Looks Like a Good Weekend To Surrender To New Romance Novels

(from usatoday.com
by Joyce Lamb)


Check out some of this week's (and earlier) new romance releases …

Absolute Surrender by Jenn LeBlanc. Happiness was always too much for Lady Amelia to hope for. Now all she expects is to secure her future and marry Charles, Duke of Castleberry, as arranged. But Amelia has a dangerous secret that could not only destroy her in Charles's eyes and the eyes of society, but could also very well condemn her to Bedlam. Baron Endsleigh, Amelia's oldest friend, has other ideas. Ender has loved Amelia all his life. He knows her secrets, and they don't frighten him. He plans to come between Amelia and Charles in any way he can to prevent the marriage and finally claim Amelia for his own. Though her father forbade the match years ago, Ender is determined to have her as his wife and nothing can stop him. Not even a duke as powerful as Castleberry. That duke has hated Baron Endsleigh and wanted Amelia for, what seems to him, forever. Charles will stop at nothing to make her his, and his alone, even if that means destroying the one thing he knows she loves most in this world—Endsleigh. Will Amelia be able to choose when one man speaks to her head and the other her heart? None of them will find happiness until they all three learn to embrace absolute surrender.

Mine to Claim by A.C. Arthur. Grace Kincaid has been trapped her whole life. Controlled in every way by her domineering parents, she has never had any moment of excitement or passion in all her eighteen years. When a rare night out with a friend ends in violence, Grace believes that perhaps her parents are right to keep her under lock and key. There's just one problem—she can't get the irresistibly sexy, mysterious man who saved her from danger out of her head. She knows she should go back to her safe world, but her newfound passion for life—and for her enigmatic protector—are making that impossible… Despite his strength and power, Aidan Sanchez cannot escape. Bound by his Shifter bloodline, he is repulsed by the very attributes his family wishes him to embrace. His main goal is to keep his more dangerous…hungers… under wraps. But when a fight at a club forces Aidan to protect the most alluring woman he's ever seen, there's no turning back. He knows he shouldn't drag her into his world, but she's awakened a fire within him, and for once, he's willing to lose control if it means having Grace…

Wild Wolf by Jennifer Ashley. In the latest Shifters Unbound novel, a man has resigned himself to a life half lived. But a beautiful, courageous woman has him longing for something more… Graham McNeil knows that his pack is unruly, but he's not sure he can take the next step toward pack stability. After losing his first mate long ago, Graham has worked hard to keep his heart in check. Besides, even if he was inclined to choose a new mate, his girlfriend, Misty, is human—a fact that won't sit well with Graham's old-fashioned pack. But Misty is going through a crisis of her own, one that brings danger and death to the pack. With the wolves doubly convinced that there needs to be a shake-up, Graham must now defend his leadership and save the woman he has grown to love—before Shiftertown is pulled into an all-out war.

Darkest Flame by Donna Grant. Part one. The Dark Kings have fought for centuries to preserve their dragon magic. But one of the most powerful warriors of his kind will be put to the ultimate test. Is he strong enough to resist his greatest temptations? Or will he be forced to surrender—body and soul? Denae Lacroix is a beautiful MI5 agent on a deadly mission. Sent to the Scottish Highlands to spy on the mysterious Dreagan Industries, she discovers too late that she's been set up—as human bait. She is an irresistible lure for a man who has not seen or touched a woman for centuries. He is a man with a destiny—and a desire—that could destroy them both… It's been 1200 years since Kellan has walked among humans—and there's no denying the erotically charged attraction he feels for Denae. But as a Dragon King, he is sworn to protect his secrets. Yet the closer he gets to this smart, ravishing woman, the more her life is in danger. All it takes is one reckless kiss to unleash a flood of desire, the fury of dragons…and the fiercest enemy of all.

Shadows of Fate by Angela Dennis. Shadow Born, Book 1. After witnessing her husband's brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war. She's on a routine exorcism run when she learns she's been assigned a new partner. But there's something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash. Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman. As they work to put together the pieces of a killer's macabre puzzle, an attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets,

Origin by Dani Worth. The Kithran Regenesis, Book 4. After fourteen torturous years as a slave on a galaxy roving entertainment ship, Siri carries only vague memories of parents who loved her, Gwinarian food, and her beautiful home planet of Kithra. When two space pirates burst into her owner's room, the choice they offer her is all too easy: stay and face government questioning about the two intruders, or take a chance and go with them. Claybourne and Anders had planned to help expose the pleasure ship owner's involvement in Kithra's destruction. But when they happen upon Siri, saving one of the last—and most beautiful—of the Gwinarian race takes precedence. Siri tastes freedom long denied…and temptation to succumb to the deep sexual tension vibrating between her and her two liberators. Clay and Anders take pleasure in letting her take the lead in rediscovering the power of intimacy.

