Spotlight: Only In Darkness by Brenda Stanley

Publication date: March 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller

Synopsis:

Based on ancient Mayan mythology comes a story of bloodlust, love and the horrors of coming of age.

In ancient Central America, the legend of the Camazotz: large, bat-like creatures that desire blood and terrorize the villages in search of prey. When the volcano, Masaya, erupts and kills the tribe from which the Camazotz are from, they discover a miracle ash in the ruins.

Years later in present-day eastern Idaho, 17-year-old Emilio Chavez lives in an isolated area near the lava rock cliffs of the American Falls reservoir. From birth, he has been different. After Emilio’s friend Clara falls victim to a terrible accident, suspicions about Emilio arise, and he discovers an astonishing secret about his past.

As a sinister force tightens its grip on Clara, can Milo save her from those searching for blood while keeping his own internal demons at bay?

Excerpt

Jennifer Berchtold was a runner and her favorite place to stretch out and go each morning was the quiet and empty paths of the Mountain View Cemetery and the trails of the hills that snaked through and connected to it. The large craggy cottonwood trees were probably as old as the first graves dug in the late 1800s. They gave shade and framed small dirt pathways throughout the acres of grass and tombstones.

Her friends often chided her about her creepy choice of jogging route, but for her, the silence, lack of cars, dogs, and people made it the perfect place to renew her body and soul. With earphones playing her favorite playlist on Pandora, she escaped for that hour in the morning before her day as the BannockCounty Assessor began. She could forget the stream of complaints about tax payments and increased valuations as she kept a steady pace for those three miles. On that morning, her breath was visible, and as she pulled her sunglasses down from the top of her head, the sky was just starting to brighten. She took the hidden path that led from the oldest part of the cemetery to where the new grave sites began and up a small crest that was shaded and secluded. She rounded a clump of dogwood brush and came upon a smoky haze. As she ran through it, it started to clear just enough for her to see a large, dark figure in the distance. It was hunched on the ground, hovering over what was burning. She slowed and came to a cautious stop. Whatever it was, it hadn't noticed her. It was moving, up and down, heaving in the early morning dimness amidst the haze. A black vinyl-like covering rose and fell, almost billowing. Then she saw feet protruding from under it. They were pale and upside down in the dirt and grass. 

The sight alarmed her. She tried to get a better look in the low light and removed her sunglasses. As she pushed them up on her forehead, they toppled and fell to the ground. The noise was enough to alert the creature, and the figure rose and turned. The large black covering lowered at its sides and revealed a monstrous face. Jennifer's body went cold and her chest heaved. It was a man, but he looked inhuman. His skin was discolored and taut, and his upper body oddly large, the dark covering folded back into wings that protruded from his back. He glared at her and then stepped away. She looked down and saw a body lying face down on the grass, its back torn open. Jennifer put her hand to her mouth in horror.

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About the Author

Brenda Stanley is a former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in Eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, The Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of 5 children, including two sets of twins. Brenda and her husband Dave, a veterinarian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

Author links:

https://brendastanleybooks.net/

https://www.facebook.com/BrendaStanleyBooks/

https://www.instagram.com/bstanleybooks/

https://twitter.com/myauthorlife

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086376.Brenda_Stanley

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Spotlight: One for the Money by Skye Warren

Published by: Dangerous Press
Publication date: May 24th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Finn Hughes knows about secrets. His family is as wealthy as the Rockefellers. And as powerful as the Kennedys. No one knows that the men in his line have a debilitating, early-onset illness. He’s managed the business from a young age while his father served as the figurehead. All the while knowing there’s a ticking clock on his ability to lead.

Eva Morelli is the oldest daughter. The responsible one. The caring one. The one who doesn’t have time for her own interests.

Especially not her interest in the charismatic, mysterious Finn Hughes.

A fake relationship is the answer to both their problems.It will keep the swarming society mothers from throwing their daughters at him.And it will keep Eva’s mother from bothering her about marriage.

Then the fake relationship starts to feel real.

But there’s no chance for them. No hope for a woman who’s had her heart broken. And no future for a man whose fate was decided long ago.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

Connect:
http://www.skyewarren.com/
https://www.facebook.com/skyewarren
https://www.instagram.com/skyewarrenbooks/
https://twitter.com/skye_warren
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5339130.Skye_Warren
http://www.skyewarren.com/newsletter/

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Spotlight: The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel

The Candid Life of Meena Dave is a Desi coming of age novel that tells the story of photojournalist and nomad Meena Dave. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera. But Meena’s solitary life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston.

