The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2026, Week 9’s New Books
My choices for this week include Sweet Cowboy Romance, Sweet Romances, Cozy Paranormal Mystery, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Young Adult Fairytale and Folklore, Cozy Mystery, Cowboy Romantic Comedy, International Mystery, Historical Mystery, Middle Grade Fantasy, Young Adult Romantic Fantasy, Psychological Thrillers, Middle Grade Mystery, Historical Romance, Young Adult Thrillers, Historical Romantic Mystery, Young Adult Romantic Fantasy, Cozy Culinary Mystery, and Cozy Animal Culinary Mystery.
It’s the last week of this month. The only week with no celebration that I am aware of. We are still busy reading over here. How about you?
This list has so many books, and they all sound so amazing. It’s like they are shoving as many books in February as the publishers can. Yet, I can’t wait to grab some of these to read for myself.
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 9 of 2026!
A Firefighter’s Ranch Homecoming by Anna Grace
Holiday Ranch #1
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Sweet Cowboy Romance
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Saving Holiday Ranch…
Or rescuing each other?Firefighter Beau Holiday will do anything to save the family ranch—a small patch of paradise just outside Ripple Creek, Oregon. He’ll help his siblings turn the property into an events venue…and he’ll even take fake engagement photos with Elliana Wright, their pretty new business partner. But when the ruse turns into a much bigger responsibility, Beau might be in over his head. Elliana makes her living celebrating love and commitment—things Beau never thought he wanted. And yet, as spring revives Holiday Ranch, Beau might be falling for a woman who can see him for the hero he is…and rescue him right back!
A Hero’s Rescue by Cheryl Harper
Lowcountry Heroes #1
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Sweet Romance
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Could a small-town cop…
Really be her hero?Officer TJ Shepard may be pushing back against his father’s wishes for TJ to take over as Chief of Police of Horizon, South Carolina, but he’s still very invested in doing his current duty. That means helping Horizon’s newest business owner Summer Patel move her veterinary charges when a hurricane threatens her clinic. But Summer isn’t looking to be rescued, thank you very much. She and TJ are constantly clashing—until they find themselves trapped together by the storm, and their animosity melts into a warm connection. When the sky clears, will they retreat to a safe distance, or give their newfound feelings a fighting chance?
A Whiff of Murder by Angela M. Sanders
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
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This intoxicating debut spin-off of the author’s popular small-town Oregon-set Witch Way Librarian mysteries features an intriguing young woman with a unique connection to the magical realm of scent. Sometimes, she can even sniff out a killer . . .
Some people read auras—a light or color that surrounds others, revealing their character or emotions. Lise Bloom reads ribbons—of fragrance, that is. Whether she’s around old friends or new, fragrance often unfurls from them—an ability called “clairalience.”
Hoping to gain insight into her gift, Lise works at the Lucky Lotus, a New Age shop. Unfortunately, the oils the owner, Dyann, concocts, nauseate Lise and impede her sense of scent. Worse, the shop feels more like wealthy Dyann’s hobby than a spiritual place, thanks to her toxic love-torment relationship with her ex-husband, Richard.
Dyann is so pleased with her latest vengeful scheme that she shares it with Lise and gleefully remarks that when Richard finds out, he’ll kill her. For Lise, it’s the last straw. Persuaded to quit by her caring, colorful crew of housemates, Lise emails Dyann a resignation letter. But when she goes to the store the next morning, she detects a fetid odor she doesn’t recognize—and discovers a spilled bottle of Mayan ceremonial liqueur . . . beside Dyann’s dead body.
In her rush to call the police, Lise doesn’t notice that Dyann’s half-completed reply to Lise’s resignation email is on the monitor of her desktop computer—making her the prime suspect. Now, she’ll have to follow her nose to uncoil a venomous truth. It just may lead her life in an entirely new direction—unless a killer cuts it short . . .
