A Killer's Target - Dana R. Lynn (LIS #1264 - Aug 2026)

Series: Amish Country Danger (Book 2)
 
Taking refuge in Amish country
may be her only chance to survive…
 
After nearly being kidnapped at a crime scene, forensic photographer Leila Britton discovers that the serial killer who murdered her twin sister has resurfaced—with Leila as his next intended victim. With her life and her daughter's future at stake, Leila must place her trust in Lieutenant Brett Talbot to protect them. But danger follows them relentlessly, forcing them to seek refuge deep in Amish country. However, safety is fleeting, and the killer seems to know every step she takes. Can Leila and Brett unmask the killer before he fulfills his ultimate goal—and Leila runs out of places to hide?
 
Terrific story with an intensity that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Leila is a forensic photographer. She loved photography as a teen, and when her twin died at the hands of a serial killer, she turned that passion into a career. As the story opens, Leila is called to document the crime scene. She's terrified when she realizes that this murder has the same characteristics as her sister's, a feeling reinforced when she is attacked at the scene.
 
Brett chose a life of service after surviving a traumatic childhood. He's devoted his life to protecting those who need it, while remaining emotionally distant. But there is something about Leila that gets past his walls.
 
I enjoyed seeing Brett and Leila's relationship develop. Leila learns that it is okay to lean on Brett's strength and still maintain her independence. Brett realizes that real love does exist, despite what he experienced as a child. I loved watching them together. Brett's protectiveness toward Leila and her daughter, Evie, was sweet, and I loved how Evie took to him right away. I liked how Brett gave Leila the space she needed at the end to process everything she'd been through. The birthday party scene at the end was adorable.
 
The action and suspense of the story were intense from the get-go. We know that Leila is the target right from the beginning. It seems that no matter what they do, the killer keeps finding them. Car chases, fires, and additional murders keep the intensity high as Brett and Leila try to identify the killer. A twist at the end blew a hole in my theory of who it was, with a final confrontation that had me glued to the pages until it was over. 

To Love a Lyon - Matilda Madison (Dragonblade - Feb 2026)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 106)
 
Love is always a gamble.
 
Louisa Babcock is determined to return a cursed brooch that has plagued her family for two generations. Having lost both her parents, she and her sister Kitty reside with their impoverished, albeit titled Uncle Malcom in London. Without any prospects, Louisa believes that once the brooch is returned, she and her sister will be free to live their lives in peace.
 
And the Widow of Whitehall, touched by the young woman's honesty, knows just how to repay her.
 
Lieutenant Rhys Carlyle must marry. Having returned to England as a hero from the Napoleonic wars, Rhys is set to be honored with the Order of Bath. It's rumored that the queen herself hopes to see the lieutenant married quickly, to inspire the prince regent to find his royal bride. Thus, Rhys has come to the Lyon's Den seeking to discuss what he wants in a spouse, but things quickly get out of hand.
 
When the former soldier wins a game of chance, he's rewarded with the beautiful, impoverished Louisa as a wife. Now, faced with a wayward sister, a crumbling estate, and a deceitful peer, can Louisa and Rhys learn to trust one another enough to find their happily ever after?
 
Short and sweet story. Louisa believes an inherited brooch is cursed and wants to return it to its rightful owner, Mrs. Dove-Lyon. Only then will she and her sister have the lives they want. The last thing she expected was for Mrs. Dove-Lyon to find her a husband.
 
Rhys Carlyle, a distant relation of Mrs. Dove-Lyon, goes to her for help. Hailed as a returning hero from the war, Rhys is expected to marry quickly, but he has challenges. The estate he bought with his award money is in poor shape, and he is almost completely deaf due to a war injury. Mrs Dove-Lyon inveigles him into a game of chance, and the prize is Louisa.
 
I liked Rhys and Louisa. Louisa is somewhat naïve and lacks self-confidence, but she is kind and practical. She adapts quickly to Rhys's handicap and doesn't look down on him because of it. Rhys is less interested in the social whirl than in making his new home a success and providing for those around him. I enjoyed seeing how they worked together.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. They start as friends and partners in bringing his new home back to life. I loved Rhys's confidence in her ability to do what was needed, and how that confidence helped Louisa grow into the position. Rhys was also very attracted to Louisa and was very patient while waiting for her to feel the same. Louisa took a while to understand the feelings that Rhys aroused, but once she did, she was all in.
 
