Thursday, June 18, 2026

Release Blitz and Review: Secrets and Lies by Willow Dixon

SECRETS & LIES by Willow Dixon — MM Bi Awakening Anonymous Texting Dark College Romance | Release Blitz
Secrets & Lies by Willow Dixon - MM Dark College Romance book cover
Release Blitz

SECRETS & LIES

by Willow Dixon

 

Series: Silvercrest U #5

Release Date: June 18, 2026

Genre: MM Dark College Romance Standalone

Tropes: Classmates to lovers, frat brothers, Bi Awakening, anonymous texting, masks, sensualism and sensory play, mild bondage, D/s vibes, caretaking, Hurt/Comfort, found family, a protective MC, morally ambiguous heroes, not-so-secret societies, and lots of spicy times

Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design

Photography: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Josh C.

 

Synopsis

Anthony

Three years ago, I hooked up with one of my frat brothers during a house challenge, and between the darkness and the masks we were wearing, I had no idea it was West until after it was over. And what was supposed to be nothing more than a chance to have a little fun and indulge in some of my darker desires ends up being so much more.

I don't understand the pull between us, but West feels like mine, and even though he does his best to hide it, I know he wants me too.

After accidentally catching his fiancée cheating on him, I send West an anonymous text asking if he wants to know the truth. That text sparks a conversation, then another, and before I know it, West is telling me his deepest, darkest secrets, even though he has no idea who I am.

Then he issues me a challenge I can't resist, and my prize is I get to do whatever I want to him. I already know West is into the same things I am, but I had no idea just how compatible we really are. Or how much we both like it when I wear a mask.

At the same time all of this is going on, West and I are paired up to work on a project together, and it's then I realize that what I feel for him goes beyond anything I ever thought possible. I don't just want him, I need him. And now that I've claimed him, I'm never letting him go.

West is mine until I decide he isn't, and I dare anyone to try and come between us because I promise it won't end well for them.

 
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About the Author

What can I say about myself? It's kind of like being the new kid in school and being asked to tell everyone a bit about yourself. Anyone else forget everything they've ever liked, thought of, and even their name in those moments?

A few facts about me; I'm a veteran, I'm Canadian, and I love books! I've been writing my own stories since I was eight and wrote my first novel at sixteen. I'm the first to admit those attempts weren't my best work, but they started me on a journey of creating stories that has led me to fulfilling my dream of becoming an author. I've written and published in several genres under different names, but MM is by far my favorite, and I'm so happy to be able to share my stories with people today.

I currently live on Canada's east coast with my kiddo and my cats. I have a shoe collecting addiction, and I enjoy taking long walks, discussions with friends, and reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.

 

Connect with Willow

Website: https://www.willowdixon.com/

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3hQpa68

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3vjfWmg

Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3FZeg66

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3WGqR5z

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Gi2C7U

TikTok: https://bit.ly/3WEX7p0

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3YPBq7H

BookBub: https://bit.ly/3I3LvI9

 
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Every time I think I found a favorite in this series, I'm proven wrong. Secrets and Lies was amazing, and it had me hooked from the very beginning. This book focuses on other characters outside of the cousins from the first few books, and I was here for it. Wonderfully written characters, a story that pulls you in from page one, and an arch that has you gasping, laughing, shaking your head, and biting your nails. You need this book in your life. But in my honest opinion, you need all of the books in this series if you like edgier and darker. 5 stars!
 

Release Blitz: To Have and To Stalk by Mary Catherine Gebhard

 
 TO HAVE AND TO STALK 
by Mary Catherine Gebhard 
Release Date: June 18th 
 Genre/Tropes: Dark Rom com / Standalone / Stalker / Hidden identity / Failed ONS / Exploring kinks / Anti-hero/good girl / Domestic violence / Knife play / Stalking/Monitoring / CNC / Somno (consensual) / Primal/Prey 
 TO HAVE AND TO STALK by Mary Catherine Gebhard is NOW LIVE! 
Make sure to grab this all-new dark rom com TODAY! 
NOW AVAILABLE! 
 
From USA Today Best Selling author Mary Catherine Gebhard comes a brand new dark romcom about a girl who makes a dating profile to live out all of her spicy, bookish fantasies.

He was all my twisted, dark book boyfriend fantasies come to life. Masked. Tattooed. Dirty talking—and totally unhinged.
Morally grey? Check.
Stalker? Check.
A very illegal, very bloody hobby? Check.
Possessive, obsessive, and calls me a good girl? Check. Check. Check.
I should probably call the police.
I definitely shouldn’t take dirty selfies because I know he hacked my phone.
But what’s a girl to do?
It’s my very own stalker romance.
 
I started writing the moment I could read. My first characters were Wibbley and Squig and I used MS Word and clipart to bring them to life when I was a kid in elementary school. I started seriously thinking about being a writer in High School and I remember the day exactly, because it was such an epiphany. I was always so uncertain. You know how everyone was always asking what you wanted to be when you were older? Well I NEVER could decide.

I wanted to be a marine biologist.
An actor.
A FIRE FIGHTER (thank you Joaquin Phoenix in Ladder 49 for that phase).

One day it hit me—A WRITER. I could do it ALL. Then you couldn’t stop me from writing. I penned my first novel at fifteen (but don’t ask me to show it to you, because it’s like I was in competition to beat the thesaurus). When I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, writing became even more important, because it became my therapy. When I wrote my characters, suddenly I wasn’t so alone.

These days you can find me daydreaming about where to travel with my husband, singing in my car, or lost in the newest K drama. And planning my next novel, of course

Connect w/Mary Catherine:
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Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Blog Tour: Wanting My Husband by Lexi Amber & Bec Benson

WANTING MY HUSBAND by Lexi Amber & Bec Benson — MM Grumpy Sunshine Woke Up Married Small Town Romance | Release Blitz
Wanting My Husband by Lexi Amber and Bec Benson - MM Small Town Romance book cover
Blog Tour

WANTING MY HUSBAND

by Lexi Amber & Bec Benson

 

Release Date: June 10, 2026

Genre: MM Small Town Romance

Tropes: Grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, woke up married, trust fund x blue collar, city x small town, pierced/tattooed MMC, secret relationship, “no emotions just s*x”, kink/bdsm exploration (shibari, sensory deprivation, temperature play, dom/sub, restraints/bondage, marking, c*ck-warming, edging, praise, toys), processing grief, only one bed, first times, caretaking, pining

Cover Design: Story Styling Cover Designs

Photography: Wander Aguiar

Model: Paul

Discreet Cover Design: ang(k)i

 

Synopsis

John

I’ve never met anyone who bothers me more than Chad Sinclair.

He’s always smiling, always happy — excited about life in a way I truly cannot comprehend. A spoiled city guy who acts like he’s never heard the word no before.

I can’t believe I drunkenly married him in Vegas.

Or that he showed up at my farmhouse, ready to give up his whole life to play happy husbands with me in the middle of nowhere.

Chad might have convinced himself we’re meant to be, but I gave up on that kind of future a long time ago.

Chad

I’ve always believed things work out for me — and getting my husband to admit he wants me is no exception.

John Sullivan might be grumpy, closed-off, and determined to pretend this means nothing, but he still chose me. He married me. He said I do, and I’m not ready to let that go just because he’s pretending he is.

He can say there’s no way we can work, but I’m stubborn enough to stay and keep proving him wrong.

A grumpy/sunshine MM romance about a woke-up-married couple navigating life after loss, small-town living, and the kind of heat that burns slowest when you’re trying your hardest to resist it.

*** Please note that this is a standalone spinoff of their Love Without Labels series and that it does not take place on the reality show. It can be read solely on its own.

 
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About the Authors

Lexi is an American author who is obsessed with queer happily ever afters. Most of her time is spent with her two kids, but if they’re asleep, then she is either reading, writing, or watching hockey.

Professionally trained as a nurse, Lexi decided to start writing when she became a stay at home mom and the characters in her head haven’t stopped talking since.

Lexi also loves Diet Coke, traveling, and Halloween. Her house is probably obnoxiously decorated for whatever holiday is next because she thinks that little things that make people smile are important.

 

Connect with Lexi

Website: https://lexiamber.com/

Newsletter: https://geni.us/TFQx6c

Facebook: https://geni.us/QC1i4e

Reader Group: https://geni.us/naZYr29

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Instagram: https://geni.us/rllLg

TikTok: https://geni.us/d4O1bP

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4vGrL34

BookBub: https://geni.us/otdK

 

Bec Benson is based in the Northeast, lives for the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, and genuinely believes emo music can make you happy. She’s obsessed with mgk, a good uninterrupted writing session, and queer romance novels.

 

Connect with Bec

Website: https://becbenson.com/

Newsletter: https://geni.us/90N9pqT

Facebook: https://geni.us/GZdwY

Reader Group: https://geni.us/naZYr29

Goodreads: https://geni.us/TqlFW

Instagram: https://geni.us/WLAza5I

TikTok: https://geni.us/rxmLK

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4xm2U6g

BookBub: https://geni.us/Vd4aV

 
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Monday, June 15, 2026

Release Blitz: Rising Waters by Aleatha Romig

RISING WATERS
Aleatha Romig
Release Date June 15
AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED
A dark atmospheric psychological thriller packed with small-town secrets, buried trauma, and shocking twists.
She escaped her past—and the man she never forgot.

Now with two girls gone missing, she's pulled back into a deadly game she may not survive.

Jillian Thorne built her career making the unreal feel real.
On Hollywood soundstages, she stages murder, kidnapping, and violent crime with chilling authenticity—turning fiction into gripping entertainment.

But nothing she’s created compares to the truth waiting in Blue Gil.

Nearly six years after escaping her small hometown, Jillian is drawn back by the suspicious death of the town’s beloved high school football coach. What first appears to be a tragic loss quickly unravels into something far more sinister—a dark mystery no one is willing to confront.

Because in Blue Gil, secrets aren’t just buried… they’re protected.

As disturbing clues surface and a brutal tragedy strikes dangerously close to home, Jillian finds herself trapped inside a real-life psychological thriller. The instincts that made her successful in Hollywood may be the key to solving the crime—or the very thing clouding her judgment.

Everyone in this small town is hiding something.
Including Jillian.

To uncover the truth, she must break through an unspoken code of silence, deception, and loyalty—and face the past she thought she left behind. Because some secrets refuse to stay buried.

And in this twisted game of suspense, trusting the wrong person could be deadly.

Have you been Aleatha’d?

*Perfect for fans of Sharp Objects, All Good People Here, and The Last House Guest, Rising Waters is a dark and addictive psychological thriller filled with buried secrets, small-town corruption, twisted family loyalties, and devastating betrayals.

This is a complete 80K stand-alone psychological thriller with a STEM FMC who needs to learn secrets before it’s too late. The only connection to Aleatha’s FEAR OF FLAMES is that our favorite podcasters from Crime Daily Podcast are back, showing the readers another perspective.

*You do not need to read Crime Daily Podcast book one, FEAR OF FLAMES before RISING WATERS.
5 Stars!

Rising Waters is one story that sticks with you. Your emotions and senses are fully engaged in this psychological thriller.

Returning to her small hometown she hasn't set foot in in over six years isn't easy for our mfc. Neither is being the only one (perceived only one) to question the death that brought her home, or the mysterious disappearances that occur.

The truth in revealed slowly, hidden secrets come to the surface, and her perseverance will pay off. This isn't my usual Aleatha story, but man! I absolutely loved reading this one!
Jillian hasn't been back to Blue Gill in six years. Returning in search of answers, she quickly finds herself caught up in a web of mystery, secrets, and scandal. It's clear that something isn't right in Blue Gill—and the deeper she digs, the more dangerous things become.

I honestly couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Aleatha Romig does a fantastic job building suspense and keeping readers guessing. I had a theory about one of the twists and was thrilled to discover I was right, but the other major reveal? I never saw it coming.

With intriguing characters, plenty of tension, and unexpected twists, Rising Waters kept me hooked from beginning to end. If you enjoy mystery, suspense, and small-town secrets, definitely pick this one up if you get the opportunity.

Grab your copy!
 

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Together with her high-school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years, they've raised three children. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns or her new lighter side, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Keep up with Aleatha Romig and subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.aleatharomig.com/contact

To learn more about Aleatha Romig & her books, visit here!

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Sunday, June 14, 2026

Book Blitz: Makerborn by Daymon Ashcord

Makerborn
Daymon Ashcord
(Maladies of Empire, #1)
Publication date: June 15th 2026
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy

The God War is over. An empire built on suffering, slavery, and betrayal remains…

In the fractured lands of the Salvian Empire, the Great Houses rule through blood and fear. For years, Alandra Phoenyka has hunted powerful Sonomancers in the empire’s name, paid in empty promises that her stolen daughter would be returned. Each step forward demands another compromise. Another betrayal. Another piece of herself lost.

When those promises turn to treachery, she is forced to take matters into her own hands and risk everything to reclaim her child.

In the empire’s mining camps, Bez Windstrider has endured years of torture and brutal experimentation. Broken but unyielding, he clings to one purpose: vengeance. The men who murdered his parents will pay, and their deaths will complete the ritual needed to free his parents’ souls from damnation.

But the deeper his grief cuts, the more he becomes something far more dangerous, for himself and for the empire.

As their paths draw closer, the buried truths of the God War begin to surface. What begins as two personal vendettas threatens to unravel something far greater than either of them can control.

Because empires do not fall quietly.

And the gods that shaped them are not as dead as they seem.

Makerborn is the first book in the Maladies of Empire series, a brutal epic dark fantasy of vengeance, sacrifice, and the cost of love.

For readers of dark, character-driven epic fantasy in the vein of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, R.F. Kuang, Evan Winter, and Steven Erikson.


Goodreads / Amazon

Chapter 2

A Son’s Vengeance

Bez woke in darkness, deep in a pit, having failed his parents yet again. The night air was heavy and damp. The acrid stench of feces had lessened, but his nose still burned with the stink of decay. He felt like he would never wash the smell from his body. What does it matter now?

