|
|
|
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Available Now!! North Country by K.A. Tucker
Book Review for The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis
The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn
Goldis
Published: June
16, 2026 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Mystery
Thriller, Suspense
Ten years ago, a group of teenage American summer campers came to São Miguel, an island in the lush and isolated Azores archipelago, for a rugged five-week hiking and heritage trip . But on what became the camp’s last summer in São Miguel, a clue surfaced related to a local legend of buried treasure. Lore had it that, along with vast monetary value, the treasure would turn everything in the finder’s life to gold. The summer devolved into a frenzied treasure hunt, and culminated in the disappearance of “it girl” camper, Sydney Azulay. Sydney was never seen again, rumored to have been murdered, and the treasure never found.
Now, a decade later, Sydney’s father is finally hosting a memorial service on São Miguel, and Sydney’s closest circle returns to honor her memory. Those who make the trip are her fellow campers, including Olivia, Sydney’s sister, once deemed the most likely to have been involved in Sydney’s disappearance; the aloof, handsome Aiden, the supervisor of their trip; and Jules, the counselor so close to her campers she was like another best friend. They’ve also all agreed to participate in a documentary probing what really happened to Sydney. But not everyone has innocent motives for returning to the island all these years later.
The group reunites in paradise and retraces their old haunts, hiking along crater lakes, strolling the town’s charming cobblestone streets, and submerging in thermal hot springs. But amidst the reunion, there are eerie sightings of a woman on the island who looks just like Sydney. And when the documentary filming reveals new, explosive truths, and fresh hints resurrect the tantalizing treasure hunt, the group begins to implode. Old feuds and betrayals reignite—and then one of them turns up dead.
Which means that a murderer has surfaced…again.
My Thoughts: Jaclyn
Goldis is an author that I have read before.
I always enjoyed her thriller books with unique and fun settings. The Last Time We Saw Her is a thriller set
at a camp having a “survival day.” There
are some amazing friendships, hidden feelings, a lot of secrets, and a murder
on this survival day. The group reunites
in memory of the murdered girl and things are still just as interesting.
I enjoyed reading The Last Time We Saw Her. The book had me guessing throughout as to
what would happen next. The characters
all had their own stories and secrets to share.
Some of these stories and secrets went well with the where the book was
heading and others just seemed to complicate the story. There were too many side stories happening
that I felt distracted from the story of who the murderer was.
Jaclyn Goldis is an author that I will continue to read,
this one just won’t be on my favorite list.
Thank you Atria Books for a copy of the book via NetGalley
in exchange for my honest review.
Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads
Purchase your own copy on Amazon
I am the author of the locked-room thrillers, THE LAST TIME
WE SAW HER, forthcoming on June 16, 2026, THE CHATEAU, THE MAIN CHARACTER, and
THE SAFARI, all published by Simon & Schuster/Emily Bestler Books. I am
also the author of WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, historical women's fiction published by
Hachette/Grand Central. My books have been called "rollicking good
fun" (Wall Street Journal), "deeply engaging" (New York Post),
"unputdownable" (Woman's World),"like a vacation in book
form" (The Stripe), and a "cleverly constructed puzzler"
(Library Journal, starred review). I am represented by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
of Courage Literary Management.
Monday, June 15, 2026
Available Now!! Thirst For Me by Jaine Diamond
|
|
|
Audiobook Review for What Happens in Vegas by Sabrina Wagner, Tyler Darby (Narrator), Hannah Chiclana (Narrator)
Vegas Love #1
What Happens in Vegas by Sabrina
Wagner, Tyler Darby (Narrator), Hannah
Chiclana (Narrator)
Published: April 15,
2026 by Sassy Sirens Press
Genre: Workplace Romance
Gia
I wasn’t much of a gambler, but on my first night in Vegas I rolled the dice
with a sexy stranger. What did I have to lose? Everyone knows what happens in
Vegas stays in Vegas. I lived out an erotic fantasy most women only dreamed
about. It was a souvenir you couldn’t buy in any gift shop. My own dirty little
secret.
It was a harmless one-night affair until Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome wasn’t so
anonymous anymore. He was my new boss. Outside of the bedroom he was a complete
jerk and determined to see me fail. I desperately needed this job and so I
pretended I didn’t know about the tattoos on his arms or the monster hiding in
his pants. Professional was the name of the game, but… the man was hot as hell
and dangerous as the devil himself.
♥♣♦♠
Trent
My self-control was marginal at best, and beautiful women were my weakness. So,
when my father threatened to fire me if I had one more office fling, I
committed to keeping my libido at bay. Vegas was full of lovely ladies who
didn’t work at Mystique. I wasn’t about to throw away my destiny of becoming
CEO of one of the biggest hotels in Vegas.
