Book Spotlight: The Bonnet Brigade by Christy Matheson

 

She needs a husband. He cannot offer his hand. Together, they may lose everything—or find the future they never dared hope for.

When the fortune supporting Celia Westhaven and her cousins disappears overnight, she knows she must secure their future. The spirited Irishwoman needs an income, a home—and, by necessity, a husband. Since the one gentleman she truly wants insists he cannot marry her, she is prepared to wed anyone willing to provide for her family.

Peter Alcott was preparing to propose to Celia when anonymous threats against his sister changed everything. A former military strategist now entangled in dangerous intelligence work, he cannot risk bringing Celia into his uncertain life. To protect both his sister and the woman who secretly holds his heart, Peter must devise the most important strategy of his life.

As pressure mounts from an increasingly determined suitor, Celia's prospects—and her cousins' futures—grow more precarious by the day. Over tea and iced biscuits, Celia and her cousins form The Bonnet Brigade. With a self-appointed Madam General at the helm, they devise a plan to outmaneuver the London marriage mart before financial ruin strikes—or Celia's unwanted suitor makes his next move.

But as danger closes in and society's expectations tighten their grip, Celia and Peter must decide whether duty demands their sacrifice—or if love is worth risking everything.

Devour The Bonnet Brigade, a swoon-worthy Regency romance perfect for fans of Bridgerton's intrigue and Little Women's sisterly devotion. Featuring a secret spy, determined heroines, found family, and a slow-burn romance that sparks into passion, this charming tale of courage, loyalty, and love will capture your heart.

Praise for The Bonnet Brigade:

"The romantic line has excellent chemistry and tension. The surrounding events and characters create a vivid backdrop. The character building is strong. But what really brings this into 5-star territory for me is the writing, which is outstanding."

~ 5* Amazon Review

"Carefully crafted and well researched, which is refreshing and appreciated."

~ 5* Amazon Review

"The Bonnet Brigade is a wonderfully layered Regency Romance."

~ 5* Amazon Review

 Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/gvo9k1b7s5

 This title is available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

 

Women who solve problems, men who fall first and fall hard… and endings that are more than a sugar rush. 

When Christy Matheson is not throwing ordinary characters into fairy tales, she is busy raising five children. (Very busy.) She writes character-driven historical fiction with and without romance and fantasy elements, and her “fresh, smart, and totally charming” stories have won multiple awards.

Christy is also an embroidery artist, classically trained pianist, and sews all of her own clothes. She lives in Oregon, on a country property that fondly reminds her of a Regency estate (except with a swing set instead of faux Greek ruins), with her husband, five children, three Shelties, one bunny, and an improbable quantity of art supplies.

Author Links:

Website: https://christymatheson.com

Newsletter: https://sendfox.com/ChristyMatheson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091887100897

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christy_matheson_author/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@christy_matheson_author

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/christy-matheson.bsky.social

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christy-matheson

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christy.matheson.author

Amazon Author Page: https://us.amazon.com/stores/Christy-Matheson/author/B0D6J2KRLS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49771827.Christy_Matheson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-matheson-08a77b300/

StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/sonatasbooks

 

If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: The Midnight Carousel (A Forest Falls Frolic) by Hanna Park

 

Belle Stanhope had plans. Good plans. Practical plans.

None of them involved Hudson Carver.

The florist with the crooked smile had become a distraction she neither wanted nor could avoid. Which was inconvenient, considering the Pretty River Inn and the upcoming bachelor auction left little room for distractions.

For years, Hudson had been content with the life he'd built beneath Christmas Mountain. His flower shop, his workshop, and the friends who had become family were more than he'd ever expected. Then he met Belle Stanhope.

As Christmas approaches, the carousel's calliope sings off-key, and the old magic he'd left behind stirs once more. The life he'd built and the life he wants are no longer the same.

In Forest Falls, wishes have a way of finding the people who need them most.

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOBpkA

I began my writing career in the pre-dawn of a winter morning while my husband snored like a train. We could call my husband the catalyst. If it weren’t for him, I would never have gone to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, feed the cat, and sit on the loveseat in front of the fire. It was there, in those moments of wondrous quiet, that I did something I had never thought possible. I opened my laptop, and while the coffee went cold, I wrote a story. My husband had no idea that these sojourns to the loveseat in front of the fire would become a daily occurrence, that writing would become an obsession, but the cat knew. She knows everything.

I write stories that make you laugh, make you cry, and make you love. Thank you, friends, for reading!

In the beginning, there was an empty page.

I am a writer who lives in Muskoka, Canada, with a husband who snores, a hungry cat, and an almost perfect canine––he’s an adorable little shit.

