TEASER: Armored Hearts by Angela Knight

Posted on March 17, 2026 by JessicaS

An Enemies to Lovers Sci-Fi BDSM Vampire Romance

Sci-Fi Romance / Suspense

Date Published: March 20, 2026

Publisher: Changeling Press

Captivity makes the heart grow kinkier…

When interstellar mercenary Captain Nick Rand rescues a beautiful enemy from
his own men, he thinks she’s the answer to his vampire prayers. On the verge
of starvation thanks to the destruction of his hemosynther, he’s in desperate
need of a female blood donor.

Lieutenant Zara Tahir needs Nick Rand as badly as he needs her. Without Nick’s
blood, Zara’s overactive immune system will kill her.

But Zara has no intention of embracing captivity. While she’s willing to
exchange blood for blood, maybe even play a kinky game or two with the
handsome vampire dominant, he’s still the enemy. She can’t allow herself to
see him as anything more.

Then Rand’s enemies make things a lot more complicated…

Excerpt

Hunger chewed Captain Nick Rand until he felt like a bone in a wolf’s jaws. It
wasn’t just a hunger of the body, though his gut felt hollow and his hands had
a tendency to shake. Didn’t matter how much food he ate, how much water,
coffee, or whiskey he drank. None of it touched the craving that gnawed at his
brain, making it hard to think about anything but what he needed. Even now,
when the enemy might be drawing a bead on his skull, all he wanted was blood.
Hot, red and seductive as a siren — a taste that reminded him of sex and the
cool touch of a woman’s hands.

Rand fought to ignore that bottomless need. He didn’t have time for it now, no
matter how hungry he was. Enemy temp shelters surrounded him, dome shapes
dappled with camouflage until they were indistinguishable from the forest
floor.

They made his shoulder blades itch.

Invisible, a silencer field muting the sound of his footfalls, he padded
between the shelters, beam rifle raised as he swept its muzzle from side to
side, scanning for potential attackers. His stomach growled so loudly he
wondered if the noise could be heard outside his silencer field. He ignored
his hunger, fighting to concentrate past the savage need. As he’d been
fighting for every endless hour of the previous nine days.

Instead, Rand focused on the familiar process of searching the enemy camp. He
could hear the rasp of his breathing in his helmet as he ducked into one empty
tent after another, though the silencer muted the sound past four or five
centimeters.

In his helmet com, he heard the murmur of his men reporting in as they
filtered through the camp, searching for the enemy. They had no more luck than
he’d had. The Falaran Coalition battalion had melted into the surrounding
forest, leaving behind smashed equipment, hastily abandoned meals and wrecked
temporary shelters. Apparently they’d been alerted to the approach of the
G.A.E. force at the last minute, dropped everything, and run like hell. Wise
of them, considering they were outgunned and outmanned. The colony was small,
without the economic resources Godsson’s more established planetary population
could command. Their armor was certainly no match for the G.A.E.’s.

Still, they could have left someone behind. Maybe in camouflage armor like his
own, surrounded by a field of energy that bent light, rendering the sniper
invisible.

But you could bend all the light you wanted to, and it wouldn’t stop Rand from
picking up your scent. Vampires had great noses. And great speed, great
endurance, and enough raw strength to take on a mech unit with no backup at
all.

Which was why he had been hired in the first place, despite the G.A.E.’s
disdain for mercenaries in general and vampires in particular. The generals
who led the Glorious Army of the Enlightened didn’t know a damned thing about
war. Nick Rand, on the other hand, had spent the past two decades fighting in
a dozen wars on a dozen planets. His combat reflexes weren’t just muscle
memory — they were burned in all the way down to his DNA.

Which was why the G.A.E.’s brass had decided they could ignore his food
preferences.

He moved in a liquid glide into the next tent. Sweeping his rifle over the
whole space in a smooth arc, he ordered a sensor scan. The answer came back a
heartbeat later. Sensor scan completed. No enemy located, said the computer
implanted at the base of his brain. He breathed deep, scenting the air just to
be sure. And froze.

The tent belonged to a woman. Actually, more than one. Perfume lingered in the
air: lilacs and star roses and the natural scent of female bodies. Rand
inhaled, drinking in the lush aroma. His eyes closed for just a heartbeat as
he imagined the taste of blood and pussy.

