Fake Dating, a Mystery, & More

Oct. 9th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Into the Drowning Deep

RECOMMENDED: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant is $2.99! Elyse & I really enjoyed this horror/sci-fi novel. We jointly reviewed the book and ultimately decided on a B. We loved the cast of characters, but found the ending anticlimactic.

New York Times bestselling author Mira Grant, author of the renowned Newsflesh series, returns with a novel that takes us to a new world of ancient mysteries and mythological dangers come to life. 

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves.

But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

An American in London

An American in London by Louise Bay is $1.99! Elyse mentioned this in a previous Hide Your Wallet and was tempted by the fake dating plot.

For a people-pleasing New Yorker and a disagreeable (if seriously hot) Brit, it’s love at fourth sight in a funny and emotional romantic comedy by a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author.

Tuesday Reynolds’s dreamy life in Manhattan has gone belly-up. Ditched by her college sweetheart and with her Wall Street banking job at risk, she’s off to London to prove herself to a new CEO. Plans change when Tuesday meets Ben Kelley, a wealthy, scowly, and movie-star-handsome stranger. He’s just missing one thing to make his professional dreams come true.

What does Ben need? Oh, just a fake fiancée to impress a duke and duchess. What’s in it for Tuesday? Enough money to put a down payment on an apartment back in New York, a new wardrobe, and a weekend in the country at the stately home of the duke and duchess. The Bridgerton vibes are absolutely off the charts.

Everything between Ben and Tuesday is completely professional, until the rehearsals for their weekend romance start to feel…almost authentic.

It’s official. Tuesday’s life has been hijacked by a rom-com scriptwriter. But the best love stories aren’t the ones on the big screen. Maybe they’re the real ones that sneak up on you when you least expect it.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Drop Dead Sisters

Drop Dead Sisters by Amelia Diane Coombs is 2.99! I know we’ve mentioned this on the site, but I can’t remember in what capacity. Three estranged sisters reunite on a camping trip, only for the night to end in murder!

“Compulsively readable, Drop Dead Sisters is perfect for readers who love shows like Bad Sisters and Dead to Me. A mystery about three estranged sisters who accidentally kill someone? Yes, please.” —Mindy Kaling

Three sisters reunite on a family vacation and rekindle their relationship the only way they know how—by covering each other’s tracks in a real-life murder mystery not even they can figure out.

Remi Finch has spent the better part of her adult life avoiding family—especially her sisters. They just don’t click. Besides, her unconventional upbringing and major anxiety have convinced Remi that she can’t build a relationship with anyone. Period.

When her parents plan a family reunion camping trip to celebrate their anniversary, Remi’s willing to reconnect, if only because she doesn’t have a choice. But then a dead body turns up at their campsite, and their sisterly bonding kicks into high gear.

No one knows the whole story, but the Finch women are prepared to cover up the pieces before anyone tries to put them together. It’s a precautionary measure, probably unnecessary. Nobody else was there, so how could they have seen anything?

Between old grudges and new dynamics, a handsome park ranger, and a body that won’t stay hidden, Remi is about to learn that nothing strengthens family ties quite like crime.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

More Than Words

More Than Words by Mia Sheridan is $2.99! This is a friends to lovers romance between childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years. I read this one and liked it, but it’s high on drama and angst. There’s also some Joan of Arc nerdery. Content warning for abuse in the hero’s backstory.

No one lays open the heart and soul quite like New York Timesbestselling author Mia Sheridan.

The moment she met Callen Hayes, eleven-year-old Jessica Creswell knew he was a broken prince. Her prince. They became each other’s refuge, a safe and magical place far from their troubled lives. Until the day Callen kissed herJessica’s first real, dreamy kissand then disappeared from her life without a word.

Years later, everyone knows who Callen Hayes is. Famous composer. Infamous bad boy. What no one knows is that Callen’s music is now locked deep inside, trapped behind his own inner demons. It’s only when he withdraws to France to drink his way through the darkness that Callen stumbles into the one person who makes the music return. Jessica. His Jessie. And she still tastes of fresh, sweet innocence . . . even as she sets his blood on fire.

But they don’t belong in each other’s worlds anymore. There are too many mistakes. Too many secrets. Too many lies. All they have is that instinctive longing, that needand something that looks dangerously like love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Crafting for Sinners by Jenny Kiefer

Oct. 9th, 2025 06:00 am
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Posted by Carrie S

B+

Crafting for Sinners

by Jenny Kiefer
October 7, 2025 · Quirk Books
HorrorLGBTQIA

Hey, you guys, remember that time that Hobby Lobby stole ancient artifacts from Egypt and Iraq? Technically they bought stolen artifacts. They didn’t do the digging themselves. I like to imagine that someone walked up to one of the high-ups in a trenchcoat and said, “Saaaayy…ya wanna buy a Dead Sea Scroll?” and they said, “Sure, what could go wrong?”

This book is totally not about that.

This book is about Ruth, who lives in the small town of Kill Devil, Kentucky, with her girlfriend, Abigail. Abigail wants them to move to someplace where they don’t have to pretend to be platonic roommates, but they are having trouble saving money, especially since Ruth was fired from her job at the local craft store, New Creations, for, as the manager puts it, having “values that do not align with ours.” Ruth makes some money making and selling crafts to buyers online, and when she has to fill a rush order she has to visit New Creations in order to get (shoplift) more yarn.

New Creations is a craft store owned by the New Creationist church, a megachurch church that moved into Kill Devil several years ago and that attracts parishioners from all the nearby towns. When Ruth gets to the store, it seems as though no one is there – until she finds herself locked in and hunted through the aisles by New Creationists who say ominous things about sacrifice and a demon and needing her alive. With only the items on the shelves to use as weapons, Ruth must battle homophobic cultists (and her own blood sugar – she’s diabetic) through the night.

I’ve been more and more interested in horror over the last decade, but I was not equipped to handle some of the gore and nastier moments in this book. I may have skimmed a little bit. I can’t tell you about it without spoiling scary moments which would send me to horror hell (which, I assume, is an especially bad version of hell). I put general warnings at the top of the review.

However, in the interest of kindness, I will put some very specific alerts here in this spoiler tag – don’t click unless you really want to know what lies ahead which, I have to warn you, will spoil some of the horror and some of the fun of the book – there’s just a lot to be gained here from not knowing what will come next.

Show Spoiler

Ruth stabs a guy in the eye with a knitting needle. This is described in LAVISH detail. Globs of eyeball keep appearing for simply ages.

Ruth superglues a guy in the face and he suffocates. It’s awesome, because Yay Ruth, but also awful. This is described in far more extravagant and lengthy detail than I would have expected. I had no idea a suffocation scene could be so drawn out and violent.

There are rats. I don’t do rats. I draw lines at creepy dolls, spiders, and rats. There are many, many, many rats. Biting, scratching, climbing rats. I had to skim.

And the cult’s evil plan involves cannibalism.

This book is scary and exciting and satisfying if you are carrying around a lot of rage. At times, it’s darkly humorous. It’s not subtle in its messaging, but lately I feel that subtly is overrated. Sometimes one wants a complex and deeply woven epic of Americana but at other times one just wants to see a cultist get threatened with the spiky bits of a “USA PROUD” lawn sign and this is one of those times.

Ruth is a wonderful character who goes from timidity to dogged fury in a plausible amount of time, fueled largely by her love for Abigail. Ruth’s emotional swings between empathy and ruthlessness are relatable and her ingenuity is admirable, but her biggest asset is probably sheer durability. This poor woman takes a tremendous amount of damage in the course of the book (there is no sexual assault). One reason I’m giving this book a B+ instead of an A is that it ends abruptly and frankly I needed at least a chapter of Ruth getting some freaking medical attention. I cannot overstress how violent the book is and how much injury Ruth suffers, although she gives considerably more than she gets. She doesn’t have superpowers or self defense training or any other advantages. She just does not stop, and I admire her so much for that.

I found this book to be exciting and cathartic and as heartwarming as a story about an evil cult can possibly be. Ruth’s use of the geography and objects in the store is inventive and fun. It’s a feminist and LGBTQIA positive story with a diabetic heroine who survives on her wits and her determination and her love for another woman. This rage-read had me glued (ahem) to the pages!

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Posted by Amanda

Workspace with computer, journal, books, coffee, and glasses.Welcome back!

For me, I think things are best described as busy, but boring. My wedding dress has officially been dropped off for alterations, our household is obsessed with Hades II, and I’m already eager for winter vacation.

The tourism in my area is about to hit its peak and I don’t love it.

That being said, October is absolutely flying. Does anyone else feel the same way? Anything exciting on your calendar or are you in the same camp as me?

Kresley Cole announced a new spinoff series! I’m pretty excited for it.

If you haven’t heard, book wholesaler Baker & Taylor has plans to shutdown following an unsuccessful attempt at acquisition. This is such a loss for libraries, on top of all the people who were recently laid off or will soon be without work.

Congratulations to Rob Stoll, who made this amazing romance-themed quilt.

Enjoy this cute browser game that my fiance shared with me!

Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!

A Big Kindle Daily Deal Sale!

