Hide Your Wallet

May 2021 New Releases, Part One

If you’re new to Hide Your Wallet, this is where we list new releases we’re pretty excited for in the coming month.

Each reviewer has a book maximum (five per person), but we’ve separated HYW into two parts. The first HYW of the month will cover books that release from the 1st to the 14th. The second HYW will cover books released from the 15th to the end of the month.

We also think this will help us feature books from smaller publishers who don’t have buy links up as quickly as the big five.

As always, if we missed any books that you’re particularly looking forward to, tell us all about them in the comments. 

  • Miss Bennet’s Dragon

    Miss Bennet’s Dragon by M. Verant

    Author: M. Verant
    Released: May 2, 2021 by Acerbic Press
    Genre: , ,
    Series: Jane Austen Fantasy #1

    An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever.

    Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr. Darcy would stop noticing… and hinting at his own dark secret.

    When Elizabeth’s sister falls deathly ill, the cure lies in the mysteries of draca. Elizabeth, aided by her brilliant sister Mary, defies restrictive English society to hunt for lost draca lore. She must hurry. England’s war with France has drawn other hunters, and they have darker goals.

    Elizabeth’s search leads her to the fabulous Pemberley estate, home of the entitled and infuriating man whose proposal she scorned. There, Elizabeth’s worlds smash together—protocol against passion, and exultation against the risk of love.

    But the stakes are greater than her sister’s life. Elizabeth must test herself against a distant war.

    And her enemy is not who she thought.

    Catherine: It is a truth universally acknowledged that I cannot resist a Jane Austen retelling… even though I regret this impulse a good half of the time…

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  • Ariadne

    Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

    Author: Jennifer Saint
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Flatiron Books
    Genre:

    As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur – Minos’s greatest shame and Ariadne’s brother – demands blood every year.

    When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods – drawing their attention can cost you everything.

    In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne’s decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover’s ambition?

    Amanda: Love any sort of mythology retelling!

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  • Arsenic and Adobo

    Arsenic and Adobo by Mia Manansala

    Author: Mia Manansala
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre:
    Series: Tia Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1

    The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer….

    When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She’s tasked with saving her Tita Rosie’s failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

    With the cops treating her like she’s the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

    Sarah: A foodie mystery set in a family restaurant with nebby aunties – sure thing!

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  • Cursed Luck

    Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong

    Author: Kelley Armstrong
    Released: May 4, 2021
    Genre:
    Series: Cursed Luck #1

    Kennedy Bennett comes from a long line of curse weavers. For centuries, her family has plied their trade in Unstable, Massachusetts, a quirky small town that’s welcomed paranormal practitioners since the dawn of spiritualism. Kennedy has recently struck out on her own, opening an antiques shop in Boston, where her speciality is uncursing and reselling hexed objects.

    Then Aiden Connolly walks into her life with an offer she really should refuse. The scion of a wealthy family of luck workers, Aiden has a scheme to get his hands on the most famous cursed object of all: the mythical Necklace of Harmonia. He’s not the only one after the necklace, though. And he’s not the only one looking for a curse weaver to fix it. Kennedy’s sisters are kidnapped, she finds herself plunged into the underbelly of the magical world where even Aidan soon finds himself in over his head.

    Aarya: I believe this was an e-serial last summer (I avoided it because I get cranky waiting for the next serial installment). Love Kelley’s books!

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  • Firebreak

    Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace

    Author: Nicole Kornher-Stace
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Gallery/Saga Press
    Genre:

    Like everyone else she knows, Mallory is an orphan of the corporate war. As a child, she lost her parents, her home, and her entire building in an airstrike. As an adult, she lives in a cramped hotel room with eight other people, all of them working multiple jobs to try to afford water and make ends meet. And the job she’s best at is streaming a popular VR war game. The best part of the game isn’t killing enemy combatants, though—it’s catching in-game glimpses of SpecOps operatives, celebrity supersoldiers grown and owned by Stellaxis, the corporation that runs the America she lives in.

    Until a chance encounter with a SpecOps operative in the game leads Mal to a horrifying discovery: the real-life operatives weren’t created by Stellaxis. They were kids, just like her, who lost everything in the war, and were stolen and augmented and tortured into becoming supersoldiers. The world worships them, but the world believes a lie.

    The company controls every part of their lives, and defying them puts everything at risk—her water ration, her livelihood, her connectivity, her friends, her life—but she can’t just sit on the knowledge. She has to do something—even if doing something will bring the wrath of the most powerful company in the world down upon her.

    Ellen: Archivist Wasp is an incredibly weird, innovative book so I’m interested in anything Kornher-Stace is doing.

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  • The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes

    The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod

    Author: Xio Axelrod
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
    Genre: ,
    Series: The Lillys #1

    Her name’s Antonia “Toni” Bennette (yeah, she’s heard all the jokes before) and she’s not a rock star. Neither are the Lillys—not yet. But the difference between being famous and being almost famous can be a single wrong note…or the start of something that’ll change your life forever.

    Growing up in dive bars up and down the East Coast, Toni Bennette’s guitar was her only companion…until she met Sebastian Quick. Seb was a little older, a lot wiser, and before long he was Toni’s way out, promising they’d escape their stifling small town together. Then Seb turned eighteen and split without looking back.

    Now, Toni’s all grown up and making a name for herself in Philadelphia’s indie scene. When a friend suggests she try out for a hot new up-and-coming band, Toni decides to take a chance. Strong, feminist, and fierce as fire, Toni B. and the Lillys are the perfect match…except Seb’s now moonlighting as their manager. Whatever. Toni can handle it. No problem. Or it wouldn’t be if Seb didn’t still hold a piece of her heart…not to mention the key to her future.

    Aarya: I’ve seen some reviewers say that this is more women’s fiction (apparently the romantic arc isn’t that central?), but the blurb still sounds fun.

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  • The Lady Has a Past

    The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick

    Author: Amanda Quick
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre: , ,
    Series: Burning Cove #5

    Beauty and glamour meet deception and revenge in this electrifying novel by New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick.

    Investigative apprentice Lyra Brazier, the newest resident of Burning Cove, is unsettled when her boss suddenly goes on a health retreat at an exclusive spa and disappears without another word. Lyra knows something has happened to Raina Kirk, and she is the only one who can track her down. The health spa is known for its luxurious offerings and prestigious clientele, and the wealthy, socialite background Lyra desperately wanted to leave behind is perfect for this undercover job. The agency brings in a partner and bodyguard for her, but she doesn’t get the suave, pistol-packing private eye she expected.

    Simon Cage is a mild-mannered antiquarian book dealer with a quiet, academic air, and Lyra can’t figure out why he was chosen as her partner. But it soon becomes clear when they arrive at the spa and pose as a couple: Simon has a unique gift that allows him to detect secrets, a skill that is crucial in finding Raina.

    The unlikely duo falls down a rabbit hole of twisted rumors and missing socialites, discovering that the health spa is a façade for something far darker than they imagined. With a murderer in their midst, Raina isn’t the only one in grave danger—Lyra is next.

    Catherine: I’ve been really enjoying Amanda Quick’s 1920s-set romantic thrillers, and I have high hopes of this one.

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  • The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

    The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton

    Author: Chanel Cleeton
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre: ,

    At the end of the nineteenth century, three revolutionary women fight for freedom in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s captivating new novel inspired by real-life events and the true story of a legendary Cuban woman–Evangelina Cisneros–who changed the course of history.

    A feud rages in Gilded Age New York City between newspaper tycoons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. When Grace Harrington lands a job at Hearst’s newspaper in 1896, she’s caught in a cutthroat world where one scoop can make or break your career, but it’s a story emerging from Cuba that changes her life.

