Before we get to today’s new releases, including gems by Hildred Billings, Eliza Lentzski, Barbara Winkes, Lucy Bexley, and many others, we have some announcements.
IHS PRIDE COLLECTION
Celebrate love with this collection of delightfully lighthearted romances from some of the most popular authors of sapphic fiction today!
These eight standalone Pride-themed novels have been carefully selected by I Heart SapphFic to give readers a taste of the very best modern sapphic fiction has to offer. Each women loving women story promises to bring all the feels. June is the perfect time to remember that love is love, and everyone deserves a happily ever after!
IHS SAPPHIC READING CHALLENGE
It’s week 22 of IHS’s Sapphic Reading Challenge. You can click here for reading suggestions for Historical Fiction books. 6 of the books featured on the page are on sale.
Remember, you can join the I Heart SapphFic Facebook reader group. Every Monday we will announce the category for the week, and every Wednesday you will have the opportunity to post what book you are reading and be entered into the monthly drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. (For those who are not on Facebook and still want to enter, remember you can email your reading selection to tbm@iheartlesfic.com).
Second, we have created a Goodreads group where readers can discuss books, swap recommendations, and generally have a good time.
VOTE FOR FAVORITE TOASTER OVEN
We asked readers to nominate their all-time favorite sapphic Toaster Oven romances. Find out who made the cut and cast your vote. Voting ends on June 25 and the top three winners will be announced in the June 29 newsletter.
FREE BOOKS
Where Secrets Are Safe
by Jamey Moody
Also Available in Kindle Unlimited
Beloved actress Krista Kyle has created the ideal safe place for closeted Hollywood lesbians to bring their partners and girlfriends and be themselves.
When sleazy journalist Brooke Bell, known for outing people, finds out about Krista’s paradise, secrets are exposed. Will it be the end of Lovers Landing or lead to love?
Deal ends June 7.
Mary, Everything
by Cassandra Yorke
A young woman born in the wrong reality.
A destiny that will lead her into the past.
And a love so enduring it reaches across time – and existence itself – to bring her home.
A gripping tale of best friends and romance, sorcery and survival, at the dawn of the Roaring 20s.
Deal ends June 10.
NEW RELEASES
Here are this week’s new ebook and audio releases and announcements.
Please click on this link for how to submit books (ebook and audio) for the newsletter. IHS will not include books unless they receive an email from either the author or publisher.
Happy reading and listening,
TB, Em, Faith, & Miranda
ROMANCE
Queen of Love
by Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Singaporean heiress Genevieve Liu has searched the globe for love and has always found heartbreak. Nearing forty, she now focuses on her work, forgetting the kinky lifestyle that once brought her the greatest comfort.
If she’s to buy one of Shinjuku’s oldest lesbian bars, however, she needs the right real estate agent. What she gets is a woman who looks like she can eat her for lunch – and Genevieve is definitely interested in becoming Aya Sugiya’s next meal.
For experienced agent Aya, the attraction is mutual. But before she jumps headfirst into Genevieve’s seductive game, she seals another kind of deal. The bar… for her heart!
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: POC Character; Rich Girl / Poor Girl; Hot & Steamy; BDSM; One Night to Forever; Erotic Romance
Still the One
by Lindsey Pennington
Available in Kindle Unlimited
When her estranged sister is injured in an accident, Cate Herrera’s well-crafted life is turned upside down as she rushes to her side. Despite knowing she wouldn’t want to see her if she wasn’t in a coma. Only then does Cate find out that not only does she have nieces and a nephew, but she is the only thing standing between them and foster care.
Everything happens so quickly Cate says yes to taking them in before she talks it over with her girlfriend. Telling herself that it was just for a week or so, and Hilary would understand, its family. Even if they had agreed years before that they didn’t want kids, but did this really break that agreement?
Hilary Mathews has no love for Cate’s sister and can’t understand why her girlfriend would agree to take in her kids, even for a minute. After all, it will only lead to heartache and pain when her sister wakes up just as homophobic as before the accident. Only this time she will take the kids Cate is rapidly falling in love with away from her.
Before Hilary can get her head around kids in the house, she is offered a job opportunity that she longs to take. Especially since it involves a move across the country that will bring them closer to her own family. But now with the kids around, Cate isn’t interested in leaving. Can Hilary give up an opportunity that might never happen again?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Second Chance; POC Character; Loss/Grieving
Ransom to Love
by Chloe Keto
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Hacking is hard… Finding love is harder.
Teri Simlake is a computer scientist drawn to the dark side of freelance hacking in order to keep a roof over her head and cat food on the table. She has a soft spot for cute cat ears and Number One, her grey British Shorthair, plays that to his advantage.