Tough Love by Heidi Cullinan. Special Delivery, Book 3. Crescencio "Chenco" Ortiz pulled himself up by his garter straps after his father's will yanked the financial rug from under his spank-me pumps. He doesn't need anyone, yet when Steve Vance steps into his life, the prospect of having a sexy leather daddy on tap begins to take on a certain appeal. There's a hitch when he learns Steve is friends with Mitch Tedsoe—the half-brother Chenco never knew except through his father's twisted lies. Despite his reservations, soon Chenco is living his dreams, including a performing gig in Vegas. Now if only he could get Steve to see him as more than just a boy in need of saving. Steve's attraction to Chenco is overshadowed by too many demons, ones he knows his would-be lover is too young to slay. Yet as he gets to know the bright, determined young man whose drag act redefines fierce, Steve's inner sadist trembles with need. He begins to realize Chenco's relentless tough love might be the only thing that will finally set him free.

The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors. What happens when the teenage heirs of two bitterly feuding families can't stay away from each other? The Rhodales and the Whitfields have been sworn enemies for close on a hundred years, with a whole slew of adulterous affairs, financial backstabbing, and blackmailing that's escalated the rivalry to its current state of tense ceasefire. And now a meth lab explosion in rural Whitfield County is set to reignite the feud more viciously than ever before. Especially when the toxic fire that results throws together two unlikely spectators—proper good girl Victoria Whitfield, exiled from boarding school after her father's real estate business melts down in disgrace, and town motorcycle rebel Mickey Rhodale, too late as always to thwart his older brothers' dangerous drug deals. Victoria and Mickey are about to find out the most passionate romances are the forbidden ones.

Raven Moon by Eva Gordon.

Book 2 in the After the Bane series. In a world ravished by zombies, animal shifters vow to save human survivors and combat zombie hordes. Ravenna, princess of the northern raven conclave, joins forces with witch Dora Adler and the Fenrir werewolf pack. On a mission for a vaccine against Z-phage, Rave and her team fly to a remote biological research facility. They battle a new breed of zombie, faster and stronger than the human variety, and with an appetite for shifters. Benandanti Templar Maddox seeks revenge against the Kindred leader who killed his team. He rescues a trapped woman, Ravenna destroyer of the Benandanti bloodstone. His wolf longs to claim and protect the sexy raven shifter. His Benandanti faith commands she stand trial. While facing zombies, merciless tankers, and zealous Benandanti werewolves, Rave and Maddox struggle against their forbidden passion. They must set aside their conflicts and strike at the new zombie threat before the new virus spreads.

Dangerous Dozen boxed set. 12 full-length romantic suspense novels. To Catch Her Man by Charity Pineiro: Investigative reporter Sylvia Amenabar must decide between friendship, love and discovering the truth behind a cop's murder. I'll Be Watching You by Tina Wainscott. Ten years ago, Kim left her steamy Everglades town under a cloud of murder and scandal. Her gran brings her back to reclaim her home and unearth the truth...while a killer watches her every move. Bedeviled by Maureen Child: A *faerie* funny paranormal. Protective Custody by Paige Tyler: Someone is stalking reporter Paisley McCoy, and police detective Gray Beckham is the only man who can protect her. There's a New Witch in Town by Tawny Weber. Her magic, his town, their love... is it enough? Or will a witch just regaining her powers have to choose between saving a cursed town, or giving up everything she's come to care about? In His Control by Nina Bruhns: A rogue detective will do anything to catch the sexy international thief he's fixated upon. Chosen by Sin by Virna DePaul. A wounded alpha werebeast bent on revenge... A female vampire trying to save her adoptive dragon-shifter family... Can they stop a group of rebel shape-shifters from unleashing every demon in hell? Imposter by Karen Fenech: Dr. Eve Collins, accused by the CIA of developing a chemical weapon, learns someone has set her up. To save her life, she must join forces with CIA Operative John Burke. Dark Tide Rising by Kristin Miller: Police Sergeant Mark Thurgood is harboring secrets that tie him to the vengeful sea. Free-spirited Emily McAllister is haunted by premonitions, and the latest shows her death in a dark coastal cave. Big Bad Wolf by Gennita Low: On the run from shadowy enemies, a secret agent finds sunlight and love while working undercover for a female roofer. Found Wanting by Joyce Lamb: She's been on the run for 14 years. He's been sent to bring her home, dead or alive. High Tide by Maureen Miller. A couple locked in a struggle to protect the coast...and their lives.

