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Thursday, November 5, 2026
Release Blitz: Like A. Villain by Willow Dixon
Release Blitz: The Devil Wears Nada by Mika Lane
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Release Blitz: My Neighbor, The Assassin by Michelle Heard


Friday, October 30, 2026
Release Blitz: The Heart's Retreat by Shannon Blair


Gar has served his native swamplands as a soldier for almost half his life. Chosen to lead one last attempt to locate Aspen, he fears the dangers lurking in the woodlands’ corrupted depths will claim his life—and those of the soldiers under his command. But abandoning the mission means watching an entire forest burn. Bolstered by his faith in the swamplands’ divine Heart, Cypress, his conscience demands he carry on.
Sage, a magically gifted healer charged with holding Aspen’s corruption at bay from his village, is no stranger to the horrors of his Heart. Neither is his estranged husband, Thorn. A seasoned hunter with the uncanny ability to sense werewolves before they attack, Thorn puts his skills to the test and his life on the line to support the search for Aspen. Sage, choosing love over loyalty to his village, lends his strength as a latecomer to the expedition, lighting the way when hope seems lost. Reunited after a separation stemming from the loss of their stillborn daughter, their shared journey to save their homeland just might lead to reconciliation—if death doesn’t part them first.
As they traverse the corrupted forest’s treacherous terrain, Sage and Thorn forge a bond with Gar that transcends simple friendship. Seeking solace from their troubled pasts and uncertain futures, their boundaries break down and the dividing lines between them blur. But with bloodthirsty werewolves watching every move, their budding romance threatens to become a fatal distraction.
Shannon Blair © 2026
All Rights Reserved
Commander Gar stood on the barge’s deck, leaning against the railing as they sailed into the river port of Taproot, capital city of Cypress’s Domain. If he had to guess, he’d put the hour well past midnight, but the docks and their neighboring fish market bustled with activity. Weathered lantern posts standing along the dock’s edge illuminated the port and its workers. Dockhands—mostly his fellow swamp elves, with thick, water-repellent hair in shades of bright teal to dark green and skin tones ranging from light bronze to burnt umber—rushed back and forth, overseeing the departures and arrivals of fishing boats, trading vessels, and now one very delayed passenger barge.
The barge had gotten stuck on a sandbar somewhere upstream and only fallen further behind schedule with each passing stop. The early morning embarkation Gar and his unit had planned had been pushed back to late afternoon—frustrating for everyone involved, but at least they hadn’t been stuck aboard as long as some of the other passengers. Under normal circumstances, the delay would’ve been a minor inconvenience, but a soldier under Gar’s command had gotten their leg crushed in the jaws of a magically mutated alligator and needed specialized healing soon, or they risked losing the limb.
Gar leaned farther over the railing as the barge pulled into its berth, dockhands and crew working in tandem to make the landing as gentle as possible. Despite the late hour, a small crowd had begun to gather on the dock—friends and family waiting to greet their loved ones. He scanned the faces and clothes of those gathered, searching for someone with medical or military training among the civilians. Normally, no one waited for Gar, but he’d sent a messenger bird ahead at the first sign of delay—technically an unauthorized use of military funds, but he’d foot the bill himself if his superiors objected—so someone should be there to meet him.
