Posted May 23, 2023 by Marsha in Author ARC, Contemporary Romance, Crime, NetGalley, Romantic Suspense, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press, Thriller / 0 Comments
Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who’d been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.
Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. “Luke” is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.
What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn’t his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan’s nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother’s home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn’t flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town.
But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn’t forgotten the one who got away.
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Identity, NetGalley ARC, Nora Roberts, Romantic Suspense, St. Martin's Press, thriller
Posted April 25, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, NetGalley, Small Town Romance, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
When newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it’s a full-time job sorting through all of it.
At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit, she finds a note written in a childish hand: it’s from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?
Ivy’s quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.
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Tags: Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Mary Kay Andrews, NetGalley ARC, The Santa Suit
Posted April 21, 2023 by Marsha in Historical Romance, NetGalley, Regency Romance, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
Beth Howell needs to find her dowry, post haste. After her good-for-nothing first husband married her—and two other women, unbeknownst to them all—she’s left financially ruined and relegated to living with her brother, who cares more for his horses than he does his blood relatives. If Beth fails to acquire her funds, her brother will force her to marry someone fifty years her senior and missing half his teeth. She’d prefer to avoid that dreadful fate. But her now-deceased husband, Meri, absconded with her money mere days after their illegitimate marriage. To find it, Beth will have to leave town and retrace Meri’s steps if she’s to take her future into her own hands.
Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, cares not a whit for social norms and generally growls at anyone in his path. Grayson has had a heart of stone ever since his engagement to Beth Howell went down in flames—long before she married that cad, Meri, and sealed her own fate for good. But now she’s on his doorstep, asking for use of his carriage and accompaniment on the hunt to find her lost dowry. Surely Grayson cannot go on the road with the woman who has occupied his thoughts for the past decade. Yet, knowing she needs him, how can he resist helping her this one last time? And maybe that’s just enough time to change the ending to their over-too-soon love story.
Titles in The Widow Rules series include — A Duke in Time —♥— Rules for Engaging the Earl —♥— How to Best a Marquess —♥—
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Historical romance, How To Best A Marquess, Janna MacGregor, NetGalley ARC, Regency Romance, St. Martin's Press, The Widow Rules #3
Posted April 1, 2023 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
It’s days before Christmas, and Samantha Morgan is in her Brooklyn apartment when her editor, Charlie, shows up. Her publisher Arthur Wentworth is throwing a Christmas party and wants Samantha to be the guest of honor. Samantha tries to come up with an excuse to miss it. She writes a series of books featuring a female James Bond-type heroine named Sloane Parker, and Charlie is the only person who knows that Samantha is the opposite of Sloane, though the marketing team has built up an entire social media presence for her claiming that she is just as adventurous. In reality, Samantha rarely leaves her neighborhood and does her research online. She is afraid of almost everything and is only happy when she’s sitting in her apartment and writing.
Samantha reluctantly agrees to go. But instead of taking her to Arthur’s house in Connecticut, the driver goes to the airport. On the phone, Charlie admits that the party is at Arthur’s new ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. For a person who hates even walking around the block when it snows, this is her worst nightmare.
But when a handsome stranger sits next to her on the plane, things begin to look up. She feels comfortable enough to spill all her secrets to him, including all of her fears and the truth about her fake Instagram account. However, when she shows up at the house, it turns out that this man, Drew, is Arthur’s son. Now Samantha is worried that Drew will tell his father about her lies.
Over the course of Christmas week, Samantha grows closer to Drew. But when his fiancée, Beatrix (who recently gave him an ultimatum about settling down), shows up, things get more complicated. As Samantha’s fears of bison and giant icicles subside, and her feelings for Drew grow deeper, new fears develop…
Will she leave this Christmas adventure brokenhearted? Or will true love prevail?
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Tags: Anita Hughes, Christmas at the Ranch, Contemporary Romance, NetGalley ARC
Posted March 20, 2023 by Marsha in Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Historical Romance, NetGalley, Regency Romance, Series, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
Fredericka Hale needs a husband and fast. She’s been caring for her deceased sister’s three young children, and now a childless cousin has petitioned the court for custody. Fredericka is powerless to stop her, but having a husband might sway the ruling. The last thing Fredericka wants is a hurried-up marriage to a man she doesn’t know—much less love, but she’ll do it for the children. So when the handsome Duke of Wyatthaven shows up with a proposal, she accepts. He’ll help her, and in return, they’ll lead separate lives. But distance cannot keep them from their powerful attraction.
At the top of his game in London, the Duke of Wyatthaven has no interest in marriage. However, if Wyatt doesn’t marry by week’s end, he’ll lose a sizable inheritance from his grandmother. When Wyatt’s solicitor finds Miss Fredericka Hale, Wyatt considers this little hiccup solved. Miss Hale is lovely and intelligent. Most importantly, she prefers country life to London, so he’s free to continue his life as usual. But when circumstances force Fredericka and the children to show up at the duke’s door, Wyatt can’t deny he’s always been under her spell. Will the duke give up his bachelor lifestyle and give in to the fiery passion growing between them?
