The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2025, Week 14’s New Books
My choices for this week include Steampunk Fantasy, Young Adult Romance Fantasies, Sweet Cowboy Romances, Cozy Crafts and Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Sweet Romances, Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy Romance, Middle Grade Adventure Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy Mystery, Crime Mystery, Cozy Mystery, International Mystery, and Paranormal Thriller.
Can you believe that we are already entering the fourth month of the year? Time sure does fly by. We are trying to knock out our books over here. How is your reading going?
I compiled a fantastic list for you guys for this first week of April. Jen and I have some of these books on our reading lists, so be on the lookout for those reviews!
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 14 of 2025!
The Skyman’s Legacy by Pete Kramer
Publication Date: March 30, 2025
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy
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Cal Bannon is no ordinary skyman. A daring operative in Sky Fleet’s covert Special Section, he is known for facing danger head-on. But when his partner, Dr. Margo “Mag” Silverfinch, vanishes under mysterious circumstances, Cal soon finds his unshakable determination and audacious risk-taking may not be enough to save her.
Thrust into a country on the brink of an explosive rebellion, with unknown forces set against him and no idea who to trust, Cal is willing to make any sacrifice to find Mag. But how can he outsmart enemies who already know his every move? And when past decisions come back to haunt him, Cal soon finds the price of his actions is far more than he can afford…
Set in a world of danger, deception and impossible choices, Cal Bannon’s adventures will grip you utterly. Because when the stakes are this high, whose lives do you gamble?
All the Stars Align by Gretchen Schreiber
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Young Adult Romance Fantasy
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All the Stars Align is the magical love story that is Taylor Swift’s Enchanted meets Cyrano, from the author of Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal.
All the women in Piper’s family know their true love at first sight, complete with butterflies, heart eyes, and a gut instinct. The kind of fated love that lasts forever. Piper grew up with her ancestors’ epic love stories repeated like fairy tales, and yearns for the day she’ll start her own. Already singled out in her family due to her physical disability, Piper collects a second strike against her when her parents announce their divorce, which convinces her family that she’s doomed.
When she finally finds her true love at a party, she’s more determined than ever to attain her love story and earn a spot in her family. But after completely botching their first meeting, she realizes that she’ll need help from her best friend Leo, who is sort of a love expert. The catch―he and Piper haven’t talked in six months, since he needed a “break” from their friendship.
To win over the love of her life and a place in her family, Piper must convince Leo to teach her his ways. And it’s all going as planned…until Leo confesses his own love for Piper. Now, she must decide: will fate choose her love, or will love choose her fate?
And Cowboy Makes Three by Susan Breeden
Destiny Springs, Wyoming #4
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Sweet Cowboy Romance
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Mending fences…
And healing heartsA normal childhood—that’s all single mom Vanessa Fraser wants for her son, PJ. And starting her own home care business will help her achieve that goal…unless she gets sidetracked by a handsome cowboy. Austin Cassidy needs a caregiver to help his grandmother recover from hip surgery, so Vanessa agrees to step in—temporarily. Austin and PJ soon develop a sweet connection. And Vanessa is falling for the protective cowboy. But they’re both leaving Destiny Springs, heading in different directions. Unless love puts them on a new path…
Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly
House-Flipper Mysteries #7
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Cozy Crafts and Hobbies Mystery
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The seventh in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.
This year’s honor roll is killer…
Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are no strangers to murder. After all, they’ve encountered corpses on their properties before. But this is the first time they’d decided to take a chance on a property where two suspicious deaths have already occurred. Most buildings on the former boarding school property will be repurposed for an upscale retirement community, but the developer has no use for the headmaster’s house given its violent history. The headmaster and his wife were killed there decades earlier, their deaths remaining unsolved to this day.Still, it seems a shame to see the beautiful Victorian give way to decay or the wrecking ball, even if many claim the unsettled souls of the victims still wander its halls, seeking retribution and justice. Can Whitney and Buck exorcise the structure’s demons, solve the cold case, and give the building new life? Or will ghosts from the past seek to silence them forever?
Fudge and Marriage by Nancy Coco
Candy-Coated Mystery #13
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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Only two things might ruin fudge maker Allie McMurphy’s wedding: murder—and her mother . . .
June is always beautiful on Mackinac Island, which is why Allie chose this month for her wedding to police officer Rex Manning—definitely Mackinac Island’s finest in more ways than one. But if her mother has her way, that’s the last choice Allie will get to make. Allie’s the furthest thing from a Bridezilla—but it looks like she has a Momzilla on her hands. Why else have her mother and extended family shown up a full two weeks before the nuptials to drive Allie to dizzying distraction?
Honestly, a murder investigation is far less stressful—and as it happens, Allie just found Velma French dead on the ground beside the rock that killed her, with her rival Myrtle sobbing nearby. Things don’t look good for Myrtle, but all may not be what it seems. Allie vows to solve the crime before she walks down the aisle. But a killer has other ideas – and they seem to be focused on Allie herself. . .
Her Secret Homecoming by Anna Grace
Teacher Project #4
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Sweet Romance
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Meet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Young Adult Romance Fantasy
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Past Lives in this gripping, emotional story of two childhood friends navigating the fallout of one erasing their memory of the other, from acclaimed author Sarah Suk.
Seventeen-year-old Yena Bae is spending the summer in Busan, South Korea, working at her mom’s memory-erasing clinic. She feels lost and disconnected from people, something she’s felt ever since her best friend, Lucas, moved away four years ago without a word, leaving her in limbo.
Eighteen-year-old Lucas Pak is also in Busan for the summer, visiting his grandpa, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. But he isn’t just here for a regular visit—he’s determined to get his beloved grandpa into the new study running at the clinic, a trial program seeking to restore lost memories.
When Yena runs into Lucas again, she’s shocked to see him and even more shocked to discover that he doesn’t remember a thing about her. He’s completely erased her from his memories, and she has no idea why.
As the two reconnect, they unravel the mystery and heartache of what happened between them all those years ago—and must now reckon with whether they can forge a new beginning together.
Saving the Rancher by Tanya Agler
Violet Ridge #2
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Sweet Cowboy Romance
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Will she save his ranch…
And steal his heart?How dare Amanda Fleming score a free vacation from his trusting grandparents under the guise of rebranding their Lazy River Dude Ranch? Or so manager Seth Virtue thinks at first. When a family secret reveals just how much the ranch needs Amanda’s expertise, she becomes a lifeline. And Amanda herself is a breath of fresh air around Seth’s beloved ranch. But the Phoenix-based marketing maven has no plans to stay in small-town Violet Ridge, the only home Seth can imagine. Which makes mixing business and getting to know Amanda better a tricky idea…
Scone Cold Dead by Maddie Day
Country Store Mysteries #13
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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After a body is found in a local farmer’s field, country store and café owner Robbie Jordan suspects that a newcomer in South Lick, Indiana, may not be a stranger to everyone in town . . .
Robbie is just weeks away from giving birth. While her husband Abe scrambles to get the house ready for their baby’s arrival, Robbie makes last minute arrangements to keep her shop and restaurant, Pans ’N Pancakes, up and running when she’s on maternity leave. And it seems Robbie and Abe aren’t the only ones grappling with anxiety—a stranger is causing a stir in town and Robbie’s Aunt Adele appears unusually preoccupied at the baby shower . . .
But when someone finds a body in the ram field on Adele’s sheep farm, it’s Robbie’s turn to be worried. Especially after Chief Buck Bird uncovers a troubling link between Adele and the possible murder victim. Robbie has no choice but to knit the clues together and solve this mystery before anything else gets flocked up . . .
Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fantasy Romance
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River – He’s the last of his kind, a winged warrior hidden in the mountains. River Shaw has lost everything: his sanctuary, the only shield from a world that fears and hunts him. When Delene, another of his kind, crash-lands into his life, wounded and on the run, his solitude is shattered. Delene – She’s a fugitive with a secret, escaping the clutches of dark forces that took everything from her. Delene Fairborne’s flight to freedom leads her to River and the spark of a bond neither can deny. In a landscape scarred by betrayal and danger, River and Delene must navigate their growing feelings and the sinister scientist who will stop at nothing to harness their power. Shadowed Skies is where love takes wing, hope soars, and destiny entwines. Dive into a world where every heartbeat is a rebellion, every glance a promise, and every flight a taste of freedom.
The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien
Noodle Shop Mysteries #11
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shepard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts in The Chow Maniac, the latest Noodle Shop Mystery from Vivien Chien.
When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia’s client insists he―and only he―knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.
Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana’s own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.
As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she’s ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate “immortal”?
The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley
Dragon’s Apprentice #1
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure Fantasy
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In this hilarious fantasy adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Story Thieves series, a girl strikes a deal with the ancient, cranky dragon she accidentally summoned to teach her the forbidden magic she needs to save her mother.