 Social Media Links:

 Website: https://www.hannapark.ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannaparkwrites/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hanna.park.1485537

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hannaparkauthor.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/hanna-park

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Hanna-Park/author/B0999S2RKX

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21418698.Hanna_Park

 

 If you enjoy powerful historical fiction, you’ll love Forgiving Nero. An award‑winning novel of betrayal, survival, and redemption set in ancient Rome. https://books2read.com/u/3GOMvQ

 

 

Book Spotlight: Dragonslayer’s Valkyrie: The Legend of Sigurd and Brynhildr by Jennifer Ivy Walker

 

Last of the Völsung line of kings descended from Odin, Sigurd is one of the elite Sjórúlfar—the fearsome Sea Wolves of southern Norway. Endowed with the divine blood of the wolf, he seeks glory at the Sólhjarta Summer Solstice Tournament to avenge his father’s death.

Brynhildr, daughter of the Raven King, is the Sun Falcon shieldmaiden and gifted seeress who has glimpsed her fate as a Valkyrie in a seiðr vision. When her father decrees she must wed the tournament’s champion, she summons Freyja for guidance—only to learn her future is bound to Sigurd.

As the Norns tighten the intricate threads of fate, Brynhildr must guide Sigurd toward his destiny as a dragonslayer—by defying the web of wyrd and incurring the wrath of Odin.

Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Link (if you have it): https://books2read.com/u/3GBKMQ

 This book is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oINFQczi3XY

 

 Jennifer Ivy Walker has an MA in French literature and is a former high school teacher and professor of French at a state college in Florida. Her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, incorporating her lifelong study, summers abroad, and many trips to France.

 Author Links:

 Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/

Twitter / X: https://x.com/bohemienneivy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-ivy-walker-685b58248/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferivywalker.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferivywalker6412

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-ivy-walker

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferivywalker

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jennifer-Ivy-Walker/author/B0B91R2MJZ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker

 

 If you enjoy powerful historical fiction, you’ll love Forgiving Nero. An award‑winning novel of betrayal, survival, and redemption set in ancient Rome. https://books2read.com/u/3GOMvQ

 

 

Book Spotlight: Fearless Hearts Forbidden Love by Anthea Laurelton

 

To save her city, she must risk her life.

To fulfil his oath, he must harden his heart.

Together, they stand to lose everything.

Spartan warrior, Diokles, has waited years for the opportunity to right a failure that torments his heart and integrity. Sent to hunt down a threat to Sparta, this campaign may be his final chance to restore his honour and uncover the traitor whose actions blighted his life. Success is at his fingertips, but when duty forces him to take an unwilling accomplice, his plans are challenged in ways he never foresaw.

Leandra, high priestess of Apollysis, stands at the edge of revelation and ruin. Haunted by fragments of a forgotten past, she alone can uncover the truth that will save her city. To do so, she must wear the fabled Coronet of Apollo, a sacred act that could cost her life.

Bound together by necessity and desire, captor and captive race into danger the closer they draw to the shrine of Apollo. With a relentless enemy closing in, one who seeks Diokles dead and Leandra for himself, their growing passion becomes both their greatest strength and their most perilous weakness.

In a time where prophecy, honour, and blood rule, love was never part of the plan.

An epic historical adventure romance of bravery, betrayal, and forbidden desire.

Fully edited, revised version of 'SpartanQuest - Salvation' with extra scenes.

 

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: http://www.books2read.com/HeartsofSparta-1

Anthea Laurelton writes sweeping romances inspired by Ancient Sparta and Greek mythology. Her stories combine historical elements, forbidden love, dangerous quests and emotionally complex heroines for readers of mythological and historical fantasy.

A fan of sword and sandal movies, her plots blend slow-burn romance, dangerous quests, warrior culture and family intrigue for readers who crave epic adventures. Falling in love with Greek mythology at the age of thirteen, her love of the Spartans especially, came after reading Roger Lancelyn Green's THE TALE OF TROY where she cheered on Menelaus to take his queen back!

She left a career in IT to pursue her passion for storytelling and pander to an extremely spoilt German Shepherd whom she refers to as 'The Muse'.

A former equestrian, Anthea enjoys keeping active and has a bucket list of travel destinations waiting to be fulfilled.

Author Links:

Website: www.anthealaurelton.com

Twitter / X: https://x.com/AntheaLaurelton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntheaLaurelton/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthealaureltonauthor/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/anthealaurelton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18937882.Anthea_Laurelton

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: Queen of Shadows by Anna Belfrage

 

She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun

Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.

When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor.

Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.

Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?

Based on the true story of Alfonso XI and his complicated relationships to wife and life-long mistress 

 

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://myBook.to/QofS

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as two equally acclaimed medieval series; The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel Times of Turmoil, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .

 All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

 “A master storyteller” “This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com where you will also find her post about Alfonso and Leonor:

Author Links:

Website: www.annabelfrage.com

X: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abelfrageauthor.bsky.social

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage

Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG      

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage

  

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

 

Book Spotlight: No Ordinary June by L. N. Jacobs

Miss June Fairmont, second daughter to Baronet Fairmont, believes in true love. Gregory Kendall, Earl of Kendall, believes in practical arrangements.

One dance. That's all it took for Gregory to decide June would make an adequate Countess of Kendall. The next morning, she overhears him presenting her father with a marriage proposal—complete with a list evaluating her suitability. When she bursts into her father's study, fury barely contained, Gregory has the audacity to look amused. Worse, he offers a wager. He'll give her one Season to find her perfect romantic match. When she inevitably fails to find this "true love"—and he's clearly certain she will—she'll accept his practical proposal.

June agrees instantly—let him watch her prove that love conquers logic. But Gregory proves an insufferable shadow throughout her Season, offering his pragmatic assessment of every swooning poet and debt-ridden rake. Somewhere between his dry observations and brutal honesty, June makes a horrifying discovery: she's starting to enjoy his company. His wit makes her laugh. That insufferable smirk becomes almost... attractive.

One Season. One wager. And a growing suspicion that the real danger isn't losing the bet—it's winning it.

Filled with sharp banter, a wager that changes everything, swoony kisses, and one insufferably pragmatic earl, "No Ordinary June" is the witty Regency romance you've been waiting for. A closed-door enemies-to-lovers where the tension is in every glance, and the slow burn will leave you breathless.

Universal Buy Link:

https://buy.bookfunnel.com/3omi96e7xi

 

L. N. Jacobs is an Italian paediatrician living in Sweden, where she's perfected the art of balancing hospital shifts, family chaos, and an unhealthy obsession with happy endings.

By day, she wrangles tiny patients and their worried parents. By night (and early mornings, and lunch breaks), she writes emotional romances about imperfect people finding love in the messiest, most unexpected ways.

Her stories blend the high-stakes drama of medical life with sizzling chemistry, sharp banter, and characters who feel like friends you'd text at 2 AM. Think ER meets happily-ever-after, with a hefty dose of wit and a side of Swedish fika.

When she's not writing or saving lives, you'll find her devouring romance novels, hoarding chocolate like it's currency, plotting her next adventure, or convincing her family that "just one more chapter" is a valid excuse for everything.

L. N. Jacobs writes the kind of love stories that make you laugh, swoon, and believe that even the most guarded hearts can find their home.

Social Media Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luby.writes.books/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/luby-writes-books.bsky.social

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@luby.writes.books

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FMG2XRRF

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58168706.L_N_Jacobs

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: What the Ocean Brings by Tonya Ulynn Brown

Quebec, Canada, 1847.

While trying to escape the Potato Famine, shipwrecked Irish immigrant Breanna Clarey awakens injured and alone on an unfamiliar beach. To make matters worse, she has been separated from her family, and her friend, Crow, is lying dead at her feet. But when Dawson Roberts, a reclusive fisherman with a guarded past and big dreams for his future, finds Breanna, he puts his plans on hold to offer her shelter and help find her family.

But life for an Irish immigrant isn't easy. Facing a deadly quarantine station, dangerous immigration officials, and grief over her missing family, Breanna struggles to exert her independence and navigate her new world. While Breanna confronts an unknown future, Dawson is plagued by a painful past. They each must determine their own course, even if it means ignoring the pull they have on each other.

When the future takes an unexpected turn, only the ocean that has brought them so much devastation can help them find their way back to where they belong.

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYjg2G 

Tonya Ulynn Brown is an award-winning historical romance author who writes emotionally rich tales of ancient castles, treacherous plots, and forbidden love. With a deep passion for the turbulent histories of England and Scotland, she brings the past vividly to life through stories where danger and desire walk hand in hand.

Tonya holds a master’s degree and teaches Reading and Writing at the elementary level. Fueled by iced coffees, beautiful books, and an enduring obsession with Mary, Queen of Scots, she fills her days writing, teaching, and researching the lives of long-dead monarchs and other historical figures. Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband, two sons, and one very spoiled French bulldog.

Author Links:

Website: www.tonyaubrown.com

Twitter / X: www.twitter.com/MrsBrownee2U

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonyaubrown

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonyaubrown

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tonyaulynnbrown/what-the-ocean-brings/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tonya-ulynn-brown

Threads: www.threads.com/tonyaubrown

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonyaubrown

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tonya-Ulynn-Brown/author/B08B6C9VFD

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20396608.Tonya_Ulynn_Brown

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: That Catskill Summer by Bart A. Charlow

He wrote the book he lived. Now she wants to rewrite the ending.

