2018 has barely started and here I am already planning my book hoarding reading schedule for the year to come. What? You don’t have all your most anticipated book releases on your calendar set with reminders so you know when to drop everything else that day? Just me then… Okay.
Looking back at my list of 2017 favorite reads, I realize I’ve had a very successful year—book wise. Over thirty 5 stars reads I wouldn’t mind re-reading (some I’m dying to read again, actually) and many new authors I’m now keeping my eye on (with Ical reminders, yes!).
Glancing at all the upcoming book releases for this year, I’m being hopeful again. Although some authors became auto-buy for me, I very much look forward to add even more new authors to my shelves, extend my book horizons and break my reading habits.
Before I started reading romance five years ago, I used to read mostly science-fiction and fantasy with the few mystery/horror books thrown in for good measure. (Often because they’ve been recommended to me)
The last few years though, I certainly binged on the romance genre almost exclusively, with a fair amount of contemporary and interspersing a few paranormal romance or historical books when I needed a change.
I’m not ready and I don’t think I want to go back to my old days reading pure science-fiction and fantasy—romance became a real drug for me, I’m always seeking that satisfying part when two leads fall for each other— but I hope to success in my endeavor to try new tropes and subgenres.
Of course my list this year still predominantly features a large amount of romance, but also a few YA reads as well as some woman fiction. My radar is also set on stories featuring diverse characters in the romance genre, book recommendations welcome! I’ll most likely update this post/list according to new announcements from authors about their upcoming work and based on my fellow romance book community.
I know I can also count on a few of my favorite book pushers… You know, those friends who talk about books with such passion and enthusiasm you just can’t help but add more books to the pile.
I hope this out of control Most Anticipated list of books for 2018 will help you set your sights on new authors and amazing reads! Let me know all about the books you can’t wait to get your hands onto in 2018!
and a few more!
Okay here a few more with tentative dates and no blurbs, but from authors i have on watchlist for any future release, so I’m just keeping an eye out!
Continue to read for details on each book!
Book synopsis behind the cover. Just hover on, the book cover will “flip” allowing you to scroll down and read.
Relay
Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.
Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.
Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.
Relay by Layla Reyne
Not only this is a new to me author but I’ve heard so many great things about her Irish & Whiskey series I think it’s fate Relay is coming out on my birthday. I love a good second chance at love trope! Reading the blurb I can already feel that Hate To Love You trope and I can even smell the LUST. Hero’s name is Alex, and maybe I’m biased but it’s such a great name! (I’m an Alex too)
A Taxonomy Of Love
The moment Spencer meets Hope the summer before seventh grade, it’s . . . something at first sight. He knows she’s special, possibly even magical. The pair become fast friends, climbing trees and planning world travels. After years of being outshone by his older brother and teased because of his Tourette syndrome, Spencer finally feels like he belongs. But as Hope and Spencer get older and life gets messier, the clear label of “friend” gets messier, too.
Through sibling feuds and family tragedies, new relationships and broken hearts, the two grow together and apart, and Spencer, an aspiring scientist, tries to map it all out using his trusty system of taxonomy. He wants to identify and classify their relationship, but in the end, he finds that life doesn’t always fit into easy-to-manage boxes, and it’s this messy complexity that makes life so rich and beautiful.
A Taxonomy Of Love by Rachael Allen
Not going to lie, what first caught my eye with this one is the cover. Then the theme of this book and the fact the hero has Tourette syndrome. I’m also curious about the narrative, a young man POV trying to classify and identify feelings, love… It sounds super dorky and very sweet and it fits with my goal to read more YA books this year.
The Wife Between Us
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.
Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.
Read between the lies.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
This sounds like a real mind-fuck and it has been a while since I last read a psychological thriller! Reading that blurb had my mind reeling with the possibilities… What is going on in this book? I guess there is only one way to find out! This is already on my pre-order list! ( yeah you smartasses, yo ucan read early reviews and look out for spoilers too, but where is the fun?)
Blood Fury
In a new paranormal romance set in the world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a pair of vampire warrior trainees fight their attraction as they prepare for the conflict ahead.
Brothers at the Black Dagger Brotherhood training center push recruits to the limit to become faster and stronger than ever before as they prepare for the fight against the Lessening Society. Novo, a resilient survivor who is a bit rough around the edges, has overcome a great deal—including her intense attraction to suave, aristocratic Peyton, with whom she has shared a passionate physical connection. But when Peyton finally admits his true feelings for Novo, she rejects him for a more stable male. Now they must train in close quarters and eventually confront the feelings they still undoubtedly harbor for each other.