There was a bit of excitement near the end when Louisa's sister showed up with the man she was eloping with. Rhys and Louisa were quite suspicious of the man's motives. I enjoyed their teamwork as they put their suspicions to the test. I wasn't surprised by the outcome. 

The Duke's Blade - C.H. Admirand (Dragonblade - May 2026)

Series: The Duke's Guard (Book 16)
 
Fenton Flaherty meets his destiny in the Mermaid's Glass tavern…
 
He has no intention of marrying until sees the raven-haired, curvaceous, blue-eyed beauty serving ale in the tavern. He pours on the legendary Flaherty charm. She ignores him, smiling at one of the wreckers. Stunned by the snub, and her preference for a man known to kill to claim a floundering ship's cargo, he speaks without thinking, inadvertently impugning her honor.
 
Smuggler's daughter Eileen Doonan doesn't know how to react to Flaherty's charm…
 
Eileen's apple shape once made her a target, until she developed generous curves. The night an auburn-haired, blue-eyed giant strides into the tavern where she works changes everything. She doesn't know how to respond to his flirtation, and ignores him to smile at one of the patrons. Unfortunately, he is a wrecker, someone she normally avoids. When gossip and innuendo ensues, she blames Flaherty.
 
On the beach during a thunderstorm, while aiding her father, she glances up to see a man running for his life and watches him jump off the cliffs into the sea. When he surfaces and smashes face-first into the rocks, she dives into the storm-tossed waves to rescue him.
 
Between the rumors, and his worry that someone will see her on the beach with her clothing plastered to her body, her father insists Flaherty marry her to save her reputation. At first she refuses, until Flaherty apologizes with a kiss that burns hotter than their passionate dislike for one another. A kiss that changes everything!
 
But a sharpshooter lies in wait for him, and news of Flaherty's disappearance changes to the news that he has been shot and feared dead!
 
Will it take the death of the man who, when made aware of his grievous error, offers the protection of his name, his strength, his honor, and his heart before she realizes that Flaherty was the only man who truly valued her for what is inside of her, and not just her curves?
 
Danger stalks in the night, but it will have to get past The Duke's Blade before he will let harm come to those he has sworn to protect with his strength, his heart, and his honor.
 
Terrific finale to the Duke's Guard series. Fenton Flaherty is the last of the Duke's Guard to be unmarried. He intends to stay single until he meets the feisty Eileen serving ale in her father's tavern. Eileen doesn't know what to do when he deploys his famous Irish charm, and turns away from him. Unused to being ignored, Fenton's pride causes him to say things that inadvertently tarnish her reputation. That doesn't stop her from rescuing him when he dives into the ocean to escape an attacker.
 
The rescue raises a whole host of problems. Not only is Fenton responsible for the unsavory rumors about Eileen, but now he has seen her with her clothing plastered to her body. Her father insists that the only thing to do is for Fenton and Eileen to marry. Independent Eileen resists the idea until a scorching kiss convinces her. But Fate throws a few roadblocks in the way before either is ready to admit their feelings.
 
Fenton and O'Malley are charged with ending the smuggling and wrecker activity on the Duke's property. The attacks on Fenton are intended to halt their investigation. The suspense is intense, with plenty of twists to keep me hooked - faked death, deals with smugglers, kidnapping, and lots of action to keep me turning the pages. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as Fenton and O'Malley raced to rescue Eileen.
 
I love the closeness of the brothers and cousins as they work together and support each other. I laughed out loud when Fenton's brothers showed up and gave him a hard time when he couldn't respond. I adored the way the wives quickly made Eileen part of their group. It's always fun to see these feisty and independent women go up against their husbands. One of my favorite parts was the epilogues, which showed their lives later. I found it hilarious that so many of the Duke's Guard end up as fathers to daughters, and this one was no exception. I'd love to see a next-generation series that follows these men as they deal with their daughters' love lives. 

 

Deadly Security Breach - Katie Mettner (HI #2335 - Jan 2026)

Series: Secure Watch (Book 3)
 
A deadly global threat
Locks two women in a race against time
 
When Iris Knowles is recruited to restore a hacked computer system, she's afraid the traumatic brain injury that compromised her vision will keep her from completing the job she was trained to do. But the cybersecurity expert's first sight of scientist Rebecca Roth instantly quells her fears, and sparks fly between the two of them. Iris and Bec both share a similar feeling of not belonging anywhere, and must now work together on a life-and-death mission. Can the two women help each other overcome their fears and stop a deadly virus from destroying humankind?
 
