Audiobook Preorder: When the Smoke Clears by Jewel E. Ann, narrators Natasha Chandel and Sean Masters

When The Smoke Clears by Jewel E. Ann is now available for pre-order on audio!

Narrated by Sean Masters & Natasha Chandel

Releasing on August 25, 2026 

From USA Today bestselling author Jewel E. Ann comes a bittersweet second-chance romance about deferred love, impossible timing, and the courage of choosing happiness after devastating loss.

Everleigh Reichart and William Landry fell hard—and far too fast. Their weeklong romance ended the moment Will, a twenty-nine-year-old firefighter, learned the truth: Everleigh was seventeen. He walked away to protect them both. Destiny had other plans.

Eleven years later, Will is still running into burning buildings, while Everleigh has become a brilliant psychiatrist. When a house fire strands her on his land, their old feelings ignite like patient embers. But she’s desperate to keep concealing the childhood trauma that has shaped her life, and he’s struggling under the weight of his father’s terminal illness. Too soon, the strain snaps their fragile reunion, flinging them farther apart than ever before.

Now Everleigh must face her past to salvage a future with Will…if he can accept that loving her includes the broken parts too. But first, he needs to come and find her—this time by faith, not fate.

Pre-order today!

Audible: https://bit.ly/44IUNDD

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4vDf7RJ 

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4wVYC4o 

Release: I've Got a Crush on You (Darling Springs #2) by Lauren Blakely with an excerpt and my review

He's all business.
She's pure sunshine.
Their chemistry refuses to stay professional.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU, the next standalone small town romance in her bestselling Darling Springs rom com series!

This spicy, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, workplace, forbidden small town romantic comedy answers the question: what happens when the guy you had a super hot one-night-stand with turns out to be your grumpy new boss/landlord!

I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU is now available in all formats and free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Check out the excerpt below, and one-click your copy today!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html

🐾Small Town Rom Com
🧡Workplace Romance
💚Grumpy/Sunshine
🐾Forced Proximity
🧡Forbidden
💚Quirky Side Characters
🐾Fighting the Feelings
🧡Oops! My one-night stand is my new coworker
💚Swoony Dance Lessons
🐾Opposites Attract
🧡He Cooks for Her
💚Mixing Business with Pleasure
🐾Hot Mess Heroine
🧡Jealousy Moments
💚One Heck of a Meet Cute
🐾Secret Identity
🧡Blackmail but Make it Flirty
💚Banter for Days
🐾All the Dogs!

About I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU:

My secret workplace romance starts innocently enough at a birthday party.

But when a rowdy partier knocks me into a lake and a sexy stranger comes to my rescue – my night becomes one to remember.

A night so steamy I almost forget why I’ve sworn off men after a failed workplace romance.

Trouble is, the brand new doggy daycare in Darling Springs that I’ve contracted with is owned by none other than my sexy stranger. Thanks, fate.

Sawyer turns out to be a total grump in a tailored suit, no matter how sunshine-y I am. Even when he squeezes that hard body past me as I bring donuts to work. Or when he pretends he’s not roaming his dark eyes over me as I teach Fido to sit, stay and come.

But I’m focusing on my shiny new future—my dog-training business is suddenly the hottest thing in town, thanks to a new actress client. And when I’m roped into a charity dance number, I smell an opportunity, especially when I learn my hot landlord has an alter ego and a fandom.

Turns out Mr. Serious Boss is up for dance lessons.

Then the entire Dirty Dancing experience.

Giving into our chemistry once won’t hurt. Two might be pushing it. By the seventh, it’s undeniable–I’ve got a crush on him too.

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html 

READ THE EXCERPT:

SAWYER

“Just like I remembered.”

Her shoulders shudder, and she sounds buzzed as she asks, “Yeah? What did you remember?”

“How good you taste. Your cinnamon scent. The way you melt when I kiss your neck,” I murmur against her soft skin, kissing the column of her throat now.

“It’s my lotion. It’s from Kind. All my lotions are. And bodywashes. I love them,” she says, breathless, babbling as she mentions the brand too, like I needed to know that. It’s sexy, though, the fact that she’s not thinking clearly enough to edit her thoughts. She’s just rambling as I kiss her. And it feels like a peek behind the curtain into her feminine world.

“Drives me crazy,” I say as I travel back up her neck, finding her mouth once more and sealing my lips over hers.

She claws at my shirt as I kiss her. I thread my hands through her hair. The song ends. The car’s quiet for a beat, the only sounds the rustling of clothes, the slide of our mouths, the staccato breaths.

