Fierce Justice (True Heroes #5) cover image

February 2019 Must Haves

Contemporary Romance

A Prince on Paper (Reluctant Royals #3) cover imageA Prince on Paper (Reluctant Royals #3) by Alyssa Cole – 26 Feb (Avon)

Nya Jerami fled Thesolo for the glitz and glamour of NYC but discovered that her Prince Charming only exists in her virtual dating games. When Nya returns home for a royal wedding, she accidentally finds herself up close and personal—in bed—with the real-life celebrity prince who she loves to hate.

For Johan von Braustein, the red-headed step-prince of Liechtienbourg, acting as paparazzi bait is a ruse that protects his brother—the heir to the throne—and his own heart. When a royal referendum threatens his brother’s future, a fake engagement is the perfect way to keep the cameras on him.

Nya and Johan both have good reasons to avoid love, but as desires are laid bare behind palace doors, they must decide if their fake romance will lead to a happily-ever-after.

Fierce Justice (True Heroes #5) cover imageFierce Justice (True Heroes #5) by Piper J. Drake – 26 Feb (Forever)

As a K9 handler on the Search and Protect team, Arin Siri needs to be where the action is–and right now that’s investigating a trafficking operation in Hawaii. When an enemy from her past shows up bleeding, she’s torn between the desire to patch Jason up or put more holes in him. Then again, the hotshot mercenary could be the person she needs to bust open her case.

Jason Landon’s team had always been about taking the contract, getting paid, and not asking questions. But after his last mission went south, he started to get curious. His questions quickly drove him out of his mercenary group and off the grid. Now, the only people he can think of to help him are the Search and Protect team — and the dark beauty who is as ready to kill him as she is to bed him. And he’s totally ready to risk the former for the chance at the latter. But he isn’t the only person with a target on his back. Arin’s in danger too, and he’ll do everything he can to keep her safe.

Fantasy

Endgames (Imager Portfolio #12) cover imageEndgames (Imager Portfolio #12) by L.E. Modesitt Jr – 5 Feb (Tor)

Solidar is in chaos.

Charyn, the young and untested ruler of Solidar, has survived assassination, and he struggles to gain control of a realm in the grip of social upheaval, war, and rioting. Solidar cannot be allowed to slide into social and political turmoil that will leave the High Holders with their ancient power and privilege, and the common people with nothing.

But the stakes are even higher than he realizes.

The Ruin of Kings (Chorus of Dragons #1) cover imageThe Ruin of Kings (Chorus of Dragons #1) by Jenn Lyons – 5 Feb (Tor)

There are the old stories. And then there’s what actually happens.

Kihrin is a bastard orphan who grew up on storybook tales of long-lost princes and grand quests. When he is claimed against his will as the long-lost son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds that being a long-lost prince isn’t what the storybooks promised.

Far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family’s power plays and ambitions. He also discovers that the storybooks have lied about a lot of other things things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins.

Then again, maybe he’s not the hero, for Kihrin isn’t destined to save the empire.

He’s destined to destroy it . . .

For the Killing of Kings (Ring-Sworn #1) cover imageFor the Killing of Kings (Ring-Sworn #1) by Howard Andrew Jones – 19 Feb (St. Martins)

Their peace was a fragile thing, but it had endured for seven years, mostly because the people of Darassus and the king of the Naor hordes believed his doom was foretold upon the edge of the great sword hung in the hall of champions. Unruly Naor clans might raid across the border, but the king himself would never lead his people to war so long as the blade remained in the hands of his enemies.

But when squire Elenai’s aging mentor uncovers evidence that the sword in their hall is a forgery, she’s forced to flee Darassus for her life, her only ally the reckless, disillusioned Kyrkenall the archer. Framed for murder and treason, pursued by the greatest heroes of the realm, they race to recover the real sword, only to stumble into a conspiracy that leads all the way back to the Darassan queen and her secretive advisers. They must find a way to clear their names and set things right, all while dodging friends determined to kill them – and the Naor hordes, invading at last with a new and deadly weapon.

The Priory of the Orange Tree cover imageThe Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon – 26 Feb (Bloomsbury)

A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

The Raven Tower cover imageThe Raven Tower by Ann Leckie – 26 Feb (Orbit)

For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes.

But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods.

It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo–aide to Mawat, the true Lease–arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself…and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.

Fantasy Romance

Storm Called (Royal States #5) cover imageStorm Called (Royal States #5) by Susan Copperfield – 26 Feb (Pen & Page Publishing)

In the Royal States of America, magic rules all, but life—and love—always finds a way.

Latent horse empath. Dishwasher. Closet chef.

