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.

Tuesday 16 March 2021

DarkSider News for March 2021 - part 2!

Time to get a cuppa, sit back, relax and enjoy our latest news...




AWARDS / SHORTLISTS


Cassie Laelyn placed in the Paranormal Romance Guild's 2020 Reviewers Choice Award.

Unforgotten placed 1st for Best Demons, Devils and Angels
Unseen placed 3rd for Best Angels, Ghosts, Psychics
The Fallen Guardians series placed 3rd for Best Demons, Devils, & Angels series.





Claire Boston placed in the shortlist of the Queensland Writers Centre's  2021 Adaptable program! 

The shortlisted 25 writers will now have the opportunity to pitch their work to producers, screen creatives and film industry professionals at Gold Coast Film Festival this April. 

Good luck Claire!







NEW RELEASES



Moon Kissed 
by 
Mila Young 
and Jordan Crow (Book 2, Chosen Vampire Slayer) was  released 11 March.



There’s a war on…
...and we’re on the losing side.

But that’s not the only problem I’ve got. Someone or something is killing off the humans in Anchorage... and the fallout is landing right on our shoulders.

Or at least on those of us left.

Seth has vanished. I refuse to believe he’s gone for good. I won’t. If I have to go through heaven and hell to find him, that’s just what I’ll do. I owe him that.

And I’m on it as hot and heavy as the growing attraction between me and the monsters I’ve fallen for. Which is more than complicated. And could use some of my time...

But I’ve got none.

Another monster, one hidden in the shadows, is making it his business to get in my way. Which means the boys and I have our hands full just surviving another day. And things are only getting worse.

There’s something coming for me, and it won’t stop until I’m dead.







The Virgin Hunt Games volume 3 by Mel Teshco (Book 3, The Virgin Hunt Games) was released 15 March.


EARTH, YEAR 2332

Life isn’t fair. Just ask Violet who mysteriously arrived in a space capsule at an orphanage as a baby. She has one goal—to find her biological parents, and winning the Virgin Hunt Games will ensure her face is plastered on every screener across the universe. Surely, her family will recognize and come for her? If she can only stay away from her Mate, the one man she must elude at all cost to win. But naturally, he’s also the only one she wants to surrender to.

Prince Zel Oscar is used to getting what he wants. But accepting a rival’s dare to be a Hunter in the infamous sexploitative Virgin Hunt Games was a terrible and possibly life-altering mistake. But then he meets his Hunted, Violet...delicious perfection wrapped up in a gorgeous package. Too bad she is totally indifferent to his kisses, his exploits, and his lofty title. He’ll do whatever it takes to break down her steely resistance...but will his subjects see him as a hero, or a total degenerate for having kinky sex in front of billions of viewers?


Buy links





Magic Forged by LJ Swallow (Book 2, Ravenhold Supernatural Reform Academy) was released 8 March.



There’s a way to escape from Ravenhold, but I won’t be free.

When I arrived on the island, I believed the other hybrids at the reform academy were my greatest enemies. Now they’re my closest allies inside the corrupt institution.

Apart from one. Dorian Blackwood. 

The seductive vampire hybrid almost stole my blood and magic. Dorian wants my power and thinks he can weaken me, but I saw the truth when we kissed. I weaken him. 

A new witch arrives at the academy, and he claims that we can escape the magic-locked island, but I don’t want any dealings with this familiar face. The guy takes control of the witches, but Dorian doesn’t punish the student who challenges his authority. Why?

As we navigate the power plays around us, I learn more about Zeke’s mysterious past and push through his barriers, but Ethan continues to struggle with how much his dragon half controls him. We’re united now, but would a life outside Ravenhold pull us apart?

With Dorian’s and the newcomer’s help, we have a genuine chance of escape, but nothing happens by chance in this place. Who sent somebody to free the hybrids, and what awaits the four of us in the outside world? 

What will happen if a vengeful Dorian Blackwood is unleashed on our society?  


Buy links






Nightworld Academy Terms Four to Six box set by LJ Swallow was released on 10 January. 


This box set includes three full-length books from the bestselling Nightworld Academy series. Terms One - Three must be read first.

"Thank the stars Maeve has a circle hellbent on protecting her, because once the box of secrets splits open, the truth will engulf us all."

Term Four

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. 

Term Five

One night with the Blackwood witches changes everything. Are we here to begin something or have we been gathered together to change the ending?

Term Six

From the first day I arrived, I knew the Nightworld Academy held many secrets. I just discovered that I’m the biggest secret of them all.

Nightworld Academy is a paranormal academy series from USA Today bestselling author LJ Swallow. If you love a fierce heroine who learns to accept her life, delicious guys who love and protect her, and a supernatural academy world filled with magic, mystery, romance and danger, one-click the box sets today. This series is a slow burn YA/NA reverse harem and must be read in order.

Please Note: As the series is set at a magic school in England, the books are written in British English.


Buy links








Non spec-fic


Sienna by Annie Seaton (Book 8, Pentecost Island) was released soon on 28 February.


Spend a month on Pentecost Island and experience an amazing adventure between eight friends, the challenges they face, the past threatening to come between them, and their enduring friendship as they start up a new resort.

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 on another tropical island with the one man she cannot afford to love.





Be Mine Forever by D.K. Hood (Book 22, Detectives Kane and Alton) was released 24 February.



Gray clouds gather overhead as she runs along the dark road. Not a soul is out in the storm, or so she thinks. As the vehicle pulls up alongside her, she sees a familiar face behind the wheel and thinks she’s safe. Little does she know, she has just put herself in unthinkable danger…

When local cheerleader, Laurie Turner, goes missing after practice and her bright red pick-up truck is found abandoned by the side of a quiet road, Detective Jenna Alton fears the worst.

Visiting Laurie’s family house, Jenna senses that the teenager’s home life isn’t as perfect as her father would have people believe. Quick to temper and full of hatred towards Laurie’s mother, Dr Turner doesn’t seem to know the first thing about his own daughter, let alone how long she’s been missing for.
With the clock ticking, the whole town takes to the streets to find the missing girl and, after a frantic search, a terrible discovery is made at the bottom of an old mine shaft on the outskirts of town. Laurie’s pale body is totally still and Jenna is sure somebody in the local community is her killer.