Oct. 8th, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

Most of these are KDDs and as of right now, many of the deals are only available at Amazon.

Fan Service

RECOMMENDED: Fan Service by Rosie Danan is $2.99! Lara loved this one and gave it an A:

If you’re in the mood for some giddy happiness, then I humbly put forward Fan Service as a plentiful source of it.

The truth is stranger than fan fiction in the next sexy paranormal rom-com from the beloved author of The Roommate.

The only place small-town outcast Alex Lawson fits in is the online fan forum she built for The Arcane Files, a long-running werewolf detective show. Her dedication to archiving fictional supernatural lore made her Internet-famous, even if she harbors a secret disdain for the show’s star, Devin Ashwood. (Never meet your heroes—sometimes they turn out to be The Worst.)

Ever since his show went off the air, Devin and his career have spiraled, but waking up naked in the woods outside his LA home with no memory of the night before is a new low. It must have been a coincidence that the once-in-a-century Wolf Blood Moon crested last night. The claws, fangs, and howling are a little more difficult to explain away. Desperate for answers, Devin finds Alex—the closest thing to an expert that exists. If only he could convince her to stop hating his guts long enough to help….

Once he makes her an offer she can’t refuse, these reluctant allies lower their guards trying to wrangle his inner beast. Unfortunately, getting up close and personal quickly comes back to bite them.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Dungeon Crawler Crawl by Matt Dinniman is 99c! This reminds me so much of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. After an alien invasion, a man and his ex-girlfriend’s cat are stuck competing on a deadly galactic reality TV show.

The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

My Oxford Year

RECOMMENDEDMy Oxford Year by Julia Whelan is $1.99! It also has a Netflix adaptation. Have any of you watched it yet? Sarah also had something to say:

I recorded a podcast with Julia Whelan when the book came out and I just recorded a follow up where we take a very, very deep dive in the structure and writing of the book. If you’d like to read it before we spoil the dickens out of it (No actual Dickens, though) this is an excellent opportunity to grab your copy!

Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.

American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is, until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.

When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.

Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

My Funny Demon Valentine

My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher is $2.99! This is book one in the Hell Bent series. I’m super curious about this one! Have any of you read it?

From instant New York Times bestselling author Aurora Ascher, comes the first novel in a funny steamy, paranormal romance series about learning how to love—and what love is in the first place—complete with HEA, clothes-ripping-hot love scenes, a crew of devilish demon brothers who are supposed to be the bad guys—Love can be Hell.

Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, just wants to make music. Jazz, specifically. Unfortunately, he’s a demon. And he’s supposed to be evil.

Clearly, for Ash, a career as a musician isn’t exactly an option. Plus, he’s cursed. Sick of playing by the rules, Ash and his three brothers escape Hell in search of freedom on Earth. But it’s harder than they thought to keep their enemies off their tail . . .

The four rogues quickly become the Underworld’s Most Wanted, and if they’re caught, the consequences will be dire. Yet everything changes for Ash when he meets a beautiful violinist who can see through his curse. It must be too good to be true, but, no matter the risk, he has to have her.

Evangeline Gregory is just your average human. She works at a jazz bar, plays gigs on weekends . . . and, apparently, hallucinates demons.

At least that’s what Eva tells herself when, moments after she meets the man of her dreams, she sees him shift into a 7-foot-tall monster. Not believing her own eyes, Eva decides to investigate and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a supernatural clusterf**k of epic proportions. But Ash isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and the search for answers reveals a shocking truth that will change the course of her life forever. Or maybe just doom it. Eva and Ash will learn the path to love can be complete Hell.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Three Bags Full

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann is $4.99! This deal is a little higher than what we normally feature, but I mentioned this on a previous Get Rec’d and so many of you were intrigued.

This funny, surprising, and internationally bestselling mystery features a new breed of detectives you’ve got to read to baaaaa-lieve.

The deluxe edition paperback will feature bonus content and hits shelves 20 years after its original release.

Something is not right with George the shepherd. His sheep have gathered around him on a hill outside the cozy Irish village of Glennkill to assess the situation. George has cared for the sheep, reading them books every night, and now he lies pinned to the ground with a spade. His flock, far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep, set out to find George’s killer, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world).

Her team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” of the group; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a thoughtful, if gloomy, ewe—just to name a few. Together, the sheep engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and their speculations vary wildly. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, they embark on furtive missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, the secretive village newcomer; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a strange flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest.

With wit and heart, this clever international bestseller is a mystery to chew on—and savor.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

RECOMMENDED: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen is still $2.99! Sarah loved this one and gave it an A-:

If you like fantasy with characters that might sound like your neighbors sometimes, in a world with big stakes and little stakes and magical talking animals who deliver the mail, and especially if you like epistolary novels that lead to characters becoming more of themselves, you’ll like this undertaking. (Bad dum bum.)

Hart Ralston is a demigod and a marshal, tasked with patrolling the wasteland of Tanria. The realm the exiled old gods once called home is now a forsaken place where humans with no better options or no better sense come seeking adventure or spoils, but more often end up as drudges: reanimated corpses inhabited by the souls of those who’ve died in Tanria before. Hart tells himself that his job is simple: neutralize the drudges with a quick zap to the appendix and deliver them back to polite society at the nearest undertaker’s, leaving the whys and hows of the drudge problem for men without the complexities of a god in their family tree. But working alone, Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder exactly those questions he’d most like to avoid.

Too much time alone is the opposite of Mercy Birdsall’s problem. Since her father’s decline, she’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son undertakers afloat in small-town Eternity—despite definitely not being a son, and in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart Ralston, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest. The work’s not the problem—Mercy’s good at it, better than any other Birdsall—but keeping all her family’s plates spinning singlehandedly, forever, isn’t how Mercy envisioned her future.

After yet another run-in with the sharp-tongued Mercy, Hart considers she might have a point about his utter loneliness being a bit of a liability. In a moment of sentimentality, he pens a letter addressed simply to “A Friend,” and entrusts it to a nimkilim, an anthropomorphic animal messenger with an uncanny connection to the gods, (and in Hart’s case, a bit of a drinking problem). Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most–Mercy. As the two unlikely pen pals grow closer, the truth about Hart’s parentage and the nature of the drudges creeps in. And suddenly their old animosity seems so small in comparison to what they might be able to do: end the drudges forever. But at what cost?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Tempting Olivia

Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton is $1.49! This is book two in the f/f contemporary Oxford Romance series. Many of Ashton’s books have been mention and recommended on the site.

Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching romcoms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence – pure escapism and cinematic perfection.

But, when the actor walks into Olivia’s office with a bag full of divorce and a messy personal life, that perfect bubble bursts. Kate seems nothing like the screen goddesses she plays, and Olivia must put aside her comfort viewing and handle the case like the true professional she is.

It requires secrecy, especially with indiscreet friends. Will best-friend Charlotte ever read the room? And will Millie, who instantly reads the room, ever stop commenting loudly?

And Kate? She doesn’t know what to think about this frosty lawyer. But she needs a quick divorce from a mistake of a marriage, which was over before it started, and Olivia Sachdeva is the best.

But little by little, Olivia and Kate glimpse behind the mask, to find someone they weren’t looking for, who may not even be perfect, but might be the right person for them.

Read as a stand-alone romance or book two of the Oxford Romance series.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

I Can’t Even

I Can’t Even by Jenn McKinlay is $1.99! This appears to be a standalone contemporary romance. This is a small town, second chance romance, but also has hints of complicated and/or toxic family dynamics.

Julia Blumer is called home to Gull’s Harbor, California, a hilly seaside community just north of San Diego, by her two sisters, Sophie and Emily, when it is clear that their domineering mother Babs Blumer is critically ill. Julia catches the first plane out of New York City, hoping to mend the rift between her and Babs that has existed since Julia left home after the fight to end all fights ten years ago. Much to her chagrin, Babs is not happy to see her and it’s not the reunion she hoped for.

Julia moves back into her old bedroom, the one that overlooks the neighbor’s house. While unpacking her few possessions and setting up a place to work at her the desk, she is shocked to see her old boyfriend, literally the boy next door, Liam Murphy in his old bedroom. She hides, hitting the floor and creeping back up to the windowsill to watch him as he works out in his room. The years have been good to Liam, very good, and Julia is alarmed by the attraction she still feels for the buff surfer boy, whose heart she smashed to bits when she ran away a decade ago.

While Babs’s condition deteriorates, family secrets are revealed and the past comes roaring back into the present. As the clock winds down on her time in Gull’s Harbor, Julia frantically tries to help her sisters, make peace with her mother, and win back the first love she has never gotten over.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed

Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed by Anna Campbell is $1.99! This is the first book in the Sons of Sin series and has some heavy Beauty and the Beast vibes. Some readers felt this was a beautiful, emotional romance, but some felt the second half was more interesting than the first.

Will a week of seduction…

Desperate to save her sister’s life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

…Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

My Dear Mr. Ridley

My Dear Mr. Ridley by Sandra Sookoo is 99c! This is book one in the Diamonds of London series. The heroine is a widower with a son and she’s enjoying being unattached in Italy. The hero is a grizzled and retired Bow Street Runner.

Sometimes, the road to romance is littered with intrigue, harrowing danger, and wild shock.

The year is 1818 and Theodosia Netherton—Lady Ballantyne—is wintering in the sunny climes of Italy in an effort to protect her health as well as to visit her brother. Widowed for three years, she has no interest in a new romance, but when a horrific emergency leads her to the doorstep of a handsome, former Bow Street Runner with wide shoulders and a mysterious scar, she might just change her mind.

Mr. Hudson Ridley is in Rome for the warmth and relative obscurity. Retired at the age of eight and thirty, the last thing he wants is to become embroiled in a kidnapping plot that involves an attractive widow and her missing son. Yet he was the best in the retrieval business in his prime, and she did have hauntingly unforgettable eyes as well as a smile that could make a man do wicked, stupid things.

In the quest to hunt the people who nabbed the boy and heir to a viscounty, Theodosia and Hudson dance about mutual desire until passion gets the better of them one star-lit evening amidst some of the country’s finest ruins. But tracking the criminals turns deadly when shots are fired at them. Time is running out to rescue the young heir, keep a valuable jewel safe, and somehow discover if love is the ultimate reward despite the risk.

Can two fearful hearts feel less broken together? Find out in My Dear Mr. Ridley , the first book in the exciting new Diamonds of London series.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

If the Duke Demands

If the Duke Demands by Anna Harrington is $2.99! This is the first book in the Capturing the Carlisles. Readers loved the mistaken identity element that kicks of the hero and heroines deal to help each other woo other people. Though readers warn that the hero does kiss another woman, which I know some readers don’t like.

A LESSON IN SEDUCTION . . .

Miranda Hodgkins has only ever wanted one thing: to marry Robert Carlisle. And she simply can’t wait a moment longer. During the Carlisle family masquerade ball, Miranda boldly sneaks into his bedchamber with seduction on her mind. Soon she’s swept into rock-hard arms for the most breathtaking kiss of her life. But when the masks come off, she’s horrified to find herself face-to-face with Sebastian, the Duke of Trent—Robert’s formidable older brother.

Shocked to find Miranda in his bed, Sebastian quickly offers her a deal to avoid scandal: He’ll help her win his brother’s heart if she’ll find him the perfect wife. But what begins as a simple negotiation soon spirals out of control. For the longer this reformed rake tries to make a match for Miranda, the more he wants to keep her all to himself.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Highland Crown

Highland Crown by May McGoldrick is 99c! Elyse read this one and gave it a C, but notes:

If you like historicals with a lot of fast-paced action and don’t mind insta-love, then this book may work nicely for you.

Inverness, 1820
Perched on the North Sea, this port town―by turns legendary and mythological―is a place where Highland rebels and English authorities clash in a mortal struggle for survival and dominance. Among the fray is a lovely young widow who possesses rare and special gifts.

WANTED: Isabella Drummond
A true beauty and trained physician, Isabella has inspired longing and mystery―and fury―in a great many men. Hunted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, she came to the Highlands in search of survival. But a dying ship’s captain will steer her fate into even stormier waters. . .and her heart into flames.

FOUND: Cinaed Mackintosh
Cast from his home as a child, Cinaed is a fierce soul whose allegiance is only to himself. . .until Isabella saved his life―and added more risk to her own. Now, the only way Cinaed can keep her safe to seek refuge at Dalmigavie Castle, the Mackintosh family seat. But when the scandalous truth of his past comes out, any chance of Cinaed having a bright future with Isabella is thrown into complete darkness. What will these two ill-fated lovers have to sacrifice to be together…for eternity?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Carrie S

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Posted by Guest Reviewer

B-

Look Before You Leap

by Virginia Heath
June 24, 2025 · St. Martin's Griffin
HorrorLGBTQIA

This guest review comes from Lisa! A longtime romance aficionado and frequent commenter to SBTB, Lisa is a queer Latine critic with a sharp tongue and lots of opinions. She frequently reviews at All About Romance and Women Write About Comics, where she’s on staff, and you can catch her at @‌thatbouviergirl on Twitter. There, she shares good reviews, bracing industry opinions and thoughtful commentary when she’s not on her grind looking for the next good freelance job.

Virginia Heath has crafted plenty of A-level, Squee-laden reads over the course of her historical romance writing career, and I’ve ranked her among my favorite historical authors of all time more than once. Her latest series, Miss Prentice’s Protegees, had been solid up until now, but Look Before You Leap is a weaker entry than the previous book in the line-up, All’s Fair in Love and War. I still like it more than her Meriwell Sisters trilogy, which was all right but didn’t work for me, but I found this book a small step down and a bit of a disappointment from the introductory chapter.

Miss Prentice’s School is a finishing school where young girls of good breeding go to get training for respectable occupations – in the Regency era, this means as a ladies’ companion or a governess. Horse-mad, pants-wearing Lottie Travers has just failed at being the latter twice over and is set upon being the former when a dash through Hyde Park on horseback causes her to bump into the hero – literally, and, thankfully for him, not fatally. She scolds him for not looking out, runs out and delivers his horse back to him, and leaves the man in a thunderous mood.

Said hero is Guy Harrowby, Viscount Wennington, and he’s just as horse-mad as Lottie but has the whole Viscountency riding on his shoulders. Guy is unmarried as he approaches thirty, and is being pressured by his mother and great aunt, the Dowager Lady Frinton, to get wed and pop out some kids for the estate, already. He just wants to be left alone to ride and is gunshy about romance after being hurt by his first love years ago. He tries to talk his mother into putting together a simple house party for thirty people to celebrate his birthday. But she and her sister have begun to conspire, and plot a birthday week during which they hope Guy will find the girl of his dreams. When his aunt arrives at the estate, who should be with her but Lottie, her new companion, whom she has already taken a shine to?

Guy and Lottie had immediate chemistry, and now that they’re together again something just might spark up between them. But can Guy get over his past heartbreak so that they can finally be together?

For all of the sparkle and life that Heath’s romances bring with them, there were too many running issues going on in Look Before You Leap. Chief among them was how simply ordinary the narrative is. You’ve met this sunshine-and-grumpy pairing before. Guy is a thundercloud who broods; Lottie is fiery and outspoken with a lust for life. Sometimes they kiss, sometimes they fight. Eventually they get it together, but there’s not enough attention put on the later phase of their relationship, making it feel half-mature and failing to show us they’re growing beyond the slap-slap-kiss phase of the union. The book is an endless pattern of them fighting and making up, interspersed eventually with sex scenes.

Mild spoilers for the ending

This repetition ends up getting double-underlined in the third act, where their temporary breakup is effected by Guy and his lingering fear of being publicly humiliated and he acts ridiculously. She tries to hold his feet to the fire, and he progresses as a character, but it absolutely should never have happened in the first place and ends up feeling very abrupt.

And yet I really liked Lottie in particular. She left home at sixteen to gain employment and send money back to her family in Kent, where she has four brothers. They owned a horse farm and being raised there has shaped her into the girl she is. Their mother died young and that left a mark on Lottie. She is not gently bred or weak-willed, and she is quite the delight overall. She’s the kind of girl who gets fired for stealing her employer’s horse, after all; she had spunk and spirit. The book’s worth reading for her alone, not to mention her growing connection with Lady Frinton.

But Guy? Eh. He’s the typical grump, mourning a long-ago humiliation that shouldn’t matter this much after nine years. While what was done to him was cruel, it’s been so much time that his intense focus on his own humiliation is almost cartoonish. Thus, he often comes off as self-centered and immature.

I did like a lot of the minor supporting characters, though for a chunk of the book, Guy’s mother and great aunt fall into that kind of pushy elderly matchmaker trope that I kind of hate. His father, too, is dead, which helps explain why his mother’s so baby mad. But utterly flawless was Lottie’s friendship with Lady Frinton, which was filled with vinegar and fire. I wish I could say Look Before You Leap was equally without flaws, but the heroine makes this worth reading, even if the romance runs as hot and cold as Lottie and Guy do.

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Posted by Amanda

Inheritance

Inheritance by Nora Roberts is $2.99! This is book one in the Lost Bride Trilogy. These skew more toward contemporary romance with some paranormal or light magical elements. Have you read this one?

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts―a tale of tragedies, loves found and lost, and a family haunted for generations.

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about―and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth―and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease―and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Phantasma

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith is $1.99! This is book one in the Wicked Games series. I’ve heard good things about this one.

Caraval meets Throne of the Fallen in this spicy dark romantasy where a necromancer needs help from a dangerous phantom to win a deadly competition, only to find their partnership puts her at risk of breaking the game’s most vital rule: don’t fall in love.

When Ophelia and her sister discovers their mother brutally murdered, there is no time to grieve: Ophelia has inherited both her powerful death-driven magic and enormous debt on their home. Circumstances go from dire to deadly, however, when Ophelia’s sister decides to pay off the loan by entering Phantasma—a competition where most contestants don’t make it out alive and the winner is granted a single wish.

The only way to save her sister is to compete. But Phantasma is a cursed manor, with twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, and filled with enticing demons and fatal temptations. Ophelia will need to face nine floors of challenges to win… if her fears don’t overtake her first.

