Update with @ReaderLatte

So not an official update for reviewing but just a short life update.  So the past two weeks I have been dealing with a lot of pain. My sciatica has decided to come back and torment me and I was out of meds from the ER so that was fun.  I have an appointment today at 3 with the doctor to see if I can get anything for it.  Because over the counter meds are not doing anything.  Then yesterday I put myself into more pain having a tooth pulled.  So ya this last few weeks have not been fun.  I am happy and were fortunate enough to get a hotel stay from now until the 30th.  If this was all going on sleeping in the car I think I would have not made it.  I am in so much pain and this sucks so much.  

#BookReview: The Prince and the Player by @nora.phoenix @rachelsrandomresources

The royally romantic, enemies-to-lovers college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder. I’m determined to win over the one guy who hates me…but I never expected to fall for him

Being a prince may seem like a fairytale, but to me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. That’s why I’m excited when I get permission from my uncle—the king of Norway—to go undercover as a student at an American college for a year. And I’m even more ecstatic to be selected for their football team. Soccer, I mean. The only problem? Farron, the team captain, dislikes me on sight. Determined to win him over, I start a charm offensive, but nothing works. He only hates me more.

Until the animosity comes to an explosive release…and we end up kissing each other. How did that happen when neither of us has ever been attracted to a guy before? Farron wants to let it run its course and get it out of our system, but I doubt that’ll work. I’m falling for him hard, but he has no idea who I really am. I fear that if he finds out, he’ll never speak to me again…

The Prince and the Player is the first book in the Prince Pact series and features an undercover, sunshiney prince and a grumpy, handsome soccer captain, two guys who mistake hate for attraction, a double bi-awakening, and two opposites who attract each other like magnets.

#BookReview: The Mother Self: Poems by @taliagutin

In this debut collection of poetry, The Mother Self guides readers along the raw and transformative path of early motherhood.

The Mother Self is a collection of poetry that poignantly unveils the journey of a new mother navigating the complexities of early motherhood. Accessible and engaging, each poem captures a mother's delicate dance as she embraces her new identity and grieves her past self, all while finding solace in the sacred bond with her son. Readers are invited to explore the beauty and challenges of this period of life with grace and authenticity and to linger in the quiet spaces of a mother’s heart, where love and loss intertwine and a meaningful journey of growth unfolds.

This collection weaves the universal themes of presence, nature, loss, and transformation. It guides readers on a path of healing and empowerment and offers a comforting hand through the transformative power of words. More than a collection of poems, it is a companion for new and seasoned mothers as they turn each page, nodding in recognition.

Above all, this book is a poetic testimony to every incomparable and holy step of motherhood.

#ReleaseBlitz for Heron's Flame by @nikkilandisauthor @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Heron's Flame

Series: Devil's Murder MC #6

Author: Nikki Landis

Genre: MC Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Alpha Male/One Bed

Found Family/Opposites Attract/Touch Her & Die

Release Date: March 15, 2025

BLURB

All it takes is a spark to ignite a flame.

Heron has been searching for answers since the day he learned about his adoption. With the death of the only father he’d ever known, he spent the following year looking for information about his birth parents. The questions have led him to Crow, the president of the Devil’s Murder MC. To find his family, he has to strike a bargain.

There’s just one catch. If Heron wants to learn the truth, he must patch into the club, which means becoming a prospect first. On the day of his arrival at the clubhouse, he’s not prepared when the young woman from his dreams ends up colliding with him on The Roost’s doorstep. She’s real, gorgeous, and connected to him in ways he can’t explain.

But there’s a problem. Rebel hates him.

Or so Heron thinks. But love, lust, and hate share the same unstable thread, and when fate pushes Heron and Rebel together, they form a truce. The more time they share, the harder it becomes to resist the pull between them. A bond with Heron’s crow confirms Rebel is Heron’s mate. She’s his spark.

