Waiting For Wentworth: 2024

Waiting On Wednesday (678) Christmas On Stardust Lane by Garrett Leigh

Christmas On Stardust Lane
by Garrett Leigh

Expected Publication: November 13, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance, Holiday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings
that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.
(WoW was previously hosted by Breaking The Spine.)

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
A scarred ex-biker with a hardened soul. The hot new nurse in town guarding his own bruised heart.

Tam Dubois is used to being alone. With a body that bears the marks of his mistakes, he’s grown to like it. But scratching out a living with pen and ink is tough, the numbers don’t work, and the only solution he can think of gives him the opposite of Christmas cheer.

A lodger.

It’s the last thing he wants, but like most things in life, it happens anyway, and the stranger he’s so keen to avoid turns out not to be a stranger at all.

It’s him.

Tam can’t believe it--and he doesn’t want to. But matters of the heart don’t play by the rules, and as Christmas approaches, love might just prove the greatest gift of all…

If they’re brave enough to unwrap it.

I love a good Christmas story. I enjoyed reading this author's previous holiday books because they were edgy and not so sappy and schmoopy. So I get my HEA, but with more angst than the typical 'romance' book.

What are you waiting on this week?

The Rivals of Copper County
(Copper County #2)
by May Archer

Expected Publication: November 19, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
If there were a prize for the most contented man in Copper County, I’d win it every time. I’ve got my business. My son. My family. My friends… and no romantic prospects, sure, but only because I don’t need any. My life’s great as it is. Seriously. Could not be better. I’m practically bleeding serenity over here.

At least until Jasper Wrigley shows up in Copper County after twenty years–as my son’s temporary hockey coach, no less, though the man could barely lace up his skates back in the day–and throws my carefully ordered life into chaos.

Once upon a time, magnetic, confident Jasper was my best friend and greatest rival, and his summer visits to town were the best part of my year. Our competitions were fierce. Our dares were thrilling. We talked about everything under the sun, and he made me believe in the possibility of a bright, hazy future somewhere just out of reach.

But then he left, and I grew up. Now the last thing I need is Jasper back in my space, provoking me, challenging me, and making me question… freaking everything.

Like whether my life is as perfect as I claim. Like whether I’m as straight as I think. Like whether there might be something better than “contentment” out there for me if I’m brave enough to look for it. And whether the man who was always my greatest rival… might just be the love of my life.

I'm really enjoying this series! That is all.

What are you waiting on this week?

Winnie Takes Paris
(Love and Travels #2)
by Lane Hayes

Expected Publication: November 7, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The stylist, the absentminded professor, and a Parisian adventure…

Winnie:

Someone once said, when life gets you down and you’re feeling blue, you should brush yourself off…and go to Paris. Okay, maybe that was me. I said it and I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and cosmetic guru in LA. And c’mon, it’s Paris!

So what if I don’t know the language and have a hard time reading maps? I’m nothing if not resourceful. What could go possibly wrong? Alistair…that’s what. In a twist, I have a thing for an impossibly smart geek with mismatched socks who just happens to be my best friend’s boss. This can’t be good.

Alistair:

I’ve been called an absent-minded professor more than once. I don’t mind at all. My work is important and living on a diet of biscuits and tea while delving into ancient civilization doesn’t seem like terrible thing. But Paris calls. And somehow, I have a new temporary assistant.

Winnie is a technicolor, whirlwind American with a wicked laugh and the subtlety of a steamroller. He’s brash and ridiculous and…funny, warm, lovely, and— Oh no. This can’t be happening. Winnie can take Paris, but he can’t take my heart. Or can he?

The first book in this series was really cute and funny. I'm hoping this book is just as good!

What are you waiting on this week?

Sweet Like Whiskey
(The Darling Brothers #1)
by Emmy Sanders

Expected Publication: October 24, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
If there’s one thing I don’t need upsetting my quiet and comfortable routine in the small town of Darling, Montana, it’s newcomer Ash Alcott crash landing on my family’s ranch like some sort of blonde angel.

I don’t need his flirting. Or his smile. I don’t need the way he makes me question whether or not I’m truly happy being alone at forty. I certainly don’t need to be giving him riding lessons or appreciating the meals he cooks for the ranch.

The man is dangerous for my equilibrium. And he could up and leave at any given moment, tiring of this way of life. It’s happened before.

