Weekly Spotlight - June Anticipated Releases

 

Tempting Venom

From New York Times bestselling author Rina Kent comes a nail-biting MM dark romance between two hockey rivals.

When two ruthless enemies collide.

My name is Preston Armstrong, and I’m the most depraved bastard you’ll ever meet.
I take what I want, ruin what I don’t, and live exactly how I please.
That is, until I crash into the force of nature that is Marcus Osborn.
Captain of our rival hockey team, and the perpetual thorn in my side.
A migraine in human form and the one person who refuses to play by my rules.

He’s my brand of heartless and just as deranged.

I set out to crush him, his career, and his infuriatingly gorgeous face.
But Marcus hits back with equal force, turning our rivalry into a violent, addictive dance neither of us can walk away from.
We were supposed to annihilate each other.

Instead, we spark a fire that threatens to devour everything in its path.
In this battle of two unhinged souls, our bodies become collateral damage.

But I never expected our stone-cold hearts to get involved.

Tempting Venom is a male x male college romance. While this book can be read on its own, for a better understanding of the world, it's recommended to read Beautiful Venom & Sweet Venom first.

Get it Here

 

White Lights

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Kate, whose Fallen series has over 10 million copies in print and has sold over 11 million copies of her novels around the world, is returning to the romantasy world of angels that's perfect for Fallen fans and new audiences alike.

When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.

Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line.

Get it Here

 

The River She Became

A high stakes, action-packed romantasy from bestselling author Emily Varga where a relic-hunter searches for an ancient fae object to restore the magic to her world, but must learn to trust her own powers—and her heart.

This limited luxe edition features gorgeous foil design on the cover and case, a dazzling edge and interior page design and an exclusive map—available while supplies last!

I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.

Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.

Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.

With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.

To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of losing their heart to each other.

Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Mummy, this thrilling start to a new fantasy duology bursts with dangerous romance, heart-stopping twists, and a heroine who dares to steal back her future.

Get it Here

June Reading Challenge

 

Let's get reading! June Reading challenge is here!  

Here is a list of books to help you get started:

One Worded Title:

Lick by Kylie Scott

Cinder by Marissa Meyers

Circe by Madeline Miller

 

Historical Mystery:
Rules for Murder by Mimi Matthews

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

We welcome you to comment with your suggestions and tell us which bingo spot you’re most excited about this month!

Look Before You Leap

 

Look Before You Leap
by Virginia Heath
 
Book: Miss Prentice's Protegees #2
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Genre: Romance, Historical, Regency, Adult
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington, was publicly humiliated when a reckless romantic gesture went very wrong. Despite that, his mother held tight to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching that milestone birthday, there’s not a grandchild in sight. His heart now lies with his land and work is his life. In desperation, his mother decides that if he refuses to venture back into society to find her future daughter-in-law, the only solution is to bring society to him via a weeklong houseparty so that she can find one for him. The first Guy knows about her plan is when her hand-picked gaggle of debutantes arrive at his estate, all competing to be his wife.

After failing miserably as a governess, Lottie Travers isn’t proving to be any better at being a lady’s companion. As the only girl in an all-male household growing up, she’s developed several bad habits she can’t shake and keep getting her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings, Lottie still climbs a tree better than she embroiders, and still cannot seem to curb the desire to gallop astride a horse in breeches whenever an opportunity arises. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages to keep it afloat, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all and concentrate on her career.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one that catches Guy’s eye, as much as he tries to deny it. And succeeding in her new role is easier said than done for Lottie when the Wennington Estate is filled with horses and she can’t help but feel a spark around the grumpy Lord. By the end of the week, will the two of them remain stuck in their ways, or will they learn that they may just be the perfect match?

 
My Review: Meh.

This was just okay. I didn't love it but I didn't exactly hate it either. It's one of those books that you just pick up to read when there isn't anything else at the moment. 

Lottie is an alright character. She is rebellious in her need for riding horses. It's her way to feel free in a way. Which isn't a bad thing. When she is caught coming back in after sneaking out and dragging mud inside with her, she quickly throws in a few lies and promises to be better. Miss P seems to sympathize for her and pretty much lets it slide.

When she gets back to her room though, the girls are not happy. Frankly, I didn't like them. They act like they have a say over her and her life and wont be her friends anymore if she doesn't promise to stop going out for rides.

Then it jumps into Lottie's life a little bit after the fact. Her family is in need, she is failing at her roles and things aren't exactly going well. While she wants to go out for a ride, she shouldn't as she is currently about to get ready for her friend's wedding and doesn't want to take the day from her or ruin it by grieving out her troubles. 

The book is pretty much the same pace throughout. A bit slow for me. Didn't really get pulled into the book but its probably just fine for someone who is more into this style of regency romance. I'm used to a regency romance giving me way more and this was just too light a read for me.

Didn't hate the book, but I don't see myself jumping for the next book in the series. A good read in between book but nothing super exciting for me.

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪

Interview with Author Alisa Goodwin Snell

What inspired you to write this book?

After more than 30 years working with singles as both a marriage and family therapist and dating coach, I kept seeing the same painful patterns repeat themselves. Many good people were struggling in dating not because they lacked value, but because they lacked understanding of the techniques and behaviors that create healthy connection early on.

I wanted to create something practical, clear, and empowering that helps people stop feeling confused and start recognizing what actually builds mutual investment and real connection.

What does “good dating technique” actually look like in practice?

Good dating technique is about clarity, emotional awareness, pacing, communication, and observing behavior patterns instead of getting swept away by chemistry alone.

It means understanding how to build connection intentionally while also recognizing red flags, emotional imbalance, unhealthy attachment, or one-sided investment early enough to avoid unnecessary heartbreak.

What patterns do you see repeatedly among people who are single?

One of the biggest patterns is confusion during the early stages of dating. People often mistake attraction for compatibility or move too quickly emotionally before trust and consistency are established.

I also see many people over-giving, over-analyzing, or unintentionally abandoning their own standards because they fear losing connection.

What advice would you give someone who feels burned out by dating?

Slow down and reconnect with clarity instead of pressure.

Burnout often happens when people continue repeating dating experiences without understanding what is actually happening emotionally and behaviorally underneath the surface.

Dating becomes healthier when people stop chasing validation and start observing consistency, effort, communication, and emotional safety.

What kind of transformation do you hope readers experience after finishing the book?

I hope readers walk away feeling calmer, clearer, and more confident.

I want them to understand that healthy dating is not about playing games or becoming someone else. It’s about recognizing patterns, making wiser decisions, and building relationships from a place of clarity rather than fear or confusion.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Readers can learn more through:

• Amazon Author Page
• Goodreads
• Lasting Love Academy
• Instagram and Facebook under Lasting Love Academy

 

Want an ARC?

Interested in receiving an ARC of this book (or women's version) or participate in a promotional opportunity for the book? Signup here!

Lucy Kline, Necromancer

 

Lucy Kline, Necromancer
by Tom O'Donnell
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: September, 22, 2026
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
For fans of Supernatural and true crime, Lucy Kline, Necromancer brings back the dead with a perfect blend of humor and heart.

It’s been two years since Lucy’s twin sister was presumed dead. As the only person who knew about Louisa’s plan to sneak out on the night she was killed, Lucy still feels responsible for her sister’s grim fate—despite the fact that it was Lucy who eventually cracked the case, putting Louisa’s killer in jail.

Or so she thought.

When another girl who looks just like Louisa goes missing under similarly mysterious circumstances, and ghostly dreams begin to plague Lucy, she throws herself back into the investigation. The more clues she uncovers, the more her nightmares bleed into reality. And signs start to point to the necromancy.

With the help of her classmate Howie and a retired medieval history professor, Lucy must find the culprit behind these disappearances and finally come to terms with the grief that’s haunted her for years.
 

My Review: This book was a love/hate situation for me.
 
I loved the title and bio. I love a good necromancer book, and this book was very promising.
 
At first, I didn’t really love the book. The pace was slow that it bordered boring. The character development wasn’t really there and I couldn’t stand Lucy. Sure, she lost her twin sister and that can change a person. But after so long, it almost came off as if she isn’t done grieving nor able to move on enough in her life and it doesn’t make her look that great. The constant moodiness, attitude, etc. wasn’t something I was caring for but then again, being that it’s YA may have a part to play in that since YA is very hit or miss for me these days.

HOWEVER.

Despite all that, yes, if you push through it, the book finally becomes what I’ve been waiting for and couldn’t put it down.
 
Roughly around the halfway mark is when things really picked up and sucked me in. 
 
Lucy and Howie are getting deeper into this case. Believing that what should sound crazy isn't crazy after all. Creating a pentacle for herself, Lucy found it to be helpful that night. 
 
They keep on with everything and start to believe that the real person behind it all was brought back to life and taking these girls and controlling their spirits. 
 
Everything is starting to move faster, the more that happens to move you want speed ahead to see what happens it truly grips you. Lucy and Howie are characters that time some getting used to and I'm glad there was character growth, least for Lucy cause she was difficult at first.

The ending was relieving in a way. The person behind it all is no gone. They are able to properly bury Lucy's sister and her family is starting to come back together. Lucy made some good friends and all seems to be moving forward now.

After pushing though, this book is certainly worth the read. What I will say is don't go in with the hope of heavy necromancer use. It doesn't go into more until closer to the end, but even then it's not as much as I would've liked to see but overall still a good read for YA.

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪

Weekly Spotlight - Books Set on an Island

 

Circe

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--neither powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power: the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.

Get it Here

 

 

And Then There Were None

First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common, we find out, is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion:

"Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none."

When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.

Get it Here

 

Half-Light Harbor

I went to Scotland looking for answers about my past. The last thing I expected was getting trapped on a private island with my stoic, brooding, gorgeous contractor.

Ramsay McRae is a man with secrets. He prefers the company of his dog to people and silence to any semblance of politeness. He says I’m too young, too sweet, too innocent.

Only he doesn’t know the truth. That I’m haunted by a crime that tore my life apart two years ago. I’ve come to Half-Light Harbor not just to start over, but to bring the monster who killed my parents to justice.

The last thing I need is a tortured Scot distracting me from my mission. But when his restraint snaps and my walls crumble, the results are explosive.

We say it’s only a no-strings-attached affair. A temporary moment to burn out this fire between us.

However, when my search for the truth brings danger to my door, it’s Ramsay stepping in to protect me. But it might be the secrets from his past that tear us apart forever…

Get it Here

 

Perfect Ruin

On the floating city, you can be anything you dream - a novelist or a singer, a florist or a factory worker... Your life is yours to embrace or to squander. There's only one rule: you don't approach THE EDGE. If you do, it's already over.

Morgan Stockhour knows getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though her older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. There’s too much for her at home: her parents, best friend Pen, and her betrothed, Basil. Her life is ordinary and safe, even if she sometimes does wonder about the ground and why it’s forbidden.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially once she meets Judas. Betrothed to the victim, Judas is being blamed for the murder, but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find—or whom she will lose.

Get it Here

White Lights

White Lights
by Lauren Kate
 
Book: White Lights #1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Genre: Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Kate, whose Fallen series has over 10 million copies in print and has sold over 11 million copies of her novels around the world, is returning to the romantasy world of angels that's perfect for Fallen fans and new audiences alike.

When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.

Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line. 

 

My Review: It's been a while since I've read Lauren's books but it's still just as wonderful as before, now just more adult.

Dez is just going about her night. Closing shift of the dairy barn that her uncle owns. Which is good, because she isn't the greatest employee in the world but least now she has made enough to apply for the film school she wants and will soon be out of there hopefully. 

What's usually a normal closing shift for Dez has now become a nightmare. Her brother at door to be let in, then some guy in a mask right behind him to rob them, then to an accident that left her brother in the ICU. The worst part of it all? No one can find proof of this masked guy and they are shifting the blame to her.  

Then out of no where the guy she ran into is now at the hospital. Giving her a letter to a film school, one that is even better than she could have though of and she would be able to go chase her dreams. 

The catch is, she might either accept and leave tonight or miss her only chance. So she makes a choice and takes this chance, only for it to not be exactly as she was told and there is more to this school than they want to let you believe. 

I really enjoyed this book a lot. There were moments it was a little slow and dull for me, but the pace, details and characters were done well. Though, for me, Dez took a smidge to liking but in the end ends up being one of my favorites. 

There is a lot of lust, especially in the start and while it wasn't bad, it was a bit too much for a pretty early start of the book and well it didn't really need it. 

It was so exciting to jump back into this world again and I'm on the edge of my seat just waiting for the next book!

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

Why Book Reviews Matter for Authors

 

In today’s crowded world, visibility matters more than ever. Readers are discovering new books every day, but with thousands of titles competing for attention, how can authors stand out? One of the most effective tools for building credibility and attracting readers is book reviews.

At Lovely Reads Press, we help authors connect with readers through honest, engaging, and impactful book reviews designed to increase exposure and build trust with potential buyers.

Reviews Build Reader Confidence

Readers rely heavily on reviews before purchasing a book. Whether they’re browsing online retailers, social media, or book blogs, reviews help readers decide if a book is worth their time and money.

A thoughtful review can:

• Highlight your book’s strengths
• Showcase your writing style
• Generate excitement around your release
• Encourage more readers to give your book a chance

Increase Your Book’s Visibility

The more reviews your book receives, the more opportunities it has to gain traction online. Reviews can help improve visibility across platforms while also creating shareable content for your marketing strategy.

At Lovely Reads Press, our reviews are designed to help authors:

• Reach new audiences
• Gain authentic reader feedback
• Build social proof
• Strengthen long-term marketing efforts

Why Authors Choose Lovely Reads Press

We understand that every book deserves thoughtful promotion. Our team works closely with authors to create promotional opportunities that feel genuine, reader-focused, and engaging.

Whether you’re launching your debut novel or promoting your latest release, our book reviews can help amplify your voice and connect your story with the right audience.

Ready to get your book noticed? Contact Lovely Reads Press today and let us help bring your book to more readers.