New in Fiction Books

Rivals-to-lovers. Forbidden romance. Small-town magic. The Queen of Cowboy Romance is back . . . Welcome to Emerald Lake. Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love - he's looking for a paycheck to save his family's farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he's already decided it's all one big performance. Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, Theo, she's the last woman who should pique his interest. Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. But when mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and then . . . something more, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together out of the cameras' reach. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous. Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His family's land and legacy depend on him completing the show. The problem is, he's fallen in love. Just not with a contestant. This edition features an exclusive cover and limited edition artwork extended with French flaps. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9780349446028 • Author: Elsie Silver • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 19.86 x 12.4 x 3.8 cm

What is a happily ever after really worth? Naomi was living the quintessential love story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love, get married, buy a dream house, start a family… Then, he kicks her out, hires the city's best divorce lawyers, drains their accounts, and takes up with a 20-something. It's a brutal end to the story. Naomi should accept defeat: move into a dingy apartment, get back into the workforce, and piece together the shattered remains of her life. Except, why should she? Instead, Naomi fixates on her husband's new girlfriend. What begins as cynical curiosity soon twists into obsession―and then into something far darker. As Naomi uncovers secrets she never imagined, she realises her own life may be in danger. But if it keeps her perfect family intact, isn't it worth it? A razor-sharp thriller in which love curdles into vengeance, The Divorce deftly and chillingly portrays how the human mind can fray when survival becomes the most dangerous game of all. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781464280191 • Author: Freida McFadden • Publisher: Penguin DK (Dorling Kindersley) • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.5 cm

Perfection is a spell. It’s time to break it. Andromeda Wildwood is practically perfect in every witch way. As the proud owner of a bustling London bakery, Annie’s life is a haze of pink, magic and impossibly high standards. She devotes her powers to pleasing others, no matter the magical toll it takes. But Annie’s charmed existence is about to get delightfully messy . . . Annie is tasked by her coven with mentoring a troubled teenage witch, and she couldn’t be more different from fiery, stubborn Maeve. Or from Hal, the gruff but handsome owner of the woodland cottage where they must temporarily reside. As the unlikely trio slowly bond, outside forces begin to take an interest in Maeve’s extraordinary powers. Will Annie risk everything to protect the true magic she’s finally found? ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781035045525 • Author: Lucy Jane Wood • Publisher: Macmillan Distribution Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 19.9 x 13.3 x 2.8 cm

He's a player. And she's the goal… Ethan Taylor is unbeatable on and off the field. Being the star of the Marshall College soccer team – and hot as hell – has its perks. But when tragedy strikes, Ethan flies straight out of South Carolina and to the intimidating halls of Hemden University, where even his Southern charm can’t melt the stiff British upper lips… Mia Meyers has never had much luck with people. Having always been a bookish wallflower, junior year abroad could be her one chance to step into the spotlight. So, when Mia realises that she’s not the only student from Marshall across the pond this year, she is determined that no one will get in the way of her new life – not even Ethan Taylor. But why is it that Ethan’s infuriatingly sexy green eyes can’t stop staring at her, and why doesn’t she want him to look away? They may be far from friends at home, but under the spires of Hemden, could this striker score her heart? ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008804435 • Author: Elle Kelk • Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers • Format: Paperback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 cm

Everyone believes that Lenora Hope is a mass murderer. When the Hope family was massacred decades ago, she was the only one left after that tragic night. Mute, paralysed and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora has never been able to tell her side of the story. Until her new live-in caregiver Kit brings her a typewriter. And with one working finger Lenora begins to type: I want to tell you everything. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399712378 • Author: Riley Sager • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm

‘Hi,’ she says, ‘I’m your new neighbour.’ She seems friendly. But soon I’ll discover her dangerous secret… On the first day I meet my new neighbour, we share a glass of wine and talk into the night. But as I get closer to her, I discover she isn’t who I thought she was. Then when I step into her home, my jaw drops. Everything in here is identical to my own flat – every cushion, every picture on the wall. Except for the knife, covered in blood. My heart pounds in my chest. What has she done? I should never have got close to her. I need to run. Then I hear a creak outside the door. And I realise, it may be too late… ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781836187646 • Author: JD Kirk • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 292

A daring spy. A rebel princess. A kingdom on the brink of war. When a mysterious human, Sir Rowan arrives in the immortal realm of Thalassaria seeking the legendary Tidal Pearl, Thalassarian guard Nerys is assigned as his escort and to keep close whilst he’s in the palace. But her duty wars with her desires as the more time she spends with Rowan, the harder it becomes for them to ignore their growing attraction. Powerful, enigmatic, and devastatingly mortal, Rowan stirs something deep within her that could change the course of her future. Trapped within the palace while the queen decides the humans' fate, Nerys realizes her allegiances are shifting. With the tidal pearl at risk, there is only one way to protect it… by challenging the Queen’s crown. But as the moment approaches, Nerys and Rowan are forced to confront a choice between loyalty to their realms or a love that defies the laws of mortality. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781807950125 • Author: C.L Mecca • Publisher: Boldwood Books Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 392