Months. It had been months since he’d had a woman. Godsson taught females were
corrupting influences who’d blunt his soldiers’ warrior instincts. He insisted
women belonged at home, teaching their children piety and submission to the
will of their Most Exalted — i.e., Godsson himself.

Yeah, right. Why the female cultists tolerated this airlock blow, Rand had no
idea. It was no wonder the million or so Falarans had refused to join
Godsson’s six million plus worshipers, badly outnumbered or not.

I should never have taken this fucking job. Never mind that he’d needed work.
Peace had broken out all over with its usual rotten timing. Absolutely no one
had been hiring. Had it not been for Godsson’s decision to invade the
neighboring planet Falara, Rand would have been forced to find a security job,
and he hated bodyguard work with a passion.

But after a year with the G.A.E., the idea of keeping some arrogant prick
alive was starting to sound pretty damned good. For one thing, he wouldn’t be
slowly starving to death among zealots who considered him a pervert.

He wished G.A.E. HQ would quit fucking around and send him a new hemosynther.
The last time he’d commed them, Supplies and Requisitions claimed the ‘synther
was on order, scheduled to arrive from Earth next week in a shipment of
medical equipment. Rand had told the requisitionist it had better, or he was
coming to HQ to sink his teeth into something with a pulse.

The man had blanched. As if Rand would touch his sweaty neck with a nine meter
radiation probe. His blood would probably taste like burned coffee and stale
doughstries anyway.

Growling under his breath, Rand left the tent — and heard the scream coming
from the other end of camp. A woman’s voice, crying out in rage and pain.

He was running before the echo died.

* * *

If she hadn’t been so sick, she could have made the G.A.E. bastards pay a
higher price when they found her in the middle of the camp. Unfortunately, it
had been more than a month since her vampire had died, and Lieutenant Zara
Tahir was deep in blood sickness.

They surrounded her, a yelling, laughing mob of massive shapes in helmets and
black armor emblazoned with Godsson’s halo and planet logo. Those suits gave
them enough raw power to take on a blast tank and win.

Even so, Zara hadn’t made it easy for them. Even in her lighter V.S.S. armor,
she had the advantage in speed and agility. Fighting ferociously, she
triggered a spontaneous nosebleed. Feeling the hot wetness rolling down her
upper lip as she spun and kicked, she snarled. It had been far too long since
she’d tasted vampire blood. Wouldn’t be long before her own immune system
killed her.

Not that these fuckers would give it the chance. They were pissed, and they
planned to kill her. And worse.

About the Author

New York Times best-selling author Angela Knight has written and published
more than sixty novels, novellas, and ebooks, including the Mageverse and
Merlin’s Legacy series. With a career spanning more than two decades,
Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine has awarded her their Career Achievement
award in Paranormal Romance, as well as two Reviewers’ Choice awards for
Best Erotic Romance and Best Werewolf Romance.

Angela is currently a writer, editor, and cover artist for Changeling Press
LLC. She also teaches online writing courses. Besides her fiction work,
Angela’s writing career includes a decade as an award-winning South
Carolina newspaper reporter. She lives in South Carolina with her husband,
Michael, a thirty-year police veteran and detective with a local police
department.

Author Links

Author’s Website

Author on Facebook

Author on Twitter

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

Save 15% off any order at ChangelingPress.com with code RABT15

Pre-Order Today

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

Posted on January 25, 2026 by JessicaS

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

Posted on January 13, 2026 by JessicaS

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.

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: The Boy by Briar Black

Posted on November 7, 2025 by JessicaS

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:

Bane

Nightshade

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

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That Boy Blitz

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

Posted on October 20, 2025 by JessicaS

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

Purchase Link

BOOK BLITZ: Lingering Flames by Anna August

Posted on October 17, 2025 by JessicaS

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

Purchase Links

RELEASE BLITZ: Protect My Wrong Secret by Summer Hunter

Posted on August 28, 2025 by JessicaS

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

Purchase Link

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

Posted on August 25, 2025 by JessicaS

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

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BLURB TOUR: Christmas Watch by Petie McCarty

Posted on August 6, 2025 by JessicaS

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

Posted on August 5, 2025 by JessicaS

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.