Only fifteen titles will bite, scratch, and burn their way into reader hearts in July (note that due to space limitations, this list does not include all of the small-press and self-pubbed paranormal romances for July). Look for series additions from, among others, Sharon Ashwood (Horsemen); Christine Feehan (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart); Jayne Castle (Rainshadow); C. L. Wilson (Weathermages of Mystral); Lara Adrian (Midnight Breed); Vivian Arend (Takhini Shifters); Angie Sandro (Dark Paradise); and Juliette Cross (Vessel Trilogy),
Fiction Affliction details releases in science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and “genre-benders.” Keep track of them all here. Note: All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher.
WEEK ONE
Goddess of Fate—Alexandra Sokoloff (July 1, Harlequin Nocturne)
Fated To Fall In Love. Luke Mars doesn’t believe in fate. Especially when ‘Fate’ is supposedly a gorgeous goddess named Aurora who claims to be his guardian, assigned from birth to watch over him. Aurora is meant to protect her mortal charges, not fall in love with them. But when Luke is shot dead, her protective instincts are matched by a deeper need. To save his life, Aurora must convince Luke to believe who she is and trust her to help him. But with just one day to do so, time is running out for Aurora to prove that love really can alter fate. (Digital)
Possessed by the Fallen (Horsemen #4)—Sharon Ashwood (July 1, Harlequin Nocturne)
When his lover learned his darkest secret, she betrayed the elite vampire agent. Now the beautiful fey Jessica Lark is back in Jack Anderson’s life. With the fate of a royal wedding and a high-stakes mission depending on his complete attention, Jack has no room for distraction. Especially the sort this temptress poses. A fey spy who also seems to be guarding dangerous secrets that aren’t her own. The two agents don’t know if they can trust one another. But if they hope to unravel a dark plot and fight an evil queen, they’ll have to try. Their undeniable attraction might just save them, but first they’ll have to travel through a portal to a hidden, treacherous fairy-tale kingdom. (Digital)
WEEK TWO
Earth Bound (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart #4)—Christine Feehan (July 7, Jove)
After escaping from a cult, Lexi found refuge with her sisters on the farm that more than sustained her body, it nurtured her soul as well. But she never forgot the terror she left behind or the always present fear that the cult would find her again, and claim her. Then her nightmare came true. Lexi was discovered and threatened, only to be suddenly saved by a stranger. He is Gavriil Prakenskii, and he’s awestruck by the woman he’s rescued. She is destined for him. He can feel it in his soul. But how can Lexi find happiness with a man steeped in secrets and shadows, one intimately acquainted with violence, and whose very love could be the death of them?
Licked by the Flame (The Forbidden Realm #2)—Serena Gilley (July 7, Forever Yours)
Shape-shifting Dragon Nic Vladik has infiltrated a human technological organization to monitor their efforts on alternate fuel sources. It seems they have discovered the power being emitted from one of the Dragons’ facilities. Nic must keep the humans from learning the truth about this Dragon stronghold at all costs and deter them from tapping into their heat source. That means stopping an incredibly sexy scientist from ruining his race. Lianne McGowan is a human scientist sent to assist with the site. She believes this heat source will help save the planet and she will stop at nothing to learn more and discover the full truth about what lies beneath this mysterious mountain. When she meets the seductive and dangerous Nic and dark forces start to work against them, she begins to realize that there is more to the story than she ever imagined.
Dark Embrace (Dark Paradise #4)—Angie Sandro (July 14, Forever Yours)
Rescued from the brink of death by her cousin Mala, Dena Acker returns to the land of the living with a terrifying gift. Still connected to the darkness that almost claimed her, she can tell when someone’s about to die, but there’s nothing she can do to save them. Desperate to rid herself of this cursed ability, Dena has only one chance at peace, and it comes from an otherworldly stranger. For centuries, Ashmael has seen more souls than he can count but he’s never been drawn to anyone the way he is to fragile, beautiful Dena. She fills the dark void of his days with light, and he would do anything to ease her suffering. Even if it means sacrificing his only chance at a flesh-and-blood existence to truly be with her.
