Lark's Song - Josie Jade (Calamitte Jane Pub - July 2026)

Series: Warrior Security (Book 5)
 
Lark Monroe runs Pawsitive Connections with a smile that doesn't always reach her eyes, an alpaca named Al Pacacino who thinks he's royalty, and a talent for recognizing broken people.
 
Because she's one of them.
 
She's built a sanctuary in Pawsitive. Forty acres of second chances for animals nobody else wanted and humans who've forgotten how to trust. It's easier to fix other people's problems. Safer.
 
Her own? Those stay buried.
 
But the past she left behind isn't staying there. And the man she hired to fix her fences sees straight through every wall she's spent five years building.
 
Turns out, teaching others to heal is a lot easier than letting someone do the same for her. And she's running out of time to learn...
 
Terrific conclusion to the Warrior Security series. Lark has been a recurring secondary character in the Warrior Security and Resting Warrior Ranch series. She intrigued me, as I suspected she had hidden depths, and I was excited to finally read her story.
 
Lark owns and runs Pawsitive Connection, a ranch for all types of rescued animals. She trains them as therapy animals and service animals. She is independent, caring, and empathetic, seeing people's needs and doing what she can to help. She came to Garnet Bend after leaving an abusive husband and parents who took his side. She's under a lot of stress because she is behind on her mortgage payments, and the grants she depends on have been denied. She needs a handyman/ranch hand, but can't afford to pay much more than room and board.
 
Logan is former military, has PTSD, carries guilty feelings over the death of his best friend Reid, and was hired by Warrior Security as one of their operatives. But on his first mission with them, he had an episode that could have endangered the rest of the team. Unable to trust himself, he left Warrior Security with no plan on what to do next. He has excellent communication skills and is strong, caring, and protective.
 
Logan stops for coffee on his way out of town and encounters Lark putting up a help-wanted poster. Logan is immediately drawn to her, while Lark realizes that Logan is exactly what she needs. With a little effort, Lark talks Logan into taking the job. The work is exactly what Logan needs - it keeps his hands and mind busy, and any PTSD episodes won't put anyone in danger.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Their teamwork develops first, followed by friendship. Each has a way of spotting the other's pain or problems and coming up with solutions. I loved how Lark paired Logan and Tova, the dog. Logan learns of Lark's financial issues and helps her find ways to overcome them. Their friendship and teamwork develop into something deeper. I loved seeing Logan chip away at the walls Lark built around herself, and how Lark learned it was safe to lean on Logan.
 
But there is trouble brewing at Pawsitive Connections. Logan stumbles on signs that drug traffickers are using a remote part of the ranch to hide and move their drugs. With the assistance of his former colleagues at Warrior Security and the men of Resting Warrior Ranch, Logan vows to make Pawsitive Connections safe for Lark. The way they did it kept me glued to the pages as they dealt with the threat.
 
That's not the only danger Lark faces. She is close to losing the ranch, thanks to lost grants and an early calling of her second mortgage. She's puzzled about why grants that were shoe-ins before are suddenly being denied. Then her past comes calling, and she has more to fear than just losing her ranch. These scenes had my heart in my throat as both Lark and her animals were in deadly danger. The resolution was terrific, and I loved Tova's part in it.
 
I loved the appearances made by characters from previous books, both from Warrior Security and Resting Warrior Ranch. Their love and respect for Lark are evident in the surprise they had for her at the end. The arrival of Isaac and Fallon from Code Name: Leo was a surprise, but it made perfect sense once I found out why.
 
I can't talk about Lark and Pawsitive Connections without talking about the animals. From Al Pacacino, the spitting alpaca (love the name), to Clarence, the foul-mouthed parrot, each one had a distinctive personality and purpose. 

The Lyon's Nemesis - Belle Ami (Dragonblade - Jan 2026)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 104)
 
He must save his earldom—or risk losing everything in a high-stakes game.
 
Short-tempered and teetering on the edge of ruin, Lexington Capel, the Earl of Essex, must marry—not for love, but for a dowry. His only hope lies with London's infamous matchmaker, and gambling-den doyenne, Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon. But on his journey to engage her services, Lex is waylaid by the notorious highwaywoman known as the Lace Bandit—a masked beauty whose daring and defiance he cannot forget.
 