Blood Fury by JR Ward
Are you up to date with the BlackDaggerBrotherood? I don’t think I am (I know, shame on me I must be 4 books behind!) but seeing this upcoming release about the BDB Legacy series gave me the little push I needed to get back on BDB. Hands down one of my favorite PNR series.
A Quiet Kind Of Thunder
Steffi doesn't talk.
Rhys can't hear.
They understand each other perfectly.
Love isn't always a lightning strike. Sometimes it's the rumbling roll of thunder...
Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to look after him. To Rhys it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk and, as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.
The stunning new novel from the bestselling author of Beautiful Broken Things is a love story about the times when a whisper is as good as a shout.
A Quiet Kind Of Thunder by Sara Barnard
I must have a thing for romance stories where both heroes have to overcome self issues and this blurb is telling me THINGS. I want to know all about Steffi’s struggles and the pain she’s clearly been interiorizing. I want to know everything about the boy who’s going to make her step out of her shell. I NEED this book!
Until I Get You
Seven years ago, Abigail Clarke was spared her life, if you can call being pulled out of a burning house while her family was left to die and being put under protective custody sparing anything.
After years of solace, she finds out that she’s been called to testify against the man who took everything away from her, and she’s soon thrown into a dangerous labyrinth of family secrets that threatens everybody around her, including the sexy new security detail she’s been assigned.
Connor Mulligan has more than a few agendas when it comes to Abigail Clarke. Whatever he decides on his short list of horrors should do the trick. It shouldn’t be too difficult for him.
After all, the girl gets on his very last nerve. With her mooning over him one minute and snapping at him the next, he’s not sure if he wants to gag her and stuff her in the trunk or sleep with her.
For both their sakes, he hopes he never succumbs to the latter.
Down By Contact
Two rival football players begin a game with higher stakes than the Super Bowl in this steamy romance from the author of Illegal Contact.
Simeon Boudreaux, the New York Barons’ golden-armed quarterback, is blessed with irresistible New Orleans charm and a face to melt your mama’s heart. He’s universally adored by fans and the media. Coming out as gay in solidarity with his teammate hasn’t harmed his reputation in the least—except for some social media taunting from rival linebacker Adrián Bravo.
Though they were once teammates, Adrián views Simeon as a traitor and the number-one name on the New Jersey Predators’ shit list. When animosity between the two NFL players reaches a boiling point on the field, culminating in a dirty fist fight, they’re both benched for six games and sentenced to joint community service teaching sullen, Brooklyn teens how to play ball.
At first, they can barely stand to be in the same room, but running the camp forces them to shape up. With no choice but to work together, Simeon realizes Adrián is more than his alpha-jerk persona, and Adrián begins to question why he’s always had such strong feelings for the gorgeous QB…
Down By Contact by Santino Hassell
Cheating a little with this as I’m currently… reading it! I’ve also adored book 1, Illegal Contact, so it was a no brainer for me to get my hands on this one!
Santino Hassell, whom I discovered last year, writes some amazing banter and builds tension and chemistry just RIGHT. This one is such an entertaining read, enemies to lovers, a super slow burn that delivers ALL THE FEELS. Besides, who doesn’t love two hot athletes with a smart mouth on them?
Sky's The Limit
Tired of waiting for her big break in the fashion industry, Sky Gonzalez, eternal part-time student and overworked retail drone, quits her job, sublets her New York apartment, and embarks on a semester abroad study program in Paris. Paris! Time to throw caution to the winds and jump-start her dreams. What’s the worst that could happen?
How about getting sent to the wrong Paris? As in Paris-frigging-Minnesota?
Bye-bye career dreams. Bye-bye glamour and haute couture. Hello flannel shirts, mind-numbing cold, zero bars on the cell phone, and socially challenged mountain men with tons of unruly facial hair.
So yeah, let the truck barreling her way hit her, please. Less painful.
Logan should have dodged the little lost waif and kept on driving. Who in their right mind walked in the middle of the road, dressed in white from head to high heels, during a snowstorm? Clueless city girls, that's who. Sky is all that Logan has gladly left behind: stylish, cosmopolitan, and a massive pain in the butt. He wouldn’t trade a single day in his quirky little corner of the woods for all the high-maintenance beauties the city can offer.
Too bad this beauty has been deemed a health hazard and quarantined in his house. Damn his doomsday-prepper neighbors and their paranoid emergency protocols. Now he has to keep Sky in and the pandemic squad out until the roads are clear. The question is, will that happen before or after Sky realizes she's under house arrest?
Ah, the best-laid plans...
Sky Is The Limit by Elle Aycart
Truth? I don’t care for this cover at all. “Why, you always said you loved bearded men, Alex?” True that. Yet, something is turning me off with this one but not quite sure what it is. Nevermind though, it’s Elle Aycart’s. I remember loving her books a couple years back when I started romance/erotica and reading this blurb I KNOW this one is going to be fun and dirty. I need it now!
