Ruby Ridge by Jess Walter

 On the last hot day of summer in 1992, gunfire cracked over a rocky knob in northern Idaho, just south of the Canadian border. By the next day three people were dead, and a small war was joined, pitting the full might of federal law enforcement against one well-armed family. Drawing on extensive interviews with Randy Weaver's family, government insiders, and others, Walter traces the paths that led the Weavers to their confrontation with federal agents and led the government to treat a family like a gang of criminals.

Pick up your copy here....

Ruby Ridge: The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family: Walter, Jess: 9780060007942: Amazon.com: Books

Jess Walter is the author of ten books, most recently the story collect The Angel of Rome (2022) and the national bestselling novel The Cold Millions (2020). His novel Beautiful Ruins (2012) was a #1 New York Times bestseller. He was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Award for The Zero and winner of the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel for Citizen Vince. His short fiction has appeared three times in Best American Short Stories. He lives in his hometown of Spokane, Washington.

Sit, Cinderella, Sit by Lisa Cheek

 Lisa Cheek loved editing TV commercials—almost as much as she loved her dog, Ron Howard. Then, she “aged out” of advertising, at 45. After being let go, Lisa got a call—at 2:45 AM—from a director who, like everyone in Hollywood, had a film he wanted to make: the original Cinderella story. Now, his dream could come true—if Lisa granted his wish.

In Sit, Cinderella, Sit, Lisa Cheek shares her adventures in editing a film made on location in China—along the Tibetan border—where Mandarin was the only language spoken by everyone but her. Stuck in a house with fourteen men she couldn’t understand, literally, she yearned for conversation and coffee.

But there were moments of wonder and laughter. Lisa forged a bond with her translator and a woman named Sunny. She rescued one dog, and then another. “Everyone speaks Cinderella,” the director had assured her. Maybe he was right.

Told with humor and heart through a fairy tale lens, with flashbacks into the author’s not-always-happy childhood, Sit, Cinderella, Sit is a story about what can happen when you take a leap of faith, look and hear beyond people’s differences, and dare to believe in yourself.

Pick up your copy here...

Sit, Cinderella, Sit: A Mostly True Memoir: Cheek, Lisa: 9781647427283: Amazon.com: Books

Lisa Cheek’s writing career started after a twenty-five-year career editing films and TV commercials. Her first memoir, Sit, Cinderella, Sit, was a People Magazine pick, an Amazon bestseller, a Next Generation Indy Award finalist in Women’s Literature, and made Zibby’s Most Anticipated Books for 2025 list. You can find Lisa’s musings, One Minute Thoughts From A Pink Head, on Substack. She lives with two dogs, two cats, and her husband, Big Johnson, in LA, where she has several scripts in various stages of development and is working on her next memoir.

When She Was Ours by Anna Nordberg

       

 

Thea Erickson, a renowned surgeon, is filled with both joy and grief as her family gathers at their home on a summer night in 1995. Her elder daughter Phoebe is getting married, but even the happiness of the day feels bittersweet, as Thea grapples with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She worries she won’t be around to support her younger daughter Astra, who’s still in college, but even Thea cannot foresee what is to come―a terrible accident the night of the wedding that changes Astra’s life forever.

In a last-ditch effort to protect her family, Thea arranges a secret meeting with an old family friend and extracts a promise that will reverberate long after she’s gone.

Years after her mother’s death, Astra has moved forward with a career and relationship, but she still struggles with her grief. When a man reaches out to her and Phoebe, offering a window into their mother’s past, Astra must make a choice, and her decision forces her to face what it means to love someone after they’re gone, who we decide to forgive, and how families reckon with the past.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: When She Was Ours: A Novel: 9781662539206: Nordberg, Anna: Books

Anna Nordberg is a journalist and culture writer whose essays have appeared in Slate magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She grew up in New York City and now lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children. When She Was Ours is her first novel.

The Unraveling of Micheal Galler by Steven Rubin

Thank you, Spark Press, for my review copy of The Unraveling of Michael Galler by Steven Rubin.

Release May 12, 2026

After observing multiple terminal effects of varying illnesses of those close to him that he perceives as cancer, Michael Galler gains a heightened cognizance of the physical threats that can grow unknowingly inside a person. As a result, he dedicates himself to healthily fortifying his body against any comparable assault.

