CATEGORIES: Weekly Recap
1 0

Latest Top Recommendations

Kristen Ashley continues to infuse her stories with such depth of emotion that I can see myself re-reading her novels until I’m old and gray. The latest River Rain instalment is a richly layered tale of second chances in life, of redemption, of forgiveness, of knowing our self-worth and believing in the best version of ourselves, no matter how hard our demons fight to break us down. A former celebrity mean girl, Blake Sharp is trying hard to move on from her past and from under the thumb of her controlling mother, but she never expected to find an ally in her childhood frenemy and occasional bully, retired Scottish rugby player and playboy, Alasdair Wallace. When fate suddenly throws them together, an unexpected connection emerges between them, followed by immediate attraction and chemistry, but learning to trust each other with their hearts and not letting their pasts stand in the way is a battle they will both have to fight for what they want the most. A joy to read!

Read More...

The Sunshine Vicram trilogy was one of those on-a-whim picks, a blind draw from my endless TBR list, and my first encounter with Darynda Jones’ s delightful writing, and I simply flew through it. Set in the small town of Del Sol, New Mexico, the series centres around Sunshine Vicram who returns to her hometown as the elected sheriff, only to find herself knee-deep in drama and danger on her first day on the job. And then there’s Levi, her childhood crush and the man who seems to be angry at her for some reason; her teenage daughter who fancies herself an amateur sleuth; her meddling parents… Witty dialogues, endearing (and some downright bonkers) characters, and small town shenanigans made this series a hilarious thrill ride I never want to get off, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Read More...

I honesty can’t say that I had blood-drinking, winged aliens on my reading bingo card this year, yet here we are. A tale of fated mates, unrequited love, with even a surprise pregnancy thrown into the mix, I devoured this book in a single sitting, hopelessly enthralled with the characters, the plot, the angst, the phenomenal world building. This is one of those stories that consumes you until you’ve gobbled up every last word of it, and then leaves you craving for more. It’s technically the third book in the Brides of the Kylorr series, but I jumped in with no prior knowledge of the series so far, and that didn’t impede my enjoyment of this book. This was my first toe-dip into Zoey Draven’s writing, but it then kicked off a week-long binge-read-a-thon of her books I’m still recovering from.

Read More...

The more I read, the harder I am to impress, and it takes an outstanding book these days to truly shake me into submission. Admittedly, a kinky, sports-flavoured romance penned by one of my favourite writers of late is not a far-fetched bet, yet I never expected to become so infatuated and utterly consumed by this story to the point of re-reading it over and over again in a matter of weeks. Ali Hazelwood continues to bring complex, STEMinist heroines to life with unmatched precision and attention to detail, celebrating their resilience and drive to succeed as well as their softer, more vulnerable parts. And this time around, she does it by deep-diving into the gruelling world of competitive water sports, with the story of two college athletes with something very unexpected in common.

Read More...

Bookish News

We have the cover of Katherine Center‘s newest RomCom—a friends to lovers romance that takes place on a cruise ship, out in May 2026.

Read More...

Scarlett Cole’s (writing as S. Cole) is taking us back to the Colorado chapter of the Iron Outlaws MC, and we have the cover of the next instalment in the series—an electrifying second chance romance with extreme ‘hands-off-my-ex-wife’ vibes—out in October.

Read More...

Upcoming Releases

23 Sep

23 Sep

23 Sep

23 Sep

24 Sep

26 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

8 Oct

9 Oct

9 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

16 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

22 Oct

23 Oct

28 Oct

28 Oct

4 Nov

4 Nov

4 Nov

More Upcoming Releases...

Share it on your social network:

Or you can just copy and share this url

NBJ WEEKLY RECAP

New & Upcoming Releases; Bookish News; Latest Top Recommendations

16 September, 2025

NEW RELEASES

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Zach Reed had two objectives when he joined the CIA team led by Ian and Charlotte Taggart. First, he needed to get close to Cooper McKay. Second, he needed to sideline or dismantle their operation. Getting to know Cooper was even better than he expected, but amongst the team he discovered a family he’d always dreamed of and a woman he wanted to spend his life with. Caught between his mission and his friends, his secrets are exposed, and his only choice is to run. He hopes someday he can make it up to the team and the young woman he’s fallen hopelessly in love with.