But the past, Heron’s origins, and Rebel’s secrets are about to collide. Can they push beyond the painful past and heal from the trauma they both endured? Is love enough to help them survive threats from rival clubs, misunderstandings, and an enemy vicious enough to destroy the club and Heron’s precious flame?

Heron's Flame is a full-length, dark romance with a paranormal twist, violence, biker slang, forced proximity, and a protective stalker outlaw in an enemies-to-lovers, suspenseful adventure. For best enjoyment, the series should be read in order since ongoing storylines and characters appear throughout and overlap.

#BookTour: The Lies That Hide Within by @meganboleyauthor @rrbooktours

The Lies That Hide Within

Expected Publication Date: March 25, 2025

Genre: Dark Dystopian Sci-Fi

If Black Widow & Captain America got together…
Villain redemption arc
Even more steamy slow burn romance than Book 1 (but still a subplot)
Only one tent
Plot twists that make you go😱
Feels like an action movie It’s 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑬𝒗𝒊𝒍 with the found family & humor of 𝒁𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅, the ragtag team & heists of 𝑩𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝑫𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓, the mind-bending plot twists of 𝑺𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑰𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅, & the quirky, fast-paced action of 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒏: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆.

Penny finally has the one thing she’s always wanted—her brother, back from the dead. Problem is, he hates her guts—and he should, after the tragedy she brought upon him. Voted “most likely to stab someone in the face” in high school, making nice was never Penny’s strong suit. But for her little brother? She’d do anything. Even team up with the ever-present thorn in her side and her brother’s favorite human being on f*cking planet Earth, Mal, the giant, hulking, infuriating general. And, unfortunately, her general. I’d rather punch myself in the face than work with that thunderous oaf. The Lies That Hide Within is perfect for fans who wonder what it would be like if Black Widow and Captain America ended up together…Book 2 of The Darkness Duology blends Resident Evil with the humor & found family of Zombieland, action/adventure like Kingsman: The Golden Circle, unlikely allies & heists like Baby Driver, and mind-bending twists like Shutter Island.

#BookTour: Fallen Kainat (Fallen Shu'al #1) by @the.cosmic.author @rrbooktours

Fallen Kainat (Fallen Shu'al #1)

Publication Date: March 17, 2025

Genre: Dark Romantasy

🗡️ Mild Enemies to Lovers 🎖️ Military x Secret Agent 🍎 Snow White and The Huntsman Vibes 💫 Magical Beings ❤️‍🔥 Forced Proximity 👑 He Falls First 🔥 Feminine Rage 🏛️Political Romance ✨Muslim/Desi Rep

Mirror, mirror on the wall, He's the devil who’ll burn them all, She's the moth drawn to his flame, And I'm just here to watch their game… Huzayn Sinwar is the kind of killer I admire. Swift. Talented. Ruthless. The Ifritin are, after all, the most malevolent of the Djinn — known for their immense strength and ability to wield fire. Huzayn has been stranded on Earth ever since the destruction of the portal to our homeland, Qafriya. So he needs something, badly. And I need him. Sergeant Kainat Pirani is a betrayed woman in search of new beginnings. Despite her mother’s warnings, she follows her military instincts—and Huzayn chooses Kainat to be his personal security detail. So much the better. She may just be the missing key to…everything. And I? I am Ramad. This is the beginning of my revenge. Fallen Kainat is a steamy dual POV, dark dystopian romance with revenge vibes, soulmates, and magical beings.

#BookBlitz: The Fallen Guardian by @dawnchartier @XpressoTours $20 Amazon gift card + ebook copy of The Fallen Guardian

 

The Fallen Guardian
Dawn Chartier
Publication date: March 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

*When Darkness Tempts the Divine*

Gracyn James has made vengeance her life’s mission. Haunted by the brutal murder of her family, she survives on the streets with The Inciters, a vigilante group that delivers justice to society’s worst. But her ultimate goal remains elusive: finding her father and uncovering why he destroyed her world. When a deadly encounter with the seductive and powerful Angel of Death, leaves her faction annihilated, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance.

