2024 COVERS

Lawless In Leather
Winterfall Destiny
Mated to the sapphic orc
Fae's Fate
Broken: A Romantic Science Fiction Eco Adventure
Wolf's Prize
Knightqueen
Wicked Ways
Unbreak My Heart
Curiosity Killed the Vampire
From Across the Sea
Angel In Armani
Edge of Night
The Witch's Tangle
Three Vampires And A Baby
Banshee, Death and Disarray: Holly Harrow: A Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Damaris: A Scifi Alien Romance
The Shattered Court
Moon Blessed
Falling for Mr. Fake It

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 January 2024

DarkSider News: January 2024 - Part 2!

     


“Books are the mirrors of the soul.”
―Virginia Woolf




CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATE!

Imogene Nix

Congratulations to Imogene who has achieved her Masters of Communication!



AWARDS

L.A. Monteiro

L.A. finalled in equal third place in Romance Writers of Australia's Spicy Bites: Batteries competition. 


















L.A. also finalled in the inaugural Diversions Anthology: Lights.


















NEW RELEASES



Blood Kissed
Book 1, Lizzie Grace
Keri Arthur
Released: 11 December in Hardcover


In a world where magic and science sit side by side, and powerful witches are considered necessary aides for all governments, Lizzie Grace is something of an outlier. Though born into one the most powerful blue blood witch families, she wants nothing to do with either her past or her magic.

But when she and Belle, her human familiar and best friend, open a small cafe in the Faelan werewolf reservation, she quickly finds herself enmeshed in the hunt for a vampire intent on wreaking bloody havoc. It’s a hunt that soon becomes personal, and one that is going to take all her skills to survive–that’s if the werewolves, who hate all things witch, don’t get her first.

Buy

Australia - signed copies can be purchased direct from Keri. 
Contact via email: keriarthurauthor@gmail.com





Killer's Kiss
Book 11, Lizzie Grace
Keri Arthur
Released: December in audio format



Narrator: Katherine Littrell
Listening length: 9.2 hours

An ancient vampire has returned to Castle Rock, and with her comes an even older evil intent on revenge…

After tumultuous events in Canberra forced Lizzie Grace to confront her demons—literal and figurative—she returns to Castle Rock, hoping the stalemate with Aiden O’Connor can finally be resolved.

Of course, for that to happen, she first has to talk to the man, and Lizzie is fighting a major case of cowardice.

But cowardice holds no weight against the force of evil, and this one has a specific target in mind—Maelle Defour, the vampire Lizzie has an uneasy relationship with.

As Aiden steps up to fight for everything he wants—including Lizzie—darkness is unleashed on the reservation. One that can turn those who look at it into stone.

But the greatest threat to Lizzie might not be the demon or the vampires creating bloody chaos, but the wild magic itself. 

Because the wellspring is out of control, and the only way to stop it is to invoke an ancient ritual.

One that might kill the precious child she carries.

get 20% off, code on the site 

Other Retailers




Tangle With the Mages
Seasonal Spice Novella
L.A. Monteiro
Released: 10 January


Cassia will do anything to ensure her old coven can't control her. She's even willing to strike a deal with the arrogant mage next door, although she'd rather deal with his dangerously sexy brother. What she didn't expect is their pet vine Irene tying her up in their garden, because Irene thinks the brothers are lonely, and the witch next door is the answer.

This spicy fantasy romance involves bondage, mind melding, and instalove. This short and delicious romantica from the Seasonal Spice series is easy to devour and sure to satisfy.








The Sinner and the Gunslinger
Book 2, Sinner Sisterhood
Lana Pecherczyk
Released: 26 December


Narrated by: Kat Riley, Shawn K. Jain
Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

The age of sin is here…

Chased by evil her whole life, Leila was accused of lighting the fire that killed her beloved foster brother, Zeke. Now, she's one of the badass assassins fated to wield holy relics that will stop the apocalypse. When Zeke turns up alive, handsome as the devil and working for her rivals, she's forced to confront her worst fear… is she evil? Why else would he fake his death and abandon her?

Burdened by guilt, Zeke joined Team Saint as a gunslinging demon hunter to pursue a path of redemption. He failed everyone in his life… including the only girl he ever loved, his foster sister Leila. When an ancient prophecy drops him back into her life, he realizes he has a second chance at making things right. Easier said than done when she would rather he stayed dead.

