Tag Archives: Romantic Suspense

SERIES TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Serpent Series by S.Z. Estavillo

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Every crime tells a story…

But not every killer is the villain.

The Serpent’s Order

The Serpent Series Book 4

by S.Z. Estavillo

Genre: Thriller, Romantic Suspense

An assassin bound by
obedience. A detective marked for death. A cartel war with no survivors.

Von Schlange thought she’d escaped her past. Now Black Nova owns her—an elite,
off-the-books task force where obedience is survival and failure means death.
As their newest assassin, she’s unleashed on targets tied to Jaxon Ryker, a
drug lord buried deep in the Alaskan wilds.

Her partner, Xander Holt, a former Navy SEAL with ice in his veins, lives by
the same brutal code: no attachments, no lines crossed. But as missions turn
bloody, the fragile boundary between partner and lover begins to blur—and desire
becomes its own kind of danger.

Across the country, Detective Anaya Nazario faces a nightmare of her own. A
synthetic “zombie drug,” deadlier than fentanyl and immune to Narcan, is
ripping through Los Angeles. Her investigation exposes a network of dirty cops
shielding Ryker’s empire—and puts a target squarely on her back.

Two women on opposite fronts. One war against corruption and cartel power. And
a single truth—every betrayal leaves a body behind.

Explosive, unrelenting, and razor-sharp, The Serpent’s Order propels the
Serpent Series into its most dangerous chapter yet—where justice is a myth, and
survival comes at a price paid in blood.

 

**NEW RELEASE on Feb 10, 2026! PreOrder Now!**

Amazon * Bookbub
* Goodreads

Twilight of the
Serpent

The Serpent Series Book 3

Some predators hide
in plain sight. Others hunt from the shadows.

Merrick Winslow is a decorated Army officer, a man of discipline and honor—or
so he claims. When he reports that his ex-wife, Cheonsa Soo-Min, has been
stalking him, no one questions his story. He paints her as unstable, vengeful,
and dangerous, a woman consumed by obsession. But when two officers are gunned
down with her own weapon, the truth becomes harder to see. With the law closing
in, Cheonsa vanishes, fleeing to Rio de Janeiro, where she is taken in by Von
Schlange, the vigilante thought to have disappeared for good.

Von has retired her vengeful ways, leaving behind a life of bloodshed to run a
quiet veterinary clinic. But when Cheonsa’s past collides with Winslow’s lies,
the two women begin to unravel a deadly deception—one that turns predator into
prey. By the time Von uncovers the truth, an innocent life has already been
taken.

Now, there’s only one thing left to do: find the real monster and make him pay.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Detective Anaya Nazario and Supervising Special
Agent Blake Huxley are adjusting to life as new parents. But after only four
months of maternity leave, Nazario is pulled back into the field to investigate
the murder of two officers. What should be a straightforward case quickly
spirals into something far more sinister—secrets buried beneath the badge, a
killer hiding behind a uniform, and a web of corruption stretching further than
anyone expected.

As Nazario and Huxley chase down leads, their investigation intersects with a
vigilante they once thought was dead. And this time, Von Schlange isn’t just
seeking justice—she’s delivering retribution.

For fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn, and Taylor Adams, Twilight of
the Serpent delivers a high-stakes vigilante thriller packed with morally gray
justice, relentless suspense, and a tangled web of deception. Perfect for
readers who love strong female leads, intense cat-and-mouse chases, and dark
psychological twists.

 

Amazon * Bookbub
* Goodreads

 

The Serpent Woman

The Serpent Series Book 2

The exciting sequel to The Serpent’s Bridge…

A serial killer is on the loose. With her insidious tattoo and venomous killer
strike, they’re calling her the serpent woman.

Two of the best in their field, LAPD Detective Anaya Nazario and FBI
Supervising Special Agent Blake Huxley are forced to work together yet again,
despite their strained romantic history and a baby on the way. Together on a
nationwide hunt, they must find this serpent woman before she strikes again.

But, as the cat-and-mouse chase evolves, Nazario and Huxley begin to realize
that their killer is on a mission of vigilante justice and they must struggle
with the question of who really deserves their justice: The killer, or her
victims?

This dark thriller delves into the sensitive topics of sex trafficking,
child abuse, animal death, sexual assault, graphic violence, and dead bodies.
Reader discretion is advised.

 

Amazon * Bookbub
* Goodreads

The Serpent’s Bridge

The Serpent Series Book 1 

Compelling
dialogue, rich, gritty prose, and characters you won’t forget — if you loved
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson, or Ink and Bone by Lisa
Unger, you’ll love The Serpent’s Bridge.

Recovering alcoholic Detective Anaya Nazario remains haunted by her father’s
murder. Lucas Nazario was the highest-ranking Puerto Rican LAPD detective, and
his case has gone unsolved for twenty-four years since his murder. When Mexican
immigrants are targeted by a serial killer, Nazario senses a connection and
fights to keep the leadless case open. The homicide investigation centers on
Sanctuary Baptist, a church composed of immigrants led by Pastor Stan and his
wife. Nazario’s personal and professional worlds collide when she is compelled
to collaborate with her former lover, Special Agent Blake Huxley. As their
lives merge once more, the FBI and Detective Nazario stop at nothing to find a
killer.

Is this the same monster who killed her father and left him for dead under a
bridge?

