A lonely man, a lonely monster, what could go wrong? Ellis There's an honesty in the turning of the earth, in the turning of the seasons, and I've always preferred its quiet, steadfast company over that of other people. Left alone with an inherited cottage and my beloved pup Rotho to look after, my days are largely given to tending the garden, save for periodic errands in town. My town's annual "sacrifice" to the "monster in the woods" is the stuff of children's rhymes and fairytales, little more than a bit of playacting and red paint. At least, it was until I saw an impossibly tall, naked, antlered creature deep in the woods. And now, even though good sense—and Rotho—caution me against my own curiosity, I can't help but tempt fate with baskets of vegetables, bread, and a growing connection to the monster - Styx. Before I realize what's been planted between us, something new has taken root. Something raspberry sweet and chocolate dark, ready to be harvested by searching hands and seeking mouths. The spooky boys series invites you to visit a world where things that go bump in the night aren’t just fantasy. These standalone novels feature monsters that are spicy, fun, and sometimes furry

A lonely man, a lonely monster, what could go wrong? Ellis There's an honesty in the turning of the earth, in the turning of the seasons, and I've always preferred its quiet, steadfast company over that of other people. Left alone with an inherited cottage and my beloved pup Rotho to look after, my days are largely given to tending the garden, save for periodic errands in town. My town's annual "sacrifice" to the "monster in the woods" is the stuff of children's rhymes and fairytales, little more than a bit of playacting and red paint. At least, it was until I saw an impossibly tall, naked, antlered creature deep in the woods. And now, even though good sense—and Rotho—caution me against my own curiosity, I can't help but tempt fate with baskets of vegetables, bread, and a growing connection to the monster - Styx. Before I realize what's been planted between us, something new has taken root. Something raspberry sweet and chocolate dark, ready to be harvested by searching hands and seeking mouths. The spooky boys series invites you to visit a world where things that go bump in the night aren’t just fantasy. These standalone novels feature monsters that are spicy, fun, and sometimes furry

Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all. London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing. After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

Arthur Hughes, flamboyant and excitable son of one of Chicago’s most prominent families, ruined his reputation when he impregnated a woman from his social circle over sixteen years ago. Ever since then, Arthur has tried to earn back the respect of his peers, as well as his parents’ love. Now, with the World’s Columbian Exposition coming to the city, Arthur believes he may finally have a chance. Eager to secure a spot as an exhibitor at Machinery Hall, Arthur purchases his second print shop, only to become besotted with one of his employees—the most intriguing man he’s ever seen.Jesse O’Connor, compositor and lead pressman, has worked hard to escape his former life. Raised behind the Union Stockyard, Jesse feels resentful that he has not yet managed to completely escape the clutches of poverty. Years back, after a member of the city’s social elite broke Jesse’s heart, he promised himself that he’d never again fall for someone with such extravagant wealth. But when one of the richest men in Chicago purchases his press shop, Jesse finds himself powerless to resist the bewitching man’s infuriating charms.Arthur and Jesse fall hard and fast, but for their love to endure, Arthur must realize that there are more important things in life than his reputation, while Jesse must let himself believe that, no matter his background, he is worthy of Arthur’s love.Set in 1893, From the Ashes is a heartfelt historical romance that explores the economic inequalities and social pressures of the Gilded Age, the flaws and merits of the World’s Fair, and how overcoming past hurts and present insecurities can be made possible through love.

I’ve already mentally prepared myself to kill the screaming, murderous monster in the cage outside our camp. I’m used to it. It’s what I do here. Kill monsters and other people. And this monster, Seraph, is particularly unstable—has been since the moment he arrived from Collector Mary’s monster menagerie to the west, where the military stashed him away. He’s in pain. I can see it. But he’s not a mindless beast. Not like some of the others think. When I start guarding him in his cage every night, I begin to see the person beneath the agony that tortures his every waking moment. I begin to see who Seraph could have been if he hadn’t been twisted into this monstrous creature. I realise that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to kill him, even for his own sake, but it doesn’t matter anyway. He’s already dying, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Not even when new visitors at our raider camp bring with them secrets about Seraph. Secrets the military has tried to hide. Secrets that reveal the true extent of the horror he’s been put through. And now… Now, I will kill anyone who tries to hurt him again.

NATE I could've done without falling asleep in the middle of a Bavarian forest and being startled awake by a massive dude with a mohawk and a beak. Seriously, why did he wait for me to wake up and free him from the stupid trap my teammates told me to set up? They said I'd catch a mythical creature that would take me to its treasure. He introduces himself as Vee and says, now that I’ve caught him, he’s my mate. What the heck? I don't want a mate with a beak, no matter how awesome his butt is or how much I want to use his cushy pecs as pillows. When he brings me into the heart of the woods, I'm afraid he'll hurt me, but thank goodness for Vee, who takes care of me. Now I just need to make it through the night without getting frisky with the chicken dude who rescued me. VITUS I can't believe I got stuck in that dumb trap, especially when it's just a flimsy net on a dying branch. The guy snoozing against the oak across the way put it up. I didn't even need to see the Greek letters on his old shirt. He was the embodiment of an American frat boy. Tourists... They always underestimate the power of Bavarian beer. I'm tempted to let him sleep. There's another part of me that's trying really hard to ignore how hot he is. I don't even like being around people and trying my best to avoid them. Taking Frat Boy home with me sucks, but I don't really have a choice. He's too drunk to get very far without freezing, and I can’t go against the oath I took as a Forest Ranger. PUCK AND PLUME is book 1 in FANGS ON ICE. It has a guaranteed HEA, and can be read as a standalone. The CW/TW: Insta Lust, Dub Con, Description of a fatal hockey accident and ensuing trauma of a witness