It could happen to you. Anya is enjoying a relaxing bath when she hears a noise in the roof. Through the open bathroom door, she sees the attic hatch swing open, and a masked figure drops to the floor. Thirty seconds later, Anya is dead. Even in a wealthy neighbourhood like this. Across town, Anya's old school friend, Julia, sees an online video of a masked figure climbing out of an attic. She suddenly realises why the footage is eerily familiar: it was filmed inside her house in a luxury gated community, designed to keep intruders out. Even with friends like these. Why would a stranger target Julia? Unless of course, it's not a stranger at all. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781804990797 • Author: Andrea Mara • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 19.9 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm

Hidden in our world, a society of vampires originating in Africa, can only feed from select human bloodlines. Each bloodline represents a House more cutthroat than the next. To ensure peaceful co-existence and inherit their legacy, human children of these families must study at an elite university before choosing a vampire companion. Lost Heiress, Kidan Adane grew up far from Uxlay University. She is obsessively protective, mildly nihilistic, and willing to do anything to save her loved ones. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her – the alluring yet dangerous Susenyos Sagad, the same vampire bound to her own House. To stay in Uxlay, Kidan must study an arcane philosophy, work with four enigmatic students, and survive living with Susenyos – even as he does everything to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’ violence speaks to her own and tempts Kidan to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill him at all costs. When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. Here, she discovers a centuries-old threat. And June could be at the very centre of it. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781444974362 • Author: Tigest Girma • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 512 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 4 cm

Maggie Bird is many things. A chicken farmer. A good neighbour. A seemingly average retiree living in the seaside town of Purity. She's also a darned good rifle shot. And she never talks about her past. But when an unidentified body is left on Maggie's driveway, she knows it's a calling card from old times. It's been fifteen years since the failed mission that ended her career as a spy, and cost her far more than her job. Step forward the 'Martini Club' - Maggie's silver-haired book group (to anyone who asks), and a cohort of former spies behind closed doors. With the help of her old friends - and always one step ahead of the persistent local cop - Maggie might still be able to save the life she's built. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781804992890 • Author: Tess Gerritsen • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 464 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.7 x 3.1 cm

The hunter becomes the hunted… When a man is found dead at the remote church of Heavenfield, DCI Ryan is the only other person for miles around. The police have no weapon, no motive and no other suspects. Already suspended from Northumbria CID, Ryan must fight to clear his name. But soon, more than his career is at stake when prominent members of the mysterious ‘Circle’ begin to die. Somebody wants Ryan’s name to be next on the coroner’s list and to survive he must unmask the devil who walks among them – before it is too late. Unfortunately for Ryan, the devil looks just like everybody else… ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781804960172 • Author: LJ Ross • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.9 x 2.5 cm

Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill. The teenagers get their kicks telling ghost stories in the old graveyard. The parents trust their kids will arrive home safe from school. Everyone knows everyone. Curtains rarely twitch. Front doors are left unlocked. But this morning all of that will change. Because Diana Brewer isn’t lying safely in her bed where she belongs. Instead she lies in a hayfield, circled by vultures, discovered by a local farmer. How quickly a girl becomes a ghost. How quickly a town of friendly, familiar faces becomes a town of suspects, a place of fear and paranoia. Someone in Fairhill did this. Everyone wants answers. And one innocent question could be deadly. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529176162 • Author: Shari Lapena • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 13 x 2.5 cm

Born to rule. Blessed by fire. Broken by desire. Once a territory built on matriarchal rule, Tìr Teine has been without a female heir for centuries and an oppressive anti-magic teaching has infected the land – leading to the tragic decline of the dragons. Gifted with fire magic from the Goddess Brigid, Aemyra has hidden in the shadows for years, waiting for the king to die so she can bond to his dragon, claim her birthright and protect her people. But when her carefully laid plans are foiled, Aemyra is thrust into a deadly game of politics and plots. Her greatest enemy? Prince Fiorean – the dragon-riding, fire-wielding royal whose icy arrogance and raw power thwart her every step. As chaos engulfs the court, Aemyra and Fiorean are forced to forge an uneasy alliance that ignites into something neither of them can control. Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for the one man she cannot trust, Aemyra begins to uncover the true weight of the crown. How much is she willing to sacrifice to claim her throne? ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781408749050 • Author: Hazel McBride • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 432 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm

Close your eyes. The game of hide and seek is over, but little Lily Murphy hasn't been found. Her parents try to stay positive, but they know this peaceful Dublin suburb will never be the same again. Count to ten. Years later, Joanna moves into a new house. It seems perfect in every way, until she learns that Lily Murphy used to live here. And when you open them, your child is gone. Because Joanna thinks she knows what really happened to Lily – and if the truth gets out, it might be her undoing... ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9780552177993 • Author: Andrea Mara • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.7 x 2.5 cm

MEET DI HILLARY GREENE, A POLICE WOMAN FIGHTING TO SAVE HER CAREER. Not only has she lost her husband, but his actions have put her under investigation for corruption. Then a bashed and broken body is found floating in the Oxford Canal. It looks like the victim fell off a boat, but Hillary is not so sure. Her investigation exposes a dark background to the death. Can Hillary clear her name and get to the bottom of a fiendish conspiracy on the water? This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from beginning to end. MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL is the first in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781805733645 • Author: Faith Martin • Publisher: Joffe Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 247

It's a big deal to kiss someone for the first time, especially if the whole world is watching. Emily Montgomery and Josh Sacco have two things in common: they have played the main characters in a hugely popular film series, Wonderwick Woods, since they were teenagers, and they cannot stand each other. Emily is a bookworm with movie star looks, famous for her never a hair out of place professionalism, she knows that she will have to fight to be taken seriously as an actress after coming of age as a beloved children's book character. She is always on time to set and always knows her lines. Josh is a Hollywood nepo baby, famous for being everyone's favourite bad boy, always having a new girl on his arm and being splashed across the tabloids. He's always late, always playing pranks, and constantly forgets his lines. As they head back to set for the latest movie, both know that there's pressure on them to deliver the biggest moment of the series yet, a kiss between their characters. But can you kiss someone convincingly when you've always hated them? ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781785124778 • Author: Willow Green • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 20.3 x 13 x 2.5 cm

From rags to riches... but will happiness follow? Orphaned as a child, Fliss Atkins has spent her life working at her uncle’s pub, The Bay Horse Inn, nestled along the banks of the River Calder. Life has been anything but easy for Fliss. Her aunt is unloving, and her older cousin Gerald is cruel. Then she meets Oscar Nolan, whose adventurous spirit makes her wonder if there might be more to life beyond the only home she’s known. Could Oscar and his dreams of travel be her chance at a fresh start? The thought is tempting, but leaving her best friends, Lorrie and Meg, and their beloved families behind seems unimaginable. When tragedy strikes, Fliss is presented with an unexpected opportunity to shape a new life for herself. But will new riches bring her the happiness she longs for, or will it lead to even greater troubles for this riverside maid? A compelling and emotional read set in Victorian Yorkshire, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Godwin. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781807950118 • Author: AnneMarie Brear • Publisher: Boldwood Books Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 280 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 1.68 cm

LAPD Detective Stilwell was forced out of the Homicide department and sent to a dead-end post on Santa Catalina Island. But when the idyllic holiday destination is rocked by report of a body found in the harbour, weighed down by an anchor, Stilwell has a point to prove to his superiors - and will cross every line to solve the murder himself. It's sink or swim, as failure will cost him everything while finding the killer will make him a target and reveal the dark heart of his new home. But on a small island with big secrets - someone is always watching... ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398726710 • Author: Michael Connelly • Publisher: Hachette UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm

Filled with scenes of sizzling passion, plot beats of swoon-worthy romance, and a cast of Black female characters that you’ll fall in love with, Slow Burn brims with heat and heart. Perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert, Laura Jane Williams, Tia Williams, Farrah Rochon, Hannah Grace and Bolu Babalola. For dancer Lira, Latin Ballroom is everything. Whilst her dreams of fame were cut short aged 19, she’s never forgotten the connection she felt dancing with a stranger at the Paris World Championship afterparty 13 years ago. Now, with her younger sisters pursuing their own successful dancing careers, and the responsibility of running the family dance studio falling to her, Lira’s ambitious flame is about to flicker out. Until a chance encounter sees her secretly auditioning for Slow Burn, a new dance show about to embark on a 6-week European tour, and coming face to face with a blast from her past that sends her reeling.  Gabriele is the quintessential bad boy of the Latin Ballroom scene. Slim of hip, with long, lean muscles that pop, a chiselled jaw, dark eyes, obscenely long lashes, and a mouth that just won’t give, it's no surprise when he lands the principal male lead role on Slow Burn. But, with just a few weeks to go till the tour starts, he still hasn't found his female co-star. All it takes is one audition to set his world on fire...  On the dance floor they’re smouldering, off it, they’re on fire. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398540491 • Author: Oti Mabuse • Publisher: Simon & Schuster • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384

A secret buried for decades… A story that will change everything. 1940: When twenty-one-year-old Nita Bineham is offered the chance of independence, away from the high walls of her family’s Surrey estate, she grasps it with both hands. But her new role at a local newspaper coincides with the emergence of a sinister rumour in their quiet village: that there is a traitor in their midst. Nita is determined to prove herself by uncovering the truth, but is she prepared for revelations that could change her life forever? 2008: Following the death of her great aunt, Beth flees London for the privacy of rural Surrey. Within the confines of her family’s dilapidated manor house, she hides from the dual wreckage of her career and her marriage. But when her aunt’s dying words lead her to a stack of old newspaper articles, Beth finds herself drawn into a decades old mystery: about a long-buried secret, and an enemy dangerously close to home. ​​​​​​​Product Information: • ISBN: 9781807950057 • Author: Victoria Scott • Publisher: Boldwood Books Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 376 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 2.26 cm