Stuck In Books

July 4, 2026

Lady Petra and the Wolf
Anna Valleria
(Lords Fall First, #2)
Publication date: July 2nd 2026
Genres: Adult, Gothic, Historical, Mystery, Romance
In Victorian London, Lady Petra, the daughter of the powerful and manipulative Earl of Kemberley, has spent her life as a silent pawn in her father’s political games. While the ton sees a perfectly poised debutante, Petra is secretly a woman of industry who runs a sanctuary for abused servants in a derelict London theatre.

Julian, the Viscount Wolfridge, known to the world as Wolf, is a cynical rake with a secret heart of gold and a childhood spent on the Bristol docks. When he proposes a fake courtship to Petra to stir her indifferent betrothed into action, he doesn’t realize he is stepping into a web of secrets far deeper than his own. As Petra’s world of mystery and Wolf’s path of redemption collide, they must decide if a marriage born of a trap can ever survive the truth.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

She shut her mouth abruptly, the sparks in her eyes extinguished as she retreated once more into the mask of a composed, distant lady. He despised when this happened, as it did ever so often when he approached her. He lived for the moments he could tease her, to break her composure, to see those eyes light up, even if it was in disdain or scorn.

Wolf knew himself to be an unrepentant rake, undeserving of John’s friendship or loyalty. Despite this self-knowledge, a fierce, uncharacteristic longing arose in him at that moment: he wished for someone to argue so passionately on his behalf, to proclaim him a good man.

Remembering himself, Wolf discarded such a maudlin thought.

“I am not obligated to explain my motivations to you, Lord Wolfridge.” Her tone was meticulously polite, yet beneath the kindness, he detected a veiled reproach that ignited his blood.

“And yet…” he went on as if he had not heard her. “Your white knight is not here. Nor has he been here in a very long time.” In her eyes, a battle of pride, hurt, and anger raged, and for a moment, he nearly regretted his casual cruelty. Yet, there was a purpose behind his malice.

“You more than anyone know he is busy.” Petra spoke quietly, her words clipped. “I have long wondered why you do not share the same sense of industry as Lord John.”

Indolent. The word lurked in their conversation and Wolf again regretted pushing this issue to the surface. A lord does not dirty his hands with work. He takes what he wants and leaves the work to others.

Ignoring his father’s tedious voice, which always stirred a confusing mix of feelings, he redirected his thoughts to his best friend, John Longley. John possessed all the virtues he lacked: he was honorable, kind, and diligent. He would despise him if John weren’t like a brother to him. Why did the notion of Lady Petra marrying John trouble him so much? It was none of his concern.

Yet, he couldn’t let it go.

“Has he not communicated that to you himself, Lady P?” he asked, relishing the way his lips popped on the P. He could swear he almost saw a tick of her jaw at his use of the sobriquet bestowed upon her by the gossip rags.

“As we have established, Lord John is very busy, my lord. He does not have time for frivolous goings on of the ton,” she said more firmly this time.

“And yet, my lady, I can see the small seed of doubt this might cause you.” He watched her jaw almost tick again, and for a brief moment, savored the victory of being right. “Does his absence not pain you, Lady P?” He wasn’t entirely certain of the outcome he wanted from his teasing, but he relished the rare opportunity to be able to read her expression.

Her eyes met his, and he was struck again by the intensity of her gaze as it searched his face. He felt her assessing his intent, seeking any hint of malice or desire to hurt her. In that moment, he understood that such an aim was entirely absent from his heart. Wolf could not quite articulate the purpose of his banter, but an instinct told him Petra and John would not suit. It was patently clear that John possessed not the slightest inkling of the gravity with which Petra had regarded their supposed understanding.

John’s ignorance was not due to neglect; in fact, he was one of the few gentlemen who didn’t seem inclined to constantly leave his wife behind. Rather, he had been distracted by some persistent, unspoken melancholy, as though his mind and heart were fixated entirely on someone or something else. Wolf suspected, however, that the cause of this melancholy was not Lady Petra, given that the look of longing vanished whenever her name was mentioned.

Staring into Petra’s mahogany eyes, a plan came to him. Devious, perhaps, a bit underhanded, but one that would prove to Petra that she and John would not suit.

“Let me court you,” he blurted out.

For once, Lady Petra’s entire face showed what she was thinking as her mouth fell into an almost perfect “O.”

She really was rather adorable. Where did that thought come from? “Adorable” was not in his lexicon. As she began to regain her composure and start to form a reply, Wolf followed his initial, impulsive request before she could respond. “Not a real courtship, mind you, just something to shake Lord John into the parson’s trap. Fearing he might lose you should hasten the nuptials, yes?”

In truth, this ruse would not hasten the betrothal, but help free John, and ultimately free Petra.