    Unjustly imprisoned in a notorious Havana women’s jail, eighteen-year-old Evangelina Cisneros dreams of a Cuba free from Spanish oppression. When Hearst learns of her plight and splashes her image on the front page of his paper, proclaiming her, “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba,” she becomes a rallying cry for American intervention in the battle for Cuban independence.

    With the help of Marina Perez, a courier secretly working for the Cuban revolutionaries in Havana, Grace and Hearst’s staff attempt to free Evangelina. But when Cuban civilians are forced into reconcentration camps and the explosion of the USS Maine propels the United States and Spain toward war, the three women must risk everything in their fight for freedom.

    Aarya: I love Cleeton’s historical fiction so much.

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  • Shadowed Steel

    Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill

    Author: Chloe Neill
    Released: May 4, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre:
    Series: Heirs of Chicagoland #3

    In the third installment in the USA Today bestselling Heirs of Chicagoland series, the vampires in Elisa Sullivan’s world are out for blood.

    Elisa Sullivan is the only vampire ever born, and she bears a heavy legacy. After a sojourn with the North American Central Pack of shifters in the wilderness—where she turned a young woman into a vampire to save her life—Elisa returns to Chicago.

    But no good deed goes unpunished. The ruling body of vampires, the Assembly of American Masters, is furious that Elisa turned someone without their permission, and they want her punished. When an AAM vampire is found dead, Elisa is the prime suspect. Someone else is stalking Chicago—and Elisa. She’ll need to keep a clear head, and a sharp blade, to survive all the supernatural strife.

    Aarya: I didn’t love the villain reveal in this book, BUT the romantic arc in this series is delicious and finally paid off in Shadowed Steel. I recommend it for fans of growly werewolves and vampire heroines.

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  • A Wicked and Beautiful Garden

    A Wicked and Beautiful Garden by Katie McGarry

    Author: Katie McGarry
    Released: May 5, 2021 by Katie McGarry LLC
    Genre: , ,
    Series: Witches of the Island #1

    Twenty-eight year-old Cassie Strega can’t escape fate.

    All she wants is to live a normal, quiet life delivering the babies in her small town. But when she discovers she comes from a lineage of witches, her life becomes extraordinary—in the gravely dangerous type of way.

    Then, she’s reunited with her first love.

    Orion, the sultry Fae warrior who broke her heart years before, is searching for a baby. Not just any baby, but the queen of the Fae who will one day lead them in their final battle against the demons determined to rule the world. The same baby who has been calling to Cassie for help in her dreams.

    Fighting the intense attraction of their former blood bond, Cassie and Orion work together to find the child. But when the heartbreak that nearly destroyed Cassie nine years before looms once more, she’ll have to decide whether getting involved in the supernatural war is worth losing everything, including her life.

    Aarya: I remember really liking McGarry’s young adult novels, so it’ll be interesting to see if she’s equally good in the adult fantasy romance realm.

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  • A Master of Djinn

    A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

    Author: P. Djèlí Clark
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Tor.com
    Genre: ,

    Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn

    Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

    So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

    Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city – or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…

    Amanda: I think this is Clark’s first full length novel and I’m so excited. He’s wonderful on panels and I’ve enjoyed his novellas.

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  • A Special Place for Women

    A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin

    Author: Laura Hankin
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre: ,

    It’s a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose beguiling members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business.

    For years, rumors have swirled about an exclusive, women-only social club where the elite tastemakers of NYC meet. People in the know whisper all sorts of claims: Membership dues cost $1,000 a month. Last time Rihanna was in town, she stopped by and got her aura read. The women even handpicked the city’s first female mayor. But no one knows for sure.

    That is, until journalist Jillian Beckley decides she’s going to break into the club. With her career in freefall, Jillian needs a juicy scoop, and she has a personal interest in bringing these women down. But the deeper she gets into this new world–where billionaire “girlbosses” mingle with the astrology-obsessed–the more Jillian learns that bad things happen to those who dare to question the club’s motives or giggle at its outlandish rituals.

