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), and 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 bigger trade houses.
As always, if we missed any books that you’re particularly looking forward to, tell us all about them in the comments.
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A Little Bit Country
Author: Brian Kennedy
Released: May 31, 2022 by Balzer + Bray
Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance, Young AdultEmmett Maguire has big dreams. He wants to be country music’s biggest gay superstar—a far reach when you’re 17 and living in suburban Illinois. Thankfully, his parents are letting him do the next best thing for the summer: stay with his aunt in Jackson Hollow, Tennessee, and perform at Wanda World—the amusement park owned by his idol, country music legend Wanda Jean Stubbs.
Luke Barnes, a 17-year-old Jackson Hollow resident, has no interest in country music. As the grandson of Verna Rose, the disgraced country singer who had a famous falling out with Wanda Jean, the world of country music has only brought his family pain. But as medical bills pile up at home, he’s forced to accept a job in the last place he’d ever want to work: a restaurant at Wanda World.
With Emmett focused on his career, and Luke blossoming in the kitchen, neither boy is expecting to find romance. But sparks fly when they meet and soon the two are inseparable. However, when a long-lost secret about Luke’s grandma and superstar Wanda Jean comes to light, it threatens to unravel everything. Unless the boys can uncover the truth of what really happened, their dreams could be over before they start, leaving their new relationship to go down in history as just another Sad Country Love Song.
Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Julie Murphy, and of course, the one and only Dolly Parton.
Shana’s pick!
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Counterfeit
Author: Kirstin Chen
Released: June 7, 2022 by William Morrow
Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery/ThrillerFor fans of Hustlers and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, the story of two Asian American women who band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise–an incisive and glittering blend of fashion, crime, and friendship from the author of Bury What We Cannot Take and Soy Sauce for Beginners.
Money can’t buy happiness… but it can buy a decent fake.
Ava Wong has always played it safe. As a strait-laced, rule-abiding Chinese American lawyer with a successful surgeon as a husband, a young son, and a beautiful home–she’s built the perfect life. But beneath this façade, Ava’s world is crumbling: her marriage is falling apart, her expensive law degree hasn’t been used in years, and her toddler’s tantrums are pushing her to the breaking point.
Enter Winnie Fang, Ava’s enigmatic college roommate from Mainland China, who abruptly dropped out under mysterious circumstances. Now, twenty years later, Winnie is looking to reconnect with her old friend. But the shy, awkward girl Ava once knew has been replaced with a confident woman of the world, dripping in luxury goods, including a coveted Birkin in classic orange. The secret to her success? Winnie has developed an ingenious counterfeit scheme that involves importing near-exact replicas of luxury handbags and now she needs someone with a U.S. passport to help manage her business–someone who’d never be suspected of wrongdoing, someone like Ava. But when their spectacular success is threatened and Winnie vanishes once again, Ava is left to face the consequences.
Swift, surprising, and sharply comic, Counterfeit is a stylish and feminist caper with a strong point of view and an axe to grind. Peering behind the curtain of the upscale designer storefronts and the Chinese factories where luxury goods are produced, Kirstin Chen interrogates the myth of the model minority through two unforgettable women determined to demand more from life.
Amanda: I’m obsessed with this cover!
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Last Call at the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Schellman
Released: June 7, 2022 by Minotaur Books
Genre: Historical: American, LGBTQIA, Mystery/ThrillerFirst in a captivating Jazz age mystery series from author Katharine Schellman, Last Call at the Nightingale beckons readers into a darkly glamorous speakeasy where music, liquor, and secrets flow.
New York, 1924. Vivian Kelly’s days are filled with drudgery, from the tenement lodging she shares with her sister to the dress shop where she sews for hours every day.
But at night, she escapes to The Nightingale, an underground dance hall where illegal liquor flows and the band plays the Charleston with reckless excitement. With a bartender willing to slip her a free glass of champagne and friends who know the owner, Vivian can lose herself in the music. No one asks where she came from or how much money she has. No one bats an eye if she flirts with men or women as long as she can keep up on the dance floor. At The Nightingale, Vivian forgets the dangers of Prohibition-era New York and finds a place that feels like home.
But then she discovers a body behind the club, and those dangers come knocking.
Caught in a police raid at the Nightingale, Vivian discovers that the dead man wasn’t the nameless bootlegger he first appeared. With too many people assuming she knows more about the crime than she does, Vivian finds herself caught between the dangers of the New York’s underground and the world of the city’s wealthy and careless, where money can hide any sin and the lives of the poor are considered disposable…including Vivian’s own.
Amanda: A Jazz Age historical mystery!
Sarah: I am SO EXCITED to read this.
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The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes
Author: Cat Sebastian
Released: June 7, 2022 by Avon
Genre: Historical: European, LGBTQIA, Romance
Series: The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb #2Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.
Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her—and who she may have left tied up a few hours before…
A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?
As they flee across the country—stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats—they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together.
Shana: Hello, New Cat Sebastian!
