August 2025 « Read-Love-Blog

Release Day Blitz…The House Guest by Penelope Ward

by Courtney

Title: The House Guest

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Billionaire Hero/Roommates/Twist

Slow Burn/Angsty/Opposites Attract

Release Date: August 31, 2025

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

The last thing Dorian Vanderbilt expected was to find me painting in my crop top when he returned to the mansion he hadn’t inhabited in years.

He was understandably surprised I’d turned his living room into an art space.

Life is certainly full of surprises, though, but not always in a good way.

I learned that lesson when my aunt and the billionaire she married died unexpectedly while traveling.

I’d been living with them, and just like that, my life was turned on its axis.

Unsure of what was next, I stayed alone at the barren estate figuring out my next move.

That was when Dorian—the late billionaire’s only son—showed up.

I’d never met Dorian Vanderbilt. He’d been living on the other side of the country.

But now, he was home, left to pick up the pieces of his father’s legacy.

Not only was Dorian devastatingly handsome and mysterious, but he was the sole heir to the Vanderbilt fortune.

He didn’t seem to like me—at first. We were total opposites. But I was grateful that at least he didn’t kick me out.

We stayed out of each other’s way for the most part, save for some late-night kitchen run-ins or unexpected bonding sessions in the home theater.

Over time, though, we grew closer. Turned out, our chemistry was pretty combustible.

I was falling in love with him.

Until everything I thought I knew turned upside down yet again.

And fate left me pining for the one man I’d ever loved.

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$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free to read in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

DUET AUDIOBOOK

SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

BILLIONAIRE HERO

ROOMMATES

TWIST

SLOW BURN

ANGSTY

OPPOSITES ATTRACT

AUTHOR BIO

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

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OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD

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August 2025 Contemporary Romance New Releases Release Day Event Romance Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Unrequited by Jane Henry

by Courtney

Unrequited: A Dark Bratva Age Gap Romance by Jane Henry is now live!

A forbidden, age-gap romance of secrets, loyalty, and obsession.

He was never supposed to touch me.
I was never supposed to love him.
But some lines don’t stay drawn.

I live in a world of rules and expectations, where obedience is survival and love is a liability. I was the innocent one. The youngest sister. Sheltered by my brothers and kept far away from the family’s darker affairs.

Until him.

He’s dangerous. Nameless. Obsessive.

Mine for one stolen hour a week, and every time he leaves me, he takes a piece of me with him.

But when I find out his true identity, my world implodes.

They call him the Undertaker.
The man who buries problems no one else can solve.

Loving him means betraying my family.
Choosing him means choosing war.
But he’s already chosen…me.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: geni.us/UnrequitedJaneHenry

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4fg2CVW

This book was perfection!!

I was so excited when I realized this was going to be Zoya’s and The Undertaker’s book. These two could not be any more different and yet they are immediately drawn to one another.

Jane did what Jane does best – she writes a phenomenal story with fantastic characters that standout on their own but when they meet their match, the chemistry is off the charts.

I won’t tell you how everything goes down because that will ruin this book for you. But I will tell you that you will fall in love with these two and their story.

And let’s not forget the spicy scenes – oh yes, they are worth the slow burn.

Unrequited is an absolute must-read!

August 2025 Dark Romance Five Loves Mafia Romance New Releases New Reviews Romance Romantic Suspense Standalone

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Cover Reveal…Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

by Courtney

Samantha Young has revealed the covers for Hart Street Lane!

Releasing: January 15, 2026

A steamy fake engagement/marriage of convenience romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.

Faking it has never been so hard…

Breaking up with my fiancé wasn’t on my agenda this summer, neither was hiding the truth from everyone, including my colleagues at Pennington’s department store. But that tiny evasion gets me into trouble when I’m forced to play bride-to-be for our new marketing campaign. If my boss finds out I’ve lied to her, it won’t just be my reputation on the line; it’ll be my job.

Enter my new bestie, Baird McMillan. Professional goalkeeper, professional heartbreaker, and now my professional fake fiancé. Baird’s public escapades have gotten him on the wrong side of his football club’s new owner, and he needs to prove he’s settling down. A fake engagement is a win-win for us both.

There’s just one problem. It turns out there’s nothing fake about the explosive connection Baird and I share.

