In Sleep You Know, A Story of the Eleriannan by Christiane Knight

SPFBO9

Even the grittiest blue collar city has a spark of magic under the surface; but in Baltimore, graffiti holds secret messages and artists are the spellcasters. Abandoned buildings hide ancient beings, and at the local club, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with menacing and otherworldly creatures. If you know how to look, of course. Merrick Moore is just a regular guy with dreams of making it big with his garage band, but not much else - until he crashes a party thrown by reclusive eccentrics. He gets more than he bargained for: new powers, a girlfriend who can visit him in his dreams, and a seven year bond with the local Fae court. When the mortal enemies of his new friends show up to his band's first gig, Merrick finds himself trying to prevent the start of a war that will have consequences for everyone, Fae and human alike.

Claimed by the Alien Mercenary: A Steamy Alien Sci-fi Romance (Monster Mercenary Mates #08) by Robin O'Connor

She’s the mission. He’s the monster everyone fears. His claim might destroy them both. Dani I came to Radin chasing a miracle cure hidden in a flower. I never expected to become prey. Days of captivity leave my empathic senses burned out, my power little more than an ache beneath my skin. Then Jaxin arrives, silent, shark-eyed, built for violence. When the rescue goes awry, he hauls me over his shoulder and runs. Alone in Radin’s humid jungle, survival means pressed bodies, shared breath, and heat that has nothing to do with the heat of summer. As my empathy recovers, I feel what he hides. Control layered over hunger. Possession strangled by discipline. A truth he refuses to face: he feels more than he’s allowed. Jaxin Emotion is forbidden. My people, the Rummicaron, suppress it for a reason. But the jungle strips restraint bare, and my true nature claws its way to the surface: to claim, to protect, to possess a mate. Dani doesn’t just tempt me, she awakens something ancient and dangerous. As Radin’s giant closes in and a crime lord tightens her grip, I must choose between duty and instinct. And if I choose wrong, Radin will kill us both. This is a standalone novel and the eighth book in the Monster Mercenary Mates series. This sci-fi monster romance features a not-so-emotionless, shark-like alien mercenary, a gifted empathic scientist, and a steamy HEA.

The Teras Tactics by Lucien Burr

Following their success in the trials, Cassius Jones and his companions secure coveted spots as students in London's prestigious University. But the University's promise of security falls short. Reeling from resource shortages, the University is no longer content with siloed expertise, demanding versatility if its students are to survive in a world plagued by catastrophe. As hybrid terrors continue to rise and the landscape grows increasingly hostile, Cassius must remain adaptable, guarding against fear's corrosive grip. Juggling a fragile relationship with Leo Shaw, navigating the fracture of his friend group, and confronting the remnants of his own ruthlessness, Cassius faces his greatest challenge yet. In the face of adversity, can Cassius harness his resilience to not only endure but thrive in a world on the brink of collapse?

The Daughter of the Ice by Luis Falcao de Magalhaes

SPFBO9

After a thousand-year slumber, the goddess of frost awakens to a world that has all but forgotten her. She will rule again... Even if it means covering Elessia in icy death. Eregar, a decorated knight in his twilight years, longs for one final adventure—one last chance to test himself against sword and sorcery. When rumors rise of a powerful sorceress building an army to the east, he jumps at the offer of leading a band of young mercenaries into the heart of the distant Frozen Plains to assess the threat. But as fierce warriors wielding dark magics unleash an undead army upon the last bastion of civilization, the old knight will find that more than his mettle is to be tested... The Daughter of The Ice is the first chapter in a new sword & sorcery series set in the world of Elessia, filled with charismatic characters and intense action. Readers and reviewers alike have said it evokes the best parts of The Witcher, The Dragonbone Chair, and The Wheel of Time.

