New This Month:  | The Muse
Anne Calhoun The author of The List continues her sinfully addictive Irresistible series with a provocative new novel about a woman inspired by her most forbidden desires… Arden MacCarren can’t afford to lose control. Her family’s investment house has failed, their professional reputation is all but destroyed, and it’s up to Arden to hold the line. The only distraction she allows herself is a weekly drawing class where she can forget everything. Then she meets Seth Malone. When he poses in her class, strong, mysterious, and unbearably sexy, she can’t resist him. The only thing she can do is keep it purely physical—no emotions, no strings, and definitely no telling. Seth understands responsibilities, both Arden’s and his own. During his last tour as a Marine he lost his best friends to an IED. He has a duty to look after his buddies’ survivors. All he allows himself is the stolen moments with Arden. But as he’s drawn into Arden’s battle with her demons, he comes face-to-face with his own. Seth will have to choose between a duty he can’t ignore and the longing to inspire Arden’s every desire—mind, soul, and body… Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
         
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 | Glow
Beth Kery From the New York Times bestselling author of Because You Are Mine, When I’m With You, and The Affair comes the sequel to Glimmer, the latest novel in the suspenseful and sensual new series about power, sex, and the secrets that can tear us apart, body and soul… Alice Reed never dreamed she’d escape the stigma of her disturbing past. That’s why she was shocked when, out of the blue, she was recruited to join the elite Durand Enterprises by the enigmatic CEO himself, Dylan Fall. The erotic charge between them was fast and deliciously forbidden. But as Alice opened up to worlds she’d never known, everything changed once again with a stunning discovery: there’s much, much more concealed in the shadows of Alice’s troubling childhood, and her life is about to change forever. Now, with another piece of the puzzle of Alice’s identity revealed, a mysterious adversary plots to destroy it all—and Dylan is determined to protect her. But as Alice’s sexual addiction to Dylan turns helplessly to love, she can’t help but wonder: how deeply can she really trust him? What were his true motives in drawing her close to him? And what other secrets does he know about her past that even she has yet to learn? Includes a teaser for Beth Kery’s next novel Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | Dorothy Parker Drank Here
Ellen Meister In a prequel to her appearance in Ellen Meister’s “delicious”* Farewell, Dorothy Parker, the acid-tongued writer haunts the halls of the Algonquin Hotel with her piercing wit and unexpectedly tender wisdom. Death cannot quell the feisty spirit of Dorothy Parker. For more than forty years, Mrs. Parker has been spurning the white light and wandering the famous halls of the Algonquin, drink in hand, searching for someone—anyone—who will keep her company on this side of eternity. She may have found the perfect candidate in Ted Shriver, a brilliant literary voice of the 1970s, silenced early in a promising career by a devastating plagiarism scandal. He is now a recluse hiding away in the old hotel, waiting to die. But when a young, ambitious TV producer enters the hotel in search of Shriver, she and Dorothy Parker begin to discover a host of secrets surrounding the life of the famous man—and why he seems as anxious to enter the beyond as Mrs. Parker is to avoid it. *Cleveland Plain Dealer Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or 03/15 eBook format for/from:
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 | Magic Gifts
Ilona Andrews Now available individually for the first time, a Kate Daniels novella from the#1 New York Times bestselling author of Magic Shifts and Gunmetal Magic. It isn’t often that Kate Daniels and the Beast Lord Curran get to take a breakfrom protecting their pack and enjoy some time for themselves. So when Curran offers Kate a romantic dinner in town, there’s no way she’s going to pass. But their quiet night doesn’t stay quiet for long. The trouble starts with a necromancer dying at a nearby table, continues with bloodthirsty vampires crashing though the windows, and ends with more blood on the walls than any dining establishment needs. Pulled into a deadly game neither wants to play, Kate and Curran find themselves dealing with the vile undead and tolerating a clan of maniacal, hard partying Vikings while desperately trying to save the life of an innocent child… Magic Gifts previously appeared in GUNMETAL MAGIC, August 2012. INCLUDES A TEASER FOR MAGIC SHIFTS Can be purchased in eBook format for/from:
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 | Clockwork Samurai