When another cheerleader goes missing, Jenna thinks that someone close to the school is picking the teenagers off one by one. As she talks to the other students, it becomes clear that there are plenty of people who’d like to silence the girls forever.

Then her own deputy David Kane comes face to face with the murderer, and Jenna has to race to save him. Can she do so before it’s too late? Or will another young life be taken?


Buy links

Also available in Audio












PRE-ORDERS



Savage Sector, Book One by Mila Young (Book 1, Savage Sector) is expected to be released 8 April. 



Being rejected by my fated mate is the least of my problems...

I’m a half-breed, a Cursed. The wolf half gets me an alpha for a fated mate...the witch half gets me killed.

Or so they think.

Now four Viking Alphas are all that stand between me and certain death. They need my powers to take over the Savage Sector, and they’ll hold my sisters’ as leverage until they get what they want from me.

My wild magic, my heart.

My wolf calls to them, but I can't trust them to keep me alive once this is over.

I'm just an Omega to them, but that mistake may cost us all our lives

What the Viking Alphas want, the Viking Alphas get…
...and right now that’s me and my wild magic.

Savage Sector is set in the same world as Shadowlands Sector, with some cross over of characters. It can be read without having read Shadowlands first.

This is a three book series.


Pre-Order links





Courting the Witch by M.J Scott (Book 0.5, Four Arts) is expected to be released 13 April. 



Desire or duty…which will woo a witch?

Imogene Carvelle has always wanted a glittering career as an Imperial Mage. She wants to travel the empire and has no thought of marriage. But after returning home from a long mission away, she is in the mood for some fun. But sometimes the best plans go awry, and when Imogene meets the oh-so-delicious but oh-so-wrong Jean-Paul at a ball, her plan for just one night gets complicated…

Jean-Paul du Laq knows he has to marry. As the heir to a duq, he has to carry on the family line with the right kind of wife. And a career minded commoner like Imogene is absolutely not the woman he should be considering for anything more than a dalliance. But to him, Imogene shines brighter than the sun and he’s determined to win her heart…

Courting The Witch is a prequel novella to The Four Arts series. Previously published in Warlords, Witches and Wolves, it now features a new bonus epilogue.






The Heart of a Shadow by Samantha Marshall (Book 1, Merged Worlds) is expected to be released on 22 April.



Prince of Storms. Lady of Shadows. God of Chaos.

Bound in eternal servitude by forbidden magics, dark fairy Liria Atlannon has no choice but to follow her mistress across the seas to Egypt, where Princess Ione of Atlantis will marry the great Pharoah Taos and become Queen. All seems well until Set the Anarchist, god of war and chaos, tries to steal the Princess Ione from her own welcome banquet, forcing Liria to reveal that she’s not just a handmaiden; she’s a weapon.

As Commander of the Pharoah’s honour guard, it is Prince Raiden Horushood’s duty to defend his brother at all costs – even if that means facing down a god he has no hope of defeating. Nobody is more surprised than he when Liria, the softly spoken handmaiden who spends most of her time staring at floor, not only turns Set away but injures him in the process.

With the threat of an unpredictable god hanging overhead, Raiden begs Liria to join the Pharoah’s honour guard. Whilst he’s fascinated by glimpses of a woman who is as intelligent as she is powerful, there isn’t time for charm – if they are to have any hope of protecting the Pharoah and his Princess, then he and Liria must learn to work together.

Though Liria aches to become part of something greater, self preservation dictates she stay far, far away from the vital, strong, and irritatingly handsome Prince Raiden. For if the warrior angel gets too close, he’ll discover that the biggest threat to Merged Egypt is not Set at all – it is Liria Atlannon, damned by the magic which shackles her soul, steals her free will and shapes her actions… until all that remains is a shadow.









Non spec-fic


Breaking Arrow 
by Khloe Wren (Book 13, Charon MC) is expected to be released 23 March.



She'll never survive the coming storm, unless he lowers his guard to let her in.

Bodie "Arrow" Trygg didn't care he was the last officer of the Charon MC left single. He was happy with his life in Bridgewater, Texas. Being treasurer of the club kept him busy, and there were women at the clubhouse available for when he got an itch he needed scratched. What more did a man need?

Tabitha's life has never been easy. Even before she was enslaved by the evil Godfrey, she was struggling to survive. Everything changed when the Charon MC stormed Godfrey's house and freed his captives, including her. At least, that's what she'd hoped.

When it's discovered Tabitha isn't as safe as they'd all first thought, Arrow steps up to be her protector. But is he ready for all that will entail?






Tess 
by Annie Seaton 
(Book 9, Pentecost Island) is expected to be released 24 April.



Spend a month on Pentecost Island and experience an amazing adventure between nine friends, the challenges they face, the past threatening to come between them, and their enduring friendship as they start up a new resort.

Tess Andersen is well and truly over her family telling her what to do, criticising her career choices, and her boyfriends, but now she has found a happy niche on Pentecost Island. When her past catches up with her with the arrival of millionaire, Zac Montgomery, Tess has some choices to make.

Zac has a reputation that precedes him wherever he goes—thanks to a former partner and social media. He knows he will have to work hard to overcome it now that he has found Tess, his first love, again.

Can he convince Tess, he is not the bad boy of his reputation?





Isla 
by Annie Seaton 
(Book 10, Pentecost Island) is expected to be released 2 July.



Pentecost Island: where romance entices and secrets unfold. Spend a month on Pentecost Island and experience an amazing adventure between ten friends, the challenges they face, the past threatening to come between them, and their enduring friendship as they start up a new resort.

Irish dreams or island dreams? Isla's secret is the biggest one of all. Will Pentecost Island be the place where she comes to terms with her past?

Ronan Doyle has searched for Isla for a long time. Will he be the key to her happiness or will her past ruin their chance of a happy ever after?

The final book in the Pentecost Island series.








ANTHOLOGIES


Unnatural Order contains the story Crash Baby by Donna Maree Hanson and is out now.




Is an unlikely friendship enough to save a human and a voidbeast?
Can a robot’s heart be broken?
What happens to the demons when all the humans are gone?
Can dishonest hearts find peace?

Demons with no humans left to plague. A robot with a broken heart. Dishonest hearts searching for peace. Unlikely friendships, unlikelier dinners.