Can she put a stop to the murders before more families lose loved ones?

 

Amazon * Bookbub
* Goodreads

Get the Box set duo for Only $2.99 for a limited time!

Get it on Amazon!

As a BIPOC thriller author, she previously parted amicably
with her agent and, three months later, secured an eight-book deal with
Oliver-Heber Books—now boasting 24,000 downloads in its first year and a
BookRaid bestseller ranking in the thriller category. The Serpent Woman (Book
2) reached #1 on Amazon and topped all three of its categories. Her background
spans literary agencies and TV studios, where she contributed to greenlit
screenplays that became Lifetime movies. She holds a Master’s in Television,
Radio, and Film, has taught author branding workshops (L.A. Writer’s
Conference, North Texas RWA), and maintains a 100K+ social media following.

 

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon
* Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!

Enter The Serpent Series Giveaway Here

BOOK TOUR: The Arrangement by S.D. Lettie

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A forced engagement binds them, but the secrets simmering between them threaten to implode their lives far sooner than any wedding bells—part one of a slow-burn duet…

 

Title: THE ARRANGEMENT

Author: S.D. Lettie

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 298

Genre: New Adult, Romantic Suspense

Format: Paperback, Kindle, FREE with Kindle Unlimited

You know that guy you fell for at sixteen—the one who vanished without explanation, leaving behind enough damage to last years? Now imagine being forced into an engagement with him because your parents decided you’re more useful as leverage than as a daughter. 

And the part he forgot to mention? He’s heir to a Bratva empire with blood on its hands. 

That’s Emilia’s life. Her future is not her own, and her fiancé, Nikolai Volkov, is a man whose silence is more dangerous than his words. Their past is a wound. Their engagement is a threat. And what grows between them is something neither of them should let happen. 

The Arrangement is a dark, slow-burn story of buried truths, political corruption, and a connection that pulls two damaged people toward a collision neither may survive unscathed.

Read sample.

The Arrangement is available at Amazon.

 

Book Excerpt

My phone buzzes in my shorts pocket. I ignore it, thinking it’s a text, but then it buzzes again. I look down and see my father’s name lighting up the screen. Groaning, I answer. 

“Emilia.” His voice is calm, clipped. Not cold, just clean, like everything else he controls. He says my name like punctuation. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Your mother asked me to check on the brunch.” 

She didn’t want to ask herself. She never does. She strategically delegates through him, like always. “It’s done,” I say. “Final headcount is confirmed. Catering’s squared. My remarks are short and already vetted.” There’s a pause, the sound of him moving paper in the background, or maybe pouring a drink. I can’t tell. He’s always multitasking, even when he speaks like everything is a priority. 

“She wants it to go smoothly.” 

It will. He knows that. He wouldn’t have called if he didn’t already trust it was handled. 

“There’s something else,” my father says right as I think we’re done, his voice flat and clipped in the way he reserves for things that aren’t up for discussion. “I’ve arranged a meeting with Nikolai and his father next week at the Four Seasons. I’d like you to be there. We have some important things to discuss.” 

– Excerpted from The Arrangement by S.D. Lettie, Independent, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

Interview with the Author

Can you share a story about what brought you to this particular career path (becoming an author)?

I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. In elementary school, the longest book I tackled was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and after that I devoured the Harry Potter series and never really looked back. Every summer, my grandma would take me to Barnes & Noble and let me pick out a few books for the week I spent with her. What she didn’t realize was that I was a fast reader and could easily finish one or two books in a single day.

My love for writing started in middle school, thanks to my seventh-grade Language Arts teacher who had us write short stories in our composition notebooks as a warm-up every day. From there, I was constantly writing – on Word documents, in spiral notebooks, anywhere I could. Most of those early stories were Harry Potter fan fiction, so they never saw the light of day.

Then life happened. Kids, a career in B2B marketing, responsibilities. I actually stopped reading altogether until 2020, when the world was forced to slow down. Over the next few years, I fell back into reading hard – sometimes 300 to 400 books a year on my Kindle. I started with lighter romance authors like Tessa Bailey and Meghan Quinn, before eventually drifting into darker romance with writers like Rina Kent, J. Bree, and Eva Ashwood.

When I lost my job at the beginning of 2025, I knew it was my chance to finally write the story that had been living rent-free in my head for years. I had so many unfinished drafts and half-formed ideas, and this time, I committed to finishing one. And the rest is history.

Your latest book, The Arrangement, centers around a forced engagement and is a dark, slow-burn story of buried truths, political corruption, and a connection that pulls two damaged people toward a collision neither may survive unscathed. How did you come up with this very unique idea?

I really credit the inspiration for The Arrangement to two things:

First, mafia romance. As much as I love a golden-retriever MMC, there’s something about a morally gray man that just hits differently. The kind who’s dangerous, loyal to a fault, and would burn the world down for the woman he chooses. I knew from the start that my male character needed to live in that gray space.

Second, my love for espionage movies and TV shows. I’m fascinated by secrets, especially the ones buried inside politics and government. There’s something thrilling about uncovering what’s hidden beneath polished speeches and public images, and honestly, it feels closer to reality than people like to admit.

Blending those two worlds – organized crime and political power – felt natural. Once I put them together, the story pretty much took on a life of its own.

Can you tell us more about the main character in your book?

