Legend of the Forest by Raquel Gabrielle blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Legend of the Forest
Raquel Gabrielle
Publication date: April 25th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Mia has always been drawn to the unusual, a fascination that’s made her an outcast. The world beyond their wall is shrouded in mystery, with few stories to go on—mostly fairy tales or fragments about the Old Ones. No one other than the guards dare to venture into the woods, and those who have don’t return the same, if at all.
When a creature is captured in town, it sparks a chain of events that brings more dangers from the edges of the forest—some friendly, some not. As Mia helps the creature escape, she never expects to journey into the dark woods and unravel secrets beyond her wildest imagination.
There, she meets Haddox, a golden, irresistible man who offers passion and freedom like she’s never known. Then there’s Grey, his polar opposite—stoic, mysterious, and a constant thorn in her side. The tension between them boils over, until they can no longer ignore the undeniable connection between them.
—
EXCERPT:
Mia’s POV
Mia scrunched up the paper in her fist. She stared at the beige wall. She could not believe what she had read. Thoughts raced through her mind, and her throat tightened with emotion. The urge to scream was so strong she took a huge bite of bread, stuffing her face. The bread tasted like burned ash. As she swallowed the bread, her stomach turned sour at the thought of taking another bite. She then turned the light down low, making it more difficult to read the letter. The letters on the paper blurred together as tears filled her eyes.
“She will never accept me. Never accept anything I try or do. She will force my hand into the pictures she has chosen for me.” Tears fell down her cheeks, stifling her cry with her hands over her mouth.
A scratch at the back door caught her attention, stopping her hot tears and sniffles. Everything froze and was quiet for a moment before another scratch. The letter fell from her fingers as she went to the door. Giving the door a curious look, she loosened the tie to move the cloth and look out the window. The darkness made it hard to see what was out there. Cracking it open, icy rain pelted her bare hand. The water was cool against the heat that radiated from her.
A snout pushed hard against the opening. A body wriggled in and slid through before she could close it. Mia jumped back, surprised that the creature from earlier came barreling in,
sniffing the ground. Electric blue fur with black stripes streak across the kitchen, heading back to her. Powerful limbs scrambled across the wood as his eyes feast on the hand still holding the bread. Pulling a chair out, she blocked the beast, guarding herself from being attacked.
“You hungry?” she questioned. Wanting to calm the creature long enough to settle down.
Jumping up, its hindquarters remained on the ground; its front paws landed on the chair seat. It used its front two paws to lift itself closer, reaching for the bread that was just out of grasp.
Lifting her hand up, she kept it away. “Food, you want?” She broke off a small piece, placing it right through the back bars of the chair furthest from its teeth. She pulled her hand back through the bars quickly, not wanting to get her fingers bitten off.
With a sniff of the food, a long tongue came out, licked it, and then gobbled it up. Its eyes were dark as it waited there patiently for more.
“Food?” It croaked out when neither one moved for a while.
Dropping the bread all together, Mia’s eyes go wide. “Did you just talk?”
“Food!” it said louder, giving a happy howl of excitement as it jumped down, attacking the food that had rolled. The bread disappeared in a matter of minutes. “More?” The creature cocked its head to the side and gave sad eyes.
“Oh, umm. You want more?” Her eyes searched the kitchen. She had not seen any more bread. “Are you a boy or a girl?”
“Boy.” He shuffled, coming up behind her.
“Do you have a name?”
“Bloo.” He hopped up and down, his nails clicking on the floor.
“Blue, oh, because of your coloring?”
Shaking his head. “Bloooo,” he enunciated.
“Bloo?” She shrugged her shoulders, going along with it. Opening a cabinet, she took out some plain cereal and grabbed a handful. She kneeled on the ground, holding her palm out to him. “Can I pet you? Don’t eat me, okay?”
“Food?”
“No, I’m not food. But yes, food is here.” She placed it on the ground beside her. Bloo’s steps were unsure and wary of her movements.