When the next Sam Cooke tune begins, I stop pretending I’m willing to let this night end in the car. I break the kiss, run my thumb across her top lip, then nod toward her home. “What’s it going to be?”

She nibbles on the corner of her bee-stung lips. That just-been-kissed look is real good on her. “What are you offering?”

“You want me to surprise you again, Chloe?” A tremble seems to rush through her. I can hardly wait another second. “Let me come inside, sweetheart.”

My Review -

ONE-CLICK YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ Amazon ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAMZ
✦ Audible ➜ https://blkly.pub/IGACOYAudible
✦ Other Retailers ➜ https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464228841-ive-got-a-crush-on-you-deluxe-edition-tp.html 

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party. 

Connect w/ Lauren:

Website: laurenblakely.com 

NL Signup: http://laurenblakely.com/newsletter  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

Instagram: http://instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurenblakelybooks 

 

Release: A Deadly Inferno Consumes (House of Croft #6) by Sophie Barnes

A Deadly Inferno Consumes

House of Croft, Book 6

by Sophie Barnes

Murder Mystery Romance

Date Published: July 28, 2026

A chilling disappearance, a lethal enemy, and a family pushed to the brink…

 

When the Duke of Wrengate’s sister vanishes without a trace, suspicion swirls. Did she flee to escape a scandalous secret…or has she been abducted? Whispers lead to a treacherous underworld, where rumors of an illicit auction suggest a far more sinister fate: a woman trapped, drugged, and enslaved. Determined to save her, Adrian Croft and his valet, Murry, plunge into London’s darkest corners.

But Finn O’Leary, the Irishman bent on revenge, remains a threat that presents a difficult choice for Adrian: save Wrengate's sister or protect his family. With the recent birth of his daughter, he and his wife, Samantha, have more to lose than ever before. And as danger closes in, they must fight with everything they have. Not only for justice, but for their very survival.

About the Author

USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Bookbub

Goodreads

BookBuzz

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

BN

iTunes

Kobo

Smashwords

Release Boost: Grumpily Yours (Stick Taps) by Teagan Hunter, narrators Chloe Ryan and Nelson Hobbs

Grumpily Yours by Teagan Hunter is now live on audio!

Narrated by: Chloe Ryan & Nelson Hobbs 

When a blacklisted chef is forced to work for a grumpy ex–NHL player, sparks fly in and out of the kitchen. A steamy workplace romance about rebuilding dreams, breaking rules, and finding forever.

When a public meltdown ruins chef Summer Turner’s career, she flees to her hometown in the Pacific Northwest, hoping to rediscover her passion for cooking. Summer doesn’t want to work for someone else again, but when her father secures her a job at a local cidery, she doesn’t dare say no, even if it means working for scowling former NHL player Ezra Rawlings.

After a career-ending injury, Ezra knows what it’s like to lose everything. Emotionally guarded, he’s sworn off relationships to focus on business. But sparring with Summer ignites something he thought was gone forever, and what starts as a casual fling becomes impossible to ignore.

As their connection deepens and defenses crumble, their explosive chemistry threatens every boundary they’ve set. Summer’s determined to prove she’s not a failure, while Ezra’s convinced he’s too broken for love. But two stubborn hearts might be exactly what each other needs—if they’re brave enough to stop running. 

Listen today!

Audible: https://bit.ly/44jT2wl

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4aIWSmh

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3SmvHaC

 

Ebook Review: Property of Hayride (Kings of Anarchy MC: Ohio #3) by Nikki Landis

 

Blurb: 

Natalya:
Autumn is my favorite season, and as a blogger who embraces all things spooky, I can’t resist taking a tour of the historic haunted Mayfield Inn.
I invite my brother along, and we take a trip to Raven’s Crest, where the hotel isn’t the only attraction. There’s the Fear Farm, plenty of spooky shops, and a giant corn maze. That’s just the beginning.
But when my brother disappears before the end of the tour, and the guide is anything but helpful, I turn to the sheriff for help. It’s only when I see him talking to a big group of bikers wearing leather vests that I realize this town protects its own.
I’ll have to investigate my brother’s disappearance and find out what happened without help.
Only the biker club, Kings of Anarchy MC, doesn’t like me poking around or taking snapshots of their bikes. And that’s when I meet Hayride. He’s a cocky, muscled, tattooed barrier between me and the truth.
There’s a rising body count in Raven’s Crest, and someone is copying the kills of the infamous Hillside Stalker. Lengths of rope aren’t just props. They’re the killer’s favorite tools, and he loves tourists.
Now I’m racing against the clock to find my brother and avoid the killer, hoping I’m not next to die.
Hayride becomes one of the few that I can trust. He swears to protect me and help find my brother. But he’s got secrets, too. And they’re deadly enough to kill.
I’m about to find out if the biker who claims I’m his to protect and owns his heart is willing to risk everything to save my family.