The book really centers around two characters: Emilia Langford and Nikolai Volkov.

Emilia is polished, overly analytical, sarcastic, and charming – the perfect political daughter on the surface. She’s spent her entire life playing a role, and in that way, she’s incredibly relatable. Not everything is as perfect as it looks, and Emilia represents that disconnect between appearance and reality better than anyone.

Nikolai, on the other hand, is our main male character and very much the morally gray counterpart. He’s intense, dangerous, and undeniably attractive – the kind of man who looks like he could kill you and probably has. While readers don’t get much of his POV in book one, the moments they do get are powerful. He’s calculated, loyal, and shaped by the world of organized crime in a way that makes him impossible to ignore.

Who are the other main characters?

Thalia is hands down my favorite character in this world. She’s the backbone of the story and wears way too many hats – Emilia’s ride-or-die, her unofficial therapist, the little voice on her shoulder, and the one person who will always say what everyone else is thinking. She’s blunt, unfiltered, and completely unapologetic about it.

Honestly, she became so fun to write that it only made sense to give her her own book. Some characters refuse to stay in the background, and Thalia is very much one of them.

What’s the very first line of your book? 

It opens with: “The ballroom is unbearably warm. It always is.”

What’s the main reason someone should really read your book?

There are a few reasons someone should pick up The Arrangement.

First, it’s part of an ongoing world. While this duet focuses on Emilia and Nikolai, their story isn’t the end – other characters step forward, and the world keeps expanding. Second, it’s a true slow burn. If you like stories that take their time building tension before everything finally collides, this book is for you. And finally, it’s grounded. It’s still fiction, but it feels real. Readers can get lost in the story while still recognizing the emotions, dynamics, and pressure the characters are under.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I’d want to start a movement focused on making books easier to access for everyone. Reading is one of the few ways people can escape, learn, and decompress without putting themselves at risk, but it’s still treated like a luxury. Libraries are important, but they don’t always have what people want or need.

I’d love to see more community-based book sharing, things like local swaps, little free libraries, school programs, and other low-barrier ways to get books into people’s hands. The goal would be to make reading feel accessible and normal, not expensive or exclusive.

About the Author

Before she ever had “author” next to her name, S.D. Lettie
was—and still is—an avid reader first; the kind who would finish a book
in a day and beg her parents to take her back to the bookstore. Reading
started as a hobby and, as she got older, became her source of
entertainment, escape, and comfort. Over the years, she found herself
wanting to write the kind of worlds readers could get excited about—a
world that could grow into a fandom of its own. 

Today, Lettie writes slow-burn
romances—stories about characters who are imperfectly perfect, the hard
moments that shape them, and the plot twists that leave readers reeling.
Outside her writing life, she’s a wife and mom of two, roles that
influence both her time and perspective. She’s also a dedicated soccer
fan, the kind who will plan her day around a match and openly admit
she’ll yell at the TV when things get heated.

Through all of it, her goal as an author is simple: she wants her characters to stay with readers long after the book ends. 

Her latest book is the new adult romantic suspense, The Arrangement (Bancroft University Chronicles Book 1).

Visit her website at www.sdlettieauthor.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, BookBub and Goodreads.

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BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: The Boy by Briar Black

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That Boy
Briar Black
(The Cheshire Set, #3)
Publication date: November 6th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance, Suspense

Building an impossible tea farm in the Cheshire countryside was Sofia’s second chance. A way to prove herself. A fresh start. She knew it would be graft. She anticipated a degree of isolation. But with Christmas imminent and the farm failing, her thoughts have grown darker. She’s searching for something — an ineffable force to make this year the magical wonderland she always craves and never finds.

Yet with the farm failing there’s no time to fix her ailing social life. Sofia resigns herself to another lonely holiday.

Enter Matt.

Delaware Grange’s twenty-one-year-old assistant gamekeeper. Nice enough, a bit dopey.

As she hunkers down for winter, Sofia thinks she’s prepared for everything. Nothing could prepare her for Matt. For the abrupt awareness of him. For the way he’s far more capable than he seems. Thoughtful. Considerate. Quietly intelligent.

Way sexier than he appears.

Suddenly impossible to ignore.

But Matt isn’t what he seems. A darkness runs beneath Delaware Grange — insidious, creeping, buried deep.

Sofia was little more than a challenge, a box for Matt to check, an assignment to complete. Until he fell.

Hard.

Now all he sees is her. All he wants is her. And all he knows is she has no idea who he truly is. While Sofia fights her feelings in the face of forbidden fruit, and Matt wrestles with the reality of his true purpose on the estate, the pair fall into an intoxicating, passionate, volatile romance.

As winter deepens and Christmas closes in, two lonely souls struggle to find peace in each other, and trust becomes the most dangerous choice on the estate.

Falling for Matt threatens everything Sofia has worked so hard to build. Falling for Sofia might just be the making of Matt.

That Boy is a high-heat, secret-identity romance where desire, deception, and devotion collide in a snowy small-town Christmas.

While not required, it is highly suggested to read Nightshade before That Boy.

Author’s Note: Each novel in The Cheshire Set can be read as a standalone, but the following order avoids spoiling the reading experience of earlier books.