She harbors a secret that, if revealed, could lead her to the gallows.
 
Lady Edwina Sinclair, last surviving heir to her family's baronetcy, leads a double life as a modern-day Robin Hood. When she robs the wrong man—a dangerously intriguing earl—her carefully spun world begins to unravel. Forced to London by her formidable grandmother to make a respectable match, Winnie must keep her identity hidden from both the ton and the ever-watchful Mrs. Dove-Lyon.
 
In a city of glittering salons and whispered scandal, fate draws two adversaries into a perilous dance. Reputation, revenge, and forbidden desire collide in The Lyon's Nemesis—where even the most cunning hearts may be undone by love.
 
Fun story. Lex Capel, Earl of Essex, inherited a nearly bankrupt earldom. He needs to marry a wealthy woman quickly if he wants to save his lands and his people. His best option is to engage the assistance of Mrs. Dove-Lyon. However, on his trip to London, he encounters the notorious Lace Bandit, a female robber who relieves him of the small amount of money he has. Though furious at the robbery, a brief meeting of their eyes leaves him intrigued.
 
Lady Edwina is the lone heir to her family's baronetcy after the rest of her family died. Her grandmother is her guardian. Edwina will inherit a large fortune when she marries or reaches her majority. Her grandmother drags her to London and hires Mrs. Dove-Lyon to help find Edwina a husband. But Edwina has a secret that could get her hanged if revealed. She is the Lace Bandit, who robs from the rich and uses the ill-gotten gains to improve the lives of the poor.
 
When they cross paths at the Lyon's Den, Lex is immediately taken with Edwina. He doesn't recognize her as the Lace Bandit, though she recognizes him as her latest victim. Lex is confused as to why he feels strongly about two women. Though Mrs. Dove-Lyon initially doesn't see them as a good match, there is no denying their connection. I enjoyed their banter and seeing them get to know each other. But as her feelings for Lex grow, Edwina worries about what would happen if he learned her secret.
 
There are some interesting twists in this story, between secrets kept, misplaced pride, and a scorned suitor, ending with a confrontation that could end with Edwina in custody. The confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was glued to the pages until it was resolved. The ending was sweet and emotional, with an epilogue that neatly wrapped up the story. 

The Duke's Meddlesome Matchmaker - Emily E.K. Murdoch (HH #1901 - Feb 2026)

Series: The Unconventional Oliver Sisters (Book 1)
 
All's fair in love…
And matchmaking!
 
Proposal planner Aphrodite "Ditty" Oliver believes romance should be planned and executed to perfection. That's what keeps her in business. In attempting another successful engagement, she instantly comes to blows with her client's brother, dashing duke Henry Paisley! Henry believes meddling in matters of the heart is counter to a true connection. While Ditty has learned that true love only exists in fairy tales, she'll show him that it must be engineered in real life!
 
Entertaining book. Aphrodite "Ditty" Oliver is a proposal planner in London. She believes that love can be orchestrated if properly planned. But her reputation takes a hit when one of the proposals goes wrong, and she decides to take a job out of town while things cool off. That job is in a small town, where she is to help a young lawyer find a way to propose to his lady. When she arrives in town, her client's brother picks her up, and they immediately come to verbal blows.
 
Henry Paisley, a doctor and newly named Duke of Glanyrafon, believes that matters of the heart don't need outside help. He makes his opinion known to Ditty, who is determined to prove him wrong.
 
I enjoyed seeing Ditty make her plans, and could feel her frustration when her client wasn't always cooperative. She also has a fair amount of time when she isn't occupied with her planning, and finds herself drawn into village life. Her organizational abilities find an outlet in helping various townspeople improve their lives or businesses.
 
At the same time, Henry struggles with maintaining his medical practice while dealing with a nearly bankrupt dukedom. Henry is a man with a big heart, but lousy organizational skills. He turned the ducal mansion into a senior living home for the local elderly population who can no longer live on their own, but paying the bills remains a problem.
 