My resolve was firm until she walked into my office. I never thought I’d see
the fiery redhead again, but there she was looking all tempting and desirable
in her pencil skirt and silk blouse. I knew what was hiding under those clothes
and it set my blood on fire. The memory of our night together played over and
over like a movie I couldn’t hit pause on. There was only one solution… she had
to go.
What to Expect:
*Grumpy Bosshole Millionaire
*One-Night Stand
*Office Romance
*Forbidden/Secret Romance
*Falling for your Boss
*Sassy Boss Babe
This book contains mature themes, strong language, and sexual situations. It is
intended for adult readers 18+.
My Thoughts: Holy heat
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ I felt the blush coming on from the very
beginning and it never let up.
Listening to the book instead of reading it only added to the spiciness. The narrators are perfect for this
story. The emotions and feelings came
out strong and clear. I felt like I was
hearing the actual characters tell their story!
What happens in Vegas… well you all know the rest of that saying and it is not always true. That is Gia and Trent’s line. They thought what happened in Vegas would not follow them into their work lives. From the minute Gia walked into Trent’s office, the attraction was undeniable. I love Gia’s spunk and unwillingness to give into Trent’s demands. He had a way of demanding, not requesting, that did not sit well with Gia and she called him out on it. She demanded respect and would not settle for anything less.
I am excited for Vegas Love #2. I have no doubt that it will have just as much heat, banter, and fun.
Thank you Hambright PR for an audio copy of the book via Bookfunnel in exchange for my honest review.
Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads
Purchase your own copy on Amazon
Friday, June 12, 2026
Available Now! The Tiger in the Sack by Amy Award
|
|
|
Hott Hotter Hottest by Serena Bell with a GIVEAWAY
Hott Hotter Hottest
Serena Bell
(Hott Springs Eternal, #5)
Publication date: June 9th 2026
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Real bodyguard. Fake boyfriend. Unexpected benefits. Trouble guaranteed.
Tucker: Autumn Sato is a happiness influencer. And I’m…well, let’s just say my brand is more big gray stormcloud. If life were going to plan, the closest I’d get to her would be scrolling past her posts as fast as my thumbs could fly.
But my sister needs help, so I agree to bodyguard Autumn at her sister’s wedding. One thing leads to another, and suddenly I’m pretending to be her new boyfriend in front of all her friends and family.
It’s a hot mess, made worse because I swore I’d never do this again. Never get close to someone I was guarding. Never fall for someone whose safety was in my hands. Never let distraction get in the way of my job.
Unfortunately, this entire week is nothing but distractions: trapped in a car with my smoking hot client, only one bed in our hotel room, only one tent on the wedding camping trip… all before the bachelor–bachelorette prom. Meanwhile, someone seems to have it out for Autumn… or my family… or both.
As things heat up between us, I’m left with one question: Can I keep my heart—and the people I care about—safe?
A spicy, small-town, bodyguard, fake relationship, grumpy-sunshine romantic comedy with a hint of danger and a lot of heart.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
There’s a knock on the door behind us, and it swings open, and—
Wow.
Yeah, this guy is not a blend-into-a-crowd type. He’s gotta be at least six five, and he fills up the doorway—weight-lifter muscles under a lovingly clinging tee, a torso that tapers from broad shoulders to a trim waist, and tree-trunk thighs beneath snug-fitting jeans. His jaw is a hard line to a well-defined chin; his eyes are flecks of pale blue ice; his nose is Roman-warrior-worthy, and his mouth is lush.
Did I say wow? Let me reiterate: Wow.
“Autumn, this is my brother, Tucker; Tucker, Autumn.”
I stand up. Giant White Guy grunts and extends a hand. Mine disappears into his, into heat and calluses and thick fingers that make me wonder—
Nope. Not wondering.
“Thanks so much for being willing to do this on short notice,” I say.
He grunts again.
Okay, so not a conversationalist. We’ll have to work on that because there is zero chance I would date a guy who isn’t a talker. My sister would never believe that.
“Anything you two need from me?” Hanna asks. “Or can you take it from here? I have to run a couple of errands.”
“That’s fine!” I say, hoping to warm him up a bit by being extra friendly, definitely one of my superpowers. “We’ll be great, right, Tucker?”
A grunt.
Not warm yet, but I can work on it.
She gives both of us a look that says she doubts we’ll be great, shoots Tucker another look that I interpret as Behave, and slips out the door.
“So!” I say brightly. “This is gonna be a cinch!”