Property of Hayride is a standalone, small town, opposites attract, overprotective/cocky alpha male biker romance with a paranormal twist.

Amazon: Property of Hayride: Kings of Anarchy MC: Ohio - Kindle edition by Landis, Nikki. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Bookbub: Property of Hayride: Kings of Anarchy MC: Ohio by Nikki Landis - BookBub

Goodreads: Property of Hayride by Nikki Landis | Goodreads

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

I loved the creepy atmosphere to this story. It kept me turning pages. Natalya was curious about the paranormal but definitely not frightened. Her instant connection to Hayride added to this tale. He wanted to protect her from the start and tried very hard to keep his lust under control. They were a combustible couple whom I enjoyed. Founding out about her past, Natalya quickly accepted the truth. The history of the serial killer, haunted building, the curse of this MC, and the ancestry of the Salem witches just added more my enjoyment. A wonderful story.

I received a copy through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

Books I Plan to Read July 26 - August 1 and last week's results

 

Hello to everyone,

I hope you are all healthy and staying cool and safe from wildfires. We should pray for those living near them, fighting them, and all the animals losing their habitats. This week, I did a little crafting (I love diamond art), a lot of reading, and packing despite having a bit of a stomach issue. 

First up, last week's results and I did make it through all that I planned:

Ebooks:

Voices Carry Here by Gail Galotta - 5 stars

The Viscount's Christmas Storm by Jane Charles - 4 1/2 stars

Once in a Blue Moon by Vicki Crum - 4 1/2 stars

Chaos by Kate Bonham - 5 stars 

Audiobook:

The Irresistible One by Marni Mann - 5 stars

Planned Reading for July 26 to August 1:

Ebooks: 

Audiobooks: 

Well, that is it for this week. I hope to get through these books/audiobooks this week. Some of the ebooks are a bit on the long side. Stay safe, and I look forward to talk to you next week.

Adeus (goodbye in Portuguese)

Ebook Review: Chaos (Shackled Sons MC: Sydney #4) by Kate Bonham

 

Blurb: 

Chaos
I love my freedom. My bike. My women.
Love was never part of the plan.
Until Frankie.
She crashes into my life like a storm and leaves me wanting the one thing I swore I’d never need...more.
But Frankie belongs to a dangerous world, and when her family tries to decide her future, I know one thing.
I’m not letting her go.

Frankie
My family expects loyalty. Obedience. Marriage.
After my engagement falls apart, I’m dragged back into the ruthless grip of the Alves Crime Family, and back to the one man I’ve never been able to quit.
Cruz “Chaos” Garcia is reckless, addictive, and completely wrong for me.
He’s also the only man I’ve ever wanted.

Now I’m being forced to choose between the family that owns me…
and the outlaw who could be my everything.

Amazon: Chaos: A Forbidden, Second Chance MC Romance (Shackled Sons MC: Sydney Book 4) - Kindle edition by Bonham, Kate. Contemporary Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Bookbub: Chaos: A Forbidden, Second Chance MC Romance (Shackled Sons MC: Sydney Book 4) by Kate Bonham - BookBub

Goodreads: Chaos: A Forbidden, Second Chance MC Romance by Kate Bonham | Goodreads

My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

This story had my emotions up and down. I loved Chaos and his family, how they supported and loved Frankie, especially as her family life was nothing like his. These two had so many feelings to fight through to find and accept the love between them. Plenty of steam in this book with moments of tears (sad and happy) and lots of love and support surrounding them from found family and real family. Loved, loved it.

I received an ARC, and this is my unsolicited review.

Sale!!! The Fling (Lake Bittersweet #2) by Jennifer Bernard, 99 cents for a limited time

The Fling by Jennifer Bernard is only 99c!

★★★★★
“Funny, fun and flirty, but heartfelt, sweet and tender, this one is my new favorite in the series.” - Book Addict

https://geni.us/TheFlingJB
Available on All Platform

It all started that summer in Lake Bittersweet…
 

Emmaline Curtis has never been outside the state of Minnesota before, so winning an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii is a dream. Back home, working the family farm and caring for her brother means precious little free time. So when she meets an intriguing hottie at the resort, she's ready for anything. No last names. No personal details. Just two willing strangers enjoying each other in paradise; then Emmaline can go home with good memories and no chance of awkward future run-ins with Conor.
 

