An exploration into the depths of obsession, revenge, and the heart—traversing the darkest regions of the universe and mind, where memory lives beyond death, and love is the most dangerous force of all.
“To even comprehend it, you have to abandon the comfort of known physics. You have to reach into the unknown, into the void itself, and hope some semblance of humanity survives.”
— Orion Night
In astrophysics, anything dark is simply unknown. When you become obsessed with the relentless pursuit of such all-consuming forces, you become something of what you cannot explain.
Hidden. Unknown. Warped.
The darkness behind stars.
Until she entered Stonehurst University, I had no idea how close I was to the edge—always one reckless heartbeat away from stepping off the cliff. To quiet the intrusive chaos in my head, I need the danger, the rush.
Now I need her.
Nothing has ever felt more dangerous.
Especially when my fire sign is keeping her own deadly secrets on this misty, academic harbor.
Yet with one forbidden touch, my willpower to fight this force goes up in flames. It’s fucking written in the stars. From the moment Collins Holbrook entered my orbit, there was one thing I understood unequivocally:
She was mine.
And I won’t let anything—not even the dark tide rising within me—eclipse her light.
“To even comprehend it, you have to abandon the comfort of known physics. You have to reach into the unknown, into the void itself, and hope some semblance of humanity survives.”
— Orion Night
In astrophysics, anything dark is simply unknown. When you become obsessed with the relentless pursuit of such all-consuming forces, you become something of what you cannot explain.
Hidden. Unknown. Warped.
The darkness behind stars.
Until she entered Stonehurst University, I had no idea how close I was to the edge—always one reckless heartbeat away from stepping off the cliff. To quiet the intrusive chaos in my head, I need the danger, the rush.
Now I need her.
Nothing has ever felt more dangerous.
Especially when my fire sign is keeping her own deadly secrets on this misty, academic harbor.
Yet with one forbidden touch, my willpower to fight this force goes up in flames. It’s fucking written in the stars. From the moment Collins Holbrook entered my orbit, there was one thing I understood unequivocally:
She was mine.
And I won’t let anything—not even the dark tide rising within me—eclipse her light.
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Trisha Wolfe get back here right now!!! You do NOT get to write an ending like that and just walk away! For the first time in a very long time, I'm completely shocked by the ending of a book. The lead up to everything was so precise and perfectly executed, you had no choice but to take a breath and yell from the top of your lungs:
Dr Orion Knight is a brilliant astrophysicist and he takes pride in all of his work. He's meticulous down to the very dot he leaves on his paper and if he wants something, he's going to get it by any means necessary. This man changed the trajectory of everything that I thought I knew when it comes to a dark hero. Fuck the flashlights!! Orion was smooth dark silk wrapped up in SINNNNN and he was not the only character that had you looking over your shoulder.
Dr. Collins Holbrook has seen her fair share of just about everything professionally and personally. Getting into the mind of the unknown is what makes her job worthwhile and getting a chance to assess the infamous Dr Orion Knight will not only be life-changing, but it's going to set her on an all consuming path of the one thing she desires the most.
I've been a long time fan of this author and one thing that I know about her writing is that if she wants to go there and make you question everything? She's going to do it! I felt like I was screwed psychologically and there were whispers of future foreplay to keep you hanging on and you know what? The promise of something more which was more than alluring, was NOTHING compared to the unraveling of the end game. As I'm sitting here writing this review, I cannot even comprehend wtf just happened within the last 25% of this story! The amount of research and time that was poured into this story is honestly remarkable and it truly showed just how much this author wanted her readers to not only understand the complexities of each character, but to give us a visualization of certain scenes.
I knew going into this type of story that something dangerous was going to be brewing but I had no idea what was going to be pushed to the surface. Orion and Collins played the perfect cat and mouse game with each other and please don't even get me started on the sexual tension! It was raw, haunting, thrilling with an intoxication that makes you want to cross that dangerous threshold because you know, it's going to do you in.
If you're looking for a psychological thriller that's going to give you a serious mindf*ck, this one's for you!!. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go book a few therapy sessions right now.
My Playlist while writing my review:
Taylor Swift: I did Something Bad
King Princess: Tough On Myself
Florence and the Machine: Seven devils
The Weeknd: Baptized In Fear
Florence and the Machine: Addicted to Love
Teddy Swims: Your Kind Of Crazy
James Arthur: Let Me Love The Lonely
Florence and the Machine: Addicted to Love
Meet Trisha Wolfe
USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author Trisha Wolfe. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up imaginary worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her imaginary worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
Be the first to hear about new releases and sales by signing up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter below.