He raises both eyebrows but doesn’t respond.
“Hanna told you about the discretion thing, right? That my sister can’t know that you’re a bodyguard, because she can’t know that my dad thinks there might be danger at her wedding?”
The grunts clearly have different meanings. I’m taking this one as a yes.
“But I don’t see that as a problem! Because”—I pause for effect—“you can pretend to be my date for the wedding week!”
Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.
Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.
When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Instagram / X / Newsletter
GIVEAWAY!
Hott Hotter Hottest Blitz
—
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Book Blitz for Undying by Christy Healy with a GIVEAWAY
Undying
Christy Healy
Publication date: June 9th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Rory Ó Conchúir has always known that she was destined for war. Her deadly gifts, the unwanted inheritance of her ancestor, the Mórrígan, can only be wielded as a weapon of destruction and doom. For years, she would not allow herself to be used as such, instead choosing to live far across the sea, refusing to regret what she has left behind in order to do so…until the fateful day that she learns of the price she has paid for her peace.
Niall Ó Flannagáin, the young king of Connacht, was never meant for war — that has always been his half-sister, Rory’s, role. But now he finds himself threatened with a foreign invasion and the ruination of the realm, without her aid. In desperation, he turns to a powerful enemy as an ally, his only hope to unite the provinces against the foreign armies gathering even now to destroy the land he has sworn to protect.
Locke MacMurchada, the son of the most hated traitor in all of Éire, owes a debt that he knows he can never pay. But when the opportunity to propose a political marriage with the murderous Rory Ó Conchúir arises, he seizes the chance to protect what is left of both his people, as well as the legacy which his father ripped to shreds…so long as she doesn’t kill him first.
When the fateful day of doom at last arrives, the fates of all three royals – the cursed princess, the young king, and the traitor prince – become inextricably woven together, forcing them to face new threats and old enemies, hoping to forge a stronger Éire from the ashes of the old.
Content Warnings:
Frequent depictions of war & battle scenes
Graphic descriptions of torture & death
Loss of a family member
Discussions of grief & self-hatred
On-page death of major character
—
Author Bio:
Christy Healy has been a book nerd ever since she was a little girl hiding under the covers with a flashlight and a dog-eared copy of Anne of Green Gables. She started writing soon after, and the obsession only grew. Now Christy weaves stories of her own into the myths and tales of the Celtic, Indo-European, and Greco-Roman worlds that she has loved for so long. When not lost in her fantasy worlds, she lives in North Carolina with her children, her dog, and her husband.
Website / Gooodreads / Instagram / TikTok / X / Newsletter
GIVEAWAY!
Undying Blitz
—
Audiobook Review for Promise: Rogue River by L.B. Dunbar, Samantha Brentmoor (Narrator), Lance Greenfield (Narrator)
Promise: Rogue River by L.B. Dunbar, Samantha
Brentmoor (Narrator), Lance
Greenfield (Narrator)
Published: May
15, 2026 by L.B. Dunbar Writes, Ltd
Three years ago, he drove out of our small town to chase racing dreams, leaving me and my broken heart in his rearview mirror.
Couple goals and shattered promises brought feelings of failure on both our parts.
Then one night, a special delivery is left on my back step. A stork-drop of sorts. (Think Baby Boom). At first, I believe there must be a mistake, but when the sweet bundle swaddled in pink gazes at me, I’ll do anything to keep her.
Enter Dart Rivers again.
An accident on the track leads to him sneaking into the house, crashing on my couch, and announcing he’s still mine.
Close proximity provides honest conversations, friendly couch time, and familiar attractions. With silver speckled in his hair, Dart is still the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, making my belly flutter and my heart beat again.
But can I trust that fragile organ? Can I give my ex-not-ex-husband a second chance? Can I believe Dart’s new promises?
Rogue River series is a spin-off from the Sterling Falls series, specifically Sterling Touch, giving listeners small-town romances with characters over 40.
My Thoughts: I have become
an audiobook junkie. I love listening to
a steamy second chance romance. Promise
is the perfect listen for me. The
narrators are perfect for this book as they brought the characters to
life. The emotions were real and raw,
the feelings were felt through hearing the words, and their stories were true
to life.
I enjoyed that Dart came back to Presley but could she let
him back in? Neither character had moved
on from each other but there are some changes in their lives. I was intrigued to see how they would be
able to come together. Would they be
able to fit together, be able to accept each other again? Could they make this relationship work
again? Presley was very cautious and I
like that she made him prove himself, prove that he would not leave again,
prove that she is the most important thing in his life.
I am excited for more from Rogue River. The characters are a little more mature in
life but still looking for the spice and romance in life.
Thank you Hambright PR for a copy of the book via BookFunnel
in exchange for my honest review.
Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads
Purchase your own copy on Amazon
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of
silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly
newsletter, Love Notes.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Book Blitz for Arcanum: Secrets of the Madonna by Kelly O’Hearn with a GIVEAWAY
Arcanum: Secrets of the Madonna
Kelly O’Hearn
(Arcanum, #3)
Publication date: June 9th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Sometimes happily ever after takes more than one two three lifetimes.
The anticipated third book in the Arcanum series, the only book series channeled through the tarot.
____________________________________Sarah Fuller has it all—a fragrance empire, a terrace overlooking Central Park, the perfect life. Until a frightening episode shatters everything she thought she knew. Now her husband’s iPhone location is mysteriously off, and the charming widower Harry is impossible to forget.
Haunted by the tarot’s tales of past lives and ancient secrets, Sarah is drawn to Rome—to galleries where Renaissance masterpieces seem to know her name, to shadows of the Inquisition where forbidden love once bloomed, to a truth hidden within the Vatican’s darkest corners.
Who is the woman in those paintings, gazing out across centuries? And why does Sarah recognize herself in her eyes?
From the elite Hamptons to the pyramids of ancient Egypt, from medieval French castles to the dangerous splendor of a newly built Vatican, one woman must unravel the mystery of her soul—before history repeats its most devastating mistake.
This is the story of Arcanum.
In a world where love transcends time, some vows are meant to be broken.
_____________________________________________________________________________“Sensual, spiritually charged, and utterly unputdownable.”
Marisa Halstead
Founder and CEO of Seeded SoundAdvance Praise for Book Three in the Arcanum Series:
“Sarah’s journey reminds us that love does not vanish-it endures, waiting patiently for the moment we are ready to receive it again. This story left me with a deep sense of peace, wonder, and the quiet certainty that what is meant for us will always find its way home.”
—
EXCERPT:
JG Melon, June 13
“God, you look terrible.”
Max held Sarah at arm’s length, nose wrinkled, examining her as if she were Chinese takeout possibly left in the fridge too long.
She wrestled free and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Well…you look fabulous as always. Are those real glasses or just for effect? They’re…also fabulous.” She slid into a chair.
“They’re genuine tortoise shell. Vintage. Not cheap,” he said. “They’re for reading, but Lord, I’m going to have to take them off for this lunch. I don’t want to be able to see you this well. You need an Instagram filter or something.” He sat down, still eyeing her critically.
“Well, take them off then,” she said. “We certainly know the menu by heart. And I know, I’ve let myself go a little, missed a few waxing appointments and such. If this is what my eyebrows look like, you can only imagine the state of my—”
“Darling, we’re eating,” Max said. “Poor Carl, that’s all I can say. I bet he still looks polished as always.”
“Handsome as ever,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “Shall we order, seeing as I need to put on five pounds immediately?”
“And get to a salon this afternoon!” he said. “Nails, hair, Botox, the whole thing. You are the CEO of a luxury brand, for god’s sake. Thank goodness it’s summer and nearly everyone is out of town.” He waved over Charlie, their favorite waiter.
“The usual?” Charlie said.
“Yes, please, and stat! Sarah looks like she hasn’t eaten in weeks, doesn’t she, Charlie?”
“You two, always bickering like an old married couple,” Charlie said as he walked away, shaking his head.
Max turned to Sarah. “Now. Tell me about my godchild. How is she feeling?”
“Max, it’s incredible. Alex was in the ICU not six weeks ago, and she’s been fully cleared to go to sleepaway camp. The doctor told us that kids recover from her condition quickly, but if you’d asked me in the hospital whether she would make it to camp this year…I didn’t even know if she would make it home by now. It’s as if it never happened.”
“Sarah, that’s such great news,” Max said. “I called Alex the other day and all she could talk about was having gotten excused from the last two weeks of school. She was thrilled! Especially since having a sick twin sister didn’t get her brother the same dispensation.”
Sarah laughed. “Yes, Sam’s hoping for a dire illness, possibly in September.” She covered her face with her hands. “Actually, you know what, it’s too soon to joke about it.”
“Maybe this will help,” Max said as he filled her glass with red wine. They clinked glasses. “To health,” he said.
“To health.” They both took a sip.
“So let me get this straight,” Max said. “Alex has been back to normal for weeks. Carl has not a hair out of place. The camp bags are nearly packed. And you’re still a mess?”