Why he wished her to be free, he was not going to examine too closely.

Author Bio:

Anna Valleria is an award-winning historical romance author who believes that everyone deserves to see themselves on the page. Her mission is to write steamy Regency and Victorian stories featuring socially active heroines and devoted heroes that reflect windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for all readers, including characters of different sizes, backgrounds, abilities, and neurodiversities. Her novel The Baron Takes a Wife was the 2025 winner of the Hearts Through History Romance Through the Ages Contest in the published Georgian/Victorian category.

Currently residing in a beautiful, historic city in the southeastern U.S. with her family and a rescue pup. If she’s not writing, she’s likely in a coffee shop, walking with her son or dog, or trivia with her team, Stone Cold Jane Austen.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

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July 3, 2026

Wicked Temptation: The Lost Treasure
Patti O’Shea
(The Paladin League, #8)
Publication date: July 1st 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
He’s always been a protector. She’s strong enough to fight on her own. This time, survival depends on each other.

Special Forces Sgt. Cal “Baggs” Baggnell walked away from Iona Desmond. Carving out his own heart hurt—but watching the woman he loves charge headfirst into danger hurt even more.

Iona loves Cal with her whole being, but she couldn’t change the core of who she is to fit his protective nature. He knew exactly who she was when they met—the need for adventure is in her DNA.

Now, their paths collide in Puerto Jardin, where Iona has talked her way into Cal’s op. And he’s been assigned to work with her.

Their bait: the Lost Treasure of Trujillo. Their target: arms dealer Jorge Torres. Their problem: Torres isn’t the only predator closing in.

With ruthless drug lords, rival treasure hunters, and a powerful Russian mob lieutenant obsessed with finding the billion-dollar fortune, Cal and Iona must put their past aside. The deeper they dig, the deadlier the game becomes.

As betrayals mount and enemies tighten their grip, survival depends on one thing: Trust. If they fail, they won’t just lose their second chance—they’ll lose everything.

Wicked Temptation is a stand-alone romance with a HEA. There are references to events that happened in earlier books, but it’s not necessary to read them to enjoy this story.

Indulge in a protective Special Forces hero and a heroine who works undercover for the Paladin League as a photojournalist. This story features a second-chance romance, identical twins, and a kick-butt heroine.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“Baggs,” BD said somewhere behind them, “how do you know our guest?”

Cal inhaled sharply and his muscles tensed.

“Io is my wife.”

The words hit her like a jolt. Of course he’d say it like that—direct, unvarnished, a fact dropped into the room like a grenade. Her stomach twisted. She kept her eyes closed for one more heartbeat, wishing she could stay in the place where she felt safe and not the place where reality waited. She hated that part of her still wanted the title he’d walked away from.

Silence sharpened around them.

Io stepped back.

Cal’s arms tightened for a split second, and then he released her. The loss of his warmth was immediate, a cold draft across her skin despite the humidity of Trujillo. She forced herself not to reach for him again. Forced herself to remember why she shouldn’t. She’d already learned what happened when she let herself believe she belonged with him.

She turned to her sister.

Exactly what she’d expected. Hurt, anger, tears. “Ayla—”

“You got married?”

Oz moved to Ayla’s side. Io felt a flicker of gratitude and irritation. It had always been her job to protect Ayla. To absorb the hard things so her sister didn’t have to.

She shot Cal a look. “We eloped. We went to Las Vegas while Cal had leave.”

“Vegas? Did you get married by an Elvis impersonator?”

Oz tugged Ayla closer.

Io felt her temper climb. “Sure, showgirls and all. What else would you get at a Vegas wedding? Certainly not a real chapel with a real minister.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Yes, you did. I’m sorry I hurt you, but you don’t get to take free shots at my wedding.” Cal and Oz stayed wisely silent.

“When did you get married?”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Hell. “January.”

“It’s July.” Ayla threw that out like a gauntlet. “You had months to tell me.”

“And the marriage isn’t in your personnel file,” BD added to Cal. “I would have seen that.”

Cal rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah.”

BD waited. When Cal stayed quiet, he said, “Notification protocols, benefits, next-of-kin—”

“Io has her own health coverage. She’s not dependent on me.”

She wasn’t dependent on anyone. Not now. Not ever.

“And if you were injured or killed?” BD pressed. “I never would have known to contact Ms. Desmond.”

Io flinched. She didn’t want to think about Cal dying, but his job came with risks. Serious ones.

Ayla’s gaze was sharp, wounded. “That’s why I didn’t see you in February, isn’t it? You were with him!” She pointed at Cal as if she were a noir detective.

Sighing, Io said, “Cal was stationed in Germany. The commute to California was a little tough.”

