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The Art Merchant (The Detective Esther Penman Series)
Author: J.K. Flynn
FREE
Crime Thrillers
Some pictures are not so pretty...
Detective Sergeant Esther Penman is a bit of a mess. She drinks too much. She sleeps around. She has trouble following orders.
But itâs her tenacity thatâs about to get her into the biggest trouble of all...
When a woman is killed in one of Belfieldâs wealthiest neighbourhoods, Esther quickly realises itâs no straightforward homicide. The husband has an alibi, but heâs hiding something, and Esther is determined to find out what.
A few days later a man is found hanging in nearby woodland, and her suspicions of a deeper conspiracy begin to grow.
It isnât long before Estherâs discoveries set her on the trail of forces far more sinister than she imagined...
And put her on a collision course with the man they call the Art Merchant... đ¨
Why Iâm including this: Flynn gives us a gloriously flawed protagonistâEsther drinks, sleeps around, and canât follow orders, making her the opposite of the polished detective archetype. đˇ That messiness is what makes her interesting: sheâs self-destructive but tenacious, which means she wonât let go even when she should. The wealthy neighbourhood murder with a husband who âhas an alibi, but heâs hiding somethingâ is classic crime thriller setupâthe alibi checks out legally but somethingâs off, and Estherâs instinct wonât let it go. đ The second bodyâa man hanging in woodlandâescalates from domestic homicide to conspiracy, suggesting these deaths are connected in ways that arenât immediately obvious. Flynnâs âforces far more sinister than she imaginedâ promises the investigation will spiral beyond simple murder into corruption, organized crime, or worse. đą The title character âthe Art Merchantâ is menacingâwhat does he trade? Stolen art? Forgeries? Or is âartâ a euphemism for something darker? The collision course setup guarantees confrontation between Estherâs reckless determination and whoeverâs behind these deaths. If youâve loved Tana Frenchâs Dublin Murder Squad for flawed detectives, Gillian Flynnâs Sharp Objects for self-destructive investigators, or any crime thriller where the protagonistâs personal demons make them better at understanding darkness, Flynn delivers similar grit. đ
Mistletoe at Moonglow (Moonglow Christmas Book 1)
Author: Deborah Garner
FREE
Holiday Fiction
A Christmas novella with cookie recipes included! đŞ
The Timberton Hotel has always provided a perfect Christmas retreat for regular guests, as well as newcomers. But the small town of Timberton, Montana, hasnât been the same since resident chef and artist, Mist, arrived, bringing a unique new age flavor to the old western town. When guests check in for the holidays, they bring along worries, fears and broken hearts, unaware that Mist has a way of working magic in peopleâs lives. Old-fashioned time spent together, exquisite food, conversation and a snowball or two offer guests a chance to trade sadness for hope. One thing is certain: no matter how cold winterâs grip is on each guest, no one leaves Timberton without a warmer heart. âď¸đ
Why Iâm including this: Garner creates a Christmas sanctuaryâthe Timberton Hotel in Montana is where broken people go to heal, and chef/artist Mist is the mysterious figure who âhas a way of working magicâ in their lives. ⨠The ambiguity of whether Mistâs magic is literal or metaphorical (extraordinary cooking + wisdom) is part of the charm. Guests arrive carrying âworries, fears and broken heartsâ and leave with âwarmer heartsââthis is emotional healing wrapped in holiday comfort. đ The âold-fashioned time spent together, exquisite food, conversation and a snowball or twoâ formula is simple but effective: connection, nourishment, and play as antidotes to whatever pain people brought with them. The included cookie recipes make this participatoryâyouâre not just reading about the healing power of food, youâre invited to bake along. đŞ The Montana setting during Christmas creates that snow globe isolation where transformation feels possible because youâre removed from regular life. Garnerâs promise that âno one leaves Timberton without a warmer heartâ is the ultimate comfort read guaranteeâeveryone gets healed, everyone finds hope, everyone goes home better than they arrived. If youâve loved Jan Karonâs Mitford series for small-town healing, Debbie Macomberâs Cedar Cove books for community comfort, or any Hallmark Christmas movie where a magical inn fixes broken people, Garner delivers similar warmth with recipes. â
Dachshund Through the Snow (A Very Murder Christmas Book 1)
Author: Rosie A. Point
FREE
Cozy Animal Mystery
Itâs going to be a very murder Christmas⌠đ đŞ
Holly loves the small town life in Full Fork, New York, especially since she gets to spend most of her time walking the adorable dogs of the townâs elite. Or hanging out at her best friendâs pet cafe. And the first day of Christmas is no exception to the routine.
Until she arrives at her first clientâs home to pick up an adorable Dachshund named Dixie and finds a corpse instead. The owner has been murdered! And, as the last person who saw her, Hollyâs got a bright red target on her back. Sheâs got to figure out whodunit before Christmas is ruined.
Can Holly find the real killer with the help of her doggy friends? Find out in the first in this cozy Christmas trilogy. Grab your copy today! đž
Why Iâm including this: Point delivers cozy mystery comfort foodâdog walker Holly has the dream small-town life until she finds her client murdered while picking up an adorable Dachshund named Dixie. đś The âfirst day of Christmasâ timing means Holly has 12 days (presumably) to solve the murder before the holiday is ruined, creating a ticking clock with festive pressure. The setup is classic cozy: Hollyâs the last person who saw the victim, putting her under suspicion and giving her strong motivation to clear her name and find the real killer. đ The âhelp of her doggy friendsâ means the dogs Holly walks will be involved in the investigationâmaybe they witnessed something, maybe they lead her to clues, maybe their owners are suspects. Pointâs promise that Holly must solve this âbefore Christmas is ruinedâ stakes the investigation to holiday joyâif she fails, everyoneâs season is destroyed. đ The âVery Murder Christmasâ trilogy branding tells you this is the first of three Christmas-themed murders, so if you fall in love with Holly and Full Fork, youâve got more holiday mayhem waiting. If youâve loved Rita Mae Brownâs Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries for animal sleuths, Joanne Flukeâs Hannah Swensen series for cozy small-town murder with recipes, or any cozy mystery where pets help solve crimes, Point delivers adorable dogs and holiday murder. đ
An Enchanted Christmas Collection
Author: Wendy Vella
FREE
Regency Romance
An enchanting set of Regency Christmas romances from USA Today bestseller, Wendy Vella. â¨
Christmas Wishes đ
Miss Hero Appleby has no patience for noblemenâespecially not charming rakes with reputations blacker than soot. But when the orphanage she runs teeters on the brink of ruin, desperate times call for desperate measures. To save her beloved children, Hero must seek the help of the most dangerous man she knowsâthe devilish Lord Caruthers.
Mistletoe and the Marquess đ
The Marquess of Harrington never acts on impulseâuntil the night he sees the captivating woman behind a gilded mask. Her beauty and fire undo him completely, and one stolen kiss isnât enough. When she vanishes into the night, Harry vows to find her⌠and unmask the woman who has haunted his every thought since that fateful Christmas Eve.
Rescued By A Rake đ
When Miss Ivy Redfernâs brother disappears just days before Christmasâtaking the familyâs funds with himâshe turns to the one man who might help. Mr. Rory Haddon is charming, well-connected, and exactly the kind of rake she swore to avoid. Ivy vows their partnership will be strictly businessâfind her brother, restore her familyâs name, and nothing more.
The Earl From Christmas Past đ
Lord Gabriel Lockhart wants nothing to do with Miss Madeline Spencerâthe spirited girl he once adored has become a woman he barely recognizes. Calculating, and aloof, Maddieâs beauty is now just a façade. But when he finds her in the poorest corners of London, fighting for forgotten children, Gabe realizes how wrong heâs beenâand how deeply he still cares.