As Lilith's dark plan unfolds, Zeke and Leila are forced together on a desperate quest for a weapon that will stop the Horseman of War. Past wounds reopen, sins are confronted, trust is shattered, and passions ignite. With lies circling like sharks, their newly forged love could be the salvation the world needs… or the downfall of them all.

For fans of Buffy and Supernatural, this spicy paranormal romance weaves a tale of second chances, foster sibling bonds, and the struggle to reconcile secrets and lies. If you're drawn to stories of forbidden love, ancient prophecies, demon-hunting road trips, and the power of trust, immerse yourself in this captivating series about bad girls saving the world and the tortured heroes who captivate their hearts. Intended for mature listeners.






Of Pixies and Promises
Book 6.5, Fae Guardians
Lana Pecherczyk
Released: 27 December


Dive into Elphyne, protect the gully, and fall in love.

As a lethal Reaper, Sid kills monstrous fae. He’s spent his life blocking the little voice in his head saying his loyalties are misplaced. But humans can't be wrong. It’s the fae who hoard the earth’s bounty and banish humanity to live behind cold gray walls. But when a lone, captivating pixie dares to face his soldiers pillaging her forest, he knows his priorities are about to shift.

On the eve of her coronation, Princess Nyra feels less than worthy when her wings refuse to make pixie dust. Without it, she can’t choose a consort, let alone receive the power required to keep her gully safe. When she stumbles across humans illegally mining her precious forest, she wants to prove she’s still worthy of protecting her people... with or without a consort.

But her sabotage backfires, and her handsome enemy unexpectedly saves her life. Suddenly shrunk to bug size and without magic, they’re forced to trust each other to survive the perilous journey home. With each step, their forbidden attraction grows. But when one is lying and a promise is broken, the gully won’t be the only thing in danger of becoming a wasteland. Nyra’s heart will never flourish again.

This novella was originally published in the BABE anthology.


This is free for subscribers






Dead to Me
Book 2, Thornwood Academy
LJ Swallow
Released: December in audio format



Narrator: Shakira Shute and Steve Campbell
Length: 6 hours 54 mins

Thornwood Academy is everything I could never wish for and less.

In the short time since father dearest dumped me here, I've collected a couple of murder accusations, a deadly witch bond with one guy, and a thirst for the blood of another. Good grief. What next?

I'm neck-deep in investigations to clear my name, and as I peel away each layer of facade from town and academy life I discover more shady connections between supes and humans.

The local business mogul and his vampire attorney. The mysterious talismans bestowed on the sons of influential families. Shifters with a vendetta against almost everyone. It's the murder-mystery gift that keeps on giving.

This witch bond with Rowan? Disaster. Our lives and magic are forever linked, and the bond unleashed something terrifying. Not only the psychopathic hybrid I’ve suppressed, but something infinitely worse—my mother's gentler half. Emotions. Empathy. Occasional kind gestures. A nightmare.

Then there’s the small issue with Grayson. Following one unintentional bite of his hand, I’m craving the blood of a vampire who's fixated on tasting mine. And Leif? I’m not-so-eagerly waiting to see what twist of fate might bring me closer to him too as I help him with his shifter problem.

Which is all distracting me from what’s important. Death. One more murder and the town officially has a serial killer. I’ve an inkling who’s pulling the strings, and another killing would be disastrous for me and the stability of the supernatural world. And I suppose the third murder wouldn't be the best outcome for the victim either.

As Thornwood Academy's own dark and deadly detective, I need to crack this case before Dorian’s council crumbles and a war begins. Then I can solve the problem created by my new and confusing relationships with the guys. If they survive long enough.

Dead to Me is the second book in Thornwood Academy, a new supernatural academy series from LJ Swallow, author of the bestselling Nightworld Academy books.

The series features a smart, sarcastic girl who’s not afraid to use her dark side to solve a murder or two, a school where humans mix with vampires and witches, a town with supernatural secrets, and the three guys who she'd like to keep alive.

Thornwood Academy is a slow-burn romance… almost as glacial as our unhinged heroine. Book One must be listened to first.








Non Spec-Fic


My Vacation Fling
Book 2, Aussie Heartthrobs 
Maggie Rose
Released: 23 December


Ellie's husband had been cheating on her before he died. Now, she needs to try new things.

Her friends think a nude swim will be a great start to push her limits. That is, until she bumps into a long-haired naked Adonis. Adam was more than happy to save the redhead whose legs were wrapped around his middle. Could this be the start of something fun. Two people with pasts that have scarred them for love, just want a fling. After all, they have seen each other naked already. After a night of passion, they never expect to see each other again. Then Ellie inherits a home in a small seaside town and gets a shock when her rescuer turns up across the street. Will he think she is stalking him. Can they have more than a vacation fling?






