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Book Blitz: The Freedom You Seek – Emily Villin

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We have an amazing book rec for you today and a chance to win a hardcover edition of The Freedom You Seek by Emily Villin!

The Freedom You Seek (A Requiem for Fading Worlds Book 1)

Release Date: March 1, 2025

Genre: Dark Romantasy

  • slow burn
  • angst
  • romantic tension
  • lots of mutual pining
  • found family
  • medieval-ish road trip
  • one Horse & one bed
  • proximity out of necessity
  • who did this to you?
  • burn the world down for her
  • altered history
  • unique magic system
  • secrets that have secrets
  • overcoming trauma
  • finding your place in a world that seems already doomed.
  • flawed characters with a lot of room to develop
  • a FMC from a small town who is confronted with all the lies she’s been told and fights to be stronger than she ever thought she could be. But strength never comes easy or overnight…
  • a walking red flag & morally gray and possessive, jealous, territorial, and protective MMC whose secrets are as dark as the magic he wields.

A man with many secrets, a woman desperately fighting for independence, a mission that leads them and their company towards unknown mysteries they are desperate to unravel because the world could soon depend on it—literally.

What would you do if everything you knew was a lie? When you found out there was so much more to your world than you were taught?

I never expected that my parents’ failed attempt to arrange my marriage would lead me to leave the small town I’ve known my entire life.

What started as a journey to escape the law soon shattered my worldview and dismantled everything I believed to know. Suddenly, being hunted is only the smallest of my problems.

Not only am I on a chase for truth and unraveling mysteries, but I also need to navigate the minefield that is Dion. The soldier who rescued me has a nasty temper, and—for someone who loves to be in charge—he has extremely little impulse control. But if he thinks I would simply submit to his antics, he is wrong. Just because he and his men helped me in a difficult situation and possess more knowledge about hidden truths from the past, it doesn’t mean I simply submit and be the docile woman society expects me to be. I have no wish to bind myself to anyone, not to my father, not to some rich betrothed, or to an arrogant bastard, no matter how attractive he is.

“The Freedom You Seek” is the first installment in the “A Requiem for Fading Worlds” dark romantic fantasy series. The story centers on Nayana, an ordinary small-town woman with a rebellious streak who gets involved in a mission bigger than herself; and Dion, a flawed soldier with a bad temper and a massive ego who tries to leave his past behind. Together with Dion’s comrades, the two embark on a journey into the heart of history and soon find out that sometimes, someone has to step up to try to save everything.

The novel tells a story about unraveling mysteries, self-discovery, uncovering the truth, and maybe even saving the world, which actually might be easier than dealing with love.

Perfect for fans of character-driven dark romantic fantasy with a plot that starts small, but escalates over the course of the series. Full of slow burn, angst and romantic tension, mutual pining, found family, mysteries, magic, overcoming trauma, as well as finding your place in a world that seems already doomed. Lastly, this story is for you if you love a walking red flag— a morally gray and possessive male main character whose secrets are as dark as the magic he wields.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Other Details:

This book is 18+ and contains difficult topics. Please mind the trigger warnings.

This novel is written in first person past tense with dual points of view.

The story contains spice and shadows. The pepper rating will increase throughout the series.

Trigger warnings

  • Physical violence
  • Threatened homicide
  • Domestic violence
  • Sexual assault / Attempted rape (not from MMC)
  • Murder
  • Oppression
  • Gender inequality
  • Controlling behavior
  • sexual scenes
  • Alcohol as a method of coping
  • Blood and Gore
  • Cursing
  • Tolerating / Enjoying red flag-actions
  • Suicide (briefly mentioned in a legend)

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Cover Reveal: A Crown of Deceit and Ruin – Jessaca Willis

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We’re thrilled to present the beautiful cover for A Crown of Deceit & Ruin, and upcoming release by Jessaca Willis!

A Crown of Deceit & Ruin

Expected Release Date: July 7, 2025

Genre: Sapphic Fantasy Romance

  • Rapunzel + Persephone
  • Bi FMC (ends up with girl)
  • Undead/revenant princess
  • Star-crossed fates
  • Enemies-to-lovers
  • The slowest slowburn
  • Forbidden romance
  • Dancing in a moonlit ballroom
  • Courtly intrigue
  • Dark magic
  • Fairy tale retelling
  • Grumpy/sunshine energy
  • A curse that turned all the kings and queens into monsters

The most dangerous monsters wear crowns.