I may not have been looking for love, but every moment with Baird tempts me to reach for it. Yet just as I start to believe a future together could be a real possibility, our pasts come surging back with a vengeance. And with it, those who will do anything to destroy our chance at forever…

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/46Dboel

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/rKJLu

Audible: Coming soon!

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4faMm8m

August 2025 Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal Pre-Order Romance Standalone

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Release Day Blitz…Save Me by K.A. Tucker

by Courtney

Save Me by K.A. Tucker is now live!

Save Me is the second book in the highly addictive Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach series, a spin-off of the Wolf Hotel series.

The last thing I expected to find in Mermaid Beach was love.

Yet, here we are. I, Ronan Lyle, am infatuated with a woman again.

And there is no way in hell I’m losing this one to Henry Wolf.

Some people say I lack purpose.

I’m about to prove them all wrong because my sole purpose in life is to protect Sloane from her billionaire neighbor’s grand plans.

Even if it means my future goes up in flames.

This is the second half of Ronan and Sloane’s story.

Please note: This series is intended for a mature audience.

Available in Paperback and ebook (read for free in Kindle Unlimited)!

https://geni.us/savemetwh

Audiobook Pre-order (Releasing October 7): http://bit.ly/3V6OXa6

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3T6UOeV

August 2025 Contemporary Romance Duet New Releases Release Day Event Romance

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Release Day Blitz…Chasing Forever by Piper Rayne

by Courtney

Chasing Forever by Piper Rayne is now live!

It was a fun Vegas getaway—until I woke up married to my ex-fiancé’s brother.

After Watson brother #1 ditched me at the altar, I stopped believing in happily-ever-afters. So I have no clue how I ended up saying “I do” to Brooks—Watson brother #2—somewhere between tequila shots and bad decisions.
Okay, that may not be true.

Sheriff Watson has been a charming thorn in my side ever since his brother left our small ranch town in his rearview mirror. He’s a little too steady, a little too sweet, and way too intuitive because he sees through my facade. But no matter how tempting he is, he’s still a Watson.

I demand an annulment. He refuses, bargaining four real dates before he signs.

Fine. I’ll sabotage each one and keep my heart safely locked away. It’s easier this way because he has no idea the secret I’m keeping.

Of course, Brooks doesn’t go down easy—he has enough faith for both of us. He tackles my fears at every turn, making me wonder what would happen if I went all in.

But trusting the wrong man once nearly ruined me—doing it again might finish the job.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://books2read.com/C-F

Audiobook: https://books2read.com/C-F

Narrated by: Stephen Dexter & Vanessa Edwin

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/479tHpK

August 2025 Contemporary Romance New Reviews Release Day Event Romance Small-Town Standalone

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Release Day Blitz…Love Arranged by Lauren Asher

by Courtney

Love Arranged by Lauren Asher is now live!

The final book in the Lakefront Billionaires series by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Asher.

LORENZO
Five months. Two people “in love”. One fake relationship with an expiration date.
Sounds simple enough.
The problem is, Lily Muñoz and I have history.
So, when she volunteers to date me so I can improve my public image, I should say no.
Our past complicates everything, but since my future depends on her, I agree to her plan.
Faking it for the public is expected, but falling in love in private?
That isn’t part of our arrangement.

LILY
Using a dating app sounded like a great idea, up until I discovered Lorenzo Vittori was my match.
My sister’s boyfriend hates him. My mom is wary of him.
And me? I’ve spent the last year avoiding him.
But when my business is threatened, I’m forced into teaming up with Lorenzo to save it.
All I need to do is help him win the mayoral election, and he promises to protect my shop.
It doesn’t take me long to learn that I’m not cut out for fake relationships, but Lorenzo?
He isn’t capable of a real one.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3QWjjdt

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/LoveArranged

Amazon Paperback: https://bit.ly/4i6aoBy

B&N Exclusive Edition Paperback: https://bit.ly/4iPxTQv

This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition features a cover with foil and bonus epilogue.

Target Exclusive Edition Paperback: https://bit.ly/45zuK1x

This Target Exclusive Edition includes a bonus scene.

Audible: https://bit.ly/442D36T

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/42yIp7R

August 2025 Contemporary Romance New Releases Release Day Event Romance Standalone

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Cover Reveal…Dangerously Ours by Krista & Becca Ritchie

by Courtney

Krista & Becca Ritchie have revealed the cover for Dangerously Ours!

Releasing: May 12, 2026

In the thrilling conclusion to the Webs We Weave series, ex-con artist Phoebe Graves must pull off the biggest grift she’s ever devised to keep her friends and family safe.

Conning the rich and fleeing to new cities is all ex-grifter Phoebe Graves has ever known—until she started building real relationships in a small but wealthy Connecticut town. But she’s worried these new bonds won’t hold fast as more than one big bad wolf threatens to blow down those she loves most.

And now more than ever, she has a reason to stay in one place. Among them is Brayden “Rocky” Tinrock, her best friend’s older brother, who’s been a partner to Phoebe during every daring and exhilarating con. And then of course there’s Hailey Tinrock, her best friend, whose precious secret they’ll do anything to protect. . . .

As Phoebe and her family team up with the Tinrocks to fight for a chance at a home, they confront the demons of their pasts and must do the impossible . . . deceive the most cunning con artist they’ve ever known.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JhoHap

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4loQAuE

Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/4mMYxep

Google Play: Coming Soon

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3HpfPPG

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3HspAMS

August 2025 Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal Pre-Order Romance Trilogy

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Cover Reveal…The Homemaker by Jewel E. Ann

by Courtney

Jewel E. Ann has revealed the cover for The Homemaker!

Releasing: September 30, 2025

Cover Designer: Boja99designs

Photographer: Anna Krueger

A romance inspired by TS “Fortnight”

I was hers, but she was never mine.

Alice Yates is the hired “homemaker” for the Morrisons, an affluent couple in Minneapolis. For Alice, it’s a dream job to dress up like a 1950s housewife and read romance novels to Mr. Morrison before his afternoon nap.

But when the Morrisons’ only daughter returns home for the summer with her fiancé, Alice comes face- to-face with her shattered past—the only threat to her perfect life.

Eight years earlier, vacation rental owner Murphy Paddon had an impeccable vinyl record collection and did the most irresistible thing before kissing Alice, earning him a five-star rating. Their fortnight love affair was life-altering and ended tragically.

Murphy doesn’t know if Alice remembers him or whether he should tell his fiancée that the hired-help living in the guesthouse is the woman who irreparably broke his heart. He needs closure, but will the lingering glances and silent yearning lead to the end or just the beginning?

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3UPLWuG

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/S26fj

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/457iBCa

August 2025 Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal Pre-Order Romance Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Almost Ravaged by Abby Millsaps

by Courtney

Almost Ravaged by Abby Millsaps is now live!

Prepare to be swept away by Almost Ravaged, the first book in an all new dark, why choose, college hockey trilogy from bestselling author Abby Millsaps.

They say you never forget your first love.

What they don’t say is how hard it is to move on when he happens to be the trifecta: a brooding hockey player, your brother’s best friend, AND the keeper of your darkest secret.

I spent three years trying to get over Tytus Tremblay, only to slingshot right back into his orbit when we’re reunited at Holt University.

But Tytus isn’t the only man on my radar anymore.

I have a new enemy in the form of Mercer Eden, an arrogant, condescending professor almost twice my age who happens to be my boss. Then there’s his sweet, bashful best friend, Noah Henry, the owner of Evercrisp Orchard.

The pleasure Mercer and Noah offer me—individually, and together—is the primal distraction I live for. It just might be what I need to finally forget my first love and move on with my life.

But then Tytus makes a life-altering choice that affects us all, and one thing becomes abundantly clear: he never plans to let me go.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/AlmostRavaged

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/44Bav4P

Man, oh man, Abby – you definitely know how to deliver the perfect punch at the start of a series.

I was very intrigued with where Abby was going to take this story after the start of this book.

I love that she gives us a nice background on some of the main characters and then proceeds to show us where they are a few years later and introduces us to the other main characters.

I am saying zero else about the plot because I knew absolutely zilch about this book except the blurb and that made this book all the more delicious to read. And that ending – in true Abby fashion, that came out of nowhere and now I need the next book.

I will leave you with this….this book will have your appreciating those spicy scenes soooooo much. Phew.

August 2025 Dark Romance Five Loves Forbidden New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Reverse Harem Romance Sports Romance Taboo Why Choose

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Handsome Devil by L.J. Shen

by Courtney

I made a deal with the devil to save my mother…

But is it really hell if I love the way it burns?

Handsome Devil, an all-new enemies to lovers, marriage contract, dark romance from New York Times bestselling author L.J. Shen is now available!

