Spotlight: Excerpt from Etched in Ink by Nadia Han

 

Kain Kessler created a life defined by control, ink, and the belief that love is a weakness he can’t afford. But when Eva Collins crashes into his life, his entire world is turned upside down, sparking a fierce devotion he never expected. When a brutal kidnapping drags Eva into Kain’s dangerous past, he realizes there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her safe. Readers who crave high-stakes, he-falls-first, age-gap romances will fall head over heels for Etched in Ink, a steamy billionaire romantic suspense from Nadia Han.
 
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With dark secrets etched in his soul, Kain Kessler is an astute tattoo artist who does not believe in love. But that belief changes when he meets a beautiful woman who shifts his internal axis, leaving him stunned and determined to make her his even after she rejects him.

Eager and resourceful, Eva Collins is saving up for her own flower shop. Having her heart shattered has left her unavailable for relationships until her grandfather sets her up with an irresistible man much older than her. When she is kidnapped and tossed into a terrifying world, she gathers every ounce of courage to survive. 

Eva wants nothing more than to erase the cruelty Kain has suffered, and all he wants is to protect the woman he loves from the darkness that wants them both dead.
 
 
Excerpt 
Copyright 2026, Nadia Han
 
Her POV
“You’re older than me by sixteen years. Don’t you want a woman closer to your age?”
“I go by feelings.” He lifted a shoulder. “Besides, being older means I have a lot to teach you.” A wicked smile stretched across his handsome face. “Is there anything you’d like to learn? To know?”
I want to know what it’s like to kiss you.
But I was too embarrassed to say that out loud, especially when my grandfather was just around the corner, probably eavesdropping.
As though Kain understood, he leaned in and whispered, “I’ve imagined doing so many things to you. Very inappropriate things that would have your grandfather kicking me out right now if he knew.” His warm breath caressed my skin, and tingles rushed through me. “Give me the chance to show you.”
Gathering myself, I touched his cheek. “Why are you still single?”
“Like I told your grandfather, I’m waiting for the right woman. I haven’t wanted anyone as much as I want you.”
His honesty warmed me, and I didn’t know what to say. Some people might not be concerned about the big age gap between us, but I was. Kain was an experienced man. Would he get bored talking to someone like me who hadn’t seen life as much as he had? Would he move on after one date?
Give him one date. You have nothing to lose.
Accompanying him at the event would allow me to get to know him.
Before I could reply, Grandpa walked into the room groaning. I knew from his facial expression that he’d been eavesdropping.
“My back is sore from all the cooking.” He stretched to the side. “I heard something about a banquet? In case you’re thinking about inviting me, I won’t be able to make it. I’ve got a bingo game going on with my friend Emilio. You kids go and have fun.”
“It’s not until next week, Grandpa.” Apparently, my grandfather had a friend who lived in my building but forgot to mention it.
“Oh.” He looked up at the ceiling, pretending he’d forgotten something. But I knew the wheels in his head were spinning fast. Looking back at me, he said, “Maybe you can take one of his self-defense lessons and come home to show me. You’re home all week.” He turned to Kain. “Do you have time to squeeze my granddaughter in?”
“I always have time for Eva.”
“I’ll give you my bingo winnings as a thank you.”
Oh my God. 
“No need for that,” Kain said, probably suppressing a laugh. “Thank you for lunch.”
I looked at Kain, and an amused glance passed between us—Grandpa had just set me up on a date at the gym. My grandfather was such a troublemaker.
“Thank you for the cupcakes, Kain. I’ll be having one tonight.” Grandpa went back to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Kain again.
“I can’t believe this,” I muttered.
“I can.” Kain looked down the hallway. “He’s a smart man. He knows what’s best for his granddaughter.”
“Is that so?” 
“Meet me at the gym tomorrow and you’ll find out.”
 
About Nadia Han

I write swoonworthy, sophisticated, and suspenseful romance for readers who love protective heroes, sassy heroines, and twisty plots. I live in New England with my husband and two creative children. My love for mysticism, astrology, astronomy, K-Dramas, C-Dramas, true crime TV shows, cats, and nature are sprinkled throughout my stories. When I’m not writing, I spend time with my family, create art, practice yoga, read, explore nature, and eat all kinds of foods.
 
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Review: The Spiral Key by Kelsey Day

Author: Kelsey Day
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication date: February 2026

At the start of each school year, Madison Pembroke, the most popular girl at Lincoln Academy, sends out invitations to her epic birthday party in the form of custom forged spiral keys. For that one night, a few lucky teens get to enter Ametrine, a virtual paradise designed to be the party of the year—an unforgettable celebration that will secure their social status in the real world. As Madison’s hated ex-BFF, Bree Benson never receives a key.

Until this year.

Despite warnings from her boyfriend, Bree sees the invite as an olive branch, the perfect opportunity to rekindle her once-amazing friendship with Madison. But as the party games begin to turn provocative and violent, Bree finds that Ametrine might not be the virtual paradise she was promised. And that Madison may have let Bree enter Ametrine, but she has no intention of ever letting her leave . . .

Kelsey Day’s gripping debut shows that while best friends know each other the best, ex–best friends know how to hurt each other the worst.

I don't even know where to start with this one.  I am definitely not the  target audience for this book. But then I'm not sure that there is an audience for this book among younger YA readers.   Usually, I can read a YA mystery and enjoy it. Not so much with The Spiral Key.  I really didn't like this book.  It was promising in the beginning. I liked the virtual world funhouse aspect.  However, once you get down to it, none of the characters were anyone I could ever root for.  That includes the main character, Bree.  In fact, I think the only one I was rooting for was her little brother.

This may be a little spoilery here, so skip it if you want to read this book. How Bree really thought that Madison would all of a sudden want to make amends is beyond me.  She should have skipped the party.  This entire plot hinges on things that happened in middle school.  I mean, I get holding a grudge, but let's really address the elephant in the room.  Madison is a clear psychopath whose parents enable her behavior. Again, this plot was a way over the top reaction to the events that happened in MIDDLE SCHOOL.  Everything could have been cleared up with a few honest conversations. Maybe that is the moral of the story? By the end, I really didn't care.   I don't really recommend this one, but maybe you'll find something to like about it.

Review: Obsession Falls by Claire Kingsley

Author: Claire Kingsley
Publisher: Always Have, LLC
Publication Date: October 2023
 

He’ll risk it all to protect her.

Someone is stalking Audrey Young. And she has no idea why.

It’s bad enough that she’s back in Tilikum. But Audrey’s good at making the best of things and her new job at the small-town newspaper is just a way to get back on her feet.

Complicating matters is her landlord and new neighbor, Josiah Haven.

She doesn’t usually go for the big, surly lumberjack type. But there’s something about that broody man. He intimidates her a little, but she kind of likes it.

She could totally handle the mess that is her life, except the strange feeling of being watched is just the beginning. Next thing Audrey knows, she’s a target, and she doesn’t know who’s behind it, or why.

For Josiah Haven, none of that makes her his problem.

She’s just the girl next door. Fine, the frustratingly hot girl next door. But Audrey is all sunshine and her goofy dog isn’t any better. Josiah is too stoic. Too solitary. Too guarded. He doesn’t need a woman in his life, especially one who threatens to crack his heart wide open.

But Josiah is a protector and he can’t let Audrey’s troubles go unanswered, even if he has to risk everything—his life and his heart—to keep her safe.

Obsession Falls is the first book in the  Haven Brothers series.  This one is Josiah and Audrey's story.  Audrey has moved back home to start over.  She is hoping her new job at a small town newspaper will help reinvigorate her career.  She didn't count on her broody and sexy new neighbor/landlord shaking things up.  All Josiah wants is to live alone and be happy with his life.  Audrey and the protective feelings he develops for her throw him for a loop.

I did ultimately enjoy this one.  I will admit that it was a little slow at times.  However, I loved how Josiah and Audrey really became friends before became more.  Their relationship was fun and very sweet.  The other cast of characters added a lot of color to the story.  I only wish we got to know Josiah's brothers a little more.  The reveal of who was stalking and threatening Audrey did kind of come out of nowhere.  But I didn't really mind because it was a satisfying end.  I do recommend this one and look forward to reading the other Haven brothers' stories.

Spotlight: Excerpt from Fight Until We Can't by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca

 

Operations Manager Carli Porter runs The Lochwell as if it were her own and is fiercely protective of the community she’s built within its walls. But when the building's owner sends in his best friend to evaluate its future, Caril finds herself fighting to keep everything she loves from slipping away. Left with no other option, she’s forced to team up with Alexander Grassi, the very man who could decide the building's fate. Readers who enjoy steamy, he-falls-first romances will devour Fight It Until We Can’t by Cissy Mecca & Tina Gallagher, a small-town, rivals-to-lovers romance.

Read Now! 

Add to Goodreads Here! 

He's a property analyst hired to find the cracks.

She's the operations manager who will make sure he doesn't.

Carli Porter runs The Lochwell like it's hers. The coffee shop is her living room. Its book club members are her family. The residents are her friends. The pub is her Friday night. The only problem? The building belongs to someone else, and that someone just sent his best friend to decide its fate.

Alexander Grassi is smart and annoyingly hard to hate. He also has the kind of forearms that make it very difficult to stay mad at him. (She's tried. It hasn't worked.) He's supposed to write a report, hand it over to his friend and leave. He wasn't supposed to start showing up to trivia night. Or turning her coffee cup so the handle faces her. Or looking at her like she's the best thing in a building full of things worth saving.

She says his report could ruin her life.

He says she's not wrong.

She says that's makes him the last person she should want around.

He says he's staying anyway.

Because some legacies (and people) are worth fighting for.

Excerpt 

Copyright 2026, Author Cissy Mecca & Author Tina Gallagher

"Did you tell her?" Chris asked Vee as he emerged from the small kitchen at the back of the shop.

"Tell me what?" I asked. Vee slid two coffees toward Maria Grazia and me.

"Only that the hottest guy I've ever seen was asking for you earlier," Chris said. "He wasn't just hot. He was extraordinarily hot. Casual, buttoned-up, perfect hair, two days shadow with a smile that could melt polar ice-caps kind of hot".

"I know the man looking for you. And can guess why he's here," Maria said. She set her cup down. That small, deliberate gesture told me more than her words had. "He's a good man," she added carefully. "His mother is one of my dearest friends. But good men can still be sent to do difficult things".

Before I could figure that out, or even take another sip of coffee, he stepped into the coffee shop. At least, I assumed it was him. But since the Brew didn't often see extraordinarily hot men with smiles that could melt polar ice-caps every day, I assumed that was probably him. His light blue buttoned-down shirt was open, no tie, but the casual tan sport coat still gave him a polished appearance. Honestly? Chris's description was overall pretty spot-on.

He scanned the room, his gaze pausing when it reached us. He smiled at Maria Grazia and headed our way.

"I'm thinking this is Carli?" he asked her.

"You didn't tell me you planned to meet with her, Xander". Maria Grazia's tone was sharper than usual.

"I don't have an appointment," he turned his attention to me. His eyes were hazel, in the best way possible. "And honestly didn't think I'd actually find her. You get around." Xander stuck his hand out. "Alexander Grassi".

A firm handshake from someone accustomed to shaking hands. "Carlina Porter," I responded, defaulting to my full name, as I did when I met someone new.

"I'm a property analyst," he said.

Before I could fully register that, Maria Grazia added, "And one of Graeme Lochwell's best friends".

