Spotlight: Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery

Fiction / Family Life / Siblings

A twisty, tender and wise look at how secrets can transform the powerful—and sometimes problematic—bond between mothers and daughters, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

When Shannon gets engaged, her beloved mom, Cindy, is the first person she wants to tell—and the last. Cindy’s engaged, too, and has already hinted at a double wedding. The image of a synchronized bouquet toss with her mom fills Shannon with horror. She’ll keep her engagement a secret until Cindy’s I-dos are done.

Victoria has never been proper enough for her mother, Ava, so she stopped trying. She lives on her own terms and amuses herself by pushing Ava’s buttons. Ava loves but doesn’t understand her stuntwoman daughter. When a movie-set mishap brings Victoria home, Ava longs to finally connect.

Chance brings the four women together at a wedding venue, where a shocking secret comes tumbling out. Twenty-four years ago, desperate teenager Cindy chose wealthy Ava to adopt her baby—then changed her mind at the very last second. The loss rocked Ava’s world, leaving her unable to open her heart to the daughter she did adopt, Victoria. As Shannon and Victoria deal with the fallout from the decisions their mothers made, they wrestle with whether who they are is different than who they might have become.

Except

How does the horse look?

Victoria Rogers pressed her good arm to her very bruised, almost broken ribs. “Dad, don’t,” she said, trying to stay as still as possible. “You can’t be funny. It already hurts to breathe. It wasn’t a horse.”

Her father frowned. “I was told you were thrown off a horse.” “I was thrown out of a truck.”

“Then how’d you get the black eyes?”

“The ground was a little bit pissy when I hit it and punched me back.”

There wasn’t a part of her that didn’t hurt. The good news was that now that the medical staff had determined she didn’t have a head injury, they were going to give her drugs to help with the pain. She’d already said she didn’t want any of that weak-ass pill stuff. She wanted a nurse to give her a shot of something that would work instantly and let her rest. Because in addition to the bruised ribs, requisite scrapes and contusions, she had a broken left leg and a sprained wrist. Her previously dislocated shoulder also throbbed, but that was kind of the least of it.

As she lay in her hospital bed, feeling like death on a tortilla, she had the thought that maybe stunt work wasn’t for her. Injuries came with the job, but this was the third time in five years she’d landed in the hospital. The first time she’d messed up, so that was on her, but the other two had just been plain bad luck. The incident with the truck had come about because one of the tires had blown, causing the however many ton vehicle to jump the curb—an action that had sent her flying up and over the side. Gravity, being the bitch it was, had flung her onto the sidewalk. Hence the injuries.

Her father studied her, his brows drawn together in concern. “None of this makes me happy,” he told her.

The incongruous statement nearly made her laugh. She remembered—just in time—that her ribs wouldn’t appreciate the subsequent movement and they would punish her big-time. 

“Today isn’t my favorite day either,” she admitted, trying not to groan. “I didn’t wake up with the thought that I should try to get thrown out of the back of a pickup.” Although technically getting thrown out of the truck had been the stunt. Just not when it had happened and without warning or a plan.

“I’m worried,” her father told her. 

“I’ll be fine.”

“This time.”

She winced, and not from pain. “Now you sound like Mom.” 

Her father, a handsome man only a few months from his sixtieth birthday, brightened. “Thank you, Victoria. That’s such a nice thing to say.”

Given her weakened condition, she let that comment slide. Honestly she didn’t have the strength to deal with it right now, even though she knew her father understood exactly what she’d been saying. He was only pretending to not get it.

“If you’re going to act like that, you should go,” she said, then amended what could be construed as a catty comment into something more kind. Mostly because she only had the emotional energy not to get along with one of her parents, and her mother had already claimed that prize. “Besides, they’ll be bringing my drugs any second. I plan to surrender to sleep, so I’m not going to be very conversational.”

As if to prove her point, one of the nurses walked in with a syringe. “Ready to feel better?” he asked cheerfully.

“Yes, and let me say, you’re my favorite person ever.” 

He winked. “I get that all the time.”

He slowly injected whatever the medication was into her IV. Victoria drew in a shallow breath as she waited to feel that first blurring of the edges of the pain. Modern medicine was a miracle she intended to embrace.

The nurse left. Milton took her good hand in his.

“I’ll let you rest,” he told her. “But I’ll be back later tonight.” He squeezed her fingers. “Tomorrow, when you’re released, I’m taking you home.”

Ugh. Victoria knew that her father wasn’t talking about the pretty condo he’d bought her when she’d turned twenty-one. Instead he meant the house where she’d grown up. The one where her mother still resided.

“I don’t need to move back,” she protested, feeling the first telltale easing of the pain. “I have a few bumps and bruises.”

“Along with a broken leg. And what about your ribs? You can barely move without wincing.”

“I have zero pain tolerance. I’m a total wimp.”

He frowned. “You’re tough and stoic. If you’re showing signs of pain, it’s bad. You’ll stay with your mother and me until you’re well enough to be on your own.” He pointed at her. “I mean it, Victoria. You don’t get a vote.”

Her father was rarely stern with her, so his sharp tone warned her he wasn’t kidding. And she knew from twenty-four years of experience that arguing with the man would get her nowhere. Milton didn’t take a stand very often, but when he did, he was the immovable object.

“I wish you loved me less,” she murmured, feeling a little floaty and stumbling over her words. “Okay, I feel drugs. Let me enjoy the experience of breathing without, you know, wanting to die.”

Oh, baby girl. You’ve always been difficult.”

“I know. It’s one of my best qualities.” Her eyes drifted closed. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you more.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you tonight.” 

“Come alone.”

His soft chuckle was the last thing she heard.

Excerpted from Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery, Copyright © 2025 by Susan Mallery Inc. Published by MIRA Books. 

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About the Author

SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that shape women's lives―family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations," and readers seem to agree―40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. She’s passionate about animal welfare, which shows in the many quirky animal characters she has created. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband and adorable poodle. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Connect:

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Spotlight: Highest Point by Kels & Denise Stone

Highest Point by Kels & Denise Stone is now live!

A daring mountaineer helps a ballerina on a mission to train for a winner-takes-all competition in the Alaskan wilderness in this sports romance.

Alec Hastings

I had a plan for everything. Gear lists, weather patterns, mountain routes down to the mile.

But nothing prepared me for the moment I watched my best friend fall into the abyss.

After Finn’s accident, I walked away from the mountains to fix up the abandoned lodge we bought as teenagers so he has a safe place to recover. The man who sold us the place is gone, but his granddaughter, Clementine, is here, and she needs a partner to enter a high-stakes wilderness competition with a cash prize she’s desperate to win.

She knows design. I know survival. So we strike a deal: She helps me finish the lodge, I help her win.

This year, the annual competition is bigger than ever, so we start training—hard. While I had my doubts initially, Clementine doesn’t quit, even when she should. I’ve summited K2 and Everest, but I’ve never encountered anything like her. She’s too young, too sunlit, too…everything.

And the longer we work together, the harder it is to pretend this partnership, and my time in Alaska, is temporary.

Clementine Lennox

Newly promoted principal dancer with the New York City Ballet.

That’s what was meant to happen.

Instead, I packed up my dreams and fled to the remote town where I spent my childhood summers. The only goal I have now is paying off the mountain of debt that followed me across the country.

My solution? Winning Wild Trails—with the help of legendary mountaineer Alec Hastings.

Alec is enigmatic and intense, and though he pushes me to the brink, he’s always there to catch me. His faith in me makes me feel like I still matter…like I’m not a failure.

With each milestone I achieve, I prove to myself that I’m more than the sum of my broken dreams—and that I’m allowed to choose myself. And I might have to. Because Alec has always chased the next adventure, and with the clock ticking on our agreement, I have a feeling he’ll be gone when the seasons change.

Highest Point is the third book in The Hastings series, a collection of interconnected standalone sports romances about the Hastings siblings, scions of sports royalty.

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Spotlight: Behind the Mirror by Bridget Budd

Publication date: July 1st 2025

Genres: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Behind the Mirror is a powerful, character-driven novel about emotional healing, generational trauma, and the courage it takes to stop performing and start living your truth.

Sometimes, the hardest person to face is the one behind the mirror…

Julie Sloan was shaped by abandonment early in life—left behind by the people who were supposed to love her first. In the absence of emotional safety, she became what the world rewarded: high-achieving, self-sacrificing, and always performing. Through four marriages, she searched for stability while suppressing her deepest fears—that she was unworthy of lasting love, and too broken to be fully seen.

But when her fourth marriage nearly collapsed, something shifted. It wasn’t betrayal that broke her—it was the quiet realization that she had never truly lived for herself.

What followed was a reckoning: with her past, with the roles she had played to survive, and with the parts of herself she had long silenced.

Now, years later, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist named Laura wants to profile Julie’s nonprofit work—an organization devoted to helping women heal from emotional wounds. But what begins as a success story takes a deeper turn as Julie reveals the story behind the story—the one she’s never shared publicly. The one about how she abandoned herself first.

For readers drawn to novels about inner child work, identity, and spiritual awakening, this deeply personal journey will leave you both broken open and quietly restored.

Excerpt

“The Strategic Self”

Adapted from Chapter One of Behind the Mirror by Bridget Budd)

It’s fascinating to me how we all embody a strategic self and a true self.

The true self is your core essence—the part that holds your deepest values and desires. The strategic self does whatever it can to adapt. It’s the version of me who’d have shown up for this interview fifteen years ago, smiling, proclaiming I was happy, insisting everything in my life was perfect—so you would like me.

Finding balance between self-expression and the need for connection can be incredibly challenging for most people, myself included.

As children, we’re wired for attachment. Our survival depends on it. Our strategic self learns how to earn love, how to avoid rejection, how to keep the peace. It’s clever—a chameleon that keeps us safe. But over time, safety becomes a costume we forget we’re wearing.

The more you prioritize others’ approval, the more disconnected you become from your own truth. Eventually, you can’t tell what you actually want from what your strategic self wants you to want.

For most of my life, that’s who ran the show. The performer. The pleaser. The woman who could hold everything together while quietly falling apart.

What I didn’t realize then was that exhaustion doesn’t only come from doing too much—it comes from being too little of yourself.

And when you finally begin to listen beneath the noise, you discover the voice that’s been there all along, waiting patiently to be heard: your true self.

Intro blurb:

In this reflective passage, Julie begins to understand the hidden split that drives her burnout—the exhausting performance of earning love at the cost of authenticity.

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About the Author

Bridget Budd is the author of Behind the Mirror, a debut novel that blends literary storytelling with therapeutic insight.  

After more than twenty-five years in corporate sales, she stepped away to explore the emotional patterns beneath her success—and the cost of always holding it together.  

Her work lives at the intersection of fiction and healing, drawing from her background in trauma-informed coaching, somatics, and holistic health. Bridget writes and speaks about identity, self-worth, and the shift from performing to presence.  

Often described as “fiction with emotional teeth,” her stories are crafted for deep feelers, recovering perfectionists, and anyone quietly exhausted from chasing “enough.”  

She divides her time between Marco Island, Florida, and Marvin, North Carolina, with her husband and two opinionated dogs.

Connect:

https://bridgetbudd.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bridgetbudd/

Behind the Mirror Blitz

Spotlight: The Amalfi Secret by Dean Reineking and Catherine Reineking

With its lush setting and pulse-pounding suspense, The Amalfi Secret by Dean and Catherine Reineking captures what happens when grief collides with discovery—and the truth becomes the most dangerous secret of all.

When Gabe Roslo’s grandfather dies suddenly in Amalfi, Italy, a diary filled with strange codes becomes the only clue to what really happened. What begins as a search for closure draws Gabe and his new ally Anna into a shadowy network of power and lies that stretches far beyond Italy’s shores. Every decoded passage, every new revelation, reveals how deep the deception runs—and how close they are to becoming the next victims. From the glittering cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to hidden archives and ancient cathedrals, their journey unravels secrets with the potential to alter global stability.

Excerpt

1

Post-September 11, 2001

The lone fisherman realized the time was approaching. It was nearly eleven o’clock. Pulling his woolen cap down against the chill of the autumn night, he chuckled as he mused about the interesting character who’d approached him at the docks that afternoon. 