Susan: Marion was one of those characters who had “future protagonist” written all over her, and I’m excited to see what her story is!
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So Happy for You
Author: Celia Laskey
Released: June 7, 2022 by Hanover Square Press
Genre: LGBTQIA, Mystery/ThrillerA wedding weekend spirals out of control in this bold, electrifying, hilarious novel about the complexities of female friendship
Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood. When Robin came out, Ellie was there for her. When Ellie’s father died, Robin had her back. But when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honor, she is reluctant. A queer academic, Robin is dubious of the elaborate wedding rituals now sweeping the nation, which go far beyond champagne toasts and a bouquet toss. But loyalty wins out, and Robin accepts.
Yet, as the wedding weekend approaches, a series of ominous occurrences lead Robin to second-guess her decision. It seems that everyone in the bridal party is out to get her. Perhaps even Ellie herself.
Manically entertaining, viciously funny and eerily campy, So Happy for You is the ultimate send-up to our collective obsession with the wedding industry complex and a riveting, unexpectedly poignant depiction of friendship in all its messy glory.
Amanda: This one was described to me as a queer, light horror thriller with Bridesmaids vibes.
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Stuck with You
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Released: June 7, 2022 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella, Romance
Series: The STEMinist Novellas #2Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.
Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…
Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.
Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….
To read Mara and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Under One Roof, available now, and Below Zero, coming soon from Berkley!
Elyse: I love Ali Hazelwood so much!
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Wrath Goddess Sing
Author: Maya Deane
Released: June 7, 2022 by William Morrow
Genre: LGBTQIA, Science Fiction/FantasyDrawing on ancient texts and modern archeology to reveal the trans woman’s story hidden underneath the well-known myths of The Iliad, Maya Deane’s Wrath Goddess Sing weaves a compelling, pitilessly beautiful vision of Achilles’ vanished world, perfect for fans of Song of Achilles and the Inheritance trilogy.
The gods wanted blood. She fought for love.
Achilles has fled her home and her vicious Myrmidon clan to live as a woman with the kallai, the transgender priestesses of Great Mother Aphrodite. When Odysseus comes to recruit the “prince” Achilles for a war against the Hittites, she prepares to die rather than fight as a man. However, her divine mother, Athena, intervenes, transforming her body into the woman’s body she always longed for, and promises her everything: glory, power, fame, victory in war, and, most importantly, a child born of her own body. Reunited with her beloved cousin, Patroklos, and his brilliant wife, the sorceress Meryapi, Achilles sets out to war with a vengeance.
But the gods—a dysfunctional family of abusive immortals that have glutted on human sacrifices for centuries—have woven ancient schemes more blood-soaked and nightmarish than Achilles can imagine. At the center of it all is the cruel, immortal Helen, who sees Achilles as a worthy enemy after millennia of ennui and emptiness. In love with her newfound nemesis, Helen sets out to destroy everything and everyone Achilles cherishes, seeking a battle to the death.
An innovative spin on a familiar tale, this is the Trojan War unlike anything ever told, and an Achilles whose vulnerability is revealed by the people she chooses to fight…and chooses to trust.
Shana: I’m very curious about this one!
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Flying Solo
Author: Linda Holmes
Released: June 14, 2022 by Ballantine Books
Genre: Romance, Women's FictionSarah: I love the premise of this book, and I really liked Evvie Drake Starts Over, too.
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So far on my TBR for June, I have:
Amelia Wilde’s POWER PLAY (June 7) features a hero and heroine who were both secondary characters in her recent Wealth trilogy. The hero holds the heroine’s family accountable for his own family’s downfall; the heroine (a baker) is estranged from her family for other reasons. The hero initially pursues her for revenge. Wilde writes very dark in a style similar to Skye Warren (another favorite of mine). I like dark, but YMMV.
Julie Kriss’s RIFF (June 9) is the second in her Road Kings series of rock band romances. I really liked the first book, DUET, in part because the Road Kings band was never enormously successful—they were a mid-range band famous for their live shows, but the members of the band can plausibly be unrecognizable. RIFF features a second-chance romance between the band’s bass player and the mother of his teenage daughter. I think Kriss is one of the most underrated writers in Romancelandia and I’m really looking forward to this next book.
Zoe York’s FEARLESS AT HEART (June 14) is the fourth in her Kinkaids of Pine Harbour series featuring a family of five brothers all of whom are employed in first-responder jobs. FEARLESS AT HEART features somewhat older MCs (late-thirties) who have known each other since high school but have never acted on their feelings. I’m hoping York will right the ship with FEARLESS AT HEART because the previous book in the series, WILD AT HEART, was rather dull and kept the MCs apart for long stretches of time.
Garrett Leigh’s SAINT’S SONG (June 14) is the second of her Rebel Kings MC series and continues the story started in the first book, DEVIL’S DANCE. This is an M/M/M-menage romance featuring members of a motorcycle club. The first book was dark & gritty, so I’m not expecting the second to be any different in tone.