Ryan's Bed
I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident.
I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left...
I didn’t.
I didn’t jump out.
I didn’t get embarrassed.
I relaxed.
And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved.
I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept.
The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed. If I could've stayed forever, I would have.
He became my sanctuary.
Because—four hours earlier—my twin sister killed herself.
Ryan’s Bed by Tijan
Raise your hands if you haven’t read a TIJAN’s book yet! No? Just me then!
I know…How is it remotely possible I haven’t try any of her books when ALL my friends have been raving about her epic angsty YA and NA reads?
I’ll be reading my very first soon though, this blurb sounds both sweet and heartbreaking.
Match Made In Manhattan
After two intense, dead-end relationships, serial monogamist Alison finds herself confused, lonely, and drastically out of touch with the world of modern dating. Refusing to wallow, she signs up for a popular dating app and resolves to remain open-minded and optimistic as she explores the New York City singles' scene. With the click of a button, her adventures begin: On one date, she's dumped before the first kiss; on another, she dons full HAZMAT gear; she meets a tattooed folk singer turned investment banker, an undercover agent who tracks illegal exotic animals, and dozens of other colorful, captivating personalities.
Giving them each her signature "pants speech"—her pants aren't coming off unless she has a real connection with someone—she desperately wants to push past the awkward small-talk phase to find true love, but finding "the one" is starting to feel impossible. That is, until she meets Luke, who is sophisticated, funny, and not to mention, hot. Alison finds herself falling for Luke harder than any guy she's dated and finally letting her walls down, but will he stick around or move on to his next match?
Match Made in Manhattan is a fast-paced, contemporary story about the struggles of dating in the digital age. Replete with online profiles, witty dialogue, and a super-supportive group of female friends, this all-too-real and relatable debut novel will have readers laughing, crying, and rooting for Alison all the way to the end.
About That Kiss
When love drives you crazy . . .
When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.
the best thing to do . . .
No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.
… is enjoy the ride.
As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.
About That Kiss by Jill Shalvis
I could try and find reasons to explain why Jill Shalvis upcoming books feature on my list… Or I could just be upfront and tell you she’s my happy place and I will read ALL of her books. Heartbreaker’s Bay is such a great series, with Shalvis’s signature romance, banter and steam I can’t recommend it enough.
Anatomy Of A Scandal
An astonishingly incisive and suspenseful novel about a scandal amongst Britain’s privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake.
Sophie’s husband James is a loving father, a handsome man, a charismatic and successful public figure. And yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to rip them apart.
Kate is the lawyer hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes.
Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? And is either of them informed by anything more than instinct and personal experience? Despite her privileged upbringing, Sophie is well aware that her beautiful life is not inviolable. She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy.
Most people would prefer not to try to understand what passes between a man and a woman when they are alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in an elevator… Or alone in the moonlit courtyard of an Oxford college, where a girl once stood before a boy, heart pounding with excitement, then fear. Sophie never understood why her tutorial partner Holly left Oxford so abruptly. What would she think, if she knew the truth?
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
This mystery by new-to-me author Sarah Vaughan really caught my eye. I’ve been neglecting the suspense genre and look forward to spend hours playing the guessing game. Did he do it? Or not? Politics, sex, lies, I can’t wait to get my hands on Anatomy of Scandal and scrutinize every aspect of it.
The Wedding Date
A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.
Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn't normally do. But there's something about Drew Nichols that's too hard to resist.
On the eve of his ex's wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend...
After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other...
They're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century--or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want...
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
New-to-me author? check.
Diverse characters? check.
Stuck in an Elevator meeting? check.
Fake relationship trope? check.
Long Distance relationship? check
Why, this one is hitting all my buttons, I love everything about this blurb, the cover is adorable and I’m just starting this one today.
Unraveled
The sharpest ache comes from wanting what you think you can't have
Maybe Dolan has lived independent, free-spirited and unattached since leaving home at sixteen. Whiskey Sharp, Seattle's sexy vintage-styled barbershop and whiskey bar, gave her a job and a reason to put down roots. Cutting hair by day, losing herself drumming in a punk rock band by night, she's got it good.
But a longtime crush that turns into a hot, edgy night with brooding and bearded Alexsei Petrov makes it a hell of a lot better.
Maybe's blunt attitude and carnal smile hooked Alexsei from the start. Protecting people is part of his nature and Maybe is meant to be his even if she doesn't know it. Yet. He can't help himself from wanting to protect and care for her.
