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Books by Sonali Dev, Cathy Yardley, & More

Death in the Spires

Death in Spires by KJ Charles is 99c! Thank you to everyone who let us know about this sale. Fingers crossed it lasts through today!

The newspapers called us the Seven Wonders. We were a group of friends, that’s all, and then Toby died. Was killed. Murdered.

1905. A decade after the grisly murder of Oxford student Toby Feynsham, the case remains hauntingly unsolved. For Jeremy Kite, the crime not only stole his best friend, it destroyed his whole life. When an anonymous letter lands on his desk, accusing him of having killed Toby, Jem becomes obsessed with finally uncovering the truth.

Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer?

As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby’s killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?

Some secrets are better left buried…

From the bestselling, acclaimed author of The Magpie Lord and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen comes a chilling historical mystery with a sting in the tail. You won’t be able to put this gripping story down!

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Lies and Other Love Languages

Lies and Other Love Languages by Sonali Dev is $1.99 at Amazon! This is more women’s fiction than contemporary romance, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some romantic elements in here.

From the bestselling author of The Vibrant Years comes an emotional story of three women navigating ugly truths and safe lies with only love to guide them on a journey of motherhood, friendship, and life.

Bestselling advice columnist Vandy Guru built her career teaching others how to live honestly and courageously, but after the loss of her beloved husband, Vandy’s public veneer can barely conceal her grief. When her beloved daughter Mallika suddenly disappears and her estranged childhood best friend Rani returns, stirring up long-buried secrets, Vandy’s carefully crafted life feels at risk.

Aspiring choreographer Mallika Guru is tired of failure. When another audition ends in rejection, she signs up for a genetic study to find out why she’s so different from her accomplished family. But the results reveal her whole life to be a lie, and Rani seems to be the only one who knows the truth.

Rani Parekh sacrificed everything for Vandy once. But to hold on to the life she’s rebuilt, she must confront her troubled history and face Vandy and Mallika. Join these three extraordinary women as they journey from LA to Mumbai on an incredible path of discovery, hope, and love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

One for the Rogue

One for the Rogue by Charis Michaels is $1.99! This is book three in the Bachelor Lords of London historical romance series. The heroine has become a dowager duchess in her early twenties and the hero is in need of decorum lessons.

Beauregard “Beau” Courtland has no use for the whims of society and even less for aristocratic titles. As a younger son, he travels the world in search of adventure with no plans to settle down. Even when the title of Viscount Rainsleigh is suddenly forced upon him, he will not bend to duty or decorum. Not until an alluring young woman appears on the deck of his houseboat, determined to teach him propriety in all things and tempting him with every forbidden touch…

Lady Emmaline Crumbley has had a wretched year. Her elderly husband dropped dead without naming her in his will and she’s been relegated to the life of a dowager duchess at the age of 23. She has no wish to instruct a renegade viscount in respectability, but desperate to escape her greedy stepson, Beau’s family makes her an offer she cannot refuse: teach the new lord to behave like a gentleman, and they’ll help her earn the new, self-sufficient life of her dreams. Emmaline agrees, only to discover that instructing the viscount is one thing, but resisting him is quite another. How can she teach manners to the rakish nobleman if he is determined to show her the thrill of scandal instead?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Role Playing

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley is $1.99 on Amazon! Many of you were excited for this one and we had Yardley on the podcast to talk about it. Did any of you pick it up? What’d you think?

From Cathy Yardley, author of Love, Comment, Subscribe, comes an emotional rom-com about two middle-aged gamers who grow their online connection into an IRL love story.

Maggie is an unapologetically grumpy forty-eight-year-old hermit. But when her college-aged son makes her a deal―he’ll be more social if she does the same―she can’t refuse. She joins a new online gaming guild led by a friendly healer named Otter. So that nobody gets the wrong idea, she calls herself Bogwitch.

Otter is Aiden, a fifty-year-old optimist using the guild as an emotional outlet from his family drama caring for his aging mother while his brother plays house with Aiden’s ex-fiancée.

Bogwitch and Otter become fast virtual friends, but there’s a catch. Bogwitch thinks Otter is a college student. Otter assumes Bogwitch is an octogenarian.

When they finally meet face to face―after a rocky, shocking start―the unlikely pair of sunshine and stormy personalities grow tentatively closer. But Maggie’s previous relationships have left her bitter, and Aiden’s got a complicated past of his own.