Rebuffing the status quo, Unnatural Order shines a light on the monstrous beings of myth and legend; framing the beast as the protagonist and seeking their humanity. Featuring established and emerging authors, Unnatural Order bares its fangs and brings the paws, maws and claws front and centre.

Because this time, it’s the monster’s turn.

Includes the stories:

“New Things” by Joanne Anderton
“Mother of the Trenches” by Grace Chan
“The Lovers” by Matthew Farrer
“Emergent” by D.L. Fleming
“Crash Baby” by Donna Maree Hanson
“Full Steam Ahead” by Alexander Hardison
“Eat Prey, Love” by Freya Marske
“Transcendence Inc.” by C.H. Pearce
“The Bargain” by Alannah K. Pearson
“Trench” by Nathan J. Phillips
“Truth Be Told” by Louise Pieper
“The Scent of Olives” by Rob Porteous
“Meet Me at the Medusa” by Tansy Rayner Roberts
“Bruises Black and Blue” by Leife Shallcross














COVER REVEAL



The Spell Thieves by Lilliana Rose (Book 3, Lost Souls Academy) is expected to be released 8 April.


Something happened to Zarya’s magical ability. Her spells aren’t working, leaving her vulnerable to an attack from the evil ghost, Abaddon.

Can she convince her new friends at the Lost Souls Academy to help her work out how to get her magic back and protect her against a ghost who could easily destroy them all?

Or will they turn on her to save their own lives



Taken by Mary Brock Jones (Book 2, Arcadia) is expected to be released April.



Ethan Winter wants nothing more from life than to run his family’s solar energy business. But that business has been attacked, he’s been imprisoned and brutalised, his planet threatened, and to protect his company he must work with a woman set on fighting him every step of the way. The planet Arcadia’s environment is dangerously unbalanced and the Alliance is demanding they fix it or lose their home world. The Alliance of Human Worlds doesn’t make empty threats.

Union organiser, daughter of a workshop supervisor and a fiery politician, Sarwenna Beren is prepared for a fight from the moment Ethan Winter arrives at her remote desert town surrounded by rumours of change. He’s rich, powerful and heir to the family that owns the town’s main business, a massive solar field stretching deep into the desert. His arrival threatens the jobs of all those who have put their trust in her. Sar isn’t about to let him shut down the one place keeping her town alive.

Then a boy goes missing in the desert and they are thrown together in the search for him—only to come under attack from a strange beam and an unknown flyer that nearly kills them both. Ethan and Sarwenna must find out who is behind the mysterious attacks and why. It doesn’t help that both have their own suspicions about who is helping their attackers. Suspicions that must be kept secret, especially from each other.

You don’t betray family.




The first two books in the Phi Athanatoi series by Efthalia have new covers.


Phantasma: The Awakening, Book 1 



One night's transgression. A love unveiled. The inescapable outcome of passion and vengeance.

Carissa Alkippes is a daughter of a god but she doesn’t know it. As a cop she’s seen her fair share of bad but nothing prepared her for the horror of the world she has been plunged into.

Xen Lyson is the head of the Phi Athanatoi, a group of immortals who have been protecting man for over 2,000 years from the Kakodiamones - demons who want nothing more than to feast on humanity.

Thrown face to face with Xen during a skirmish with the demons, Carissa becomes a pawn in a deadly game of a demi-god who seeks godly power.


Buy links






Phantasia: A Bad Day on Olympus
, Book 2 



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?


Buy links










Non spec-fic


The Pentecost Island series by Annie Seaton have new covers.




Pippa, Book 1




When Pippa Carmichael inherits a house on a deserted tropical island, it couldn’t have come at a better time for her. Life’s been tough lately; she’s lost her job, given her boyfriend  the flick, and now it’s time for her to make a new start. With her two best friends, Pippa heads off to Pentecost Island to investigate her inheritance and is surprised to find there is another resident on the island. 

Reclusive author, Rafe Rendell, is not impressed when a boatload of women turns up on his island, interrupting his peaceful  existence. He is less impressed when he meets Pippa, the sassy new owner of Ma Carmichael’s sprawling house.

​​​​​​​Can these two live in harmony on the same small island, or is Pippa's dream destined to fail?






Eliza, Book 2



Eliza Pengelly has always led the life she wanted, but sometimes poor choices lead to heartbreak.
The final choice–and the biggest mistake of her life—sees her fleeing to Pentecost Island. Desperate to make a fresh start, Eliza is happy to work—and hide— on the island for as long Pippa needs a carpenter to achieve her dream. Having friends around to support her through tough times is a bonus.

But Eliza quickly learns you can’t outrun your demons. The arrival of charismatic sailor, Phillipe Renton threatens the safety of the new life Eliza is creating.

Living his life on the oceans and travelling the world, Phillipe doesn’t do relationships, but the attraction to vulnerable Eliza is impossible to resist.

Will her dark secret be revealed—a secret that could destroy any chance of happiness for her new life?


Nell, Book 3




Nell O'Leary sees the world in a logical way, and she's content managing her friend, Pippa's eco-resort. She holds a secret from her past and is painfully insecure around the opposite sex. When Nell runs into a technical problem at the resort, she contacts a computer company, and is dismayed to find the owner is her former friend, Nat Dwyer. Nat was at university with her but that's the only thing he and Nell have in common.

Even though they had once been good friends, Nat was  a womaniser—with no intention of ever settling down.When Nell asks Nat to help onsite, the help he offers takes a personal turn. But the last thing Nat expects is to fall in love with this quiet woman. Nell fights her growing feelings; there is no way she would ever trust Nat.

Can Nell overcome her lack of trust or is her past destined to cause them heartache?



Tamsin, Book 4




Tamsin Jones has invested a lot of time and energy catering at the new eco-resort developed by her friend, Pippa, on Pentecost Island. The dynamics of the work team—and their lifelong friendship has changed with the return of Eliza Pengelly and Phillipe. Tensions are running high and the official opening is imminent, so Tamsin takes a few days off and meets sexy Gabe Brown. But despite succumbing to his charm, Tamsin knows that Gabe is holding a secret. She is determined to discover why he is so interested in her.

Gabe has a task to fulfil, but Tamsin is not what he expected; the closer he gets to completing the task he has been entrusted with, the more he falls for her. It should be easy to ignore this woman and complete the task he’s been set . . . but Gabe has never been so attracted to a woman before.