Beside him, his second-in-command, Bluegill, sighed. “We better not have beaten the fucking bird here.” Nearly a head shorter than Gar, she stood at her full height to survey the crowd, turquoise eyes narrowed in an appraising squint. “Mallow’s waited long enough. If we’re expected to carry them all the way through the city—”
“Give it time, Blue. Gangway’s not even down yet.” Gar straightened and stretched, fighting back a yawn. Just because it wasn’t obvious at a glance didn’t mean no one was there for them. And worst-case scenario, he and his unit could carry Mallow. It would simply be awkward and uncomfortable.
Bluegill let out a discontented hum, impatiently running her umber fingers through her chin-length teal hair. But she didn’t argue. Under the complaints and sharp remarks, she cared for the rest of Gar’s unit as deeply as he did. Even non-lethal casualties hit her hard. He could let her have this one.
As the gangway dropped into place, a masculine elf wearing the crisp, white linens of a temple acolyte—not a priest, his eyes and hands were elven—pushed his way to the front of the crowd. Before the barge’s passengers could begin to disembark, he crossed onto the deck, offering a polite but disinterested nod to those he passed. His distracted gaze sharpened when it landed on Gar and Bluegill. Gar wondered why they’d caught his attention. They stood out among the other passengers in their long-sleeved field uniforms and boiled leather armor, but that couldn’t be the only reason.
“Commander Gar?” The acolyte called out, eyes flickering between Gar and Bluegill.
Gar raised a hand. “Over here.” He understood the acolyte’s confusion. Cypress’s Domain was a matriarchy; outside the military, it was rare to see a man in a position of authority. In any other career, Gar would be Bluegill’s subordinate.
The acolyte responded with a grateful nod and continued weaving through the crowd toward Gar.
While he waited, Gar exchanged a confused glance with Bluegill, trying to figure out why a temple acolyte, of all people, had come here looking for him. The messenger bird must have arrived ahead of the barge, or no one would’ve known to expect him, but he didn’t understand how military correspondence could’ve ended up at a temple. Maybe someone had misread his message and thought he needed funeral services instead of a healer?
The acolyte came to an abrupt stop a few paces away from Gar, the corners of his mouth slowly turning downward as he looked Gar over. “Hardly presentable, but it’ll have to do,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry, but what will I ‘have to do’ for?” Gar and his unit were fresh from a monster-hunting expedition, and he hadn’t bathed in days. He wasn’t going to impress anyone in this condition, but he didn’t know why he’d need to.
“High Priest Azalea has need of you. You are to meet her in her sanctum beneath Mother Cypress.”
Gar blinked at him, certain he’d heard wrong. “The high priest…needs me?”
“Yes.” The acolyte’s expression softened. “I realize how strange this must seem, but there are…extenuating circumstances.”
“When’s the meeting?”
“Hours ago, ideally. But now will have to suffice. She’s been waiting for you.”
Gar tried not to gape. High priests didn’t wait for anyone, especially a field commander like him. If she’d planned to meet with Gar without even knowing when to expect him, something earth-shaking must have happened, but no one on the docks seemed any the wiser. He guessed he’d find out more when he got there.
“Then I’ll go now,” Gar replied. “But I have an injured soldier belowdecks. Their leg’s hurt bad, and they need—”
Bluegill cut him off with a bump of her elbow. “I’ll take it from here, Commander. Just get to the Heart.”
The acolyte nodded and turned his attention to Bluegill. “Whatever you require, I’m happy to assist.”
Gar left them to it, heart racing as he jostled through the crowd of passengers making their way off the barge.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Release Blitz: Unveiled – A Paranormal Shifter Romance – Monarchs of Magic Book 1 by Susan Mac Nicol
BOOK BLAST - RECENT RELEASE

Book Title: Unveiled – Paranormal Shifter Romance – Monarchs of Magic Book 1
Author: Susan Mac Nicol
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group Creative Designer
Release Date: September 22, 2026
Tense/POV: third person, past tense
Genres: MM Paranormal Shifter Romance, Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
Tropes: Forced proximity
Themes: Found family, Fated mates
Heat Rating: 2 flames
Length: 88 000 words/334 pages
This is the first book in the series. It does not end on a cliffhanger. HFN


Scotland keeps its own secrets – and some walk on four paws
In the mist-shrouded Scottish Highlands, a centuries-old legend stirs to life when a mysterious town appears during a fierce storm.
Through the Mists of Time
Like a place in fables and fairytales, the town of Glengaill is filled with secrets and enchantments.
This remote area of the Highlands is home to two enigmatic wolf shifters. Connor, who rules his clan with primal strength and fierce loyalty, and Julien, whose compassion and humor shines through to keep the clans balanced.
Kings of their packs, Connor and Julien are bound by a destiny entwined with Glengaill's fate. This mysterious, magical village that appears during a fierce storm, is more than it seems, and danger lurks at its edges.
As the fog of time slowly lifts, the town's hidden beauty is revealed, and a powerful bond between the shifters and the town's lore is rekindled.
But Glengaill is bound and captive to a council who is determined to keep the townspeople and their magic for themselves.
Caught between their duty to their packs and the call of destiny, Connor and Julien must protect Glengaill from forces that threaten to exploit its magic while grappling with their unexpected and conflicted feelings.
As the battle begins, both kings fight for Glengaill, and for each other, so all will not be lost in the mists of time.
The next morning, on his way to meet Xiathen, Connor remained in no mood for any more riddles or secrets. He’d already planned a solo shift for tonight to get rid of the pent-up frustrations he was carrying. He’d barely made it down the main street—if you could call a single ribbon of cobbles stitched between slate-roofed cottages and low stone walls a street— before people began to notice them. Not in a gawping, touristy way. More like the way an animal notices a change in wind direction.
Adrian stood in front of the Inn, waving at the children playing in the street, doffing an imaginary hat at people standing outside the market and the village shops. Connor felt as if every step was a negotiation with the ground, to be taken at one step at a time. “Don’t encourage them,” Connor muttered as he drew near. “We’ve enough on our plate, and don’t need anyone else sharing bloody mysterious prophecies or delivering dire ditties of destiny.”
“Such alliteration,” Adrian commented with a grin. “Quite impressive.” His mouth twitched. “And I’m not encouraging anyone.”
“You are.”
“I’m looking at the buildings and being sociable.”
Connor shot him a look. “You’re dying to visit every damned shop in the village and make new friends.” Adrian didn’t deny it. As peoples’ faces appeared in windows and doorways, he greeted them. Connor had to admit it felt right. No phones. No whispering. Just a quiet, collective assessment. It should’ve felt hostile. Instead, it felt like being recognised.
They passed a shop with a sign painted in gold leaf: Morrigan & Thread. The window display was a riot of felt and velvet, feathers and braided cords, hats perched on stands like small, proud creatures. A top hat with a band of dark green. A flat cap stitched with silver thread. A wide-brimmed thing that looked like it had been made from midnight. Adrian slowed. Connor didn’t.
He took two more steps before realising Adrian wasn’t beside him and turned back, irritated. “What?”
Adrian nodded at the window. “It’s a hat shop.” He looked like a child at Christmas. Connor huffed. “It’s a bloody hat shop, so what?”
The door opened before either of them touched it. A man stood in the doorway, tall and narrow as a lamppost, his hair a storm of grey curls held back with—Connor blinked—what looked like a hatpin shaped like a tiny sword. He wore a waistcoat the colour of old wine and a measuring tape draped around his neck like a priest’s stole. His eyes were sharp and amused.
“Connor,” he said, as if they’d had tea last week. Then his gaze slid to Adrian. “And Adrian. Come in. You’re letting the draught in.” Connor froze. “How do you—” “Names?” The man waved a hand as if batting away a fly. “Everyone knows names. It’s the shape of you that’s interesting.”
Susan Mac Nicol is a British novelist dedicated to the power of LGBTQ+ romance, fantasy, and paranormal fiction. With over forty published titles spanning contemporary emotion and dark fantasy, her stories centre on complex characters who discover strength in connection. She's also an award winning scriptwriter with ten awards for the script Sight Unseen, written with actor Nicholas Downs.
From the gritty streets of the Men of London series to the sensual underground of Fetish Alley and the enchanted realms of Monarchs of Magic, Susan weaves high-stakes drama with emotional intimacy.
When she’s not lost in fictional worlds, Susan actively connects with fellow romance enthusiasts, mentoring upcoming writers and celebrating diverse queer voices across global literature.
Social Media Links


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Release Blitz: Swimmer's Ear by Alex Winters
Title: Swimmer’s Ear
Series: Good Sports, Book Five
Author: Alex Winters
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 10/27/2026
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Female/Female
Length: 29800
Genre: Contemporary, college students, contemporary, karaoke, lesbian, new adult, romance, singer, sports, swimmer
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