Why Iâm including this: Vella gives you four complete Regency Christmas romances in one collectionâthatâs a holiday binge-read bonanza. đ Each novella features a different trope: desperate heroine forced to ask rake for help (Christmas Wishes), masked ball mystery woman (Mistletoe and the Marquess), forced partnership to find missing brother (Rescued By A Rake), and second-chance romance with misunderstandings (The Earl From Christmas Past). Hero Appleby running an orphanage and having to swallow her pride to ask Lord Caruthers for help creates the classic âI hate asking you but I have no choiceâ tension. đď¸ The Marquess becoming obsessed with a masked woman and vowing to find her is Cinderella-meets-Regency with Christmas Eve magic. Ivyâs brother disappearing with the family funds right before Christmas creates financial desperation plus time pressureâshe needs Roryâs connections but canât afford to fall for another rake. đ¸ Gabriel thinking Maddie has become âcalculating and aloofâ until he discovers sheâs actually doing charity work in Londonâs poorest neighborhoods is the âI completely misjudged you and now Iâm an idiotâ revelation that makes second-chance romance satisfying. Vellaâs Christmas setting adds snow, mistletoe, and holiday parties to create forced proximity and romantic opportunities. If youâve loved Julia Quinnâs Bridgerton series for Regency romance with banter, Tessa Dareâs historical romances for rake redemption, or any Regency collection that lets you sample multiple love stories, Vella delivers four swoony heroes and four strong heroines. đ
Five Dates with the Duke (The Matchmaking Games Book 1)
Author: Daphne Byrne
FREE
Historical Regency Romance
âIâve never been in love before. Itâs an insipid emotion that only leads to pain in any case.â đ
Emma has lost all hope for finding a husband, so she enters the Matchmakerâs shop. And she leaves with a date with a Duke⌠đ
Charming and dangerous, Duke Nicholas has been a perpetual bachelor, until he is tricked into finding a bride.
But when Emma flees from him, Nicholas is determined to win the only woman who turned him down. And he has five dates to achieve his goalâŚand claim her as his own. đš
*If you like a realistic yet steamy depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then Five Dates with the Duke is the novel for you.
An enchanting regency romance of 80,000 words (around 400 pages), written by Daphne Byrne and published by Cobalt Fairy.
No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a strong happily ever after. â¨
Why Iâm including this: Byrne sets up a delicious power dynamicâEmma has âlost all hopeâ and visits a Matchmakerâs shop out of desperation, while Duke Nicholas is a âperpetual bachelorâ whoâs been tricked into finding a bride. đ The matchmaker pairing a hopeless spinster with a reluctant duke creates instant conflict: neither wants this, both have reasons to resist, but theyâre stuck with each other. The âfive datesâ structure is geniusâitâs not instalove, itâs not endless pining, itâs a clear progression where Nicholas has exactly five opportunities to win Emma over. â° Emma fleeing from Nicholas is the perfect twist: sheâs supposed to be grateful for a dukeâs attention, but she runs instead, which makes Nicholas chase her for the first time in his confirmed bachelor life. His determination to âwin the only woman who turned him downâ flips the usual courtshipâsuddenly heâs pursuing someone who rejected him, and that rejection makes her irresistible. đ Nicholasâs opening quote about love being âinsipidâ and leading only to pain shows heâs got baggageâthis isnât just commitment phobia, itâs protection from past hurt, which means Emma has to break through emotional walls, not just social ones. Byrneâs promise of ârealistic yet steamyâ suggests historical accuracy about social constraints while delivering modern heat levels. The 80,000 words (400 pages) means this is a full novel, not a novella, giving space for the five-date structure to develop slowly. If youâve loved Tessa Dareâs The Duchess Deal for reluctant duke romance, Sarah MacLeanâs marriage-of-convenience historicals, or any Regency where the hero has to work to win the heroine, Byrne delivers a duke who finally meets his match. đĽ
Scent of a Killer (Ella Sweeting: Witch Aromatherapist Book 1)
Author: Lisbeth Reade
FREE
Magical Cozy Mystery
Witches, cats, and murderâoh, my! đąâ¨
Socialite/Aromatherapist Ella Sweeting wasnât expecting much for her twenty-second birthday. But when three mysterious Aunts (and their cats) barge into her home and introduce her to her latent magical powers, her life turns upside down. đ
But just as sheâs getting to know her eccentric and endearing Aunts and learn how to harness her newfound magic, a shocking murder threatens the entire world sheâs just uncovered. When her motherâs best friend Vanessa is found dead, and her Auntsâ fingerprints all over the murder weapon, Ella realizes she has to act to save her family. đŞ
Combining forces with Rory, the cute mailman sheâs been crushing on, Ella uses her skills of scent and sense to track the killer. But things get sticky when clues cross social classes, and Ella realizes that catching the killer and clearing her familyâs name could alienate Rory. đ
Will Ella catch the killer and still get her man? đ
Why Iâm including this: Reade combines witch awakening with murder mysteryâEllaâs twenty-second birthday brings three mysterious aunts who reveal her magical heritage, then immediately a murder threatens to destroy her new family. đ The aromatherapy angle is clever: Ellaâs professional skill with scents becomes her magical ability, meaning she can literally sniff out clues and emotional residue. The auntsâ fingerprints on the murder weapon creates immediate stakesâElla isnât investigating out of curiosity, sheâs clearing her family of murder charges. đľ The romantic complication with Rory the mailman adds tension: Ellaâs crushing on this cute guy while investigating a murder that crosses social classes, and solving it might expose class differences that drive them apart. Readeâs âskills of scent and senseâ suggests Ellaâs witch powers are specifically attuned to trackingâshe can smell lies, fear, guilt, whatever emotional signatures the killer left behind. đ The socialite background makes Ella an unlikely detectiveâsheâs used to parties and aromatherapy clients, not murder investigations and witchcraft. The three aunts (plus cats) promise comic relief and magical mentorshipâtheyâre âeccentric and endearing,â which means theyâll be chaotic teachers who get Ella into as much trouble as they solve. đž If youâve loved Juliet Blackwellâs Witchcraft Mysteries for magical cozy sleuths, Heather Blakeâs Magic Potion Mysteries for witch detectives, or any paranormal cozy where discovering magic coincides with solving murder, Reade delivers aromatherapy witchcraft and romantic complications. đŻď¸
Of Murders and Mages: Casino Witch Mysteries 1
Author: Nikki Haverstock
FREE
Paranormal Fantasy
Three ways that Ellaâs life is totally messed up: __ her new coworker is as cranky as he is attractive đ¤ __ a mischievous cat has decided she needs a familiar đ __ she just found out sheâs a witch who can read the emotional hologram of a magical death (and isnât that a mouthful) đâ¨
And oh yeah, thereâs five dead bodies, and no one knows how they are connected. Now sheâs drawn into a madcap investigation at the casino where sheâs managed to snag a job. She must navigate learning her new mage abilities, a topless burlesque show, a jealous girlfriend, gamblers of all varieties, and magical chocolate cake, all while not setting herself or others on fire đĽ before the murderer makes her the next victim.
A paracozy (aka Paranormal cozy mystery) đ˛
A humorous adventure! đ
Why Iâm including this: Haverstock gives us chaotic witch awakeningâElla just discovered sheâs a mage who can âread the emotional hologram of a magical death,â which is oddly specific and immediately useful since there are five unexplained dead bodies at the casino where she works. đ° The cranky-but-attractive coworker is enemies-to-lovers setup, made more complicated by Ella trying to learn magic while investigating murders with this guy judging her every move. The mischievous cat deciding Ella needs a familiar suggests the cat chose her, not the other way around, which means sheâs stuck with a magical sidekick who has its own agenda. đź Five connected deaths at a casino creates a patternâthese arenât random murders, thereâs something systematic happening, and Ellaâs new ability to read magical death emotions means sheâs uniquely positioned to see what investigators miss. Haverstockâs list of obstacles is delightfully chaotic: topless burlesque show (workplace hazard? clue location?), jealous girlfriend (whose girlfriend? complicated!), gamblers (suspects or collateral damage?), and magical chocolate cake (enchanted? poisoned? just delicious?). đ° The ânot setting herself or others on fireâ suggests Ellaâs grasp of her new powers is shakyâsheâs dangerous to herself and others while learning, which adds slapstick comedy to murder investigation. The âparacozyâ label promises cozy mystery comfort (small stakes, amateur sleuth, community focus) with paranormal elements (magic, witches, supernatural threats). If youâve loved Juliet Blackwellâs Secondhand Spirits for witch shop mysteries, Addie Bellâs Starry Hollow Witches for magical mayhem, or any paranormal cozy where the protagonist is hilariously bad at magic while solving murders, Haverstock delivers casino chaos and accidental pyromania. đ˛đĽ
Mudras for Beginners: Using Simple Hand Gestures for Everlasting Health, Rapid Weight Loss and Easy Self Healing
Author: Advait
FREE
Alternative Therapies
MudrasâThe Lost Ancient Vedic Healing Technique â¨
Mudras have been in use in the East for thousands of years, invented in early Vedic Hindu culture and then practiced in Buddhism. They have been used as a spiritual practice (and still are), as a way on the path to enlightenment. đ§
Theyâre also used to cure physical ailments.
