"This edgy fantasy doesn't just blur boundaries of genre, of gender, of past and present, life and death--it explodes them." --Cinda Williams Chima, New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Realms series and the Shattered Realms series. Without the dead, she'd be no one. Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades. A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears around the kingdom. Soon, a crushing loss of one of her closest companions leaves Odessa shattered, and reveals a disturbing conspiracy in Karthia: Someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead--and training them to attack. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees? Fighting alongside her fellow mages--and a powerful girl as enthralling as she is infuriating--Odessa must untangle the gruesome plot to destroy Karthia before the Shades take everything she loves. Perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns and Red Queen, Reign of the Fallen is a gutsy, unpredictable read with a surprising and breathtaking LGBT romance at its core.
Can you find real love when you've always got your head in the clouds? Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start. Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous--and it turns out he has a very different vision for the property's future. Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley's scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one's comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards.
"Adventurous and imaginative, Harian imbues the world of Demura with an infectious charm and energy, and just enough danger and darkness. A gorgeous fantasy that will hook readers from page one."—Madeleine Roux, New York Times-bestselling author of the Asylum series Lovers of dark, high-octane adventure will be enthralled by Sarah Harian's Eight Will Fall, a genre-bending YA fantasy standalone, perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Leigh Bardugo. In a world where magic is illegal, eight criminals led by rebellious Larkin are sent on a mission to rid their realm of an ancient evil lurking beneath the surface. Descending into a world full of unspeakable horrors, Larkin and her crew must use their forbidden magic to survive. As they fight in the shadows, Larkin finds a light in Amias, a fellow outlaw with a notorious past. Soon, Larkin and Amias realize that their destinies are intertwined. The eight of them were chosen for a reason. But as the beasts grow in number and her band is picked off one by one, Larkin is forced to confront a terrible truth: They were never meant to return.
When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut. Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They’re preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him. Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare. But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves—and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.
"What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower." Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else. Small. Fragile. An enigma. Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds. Stay within. Never leave. Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I'm safe...though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily. Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable. My savior. My protector. My almost executioner. I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground. When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I've kept from myself. No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds. To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst.
Does a blue rose at your door mean you’re next? Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she's found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood's A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee... until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss. Sarah's world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband's memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won't stop until he has what he prizes most.
'A deliciously warm, welcoming, fun contemporary read and just perfect for a summer's day.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Sarah Bennett always keeps me entertained from the very first page' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Laurie Morgan runs a café in the small seaside community of Mermaids Point, named after the beauties rumoured to live in the waters a few miles off the top of the point. When a hazy image is posted online of what appears to be a mermaid, the café and the village are soon full to bursting with curious sightseers. The most eye-catching of the new arrivals is handsome author, Jake Smith, who has rented a cottage for the summer while he works on his new book. Or so he says. In fact, he is a journalist, burned out and disillusioned with life, whose editor has sent him on a crack-pot hunt for mermaids... Jake quickly finds himself drawn to village life, and to the gorgeous woman who runs the local café. But he soon suspects there’s trouble lurking beneath the idyllic façade, and when it looks like Laurie’s family might be involved, Jake faces a difficult choice. Pursue the truth, or protect the woman he’s beginning to fall in love with... Warm, escapist, feel-good and altogether brilliant story-telling from bestselling author Sarah Bennett. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley and Milly Johnson. 'This is the perfect escapist read and I can't wait to follow the characters in what promises to be a wonderful series. Five sparkling stars!' Rachel Griffiths'What a Mer-mazing book! I'm so glad this is a series and I'll get to meet the characters again because you won't want to leave them after the final page.' Catherine Miller ‘I inhaled this book in two days. Absolutely gorgeous. Sarah Bennett is back, and better than ever!’ Rachel Burton'I absolutely adored this book! I've always loved Sarah's writing and this was another brilliant read full of drama, romance and family. Absolutely fabulous! I just couldn't put it down!' Katie Ginger 'A perfect heartwarming read full of family, romance and intrigue, set in a stunning location - what’s not to love?' Bella Osborne'Oh, what a joy this read was. I fell in love with the setting and characters and found myself racing to the end in the hope of a happy ending. You're in for a real treat with this beautiful escapist story. Unputdownable and utterly romantic.' Samantha Tonge'I want to move to Mermaids Point immediately. I just loved it.' Jane Lacey Crane'Utterly magical! Summer Kisses At Mermaids Point is a wonderful story about flights of fancy, but also about what’s most real – love, trust and community. I can’t wait for the next story in the series!' Fiona Harper What readers are saying about Sarah Bennett: 'A deliciously warm, welcoming, fun contemporary read and just perfect for a summer's day.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Absolutely loved this book it has a great story line and the characters feel like great friends who you laugh with and cry with and really care about.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Such a joy to read – I cannot recommend this book enough!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Sarah Bennett always keeps me entertained from the very first page' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Five stars from me!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is a brilliant five star modern fiction story.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sarah Blake is thirty-eight and on the verge of divorce. Empty and directionless, she's a far cry from the smart, beautiful cheerleader whose life was once so full of promise. As she nervously awaits the scheduled reunion with her high school friends, she thinks back to twenty years earlier when it all went wrong . . . The year is 1995, the summer before their senior year. Sarah's life is perfect. Until a childhood friend reenters her life and threatens to change everything. Torn between old friends and new, Sarah finds herself caught in the crossfire, triggering a cascade of events that culminates into a single moment. A moment that changes their lives forever. Interlaced with the highs and lows of a coming-of-age summer, Sarah's Fall is a powerful story of obsessive jealousy, questionable loyalties, shocking consequences, and one woman's lifelong struggle to overcome an unspeakable event.
Her career in tatters, celebrity photographer Lilah Rose needs somewhere to regroup and start fresh, outside of the spotlight. There’s nowhere better to hide than the English countryside, complete with fluffy sheep, rolling hills…and Max, the stern, sexy farmer who tends to them. But the lazy days and lush nights with Max aren't as far from the spotlight as Lilah thinks. He isn’t simply a farmer—he’s also a duke: young, handsome and powerful…and too aware of how a title can dazzle, making the man inside invisible. What’s the harm in playing the farmer for a while? After all, Lilah isn’t staying… Soon, Max is imagining just that, though--wondering what it would be like to have her on his land, in his life, in his bed forever. For that, he’s going to need to tell her the truth…and hope he can convince her that he’s a duke worth falling for.