Moving on With Mr. Fix It
Book 1, Hope Bay
Helen Walton
Released: 12 January
Currently at special price of for 99c


Live. Laugh. Move on.

Madeline
Moving to the small town beachside of Hope Bay couldn’t have come at a better time after my separation. What I didn’t count on living next door to my sister was dog-sitting her naughty beagle and the catastrophe he causes.
Nor did I count on a handsome man coming to my rescue and the instant attraction between us.
But then he introduced himself as my new contractor to help renovate my newly acquired house.
I can’t date my employee no matter how much my feelings for Nate grow.

Nate
Working construction wasn’t where I’d originally planned to be, but here I was about to start a new job in Hope Bay when the owner literally fell into my arms. It’d been a long time since I’d felt an instant attraction to a woman, and now I had to work for her.
She has a no-dating-an-employee policy, but I find ways to spend more time with Madeline without crossing her boundaries. The problem is, I’ve fallen in love with her.
And if she discovers who I really am, then I might lose her before I’ve even had her.






Don't Blame Me
Book 1, Cloudy Bay
Melanie Scott
Released: 26 December


Welcome to the small town of Cloud Bay where the weather is great, the music is fire, and love is complicated…

She doesn’t believe in happy endings and he needs a new beginning

Growing up in the shadow of her rock god dad taught Faith Harper that fame has a price. When her own music career fizzled, she came home to tiny Cloud Bay. She’s perfectly happy running CloudFest, the music festival that’s one part of her father’s legacy, staying out of the spotlight, and keeping men strictly temporary. And when she lays eyes on Caleb White’s gorgeous face, she knows no one would blame her for choosing him for a summer fling. He’s perfect—a hot famous guy who’ll leave quietly when they’re done.

Caleb has been number one in the tennis world for a long time. But he can’t play forever, and he needs a new plan. When his best friend announces he’s going to CloudFest, Cloud Bay sounds like the perfect place to figure things out with no distractions. Until he meets Faith. Kissing her is more than a distraction, it’s downright addictive. And soon he’s not sure he wants to let her go. Convincing Faith to believe in love is going to take more than music and hot summer nights and it’s a match he can’t afford to lose, because it’s his whole heart on the line.

Previously published as Need You Now by Emma Douglas.


check out the alternative cover






Right Where You Left Mel
Book 2, Cloudy Bay
Melanie Scott
Released: 16 January


She’s locked her heart away but it’s all he wants for Christmas

Mina Harper is the odd one out in the Harper dynasty. Unlike her siblings, she can’t carry a tune, she has no taste for fame, and she married her childhood sweetheart, convinced they were going to live happily ever after. Then he died and her world shattered. Since then, she’s wanted nothing more than to focus on her art and a quiet life in Cloud Bay. After all, true love doesn’t happen twice.

Will Fraser fell in love with Mina the moment he saw her. Too bad for him she was madly in love with another man. And when her husband was killed by a drunk driver, Will knew the last man on earth she’d want would be one who owns a whiskey distillery. So he locked his feelings away. Until an accident brings Mina and Will together and he realizes this could finally be his chance. But while Mina might let down her grumpy guard enough for him to steal mistletoe kisses, he’s going to need some serious Christmas magic to convince her to take a chance that they could be something that lasts for more than just the season.

Previously published as A Season Of You by Emma Douglas.



check out the alternative cover








The Sheikh's Temporary Girlfriend
Book 8, Desert Kings Alliance
Mel Teshco
Released: 30 December


She’ll do anything for her family. He’ll do everything to claim her.

After Amber Clayton lost her parents at the tender age of seventeen, leaving her and her older brother all alone in the world, she is determined her brother won’t now lose his marriage and his daughter thanks to his gambling addiction.

She’ll pay off his debts herself if need be!

Waitressing at a party for a sheikh who is renowned for giving his staff great bonuses seems like her lucky break…until she spills a whole tray of drinks over Sheikh Basam. Amber’s supervisor is furious and tells her she’s finished. But the sheikh has other ideas. Pulling her aside, he gives her a proposition.
Be his girlfriend for seven days. All she has to do is pretend to be in love with him and dissolve any idea of marriage between him and another woman, Maram, who is perfect for the role as his wife, if only he was attracted to her.

Of course Amber isn’t interested…until he tells her to name her price. Hope fills her from the inside out. Her brother’s gambling could be paid off for just seven days of inconvenience.

