Only fifteen new paranormal romance books heat up the shelves in September (note that due to space limitations, this list does not include all of the small-press and self-pubbed paranormal romances for the month). Look for series additions from, among others, Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter), Christine Feehan (Dark Saga), Kait Ballenger (Execution Underground), Eve Langlais (A Lion’s Pride), Alexandry Ivy and Carrie Ann Ryan (Branded Packs), Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Vampires), and Jan DeLima (Celtic Wolves).
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
Archangel’s Enigma (Guild Hunter #8)—Nalini Singh (September 1, Jove)
Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required, those more common to predatory animals than to man. Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature, at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel, Naasir will force her to question all she knows, and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. First they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare
Dark Ghost (Dark Saga #27)—Christine Feehan (September 1, Berkley)
Monk. Bounty hunter. Vampire slayer. Andre Boroi has spent centuries battling the undead, holding out against the dark with honor. Gravely wounded by master vampire Costin Popescu, Andre will be easy to track, his spilled blood marking the killing trail for Popescu and his hungry band of underlings. Andre’s only chance is to disappear into the gray mist of the Carpathians. In the mountains in search of a precious crystal, geologist Teagan Joanes suddenly finds herself hunted by those she once trusted. Then she comes across the warrior, wounded, wanting and irresistible. Andre has been craving her for an eternity: his lifemate. Teagan surrenders to a passion she can’t possibly comprehend. Now they are bound by destiny, but is it enough to keep them safe from a stalking, relentless darkness that threatens to swallow them alive?
Midnight Hunter (Execution Underground #3)—Kait Ballenger (September 1, HQN Books)
Occult specialist and witch hunter Dr. Shane Grey is called upon to investigate a string of crimes that bear all the hallmarks of black magic. But he can’t take on this daunting assignment for the Execution Underground alone. He’ll need the help of Vera Sanders, a witch with a dark past, and a woman who disturbs him as much as she intrigues him. Vera is determined to ignore the dangerous chemistry between herself and Shane so she can prove her loyalty to his cause; otherwise she risks the wrath of the Execution Underground once again. If she can’t make Shane trust her, they won’t stand a chance in hell of defeating the evil that’s terrorizing their city. No easy task, considering old habits die hard, and Vera may be the very person responsible for luring Shane into a killer’s trap. (Digital)
Nightbloom (Nightwing #3)—Juliette Cross (September 1, Lyrical Press)
All her life, Ella Barrow has allowed others to make her decisions. Forced to stifle her artistic talents and stay in a loveless relationship with Clayton Kerrington, the man her mother believes to be her perfect match, Ella’s life may be safe, but it’s not her own. Paxon Nightwing, on the other hand, is anything but the safe choice. A charming and alluring Morgon, Paxon sees Ella for the woman she truly is. His bold confidence and protective nature ignites a passion she’s never felt before. But a dark family tragedy forces their secrecy, until Clayton makes it impossible to hide their clandestine affair. Will Ella be strong enough to fight for herself at last? Or will she succumb once more and risk losing the only man she’s ever loved?
Summit of the Wolf (Silver Wolf Clan #4)—Tera Shanley (September 1, Lyrical Press)
Morgan Carter is a claimed werewolf. Only her mate, Greyson Crawford, has the right to protect her, and to love her. But that hasn’t stopped rival packs from challenging Greyson’s claim. Morgan is the last silver wolf, the only female with the ability to produce werewolf offspring, which means there are many who would defy pack law to make her their own. When war comes to the Silver Wolf Clan on the eve of The Summit, Morgan and Greyson have no choice but to fight for their kind. With the arrival of an ancient enemy, the two realize that the war has only just begun, and to survive the greatest threat they have ever faced, they must learn to trust each other again. (Digital)
Tall, Dark and Immortal (Entity #4)—Cat Devon (September 1, St. Martin’s)
Alex Sanchez is more than just an ordinary detective. He’s on the prowl, as a vampire. Alex uses his unique gifts to police the mean streets of Chicago like a natural predator. But when he learns that local blood banks are being robbed, he’s not sure what rattles him more: the bizarre crime wave or the stunningly beautiful journalist who’s reporting it. Keira Turner is dedicated to her job, and determined to uncover the truth. Dangerously, out-of-this-world handsome Detective Sanchez seems oddly fascinated by the crimes, and obsessed with Keira. Alex might not have a clue who’s stealing blood but he’s sure of one thing: Keira is no mere mortal. She’s descended from a long line of vampire hunters. And if they try to solve this case together, he’ll have to fight the urge to kiss her, or kill her.
WEEK TWO
Shadow of Flame (Dragonsworn #2)—Caitlyn McFarland (September 14, Carina Press)
It’s been two months since Kai Monahan’s life changed forever. Retrieved from a suddenly unsafe Colorado by Rhys and taken to Eryri, the dragons’ home in the South Pacific, she lives a secret existence. Rhys, for all his awe-inspiring power, is afraid to reveal to his people that he’s heartsworn to a human. One he’s quite possibly in love with. Kai hasn’t forgotten the terror or pain of the moment Rhys first took control of her mind and her magic. Neither has she forgotten the fire of his kiss. When she’s discovered, dragon politics, not to mention spies and ex-lovers, threaten her growing feelings. Rhys has more enemies than he can guess, and someone close to him is playing right into their hands. The war Rhys never wanted is coming. For either of them to survive, Kai must open her mind to him as never before. This time, there will be no turning back. (Digital)
WEEK THREE
A Tiger’s Bride (A Lion’s Pride #4)—Eve Langlais (September 15)
When at first you don’t succeed, turn to abduction. It’s all in a day’s work when this Siberian tiger meets the woman he wants. An accidental kidnapping? Check. A forced marriage? Check. A virgin bride? Damn. There go his plans for seduction and here comes the pressure into making her first time perfect. Because everyone knows that’s the one she’ll remember, forever. Gulp. Add in a plane crash as well as hunters out to capture them and the heat is truly on. Can this Siberian tiger meet the challenge?