“That doesn’t explain why you didn’t call. Or text.”

“It wasn’t a vacation.”

“It was a honeymoon.”

That hit hard. Io was too tired for this. Cal stood behind her, close enough she could feel him, and she wished, just for a second, that she could lean into him the way Ayla leaned into Oz. But she was the strong one. The one who held everyone else up. She didn’t get to lean.

“Ay, I’m not going to argue. I’m sorry I hurt you. It was never about hurting you. If you want to keep ripping at me, we can do it later. In private.”

“I don’t want to rip at you, I just want to know why you shut me out.”

Io eyed the table. She could reach it, hold on, stay on her feet. Her energy was gone and Ayla’s questions were the hard stuff.

They’d both been shaped by their parents, but in opposite ways.

Her vision blurred. The room tilted. She swayed.

Cal moved before she even registered she was unsteady enough to fall. It was pure instinct, nothing more. Certainly not love. She knew that. But his arms locked around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. Solid. Unyielding. Familiar in a way that made something inside her crack.

“I got you, Io,” he murmured, voice low against her ear. “I told you that earlier.”

She let her hands drift to his, trying to remember how to stay upright. Her muscles trembled with the effort.

“You want to know why I didn’t tell you?” Io forced her gaze to meet her twin’s. Her throat burned. “Because we got married in January and it was over in March. That’s why. Happy now, Ayla?”

Author Bio:

Patti O’Shea’s passions are writing, airplanes and traveling. Fortunately, she’s been able to enjoy all three. After receiving a degree in advertising copywriting, she took a job with a major U.S. airline and now works in 757 Engineering. Besides teaching her about the planes she loves, it’s given her an opportunity to travel to places like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

Writing, though, remains her primary love. Patti created her first romance when she was in junior high school and has been hooked ever since. She should have figured out she was a writer years earlier, however, since her dolls had such involved lives, complete with goals, motivation and conflict.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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June 28, 2026

The Siren’s Daughter
Claire Fuge
Publication date: June 28th 2026
Genres: Historical
1126. The Norman conquest grips Wales. Rebellion stirs. And one woman’s choice could ignite it all.

Nineteen-year-old Angharad, the daughter of a Norman knight and a captive Welsh princess, arrives at Aberteifi Castle for her mother’s arranged marriage. But her new stepfather, the merciless Norman commander of the castle, has other plans. He demands that Angharad expose her mother, Nesta, as a secret rebel or be cast out to die.

To survive, Angharad presses Nesta to reveal the truth about her past: as a Welsh princess stolen by invaders, the victim of wars and betrayals, the seductress of kings and princes. As Nesta’s story unfolds, Angharad discovers a legacy more dangerous than she could have imagined, and must decide whether to protect her mother or herself…

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

In 1066, Duke Guillaume of Normandy, known to the English as William the Conqueror, won the Battle of Hastings and was crowned King of England.

In 1087, the Norman barons began their invasion of Wales.

By 1126, after countless deaths amongst the thorn-infested hills, swamps, and forests, the Normans had managed to subdue all five Welsh kingdoms. More or less.

Chapter 1. HOMECOMING

All Hallows’ Eve, 1126. West Wales

When the castle loomed out of the hailstorm above her, Angharad was careful not to crane her head upwards in awe as her Norman guards did. Her mother had commanded her to uphold her dignity, no matter what, so she kept her back straight and sat rigid in her saddle. Although the steepness of the hill made her feel as if spikes of ice were being hurled down at her by the castle itself, she didn’t cower. She pretended not to hear the guards cursing about having to drag a pair of heathen women out of the Welsh wildlands. She alone would be her mother’s last, unfailing support.

Angharad’s mother, Nesta, rode alongside, her imperious glare fixed on the track ahead, ignoring the water that streamed from her claw-black hair onto her horse’s flank. Even dressed in threadbare travelling clothes, Nesta didn’t look like the prisoner she was, finally recaptured by the Normans after three years of threats, bribes, and attempted ambushes. She didn’t look like a new bride either, although she was bound to marry the Constable of the castle; the contract had been sealed. No. What Nesta looked like, in the arrogant line of her jaw, in the resolute set of her flawless face, was what she was born to be.

Royalty.

During her nineteen years of life, Angharad had been reminded daily that her mother was the last living princess of Deheubarth, once the most renowned of the Welsh kingdoms. Angharad’s bloodline was the only wealth she possessed; she must look the part.

‘Amongst wolves,’ Nesta had said – and many wolves lived in the cloud-draped forests of these lands – ‘you can tell the leader of the pack from the way he draws every eye towards him. My father looked like a king from two arrowshots away, even when he was wounded from the endless wars, even when he was starving and freezing and caked in mud. Whatever fate we meet in this castle, I refuse to grovel before them. Hold your head high, Angharad. We must not disgrace the memory of our glorious ancestors.’

