The Baroness’ Choices for Upcoming Releases for July 2021
Hey!
So, July is almost here and June is HOT! And by hot I mean it’s in the 90s here in Montana, which I am totally not used to. Although, Independence Day is fast approaching and I am really looking forward to it. I don’t know if you know this but July has to be the biggest month for book releases. Seriously, there are so many books being published in July. I couldn’t decide which ones I liked the most so here are a bunch.
The Books
My choices for July include romances, cozy mysteries, thrillers, cozy paranormal mysteries, Young Adult, Fantasy, Psychological Thrillers, Middle-Grade stories, Caribbean Mythology, romantic comedy, Fairytale Retelling, Christmas in July Paranormal Mystery, and Women’s Fiction. What books are you planning on reading in July? My list is so full. Will I have enough time?
Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural
Taryn Moore is young, beautiful, and brilliant…so why would she kill herself? When Detective Frankie Loomis arrives on the scene to investigate the girl’s fatal plunge from her apartment balcony, she knows in her gut there’s more to the story. Her instincts are confirmed when surprise information is revealed that could have been reason enough for Taryn’s suicide—or a motive for her murder.
To English professor Jack Dorian, Taryn was the ultimate fantasy: intelligent, adoring, and completely off limits. But there was also a dark side to Taryn, a dangerous streak that threatened those she turned her affections to—including Jack. And now that she’s dead, his problems are just beginning.
After Frankie uncovers a trove of sordid secrets, it becomes clear that Jack may know the truth. He is guilty of deception, but is he capable of cold-blooded murder?
Magic and Misfortune by Annabel Chase
Starry Hollow Witches #14
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Welcome to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken.
Misfortunes never come alone.
When a valuable jewel goes missing, Ember Rose is tasked with tracking it down. She quickly learns that the jewel wasn’t hidden away for its monetary worth but for safety because the jewel has the power to bring misfortune to its possessor. When the negative consequences start piling up, throwing one obstacle after another in her way, Ember turns to magic to find the jewel before it can wreak havoc on the entire town of Starry Hollow.
Will Ember locate the jewel in time or will the wheel of misfortune roll through town and crush the hopes and dreams of everyone she holds dear—including her own?
Poker Face by Paty Jager
A Spotted Pony Casino Mystery #1
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Dela Alvaro is a disable veteran who grew up on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation. When an IED in Iraq ended her military career, she came home to reassess her life and landed a job in security at the Indian run casino on the reservation.
Not even a year into being the assistant to the head of security, Dela is promoted on a trial basis. When one of the casino employees is found stabbed and stuffed in a laundry chute, she knows she can kiss head of security good-bye if she doesn’t find the killer before the media gets hold of the story.
While she is in over her head, she can’t decide if the FBI Special Agent called in to help is a blessing or a curse. It’s a man she ran across in Iraq who overrode her authority. When a second casino employee is killed, Dela has to decide if she can trust the special agent with not only keeping her job but keeping the rest of the casino employees safe.
Song of the Forever Rains by EJ Mellow
The Mousai #1
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Genre: Romance, Historical, Fantasy
Goodreads | Amazon On Amazon First Reads
The Thief Kingdom is a place hidden within the world of Aadilor. Many whisper of its existence, but few have found this place, where magic and pleasure abound. There, the mysterious Thief King reigns supreme with the help of the Mousai, a trio of revered and feared sorceresses.
Larkyra Bassette may be the youngest of the Mousai, but when she sings her voice has the power to slay monsters. When it’s discovered the Duke of Lachlan is siphoning a poisonous drug from the Thief Kingdom and using it to abuse his tenants, Larkyra is offered her first solo mission to stop the duke. Eager to prove herself, Larkyra accepts by posing as the duke’s potential bride. But her plans grow complicated when she finds herself drawn to Lord Darius Mekenna, Lachlan’s rightful heir. Soon she suspects Darius has his own motivations for ridding Lachlan of the corrupt duke. Larkyra and Darius must learn to trust each other if there is to be any hope of saving the people of Lachlan—and themselves.
Welcome to the world of Aadilor, where lords and ladies can be murderers and thieves, and the most alluring notes are often the deadliest. Dare to listen?
Song of Echoes by RE Palmer
Song of Echoes #1
Publication Date: July 5, 2021
Genre: Epic Fantasy
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‘All that has gone before is woven into the Song; joy, sorrow; kind acts and cruel acts; creation and destruction. Past, present, and what has yet to come, make themselves known — if you know how to listen.’
For three hundred years, the people of the Five Realms have lived in relative peace, protected by their great leader, the Archon. Yet, far to the north, in the frozen lands beyond the Draegalen Trench, the Ruuk stir, driven by a rising evil, long believed banished from the world. But rumors questioning the Archon’s ability to defend the realms once more, persist.
Elodi, the Lady Harlyn, uneasy in her new role following the death of her father, and Toryn, a farmworker and outsider in his village, must discover a way to fight an enemy that all but defeated their ancestors.
Song of Echoes is the first book in this epic fantasy series.
A Pumpkin Spice Killing by Lynn Cahoon
A Farm-to-Fork Mystery #5.5
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Angie Turner’s Idaho restaurant, the County Seat, owes its success not only to its farm-fresh fair, but also to its devoted and passionate staff. But a team-building retreat turns into much more than they bargained for . . .
Angie and her County Seat staff are all prepared for some much-needed R&R. Hope’s been hinting at an arts-and-crafts themed retreat. Instead, they end up at a military veteran’s home, where it’s their job to get it spic and span for summer. In between weeding the garden and painting the rooms, Angie starts up a conversation with an older vet who wants to make amends with his son before it’s too late. Unfortunately, he has no idea of his son’s whereabouts. It’s the perfect side job for the County Seat team, but someone keeps blocking their efforts. And the more they try to find out why, the more they’re certain someone’s life might be in danger . . .
Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne
Josephine Against the Sea #1
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Caribbean Mythology
Meet Josephine, the most loveable mischief-maker in Barbados, in a magical, heartfelt adventure inspired by Caribbean mythology.
Eleven-year-old Josephine knows that no one is good enough for her daddy. That’s why she makes a habit of scaring his new girlfriends away. She’s desperate to make it onto her school’s cricket team because she’ll get to play her favorite sport AND use the cricket matches to distract Daddy from dating.
But when Coach Broomes announces that girls can’t try out for the team, the frustrated Josephine cuts into a powerful silk cotton tree and accidentally summons a bigger problem into her life . . .
The next day, Daddy brings home a new catch, a beautiful woman named Mariss. And unlike the other girlfriends, this one doesn’t scare easily. Josephine knows there’s something fishy about Mariss but she never expected her to be a vengeful sea creature eager to take her place as her father’s first love! Can Josephine convince her friends to help her and use her cricket skills to save Daddy from Mariss’s clutches before it’s too late?
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
Six Crimson Cranes #1
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Shiori’anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to forswear–no matter what the cost.
Synchronized Sorcery by Juliet Blackwell
A Witchcraft Mystery #11
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
As witch and vintage store owner Lily Ivory steps into her new role as leader of the Bay Area’s magical community, she’s faced with a mysterious death of magical proportions…
Strange things are happening in Lily Ivory’s San Francisco. First, she finds a vintage mermaid costume which dates from the 1939 San Francisco’s Treasure Island World’s Fair – and which gives off distinctly peculiar vibrations. Next, she stumbles upon a dead man in the office of her predecessor, and as the community’s new leader, she feels compelled to track down the culprit. Just when Lily thinks things can’t get any stranger, a man appears claiming to be her half-brother, spouting ideas about the mystical prophecy involving San Francisco and their family…
When the dead man is linked to the mysterious mermaid costume, and then yet another victim is found on Treasure Island, Lily uncovers ties between the long-ago World’s fair and the current murders, and begins to wonder whether the killer might be hiding in plain sight. But unless Lily can figure everything out in time, there may be yet another body floating in San Francisco Bay.
The Moonshine Shack Murder by Diane Kelly
A Southern Homebrew Mystery #1
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
In this intoxicating new cozy mystery series, the future for modern-day moonshiner Hattie Hayes looks bright–until death darkens the doorstep of her Moonshine Shack.
The Hayes family has made moonshine in Chattanooga since the days of Prohibition, and Hattie is happy to continue the tradition, serving up fun, fruity flavors in mason jars for locals and tourists alike. All signs indicate her new ‘shine shop will be a smashing success. What’s more, mounted police officer Marlon Landers has taken a shine to Hattie. For the first time ever, the stars seemed to have aligned in both her work and romantic life. But when a body ends up on her store’s doorstep alongside a broken jar of her Firefly Moonshine, it just might be lights out for her fledgling business.
The homicide detective can’t seem to identify the person who killed the owner of a nearby bar. The only witness is Hattie’s longhaired gray cat, and Smoky isn’t talking. When the detective learns that the victim and Hattie had a heated exchange shortly before his murder, she becomes her prime suspect.
Lest Hattie end up behind bars like her bootlegging great-grandfather a century before, she must distill the evidence herself and serve the killer a swift shot of justice.
Time Villains by Victor Pineiro
Time Villains #1
Publication Date: July 6, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Javi Santiago is trying his best not to fail sixth grade. So, when the annual “invite any three people to dinner” homework assignment rolls around, Javi enlists his best friend, Wiki, and his sister, Brady, to help him knock it out of the park.
But the dinner party is a lot more than they bargained for. The family’s mysterious antique table actually brings the historical guests to the meal…and Blackbeard the Pirate is turning out to be the worst guest of all time.
Before they can say “avast, ye maties,” Blackbeard escapes, determined to summon his bloodthirsty pirate crew. And as Javi, Wiki, and Brady try to figure out how to get Blackbeard back into his own time, they might have to invite some even zanier figures to set things right again…
Cheery Charms by Bella Falls
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #6
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Holiday Cozy Mystery #KindleUnlimited
It’s time to shell-ebrate! Tis the sea-sun for a little solstice fun in Holiday Haven!
Aurora Hart’s life has never been better. She’s got a successful business as an ice sculpture artist, a group of loyal friends in the Humbugs, and a hot bear of a boyfriend. Her reputation as the savior of Christmas gets her more attention than she wants, especially when the event planner for the summer solstice celebration wants her help making something special.
Everything’s going swimmingly until something goes terribly wrong. Now, all of the attention is focused on Rory, except for all the wrong reasons. Accused of being the reason things for the festivities are ruined, she needs the help of her fellow Humbugs to find who’s really behind it all. They need to work fast if they’re to keep all hope for Holiday Haven from melting away.
Holiday Hijinks by Elle Adams
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #7
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Holiday Cozy Mystery
Amazon #KindleUnlimited
The Holiday Haven Inn is ready for its next adventure.
Carol and Mercy are preparing the inn for the summer solstice when they get a phone call from none other than Mrs Claus, telling them some VIP guests will be arriving at the inn. Namely, the representatives of other holidays, including the Easter Bunny and Cupid, who will bring them a much-needed publicity boost.
Unfortunately, their new guests also bring a flood of holiday-themed chaos. With the Easter Bunny demanding to be served fresh cabbage leaves every few hours and Cupid’s arrows wreaking havoc among the staff, Carol finds her own potential love life on hold as she does her best to keep everything running.
Can Carol and Mercy figure out who keeps stealing Cupid’s arrows and make it to the summer solstice in one piece?
Jolly Jinxes by J.L. Collins
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #8
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Holiday Cozy Mystery
Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Time for some fun under the North Pole sun!
Star Clearwater has everything she’s always wanted. Her business is soaring, her relationship with her mother is on the mend, and she and her cute, bookish boyfriend Everett are gearing up to attend the big Summer Solstice celebration that promises to be a party like no other.
But instead of throwing on the sunscreen and relaxing with her toes in the sand, Star’s off to hunt down two powerful chaos magic spell books that have been stolen from Everett’s bookstore. Not only is this magic dangerous in the wrong hands, but Everett’s in danger of losing his bookstore if they don’t hurry to find the books in time…
This mystery contains Christmas magic, hot cocoa, some romance, and plenty of mischievous puppy-sitting!
Jolly Jinxes is the stand-alone sequel to the cheerful Holiday Hexes, also by J. L. Collins, in the Winter Witches of Holiday Haven mystery series.
Peppermint Pixies by Danielle Garrett
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #9
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Holiday Cozy Mystery
Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Lumi Northrop is having the best summer of her life. She’s earned the respect of the entire haven after her role in recovering Rudolph and saving Jack Frost, her family’s reindeer sanctuary is thriving, and she’s even got herself a date to the Summer Solstice Celebration.
Life is sweeter than a bowl full of jelly.
Right up until the beloved frost pixies start going full gremlins-after-midnight, wrecking havoc around the sanctuary, and threatening to invade the entire magical Christmas village.
With no clue as to their sudden shift in attitude, Lumi and her boyfriend, the Frost Prince, are forced to go out into the wild woods searching for answers—but there are dangers far greater than a band of feral pixies lurking in the ancient forest.
Can they save the pixies before they are lost forever? Grab your favorite beach towel and an iced cocoa with extra whipped cream, and dive into this sweet Summer Solstice story with magic, mystery, danger, and a pinch of romance!
Also, be sure to check out the other Winter Witches of Holiday Haven stories and enjoy the other adventures this tiny North Pole town has to offer.
Solstice Spirits by Erin Johnson
Winter Witches of Holiday Haven #10
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Holiday Cozy Mystery
Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Rudie Hollybrook sees ghosts. It comes in handy directing her family’s funeral home along with her two zany sisters, but it’s always been a unique talent. She’s the only witch in Holiday Haven, a quaint Christmassy town near the North Pole, with that power.
But that all changes when Rudie’s arch nemesis, and resident mean girl, Hayley Swift shows up on her cottage doorstep in the middle of the night claiming she’s being haunted by the ghost of her dead great-aunt.
The same pageant winning great-aunt, whose death on Christmas Eve sixty years ago was cloaked in rumors of murder.
Even worse? The ghost is warning Hayley that she’s destined for the same tragic fate!
Now, Rudie’s got to team up with her least favorite grinch to unwrap the mystery around the ghost’s suspicious death and keep Hayley out of danger. Not an easy task when it involves miffed mermaid queens, jilted lovers, and resentful runners-up…not to mention Hayley’s penchant for mouthing off.
Can Rudie help Hayley’s heart grow three sizes and solve the decades old cold case in time to save her? Or will the spirit’s warning fall on dead ears?
Solstice Spirits is the stand-alone sequel to Cocoa Curses. It’s a clean, cozy mystery with no gore or profanity. “If you love paranormal cozy mysteries, with witches, magic and small town drama you will love this book.” Curl up with a mug of cocoa and snuggle in for an escape to a charming town full of loveable, memorable characters, imaginative details, clever mysteries and jolly jokes that’ll have you in the holiday spirit, any time of year.
Faking Reality by Sara Fujimura
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Romance, Young Adult
Can a reality star princess transform the boy-next-door into her Cinnamon Roll Prince?
Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal―thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota―the more reasons there are for him to stay.
Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers
A Lakeside Library Mystery #1
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rain Wilmot has just returned to her family’s waterfront log cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin after the untimely death of her husband. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain’s corporate job and comes with an informal library that Rain’s mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the re-opening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when she discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real estate buyer, on the premises.
The community of Lofty Pines starts pointing fingers at Willow, since she has been unusually absent from the library this summer. A fishy rumor surfaces when Rain learns that Willow had been spending a lot of time with Thornton. The town even thought they were having an affair.
While theories swirl about Thornton’s death, Rain takes it upon herself to solve the case to exonerate her mother. As more clues surface, Rain will have to piece together the mystery. But if she isn’t careful, she may be the next to end up dead in the water in Murder at the Lakeside Library, the first in Holly Danvers’ new Lakeside Library mysteries.
Summer’s End by Olivia Miles
Evening Island #2
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
The Taylor sisters spent every summer at their family’s lake house, but as they grew up, they also grew apart. Now, in honor of their late mother’s wishes, they reunite on Evening Island, each hoping to find the best part of themselves they’d left behind.
Kim is just weeks away from what should be her dream wedding, but as the big day draws closer, her doubts only grow stronger. Some time away may be just the thing she needs to help clear her head…or change her heart.
Heather has always been the reliable sister, but a recent divorce has made everything feel uncertain. When a second chance with an old flame comes along, she must decide if a summer love can last a lifetime.
Andrea’s career is her top priority, even if her heart is no longer in it. When her boss suggests a vacation, a couple of weeks on the island leads to the inspiration she was searching for, and not just for work…
Thanks to the beauty of the island and the memories they share, the sisters come together, search their hearts, and discover what the future holds for each of them at summer’s end.
Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley
Harper Landing #1
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Welcome to Harper Landing, a small town filled with people who believe in happy endings.
Left raising his newly orphaned nephew after a tragic accident, Aaron Baxter fears he’s not cut out to be a single dad. But to give baby Jack the life he deserves—and to find a peaceful refuge for himself—Aaron moves to the idyllic Pacific Northwest town of Harper Landing.
Julia Harper, descendant of the town’s founder and successful frozen yogurt shop owner, is mostly resigned to her role as the often-overlooked girl next door. But when the town newcomer, Aaron, reaches out for help with Jack, she finds herself yearning to take part in a sweet love story of her own.
To Aaron, the grace Julia extends is a balm for his aching heart and the guilt he feels over his sister’s death. To Julia, Aaron’s adoration is the key to finally realizing her own worth. With a baby in the middle, can these two hurting souls find completeness in each other?
The Verdigris Pawn by Alysa Wishingrad
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
A boy who underestimates his power . . .
A girl with a gift long thought lost . . .
A Land ready for revolution . . .
The heir to the Land should be strong. Fierce. Ruthless. At least, that’s what Beau’s father has been telling him his whole life, since Beau is the exact opposite of what the heir should be. With little control over his future, Beau is kept locked away, just another pawn in his father’s quest for ultimate power.
That is, until Beau meets a girl who shows him the secrets his father has kept hidden. For the first time, Beau begins to question everything he’s ever been told and sets off in search of a rebel who might hold the key to setting things right.
Teaming up with a fiery runaway boy, their mission quickly turns into something far greater as sinister forces long lurking in the shadows prepare to make their final move—no matter what the cost. But it just might be Beau who wields the power he seeks . . . if he can go from pawn to player before the Land tears itself apart.
XOXO by Axie Oh
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet, Romantic Comedy
Jenny’s never had much time for boys, K-pop, or really anything besides her dream of being a professional cellist. But when she finds herself falling for a K-pop idol, she has to decide whether their love is worth the risk. A modern forbidden romance wrapped in the glamorous and exclusive world of K-pop, XOXO is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Maurene Goo.
Jenny didn’t get to be an award-winning, classically trained cellist without choosing practice over fun. That is, until the night she meets Jaewoo. Mysterious, handsome, and just a little bit tormented, Jaewoo is exactly the kind of distraction Jenny would normally avoid. And yet, she finds herself pulled into spending an unforgettable evening wandering Los Angeles with him on the night before his flight home to South Korea.
With Jaewoo an ocean away, there’s no use in dreaming of what could have been. But when Jenny and her mother move to Seoul to take care of her ailing grandmother, who does she meet at the elite arts academy she’s just been accepted to? Jaewoo.
Finding the dreamy stranger who swept you off your feet in your homeroom is one thing, but Jaewoo isn’t just any student. Turns out, Jaewoo is a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world. And like most K-pop idols, Jaewoo is strictly forbidden from dating anyone.
When a relationship means not only jeopardizing her place at her dream music school but also endangering everything Jaewoo’s worked for, Jenny has to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love. XOXO is a new romance that proves chasing your dreams doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your heart, from acclaimed author Axie Oh.
Dead as a Duck by Colleen J. Shogan
A Washington Whodunit #7
Publication Date: July 14, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Congressional staffer Kit Marshall is looking forward to a much-deserved summer vacation in the Outer Banks. When the mayor of the beach town turns up dead, Kit and her friends need to put their fun and relaxation on hold to help solve the crime.
August has been a busy month for congressional staffer Kit Marshall. She hit the road with her boss, Congresswoman Maeve Dixon, who is considering running for the United States Senate in North Carolina. After endless town halls and meet-and-greets, Kit is happy to end the tour in Duck, an upscale beach town in the Outer Banks.
Before Kit can relax on her much-deserved vacation with her husband Doug, brother Sebastian, best friend Meg, and beagle mutt Clarence, the body of Duck’s mayor is found floating in the shallow waters of the Currituck Sound.
Kit’s brother Sebastian, who got in a public kerfuffle with the victim the day before, becomes the prime suspect. Solving the mystery takes her to popular hotspots in the Outer Banks, including a private tour featuring the wild horses of Corolla.
Kit must sacrifice sun-filled days of relaxation to clear her brother. In the end, Kit and Sebastian put their own lives on the line to secure a confession from the killer and make sure justice is served.
70% Dark Intentions by Amber Royer
Bean to Bar Mysteries #2
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Felicity Koerber’s bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is bringing in plenty of customers – in part due to the notoriety of the recent murder of one of her assistants, which she managed to solve. Things seem to be taking a turn for the better. Her new assistant, Mateo, even gets along with Carmen, the shop’s barista turned pastry chef. Felicity thinks she’s learning to cope with change – right up until one of her friends gets engaged. Everyone’s expecting her to ask Logan, her former bodyguard, to be her plus one. But even the thought of asking out someone else still makes her feel disloyal to her late husband’s memory — so maybe she hasn’t moved on from her husband’s death as much as she thought.
Felicity isn’t planning to contact Logan any time soon. Only, Felicity finds ANOTHER body right outside her shop – making it two murders at Greetings and Felicitations in as many months. That night, Mateo disappears, leaving Felicity to take care of his pet octopus. The police believe that Mateo committed the murder, but Felicity is convinced that, despite the mounting evidence, something more is going on, and Mateo may actually be in trouble.
When Logan assumes that he’s going to help Felicity investigate, she realizes she’s going to have to spend time with him – whether she’s ready to really talk to him or not. Can Felicity find out what happened to Mateo, unmask a killer, and throw an engagement party all at the same time?
Bait and Witch by Bella Falls
Southern Relics Cozy Mysteries #6
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
A little sweet tea and a whole lot of spells won’t always put out the fire…
Ruby Mae Jewell is celebrating her engagement to her vampire fiancé Luke. Marrying a vampire noble means there are protocols and official ceremonies to attend. Instead of going through the exhausting hoopla, she’d much rather be kicking it with her friends and family at the tiki bar. But her love for Luke means she’ll do anything to make sure things go smoothly.
However, when an engagement present arrives, Rue is surprised to discover something so rare that she doesn’t know its true worth. When her life becomes in danger just for possessing it, she finds out quickly how rare the gift is and exactly why it came to her.
Where there’s smoke, there is definitely some fire with Ruby Mae’s newest adventures in Bait & Witch, Book 6 in the Southern Relics Cozy Mysteries series!
Curses by Lish McBride
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, Fairytale Retelling
Merit Cravan refused to fulfill her obligation to marry a prince, leading to a fairy godling’s curse. She will be forced to live as a beast forever, unless she agrees to marry a man of her mother’s choosing before her eighteenth birthday.
Tevin Dumont has always been a pawn in his family’s cons. The prettiest boy in a big family, his job is to tempt naïve rich girls to abandon their engagements, unless their parents agree to pay him off. But after his mother runs afoul of the beast, she decides to trade Tevin for her own freedom.
Now, Tevin and Merit have agreed that he can pay off his mother’s debt by using his con-artist skills to help Merit find the best match . . . but what if the best match is Tevin himself?
Fatal Family Ties by SC Perkins
An Ancestry Detective Mystery #3
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Lucy is just about to tuck into a plate of tacos at her favorite Austin joint, Big Flaco’s, when she gets an unexpected visit from her former—and least-favorite—co-worker. Camilla Braithwaite hasn’t gotten much friendlier since the last time Lucy saw her, but that doesn’t stop her from asking a favor. In her hand is a newspaper feature on an ancestor, a civil war corporal—and a liar, according to the article. Charles Braithwaite is depicted as a phony and a deserter, and Camilla wants Lucy’s help clearing his name.
Lucy would prefer to spend her free time with her new beau, special agent Ben Turner, but takes the case, making no promises that Camilla will like the outcome of her investigation. Camilla leads Lucy to the Texas History Museum, where their first clue is a triptych painting, passed down in the Braithwaite family for generations, one panel of which has disappeared. But before Lucy can get much further, a member of the Braithwaite family is murdered in his own bed, and another panel of the painting found missing.
There are no shortage of suspects among the Braithwaite clan—including Camilla herself. This case will take Lucy to Houston and back again as she works to find the truth, and catch an elusive killer.
Love, Laughter & Happily Ever After: A sweet romantic comedy collection
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
Escape with 20 Sweet Romantic Comedies with all the feels!
✔ Flirty & swoony heartthrobs
✔ Funny & sassy heroines
✔ Off-the-charts chemistry & charm
✔ Sweet kisses & happily ever afters
This sweet romcom collection contains 20 original humorous novellas from best-selling authors that are heartwarming, feel-good, and laugh out loud funny.
Between the pages, you’ll find tropes such as enemies to lovers, second chance romance, high school sweethearts, opposites attract, friends to lovers, fake dating, and more.
Your pre-order purchase of this anthology will benefit Pets for the Elderly with 100% pre-order profits donated to this amazing cause, connecting shelter animals with seniors.
Don’t miss this limited edition box set, featuring some of your favorite authors, that will leave you reeling with laughter:
Ellie Hall – An Unwanted Love Story
Summer Dowell – Her Plus One
Liwen Y. Ho – Head Over Stilettos
Meg Easton – Looking for Love (sort of)
Rachael Eliker – Lassoed into Love
Sophie-Leigh Robbins – Take a Hike
Rachel John – Worst Neighbor Ever
Jennifer Griffith – Elevator Pitch
Cami Checketts – The Sassy One
Sarah Gay – Once Upon a Midnight Swim
Jennifer Youngblood – Cold Feet
Kimberly Krey – Five Days With My (Super Hot) Ex
Ellen Jacobson – Smitten with Candy Canes
Cindy Roland Anderson – Breaking All the Rules
Taylor Hart – Secret Wedding Date
Carina Taylor – Jude and the Matchmaking Llama
Gigi Blume – Baby You Can Drive My Car
Amy Sparling – Julie and the Fixer-Upper
Johanna Evelyn – I Think Maybe I Lied
Melanie Jacobson – The Backup Plan
Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn by Melissa Bourbon
A Book Magic Mystery #3
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Generation after generation of Lane women die in childbirth, while the sea claims the men.
Pippin Lane Hawthorne’s grand opening of Sea Captain’s Inn is tainted when a scholar studying the Lost Colony of Roanoke is brutally murdered. Like the black crow that hangs around the old house, could the untimely death be a harbinger of dark things to come?
When her twin brother, Grey, begins bucking the curse by risking his life in the waters of the Outer Banks, Pippin lives in terror that he’ll be the next Lane male to be swallowed by the sea. Now she must use her gift of bibliomancy to save her brother, solve the murder, and end a two thousand year old pact.
The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Women’s Fiction
The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is a charming, delightful story of family, healing, love, and small town Southern charm by USA Today bestselling author Heather Webber.
Sadie Way Scott has been avoiding her family and hometown of Sugarberry Cove, Alabama, since she nearly drowned in the lake just outside her mother’s B&B. Eight years later, Sadie is the host of a much-loved show about southern cooking and family, but despite her success, she wonders why she was saved. What is she supposed to do?
Sadie’s sister, Leala Clare, is still haunted by the guilt she feels over the night her sister almost died. Now, at a crossroads in her marriage, Leala has everything she ever thought she wanted―so why is she so unhappy?
When their mother suffers a minor heart attack just before Sugarberry Cove’s famous water lantern festival, the two sisters come home to run the inn while she recovers. It’s the last place either of them wants to be, but with a little help from the inn’s quirky guests, the sisters may come to terms with their strained relationships, accept the past, and rediscover a little lake magic.
Pork Chopped to Death by Jodi Rath
The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery #7
Publication Date: July 23, 2021
Genre: Culinary Cozy Mystery
You know what they say, you are what you eat, and Jolie and Ava are about to turn into everything they have been craving including pounds of chocolate, pizza, pickles, and ice cream.
Mafia, urban sprawl, gentrification, newborn babies, and the lives of the Leavensport villagers will be altered forever. Change is inevitable. Jolie Tucker is a Type-A perfectionist with fanatic tendencies who detest the very thought of change. Regardless of what she wants, change is a comin’ along with a grizzly discovery of murder of one of the village’s most beloved, mayhem between the villagers and the urbanites of Tri-City, and new dynamics of family dysfunction.
Get ready for a roller coaster ride from the peaks of new life, yummy food, and blossoming relationships to the lows of slayings, chaos, and war. The residents of Leavensport are in for the battle of their lives, and it’s up to Jolie, Ava, and their crew to determine the future of their village.
Welcome to Leavensport, Ohio, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!
A Cowboy’s Homecoming by Leigh Riker
Kansas Cowboys #9
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
Can she show him how to be a rancher…
And a family man?
Noah Bodine is paying the price for missing his sister’s wedding by temporarily running his family’s Kansas ranch. But the corporate cowboy is way out of his element. Thankfully, neighbor Kate Lancaster is there to help, though the pretty single mom isn’t pleased to spend time with Noah. She still blames Noah for her husband’s death. That is, until Kate’s little boy decides to make Noah his new best friend…and changes both Kate’s and Noah’s meaning of home.
A Deadly Deletion by Lorna Barrett
A Booktown Mystery #15
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
A murder leads to a string of shocking revelations for bookstore owner Tricia Miles in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett’s New York Times bestselling Booktown series.
Tricia Miles has just received a second marriage proposal within fifteen minutes. The first was from her friend with benefits, Marshall Chambers, and the second from her ex-lover, police chief Grant Baker. Tricia’s got some serious thinking to do.
She’s still weighing her options when she hears the sound of an engine roaring down Main Street. It’s a big white pickup truck that aims for and hits Marshall as he’s walking back to his apartment. Tragically, he’s killed, leaving Tricia feeling bereft and guilty. She retreats to her sister, Angelica’s, apartment to wait for Baker to update her on what happened. While there, Tricia takes Angelica’s dog out for a comfort call behind the building, and the same white pickup roars up the alley and just misses hitting Tricia.