The Look of a King by Tom Dumbrell

SPFBO7

Two young men. One with a dark past, the other with a bright future. Cyrus is a storyteller frustrated by the mundane trappings of village life, while Prince Augustus struggles to meet high expectations after an upbringing of royal privilege in the bustling capital. As both try to forge their own paths, a royal assassination unexpectedly closes the gap between them. The nation of Easthaven is thrown into war with their oppressive neighbours, and so begins a conflict from which neither can walk away. Will a young prince finally measure up to his destiny? Will a storyteller create a legend of his own? Cyrus and Augustus's lives may seem worlds apart, but perhaps they aren't so different after all...

The Naga Exile's Frozen Mate: A Sci-Fi Monster Romance (Serpents of Serant #10) by Robin O'Connor

Frozen in ice. One touch to wake me. A storm of desire, and a planet that wants to eat us alive. Felicia They said deep space was lonely. They never warned me it could ache. After years in stasis, I wake to a dying ship, a broken world, and a man—or not quite a man—watching me like I’m oxygen after a lifetime of drowning. Levant’s voice slides through me like heat in the cold, his eyes promise sin, and when his tail brushes my skin, I forget how to breathe. He calls me his. Says the bond between us is written in the stars. I should fight him, focus on fixing my ship before it tears Serant apart. But every time he touches me, I want to shatter. The wind howls beyond the hull, but the real storm is the one he’s stirring beneath my skin. Levant I was sent to the pole as punishment. Alone. Exiled. Then I found her. Human. Fire-willed. Fragile in a way that makes my pulse burn. When I found her sleeping in the ice, the bond struck like lightning through my veins. My exile doesn’t matter now. Only her. The Council watches. The ice moans with the waking Revenants below. Her ship is unraveling, and the planet trembles with it. To protect her, I must bind her to me. To save her world, I may have to sacrifice my own. The longer I’m near her, the more I know, I’d let the universe fall if it meant keeping her in my arms. This is Book Ten in the Serpents of Serant series. This steamy sci-fi monster romance features an exiled Naga Shaman, a bold human explorer, and a sizzling HEA.

The Catalyst by Anttimatti Pennanen

Jon and Gus comes face to face with the legend of an ancient weapon, the Catalyst. Is this mysterious artefact the answer in the fight against the Breathers, a way home, or something else?

Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydís Moon

Laced with romance, gothic imagery, Catholic mysticism, diaspora, and horror… When lonely transgender exorcist, Colin Hart, finds himself challenged by an unruly haunted house in Gideon, Colorado, he’s kept awake by ghosts, demons, ghouls, and the handsome nonbinary owner of the house, Bishop Martínez. Unlike the simple hauntings Colin is accustomed to, Bishop’s house is a living beacon, attracting a plethora of inhuman creatures, including a vengeful wolf-headed spirit who might be the key to quieting their sleepless nights. But as a heartbreaking mystery unravels, Colin comes face-to-face with the past Bishop tried to bury, opens a closet full of bloody skeletons, and trips into an accidental romance. As paranormally skilled as Colin might be, this particular haunting may be too messy for him to handle…

The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen

A reluctant necromancer, a man killed before his time, and the crime that brings them together. Felipe Galvan’s life as an investigator for the Paranormal Society has been spent running into danger. Returning home from his latest case, Felipe struggles with the sudden quiet of his life until a mysterious death puts him in the path of the enigmatic Oliver Barlow. Oliver has two secrets. One, he has been in love with the charming Felipe Galvan for years. Two, he is a necromancer, but to keep the sensible life he’s built as a medical examiner, he must hide his powers. That is until Oliver finds Felipe murdered and accidentally brings him back from the dead. But Felipe refuses to die again until he and Oliver catch his killer. Together, Felipe and Oliver embark on an investigation to uncover a plot centuries in the making. As they close in on his killer, one thing is certain: if they don’t stop them, Felipe won’t be the last to die.

Salt Magic, Skin Magic by Lee Welch

An entrapped lord and a magician whose sex life melts windows; will love destroy them, or set them free? Lord Thornby has been trapped on his father’s isolated Yorkshire estate for a year. There are no bars or chains; he simply can’t leave. His sanity is starting to fray. When industrial magician John Blake arrives to investigate a case of witchcraft, he finds the peculiar, arrogant Thornby as alarming as he is attractive. John soon finds himself caught up in a dark fairytale, where all the rules of magic—and love—are changed. To set Thornby free, both men must face life-changing truths—and John must accept that the brave, witty man who’s winning his heart may also be about to break it. Can they escape a web of magic that’s as perilous as love? Genre: Fantasy historical m/m romance Novel-length standalone book, approx 80,000 words

Diamond Wishes: An Aladdin Retelling (All That Glitters #12) by Abigail Manning

A mute guard, a chatty parrot, and a diamond ring that could change it all... Few people have heard the legend of the wondrous wishing diamond, and even fewer have wasted their efforts searching for it. Kya could care less about jewels unless they can sell for enough money to feed her and her mouthy parrot. Her chronic fainting spells make it impossible to hold down a real job, and difficult to escape the guards when a charming stranger interrupts her heist. Caught and caged, Kya admits defeat as she wastes away in the palace prison. Not even befriending a royal guard can get her out of her chains, but a deal with a smooth-talking nobleman might... It would seem that the boy from the market isn’t the only person on a diamond hunt. If anyone can find a diamond ring in a cave full of treasures, it’s a jewel thief, but that doesn’t mean she knows how to use it. Wishes gone wrong and a power struggle between royals quickly trap Kya once again, but this time as a fake princess. Even a counterfeit diamond can sparkle, but can it fool a treasure hunter? Life as a royal sure does have a nice ring to it, if you can live long enough to wish for a crown. Diamond Wishes is a standalone, no-spice, fairy retelling and is a part of the series "All That Glitters." A collection of 12 treasure-themed fairy tale retellings full of adventure, romance, and glittering gold.

Aurethia Rising by Atlas Laika

Two centuries ago, House Henly of Aurethia and House Volkov of Griea penned an engagement, promising a union between rival houses and their respective homeworlds. Elio Henly has been preparing for marriage his entire life. As the Henly heir and future steward of Aurethia, he will inherit great power, including control of a lucrative trade route, and ownership of the most precious substance in the Greater Universe — Avara. The mysterious blue crystal native to Aurethia is the sole treatment for parsec sickness, an epidemic ravaging space travelers within the Greater Universe. But when he meets Cael Volkov, the charming heir of the outfitted military planet, Griea, everything he thought he knew about his homeworld, his family, and his heart is turned upside down. Cael Volkov has been raised to conquer. Champion in the Tupinaire, commander of the Royal Reserve, and son to the mighty Legatus, Cael knows his mission is simple: gain the Aurethian heir’s trust, learn everything he can about the forest moon, and prepare to take it by force. But the longer he spends with Elio Henly, the quiet, brilliant Aurethian prince, the more he questions everything he was taught, and begins to push back against the rhetoric seeded in him by a lust for vengeance.

Hot Wolf in the Country - A Cozy Monster Romance (Monster Mate Mayhem) by Honey Phillips

Working late has never been this dangerous! Tech genius Harper moves to Monster Island for a fresh start, hoping to escape her workaholic tendencies. She doesn’t expect to fall even deeper into her old patterns, or to accidentally run into the most infuriatingly attractive man she's ever met. Adrian Moonstone isn't just the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack; he's a growly, dominant force of nature. Adrian wants nothing to do with big city girls, but Harper, with her pink hair, defiant attitude, and tantalizing scent, proves impossible to resist. He knows a tiny human female can't be his Luna. He knows she'll never truly belong in his world. Yet, his wolf’s need to claim her grows with every encounter. When a vicious cyber-attack threatens his pack, Adrian needs Harper's genius more than ever. But as they fight together to defeat this new threat, their undeniable passion ignites. Can Harper find her happily ever after, or will love prove to be a code that even she can’t break? smart heroine, possessive hero, fated mates, forced proximity, shifter romance A sweet and spicy monster romance! Each book can be read as a standalone romance. Intended for mature readers.