Sophie Keegan hates hackers with a passion. They make everything in life difficult, as if having her friends constantly pressuring her to date wasn’t hard enough.
Will a chance encounter bring Number One’s catnip empire to it’s knees? Will a story of insecurity, gender identity and confrontation become an unconventional tale of love and peace with oneself?
Content warnings for spicy sex scenes, very brief transphobia and enough emotional baggage to sink a ship but also tender moments that will probably need tissues.
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Cute Animal / Pet / Wild Animal; Enemies to Lovers; Hot & Steamy
Badgered
For the Love of the Game: Book 4
by Alex Washoe
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Can a Machiavellian furry and a laid-back Rugby player find love? Are cunning and clever tricks the path to happily ever after? And why are all those furries being dragged out of the City Council meeting?
Arugula J. Cunningham, the self-crowned wunderkind of the Seattle sports scene and city politics, is up to her ears (the tall floppy ones on top of her head) in problems. The new Mayor wants her to sign on full time, which would mean abandoning her thriving sports agency; her ex-girlfriend is furious; and the permits for the Furry Pride Parade still haven’t been approved. Just when it seems her life couldn’t get crazier, she’s run over (literally) by the most infuriating athlete she’s ever met.
Wendy Plunkett is a talented rugby player who has never quite committed to her dreams. After playing for the New Zealand national team and missing the Olympics by a cottontail’s whisker, she’s come to the US for a chance at bigger money – and to escape her toxic family. Now her contract is up in the air, and her whole family has descended on the US for a wedding from Hell. No bloody way she’s showing up at that wedding unemployed and single – but why did she have to tell her family that the aggravating girl in the rabbit ears is her soulmate?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Fake Relationship; Enemies to Lovers; Sports
Cheered
Once Upon a Fangirl: Book 4
by Caitlin Ryan
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Two coaches. Two teams. One championship. All of the hairspray (and drama).
College cheer coach, Holly Morgan, sacrificed her own cheer dreams to be a mother. She’s spent the past eighteen years building a name for herself at Langley Cunningham College while raising her daughter. Now, Alexis is off to Pride. Holly’s entire life is her team, and that’s fine with her. The small town dating prospects are slim, anyway.
Everyone in cheer knows Sasha Hamilton’s name. Her stunts are legendary and her follower count in the millions. People have big expectations from her now she’s hung up her pom-poms and taken over as head coach of Pride College. Sasha’s life has been cheer since she was seven, coaching is the natural next step for her. Except, she’s not sure she’s going to be a good coach, or even if she wants to be.
Sasha is a huge fan of Holly, Holly’s a big fan of Sasha, but somehow they get off on the wrong foot. It’s going to take some kind of cheer miracle to get them on the same side, especially when their teams are sworn rivals.
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Age Gap; Celebrity; Coming Out; Sports
Broken to Belong
by Charity Muse
For singer/songwriter Dani Williams, music has always carried her – until now. No longer able to ignore her pain, Dani travels south to volunteer at a safe home for LGBTQ+ youth. While there, she meets Mae, an advisor to the residents whose warmth is contrasted by guardedness and uncertainty. Dani and Mae form a special bond which blossoms into love.
But more than their relationship becomes threatened when an attack is launched against the home, endangering its existence. To help save the home and the authentic love she yearns for, Dani must face heartbreak from her past and use her talents to confront the same prejudice that wounded her. As the strength of their bond is tested, Dani has the choice to walk away and lose everything or stay and redefine love, family, and spirit.
Broken to Belong explores what it means to fight for one another and dares to ask – can we find or create belonging where we least expect it?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Girl Next Door; Musician; Celebrity
Her Pretend Fiancée
Arranged to Love: Book 3
by Alexa Woods
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Adalena’s marriage is arranged to seal a business deal. Kayla is on a mission to ruin this arrangement. But what happens when the love scandal she plotted turns out to be a real thing?
For thirty-three years, Kayla wanted one thing – her father’s last name. But as his secret second family, she and her mother were expected to stay in the shadows.
Until her dad offers a deal: Money and shares in his company for one tiny favor; Kayla will need to stop the spoiled socialite daughter of his business competitor from getting hitched and make sure the IP assets tangled up in the marriage contract end up in her father’s hands.
Creating a scandal with Adalena Clifford falling for Kayla should be easy given that Adalena is also into women, and her fiancé is a man she’s never met.
If only she was not so gorgeous and so heartbreakingly vulnerable…
Adalena is being sold to the highest bidder as part of her tech genius father’s schemes. To keep from losing her family, she convinced herself to give in. At least for now.