Booking for Trouble by Jenn McKinlay
Library Lover’s Mysteries #16
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery
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It’s all hands on deck when a dead body is found near the small town of Briar Creek in this Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Merry Little Murder Plot.
Just off the shores of the coastal Connecticut town of Briar Creek are two small islands, which library director Lindsey Norris visits with her new book-boat, inspired by the bookmobiles she’s seen traveling across the country. Nothing, not even the infamous feud between the families who own the Split Islands, can stop Lindsey from getting books into the hands of readers. But when Lindsey and her boat captain husband, Mike Sullivan, discover a body on the rocky outcropping of one of the islands, Lindsey’s new library venture quickly becomes a murder investigation.
At news of the crime, hostilities between the two families are reignited. Long buried secrets are revealed, tensions spark, and suspects abound. As Lindsey navigates treacherous waters (both literal and metaphorical), she must use her research skills and community ties to solve the murder and bring peace to the islands before her book-boat dreams are sunk.
Burning Snow by Abigail Manning
Displaced Fairytales #3
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Fairytales and Folklore
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Princess Safara wanted nothing more than to marry the prince of Averglas and secure protection for her suffering kingdom—until her fiancé left her to freeze to death.
Til death do us part comes early for Safara when a brutal winter sweeps through her betrothed’s kingdom, forcing everyone to evacuate or be buried by the snow. To make matters worse, toxic trees have been burned in fireplaces in a desperate attempt for warmth, infecting Safara and many others with a slow-acting paralysis. Abandoned and alone, Safara uses the last flick of her fingers to light a match, wishing for a chance to have been a better queen.
By some miracle, life returns to Safara as she wakes up months in the past. No longer diseased or trapped by snow, she decides to make good on her wish and do everything in her power to be the queen she should have been in the first place—the snow queen. Now knowing what the future holds, she’s not aligning herself with the losing side. The only way to stop this winter is to win over the snow king who created it. Can Safara claim his frozen heart? Or is her life destined to always burn away?
Torn from one fairytale and trapped in another: The Displaced Fairytales series is a collection of standalones from your favorite no-spice, young adult romance authors. Burning Snow is a Little Match Girl meets The Snow Queen reimagining with the perfect blend of marriage of revenge, grumpy x sunshine, and a pet rock named Douglas.
Easter Egg Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Peggy Ehrhart
Lucy Stone #31.6, Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery #18.5, and Knit & Nibble Mystery #12.5
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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Light pink, robin’s egg blue, daffodil yellow, mint green—Easter eggs hiding sweet treats come in every pastel color. But in a few small towns this year, cracking them could be more fatal than fun…
EASTER EGG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
In Provence to visit her daughter, part-time reporter Lucy Stone is soaking up the atmosphere, even if it includes one Carole Capobianco, the empty-nester she encountered on the flight over. Not exactly two peas in a pod, they’re both amused by the tale of a neighbor’s chickens refusing to lay eggs. The decoy eggs he’s set out to encourage the egg-centric hens are not only gorgeously Faberge-style, they’re being stolen! That’s confusing enough, but what’s happened to the cook is deadly serious.DEATH BY ANOTHER EASTER EGG by LEE HOLLIS
When an ambitious young reporter dies mid-meal at Hayley Powell’s Bar Harbor restaurant, Hayley is horrified. Determined to save her eatery’s reputation, Hayley scrambles to crack the case wide open like an egg, discovering that the victim was about to break a juicy story—one that a number of people (er, suspects) did not order off the menu. Which makes finding the killer more than devilishly hard . . .AN EGGY WAY TO DIE by PEGGY EHRHART
Cleaning up after the Easter egg hunt in the Arborville park, friends Pamela and Bettina are startled to find something else hidden—the dead body of a local cookbook author, surrounded by broken shells and slippery yolks. The pair are far from hard-boiled detectives, but as they search for clues, they find that the whole case smells distinctly like rotten eggs . . .
Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates
Rustler Mountain #3
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cowboy Romantic Comedy
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Tourists may flock to Rustler Mountain, Oregon for its Wild West reenactments, but for locals, the feuds between the outlaws and the lawmen are still very much alive in this swoon-inducing contemporary western series from New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates – ideal for fans of Lyla Sage, Elsie Silver, Jennifer Ryan and Robyn Carr.
Good guys and bad guys . . . myth and legend . . . gold and ranching. That’s what historic Rustler Mountain, Oregon, is made of, complete with feuding families descended from outlaws and lawmen. A century later, their grudges still hold—but for a new generation, when opposites attract, it might be time to surrender . . .
From killers to courtesans, the Hancock family has what might be called an eclectic history. But they’ve managed to leverage it into something respectable, creating the popular Hancock Wild West Show. The event features reenactments and trick riding—the latter performed by clever, charismatic Jessie Jane Hancock.
Jessie is usually unflappable, but lately something’s needling her—and it’s not just her annoying attraction to exasperatingly sexy Flynn Wilder—whose great, great, great, great, great grandfather was betrayed by Jessie’s just-as-many-times-great grandfather. It’s the upcoming mayoral election. Specifically, the unopposed candidate: Danielle LeFevre, mean girl, all-around awful person, and Flynn’s not-so-beloved half-sister. Jessie wants to keep Danielle from winning . . . and the only person who bothers Flynn more than she does is Danielle.
“I want you to be my first man.” Jessie Jane is hot enough to make him hallucinate, but her request is very real. Jessie wants to run for mayor, and she wants him by her side, as her fake boyfriend. A Hancock dating a Wilder. An outsider against the status quo. A drama their town will devour. Flynn always knew Jessie was a wild card, but bringing down his corrupt stepfamily is a temptation he can’t resist. Just like the vexing spark between him and Jessie. And once that fire catches, the real showdown begins . . .
Murder at an Irish Session by Carlene O’Connor
Irish Village Mystery #12
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: International Mystery
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As pregnant Siobhán O’Sullivan awaits bringing her new life into the world, she’s bringing new life to her village of Kilbane in County Cork, Ireland, with a music and matchmaking festival. But one matchmaker is about to find out that Cupid’s arrow can be fatal in the latest Irish Village Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Carlene O’Connor.
Siobhán loves to see the joy playing trad music brings to her brother Ciaran, but his concern that he’ll never find a mate pulls at her heartstrings. So she proposes that Kilbane host a music and matchmaking festival to draw single trad musicians. While renowned matchmaker Liam Noone plays Cupid with his Lucky Book, music—and hopefully love—will fill the pubs and the autumn air.
Turning over his precious Lucky Book to Siobhán for safekeeping, Liam takes the stage to introduce matched musician couples who will kick off the festival in the town square. Suddenly all goes black. When the lights come back on, the matchmaker has met his maker, impaled through the heart with an arrow made from the sharpened bow of a bass.
Was it the fiddle player, the flute player, the drummer, the piper, the squeeze box player, or the bass player who struck a sour note? Garda Siobhán and her husband Macdara must pick up the tempo to make whoever committed this crime of passion face the music…
Murder by Moonrise by Patrice McDonough
Dr. Julia Lewis Mystery #3
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Historical Mystery
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London’s first woman doctor and a skeptical Scotland Yard detective find their holidays sidelined by a murderer threatening the royal family in this historically rich, gritty mystery set in Victorian London.
1867: For commoners and nobility alike, the Isle of Wight is an ideal holiday destination. Queen Victoria and her family frequently spend time at Osborne House, their stunning coastal residence. For the next few days the island will also be home to Dr. Julia Lewis, who is traveling with her grandfather and her great-aunt. But despite the pleasant surroundings, Julia is beset by worries.
Julia and Inspector Richard Tennant grew close during their last investigation, but he abruptly left England on a dangerous chase. She has heard nothing from him in weeks; meanwhile her maid, Kate, is nervous about rising anti-Irish sentiment. Editorials call for harsh retaliation against those determined to rid Ireland of British rule.
When Julia is called to perform an autopsy on drowning victim Lizzie Dowling, a young, Irish-born servant at Osborne House and a favorite of Princess Louise, she discovers that the girl was pregnant. Was her death a suicide? The distraught princess is eager for answers, and as Julia digs deeper, a second tragedy points to murder and perhaps a political scandal. There are rumors of smugglers funneling weapons to Ireland—and assassins who would target the Queen herself.
Motives abound but time is in short supply—and every day brings deeper urgency and threats that neither riches nor royalty may withstand . . .
Mythspeaker by Christopher Roubique
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
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For fans of Race to the Sun and the Aru Shah series, this epic fantasy adventure inspired by Indigenous American mythology follows a band of misfit children who must pull off an impossible heist in order to save the world!
Thanks to a prophecy revealed when he was little, thirteen-year-old Kyta always knew that he was destined to save the world. But waiting for that moment has kept him on edge his whole childhood, preventing him from having fun like other kids in his tribe. So when the ground quakes and the trees whisper that something is wrong, Kyta leaps into action, desperate to fulfill his destiny.
He is horrified to find that the precious Egg of the World Turtle, on whose vast shell everyone and everything lives, has been stolen by invaders. The Turtle is angry and grief-stricken, threatening to upend the very land under their feet. The invaders refuse to heed the warning of the tribes and return the Egg . . . so Kyta comes up with a plan to steal it back!
It’s risky and dangerous . . . but abandoning the Egg is certain doom. Kyta assembles other kids who could sneak into the invaders’ fortress and pull off the heist, but getting four very different personalities to work together is harder than he thought. And when they discover that the Egg is being guarded by an evil collector, his savage ogres, and a beast so terrible that it defies description, their odds seem all but impossible! Will Kyta be able to fulfill his destiny, or did he set himself up to fail . . . and the world to fall?
Inspired by the Indigenous American folktales, this thrilling and heartwarming fantasy shows the importance of teamwork, respect for nature, and believing in yourself.
Paradise Coast by Suzanne Young
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Mystery
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Rival groups of local and wealthy teens in a small Everglades town confront the secrets that rise from the waters in the wake of a hurricane in this sizzling and suspenseful thriller from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young—perfect for fans of Outer Banks and The White Lotus.
Some secrets won’t stay buried. Not even in the Everglades.
Deep in the Everglades, there was once a luxurious and legendary hotel enjoyed by the wealthy elite. Until one mysterious night when a fire tore through the building, killing a young socialite and casting blame on a local dock worker. Soon after, the hotel vanished, swallowed up by the wetlands like it never existed at all.
Until now.
When a powerful hurricane unearths the ruins of the long-forgotten hotel, the past is dragged back to the surface as clues to the devasting truth about the night of the fire are revealed.
It’s the truth that die-hard local Noa and her friends have been chasing for years in the hopes of clearing their ancestor’s name and pushing back against the rich families trying to force them out. With the help of Jamie, the rebellious son of a wealthy businessman, Noa and her crew begin a desperate fight for the justice they deserve.
It won’t be easy. Because the wealthy control just about everything on Paradise Coast—including the truth. And they will do whatever it takes, even kill, to make sure the past stays buried.
Reasons to Lie by Emily Listfield
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Psychological Thriller
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When a private school field trip ends with one student dead, three mothers must face the darkest secrets lurking beneath their lifestyles, their friendships, their children, and themselves.
In the privileged world of Manhattan’s elite Dearborn Academy, three mothers―Abby, Kara, and Hollis―form an unlikely bond. Until a student is murdered on a class trip their teenagers attended, and every parent has something to hide.
Artistic single mom Abby and career-challenged Kara have always felt like outsiders among Dearborn’s rich, powerful families. When glamorous, enigmatic Hollis arrives with her son and a picture-perfect life, they take her under their wing―despite nagging doubts about her past.
Their friendship only deepens after tragedy strikes on a school retreat. But as a determined detective edges closer to the truth of what happened in the woods that night, cracks begin to show―in their stories, their alliances, and their trust.
Each woman is keeping secrets. And so are their children.
Now, with everything at stake, Abby, Kara, and Hollis must decide how far they’ll go to protect their families―even if it means turning on one another.
Because everyone has a reason to lie.
And someone will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
She Thought She Was Safe by Terri Parlato
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Psychological Thriller
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A young woman is reunited with the famous father she never knew at a secluded lakeside community hiding nightmarish secrets in this immersive modern-day gothic for readers of psychological suspense by Mary Kubica, Shari Lapena and Megan Miranda.
After the double blow of divorce and her mother’s death, Emma Shrader receives an invitation to meet her estranged father for the first time. Alex Spencer is a wealthy, renowned author who had a brief fling with Emma’s mom, then disappeared. Now he’d like Emma to come stay at his beautiful home on Cheshire Lake in Maine.
The Spencer house is a towering Victorian steeped in history and lore, from its ornate turret to the little cemetery nestled in adjoining woods. It should be an inspiring place for Emma to finish working on her own novel, especially with Alex’s guidance. But when a neighbor is found dead under strange circumstances, the surroundings begin to feel less idyllic and welcoming. Not everyone is happy about Emma’s arrival, either—especially not Alex’s other daughter, Sunny.
There are things Emma keeps to herself about her chaotic childhood and ex-husband, but Cheshire Lake harbors secrets too—some recent, some decades old. What exactly has been going on in this quiet, close-knit community? And how much of it has to do with Emma’s arrival?
As Emma learns of other disappearances and mysterious deaths, what seemed like a fresh start begins to fill her with unease. Emma thought Cheshire Lake held the home and family she’s long been looking for. Now she wonders if she’ll ever be allowed to leave alive . . .
Sleuthing with the Stars by Lynn Cahoon
Survivors’ Book Club Mysteries #6
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery
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Sedona, Arizona’s Next Chapter bookstore is a haven for Rarity Cole, who’s survived cancer and started an exciting second act in her life. With a film festival about to open in town, she has two big author events lined up—but after a live appearance, one of them winds up very unalive . . .
Business is booming as an Olympic cyclist and a famous filmmaker come to town for a film festival and schedule signings at Rarity’s bookshop. Luckily, her former employee Darby is back from Scotland and ready to help out. But just as the filmmaker’s cult classic starts to roll, Rarity finds him dead . . .
Rarity is naturally an introvert who prefers escaping into a good book with her affectionate Yorkie by her side. But her bout with serious illness has taught her that life is precious. With help from her friends, her coworkers, and her sweetheart, Archer, she’s determined to untangle the web of secrets and lies surrounding the director’s death, and find out who wanted him out of the picture . . .
The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite by Christyne Morrell
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
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In this middle-grade mystery, a twelve-year-old obsessed with Agatha Christie suspects every guest at her mother’s bed-and-breakfast of hiding secrets. That is until a real crime rocks the quaint B&B, and her mother is framed for it.
When the wealthy Willoughby family checks into her mother’s bed-and-breakfast for the weekend, Amber Adler is certain a crime is going to be committed right under their roof. And she should know – she’s read every Agatha Christie novel in the library and her father is a world-famous detective. Sure, Amber has made a few false accusations (and once got the SWAT team sent to her math teacher’s house), but this time, she’s positive that one of their guests is up to no good.
So it comes as no surprise to Amber when someone steals a priceless ruby belonging to the crotchety Willoughby patriarch. But what she didn’t expect was for her mother to be framed for it. Now, Amber must call on everything she knows about solving mysteries to find the stone and catch the real culprit before the family checks out– and learn that sometimes, people are the greatest mystery of all.
The Determined by Rachel Rueckert
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Historical Romance
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A groundbreaking novel of historical fiction based on the real experiences of two of the Golden Age of Pirates’ most infamous women, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who dared to subvert the rules and gender roles of their time.
1721, Spanish Town, Jamaica. Captured, convicted, and pregnant, 23-year-old Anne Bonny faces the gallows. When writer Captain Charles Johnson enters the garrison, she strikes a deal: she’ll tell this opportunistic fool her story if he sends a doctor to her friend, Mary Read, who’s battling prison fever.
Prior to their arrest, life at sea had offered Anne and Mary freedom that few women knew. Anne, born into scandal in Ireland, seeks home and elusive safety in South Carolina. Discovering the opposite, she makes a bitter bargain for emergency passage to the Bahamas.
Across the Atlantic in England, Mary confronts her own limitations as an illegitimate daughter. She sneaks into a merchant crew, disguised as a cabin boy. But when war sends Mary into the cavalry, she meets a challenge even she might not rival.
When their paths collide in Nassau, a notorious “pirate den,” Anne and Mary find kinship aboard the Revenge—the fastest ship in the Caribbean. With the governor out for blood, every raid brings more risk. From the high seas to the depths of a Jamaican prison, Anne and Mary must navigate impossible choices, each determined to taste freedom again.
The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
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For fans of Megan Lally and Kara Thomas, a twisty thriller about a Texas teen accused of murder who’s desperate to clear her name.
All it takes to ruin someone’s life is the stroke of a key. Just ask Iris Henley. Her life is destroyed when someone posts an anonymous message on her high school’s subreddit thread: “Iris Henley is a killer. I’ve been too scared to come forward until now, but I saw her murder Rocky and Lynette last summer.”
Just like that, Iris loses everything. Her reputation. Her friends. Her hope of getting into college on scholarship. Even, possibly, her freedom, once the police start to investigate. After all, she’s the perfect suspect: Rocky was her boyfriend, and Lynette was her ex-best friend―and the girl he was cheating on her with. But Iris didn’t do it, and now it’s up to her to clear her name by finding out who did―before it’s too late.
Propulsive, sharp, and absolutely twisty from the New York Times bestselling author who brought readers the Veronica Mars duology, Jennifer Graham’s YA thriller is unputdownable.
The Heir of Whitestone by Catherine Coulter
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Historical Romantic Mystery
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A brilliant young innovator with a mysterious past and a boldly sharp-witted Lady uncover deadly secrets in #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter’s thrilling, new Victorian-era romantic mystery filled with daring escapes, exciting twists, witty humor, and characters you won’t soon forget.
When Alex Ivanov was 12, someone tried to kill him. Now, 11 years later, they still want him dead.
England, 1842. Queen Victoria reigns, Buckingham Palace is overrun with rats, and the streets of London are filled with intrigue.
Alex Ivanov is a brilliant young innovator, designing cutting-edge train engines. But Alex has a secret—he isn’t really Alex Ivanov. As a boy, he was pulled from the Thames, presumed drowned, with no memory of who he was. Rescued and raised by the formidable Ryder Sherbrooke, Alex has built a new life, but his past is catching up with him.
Lady Camilla Rohman has problems of her own. Trapped by a scheming stepmother and a family determined to see her married off, she is as clever as she is desperate. When fate throws her into Alex’s path, their connection is undeniable.
But as their whirlwind romance turns into marriage, danger follows. On their honeymoon, a series of deadly attacks make one thing clear—someone wants Alex dead. As they race to uncover the truth, old enemies and long-buried secrets come to light, leading them to a shocking revelation that will change everything…
The Light That Blinds Us by Andy Darcy Theo
Descent into Darkness #1
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Fantasy
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A teen discovers there’s more to his childhood visions than he ever imagined in this high-stakes romantasy debut, which masterfully weaves together themes of mental health, found family, and first love—perfect for fans of Legendborn and Lauren Roberts!
