(from usatoday.com
by Joyce Lamb)
Happy Friday, HEA readers! Check out some of this week's new romance releases. Bet you'll find lots to add to your TBR pile.
Home Is Where the Heat Is by Amelia James. The Twisted Mosaic's reader favorite, Claire, has some twisted fun of her own. Dependable paralegal Claire O'Connor knows the man of her dreams is out there waiting for her, and she's ready for him. Imagine her surprise—and delight—when she discovers not one but two men who lust for her. One adores her; the other challenges her. One makes sense; the other is a gamble. Despite the family tragedy that shaped his past, JT Luck has only known professional success. His personal life, however, is a failure. He doesn't want a relationship, and while his 'let it ride' attitude keeps most women at a distance, Claire is eager to roll with him. But when she finds out Kurt Langston, the office's resident computer geek, harbors a secret crush for her, she wonders if he's the safer bet. Kurt doesn't get close to people, and his feelings for Claire make no sense in his carefully ordered life. His unexpected bond with JT pushes him to take chances he never imagined. Go all-in or go home? Either way, the heat could be more than they can handle.
All Lined Up by Cora Carmack. In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both. Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past. But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn't bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again. Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated. Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter. And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
Broken Places by Krista Hall. Winner of 2013 Golden Heart Award for Romantic Suspense. When one of her students becomes the latest victim of a D.C. gang-slaying, sociology professor Trevy Barlow and FBI gang task force agent Cruz Larsen join forces to find the killer before a simmering gang rivalry explodes into all-out war.
Tamed by Rebecca Zanetti. Caleb Donovan was never meant to be a prophet. At heart he's a conqueror, his appetites far more carnal than spiritual. He's not inclined to repress his passions and surrender to fate. After all, that's what cost him Lily--three centuries ago. He's in the same benighted calling, and forced into proximity with her--all the old desires are roaring back to life. . .
Primal Surrender by Lori King. The final book in The Surrender Trilogy. The Surrender Trilogy III: Brothers Mack and Ryker Thompson know the pain of failure intimately having recently fallen from the heights of success. One a former football star, and the other a master at his artistic craft, they couldn't be more different from each other. Mack hides behind anonymity in order to cover up his pain, while Ryker figures it doesn't matter if the glass is half-full or half-empty as long as there's a bartender refilling it all will be well. Broken and haunted by the mistakes of their past, neither expected to find a ray of sunshine in the clouds of their pity party. Claudia Schmidt, is the only daughter of a real estate tycoon that has a plan for turning the small town of Stone River into a suburb of Austin, Texas. When she is sent in to replace the project manager, and convince the town of the necessity of the project, she finds herself falling in love with the town, and the Thompson brothers. Although ménage relationships aren't foreign to Mack and Ryker, neither one intends on living one, so how can they decide who gets the girl? And what if the girl wants all or nothing? Welcome back to Stone River…
Always a Stranger by Amara Royce. An international affair, London's Great Exhibition has taken the city by storm. As its newest Royal Commissioner, Lord Skyler Ridgemont must ensure the performers are properly contracted. Among them is the delicate and graceful Hanako Sumaki. Draped in vivid silk robes, Hanako's exotic Japanese fan dance captivates Skyler--and he longs to learn more about her.
Reluctant Consort by Lora Leigh. Book four in the Wizard Twins series. Arabella da'Alistair is aware of her fate. The daughter of an evil king, she knows she must be sacrificed to allay the people's fear she will become a creature of magick. But suffering so at the hand of her father is more than she can bear. She wants one more chance to be wrapped in a magickal ménage with the warriors she has been meeting in secret. Warriors who have no idea who she truly is. Caedan and Daelan of the Ogre house Dungarrin agree to save a woman destined for horrors, as demanded by their two kings. She may not be the woman they long to possess, body and soul, but they will follow their duty. But fate shines on them and the twins will do whatever it takes to save this woman—their woman—and deliver her to the safety of their arms, and the pleasure of their bed.
Inked Armor by Helena Hunting. In this follow-up to Clipped Wings, the emotional love story continues between Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts. In the wake of losing Tenley Page, tattooist Hayden Stryker's tumultuous past is haunting him. Plagued by nightmares about the murder of his parents, Hayden reaches out again to Tenley. Having run from the man she doesn't believe she deserves, Tenley finally lays her guilt to rest. Despite their intense physical attraction, Hayden and Tenley struggle to repair their fragile emotional connection. As Hayden gets closer to the truth, he must find a way to reconcile his guilt over his parents' death in order to keep the woman who finally cracked his armor, and found her way into his heart.