Still shaken by that news, Tricia returns to Haven’t Got a Clue and is met by federal marshal Kirby, who tells her that Marshall had been in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Everything Marshall told Tricia was a lie—in particular, that he was a widower. Was his death an act of revenge?
Tricia’s on the hunt for a killer, and it seems like she might be next on the list.
A Time to Swill by Sherry Harris
Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon Mystery #2
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
BAD TO THE BONE
Chloe loves her new life pouring beers and mixing cocktails at the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle town of Emerald Cove. But on the job, the only exercise she gets is walking from one end of the bar to the other, so in the mornings she loves to run on the beach. On this morning’s foggy run, she spots a sailboat washed up on a sandbar. Hearing a cry, she climbs aboard the beached vessel to investigate and finds not only a mewling kitten—but a human skeleton in the cabin.
The skeleton is tied back to Chloe’s friend Ralph, whose wife disappeared on a sailboat with three other people twelve years ago. Believing his wife was lost at sea, Ralph remarried. Now he finds himself a murder suspect. Chloe is determined to find out who’s been up to some skulduggery, but her sleuthing will lead her into some rough waters and some bone-chilling revelations…
Building a Surprise Family by Anna J Stewart
Butterfly Harbor #10
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
An instant family…Is life-changing!
Pregnant construction supervisor Jo Bertoletti doesn’t need anyone’s help…or another heartbreak. So she’s putting handsome, kindhearted firefighter Ozzy Lakeman firmly into the friend zone. After all, she’s just passing through Butterfly Harbor, and her life is too complicated for a summer romance. But Ozzy feels an immediate connection. Can he convince the woman of his dreams to take a chance on building a forever family with him?
Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte
A Cat Café Mystery #5
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
In the fifth book in Cate Conte’s delightful and cat-filled series, it’s the heart of the busy season, and JJ’s House of Purrs is booming―until a killer is let off the leash.
Maddie James has finally given in to her friend Katrina’s pleas to open up her cat cafe to more than ten felines: they’re now up to fifteen purring friends. In fact, JJ’s House of Purrs is making such a splash that she’s getting national attention. The East Coast Animal Rescue League is quite interested in the cafe, and so Maddie accepts a request to meet with Laverne Gardner, the executive director. Laverne shows up at the cafe and asks Maddie if they can partner on a fundraiser to support the local rescue efforts―and she offers up her celebrity endorser and her celebrity cat to sweeten the deal. Maddie, caught up in the prospect, offers up her sister Val to help plan the event.
But when Val shows up for a site visit at the venue, she finds Laverne strangled with a fancy cat leash – a piece of swag they were intending to use for the fundraiser – leaving Maddie with a lot of questions to answer. Was her death a tragic one-off event, or is there something more sinister going on? Maddie has to figure it out fast, before anyone else in the rescue community is jeopardized.
Murder in a Teacup by Vicki Delany
Tea by the Sea Mysteries #2
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
National bestselling author Vicki Delany’s delightful Tea by the Sea mystery series continues, as Cape Cod tearoom proprietress and part-time sleuth, Lily Roberts, stirs up trouble when she unwittingly serves one of her grandmother’s B&B guests a deadly cup of tea . . .
Lily has her work cut out for her when a visit from her grandmother Rose’s dear friend, Sandra McHenry, turns into an unexpected—and unpleasant—McHenry family reunion. The squabbling boils over and soon Tea by the Sea’s serene afternoon service resembles the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Somehow, Lily and her tearoom survive the storm, and Sandra’s bickering brethren finally retreat to Rose’s B&B. But later that evening, a member of their party—curmudgeonly Ed French—dies from an apparent poisoning and suddenly Tea by the Sea is both scene and suspect in a murder investigation!Mercifully, none of the other guests fall ill. They all ate the same food, but Ed always insisted on bringing his own special blend of herbal teas. So it seems, amid the whining and dining, someone snuck up to one of Lily’s cherished teapots and fatally spiked Ed’s bespoke brew, but who? Was it Ed’s long-estranged sister-in-law? Did teenage troublemaker Tyler take a prank too far? Or perhaps the family’s feuds have been steeping for longer than anyone realizes? It’s up to Lily, Rose, and their friends to get to the bottom of the poisoned pot and bag the real culprit behind the kettle murder plot.
Murder in Connemara by Carlene O’Connor
A Home to Ireland Mystery #2
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
The bestselling author of the Irish Village mysteries sets her new series in Galway County, where former New York interior designer Tara Meehan finds murder in the ruins.
Former New Yorker and interior designer Tara Meehan is eagerly anticipating the grand opening of her architectural salvage shop Renewals in her newly adopted home of Galway. She’s in the midst of preparations when heiress Veronica O’Farrell bursts in to announce she’s ready for some renewal of her own. To celebrate one year of sobriety, she’s invited seven people she wronged in her drinking days to historic Ballynahinch Castle Hotel in neighboring Connemara to make amends in style.
But perhaps one among them is not so eager to pardon her past misdeeds. Veronica is found lying in the ruins of manor house Clifden Castle with an antique Tara Brooch buried in her heart—the same brooch Tara Meehan admired in her shop the day before, posting a photo with the caption: #Killerbrooch. Now she’s a prime suspect, along with Veronica’s guests, all of whom had motives to stab the heiress. It’s up to Tara to pin down the guilty party . . .
Stealing Her Best Friend’s Heart by Tara Randel
The Golden Matchmakers Club #1
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
A home renovation…
Could change this friendship foreverHeidi Welch has her eye on the perfect home…until Reid Masterson buys it! Now Heidi has one last chance to get back the home of her dreams from her childhood friend and longtime crush. If she helps Reid with the renovations, he’ll sell her the house. But “just friends” seems just about impossible…especially when friendship keeps getting in the way of falling in love.
The Cowgirl’s Sacrifice by Tina Radcliffe
Hearts of Oklahoma #4
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
This cowgirl has wandered back home…
Will she choose her past or her future?
Needing time to heal after a rodeo injury, Kate Rainbolt heads to her family ranch to accept the foreman job her brothers offered her months ago. But the position’s already been filled by her ex-boyfriend, Jess McNally, and the only open job reports to him. With Jess as her temporary boss—and turning into something more—might he finally convince Kate to put down roots?
From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
The Secret Santa Project by Carol Ross
Seasons of Alaska #8
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Clean & Wholesome, Sweet
A gift he wasn’t expecting…
A special Christmas wish
Working with his best friend’s sister isn’t how Cricket Blackburn had planned to spend his holidays. He’d tried to forget about sweet, beautiful Hazel James for ten whole years and now she’s back, closer to him than ever. They have a Christmas charity to run—certainly that will keep Cricket’s mind off what might have been. Perhaps if he tells Santa his secrets, his ultimate wish might come true.
Two Wicked Desserts by Lynn Cahoon
Kitchen Witch Mysteries #2
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Mia Malone conjures up delicacies while casting about for clues in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s Two Wicked Desserts, continuing her Kitchen Witch Mystery series . . .
Magic Springs, Idaho, may be a small town, but Mia Malone is living an enchanted life running her own catering business and cooking school. And while she’s teaching the locals culinary craft, her grandmother is teaching her witchcraft for the day she inherits the family magical spells that have been passed down for generations. Unfortunately, all that knowledge is not helping Mia or her grandmother in removing the spirit of warlock Dorian Alexander from Mia’s cat Mr. Darcy.
But even though Dorian hasn’t yet left this earthly plane, his spells have already been transferred to his daughter Cindy’s grimoire. An actress looking for her big Hollywood break, Cindy is hoping there’s something in her father’s bag of tricks to make her a star. But playing with magic has only resulted in a trip to Idaho where Cindy finds herself the number one suspect in the murder of a hitman whose body was found in the garden of Mia’s Morsels. Now it’s up to Mia to conjure up a killer before everything she’s worked so hard for vanishes with a poof!
Includes Recipes!
Unthinkable by Brad Parks
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Genre: Psychological, Thriller, Mystery
Nate Lovejoy is a self-proclaimed nobody, a stay-at-home dad who doesn’t believe he’s important to anyone but his wife and their two daughters. So it’s a shock when members of a powerful secret society kidnap and spirit Nate away to a mansion at the behest of their leader, Vanslow DeGange, who claims to know the future. He’s foreseen that a billion people could die—unless Nate acts.
It seems improbable, especially given what DeGange says will set this mass casualty incident in motion: a lawsuit against the biggest power company in Virginia, being brought by Nate’s wife, Jenny.
Nate quickly smells a scam being perpetrated by the power company. But at every turn, it becomes apparent there’s more to DeGange’s gift than Nate wants to acknowledge. A billion people really could die, and Nate might be the only one who can save them.
All he has to do is the unthinkable.
A Winter Rose by Amy Craig
Publication Date: July 28, 2021
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Widow Eliza struggles to raise her young daughter and run her Washington state flower farm. Julien, a charming amputee with a knack for business, stops his road trip to help her out of a tight situation. A Southern native, he has no intention of sticking around a sleepy farm town. Eliza’s grit and dedication warm Julien’s wounded heart, but can they look beyond a business partnership and see the beauty of second chances?
Wildlife, Warrants, and Weapons by Tonya Kappes
A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery #19
Publication Date: July 29, 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon #KindleUnlimited
Southern Hospitality with a Smidgen of Homicide
It creams my corn to think I’ve been accused of murder.
I’m a handyman in the Daniel Boone National Park. My main employer is Mae West at the Happy Trails Campground.
When I got a phone call to take down some trees on this guy’s property for a side hustle, I jumped at the chance. That’s one of the biggest money making jobs around these parts.
Unfortunately I got hauled off to jail after I was accused of being part of an illegal logging crew. Simple enough, I gave Sheriff Hank Sharp the name of the man who hired me, only he was found murdered by one of my tools.
Not only am I accused of illegal logging, now I’m the number one suspect in this man’s murder.
It just creams my corn to be accused of murder.
There’s only one person I trust to get me out of this mess and that’s Maybelline West.
I’m sure she, along with her nosy friends, the Laundry Club Ladies, will snoop around to help clear my name.
Well, that’s it for the Upcoming Releases for July 2021
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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