When a charming, arrogant stranger claims he can protect and guide Ophelia, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. While Blackwell may not seem dangerous, appearances can be deceptive. But with her sister’s life on the line, Ophelia can’t afford to turn him away. She just needs to ignore the overwhelming, dark attraction drawing them closer and closer together.

Because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Love Catastrophe

A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting is $2.99! This is a standalone contemporary romance. In this one, the heroine is a famous “cat whisperer.”

Kitty Hart has become internet famous as the Kitty Whisperer for her expertise on all things feline, and as a result, her cat-sitting business is booming. But lately, she has a terrible feeling that maybe her life isn’t quite going where it’s supposed to—especially after falling face-first into her newest client. Not exactly the best first impression.

Fortunately, Miles Thorn is just as bad at first impressions. Strike one: he doesn’t like cats, especially Prince Francis, the haughty and mischievous Sphynx his mom left in his care. Strike two: tackling Kitty to the floor in a misguided attempt to save the pet he continually calls “the gremlin.”

As awkwardness slides into attraction and things start to turn purr-sonal, will these two complete opposites ever be able to find their furry-tail ending?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Baby Dragon Cafe

The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi is 99c! This is book one in a cozy fantasy series witha grumpy/sunshine romance. Book two in the series is also on sale.

When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from selling dragon-roasted coffee.

Aiden is a local gardener, and local heart-throb, more interested in his plants than actually spending time with his disobedient baby dragon. When Aiden walks into Saphira’s café, he has a genius idea – he’ll ask Saphira to train his baby dragon, and he’ll pay her enough to keep the café afloat.

Saphira’s happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t seem to do anything but irritate the grumpy-but-gorgeous Aiden, except that everywhere she goes, she finds him there. But can this dragon café owner turn her fortunes around, and maybe find love along the way?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

HaBO: They’re Stuck on a Lifeboat

Oct. 7th, 2025 02:00 pm
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Posted by Amanda

This HaBO came in from Jessica, who wants to find this romance:

I’m looking for a book from Kindle but I can’t remember the cover and title.

It starts from a woman’s POV. She says she’s laying on a lifeboat or (maybe) a plastic life raft. She’s holding on to keep from sliding or flying out. There’s other people in the life raft and a certain man is pinning the woman’s legs down, so she doesn’t fly out of the raft. There appears to be a storm or maybe just big waves and it’s night.

I feel like a romance that starts with a lifeboat might be pretty memorable. Let’s HaBO!

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Posted by Amanda

Happy October!

This is a big month for both releases and highly anticipated new installments. After October, releases tend to peter off as we get closer to the holiday season.

Which new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

Dating After the End of the World

Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose

Author: Jeneva Rose
Released: October 1, 2025
Genre: , ,

There’s nothing like the undead to bring the living together in an action-packed and apocalyptically romantic genre-shattering novel by a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Casey Pearson grew up with a doomsday-prepping father. At eighteen, tired of living an unconventional life, she left home, vowing never to return.

More than a decade later, a mysterious viral outbreak changes everything, including the people it infects, turning them into zombielike creatures. It’s the end of the world, and no one saw it coming—well, except for Casey’s father. With no place left to run and danger lurking around every corner, Casey is forced to return home.

Upon arrival, she’s surprised to find that her dad has hunkered down with a group of survivors, including her archnemesis, Blake Morrison, the high school bully who made Casey’s teenage years a living hell.

While struggling to live on the compound, face outside threats, and survive alongside her handsome enemy, Casey will learn that although the world has ended, hers is just beginning.

Amanda: Very curious about this one, which dropped on the first.

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A Merry Little Lie

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan

Author: Sarah Morgan
Released: October 7, 2025 by Canary Street Press
Genre: ,

This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents…

Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?

Her twin sister, Rosie, married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?

Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?

Despite everyone’s best intentions, all the chaos and confusion could derail their normally happy holidays. Can they tell each other the truth in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?

Sarah’s pick!

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Alchemy of Secrets

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

Author: Stephanie Garber
Released: October 7, 2025 by Flatiron Books
Genre: , , ,

It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

Elyse: I’ve been hearing really great things about this one.

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All of Us Murderers

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

Author: KJ Charles
Released: October 7, 2025 by Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: , , , ,

The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.

WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?

When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative’s remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family—but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there’s no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house’s shadowy depths…

Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House—and live to tell the tale?

Elyse: Crimson Peak meets Knives Out? Put it in my eyeballs.

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Cinder House

Cinder House by Freya Marske

Author: Freya Marske
Released: October 7, 2025 by Tor.com
Genre: , , , ,

Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske—a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.

Ella is a haunting.

Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father’s house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.

Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.

Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.

You think you know Ella’s the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.

You’re halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.

Rediscover a classic fairy tale in this debut novella from “the queen of romantic fantasy” (Polygon).

Markse has a fairy tale telling novella coming out!

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Crafting for Sinners

Crafting for Sinners by Jenny Kiefer

Author: Jenny Kiefer
Released: October 7, 2025 by Quirk Books
Genre: ,

“You will compulsively turn these pages well into the dead of night.”—Paul Tremblay, New York Times best-selling author of Horror Movie and The Cabin at the End of the World

A queer woman must fight her way out of a craft store run by a megachurch in this gripping survival horror novel by Jenny Kiefer, author of This Wretched Valley.

The ratcheting tension and gut-churning terror will appeal to fans of Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle and Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix.

Ruth is trapped. She’s stuck in her small, religious hometown of Kill Devil, Kentucky, stuck in the closet, and stuck living paycheck to paycheck. After her manager finds out that she lives with her girlfriend, Ruth is fired from her job at New Creations—a craft store owned by the church that dominates life in Kill Devil.

In an act of revenge, Ruth attempts to shoplift some yarn but is caught red-handed. Instead of calling the police, the employees lock her in the store—and attack her. As Ruth fights for her life using only the crafting supplies at hand, she plunges deeper into the tangled web of the New Creationists, who are hiding a terrible secret that threatens not only her but the entire town.

Urgent, scathing, and utterly original, Crafting for Sinners cements Kiefer’s status as a dazzling new star in horror.

Amanda: This just sounds like so much fun.

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The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Magic and Murder

The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Magic and Murder by Kiri Callaghan

Author: Kiri Callaghan
Released: October 7, 2025 by Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: ,
Series: The Hemlock Saga #1

“For all intents and purposes, we are still blissfully separated from the mortals, but there have been…complications.”

When a rise in London’s supernatural crime puts Fey society at risk of discovery, the Winter Council turns to an unlikely solution: Avery Hemlock, the changeling they sentenced to 500 Years of Nightmares. Inherently lacking social grace and missing approximately two centuries of world knowledge, Avery must find a way to acclimate and solve the case or lose her probationary freedom.

After being left at the altar and dropping out of medical school, Saga Trygg attempts to rekindle her faith in life, humanity, and witchcraft. But when her new neighbor, Avery, accidentally reveals the Fey that have been living among humanity all along, Saga realizes magic is far more than prayers, intention, and candles.

Each faced with navigating an unfamiliar world, the two form an unexpected partnership—but shortly into Avery’s investigation, they discover the threat might be closer to Saga than either of them imagined, and Avery will do anything to protect the first friend she’s had in more than two hundred years.

This one may be of interest to the Bitchery!

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Mate

Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Author: Ali Hazelwood
Released: October 7, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: ,
Series: Bride #2

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

I know so many people who have preordered this one. Have you?

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Queen Demon

Queen Demon by Martha Wells

Author: Martha Wells
Released: October 7, 2025 by Tor Books
Genre: ,
Series: The Rising World #2

From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.

Dahin, a beloved member of the Witch King’s coterie, believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs’ Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there’s something he isn’t telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.

Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?

And can he trust his companions to do what’s right?

Follow Kai to the end of the world in this thrilling sequel to the USA Today-bestselling Witch King.

The next book in The Rising World series. 

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Willing Prey

Willing Prey by Allie Oleander

Author: Allie Oleander
Released: October 7, 2025 by Berkley
Genre: , ,

An exhilarating, primal summer fling in the woods leads to an intensely sexy, edgy romance, where anything goes—just remember your safe word.

Divorced and buried in student loan debt, Claire Collins eagerly enters a spicy business agreement with an acquaintance who wants to explore his primal desires. The deal is thirty days as his sexual prey, $30,000 in her bank account. All she has to do is give Shane Underwood the hunt of his life.

Claire’s a physical education teacher and perfectly happy to spend her summer having wild, kinky sex instead of working her usual serving job. But once they cross the tree line, she realizes how little she knows about the corporate lawyer paying her to be his prey.

Shane is different in the woods. Brutal. Devastating. Feral.

That’s okay with Claire—she is, too. And she’s sinking her teeth a little deeper into Shane’s heart every time he catches her.

Amanda: I started reading this one and it has a really good mix of spicy content, humor, and great main characters. Bonus points for a tall heroine and characters in their 30s.

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Posted by Amanda

Tusk Love

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon is $1.99! This released over the summer and is a Critical Role tie-in. However, I think people should be fine without needing to be familiar with the source material. Please let me know if I’m wrong!

A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars.

