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 early 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. Let’s nerd out about language, especially when it comes to cults and brainwashing.
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In Harmony
Author: JN Welsh
Released: July 20, 2021 by Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: Back on Top #3Nyah Monroe has a secret.
Double bassist for the philharmonic by day, by night she’s Queen Roe—an underground DJ with a growing following. Nyah works tirelessly to keep her worlds separate, her names straight and her outfits square, but doing it all alone is overwhelming. When Tommy “Boombox” Mills offers his rep and experience in exchange for her underground cred, she agrees.
But she makes the rules. No big stages, no superstar fame. She knows what she wants out of her DJ career, and she’s not about to let some slick agent tell her different, even if he does have a smile that knocks her backward.
A powerhouse agent, Tommy knows the scene, and Queen Roe is on fire. Beautiful, sexy and talented, she’s exactly what he needs to secure his legacy. She was made to play on the big stage—all he has to do is convince her.
As they travel in close quarters, playing club after club, their partnership soon becomes more about pleasure than business. But when Nyah learns the truth about why Tommy recruited her, she’s forced to decide once and for all what she wants out of her career—and her life.
Aarya: Love this recent trend (if 4-5 books can be called a trend, lol) of music-themed romances in traditional publishing.
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Last Guard
Author: Nalini Singh
Released: July 20, 2021 by Berkley
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity #5New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to a world devastated by change in her award-winning Psy-Changeling Trinity series, where two people defined by their aloneness hold the fate of the Psy in their hands…
Termed merciless by some, and a robotic sociopath by others, Payal Rao is the perfect Psy: cardinal telekinetic, CEO of a major conglomerate, beautiful—and emotionless.
For Canto Mercant, family and loyalty are everything. A cardinal telepath deemed “imperfect” by his race due to a spinal injury, Canto cares for the opinions of very few—and ruthlessly protects those he claims as his own. Head of intel of the influential Mercant family, he prefers to remain a shadow in the Net, unknown and unseen. But Canto is also an Anchor, part of a secretive designation whose task it is to stabilize the PsyNet. Now that critical psychic network is dying, threatening to collapse and kill the entire Psy race with it.
To save those he loves, Canto needs the help of a woman bound to him by a dark past neither has been able to forget. A woman who is the most powerful Anchor of them all: Payal Rao. Neither is ready for the violent inferno about to ignite in the PsyNet…or the passionate madness that threatens to destroy them both.
Sarah: New Nalini! NEW NALINI. I re-read the whole series earlier this year, and it’s still incredible, umpty-thirty-teen books later. I love it.
Aarya: I am vibrating with excitement for y’all to read this!
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Nightbitch
Author: Rachel Yoder
Released: July 20, 2021 by Doubleday
Genre: Literary FictionIn this blazingly smart and voracious debut, an artist turned stay-at-home mom becomes convinced she’s turning into a dog.
An ambitious mother puts her art career on hold to stay at home with her newborn son, but the experience does not match her imagination. Two years later, she steps into the bathroom for a break from her toddler’s demands, only to discover a dense patch of hair on the back of her neck. In the mirror, her canines suddenly look sharper than she remembers. Her husband, who travels for work five days a week, casually dismisses her fears from faraway hotel rooms.
As the mother’s symptoms intensify, and her temptation to give in to her new dog impulses peak, she struggles to keep her alter-canine-identity secret. Seeking a cure at the library, she discovers the mysterious academic tome which becomes her bible, A Field Guide to Magical Women: A Mythical Ethnography, and meets a group of mothers involved in a multilevel-marketing scheme who may also be more than what they seem.
An outrageously original novel of ideas about art, power, and womanhood wrapped in a satirical fairy tale, Nightbitch will make you want to howl in laughter and recognition. And you should. You should howl as much as you want.
Amanda: Another weird pick that I am obsessed with.
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These Hollow Vows
Author: Lexi Ryan
Released: July 20, 2021 by Clarion Books
Genre: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: These Hollow Vows #1From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
Amanda: I’d love it if the ending involved some poly romance with said seductive princes.
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Waylaid
Author: Sarina Bowen
Released: July 20, 2021 by Tuxbury Publishing LLC.
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Series: True North #8It’s a tale as old as time: the bad boy meets the good girl. He makes a daring proposition. Then the boy gets a mysterious head injury and loses a year of his life…
The first time I meet Rickie, I don’t know what to make of him. The second time we meet, he doesn’t remember the six hours we spent together. Or standing me up afterward.
