#BookReview: If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

An enemies to lovers romance with a spooky twist where two feuding writers end up on a writers retreat together at a haunted castle in Scotland

It's been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.

Full of spooky chills and even more sexy thrills, If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is the funny, fast-paced romp romance readers have been waiting for!

#BookReview: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up. 

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme. 

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

#BookReview: Love Me (A Romance Story) by Francesca Perillo & Stefano Cardoselli (illustrator)

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Can a robot fall in love? In the bustling streets of New York City, sometime in the far future, robots like JoJo have taken on everyday jobs. Driving a taxi around NYC is all in a day’s work for JoJo, but when he meets the mysterious Gilda, it’s love at first sight!

New York City, sometime in the far future, where robots like JoJo have taken over the tasks humans no longer want to perform…like driving a taxi. JoJo is pretty happy with his lot in life but feels as though something is missing…then he meets Gilda and it’s love at first sight. But the course of true love is a bumpy one and JoJo is going to find that out firsthand when he discovers that Gilda is entangled with the mafia that runs his beloved city, and they're very much against this potential union for their own reasons. Watch out, JoJo!

#BookReview: The Housemaid Is Watching (The Housemaid, #3) by Freida McFadden

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way…

I used to clean other people’s houses—now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.

Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. 

But her cold stare gives me chills…

The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. I’m sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.

Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here?

I thought I’d left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?

#BookReview: Bloodguard (Old Erth #1) by Cecy Robson

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise…

Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie.

Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose.

He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity.

All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day.

Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom.

But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap.

Nor will his ultimate revenge…

#BookReview: How to Help a Hungry Werewolf (The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures, 1) by Charlotte Stein

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

What We Do in the Shadows with the small town feels of Gilmore Girls in this swoon-worthy romance that will leave readers delightfully cozy and hungry for more.

When Cassandra Camberwell returns to her hometown of Hollow Brook to clear out her late grandmother’s ramshackle old house, the last thing she expects is Seth Brubaker on her doorstep. Her former best friend was responsible for the worst moment of her high school life, and she can’t imagine he wants to do anything but torment her all over again.

Until she unearths the real reason this annoyingly gorgeous beast of a man keeps hanging around: he’s an actual werewolf, who’s certain she’s the witch that will ease his suffering. But Cassie just isn’t sure if she can trust him again. So Seth offers a pact: he’ll teach her all about her undiscovered magic, and she will brew the potions he needs. No feelings, no funny business, just a witch and a werewolf striking a deal.

Totally doable. Until they get hit with a do-or-die mating bond. And now the heat is rising, in between fights with formers bullies and encounters with talking raccoons. They just have to not give in. Unless giving in just might be the very thing they never knew they always wanted.

#BookReview: The Accidental Sereph (Carran Hollow Fated Mates, #1) by Maci Aurora

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of serephs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.

#BookReview: The Unbroken Queen (The Bone Throne, #1) by Terina Adams

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Born illegitimate. Trained an assassin. Crowned a queen.

As an illegitimate princess, I’m bound by duty and betrothed to the crown prince of the House of Tannard, rulers of the nearby realms. However, beneath the royal façade, I serve as a loyal disciple of the formidable Sistern of Silence, the masters of soul voice. The sacred legacy of the death arts, a rare gift, courses through my veins, a heritage from my father’s line.

Upon reaching the distant shores of Tarragona to meet my betrothed, I discover I've been manipulated by the Mother of the Sistern. I was chosen to be the future queen for a reason I can’t yet fathom—a reason that could bring catastrophic consequences upon the realms.

As the northern realm's thirst for power intensifies and its enigmatic Razohan leader aims to reclaim the southern throne and the prized Etherweave, my disdain for my fiancé seems inconsequential, overshadowed by the imminent specter of war.

To protect the House of Tannard and maintain the delicate equilibrium of power, I must delve deeper into the clandestine pillars of the Sistern and awaken the lethal power of the death arts, lying dormant within me. 

In a world where treachery and concealed truths dominate, I must remember that in war, love and mercy are luxuries none can afford. I've pledged my allegiance to the House of Tannard, rendering the seductive Razohan leader—my persistent shadow—my adversary.

#BookReview: Of Starlight and Midnight by Amy Kuivalainen

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Of Starlight and Midnight combines adventure, romance, magic, and Norse myth and shows that some Fates are worth fighting for, especially when the Norns get involved. It's been two years since light-elf brothers Aramis and Søren fought beside Anya in Russia. The Álfr mountain city of Svetilo is safe once more, but their books and relics are still scattered on the supernatural black market. When Aramis gets a lead on a book of magic, he and Søren decide to investigate and find more than they bargained for. Librarian Asta is still grieving over the death of her mother. All she wants to do is hide at the University of Oslo, unravel the mysteries of the strange book she inherited, and hang out with Tyra-the cool Norwegian cousin she never knew she had. The last thing she wants is to help arrogant Dr. Søren Madsen work on his book, no matter how good-looking he is, but she doesn't want to get fired so she reluctantly agrees. Søren knows Asta is hiding something and when they are attacked by dark elves, he and Aramis will stop at nothing to learn the truth about the two mysterious women. But Tyra has a past of her own, and she'll do anything to protect Asta's secrets, even if it means siding with the dangerous light-elf brothers in a deadly war of dark and light.

#BookReview: The Love Cure by Dawn Brazil

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Blood makes her a vampire. Love makes him deadly.

Eighteen-year-old Cherish Armitage's father and brother die in an accident when she is thirteen. Her best friend, Joshua, helps her pull through the tough times. Five years later, she's in a tragic collision that kills her mother and sister and leaves her incapacitated.

When she awakens, she is imbued with the knowledge of her ancestors. They've made one thing clear: her family's deaths were no accident, and she's expected to exact revenge for them all. She's the solitary survivor of her bloodline, and shockingly, she's a vampire—a truth her family hid from her.

Joshua is off limits because he's in a relationship with their other best friend, but she still throbs in places she's not supposed to whenever he's near. Being thrust into living quarters with him only adds to her confusing predicament.
Centuries ago, her family was cursed. Anyone who falls in love dies.

She's approached by familiar faces and strangers, all demanding a formula she has no clue about. Those same people die when they don't get what they want.

Trying to quell her growing feelings for Josh while sucking down enough blood that her ever-present ancestors are pleased, but not so much that she turns into an aggressive, hormone-raging vampire, again, is proving near impossible. But if she doesn't uncover the person responsible for her family's deaths, her ancestors will make her life worse than the hell it already is. And if she doesn't give up this formula, someone she cares about will die. And if her heart doesn't stop wishing for Josh, none of the rest will matter because the love curse will kill her.

#BookReview: The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

What would guilt make you do? 

Hadleigh Keene died on the road leading away from Hollyhock Asylum. The reasons are unknown. Her sister Morgan blames herself. A year later with the case still unsolved, Morgan creates a false identity, that of a troubled housewife named Charlotte Turner, and goes inside. 

Morgan quickly discovers that Hollyhock is… not right. She is shaken by the hospital’s peculiar routines and is soon beset by strange episodes. All the while, the persona of Charlotte takes on a life of its own, becoming stronger with each passing day. As her identity begins unraveling, Morgan finds herself tracing Hadleigh’s footsteps and peering into the places they lead.

#BookReview: Phoenix Flame (Havenfall, #2) by Sara Holland

Synopsis: Bestselling author Sara Holland continues her blockbuster contemporary fantasy series about the Inn at Havenfall with this unforgettable sequel.

Maddie thought her problems were over. She saved the Inn at Havenfall—a sanctuary between magical worlds—from the evil Silver Prince. Her uncle the Innkeeper is recovering from a mysterious spell that left him not quite human. And there are still a few weeks of summer left to spend with her more-than-friend Brekken.
But there’s more work to be done to protect the Inn—Maddie must put an end to the black-market trading of magical objects and open the Inn’s doors to the once feared land of shapeshifters.

As she tries to accomplish both seemingly impossible tasks, Maddie uncovers secrets that could change everything. What if saving everyone means destroying the only home she’s known?

This next breathtaking fantasy from the bestselling author of Everless is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

#BookReview: Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Synopsis: From bestselling indie author Laura Thalassa comes the newly revised and edited first book in her smash-hit dark fantasy romance between a siren and the “bargainer” she owes countless favors to.

Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past.

For the last seven years Callie has been wearing a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she once received. Only death or repayment will fulfill her obligations.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects. But for Callie, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now.

When Callie finds the Bargainer in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s admitting a truth—a single bead’s worth—acknowledging the attraction between them. But the Bargainer is after more than just rekindling their connection. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one, and only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to her breast.

For the Bargainer to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. If she can forgive him.

#BookReview: Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

Synopsis: Secrets, deception, and passion consume two pen pals in the TikTok sensation from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas, now with exclusive bonus material!

They were perfect together. Until they met.

In fifth grade, Misha’s teacher set him and his classmates up with pen pals from a different school. For the next seven years, Ryen was his everything. She kept Misha on track and accepted him as he is. They only had three No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. There was no reason to ruin the good thing they had going…until Misha runs across a photo of a girl online named Ryen. He knows he has to meet her. But he didn’t expect to hate what he finds. 

Ryen has gone three months without a letter from Misha. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha like she does, neither would be a stretch. She needs to know someone is listening to her. But really, Ryen knows this is her own fault. She should’ve gotten his phone number, or picture, or something.

As a mysterious vandal leaves messages in Ryen’s school, she’s possessed by the handsome new student who knows just how to hurt and heal her. But she can’t stop thinking of Misha. He could be gone forever. Or right under her nose, and she wouldn’t even know it…

#BookReview: You’re So Vine (Flora Valley #2) by Catherine Robertson

Synopsis: Whoever invented love at first sight should have left instructions for what to do when it only strikes one of you…

…is all Ava Durant can think as she watches the man of her dreams from across the room at her brother’s wedding. Handyman Cam Hollander takes the ‘strong, silent type’ label to new extremes and getting more than four words at a time out of him is Ava’s primary life goal. But when Ava’s health takes a hit it’s Cam who unexpectedly steps in to nurse her, and the dynamic between them is forever changed.

