2024 COVERS

2024 covers

Welcome to the Dark Side!

We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Saturday 28 November 2020

DarkLight On... Reader Groups

More and more authors are using Reader Groups to connect with their readers. 

There are many platforms that an author can choose including forums and email groups, but in recent years, Facebook has become a favourite because of the ease of use and the fact that many readers are on the platform already. 

A few of our DarkSiders share their thoughts about reader groups.


Mila Young's Wicked Readers

What I love about my reader group is being able to connect directly with my readers. It's an easy venue for anyone who reads my books to join and chat with me about anything. I am in my group nearly everyday, so I am super accessible. I use the group to create excitement for my upcoming releases, chat about things in general and get everyone to engage, run games and giveaways. To help ensure I please the FB algorithms, I post at least once a day in my group and always respond to comments :)  For me, my reader group is essential to my career as an author and I have met so many amazing readers and friends through it.

~ Mila




Lana's Angels – Reader Group for Badass Women Who Read Romance

I love reader groups because they allow you one on one time with your readers, and a level of connection that works both ways. 

~ Lana (Pecherczyk)




Book Love with Juanita Kees


I love reader groups because a group encourages readers to talk about books and share their love for reading. A reader group is more personal than Facebook page and it provides an opportunity for readers and authors to get to know each other a little better through interaction. It’s also a great way to learn about new releases and share other author’s books that readers might enjoy.

~ Juanita





Cassie Laelyn's Log Cabin

What I love about FB reader groups is that they’re more personal than a page. They provide an opportunity for readers to not just connect and interact with the author, but to also interact/meet/connect with other readers and bond over a shared love for that author and that genre. As an author, I love how I can share an upcoming releases and work in progress teasers with a group of awesome readers who share in the excitement. It fills my soul with happiness! 

~ Cassie




Anna Hackett's Reader Squad


I LOVE my reader group. It has a great, positive vibe where I can connect and interact quickly with my readers every day. There is nothing better than talking about books, reading, and the action-packed stories I love with people who enjoy them. The great thing about a private group is that I can share more private, behind-the-scenes tidbits with readers.

~Anna




Maggie's Book Babes

I love readers groups because they give you the chance to not only share your books with people, but you also let them know about special offers you have going. 

~ Maggie



So what's keeping you? Join our DarkSider author groups and share in the fun. 



Tuesday 24 November 2020

DarkSider News for November 2020 - Part 3!

 

Welcome!

More November goodies...



NEW DARKSIDERS

Please make welcome to the DarkSide DownUnder, Shahbaz Sendi, Kristin Silk and Mila Young



Shahbaz Sendi
is a MD and Ph.D. and is 42-year-old male, living in Melbourne, S Kilda. He's an aspiring author.

Detailed information can be found at: www.linkedin.com/in/shahbazsendi 









Kristin Silk
loves weaving words and worlds. She lives in Victoria with her family and a small but squeaky fur tyrant, Martha the guinea pig, who believes she is alpha of the
household.

Kristin placed second in 2018 RWAus First Kiss competition. In 2019 and 2020 she placed second in RWAus Spicy Bites competitions and her stories appear in the Masks and Leather anthologies, respectively. Her story, Sleeping Beauty and the Librarian, won the 2020 Valerie Parv award.

She can be found haunting cyberspace at KristinSilkWriter (Facebook), @kristin.silk (Instagram) and @SilkKristin (Twitter).




Bestselling Author, Mila Young tackles everything with the zeal and bravado of the fairytale heroes she grew up reading about. She slays monsters, real and imaginary, like there's no tomorrow. By day she rocks a keyboard as a marketing extraordinaire. At night she battles with her mighty pen-sword, creating fairytale retellings, and sexy ever after tales. In her spare time, she loves pretending she's a mighty warrior, cuddling up with her cats, and devouring every fantasy tale she can get her pinkies on.

You can find Mila at her website: milayoungbooks.com, subscribe to her newsletter, or join her reader group, Wicked Readers.









NEW RELEASES


Lust by Lana Pecherczyk (Book 6, Deadly Seven) was released on 23 November. 




Lies among friends…

Liza Lazarus’s devotion to the law is only eclipsed by her loyalty to her vigilante family. The tough, no-holds-barred, city detective crushes it on the outside, but on the inside, she’s losing a battle for her sanity and heart. Sensing lust makes her physically sick. It’s great for catching rapists and murderers, but for finding love? Impossible. Then a childhood friend comes crashing back into her life, and she finds the impossible isn’t so out of reach… if they can get past decades worth of lies between them.


Love among enemies…

FBI Special Agent Joe Luciano has been in love with Liza since they were kids. The kind of soul-wrenching, heart-clobbering love that can send a man insane... except she only ever saw him as a friend. When a secret investigation brings him right into the Lazarus family war-zone, he learns they’re not as virtuous as he once believed. They’re the very criminals he’s been hunting. The more embroiled he becomes with Liza and her vigilante family, the more his black and white world crumbles until he’s forced to make an impossible choice… arrest her, or love her.


Betrayal among family…

As a child, Despair Lazarus was forsaken by her family, and left to the mercy of the evil Syndicate. She became a brutal, heartless warrior, and the Lazarus family never forgave themselves. So when she finally comes knocking at their door, they welcome her with open arms, blind to the danger they’ve invited into their midst. With the Syndicate, old enemies, and the FBI closing in on her family’s secrets, Liza must learn to control her new deadly powers and piece together where the real danger lies… with her lover, her long-lost sister, or herself.