Want even more special insider sneak peeks? Join Trisha’s Facebook readers group, The Lair, and get access to book teasers, giveaways, and live chats.
To learn more about Trisha Wolfe, visit here!
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.
PRE-ORDER LINKS
$3.99 for a limited time!
Will be FREE to read in Kindle Unlimited
The current paperback pre-order is for the special-edition cover only. 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
EXCERPT
Copyright © 2025
By Penelope Ward
The next morning, I woke up happier than I’d been in a long time.
The prospect of seeing Tate again filled me with anticipation. It was a wonder I’d gotten any sleep.
His words from last night still replayed in my head over and over.
“A responsible person wouldn’t be struggling with whether to protect you or eat you.”
God, I hoped he ultimately chose the latter.
We hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers, so I was pleased to see a message come through the dating app from him.
Tate: I’m heading down to breakfast in a few. Care to join me?
Blair: Only if you order me four different kinds of beverages to choose from. BTW, it’s never too early for an espresso martini.
Tate: You’re about two years too early.
I laughed as I typed.
Blair: Very funny.
Tate: See you in a few?
Blair: Maybe…
Tate: Brat.
Blair: You like that about me.
Tate: You’re not wrong.
My mouth hurt from smiling.
When I got downstairs, I saw Tate before he saw me. He sat at a table with a huge pile of food spread before him. How did this man look even more hot today? He wore his baseball hat backward, which was absolutely my weakness. The way pieces of his hair poked out the sides? Scrumptious. Every look he’d rocked was sexier than the last.
I walked over to where he was sitting. “Hey, you.”
He gave me a once-over, and his eyes filled with something that seemed a hell of a lot like desire as he appraised the floral sundress I wore, the top of which was held up by two skimpy strings. My current look wasn’t as dramatic as last night’s, though. Today I had gone for fresh-faced and sassy.
“Well, hello.” He smiled. “How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby…”
“No comment.”
“You’d better not.” I took the seat across from him. “How did you sleep?”
“Best sleep I’ve had in a while, actually.”
“Must have been the company you kept the night before.”
“I did have an amazing time with you last night.” Tate smiled.
He seemed genuine, and I felt myself blush. “Likewise.” I gestured to the food. “Hungry much?”
There were eggs, bacon, a huge stack of pancakes, home fries, and fruit.
“All of this is for both of us. Have you seen that buffet line? I waited for like twenty minutes. Didn’t want you to have to do the same.”
“Well, I guess I win for being fashionably late. Thank you.” I grinned. “Between the variety of drinks the first time we met and this private buffet, I’m starting to think this is your thing—hoarding food.”
He gestured to the plates. “Eat up.”
How I wish I could.
For some reason, I wasn’t all that hungry—at least for food. But it was amusing to watch this big, strong man devour his breakfast.
“What are your plans today?” I asked as he munched.
“Depends on whether a certain girl wants to hang out with me.”
“I wasn’t gonna be presumptuous. You’re the one who’s been resistant.”
“Only to certain things and for your own good,” he clarified. “I’m not resistant to your company in the least. I quite like it.”
“So what’s another safe activity we can do so you don’t have to feel like a creeper?”
Tate stopped chewing for a moment. “I was thinking maybe we could go kayaking, if you’re up for it.”
My mouth curved into a smile. “I would love that, actually.”
In truth, I could take or leave kayaking. But any activity where I’d be in close proximity to Tate today was fine by me.
“Cool. I already booked it.”
“Now you’re the one being presumptuous.”
“Maybe, yeah.” He winked before stuffing a big piece of pancake into his mouth.
Never thought I could be jealous of a pancake, but here we were.
I reached my fork across the table and began eating off his plate. As I leaned forward, I accidentally rested my foot on top of his at one point. To my surprise, he didn’t move it away. The contact sent a rush of desire through me.
I popped a piece of pineapple into my mouth. “Do anything interesting when you got back to your room last night?”
“Not particularly.” He chewed.
“After what you said about contemplating eating me, I think you might be lying.”
He stopped mid-bite and shook his head. “Even if I did do what you’re implying, I wouldn’t admit it.”
“I’m pretty sure you just did.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your face is red. You’re fidgeting. The signs are all there.”
I strategically selected a banana, holding it firmly in my hand as I slowly peeled it and took a big bite. Tate’s eyes remained fixed on me the entire time. “It was the only way I could sleep,” I added.
He nearly choked on his coffee.
“What you said riled me up,” I told him.
“Some things can remain private.” He glared. “You know?”
“So, you don’t want to know about my soothing Epsom salt foot soak?”
Tate reached across the table, grabbed my banana, and took a frustrated bite.
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
Title: My Heart to Remember
Author: A.B. Medley
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Tropes: Unconventional Love Triangle, Protective Hero
Strong Heroine, Amnesia, Secret Love, Starting Over
Release Date: February 13, 2026
BLURB
Identical twins London and Lennon Tyler have always lived as mirror images—one a fearless race car driver, the other a quietly brilliant chef. Their secret talent? Switching places whenever life demands it. It’s always been harmless…until one switch ends in tragedy.
One twin wakes in a hospital bed with no memory.
The other never wakes at all.
Doctors tell the surviving sister who she is. They tell her who she loves—a charming physician who claims to be her boyfriend. She tries to settle into the life she's supposedly lived…until a shaken race car driver storms into her room, calling her by a different name.
Her sister’s name.
Hospitals don’t make mistakes this big…right?
As her body heals, fragments of the accident—and the life she might have lived—start surfacing. Someone isn’t telling the whole truth. Her heart tugs her one direction, her mind another, and every step forward blurs the line between memory, desire, and what is real.
Is she falling back in love with the man she had before?
Or are there new feelings for the man who loved her sister?
A.B. Medley lives in Tennessee with the love of her life and three sons. Her husband stole her heart when she was sixteen and their relationship is one of those meant to be love stories you find in magazines and novels.
She is a dental hygienist who loves to read and has always dabbled in writing. When she’s not making people’s smiles shine, she enjoys belting out songs with her boys, dancing, raspberries, baseball, and anything vintage. Like any proper Tennessean, Sundrop is her drink of choice.
She loves her family and friends fiercely and believes in always chasing your dreams.
Deception in the Truth is her debut novel—but as she nurtures her love for writing romance stories, her list of released books continues to grow.
AUTHOR LINKS
Identical twins London and Lennon Tyler have been attached to the hip since birth and they would do anything for each other. Best Friends since before they could talk, they've mastered the art in switching places when deemed necessary and they have no plans of slowing down. That is until one night everything ends in tragedy and life as everyone knows it, will never be the same.
Waking up in the hospital with no memory, one of the Tyler twins is at a loss for what's happened. Not knowing how she got there or what her heart is trying to remember with her true love, every story that's being told is upside down and the one question that's not getting answered is, was this intentional?
This is the first time that I'm reading anything from this author and I have to say that I was really impressed with this one. From the very first chapter, I was hooked and I was trying to read at warped speed because I needed to know which twin was in that hospital! There were a few things that felt repetitive if I'm being honest and I became annoyed with that but overall, this was a solid read from a first time author for me.
If you're looking for a quick romantic Suspense read that will make you question everything, then you should give this one a try.
Title: House of BS & Lies
Series: Don't Date Him #1
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Tropes: Bad Boy Ex Con/Small Town
Alpha Male
Release Date: January 13, 2026
BLURB
She was enraptured by the man they called Romeo the moment that he turned those butterscotch-colored eyes her way.
What wasn’t to love about a big, burly, plaid-wearing lumberjack?
He was tall, gorgeous, and knew how to wield a chainsaw better than Leatherface. He could fell a tree in seconds, had thighs that were as thick as said trees, filled out a pair of Wranglers better than any cowboy ever, and didn’t care that she could operate heavy machinery better than him.
He was everything a girl like Mable could ask for.
The caveat? He was a convicted felon that’d just escaped from prison, faked his death, and ran from his home in Texas to the mountains of Montana.
At first, Mable didn’t know what kind of man he’d been before coming to her small, mountain town. He led Mable into a false sense of security, made her fall madly, deeply, and irrevocably in love with him, and then shocked her by sharing his darkest secret.
Now, she’s left reeling, thinking life couldn’t get more complicated.
Until she finds out her stepmother knows Romeo’s secret and plans to exploit him. To make matters worse, Romeo goes on the run to protect Mable from himself, and she realizes that she has a dark side, too. One that’ll stop at nothing, not even murder, to make sure that he can live free.