While growing up with his loving, widowed father and the younger brother he feels compelled to protect, Michael is able to balance the pressures of his young life—academic achievement, high school athletic competition, and even training for the Boston Marathon. But as he moves toward college life, he develops a promising relationship with a girl who too easily fills the gaps of his motherless upbringing—and his long-held fear of what he now thinks of as capital-C Cancer begins to take over. Everything he experiences, he experiences through the filter of trying to outrun a disease he thinks is pursuing him.

A dramatic coming-of-age tale with a dark psychological twist, The Unraveling of Michael Galler explores the motives of a teenage boy so overwhelmed by an obsessive fear that he loses his grip on reality.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: The Unraveling of Michael Galler: A Novel: 9798896363743: Rubin, Steven M.: Books

Steven M. Rubin was raised in a suburb of Boston, MA, played football at the University of Pennsylvania, and spent his career developing, negotiating, and implementing employee benefit strategies for large employers. He has completed the New York Marathon, the 100th running of the famed Boston Marathon, and the Marine Corps Marathon. Although a heart attack ended his third marathon at the halfway mark, he returned five years later to successfully finish what he started. After raising three children with his wife, Kerrie, he now lives in Weston, Connecticut.

Buried Scars by Kristi Copeland

 Kennedy

The scars of domestic abuse are firmly buried in the past, but I am reminded of how delicate life is when I meet Vanessa. On the few occasions she and I have spent time together, she hints that her marriage is unstable. I recognize the warning signs and ask our girls’ group to keep their eyes open for a chance to gain her trust.

Jake, my fiercely protective hero, stands by my side as I drive to save others in Talkeetna who find themselves trapped in situations similar to my own horrid past. Ready to confront any threat lurking in the shadows of Denali, I vow to break the cycle of abuse.

I’ll do anything to save my friends. Anything.

Vanessa
Hidden in plain sight, I work diligently to conceal my bruises from the community. My husband has made it painfully clear that I will never escape his grip. Guilt from my twin sister passing away caused me to lose hope that I would ever really be happy. Reminders of her linger and encourage me to find my strength.

Running the sled dog tour company allows me to connect with local women, which lights a flicker of possibility that I’ll make friends one day. Kennedy has invited me into her world; her kindness is like a lifeline. I’m afraid if I reveal my truth, though, I may lose everything I’ve worked so hard to accomplish.

The truth hurts, but so does being pummeled into submission.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Buried Scars: (A Vigilante Justice Alaskan Suspense: Kennedy-Book 3): 9798988964599: Copeland, Kristi: Books

All my life, writing, sharing experiences through story-telling, and intensive research has interested me. All of these loves are combined to give my readers an experience through the written word. I reside in a small town in northeast Texas and originate from a small town in Michigan. Both MI and TX are prominent in my writing.

Everywhere I look, I see someone begging me to write about them. Music, every day life, and even my husband’s dreams inspire ideas about new books! Like so many of my favorite novels have done for me, I sincerely hope to connect with you through my writing. My simple communication style brings words off the page to a vision in your mind.

Join me as I create scenarios that could happen to anyone…and probably have. Maybe me, maybe you.

More Than Friends by Denise Hunter

 Jenna Greene just ended things with her boyfriend . . . which also ended her career. (That's the risk a girl takes when her boyfriend doubles as her boss.) With no income and no job prospects in sight, Jenna is forced to return to her mother's house on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to figure out what's next. And the timing couldn't be more perfect. Jenna's widowed mother has just returned from a cruise--with a brand-new boyfriend in tow. But there's something off about the guy. His story doesn't quite add up, and he keeps sneaking off to make suspicious phone calls and borrowing money from her too-trusting mother.

In search of some investigative help, Jenna turns to her childhood BFF, Tyson Parker, who lives and works in town. Still reeling from his wife's infidelity, Tyson is doing his best to heal from the pain of divorce. He's made a name for himself on the island as a volunteer firefighter and one of the much-admired saltwater cowboys who looks after Chincoteague's wild ponies. Oh, and he turned out to be more than a tiny bit attractive--besides being almost-too-good-to-be-true sweet and caring.

Growing up, the uber-competitive Jenna was always accepted as one of the guys. But things have changed between her and Tyson, and he's now looking at her through new eyes. Jenna suddenly feels like a leading lady on a movie set--only with way less composure.

But Jenna also has old wounds that make these new feelings seem fraught with peril. Is she willing to open her heart and see where love might lead? Or will she let her hesitant heart hold her back?