For nineteen years, Kestrel Graeme has been locked away in a tower, fed stories of cursed beasts and corrupted magic. But when she escapes, she discovers the real threat isn’t monsters—it’s the royals who rule through lies and bloodshed. Captured and taken to Irongate, Kestrel must fight for her father’s life and master the strange magic awakening inside her…before it’s twisted into a weapon by the very crown she’s come to fear.

But she’s not the only prisoner behind Irongate’s fortified walls. Slain in battle and resurrected years later, Princess Elora has spent her second life in chains. Promised a throne but given a leash, she’s ordered to keep Kestrel close and steer her toward breaking the curse. Elora will play her part…but only if it brings her the one thing she truly craves: freedom.

Monsters still haunt the realm, but Kestrel and Elora refuse to be their prey. If they want a future beyond the ruins they inherited, they’ll have to wield the power within them—before their kingdoms crumble.

A Crown of Deceit & Ruin is a slow-burn sapphic fantasy romance perfect for fans of fairy tale retellings, dark magic, and star-crossed fates—featuring a Rapunzel-esque runaway with the heart of a hero, a distrusting princess of death, enemies-to-lovers tension, courtly intrigue, sapphic/bi longing, found family, ancient curses, and the dangerous temptation of forbidden power.

PRE-ORDER HERE

TWs: Animal sacrifice as part of another character’s magic; one scene

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Blog Tour: Happy is the One – Katie Allen

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Imagine you knew exactly when you were going to die…

Robin Edmund Blake is halfway through his life. Born in 1986, when Halley’s Comet crossed the sky, he is destined to go out with it, when it returns in 2061. Until that day, he can’t die. He has proof. With his future mapped out in minute detail, a lucrative but increasingly dull job in the City of London, and Gemma to share his life with, Robin has a plan to be remembered forever.

But when Robin’s sick father has one accident too many, the plan starts to unravel. Robin must return home to the tiny seaside town of Eastgate, learn to care for the man who never really cared for him, and face the childhood ghosts he fled decades ago.

Desperate to get his life back on schedule, he connects with fellow outsider Astrid. Brutally direct, sharp-witted and a professor at a nearby university, she’s unlike anyone he’s ever met. But Astrid is hiding something and someone from Robin and he’s hiding even more from her.

Katie Allen was a journalist and columnist at Guardian and Observer, starting her career as a Reuters correspondent in Berlin and London. Her warmly funny, immensely moving literary debut novel, Everything Happens for a Reason, was based on her own devastating experience of stillbirth and was a number-one digital bestseller, with wide critical acclaim. Katie grew up in Warwickshire and now lives in South London with her family.

My thoughts: I am the same age as Robin, we’re both 1986 babies, but the comet didn’t cross the sky on my birthday. Robin believes he is destined to live until Halley’s Comet returns in 2061. It’s very specific, and Mark Twain-ish. He’s got spreadsheets and everything.

But then his plans are knocked off course by his father requiring more care than the local council can provide, and he returns home to the small town he couldn’t wait to leave. His best friend Danny is still there, and as the two men reconnect, Robin has a lot to think about.

He also meets Astrid, who teaches German literature at the university, and who he forms a connection with, from rude garden gnomes to Kafka. She’s got a few secrets and doesn’t believe in pre-destination. So it’s not all smooth sailing.

Robin starts asking people what they’d do if they knew exactly when they were going to die. The answers range from the obvious – holiday of a lifetime, splurge, quit my job, to the more insightful. As he explores ideas around death and living, Robin stops keeping his spreadsheets and perhaps finally starts living in the moment.

Moving (there are some very sad bits), thought provoking, challenging but also very readable and enjoyable, this was an interesting and engaging book.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

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Book Blitz: Our Little Monster – Lashell Rain

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STUFF YOUR KINDLE EVENT!

Get Our Little Monster for FREE today and tomorrow! You’re not going to want to miss this!

Our Little Monster: A Why Choose Vampire Romance (Deviant Desires Series)

Genre: Vampire Romance/ Why Choose

Author: @lashell.rain.writes

  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Touch Her & die
  • Monster Hunters x Vampires
  • Why Choose
  • Morally Grey Characters
  • Found family
  • Betrayals 

Perfect for fans of Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries… but make it why choose.