The bottom dropped out of my stomach. Property analyst. Graeme Lochwell's best friend. Both pieces landed separately, and then all at once, the way bad news always did. I looked at Xander. He wasn't smiling anymore either. Whatever this morning had been before... Lou's Instagram, AnnMarie's bathtub, the abandoned coffee cup on some forgotten high top... it had just become the least of my problems. 

About Cissy Mecca

A "recovering" 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes... from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.

Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon 

About Tina Gallagher

Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea. 

Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Website | Amazon 

 

Spotlight: Excerpt from Fight It Until We Can't by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca

 

Operations Manager Carli Porter runs The Lochwell as if it were her own and is fiercely protective of the community she’s built within its walls. But when the building's owner sends in his best friend to evaluate its future, Caril finds herself fighting to keep everything she loves from slipping away. Left with no other option, she’s forced to team up with Alexander Grassi, the very man who could decide the building's fate. Readers who enjoy steamy, he-falls-first romances will devour Fight It Until We Can’t by Cissy Mecca & Tina Gallagher, a small-town, rivals-to-lovers romance.

Add to Goodreads Here! 

Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

He's a property analyst hired to find the cracks.

She's the operations manager who will make sure he doesn't.

Carli Porter runs The Lochwell like it's hers. The coffee shop is her living room. Its book club members are her family. The residents are her friends. The pub is her Friday night. The only problem? The building belongs to someone else, and that someone just sent his best friend to decide its fate.

Alexander Grassi is smart and annoyingly hard to hate. He also has the kind of forearms that make it very difficult to stay mad at him. (She's tried. It hasn't worked.) He's supposed to write a report, hand it over to his friend and leave. He wasn't supposed to start showing up to trivia night. Or turning her coffee cup so the handle faces her. Or looking at her like she's the best thing in a building full of things worth saving.

She says his report could ruin her life.

He says she's not wrong.

She says that's makes him the last person she should want around.

He says he's staying anyway.

Because some legacies (and people) are worth fighting for.

Excerpt 

Copyright 2026, Author Cissy Mecca & Author Tina Gallagher

Hold on a second. Since when can't we start with the sex scene? That's some kind of bullshit." Everyone laughed. I was pretty sure they thought I was kidding. I wasn't. One simply didn't joke about really good sex scenes, especially when the hero drags the heroine up his chest to sit on his face. "We always start with our overall thoughts of the book," Tiff said, her eyes dancing. She was the leader of our sometimes-unruly pack, but even she couldn't keep the grin off her face. We were sitting in the back corner of The Brew, the coffee shop that served as the heart of the Lochwell. The smell of roasted beans and old wood settled around us like a blanket. Outside, the Finger Lakes sun was beginning to dip, but inside, the heat was all on the pages of this month's pick. "My overall thought is that the hero needs to stop talking and start doing more of... that," I said, tapping the cover. This was my life. My sanctuary. These women were my family, and this building—this beautiful, crumbling, historic brewery—was my soul. I’d spent three years making sure every brick was in place, every tenant was happy, and every cup of coffee was perfect. I was the operations manager. I was the fixer. And I was damn good at it. But as I looked at the door, I saw him. The man who didn't belong here. The man with the expensive suit and the professional audit folder tucked under an arm that looked like it belonged on a Roman statue. Alexander Grassi. He wasn't here for the book club. He was here to decide if the Lochwell was worth saving, or if he was going to recommend his best friend sell it to the highest bidder. He caught my eye through the glass, and for a second, the banter of the book club faded into static. He didn't look like a villain. He looked like a man who knew exactly how much trouble I was about to give him. And God help me, I knew exactly how much trouble he was going to be for me. 

About Cissy Mecca

A "recovering" 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes... from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.

Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon 

About Tina Gallagher

Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.

Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Website | Amazon 

 

Spotlight: Excerpt from Fake It Until IT's Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca

 

Jess Harper finally has the fresh start she was looking for until she needs a fake date to survive her ex’s wedding weekend. Caleb Ward is the reliable, closed-off man who agrees to help, expecting nothing more than a favor. But when their pretend relationship starts to feel real, they’ll have to decide if they’re brave enough to risk everything for something neither of them believed they deserved. Readers who enjoy steamy fake dating romances will devour Fake It Until It’s Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca, a small-town, forced proximity romance.

Read Now! 

She's afraid she's too much. He's convinced he'll never be enough.

Maplemoor is Jess Harper's fresh start. A quiet place to rebuild after a future that never happened. Now she has a book club that feels like family, a coffee shop that knows her order, and a life that finally feels steady again.

What she doesn't have is a date to her best friend's wedding—the one where her ex and his brand-new fiancée will also be there.

Enter Caleb Ward. Dependable. Steady. The kind of man who shows up before you even have to ask—for everyone except himself. He's got a life in Maplemoor that works for him, but when it comes to love, he keeps his walls firmly in place—and exactly where he wants them.

Agreeing to be Jess's date to the wedding is just a favor. Nothing more.

Until it isn't.

One weekend together. One very convincing performance.

Turns out the line between pretending and real is thinner than either of them thought. The hard part is knowing which side they're on.

Add to Goodreads!

 Excerpt 

Copyright 2026, Author Tina Gallagher & Author Cissy Mecca

When he kissed me, it felt deliberate.

Not rushed. Not distracted. Just…there.

Present.

His hands settled at my waist like he had nowhere else he needed to be, no next step he was trying to get to.

And that was new.

Because in my experience, kissing was usually a means to an end. Something you moved through on the way to something else.

But this?

This felt like the point.

When he pulled back, it wasn’t far.

His forehead rested lightly against mine, his breath warm against my lips.

For a second, neither of us moved.

My eyes stayed closed, like opening them would break whatever this was.

My heart was beating too fast—loud enough that I was sure he could hear it.

And maybe he could, because his thumb brushed slowly along my jaw, like he was paying attention to every tiny reaction.

Like he was cataloging it.

Like it mattered.

My eyes opened.

His gaze dropped to my mouth again, like he wasn’t quite done.

And then he kissed me again.

Softer this time.

Slower.

No urgency. No hesitation. Just intention.

My fingers curled lightly into the front of his shirt, not pulling him closer, just…holding on.

He didn’t rush.

Didn’t push.

He just stayed there with me, like this moment—this exact moment—was enough.

And that was what undid me.

Because I wasn’t used to that.

Wasn’t used to someone not trying to get somewhere else.

Wasn’t used to someone who seemed perfectly content to just be here.

With me.

When he finally pulled back, it was gradual, like he wasn’t entirely convinced he should.

His hands stayed at my waist.

Mine stayed where they were.

Neither of us stepped away.

There was something in his expression now that hadn’t been there before.

Not uncertainty.

Not surprise.

Just awareness.

Of me.

Of this.

Of whatever this had just shifted into.

And suddenly, it didn’t feel like pretending anymore.

 About 

Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea. 

Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub | Newsletter | Website | Amazon 

 About Cissy Mecca

A "recovering" 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes... from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.

 Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon 

 

2 in 1: Dead of Winter and Thaw of Spring by Rebecca Zanetti

Publisher: RAZ Inc., LLC
Publication Date: January 2025

Brock Osprey has spent years in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, far from civilization and even farther from his past. A former Navy Seal, Brock is now the unwilling protector of Knife's Edge, a remote town with more secrets than residents. But when FBI agent Ophelia Spilazi arrives to investigate the unsolved murder of his guardian—and recent unexplained deaths in the area—Brock's carefully guarded world is thrown into chaos.

Agent Ophelia Spilazi has one last chance to save her career, and Knife's Edge is her shot. The isolated town is full of secrets, and she's certain Brock knows more than he's letting on. The town's recent string of mysterious deaths only heightens her suspicion, but the more time she spends with the brooding Alaskan, the harder it becomes to ignore the dangerous chemistry between them.