Fate of the Drowned by Carrie Summers

The Empire is shattered. From the northern ice fields to the storm-battered coast, chasms gash the landscape. Hordes of twisted beasts ravage towns and cities, and still, the people riot. But the prophecies offer hope. Bolstered by the newfound, if fragile, peace with Stormshard, Emperor Kostan begins to fortify his rule. Savra, torn between her desire to learn her family’s fate and the duty she feels to her Emperor, delves deeper into her magic in hopes she can answer both calls. At the heart of the Empire, an ancient seal will soon fail. But Savra and Kostan will fight to the end. Together they represent the Empire’s last hope for salvation.

Never Kiss a Krampus: A Cozy Holiday Monster Romance by Honey Phillips

Noelle Green needs a miracle. The town of Mistletoe Hollow is being devoured by a Grinch-like developer, and her beloved Christmas shop is next to the list. Fueled by peppermint schnapps and desperation, she performs a ritual for Yuletide aid. She gets a miracle, all right—just not the kind she expected. She accidentally summons a Krampus, all towering muscle, wicked horns, and glowing eyes. Bound to her until Christmas, Bastian is ancient, annoyed, and very sure she owes him for dragging him across realms. Noelle's attraction to her grumpy, imposing houseguest is as undeniable as it is terrifying. But between magical punishments, enchanted tinsel, and kisses that melt snowflakes, this holiday season is about to get very, very naughty.

Baby for the Alien Warrior (Treasured by the Alien Book 14) by Honey Phillips

A warrior with nothing left to give. A woman who’s lost too much. A miracle that changes everything. Dr. Corinne Vale thought her life of quiet study ended the day she was abducted and sold across the stars. Now, she’s on the run with a traumatized teenage girl and a baby she risked everything to save. When she encounters Commander Selik, a huge Cire warrior with haunted eyes, she expects another cage. Instead she finds a hero. Selik has done his best to bury the past and the family he failed to save. He doesn’t expect the fierce, beautiful human he rescues to awaken feelings he thought long dead. But when a night of shared grief leads to a moment of passion, the impossible happens. Now Selik will risk everything for his fragile new family. Because sometimes the most powerful bonds are the ones you never saw coming. Each book in the Treasured by the Alien series can be read as a standalone romance. This sweet and steamy HEA is intended for adults only.

Where Shadows Lie by Allegra Pescatore

SPFBO6

The Chosen One Is Dead. Magic Is Going Haywire. Time Is Running Out. When the King of Lirin murders Elenor's brother during a failed coup attempt, she must choose between turning a blind eye to her people's suffering or joining the rebellion and helping bring down the tyrant king. There's only one problem--the king is her father. Helped along the way by a grouchy old doctor, a boisterous group of nobles, and a well-meaning assassin, Elenor is forced to dance between duty and defiance as she tries to save her kingdom. Meanwhile, from the rainy streets of Lirin to the scorching dunes of the Mondaer Desert, the ripples of her actions have inadvertently broken a chain of events five centuries in the making. Ancient forces move in the shadows, calling in debts and striking deals. A monster with a thousand faces fingers his knife, ready to kill, and a pair of fugitives run for their lives. Where Shadows Lie is a non-stop, epic fantasy ride featuring an lgbtq+ and disabled protagonist and filled with court intrigue, sizzling romance, adorable baby dragons, and the battle between oppression and freedom. Dive in and get swept away!