Jeannie Lin National bestselling author Jeannie Lin’s Gunpowder Chronicles continue as a woman left adrift by the fall of a Dynasty attempts to reclaim her family’s honor… As a physician, Jin Soling can see that the Emperor is cracking, relying on Opium to drown his troubles. The Qing Empire is failing, and war with the British is imminent, but the man to whom Soling was once engaged has a bold idea to save it. A leader within the Ministry of Engineering, Chang-wei suggests an alliance with Japan, whose scientists claim to have technical advancements that could turn the tide of the war. But Japan has kept itself in isolation for the last two hundred years, cutting all diplomatic ties with the Ch’ing Empire. Chang-wei must enter the island nation in disguise to seek an alliance—an alliance forbidden by the Japanese shogunate. Seeking to escape the politics of the imperial court, Soling arranges her own passage on the airship to Japan. But once they land, Chang-wei and Soling become targets of the shogunate’s armored assassins. Caught between two empires, in a land distrustful of foreigners, the deadly war machines are the least of their worries... Includes an exclusive excerpt of GUNPOWDER ALCHEMY. Can be purchased in eBook format for/from:
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 | Coming Apart at the Seams
Jenna Sutton From the author of All the Right Places, a sweet and sexy romance about finding the right words and the perfect fit… Love can take some time to break in… Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire, is anything but a spoiled rich girl. She’s worked hard to secure her place in the family business and can hold her own, in and out of the office. Only one man has ever been able to get under her skin—sexy football star Nick Priest. Years ago they crossed the line from friends to lovers, but he left her heartbroken. Since then, she’s been determined to keep him at arm’s length—no matter how tempting he looks in his jeans... Nick has fortune, fame, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. But he doesn’t have the woman he really wants. He knows he screwed up when he walked away from Teagan, and now that he has a second chance, he’ll do whatever it takes to win her over—no matter how tongue-tied he gets… Can be purchased in mass market paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | Girls Who Travel
Nicole Trilivas A hilarious, deftly written debut novel about a woman whose wanderlust is about to show her that sometimes you don’t have to travel very far to become the person you want to be… There are many reasons women shouldn’t travel alone. But as foul-mouthed, sweet-toothed Kika Shores knows, there are many more reasons why they should. After all, most women want a lot more out of life than just having fun. Kika, for one, wants to experience the world. But ever since she returned from her yearlong backpacking tour, she’s been steeped in misery, battling rush hour with all the other suits. Getting back on the road is all she wants. So when she’s offered a nanny job in London — the land of Cadbury Cream Eggs — she’s happy at the prospect of going back overseas and getting paid for it. But as she’s about to discover, the most exhilarating adventures can happen when you stay in one place… Wise, witty, and hilarious, Girls Who Travel is an unforgettable novel about the highs and lows of getting what you want—and how it’s the things you least expect that can change your life. Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | The Wedding Tree
Robin Wells National bestselling author Robin Wells weaves a moving epic that stretches from modern-day Louisiana to World War II-era New Orleans and back again in this multigenerational tale of love, loss and redemption. Hope Stevens thinks Wedding Tree, Louisiana, will be the perfect place to sort out her life and all the mistakes she’s made. Plus, it will give her the chance to help her free-spirited grandmother, Adelaide, sort through her things before moving into assisted living. Spending the summer in the quaint town, Hope begins to discover that Adelaide has made some mistakes of her own. And as they go through her belongings, her grandmother recalls the wartime romance that left her torn between two men and haunted by a bone-chilling secret. Now she wants Hope’s help in uncovering the truth before it’s too late. Filled with colorful characters, The Wedding Tree is an emotionally riveting story about passion, shattered dreams, unexpected renewal and forgiveness—not only for others, but for ourselves. Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | Shadow's End
Thea Harrison The author of Lord’s Fall and Midnight’s Kiss returns with an enchanting and sizzling new tale about debts that cannot be repaid and hunger that cannot be satisfied… For Beluviel, consort to the Elven High Lord, and Graydon, gryphon and First Sentinel of the Wyr, even the slightest desire for each other is forbidden. But two hundred years ago, after a desperate play to save Beluviel’s stepson left them indebted to the cruel Djinn Malphas, they found their fates inexorably linked together—and the hunger between them growing too strong to ignore… Two centuries later, with their debt to Malphas coming due, Beluviel and Graydon realize that, if they are to stand any chance of saving their souls, they must once again work together—this time more closely than ever before. But every moment they spend with each other brings them nearer to losing something even more vital—their hearts… Can be purchased in mass market and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | The Seafront Tearoom
Vanessa Greene From the author of The Vintage Teacup Club The first rule of afternoon tea: never rush. Take time to savor it. Just like friendship… The Seafront Tearoom is an insider secret in small-town Scarborough — a beach-front haven with the best tea and cakes in town — and journalist Charlie Harrison would love to put it on the map with a feature in her magazine. But single mom Kat Murray doesn’t want to see her favorite sanctuary overrun by tourists, and begs Charlie to seek out other options. She offers her help, as a “tea obsessive,” and so does French au pair Séraphine Moreau, whose upbringing makes her a connoisseur of everything sweet and indulgent. Together the three women will scour the countryside for quaint hideaways and hidden gems, sharing along the way their secrets, disappointments, and dreams — and discovering that friendship, like tea, takes time to steep. But learning too that once you open your heart, the possibilities are endless. Reading Guide Included Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or eBook format for/from:
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 | Secret Sisters
Jayne Ann Krentz No one does romantic suspense better than Jayne Ann Krentz. Now, the New York Times bestselling author of Trust No One and River Road delivers a novel that twists and turns into a read that will leave you breathless. Madeline and Daphne were once as close as sisters—until a secret tore them apart. Now it might take them to their graves. They knew his name, the man who tried to brutally attack twelve-year-old Madeline in her grandmother’s hotel. They thought they knew his fate. He wouldn’t be bothering them anymore…ever. Still their lives would never be the same. Madeline has returned to Washington after her grandmother’s mysterious death. And at the old, abandoned hotel—a place she never wanted to see again—a dying man’s last words convey a warning: the secrets she and Daphne believed buried forever have been discovered. Now, after almost two decades, Madeline and Daphne will be reunited in friendship and in fear. Unable to trust the local police, Madeline summons Jack Rayner, the hotel chain’s new security expert. Despite the secrets and mysteries that surround him, Jack is the only one she trusts…and wants. Jack is no good at relationships but he does possess a specific skill set that includes a profoundly intimate understanding of warped and dangerous minds. With the assistance of Jack’s brother, Abe, a high-tech magician, the four of them will form an uneasy alliance against a killer who will stop at nothing to hide the truth…. Can be purchased in hardcover or eBook format for/from:
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 | Key of Valor
Nora Roberts Fate brings three women together for a chance to unlock their deepest desires in the Key Trilogy. Now, in the stunning conclusion, it’s Zoe’s turn… Growing up, Zoe McCourt did not have an easy life—some might call it “disadvantaged.” A hairstylist from a West Virginia trailer park, she ended up in beautiful Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania, by sheer determination. How she ended up on a quest for a key to unlock the soul of a warrior demigoddess is another story… Invited to an imposing estate overlooking the town, she met Malory Price and Dana Steele. Each woman was at a crossroads in her life, each facing an uncertain future. And a mysterious couple offered them the chance of a lifetime: a million dollars each if they could free the trapped souls of three mythological sisters—an artist, a bard, and a warrior. Malory and Dana had to reach deep inside themselves to find their keys—and not without paying a price. Now, it has become Zoe’s quest. As a single mother, she has more to risk, more to lose. But her courage in the face of overwhelming odds cannot be underestimated. A nurturer to her son, a defender of her friends, she must confront dark forces amassed against her to make all of their dreams come true… Don’t miss the other books in the Key Trilogy… Originally published January 2004 in mass market paperback for Jove Boooks. Can be purchased in trade paperback and/or 01/04 eBook format for/from:
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| — COMING APART AT THE SEAMS (by Jenna Sutton) Dear Reader,
What are the three most important words in the English language? In my opinion, the three most important words are I love you.
Those three little words are certainly the most powerful. Everyone wants to hear them. Everyone needs to hear them, at least once in a while.
But what if you couldn’t say I love you? Not because you were too scared. And not because you didn’t feel it.
Saying I love you is hard enough when you can speak clearly and effortlessly. But what if you couldn’t say those important words because you couldn’t get your mouth and your brain to work together? What if you had a speech disorder that prevented you from communicating your thoughts and feelings?
How would you convey your feelings if you couldn’t communicate like everyone else? For most of us, the challenge isn’t talking, but talking too much. The opposite is true for Nick Priest, the hero of my new romance, COMING APART AT THE SEAMS.
On the surface, Nick seems to have everything: fortune, fame, athletic talent, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. He’s a star wide receiver in the NFL who’s been voted as one of the “Sexiest Men Alive” by People magazine.
But Nick doesn’t have what he really wants: the ability to speak clearly and Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire. He has a severe stutter, one that makes him doubt his self-worth.
When Nick and Teagan cross the line from friends to lovers, he leaves her heartbroken. Eventually, he finally realizes how badly he messed up, but persuading Teagan to give him a second chance isn’t easy when he can’t communicate his feelings or explain his behavior. He has to figure out a way to let Teagan know how he feels.
They say actions speak louder than words. But do they really? Are Nick’s actions enough to convince Teagan that they’re meant to be together? Or does she need words and actions?
COMING APART AT THE SEAMS is the second book in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series, following my debut novel, ALL THE RIGHT PLACES. If you’re looking for a book that features deep friendship, intense passion, sizzling sex scenes, life-altering mistakes, and second chances, I hope you’ll read COMING APART AT THE SEAMS. Visit my website at jennasutton.com to read an excerpt and enter my monthly giveaway.
Happy Holidays!
~Jenna Sutton
jennasutton.com
| — THE MUSE (by Anne Calhoun) Dear Readers,
I’m both excited and a little sad for December, because the release of THE MUSE means I’ve reached the end of the Irresistible series. This book wraps up the story line running through THE LIST and EVENING STORM.
In THE LIST, Daniel Logan was wooing his wife, Tilda Davies, and working on “the case of a lifetime”, and in EVENING STORM, we learned that Ryan Hamilton was both seducing lingerie designer Simone Demarchelier and working as a whistleblower to bring down a huge Ponzi scheme. I’ve always been curious about the aftermath of that kind of deception and greed on the perpetrators’ families, which led to an entire book about Arden MacCarren, the heroine of THE MUSE.
Arden suffers from panic attacks after an accident. Deemed the “weak one” by her family, she’s left to pick up the pieces after Ryan and Daniel expose her father’s theft and deception. To cope with the stress she takes a drawing class, and meets Seth Malone, a former Marine now working as a bike messenger and artist’s model. Seth lost his three best friends in an IED explosion; he’s fighting what I often think has to be one of the loneliest, most difficult battles a combat veteran can undertake: integrating back into civilian life.
Seth and Arden don’t mean to fall in love. They’re as mismatched as two people can be, but they share both trauma and the courageous decision to fight their fear and shame, to struggle through frankly horrible circumstances to find peace and love on the other side. In their own ways they’re both warriors, and I find their happily ever after to be one of the most satisfying I’ve ever written.