Abandoned and Unseen (Branded Packs #2)—Alexandra Ivy and Carrie Ann Ryan (September 15)
When bear shifter Anya Tucker fell in love with the wrong man, the only thing she left with was a broken heart, and her two bear cubs. Her sons meet the lazy cat next door and fall heads over tails for him. Cole McDermott is a jaguar on a mission protecting his Pack. Then he meets Anya and the burn of temptation is and tantalizing indeed. When a horror from Anya’s past threatens everything she loves, Cole will put everything aside and fight for her family, as well as his own. Nicole Bradley had no reason to live after the humans murdered her son. Shifting into her wolf form at night, she slips out of the compound. The last thing she expected was to discover secrets that could destroy the SAU. Polar shifter, Tucker Stone, lives off the grid. But he can’t walk away when he sees the female wolf in danger. He takes her to his hidden den and tries to heal her wounds. Can a reclusive polar bear and a wolf with a death wish find happiness together?
The Weight of Feathers—Anna-Marie McLemore (September 15, Thomas Dunne for St. Martin’s Griffin)
For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows, the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find. Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she’s been taught from birth to keep away. When disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. His touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.
WEEK FOUR
About a Vampire (Argeneau #22)—Lynsay Sands (September 29, Avon)
With Immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can’t win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed, Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her. And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly’s already married. Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they belong together. She needs Bricker’s help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate, maybe even his life, and he’ll break every rule to do it.
Autumn Moon (Celtic Wolves #3)—Jan DeLima (September 29, Ace)
For centuries, Cormack has lived between worlds, a man trapped in the body of a wolf, shunned by humans and shifters alike. Only one person has ever welcomed his company: Elen, a kindred outcast who is feared by others of her ancient Celtic race for her strange healing abilities. Cormack has always valued Elen’s kindness and understanding, but after a desperate act of friendship causes Elen to free him from his curse, he realizes he wants more. He wants all of her, completely and forever. Except before Cormack can win Elen’s heart, Pendaran, the evil leader of the Guardians, captures her, determined to manipulate her incredible power to aid him in his twisted war against the shapeshifting tribes. Now Cormack must use all of his skills as a warrior and a wolf to save the woman he loves, before Pendaran’s vile schemes destroy them all.
Bound by Sin (Immortal Brothers #3)—Jacquelyn Frank (September 29, Ballantine)
After being chained to a star to burn endlessly as punishment for stealing immortality from the gods, Jaykun has been unshackled to wage war alongside his brothers, in the name of a goddess. Each night Jaykun must still suffer, his body burning from the inside out. One morning, he encounters a beautiful stranger on the beach. Naked from her midnight-black hair down to her sandy toes, she approaches him with starry-eyed innocence and the unmistakable full body of a woman. Soon Jaykun is swept up with the force of a comet. His brothers fear he is blinded by her radiant beauty, that she has been sent by their enemies to seduce and destroy him. Jileana is indeed from another world, one Jaykun cannot begin to imagine. But will their passion burn brightly enough to light their way through the darkness that threatens to consume all in its path?
Down the Rabbit Hole (In Death #41.5)—J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas and R.C. Ryan (September 29, Jove)
Five authors present five all-new stories told through the looking glass, including a new Eve Dallas novella. You’re late for a very important date…Enter a wonderland of mesmerizing tales. It’s a place that’s neither here nor there, where things are never quite as they seem. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s whimsical masterpiece, ranging from the impossible to the mad to the curiouser, these stories will have you absolutely off your head. Don’t be afraid to follow them… Contains: Wonderment in Death by J. D. Robb, Alice and the Earl in Wonderland by Mary Blayney, iLove by Elaine Fox, A True Heart by Mary Kay McComas, and Fallen by R. C. Ryan.
Trickster Blood (Latter-Day Olympians)—Lucienne Diver (September 29, Samhain)
Hermes (yes, that Hermes of Greek myth) has an unerring nose for mischief and mayhem, which comes in handy as a syndicated columnist for the Miami Sentinel. When a colleague offers to forgive a lost bet in exchange for checking on his father in Ft. Lauderdale, Hermes’s Spidey senses go on high alert. The father has taken up with his much younger housekeeper. The suspected foul play has trickster written all over it. The young woman who answers the door almost knocks Hermes back a step with her shining golden hair and laughing, kaleidoscope eyes. Oh yeah, there’s a trickster here. For once in his eternal life, Hermes isn’t sure whether he should stage an intervention, or leave the “happy couple” to their mutually assured destruction. Especially since Farrah is much more than she seems, and Hermes is all about fun and frolic. (Digital)
Suzanne Johnson is the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, including a new Sentinels novella in the Dark Secrets anthology releasing September 29. You can find Suzanne on Facebook and on her website.