Recommended Reading Order for The Cheshire Set:

  1. Bane
  2. Nightshade
  3. That Boy

Eve Was Framed, a prequel novella to Bane, isn’t strictly part of The Cheshire Set but is available for free download on the author’s website.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

‘Twas The Gloam Before Christmas…

A quiet, introspective moment between Matt and Sofia after a near-disaster. As they talk about “The Gloaming”—that melancholy space between Halloween and Christmas—their chemistry deepens and the novel’s central themes of loneliness, yearning, and rediscovery of light emerge.

“What’s the Gloaming?”

“Oh. Right.” I shifted, trying to find a way to lean that didn’t hurt my shoulder. It was useless. Until someone could pop it back in, I was doomed to dull agony. “It’s that feeling that threatens to drown you…” I paused, swallowing hard and staring out the window.

The world nearly drowned me tonight.

“This time every year.” I finally managed. “You know?”

Keep talking. Stay conscious. Don’t toss your cookies into his lap.

“That…overwhelming urge to…cover everything in cheer. But…” I took a little more water. “…the more you try, the less cheerful you feel. So you just keep…adding more.”

He chuckled.

“Hoping the cheer finds you before you’re…” Another tiny sip of water. “…crushed by baubles and fake fir garlands.”

He stared at me.

Great. Now he thinks I’m a total weirdo.

“I get it.” A slow smile spread across his face. “You’re staring at all the decorations. Watching the snow fall. And somewhere inside you’re sure you love Christmas. But you never quite seem to feel it.”

“Yes!” I sat up, and momentarily thought I’d blackout from the effort.

He eased me back into the sofa.

“Nailed it.” I swallowed. Talking was so much effort. Thinking was weirdly worse. “It’s a coping mechanism, I guess.”

He nodded, but when I didn’t continue, he made a winding motion with his hands.

“Every year this…fog descends. When Halloween’s over. This looming sense of…dread.”

“And it’s right when everyone else is getting excited.”

I nodded. “Exactly. Not me.” The wind howled savagely by, rattling the window and making us both jump. I turned my face away from the glass, not wanting to think about the carnage outside. “I’m sat there like a…miserly Scrooge.”

“Scrooge was never that pretty.”

I shook my head. “Don’t flirt with me.”

“Keep talking then.”

I didn’t want to. I just wanted to sleep.

My eyes drifted, and he nudged my knee with his. “Sof?”

With gargantuan effort, I rallied. “Welcome to Gloamas!” I wheezed. “Not quite Christmas. Not quite apathy. Some…twisted netherworld.”

He permitted me another tiny sip of water for my effort.

I swallowed it and continued, “You’re stuck for weeks. Longing to be…joyful and merry. But…that ineffable light is…absent.”

Matt pursed his lips. “So…it’s not gloomy, it’s gloamy. You’re in the twilight. Daylight’s gone. You know it will be back at some point, but in the interim, you’re left with a hollow echo—”

“How you…loved Christmas…as a kid,” I managed. “Desperately wish to…feel it all.”

He grinned. “But for now, the light’s faded. Until the sun rises, you’re left wisting after a feeling.”

I stared at him. “And someone to share it with.”

Matty shifted a little closer. He was still soaking wet from the rain. Must have been freezing. Yet he hadn’t complained. Hadn’t even seemed to notice. I leant into him and shivered. More at the thought of how cold he must be than anything else. But he stripped off my blankets (now soaked) and wrapped me in two new dry ones.

The phone rang, and he shot up to grab it.

“She’s okay, I think. Conscious, talking, the bleeding’s stopped. Her shoulder’s bad, but—”

A pause as whoever was on the other end of the line spoke.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” He peered out of the window. “The rain’s still coming down hard.”

Another pause.

“Okay. We’ll be here.”

He hung up. “Sounds like the storm’s passing. It’s lightening up at the house, and the rain’s almost stopped down there. They’re on their way up. By the time they get here, it should have cleared.”

“The track will be murder.” I tried to sit up.

He moved and blocked me, forcing me to stay still. “Easy.”

“Give me the phone.”

“They’ve already left, Sof.”

I struggled some more.

“Stop!”

Calm. But firm. Commanding.

I’ve never heard him speak like that before.

“Stop.”

Softer. Eyes searching mine.

My heart fluttered.

“We’d all gladly risk a bit of fucking mud to get you safe. You must know that?”

My breath caught. My chest constricted painfully. His jaw was locked. The look in his eyes was…feral.

And so fucking hot.

There’s really something wrong with me.

Satisfied I wasn’t about to bolt for the door, he sat back down. Glanced around.

“Is that why all your decorations are so…weirdly depressing?”

“They’re not.” I sniffed.

“They really are, Sof. Like…they’re full of the festive spirit but don’t quite hit the mark.”

He glanced at my forlorn little tree. Which, in fairness, was at least standing vertically now. I’d come in one day to find him scrambling around on the floor, fiddling with the screws on the base to get it standing straight.

He was right. The baubles were desolate.

I loved them.

“I like them.” Matt wrapped the blankets tighter around me. “They’re comfortingly depressing. How Christmas should be. It always just…kind of reminds you of all you’re missing in life.”

Author Bio:

Briar has been a professional copywriter for many years (far more than she cares to admit). She began her career working for large companies and agencies before realising she could do it all for herself. Now, she happily writes for businesses and entrepreneurs she’s passionate about and dreams of the day her fiction becomes popular enough for her to retreat into fictional worlds full-time. Growing up in Cheshire and falling in love with its countryside, small towns, and villages, she’s enjoyed creating a fictional world that reflects her own.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!