Luckily, deception was one of Angharad’s talents: Nesta had trained her in it since she was a child. Angharad had the skill of appearing haughty whilst at her most powerless.

When Nesta dismounted on the crest of the hill, Angharad copied, stifling a wince at the cramp in her thighs. Sixty miles they had travelled from the open meadows where they had spent their years of sanctuary amongst the Welsh: a journey of three days and nights, riding and walking through a wasteland of swamps and brambles, the Norman guards watchful behind them, bloodhounds running at their flanks to warn them of rebels and outlaws, with every hamlet full of hostile eyes and nothing to buy and almost nothing to steal. But here they were, at last.

Author Bio:

Claire Fuge writes historical fiction inspired by medieval Wales, the Tewdwr family and the women whose lives were shaped by conquest, loyalty and survival. Her work explores the spaces where history leaves silence, and where storytelling can bring forgotten voices back to life.

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June 26, 2026

Burn Her They Said
Cherish Wright
(The Anomalies of Ampara Deicra, #1)
Publication date: June 26th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
In a land where Dragons are revered like Gods, a witch and her guards must risk it all.

Witches in Ampara Deicra are required to use their powers of emotional influence to benefit sorcerers. None so much as Tasch—a witch born during the Anomaly, when environmental changes caused her magic to develop unmatched abilities.

Taken by the Emperor to manage his mood, she has served by his side since early childhood. Granted the title of Imperial Grand Witch, she is protected by the strongest sorcerers in each form of magic—all Anomalies, like her—with powers beyond any before or after them.

Until a sorcerer named Varic develops abilities surpassing Tasch’s Lead Guard. A fact which the Emperor denies by hiding Varic within the Imperial Army.

Where Varic is made to grow his strength past the point he can contain it, and requires Tasch’s magic to overcome the grief of his magic causing the worst known catastrophe. They fall in love in their time together—and forge a connection which is highly forbidden.

Over time Tasch’s powers fade, rather than strengthen, while the Emperor’s greed escalates the need for resources among bordering lands, who increase their attacks on the Imperial Palace. Fearing the worst, Emperor Aldritch assigns Varic to oversee Tasch’s detail, placing the two beings who must hide their feelings mere inches from each other.

With the highest stakes they’ve ever encountered, can Tasch’s Guards save her and the citizens, with the help of their bonded Dragons?

For fans of Anathema, Dragonfall, and A Discovery of Witches comes the tale of a burnt-out witch in her thirties who is trying to survive long enough to save the citizens from their power-hungry Emperor, with the help of her Guards and the Dragons they share a bond.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Author Bio:

Writer of Dark Romantic Gothic Fantasy with character driven stories with MC’s in their 30’s

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June 24, 2026

The Sea Queen’s Key
R.S. Kellogg
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
At eighteen, Mira is one of the last humans in Breadcove Bay with formal training in Fire and Heat magic outside the faculty of Borealis University. Masitro has already lost a string of talented fire‑workers to failed confrontations with Shora, the Ice Queen, whose sightings creep closer to the city every month.

Mira just wants to get home for winter break.

The politics of a rogue ice queen and a missing mermaid queen get in the way.

Visit the Kickstarter NOW!

If you enjoy:

• Cozy fantasy with higher stakes
• Fairytale retellings with no romance, but all the emotions!
• Stories where asking the right questions matters more than force…

Then Welcome to the Sea Queen’s Key!

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Author Bio:

R.S. Kellogg writes the Everyday Goddess Stories, the Mermaid Magic Tales, and fiction in the story realms of Breadcove Bay and Agratica, among other places.

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June 20, 2026

The Hollow Crown
Martina Boone
(The Five Crowns, #2)
Publication date: March 9th 2027
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Every night, magic makes him forget her. Every day, she makes him fall for her again.

Flora Domhnall survived the Hunt, claimed the Crown of Moonlight, and woke a magic unseen in Alba Scoria for over four hundred years. But her coronation didn’t end the war. The Highlands are still burning, and the immortal warrior Flora needs at her side is still bound by oaths that see her as a threat. Chyr loves her as fiercely as she loves him—but if he remembers who she is, the oaths carved into his flesh will force him to kill her.

Each morning, he wakes wary, lost to her, and dangerous. Each day, he is drawn back by echoes of a love he cannot name. By evening, tenderness returns, desire returns, and with them come glimpses of the man who chose Flora over a crown, a kingdom, and the oaths that keep him chained.

Then she has to let him go again.