Author Bio:
Raquel Gabrielle resides in Oklahoma with her husband, dogs and cat. She grew up loving stories so much that she even made up her own tales. Writing has helped her in many ways and continues to do so. Writing has always been there for her and something she will always fall back to when things get tough.If she isn’t writing or telling stories, you can find her hanging out with friends or traveling. She loves to see the world and all its wonders.She mostly dabbles in Urban Fantasy but has been known to go outside the box from time to time.Join Raquel’s mailing list: https://tinyurl.com/33rs8hs8To follow her on social media and learn more about her books, visit her online!
GIVEAWAY!
—
Her Darkest Hour by Suzy Henderson blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Her Darkest Hour
Suzy Henderson
Publication date: May 8th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical
In the shadow of war, a young woman must choose: deny her magic or wield it to stop a traitor before Britain falls.
England, 1939. A young witch. A nation at war. A spy hiding in plain sight.
As war looms over Britain, Eliza MacLean wants nothing more than an ordinary life. Raised on the Isle of Mull, she’s spent years denying her gifts—just as her mother insisted. But her grandmother taught her differently, whispering ancient knowledge of herbs, charms, and spells.
When her grandmother dies, Eliza seeks refuge in Cambridge with her cousin and the women of the WVS. But beneath its spires and blacked-out streets, Cambridge hides more than just scholars and soldiers. A secret network of witches is working to protect Britain from an enemy who knows magic is real—and seeks to weaponise it.
Drawn into the fight, Eliza is thrust into a world of espionage, deception, and occult warfare. Her rare abilities catch the attention of MI5 agent Alex Fletcher, who needs her help to unmask a deadly spy before it’s too late.
As she learns to harness her power, Eliza finds herself torn between duty and love, risking everything for Jim, a fighter pilot whose fate seems written in the stars. But war is ruthless, and magic has a price.
With the spy closing in and the war reaching new heights of peril, Eliza’s only hope of saving those she loves is to embrace the very magic she’s spent a lifetime hiding—no matter the cost.
But some powers were never meant to be used.
Perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and The Rose Code, Her Darkest Hour blends historical fiction with supernatural intrigue in a gripping tale of war, witchcraft, and sacrifice.
—
The Witches Who Went to War: The Real History Behind Her Darkest Hour
When I started writing Her Darkest Hour, I wasn’t just inspired by the idea of witches in wartime—I was captivated by the real, historical belief that magic could be used to defend Britain.
In researching the book, I discovered a lineage of magical resistance stretching back centuries. In 1588, when the Spanish Armada threatened England, tales emerged of magical
circles cast to summon storms. During the Napoleonic Wars, rural communities quietly turned to cunning folk—herbalists, charmers, and wise women—to protect them from invasion.
But perhaps most fascinating of all is the rumour that during WWII, a group of witches gathered in the New Forest to perform a ritual known as the Cone of Power. Their aim? To stop Hitler from setting foot on British soil. It sounds like folklore—but it’s part of Britain’s strange, often forgotten magical undercurrent. The war wasn’t just fought on beaches and battlefields. It was fought, too, in glades and gardens, by those who believed the spiritual realm had a part to play.
That hidden history became the beating heart of Her Darkest Hour. Eliza Maclean, a young Scottish witch, is drawn from her quiet life on the Isle of Mull into a war she never expected to fight. Recruited by MI5, she finds herself hunting a German spy in Cambridge—but with magic, not guns.
I wanted to honour both the women who stepped into wartime roles and the lesser-known stories of those who used ancient knowledge to protect what they loved. Eliza’s magic is not flashy or cinematic—it’s rooted in emotion, empathy, and intuition. And that, perhaps, is what made it so powerful.
In the end, this book is a tribute to the quiet guardians of our past—those who lit candles, traced symbols, whispered prayers to old gods, and believed, fiercely, in their country’s protection.
What if those rituals worked?
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy discovering Eliza’s journey in Her Darkest Hour.
Suzy Henderson
Author of Her Darkest Hour
#HerDarkestHour #HistoricalFantasy #WartimeWitches
Author Bio:
Suzy Henderson is the author of The Beauty Shop, Madame Fiocca, and SPITFIRE, novels which are set during the turbulent times of World War Two. She also writes romance and recently released a novella, Christmas in the Highlands, a best seller on Amazon UK.