It seems too good to be true.

But without risk there is no reward.

All she has to do is keep her heart intact. Easy, right?






Desert Kings Alliance Box Set 1
Mel Teshco
Book 1-4, Desert Kings Alliance
Released: 10 January


Book 1 - The Sheikh's Runaway Bride
She craves her freedom. He craves her permanently in his bed.

Book 2 - The Sheikh's Captive Lover
A sheikh wishing for anonymity. A photographer wishing for great success.

Book 3 - The Sheikh's Forbidden Wife
She chose to escape a future of tyranny. He has no choice but to take her as his wife.

Book 4 - The Sheikh's Secret Mistress
She's a commoner, he's a powerful sheikh. Will she ever be good enough?


The above two covers are by Eleni Konstantine's alter ego, HelzKat Designs.




Where Cranes Weave And Bamboo Sings
Theresa Fuller
Non-fiction
Released: December in Paperback


The Write Start: A Visual Narrative Workbook for Teachers and Writers

Drawing on stories from around the world, Sydney author and teacher Theresa Fuller creates an easy to follow, visually stimulating workbook on creating narrative fiction. Suitable for all new writers from 7 years and older, it is a work that can be used by schools or individuals to learn the core elements of storytelling.

Buy





Their Wicked Games
Book 21, Detectives Kane and Alton
D.K. Hood
Released: 8 January



As she steps out of the shower and wraps herself in a warm towel, her breath catches. There’s writing scrawled in the condensation on the mirror. I’m going to kill you. She doesn’t even have time to scream…

It’s Halloween when a young woman is reported missing from the small town of Black Rock Falls and Sheriff Jenna Alton and her partner, Deputy David Kane, race to her remote home. But all they find are signs of a struggle and blood on the bathroom floor. Freya Richardson has vanished.

With no leads on Freya’s whereabouts, Jenna hits a wall in the investigation. Then the bodies of three women are discovered buried in a local forest. Each one has been wrapped in a blanket. As Jenna takes in their pretty faces and long blond hair, her blood runs cold. Freya isn’t here: but each body looks shockingly like her…

Jenna soon links the victixms with an unsolved case where the killer attacked blonde-haired women in their homes and buried the bodies. She’s convinced it’s the same murderer, and seeing that he always takes three victims, she realises that two more women could be in serious danger…

Working around the clock, Jenna’s heart sinks when a beloved friend makes a terrifying call telling her there’s an intruder in her house. Begging her to hide, Jenna and Dave race to the woman’s house. But can they get there in time to stop another innocent life from being taken?







Her Outcast Scot
Christina Phillips
Book 6, The Highland Warrior Chronicles
Released: 26 December



When forbidden love and cursed duty collide, only the determined may survive...

Pledged to protect dark secrets that could destroy his family's honor, Ross MacIntosh cannot afford to lose his heart. Sent by his king into Pictland, he knows his duty. To report back on any signs of treachery. He might not trust his king but as a warrior his fealty is absolute, and his path is clear. But when he’s attacked and left for dead, he awakes to discover his healer is the intriguing Pictish princess, Orabel, and his carefully planned future unravels.

After enduring an arranged marriage to a brutal Northumbrian warlord, Orabel wants nothing more to do with politics. Now, she will follow her true destiny and pledge her life to her beloved goddess. But when fate thrusts Scots warrior Ross MacIntosh into her life, her conviction falters. How can she feel anything but contempt for a man whose king is responsible for the death of her royal father?

Compelled to wed to prevent bloodshed blighting their land, trust is a fragile illusion. But with a vengeful goddess demanding restitution, Ross will need more than Orabel’s healing skills to mend the rift that threatens to tear her from his arms forever.









PRE-ORDERS



Live to Tell
Book 5, Thornwood Academy
LJ Swallow
Expected Release: 28 August


Thornwood Academy’s darkling detective is back for more as she continues to investigate the truth behind Madison's death and pursues those plotting against the supernatural council.

Dance With Death is the fifth book in a new YA supernatural academy series from LJ Swallow,author of the Nightworld Academy books.

The Thornwood Academy series features a girl who isn't afraid to use her dark side, a magic school where humans mix with vampires and witches, and the three guys who she’d like to stay alive.

Other books in the series must be read first.

More details soon.
Release date will be moved forward.






Winterfall Destiny
Book 10, Nightworld Academy
LJ Swallow
Expected Release: 13 May


Winterfall Destiny is the fourth book in the Nightworld Academy: Winterfall series. Other books in the series must be read first.

The Winterfall series is a 'life after academy' series featuring all the characters from the original Nightworld Academy series.

More details soon!

Release date expected to be brought forward.





Damaris
Book 4, Alien Fugitives
Mel Teshco
Expected Release: 30 March


Can two lost souls complete one another?

Damaris Trant has never been alone…until now. Not only is he stuck on planet Earth, his six Strazanian comrades—rares with special powers just like him—are scattered around the city of New Faxian like confetti to avoid an enemy that has already wiped out the rest of their species. Damaris doesn’t even know if his comrades are still alive since landing on Earth.
Despite his purple scale coloring making him a lower caste, his rare powers, which had elevated his standing on his planet Strazan, are now erratic at best. Add to that the memories of his deceased family, and he’s rendered even more powerless.
Then he meets Callie, and his already topsy-turvy life is turned upside down. She’s an addict who sees things differently. That she doesn’t find Damaris abnormal is beyond appealing to his peace of mind. If only she didn’t also see him as just another man without a conscience.

After Callie Trueberry lost her family to a house fire, she fell into a dysfunctional world of her own making. Chemicals and alcohol might decay her mind, but at least she’s no longer half-mad with grief. Then she stumbles into Damaris and wishes she was the woman she used to be, a woman who would have turned his head and perhaps even won his heart. He is everything she’s ever wanted in a man, their shared grief binding them closer still. But will he stand by her side as she cleans her body and her mind while enemies are hunting him down, or will he be lost to her forever?

Pre-Order
Amazon | Other Retailers - TBA |





Castle of Nevers and Nightmares
Book 1, Fae Devils
Lana Pecherczyk
Expected Release: 26 February



The first book in the Fae Guardians Standalone Spin-Off series, Fae Devils (Season of the Sluagh).






The Sinner and the Priest
Book 3, Sinner Sisterhood
Lana Pecherczyk
Expected Release: 27 June


The Sinner and the Priest is the third book in the Sinnerhood Sisterhood series.






Fae's Dream
Book 6, Fated Mates of the Fae Royals
Helen Walton
Expected Release: 23 February


Can destiny mend two broken hearts?

Aislinn
I’d spent centuries locked inside the Fae Kingdom, surrounded by my royal family. Safe. I thought I’d lost my chance at happiness until a trip to Earth led me to my fated mate. The one I believed was dead all these years. Now we have the chance to be together forever, but there are problems in the Summer Court—we might lose our immortality. Forever might be shorter than we deserve after being kept apart for so long, but can I learn to trust my mate long enough to be happy?

Fallon
I’d dreamed of my fated mate for years on end. They were all I had left after we met and tragic circumstances tore us apart. I never forgot her. Never gave up on believing we’d be together one day. When the Fae Princess walks back into my world, I’ll do anything for her, but no matter how much I try to prove myself to her, she keeps me at arm’s length. Then I learn the secret she’s been keeping. No matter what happens, I’ll love her forever.

Fae’s Dream is the sixth standalone romance in the Summer Court fantasy romance series featuring powerful Fae royals who find their fated mates on their quest to save the Fae.

It’s perfect for fans of portal worlds, intrigue, suspense, heartfelt emotions, explosive chemistry, love, and happily ever after.







Shield of Fire
Book 4, Relic Hunters
Keri Arthur
Expected Release: 19 March


A new relic, a new threat...

This book is currently available for pre-order on Apple, Amazon, and Nook. Kobo & Google Play will be added once the proofreading has been finished.









Non Spec-Fic




Moving on With Mr. Fix It
Book 1, Hope Bay
Helen Walton
Expected Release: 22 March


Fake it. Laugh. Love.

Hannah
I never expected to see my first and only love again. When he appears on my small hometown beach in Hope Bay, I do the only sensible thing and pretend my dog trainer is my boyfriend. He seems willing to go along with the fake title, so there shouldn’t be a problem.
The longer we spend in our fake relationship, the more I realize Shawn is everything I’ve ever wanted in a man, and I’m falling in love with him.
But where will that leave us when we no longer need to fake it?

Shawn
I should have given up on the impossible of training Hannah’s naughty beagle months ago, but I’d fallen in love with her. Except she didn’t know I existed as a man until she asked me to play along as her fake boyfriend.
Of course, I use every chance I get to prove to her I’m better than her ex-boyfriend.
But what if she’s still in love with him?