When a disgraced half-orc noble and a snarky half-elf thief collide during Hearthwynd’s bustling Yuletide festivities, sparks and stardust fly. Theodore Torin Greymarch, a towering warrior with a braided beard and a heart too big for his own good, isn’t looking for trouble. Stripped of his title and left wandering the streets, he just wants answers about the father he’s never met. Unfortunately, Hearthwynd is a city where good intentions are a weakness—and Vaelin Alaric is the kind of rogue who knows how to exploit that. Charming, sharp-tongued, and rocking an edgy half-shaved hairstyle that somehow works, Vaelin doesn’t do noble causes or emotional attachments. He does cons, quick cash, and vanishing before the fallout. Theo? He’s supposed to be just another mark. But when Theo’s relentless kindness and big-hearted sincerity start chipping away at Vaelin’s defenses, their dynamic shifts from clever schemes to stolen glances. What begins as a holiday scam turns into a cozy dinner with Vaelin’s family, a quest for truth, and a kiss neither of them can forget. Yuletide in Hearthwynd is full of magic, danger, and just enough mistletoe to complicate everything. Can Theo trust a man who lied to him from the start? Can Vaelin let himself believe he’s worth sticking around for? In a story of second chances, found family, and festive chaos, it turns out the greatest heist might just be stealing each other’s hearts. GARLANDS & GAUNTLETS is a cozy fantasy M/M romance novella with a healthy helping of holiday spice. Fans of size difference and cozy vibes will love this orc/elf novella!

“Not to worry, I’ll compensate you for your time and your…skill.” My boss is a walking red flag. He’s bolshy and rude. Impossible to please. A big, broody man with dark eyes that carry an unmistakable message – I am not manageable. Seriously, he’s the worst. If it’s not bad enough that he’s a nightmare in the office, he’s all but ordering me to be his date to his son’s wedding. He says it’s called ‘winning a divorce.’ I try telling him that’s not a real thing but it falls on deaf ears. Not only that, he appears to be in the throes of a major personal awakening and is determined that I’m the man to guide him through it. Normally, I’m all for going above and beyond in the name of being a star performer at work, but the services he requires are becoming increasingly indecent. See what I mean? Red flags galore. So many red flags I can’t count them all. I might as well be playing a game of red flag bingo at this point. Just my luck, when it comes to Derek MacAvoy…I see a red flag and instantly want to date it.

When tangentially ― and reluctantly ― famous Luc O'Donnell is forced back into the spotlight in the worst possible way, he has to think fast if he wants to save his floundering reputation. Enter Oliver Blackwood. Stunningly handsome and effortlessly put together, Oliver is successful, an ethical vegetarian, and has never appeared in a scandal mag evenonce. In other words, he's perfect boyfriend material and exactly what Luc needs to appear respectable again. But when their fake relationship starts to feel like real romance, Luc and Oliver might have to consider whether they're willing to fight for the truth of their new relationship…scandal, and consequences, be damned.

A century of American history unfolds through the eyes of a giant tortoise with a heightened awareness for live music, the location of edible flowers, and the nuances of human behavior in this spellbinding debut novel. Snatched from her ancestral lands, a giant tortoise finds herself in an exclusive estate in southern California where she becomes an astute observer of societal change. Her journey is one of discovery, as she learns to embrace the music of jazz and the warmth of human connection. The tortoise’s story is enriched by her bond with Takeo, the estate’s gardener, who sees her as a being with thoughts and feelings, not just a creature to be observed. The tortoise’s mind and heart are further expanded by Lucy, a young girl who names the tortoise Magic and shares a friendship that transcends species. Together, they witness the estate’s transformation into a haven for industry titans, politicians, and rock stars, each leaving their mark on the world and on Magic’s heart. The tortoise embraces her role as a muse with gusto and witnesses how diverse human harmonies and the mighty winds of social change both uplift people and tear them apart. Over the course of her lifetime, the estate changes ownership, bringing raucous Hollywood parties, and animals both familiar and unexpected. There are also threats, as the estate’s idyll is not immune to the ravages of a damaged planet. Through each era, the tortoise remains a refreshingly honest, humble, and endearing narrator whose unique vantage point illuminates the transcendent power of compassion, the unexpected connections that shape how we see ourselves and each other, and the wide-reaching effects of choice—or the lack thereof. The Tortoise’s Tale is a whimsical yet profound exploration of humanity’s entangled journey, a call to recognize the interconnectedness of all life, and the potential for healing. Kendra Coulter’s debut novel is a moving portrait of resilience and hope, perfect for fans of Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures.