The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2026, Week 29’s New Books
My choices for this week include Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Sweet Historical Romance, Private Investigator Mystery, Young Adult Historical Mystery, Historical Fantasy, Romantic Comedy, Historical Thriller, Sweet Romantic Comedy, Cozy Paranormal Mystery, Sweet Romance, and Historical Romance.
How was your week? Are you on vacation? It’s been hot here in East Texas, that humid icky kind of hot. But that means I am staying inside to read. How about you reading on the beach? I wish I were.
This is a wonderful list of books. Some are going on our TBR, and some will be reviewed this month. So, watch for those reviews and enjoy the summer.
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 29 of 2026!
A Delicious Deception by Lucy Burdette
Key West Food Critic Mysteries #16
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon
Mother-to-be Hayley Snow bites off more than she can chew in the sixteenth installment of Lucy Burdette’s USA Today bestselling Key West Food Critic mysteries.
When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers asks Hayley for a small favor, she can’t say no. Nine months pregnant and temporarily benched from her food critic duties, Hayley’s itching for a distraction and eager to help. All she has to do is tag along while a young woman picks up her daughter from her father at Monroe County’s safe custody exchange location. Easy, right?
Wrong.
In the chaos of the Sheriff’s Office open house, the mother disappears. Then the father bolts, leaving Hayley with a terrified girl and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Hayley and Deputy Rogers head north up the Keys to search for answers.
When a body turns up, Hayley realizes this isn’t just a missing-persons case—it’s a race against time. With the little girl’s safety at risk, Hayley must trust her instincts—and her heart—to uncover the truth.
Her Rebel Heart by Jo-Ann Roberts
Petticoats and Patriots #5
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Sweet Historical Romance
North and South. Yankee and Rebel. Union and Confederate.
In the midst of the Civil War, can two hearts come together?
When the tide of war sweeps south and the Union Army invades and destroys the Georgia cotton mill where Kate Brodie is a nurse, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s branded a traitor and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely attention of a Yankee major makes the trip tolerable.
Union major, Griffin Fletcher loathes the part of his job that requires him to destroy homes, towns, and livelihoods of innocent civilians. But he’s sworn to uphold the Union at all costs. Yet, he vows to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Marietta. Especially the one whose fiery determination, proud stance, and soft heart draws him closer.
Determined to remain in the South, Kate makes a daring leap of faith to nurse wounded Yankee soldiers, never expecting Major Fletcher to be one of her patients. Along with his healing, they each faced the fears and prejudices that had brought them together.
With survival so tenuous, can faith help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy?
Throughout 250 years of American history, a well-loved locket finds its way into the hands of eight spirited heroines—each standing at the crossroads of love and destiny, and each inspired by a true patriot. As it journeys from one heart to the next, these stories unfold with sweet romance, unwavering hope, and a deep love of country, proving that even in uncertain times, love is always worth the risk. Start reading the Petticoats & Patriots series today!
Killer Vibes by Jack Friday
Peter Kay Mysteries #1
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Private Investigator Mystery
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon
A wild and wickedly funny series debut, introducing readers to the irresistible and irrepressible private investigator, Peter Key.
Meet Peter Key: self-proclaimed “laziest private investigator in Texas” (it’s harder than it looks), unapologetic bisexual, dedicated stoner, and the surprised recipient of a windfall inheritance from an uncle he barely knew. Peter’s life was a mess before, but now― as the owner of a dilapidated house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Austin―he has a mountain of debt to deal with and pressure to sell from every side.
But Peter doesn’t like to be pushed around. And when he discovers a bag full of cash, he starts to suspect his uncle’s death wasn’t an accident. He soon finds himself pulled into a lethal game where not everybody plays by the rules.
Fortunately, Peter’s never been good at following rules.
Sexy, suspenseful, and packed with Austin’s quirks, Killer Vibes is a wild and wickedly funny romp that introduces us to the irresistible and irrepressible PI, Peter Key.
No One Leaves the Manor by Kelly McWilliams
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Historical Mystery
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon
A deliciously twisted, fast-paced YA horror, where debutante dreams become bloody nightmares—perfect for fans of House of Hollow and Their Vicious Games.
It’s 1921, and Mrs. Caroline Reginald Kane, the last surviving descendant of a family of oil barons, has invited four young debutantes to visit her at Greystone Manor. There, they’ll compete for the ultimate prize: to become heir to her unspeakably vast fortune.
But only one girl can win.
And the manor is watching.
Dorothea is a thief, and the best liar in the American Northeast. Her mother vanished at Greystone years ago, and she’s determined to find out why—so long as no one uncovers her secrets first.
Vaughn isn’t crazy. She was born for this life—and she won’t let anyone come between her and the fortune she deserves.
Birdie doesn’t know why she’s been invited, but she believes everything happens for a reason…and that reason just might be divine.
Elspeth is called “pretty as a peach, dim as a doorknob.” But she sees things that the others can’t: whispering birds, shifting doors, and a language that should never be spoken.
And there’s something else hidden behind these walls. Something sinister.
It doesn’t plan to let them leave alive.
Serpent Queen by Jeff Wheeler
Angel Sworn #4
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon
Time is running out for the Angel Sworn.
Cimree’s restored memories have shattered everything she thought she knew-about her past, her power, and the fate of a dying world. The twisted magic that birthed monstrous abominations is spreading, and she alone understands how to stop the devastation. But knowledge is useless without allies. To save humanity, she must persuade a rival band of Angel Sworn to stand with her-warriors who would rather see her dead and claim dominion over the survivors and the newly blooming Gallows Tree.
At the foot of the impenetrable Tirich Mir mountains lies Koa, one of the last bastions of humankind. There, Cimree, Trinati, and Uorsin hope to rescue the remaining Angel Sworn held captive. Instead, they walk into a trap.
Cimree soon finds herself the victim of a deception set in motion before the Queen Mother’s death. For the fallen ruler named a successor-an heir far more ruthless and calculating than anyone suspected. In the shadowed tunnels, Azra and the others are ensnared in betrayals so intricate that even he cannot unravel them in time.
Alliances will fracture. Truths will be used as weapons. And as monsters close in from every side, the Angel Sworn must decide who they truly are.
A world stands on the brink-waiting to be saved…or destroyed.
The Gossip and the Grump by Pippa Grant
Three BFFs and a Wedding #2
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon
He’s the last man I should’ve picked for a one night stand…
See that guy over there? The insanely tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, scowling, “I don’t drink coffee” suit?
Surprise! He’s the new owner of my family’s mountain café.
The café that has been my life purpose since I was born in the kitchen there almost thirty years ago.
The café that he’s planning to completely gut and renovate for revenge against my family.
He’s also the funny, charming, irresistible guy I spilled all of my secrets to last week.
During the hottest one-night stand of my life.
As my dog would say, woof me.
Secrets and gossip keep getting me in trouble, and I swore I was done with both, but now my family’s café is on the line.
It’s time to use every last trick I know to uncover every secret this man is hiding.
I don’t care how much I liked him our first night together, or how much I keep seeing glimpses of that man beneath his gruff exterior.
One of us has to go.
It won’t be me.
The Gossip & The Grump is a one night stand to enemies to lovers romcom featuring a woman desperately trying to unlearn everything she knows about everyone, a grumpy misfit hiding a secret heart of gold, an unfortunate incident with powdered cheese, and the world’s biggest lap puppy. It stands alone, but you wouldn’t go wrong to read The Worst Wedding Date first.
The Great Game by Arvind Ethan David
Publication Date: July 14, 2026
Genre: Historical Thriller
Goodreads | Bookhype | StoryGraph | Amazon
An outsider in London investigates a series of brutal murders targeting English aristocrats in a timely and provocative historical novel brimming with intrigue, wit, and rage.
London, 1905: Law student and military veteran Balvinder dev Singh has found an extralegal way to fund his studies. As friend and accomplice to the infamous gentleman thief AJ Raffles, he rubs shoulders with the upper crust―and steals their valuables. That is, until their next mark, an imperialist general, is grotesquely murdered in the library of his Mayfair mansion. Bal and Raffles find themselves implicated in a series of killings that soon attracts the attention of Scotland Yard―and the aging Sherlock Holmes himself.
As Bal works to clear his name, he must hide his checkered past from a new acquaintance, the beautiful Irish violinist Maud Adler. Her fiery views lead Bal to question his own place in the world. But when he comes face-to-face with a plot to strike at the very heart of the British government, he must decide how much he’s willing to risk for his adopted city.
Plot Twists and Pastries by Leah Busboom
Midlife Meet Cute Beach Reads #3
Publication Date: July 15, 2026
Genre: Sweet Romantic Comedy
A Little Flour. A Little Fiction. One Big Secret.
Zoe:
The impossibly handsome man taking up one of the tables in my bakery every day is an aspiring novelist chasing a dream. I admire his dedication and am cheering him on. There’s also an attraction simmering between us that we can’t seem to ignore and I don’t want to.Miles:
When I escape to a charming beach town to outrun my writer’s block, a most unexpected inspiration comes in the form of a flour-dusted baker and her charming bakery. And for the first time in years, a woman likes me for who I am and not for the name on the cover.I know the longer I let Zoe believe I’m a nobody, the harder the truth will land. And when my identity is finally revealed, will she forgive me for keeping it a secret?
Does this love story end before it ever makes it past the first draft?
· ☕ Cozy bakery setting
· 💎 Hidden identity
· 🧁 Small town creative sanctuary
Tides Wait for No Witch by Natalie Summers
Spelltide Bay Magic Mysteries #1
Publication Date: July 15, 2026
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Goodreads | Bookhype | BookBub | StoryGraph | Amazon | Karen’s or Jen’s Book Review
A magical island. A mysterious relative. A family she didn’t know existed.
Inheriting a house from a dead great-aunt she’s never met should’ve been Sara Rivers’ first clue that things were about to get weird. The talking sea otter? That was clue number two.
Sara’s plan was simple: stay the six months to get her inheritance, sell the house, and figure out what comes next. What she didn’t plan on was discovering she’s half witch, half undine, has magic she can’t control, and has a family history she was never meant to know.
Then a suspicious journal entry makes her doubt everything she’s been told. The locals are friendly, the town is charming, and absolutely no one wants to talk about how her great-aunt really died.
When another body turns up, Sara realizes Katrika’s killer isn’t done.
Between mandatory magic lessons, the game shop she inherited, a runaway teen hiding out in her basement, and an infuriatingly attractive FBI agent who may (or may not) be on her side, Sara’s getting closer to a truth someone killed to hide. And the killer is watching.
Welcome to Spelltide Bay, where the gossip travels faster than seagulls, sea otters have opinions, and secrets never stay buried for long.
Decaf Deceit by Wendy Meadows
Brown’s Grounds Mysteries #6
Publication Date: July 16, 2026
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
In Millpond, Monica Brown’s mornings run on a simple recipe: a hot cup, a friendly smile through the order window, and a sheriff who flirts in $5.80 increments. The recipe does not include a swollen jaw, a stolen prescription, and a dead woman holding a slip of paper with Monica’s name on it.
When Tawny Clifford, owner of Cliff’s Boutique and one of Millpond’s least-loved residents, turns up dead in her office, the rumor mill points everywhere at once. Tawny had enemies. She also, apparently, had hydrocodone in her system. The same hydrocodone Monica was prescribed after her wisdom teeth came out. The same hydrocodone that’s mysteriously short two pills.
Sheriff Nathan Thomas wants to believe her. The Edgewater Community Council does not. And as Monica digs through a snobby tennis club, a boutique full of secrets, and a regular customer who knows a little too much, she realizes the most dangerous person in Millpond might be the one who looks the most harmless.
Because the strongest brew isn’t always the one that gets you. It’s the one you’d never see coming.
Second Chances at the Hopeful Hearts Bookshop by Debbie Johnson
Bonnie Bay #2
Publication Date: July 16, 2026
Genre: Sweet Romance
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Amazon
‘The most important stories are told by our hearts. So come and discover your second chance at happiness, at our cozy village bookshop in Bonnie Bay…’
Single mother Jane can’t believe it when an invitation to Bonnie Bay falls from the pages of a book: the Scottish village she was supposed to run away to with her first love. Until he broke her heart, that is. But he’s far away now – and why shouldn’t she spend a summer there, daughter Beth in tow? They’ll snuggle up reading, stroll by the wild sea, and maybe even banish Beth’s teenage grumps.
But arriving in the charming village, Jane’s jaw drops when she sees a familiar pair of green eyes… it’s Rory Callaghan, her first love, and the boy who broke her heart. The problem? Rory is now very much a man. He’s taller, broader. His Irish lilt still makes her weak at the knees. And the sizzling spark between them crackles just like it used to.
Rory might be a long way from his Irish hometown, but he’s made a new home right here. The cozy bookshop is his refuge, and owner Moira his replacement family. So when Jane arrives it’s like an arrow through his heart. She’s still gorgeous, still his Jane. And the fierce look in her eye tells him she’s just as passionate as he remembers.
After promising to help Moira turn the bookshop into a community hub, and with Beth making friends, Jane can’t walk away. Soon, days at the bookshop turn into very late nights with Rory. And with them both spilling secrets, the real reason they broke up soon comes to light… but will this summer adventure turn into a second chance romance? Or will their hearts end up broken all over again?
A totally gorgeous escapist romance with a delicious sprinkling of spice, perfect for fans of Susan Mallery, Phillipa Ashley and Laurie Gilmore. Let million-copy bestselling author Debbie Johnson whisk you away to Bonnie Bay, where the bookshop is welcoming, the sea views are breathtaking, and the nights are steamy!
The Variety Girls by Betty Firth
Sweethearts of the Forces #1
Publication Date: July 16, 2026
Genre: Historical Romance
Goodreads | Bookhype | StoryGraph | Amazon
Even in war, the show must go on…
March 1940. Bradford mill girl Molly Clough can hardly believe it when she successfully auditions for ENSA, the organisation that entertains the troops. Despite the much-mocked ENSA’s reputation as ‘Every Night Something Awful’, singing on stage feels like a dream come true for Molly.
But as she tours with her troupe, the Forces Follies, life proves to be far from the glamorous showbusiness world Molly had imagined. She and her new friends discover that raising the morale of tired, anxious soldiers is no easy task, especially now the so-called Phoney War has begun to heat up.
Life changes for Molly when handsome crooner Jack Forrester joins the Follies. At first she finds herself exasperated by Jack’s laid-back attitude, but when the two are paired as a singing duo, they quickly grow close. But will a devastating secret from Molly’s past derail their growing romance? And as evacuated soldiers pour in from Dunkirk, can the girls of the Forces Follies lift the spirits of men who have given everything for their country?
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 29 of 2026
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!
Baroness’ Book Trove is an Amazon affiliate, meaning that if you click a link and make a purchase, this blog earns a small commission. Mainly, this helps with the cost of the website and a few giveaways.
Leave a Reply