Mai Tai for Two by Delphine Dryden. Julie's Hawaiian Vacay Itinerary! You and your "work husband" have just won an all-expenses-paid vacation in Oahu. Now the fun begins…1. Get lei'd. (With flowers, obvi.) 2. Settle into your gorgeous ocean-side cabin. Contemplate living in Hawaii forever. 3. Become overwhelmed with hideous unexplained jealousy when your bestie decides to make sexy moves on your work husband, Alan. 4. Dismiss jealousy. After all, you're not interested in Alan "that" way…are you? 5. Avoid joyous dancing when bestie's ex arrives and sweeps her off her feet—leaving Alan completely and totally available. 6. Now you're alone with Alan. Alone. In paradise. Take a deep breath, have a mai tai—or two—and (gulp!) make your move. Be classy. 7. "Accidentally" let Alan peek under your grass skirt. 8. Take off grass skirt. 9. Do Incredibly Naughty and Sexy Things everywhere.10. And do not think about what happens when you and your work husband go back to reality….
Perfect 10 by Erin McCarthy. Katrina Phillips is an expert social media manager. But that doesn't mean she can't make mistakes. Horrible, hide-in-your-closet-forever mistakes…like accidentally syncing her BootyBook app with her online profiles. Blammo. Now everyone in the world can see who Katrina has dated and how they rated in appearance, sexual performance and (OMG) detailed descriptions of their manly parts! Now her phone is blowing up with angry exes—and an out-of-the-blue text from the only guy who came close to a perfect score….
Marrying the Wrong Man: Book 3 in Harmony Falls Series by Elley Arden. Three years ago, Morgan Parrish was embroiled in her father's plan to marry a man who was destined for the presidency. There was just one problem: Morgan was in love with and pregnant by another man. When the house of cards her father had built came tumbling down, Morgan fled town and the backlash. Now, she's stuck in Harmony Falls after a childhood bank account turns out to be empty. Even more shocking, the child she intended to place for adoption rather than cause more scandal is at her side.
Once Upon a Wager by Julie LeMense. When Lord Alec Carstairs returns from the Peninsular Wars, hailed as a hero in the midst of the London Season, only Annabelle Layton knows the sort of man that he really is, that the honor everyone praises is illusory
If Wishes Were Horses by Silvia Violet. Undercover cop, Andrew Wofford's latest investigation sends him to the ranch of wealthy playboy Kenneth Carver. Tired of his family's bigotry, Ken gave up his place in society and moved to the country to tend his horses. Now he's a prime suspect in a drug running case, but Andy refuses to believe Ken is guilty, in part because Andy is falling for him. Ken knows Andy isn't who he seems, but he can't bring himself to push the man away. Neither man can trust the other even though that's exactly what their hearts tell them to do.
Timelost Lover by Susanna Stone. Part of the Emerald Isle Fantasies series. When Tannis first sees an iconic painting by Irish nationalist artist Brendan Pearse, she's stunned that the naked woman in the picture looks exactly like her, even down to the intricate Celtic tattoo on her breast. Seeking answers, she travels to Castle Tullamore, an ancient Irish stronghold steeped in magic, where the artist lived and worked a hundred years ago. Inexplicably, she is whisked back in time and meets him face to face. Brendan doesn't know what to make of this otherworldly woman who seems to have come out of nowhere to be his model. But he knows she's exactly the woman he needs for his Irish Freedom trilogy. At the risk of endangering his master work, and against all his own rules, he knows he can never hope to capture her essence on canvas without first possessing her body in the flesh. But their time together will be heartbreakingly brief, because Tannis knows Brendan died tragically young, and there's nothing she can do to change history.
Kissing Cody Starr by S.J. Frost. Known as Cody Starr to his fans, Christian is one of the most popular and desirable young actors in gay adult films. His sweet looks, sensual skills and charisma on camera have earned him fame. Now he wants out of the adult industry, but his fear of what could—or couldn't—be waiting for him keep holding him back. Finn is an Army veteran who knows what it takes to protect people. When he meets Christian, something tells him the pretty young man needs protecting in more ways than physically. Tension between Christian and Finn can only hold back their attraction to each other for so long before passion takes hold of them. For all the heat and emotion between Christian and Finn, the challenges of Christian's fame may tear them apart.
Lily's Enchantment by Kristin Noone. It's not easy to be a good sorceress and a single mother. It's even harder, though, when she's called upon to save a dying king and face down a dragon—a dragon who might be part of her past. And to make the fairy tale even more complicated, the king's illegitimate older brother has beautiful eyes, a reputation for deadly ruthlessness, and a surprising talent for comforting babies—and maybe for enticing Lily as well.
