BP Note: Welcome to May. My heart goes out to India, Brazil, their neighboring countries, and all others still struggling to slow the spread of COVID. Please get your vaccinations when you are eligible. Both shots if it is a two vaccine requirement. We need everyone who can to do so. Each virus mutation has the potential to be worse, the more people who are infected the easier it is for the virus to mutate. On a lighter note we have an interesting line up of books this month. Let us know what you are looking forward to reading. My TBR pile and folder are always happy to welcome new additions.
Happy reading!
~E
- Contemporary Romance
- Fantasy
- Historical Romance
- Mystery
- Paranormal Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Science Fiction
- Steampunk
- Urban Fantasy
Contemporary Romance
Royal Line (Tattered Royals #1) by Carrie Ann Ryan and Nana Malone – 11 May (Tattered Royals Inc)
A princess on the run finds her version of a prince in this epic beginning to the Tattered Royals stand-alone series.
I never asked for my tiara.
My dreams were always bigger than a palace. They’re as big as the world.
Being fourth in line for the throne should have guaranteed me freedom.
I thought I was one step from walking away forever, but a long-forgotten rule forces me to run instead.
I refuse to marry a Duke and bear an heir to save our titles.
I trust my brothers to find a way to save my future, but first I need to save myself.
Only I never expected to meet danger…and Kannon Adams along the way.I never asked for her.
My security business has secured all the clueless princess types I can handle.
Princess London Waterford of Alden is a whole other level of trouble.
Not to mention gorgeous and tempting as royal sin. Too bad she’s also in danger.
When the bullets fly, I trust no one else to protect her, even if she pushes me away.
Together, we must find who’s behind the threat to her life and try not to get caught in the crossfire.
One night together might never be enough, but if those who want her dead have a say, it’ll be our last.
Fake (West Hollywood #1) by Kylie Scott – 18 May (Kylie Scott)
He walks the red carpet. She’s more familiar with vacuuming one.
When a scandal tarnishes the reputation of hot as hell A-lister, Patrick Walsh, he needs a reputation rescue, pronto.
Enter waitress Norah Peers–a nobody who’s average with a capital A. She’s available, dependable, and has sworn off men for the rest of her natural born life. In other words: the perfect match for a no-strings fake romance.
For the right amount of money, she can avoid waitressing and play the part of his dependable down-to-earth girlfriend. What she can’t avoid–dammit–is the growing steam between them.
But being hounded by the paparazzi and having your life dissected on social media is a panic attack in the making. And while Patrick might be a charming rogue on screen, in real life he’s a six-foot-two confusing, gorgeous, brooding grump, who keeps her at a distance . . . but also makes her feel like this bond between them might be more than just an act.
Being dumped on cue should be no big deal. Except being fake with Patrick is the realist relationship Norah has ever had. What’s a girl to do, but flip the script, and ask for a rematch made in Hollywood?
How to Find a Princess (Runaway Royals #2) by Alyssa Cole – 25 May (Avon)
Makeda Hicks has lost her job and her girlfriend in one fell swoop. The last thing she’s in the mood for is to rehash the story of her grandmother’s infamous summer fling with a runaway prince from Ibarania, or the investigator from the World Federation of Monarchies tasked with searching for Ibarania’s missing heir.
Yet when Beznaria Chetchevaliere crashes into her life, the sleek and sexy investigator exudes exactly the kind of chaos that organized and efficient Makeda finds irresistible, even if Bez is determined to drag her into a world of royal duty Makeda wants nothing to do with.
When a threat to her grandmother’s livelihood pushes Makeda to agree to return to Ibarania, Bez takes her on a transatlantic adventure with a crew of lovable weirdos, a fake marriage, and one-bed hijinks on the high seas. When they finally make it to Ibarania, they realize there’s more at stake than just cash and crown, and Makeda must learn what it means to fight for what she desires and not what she feels bound to by duty.
Serving Sin (Filthy Rich #3) by Angelina Lopez – 25 May (Carina Press)
Thirteen years ago, decorated former-Army Ranger Roman Sheppard rescued Mexican heiress Cenobia Trujillo from a shocking kidnapping that riveted the world.
In the years since, Roman’s risen from his humble Texas roots: He is now the head of an elite security firm and the reluctant half-prince of a glamorous wine-growing Spanish kingdom.
And today, Cenobia–“Cen”–is finally in the CEO role she’s trained for her whole life. But serious, growing threats against her are derailing a product launch that will change the Mexican industrial landscape forever. She’s done the hard work to recover from her kidnapping, but therapy has’t changed the fact that Roman Sheppard will forever represent safety in her mind.
He’s the only one she can trust.
And his coming to Mexico will allow Cenobia to finally figure out if what she feels is a teenager’s daydream or a grown woman’s reality…
But there’s a reason Roman has stayed a continent away. His mission is to save people. And nothing–not duty to family, not the mistakes of his past, and certainly not love–is going to get in his way.
He’ll go to Mexico. He’ll help Cen. He’ll keep her safe.
What he won’t allow himself to do?
Desire Cenobia Trujillo. He won’t allow her to become his sweet Cen.
Heart and Seoul (Seoul #1) by Jen Frederick – 25 May (Berkley)
As a Korean adoptee, Hara Wilson doesn’t need anyone telling her she looks different from her white parents. She knows. Every time Hara looks in the mirror, she’s reminded that she doesn’t look like anyone else in her family—not her loving mother, Ellen; not her jerk of a father, Pat; and certainly not like Pat’s new wife and new “real” son.
At the age of twenty-five, she thought she had come to terms with it all, but when her father suddenly dies, an offhand comment at his funeral triggers an identity crisis that has her running off to Seoul in search of her roots.
What Hara finds there has all the makings of a classic K-drama: a tall, mysterious stranger who greets her at the airport, spontaneous adventures across the city, and a mess of familial ties, along with a red string of destiny that winds its way around her heart and soul. Hara goes to Korea looking for answers, but what she gets instead is love—a forbidden love that will either welcome Hara home…or destroy her chance of finding one.
Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley – 25 May (Graydon House)
Kara Sullivan’s life is full of love—albeit fictional. As a bestselling romance novelist and influential bookstagrammer, she’s fine with getting her happily-ever-after fix between the covers of a book.
But right now? Not only is Kara’s best friend getting married next week—which means big wedding stress—but the deadline for her next novel is looming, and she hasn’t written a single word. The last thing she needs is for her infuriating first love, Ryan Thompson, to suddenly appear in the wedding party. But Ryan’s unexpected arrival sparks a creative awakening in Kara that inspires the steamy historical romance she desperately needs to deliver.
With her wedding duties intensifying, her deadline getting closer by the second and her bills not paying themselves, Kara knows there’s only one way for her to finish her book and to give her characters the ever-after they deserve. But can she embrace the unlikely, ruggedly handsome muse—who pushes every one of her buttons—to save the wedding, her career and, just maybe, write her own happy ending?
Hemingway’s Cats by Lindsey Hooper – 25 May (Kensington)
Laura Lange didn’t come to Key West to fall in love. As a recent college grad–with a useless degree in English–she came to work at the historic Hemingway home as a tour guide. Why not? She wrote her thesis on the iconic author. She has no other job offers. And she’s desperate. Now Laura is falling desperately in love–with the fifty-four frisky felines who freely roam the estate. These descendants of Hemingway’s original cat have not only stolen her heart–they’re changing her life in ways she never imagined . . .
First there’s Nessie, the bushy-tailed house mother of the cats who seems to have adopted Laura, too. Then there’s grumpy old Pawpa Hemingway; the cat thieves Chew-Chew and Whiskey; the big-pawed Boxer and Bullfighter; and dozens of darling kittens. The locals are lovable, too. Laura’s having a great time with her boy-crazy bungalow roomies, the Crabb sisters, and especially the young, handsome cat keeper, Jake. But Laura’s summer of fun is about to take an unexpected turn–a Category 5 hurricane is about to make landfall directly on their doorstep . . .
They can’t possibly evacuate fifty-four cats. So Laura, Nessie, and all of their friends decide to hunker down in the Hemingway House to weather this storm–together.
The Torn Prince (Royal House of Saene #4) by Zee Monodee – 28 May (Love Africa Press)
Prince Zediah ‘Zed’ Saene is the sensitive and solemn kind. Nothing shakes him from his solid rock persona. Until the day he crosses paths with Rio, a woman who inflames his body, scorches his heart, and burns his soul to cinders. His passionate love for her is strong enough to move mountains. Then tragedy strikes back home, and he is forced to exit her life without a goodbye.