Lucien Ward, a fallen Guardian with a shadowed past, is on a mission of his own. Stripped of his former glory, he hunts for the truth behind his family’s downfall while fulfilling his grim duties as the Angel of Death. Gracyn’s fiery spirit—and an uncontrollable power she doesn’t yet understand—may be the key to his redemption. Or, she could bring about the end of both their worlds.

In a battle where loyalties blur and fate twists cruelly, can they uncover the truth before their intertwined destinies ignite chaos?

#BookBlitz: Sam Squared by @cindydorminy @XpressoTours #Giveaway $25 Amazon gift card

Sam Squared
Cindy Dorminy
Publication date: March 17th 2025
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Falling in love should be easy as Pi.

Seventeen-year-old Samantha Baughman has one month to raise her GPA, or she can kiss her coveted Auburn basketball scholarship goodbye. Her only hope lies with her high school’s resident bad boy—and closet genius—Samuel King.

The last thing Samuel wants is to get tangled in anyone else’s problems. But when he gets caught helping another student cheat, his teacher offers him a get-out-of-jail-free card. With a one-way ticket to boarding school as his only other option, Samuel reluctantly agrees to tutor Samantha… with one stipulation. They have to keep their arrangement on the down-low. No one can know about their study sessions, especially Samantha’s overprotective brother, who has already warned Samuel to stay away from his sister.

As the “Sams” spend more time together, their playful banter turns into genuine attraction, including one extra-credit-worthy kiss. But Samantha’s brother’s threats send Samuel backpedaling so fast that he denies their encounter ever happened. Now, it’s game on for Samantha to get him to confess. She may need his help to pass her classes, but he’s the one who needs schooling in matters of the heart.

 

#ReleaseBoost for Crossroads of Love by @krisabbottauthor @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Crossroads of Love

Series: Hicks Creek #1

Author: Kris Abbott

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Small Town/Slow Burn/Alpha Male

Forbidden Romance/Second Chance

Release Date: March 4, 2025

BLURB

Returning to my small hometown was never part of the plan—but life has a way of forcing your hand.

I’m Gavin Wells—wealthy, divorced, and carrying enough baggage to fill this tiny town. My father’s funeral should’ve been a quick in-and-out, but nothing about coming home is ever that simple. Especially when it means facing her.

Lena Marshall—my brother’s widow, the girl I once loved, and the one I’ve never really let go. Seeing her again stirs up feelings we both thought we’d buried. But with the past comes secrets, and my family’s skeletons are clawing their way out, threatening to shatter Lena’s trust—and her heart—all over again.

Walking away would be easier. Safer. But I’ve spent too long running from my demons. Now, I have to prove I’m not the man who runs, but the one who fights—for her, for us, and for the second chance we both deserve.

#ReleaseBlitz for Of Sins and Sacrifice by @authorveronicalancet

Title: Of Sins and Sacrifice

Series: House of Cryos #2

Author: Veronica Lancet

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Tropes: Jealous & Possessive Hero & Heroine

Double Virgins/Slow Burn

Release Date: March 15, 2025

BLURB

Minerva ‘Minnie’ An’Yan broke the ultimate divine law—she fell in love with a human. As a runaway goddess, she spent years in hiding, knowing the gods wanted her punished for her transgressions.

But when she’s finally captured, she faces more than just execution. Azerius, the most powerful god in existence, doesn’t just want her dead—he wants the true identity of Marlowe, the man she risked everything for.

Except even Minnie doesn’t know who Marlowe really is.

She’s loved him across lifetimes, under different names, but his real identity has always remained a mystery.

Now, trapped between a vengeful god and the echoes of a love she can’t escape, Minnie must unravel the secrets of her past before they destroy her. And in the process, she must answer the most important question:

Who is Marlowe?