When he loses Tamsin’s trust, can Gabe redeem himself and save his heart in the process?








Evie, Book 5



Evie sailed into life at Pentecost Island excited to have a place to belong after ten years of living alone on her boat. She uses her skills to landscape Ma Carmichael’s Resort and cements her friendship with the girls on the island.

When Jed Stephenson, her brother’s best friend— who also happens to be her ex-husband— turns up on Pentecost island to convince Evie it is time to go back home to her family, she is faced with a choice that may mean the difference between life and death for someone she once loved.

Can Jed break though the defences of the woman he has never stopped loving?







Cherry, Book 6



Cherry Chilcott is close to achieving her dream of being a top class chef and when she is offered a position in the restaurant at Pippa Carmichael’s new resort on Pentecost Island it is hard for her to contain her excitement.

That is, until she turns up for her first shift and her dreams turns to dust, and her excitement soon fades after a screaming match with the knife-wielding head chef.

Angus Alexander is fuming; the position on Pentecost Island is his last shot at making his mark as a top class chef, and he refuses to have it sabotaged by Cherry, who was responsible for the failure of his last venture.

He'd thought he loved her, but it ended badly—very badly.

Cherry vows to stay calm, ignore Angus Alexander and learn as much as she can.

But can Cherry ignore the sparks that still ignite between them, and can Angus learn to trust the woman he once loved?







Odessa, Book 7


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 Rafe if Odessa can come to Pentecost Island to hasten her recovery, and hopefully restore her confidence. Rafe 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?









FREE READ


Inking Eagle by Khloe Wren (Book 1, Charon MC) is FREE until 16 March.


The sins of her father will be her undoing… unless a hero rides to her rescue.

As the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks nears, Silk struggles to avoid all reminders of the day she was orphaned. She's working hard in her tattoo shop, Silky Ink, and working even harder to keep her eyes and her hands off her bodyguard, Eagle. She'd love to forget her sorrows in his strong arms.

But Eagle is a prospect in the Charon MC, and her uncle is the VP. As a Daughter of the Club, she's off limits to the former Marine. But not for long. As soon as he patches in, he intends to claim Silk for his old lady. He'll wear her ink, and she'll wear his patch.

Too late, they learn that Silk's father had dark secrets, ones that have lived beyond his grave.

When demons from the past come for Silk, Eagle will need all the skills he learned in the Marines to get his woman back safe, and keep her that way.



Get a copy from:




Dragon Lore 
contains the novel Shatterwing by Donna Maree Hanson and was released 20 November 2020.



A collection of nine novels featuring dragons.

The Bastard Prince - Patty Jansen

The Black Egg - James E. Wisher

Dragon Storm - Lindsay Buroker

Embellish - Demelza Carlton

The Blue Dragon - Salvador Mercer

Dragon’s Future - Kandi J. Wyatt

Blood of Requiem - Daniel Arenson

Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns - Craig A. Price Jr.

