🏰 Author: Tricia O’Malley
💰 FREE
Opposites Attract Magical Romance

Opposites attract in this modern-day fairytale when American, Sophie MacKnight, inherits a Scottish castle along with a hot grumpy Scotsman who is tasked with training her to be a magickal knight before the Kelpies wreak havoc on the people of Loren Brae.

The knight was supposed to be a man.

Not me, Sophie MacKnight, a marketing associate from California.

This must be a practical joke that the Scots play on visiting Americans. Because otherwise I’ve inherited a haunted castle in Scotland, along with one irritatingly sexy Scotsman, who would be delighted if I turned tail and ran.

Frankly, I thought I would fly here, sell the heap of bricks, and head back home to a life that I…well, I was comfortable with at the very least. Instead, the people of Loren Brae are in trouble, and it appears that as the new owner of the castle, I’m next in line to reinstate the magickal Order of Caledonia. Which means, first, I have to learn to believe in magick. And secondly, I have to train to become a knight.

And my trainer? None other than Lachlan Campbell, the grumpiest man I’ve ever had the annoyance of meeting. It’s a toss-up who is pricklier, Lachlan, or his kilted Chihuahua, Sir Buster. Not only does Lachlan think that I can’t hack it, but he also resents my claim on his castle.

If only he didn’t look so devastatingly hot in his kilt.

Now, I’m stuck proving myself to him, all while trying to figure out how to help my new friends in Loren Brae.

Sparks fly as our swords meet, and we battle our rising attraction for each other.

Who will win in this (Highland) game of love?

Tricia O’Malley writes contemporary romance with magical realism elements, specializing in stories where ordinary women discover they’re destined for extraordinary things—usually involving hot men, ancient magic, and locations that are characters in their own right. 🌟 Her Isle of Destiny and Mystic Cove series have attracted readers who want their romance grounded in real emotion despite supernatural stakes, featuring heroines who are skeptical about magic but can’t deny chemistry.

What makes this special: The fish-out-of-water setup is immediately appealing—California marketing associate Sophie inherits a Scottish castle and discovers she’s supposed to be a magickal knight protecting the town from Kelpies (water horses from Scottish folklore that drown people). 🗡️ The “knight was supposed to be a man” establishes both the comedy (Sophie is hilariously unqualified) and the feminist angle (she’ll prove women can be knights too). Lachlan Campbell being the “grumpiest man” who resents Sophie’s claim on “his castle” creates peak grumpy/sunshine dynamics—he doesn’t want her there, she doesn’t want to be there, but they’re stuck together while he trains her. ⚔️ The detail about Lachlan having a “kilted Chihuahua” named Sir Buster is perfect character shorthand—he’s simultaneously tough and ridiculous. The real hook is Sophie having to “learn to believe in magick” before she can access her powers, which means overcoming American skepticism and accepting that her comfortable California life wasn’t her destiny. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The sword-fighting-as-foreplay angle (“Sparks fly as our swords meet”) promises physical tension and literal sparring. If you’ve loved Nora Roberts’s paranormal trilogies (ordinary women discovering magical destinies), Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches (academic discovers she’s a witch), or any romance where the heroine must save a small magical community while falling for her irritating instructor, O’Malley delivers similar enchantment. And it’s FREE, making this zero-risk entry into Scottish magical romance that promises kilts, castles, and combat training.

🚀 Author: Vera Nazarian
💰 FREE
Dystopian Science Fiction

The Atlantis Grail has been optioned for development as a feature film series and/or TV series.

You have two options. You die, or you Qualify.

The year is 2047. An extinction-level asteroid is hurtling toward Earth, and the descendants of ancient Atlantis have returned from the stars in their silver ships to offer humanity help.

But there’s a catch.

They can only take a tiny percent of the Earth’s population back to the colony planet Atlantis. And in order to be chosen, you must be a teen, you must be bright, talented, and athletic, and you must Qualify.

Sixteen-year-old Gwenevere Lark is determined not only to Qualify but to rescue her entire family.

Because there’s a loophole.

