Oct 13

Oct 13 Books Publishing This Week

By mid-October, autumn has become impossible to ignore. The trees that were only beginning to change a few weeks ago are now streaked with crimson, amber, and gold, and the sidewalks crunch beneath your feet when you step outside. Mornings arrive cool enough for a coat, the afternoon sun feels especially welcome, and darkness settles earlier each evening. You find yourself noticing the season everywhere—in pumpkins gathered on front steps, pots of rust-colored mums, the smoky scent of a distant fire, and the leaves that tumble past your window whenever the wind picks up.

It is exactly the kind of weather that makes you want to start a new book.

You choose one from the stack waiting beside your bed and make the moment feel like a small ritual. You pour something warm to drink, find the softest place to sit, and perhaps light a candle as the afternoon begins to fade. If the sun is shining, you might take your book outside instead, settling onto a park bench or porch chair with a sweater wrapped around you. You know these comfortable outdoor reading days are numbered, which makes an hour spent beneath the changing trees feel especially worth savoring.

Then you open the book. The first few pages ask you to leave your own world behind for a while and step into another. You meet unfamiliar characters, enter a new setting, and begin collecting the small clues that will eventually become a story you understand completely. Outside, leaves drift from the trees as you turn another page.

October seems made for this kind of escape—cool afternoons, early evenings, and hours spent disappearing into stories. And if you're looking for the next book to accompany you through them, you have plenty of new possibilities to choose from.

Here are the new books publishing this week.

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Books Publishing October 11 - 17

I Want to See a Lighthouse by Gary Briechle

I Want To See A Lighthouse by Gary Briechle brings together three decades of photographs made in Rockland, a working-class town on the coast of Maine, where he has long lived and worked, portraying family, neighbors, and everyday life through the collodion wet plate process.

The Ferryman’s Daughter by Yasmin Angoe

The daughter of an infamous murderer gets caught up in a copycat’s sick game in this thriller about legacy, self-determination, and corrosive secrecy from the bestselling author of Not What She Seems.

Forensic science teacher Sanaa Karrem buried her past as deep as she could. When her serial killer father, known as “the Ferryman,” disappeared eighteen years ago, she tried to disappear with him. She changed her name, built a new life. And for a while, it all felt like a distant nightmare.

But when bodies turn up with pennies on their eyes, Sanaa recognizes her father’s signature. The nightmare becomes real again. Soon, Sanaa starts receiving threatening messages and increasingly disturbing “gifts.” The killer is toying with her, and she can’t tell anyone—not even her own fiancé, Detective Marcus Morelli, lead investigator on the case.

As the body count rises, Sanaa leans on her expertise as a former medical examiner to close in on the killer. What she finds is a horrific manifestation of her father’s legacy, hitting shockingly close to home. But what disturbs her most is how much that legacy still lingers within her…

Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen

After a true crime podcast reopens her cousin’s murder case, a woman must confront her past at a glamorous European castle-turned-hotel where she follows a trail of toxic family secrets and deadly lies in this Gothic-tinged thriller perfect for readers of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

When they were teenagers, Mia’s beloved cousin was murdered during their stay at an infamous castle in the Austrian Alps. As the only witness, Mia’s testimony put the killer behind bars, but it tore her life apart: the media accused her aunt, a controversial true crime author, of being involved. Now, a decade later, the murderer is appealing his conviction, and a popular true crime podcast starts covering the case, determined to exonerate him, and resurfacing lies about Mia’s family in the process.

Desperate to protect her aunt—and what she knows to be the truth—Mia returns to Austria. The castle is being revamped as a luxury hotel, and Mia gets a job as a nanny for the new owner, hiding in plain sight as she investigates, needing to set the story straight once and for all. But after someone mysteriously disappears on the property and sinister new evidence emerges regarding her cousin’s death, she realizes she might have accused the wrong man...and put her own life in danger.

Love you to Death by Jenna Levine

A jaded grim reaper and a woman who wants another chance at life give ‘til death do us part a new meaning in this paranormal romance from bestselling author Jenna Levine.

Lucy McKenzie’s life has always been a disaster. So it should come as no surprise when one day she’s hit by an inconveniently-timed bus—and dies. Unfortunately for the handsome grim reaper who shows up to take her to the afterlife, Lucy is not about to go quietly.