So when her new tutor – breathtakingly beautiful Kayla Campbell — bursts into her life, Adalena realizes this woman might be her ticket out.
If only she could rope Kayla into her plans without roping her heart as well…
What will happen when Adalena finds out why Kayla is so willingly helpful? And will they both risk their futures when their hearts and fates become entangled?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Age Gap; Enemies to Lovers; Ice Queen; Forced Proximity / Stranded Together
Sour Grapes
by Eliza Lentzski
Available in Kindle Unlimited
After celebrating her fortieth birthday, June St. Clare never imagined she’d be starting all over again—a new job, a new city, a new love? Looking for a fresh start after tragedy, June finds herself the unexpected owner of Lark Estates—a micro winery in the heart of Napa Valley. There, June is determined to learn the business and do her best, even if she’s convinced that her assistant winemaker, the beautiful but elusive Lucia Santiago, wants to see her fail.
Lucia Santiago grew up on vineyards, almost like a grapevine herself, working her way up from cellar rat to assistant winemaker. When the property where she works is suddenly sold to a woman with no prior experience, she can’t help but feel resentful of the winery’s lovely but inexperienced new owner. It’s too bad June’s helplessness is almost endearing, stirring up emotions Lucia didn’t quite expect.
2022 Reading Challenge Category: Grumpy / Sunshine
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Redemption
Crossing Lines: Book 2
by Barbara Winkes
Available in Kindle Unlimited
ROBYN
I can’t let go.
I wish I could say all my actions were justified when I tried to prevent an all-out war between two crime families.
Falling for Kendall Mancini was never part of the plan – but that’s the bed I made for myself, and now I have to lie in it.
I owe her.
KENDALL
My family thinks I’m a traitor. Given what I know now, I can’t be too surprised or disappointed.
It’s ironic that the only person I can trust is the woman who set out to lock me up, but that’s life.
Trust is everything.
The danger is not past, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect both of us.
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Romantic Suspense; Suspense
Let Love Be Enough
by Robyn Nyx
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Award-winning journalist Madison Ford is taking a well-deserved break from covering foreign wars. That break is cut short when she receives a mysterious package, full of incriminating information on an organ trafficking ring. When she’s asked to do an interview with actress and humanitarian, Elodie Fontaine, it seems like a welcome distraction. She has no idea how distracting Elodie will become.
Elodie Fontaine is in demand. She chooses the movies she wants to work on and the women she wants in her bed. Humanitarian work takes up the rest of her time. Love isn’t an option. Madison walks into her life and turns it upside down and inside out. Elodie wants to see where their instant connection might lead, but Madison just wants to be friends.
When Madison’s work puts her life in danger, will Elodie’s love be strong enough to save her? Or will they lose everything?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Celebrity; Romantic Suspense; Friends to Lovers; Thriller
FANTASY
A Touch of Purple
The Towers of the Earth: Book Six
by Nita Round
Available in Kindle Unlimited
The trinity have been summoned home, to the Raven Tower, but neither tower nor magic tell them why.
Hidden in the shadows, something unseen is hunting them all.
One by one the soldiers tasked with defending its people, fall to an insidious contagion. Once infected, they succumb to a rabid and animalistic state. If they survive, then they become minions of the dark to spread their touch even further.
Magda, Ascara and Lucinda must seek out the dark places foretold by the clan dreamers. When they do, they discover more than they expected. As the rot at the heart of Veritas takes hold, no cure is in sight. When all seems lost, they must face their deadliest foe yet.
Now, the war on humanity has become deadly serious. The trinity must triumph. The world depends upon it.
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: POC; Magical Realism; Fantasy; Ladies in Uniform; Sci-Fi; Speculative Fiction; Slow Burn
SCI-FI
The Helion Band
by AJ Mason
Available in Kindle Unlimited
Rose’s only crime was to show kindness to her royal mistress…
Now she’s a fugitive, fleeing from Queen Penthesilea, aided only by the mysterious bracelet that was a scornful gift from her merciless ruler. Rose lives in uncomfortable symbiosis with it, ignorant of its origins and potential. All she knows is that if Penthesilea catches her, she’s as good as dead.
Now Queen Penthesilea knows what she gave away in error—an ancient treasure which imbues its bearer with powers and abilities beyond imagining—she must get it back. Without the Helion Band, her throne and life are on the line.
When Rose’s feelings for the dashing captain Vash Munro intensify, she’s faced with a choice; leave Vash behind and keep running alone, or trust Vash with her secrets and run together.
