Twinkle of Doubt by Patricia Leavy

 Tess Lee is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist whose inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a federal agent who has spent decades working in counterterrorism—a violent world that has left an inevitable residue on his psyche.

Two years into their marriage, as Tess and Jack both heal from past trauma, their epic love, fostered by their ability to truly see one another, has brought them profound happiness. When an anonymous threat is made against Tess’s life, however, everything changes. Will they learn to lean on each other, or will they fall apart into the darkness?

In Twinkle of Doubt, the second Celestial Bodies Romance, Tess, Jack, and their chosen family explore the nature of doubt and the struggle to feel worthy of love.

Pick up your copy..

Twinkle of Doubt: A Celestial Bodies Romance: Leavy, Patricia: 9798896361329: Amazon.com: Books

Patricia Leavy, PhD is a novelist, sociologist, and arts advocate (formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Founding Director of Gender Studies and Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology at Stonehill College). She is widely considered the world's most visible proponent of arts-based research, which merges the arts and sciences. Patricia has published over 50 books, nonfiction and fiction, and her work has been translated into numerous languages. She has received over 100 book awards. She has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the State University of New York at New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established "The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research." In recent years, her passion has turned to penning romance novels. For more information, please visit her website.

A Whelk's Island Valentine by Nancy Naigle

 On Whelk’s Island, love doesn’t arrive with fireworks.

It shows up quietly, exactly when it’s needed most.

As Valentine’s Day settles over the coast, Rosemary believes romance doesn’t need fuss or spectacle. She’s long past candy hearts and grand gestures. Tug, steady and thoughtful, agrees—or so she thinks.

Between a cookie-baking class gifted by a dear friend, an old Valentine discovered at just the right moment, and a rainy island evening that refuses to go according to plan, they find themselves reminded that the truest kind of love isn’t about recreating the past—it’s about noticing the present.

Tender, warm, and filled with the small moments that mean everything, A Whelk’s Island Valentine is a heart-forward Valentine’s short story featuring Tug and Rosemary, beloved characters from The Shell Collector Novels.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Sweet, clean romance
• Coastal settings and small-town charm
• Stories about second chances and steady love
• Valentine’s tales with depth and heart

Whether you’re already part of the Whelk’s Island family or discovering it for the first time, this short story is a gentle reminder that sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones given quietly—and found later.

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                    Amazon.com: A Whelk's Island Valentine: A Shell Collector Short Story eBook : Naigle, Nancy: Kindle Store

 USA TODAY and ECPA bestselling author Nancy Naigle writes uplifting small-town women’s fiction and sweet romance filled with heart, hope, and second chances. Her feel-good stories celebrate faith, family, friendship, and close-knit communities where love grows quietly and healing begins.

Nancy’s breakout novel The Shell Collector debuted in the Top 20 on the ECPA Bestseller list and was adapted as a Fox Original Movie. Several of her books have inspired beloved made-for-television films, including Hallmark favorites known for wholesome romance, emotional depth, and small-town charm.

A former Senior Vice President at Bank of America, Nancy now writes full-time from small-town Virginia, drawing inspiration from front porches, lifelong friendships, and the simple moments that make a place feel like home. Her books are perfect for readers who love clean romance, heartfelt women’s fiction, and faith-forward stories that leave you smiling long after the last page.

If you’re looking for cozy, hope-filled reads with relatable characters and meaningful connections, welcome to Nancy Naigle’s story worlds.

Then You Happened by J. S. Wood

 After finding out his friends find his nonstop quest for love to be a little excessive. Derek has decided to put a stop to dating altogether.

Now, he's stuck in a no-go zone just in time for someone new to enter the friend group.

Elizabeth is a single mom who has been out of the dating pool for a long time, but when she meets Derek, the sweet and caring friend of a friend, she thinks things are about to change.

When things don’t go quite as she expects, she accepts his friendship and begins a journey to help him reinvent his father’s failing hardware store to keep the legacy alive.

Spending hours together working, they begin to see that their feelings are not so easily brushed aside and when push comes to shove, their friendship blossoms into a romance they’ll never forget.

But when things get hard for the hardware store, and real life starts to butt in to their relationship, they have to decide if they can weather the storm, or if things will end for good.

Pick up your copy here...

Then You Happened: A Single Parent Romance (Average Gents Book 5) - Kindle edition by Wood, J.S. . Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

J.S. Wood is the author of the Average Gents series. After coining the phrase "Nice Guy Romance", she has used this to make a brand for herself to represent the underrated nice guy. Originally from Colorado, she now resides with her husband and children in Wyoming, writing anything that inspiration strikes. Her next series, The Three Rivers Trevors Ranch, is inspired by her horse training upbringing and will bring a slew of 'touch her and ---" cowboys. You can connect with her on Instagram @authorjswood, TikTok, @authorjswood, or her website www.jswoodauthor.com

What to Do When You Feel Broken by Laura Williams

 You’re not broken. Learn how your past impacts your present and develop the mindset you need to break damaging patterns.

Clinical psychologist Dr Laura Williams’ life turned upside down when her husband suddenly died at the age of 37, when they had three young children. This trauma forced her to reconsider the psychological teachings she’d used professionally to help hundreds of others and apply them to her own life.

Dr Laura uses her own personal story to illustrate key psychological concepts we can all benefit from applying to our own lives. You'll learn how to:

• Get to know yourself fully and understand what drives your behaviour and how it impacts your relationships
• Examine your early conditioning to gain new insight into destructive feelings that you may have repressed for years
• Use Dr Laura’s four-step HEAL framework to move forward consciously on a new path

The toolbox of knowledge and techniques in this book will empower you to pick up your ‘broken parts’ and put them back together to live life with resilience, wisdom and fortitude.

Pick up your copy here...

What to Do When You Feel Broken: How to Let Go of Negative Patterns, Heal Your Relationships and Find Freedom: Williams, Dr Laura: 9781401979003: Amazon.com: Books

Dr Laura Williams is a clinical psychologist, author and speaker specialising in the treatment of trauma, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and obsessional compulsive disorder. After losing her husband suddenly in 2018, she began writing about loss to help others process the emotions of grief. Laura's writing has been featured in national newspapers and magazines. Laura has also contributed to Channel 4 and ITV documentaries focussed on the treatment of morbid obesity. You can tune in to her psychological knowledge and expertise on the 'Know Your Own Psychology' podcast. Living in Edinburgh, Scotland, Laura works in both the NHS and in private practice. Laura is passionate about using 'blue mind' and embodiment practices through taking people to water therapeutically.

Preorder All Booked Up by Melody Carlson

  All Booked Up by Melody Carlson is available for Preorder! Preorder your copy today from your favorite book retailer.

When preserving precious memories means welcoming unexpected changes, Riva finds that her heart has room for so much more than she imagined.

Widowed empty nester Riva Owen lives in the Victorian house that's been in her family for three generations, but finances have become a challenge she can no longer ignore. Her daughter is pushing her to move, and after considering all her options, Riva knows selling would be the smartest course. But she just can't bring herself to leave decades of memories--and her cherished library filled with hundreds of books.

When she pursues an alternative--opening her home to women like her who need a room to rent--Riva is unprepared for the mix of personalities and peculiarities of her new housemates. She is even more unprepared for Marcus, the handsome and handy older brother of one of her new tenants. The possibility of finding love again feels overwhelming, even as her tenants seem to have romantic schemes of their own.

Warm your heart with a story of found family, book lovers, and a second chance at love.

#preorder #mustread #Romance #fiction #themaryreader

Pick up your copy here...

All Booked Up: A Small Town Contemporary Clean Romance with Bookish and Literary Themes: Melody Carlson: 9780800747251: Amazon.com: Books

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Finding Beauty by Ann Penny

 Sometimes, the greatest love stories begin with a second chance.

Starting over in New York City is Melanie Warren’s chance to prove she doesn’t need her parents’ wealth, high-society status, or her ex-fiancé, Grayson. Determined to stand on her own, she refuses to look back, until her new job brings her face-to-face with the one man she swore never to forgive.

Scott Blackwood is no longer the reckless boy with a troubled past. Now, he’s wealthy, powerful, and everything he once dreamed of becoming. But to Melanie, he’s still the man who shattered her seventeen year old heart and never looked back.

Their chemistry is undeniable, their past impossible to forget. As old wounds resurface and the lines between them blur, Melanie is faced with a choice: hold on to her heartbreak or risk everything for a second chance at love. Because the biggest secret of all? She never stopped loving him.

Pick up your copy here...

Finding Beauty (Love, Beauty, & Soul): Penny, Ann: 9781923232129: Amazon.com: Books

Ann Penny is an empathetic daydreamer who escapes reality through her written words.

She loves to immerse herself in nature and creative arts, and heal trauma through writing heartfelt stories where she can truly embrace the light and shade of life and love.

Penny navigates her beautiful chaotic world with her amazing husband and their two mischievous boys while endeavouring to harness her hyperactive mind and quirky sense of humour.

The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas

 Unassuming neighbors may not be what they seem in this twisty, spine-tingling thriller from the internationally bestselling author of The Couple at Number 9 and The Girls Who Disappeared.

They seem like the perfect couple. But what are they hiding?
When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door-neighbors she thinks she must have misheard.
The Morgans are a kind, retired couple who recently moved to their sleepy suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens. But to Lena it sounded very much like they were planning a crime.
Her family and friends tell her she must be mistaken. Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about that strange conversation. What if they really are about to do something terrible?
What if she can prevent it?

Especially when doing something might help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . .

Pick up your copy here...
The New Neighbors: A Novel: Douglas, Claire: 9780063354432: Amazon.com: Books

Claire Douglas is the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of eight stand alone novels: The Sisters (2015), Local Girl Missing (2016), Last Seen Alive (2017), Do Not Disturb (2018), Then She Vanishes (2019) and Just Like The Other Girls (2020). Her seventh, The Couple At No 9 (2021) was an Amazon number one bestseller, a number three Sunday Times bestseller and most recently hit number one on Germany's Der Spiegel paperback bestsellers chart. The Girls Who Disappeared was a Richard and Judy book club pick for Autumn 2022 and was an instant number one Sunday Times bestseller. Her books have sold over a million copies in the UK and have been published worldwide.

Her most recent, THE WOMAN WHO LIED will be published on July 6th 2023.

You can find Claire on Twitter at @DougieClaire, Instagram as clairedouglasauthor, or visit her Facebook page clairedouglasauthor.