Daniel is tired of his job collecting souls. While working for the Agency beats the heck out of going to Hell, he’s been doing this for literal ages. The drudgery has him yearning for more. Touched by Lucy’s plea for more time on earth, he convinces the Agency to make a deal: Lucy can have six more weeks of life if Daniel can observe her and report back on humanity.

But as Lucy and Daniel navigate the chaos of life and afterlife together, they discover that a second chance at living might be their real chance at love.

Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe

A connection that’s more than supernatural emerges between two rival tour guides who wish they could ghost each other in this sparkling romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author Mallory Marlowe.

Paranormal medium Rory Woods spends her days offering psychic readings at Ye Olde Spirit Shop and nights haunting the streets of Boston as a ghost-tour guide. Sure, business could be better, but she’s proud of the shop she runs with her mom.

Enter Ezra Blackwell: adjunct history professor, noted thorn in Rory’s side, and—though she’d only admit it under threat of medieval torture he surely knows too much about—a distractingly handsome, charismatic coworker.

Rory can’t stand Ezra’s know-it-all, show-offy behavior. Ezra loves to tease the gorgeous, brilliant medium at the shop. And when the two are forced to host a tour together? It’s no wonder they end up hexed after disturbing a matchmaking ghost.

Saddled with perpetual bad luck unless they’re physically near each other, Rory and Ezra will try anything, from séances to kissing, to stop the jinx from wreaking havoc on both their lives. But in their quest to appease the spirit, they realize that growing closer might not be the curse they once thought it was.

Falling Into Us by Denise Hunter

She only meant to drop off a letter. She found a family instead.

Gabby Donaldson’s late mother left her with one final task: deliver a letter to her estranged mother. Once Gabby fulfills her mom’s deathbed promise, she’ll leave behind the grandmother she never knew and return to her carefully constructed life in the city. With a fulfilling career as a jewelry designer, she’s convinced she doesn’t need roots to feel whole.

But locating Rosemary proves more complicated than expected. And when journalist–and single dad–Mason Morrison offers help in exchange for telling her story, Gabby agrees. The arrangement seems simple enough: he gets the human-interest piece that could be his big break, and she gets to fulfill her mother’s final wish.

What neither anticipates is how quickly professional boundaries blur. As Gabby is drawn into Mason’s world–and the life he’s built with his precocious twelve-year-old daughter–Gibson begins to feel less like a stopover and more like home.

Yet the past has a way of complicating the present. If Gabby uncovers the truth about her family, will it free her to move forward–or make leaving impossible? And when the story is finally written, will she return to the life she planned . . . or risk falling into one she never saw coming?

A Date With Santa by Debbie Macomber

Romance blooms when an unlikely couple plans to surprise a child in need of some Christmas magic in this sparkling holiday romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

For single career woman Clare Madison, Christmas means pre-made cookies and artificial trees. But when her sister needs her help, Clare volunteers to care for her six-year-old nephew, Ricky.

Determined to give Ricky a memorable Christmas, Clare enlists help from her best friend Erica, who loves kids, and her colleague Ethan, who agrees to dress up as Santa . . . if Clare goes on a date with him.

As Clare navigates the challenges of caring for her nephew and the prospect of romance with Ethan, she begins to discover the true magic of the holiday season. Ethan's bond with Ricky and his kindness towards Clare bring unexpected joy and new adventures—filled with ice skating, baking, and a sense of fulfillment she never expected.

But when her old life threatens to interfere with the festivities, Clare must decide what she truly wants before the season’s magic slips away.

Good Guys by Mindy Misener

In a small New England town in 2008, two estranged sisters become embroiled in a war crime involving a local hero …

Georgie and Jo are sisters, but they aren’t close. The situation seems worse once Jo goes off to college, making it obvious she’s happy about leaving Curtisville and Georgie and their disabled father behind.
Then, Gary Clemmons dies in the Iraq War. Gary—the son of their pastor, the hero of their hometown, and the brother of Georgie’s secret girlfriend—was famous for being a good guy.
But Georgie stumbles on a dark secret about Gary, and once Jo finds out, things begin to spiral out of control. The fallout will change both sister’s lives forever.
In the end, Good Guys uncovers the underbelly of a small town—the darkness of patriotism and masculinity, the harm caused by blind religious fervor, and the ways these dynamics can destroy families.

