Serenity Wylde is here to tell us about Blood & Secrets, a dark fantasy romance.
Read on for details...
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Dark Fantasy Romance
Date Published: March 10, 2025
☠️
Dark magic. Deadly secrets. And a supernatural academy where everyone wants
me dead. ☠️
One moment, I’m human. The next, I wake up in Nightveil
Academy—a school for vampires, werewolves, and dark fae.
They say I belong here. That I’m a vampire hybrid. But I don’t
trust them.
My memories are shattered. My past is a lie.
And someone at this Academy wants me dead.
💔
The Boys of Nightveil Want to Claim Me.
Lucien—the vampire heir who says we were bonded in
another life.
Kai—the werewolf outcast who warns me to run
before it’s too late.
Riven—the fae prince who’s always
watching… always waiting… but never revealing his true
intentions.
I don’t know who to trust.
I don’t even know who I am.
But when the blood moon rises, and my forbidden power awakens, one thing is
certain—
Nightveil Academy will never be the same.
🔥
A dark fantasy romance with enemies-to-lovers tension, supernatural mystery,
and a love triangle that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of
Zodiac Academy, Crave, and Shadowhunters.
About the Author
Serenity Wylde weaves enchanting tales of monster love and magic,
captivating readers with fantastical realms where romance blossoms amidst
mythical creatures and extraordinary adventures. Follow Serenity on Amazon
and never miss a new release!
Rule #1 of Revenge Club: Don’t fall for your target
Andrew
I’ve come a long way since being the gawky, geeky, gay kid who was constantly picked on growing up. Having just sold my tech start-up for so much money it broke my phone calculator, I’m now at a loose end wondering what to do next in my life.
Then I run into Justin. Justin, the golden boy from high school. Justin, the popular jock who turned my life into a living hell for four years.
And do you want to know the kicker? He doesn’t even recognize me.
Even worse, it looks like karma hasn’t done its thing because Justin definitely hasn’t been punished for his previous sins.
Maybe my next mission in life is to give karma a helping hand…
Justin
My life looks perfect from the outside – good job, good friends, no worries. Only I know it is all based on a lie. I’ve never been honest with anyone about my sexuality.
Then I meet the new IT guy at work who has just moved into my apartment building too. Given I seem to be having an extraordinary run of bad luck with technology at the moment—like having my email randomly decide to spam the entire company with images of trolls in intimate embraces —Drew’s been a lifesaver. And the more I get to know Drew, the more I want to confess my secret in the hope we can become something more.
But I can’t help the niggling feeling Drew is hiding something from me…
The Revenge Game is a laugh-out-loud journey through misadventures in revenge and the unexpected twists of fate. It’s where old grudges spark new attractions, where secrets unravel, and where two men learn all about redemption and love.
My mind can’t let go of that fact. It lodges in my brain like a corrupted file that keeps trying to load. How is it possible that someone who starred in my nightmares for four years, who shaped every decision I made from which hallway to take to which college to choose, doesn’t even remember my face?
There was that time in gym class when we played volleyball, and Justin and his friends decided that instead of spiking the ball over the net, they would aim for me.
And one of them struck the ball so perfectly that it hit my stomach with a loud thunk, winding me.
I still recall that dizzy breathlessness, my panic when I couldn’t draw oxygen into my body, the struggle to make my lungs recover from fright and remember what their job actually was.
That’s exactly how I feel now.
How could he not recognize me? How? How?
Okay, due to my late growth spurt, I’m a few inches taller than I was in high school, rounding out to a decent five foot eleven. Back then, my dark hair was a floppy mess, whereas now, it’s been carefully cut in a style my barber assures me is the latest fashion. And my face has slimmed down since high school, along with my standard-issue nerd glasses being replaced by a trendier pair.
But I’m still recognizable. I haven’t changed that much.
In all the time I’ve spent thinking about this moment, I never considered the idea he might not recognize me.
How did I miss that possibility?
But then, why would he recognize me? I’m a tiny blip in his life.
Justin Morris is woven so intricately into the tapestry of my teenage years, one of the main antagonists in my story. Meanwhile, I was simply some mild entertainment to amuse him when he was bored.
My features are not etched into his consciousness. He has not spent years scripting our reunion. I’m nothing to him. A nobody.
The unevenness leaves me breathless.
But then the phrase repeats in my head in a different voice. Less defeated. More…intrigued.
He doesn’t recognize me.