No, I’m better off ignoring the way he looks at home in a new pair of boots and how my family and the ranchers all adore him. Ash may have brought some sunshine into our lives, but it’s best he learn sooner rather than later... ain’t nothing sweet about being saddled with a cowboy like me.

I missed out on the beginning of this author's Plum Valley Cowboys series. (I know I could go back and catch up, but the 'hype' is over, and I don't know if it's worth it.) So I am determined to start fresh with this series and see if I like this author since I've only read one book by her so far.

What are you waiting on this week?

On The Edge
(Mount Hope #3)
by Annabeth Albert

Expected Publication: October 17, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
My life is one big caution sign. Ever since my best friend’s all-grown-up son joined our shared home, I’ve been navigating a growing attraction to the injured motocross rider. Declan unleashes every protective and caretaking impulse I have, and I genuinely love spending time with the guy.

But Declan’s too young, too straight, and too temporary to risk a twenty-year friendship over. At least until he kisses me, and I tumble past forbidden attraction into a doomed secret fling.

What starts as exploration for Declan quickly transforms into an undeniable bond. He’s exactly what I’ve been searching for: a ride-or-die partner in crime who is happy making blanket forts, talking late into the night, and shares my love of cozy books and movies. What could be more perfect?

When Declan faces a crucial choice, both our hearts are on the line. Can we avoid falling over the edge into heartbreak?

I usually enjoy reading this author, but I'm not terribly excited about reading this book. At this moment in time, the age gap storyline seems yucky to me. Maybe I'll get over it and read this down the road. (I'm getting behind in my Goodreads challenge, so I don't have time to read books that I don't enjoy.)

What are you waiting on this week?

The Nightmare Before Kissmas
(Royals and Romance #1)
by Sara Raasch

Expected Publication: October 8, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance, Fantasy

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky rom-com where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR facade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

I've never read anything by this author (because I don't really read YA fantasy.) But... this book sounds really good!

What are you waiting on this week?

Inheriting Miss Fortune
(The Billionaire Brotherhood #3)
by Lucy Lennox

Expected Publication: October 8, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
I was a man without a family… or so I thought.

I came to tiny Majestic, Wyoming, to escape misfortune: the loss of my brother; my parents’ blame for it; the billion-dollar secret that caused it all.

I find peace in my horses, in my friends, in quiet nights alone… and sometimes in remembering a scorching-hot one-night-stand from two years ago.

But everything changes when Tully Bowman, the man behind that unforgettable encounter, turns up in Majestic bringing me the daughter I’ve inherited (along with her multi-million-dollar trust fund).

Just like that, my peace becomes chaos, my quiet nights are filled with little Lellie’s cries for “Daddy,” and the heat between Tully and me becomes more than just a memory.

Because it seems Tully’s planning to stick around… at least until I prove I’m a “suitable father” and not the fortune-hunter Lellie’s grandparents think I am. And the longer we spend together–the more he challenges and provokes me, comforts and calms me–the harder it is to remember why I ever thought one night would be enough.

I’m a bad bet for fatherhood, but if I choose to keep Lellie and raise her as my own, it won’t be for her money. It will be because this precious girl and the man who brought her to me might be the fresh start and new family my heart has been looking for.

And because the best thing that ever happened to me might just be… Inheriting Miss Fortune.

I enjoy reading this author. I really liked the first 2 books in this series, so I hope I like this one, too!

What are you waiting on this week?

The Bait
(The Milvus Files #2)
by N.R. Walker

Expected Publication: September 27, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When three men turn up in their sleepy little town of Tallowwood, Harry and Asher know something’s wrong. Not because someone could find them, but the fact that Asher’s informant and oldest friend, Yunho, failed to alert them. Messages and phone calls unanswered; Harry and Asher go to Thailand to find Yunho is missing.

Harry and Asher find themselves thrown back into the game of shadows and murder, in a race across the globe to find him and find who’s behind the kidnapping.

The list of their enemies is long, their web of entanglement even longer, and Harry and Asher are about to find out once and for all who is predator and who is prey.

It's been a while since the first book in this series was released, so I don't remember anything that happened. It looks like I'll have to do a re-read before diving into this one.

What are you waiting on this week?

The Pretenders of Copper County
(Copper County #1)
by May Archer

Expected Publication: September 24, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces. Boom, done. Easy.

