Heidi McLaughlin and Amy Briggs are here to tell us about Relic in the Rue, Bourbon Street Shadows #2, paranormal romance.
Read on for details...
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Title: Relic in the Rue (Bourbon Street Shadows, #2)
Authors: Heidi McLaughlin and Amy Briggs
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 27, 2026
Hosted by:Buoni Amici Press, LLC.
Relic in the Rue by Heidi McLaughlin & Amy Briggs | Paranormal Romance
A relic that rewrites truth.
An existential threat.
And a love that might not be real at all.
Bastien Durand, once an angel and now the most relentless supernatural investigator in New Orleans, thought the last crisis was behind him. But when a cursed grimoire surfaces at Rousseau Auction House—and a shadowy informant threatens the woman he loves—he’s dragged into a new game with stakes that are anything but routine.
The grimoire was bait. The real prize is an artifact known only in whispers—the Shadowglass Mirror, a relic said to reflect a soul’s truest nature . . . and the ability to bend it to someone else’s will.
The one orchestrating this? Gideon Virelli—a manipulative scholar who knows far too much about Bastien and Delphine’s connection, and her hidden power. Gideon doesn’t just want the relic—he wants Bastien to question everything he spent centuries protecting, including the tether that binds him to Delphine, the choices that built their love, and the very nature of the magic they were never meant to share.
To protect Delphine, Bastien must walk the knife’s edge between duty and doubt.
Because some mirrors don’t just show you who you are—
They show you the lie you’ve been living all along.
Relic in the Rue by Heidi McLaughlin & Amy Briggs | Paranormal Romance
About Heidi McLaughlin:
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com
About Amy Briggs:
Formerly a firefighter and EMT in New Jersey, Amy Briggs grew up next to a military base, which inspires many of her stories. Her love of fairy tales contrasted with suspense carries through each of her novels and she hopes to inspire readers to fall in love with love.
Amy lives in Texas with her family and more cats than she can handle where she both edits and writes full-time. In addition to her book life, she is also a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, and runs two MMA gyms with her brother, where she also teaches women’s self-defense seminars, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, yoga, and Sambo.
Amy loves to hear from readers and can be found on social media here: Facebook - @amybriggsauthor, Instagram @authoramybriggs. For all other information, including editing inquiries, please visit Amy's website.
Megan Slayer is here to tell us about Taken by the Lady of the Lake, paranormal romance, capture fantasy.
Read on for details...
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Paranormal Romance, Capture Fantasy
Date Published: January 23, 2026
She’s an urban legend. He’s adrift. With a little magic, they’ll discover their fates are entwined.
Amanda Fortune never expected to be left in the lake, but after her murder and subsequent dumping, that’s exactly where she is. She’s become an urban legend, her ghost seen only by a very few. She longs to have a second chance at life, but that’s not possible when you’re dead. Is it?
With the right circumstances, anything is possible.
Sawyer Gibson doesn’t know what he’s meant to do in life. He has abilities to read the Fates, but his talents aren’t needed in the town of Eerie. Everyone here has magic. He’s nothing special. But Aunt Chloe is dying, and she knows more than Sawyer ever thought possible. Amanda is -- was -- her best friend. So Aunt Chloe sends Sawyer on a chase to find Amanda’s killer.
But Amanda’s a myth. A ghost. And ghosts can’t be seen, right?
The moment Sawyer lays eyes on Amanda, he’s smitten. There’s the tiny problem of her being a ghost… but that detail won’t stop Sawyer, even if someone else thinks it will.
EXCERPT
Amanda wandered the woods along the north end of the lake. She didn’t have much else to do. Campers were around, scattered about the grassy area, and even a few picnickers, but none of them could see her. She hated this existence. She had no one to talk to, no one to spend time with. She missed the simple interaction of being with other people.
But those were the things Claude had taken from her. He’d ruined her life, but he’d also robbed her of her future. She should hate him. Should be burning with the hottest, nuclear anger toward him.
She could be, but why? Would it bring her life back?
No.
She might as well focus on anything else but the past.