Everything’s easier online. Can they make it work in real life?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Book Beat: Historical Mysteries, Bipolar Representation, & More

Welcome to Book Beat!

Book Beat aims to highlight other books that we may hear about through friends, social media, or other sources. We could see a gorgeous ad! Or find a new-to-us author on a list of underrated romances! Think of Book Beat as Teen Beat or Tiger Beat, but for books. And no staples to open to get the fold-out poster.

A Flame in the North

A Flame in the North by Lilith Saintcrow

Author: Lilith Saintcrow
Released: February 13, 2024 by Orbit
Genre:
Series: Black Land's Bane #1

From New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow comes the first book in a thrilling Norse-inspired epic trilogy about ancient myth and magical destiny.

The Black Land is a myth: Centuries have passed since that Great Enemy was slain. Yet old fears linger, and on the longest night of the year, people in the South still light ritual bonfires to banish the dark.

In her village, this duty falls to Solveig, a girl favored by the gods with powerful fire magic. But when her brother kills a Northern lord’s son during the ritual, it is Sol who faces punishment, by being weregild—part hostage, part guest—in the North for a year and a day.

As she journeys to her captivity, Sol starts to realize that the Black Land is no myth. The forests teem with foul beasts. Her travel companions are not what they seem, and their plans for her magic are shrouded in secrecy.

With only her loyal shieldmaiden and her own wits to rely upon, Sol must learn to master her powers and wrest control of her fate. For the Black Land’s army stirs, ready to cover the world in darkness—unless Sol can find the courage to stop it.

Lilith Saintcrow, who I’m familiar with through her urban fantasy novels in the early 2000s, is now writing epic fantasy!

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A Step Past Darkness

A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian

Author: Vera Kurian
Released: February 20, 2024 by Park Row
Genre:

SIX CLASSMATES. ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT. A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING…

There’s something sinister under the surface of the idyllic, suburban town of Wesley Falls, and it’s not just the abandoned coal mine that lies beneath it. The summer of 1995 kicks off with a party in the mine where six high school students witness a horrifying crime that changes the course of their lives.

The six couldn’t be more different.

• Maddy, a devout member of the local megachurch
• Kelly, the bookworm next door
• James, a cynical burnout
• Casey, a loveable football player
• Padma, the shy straight-A student
• Jia, who’s starting to see visions she can’t explain

When they realize that they can’t trust anyone but each other, they begin to investigate what happened on their own. As tensions escalate in town to a breaking point, the six make a vow of silence, bury all their evidence, and promise to never contact each other again. Their plan works – almost.

Twenty years later, Jia calls them all back to Wesley Falls—Maddy has been murdered, and they are the only ones who can uncover why. But to end things, they have to return to the mine one last time.

Kurian’s previous thriller was pretty good, but my thriller-loving friends seem divided on this one after reading their respective reviews on Goodreads.

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Death in the Spires

Death in the Spires by KJ Charles

Author: KJ Charles
Released: April 11, 2024 by Storm Publishing
Genre: , ,

The newspapers called us the Seven Wonders. We were a group of friends, that’s all, and then Toby died. Was killed. Murdered.

1905. A decade after the grisly murder of Oxford student Toby Feynsham, the case remains hauntingly unsolved. For Jeremy Kite, the crime not only stole his best friend, it destroyed his whole life. When an anonymous letter lands on his desk, accusing him of having killed Toby, Jem becomes obsessed with finally uncovering the truth.

Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer?

As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby’s killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?

Some secrets are better left buried…

From the bestselling, acclaimed author of The Magpie Lord and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen comes a chilling historical mystery with a sting in the tail. You won’t be able to put this gripping story down!

KJ Charles has a historical mystery coming out and I expected way more buzz! 

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Never Been Better

Never Been Better by Leanne Toshiko Simpson

Author: Leanne Toshiko Simpson
Released: March 5, 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Genre: , ,

A hilariously offbeat and tender comedy about one bipolar woman’s messy search for love at a seaside wedding where no one can stay afloat.

Is she falling in love, or falling apart?

Dee, Misa, and Matt were the “three musketeers” of the psych ward. A year after discharge, Dee is eager to convince everyone that she’s finally turning things around. But Matt and Misa are tying the knot in Turks and Caicos, surrounded by guests who have no idea where they met, and the secrecy isn’t sitting well with Dee, who has been hopelessly in love with Matt since before she got kicked out of the hospital.