After a childhood haunted by disturbing hallucinations of the Shadow Man, Alexis Michaels’s only comfort is the blue amulet he’s had since before he can remember. Now, the visions have gone, and Alexis craves a normal life. But when a trip to Stonehenge unites him with three other teens carrying similar gems, they are all plunged into a hidden world of power-wielding Elementals: chosen ones, who are destined to save the world from an eternal night.
Now Alexis and his companions must venture on a perilous quest, facing tests of love, loss, and loyalty. But a dark past plagues Alexis as they prepare to defeat an adversary more ominous than they could imagine, and a looming secret threatens to corrupt the mission, their lives, and Alexis’s mind.
The Matchmaker’s Wedding Date by Amy Vastine
Season’s Inn #3
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Sweet Romance
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His perfect match…
May be closer than she thinksNora Seasons is only too happy to find a date for her best friend’s brother, Wade Kramer, the handsome, kindhearted handyman extraordinaire at her family’s inn. Any girl would be lucky to date him—except Nora herself, of course. She and Wade are just friends. Great friends. Yet the prospect of Wade falling for his perfect match makes her strangely sad. As match after match fizzles, and Wade remains less than enthused about the whole scheme, Nora begins to wonder: Has someone else captured Wade’s heart…or has he captured hers?
The Spiral Key by Kelsey Day
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
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For fans of Holly Jackson and Jessica Goodman, this high-stakes thriller is set in a virtual-reality paradise turned hellscape, from a celebrated writer making their YA debut.
At the start of each school year, Madison Pembroke, the most popular girl at Lincoln Academy, sends out invitations to her epic birthday party in the form of custom forged spiral keys. For that one night, a few lucky teens get to enter Ametrine, a virtual paradise that hosts the party of the year—a wild, unforgettable celebration that will secure their social status in the real world. As Madison’s hated ex-BFF, Bree Benson never receives a key.
Until now.
Despite warnings from her boyfriend, Bree sees the invite as an olive branch, the perfect opportunity to rekindle her once-amazing friendship with Madison. But as the party games begin to turn provocative and violent, Bree finds that Ametrine might not be the decadent wonderland she was promised. And that Madison may have let Bree enter Ametrine, but she has no intention of ever letting her leave . . .
Kelsey Day’s gripping debut shows that while best friends know each other the best, ex–best friends know how to hurt each other the worst.
The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander
Bakeshop Mystery #22
Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!
Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.
On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.
Scones and Sabotage by Wendy Meadows
Snow Falls Alaska #11
Publication Date: February 26, 2026
Genre: Cozy Animal Culinary Mystery
Bethany Lights isn’t looking for adventure. She’s looking for quiet—forty-one days of it—inside an Antarctic research station so isolated it might as well be on the moon. After too many murders chasing her through Alaska, she’ll happily trade her cozy kitchen for endless ice if it means a little peace.
But Arctic Cove Station isn’t the retreat Dr. Sheila Paige promised. The steel hallways feel wrong. The coffee tastes off. And when a hidden door reveals a frozen corpse, Bethany’s hopes for a relaxing winter getaway shatter faster than thin ice under a polar bear.
Now she’s trapped with a fast-talking salesman who stress-eats his way through their supplies, a prickly divorcee who trusts no one, and a honeymooning couple who definitely didn’t sign up for “murder mystery” as a bonding activity. Bethany’s new job? Keep everyone calm, ration the hot cocoa, and figure out why nothing in this station adds up—before cabin fever turns her companions against each other.
With no phone signal, no rescue for weeks, and someone clearly playing games with their safety, Bethany must dust off her sleuthing instincts one more time. Because in a place this remote, the only thing more dangerous than a hidden killer is a group of strangers who’ve run out of trust… and snacks.
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 9 of 2026
Drop a comment if you like one of the books above or if you have one to recommend.
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Happy Reading!
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