I enjoyed the developing relationship between Ditty and Henry. Their debates over their differing views were amusing, and their developing friendship was easy to believe. Both have some baggage that impacts their willingness to risk their hearts, but eventually their hearts win out. I liked seeing Ditty take Henry's disorganization in hand, with an interesting twist that affected the dukedom's financial future. I liked seeing them finally trust their hearts and find their way together, thanks to some interfering elderly ladies. The ending was great, and I loved the epilogue. 

 

Crime Scene K-9 - Julie Miller (HI #2303 - Aug 2025)

Series: Protectors at K-9 Ranch (Book 5)
 
His faithful K-9 companion
reunited him with his fate.
 
Master Sergeant Levi Callahan thought Zoe Stockman was the perfect lover…until she ghosted him. Figuring the only reliable companion was his loyal K-9 partner, Sky, Levi tried to forget Zoe, even after his medical discharge brought him back home. Yet home was now a place from which Zoe had practically disappeared, cutting all contact with everyone, not just him. Levi knew he would find answers only after he and Sky tracked Zoe down. The Marine just hadn't imagined the terror Zoe had endured while he was away, or the surprise she'd been attempting to keep safe.
 
Good blend of romance and suspense. Marine and K-9 handler Levi met Zoe while home on leave. They hit it off right away and spent as much time together as they could. When he returned to the Middle East for the rest of his deployment, they promised to keep in touch. And for a while, they did. But then Zoe stopped responding to his emails and changed her phone number,  ghosting him with no explanation. At first, he was hurt, then he got angry. To complicate matters, he was injured, and during his time in the hospital, he had little to do but stew over her abandonment. With the end of his deployment, Levi also retired. He and his K-9, Sky, moved back home as Levi pondered what came next. Try as he might, Levi could not forget Zoe. It didn't take him long to discover that she had cut off contact with almost everyone.
 
Zoe withdrew from almost everything outside of her job with the crime scene unit. Someone is stalking her, threatening to harm anyone she cares about. The only way she can see to keep Levi safe is to stay completely away from him. Her fear for herself, for Levi, and for the secret she's keeping leaps off the page.
 
Levi and Zoe's reunion is not easy. Levi's anger takes center stage until he learns the truth. His protective instincts kick in, and he's determined to find and stop the stalker. He also needs to find a way to let go of the anger, now that he knows why she ghosted him. It takes a little while to rebuild the trust between them, but a happy future for them looks promising, as long as they survive that long.
 
The suspense of the story was very good and kept me guessing until the end. The similarities to a serial killer in a previous book added extra tension to the search, especially since that killer is in jail. The tension continued to increase with every threat, with the final confrontation keeping me glued to the pages until it was over. The occasional glimpse of the action from the killer's point of view added another layer of tension to the story.
 
I loved the partnership between Levi and his K-9, Sky. I liked how Sky took to Zoe and clearly made her one of his people. The only thing that frustrated me was that Levi missed Sky's pretty clear reaction to the person who turned out to be the killer. It was the second time he'd blown off a warning - I hope he learned his lesson. 

A Secret to Shock to Shock the Earl - Laura Martin (HH #1905 - Mar 2026)

Long-lost love…
Newfound heir!
 
Richard, the Earl of Farnleigh, believed he had lost his sweetheart, Hetty, forever. Amid the carnage of the Peninsular War, she was torn from his arms, thought dead. But now she's back on his doorstep -- with their two-year-old child!
 
Thinking Richard had abandoned her, pregnant Hetty became trapped in a joyless marriage to a cruel man. Now a widow, she's finally free -- but alone, vulnerable and penniless. Richard is her only hope for refuge. They're bound by their son, and an undeniable connection, but when they both bear the scars of the past, is a rekindled romance more than she can promise?
 
Good story about two survivors of the Peninsular War. Hetty is an Englishwoman, married to a soldier. Six months earlier, her husband disappeared in battle and is presumed dead. Left with no way to return to England, she has been serving as a nurse for one of the doctors in a small town in Portugal to earn enough money to go home. As the story opens, she has been tasked with triaging the wounded - deciding whose wounds can wait, who needs to be seen quickly, and who is beyond saving. She comes across a colonel with a leg wound that will almost certainly result in amputation. His determination to avoid that fate impresses her.
 