She doesn’t know whether to kill them or keep them…

In a world where monsters lurk in the shadows, Serina Velika is a hunter, born and raised to keep the balance between humans and everything that goes bump in the night.

But no one is safe in the dark.

When vampires viciously attack her and her father, she is left shattered and bleeding on the forest floor, forced to bear witness to the horrifying scene as they mercilessly take her father’s life. The one person who anchored her is gone and now she has nothing left to lose.

She embarks on a mission for vengeance, keeping her heart guarded and her loved ones at arm’s length. But fate has other plans.

After eight months of little to no answers, Serina crosses paths with three captivating vampires—Bastian, Nox, and Thorne, who propose an intriguing deal. With no other options, she reluctantly allows them into her life and is thrust into a world of deception, unaware that with every shared moment her resolve weakens and her emotions ignite like wildfire.

Will their love conquer all, or will her need for vengeance tear them apart? Dive into this thrilling adventure where passion ignites, bonds are tested, and a new dawn of hope awaits.

This enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance can be read as a standalone. It has plenty of spice and a satisfying happily ever after.

Trigger Warnings:

Explicit sexual scenes, grief, loss of a parent, death, murder, manipulation, bloodshed, torture, kidnapping, physical assault, and violence.

Purchase link / get the Ebook for FREE on May 10th using this link:

IG: @lashell.rain.writes @rrbooktours

Tags:

#rrbooktours #rrbtOurLittleMonsterBlitz #ourlittlemonster #stuffyourkindle #freebookalert #vampireromance #whychooseromance #enemiestolovers #whychooseromance #whychoose# romancestagram #tvd #vampires #vampirebooks #enemiestolovers #supernatural

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Cover Reveal: The Stardust of Dawn – D.L. Houpt

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We are proud to present the cover for the next installment in the Heir of Darkness series, The Stardust of Dawn!

The Stardust of Dawn (The Heir of Darkness #2)

Expected Release Date: July 10, 2025

Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Even the most beautiful flowers have petals that rot.

Tethys, Patron Goddess of Venia, has always lived a life of duty—until she meets Araes, an honorable yet infuriatingly ambitious mortal lieutenant. When children begin vanishing from Venia, she is forced to set aside her hatred. But the deeper she searches for answers, the more secrets she uncovers—from her sister Polaris’s self-imposed isolation to the hidden histories of the primordial gods.

Inspired by Ares and Aphrodite, the second installment in the Heir of Darkness trilogy is an epic prequel of love and the fight for freedom, exploring the delicate balance between following one’s heart and the true power of a woman scorned.

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

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Book Blitz: The Heiress to Nothing – A.R. Schilling

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We’re celebrating this week’s release of Stargazers Salvation by A.R. Schilling, the first book in a new series called The Heiress to Nothing!

Stargazers Salvation (The Heiress to Nothing series Book 1)

Publication Date: May 4, 2025

Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy

•Found Family
•Corrupt Kingdom
•Political Intrigue
•Unique World-building
•Tension
•War Academy
•Star bonded besties
•Mentor-Mentee romance
•Lovers to enemies
•Hidden pasts
•Secret Identities
•Betrayal

The Andromedas system is vast, but even its expanse feels small under the dominion of the Sol throne. Tara Ravi was meant to inherit that throne—if only she hadn’t been born without a Sol.

With the weight of failure already on her shoulders, Tara must now prove her worth by finding a new way to serve the Sun. Her only chance lies in graduating from one of the five sectors of the War Academy. But as Tara soon discovers, surviving the trials isn’t as simple as it seems. Her dubious choices in allies-and in love

—only worsen her odds.

Yet, death is not the only thing lurking in the dark. An ancient force is beginning to stir, unraveling the lies that have long bound it. As it awakens, Tara finds herself drawn to the promise of what it may reveal – the answer to a question long forgotten.

What she was made for.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND AT B&N

Content Warnings:

•death/mention of death
•mention of suicide/suicidal thoughts
•animal death
•anxiety/self harm
•explicit mention of blood/violence
•bully themes
•parental abandonment
•verbal/mental/emotional abuse
•explicit on-page panic attacks
•mention of off-page rape

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Blog Tour: Fire on the Fells – Cath Staincliffe

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Summer can be murder out on the sun-scorched Yorkshire Fells.