Relentlessly pursued across the galaxy by an increasingly desperate Pentesilea, will Rose find the strength to take a stand or will she fall to the queen and lose everything?
Trigger Warning: Domestic violence, mostly referred to and not graphic detail.
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Sweet; Forced Proximity/Stranded Together; Sci-Fi Romance
NEW AUDIOBOOKS
No Strings
by Lucy Bexley
narrated by Abby Craden
Fun is the one thing Elsie Webb takes seriously. Though she’d be having a lot more of it if Haelstrom Media paid her enough to actually get out of debt. She’s determined to hold out on contract negotiations for her kids’ television show Fangley Heights until she gets what she deserves. There’s only one problem, the head of the network just died and left her future more uncertain than ever.
Forty-eight hours and one funeral—that’s all Jones Haelstrom has to get through before she can return to her life in LA that’s as ordered and sparse as an IKEA showroom. When she steps in as CEO of her father’s media company, Elsie Webb is her first problem to deal with. Elsie ends up challenging Jones in ways she never could have predicted, starting with an attraction neither can avoid.
As their attraction teeters on the edge of something more both agree to keep it casual. A no-strings agreement and disclosure to HR should be enough to keep things between Jones and Elsie from getting tangled, right?
Trigger Warning: this story includes the death of an estranged parent off-page and prior to the story beginning
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Age Gap; Cute Animal; Single Parent; Celebrity; Character with a Disability or Mental Illness; Enemies to Lovers; Loss / Grieving; Hot & Steamy
Awakening Hearts
by Angie K. Love
narrated by Natalia Williams
Two women, two lifetimes, a powerful attraction. Will they choose love or safety?
Soulmate love is the most transformative and by far the most thrilling—but also the most challenging.
2014 California: Sage Morales has a strict rule against mixing her personal life with her professional one. But when her attractive new massage client, Alex Fischer, asks her on a hike, she’s tempted to make an exception. Her stormy blue eyes awaken something dormant in Sage, and there’s a familiarity—as if they hadn’t only just met.
Torn over indulging this new friendship, Sage doesn’t realize Alex being a client is far from their greatest obstacle. She’s still oblivious to her deeply-held religious beliefs and the vow Alex made to herself almost two decades prior.
1862 Ohio: Lizzy’s mundane life on the farm becomes infinitely more interesting the day Claudia arrives. A faint smile hints at the bright spirit hiding behind those guarded blue eyes, kindling a deep desire to uncover it.
When unexpected feelings bloom between the two young women, Lizzy is eager to explore them—while Claudia struggles to reconcile the dizzying sensations in her body with her unquestioned faith and need for safety.
Will the two women risk their hearts and home for a taste of their forbidden love?
Do soulmates meet again to heal old wounds from lifetimes past?
2022 Reading Challenge Categories: Historical Fiction; Slow Burn; Hot & Steamy; Magical Realism; Cute Animal / Pet / Wild Animal; Loss / Grieving; Toaster Oven
Dreams Found
by Lyn Denison
narrated by Jenny Walters
Riley James couldn’t have loved her adoptive parents more if she had been their biological daughter. They had never hidden the fact that she was adopted, and as she got older, so grew her curiosity about the parents who gave her life.
So with the blessing of her mother and father and dire warnings from her friend, Lisa, Riley sets out on a journey of discovery and travels south to Brisbane to find her birth mother. Maggie is thrilled to meet Riley, but her husband is overseas on business, and she wants to tell him about Riley first, before telling the rest of her family.
Then Riley meets Maggie’s beautiful stepdaughter, Jayne, and falls desperately in love with her. How can she tell Jayne about her true feelings without also telling her about her connection to Maggie, and thus breaking her promise to her birth mother?
2022 Reading Challenge Category: Coming Out
Sapphic Audiobook Giveaway
June is not only Pride Month; it’s also Audiobook Appreciation Month, so 23 authors of sapphic fiction put together an audiobook giveaway for you!
You can win one of 65 sapphic audiobooks. Important: To enter, fill out this very short form!
Jae put this giveaway together.
BUY US A COFFEE
Running IHS takes the four of us many hours every single week. Also, the costs add up. Last year we setup a Buy Us a Coffee page, which allows people to help cover the expenses. When we first announced the page, we were blown away by the response. Not only were people willing to pitch in, but all of the kind notes and encouragement brought more than a few tears to TB’s eyes. If you’d like to support us, click here. Every cup helps immensely! If you’d like to learn more about TB’s initial response to the outpouring of support, click here.
Have a wonderful day!
TB, Em, Faith, & Miranda
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