But Maybe's fiery independent spirit means pushing back when Alexsei goes too far. Still, he's not afraid to do a little pushing of his own to get what he wants her in his life, and his bed, for good. Maybe's more intoxicating than all the liquor on his shelf and he's not afraid to ride the blade's edge to bind her to him.
Unraveled by Lauren Dane
It has been entirely too long since my last Lauren Dane, even more when I recall going on a binge read of her entire Brown Family series a few years back. I’m really looking forward her new series, “Whiskey Sharp“, set in a bar / barbershop. The males most definitely scream PURE ALPHA to me and I’m sure to get sassy smart mouthed heroines to butt head with them!
Can we take a look at these covers? The romance reader in me is very pleased!
Zero Hour
The Fast and the Furious meets Mr. Robot in USA Todaybestselling author Megan Erickson's thrilling new romantic suspense series.
Hacker extraordinaire Roarke Brennan lives each hour - each breath - to avenge his brother's murder. His first move: put together a team of the best coders he knows. They're all brilliant, specialized, and every one an epic pain in his ass. Only now Wren Lee wants in too, threatening to upset their delicate balance. The girl Roarke never allowed himself to want is all grown up with sexy confidence and a dark past ... and she's the wild card he can't control.
Roarke might still think she's a kid, but Wren's been to hell and back. Nothing and nobody can stop her - especially the tatted-up, cocky-as-all-hell hacker. But when years of longing and chemistry collide, Wren and Roarke discover that revenge may be a dish best served blazing hot.
Zero Hour by Megan Erickson
Granted Megan Erickson is on my watchlist (do I sound like a creepy and possibly dangerous reader ? Yeah probably am.) ever since I’ve read her collab series with Santino Hassell —Cyberlove, if you haven’t read it, get it now!— but when I learned she was releasing a romantic suspense around a bunch of hackers seeking vengeance, I couldn’t help but nerd out HARD at the prospect of it. The plus? Diverse characters. Counting the hours until I can get this pretty! <— see what I did here? Ah!
The Upside of Falling Down
For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her mission.
They tell her she’s the lone survivor of a plane crash. They tell her she’s lucky to be alive. But she doesn’t feel lucky. She feels…lost.
With the relentless Irish press bearing down on her, and a father she may not even recognize on his way from America to take her home, Clementine assumes a new identity and enlists a blue-eyed Irish stranger, Kieran O’Connell, to help her escape her forgotten life…and start a new one.
Hiding out in the sleepy town of Waterville, Ireland, Clementine discovers there’s an upside to a life that’s fallen apart. But as her lies grow, so does her affection for Kieran, and the truth about her identity becomes harder and harder to reveal, forcing Clementine to decide: Can she leave her past behind for a new love she’ll never forget?
The Upside Of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane
In my quest to read more YA this year, I stumbled upon this one. The blurb sounds interesting and there’s a part of me always attracted to stories set in Ireland. Although this one has yet to get my dear friend Maura’s stamp of approval, I’m confident enough I’ll enjoy the book! This sounds like a super cute read!
From Lukov with Love
"Are you two ever going to get along?"
Ivan said "yes" at the same time I said "no," giving him a dirty look as I did it.
From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata
We don’t much yet about this upcoming book by Marian Zapata but honest, I pretty much adored all her books so far and even met her last year : I’m fangirling hard on this author.
The snippet I was able to glean about the book just gives the promise of an enemies to lovers trope and I have no doubts regarding Zapata’s ability to pull it off just right, drawing the slow burn to the max, which is her signature feature.
Next Year In Havana
After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity--and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution...
Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's growing political unrest--until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary...
Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa's last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.
Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba's tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she'll need the lessons of her grandmother's past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.
Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton
I’ve been anticipating this historical fiction by Chanel Cleeton since last summer. I love the cover but most of all I was seduced by the blurb and the personal connection the author has with her story. A past-present story set in Cuba, promising romance, historical and political aspects, this sounds like a very moving story and I can’t wait to dive in.
Edge Of Darkness
The Cincinnati detectives question everything they know--and everyone they trust--in the new novel of romantic suspense from New York Times bestseller Karen Rose.
Homicide detective Adam Kimble is no stranger to battling demons. But Meredith Fallon is a different kind of weakness: one that could actually be good for him, if only he would let himself depend on her. Meredith has loved Adam for a year, and seeing how hard he's worked to deal with his PTSD makes her feelings only stronger, but she respects his needs. Her work keeps her busy anyway: she counsels sexually abused women like Mallory Martin to help them reintegrate into the world.
But someone doesn't want Meredith helping women like Mallory, and Meredith finds herself in the crosshairs of a very determined killer. Adam would risk anything for her, but they'll soon find out she isn't the only target...
Edge Of Darkness by Karen Rose
I discovered and read my first Karen Rose book last year and read 8 of her “Romantic Suspense” series in a row. These books can be dark and gruesome but the pace and the constant villain’s chase kept me hooked. All the books within the Romantic Suspense series ( 20 books) are linked through by characters from different cities or agencies so it’s always nice to get sneak peeks of previous characters. This one is from the Cincinnati office and I can’t wait to get on the Whodunnit train again. Super addictive!
Brooklinaire
Seven years ago he became her boss. Somewhere along the way he also became her friend. But could they be more?
Nate and Becca's book is coming!
The Lucky Ones
They called themselves “the lucky ones.” They were seven children either orphaned or abandoned by their parents and chosen by legendary philanthropist and brain surgeon Dr. Vincent Capello to live in The Dragon, his almost magical beach house on the Oregon Coast. Allison was the youngest of the lucky ones living an idyllic life with her newfound family…until the night she almost died, and was then whisked away from the house and her adopted family forever.
Now, thirteen years later, Allison receives a letter from Roland, Dr. Capello’s oldest son, warning her that their father is ill and in his final days. Allison determines she must go home again and confront the ghosts of her past. She's determined to find out what really happened that fateful night--was it an accident or, as she's always suspected, did one of her beloved family members try to kill her?
But digging into the past can reveal horrific truths, and when Allison pieces together the story of her life, she'll learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew.
A vivid and suspenseful tale of family, grief, love—and the dark secrets that bind everything together—Tiffany Reisz’s latest is enthralling to the final page.
The Smallest Part
“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
- Unknown
It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.
This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.
Surprise Me
After being together for ten years, Sylvie and Dan have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage; they have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls, and communicate so seamlessly, they finish each other's sentences. However, a trip to the doctor projects they will live another 68 years together and panic sets in. They never expected "until death do us part" to mean seven decades.
In the name of marriage survival, they quickly concoct a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting: they will create little surprises for each other so that their (extended) years together will never become boring. But in their pursuit to execute Project Surprise Me, mishaps arise and secrets are uncovered that start to threaten the very foundation of their unshakable bond. When a scandal from the past is revealed that question some important untold truths, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other after all.
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
Do I really have to name a reason for THE new Kinsella? I’ve read almost all her books, she’s my go to chick-lit author and I can’t wait to read about her new heroine’s antics. Or rather this new couple’s struggles under the charming and witty pen of the author.
Rough Ride
Rosalie Holloway put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club.
Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club, Bounty—Rosalie knows the stakes. And she pays them when her man, who she was hoping to scare straight, finds out she’s betrayed him and he delivers her to his brothers to mete out their form of justice.
But really, Rosie has long been denying that, as she drifted away from her Bounty, she’s been falling in love with Everett “Snapper” Kavanagh, a Chaos brother. Snap is the biker-boy-next door with the snowy blue eyes, quiet confidence and sweet disposition who was supposed to keep her safe... and fell down on that job.
For Snapper, it’s always been Rosalie, from the first time he saw her at the Chaos Compound. He’s just been waiting for a clear shot. But he didn’t want to get it after his Rosie was left bleeding, beat down and broken by Bounty on a cement warehouse floor.
With Rosalie a casualty of an ongoing war, Snapper has to guide her to trust him, take a shot with him, build a them...
And fold his woman firmly in the family that is Chaos.
The Comfort Zone
From the author of THE HATING GAME comes a poignant and laugh-out-loud novel, perfect for summer, about sisters, love, and the risks that can lead to the biggest rewards...
First time (blockbuster!) author Emma Carson believes that drama belongs in books. It's why she's been building a tranquil new life in London, away from her wealthy, distant father and her D-list celebrity half-sister, Claudia. But when Emma's writer's grant ends and she heads home to New York- with a pitifully underweight draft novel to explain to her editor- she finds her Dad is being extorted- again- and Claudia has been assigned a bodyguard.
Alexei Aristov is big, quiet and gorgeous, despite his scars - and the first rule he learned in Bodyguard School was to not get involved with his clients. Especially if there's a spark. If Emma can just finish her book in solitude, decide on London or New York, and repair her relationship with Claudia, she can end this chapter nice and neatly. But real life can't be edited, deleted or skipped over. Emma thinks this is going to be easy? Famous last words!
The Comfort Zone by Sally Thorne
Loved The Hating Game to pieces in 2016 and have been anxiously waiting something new from Sally Thorne ever since! I’ll be well and ready on release day to read all about Emma and her problems! Especially if one of them is a brooding bodyguard named Alexei Aristov.
