Hey there! I hope you’re having a wonderful day! The end of June is upon us. Can you believe it? We’re in full Summer mode her, and it has been HOT!!!! I’m not one for the heat and humidity, so I’ve been inside with my favorite invention – the air conditioner. lol Luckily, July brings us some amazing-sounding new releases, so I’ll have plenty to keep me busy. I’m really looking forward to a bunch of romance, YA, and fantasy reads. Let’s take a look at some of the books I’m most excited for!!
July 5th: The True Love Bookshop by Annie Rains
Title: The True Love Bookshop
Author: Annie Rains
Series: Somerset Lake #3
Page Length: 352
Publication Date: July 5, 2022
Publisher: Forever
Synopsis: She’s ready to start a new chapter in her life…
For Tess Lane, owning Lakeside Books is a dream come true, but it’s the weekly book club she hosts for the women in town that Tess enjoys the most. The gatherings have been her lifeline over the past three years since her husband’s mysterious death. Tess has tried to move on, but when River Harrison shows up on her doorstep, all her lingering questions come rushing back.…
River, a former marine turned private investigator, was her husband’s best friend, and seeing him again is a reminder of everything Tess lost. At first, she tries to ignore him, but Tess comes to realize that this is her chance, once and for all, to find the answers that have troubled her for years.
With the support of her friends, Tess joins River on a journey of discovery that leads them to the edges of Somerset Lake and on a road trip down the Carolina coast. Although their adventure isn’t always easy, Tess starts to find the joy in life again. But when secrets surrounding her husband’s death are finally revealed, can Tess find it in her heart to forgive the mistakes of the past … and maybe even open herself up to love again?
July 12th: Eclipse the Moon by Jessie Mihalik
Title: Eclipse the Moon
Author: Jessie Mihalik
Series: Starlight’s Shadow #2
Page Length: 400
Publication Date: July 12, 2022
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Synopsis: Kee Ildez has been many things: hacker, soldier, bounty hunter. She never expected to be a hero, but when a shadowy group of traitors starts trying to goad the galaxy’s two superpowers into instigating an interstellar war, Kee throws herself into the search to find out who is responsible—and stop them.
Digging up hidden information is her job, so hunting traitors should be a piece of cake, but the primary suspect spent years in the military, and someone powerful is still covering his tracks. Disrupting their plans will require the help of her entire team, including Varro Runkow, a Valovian weapons expert who makes her pulse race.
Quiet, grumpy, and incredibly handsome, Varro watches her with hot eyes but ignores all of her flirting, so Kee silently vows to keep her feelings strictly platonic. But that vow will be put to the test when she and Varro are forced to leave the safety of their ship and venture into enemy territory alone.
Cut off from the rest of their team, they must figure out how to work together—and fast—because a single misstep will cost thousands of lives.
July 12th: Bet on It by Jodie Slaughter
Title: Bet on It
Author: Jodie Slaughter
Page Length: 320
Publication Date: July 12, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis: The first time Aja Owens encounters the man of her dreams, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. From there, all it takes is one game for her to realize that he’s definitely going to be a problem. And if there’s anything she already has a surplus of, it’s problems.
In Walker Abbott’s mind, there are only two worthwhile things in Greenbelt, South Carolina. The peach cobbler at his old favorite diner and his ailing grandmother. Dragging himself back after more than a decade away, he’s counting down the days until Gram heals and he can get back to his real life. Far away from the trauma inside of those city limits. Just when he thinks his plan is solid, enter Aja to shake everything up.
A hastily made bingo-based sex pact is supposed to keep this…thing between them from getting out of hand. Especially when submitting to their feelings means disrupting their carefully balanced lives. But emotions are just like bingo callers—they refuse to be ignored.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon
July 12th: Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard
Title: Always Be My Duchess
Author: Amalie Howard
Series: Taming the Dukes #1
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: July 12, 2022
Publisher: forever Pub.
Synopsis: Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can’t break a man’s heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution…
Once an up-and-coming ballerina, Miss Geneviève Valery is now hopelessly out of work. After refusing to become a wealthy patron’s mistress, Nève was promptly shown the door to the streets. When she accidentally saves the life of a handsome duke, she doubts the encounter will go any better than her last brush with nobility. But instead of propositioning her, Montcroix makes Nève an offer she would be a fool to refuse: act as his fake fiancée in exchange for fortune enough to start over.
Only neither is prepared when very real feelings begin to grow between them. They both stand to win… but only if they’re willing to risk their hearts.
July 19th: The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander
Title: The Littlest Library
Author: Poppy Alexander
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Publisher: Avon
Synopsis: A heartwarming literary-themed novel about a woman who turns an ordinary red phone box into the littlest library in England and brings together a struggling town.
A little red telephone box full of stories, a chance to change her life…
Jess Metcalf is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. But when her beloved grandmother passes away and she loses her job at the local library, Jess’ life is turned upside down.
Determined to pick up the pieces, Jess decides it’s time for a new beginning. Unable to part with her grandmother’s cherished books, she packs them all up and moves to a tiny cottage in the English countryside. To her surprise, Jess discovers that she’s now the owner of an old red phone box that was left on the property. Missing her job at the local library, Jess decides to give back to her new community–using her grandmother’s collection to turn the ordinary phone box into the littlest library in England.
It’s not long before the books are borrowed and begin to work their literary magic–bringing the villagers together… and managing to draw Jess’ grumpy but handsome neighbor out of his shell.
Maybe it’s finally time for Jess to follow her heart, let go of her old life, and make the village her home? But will she be able to take the leap?
July 19th: The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Title: The Bodyguard
Author: Katherine Center
Page Length: 320
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis: She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindgerten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.
He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.
They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.
What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.
July 19th: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Title: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Page Length: 320
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Publisher: Del Rey
Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.
Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.
Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.
The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.
All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.
For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.
July 26th: Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke
Title: :Love Times Infinity
Author: Lane Clarke
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Poppy
Synopsis: High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie’s been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be.
When Michie’s mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with Derek, she’ll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she’s starting to realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek, on herself, and on her future.
July 26th: Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
Title: Violet Made of Thorns
Author: Gina Chen
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Synopsis: A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.
Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.
Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.
July 26th: Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee
Title: Booked on a Feeling
Author: Jayci :Lee
Page Length: 320
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Synopsis: Lizzy “Overachiever” Chung, Esq. has her life mapped out neatly:
* Become a lawyer. Check.
* Join a prestigious law firm. Check.
* Make partner. In progress.
If all goes to plan, she will check off that last box in a couple years, make her parents proud, and live a successful, fulfilled life in L.A. What was not in her plans was passing out from a panic attack during a pivotal moment in her career. A few deep breaths and a four hour drive later, Lizzy is in Weldon for three weeks to shed the burnout and figure out what went wrong. And what better place to recharge than the small California town where she spent her childhood summers with her best friend, Jack Park.
Jack Park didn’t expect to see Lizzy back in Weldon, but now he’s got three weeks to spend with the girl of his dreams. Except she doesn’t know of his decades-long crush on her–and he intends to keep it that way. She’s a high-powered attorney who lives in L.A. and he’s a bookkeeper at his family’s brewery who never left his hometown. He can’t risk their friendship on a long shot. Can he? When Lizzy decides that the local bookstore needs a little revamp, of course, Jack is going to help her bring it back to life. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore there might be more than just friendship among the dusty shelves and books…
Sometimes the path to the rest of your life has been in front of you all along.
July 26th: A Duchess by Midnight by Charis Michaels
Title: A Duchess by Midnight
Author: Charis Michaels
Series: Awakened by a Kiss #3
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Avon Books
Synopsis: A Former Ugly Duckling…
Miss Drewsmina “Drew” Trelayne is a former awkward child and one-time wicked stepsister. Raised by a bitter, overbearing mother, Drew is all grown up and has made peace with her orange hair and bean-pole height. Her transformation has inspired her dream of opening a finishing school that emphasizes inner beauty, capability, and confidence. But launching a school costs money so Drew must begin with private clients who pay well and don’t ask many questions.
A Reclusive Duke…
Ian Clayback, the Duke of Lachlan, lives alone on his Dorset estate, forced by scandal into a smuggler’s life. When his estranged sister arrives with her two daughters, he feels obligated to give the girls a proper Season. Venturing back to society could clear his name and provide his vagabond nieces with a better life. Who better to help than the striking Miss Trelayne?
A Midnight Kiss…
Affording Drew’s services isn’t a problem for Lachlan, but his growing desire for her is. As his nieces warm to her gentle charm, he is overwhelmed by her unique beauty and open manner. When they’re caught in a scandalous embrace, nothing short of marriage will save all of them from further scandal.
Can a marriage made in haste be love’s saving grace?
July 26th: The Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Title: The Return of the Duke
Author: Lorraine Heath
Series: Once Upon a Dukedom #3
Page Length: 304
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Avon Books
Synopsis: In the thrilling third book in New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath’s Once Upon a Dukedom series, the dashing son of a disgraced duke teams up with a sultry beauty to thwart an assassination plot against Queen Victoria.
When his father, the Duke of Wolfford, is hanged for an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria, Marcus Stanwick is stripped of everything. Vowing to return honor to his family, he seeks to expose the others involved in the treasonous plot and bring them to justice. His search forces him to turn to a woman he despises for her unforgiveable betrayal–a woman known as the heartless harlot.
Harboring secrets, Esme Lancaster has her own reasons for wanting to discover who’s behind the conspiracy that’s still afoot. She doesn’t trust Marcus but can’t deny the handsome devil makes her wonder if she does indeed possess a heart, one he could very easily steal.
As their hunt for the truth leads them into danger, Marcus finds Esme isn’t cold and calculating as he’d assumed but fire and brimstone, with courage and determination to match his own. Soon, they’re unable to deny their growing desire for each other. But giving into temptation comes at a cost, and they must decide if love is worth the risk of losing their one chance for redemption.
July 26th: For Butter of Worse by Erin La Rosa
Title: For Butter or Worse
Author: Erin La Rosa
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Harlequin
Synopsis: They go together like water and oil…
All chef Nina Lyon wants is to make a name for herself in the culinary world and inspire young women everywhere to do the same. For too long, she’s been held back and underestimated by the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens, and she’s had enough. Now, as co-host of the competitive reality TV series The Next Cooking Champ!, she finally has a real shot at being top tier in the foodie scene.
Too bad her co-host happens to be Hollywood’s smarmiest jerk.
Restaurateur Leo O’Donnell never means to get under Nina’s skin. It just seems to happen, especially when the cameras are rolling. It’s part of the anxiety and stress he has come to know all too well in this line of work. So nothing prepares him for the fallout after he takes one joke a smidge too far and Nina up and quits—on live TV.
To make matters worse, the two are caught in what looks like a compromising situation by the paparazzi…and fans of the show go absolutely nuts. Turns out, a “secret romance” between Nina and Leo may just be what their careers need most.
Now all they have to do is play along, without killing each other…and without catching feelings. Easy as artisanal shepherd’s pie. Right?
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon
July 26th: The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony by Michelle McLean
Series: Gunslinger #2
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Entangled
Synopsis: At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, desperate-to-retire gunslinger Adam Brady has exactly two rules. And one of them is never, ever get married. So he’ll be danged when his dreams of permanently avoiding the bounty hunter on his tail in Desolation, the only town where notorious men like him can find respite, comes with one helluva string attached. The town has a new rule: gunslingers welcome—if they get a job…or marry.
Without realizing it, Adam stumbles into a big town wedding and accidentally marries Nora Schumacher, a sassy-mouthed mountain of a woman with legs as long as his wanted poster. So what’s a gunslinger to do but get himself unhitched and find a job. Any job. Except Adam keeps getting fired, one odd circumstance after another. And he’s running out of options.
Desolation was supposed to be his safe haven. Except, he’s not only running from his past but from the irresistible woman he married. And worse, he’s finding that he rather likes the enticing, if damnably independent, wife of his. But some men just aren’t the marrying kind. Only, if he leaves, his own life won’t be worth living. If he stays, he puts the lives of his newfound family and the woman he loves on the line. So much for Desolation being the answer to all his problems.
July 26th: Bayou Sweetheart by Lexi Blake
Title: Bayou Sweetheart
Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Butterfly Bayou #5
Page Length: 226
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Forever Pub.
Synopsis: Sparks fly in Louisiana’s Butterfly Bayou when a Hollywood starlet falls for a local deputy in a new small-town contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.
After leaving the military, Major Blanchard moved to Papillon, Louisiana, to be with his aging father, where he’s taken a deputy position with the sheriff’s department. Now that he’s settling into life on the bayou, he’s trying out the dating scene. Every single woman in town seems to be pining after the handsome newcomer. But so far, nothing’s worked out, and he’s had some spectacularly bad dates. Major’s getting ready to give up on love when a new lady roars into town to film a movie and turns his world upside down.
Actress Brynn Pearson is trying to make a successful transition from child star to leading lady. Now that she’s landed her first lead in a major film, nothing can stop her. She’s committed to focusing solely on her work, so romance is the last thing she needs—too bad she can’t get her mind off the dreamy deputy who’s working security for the film. He’s gorgeous, and something about him makes her feel safe. As Brynn’s feelings for Major deepen, she starts to wonder if maybe there’s more to life than her career.
When a family crisis throws Major’s life into a tailspin, he turns to Brynn for support, and hopes the relationship growing between them will shine brighter than Hollywood lights.
July 26th: A Remarkable Rogue by Anna Harrington
Title: A Remarkable Rogue
Author: Anna Harrington
Series: Lords of the Armory #5
Page Length: 288
Publication Date: July 26, 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Synopsis: Fans of Bridgerton and steamy, mysterious Regency romance will swoon for USA Today bestselling author Anna Harrington’s newest book!
• A deadly organization determined to overthrow the government
• A rebel with a secret she’ll do anything to protect
• The steadfast soldier who’ll defend her at any cost
• Sizzling attraction that could burn them both
Lady Sydney Rowland, Baroness Rowland, has spent a lifetime keeping secrets, one of them being her young son. Now that the husband she despised is dead, she’ll do anything to get her son back and protect him however she can. And that includes risking her life when she’s coerced into working for a revolutionary group determined to overthrow the government.
Captain Nathaniel Reed has heard of Sydney’s involvement with Scepter. Though he quickly learns that Sydney is innocent, he’s determined to keep the secretive widow at arm’s length despite the attraction that burns between them. But when she turns to him for help, nothing will stop him from coming to her aid and showing her exactly what she means to him…
A few of these are on my list for this summer.
Nice! I hope you love them!
VERY excited for The Bodyguard. It sounds so good!
It sure does! I hope you enjoy it!
Every new Silvia Moreno-Garcia release looks fascinating. I have some highly anticipated July releases, especially The House of Fortune by Jessie Burton. Great list, Julie 😊
Oooh, I’ll have to check that one out. Thanks, Stephen! 🙂
Love Katherine Center!
Me too! 🙂
I’m really looking forward to The Bodyguard and I got an arc of Love Times Infinity. Other July releases I’m excited for are For You & No One Else and my most anticipated of the year ~ These Twisted Bonds. Great list!!
Thank you. I’ll have to check those out! And I hope you enjoy your arc of Love Times Infinity!
The Bodyguard sounds like a lot of fun! Hope you’ll love all of these!
Thanks, Lindsey! 🙂
Ugh, I wish I had more time. So many books I want to read!!
Right!! It’s never ending! lol
Katherine Center can do no wrong by me, and The Bodyguard was a rock solid hit. Different from the last few Center books, but still fabulous. I am starting the Littlest Library tonight, and I feel good about it.
Oh, that’s good to know. I usually enjoy Center’s books too. And I hope you enjoy The Littlest Library!
Littlest Library is wonderful so far!
Aah, omg, I’m looking forward to so many of these and I’ve just added a bunch of the historical romances to my TBR now too 😍 I just got the first book in Jesse Mihalik’s book the other day and I can’t wait to read it cos I remember how good your review for it was. I hope you enjoy all of these books, Julie!
Oooh, I love Mihalik’s series! Super fun and swoon-worthy! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂 Thanks, Dini!
Great selection! I’m especially excited about The Bodyguard. I hope you will enjoy these!
Thanks! And I hope you enjoy The Bodyguard!
So many great releases! Booked on a Feeling and Violet Made of Thorns are on my TBR. The Bodyguard is on my radar, and Bet on It sounds so good!
There are so many I want to read!!! My TBR just keeps growing and growing! lol