Devi Taggart thought she finally found the man of her dreams. Spending a long weekend with Zach filled her soul and satisfied all her deepest desires. But dreams turned to nightmares when she discovered he betrayed his team, including her brother. When Zach disappears, Devi swears to turn her back on the man forever. Unfortunately, the real bad guys have figured out she is Zach’s weak spot, which makes her a major target.

With Devi in real danger, Zach takes the situation into his own hands and offers her a place to stay with him. An offer he’s not about to let her refuse. As they navigate a criminal underworld, Zach is committed to showing Devi he’s the right man for her. If only they can survive his family.

This is the fifth book in the Masters and Mercenaries: New Recruits series of standalone novels with interconnected characters, a spin-off from the Masters and Mercenaries series.

Series recommended reading order: Love the Way You Spy | Live, Love, Spy | The Bodyguard and the Bombshell (novella) | Sweet Little Spies | No More Spies | Spy With Me | Love and Let Spy (Mar 2026)


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Print | Audio

SECRET BABY + UNREQUITED LOVE + PRINCESS/PAUPER

Winnie Halliday is life’s greatest winner…

She has money, power, influence, and a family that loves and supports her no matter how impulsive or improper her choices. Winnie has longed to step out of the shadow cast by the Halliday name, but even gilded cages are hard to break. After several years chasing the one who got away, her childhood crush turned infamous footballer, Kyser Kent, Winnie’s about to return home. It’s time for her to take on the role she was born to play: the first female CEO of her family’s multi-billion-dollar business. It’s a massive challenge, but nowhere near as difficult as explaining to Ky and the relentless press that the reason she wasn’t alone upon her return could be traced back to a heated one-night stand in Portugal—an encounter her now downtrodden fling can hardly recall.

Kyser Kent is the world’s biggest loser…

He has no money, no friends, and a reputation tarnished beyond repair. His dream career of playing professional football overseas was sidelined by bad luck and some seriously questionable decisions. From the moment he returned home, the familiar cage of poverty and disgrace trapped him behind familiar rust-covered bars he longed to escape. The thought of starting over makes him want to give up before he even begins digging himself out of suffocating debt and overwhelming disappointment.

Winnie saved Ky from himself when he hit rock bottom once before. Little did he know that night would tie him to the heiress for a lifetime and give him an undeniable reason to fight for himself—and for the family he never thought he’d have.

This is a standalone spinoff novel from The Monsters Duet.

Series reading order: The Silence of Monsters | The Sound of Secrets | The Tempo of Truth


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THRILLER

Beatrice is about to lose everything when a kind stranger offers her a cup of coffee and a job. It seems like a promise of a better life . . . until she wakes up under lock and key in an isolated mansion in the woods.

On orders from a shadowy criminal organization, armed jailers make the rules for their captives, enforcing them with unflinching violence. Beatrice has always been a “nice girl,” but that won’t save her now. Nobody helped her when she lost her job, her car, and her home, and nobody’s coming to give back her freedom. The only person she can rely on is herself. And now, several child hostages are relying on her too.

When the situation gets more dire—deadly even—Beatrice has to become the hero she and her fellow prisoners need. To escape she’ll have to outsmart her captors and do terrible things that would horrify her former self. If she succeeds, there’s no telling who she’ll be when the ordeal comes to an end.

This is a standalone novel.