So, when Dee arrives at the swanky resort with her high-voltage sister, Tilley, it’s now or never to confess how she feels. But disrupting her best friends’ nuptials would jeopardize the entire support system that holds the trio together. When it comes to happily ever afters, how is a girl supposed to choose between love and recovery?

Introducing a sparkling new voice in commercial fiction, Never Been Better revels in the heartache and hilarity of falling in love when you haven’t quite figured out how to live with yourself.

This may be more women’s fiction than contemporary romance, but I’m drawn to the main character’s bipolar representation. The author herself has also been open about her bipolar diagnosis. 

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Historical Romance, Mysteries, & More

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

RECOMMENDED: A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles is $2.75 at Amazon! I’m hoping this isn’t a soon-expiring Kindle Daily Deal from yesterday. Lara gave this one an A-:

For me, the best part of this book was the conversations between Luke and Rufus, both in the bedroom and outside of it. There was such a profound connection between the two, that it was easy for me to be swept away by it.

Major Rufus d’Aumesty has unexpectedly become the Earl of Oxney, master of a remote Norman manor on the edge of the infamous Romney Marsh. There he’s beset on all sides, his position contested both by his greedy uncle and by Luke Doomsday, son of a notorious smuggling clan.

The earl and the smuggler should be natural enemies, but cocksure, enragingly competent Luke is a trained secretary and expert schemer—exactly the sort of man Rufus needs by his side. Before long, Luke becomes an unexpected ally…and the lover Rufus had never hoped to find.

But Luke came to Stone Manor with an ulterior motive, one he’s desperate to keep hidden even from the lord he can’t resist. As the lies accumulate and family secrets threaten to destroy everything they hold dear, master and man find themselves forced to decide whose side they’re really on…and what they’re willing to do for love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Study in Scarlet Women

RECOMMENDED: A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas is $1.99! Both Sarah and Carrie read this book and enjoyed it.

Sarah gave it a B+:  I haven’t shut up about this book since I finished it. My outbound text messages are mostly hollering, squeeing, and long strings of vowels about this book.

I’m so excited this book exists. I’m so excited that I got to read it. I’m so excited there will be more.

Carrie gave it B: I can’t WAIT to find out what Charlotte, Livia, and Mrs. Watson are up to. I hope it involves them being protective of each other, empowering, and smart. The excitement is palpable!

USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down…

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Lord Holt Takes a Bride

Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret is $1.99 and a KDD! This is the first book in The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. I’m super curious about this one because it seems to take the kidnapping trope and flip it; the heroine’s friends kidnap the hero and it seems the heroine has to smooth things over. Have you read this one?

USA Today Bestselling Author Vivienne Lorret launches a charming new trilogy about three debutantes who get more than they bargained for when it comes to the mating habits of scoundrels . . .

Heiress Winnifred Humphries refuses to marry the odious man her parents have chosen. She’ll marry for love or not at all. But how does a woman know a man truly loves her? Needing answers, she sets out to discover the marriage habits of London’s aristocrats. Yet when her friends kidnap a lord for research, Winn knows they’ve gone too far. Now she’s facing a wickedly handsome scoundrel who wants revenge.

Lord Asher Holt has the perfect plan to free himself of his father’s debts. But when a trio of foolish debutantes abducts him, their scheme ruins everything! Fuming and tied to a chair, Holt overhears that one of them is an heiress. Perhaps he isn’t above a little kidnapping either.

Yet, when the heiress runs away from her own wedding and straight into his waiting carriage, Holt finds himself on an adventure he’ll never forget, falling in love with a woman worth more than any treasure. But will Winn ever believe his heart only desires her . . . and not her fortune?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Act Like It

RECOMMENDED: Act Like It by Lucy Parker is $1.99! If you haven’t read this yet, it was one of Sarah’s favorite reads in the past couple years. She says, “I mean, I could squee at you some MORE beyond my review but I think you’ve heard me already. I loved this book. You should read it. It’s delightful.” This one is part of today’s pages of romance deals.

This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre’s Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham

Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard’s antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.

Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?

Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.

Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Historicals and Contemporaries!

It’s also Cyber Monday, so feel free to drop any great deals you may see for books or otherwise into the comments!