Gia

The monster from my nightmares crawled into my reality, masquerading as my boss.

Tatum Blackthorn is Lucifer, personified.

When he discovers my weakness, he makes me an offer I cannot refuse, and I become his wife.

I always knew he was depraved, but as his twisted vendetta unfurls, so does my darkest secret.

Now we’re both the target of very nefarious people…

They’re about to find out no one matches my husband’s wrath.

Tate

I am a man of a few pleasures, one of which is destroying Gia Bennett.

Slowly. Patiently. Systematically.

My fixation with my secretary has an origin, but no limits.

When my revenge spree sparks into an all-consuming Mafia war, I expect nothing but a good time.

After all, death cannot come too soon.

Alas, it isn’t just my life that’s on the line now.

In this chess name, the king protects the queen.

Even at the price of burning down his entire empire.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

ebook: https://amzn.to/4cTjUqJ

Audible: https://tinyurl.com/hdljsaud

Deluxe Edition Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ELzTtZ

Indigo Exclusive Edition: https://shor.by/NMB5

Walmart Exclusive Edition: https://tinyurl.com/y979h86h

Add Handsome Devil to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/hd3ljsgr

Start the Forbidden Love series today → https://amzn.to/4lsG6LX

Keep reading for a look inside Handsome Devil!

He caught me by the arms, his touch cold and impersonal, and righted me against a glass wall.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered.

He stared me down serenely. He oozed power, this unabashed male roughness that made me swallow a whimper.

“You cannot be all good, and I cannot be all bad. We have to meet somewhere in the middle for people to buy this marriage,” he said, ignoring my question.

“But you are all bad!” I protested, balling my fists to pound his chest. It was as solid as stone beneath the rich fabric.

The notebook slipped from between my arms between us.

“That’s not true. I am very good with giving women earth-shattering orgasms. References are available upon request.

He smirked, his face still dangerously close to mine. What lay behind his eyes made my pulse quicken. Possessiveness mixed with something else. Desperation maybe.

His marble cheekbones were flushed, his nostrils narrow. For a brief moment, I thought he’d lean down and kiss me. I’d let him too.

Because even though I hated him, even though I loathed the idea of his very existence, I was curious to know what it felt like.

To be kissed by a man who owned the entire world, who had infinite power, no limits, no restraints, no conscience.

My lips parted. I could feel his breath against my own. I would find a way to get him back tomorrow. To punish him for what he was doing to me. But right now, in this minute, I wanted him like air. Like oxygen.

For more information about L.J. Shen and her books, visit her website:

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August 2025 Dark Romance Five Loves New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance Romantic Suspense Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review…The Hunter by T.K. Leigh

by Courtney

Title: The Hunter

Series: Hunter Trilogy #1

Author: T.K. Leigh

Genre: Dark Romance

Tropes: Morally Gray Hero/Captive Romance

Opposites Attract/Hades X Persephone Retelling

Release Date: August 7, 2025

BLURB

To take down a monster, you have to become one.

Victor Kane thought he was untouchable… Until he took something that didn’t belong to him.

Now I’ll burn his empire to the ground, starting with the one thing he holds dearest.

His wife.

But Ariana Kane is no fragile flower.

She’s colder than winter, sharper than any thorn, and hiding secrets darker than my own.

I took her as a pawn in this ruthless game of revenge.

I didn’t expect to keep her.

And I sure as hell didn’t expect to crave her with every beat of my dead, cold heart.

She was supposed to be a means to an end.

But the deeper I drag her into my world, the more I realize some queens aren’t made for the light.

And some gods fall hardest for the goddess they were never meant to touch.

The Hunter is the first book in a brand new dark romance trilogy from USA Today Bestselling Author T.K. Leigh.

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AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS

UNIVERSAL / WEBSITE

COMING SOON

Releasing January 15

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS

UNIVERSAL

RELEASING JANUARY 1 HERE

AUTHOR BIO

T.K. Leigh is the USA Today Bestselling author of romance ranging from fun and flirty to sexy and suspenseful. Originally from New England, she now resides outside of Raleigh with her husband, beautiful daughter, special needs rescue dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she can be found training for her next marathon (of which she has run over twenty fulls and far too many halfs to recall) or chasing her daughter around the house.

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August 2025 Dark Romance Five Loves New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance Romantic Suspense Standalone

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