According to technology sector analysts, I’m the guy who sees gaps in the market, problems that have yet to be solved. And while it makes me sound like a superhero coding ninja rather than simply a guy who spends countless hours hunched over my laptop muttering to myself, there is some truth to it.
While at MIT, I developed a system that revolutionized how computers share information, basically creating digital traffic lights to improve efficiency.
On the back of that, I started my tech company, which I sold a few months ago for the kind of money that sounds made up when you say it aloud.
Now, my brain is ticking faster than an atomic clock.
I take a large sip of my drink. The smooth tones of the red wine linger on my tongue after I swallow.
I’m a big believer in karma. What goes around, comes around. If you put enough good into the universe, some of it will return to you. I like to think I’ve always been a good person, and as the balance of my bank account testifies, a lot has made its way back to me.
But now, my faith in the all-encompassing might of karma has been shaken.
I study the restroom door with the same intensity a cat studies the red dot from a laser pointer.
Justin emerges after a few minutes. He weaves through the crowd effortlessly, sliding back into the fold of his friends, who greet his return with shoulder bumps and easy laughter carrying across the pub.
My chest constricts with an emotion I can’t quite name—something between rage and despair—watching him hold court. The carefully constructed walls I’ve built between my past and present suddenly feel paper-thin.
Because Justin’s still exactly who he was in high school. The golden guy surrounded by a circle of smiling admirers.
Yes, it definitely appears karma hasn’t caught up with Justin Morris.
Possibilities swirl in my mind. I’m currently footloose, with no set ties or projects lined up. I have almost unlimited funds at my disposal.
And there’s that one important, undeniable, inescapable fact.
He didn’t recognize me.
Maybe just this once, karma needs a helping hand.
Author Bio:
Jax's stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. Join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
Z.M. Celestaire is here to tell us about Call Forth the Moonlight: A Magiqon's Guide to Gryphon Liberation, LGBTQ Ecopunk Fantasy romance.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Standing up for magíq means the
world stands against you.
Call Forth the Moonlight:
A Magíqon's Guide to Gryphon Liberation
by Z.M. Celestaire
Genre: LGBTQ Ecopunk Fantasy Romance
Deubrise is a land blessed by the breath of the slumbering gods. Magíq
lives within nature, powerful and beautiful. Few else can harness it besides
the gryphons that reside in the mountains near Nico De Falco's home, and the
rare magíqon like Nico's little sister. But magíqon are shunned and feared by
modern society.
To protect himself from such treatment, Dr. Ackerleigh Sebring keeps
his magíq a secret. Yet his "radical" teachings of magíqal history
gets him fired from Ravensbourne University. Desperate, he finds a gamekeeper
job caring for an imprisoned gryphon. Finally, he can be his whole self.
That is, until Nico follows a misguided impulse and frees the gryphon,
injuring Ackerleigh accidentally.
Their fates—and feelings—become entangled in their determination to
protect the sacred magíq of the gryphon. Ackerleigh and Nico will stop at
nothing for the sake of liberation.
**Order direct from the author and get
extra goodies!**
Z.M. (they/them) is a writer,
artist, and therapist. Writing and art have been a hobby for some twenty years
now since they were a goofy little middle schooler. Z.M. grew up devouring
urban fantasy authors like Charles De Lint, Holly Black, and Patricia C. Wrede.
Z.M. lives in Saint Paul with their spouse, human child, and fur children.
Debbie Cassidy is here to tell us about Lost and Stolen Gods, Labyrinth of Gods #1, romance and fantasy.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Lost and Stolen Gods
Debbie Cassidy
(Labyrinth of Gods, #1)
Publication date: April 4th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Gods aren’t born, they’re made.
I should have died the same night that a monster murdered my grandmother, but I was saved, stolen from my world, and thrown into a realm ravaged by an endless war between ancient gods called Asura.
I’m told that I’m a demigod, that there are others like me, brought to this world to replenish their dwindling numbers. They want us to prove we’re worthy of ascension and fight alongside them.
But I don’t give a damn about their war. All I want is vengeance on the monster that killed my only family. A monster from their world. And if the only way to kill it is to become a god, then I’m all in.
But the path of ascension is paved with dangerous tests, culminating in a lethal trial called the labyrinth of gods.
Only an ancient fire elemental has the power to help me survive it.
His wicked mouth sets my pulse racing, and his dark threats turn my blood to ice. Charismatic and terrifying, he attracts and repels me in equal measure, and I have no doubt he’d snap my neck in a heartbeat if freed from the magical bonds that compel him to aid me.