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

RECOMMENDED: The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman by KJ Charles is $1.99! I’m hoping this isn’t a leftover KDD from the weekend. Carrie gave this one a B+:

The strengths of this book are in the balancing of conflict with humor and optimism, the rich characterizations, and the portrayal of life on the marsh, as well as a romance between two opposites. It’s entertaining, exciting, and immersive. While I wanted a little more from the ending, I enjoyed this book overall!

Abandoned by his father, Gareth Inglis grew up lonely, prickly, and well-used to disappointment. Still, he longs for a connection. When he meets a charming stranger, he falls head over heels—until everything goes wrong and he’s left alone again. Then Gareth’s father dies, turning the shabby London clerk into Sir Gareth, with a grand house on the remote Romney Marsh and a family he doesn’t know.

The Marsh is another world, a strange, empty place notorious for its ruthless gangs of smugglers. And one of them is dangerously familiar…

Joss Doomsday has run the Doomsday smuggling clan since he was a boy. When the new baronet—his old lover—agrees to testify against Joss’s sister, Joss acts fast to stop him. Their reunion is anything but happy, yet after the dust settles, neither can stay away. Soon, all Joss and Gareth want is the chance to be together. But the bleak, bare Marsh holds deadly secrets. And when Gareth finds himself threatened from every side, the gentleman and the smuggler must trust one another not just with their hearts, but with their lives.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Heartbreaker

Heartbreaker by Sarah MacLean is $1.99! This is book two in the Hell’s Belles series. It also appears to be a road trip romance, which I happen to enjoy! Any thoughts on this series?

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean follows her highly acclaimed Bombshell with Heartbreaker, featuring a fierce, fearless heroine on a mission to steal a duke’s secrets…and his heart.

HEARTBREAKER Hell’s Belles, Book 2

A Princess of Thieves

Raised among London’s most notorious criminals, a twist of fate landed Adelaide Frampton in the bright ballrooms of Mayfair, where she masquerades as a quiet wallflower–so plain and unassuming that no one realizes she’s the Matchbreaker…using her superior skills as a thief to help brides avoid the altar.

A King of Reputation

Henry, Duke of Clayborn, has spent a lifetime living in perfection. He has no time for the salacious gossip that arises every time the Matchbreaker ends another groom. His own reputation is impeccable–and the last thing he needs is a frustrating, fascinating woman discovering the truth of his past, or the secrets he holds close.

A Royal Match

When the two find themselves on a breakneck journey across Britain to stop a wedding, it’s impossible for Clayborn to resist this woman who both frustrates and fascinates him. But late-night carriage rides make for delicious danger…and soon Adelaide is uncovering Clayborn’s truths, throwing his well-laid plans into chaos…and threatening to steal his heavily guarded heart.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is $1.99! I will admit that I haven’t read this one, or seen the movie, but both seem like a lot of fun. Anyone in comments do both? I’d love to hear how true to the book the movie is!

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

One to Watch

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London is $1.99! This has been mentioned a couple times on the site in things like Hide Your Wallet and podcast episodes. I feel like I’ve heard mixed things about this one, but do take note that the heroine’s weight seems to play a big factor in the narrative.

Real love…as seen on TV

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers–and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?

Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition–under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful anti-fat beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it.

But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, razor-sharp debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men–and herself–for a chance to live happily ever after.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Hide Your Wallet: September 19th Release Week

Welcome back to a new week of new releases!

We’ve switched Hide Your Wallet to a weekly basis in an effort to cover more books in a more digestible format. There’s some scifi, fantasy, horror, and even non-fiction. Also, a lot of interesting covers!

Which books do you want to pick up or put on hold this week? Let us know in the comments!

A Study in Drowning

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Author: Ava Reid
Released: September 19, 2023 by HarperTeen
Genre: , ,

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad – author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them – and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Amanda: Getting strong whiffs of dark academia.

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A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles

Author: KJ Charles
Released: September 19, 2023 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: , ,
Series: The Doomsday Books #2

Major Rufus d’Aumesty has unexpectedly become the Earl of Oxney, master of a remote Norman manor on the edge of the infamous Romney Marsh. There he’s beset on all sides, his position contested both by his greedy uncle and by Luke Doomsday, son of a notorious smuggling clan.