When the body of eighteen-year-old Tyler Prasad is found up on lonely Skye Moss, Detectives Leo Donovan and Shan Young are called in to investigate.

Tyler lies dead in a bone-dry ditch. His handsome face shattered in a brutal attack that leaves Donovan and Young baffled.
They dig into Tyler’s deepest secrets, following a twisty trail that leads straight to Patefield Grange, a luxury country-house retreat across the moors.
The well-heeled guests — gathered for a controversial grouse hunt in the sweltering summer heat — seem respectable on the surface.

But, beneath the façade, dark secrets smoulder. It’s only a question of which was worth killing for.

As temperatures soar, so does the pressure for Donovan and Shan to crack this impossible case.

Before tensions at the Grange ignite, and the body count rises again . . .

Goodreads
Purchase


Cath Staincliffe is a best-selling, award-winning novelist, radio playwright and creator of ITV’s hit show Blue Murder. Cath has been shortlisted for the CWA Daggers five times, winning 2012’s Short Story Dagger. She won the WGBB Best Radio Drama Award in 2019. Cath’s
standalone titles describe the human impact of crime on ordinary families, giving voice to victims, the bereaved, survivors and witnesses.
Cath is a reading junkie who loves hill-walking or pottering in the garden. Her new detective series features chalk and cheese duo Leo Donovan and Shan Young in the stunning setting of
the Yorkshire Dales.

Twitter Website

My thoughts: This was a really gripping and quite shocking read. A young man is murdered and his body dumped in a ditch, found by the ubiquitous dog walker. He’s an environmental activist, there for a local art protest camp, but he’s been shot and beaten, his phone and wallet stolen.

Tracing his path to a local grouse shoot (a horrible, cruel and quite frankly pointless “sport”) at a former country house, there are frankly, too many gun toting suspects. But someone isn’t telling the truth. Then another person is shot and the shooter goes on the run across the Fells.

Tragedy follows, and the duo of Leo and Shan are in terrible danger as they pursue their suspect. Summer out on the fells can be dangerous, a single spark can be lethal. Can they survive long enough to catch their killer?

Things on the home front are rocky too, with both detectives dealing with tricky relationships. Their brushes with death help put things in perspective, but you’d hope you wouldn’t need to go that far for some clarity.

I was hooked from the first page, Leo and Shan make a great team and this case is full of twists and turns, becoming more complex as they investigate.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

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Blog Tour: Murder at the Ponte Vecchio – T.A. Williams

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An iconic bridge…🌉
Private investigator, Dan Armstrong, lives and works in Florence and knows the world famous Ponte Vecchio well. Usually a magnet for tourists, on this occasion it is the scene of an unexplained death,
and Dan finds himself involved in the intriguing case.

An uncompromising man… 😠
Dan quickly discovers that the victim, an elderly jeweller, was every bit as hard as the diamonds he sold in his shop on the bridge. Few people liked him, not even his adult children, and his business
dealings look murkier than the waters of the River Arno. Dan suspects more secrets lie hidden…perhaps inside the massive safe in the old man’s luxury villa…

A complex case.💎🔍
As the evidence begins to mount up, so too do the suspects with their different motives. With a fortune in gold bullion and precious stones involved, Dan thinks the only way to catch the killer is to lay a trap, but might he be caught in the killer’s sights? Fortunately, he has Oscar, his canine wingman at his side, always eager to prove that he’s as good as gold. 🐶

Can Dan and Oscar sniff out the killer’s tracks or will this case be a bridge too far?

Purchase


T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cosy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at university and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England
with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks
Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks
Newsletter
Bookbub profile: @trevorwilliams3

My thoughts: We return to Italy with another case for one of my favourite detectives, Oscar, and his human assistant, Dan. This time, a jewellery merchant has been killed in his shop on the famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence. It’s been made to look like a suicide, although very clumsily, and the police are suspicious that the man’s estranged children are all in town to meet with their father for the first time in years.

But of course, it’s not that simple. The victim was involved in some dodgy dealings, and it soon becomes apparent his death is connected to those of two asylum seekers. There also seems to be something strange going on at the police headquarters and Virgilio asks Dan’s help in quietly looking into it.

Once more, Oscar’s excellent nose for rooting out the bad guys saves the day, whatever would Dan do without him?