Buy links:





Ebon Queen by LJ Swallow (Book 3, Daughter of the Shadow) was released 9 November.



Can Calla outrun the Ebon Queen’s forces and ensure the Dragon Flights are reborn?

The First-Born dragons died over a hundred years ago and their rebirth is the last hope in the realm’s battle against the Ebon Queen. Only Calla’s dragon soul can spark their life.

As fugitives, Calla and her men struggle to find people who can aid them on their journey to the dragon city. A visit to an elven court to request aid from Galen’s friend creates unexpected consequences and adds urgency to their travels. Running out of options, the party are forced to enter Devin’s unsavoury world of assassins and thieves to seek help from an unusual source.

The new party member’s fierce protectiveness of Calla causes problems as the men struggle to trust the man and his motives—especially Rohan. Can the group put aside their differences and unite to protect Calla?

The Ebon Queen’s darkness continues to spread throughout the lands as she searches for her Daughter of Shadow. The group carry a new weapon in the battle against her creeping death and decay, but will unleashing the dragons help defeat the Queen? Or will the First-Born herald a new problem for the human realm?


Buy links:





Nightworld Academy: Terms One to Three by LJ Swallow (Books 1-3, Nightworld Academy) was released 19 April.


This box set includes the first three full-length books in the bestselling NIGHTWORLD ACADEMY series. 

Welcome to the Nightworld Academy, attended by vampires, shifters, and witches. A place filled with harmony and mutual respect between the supernatural races. Sometimes. 

I'm Maeve Foster, the weird girl whose disturbing visions drive her increasingly mad. My behaviour became too challenging, so I'm shipped off to the Nightworld Academy to spend time with other troubled teens.

Troubled vampire, witch, and shifter teens. 

Somebody forgot to give me the memo—I'm a witch.

On the plus side, I now have friends who don't think I'm crazy.

There's Ash, the rugby team captain and the academy's most popular guy, who just happens to be a shifter. 

Then there's Andrei, the moody guy with a bad attitude who takes pleasure in annoying me—oh, and he's a blood-drinking vampire tempted by taboo witch blood.

My quirky witch roommate Amelia takes me under her wing, as does her friend Jamie, the studious and friendly witch who's by my side when I need him. 

Add in my confusing pull towards the mysterious and hot Professor Whitlock, and I'm in trouble.

I'm thrust into a world where potions lessons and academy games are fraught with rivalry, and where the Dominion insurgents join forces with the exiled Blackwood witches to take on the corrupt Confederacy council. 

My powers are more potent than anybody expected and I discover I'm a pawn in a war between the Confederacy and Dominion. My bond to the four guys grow, and I'll need to rely on each of them to help me navigate my new life. But forbidden relationships and unusual magic bonds make this life twice as complicated


Buy links:


Also released in audio format on 21 October. 





Buy links:




Nightworld Academy: Term Four by LJ Swallow (Book 4, Nightworld Academy) is now in audio format was released 22 April.



A murder on campus divides the houses, and the hidden prejudices between the races spill out into mistrust and violence. Life at the Nightworld Academy will never be the same. 

Who murdered Lorna, and who framed Andrei? Proving his innocence may be harder and more dangerous than we imagined, but I'm determined to clear Andrei's name.

But helping Andrei isn't our only problem.

First, I discover my relationship with Jamie is more complicated than we both realized, and that he has a more significant role to play in my life. But I've seen his death again, and this time, I know where he dies.

Then, Tobias finally opens up, and our relationship hits a new level of complicated. Tobias can strengthen my powers, but with dangerous consequences for both of us.

Ash continues to struggle with Vincent's control and with the after-effects of his night away from the academy. As Vincent takes advantage of the unrest between the houses to segregate Gilgamesh, we uncover the darker side of his plans.

But there's more to these events than a shifter with an agenda and a vampire framed for murder. The pieces won't fit into place yet, but I'm no longer sure if the Confederacy or the Dominion is our greatest threat.

As we grow stronger, we become determined that nobody will succeed in tearing us apart. But how far will our enemies go to stop our group uniting into the powerful opponents they fear?

We're facing our most dangerous term yet, and I'm frightened we might not all survive.


Buy links:




Nightworld Academy: Term Five by LJ Swallow (Book 5, Nightworld Academy) was released 2 May.



One night with the Blackwood witches changes everything.

The Blackwood family and their magic have edged our lives since Jamie discovered the pendant. Now they've found me, and I'm in more danger than ever. Trapped with Tobias inside the Blackwood estate, I'm subjected to the family's chilling magic and meet their disturbing associates.

Andrei, Jamie and Ash take a dangerous risk in their attempt to rescue me from an unknown fate and only succeed with help from an unexpected source. Are there others we can rely on to help beat the threat against us or do these people have a different agenda?

I struggle to cope with the after-effects of events at the Blackwoods, and my reality and visions start to blur. What can I hear inside the academy that nobody else can—is this connected to Jamie's discovery about the building's history?

I'm closer to Ash after last term's difficulties, and Jamie opens up more. My romance with Andrei becomes more intense, and my relationship with Tobias reaches a whole new level of "it's complicated."

One thing is sure, whoever tried to break us hasn't succeeded, because the five of us are closer than ever. The guys are determined to protect me and will do whatever they need to help strengthen my magic. 