I’m not the same, either. I’ve got secrets. I’ve told lies. Bad boys aren’t my type, anyway. Even the ones with seductive gray eyes.
But now we’re roommates. Cue the awkward moments in the hallway when he’s wearing only a towel and a smile. He’s determined to win me over, and his talented hands weaken my resolve.
It’s all fun and games until my past rears its ugly head and his secrets come to light, shaking our fragile connection, maybe even breaking it…
Note: this is Daphne Shipley’s story. Contents include Vermonty ice cream flavors, nerdy awkwardness, tattoos, and a playboy grandpa.
Aarya: Not the biggest fan of amnesia, but I’ll keep an open mind for this book!
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Awakened by the CEO’s Kiss
Author: Therese Beharrie
Released: July 27, 2021 by Harlequin Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceFriendship is all she can offer…
…but he makes her want so much more!
The incredibly attractive man on Brooke Jansen’s doorstep is definitely not the new housekeeper she’s expecting. CEO Tyler Murphy is filling in temporarily, yet within days he’s turned Brooke’s carefully curated life upside down! Suddenly she’s living—and feeling—again. But her connection with Tyler is dangerous, exciting and strangely familiar… After losing everything once already, can Brooke risk her damaged heart again?Shana: I made high pitched dolphin squeals when I saw the cover of Beharrie’s latest. I’m going to be very disappointed if my copy doesn’t come with a beautiful man at my door, hoping to clean my house.
Sarah: I read this for an upcoming podcast episode with the brilliant hosts of Whoa!Mance, and we discussed this book in depth – it’s really fun, both the book and the conversation!
Aarya: Beharrie writes comfort categories and I’ve one-clicked most of them.
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Devil in Disguise
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Released: July 27, 2021 by Avon
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Series: The Ravenels #7New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas returns with an enthralling and steaming romance between a widowed lady and a Scot on the run—who may have connections to one of London’s most noble families.
“The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”
Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.
From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.
So far, neither of those is going well.
Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals his secret connection to one of England’s most powerful families. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.
Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves… even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.
Catherine: Lisa Kleypas is always a reliable comfort read for me. I’m looking forward to this one!
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Heartbreak for Hire
Author: Sonia Hartl
Released: July 27, 2021 by Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomanceBrinkley Saunders has a secret.
To everyone in the academic world she left behind, she lost it all when she dropped out of grad school. Once a rising star following in her mother’s footsteps, she’s now an administrative assistant at an insurance agency—or so they think.
In reality, Brinkley works at Heartbreak for Hire, a secret service that specializes in revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies, and long-suffering coworkers with a little cash to spare and a man who needs to be taken down a notch. It might not be as prestigious as academia, but it helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening an art gallery and lets her exorcise a few demons, all while helping to empower women.
But when her boss announces she’s hiring male heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley’s no longer so sure she’s doing the right thing—especially when her new coworker turns out to be a target she was paid to take down. Though Mark spends his days struggling up the academic ladder, he seems to be the opposite of a backstabbing adjunct: a nerd at heart in criminally sexy sweater vests who’s attentive both in and out of the bedroom. But as Brinkley finds it increasingly more difficult to focus on anything but Mark, she soon realizes that like herself, people aren’t always who they appear to be.
Aarya: The execution of this premise could be very cool or very cringe, and it’s impossible to tell without reading it.
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Not the Kind of Earl You Marry
Author: Kate Pembrooke
Released: July 27, 2021 by Forever
Genre: Historical: European, Romance
Series: The Unconventional Ladies of Mayfair #1Fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton series will adore this stunning historical romance debut, where a wary wallflower enters a fake engagement with one of London’s most eligible bachelors.
The one woman in London who doesn’t want to marry him is now his fiancée.
William Atherton, Earl of Norwood, is as shocked as the rest of London to discover his betrothal via an announcement in the morning paper. Furious at what appears to be a shrewd marriage trap, William tracks down his alleged fiancée before her plans can affect his campaign for a coveted political post. But then William realizes an engagement, however fake, may benefit them both…
Miss Charlotte Hurst may be a wallflower, but she’s no shrinking violet. She would never attempt such an underhanded scheme, especially not with a man as haughty or sought-after as Norwood. Yet his suggestion to play along with the betrothal has its merits… and the longer they pretend, the more undeniably real their feelings become. But when the true culprit behind their engagement is revealed, can their newfound happiness survive the scandal?
Amanda: Fake engagement announced in the paper!! Shenanigans ensue!
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Sea Wolf
Author: Anna Burke
Released: July 27, 2021 by Bywater Books
Genre: LGBTQIA, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Compas Rose #2In the year 2514, the only thing more dangerous than the seas is those who sail them.
Life aboard the mercenary ship Man o’ War is rarely dull as hurricanes, swarms of jellyfish, and man-eating squid pose daily doses of danger. As intrigue and subterfuge from enemies old and new begin to surround its captain, the infamous Miranda Stillwater, even an uncanny sense of direction won’t be enough to help Compass Rose navigate these dangerous straits. As dark secrets bubble to the surface and everything she’s fought so hard for begins to crumble, Rose learns the hard way that she’ll have to rely on the only person who can save her from certain disaster. Unfortunately, that person is Compass Rose herself.
This swashbuckling 26th-century high-seas adventure novel is fast-paced, whip-smart, and quirky, yet it manages to deliver a healthy dose of heart, humor, and humility on every single page.
Tara: Lesbian pirates in a dystopian future! I enjoyed the first book, so I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes. More terrifying giant squid? A definite possibility.
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Does the Devil in Disguise have a Sebastien-Evie connection?
In addition to WAYLAID, I can’t wait for my girl Kati Wilde’s EVIL TWIN, a fantasy novel that Amazon is currently showing will drop on July 19. Kati’s publication dates do tend to change, so I’m not holding my breath. Then I’m looking forward to Ella James’s dark m/m, WRATH, arriving July 28. And I still don’t know if I want to bother with Andie J. Christopher’s HOT UNDER HIS COLLAR. On the one hand, it features one of my favorite tropes—a priest driven by passion to break his vow of celibacy—but, on the other hand, the cutesy illustrated cover does not in any way convey the angst and gravitas that the subject matter deserves.
Hey Deb, did you, like me, find yourself forever altered by The Thorn Birds in your formative years?
@Lizzie R re: Devil in Disguise
I’m honestly not sure how much of a spoiler this is when the breadcrumbs are in the title and the “his secret connection to one of England’s most powerful families” part of the description.
I’m thrilled to see more music themed romances where the woman is the musician….
A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis: The next Flavia Albia mystery!!
“In Rome, 89 A.D., poisonings, murders, and a bloody gang war of retribution breaks out during the festival of Saturnalia, and when her husband, Tiberius, becomes a target, it’s time for Flavia Albia to take matters into her own hands”
I love Albia, and Tiberius is my literary husband.
@Deborah I really, REALLY hope that spoiler turns out not to be true. It would leave a sour taste in my mouth.
@Eliza: I read THE THORNBIRDS multiple times in the late 1970s (I have a friend who claims that when we first met 40-plus years ago, one of the first things I asked her was if she’d read THE THORNBIRDS!), but I’m not sure that was the book that got me started on the priest trope. I actually think it was the far more recent PRIEST by Sierra Simone that created a priest-catnip center in my brain. I think PRIEST is the ne plus ultra of priest romances and I’m always looking for other priest-trope books that contain that perfect level and mix of angst, struggle against temptation, and smoking hot sexy-times found in PRIEST. Based on its cutsie cover, Christopher’s book will not be one of them.
“Seawolf,” “In Harmony,” “Not the Kind of Earl you Marry,” “Devil in Disguise,” “Awakened by the CEO’s Kiss” “Waylaid” and “These Hollow Vows are on my TBR pile. I just love the title “Night Bitch.” I’m going to have to see if that one clicks with me.
[…] releases: Tor.com (horror/genre-benders, YA SFF, fantasy, SF), Smart Bitches […]
Mimi Matthews has a book called John Eyre coming out on 7/20. It’s “a supernatural Victorian gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s timeless classic.”
Curses by Lish McBride – a gender swapped Beauty & the Beast.
I forgot this was coming out until I received my pre-order today.
I want to advocate for Lily Chu’s THE STAND-IN which just released on Audible Originals on July 15th (unfortunately there’s only an audiobook version and no print copy at this juncture). I finished it in 1 day and joined the Bad Decisions (Audio)Book Club hard but it was totally worth it.