Though Meena’s impulse is to sell it and keep moving, she decides to use her journalistic instinct to follow the story that landed her in the home of a stranger. It’s a mystery that comes with a series of hidden clues, a trio of meddling Indian aunties, and a handsome next-door neighbor. For Meena it’s a chance for newfound friendships, community, and culture she never thought possible. And a window into her past she never expected.

Excerpt

Chapter One 

Meena Dave was tired, and not just from thirty-six hours of travel. She’d expected a trinket, a ring of some sort, when she’d learned about an inheritance. It should have been easy, a quick stop in Boston on her way to New York from Auckland. 

“If you had responded to our initial inquiries.” 

Meena heard judgement in the husky voice of the woman who sat on the other side of the large mahogany desk. The tall woman in the black, fitted pantsuit belonged in this corner office with oversize windows. 

“I was in New Zealand,” Meena said. And Tasmania, Tokyo, and Nova Scotia before that. She sat taller to fight the weight of fatigue in her body. Besides most of her communication happened via email or text. She didn’t check her actual mail for months at a time. 

“As I said,” Sandhya Shah continued, “you’ve wasted half of the allotted one year, but at least you’ve managed to make it within the window.” 

Meena reread the paperwork. “Are you sure you have the right person? I didn’t’ know Neha Patel.” Another reason she hadn’t prioritized this when she’d picked up her mail from her Manhattan PO box three months earlier on her way from Portugal to the Pacific. 

“We’ve verified your identity, and we do not make careless mistakes at Menon and Shah.” 

Meena glanced at the index card in her hand. It was like the ones she’d made herself in high school when studying for the SATs. This had a single world and its definition. 

engineer (noun) 

3 a.: a designer or builder of engines 

b.: a person who is trained in or follows as a profession a branch of engineering 

c.: a person who carries through an enterprise by skillful or artful contrivance 

engineer verb 

2a.: a designer or builder of engines 

b.: to guide the course of 

“And what is this?” Meena held it up to the lawyer. 

“It was part of the packet to be turned over to you along with the keys.” Sandhya tapped a manicured nail on the stack in from of Meena. “As soon as you sign the paperwork you can take possession.” 

Meena skimmed the few paragraphs she could understand and glossed over the legalese. 

“To review the terms . . . “ 

“I have to wait out the full year- well, six months now- before I can sell it,” Meena cut off the lawyer. 

“And it can only be sold to one of the other four owners of the building,” Sandhya said. “No outside buyers.” 

Meena resisted the urge to take her long hair out of its messy bun and brain the edges. A habit her mom had never approved of. Hannah Dave, the only mother who counted. She stared out the large windows. The sky was thick with clouds. Leaf-diving sky, her dad had called it. They’d go out in the backyard and rake the fallen leaves into heaping piles. Then Meena would take a running start and jump in, belly-first. This was why she’d avoided the state of Massachusetts since she’d left it right after high school. Too many memories. 

“What if I don’t want it?” Not that Meena was reckless. An apartment in the historic area of Back Bay was not something she could turn down when she supported herself as a freelance photojournalist. 

“Do you not?” The lawyer knew Meena’s hesitation was a bluff. 

Meena resisted the urge to sigh. “I don’t actually have to live there.” Her life wasn’t suited to permanence. “I have a flight out in a few hours.” 

Sandhya looked at Meena as in none of this was her problem. “The keys are in this envelope along with the building passcode. The utilities, including Wi-Fi, have been paid for until April, after which you can decide what you want to do next.” 

Meena picked up the pen. “Needs must.” She murmured her mother’s favorite phrase and signed where the plastic tabs indicated. 

Sandhya gathered the papers, gave Meena the duplicates, and stood to signal the end of the meeting. 

“What if no one in the building offers to buy?” 

“The you keep it until they do,” Sandhya said. “The apartment is a condominium, so you will be responsible for maintenance, utilities, and expenses even if you don’t live there.” 

Meena shoved her copies of the paperwork into a large yellow envelope along with the keys and the index card. She nodded to the lawyer before lifting her heavy backpack onto one shoulder. She walked out of the building into the bustling area of Downtown crossing and headed toward Boston Common. While the city was familiar from childhood school trips, she still needed the map on her phone to guide her to the address. 