But it turns out things get complicated real fast when your target is an adorkable, accident-prone cutie with a shockingly low sense of self-preservation, zero clue that he’s related to the Fromadgio crime boss, and 100% too much inclination to chat happily with strangers.

When Chris compromises our safehouse (and accidentally starts a “lowkey, unavoidable” bar fight), our only option is to go undercover… pretending to be campground hosts in Copper County, New York. Make that married campground hosts. (Long story.)

Now I’m hiding out with a guy who’s obsessed with action-adventure shows and hand-knit sweaters, and whose most fearsome talent is arranging charcuterie boards, all of which is far less helpful in a gunfight than you might think.

Somehow I find myself listening to his happy chatter when I should be watching the woods, trying to figure out how his mind works when I should be getting us out of this predicament, and appreciating the way he looks in my shirts when I should be focused on getting my career back on track. But when the Fromadgios’ enemies finally find us, protecting Chris is no longer just a job. I’ll do anything to protect what’s mine… and there’s nothing pretend about it.

I really liked the novella that introduced this series and wish it had been longer! This author's solo works are so much more enjoyable than her collaborations with Lucy Lennox. (Actually, I like reading both author's solo works, but when they get together shit just goes over the top and ridiculous.)

What are you waiting on this week?

The Spy Who Ghosted Me
by Jennifer Peel

Expected Publication: September 13, 2024

Genre: Contemporary Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Three years ago, I fell truly, madly, deeply in love. It was kind of hard not to when Cash Denton, the sexiest man alive, literally ran into me on the streets of Bordeaux, France, and kissed me. Best. Meet. Cute. Ever. That led to the best two months of my life. Or . . . so I thought, until Cash disappeared into thin air. At first, I assumed he was in a coma or had amnesia after a tragic accident, since there’s no way he would have left me. But that was just wishful thinking because, you guessed it, he ghosted me with a capital G.

So, you can imagine my surprise when he suddenly shows back up in my life at my parents’ resort—while I’m there for my sister’s wedding, no less. It’s the last thing I need, seeing as one, I hate drama, and two, I’m pretty sure my sister’s fiancé isn’t who he says he is. There’s a lot of that going around, apparently. Because get Cash, or whatever his real name is, claims to be a spy. You heard me right—a spy. If that wasn’t crazy enough, he wants me to pretend to be his girlfriend so he can keep tabs on the supposed diamond smuggler my sister is marrying. I’m not sure who or what to believe. All I know is, this wedding is way more than I bargained for and there is nothing pretend about my feelings for Cash or whoever he is. But can a regular girl and her ghost live happily ever after? Or will the spy turn out to be just another ghost story?

This was recommended to me while browsing Amazon for some new ghostie reads for fall. This is NOT the ghosties I was looking for. BUT... eh, I might like this. I haven't done straight up contemporary romance for a while, so this could be interesting.

What are you waiting on this week?

Peak Of Love
(Wildflower Book 1)
by Zoe Lee

Expected Publication: September 19, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When Skylar moved to Wildflower, Colorado for grad school, the last thing he expected was to be suddenly single and… running over a tortoise on his new bicycle? Good thing Ezra, the local veterinarian, is also a sexy, older man. Ezra is the quiet type, and straight, but that won’t stop Skylar’s delicious crush or Ezra’s curiosity from climbing the peak of love!

Another new-to-me author. I've been looking for something different lately and this caught my eye. I hope I like it!

What are you waiting on this week?

Power of the Mind
(Shadowy Solutions #2)
by Nicky James

Expected Publication: September 12, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
It’s not a real case, he’s not my boyfriend, and we aren’t partners.

Three lies I told myself for survival.

After ten months of shamefully stalking and showing up randomly on Tallus's doorstep at midnight (for reasons), the sinfully hot records clerk decided he’d had enough of my games.

In fact, Tallus went out of his way to bring me the most ridiculous case (it was not a case) on the planet as an excuse to push me over the line (he wanted a date). Our arrangement (hooking up) didn’t suit him any longer.

Could I say no? Of course not (this was Tallus).

Five days, I told him. Five days to prove his silly theory, then we were done. Little did I know, Tallus had a deadline of his own.

Investigating a mind-controlling-murdering psychic was hard enough (because it was not a thing), but resisting Tallus’s charm was the real challenge.

It turned out, I was wrong about a few things:
The case might be a case after all.
Tallus had potential as a partner.
And after all was said and done…
I wasn’t sure I could let him go.