For fans of the 1960s Catskills era of Dirty Dancing, this is a very different kind of love story.

Author Aaron Ben-Ami’s steamy novel, based on a failed youthful love affair in the "Summer of Love" Borscht Belt, is a sensation. Love was easy to come by in the resort culture of the early sexual revolution, but not so easy to keep. Now, as his story is being made into a movie starring Isobel “Izzy” Sandler, the past and present are about to collide.

Ironically, it was a chance meeting with Izzy that inspired Aaron to write the book in the first place—she was his muse. But as they grow close during filming, Izzy discovers the raw truth behind the fiction. She is the granddaughter of Elyse, the real woman who modeled for the novel’s lead—and Aaron's greatest "what if".

Set against the richly textured backdrop of a disappearing American era, That Catskill Summer is a story of what we miss in the moment and what stays with us long after. It is a journey through the humor, the heat, and the heartbreak of youth, told through the reflective eyes of someone who survived it.

Perfect for readers of emotionally rich, time-layered fiction who value reflection over resolution – and those who believe that a single summer can define a lifetime.

 

Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bx2ZE6

 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-catskill-summer-bart-charlow/1149767644?ean=9798256302627 

 Amazon US Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/That-Catskill-Summer-Lived-Love/dp/B0GV3P1RBL/

 

 

Bart A. Charlow is an author, consultant, and retired therapist whose writing explores the intricate intersections of memory, legacy, and the human heart. With over 45 years as a visual artist and photographer, Bart brings a painterly eye to his prose, capturing the atmospheric beauty and lingering shadows of the people and places that shape us.

Born into the carnival life of a Borscht Belt Catskills hotel family, he has never let the ordinary constrain him.

His first book, A Catskill Carnival: My Borscht Belt Life Lived, Lost and Loved, is a memoir of his early years in a unique setting, coming to terms with it and cherishing its life lessons. Pickle Barrel Tales: More Borscht Belt BS is the companion book of over 50 wry vignettes from several “mountain rats”.

 A true son of the Catskills, Bart’s deep connection to the "Borscht Belt" Dirty Dancing era serves as the foundation for his storytelling. His novels delve into the complex emotional landscapes of mature characters, often focusing on the ways the past refuses to stay buried and how new love must contend with old ghosts. His latest series is “Lived-In Love^TM”, dedicated to telling realistic relationship stories with deep emotional connections, not the usual tropes.

 Whether through a camera lens, a paintbrush, or the written word, Bart is dedicated to capturing the "circus of memories" that defines the mature experience.

 He writes a regular column, “Bart on Art”, for The San Mateo Daily Journal.

 Bart has been a favored speaker on TV, radio and in print media for decades and is recognized for his service in the United States Congressional Record.

Among honors he holds is the Jefferson Award for his community leadership and service.

He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, grown children and grandchildren.

 Author Links:

 Website: www.bartcharlow.com/writing

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579380382162

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartcharlowauthor/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/BART-CHARLOW/author/B0CMZJVBDR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/46634582.Bart_A_Charlow

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

 

 

 

Book Spotlight: Rescued by the Rakish Lord by Sarah Mallory

 

A forced proximity, high society romance set in the late Georgian era

A man of such dubious reputation…

that he was called Devil Blackbourne!

When Lord Deveril Blackbourne meets Selina Wynter, he is intrigued. For she has all the accomplishments of a lady, but the fiery temper and spirit of a tavern maid! Then she is abducted by a dastardly suitor, and Deveril—for all his roguish reputation— can’t stand idly by…

Lord Deveril is Selina’s least likely rescuer, but when they’re stranded together in a snowstorm and her reputation is at risk, he surprises her with a gallant proposal! Deveril’s no honourable suitor, yet his actions say otherwise…

Just who is the real Devil Blackbourne? Selina’s determined to find out!

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RE7wx

 

Sarah Mallory is an award-winning author who has published more than 40 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon. She loves history, especially the Georgian and Regency. She won the prestigious RoNA Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013 and nominated in 2022. She also won the RNA’s Romantic Historical Novel Award in 2024 for The Night She Met the Duke.

Sarah also writes romantic historical adventures as Melinda Hammond. She was born in the West Country but lived for many years on the Yorkshire Pennines, taking inspiration from the wild and rugged moors. Then in 2018 she fell in love with Scotland and ran away to live on the rugged North West Coast, which is proving even more inspiring!

 Author Links:

 Websites: www.sarahmallory.com / www.melindahammond.com

Twitter / X:   https://x.com/SarahMRomance

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/melinda.hammond.77

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/sarahmallory21/

Bluesky:   https://bsky.app/profile/sarahmallory.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sarah-Mallory/author/B0034OAJ3W

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1415302.Sarah_Mallory

 

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY