Sept. 1st: Starlight Cottage by K.T. Dady
Series: Pepper Bay #1
Synopsis: Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, drama, friendship, and love.
Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.
The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters.
Starlight Cottage: Anna Cooper and Jake Reynolds both live at the luxury London building, River Heights. The only difference is that Jake lives in the penthouse, and Anna lives in a tent on the roof.
When Jake finds out, he offers Anna a chance of a new life in his grandmother’s childhood home in Pepper Bay, and she decides to take the opportunity to see if she really can make a fresh start somewhere else.
The beauty of Pepper Bay, with its quaint shops, chocolate box cottages, and all of Jake’s closest friends, immediately fills Anna’s heart with nothing but love, and it isn’t just Starlight Cottage that she finds herself falling in love with.
Sept. 2nd: The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: Sept. 2, 2021
Publisher: Aria Fiction
Synopsis: What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend’s phone holds the directions to true love?
‘Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend’s phone?’
‘He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I’m the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.’
And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday.
So when the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheers herself up at a nearby beach town, she jumps at the chance to get things back on track. She wasn’t expecting a personalised itinerary or the easy companionship that comes from opening up to a stranger via text, let alone the possibility it might grow into something more…
Come on this 5* journey to love, laughter and back again, perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Josie Silver and Sally Thorne.
Sept. 3rd: Spellbound by Rebecca L. Garcia
Synopsis: A dark and twisted fantasy standalone romance, where hate and love collide in a world filled with snarky witches and vengeful gods. Perfect for fans of To Kill a Kingdom and Kingdom of the Wicked
Grieving being torn from her beloved sister, who remained behind in the human kingdom, Elle makes it her life purpose to become a keeper in her cursekeeper coven.
But this calling won’t be an easy one.
The magic possessed by her small coven of four casts them as outsiders throughout the kingdom. Yet when witches are found murdered in the woods, the cursekeepers quickly become the town’s only hope.
Many believe the murders are the work of a god. An old one returned in search of vengeance. Elle, on the other hand, suspects Viktor, the new warlock to town, is somehow linked to the violent deaths. However, his agenda doesn’t stop there.
Infiltrating her coven.
Charming everyone around him.
Threatening her plans to become a keeper.
This rivalry quickly becomes personal.
When the truth behind the murders surfaces, Elle finds herself thrust into a dangerous new world, trapped between twisted hearts and terrifying beings. With the victims piling up, she must decide who to trust and who to protect before it’s too late.
Embraced by Darkness is a collection of standalone books set in the same world without an overarching plot, which means you can start with any books in the series and pick and choose which ones you want to read. This collection of novels follows different couples as they go from enemies to friends to lovers, while facing dangerous obstacles in a world split between humans, witches and gods, set in two kingdoms that separate them.
Sept. 7th: The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young
Page Length: 336
Publication Date: Sept. 7, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.
When a letter from her uncle Henrik arrives on Bryn Roth’s eighteenth birthday, summoning her back to Bastian, Bryn is eager to prove herself and finally take her place in her long-lost family.
Henrik has plans for Bryn, but she must win everyone’s trust if she wants to hold any power in the delicate architecture of the family. It doesn’t take long for her to see that the Roths are entangled in shadows. Despite their growing influence in upscale Bastian, their hands are still in the kind of dirty business that got Bryn’s parents killed years ago. With a forbidden romance to contend with and dangerous work ahead, the cost of being accepted into the Roths may be more than Bryn can pay.
Sept. 14th: Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Defy the Night #1
Page Length: 496
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a blockbuster fantasy series about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing down.
The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand.
King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents’ shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King’s Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion–it’s the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited.
Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most–but it’s still not enough.
As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King’s Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it’s even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.
Set in a richly imaginative world with striking similarities to our own, Brigid Kemmerer’s captivating new series is about those with power and those without . . . and what happens when someone is brave enough to imagine a new future.
Sept. 14th: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Page Length: 384
Publisher: Berkley Books
Synopsis: When a fake relationship between scientists meets the irresistible force of attraction, it throws one woman’s carefully calculated theories on love into chaos.
As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding…six-pack abs.
Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.
Sept. 14th: Red Velvet by Carla Luna
Series: Blackwood Cellars #2
Page Length: 288
Publisher: Moon Manor Press
Synopsis: Six nights in the Northwoods, two best friends, and one big secret. What could possibly go wrong?