I love this series and it goes from strength to strength, this was a really interesting addition, exploring the dark underbelly of the beautiful city on the Arno, and the lives of those at the bottom of the social order, who are easily forgotten. Dan makes a new connection and even has a go at treading the boards, I found Zebra the theatre director very intriguing, I hope we see her again.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

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Book Blitz: The Gods We Defy – Soraya Cole

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We have a book that you are going to want to add to the top of your TBR. Two if you haven’t read the first book in the series yet. Check out The Gods We Defy by Soraya Cole. It already has a coveted orange banner!

The Gods We Defy (All Gods Must Die Book 2)

Genre: Romantic Fantasy/ Fairytales/ Fantasy/ Irish Mythology

Release Date: April 12, 2025

✨Badass FMC
✨ Irish Inspired Mythology
✨Fated mates
✨Touch her and💀
✨ Gods & Monster
✨ High Stake Trials
✨ A Prophecy
✨ Found Family
✨Trials and games full of action scenes
✨Irish Inspired Mythology
✨Light and shadow powers
✨Slow burn but definite spice
✨ Fae prince with a dirty mouth

RETURN TO A WORLD DIVIDED BY SHADOWS AND LIGHT…

In a world divided by shadows and light, Seren was born between both. But her world shattered when the fae arrived, when she discovered one was her mate, and when the kingdom’s shield cracked, revealing a whole new world.

Trapped in the fae lands, Seren has no other choice but to make a deal. One that forces her into the brutal trials of Túr Rí.

But this is no Guards Competition.

To return home, she must survive three deadly trials, endure ruthless games, and face competitors who will stop at nothing to see her dead.

As secrets unravel and time runs out, betrayal isn’t the only thing that comes to light.

In a world of Gods, Fae, Monsters and a prophecy that comes to life, in the end, it will all come down to:

The Gods We Defy.

The Gods We Defy is book 2 in the All Gods Must Die series, a new M/F fantasy series that is inspired by Irish Mythology. Full of mystery, betrayal, a unique magic system and a prophecy, get ready to be brought on one epic adventure. This plot heavy, character-driven story has a delicious slow burn that gets hotter each book, and a strong female lead that is ready to fight for what she believes in.

GET IT HERE

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Cover Reveal: The Magicless Mage – B.L. Lewis

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We’re proud to present the cover for upcoming release The Magicless Mage by B.L. Lewis! Pre-order today!

The Magicless Mage: The Wolf Queen Chronicles

Expected Release Date: October 3, 2025

Genre: Adult Contemporary Fantasy/ Dark and twisted Wizard of Oz retelling

  • Cat & mouse
  • Enemies-to-lovers (across series)
  • Slowest burn
  • Yearning & tension
  • Witch x werewolf
  • Time traveling
  • Magical library
  • Touch her & die
  • Hidden identity

The year is 2617

Librarian Winter Leroux is a witch working the night shift at Caldwell Archives. Using her wand, she protects the inventory from vampires—master thieves. One evening she misses her mark. In a rush to protect an ancient book, she unlocks a sentient spell, catapulting her seven hundred years into the past.

She learns the Witch Queen can help her get back to the future, but trapped in another time, she needs help finding the palace.

The year is 1917

Westley Sterling is an alpha with werewolves to protect. When an unfamiliar witch tumbles into his woods, he tries to kill her, but she’s a master of seduction and equally resilient. He’s ashamed of his aching attraction towards her. When she exposes a wicked secret beyond his evergreens, he takes her to see the Witch Queen.

En route to the palace, their walls crumble and tension builds. Westley shifts from wanting to be Winter’s enemy into wanting her to stay. Beyond the gates, twists unravel, weaving both their fates. Will Winter make it home after all?

PRE-ORDER HERE

Content Warning:

This book contains explicit material intended for adult audiences only. The dynamic between the main characters represents fictional culture and customs, not our own.

The following trigger warnings are provided in an effort to be empathetic to readers: sexual assault (not between MCs), physical assault, excessive foul language, nudity, indentured servitude, sex work, group sex, breeding (mention), exhibitionism, infidelity, masking depression, dissociation, intrusive thoughts, suicidal ideation, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, amputation, blood and gore depiction, postmortem blood play, dead bodies, murder, eyeball trauma, heart attack (mention), hospitalization (mention), coma, death, cremation, animal death, animal attack, strangulation, captivity/confinement, kidnapping, knife violence, abuse, torture, and humiliation.

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