Shatterwing - Donna Maree Hanson





~~~

Congratulations to our DarkSiders.

Thanks for joining us. Until next time...


Thursday 11 March 2021

Magic Thursday: A Bite of... Enchanted Dreams with Eleni Konstantine (with giveaway)

Today we have a flash fiction story taken from the short story collection 'Enchanted Dreams'. (The story was originally published on the e-zine site, Antipodean SF in Issue 165, March 2012).



Strange Brew

What the?

I rubbed my eyes, getting my bearings. I was in my bed all right, but a glowing wizard floated at the end of it.

No way!

I rubbed my eyes again. I had to be dreaming. The hobbit-sized wizard had his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he concentrated on the clipboard he held. And then it hit me. The smell of stale beer. This wizard was drunk. Not a sentence you expect to mutter to yourself in the middle of the night I tell you, but the man was as drunk as a skunk.

I cleared my throat, deciding to go with the flow of this dream. The wizard looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

“You're awake.”

I didn't respond.

He looked back down on the clipboard, a finger trailing the page. “Sarah?”

I shook my head.

He frowned and looked back down. “Madison?”

“Again, I shook my head. He shifted as if he was uncomfortable. And then he let out a loud burp. And I mean loud enough for the bed to vibrate. And yep, his lovely stale beer breath rolled over me.

I couldn't help it; I had to hold my nose. “'oly 'ell!”

The wizard's face turned crimson. “Apologies. I was summoned to work at the last minute. Mangus was called away on a family matter. Now to the matter at hand.”

Again, he concentrated on the clipboard. “Mangus has atrocious handwriting.”

“The fact that you're pissed couldn't have anything to do with it?”

The wizard held his head high. “Of course not.” His dignity was spoiled by the burp that followed.

I tried not to laugh, but seriously, this whole dream was getting way too weird. “Look I don't usually dream so vividly. It's been fun but strange.”

“You think you are in a dream?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Let me see, there's a hobbit-sized drunk wizard floating at the end of my bed. So, hell yeah!”

The wizard gave me a long look. “So you were not expecting us for induction. Curious. What is your name?”

“Lizzie.”

He studied the clipboard, turning the page over, his large fuzzy eyebrows turning into a V shape. He ran a hand through his long beard.

“There is no Lizzie here. But how can this be? This is 501 Flats Road?”

“Actually, it's 501b Flats Road.”

His eyebrows drew up at that. “And who is at 501a?”

“Maddy.”

A look of understanding passed his features. “A mix-up. Sorry to trouble you.” And with a flash of colour, he was gone.

I shook my head to clear this ridiculous dream from my head. In the morning though, I found a clipboard on the floor.

Scrawled on a list in atrocious handwriting was: Madison, 501 Flats Road.

Huh, so there had been a hobbit-sized wizard in my room. What do you know? Maddy was an inductee to his magical world.

I readied for work, putting the bulky rabbit costume in the car. Some people get all the luck.




Enchanted Dreams

Be transported to fantastical worlds in this collection of nineteen speculative fiction shorts of previously published works and new stories.  From wizards to magic mirrors, dragons to ghosts, minions to goddesses, space ships to diamond slippers, there's an enchanting tale right for you.


To get a FREE copy, click HERE (for a limited time).


~~

Eleni Konstantine writes speculative fiction and has had a number of short stories published.

Her love of reading comes from her avid reader mum. As a child, illustrated fairy tales and Greek mythology opened up a world of wonder for Eleni. She was bitten by the story bug which soon turned into the writing bug. She finds something enchanting about escaping the world she knows and entering another one. Magic, dragons, wizards, fairies, witches, unicorns, vampires and other mythical creatures have always fascinated her. What's not to like when anything can happen? Sprinkle in a romance and a happy ending and she’s on cloud nine.

Eleni has a love of chocolate (of course!), fizzy drinks, coffee and relishes her afternoon naps. She lives in South Australia with her family and is human to a sassy Rottweiler.


Tuesday 2 March 2021

DarkSider News for March 2021!

 

Welcome!

Time to get a cuppa, sit back, relax and enjoy our latest news...






ARRA AWARDS NOMINATIONS




Congratulations to the following DarkSiders who have been nominated for an ARRA Award.

in Favourite Paranormal Romance 2020
Salvation by Christina Phillips
The Longing of Lone Wolves by Lana Pecherczyk

 



in Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance 2020
Blackbird Rising by Keri Arthur
Mutant Unveiled by Mel Teshco
Sorcery and Sandstorms by Samantha Marshall








in Favourite Historical Romance 2020
An Unsuitable Lady for a Lord by Cathleen Ross




in Favourite small-town romance 2020
Montana Son by Juanita Kees





You can see the full list on the ARRA blog. Winners will be announced at a special online awards ceremony on Saturday 20 March 2021. 










NEW RELEASES


Magic Misled by Keri Arthur (Book 7, Lizze Grace) was released 23 February.



Her husband might be dead, but her problems are far from over.

Lizzie Grace had hoped that Clayton’s death would bring some normality back into her life. But not only does her father remain intent on interfering now that he knows she can manipulate wild magic, but the High Witch Council has sent in an investigator to uncover her part in Clayton’s murder.

But a bigger threat has arrived on the reservation.

One that wears flesh and blood, and is intent on revenge.

And it’ll kill anyone who gets in its way…







The Secrets in Shadow and Blood by Lana Pecherczyk (Book 4, Fae Guardians) was released on 22 February. 


In the shadows, vision can turn blurry. Truths can become lies. Enemies can become lovers.

When Violet inexplicably wakes thousands of years after a nuclear holocaust, she finds the world very different. Fae exist now. They’re vicious, animalistic monsters who pervert magic and can morph into any shape—including vampires. They hoard the bounty of the new world, and keep humans banished to the wasteland. At least, that’s what the humans of today have told her. Determined to make up for an unforgivable mistake in her past, she becomes a covert assassin and seeks revenge for her human brethren. And she’s good at it. But when the thing she hunts saves her life, injuring himself in the process… her crystal clarity suddenly becomes blurry.

Vampires are meant to be monsters, not protectors… not charismatic, annoyingly handsome and loyal and… everything.

Indigo is a Fae Guardian, and a ruthless vampire protector of Elphyne. The Order has tasked him with finding a human with deadly secrets before the unhinged Unseelie Queen, or the fanatical human leader, can exploit her. They chose him for one reason, and one reason only – the taste of human blood does things to him. Addictive, dark, insatiable things. And when he catches Violet’s scent, they know he’ll do everything in his power to covet her and keep her safe. But Indigo hides his own shameful secret in the shadows of his heart, and if it ever comes to light, Violet will never trust him. She’ll kill him.









All Shot to Hell 
by Mila Young 
and Harper A. Brooks (Book 3, Sin Demons) was released 25 February.



Playing devil's advocate with three demons? There's no way I am ever going to win.

Things were finally going right for us. We got the relics back. We defeated the dragon. I thought we’d won. But we’ve ended up losing so much more…

Cain’s severely wounded, and I don’t know how to save him. Losing him shouldn’t bother me, but it does. A lot.

Elias and Dorian have a plan: seek out help from people who wield the darkest and cruelest of magic. We soon find that the only one with enough power to bring the Prince of Hell back from death is a master of death itself. But nothing can be done for free and the price has us traveling across the world and facing a slew of new dangers, ones none of us are prepared for.

