Spotlight for The Devoted by Catherine Cho

 

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

Published:  July 14, 2026 by Washington Square Press

Genre:  Literary Fiction, Mystery Thriller

Taken from Goodreads:  In this emotionally transportive literary debut about family and fate, a young Korean woman whose father is a leader in an infamous crime organization becomes entrenched in the dangerous world she once sought to escape.

Raised in Hong Kong by their Korean grandmother in a quiet village, Eunha and her brother Solomon live a sheltered life. Their father is a Dragon Head, a leader within the infamous criminal organization of the Triads. While their beloved grandmother does her best to shield the children from the constant hum of violence and fear that surrounds their father and his world, Eunha only has Solomon and their one permitted companion, a boy named Kai, for company.

But as Eunha grows up and marries into a supposedly respectable Hong Kong family, the veneer of her careful life begins to crack. When her young son is kidnapped, she is cast into the city’s criminal underground and back into the orbit of Kai, now a Dragon Head himself.

Will Eunha finally give in to the life she has strived so hard to rise above or was her future always fated?

The Devoted is at once a sweeping family drama, a moving account of forbidden love, and a story about a woman’s determination to choose her own destiny.

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Book Review for Killer Vibes: The First Peter Key Mystery by Jack Friday

 

Killer Vibes: The First Peter Key Mystery by Jack Friday

Published:  July 14, 2026 by Minotaur Books

Genre:  Mystery Thriller, LGBT

Taken from Goodreads:  Meet Peter Key: self-proclaimed “laziest private investigator in Texas” (it’s harder than it looks), full-time bisexual, dedicated stoner, and the surprised recipient of a windfall inheritance from an uncle he barely knew. Peter’s life was a mess before he became the owner of a dilapidated house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Austin, but now he has a mountain of debt to deal with—and pushy realtors popping up on every corner to convince him to sell the land while the market is hot.

But Peter doesn’t like to be pushed around. And when he discovers a bag full of cash and a suggestion that his uncle's death might not have been an accident, he starts asking questions. When they said “Keep Austin Weird,” they weren’t joking. Just about everyone Peter meets seems to have a hidden agenda, and he soon finds himself pulled into a lethal game where not everybody plays by the rules. Fortunately for Peter, he’s never been a rule follower anyway.

Sexy, suspenseful, and packed with Austin’s quirks, Killer Vibes is the start of an iconic new series with a singular, unforgettable cast of characters.

My Thoughts:  I have started this review a few times… what do I think of Killer Vibes?  I could not put the book down.   I was entertained and intrigued by Peter Key and the odd group of people he met.   Peter was so quirky, odd, unique but I am not sure that I liked him.   I want to read more before I decide what my true feelings are towards Peter.   Yet, with all that… I still am not sure what I think of Killer Vibes.

I felt like too much was made of Peter being bi, it did not (to me) seem to be that important to the story.   It was not important to me who he was attracted to, I just wanted him to figure out what happened to his uncle and to keep himself alive.   I am interested to see where some of his relationships, both romantic and as friends, head.   He has some interested relationships that could go in many directions.  

The ending left us knowing that there will be more to this series but this book’s mystery was completed.   I like that the book is complete, I know the outcome to Peter’s first case.   

Thank you Minotaur Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Blitz for Reaper’s Quest by Debra A Kristi with a GIVEAWAY

 

Reaper’s Quest
Debra A Kristi
(Curse of the Royal Reaper, #1)
Publication date: July 13th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Two rival reapers. A century of overdue souls. Revelations sure to crumble foundations.

Raven Gunn blamed herself and the cheat she used on her last job for her team’s assignment to the cursed reaping. Her father even packed the tool responsible for the cheat in her travel bag, silently suggesting the need, while reminding her not to trust her designated coreaper, Chace Badden. A hundred years of accumulated reapings, a prohibited reaper-tool, her born rival tasked as her partner… What could go wrong? She definitely wouldn’t allow Chace’s good looks to compromise her focus. Not. One. Bit.

Chace Badden suspected family connections were to blame for his team’s assignment, and he trusted nothing about the current reaping task. Especially not the Fae bastard showering Raven with unnecessary attention. That pr*ck needed to go. Raven was his coreaper and the pretty boy held no claim. Of course, the same could be said for Chace given Raven was his coreaper and his rival, professionalism and distance needed to remain steady between them.

But as more complications arise and old ones intensify, will Chace and Raven’s rivalry cloud emotions, hinder task success, and pave the road for, not only failure but, something far more concerning than mortal danger? Because the overwhelming number of unreaped souls is turning out to be the least of their worries.