PURCHASE LINKS
COMING SOON
Releasing February 10
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
House of B.S +Lies is the first book in a new spin off series (Don't Date Him) and this one didn't hold back from the very beginning. Growing up in beautiful Montana, Mabel is familiar with her small town and she wouldn't trade it for anything. Well.. if you add in her stepmother and step sister, she would definitely re-consider. But trying to keep her head down and live her life is proving to be difficult day by day for Mable. When a new guy comes to town and she realizes that he has something that belongs to her, all bets are off.
Knowing that this is a new series by this author, I wanted to give this one a try. I loved the setting of the story and even though the hero's past was a bit vague still, I truly liked him. I found that more than a few instances were too convenient if I'm being honest and it's like everything had to be wrapped up quickly. I will say that I'm more than curious to see if a certain side character will get their own story and if that's the case, I'm definitely reading that one.
If you're looking for a quick sexy read with a lot of family drama, then this one's for you.
AUTHOR BIO
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
AUTHOR LINKS
FACEBOOK
Synopsis
I was hers, but she was never mine.
Alice Yates is the hired “homemaker” for the Morrisons, an affluent couple in Minneapolis. For Alice, it’s a dream job to dress up like a 1950s housewife and read romance novels to Mr. Morrison before his afternoon nap.
But when the Morrisons’ only daughter returns home for the summer with her fiancé, Alice comes face- to-face with her shattered past—the only threat to her perfect life.
Eight years earlier, vacation rental owner Murphy Paddon had an impeccable vinyl record collection and did the most irresistible thing before kissing Alice, earning him a five-star rating. Their fortnight love affair was life-altering and ended tragically.
Murphy doesn’t know if Alice remembers him or whether he should tell his fiancée that the hired-help living in the guesthouse is the woman who irreparably broke his heart. He needs closure, but will the lingering glances and silent yearning lead to the end or just the beginning?
Grab your copy of The Homemaker, from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Jewel E. Ann, and lose yourself in this forbidden, high-stakes romance.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3UPLWuG
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/S26fj
Audible: http://bit.ly/4nu17pZ
Do you know that exact moment when you breathe a big sigh and feel emotional? You can't exactly pinpoint everything but you know. You know that you've just experienced something beyond comforting and like having a warm blanket and your favorite hot chocolate, you’re at peace. You’re treasuring the familiarity and you're closing your eyes a little bit longer because you want nothing more than to stay in the moment. I felt this deeply and even though I read the final sentence that put a huge smile on my face, I would give anything to go back for a little while and just say “Hi”.
Imagine getting an out of this world dream job that not only pays well, but some might call it pearl clutching. For Alice, it's the best thing that has happened to her in a long time and she's determined to excel at it. Being a Homemaker for a wealthy couple is not only rewarding, but it makes her find a sense of purpose and stability. But Alice is about to have her safety rocked when she comes face to face with the man who changed everything for her eight years ago.
They say time heals all wounds but Murphy, that’s the biggest lie he's ever heard. Time makes it harder because you're constantly in the state of “What Ifs” and moving on is a hard choice. Deciding to stay with his fiancé ‘s family for the summer, Murphy never expected to see the one person that derailed his life all those years ago. One look and he's staring at his past and the “What Ifs” all over again. Will he survive hurricane Alice again?
I've said this time and time again but I honestly have no clue what this author sprinkles in her books!!! And don't even get me started on the angst! I'm genuinely scared to check my blood pressure right now! These characters will take you to every possible place you can imagine and you will not be the same person. After leaving Angerville, I went to Ecstasylane but had to take a quick detour to heartbreak land, only to end up in wrong timing ville and run out of gas. This ultimately stressed me the hell out but would I do this all over again just to get to that ending?
I cannot wait to see what the next book is going to be about along with the main characters. Ms. Jewel barely left a crumb trail for us to follow but if my instincts are right, then we're in for a one heck of a ride for book 2! If you're looking for a sweet second chance romance, this book is NOT for you. You want your heart ripped out and speed dialing your therapist?? Let me introduce you to this emotional torture of it hurts but it feels so good “The Homemaker”. You’re welcome.
Meet Jewel E. Ann
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she's not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
Connect with Jewel
Website: https://www.jeweleann.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7505427.Jewel_E_Ann
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jewel-E-Ann/e/B00IJYHDIG/
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