If you are good enough to Qualify, you are eligible to compete in the brutal games of the Atlantis Grail, which grants all winners the laurels, high tech luxuries, and full privileges of Atlantis Citizenship. And if you are in the Top Ten, then all your wildest wishes are granted… Such as curing your mother’s cancer.

There is only one problem.

Gwen Lark is known as a klutz and a nerd. While she’s a hotshot in classics, history, science, and languages, the closest she’s come to sports is a backyard pool and a skateboard.

This time she is in over her head, and in for a fight of her life, against impossible odds and world-class competition—including Logan Sangre, the most amazing guy in her school, the one she’s been crushing on, and who doesn’t seem to know she exists.

Vera Nazarian is an award-winning author who writes science fiction that combines high-concept premises with deep emotional stakes, creating stories where saving humanity and getting the guy are equally important. 🌍 The Atlantis Grail series has attracted devoted readers who want their dystopian sci-fi with competition drama, romantic tension, and protagonists who aren’t naturally gifted warriors but must become them to survive.

Here’s what you’re getting: The premise is The Hunger Games meets Ender’s Game meets ancient alien mythology—Earth faces extinction, and only teens who pass brutal qualification tests can be saved. 💫 The stakes are literally planetary: fail to Qualify, and you die with everyone else when the asteroid hits. But Nazarian adds a twist: if you’re good enough to win the Atlantis Grail competition, you can bring your whole family AND cure your mother’s cancer. That “loophole” transforms this from simple survival into sacrifice—Gwen isn’t just trying to save herself, she’s trying to save everyone she loves despite being completely unqualified. 🎯 The setup is perfect underdog territory: Gwen is a “klutz and a nerd” who excels at academics but has zero athletic ability, competing against world-class athletes for spots that require physical prowess. The romantic subplot (Logan Sangre, her crush who doesn’t know she exists, is also competing) adds Hunger Games Peeta/Katniss dynamics where survival and romance intersect. 💕 The ancient Atlantis angle distinguishes this from typical alien invasion stories—these aren’t just advanced aliens, they’re humanity’s mythological ancestors returning to judge whether we’re worthy of salvation. The “descendants of ancient Atlantis” framing suggests humans and Atlanteans share DNA, making this more complicated than simple rescue. 🏛️ Nazarian’s world-building promises both high-tech sci-fi (silver ships, colony planets, advanced citizenship privileges) and ancient mystery (why did Atlantis leave Earth? Why are they coming back now?). If you’ve loved Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games (teens competing in deadly games), Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game (gifted kids trained for war), or any YA dystopian where the underdog must become a warrior, Nazarian delivers similar intensity with added ancient alien mythology. And it’s FREE for the complete first book, letting you test whether this series becomes your next dystopian obsession.

⚓ Author: Jeff Edwards
💰 FREE
Military Thrillers

A routine Coast Guard inspection of a cargo ship in the Caribbean turns into a vicious firefight with unidentified commandos. The second attempt to board the vessel ends with a nuclear detonation.

North Korea has been smuggling short and intermediate-range missiles into Cuba. An unknown number of nuclear warheads are hidden less than 100 miles from the tip of Florida. Every American city east of San Antonio is in the target zone.

Scrambling to stop the flow of weapons to Cuba, the president orders the Atlantic Fleet to surround the island, cutting off all access. It’s the Cuban Missile Crisis all over again, but this time there won’t be a diplomatic resolution. The North Koreans have developed a secret weapon that rips through the blockade with ease, leaving burning ships in its wake.

Against this unimagined threat stand a small detachment of United States Marines and a cutting-edge destroyer that’s never been tested in combat. It’s a battle we never expected to fight, against an enemy we can barely comprehend…

Praise for Jeff Edwards Novels:

“Jeff Edwards has created a superb thriller that grips the reader from beginning to end. Brilliantly executed.” —CLIVE CUSSLER, International bestselling author of ‘The Rising Sea’ and ‘Raise the Titanic’

Jeff Edwards is a retired U.S. Navy weapons officer who served aboard multiple warships and submarines, giving his military thrillers the technical authenticity that only comes from actual service. 🎖️ His novels have attracted readers who want their naval warfare detailed, plausible, and terrifying, featuring cutting-edge military technology confronting threats that test American naval superiority.

