Coming Soon… June 2018
Difficult as it is to believe, we’re heading into June and looking ahead to summer – and it’s time for AAR staffers to take a look at upcoming releases and choose the ones we’re most excited about reading over the next few weeks. Just a reminder that this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of what’s coming out next month; it’s just a selection, by the reviewing team, of the titles we’re eager to get our hands on and our noses stuck into! You might have some other ideas, and we’re only too happy to hear what those might be – so please do jump into the comments and let us know if you think we’ve missed something we really MUST read :)
Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (19 Jun)
A literal bastard persuades a wallflower to turn temptress and seduce his arch-enemy- but the wallflower might rather have him instead. When MacLean is on, she’s amazing, and I’m hoping for a strong start to a new series here. – Caroline
Rake + Wallflower is a combination I find hard to resist, so this sounds like it’s going to be right up my alley! – Caz
She had me at hello. Well, actually, she had me at the book blurb. Look friends, I like everything about Ms. MacLean’s version of historical romance – the plots, the style, the characters…everything. And after reading the blurb for this one, I think she’s written another winner. I love a great redemption story; bastard sons who rule the “dark” streets of London are also my jam. Throw in a heavy dose of revenge and a spinster wallflower looking for a passionate love affair and…SOLD. I’m reviewing this one for All About Romance and I’ll let you know how it goes. My expectations are high. – Em
The Bareknuckle Bastards series opens with a story that brings together that classic pairing – a wallflower and a rake. Sounds like it’s going to be great! – Lisa
I’m really late to the Sarah MacLean party, but Wicked and the Wallflower, the first book in an all-new series looks like the perfect introduction to the author’s work. The hero is the bastard son of a duke, and he looks like exactly the kind of swoonworthy rake I love reading about. I can’t wait until this is released! – Shannon
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (5 Jun)
A brilliant heroine with Asperger’s Syndrome who falls in love with a Vietnamese/Swedish escort she’s paid to teach her how to get better at sex. It shouldn’t work…but according to everything I’ve read about it – it does. And well. My most anticipated read of 2018. – Em
All anyone is talking about these days is The Kiss Quotient, a book about an inexperienced heroine in the STEM field who has Aspergers and the Swedish-Vietnamese escort who she hires to teach her how to french kiss. Trusted friends tell me this story is just page after page of feels and swoons and delight. If it wasn’t on your radar before, it better be now! – Hollis
I’ve already heard some rave reviews about this romance featuring an autistic heroine and the male escort she hires to help her navigate dating and sex. It sounds too good to be missed! – Maria Rose
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter (5 Jun)
The latest from a RITA award winning inspirational author. I’ll read anything by her. – Lee
Hunter is another auto-buy author for me and this latest novel by her, a story of young woman helping unwed mothers in the Regency era, looks to be as intriguing as her other books. – Maggie
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Ocean Light by Nalini Singh (12 Jun)
I’m pretty sure that every Nalini Singh fan has June 12th circled on their calendar for the next story in her Psy-Changeling Trinity series! After reading my first ever romance by her (!), Silver Silence, the fact that it ended up on my top ten list of 2017 made the sequel Ocean Light a definite must read for me. – Maria Rose
Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling novels are among my very favorite paranormal romances. I was lucky enough to read an early copy of the latest installment, and I want everyone to grab it, read it, and love it as much as I did. – Shannon
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
The Girl in the Moss by Loreth Anne White
The previous two books in the Angie Pallorino trilogy have brilliantly combined deftly plotted, complex suspense stories with the ongoing romance between Angie and her former boss while also exploring the mystery surrounding Angie’s past. This latest story promises to be a hum-dinger and I CAN’T WAIT! – Caz
This is a must read for me. I’ve read everything White has written and I’m invested in Angie’s complicated life. – Dabney
Buy it at: Amazon
We’re also looking forward to…
Anne
Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent (12 Jun)
This follow-up novel by the author of Unraveling Oliver involves a married couple who murders a prostitute, their obsessed son, and the victim’s dedicated sister, and follows these characters over several years. I can’t wait to find out if this character study is as fascinating as Unraveling Oliver was. “My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.”
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes and Noble/iBooks/Kobo
You Were Made for This by Michelle Sacks (18 Jun)
This psychological thriller is being compared to The Woman in the Window and The Perfect Nanny. Gulp! It’s about a family in Sweden that sets up a ‘perfect’ household. Then a childhood friend visits, and starts to see the truth behind the perfection.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Murder at the Mansion: A Victorian Village Mystery by Sheila Connolly (26 Jun)
I don’t usually ‘do’ cozies, but this one intrigued me. Kate, a hospitality manager, returns to her former hometown of Asheford to help the failing town bring in tourists. Her plans involve developing a “living history” site that centers around a gorgeous a Civil War mansion. I want to visit it already. No story like this would be complete without a former high school nemesis. Or without Kate becoming a suspect when that nemesis is murdered! Like many cozy series, this one also has a romantic subplot — but apparently no love triangle!
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Once a Scoundrel by Mary Jo Putney (26 Jun)
When is the last time you picked up a historical that was set at sea and involved Barbary pirates? Lady Aurora Lawrence (Rory) has been captured by pirates. She faces a future as a harem slave. Her only hope is to be ransomed by disgraced (and disowned) captain Gabriel Hawkins. But even if the steely captain he can save her, do they have a future together?
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Em
The Varlet and the Voyeur by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid (14 Jun)
Folks, I straight up loved the first two books in the rugby series. Sports, sexy times and funny, engaging characters and dialogue? Sign me up. I fell in love with Penny Reid through this series and during the long wait for this fourth book, I’ve binged her other books. These two authors perfectly mesh contemporary romance and sport and although I’m thrilled we’re finally getting book four, I’ll be sad to say good-bye to this wonderful series.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Hollis
The One You Can’t Forget by Roni Loren (5 Jun)
This is the second book in Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away series about survivors of a school shooting and where they are ten years after the tragedy that rocked their worlds. I wanted a little more substance from book one, as the author is at her strongest when tackling the heavier subject matter and all that comes with dealing with the aftermath of such a horrible event, but I felt it lost traction in the present-day romance portion by adding a bit too much manufactured drama. The One You Can’t Forget, however, seems to have much more to reveal from what we learned in the first installment. It sounds a little angstier and I’m excited to see where this one goes.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows & Brodi Ashton (26 Jun)
This trio of authors have already retold Jane Grey’s story, in a hilarious and magical way, and I cannot wait to see what spin they put on the mother of all classics – Jane Eyre. We’ve always thought she married him, but did she, reader? Did she? Can’t wait!
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Lee
How Hard Can It Be by Alison Pearson (5 Jun)
This is the sequel to the 2002 title, I Don’t Know How She Does It, and our heroine is still trying to take care of her family.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Little Big Love by Katy Regan (12 Jun)
I’ve read all of Ms. Regan’s books, but this is the first time she’s being published in the U.S. Not sure what took so long. Anyhoo, a little boy wants to find his dad for his mom.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Lisa
The Mermaid by Christina Henry (19 Jun)
Proporting to tell the true tale of the Fiji mermaid from P.T Barnum’s Museum of Curiosities, this fantasy tale sounds like it might be a delightful reimagining of both the time and the period.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman (26 Jun)
A woman’s widowhood suddenly becomes quite lively when murder intrudes on the season. This sounds like a fun combination of historical romance and cozy mystery.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller (12 Jun)
The Little House universe revisited through Caroline’s eyes; I’m excited to see if this measures up to the lore I’m familiar with.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
In Bed With the Beast by Tara Sivec (5 Jun)
I am a total sucker for modern retellings of Beauty and the Beast, and this tale of bookworm meeting delicious hunk sounds like a hoot.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Maggie
A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden – Camden is one of those authors where I don’t even look at the description of her book, I just click on it knowing whatever she writes will be at least good and has every chance of being fantastic. This is the second book in her Empire State series and continues the chronicles of the battle for delivering clean water to the people of New York.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
More than Meets the Eye-by Karen Witemeyer Easily one of my favorite Inspirational authors, Ms. Witemeyer always delivers a fun filled, faith filled, delightful story. Her latest Western looks like it will be another winning tale full of humor and romance.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lilliane Li – This debut novel chronicling the lives and loves of the staff of a popular Chinese Restaurant sounds fun and intriguing.The multi-generational cast of characters and unusual setting have me eagerly awaiting this read.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Maria Rose
Inside Darkness by Hudson Lin (11 Jun)
With her first full length novel, Hudson Lin takes on some difficult subjects – the PTSD of an aid worker who spirals into depression and alcoholism and the relationship he develops with a journalist he first met overseas. Though I don’t always go for angst-filled romances (which from the sounds of it, this will definitely be an example) I am interested in the characters and their background here so I’m looking forward to trying out this new author.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Real Kind of Love by Sara Rider (June 5)
The premise of Sara Rider’s first romance in her Books & Brews series caught my eye and I made sure to get a review copy. It’s the story of an audiobook narrator and a brew pub owner both in need of a vacation and ending up in a ‘fake relationship to fool the family’ situation. Sounds like a fun romantic comedy and I look forward to trying this new-to-me author.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday
If the second story in Jenny Holiday’s Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series is anything like the first, it will be competing for a spot on my top ten list this year. I loved One and Only, so I’ve got high expectations for It Takes Two – fingers crossed for a great rom-com read!