Ava may be impatience personified and Cam may be the steadiest man she’s ever met, but when they’re alone in Cam’s cosy quarters it’s soon not just the fire in the grate that’s burning between them.

#BookReview: Barely Even Friends by Mae Bennett

Synopsis: A grumpy, rich recluse meets his match in this steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling—with a Succession twist. 

Bellamy Price has just been offered the job of a lifetime: lead contractor on the restoration of the mysterious and sprawling Killington Estate. If she meets the owner’s ridiculous timeline, she’ll finally make a name for herself in this male-dominated industry. But when she rolls up her sleeves, slips on her suspenders, and shows up at the crumbling mansion, Bellamy finds the estate very much occupied. 

After a traumatic car accident that left his parents dead and himself injured, Oliver Killington, heir to the Killington empire, took up residence as the grumpy caretaker of his grandfather’s mansion. None too pleased by the presence of the hammer-wielding woman who’s moved into his house, Oliver tries to block her at every turn. 

But when Bellamy discovers Oliver’s facing his own ultimatum from his grandfather, the two form a cautious truce, which leads to flying sparks that are definitely not from faulty wiring. As Bellamy restores the gleam to the Killington Estate, she’ll have to decide if the walls she’s built around herself are worth knocking down to make space for someone else. 

This clever, steamy debut novel will have readers rooting for this Beauty and her Beast until the very last page.

#BookReview: Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet-Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory

Synopsis: It takes nothing less than a fateful natural disaster to throw two opposites together in a ground-shakingly charming short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Drunk on Love.

This Valentine’s Day, Daisy Murray has her heart set on binge-watching rom-coms. Instead, an earthquake traps her inside a bakery with its impossibly rude and insufferably handsome owner and head baker. They already have a history: she’s always smiled, he’s always scowled. Where better to finally get to know each other than amid the disaster? Then again, they have no choice. Besides, it could have its sweet, undeniable, and unpredictable perks.

Jasmine Guillory’s Drop, Cover, and Hold On is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.

#BookReview: The Devil's Waltz (Love in Hell, #1) by Jessi Elliott

Synopsis: It's been five years since her sister was killed by a demon and Camille Morgan swore off the family business of demon hunting. Now a college sophomore, Cami is determined to get her degree and move far away from Seattle—and all things paranormal.

But when Cami becomes the target of a demon attack she’s convinced is a ploy by her parents to drag her back into training, the wildly charming and attractive Xander Kane comes to her rescue. Except her savior isn't a hunter. Or even human.

Xander is a demon, the alluring prince of hell, whose magnetic presence leaves Cami both captivated and conflicted, especially when she finds out he plans on using her to destroy the demon hunters once and for all.

Caught between her growing affection for Xander and her loyalty to her family, Cami struggles to make a decision that could shatter her and endanger the lives of those she loves.

In this spicy paranormal romance, passion and danger collide, leading Cami on a journey where love and betrayal intertwine and lines between good and evil blur.

#BookReview: A Letter to the Luminous Deep (The Sunken Archive #1) by Sylvie Cathrall

Synopsis: Dive into the curious correspondence of Sylvie Cathrall’s delightful debut novel, A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

Perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and TJ Klune, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a whimsical epistolary fantasy set in a mystical underwater world with mystery and heart-warming romance.

This title will be released on April 23, 2024.

#BookReview: Forged by Magic (Falling for Fables #1) by Jenna Wolfhart

Synopsis: A heartwarming, feel-good fantasy romance…with a helping of spice and only a pinch of danger.

Trapped in a tower by the emperor who conquered her homeland, Daella yearns for an escape. But as one of the few half-orcs left in the world, she knows she’ll never be free, much less find her own happily ever after.

Destiny takes an unexpected turn when the emperor offers her a deal. To earn her freedom, she must journey to the mysterious Isles of Fable and track down wielders of outlawed dragon magic. Eager to seize her chance, Daella agrees.

When a brutal storm tosses her ship off course, she washes up on the wrong island—right at the feet of Rivelin, a gruff but handsome elven blacksmith, who seems more likely to stab her than help her. To her surprise, he offers her shelter until the next ship passes through in six weeks’ time.

Daella soon realizes he’s hiding something big. It could be the very magic she’s been tasked to hunt down—the key to her long-awaited freedom. But as they bicker over the flames of his forge, her heart kindles with something she’s never felt before. 

When his secrets finally come to light, Daella must decide what’s more her freedom from the wicked crown or the desires of her heart.

Forged by Magic is a complete, stand-alone fantasy romance novel set in the whimsical world of Falling for Fables.