That Boy Blitz

—

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: When Lavender Meets Flint! It’s Magic! by J.A. Jackson

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When Lavender Meets Flint! It’s Magic!

Lovers, Players & Seducers – Book 4
Romance Suspense

Date Published: 06-05-2025

Flint Ambrose Deville and Lavender Ann Lundy discover a love
that’s as electrifying as it is unexpected, yet danger brews in the
shadows of their Silicon Valley Lives.


Nicholas La Cour, haunted by his family’s turbulent legacy, is thrust
back into a battle he thought he’d left behind when his old nemesis,
Dante Channing, resurfaces. Alongside the enigmatic group known as the
Whispers, Dante brings with him a threat that could shatter the fragile
balance the La Cour and Deville family has fought so hard to restore.

As Lavender and Flint navigate the challenges of their budding romance,
they’re drawn into a web of intrigue that tests their courage, loyalty,
and trust in one another. With the Orchid Lover’s power dormant but far
from gone, and the Veil stirring once again, the stakes are higher than ever.

What if the love they’ve found isn’t enough to protect them from
the secrets of the past? What if the balance they’ve restored comes at a
price none of them are prepared to pay?

Will passion and loyalty triumph, or will the La Cour and Deville family be
consumed by forces they can no longer control? And can Nicholas La Cour
protect his family from the nemesis of his past?


In Lovers, Players, Seducers Book IV: When Lavender Meets Flint! It’s
Magic! ~ love collides with destiny, and every decision could be their last.

About the Author
J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym of Jerreece Jackson, an author known for
crafting sultry, suspenseful, and entertaining romantic novels with a
captivating twist. Her stories weave passion, intrigue, and a touch of the
unexpected, drawing readers into worlds where love and suspense collide.

Born in Arkansas and raised on Chicago’s Southside, Jerreece grew up in
a family of rich storytellers who fueled her lifelong love for writing. Today,
she resides in the enchanting foothills of Northern California, where she
continues to write from her cozy home surrounded by roses, tea, and
inspiration.

Before dedicating herself fully to fiction, she spent more than a decade
working in the non-profit sector as a grant writer and newsletter editor,
where she honed her skills in storytelling and communication.

Beyond her novels, Jerreece is the creative force behind A Geek An Angel
Jackson Publishing, a venture dedicated to inspiring creativity, promoting
mental wellness, supporting home-school education, and celebrating
individuality. Through her publishing brand, she has produced a diverse
collection of coloring books, journals, notebooks, and unique gifts that
reflect her mission to uplift and inspire.

A lover of magical tales, suspenseful ghost stories, chocolate, and the
timeless works of Jane Austen, J.A. Jackson continues to enchant readers with
her unforgettable blend of romance and intrigue.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Blog

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram

Threads

Purchase Link

Amazon

BOOK BLITZ: Lingering Flames by Anna August

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Romantic Suspense

Date Published: October 2, 2025

Rose Everson Finch thought her childhood friendship with Finn Murphy
would last forever. But a disagreement shattered their bond.
She returns
to New York City, only to learn that love is an illusion.
She’s
since moved back to Evers Hollow, caring for her beloved grandmother and
hiking the woods that inspire her middle-grade books.
A late-night phone
call will change her past, her present, and threaten to turn her future to
ash.
Finn Murphy never told his best friend Rose that he loved her.
Not as
they grew up together, or the night she committed to marrying another man.
He’s
avoided their small town since.
But family obligations bring him back.
Now
he’s made a promise:
To protect Rose.

Lingering Flames is a small-town, friends-to-lovers, he-falls-first, romantic
suspense in The Everson Legacy series by author Anna August. Set in the scenic
mountains of Western North Carolina, it’s a full length novel with a
steam-filled happy-ever-after.

 

About the Author

Anna August writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance. She
enjoys writing imaginative characters with complicated backgrounds. She
cherishes books with plot twists, humor, and happily ever after’s.

Born and raised in California, Anna has also lived in Illinois, Texas, North
Carolina, Idaho, and England. She served as a military spouse alongside her
active duty husband in the US Air Force for twenty-one years. She holds a
bachelors degrees in English and also in Geology, after discovering her love
of rocks during a camping trip to a gold mine as a child.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and
two adult children at their home in Boise, Idaho. She also enjoys gardening,
gluten-free baking, and random home improvement projects.

Find her at http://www.annaaugustbooks.com

 

Contact Links

Instagram

Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon


B&N

Kobo

RELEASE BLITZ: Protect My Wrong Secret by Summer Hunter

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Pine Peaks, Book 2

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: August 28, 2025

She’s the wrong secret I should’ve left buried.

Jaci Linwood is unlike any woman I’ve ever known.

Pint-sized and buttoned up, she’s enclosed in sky-high walls I
can’t charm my way past.

Giving up is not my MO.

So when HEY, the security firm I co-own with my ex-military friends, gets
tasked with finding out what she and her boss are doing at Pine Peaks Resort,
I’m stoked to be the private investigator on the case.

Mysteries shroud their presence, but my investigation proves that
they’re not merely vacationing.

Something far more sinister lays at our doorstep and Jaci’s at the
center of it.