#BookTour: Kingdom of Briars and Roses (Cursed Fae Courts Book 1) by @heatherhildenbrandauthor @rrbooktours

Kingdom of Briars and Roses (Cursed Fae Courts Book 1)

Publication Date: March 12, 2025

Genre: Fae Fantasy Romance/ Adult Romantasy

Slow Burn
Touch Her & Die
Who Did This?
Fae Royalty
Forbidden Romance
Secret Crush on his Brother
Chosen One
Dark Prince
Enemies to Lovers
Possessive
Growly Alpha Male

Two powerful fae princes. One will be her salvation. The other, her ruin. Cursed and alone in her own castle, Aurelia has spent years watching her kingdom wither. When trespassers finally break the silence, it’s both a dream and a nightmare. Prince Callan is the first outsider she has seen in an age—golden, arrogant, and her only hope. He alone can shatter the curse, but his help comes at a cost: her freedom. Then there’s Rydian. Cold where Callan burns hot, lethal where he is charming, the second fae prince is an enigma—and an attraction she can’t ignore. Too bad he despises her on sight. In a realm where deception reigns, Aurelia must trust one prince to save her. The other will destroy her. If only she knew which. A Kingdom of Briars & Roses is a slow-burn, royal fae romantasy that includes morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers, political intrigue, who did this to you, and touch her and unalive. One-click this ACOTAR meets Reign with a Sleeping Beauty Twist story today. 

#BookBlitz: Astral Seeds (Eclipse of the Celestial War) by @jhani_mills @RABTBookTours

 

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Date Published: October 28, 2024

 

Astral Seeds marks the dawn of a new reckoning in Eclipse of the Celestial War, where fate is no longer a distant prophecy but a force unraveling in real time. As the Primordial Dragon stirs, its presence sends ripples through the fabric of the universe, shaking the foundations of power and trust. The Dragon Council, once the pillar of order, faces an uprising as the Keepers step from the shadows, weaving their own designs into the celestial tapestry.

Kingdoms stand at the edge of ruin, their rulers caught between survival and sacrifice. Dragon riders and Starborn witches walk the fine line between destiny and destruction, their choices shaping the course of a war far older than any of them realize. As old alliances fracture and new ones emerge from the ashes, the cosmos itself seems to hold its breath, waiting for the spark that will either reignite balance or consume everything in its path.

In a world where even the stars are not beyond corruption, the seeds of war take root in the hearts of those willing to fight for a future still unwritten.

#BookBlitz: Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance @XpressoTours @Giveaway $25 Amazon gift card

Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots: A Small Town Romance Anthology
Annie Carlisle, C.A. Miconi, Delta James, Irene Lawless
(Pelican Point, #1)
Publication date: March 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Welcome to Celtic Knot Winery, where the lush vineyards are ripe with secrets, and love is as rich and complex as the finest vintage.

In Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, four intertwined romance stories unfold against the enchanting backdrop of rolling hills and grapevines. Each tale weaves its own unique tapestry of passion, betrayal, and heartwarming redemption, proving that amidst the beauty of the vineyard, anything is possible.

Pour a glass and lose yourself in Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots, where every story uncorks a new journey of the heart. Amidst secrets and seduction, these tales remind us that love is the most intoxicating wine of all.

Included in the anthology:
Love’s Hidden Knot by Annie Carlisle
Love Undercover by Irene Lawless
Love Me, Love Me Knot by CA Miconi
Love’s Twisted Knot by Delta James

👉 Enemies to Lovers
👉 Billionaire
👉 Alphahole
👉 Grumpy/Sunshine
👉 Second Chance
👉 One Night Stand
👉 Love Against All Odds

#BookTour: The Seer by @raquellevittwrites @RABTBookTours #Giveaway

Historical Fiction/Paranormal Fiction

Date Published: March 11th, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

In 1890s Missouri, secrets are a matter of survival.

Clairvoyant Sarah Richardson screams as her older sister Katherine is forced into a straightjacket and thrust into a carriage bound for the St. Louis City Lunatic Asylum. She is devastated to learn Katherine has been blamed for her inadvertent role in an abused woman’s murder. Now, too frightened to speak up, she hides the truth that it should have been her in that carriage. 

Sarah’s mounting guilt becomes too much, and she heads to St. Louis, determined to regain her sister’s confidence and prove herself worthy of forgiveness.

While working to heal their relationship, Sarah meets a timid housewife who tries to hide her bruises. When troubling psychic visions of the woman begin to affect her, she sees an opportunity to atone for her past mistakes. Desperate to do whatever it takes to make things right, Sarah embarks on a perilous journey that may cost her everything—including her own life.

#BookTour: The Woke and the Dead by @baconauthor @RABTBookTours #Giveaway

 

Nostalgia City Mystery #5

Mystery

Date Published: 03-13-2025

Publisher: Archer & Clark

 

A public war between a governor and a theme park lights the fuse on a story of hate groups, murder, corruption, racism, and political espionage.

Ex-cop turned theme-park cab driver Lyle Deming finds the body of a park visitor during an LGBTQ event. The dead man catered gay weddings. Was it a hate crime?

Arizona governor Rod Gudgel, running for reelection, calls it a random shooting. He mocks Nostalgia City theme park for its inclusiveness, uses homophobic and racist slurs, and later challenges the safety of its rides.

Park CEO, “Max” Maxwell lambasts the governor’s prejudice and insensitivity, and the fight is on—in public and undercover.  Maxwell drafts Lyle to investigate the murder while Kate Sorensen, his 6’-2½” public affairs VP, goes on the offensive in the media.

When an assault rifle attack kills and injures park employees demonstrating for gay rights at a Gudgel campaign office, Nostalgia City mourns, and Kate slams the governor’s unsympathetic response to the slaughter. While the FBI and sheriff’s deputies investigate the crime, the governor redoubles his efforts to regulate the park out of business.

Looking for a shooting suspect, Lyle gets a little too close to an armed hate group—with a possible connection to the governor. His lady friend Kate flies to Montana where she digs into the governor’s unseemly past uncovering a trail of malfeasance dating back two decades and arousing Gudgel allies who want to stop her at all cost.

With Lyle’s wry humor and Kate’s stick-to-itiveness the story moves quickly as mysteries and subplots multiply and loop together threatening the park, their relationship, and their lives.

#BookTour: Salvaged By The Rex Ales (Monsters of Medela Book 2) by @author.mary.e.jung @rrbooktours

Salvaged By The Rex Ales (Monsters of Medela Book 2)

Publication Date: March 1, 2025

Genre: Monster Romance

Enemies to Lovers

Touch Her and be Unalived

Reluctant Mates

Eyes on Me

Fancy Monster Peen

STFUATTMCLAGG

A Mystery They Are Forced to Solve Together

Miriam is a proud gladiator champion, but an unexpected brain injury leads to her mental decline. She's been given the perfect opportunity to heal, but she won't take the cure. Instead, she catches the attention of the fiercest caladrius on the island. Leander is one of the leaders of the caladrius healers. When Miriam lands on his island, he wants nothing more than to get her off of it. She's major trouble, and Leander dislikes anything that disrupts his order. Find out how these enemies become lovers in Salvaged By the Rex Ales. 

#NewReleaseBlitz: Blood Oath by Kayla Cunningham @RABTBookTours

Storm Breaker, Book One

 

YA Dark fantasy

Date Published: March 18, 2025

 

 

In a world where magic is punishable by death, seventeen-year-old Allyria Pilar faces execution for saving a girl accused of witchcraft. Her only escape? A blood oath to the Death Dealer of Redbone, the king's most feared contract killer. Forced to bind herself to him or die in the prison of Redvine, Allyria's fate takes a dangerous turn.

Thrust into a brutal realm where survival hinges on combat, Allyria is torn from her home and trained under Cassius, the enigmatic Captain of the Death Dealer's immortal guard. Her goal: to win the deadly Elder Tournaments, a series of brutal trials that pit the most powerful fighters against each other, and earn her freedom.

But when the murder of a fae prince pushes the world to the brink of war, Allyria and the Death Dealer must join forces in a desperate bid to save their world—both human and immortal. As the stakes rise and the lines between duty and destiny blur, Allyria must navigate a war-torn land, confront her growing feelings for the Death Dealer, and decide where her true loyalties lie.

Can Allyria rise to become the hero her world needs, or will she let it plunge into eternal night?

#BookBlitz: Blood of Starlight by Belle Jerrica @RABTBookTours

 

Fantasy, Romance

Date Published: August 7, 2023

 

 

Fia has always been a pawn in other people’s games. When Castus, the boy she cares for like a brother, is taken, she ventures into the cursed mountain to retrieve him and finds herself at the mercy of the dark intriguing Aratah. After spending time with the Aratah, she realizes they share a bizarre connection. A connection that could be the key to saving Castus. If she can convince him to help her.

When a prophecy unfolds, deeming Fia significant to her people’s survival, the Aratah decides he has other plans for her. Now Castus future along with hers is unclear and she is forced to sacrifice her morals and the dignity she’s only just reclaimed and submit to the Aratah.

When Fia learns the secrets of his past, a seed of potential begins to grow, and Fia wonders if giving the Aratah exactly what he wants is the answer to all her problems. After all, a woman who demands a powerful man’s attention, could use her influence to bend him to her will.

Fia’s next move is paramount. If she missteps, she’ll anger the Aratah and cause her own demise, and Castus… will be lost forever.

#CoverReveal for Empire of Ache & Ruin by @dianahicksauthor @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Empire of Ache & Ruin

Trilogy: Empire of Ruin #1

Author: Diana A. Hicks

Genre: Contemporary Dark Romance

Tropes: Forbidden/Virgin Auction/Billionaire

Revenge/Brother's Best Friend/He Falls First

Cover Design: @TheAuthorBuddy

Release Date: May 6, 2025

BLURB

"Stay away from me, Little Dove. I'm exactly the monster you think I am." - Archer

The ballet performance of my life ends with a forbidden auction.

My older brother’s best friend is the highest bidder.

Now he’s here to claim his prize…me.

But the reclusive billionaire is no knight in shining armor.

Though I’m irrevocably drawn to him, I know something sinister lurks beneath those steely blue eyes.

I must protect my family, even if it means losing myself in the process.

A Note from Diana: Empire of Ache & Ruin is a 150k-word romance novel. It's book one in the Empire of Ruin Trilogy, featuring Archer/Tristan and Paloma. This Beauty and the Beast retelling is about never letting go. Check TW

#CoverReveal for Can We Try? by @kaylee_ryan_author @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Can We Try?

Series: Everlasting Ink #5

Author: Kaylee Ryan

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Small Town/Age Gap/Surprise

Pregnancy/Found Family/Friends to Lovers

Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design

Special Edition Cover Design: Emily Wittig Design

Release Date: April 8, 2025

BLURB

Maggie

One wild night to lose myself… instead, I accidentally found myself a baby daddy.

After my ex spent years tearing me down, convincing me I wasn’t enough, the idea of trusting anyone feels impossible. But Lachlan comes into my life and almost makes me believe I’m worth it… and that he’s worth the risk.

He’s so patient and steady, showing up at my door for midnight cravings and morning sickness. Determined to be a part of our child’s life, even if we’re not together.

I’m so tired of being alone, and having someone feels too good to be true.

So when he asks "can we try?" I want to say yes and believe him.

Lachlan

From the first moment I met Maggie, I knew she was one of the good ones.

But it wasn’t until I heard the life-altering news that she was carrying my baby, that I knew I’d support her no matter if we were “together” or not.

I’m all in—for her and the baby. But somewhere along the way, it stopped being about doing the right thing.

I don’t just want to be a part of my child’s life. I want to be part of hers. Not just for nine months. Or eighteen years. I want forever.

And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that I’m man enough to be what she needs. For both of them.