It was barely ten in the morning, and Back Bay was about a twenty-minute walk. She would check it out, assess the condition of the place, and figure out her next steps. If she couldn’t do anything with it for six months, she’d let it sit. Staying her wasn’t an option. She was in between assignments, which meant scheduling editor meetings in New York to line up more gigs. More importantly, this stat was her past, and Meena didn’t look back. Ever.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Namrata Patel is an Indian American writer who resides in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora and dual-cultural identity among Indian Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on the families we’re born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, New Jersey, Spokane, London, and New York City and has been writing most of her adult life

Connect: http://nampatel.com/

Spotlight: The Bequest by B.E. Baker

(The Birch Creek Ranch, #1)
Publication date: November 30th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Synopsis:

Two widows, six kiddos, and a will that leaves them a massive cattle ranch, but only if they work it for a year.

Abigail and Amanda may have married brothers, but they have almost nothing else in common (and really, they never did get along very well). After their husbands both pass away, they have no reason to interact. Their connection drops to an awkward phone call on birthdays and an exchange of holiday cards.

Until an eccentric uncle of their husbands’ leaves a massive cattle ranch to the women’s minor children. . . if they work the ranch themselves. A ranch that’s located near a small town on the border of Wyoming that isn’t too keen on outsiders.

They’re both going to turn the bequest down, clearly. It’s not like either of them could properly raise their kids or find love again in a backwater province like Birch Creek. But when things at home change dramatically—for both moms—they decide to give it a try. . . just for the summer.

What could possibly go wrong in a mere three months? (Or more importantly… what might go right?)

Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley said, “B. E. Baker takes you right to the heart of the small town that two widowed sisters-in-law land in very unexpectedly. Can they survive the year they need to spend there to keep it? I really enjoyed reading Bridget’s romantic women’s fiction debut.”

Excerpt

Introductory

“Mrs. Brooks? Mrs. Nathaniel Brooks?” 

I haven’t been called Mrs. Nathaniel Brooks in more than a year, not since before Nate died. It catches me by surprise and leaves me almost unable to speak.

“Hello?”

“Yes,” I manage to say. “That’s me.” I clear my throat. 

“Good.” The man shuffles some papers. “My name is Karl Swift." Something about his voice, perhaps the wobbly timbre, makes me think that Karl is quite old.

“What can I help you with, Mr. Swift?”

“Er, well, it might be more correct for me to tell you what I think I can help you with.” 

He sounds like Bilbo Baggins at his birthday party.

“Okay.” 

“I’m actually a lawyer as well—I found your name on your law firm website from a simple search. I’m calling to notify you that last night, I formally read a will that had been posted in all the local papers and online.”

“A will for whom?” I still have no idea why he called, and I’m beginning to think he was improperly named--he's definitely not 'swift.' Spit it out, Ol’ Man River!

“Jedediah Brooks passed away almost two weeks ago.”

Brooks. He’s related to Nate, then. The name finally registers. “Nate’s uncle?” 

“Even so,” Mr. Swift says. 

“I’m very sorry to hear that Uncle Jed passed,” I say, rotely. I didn’t meet Nate’s uncle more than a handful of times, and even then we barely exchanged a handful of words. He had a full head of white hair the first time we met, nearly twenty years ago at my wedding to Nate. He must have lived quite a long life.

“Thank you. His death was quite a shock, but at least it was quick. Jed always said he wanted it to be fast, not drawn out.” 

My hand trembles where it’s holding the phone. Nate’s death wasn’t quick at all—and it was so fast I could barely think straight. “Is that why you called? To let me know that he’d passed?” 

“Not precisely,” Mr. Swift says. “You see, as I understand it, both of Mr. Brooks’ nephews, Nathaniel and Paul, predeceased him.” 

I murmur my assent. They were both so young. It still sounds so wrong to agree that they’re both dead, even now. 

“In that case, there is quite a substantial bequest made to your children, Mrs. Brooks.”

“Excuse me?”

“Jed owned a three thousand, two hundred and eleven acre cattle ranch out here, on the northern side of Utah. It’s one of only six properties in the state that have stayed with the same family continuously, all the way back to the original land grant. In fact, portions of the property are actually in Wyoming, but it’s mostly in a place called Daggett County.”

“Are you saying that my children’s great-uncle left them a three-thousand acre ranch?”

“Yes, but it's not quite that simple.” 

I wish Mr. Swift would cut to the chase. For a lawyer, he certainly lacks in clarity. “What does the will say, then?”