The Raven Queen is still waging her war across Alba Scoria. She turns hunger, grief, and fear into weapons, leaving poisoned wells, starving villages, and broken clans in her wake. To save her people, Flora must become more than a symbol, more than a queen. She must become the healer of a wounded land—even if that means trusting the man whose love may be the most dangerous thing about him.

The war needs them both. But if Flora cannot break the oaths carved into Chyr’s flesh, the love that saves him each day may become the wound neither of them survives.

The Hollow Crown is the second book in The Five Crowns, a sweeping Celtic romantic fantasy series of forbidden magic, impossible oaths, ancient queens, Highland war, and a love story fierce enough to defy the gods. For the full emotional impact, begin with The Crown of Moonlight.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Author Bio:

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of romantic fiction set in magical places. Her books blend lush writing, strong heroines, wounded heroes, atmospheric landscapes, history, folklore, family secrets, and magic woven through the ordinary world. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found traveling, reading, studying history and folklore, wrangling wildflower meadows, or playing with Shetland Sheepdogs and tuxedo cats.

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June 19, 2026

Camp Shifter series
DJ Jennings
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Welcome to Camp Shifter, where one mysterious letter changes everything. Hidden from the human world, Camp Shifter helps newly awakened shifters navigate their new lives—and discover the fated mates destiny has chosen for them. Filled with irresistible attraction, laugh-out-loud moments, emotional journeys, and steamy romance, these stories feature bears, wolves, owls, and other shifters finding love when they least expect it. From enemies-to-lovers and rejected mates to second chances and insta-love, the Camp Shifter Series delivers heart, humor, passion, and happily-ever-afters in a world where fate always has a plan—and love changes everything.

Goodreads / Amazon

Now on Kindle Unlimited!

Author Bio:

The author of the Camp Shifter series, Darla Josephine “DJ” Jennings, is originally from Ohio but now lives in Massachusetts in a household full of people who drive her nuts, but she loves them anyhow. She fills her days with writing, business management, and the never-ending task of herding cats.

Learn more about her in the New York Times bestselling novel, Random Acts of Crazy by Julia Kent, where she stars as one of the main characters. That’s right! DJ Jennings isn’t real, but Julia Kent sure is. 🙂

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OWL BE BEAR FOR YOU

The sudden kiss took Mara by surprise, Jack’s mouth slanted against hers with a determined passion that she matched without words. For the past forty minutes all she could think about was his face, his body, his eyes, those lips. She reached up and tore her glasses off, tucking them haphazardly into the outer opening of her purse, smashed between them as passion’s frenzy took hold.

Now that she was in his arms, his thighs hard against her belly, his arms warm against her shoulders, she was nothing but pink fire and molten blood.

A beat pounded between them, as if their hearts were in sync, his tongue dividing her mouth and tickling her teeth, the kiss as dangerous as it was unnerving.

Dangerous because Mara felt herself falling for a man she barely knew.

Unnerving because it all felt so right.

She was supposed to argue with herself, fight against this tidal wave of emotion, tell herself she was being reckless and foolish.

Those words weren’t there.

Instead, there were only fevered kisses and touches that made her sigh for more. Now that she was in his arms, she wondered how she would ever live anywhere without being touched by him.

Breaking the kiss, she said breathlessly, “I’m so sorry I never answered your text.”

“You can make it up to me with another kiss.”

And before she could say yes, her tongue was in his mouth, dancing against his, their lips enjoying each other with an abandon that bordered on criminal.

“Get a room.” Two different voices, one male, one female, said the words in unison. Mara broke away from Jack and stared at Sharon and Jim. The two were laughing and nudging each other. Given Mara’s reputation as the prim and proper librarian who never dated, she could only imagine what they were thinking as she totally lost it in front of them.

“I’m—I—oh, I’m so sorry!” Mara stuttered, struggling to catch her breath and gather her wits at the same time.

Jack remained in place, his face suddenly serious, his arm remaining protectively around Mara’s waist.

Without a word, he guided her to the main door and outside.

Her back was against the brick building, his mouth hot and frenzied on hers, before she could even look up at the night sky and spot the moon. Pressing her breasts against his wide chest, she pawed at him, her hands unable to stop touching him.

All the parts that were allowed in public, at least.

Jack’s fevered breath poured onto her neck like hot silk. “I have never been like this with a woman before,” he groaned, his tongue making warm, wet love to the base of her throat. “You do this to me, though. Only you. It’s like—” His abrupt halt gave Mara pause.

“Like fate?”

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June 18, 2026

The Wednesday Box
Jonathan Kieran
Publication date: June 18th 2026
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror
Some stories begin with “Once Upon a Time…”
This one begins with loneliness.