We'll need that strength and unity because we're facing something bigger than a war between Confederacy and Dominion forces. 


Buy links:




Nightworld Academy: Term Six by LJ Swallow (Book 6, Nightworld Academy) was released 18 September.



From the first day I arrived, I knew the Nightworld Academy held secrets. Now, I've discovered I’m the greatest secret.

My time with the Blackwoods opened my eyes to a frightening side of the new world I belong to. The night brought me closer to Tobias, but now he’s discovered a hidden connection that tears us apart. My reality turns upside down for the second time since I arrived at the academy and my visions become more horrific.

Ash’s strength and Jamie’s empathy help me cope with the shattering news, and we begin to uncover more of the truth. My relationship with Andrei remains intense, and we have an issue to confront that’s followed us from the first day. And however big the divide between myself and Tobias, he has a role in my life that neither of us can avoid.

Theodora’s response to our latest discovery isn’t what we expected, and I’m shocked when the academy remains open and she announces the final challenge. Can the head professor’s attempt to bring the houses together succeed, or are darker forces at work that she can’t control?

With Petrescu students behaving strangely, the conflict between the witches and vampires intensifies. And as Gilgamesh’s strongest shifters leave campus for secret meetings, Ash discovers that our world could be threatened by more than the Dominion.

An attack on the academy is imminent, but we don’t know precisely when. If my magic is more central to the situation than I realised, we need to act fast to save the academy and students.


Buy links:





Dante's Redemption by Susannah Kade was released 17 August.



A Magical Romance

Trapped in the body of a bat, Dane lost all hope of being human again, until a descendant of the witch who cursed him stumbled into his cave.
Tessa is wary of bats, but when a little critter is injured, she has to save it. Trouble is, this isn't any ordinary bat, and the mysterious, ancient tome she inherited won't share its secrets.
Dane counts himself lucky that Tessa cares for him, and his attraction to her grows stronger each day. He dreams of a future with her, but that won't happen unless he survives her increasingly zany attempts to break the spell

A Short Romantic Novella
Heat Level: Mild
Pairing Type : M/F
Trigger Warnings: Involuntary transformation (magical), Stalking by Ex, Animal Trauma (broken wing, no gore)


Buy links:





The Dream Talkers by Lilliana Rose (Book 2, Lost Souls Academy) was released on 19 March. 


Zarya dreams are bordering on nightmares, haunting her during the day as she tries to settle into the academy. It’s like there are entities trying to talk to her while she sleeps, but the message is getting muddled.

Are they being helpful or not?

Could it be ghosts that talk in dreams, and are they connected to Abaddon?


Buy links:





Phantasia by Eftahalia (Book 2, Phi Athanantoi) is now available in paperback.


Torn apart by separate missions, can their love survive an impending apocalypse?

Demigod ex-cop Carissa Alkippes is hellbent on clearing her father's name. But when she's sidetracked into saving Zeus' life, she's forced into a dangerous mission to locate missing deities. To find them, she must face a horde of bloodthirsty demons.

Xen Lyson shouldn't dwell on Carissa when he's supposed to be stopping demons from feasting on humanity. But the sexy vampire worries her solitary journey to Olympus will put her in grave danger. And with absent gods causing devastating natural disasters, he must trust her father, Ares, to keep her safe.

With every mortal sphere at risk, Carissa races to retrieve a magical codex believed to hold the key to defeating her enemy. And when Xen discovers the true source of the threat, saving both humans and gods will put his own immortality in jeopardy.

In between battling Titans, gods, missing keys, and baklava can Carissa and Xen summon the power to conquer the sinister foe and return to each other's arms?








The Six Million Dollar Zombie by Imogene Nix (Book 2, Zombiology) was released 26 July.


What do you get in the middle of a zombie apocalypse when you mix Canberra, a Priest and Kindergarten teacher? Sparks. Lots of red-hot sparks of passion.

What do you get in the middle of a zombie apocalypse when you mix a priest and a kindergarten teacher? Lots of red-hot sparks of passion.
 
Dove may be a priest, but he’s also a man, and he’s been alone for a long time. Rescuing Leonie by the side of the road is just the first step on a journey no one expected
 
Leonie is running. Her family is gone, the zombies are chasing her, and she’s rescued by a priest on a motorbike and taken to a community which welcomes her.
 
Life should only get better, but the forces that began the apocalypse are building an army of mutated, super-strong zombies. They plan to overtake everything those in the communities have built.
 
Times are only going to get tougher until they can defeat those with no interest in survival.





Imogene Nix has re-released her Blood Secrets series.

The Blood Bride (Book 1) was re-released on 1 October.


Hope just wants to be an ordinary nestling.  She went to college and escaped, but now she’s back and there’s a secret everyone is keeping from her.

Xavier is the new master of the nest, ready to welcome home the daughter of the house who he has never met. He’s unprepared for the woman who steals his breath and enchants him. 

 Now Hope and Xavier must fight for lives and those of the innocents. After all, it is only by overcoming the rogues that they will have a chance of a timeless future together. But will it be in time?

Warning:  If you love sexy alpha males that go bump in the night, hot and heavy encounters and strong females, then this book is for you…





The Blood Bride (Book 1) was re-released on 1 November.


After years of struggling alone, Celina – a witchling of immense power – must find her place in the world of vampires.