Future king.

When food poisoning sweeps through Dallas, Patrick Laycal doesn’t expect a princess to show up at his door asking for his help.

Her one, simple request dumps him in the middle of a Royal mess—one that could cost him far more than just his life.

Storm Called features characters first introduced in Null & Void, the first of the Royal States novels.

Futuristic Romantic Suspense

Connections in Death (In Death #48) cover imageConnections in Death (In Death #48) by J.D. Robb – 5 Feb (St. Martins)

Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. They know that the hard life can lead kids toward dangerous crossroads—and with this new project, they hope to nudge a few more of them onto the right path. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering—whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support.

Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. After all his work to get clean, Lyle’s been pumped full of poison—and a neighbor with a peephole reports seeing a scruffy, pink-haired girl fleeing the scene.

Now Eve and Roarke must venture into the gang territory where Lyle used to run, and the ugly underground world of tattoo parlors and strip joints where everyone has taken a wrong turn somewhere. They both believe in giving people a second chance. Maybe even a third or fourth. But as far as they’re concerned, whoever gave the order on Lyle Pickering’s murder has run out of chances…

Paranormal Romance

Mission: Her Defense (Team 52 #4) by Anna Hackett – 12 Feb (Anna Hackett) No information available
Warmongers and Wands (Accidental Witches #2) cover imageWarmongers and Wands (Accidental Witches #2) by Debra Dunbar – 28 Feb (Debra Dunbar)

Bronwyn Perkins has given up on love. She’s got a great job as a welder and a farrier for centaurs, unicorns and satyrs. She’s got a close-knit family of six sisters, all of them witches in the town of Accident. In her spare time, she enchants objects and creates art from metal. It’s a fulfilling life. She doesn’t need love, maybe just a cat. Or two. Or three. Nope, she doesn’t need love at all.

But a mishap on a mountain road, is about to bring Bronwyn everything she’s always wanted—everything she’s been afraid to hope for. All she needs to do is go over a cliff and down into the woods.

Science Fiction Romance

Polaris Rising (The Consortium Rebellion #1) cover imagePolaris Rising (The Consortium Rebellion #1) by Jessie Mihalik – 5 Feb (Harper Voyager)

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.
Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for . . .

Urban Fantasy

Blood Apprentice (Elemental Legacy #2) cover imageBlood Apprentice (Elemental Legacy #2) by Elizabeth Hunter – 12 Feb (Recurve Press LLC)

If you’re a human in a vampire’s world, nothing goes according to plan.

When a map to the mysterious fortune of notorious privateer Miguel Enríquez falls in the lap of Ben and Tenzin, only one of them is jumping at the opportunity. Tenzin can’t wait to search for a secret cache of gold. Ben, on the other hand, couldn’t be less excited.

All Ben knows about Puerto Rico is what he hears on the news and a few lingering memories of his human grandmother. Going back to his roots holds zero appeal for the carefully constructed man he’s become.

In the end, the lure of hidden gold can’t be denied.

Ben and Tenzin head to Puerto Rico where the immortal world is ruled by Los Tres, a trio of powerful vampires commanding the wind, the waves, and the mountains that make up this small island in the Caribbean.

To find Enríquez’s treasure, they’ll have to walk a fine line between flattery and secrecy. To leave the island might mean a bigger fight than either one of them foresaw.

Blood Apprentice is the second novel in the Elemental Legacy, a paranormal mystery series by Elizabeth Hunter, author of the Irin Chronicles.

Circle of the Moon (Soulwood #4) cover imageCircle of the Moon (Soulwood #4) by Faith Hunter – 26 Feb (Ace)

Nell can draw magic from the land around her, and lately she’s been using it to help the Psy-Law Enforcement Division, which solves paranormal crimes. Joining the team at PsyLED has allowed her to learn more about her powers and the world she always shunned–and to find true friends.

Head agent Rick LaFleur shifts into a panther when the moon calls him, but this time, something has gone wrong. Rick calls Nell from a riverbank–he’s naked, with no memory of how he came to be there, and there’s a dead black cat, sacrificed in a witch circle and killed by black magic, lying next to him.

Then more animals turn up dead, and team rushes to investigate. A blood-witch is out to kill. But when it seems as if their leader is involved in the crime, the bonds that hold the team together could shatter at any moment.

Women’s Fiction

California Girls cover imageCalifornia Girls by Susan Mallery – 26 Feb (Mira)

The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

The monthly Must Have list is a compilation of the upcoming release titles that we, The Book Pushers, just can’t wait to get our hands on. Don’t see a title you’re excited about listed here? Add it to the comments section below. Let us know what you’re looking forward to!

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