Paths of Malice (The Venatrix Chronicles Book 3) by Sylvia Mercedes

Poisoned. Trapped. At the mercy of a ghost . . . She can handle this. A month into her competition with Venator Terryn, Ayleth seems no closer to winning the Golden Prince’s trust. Why else would he call Terryn to serve at the castle on some secret mission, leaving Ayleth to manage the borough on her own? No matter. She’ll prove her worth to the prince come what may. Plenty of mysteries plague the land under her protection . . . including the mystery of Terryn himself and the strange, dangerous talisman he’s been keeping hidden in his room. Her search for answers soon finds Ayleth on the trail of her deadliest foe yet. A ghost from the prince’s past has returned to haunt the present, possessed of a powerful phantom shade capable of walking the dark paths of the Haunts. Ayleth is totally outmatched and unprepared to face such an enemy alone. But when has she ever backed down from a fight? Welcome back to a world where enemies and friends can be difficult to distinguish, where angels are deadly and demons desirable, and shadows of the past loom dark across the future. If you like your heroines brave, your heroes tormented, and your action non-stop, try The Venatrix Chronicles today!

Black Table by Anttimatti Pennanen

SPSFC 2022

Jon and Gus, science fiction fans from Finland with a penchant for fist bumping and pop culture references, travel to the Portland Comic Con where tragedy strikes. Their hero, Dr Wells, suffers a heart attack. With his dying breath, the doctor exhorts Jon to “find the …” as he pushes a book into Jon’s hands. Following clues inscribed in the book, Jon and Gus discover an alien structure with a mysterious Black Table which they accidently activate, transporting them to an alien world. Jumping from world to world via the Black Table galactic transportation network, Jon and Gus embark on the adventure of a lifetime where they encounter monsters, alien tech, giant vessels made of water and make new friends. But those friends are facing an unstoppable and mindless enemy. An enemy that is destroying the galaxy, and Earth is next in its path. Can two fans from Finland save the day? Black Table is a rollicking yarn of two likeable, wise-cracking friends who like nothing better than pranking each other. That is, except when they are not doing something more serious, like saving the universe. JOIN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE BLACK TABLE NETWORK!

Orc The Halls: A Snowed-In Christmas Romance (OrcFire Book 9) by Alana Khan

Some Christmas gifts come with muscle, tusks, and a promise you’ll never be cold again. Laney My plan to cover next semester’s vet school tuition—holiday pet-sitting at my late grandma’s snowy mountain sanctuary—is going down in flames. The exotic animals are staging a revolt, a blizzard’s closing in, and failure means losing everything. Then he shows up. Ryder six-foot-eight of green-skinned, musclebound orc firefighter with a voice that could melt snow and hands that promise ruin. He’s calm with the animals, gentle with me—and when he calls me sunshine, my icy walls start to melt. But I’ve been left behind too many times to believe in happy endings. Ryder I came here to do a quick pet-care favor. What I found? A fierce, brilliant woman holding her world together with grit and hope. Laney thinks I’ll walk away like everyone else. But this orc? I’m not going anywhere. I’ll earn her trust. Melt her defenses. And prove that I love hard, protect harder, and know exactly how to heat up a snowbound cabin. Escape into a snowed-in mountain romance where Christmas miracles come with fierce devotion, possessive growls, and the kind of dominant orc who brings the fire. Scorching scenes guaranteed, along with your new green-skinned book boyfriend. For readers 18+ who love their holidays hot, their heroes huge, and their monster romances equal parts heart and heat.

Heart of the Empire by Carrie Summers

The Empire is heartless, but fate is crueler still. Tainted magic spills from a crack between worlds. Quakes rattle the Atal Empire, opening rifts that split towns in two. As the land shatters and betrayals cleave the Emperor's court, ancient power awakens in a flame-haired young woman. Savra, a miner on a remote coast, lives in relative innocence of her Emperor's savage rule. When she turns seventeen, she expects to be assigned sluice mining as her official Function. Everyone from her home village is a sluicer--unless they turn renegade and fugitive like Savra's father. But when she's suddenly torn from her home, turned pawn in the plots of madmen, a chance meeting with a young man provides the first glimpse of her tangled destiny. For nineteen years, Kostan has been groomed for one thing: ascension to the throne. One of thirteen imperial Scions, he bears a wound that won't heal until his twenty-first birthday. On that date, only the shape of the Scions' scars will determine the next Atal Emperor. Savra secretly fears she carries her father's rebel blood. Kostan despises everything the Empire stands for. Neither desires a fight, but as the Empire crumbles around them, they stand on opposite sides of a war. Each could be part of Empire's salvation, if only they could bridge the chasm dividing them. Tangled fates. Epic stakes. Join thousands who have entered the Broken Lands.

The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power

A Mystery Scene Magazine 2021 Editor's Pick Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors. Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesn’t end there. She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby. Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer.

Never Die (Mortal Techniques #1) by Rob J. Hayes

SPFBO Finalist

Samurai, shinigami, vengeful spirits, and an impossible quest. Itami Cho has earned the name Whispering Blade. She is a Shintei warrior, sworn to the path of oaths and honour. But keeping her oaths has always been more difficult than taking them. When Flaming Fist and his bandits attack the city of Kaishi, Itami swears one last oath: she will protect the city and its people at any cost. Ein has spent his life dreaming of being a hero, and now the God of Death has given him a chance. The Reaper has set him an impossible quest: an eight-year-old boy sent to stop an immortal Emperor. Never Die is a stand alone set in the world of Mortal Techniques. It’s a wuxia adventure filled with samurai, shinigami, heroes, and vengeful spirits.

Isla's Reach by Francisca Liliana

One catastrophe is all it takes. The world of Iona has forgotten the time when dragons ruled the skies and their Viden riders controlled the wind. The Evandis War, started by the long dead Cinaed the Decayed was won, but at the extermination of every dragon and their Viden riders. Evelyn, the last Viden, has been in hiding for her entire life, but no more. Once she bonds with Oretem, the last dragon, her purpose quickly turns from being the shield for those she loves, to the blade that fights to survive. A Reticent assassin haunts her steps, one who has his own demons to battle. They both seek a single person--Meric, a bounty hunter Venandi, who the assassin endeavors to destroy and the Viden hopes to save. These three lives intertwine in ways that leave them questioning everything they've ever known. The roots of Isla's Reach burrow deep to carry the world, and it won't be long until they've broken entirely.

Love & Leave: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (MoonLIT Matches #01) by Kristeen Groth

What happens when a runaway celebrity bride lands in the arms of the man she left behind—without either of them knowing they’re being set up? Exactly what you’d expect. Ava Sinclair was supposed to be marrying Hollywood’s golden boy. Instead, she escapes her made-for-TV wedding and ends up in the wilderness... with Joe Mahoney, her ex—the first love she ghosted without a word. Now she’s torn between two lives: one of flashbulbs and fame, the other of pine trees and the man who knew her before the world did. Joe’s charming, flirty, and emotionally unavailable on purpose. It’s a system that works—until Ava crashes back into his life via the back of his pickup truck. Add one matchmaking book club of meddling grandmas, and a suspiciously on-theme book of the month (One True Loves), and things start looking less like fate... and more like a trap. Some love stories don’t end. They just wait—for the ending they were always meant to have. Love & Leave is a closed-door romantic comedy featuring a runaway celebrity bride, a firefighter first love, and a second chance neither of them planned on. When a matchmaking book club inspired by beloved romance novels gets involved, expect laugh-out-loud humor, small-town hijinks, and swoony five-alarm kisses you won’t want to put out.

Abominable: A Holiday Monster Romance (Possessive Monsters) by Maggie Mayhem

My holiday plans are simple: drive home, spend time with the family, and avoid conversation about my recent divorce. But fate has other plans. My car breaks down right as a snowstorm blows in, leaving me freezing and stranded in the middle of nowhere. Enter a huge mountain of a man named Axel (totally not an axe murderer), who whisks me away to his giant-sized, yet cozy cabin. My rugged rescuer is sweet and charming, but something is off. Because he’s bigger than any human could ever be, and I swear he just turned furry for a second. And I’m strangely intrigued… But Axel’s not the only beast prowling these woods, and when my past comes back to haunt me—your girl just can’t catch a break—having my very own possessive monster is the best gift I never expected. This is a standalone novella-length holiday story set in the Possessive Monster universe. Get ready for a sweet and steamy adventure with a HEA guaranteed!