Javed is building a new nest – the first new one in a century – and struggling to overcome his own demons, as an ancient evil stirs.

With Celina in danger, the demands of a fledgling nest and time running out, what are the chances their love can overcome every obstacle?



Playing with Fire by Mila Young and Harper A. Brooks  (Book 1, Sin Demons) was released on 24 September. 



The devils aren't in the details.
They're in my bed...

When my warlock foster father trades me to demons for his outstanding debts, I find myself in Hell on Earth. I’m thrust into a supernatural underground crime ring I can’t get out of, eternally bound in a contract I never made.

Three hot-as-hell demons stand in between me and my freedom.

A tattooed, brutish Hellhound shifter. An incubus with the power to bend wills on command. And the heir to Lucifer’s throne—the original sin demon, Pride, himself. I have to find a way out of the deal before they devour me, body and soul.

But I’m no angel. There’s something inside me, something that craves the chaotic darkness these demons possess.

Escaping may mean giving in to Hell’s more sinful temptations. But playing with fire only hurts if you get burned...


Buy links:




To Seduce a Fae by Mila Young (Book 1, Winter's Thorn) was released on 28 January. 


Three dangerous fae, two worlds at war, only one savior who can change their fate...

I left my foster home and all the baggage of my old life behind for a new start at university, hoping that things would finally change for the better. That the terrifying nightmares, disturbing visions, and strange voices would stop. That I'd get to be normal.


But it wasn't meant to be. 


Three of the most dangerously stunning fae warriors suddenly crash into my life and change my fate forever. According to them, I’m their savior.


These smoldering princes insist I belong with them, to them, in the Wandering Realm, a place where love is lost, where war brews like poison, and where the once-powerful royals are hunted and slaughtered by the thousands.


This is the world they want me to save. But among these monsters, there can be no salvation. Even the three fae princes sworn to protect me are keeping dangerous secrets. Ones that if I don’t unravel soon just might be the death of me…







To Tame a Fae by Mila Young (Book 2, Winter's Thorn) was released on 30 May. 


The spell that bound her fate to their realm has unleashed its crippling curse. She's the only thing standing between them and total destruction...

I can't control my powers or the brooding princes who won't let me out of their sight. And I can't keep my secrets safe for long. Which scares me as much as the dark pasts haunting my warrior princes.

I shouldn't want them by my side, but I do. I need them, especially here among the fae court, a dangerous place with even more enemies hiding in plain sight...and among them, I fear my own parents stand waiting to end my life.

Not that any of that will matter if I can't get my powers under control.

They've already cost me so much and put us all in great danger.

With time running out to save one of my own from becoming a cursed creature, I'll have to rely on my erratic powers and my bond with the princes to let us live to fight another day.

But with every win, another shadow befalls us. Our odds of coming out of this alive grow less by the day. And less with each step we take toward learning the truth behind this insidious curse and what fate awaits me when it's finally over...






To Claim a Fae by Mila Young (Book 3, Winter's Thorn) was released on 24 September. 


The king is dead…
...and now my future, as my heart, hangs in the balance.

With the kingdom in chaos and my powers still fighting me for control, I’m left to wonder if there’s even a place for me among the fae.
Or among the three men who have been there since the beginning of this journey.
Because even they feel like they’re slipping away…
Especially since the court mage hates me and is conspiring against me at every turn.
But those aren’t my only problems.
Finding the truth of who I am and what my destiny will be is consuming me and threatening to ruin all that I have and all those I love.
If I can’t find a way to stop my enemies, we are all doomed and the fae realm will be lost. 
And I can’t let that happen. I won’t. Even if it means a fight to the death...

Captivating conclusion to the ‘WINTER'S THORN’ saga.







Shadowlands Sector One by Mila Young (Book 1, Shadowlands Sector) was released on 4 March. 


Strong Protectors. Fated Mates. And A Deadly Secret.

They call me an outcast, weak.

I’ve fought my whole life for survival, running from an attack on my family I ended up hiding with the Ash Wolves. This one move might be my biggest mistake of all. And I’m the queen of mistakes…

I let them believe I’m broken, let them believe the lies. I let them believe anything they want…as long as it isn’t the truth.

There's a monster inside me, one made of teeth and claws and terrifying need. I swallow it down, hiding under the pretense of being normal. But I'm not normal. I'm anything but.

Bonding is the only thing that will save us—me and the Ash pack. Only I need someone strong enough to fight the darkness inside me…and savage enough to stay.

Will the ruthless wolf shifters help me...when they find out the truth of what I am?







Shadowlands Sector One by Mila Young (Book 2, Shadowlands Sector) was released on 30 July.


It’s only a matter of time before I destroy them all…

A raging, bloodthirsty wolf isn’t the only deadly thing inside me. So, I have to do what I’ve always done best. Run.
Leaving my alphas and the first taste of love I’ve ever known is the only answer now.

And even when Fate steps in and puts us all back together, including a sexy new alpha with troubles of his own, I can’t stay. Even though it’s killing me to go.

The pain of being away from them will literally kill me, but no matter what happens to me, I can’t let them pay for my weakness.

I can’t save myself, but I can save them. I can save them from seeing what I will become...

But my dominant alphas are better hunters than I am prey, and they’re determined to keep me...whatever the cost.



Possess Me Under the Mistletoe by Mila Young was released on 15 October.


