Sunday, April 29, 2018

Royal Anticipations: May 2018




It's already time for a new Royal Anticipation post? Damn it, where did April go?!



This time I've got 25 romances hitting shelves in May -- a combination of ones that I'm dying to read, some that Jen has her eye on, and some that caught my eye. Get those pre-order fingers ready!





April 30th/May 1st:



Lennon Reborn by Scarlett Cole
Contemporary Romance



Why?

✦ Pat loves this series, and Cole's books in general!
✦ Hero was in an accident and is dealing with the consequences from it -- including the loss of his passion and career as a drummer
✦ She's one of the most successful neurosurgeons in the world, dealing with her own things (living in the shadow of an arrogant father, for one)








Playing for Keeps by Alison Packard
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Veteran MLB catcher trying to return to the game after a tragedy
✦ Single mom who "leads a double life" and doesn't want the publicity of dating someone famous
✦ Pat picked this as a L4C today, actually -- it is a lovely cover!
✦ And I have Alison on the blog tomorrow with an interview!









Boardroom Sins by J. Margot Critch
Contemporary Erotica
Novella (~150 pages)



Why?
✦ They were rivals -- with benefits -- in college
✦ Now they're rivals again: she's CEO of her family business, and he's planning a hostile takeover
✦ Except, OOPS, they fall into bed again
✦ Shit, now things are complicated









Tempted by the Billionaire by Therese Beharrie
Contemporary Romance (category)



Why?
✦ Neighbors (close proximity)
✦ Best friend's brother catnip!
✦ Billionaire bad boy
✦ Wait, it gets better -- there's the added complication that she just agreed to be HIS sister's surrogate! (Pregnant heroine)










A San Diego Romance by Kianna Alexander
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Second chance! 'Cause sometimes you just never get over your first love
✦ He's the president of the "Millionaire Moguls"
     ✦ Successful architect
     ✦ Divorced dad of teenage twins
✦ She's successful, about to open a new designer boutique








A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman
Historical Romance



Why?
✦ General who has sacrificed everything to work his way up the ranks now has an offer for Home Secretary
✦ But there's a catch: he must be married
✦ OOPS! He already has a wife (they've lived apart for 10 years, she in France, he devoted to the military)
✦ Now she must return home to play the part of happy, besotted wife
✦ But she never planned on falling for her own husband!







May 7th/8th:


Rogue Hearts by Tamsen Parker
Anthology -- 6 novellas
Contemporary Romance
Pre-Order special price: $0.99!



Why?
✦ Vice President heroine + younger Secret Service agent
✦ Public defender running for state senate + High school nemesis turned campaign advisor
✦ Reporter + journalist
✦ One is a M/M romance
✦ Another is a "heroine returns to her hometown"
✦ I just love all of these anthologies. Highly rec!







An Honorable Seduction by Brenda Jackson
Contemporary Romance (category)



Why?
✦ SEAL hero
✦ "island beauty" heroine
✦ He has to get close to her as part of his team's current mission -- he's not supposed to fall for her though!
✦ That cover is SEXY
✦ Jen and I are both looking forward to this one








Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor by Shira Glassman
F/F Romance -- Superheroine
Novella (~70 pages)



Why?
✦ Bi Jewish superheroine!
✦ Her love interest is "sweet and nerdy"
✦ Rescues her from the bad guys -- can they have a normal date though?
✦ I repeat -- F/F ROMANCE WITH A SUPERHEROINE! 'Nuff said







Simmering Heat by Leora Gonzales
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Class differences -- he's the son of her family's housekeeper
✦ Now he's a firefighter
✦ She's going into nursing
✦ They meet up again at a wedding and hook up











Hooked on You by Kate Meader
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Heroine is left ownership of the hockey team -- alongside her half-sisters
✦ He's the team captain
✦ He's also a recovering alcoholic, so TW for that
✦ Jen has liked this series, including this one, but has some issues with, among other things, just how white this fictional Chicago is.

Find her quick GR review for this one HERE








Burning Up by Jennifer Blackwood
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ This one also caught Jen's eye
✦ Unemployed schoolteacher returns home to Portland
✦ Ends up as a wedding date for her longtime crush -- her brother's best friend
✦ He's a firefighter and single dad










Taking Chase -- Lauren Dane
Contemporary Romance
Re-Release -- Previously a Samhain title



Why?
✦ Another one that Jen's looking forward to
✦ Town sheriff
✦ Heroine hiding something
✦ She was a surgeon in LA, ran away to this small town in Georgia and started over









May 14th/15th:


Pas De Deux by Lynn Turner
Contemporary Romance
Releases on the 11th!



Why?
✦ Heroine of color
✦ She's a prima ballerina (Paris)
✦ Goes to work with the hero, a choreographer
✦ His first musicial is about to open on Broadway and she shouldn't fit the role -- she's too classical for what he needs. And yet . . .
✦ I have it on good authority that these two get some on-page masturbation time. UM, YES PLEASE GIMME!







Stripped by Tara Wyatt
Romantic Suspense



Why?
✦ They had a hot 1NS . . .
✦ . . . Oops, now they're working together as partners on a case
✦ Both are detectives with an elite undercover squad
✦ This time he has to go undercover at a male strip show -- as one of the strippers.
✦ Magic Mike! Yes please!









Blind Trust by Lynda Aicher
Contemporary Erotica -- BDSM



Why?
✦ She's from a country-club upbringing, always expected to be proper and controlled
✦ But she really wants to let go and explore her kinks and fantasies
✦ She's a paralegal
✦ He's her co-worker (and lawyer for the kink club she visits; he's also a member there)








The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles
Historical Adventure / Romance -- M/M



Why?
✦ Disgraced British officer, now a mercenary for hire
✦ Currently hired by the half-brother to the king (he's trying to gain the throne by force)
✦ His love interest is one of the henchmen
✦ A retelling of the Prisoner of Zenda classic










Forged in Ember by Trish McCallan
Romantic Suspense



Why?
✦ Final book in this series, so probably best in order
✦ I think there's a bit of a PNR element to it? Or at least some genetic mutation type of work going on
✦ They killed her husband and injected her kids with an experimental isotope
✦ He's an ex-SEAL commander
✦ He's already out to take down the group and find an antidote (he was injected as well)







Unbreakable Bond by Jess Bryant
Paranormal Romance



Why?
✦ Fated mates -- though she originally thought she would be mated to his brother -- fate had other ideas
✦ She's human, he's a wolf shifter
✦ Alpha who walked away from his pack and duties after an attack that killed his family (and injured him)







No buy links up yet, sorry!




May 21st/22nd:


Down and Dirty by Sabrina Sol
Contemporary Romance / Erotic
Anthology -- 22 Novellas!
Pre-Order special price: $0.99



Why?
✦ "Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play." --- Um, yes please!
✦ Cops
✦ Mechanics
✦ Miners
✦ Brewmasters
✦ SO MANY STORIES IN HERE AND FOR ONLY $1 -- GET IT!



Kindle | NOOK | Kobo




Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Jen and I are both super excited for this one!
✦ 1st POV, I think?
✦ Listen, the title alone is Extreme Catnip
✦ He writes science fiction; nerdy and reclusive
✦ Best friend's little sister catnip as well!
✦ Their fake dating is on a couples getaway (her ex will be there and she can't show up alone)








May 28th/29th:


Riven by Roan Parrish
Contemporary Romance -- M/M



Why?
✦ Rockstar romance!
✦ Lead singer
✦ Guitar player
✦ They're both secretly tired of being in the lime-light
✦ I've enjoyed Roan's previous books, really looking forward to this one. Plus that's an eye-catching cover.










Screwed by Kelly Jamieson
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ This one caught Jen's attention
✦ Off-limits romance -- she's the ex-wife of his best friend
✦ The two are not just friends, but business partners as well
✦ And the big bid they need to win right now? Is with her family's business
✦ So yeah, he reaaaaally shouldn't be screwing things up by, uh, screwing her
✦ But she's tired of her old life and she's determined to go after what she wants -- him







The Bashful Bride by Vanessa Riley
Historical Romance



Why?
✦ Meet-cute: newspaper advertisement for a groom
✦ He's a famous actor
✦ She's a shy heiress
✦ She's secretly loved him
✦ She needs to marry to escape the engagement her family has planned









Wild Hunger by Suzanne Wright
Paranormal Romance



Why?
✦ I've enjoyed previous books from Wright -- always fun and snarky and sexy
✦ She's half-wolf
✦ Only just found out about her wolf side -- a trauma from her past lead to that knowledge being erased and her being raised by humans
✦ He's the enforcer of the pack -- the same pack she should have been part of all along
✦ Fated mates








BONUS!

Okay, really I just forgot about it and by the time I remembered, I already had everything nicely formatted and the graphic done. I don't want to mess with all that again, but I can at least tell you about the book, right?



Making Up by Lucy Parker
Contemporary Romance



Why?
✦ Jen already read and enjoyed this one!
✦ Circus artist heroine
✦ Hero of color!
✦ He's a new hire to the makeup team (he was a special effects genius but things went south there)














Remember, every Tuesday I do a New Release post, with all the romances out that week. Or if Twitter is more your thing, I do the same new release thread there every Tuesday morning. :)



So what May releases are YOU most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!






Enjoy!




Until Next Time,

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