The earl and the smuggler should be natural enemies, but cocksure, enragingly competent Luke is a trained secretary and expert schemer—exactly the sort of man Rufus needs by his side. Before long, Luke becomes an unexpected ally…and the lover Rufus had never hoped to find.

But Luke came to Stone Manor with an ulterior motive, one he’s desperate to keep hidden even from the lord he can’t resist. As the lies accumulate and family secrets threaten to destroy everything they hold dear, master and man find themselves forced to decide whose side they’re really on…and what they’re willing to do for love.

Sarah: A sequel, with an unexpected earldom and smuggling, and all sorts of mayhem.

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Black Sheep

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

Author: Rachel Harrison
Released: September 19, 2023 by Berkley
Genre:

A cynical twentysomething must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel from the author of Such Sharp Teeth and Cackle.

Nobody has a “normal” family, but Vesper Wright’s is truly…something else. Vesper left home at eighteen and never looked back—mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep.

Inside is an invitation to the wedding of Vesper’s beloved cousin Rosie. It’s to be hosted at the family farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? It wouldn’t be the first time Vesper’s been given special treatment. Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? Doesn’t matter. Something inside her insists she go to the wedding. Even if it means returning to the toxic environment she escaped. Even if it means reuniting with her mother, Constance, a former horror film star and forever ice queen.

When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own crisis of faith in this deliciously sinister novel that explores the way family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our place in the world.

Amanda: I’ve been enjoying Harrison’s horror novels and this one features one of my favorite horror themes: cults!

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Every Duke Has His Day

Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

Author: Suzanne Enoch
Released: September 19, 2023 by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: ,

Brain meets Beauty in this sparkling, fresh take on the classic Bringing Up Baby – if Jane Austen had written it! A romantic comedy with a dash of chaos featuring the most ill-behaved poodle in Regency London, by New York Times bestseller Suzanne Enoch.

Michael Bromley, Duke of Woriton, has a passion, but it’s not for chasing ladies or gambling till dawn. No, his is the far more dangerous pursuit of the science of chemistry. He may be a tad eccentric, but he can navigate a society ballroom, and manage a polite conversation—if he must. He’s certainly capable of taking care of his aunt’s perfectly behaved poodle, Lancelot, while she’s on holiday.

Elizabeth “Bitsy” Dockering, third daughter of a viscount, is enjoying her second, spectacular Season in London. She is a Diamond of the Season and is adored by all—and especially by her precious black poodle, Galahad. To everyone else, however, Galahad is a demon dog. So much so that Bitsy’s most insistent beau and particular victim of Galahad’s bad manners, has hired a thief to steal the dog, clearing the way for his suit.

But none of them can plan for a chaotic encounter in the park, resulting in lost notes, a soaking in the Serpentine and an accidental dog swap…and Lancelot being kidnapped instead of Galahad! Determined to locate the dog, Michael isn’t thrilled to be saddled with a flighty female insisting on helping—except that Bitsy has a great deal more sense than he expected. And a sharp tongue to match. Still, what’s a scientist to do but continue to pursue an outcome, however unexpected it may be? But chemistry is all about attraction, and this is one formula with some hilariously romantic results.

Nerdery and poodles with big personalities! 

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Leslie F*cking Jones

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

Author: Leslie Jones
Released: September 19, 2023 by Grand Central Publishing
Genre:

Hey you guys, it’s Leslie. I’m excited to share my story with you.

Now, I’m gonna be honest: Some of the details might be vague because a b*tch is fifty-five and she’s smoked a ton of weed. But while bits might be a touch hazy, I can promise you the underlying truth is REAL. Whether I’m talking about my childhood growing up in the South, my early stand-up days driving from gig to gig through the darkest parts of our country and praying I wouldn’t get murdered, what Chris Rock told Lorne Michaels, that time I wanted to shoot Whoopi Goldberg on SNL, and yeah, I’ll tell you all about Ghostbusters and the nudes and Supermarket Sweep and The Daily Show . . . I’m sharing it all in these pages. It’s not easy being a woman in comedy, especially when you’re a tall-*ss Black woman with a trumpet voice. I have to fight so that no one takes me for granted, and no one takes advantage. These are the stories that explain why. (Cue the Law & Order theme.)

Leslie Jones’ memoir is now out and I bet it’s going to be wonderful on audio.

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Starter Villain

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Author: John Scalzi
Released: September 19, 2023 by Tor Book
Genre:

Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.

Some have you already mentioned this one in the comments and look at that cover.

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A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

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A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel

by KJ Charles
September 19, 2023 · Sourcebooks Casablanca
Horror

Let’s start with the fact that I adore KJ Charles’ books. All of them. So I was well-positioned to love this one, especially as I had adored the first book in this series, which Carrie reviewed. Book two didn’t quite have the complexity of that first book, but I still loved this story and devoured it quickly.

Rufus, a major in the army, has found out that he is in fact an earl, specifically the Earl of Oxney on the edges of Romney Marsh where this series is set. Once the news is out, Rufus gets it from all sides. The man who expected to be named earl has challenged his legitimacy in court and does not accept its findings that Rufus is the earl. Another complication enters the chat when Luke Doomsday appears at the manor. Luke has a story about how he might be the legitimate earl. But how true is that story?

Rufus is a straightforward man who is honest to his very core. Luke is open to a scheme and a plot and a manipulation, but is he manipulating Rufus? What does he actually want? There’s an ulterior motive there. Rufus also has a temper on him; he’s protective and loyal and utterly caught up in Luke Doomsday. Luke very much feels the same. But he’s got himself in a nasty tangle with his lies. The relationship between Rufus and Luke before the lies are exposed is vigorous, sexy and a bit thrilling. They’re deeply enamoured of each other. But can those feelings persist through Luke’s revelations?

For me, the best part of this book was the conversations between Luke and Rufus, both in the bedroom and outside of it. There was such a profound connection between the two, that it was easy for me to be swept away by it. Rufus is exactly who he appears to be. He’s open and vulnerable with Luke despite himself and his ideas of right and wrong. The man is just so good.

Put that up against Luke’s apparent scheming ways which are underpinned by something a lot more real. In terms of plot, this felt more of an extension of book one’s rather complicated plot than a plot of its own. The mystery element of the plot is drawn entirely from book one and the emotional growth required by Luke is also drawn directly from book one. Despite this reliance on the prior novel, the connection between Luke and Rufus was so full and rich that I didn’t really miss a more complex plot. If you haven’t read book one, then read book one and two close together. I think you’ll find it a rewarding project.

I don’t know if there’s a book three coming, but I desperately hope there is because this series with its setting of a marsh run by smugglers turned legitimate business people and their grey morals is just fantastic!

Cover Awe: Beautiful Borders

Let’s look at some appealing covers!

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas. The silhouette of a woman in the desert in blacks and reads. The dark ground and cacti in the background gives way to a clouded sky that goes from a blush color to a greyish teal. A lightning bolt is striking the ground.

Maya: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Elyse: Oh the classic gothic vibe! I love it!

Sneezy: JESUS!

Carrie: The skirt, the composition – and is that a filter that gives it that look of old film? Cause that’s AMAZING.

Sarah: The designer and artist get all the praise from me. This is a flawless cover.

Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles. A blue cover. In the bottom middle is an illustration of two men crouched together. One is in blue and grey with blonde hair while the other has dark hair and is dressed in black and charcoal. In the background is a small house. The borders have all sorts of plants and wildlife - vines, trees, a fox, a rabbit, a snake, and a stork.

Cover art by Jyotirmayee Patra

Sarah: This is a lovely cover. As Amanda and I were discussing late last year: border with stuff is a great option for cover design and this is terrific.

Elyse: Wow!

Amanda: Look at all those cute animals!

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes. A black cover with a gold, art deco, geometric border. Red roses and green vibes wrap around the border. In the middle is a large iron gate with grey filigree.

Sarah: This is a fabulous cover

This is also Rupert Holmes of THE PIÑA COLADA SONG.

Amanda: More stuff and things on around the border!

Where It Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon. An illustration of a Black woman whose skin gives off this silver, purple sheen. She has black curls that fall to her shoulder and wears a white strapless dress with a high slit. She stands on a rock with the planets behind her as she swirls a multicolored scarf around her body.

Cover art by Morgane Magloire

Sneezy: WOW!! Everything about this is STUNNING!

The movement, the flow, how statuesque and graceful she is AND IT FITS THE TITLE SO WELL! OMG!

Amanda: Yes, the colors!

Sarah: I could look at this for hours. The elements of movement are incredible!

Contemporary Romances & KJ Charles

For Her Consideration

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding is $3.99! I remember mentioning this one in my Book Depository post because the UK cover is so gorgeous and this one feels more nondescript. While we don’t have an official review, I remember Shana liking this one during Slack discussions.