Even with everything shot to hell, the demons remain a constant temptation I don’t need. Being with them only seems to fan the flames, but letting me go depends on finding all of Hell’s relics.

And if I’m being honest, I’m not sure what I’ll do once my soul is freed.



Buy links






When Evil Came to Stay by Imogene Nix was released 22 February.  



For Erin McNally, that includes working alongside David. He’s the one man she wants and can never have. Too much separates them —Position, Money & Power are just the beginning.

For David, Erin is the woman he dreams of and burns for. After she’s hurt in a horror incident his protective instincts kick into overdrive. 

But the times are dangerous—the kids are growing in power, there’s someone in the camp who’s betraying them and the danger is acute.  

Success isn’t assured, and neither is their survival… Love may be their only hope.







Star of Ishtar by Imogene Nix (Book 1, Warriors of the Elector) was re-released on 1 March. 


The first time Elara laid eyes on Grayson was when he rescued her from the clutches of a madman and his scientists who were kidnapping humans and conducting horrific experiments on them. That was years ago. In spite of her attempts to deepen their relationship, they remained nothing more than close friends.

Now Elara is a medic with the Admiralty, and she knows what she wants. It's been Grayson since the beginning. When Elara is stationed on the Star of Ishtar, she arrives with a plan to further her career. But this time her plan has an added bonus—to finally get her man.

Grayson's spent years fighting the connection between himself and Elara. He's certain it only exist because he saved her life. But his will is failing, and he fears he just might give in to temptation.





Storm of Eon by Anna Hackett (Book 7, Eon Warriors) was released on 19 January. 


When a Terran weapons scientist finds herself the target of deadly alien assassins, only one fierce alien warrior can keep her safe.

Weapons scientist Dr. Finley Delgado wants to get her new laser defense weapon operational to protect Earth from the insectoid Kantos invasion. She has to make this work. She’s failed in the past and people paid with their lives, and she won’t fail again. What she doesn’t need is a big, brawny warrior that Space Corps orders her to work with getting in her way. Finley wants her solitude, not a massive distraction in the shape of a tall, hard Eon warrior.

Security Commander Sabin Solann-Ath is a warrior through and through, like his entire family before him. He’s disciplined, dedicated, and hiding a dark secret he’d prefer to keep buried. He won’t allow anyone or anything to disrupt his control. When he’s ordered to Earth to help with a secret weapon, he vows to do everything he can to help their allies, even work with a statuesque, prickly scientist. He and Finley get off to a rocky start…but when the Kantos send a team of assassins after Finley, Sabin will do anything to protect her.

Sent to a secret facility deep in the Australian desert, Finely and Sabin are drawn closer and closer. She sees beyond the warrior to the man, and he uncovers a passionate woman. But Finley threatens everything Sabin has fought hard to control, and as they fight off the devious Kantos, they both will face the demons of their pasts.

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Soul of Eon by Anna Hackett (Book 8, Eon Warriors) was released on 16 February. 



The last thing she expects is an instant mating with a handsome alien warrior…just before they are abducted by the deadly Kantos.

Commander Kaira Chand of the Australian Air Force knows the meaning of loss. She lost both her beloved husband and her father over recent years, and she vows never to let a man close again. As head of security for a secret weapons facility in the Australian desert, she’s fighting to protect the scientists working to defend Earth from invasion. That includes working with their allies, the Eon Warriors. What she never expected in her wildest dreams was to find herself instantly mated to a handsome, silver fox alien warrior.

Medical Commander Thane Kann-Eon lives to heal. He’s dedicated to keeping his crew aboard the warship, the Rengard, whole and healthy. Unlike his fellow warriors, he knows he’ll never mate. There hasn’t been a mating in his family for generations. Then a petite Terran commander changes everything. He’s instantly drawn to Kaira, and as soon as their hands touch, he’s stunned by the deluge of emotion that crashes over him. An unheard-of instant mating.

In the midst of their shocking connection, Kaira and Thane find themselves abducted by a Kantos strike team. Taken aboard a battlecruiser, they soon realize the insectoid aliens nabbed the wrong couple, and they are marked for execution. Now they face a wild race for survival that will take them to a distant, deadly world. They’ll both struggle with their raw, intense mating bond, against the backdrop of a Kantos proving ground where everything is out to kill them.








Princess Avenger by Bernadette Rowley (Book 1, The Queenmaker Saga) was released in audio in February.



A princess in disguise. A shifter with a hidden agenda. Will they uncover the truth in time for romance to blossom?

Alecia Zialni has sworn revenge against her father for having her first love murdered. Masquerading as a man to pursue her vendetta, the prince’s headstrong daughter is soon in over her head. And when her handsome rescuer is assigned as her protector, her secret double life becomes complicated by their rapidly growing chemistry.

Captain Vard Anton struggles to control his budding lust for the determined princess he’s supposed to defend. And as an animal shapeshifter charged with killing her father, he knows he can never reveal his true identity. But the violent beast form he cannot master threatens to expose him and risk her safety.

As her feelings for Vard continue to bloom, Alecia is devastated when she’s betrothed to a lecherous lord. And wracked with guilt over his ultimate mission, Vard fears there is no way for them to ever be together. But her obsession with vengeance may be the death of them both…

Can Alecia and Vard topple a tyrant to join their destinies and their hearts?
Buy The Servant’s Grace for the final battle against tyranny today!


Buy links









Non spec-fic



The Dating Phase by Claire Boston is a short story that was re-released soon on 20 December 2020.


Miriam Bryant has spent the past twenty-five years raising her children, the last ten on her own after her beloved husband died. She’s successful and content with her life, but a chance encounter with a handsome man prior to her daughter’s wedding sets all the butterflies whirling.
She hasn’t dated since she was a teenager, since her Scott swept her off her feet. But is she prepared to move into the next phase of her life – the dating phase?


Buy links





The Troubleshooter by Anna Hackett (Book 2, Norcross Security) was released in audio format 22 December 2020.



Never, ever fall for your brother’s annoying, infuriating, gorgeous best friend. 

Gia Norcross’ life is exactly how she likes it. She has a successful PR firm in San Francisco, a beautiful apartment, a loving family of overprotective brothers, and her fabulous designer shoe collection. Perfection. Sure, occasionally she has to deal with her aggravating nemesis who happens to be her brother’s best friend. Saxon Buchanan: former Delta Force, tall, rich, handsome, bossy, and knows how to work her last nerve. 

She’ll never, ever admit to anyone that most days, she isn’t sure if she wants to punch the arrogant, tattooed, suit-wearing know-it-all…or kiss him. 

After a military career spent in a covert special ops team doing hard, dirty, and very classified missions, Saxon Buchanan is happy working at Norcross Security as the company’s top troubleshooter. He also enjoys the perks of civilian life. That includes sparring with smart, sexy Gia of the wide brown eyes, luscious curves, and sharp tongue. He’s spent half his life fighting the pull of his best friend’s little sister. 

But seeing a man aim a gun at Gia changes everything. 