Good book that kept me hooked from start to finish. The theme of a virus in the wrong hands is all too believable these days, which adds to the intensity. The premise is that someone has acquired samples of a deadly virus and hacked the lab's computer, destroying what progress there was in creating a vaccine for it. The lab contacts Secure Watch to arrange for someone to restore the computer.
 
That person is Iris. She is one of several neurodivergent operatives with Secure Watch. A traumatic brain injury when she was a child left her with vision problems, a tendency for panic attacks, and a belief that she's broken. She feels safe and confident within the walls of Secure Watch, and very nervous when in the outside world. Working and staying at the lab has her on edge.
 
Scientist Rebecca Roth was close to a breakthrough on the vaccine. She knows exactly how deadly the virus is. Raised Amish, she left the community to pursue her love of science and acceptance of her sexuality. She devotes herself to her work.
 
The suspense of the story was fantastic. The book was a race against time for Bec and Iris to rebuild the vaccine while other Watch members work to find the missing virus before it can be sold. The suspense kept me glued to the pages as I anxiously followed their progress and setbacks. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with a twist that surprised me,
 
I enjoyed the development of Bec and Iris's relationship. This was a case of love at first sight, but they never allowed their feelings to take priority over their mission. Bec's empathy with Iris enabled her to provide the support and care she needed to build self-confidence outside her profession. I loved how Iris felt she could be completely herself around Bec without worrying about doing or saying the wrong thing. There were some rough moments at the end as they wondered how to make a life together while continuing their work. I liked the way it turned out.

 

The Lyon Won't Lose - Dayna Quince (Dragonblade - Dec 2025)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 102)
 
A masked heiress. A desperate guardian. One game to win it all.
 
Tristan Chase is a man with everything to lose. Working for the mysterious Widow of Whitehall, Tristan must navigate the treacherous world of the Lyon’s Den to pay off his late brother’s debt, reclaim his family home, and reunite with his younger siblings. But when Tristan discovers that Miss Smith, the gentle nurse he’s fallen for is an heiress in hiding, he knows he can never have her.
 
Miss Felicity Brandon is desperate to escape a dangerous past. Under the protection of the Widow of Whitehall, Felicity must choose a suitor to marry, but secretly she wants only Tristan Chase, the one man she can’t keep. Identity hidden behind a gold mask, she mingles with the Den’s players, with Tristan as her reluctant bodyguard. But close proximity and their irresistible attraction draw Tristan and Felicity together in a game of passion they both know will end in heartbreak.
 
When Felicity’s former fiancé and her father arrive, the stakes become deadly. Felicity’s past threatens to destroy their fragile trust, and Tristan’s jealousy risks everything he’s fought for. Tristan must risk it all—his heart, his future, and his pride—in a high-stakes game for Felicity’s hand.
 
Will love triumph over fear and scandal? Or will the Lyon’s Den claim another heart? 

This is the story of one of Mrs. Dove-Lyon's "wolves", aka her enforcers and spies, and a young woman who came to her for protection. As one of the Black Widow's men, Tristan intrigued me whenever he appeared. I wondered what brought him into her circle. At last, we learn that Tristan's late brother lost the family estate gambling at the Lyon's Den, and Tristan made a bargain to earn it back. It looks like it will be a long process, especially since Tristan refuses to gamble for it.

Felicity is a vicar's daughter from a small village. The man her father picked for her to marry assaulted her, blamed her for it, and her father still insists she marry him. Rather than submit, Felicity flees to London, where she throws herself on Mrs. Dove-Lyon's mercy. The widow promises to protect her and help find her an acceptable husband. In the previous book by this author, To Steal a Lyon's Heart, Felicity served as a nurse to an injured nobleman, but a match between them didn't happen. Mrs. Dove-Lyon's current plan is to put Felicity out in Society. 

Tristan served as Felicity's bodyguard while she was nursing, to protect her reputation. They first became friends, but their feelings grew stronger as they got to know each other. Felicity felt safe with him, and she brought out his protective nature. I liked how Tristan's support helped Felicity gain confidence in herself. Matters become complicated when Felicity's fiancé and father track her down and try to force her to marry. Tristan and Felicity fell hard for each other, but Tristan believes she is far above him. I liked seeing how Mrs. Dove-Lyon motivated him to go after what he wanted.