“A true delight of a book! Spicy and heartfelt—this one is a winner all around.”—Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods

As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.

Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.

Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise.

Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.

Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Daughter of the Blood

Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop is $1.99! This is the first book in The Black Jewels series and was recommended in our Inner Goth Rec League. Ellen notes that this series deserves all of the content warnings. I know for many readers this was a formative series for their fantasy reading. Peep the new cover design.

The Dark Kingdom is preparing itself for the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy–the arrival of a new Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But this new ruler is young, and very susceptible to influence and corruption; whoever controls her controls the Darkness. And now, three sworn enemies begin a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, and the destiny of an entire world is at stake.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Viscount Who Vexed Me

The Viscount Who Vexed Me by Julia London is $1.99! This historical romance is book three in the Royal Match series. I’m getting a hint of Cyrano de Bergerac from the description.

Daring. Darling. Determined.

Next to the Season’s newest diamond , Harriet (Hattie) Woodchurch feels like a plain Jane. But that’s of no consequence, since Hattie’s plan for her future is to earn enough to live far, far away from her embarrassing family.

That is until Mateo Vincente, Duke of Santiava and newly minted Viscount Abbott, arrives in London. While the shy European’s spoken English is impeccable, his writing is less fluent. The ton is eager to meet the handsome bachelor, and so many invitations flood in that Mateo needs a correspondence secretary.

With her perfect penmanship and way with words, Hattie is recommended, and the two bond over books and the ton’s eligible ladies. But when Hattie’s friend Flora becomes smitten with the viscount, things get complicated. Flora is tongue-tied in his presence. To help, Hattie feeds her information about Mateo’s interests. Soon things turn around and Flora appears on track to become his duchess. Yet for Mateo, something’s not quite right. Conversation with Flora isn’t as scintillating as it is with Hattie…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Kiss of Deception

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson is $2.99! This is a YA fantasy with romantic elements and sounds pretty awesome. A princess bails on her wedding day and tries to start a life elsewhere under another identity. Some readers felt that nothing truly happened in the book, while others loved the writing and detail.

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor’s secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can’t abide. Like having to marry someone she’s never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

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Posted by Carrie S

B-

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire

by Anna Fiteni
September 9, 2025 · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Historical: EuropeanRomance

Would that I, like this book’s heroine, were newly turned sixteen again, for if I were I would have absolutely swooned over The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire. I cannot overstress how madly I would have loved this story. Now I’m old and cranky so I viewed it with a more demanding eye, but anyone interested in Welsh folklore and grumpy heroines will enjoy this road trip through the land of the Tylwyth Teg (fae).

Once upon a time (specifically, in 1842) there were two sisters, the daughters of a Welsh miner. One was beautiful and good. One was cranky, plain, and impulsive, not above taking a swing at someone or telling a lie. When the pretty sister, Ceridwen, vanishes, it’s up to the cranky one, newly sixteen-year-old Sabrina, to find her by venturing deep into the woods and into the lands of the Tylwyth Teg.

There’s more to this set up, including a stolen ring, an exiled father, an exhausted grandmother, and a desperate struggle against poverty. However, the basic plot set up is fairy tale simple: one sister vanishes into the woods and the other goes looking for her and faces many challenges along the way.

I loved this journey through Welsh folklore, and I enjoyed taking the journey with Sabrina. I liked that the same traits that caused her problems in the human world served her well on her search for her sister. I liked that Ceridwen is a very different person than the reader first assumes her to be, and that it takes time for Sabrina to understand her motivations. The writing is beautiful and the characters interesting.

Sabrina finds herself attracted to Neirin, a fae prince. Here, my friends, is where my newly sixteen-year-old self would like to give this book an A++++. He’s mysterious! He’s hot! He wears a shirt that he keeps forgetting to lace up! He teaches her to sword fight and invites her to a ball at his castle! He thinks she’s great! He’s super hot in a way that sixteen-year-old-self adores:

His brown eyes widen, lashes casting spider-leg shadows over his glass-smooth milk-white skin. They’re near human, nearly welcoming, but the perfection of their distribution is unsettling. His wavy hair is black, streaked with a gray that shines as if someone dipped a paintbrush in molten silver and ran it through his locks.

I MEAN. It’s giving Tom Hiddleston in Thor! It’s giving Jareth in Labyrinth!  It’s giving Jack in Titanic and Jack in Legend! Heady stuff for my sixteen-year-old self.

However, my grumpy-old-ass self immediately thought Neirin was untrustworthy and that Sabrina and Neirin seem to develop a romance without knowing each other at all. Sabrina proceeds to be increasingly attracted to Neirin, and he seems to have developed real feelings for her. Again, my sixteen-year-old self thought this was swoony. Grumpy-old-ass self thought this was sloppy. They didn’t seem to be falling in love organically. It felt rushed and more about plot than character growth and evolution.

At one point a twist occurs that seems to address this, and it was awesome, but it didn’t carry through in a way that satisfied me:

Major Spoiler here

I was DELIGHTED by the reveal that the reason this love affair seems rushed and artificial is that it IS artificial. Neirin has been manipulating Sabrina through magical means. This made so much sense for the story and it had immense emotional weight. There was real horror in Sabrina realizing what had happened and what the place around her really looked like.

But then for reasons I fail to comprehend, Sabrina and Neirin kinda-sorta get back together again? Again, my sixteen-year-old self totally gets this. He’s sad! He can’t change his nature, but he really cares about Sabrina inasmuch as he is capable of doing!

But alas my friends, my sixteen-year-old self cannot be trusted. She just found her first boyfriend and hasn’t yet learned that when he described himself as an asshole, he was being truthful. By the time she was seventeen, she was a whole new person who understood that when people tell you what they are you should believe them. Seventeen-year-old me, and grumpy-old-ass me, has no patience for Neirin’s shit and is disappointed that Sabrina still does.

The actual plot of this book is pretty simple and didn’t always hold my interest, and the romance is messy as hell. However I really loved how the story is rooted not only in Welsh mythology but also in Welsh history, particularly the history of its mines and miners. The way the book deals with intergenerational grief and trauma, as well as the sacrifices family members make for each other, is powerful.

This is the first book by Anna Fiteni and it ends on an open-ended note – not quite a cliffhanger, but with abundant room for a sequel. I’ll be interested to see what comes next.

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Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Cover Awe!

The Gentleman Spy by Georgina North. A man in Regency attire with a shadowed face looks back at a woman in a blue dress. There are watercolor splotches in red, gray, and a grayish blue.

The Gentleman Spy by Georgina North

Cover design by Jennifer Therieau

From Kareni: For a future Cover Awe post.

Claudia: Oh yes, I really like this. Incongruously it reminds me of a watercolor tattoo.

Sarah: Claudia, I had the exact same thought. And the way that the watercolory splotches are partially revealing blocks of written text adds to the intrigue of the image, which I’m presuming matches the book.

Love Like the Sun by Riss Neilson. A field full of pink and orange flowers with a bright sun, but the field is turned 90 degrees, so the field is on the lefthand side and the sun and sky are the right hand side.

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson

Cover illustration by Vivi Campos

Lara: I want to be in that picture, basking.

Amanda: Meanwhile, my allergies do not.

Sarah: I think I can smell this cover. It’s extremely sensual in the literal, uh, sense.

Sneezy: I like how horizontal and vertical orientations layering on each other. It’s lovely to look at both ways.

A Lethal Lady by Nekesa Afia. A gold portrait hangs in the middle with the red windmill of Moulin Rogue inside of it. Sitting on the edge of the gold frame is a Black woman in a silvery white dress with gold detailing down the middle. She's holding a a white feather fan and has a gold hairpin in her hair.

A Lethal Lady by Nekesa Afia

Cover illustration by Emma Leonard

Lara: I love the expression on her face and how she’s sitting in the frame.

Amanda: The whole series has great cover illustrations.

Sarah: I love the color scheme, and the dress. I want to see multiple angles of it, and to see it in motion.

A Whisper of Cardamom by Eleanor Ford. A painted cover in a sunny yellow. it has purple and white flowers, cloves, a stick of cinnamon, star anise, some seeds, and two short parrots with green bodies and orange heads.

A Whisper of Cardamom by Eleanor Ford

From LML: If a cookbook can be included in Cover Awe, I find this cover so beautiful that I’ll probably buy it in hardcover.

Amanda: It could definitely be a painting on its own.

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Posted by Amanda

The latest bestseller list if brought you by a diet soda of your choice, porch weather, and our affiliate sales data.

  1. It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  2. Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  3. London’s Greatest Lovers by Lorraine Heath Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  4. Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  5. The Inheritance Trilogy by NK Jemisin Amazon | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlay
  6. The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  7. Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  8. The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  9. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell Amazon | B&N | Kobo
  10. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard Amazon | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlay

I hope your weekend reading was fantastic!

Sunday Sale Digest!

Oct. 5th, 2025 06:00 am
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Posted by Amanda

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

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Posted by Carrie S

Most people know that Harry Houdini was a famous magician. Many people also know that Houdini devoted much of his life to debunking fake mediums during a time when Spiritualism had widespread acceptance.

But did you know that Houdini’s chief investigator was a woman named Rosa Mackenberg? I did not, but thanks to a Skeptoid podcast episode I do now!

Mackenberg began her career working as a private detective at a detective agency in New York. She was introduced to Houdini, who asked her to help expose fake mediums. Mackenberg believed that it was possible to communicate with the dead, but also agreed that mediums could be frauds. She started a partnership with Houdini that would last even after he died (in a sense).

Mackenberg joined Houdini’s team in 1924. Mackenberg would adopt a costume and a backstory and meet with psychics before Houdini came to town. She took notes on their methods and passed them on to Houdini. Then when Houdini came to town, they would discredit the fake psychics publicly.

A newspaper clipping shows some of Rosa's disguises
A newspaper clipping shows some of Mackenberg’s disguises.

Mackenberg testified before Congress hoping to convince them to pass a bill that would outlaw predatory practices among mediums. In the process, she divulged that multiple members of Congress, as well as President Calvin Coolidge, visited mediums in Washington, D.C.

After Houdini died in 1926, she continued her work, investigating fraudulent psychics and giving talks to professional and legal groups as well as the general public on how mediums were able to successfully swindle their victims.

A black and white photo of a smiling Rosa

Before Houdini died, he gave a code to his wife and a few other people, one of whom was Mackenberg. The purpose of this was to provide proof of authenticity should any medium actually be able to communicate with his spirit. Despite trying many times, Mackenberg was never able to receive an authentic message.

Mackenberg believed in an afterlife, but the mediums she investigated were not solely providing comfort based in reality or otherwise. Mediums who met with the disguised Mackenberg charged a fee, tried to sell her stocks because of ‘advice from the beyond’ in businesses they stood to profit by, and otherwise attempted to prey upon her, and their clientele, financially and fraudulently. In her work, she advanced not only the opportunities for women in investigative fields, but also some techniques of scientific investigation that are still used today.

According to Atlas Obscura,

By the time she died in 1968, she claimed to have investigated 1,500 mediums. “Rose Mackenberg dons shabby clothes and tracks down ‘spirit world’ frauds,” the Vancouver Sun wrote of her. “She has found plenty, too, having been put in touch with 1,500 departed husbands she never had.”

For more about the indomitable Rosa Mackenberg, check out:

Books on Sale: Jumbo Edition

Oct. 3rd, 2025 03:30 pm
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Posted by Amanda

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

RECOMMENDED: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is $1.99! Carrie squeed about this one:

I adored every part of this story – the stakes, the world-building, the language, the characters, and the action. I can’t wait to read more of it.

“A thrilling, transportative adventure that is everything promised–Chakraborty’s storytelling is fantasy at its best.” — R.F. Kuang, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and The Poppy War

An exhilarating, propulsive adventure, stitched from the threads of real history, Amina’s adventures are the reason to read fantasy.” — Ava Reid, internationally bestselling author of Juniper & Thorn

Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Romantic Comedy

RECOMMENDED: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is $1.99! Elyse gave this one an A:

Celebrity romance is one of my favorite tropes, and for me this book stands out. Romantic Comedy features a hero who is not purely defined by celebrity status, gives readers a deep dive into a world I found fascinating, contains an epistolary courtship, and at times is laugh-out-loud funny.

A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions. Romantic Comedy is a hilarious, observant and deeply tender novel from New York Times–bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld.

Sally Milz is a sketch writer for “The Night Owls,” the late-night live comedy show that airs each Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.

But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actor who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the “Danny Horst Rule,” poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.

Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder whether there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy; it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her…right?

With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

When No One Is Watching

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole is $1.99! We were all pretty excited about this one. What did you think about Cole’s thriller debut?

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning …

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Throne of the Fallen

RECOMMENDED: Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco is $3.99! I enjoyed this one and it reminded me a lot of sexy, early 2000s paranormal romances (which may or may not be your thing). I gave it a B+:

Throne of the Fallen is a “yes, and…” sort of book that you just have to lean into, which I happily did. It’s extremely cliched and tropey, and I’d eat this nonsense for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.

These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind him what he isn’t: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he’ll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…

Talented. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn’t the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley’s clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Waverly Green’s newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford ‘Syn’ Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

It’s Elementary

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant is $1.99! Sarah picked this for a previous Hide Your Wallet. This is book one in the Mavis Miller mystery series.

A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids’ schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.

Mavis Miller is not a PTA mom. She has enough on her plate with her feisty seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, an exhausting job at a nonprofit, and the complexities of a multigenerational household. So no one is more surprised than Mavis when she caves to Trisha Holbrook, the long-reigning, slightly terrifying PTA president, and finds herself in charge of the school’s brand-new DEI committee.

As one of the few Black parents at this California elementary school, Mavis tries to convince herself this is an opportunity for real change. But things go off the rails at the very first meeting, when the new principal’s plans leave Trisha absolutely furious. Later that night, when Mavis spies Trisha in yellow rubber gloves and booties, lugging cleaning supplies and giant black trash bags to her waiting minivan, it’s only natural that her mind jumps to somewhere it surely wouldn’t in the light of day.

Except Principal Smith fails to show up for work the next morning, and has been MIA since the meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist with the great forearms (look, it’s worth noting), launches an investigation that will challenge her views on parenting, friendship, and elementary school politics.

Brilliantly written, It’s Elementary is a quick-witted, escapist romp that perfectly captures just how far parents will go to give their kids the very best, all wrapped in a mystery that will leave you guessing to the very end.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Blood on the Tide

RECOMMENDED: Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert is $1.99! This is book two in the Crimson Sails series and Lara gave it a B+:

When I review books, I stop intermittently to jot down notes. With Katee Robert books, I get so immersed so quickly that I forget to take notes. The story sucks me in comprehensively and this book is no exception to that rule. If you’re interested in this series, definitely start with book one as the two are closely linked. I can heartily recommend both.

As a bloodline vampire, Lizzie has never had a problem taking what she wants, and right now what she wants are the family heirlooms that were stolen from her, a ship, and a portal home. Unfortunately, even that short list is impossible to accomplish on her own—and her allies have bigger things to worry about. When they rescue a selkie, it’s the perfect solution to her problem. Lizzie needs a guide through Threshold and the selkie needs her skin back.

Maeve didn’t choose to give up her skin—it was stolen from her. Now she’s in an uneasy partnership with a dangerous woman who seems more apt to kill than to share a kind word. It’s terrifying…and a bit alluring. Even though she knows it will end in heartbreak, Maeve can’t help being drawn to Lizzie.

Unfortunately, the danger to Maeve’s heart is the least of her worries. The ship they’re seeking belongs to the Cwn Annwn, and they don’t take kindly to people who cross them. They’re coming hunting, and not even Lizzie’s viciousness or Maeve’s knowledge will be enough to save them…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Life’s Too Short

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez is $2.99! This is the third book in The Friend Zone series, which can all be read as standalones. All of Jimenez’s books pack an emotional punch, so be ye warned.

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist.

Vanessa lives life on her own terms — one day at a time, every day to its fullest. She isn’t willing to waste a moment or miss out on an experience when she has no idea whether she shares the same fatal genetic condition as her mother. Besides, she has way too much to do, traveling the globe and showing her millions of YouTube followers the joy in seizing every moment.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, she is housebound, on mommy duty for the foreseeable future, and feeling totally out of her element.

The last person she expects to show up offering help is the unbelievably hot lawyer who lives next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. But as they get closer, Vanessa realizes that her carefree ways and his need for a structured plan could never be compatible for the long term. Then again, she should know better than anyone that life’s too short to fear taking the biggest risk of all. . .

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Partner Plot

The Partner Plot by Kristina Forest is $1.99! This is book two in the Greene Sisters series and was released in February. This features a marriage of convenience between former high school sweethearts.

Two former high school sweethearts get a second chance in this marriage of convenience romance by Kristina Forest, author of The Neighbor Favor.

To Violet Greene, fashion is everything. As a successful celebrity stylist, she travels all over the world, living out her dreams. Professionally, she’s thriving, but her personal life is in shambles. After surviving a very public breakup with her ex-fiancé six months ago, Violet is now determined to focus on her career. But life hands her something—or rather, someone—that might derail everything…

Xavier Wright did not expect to run into his high school girlfriend Violet—the girl he once thought he’d marry—on a birthday trip to Vegas. As a high school teacher and basketball coach, he rarely leaves his New Jersey hometown, so what were the chances? But when the initial shock wears off, they decide to celebrate together. They feel young and reckless as they party the night away—and reckless they clearly were when the following morning, they wake up beside each other with rings on their fingers.

Their impulsive nuptials might be a blessing in disguise, though, when they realize that both of their careers could benefit from the marriage. So they play the part of a blissfully wedded couple. Yet when their passion comes hurling back, they realize their feelings are just as real as they were back when they were teens. But are their lives too different to stick it through or will they finally get a happy ending?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Love You a Latke

RECOMMENDED: Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot is $1.99! We ran a guest review of this one by Lisa, and it earned a B+:

A pleasant, low-key charmball of a novel, Love you a Latke is a quick, smooth, easy read that brings all of the holiday joy and wintery feelings without a whole lot of angst. Be warned that it IS very tropey, however, so if you find a big parade of characters doing just what tropes say they ought to, avoid this one. But this is a smooth ride without too many bumps, making it a fine holiday weekend read.