Sounds too good to be true!! But believe me it is True!! đŻ
Do these Mudras while sitting, lying down, standing, or walking. đś
They can be done at any time and place while stuck in traffic, at the office, watching TV, or wherever you have to twiddle your thumbs waiting for something. â°
These hand postures help youâ
#Cure Heart Problems â¤ď¸
#Cure your Cold đ¤§
#Increase your Concentration đ§
#Relieve Muscle Fatigue đŞ
#Cure Diabetes đŠş
These Mudras are simple Hand Gestures that transform our hands into real âPowerhousesâ. đ
Covering all you need to know about performing Mudras, this insightful, informative and fluff-free Beginnerâs Guide will enable you to gain an understanding of a form of yoga that has already helped thousands of people across the globe. đ
From Building Character to Healing Emotional Pain,
From Bringing Luck to Connecting With The Divine,
Mudras can work wonders. đ
Want to Transform your Life with Simple Hand Gestures? â
Itâs simple, and you can do it today. đŤ
Why Iâm including this: Advait makes ancient Vedic practice accessibleâmudras are hand gestures from Hindu and Buddhist traditions that claim to heal physical ailments and facilitate spiritual growth. đď¸ The âdo them anywhereâ convenience is the selling point: stuck in traffic, at the office, watching TVâyou can practice mudras while doing literally anything else, making this the ultimate multitasking wellness practice. The specific health claims (cure heart problems, cure colds, increase concentration, relieve muscle fatigue, cure diabetes) are boldâthese are serious conditions being addressed with hand positions. đ The âPowerhousesâ framing suggests mudras channel or redirect energy in the body, based on traditional Eastern medicine concepts of energy flow. Advaitâs promise of âfluff-freeâ means this is practical instruction, not philosophical essaysâyouâll learn how to do the gestures, what they claim to do, and when to use them. The range from âBuilding Characterâ to âConnecting With The Divineâ shows mudras address both mundane (concentration, fatigue) and transcendent (enlightenment, divine connection) goals. ⨠If youâre curious about yoga beyond physical poses, interested in energy work, looking for wellness practices that donât require equipment or space, or drawn to ancient healing traditions made accessible for modern life, Advait delivers simple instructions for hand gestures that claim significant benefits. đ
No King, No Country (The Inness Legacy Book 1)
Author: Wayne Grant
FREE
War & Military Action Fiction
Itâs the Year of Our Lord 1649. Oliver Cromwell and the forces of Parliament have overthrown the King of England after six years of vicious civil war. âď¸ The country is eager for peace, but there is anger in Cromwellâs victorious army. The men who fought for Parliament paid in blood to defeat the Royalists and secure their rights, but in Cromwellâs England rights are reserved for only certain Englishmen. As unrest sweeps through the army, Captain William Inness speaks up for his men, challenging Parliament to honor its promises. For this heâs accused of a crime he didnât commit and faces the gallows. đą
Where does a man run in Cromwellâs England to escape the hangman? As far as he can. As far as America. đ
A new book and new series from the Bestselling Author of The Saga of Roland Inness! đ
Why Iâm including this: Grant sets his new series in the aftermath of the English Civil Warâa brutal, messy period where Cromwellâs Parliamentary victory didnât deliver the freedom soldiers thought they were fighting for. âď¸ Captain William Inness is a classic honorable soldier caught in political betrayal: he fought for Parliament, won the war, then challenged his own side to honor promises to common soldiers, and now faces execution for speaking truth to power. The âaccused of a crime he didnât commitâ setup creates injusticeâWilliamâs real crime is political inconvenience, so someone manufactured charges to silence him. đŤ The âwhere does a man run in Cromwellâs England?â question has one answer: America, the ultimate frontier for those fleeing English justice. This sets up the fish-out-of-water elementâEnglish soldier in colonial America, fugitive starting over, military man in wilderness. đď¸ Grantâs âBestselling Author of The Saga of Roland Innessâ establishes this is a prequel or companion seriesâRolandâs legacy begins with ancestor William fleeing England for America. The 1649 setting is historically rich: English Civil War just ended, Charles I executed, Cromwell establishing authoritarian Puritan rule, colonial America still rough territory. If youâve loved Bernard Cornwellâs historical military fiction for soldier protagonists in political chaos, C.S. Foresterâs Hornblower series for men caught between honor and survival, or any historical adventure where the hero must flee everything he knows to start over, Grant delivers English Civil War betrayal and American frontier survival. đ˝
The Raven: Illustrated by Gustave DorĂŠ
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
FREE
Love & Erotic Poetry (Note: This categorization seems incorrectâshould be Classic Poetry or Gothic Literature)
This illustrated edition of Edgar Allan Poeâs The Raven includes:
⨠All 25 illustrations by Gustave DorÊ from the 1884 Harper & Bros. edition
đ An informative introduction
đ¤ A detailed biography of Edgar Allan Poe
đ¨ An illustrated version and a text-only version of the poem
No poem has ever received the kind of immediate and overwhelming response that Poeâs âThe Ravenâ did when it was first published in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. It made Poe a household name overnight, and (though his great fame never brought much wealth) his powerful and haunting elegy to lost love remains to this day one of the most beloved and recognizable works in the English language. đ
The illustrations that accompany this edition were created by renowned French artist Gustave DorĂŠ for Harper & Brothersâ 1884 release of The Raven. DorĂŠ completed his steel-plate engravings just before passing away in January 1883. His posthumously published illustrations became famous in their own right, evoking as they do the lyrical and mystical air of Poeâs masterpiece. đ¤
Why Iâm including this: This is the definitive illustrated edition of Poeâs most famous poemâGustave DorĂŠâs 25 engravings from 1884 are considered the iconic visual interpretation of âThe Raven.â đ¨ DorĂŠâs Gothic, atmospheric style perfectly matches Poeâs dark romanticismâhis steel-plate engravings capture the grief, despair, and supernatural dread of the poem. The biographical context is valuable: âThe Ravenâ made Poe instantly famous but never wealthy, a tragic irony for a poet writing about loss and despair. đ° Getting both illustrated and text-only versions means you can experience DorĂŠâs visual interpretation alongside the pure text, seeing how images shape your reading of familiar lines. The historical significance is remarkable: published January 29, 1845, âThe Ravenâ became the most recognized poem in English, spawning parodies, homages, and cultural references that persist today. đ DorĂŠ completing these engravings just before his death in 1883 adds poignant symmetryâillustrating a poem about death and lost love became his final artistic statement. If youâve loved Poeâs Gothic tales, appreciate illustrated classics, or want to see how visual art can deepen poetry, this free edition delivers the most famous pairing of Poeâs words with DorĂŠâs images. This belongs in any digital library alongside your other Gothic literature. đď¸
Crossing The Line: A Rival Families Love Story (Lords of Manhattan)
Author: Zoey Locke & Z.L. Arkadie
FREE
Billionaires & Millionaires Romance
A second chance encounter between two high school crushes, Hercules and Paisley, reignites their forbidden love and challenges their tech familiesâ bitter rivalry. đťđ
He calls me PG, and my heart skips a beat. đ
Nobody calls me that but Hercules Lord, the boy, now a man, Iâve had a crush on since high school.
We could never be together. A romance between us is strictly forbidden. đŤ The Lords are old money, and my family, the Groves, are new moneyâand the Groves and the Lords donât mingle. The hate between our families runs deep enough to create an invisible line in the sand that neither of us ever dared to cross.
Thatâs never stopped us from staring at each other from across a crowded room. And weâve always been friendly. đ
Oh! đł
There was that one night seven years ago. I bet Hercules doesnât know he was my first. đĽ
Yet here we are again, gazing into each otherâs eyes.
Tonight feels different. â¨
Weâre both adults, fully capable of choosing our own paths.
And our desire for each other wants to defy any unwritten rules that keep us apart.
Truly, honestly... What will be the fallout when we finally cross the line? đĽ
Crossing the Line is the first book in the Lords of Manhattan series. This novel can be read as a standalone and ends happily ever after. đ
Why Iâm including this: Locke and Arkadie serve up Romeo and Juliet meets Manhattan tech eliteâthe Lords (old money) and the Groves (new money) have a family rivalry deep enough to forbid romance between their children. đď¸ Hercules calling Paisley âPGâ is intimate shorthand that shows their connection predates the adult encounterâtheyâve always had this private language, this special recognition of each other. The âstaring at each other from across a crowded roomâ for years is visual proof of sustained attraction despite the prohibition. đď¸ The bombshell reveal: âThere was that one night seven years ago. I bet Hercules doesnât know he was my firstâ creates instant stakesâthey already crossed the line physically, Paisley lost her virginity to him, and apparently he has no idea the significance of that night. đą Seven years of carrying that secret while maintaining distance, while their families continued feuding, while Hercules remained obliviousâthatâs years of pining and unresolved feelings. The âtonight feels differentâ shift suggests somethingâs changedâmaybe theyâre both financially independent, maybe the business rivalry has shifted, maybe theyâre just done caring about family rules. đŞ The old money/new money class conflict adds economic tension to family rivalryâitâs not just personality clash, itâs the Lords believing their established wealth makes them superior to the Grovesâ recent tech fortune. âWhat will be the fallout when we finally cross the line?â promises consequencesâangry families, business repercussions, maybe threat of disinheritance. If youâve loved Emily Henryâs People We Meet on Vacation for years of pining, Lucy Scoreâs Things We Never Got Over for small-town forbidden romance, or any contemporary romance where family rivalry creates impossible obstacles, Locke and Arkadie deliver Manhattan billionaires and second chances. đ°
Everybody Knows: A Novel
đľď¸ Author: Jordan Harper
đ° Regularly $11.99, Today $2.99
Private Investigator Mysteries
Welcome to Mae Pruettâs Los Angeles, where âNobody talks. But everybody whispers.â As a âblack-bagâ publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LAâs most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls âThe Beast.â đŚ They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary.
After her boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a random attack, Mae takes it upon herself to investigate and runs headfirst into The Beastâs lawless machinations and the twisted systems it exists to perpetuate. đ¨ It takes her on a roving neon joyride through a Los Angeles full of influencers pumped full of pills and fillers; sprawling mansions footsteps away from sprawling homeless encampments; crooked cops and mysterious wrecking crews in the middle of the night.
Edgar Award-winner Jordan Harperâs Everybody Knows is addicting and alarming, a âjuggernaut of a novelâ and âan absolute tour de force.â ⥠It is what the crime novel can achieve in the modern age: portray the human lives at the center of vast American landscapes, and make us thrill at their attempts to face impossible odds.
âThe book everybodyâs been waiting forâ âMichael Connelly
âAn absolute tour de forceââS. A. Cosby
âThe best mystery novel Iâve read in yearsâ âJames Patterson
Jordan Harper is an Edgar Award-winning author and Emmy-winning TV writer (Hightown, The Wire) who brings insider knowledge of Hollywoodâs dark underbelly to his crime fiction. đŹ His debut novel She Rides Shotgun won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, establishing him as a writer who combines literary ambition with genre thrills. Harperâs experience writing for prestige television gives his prose a visual, propulsive qualityâevery scene feels like it belongs on screen.
Why Iâm including this: Harper has created something rareâa crime novel thatâs both commercially thrilling and literarily ambitious, exploring how power really works in modern Los Angeles. đź Mae Pruett isnât a detective or cop but a âblack-bagâ publicist, someone whose job is burying scandals and protecting the powerful âby any means necessary.â That insider perspective into crisis PR, private security, and the interlocking systems Harper calls âThe Beastâ provides access to how the rich and famous actually operate when caught doing terrible things. đ The murder of Maeâs boss âin a random attackâ immediately raises questionsâwas it really random, or did someone want him silenced? Maeâs investigation isnât official; sheâs freelancing, which means no backup, no authority, just her knowledge of The Beastâs operations and her determination to find answers. đ Harperâs Los Angeles is simultaneously gorgeous and grotesque: âinfluencers pumped full of pills and fillers,â âsprawling mansions footsteps away from sprawling homeless encampments,â âmysterious wrecking crews in the middle of the night.â That juxtaposition of extreme wealth and poverty, beauty and corruption, is quintessentially LA. đ´ The endorsements from Michael Connelly (LA crime fiction royalty), S.A. Cosby (crime fictionâs hottest contemporary voice), and James Patterson (bestselling thriller king) signal this crosses genre boundariesâliterary enough for serious crime readers, propulsive enough for commercial thriller fans. Harperâs claim that this represents âwhat the crime novel can achieve in the modern ageâ isnât hyperboleâheâs using noir conventions to examine contemporary power structures, showing how The Beast protects abusers, silences victims, and maintains systems of exploitation. đĽ If youâve loved Michael Connellyâs Harry Bosch novels (LA crime with moral complexity), Don Winslowâs The Power of the Dog (systemic corruption), or any crime fiction that exposes how the powerful escape consequences, Harper delivers similar rage and revelation. At $2.99 (down from $11.99), youâre getting an Edgar Award-winnerâs masterwork about modern corruption for less than a fancy coffeeâand this will keep you up far longer than caffeine.
Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress
đ Author: Christopher Ryan
đ° Regularly $14.99, Today $1.99
Cultural Anthropology
The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Sex at Dawn explores the ways in which âprogressâ has perverted the way we liveâhow we eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work, and dieâin this âengaging, extensively documented, well-organized, and thought-provokingâ (Booklist) book.
Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is endingâbalmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. đ° We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankindâs greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. Youâre lucky to be alive here and now.
Well, maybe we are and maybe we arenât. đ¤ Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the âprogressâ defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease.
Prehistoric life, of course, was not without serious dangers and disadvantages. đ Many babies died in infancy. A broken bone, infected wound, snakebite, or difficult pregnancy could be life-threatening. But ultimately, Christopher Ryan questions, were these pre-civilized dangers more murderous than modern scourges, such as car accidents, cancers, cardiovascular disease, and a technologically prolonged dying process?
Civilized to Death âwill make you see our so-called progress in a whole new lightâ (Book Riot) and adds to the timely conversation that âthe way we have been living is no longer sustainable, at least as long as we want to the earth to outlive usâ (Psychology Today). đą Ryan makes the claim that we should start looking backwards to find our way into a better future.
Christopher Ryan is a New York Times bestselling author and psychologist whose 2010 book Sex at Dawn challenged conventional wisdom about human sexuality and became one of the most controversial anthropology books of the decade. đ Ryan combines academic rigor (he holds a PhD in psychology) with accessible writing that makes complex anthropological concepts understandable to general readers. His work consistently questions whether modern assumptions about âhuman natureâ are actually culturally constructed narratives that serve power rather than truth.
What makes this special: Ryanâs thesis is provocatively simpleâwhat if everything weâve been told about progress is wrong? What if civilization didnât save us but trapped us? đď¸ Most books celebrate human advancement from âprimitiveâ hunter-gatherers to modern technological society as obvious improvement. Ryan flips that narrative, arguing that âprogressâ has made us sicker, more stressed, more isolated, and less happy than our prehistoric ancestors. The evidence he marshals is uncomfortable: modern diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) were rare or nonexistent in hunter-gatherer populations; mental illness, depression, and anxiety are epidemic in wealthy nations; we work more hours than medieval peasants; weâre lonelier despite being more âconnected.â đ Ryanâs genius is asking the question nobody wants to face: were prehistoric dangers (infection, childbirth complications, predators) actually more deadly than modern dangers (car accidents, pollution, chronic diseases, suicide)? The answer might be no, which means weâve traded acute but manageable risks for chronic diseases and psychological suffering. đ His argument isnât that we should abandon technology and return to cavesâthatâs impossible and undesirable. Instead, Ryan suggests we need to recognize which aspects of modern life are genuinely improvements and which are making us miserable, then redesign society around human needs rather than economic growth. đż The âbalmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidismâ opening captures Ryanâs method: presenting evidence we can all see but have been trained to ignore or accept as inevitable. If youâve loved Yuval Noah Harariâs Sapiens (human history reassessed), Sebastian Jungerâs Tribe (modern isolation vs. tribal connection), or any book questioning whether weâre actually better off than our ancestors, Ryan delivers similar paradigm-shifting analysis. At $1.99 (down from $14.99), youâre getting a New York Times bestseller that might fundamentally change how you view âprogressâ and modern life for less than a parking meterâthough after reading it, you might question why we need parking meters at all.
A Tale of MagicâŚ
⨠Author: Chris Colfer
đ° Regularly $7.99, Today $1.99
Childrenâs Fantasy & Magic Adventure
This #1 New York Times bestseller is the first book in a new series set in Chris Colferâs Land of Stories universe, perfect for both new and longtime fans!
When Brystal Evergreen stumbles across a secret section of the library, she discovers a book that introduces her to a world beyond her imagination and learns the impossible: She is a fairy capable of magic! đ§ But in the oppressive Southern Kingdom, women are forbidden from reading and magic is outlawed, so Brystal is swiftly convicted of her crimes and sent to the miserable Bootstrap Correctional Facility.
But with the help of the mysterious Madame Weatherberry, Brystal is whisked away and enrolled in an academy of magic! đ° Adventure comes with a price, however, and when Madame Weatherberry is called away to attend to an important problem she doesnât return.
Do Brystal and her classmates have what it takes to stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, forever? âĄ
Fall in love with an all-new series from Chris Colfer, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Land of Stories, filled with adventure, imagination, and wonderfully memorable characters both familiar and new. đ
A #1 New York Times bestseller
An IndieBound bestseller
A USA Today bestseller
A Wall Street Journal bestseller
Chris Colfer is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, Golden Globe-winning actor (Glee), and Emmy-nominated writer who has sold millions of books worldwide through his Land of Stories series. đ His ability to create magical worlds that tackle real-world issues (prejudice, censorship, authoritarianism) while remaining accessible to middle-grade readers has made him one of the most successful childrenâs fantasy authors of the 2010s. Colfer understands that great childrenâs literature doesnât talk down to young readers but trusts them to handle complex themes wrapped in adventure.
Hereâs what youâre getting: Colfer has created a Harry Potter-style world where discovering you have magic should be wonderful but is instead illegal and dangerous. đ Brystal lives in the âoppressive Southern Kingdomâ where women are forbidden from reading and magic is outlawedâmeaning her very existence as a literate female fairy is triple crime. That setup immediately establishes stakes: Brystal canât just hide her powers, she must hide her literacy and her genderâs defiance of restrictions. Being sent to âBootstrap Correctional Facilityâ (note the darkly comic name suggesting she should have pulled herself up by bootstraps rather than having magic) before being rescued by mysterious Madame Weatherberry creates classic chosen-one rescue dynamics. đ The magic academy setting will appeal to readers who loved Harry Potter or The School for Good and Evilâkids learning magic together, forming friendships, discovering abilities. But Colfer adds urgency: Madame Weatherberry disappears, leaving students to face âa sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, foreverâ without adult guidance. đ The oppressive kingdom backdrop (women canât read, magic is banned) gives this social justice undertonesâBrystal must fight not just magical villains but systemic oppression that seeks to control women and eliminate magic entirely. Colferâs experience as an LGBTQ+ advocate informs his writing: his magical outcasts represent any marginalized group fighting for the right to exist. đłď¸âđ The multiple bestseller lists (New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, IndieBound) prove Colfer has crossover appealâkids love the adventure, adults appreciate the themes, booksellers can hand-sell it confidently. If your children loved J.K. Rowlingâs Harry Potter, Soman Chainaniâs The School for Good and Evil, or any middle-grade fantasy about magical schools and fighting injustice, Colfer delivers similar magic with more explicit social commentary. At $1.99 (down from $7.99), this is exceptional value for a #1 New York Times bestseller that will keep young readers engaged while teaching them about standing up to oppressionâand itâs the start of a complete series for kids who devour books.
The Blackbirds of St. Giles
âď¸ Author: Lila Cain
đ° Regularly $23.80, Today $3.99
African American Historical Fiction
From the brutal horrors of Jamaican plantations to the teeming streets of 19th century London, through lavish manor houses and across dangerous seas, escaped enslaved siblings survive the American War of Independence and arrive in London to seek their fortune in this page-turning, immersive story of survival, betrayal, secrets, and the quest for true freedom.
On a terrifying night in 1768, Daniel and his young sister, Pearl, narrowly escape their brutal life of slavery when a Jamaican sugarcane plantation is torched in a violent uprising. đĽ In the ashes, Daniel leaves behind the rest of his familyâand one powerful love.
More than a decade later in New York City, Daniel anticipates sailing with Pearl, now 15, to a new life promised by Britainâs king to former slaves who fought for the Crown in Americaâs War of Independence. đŹđ§ For saving a Majorâs life in battle, Daniel is doubly rewarded with the manâs inheritance, to be claimed on the other side of the ocean.
But a kingâs promises can be forgotten, and fortunes snatched away by the cruel prejudices of strangers in a new land . . . đ
Hopeless and homeless, Daniel and Pearl are lured into a dank maze of passageways roiling beneath Londonâs teeming streets, under the famed Covent Garden, and far below the crypts of St. Giles church. đ´ó §ó ˘ó Ľó Žó §ó ż A world of unimaginable poverty, where the desperate live as outcastsâthe blackbirds of St. Giles.
Lila Cain writes historical fiction that centers Black experiences during periods often whitewashed in mainstream narratives, focusing on the lives of formerly enslaved people who fought for Britain during the American Revolution and discovered that promises of freedom meant little in racist Georgian London. đ Her debut novel has attracted readers who want their historical fiction unflinching about racism and exploitation while celebrating Black resilience, agency, and survival against impossible odds.
Why Iâm including this: This is essential historical fiction about a period rarely exploredâBlack Loyalists who fought for Britain during the American Revolution based on promises of freedom, only to discover those promises were worthless in London. âď¸ Danielâs story begins with violence (1768 Jamaican plantation uprising) and spans decades, taking him from slavery through military service to Londonâs underground slums. The detail that âDaniel leaves behind the rest of his familyâand one powerful loveâ in the plantation ashes establishes the cost of survivalâhe escaped but lost everyone, creating survivorâs guilt and grief that will haunt him. đ The American Revolution context is crucial: Britain recruited enslaved people to fight against American colonists by promising freedom, and thousands of Black Loyalists took that deal. Daniel saved a Majorâs life and was promised inheritanceâbut âa kingâs promises can be forgotten, and fortunes snatched away by the cruel prejudices of strangers in a new landâ captures the brutal reality that legal promises meant nothing when white Londoners refused to honor them. đď¸ Daniel and Pearl ending up in the underground passages beneath St. Giles (one of Londonâs worst slums) shows how quickly freedom can become another form of bondage. âThe blackbirds of St. Gilesââoutcasts living in unimaginable poverty beneath the cityâis both literal (theyâre hidden underground) and metaphorical (theyâre invisible to the society above that refuses to see them). đŚ Cainâs scope is epic: Jamaica to New York to London, spanning 1768 to post-Revolution, covering plantation uprising, military service, transatlantic travel, and Londonâs underclass. The âlavish manor housesâ reference suggests Daniel will encounter the inheritance he was promised, creating tension between what heâs owed and what heâll actually receive. đ If youâve loved Colson Whiteheadâs The Underground Railroad (Black experience under slavery with speculative elements), Yaa Gyasiâs Homegoing (multi-generational Black family saga), or any historical fiction that centers Black voices during periods when theyâre usually marginalized in mainstream narratives, Cain delivers similar epic scope and unflinching honesty. At $3.99 (down from $23.80), youâre getting a sweeping historical saga for less than a fancy coffeeâand this book will stay with you far longer than caffeine.
Burning Down Boise: Book One in The Way of Dan
đĽ Author: Franklin Horton
đ° Regularly $5.99, Today $2.99
Vigilante Justice Thrillers
Sometimes the story of an apocalypse isnât one of tragedy, but one of opportunity...
Dan Slaughterâs life is already a slow-motion car crash. đĽ Burned out from a soulless job and still reeling from his wifeâs death, he gets a call that sends him cross-country to Boise. His best friend, Carl, a free-spirited musician, is deadâan alleged drug overdose that Dan absolutely refuses to believe.
What starts as a solemn duty to settle an estate quickly spirals into a fight for survival. đ¸ Carlâs house holds more than just old guitars; it hides a dark secret, drawing Dan into a violent underworld and exposing him to Carlâs dangerous associates. Then, when it seemed that things couldnât get any worse, the world goes dark.
A devastating EMP strike silences engines, cripples technology, and plunges society into chaos. ⥠Trapped thousands of miles from home in a city teetering on the brink, Dan is forced to embrace the Tennessee boy heâd kept buried for most of his adult life.