When an aspiring L.A. scriptwriter falls head-over-heels for a bossy and beautiful movie star after a devastating break-up, the two take a risk on love and cast themselves as the leading ladies of their own star-struck romance in this sweet and spirited love story from critically-acclaimed writer Amy Spalding in her adult debut.

A funny, flirty, and heartwarming novel about bad breakups, found families, and embracing life. A moving love story sure to appeal to fans of Casey McQuiston and Meryl Wilsner.

Since a crushing breakup three years ago, Nina Rice has written romance, friends, her dreams of scriptwriting for TV, and even L.A. proper out of her life. Instead, she’s safely out in the suburbs in her aunt’s condo working her talent agency job from home, managing celebrity email accounts, and certain that’s plenty of writing–and plot–for her life. But a surprise meeting called by Ari Fox, a young actress on everyone’s radar, stirs up all kinds of feelings Nina thought she’d deleted for good…

Ari is sexy, out and proud, and a serious control freak, according to Nina’s boss. She has her own ideas about how Nina should handle her emails–and about getting to know her ghostwriter. When she tells Nina she should be writing again, Nina suddenly finds it less scary to revisit her abandoned life than seriously consider that Ari is flirting with her. Between reconnecting with her old crew and working on a new script, a relationship with a movie star seems like something she’ll definitely mess up–but what could be more worth the risk?

“I loved how joyful, how thoughtful, and how real For Her Consideration was. . . . Amy Spalding made me adore Nina and her friends, fall in love with Nina and Ari, and want to live in their world forever.” —New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Lucky Streak

Lucky Streak by Tif Marcelo is $1.99 at Amazon! This is book three in the Heart Resort series and features a second chance romance. However, all I can think about it the cover model getting footprints on that big window.

From the USA Today bestselling author of Know You by Heart comes a spirited romance set in the Heart Resort universe—a love story about fate, family, and second chances.

I never thought I’d see her again. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? But five years later, my casino fling is my new next-door neighbor.

A lot’s happened since we got acquainted in that hotel room. I finished out my military career, took a job with my estranged father, moved to the beach…the only thing that hasn’t changed is that Beatrice has always been on my mind. I can’t let her get away again. Lucky for me, she feels the same way.

Not so lucky, though, is our families’ business rivalry—and our resorts’ competition for the same property.

As much as I want to ride off into the sunset with Beatrice on the back of my bike, we want to make this work. And that means smoothing things out between our families.

If we thought finding each other after our night in Vegas was a long shot, this feud is about to give impossible a whole new meaning.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Starry-Eyed Love

Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting is $2.99! This is book two in the Spark House series, which features a group of friends who run like an events space. Have you read this series?

Charming, hilarious, and emotional…Starry-Eyed Love is Helena Hunting at her very best!

Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. Especially not when she’s out celebrating her single status with her sisters. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.

As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.

As they begin to spend more time together, their working relationship blossoms into something more. It isn’t until their professional entanglements are finally over, that London and Jackson are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship. But between Jackson’s secretive past and London’s struggle with her sisters, London must question where she really stands – not just with Jackson, but with the Spark House, too.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Fashionable Indulgence

A Fashionable Indulgence by KJ Charles is $1.99! I know Charles’ gay romance is very popular! This is also a romance about class differences. Readers loved the start to a new series, though some felt the romance took a backseat to setting up the next books.

In the first novel of an explosive new series from K. J. Charles, a young gentleman and his elegant mentor fight for love in a world of wealth, power, and manipulation.

When he learns that he could be the heir to an unexpected fortune, Harry Vane rejects his past as a Radical fighting for government reform and sets about wooing his lovely cousin. But his heart is captured instead by the most beautiful, chic man he’s ever met: the dandy tasked with instructing him in the manners and style of the ton. Harry’s new station demands conformity—and yet the one thing he desires is a taste of the wrong pair of lips.

After witnessing firsthand the horrors of Waterloo, Julius Norreys sought refuge behind the luxurious facade of the upper crust. Now he concerns himself exclusively with the cut of his coat and the quality of his boots. And yet his protégé is so unblemished by cynicism that he inspires the first flare of genuine desire Julius has felt in years. He cannot protect Harry from the worst excesses of society. But together they can withstand the high price of passion.

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