He hopes to be my undoing, and if I’m not careful I may not make it to the labyrinth alive.
To claim the vengeance that I desire I’ll need to protect my body and shield my mind, but most of all I’ll need to guard my heart.
Enter an Otherworldly realm filled with gods, monsters, and mystical beings. Opposites attract and love and conflict collide, in this forced proximity romance.
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
Ella Braeme is here to tell us about Knocked Up by Her Mountain Man, Elken Grove Mountain Men, a romance with a surprise baby and friends-to-lovers plot in small town Appalachia.
Read on for details...
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Knocked Up by Her Mountain Man by Ella Braeme
How can I tell the love of my life we’re having a baby if he doesn’t even remember having had sex?
After a passionate, unforgettable night with my best friend, a tragic accident leaves him with no memory of our fiery connection. As I navigate the complexities of our altered relationship, I'm grappling with an unexpected pregnancy. Going back to being best friends now is impossible. Can I reignite the spark in his heart before he learns of the baby and feels obligated to stay?
Dive into the enthralling world of Knocked Up by Her Mountain Man—a tale brimming with small-town charm and a gentle touch of steam. Experience an emotional journey towards a happily ever after in this standalone installment of the Elken Grove Mountain Men series.
♥ surprise baby ♥ friends to lovers ♥ mountain man ♥ Appalachia ♥ amnesia ♥ small town ♥
Review quotes
This is so sweet it hurts.
You will love what happens with these two and the wild love they have for each other.
This is a friends to lovers, second chance love story....but with a twist.
Excerpt of Knocked Up by Her Mountain Man
Everybody in this town is in on the big, fat secret: I’ve had sex with Finn Winslow, and he’s forgotten all about it.
As a result, they are awkward around me. I can’t even blame them. In most places, I guess, I’d be the victim of lewd comments, judging glances, and sexual innuendo. But not in Elken Grove. Here, the townsfolk offer clumsy side-glances and full-on pity.
Take this morning, for example. As usual, I write the special on the board behind the cash register. Stretching my plump, short frame, I carefully chalk today’s special. It’s peanut bar day, a favorite of our customers. Can’t blame them. Together with the sprinkles of dark chocolate and gooey salted caramel, it’s a slice of heaven.
Mr. and Mrs. Hartley, regulars for their daily coffee and pastry, come in. Mrs. Hartley stares at the board as if seeing it for the first time. She opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, reminding me of a carp. I’ve never seen a carp in real life, but this is how it must look. Mr. Hartley gently touches her arm and says to me, in a soothing voice, “We’ll have red velvet muffins, please, dear.”
There is nothing wrong with our red velvet muffins. But since when don’t the Hartleys jump at a chance to get the peanut bar?
Robin, the coffee shop’s owner, looks on, and once the Hartleys are at their usual table by the corner window, takes a closer look at the board. And that’s when I see it, too. “Peenut bar w/dark chocolate and caramel.”
Much less than missing out on a peanut bar, Mr. Hartley would miss a chance for a stupid sexual joke. Instead, he called me “dear” and almost patted my hand. That’s how the folks of Elken Grove treat me now. I know it’s meant to be considerate, but it’s wearing thin.
Robin, taller than me, swiftly erases the offending E.
“Gimme that,” I say. “Your handwriting should not be on promotional boards.”
Robin sighs in mock relief. “She’s talking.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Lately, you’ve seemed unfocused and unusually quiet. Don’t lose your spunk, girl.”
I huff. My spunk has long since faded. For months now, everybody in this town has felt entitled to discuss intensely private matters with me. Like how sad it was that the night both of Finn’s brothers got married ended this tragically: I finally got together with the man I’ve loved for years, and that’s when the thrift store under my apartment caught fire and the building burned down. We had to jump from the second-floor window, stark naked. Finn badly injured his leg and was whisked away to the hospital and rehab. I haven’t seen him since, haven’t even gotten in touch with him. He’s got memory issues, and the doctor insisted on complete rest and no contact unless he initiates it. Which he hasn’t, but for a few texts. I know he hates writing, and his texts showed that he cared about me, but were disappointingly friendly. He is his usual carefree self, only he doesn’t remember anything about the night of his accident. Which includes having had sex with me.
But Robin is right, I’m letting myself go. I suppress a sigh and resolve to fake it until I make it. I snatch the chalk. “I’m sorry, I’ll just redo the board.”