Why I’m including this: Edwards takes Cold War fears and updates them for modern threats—it’s the Cuban Missile Crisis except North Korea is the aggressor, nuclear weapons are already in Cuba, and diplomatic solutions are off the table. ☢️ The opening escalation is perfectly calibrated: routine Coast Guard inspection becomes firefight, second attempt ends with nuclear detonation. That progression from “checking cargo” to “nuclear explosion” happens in two sentences, establishing Edwards’s breakneck pacing. 💥 The geography is nightmare fuel: every American city east of San Antonio is in range of the hidden missiles, meaning the entire Eastern seaboard plus major cities like Houston, Austin, and New Orleans face nuclear annihilation. The stakes couldn’t be higher. 🚢 What makes this more than simple military porn is the “secret weapon that rips through the blockade with ease”—America’s Atlantic Fleet should easily contain Cuba, but North Korea has developed something that destroys ships faster than the Navy can react. That technological surprise transforms this from “America flexes military muscle” into “America discovers it’s outmatched.” 🔥 The David vs. Goliath framing (“small detachment of United States Marines and a cutting-edge destroyer” against an enemy with game-changing technology) promises desperate last stands and improvisation over overwhelming force. Edwards’s Clive Cussler endorsement signals this delivers the same kind of nautical action that made Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels bestsellers. ⚓ If you’ve loved Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October (Cold War naval thriller), Dale Brown’s aircraft-based military thrillers, or any techno-thriller where American military might faces an unexpected threat, Edwards delivers similar authenticity grounded in his Navy experience. And it’s FREE, making this zero-risk reading for anyone who wants their military thrillers realistic, fast-paced, and terrifying.

🌾 Author: Ephraim Zook
💰 FREE
Sustainable Living

Updated 2026 Illustrated Edition – Includes 5 Must-Have Self-Sufficiency Resources!

40+ Amish-Inspired Guides, Step-by-Step Illustrations, 5 Bonuses – Absolutely EVERYTHING YOU NEED to Live 100% Off the Land & Break Free From Modern Society

The ONLY Self-Sufficiency Manual You’ll Ever Need – Master Homesteading, Survival, & Natural Living Without Relying on the Grid

Ready to take control of your life and escape the trap of modern dependency? 🏡
Tired of skyrocketing bills, fragile supply chains, and the constant noise of the digital world?
Want the peace, skills, and security that come from living completely on your own terms?

Self-Sufficiency Is No Longer a Dream—It’s a Lifeline

Even if you never go fully “off-grid,” you’ll sleep easier knowing you can feed, clothe, and care for your family—no matter what happens in the outside world. 💪 This isn’t just about survival—it’s about rediscovering freedom, resilience, and the timeless skills our ancestors used to thrive.

Here’s Just a Glimpse Inside The All In One Amish Survival Manual…

📖 The Amish Mindset of True Independence – How to think, plan, and live with zero reliance on modern systems.
🌱 Homesteading From Scratch – Grow nutrient-rich food year-round, even on a small plot of land.
⚡ DIY Off-Grid Power – Build simple, reliable systems to keep the lights on without touching the grid.
🥫 Canning & Food Preservation the Amish Way – Store food for years without chemicals, plus genius off-grid cooking methods.
🌿 Herbal Home Remedies – 25+ Natural Treatments for Common Illnesses, Cuts, Burns, and More.
🔨 Traditional Craftsmanship Skills – From woodworking to sewing, master the arts that make self-reliance possible.
🐓 Raising & Caring for Livestock – Chickens, goats, rabbits, and more—plus low-maintenance options if you can’t keep animals.
💧 Water Sourcing & Purification – How to secure fresh drinking water anywhere, anytime.
🔥 Simple but Powerful Survival Skills – Including fire-starting, shelter-building, and keeping warm in freezing conditions.
🤝 Community & Barter Systems – Build relationships and trade goods like the Amish do for a thriving, money-free network.