I liked the first book in this series, and I can't wait to read this one. I hope the author keeps this series going for a long while.

What are you waiting on this week?

Rules For Ghosting
by Shelly Jay Shore

Expected Publication: August 20, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance, Paranormal

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Ezra Friedman sees ghosts, which made growing up in a funeral home complicated. It might have been easier if his grandfather’s ghost didn’t give him scathing looks of disapproval as he went through a second, HRT-induced puberty, or if he didn’t have the pressure of all those relatives—living and dead—judging every choice he makes. It’s no wonder that Ezra runs as far away from the family business as humanly possible.

But when the floor of his dream job drops out from under him and his mother uses the family Passover seder to tell everyone she’s running off with the rabbi’s wife, Ezra finds himself back in the thick of it. With his parents’ marriage imploding and the Friedman Family Memorial Chapel on the brink of financial ruin, Ezra agrees to step into his mother’s shoes and help out . . . which means long days surrounded by ghosts that no one else can see.

And then there’s his unfortunate crush on Jonathan, the handsome funeral home volunteer . . . who just happens to live downstairs from Ezra’s new apartment . . . and the appearance of the ghost of Jonathan’s gone-too-soon husband, Ben, who is breaking every spectral rule that Ezra knows.

Because Ben can speak. He can move. And as Ezra tries to keep his family together and his heart from getting broken, he realizes that there’s more than one way to be haunted—and more than one way to become a ghost.

I was scrolling Amazon looking for some new reads for this fall when I came across this debut author. It seems like a lot is going on in this book, but I added it to my tbr because...ghosties!

What are you waiting on this week?

Angel's Share
(Agents Irish and Whiskey #5)
by Layla Reyne

Expected Publication: August 24, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
FBI agent Aidan Talley just wanted to spend the holiday weekend cheering on his husband’s basketball team. Instead, he’s investigating a cargo theft for the family business and coming face-to-face with a loose end from the case that almost tore him and Jamie apart.

Coach Jameson Walker may spend his days on the sidelines now, but Jamie refuses to stay there when it comes to his husband. When Aidan is cornered by his past, Jamie will do whatever it takes to ground him in the present, including stepping back into his hacker shoes for the Bureau.

Aidan and Jamie thought they’d seen it all, but the City of Angels has more than one ghost in store for them. As revenge and redemption collide, Agents Irish and Whiskey will have to trust in their love and their partnership to solve the case for the family they have, for the one they lost, and for the one they want to call their own.

Is this a book that I never knew I needed? I read this series when it came out, and I assumed it had reached it's conclusion with an HEA, so I had no idea the author intended to revisit this couple until it popped up on Goodreads. So of course I added it to my tbr.

What are you waiting on this week?

The Unlikely Pair
(Unlikely Dilemmas #2)
by Jax Calder

Expected Publication: August 7, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
What happens when you find yourself stranded in the wilderness with your political enemy?

Getting stranded in the freezing wilderness with my archenemy wasn’t on today’s to-do list. But somehow, that’s where I’ve ended up. Harry Matheson, my political rival, has always been smarmy, arrogant, and entitled. It figures that even this plane crash has barely ruffled his well-coiffed hair. It’s all fine, though, because our pilot has gone to call for help and rescue should be imminent.

Fast forward a few frigid hours…

Umm…maybe it’s not so fine, because it appears our pilot is part of an international terrorist group intent on kidnapping us. Now Harry and I have to flee through the wilderness—together. Unfortunately, being adept at political debates and parliamentary procedures doesn’t exactly prepare you for the basics of finding food, keeping warm, and evading the local wildlife while playing high-stakes hide-and-seek with armed terrorists. The only way Harry and I have any hope of surviving is to stick together.

The problem is, the line separating hate and love has begun to blur, and the last thing I need is to fall for my enemy.

I read the first book in this series (The Unlikely Heir) sometime after I watched Red, White, & Royal Blue. I enjoyed reading it, however I don't remember these 2 side characters, so I have no opinion on them. But I'll read this book and see how I like it.

What are you waiting on this week?

Flash
(Ink Slingers #1)
by K.M. Neuhold

Expected Publication: August 2, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Don't let their ink and motorcycles fool you. Underneath they’re nothing but a bunch of marshmallows just waiting for their Happily Ever Afters.