Reaper’s Quest is the first book in an adult romantasy series that grows spicier with each book, while containing dark themes that may be uncomfortable for some readers. This series is ideal for fans of:

•Slow Burn & Tension (with plenty of action)

•Angsty, Trapped, Morally Gray Hero

•Forced Proximity

•“Who did this to you?”

•Multiple POV

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Halfway across the rotunda, near the God of Death’s center statue, Chace Badden fell into step at my side, a confident swagger in his walk.

“Reaper Gunn,” he said, his delivery a smooth tease I ignored.

Even as my shoulders stiffened at the sight of him―black shirt, two unfastened buttons exposing a hint of skin, and pants snug against his body.

I dipped my gaze below his belt, and a tight breath dragged through my lungs.

Eyes up, Raven. Eyes up.

He snagged my elbow―his touch gentle, casual, as if zero tension existed between us. “Spot something of interest?”

I fought the desire to roll my eyes. Of course he’d shown up today with a megabat-sized chip on his shoulder. An ego, no doubt, inflated by his parents’ never-ending bolstering.

Author Bio:

Award winning and USA Today Bestselling Author Debra Kristi writes addicting young adult fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal adventures. Born and raised a Southern California girl, she still resides in the sunny state with her husband, two kids, and several rescue cats.

Unlike many of the characters in the stories she writes, Debra is not immortal, and her only superpower is letting the dishes and laundry pile up. When not busy drumming away at the keyboard spinning new tales, Debra is hanging out creating priceless memories with her family, geeking out to science fiction and fantasy television, and tossing around movie quotes.

Debra Kristi's books are published by Ghost Girl Publishing LLC.

Visit www.DebraKristi.com for FREE books, new releases, and/or to become a member of the Insider's Club.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

eBook copy of Reaper’s Quest + an e-ARC of book 2 Blitz

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Book Review for When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

 

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

Pulished:  June 23, 2026 by Ballantine Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Romance, Summer Reads

Taken from Goodreads:  A young widow returns to her late father’s New England estate, only to be drawn into the hunt for the rumored pirate treasure that consumed his life, in this thrilling and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Husbands & Lovers.

Local history insists that a legendary pirate buried his treasure somewhere beneath Windward, the decayed Cooper estate on Winthrop Island, but Lucy Cooper never trusted the fable that broke her family apart. When a widowed Lucy returns with her young daughter to grieve her estranged father, she discovers the property’s buried under a mountain of debt, and Ben Ressler has just turned up on her doorstep.

Thirteen summers ago, a teenaged Lucy never meant to fall in love with Ben, a Dartmouth football star vacationing next door at the Peabody estate, and the object of an all-consuming crush by Laura Peabody, Lucy’s best friend. Those two weeks with Ben were the best and worst of Lucy’s life, dooming her friendship with Laura. Now Ben’s returned to live quietly in the Peabodys’ caretaker lodge, after a fatal accident ended his dazzling NFL career. He’s also the last person who saw Lucy’s father alive.

As Lucy reconstructs her father’s troubling final days, she uncovers his research on the frozen winter of 1717, when a desperately wounded pirate sought refuge on Winthrop Island with an enigmatic healer. To Lucy, this history points the way to a different kind of how to forgive yourself for the mistakes of the past and earn a second chance at love. But just as Lucy’s long-buried emotions sear to the surface, a shocking turn of events reveals that someone else on the island will do whatever it takes to claim the fabled plunder.

A timeless story of love and atonement, When You Loved Me maps both a centuries-old treasure hunt and the intimate territory of the human heart, weaving together past and present as only Beatriz Williams can.

 

My Thoughts:  When I pick up a Beatriz Williams book I expect an amazing historical fiction book with multiple timelines.   This is exactly what When You Loved Me is.   The book is fun with the pirates being the historical aspect.  I do not read many pirate books but this one is wonderful.  The current timeline had my heart going in so many ways.  I was broken-hearted that Lucy lost her dad and did not have a great relationship with him.   My heart was soaring as she rediscovered Ben and the feelings that were still there.  The favorite part of Lucy is her as a mother, she is the best. 

The side stories of Laura and of Lucy’s mom did not always seem to be making a difference to the main stories.  I did not hate them, they did add some dimension to Lucy and to Ben but sometimes it seemed like they were just filling pages.

I will always read Beatriz Williams.   Her books bring to life historical stories that are not well known or at least not known to me. 