She's innocent, wicked with magic, and off limits... Just his type.

It's almost Christmas and Cyra Mane's landed her first solo mission to cleanse a haunted house. Easy. After all, she's keen to make a good impression with the demon hunting company that hired her. But when Gunn, a seasoned hunter she's desired for weeks, shows up, the seemingly simple cleansing task turns dangerous. And why's he there when he's ignored her for months?


Gunn's kept his distance for a dark reason that's followed him for years. And he sure as hell doesn't intend to drag sweet Cyra into his mess, even if he can't stop fantasizing about her. Besides, he's there as a favor to her brother.

But when Cyra's spell goes horribly wrong, not only are they imprisoned in the house, but they discover a portal to Hell in the attic. Can Cyra keep her mind off the brooding hunter and on protecting the elderly home owners before the demon hunting them turns them into Christmas dinner?


Buy links





Non spec-fic

Odessa by Annie Seaton (Book 7, Pentecost Island) was released 30 October.


Odessa Walker can’t remember the last time she felt safe.

Her recovery after an accident on a motorway outside London, is fraught with difficulty. Her physical rehabilitation is successful, but her accident has had a significant impact on her mental health. Her parents, Jenny and Bryant, Rafe’s publishers, ask Pippa if Odessa can come to Pentecost Island to hasten her recovery, and hopefully restore her confidence. Pippa readily agrees, but the new arrival creates tension, not only between Pippa and Rafe, but also within the friendship group of the women on the island.

Dylan Nash has replaced Evie Stephenson as head landscaper on Pentecost Island. His first encounter with Odessa is confronting, and when Dylan attempts to make amends for the misunderstanding, she refuses to accept his apology.

Odessa’s presence changes the friendships in the close-knit community on the island. Will Dylan’s gentle nature, and his attraction to Odessa, help her regain her confidence, or will his determination compromise her recovery?



Country Darkness contains Under Shadow of Doubt by Juanita Kees and was released on 28 October. 



A collection of romantic suspense stories from three bestselling Australian authors.

Promise of Hunters Ridge by Sarah Barrie

After freeing herself from an obsessive boss and saving loved ones from a serial killer, Mia Morgan feels like she can handle anything. But now that killer - a deranged hunter who preys on women for sport - is coming for her. And if she runs, others will pay the price. As if that's not enough, Ben Bowden, the brilliant detective who has made her life hell, has some insane plan to protect her. If she collaborates with him, Mia might just have to acknowledge her true feelings. But if she keeps him out, will she let the hunter win?

Hope Echoes by Shannon Curtis

Farmer Jacinta Buchanan already has too much on her plate. So when a mine on her property blows up, killing a local teenager, she can barely hold it together. But finding out that she's a suspect is the absolute last straw. Country cop Mac Hudson is astonished when evidence suggests his best friend's sister, Jac, has a meth lab on her farm. So when she hatches a plan to prove her innocence, he agrees to play along. But the quest for truth will risk the town they both love and the future they're only beginning to imagine.

Under Shadow of Doubt by Juanita Kees

Peta Johnson may now be rich and famous, but with her little girl missing, Peta will do anything to get her back - including returning to the small Western Australian town she vowed never to see again. Jaime Caruso left behind the girl he loved to pursue a military career but was then crushed to discover she didn't love him enough to wait. Jaime gets swept up into Peta's nightmare. As they race to save the life of the daughter Jaime doesn't know is his, they must decide if life - and love - really does give second chances.







Montana Son by Juanita Kees (Book 3, Calhouns of Montana) was released on 2 June. 


Can he forgive himself, move on, and let love in?

Mason Calhoun is still trying to shrug off the label of bad boy, even though he’s proved his worth to the town. But his penchant for fast cars and Harleys makes it difficult for the town to forget the accident that killed his youngest brother, Mitch. It’s hard for him to forget when the girl responsible for him losing his head is back in town, hotter than ever, swinging spanners at his father’s garage, Calhoun Customs.

When Paige Drew loses her job at the track, she takes it as a sign to come home to Bigfork and make peace with the past before she takes the next step in her life. She’s been on Trinity Calhoun’s pit crew ever since that fatal night that changed her life forever. She’s hidden behind the scenes at the racetrack for too long, ignored by her family for causing a scandal in their otherwise perfect lives.

But coming home means confronting Mason Calhoun, the reason she ran in the first place.





My One and Only by Imogene Nix was released 15 October.


When a wedding shoot goes all wrong, Amanda, international model extraordinaire—and coincidentally, the girl next door—is ready to give up on her best friend Charlie, until he makes a revelation that changes the way she sees him.
 
Charlie may have lusted (and loved) Amanda from afar for years, but he’s willing to take a chance and ask her to join him in modelling his line of jewellery for a wedding magazine special. One last shot of the dice, so to speak. Will she wear the ring he designed just for her?
 
Their secret desire for each other is unmasked by the paparazzi and whatever happens next, is sure to be sizzling hot.











PRE-ORDERS



Shadow Throne by LJ Swallow (Book 4, Daughter of Shadow) is expected for release on 20 October 2021. 



Can the dragon flights reunite the realm and help defeat the Ebon Queen?

Shadow Throne is the last book in the Daughter of Shadow reverse harem romantic fantasy series from USA Today Bestselling author LJ Swallow. 

