Monday, 15 June 2026

No Ordinary June by L. N. Jacobs

 

 

No Ordinary June
By L. N. Jacobs


Publication Date: 11th June 2026
Publisher: ‎ Sweet Love Press
Print Length: 369 Pages
Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Miss June Fairmont, second daughter to Baronet Fairmont, believes in true love. Gregory Kendall, Earl of Kendall, believes in practical arrangements.

One dance. That's all it took for Gregory to decide June would make an adequate Countess of Kendall. The next morning, she overhears him presenting her father with a marriage proposal—complete with a list evaluating her suitability. When she bursts into her father's study, fury barely contained, Gregory has the audacity to look amused. Worse, he offers a wager. He'll give her one Season to find her perfect romantic match. When she inevitably fails to find this "true love"—and he's clearly certain she will—she'll accept his practical proposal.

June agrees instantly—let him watch her prove that love conquers logic. But Gregory proves an insufferable shadow throughout her Season, offering his pragmatic assessment of every swooning poet and debt-ridden rake. Somewhere between his dry observations and brutal honesty, June makes a horrifying discovery: she's starting to enjoy his company. His wit makes her laugh. That insufferable smirk becomes almost... attractive.

One Season. One wager. And a growing suspicion that the real danger isn't losing the bet—it's winning it.

Filled with sharp banter, a wager that changes everything, swoony kisses, and one insufferably pragmatic earl, "No Ordinary June" is the witty Regency romance you've been waiting for. A closed-door enemies-to-lovers where the tension is in every glance, and the slow burn will leave you breathless.


Excerpt


I hummed a sprightly melody as I arranged the peonies among the roses, their soft pink petals nestling against deep crimson ones. Morning light streamed through the tall windows of our drawing room, catching the crystal vase, scattering tiny rainbows across the polished table. Such a perfect morning deserved perfect flowers.

I glanced towards my sister January who was sitting in the window seat, her needle rising and falling through the embroidery hoop balanced on her lap.


Buy Link:

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L. N. Jacobs


L. N. Jacobs is an Italian paediatrician living in Sweden, where she's perfected the art of balancing hospital shifts, family chaos, and an unhealthy obsession with happy endings.

By day, she wrangles tiny patients and their worried parents. By night (and early mornings, and lunch breaks), she writes emotional romances about imperfect people finding love in the messiest, most unexpected ways.

Her stories blend the high-stakes drama of medical life with sizzling chemistry, sharp banter, and characters who feel like friends you'd text at 2 AM. Think ER meets happily-ever-after, with a hefty dose of wit and a side of Swedish fika.

When she's not writing or saving lives, you'll find her devouring romance novels, hoarding chocolate like it's currency, plotting her next adventure, or convincing her family that "just one more chapter" is a valid excuse for everything.

L. N. Jacobs writes the kind of love stories that make you laugh, swoon, and believe that even the most guarded hearts can find their home.

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The Magician by G.G MacLeod (revised version of the original novel by W. Somerset Maugham)



Publication Date: December 24th, 2025
Publisher: independently published
Pages: 216
Genre: Occult Horror


In Edwardian Paris, brilliant surgeon Arthur Burdon is engaged to beautiful Margaret Dauncey, accompanied by her loyal friend, artist Susie Boyd. They encounter enigmatic Oliver Haddo—a wealthy, obese occultist claiming alchemical mastery. Haddo, inspired by Aleister Crowley, seduces and marries Margaret, drawing her into depravity.

While Arthur remains blind, Susie spies Haddo’s true nature: tentacled astral projections, ritual abuse, and experiments creating daemonic homunculi fed on virgin blood. Margaret descends into addiction and submission.

Susie, contemptuous of weakness, murders to steal Haddo’s forbidden texts, performs blood rituals, and binds young Oswald Pendleton as lover and disciple through explicit sex magick.

This modern revision of this classic pot-boiler is a more hardcore, horrifying, and twisted take on this tale.



Praise for The Magician:

"Now G.G. MacLeod reimagines the classic book first written by Somerset Maugham. Added is some taboo and gore that a 1908 audience would not have tolerated. Still, the additions probably reflect the true extremes alchemy caused in the lives of three Europeans back in 1908."
~ Christopher, 5* Amazon Review


Buy Link:



G.G. MacLeod


G.G. MacLeod is a 59-year-old Canadian male based in Calgary.

The author has always had a tendency of combining genres like horror and action along with drama, psychological thrillers, giallo, and sometimes even comedy.

It really depends on how the author feels from moment to moment as they write because the author likes to entertain themselves first and then hope that a smattering of other people out there in the world will like it as well.



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Thursday, 11 June 2026

Fables & Lies: A World War II Novel Based on a True Story by Elisabeth Storrs



Publication Date: April 28th, 2026
Publisher: The Book Guild
Audiobook: Bolinda Audio
Pages: 584
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook Narrator: Lucy Tregear


Under a brutal regime, what price must be paid to preserve truth, treasure and love in a world built on lies?

WWII Berlin. Freyja Bremer, a patriotic museum assistant, marries Kaspar Voigt, an ambitious SS scholar, to protect her father. Yet she is unaware her husband is instrumental in Himmler’s twisted quest for Aryan supremacy.

As she strives to safeguard the priceless Priam’s Treasure from air raids, Freyja falls in love with Darien Lessing, an archaeologist who exposes the moral decay beneath the Regime’s myths. Her awakening drives her into perilous resistance — aiding a Jewish doctor and his wife, Darien’s sister — while uncovering Kaspar’s role in the SS’s darkest programs, which subvert history to justify invasion, abduction and murder.

As Berlin collapses into chaos and bloodshed, Freyja, caught between duty, deception and desire, must risk everything to preserve truth in a world built on lies.

A heartbreaking yet triumphant love story, Fables & Lies shines light on lesser-known aspects of the Nazi Regime. It gives voice to the complex moral struggles of German women, the forgotten resistance of Gentiles married to Jews, the dangers of contested history, the evils of Himmler’s racial studies program and the unsung bravery of German museum curators who saved their nation’s treasures.

Perfect for readers of Kelly Rimmer, Anthony Doer and Laura Morelli. 

Giveaway! 

Head over to Goodreads where Elisabeth Storrs is giving away 50 copies of her new book!

Enter HERE.

Good Luck!



Praise for Fables & Lies:

"A powerful and heartbreaking story set in war-torn Berlin, FABLES & LIES charts the slow dawning horror of a young woman as she realises all she has been taught about Hitler and the Third Reich is a lie. Impeccably researched and sensitively rendered, Elisabeth Storrs has shone a light on little-known aspects of life in Germany under the Nazi regime."

~ Kate Forsyth, bestselling author of Bitter Greens


"Elisabeth Storrs has indeed broken the mould by writing 'from the other side'. Evocative, detailed and heart-rending as the heroine journeys through disillusion and danger in the Third Reich."

~ Alison Morton, author of the Roma Nova series

"A chilling and meticulously researched journey into the shadow world of the Ahnenerbe. Blending historical rigor with gripping fiction, FABLES & LIES reminds us of the devastating consequences when history is twisted to serve power."

~ Leah Kaminsky, author of The Hollow Bones



Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link


Elisabeth Storrs


Elisabeth Storrs has a great love for history and myths. She is the award-winning author of A Tale of Ancient Rome trilogy which was endorsed by Ursula Le Guin, Kate Quinn and Ben Kane. 

Now her obsession lies with Trojan treasure and twisted Germanic prehistory in her new release, Fables & Lies: A World War II Novel.

Elisabeth is also the founder of the Historical Novel Society Australasia and the $155,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize. She lives in Sydney with her husband in a house surrounded by jacarandas.

Connect with Elisabeth:





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Wednesday, 10 June 2026

The Queen’s Sister by Carol McGrath



Publication Date: Jun 4th, 2026
Publisher: Headline Accent
Pages: 300
Genre: Historical Fiction

A mother, a wife, a woman of substance...

At nineteen, Elizabeth Seymour is already a mother, has been recently widowed, and seen her Queen, Anne Boleyn, lose her life. Against the wishes of her father, she heads North, away from Wulf Hall and the court in London to Yorkshire, determined to establish a new beginning as a landowner and business woman. As her family in Wiltshire curry favour with King Henry, aided by Thomas Cromwell, Elizabeth makes Kexby Manor her home, finding loyalty among her people there.

Soon, news comes to Elizabeth of the King's desires for her sister, Jane, while her brother, Edward, encourages her own betrothal to Gregory Cromwell, son of Thomas. It is a happy second marriage for Elizabeth, but it brings unwanted involvement in the dark plots and secrecy of the court, while in the wider country, changes in religious practice threaten to alter the traditions and values of all she has known...

THE QUEEN'S SISTER vividly imagines the story of the woman possibly portrayed in Hans Holbein's beautiful painting 'Portrait of a Lady,' and is a colourful, meticulously researched novel of Tudor life behind the scenes.



What readers say about Carol McGrath's novels:

'Another beautifully crafted, well-researched work of historical fiction from Carol McGrath'

'Brimming with intrigue, tension and adventure, The Lost Queen is a powerful Medieval tale full of atmosphere, danger and emotion and transports the reader to another world'

Excerpt

Accompanied by Madeleine, wearing large cloaks and carrying baskets so we look like a merchant’s wife and her servant, we hasten to the Cathedral to pray for Queen Anne’s soul and for the souls of the men who were accused with her and died. Their heads brutally struck from their bodies, those handsome proud courtiers once gorgeously clothed in colourful velvets and silks are no more.

Often people gather in the Cathedral to discuss news as well as pray. The columned nave is busy today. As we make our way through throngs in the main aisle, faces carved on pillars stare down on us with menacing grins. Stone monkeys appear as if they want to leap upon us, sculptured dogs snarl with glaring open mouths ready to snap.  We weave our way through to seek solitude in a peaceful side chapel dedicated to the Virgin.  When we rise from our knees and exit the chapel, I overhear lewd talk.

A tall, severe faced woman, her hair concealed under a dark French hood, stands amongst a group gathered around her. She’s saying in a low voice, ‘That Bullen whore would hide her musician in a cupboard and call out for marmalade when it was safe for him to come out of his hiding place and attend her. My husband heard it in London last week.’
Another woman retorts, as we slip past, ‘Never, by the cross, has there been such a scandal in England,’ I wrinkle my nose not just at her vicious gossiping manner but because she smells of vinegar as sour as her face. ‘Did your Nick hear anything else?’ she adds nastily.
‘The King is well rid of her. It’s said down in London she bewitched the King and poisoned good Queen Katherine who died in January. Anne Bullen was a witch as well as being a whore.’
Despite the heat of the day, I draw my cloak closer and whisper to Madeleine, ‘Do not listen to them. It’s an evil pack of lies.’
‘Indeed. Wicked gossiping but ‘tis best we get back to the peace and quiet of Kexby away from these nests of ill-wishers.’
I say firmly. ‘This very afternoon. William does not need me here for cloth deals. These, he can handle himself.’

But it is not over. My sister and King Henry are wed. Throughout the land bells ring again, this time joyously and light, sounding for the King’s new marriage. On the second day of June, a long letter from Edward arrives. With a heavy heart, I climb the staircase to my bedchamber and sink into my armed chair by the window wondering at my sister’s wisdom in marrying a King who set one wife aside and killed another. 





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Carol McGrath


Following a first degree in English and History at QUB, Carol McGrath completed an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in English from University of London. She is published by Headline.

The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066, was shortlisted for the RoNAs in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this highly acclaimed trilogy.

Mistress Cromwell, a best-selling historical novel about Elizabeth Cromwell, wife of Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, was republished by Headline in 2020.

The Silken Rose, first in a Medieval She-Wolf Queens Trilogy, featuring Ailenor of Provence, saw publication in April 2020. This was followed by The Damask Rose. The Stone Rose was published April 2022. The Stolen Crown 2023 and July 2024, The Lost Queen, about Berengaria of Navarre and The Third Crusade.

The Queen’s Sister, sequel to Mistress Cromwell, sees publication in June 2026. Carol writes Historical non-fiction as well as fiction. Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England was published in February 2022 by Pen & Sword. She speaks at Conferences and gives interviews.

Subscribe to her newsletter via her website (use the drop down on her web-site Home Page).

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Monday, 8 June 2026

Rise of the Pale Moon by Patricia Brandon



Publication Date: October 15th, 2024
Publisher: Palmetto Publishers
Pages: 262
Genre: Historical Fiction

Unlikely Allies: Three Diverse Women Navigate Tumultuous Times, Risking All Amidst Revolutionary Woes. A Tale of Hope, Love, and Triumph Over Adversity.

In the heart of coastal South Carolina, during the Revolutionary War era, a profound narrative unfolds in Rise of the Pale Moon. This captivating tale is set on a plantation, where three young women of strikingly different backgrounds are held captive - a humble indentured servant from London, a resilient chattel slave, and a resourceful Catawba Indian. Their lives are intertwined, bound by the chains of their circumstances, and deeply impacted by the Master and his family.

These women, each bearing a unique perspective, must learn to navigate their relationships with each other and their captors. As they grapple with their brutal reality, their courage is put to the ultimate test. Will they risk a daring escape, knowing full well that it could result in their demise? Or will they remain, hoping to influence their fate and possibly alter the course of the war in the American South?

Rise of the Pale Moon explores the intricacies of loyalty, sacrifice, and love amidst harsh adversity. The characters' relentless pursuit of hope is a testament to their determination and resilience, offering an inspiring portrayal of human spirit. As the birth of a new nation unfolds around them, their journey reveals the transformative power of unity and friendship.

This riveting narrative is more than just a historical fiction; it is a timeless exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of shared struggles, shared dreams, and the shared determination to survive. The characters' journey serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times.

Rise of the Pale Moon is a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons.


Praise for Rise of the Pale Moon:

"... a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons."
~ Yarde Book Promotion, 5* Editorial Review

"Set in Charleston, South Carolina during the Revolutionary war, this novel takes the reader on a journey through the past while teaching about history and friendship in a way that readers, especially middle grade readers, will surely connect. As a teacher, I was hooked at the beginning when the main character, and indentured servant, faces unbelievable hardship on the passage to America. Readers will learn about the history of that era while being entertained with the story."
~ Sophia, 5* Amazon Review


Buy Link:

Patricia Brandon


 Patricia Brandon is a winner of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award (South Carolina Writers’ Association.

Her first novel, The Center of Gravity, earned a Coffee Pot Book Club (UK) “Highly Recommended” 5-Star Award. It recently was awarded a bronze medal (fiction-mystery-historical category) in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

 Her second novel, A Rule of Live, was selected as a gold medal (YA, Historical Fiction category) 2021 Book of the Year by The Coffee Pot Book Club. It also was recently selected as a bronze medal (YA Mystery category) winner in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

Rise of the Pale Moon was selected as a finalist for the American Writing Awards 2025.

All novels have gleaned several excellent editorial reviews.

 

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Thursday, 4 June 2026

Anniversary Blog Tour: Daughter of Mercia (Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries #1) by Julia Ibbotson



Publication Date: June 6th, 2025
Series: Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries
Publisher: Archbury Books
Pages: 301 ebook / 392 pb
Genre: Medieval Dual-Timeline Mystery Romance

A brand-new Anglo-Saxon time-slip full of mystery and romance.

Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again. When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern? 

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past. Tensions rise and sparks fly between Anna and Matt. But how is 6th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Elena Collins, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley and Christina Courtenay.



Praise for Daughter of Mercia:

“Ibbotson’s prose immerses you in the vivid world of the Anglo-Saxon era, richly layered with sensory detail that brings both the past and present timelines to life. I could feel the atmosphere—the cold stone and the wind on the hills. Her writing weaves the two eras seamlessly, connecting people across time and creating a mysterious, slow-building tension that keeps you turning the pages.”
~ Alis Page, Reviewer, 5*

“... an atmospheric, and wonderfully immersive, novel that has it all: characters with their own conflicts, both in the past and the present; a mystery that links the eras; the intrigue of Mildryth's fate and Anna's secrets; and all within the fascinating setting of archaeology.”
~ Ruins & Reading, 5* Review


Buy Link:
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.


Julia Ibbotson


Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip / dual-time mysteries.

Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

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Wednesday, 3 June 2026

The Agincourt King – Audiobook (Plantagenet Legacy Series) by Mercedes Rochelle



Book
Publication Date: April 8th, 2024
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Pages: 260
Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook
Publication Date: May 4th, 2026
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Narrator: Kevin E. Green
Listening Length: 8 hours 36 minutes

From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house.

His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France. Better yet, why not go for the crown?

Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur.

But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him. By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought.

Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.


Buy Links:
All titles in the series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited.



Mercedes Rochelle


Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing.

Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. 

She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.

Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the University of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.





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No Ordinary June by L. N. Jacobs

    No Ordinary June By L. N. Jacobs Publication Date: 11th June 2026 Publisher: ‎ Sweet Love Press Print Length: 369 Pages Genre: Regency H...