The Reanimator's Remains by Kara Jorgensen

An autistic necromancer, his undead love, and a covenant that must be broken. Oliver Barlow never knew what happened to his parents. With a note from his mother as his only lead, Oliver had given up hope of ever learning the truth. But when the dead start rising in the town of Aldorhaven, Oliver jumps at the chance to take the case if it means he can investigate the last place his parents were seen alive. Felipe Galvan would like to be anywhere but Aldorhaven. Between protecting Oliver and Gwen, dealing with distrustful townsfolk, and an unexpected letter from his estranged parents, Felipe is already stretched thin. But when he is suddenly plagued by whispers from the woods and nightmares from his past, Felipe fears he is only one misstep away from becoming the monster he was meant to be. Far more sinister things than the dead lurk in Aldorhaven's woods. A centuries old bargain has been broken, and the only thing that can satisfy it is Oliver's blood. Together, Oliver, Felipe, and Gwen must finish what Oliver's parents started or they too will be ensnared by their devil's bargain

First Oaths by C.J. Tuma & Quinn Cameron

“We weren’t meant to burn our dead.” After escaping the cult that nearly destroyed him, Kit Mosel has built a new life. He’s sure that no one in town knows his real name or what he did, until Penwell Oliver appears, desperate for help retrieving his father’s stolen remains from the very cult Kit fled. Kit knows he should say no, but there's something about Penny he can't refuse. Together, Penny and Kit plan to infiltrate the cult and earn their trust. Kit knows how to blend in and play their games, but Penny isn’t like him; he’s always been too soft. Too quick to trust. Worse, Penny draws attention from people who would gladly hurt him just to punish Kit. The deeper they go, the more Kit unravels. Penny isn’t just a liability—he’s a temptation. A reminder of everything Kit thought he didn’t deserve. And in a place where weakness is punished and love is weaponized, wanting each other could cost them both everything.

Jack Forest, Soul Collector by E. Reyes

In the gripping novelette Jack Forest, Soul Collector, the town of Devil’s Hill, Arizona, becomes the stage for a chilling and morally complex tale. Jack Forest, a man returned from the dead on Halloween night, is compelled to serve as a soul collector for Hell. Tasked with branding the souls of woman abusers, he embarks on a haunting mission. As Jack navigates the shadowy realm between the living and the dead, he is torn between the ruthless directives of Hell and his own sense of justice. The line blurs when faced with a momentous decision that challenges his very nature. This gripping narrative explores themes of redemption, the consequences of one’s actions, and the power of individual choice. Jack Forest, Soul Collector delves into the darkness of the human soul and the depths of compassion that may yet emerge from the most unlikely circumstances.

Gold, Lock and Key by E J Doble

From grimdark author E J Doble, comes a fairytale with a dark twist... "All it needs, is a bit of tenacity... and three little bears." Goldie, an outlaw and contract hunter of the Baron's State, accepts a new assignment from her employer to find an old cabin in the woods, home to three 'shapeshifters' who can morph into bears. Considered to be little more than a myth, Goldie assumes at first that the shapeshifters are an exaggeration - but with the sizeable bounty her employer is offering, she soon realises there may be more truth in it than she realised. And that isn't the only thing on her mind: she discovers her main rival - a manipulative and incredibly cunning trapper named Southey - has also taken on the contract, and will be contending for the same bounty she so fervently desires. Having waited many long years to have her revenge and outsmart Southey for past mistakes, Goldie sees the new contract as a perfect opportunity to do so. All she has to do is play her cards just right. And kill three bears...

