Upcoming Releases: May

Taking the Heat by Kathryn Shay

Contemporary romance published on May 6, 2008 by Berkley Sensation. Buy it here.

Liam O’Neil is trying to take care of his troubled seven-year-old son and cocky teenager, and work full time at the family-owned Bailey’s Irish Pub. Widowed three years ago, he’s ready to date again (at the insistence of his brothers). But his life is in flux, his future unclear, when he meets Sophie Taylor, a female in the Fire Department of New York. A consummate firefighter who was rescued herself by the FDNY when she was ten, she loves her job and her “firefighter family.” Liam’s as attracted to her as she to him, which is fun and flirty, until they both start to care about each other. Yet she’s the last person he can get involved with. His youngest is suffering from abandonment issues and depression, and needs stability. Even when they become involved, both Liam and Sophie know their relationship is doomed. Or is it?

Read Casee’s review here.

The Hollow by Nora Roberts

Paranormal romance published on May 6, 2008 by Jove. Buy it here.

For Fox, Caleb, Gage and the other residents of Hawkins Hollow, the number seven portends doom—ever since, as boys, they freed a demon trapped for centuries when their blood spilled upon The Pagan Stone…

Their innocent bonding ritual led to seven days of madness, every seven years. And now, as the dreaded seventh month looms before them, the men can feel the storm brewing. Already they are plagued by visions of death and destruction. But this year, they are better prepared, joined in their battle by three women who have come to The Hollow. Layla, Quinn, and Cybil are somehow connected to the demon, just as the men are connected to the force that trapped it.

Since that day at The Pagan Stone, town lawyer Fox has been able to see into others’ minds, a talent he shares with Layla. He must earn her trust, because their link will help fight the darkness that threatens to engulf the town. But Layla is having trouble coming to terms with her newfound ability—and this intimate connection to Fox. She knows that once she opens her mind, she’ll have no defenses against the desire that threatens to consume them both…

Baddest Bad Boys by Shannon McKenna, E.C. Sheedy & Cate Noble

Contemporary romance published on May 6, 2008 by Brava. Buy it here.

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE Shannon McKenna

For years, Robin MacNamara has been secretly in love with her big brother’s friend Jon Amendola, but the sexy cop has never seen her as anything but a kid. Until Robin follows him to an isolated cabin to prove she’s all grown up. Unfortunately, Jon’s last case isn’t quite closed-and someone wants payback.

AFTER THE LOVIN’ E.C. Sheedy

In need of a place to hide, Tommi Smith finds herself on the doorstep of a high school classmate’s remote fishing lodge. Though Mac Fleming never trusted this knockout’s reputation for breaking hearts, nothing’s going to stop him from seducing her into his bed now. Until Tommi’s past comes back to haunt them.

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL Cate Noble

All Ellie McMann DeLuca wants is one night with the only man she’s ever truly loved-Max DeLuca, dubbed the Devil by the Italian paparazzi. Max agrees on one condition: they extend it to seven nights of sensual pleasure on a private island. But after a whole week of fulfilling each other’s deepest desires, how will they go back to the way things were?

Wicked Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Erotic romance published on May 13, 2008 by St. Martin’s Press. Buy it here.

Jaci Wright has been running from Cameron Falladay, for seven years now. Fears of the desires he arouses in her, and the knowledge of the relationship he wanted with her spurred her to run, to find a life that kept hertraveling the globe and out of his reach. His and his twin brother’s.

But now, life has come full circle. A new job has placed Jaci in the Sinclair mansion with Cameron and his brother Chase. And Cam is tired of waiting. It’s hard enough to face accepting a relationship with Cam, knowing what he wants, but having the world her lover’s brother touches her as well fills her with dread. Gossip, rumors and the tattered tales of juicy secrets fill the society she now moves within. Can she face the world knowing she’s a lover to both men, or will her hesitancy and her fears destroy her chance of happiness forever.

Scream for Me by Karen Rose

Romantic suspense published on May 13, 2008 by Grand Central Publishing. Buy it here.

Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has sworn to find the perpetrator of multiple killings that mimic a 13-year-old murder linked to a collection of photographs that belonged to his brother, Simon, the ruthless serial killer who met his demise in DIE FOR ME. Daniel is certain that someone even more depraved than his brother committed these crimes, and he’s determined to bring the current murderer to justice and solve the mysterious crime from years ago.