Devil In Tartan
Peril and passion on enemy seas…
Lottie Livingstone bears the weight of an island on her shoulders. Under threat of losing their home, she and her clan take to the seas to sell a shipload of illegal whiskey. When an attack leaves them vulnerable, she transforms from a maiden daughter to a clever warrior. For survival, she orchestrates the siege of a rival’s ship and now holds the devilish Scottish captain Aulay Mackenzie under her command.
Tied, captive and forced to watch a stunning siren commandeer the Mackenzie ship, Aulay burns with the desire to seize control—of the ship and Lottie. He has resigned himself to a life of solitude on the open seas, but her beauty tantalizes him like nothing has before. As authorities and enemies close in, he is torn between surrendering her to justice and defending her from assailants. He’ll lose her forever, unless he’s willing to sacrifice the unimaginable…
Devil In Tartan by Julia London
I did say part of my 2018 reading goals was to read more Historicals, after all. Ah, alright, alright! That gorgeous Scot on the cover piqued my interest first. And I’ve been recommended Julia London’s books if I wanted some good historical romance. Honest.
A Duke In The Night
Duke. Scoundrel. Titan of business. August Faulkner is a man of many talents, not the least of which is enticing women into his bedchamber. He’s known—and reviled—for buying and selling companies, accumulating scads of money, and breaking hearts. It’s a reputation he wears like a badge of honor, and one he intends to keep.
Clara Hayward, the headmistress of the Haverhall School for Young Ladies, on the other hand, is above reproach. Yet when she’s reunited with August, all she can think of is the way she felt in his arms as they danced a scandalous waltz ten long years ago. Even though her head knows that he is only back in her life to take over her family’s business, her heart can’t help but open to the very duke who could destroy it for good.
Reckless
A sexy new standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Lex Martin...
For the record, I never intended to hook up with my boss. To be the nanny who gives in to temptation.
Especially when he’s not quite single yet.
Reckless by Lex Martin
The blurb promises a motherland of angst and grates at my nerves knowing there’s a thin limit to call this cheating here… BUT, I remember binging hard on Lex Martin’s “Dearest series” so I’ll just have to trust my instincts on this one. BEWARE OF THE ANGST! (also, nanny trope anyone? *almost* single dad? Yes, yes.)
One Last Time
From New York Times bestselling author, Corinne Michaels, comes a new heartwarming standalone romance.
I’m getting really good at cutting my losses.
First, the husband. Divorcing him was the best decision I ever made. But between single-parenting and job-hunting, I can’t catch my breath. When a celebrity blogging position falls into my lap, I’m determined to succeed.
That is, until I get my first assignment and actually see Noah Frazier for the first time . . . practically naked and dripping wet. My heart races and I forget how to form complete sentences. His chiseled abs, irresistible smirk, and crystal blue eyes are too perfect to be real. So, what do I do? Get drunk and humiliate myself, of course.
I’m ready to forget the awkward night, yet Noah has no intention of allowing me to move on. Instead, he arranges for me to write a feature on him, ensuring a lot more time together. One embarrassing moment after another, one kiss after another, and before I can stop myself, I realize—I’m falling in love with him.
But when the unthinkable happens, can I even blame him for cutting his losses?
What I wouldn’t give for just one last time . . .
This Heart Of Mine
A new heart saved her life—but will it help her find out what really happened to its donor?
Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie is heartless. An artificial heart in a backpack is keeping her alive. However, this route only offers her a few years. And with her rare blood type, a transplant isn’t likely. Living like you are dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But when a heart becomes available, she’s given a second chance at life. Except Leah discovers who the donor was — a boy from her school — and they’re saying he killed himself. Plagued with dreams since the transplant, she realizes she may hold the clues to what really happened.
Matt refuses to believe his twin killed himself. When Leah seeks him out, he learns they are both having similar dreams and he’s certain it means something. While unraveling the secrets of his brother’s final moments, Leah and Matt find each other, and a love they are terrified to lose. But life and even new hearts don’t come with guarantees. Who knew living, took more courage than dying?
This Heart of Mine is a haunting, poignant tale about living and dying, surviving grief, guilt, and heartache, while discovering love and hope in the midst of sadness.
This Heart Of Mine by C.C. Hunter
This one is going to come with a box of tissues or two I hope, because reading this blurb, my heart broke a little, but I’m being hopeful the balance between the heartbreak and the uplifting romance I suspect will happen between Leah and Matt will make up for it.
This will be my first book by this author too. *checks 2018 goals*
Marriage Of Inconvenience
There are three things you need to know about Kat Tanner (aka Kathleen Tyson. . . and yes, she is *that* Kathleen Tyson): 1) She’s determined to make good decisions, 2) She must get married ASAP, and 3) She knows how to knit.
Being a billionaire heiress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it sucks. Determined to live a quiet life, Kat Tanner changed her identity years ago and eschewed her family’s legacy. But now, Kat’s silver spoon past has finally caught up with her, and so have her youthful mistakes. To avoid imminent disaster, she must marry immediately; it is essential that the person she chooses have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and be completely trustworthy.
Fortunately, she knows exactly who to ask. Dan O’Malley checks all the boxes: single, romantically indifferent to her, completely trustworthy. Sure, she might have a wee little crush on Dan the Security Man, but with clear rules, expectations, and a legally binding contract, Kat is certain she can make it through this debacle with her sanity—and heart—all in one piece.
Except, what happens when Dan O’Malley isn’t as indifferent—or as trustworthy—as she thought?
Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid
Penny Reid always tells her Reiders to lower their expectations. And it’s a wise advice, really…Except not this time! I WILL NOT LOWER MY EXPECTATIONS! Kat and Dan, you guys! KAT and DAN!I’m so excited and have been anticipating their story for evvvvvver! My expectations can’t be lowered damnit!
Virgin Territory
Practice Makes Perfect
Patrick “Patch” Donnelly has what it takes to be the best goalie in the NHL…if only he could learn to control his temper. When Coach orders him to get his head in the game with private yoga classes, Patch isn’t having it. There’s no way this tough Boston guy would be caught dead downward dog-ing his way to inner peace. But if he refuses, he risks his starting position and the dream he sacrificed everything for, including joining the priesthood.
Yoga instructor Margot Kowalski is over men. After yet another toxic relationship, she’s eager to forget love and focus on growing her business. Doing the Hellions head coach a favor by helping out a troubled player can't hurt, and it might give her career a high-profile boost. But free-spirited Margot is soon charming the pants off Patch. Literally. Her sassy combination of sweet and sexy proves irresistible to the goalie. Before Patch can give into temptation though, he’ll have to confess his biggest secret:
He’s a virgin.
But Patch is hiding more than sexual inexperience, and his dark past soon threatens to destroy his shot at true love.
Virgin Territory by Lia Riley
I’m a fairly simple person. (You can call me shallow even.)
Give me a redhead on a cover. (bearded at that!)
Tell me he’s a hockey player with a temper. (On ice only)
And by all means charm the pants out off me telling me he’s a virgin. (and came short to join priesthood!)
Where do I sign? Oh, hello there, Lia Riley, new-to-me-author.
High Voltage
There is no action without consequence…
Dani O’Malley was nine years old when the delusional, sadistic Rowena transformed her into a ruthless killer. Years later, she’s tough, hardened, yet achingly vulnerable and fiercely compassionate, living alone by her own exacting code. Despite the scars on her body, driven by deeper ones carved into her soul, no one is more committed to protecting Dublin. By day, she ensures the safety of those she rescues, by night she hunts evil, dispensing justice swiftly and without mercy, determined to give those she cares for the peace she has never known.
There is no power without price…
When the Faerie Queen used the dangerously powerful Song of Making to heal the world from the damage done by the Hoar Frost King, catastrophic magic seeped deep into the earth, giving rise to horrifying, unforeseen consequences–and now deadly enemies plot in the darkness, preparing to enslave the human race and unleash an ancient reign of hell on Earth.
There is no future without sacrifice…
With the lethal, immortal Ryodan at her side, armed with the epic Sword of Light, Dani once again battles to save the world but her past comes back to haunt her with a vengeance, demanding an unspeakable price for the power she needs to save the human race and no one—not even Ryodan who’d move the very stars for her—can save her this time…
High Voltage by Karen Marie Moning
I’m a fairly simple person. (You can call me shallow even.)
Give me a redhead on a cover. (bearded at that!)
Tell me he’s a hockey player with a temper. (On ice only)
And by all means charm the pants out off me telling me he’s a virgin. (and came short to join priesthood!)
Where do I sign? Oh, hello there, Lia Riley, new-to-me-author.
Thirsty
My name is Salvador Rosas. Back in the barrio, my past is written on the walls: ESHB. Short for East Side Hollenbeck, my father’s gang—my gang. Hell, it’s a family tradition, one that sent both my brothers away. They used to call me “Ghost” because I haunted people’s dreams. Now I’ve got nothing going for me except a hipster gringo mentoring me in a new career. An ex-con making craft beer? No mames.
Still, people in this neighborhood look out for one another. That’s how I became Vanessa Velasco’s unwelcome tenant. Chiquita pero picosa. She’s little, but with curves so sweet they’re dangerous. I remember Vanessa from the old days, the straight-A student with big plans. Plans that were derailed by another kid stupid enough to think he was bulletproof. Now Vanessa knows better than to believe in empty promises. There’s fire in her . . . and if I touch her, I might get burned.
I’m trying everything I can to go straight. But when East Side Hollenbeck comes calling, I might have to risk it all to find out if there’s a future for Vanessa and me. Because she’s the only one who can quench my thirst for something real.
Thirsty by Mia Hopkins
I have to blame two of my trustee book pushers for this one, and reading the blurb—ah, ok you got me here, this one got on my list because well, helloooo hot cover! I know I said many times I was over abs on the cover but really, let’s not make of this statement something… definite. Clearly exceptions can be made. Thirsty by Mia Hopkins is clearly one of them. (in all seriousness, that blurb sounds really good though!)
2018 goals : new to me author + diverse characters = CHECK!
Bishop's Move
In near-future Chicago, virtual reality is an escape from the grit and grime of everyday life.
Lucky Amonte will be paying off his VR gaming system forever, but it’s worth it to experience his dirtiest fantasies with anonymous strangers in the Drift. After work and in the game, he’s LuckyStrike—the androgynous, chubby fashionisto who fiercely rocks big hoop earrings and flashy ensembles. He also craves rough sex, a little humiliation and dominance, and he’s finally found the perfect virtual partner in sexy, mysterious Bishop.
Jamie Bishop spent most of his twenties incarcerated for protecting someone he loved. Now he’s stuck in a thankless job delivering pizzas and passing coded messages for his shady boss. Life isn’t kind to ex-felons, but in the Drift, he’s simply Bishop. Clean-cut and average. No prison tats. No brawny, intimidating physique. And there, he has Lucky, whose desires align perfectly with his own.
When their fantasy and real lives collide, Bishop is forced to decide—either play it safe and keep a low profile or make a move and find out whether their virtual chemistry is more than just a game. But drawing Lucky into his world could put both their lives on the line.
Content warning: This book contains some breath control play and a scene portraying characters who consensually act out a fantasy of a nonconsensual situation.
Fast Burn
For the woman who’s his perfect match, he’s willing to break the rules…
The moment Brand Berry meets beautiful, driven Sahara Silver, the connection between them is electric. It’s also something he can’t pursue. Sahara wants him, sure—to join Body Armor, where his MMA skills, size and cocky attitude make him perfect for her elite crew of bodyguards. For Sahara, the agency always comes first, and Brand needs more. Yet when she’s kidnapped by men searching for her missing brother, he doesn’t hesitate.
Somewhere along the way, flirting with Brand for the sake of business turned very personal. Despite his refusal to join Body Armor, it’s Brand who steps up when Sahara needs him most. Now there’s no more time for games, and no point denying the hunger they both feel. They’ll escape together or not at all. But if they survive, can Sahara finally surrender control to claim this blazing passion?
Hurts To Love You
Being bad never felt so good, in the third novel in Alisha Rai’s sexy Forbidden Hearts series!
Well-behaved women don’t lust after men who love to misbehave.
Heiress Evangeline Chandler knows how to keep a secret . . . like her life-long crush on the tattooed hottie who just happens to be her big brother’s friend. She’s a Chandler, after all, and Chandlers don’t hook up with the help. Then again, they also don’t disobey their fathers and quit their respectable jobs, so good-girl rules may no longer apply.
Gabriel Hunter hides the pain of his past behind a smile, but he can’t hide his sudden attraction to his friend’s sheltered little sister. Eve is far too sweet to accept anything less than forever and there’s no chance of a future between the son of a housekeeper and the town’s resident princess.
When a wedding party forces Eve and Gabe into tight quarters, keeping their hands off each other will be as hard as keeping their clothes on. The need that draws them together is stronger than the forces that should shove them apart . . . but their sparks may not survive the explosion when long-buried secrets are finally unearthed.
Hurts To Love You by Alisha Rai
I discovered Alisha Rai at the end of last year and have been seriously addicted to the two previous books in this series. I just can’t get enough of it! Diverse characters, genuinely fleshed out characters, slow burn and angsty premises are her jam. Seriously, is March already?
Some I didn’t know were coming out, thanks!
You’re welcome! Glad it can be useful to fellow book lovers x
So many of these are on my list! But I have already read Next Year In Havana and it is SO GOOD. You’re going to love it!
Eeeep! I can’t wait to get to it! January and february are looking insane though. SO many books I’m not even sure what to start first!!
FYI: Sally Thorne’s The Comfort Zone has been shelved indefinitely. Her 2nd book will be something else (I think she said she recently turned in a draft to her editor)
Beautiful list you have here. I am like you. I already have a spreadsheet of books I plan on reading for the year of new releases. I can’t wait for Alisha Tau new book as well as Virgin Territory
If you figure out a way, let me know! LOL
Alleskelle I wish I could quit my job and read all day long!