“Specifically, it provides that the ranch and all its appurtenances, including the home, a guest house, two large barns, an outbuilding for storage, and some three hundred and fifty head of cattle should be left to your children and the children of Nathaniel’s brother, Paul, per stirpes.” 

I wonder what something like that is worth. Maybe Ethan could get his Razr after all. “Well, that’s unexpected.”

“However.” Mr. Swift rustles more papers. “In order for the bequest to vest, the heirs or, in the case that they’re minors, their appointed guardians, must adequately and actively operate the Birch Creek Ranch for a period of one full year.”

"Operate it?" I ask. "Meaning, we can't just sell it?"

"That's correct. In order for your children to inherit under the terms of the will, you would need to move here and run the ranch for a year." 

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About the Author

Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days).

She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)

She has more chickens than she’ll admit to having, two lions head rabbits, a cat, two dogs (one bouncy and one yappy). She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a (possibly misguided) attempt at balancing the scales, she kickboxes daily.

So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her horses, her chickens, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.

B.E. Baker is the romance/women's fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.

Please sign up for Bridget's fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!

Connect:

http://bridgetebakerwrites.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BridgetBakerWrites/

https://www.instagram.com/bridgetebaker/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bridget-e-baker

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22035343.B_E_Baker

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Spotlight: Love & Other Vows: For better or worse… by Lyndsey Gallagher

(Professional Players, #5)
Publication date: June 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Shelly Williams is loving life. She’s been offered a place on the newest, sexiest, celebrity reality television show, and her husband has just retired from his position as captain of the Irish rugby team, meaning he’s around more to help raise their children, leaving her free to pursue a few of her own ambitions. Ambitions Marcus knows nothing about.

Marcus Williams is struggling to find a purpose following his recent retirement as captain of the Irish rugby team. There’s only so many holidays, horse riding trips and happy hours one man can endure. When his wife is paired up with his old sporting rival in front of the entire country, Marcus begins to realise he stands to lose a lot more than just his career.

With ten weeks of watching Shelly slide, shake and shimmy against the one man that has the potential to destroy everything, Marcus must act if he wants to save their relationship.

They vowed to stay together through sickness and health.
But what about fame and wealth?

Love & Other Vows is a steamy, love conquers all stand-alone romcom with guaranteed HEA.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Lyndsey Gallagher is the kindle bestselling author of six contemporary romance novels, with many more on the way! An unashamed romantic, forever in search of the next happy ever after, her debut novel The Seven Year Itch was inspired by the weekend she met her husband. Lyndsey lives in the West of Ireland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. She enjoys long walks, deep talks and the occasional G & T!

Connect:
https://www.lyndseygallagherauthor.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lyndseygallagherauthor
https://www.instagram.com/lyndseygallagherauthor/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19181730.Lyndsey_Gallagher

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Spotlight: Blue Haven by Lisa King

Publisher: The Story Plant

Pages: 336

Genre: Adult Science Fiction / Psychological Thriller

Welcome to Blue Haven, the world’s most lucrative condo corporation—so exclusive that only five lucky residents live in this lush, tropical paradise, housed in a top-secret location.

Among them is twenty-five-year-old Aloe Malone, an introvert and former waitress who traded bussing tables for lengthy sleep-ins, ocean dips, Michelin-star restaurants, spectacular sunsets, and unlikely new friends—all thanks to a spurious lottery win.

Life’s good.

Damn good.

That is, until Aloe discovers a journal.

Seemingly left by a past resident named Eloise whose entries are both sad and evoking, Aloe quickly suspects there’s more to Blue Haven than meets the eye.

Her suspicions are confirmed when visions arise, gruesome hallucinations she can’t understand, followed by a strange yet familiar man lurking in places he shouldn’t. Something’s wrong. Or maybe it’s all in her head. Regardless, she vows to uncover the truth.

Except someone wants to keep her quiet, and it’s the last person she ever suspected.

Excerpt

Day One

Less than twenty-four hours earlier, Aloe Malone was sitting on a tattered couch, a distinct eagerness coursing through her veins. She shivered; her radiator was on the fritz again, sputtering from one side, cackling, rendering her tiny bachelor apartment bone-cold uncomfortable. She curled into a sweater, still freezing, slowly succumbing to the chronic, aggravating chill.

And then she laughed, her breath puffy with condensation. She’d worked her last shift at the diner, and said her meager and limited goodbyes—except the one owed to her crummy apartment.

“Sayonara, shithole,” she whispered under her breath.