Sarah covered her eyes again. “I knowwww. I just got so close to losing everything. It really rattled me, Max. Stuart and Sofia have basically been running the company for the past several weeks—and honestly everything is going fine. Gallica’s a hit, we had another great harvest of roses in France, my Arcanum core fragrances are doing well. Do you ever feel like your time has come and gone?”
“Sarah, you’re forty-one, even if you do look eighty right now.” Max patted her arm, then topped off her glass. “You’ve got a whole lotta living left to do. What happened to the Sarah who believed in past lives? The Sarah who slayed at that gorgeous launch party for Gallica? Who caught the eye of ‘Manhattan’s Hottest Bachelor’? He was obsessed with you.”
“Was obsessed?” Sarah said, blushing slightly. “I told you what happened in France? Our little tête-à-tête in the ancient forest?”
“And how you insisted that he go through with his engagement to Simone? Yes, you told me.” Max took a copy of the New York Post out of his tote and put his glasses back on. “Sweetie, he took your advice and ran with it. All the way to Harry Winston.”
Author Bio:
When Kelly O’Hearn first stepped off the train in the city of Florence, Italy, as a 20-year-old, she had the overwhelming instinct that she had been there before. In a place famous for its maze of medieval streets, O’Hearn navigated the city as if she had lived there for a lifetime. Born in New York City, O’Hearn first put her intuitive skills to work as a professional wine taster, instructor, and sommelier in the elite institutions of New York, Portugal, and Aspen. After raising her two children and enduring a personal health crisis, in 2012, she was drawn to begin reading the tarot cards, an ancient practice which does not presume to “predict the future” but offers a collection of stories, perspectives, and self-reflections that can guide one to become one’s most authentic self. O’Hearn is in high demand for her readings, with clients on every continent but Antartica. While most people were baking sourdough or riding their Pelotons during the Covid pandemic, O’Hearn used the tarot cards to channel her own past lives. Weeks of readings, all captured on video, yielded six storylines of herself as several powerful women over the millennia and around the globe: the same one soul, over time, persevering against all odds in the quest for happiness and the love of a soul mate. This time-bending saga inspired O’Hearn to conceive of a series of novels titled Arcanum. Book One: In the Temple Shadows is available now. Book Two: Whispers in the Forest will be released Spring of 2025.
GIVEAWAY!
Arcanum 3 Blitz
—
Book Review for Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight
Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight
Published: June
9, 2026 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Summer, 1969. Eleanor Bell, a widow, has always given everything she had to her
family, forgoing her own dreams of becoming a singer. When she receives a diagnosis
of early Alzheimer’s on the eve of her sixty-ninth birthday, she decides to go
on an epic musical bucket-list trip to fulfill her dreams: A summer tour of
festivals.
Except she forgets, maybe on purpose, to tell anyone where she’s going. Leanne
Miller discovers her mother missing, and she enlists the help of her somewhat
distant college-aged daughter, Nora, to help her find Eleanor. The last thing
Nora wants to do before starting as one of Yale's first female undergrads is to
hit the road. But then Nora hears something strange on the radio—her
grandmother’s voice. Nora and Leanne embark on a road trip in her husband’s
Lincoln Continental from Atlanta, to California, Denver, Seattle, back to New
York, and then New Orleans, always one step behind Eleanor, who has been dubbed
the Dame of Rock n’ Roll by none other than Johnny Carson. It's an epic
celebration of savoring the encore no matter what the next act may bring.
My Thoughts: I read
this book on Mother’s Day 2026 and it is the perfect book for the holiday. Not only is it a book about a woman reliving
her youth, but it is also a book about a daughter seeing her mother in a
different light. It is a book about
rediscovering yourself, finding your true self, and making changes for a
different life.
Everything about Lost in the Summer of ’69 is perfect. I love the relationships, the friendships
made, the music performed, and the road trip.
There is so much music history within this story, the names are top
notch names, the songs are familiar to any music listener.
The Summer of ’69 is the perfect summer read. I am an Eliza Knight fan and cannot wait to read more of her books.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange
for my honest review.
Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads
Purchase your own copy on Amazon
Her love of history began as a young girl when she traipsed the halls of Versailles and ran through the fields in Southern France. She can still remember standing before the great golden palace, and imagining what life must have been like. Join Eliza (sometimes as E.) on riveting historical journeys that cross landscapes around the world. Eliza will also publish her first contemporary women's fiction novel in 2025 under the pseudonym, Michelle Brandon.
While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends.
She is the creator of the popular historical blog, History Undressed and host on the History, Books and Wine podcast.
She lives in the sunshine state with her own knight in shining armor, three princesses, two very naughty Newfies, and a turtle named Fish.