    The select group of women who populate the club may be far more powerful than she ever imagined.

    And far more dangerous too.

    Amanda: Sarah told me about this one and I’m so excited!

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  • Black Water Sister

    Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

    Author: Zen Cho
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Ace
    Genre: ,

    A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

    Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.

    Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

    Ellen: I love mediums.

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  • Cool for the Summer

    Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler

    Author: Dahlia Adler
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Wednesday Books
    Genre: , ,

    Lara’s had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He’s tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he’s talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe…flirting, even? No, wait, he’s definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara’s wanted out of life.

    Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.

    Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she’s finally got the guy, why can’t she stop thinking about the girl?

    Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are.

    Tara: “Three things spring to mind at once for me and I’m yelling about all of them.

    1. THAT COVER! *gasp*

    2. BISEXUAL LOVE TRIANGLE

    3. IS THIS A QUEER REINTERPRETATION OF GREASE?!?!”

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  • People We Meet on Vacation

    People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

    Author: Emily Henry
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Berkley
    Genre: ,

    Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations.

    Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

    Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

    Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

    Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

    Catherine: I loved Beach Read, so I’m looking forward to giving this one a try.

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  • Unrivaled

    Unrivaled by Radclyffe

    Author: Radclyffe
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Bold Strokes Books
    Genre: , ,
    Series: A PMC Hospital Romance #5

    Zoey Cohen spent a lifetime learning to hide disappointment and loss behind a mask of unshakeable calm and control, even when her longtime friend-with-benefits lover moves on for true love.

    Declan Black returns to Philadelphia Medical Center after an accident costs her the life she’d built and her career. She’s resolved to protect herself from ever being vulnerable to past mistakes by rebuilding her life around her new role as an ER attending, and that life does not include love.

    Zoey will never accept second place in matters of the heart, even when her rival is a career, and Dec has nothing left to give of herself or her heart. Sometimes change is a force more powerful than will.

    Tara: With more than 60 books under her belt, Radclyffe is one of the most profilic f/f romance authors ever. Her medical romances are my favourites, and to me, some of her best stories ever are Fated Love and Crossroads. And guess what? Both of those take place in PMC Hospital, which means I get to see these characters again!

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  • The Wedding Night Affair

    The Wedding Night Affair by L.C. Sharp

    Author: L.C. Sharp
    Released: May 11, 2021 by Carina Press
    Genre: ,
    Series: Ash & Juliana #1

    An unlikely pair explores the darkest corners of London society in this thrilling historical mystery.

    The year is 1748, and Lady Juliana Uppingham awakens in a pool of blood, with no memory of how her new husband ended up dead beside her. Her distaste for her betrothed was no secret, but even so, Juliana couldn’t possibly have killed him…could she?

    Juliana’s only hope is Sir Edmund Ashendon, a dashing baronet with a knack for solving seemingly unsolvable crimes—and a reputation for trouble. A man as comfortable in the rookeries of St. Giles as he is in the royal court, Ash believes Juliana is innocent, though all signs point to her as the killer. He doesn’t expect to develop a soft spot for the spirited widow, one that only grows when escalating threats against Juliana force Ash to shelter her in his home.

    When another body is found, it becomes clear that Juliana has been dragged into something much, much bigger than simply her husband’s murder. With a collection of deadly black-tipped feathers as their sole clue and a date at the end of a hangman’s noose looming, they’ll have to find the real killer—before it’s too late.

    Catherine: I don’t know this author at all, but the blurb looked really fascinating – I like the sound of the mystery plot, and I’m interested in the Georgian setting (I will be extremely disappointed if there are no Jacobites, though).