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

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Meet the Author (taken from her website):  Beatriz Williams is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of Husbands and Lovers,  The Summer Wives, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, A Hundred Summers, the Wicked City series, and several other works of historical fiction, including five novels in collaboration with fellow bestselling authors Karen White and Lauren Willig. A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA in Finance from Columbia University, Beatriz worked as a communications and corporate strategy consultant in New York and London before her first novel was published in 2012. Beatriz’s books have won numerous awards, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and appear regularly in bestseller lists around the world. Her essays have appeared in magazines such as Real Simple and Southern Living, among others, and she regularly reviews fiction for the New York Times Book Review.

Born in Seattle, Washington, Beatriz now lives in southeastern Connecticut with her husband and four mostly-grown children.

 

 

 

Book Blitz for You Had Me at Meow by Gracie James with a GIVEAWAY

 

You Had Me at Meow
Gracie James
Publication date: July 7th 2026
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Some girls get fairy godmothers. Abby Thompson gets a talking cat with a British accent and absolutely zero chill.

After her latest blind date—arranged by her loving (but relentless) mother—ends in a concussion, a wine-soaked dress, and enough humiliation to power Manhattan, Abby decides she’s done with dating. Forever.

Too bad her cat, Mr. Whiskers, has other ideas. And he’s suddenly sharing them. Out loud.

“Honestly, Abby, your taste in men is almost as concerning as your taste in sweaters.”

His mission? Fix her train-wreck love life and help her land her dream job. His qualifications? None. He’s a cat. His methods? Questionable at best.

But somewhere between the disastrous first dates, ruthless office politics, and the unexpectedly charming veterinarian who might actually be worth shaving her legs for, Abby starts to wonder…

Is Mr. Whiskers a miracle? Or a catastrophe with whiskers?

Either way, her opinionated feline isn’t backing down. And if Abby wants her dream life, she might have to trust the one life coach she never asked for. Her cat.

You Had Me at Meow is a sweet, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about finding your voice, risking your heart, and one very determined cat who refuses to let his human settle for anything less than purr-fection.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Before I even reach the fridge, Mr. Whiskers has settled into his favorite spot on the couch while I gather the essentials of a proper pity party: a pint of mint chocolate chip, my largest spoon, and one of Dottie’s cosmic brownies. Ahhh, perfect.

Curling up next to my furry little roommate, I pull our softest blanket over my legs and queue up one of our favorite movies. Maybe watching someone else’s embarrassing moments will make me feel better about my own.

As the opening credits roll, I crumble Dottie’s brownie over my ice cream, letting out a contented sigh. At least dessert never disappoints.

“Why can’t I find love like in the movies, huh, buddy?” I ask, running my fingers through his soft fur. “You know, the kind where tripping in front of your dream guy leads to true love instead of a concussion.”

Mr. Whiskers blinks up at me, his eyes reflecting the TV’s flickering light.

“I mean, look at tonight,” I continue, digging into my brownie-ice-cream creation and regretting nothing. Well… except maybe going out in the first place. “Mom sets me up with someone who’s supposedly perfect for me, and he turns out to be a complete jerk. And then when I finally meet a genuinely nice guy, he’s my cat’s veterinarian and he’s already taken.”

I scratch under Mr. Whiskers’ chin, earning a faint purr.

“Maybe I should just give up on dating altogether,” I muse. “I mean, who needs romance when I have you, anyway? We could be two crazy cat ladies together. Well, one crazy cat lady and one crazy cat, but you know what I mean. No more terrible blind dates, no more falling head over heels, literally, for the wrong guys. Just us, some yummy snacks, and the sweet escape of a good movie night. What do you think, huh, buddy? Sound good?”

“Darling, that sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all night.”

Author Bio:

Gracie James lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their sweet rescue cat, Pinky, and absolutely loves the rain. When she’s not writing swoony, laugh-out-loud rom-coms sprinkled with a touch of magic, she’s usually hiking up a mountain or eating chocolate like it’s a personality trait. Her creative peak occurs somewhere between “I should go to bed” and “well, it’s basically morning now,” and she considers sunrise more of a suggestion than a deadline.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

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You Had Me at Meow Blitz

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Audiobook Review for Kiss Me First by Riley Paige

 

PCU Ice Storm #1

Kiss Me First by Riley Paige

Published:  April 16, 2026

Genre:  Hockey Romance, Friends to Lover, Brother’s Teammate

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Joining the insomnia thread at PCU was supposed to be harmless, a place to burn through the quiet hours with strangers who'd never know my name. A way to take my mind off the NHL scouts breathing down my neck.

