Spotlight for SOMEBODY WORTH KILLING by Jessica Payne

 

SOMEBODY WORTH KILLING by Jessica Payne

Published:  Berkley Hardcover Original; June 16, 2026

Genre: Suspense; Domestic Thriller; Women’s Fiction

 

The story: Nadia Davis is living the dream as a successful working mom with a career she loves, two adorable little girls, and a devoted husband who has no idea that she’s secretly a hired assassin and psychopath who kills certified bad guys. So when Nadia finds out she’s been “mommy tracked” by her assassin’s agency and is no longer getting the bigger, more exciting jobs, she demands an important mark…somebody worth killing.

 

But it turns out that big kill is the last person she expects—her husband. How is the sweet, kind, teller-of-dad jokes she’s promised her life to an evil villain who needs exterminating? Has their whole life together been a lie? Now Nadia must choose between the two things she loves most in life, the career that keeps her sane or the family she thought she knew.

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Author Bio: Jessica Payne lives in Washington State with her daughter and husband and an internet search history that would raise eyebrows. A firm believer in strong coffee and stronger women, she writes about mothers who know how to handle a sniper rifle and a carpool schedule with equal precision. When she's not writing, you'll find her trail running through the forests of the Pacific Northwest as she plots her next fictional murder. She is the creator of the Substack community One Tired Mother.

Book Review for The Lake Club by Lina Patton

 

The Lake Club by Lina Patton

Published:   June 16, 2026 by William Morrow Paperbacks

Genre:  Thriller, Summer

Taken from Goodreads:  A sizzling, soapy summer debut, in which two women in a wealthy lakeside suburb clash over a cute male nanny, pulling the town’s darker secrets to the surface.

When Danika Crawley attends events at the Aldon Lakes Country Club, heads turn. Danika has it all—beauty, money, a successful husband, and two perfect children. She plans on making this summer her best season yet and has a secret weapon to secure the envy of her neighbors.

Augie Elling has lost it all. Reeling from a post-grad scandal amidst her now-former life in New York, she returns to Aldon Lakes with her tail between her legs. Augie wants to keep her head down, save money, and find a way to leave her hometown for good, but someone keeps distracting her.

Danika and Augie have one thing in they are both a little obsessed with Chat, the male nanny Danika hired for the summer. But, unbeknownst to either woman, Chat’s appearance in town sets off a chain reaction that threatens Aldon Lakes' carefully maintained ecosystem. As the heat rises between the three of them, the truth behind a long-buried scandal comes to light, and everyone at the club must reckon with the consequences.

The Lake Club is both an addictive, rollicking beach read, and a stylish, deft exploration of a lesser-known region of American wealth.

 

My Thoughts:  I am not sure what to say about this book.   I love the idea, a manny (male nanny) comes to town.  He has no ties to the town and is just looking to work.   As the story goes on, more is revealed and secrets are let out. I was increasingly hooked on the story. 

The characters are diverse and unique.  We have the top tier rich, hanging out at The Club next to the working class that are there just to serve that top tier.   I never really connected with any of the characters, I do not think any of them were overly likable.   I felt the characters being not likable is part of the reason this book worked for me.   I never wanted to become attached because I knew there was more to every single character.

The Lake Club is a fun summer thriller.  I enjoyed the story and was entertained while reading it. 

Thank you William Morrow for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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About Lina Patton: Lina Patton is a writer, illustrator, and teacher. Originally from Maine, she moved to Minnesota at thirteen, trading the ocean for 10,000 lakes. Her work has appeared in ELLE, The Cut, Narrative Magazine, and Driftwood Press, among others. After seven years living overseas, she and her husband currently reside in Washington, DC, where she teaches at George Washington University and co-produces the storytelling series Generation Women DC. The Lake Club is her first novel.

 

Additional Praise for THE LAKE CLUB:

 

“I’m a sucker for lakes (especially in an unfamiliar part of the country), rich people behaving badly, outsiders to an insular world, summer parties, and a hot but approachable leading man. The Lake Club has all of this and more—its twisty, propulsive plot hooked me early and kept me turning the pages until I reached the unpredictable end.”

   — Meg Mitchell Moore, author of Mansion Beach

 

“With its lakeside glamour, elegant prose, and simmering secrets, The Lake Club is the ultimate summer escape. Stylish, smart, and utterly unputdownable—Patton’s debut marks the arrival of a thrilling new voice in fiction.”

   — Georgia Clark, author of Play It Again

 

“A fast-paced, twisty, delicious debut, The Lake Club explores long-buried secrets, burgeoning romance, and the gossip that fuels small towns and exclusive clubs. A juicy mix of rich people behaving badly and love in all its forms, Lina Patton reminds us that, no matter how convoluted things have become, the truth really can be a clean slate. I’ll be first in line to read Patton’s next novel!”

— Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times Bestselling author of Beach House Rules

 

 

 

Available Now!! Forged in the Fire by A.L. Jackson

 

Forged in the Fire by A.L. Jackson is now live! It was a terrible idea to agree to protect my enemy’s sister… The second she stepped out of her brother’s car, I knew she was a wildfire. Spitting mad and so stunning she stole my breath. She thinks her brother made a deal with the devil, and by working for me, she’s paying off his debt. She doesn’t know the real reason she’s here. Doesn’t know the danger that surrounds her. Soon, she realizes there is something sinister lurking in the shadows. She hates me for keeping her in the dark. I want to hate her back, but with every sassy thing that fires from her mouth, she gets deeper under my skin. With each heated glance, I feel myself losing control. And when I crawl into bed with her, I combust. I know better than thinking I can keep her. My life is nothing but secrets and peril. But as outside threats begin to infiltrate, I’ll do anything to keep the oath I made to keep her safe. Even expose her to the monster that I am… Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://geni.us/FITFAmznOP Audiobook: https://geni.us/FITFAudio Narrated by: Connor Crais & Desiree Ketchum Deluxe Edition Paperback: https://geni.us/FITFDlxPprbck Goodreads: https://geni.us/FITFGoodreads

Available Now!! North Country by K.A. Tucker

 

North Country by K.A. Tucker is now live! From USA Today and international bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes a sweeping second-chance, forbidden romance set against the rugged beauty of northern Ontario. Emery McAllister once dreamed of leaving Cold River with the boy next door, but one devastating night destroyed their future and left her heart carefully guarded. Twenty years later, she’s built a life of control: running the town’s police detachment, raising her daughter, and keeping a fragile peace with her ex-husband, the mayor. She’s certain she has moved on until the day she has dreaded—and secretly hoped for—finally arrives. Logan Landry is home. After two decades behind bars for being in the wrong place at the wrong time—and the choices that haunted him ever since—Logan returns to his family’s bison ranch carrying the weight of everything he lost, but especially Emery. Friendship is all he dares hope for now, but seeing her ignites a fire he thought long extinguished. When a teenage girl disappears and old wounds reopen, Logan becomes Cold River’s favorite suspect, despite his airtight alibi. As distrust closes in, Emery must choose between the life she’s built … and the love she can’t let go. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://bit.ly/4qktVTo Grab the ebook today for a special release day price of $4.99! Paperback: https://geni.us/NorthCountry Audible: https://bit.ly/499RyYz Amazon Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4dSVwHC Libro.fm: https://bit.ly/4e98Ia7 Narrated by: Summer Morton & Ryan West Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4jCWM2Q

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

Taken from Goodreads:  A long-buried disappearance and a long-lost treasure both reemerge over a summer in Portugal’s remote Azores in the new thriller from the critically acclaimed author of The Chateau.

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.

 

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Meet the Author (taken from herwebsite):  I have a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a JD from NYU School of Law. I practiced estate planning law at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago for seven years before leaving my job to travel the world and write novels. After culling my possessions into only what would fit in a backpack, I traveled for over a year until settling near the beach, where I can often be found writing from cafés. 

​

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. 

 

 

Available Now!! Thirst For Me by Jaine Diamond

 

Thirst For Me by Jaine Diamond is now live! Two rivals. One small-town summer. And a heat wave no one saw coming. Mason Grant is driving me crazy. The grumpy, gorgeous bar owner thinks my waterfront shop belongs to his family. I think he needs to mind his own business. It all started the moment I arrived in Orchard Cove. I came here for a chance to save my smoothie business. A chance to heal.What I didn’t come here for was to start a war with the town hottie. Except…Mason is impossible to ignore. And every heated argument just leaves me wanting more. The more time I spend battling him, the harder it is to deny our chemistry. And I know he feels it too. Suddenly, a summer fling seems like a very tempting—but bad—idea. The problem? I’m still healing. And Mason is grieving. Neither of us is ready to let someone in through the cracks in our hearts. Besides, I never planned to stay in this town forever. But despite my war with Mason, Orchard Cove is starting to feel like home. And maybe—just maybe—Mason Grant is so much more than my enemy. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://mybook.to/Thirst-For-Me Check out the Kindle Exclusive Deal in the US, UK, and AU! Purchase a paperback today! Target: https://bit.ly/4jgbJrt Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/4vCpMfO Indigo: https://bit.ly/4e6ySMf Audible: https://bit.ly/4vu5s0e Amazon Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4g0MDgC Narrated by: CJ Bloom & Alastair Haynesbridge Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4alLmy1

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

Taken from Goodreads:  When your one-night stand is your new boss...

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.

 

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Available Now! The Tiger in the Sack by Amy Award

 

The Tiger in the Sack by Amy Award is now live! There's freedom behind a motorcycle helmet. Nobody knows who you are. No name. No jersey number. No six brothers who'd been famous longer than I could legally drive, and no one stopping me on the sidewalk to ask if I was actually related to the Chris Kingman. So when I find Clover stuck in a tree with her cat, I keep the helmet on. I crack Mandalorian jokes, rescue her and her cat, and feel like an absolute genius when I ask for her number and she gives it to me. I am, in fact, an idiot. She's the new Dance and Cheer coach for the Cincinnati Tigers. The team where I happen to be the starting quarterback. I can't keep this secret from her. That's a douchepotato move. She figures it out before I can tell her. Which somehow manages to be worse. And just to throw a monkey in our wrench the boss has assigned us to work together on a super-secret project to unmask whoever is sabotaging the team, and our cover? Of course, it's fake dating. We’ll do it because Clover moved to Cincinnati to do the impossible: build a body-diverse professional cheer squad in a league that's never had one, for a team that everyone says is going nowhere. Someone powerful is betting she'll fail. She's taking that bet, and I'm going to be there to make sure nobody hurts her. This sports romance features a chaotic quarterback with a secret business empire and zero chill about his feelings, a plus-size heroine holding the door open for every woman who was told the dream wasn't for her, two cats with better emotional intelligence than their owners, and that Bridgertons-meets-American-Football family who will absolutely deploy every brother and one mastermind sister before this season is over. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://bit.ly/4rgrXUN Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3OnAAhz

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.

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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.

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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

Goodreads / Amazon

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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.

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Undying Blitz

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