Amazon US | Amazon CA | Print | Audio

ENEMIES TO LOVERS + WORKPLACE ROMANCE

Not him.
Not that guy, Weston Lively.
The one I’ve hated since law school.
The man who gets by on good looks, a fat bank account, and a powerful, political father.
Our more-than-just-a-kiss one drunken night changes nothing between us.
We’re both still straight.
And we still hate each other.
It doesn’t matter that we work for the same law firm.
We’ve put what happened behind us.
Except….oops.
It might’ve happened again.
And again.
Hmm.
Maybe we don’t really hate each other anymore.
But there’s a bigger roadblock in our way.
Weston’s evil father.
The two of us together could ruin his chance at becoming President.
Especially with the press digging into my past and haunting our every move.
Then his father makes Weston a terrible offer he might not be able to refuse.
It would mean breaking us apart.
And breaking our hearts.
It was easier when I hated him.
Now I can’t imagine walking away.
How did the man I once hated with a fiery passion become the one who now sets my soul on fire?

This is a standalone novel.


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Print

SECOND CHANCES + ENEIES TO LOVERS + FANTASY ROMANCE

She was always my weakness. Now she’s my only hope.

She was my salvation once—wild magic in her blood, fire in her kiss, and a body I still dream about. I touched heaven with her.

Then dragged us both to hell.

Now she looks at me like I’m the enemy. But I see the way she trembles when I get too close. Feel her power pulse when I say her name.

She hasn’t forgotten.

And I’ll make damn sure she remembers.

An ancient evil is rising beneath Skye—older than our magic, and twice as ruthless.

Only she and I can stop it. We’re bound by fate, fueled by everything we never stopped wanting.

She doesn’t trust me. Doesn’t want to want me.

Too bad. Because I’ll fight for her. Claim her.

Ruin her all over again—if that’s what it takes to keep her safe.

This isn’t just about saving the world. It’s about us.

What I destroyed.

What I’ll never let go again.

This is the seventh book in the Skye Druids series of standalone novels with interconnected characters.

Series recommended reading order: Iron Ember | Shoulder the Skye | Heart of Glass | Endless Skye | Still of the Night | Blood Skye | After Midnight | Kiss of Skye (Mar 2026)


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Print | Audio

FRIENDS TO LOVERS + FAKE DATING + WORKPLACE ROMANCE

Some people scrapbook.
I screenshot my exes’ texts.

What started as me venting my dating disasters online (creative outlet, don’t judge) has turned into a blog with actual followers—and the only thing keeping me in my dirt-cheap apartment. My grandmother-slash-landlord insists I “prove my creativity” to stay, so the blog lives on.

Except now my readers want a happy ending. With an ex.
Problem? None of my exes qualify.
So…I invent one. The perfect guy. The one that got away.

Rule #1: Never roast your exes online if they know how to read.
Rule #2: Definitely don’t make up a fake ex-boyfriend just to keep your rent low.
Rule #3: Don’t—under any circumstances—let your best friend discover the lie.

Because now he’s volunteered to become my fake perfect ex. And the more we fake it, the more I can’t tell if my readers are the only ones falling for the story.

Turns out, the biggest plot twist of all?
I might have been in love with him the whole time.

This is a standalone novel.


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

SINGLE DAD + SMALL TOWN

I might be the only person not obsessed with Simon Luckwood, Hollywood’s hottest leading man and the newest part-time resident of my little hometown.

I don’t trust the way he’s always smiling. No one smiles that much.

And I’m clearly missing something, because I don’t get why the character Simon played on his weird hit TV show is so popular.

But revenge is a dish best served cold, just like the dishes on the menu at the restaurant my ex stole from me. So, when Simon feels guilty enough about his twin teenage boys accidentally getting me arrested that he wants to take me out on an apology date?

I see a perfect opportunity to get mine.

One night, one date, one very loud public scene at my ex’s grand opening, and then I can wash my hands of men forever.

That’s exactly how it has to go. Because my life can’t handle one more plot twist…

This is a standalone novel in the all-new Small Town Sisterhood series.

Series recommended reading order: The Spite Date | The Grumpiest Billionaire (Jan 2026)


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Print | Audio

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough…As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.

This is a standalone novel.


Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Print | Audio

(Visited 1,622 times, 1 visits today)

More New Releases...