Just honesty at 2 a.m. with a girl I only know as LittleTooMuch.

I didn't plan to fall for her. But somewhere between the late-night confessions and the things I'd never say out loud, I did.

Then Harlow walks into my life—guarded, beautiful, and my team captain’s little sister.

The more time I spend with her, the harder it gets to ignore the feeling that I already know her.

And if I'm right, I'm in a lot of trouble.

 

My Thoughts: I listened to this book and could not stop. The narrators were perfect, the tones were exactly how it they should be for two young college students trying to figure out life.

 I love that Harlow and Grayson were connecting through an online insomnia forum while they were friends in day-to-day life.  Such a fun way to connect with each other while staying anonymous.   They could be honest and share with each other without the judgement.   It was obvious that at some point they would figure out their real-life connection and I could only hope it would work out for the best.

Harlow had a history that made her very cautious of life and relationships.   Grayson was able to understand what she needed and help her without making her feel like something was wrong with her.   Their friendship has a spark from the beginning, but they are careful with each other.   I liked how slow their relationship changed from friendship to more.  

I cannot wait for more from the PCU Ice Storm Series.  There are so many more hockey players that deserve their happy endings.

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Release Blitz for Gathering Storms by Lex Martin

 

Gathering Storms by Lex Martin is now live!

What's more complicated than a marriage of convenience? Falling for your husband.

After losing my apartment and librarian job in the same week, I'm one bad day away from hitting rock bottom. That's the only reason I consider Jace Walker's offer to be his toddler's nanny while he goes on a national tour.

I don't even like the man. But he recently had a baby he didn't know about dumped on his doorstep, and for once in his charmed life, he's as desperate as I am.

The plan seems simple -- until his label says only spouses can join the tour. And Jace Walker, it turns out, would rather lose the chance of a lifetime than leave his daughter behind.

So when he asks if I'd consider marrying him, I know exactly what I am: his last resort.

I agree to his four-month marriage, convinced he'd never tempt me. Besides, he's too charming, too handsome, too talented to look twice at a quiet bookworm. I have rules and walls up for good reasons.

Except life on the road with this rugged cowboy has other plans--bandmates who resent me, his conniving ex who joins the tour, and a deranged fan who leaves us creepy gifts.

And nothing prepares me for Jace himself. The man underneath the charm. The father who'd give up everything for his daughter. The one who makes me feel things I buried a long time ago--and the storm building between us reminds me exactly why I buried them.

If you enjoy reformed playboys, swoony cowboys, single dads who adore their daughters, or prickly, closed-off librarians who would rather read than hang out with country stars, this one is for you!

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/4vWHprI  

Amazon Worldwide: https://geni.us/GatheringStormsEbook  

Paperback: https://geni.us/GatheringStormsRegPpbk

Discreet Paperback: https://geni.us/GatheringStormsDisPpbk    

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/41T5EcH 

 

Meet Lex Martin

Lex Martin is the USA Today bestselling author of Varsity Dads, Texas Nights, and the Dearest series. She writes contemporary romance novels, the steamy kind she hopes readers love but her parents avoid.

She's always been obsessed with writing, starting in elementary school when she would pen short stories and make her father read them. (Afterward, he'd have to take her tests, but he was a good sport and did them without complaint.) In high school, when she wasn't playing basketball, she wrote emo poetry and worked on the school newspaper.

She later became a nationally-certified high school English teacher and freelance journalist but decided she'd rather write romance novels than tests or city hall articles.

Lex loves coffee, rom coms, pen hoarding, planners, and college football.
She married her almost college sweetheart (they met right after graduation), and she's still obsessed with him, especially when he writes her songs.

She currently resides in her hometown of San Antonio with her husband, twin daughters, and their bunny. Drop her a line. She loves hearing from readers.

 

Connect with Lex

Website | www.lexmartinwrites.com   

Goodreads | http://bit.ly/29dyOMw   

Amazon | https://amzn.to/2JsUTak    

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLexMartin     

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LexMartinsWildcats/     

Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/authorlexmartin/    

Bookbub |  http://bit.ly/2Fty5Vq     

Pinterest |  http://bit.ly/3j5vOlg       

Newsletter |  http://bit.ly/3XxIW5d  

Release Blitz for Heartland by Kes Winter

 

Heartland by Kes Winter is now live!

My new husband is a gruff, gorgeous cowboy who gives me everything I want and treats me like a princess. The only catch? It's a fake marriage with a built in expiration date.