Sybil Bartel’s ZULU (June 14) is the latest in her romantic-suspense Alpha Elite series. Bartel writes to a template (beyond-gonzo alpha heroes; resilient heroines in trouble through no fault of their own; lots of fire power & high body counts; and plenty of sexy-times with a D/s dynamic). If you don’t like the template, her books will not be for you. But if, like me, you do like Bartel’s style, ZULU will be a good read.
June 14 is shaping up to be a banner day! In addition to the aforementioned books, THE CRASH by Skye Warren & Amelia Wilde is also scheduled for release. THE CRASH is a couple-against-the-elements story when the plane piloted by the hero (who is part of the Midnight Dynasty Morelli family) crashes on the way to taking the geologist heroine to a remote jungle site. Warren has a history of books not releasing on their due dates, so I won’t be surprised if this doesn’t show on June 14—but will be very happy if it does.
Ana Huang’s TWISTED LIES (June 30) is the fourth and final book in her Twisted series about four college roommates and their lives & loves after graduation. I’m generally not a big fan of N/A, but I’ve liked the previous books in the series (especially the bodyguard romance, TWISTED GAMES). TWISTED LIES is about a couple who agree to a fake relationship. Let the faking begin!
Tessa Bailey has a new book coming out next week, My Killer Vacation, with the blurb promising “a spicy murder mystery”…
Very excited for the new Cat Sebastian and also there’s a new Katherine Addison.
I have the Cat Sebastian on my wishlist. 🙂 ‘A Little Bit Country’ also sounds enticing though I’ll wait to see if anyone can weigh in on how much of the story is spent on Past Mysteries vs Present Romance. I have my own new release on June 4 which is a sufficiency of figuring-things-out.
I am always here for a new Cat Sebastian.
How does it happen that Julie Kriss’s RIFF, the second in her Road Kings series, is coming out after the third in the series?
@LML: Unless I’m missing something (which is always a distinct possibility), the third Road Kings book, RHYTHM, isn’t scheduled for release until December 1, 2022. The first book, DUET, was released earlier this year. RIFF is the second book, and is scheduled for June 9.
Is anyone else still having a few issues with ‘hearting’ comments? Came down to the comments to also get excited about Cat Sebastian and saw that a bunch of the comments were already showing as liked, and if I click the heart it lets me add apparently infinite likes on top!
@D3: oops. I enjoyed Duet, and when I looked at the page to pre-order Riff I saw Rhythm shown as KU but didn’t go to its page – where I would have seen it was also pre-order. Leaving me wondering how publishers make their pricing and placement decisions. The Duet and Rhythm are KU, but not Riff. I read Sarah Morgenthaler’s Moose Spring series last week (great fun) and pricing was the same. First and third available KU, second full (ouch!) price.
@LML: I’ve noticed that sometimes a book will not show that it’s KU if it hasn’t been published yet, but that once it’s been released, it will include the “Read for Free with KU” message. Kriss’s books are usually on KU, but even if they’re not, she’s such a reliably good writer I don’t mind paying for her books.
@chacha1 I would say A Little Bit Country was maybe 70/30 on present vs past. I liked it- solid 4 out of 5 for me. 4 because I spent a good chunk being mad at both the MCs for not communicating well to literally everyone.
Long time lurker, first time poster!
This month I’m most excited about:
WICKED BEAUTY (6/7), the third entry in Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series. It’s also MMF which I feel like she does really well (see: Wicked Villains).
HELL FOLLOWED WITH US by Andrew Joseph White- I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one, trans MC with a cult/dystopian vibe.
AMERICAN ROYALTY (6/28) by Tracy Livesay which is Prince Harry/Megan Markle inspired
THE DEAD ROMANTICS (6/28) by Ashley Poston- it’s tagged as romance/chick lit so interested to see how that plays out. Ghostwriter’s parent passes away and she has to return to her hometown.
@D3, I don’t mind paying for books, my New Year’s resolution was to spend more on books…at almost a book a day, by late March I realized that “more” didn’t mean “everything”. My idea of bliss is a sufficient budget to purchase a new hardcover every day of the year.
Flying Solo, Counterfeit, So Happy for You and A Little Bit Country are on my TBR. PCOMH was fabulous, and I loved Last Call at the Nightingale.
Normally I’m pretty good at skimming these lists and moving on, to wait for a sale or the library… my resistance is really low this month and I’ve just preordered three. The Cat Sebastian I read book 1 last month so odds were very good I’d pick up #2 sooner rather than later!
I’m so excited about Flying Solo. I stumbled on to Evvie Drake and adored it much to my surprise. I’m usually looking for dark tied-up-gagged-flogged grudge f—stories. LOL
A NEW CLAN by David Weber and Jane Lindskold releases on 7 June. I’m excited—it continues one of my favorite SFF series—but also apprehensive… what if it’s not as good as the first three books? It’s been nine years since the last release, and I’ve listened to the series over and over (it’s got an awesome narrator!)… can the new book stand up to all the expectations that have grown over the years? Ahhhhh! *insert picture of Edvard Munch’s The Scream here*