Richard is the fourth son of an earl and has made a career of his time in the Army. As the story opens, he has achieved the rank of colonel. He is also among the wounded of the latest battle, suffering from a sword slash to his leg. Though in great pain, he refuses laudanum, determined to remain in control and prevent amputation. He senses a sympathetic soul in the nurse.
 
The book's prologue shows the growing friendship between Richard and Hetty as she supervises his recovery. I liked how they shared their pasts. Over the weeks of his recovery, Richard realizes he loves her. As the fourth son of an earl, marriage to her is easily possible. A kiss cements their attraction. The next thing we see is Richard waiting for Hetty to get off work so he can propose to her. Word comes that the village is under attack, and Richard races off to lead his men.
 
It is then three years later. Hetty and her two-and-a-half-year-old son travel to Northumberland and Richard's family. The past three years have been miserable. Her husband wasn't dead, but deserted, and returned to claim her. Abusive, especially after he found her pregnant with Richard's child, he made her life with him difficult. When he died, she was once again alone with no resources. She planned to ask Richard's brother for help, despite believing that Richard had abandoned her in Portugal.
 
Imagine both their shock when Hetty arrived to discover that Richard is now the earl. Richard thought she was dead, and her appearance on his doorstep sent shockwaves through him, matched only by his shock at the little boy with her. He immediately accepts that the child is his and takes both into his home. His joy in little Noah's presence made me smile. There are some sweet scenes with them together. But there is no immediate joyful reunion between Hetty and Richard. She feels bitterness and resentment over what she saw as his abandonment. Richard doesn't understand why she never tried to contact him. There is no "Thank God, you're alive. Let's get married as we planned." Instead, a cautious partnership develops.
 
Hetty has no intention of marrying again. Still traumatized by her marriage, allowing another man that close isn't an option. With Richard now being an earl, her insecurities also make it impossible for her to see marriage as a possibility. Richard, having already lost so many people, can't picture himself risking his heart again. However, as the story progresses and they work together on his project, each finds themselves healing, accepting that their past experiences changed them, and opening themselves up to the possibility of a future together.
 
The epilogue was a good wrap-up for the story and showed how Richard and Hetty's life together had progressed. 

Witness Protector - Jude Bayton (HRS #2362 - Feb 2026)

She's seen too much.
And a chance reunion is her only hope for survival.
 
Witness to a murder. No passport to go home. Mia Jones never expected to run into Jack Brannon in the middle of nowhere. Their affair years ago left her heartbroken, but now Jack is her only hope. The Law Enforcement Park Ranger thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him when he spots Mia at a local diner. He's even more surprised when he learns she's in hiding -- and why. Determined to keep her safe and bring a killer to justice, Jack takes the woman he never forgot on a road trip in search of answers…and the ultimate retribution.
 
Terrific second-chance romance mixed with intense suspense. Ten years earlier, Mia and Jack met while he was on vacation in England. A month-long relationship ended when Jack returned to the States and his plan to become a National Parks Ranger, while Mia's life was in England. Neither tried to contact the other, but neither ever forgot the other.
 
Fast forward to the present. Jack just reported for duty at the Buffalo River park in Arkansas, and stopped to eat at the local diner. He's shocked to see the waitress who looks almost exactly like his old girlfriend, Emilia, except for her hair color and American accent. She denies the connection, but Jack can't get her off his mind.
 
Several months earlier, reeling from her parents' deaths, Emilia decided to visit the US. On a cruise, she made a friend who introduced her to Carlos. He was rich, charming, and a respected Miami doctor. But there was something dark hidden under that charming façade, and when she witnessed her friend's murder, Mia knew she had to run for her life. She's broke, terrified, and hiding out as a waitress in a tiny town. When two men show up clearly looking for her, her only hope is to confess it all to Jack.
 
The story's suspense was fast-paced and intense. Jack and Mia barely stay a step ahead of the bad guys who want her dead. There were a few brief moments when they could take a breath, but they never lasted long, and trouble roared back into their lives. FBI agents, judges, and fellow law enforcement officers do their best, but the twists and turns of the case leave Jack and Mia wondering who they can trust. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, including an unexpected twist.
 