Ephraim Zook writes practical guides to sustainable living inspired by Amish traditions, focusing on skills that allow modern people to reduce dependence on fragile systems. 🛠️ His manuals have attracted readers who want actionable, illustrated instructions for homesteading, off-grid living, and self-sufficiency without romanticizing or oversimplifying the Amish lifestyle.

What makes this special: This isn’t philosophical musing about simple living—it’s a comprehensive manual with 40+ guides and step-by-step illustrations for actually doing the work. 📚 The Amish angle provides centuries-tested methods: these aren’t experimental techniques but proven systems that have sustained communities without electricity, grocery stores, or modern medicine. The scope is extraordinary: food production, energy generation, water purification, livestock care, herbal medicine, traditional crafts, and even barter economy building. 🌟 Zook understands most readers won’t go full Amish (hence “even if you never go fully ‘off-grid'”) but recognizes that having the skills and knowledge to survive without modern systems provides security and peace of mind in increasingly uncertain times. The updated 2026 edition with illustrations addresses the learning curve—you’re not just reading theory but seeing exactly how to build a root cellar, preserve meat, or set up rainwater collection. 🎯 The “break free from modern society” framing taps into growing anxiety about supply chain fragility, energy grid vulnerability, and dependence on systems we can’t control. Whether you’re a prepper worried about societal collapse, a homesteader trying to reduce costs, or simply someone who wants to know you could survive if everything went wrong, this provides the blueprint. 🏠 If you’ve loved books by Carla Emery (Encyclopedia of Country Living), John Seymour (The Self-Sufficient Life), or any practical homesteading guide that focuses on doing rather than dreaming, Zook delivers similar comprehensive instruction. And it’s FREE, making this invaluable knowledge accessible to anyone ready to start their self-sufficiency journey.

🥧 Author: Louise Davidson
💰 FREE
Dessert Baking

Take a stroll down memory lane with old-fashioned pie recipes our mothers, grandmothers, and previous generations made in the days that are still amazing today!

Gone are the days when baking a homemade pie meant there was a special occasion, may it be a birthday, holiday, or some other family event. 🎂 Many remember this tradition with fondness, recalling pies as one of the most beloved comfort food. Those were the days when mom or grandma had prepared a special pie packed with love and deliciousness.

For many, there is nothing like a kitchen filled with the fragrant scent of freshly baked pie, especially when combined with the rewarding joy of making one from scratch. ✨ Some even say there’s something almost spiritual about the baking of pies. Every slice is a testament to the maker’s love and devotion. This is perhaps why old-fashioned, home-baked pies come with so many warm, fuzzy feelings and memories.

Inside this cook, you’ll discover a brief history of pies, some helpful tips to make the perfect pie, and a few pie crust recipes so you won’t have to rely on the store-bought ones. 📖 And of course, you’ll also find over 90 delicious vintage pie recipes including:

CUSTARD PIES
Flapper Pie
Vinegar Pie
Boston Cream Pie

CHOCOLATE PIES
Chocolate Custard Pie
Frozen Mud Pie
Cocoa Cream Pie

SUGAR AND OTHER SWEET PIES
Sugar Cream Pie
Maple Syrup Pie
Burnt Caramel Pie

SPECIAL OCCASION PIES
Italian Easter Pie
Fruit Cocktail Eggnog Pie
Funeral Pie

NUT AND DRIED FRUIT-BASED PIES
Caramel Pecan Pie
Praline Pie
Hillbilly Pie

APPLE-BASED PIES
Johnny Appleseed Pie
King Kamehameha Pie
Marlborough Pie

BERRY PIES
Mom’s Strawberry Pie
Old-Fashioned Gooseberry Pie
Impossible Cherry Pie

CITRUSY PIES
Lemon Cream Pie
Lemonade Chiffon Pie
Lime Cheesecake Pie

COCONUT AND PINEAPPLE PIES
Pineapple Cream Pie
Millionaire Pie
Sawdust Pie

OTHER FRUITY PIES
Mom’s Vintage Rhubarb Pie
Banana Rum Pie
Peach Parfait Pie

Recipes come with a detailed list of ingredients, the number of servings, the prep and cooking times, easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, and nutrition facts.

Louise Davidson writes nostalgic cookbooks that preserve traditional recipes from earlier eras, focusing on dishes that have largely disappeared from modern kitchens despite being beloved by previous generations. 🍰 Her collections have attracted bakers who want to recreate the tastes of their childhood or discover vintage recipes that deserve revival.

Why I’m including this: This is culinary archaeology—90+ pie recipes that your great-grandmother made but that have largely vanished from modern baking. 📜 The names alone are worth the download: Flapper Pie (1920s), Vinegar Pie (Depression-era when ingredients were scarce), Funeral Pie (Pennsylvania Dutch tradition), and Sawdust Pie (yes, really, and no, there’s no actual sawdust). These aren’t just recipes; they’re cultural artifacts that tell the story of American baking across different eras and regions. 🇺🇸 Davidson understands that pie-making is wrapped in nostalgia and family tradition—the “fragrant scent of freshly baked pie” and “something almost spiritual about the baking of pies” acknowledges that this isn’t just about dessert but about recreating memories and connecting with previous generations. The range is extraordinary: custard pies, chocolate pies, nut pies, fruit pies, and “special occasion pies” (Italian Easter Pie, Fruit Cocktail Eggnog Pie) that were made for specific celebrations and have specific cultural contexts. 🎉 Names like “Hillbilly Pie,” “Impossible Cherry Pie,” and “King Kamehameha Pie” promise stories behind the recipes—why were they named this? What makes them special? The inclusion of pie crust recipes means you can make everything from scratch rather than relying on store-bought shortcuts. 🥄 If you’ve loved vintage cookbooks, enjoyed historical baking (Depression-era recipes, wartime substitutions), or simply want to bake the pies your grandmother talked about, Davidson provides the complete archive. And it’s FREE, meaning you can download 90+ vintage pie recipes without spending anything—though you’ll definitely spend money on butter, flour, and sugar once you start baking.

⚓ Author: Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, Katherine V. Dillon
💰 Regularly $17.99, Today $2.99
Military Naval History

New York Times bestseller: The true story of the WWII naval battle portrayed in the Roland Emmerich film is “something special among war histories” (Chicago Sun-Times).

Six months after Pearl Harbor, the seemingly invincible Imperial Japanese Navy prepared a decisive blow against the United States. After sweeping through Asia and the South Pacific, Japan’s military targeted the tiny atoll of Midway, an ideal launching pad for the invasion of Hawaii and beyond.

But the US Navy would be waiting for them. Thanks to cutting-edge code-breaking technology, tactical daring, and a significant stroke of luck, the Americans under Adm. Chester W. Nimitz dealt Japan’s navy its first major defeat in the war. Three years of hard fighting remained, but it was at Midway that the tide turned.

This “stirring, even suspenseful narrative” is the first book to tell the story of the epic battle from both the American and Japanese sides (Newsday). Miracle at Midway reveals how America won its first and greatest victory of the Pacific war—and how easily it could have been a loss.

Gordon W. Prange was a professor of history at the University of Maryland and spent 37 years researching the Pacific War, including extensive interviews with Japanese officers and officials. His posthumously published works (completed by Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon) set the standard for Pacific War history by presenting both American and Japanese perspectives with equal rigor. Prange’s access to Japanese sources unavailable to other Western historians gave his work unprecedented balance and depth.

What makes this special: The Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942) was the turning point of the Pacific War—the moment when Japan’s seemingly unstoppable advance was halted and reversed. Prange’s genius lies in showing how close the battle came to going the other way. “How easily it could have been a loss” isn’t hyperbole—American victory depended on code-breakers decrypting Japanese communications, pilots making split-second decisions, and pure luck placing American dive bombers in exactly the right place at exactly the right time to catch Japanese carriers with their decks full of armed aircraft. The dual perspective (American and Japanese) transforms this from simple triumphalism into genuine historical analysis. Prange shows what Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was thinking, why Japanese commanders made the decisions they did, and how tactical mistakes on both sides shaped the outcome. The code-breaking element adds espionage thriller dimensions to naval combat—the Americans knew Midway was the target but had to pretend they didn’t, while using that intelligence to position their inferior forces for maximum impact. Understanding that the US won despite having fewer ships, fewer aircraft, and less experienced pilots makes the victory more remarkable, not less. If you’ve loved Walter Lord’s Incredible Victory (another Midway account), Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken (Pacific War survival), or James Hornfischer’s naval histories, Prange delivers similar narrative drive grounded in exhaustive research. At $2.99 (down from $17.99), you’re getting a New York Times bestseller that’s considered definitive on one of WWII’s most important battles for less than the cost of lunch.

👗 Author: Natasha Lester
💰 Regularly $9.99, Today $2.99
Historical World War II Fiction

For readers of Lilac Girls and The Nightingale comes an internationally bestselling World War II novel that spans generations, crosses oceans, and proves just how much two young women are willing to sacrifice for love and family.

1940: As the Germans advance upon Paris, young seamstress Estella Bissette is forced to flee everything she’s ever known. She’s bound for New York City with her signature gold dress, a few francs, and a dream: to make her mark on the world of fashion.

Present day: Fabienne Bissette journeys to the Met’s annual gala for an exhibit featuring the work of her ailing grandmother – a legend of women’s fashion design. But as Fabienne begins to learn more about her beloved grandmother’s past, she uncovers a story of tragedy, heartbreak and family secrets that will dramatically change her own life.

“I loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and I have a feeling that I’m going to love this dual timeline World War II novel based in war-torn France and present day.” —Debbie Macomber

“This rich, memorable novel unfolds beautifully from start to finish.” —Publishers Weekly

“Fascinating and impeccably researched.” —Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife

“A fantastically engrossing story. I love it.” —Kelly Rimmer, USA Today bestselling author

Natasha Lester is an internationally bestselling Australian author who writes dual-timeline historical fiction focusing on women’s experiences during WWII, often incorporating fashion history as both setting and metaphor. Her novels have attracted readers who want their historical fiction to celebrate women’s creativity, resilience, and ambition while acknowledging the genuine dangers and traumas of wartime. Lester’s fashion industry background gives her work authenticity that pure research can’t replicate.

Here’s what you’re getting: Estella fleeing Paris in 1940 with only “her signature gold dress, a few francs, and a dream” immediately establishes both her poverty and her determination—that gold dress represents her talent, her hope, and her identity compressed into a single garment she refused to leave behind. The fashion angle distinguishes this from typical WWII fiction: Estella isn’t joining the Resistance or working as a spy, she’s trying to build a career in an industry dominated by men during a time when women were expected to sacrifice everything for the war effort. The dual timeline structure reveals that Estella succeeded—her granddaughter Fabienne is attending the Met Gala for an exhibit celebrating Estella’s legendary fashion design career. But success came at a cost, and those “family secrets” that Fabienne uncovers presumably involve the sacrifices and compromises Estella made to survive and thrive. The Met Gala setting (fashion’s biggest night) creates perfect symmetry: Estella arrived in New York as a nobody with a single dress, and decades later her work is being honored at the pinnacle of fashion celebration. Lester’s promise of “tragedy, heartbreak and family secrets” suggests the path from refugee seamstress to fashion legend involved more than hard work and talent—there were betrayals, losses, and choices that Estella kept hidden even from family. The comparisons to The Nightingale and Lilac Girls (two of the most beloved WWII novels) and Debbie Macomber’s endorsement signal this delivers similar emotional satisfaction. If you’ve loved Kristin Hannah’s wartime family sagas, Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls, or any historical fiction that uses fashion as lens for exploring women’s lives during war, Lester offers comparable depth and heart. At $2.99 (down from $9.99), this is exceptional value for an internationally bestselling dual-timeline epic.

📖 Author: Sarah Smarsh
💰 Regularly $12.99, Today $1.99
Rural Sociology

Finalist for the National Book Award
Finalist for the Kirkus Prize
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, New York Post, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness, Bustle, and Publishers Weekly

An essential read for our times: an eye-opening memoir of working-class poverty in America that will deepen our understanding of the ways in which class shapes our country and “a deeply humane memoir that crackles with clarifying insight”.

Sarah Smarsh was born a fifth generation Kansas wheat farmer on her paternal side, and the product of generations of teen mothers on her maternal side. Through her experiences growing up on a farm thirty miles west of Wichita, we are given a unique and essential look into the lives of poor and working class Americans living in the heartland.

During Sarah’s turbulent childhood in Kansas in the 1980s and 1990s, she enjoyed the freedom of a country childhood, but observed the painful challenges of the poverty around her; untreated medical conditions for lack of insurance or consistent care, unsafe job conditions, abusive relationships, and limited resources and information that would provide for the upward mobility that is the American Dream. By telling the story of her life and the lives of the people she loves with clarity and precision but without judgement, Smarsh challenges us to look more closely at the class divide in our country.

Sarah Smarsh is an award-winning journalist and cultural critic who has spent her career writing about socioeconomic class, inequality, and the American heartland for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Harper’s. As someone who escaped generational poverty through education while most of her family remained trapped in it, Smarsh brings both insider knowledge and analytical distance to her subject. Heartland is her unflinching examination of why the American Dream remains inaccessible to millions despite their hard work.

Why I’m including this: This is essential reading for anyone trying to understand contemporary America. Smarsh dismantles the myth that poverty results from laziness or poor choices by showing how systemic forces—lack of healthcare, dangerous jobs, limited educational opportunities, teen pregnancy as economic trap—keep working-class families poor across generations despite backbreaking labor. The “fifth generation Kansas wheat farmer” and “product of generations of teen mothers” pairing shows how different kinds of poverty (rural agricultural vs. cyclical teen pregnancy) intersect to create seemingly inescapable circumstances. Smarsh’s framing—”clarity and precision but without judgement”—is crucial. She’s not writing poverty porn for liberal audiences to feel sorry for rural whites, nor is she romanticizing heartland values. She’s explaining how class works in America, why geographic and economic mobility are largely illusions, and how people she loves were failed by systems that promised opportunity. The 1980s-1990s Kansas setting is important: this is Reagan-era “Morning in America” from the perspective of people for whom nothing was getting better, during the farm crisis that destroyed family agriculture, in the heartland that politicians of both parties claim to champion while enacting policies that immiserate rural communities. The National Book Award and Kirkus Prize nominations plus New York Times bestseller status indicate this transcends memoir to become important social documentation. If you’ve loved J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy but wanted something less judgmental of poor whites, Matthew Desmond’s Evicted (ethnographic poverty study), or Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed (first-person poverty journalism), Smarsh delivers similar insight with more nuance and generosity. At $1.99 (down from $12.99), you’re getting one of the most important books about class in America for less than a gallon of gas—which is exactly the kind of economic absurdity Smarsh would note.

🏝️ Author: Lola Glass
💰 Regularly $3.99, Today $1.99
Humorous Fantasy

I’ve been thrown out of a plane and dropped on an island full of gorgeous, massive men.

Did I mention that said men are all magical fae guys competing for the right to marry me?

Yeah, it’s a mess.

Every man on the island has the same two goals:
Defeat his competitors, and win my heart.

Luckily, I know one of the guys.

We’re not exactly friends, but I can kind of trust him.

Working together secretly, we have to keep the truth hidden and play the game alongside everyone else… because there’s no way off this island without becoming someone’s mate.

SURVIVOR meets magic and epic love in this fun, steamy standalone romance with a happily ever after!

Lola Glass writes paranormal romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, creating fantasy worlds where the premise is absurd but the emotions are genuine. Her Survival of the Mated series has attracted readers who want their fae romance with reality TV competition energy, featuring heroines who are appropriately baffled by supernatural shenanigans rather than instantly accepting them.

What makes this special: The elevator pitch—”thrown out of a plane and dropped on an island full of gorgeous, massive men” competing to marry her—is The Bachelorette meets Survivor meets fae erotica, which is exactly the kind of bonkers premise paranormal romance readers love. The heroine’s “Yeah, it’s a mess” reaction signals self-aware humor—she knows this situation is ridiculous and isn’t pretending otherwise. Having one guy she already knows (but isn’t friends with, just “can kind of trust”) creates built-in romantic tension and strategic alliance possibilities. They’re secret allies in a competition where everyone else is an enemy, which is premium romance setup. The “no way off this island without becoming someone’s mate” raises the stakes beyond just winning a game—she’s trapped until she chooses, making this less frivolous than it initially appears. Glass’s promise of “fun, steamy” signals this isn’t dark paranormal with trauma and angst—it’s escapist wish fulfillment where being kidnapped by hot fae men competing for your affection is treated as inconvenient but ultimately delightful. The standalone promise means no cliffhangers or commitment anxiety. If you’ve loved Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians (absurd premise, genuine romance), Talia Hibbert’s paranormal rom-coms, or any paranormal romance that embraces its own ridiculousness while delivering satisfying relationship development, Glass offers similar energy. At $1.99 (down from $3.99), this is cheap entertainment for when you want fae men, forced proximity, and fun without having to think too hard.

🌱 Author: Samm Wilde
💰 Regularly $4.99, Today $2.49
Romantic Comedy

It’s never too late to turn over a new leaf…

Charlie
Returning to my hometown was never part of my plan. Suddenly, I find myself back where I grew up and taking over my late parents’ beloved plant store. With a permanent scowl and zero customer service skills, I have no idea how to run a business—or keep plants alive. One night, a wild dog crashes into my store, creating an absolute mess in his path. The owner? Confident, charismatic, and utterly captivating. He’s determined to break down my carefully constructed walls one brick at a time.

Finn
Burnt out, exhausted, and a bit directionless, no one warned me that moving forward could feel like moving backward. After leaving my stressful corporate job, I packed up my life and returned to my home state of Oregon, eagerly chasing my dream of opening a coffee shop. One night, my overly energetic dog barrels into a quaint plant store, causing a complete disaster. The owner? Grouchy, gorgeous, and guarded. She’s exactly what I’ve been searching for all along.

Although our paths collide in a hectic disaster, we embark on a journey to discover the true meaning of turning over a new leaf.

Samm Wilde writes contemporary romance featuring characters in transition—people returning home, starting over, or reinventing themselves after life hasn’t gone according to plan. Her Hemlock Series has attracted readers who want their rom-coms grounded in genuine emotional growth, featuring protagonists who aren’t just falling in love but also figuring out who they are and what they want from life.

Here’s what you’re getting: The dual POV immediately establishes parallel journeys—both Charlie and Finn have returned to their roots after failures elsewhere (Charlie lost her parents and inherited a business she can’t run; Finn burned out in corporate life and is chasing a dream). Charlie being described as having “a permanent scowl and zero customer service skills” running a customer-facing plant store is comedic setup gold—she’s completely unsuited to the job she’s stuck with. Finn’s “overly energetic dog” causing chaos in Charlie’s store is classic rom-com meet-cute disaster. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic (Charlie’s scowling guard vs. Finn’s confident charisma) is catnip for romance readers. Both being burnt out and directionless but approaching it differently (Charlie retreating into grumpiness, Finn pursuing dreams) creates opportunities for them to learn from each other. The plant store/coffee shop pairing suggests potential collaboration or at least complementary businesses in a small Oregon town. Wilde’s “turning over a new leaf” theme works literally (plant store) and metaphorically (starting over). The Hemlock Series branding suggests small-town setting with interconnected stories. If you’ve loved Emily Henry’s beach-town rom-coms (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation), Christina Lauren’s romantic comedies with emotional depth, or any small-town romance where the protagonists are rebuilding their lives while falling for each other, Wilde delivers similar warmth and humor. At $2.49 (down from $4.99), this is affordable comfort reading for when you want grumpy meets sunshine with houseplants and coffee shops.