Titles in the Say I Do series include — Yours Truly, The Duke —♥—
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Amelia Grey, Historical romance, NetGalley ARC, Regency Romance, Say I Do #1, Yours Truly The Duke
Posted March 8, 2023 by Marsha in NetGalley, Paranormal Romance, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one—an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.
Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.
As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from a blessed day to a shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Gwenda Bond, Mr. & Mrs. Witch, NetGalley ARC, paranormal romance
Posted February 9, 2023 by Marsha in Crime, NetGalley, Owned, Police Procedural, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press, This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments
It was a glittering event full of A-listers, hosted by Eliza Lane and Brant Fitzhugh, a celebrity couple who’d conquered both Hollywood and Broadway. And now Eve Dallas has made her entrance—but not as a guest. After raising a toast, Fitzhugh fell to the floor and died, with physical symptoms pointing to cyanide, and the police have crashed the party.
From all accounts, he wasn’t the kind of star who made enemies. Everyone loved him—even his ex-wife. And since the champagne cocktail that killed him was originally intended for Eliza, it’s possible she was the real target, with a recently fired assistant, a bitter rival, and an obsessed fan in the picture. With so many attendees, staff, and servers, Eve has her work cut out determining who committed murder in the middle of the crowd—and what was their motivation. As one who’s not fond of the spotlight herself, she dreads the media circus surrounding a case like this. All she wants is to figure out who’s truly innocent, and who’s only acting that way…
Encore in Death is the fifty-sixth (yes, 56th) title in the long, ongoing …in Death series. For a complete listing of all the titles (along with novellas) in this series please visit our J. D. Robb page.
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Crime, Encore in Death, in Death #56, J D Robb, mystery, Owned, Police Procedural, St. Martin's Press
Posted January 23, 2023 by Marsha in Historical Romance, NetGalley, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
A FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTER
Miss Poppy Summers is determined to keep her family’s fishing business afloat. Her poor widowed father has fallen ill, and her foolhardy brother has moved to London, leaving her precious little time to read or pursue her own dreams. But she’ll do anything for her family, so she cheerfully spends mornings in her rowboat, casting her nets. The very last thing Poppy expects or wants to find tangled in them is a dangerously attractive man. Especially one with a head wound—who’s convinced he’s a duke.
AND A DUKE OUT OF WATER
Andrew Keane is the Duke of Hawking, but he’s having the devil of a time convincing his fiery-haired rescuer of that fact. The truth is he came to the seaside resort of Bellehaven Bay to escape his life in London. Unfortunately, someone in Bellehaven wants to kill him—and he intends to find out who. He implores Poppy to tend to his injuries and hide him on her beach, reasoning it will be easier to find his attacker if that man assumes Keane is already dead. She wants no part of the scheme but can’t refuse the generous sum he offers in exchange for food and shelter while he recovers. It’s a mutually beneficial business arrangement…nothing more.
ARE ABOUT TO MAKE WAVES
Under Poppy’s care, Keane regains his strength—and a sense of purpose. As they work together to solve the puzzle of his would-be murderer, he’s dazzled by her rapier wit and adventurous spirit; she’s intrigued by his mysterious air and protective streak. Though Poppy’s past gives her every reason to mistrust someone like Keane, the seawalls around her heart crumble in the storm of their passion. But when clues hint at the prime suspect in Keane’s attempted murder, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie. Torn between the world she’s always known and the one she’s always dreamed of, she’ll need true love for a shot at her fairytale ending.
Titles in the Rogues to Lovers series include – Girls Before Earls —♥— One Duke Down —♥—
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Anna Bennett, Historical romance, NetGalley ARC, One Duke Down, Regency Romance, Rogues to Lovers #2, St. Martin's Press
Posted January 21, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments
Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.
Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.
Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.
Titles in the Spark House series include — When Sparks Fly —♥— Starry-Eyed Love —♥— Make A Wish —♥—
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Contemporary Romance, Helena Hunting, NetGalley ARC, Spark House #1, St. Martin's Press, When Sparks Fly
Posted January 20, 2023 by Marsha in Debut Title, Fantasy, NetGalley, Paranormal Romance, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press, Standalone / 1 Comment
A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost…and found.
Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, and never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.
After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.
Answers. Family. Home.
And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Fantasy, NetGalley ARC, Paige Crutcher, paranormal, St. Martin's Press, The Orphan Witch
Posted November 12, 2022 by Marsha in Fantasy, Owned, Paranormal Romance, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press, Thriller, Trilogy / 0 Comments
It began on New Year’s Eve.
The sickness came on suddenly and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed—and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.
Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river—or in the ones you know and love the most.
As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.
In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.
The end has come. The beginning comes next.
Titles in the Chronicles of The One trilogy/series include — Year One —◊— Of Blood and Bone —◊— The Rise of Magicks —◊—
This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.
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Tags: Chronicles of The One #1, dystopian, Nora Roberts, Owned, paranormal, thriller, Year One