You Belong To Me
Book 3, Cloudy Bay
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 20 February


Welcome to the small town of Cloud Bay where the weather is great, the music is fire, and love is complicated…

She’s never forgotten him but he’s a for-one-night-only kind of guy.

Leah Santelli grew up knowing it was dumb to have a crush on her best friend’s brother. Zach Harper inherited his rock-star dad’s looks, his musical talent, and his habit of breaking hearts. He was always going to leave Cloud Bay far behind him. So she never let him know until she lost her mind on her eighteenth birthday and asked him for just one night. One of the best nights of her life. Except the part where he still left in the morning. But she picked up the pieces of her heart and did her best to forget it ever happened. Now Zach is back in Cloud Bay to record a solo album. Producing it is exactly what Leah needs to make her mark on the music world. If she can keep herself from falling for him all over again.

Zach came home to Cloud Bay to mend fences with his sisters and make the album he needs to level up his career. He didn’t expect to find Leah all grown up, more beautiful than ever, and determined to keep him at a distance. Until long hours in the studio rekindle their spark and suddenly they’re making more than just great music. Zach starts to realise that Leah might be all he wants. But real life isn’t as simple as a love song and it’s going to take more than his rock’n’roll moves to convince Leah to trust him with her heart again…

Previously published as No Place Like You by Emma Douglas.






The Devil in Denim
Book 1, New York Saints
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 19 March


He’s not just a curveball, he’s her worst nightmare

Maggie Jameson grew up living and breathing baseball. After all, her dad owns the New York Saints and raised her to think she’d take his place running them one day. The Saints aren’t just a team, they’re her family. Until her dad sells out to Alex Winters and his two best friends. And just like that, a gorgeous billionaire who has no business setting foot on her ballpark is calling the shots, and she’s standing on the sidelines. She’s calling foul and declaring him her enemy.

He loves the game, but he can’t win without her

 Alex is known for always closing the deal but he knows saving the Saints won’t be easy. Especially when he realises that he needs Maggie on side if he’s going to win over the players and get the job done. Maggie is smart and beautiful, knows the Saints inside out, and he can’t quite get her out of his head. Pity she’s made it clear she’d rather strike him out than ever cooperate with him. And he’d be crazy to try to steal the heart of a woman who hates him, right? Or is sinning with Saint Maggie the key to winning the whole game?

The Devil in Denim is the first book in the New York Saints series, a steamy sports romance series. This series has billionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!







Angel in Armani
Book 2, New York Saints
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 16 April


She’s on her last strike and he’s the wrong guy to save her

Sara Charles knows the odds are against her. Her dad is injured, Charles Air is down to just one helicopter, and there’s only her to save her family. So when part-owner of the New York Saints, billionaire surgeon Lucas Angelo books a flight, she’s determined to make a good impression. He’s distractingly gorgeous, but absolutely out of her league even if she didn’t have to keep things professional. But when a storm turns their flight to a disaster and they wind up in the last motel room in town, she figures he’ll never hire her again anyway, so she takes a chance on just one night with the hottest man she’s ever met.

He’s always in control but she’s the fastball he never saw coming

Lucas Angelo doesn’t make rash decisions. A surgeon needs a cool head, and he always keeps his. Until Sara Charles seduces him and then vanishes in the morning. He should be furious and even if he wasn’t, he has no time for romance between the Saints’ spring training schedule and his own practice. But he just can’t forget that night. When he hunts her down to offer her a job as his personal pilot, she’s understandably wary but takes the job on the condition it’s strictly business. But he knows what he wants and, when it comes to the business of winning her heart, he knows how to pitch a perfect game. 

Angel in Armani is the second book in the New York Saints series, a steamy sports romance series. This series has billionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!






Lawless in Leather
Book 3, New York Saints
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 11 May


She might not know baseball, but she knows trouble when she sees it

Raina Easton has sworn off bad boys. These days she’s focused on keeping her burlesque club afloat, which is why she’s taken a job coaching the New York Saints new dance squad, the Fallen Angels. The cash from that gig will help her buy her club outright and secure her future. But then she meets tall, dark, and grumpy, Malachi Coulter, part-owner of the Saints, and now their head of security. He’s got bad idea written all over him and even though he’s ridiculously attractive, Raina is determined to keep her head.