 

Love comes home for the challah-days in this sparkling romance.

Snow is falling, holiday lights are twinkling, and Abby Cohen is pissed. For one thing, her most annoying customer, Seth, has been coming into her café every morning with his sunshiny attitude, determined to break down her carefully constructed emotional walls. And, as the only Jew on the tourism board of her Vermont town, Abby’s been charged with planning their fledgling Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, the local vendors don’t understand that the story of Hanukkah cannot be told with light-up plastic figures from the Nativity scene, even if the Three Wise Men wear yarmulkes.

Desperate for support, Abby puts out a call for help online and discovers she was wrong about being the only Jew within a hundred miles. There’s one Seth.

As it turns out, Seth’s parents have been badgering him to bring a Nice Jewish Girlfriend home to New York City for Hanukkah, and if Abby can survive his incessant, irritatingly handsome smiles, he’ll introduce her to all the vendors she needs to make the festival a success. But over latkes, doughnuts, and winter adventures in Manhattan, Abby begins to realize that her fake boyfriend and his family might just be igniting a flame in her own guarded heart.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Space Between Worlds

PODCAST RECOMMENDED: The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson is $1.99! Courtney Milan recommended this one on a podcast episode with us, and I’m sure a lot of us trust what Courtney has to say.

An outsider who can travel between worlds discovers a secret that threatens her new home and her fragile place in it, in a stunning sci-fi debut that’s both a cross-dimensional adventure and a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Cruel Thirst

A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya is $1.99! I mentioned this one on Hide Your Wallet and fully admit I bought it for that gorgeous cover. Have any of you read this one?

A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Carolina Fuentes wants to join her family in hunting the bloodthirsty vampiros that plague her pueblo. Her father, however, wishes to marry her off to a husband of his choosing, someone who’ll take her away from danger.

Determined to prove she’d make a better slayer than wife, Carolina vows to take down a monster herself. But when she runs into un vampiro that is somehow extremely attractive and kind, her plan crumbles.

Lalo Villalobos was content leading a perfectly dull life until un vampiro turned him. Now forced to flee his city, he heads to the pueblo where he believes the first vampiro was made. Surely its residents must know how to reverse this dreadful curse. Instead of finding salvation, Lalo collides with a beautiful young woman who’d gladly drive a dagger through his heart.

Fortunately, Lalo and Carolina share a common enemy. They can wipe out this evil. Together. If his fangs and her fists can stay focused, they might just triumph and discover what it feels like to take a bite out of love.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Jewel Me Twice

Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid is $1.99! This is a heist-themed romance and it came our summer of 2024. It also features a second chance romance.

Love can catch you red-handed.

He was her partner—both in crime and between the sheets. It’s been five years since professional thief Celeste St. Pierre laid eyes on Magnus Larsson. These days, she runs a Manhattan antique store, but her talent for stealing beautiful, shiny things hasn’t faded. And as a chance reunion over a locked safe proves, neither has the heat between her and the gorgeous, ice-cool Magnus.

For Magnus, only one thing beats the thrill of getting away with robbery—and that’s the woman he’s tried hard to forget. Their last job together ended in disaster. But if they’re going to honor their mentor’s last wishes to pull off the theft of the century, they’ll have to temporarily put their grudges behind them.

Crisscrossing Europe on a real-life treasure hunt, Celeste and Magnus quickly rediscover how well they work together. The higher the stakes, the hotter the sexual tension. But one slipup and it won’t be only jewels on the line, but a future that, just maybe, has been the ultimate prize all along…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Arctic Fury

RECOMMENDED: The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister is $1.99! Carrie gave this historical mystery a B+.

I loved this book. It kept me in suspense and when it was over I wanted to read it again. It sent me down many Google rabbit holes, which is my favorite kind of book. I recommend this for people who aren’t averse to ambiguity, who like stories of adventure and exploration as well as intersectional examinations of women’s lives, and to people who like mystery/thrillers.

A dozen women join a secret 1850s Arctic expedition—and a sensational murder trial unfolds when some of them don’t come back.

Eccentric Lady Jane Franklin makes an outlandish offer to adventurer Virginia Reeve: take a dozen women, trek into the Arctic, and find her husband’s lost expedition. Four parties have failed to find him, and Lady Franklin wants a radical new approach: put the women in charge.

A year later, Virginia stands trial for murder. Survivors of the expedition willing to publicly support her sit in the front row. There are only five. What happened out there on the ice?

Set against the unforgiving backgdrop of one of the world’s most inhospitable locations, USA Today bestsellng author Greer Macallister uses the true story of Lady Jane Franklin’s tireless attempts to find her husband’s lost expedition as a jumping-off point to spin a tale of bravely, intrigue, perseverance and hope.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Charm Offensive

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is $1.99! I mentioned this on a previous Get Rec’d! It’s a m/m romance set in a reality dating show. One main character is a producer and the other is the Bachelor-esque contestant.

In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.

Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.

As Dev fights to get Charlie to open up to the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Murder in Highbury

Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly is $3.99! This historical mystery series came out last fall. Sarah mentioned it on Hide Your Wallet!

First in a captivating new series, Jane Austen’s Emma Knightley entertains a different role in Highbury—going from clever matchmaker to Regency England’s shrewdest sleuth.

“Clever and charming, Vanessa Kelly brings Austen’s world in Highbury village to life with beloved characters, twisty hijinks, and a mystery that will keep you guessing.” —Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Hidden Books

Less than one year into her marriage to respected magistrate George Knightley, Emma has grown unusually content in her newfound partnership and refreshed sense of independence. The height of summer sees the former Miss Woodhouse gracefully balancing the meticulous management of her elegant family estate and a flurry of social engagements, with few worries apart from her beloved father’s health . . .

But cheery circumstances change in an instant when Emma and Harriet Martin, now the wife of one of Mr. Knightley’s tenant farmers, discover a hideous shock at the local church. The corpse of Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar’s wife, has been discarded on the altar steps—the ornate necklace she often wore stripped from her neck . . .

As a chilling murder mystery blooms and chaos descends upon the tranquil village of Highbury, the question isn’t simply who committed the crime, but who wasn’t secretly wishing for the unpleasant woman’s demise. When suspicions suddenly fall on a harmless local, Emma—armed with wit, unwavering determination, and extensive social connections—realizes she must discreetly navigate an investigation of her own to protect the innocent and expose the ruthless culprit hiding in plain sight.

“Brimming with all the wit and charm one can expect from a visit to Jane Austen’s world . . . the sequel we formerly could merely long for and imagine.” —Christina Dodd, New York Times bestselling author

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Kiss Countdown

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton is $1.99! We mentioned this in Hide Your Wallet last spring. It’s a romance between an astronaut and an event planner. Did any of you pick this up?

With three months until liftoff, a struggling event planner and a sinfully hot astronaut must decide if their fake relationship is worth a shot at happily-ever-after.

Risk-averse event planner Amerie Price is jobless, newly single, and about to be evicted. With no choice but to gamble on her shaky start-up, the last thing she needed was to run into her smug ex and his new, less complicated girlfriend at her favorite coffee shop. Panicked, Amerie pretends to be dating the annoyingly sexy man she met by spilling Americano all over his abs. He plays along – for a price.

Half the single men in Houston claim to be astronauts, but Vincent Rogers turns out to be the real deal. What started as a one-off lie morphs into a plan: for the three months leading up to his mission, Amerie will play Vincent’s doting partner in front of his loving but overly-invested family. In exchange, she gets a rent-free room in his house and can put every penny towards her struggling business.

What Amerie doesn’t plan for is Vincent’s gravitational pull. While her mind tells her a future with this astronaut is too unpredictable, her heart says he’s exactly what she needs. As their time together counts down, Amerie must decide if she’ll settle for the safe life—or shoot for the stars.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Resurrectionist

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is $3.99! Carrie read this one and gave it a B-:

This book was gripping from beginning to end. The sense of place and atmosphere were fantastic. I was certainly entertained. However, the story raises some huge questions, both personal ones for the characters and more overarching philosophical and ethical ones, and then never really unpacks them. It was a light book with a heavier story trapped inside it that never quite made it out.

In the tradition of The Alienist and A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland – when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh – as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching.

Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver. For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .

Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice. Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.

James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Jewel of the Isle

The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea is $1.99! This was recommended in a Rec League on books with The Mummy vibes. Action adventure romances had a string of new releases, but none really grabbed me. How about you?

Two very indoor people rough it on a remote island after getting swept up in an archaeologist’s hunt for a famed jewel in this dazzling new adventure rom-com by Kerry Rea, author of Lucy on the Wild Side.

If Emily Edwards knows one thing, it’s that you don’t go to a remote island by yourself. Ever the type A personality, Emily doesn’t want to hike around an unfamiliar island, but she’s determined to fulfill her late father’s national park bucket list, starting with Isle Royale National Park—home to wolves, bears, and hundred-year-old shipwrecks. She has no choice but to hire a tour guide, and there is only one that isn’t booked solid.