Her debut novel, The Beauty Shop, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. It is based on the true story of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe, and the Guinea Pig Club – an exclusive club for RAF pilots and airmen who required plastic surgery as a result of their war injuries and were under the care of this enigmatic New Zealander.
Madame Fiocca is also based on a true story. This gripping adventure follows the tempestuous life of SOE heroine, Nancy Wake before and during the Second World War.
Suzy lives with her family on the edge of the Lake District, where she can be found rambling around lakes, country lanes or roaming the fells. Armed with a pen, a love of reading and a growing obsession with military and aviation history, she is often lost in the 1940s, writing historical fiction.
To receive all Suzy’s latest book news, do join her reading group here & claim a free story: https://www.suzyhenderson.com
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok
GIVEAWAY!
—
Head Over Heels In Love by Mariah Ankenman blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Head Over Heels In Love
Mariah Ankenman
(Jackson Family Distillery, #4)
Publication date: May 8th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Catching a woman breaking into his car was not the way Ace Jackson wanted to start his day. Finding out she’s the new hire at his family’s distillery is even worse. Sure, she said she mistook his car for her’s, but there’s something about Millie he doesn’t trust. Too bad all his siblings vetoed his vote. What’s the point of being the oldest if you don’t get to be in charge?
Millie Danes told the grumpy Adonis she wasn’t breaking into his car, but did he believe her? No! The guy has a stick up his butt bigger than the pine trees gracing the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, he’s her new boss or she’d try and see if she could melt that icy exterior. But she has more on the line than a job, she needs funds to start her dream. Her very own aerial studio.
When a theft is discovered at work, Ace enlists Millie’s help as a spy in exchange for the money to build her dream. Their tentative truce becomes complicated when desires fan the flames of temptation. In the battle of love, who will fall first?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
“Millie!”
Her shouted name came from beyond the swinging door. Irritation rose, winning the war over guilt as she quickened her pace. “Ugh, coming!”
She pushed through the door into the back, muttering to herself. “Get your boxers out of a bunch you grumpy asshole. It was five damn seconds.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Ace demanded the second the door stopped swinging.
“Well, I was working, until you pulled me back here to yell at me like an angry schoolmarm.”
Confusion drew his brow down. “What the…never mind. How is pulling some dangerous stunt and almost breaking your fool neck working? Last time I checked this was a bar, not some ridiculous stunt show.”
That was it. She knew the guy was her boss, but he was being a giant dick. No one talked to her that way.
“First of all, I wasn’t about to break anything. Before you rushed in and grabbed me—”
“Saved you.”
She arched one eyebrow in disbelief. “Is that what you thought you were doing? Saving the helpless damsel in distress? I got news for you buddy. I have been bottle-walking for years. I know how to fall from the bottles safely. Provided some jackass doesn’t grab me off them and tweak my back.”
His angry demeanor disappeared in an instant. Ace took a step forward, eyes scanning her body as his voice softened. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
Shocked by the sudden switch—and his concern—she shook her head. “No. I’m fine.”
The sudden grab had surprised her and put her off kilter, but he hadn’t injured her back.
He glanced into her eyes, stealing her breath as she saw the unmasked worry filling them. Wow. Who knew Mr. Ice had feelings?
“Really, Ace,” she said gently, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m okay.”
He glanced down at her hand on his arm. The air in the room thickened. A rush of heat filled her. A bolt of electricity shot through her body, her fingers tingling against his warm skin. She quickly pulled her hand back, clenching it into a fist and placing it behind her.
What the hell was that?
Pushing the moment away, Millie cleared her throat. “I know how to fall safely off the bottles. I promise you I would have been fine.”
Ace shook his head, blinking a few times before the angry scowl returned to his face. “Why the hell were you on top of those bottles in the first place? We pay you to work, Millie. Not goof around.”
And there went all her warm fuzzy feelings for this man. Jeeze, it was like Jekyll and Hyde with him.
“I was working.” She lifted onto her toes, still not high enough to be eye to eye with the Grumpy Green Giant. Lifting a finger, she poked him in the chest. “If you take a peek out that door you will see.”
Ace glanced down at her finger, raising a brow when he looked back up at her.