The moist earth offered scant relief from the Southern Waste’s merciless heat. Sweat slicked his body. His skin felt on fire, reminding him of how the Salvians slowly roasted meat on spits. He pinched his right nostril and blew out a thick wad of phlegm.

How long? How squalling long have they left me down here to rot?

He traced fine grooves in the earthy wall of his cage with long, dirty fingernails. Twenty-seven days he’d scratched before he’d given up counting. Then the real fun began. Weeks of wading in his own shit like a rutting hog once the pit guards had stopped retrieving his privy bucket. Weeks more of starvation when the obvious solution to avoid living in a hog pen penetrated his addled mind: no food, no feces. His only companions were self-pity, nightmares, and maggots gorging on his noxious filth.

And the moans of indentured miners, likely years past their freedom date, and Collared All-Tribe—his people—drifting down in his dirt tomb.

“Water,” cried a pit prisoner.

“Bread, just a heel of bread for Seal’s sake,” whined another.

“It was Tuftson,” someone sniveled. “He made me do it. It was him. Please, let me out.”

“Shut your gobs!” bellowed a voice.

The sounds washed over him, had become part of him, familiar as his gnawing hunger or the ever-present worms wriggling against his hot skin. Even without starlight, his people’s blessed vision allowed him to penetrate the mirk. He watched his sunken stomach rise and fall. Each rib pressed against his skin. Sour spit filled his mouth.

He wasn’t surprised that an army of worms assaulted the sides of his stomach and shoulders while he dozed. The slimy little grubs coated him with a sticky sludge, but he was past caring. Hands trembling, he brushed the vanguard away that had reached his chest. His legs were a lost cause. Scores of grubs covered them so only his toes peeked out.

Bez yawned. Heat-induced spans of intermittent sleep kept him drowsy and muddled. Sometimes his parents sat beside him in the dirt, back from the dead, singing and laughing. Other times, he was in the mountains climbing crags, or swimming in crystalline lakes so clear he could see rocks at the bottom. Moments ago, he was a boy again, running barefoot with his cousins through Uncle Darian’s fields, the tall grass whipping at his legs. Then a cry from a prisoner or the damp air clogging his nose had awakened him, shattering the vision. What was real or imagined blurred. Maybe I’m with my uncle still and the pit is only a nightmare.

Hesitantly, he stretched his hands to either side, fingertips brushing the cool, root-tangled walls. Feet firmly pressed against damp earth. Not a nightmare. He moaned like a wounded animal.

“Guardian spirits above,” he wheezed, not wiping the hot tears streaking down his cheek. “There’s no way out.”

But that was a lie. There was a way. His fingers searched for the gouge in the wall, finding the sharp-edged shard of obsidian he’d hidden there. My final escape.

He pried it free, hand shaking, and pressed the jagged edge against the soft flesh of his right wrist. A bead of blood sprang from the tip.

“I’ll do it this time,” he said to the crude face carved into the wall. A pause. “I know that’s what I said last time. By the All-Spirit, I can’t—” His throat tightened. “I can’t take it anymore.”

“Enjoying your new home, demon-blood?” asked an unwelcome voice from the pit’s metal cage above.

“Dorota,” he rasped, tongue clumsy from disuse. “What a pleasure.”

He hated Yan’s henchwoman, but at that moment, his life in the balance, he clung to her words like a drowning man to driftwood.

Her chuckles echoed in the earthy tomb. “Liar. Play it friendly as you like, slit-eyes, but we both know what you are.” She crouched, damp hair plastered to her face, mouth hooked in a grin that never reached her eyes. “I saw the demon in you when we caught you on that ridge. Thought you were clever, didn’t you? Thought the aqueduct workers wouldn’t notice you and your two friends? What is the count? Your third?”

It was his fourth failed attempt to escape the Makersmetal mining camp, but he didn’t bother correcting the murdering bitch. I failed them just like my parents. Tala dead. Marcel beaten or worse. Anelia missing. And Bez… well, he would die in darkness, dooming his parents’ souls to wander the Shadowlands forever, never to reunite with their ancestors. He choked down a sob, not wanting to give her any satisfaction seeing him broken.


Daymon Ashcord writes dark fantasy shaped by suffering, resilience, and the brutal edges of love pushed too far.

Born in Gdańsk, Poland, and raised in New York, he grew up on science fiction, fantasy, and the stories that linger long after the final page. After studying accounting and public policy, he left a conventional path to travel the world and create a documentary, turning storytelling into something essential.

His debut novel, Makerborn (2026), reflects years of persistence, personal setbacks, and a fascination with the darker truths people endure to survive.

He lives in North Carolina, hiking mountains by day and writing by night. He is considering adopting a dog, a cat, or both, and suspects they would judge him harshly.


 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Youtube / Instagram / TikTok


Makerborn Blitz