As a brutal storm traps them in the isolated wilderness, Brock and Ophelia's growing attraction ignites, even as shadows from their pasts threaten to tear them apart. But with a dangerous conspiracy and powerful enemies lurking in the shadows, their only hope is to trust each other—before the wilderness consumes them both.

Dead of Winter is the first in the  Knife's Edge series.  This one is Brock and Ophelia's story.  It was a fairly good start to the series.  I liked that Brock and Ophelia had chemistry from the start.  However, I did think their love story was a bit insta-love though.  I mean the story only takes place over a time span of a week or so.    The main mystery (and the reason that Ophelia was in Knife's Edge) was solved in this one, but we are left hanging on a few others. There are a couple of mysteries that seem like they will carry through the entire series.  I enjoyed the book enough to pick up the next book right away.

Pulisher: RAZ Inc., LLC

Publication Date: September 2025

Christian Osprey prefers the wilderness to the company of people. A former Navy Special Operator, he’s built for isolation and thrives in the untamed wild. He doesn’t want ties, doesn’t need anyone—but he can’t seem to stay away from Amka, the soft-eyed tavern owner who always greets him with a warm smile, a hot cup of coffee, and no expectations.

Amka Pinga has spent her life being strong for everyone else, even as her own life unravels. Trapped in an engagement that feels more like a cage, she’s tangled in obligations that threaten to break her spirit. Christian’s quiet strength feels like a lifeline she doesn’t dare reach for—but danger is circling Knife’s Edge, and this time, she’s at the center of it.

When Amka becomes a target, Christian will stop at nothing to protect her. But their simmering attraction explodes into something fierce and undeniable, and keeping her close blurs the line between protection and possession. In a town where secrets run deeper than the icy rivers and trust is as treacherous as thin ice, survival means risking everything—even their hearts.

So far, I think that this one will be my favorite couple of the series.  I devoured this one.  This one is Christian and Amka's story.  These two really intrigued me from the first book.  Amka is engaged, but no one can really figure out why she would want to be with a man like her fiancé.  Especially Christian.  But when someone keeps trying to kill Amka, he knows he has to protect her.  Their chemistry was off the chart.  I loved how Amka just understood what Christian needed to not feel like he was caged in.  I also enjoyed the mystery.  I was definitely surprised.  There were also a couple of other surprises that I can't wait to see how they play out later in the series.  I highly recommend this series.

Review: Six Must Die by Victoria Wlosok

Author: Victoria Wlosok
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 2026

Twelve months ago, an escape room fire took everything from Steffi Zamekova. In just one hour, she lost it all: her popular blog, her close-knit inner circle, and her memories of the night that killed one of the group’s own… the charismatic (if infuriating) Matt Cesari.

On the anniversary of the bewildering tragedy, Steffi is still desperate to piece together what went wrong. So when she receives an ominous invitation in the mail summoning her to the new escape room across town, she seizes the chance for answers.

Reunited with her former friends, Steffi sees the game as a last chance to uncover the truth behind Matt’s death. But it’s soon clear that each participant has their own cagey reasons for accepting the challenge. And as tensions rise and the players are picked off one by one, it’s a race against the clock for Steffi to uncover their secrets and unlock her own memories before the game’s mastermind ensures that no one escapes the room alive.

 Six Must Die is a book that is right up my alley.  I love escape room/ closed room mystery type books.  This one takes place a year after the a fire took a one Steffi's best friends.  Now she and the survivors have all been invited to try a new escape room. Despite their reservations, Steffi and the group agree to try it out.

 I really enjoyed this one.  I liked that no one was safe. The deaths were the right amount of gore for a b-grade horror movie, if this was a movie.  The puzzles were fun and I made really invested in the story.  I liked all of the characters, especially Steffi.  There were a few twists that kept my interest.  One of them I did call, but it didn't ruin the story for me.  One thing that I also really appreciated was the ending.  I love when it's wrapped up nicely and as a reader closure for the characters is always appreciated.  I highly recommend this one.