If you enjoy slow burn, action-packed, sword and sorcery romance books you'll love this series with irresistible elves, a fierce warrior, a sexy Lord, a strong magical heroine, and a pet dragon with a secret.


Buy links:





Nightworld Academy: Winterfall Magic - Term Seven by LJ Swallow (Book 7, Nightworld Academy) is expected to be released 30 June 2021.



Winterfall Magic is the seventh book in the Nightworld Academy series.

The events take place immediately after Term Six and continues Maeve's story after the events at the academy.

Pre-Order links




Finding Home by Annie Seaton (Book 3, Love Across Time) is expected to be released on 30 November.



Alice McLaren is a traveller . . . but her travels must remain a secret. Now that she has no one of her own, she leaves London during the Blitz to move to her family’s cottage in Somerset. Alice plans to take evacuated children from London and care for them in the country.

However, her travels take her much further than she anticipates, away to a safer place far from the war and the incessant bombing.

When she meets and falls in love with Branton, Alice is torn. There is a child to be rescued, and Alice is the only one who can save Amelia Adnum. She must choose between Branton and taking the lost child home safely.

As circumstances change, Alice must make a decision that could change many lives.

Branton knows Alice holds a secret, but he cannot understand why she refuses to stay with him. He cannot bear to lose her, but can Branton convince Alice that their love will endure, no matter what?






The Sorcerer's Touch by Imogene Nix (Book 3, Blood Secrets) is expected to be re-released on 1 December.



Since the Slaughterhouse Rout, Daniel has nursed his abilities, but the decision he faces will change his life and those of everyone around him. 

Whether the change is positive or not remains to be seen.

Cressida fears that history will repeat itself. Once before she lost everything she held dear, but after centuries of hiding she must face her past in order to forge a new future. Has she waited too long and pushed Daniel away too well?




Curse Bound by Imogene Nix is expected to be released on 1 January 2021.



A contemporary romance with Paranormal Themes, based on a fictional Queensland Island. 

When Tabitha finally prepares to say goodbye to her beloved father, it opens a link to her past and her ancestors. She is tasked with finding the remains of her ancestor and burying him beside the long dead wife.

But when Christian-a descendant of the wife-enters the scene, it leaves Tabitha floundering amid passion and danger. As they draw closer to finding the remains, it brings many things into question, among them, how to defeat the evil that also remains tied to the mystery.






Hell in a Handbasket by Mila Young and Harper A. Brooks  (Book 2, Sin Demons) is expected to be released on 24 December. 


Even the devil was once an angel...

See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. Sleep with no evil… If only it were that easy.

Between being kidnapped by a psycho dragon-shifter, influenced by ancient relics, and fighting for my freedom, I’d say my hands are full. But really, my troubles have just begun.

Cain, Dorian, and Elias are wickedly dangerous, scorching hot, and all too tempting. They’re devils in disguise. Literally.

I don’t know why they’re collecting these relics, but it looks like I’m not the only one with secrets. Despite all the risks, I might be falling for the three of them. But there's a good chance this Hellish relationship ends up being the death of me.

To make matters worse, there may be something more to my shadow than I originally thought. Something evil that’s set on taking over me entirely if I let it. With each passing day, I find myself falling deeper into its darkness and further under the demons’ deadly charms.

There’s no other way around it... Things are quickly going to Hell in a handbasket.


Buy links



Shadowlands Sector Three by Mila Young (Book 3, Shadowlands Sector) is expected to be released on 30 November.


There is no more running…
...this time, I’m willing to fight to the death. Mine and theirs.

Because of me, my three mates have been captured by our enemy, and once again I am all alone.

But I can’t let the enemy’s treachery be their fate. Not for me, not for the future we thought we had.

My only option is to take this fight to him. Let embrace the monster inside me I have feared my whole life.

The enemy thinks I’m the key to his biggest problem...

The undead.

I can’t be that key. I must return. I must save my men. No matter the cost.

I’m running out of time. My life for the alphas.

I have one choice. That’s an easy decision. And my monster agrees. We’re out for blood, and this time I’m not leaving until the enemy pays.


Shadowlands Sector is the final book in this trilogy. The spin-off series, Savage Sector, is set in the same world and is coming out soon.


Pre-Order links




Non spec-fiction

Sienna by Annie Seaton (Book 8, Pentecost Island) is expected to be released on 31 March 2021.


Sienna Marino, an elegant, reserved young woman, has a secret. Travelling from Switzerland to visit her friend, Eliza on Pentecost Island, she is delighted when resort owner, Pippa, offers her the position as manager of Hebe, the new day spa.

Sienna quickly fits into the friendship group on the island but holds her shameful secret close to her heart. When she falls in love with builder, Danny Riccardo, she knows she cannot succumb to her feelings.

Longing to be loved, Sienna finds herself alone for a week with the one man she cannot afford to love.





Hidden Valley by Annie Seaton (Book 4, Porter Sisters) is expected to be released on 5 March 2021.


Happily working on her family’s macadamia farm in the rolling hills of northern New South Wales, Dee Peters receives an enigmatic letter hinting of family secrets, and the prospect of her inheriting a cattle station in the Northern Territory outback. Torn in many directions: the request that she meet with a solicitor in Darwin, the evasive behaviour of her parents and the opposition of family friend and her—almost—fiancé, Rodney Andrews, Dee’s contented life is suddenly thrown into turmoil.