Playing with Fire by Renee Graziano. Reign Grazi is no stranger to dangerous men. Her whole life, they've been there. Grandfathers, uncles, cousins…she knows the difference between people who made the rules and those who broke them. But she has no idea why someone might want her dead. Nick Fattelli is handsome, sophisticated, and…an assassin. He doesn't know who hired him to take out Reign, but after they meet and sparks fly, he vows to protect her. Unless it's really him they are after…

Night Diver by Elizabeth Lowell. A series of bad management decisions has left Kate Donnelly's family diving and marine recovery business drowning in red ink. Without Kate's financial expertise, the iconic treasure-hunting enterprise. Unable to say no, Kate heads back to the beautiful and terrifying ocean that still haunts her nightmares. A former British military diver, Holden Cameron, must investigate the suspicious activity surrounding a Donnelly dive to recover treasure from the ancient wreck of a pirate ship. When equipment, treasure, and even divers begin to disappear, Kate and Holden form an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth. Soon they are sharing their deepest fears and darkest secrets—and a combustible chemistry too hot to ignore.

Hotelles by Emma Mars. Paris, a hotel room, the middle of the afternoon … So begins the story of Annabelle, a young escort in Paris who has accepted her final proposition before marrying the powerful and generous man of her dreams, media mogul David Barlet. But the mysterious handwritten notes she has been receiving—notes that detail personal fantasies no one could possibly know—don't prepare her for the fact that her new client is her fiancé's brother, Louie. Through visits to the Hotel des Charmes, where each chamber is dedicated to one of French history's great seductresses, Louie awakens Annabelle's body and her psyche, delivering her to heights of ecstasy and fits of passion. He pushes her beyond her limitations to tap into her deep seductive power—and she discovers that true freedom comes only when you fully surrender to desire. Funny, sensual, candid, and revealing, Hotelles is a titillating novel of mysteries and surprises by a radiant new voice.

Bound to Be Taken by Becca Jameson. Emergence, Book 1. Stephanie Parkins doesn't date—ever. After years of watching her mother's antics, men are off her menu. But the truth is, now she needs one, and fast. Proving she's approachable is the only way her bosses will promote her to a position that requires her to work directly with the public. Restaurateurs Aiden Collins and Dane Whitman need a date—now. They're perfectly happy as a twosome, but without a woman on their arms, admission to this weekend's fetish party will be denied. For a while now they've had their eye on the sexy beauty from the tenth floor—even though she buries herself under a frumpy wardrobe. What better time to bring her out of her shell, and add the third they've been craving? When the three quite literally collide in the elevator, a miracle happens: she agrees to their proposal. And Stephanie turns out to be the submissive of Dane and Aiden's dreams. But as she slips deeper under their thumbs, she could be more than either man bargains for.

Where There Is Will by Monica Epstein. When she moves to London following her divorce, Michelle Loeser has no interest in looking for love. She needs to focus on surviving without her ex's six-figure income, coping with a severe fear of heights, and rebuilding her confidence. And if she keeps her promise to her best friend, she'll pursue her passion for writing too. Will Sheridan found his passion early in life. At age eleven, he was cast in the starring role in a film series. Now, at the age of 25, he's a celebrity at a crossroads in his career. He has no time for women who don't understand his priorities. When Will offers to help Michelle acclimate to the unfamiliar city in exchange for cooking lessons, she figures what's the harm? But jealous fans and coworkers, eager paparazzi, and a distrustful mother see it differently.

Second to None by L.T. Marie. Brady Clark is a licensed physical therapist. She's trying to recover from the death of her only remaining family member and lives a life that is orderly and controlled, refusing to allow anyone or anything to upset that balance. Skylar Preston likes to live on the edge, whether that means fast bikes or fast women. She depends on no one but herself because life has taught her one thing: no one hangs around long enough to matter. Before she can be released from the hospital after a serious motorcycle accident, she has to meet with one of the physical therapists. She's doesn't like depending on others, which makes Brady Clark's role in her life obtrusive and annoying. They're both fighting demons, old and new. A relationship could be disastrous, but if they can listen to their hearts, it just might be worth the risk.

Seneca Falls by Jesse J. Thoma. Seneca King is alone in life, the pain of her past her only companion. The idyllic confines of the women's college Seneca attends prove more isolating than she imagined possible, and her scars, emotional and physical, deter everyone from getting close to her. Until she meets Dylan Walker. Dylan, a college senior, sees more to Seneca than the fragile body and tortured soul. Dylan is looking for something real in her life, not the unattainable expectations of her family, or the superficial friendships she thought would last a lifetime. There is nothing more real than Seneca King. Carefully, slowly, they begin a delicate courtship, helping each other learn the meaning of true love. But when her dark past once again steps out of the shadows, Seneca is dragged back into the world that broke her in the first place. Can Dylan and Seneca stand together to vanquish the past once and for all, or this time, will it end up breaking them both?

Wrongly Accused by Laura Scott. Only one thing matters to Caleb O'Malley: his daughter. Framed for his wife's murder, Caleb's only wish is to see his little girl. But Noelle Whitman, his daughter's foster mother, isn't buying his plea of innocence until bullets start flying and they're running for their lives. Staying one step ahead of the real killer proves nearly impossible, but former SWAT cop Caleb will risk everything to keep them safe. Because now there is nothing more important than Noelle and his daughter—not his freedom, not even his life.

Flynn's Kiss by Diane Saxon. Disarmed & Dangerous #1. Severely scarred during a disastrous mission, ex special forces Flynn Swann is home after three years of avoidance. By his own admission, he's no good with women and the last thing he expects or wants is the attention of a curvy little brunette, who's just passing through. With apparently no fear or revulsion of his scarred face, the boisterous woman bounds into his life and destroys all hope of a quiet visit. It is obvious to literally everyone that she wants him—all of him. Worse still, despite her atrocious taste in fashion and Stetsons, she appears to have won the hearts of the entire town. Scientist Liberty Sophia Glennon is on a mission to find a man before she has to return to the loneliness of the New Zealand outback where she has already spent eighteen lonely months doing research. Completely unfazed by his external scars, her seduction of Flynn is not so difficult, but follow-through proves painful as Liberty realises Flynn's wounds run further than just skin deep.

Ultra Violet by Chastity Vicks. Emily is nervous around electricity, but Greg's extravagant Valentine's Day gift of a violet wand piques her curiosity. With her beloved Master guiding the way, Emily feels secure enough to explore her limits—and enjoys what she discovers. Greg's sensual dominance opens her up to newfound pleasures and together, Master and submissive delve into an electrifying new kink. As Emily begins to overcome her anxiety, her lover's expertise with the violet wand brings a whole new meaning to "making sparks fly."

Fearless Pursuit by Jean Hart Stewart. Book 6 of the Passionate Pursuits series. Rurik's pointed ears betray the elfin heritage he is content to ignore but when he meets the beautiful singer Reina his world turns upside down. To claim her—and save her from a sadistic villain set on owning her talents—he must learn to accept his elfin powers and the responsibilities that come with them. His life changes drastically, the passion he has for the destined love of his life and the boundless wonder he discovers in his elfin abilities eclipsing all he previously thought important. Now, he only has to defeat the villain and win his fair maiden's hand in marriage. Too bad elfin destiny all too often requires a lot of determination and a little luck to win the day.

Bride Undone by Kate Deveaux. Chloe Dobson is supposed to be getting married in a week, yet she can't help spying on the weddings of total strangers. Desperate to catch a glimpse of what true love really looks like, she is having serious second thoughts about tying the knot. Until she meets the long-lost father of her intended groom. The hunk from Texas confirms her worst fears. She is marrying the wrong man. Sexy older man Wes Michaels can't believe it. Of all the women in the world to fall in love with, it has to be with his long-estranged son's bride-to-be? Despite an immediate attraction, Wes tries to crush his desire for Chloe. But when she confesses her feelings, he is overcome by his need to have her. Chloe and Wes don't want to hurt Conner, Chloe's fiancé. But wouldn't a marriage based on a lie be worse than the consequences of their passion?