Review: They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours

Author: Channelle Desamours
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: February 2026

Every year horror-loving Simone Washington throws an epic Halloween party for her classmates. Party-planning is her favorite escape from the dark secrets in her past, and this year, she’s taking things up a notch with an invitation-only event to celebrate her eighteenth birthday—something that will leave the halls of Pinegrove Academy flooded with gossip about the big ghoulish bash. The overnight stay at Doll’s Head Lake will be filled with spooky pranks and scary stories told by the fire—including the legend of a local witch named Regret.

But those dark secrets from Simone’s past are forced to the surface at the party when her best friend Kira dies under questionable circumstances. The witch appears and offers Simone a deal: if Simone can figure out how to release Regret from the curse trapping her at the lake within fourteen days, all of Simone’s regrets will be erased. If Simone accepts, Kira’s life will be immediately restored. But if she fails, Kira will die again—and Simone will be the one to kill her.

They Call Her Regret is a book I probably should have just DNF'd  but I didn't really have anything else to listen to at the time, so I just finished it.  I really did not like any of the characters.  Even Simone, the main character.  How any of these people were friends is a mystery.  The premise seemed promising, but the pace was slow and I got to the point that I didn't care if Simone figured it all out or not. There was one twist in the end that I did like, but it wasn't enough to redeem the book for me.  I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this book, so maybe give it a try.

Spotlight: Excerpt from Five Summers From Now by Michelle Dayton

 

A breakup on the way to a Fourth of July getaway was supposed to be the end for Merritt and Ben until a strange accident sends them five years into a future neither of them remembers. No longer together and surrounded by lives that have shifted in unexpected ways, Merritt and Ben must piece together what went wrong between them and their once-tight friend group. As old feelings reignite and hidden truths are exposed, the past and present collide in ways they never anticipated. Readers who enjoy heartfelt second-chance romances, stories with emotional time slips, and a love that refuses to fade will devour Five Summers from Now, a steamy new romance from Michelle Dayton.
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They were supposed to spend the Fourth of July weekend with their closest friends—fireworks, laughter, traditions. Instead, Merritt Sullivan and Ben Samuels broke up on the drive to the lake, before the first spark lit the sky.

But after a strange accident on the dock, they wake up to find that everything’s changed. It’s five years later. They’re no longer a couple. Their friends’ lives have shifted in ways they never saw coming. Careers, relationships, even loyalties have rearranged—some for the better, some painfully worse. And neither of them remembers the years in between.

Forced to navigate a future they don’t recall, Merritt and Ben must work together to understand what fractured not only their relationship, but their entire friend group. The only way back—if going back is even possible—is to face the heartbreak they once tried to outrun.

As old feelings resurface and new truths come to light, they’ll have to decide: is the future worth keeping…or worth rewriting?

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Excerpt 

Copyright 2026, Author Michelle Dayton

Tears formed and slid down my cheeks. I dashed them away with one hand, silent, not wanting to break the spell. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ben’s right hand jerk in my direction as if he wanted to touch me, needed to touch me, but then realized he shouldn’t.

Oh, to hell with it.

I reached over, grabbed his hand, and pulled it to my heart. I bent my head and pressed my lips to it. He’d said his brother’s name to me, for the first time ever.

A broken sound escaped his mouth at the feel of my lips on his skin. The next thing I knew, he was pulling me into his arms, the tight confines of the car be damned.

He pushed the driver’s side seat back, settled me onto his lap sideways, and held on to me for dear life, panting into my neck.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, winding my arms around his neck and stroking through the hair on the back of his head. “It’s okay.”

I closed my eyes and breathed him in, the Downy fabric softener and chlorine scent of my Ben. His arms tightened around my waist, and I let myself luxuriate in his embrace. God, I hadn’t felt this safe in ages. I’d been so angry with him for so long. Even when we hugged, it was perfunctory and quick. I hadn’t let myself cling or need him. Hadn’t let him hold me or need me.

