Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl (Book Spotlight)

When a renowned crime podcaster vanishes without a trace, former FBI behavioral analysts turned private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are called upon to track her down. As they wade through the evidence she left behind, they unearth a startling connection--she may have discovered the existence of an unknown serial killer, and he will stop at nothing to carry out a deadly plan. As the pair delves deeper, they soon find themselves the target of a relentless enemy determined to silence them. With their lives--and hearts--on the line, can they confront the evil that threatens them before it consumes them both? USA Today bestselling author Nancy Mehl brings her Ryland & St. Clair series to an explosive close with a pulse-pounding story where the stakes are high and silence is deadly.

Mercy's Peril by Virginia Barlow ( Pump Up Your Book Review)

 

Mercy’s secrets run deep, and her presence stirs a past Connor cannot outrun.

 

Title: Mercy's Peril

Author: Virginia Barlow

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Pages: 348

Genre: Historical Western Romance

Format: Paperback, Kindle

When Mercy Jackson slips into Calhan Shipping under cover of darkness, she expects to steal a secret and disappear. What she doesn’t expect is Connor Calhan, a man as dangerous as he is relentless. Mercy has one mission: to expose a killer, protect her family, and vanish before anyone uncovers her true identity. But the deeper she digs, the more tangled the lies become, and the more drawn she is to the man who stands in her way. Connor is determined to unmask The Phantom, a traitor hiding in plain sight. But Mercy’s arrival threatens everything. Her secrets run deep, and her presence stirs a past Connor cannot outrun.

Mercy’s Peril is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you like:

 Historical Romance

 Civil War Drama

︎ Enemies to Lovers

 Happily Ever After

You’ll love this book!

Excerpt:

 

Richmond, Virginia, 1857

Tonight, I gave birth to a fragile miracle, a daughter. She arrived feet first, and Dr. Perry urged me to surrender to death, but Mammy, through her courage and faith, turned the child. For two long hours, I clung to life while Mammy fought beside me, and when it was over, my daughter’s tiny fingers curled around mine, bringing tears of gratitude.

Percival sent a cruel message condemning me for my failure to produce a son and vowed to take my gilded chest as punishment. He demanded I name her Rue, for regret. But I will not let his darkness define her. I call her Mercy, for she is my salvation, a light in this house of shadows, and a reminder that grace can bloom even in sorrow. She will grow strong and pure, a light undimmed by her father’s shadow. –Grace Bennett

– Excerpted from Mercy’s Peril by Virginia Marlow, Marrow Publishing, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Virginia Barlow has been a dreamer her whole life. She loves reading, traveling, and roses. She will dive headfirst into any romance she can get her hands on in any genre. Although her first love is Regency Romance and always will be.  Something about the era calls to her soul like a siren’s song rising from the depths.

She writes richly layered historical romance infused with intrigue, drawing readers into worlds of aristocratic scandal, hidden bargains, dangerous desire, and women who refuse to remain pawns in other people’s games. Her heroines are intelligent, resilient, and quietly defiant; her heroes carry honor, guilt, and a capacity for devotion that cuts deep. Beneath the silk gowns and rigid rules of society, Virginia’s stories explore freedom, longing, and the cost of choosing one’s own heart.

Known for her sensual yet elegant prose, Virginia favors emotional tension over excess, intimate moments over spectacle, and romance that simmers before it ignites. Her work often weaves together family secrets, shadowed power brokers, and high-stakes love, where a single kiss can be as dangerous as a duel.

The most important thing in Virginia’s life is her family, and spending time with them. When she is not bouncing a grandbaby in her arms or handing out popsicles, she is writing and dreaming up her next story.  Virginia has published sixteen romance novels with another two on the way and has half a dozen more circling inside her head, eager to make their debut.

Her latest book, Mercy’s Peril, is available at  Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Visit her website at www.virginia-barlow.com. 

Connect with her on these social networks:

• X
• Facebook
• Instagram
• BookBub
• TikTok
• YouTube

Sponsored By:

My Take: This was an interesting book. I liked the back and forth between Mercy and Connor. I liked the way each chapter started with an except of a letter from either Connor's father or Mercy's mother and then the main character of the chapter related to the letter. I liked all of the interesting history that was included by the author. I was caught off guard by the sex scene toward the middle to the end of the book. To be honest that just took my head completely out of the story because I really didn't think the story needed it. Others may like it and I would say go ahead and enjoy it but for me it was just not what I was expecting. I liked the book other than that and I would recommend it if you are looking for an historical romance with spice.

Hearts in Circulation by Sarah Monzon ( Book Spotlight)

Little Creek's bookmobile is more of a death trap on wheels than a vehicle of literary delights, and circulation librarian Haley Holt is afraid it's going to careen down a mountainside with her in it. Yet she sees it as a way to serve her community and be worthy of the liver transplant that saved her life as a child. However, her fears come true when the bookmobile breaks down and a rockslide traps her in the small hollow of Turkey Grove. Reclusive mechanic Levi Redding lives in tiny Turkey Grove to get away from people. He can handle getting the bookmobile running again, but the endless chatter and unsettling touch from the vibrant librarian leaves him overstimulated. When forced proximity leads to a misunderstanding, a note of apology begins an epistolary friendship, proving that sometimes the happiest of endings aren't contained within the bindings of a book. Sarah Monzon pens a charming story for fans of books about books, the forced-proximity and grumpy-sunshine tropes, and pen-pal romances.