Maybe poking her boss wasn’t the best idea, but he was being a jerk, and she didn’t like to be pushed around. Especially not when she was making him a ton of money.
“Look,” she huffed, flopping back onto flat feet and pushing the door open a crack. “See all those people rushing to get the new drink special? I did that. It’s called creative marketing.”
Ace leaned over her. His chest pressing against her back, the heat radiating off his body nearly suffocating her with its warm, intoxicating scent. Dammit! Why did he have to be so hot? Normally it didn’t matter how attractive a person was, if they were an ass, she wasn’t attracted to them. Her body didn’t get that memo with Ace. Didn’t matter. Wasn’t like she was going to do anything about it.
Author Bio:
Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her.
Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books visit her website http://www.mariahankenman.com
GIVEAWAY!
—
Finding Charlie by Jess Allen blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Finding Charlie
Jess Allen
Publication date: May 6th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Charlotte Evans has never belonged. Her entire existence has been one wrong turn after another. When faced with a hard look at her future, she decides to change her fate. Desperate to not be the reason her boyfriend doesn’t pursue his dreams, she takes off in search of her own.
Ten years later, at the height of his baseball career, Liam “The Rocket” Hayes has it all. Fame, fortune, and he’s finally stopped pining for the lost girlfriend from his youth. But when coincidence leads him straight to her, Liam gets more than he bargained for, including a ten-year-old son.
In a story about first loves and second chances, follow Charlotte and Liam as they find their way back to each other, one pitch at a time.
—
EXCERPT:
For the rest of her life, whenever she closed her eyes, she’d see Liam’s face at that moment. Hurt and fury blended into anguish, his face twisted and eyes cold. Eyebrows narrowed in disdain.
“Hey there,” Jack said from behind her. He stuck his hand out to Liam. “I’m Jack, and you are?”
Liam didn’t acknowledge him or his offer of a handshake. Instead, he turned and walked away from Charlie. She watched as he got into his car and peeled out of the parking lot, disappearing from sight. She watched the space where he stood, as if watching would bring him back.
“Charlie, you look like you saw a ghost.” Jack moved in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “You all right? Who was that?”
Her face fell, the weight of what she’d done bearing down on her. She wanted to crash to her knees and let the heaviness blanket her until she couldn’t feel it anymore.
“Hey, let’s get home,” Jack pleaded gently.
“Go ahead,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ll meet you there. I just …I need a minute.”
Questions plagued Jack’s face, but he didn’t object.
The stars kept shining; the crickets continued to chirp. Families hugged their kids for a job well done and piled into cars to go home. Time passed, crowds dispersed. She waved off the coach when he told her he was shutting down the lights. The world moved on unaffected while
Charlie’s carefully built life crashed and burned around her. She found herself on the pitcher’s mound, her bare legs covered in goosebumps despite the late summer heat.
She screamed into the night sky. She stomped and kicked at the dirt. Dust billowed around her like a tornado. She flailed her arms and pounded her feet while ugly tears slid down her cheeks. Why? What will happen now? Bile rose in her throat, and her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst.
Impossible questions throttled her, which only made her cry harder. What-ifs circled her like vultures. She thought of Matty and their wonderful life with Ada and Sam. What would she tell them? She plopped to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest. She wanted to curl into a ball and sleep. Every muscle in her body ached with exhaustion. The emotional turmoil of the evening finally catching up to her. She longed to be held, to smell Rachel’s lavender perfume as she held her close.
Tires in the gravel lot startled her out of her misery, and she watched as Liam climbed out of the driver’s seat and strode toward her.
Author Bio:
Jess Allen is an avid reader and has been writing since she was a child. She loves romance novels and psychological thrillers. She loves to talk books, Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars. You can find her on instagram: jesswritesromance
GIVEAWAY!
—
Intimate Secret by D.C. Stone blitz with giveaway
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Intimate Secret
D.C. Stone
(Empire Blue, #6)
Publication date: April 17th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
A murder was captured on satellite and multiple law enforcement agencies are trying to solve it. One of the detectives on the case, Jake Gonzalez, is led right to the front door of a local author, Francesca Conti. Sparks fly as Jake realizes he’s insanely attracted to his primary suspect, and her father is one of the most ruthless mafia bosses in the city, and someone he’s been investigating for years.