I enjoyed watching the rekindling of Jack and Mia's relationship. Both are a little bitter about how it ended, but once they get past that hurdle, they begin to get to know each other again. The biggest problem is an event from Jack's past that left him carrying a boatload of guilt, keeping him from believing he deserves a happy future. Meanwhile, Mia hesitates to trust her heart to Jack again, after having it broken before. When the trouble is resolved, both Jack and Mia need to take a good look at themselves and what they want. Can they let go of the past and embrace a future together? 

Marked as a Lyon's Marchioness - Wendy LaCapra (Dragonblade - Jan 2026)

Series: Lyon's Den (Book 103)
 
She sought marriage.
He sought pleasure.
Love had other plans.
 
When scandal threatens to force her sister into a disastrous marriage, Miss Eliza Wainwright makes a desperate, daring nighttime visit to the Black Widow, owner of London's most notorious gaming hall. All Eliza needs is a respectable husband to restore her family's standing—instead, she finds herself drawn to the arrogant yet enigmatic Marquess of Redver, who comes to know her only as The Blackbird.
 
Redver's carefully crafted façade hides explosive family secrets. But during a masked encounter with The Blackbird, he discovers not only pleasure and passion, but unexpected solace. When she refuses to see him again, him being of the same ilk that ruined her sister, his walls begin to crumble.
 
As hidden truths emerge and disguises fall away, will Redver and Eliza be destroyed? Or can Redver convince his perfect match he is worthy of her heart?
 
Eliza and her twin sister, Cassandra, are caught up in a scandal through no fault of their own. Desperate to save her sister from disaster, Eliza sneaks off to the Lyon's Den to beg for help from Mrs. Dove-Lyon. All she needs is a respectable husband to restore the family to Society's good graces. Through a case of mistaken identity, she encounters the Marquess of Redver, who stirs up unexpected feelings.
 
Redver comes across as the typical nobleman - arrogant, self-controlled, interested only in his own pleasure. But behind his carefully crafted façade is a man with secrets and emotional trauma that still haunts him. The only thing that gives him relief is his anonymous encounters with a woman at the Lyon's Den.
 
The initial encounter between Eliza and Redver leaves Eliza disturbed and intrigued. She recognizes him immediately as the best friend of the man who caused the scandal involving her sister, and tars him with the same brush. At the same time, the effect he has on her leads her to make an astonishing proposal. I liked how Eliza took control and had some rather pointed observations about Redver's attitudes. However, she did not anticipate her reaction to the things he did. Both left the encounter changed and unable to forget each other.
 
Redver can't get "Blackbird" and her effect on him out of his mind. He wants to see her again. In the meantime, he accompanies his friend Harbury, who must make amends for his actions. Redver is inexplicably drawn to Cassandra's sister, Eliza, unaware that she is his "Blackbird". I enjoyed watching them spend time together and seeing Eliza get to know the man beneath the rakish façade. At the same time, Redver takes Blackbird's criticisms to heart and begins to change his ways.
 
Redver and Eliza both have painful family histories that make them reluctant to trust love. I enjoyed seeing them build a friendship first as they got to know each other. There are some interesting complications involving the respectable man that Eliza and Mrs. Dove-Lyon selected to court Eliza, with a twist at the end I didn't see coming. Eliza worried about what would happen if Redver discovered her identity. Redver realized his feelings for Eliza, but worried that he wasn't worthy of her. The revelation scene was intense and moving.
 
Family dynamics on both sides were interesting. I liked the relationships among the five sisters. Eliza is protective of them all and wants what is best for them. She is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for them. I would love to see a story for Cassandra and Harbury. I'd also love to see stories for the three younger sisters as they grow up - I loved their embrace of the "Willful Wainrights" name. Redver's family history is quite complicated. I loved his relationship and protectiveness toward his young sister, Emily. She was sweet, and I liked her quick friendship with Eliza's sisters. The twist at the end was a surprise, but I liked how it turned out.