Something rustled in the woods and for a moment, she ignored the sound. Everything in the woods made noise. Animals, the wind, water… it all created disturbance. But this one was different. A shiver ran the length of her spine. She hadn’t felt this way since that night.
She ducked behind a tree, knowing she’d never be seen, but wanting a private vantage point to locate the noise.
A hooded figure strode through the trees to the edge of the water.
The shiver increased when the figure leaned over and touched the rippled surface of the lake. She knew that hand and recognized the shark tattoo. Didn’t have to see the rest of the person to know who stood there -- Claude.
She froze, not wanting him to know she could see him. Could he see her? He hadn’t for the last fifty years, but that didn’t matter. He churned her stomach. She clutched the tree bark. The sooner he left, the better.
“She’s dying,” Claude said. “The last one to know what happened is dying. I can’t steal her magic, too, but I can rejoice in her going. My secret went with you to the grave, but she figured some of it out. No one else did. I’d silence her, but I can’t do that. Can’t kill anyone.”
He couldn’t kill this person, but he’d murdered her! What a jerk. Amanda trembled, despite her best efforts to stay still.
“Won’t be long now. She’ll be gone and any last chance of anyone knowing will be gone. The cops didn’t catch me. No one believed I could do it,” Claude said. “They wouldn’t have understood. I needed your magic. I needed to own you. You’d never have used that magic properly, but I could. We were expected to be together because you had to give yourself to me. It always had to end with your magic being mine.”
She wanted to scream. He’d never loved her. Couldn’t. Not when he wanted to destroy her.
“But now it’ll be our secret. You gave me what I needed and you’re where you were always meant to be.” He patted the water. “Always.”
He stood, then adjusted the sweatshirt, keeping his face hidden. He turned away from her vantage point and shuffled back through the woods.
Every cell in her existence screamed to keep away from him, but she followed. What else could he do to her? Kill her a second time? Was that even possible?
She navigated through the trees to the edge of the woods. She hadn’t gone this far in so long. There hadn’t been much reason. Now there was. She had to see where he was going and what in the name of Hera he was doing now that he’d come to haunt her.
Claude stopped at the larger picnic area in the park. A man sat alone at one of the tables and flipped through a book while holding a tablet. The guy seemed completely lost in thought.
Claude, now well over seventy years old but still the bully, shoved the book off the table and laughed. “Stop looking for the Lady of the Lake. She doesn’t exist,” he snapped and barely broke stride.
Amanda stopped short. The Lady of the Lake? There was someone else here? A kindred spirit? She had to find this lady and meet her. Maybe this other woman would know how to get away from the damn water.
“Thanks, ass,” the man said and picked up his book. “Dick.”
She wanted to find the Lady but was also intrigued by this man. She inched closer.
A child, running with a plastic disc turned just as she passed Amanda and her eyes widened. “Momma!”
Amanda paused. She wondered what had spooked the child. She ducked behind a tree and listened for the little girl and parent.
“Momma, I saw the Lady,” the girl said. “Right there.”
She peeked out from her hiding spot long enough to look for the Lady. She didn’t see anyone.
“You’re imagining things,” the mother said. “The Lady of the Lake is a story made up to scare kids.”
Amanda bit back a groan. That was a downer. A fib for kids…
The man looked up from his book. “It’s not a story,” he replied. He closed the book and picked up the tablet. “Actually, it’s considered an urban legend, but there’s fact behind the legend.”
The mother rolled her eyes. “Don’t butt in and scare my kid. She’ll have nightmares because of you.”
“But Mom, I saw her,” the little girl said. “She had dark hair, blue skin and was pretty.”
Amanda ducked back behind the tree. She really had to find this woman. Any company would be better than none.
The woman and her child left the picnic area and when Amanda emerged from her spot, she stepped right into the man’s path. If she’d had breath, it would’ve stopped or clogged in her throat.
He was a beautiful man. Young -- compared to her -- and handsome. With dark hair, dark eyes and a studious look to him. The long-sleeved shirt accentuated his thin frame and the glasses gave him an air of sophistication. He didn’t walk with a swagger, but instead a quiet confidence.
