BP Note: March is here! Several longstanding favorite authors tend to release books in March and this year is not exception. I am looking forward to stealing time and enjoying them. In other news I have snowdrops and a pretty volunteer yellow flower blooming in my yard. This weekend I had the pleasant surprise of spotting a very young lamb gamboling through the yard behind my house. All signs spring is coming to the Northern Hemisphere. Means more natural reading light. Enjoy our list of Must Haves and let us know if we missed one!
Happy reading!
~E
- Contemporary Romance
- Dark Fantasy
- Epic Fantasy
- Fantasy
- Military SF
- Paranormal Romance
- Post-apocalyptic Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Science Fiction Romance
- Thriller
- Urban Fantasy
Contemporary Romance
Secret Heir Seduction (Texas Cattleman’s Club Inheritance #4) by Reese Ryan – 1 Mar (Harlequin Desire)
Can he tell her the truth… this time?
Will he risk everything for a reunion?Will she give him the chance?
Discovering he’s a long-lost heir isn’t the only surprise awaiting Darius Taylor-Pratt in Royal, Texas. He’s next door to his ex after five long years. Darius broke off his red-hot relationship with designer Audra Covington without explanation. He still has regrets…and truths he’s hiding. Rekindling their flame may cost him…especially when new secrets surface to threaten their second shot at seduction.
On the Corner of Hope and Main (Blessings #10) by Bevely Jenkins – 3 Mar (William and Morrow Paperbacks)
Citizens of Henry Adams, Kansas, know there’s never a dull moment in their small town…
Trent July has been the mayor of this historic town for the past four years, but now he’s ready to let someone else take up the mantle. Barrett Payne, a former Marine, decides he wants the job. But when a surprise candidate also enters the ring, the town has opinions on who would be the best candidate.
And of course that’s not the only drama, as Malachi “Mal” July continues to make reparations for the damage he’s caused and to the people he’s betrayed, especially his lady love Bernadine. Is she finally ready to forgive him and let the past go?
As the residents of Henry Adams have learned, life will throw obstacles their way, but it’s how they come together and rise above these challenges that keep the bonds of their close-knit community strong.
Love Hard (Hard Play #3) by Nalini Singh – 10 Mar (TKA Distribution)
Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, has worked hard to create a joyous life for his six-year-old daughter. After the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, all Jake wants is safety and stability. No risks. No wild chances. And especially no Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, and a woman who is a thorn in his side.
As a lonely teenager, Juliet embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection. Years later, having kicked a cheating sports-star ex to the curb, she has a prestigious job and loyal friends—and wants nothing to do with sportsmen. The last thing she expects is the fire that ignites between her and the stuffed-shirt golden boy who once loved her best friend.
Straitlaced Jacob Esera versus wild-at-heart Juliet Nelisi? Place your bets.
Hers to Tame (NOLA Knights #2) by Rhenna Morgan – 16 Mar (Carina Press)
As an avtoritet for the most powerful crime syndicate in New Orleans, Kir Vasilek doesn’t act without purpose, doesn’t speak without thought and never, ever loses his cool. The lives of his brothers, his family, depend on it. But then Cassie McClintock strolls back into his life, and staying cool is next to impossible. Cassie was the one who got away—and Kir is willing to break all his own rules to keep it from happening ever again.
It’s one thing to report on the Russian mafia; it’s quite another to sleep with one of them, especially one as dangerous, and as sinfully sexy, as Kir Vasilek. Even though the information he once provided helped make her career—and the memory of his touch still keeps her up at night—Cassie knows too much about his world to go down that path.
But when Kir reaches out for help after a rival family comes for one of his own, Cassie doesn’t want to say no, either to investigating a gruesome murder or to the heat that pulls her right back into his arms…and his heart. Taming Kir—and helping to save the family she’s come to call her own—is not the story she thought she’d write, but it’s the one she’s determined will get a happy ending.
Messy by Katie Porter – 17 Mar (Self)
Alec Davies is an aging-out rock star.
He’s twenty years older than me.
He’s also my father’s ex-best friend.
Dad used to be the lead guitarist of The Skies, an icon of the 90s British music scene. His fights with lead singer Alec were legendary, and so was the band’s self-destruction. I’ve hunted down Alec to tell him that Dad is back in England and determined to die at home. Ending our first encounter by riding Alec’s face is not the smart thing. Saying “yes” when he wants to reconcile with my dad and offers his townhouse as hospice – it’s not the smart thing either, but I do that too.