Ryder Fleet, co-owner of Fleet Outdoor Adventures, wouldn’t call himself a wilderness expert, and he definitely doesn’t know how to find true north. But when his dormant adventure guide business suddenly finds life again after a random inquiry, Ryder somehow finds himself on a ferry to Isle Royale with a very beautiful, no-nonsense woman. What this woman doesn’t know is that his brother Caleb, who died two years ago, was the outdoorsman of their business, while Ryder just did the marketing. But how hard could it be to hike up a few mountains?

Pretty difficult, actually, when murder is involved. Emily’s perfectly planned trek turns disastrous when she and Ryder witness a brutal crime and are suddenly forced to evade a group of archaeologists on the hunt for a jewel. As they spend nights together too close for comfort, they realize their shoddily built fire isn’t the only thing that’s kindling, and that they must trust each other if they want to escape the island with their lives—and hearts—intact.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Ink Blood Sister Scribe

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs is $1.99! This was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet and I think Lara said previously she was reading it.

In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection–a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power.

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

In the great tradition of Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic, romance, and intrigue–and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Malice

Malice by Heather Walter is $1.99! This was mentioned in a previous Hide Your Wallet and is a spin on Sleeping Beauty. This is definitely on the darker side and has a romance between Princess Aurora and the evil sorceress.

A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale.

Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss.

You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after.

Utter nonsense.

Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either.

Until I met her.

Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though it was a power like mine that was responsible for her curse.

But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating—and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps, together, we could forge a new world.

Nonsense again.

Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I—

I am the villain.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Scorched Grace

Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy is $2.99! This is book one in the Sister Holiday mysteries series and I believe book two is also on sale.

Sister Holiday, a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun, puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test in this debut crime novel.

When Saint Sebastian’s School becomes the target of a shocking arson spree, the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and their surrounding community are thrust into chaos. Unsatisfied with the officials’ response, sardonic and headstrong Sister Holiday becomes determined to unveil the mysterious attacker herself and return her home and sanctuary to its former peace. Her investigation leads down a twisty path of suspicion and secrets in the sticky, oppressive New Orleans heat, turning her against colleagues, students, and even fellow Sisters along the way.

Sister Holiday is more faithful than most, but she’s no saint. To piece together the clues of this high-stakes mystery, she must first reckon with the sins of her checkered past-and neither task will be easy.

An exciting start to Margot Douaihy’s bold series for Gillian Flynn Books that breathes new life into the hard-boiled genre, Scorched Grace is a fast-paced and punchy whodunnit that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

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[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

Smart Podcast Trashy Books Romantic Times RewindGrab your carry on, your snacks, and a blanket, because we’re hopping in the time machine again to go back to the May 2016 issue of Romantic Times to look at the new releases and reviews!

This issue caused some big questions.

  • Coke or Pepsi?
  • Backstreet Boys or NSYNC?
  • Did you worry about spontaneous combustion?
  • Should I read the Midnight, Texas trilogy by Charlaine Harris?
  • How many erotic romance titles in this issue contain the word “dirty?”

We have lots to talk about so let’s get started!

Listen to the podcast →
Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

RT Book Reviews May 2016 - 1001 Dark Nights is on the cover with the head line Bestsellers get hot and heavy with 1001 Dark NightsWe also mentioned:

If you like the podcast, you can subscribe to our feed, or find us at iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher, and Spotify, too. We also have a cool page for the podcast on iTunes.

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Sponsor us through Patreon! (What is Patreon?)

What did you think of today's episode? Got ideas? Suggestions? You can talk to us on the blog entries for the podcast or talk to us on Facebook if that's where you hang out online. You can email us at sbjpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave us a message at our Google voice number: 201-371-3272. Please don't forget to give us a name and where you're calling from so we can work your message into an upcoming podcast.

Thanks for listening!

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.

Historical Romances, Witches, & More

Oct. 2nd, 2025 03:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Do You Want to Start a Scandal

RECOMMENDED: Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare is 99c! This is part of the Castles Ever After series, but can be read on its own. Elyse loved this book:

I loved Do You Want to Start a Scandal. It’s funny, it’s sexy and it’s got some Clue-like shenanigans going on. If you have better self control than I do, I recommend savoring this book rather than powering through in one sitting (good luck).

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it.

All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers’ true identity, she’ll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she’s ever had the misfortune to embrace. When it comes to emotion, the man hasn’t got a clue.

But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit . . . and melt a woman’s knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte’s safety is the truth about his dark past.

Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte’s feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who’s sworn to never love?

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Duke and Lady Scandal

The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle is $1.99! This is book one in a new historical romance series, and it came out this spring. This is a Victorian era setting and sounds like a lot of fun!

In the swoon-worthy opener of her Princes of London series, Christy Carlyle takes readers on a breathless chase through Victorian London as a wild bluestocking from a family of treasure hunters and a handsome, serious gentleman from the Scotland Yard butt heads while attempting to thwart a plot to steal the Crown Jewels, inspired by National Treasure.

Alexandra Prince is clever, outspoken, and, yes, perhaps a bit impulsive. Yet she’s always been overshadowed by her siblings. While they are off on adventurous expeditions, she’s the one left to keep the family’s antique shop going while she works on a book about lady pirates—and longs for an adventure of her own. When she overhears a group of suspicious customers whispering about a plan to steal the Crown Jewels, she knows it’s her opportunity to shine. But she needs a little help.

Detective Inspector Benedict Drake takes his duties at Scotland Yard seriously. In fact, he takes almost everything seriously. Except for the breathless beauty who crashes into his office to tell him about a ludicrous scheme to steal the Crown Jewels. Despite his turning her away, she keeps popping up wherever he goes, and he’s not sure whether she’s determined to cause a scandal or is trying to drive him to distraction. Just when he thinks he’s rid of her, an event compels him to believe her account, and he begrudgingly enlists her aid to thwart the theft of the century.

But while thieves seek the Crown Jewels, the troublesome bluestocking he can’t seem to keep away from might just steal his heart…

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Do Me a Favor

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley is $2.49 at Amazon! This is a standalone romance with an older couple. The heroine is a widowed cookbook writer and the hero is a divorced handyman.

Willa Lieu-Endicott moved from California to the Pacific Northwest to start over. Since her husband’s death, she’s been struggling to get back her old career as a cookbook ghostwriter. Unfortunately, her latest project—ghostwriting for a viral cooking sensation known more for his washboard abs than his meals—has her stuck.

Until she meets her new neighbor.

Hudson Daws, the handyman next door, lives on a farm with his parents and two adult children. He’s the opposite of everything she’s ever known. His happily chaotic life includes biker barbecues, an escape artist dog, and adorably menacing goats. He’s also got a sinfully sexy smile and a rumbling bass voice that makes her shiver. He inspires her.

From their first meeting, the two fall into an escalating cycle of favors, paybacks…and attraction, even though Willa’s trying to keep her distance.

They both have their own pasts to deal with. Now, they just have to figure out if they have a future.

A delectable rom-com about a widowed cookbook writer and a divorced handyman who find that it’s never too late for a fresh start.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch

RECOMMENDED: The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melina Taub is $2.99! Carrie gave this a B+:

This was simply delightful. I’ve always wished for Lydia Bennet and Mary Crawford to run away together and be pirate queens. This is not that book – but it’s the next best thing.

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY PICK FOR 2023

A “witty, magical, romantic and altogether brilliant” (Lev Grossman) reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, told from the perspective of the troublesome and—according to her—much-maligned youngest Bennet sister, Lydia.

In this exuberant retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the real events and aftermath of the classic story. Some facts are well known: Mrs. Bennet suffers from her nerves, Mr. Bennet suffers from Mrs. Bennet, and all five daughters suffer from an estate that is entailed only to male heirs.

But Lydia also suffers from entirely different concerns: her best-loved sister Kitty is really a barn cat; Wickham is every bit as wicked as the world believes him to be, but what else would one expect from a demon? And if Mr. Darcy is uptight about etiquette, that’s nothing compared to his feelings about magic. Most of all, Lydia has yet to learn that for a witch, promises have power . . .

Full of enchantment, intrigue, and boundless magic, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, has all the irreverent wit, strength, and romance of Pride and Prejudice—while offering a highly unexpected redemption for the wildest Bennet sister.

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You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Rec League: Short Kings

Oct. 2nd, 2025 08:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

The Rec League - heart shaped chocolate resting on the edge of a very old bookThis Rec League comes from S. Thanks!

Hello! I’ve recently read a bunch of heterosexual historical romances featuring distressingly tall heroines who inevitably end up with heroes happily taller than them. Yawn. Do you have any recommendations for books with short kings instead? I’m open to contemporaries and fantasy as well.

Amanda: Tangentially, we had a tall heroines rec league back in 2017.

Lara: Judging by the cover image (if I’m remembering right) the hero is shorter: The Weaver Takes a Wife. ( A | BN | K | AB )

Claudia: There are a couple of Mary Balogh books that feature short or average height heroes. I think the first one in her Westcott series and the other is an older book, Heartless, ( A | BN | K | AB ) that has some questionable stuff.

Are there books you would recommend? Let us know in the comments!

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