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Comments are Closed

  1. Kira says:

    I’m looking forward to Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack (released 11 May).
    I really enjoyed her debut novel My Christmas Number One after DiscoDollyDeb recommended it here

  2. MirandaB says:

    The Westminster Intrigue by Tracy Grant: What’s next for our beautiful, wealthy Regency spies?

    Angel of the Overpass by Seanan McGuire: I wouldn’t say I’m anticipating this. I loved Sparrow Hill Road, but hated Girl in the Green Silk Gown. So, I have conflicts.

  3. Ren Benton says:

    SON OF THE STORM by Suyi Davies Okungbowa arrives on May 11.

    In the ancient city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness—only he doesn’t want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city’s immigrants are sworn to secrecy.

    But when Danso stumbles across a warrior wielding magic that shouldn’t exist, he’s put on a collision course with Bassa’s darkest secrets. Drawn into the city’s hidden history, he sets out on a journey beyond its borders. And the chaos left in the wake of his discovery threatens to destroy the empire.

    I liked the author’s DAVID MOGO GODHUNTER well enough, so a non-real-world fantasy gives me the grabbyhands.

  4. LisaM says:

    @MirandaB, I was just checking the release date on Angel Of The Overpass to add it. The Rose books were my introduction to Seanan McGuire, and I had the same reactions you did. It looks like the new book is back to Bobby Cross, which doesn’t thrill me. But I still have my copy pre-ordered (as well as A Master of Djinn, which I am thrilled about – he and Jeannie Lin made me realizeI do like steampunk after all).

  5. Escapeologist says:

    Arsenic and Adobo looks so good! I went to Amazon to add it to my wish list and found a sample of the first chapter. Loving the main character’s voice and sense of humor.

  6. DiscoDollyDeb says:

    @Kira: I did not know Leonie Mack had another book ready to drop. I loved MY CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE—and I’ll be adding ITALY EVER AFTER to my never-ending tbr!

  7. DiscoDollyDeb says:

    Lots of good books coming in May—and school gets out in early June so I’ll have plenty of time to read the bounty:

    The first of the month is when Harlequin drops ebooks for Harlequin Presents and Dare. So this morning I downloaded three of them:

    Jackie Ashenden’s Dare release, WITH THE LIGHTS ON, companion to her IN THE DARK from earlier this year (the heroes of the two books are friends). WITH THE LIGHTS ON has a hero who is gradually losing his sight and a heroine who works for an escort agency—which should be interesting as I’m not sure I’ve read any Harlequins with sex worker heroines.

    Also Caitlin Crews’s latest HP, HER DEAL WITH THE GREEK DEVIL (companion to Crews’s earlier THE SECRET THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN—the heroes of the two books are brothers) which promises to be all sorts of angsty goodness with a Greek billionaire pursuing a supermodel who was briefly his step-sister a decade before.

    Finally, Clare Connelly’s HP, CINDERELLA’S NIGHT IN VENICE. Quiet, shy heroine who works for a PR firm must attend a Venetian ball with her company’s biggest client—a Greek billionaire (natch!).

    On May 6, Rina Kent releases the third and final book of her Deception trilogy and I can then read all three books (VOW OF DECEPTION, TEMPTED BY DECEPTION, and CONSUMED BY DECEPTION) in this dark mafia romance about a woman who agrees to impersonate a crime boss’s late wife.

    May 18 brings the third and final book in another trilogy I’ve been waiting to read: Natasha Knight’s & A. Zavarelli’s The Society Trilogy (REQUIEM OF THE SOUL, REPARATION OF SIN, and RESURRECTION OF THE HEART). This is a dark romance with a forced/revenge marriage and a very damaged hero. (I do try to wait until all books in a trilogy are released before reading the entire set, but this is a custom often observed more in the breach—for example, see the next entry.)