“Oh, my,” she gasped. “Wow.”
“Excuse me?” He met her gaze. “What did you say?”
She froze. He’d heard her? “I’m sorry?”
He cocked his head. “Where are you?”
So he couldn’t see her? Good. She faded into the woods, rushing to the north end, to her safe haven. No one had seen her there in years -- if ever -- and no one would see her now.
“I know I heard you.” The man drifted through the woods. “Please, don’t hide from me.”
She had no choice. No one else had believed she was there and this guy might be looking for the Lady of the Lake. She wasn’t that Lady. She was nobody.
She glanced back and noticed the man. He’d bent over and rested his hands on his knees. He puffed as if he were trying to keep up with her. His bag slid forward and dangled along his side.
“I’ve done the research. I know the story. You’re here. I can feel you.” He stood upright but kept puffing. “She wouldn’t lie to me. She led me here. Told me where I should find you. Told me to find you. I need to do this for her.”
She balled her hands. “Who?” She snapped her mouth shut. She’d wanted to stay hidden, but her curiosity would get her into trouble again.
He sank onto one of the rocks at the edge of the water. “I hear you. Where are you?”
“I can’t show you.”
“Please?”
“No.” If she could have this conversation with him, then something was different about him.
“Why?”
“I don’t know you. Can’t trust you.” It was the truth. Others claimed to be looking for her, but they hadn’t found her. Not the detectives, the amateur sleuths, or anyone else.
“You can,” he said. He scrubbed the back of his hand across his forehead, then sighed. “When I was a little boy, my aunt told me about her friend, Amanda. She said her friend was a lovely person and so sweet, but she disappeared. For the rest of her life, my Aunt Chloe wanted to know what happened to her friend.”
“Chloe?” She didn’t venture closer, but the mere mention of the name pricked her curiosity again.
“My mother’s sister. Do you know Chloe? Or Marie, my mother?” he asked. “My mother died five years ago, but Chloe held on. Her magic is fading.”
“No,” she whispered. Chloe had the strongest magic. She should be just fine.
“She told me you liked being here. She said this was your favorite place and you’d spend hours among the trees and around the water, existing in nature. She said you might have even been part woodland nymph because you were here so much. She loved the nights you’d go dancing together, and the days spent talking and mixing spells,” he said. “She said she was never the same after you disappeared.”
“No?” She couldn’t be excited. Not yet. She needed some detail only the true Chloe would know. Something only she could tell this man. “I can’t trust you.”
“I know you can’t.” He sighed again. “Why would you?”
The last man she’d thought she could trust had murdered her.
“She knew about the abuse and that you wanted to get away. She was trying to figure out a plan to get you out of that house without him knowing. To this day, she deals with the guilt of not working fast enough. You deserved better.”
She emerged from behind the tree. “What did he steal from me?” If he knew this, then he’d spoken to Chloe. Only her best friend would remember she never let go of her locket.
“Besides your magic? He stole your necklace,” the man said. “It was your favorite piece of jewelry.”
“Why?” She held onto the tree for stability, even if her legs weren’t holding her up.
“Because it came from your mother and was one of the few things you had to remember her by.”
If she’d been standing on her feet, she would’ve collapsed. “Who are you?”
“Sawyer Gibson.” He stood and held out his hand. “I don’t know where you are, but I hear you and I want to see you. I want to help you.”
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
Gail Koger is here to tell us about Undisciplined Catalyst, Coletti Warlord series, book 19, scifi paranormal romance.
There's also a great giveaway.
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I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien
hybrid,
but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world.
Guess who gets to stop them? Me.
Undisciplined
Catalyst
Coletti Warlord Series Book 19
by Gail Koger
Genre: SciFi Paranormal Romance
I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien
hybrid, but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world.
Guess who gets to stop them? Me. How?
My uncle, the mad scientist, created a machine called the portal that
instantaneously sends a test subject from one location to another by converting
them into energy. His idea is to port me onto a Tai-Kok ship. All I have to do
is leave a bomb, hit the retrieval button on my spiffy traveler’s belt and
poof! I’m back on Earth before the Tai-Kok ship goes kaboom. Sounds simple,
right?
Wrong. Uncle Ben doesn’t have a clue where I’ll actually appear on the ship. It
could be the engine room, the crew quarters, or even the bridge. It’s like
playing Russian roulette. The Tai-Kok don’t like surprises or uninvited guests.
To make things even more fun, I have an alien battle commander stuck in my head
and I’m related to a powerful Coletti warlord. Yippee. The chances of me living
to see eighteen aren’t good.
“Give ‘em hell.” A wild look in his eyes, Uncle Ben tapped
on the portal's control console.
The circles of light surrounded me, but this time it felt like a zillion fire
ants were crawling over my body. Holy hell! Something had gone wrong! I
appeared in midair and dropped like a rock. Smack! I slammed into someone, and
my Glock went flying.
My eyes bugged. I was on the bridge of a futuristic warship, and the viewscreen
showed one hell of a space battle that was going on. To make things even more
fun, I was lying across the lap of a huge, muscle-bound male wearing black
battle armor. Since he was sitting in the captain’s chair, I was assuming he
was the boss.
A very angry-looking boss. I blinked. Holy cow was he good looking, if you were
into the whole merciless predator thing. Huh? The red chains woven into his
black warrior’s braids matched the communication device on his left wrist. Who
knew aliens accessorized and why did I care? I took a deep breath trying to
control the panic streaking through me.
A low growl rumbled in his chest
One look into his disturbingly hostile amber eyes and I knew I was in big
trouble. I reached for my retrieval button.
His arms clamped around me painfully and he spat a bunch of gobbledygook.
“Sorry, I don’t speak that language,” I replied mentally. Somehow, I knew he
was psychic.
A harsh voice sounded in my head, “How did you get through our shields.”
“Dunno. My uncle is the scientific genius, not me. I’m just the delivery girl.”
“What do you deliver?”
Did I look stupid? The minute I told him bombs; he’d kill me. I pasted a
friendly smile on my face. “Stuff. I’m Lexi and you are?”
“Battle Commander Kaelen. I serve Zarek the Coletti Overlord.”
I had no clue who Zarek was, nor did I want to meet him. “You must be so
proud.”
“Do you have a death wish, female?”
I grimaced. “Some people would think so.”
Howdy. My name is Gail Koger and once upon a time I was a
9-1-1 dispatcher. Too many years of wild requests, screwy questions, bizarre
behavior and outrageous demands have left me with a permanent twitch and an
uncontrollable craving for chocolate. I took up writing science fiction romance
to keep from killing people. So far, it has worked.
AK Nevermore is here to tell us about Weres and Witchery, a spicy small town paranormal romance.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Magic happens and
sparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with an
irresistible alpha shifter.
Weres and Witchery
by AK Nevermore
Genre: Spicy Small Town Paranormal Romance
Karma's a witch.
When witch Jena Seymore returns home to Havers-by-the-Sea to
care for her dying aunt, old town politics and prejudices are rekindled.
Between the local Westside Pack’s vendetta against her family and the coven
pressuring Jena to become guardian of the magical node outside of town, she has
enough problems without adding Chase Montgomery to the mix. Especially after he
broke her heart by starting the devastating rumor that sent Jena running from
town in the first place.
But Chase has plenty of problems of his own, and how to make
amends with Jena and win her heart is at the top of the list. Unbeknownst to
his pack, Jena is his fated mate, and after her leaving town the first time
almost killed him, he’s not letting her get away again—no matter what the
backlash might be.
And meanwhile, the node is turning wild, jeopardizing
Havers-by-the Sea's existence as tensions threaten to tear it apart from
within. Deep-seated small town secrets could hold the key to its future—but
only if they’re discovered before Samhain, when the blue moon rises.
“I loved this
story! It has everything I like in a good book, angst, anger, laughter, tears,
fun, heat, love, loyal best friend, quirky side characters and an HEA. It
doesn’t get any better than that. The storyline is solid, engaging, the world
building is multi-dimensional and once you start you won’t want to put it
down.” - @sunshinewhispers
“Wow, what a cracking book this is. Twists, turns and
lots of magic so what’s not to like. I couldn’t put it down till I’d finished
it, I was completely engrossed. I loved it.” - @sbanacek
“I started reading this book at 9pm and read straight
through to 4am. … FOUR. A. M. Crazy, right?! Let me tell you, this book had me
hooked from the start with its humor, drama, character chemistry, character
personalities, drama, romance, banter, action, and spice. ‘Weres and Witchery’
is among one of the best escapes I’ve had in a while.” - @Morally_Gray_Nola
AK Nevermore enjoys operating heavy machinery, freebases coffee, and
gives up sarcasm for Lent every year. A Jane-of-all-trades, she’s a certified
chef, restores antiques, and dabbles in beekeeping when she’s not reading
voraciously or running down the dream in her beat-up camo Chucks.
Unable to ignore the voices in her head, and unwilling to become
medicated, she writes Science Fiction and Fantasy full time.
She pays the bills editing, wielding a wicked hot pink pen and writing
a column on SFF. She also belongs to the Authors Guild, is a chapter treasurer
for the RWA, teaches creative writing, and on the rare occasion, sleeps.
A.L. Hawke is here to tell us about Hawthorne University Witch, Prequel Series, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and romantasy.
There's also a great giveaway.
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Cursed the moment I fell in love with her.
Walpurgis
The Hawthorne University Witch Prequel Series Book 3
by A.L. Hawke
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romantasy
Burn the Witch.
Allie and I were meant to have a future together—one built on love, not fear.
But here in Hawthorne, shadows lengthen, and whispers drift through the woods
like curses. So when Alondra falls mysteriously ill, I know exactly who’s
behind it.
Desperation drags me into the darkest corners of my magic—places where I no
longer fear the spells I once vowed never to cast. Even joining a coven of the
wicked no longer feels like betrayal. The deeper I descend, the more I uncover
about the witch who haunts me… and the shadow that may not belong to her alone.
Walpurgis Night approaches—the night witches burn. But what happens when it’s
the warlock who strikes the match… willing to burn everything—my heart, my
soul—to save the one I love?
**New Release! On Sale for Only $2.99 until 10/31!**
The Hawthorne University Witch Prequel Series Book 2
Cursed the moment I
fell in love with her.
While home in Raleigh for semester break, I didn’t expect my girlfriend,
Alondra, to ask me for a favor: present my Book of Shadows to the leader of a
satanic cult. She was looking for a new male witch for her coven. Of course,
she knew it wouldn’t be me.
But when a curse took hold of our college campus—and the spirits I thought I’d
left behind came back—I realized I couldn’t keep the book closed much longer.
Now something dark surrounds me. Is it the work of the wizard with the devilish
goatee? Or is it a little girl possessed by something far worse?
I lit a dark shadow, and now I feel only confusion. Whatever this darkness is,
it’s coming for Alondra, our family, and every witch in Hawthorne.
The Hawthorne University Witch Prequel Series Book 1
I fell in love with a
goth, but she’s a witch.
Starting school at Hawthorne University was not going well, until I met my
classmate Alondra. Allie was different. She was goth. But she was also
mysterious, confident and fun. I was into that. My name’s Liam. My friends call
me Lee.
Things got weird after I accompanied her to her haunts. Poltergeists and demons
attacked little girls. I watched Alondra help exorcise these ghosts, but some
of their evil stuck to me.
Well, being attracted to a witch was one thing; dating one was quite another.
It seemed the closer I got to Allie, the more her witchcraft endangered my
friends. And my soul. You decide. I chronicled everything here in her book.
A.L. Hawke is the author of the bestselling Hawthorne
University Witch series. The author lives in Southern California torching the
midnight candle over lovers against a backdrop of machines, nymphs, magic,
spice & mayhem.