I’d taken his hand because he needed comfort. We both did. This was his body’s response to my earlier apology. He didn’t have the words, so holding me like this was his way of showing me he forgave me.

But now, the embrace was changing for me. It was becoming about need. All about need. I needed to feel his chest expand and contract, needed to feel his breath against my bare neck, needed his hands tugging on the strands of my hair.

I was suddenly hot all over, despite the air-conditioning. It’d been so many months since he’d touched me, and even if this embrace was simply in the spirit of forgiveness and comfort, my body was responding in a very not-PG way.

“Merritt,” Ben whispered.

I pulled my face back, brushing my cheek against his on my way to eye contact.

He stared up at me, at my mouth, his pupils expanding and obliterating the blue. When I sucked in my bottom lip, he groaned in the back of his throat. “If you don’t want to be kissed, you better get the hell off my lap.”

Instead, I gripped the seat behind his shoulders and used it as a brace as I twisted my body upright and carefully brought my right leg over to straddle him.

Later, I’d probably kick myself for this. Escalating things with Ben at this moment made about as much sense as the defeat of the aliens in Independence Day, but common sense didn’t stand a chance against the desire in Ben’s eyes, my racing heart, and the singing sense of rightness in my veins every time his mouth was on mine.

Ben’s body was taut with restraint as he waited for my right knee to find purchase on the seat cushion between him and the door. The very instant my weight stabilized, he cupped the back of my neck and drew my face to his, claiming my mouth.

About Michelle Dayton 

There are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.

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Release Blitz: Excerpt from Fake It Until It's Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca

Jess Harper finally has the fresh start she was looking for until she needs a fake date to survive her ex’s wedding weekend. Caleb Ward is the reliable, closed-off man who agrees to help, expecting nothing more than a favor. But when their pretend relationship starts to feel real, they’ll have to decide if they’re brave enough to risk everything for something neither of them believed they deserved. Readers who enjoy steamy fake dating romances will devour Fake It Until It’s Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca, a small-town, forced proximity romance.

She's afraid she's too much. He's convinced he'll never be enough.
Maplemoor is Jess Harper's fresh start. A quiet place to rebuild after a future that never happened. Now she has a book club that feels like family, a coffee shop that knows her order, and a life that finally feels steady again.
What she doesn't have is a date to her best friend's wedding—the one where her ex and his brand-new fiancée will also be there.
Enter Caleb Ward. Dependable. Steady. The kind of man who shows up before you even have to ask—for everyone except himself. He's got a life in Maplemoor that works for him, but when it comes to love, he keeps his walls firmly in place—and exactly where he wants them.
Agreeing to be Jess's date to the wedding is just a favor. Nothing more.
Until it isn't.
One weekend together. One very convincing performance.
Turns out the line between pretending and real is thinner than either of them thought. The hard part is knowing which side they're on.

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Excerpt 

Copyright 2026, Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca

When I finally ended the kiss, I didn’t go far.

My hands stayed where they were, steady at her waist, like I wasn’t ready to let go completely.

Her eyes stayed closed for a second longer, her breathing uneven against my mouth.

Then, slowly, she opened them.

There was a softness there I hadn’t seen before.

Not uncertainty. Not surprise. Just awareness.

Of me. Of this.

My gaze dropped down to her lips, glossy and slightly swollen from my kiss.

I brushed my thumb along the curve of her jaw, tipping her face up just enough.

And then I kissed her again.

Not hungry this time. Not searching.

Just slow.

Intentional.

When I finally pulled back, I rested my forehead against hers for a brief second, breathing her in.

I wasn’t staying long.

But I wasn’t leaving just yet.

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About Tina Gallagher

Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.

 

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About Cissy Mecca

A "recovering" 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes... from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.

 

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