I should be doing my job…

But she becomes a fixation I can’t break, a craving that’s never
satisfied, a need I don’t want to escape.

She sees through my facade and challenges me, pushes me, unravels me.

Then I’m straddling two paths—doing my job or following my desire.

The danger creeps closer, bearing down on her.

I must protect her from those who’d cause her harm.

And from my obsessed self…

 

About the Author

Summer Hunter writes romantic suspense with bite—where love
sizzles, danger lurks, and someone always ends up shirtless.

She calls Hawaii home, which means she’s fueled by sunshine, strong
coffee, and the occasional plot twist that shows up between bites of fried
noodles. Her characters are bold, her banter is sharp, and her
happily-ever-afters always come with a little chaos and a lot of heat.

When she’s not plotting her next twisty love story, she’s probably
side-eyeing tourists from behind her sunglasses and pretending it’s all
“research.”

“Spicy Love, Sassy Suspense – Always HEA.”

Grab a fan. Things are about to get steamy!

Contact Links

Author website

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

GoodReads

BookBub

Amazon (follow me)

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Stalled Descent by Kel O’Connor

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Stalled Descent
Kel O’Connor
(DAG Team Series, #4)
Publication date: August 25th 2025
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

A man forced to work for the enemy and a woman on the run from her past…

For years, ace pilot Archie McKinley has been living a double life. Now that his role as a mole within DAG has been exposed, he has one chance to make things right: take down Elliot Essa, the man who’s held him captive with threats and manipulation for over a decade.

To infiltrate the impenetrable Red Winter compound, Archie needs help from the team he deceived and the one person who truly knows him—Meret Shahid, his childhood partner-in-crime turned photographer. The girl who once earned the nickname “the Imp” in their small Iranian village might be his only shot at redemption. But Meret has her own demons from Red Winter, and returning to the organization she barely escaped could cost her everything.

As Archie grapples with guilt over his betrayal and his growing feelings for Meret, they must navigate new threats, uneasy alliances, and shocking revelations. The mission is clear: destroy Red Winter’s empire and free the innocent families trapped within it.

But the price of redemption may be higher than either of them is willing to pay.

This book is a full-length romance with a happy ending. It is part of a 4-book interconnected series where each book features a different couple.
This is a steamy romance for readers 18+

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

The knock on her door had her glancing at the clock. Archie likely wanted her dinner order, even though it was a bit early. She opened the door before she considered her outfit. She’d changed into a tank top and loose shorts after lunch. For comfort. Which, of course, included ditching her bra.

Too late to turn back. She opened the door halfway and hid behind it as much as possible. Surprisingly, Archie walked a few steps into the room instead of remaining outside. When he turned to her, all the moisture in her mouth dried up.

Meret bit the inside of her cheek rather than moan out loud. Gray sweatpants hung so low on his hips, she saw the white elastic band of his underwear. A light dusting of dark hair curled across the top of his chest. There was none on his perfect abs and only a thin trail that began under his navel. The bruises from his recent fight were fading to a greenish yellow along the left side of his torso.

There were scars on his tanned skin, including a long strip across his shoulder, possibly from a knife. On his right bicep, there was a corner of a tattoo showing, but she couldn’t make out the design from this angle. Of course, he was still an agent, maintaining the top-shelf physical fitness that was required. Damn, he was beautiful.

Archie bit his lip, chagrin obvious on his face. He took a deep breath, shook his shoulders, and all the awkwardness fell away, replaced by steely determination. Meret swayed, mesmerized at the transformation. He held her gaze and this time, his voice was strong.

“What happened between us on the boat was good. But we can do much better.”

Shock held her muted. This was not what she’d expected, but oh, was it what she wanted. Her fingers flexed as electricity shot through her in anticipation. She tightened her mouth, loathe to say the wrong thing. Best to let him do the talking.

He continued, “I’m aware my experience and skills are lacking, but I’ve been studying.”

Her mouth fell open, and she managed a single word, “Studying?”

His slow grin was equally charming and sexual, even showing a hint of teeth. Her lungs shrank at least four sizes as she tried to breathe. What was happening? She was 90% sure she wasn’t dreaming. He was not only discussing her and sex, he had smiled.

His voice lowered, and she felt the vibration between her legs. “Yeah. Reading the sexy parts of romance books. I assumed it was better than watching porn made for men.”

Oh, dear God in heaven. Which books? Steamy, spicy, kinky? Okay, she’d gladly take any of the above, even if kinky was not her preference. Her nipples hardened until it was almost painful.

They both chuckled a bit, and he added, “Plus, there are actually helpful instructional websites. I only need someone to test my knowledge on.” His expression morphed to sincere. “Meret, you are the only person I want to touch me.”

Tears stung the back of her eyelids at his confession. What courage it took for him to lay it all out for her. She was honored, but mostly, she was aroused. His fiery gaze roamed all over her body, clad only in the thin tank top and short shorts. His growing erection became obvious under the loose sweats. She stood rooted to the spot in shock, so he moved closer.

He looked feral, reckless, slowly stalking towards her like a predator.

Why did she think he was reckless? Agents were never reckless. They always had a plan. And two backup plans, plus an “oh shit, everything has gone to hell” plan.

What was her plan? Meet him halfway, yank his head down for a kiss? Hold up a hand to stop him? Plot an escape? Oh, hell no.

Suddenly, she didn’t want a plan. It was time to live in the moment. He wouldn’t harm her as long as she held her heart back. Sparks sizzled along her skin, put there by the singular focus in his eyes. For this moment, she would join him in recklessness. Her anxiety broke free, and she waited for him to reach her.

Author Bio:

Winner of the Pencraft Award and The Chill Award and a finalist for The Book Buyers Best Award, The Maggie Award for Excellence and The Carolyn Reader’s Choice Award, Kel lives with her family in the mountains of North Carolina. In addition to reading and writing, she loves coffee, loud rock music, subversive humor and the smell of old books. You can find her online on Instagram, Facebook and at keloconnor.com.

3 Random Facts about Kel:
* She will buy almost anything if it is a hot pink color
* She watches any and every show/movie about crime-fighting, spies, detective work or secret agents
* She and her husband once owned a humor store

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / X


GIVEAWAY!

Stalled Descent Blitz

—

BLURB TOUR: Christmas Watch by Petie McCarty

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CHRISTMAS WATCH

Petie McCarty

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE:  Romantic Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The Watchers Series

Fallen angels seeking parole for their betrayal . . .

Someone is watching Rachel . . . but who? And why?

Child psychologist Rachel Kelly has her Christmas stocking full of troubles this holiday season, both personal and professional. Recently separated from her boyfriend, Rachel still loves him but has no idea how to win him back. If that’s not enough to cause her sleepless nights, she’s uncertain how to handle her newest therapy client—a six-year-old boy who claims he talks to Watchers. And a Watcher is coming to help Rachel.

Lt. Jake Dillon has his heart broken when his fiancée Rachel, without warning, suddenly calls it quits. Yet when a stalker crashes Rachel’s Christmas party and takes her young clients hostage, Jake is the first person Rachel calls. Now he has a choice to make—stand back and wait for the cavalry to save her, or step in and try to save her himself. Time is running out, and Jake may be their only chance for rescue.

Unless Rachel’s young Watcher spy is telling the truth . . .

This romantic suspense tale with paranormal elements is Book 2 in The Watchers series . . . A captivating tale of small-town Christmas romance that will leave you looking over your shoulder and wondering, Is someone watching me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

“Jake, I came by to see you because of the Buckhead crisis.”

“I figured as much.”

Rachel could’ve sworn he looked disappointed for a fleeting moment. That gave her the courage to go on. “To offer my shoulder—”

“To cry on?” he sneered.

“No! To lean on. Please don’t be ugly.”

“I can’t help it. You broke us up.”

Incredulous, she gaped at him. “Me! Must I keep reminding you? You left me.”

He closed the distance between them, so close she could feel his body heat.

“You let me leave,” he said gruffly.

“I didn’t—”

“You let me leave,” he repeated, his face but inches away.

His unique Jake scent wafted over her. She wanted to smother in it. She wanted . . .

“I didn’t want you to go,” she whispered.

He caught her to him in a fierce embrace. No gentle kiss this. It screamed of need and anger and desperation. His. Hers. She didn’t know for sure. Didn’t care. She wanted to cry from the relief of having his arms around her again.

Knuckling her fists into his warm tee shirt, she tried to yank him closer, but the shirt was old and stretched unmercifully. His lips smiled against hers as he grabbed a breath and then kissed her again, his tongue sweeping in to tangle with hers.

She could die from his wonderful familiar taste. She savored, remembered, and stored for later. Giving up on the shirt, she wound her arms around his neck to tug him closer, to pull him into her if she could.

Suddenly, his hands at her hips pressed her back, and she shamelessly hung on tighter. He reached up and worked her hands free, then kissed each one.

His eyes had gone black. This close, she could clearly see. No doubt a reflection of hers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—”The  Most Magical Place on Earth”—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her “day” job to write her stories full-time.

These days Petie spends her time writing new Cinderella series tales, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones to go along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who made a cameo appearance in Book 2 of The Watchers, Christmas Watch.

Visit Petie’s web site online at http://www.petiemccarty.com or her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty.

BIO Social Media:

http://www.petiemccarty.com

https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094579.Petie_McCarty

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/petie-mccarty

http://www.amazon.com/author/petiemccarty

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Petie McCarty will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway.

COVER REVEAL: Coup De Grâce by Giulia Lagomarsino

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Title: Coup De Grâce: An OPS Protector Romance
Series: Owens Protective Services Book 32
Author: Giulia Lagomarsino
Genre: Romantic Supsense/Alpha Male Romance
Release Date: August 25, 2025
Cover Design: T.E. Black Design
Photographer: RplusM Photo
 
 
To save his family, he must sacrifice himself.
 
It’s all on the line.
His family. His business. His life.
There’s nothing he won’t do to vindicate his brother, to stop the men who so callously allowed one man to destroy his family.
There’s no stopping him.
He was born for this. Born to hunt. Born to kill.
Born to avenge.
He is a Hunter of Gunmen.
 
Defend. Investigate. Secure.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
 
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PREORDER BLITZ: The Marker by Shelby Morgen

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A 20th Century Murder Mystery

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: March 7, 2025

Publisher: Changeling Press


 

1974: Peace, love, sex, drugs, and murder — at a commune in the mountains
of West Virginia.