He won’t let anyone steal his heart, but her moves are hard to resist

These days Malachi is playing the smart game. Manage the risks, keep everyone safe, and don’t let anyone in. His life is just how he likes it—under control. But when Raina bounces into the Saints, all slinky moves, smart mouth, and smoking body, he’s not sure what’s hit him. She’s exactly the kind of woman he doesn’t need. She’s playing at being sensible, but he knows she has a wild streak buried deep. One that matches his own. He knows he shouldn’t let her in, but she’s all he can think about. But if he thinks she’s worth risking it all for, he’s going to have to break all the rules to win her heart.

Lawless In Leather is the third book in the New York Saints series, a steamy sports romance series. This series has billionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!







Playing Hard
Book 4, New York Saints
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 11 June


She’s playing it smart and he’d be a bad, bad idea

Amelia Graham has always been the MVP of good girls. Keeping her head down and playing safe have gotten her all the way to Wall Street and the security she craves. There’s no room in her game-plan for bad boys. And New York Saints first baseman Oliver Shields is way too smooth to be anything but bad. His face might be hot enough to melt unwary hearts, but she knows enough about athletes to know they’re usually players in more ways than one.

He lives for the game but she’s changing the rules

Oliver never takes his eyes off the prize. But when he meets Amelia at a party celebrating the Saints finally making the play offs, he can’t help thinking maybe one wild night with her is just what he needs. Pity she’s playing hard to get. But when things go horribly wrong and he’s facing the end of his career, Amelia is the one who unexpectedly steps up to the plate to help him through even though she’s supposed to be focused on winning her dream job. Flirting turns to feelings neither of them are ready to admit, but when faced with goodbye, can they swing for the fences and risk it all for love?

Playing Hard is the fourth book in the New York Saints series, a steamy sports romance series. This series has billionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!






Playing Fast
Book 5, New York Saints
Melanie Scott
Expected Release: 9 July


She never worried about her crush on baseball’s bad boy until he landed right in her lap

Eva Harlowe always figured her crush on Finn Castro would never be anything but her deepest fantasy. Until the Saints send him down to the minors after one too many scandals. And given Eva works for the Sarasota Springs Preachers, that means now her job is dealing with the fallen Saint way too up close and personal. Finn might as well have ‘bad decision’ tattooed on his forehead and she knows she has to resist. Which would be easier if meeting the gorgeous Finn face to face didn’t make her want to learn all the wicked things he can teach her.

He’s trying to learn his lesson, but she makes him want to play dirty

Finn knows he’s on his last chance. Three strikes and the Saints have exiled him to see if he can reform his ways. He needs to keep his head down and prove that he deserves a second chance. But Eva would tempt even a true saint and he’s not even close to that. When the two of them strike a bargain for a strictly one season fling, it seems the perfect solution. But hearts don’t always follow the rules and as their clock starts to run out, they either have to face their feelings or lose everything they are.

Playing Fast is the fifth book in the New York Saints series, a steamy sports romance series. This series has billionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!illionaires, baseball, strong heroines, team drama, the occasional cute pet, and sexy times. Enjoy!





Enforced
Mel Teshco
Book 3, Gangsters at War
Expected Release: 25 June


One sadistic madman substituted by another.

Chantilly
That’s what happened when I escaped from the don of the O’Malley mafia only to be captured by Valentino Barone, deadly enforcer of the Agostino mobster family. I didn’t think I could hate anyone more than the don who damaged me, until Valentino takes away my freedom yet again and awakens my darkest desires, ones I never knew existed. Escape seems futile. But I did it once I can do it again—or die trying.

Valentino
I was sent to find and kill Chantilly Alcott, fugitive lover of the don of a rival mafia who is desperate to find her. Ending her life and sending pieces of her body to the O’Malley family isn’t something that should bother me—it never has before—so why my reluctance to do my job? I will do it, eventually. For now, I hold her captive and tell myself I’ll break her spirit instead of her body.
So why is she slowly breaking me, instead?






Contracted
Mel Teshco
Book 4, Gangsters at War
Expected Release: 31 August


He’s a merciless killer who gets what he wants. He can have me…for a price

Delilah
When my widowed stepmother kicked me out on the streets when I was sixteen, I was too proud to ask for help from any of my friends. Hunger left me with no choice but to accept money for sex so that I might survive. Four years later I’m not only surviving, I’m thriving. Asked to attend a private party at the Agostinos, a notorious mafia family who are as ruthless and cruel as they are filthy rich and generous, I can’t say no. Then my gaze meets the cold eyes of Serafino, and I’m lost even before he decides he wants all of me…body, mind and soul.

Serafino
I’m known as a cold-hearted killer without a conscience, the bad boy of the Agostino mafia. That says a lot considering my brothers can be as ruthless as my father had once been, and he’d been a sick and twisted bastard of the highest order. Nonetheless, I have a reputation to uphold. People are afraid of me for good reason. What would they think though if they discovered the call girl who arrived to service the Agostino brothers is the one woman I want all to myself—a woman I would kill to protect—until I’m left with no choice but to kill her myself.


The above two covers are by Eleni Konstantine's alter ego, HelzKat Designs.





Winning Offer
Book 3, Bachelor Brothers of Sydney
Mel Teshco
Expected Release: 30 February


Will saving her father’s crumbling estate cost her everything?

Liam Black hides a sensitive side. If losing his parents was a tragedy, then finding out his father had been unfaithful to his wife—Liam’s mother—is a tragedy Liam can’t even begin to process. It leaves him questioning everything he’s ever known. If his parents’ happy marriage was a sham, what hope has he got to find a woman to love and settle down with? Not even his two brothers’ happy relationships can convince him otherwise. Then he sees the fearless, gorgeous woman on stage at a once yearly charity auction—a woman he met once and can’t stop thinking about—and despite his cynicism, his heart is lost.

Harper Franks isn’t going to let a little pre-auction nerves get to her now. Not if it means snaring the billionaire sheikh she hopes to attract. She’ll do anything to pay the debts inherited from her father and rebuild his bed and breakfast. What she doesn’t expect is for Liam to outbid the sheikh with a figure that surely not even an infamous Black brother can afford? So why don’t her financial woes seem half as bad when she’s in his arms? She’ll just have to figure out some other way to save her inheritance, because there is no way in hell she’ll add to Liam’s burden with her own problems.









SALES


Fae Guardians Signed Paperback Bundle
Lana Pecherczyk
Books 1-9, Fae Guardians
Save 26% on bundle at Lana's website


Signed Copies of all 9 books in the Fae Guardians Series

The Longing of Lone Wolves
The Solace of Sharp Claws
The Dreams of Broken Kings
The Secrets in Shadow and Blood
A Labyrinth of Fangs and Thorns
A Symphony of Savage Hearts
A Song of Sky and Sacrifice
A Crown of Cruel Lies
A War of Ruin and Reckoning



Fae Guardians Audiobook Bundle
Lana Pecherczyk
Books 1-9, Fae Guardians
Save 50% on bundle at Lana's website


All 9 books in the Fae Guardians Series

The Longing of Lone Wolves
The Solace of Sharp Claws
The Dreams of Broken Kings
The Secrets in Shadow and Blood
A Labyrinth of Fangs and Thorns
A Symphony of Savage Hearts
A Song of Sky and Sacrifice
A Crown of Cruel Lies
A War of Ruin and Reckoning









OTHER



Bernadette Rowley

Of Queens and Dragons
 
(Book 11) in The QueenMaker's Saga is now available wide.

Check all Bernadette's book links on Books2Read.



Bernadette has done Author Spotlight on the ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) blog in the lead up to A Romantic Rendezvous



Imogene Nix

Imogene has done an Author Spotlight on the ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) blog in the lead up to A Romantic Rendezvous.




LJ Swallow

Wings of Ivory and Ice (Book 3, Her Dragons Reborn) has been cancelled as a pre-order. LJ is planning on publishing this in 2024 but no firm date has been set as yet. 













Never Say Die (Book 1, Thornwood Academy) is now available in German.





    



Christina Phillips

Christina has signed a three book contract with Dragonblade Publishing! Her new series, Daughters of the Isle, is set during the mid sixteenth century on the Isle of Eigg and the Scottish Highlands, and is due out in 2025.






Her Outcast Scot
(Book 5, The Highland Warrior Chronicles) had a 5 star review at A Readers Review Blog.













Lana Pecherczyk

A special Luxe edition of  Castle of Nevers and Nightmares will be available only for Event attendees this year, and Patreon supporters. Remainders will be sold at the end of the year. 

Pre-Orders open for  Apollycon and Readers Take Denver attendees. 

Join Patreon for this and for a new story A Sea of Beasts and Bastards.

 





D.K. Hood

The first two books in the Special Agent Beth Katz Series has been translated into French

 






L.A. Monteiro

L.A. interviewed author Savanah Blaize over on Instagram















Keri Arthur

Review and giveaway (US only) of
Killer's Kiss (Book 11, Lizzie Grace) at KRL News & Reviews.













~~~
Congratulations to our DarkSiders! 
Happy Reading everyone. Be safe & well. 


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