Colton in the Wild - Justine Davis (HRS #2335 - Aug 2025)

Series: Coltons of Alaska (Book 1)
 
He kept his distance…
Until fate threw them together
 
Seaplane pilot Hetty Amos has no patience for wilderness guide Spence Colton's flirtatious way with clients. But being isolated with him in the Alaskan outback gives her a glimpse of the real man beneath the glib persona. When bullets fly over their campsite, Hetty and Spence gain a new sense of how much they need each other to survive -- as well as a new sense of trust. Then Hetty's discovery of a woman's body half-buried in snow makes them partners in a revelation that could endanger both their lives…
 
Good book with just the right blend of romance and suspense. Spence and Hetty have been dancing around each other for a long time. Hetty is a seaplane pilot for Rough Terrain Adventures in Alaska. She loves her job and is very good at it. Spence is a popular guide with the family business, especially the ladies. Hetty frequently rolls her eyes at the attention the handsome and flirtatious Spence attracts.
 
The book opens with Hetty and Spence flying to one of the fishing camps. They were supposed to have a pair of honeymooners as passengers, but they canceled. So Hetty and Spence took the opportunity to take the supplies needed to stock the camp for the season. I could feel the tension/attraction between them as they tried to keep things normal. We also get a look at their history to better understand how they feel. Neither expected the mechanical issue that complicated their landing. It was a nail-biter, and I loved Spence's obvious respect for Hetty's skill and abilities. That was just the beginning. Shots fired at them, the plane's radio vandalized, and the discovery of a woman's body turned a routine restock into a fight for their lives. The tension remained high as the investigation into what happened continued. The final confrontation, when it came, had me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
I liked the development of their relationship. The sparks of attraction are there from the start, but each tries to resist. Spence believes that Hetty doesn't like him. Hetty doesn't think he'd be interested in her anyway. They keep their interactions professional, but the tension remains. Dependent on each other in the woods, some of their walls began to crumble as they opened up to each other. I loved Spence's protectiveness and attentiveness to everything that made Hetty who she was. At the same time, Hetty sees past the carefree, flirtatious façade Spence shows everyone else to the caring, intelligent man he is. It takes them a little while to get past their insecurities to believe that they can be loved as they are.
 
I enjoyed meeting other members of the Colton family and look forward to reading their stories. There is also a hanging mystery of an unidentified body that may run through the series. 

 

Peak Suspicion - Cindi Myers (HI #2325 - Dec 2025)

Series: Eagle Mountain: Unsolved Mysteries (Book 3)
 
When harassment turns to attempted murder…they must reveal their secrets
 
The anonymous note is so disturbing that Mira Veronica accidentally totals her car in Eagle Mountain's wilderness. First to respond is search and rescue volunteer Carter Ames, an unabashed flirt and nonstop charmer. But when Mira is forced to deal with a past she thought she'd left behind, Carter becomes her strongest supporter. He's attracted to the pretty teacher and determined to earn her trust. Before long, they're sharing a deeper connection and long-held secrets -- secrets that a mysterious stranger is determined to reveal. But underestimating Carter is a mistake, because he has no intention of letting anything come between them. Not even a killer…
 
Good blend of suspense and romance. Mira came to Eagle Mountain for a fresh start after a devastating revelation about her fiancé. She teaches Spanish at local schools and to local law enforcement, first responders, and others. She's settling in well until she receives a threatening note referencing something from her past. She's so shaken by the note that she crashes her car on a mountain road.
 
Carter is a guide with his family's wilderness business and a member of Eagle Mountain's SAR. He also has the reputation of a charming flirt. He's quite taken by Mira when he meets her, but when he's the first on the scene of her accident and learns of her fears, his serious side comes to the surface.
 
The suspense of the story was very good. The first puzzle is who is sending the nosy, naggy, somewhat threatening letters to various townspeople? Is it someone with too much time on their hands, or someone with a darker agenda? The scarier mystery is the disappearance of an eleven-year-old boy, an event that eerily resembles the one that brought Mira to Eagle Mountain. The twists and turns of the investigation kept me hooked, with a nail-biter of a conclusion. Several viable suspects kept me guessing. The twist took me by surprise as I did not expect the motive.
 
I enjoyed Mira and Carter's developing relationship. Mira's wariness about getting involved with Carter was understandable. Trusting her own judgment when it came to men wasn't easy. Fortunately, Carter had the patience and understanding to be open with her. Meanwhile, there was more to Carter than the charming flirt that most people saw. Several terrific scenes show his ability to connect with people who are scared or hurting. He doesn't see himself as anything special, but Mira sees it quickly. I loved seeing how they support each other. I loved the ending and look forward to seeing more of them in later books.