Francesca wants to escape this life her father has set for her and has been putting money away, looking for her opportunity to disappear. And much to her dismay, lately her father has been pushing her toward marrying his right-hand man, someone no woman has ever been able to say no to.
Just when she thinks she’s getting closer to escaping, Detective Gonzalez lands on her doorstep asking alarming questions, and making her heart race unlike ever before.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords
—
EXCERPT:
There’s only so many times one could say they’d been shot by the woman they loved.
Jake stared at Francesca’s shaking hands wrapped around the butt
of a SIG .229. She held the gun with as much confidence as one would
expect with someone who had little to no experience with such a
weapon. Like a toddler taking their first wobbling, unsteady steps. Or
a young child holding a chicken’s egg for the first time and being told
they could break it if they weren’t careful.
Under the full moon, silver tears trickled down her face. A moderate
wind teased at hair that had escaped the messy bun held low at the back
of her head. Russet tendrils brushed along her neck and cheeks like
phantom fingers. She ignored those things. But he saw it all, as if the
world moved in slow motion, tracking the shifting of her eyes and
hands from one person to another. Saw the way her finger tightened
ever so slightly over the trigger.
The safety was off, so if she applied a touch of pressure to that metal
hook, approximately ten pounds for the first shot to go off, the gun
would fire the bullet waiting within.
“Frankie,” he called in a soothing yet firm voice, using the
nickname he’d started saying a few nights ago. One he’d discovered
she liked when he whispered it in her ear as he sank slowly inside the
heat between her legs. Her attention shifted to him for only a fraction of a second before
she refocused on Dante, her father’s right-hand man. A man many did
not want to fuck with. One who’d killed his fair share of folks both in
and out of the city. A man who was known to be one of the most ruthless
enforcers around. Dante did things in the most violent way to set
examples or make a point. It was the only way he communicated. And
it was the way he got into the position he did, leading one of the most
ruthless organizations in New York City.
And lucky, lucky Jake was currently in a three-way face-off, like
something from the Wild Wild West, with a woman he loved and a man
he’d been hunting for years.
And as if his luck couldn’t get any worse, the two had a serious
history he hadn’t been able to wrap his mind completely around.
He quickly glanced around, wishing for that backup he’d called for
about ten minutes ago to show up. But with how deep they were in
Central Park, that wish would never come to fruition in time. The dull
light coming off the yellow haze of a streetlamp reflected dark shadows
of trees in the standing puddles leftover from the rainstorm earlier. The
only sound outside the passing cars on the streets lining the park and
Frankie’s harsh breathing was that of leaves hitting the ground, the
season of fall in full swing.
“Frankie, listen to me,” he tried again, his chest growing tight with
unease. “Put the gun down. Let’s talk about this.”
“I don’t want to be a woman you love,” she said, lips trembling.
Her arms shook with either fear or adrenaline, both equally dangerous
when holding a weapon.
Jake Gonzalez’s heart clenched at the words, but he pushed them
away. He had to stay focused, had to sort through this mess and prevent
any additional loss of life. As it was, there’d already been too much.
And if she pulled that trigger, there was nothing he could do. He
wouldn’t be able to protect her. As frustrating as it was, he had an oath
to uphold. Even against a woman he loved.
Francesca Conti looked broken, disheveled, and cornered. The first
two had him angry and concerned. The last…frightened.
Author Bio:
D.C. “Desi” Stone is a best-selling romance author and full-time fraud investigator. She lives in the northeast with her incredibly supporting husband, two kids, a cat, and the ever-growing family of dogs.
After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of financial crimes and became a lead investigator for many years.
Reading has always been a passion of hers, getting lost in a good, steamy romance is one of her favorite past times. She soon after discovered her own love for writing and recreating stories and characters in her head. Her writing concentrates on romantic with specifics in paranormal, suspense, and erotica.
Now, when she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hudson Valley Romance Writers, New Jersey Romance Writers, RomVets, RWA Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. She served as the 2014 NJRW Vice President and Conference Chair. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter, or her website and say hello!
GIVEAWAY!
—
Carries Book Reviews 
Recent Comments