Latest Top Recommendations

Kristen Ashley continues to infuse her stories with such depth of emotion that I can see myself re-reading her novels until I’m old and gray. The latest River Rain instalment is a richly layered tale of second chances in life, of redemption, of forgiveness, of knowing our self-worth and believing in the best version of ourselves, no matter how hard our demons fight to break us down. A former celebrity mean girl, Blake Sharp is trying hard to move on from her past and from under the thumb of her controlling mother, but she never expected to find an ally in her childhood frenemy and occasional bully, retired Scottish rugby player and playboy, Alasdair Wallace. When fate suddenly throws them together, an unexpected connection emerges between them, followed by immediate attraction and chemistry, but learning to trust each other with their hearts and not letting their pasts stand in the way is a battle they will both have to fight for what they want the most. A joy to read!

Read More...

The Sunshine Vicram trilogy was one of those on-a-whim picks, a blind draw from my endless TBR list, and my first encounter with Darynda Jones’ s delightful writing, and I simply flew through it. Set in the small town of Del Sol, New Mexico, the series centres around Sunshine Vicram who returns to her hometown as the elected sheriff, only to find herself knee-deep in drama and danger on her first day on the job. And then there’s Levi, her childhood crush and the man who seems to be angry at her for some reason; her teenage daughter who fancies herself an amateur sleuth; her meddling parents… Witty dialogues, endearing (and some downright bonkers) characters, and small town shenanigans made this series a hilarious thrill ride I never want to get off, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Read More...

I honesty can’t say that I had blood-drinking, winged aliens on my reading bingo card this year, yet here we are. A tale of fated mates, unrequited love, with even a surprise pregnancy thrown into the mix, I devoured this book in a single sitting, hopelessly enthralled with the characters, the plot, the angst, the phenomenal world building. This is one of those stories that consumes you until you’ve gobbled up every last word of it, and then leaves you craving for more. It’s technically the third book in the Brides of the Kylorr series, but I jumped in with no prior knowledge of the series so far, and that didn’t impede my enjoyment of this book. This was my first toe-dip into Zoey Draven’s writing, but it then kicked off a week-long binge-read-a-thon of her books I’m still recovering from.

Read More...

The more I read, the harder I am to impress, and it takes an outstanding book these days to truly shake me into submission. Admittedly, a kinky, sports-flavoured romance penned by one of my favourite writers of late is not a far-fetched bet, yet I never expected to become so infatuated and utterly consumed by this story to the point of re-reading it over and over again in a matter of weeks. Ali Hazelwood continues to bring complex, STEMinist heroines to life with unmatched precision and attention to detail, celebrating their resilience and drive to succeed as well as their softer, more vulnerable parts. And this time around, she does it by deep-diving into the gruelling world of competitive water sports, with the story of two college athletes with something very unexpected in common.

Read More...

Bookish News

We have the cover of Katherine Center‘s newest RomCom—a friends to lovers romance that takes place on a cruise ship, out in May 2026.

Read More...

Scarlett Cole’s (writing as S. Cole) is taking us back to the Colorado chapter of the Iron Outlaws MC, and we have the cover of the next instalment in the series—an electrifying second chance romance with extreme ‘hands-off-my-ex-wife’ vibes—out in October.

Read More...

Upcoming Releases

23 Sep

23 Sep

23 Sep

23 Sep

24 Sep

26 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

30 Sep

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

7 Oct

8 Oct

9 Oct

9 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

14 Oct

16 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

21 Oct

22 Oct

23 Oct

28 Oct

28 Oct

4 Nov

4 Nov

4 Nov

More Upcoming Releases...

Natasha

previous
Finding the One: Read an excerpt from Kristen Ashley’s newest River Rain novel
next
COVER REVEAL: The Trust We Broke by Scarlett Cole (writing as S. Cole)

Add Your Comment

Copyright © 2026 Natasha is a Book Junkie
Kept safe and running like a well-oiled machine by Carrie Loves Design, despite this blogger's many attempts to crash everything.
Proudly Hosted by Flywheel  |  Privacy Policy