New Release: MELTDOWN by Jillian D. Wray

MELTDOWN

Jillian D. Wray

Release Date: February 24 

Meet Jillian D. Wray:

Deep Dives & Slow Burns

Hello there! I'm Jillian, a contemporary MM romance author, and I specialize in stories that are as bingeable as they are beautiful.

When I'm not beneath the waves exploring the world's best dive sites or traveling the globe searching for the next great story idea, I'm at my keyboard, crafting romances that are built to last.

💖 What You'll Find Inside:

•High Tension: Expect complex characters and delicious friction that will keep you glued to the page.

•Slow Burns: I believe the best connections simmer before they ignite. Get ready for all the build-up.

•Guaranteed Happy Endings: I'll put my heroes through the wringer, but they always find their way home to each other.

If you love passion, palpable chemistry, and the kind of romance that travels at the pace of a perfect, sensual slow dance, you’re in the right place!

Connect with Jillian D. Wray:

https://linktr.ee/jillianwray2017

Blurb:

WE WERE INEVITABLE. 

In the thin air of Ricochet Ridge, the truth isn't just a revelation—it’s an epic meltdown thirteen years in the making.

•LIAM•

I’m at my breaking point. After losing my mom and being deceived by my dad, I’m heading to Ricochet Ridge for my annual ski trip feeling untethered and carrying a heavy burden of pain and anger. My only anchor is Damon, my "ride or die," who famously chose me over his own twin brother when forced with an impossible decision, thanks to my father. Damon is the only person in my life who has never lied to me, a fact that makes our upcoming two-week trip the only thing keeping me grounded.

•DAMON• 

I’m living a lie that has lasted thirteen years. I’ve protected Liam by staying silent, carrying a crushing weight of secrets to shield him. I preferred causing myself pain rather than risk losing the friendship that means everything to me. But I can no longer hide the truth about what really happened between Liam’s father and my twin brother…and worse, I’m not sure I can hide my feelings any longer either.

•THE RETREAT• 

The romantic tension is amplified by the sheer history between them. For thirteen years, their bond has been defined by a loyalty so fierce it bypassed blood relations. As the truth about their families comes to light, the boundaries of their friendship incinerate. Liam must decide if he can forgive Damon’s deception, while Damon must learn to trust Liam with his own vulnerabilities instead of just acting as his shield.

Meltdown is an interconnected standalone with a guaranteed HEA. You can start here or read it out of order without spoilers for the rest of the Ricochet Ridge series.

Pre-Order Link:

https://a.co/d/iVyzBFg 

Available in KU 

This book was truly a heartfelt experience! It tells a beautiful story of a best-friends-to-lovers romance between two men who have been there for each other for over 20 years. One of them has been secretly in love all along, while the other is blissfully unaware. Sweet, endearing Liam, who embraces everyone with open arms, completely captured my heart. And Damon, with his fierce loyalty and nurturing spirit, truly deserves nothing but the best.

The writing flows wonderfully, and there’s so much depth to this story that makes it even more special.
There are lovely moments plenty of laughs, and a lot of protectiveness.

Release Boost: Owning Jett by Lucy Lennox

Title: Owning Jett

Series: Made Marian Legacy #3

Author: Lucy Lennox

Genre: Gay Romance

Tropes: Accidental Rent Boy, Secret Relationship

Billionaire, Intrigue, Late Bi-Awakening

Release Date: February 17, 2026

BLURB

Two weeks. One villa. A dangerous game of seduction and lies.

My job is simple: get close, get the intel, get out.

Then Locke Maris walks into my op.

He’s cold. Controlled. Heir to a billion-dollar shipping fortune. And so aggressively straight he doesn’t even look at me twice…

Until he does.

Locke makes me an offer: play his assistant by day, be his secret lover by night, at a house party where the world’s elite will gather to sip champagne, enjoy the Italian sun… and play a dangerous game called Paxis. 

In this ancient variation of chess, humans are pawns and each coded move could start or stop wars. I should report this to my agency immediately. Walk away clean.

But I can’t walk away.

Because in the privacy of his suite, the moves Locke makes are just as dangerous, the words he murmurs in my ear as devastating, and the growing devotion I feel as destructive as any global war.

At the end of this, I’ll have to disappear like I always do.

I don’t get to want things that could ruin my cover—or my career.

But Locke Maris is ruthless about protecting what’s his, and as far as he’s concerned he owns me.

When everything falls apart, I’ll find out exactly how far he’ll go to keep me.

GOODREADS

BOOKBUB

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

AUDIO / PAPERBACK

ALTERNATIVE COVER PAPERBACK

ALSO AVAILABLE

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

AUDIO / PAPERBACK

ALTERNATIVE COVER PAPERBACK

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

AUDIO / PAPERBACK

ALTERNATIVE COVER PAPERBACK

COMING SOON

Releasing September 22

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL / DIRECT

AUTHOR BIO

REVIEW TOUR - Taylor's Father by Penelope Ward

 

Title: Taylor's Father

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Age Gap (17 Years), Best Guy Friend's Father

Single Dad, Forbidden, Second Chance

Protective Hero, Sassy Heroine

Release Date: February 22, 2026

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

When my best friend Taylor gifted me a vacation at a resort owned by his grandparents, the last thing I expected was to bond with a man seventeen years older.

Tate was also vacationing alone.

He’d come to Midnight Key to clear his head and reevaluate his life.

I’d come to get over my high school sweetheart who’d dumped me.

I’d spotted the brawny, tattooed Adonis in the lobby on the first day and thought he had to be someone’s hot dad.

But then we matched on an app that paired single men and women by proximity.

The problem was? At nineteen—almost twenty—I’d lied and said I was twenty-nine.

Tate outed me on our first date, and I fessed up to my real age.

But we continued to run into each other.

And eventually we found our connection was too magnetic to deny.

While we agreed to only use first names and to part ways at the end of the trip, I’d really fallen for Tate.

I never forgot him and knew he was the one who got away.

Remember that guy friend who gifted me the trip?

Well, four years later, Taylor got married.

He’d been estranged from his dad for years, though recently they’d reconnected.

What I didn’t know was that the man I’d had that torrid affair with at the resort would be standing next to Taylor in the receiving line.

My dream man Tate? Was Taylor’s father.

GOODREADS

BOOKBUB

PURCHASE LINKS

$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

FREE to read in Kindle Unlimited

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

AUDIO

SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK

 

A model-cover paperback will be live on release day.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

17-YEAR AGE GAP

BEST GUY FRIEND'S FATHER

SINGLE DAD

FORBIDDEN

SECOND CHANCE

PROTECTIVE HERO

SASSY HEROINE

What a wonderful audiobook experience. 

 Blaire and Tate face significant challenges—first their age difference, and then the complicated reality that Blaire, Taylor’s best friend, falls for his father. The story beautifully explores tropes like age gap, second chances, unexpected pregnancy, and best friend’s dad— Andi Arndt and Jason Clarke delivered an outstanding performance. They brought the passion, tension, and humour to life.

AUTHOR BIO

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
INSTAGRAM

TIKTOK
X

OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD

SEE ALL BOOKS HERE

RELEASE BLITZ - Taylor's Father by Penelope Ward

 

Title: Taylor's Father

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Age Gap (17 Years), Best Guy Friend's Father

Single Dad, Forbidden, Second Chance

Protective Hero, Sassy Heroine

Release Date: February 22, 2026

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

When my best friend Taylor gifted me a vacation at a resort owned by his grandparents, the last thing I expected was to bond with a man seventeen years older.

Tate was also vacationing alone.

He’d come to Midnight Key to clear his head and reevaluate his life.

I’d come to get over my high school sweetheart who’d dumped me.

I’d spotted the brawny, tattooed Adonis in the lobby on the first day and thought he had to be someone’s hot dad.

But then we matched on an app that paired single men and women by proximity.

The problem was? At nineteen—almost twenty—I’d lied and said I was twenty-nine.

Tate outed me on our first date, and I fessed up to my real age.

But we continued to run into each other.

And eventually we found our connection was too magnetic to deny.

While we agreed to only use first names and to part ways at the end of the trip, I’d really fallen for Tate.

I never forgot him and knew he was the one who got away.

Remember that guy friend who gifted me the trip?

Well, four years later, Taylor got married.

He’d been estranged from his dad for years, though recently they’d reconnected.

What I didn’t know was that the man I’d had that torrid affair with at the resort would be standing next to Taylor in the receiving line.

My dream man Tate? Was Taylor’s father.

GOODREADS

BOOKBUB

PURCHASE LINKS

$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

FREE to read in Kindle Unlimited

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

 

AUDIO

SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK

 

A model-cover paperback will be live on release day.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

17-YEAR AGE GAP

BEST GUY FRIEND'S FATHER

SINGLE DAD

FORBIDDEN

SECOND CHANCE

PROTECTIVE HERO

SASSY HEROINE

AUTHOR BIO

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
INSTAGRAM

TIKTOK
X

OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD

SEE ALL BOOKS HERE

Review: Sweet Poison by Rachel Van Dyken

 

SWEET POISON

Rachel Van Dyken

Release Date: February 11

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦.

𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳.

𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭…

His breath hit my neck, lips brushing skin.

"𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘵?”

All it took was one phrase—“𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦?”—and I was already losing.

To the enemy.

To a Tinder date gone violently wrong.

To the Syndicate’s most dangerous heir.

It was supposed to be my last middle finger to the establishment before they sacrificed me on the family altar of arranged marriage. So I took control. I made the rules. I chose the husband.

Louis De Lange.

The twin who should’ve died.

The traitor.

The man who lost my sister—his so-called true love.

 He said he had nothing left. So I made him my weapon.

But the problem with controlling a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

You never see the fangs until they’re already at your throat.

The plan was simple. The timeline set. Sixty days to infiltrate, manipulate, and survive.

But I wasn’t banking on Louis being more than broken—I wasn’t ready for how dangerous he could be when he finally decides he’s done bleeding for everyone else but himself.

I was playing to win.

He was playing to lose.

And we were both about to learn…

The sweeter the poison the more bitter the fight. 

To the end. Love. Hell. Or destruction. Let the games begin.

Grab your copy!

https://geni.us/RVDSP

I can’t believe it’s the end of an absolutely epic series. 

This final instalment of the De Lange family is also the final book in the Eagle Elite world. 

Tempest Alfero and Louis De Lange were not meant to be together. However, Tempest wanted to go against the grain and not follow through with the arranged marriage her family had set up for her. So she decided to marry Louis. 

Both Louis and Tempest have ulterior motives for their relationship but revenge may be the biggest motivator yet.

I’m sad to see this world end but know that I will always remember the banter between all the OG Eagle Elite bosses. 

Blood In - No out.

Meet Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she's been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs.

Keep up with Rachel Van Dyken and subscribe to her newsletter: https://rachelvandykenauthor.com/newsletter

To learn more about Rachel & her books, visit here!

Connect with Rachel Van Dyken:

http://www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel's New Rockin Readers https://www.facebook.com/groups/RRRFanClub

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