From the bestselling author of WistWood comes THE WEDNESDAY BOX, an illustrated supernatural horror novel for readers who love the haunting edge of stories like Coraline, The Thief of Always, The Graveyard Book, Neverwhere, and The Nest.

“At its heart, it’s a brilliant coming-of-age tale that isn’t afraid to get dark, showing the world through the eyes of a young girl dealing with heavy, adult-sized burdens.”

“Beneath all the strange events, this is also a story about exhaustion, poverty, protection, and the terrible compromises people make when they’re trying to survive. That emotional foundation makes the darker turns of the story hit much harder.”

May has learned to survive in a world of shrieking subway rails, soot-stained skies, and apartment hallways where silence, caution, and never asking for too much are simply facts of life.

But when a hulking stranger in a raincoat the color of broken promises begins to haunt her steps—on the train, in the tunnels, at her own door—May realizes that keeping quiet will no longer keep her safe.

Wednesday is the only day May cannot be alone.
The only night.

And when her weary mother leaves her with a new caretaker, May discovers that the tempting contents of an ancient box hold dangers far worse than anything she has ever feared

The greatest danger, however, is not what hunts her, but the impossible choice before her…
Tell the truth and risk losing the one person she cannot live without.
Or keep silent and face the darkness alone.

Because below the city, something is hunting.
And it knows her name.

“You’ll feel for May, just as I did. It’s quietly devastating in all the right ways.”

Goodreads / Amazon

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—

PRAISE for The Wednesday Box

“I was absolutely gripped by how this story manages to be both terrifying and incredibly moving. At its heart, it’s a brilliant coming-of-age tale that isn’t afraid to get dark, showing the world through the eyes of a young girl dealing with heavy, adult-sized burdens. It feels like a fever dream you don’t want to wake up from—part mystery, part dark fairy tale—and the pacing is just perfect. It never rushes; instead, it lets the mystery coil around you until you’re completely pulled in. If you’re looking for a book that challenges you and lingers in your mind long after you finish reading, this is it.”

–

“From the very first page, The Wednesday Box pulls you into a world of creeping dread and unsettling wonder, masterfully balancing psychological darkness with raw emotional stakes. Thoughtful, tense, and hauntingly beautiful, this is a story whose rich atmosphere and emotional intensity will linger with you long after the final page is turned. You’ll feel for May, just as I did. It’s quietly devastating in all the right ways.”

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“With The Wednesday Box, Jonathan Kieran delivers a striking dark fable that effortlessly bridges the gap between coming-of-age fiction and sophisticated adult fantasy. While the story centers on a young heroine navigating a perilous world, its core themes—confronting class divide, deep-seated neglect, and the sheer psychological weight of enduring hardship—track directly with mature, real-world anxieties. Kieran weaves a starkly beautiful tapestry of gothic atmosphere and fairy-tale danger, prioritizing emotional realism over easy genre tropes. It is a sharp, unsettling, and lyrical read that will deeply resonate with anyone drawn to high-stakes psychological tension and evocative, atmospheric storytelling.”

Author Bio:

Jonathan Kieran is an author and illustrator with a passion for world travel and ancient history—and an occasionally bewildered grasp of the present. He lives in a rustic house in the woodlands not far from Big Sur, California, where he awaits the future confidently with plenty of firewood, a new cat named Beezley, mercurial internet access, a magical footbridge (troll-infested and everything), and a reasonable supply of Cabernet Sauvignon. There also appears to be a significant Pinot Noir backup; viticultural shortages are not to be countenanced.

Jonathan’s interests are eclectic. He is as likely to regale you with an account of his latest misadventures in the Midi-Pyrénées as he is to ask if you happen to have any spare cookies about the house—and if so, whether you might part with five of them. Nothing piques his interest like a good old-fashioned discussion about cryptozoology, Tuscan cuisine, classical English literature, the perils of pop culture, or the harrowing details of great white shark attacks.

In addition to running up and down various mountainsides to burn off calories accrued from the wanton consumption of baked goods, Jonathan enjoys a good party with people unafraid to laugh, and he veritably lives for bedtime.

He is the author and illustrator of The Wednesday Box, WistWood and the Enchanted Heritage Chronicles, with more adventures to come.

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June 17, 2026

The Crown of Moonlight
Martina Boone
(The Five Crowns, #1)
Publication date: November 11th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
She’s the Highlander who saves his life with forbidden magic. He’s the immortal stranger who falls first—one healing touch, one fierce kindness at a time.

A romantic fantasy inspired by Scottish history, where the land itself is magic and chooses a woman as its champion.

Flora Domhnall is the last of her line: a healer, a strategist, her clan’s only defence in a war neither side can win. When she finds a dying immortal warrior in her woods, saving him is a terrible risk. But if he dies on her land, her clan will pay the price.

Her choice binds her fate to his.

Chyr has spent four centuries chained by the oaths carved into his flesh—oaths that read his every thought. Violence and honour are all he knows, and Flora’s brave, impossible mercy breaks him open.

Hunted across the burning Highlands, they can rely only on each other. Their longing grows with every mile they share a saddle, every sacrifice made in silence, and every night they guard each other in the dark.

He’s hopelessly fallen. She’s fighting not to fall.

Then the ancient sovereignty magic of the Cailleach Queens awakens in Flora—and marks her as something the world hasn’t seen in four hundred years.

And Chyr’s oaths may demand he destroy the one person he can’t bear to lose.

For her, he’ll try to break his oaths. Even if it kills him.

From award-winning author Martina Boone, The Crown of Moonlight is a mythic Celtic romantasy perfect for readers who love the haunting historical romance of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, the soul-deep yearning of Rebecca Ross, and the dark, aching magic of Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window. The first book in a sweeping series about ancient crowns, impossible oaths, and a love that must survive betrayal, war, and the gods themselves.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books / Kobo

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EXCERPT:

Flora

My knees shake as I crouch beside the nearest Ever, and a hot flush of magic ripples across my skin. More magic than I’ve ever felt. But that’s not the only shock. Although the ancient tales talk about the beauty of the Everfolk, seeing it in front of me makes my breath catch.

The Ever is handsome in a way that explains the warnings in the ancient stories—the blinding, dangerous sort of beauty that’s said to make humans lose their will and descend into madness. His features are too eerily perfect, his black hair has the gleam of raven’s wings, and the blue eyes that look unseeingly into the sky catch the light like layers of stained glass, revealing more colours the deeper I look.

His sightless stare unnerves me, and I brush my fingers across his lids to close them. The skin is still warm. I flinch from the contact, and my hand grazes a pale-blue crystal set in a ring on his right hand.

A jolt of pure power jars me as I touch it—so hot and bright that it pulls an answering flare from the ember of magic that burns inside me. Snatching my hand away, I wait for the sensation to ebb. But I miss it when it’s gone. My magic misses it, which makes no sense since my magic isn’t Ever magic. Careful not to touch the ring again, I bend closer to examine the crystal set within it. There’s movement inside, gold threads of magic dancing like lightning behind a thin haze of cloud.

The movement is mesmerising, holding me captive a moment too long after Ari snorts and stomps his foot. By the time the thud and the jingling of his bridle finally register, his muscles are braced as he uses his back to pull harder against the reins that tie him to the tree.

Then a twig snaps somewhere close. Behind me? To the left?

I spin around, searching. But there’s nothing. No one.

Well, I refuse to play this game.

“Who’s there? Come out and show yourself instead of hiding like a coward.”

The Wood falls unnaturally still. Then shadows stir beneath an oak tree to my left.

“I know you’re there,” I say, gripping the dagger tighter.

A voice answers me from the shadows. “Careful, little one. Taunt the things you fear, and you might just prove you were right to be afraid.”

The voice is male—slow and resonant, pitched between a growl and a cat’s deep purr. A predator’s voice, claws barely sheathed.

A shiver of awareness ripples down my spine. I draw on the cool, gritty power of the earth and fuse it with the fire that burns inside me. Needles of magic rake through bone and tissue as I force it outward, pouring it into the dagger. The blade groans, lengthening and thickening until it becomes a perfect replica of my father’s sword and rests cold, heavy, and steadying within my grasp.

An Ever steps forward, his figure cloaked in gloom, footsteps whispering over the frost-crusted moss. He’s larger than the bodies behind me seemed, taller and broader, his features carved in bold strokes beneath gilded hair that’s tied half-up in a warrior’s knot and reveals a widow’s peak. He looks gaunt, worn down, though power and command still radiate from him. He’s every bit as beautiful as the others—and devastatingly male.

He watches me with a faint, treacherous smile. “You can put that illusion away,” he says. “You’re lucky I didn’t mistake it for a threat.”

“The sword is no illusion,” I say, “and the threat is no mistake.”

Author Bio:

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of romantic fiction set in magical places. Her books blend lush writing, strong heroines, wounded heroes, atmospheric landscapes, history, folklore, family secrets, and magic woven through the ordinary world. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found traveling, reading, studying history and folklore, wrangling wildflower meadows, or playing with Shetland Sheepdogs and tuxedo cats.

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June 16, 2026

For Liberty and Love
Shanna Hatfield
(Petticoats & Patriots, #1)
Publication date: June 16th 2026
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
Courage built a nation. Love made it worth fighting for.

Throughout 250 years of American history, a well-loved locket finds its way into the hands of eight spirited heroines—each standing at the crossroads of love and destiny, and each inspired by a true patriot. As it journeys from one heart to the next, these stories unfold with sweet romance, unwavering hope, and a deep love of country, proving that even in uncertain times, love is always worth the risk. Start reading the Petticoats & Patriots series today!

She never intended to become a spy … or fall for one.
Philadelphia, 1776

As whispers of revolution turn swell into a roar for freedom, Lucy Carlson is no longer content to simply watch from behind the counter of her father’s jewelry shop. When a mysterious woman—none other than Martha Washington—leaves behind a locket, Lucy discovers the piece is more than a pretty keepsake. The necklace is a secret vessel for the revolution that carries the promise of love.

Drawn into a dangerous spy ring, Lucy begins crafting coded messages concealed within the locket’s clever design, living a secret double life and risking everything she holds dear in a time of sacrifice and war.

Continental soldier Branch Barton is a man defined by duty. Tasked with rooting out traitors, he moves through the shadowed world of deception and divided loyalties. He’s trained to trust no one, yet he finds himself drawn into a slow-burning connection with the jeweler’s spirited daughter.

But when Lucy begins to suspect Branch may be a Redcoat in disguise, their fragile bond is tested by mistaken identity, growing mistrust, and the threat of betrayal.

In a war where even allies can become enemies, Lucy and Branch must navigate a world of hidden truths and guarded hearts. With the fate of the colonies—and their hearts—hanging in the balance as Lucy delivers a message in enemy territory, will they find the courage to trust each other and choose love?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Lucy rushed into the shop and drew up short at the sight of the man who had stood across the street earlier, leaning against her workbench. Despite being so taken aback by his presence, she couldn’t help but admire his muscular form and his handsome features.

When he removed his cocked hat and nodded politely, her gaze fell on the sun-kissed golden hair of his head, traveled down to expressive brows that raised slightly at her perusal, and hesitated at soulful eyes the color of moss caught in a beam of sunshine. His full lips and defined jawline added to his masculine allure. As he straightened and stepped toward her, she had the fleeting thought that he moved with strength and purpose, as though he was in full control of himself and his surroundings.

“Hello, Miss Carlson,” he said in a soft, deep voice that made Lucy’s knees feel unexpectedly weak.

Or perhaps the weakness came from realizing she’d stupidly left the ledger open and out in plain sight for anyone to read the entries. Not that she nor her father had anything to hide, but she didn’t think the tall man with a commanding bearing had any right to know who purchased merchandise in their store.

“May I help you, sir?” Lucy asked in a crisp tone as she strode behind the workbench, closed the ledger, and slid it onto the shelf where her father kept it.

“I came to retrieve something my…” He hesitated just long enough for Lucy to grow suspicious of his intentions and motives. “… aunt left here. A pair of gloves. Aunt Patsy sent me to retrieve them.”

Lucy could have easily handed over the gloves, which were sitting next to her tools just inches from where she stood, but she didn’t. Surely, he had to know she’d seen him lingering across the street, watching for Patsy.

Did the man mistake her for a complete dunce? Or did he think his attractive features and a voice that rumbled like a summer thunderstorm wrapped in velvet would leave her so captivated that she would bow to his every whim and wish?

Affronted, she stiffened and lifted her chin. “I will give … Patsy the gloves when I next see her. If that is not her preference, then please bring a note from her to indicate otherwise.”

“I assure you, Miss Carlson, I mean no harm. My aunt was quite distressed to realize she’d misplaced her gloves. They were a gift from someone quite dear to her heart, and it would be a tragedy for her to lose them.”

“And I assure you, Mister …” She paused, since the man had failed to introduce himself.

“Barton. Burwell Barton at your service,” he said with a bow, then offered her a boyish grin that caused her stomach to flutter. “But my friends call me Branch.”

“Branch,” she repeated, wondering if the name had anything to do with the series of barely noticeable moles on his left cheek that were shaped like a curved tree branch.

As though he could read her thoughts, his fingers brushed over his cheek. “A mark from birth, I suppose. Now, may I please have my aunt’s gloves?”

Lucy shook her head. “No, you may not. I intend to place them into her hands myself, sir. Now, unless I can interest you in a set of buckles or perhaps a snuff box, then I’ll have to ask that you depart. My family is waiting for me.”

“My apologies, Miss Carlson.” He backed toward the door. “My intent was not to insult or upset anyone.”

“Yes, well, I …” When she looked up into his face and caught him smiling, it was as though all the words she’d planned to say fell back down her throat. Mercy, but he was handsome with those sharp cheekbones and a bottom lip that seemed designed for passionate kisses.

Passionate kisses? Heavens above! What was she thinking? For all she knew, this man could be one of the king’s spies.

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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