOK 2) by Kara Lockharte

Newly disowned princess Seria is tired of shifters trying to control her destiny. All Seria wants is to return to the orderly librarian life she had before scheming royals got involved in her future. But when she inadvertently becomes a political pawn trapped in marriage to the handsome oversexed tigershifter who betrayed her, it will take all of her resourcefulness to fight her true desires…
Destiny says she’s his.
And that he will be her death.
Tigerlord Kai of the House of Stargazer has always known he was destined to die a hero. But when a power play for his position drops his luscious fated mate into his inner sanctum, Kai realizes Seria’s crucial role in his doomed destiny. Saving the universe will require sacrificing not only his life, but also hers. It’s a fate he’ll do anything to change, even if it costs him her love.

ABBIE AND THE ALIEN OFFICIAL by Jessica Coulter Smith

Abbie prides herself on being a strong, independent woman. Having been on her own since she was seventeen, she’s taken care of herself, doing whatever was necessary to keep a roof over her head and food on the table. But when she loses her job, her car, and her apartment, she begins to think maybe it’s time to admit defeat and ask for a little help. Even if it means becoming the bride of an alien and living on another world.

Councilman Larimar has only wanted one thing since he reached adulthood. A mate. But his duties have kept him from seeking a wife, no matter how many tempting humans enter the bride program…(more)..

ZYEN (ENIGMA SERIES BOOK 10) by Ditter Kellen

Zyen, the biggest Bracadyte in history, has been conditioned since birth to hate the land walkers. They poison the sky, sea and land. And their greed knows no bounds. Zyen has sworn to kill every land walker before allowing them to destroy the Bracadyte way of life. Until he crosses paths with a tiny human named Carmen.Innocent and pure, Carmen melts his icy heart. He’ll do anything to protect her, even though he can never have her.

Carmen Mendoza lives her life in a constant state of anxiety. Plagued by panic attacks, she can’t seem to move beyond her horrific past and allow herself the one thing she desires most…the giant Arkadian, Zyen. When the human government discovers the healing power of the Bracadyte blood, Carmen and Zyen are thrown together in a deadly game of betrayal and greed that just might cost them their lives…

REDEMPTION by KD Jones

VS note: The cover was a bit hot for my blog…well done but lots of nakedness.

Lieutenant Nix Saber has worked hard to earn her position with the Drastan fleet. Her talents have been wasted training warriors, but now she’s finally getting the opportunity to help rebuild Earth’s substructure underground. Not all the humans are happy with her people’s help, but her real problem is with a human male who always seems to get under her skin.

Corey Nash is a survivor. Years in the tunnels after the nuclear disaster taught him that the only person he could really count on was himself. Given the opportunity to train with the Drastan warriors, he jumped at the challenge. Now his people need him to return to the tunnels to help build a city below where they can thrive. If only he didn’t find that bossy Drastan female warrior so distracting.

FLASHTIDE by Jenny Moyer

VS Note: YA as far as I can tell but I do enjoy post apocalyptic books so here it is…it’s on my TBR but way down there…

Orion has survived the tunnels of Outpost Five, filled with mutant creatures and dangers around every bend. She has traversed the cordons, exposed to the radiation of the flash curtain and hunted by forces that want her stopped, dead or alive. Now, with Dram by her side, she has made it to the safety of the mountain provinces, where free Conjurors live and practice their craft of manipulating matter.

But Orion’s story is far from over.

With the effects of the flashfall spreading and the might of the protected city of Alara looming, Orion must travel into the hands of her enemies once again.

THE MENTOR (MEN OF THE NORTH BOOK 3) by Elin Peer

The Men of the North have been living in exile for centuries, raising their boys without the influence of women. Now an experiment will bring girls and boys together in a new school with children and teachers from each side of the border. But how can two teachers work together when they don’t agree on anything?

Sparks fly in this clash of cultures when Archer Rex objects to Kya Rae’s meditation “shit” that will surely turn his Nboys into wusses. He wants the kids to learn how to hunt and fight instead.

MR. PEABODY’S HOUSE (WEREWOLVES, VAMPIRES AND DEMONS, OH MY BOOK 2) by Eve Langlais

A haunted house becomes the focus of a demonic investigation so Brenda teams up with a trio of werewolves to solve the mystery. But when the house eats her, can they find a way to save her?

I met a trio of furballs when my BFF was dealing with a demon issue and since then, I can’t stop thinking about them.

When the chance to investigate a possessed house appears on my desk—after I filch it from someone else’s—I know it’s fate we team up again.

However, I might have bitten off more than I can chew because suddenly my hunky puppies are demanding I become their permanent chew toy.

Me, mated? Eek, but also yum.  Did I mention they totally make my body purr?

Before we can indulge in a sweatily-ever-after, though, they’ll need to save me from Mr. Peabody’s house, because I do believe it ate me.

MARKED BY POWER by CeCe Rose and G Bailey

When Mackenzie’s seventeenth birthday comes around, she planned to spend a few years at the school for the marked learning about her new powers, and then leaving and living her life. But nothing goes as planned when she attends the marking ceremony and all twelve marks appear.

Kenzie lives in a world where being marked with six powers is normal, being marked with seven or more is rare. But being marked with twelve? Well, that’s unheard of.

With learning about her new powers, the last thing Kenzie needs to worry about is falling for her hot teacher. Not to mention the unneeded distractions of the sexy twins, the jerk in all her classes, and her older brother’s best friend who finally seems to notice her.

Romance and marked powers are never a good mix, not when there are people who desire her for more than her heart.

Kenzie may not know, understand or want her twelfth power, but someone does.

THE MID WINTER MAIL-ORDER BRIDE by Kati Wilde

Some might call Princess Anja of Ivermere brave for offering herself up as a bride to Kael the Conqueror, a barbarian warlord who’d won his crown by the bloodied edge of his sword. It was not courage that drove Anja from her magic-wielding family’s enchanted palace, however, but a desperate attempt to secure a kingdom of her own—even if she has to kill the Conqueror to do it. She expects pain beneath his brutal touch as she awaits her chance. She expects death if he discovers the truth of her intentions.

She didn’t expect Kael to reject her and send her back to Ivermere.

Raised in the ashes of the Dead Lands, Kael fears nothing—certainly not the beautiful sorceress who arrives at his mountain stronghold. But no matter how painful his need for her, Kael has no use for a bride who would only tolerate his kiss. Yet the more of Anja’s secrets he uncovers during their journey to return her home, the more determined he becomes to win the princess’s wary heart.

And Kael the Conqueror has never been defeated.

MATEO SANTIAGO by Katlego Moncho

Juniper Evigan is the daughter of one of the strongest Alphas alive, and that comes with a lot of pressure. When she brought shame to her family 5 years ago she was shunned. Now, at eighteen, she must decide to stay with her pack and live as an outcast, or be run off the land and never return.

Mateo Santiago hates life and everything in it. Living with a curse bestowed upon his ancestors has hardened him, and at the age of 23 he is the most feared Alpha in the world. When a rogue is brave enough to cross his lands, he plans to confront her – but is surprised by their intense connection. A connection he never believed possible and was told he could never have.

COLWOOD FIREHOUSE: ZANE (SHIFTERS OF COLWOOD FIREHOUSE BOOK 1) by Kit Fox

Gwen thought that opening up a muffin shop next to a firehouse was going to be a dream come true. Especially next to the hot fireman of Colwood, Montana who like to walk around half-naked. Boy, was she wrong. Because every time she walks outside, she ends up fighting with Zane, the frustratingly handsome firefighter who always gets her heart pumping, her palms sweating, and her pulse racing.

Zane, the Kodiak bear shifter, can’t stop fighting with the girl next door. But his inner bear has other plans for his curvy neighbor and he doesn’t seem to care what Zane has to say about it.

When the two enemies are forced together for a night will they be at each other’s throats, or be at each other’s clothes?

DISTANT LIGHT (TALES FROM THE EDGE BOOK 1) by Chloe Adler

Iphigenia Holt is a good little witch who grew up under the thumb of a wicked mother and two powerful sisters. Pegged as a caretaker, Iphi hides a secret that would change the way everyone around her views her: she’s an empath. And yet she doesn’t let that stand in her way. A soaring circus performer with a fierce love for animals and the downtrodden, Iphi tumbles her way through life, hiding the hurt just being around others can inflict…

…Until she meets an enigmatic vampire and his three hot shapeshifting cousins. ..(more)..

SKY BREAKING 301 (HELLKITTEN CHRONICLES) by Viola Grace

VS Note: Not sure there’s romance, might even be YA. I just liked the cover LOL.

Her magic is coming along, her kitten is still deadly, and she is about to make an actual friend. Controlling weather is simple by comparison.

Sky Breaking seemed like a useful course, but its usefulness lay in the amount of credits that would count toward Imara’s degree. Once she is in the course, she meets the only other student, and they strike an unlikely friendship. Kitigan is a seer who has an interest in farming and apiculture, weather magic is part of that peculiar parcel …(more)…

REALM OF DARKNESS (INFERNAL THREE BOOK 1) by May Sage

Tria Winters plays the part of the loyal agent well, but she’s nothing short of a prisoner. When the Agency is brutally attacked, she and her cousins should have taken their chance to run, but to her surprise, there are people she isn’t quite willing to turn her back on.

It’s obvious to Gray that Tria and her family are trouble, but they’re the only ones able fight off those who destroyed the Agency. He needs to stay with them.

Even though their plan may land him in Hell.

DANGEROUSLY DARK (THE DREAMCASTER SERIES) by C J Burright

A master of dreams, a failure at life…

After another botched career attempt, Quinn Carmichael escapes to a remote lodge for a weekend recharge, needing respite…especially from the nightmares that haunt even her days. When a wounded, sexy-as-sin stranger faceplants unconscious on her kitchen floor, there’s something disturbingly familiar about him—as in he’s the boy from her childhood dreams. Mr. Dark, Dangerous, and Diabolical may be the key to unlocking the mysteries of her past and future, and Quinn isn’t about to let the opportunity—or him—escape without a fight.

His time is running out…

Known as Purgatory’s Missing Prince, Zaire’s existence has been one of endless pain, torture, and loss. Resigned to his fate, his final goal is simple—rescue his nephew before succumbing to the deadly darkness inside him. But when a fateful misstep brings him face-to-face with the one woman who could have saved him once upon a dream—the one woman he treasures above all else—he battles to keep his distance before he destroys her, too. But he would gladly sell his soul for just one taste.

Love draws them together, destiny will tear them apart

With ruthless enemies closing in, Quinn and Zaire must fight to save each other and those they care for before it’s too late—even if it means they’re doomed to live apart forever.

Amazon iBooks Barnes & Noble * Googleplay * Goodreads

PLEASURES OF CHRISTMAS PAST (A CHRISTMAS CAROL BOOK 1) by Lexi Post

When present day American social worker Jessica Thomas is assigned her first case as a spirit guide, she’s excited to serve as the Spirit of Christmas Past for her client and prove she knows her profession well. Unfortunately, her mentor, the very hot, very single, and very Scottish Duncan Montgomerie has little faith in her ability and plans to catch her when she falls. As far as she’s concerned, he’s going to be waiting a very long time.

Bachelor Duncan Montgomerie hails from late 18th century Scotland where he enjoyed life to its fullest, something he continues in death. Having been dead a while, he is well equipped to handle the afterlife where time doesn’t exist and phasing is the norm. What has him stymied is his connection to the uptight Jessica and the strange feelings he’s experiencing being around her, even though she refuses to listen to his advice. Duncan needs to figure out what it all means and fast because the rules change after death and the path Jessica is headed down could cost her her soul.

WALKING ON WATER by Matthew J Metzger

When a cloud falls to earth, Calla sets out to find what lies beyond the sky. Father says there’s nothing, but Calla knows better. Something killed that cloud; someone brought it down.

Raised on legends of fabled skymen, Calla never expected them to be real, much less save one from drowning—and lose her heart to him. Who are the men who walk on water? And how can such strange creatures be so beautiful?

Infatuated and intrigued, Calla rises out of her world in pursuit of a skyman who doesn’t even speak her language. Above the waves lies more than princes and politics. Above the sky awaits the discovery of who Calla was always meant to be. But what if it also means never going home again?

LICKING FIRE: A HOWLS ROMANCE (STOP DRAGON MY HEART AROUND) by Mandy M Roth

Dragon shifter Rayer Drackos of the Dracodomus clan is happy to hide out in his penthouse, away from the world. It beats hoarding treasure in a cave like some of his extended family members have been known to do. The problem is, being a billionaire recluse isn’t helping him find his one true mate. And if he doesn’t mate soon, he’ll succumb to an ancient curse, forever stealing his chance at happiness, ensuring he’ll be forever alone.

Can he find true love before the clock runs out? Are the scales of fate tipped in his favor?

SEMI SANE (HARPER HALL INVESTIGATIONS BOOK 5) by Isabel Jordan

No one knows crazy quite like Dr. Violet Marchand. As the preeminent psychologist to Whispering Hope’s supernatural population, staying calm, cool, and collected in the face of crazy is sorta part of the gig. So, when she starts receiving death threats, Violet isn’t all that rattled. But when her new bodyguard turns out to be the man who betrayed her—the only man who ever came close to breaching the carefully constructed walls around her heart…well, trusting him again might just be a little too crazy, even for a pro like Violet.

Nikolai Aleyev has a lifetime of sins to atone for—not the least of which is betraying Violet’s trust. She’s made it clear she wants nothing more to do with him, and he understands. She’s better off without him. It doesn’t matter that he’s broken and only semi-sane without her. But when he’s assigned to act as Violet’s bodyguard, Nikolai knows he can’t stay away. Protecting her? That’ll be easy for a dhampyre like him. Keeping his hands off her and controlling the attraction that sizzles between them with every touch? That just might be more than he can manage.

When bullets—and sparks—start flying, Nikolai will put everything on the line to save Violet—his freedom, his heart, his life. Because sometimes, the line between crazy and happily ever after is razor thin, and the reward just might be worth crossing it.

TO ENTHRALL THE DEMON LORD by Nadine Mutas

To keep an ill-fated bargain, witch Maeve MacKenna surrenders herself to the scheming Demon Lord Arawn. He’s dangerous, arrogant, ruthless, and dominant–everything she should despise in a male, especially after the torture by another demon left scars on her body and soul. She should tremble with terror in Arawn’s presence. So why does he make her shiver for entirely different reasons? And awaken parts of her body she believed numb after her assault?

Arawn gets what Arawn wants. But when the witch he’s been coveting–for the ancient magic bound inside her–walks into his lair, what should have been simple and straightforward becomes uncomfortably complicated as his interest in her…shifts. A dance of power and attraction begins amid a looming outside threat–because Maeve is not the only one with an age-old force stirring inside her, and the Demon Lord’s rivals are all-too eager to seize that kind of power.

EVERY ANGELIC MOMENT (HYENA HEAT BOOK 7) by R E Butler

VS Note: I interviewed RE (and Linda Mooney) about unusual shifters for USA Today/HEA in October.

Angel Cooper didn’t expect to love working at a campground run by hyena shifters in Pennsylvania, but she feels like she’s finally found the place she belongs. She’s happier than she’s ever been, even if she wouldn’t mind meeting Mr. Right sometime soon. Her sort-of adopted sister, Brierley, is certain that Angel is meant to be the special mate to a hyena clan, but Angel’s not so sure.

Brin, Ian, and Quill Mercer left home with their father’s ashes and their tails between their legs. They’d spent the better part of their lives believing that their father had found the perfect mate for them, but it had all been a terrible lie. ..(much more)…

LEAP OF THE LION (THE WILD HUNT LEGACY BOOK 4) by Cherise Sinclair

After a decade of captivity, Darcy MacCormac escapes the corrupt, clandestine organization called the Scythe, leaving family and friends behind. She must find a way to rescue them. Discovered by other shifters, the brand-new cougar gets two mentors. Blademage Gawain is an easy-going blacksmith with a steel-hard core. His brother Owen is a deadly warrior. Grumpy. Rude. And he doesn’t like her.

Powerful, dominating Owen protects the clan—especially the weak—and the only remnant of an abused childhood is his avoidance of females. Now he has to mentor one? Although Gawain soon falls for the dauntless little cat, Owen knows better than to lose his head. But Darcy has a gift for repairing everything…including damaged hearts.

In the brothers’ arms, Darcy finds safety. Comfort. And love. But however much she longs for a future with Owen and Gawain, her people need her. Somehow, she must find the courage and skills to save them, even if the attempt demands her life.

TO HAVE AND TO HOWL (PARANORMAL WEDDING PLANNERS BOOK 3) by AE Jones

Julia Cole is a lawyer on a mission. After three long years, her husband’s murderers have been convicted. Until their leader breaks out of magically-strengthened, impossible-to-break-handcuffs in the courtroom, that is. Someone is helping them. And that someone is threatening Julia. But she will not back down from them or the man tasked to protect her…a man who scrambles her long-buried emotions.

Jack Dawson is a werewolf with a secret. One that could change his life forever. But his problems have to take a back seat while he protects Julia. He can’t afford to let down his guard—against the evil forces threatening Julia, against his growing feelings for her, fighting to be heard, and against his secret—which could destroy everything.

Can Julia and Jack finally let go of their pasts and begin a new happy ever after together?

VS Note: You know I LOVE Nalini Singh and she has a new one, not SFR or PNR, but hey, it’s Nalini so I’m mentioning it! And yes, I did one click!

CHERISH HARD (HARD PLAY BOOK 1) by Nalini Singh

Sailor Bishop has only one goal for his future – to create a successful landscaping business. No distractions allowed. Then he comes face-to-face and lips-to-lips with a woman who blushes like an innocent… and kisses like pure sin.

Ísa Rain craves a man who will cherish her, aches to create a loving family of her own. Trading steamy kisses with a hot gardener in a parking lot? Not the way to true love. Then a deal with the devil (aka her CEO-mother) makes Ísa a corporate VP for the summer. Her main task? Working closely with a certain hot gardener.

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

As Ísa starts to fall for a man who makes her want to throttle and pounce on him at the same time, she knows she has to choose – play it safe and steady, or risk all her dreams and hope Sailor doesn’t destroy her heart.

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Buy Links: Amazon Kobo B&N iBooks Google

canva alien empath series 4 books

canva boat and cover and quote

Buy Links: Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N Google

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

I don’t ordinarily list re-releases…

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday October 18

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

UNEXPECTED: AN ALIEN ROMANCE by Pippa Jay

VS Note: Always exciting to have a new book from Pip!

When an injured alien crashes on her planet, Soraya follows her instinct to repair and restore it despite the challenge of their differing physiology. But as she gets closer to her patient and he recovers, Soraya confronts a whole new form of existence…and a desire that could destroy her completely.

Yoran chose exile in order to release the woman he thought his soulmate from a marriage contract she had no wish to fulfill, and almost paid for it with his life. Now he finds himself drawn to his alien savior. But how can he ask her to give up the only existence she knows when he’s already suffered the consequences of such a sacrifice himself?

OTHER WORLDS by Various

21 award-winning and best-selling authors bring you the best of PARANORMAL and SCI-FI ROMANCE in this enticing boxed set of 20 exclusive epic adventures.

Dark vampire lords, supernatural hunters, crafty hackers, uncompromising alien alphas, fearless shifters, rogue spaceship captains, and MORE await in this highly sought-after collection including BRAND NEW romantic, otherworldly tales!

CONAN STARGAZER ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES #8 (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Tasha Black

Brooke Singleton is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combat trainer for the police academy. The cadets respect her, her friends adore her and her dream of running her own gym is coming true. But Brooke’s charmed life is fraying at the edges. Her nights are dogged by terrible nightmares of her military service. And a handsome stranger from another planet has arrived, stirring up her emotions with his every heated glance. And he isn’t satisfied with haunting her days, he’s taken to showing up in her dreams as well.

Conan wants only one thing – for brave, beautiful Brooke Singleton to be his mate. But Brooke denies him at every turn. If it weren’t for the nights he visits her dreams, he wouldn’t even know that she craves him more than her next breath. And that would be a pity, because fulfilling Brooke’s wildest desires is all he can think about.

When outside forces threaten Brooke’s home and gym, she and Conan must work together to protect the life she and her friends have built. Brooke will need a hand facing her fears if she wants to preserve what matters most. But can the broken warrior open her heart to let Conan help her?

PRINCESS OF DRAGA (DRAGA COURT BOOK 1) by Emma Dean

Will Princess Adelina sacrifice everything for the chance at love?

In a galaxy far from ours, in the distant future Princess Adelina is a submissive among dominants, a sheep among wolves, until war arrives on the doorstep of the Draga galaxy.

Prince Nash managed to escape the monstrous horde that devoured his own galaxy and now he asks for sanctuary. Adelina feels indescribably drawn to him, but he’s forbidden to her. Will she risk it all to find out if Nash is her true love?

ALIEN CAPTAIN by Ariel Jade

Xaviara is a human diplomat for the Sol Alliance Coalition who’s determined to prove herself to her superiors. Nicholen is the sexy alien captain of the guard sent to escort her team to his homeworld to complete negotiations of an important treaty.

When a spaceship carrying his prince crash lands on a wild, abandoned planet terraformed centuries ago, they uncover a sinister plot that could shatter the peace. Despite rules against interspecies relationships between the diplomatic teams prior to the treaty’s signing, Xaviara finds herself drawn to Nicholen’s commanding presence.

Can they resist one another long enough to catch the saboteur and mount a rescue before the planet’s dangers turn deadly?

WANTED BY THE WEREWOLF PRINCE (SPACE SHIFTERS CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Kara Lockharte

Captain Skye Daring is a space fighter pilot without equal. Rescuing a foreign werewolf prince and his sister from behind enemy lines should be a breeze.

Prince Ral doesn’t take orders from impudent humans. He’s determined to save not only his sister and but his people they left behind. The only thing in his way is a sexy pilot too stubborn to acknowledge his authority.

Stuck in a crippled ship and hunted by tiger shifters, Skye and Ral must stop fighting each other and battle the enemy — together. Will the prince and pilot drop their guards long enough to conquer their dislike…and desire?

HAVEN AND THE ALIEN MECHANIC (INTERGALACTIC BRIDES #13) by Jessica Coulter Smith

VS Note: Not a fan of the cover art even if he is purple.

When the IRS claimed her parents’ home and all of their possessions, Haven lost everything and was plunged into an unforgiving world she’d never been prepared for. Pregnant and alone, she’s not sure how much more she can handle, when her car breaks down in a parking lot. Good thing for her it’s a car repair shop.

Dryden has always wanted one thing. A mate. When the brides being sent to his world barely spared him a glance, he moved to Earth to see if he could find a mate on his own. Little did he realize that the perfect woman would fall into his lap. Her rotten luck was the best thing that ever happened to him.

When certain things come to light about the baby Haven is carrying, her world is turned upside down once more. But with Dryden by her side, she knows anything is possible… even true love and a happily-ever-after.

DIVISION ONE: TOUR DE FORCE by Stephanie Osborn

Alpha One is participating in Omega’s very first First Contact diplomatic operation. Unfortunately, it’s going to split up the team—the Cortians, a race from the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, have stringent requirements, and that narrows down the list of “candidate exchange students” to…Echo. ONLY Echo. PGLEIA’s top Division One Agent, the man being groomed to be the next Director…and Omega’s partner. A plum assignment, for the pick of the crop.

But Omega doesn’t see it that way, though she can’t—or won’t—explain why. She is determined to stop the mission from going forward. At any cost…(more)..

THROUGH THE NEVER (AN SF&F COLLECTION): by Various

VS Note: Not sure how much romance content is in here but recognized some of the author names so…

Forge the journey. Blaze the path. Seize the adventure.

If you’re ready to risk everything and follow powerful but flawed characters to new worlds, then this Fantasy and Science Fiction Anthology will leave you breathless with the thrill of the journey.

Get ready to travel to travel THROUGH THE NEVER with brave characters who break free from familiar confines and launch themselves into the dangerous unknown as they seek new lives and race down pathways from which there is no return.
From Earth to far-off galaxies to fantastic new realms, embark on fourteen exciting adventures in science fiction and fantasy where dangerous new worlds, epic quests, and heart-pounding adventures await.

27 HOURS (THE NIGHTSIDE SAGA) by Tristina Wright

VS Note: YA but sounds good

Rumor Mora fears two things: hellhounds too strong for him to kill, and failure. Jude Welton has two dreams: for humans to stop killing monsters, and for his strange abilities to vanish.

But in no reality should a boy raised to love monsters fall for a boy raised to kill them.

Nyx Llorca keeps two secrets: the moon speaks to her, and she’s in love with her best friend, Dahlia. Braeden Tennant wants two things: to get out from his mother’s shadow, and to unlearn his colony’s darkest secret.

To save everyone they love, they’ll both have to commit treason.

During one twenty-seven-hour night, these four runaways must stop the war between the colonies and the monsters from becoming a war of extinction, or the things they fear most will be all that’s left.

PUNISHING THEIR MATE: A DARK ALIEN ROMANCE NOVELLA (THERAN WARRIOR MENAGE BOOK 3) by Kallista Dane

She’s been rescued by hot alien twins. Taken back to their home planet. Now she’s about to discover what being their Mate REALLY means!

Cass Randall gave up command of the starship Luna to experience life on the alien world of Tharon, where every male is born with an identical twin. Under Tharan law, females are required to be submissive and each one must take a pair of dominant brothers as her mates…(much more)…

THE ALIEN EXPLORER’S LOVE by Leslie Chase and Juno Wells

For Jaranak, the visit to Earth at the dawn of the 20th century isn’t going well. Here to rescue another shipwrecked alien, he and his crew crashed – and now they’re trapped themselves. Blending in won’t be easy with their blue skin, but they have no choice if they’re going to complete their mission.

He might have gotten away with his disguise if he hadn’t met Lilly. The human female may be lovely but her annoying questions are far too clever, and she won’t leave him alone. Worst of all, Jaranak isn’t sure he wants her to. There’s something about the sassy woman that draws him in irresistibly.

All her life Lilly dreamed of following in her parents’ footsteps and exploring the South Seas, but a childhood illness left her unable to do more than read about it. When Jaranak turns up pretending to be from an undiscovered island, she knows that the tall, gorgeous man is lying. But finding out where he’s really from will give her more than she’s bargained for.

Lilly isn’t the only human interested in Jaranak’s secrets, and the others are far more dangerous. When they come after him and his ship, can he keep Lilly out of the line of fire without losing her forever?

VENOMOUS CRAVING by Mary Auclair

In a world where humanity has been hunted to near extinction, Rose is captured and on her way to be sold on the lucrative black market. Seizing her only chance, she escapes and finds fate waiting for her in the form of another captive of terrifying strength: a legendary Eok warrior.

Together, Rose and the Eok warrior Karian fight for their survival – and ultimately for the fate of the entire human race. During that fight, a dangerous attraction is born.

Karian, the unyielding Commander in Chief of the Eok armies, feels his control fading a little more every time he looks at the fragile but headstrong human. Soon, the call to make her his mate torments his body, turning his desires into an imperious craving. She seems to want him, too, but she has no idea of the consequences for her should he claim her.

Will Rose accept him as her bloodmate and seal both their destinies, before everything is lost?

DRAEKON HEART (EXILED TO THE PRISON PLANET) (DRAGONS IN EXILE BOOK 3) by Lee Savino and Lili Sander

Back on Earth is a man who wants to kill me.
Back on Earth, I slept with a knife under my pillow to be safe.
There’s no coffee on the prison planet. No pizza. No chocolate.
I should be thrilled that there might be a way back home.
Except I don’t want to return.
Here, I feel safe.
Because Mike isn’t here.
And because Thrax and Zorux are. …(more)…

HER ROGUE MATES (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES ROGUE 1 BOOK 5) by Grace Goodwin

An Earth member of the medical recovery team on Transport Station Zenith, Harper meets two mysterious strangers from an unknown world. With intense eyes and even more intense desires, it’s easy for the two sexy-as-sin aliens to prove how good it can be with them.

Styx, a leader from Rogue 5, knows Harper is destined to belong to him and his most trusted enforcer, Blade. But when Styx is betrayed by one of his own kind, she’s caught in the deadly crossfire. Her mates must tread carefully, for even if they win the battle on the lawless outer moon, they might lose the most important battle of all, the one for Harper’s heart.

VADIR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Susan Hayes

Vadir has a business empire to run and no time to spare on frivolous endeavors. So how did he wind up on the far side of the galaxy to claim a mate he never signed up for? A matchmaking queen and a royal decree, that’s how.

His plan is simple: meet the female, negotiate terms, and leave the primitive planet of Earth as fast as he can. What could possibly go wrong?

EVLON by Maia Starr

Miranda is on a mission, and the entire human race is relying on her. The ruthless aliens,
the Zenkians, have been attacking earth, but now they are allowing her to enter their
planet for talks of making peace. When the Zenkian leader makes her treat an injured
Zenkian soldier in order to establish trust, she knows that she cannot say no, but the
injured soldier wants her to massage more than just his injury…Evlon is a ruthless Zenkian soldier, second in command, and victor of the Zenkian war
games. Now, while preparing for the next war games, he is appointed to keep the newly
arrived humans distracted from his leaders devious plans. But when he feels Miranda’s
healing touch, he knows that he must have her, and he will not stop until she begs him to
take her.

He carries the secret that she has secretly been abducted and is a prisoner.

Will the soldier get everything he wants? War Games victory… and the human.

THE ARTISTRY OF LOVE (CELESTIAL MATES BOOK 2) by C J Scarlett

For Jives, work always came first. As an alpha alien, a man in charge of the future of the planet, he didn’t have time for relationships. But, when he meets Tracey, everything changes.

Tracey is a woman stuck in a shitty relationship, but also wants to break free. She doesn’t know if she could ever date an alien, but she grows closer to Jives, who helps her through some tough times. Soon, passions start to arise, and lust forms.

But, behind all of that is an evil lurking. A figure from the past ready to cause trouble. Jives realizes who this is, and it’s someone very close to his past, a skeleton in the closet that he would rather not acknowledge. Of course, it was only a matter of time before things started to change. Will Jives take care of the problem before it spells curtains for not only the people of Earth, but Klanden as well?

TRENT (ZENKIAN WARRIORS) by Maia Starr

Samantha must escape from the hands of her ruthless alien abductor, a Zenkian
Commander known as Jenku Vade. But when she does she finds herself desolate in the
outlands, only to be rescued by Zenkian rebel Commander Trent Qoln, Jenku’s enemy.
She falls for Trent’s heroic and kind nature, but must keep her pregnancy a secret because
she bares the child of his enemy.Trent Qoln is a Zenkian rebel commander. He is a skilled hero. The blue skinned,
extraordinarily tall soldier lives by the rules of his people – do not interact with humans.
But when he finds a stranded delicate human female named Samantha, he knows that he
can’t abandon her and rescues her in secret. All of the rules that he has been loyal to
suddenly mean nothing compared to his desire of the human female.

He knows that he will eventually be faced with a choice, his loyalty or his desire.

BAMBI’S ALIEN ABDUCTION (EARTH GIRL’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING AN ALIEN ABDUCTION BOOK 1) by Aubrey Cara

I’ve been abducted by Amish aliens, and hand to God, I’m so over it.

Don’t get me wrong. Their leader is super hot despite his likely shared ancestry with Godzilla. But he’s all about sexing me up and implanting his eggs in my you know where. And yes, I said eggs.

If that’s not bad enough, my besties have been abducted, too, but by entirely different aliens and are on an entirely different planet. I’ve got to get out of here…(more)…

CAUGHT BEAST MATE (BEAST MATES BOOK 4) by Milana Jacks

VS Note: OK, this is my do-over. I meant to list this book last week but somehow got distracted and listed the first book in the series instead, which released a year ago! Sorry if I confused people.

Her protector, her nemesis. His once-in-a-lifetime second chance.

Kidnapped and taken from her home, Sienna is stuck in a beast community without the resources to find her way back. But she’s a survivor. Just like the wounded, bone-thin beast she finds in the desert.

Torrent was warned never to steal a human woman—especially if she’s his pair. He didn’t listen. Captured, beaten, starved by Men of Earth, he’s as near death as he can get without tipping into the void.

When her familiar scent brings him back to consciousness, recognition slams his gut. But there’s no answering light in her blue eyes. It’s just as well. If she remembered him, she’d know to run from the beast who once took her.

Although the spark of attraction burns bright between them, there’s danger in the heat. Because even if his crippled body had something to offer her, the forces arrayed against them are determined to snuff out their love before it catches flame.

TOURMALINE (AWAKENED SEA DRAGONS BOOK 2) by Terry Bolryder

Kai, formerly a powerful storm dragon, can’t seem to stop causing chaos wherever he goes, despite being collared in human form. Now he’s been sent out to an island to take a vacation and not come back without a mate. Which is hard when he’s better at rescuing humans than getting along with them. Until he sees curvy Renee, a sexy goddess that makes his dragon take notice. Now all bets are off, and the storm dragon is going to get what the storm dragon wants.

Renee is used to being overlooked, so when the hottest guy at the beach strolls right up to tell her she wants her, she almost falls off her stool. ..(more)..

THE EVENTIDE HOUR by Ursula Sinclair and C O Sin

My name is A’eron. I am Aos Si. Some might call me dark fae. But what I am is a prince without a kingdom, a man without a home. Stripped of my lands and title, I was banished to earth and to a place called Las Vegas. City of Sin. I can find my place here. What I did not expect was to be denied the Vampire I claimed as mine own. I’ve already lost everything. There is nothing else they can take from me. I will not give her up. No one tells me what to do.

My name is Tempest, Temp to my friends. Yeah, I’ve got a bit of a temper. It’s tough being kinkind, a blood Vampire whose uncle leads one of the most powerful Fractions in Vegas. He’s got enemies and since they can’t get to his daughter, they’ve targeted me. Thinking I’m the weaker target. Oh how wrong they are. But they will learn. I’m in a fight for my existence, but to my shock, I don’t fight alone.

THE OPAL BLADE (THE ASHEN TOUCH TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Kristy Nicolle

When Sephy Sinclair is forced to sign a contract taking over her father’s business empire, she’s not happy. What she doesn’t know though, is that in having her Father’s legacy thrust upon her, she’s about to discover the secret lives of her parents, and most importantly that her lineage is steeped far deeper in ancient myth and magic than she ever anticipated.

Journey, with Sephy, through The Hollow and find yourself among the sinners of Mortaria, The Underworldian City ruled by a council of Gods made mortal. Here, she will seek sanctuary beneath a purple sun and vermillion sky, ruled by Haedes, a man broken beyond repair by an incident far too close to home.

Unfortunately for Sephy, it is Haedes alone who can teach her how to wield her newfound powers. Will he overcome his personal loss in time to save Sephy as she is hunted by the Demon Lords of Ancient, or will Sephy be used as a bargaining chip to bring Mortaria to its knees?

GHOSTED (MY SHATTERED SOUL SAGA BOOK 1) by Kristine Schwartz

It was supposed to be the last party of the summer––not of Blaire’s life.

When Blaire Stevens is thrust into an unknown realm, she must relearn everything she thought she knew. With a forgotten past, and no hope of unlocking those stolen memories, will Blaire be able to discover the truth… before it’s too late? Will her emerald-eyed wallflower be able to shield her heart and soul? Or will she be doomed to repeat a past she can’t even remember?

SEEN: AN OMEGAVERSE STORY (BREAKING FREE Book 2) by A M Arthur

Hell is a six-by-six jail cell and no hope for the future.

Kell Iverson has never raised his hand against another person in his entire life—and yet somehow he’s been arrested and charged with the murder of his alpha mate Krause. Sure, Krause brutalized him on a daily basis, and Kell hated his mate, but he never wanted the man dead. Not fighting the charge and accepting his fate is the easiest path—except Kell doesn’t think he’ll survive a week in prison, and he doesn’t want to disappoint his younger brother Braun by giving up. He also doesn’t expect to recognize the lawyer who shows up to defend him.

Ronin Cross was barely eighteen when he felt the mating bond with then-fourteen-year-old Kell, but his family moved away before Ronin could decide what to do…(much more)..

BLOOD TENDERLY by Linda Mooney writing as Gail Smith

With the cold weather quickly setting in, Lark is trying to ensure she has what she needs to make it through another bone-chilling winter in the cabin in the woods, but something has decided to pay her a visit. The question is, who? Or better yet, what?

There is a human invading his sanctuary, and he is determined to get rid of her. Humans in the past have left of their own accord, but not without a threat from him. However, this one is proving difficult. But she’ll go. One way or another, he will make her.

The thing is demanding that Lark leave, but she has nowhere to go. No one who cares. So she’s determined to stand her ground.

After all, what does she have to lose, besides her life?

FORBIDDEN INSTINCT (FORBIDDEN KNIGHTS BOOK 1) by Cassandra Chandler

Miranda Lennox knows to trust her instincts no matter what. Her gut feelings aren’t just intuition—she can see the future. Her visions have driven her to keep everyone at a distance, even Darren, the gorgeous, raven-haired guy who shows up every night at the restaurant where she works. Then a vision drives her to risk her own life, throwing the two of them together.

Darren Calverton was waiting for the right moment to make a move on the sweet waitress who captured his heart the first time they spoke. He had no idea that move would be to pull her out of the wreckage of her car, or that it would happen right before he’d be fired from a private security firm when an important package is stolen.

Tracking down the thief leads him into a head-on encounter with a werewolf that leaves Darren questioning his perception of reality—and saddled with a very real curse. Only Miranda’s touch can ease the rage building within him as the full moon approaches.

Dodging a homicidal elf, an ex-fairy fighter who isn’t as retired as he seems, and a Fairy Lord bent on destroying the world isn’t the best way to start a relationship, but they have to rely on each other if they—or anyone else—are going to survive.

A HALLOWEEN TO REMEMBER: BOOK 9 OF THE RUNNING IN FEAR SERIES by Trinity Blacio

In A Halloween to Remember, Book Nine in #1 best-selling Amazon Romance writer Trinity Blacio’s futuristic Running in Fear series, Halloween was supposed to be about monsters, treats and fun, but Shelly Glassgo has had enough of monsters to last her a lifetime. You would think that the threat of war around the corner would bring people together, but that was not the case. How could a big cat love a small wolf?

Bo was tired, with the move, settling his people—and the new ones that were joining their den—it had all kept him to busy. He didn’t see his Little Wolf’s need and for that he would never forgive himself. But Bo was bound and determined to make sure her Halloween was filled with treats—three big ones—Argo, Buck and White Eagle.

All Hallows’ Eve came early for them: their marriage and mating would be one to remember, but it would seem the monsters have been awakened and were getting ready for the attack.

THE FALL OF THE KING (LIGHTNESS SAGA BOOK 3) by Stacey Marie Brown

VS Note: The author says this one isn’t meant to be read first.

There is nothing the Unseelie king doesn’t acquire.

That was until he meets Fionna Cathbad.

A fierce druid, who won’t bow to anyone. Especially Lars. The demon king has every right to kill her, her treasonous acts against the crown are undisputable. But, she is the key to the one thing he wants more than anything. The cauldron of dagda. A powerful treasure that no fae should possess.

To get what he wants, he finds the very thing that forces her to help him, leading them down a dangerous path.

Because it’s not only Fionna who is deceiving him. His own mind is starting to turn on him, twisting his sanity, and releasing the demon he keeps pinned up.

As old ghosts and new foes step up into this game, Lars needs to find the cauldron before all is lost. His kingdom and himself.

FREEING THE BEAST by Tina Donahue

For Becca Salt being a witch isn’t all magic. Too curvy and lonely, she spends her nights running a makeover service for demons, vamps, weres and zombies who want to project a more human, normal side. Their goal? To get the babes without the authorities hunting them down like rabid dogs. Once Becca suppresses the worst of their beast, they’re on the hunt and gone.

Dating has been a definite bitch for Eric Diletto. Although he’s hot and hung, he’s also one of Cupid’s descendants—a god born to believe in courtship, courtesy and all that other junk. Tired of women dumping him for the bad boys, Eric hires Becca to release his inner beast. Grrrr.

Two potions later, they’re crawling all over each other. With Eric’s newfound dominance, he’s definitely the man. And the god, who intends to take Becca here, there and everywhere. Who said sorcery and love wasn’t fun?

ONE TRUE MATE: SHIFTER’S SOLACE by Georgette St. Clair

Bear shifter Rory’s whole life is Firehouse 206. He knows it will probably be the death of him, too. But what really hurts is that he’s fated to die alone. The wolf shiften are all finding their true mates and pairing off, but the bear shiften seem to have been left behind – aching for their soul mates and cursed never to find them. Until one day, he hears a woman’s voice crying out for help. Too bad the voice is only in his head, and the odds of finding her in time are next to none.

Ivy grew up in the system, so even under the best of circumstances she doesn’t trust easily. Throw in a scorching-hot firefighter who can turn into a bear and says she’s his…and the only sane thing to do is run for the hills. But one other thing about Ivy – she’s not sane. She’s having visions that clearly prove she’s crazy.

But Rory feels like home, and Firehouse 206 offers her a chance at the sweet, smart-mouthed family she’s never had. Can Rory break down the walls around her guarded heart before the dark forces that are pursuing her claim her for good? Or will his newfound love literally go up in flames?

MATING NEEDS (AN ALFA NOVEL) by Milly Taiden

A cougar shifter meets his mate and match in this latest sexy paranormal adventure in the A.L.F.A. series as another Alpha League Federal Agent finds love and passion in the midst of danger by the New York Times bestselling author of Elemental Mating.

ONCE HUNTED, TWICE SHY (THE HAPPY EVERLASTING SERIES BOOK 2) by Mandy M Roth

Welcome to Everlasting, Maine, where there’s no such thing as normal.

Wolf-shifter Hugh Lupine simply wants to make it through the month and win the bet he has with his best friend. He’s not looking to date anyone, or to solve a murder, but when a breathtaking beauty runs him over (literally), he’s left no choice but to take notice of the quirky, sassy newcomer. She’d be perfect if it wasn’t for the fact she’s the granddaughter of the local supernatural hunter. Even if he can set aside his feelings about her family, Penelope is his complete opposite in all ways.

Penelope Messing wanted to get away from the harsh reminder that her boyfriend of two years dumped her. …(more)…

MASTER OF MAGIC by Angela Knight

Olivia Flynn finds herself on the brink of death, unable to call upon her Sidhe magic, when a handsome stranger rescues her. But this male is no ordinary human, and Olivia wants nothing to do with him. The foreign magic boiling around him is far beyond the power of even the Sidhe.

Rhys Kincade has never been able to explain his magical abilities. Olivia is the first person he’s encountered who shares his gifts. But before he can ask her about them, they find themselves under attack by a pack of werewolf assassins. An even deadlier threat follows, and the pair is forced to rely on each other as they fight unknown enemies—and an ever-growing attraction between them.

BAYOU BORN by Hailey Edwards

Deep in the humid Mississippi bayou, a half-wild child is dragged from the murky waters. She has no memories, no family and is covered in mysterious markings. Adopted by the policeman who rescued her, Luce Boudreau follows him onto the force, determined to prove herself in the eyes of those who are still suspicious.

However, there’s more of a battle ahead than Luce could possibly imagine. She may be an orphan without a past, but no one – including Luce herself – could ever be prepared for the truth of her dark, powerful destiny.

ETERNAL BROTHERS (DALAKIS PASSION BOOK 4) by N J Walters

When an anonymous late-night tip sends reporter Sophia Daring to the cemetery, she isn’t prepared for what she finds there—a grisly murder scene and the body of a woman completely drained of blood. Sophia’s never been scared off a story before, but this time all the clues point to one disturbing conclusion: this was the work of the mysterious and dangerous Dalakis brothers. And just as unsettling for the fiercely independent Sophia is the irresistible pull of the stranger also working the case, the sensually compelling Zane York.

A ex-cop, Zane has made it his personal mission to prove that the secretive Dalakis family are powerful vampires and ruthless killers. But when his investigation takes him to New Orleans and their latest victim, he begins to suspect that the Dalakis are being framed by an enemy as dark and mysterious as they are. And even as he struggles with his doubts about the family, there’s no doubt about his hungry response to the hauntingly beautiful Sophia. He knows he must make her his own, whatever the cost.

As the smoldering chemistry between Sophia and Zane ignites in a delirious haze of passion, they will find themselves immersed in the Dalakis family secrets and the trail of murder that leads to their door. And as their fears and suspicions war with an unquenchable desire, she and Zane will discover that a secret from the past may pose the deadliest threat yet.

SLEEPER (HUNTER: A THIEVES SERIES BOOK 3) by Lexi Blake

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.

BOUND BY DREAMS (CAULD ANE SERIES BOOK 5) by Piper Davenport

Aspiring actress Charlotte Whitmore has been plagued by bizarre recurring dreams for years. But now she’s hearing a strange voice when she’s awake. To make matters worse, her Hollywood ambitions have flat lined. After one rejection too many, she moves home to press the reset button on her life.

World-renowned drummer Niall MacMillan’s world has been rocked by his brother’s betrayal. Still struggling to distinguish fact from fiction, he welcomes the distraction offered by the beautiful woman pulling him into her dreams.

When Niall and Charlotte finally meet face-to-face, she is unwilling to believe he’s her destiny. And when Charlotte’s dreams suddenly materialize into reality, Niall finds himself defending her against an ancient and powerful, yet all-too-familiar enemy.

pets2 And just another mention for EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 if you haven’t gotten your copy yet :)! We’ve gotten over 80 reviews so far – whee!!! This was one of my favorites for my scifi rock star romance in the anthology (if you’ll excuse my squeeing!):

Buy Links: Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N

canva heathers review

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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

My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday September 13

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

THE KRINAR CHRONICLES: KRINAR’S DESIRE (KINDLE WORLDS NOVELLA) by Cara Bristol

He’ll never let her go…

Pretending she works for the mayor’s office, investigative journalist Caitlyn Meadows goes undercover at a K company intending to expose the Krinar and show the world the dark side of the powerful, mesmerizing aliens who have invaded Earth.

Arak, a Krinar, prefers to avoid the weak, technologically backward humans, but the moment he meets Caitlyn, he wants her. Getting her to submit to his dark desires consumes him, and he sets out to seduce her.
Falling under Arak’s spell, Caitlyn begins to doubt her beliefs and her mission. She doesn’t know who to trust–her colleagues at Viral News who warn she’s becoming too close to a dangerous alien—or her own heart that urges her to get even closer by becoming Arak’s mate.

Making the wrong choice could mean her life.

DUEL CITIZENSHIP (THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME WORLD SECURITY BOOK 7) by Cassandra Chandler

VS note: Yes, there is a duel…

Living in a treehouse restaurant in Florida, Sarah expects to encounter plenty of wildlife. But the huge lizards who suddenly show up in her tree aren’t the health conscious clientele she was hoping to attract when she expanded her menu to be vegan-friendly. She also didn’t expect one of the lizards to be determined to kill her.

Disguised as a tourist, the Sadirian soldier Ari is investigating strange readings coming from a huge oak tree in Florida—a tree with an Earthling living in it. The Department of Homeworld Security has sent him to find out if something extraterrestrial is going on, and with the Coalition looking to bring Earth into the fold before humanity is ready, he doesn’t have much time to sort things out.

Ari has been warned about the temptations of Earth, but nothing could prepare him for the full sensory overload he experiences with Sarah. From the first encounter with the most sensual meal he’s ever shared, Ari’s mission becomes more complicated. And when she’s pulled into an alien duel, he finds that if he can’t help Sarah navigate the mystery of her new reptilian companions, Earth will be in more trouble than he thought.

THE CORSAIR’S CAPTIVE by Ruby Dixon

A pirate doesn’t ask for permission – he takes.
When I see the delicate human female collared and enslaved by the smuggler I’m about to swindle, I do what any male would do.
I take her from him. It’s what I do best, after all.
Now Fran’s mine, and I’m never giving her up. On board my spaceship, she’ll be safe. She’ll wear my clothes, eat my food, and sleep in my bed. I’ll keep her safe from a galaxy that wishes her harm. But my sweet Fran wants nothing more than to return to Earth. How can I take her home when she holds my heart in her dainty, five-fingered hands?

HIS VIRGIN BRIDE (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES THE VIRGINS BOOK 2) by Grace Goodwin

After a life on the streets, Katie chooses the Interstellar Brides Program for a chance at a new life, a new identity. But when she arrives on Everis, her Marked Mate refuses to claim her. As an Elite Hunter, Bryn has to travel to Hyperion, a known world of gangs and vicious evil to bring an assassin to justice, and leave her behind.

She might be innocent in body, but Katie knows her honorable mate is walking into a foreign world, a world she knows all too well. If she must seduce him, she will. If she must steal away on his ship and follow him to another world, she will. And if she must seduce the sexy-as-sin leader of the criminal legions they meet to save her mate? Well then, her innocence is a weapon, and she’s not afraid to use it.

BLOOD VENGEANCE (BEWITCHING BEDLAM NOVELLA) by Yasmine Galenorn
When Maddy and Aegis go on vacation, a blast from the past threatens to destroy them both.

Maddy and Aegis need to relax after opening the Bewitching Bedlam B&B, so they go on a post-New Year’s trip up to a mountain chalet. But what neither realizes, is that a dark cloud from the past is shadowing them both, and a resulting avalanche holds them hostage, at the mercy of a menace from Maddy’s past, who is ready to destroy Mad Mauldin and all she holds dear.

TORMENT (ORIGIN BOOK 3) by Scarlett Dawn

torment …an electrifying new tale that dives into the underbelly of New City. In the ravaged future when goodwill is vital, trickery and vice lurk in the darkest corners.

Megan Marshall is well acquainted with torment. Her father’s sick ‘experiments’ on his only daughter wrecked any sense of normalcy she ever dreamt of. Her life is one trial after another to stay ahead of him—and his mind games.

Enter Rune Mason…He’s a wicked, playful beast. But don’t judge him. He enjoys his carnal pleasures and bloody battles, with equal delight. The day he meets the sassy Megan Marshall, he knows his world’s screwed—in the best way.

He wants her. He’ll do anything to have her. Including taking on her father whose never been beaten at his own games.

KILL FOR YOU (CATASTROPHE SERIES BOOK 2) by Michelle Mills

A virus swept the globe killing almost all of humanity and crushing civilization to the ground, leaving Trevor Mason in the enviable position of being able to strut out of his wide-open death row cell, a free man. Now he’s trying to find redemption by helping to rebuild a ruined and empty world.

Rebel Case was a box office phenomenon, but after the apocalypse she’s just a survivor like anyone else. When passion explodes between her and a tattooed, sexy-as-hell bad boy who says he wants forever, will Rebel risk her future, her safety, on a man with an inexcusable past?

But can an ex con really leave his past behind, when it refuses to stay gone?

And how far will Trevor go to keep his woman safe?

GIVEN TO THE WOLF (THE WOLVES OF THE DAEDALUS BOOK 1) by Elin Wynn and Emma Gale

Kara knows how to survive in the domed city of Ghelphi. Keep her head down, her tithes paid to the syndicate, and her friends close.

But when a heist goes wrong, she’s given to a ruthless enforcer as punishment.

Davien has one focus – do whatever is necessary until he has the credits to get back into space.

The last thing he wants is a smart mouthed thief – even if she does have the clue he needs to hunt down whoever attacked the floating lab he and his brothers called home.

Tossed between an unstoppable enemy and an underground rebellion, Kara and Davien discover they have more to risk than ever before – and the price has never been higher.

CAVEMAN’S ALIEN MATE by Calista Skye

I thought only virgins got sacrificed.
So why the heck is this crazy priest in a tribe of alien cavemen about to plunge a dagger into me as a sacrifice to his gods?

But nothing really surprises me on this weird, jurassic planet where I and five other girls were dumped after we were abducted from Earth. Giant, deadly dinosaurs walk around like they own the place, and even the insects are the size of basketballs.

My only hope to get out of being sacrificed is another caveman alien. His name is Ar’ox, and he’s the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. He has muscles everywhere, his eyes have a passionate fire in them and his body has some… unusual features.

Oh, and he thinks I’m his Mate, as foretold by some old prophecy. He’s really into mating with me. Which I guess isn’t too surprising, since this planet has no women at all.

But if he rescues me now, I guess I’ll have to do as he wants and become his fated mate for life.

THE ZORAN’S FATED by Luna Hunter

Lilith Rose is having one very, very bad day. The courier is delivering a package to a Federation spaceship when it promptly takes off — with her on board! She unwillingly travels to the alien world of New Exon, where the ship is attacked by ferocious alien barbarians. One of the rugged alien warriors saves her life, but his brooding eyes tell her he wants more than a ‘thank you’…

Daruk is a Zoran Warrior. The best of his tribe. The golden-skinned, imposingly tall warrior has it all — except a mate. His tribe is building a new life on this alien world, far away from Earth’s influence. When the humans arrive, his tribe attacks… but when his eyes land on Lilith, his entire world changes.

All his tribe’s laws mean nothing compared to what he feels for the curvy human female.

The warrior is faced with a choice: His tribe… or his mate.

ALTERED DESIGN (MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE BOOK 2) by Viola Grace

Alphy needs a guide, a pilot, and a companion. Who knew that Lexo could fit all requirements?

Alone on a station with only the voices in her head, Alphy needs to get in touch with the humans who are left out in space, and that means moving her ship. The trouble that she has is that the station was never designed to be flown by someone who didn’t even have a driving license.
Lexo has only been out of stasis for less than a week, but he jumps at the chance to leave his sister and her lover behind to seek out the bliss of the stars once again. Programmed to rage against the enemy, he must work to keep himself calm when confronted with a woman who activates his nervous system on sight. Lust has to take a back seat to the flight of the station; he just needs to find out what the huge ship is actually designed to do.
When Alphy finds out that there have been changes made to her systems, she must face being a freak among cyborgs with her altered design.

CYBORG WARRIOR by Lisa Lace

Melissa is learning the world isn’t what she thought it was. When she meets a group of Liberators who oppose the Cyborg Eradication Project, she agrees to join an expedition set on freeing a group of cyborgs.

Thunder wants to free his cyborg brothers too. He takes Melissa prisoner, only to find that she stirs strange new feelings in him – primal, powerful urges he has neither the ability nor the desire to control.

Melissa can’t fight her attraction to the massive soldier-cyborg holding her captive. But soon they’re surrounded by Purity Force, and their chances of survival are slim. Can she and Thunder find a way to escape? If they do, will humans and cyborgs tear them apart?

SWEET SACRIFICE (SOUL MATE TREE BOOK 9) by L D Rose

Former Navy SEAL Sebastian “Bash” Lockard died in Afghanistan after leaping on a grenade to save his comrades. Little did he know his act of heroism would grant him a ticket into Heaven’s elite army as one of the few and powerful Archangels. Struggling with his new existence, Bash still retains his human memories, leaving behind a wife he loves with all of his heart. Although he’s forbidden to see her, he can’t resist her lure, or the mortal desires he harbors for her.

As a young widow and nurse, Irene Lockard still mourns her husband two years after his untimely death. His absence is everywhere, and when her best friend weds, she hits an emotional rock bottom. As if summoned from the skies above, Sebastian appears before her, and they share an unforgettable night. But when he once again vanishes, she wonders if she’s truly gone mad with grief.