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Shannon
Between You and Me by Susan Wiggs (26 Jun)
I love books featuring Amish characters, so I’m really excited to get my hands on Between You and Me. It looks to be a contemporary romance crossed with a courtroom drama, so it’s right up my alley.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier (12 Jun)
Jennifer Hillier’s Jar of Hearts is receiving quite a bit of positive buzz amongst fans of mysteries and thrillers. The plot intrigues me, and I’m anxious to see if it lives up to the hype.
Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo
Dabney
Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman (5 June)
I think I’ve read everything Goodman has ever written. This one, set in the Colorado, features a female doctor and the town sheriff. I have faith that Goodman will get what practicing medicine was really like and that her leads will share chemistry and great wit. Can’t wait!
I have no idea how I missed the Goodman! Reading that too!
Nobody mentioned Ilona Andrew’s new series Iron Covenant. The first book of Hugh’s story will appear June, 26th. Title is Iron and Magic. Can’t wait
Hi All,
I’m looking forward to Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman, thanks for the heads-up.
Amazon and Fantastic Fiction show these dates for Once a Scoundrel by Mary Jo Putney.
Hardcover: 26 June 2018
Paperback and Kindle: 25 September 2018
–Janie
I am excited for Erin Watts, One Small Thing coming out 6/26. I really liked When It’s Real and am hoping for something as awesome.
06/19 Grace Burrowes, My Own True Duchess
06/26 Emma Chase Getting Schooled
I read an arc of Loreth Anne White’s The Girl in the Moss and found it the best of the trilogy. I just loved it and can’t wait to see what she does next. I think the book hints a little, but White has said she’ll release details within weeks.
Otherwise, like everyone else, I’m intrigued by all the buzz around The Kissing Quotient. I’m raising a teen STEM girl who goes to a magnet health and science academy and as a girl she represents only 1/4 of the entire school population. So of course I’m rooting for STEM heroines in fiction. Autism too is a great topic to examine in fiction, and otherwise, the entire plot just sounds fabulous.
I’m also looking forward to Jo Goodman’s new release.
I read all three of these. My favorite of them is probably the Goodman, although I was thoroughly satisfied with the end of Angie’s story arc. I liked TKQ but not as much as others here at AAR.
What do you think of Kjel Holgerson as the main character of a new series spinoff from the Pallorino trilogy? I have no information if this is going to happen but I found him very interesting and thought the signs were possibly there.
The Goodman book sounds great and I’m really looking forward to it. I love her writing.
I’d read that! Although White does complex women so well. But he’s a compelling, complex guy.
I really liked the Goodman. There’s an odd rash of historical romances right now with women doctors/surgeons. I’ve read several and experienced a rash of eye-rolls. Goodman didn’t fall afoul of my BS sensor and, as usual, her characters have stellar repartee.
I’ve thought since the beginning that the author was holding back about Holgerson – she’s dropped little hints here and there that he’s not quite what he seems, so yep, I’d definitely read more about him, too!
Hey did you see this?
http://www.lorethannewhite.com/
I liked One and Only a bunch too!
How did I miss that Ocean Light is this month????
I just started reading Jenny Holiday’s One and Only (Book 1) and I’m enjoying it, so I’m excited for the sequel now too.