With only a handful of images as a lead, Daniel’s search will lead him back through the dark past of his own family, and into the realm of a mind more sinister than he could ever imagine. But his quest will also draw him to Alex Fallon, a beautiful nurse whose troubled past reflects his own. As Daniel becomes attached to Alex, he discovers that she is also the object of the obsessed murderer. Soon, he will not only be racing to discover the identity of this macabre criminal, but also to save the life of the woman he has begun to love.

Tempting Evil by Allison Brennan

Romantic suspense published on May 20, 2008 by Ballantine Books. Buy it here or here in ebook format.

A romance writer returns home to the secluded Centennial Valley in Montana to heal after the murder of her husband and son and ends up trapped during a blizzard with a psychopathic stalker who has already killed one celebrity who rejected him. The Sheriff is trapped on the other side of an avalanche and it’s a race against time to save the woman he loves–and his son, part of a Boy Scout troop stranded when the storm came in unexpectedly.

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole

Paranormal romance published on May 20, 2008 by Pocket Books. Buy it here.

Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon’s wicked touch.

Yet just when he earns Holly’s trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs — and claim his heart?

Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter

Historical romance published on May 20, 2008 by Dell. Buy it here.

First he’ll learn her most intimate secrets. Then he’ll arouse her deepest passions. He’s the lover she’s been waiting for: the man who can rescue her from her wicked past–for a price–in Madeline Hunter’s tale of sin, seduction, and irresistible, impossible love.

He catches her eye across the dining room–a handsome stranger who stands out among the lewd noblemen and bawdy painted women. But their worlds are about to collide in a way Roselyn Longworth could never have imagined. For before the night is out, she will be auctioned off to the highest bidder…and Kyle Bradwell will lead her from one kind of hell to another. Yet from the moment he wins her, Kyle treats Rose with a gentleness she hasn’t known since a family scandal destroyed her reputation. And when she finally learns what is really driving Kyle, it’s too late. For Rose has fallen for the man who knows her most intimate secrets. Now he has stunned her with a proposal of marriage–the first step in a seduction that will demand nothing less than her complete surrender.…

Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

Historical romance published on May 27, 2008 by Avon. Buy it here.

James Cordier is all blue blood and entirely dangerous. He’s a master of disguise, a brilliant thief, a first-class lover—all for King and Country—and, by gad, he’s so weary of it. His last mission is to “acquire” a packet of incriminating letters from one notorious woman. Then he can return to London and meet sweet-natured heiresses—not adventuresses and fallen women.

Francesca Bonnard has weathered heartbreak, scorn, and scandal. She’s independent, happy, and definitely fallen; and she’s learned that “gentlemen” are more trouble than they’re worth. She can also see that her wildly attractive new neighbor is bad news.

But as bad as James is, there are others far worse also searching for Francesca’s letters. And suddenly nothing is simple—especially the nearly incendiary chemistry between the two most jaded, sinful souls in Europe. And just as suddenly, risking everything may be worth the prize.

Damien by Jacquelyn Frank

Paranormal romance published on May 27, 2008 by Zebra. Buy it here.

As reigning Vampire Prince, Damien has tasted every pleasure the world has to offer-consorting with kings and queens and delighting in sensual adventure. Now, tired of such pursuits, he devotes his energies to protecting his people. The war between human necromancers and Nightwalkers has escalated, and when the enemy makes a daring move, kidnapping Syreena, a Lycanthrope Princess, Damien boldly follows. He succeeds in rescuing her, but is unprepared for the erotic longing her lush sensuality awakens in him.

Gifted with rare abilities, Syreena grew up in a cloistered setting and was forbidden to form attachments to others, yet the connection Damien feels with her is immediate, intoxicating, and impossible for either to resist. But claiming Syreena as his mate could have shattering repercussions for every Nightwalker-and leave their enemies more dangerous than ever before.

Temptation tastes sweetest at night.

Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson

Contemporary romance published on May 27, 2008 by Avon. Buy it here.

What does a gal have to do to get a good date in this town?

Adele Harris can’t even begin to answer that question. She’s had so many lousy dates that she’s sure she’s cursed. Why else would every man she goes out with suddenly act like he’s lost his mind—and his manners? Adele thought life couldn’t get any more confusing . . . until she learns the marriage of her seemingly Miss Perfect sister is on the rocks. So she goes back to their hometown to give her a shoulder to cry on, only to run smack into Zach Zemaitis . . . the one who got away.

Texans love God, family, and football, though not always in that order

Zach, a former pro star, knows all about football. As for the other two, well, he’s doing his best. But when Adele comes charging back into his life—still all lush curves and beautiful, big blue eyes—he wonders if his best is good enough. After all, he did her wrong. Can a woman with her track record ever really believe that he’s serious this time . . . or is he destined to be another bad date?

Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Book 16) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Paranormal (romance?)/Horror published on May 27, 2007 by Berkley Hardcover. Buy it here.

Jason is a werewolf. He’s also one of Anita Blake’s best friends and sometimes her lover. And right now he needs her – not to be a vampire hunter, or a federal marshal, or a necromancer, but because his father is dying. Anita can make him look like an everyday guy, helping him say good-bye to the abusive father he never loved. The fact that Jason is not ‘everyday’ and Anita is far from being just a pretty woman is something they figure they can keep under wraps for a couple of days in a small town. How hard can that be? Really, by now, Anita Blake should know better. And this is the weekend that Marmee Noir, ancient mother of all vampires, picks to make a move. Somehow she has cut the connection that binds Anita and vampire Master of the City Jean-Claude, leaving them vulnerable. Dangerous even as she sleeps, buried in darkness for a thousand years beneath the old country of Europe, Marmee Noir reaches out toward power – she has attacked Anita before, but never like this. Anita has what she wants – and now she’s going to take it.

Blue Smoke and Murder by Elizabeth Lowell

Romantic suspense published on May 27, 2008 by Harper Collins. Buy it here.

Jill Breck was just doing her job as a river guide when she saved the life of Lane Faroe, son of two of St. Kilda Consulting’s premier operators. But when a string of ominous events—including a mysterious fire that kills her great-aunt and a furor in the Western art world raised by a dozen Breck family paintings—culminates in a threat to her life, Jill reluctantly calls in a favor.

Zach Balfour works part-time as a consultant for St. Kilda. His expertise is gathering and analyzing information from unlikely and often dangerous sources. Though he’s got the skills to be a highly effective bodyguard, being a bullet catcher isn’t his preferred way to spend time.

Protecting Jill will take him into familiar territory—among a strange, savagely competitive bunch of collectors who’ll do anything to stay at the top. But Jill is in deeper waters than she’s ever known; as she soon discovers, the perils of running wild rivers are tame compared with the hidden dangers in the high-stakes game of art collecting.

From the cozy rooms of the Breck homestead cabin to the cold multimillion-dollar galleries of the Western art circuit, Zach and Jill must race against time to unmask a ruthless killer hidden in a blue smoke of money, threats, lies, and death. . . .

Trust Me by Brenda Novak

Romantic suspense published on May 27, 2008 by Mira. Buy it here.

Four years ago…

Skye Kellerman was attacked in her own bed. She managed to fend off her knife-wielding assailant, but the trauma changed everything about her life. As a result of that night, she joined two friends–also survivors–in starting The Last Stand, an organization to help victims of crime.

But now…

Her would-be rapist is getting out of prison. Skye knows that Dr. Oliver Burke hasn’t forgotten that her testimony cost him his reputation–and his freedom. Sacramento detective David Willis, who investigated her case, believes Burke is a clear and present danger–and guilty of at least two unsolved murders. And now Burke is free to terrorize Skye again. Unless David can stop him. Unless Skye can fight back. Because Oliver Burke has every intention of finishing what he started. And that s a promise. Trust me.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Historical romance published on May 27, 2008 by Avon. Buy it here.

Jack Audley has been a highwayman.

A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine . . . until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she’s not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have . . .

Release Me by Farrah Rochon

Contemporary romance published on May 27, 2008 by Dorchester. Buy it here.

When NBA hopeful Tobias Holmes was injured in a car accident, he had to find a new passion. After a couple of false starts, Toby is making a name for himself in the music industry where he gives raw talent a star turn. When his most promising client is chosen to be on a reality TV show, Toby knows exactly where to turn for help.

Sienna Culpepper has spent years convincing herself that Toby will never be able to see her as a woman instead of a childhood friend, and working with him to bring success to his new star has all of those carefully buried feelings starting to surface. It seems almost too good to be true when Toby starts responding to the heat simmering between them. But can Sienna trust his heart to follow where his desire leads?

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