This is a stand alone, full length romance. Happily ever after guaranteed.
Gaming Grace (Gone Wild #2) by Piper J. Drake – 24 Mar (Self)
All work and no play is no way to enjoy this cruise.
Executive Director Grace Kim figures this reunion with her college friends is the perfect excuse to prove that she knows how to keep work/life balance and enjoy the Caribbean, preferably with her pants intact.
Rich, sexy, brilliant Bryan Wu has an app for that, and he charms Grace into helping him test it. He offers seven days of the best vacation of her life (bonus, sizzling chemistry) before they return to reality, but he didn’t anticipate just how much of his heart he’d give her.
When an accidental error results in a humiliating video of her online, Grace must salvage her career and decide whether to erase Bryan from her memory forever or admit they brought out the best in each other.
American Sweethearts (Dreamers #4) by Adriana Herrera – 30 Mar (Carina Press)
Juan Pablo Campos doesn’t do regrets. He’s living the dream as a physical therapist with his beloved New York Yankees. He has the best friends and family in the world and simply no time to dwell on what could’ve been.
Except when it comes to Priscilla, the childhood friend he’s loved for what seems like forever.
New York City police detective Priscilla Gutierrez has never been afraid to go after what she wants. Second guessing herself isn’t a thing she does. But lately, the once-clear vision she had for herself—her career, her relationships, her life—is no longer what she wants.
What she especially doesn’t want is to be stuck on a private jet to the Dominican Republic with JuanPa, the one person who knows her better than anyone else.
By the end of a single week in paradise, the love/hate thing JuanPa and Pris have been doing for sixteen years has risen to epic proportions. No one can argue their connection is still there. And they can both finally admit—if only to themselves—they’ve always been a perfect match. The future they dreamed of together is still within reach…if they can just accept each other as they are.
Dark Fantasy
The Queen’s Bargain (Black Jewels #10) by Anne Bishop – 10 Mar (Ace)
POWER HAS A PRICE. SO DOES LOVE.
Return to the dark, sensual, and powerful world of the Black Jewels in this long-awaited new story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga
After a youthful mistake, Lord Dillon’s reputation is in tatters,
leaving him vulnerable to aristo girls looking for a bit of fun. To
restore his reputation and honor, he needs a handfast—a one-year contract of marriage. He sets his sights on Jillian, a young Eyrien witch from Ebon Rih, who he believes has only a flimsy connection to the noble society that spurned him. Unfortunately for Dillon, he is unaware of Jillian’s true connections until he finds himself facing Lucivar Yaslana, the volatile Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih.Meanwhile, Surreal SaDiablo’s marriage is crumbling. Daemon Sadi, the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, recognizes there is something wrong between him and Surreal, but he doesn’t realize that his attempt to suppress his own nature in order to spare his wife is causing his mind to splinter. To save Daemon, and the Realm of Kaeleer if he breaks, help must be sought from someone who no longer exists in any of the Realms—the only Queen powerful enough to control Daemon Sadi. The Queen known as Witch.
As Jillian rides the winds of first love with Dillon, Daemon and Surreal struggle to survive the wounds of a marriage turned stormy—and Lucivar has to find a way to keep everyone in his family safe…even from each other.
Epic Fantasy
Queen of the Unwanted (Women’s War #2) by Jenna Glass – 17 Mar (Del Rey)
In this feminist fantasy series, the ability to do magic has given women control over their own bodies. But as the patriarchy starts to fall, they must now learn to rule as women, not men.
Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that rules her now. But the world continues to turn.
In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess whom he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half-brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can all come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.
Fantasy
Ally of the Crown (Heirs of Willow North #1) by Melissa McShane – 17 Mar (Night Harbor Publishing)
Fiona, cursed with the power to ignite fire in a country where magic is illegal, wants to start a new life for herself, far from the mistakes of her past.
A case of mistaken identity tangles her fortunes with those of the mysterious Sebastian, who intends to stop a blackmailer from destroying his family. Asked to help Sebastian infiltrate a sacred temple to find the damning evidence, Fiona soon goes from reluctant companion to trusted ally.
But Sebastian’s secrets go deeper than Fiona realizes. What began as a simple heist becomes a web of intrigue entangling the governments of two countries. As Fiona’s deceptions grow deeper, she must find a way to redeem her honor—and embrace a future she believes impossible.