WEEK THREE
Bound in Black (The Vessel Trilogy #3)—Juliette Cross (July 21, Samhain)
Genevieve Drake is on a dangerous mission to find the soul collector, Lethe, and enter the deepest, darkest level of the underworld. No one has ever returned alive from the belly of a soul collector, but she will let nothing stop her from going after the precious treasure Lethe stole from her. As she is tested against demon spawn and foul creatures of the underworld, each triumph strengthens her Vessel power, and drags her closer to a breaking point that could forever doom her to the abyss. The Dominus Daemonum strategize for the day Gen will battle Prince Bamal’s Vessel to the death, when the Great War between heaven and hell will begin. Bamal has a secret weapon. When he reveals it, Gen may not have the strength to resist the temptation to fall into darkness, forsaking the fate of the world for her broken heart. (Digital)
To Kiss a Mermaid—Michele Hauf (July 21, Swell Cat)
By the light of the blue moon, kind-hearted and capable James Morgan pulls up something fantastical in his fishing nets, something he has pined for most of his life. Despite living a simple life, the seaman has yearned for a mermaid ever since he heard of the legend as a child and learned of his family’s connection to the sea. Haunted by all that he’s lost, and consumed by his desires, James struggles between answering the call of his heart and doing the right thing. Is it possible for a man who walks the earth and a woman fated to swim the sea to be happy together? After all, what the sea gives, the sea can take away, and destiny may not be enough to ensure happiness. (Digital)
Torn (The Feuds #2)—Avery Hastings (July 21, St. Martin’s Griffin)
Determined to escape from TOR-N, a corrupt Narxis research center, Davis meets another recovered patient, Mercer, whose smile and sense of humor give her hope in humanity again. As they make a journey seeking clues that could lead to a cure, Davis and Mercer’s friendship begins to evolve into something more. She’s still struggling to let go of her feelings for Cole, whom she believes is dead. Cole has plans to change his identity in order to compete in the Olympiads, where Imps have now been invited to compete against Priors. He begins training with Mari, the daughter of a retired fighter, but through trials and tests that are both exhausting and exhilarating, he finds himself in over his head. Will both Davis and Cole have the strength to resist temptation? Will they have the courage to face the answers they’re seeking? Will their love survive across the divide?
WEEK FOUR
Soul of Smoke (Dragonsworn #1)—Caitlyn McFarland (July 27, Carina Press)
On a hike deep in the Rocky Mountains, Kai Monahan watches as a dozen dragons battle beneath a fat white moon. When one crashes nearly dead at her feet and transforms into a man, Kai grabs the nearest sword and saves his life. As the dragon/man, Rhys, recovers from the attack, a chance brush of skin against skin binds him inextricably to Kai. Becoming heartsworn to a human is the last thing Rhys wants. With an ancient enemy gathering to pit dragons against humanity, Kai has just become the one thing Rhys needs. A complete bond will give him the strength to fight; a denied bond means certain death. Kai is terrified at the thought of allowing any dragon into her mind, or her heart. Accepting the heartswearing and staying with the dragons means sacrificing everything, and Kai must decide if her freedom is worth risking Rhys’s life, a life more crucial to the fate of humanity than she could possibly know. (Digital)
Baby’s Got Bite—Candace Havens (July 28, Entangled Covet)
Bennett Langdon has a firm no-relationships policy. Still, it doesn’t stop her from hooking up with a super-sexy bad boy at her best friend’s wedding. After all, it’s only one night-what harm could it do? Ten weeks later, a pregnant Bennett has her answer…Linc Monahan can’t believe it. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’s a werewolf, and shouldn’t be able to father a child with a human. Now Linc has to find some way to tell Bennett that not only do werewolves exist, but she’s about to have a baby with one….But when word of their surprise conception gets out, the fur hits the fan. There are people who don’t want this baby to be born-even if it means killing. Now Bennett and Linc aren’t just fighting each other…they’re fighting for their lives. (Digital)
Dragon Fall (Black Dragons #1)—Katie MacAlister (July 28, Forever)
For Aoife Dakar, seeing is believing-and she’s seen some extraordinary things. It’s too bad no one else believes that she witnessed a supernatural murder at an outdoor fair. Returning to the scene for proof, Aoife encounters a wise-cracking demon dog, and a gloriously naked man who can shift into a dragon and kiss like a god. Now thrust into a fantastical world that’s both exhilarating and terrifying, Aoife is about to learn just how hot a dragon’s fire burns. Kostya has no time for a human woman with endless questions. He must break the curse that has splintered the dragon clans before more of his kind die. But his powerful attraction to Aoife runs much deeper than the physical, and there may be more to her than even his sharp dragon eyes can see. To survive the coming battle for the fate of his race, he needs a mate of true heart and soul.
Siren’s Call (Rainshadow #4)—Jayne Castle (July 28, Jove)
In the alien catacombs of Rainshadow, there are creatures whose compelling songs lure the unwary to their death. That’s why Rafe Coppersmith, hired to clear out the catacombs for exploration, needs a music talent. He’s knows the perfect one, but she probably doesn’t want anything do with him. Ella Morgan had once fallen hard and fast for Rafe, but then he disappeared for months, and he’s not about to tell her why. Ella, too, has secrets that only her dust bunny knows. She’s not just a music talent, she’s a Siren: a paranormal singer capable of singing men to sleep, or to their deaths. But once on Rainshadow, Rafe and Ella will learn that surrendering to passion doesn’t come without risks, and fighting fire with fire only adds to the flame.
The Sea King (Weathermages of Mystral #2)—C.L. Wilson (July 28, Avon)
Seafaring prince Dilys Merimydion has been invited to court the three magical princesses of Summerlea. To eradicate the pirates threatening Calberna, Dilys vows to return home with a fierce warrior-queen as his bride. A weathermage like her sisters, Gabriella Coruscate’s gentleness exemplifies the qualities of her season name, Summer. Her quiet poise conceals dangerous powers she cannot begin to wield. Better to live without excitement than risk her heart, until an irresistible Sealord jolts her awake with a thunderclap of raw desire. When pirates kidnap Summer and her sisters, Dilys is in a desperate quest to save the woman he loves. Only by combining his command of the seas with the unleashed fury of Summer’s formidable gifts can they defeat their brutal enemies and claim the most priceless victory of all: true love.
Laird Wolf (Takhini Shifters #2)—Vivian Arend (July 29, Vivian Arend)
Pulling off a rescue mission at a remote castle in Scotland should be an easy task for lone wolf Damon Black. He’ll flash some muscle, show a little Alpha power, and do whatever it takes to ease Addie MacShay’s fears. But the woman who throws herself into his arms and cries boyfriend is more intriguing than anticipated. The sexy she-wolf’s got more curves, more tantalizing scent, more of everything he desires. …Addie’s job cataloguing an estate at the Sterling-Wylde Manor is complicated by the ongoing discovery of new wills and the two creepy heirs who won’t leave her alone. But her fake boyfriend turns out to be a far greater threat—not only is he fun and flirtatious, he looks delicious in a kilt. She craves his touch, but with her empathic skills on overdrive, touch is the last thing she needs….Damon’s fighting his unruly inner beast. Addie’s fighting their incredible sexual pull. They’re both going to have to lower their guard to make this more than a Highland fling.
Bound to Darkness (Midnight Breed #13)—Lara Adrian (July 30, Lara Adrian)
Carys Chase is accustomed to making her own rules and letting her heart lead the way—no matter what anyone else has to say about it. A rare Breed female and a daywalker as well, headstrong, beautiful Carys is one of the most powerful of her kind. She lives passionately and loves without limits, especially when it comes to the lethal cage-fighting Breed warrior called Rune….Unbeatable in the ring, Rune exists in a brutal world of blood and bone and death. He’s made his share of enemies both in and out of the arena, and his secrets run as deep and turbulent as his past. A dangerous loner who has survived by his fists and fangs, Rune has never allowed anyone to get too close to him…until Carys. But when the bodies buried in his past rise up to threaten his present, Rune must choose between betraying Carys’s trust or putting her in the crosshairs of a battle neither of them can hope to win on their own.
Suzanne Johnson is the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, and, as Susannah Sandlin, the Penton Legacy paranormal romance series and The Collectors thriller series. You can find Suzanne on Facebook and on her website.