The Orc's Captive Bride (The Five Kingdoms #5) by Honey Phillips

The Five Kingdoms are poised to fall into eternal darkness. All hope lies in a forgotten prophecy—and a woman from another world. Dr. Thea Monroe knows nothing of prophecies. She only knows she's been transported to a strange new world, kidnapped by a terrifying orc warrior, and is being dragged toward the heart of an enemy's empire. Her only chance at survival is to outwit her captor, a male taught to be a monster. But his reluctant care and fierce protection tempt her to believe he could be so much more. Khorrek was bred for one to obey. But his beautiful new captive, a brilliant woman with fire in her eyes, challenges his every command and sees through the lies that have defined his existence. He was sent to deliver the final piece of his master's puzzle, but Thea may be the one person who can help him destroy it. In the final battle for the future of the Five Kingdoms, a monster must become a hero, a captive must become a queen, and two souls from different worlds will have to risk everything for a love that could save them all… Although each book in the Five Kingdoms series can be read as a standalone romance, there is an overall series arc which concludes in this book. This sweet and steamy romance is intended for mature readers.

Falling For the Trickster: A Villainous Twist on Rumpelstiltskin & The Goose Girl by Lucy Tempest

Rumpelstiltskin meets The Goose Girl. An opportunistic maid. A manipulative faerie. A gilded deal that binds them both. Ottoline has had enough. After years of enduring Princess Gertrude’s cruelty, the maid’s patience snaps during their voyage to the foreign kingdom of Orcage, where the princess is to marry the crown prince to settle a royal debt. There, she crosses paths with a silver-haired, silver-tongued man with a penchant for deals and deception. Cunning and Ambitious, fae nobleman Lord Roderick von Ravenstock offers Ottoline the opportunity of a to switch places with her tormentor and claim the life of a princess. With a snap of his fingers, she is set to live the life she had dreamed of at the glimmering court of Orcage...until its superstitious king demands she fulfill her kingdom's debt by turning everything into gold. Trapped by her own masquerade, Ottoline turns to Roderick again, and he offers to save her, in exchange for a kiss. One kiss. One favor. One step closer to ruin. As the king’s demands escalate, so do Roderick’s bargains, each adding another layer to his plot against the royal family, and drawing her deeper into a deadly game of magic and court intrigue. But when the king’s greed spirals beyond control, Ottoline has no choice but to escape into Faerie where she falls from one monster’s grasp into the next. Risking his plans, Roderick saves her and, as she recovers under his watchful gaze, the forced proximity begins to crack their defenses, revealing who they are underneath their roles as the trickster and the fraud. Villains in the lives of others, but heroes of their own stories. Together, they plot one last con to bring the king to his knees. But nothing ever goes to plan, especially when hearts are on the line.Falling For the Trickster is the first book in the To Win a Dark Heart series which retells fairytales as old as time, but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

The Wild Court by E. G. Radcliff

SFFOasis

What perils await on the other side of the veil? In the seventh year of Áed's reign, night descends on the autumn festival. But a time of revelry turns into one of fiery destruction—as fae pour across the veil and the Gut becomes a battlefield in an otherworldly war. Determined to protect his kingdom and the people he loves, Áed finds himself catapulted into a realm as unfamiliar as it is dangerous, where magic is king and wild courts vie for supremacy. While the faerie Queen's missing consort holds the key to life and death, tenuous alliances raise questions about Áed’s connection to the mysterious Bone Court. His survival hinges on cunning as much as illusion. On a mission like no other, only one thing is certain: no one will survive unscathed.

A Sea of Cinders by Adam R. Bishop

SPFBO8

In Cellagor—a land segregated between humans and Elves—fear, manipulation and war are inevitable. Nearly one hundred years have passed since the War of the Fallen, a cataclysmic battle between human and Elf which left both races teetering on the brink of extinction. Now, the Age of Tranquility is finally nearing its end, and the northern King of Havelmir is hungry for power and revenge. The Elven peace of mind remains unchanged—that is, until the Kingdom of Rhan is threatened by unknown forces. Soon it becomes clear that the tranquil Elven existence is once again at risk of crumbling. However, even with the element of surprise, the road to victory is not as smooth as it may seem. Ulterior motives are afoot, ancient magic is resurfacing, and an unlikely friendship between two young men may just pose the biggest threat of them all.