Who am I to ask questions? he thought. After all, he’d been pulling in only small catches lately. Seemed like an awfully simple, if mildly inconvenient, task for the amount of cash the stranger had offered.

As he maneuvered his small, wooden rig along the coastline, the lights of the Amalfi Hotel emerged from the blackness. He guided his boat into position and scanned his surroundings. No one else was fishing the waters below the hotel. He was alone.

When he cut the engine, he could see a party in progress on one of the balconies. It appeared to be in full swing with loud, raucous voices. He unfolded his fishing net and hoped they’d be too drunk to notice him.

He checked his watch again and surveyed the rest of the hotel. Many of the windows were already dark. A lone person was standing on the balcony one floor above the party. He was leaning on the banister and watching the boisterous activity below.

The fisherman continued to unfold his net as he awaited the exact moment. Suddenly, he heard a woman shout above the din.

“Look! Look out there!”

“Where?” the others questioned as they crowded the balcony rail.

“Right there!” said a redhead who pointed in his direction. “Can you see him? Check it out; he looks like something straight out of Old Man and the Sea. Wave and see if you can get his attention.”

The fisherman tried to ignore them.

Three floors above the party, another man stood hidden in the shadows. He’d been there for the better part of an hour.

“Come to bed, John,” his wife whispered sleepily. “We might as well try to get some rest despite the noise.” Francesca Roslo was already in bed and felt very tired.

The man stepped in from the balcony. “They’re just having a little fun, the excitement of a big trip and all. Just imagine if we were that young again. We certainly wouldn’t be thinking about sleep right now.” His soothing words masked his apprehension. He knew the time was close. He stepped back out on the balcony and ducked into the shadows to watch the activity below.

More partygoers had gathered along the rail to catch a glimpse of the fisherman untangling his nets. One of them, a skinny teenager, climbed up on the stone ledge and nearly lost his balance. The fisherman heard a collective gasp as an older gentleman pulled him back from the edge.

The fisherman acted as if he hadn’t noticed and checked his watch again. It was time. He laid down his nets and picked up a flashlight. He pointed it up toward the hotel windows and flashed it not once, not twice, but three distinct times.

A cheer went up from the balcony. “He sees us!” the redhead shouted, followed by congratulatory backslaps all around.

The man in the shadows had also seen the three flashes. Concerned, John Roslo stepped back inside his hotel room. He walked to the bed and sat beside his wife, gently stroking her face.

“Fran, I know you’re tired, but I’m not ready for bed. It’s a beautiful night. I’m going to take a stroll down to the water.”

“Please don’t be out too late, dear,” she pleaded. “It’s been a long day, and we both need some sleep.”

“You go ahead and sleep. I’ll join you when I get back from my walk.”

He bent down, whispered a few words in her ear, and kissed her on the cheek. Comforted, she rolled over and exhaled a deep sigh.

Roslo straightened himself and crossed the room to the bureau where he kept his attaché case. He quietly unlocked it and pulled out an old journal. He slipped the journal into the breast pocket of his jacket and relocked the case. He paused a moment and heard Francesca’s breathing slow to a rhythmic pattern. She was already asleep. Everything was ready.

He tiptoed to the door, turned off the light, and stepped into the dimly lit corridor. A figure emerged from the shadows as he turned to lock the door. Before Roslo could react, the sting of a needle pierced the side of his neck. In an instant, the stranger vanished up the staircase.

Panicked, John Roslo grasped the door handle, re-entered his room, and stumbled into the bathroom. He closed the door behind him. As tremendous pressure squeezed his chest, a distinct numbness traveled through his body. He splashed water on his face, then doubled over as he felt his throat constrict.

Roslo grabbed his journal but was already losing his fine motor skills. The journal crashed to the floor. He realized what was happening and struggled to fight the leaden feeling that crept into his right arm.

I haven’t much time, he thought as he gasped for breath. With great effort, he raised his hand to the mirror. As he groped for the hot water knob, the paralysis reached his heart. The last thing he saw was his own contorted face in the mirror.

In the bedroom, Francesca slept peacefully, lulled by the sounds of the sea. Hours later, she rolled over in the early morning chill and reached for the familiar warmth of the man she had loved for sixty years. But he wasn’t there.

Two floors below, Gabe Roslo had finally entered deep sleep after tossing and turning for most of the night. The party on the balcony below had wound down, and the only sound was the pulse of the sea. A nearly full moon cast a glow on the wall and added to the serenity.

Gabe had arrived the previous evening at the invitation of his grandparents, John and Francesca Roslo. He hadn’t seen them in over a year and looked forward to this reunion in Italy. As a Canadian climbing guide, Gabe also anticipated the challenging peaks Italy would provide. During the long twenty-two-hour journey from western Canada, warm memories of his youth had filtered through his mind. He loved his grandparents, especially his grandfather, who had been like a father to him. 

Suddenly, the phone rang, tearing him from his sleep. Gabe squinted as he picked up his watch from the bedside table—5:45. It must be a mistake, he thought. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and reached for the phone. 

“Gabe, it’s me, Gram. Please come quickly. Something’s wrong with your grandfather. I think he’s…” Unable to finish her words, she broke into sobs.

“I’ll be right there.”

Gabe jumped from the bed. He grabbed an old T-shirt, stumbled into a pair of sweatpants, and ran for the stairs. In seconds, he was in their room, 

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About the Authors

Dean and Catherine Reineking bring their shared love of travel, history, and storytelling to every page. Dean’s thirty-year career in finance gives his writing a keen understanding of global systems and strategy, while Catherine’s experience as a teacher and counselor brings emotional depth and authenticity to their characters. Together, they write stories that combine intellect with heart, and danger with redemption. They live in Memphis and split their time between writing and managing their family’s small Montana resort. Visit their website for more.

Spotlight: Love You, Mean It by Laura Pavlov

Love You, Mean It by Laura Pavlov is now live!

From USA Today bestselling author Laura Pavlov comes a story about found family and the power of acceptance, all wrapped up in a sizzling romance set in the frozen north.

My new landlord’s a real hard-ass. And I can’t keep my hands off him.

Charlie Huxley’s the best—and grumpiest—general contractor in Blushing, Alaska. He built the venue for the wedding-planning business my bestie and I share. After I accidentally flood my home, he offers me his guesthouse while he handles the repairs. But when he starts to take charge, I feel myself losing control.

Unable to resist, we casually hook up. We both know once will never be enough.

Between us, we carry plenty of baggage. I’ve got the absent father, drunk mother, and estranged sister. He grew up in foster care and is single-handedly raising a daughter whose mom visits just once a year.

But Charlie makes me feel like I belong. And for the first time ever, I picture myself with a real family.

Before I go all in, I need to learn to set some boundaries. Question is: Am I strong enough?

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Narrated by: Connor Crais & Erin Mallon

Spotlight: Maybe One Day by Catherine Bybee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Second Chance, He Falls First, Slow Burn

Release Date: November 11, 2025

A Caribbean cruise opens a widow’s heart to a love she never expected in a breathtaking novel about second chances by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. Not once in the ten years since she’s become a widow has Mari considered another love of her own. Until she sets sail on a singles cruise to placate her recently divorced best friend. Then James comes crashing into Mari’s world.

Charming, witty, and with two daughters of his own, James isn’t looking for love either. But Mari is as irresistible as she is beautiful. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. She promised her beloved late husband she’d find someone new. Maybe that impossible day has come.

Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret. After all, there is no reason for her family to know about James if their relationship doesn’t work out. It’s up to James to prove he can be trusted with the heart of a woman he’s come to cherish. But without her family’s approval, their love doesn’t stand a chance.

Read the first four books in the series–When It Falls Apart, Be Your Everything, Beginning of Forever, and The Whole Time–available now on #kindleunlimited. Get the book in the series here.

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About the Author

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written over forty-five books that have collectively sold more than eleven million copies. Her titles have been translated into more than twenty languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the popular Not Quite, Weekday Brides, Most Likely To, First Wives, D'Angelos, and Heirs series. 

Connect:

Website: https://catherinebybee.com/

Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/catherine-bybee-newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/catherineschattycathys

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