Flash is a “they don't know they're enemies”, lust at first sight, “we can totally keep this thing casual” mm romance featuring a silver fox tattoo artist and a snarky florist twink. First in the Ink Slingers series set in the world of Four Bears Construction.

I can't say that I am anxiously awaiting this series. It's more like I will read the first book and see if I enjoy it. This is an ongoing multi series set in the same universe as Four Bears Construction and Big Bull Mechanics. I've read the previous series, so I know what to expect. I'm just not always in the mood for the "Bears and Twinks" combo that this author writes.

What are you waiting on this week?

Off The Clock
(Mount Hope #2)
by Annabeth Albert

Expected Publication: July 25, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
For twenty years, I traveled the world as a special operations warrior. Newly retired at forty-two, I’m back in my hometown of Mount Hope, pursuing a second career as a small-town firefighter. My meddling sisters and best friends all have opinions about my life, but the only person who seems to truly understand me is Caleb, the younger firefighter tasked with my training.

After a lifetime of denying my attraction to other men, Caleb reminds me of everything I’ve missed out on. I’ve never even kissed a guy.

Until now. Until Caleb. Until I push our growing friendship to the next level. While sneaking around like a pair of teens, trying not to get caught by our coworkers, friends, and family our easy connection leads us to some...interesting places.

The more time I spend with Caleb off and on the clock, the more I like him and the less certain I am about everything else in my life. The one thing I know for sure is that I can’t afford to lose this intense bond we share. Can we find our way from super secret to super real before the clock runs down on this fling?

This author previously wrote a lot of military romance, which I'm not a fan of (and never read.) But she's written a few post-military romance series that I have enjoyed.

What are you waiting on this week?

Something Borrowed
(Confetti Hitched #2)
by Lily Morton

Expected Publication: July 22, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Stan has never let his blindness hold him back, but he’s beginning to realise his love life is keeping him from moving forward.

He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t in love with his best friend. Rafferty is everything to him—his partner in crime, his confidante, and the person who understands him best. But Rafferty is incapable of reciprocating Stan’s feelings.

As a successful wedding planner, Rafferty is passionately committed to helping newlyweds begin their happily-ever-afters, but after a rootless childhood he’s equally determined not to seek his own. How can he trust in love and marriage when so many of his brides and grooms are repeat customers?

Stan is the glue that keeps the pieces of Rafferty’s life together, and as such Rafferty has always kept Stan safely in the friend box where he can’t lose him. However, lately that conviction has wavered and now Rafferty is bursting with complicated feelings for his best friend. The timing couldn’t be worse because Rafferty has realised he’s in love with Stan just as Stan is moving on.

I enjoy reading this author's books, but she does recycle plots. Which is okay, I guess, if you don't read every book she releases. But once you read more than a few you start seeing the similarities. British boys, lots of snark, charm, humor, and romance. Which is fine in small doses. And considering how many other books I read a year, 2 or 3 from this author is plenty for me.

What are you waiting on this week?

Marrying Mr. Majestic
by Lucy Lennox

Published: July 9, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
I’ve made myself into many things over the years. A Yale graduate. A brilliant corporate strategist. A city boy. And, though no one outside my inner circle knows it, a billionaire.

One thing I never expected to be? Accidentally married to a straight, small-town cowboy named Waylon, the pride and joy of… *checks notes*... Majestic, Wyoming.

Sadly, what happens in Vegas does not, in fact, stay in Vegas, and before I know it, I’m trying to track my erstwhile husband down, divorce papers in hand and thrift store clothes on my back, desperately hoping the stranger I married won’t realize he’s suddenly entitled to a lot more than that shiny gold ring on his finger.

Unfortunately, Waylon has other plans.

His town is counting on him as mayor to bring the lucrative AdventureSmash wilderness race to Majestic, and he refuses to sign my papers until the deal is done… which means me and my second-hand blue jeans will be hanging around a lot longer than I’d imagined, pretending our one-night whatever-it-was was a love match for the ages.

As it turns out, Majestic is more charming than I’d expected, and Waylon… is not entirely without charms himself. It also turns out he’s, ahem, not as straight as he thought he was.

Before I know it, dusty boots feel more comfortable than my shiny wingtips, coffee at the Love Muffin tastes better than Starbucks, and being the First Husband of Majestic starts to seem as important as any corporate merger I’ve ever negotiated.

But for a man with secrets to keep and a whole life waiting for him back in Manhattan, the only thing worse than Marrying Mr. Majestic… would be falling in love with him for real.