The only way Sebastian can remain with Irene is if he makes the ultimate sacrifice. But will she overcome her fear of losing him again to another war?

ZIRCON (AWAKENED SEA DRAGONS BOOK 1) by Terry Bolryder

Seaton Zircon, formerly a powerful sea dragon who once kept the oceans in balance, has just awakened along with his two dragon siblings. Now they’re trapped on a beach with no way to take their true form, no knowledge of the modern world, and no way to get in touch with others of their kind. Just when they’re ready to lose hope, a kindhearted human woman offers to take them in. The only problem? Seaton’s sure he has just found his mate.

Jenny Reed runs a small restaurant frequented by beachside visitors and, with a few exceptions, life is simple and quiet. That is, until a towering, sexy, shirtless man walks in, asking for help and looking like he’s just survived a shipwreck. ..(more)…

FIRE AND FANTASY by Various

Burn the Earth and revenge is yours!
Set the world ablaze for the one you love!
Unleash Magic, Fire, and Fantasy!

These 20+ full length Fantasy novels are packed with daring quests, bewitching legends, and dark magic. Embark on wild adventures alongside fiery dragons, demons, mutant vampires, and sword-wielding heroes!

MATED TO THE STORM DRAGON by Zoe Chant

Curvy Naomi Edwardson is working two jobs just to make ends meet. She has given up on her dream of being an artist – until she gets a life-changing offer for one of her paintings. There’s only one catch: the mysterious billionaire wants to meet her in person.

Gregory Drago is a dragon shifter who’s quickly running out of time. If he doesn’t find his mate soon, he’ll lose control over his dragon’s storm power – and he’ll lose his mind, or worse. That’s when he comes across a mysterious painting of his dragon in a gallery. And not only is the artist the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen, but his dragon immediately recognizes her as his mate…(more)…

BLOOD GUARD: A MISSION NOVEL by Megan Erickson

Tendra: One minute, I’m a bartender in gritty Mission City; the next, I’m whisked away by a vampire named Athan who tells me that I’m the lifeblood of his clan. It sounds unbelievable, but he’s got evidence I can’t deny. Turns out, Athan belongs to an underground society of vampires who feed only on humans with their consent. Their enemies have no such qualms, and they want me dead. The only thing standing in their way is strong, sexy Athan. And the closer we get, the more tempted I am to let Athan feed. . . .

Athan: How could I have known when I snatched this snarky, beautiful human off the streets that she would change my destiny? As a loyal soldier, I must deliver Tendra to our future king—my brother. Empowered with the blood of ten generations of the Gregorie breed, she is fated to rule as our queen. But there’s something between us that’s so intoxicating, so carnal, I can’t help wanting Tendra for myself . . . even if it’s treason.

THE WOLF’S DREAM MATE by Milly Taiden and Marianne Morea

Nicknamed the big bad wolf, Dr. Paxton Noble is a sexy shifter notorious for his bedside manner and nocturnal activities. When an unidentified woman is rushed through the emergency room doors, his life is turned upside down. Something about her scent stirs more than just his libido. She stirs his wolf. She’s unconscious and now he’s compelled to figure out why and wake the sleeping beauty.

Evelyn Grisham is no princess, but the unsuspecting woman is a pawn in a game that’s left her comatose. Attacked in the park, this feisty cat isn’t taken down by a pricked finger on a spinning wheel, but a syringe filled with venom. Now, Evie is stuck in a dream world that only Pax can enter.

Pax wants to do more than wake Evie. She’s his mate. He has to figure out how to bring her back. The twist? An unexpected connection that brings reality into dreams with a lot of paranormal steam comes to the rescue. He’ll have to use all his smarts to wake his beauty, before dreams are the only communication they have.

FEEL THE HEAT (THE PHOENIX AGENCY BOOK 5) by Desiree Holt

Summer Cahill lives as quietly as she can, protecting her ability as a psychic healer. But danger brings Troy Arsenault into her life—along with scorching nights and intense emotions. Resisting him isn’t even a question, in or out of the bedroom. He protects her from the evil stalking her even as he takes her beyond the physical boundaries of anything she’s ever experienced. When Summer is kidnapped, Troy’s world is turned upside down and he employs all the resources of The Phoenix Agency to rescue her. He won’t rest until she’s back safely in his life—and in his bed— for the rest of their lives.

SECRET LEGENDS by Various

Looking for the perfect escape? When you dare to venture into the romantically-charged pages of SECRET LEGENDS, you’ll get lost in stories from today’s New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling authors.

This must-read paranormal romance and urban fantasy boxed set is filled with tales of vampires, aliens, angels, witches, ghosts, shifters, sirens, and more, containing over one hundred hours of page-turning reads that will leave your heart pounding and your pulse racing.

TREASURED BY A TIGER by Felicity Heaton

Despised by his tiger shifter pride as an abomination, Grey has ventured far from home, deep into the bowels of Hell in search of answers about the machinations of Archangel, the mortal hunter organisation who held his twin captive. With no knowledge of the realm, and little skill with the local languages, he quickly finds himself at a dead end—until he crosses paths with a beautiful hellcat female who rouses his darkest most dangerous instincts.

Lyra has been a fool, falling for the charms of a male whose only desire was to make a fast buck by selling her. Shackled and collared, her strength muted by magic, she awaits her time on the stage at a black-market auction, but before it can come, all hell breaks loose and she seizes a chance to escape—and runs straight into a majestic warrior who steals her breath away and tempts her like no other as he battles alone to free everyone.

When Lyra offers her services as a translator to repay Grey for saving her, will he be strong enough to resist the needs she awakens in him and spare himself the pain of her inevitable rejection when she discovers the truth about him? And when the powerful male in charge of the slave ring starts a bloody hunt for Lyra, can she escape another collar and find the courage to trust the tiger who is capturing her heart?

TAMING HIS SABER (KINDLE WORLDS NOVELLA) by Rebekah Ganiere

rincess Affina of the Saber Mountain clan spent the first twenty years of her life in the safe comfort of her father’s palace. But after being forced from their home by another saber clan and having been on the run for over a year, her father pushes her through a portal to Earth, stranding her on the strange new planet full of too many people, too many sights, and too many temptations. But Gerri Wilder has the perfect way to fix Affina’s problems. Put her in the care of fellow sabertooth Mr. Razor Edge.

Raze grew up a slave in the Saber Mountain clan, paying for the sins of his parents and fighting to gain his place. But on the night the pack was attacked Affina’s father handed him a chest full of jewels and sent him to secure a new domicile…(more)…

GHOST (KINDLE WORLDS NOVELLA) (GRIM RIDERS MC BOOK 1) by Gracen Miller

Everyone knows monsters lurk in shadows.

Nala Drakki is a dark fairy shifter with a sinister past. After witnessing her mother’s murder, she barely escaped to earth with her life. As the displaced queen of Icyerian, she’s committed to avoiding a repeat of family history. Wanting no part of ruling her people, she’s content with her ordinary life as a glassmaker. With a malevolent past haunting her present, she’s dubious of the matchmaker her alpha hires to aid the Phoenix pack.

Sometimes they hide in plain sight.

Kairo “Ghost” Snarl is alpha of the Grim Riders MC. Starring as the fabled monster in bedtime stories he has no regrets killing shifters who merit a death sentence. ..(more)..

THE JAGUAR TYCOON (TALES OF THE WERE) by Bianca D’Arc

Mark is the larger-than-life billionaire Alpha of the secretive Jaguar Clan. Business tycoon and man about town, he’s the guest of honor at a huge society dinner in lower Manhattan. Shelly is at the dinner to network and possibly find some clients for her architectural design business. She comes from old money, but her family has fallen on hard times in recent decades and she likes to work for her living…(more)…

DESTINY DISGRACED (TALON PACK BOOK 6) by Carrie Ann Ryan

VS note: We used to do the old Six Sentence Sunday snippet hop together, always enjoyed her books.

destiny disgraced The Talon Pack continues with a new twist to the Packs and a revelation no one was prepared for.
Mitchell Brentwood is aware that others think he’s the harsh taskmaster Beta trying to keep his Pack alive, but they only see what he wants them to know. He’d once thought he had his path laid out before him, but when his future was violently ripped away, he vowed he’d never let anyone close again—especially not a young wolf from a traitorous Pack.
Dawn Levin may be younger than the war that destroyed her people, but she knows she must still pay for their sins. She’s ready to find her way in this new world where wolves and humans blend as one, but first, she needs to fight her attraction to the dark wolf that stands in her way.
While the two struggle with their feelings and burning attraction for each other, they can’t ignore the world that shakes beneath their feet. There is a new enemy on the horizon, one with revenge and the unknown on their minds. An adversary that might be closer than they realize.

CIMMERIAN SHADE by Various

Dare to discover what lurks in the shadows in **New & Exclusive** paranormal and urban fantasy stories from your favorite NY Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling authors.

Under moonlit skies, witches, werewolves, vampires, demons, dragons, and more, battle not only for their mates, but to stay alive…

Fall for the alphas who play by their own rules despite the odds, whether century-old curses or forbidden love, or worse. For them, what lies in the darkness is worth the fight when it comes to romance.

DARK WISH (STARLIGHT GODS SERIES BOOK 1) by Yumoyori Wilson

My name is Makoto Heart and I’ve always wished for a chance at freedom. Every day, I prayed before the Starlight gods, asking for their divine assistance in accomplishing such a difficult task.

Being an experiment for as long as I can remember, my hopes of obtaining freedom have diminished, drastically. The disappointment haunted me, as myself and my spirits struggled to survive. I had no hope left, believing my final plea fell upon deaf ears, yet again.

But what happens when my prayers are finally answered? I’m thrust into fulfilling a destiny, with the help of six star knights. Suddenly, I am no longer experiment 555, but the stolen princess of Heila.

Freedom, how you have teased my troubled soul. May the Starlight gods guide me and my knights, on this path towards the unknown.

HAREM OF MAGIC (STAIRWAY TO HAREM BOOK 3) by Emma Dawn

As the younger sister of a famous author, Dominque is used to staying out of the limelight. She doesn’t like to be the center of attention, and living a quiet life suits her just fine.

That is until she starts dreaming about men who make her want to peel off her clothes and throw herself at them . . . at ALL of them. This quiet girl is suddenly ravenous to feel their hands on her bare skin, and their mouths as they kiss their way along her spine.

But these warlocks made for battle, trained and hardened against the flames of conflict are not real—they are just figments of her imagination.

She knows that. Yet, these four men who haunt her dreams stretch that believability.

And when her best friend is in a car accident and the men from her dreams show up in real life, offering to help she has a choice to make.

Can she save her friend, and have the men she’s literally been dreaming of? Or will she wake and find herself living in a nightmare where she loses everything she loves?

DREAMS OF DISTANT SHORES by Patricia A McKillip

VS Note: 3 new (previously unpublished) stories and some older ones, I infer.

Featuring three brand-new stories and an original introduction by Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn.

Bestselling author Patricia A. McKillip (The Riddle-Master of Hed) is one of the most lyrical writers gracing the fantasy genre. With the debut of her newest work, Dreams of Distant Shores is a true ode to her many talents. Within these pages you will find a youthful artist possessed by both his painting and his muse and seductive travelers from the sea enrapturing distant lovers. The statue of a mermaid comes suddenly to life, and two friends are transfixed by a haunted estate.

THE DEVIL’S REVOLVER by V S McGrath

VS Note: YA, no idea if there’s any hint of romance, but I thought the concept sounded interesting.

She is Hettie Alabama — unlikely, scarred, single-minded, and blood bound to a revolver forged by a demon.

The first book in an epic, magic-clad series featuring the Wild West reimagined as a crosscultural stereoscope of interdimensional magic and hardship, The Devil’s Revolver opens with a shooting competition and takes off across the landscape after a brutal double murder and kidnapping — to which revenge is the only answer. Hettie Alabama, only seventeen years old, leads her crew of underdogs with her father’s cursed revolver, magicked to take a year off her life each time she fires it. It’s no way for a ranch girl to grow up, but grow up she does, her scars and determination to rescue her vulnerable younger sister deepening with every year of life she loses.

A CASTLE TO KEEP (MILITESS & MAGE Book 2) by Monica Enderle Pierce

VS Note: From August

Militess Halina has claimed numerous victories for her king and country. Now she’s under siege inside her own castle, held by enemies determined to start a war and condemn her lover as both a king-killer and a child-slayer…(more)…

Amazon iBooks Author’s Universal Link

EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 is up for pre-orders! And if you haven’t downloaded our free coloring book yet, it’s not too late.

Embrace the Romance with Pets in Space 2 anthology. Chock-a-block full of original, never before published science fiction romance stories from 12 leading Sci-Fi Romance authors. Hot sexy aliens, heroines who know how to take care of themselves, and the pets who bring them together.

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And STAR CRUISE OUTBREAK is still on sale for $.99!

Buy Links: Apple iBooks Amazon Kobo Barnes & Noble

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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

My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday July 26

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

FOUND GIRL : PROJECT ENTERPRISE 6 by Pauline Baird Jones

VS Note: Been eagerly awaiting this one, always good to have a new book from her!

She likes being lost…
He needs to be found…

Arian Teraz would be perfectly happy if she never returned to her cheerless, hopeless world. Her life changes when her ship is damaged. Rescued by a handsome alien from a distant galaxy, Arian longs to find a place with him and his people.

Hotshot USAF pilot, Captain Jackson “Coop” Cooper knew the risks of boldly going somewhere before he signed up for the Project Enterprise expedition. When an anomaly sends his ship into a mysterious, no-exit sanctuary about to be invaded by a deadly adversary, he is forced to trust the unusual woman who might be his only ticket out.

With an invasion threatening the sanctuary and enemies emerging from Arian’s past, Arian and Coop must combine forces to seize an uncertain future together. Can they save each other as they battle the forces trying to rip them apart, or will the secret Arian’s ship carries – along with those seeking to exploit her – separate them forever?

SKINWALKER’S BANE (THE ENDURANCE BOOK 6) by Tracey Cooper-Posey

VS Note: I have this one pre-ordered (releases the 27th). I LOVE this series about a generation ship on its way to the stars.

Devin Bronson has climbed from an abject childhood, determined to reach the pinnacle of the Endurance: the Captain’s chair. Association with the wrong people could destroy her hopes.

Adam Wary is a typical skinwalker, living hard and fast, for life can be short. When his friend Lincoln dies and leaves a message for Adam to give to a woman called Devin, Adam tries to deliver, to Devin’s horror. Lincoln’s message threatens Devin’s career and pulls Adam into the dark underbelly of the Endurance in search of the truth. (more…)

Amazon iBooks Author’s Link to Other sites

SOUTH SEAS SALVATION (CORPORATE SERVICES BOOK 3) by J C Hay

She’d sacrifice everything for the score of a lifetime…
…He’d sacrifice himself to settle one.

Yashilla lives in her head. She’d much prefer the digital realities that she controls like a maestro to the messy one outside her door. And the last thing she wants is a babysitter, even if she can’t keep her eyes – or her mind – off of him.

Zar’s only looking for two things: revenge and a meaningful death. To get a chance at both, he’ll have to bodyguard an impulsive hacker with the keys he needs to strike his enemy’s heart. He never expected she might give him a reason to live instead.

As their virtual and physical words collide, passion and sparks threaten the walls they’ve built. But lowering their defenses increases the danger; without trust, they both might get exactly what they were looking for, and nothing that they want.

Amazon Author’s Link to Other Sites

HERE THERE BE DRAGONS (SUNSCAPES TRILOGY BOOK 2) by Michelle O’Leary

While investigating the Shays, Federated Planetary Alliance Inspector Nick Givliani discovers their employee Cassie Draegen is more than she seems. Brilliant, inventive, and much too sexy for his peace of mind, she soon becomes his top suspect.

As the Shays’ resident genius, Cassie is the secret weapon in their struggle to save the galaxy. The last thing she needs is an FPA inspector breathing down her neck. Avoiding Nick would be the smart thing to do, but he’s as persistent as he is gorgeous. If she’s not careful, his relentless pursuit and her growing attraction might upset all their plans.

As Nick draws closer to the truth, intrigue and desire bind them together in a complicated knot. Will Cassie be able to complete her work with the Shays, or will Nick bring it crashing down upon their heads?

VANGUARD (THE RAZORLAND TRILOGY) by Ann Aguirre

VS Note: I know we have a lot of Aguirre fans here so even though this is YA, thought I’d include it. Not much of a blurb on Amazon!

The companion fourth book in the New York Times—bestselling Razorland YA series sees beloved characters reunited and features an unexpected new romance.

DEKARIO (DRAGONS OF KELON) by Maia Starr

VS Note: Mentioned by Reader Merry in the FB SciFi Romance Group.

Reena Rhodes is furious with the Draqua aliens. They have saved her and her crew, but dekario at
the cost of her freedom. The Draqua intend to make her a mate for their dying race of
dragon shifters, but she is a scientist and she is too good to be used for mating. No
Draqua will change her mind, not even the attractive rogue Lieutenant Dekario Dundra.

Or so she thought, but then his touch seduced her…

Lieutenant Dekario Dundra is an arrogant dragon shifter that gets what he wants when hewants, even if he has to defy his Commander to get it. ..

THE RENEGADES’ REWARD by Maddie Tayler

Hired to rescue a rich man’s daughter, mercenaries Jaylin and Malik Sin-Naysir, are captivated by the auburn haired, green-eyed innocent they are duty-bound to protect. Although determined to bring her home untouched, their desire for her is intense, the connection undeniable. Could it be she has the power to heal their wounded hearts?

Daniella Alltryp lives in the lap of luxury, but under the thumb of her dictatorial father her life is a cold, isolated existence. That ends in two weeks when she turns twenty-five and gains control of her trust fund. She’s counting the minutes until she’s free!

Her father has other plans, including an arranged marriage to an alien prince, using her to further line his pockets. Daniella will have none of it…

OLTARIN (THE HORSE CLANS COLONY) by Christine Myers

Hankura and Chelle continue their life together joining the crew of the Searching Star, an exploration ship with a mission to find new worlds for colonization and reconnect with lost colonies. Their lives are on an intersecting course with the horse clans of Oltarin a lost colony in the midsts of a 500 year old blood feud primarily between the mountain clans and the lake clans. Their society devolved from space faring into rival clans who rode horses and fought each other with swords, knives, and crossbows.