When Gia’s troubled childhood best friend drags her into a really, really bad situation, soon bullets are flying, precious gemstones are missing, and Gia’s in danger. Saxon’s done pushing away the one woman he’s ever wanted. He’ll do everything to protect her, and he’s not letting anything get in his way: not the bad guys, not his best friend, and especially not Gia. 






Mission: Her Justice by Anna Hackett (Book 8, Team 52) was released in audio format 12 February.



When a dangerous redhead invades his office and his base, and warns that his team is in danger, Director Jonah Grayson doesn’t know if she’s friend or foe.

Former elite Army aviator Jonah Grayson was forced to give up flying, but now serves as director of the covert black ops team, Team 52. He takes care of the brass in Washington D.C. to ensure his team can do their job: keeping the world safe from dangerous, ancient artifacts. But when he’s confronted by a tough, skilled, mysterious redhead with a warning that his team is being targeted, he’ll do whatever it takes in order to find out who she is and what she wants.

Evan Fletcher’s life has imploded. She’s on the run, been labeled a rogue and traitor, and she knows a very bad, powerful man has Team 52 in his sights. He’s after a deadly artifact and wants the team out of his way…but Evan plans to stop him. She’ll use all of her particular skill set to bring him down, clear her name, and protect Team 52…and that includes the team’s handsome, oh-so-tempting director.

Surrounded by danger at every turn, Evan and Jonah are drawn to each in ways they can’t explain. To keep Team 52 safe, stop the enemy, and find justice for Evan, they will put everything on the line. But when you’re under fire, trust is hard, and falling in love is even harder










PRE-ORDERS



Broken Bonds by Keri Arthur (Book 8, Lizzie Grace) is expected to be released 26 October. Amazon pre-order links are now available.


A new evil intent on bloody revenge has stepped onto the Faelan Werewolf Reservation. But the biggest threat to Lizzie’s life comes in the form of the werewolf who once held Aiden’s heart…


Pre-Order links





Blackbird Croned by Keri Arthur (Book 3, Witch Crown) is expected to be released 3 April. 


On the darkest day, in the darkest hour, when all hope has been extinguished, the Blackbirds will rise, a hand will draw the true sword, and a lost throne shall be reclaimed...










Non spec-fic




Return to Retribution Bay by Claire Boston (Book 1, Aussie Heroes: Retribution Bay) is expected to be released 1 May.



They’ve both had their fair share of tragedy. Now the only way to heal could be to catch a killer.

Sergeant Brandon Stokes hasn’t been able to face his family for over a decade. But when his parents are killed in an accident on their remote sheep station, the guilt-ridden soldier must face his demons and return home. He’s unprepared for the gutsy female drifter who seems determined to help him reunite with his estranged family.

Amy Hammond has been running since she was fifteen. Now she’s finally found the stability she’s craved with employers who treated her like a daughter. But with her bosses’ sudden death and the arrival of their handsome military hero son, her head and heart are thrown into chaos.

Distrusting Amy’s real agenda, Brandon is forced to team up with her when they uncover evidence that his parents’ demise was no accident. And though Amy knows she needs to win the hunky sergeant’s trust, the sinister turn of events makes her fear any chance of love could be cut fatally short.

Will the troubled couple expose a murderer in their midst before they become the next victims?

Return to Retribution Bay is the thrilling first book in the Aussie Heroes: Retribution Bay romantic suspense series. If you like military hunks, plucky women, and striking Australian settings, then you’ll adore Claire Boston’s page-turning adventure.









ANTHOLOGIES


Star Crossed: an anthology of romantic science fiction contains the story O, swear not by the moon by JL Peridot and will be released 26 April. 



Far From Home by B.K. Bass
Descendants of humanity with a forgotten history orbit a distant star. When their first astronaut travels to a cloud- and mystery-shrouded moon, will he unlock a bright future or unveil secrets of their past?

Slow Recovery by Ian Martínez Cassmeyer
When Dr. Juan Ramos awakes in the starship medical bay, unable to recall how he ended up there, he becomes determined to regain his memories, but as he does, what other dark details will those memories reveal?

Branded by Renée Gendron
Sergeant Major Emerlynne Turner uncovers a plot to blow up Archimedes Station. Can she trust deep cover Station Constable Dallin Iliev with her heart?

Exiled by D.W. Hitz
After crash-landing on an alien planet, Keven must search for his missing love. The journey may bring him closer to her in ways neither of them expects.

The Arrangement by Pamela James
A young woman is at a crossroads. Does she choose a life good for her family, or good for her?

Ascension by Nikki Mitchell
Mysterious black objects hurtle into the planet, Terra, two decades after its inhabitants freed themselves from enslavement by another planet’s race. As the world around them falls to rock and fire, an ace lesbian couple must rely on their love for one another to stoke their determination to survive.

O, swear not by the moon by J.L. Peridot
A tale of a neurally entangled love that crosses the boundary between worlds.

Honor, Duty, Love by L. A. Stinnett
“Honor, Duty, Love” is the story of two lovers on the last day on his homeworld before they’re banished for good. They face an uncertain future but know their love will carry them through.

 
Edited by and Renée Gendron
Cover design by J.L. Peridot


Order details to come.






COVER REVEAL



The Virgin Hunt Games volume 3 by Mel Teshco (Book 3, The Virgin Hunt Games) is expected to be released 15 March.





The Final Dawn by Jess Anastasi (Book 5, Atropy) is expected to be released 21 March.

They will fight until the last star burns out...

Rian Sherron is a lot of things. Captain of the spaceship Imojenna. Ex-war hero. Ex-assassin. For years, he's traveled from one end of the galaxy to the other, both trying to escape his demons and get revenge on the shape-shifting aliens responsible for his slow demise into hell.

That all changed the day Rian rescued an Arynian priestess from slave traders. Ella Kinton is everything Rian both fears and admires. Ella is everything he never let himself admit he wanted. Together, they must face a harrowing choice—come together and defeat Reidar, or fall apart, leaving the universe in total chaos.



The Druid Chronicles by Christina Phillips have new covers.


Forbidden, Book 1 




Between a warrior and a princess comes an all-consuming love that transcends the hatred between their warring worlds...

Determined to do whatever she can to rid her beloved land of the barbarian Romans, Carys, a druid acolyte, defies the order of her High Priest to remain within their safe enclave. She escapes to help her oppressed people, only to be captured by a dangerous, battle-scarred centurion.

Charged by his emperor to eliminate the powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus doesn't expect his mission to be thwarted by the clan's ethereal princess, Carys. Unaware of her true heritage, he's enchanted by her beauty and intrigued by her bravery, and while he wants nothing more than to protect her, he reluctantly releases her.

Shaken by the encounter, Carys can't forget the fearless warrior and is convinced her beloved goddess brought Maximus to her for a reason. Although he's the enemy of her people she can't stay away, but their clandestine assignations threaten more than their lives.

As Carys' loyalties are twisted, and freedom is no longer her single-minded obsession, the avenging High Druid plans to crush Maximus' people into oblivion. With time running out, Carys and Maximus must overcome the devastation of war and face the ultimate sacrifice if their forbidden love is to survive.

Previously published by Penguin US


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Captive
, Book 2 





A Druid priestess falls for the wrong man – the warrior who’s taken her prisoner…