Now, she squinted into the radiant sun: hot but not fierce, a tempered warmth that was perfect and satisfying. She pressed her feet into the fairy dust sand and gave her toes a wiggle. She’d never felt sand like this before: white, delicate, possibly otherworldly, like it’d been manufactured in a laboratory or harvested from another universe. Like someone had broken one million hourglasses to populate this beach.

She turned to her personal concierge, Amir. “Is this … real sand?”

Surely, it couldn’t be.

He nodded. “Real indeed. One of the many reasons we chose this location.”

This location: a mysterious venue somewhere on planet Earth. She’d love to know the actual coordinates and considered asking (for the third time) but confidentiality was part of the deal. If you wanted to live in the world’s most lucrative beachfront community, secrecy was paramount.

Still, she dug her toes deeper into the cushy grains. What part of the world produces sand like this? Aruba? Somewhere in South Asia? The Philippines? 

She stared skeptically at Amir. His natural tan and dark features were clearly exotic. And his name, Amir. Was that Arabic? 

“Aloe?” He touched her arm. “Are you feeling okay? You look a bit dazed.” 

Her mind floated back. “Yeah, sorry. Still a little groggy.” 

“That’s a very common side effect,” he replied. “Rest assured, you’ll be back to normal in a few hours at most.” 

She nodded, somewhat attuned to the aftermath of drugs slugging through her arteries. The whole “going under” aspect had been daunting: a white mask, followed by slow, deep inhalations; counting down from ten, as requested; waking somewhere new and unknown— though it made good, logical sense. How else were people supposed to fly to a top-secret paradise without discovering its whereabouts?

Besides, look at this fucking view. The oceanfront, steps away, was a prism of blue light. Turquoise lapped at the shoreline, fading to a sumptuous cerulean. The sky was a lovely robin’s egg, swept with long, lazy clouds. Her eyes found the horizon. There was nothing in the distance, no islands, shorelines, or glimpses. Just pure, unadulterated space. 

Aloe turned to the billowing palm trees swaying in her periphery. Not an imposing number, just enough to provide a calculated amount of shade. Unlike other beaches she’d visited, Blue Haven’s was devoid of human life; and that, was its true appeal. No sandcastles or shoddily impaled umbrellas or squawking birds begging for scraps of potato chips. Blue Haven was a stock-grade computer background that didn’t exist in real life—except it did, to her absolute astonishment. 

“Paradise,” she looked at Amir and smiled. “Y’all weren’t lying.” 

“We aim to please,” he replied. “Go ahead, test the water. Dip your toe in. We’ve installed top-of-the-line thermoregulators to ensure the perfect temperature. Always.” 

“You’re heating … the ocean?” 

“Only as required.” 

“Wow,” she replied, stepping forward. 

A wave drifted over her toes, warm as bathwater, and she instantly unwound. A salty gust of air filled her lungs, causing her chest to lift.

And just like that, the unshakeable sense of irresolution that’d been following her for years was suddenly gone. All that mattered was here and now—this moment. 

“How’s the temperature?” Amir asked. 

She returned to his side with a lightness in her step. “Perfect.” 

“Excellent.” He tucked a fuchsia hibiscus behind her ear, and for some reason this motion summoned a pang of guilt. Her stomach lurched, and the weight of her body returned. 

Did she really deserve this new life? 

The answer was clear and undisputed. Of course not. No cognizant, twenty-five-year-old could honestly admit otherwise. She’d simply gotten lucky. 

Then again, who was she to contest the force of luck? 

“Are you ready to continue with the tour?” Amir asked.

She took one last glance at the ocean, nodding. The view was dreamy, glorious, enchanting—beyond any adjective she’d ever learned. Maybe she didn’t deserve this life, but it had found her. The only choice now was acceptance. 

Even if Blue Haven seemed too good to be true.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Lisa King is a Canadian fiction author and researcher whose work on veteran mental health has been published in numerous academic journals. She holds degrees in psychology and neuroscience, both from Western University. Aside from writing, she enjoys family outings, ample coffee, and unapologetic napping. She lives in London, Ontario with her husband, daughter, and wonky-eyed cat.

Her latest book is the adult science fiction / psychological thriller, Blue Haven.

You can vist her website at www.authorlisaking.com or connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.

Blue Haven is a science-fiction thriller that explores what innovation can achieve—and destroy—despite the best intentions. King’s imaginative world building and use of moral ambiguity make this page-turning novel a thought-provoking thrill that’s impossible to put down.