Crush the King (Crown of Shards #3) by Jennifer Estep – 17 Mar (Harper Collins)
Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona has survived the mass murder of the royal family, become a fearsome warrior trained by an elite gladiator troupe, and unleashed her ability to destroy magic. After surviving yet another assassination attempt orchestrated by the conniving king of Morta, Evie has had enough. It’s time to turn the tables and take the fight to her enemies.
There is no better opportunity to strike than during the Regalia Games, a time when warriors, nobles, and royals from all the kingdoms come together to compete in various sporting events. With the help of her loyal friends, Evie goes on the attack at the Regalia, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes. Soon, she is facing a terrifying new threat, and she will have to dig deep and learn even more about her growing magic if she has any chance of defeating her foes.
Because to secure her throne and ensure her kingdom’s survival, Evie must think like a true Bellonan: she must outsmart and outwit her enemies . . . and crush the king.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – 17 Mar (Tor Books)
A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo – 24 Mar (Tor.com)
A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage. Alone and sometimes reviled, she has only her servants on her side. This evocative debut chronicles her rise to power through the eyes of her handmaiden, at once feminist high fantasy and a thrilling indictment of monarchy.
Military SF
A Pale Light in the Black (NEO-G #1) by K.B. Wagers – 3 Mar (Harper Voyager)
The rollicking first entry in a unique science fiction series that introduces the Near-Earth Orbital Guard—NeoG—a military force patrolling and protecting space inspired by the real-life mission of the U.S. Coast Guard.
For the past year, their close loss in the annual Boarding Games has haunted Interceptor Team: Zuma’s Ghost. With this year’s competition looming, they’re looking forward to some payback—until an unexpected personnel change leaves them reeling. Their best swordsman has been transferred, and a new lieutenant has been assigned in his place.
Maxine Carmichael is trying to carve a place in the world on her own—away from the pressure and influence of her powerful family. The last thing she wants is to cause trouble at her command on Jupiter Station. With her new team in turmoil, Max must overcome her self-doubt and win their trust if she’s going to succeed. Failing is not an option—and would only prove her parents right.
But Max and the team must learn to work together quickly. A routine mission to retrieve a missing ship has suddenly turned dangerous, and now their lives are on the line. Someone is targeting members of Zuma’s Ghost, a mysterious opponent willing to kill to safeguard a secret that could shake society to its core . . . a secret that could lead to their deaths and kill thousands more unless Max and her new team stop them.
Rescue those in danger, find the bad guys, win the Games. It’s all in a day’s work at the NeoG.
Paranormal Romance
Badger to the Bone (The Honey Badger Chronicles #3) by Shelly Laurenston – 31 Mar (Kensington)
She’s the woman he’s been hired to kidnap. But ZeZé Vargas has other ideas . . . like getting them both out of this nightmare alive. Just one problem. She’s crazy. Certifiably. Because while he’s plotting their escape, the petite Asian beauty is plotting something much more deadly . . .
Max “Kill It Again” MacKilligan has no idea what one of her own is doing with all these criminal humans until she realizes that Zé has no idea who or what he is. Or exactly how much power he truly has.
But Max is more than happy to bring this handsome jaguar shifter into her world and show him everything he’s been missing out on. A move that might be the dumbest thing she’s ever done once she realizes how far her enemies will go to wipe her out. Too bad for them Zé is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her alive . . . and honey badgers are just so damn hard to kill!
Science Fiction Romance
Operation Fury (Nova Force #3) by Susan Hayes – 3 Mar (Black Scroll Publications)
he’s fighting for survival. He’s fighting for her soul.
Nyx was created to be the perfect killer, with death and violence encoded in her DNA. After years of tests, torments, and trials designed to push her to her breaking point, she’s survived by focusing on one thing –revenge.
Nova Force investigator Eric Erben lost someone he cared about. Now he’s on a mission to fulfill her last request – free her sister from the shadowy group holding her captive. Rescuing Nyx from her captors is the easy part. Saving her from herself will be a battle only love can win.
Loved in Space by Susan Hayes et al – 10 Mar (Self)
Woken by a kiss, she didn’t expect her prince to be a handsome alien warrior. Kissed by the Alien Mercenary: Warriors of the Lathar by Mina Carter.
Clarabelle isn’t about to take orders from anyone. Not even the alien hottie who has a disturbing tendency of shifting into a giant lizardman. Mate Abduction by Eve Langlais.
When a dating agency claims to match Earth women with extraterrestrials, fraud investigator Cyan Blue goes undercover as a client to expose the scam. She’s not interested in finding love and certainly not with a pretend alien! KRASH: Dakonian Alien Mail Order Brides by Cara Bristol.
No risk. No reward. When time runs out, she’ll have to make a choice that will change her life forever… Chance of a Lifetime by Susan Hayes.
Bethany Walker lost everything the day she watched her husband die. Trapped in a bitter cycle of loneliness and grief, the arrival of a gorgeous cyborg with a familiar face changes everything. Betraying Ko’ran by J Thompson.
She was searching for her cyborg husband and found an alien instead. Ashland 297 by Donna McDonald.
Thriller
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel – 24 Mar (Knopf)
Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star glass and cedar palace on an island in British Columbia. Jonathan Alkaitis works in finance and owns the hotel. When he passes Vincent his card with a tip, it’s the beginning of their life together. That same day, Vincent’s half-brother, Paul, scrawls a note on the windowed wall of the hotel: “Why don’t you swallow broken glass.” Leon Prevant, a shipping executive for a company called Neptune-Avramidis, sees the note from the hotel bar and is shaken to his core. Thirteen years later Vincent mysteriously disappears from the deck of a Neptune-Avramidis ship. Weaving together the lives of these characters, The Glass Hotel moves between the ship, the skyscrapers of Manhattan, and the wilderness of northern Vancouver Island, painting a breathtaking picture of greed and guilt, fantasy and delusion, art and the ghosts of our pasts.
Urban Fantasy
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Big Bad Wolf #4) by Charlie Adhara – 2 Mar (Carina Press)
Agent Cooper Dayton and his partner, Oliver Park, are going undercover—at a retreat for couples who need counselling. They do say the best cover story is one that’s close to the truth…
Agent Cooper Dayton is almost relieved to get a phone call from his former boss at the Bureau of Special Investigations. It means a temporary reprieve from tensions created by house hunting with Oliver Park, his partner both in work and in life. Living together in a forever home is exactly what Cooper wants. He’s just not keen on working out the details.
With a former alpha werewolf missing, Cooper and Park are loaned to the BSI to conduct the search at a secluded mountain retreat. The agents will travel to the resort undercover…as a couple in need of counseling.
The resort is picturesque, the grounds are stunning and the staff members are all suspicious as hell.
With a long list of suspects and danger lurking around every cabin, Cooper should be focusing on the case. But he’s always been anxious about the power dynamics in his relationship with Park, and participating in the couples’ activities at the retreat brings it all to the surface. A storm is brewing, though, and Cooper and Park must rush to solve the case before the weather turns. Or before any more guests—or the agents themselves—end up dead.
The House Lost at Sea: The Tales of Catalina de la Corona by R.J. Blain – 10 Mar (Pen & Page Publishing)
Cursed by the lover of her former captain, Catalina de la Corona, the Pirate Princess of the Seven Seas, has lived an unnaturally long life and longs for the day she can find eternal peace. Hiding in plain sight as an investment banker, she waits for the end of eternity and the death she has rightfully earned.
When a rich client’s fascination with her captain and her lover threatens to exhume the watery grave of Catalina’s past, she must take up arms against friends and enemies alike to protect her captain’s legacy. Should the Calico’s sunken ruins be discovered, Catalina’s one true treasure, the House Lost at Sea will be plundered, exposing the secret of Catalina’s immortality, and guaranteeing she’ll lose the only thing she has left: her freedom.
Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson #12) by Patricia Briggs – 17 Mar (Ace)
I am Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman.
My only “superpowers” are that I turn into a thirty-five pound coyote and fix Volkswagens. But I have friends in odd places and a pack of werewolves at my back. It looks like I’m going to need them.Centuries ago, the fae dwelt in Underhill–until she locked her doors against them. They left behind their great castles and troves of magical artifacts. They abandoned their prisoners and their pets. Without the fae to mind them, those creatures who remained behind roamed freely through Underhill wreaking havoc. Only the deadliest survived.
Now one of those prisoners has escaped. It can look like anyone, any creature it chooses. But if it bites you, it controls you. It lives for chaos and destruction. It can make you do anything–even kill the person you love the most. Now it is here, in the Tri-Cities. In my territory.
It won’t, can’t, remain.
Not if I have anything to say about it.
The City We Became (The Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin – 24 Mar (Orbit)
Five New Yorkers must come together in order to defend their city in the first book of a stunning new series by Hugo award-winning and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin.
Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five.
But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.
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!