I like reading this author because she writes romances with guaranteed HEAs. Unfortunately, the crazy storytelling sometimes overshadows the romance. I just go with it because it usually turns out okay in the end.

What are you waiting on this week?

Corpse at Captain's Seat
(Secrets and Scrabble #8)
by Josh Lanyon

Published: June 26, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
At long last, the renovations of stately Captain’s Seat are complete, and to celebrate, mystery bookseller and sometimes amateur sleuth Ellery Page decides to throw a house-warming party and invite all his New York theater friends to stay for the weekend. When a freak snowstorm leaves the house-party cut off from the village of Pirate’s Cove, there’s nothing to do but drink, reminisce, and play board games.

Or so Ellery thinks.

From Jack's perspective, the only thing more frightening than being forced to play endless hours of charades with Theatah People is the possibility of being trapped in a real-life game of Clue.

Another surprise release! This book had been pushed back by the author for several months, so I'm glad it finally got written. I've already read it because that's how I roll. Actually, I follow the author on Patreon, so it's free with membership. So of course I had to drop everything and read it immediately.

What are you waiting on this week?

Best Play
(Perfect Play #3.5)
by Layla Reyne

Expected Publication: June 25, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When the best play is the marriage already made…

By Friday, Agents Bishop and Marshall must: Solve an anything-but-routine burglary. Determine why the house’s previous owner was murdered. Avoid getting killed in the process.

Because on Saturday, Levi and Marsh have to: Keep an overdue promise to their son. Entertain a house full of friends and family. Say “I do” in the wedding their marriage of convenience turned true love deserves.

Marsh and Levi are determined to help a friend in need. But they’re already six months late for a very important date. If they’re not at the altar on time for their Christmas (in July) wedding, they’ll face their most terrifying enemy yet - their teenage son.

This author likes to write stuff that goes too far over the top for me. I read the first two books in this series and they were okay, just so many characters and so much going on it's hard to keep track. (And the bad guys! SO MANY bad guys!!) I guess I should read book 3 so I can then read this epilogue and know how it ends.

What are you waiting on this week?

Cicadas: A Totally Ordinary Epic Love Story
by Avery Cockburn

Expected Publication: June 20, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
What if you had a second chance at a second chance?

One day in 1987
Budding scientist Joel and cowboy-quarterback Danny meet amid the arrival of seventeen-year cicadas. Like the loud, lusty insects, the boys bond through song, reveling in the heat and hope of early summer—until fate tears them apart.

One night in 2004
During the next wave of cicadas, Joel and Dan find their connection stronger than ever. Boyhood fascination becomes an irresistible (and inconvenient!) passion, one that will unite and divide them for another seventeen years.

One love to last a lifetime
At the dawn of 2021, Joel and Daniel reach out, and in a heartbeat, the years and miles between them fall away. But to make their next reunion last forever, they must face their troubled pasts and embrace their boundless future.

Cicadas is a uniquely American, ridiculously romantic tale about memory, nostalgia, and the courage to dance into an untold tomorrow.

The timing of this book? Perfect. (Although, it IS quiet now that the invasion is over.) I've never read this author before, but this book sounds cute, so I hope I like it!

What are you waiting on this week?

Hudson River Homicides
(Memento Mori #4)
by C.S. Poe

Expected Publication: June 22, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Cold Case Squad has a problem: someone won’t stop taunting Detective Everett Larkin. He’s been able to apprehend some of the worst criminals to ever stalk the streets of New York City, thanks in great part to forensic artist and boyfriend, Ira Doyle, but after their last case, events have taken a turn for the worse.

A body recovered from the Hudson River bears a message addressed to Larkin, as well as another token from Victorian mourning culture. And as nineteenth century hair jewelry leads Larkin deeper into the growing tangle of interconnected crimes, it becomes evident that solving these mysteries will come at a profound cost. To be a good detective, Larkin will have to put his relationship on the line by revisiting the past and enduring sleepless nights—lest the sender act on their threat against Doyle.

What began as a game of cat and mouse has turned into a fight for love and life itself.

So far, this is the BEST SERIES EVER!!!!!! I really, really can't wait for this book!

What are you waiting on this week?

Deadly Little Sparrow
(Mafia Bound #1)
by K.M. Neuhold

Expected Publication: June 7, 2024

Genre: MM, Romance

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Is there such thing as love at first bar fight?

I may be small and pretty, but what I lack in intimidation factor, I make up for in violence. I made a vow five years ago that the motorcycle club responsible for my brother’s death would pay the price, and I’m finally ready to collect. May God have mercy on the men who hurt my brother, because I don’t plan to.

Accidentally breaking the nose of the deadliest man in the city wasn’t my best move. Xaviaro Saviano, trigger man for the Moretti Crime Family, is now my own personal stalker. But if I have to go through him to deliver well-deserved justice, so be it.

Can love and revenge live in the same heart? I guess there’s only one way to find out…

I read a lot of this author's books, but I don't know for certain that I will like this book in particular, but I'll give it a try.

What are you waiting on this week?

Dude Magnet
(The Last Picks #2)
by Gregory Ashe

Expected Publication: May 30, 2024

Genre: MM, Mystery, Cozy Romance

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings
which spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.
(WoW was previously hosted by Breaking The Spine.)

This is my favorite day of the week because I love sharing and discovering new books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
You can’t hide from the truth. And apparently, you can’t hide from your ex either.

Dashiell Dawson Dane wants the simple things: to live in a (possibly) haunted mansion, to avoid socializing at all costs, and to write, and hopefully finish, a book.

Unfortunately, the real world has a way of intruding. And since unfinished manuscripts don’t pay the bills, he finds himself persuaded—against his better judgment—to rent out Hemlock House for a wedding.

Having his ex-boyfriend, Hugo, arrive unexpectedly during the preparations is bad enough. But when Hugo is arrested for the murder of the groom-to-be, Dash seems to be the only one who believes he didn’t do it. And Dash’s efforts to uncover the truth will draw the attention of the real killer—who has a great deal to gain, and nothing to lose.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this being a cozy mystery series, which I'm not used to from this author. But I like the series so far, so I'll keep reading it!

What are you waiting on this week?

Pages

Waiting On Wednesday (678) Christmas On Stardust Lane by Garrett Leigh

Waiting On Wednesday (677) The Rivals of Copper County (Copper County #2) by May Archer

Waiting On Wednesday (676) Winnie Takes Paris (Love and Travel #2) by Lane Hayes

Waiting On Wednesday (675) Sweet Like Whiskey (The Darling Brothers #1) by Emmy Sanders

Waiting On Wednesday (674) On the Edge (Mount Hope #3) by Annabeth Albert

Waiting On Wednesday (673) The Nightmare Before Kissmas (Royals and Romance #1) by Sara Raasch

Waiting On Wednesday (672) Inheriting Miss Fortune (The Billionaire Brotherhood #3) by Lucy Lennox

Waiting On Wednesday (671) The Bait (The Milvus Files #2) by N.R. Walker

Waiting On Wednesday (670) The Pretenders of Copper County (Copper County #1) by May Archer

Waiting On Wednesday (669) The Spy Who Ghosted Me by Jennifer Peel

Waiting On Wednesday (668) Peak of Love (Wildflower Book 1) by Zoe Lee

Waiting On Wednesday (667) Power of the Mind (Shadowy Solutions #2) by Nicky James

Waiting On Wednesday (666) Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore

Waiting On Wednesday (665) Angel's Share (Agents Irish and Whiskey #5) by Layla Reyne

Waiting On Wednesday (664) The Unlikely Pair (Unlikely Dilemmas #2) by Jax Calder

Waiting On Wednesday (663) Flash (Ink Slingers #1) by K.M. Neuhold

Waiting On Wednesday (662) Off the Clock (Mount Hope #2) by Annabeth Albert

Waiting On Wednesday (661) Something Borrowed (Confetti Hitched #2) Lily Morton

Waiting On Wednesday (660) Marrying Mr. Majestic by Lucy Lennox

Waiting On Wednesday (659) Corpse at Captain's Seat (Secrets and Scrabble #8) by Josh Lanyon

Waiting On Wednesday (658) Best Play (Perfect Play #3.5) by Layla Reyne

Waiting On Wednesday (657) Cicadas: A Totally Ordinary Epic Love Story by Avery Cockburn

Waiting On Wednesday (656) Hudson River Homicides (Memento Mori #4) by C.S. Poe

Waiting On Wednesday (655) Deadly Little Sparrow (Mafia Bound #1) by K.M. Neuhold

Waiting On Wednesday (654) Dude Magnet (The Last Picks #2) by Gregory Ashe