Pick up your copy here....                                                                                                                                    More than Friends: A sweet, low-spice contemporary romance: Hunter, Denise: 9781400348732: Amazon.com: Books

Denise Hunter is the internationally-published bestselling author of more than forty novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 Club and been featured in Southern Living and Woman's World.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling, drinking chai lattes, hiking, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest and four beautiful grandchildren.

I love anything Hunter writes and this book was so good, I couldn't put it down until last page. The Chemistry and the struggles the characters had in this book were the icing on the cake. Hunter always makes me think about the characters long after I have finished the book.  A great 4 star read. Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Crimson Refuge by Sienna Judd

 Thank you Sienna Judd for my review copy of Crimson Refuge by Sienna Judd.

I swore I was done with wanting things. Done with trust. Done with hope. Done with pretending a man like me gets more than survival. Then Freya Johnson walked into my life—curious, relentless, too young for me, and completely off-limits. I was her mentor. Her safe place. The one man who knew better than to touch her. And I didn’t. Not until she left for the LAPD. Not until one night blew straight through every line I’d drawn. I never meant for that night to change anything. But it changed everything. The line I drew is now two pink ones, and when she comes back to Echo Valley—taking a quieter desk job while we try to figure out next steps—every boundary I’ve built starts to crack. Because being her friend, her co-parent, her roommate… none of it touches the truth of what I want when I look at her. And when she becomes the lead officer on a case no one can quite explain, when something dangerous starts circling closer than she realizes, it isn’t just instinct that locks tight inside my chest. It’s possession. It’s fear. It’s the knowledge that she’s already mine, whether I’ve told her or not. I should step back. Wanting her is the fastest way to lose myself again. But if this threat reaches her first, it won’t just cost me control. It will cost me the one thing I never planned to risk again.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Crimson Refuge: Accidental Pregnancy, Romantic Suspense (Echo Valley): 9798246792773: Judd, Sienna: Books

Sienna Judd is a small town, contemporary romance author who lives for all the spice and book boyfriends who are book husband material.

Sienna is an American girl married to her Prince Charming. She lives with her husband, three children, pony, dogs, guineas pigs and countless other animals on a small farm England. She thinks kitchens are for dancing, is everybody's hype girl and might be known for talking too loudly. Like every respectable woman she also loves drinking champagne and eating half of every chocolate in a truffles box.

Her spirit animal is a butterfly.

Retreat by Krysten Ritter

 A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.

 Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She’s clever, smooth, and confident—qualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.

Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast—attributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can’t resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.

But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can’t help effortlessly slipping into the socialite’s identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?

As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling—and deceptive—world of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life—but the con that ends it.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Retreat: A Novel: 9780063334618: Ritter, Krysten: Books

Krysten Ritter is well known for her starring roles in the award winning Netflix original series, Marvel's Jessica Jones, and cult favorite, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, as well as her pivotal role on AMC’s Breaking Bad. Krysten’s work on film includes Big Eyes, Listen Up Philip, Life Happens, Confessions of a Shopaholic and She’s Out of My League. She is the founder of Silent Machine, a production company which aims to highlight complex female protagonists. Ritter and her dog Mikey split their time between New York and Los Angeles.

Mr. Wilde by LM Fox

 When you’re a vigilante hiding behind a billion-dollar empire, you construct walls no one can penetrate.

Then in walks Cassidy.

Years of pain and rage have turned me into a weapon. The mission is simple: seek and destroy. In my world, love is more than a distraction. It’s a liability.

With a target on my back, I can’t afford to let anyone in. Yet this woman is unexpected. Beautiful and strong. The one person who can make me question everything.

My unbridled access to the world’s darkest secrets is a double-edged sword. The same code I use to build my business could be the very thing that destroys her.

This phenomenal creature deserves a man who’ll love and protect her. Not a controlling hacker feuled by vengeance.

I need to let Cass go, not move heaven and earth to keep her. Because my secrets could end up killing us both.

This is a full length interconnected standalone.

Grab your copy of this turbulent rollercoaster of a romance starring the men of the Billionaire Boys Club, as well as additional beloved crossover characters from other books, so you’ll be ready to meet each of the Billionaires and the women they fall hard for!

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                   Amazon.com: Mr. Wilde: The Billionaire Boys Club: 9798252280134: Fox, LM, Aguiar, Wander: Books

No Author headshot

Born and raised in Virginia, LM Fox currently lives in a suburb of Richmond with her husband, three kids, and a chocolate lab.

Her pastimes are traveling to new and favorite places, trying new foods, a swoony book with either a good cup of tea or coffee, margaritas on special occasions, and watching her kids participate in a variety of sports.

She has spent the majority of her adult life working in emergency medicine and her books are written in this setting. Her main characters are typically in the medical field, EMS, fire, and/or law enforcement. She enjoys writing angsty, contemporary romance starring headstrong, independent heroines you can’t help but love and the hot alpha men who fall hard for them.

Purple State by Dana Perino

 Dorothy “Dot” Clark, a buttoned-up PR professional from New York City feels stuck in her career and her love life. At twenty-five, she expected more from her choices. Seizing a chance to follow her passion, she’s sent to Cedar Falls, Wisconsin, a swing district in a swing state that could decide the next presidential election. Joined by her two best friends, Mary and Harper—both excited to escape the city for reasons of their own—Dot quickly discovers that small-town Midwestern life is far outside her urban comfort zone.

Nestled along the banks of the picturesque Cedar Creek, the charming town of Cedar Falls is everything Dot, Mary, and Harper have been missing. The close-knit community takes pride in its cozy cafes, locally brewed beer, family farms, and, of course, the beloved Reader Falls Bookshop. There, Dot meets the mysterious Danny Dawson, a big-hearted, truck-driving guy who follows hockey, not headlines—a man so unlike anyone she’s ever dated that she finds herself falling fast. And Mary and Harper, both tired of dating finance bros and influencer wannabes, soon also discover that guys outside New York might just be hotter, smarter, and more grounded than they’d imagined.

But with the campaign heating up, how can Dot find time for Danny when she has a job to do, and what’s the point when she’s going back to New York City after the election? Can love really cross party lines? Who says that two people from opposite sides of the aisle can’t eventually walk down one together?

Dana Perino makes her fiction debut with this witty and delightful romantic comedy—a small-town romance and touching story of self-discovery that asks if choosing love is the best decision after all.

Pick up your copy here...

Purple State: A Novel: Perino, Dana: 9780063486560: Amazon.com: Books

Dana Perino is a Fox News Contributor and co-host of one of the most popular shows on cable television, The Five. Perino was the first Republican woman to serve as the White House Press Secretary, and served for over seven years in the administration of George W. Bush, including at the Department of Justice after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Perino lives in Manhattan with her husband, Peter McMahon, and their dog, Jasper.

A Deal with a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski

 She's running from London's marriage mart. He's running out of time to save his estate. Neither intends to fall in love--but their hearts have other plans.

American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London's high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named "the debutante of the season" back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.

Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she's been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.

What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated--an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she's convinced he only wants her fortune?

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: A Deal with a Debutante: A Clean/No-Spice He-Falls-First Marriage of Convenience Historical Romance set in Edwardian London, England (London's Most Eligible): 9780764245251: Chelsea Bobulski: Books

Chelsea Bobulski is the author of multiple novels, including the historical romance London’s Most Eligible series. Chelsea graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in history and loves to use her knowledge of the past to inspire her historical and contemporary stories alike.

Birds on a Wire Katie Powner

 Sometimes the people in our lives who come and go make all the difference

Eighteen-year-old Bri Marshall is determined to do whatever it takes to get her newborn son back after he's taken by CPS. But the chances of reunification with Providence are slim. Her drug-addicted boyfriend is the only reason she has a roof over her head. With no job, no car, and no family support, she's at rock bottom, hanging on to hope by a thread.

Laura Gambler, on the brink of turning forty, is managing new challenges with her own children when she's asked to take in Providence. She never could have imagined the chain of events her agreement to foster the baby would set in motion—or the carefully buried pain from her past it would drag back to the surface.

Both women wrestle with doubts about the future and their ability to parent Providence, even as their love for him grows stronger every day. As their lives become irrevocably intertwined, they face an impossible question: Who is the best mother for Providence?

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     Amazon.com: Birds on a Wire: A Novel: 9780825453311: Powner, Katie: Books

Katie Powner is an award-winning author who lives in Montana, where cows still outnumber people. She writes contemporary fiction about everyday people, filled with humor and heart, including the Christy Award-winning novels Where the Blue Sky Begins and The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass. Katie is a mom to the third power (biological, adoptive, and foster) who loves candy, Jesus, and red shoes...not necessarily in that order.

Where We Belong by Savannah Carlisle

 Chloe Beckett has always believed in the magic of community. Raised on Big Dune Island, Chloe found her place in the kitchen of her grandmother’s coastal home, where neighbors became family and stories were passed down over cups of coffee.

Years later, Island Coffee isn’t just a café. It’s the heart of Main Street. Locals gather beneath its string lights, with mismatched china, sharing morning rituals and lifelong memories. After years of living in her famous brother's shadow, Chloe is stepping into the spotlight—competing on a reality TV show for a prize that could expand her café’s legacy to the next town over.

However, the competition is fierce with social media superstars and slick MBAs. Chloe knows exactly who she should ask for help—Michael Russo, a New York real estate investor whose world revolves around profits and projections. Her crush on him has gone unnoticed for years, and this is the perfect excuse to spend more time with him. But it's Chloe who begins to rewrite everything he thought he knew about success.

Will competing for her dreams finally help Chloe transform from the little sister who needed help into the woman who can stand on her own, both in the eyes of her family and Michael?

A story of second chances and beachy charm, Where We Belong is a celebration of community, connection, and the courage it takes to build something that truly matters.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Where We Belong: A Warmhearted, Uplifting Romance (Big Dune Island): 9781963483444: Carlisle, Savannah: Books

Savannah Carlisle writes heartwarming romance novels with idyllic beach settings. Her stories transport readers to fun and quirky small towns where friends feel like family. So, if you’re ready for a mental vacation, you’ve come to the right place!⁠

Savannah jokes that she's living her own Hallmark movie because she's a former big city corporate attorney who now lives in the small beach town of Fernandina Beach writing romance novels.

When she isn't busy at her laptop writing her next book, Savannah enjoys putting her feet in the sand with a good book in hand. She lives on Amelia Island in Florida with her husband, German Shepherd, and three cats.

The Amazing Brain Club by Lindsey Viducich

 Is your child a whirlwind of creativity, bursting with ideas and energy? Do they sometimes struggle in a world that doesn't quite understand their unique brilliance or neurodiversity? The Amazing Brain Club is a picture book to help kids with ADHD discover that their "different" brain isn't a problem—it's a God-given gift—and to help those who interact with them understand how all brains are uniquely made.

This heartwarming picture book from author and educator Lindsey Goff Viducich (Love Does for Kids), celebrates the incredible gifts and talents of children with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), reminding them that they are intentionally and wonderfully made by God—and that all different kinds of minds belong in the Amazing Brain Club! Inside, you’ll discover:

• Your ADHD Brain Is a Gift: Explore how your child's unique brain wiring and mindset makes them capable of amazing things, from imaginative thinking to creative problem-solving. This book helps them see their differences as strengths.
• God's Perfect Plan for You: Find out how God lovingly created your child exactly as they are, ADHD and all. This book reinforces the message that they are deeply loved and cherished by God.
• How to Navigate the Ups and Downs: Learn practical ways to manage the challenges of ADHD and celebrate the joys, empowering your child to thrive in their daily life.

Perfect for neurodiverse families and classrooms, The Amazing Brain Club isn't just for kids with ADHD—it's for everyone! This book helps neurotypical children understand and appreciate the unique perspectives of their siblings, classmates, and friends, fostering empathy and inclusion. It's a beautiful reminder that we all belong in God's family.

Inside The Amazing Brain Club, your child will discover:

• Engaging illustrations that bring the message to life
• A positive and empowering perspective on ADHD
• Biblical truths about the way all brains are designed and how they perfectly fit into God's family
• Text that speaks to children’s feelings and experiences

Give the gift of self-acceptance and celebrate the amazing brains in your life!

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                The Amazing Brain Club: God’s Special Design for All Brains: Viducich, Lindsey Goff, Wojciechowski, Cyndi: 9780310178750: Amazon.com: Books

No author headshot

Lindsey Goff Viducich loves kids and is a proud member of the Amazing Brain Club. She began her teaching career at a therapeutic childcare center in Seattle and then spent the next decade teaching kindergarten, first, and second grades. She is currently a school administrator and specializes in student support. Lindsey lives in San Diego with her husband, Jon, and their two kids and spends most of her free time creating art and living new stories with her family.