Now Dan finds himself on a path of unrelenting vengeance. đ¤ But in a world without rules, where justice is a bullet and every step is a gamble, how far will this unlikely avenger go? And can a cynical ex-cop named Holly Turner convince him thereâs a life beyond settling scores, even as the city quite literally burns around them?
From Franklin Horton, the bestselling author of The Borrowed World and The Mad Mick series, comes a gripping post-apocalyptic thriller about loyalty, survival, and the dark rebirth of one manâs soul. đ
Franklin Horton is a bestselling post-apocalyptic fiction author whose Borrowed World and Mad Mick series have attracted devoted readers who want their survival fiction grounded in realistic scenarios and featuring characters who must navigate both external threats and internal moral struggles. đ Hortonâs strength lies in combining page-turning action with genuine character development, creating protagonists who arenât just surviving the apocalypse but discovering who they really are when society collapses.
What makes this special: Horton delivers a two-for-one premiseâDan travels to Boise to investigate his friendâs suspicious death (mystery/thriller) and then an EMP strike happens, transforming the story into post-apocalyptic survival. đ That genre pivot midway through creates escalating stakes: Dan canât just solve Carlâs murder and go home because thereâs no electricity, no transportation, no way home. Heâs trapped in Boise as society collapses. âCarlâs house holds more than just old guitars; it hides a dark secretâ suggests Carl was involved in something criminal or dangerous that got him killed, pulling Dan into an underworld. đľ The EMP strike timing is perfect dramatic irony: Danâs in danger from Carlâs associates, and then suddenly everyoneâs in danger from societal collapse. âDan is forced to embrace the Tennessee boy heâd kept buried for most of his adult lifeâ reveals Dan has been suppressing his true natureâpresumably tougher, more rural, more violentâto fit into civilized society. đ¤ The apocalypse forces that buried self to surface, making Dan dangerous in ways his enemies wonât expect. The âpath of unrelenting vengeanceâ combined with âin a world without rules, where justice is a bulletâ promises vigilante violence justified by both personal loss (Carlâs murder) and societal collapse (no law enforcement). đŤ Holly Turner (cynical ex-cop) serving as potential moral anchor creates tension: can she convince Dan thereâs more to life than revenge when revenge is literally all he has left? The âcity quite literally burns around themâ isnât metaphorâBoise is on fire, adding environmental threat to human danger. đĽ Hortonâs experience writing post-apocalyptic series means he knows how to balance action (survival situations, violent confrontations) with character work (Danâs grief, guilt over leaving Tennessee behind, choice between vengeance and redemption). If youâve loved William Forstchenâs One Second After (EMP apocalypse), A. Americanâs Survivalist series, or any post-apocalyptic fiction where the protagonist must become harder to survive, Horton delivers similar gritty realism with more character depth. At $2.99 (down from $5.99), youâre getting the series starter from a proven post-apocalyptic author for less than a gallon of gasâwhich wonât help you after the EMP anyway.
A Million Dreams
đ Author: Dani Atkins
đ° Regularly $3.99, Today $1.99
Contemporary Women Fiction
Izzyâs eight-year-old son Noah is her whole life. đŚ With his long eyelashes, mischievous grin and boundless energy, heâs got her husband Peteâs sunny outlook and Izzyâs curious mind. When they receive a surprise phone call from the fertility center that helped them have Noah, itâs surely nothing to worry about.
But what they learn from that call sends their dreams for their son crashing down around them. Eight years ago, someone made a terrible mistake at the center, and thereâs a possibility that precious Noah isnât actually their child. đą
Izzy and Pete know that they will fight to keep their beautiful boy at any cost⌠but if Noahâs parents are out there somewhere, is it right to keep them from their son? đ When a shocking diagnosis brings things to a head, Izzy must decide whatâs right for Noah, even if it means sacrificing the person she loves most in the worldâŚ
From a million-copy bestselling author comes a heart-wrenching family dilemma inspired by a true story. đ If you love Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain and Kerry Fisher, you wonât be able to put this book down.
Dani Atkins is a million-copy bestselling British author who writes emotionally devastating contemporary fiction about impossible choices, featuring ordinary families facing extraordinary moral dilemmas. đ˘ Her novels have attracted readers who want their womenâs fiction to make them ugly-cry while forcing them to consider what they would do in similarly heartbreaking situations. Atkins specializes in âno right answerâ scenarios where any choice causes unbearable loss.
Hereâs what youâre getting: The premise is every parentâs nightmareâthe fertility clinic made a mistake eight years ago, and Noah might not be their biological child. 𧏠That âmight not beâ uncertainty is psychologically torturous: they donât know for sure, creating agonizing limbo where testing could destroy their family. The moral complexity is immediately apparent: âIzzy and Pete know that they will fight to keep their beautiful boy at any cost⌠but if Noahâs parents are out there somewhere, is it right to keep them from their son?â âď¸ That question has no good answer. If they keep Noah, theyâre depriving his biological parents of their child. If they give him up, theyâre losing the boy theyâve raised for eight years. Either choice causes devastating loss. đ The âshocking diagnosis brings things to a headâ suggests Noah needs something (bone marrow transplant? kidney donation?) that requires biological family, forcing the issue beyond theoretical ethics into life-or-death urgency. đĽ Atkinsâs âeven if it means sacrificing the person she loves most in the worldâ is deliberately ambiguousâdoes Izzy sacrifice Noah (giving him to his biological parents) or Pete (if they disagree on whatâs right)? The âinspired by a true storyâ detail adds weightâthis isnât melodramatic invention but something that actually happened, making the impossibility of the situation more horrifying. đ Atkinsâs comparisons to Jodi Picoult (moral dilemma fiction), Diane Chamberlain (family secrets with devastating consequences), and Kerry Fisher (contemporary womenâs fiction with emotional depth) signal this will be heartbreaking but satisfyingâreaders will cry but feel the emotional journey was worth it. If youâve loved Picoultâs My Sisterâs Keeper (impossible medical/family choices), Chamberlainâs The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (children swapped at birth), or any womenâs fiction that asks âwhat would you do?â and doesnât offer easy answers, Atkins delivers similar gut-punch emotional impact. At $1.99 (down from $3.99), youâre getting a million-copy bestseller about an impossible choice for less than a tissue boxâthough youâll definitely need tissues.
The Italian Escape
đ Author: Catherine Mangan
đ° Regularly $2.99, Today $0.99
Womenâs Domestic Life Fiction
Sparkling sea, sun, delicious food and Aperol Spritz - escape to Italy with the perfect summer romance . . . âď¸
Niamh Kellyâs life hasnât turned out quite as sheâd expected. đ Sheâs thirty-three, still living at home and was recently dumped . . . by her boss. So when her sister invites her to tag along on a work trip to the sun-drenched Italian coast, Niamh jumps at the chance, eager to escape into a world of sparkling prosecco, delicious food, and breath-taking beaches.
Upon her arrival, Niamh immediately falls in love with the beautiful Italian town theyâre staying in and realises she never wants to leave, deciding instead to stay and open up a quaint coffee shop nestled in charming old town streets - even if she has no idea what sheâs doing. â But when a family tragedy and a tricky tourist season threaten her new business, Niamh isnât so sure she can stick it out.
With help from her new-found Italian friends - and the possibility of romance on the horizon - can she make her new life in the sun a success? đŽđš
Catherine Mangan writes womenâs fiction about fresh starts, second chances, and the transformative power of changing your location when changing your life. đ Her novels have attracted readers who want their escape fiction to feel genuinely escapistâsun-drenched settings, delicious food descriptions, charming locals, and romance that develops naturally while the heroine builds something meaningful.
Why Iâm including this: This is pure wish-fulfillment for anyone stuck in a life that didnât turn out as planned. đ Niamh at thirty-three is âstill living at home and was recently dumped . . . by her bossââthatâs double humiliation (living with parents, dating your boss who then dumps you), making her Italian escape both necessary and deserved. The impulsive decision to âstay and open up a quaint coffee shop nestled in charming old town streets - even if she has no idea what sheâs doingâ is classic romance novel heroine move: leap first, figure it out later. â That âeven if she has no idea what sheâs doingâ is crucialâNiamh isnât a business expert or experienced entrepreneur, sheâs making an emotional decision and will have to learn as she goes, creating both comedy and tension. The âfamily tragedy and a tricky tourist season threaten her new businessâ adds stakes beyond romanceâNiamh must prove to herself (and probably to doubting family members) that her impulsive Italian escape wasnât just running away but running toward something real. đââď¸ Manganâs ânew-found Italian friendsâ and âpossibility of romance on the horizonâ promises found family and love interest without overwhelming the core story about Niamh building a life. The setting does heavy lifting: âsun-drenched Italian coast,â âsparkling prosecco,â âdelicious food,â âbreath-taking beaches,â âcharming old town streetsââthis is vicarious vacation for readers stuck in gray offices or dreary suburbs. đ Mangan understands her audience wants to taste the Aperol Spritz, smell the espresso, and feel the Mediterranean sun, making the Italian setting character as much as backdrop. If youâve loved Nicholas Sparksâs Italian settings, any âwoman moves to [exotic location] and finds herselfâ romance, or Eat, Pray, Love-style transformation narratives where geography changes everything, Mangan delivers similar sun-soaked escape. At $0.99 (down from $2.99), this is cheaper than an actual Aperol Spritz and will last longerâperfect reading for anyone fantasizing about quitting their job and moving to Italy.
A Universe Less Traveled (Intersecting Worlds Book 1)
đ Author: Eric von Schrader
đ° Regularly $2.99, Today $1.49
Alternate History Science Fiction
Billy Boustany uncovers a mystery that transforms his sleepy midwestern city into a vibrant metropolis of iridescent skyscrapers, wild parties, and eccentric characters. đď¸ He has the adventure of a lifetime, but it comes with a perilous secret.
When Billy shares his discovery with his college student daughter, they explore together until they reach a magnificent city of Native Americans at an ancient site. đď¸ However, they also encounter a formidable foeâthe Knights, a secret society bent on keeping outsiders away.
Can Billy and his family outsmart the Knights, or will they be forced to give up their incredible discovery? âď¸
Eric von Schrader writes alternate history science fiction that uses parallel worlds as lens for exploring roads not taken in American history, particularly focusing on what would have happened if Indigenous peoples had maintained power and developed advanced civilizations. đ His Intersecting Worlds series has attracted readers who want their alternate history thoughtful about colonizationâs impact while delivering adventure and mystery.
What makes this special: The premise suggests Billy discovers access to parallel universes where his âsleepy midwestern cityâ exists as âvibrant metropolis of iridescent skyscrapersââalternate timelines where different historical choices created radically different present-day realities. đŞ That transformation from boring to vibrant is immediately appealing: Billyâs ordinary life suddenly has access to excitement and adventure he never imagined possible. The âmagnificent city of Native Americans at an ancient siteâ reveals von Schraderâs alternate history focus: in some parallel universe, Indigenous peoples werenât colonized but instead developed their own technological advancement. đş Thatâs powerful speculative fictionâshowing what could have been if European colonization hadnât devastated Native American civilizations. The Knights (secret society keeping outsiders away) adds conspiracy thriller elements: someone knows about the parallel worlds and is actively preventing others from discovering or accessing them. 𤍠Why? What are they protecting or hiding? Billy sharing the discovery with his daughter creates father-daughter bonding through adventure, suggesting this is family-friendly sci-fi where generations work together rather than teen protagonist operating independently. đ¨âđ§ The âwill they be forced to give up their incredible discovery?â stakes feel modest until you consider what theyâre discovering: evidence that history could have gone differently, that colonization wasnât inevitable, that Indigenous civilizations could have thrived. That knowledge is dangerous to people invested in the current historical narrative. If youâve loved Philip K. Dickâs The Man in the High Castle (alternate history exploration), Diana Gabaldonâs Outlander (time travel with historical what-ifs), or any sci-fi that uses parallel worlds to explore historical contingency, von Schrader offers similar mind-bending possibilities. At $1.49 (down from $2.99), youâre getting series-starter alternate history that asks âwhat if America had developed differently?ââand thatâs worth more than the price of admission.
Breaking Rules (The Scottish Billionaires)
đź Author: M. S. Parker
đ° Regularly $2.99, Today $1.49
Womenâs Romance Fiction
Alec: Lumen is amazing. đ She brings out the playful, relaxed side of me, but fate doesnât seem to agree we belong together. And now, my ex pops back into my life and wants to make a go of it again so our daughter can have a real family. Iâm torn between whatâs best for my daughter or following my feelings for Lumen.
Lumen: Just when our relationship was going great, Alec basically blows me off the minute his ex is back in town. đ¤ He texted that he needs a break while he figures out whatâs going on with his family. And to add fuel to the fire, someone told my principal about the massage parlor job I had before I started teaching, like it was something illegal. Who else knew about that job but Alec? Iâm crushed. This is why I donât do relationships.
Third-grade teacher Lumen Browne and multi-billionaire CEO Alec McCrae are an unlikely couple, but theyâre willing to defy the odds. đ¨âđź As they struggle to fit into each otherâs lives, they must decide if theyâre willing to fight for their loveâŚor walk away.
Donât miss Breaking Rules, the second book in The Scottish Billionaire, M. S. Parkerâs latest romance series. đ
M. S. Parker writes contemporary romance featuring billionaires, athletes, and alpha males who fall for ordinary women, creating stories where power imbalances and class differences create both tension and transformation. đ° Her Scottish Billionaires series has attracted readers who want their billionaire romance with actual obstacles (ex-wives, children, career conflicts) rather than just manufactured drama, featuring heroes who must choose between duty and desire.
Hereâs what youâre getting: The dual POV immediately establishes miscommunication and external pressure threatening the relationship. đ Alecâs ex returning and wanting to reunite âso our daughter can have a real familyâ weaponizes his guiltâwhat father doesnât want his child to have both parents? Thatâs manipulation disguised as noble sacrifice, forcing Alec to choose between his happiness with Lumen and his daughterâs presumed best interests. đ§ Lumenâs perspective reveals sheâs been blindsided: âJust when our relationship was going great, Alec basically blows me off the minute his ex is back in townââfrom her viewpoint, Alec abandoned her for his ex without real explanation. The âneeds a break while he figures out whatâs going on with his familyâ text is particularly painfulâthatâs breakup language disguised as temporary pause. đ˘ The subplot about someone telling Lumenâs principal about her massage parlor job (implying it was sex work when it wasnât) adds vindictive sabotage to relationship drama. Lumenâs suspicion that only Alec knew creates trust issues: did he betray her to push her away, or is his ex (or someone else) actively trying to destroy her career? đĽ The âthis is why I donât do relationshipsâ conclusion shows Lumenâs defense mechanismâsheâs been hurt before and this confirms her belief that opening up leads to pain. Parkerâs billionaire/teacher pairing creates inherent power imbalance: Alec has resources, status, and options; Lumen is a third-grade teacher whose career could be destroyed by rumors. That inequality makes their relationship harder to navigate because theyâre not equals in the worldâs eyes. đŞ If youâve loved Vi Keeland and Penelope Wardâs billionaire romances, Sylvia Dayâs Crossfire series (power dynamics and miscommunication), or any contemporary romance where the couple must overcome both internal doubts and external sabotage, Parker delivers similar angst and ultimate satisfaction. At $1.49 (down from $2.99), youâre getting book two in a series (though it works as standalone) about whether love can survive when everyone else is actively trying to destroy it.
NEW RELEASES
Royal Icing
đ Author: Madison Score
đ NEW RELEASE
Romantic Comedy
Ten days. Two life-changing projects. One royal mess.
Trapped by an ironclad noncompete in a Manhattan bakery where sheâs spending her December doing all the work for none of the credit, Emma Clark is saving every penny. đ° Sheâs going to open her own place and make a better life for her and her mom, who is struggling after a health crisis. The light at the end of the tunnel is still years down the road when a life-changing holiday opportunity falls into her lap.
Before she can say âYule log,â Emmaâs slinging croissants in a snow globe of a European castle and masterminding the greatest dessert the kingdom has ever seen. đ° If she impresses the impossible-to-please queen, the money will speed up her timeline by a full two years. Itâll be smooth sailing as long as she doesnât do anything stupid, like falling for the devastatingly handsome Prince Leo, who spends his days ignoring royal protocol and getting his hands dirty outside the castle walls.
Leo isnât looking for a diversion, not even a gorgeous sugar-dusted one. đĽ Heâs laser-focused on building a new womenâs shelter when Emma stumbles into his life just in time to save it. Their connection is instant, undeniableâŚand so problematic.
The queen has one rule: no dating Americans. đŤ
It should be an easy one to follow. đ After all, they donât even live on the same continent. Itâs not like theyâre going to knowingly sabotage their own lives and careers just to make out under the mistletoe. Right?
Madison Score writes romantic comedies that blend fairy tale tropes with contemporary realism, creating stories where ordinary women find themselves in extraordinary situationsâusually involving royalty, fake relationships, or contracts that seemed like good ideas at the time. ⨠Her novels have attracted readers who want their rom-coms sweet, steamy, and infused with holiday magic, featuring heroines who are competent professionals falling for men who respect their ambitions.
What makes this special: The setup is pure wish fulfillmentâstruggling baker Emma gets whisked away to a European castle to create desserts for royalty, with a life-changing payday if she succeeds. đ The noncompete clause trapping Emma in a Manhattan bakery where she does âall the work for none of the creditâ immediately establishes the injustice sheâs escapingâsheâs talented and hardworking but legally prevented from opening her own place, making the castle gig not just opportunity but liberation. The âimpossible-to-please queenâ creates high stakes beyond romance: Emma must nail this job to speed up her timeline by two years, making every dessert decision crucial to her and her momâs future. đ¸ Prince Leo being devoted to building a womenâs shelter rather than attending royal functions subverts the typical playboy princeâheâs got his hands dirty with meaningful work, making him worthy of Emmaâs attention. The instant connection being âso problematicâ is understatement: the queenâs âno dating Americansâ rule means any relationship between Emma and Leo could cost her the job, the money, and the future sheâs desperately trying to build. đşđ¸ Scoreâs âsnow globe of a European castleâ description captures the fairy tale aesthetic while the womenâs shelter subplot grounds the story in real-world issues. The âThey donât even live on the same continentâ obstacle feels insurmountable until you remember this is rom-com and love conquers geography. đ The âknowingly sabotage their own lives and careers just to make out under the mistletoeâ is exactly what theyâre going to do, and watching them justify it will be delicious. If youâve loved Christina Laurenâs holiday romances, Jasmine Guilloryâs contemporary rom-coms with career-driven heroines, or any Hallmark movie where the baker falls for the prince, Score delivers similar swoony satisfaction with more heat. This is perfect holiday escapism for anyone whoâs ever fantasized about leaving their terrible job for a European castle and a devastatingly handsome prince who respects their professional ambitions.
Holiday Unscripted
đ Author: Natasha Madison
đ NEW RELEASE
Christmas Romance
From the Something So Series comes a second chance, enemies-to-lovers, brotherâs best friend, holiday romance.
Elizabeth
My brother was getting married.
At Christmas no less.
The holiday I hated the most. đ¤
Let me list all the reasons why this will be the worst season yet:
One would be my luggage not arriving. đ§ł
Two would be being told I had to find somewhere else to sleep since my room was occupied by family members.
Oh, and now I am forced to stay with my brotherâs best friend.
The man who broke my heart seven years ago. đ
Nate
My best friend was getting married.
I was happy for him.
Until I had to offer his sister my spare bedroom. đ
Itâd be fine, two weeks and sheâd be out of my hair.
But the thing with Elizabeth was that she pushed every single button I have.
She gets under my skin in the best ways. đ
All we have to do is survive the wedding and the holiday.
Then sheâll be gone yet again.
Unless maybe, just maybe, my wish of having her comes true. â¨
Natasha Madison writes contemporary romance that piles on the tropes readers loveâsecond chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, brotherâs best friendâcreating stories where every obstacle between the couple makes their eventual happy ending more satisfying. đ Her Something So series has attracted readers who want their romance emotional, steamy, and packed with the kind of tension that comes from characters who have history, baggage, and no choice but to deal with each other.
Why Iâm including this: Madison gives readers a trope buffet: second chance (they had something seven years ago), enemies-to-lovers (Elizabeth hates Christmas and Nate broke her heart), forced proximity (sharing his house for two weeks), and brotherâs best friend (the forbidden element). đ Thatâs not trope overload, thatâs strategic layeringâeach element adds complication and tension. Elizabethâs âthe holiday I hated the mostâ combined with being forced to attend her brotherâs Christmas wedding creates the perfect grumpy heroine setup. đ Her luggage not arriving and being displaced from her room before being told she must stay with Nate escalates the humiliationâsheâs already having the worst time, and now sheâs trapped with her ex. The seven-year gap since Nate broke her heart is long enough that theyâre different people but recent enough that the wounds are still fresh. đ Nateâs perspective reveals heâs not indifferent: âshe pushed every single button I haveâ and âgets under my skin in the best waysâ shows heâs affected by Elizabeth even when heâs trying to be casual about the two-week arrangement. His âmy wish of having her comes trueâ admission reveals what he really wants despite knowing sheâs leaving again. đ The dual POV structure lets readers see both sides of the tensionâElizabethâs hurt and resentment, Nateâs regret and hope. The forced proximity of sharing a house for two weeks during wedding festivities means they canât avoid each other, canât keep pretending the past doesnât matter, and canât ignore the chemistry that clearly never died. đĽ Madisonâs promise of âsurvive the wedding and the holidayâ suggests plenty of forced family events, awkward encounters, and moments where maintaining distance becomes impossible. If youâve loved Vi Keeland and Penelope Wardâs emotional contemporary romance, Meghan Quinnâs brotherâs best friend romances, or any holiday romance where ex-lovers get a second chance, Madison delivers similar angst and heat. This is perfect reading for anyone who loves watching characters who swore they were over each other realize they absolutely are not.
The Night Guests: A Novel
đŻď¸ Author: Marina Scott
đ NEW RELEASE
Historical Romance
1903. Omaha, Nebraska.
Once a prominent fixture in Omahaâs high society, Nina Wilson is now drowning in debt and disgrace following the untimely death of her father. đ˘ Her engagement has been broken off, her familyâs grand estate has fallen into disrepair, and her mother, consumed by grief, is incapable of running the household.
Attempting to bring closure to her grieving mother, Nina invites a mysterious medium, Leroy Marshall, into their home. đŽ But Leroy Marshallâs brand of charismaâequal parts alluring and repellentâleaves Nina feeling deeply unsettled. The manâs presence seems to have awakened something otherworldly in the house itself, and now itâs stepping out of the shadows, refusing to leave. đť
Marina Scott writes historical fiction that blends Gothic atmosphere with psychological suspense, creating stories where grief and desperation make characters vulnerable to manipulationâboth human and supernatural. đď¸ Her novels have attracted readers who want their historical romance dark, unsettling, and infused with the kind of ambiguity where youâre never quite sure if the horror is paranormal or entirely human.
What makes this special: The 1903 Omaha setting is unusual for historical romanceâthis isnât Regency England or Victorian London but turn-of-the-century American Midwest, giving Scott room to explore spiritualismâs popularity during this era when sĂŠances were fashionable entertainment for grieving families. đŠ Ninaâs social and financial collapse following her fatherâs death creates desperation: broken engagement, crumbling estate, incapacitated motherâsheâs lost everything that defined her identity and status. That desperation makes her vulnerable when she invites medium Leroy Marshall into their home, hoping he can give her mother closure. đ Scottâs description of Marshallâs charisma as âequal parts alluring and repellentâ perfectly captures predatory charmâNina recognizes somethingâs wrong but canât quite articulate the threat, and that ambiguity is deeply unsettling. The suggestion that Marshallâs presence has âawakened something otherworldly in the house itselfâ raises the stakes from possible sĂŠance fraud to genuine supernatural danger. đą Is Marshall a charlatan exploiting grieving women, or has he actually summoned something that wonât leave? Is the house haunted, or is Ninaâs grief and stress causing psychological breakdown? Scottâs genius is maintaining that ambiguityâreaders wonât know if this is Gothic ghost story or psychological thriller about manipulation until sheâs ready to reveal it. The historical setting when women had few legal rights and spiritualism was popular makes Nina particularly vulnerableâif she accuses Marshall of wrongdoing, who will believe her? If something supernatural is happening, how does she fight it? đĽ The crumbling estate, incapacitated mother, and broken engagement isolate Nina, making her easy prey for whatever Marshall represents. If youâve loved Sarah Watersâs Victorian Gothic novels (The Little Stranger, Fingersmith), Simone St. Jamesâs historical ghost stories, or any atmospheric historical fiction where grief makes characters vulnerable to darkness, Scott delivers similar dread and uncertainty. This promises the kind of slow-burn horror where every page makes you more uneasy but you canât stop reading because you need to know what Marshall really is and whether Nina will survive whatever sheâs invited into her home.