    May 18 also brings Skye Warren’s STRICT CONFIDENCE, the second book in her Rochester trilogy, a modern retelling of JANE EYRE. This is obviously a case where I did not wait for all three books to be published before I started reading! The first book, PRIVATE PROPERTY, ended on a cliffhanger, so I’m expecting STRICT CONFIDENCE to pick up the action right where the earlier one left off.

    Sybil Bartel begins a new series called Alpha Elite with ALPHA, dropping on May 24. The hero of ALPHA runs a private security firm; the heroine is someone from his past. I love Bartel’s romantic suspense books full of former-military alpha heroes who meet their match in tough heroines who refuse to be compliant doormats. Let the games begin!

    On May 25, Ruth Cardello releases HE SAID ALWAYS, the first book in her new Lost Corisis series about attempts to locate distant relatives after the previous generation’s family members were estranged. Does the past always have to influence the future? Also, I’m assuming the hero & heroine in the book are not related—even distantly, lol.

    I loved Katie Golding’s relationship-in-trouble romance FEARLESS, published last year, so I’m eagerly anticipating WRECKLESS, the next book in her Moto Grand Prix series. It arrives on May 25 and promises all sorts of yummy antagonists-to-lovers goodness between a couple who have a decade of professional sparring behind them.

    Another book arriving May 25 is Angelina M. Lopez drops SERVING SIN, about a couple who reconnect 13 years after he rescued her from kidnappers. He now runs an elite security service and she’s the CEO of a major company in Mexico. He’s trying to keep her safe…but will their hearts be safe? All kinds of catnip in this one!

  8. MirandaB says:

    @LisaM: I like McGuire’s October Daye and Incryptid series. I liked the first Wayward Children book, but the rest seemed to be ‘Character. Learns. A. Life. Lesson.’ I found myself chanting ‘wheel of morality, turn, turn, turn’ during a couple.

    Some of her writing can get repetitive. I heard wayyy too much about the Ocean Lady in Green Silk Gown.

  9. Lisa F says:

    I read Ariadne and I was disappointed that the author didn’t do a whole ton to change the myth about or make it less of a straight retelling with an even more negative ending.

    On the TBR pile: The Wedding Night Affair, Unrivaled, People We Met, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, The Quick, Stars, Arsenic and Adobo, Miss Bennett’s Dragon.

    @DDD: Love Ruth Cardello!

  10. KatiM says:

    I have Ashley Gardner’s second Leonidas mystery, A Gladiator’s Tale, on my list. It comes out 5/11.

    Kerrigan Byrne’s next Goode Girls book Tempting Fate also comes out on 5/11. I love her crazy sauce plots.

  11. Sunflower says:

    I want to add Andy Weir’s new book that’s out May 4th, the first non-romance novel I’ve been excited about in a really long time.

  12. This isn’t until May 18th, but I am REALLY looking forward to Alexis Hall’s next rom-com, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake!

  13. Ooh, and I almost forgot – Alyssa Cole’s new f/f romance, How to Find a Princess!

  14. Kareni says:

    Like @Sunflower, I’m looking forward to Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary!

  15. KitBee says:

    I’m looking forward to Mhairi McFarlane’s latest book, JUST LAST NIGHT, which is releasing on May 4.

  16. filkferengi says:

    _Frightfully Fortune_, Jana DeLeon’s latest Miss Fortune mystery, came out May 2. _Louisiana Longshot_, the first book in the delightful series, is free everywhere. CIA shenanigans in the bayous of Louisiana, with lots of explosions and alligators.

  17. […] releases: Tor.com (YA SFF, horror/genre benders, SF, fantasy), Smart Bitches (romance), Gizmodo (SFF), AAR […]

  18. Arsenic and Adobo has a dachshund hero? Definitely on my TBR list! (What’s that? The doxie isn’t the hero? Clearly you don’t know doxies. They’re always in charge!)

  19. Elena says:

    “Arsenic and Adobo”: The dachshund’s name is Longanisa?! LOL, awesome! (And longanisa, the food, is delish with egg and rice!)

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