Slade Rhodes is a 6'5 dark-haired grumpy sweetheart who plays pro hockey when he's not working his family's Montana ranch. But he doesn't do love. He doesn't do forever. 

He only proposed so I could access my trust fund. The terms are simple: no intimacy. No complications. No feelings.

Then he buys me a giant diamond ring. Rescues a stray dog with me. Cooks for me. Spends way too much money on me and proudly introduces me to his loud, loving family as his wife.

He can't keep his eyes off me as he shows this city girl what it's like to get down and dirty with a cowboy.

He's still leaving this small town in a few months. And I'm staying, building a life far from my toxic family.

But when our slow burn explodes into the most intense passion I've ever known, my fake husband seems obsessed with making me his wife for real…

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/49vF2To      

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/49r21yO

 

Meet Kes Winter

Kes Winter loves creating steamy, emotional, high-tension love stories featuring obsessive heroes and strong heroines. She runs on coffee, sugar, and an overactive imagination.

In the rare moments she’s not writing, she’s usually staying up until the middle of the night reading a book.

 

Connect with Kes

Website | keswinter.com   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/60184349.Kes_Winter   

Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/author/keswinter  

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/keswinter/ 

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/people/Kes-Winter/61587550919219/          

Newsletter |  https://keswinter.com/newsletter/  

Available Now!! Endless Summer Nights by Willow Aster

 

Endless Summer Nights by Willow Aster is now live! A steamy, second-chance, small-town, hockey romance full of heartbreak, heat, and the one he could never quite let go of from USA Today bestselling author Willow Aster. Running into Lola Donavan wasn’t exactly on my summer agenda—not after she broke my heart in college. But there she is, at my family’s resort…with her new boyfriend. And not just any boyfriend—my hockey rival. Perfect. Seeing Lola again is a punch to the gut. She’s even more beautiful than I remember, and the second our eyes meet, I know my feelings aren't as buried as I’ve pretended. I tell myself it doesn’t matter, that whatever we had is long gone. But one look at her and I know I’m lying to myself. Then fate throws us into each other’s path again—no boyfriend, no dissecting the past, just the two of us and a spark that instantly reignites. One night together proves the chemistry between us never died. But desire is the easy part. Trust? Not so much. She walked away once without a word, and it still haunts me. Now that she’s back in my life, I don’t know which is more dangerous—letting myself fall for her all over again, or bracing for the moment she leaves and breaks me a second time. Endless Summer Nights is book four in the interconnected, standalone Windy Harbor series. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited https://geni.us/EndlessSummerNights Audible: https://geni.us/ESNAudible Amazon Audiobook: https://geni.us/ESNAmazonAudio Narrated by: Megan Wicks & Gideon Frost Goodreads: https://geni.us/EndlessSummerNightsGR

Book Review for All The Lies We See by Christina McDonald

 

Jess Lambert #3

All The Lies We See by Christina McDonald

Published:  July 7, 2026 by Intrigue Ink Publishing

Genre:  Mystery Thriller

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Framed for murder. A viral video proves it. The case she abandoned after her daughter died could save—or destroy her, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Night Olivia Fell.

Detective Jess Lambert is days away from the trial of the woman accused of killing her daughter when she wakes in a seedy hotel room with no memory of how she got there. On her phone is a viral video showing Jess calmly shooting the woman in cold blood.

As the footage spreads and her own department closes in, Jess has no choice but to run. Someone has engineered her downfall, and the only way to survive is to uncover who’s turning her past into a weapon. Desperate to clear her name, she follows the only lead she has—an unsolved case she abandoned after her daughter died that now holds the key to who set her up.

But the closer Jess gets to the truth, the more she realizes it may not be enough. Because when people prefer the lie, even reality becomes irrelevant.

 

My Thoughts:  The Jess Lambert series is one of my favorites.  I like that the characters are consistent throughout the series but each book is its own mystery with an ending that closes that mystery.  

All the Lies We See is a book that is full of deep emotions.  Not only about the case that Jess is in the middle of but with the loss of her daughter, the feeling of being responsible for that death.   The mending of relationships is also a big part of this book.

I am hopeful that there will be more Jess Lambert books.  It is a series I always recommend when asked for a thriller recommendation.

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

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Meet the Author (taken from herwebsite):  CHRISTINA MCDONALD is the USA Today and Amazon charts bestselling author of These Still Black Waters, Do No Harm, Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books), which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. She lives in London, England with her husband, two sons, and their dog, Tango.