On his way to send the message from the ancient shuttle, Brandt McKell, son of the Mountain clans’ chieftain rides to help a lone rider being chased by four renegades. He can hardly believe his luck when that rider turns out to be the daughter of the Lake clans’ chieftain—his deadly enemy. It’s not exactly love at first sight, but sparks fly and passion ignites. It’s up to the crew of the Searching Star to determine if these people can settle their differences and claim their rightful place in the Federation.

ENTRY VISA (DEPARTMENT OF HOMEWORLD SECURITY BOOK 5) by Cassandra Chandler

When Henry’s parents died unexpectedly, he dealt with his grief the way any healthy biologist would—by moving into their cabin to begin searching for Bigfoot. He never dreamed one would save his life, or that the four-armed Space-Sasquatch and his mate would imprint with Henry and become out-of-this-world foster parents—no matter how much Henry tries to explain that he’s an adult.

As if that’s not enough to process, the woman Henry fell head-over-heels for on Christmas Eve shows up on his doorstep—and she has to leave again in three days.

Vay has the least military experience among the Sadirian soldiers working with the Department of Homeworld Security, but still volunteered to track the dangerous Scorpiian bounty hunter running loose on Earth. Its trail leads right by Henry’s cabin, and she knew it was the only chance she’d get to see the Earthling who stole her heart.

But Henry has fallen in with the wrong crowd—a pair of Lyrians who have claimed him as their nestling—and that Vay is duty-bound to arrest for trespassing on Earth.

When they discover what has brought the Scorpiian to Henry’s woods, they’ll have to work together not just to form an odd new family, but to survive.

HER VIKEN MATES (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES BOOK 11) by Grace Goodwin

sabella Martinez was always good at rebelling, against her parents, her school, her boyfriends. She had needs no one could meet, desires so dark no one could tame her. When her wild side gets her in trouble with the law, she doesn’t think twice when given a choice between prison or transport to a new world as an Interstellar Bride. Alone on Earth, the decision was easy. But when she arrives on Viken, she learns she’s been matched to not one fierce, alien brute, but three—and their desires, their needs, their demands are far darker and more demanding than her own. As enemies plot to destroy Viken’s place in the Coalition Fleet, Bella will have to learn to trust, or lose everything. Her mates will feed the hunger inside her no others ever could. But their secrets will either break her heart…or set her free forever.

ALIEN PRINCE’S MATE: AN AUXEM NOVEL by Lisa Lace

Ever since the virus took our women, we’ve been searching.
Searching for their magical gift to create new life.
Searching for the fire in their eyes when they scream our names in the heat of passion.

So when I find Priya, a curvy, dark-eyed human stowaway, there’s only one thing on my mind. Do I care if I’m royalty and she’s a fugitive? Do I care if mating with her could risk everything?

Of course not…(more…)

DAVID’S DEBT (FIRST WAVE BOOK 11) by Mikayla Lane

VS Note: Recommendation from Reader Elizabeth N.

Lt. David Jacobs thought he’d done an excellent job of putting his past behind him. With only the Sibiox, Gibly knowing his darkest of secrets, he believed the pain of the past was finally left where it belonged. In the past. It only took one urgent phone call to bring all his nightmares into the light of day.

Now he’s going to cross the country and head towards what he believes is going to be the finality of his nightmares, the end of a promise he never should have made and the repayment of a debt he never should have owed.

But David will quickly discover that the years of nightmares were of his own making, and he’s got one last chance to make things right. This time there’s more at stake than he ever could have imagined, but if he succeeds he may find it’s the one debt, he’ll gladly spend forever repaying.

WILDFIRE (A HIDDEN LEGACY NOVEL) by Ilona Andrews

VS Note: Of COURSE I’ve been waiting for this book! I’m a huge fan of their writing…

Nevada Baylor can’t decide which is more frustrating—harnessing her truthseeker abilities or dealing with Connor “Mad” Rogan and their evolving relationship. Yes, the billionaire Prime is helping her navigate the complex magical world in which she’s become a crucial player—and sometimes a pawn—but she also has to deal with his ex-fiancée, whose husband has disappeared, and whose damsel-in-distress act is wearing very, very thin.

Rogan faces his own challenges, too, as Nevada’s magical rank has made her a desirable match for other Primes. Controlling his immense powers is child’s play next to controlling his conflicting emotions. And now he and Nevada are confronted by a new threat within her own family. Can they face this together? Or is their world about to go up in smoke?

WILDFIRE’S HEART (ELEMENTALS BOOK 1) by Siobhan Muir

VS Note: I’ve been eagerly waiting for this one after reading snippets on the Sunday Snippet hop. I love the concept and am very fond of Siobhan’s books in general. One clicked!

Hot Shot Saif al Nar is a natural when it comes to fighting fires. As an Ifrit—a fire djinn—there’s no one better. But he doesn’t anticipate the local residents being suspicious and afraid of his ethnicity when his crew comes into town from the fire line for some R&R. Add some unexpected backup in the form of a lovely djinn and Saif is ready to set the town on fire.

A djinn might get burned…

Raihana Nejem retired from being a genie in a lamp centuries ago and now works for the U.S. Forest Service. Fires are devastating her field area, but the sexy firefighter djinn might just be more dangerous. Her people believe Ifrits to be evil demons and Raihana can’t be sure Saif isn’t responsible for the arson fires cropping up in town.

Or they could set the night on fire…

Is Saif behind the arson or is something darker and more dangerous going on? With hearts and lives on the line, Raihana must decide if she can stand the heat that comes with loving a man like Saif.

DALLAS FIRE & RESCUE: COUNTERFEIT CUPID (MOUNT OLYMPUS EMPLOYMENT AGENCY BOOK 2) by R L Naquin

Josh is a horrible Cupid. The matches he makes are sloppy and fall apart by the third date, and he tends to forget his wings and his bow and arrow in the back seat of his car instead of bringing them into the office.

The truth is, Josh doesn’t actually believe in love.

Annie believes in love with all her heart. She watches it happen every day at the hotel where she works. Unfortunately, true love hasn’t come calling for Annie yet.

The truth is, Annie believes so much, nobody can live up to her dream.

When Josh shows up in Dallas with a special assignment to save true love, Annie is stunned to discover Cupids are real. She’s certain this one doesn’t deserve the title or the tools of the trade. But an untrained believer with sticky fingers may be every bit as bad as a Cupid who doesn’t care.

Between them, they may have everything they need to save true love. But only if they work together.

DEATH BY STARLIGHT (EDGE OF NIGHT BOOK 2) by Alexis Duran

VS Note: Alexis is another author whose snippets I read on the Weekend Writing Warriors hop, and she writes very smoothly. Have enjoyed the excerpts she shared so this is on my TBR List.

In Betwixt and Between,Ian and Zeke fought a battle against the queen of the dark realm in order to be together. Now, just when they think they might settle into as normal a life as elves living among humans might be able to expect, a new enemy threatens to tear them apart. While Zeke helps the shaman Alistair in his hunt for an elusive mermaid, Ian is called to confront a wicked nymph preying on tourists along Seattle’s waterfront. Zeke and Ian soon discover that the defeated Queen Ysolde has spread her evil into the sea realms, and danger lurks beneath every wave. But it’s too late to stop an escalating series of confrontations that lead to disappearances, death and the possible end of light in this world.

As Ysolde plots revenge and a mysterious prince seeks to win Ian for himself, the ancient war between light and dark sweeps Ian and Zeke into its maelstrom of hate, testing their trust for each other to the utmost.

VENOM & VAMPIRES by Various

“Prepare to sink your teeth into 23 Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy stories featuring vampires, shifters, witches, demons, chimeras, and more from today’s NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and internationally best-selling and award-winning authors!”

THE DRAGON’S PLAYLIST by Laura Bickle

VS Note: A recommendation from the Whiskey With MY Book Blog. From June.

Di fled rural West Virginia to study music and pursue a bright future as a violinist. But when a mining accident nearly kills her father, she is summoned back home to support her family. Old ghosts and an old flame emerge from the past. When Di gets a job as a bookkeeper at the same mine where her father worked, she is drawn into a conflict pitting neighbor against neighbor as the mine plans an expansion to an untouched mountain.

If the mining company’s operation goes forward, there will be more at stake than livelihoods or the pollution of the land: Di has discovered a dragon lives deep within Sawtooth Mountain, and he is not happy with this encroachment upon his lair. When catastrophe strikes, Di must choose between her family’s best interests and protecting the dragon – the last surviving bit of magic in Di’s shrinking world.

In every fight, sides are chosen. And there can be no yearning for what has been left behind.

ACCIDENTAL SIRE (HALF MOON HOLLOW SERIES BOOK 14) by Molly Harper

In Molly Harper’s newest paranormal romantic comedy, Ben, Gigi’s old boyfriend, must find a way to save his new love after a freak Ultimate Frisbee accident. But will she want to live after she finds out how Ben had to save her?

In this exciting addition to Molly Harper’s beloved Half-Moon Hollow series, the focus is on Gigi’s ex-boyfriend Ben. When his new girlfriend is killed in a freak Ultimate Frisbee accident, he’s determined to save her, no matter the cost, even if it means bringing her into the darkness of vampire life!

WAKING UP WOLF (SHIFTING HEARTS DATING AGENCY BOOK 2) by Erzabet Bishop

Joanie’s dream has always been to give something back. Shubert, the kitty cat love of her life was her first rescue, and she was bound and determined to make volunteering at the Saving Furry Lives Shelter part of her reality. Joanie rescues a wolf pup and it bites her, setting off a chain of events she doesn’t anticipate. Appearances can be deceiving and some bites are much worse than their bark.

Dr. Royce Buchanan is a doctor tired of the dating scene. While the women he’s met through Shifting Hearts Dating Agency are lovely, he wants a mate to settle down with…

BINDING CURSE (DARK FAE HOLLOW 4) by T F Walsh

A terrifying darkness has risen and is sweeping Kutia Hollow, leaving dead bodies in its wake. Luna Vale, a fae militia lieutenant in post-apocalyptic Moscow, discovers evidence that a criminal holds the answer to stopping the murders. Except those in charge at the precinct are corrupt. She’s determined to protect everyone from extinction and breaks Axel out of prison.

Devastated to be on the run from her former friends and colleagues, she must now work together with Axel before the killers close in on them. But time is running out, and falling for Axel only heightens the dangers. To survive, Luna must find strength in her arcane powers and confront the cursed creatures whose malevolence knows no bounds. Failure isn’t an option. Not when it means losing her family, her job, and her life.

THE VEILED PATH TO DESTINY by Jolanthe Aleksander

If she had never been at a crossroad before, Daria found herself at one now.

With one foot in the distant past, the other remains firmly entrenched in the present. Daria tries to come to terms with the memories of her previous life as they inundate her mind on an endless loop. Can she deal with the past and find a way to walk the path that is laid out for her future? Is she brave enough to face her destiny, or will she walk away?

Iauron has his Queen back…or does he? His is aware of Daria’s lingering doubts about him as she tries to retain her humanity in the face of remembering and accepting who she once was. Though the main threat to her life is temporarily incapacitated, he knows it cannot, and will not, remain that way forever.

Not fully Verisiel nor Daria, is she strong enough to meet the coming threat head on? Can she come into her powers and stand by his side? Can he let her go if she cannot accept the whole truth of her situation?

Big questions remain with few answers in sight, and time is running out.

SON OF THE CURSED BEAR (SONS OF BEASTS BOOK 1) by T S Joyce

Bounty Hunter, Nox Fuller, has been challenged to do the impossible. He’s supposed to bring the Red Dragon in for a year long stint in shifter prison, but this job could be the death of him. His focus should be on the hunt, but when he meets a shy shifter named Nevada, he can’t help but be distracted by the curvy beauty. He doesn’t care that she has trouble speaking to people. He’s different too. But as he finds out exactly what kind of shifter he’s falling for, he realizes he’s in way over his head. Stuck between a war with the local crew, and the fire-breathing Red Dragon, Nox has to tread very carefully. Too bad he’s the least careful bear shifter in existence. It’s not just his safety at risk as he hunts Vyr though. The closer he gets to the dragon, the more danger he and Nevada are both in.

Nevada Foxburg has a life full of secrets. One chance meeting with a feral grizzly shifter from Damon’s Mountains puts not only her at risk, but her people too…

MASTER OF SEDUCTION by Angela Knight

All her life, Sheriff’s Deputy Rachel Kent has dreamed of becoming one of the immortal Magekind witches who protect humanity from itself. But first she must prove herself to the handsome vampire whose job is to decide whether she’ll become a danger to those she’s supposed to save.

Nathaniel Alard is a Court Seducer who has been sent to trigger Rachel’s witchy transformation by making love to her three times. The problem is, gaining such incredible powers may drive Rachel insane and force Nathaniel to kill her. Otherwise she may kill him — and anyone else who gets in her way.

Nate vows he’ll only agree to complete Rachel’s transformation if she proves she can be trusted with the powers she’ll gain. But as he tests her — and makes love to her with every test she passes — mutual lust becomes something more. Will love be enough to save Rachel’s sanity?

NOT HIS WEREWOLF (NOT THIS SERIES BOOK 2) by Annie Nicholas

After being disowned and labelled human because she can’t shift, Betty Newman rescues unwanted dogs to fulfill her need for pack. Being rejected by her birth pack was enough pain for a lifetime and she’ll do anything to avoid subjecting herself to their prejudices.

Things change when Ken Birch wakes in her kennel still in wolf form and declares she’s his soul mate. His presence wakes her feral heart and makes her long for a life she can’t have. Old wounds are opened and she refuses to listen to instinct.

But only a shifter can be a soul mate and now her life is in danger by New Port’s pack. Either Betty learns to shift or she dies. Problem is the only one willing to help is Ken, the last person she wants.

BETRAYED BY BLOOD (MARK OF THE MOON) by Beth Dranoff

There are definite perks to being a shifter. Sharp claws, soft fur, sexy creature-friends-with-benefits…but other things aren’t so great. Like, say, being dragged into an apocalyptic war between the species, waged by a she-demon who wants to end the world.

Meanwhile, things are getting hot and heavy between me and Sam Harding, lieutenant in the local shifter pack. Sam is definitely the commitment type—if only I could be sure that I am, too. I don’t want to lose him, but am I ready for forever?

Yeah, when this is over, I will absolutely get my life—love and otherwise—together. That is, if I manage to live through this mess.

MOON STRUCK (LA RUE BOOK 3) by Donna Grant

Years ago, Solomon LaRue’s life was ripped apart when his fiancée was taken from him brutally and without cause. After, he vowed to never love again and put all of his energy into defending New Orleans from the evil Voodoo priestess out to destroy everything he held dear. Until a beautiful and maddening witch from the Quarter comes into his life and shakes everything up. Now, he thinks of nothing but her, and despite the dangers surrounding his family, he can’t help but alter his plans to make sure she stays safe. At all costs.

For most of her life, Minka Verdin thought she was nothing more than a gifted fortune teller until a life-altering experience brought her into her powers…

SHIFTER’S MAGIC (THE WOLVERS BOOK 8) by Jacqueline Rhoades

For Olivia Dawson, there’s nothing magic about the holidays. They’re only a convenient excuse to return home to her wolver pack where she can lick her wounds before she moves on. She won’t have to admit the truth. She won’t have to ask for the forgiveness she doesn’t deserve. She’s made so many mistakes, but the worst was leaving the wolver who shared her heart. That’s a mistake that can’t be fixed. Love lost can never be reclaimed.
As far as Brad Seaward is concerned, Livvy Dawson can’t move on soon enough. It doesn’t matter if his wolf comes alive at the sight of her. Once burned, twice shy is Brad’s motto and that hot little wolver burned his dreams to ash. ..

MARKED FOR THEM (WITCHES OF ROSE LAKE BOOK 1) by Lia Davis

Hiding out in a mental institution isn’t glamorous. I call it surviving.

I’m blissfully unaware of the world outside the walls—and spell—that hides me. Until the ghost shows up with talks about his friends being marked by a demon. Oh, but not just any demon. The same one who has marked me and wants me dead.

My Father.

Fearful daddy dearest would be my next uninvited guess, I make the choice to follow the ghost to his four, very alive friends. To my relief they want my father dead as much as I do. One thing I’m not prepared for is finding out that Zane—the alpha wolf shifter—is my mate, and the demon mark links the five of us—ghost included—together on a deeper level than I thought.

Teaming up and facing the demon stirs up passion and dark secrets none of us are ready to face.

MONSTER AMONG THE ROSES (FAIRY TALE QUARTET BOOK 1)by Linda Kage

Shaw Hollander is desperate.
Broke, unemployed, and determined to help his ailing mother, he falls on the good graces of a wealthy benefactor who is willing to give Shaw a job at his mansion in order to pay off his mother’s debts. Suddenly finding himself surrounded by lavish riches, he has no idea what his duties truly entail until he’s sent to the rose garden and meets the tragically mutilated Isobel.

This Beauty and the Beast story holds true to the core of the fable while shaking off the element of fantasy and dragging it into present-day reality. Shaw and Isobel are ready to let you climb into their four-wheel-drive pickup and take a ride with them into their version of happily ever after, but only if you first dare to gaze upon the monster among the roses.

PASSIONATE ROAR: A ZODIAC SHIFTERS PARANORMAL ROMANCE: LEO by Solease M Barner

Landon King works hard, never makes mistakes, prides himself on always being fair, is honest to a fault, and owns one of the most successful companies in the world. After receiving a message stating he must return to the pride and take a mate to retain his title as King, Landon is, understandably, upset. How dare they send such a preposterous edict to him, their King. Landon feels disrespected and has no intention of being forced to take a mate. Yet, he decides to make the journey so he can inform his people in person of his refusal, letting them know exactly where he stands. He, simply, will not be forced into a mating – by anyone. During his trip, he meets Davina Golden, a rogue lioness with no respect for the laws of the pride and even less for him, a lion-shifter king…(more)…

HIS COMMAND: A PLAYBOY GENIE ROMANCE by Sophie H Morgan

He’s a genie. She’s a mortal.
He’s a flirt. She’s definitely-certainly-absolutely done with charming men.
What happens when this playboy runs across the one woman who doesn’t fall under his spell?
Magic of course.

Hailey has been given the chance of her career. All she has to do is plan and execute the perfect society wedding and she’ll get the promotion she’s been working towards. Too bad the groom is her ex-boyfriend. Ryder hates seeing a damsel in distress and with a little genie magic is determined to make the sexy Miss Hailey have a little bit of fun. All she has to do is follow his lead and she’ll get everything she’s ever wished for.

VS Note: And a special note because I was a HUGE Elizabeth Peters fan…her friend author Joan Hess has finished the final Amelia Peabody novel that Ms. Peters left unfinished when she passed away.

THE PAINTED QUEEN A NOVEL (AMELIA PEABODY SERIES) by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess

Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’ bestselling, beloved mystery series.

Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia is relaxing in a well-earned bubble bath in her elegant hotel suite in Cairo, when a man with knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word—”Murder”—before collapsing on the tiled floor, dead. Among the few possessions he carried was a sheet of paper with Amelia’s name and room number, and a curious piece of pasteboard the size of a calling card bearing one word: “Judas.” Most peculiarly, the stranger was wearing a gold-rimmed monocle in his left eye.

It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin—someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman. Discovering a terse note clearly meant for Emerson—Where were you?”—pushed under their door, there can be only one answer: the brilliant master of disguise, Sethos.

But neither assassins nor the Genius of Crime will deter Amelia as she and Emerson head to the excavation site at Amarna, where they will witness the discovery of one of the most precious Egyptian artifacts: the iconic Nefertiti bust. In 1345 B.C. the sculptor Thutmose crafted the piece in tribute to the great beauty of this queen who was also the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten and stepmother to King Tutankhamun.

For Amelia, this excavation season will prove to be unforgettable. Throughout her journey, a parade of men in monocles will die under suspicious circumstances, fascinating new relics will be unearthed, a diabolical mystery will be solved, and a brilliant criminal will offer his final challenge . . . and perhaps be unmasked at last.

VS: And a special deal, get your FREE EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 COLORING BOOK while you wait for our exciting all new anthology to release on October 10th!

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday June 21

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

KOL (ALIEN RAIDERS BRIDES BOOK 3) by Vi Voxley

Jackie Hooper is all out of time. An incurable illness at her side, she’s trying to make the best of the opportunities she has left. Getting abducted by a Nayanor warlord was not on that list of things to do. But then again, spending your last moments with the hottest man in the universe can’t be all bad… right?

Kol-Eresh has found what he has been looking for – the perfect mate. Or so he thought. Her death is not something that he will allow, yet options are slim for the alien lord. Good thing he’s known for making something out of any decent apocalypse.

With the Eternals on the hunt, the Nayanor elders obsessed with curing the land of the weak, Kol has more to worry about than just losing Jackie to a disease. He has too much to fight, too much to overcome, but then again, he’s always been at his best when things are impossible.

ORION: STAR GUARDIANS BOOK 1 by Ruby Lionsdrake

Tattooed, muscled, and fierce, they look like felons, but these highly trained agents are humanity’s protectors, the only ones standing between Earth and the threats of the galaxy. They are the Star Guardians.

A born geek, Juanita has dreamed of exploring the stars for as long as she can remember. Getting kidnapped by slavers from another planet? Not so much. If she’s lucky, she might be able to convince the hot guy protecting her from the others to help her escape.

A bounty hunter allied with the Star Guardians, Orion is undercover on the slavers’ ship, plotting to end their kidnapping trips to Earth. He didn’t expect to meet someone as funny, sexy, and determined as Juanita among the victims. He wants to protect her from the thugs molesting her, but that could blow his cover and jeopardize his mission. He must choose between keeping her safe and dooming Earth to be a target for slavers forever.

TREYJON: STAR GUARDIANS BOOK 2 by Ruby Lionsdrake

VS Note: Somehow I got behind on Ruby’s releases so I have two from her. This one was out on the 14th and Orion was the 15th, per Amazon. Hmmm. Not that I’m complaining – I LOVE her books.

Angela left her parents’ lavender farm with dreams of becoming a professional dog trainer. Getting kidnapped by slavers from outer space was not part of the plan.

Fortunately, Angela and a few dozen other women were rescued by Star Guardians. She isn’t quite sure how she’s going to get back to Earth, but these Star Guardians aren’t looking too shabby, especially a hunky one named Treyjon. He trains svenkars, four-hundred-pound predators that make pit bulls look like squeak toys. Angela is curious about the animals–and about him. The problem? He doesn’t seem to know she exists.

For Treyjon, the women staying as guests aboard the Star Guardian ship are off limits. The captain has made that clear, so he hasn’t allowed himself to admire their feminine assets. But when one of them shows an interest in the powerful predators he trains, animals that scare most women out of the room, he’s intrigued. When she proves a knack for working with one of the creatures, he’s more than intrigued. He starts wondering how he’s ever going to let her go home.

COVER FIRE (VALIANT KNOX) by Jess Anastasi

VS Note: I interviewed Jess this week for US Today/HEA.

If the assignment is crazy, dangerous, or a little of both, Sub-Lieutenant Sebastian Rayne can’t help but take on the challenge. So when Command Intelligence tags him to fly one of their agents behind enemy lines, it seems like just another routine death-defying mission. Crash landing on the planet was a piece of cake, but the gorgeous agent he delivered safely to her meeting is now believed dead and he must return to retrieve her body.

After Agent Jenna Maxwell realizes her own people attempted to have her killed, she enlists the hot stick jockey’s help. His new mission? Sneak her back onto his ship to ferret out who wanted to get rid of her and why. But she fears her growing feelings for Seb have blinded her to his reckless insistence on helping her stay alive, and his rash behavior will cause them both to lose their lives.

WHEN DARKNESS WHISPERS by Lisa Carlisle

Haunted by an unclear past, biologically enhanced Marine, Eva Montreaux, can’t be distracted from her mission. With American troops being brutally murdered on the island of Okinawa, it’s more than priority. It’s critical. But when her investigation brings her face to face with Marcos Delacruz, it triggers memories. Ones she lost. Memories that somehow include him.

Marcos Delacruz has tried to forget the woman who left him with nothing but empty promises…

CYBORG SEDUCTION (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES THE COLONY BOOK 3) by Grace Goodwin

VS Note: I really enjoyed the first two books in the series so I one-clicked this.

cyborg seduction Single mother Lindsey Walters is a blogger and the love of her life is her four-year-old son, Wyatt. When a nearly fatal accident costs Wyatt dearly, Lindsey will do anything to save her son, even take the craziest assignment of her life–sneak aboard a freighter bound for the terrifying alien prison planet known as The Colony and find out the truth about what’s happening to Earth’s brave soldiers.

A Hunter from Everis, Kiel was captured and tortured by the Hive before his banishment to the Colony. When it’s discovered the Hive have a presence on his new home world, Kiel’s existence narrows to the Hunt leaving no room for hope, or love. But when his mark awakens and he shares dreams with an unknown woman, everything changes. When he finds her offered as the prize in the Colony’s brutal fighting pits, he must fight for her with every ounce of strength he possesses, or risk losing her to another.

Yet no matter how quickly Kiel claims her, seduces her and makes her his, Lindsey has secrets, and a bond in her heart that’s even stronger than her desire for him. Lindsey knows she must break Kiel’s heart or risk the life of her child. Her decision to leave will challenge everything Kiel knows about love and loss, family and forever.

THE ALIEN’S LOVER (WARRIORS OF LUXIRIA BOOK 3) by Zoey Draven

Beks Bridgett’s mission in life is to try everything at least once. Some call her fearless. Others, reckless. While her bucket list includes things like skydiving and kissing random strangers, getting kidnapped by aliens and sold to an intergalactic fight club definitely isn’t. That is, until a fierce, intimidating, and panty-meltingly hot alien warrior springs her from her caged prison.

Ambassador Lihvan, one of the deadliest War Generals of Luxiria, is known for his unshakable drive and intense ferocity in battle. He is a warrior of few words and even fewer needs…but many, many secret, dirty desires. When he rescues a human woman who delights in teasing him to an inch of his infamous control, the powerful Luxirian fears that she will be the one to finally bring him to his knees.

After a rescue mission goes awry, Beks and Lihvan find themselves stranded on a dangerous and ever-changing planet, alone. Nestled in a small shelter, not only are they trying to survive the elements, but also the lust and desire that runs between them.

Amazon Amazon UK

ASGAR: DROGON GENERAL by T J Quinn

The Drogans search many worlds to find females as the birthrate for females of their race dwindles. Then they learn of a slave auction, hosted by the Slythonians who are known to capture the best female breeders in the galaxy.

Drogan General Asgar buys all the women the Slythonians have abducted from Earth a second time….

FORBIDDEN ALIEN PRINCE by Miranda Martin

Drevakin Lo’ara, prince of a minor noble house, is desperate. He goes to the Celestial Mates dating agency in the hopes of fulfilling his dreams of finding his fated mate. The only problem is, unknown to everyone, the Celestial Mates agency has agreed that if a match is found, she goes to the prince of a major house. He has no idea that Clara Rivera is his match when a chance encounter leaves him begging to touch her luscious curves.

Clara Rivera lost everything when her fiance was killed in the line of duty. In a last ditch effort to escape the empty void of loneliness, Clara is convinced by her support group bestie to try out Celestial Mates….

KOR’VEN (WARRIORS OF THE KARUVAR BOOK 2) by Alana Serra and Juno Wells

VS Note: I loved and raved about Verkiir, book 1 in the series, so of course I had to buy this one.

Addison Monroe has dedicated her life to studying the Karuvar, striving to bridge the gap between their longevity and that of her fellows humans. Work has always been her focus, and she refuses to let love come before scientific achievement the way her mother once did.

But when she’s unable to place a life-sustaining implant in the first child born to human and Karuvar, Addison is forced to rely on the expertise of the most arrogant, infuriating Karuvar she’s ever met… who also happens to be her mate.

Kor’ven is no stranger to the pitfalls of Karuvar science, and he has spent his life trying to make up for the costly mistakes of the past. Once involved in a flagship project to manipulate Karuvar genes, he’s spent every waking hour trying to prove that the Karuvar’s greatest strength–their ability to adapt–may be slowly killing them.

The last thing he needs is the passionate, driven human scientist he so desperately wants to claim as his own.

The force between them is magnetic, and collision is inevitable. But with time running out, Addison is forced to make a desperate choice between the future of Karuvar and humans… and her future with Kor’ven.

LOVED CYBORG by Nellie C. Lind

VS Note: From May. Suggested by reader Merry.

Can’t find Mr. Right? Why not create him? MedAct is the company that can make all your dreams come true! Just give them a call and let them create the perfect man for you. But remember, you can never give him up. It will kill him, literally.

For as long as Celise has known the cyborg Wind, she’s been in love with him, but he’s bound to another. A relationship between them is impossible, and the last thing she wants is to ruin her friendship with him, or his bound one, Diane.

But there’s a problem. Diane is sick, and if she dies, Wind will die with her, or end up with the Fighters, the dangerous and unbound cyborgs who care about nothing but themselves.

Celise’s entire life is thrown into chaos when she’s propositioned in a way she never saw coming. Diane wants Celise to take her place, but if Wind can’t accept her as his new bound one, there will be more at stake than her heart.

AN ALIEN TO DIE FOR by Sadie Carter

Desperately wanting to escape her life on Earth, Alice boards a transporter set for Zerconia. The idea of a hunky Zerconian warrior of her very own is both tempting and scary. Clumsy, sweet and slightly naïve, Alice wasn’t prepared for hunky, sexy, commanding Jaxan.
Jaxan had almost lost hope of finding his mate when he rescues Alice…

THE ALEDAN PSION (ALEDAN SERIES BOOK 1) by Christine Myers and TJ Quinn

When Michelle Marlow, a latent telepath, first touched Hankura Narcaza’s mind when psion they were children, he barely knew what psi-mates were. But as an adult he could no longer deny their connection. When she is nearly killed in a street fight on the dystopian Earth of the distant future, Hankura knows he must go there and find her for his soul to ever know peace, no matter that it could very well cost him his life

Compelled by his family to return to Aledus, Hankura takes Michell with him. Life on Aledus is complicated by family dynamics and discriminatory laws against psions. Life on Aledus for the psi-mates is more difficult than they ever dreamed.

BOXED IN (DECORAH SECURITY SERIES BOOK #16) by Rebecca York

Olivia Weston is sure her boss has imported a shipment of stolen antiques. And when Decorah agent Luke Garner handles one of the items, an ornate puzzle box, the spirit of a warrior, locked away for centuries, takes possession of his body. Zabastian, the guardian of the box, forces Luke to help him return the object of power to its rightful owners. As Olivia sees Luke change before her eyes, his transformation both frightens and arouses her. And both men who inhabit Luke’s body want her. But they must also learn to work together to protect the mysterious artifact from a trio of murderous thieves who will risk anything to steal the prize. And in the end, will the warrior allow Luke and Olivia their happily ever after?

WARRIOR OF FIRE (BLOOD AND SILVER) by Shona Husk

For Leira Venn, her future is a given foretold by the oracle of the Albah, the ancient people she was born to. Which is why she knows from the moment she meets Dr. Julian Ryder that he is fated to be hers. But nothing else about the prophecy feels right. For the handsome doctor is shrouded by darkness, and intimately involved with a woman who seems intent on killing Leira . . .

Sorrow has shadowed Julian Ryder for as long as he can remember. But from the moment he meets lovely Leira, his heart is filled with hope for the future—a future that is as combustible as the powerful attraction between them. For Leira is marked for death by the very forces who killed his mother. The very darkness that stole everything he held most dear. Only this time, Julian is stronger, more in control of his powers than ever. But will it be enough to save Leira from those who would destroy her?

LILLY DRAGON CLAN by Skye Jones

When a lonely young woman finds that she’s destined to be the mate of two ancient and battle hardened dragons, life as she knows it is about to change.
Lilly has led an opulent but lonely life with her wealthy adopted parents. She’s never really fit into their world. She finds out why when her biological sister comes looking for her, telling her she’s not quite human. When Lilly meets two huge and ancient dragon shifters who claim she is theirs, she runs scared.
Rhyndor is one of only a few warrior dragons left who have survived centuries on earth. He’s battle-scarred, and full of guilt about something he did many years ago. He’s alive but not living. Drifting through the world on autopilot; until he meets Lilly. She re-awakens the protector within, and he must have her.
Callum is about to get everything he wants. The female he craves is within their grasp, and even better, she’s brought out the warrior spirit within his bonded male, Rhyndor. But then she runs from them, and Rhyndor gets the crazy idea he needs to atone for his sins.
Instead of getting everything he wants, Callum might be about to lose it all.

FORBIDDEN BITE by Cynthia Eden

Werewolf Griffin Romeo has new prey—a sexy female vamp named Isabella has been hunting in Sin City, and it’s Griffin’s job to stop her. Tracking Isabella is easy work for an alpha wolf, but once he gets close to gorgeous Isabella…Griffin’s careful plans go straight to hell. Because with one bite, he’s absolutely hooked on her, lost…mated.

Vamps and werewolves are supposed to be sworn enemies. They aren’t supposed to feel a white-hot attraction that burns soul deep. Now that he’s found his mate, Griffin isn’t about to let Isabella go, especially not when he learns that Isabella isn’t the killer who is attacking humans in Vegas…

VEILED IN MOONLIGHT by C J Archer

When a young gentleman is murdered by a shape shifter, Charlie and Lincoln interrogate their contacts and uncover a plot with links to the royal family—and links to more than one member of the ministry’s committee. At the heart of the mystery is a sinister love triangle, corruption, lies, and treason.

As they close in on their suspects, the dangers close in on them, and Lincoln’s protective instincts come to the fore, setting Charlie on edge. The last time he worried this much, he sent her away from her home and the people she loved.

THE STONE WARRIORS: KATO by D B Reynolds

VS Note: Sounds GOOD. On my To Be Read List.

It was a time when gods walked the earth, when armies fought not for bits of land, but for the very existence of humanity. On such a battlefield, five formidable warriors stood against an evil greater than any the earth had ever seen. But evil is not an honorable foe. Betrayed by someone they trusted, the warriors were cursed, one by one, tossed into the maelstrom of time, imprisoned in stone, their freedom resting on nearly impossible conditions. Until . . .

Kato Amadi . . . born of darkest sorcery, unstoppable on the battlefield, his magic is as deadly as his blade. But not even magic could save him from vicious betrayal. Trapped for millennia in darkness and silence, he is freed at last, only to find himself in the middle of a battle against the very beasts of hell he was created to destroy.

Grace Van Allen is a scholar of ancient languages who toils in the dim recesses of a museum basement with only a beautiful stone warrior to keep her company. But when Grace calls upon her silent warrior to help her translate an obscure new language, she breaks the ancient curse holding him prisoner . . . and frees three deadly demons to rampage through her city.

Tracking demons is what Kato was born to do, but he’ll need Grace’s help. And when they discover that Kato’s enemy is still alive and still plotting against him, their hunt takes a dangerous turn, one that might just prove fatal for both of them.

DRAGON UNLEASHED (DRAGON POINT BOOK 3) by Eve Langlais

Every dragon hoard starts with something…or someone.

Tomas hates scientists, especially since they abused him in such vile ways. And yet, there is something about the doctor that calms his inner beast.

Tomas craves her, even if she’s human. A treasure for his collection, but can he convince her to stay in his secret aerie?

Chandra is frightened by the dragon keeping her prisoner in his rocky tower. After what he’s been through who can blame him for the madness within? However behind the arrogance and anger, she sees a glimmer of goodness too. Can he open his heart enough to let her in, or will he unleash his fury upon those who wronged him?

Humanity is learning dragons don’t just exist in fairytales, and a prophecy about a golden dragon rising is gaining momentum. A war is brewing and the dragons must choose sides.

THE RED LILY by Juliette Cross

The Black Lily resistance needs a larger army if they are to defeat the vampire monarchy. In order to do so, former lieutenant and traitor to the vampire Crown, Nikolai must seek help from the red-hooded temptress he needs to avoid at all costs. The secret he carries could prove dangerous for her if she gets too close…even though keeping her close—very close—is the only thing on his mind.

Sienna will do anything for the Black Lily, and when Nikolai asks for her assistance to gain the trust of the commonwealth, it’s the last thing she wants to do. The thought of leaving her woods and her wolves behind is terrifying…not to mention the danger being with Nikolai poses.

NEW MOON (MOON SERIES BOOK 8) by Lisa Kessler

Jaguar shifter Sebastian Severino is an enigma. He lives alone, works alone, and will die alone. But the night he’s attacked by a female werewolf, nothing will ever be the same. And when his young niece is kidnapped, Sebastian, the deadliest assassin Nero has ever produced, will be forced to choose a side…

Isabelle Wood has never taken the easy path. As a bounty hunter and now a bitten werewolf without a mate, she’s searching for answers to her father’s disappearance while helping to lead an Alphaless Pack. The night she gets the opportunity to take out their enemy, with her blade at his throat, her wolf discovers her mate in the last person she can be with.

DEMON EMBER (RESURRECTION CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by M J Haag and Becca Vincenza

VS Note: Sounds intriguing. Put it on my TBR.

Mya’s world is falling apart. After a series of earthquakes, deadly animals with glowing red eyes begin attacking people and start the spread of a zombie-like plague. Safety is just a memory as she tries to make her way home. When a different creature attacks the people helping her reach Oklahoma City, Mya is sure she’ll never see the light of another day.

Despite his eerie yellow eyes and very sharp teeth, the grey-skinned creature is more intelligent and humanlike than he first appears. He’s determined to keep Mya by his side and protect her from the new world’s dangers. When his path starts taking her further away from home, she must choose between safety and her family.

A TALE OF TWO WITCHES: MAGIC AND MAYHEM BOOK 5 by Robyn Peterman

Avoiding the truth has been working out just fine for most of my life.

I’m finally happy. I have friends and a kangaroo shifter who adores me. Never in my twenty-nine witchy years did I think I would have a place to call home with people who truly cared.

Now my BFF, Zelda, wants to have a chat. Can’t crappy news wait? (more…)

VS Note: I don’t usually cover re-releases here but a few notable ones:

BREEDER by Cara Bristol – I loved this whole series, which I believe was Cara’s first foray into scifi romance although she’d written a number of other novels.

She was only meant to be the Alpha Commander’s slave…but she became his everything.

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breeder-cara-bristol/1117315745

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/breeder-17

MAGNETISM (PLANETARY PASSIONS BOOK 1) by Kim Knox – she’ll be releasing her entire catalog of EC and Samhain books over the summer so FYI if you love her books. Amazon iBooks

And a reminder, June is Audiobook Month and I do have 5 scifi romance audiobooks available. (Plus two ancient Egypt paranormal romances Carina Press made audiobooks of.) Samples and buy links.

Love audiobooks canva

StarCruiseOutbreak_Audiobook

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday May 10

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

STARSTRUCK by S. E. Anderson

After an incident with a hot-air balloon causes college-dropout Sally Webber to lose her job, she sets off to find direction in her life. Crashing into a teleporting alien, however, is not on her to-do list.

Now she’s on the run from TV-drama-loving aliens, and things are just getting started. Zander won’t stop reeling her into life-or-death situations to save her planet, as he waits for his laser-wielding sister to search the universe for him. Though Sally isn’t quite sure if he wants to save Earth from annihilation, or just quell his curiosity of all things human.

Now she’s got to find lost alien emissaries, as well as a job, and stop the planet from getting incinerated in the process. But with Zander as her roommate, what could possibly go wrong?

PROMISE THE STARS (CORWINT CENTRAL AGENT FILES BOOK 5) by C. E. Kilgore

Nikki’s been to the deepest pit of darkness in the universe and lived to tell about it, barely. But, to move forward with her life, she must first go back to Thetos – where a buried secret and her father’s promise await her return. Despite her independent, defensive nature, she lets Brom into her world and under her skin bit by bit. With her Trexen biology clawing its way into fruition, including unwanted side effects like mind-reading and a deadly temper, she struggles to see herself as worthy of her father’s intellectual legacy. The more she reveals to Brom, the faster she expects him to leave. She quickly learns Orellians don’t give up so easily, and Brom’s as stubborn as they come.

But someone’s been waiting for Nikki’s return and the secret she guards. Its discovery could mean a chance at peace, or lead to all out war. In the wrong hands, even the best intentions can lead to catastrophe, and a promise can decay into regret.

PRISON PLANET BARBARIAN by Ruby Dixon

Being kidnapped by aliens is one thing.

Being kidnapped by aliens and then sent to a prison planet is something infinitely worse.

Here in Haven’s prison system, I’m stranded among strangers, enemies, and the most ruthless criminals in the galaxy. There’s no safety for a human woman here, especially not one branded as a murderer. I’m doomed to a fate worse than death.
Then…he decides I should be his.  His name’s Jutari. He’s seven feet tall, blue, and horned. He’s an assassin and one of the most dangerous prisoners here. He’s like no one I’ve ever met before…and he might be my only chance.

HER ALIEN MASTERS (CAPTIVES OF PRA’KIR BOOK 3) by Renee Rose

SHE SURVIVED THE CRASH…
THEY’LL MAKE HER WISH SHE HADN’T.
Mira thought the crash into an alien planet was bad. Even worse was their police chasing her through a mall and shooting at her. Imprisonment for her and her shipmates’ supposed crimes took the cake. But now they’ve sentenced her to a lifetime “fostering” with two enormous males who punish her, keep her subjugated and force her to call them “master.” And they’ve given her a job–raising their three nieces, whom she inadvertently orphaned when her ship crashed…

THE MILITARIAN JOB by Arwen Chandler

Gwyn’s smuggling activity has never been secret, but she has always flown under the radar of the Militarian — until now. Forced to smuggle or die by order of the Militarian authority, she is on the run with a steep price on her head. Smuggling may be lucrative, but it becomes clear that her dangerous activity has compromised both herself, a new life form, and her family back home. Faced with a lifetime sentence on a prison planet, she and Adrik, her new ex-Militarian ally, must find a way to right the wrongs they’ve committed, and escape the Militarian death-grip she’s fallen under.

THE SPIDER QUEEN (THE SPACE MERCHANTS BOOK 5) by Wendie Nordgren

When an alien species attacks the Talpa Sector, Teagan leads a fleet of warships across the vastness of space to rush to the aid of its peaceful inhabitants. However, being thrust into the center of an alien war is the least of her worries. A sinister presence from the past attempts to capitalize on the havoc created by the alien invasion to destroy the fragile peace between the Parvac Empire and the Galaxic Expanse. In a deadly game of subterfuge spanning the universes, Teagan and those who are loyal to her may have met their match.

MATED TO THE CYBORGS (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES: THE COLONY BOOK 2) by Grace Goodwin

FBI Agent Kristin Webster has spent the last eight years tracking and taking down the worst of humanity. She’s seen to much to believe she could ever trust a human man, but the promise of a perfect match through the Coalition’s Interstellar Brides Program has her settling into the testing chair to be matched to her alien mate. But her match isn’t a male from a distant planet, but two scarred Prillon warriors on the Colony. And when warriors begin to disappear, Kristin will take matters into her own hands.

Captains Hunt and Tyran have been waiting too long for a mate to allow her to risk her life chasing evil. But their defiant little human won’t listen. They are determined to tame her, claim her, keep her safe…no matter the cost.

A CIVILIZED MATING (THE INSTINCT BOOK 1) by Marie Harte

If one barbarian is lethal, two are even more dangerous…in bed

Earther Skye Jones arrives to rescue her friend from a kidnapping, knowing she’ll be throwing away her chances of a dream job on planet Ussed. But with her skills, she doesn’t anticipate being captured by a group of the lethal barbarians. Or that she’ll fall for the sexy squad leader. If that weren’t bad enough, she’s brought back to their encampment, where she meets their clan leader, yet another hulking warrior that sets her blood afire.
When the mating instinct takes over, Skye finds herself with not just one, but two bed partners. Her life isn’t meant to be lived among the uncivilized. Or is it? Before she can decide what she wants, the choice is taken out of her hands by an enemy clan. And if she’s not careful, she’ll lose a lot more than a stubborn heart.

TAVARR’S MATE by Sue Lyndon

My name is Katrina. After the Kleaxians attacked the humans on Tallia, I was captured by a cruel alien named Vonn. He claimed me as his mate, but tormented me for weeks and even tried to kill me. When he was executed for his crimes, I thought my nightmare had finally come to an end. But then his older brother, Tavarr, shows up burning with a biological urge to claim me.

Darkly handsome Tavarr’s mere presence makes my body hum with pleasure, and his touch prompts a relentless ache between my thighs. But I’m worried he’s too much like his brother. What if he tries to kill me too?

Despite my fears, I’m drawn to the tenderness in Tavarr’s dark otherworldly gaze, and I want to believe his intentions are true. However, the flashes of primal lust in his purple eyes don’t escape my notice. When it’s time to claim me, I don’t think he’ll be quite as gentle as promised.

DEADMEN WALKING: A DEADMAN’S CROSS NOVEL by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Deadmen tell their tales . . .

To catch evil, it takes evil. Enter Devyl Bane– an ancient dark warlord returned to the human realm as one of the most notorious pirates in the New World. A man of many secrets, Bane makes a pact with Thorn– an immortal charged with securing the worst creations the ancient gods ever released into our world. Those powers have been imprisoned for eons behind enchanted gates . . . gates that are beginning to buckle. At Thorn’s behest, Bane takes command of a crew of Deadmen and, together, they are humanity’s last hope to restore the gates and return the damned to their hell realms.

But things are never so simple. And one of Bane’s biggest problems is the ship they sail upon. For the Sea Witch isn’t just a vessel, she’s also a woman born of an ancient people he wronged and who in turn wronged him during a centuries long war between their two races— a woman who is also sister to their primary target. Now Marcelina, the Sea Witch, must choose….

THE QUEEN AND THE CURE by Amy Harmon

VS Notes: The reviews convinced me to give this a try, and I started reading the excerpt in the Look Inside feature and got completely caught up in the story.

Kjell of Jeru had always known who he was. He’d never envied his brother or wanted to be king. He was the bastard son of the late King Zoltev and a servant girl, and the ignominy of his birth had never bothered him.

But there is more to a man than his parentage. More to a man than his blade, his size, or his skills, and all that Kjell once knew has shifted and changed. He is no longer simply Kjell of Jeru, a warrior defending the crown. Now he is a healer, one of the Gifted, and a man completely at odds with his power.

Called upon to rid the country of the last vestiges of the Volgar, Kjell stumbles upon a woman who has troubling glimpses of the future and no memory of the past. Armed with his unwanted gift and haunted by regret, Kjell becomes a reluctant savior, beset by old enemies and new expectations. With the woman by his side, Kjell embarks upon a journey where the greatest test may be finding the man she believes him to be.

HUNTED BY THE DRAGON DUKE by Mina Carter

VS Note: OK, I did one click this one!

Sexy, royal and one of the ferocious black dragons… he’s way out of her league.

Orphaned and forced to live under the cruel eye of her stepmother, Saskia spends her days and most of her nights sewing gowns for rich dragonesses to wear to balls she will never see. When a chance encounter brings her into contact with the handsome Callan, Duke and cousin to the Queen, she thinks nothing of it. After all, what royal duke would want a woman with a broken, mad dragon?

But when the otherworldly intervenes, Saskia gets her chance to go to the ball, and dance with the man of her dreams…

Tiny, delicate and utterly beautiful… but where has he seen her before?

A royal duke by birth, and a black, Callan’s life has been dictated since the moment he was born. Ordered by his cousin, the queen, to pick a bride at the ball or she’ll pick for him, he’s between a rock and a hard place. Until he sees her. The tiny woman in the purple gown runs him a merry chase over the ballroom but one look and he’s determined. She will be his.

And she is, for the briefest of moments before his duty intervenes and he has to return a wayward youth to his father before he gets himself into a lifetime of trouble. When he returns his delicate princess is gone, leaving behind a single shoe…

Furious, Callan launches a hunt for his love…one that leads to a woman who is not who she pretends to be, a raid on a brothel and a fight with a troll. Can he persuade his delicate princess she’s not broken, but that she’s the perfect dragoness for him?

TO CLAIM A KING (AGE OF GOLD BOOK 1) by May Sage

Accused of consorting with demons in her home town, Xandrie flees, only to find herself in a greater danger.
She’s a mere human woman, thrust in a brutal tournament pitting vicious dragons females against each other.
Yet, she can’t find it in herself to give up, as the winner will Claim the throne, and more importantly, the hand of the enticing Dragon King.

BOUND IN ETERNITY (DRACHEN MATES BOOK 3) by Milly Taiden

VS Note: I want this one! Put it on my TBR List…

Avery Harper hasn’t dated in two years. After losing her fiancé during his deployment, she chose to stay away from men and the games they play. That worked great until she met Jae Drachen. He overwhelms her senses from the moment she meets him. It has her wondering if love at first sight truly exists. The more time she spends with Jae, the more she believes it does.

Jae wants Avery. He’s built a corporate empire through years of all work and no play. That never bothered him until now. He’s finally met a woman who makes him feel alive; he no longer wants to wait for his marked mate to appear. What he feels for Avery is stronger than what any mate mark could create for someone else.

That all changes when another woman shows up. One who’s dreamed of Jae and has a mate mark. He’ll give up anything, including his dragon and long life, if it means keeping Avery. He’d sacrifice his life for her, but she loves him too much to let him destroy himself for her. She’d rather he be with someone else and living than dying because of her.

DARK GUARDIAN (CHILDREN OF THE GOODS BOOK 11) by I. T. Lucas

What would you do if you stopped aging?

Eva runs. The ex-DEA agent doesn’t know what caused her strange mutation, only that if discovered, she’ll be dissected like a lab rat. What Eva doesn’t know, though, is that she’s a descendant of the gods, and that she is not alone. The man who rocked her world in one life-changing encounter over thirty years ago is an immortal as well.

To keep his people’s existence secret, Bhathian was forced to turn his back on the only woman who ever captured his heart, but he’s never forgotten and never stopped looking for her.

SABRINA AND THE GARGOYLE by Marie Dry

Sabrina married Mark after only knowing him for two weeks. Although he’s the man of her dreams, the man she loves more than life itself, she’s started getting strange vibes from him. Sometimes, she could swear he moves faster than the human eye can follow, and she’s sure she’s seen him change into something with wings. Could he be a vampire? A gargoyle? She tries to tell herself she’s being ridiculous, that those things don’t really exist. But when a strange being bursts through her bedroom window and kidnaps her, Sabrina is forced to admit the truth—not only are the creatures from her nightmares real, her own husband is one of them, and he married her for reasons other than love…

HEART OF GOLD (FIRECATS BOOK 1) by P. J. Jameson

A curse that can’t be broken…
Thomas “Ratchet” Golding used to be a fearsome and powerful werecat. Until he and his wicked clan of Alley Cats messed with the wrong coven of witches. Now a curse has crippled his animal and made him question his entire existence. He knows if he’s ever going to break it and heal his cat, he has to learn to love. Easier said than done when he was bred and raised to hate, hurt, and maim. But he’s gotten used to finding treasure among the ruins. Whether it be his life or the trash heap the Alley Cats call home, he can spot the gold among the muck. And he’s about to find the greatest treasure of all.
A life stolen…
Marlee Benson has been missing for ten years, and now she’s found. But still not free…

JOVIENNE (THE IMMANENCE SERIES) by Linda Robertson

A horrific car accident put Jovienne in a coma. When she awakened months later, she was told that her family had died. And Jovienne? She felt different…irreversibly changed.

Years passed, and she was raised by a stranger who trained her to use the quintanumin. She excelled at every lesson, and she longed for her mentor to become much more. When the time came for her final test, a death-match against a demon, she uncovered a terrible truth: the man she had trusted to teach her had a dreadful secret, and Jovienne had become a monster’s monster.

The traumatized Jovienne becomes desperate for a way out of this new life, working on a way to rescind her immortality….

A WOLF’S HUNT by Echo Ishii

Stephen Skollsgaard is worn down from the duties of Pack Alpha. Now, the Huntress demands he hunt magical prey in a ceremonial hunt — one more burden for an overwhelmed Alpha. And worse, she sends an arrogant, narcissistic dragon to accompany him.

The Dragon Zhang doesn’t care much for things outside the Celestial Realm-but one good look at the sexy Pack Alpha Stephen and he’s willing to spend a little time in the real world. Plus, that Alpha looks like he needs a bit of taming, which Zhang is always eager to do.

It’s time for Stephen to prove his worth and hunt his prey, but will he find he’s the prey of the dragon, instead?

CHARMED WOLF (WOLVES OF WHISKEY HOLLOW BOOK 1) by Lia Davis

Power is her greatest weakness, but love could be her salvation.
Dana Hutson is about to make one of the toughest decisions of her life: walking away from her twin and her Pack. But the anger of her late mate’s betrayal burns deep, and her guilt threatens to push her over the edge. Combined with the magic she was born with intensifying to a lethal level, she has no choice but to leave Whiskey Hollow in search of her inner peace. But what she finds could be more than she bargained for.
Cooper Reed will do anything to keep his sister and adopted daughter safe from the demented rogue Alpha of the Bloodrose Creek Pack. That includes killing anyone who threatens his family and going on the run. He is willing to do whatever it takes. He isn’t prepared to find his mate in the midst of the chaos.
When even more secrets and dangers come to light, Dana and Cooper must band together to stop the rogue and his minions before all is lost. But will their bond be enough to harness the power needed to defeat such a foe?

WHEN DANGER BITES by Heather Long

VS Note: I liked the idea of a military romance mixed with shifters…on the TBR List.

Buttoned-up Corporal Kaitlyn Amador is dangerous on every level. As a human, she poses a threat to Marine Captain Jax Raymond’s special Force Recon unit. Though the team has a reputation among the other recon units, only their commanding officer knows their secret. As a woman, the danger posed is entirely different. Jax can survive the temptation for only so long before his wolf takes over and pursues what it wants.

Military intelligence specialist Corporal Kaitlyn Amador is the first woman in the Marines to be assigned to a recon team. And everyone’s watching her. Her mission? Not only prove herself worthy of her place in the group, but uncover the mystery of why Bravo Team is so successful. A mission that gets more difficult every time she’s near Jax.

WHEN THE CROW SMILES (TALES OF REMNAS BOOK 3) BY Genvieve St-Yves

The Weight of Honor – As captain of the elite guard, the Blue Coats, Lord Sigrund Talrun believes no price is too high to pay in service to the elven King of the Summerlands. Then his liege demands he do the unthinkable to prove his loyalty. Racked with doubt and guilt, Sigrund attempts to bolster his crumbling resolve. He takes on a mission to capture the realm’s most notorious traitor, a woman who is both his mortal enemy and his secret obsession.

The Price of Betrayal – Caska the Ghastly Smile devotes herself to freeing her people, the Dark Elves, from the yoke of slavery…

DEADMAN DATING by Jambrea Jo Jones

Hollis Morgan’s zombie life would be considered boring by most, but for him it was perfect. Until his best friend tricked him into speed dating. With friends like Felix, he didn’t need enemies, but after meeting Dr. Umberto Yanukovich, he might forgive Felix. Only problem? The doctor was human.

Can there be a future for a zombie and a human?

THE BURNING WORLD: A WARM BODIES NOVEL Book 2 by Isaac Marion

VS Note: I know many people loved the “Warm Bodies” movie. I’d say read the reviews on this book, which cover a range of reactions to this story. Also apparently this is really a longer book broken in two (according to some reviews anyway)….so Book 3 will arrive at some point. I enjoyed the movie itself but never read the book…

burning world The New York Times bestseller Warm Bodies captured hearts worldwide in twenty-five languages, inspiring a major film and a cult fandom. Now R the reluctant zombie continues his journey in this much-anticipated sequel.

Being alive is hard. Being human is harder. But since his recent recovery from death, R is making progress. He’s learning how to read, how to speak, maybe even how to love, and the city’s undead population is showing signs of life. R can almost imagine a future with Julie, this girl who restarted his heart—building a new world from the ashes of the old one.

And then helicopters appear on the horizon. Someone is coming to restore order. To silence all this noise. To return things to the way they were, the good old days of stability and control and the strong eating the weak. The plague is ancient and ambitious, and the Dead were never its only weapon.

How do you fight an enemy that’s in everyone? Can the world ever really change? With their home overrun by madmen, R, Julie, and their ragged group of refugees plunge into the otherworldly wastelands of America in search of answers. But there are some answers R doesn’t want to find. A past life, an old shadow, crawling up from the basement.

VS Note: Can’t remember if I mentioned (lately) that I’d put three of my award winning scifi romance novels into one set.

SPACE MARINES

TRAVEL TO THE SCIFI WORLD canva

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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

My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday April 12

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

********************!!!!!!!!!!!!********************

And one from me – DANGER IN THE STARS has finally been released!

Miriell, a powerful empathic priestess, has been kidnapped from her own primitive planet along with a number of her people, and sold to the evil Amarotu Combine, largest organized crime syndicate in the Sectors. When she and her handler are sent to use her power to commit an assassination, she must leave behind her own sister as hostage to ensure her compliance. Miriell cannot ask for aid without endangering herself and others.

Despite his best efforts, Combine enforcer Conor Stewart is entranced by Miriell, and helps her evade the worst of brutal treatment from the rest of the mob. But Conor must keep his distance, before the lovely empath learns that he has secrets of his own–secrets that could get them both killed.

The situation becomes dire when Conor and Miriell come to the attention of both the Combine overlords and the deadly Mawreg, aliens who threaten the Sectors. Can she save herself and the Mawreg’s next victims? And will Conor help her, or remain loyal to his evil bosses?

Buy Links: Amazon iBooks Kobo Barnes & Noble

ALIEN MATE by Cara Bristol

VS Note: I’ve been reading snippets of this one and was so impatient for it to release! And now it’s on my kindle – whee!

I’m Starr Elizabeth Conner. Earth’s government falsely convicted me of a crime, packed me on a ship with other female felons, and sent us to Dakon, a primitive, frozen wasteland of a planet. Why? Earth needs minerals, and Dakon is desperate for females.

But I’m no barbarian’s ‘mail order bride,’ even if he is super tall, muscular, and the chief of his tribe. He doesn’t want a BBW blonde, either–it’s written all over his chiseled face. He’ll be truly angry if he ever learns what my ‘crime’ was….

LAST CHANCE (SUNSCAPES TRILOGY) by Michelle O’Leary

Trapped in the criminal mega-corporation, Quasicore, Del tries to escape only to become entangled with the dazzling, dangerous Shays. Sinsudee Shay’s offer of protection and employment seems too good to be true. He has to find out if Shay Enterprises is a rival of the Core or a partner in crime.

Sin needs a pilot for her courier service. Rescuing Del from the Core is an added bonus, but he’s more than she bargained for….

WILD AT HEART A FLIPPED FAIRY TALE by Starla Huchton

wild at heart Once upon a time, I wandered between worlds. Part of both, but all of none, my heart longed to find its place, and I turned my back on those I loved.

Once upon a time, I spoke my greatest wish aloud. I found the peace I longed for, but the cost was too high, the price no less than everything I was.

Once upon a time, I chased down myths and legends. In a land as wild as I was, a lesson in love and friendship called to me, asking a single question: what did it truly mean to be human?

LEGENDS OF THE DAMNED Box Set by Various

23 New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors bring you 21 novels of magic, adventure, suspense, and romance.

OZ (THE TELOREX PACT BOOK 1) by Phoebe Hawkes and Starr Huntress

The last thing Ozien Gace, engineer of the finest ship in the Mahdfel fleet, needs is a woman on board distracting him. He’s on a secret mission to save his mother’s planet and will go to any length to succeed.

Then his match, Molly, arrives and she’s everything he never wanted, and the only thing he can think about….

STORM ROAD (OLD SCHOOL BOOK 3) by Jenny Schwartz

When a woman with secrets saves a man hunted by a ghoul, the choice is stark: salvation or damnation.

Major Dean Fortescue, JAG lawyer and former Marine, enters the Southern Appalachian storm road Mountains to find his aunt, who has gone missing. He discovers her house burned down, a ghoul in residence, and a mysterious woman who claims to control the weather.

Beulah Morgan is a weathermage, home after months away on a scientific research vessel in the Southern Ocean…

RESURRECTION OF ARTEMIS by Izzy Szyn

resurrection of artemis Once known as the infamous hacker Artemis, Amy Wilson now works in a coffee shop. With only months until the end of her probation from working in the technological industry that she loves, Amy is determined to keep Artemis dead and buried.
When incidents similar to the ones Amy did start occurring all fingers start pointing in Artemis’ direction, and three people that want Artemis to come out of retirement.
Quail City’s super heroes Dark Master and Calypso aka as multi-billionaire Noah Adams and his assistant Vanessa London know Amy’s secret, and also know that she is being set up. Having spent months in a flirtmance with Amy, they are tired of waiting and want both her and Artemis in their bed.
Hinderer wants to hold technology hostage, but in order to do that he needs Artemis’ assistance, and he will use any methods necessary to gain her cooperation.

ANGEL UNLEASHED by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

angel unleashed As an immortal Blood Knight, Rhys de Troyes is familiar with quests. It’s obvious that the ethereal beauty who just arrived in London is on one of her own. But Avery Arcadia Quinn seems intent on keeping her secrets, even as Rhys strips away all her defenses.

A grounded angel, Avery seeks to recover the wings stolen from her centuries ago when the Knights were created from her suffering and pain. She swore vengeance, but her burning connection with Rhys threatens to consume her anger, her mission…and even her vow to destroy him.

DEFY THE STARS by Claudia Gray

VS Note: This is YA & Teen but I’ve seen some comparisons to ‘The 100’, which I loved, and the premise sounds good, so here goes:

defy the stars She’s a soldier.

Noemi Vidal is seventeen years old and sworn to protect her planet, Genesis. She’s willing to risk anything–including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.

He’s a machine.

Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel has advanced programming that’s begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.

RAGNAR DRAGON LORD OF WYE by Nancey Cummings and Juno Wells

Ragnar needs some time away: no security, no women, just the quiet of space.
Holing up here seems like the best thing to do while he tries to figure out what to do.

Pretending to be a prince hasn’t gotten him any closer to what he needs. Then he sees her, like a dream out of some old dragon story. And he must have her. He must possess her before the mating fever overtakes him.

Priya’s desperate. She’s got her wits and her spaceship, but how much good will that do her when her father can’t stay out debt? [more…]

Amazon Amazon UK

SCAVENGER VANISHES (THE SKYRYDERS BOOK 3) by Liza O’Connor

Stationed on opposite coasts, Alisha and Logan must each face their own demons and challenges. On the West Coast, Alisha loses her rank for butting heads with General Powell and soon discovers the life of a private can be utter hell. On the East Coast, newly promoted General Logan discovers his soldiers do not recognize his authority to command. In an effort to retake control of the East Coast Corps, Logan authorizes unthinkable actions. When Alisha faces a life-threatening crisis, will Logan rise above his own troubles, or will she discover love and rescue with her best friend Jack?

DIVISION ONE: A SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE by Stephanie Osborn

What if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was right all along, and Harry Houdini really DID do his illusions, not through sleight of hand, but via noncorporeal means? More, what if he could do this because…he wasn’t human?

Ari Ho’d’ni, Glu’g’ik son of the Special Steward of the Royal House of Va’du’sha’ā, better known to modern humans as an alien Gray from the ninth planet of Zeta Reticuli A, fled his homeworld with the rest of his family during a time of impending global civil war…

THE SEVEN SINS OF RUBY LOVE by Erin Quinn

seven sins of ruby love Ruby thought she was the ordinary sister in the Love clan—that is, until her dead brother searches her out and begs for her help. Along with him come others—not just other dead, but demons, too—and they are terrifying enough to alarm even someone with Ruby’s eerie family history. She turns to John Cassian, a successful-but-sketchy businessman who seems to know more about demons than is good for either of them. He agrees to help her save her brother’s soul, but Ruby knows he has motives of his own. He is too compelling, too sensual to resist, but even as he seduces Ruby’s body, she fears the consequences of trusting him. John is seeking revenge, but who or what has he targeted? And how can she love a man who frightens even the stuff of nightmares?

THE IMMORTAL’S UNREQUITED BRIDE by Kelli Ireland

immortals unrequited bride Ethan Kemp is a healer, not an assassin. But he’s found an unexpected home in the Irish stronghold that houses the Assassin’s Arcanum—men who will kill to protect their Druid brethren. Too bad there’s a ghost that won’t give him peace…

Centuries in the grave, Isibéal Cannavan has longed to be reunited with her beloved. Finally, he’s returned to her. She’d recognize Lachlan anywhere, even as an American warlock called Ethan. But her path to reuniting with him in the land of the living runs through hell itself, and she’ll have to take Ethan with her.

RECLAIMING THEIR LOVE (WINGS OF ARTEMIS BOOK 4) by Rebecca Royce

reclaiming their love Diana Mallory lost everything when her five husbands were taken from her on the other side of the galaxy.

Back on the Milky Way side of the black hole, she’s deep into the war for Mars Station. Diana will do anything for her family, but every day is a living hell without the loves of her life. She assumes she’ll never see them again. But, Damian, Sterling, Cash, Lewis and Judge are on their way to her. When they find her they won’t let war, allegiance, or time differentials keep them from reclaiming their love.

FIRE IN HIS KISS A POST APOCALYPTIC DRAGON ROMANCE (FIRE BLOOD DRAGON BOOK 2) by Ruby Dixon

Bloodlust and insanity rule my existence. As a fierce drakoni warrior, this strange new world I find myself in eats at my mind until there is nothing left. There is no light or clarity…until she arrives. I save her life, plucking her from the sky.

fire in his kiss From that point on, she is mine.

But the human I have chosen for my mate – Sasha – is fragile and wounded. She does not trust me and fears my presence. I will not give up, though. I will do anything to give her my fires and bond us both in body and spirit. How can I convince her that I want nothing more than her happiness if she will not let me touch her?

How does a dragon woo a human?

MATING FEVER (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES BOOK 10) by Grace Goodwin

Megan Simmons is a soldier sent into space to protect Earth as a member of the Coalition mating fever Fleet. After eighteen months of ruthless fighting on a Hive controlled planet, she is separated from her unit, lost and trapped behind enemy lines.

Nyko of Atlan never hesitates to charge into battle against Hive scum. Seeing a soldier in trouble, he follows routine, ripping his enemies to shreds to save the human. When that warrior turns out to be a beautiful and curvy female, the beast he’s been fighting suddenly breaks free and growls one simple demand…MINE.

REX ALBATERRA by Ashley L. Hunt

rex Rex The Tribal Elder of Campestria, one of eleven kingdoms on the planet Albaterra. His blue skin, fierce warrior prowess, and dedication to his race are all in keeping with the A’li-uud species, but his free-thinking ideals have others on the Elder Council wondering if he is capable as a leader.

Tabitha A young, talented chef aboard the Paragon. She is at a point in her life where she just wants to escape Earth and start over, and the space exploration mission was the answer to her prayers. Behind her quiet exterior, she is a feisty, strong-willed soul, and she quickly finds out that those traits will be the ones to save her life. [more…]

OH MY DRAGON (THE I LIKE BIG DRAGONS SERIES BOOK 3) by Lani Lynn Vale

oh my dragon The reclusive Ian barely participates in life, only doing so when his powers demand that he use them or pay the consequences. It seems that there’s not a single person on this planet who doesn’t want something from him, but the pain and suffering of others is nearly unbearable at times, leaving him no choice but to act.

That is until Wink unwittingly walks into his life, completely unaware that she’s stepped straight into the dragon’s den.
Wink is just trying to get home after a long day of work….

COLLISION COURSE (DIMENSIONS SERIES BOOK 3) by Seven Steps

VS Note: From March

collision course Sorcha and Ivan are told to find Roan, a powerful jumper who can help them in their battle against Mega-Corp. But Roan has more important problems to solve. A coded message has gone out to every Nadir in the universe, and more and more of them are arriving on Planet Kip by the second. With space running out, agents closing in, bounty hunters tracking their every move, and a mysterious man with a veiled past hiding in a below ground bunker, Sorcha and Roan must work together to figure out how to whip this new rag-tag bunch into an army powerful enough to stop Mega-Corp.

BINDING BRINLEY (CAPTIVE OF PRA’KIR BOOK 1) by Maren Smith

binding brinley The only member of the SS Reconnaissance not to reach the shuttle in time, Brinley Lawson never thought she’d survive the crash. Nobody expected her to survive the healing process either, but now, in the home of the same magistrate who tried and found her guilty of crimes against Pra’kir, Brinley knows only that she can’t stay any more than she can leave. However, if he thinks she’ll blindly obey any command he makes, then he can think again….

STEEL: RENT-A-DRAGON by Terry Bolryder

A dragon as a handyman? Ridiculous. At least Liam Steel thinks so. Sure, he and his crew of newly-awakened metal dragons are experts at steel building things, but after being sunk at the bottom of a frozen ocean, all they want is to find the mates they were sailing in search of in the first place, and Liam isn’t sure how that can happen while he’s playing in the dirt. Until he meets his first client, a sweet, curvy, no-nonsense business-woman busy taking care of everyone but herself. His heart screams ‘mate’, and he’s ready to get his hands on more than her yard.

Kate Hinton doesn’t know what to make of the beefcake Rent-A-Dragon sent over to help with her yard…

WARDANCE by Elizabeth Dawn

Spring returns to the Plains, and with it, the Time of the Challenges, when warrior fights warrior in a contest for rank and status. For Simus of the Hawk, now is the time to raise his challenge banner, to fight for the chance to finally become Warlord.

But his deadliest challenge does not come from other warriors, or even the sundered Council of Elders. For on the first night of the Challenges, a mysterious and deadly pillar of white light scorches the night sky—instantly changing everything for the People of the Plains.

Now a warrior-priestess, Snowfall, stands before Simus, who dares to speak of peace, of reconciliation. Her knives are sharp, her tattoos alluring, and her cool grey eyes can look through Simus and see…everything.

Now Simus and Snowfall must solve the mystery of the pillar of white light, and protect their people from all the destruction and chaos it brings….

SEMI BROKEN (HARPER HALL INVESTIGATIONS BOOK 4) by Isabel Jordan

Wolf shifter Lucas Cooper is usually up for any wild mission Harper Hall throws his way. But impersonating a doctor and breaking a woman out of the psych ward at a supernatural prison? That’s a little crazy even for him. Until he sees her. One look into her haunted blue eyes and every protective instinct he has flares to life. He’ll do anything to save her. Not that it’ll be easy. Break her out of prison? No problem. Convince her she’s not broken, undeserving of love, and incapable of redemption? That might be trickier.

She’s 754821 and she’s a perfect killing machine….

RAZR: A DEMONICA UNDERWORLD NOVELLA by Larissa Ione

A fallen angel with a secret.
An otherworldly elf with an insatiable hunger she doesn’t understand.
An enchanted gem.
Meet mortal enemies Razr and Jedda…and the priceless diamond that threatens to destroy them both even as it bonds them together with sizzling passion.
Welcome back to the Demonica Underworld, where enemies find love…if they’re strong enough to survive.

ISOLATED MANEUVER (AN IMMORTAL OPS WORLD NOVEL IMMORTAL OUTCATS SERIES BOOK 3) BY Mandy Roth

isolated maneuver Alpha gorilla shifter and former Immortal Operative, Bane Antonov, has spent years learning to master his beast side. But his temper is tested when two blasts from the not-so-distant past show up, claiming to want to help him find his mate. He’s never believed in destiny, or that the Fates have anything great planned for him. All he knows is that his hard-earned control shatters the minute he crosses paths with Galiena—a petite succubus who makes the alpha in him want to shout “mine”. She has the ability to break his calm exterior and the heart he’s spent decades hardening. Hunted by a mad man who wants to own her body, her powers, and her soul, Galiena needs his protection. Bane has to learn to set his beast free if he wants to keep his mate safe.

ZODIAC SHIFTERS TEARS OF THE DRAGON ARIES by Cara Wylde

tears of the dragon She seeks the Golden Fleece…
As a researcher and professor of Mythology and Folklore at Harvard University, Aileen Callas wants to do much more than tell her students some old, barely authentic stories. She wants to prove the myths are real. After all, one of these ancient myths saved her life as a child. A dark prophecy warns against prying. Undeterred, Aileen assembles a team of investigators and sets on a journey in pursuit of the truth.

Cursed to guard an ancient treasure…
Isolated in the mountains, bound to an old, powerful object, Drakon has lost all sense of time and space….

WYVERN AWAKENING (MAGE CHRONICLES #1) by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

VS Note: Apparently no romance whatsoever

wyvern awakening When her parents were murdered eleven years ago, leaving her physically scarred during the event, dragon shifter Astri never learned the identity of their killer. That is until he appears to her in a nightmare.
The powerful Duke Jorgen not only rules the city of Rivenna where she lives, he is also responsible for her parents’ death and for the disability she’s had to bear most of her life. When the chance arises for her to compete to become Duke’s assistant, she realises this is her opportunity for revenge.
But everything in Astri’s world comes with a price. Can she overcome her disability and make Duke pay?

CENTRAL GALACTIC CONCORDANCE COLLECTION (BOOKS 1-3) by Carol Van Natta

VS Note: Ordinarily I don’t list reissues or box set compilations but here’s one – I enjoyed the books!

The Central Galactic Concordance government boasts 500 member planets and 200 years of prosperity, thanks to the sprawling Citizen Protection Service. The agency uses any means necessary to keep the peace, from allying with giant pharma corporations and political maneuvering, to secret black-box projects with darker purposes.

The CPS also employs minders–people with telepathic and telekinetic talents–for service and security, and covert operations….$5.99 until April 20th

Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N Google Play

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

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

My standard Notes and Caveats:

It’s a mix of the genres in no particular order. Also the term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…