Conor Gault's business trip turned sensual excursion is cut short by devastating news—his rock star father has unexpectedly passed. Suddenly he's heading to a town he's avoided for seventeen years. Lake Bittersweet, Minnesota. The place where one long-ago disastrous night changed the course of his life. The last person he expects to run into is Emmaline, the quirky knockout who's been living rent-free in his head ever since Hawaii…and who just happens to be a local.
 

Before long, their sizzling attraction heats up again. Their worlds couldn't be more different—he's a wealthy financial whiz, she's a farmgirl. But in a startling twist of fate, Conor and Emmaline discover their pasts are linked in ways they never imagined. Ways that may ensure their fiery affair will never be more than a temporary fling.

 

Preorder: A Very Grumpy Doctor (Wolf Valley: Grumps #16) by Shaw Hart

A Very Grumpy Doctor 

by Shaw Hart 

Releases on July 31st!

https://geni.us/VeryGrumpyDoctor

Available on All Platforms

I hate going to the doctors, but that’s not my problem right now. It’s that the new physician in town won’t stop trying to make me his.

Alexi
I hate doctors.
Hate everything about going to see them.
The cold rooms, the stern faces, the way they act like they know your whole life because of a clipboard.
So when I got sick, I put it off as long as humanly possible, but my fever is getting worse, so I bite the bullet and drag my miserable butt into Wolf Valley Medical.
I’m prepared for a shot or some vile-tasting medicine.
What I wasn’t prepared for was Dr. Hugh Mercer.
Tall, broad, annoyingly handsome, and so grumpy he makes thunderstorms look cheerful.
He should’ve been intimidating, but instead he was almost…gentle.
For some reason, he looked at me like I was the most important thing he’d seen all day.
I had rushed out when we were done, but now every time I turn a corner, he’s there.
Checking on me.
Asking if I’m eating.
Offering to drive me home.
And I keep doing the only reasonable thing I can think of.
Running in the opposite direction.

Hugh
I’ve been a doctor for years.
I’ve met every kind of patient—nervous, stubborn, loud, angry, but nothing prepared me for Alexi.
She walked into my exam room with flushed cheeks, a runny nose, and enough attitude to take down an entire ER.
And I fell.
Hard.
She hates doctors, hates asking for help, and hates that I can read her fever from across the room, but I don’t care.
I care about her.
The woman who refuses to slow down even when she’s sick.
The woman who blushes every time I get too close.
The woman who keeps staring at me like I’m the one who needs medical attention.
Now I just have to figure out how to get her to stop running long enough to see the truth.
She doesn’t need a doctor.
She needs me.
And I’m not giving up on her or us.

 

Release Boost: Rain or Shine (Fallen Meadows Ranch #2) by E.C. Land

Rain or Shine 

by E.C. Land 

Available now!

https://geni.us/RainorShine

When your world is always stormy, it's easy to hide from the sunshine...
Tyler
After all that I've been through, there's nothing I won't do to protect what matters most. I've devoted my life to this ranch and my son, and I promised I’d never let anyone get close enough to risk losing either one of them again.
But even the most disciplined man makes a mistake from time to time.
I didn't expect to see her again, so when Delaney reenters my life with news that scares us both, the safety I've carefully built for myself shatters. It was just one night of weakness, but now it ties us together forever. I've been down this road before, and I'm terrified of how the journey will end.
She's far too young to shoulder this burden alone, but the ranch is expanding, and there's no room for distractions. Delaney thinks she’s cursed to lose everyone she loves. I’m terrified that if I trust her, I’ll lose the son I’ve spent years shielding from the world. But the day our lives change forever is coming soon, and it's time for me to decide: do I keep guarding my heart like a fortress, or do I step up and be the man everyone needs me to be?

About E.C. Land

E.C. Land grew up in the country and has it deep in her bones. As she grew up, if she wasn’t out on the ball field or playing in the woods, she had her nose stuck in a book. Now she writes romantic suspense stories, specializing in MC (motorcycle club) romance. She plans to broaden her writing horizons in the near future and move into other forms of romantic suspense. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband, three kids, and fur babies. 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eH1XdW
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/e-c-land
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/E.C.LandAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/eclandauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landauthor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@e.c.land
Website: https://eclandauthorbooks.com