STOP. Don’t read any further. There are magic spells in this book, and the Emperor has forbidden anyone from learning magic, because it’s way too dangerous! If you try one of the spells, any number of terrible things might happen (or so the Emperor says).
Don’t be like Ciara, a twelve-year-old girl living in the tiny village of Skael. When she used a spell from within this book, she ended up summoning a dragon. A DRAGON! Those things breathe fire! From their mouths! She’s obviously doomed.
And don’t listen if Ciara tells you that dragons won’t hurt humans, and that they even once taught us magic, a thousand years ago. Definitely don’t pay any attention to the fact that the dragon she summoned, Scorch, might be willing to help rescue Ciara’s mother and free her village from the Emperor and his Warden, because it’s all obviously a big lie. So put this book down, and forget about it. Magic is just way too dangerous. After all, you wouldn’t want to summon your own dragon, would you?
The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Mystery
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Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.
This gorgeous hardcover first edition features emerald hued edges, creating a lush look for this stunning fantasy.
At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money—and all the magic—in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.
But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.
And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random—it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.
While the dangers of the Veritaz competition threaten each of the Holtzfall girls, and the stark class differences turns political outrage to terrifing violence—the new cousins must fight to stay alive, no matter what.
Incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.
The Teacher’s Match by Kristi Hong
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Sweet Romance
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A new career. A new school.
And a very inconvenient new crush.Joanna Lin is determined to avoid her mother’s matchmaking. With a new career as an art teacher at a Mandarin immersion school, Joanna refuses to let anything or anyone distract her. Especially her charming new colleague Jack Sun. His kindness and passion for teaching—not to mention those dimples!—are practically irresistible. But anything beyond friendship is impossible, especially when Jack’s moving to Taiwan at the end of the school year. But as spring—and the school’s Dragon Boat Festival—draws closer, love might send all of their careful plans tumbling overboard.
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Vera Wong #2
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Crime Mystery
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Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.…
Ever since a man was found dead in Vera’s teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly’s girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn’t be ungrateful, even if one is slightly…bored.
Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena’s, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena’s briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.
Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can’t seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.
Vera is determined to solve Xander’s murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn’t do for her future daughter-in-law.
Waters of Destruction by Leslie Karst
Orchid Isle Mystery #2
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious drowning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i
After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have decided to move permanently to the beautiful – if storm-prone – Big Island. The couple are having fun furnishing their new house, exploring their new neighborhood and playing with their new little dog, Pua. But while they’ve made good friends with local restaurant manager Sachiko and her partner Isaac, they can’t help but feel a little lonely.
So when Sachiko begs Val to fill in for a member of her bar team who’s gone AWOL, Val dusts off her cocktail shaker and happily agrees. It’s a great chance to meet more people – and learn the local gossip.
Such as about Hank, the missing bartender, who vanished after a team-building retreat at a local beauty spot a week ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Until, that is, his body turns up at the bottom of the waterfall, and the police seem very interested in where Sachiko was at the time of his death.
Sachiko couldn’t have killed him . . . could she? Val dives into the murky waters of the case, determined to find out.
This mouth-watering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.
Written in Stone by Paige Shelton
Scottish Bookshop Mystery #10
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Genre: International Mystery
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Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, set in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.
When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan’s studio, she isn’t sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts―complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair―recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts’ language really sounded like.
Or at least that’s what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.
With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace’s past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace’s shady background―selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case… or risk becoming a pile of bones herself.
I just found out about this book when I was compiling my lists for April New Releases:
Moonset on Desert Sands by Sherri L. Dodd
Murder, Tea, and Crystals #2
Publication Date: March 27, 2025
Genre: Paranormal Thriller
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With a traumatic year of fending off a serial killer behind her, Arista has settled contentedly into her temporary home with Auntie in Sedona, Arizona. She enjoys her new job selling all things metaphysical and even has her eye on the hot security guard, Dakota, after her recent breakup with Shane.
But a series of new fainting spells has her worried, and when Auntie witnesses one, they decide the answer lies in her home of Boulder Creek. However, returning means not only dealing with her breakup and its heartache but also the possibility of drawing her bloodthirsty Uncle Fergus to her once safe haven in the redwoods. And this time he has recruited an even more dangerous alliance.
Arista’s closest bonds will be strengthened, but the mounting tension of a death in the desert, a stalker on the streets, and the relentless pursuit of Fergus puts her in dangerous territory, and escaping sorrow proves impossible.
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 14 of 2025
Drop a comment if you like one of the books above or if you have one to recommend.
Thank you for stopping by,
Happy Reading!
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