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Family law attorney Gabriella Liakos has one true love, Elpitha Island, where she grew up and hopes someday to return—but Elpitha is in financial ruins, and Gabriella will do anything to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Melissa Foster continues Love in Bloom: The Ryders with contemporary romance where Duke Ryder is a savvy real estate investor set on making Elpitha into an exclusive resort, and unlike other investors, he’s not scared of purchasing a property where one family has roots so deep they practically reach the ocean floor—until he meets his beautiful, stubborn, and enticing tour host, the daughter of the owner of most of the island. 🏝️Gabriella sets out to dissuade Duke from purchasing Elpitha, but Duke has other ideas—he wants Gabriella and the island. Foster explores what happens when business acquisition meets family heritage, examining how a real estate investor accustomed to getting what he wants confronts a woman whose emotional connection to property runs deeper than any balance sheet. Duke’s powerful seduction draws Gabriella in, but can a savvy investor who’s used to glamour and glitz, and a woman interested in preserving the culture she adores find a happily ever after together? 💕
The author delivers contemporary romance where island preservation becomes personal when the woman fighting to save it is the one thing the investor wants more than the property, proving that sometimes the most valuable asset isn’t real estate but the person who loves it. Foster writes a heroine torn between financial necessity and cultural preservation, creating stakes where selling means survival but also losing everything that makes survival worthwhile. The Ryders romance asks whether love can bridge the gap between exploitation and preservation. 🌊
What makes this compelling: Contemporary romance continuing Love in Bloom: The Ryders where family law attorney Gabriella Liakos’s one true love is Elpitha Island where she grew up hoping to return—but Elpitha is in financial ruins and she’ll do anything to keep it from falling into wrong hands as savvy real estate investor Duke Ryder plans to make it an exclusive resort, not scared of purchasing property where one family has roots practically reaching the ocean floor until he meets his beautiful stubborn enticing tour host who’s the owner’s daughter—Gabriella sets out to dissuade Duke from purchasing Elpitha but Duke has other ideas wanting both Gabriella and the island, his powerful seduction drawing her in as they ask whether an investor used to glamour and a woman preserving the culture she adores can find happily ever after together.
He never intended to be a cultivator, but the heavens have another plan—Sen never dreamed of ascension as such were the aspirations of the rich young nobles, not orphans like him scraping together a meager living on the streets of Orchard’s Reach. Eric Dontigney launches Unintended Cultivator with sword and sorcery fantasy where however, when destiny takes an unexpected turn, Sen finds himself thrust into the role of a cultivator’s disciple, chosen over the nobles who once looked down on him and adopted into a makeshift family of three ancient cultivators, each with a lifetime of knowledge and insights who will teach Sen everything they can, from the art of the jian and spear to the mysteries of arcane alchemy. ⚔️Yet, on the path to defying the heavens, Sen will have to make difficult choices—he needs to decide what kind of person he wants to be and what mark he wants to leave on the world because when his training ends, he will have the power to shake the world but also formidable enemies who will do anything to put him back in his place. Dontigney explores what happens when street orphans are chosen over nobility, examining how someone with nothing to lose becomes someone with the power to reshape everything. 🔮
The author delivers sword and sorcery fantasy where cultivation isn’t just about gaining power but deciding what to do with it, proving that the heavens may choose your path but you choose who you become along it. Dontigney writes an orphan protagonist whose lack of privilege becomes his greatest strength—he has no noble expectations to meet, no family reputation to uphold, just ancient teachers willing to share lifetimes of wisdom with someone who wasn’t supposed to matter. The first Unintended Cultivator volume establishes stakes where becoming powerful means becoming a target. 💪
Why I’m including this: Sword and sorcery fantasy launching Unintended Cultivator where Sen never intended to be a cultivator or dreamed of ascension—such were rich young nobles’ aspirations, not orphans scraping meager livings on Orchard’s Reach streets—but when destiny takes an unexpected turn, Sen is thrust into a cultivator’s disciple role, chosen over nobles who once looked down on him and adopted into a makeshift family of three ancient cultivators with lifetimes of knowledge teaching him everything from the art of jian and spear to arcane alchemy mysteries, yet on the path to defying the heavens he must make difficult choices deciding what kind of person he wants to be and what mark he’ll leave because when training ends he’ll have power to shake the world plus formidable enemies who’ll do anything to put him back in his place.
It’s been seven years—seven long years since that cold and cruel Vampire King, Lucius, broke her heart, her naive little heart destroyed after one painful night she sneaked in to his Gothic nightclub, Transfusion, seven years since he humiliated her, casting her aside and telling her just what he thought about her little obsession with him. Stephanie Hudson delivers Transfusion Saga box set paranormal romance where then he saves her life—well, now he is back and this time he is out for blood, and all she can hope for is that it isn’t hers that’s on the menu because she is just your typical, ordinary, everyday girl who works and lives in London, even if she is trying to make it on her own without the safety of her family. 🧛However, growing up knowing of the supernatural world and being human definitely has its drawbacks, especially when a certain Vampire King has her in mind for a date and his dominant and forceful ways are sending her re-ignited obsession with him into overdrive—but he does like her, doesn’t he? Hudson explores what happens when youthful obsession meets adult reality seven years later, examining whether a vampire who once cruelly rejected you can become the lover who saves you. 💔
The author delivers paranormal romance where humiliation and heartbreak don’t erase obsession but complicate it, proving that sometimes the person who broke your heart is the only one who can fix it—or break it again. Hudson writes a heroine whose teenage crush survived brutal rejection to reignite when the Vampire King returns, creating tension where his dominant ways appeal to the same naive heart he destroyed years ago. The Transfusion Saga box set asks whether vampires capable of cruelty are also capable of love. 🖤
What makes this compelling: Paranormal romance Transfusion Saga box set where it’s been seven years since cold cruel Vampire King Lucius broke her naive heart after one painful night she sneaked into his Gothic nightclub Transfusion—seven years since he humiliated her, casting her aside and telling her what he thought about her little obsession with him—then he saves her life and now he’s back out for blood as she hopes it isn’t hers on the menu, being just your typical ordinary everyday London girl trying to make it on her own without family safety, though growing up knowing the supernatural world while being human has drawbacks especially when a certain Vampire King has her in mind for a date and his dominant forceful ways send her re-ignited obsession into overdrive, but he does like her, doesn’t he?
When she went to her sister’s destination wedding, she thought she was prepared for anything—she didn’t count on the sinfully gorgeous silver fox, father of the groom. Cleo White delivers age gap, forced proximity romance where in her defense, Doctor Judah Hale looks more like he plays a doctor in a TV drama rather than someone with an actual medical license, and then there’s the way he looks at her—phew, nobody is prepared for that. 🔥Attractive, overprotective doctor or not, though, she needs to keep her distance—she’s here to spend time with her family and work on getting into medical school, not thirst over her sister’s future father-in-law. White explores what happens when destination weddings trap you on an island with exactly the person you’re trying to avoid, examining how forced proximity demolishes carefully maintained boundaries. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done when they’re stuck on this island for a full week, and Judah is using every second to make her his. 💕
The author delivers age gap, forced proximity romance where doctor silver foxes ignore professional boundaries when the woman they want is their son’s soon-to-be sister-in-law, proving that family weddings create complications beyond seating charts. White writes a heroine whose medical school ambitions clash with her attraction to a man who’s both too old and too related to her sister’s new family, creating stakes where giving in means complicating everything. The novel asks whether you can resist a silver fox doctor using every second of forced island proximity to seduce you. 🏝️
Why I’m including this: Age gap, forced proximity romance where when she went to her sister’s destination wedding she thought she was prepared for anything but didn’t count on the sinfully gorgeous silver fox father of the groom—in her defense, Doctor Judah Hale looks more like he plays a doctor in TV drama rather than someone with an actual medical license, plus there’s the way he looks at her (phew, nobody is prepared for that)—attractive overprotective doctor or not, she needs to keep her distance to spend time with family and work on getting into medical school, not thirst over her sister’s future father-in-law, but that’s easier said than done when they’re stuck on this island for a full week and Judah is using every second to make her his.
Monica Montoya is the new owner of the Back Room Bookstore, an ordinary bookstore with a back door to the supernatural realm—when a man is killed at a party, her plan to live a normal life is turned upside down. Susan Harper delivers cozy mystery box set where with the help of a little magic, she seeks to bring the killer to justice, and that is just the beginning—can Monica keep her secret, solve the string of murders that keep popping up, and protect her friends, both mortal and supernatural? 📚Harper explores what happens when bookstore ownership comes with interdimensional complications, examining how running a business that bridges two worlds means your customer base includes beings who solve problems with magic rather than lawyers. The author balances cozy mystery charm with supernatural stakes, creating a world where murders require both detective work and spell work to solve. ✨
The box set delivers cozy mystery where normal life is impossible when your bookstore has a door to another realm, proving that sometimes the most dangerous thing about retail isn’t the competition but the supernatural entities with access to your back room. Harper writes a heroine whose plan for normalcy collides with reality when bodies start appearing and both mortal and supernatural friends need protection. The Back Room Bookstore series asks whether you can keep magical secrets while solving very public murders. 🔮
What makes this compelling: Cozy mystery box set where Monica Montoya is the new owner of the Back Room Bookstore, an ordinary bookstore with a back door to the supernatural realm—when a man is killed at a party, her plan to live a normal life is turned upside down and with the help of a little magic she seeks to bring the killer to justice, which is just the beginning as she asks whether she can keep her secret, solve the string of murders that keep popping up, and protect her friends both mortal and supernatural.
His Duty to Defend (Military Heroes)
He’s her best hope—when CIA agent Sabine Laduca investigates her brother’s murder, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with his Delta Force team leader, Sergeant Major Doug Richardson who hides his own secrets, but nothing will stop Sabine from finding out who killed her brother even when the CIA declares her rogue. Lisa Phillips delivers Military Heroes Christian historical romance where now not only is the killer after her, so is the agency, and only Doug can help her find the truth and keep her safe in “Double Agent,” while in “Star Witness,” after years in witness protection, Mackenzie Winters fears her cover has been blown when someone shoots at her. 🎯Could the brother of the drug lord she put away be here for revenge? Mackenzie must rely on Delta Force soldier Aaron Hanning to protect her, though Aaron doesn’t want to be anyone’s hero, but with danger stalking them, they’ll both have to make a daring choice. Phillips explores what happens when military heroes become protectors for women whose pasts have caught up with them, examining how Delta Force training translates to keeping civilians alive when enemies close in from multiple directions. ⚔️
The author delivers Christian historical romance where rogue CIA agents and witness protection failures require military intervention, proving that sometimes the only way to survive is trusting the warrior who knows how deadly the threats really are. Phillips writes heroines whose investigations and testimony created powerful enemies who won’t stop until they’re dead, creating stakes where Delta Force soldiers must choose between staying detached and becoming the heroes they claim not to be. The Military Heroes collection balances faith with tactical action. 💪
What makes this compelling: Christian historical romance Military Heroes where CIA agent Sabine Laduca investigating her brother’s murder is forced into uneasy alliance with his Delta Force team leader Sergeant Major Doug Richardson hiding his own secrets—when the CIA declares her rogue, both the killer and agency pursue her with only Doug able to help her find truth and stay safe—plus witness protection survivor Mackenzie Winters whose cover is blown when someone shoots at her must rely on Delta Force soldier Aaron Hanning who doesn’t want to be anyone’s hero as danger stalks them and they make daring choices.
In 1996 physicist Alan Sokal published an essay in Social Text—an influential academic journal of cultural studies—touting the deep similarities between quantum gravitational theory and postmodern philosophy, and soon thereafter, the essay was revealed as a brilliant parody, a catalog of nonsense written in the cutting-edge but impenetrable lingo of postmodern theorists. Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont deliver modern philosophy critique where the event sparked a furious debate in academic circles and made the headlines of newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, with Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals’ Abuse of Science expanding from where the hoax left off. 🎭In a delightfully witty and clear voice, the two thoughtfully and thoroughly dismantle the pseudo-scientific writings of some of the most fashionable French and American intellectuals, and more generally, they challenge the widespread notion that scientific theories are mere “narrations” or social constructions. Sokal and Bricmont explore what happens when postmodern theorists misuse scientific terminology to sound profound, examining how fashion in academic discourse can substitute incomprehensibility for actual insight. 🔬
The authors deliver modern philosophy analysis that proves the emperor has no clothes when postmodern intellectuals invoke quantum mechanics and relativity without understanding them, demonstrating that calling out nonsense requires both scientific expertise and willingness to be unpopular in academic circles. Sokal and Bricmont write a takedown that’s both rigorous and accessible, making complex scientific concepts clear while exposing how those same concepts get mangled beyond recognition in postmodern texts. The book asks whether academic respectability should protect obviously nonsensical writing from criticism. 📚
Why I’m including this: Modern philosophy critique where physicist Alan Sokal published an essay in influential academic journal Social Text touting deep similarities between quantum gravitational theory and postmodern philosophy—soon revealed as brilliant parody, a catalog of nonsense written in cutting-edge but impenetrable postmodern lingo, the event sparked furious academic debate and made headlines as Sokal and Jean Bricmont expand from where the hoax left off in delightfully witty clear voice, thoughtfully and thoroughly dismantling pseudo-scientific writings of fashionable French and American intellectuals while challenging the widespread notion that scientific theories are mere “narrations” or social constructions.
A struggling father is forced to work as a late-night chauffeur for a sinister presence, an unlucky salvage crew is hired to retrieve a strange object from beneath the waves, and a trio of cousins discover something unexpected in their wealthy uncle’s shed. John Beardify delivers The Midnight Library horror collection where Don’t Look Back contains eleven hair-raising tales from the award-winning author spanning strange towns to mysterious monsters with every flavor of horror—read if you dare. 👻Beardify explores what happens when ordinary people encounter the supernatural in everyday situations, examining how late-night jobs, salvage operations, and family visits become portals to terror. The author balances variety—ensuring each of the eleven tales delivers a different kind of fear—with consistency, maintaining atmospheric dread throughout. 😱
The collection delivers horror that proves monsters hide in plain sight, from sinister presences hiring desperate workers to strange objects lurking underwater to family secrets waiting in storage sheds. Beardify writes characters whose economic struggles or curiosity lead them into situations where survival isn’t guaranteed, creating stakes where the price of discovery might be death. The Midnight Library’s Don’t Look Back offers horror across the spectrum from psychological to creature-based, ensuring something will terrify every reader. 🌙
What makes this special: Horror collection from award-winning author John Beardify delivering eleven hair-raising tales in Don’t Look Back from The Midnight Library—a struggling father forced to work as late-night chauffeur for a sinister presence, an unlucky salvage crew hired to retrieve a strange object from beneath the waves, a trio of cousins discovering something unexpected in their wealthy uncle’s shed, spanning strange towns to mysterious monsters with every flavor of horror for readers who dare.
He married his incredible second wife Ellen earlier this year, and on the face of it, they have a perfect life enjoying the fruits of his lucrative career, living in a dream home with freedom to travel whenever and wherever they want—he’s still working on bridging the gap between Ellen and his two daughters who haven’t exactly warmed to her, but hey, that’s stepfamilies, isn’t it? Maria Frankland delivers psychological fiction where he’d be confident of being together forever if it wasn’t for the one thing Ellen’s desperate for, the one thing he’s struggling to give her: a child of her own. 👶After two failed attempts to reverse the reckless decision he made during his first marriage, Ellen and he are having to accept that parenthood isn’t likely to feature in their future—at least, not in the conventional way. Frankland explores what happens when desperate desire for a child meets biological impossibility, examining how far people will go when unconventional becomes the only option. One stormy night, Anthony appears at their door, stranded and in need of shelter—they let him in, offer him help, and a drink which becomes another drink before their conversation turns deeper than they ever expected. 🌧️
Then he puts forward a proposition—one that is both exhilarating and horrifying, able to give them everything they’ve ever wanted, but Anthony’s offer must be repaid. The author delivers psychological fiction where a stranger’s proposition tests marriage, morality, and how much you’re willing to sacrifice for what you want most, proving that some solutions to problems create far worse problems. Frankland writes a couple whose perfect life has one devastating flaw that makes them vulnerable to offers they should refuse but can’t. 😱
What makes this compelling: Psychological fiction where he married incredible second wife Ellen enjoying a perfect life with his lucrative career, dream home, and travel freedom—still working on bridging the gap between Ellen and his two daughters who haven’t warmed to her, he’d be confident they’d be together forever except for one thing Ellen’s desperate for that he’s struggling to give: a child of her own—after two failed attempts to reverse his reckless first marriage decision, they’re accepting parenthood isn’t likely conventional until stormy night brings stranded Anthony to their door needing shelter, and conversation turns deeper before he proposes something both exhilarating and horrifying that can give them everything they want but must be repaid.
What happens when something is sucked into a black hole—does it disappear? Three decades ago, a young physicist named Stephen Hawking claimed it did, and in doing so put at risk everything we know about physics and the fundamental laws of the universe. Leonard Susskind delivers quantum theory where most scientists didn’t recognize the import of Hawking’s claims, but Leonard Susskind and Gerard t’Hooft realized the threat and responded with a counterattack that changed the course of physics—The Black Hole War is the thrilling story of their united effort to reconcile Hawking’s revolutionary theories of black holes with their own sense of reality, effort that would eventually result in Hawking admitting he was wrong, paying up, and Susskind and t’Hooft realizing that our world is a hologram projected from the outer boundaries of space. 🌌A brilliant book about modern physics, quantum mechanics, the fate of stars and the deep mysteries of black holes, Susskind’s account of the Black Hole War is mind-bending and exhilarating reading. Susskind explores what happens when scientific titans clash over fundamental reality, examining how a three-decade battle over whether information is destroyed in black holes threatened to upend all of physics. The author makes cutting-edge theoretical physics accessible, proving that the biggest questions about reality can be explained without drowning readers in equations. 🔬
Susskind delivers quantum theory that reads like scientific thriller, balancing technical accuracy with narrative drive as he chronicles how he and t’Hooft proved Hawking wrong about information loss while discovering that reality itself might be a holographic projection. The physicist writes about physics with personality, making readers care about abstract concepts like information conservation by showing what’s at stake: if Hawking was right, quantum mechanics was wrong, and everything built on it would collapse. The book proves that sometimes being right means challenging the most famous scientist in the world. 🎯
Why I’m including this: Quantum theory where three decades ago young physicist Stephen Hawking claimed that anything sucked into a black hole disappears, putting at risk everything we know about physics and the fundamental laws of the universe—most scientists didn’t recognize the import but Leonard Susskind and Gerard t’Hooft realized the threat and responded with a counterattack changing physics’ course, with The Black Hole War telling the thrilling story of their united effort to reconcile Hawking’s revolutionary theories with their own sense of reality, eventually resulting in Hawking admitting he was wrong and paying up as Susskind and t’Hooft realized our world is a hologram projected from space’s outer boundaries in this brilliant mind-bending exhilarating book about modern physics, quantum mechanics, stars’ fate, and black holes’ deep mysteries.
The air pirate Andan Cly is going straight—well, straighter—although he’s happy to run alcohol guns wherever the money’s good, he doesn’t think the world needs more sap or its increasingly ugly side-effects, but becoming legit is easier said than done and Cly’s first legal gig, a supply run for the Seattle Underground, will be paid for by sap money. Cherie Priest continues The Clockwork Century with steampunk science fiction where New Orleans is not Cly’s first pick for a shopping run since he loved the Big Easy once, back when he also loved a beautiful mixed-race prostitute named Josephine Early, but that was a decade ago and he hasn’t looked back since—Jo’s still thinking about him though, or so he learns when he gets a telegram about a peculiar piloting job. 🎩It’s a chance to complete two lucrative jobs at once, one he can’t refuse—he sends his old paramour a note and heads for New Orleans, with no idea of what he’s in for or what she wants him to fly, except he won’t be flying, not exactly. Priest explores what happens when air pirates try to go legitimate while their exes contact them about mysterious jobs, examining how past loves and present dangers collide in steampunk New Orleans. Hidden at the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain lurks an astonishing war machine, an immense submersible called the Ganymede—this prototype could end the war if only anyone had the faintest idea of how to operate it, if only they could sneak it past the Southern forces at the mouth of the Mississippi River, if only it hadn’t killed most of the men who’d ever set foot inside it. 🚢
The author delivers steampunk science fiction where going straight means piloting a deadly experimental submarine that’s killed its previous crews, proving that legitimate work can be more dangerous than piracy. Priest writes an air pirate whose attempt to reform gets complicated by an old flame, an untested war machine, and the minor detail that the Ganymede seems cursed. The Clockwork Century novel balances alternate history Civil War stakes with personal redemption. ⚙️
What makes this compelling: Steampunk science fiction continuing The Clockwork Century where air pirate Andan Cly is going straight—well, straighter—though happy to run alcohol guns wherever money’s good, he doesn’t think the world needs more sap or its ugly side-effects, but becoming legit is easier said than done as his first legal gig, a Seattle Underground supply run paid for by sap money, takes him to New Orleans where he loved beautiful mixed-race prostitute Josephine Early a decade ago—she’s still thinking about him, telegramming about a peculiar piloting job, a chance to complete two lucrative jobs at once he can’t refuse, except he won’t be flying because hidden at Lake Pontchartrain’s bottom lurks the astonishing war machine Ganymede, an immense submersible prototype that could end the war if anyone knew how to operate it, could sneak it past Southern forces at the Mississippi’s mouth, and if it hadn’t killed most men who’d set foot inside.
… See the rest of today ‘s Book Picks here on page 2Page 2