Lucky Silver by Clare Murray. Marissa Blythe has never felt she belonged in modern times. During a college Victorian Party, she wanders into a temporary hedge maze and wishes upon an old silver spoon. When she tries to leave, she realizes the hedge maze has changed. Fortunately she finds a handsome Englishman to escort her to the exit—after he claims a kiss from her. But England in the 1850s is going to take some adjusting to, despite the magic that's helping her. Rhys, fifth Baron Montford, is fascinated by the woman who appears in his maze. She's different from the fainting, London-bred chits from whose ranks he's expected to choose a wife. He's impressed that she wants to make her own way in life—until he finds her walking away from him. Rhys pursues—and catches—Marissa, but he must reconcile his desire for her with his obligations in life.
Switchblade by Carsen Taite. Bounty Hunter Luca Bennett's in a bind, which is nothing new, but this time it's her feelings, not a jumper, that's got her tangled in knots. She's finally decided she wants to be more than a friend with benefits to cop Jessica Chance, but when hot and dangerous attorney Ronnie Moreno returns to town, a new case and an old flame threaten to interfere. When the case puts her at odds with the entire police department, Jess included, Luca is forced to make a hard choice that could change her entire world. As the lines between right and wrong blur, she faces the biggest risks of her life. Luca loves to gamble, but the stakes have never been higher. Will she win big or will she lose everything?
Menage-a-Dare by Frances Stockton. Book 2 in the Sexcapades series. Remy and Eve have been skirting their attraction for nearly a year. During a road trip, they become lovers. But Remy's worried. He's bisexual and doesn't want to risk hurting Eve. Upon their arrival in Dare, Nevada, they meet the enigmatic, incredibly sexy Jaxon Wynter. Immediately Eve and Remy want him and it isn't long before Jax seduces the couple into a red-hot ménage that pushes their boundaries. But Jax has secrets and emotional scars he's tried to keep buried. When an emergency arises for Eve, he realizes if he doesn't open his heart and soul to his lovers, he could lose them both, forever.
If You Love Me by Elaine Coffman. She was the long-lost sister of the mighty Mackinnons, captured by Comanches when she was a child. They never thought she would be found, and certainly not by Viscount William Woodville, son of the Earl of Warrenton, who preferred the life of an English artist painting his way across western America. Passed around from tribe to tribe over the years, she was as wild as the land she called home, and the moment he saw her William knew he had found the perfect act of defiance against his father. So he bought her, married her and took her to England…and abandoned her there, to return to America. She must find her way into the hearts of her new family, but that is not all she does. Soon she is transformed into a beautiful, graceful Countess who is the talk of English society, never giving anyone a glimpse of her broken heart. When he finally returns, William is captivated by the enchanting woman with no intention of forgiving him.
Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis. Spend the summer in Lucky Harbor! From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes three complete novels in one volume at an affordable price. This collection features Lucky in Love, At Last, and Forever and a Day.
Free to Fall by Lauren Miller. From the author of Parallel comes a high-stakes thriller set in the near-future where everyone's lives are seamlessly orchestrated by their personal electronic devices. Fast-forward to a time when Apple and Google have been replaced by Gnosis, a monolith corporation that has developed the most life-changing technology to ever hit the market: Lux, an app that flawlessly optimizes decision-making for the best personal results. Just like everyone else, sixteen-year-old Rory Vaughn knows the key to a happy, healthy life is following what Lux recommends. When she's accepted to the elite boarding school Theden Academy, her future happiness seems all the more assured. But once on campus, something feels wrong beneath the polished surface of her prestigious dream school. Then she meets North, a handsome townie who doesn't use Lux, and begins to fall for him and his outsider way of life. Soon, Rory is going against Lux's recommendations, listening instead to the inner voice that everyone has been taught to ignore--a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming.
Hostile Ground by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt. Enemy territory is a dangerous place to fall in love. After the deaths of three undercover cops investigating a drug ring in a seedy strip club in Seattle, Detective Mahir Hussain has been sent to finish the job. He joins the club's security team in the hopes of finding enough evidence to bust the operation before the men in charge find a reason to put him in a shallow grave. To protect the strippers, only gay men can work the club. Ridley, the cold and intimidating head of security, knows exactly how to test potential new hires—including Mahir. From the minute they meet, Mahir and Ridley engage in a dangerous dance of sex and mind games. Mahir needs to find his evidence before Ridley figures out he's a cop—and before they both grow too close to betray one another. As the game goes on, Mahir burrows deeper into the operation, where he learns there's much more happening than meets the eye . . . and why every cop who made it this far has been silenced with a bullet.