Hungry for revenge, Druid acolyte Morwyn turns her back on her goddess and vows to fight the Roman invaders. But before she can join up with the rebels, she’s captured by a tough Gaul mercenary.

Bren, pledged to the true Briton king, has spent three years undercover in the Roman Legion. When his own unit attacks a fiery Celtic beauty, he saves her the only way he can – by claiming her as his prisoner. He knows he can’t trust her but, as her icy disdain thaws, her quick wit and infectious laugh lighten his blackened soul and he craves for the chance of a normal life–with her.

Infuriated yet intrigued by her captor, Morwyn can’t help falling for his gruff charms and rare smile. He’s her enemy but he has honor and the longer they’re together the less she believes in his brutal reputation. He’s her Gaul, and in the black of night, in his arms, she dreams of a future together.

But the wrath of a spurned goddess echoes through the land and Morwyn and Bren need to overcome their past, put their trust in each other and face their deepest fears for the chance to survive in a fractured world.

Previously published by Penguin US in 2011


Buy links




Enslaved
, Book 3 





When a Druid priestess falls for her Roman captor she’s torn between her duty to her goddess and her love for the enemy…

When Druid priestess Nimue is injured and enslaved by the hated Roman Legion she’s determined to escape and complete her covert mission for her beloved goddess, to eradicate the invaders from her land.

But the tough warrior who captures her is far from the brutal barbarian she expects. Instead, Tacitus turns all her prejudices inside out, and it’s hard to remember he’s her enemy when she craves his touch more than her next breath. Her first loyalty is to her goddess, and she can’t afford to forget it.

Tacitus is enchanted by the fiery beauty who shows no fear and challenges him at every turn. Though enslaving her goes against his heart, it’s the only way he can protect her. As a fragile trust grows between them, he believes they can have a future together. But when he discovers the depth of her betrayal, his loyalties are torn between his heritage and a woman who could destroy everything he’s ever believed in.

Previously published as Betrayed in 2013



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Tainted
, Book 4




A dangerous love Rome will never allow…

Driven by the knowledge he failed to protect his king, Druid warrior Gawain abandons his gods and vows to destroy the Roman invaders by any means possible.

Nothing and no one is more important than protecting his fellow Druids from the enemy until he meets the beautiful Roman patrician, Antonia. She is everything he’s never wanted in a woman, yet she fascinates him like no other. Despite the danger of discovery he embarks on an illicit liaison with her, determined to uncover the reason for the infinite sorrow that haunts her eyes.

Newly arrived in Britannia from Rome, Antonia is inexplicably drawn to the cold, tough Celt. His touch stirs a passion she long thought died at the hands of her brutal former husband and his unexpected tenderness thaws her frozen heart. But she hides a deadly secret that could be her undoing, and knows her growing feelings for him can lead nowhere. Yet when a shadow from her past threatens her future Antonia is torn between the Empire of her birth and betraying Gawain, the man she’s grown to love.

Previously published in 2013


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The Druid Chronicles box set is now available.
 





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Non spec-fic


The Blackbridge First Response series by Claire Boston has been merged with the Blackbridge Series and is now books 5-8 of the series, and have new covers.



Shelter, Book 5


She’s desperate to fit in. He’s searching for forgiveness. Can they break their emotional chains to free true love?

Border Force Agent Zamira does everything by the book. But when she hears rumors of a missing friend held captive, she opts to ditch the rules and go rogue. Met with suspicion upon her arrival in Blackbridge, she sweet-talks a handsome resident and watches sparks fly at exactly the wrong time…

Jeremy volunteers to fight fires to atone for his father’s death. With his feelings heavily guarded, he’s surprised when the beautiful Zamira sets his heart racing. But after the agent’s quest puts them both in harm’s way, he hopes the dangerous hunt won’t cost him yet another person he loves.

As shadowy figures track Zamira’s every move, finding her friend may mean ignoring the deepest connection she’s ever felt.

Can Zamira and Jeremy liberate the girl and free their hearts?

Shelter is the fifth book in the enthralling Blackbridge romantic suspense series. If you like wounded heroes, small-town Australian settings, and fast-paced action, then you’ll love Claire Boston’s gripping tale.



Shield, Book 6


His life is in danger. But the only man who can protect him is afraid to go public…

Blackbridge, Western Australia. Jamie Zanetti holds his secret close to his chest. Fearing that coming out as bisexual will ruin his small-town teaching career, he represses desires he’d rather explore. But when his handsome high-school crush Elijah returns and joins him in the volunteer emergency service, the attraction may be too much to resist.

Elijah Johnson knows where his heart lies. And after eight years of soul-searching across Europe, he’s finally ready to settle down with Mr. Right. But Elijah refuses to have a clandestine relationship, no matter how delicious Jamie’s lips feel.

While they’re thrown together in dramatic rescues, Jamie is torn apart as he fights to hide his growing feelings. But the truth might be the only thing that saves them both when Elijah stumbles upon a sinister local crime ring…

Can Jamie and Elijah expose a deadly gang of thieves and move their love into the open?


Harbour, Book 7


She doesn’t love him anymore. But if she leaves him, she might pay the ultimate price…

Alyse Wilson can’t remember the last time she felt safe in her own home. And after years of her abusive partner laundering money through her business, she doesn’t see any way out. But when rough seas threaten to sink her small craft, she’s stunned when she’s plucked from the waves by an old high-school friend.

Marine Rescue Officer Kim On will never forget the day he lost Alyse. And when he unexpectedly finds himself pulling her into his arms from the depths, he can tell she needs saving from more than just choppy waters. So he vows to do whatever it takes to help her escape, unaware his rival is willing to employ deadly force to keep her in his power.

Gaining a glimpse of a life outside a toxic relationship, Alyse prepares a case to ensure her cruel partner’s arrest. And though he realizes he’s falling for his former crush all over again, Kim worries the closer they get, the more peril she’s in.

Can Alyse and Kim break the hold of a controlling man without it costing their lives?


Protect, Book 8


She’ll do anything to defend her family. He must keep her out of a deadly crossfire. Are they destined for love or doomed to die?



Accountant Olivia Demidenko puts her trust in numbers. And her mind for detail is certain there is more to her cousin’s death at the hands of drug dealers. So with the cops warning her off, Olivia’s intuition tells her this case needs a thorough audit.


Adam Marshall can’t shake the guilt from killing a man in the line of duty. Already struggling to feel worthy of his badge, he’s faced with a civilian poking around in his dangerous investigation. And just as he starts falling for her, he discovers a vengeful kingpin could have the innocent woman in his sights.


Though she can work the evidence for leads to her cousin’s killer, Olivia can’t quite decipher Adam’s intentions. And when Adam digs up the last detail needed for the arrest, he’s terrified he’s staring down the barrel of another tragic ending.


Will the digits add up for this unlikely pair of detectives, or is this a fatal attraction?



Buy links 
for all the books are on The Blackbridge series page.





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Thanks for joining us. Until next time...


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