The Story Baker by Carsten Henn

After an injury sidelines her career, a ballet dancer starts a temp job at a bakery and finds delicious new meaning in the rhythm of baking. The Story Baker is a tender and heartwarming story about rediscovering your purpose, and finding community and solace in unlikely places. With richly drawn characters and a lightly magical twist, it’s a perfect next read for fans of Fredrik Backman and Michiko Aoyama.

Mine Again by Andrea Thome

“Charming first installment in the Sunflower series.” ~Kirkus Reviews
Delilah Spencer is a rolling stone. A big city attorney from Chicago on a temporary work assignment in Sunflower, Montana.

Ranger Beckham's Sunflower roots run deep. Three generations to be exact. The high school band director and single father is adrift, fresh out of a marriage of convenience. He’s all but given up on finding true love.

Until he bumps into Delilah, the fixer with trust issues who has a hard and fast rule: never get attached to the places she visits or the people in them. They strike a deal when the chemistry between them burns too hot to ignore, convincing themselves they’ll be able to part as friends when Delilah’s gig is up, no matter how scorching things get between them.

But the slower pace in tight-knit Sunflower is a balm for Delilah’s restless soul, and it becomes impossible to imagine leaving Ranger or Montana behind.

Will Delilah break her own rules and finally put down roots, or will she cut and run when her contract is up, leaving Ranger and the life she never knew she wanted in the rearview mirror?

“Snappy...a charming opposites-attract romance" ~ Booklife reviews
From Andrea Thome, the author of the award-winning Hesse Creek Series.

Pole Dancers at the Red Barn by Susan Katz

Chronicling the struggles and successes of five pole dancers, the club owner they work for, and their mothers, this debut novel-in-stories delves into the profound impact of intergenerational trauma on families striving to create meaningful lives.

The Red Barn, a pole dancing venue on the outskirts of Easton, Pennsylvania, is co-owned by Eddie and Victoria. Like the other dancers—GB, who is courageous and nonbinary; Marie, who struggles with depression; Violet, who is manifesting her dream; and Celeste, who grapples with religion and body image—Eddie and Victoria have been shaped by their mothers’ secrets and fears. These mothers suffered from domestic abuse, mental illness, and addiction, yet their only concern was to create a safe, stable home life for their children.

Spanning the 1940s through the 1980s, these fourteen interconnected stories about these mothers and their children explore how intergenerational conflicts are confronted and resolved. Each story features the emotional and embodied journey of one character, and together they form a larger narrative about how individual identity and community intersect in the aftermath of trauma and betrayal.

Ultimately, the Red Barn family realizes that risk-taking is not only possible but necessary, and that obstacles, no matter how heavy, don’t have to bury us. Struggle is part of life, but it doesn’t define us. What matters is trusting our own organic process of becoming who we truly are, at any age.

The Chessboard by Jean-Philippe Toussaint

Through the lens of chess, a celebrated Belgian author unearths fresh insights into his work and relationships in this luminous exploration of childhood, memory, and aging.

Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic forced Europe into lockdown, Jean-Philippe Toussaint left Brussels for the seaside city of Ostend. Spending his days editing his novel The Emotions and coming to terms with new aches and pains, his mind wanders to memories of his youth—summers at the beach with his grandmother, whose sore legs he’s inherited now that he’s reached the age she was then; the black-and-white checkered floor of his first school from the 1960s, where his exhausting quest for perfection would manifest.

When a slate of canceled trips and events presents him with unexpected time, Toussaint begins a translation of Stefan Zweig’s Chess Story, or The Royal Game, the writer’s final novel, completed in exile shortly before his suicide in 1942. Working closely with this text that has long haunted him, Toussaint reflects on both their lives.

Revisiting games with his father—who seemed to love winning at chess rather than playing it—as well as remarkable players such as Artur Yusupov and Gilles Andruet, Toussaint poignantly illustrates his coming of age as a writer.

Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova

The last living member of a family of historians who has been hunted by dark forces associated with Dracula finds himself in peril at the hands of a new threat in this thrilling novel from the #1 bestselling author of The Historian.

After his beloved mother passes away suddenly, Jay Turner finds himself at a crossroads. She was always secretive, and when he returns to their Boston home to clear out her possessions, he finds an unusual item: a partially burned scrap of newspaper bearing the name “Gael Brogan.” Soon after, a deliveryman leaves behind a package containing a small antique volume bound in leather—and two bloody footprints.

The sight of the volume is chilling. As a young scholar, his mother had been given the medieval book—one of a set commissioned by Vlad Țepeș, otherwise known as Dracula, just before his death in 1477. She'd always warned Jay of the dangers associated with it, and had donated it to a museum before she died . . . yet here it is, back in his possession.

Jay sets out to learn more about Gael Brogan, a prominent nineteenth-century actor whose last and most famous role was based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. As Jay begins to dig deeper—with the help of a mysterious woman named Rhiannon—he uncovers the frightening story of a young actress who fell under Brogan's sway long ago. Before long, Jay and Rhiannon realize that something similarly implacable is pursuing them.

In this epic and riveting tale, Elizabeth Kostova takes us deep into the Gilded Age of the theater and across the Atlantic in pursuit of an ancient evil and its dramatic followers.

Merry Spooky Love by Josie Silver

A ghostbuster and her motley crew face the ghosts of Christmas—and the exes of Christmas past—in this haunted holiday rom-com from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Spooky Love.

Melody Bittersweet's Christmases are always more haunted than holly jolly, but even she's not used to a heartbreak holiday—which this one could end up being, if she can't save a beloved family-run department store... and if, despite their incredible chemistry and deepening emotional connection, her on-and-off boyfriend, Fletcher Gunn, still won't believe in her paranormal abilities.

When Lucy Libertine, namesake of the charming old-school department store Libertines, unexpectedly dies, the store goes to her deceased sister's three children: businessmen twins Francis and Tom, and their younger sister Fleur.

Despite Fleur and the local community protesting, the twins are excited to sell up. They hold all the cards as the majority shareholders—that is, until Lucy Libertine herself decides to even the playing field, haunting the twins out of house and home (and department store).

While the twins call in Melody's ghost-hunting ex to defend them, Lucy goes to Melody to represent Fleur and the deceased Libertine family. Melody is all too happy to take another job, save a beloved local store, and maybe knock her ex down a paranormal peg or two.

But old paperwork states that the store cannot be sold within three months of the death of a board member—and Lucy has already been dead for one. With tensions riding high and her relationship with Fletcher caught in the crosshairs, Melody and her crew only have two months left to save the store.

If they don’t, Libertines will close its doors on Christmas Eve—forever.

Mother May I by Harry Hunsicker

She lost everything. Except the will to fight.

When former CIA operative Meg Dalton finds a shocking clue that suggests her long-missing daughter might still be alive, she’s forced into a desperate, high-stakes search for the truth. Fifteen years after little Ivy vanished without a trace at a Texas fair, Meg has built a career as a covert “operator”―a soldier-for-hire who takes on dangerous black ops missions for the government.

But during a botched assignment in Los Angeles, Meg encounters a woman wearing her daughter’s distinctive butterfly necklace, and everything she believes unravels. As Meg defies her handlers and goes rogue to chase the lead, she’s thrust into a deadly conspiracy linking global espionage, human trafficking, and her own past sins.

Hunted by both her employers and foreign agents, Meg must decide how far she’s willing to go―and what lines she’ll cross―to uncover the truth and reclaim her child. Mother May I is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller about loss, obsession, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her daughter.

Chasing Goodfellas: Lufthansa, Henry Hill, Point Shaving, and Making Movies by Edward McDonald

America has its share of feared and famous G-men and mob prosecutors, but at the height of the New York Mafia’s reign over New York City and beyond, arguably none was more successful than Edward McDonald. A folk hero in law enforcement circles and scorned within the underworld, Ed has become a well-known personality, perhaps most recognizable for playing himself in the iconic Oscar-winning film Goodfellas. Ed has faced off against the fiercest mob bosses in history, and the legal victories he achieved in the courtroom quite literally devastated organized crime and public corruption at their peak.

In his debut memoir, written with Jake Brown, Ed, for the first time, takes us inside the real-life investigations, prosecutions, and trials of two front-page courtroom battles, the Lufthansa Heist and the Boston College point-shaving scandal.

It begins with a dramatic account of how a group of gunmen organized by the unforgettable New York underworld legend Jimmy “The Gent” Burke planned and executed the robbery of over $6 million in cash and jewels from the Lufthansa cargo building at John F. Kennedy Airport, at the time of the nation’s largest robbery. In its wake, the murderous Burke executed many of his accomplices to silence them and assume their share of the loot for himself. The engrossing account of Ed’s assignment as the prosecutor in charge of the massive investigation of the robbery describes in absorbing detail the process that led to the turning of critical witnesses and securing evidence necessary for the indictment of the hapless inside man, Lou Werner. The resulting trial, recounted from Ed’s unique perspective, is riveting and at times uproariously funny—an unforgettable roller coaster ride of a drama that resulted in Werner’s conviction.

While investigating the elusive Burke crew, Ed and his FBI partners unexpectedly gain the cooperation of Henry Hill, Burke’s closest associate and an early insider on the Lufthansa robbery. Hill is a truly unforgettable character, despicable yet lovable, moronic but bright, endlessly funny with his self-deprecating sense of humor and a font of information on the Burke’s crew and the entire Lucchese crime family. Hill is unable to get the investigators over the finish line on a Lufthansa prosecution, but he almost inadvertently discloses he and Burke had corrupted Boston College players who had agreed to rig games by shaving points. As coincidence would have it, Ed is a B.C. alum and had played on the freshman basketball team. The ensuing investigation to back up Hill’s testimony about the fix is another gripping story, and the point shaving trial is one for the ages. Ed’s insider story is filled with a series of madcap events and high drama. Characters abound, a mixed bag of witnesses, the colorful defense attorneys, the presiding judge, and others. It results in the convictions of Jimmy the Gent Burke, Rick Kuhn, and the Pittsburgh wannabes.

Ed shares his humorous, exciting, and sometimes sad three-decade relationship with Henry Hill, the remarkably incorrigible character he made into a witness, offering unforgettable anecdotes, from his endless efforts going to bat for Hill with other prosecutors to their entertaining encounters in Hollywood and New York. He also tells the story of his unexpectedly being offered the role of playing himself in the classic film about the life of Hill, Goodfellas, describing the days spent with the director Martin Scorsese and getting to perform with Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Lorraine Bracco—a fascinating and entertaining experience.

The stories of the legendary Lufthansa heist and the Boston College point shaving fix are iconic, interesting cases that have captivated the public for years. With an entertaining storytelling style, Ed provides singular, insider accounts of how the investigations and trials were conducted. With behind-the-scenes detail of trial strategies and stages, Ed’s memoir also serves as a window into criminal trial practice, presented in an understandable and gripping way for non-lawyers, while never leaving out descriptions of the antics of all the colorful characters he encountered along the way.

Bizzy Bear: It's Bedtime by Benji Davies

This new addition to the interactive series is perfect for helping little ones get ready for bed.

Bizzy Bear’s busy day comes to an end as he settles down for a good night’s sleep in this novelty board book full of tabs to slide, push, and pull. With more than twenty-two million copies sold worldwide, Bizzy Bear has become the perfect companion for any activity and a welcome addition to any daily routine. Even Bizzy Bear brushes his teeth, takes a bath, puts on pajamas, and closes his tired eyes—and little readers won’t be far behind. Zzzzz!

One of Them by Kitty Zeldis

The beloved author of Not Our Kind and The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights returns with a story of secrets, friendship, and betrayal about two young women at Vassar in the years after World War II, a powerful and moving tale of prejudice and pride that echoes the cultural and social issues of today.

Anne Bishop seems like a typical Vassar sophomore—one of a popular group of privileged WASP friends. None of the girls in her circle has any idea that she’s Jewish, or that her real first name is Miriam. Pretending to be a Gentile has made life easier—as Anne, she no longer suffers the snubs, snide remarks, and daily restrictions Jews face. She enjoys her college life of teas, late-night conversations, and mixers. She turns a blind eye to the casual anti-Semitism that flourishes among her friends and classmates—after all, it’s no longer directed at her.

But her secret life is threatened when she becomes fascinated by a girl not in her crowd. Delia Goldhush is sophisticated, stylish, brilliant, and unashamedly Jewish—and seems not to care that she’s an outcast among the other students. Knowing that her growing closeness with Delia would be social suicide if it were discovered, Anne keeps their friendship quiet. Delia seems to understand—until a cruelty on Anne’s part drives them apart and sends them around the world, alone and yet together.

Self Portraits by P.J. Blumenthal

Of these stories, portraits “of many selves,” the author writes: “In Hokusai’s One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji, sometimes you see the mountain, sometimes you don’t, depending on where you are standing. Like mountains, these self portraits too may be visible or invisible—or sometimes positioned at the edge of the picture. And, like mountains, they are meant to be experienced not understood.”

“When you book Blumenthal, your trip is fully guaranteed.
Adventure galore in the unknown known: first-class entertainment, funny and serious—just as it should be. Book now!”
Elfriede Jelinek, author of The Children of the Dead, winner 2004 Nobel Prize for Literature

Once in a Timeline by Iman Hariri-Kia

For fans of Ashley Poston and The Love of My Afterlife comes a clever and swoony novel about an aspiring New York lifestyle influencer who gets trapped in her own "day in the life" video, with only a mysterious stranger to help her break out.

Get ready with me… to break out of the algorithm

Laia Grace is the New York City lifestyle influencer… or at least, she's determined to be. After leaving her past behind to pursue her dreams, failure is not an option.

Every day, she films her aesthetic routine ― the perfect light, the perfect latte, the perfect life. Until one morning, her day starts to… glitch. Her neighbors flicker. Her best friend loops. And Laia realizes she's no longer the creator, but the content ― and she's trapped inside of her last "day in the life" video, forever playing on an endless, infinite loop.

That's when a brooding, unshaven, decidedly unfiltered man (literally) crashes into frame. Noah's been stuck in Laia's timeline, too, and he's desperate to get them both out. Together, Laia and Noah fight to outsmart the algorithm that's captured them, uncovering secrets and confronting biases along the way.

As they grow closer, the line between performance and personhood blurs, and Laia realizes she might have to face the one thing she's been avoiding all this time: herself.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Meltdown by Sheila Roberts

Bestselling author Sheila Roberts is back with a heartwarming holiday romance full of family, love, and a little bit of intrigue!

Jordan Frost had to do it. Her family was simply too perfectly eccentric not to put in a novel. She was thrilled when she got an agent and then a publishing deal. For two books. Two! Then reality set in. The book about an oddball family's holiday adventures is coming out in November. Just in time for her trip home to Holly Bay, Washington, from the big city. Jordan is desperately hoping she can keep her pseudonym a secret so she can stay in her family's good graces. She wrote the book under a pen name and when it was time for an author picture, she wore a wig and glasses. No one will know it was her, right?

Wrong. Charles Pine, her high school friend who always hoped for more, recognizes the woman he's never gotten over as soon as he unpacks her book to shelve at the bookstore where he works. He knows this is the perfect opportunity to get Jordan to see him in a new light and he makes sure to run into her when she arrives home. She never thought of him as anything more than a shoulder to cry on back then, but he's determined to make her see him as boyfriend material. Can he be her hero and help her get through the season with her secret intact? Or at least save her from a holiday meltdown?

When a series of minor family emergencies threatens to add even more chaos to Jordan's already hectic life, Charles tries to help her find the true meaning of the holiday. Maybe coming home wasn't a bad idea after all...

My Guardian Dear by Brit Druker

This heartwarming picture book shares the story of a boy who learns to call on his guardian angel for help in both big things and small, including his dearest wish: becoming the MVP of his basketball team! Thanks to an easy-to-remember prayer, he learns to have faith that God will guide his steps, and he learns to share his faith with his friends. With a fun rhyme scheme and three customizable trading cards, readers will be inspired to pray, share, and reflect on faith in a new, unique way.

Nomad by Cynthia Johnstone

Set in the desert wilderness of Sedona, Arizona, “Nomad” is a lyrical novel about grief, resilience, and the landscapes that shape us. After her brother’s sudden death, Corey retreats to a remote, off-grid ranch outside Sedona seeking silence and escape. Instead, an unexpected stray dog—and a handful of unlikely connections—begin to draw her back toward the world. Immersive and emotionally precise, “Nomad” explores how loss transforms us—and how wild places can lead us back to ourselves.

Falling For Her by Natasha Madison

A divorced detective who is all about order gets more than he bargained for when his new nanny sends his life—and his heart—spinning out of control in the latest spicy romance by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Natasha Madison.

Finley Westbook’s life just blew up. Now, the only thing she wants is for her husband to sign their divorce papers. Just one problem: He wants half of her, and her family’s, fortune. When her best friend tells her a man in her hometown needs a short-term, live-in nanny for his eight-year-old son, it sounds like the perfect escape from the mess her life has become. Sure, Finley has never had a job, but how hard can it be to take care of an adorable kid?

Single dad and small-town detective Lincoln Burke doesn’t have time for chaos. But just as his ex-wife is about to leave for her honeymoon, a major case hits his desk. He’s desperate to find a nanny, and it seems Finley is his only option. She’s a walking disaster in his kitchen, can never follow a schedule—and is a dangerous temptation in his home.

The chemistry between them is impossible to ignore, but Lincoln won’t risk his heart again—especially not with his employee. Yet, the more Finley pushes his buttons, the harder she is to resist. When danger closes in, what started as a temporary arrangement may cost them far more than they ever expected.

Slow Burn by Oti Mabuse

Filled with scenes of sizzling passion, plot beats of swoon-worthy romance, and a cast of Black female characters that you’ll fall in love with, Slow Burn brims with heat and heart. Perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert, Laura Jane Williams, Tia Williams, Farrah Rochon, Hannah Grace and Bolu Babalola.

For dancer Lira, Latin Ballroom is everything. Whilst her dreams of fame were cut short aged 19, she’s never forgotten the connection she felt dancing with a stranger at the Paris World Championship afterparty 13 years ago. Now, with her younger sisters pursuing their own successful dancing careers, and the responsibility of running the family dance studio falling to her, Lira’s ambitious flame is about to flicker out. Until a chance encounter sees her secretly auditioning for Slow Burn, a new dance show about to embark on a 6-week European tour, and coming face to face with a blast from her past that sends her reeling.

Gabriele is the quintessential bad boy of the Latin Ballroom scene. Slim of hip, with long, lean muscles that pop, a chiselled jaw, dark eyes, obscenely long lashes, and a mouth that just won’t give, it's no surprise when he lands the principal male lead role on Slow Burn. But, with just a few weeks to go till the tour starts, he still hasn't found his female co-star. All it takes is one audition to set his world on fire...

On the dance floor they’re smouldering, off it, they’re on fire.

Under An Indiana Sky by Lynne Hugo

Denise has been suspicious of her sister Angie's boyfriend, Brock, from the start and not only because Angie wants time off from caring for their disabled mother to date him, which means Denise has to pick up the slack. Exactly what "business" is this shady guy in? Even Brock's mother Nora, a widowed, well-known artist enjoying her new romance, would like to know that.

Only a few observant people have an idea what might be going on after Angie is injured and pain pills are prescribed at the hospital. Denise's daughter Julie, just fourteen, notices as Angie sickens. Mercedes, a bar keeper friend to Brock, realizes what he's into and then, the danger he's in--and why.

One of them will die. And then another.

The police will call that death an accident, too. But maybe they didn't see a reason to consider murder? Can the guilty and the betrayed survivors trust and forgive each other? Enough to work together to bring the biggest dealer to justice? Are hope and tenderness ever possible again?

A novel perfect for fans of Dopesick and Long Bright River

Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries by Sarah Clegg

A compendium of fairies and fairy lore through the centuries, told through a magical year in search of the fae from the author of the “remarkable” (Literary Review) Woman’s Lore.

Fairy stories and fae lore are ancient—yet fairy stories continue to transform and enthrall our imaginations generation after generation. From Tolkien’s elves to Sarah J. Maas’s high fae, storytellers have reinterpreted the same set of traditions and texts over and over again.

Perilous Enchantment presents a definitive new cultural history of the fairy, from ancient times to now, across Europe and North America. By visiting a different fairy site each month—including fairy hills in Yorkshire, to a nymph’s cave in Delphi, to a contemporary fairy ball in Los Angeles—Cambridge PhD and folkloristSarah Clegg illuminates all the facets of the elusive, capricious figure.

Clegg shows us how shifts in culture, technology, and avenues of storytelling have shaped the image of the fairy and fairylands. Within, you’ll trace how hyper-localized nature spirits in the first century BC became otherworldly tricksters and temptresses, then scions of purgatory or the devil, to adorable Victorian children’s book characters, and ultimately, our contemporary romantasy love interests.

For fans curious for some of the inspiration behind their favorite novels to storytellers interested in adding their own twists to this rich lore, Perilous Enchantment provides a nuanced look at fairyland, from its most extraordinary tales to its darkest corners, showing us just how much faerie has always been a mirror to our own human imaginations, fears, and desires.

Chronic Chaos: A Son’s Addiction, a Mother’s Love, and Her Quest to Find Joy by Ann Marie Farino

The Woman of the House by Kate Mooney

Rose Crawley isn’t the perfect wife—or the perfect woman—that her husband thinks she is. And she isn’t about to let him find that out, ever. She’s finally gotten everything she’s ever a house by the lake, an adoring husband, and a fresh start from the past she’s long tried to outrun.

But the house she now calls home seems to have other plans. She wakes with bloody scratches lining her arms. She sees reflections in mirrors, only to find she’s standing alone. She hears the floors creak under invisible footsteps. And when Rose lies awake in the dark, the air feels heavy, like the house is pressing in on her, waiting for her to crack.

When Rose learns that the previous occupant, a wife and mother named Angela, vanished under suspicious circumstances, she becomes obsessed with uncovering what happened. Drawn deeper into the disappearance by her peculiar and prying neighbor, Rose digs into Angela’s past. But the more she discovers, and as the house's strange occurrences escalate, Rose finds herself questioning not just what happened to Angela, but whether she’ll share the same fate.Rose Crawley isn’t the perfect wife—or the perfect woman—that her husband thinks she is. And she isn’t about to let him find that out, ever. She’s finally gotten everything she’s ever a house by the lake, an adoring husband, and a fresh start from the past she’s long tried to outrun.

But the house she now calls home seems to have other plans. She wakes with bloody scratches lining her arms. She sees reflections in mirrors, only to find she’s standing alone. She hears the floors creak under invisible footsteps. And when Rose lies awake in the dark, the air feels heavy, like the house is pressing in on her, waiting for her to crack.

When Rose learns that the previous occupant, a wife and mother named Angela, vanished under suspicious circumstances, she becomes obsessed with uncovering what happened. Drawn deeper into the disappearance by her peculiar and prying neighbor, Rose digs into Angela’s past. But the more she discovers, and as the house's strange occurrences escalate, Rose finds herself questioning not just what happened to Angela, but whether she’ll share the same fate.

Rose Knox: How One Woman Mixed Kitchen and Boardroom to Remold an American Business

Rachel Greenfield has written the definitive biography of Mrs. Charles B. Knox, the President of Knox Gelatine from 1908 to 1947, to be published on October 15, 2026. Greenfield is dedicated to recovering the stories of overlooked early twentieth-century businesswomen whose achievements helped pave the way for later generations of women in business. Rose Knox is one of those seminal women. Her practical, innovative approach to leadership and the way she publicized her simultaneous dedication to her home and work life, provides valuable context for the experiences of working women today, while affirming many of their aspirations and expectations.
Greenfield graduated from Vassar College and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. Her work as a historian follows a forty-year career as a publishing and digital business executive, including roles as an e-book entrepreneur, consultant, and head of the Publishing Division at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
She lives in the Hudson Valley in New York State, not far from Rose Knox's home.

Narcissi: A Novel by Babette Fraser Hale

Narcissi, a novel in stories, brings us into the world of Cole Burnett, a Texas writer, who needs to keep moving. At first, it’s something in his blood, pressing him, pushing him to write more, achieve more. Later, after the death threat, it becomes a way of staying alive. Cole is the kind of man who should send women running in the opposite direction. But he has a lanky western charisma and the gift of listening to them, a rare quality in the 1980’s.

The women he encounters have complicated lives–conflicts with husbands, traumas survived, needs postponed, children. They find Cole’s attention compelling, and they all get hurt, or cause hurt, to a greater or lesser degree. But hurt is never the whole story.

In these interwoven stories about loneliness, how people look for relief and meaning in one another, and how we must try to live with the results of those relationships, readers explore women, relationships, the consequences of reinvention, and what we learn about ourselves when we examine who we are drawn to.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using this link. Thank you for supporting this blog and the books I recommend! I may have received a book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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