Riona ‘Rio’ Mittal has worked hard to get over the contemplative young man who caught her very being in his web of quiet force and soulful presence then dropped her like a smelly old sock. On the verge of setting her life to rights, in walks Zed again to claim the child he’s found out she had in his absence.
Zediah wants his heir, and nothing will stop him. Except, ‘nothing’ has a name: Rio Mittal, who won’t shy away from making him face up to his innermost demons. Rio has his son, and all of Zed belongs to her … yet he is, first and foremost, part of the Royal House of Saene. Torn between duty and love, how will he reconcile the two?
Fantasy
The House of Always (Chorus of Dragons #4) by Jenn Lyons – 11 May (Tor Books)
What if you were imprisoned for all eternity?
In the aftermath of the Ritual of Night, everything has changed.
The Eight Immortals have catastrophically failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kihrin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies.
Now they face a choice: can they save the world while saving Kihrin, too? Or will they be forced to watch as he becomes the very evil they have all sworn to destroy.
Son of the Storm (Nameless Republic #1) by Suyi Davies Okungbowa – 11 May (Orbit)
In the ancient city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness—only he doesn’t want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city’s immigrants are sworn to secrecy.
But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn’t exist, he’s put on a collision course with Bassa’s darkest secrets. Drawn into the city’s hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. And the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire.
The Blacktongue Thief (Blacktongue #1) by Christopher Buehlman – 25 May (Tor Books)
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.
But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.
Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.
Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva’s. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.
Historical Romance
Passion and Pride (Gold Sky #6) by Rebel Carter – 5 May (Violet Gaze Press)
Delilah Wickes-Barnes has no intention of getting involved with any man, much less the handsome newcomer who once courted her sister, albeit briefly. However, fate (or more accurately, her mother…) has other plans. No matter how hard they try to avoid each other, they can’t seem to stop finding themselves alone together. And when they are tasked with saving the Christmas play how can Del say no? It’s for the children, after all.
A rush of newcomers hope to settle in the unique town of Gold Sky, Montana and Elliot Meyers is no exception. Prosperous and accepting, it’s exactly the place an industrious man with a mission can build his future and find some peace. That is, until Delilah walks into his life and turns everything upside down with her haughty glances and refusal to give him the time of day. But the more time they spend together the more determined Elliot is to make Del see that their fiery arguments can turn to something even more explosive.
The Duke’s Wife (The Three Mrs. #3) by Jess Michaels – 11 May (Passionate Pen LLC)
After she found out her husband was a bigamist with three wives, Abigail Montgomery’s world fell apart. She was still reeling when she found out he was courting yet another woman, the sister of the Duke of Gilmore. She intervened anonymously and Gilmore’s reaction brought her world down around her. She has seen him as an enemy ever since. An arrogant, interesting, very handsome enemy.
No one can push Gilmore’s buttons more than the fascinating Abigail Montgomery. They constantly butt heads and yet he can’t get her off his mind. But now that her year of mourning for the husband who betrayed them all is over, she is showing up in his life a lot more. When a series of playful wagers leads to a passionate moment, everything changes.
Now forced to marry after being caught together, the two must navigate a tangled past and a cloudy future. Could these enemies ever be more than lovers? Or will their stubborn hesitation to get closer keep them from being truly happy together?
Her Scottish Scoundrel (Diamonds in the Rough #7) by Sophie Barnes – 25 May (Sophie Barnes)
Destined for the hangman’s noose, love is a dream he cannot afford to have…
When Blayne MacNeil agrees to be Miss Charlotte Russell’s bodyguard, he doesn’t expect her to expand the job description to fake fiancé. After twenty years in hiding, announcing his engagement to a viscount’s daughter could prove fatal. For if anyone were to recognize him, he’d be charged with murder.
Determined to keep her independence in order to safeguard her writing career, Charlotte must avoid marriage. After all, no respectable gentleman would ever permit his wife to pen outrageous adventure novels. But when her most recent manuscript disappears, the roguish Scotsman posing as her fiancé becomes her closest ally—and the greatest threat to her freedom.
Mystery
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams – 25 May (Doubleday)
While Justice Sleeps is a gripping, complexly plotted thriller set within the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Avery Keene, a brilliant young law clerk for the legendary Justice Howard Wynn, is doing her best to hold her life together–excelling in an arduous job with the court while also dealing with a troubled family. When the shocking news breaks that Justice Wynn–the cantankerous swing vote on many current high-profile cases–has slipped into a coma, Avery’s life turns upside down. She is immediately notified that Justice Wynn has left instructions for her to serve as his legal guardian and power of attorney. Plunged into an explosive role she never anticipated, Avery finds that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching one of the most controversial cases before the court–a proposed merger between an American biotech company and an Indian genetics firm, which promises to unleash breathtaking results in the medical field. She also discovers that Wynn suspected a dangerously related conspiracy that infiltrates the highest power corridors of Washington.
As political wrangling ensues in Washington to potentially replace the ailing judge whose life and survival Avery controls, she begins to unravel a carefully constructed, chesslike sequence of clues left behind by Wynn. She comes to see that Wynn had a much more personal stake in the controversial case and realizes his complex puzzle will lead her directly into harm’s way in order to find the truth. While Justice Sleeps is a cunningly crafted, sophisticated novel, layered with myriad twists and a vibrant cast of characters. Drawing on her astute inside knowledge of the court and political landscape, Stacey Abrams shows herself to be not only a force for good in politics and voter fairness but also a major new talent in suspense fiction.
Paranormal Romance
Catnapped (Magical Romantic Comedy with a Body Count #14) by R.J. Blain – 11 May (Pen & Page Publishing)
BP Note – listed on Goodreads as #14 but listed on Amazon as 18 of 19. Discrepancy appears to be caused by Amazon’s requirement to use whole numbers.
When someone steals Diana’s cat, a former lab animal rescued from death’s door, she calls on one of the most dangerous beings in the universe for help. Cutting a deal with the devil isn’t the smartest move, but there’s no way in hell she’ll abandon Mr. Flooferson the Magnificent to his fate.
Teaming up with the son of a demon, an angel, and one hell of a woman might push Diana to the limits of her courage and sanity. Unless she wants to sell her soul to the devil, she must cope with her new partner, make the most of a bad situation, and find out who stole her cat and why.
What she learns will forever change humanity—and lead to a battle destined to forever change the heavens and the devil’s many hells.
Romantic Suspense
The Lady Has a Past (Burning Cove #5) by Amanda Quick – 4 May (Berkley)
Investigative apprentice Lyra Brazier, the newest resident of Burning Cove, is unsettled when her boss suddenly goes on a health retreat at an exclusive spa and disappears without another word. Lyra knows something has happened to Raina Kirk, and she is the only one who can track her down. The health spa is known for its luxurious offerings and prestigious clientele, and the wealthy, socialite background Lyra desperately wanted to leave behind is perfect for this undercover job. The agency brings in a partner and bodyguard for her, but she doesn’t get the suave, pistol-packing private eye she expected.
Simon Cage is a mild-mannered antiquarian book dealer with a quiet, academic air, and Lyra can’t figure out why he was chosen as her partner. But it soon becomes clear when they arrive at the spa and pose as a couple: Simon has a unique gift that allows him to detect secrets, a skill that is crucial in finding Raina.
The unlikely duo falls down a rabbit hole of twisted rumors and missing socialites, discovering that the health spa is a façade for something far darker than they imagined. With a murderer in their midst, Raina isn’t the only one in grave danger—Lyra is next.
Science Fiction
Hard Reboot by Django Wexler – 25 May (Tordotcom)
Kas is a junior researcher on a fact-finding mission to old Earth. But when a con-artist tricks her into wagering a large sum of money belonging to her university on the outcome of a manned robot arena battle she becomes drawn into the seedy underworld of old Earth politics and state-sponsored battle-droid prizefights.
Is it time to get back to the books, yet?
Steampunk
A Master of Djinn (Fatma el-Sha’arawi #1) by P. Djeli Clark – 11 May (Tordotcom)
Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.
So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.
Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city – or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems….
Urban Fantasy
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho – 11 May (Ace)
Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.
Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.
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!