Hope knew she should have killed Jesse the night he used her as his marker
in a poker game with Spike. When Spike won that marker, he stole
Hope’s heart. But Spike wanted more than a weekend with Hope. He
wanted forever. That was more than Hope could promise. A man like Spike, a
good man, would never understand the evil a bastard like Jesse was capable
of.

1989: Now he’s First Sergeant Sam Callaghan, and he’s
back.

When a chance meeting drops Fiona Donovan into the arms of Sam Callaghan,
West Virginia State Police, their past twists in on both of them,
threatening to tear apart their worlds, for better or worse. Hope — Fiona
— was the love of his life, the woman who can still rock his world with a
single kiss. When he’s around her, Sam forgets to think. But first and
foremost Sam’s always been a cop. If Sam discovers Fiona really did
murder Jesse, will he be able to arrest her? There are a few things in
love’s way — like her dead husband’s missing body, over a
million dollars in cash, and the IRA…

Excerpt

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2025 Shelby Morgen

 

The asphalt felt slightly sticky with heat under his black oxfords. The air
in the administration building was already stuffy, though summer wasn’t
officially here yet. Sam stood waiting at the front desk while the
receptionist called for a junior officer who would escort him back to the
operations building.

Brenda, his dispatcher, had asked him out a few weeks ago. A man couldn’t
help noticing how well Brenda filled out that uniform. She wasn’t Hope, but
she’d been there, been part of his life, every day for the last fifteen
years. If she hadn’t given up on him yet, Sam decided, he’d accept. Hell.
Maybe he’d ask her. He wasn’t getting any younger. Besides, there was that
betting pool the squad had going. He wasn’t supposed to know about it, but
there was little in his barracks that escaped his notice.

“Can I help you, Officer?”

Sam pushed his smoke-colored sunglasses to the top of his head long enough
to let his eyes adjust to the relatively dim interior florescent lighting.
He looked down — and down again.

The woman who stood behind the reception desk now had to be less than five
feet tall. She stood admiring him with pale blue eyes that were just a
little too friendly.

Where had she come from? How had she managed to simply appear right in
front of him? He really was losing his edge. “I’m already signed in and
stamped,” Sam explained. He held out his fist so she could see the ink
that looked like a temporary tattoo across the back of his hand.

Her warm appraisal made him uncomfortable, like a piece of meat in a
butcher’s display case. He always got a sick, guilty feeling in the pit of
his stomach when women looked at him that way. He slipped his hand into his
pocket, fingering a worn silver chain.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee…

He shifted his gaze away from direct contact with the woman at the front
desk, studying the pictures on the wall behind her. Anything but meeting the
woman’s watercolor eyes. Anything not to encourage her.

The pictures held the usual faces. The Governor. The Commissioner of
Corrections. The names changed from one institution to another, but the
faces stayed pretty much the same. “Sam Callaghan, West Virginia State
Police. I’m waiting for –“

Except that one. Sam stopped mid-sentence as his eyes scanned the picture
again. Employee of the Month. “Fiona J. Donovan.”

The woman blinked twice. “Excuse me?”

He was hardly aware he’d read the name aloud. Sam rallied himself, forcing
his breathing back under control, willing his pulse rate back to normal. He
turned his most charming smile on the little woman. Her badge said she was a
unit manager. Doris White. “I’m waiting for an escort back to
Interview, Ms. White, but I’d really like to see Fiona Donovan while I’m
here if you could arrange that for me.”

Doris studied him for a moment longer, her smile fading. “Fiona’s in
records, pulling some case files for me. I’ll take you back.”

Sam nodded curtly, dismissing the woman as if she didn’t exist. Because,
for him, she didn’t exist. His mouth went dry. His chest felt tight, as if
there were some great weight pressing on it. He slid his hand back into his
pocket. Hail Mary, full of grace…

The hall seemed like the longest walk he’d ever taken. You’re just
imagining the resemblance. You’ve been wrong before.

The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women…

Why would she be here? He’d thought to find her in a restaurant, or a shop
somewhere or — or anywhere else. Anything but actually working in law
enforcement.

Hope? A caseworker named Fiona Donovan? That can’t be Hope. Not here.

Doris waved at a doorway where a sign on the wall said Records. “I’ll
be around the corner in the copy room if you need me,” she
offered.

Hope…

His heart was beating so fast it was bound to explode.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

He stood staring, drinking in the sight of her, waiting for her to feel his
eyes watching, waiting for her to look up, recognize him, call his
name.

Control. Get yourself under control. Slow, deep breaths. Can’t let her see
you falling apart like this.

Her name was different, her hair was shorter, just past shoulder length,
but she couldn’t change her face — the face that had haunted his dreams.
She looked a little older, naturally, but not so much older. Not as much
older as he’d been feeling lately. She’d gained some weight, but only enough
to give her curves a fuller, softer line. He’d have recognized her anywhere.
His arms ached to hold her. He had to try three times before he could find
the voice to speak her name.

“Ms. Donovan?”

About the Author

Shelby Morgen loves writing offbeat tales that defy as many rules as
possible.

She likes chocolate with her peanut butter, suspense with her romance, and
kink with her sex, and she’s always had a hard time keeping murder,
motorcycles, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal from mixing with her
kink.

Shelby shares her belief in electronic publishing with her longtime friend
and partner, Bill, her husband of more than four decades.

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok:
@changelingpress

 

Pre-Order Today