House of the Rising Sun by Kristen Painter. Every vampire has heard rumor of the mythical place where their kind can daywalk. But what no vampire knows is that this City of Eternal Night actually exists. And its name is New Orleans. For centuries, the fae have protected the city from vampire infestation. But when the bloodsuckers return, the fragile peace in New Orleans begins to crumble. Carefree playboy Augustine, and Harlow, a woman searching for answers about her absent father, are dragged into the war. The fate of the city rests on them --- and their fae blood that can no longer be denied. Book one in the brand new, action-packed urban fantasy Crescent City series, from award winning, House of Comarre author Kristen Painter!
Blood and Magic by Ann Gimpel. Magic didn't just find Luke Caulfield. It chased him down, bludgeoned him, and has been dogging him ever since. Some lessons are harder than others. Luke survives by embracing danger and upping the ante to give it one better. An enforcer for the Coven, a large, established group of witches, his latest assignment is playing bodyguard to the daughter of Coven leaders. Abigail Ruskin is chaperoning a spoiled twelve-year-old from New York to her parents' home in Utah Territory when Luke gets on their stagecoach in Colorado. A powerful witch herself, Abigail senses Luke's magic, but he's so overwhelmingly male, she shies away from contact. Stuck between the petulant child and Luke's raw sexual energy, Abigail can't wait for the trip to end. Wraiths, wolves, and humans with dark magic attack. Unpleasant truths surface about the child and Abigail's well-ordered world crashes around her.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.
Enigma by Moira Rogers. Southern Arcana, Book 6. Anna Lenoir has always fought. First to escape her broken childhood, then to prove a female shapeshifter can stand shoulder to shoulder with the men. Now she fights for money, and her reputation is as legendary as her stone-cold heart. She's never met a man she couldn't walk away from. Until him. Bounty hunter Patrick McNamara has a scary reputation of his own, along with mysterious powers linked to his many tattoos. On the clock, they're the perfect supernatural-crime-solving team. After hours, she's ready to rock his world. But Patrick won't settle for just her body, and Anna's better at breaking homes than making them. When the heir to the Southwest council goes missing, their combined skills are the best chance of averting a territory war. But the hunt will drag them through the most vulnerable parts of their broken pasts. Daring to risk her heart might be the first fight she loses, and the stakes have never been higher. Because Patrick will sacrifice anything for her. Even his life.
Carnal Magic by Lila Dubois. The Wraith Accords, Book 1. Two hundred years after the Tuatha de Danaan and Vampires formed a fragile alliance, the Wraith Accords are unraveling. Isabel Santiago is a leader in one of the most powerful of the vampire cabals, and she agrees to join the Fae court as a gesture of goodwill—and damage control. While Aed mac Goll's loyalty to Fae is absolute, he's never supported the accords which gave the Vampires sanctuary and restored the Tuatha de's link to humanity. The very idea he could desire an undead human is unthinkable, yet he's drawn to Isabel's dark beauty and fierce intelligence. Despite their mutual mistrust, they soon find themselves lost in a dangerous game of lust and power. When the treaty shatters amid calls for Isabel's head, Aed realizes their connection is more than physical. And to save it, they'll have to unravel a mystery that's been a thousand years in the making.
Rider's Kiss by Anne Rainey. In high school, Victoria was every guy's buddy. And ever since, she's been stuck in the friend zone. Sex appeal? She doesn't have enough of that to fill her smallest measuring spoon. Thankfully, her catering business keeps her too busy to think about her personal life—or lack thereof. When her old high school crush strolls back into town, heating up feelings she thought she'd shoved to the back of her emotional freezer, she feels compelled to take up her best friend's offer to do a makeover. Maybe it's time she play the siren, not the sidekick. Back in Summit Green to open a new branch of his auto repair service, Rider James barely recognizes the alluring brunette as the clumsy, introverted girl from high school. He always liked her, but back then she was too innocent to mess with. Now she's all grown up…and turning him on. Yet Victoria can't help wondering if Rider will ever look past the sinful pout and stiletto heels—and love the vulnerable woman who still hides beneath.
No Distance Left to Run by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov. The Distance Between Us, Book 4. The night before Chris and his best friend Joshua were sent thousands of miles apart on their respective Mormon missions, they finally gave in to their mutual desire. Left trying to make sense of what happened, Chris's already shaky faith crumbled altogether a year later, when Joshua suddenly died. Inconsolable, ostracized by his family and the only community he'd ever known, Chris found his way on his own. Now he's going to school and loves his job as a bartender at Wilde's. Years after Joshua's death, he's finally moving on. Then a familiar face rocks his world. Joshua isn't dead. He's back in Seattle to make peace with his dying father, with a new name, a new accent…and old feelings for Chris that are alive and well. Forgiveness doesn't come easy for anyone, but just as Chris is accepting that the man he loves isn't going to run away this time, their families threaten to pull them apart all over again…
Lightning Unbound by Lynne Connolly. Even Gods Fall in Love, Book 1. When Gerard Sterling, Earl of Ellesmere, races to Bethlehem Hospital—also known as Bedlam—to rescue a wrongly committed friend, he's astonished to hear a voice in his head that doesn't belong to his sister, with whom he shares a mind link. Fascinated and enchanted by Lady Faith Bradley, inspired by her dedication saving her brother from the horrors of the Incurables ward, he includes them both in his rescue mission. But woo her he cannot—not with a fatal disease that saps more of his strength every day. Faith would slay dragons to keep her brother safe from her father's scheme to set his simpleminded heir aside. But it's Gerard, who feels the hot breath of death down his neck, who wins her heart. Then it is revealed that Gerard is none other than the reincarnation of Zeus, and they face a far more dangerous enemy—Kronos, whose plan to regain power includes Gerard's death. To foil his plan, Gerard and Faith must hold firm to the power of love…and defy Fate itself.
Edge of the Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair. One sadist. One submissive. One extraordinary love. Welcome to Dark Haven and may all your darkest wishes come true. Fleeing false murder charges, Lindsey lands in San Francisco. There she builds a satisfying life until, in the notorious Dark Haven BDSM club, she encounters deVries. Moth, meet flame. A security specialist and occasional mercenary, deVries needs an adorable submissive like a knife to the gut. Hell, she's not even a masochist. But here she is, all big brown eyes and sweet body and sassy mouth. Loyal. Tough-minded. Honest. Or maybe not, considering her ID is forged. If she thinks to lie to him, she'll learn better. He's the Enforcer of Dark Haven—his discipline is absolute, his punishments harsh, and his heart untouched...until now.
Deep Blue (Blue Series #1) by Jules Barnard. When overconfident Cali Morgan meddles in her best friend's love life during a post-college summer in Lake Tahoe, she finds herself questioning her own choice of boyfriend as well as her future career plans. Now she's found a guy she really wants, but the question is . . . has her friend already fallen for him?
The XYZ Affair by Mary Billiter. She didn't want to get involved. A secret fraternity, lost love and a pile of buried bones. For mystery-writer-turned-college professor Dani Quinn, her first day on campus proves to unearth more than just new-job jitters. When human skeletal remains are unearthed during renovations on campus, the University tries to keep the story buried. But skeletons and secrets are too irresistible for any mystery writer to ignore, and Dani finds herself in the center of a decades old mystery…the answers may cost not only her job, but her life.
Duty (Winged #7) by L.M. Pruitt. "I looked and behold, a white horse, and who he sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer." Revelation 6:2 After one hundred odd years of peace, the fate of the world once again hangs in limbo. The First Horseman of the Apocalypse has been released. The new generation must rise to the challenge before the millennia old dominos start to fall. And the Second Horseman is released. Where does obligation end--and duty begin?
A Carol for Kent by Hallee Bridgeman. Book 3 in the Song of Suspense Series. Bobby Kent's name is synonymous with modern Country Music and he is no stranger to running from overzealous fans and paparazzo. But now he must protect his daughter and Carol, the mother of his only child, from the vicious and ruthless serial killer Richmond Red, who is bent on their destruction.
Fire and Ash by Victoria Kinnaird. Red Sun Rises book two. Eren Anderson thought he could leave his troubles in All Hallows. He was wrong. For teen vampire Eren, his boyfriend Corbijn and best friend Andy, Paris seemed like the perfect place to escape to, but the City of Light has darkness in its heart. While Eren finds himself struggling to deal with the horror he witnessed in his home town and fighting to reign in his power to cast, a surprising new enemy makes moves to destroy the one thing Eren can't live without -- Corbijn. With The Order of Our Mother refusing to help save him, Eren, Corbijn, Andy and Order rebel Tamesis unlock a source of power which hasn't been called on in over one hundred years. The Red Sun Rises: Fire and Ash is the second book in The Red Sun Rises Trilogy and the sequel to Victoria Kinnaird's international bestselling debut, The Red Sun Rises.
No comments:
Post a Comment