In her ultra-competitive family, April Beckett is used to taking last place. For years, she’s put up with jabs about her modest job and her pathetic love life. Especially after she tried to impress her older sisters with a fake boyfriend in college and failed miserably. But now she has a smoking-hot date for her brother’s wedding, guaranteed to wow them.
Until he bails. Cue total desperation.
Without April’s friendship, Brody Blackwood wouldn’t have survived his last breakup. So, if she needs a plus-one for a family wedding, he’s all in. Even if it means pretending to be her boyfriend. And committing to a week of activities at a wooded resort in Wisconsin. But how hard could a fall getaway with your best friend be?
Too bad there’s a grueling 10K race and a cutthroat trivia night to endure. Not to mention a massive secret to protect. But will the biggest secret of all turn out to be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined?
Sept. 14th: Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin
Publisher: Amulet Books
Synopsis: A gothic YA fantasy debut about a young woman striving to break her sister’s curse and stop the killing in her small French town
Seventeen-year-old Marie mixes perfumes to sell on market day in her small eighteenth-century French town. She wants to make enough to save a dowry for her sister, Ama, in hopes of Ama marrying well and Marie living in the level of freedom afforded only to spinster aunts. But her perfumes are more than sweet scents in cheap, cut-glass bottles: A certain few are laced with death. Marie laces the perfume delicately—not with poison but with a hint of honeysuckle she’s trained her sister to respond to. Marie marks her victim, and Ama attacks. But she doesn’t attack as a girl. She kills as a beast.
Marking Ama’s victims controls the damage to keep suspicion at bay. But when a young boy turns up dead one morning, Marie is forced to acknowledge she might be losing control of Ama. And if she can’t control her, she’ll have to cure her. Marie knows the only place she’ll find the cure is in the mansion where Ama was cursed in the first place, home of Lord Sebastien LeClaire. But once she gets into the mansion, she discovers dark secrets hidden away—secrets of the curse, of Lord Sebastien . . . and of herself.
Sept. 14th: Kingdom of Shadow and Dust by Sherry Ficklin
Page Length: 300
Publication Date: Sept. 14, 2021
Publisher: TrueType Press
Synopsis: A voiceless captive of tradition, driven to defend her kingdom.
As the king’s only daughter, Ava has suffered the solitary isolation of a noble woman as long as she can remember. While she dreams of fighting alongside the armies of Ankara, she’s forced to hide her identity behind a veil.
It seems her prayers are answered when fate intervenes, allowing Ava to sneak away and join the battle. Yet the tides of war turn on her, leaving the young beauty defeated… her hopes shattered. Her only chance at salvation is Callan, a mysterious black wolf willing to risk everything by hiding her away among his kind.
But there are some dangers far more ominous than the snapping jaws of a wolf.
Ripped away from the brave Turnskins, Ava is imprisoned by the beguiling Shadow King who fills her head with promises of peace and a haze of passion. Forced to choose between family, the bond she shares with Callan, and the handsome king, Ava finds herself torn between duty and desire.
When sacrifice is required to save all she holds dear, will Ava accept the crushing demands of taking the crown? Or follow her heart to the forbidden touch she desperately craves?
Sept. 16th: Raiventon by Sarah Westill
Series: Gen-Heirs: The Guardians of Sziveria #2
Page Length: 319
Synopsis: Their marriage might be the key to their freedom…
Raina Merrick wants only one thing in life—to be free of her father’s ruling hand. Then the husband she barely knows walks back into her life and what she once considered important suddenly falls apart. He’s little more than a stranger, but ignites an undeniable passion in her. Focused on making their relationship work, she plans for their freedom… but her actions may ruin the very future she’s trying to build.
Kevin Merrick serves Sziveria as the Master Guardian Raiventon. His rare Interceptor Gen-Heir talent makes him indispensable to the First Intelligence Office. One of a few capable of keeping Raina safe from an unknown threat, Kevin signed a contract with her for life—in marriage. The unimaginable desire she awakens within him becomes a temptation he can’t allow. Raina would never understand the true cost of forever at his side…
Kevin’s genetic inheritance of lightning-fast speed and reflexes are tested as the threats converge on them both. Mounting danger and scorching passions may jeopardize everything…
Sept. 21st: Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
Title: Under the Whispering Door
Author: T.J. Klune
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 21, 2021
Publisher: Tor Books
Synopsis: Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy with TJ Klune’s signature “quirk and charm” (PW) about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.
Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop’s owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.
But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.
When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune’s signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.
Sept. 28th: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
Page Length: 224
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis: When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it’s a full-time job sorting through all of it.
At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it’s from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?
Ivy’s quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Sept. 28th: Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
Title: Lakesedge
Author: Lyndall Clipstone
Series: World at the Lake’s Edge
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Synopsis: A lush gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake. Perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Brigid Kemmerer.
There are monsters in the world.
When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem.
There are monsters in the woods.
As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…
There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name.
Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.
Sept. 28th: A Cowboy Christmas Legend by Linda Broday
Series: Lone Star Legends #2
Page Length: 336
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Synopsis: This stunning, emotional, and redemptive historical Western romance by bestselling author Linda Broday will leave you cozy and warm this Christmas season, with:
• A cowboy learning how to start over
• A fiery young woman with the heart to save him
• A past neither can escape, and
• A future worthy of any Christmas miracle.
Devastated by the loss of his young wife—and the life he’d always thought would be his—Sam Legend II has done everything he can to make a fresh start. As a bladesmith, all he needs is a bed, a hot fire, and enough distance from his famous family to finally indulge in a little peace and quiet. So what if it’s almost Christmas? This year, he’s happy just keeping to himself.
But then fiery Cheyenne Ronan comes blasting into his home, and any notion of peace goes flying out the door.
Cheyenne’s like no one Sam has ever met—and from the moment he first catches her eye, his quiet life is anything but. Now he’s hunting wanted men with the Texas Rangers, decking every hall, and sharing passionate embraces with the woman who’s set his world alight. For the first time in what feels like forever, Sam’s facing Christmas feeling like his life is full of meaning again—and that with Cheyenne by his side, love can be the stuff of Legend.
Sept. 28th: A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman
Series: Ruthless Rivals #1
Page Length: 336
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis: The first in a new regency romance series about two feuding families and reunited childhood enemies whose hatred turns to love.
Maddie Montgomery’s family is in debt, and her hope rests on the rival Davies clan missing their yearly “pledge of goodwill,” ceding the land that separates their estates. With Maddie’s teenage nemesis, Gryffud “Gryff” Davies, Earl of Powys, away, hope is in reach.
But then, Gryff shows up and is stunned that the tomboy he once teased is now a woman. When Gryff and Maddie discover contraband on their land, they realize it can benefit both families. But they’ve also uncovered a dangerous plot, and they need to work together to get out alive. Soon, their hatred for each other starts to feel more like attraction.
Kate Bateman brings crackling banter, steamy romance, and a dash of adventure into the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series.
Sept. 28th: Steelstriker by Marie Lu
Series: Skyhunter #2
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Synopsis: Explosive action and swoon-worthy suspense collide in this riveting conclusion to the Skyhunter duet from #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu
As a Striker, Talin was taught loyalty is life. Loyalty to the Shield who watches your back, to the Strikers who risk their lives on the battlefield, and most of all, to Mara, which was once the last nation free from the Karensa Federation’s tyranny.
But Mara has fallen. And its destruction has unleashed Talin’s worst nightmare.
With her friends scattered by combat and her mother held captive by the Premier, Talin is forced to betray her fellow Strikers and her adopted homeland. She has no choice but to become the Federation’s most deadly war machine as their newest Skyhunter.
Red is no stranger to the cruelty of the Federation or the torture within its Skyhunter labs, but he knows this isn’t the end for Mara – or Talin. The link between them may be weak, but it could be Talin and Red’s only hope to salvage their past and safeguard their future.
While the fate of a broken world hangs in the balance, Talin and Red must reunite the Strikers and find their way back to each other in this smoldering sequel to Marie Lu’s Skyhunter.
Sept. 28th: The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath
Series: Once Upon a Dukedom #2
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: Avon
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath continues her Once Upon a Dukedom series with this lush love story of a duke who discovers what he desires in a wife may not be what he needs…
Hugh Brinsley-Norton, the Duke of Kingsland, is in need of a duchess. However, restoring the dukedom—left in ruins by his father—to its former glory demands all his time, with little room for sentiment. He places an advert encouraging the single ladies of the ton to write why they should be the one chosen, and leaves it to his efficient secretary to select his future wife.
If there exists a more unpleasant task in the world than deciding who is to marry the man you love, Penelope Pettypeace certainly can’t imagine what it might be. Still, she is determined to find the perfect bride for her clueless, yet ruthlessly charming employer.
But when an anonymous note threatens to reveal truths best hidden, Kingsland has no choice but to confront the danger with Penelope at his side. Beguiled by the strong-willed, courageous beauty, he realizes he’s willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her safe within his arms. Could it be the duchess he’s hunting for has been in front of him all along?
Sept. 28th: No Words by Meg Cabot
Series: Little Bridge Island #3
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Synopsis: Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest, most beautiful islands in the Florida Keys.
Jo Wright always swore she’d never step foot on Little Bridge Island—not as long as her nemesis, bestselling author Will Price, is living there.
Then Jo’s given an offer she can’t refuse: an all-expense-paid trip to speak and sign at the island’s first-ever book festival.
Even though arrogant Will is the last person Jo wants to see, she could really use the festival’s more-than-generous speaking fee. She’s suffering from a crippling case of writer’s block on the next instalment of her bestselling children’s series, and her father needs financial help as well.
Then Jo hears that Will is off-island on the set of the film of his next book. Hallelujah!
But when she arrives on Little Bridge, Jo is in for a shock: Will is not only at the book festival, but seems genuinely sorry for his past actions—and more than willing not only to make amends but prove to Jo that he’s a changed man.
Things seem to be looking up—until disaster strikes, causing Jo to wonder: Do any of us ever really know anyone?
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Sept. 28th: Santa’s Sweetheart by Janet Dailey
Title: Santa’s Sweetheart
Author: Janet Dailey
Series: The Christmas Tree Ranch #4
Publication Date: Sept. 29, 2021
Publisher: Kensington Books
Synopsis: “Love is the only cure for the holiday blues … Sheriff Sam Delaney is shouldering a lot as the lone lawman in the small Texas town of Branding Iron–and the widowed single father of six-year-old Maggie. Especially since Maggie’s determined that what her daddy needs this holiday season is a girlfriend. Suddenly Sam is hustled off to a meeting with Maggie’s schoolteacher–and surprised to discover the demure Grace Chapman is unexpectedly alluring. Then he’s roped into playing Santa at the annual Christmas ball, with the pretty Miss Grace by his side. It’s enough to make Sam even grumpier than usual–if not for the feelings sweet Grace stirs up inside”
Sept. 30th: Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Series: Once Upon a Broken Heart #1
Page Length: 384
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Synopsis: From Stephanie Garber, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval, Once Upon a Broken Heart is the first book in a new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after.
Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.
But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…
Which books are you most looking forward to? Comment below!
I can’t wait to read Defy the Night and I need to get to my ARC of Once Upon A Broken Heart! Some great books coming out in September!
I’m hoping to get to Once Upon a Broken Heart this week. Both books sound great! I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
Definitely looking forward to Brigid Kemmerer’s new book!
It sounds amazing!
I just finished Under the Whispering Door and it was magnificent.
Oh, yay! So glad you loved it!
Ok I’m excited for some of these (cough-defy the night-cough) just for the covers alone!
Hahaha – me too!
I can’t wait for Under the Whispering Door and Once Upon a Broken Heart!
I just got and ARC of Once Upon a Broken Heart. I can’t wait to read it! Hope you enjoy them both! 🙂
I’m very excited for Under the Whispering Door and I really need to read Skyhunter before the sequel comes out! 🙂
I actually had a chance to read Under the Whispering Door – It’s fantastic! I’m definitely buying a copy for my bookshelves. 🙂
So excited for The Love Hypothesis!
It sounds so good!!
So many great books coming out! OUABH is definitely my number one!
I just got a copy on the mail today! SO excited!!
September is looking like a great month! There’s a few here that I have my eye on for sure!
Nice! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
I have a few of these on my TBR, and Once Upon a Broken Heart sounds interesting, I am adding that one.
Great! I hope you enjoy it when you get to it! 🙂