Robin looks unconvinced. That’s what you get when you’re friends with your boss: well-meant meddling.
Meghan comes in and rattles off her order for the hardware store. As I make her coffees, and we chat about the unusually mild, but rainy March weather, I feel almost normal. When she leaves, she passes a grinning Patty Winslow in the door. My heart starts beating like a drum. I haven’t seen Finn’s mother this happy since before the night of the fire, so maybe she’s bringing good news. Perhaps I finally will be able to talk to Finn.
Patty comes straight for me. She takes my hands in hers and, with tears in her eyes, announces, “He’s coming home. He just called from the road.” A sob escapes her. “He’ll be home this afternoon.”
My knees weaken and tears well up, but my face breaks into the biggest grin ever. He’s coming home!
Patty looks around at the customers present. The Hartleys are here, and Mr. Vance is—they are the biggest gossips in town. Soon everyone will know that Finn is returning.
With a loud voice to make sure everybody hears, she declares, “I spoke with the doctor again, and he stressed how crucial it is for Finn to remember that night on his own. No one is to tell him. He needs to remember by himself.”
I’ve never understood that. Don’t doctors usually encourage patients meeting their friends and family? Talking about what happened? This feels wrong, but my formal education ended when I left high school, so I wouldn’t know anything about amnesia but for what I’ve read about since that night.
Patty turns back to me. “I’m sorry, dear. You’ll have to be patient a little longer. But the doctor is confident that, if you really matter to him, Finn will remember sooner or later.”
What if he doesn’t? Am I not important enough to be remembered?
How can I possibly tell him we’re having a baby when I’m not allowed to remind him we’ve had sex?
Ella writes sweet'n'steamy romances that are meant to provide short vacations from your everyday life. She loves to read, mostly romances, of course, and to putter around in her backyard, forever trying to turn it into a blooming garden. She’s got a dog who is helping greatly with all the garden work by supervising everything Ella does and—for the most part—not digging up her flowers.
He gets more than he bargained for with his runaway cartel princess.
A drug lord
on the run. A cartel princess in hiding. All it takes is a spark to set their
world ablaze.
Bristol Rieger
left his criminal life behind for a fresh start in Mexico. Flying under the
radar of the government and the cartels alike, his best-laid plans go awry when
a woman from his narco days discovers his whereabouts. Carmen Lozano, however,
is no longer the innocent girl he remembers.
Carmen escaped
the chains of her tiara and her abusive marriage to join a group of resistance
fighters. The last thing she expected was the now-retired capo setting out to
seduce her with his wicked touch. Embracing the blood on his hands is easy, but
his secrets wear on her patience.
When their
enemies close in, Bristol will have to summon his inner monster to protect her.
But can that monster be tamed again?
– Book one
is an Interracial (Hispanic woman/white man) dark romantic suspense novel in
the Lozano Cartel series. All the books can be read as a standalone, but are
part of an interconnected series.
– Scenes featuring torture/violence, kidnapping, attempted
assault, infertility issues, child abuse (discussed), and suicide (discussed)
may be uncomfortable for some readers.
– No cheating and HEA guaranteed!
– Written in 3rd POV.
Excerpt:
Carmen trailed her lips down
his chest and nibbled on his hard nipples before she dropped back to her knees.
Every nerve ending in his
body twitched. Her mouth enclosed over his cock with all the skill of a
seductress out to get what she wanted. Finally. It was about damn time he met a
woman as ravenous as him. He fisted her hair with one hand and gripped the post
for leverage with the other. He trembled all the way down his legs. She tugged
his heavy ball sac so damn gently that he cursed. Hunger gnawed in his veins.
Everything about her drove him insane—her smile, her melodic laughter, her
mouthwatering body, even her godawful singing. Fucking hell. He needed inside her.
Now! On the verge of shooting a liquid cannonball, he jerked her back up.
She moaned and blinked
rapidly, her mouth slack.
He hauled her onto his
shoulder and stomped toward a haystack.
“Oh!” Carmen giggled,
clinging to his back. “No one has ever picked me up before. I’m tall for a
woman. Most men cannot find the right leverage to lift me.”
He snorted. She couldn’t be
more than five-feet-ten. The weaklings she’d welcomed into her bed deserved the
slice of his blade for damn sure. He settled her on the edge of a waist-high
hay bale and slid into heaven. Sparks danced in his vision. Her sharp gasp
pierced his eardrums. Pressure pounded through him as he gripped her hips and
thrust hard. The clench of her legs around his waist spurred him on. Her pussy
convulsed around him, milking and demanding everything he had to give—and then
some.
“¡Ay, Dios mío!
That’s so good, Bristol. Más. More.”
About the
Author:
Amber Daulton is the author
of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, and the Ramseys in
Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are
published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now,
and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language
formats.
She
lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
Connie Lacy is here to tell us about her time travel romance Time Travel Swap.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Time Travel Swap
Connie Lacy
Publication date: February 26th 2025
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel
A unique time travel romance
With her star rising and her rock band about to hit the big time, Carly Munro is infuriated to find herself whisked thirty years into the future. Her band needs her. So does her guitarist boyfriend – her partner in the band. But the doorway that transported her to 2054 seems to be a one-way street.
A guy named Ian takes her in and becomes her ally as she tries find her way home. They discover her trip through time may have been more than just a random accident of nature. There’s something suspicious about how it all went down. Stuck in the future, she can’t help feeling that her life has been stolen.
When Carly and Ian develop feelings for one another, it comes as bad news since she has no intention of giving up the music career she worked so hard to build.
To her ears, the pop music of 2054 sounds like it’s straight off an Artificial Intelligence production line. Which is one more reason she’s determined to find her way home so she can reclaim her life in a time when “real” music is valued.
“A compelling read for anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of personal growth and timebending adventures.” – Readers’ Favorite 5-star review
“The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the quest for identity, all while keeping readers hooked with its intriguing plot twists and vibrant characters.” – Donadee’s Corner 5-star review
A sigh near her right ear made her flinch. Could there be an old steam radiator behind the wall making those sounds? No time now to investigate.
She turned off the lights, opened the door and backed into the hallway, key in hand. Sensing movement close behind her, she spun around once again. No one there. Yet the prickly sensation lingered as though someone was watching her.
“Natalie?”
There, a few feet away, a tall slender man had just exited a door she’d never seen before. In chino shorts and a polo shirt, he looked like he was heading out for a round of golf.
“You’re not Natalie,” he said, his head tilting to the side – a human question mark.
He studied her as she studied him. He was a good-looking Asian-American guy with dark hair – a little spiky on top – and large, inquisitive eyes. More European than Asian, she decided.
He pulled his door to, triggering a soft buzz and a click as the door locked.
“You must be Natalie’s younger sister? A niece?”
She had no clue what he was talking about or why he was standing beside a door that didn’t exist yesterday. What the hell!
Squinting in the bright light, she was baffled to find the hallway transformed. The antique ceiling globes were gone, replaced by modern light fixtures. The deep green walls were now pale cream and the wainscoting had been removed. Plus, the hallway was longer now with eight doors instead of four.
“I didn’t know she had company,” he said, as though trying not to alarm her. “I live here in one eleven.” He gestured at the door from which he’d emerged. “The name is Ian.”
She glanced from his door to hers, discovering the heavy wooden door to her apartment had been replaced with a smooth white door. No beveled panels, no woodgrains.
Was this a virtual reality projection? If so, it was the most realistic VR she’d ever seen. Must be Hawke’s idea of a prank. She would kill him later. Pranks were not welcome on what could be the most important day of her life. Right now she had to get going.
She gripped her key, ready to lock the door and be on her way. But the doorknob no longer had a keyhole.
The man moved closer. He seemed so real! This was like an amazing hologram. Where was the projector?
Touching the door, it was the same as the door her eyes were seeing – smooth and featureless. And the doorknob definitely had no keyhole.
“There’s a keypad,” the man said, pointing.
She couldn’t resist touching his arm, but yanked her hand away like she’d burned her finger. Not virtual reality.
His expression turned wary, as if he was standing too close to a buffalo in Yellowstone Park that was about to gore him.
So if this wasn’t a virtual reality gag, then where was she? And how did she get here? This was not the converted mansion she lived in.
“I don’t have time for this!” she cried.
Author Bio:
Connie Lacy writes fast-paced novels about gutsy young women struggling with moral dilemmas and life-changing decisions, all while falling in love. She writes speculative fiction, time travel and historical fiction.
She worked for many years as a radio news anchor and reporter. It’s not surprising that many of her books feature journalists. Some of her books have themes of social justice and women’s rights.
She loves beautiful old trees, sparkling rivers and learning about the history of our forebears, recent and ancient. She’s also fascinated by the idea of time travel.
She and her husband live in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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