Happy holidays! I hope you get lots of books as gifts!
~Anne Calhoun
www.annecalhoun.com
| — THE WEDDING TREE (by Robin Wells) Dear Reader,
I’m often asked, “Where do you get your ideas?”
They come from all over the place, but the inspiration for THE WEDDING TREE came from my own aging parents. I knew it would soon be unsafe for them to live in their large house alone, yet my mother refused to think about moving, because she just couldn’t face the enormous task of sorting through their belongings (or worse, having someone else sort through them!)
The “What if” button in my novelist’s brain switched on, and I began thinking of situations that would make it especially hard for a fictional elderly woman to leave her home. What if she had some unfinished business? What if she had a secret fear she’d never faced? What if she’d had a World War II romance no one knew about? The story was off and running!
In THE WEDDING TREE, the doctors insist that 91-year-old Adelaide McCauley move to an assisted living center after she suffers a fall— but she refuses to leave her home without personally sorting through her belongings. Her granddaughter, 31-year-old artist Hope Stevens, comes to Wedding Tree, Louisiana, to help— but Hope needs to do some sorting of her own. Recently divorced, she’s lost her job in Chicago, her inheritance, and, most critically, her faith in herself.
As they spend the summer together in the quaint small town, the free-spirited elderly woman tells Hope about a wartime romance that left her torn between two men and haunted by a bone-chilling secret. She asks Hope’s help in uncovering the truth before it’s too late. In the process, Hope discovers some key truths about her own life and finds a romance of her own.
The book is half contemporary, half historical. Most of Adelaide’s story is set in WWII-era New Orleans, while Hope’s story (and Adelaide’s current problem and resolution) is set in a small town in modern-day Louisiana.
Among other things, the novel explores how women’s options are shaped by both family expectations and the strictures of society, how those change over time and how different personality types respond. Several themes run through the story line: the importance of love and family, the consequences of avoidance and fear, and the need for acceptance and forgiveness—not only for others, but for ourselves.
THE WEDDING TREE will hit book stores on December 1. I hope you’ll look for a copy of it!
To read an excerpt, view the Readers’ Guide, or drop me an email, visit my website, robinwells.com.
All my best,
~Robin Wells
robinwells.com
| — CLOCKWORK SAMURAI (by Jeannie Lin) Dear Reader:
When I first started brainstorming an idea for an Asian steampunk series, I was excited about the prospect of creating a steampunk world based on Eastern thinking and innovation. Just as Western steampunk is heavily influenced by visionaries like Jules Verne and the technological inventiveness of the Victorian era, it seemed natural that Chinese and Japanese steampunk should be similarly influenced by Eastern principles.
This led me on a fascinating research journey during which I discovered to be perhaps the world’s oldest science fiction tale:
A Daoist text written in the 3rd century B.C. recounts the tale of a mechanical engineer named Yan Shi who presented a cleverly built automaton and presented it to the King of Zhou. The imperial court was astonished by the automaton’s lifelike appearance and behavior — it could bow, walk, sing and even flirt with the court ladies, an act that almost got his creator executed!
I was also surprised to learn that even though Japan was an isolated nation during the Opium War period, there was a whole system of schools that studied Western science and learning. I spent hours thumbing through scans of books from the period, staring at the drawings and diagrams even though I couldn’t read a single character.
So just as GUNPOWDER ALCHEMY celebrated China’s use of gunpowder weaponry, CLOCKWORK SAMURAI is an homage to the early adoption of automata or karakuri in Japan. Writing these books has been a constant nerdgasm of history, science and fantasy for me. The world is one I want to revisit again and again—there’s so much yet to discover. I hope CLOCKWORK SAMURAI is as fun of an adventure for you as it was for me.
~Jeannie Lin
www.jeannielin.com |
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