The last thing she expects is to inherit a sprawling cattle station in the rugged outback, but she travels to the Territory to find the truth of the inheritance. Intrigued by the vague hints of the elderly solicitor, Dee decides to stay on the station for six months while she attempts to make sense of the past.

Ryan Carey, long-time manager of Wilderness Springs cattle station, has lived on the station since he was adopted by childless owners, Ray and Betty Murphy. Devastated when he discovers the property has not been bequeathed to him, the last thing Ryan expects is the arrival of a woman, and one who is keen to take over the running of the property. With reluctance, he agrees to work with Dee, but as she tries to make sense of why the property was left to her, a chilling secret from the past will shock them both.

As Dee and Ryan attempt to uncover the secrets of Wilderness Springs, it soon becomes very clear that someone will do anything to stop them discovering the truth.

Set in the harsh countryside west of Kakadu National Park, this is a thrilling mystery about hidden family secrets and finding love in the harsh Australian outback.






Ten Days in Paradise by Annie Seaton (Book 1, Four Seasons Short and Sweet) is expected to be released on 5 December.




Love at first sight

Jane Sullivan flees her own wedding and escapes to Deception Island.
Hiding out on a tropical island to get over the hurt of her fiancé’s betrayal Jane is dismayed when her ex and his new woman turn up on the island.
Island police chief, Linc Martin, needs a girlfriend and needs one fast.
Jane and Linc make a deal, but are either of them strong enough to resist when Cupid intervenes?

Previously published in 'Romancing the Summer 2020'.


 Pre-Order links








ANTHOLOGIES



Spicy Bites: Leather (Erotic Romance Story Anthology) has stories by Kristin Silk and Samantha Marshall. It was released 18 August.



All you need is love.

But a little leather now and then doesn’t hurt...

Indulge in the sexy imaginings of the authors who have taken the theme of our 2020 erotic romance competition ("Leather") and given us a sizzling, hot to the touch collection.

Leather has inspired stories that are sometimes soft and subtle, sometimes rough and tough. If you're looking for the naughtiest and most seductive around...give in to shameless temptation and live your wildest fantasies in our collection of fallen angels, AI encounters, friends to lovers; in locations from 19th century Cornwall to today's New Zealand high country with stopovers in exotic places in between.


Buy links



Flame's Embrace has stories by TJ Nichols and Mila Young and was released 31 August.


Love has never been so hot.

From urban fantasy with a dollop of romance, to spicy paranormal love stories, Flame's Embrace has it all. Featuring stories from May Sage, Seanan McGuire, Meg Anne & Kel Carpenter, Bec McMaster, Amanda Pillar, Emigh Cannaday, Kim Faulks, Heather Long & Rebecca Royce, Grace McGinty, TJ Nichols, Ripley Proserpina, Vivienne Savage, Bam Shepherd and Mila Young. This Australian Bushfire Charity collection will keep you up all night long.

All profits will go toward an Australian Bushfire Charity, to help support communities and wildlife that were severely impacted by the Australian Bushfires at the start of 2020. Funding is still required, and many animals and people lost their lives to this devastating event.


Buy links




Wicked Souls: Reverse Harem Romance Collection has a story by Mila Young and was released 31 September and is a limited edition.



Something Wicked this way comes. Don’t miss it!

Dark delights. Wicked spells. Damned souls and spirits seeking revenge. On All Hallows’ Eve when the veil is thin, all manner of wicked souls come out to play.

Denizens of night dance in a frenzy. Stolen hearts beat like the pounding of a thousand drums. The rhythm of love vies with the rhyme of magic and the melody of mischief.

Do you want to join in?

Get your copy today and devour these reverse harem romance stories by today's New York Times and USA Today bestselling and hot new authors. They'll shake your soul, rattle your heart, and satisfy your darkest desires.

In the darkness lie all things tantalizing, enthralling, and even wicked. Come see what others sold their soul to gain. This collection will take you by the hand and hold you in its grip deep into the night. Every story will leave you breathless and wanting more.

But beware, once you turn the page, you'll never want to stop.

Join demons, devils, shifters, witches, wayward souls and more in these amazing reverse harem romances, where no one gets left out.

Why choose when you can have it all?


Buy links




Pre-Order

A Perfectly Paranormal Valentine has stories by Leisl Leighton and Samantha Marshall and is expected for release 1 February.


Valentine's Day - celebrating forever love with roses and chocolates, claws and fangs, and a magical spell or two ...

Whatever your paranormal pleasure, dive into these five original stories from award winning and new Australian authors in this magical anthology.

Featuring sweet or spicy romance, action, revenge, secrets and curses, this paranormal anthology will fill all your Valentine's Day desires.

Witch, Vampire, Demi-God, Fae and Shifter: who will get their happy ever after this Valentine's Day?

LOVE CURSED by Leisl Leighton

A love across time, cursed to stay apart …

Coven librarian, Juliana Stevens, jokes about being cursed at love. When an old diary that speaks of an ancient Love Curse is found, she realises it isn't a joke. To break the hex she must uncover a secret spell and travel to Rome to be in the exact spot with her unknown soul mate by midnight on Valentine's Day, or her soul will be doomed forever. No pressure – but it's going to be Happy Never After if she can't.

BAD VALENTINE BATCH by Marnie St Clair

Avery Lloyd does not like being a witch - it's all rules and hard work. She also hates dogs. As in, really hates dogs. So when her boss Alec insists she attend the Valentine's Day charity event at the lost dogs' shelter, Avery casts an unlawful spell to get out of it. But something's not quite right about this batch of magic, and before she knows it, Avery has ruined Alec's life. She has until Valentine's Day to fix it, or the damage will be permanent.

CATNIP by Samantha Marshall

For reclusive dragon Oaklyn Airecross, spending Valentine's Day with a stack of book boyfriends and chocolate mousse sounds like heaven - until an uninvited guest picks a fight with a bean bag, and she's thrust bodily into a mess of runaway cats, vampire intrigue and frypans. In order to reclaim the Valentine's Day of her dreams, Oaklyn must set aside her preconceived notions on true love, the perfect man, and exactly what that bulge might be when it twitches inside of his pants.

FILIGREE AND FATE by Helen Lucy Howe

Famous fae-artist, Zhulija, is asked to create decorations for a wedding, but things don't go according to plan. Infamous unseelie, Dario Eribifax, after recognizing his 'true mate,' appoints himself her personal assistant in an effort to convince her of their fated connection. What could possibly go wrong?

A BROOMSTICK BREW by Georgia Tingley

When Wysper uses a 'love potion' on Valentine's Day to make the man of her dreams fall in love, things take a turn for the worse. She finds herself falling for everyone she looks at. A hilarious witchcraft backfire!








COVER REVEAL

Lilliana Rose has new covers for her Pagan Pleasures series. 

Beltane Bliss  (Book 1, Pagan Pleasures)



Edi Court needs to leave the covenant, so wounds inflicted by her ex can be healed.

Her psychic ability leads her south where she opens a store.
A haunted store!
Now she’s stuck with dealing with a stubborn ghost.
Voltaire, a plumber, believes in only what he can see in the real world.
Edi finds herself in the role of rescuer thanks to his closed heart and aversion to magic.
Will her desire to heal him land her in trouble?
Or with the Beltane energies thick in the air, will this be the start of something powerful?

Can a believer and non-believer in the Magiks find love over Beltane? 


Buy links



Solstice Sizzle  (Book 2, Pagan Pleasures)


Johan Rogers is a family lawyer on the edge of burn out. His state of mind is affecting his ability with the Magiks and once reliable skill as a medium. Looking for fun, nothing serious, he heads south for a break over the summer solstice at Edi’s shop-Crystal Sands. It is here Nova crashes into his life and previously repressed emotions begin to emerge. Will she help him realize his full potential with the Magiks despite the fact she is struggling to find her own unique skill?

After a month of Edi’s help, and getting nowhere, Johan proves to be the perfect distraction for Nova. Will a hot love affair prevent Nova from discovering her Magik ability, or help her?


Buy links




Mabon Mystery  (Book 3, Pagan Pleasures)


The Mabon energies are building in intensity, and are forcing Asiza to confront her ancestral past she’s repressed. In an attempt to avoid her past Asiza takes up the invitation from Edi to help out at her shop Crystal Sands. Can she really escape her past?

Kaedin is a talented Reiki healer. Raised by his aunt and uncle after his parents died, the only thing left by them – a mysterious puzzle box which he has never been able to open. Does it hold a clue to his past he so desperately wants to find out about?

When Kaedin meets Asiza, the attraction sizzles, but each has a mystery to solve.

Will their pasts prevent them from having a future together?


Buy links


Samhain Secrets (Book 4, Pagan Pleasures)



Serilda has a secret, one she’s working hard to keep her new friends from finding out. She’s moved to Warradale along the coast from Melbourne to work as a medium at Crystal Sands, telling people she wanted a change of scenery, a more beach lifestyle. But that wasn’t the reason at all.

Darus never thought that going to see a medium would change his life considerably. Before seeing Serilda, his life was on track, his electrical business was doing well, and he was starting to think about settling down. Then she turned his life upside down.

Serilda finds herself attracted to Darus, but with what she’s told him and her secret, can they really have a long term relationship?

Samhain is a time to know thy self. This is true for Serilda as she tries to find the strength to show her true self to her new friends, and more importantly to Darus, the man she’s falling in love with.

Secrets are revealed. Will they help or hinder the chance of Serilda and Darus falling in love?


Buy links


Yule Yearnings (Book 5, Pagan Pleasures)


White witch, Zamara, is a Seer in the Magiks. Working as a psychic at Crystal Sands since it opened, she’s been busy with clients wanting to know their future prospects. What frustrates her is that while she can see other people’s future, she can’t see her own. With Yule approaching, she yearns to have a love in her life and to share this time in a relationship, instead of being single for another year. What’s stopping her from seeing the potential love that unexpectedly comes into her life?

Kaito is the new pharmacist in Warradale, a small town along the coast from Melbourne. He’d opted for a coastal change from city life, to escape from a needy ex who was intent on entrapping him into marriage. Moving to the coastal town was his way of ensuring he kept with his own life plan of career first, then marriage and a family later. He doesn’t believe in destiny or fate, but free will. Life at the coastal town isn’t what he’d expected, but it could be just the right prescription for the future his heart really desires.

Kaito isn’t the only new face in town. There’s a dark storm coming, a past catching up with one of the white witches. Can the white witches face this together? Or will the past close Crystal Sands once and for all?


Buy links







~~~

Congratulations to our DarkSiders.

Thanks for joining us. Until next time...happy reading!

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