Angela- I jumped ahead on my July ARCs way early, I think I read some of these in March/April. There are SO many great books releasing this month. I’m heading to the beach for July 4th and hoping for lots of quiet reading time.
Dream On by Angie Hockman 7/5 Contemporary Romance/WF – I’ve read this one already and REALLY enjoyed it. I compared it in my review to While You Were Sleeping just with a heroine who wakes from a coma having dreamed about one brother only to fall for the other twist. Review to come.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher 7/12 Horror/Fantasy– I love this author’s horror novels so I’m saving this for when I’m in the mood for freaky and bloody. This is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher” and I am here for it. Review to come.
The One Who Loves You (Tickled Pink #1) by Pippa Grant 7/12 Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy– This author is hit or miss for me, but this book was definitely a hit. I laughed so hard. A rich socialite is forced to move with her family to a small town when the matriarch has a near-death experience. Hilarity and romance ensue. Review to come.
Eclipse the Moon (Starlight’s Shadow #2) by Jessis Mihalik 7/12 Science Fiction Romance– Jessie Mihalik has become one of my very favorite science fiction/fantasy authors. I pretty much love every single thing she’s written. When this book hit my kindle I immediately gobbled it up. This is Kee and Varro’s story, an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity romance that you will want to snatch up on release day. Review to come.
The Crash by Skye Warren and Amelia Wilde 7/12 Contemporary Romance- I haven’t read Skye Warren in a while, but this one sounds fabulous. Plane Crashes! Forced Proximity! It looks like this is a prequel to an upcoming series and if you’re interested you can grab it now on Amazon for free.
For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa 7/26 Contemporary Romance– Another new to me author! This is an enemies to lovers, fake dating romance where rival judges on a cooking show have a big blowout and one quits, kind of messing up both of their images. So they fake date to try and fix it. Review to come.
Storm Echo Psy-Changeling Trinity #6) by Nalini Singh 7/26 PNR– I shouldn’t even have to say anything about this release. It’s Nalini Singh. It’s Psy-Changeling. (I’m saving this for when I’m in a book slump)
Return of the Duke (Once Upon a Dukedom #3) by Lorraine Heath 7/26 Historical Romance– Look this is three books in a series I’ve really enjoyed, but the heroine used to be the hero’s disgraced, treasonous father’s mistress so I don’t know what to think. But then again this is the same author who made me fall in love with a twin masquerading as his brother so his brother’s wife wouldn’t be devastated (I think during a pregnancy or something) so this just might be something I enjoy. We will see. Review to come.
A number of books that had June release dates have been postponed until July. Here’s hoping they will show up—although there are several writers whose release dates are often more aspirational than actual. Anyway, as of right now, here’s what I have on my July tbr:
BRAINWASHED by Nyla K (July 7) is the third in her very dark & twisty Alabaster Penitentiary series. This one features a serial killer and the doctor who is attempting to help/understand him. Nyla K isn’t a writer for everyone—her work is full of triggers and transgressive behaviors. I’ve enjoyed some of her books and had to DNF others. I’ll have to wait until July to see where BRAINWASHED lands. Note: I read this last week and it is VERY DARK. I can stress that enough. All the triggers!! Go into it expecting horror not a romance.
Last month I said if THE CRASH by Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde failed to make its June release date, I wouldn’t be surprised: it didn’t and I wasn’t. Right now THE CRASH (a couple-against-the-elements story when the plane piloted by the hero crashes on the way to taking the geologist heroine to a remote jungle site) is scheduled for July 12. Warren’s books frequently miss their scheduled publication dates, so only time will tell. Note: Amazon appears to have taken down the page for this book–again, so if it shows up tomorrow, I’ll be very surprised.
Sybil Bartel’s ZULU was also postponed from June release and is now scheduled for July 14. Zula is the latest in Bartel’s romantic-suspense Alpha Elite series. Bartel writes to a template (beyond-gonzo alpha heroes; resilient heroines in trouble through no fault of their own; lots of fire power & high body counts; and plenty of sexy-times with a D/s dynamic). If you don’t like the template, her books will not be for you. But if, like me, you do like Bartel’s style, ZULU will be a good read.
Serena Bell’s A LITTLE WILDER (July 19) is the fourth in her Wilder Adventures series. This one features an unplanned pregnancy–the result of a Vegas one-night-stand between a Wilder brother and a woman who is later hired by Wilder Adventures to redesign the company’s RVs. Bell can always be relied on to write smart, sexy romances and I’m expecting A LITTLE WILDER to be a great read.
Amelia Wilde’s BLACKMAIL arrives July 26. As the title indicates, there’s blackmail afoot as the temp heroine is caught embezzling money (this is a romance, so you know it’s for a good reason: she’s supporting her younger siblings) from her wealthy boss. He won’t call the police and break up her family, but he will demand, um, other things. Amelia Wilde writes really hot dark romance, and BLACKMAIL appears to be exactly what it says on the tin.
A.E. Via’s RAYNE (July 29) is the third & final book in her True Lover’s Stories series of m/m romances. Via could never be described as a great prose stylist, but her books have a lot of heart, sincerity, and passion. Another thing I like about Via is that her stories are set solidly in the working class (no secret billionaires here). In RAYNE, one hero is pushing 50 and owns a landscaping business; the other hero is a recovering sex addict (there’s a vague indication in the blurb that he’s been a sex worker at some point). I liked the little peek we got of this couple’s dynamic in the previous book (WOOD), so I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out in RAYNE.
I think the Skye Warren may be delayed again, my pre-order was cancelled.