Fresh new reads

From Avon Books

#ForcedProximity #SecondChance #WallflowerHeroine #BroodingHero
In the second installment of Diana Quincy’s steamy Victorian historical romance series, a Persuasion retelling, an Arab-American young woman is reunited with the lost love of her youth and forced to reckon with their past and undying tension.
American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.
But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.
When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?

#IndependentWoman #Scotsman #HistoricalRomance
A deliciously fun romance blossoms between a fiercely independent woman and a reserved Scotsman, in the latest installment of Megan Frampton’s Heirs and Spares series.
She’ll never say yes…
Lady Drusilla Courtenay has sworn off marriage, though she still dabbles in romance, much to Society’s shock. She’s determined to help other women remain independent, but she lacks the means to see her vision through. When Murdoch, Earl of Cragmore, arrives on her doorstep with his niece, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse; if she assists with his niece’s debut, he’ll turn her dreams into reality. But accepting this bargain doesn’t mean she can’t also have some fun with the burly, handsome Scot—as long as they both keep their stronger emotions in check.
He can’t say no…
Murdoch has never met a woman like Drusilla. Proud, opinionated, intelligent, and fiercely independent, she is also the most passionate woman he’s ever encountered. When she proposes they extend their bargain into something more intimate, he agrees, even though he knows it will end at the conclusion of the Season. As he gets to know her, he falls deeply in love. He knows it is hopeless, since the Drusilla he’s desperately in love with would never agree to upend her life to be with him.
Will the two most stubborn people finally compromise, or will they deny their hearts?
From Harper Australia

#HistoricalFiction #Mystery #FamilySecret
Two women, a mysterious map and a family secret spanning hundreds of years – a stunning, moving and electrifying art history thriller for fans of Dominic Smith, Pip Williams and Lauren Chater set around the life, times, and feuds of the artist Peter Paul Rubens. What do you do when the weight of betrayal grows too heavy to bear?
Innocence and delight, guile and misapprehension, the hint of indifference, even disdain on her pretty features. Fickle, he called her, a mixture of surprise and confidence. She is all that and more, brought to life with the ink strokes of a genius.
Spanish Netherlands, 1620s : raised by her father Lucas to know her mind, Antonia Vorsterman sees everything that goes on in her world – all the rivalries and jealousies that course through the artists’ studios and workshops of Antwerp. Drawn into the lively household of the artist Peter Paul Rubens, whose work her father engraves for a living, Antonia begins to see a life of colour and possibility for herself – until Lucas entrusts her with a terrible secret that will alter the course of their family’s future. Belgium, present haunted by the recent loss of her mother, art historian Charlotte Hubert moves to Antwerp to research her hero, the Baroque master Rubens, and to seek answers about the father she’s never met. But a startling discovery hidden inside an ancient map folio turns Charlotte’s quiet academic life into a dangerous hunt for long-lost treasures, missing for 400 years. In the shadowy cloisters of the university, where ambition, obsession and violence run deep, nothing is as it seems. Charlotte is certain of one thing – no one can be trusted. Centuries apart, Charlotte’s and Antonia’s lives intertwine as they unearth long-buried secrets about a master and his engraver where theft, betrayal and the fallout of family loyalty run rampant.
From Farshore

#Netflix #MTI #PopCulture
Join Will, Mike, Lucas and Dustin as they befriend mysterious, supernatural stranger, Eleven. Explore
Hawkins and beyond as the kids discover their town is not what they think it is.
This exciting new Annual uncovers the story of Stranger Things in this celebration of the hit Netflix show.
The Stranger Things Annual 2026 celebrates the characters, storylines and key moments from season 1 to 4 and is packed full of character bios, locations and all the water-cooler moments from the story so far.
This book, based on the hit Netflix TV phenomenon, is perfect for seasoned Stranger Things fans and
newcomers alike.
From Dutton Books for Young Readers
#YA #LGBT #MMRomance

A new story, a new love, an impossible divide. The much-awaited companion to the New York Times bestselling You’ve Reached Sam will break your heart open.
I’ve missed you every day since you left. But I’m sure you already knew that. It’s time to let you go now. I’ll miss you all the time, Sam.
It’s been a year since his best friend, Sam, died. Even though Oliver knows he won’t get a response, he can’t stop texting Sam’s number, especially as the anniversary of his death approaches.
Then one day he accidentally hits the call button, and someone picks up.
The voice on the other end isn’t Sam—Sam’s number was reassigned and a stranger has been reading Oliver’s private and vulnerable messages for months. But Ben, an astronomy student in Seattle, won’t remain a stranger for long.
When they finally meet in person, their spark is undeniable. Everything seems perfect until Oliver discovers something strange that could keep them from being together.
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