Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE: Roping My Rival SERIES:  Sons of a Legend AUTHOR:  R.M. Neill PUBLISHER:  Self-published LENGTH:  349 pages RELEASE DATE:  September 24, 2026 BLURB:   When does hate turn to love? Before or after he ruins my life? Warren Burke It’s not that I hate Dane Walker. It’s more like a deep, deep annoyance. Kinda like when your sock slips in your boot and you can’t fix it until you get home.

Reviewed by Mal TITLE: Too Close To Home SERIES: Whitton & Black Mystery #1 AUTHOR: CF White PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 446 Pages RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2026 BLURB: Starting over might mean getting too close. When DI Harrison Black transfers from the Met to the small Yorkshire town of Hartswick, he’s chasing distance—from London, guilt, and the grief of losing his husband.

Reviewed by Jen TITLE:  Savage Ambition SERIES: Sins of Vice #1 AUTHOR: A.F. Zoelle PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 536 pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB: Wanting a man is the fastest way to get him killed. I’m going to murder Don Salvatore and seize the Gennaro empire. Until I find the moment to strike, he owns me. My younger brother stays safe as long as I obey, so I play the perfect submissive while quietly gathering allies.

Title: Dangerous Times Series: Augment, Book One Author: Ishmael Winter Publisher: NineStar Press Release Date: 09/29/2026 Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex Pairing: NB/NB Length: 265 Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, sci-fi, action, other-world, nonbinary, alien species, war, capture, mind control Add to Goodreads Description Reviled for their parasitic nature, the Augment are a cybernetic species that require organic tissues to process food into usable fuel.

Reviewed by Kat   TITLE: Spectres and Sandwiches SERIES: Echoes of Secret Springs AUTHOR: Minerva Howe PUBLISHER: Turtlehat Creatives LENGTH: 263 pages RELEASE DATE: August 25, 2026 BLURB: Xander O'Doul is a simple hotel cook. He's not a ghost hunter or an adventurer, so he's pretty pissed when he begins a renovation on his old house, and ghost issues pop up where he's never had any before.

AUDIO BLITZ - Call Back by Lily Morton Narrator: Joel Leslie Length:13h59m Series:Model Agency book 3 Prior Reading:Prior reading recommended but not essential Genre:Contemporary Tropes: Age gap, best friend's son, model + photographer, second chance, opposites attract Trigger/Content Warnings:Drug use - consensual and non-consensual Attempted rape Discussion of violent death (happens off page) PTSD…

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE:  Grief and Glitter SERIES:  Rochester Copperheads AUTHORS: R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey PUBLISHER: Love Lane Books Ltd LENGTH: 242 Pages RELEASE DATE:  September 25, 202 BLURB: Haunted by the past. Fighting for the future. Finding love in between. Gideon "Taft" Taftwell has spent years outrunning the past—on the ice, in the gym, and behind a carefully built wall of silence.

Reviewed by Cindy TITLE: Wolfsbane SERIES: Wolves of the Wildwood Book 3 AUTHOR: Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes PUBLISHER: Self-published LENGTH: 301 Pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB: Life is good for Daire, the spoiled heir of the head of a powerful witch coven. At least, it should be. But privilege has become his cage, and the punishments for questioning his mother grow crueler each time.

Reviewed by Jen TITLE:  Tobias SERIES: Chronicles of the Redwood Pack #1 AUTHOR: S.A. Pavlik PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 120 pages RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2026 BLURB: Caleb Jennings knew driving the coastal highway at dusk was a terrible idea at the best of times, but it was even worse after enduring an awful dinner with his family. After something jumped out and caused him to wreck his truck and black out, Caleb woke to a coyote in his bed and his entire life turned upside down.

Reviewed by LadyMacbeth TITLE: Jealous Guy SERIES: Down Bad #1 AUTHOR: Jesse H. Reign PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 274 Pages RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2026 BLURB: "I’m not homophobic. I just really hate it when my best friend hooks up with other guys." To say I was thrown when my boy Orion came out is something of an understatement.

Book Title: Boomerang Street Author and Cover Artist: Garrick Jones Publisher: GRJ Press Release Date: September 15, 2026 Genre: LGBT Historical/Crime Thriller Themes: Political Thriller; Action Thriller; Rags to Riches Heat Rating: 5 flames Length: 135 000 words/389 pages (paperback version) It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger. Goodreads Buy links Amazon US | Amazon UK…

Reviewed by Cheryl K TITLE: In At The Deep End AUTHOR: K.C. Wells PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 438 pages RELEASE DATE: September 9,  2026 BLURB: Owen swore he’d never love again. Matt never got the memo. Matt Daley thought the summer would be simple. A dissertation to finish, then figuring out what comes next after his master’s. When Owen Lane, his dad’s best friend from his university days, moves in next door and offers him a paid gig maintaining the pool and garden, it feels like an easy yes.

Reviewed by Jen TITLE:  Locked in Wonderland AUTHOR: H.L. Day writing as H.L. Night PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 371 pages RELEASE DATE: August 31, 2026 BLURB: If you came here by choice, enjoy the party. If you didn’t... good luck. You’re going to need it. Lysander Carroll hasn’t known Warren White for long, but he’s certain they’ve got a future together.

Reviewed by Lady MacBeth TITLE: My Warlock Boyfriend Turned Me Into a Squirrel SERIES: Cursed Reliquaries #1 AUTHOR: CG Vollars PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 48 Pages RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2026 BLURB: My warlock boyfriend turned me into a squirrel. And now, I need to ruin his life. It will be difficult. He finds everything I do adorable. There will be delicious grapes deployed to distract me, acorn hats to humiliate me, and head scritches in front of gently crackling fires to confuse and disarm me.

Book Title: Dragon’s Ending (Wings Over Albion 4) Author and Publisher: Joy Lynn Fielding Cover Artist: Miblart Release Date: September 24, 2026 Tense/POV: Alternating first person pov/past tense Genres: Paranormal MM Romance Tropes: Slow burn, Dragon-shifters, Flirtatious x serious MCs, Academic MC Themes: Family expectations, Legacy and inheritance, Trust Heat Rating: 4 flames Length: 92 000 words It can be read as a standalone story.

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE:  Rookie Moves SERIES:  The Rookie Diaries AUTHOR:  Jodi Oliver PUBLISHER:  Self-published LENGTH:  329 pages RELEASE DATE:  September  24, 2026 BLURB: COLBY For almost ten years, the world of hockey has had their eyes on me, watching my every move. I’m projected to be the first overall pick in the NHL draft this summer, and have been nicknamed a franchise altering talent.

Hello! First off I want to take a moment to give a big and huge thank you for all the wonderful support of Love Bytes in 2026 (and before). THANK YOU SO MUCH! The blog continues to be strong with a steady amount of visitors. It is time to set up the advertisement schedule for 2027. For sign ups in 2026 for 2027, I will be offering a 10% discount.

Reviewed by Lady MacBeth TITLE: Hart SERIES: Body Heat #2 AUTHOR: Marina Pirlimpou PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 228 Pages RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2026 BLURB: It was supposed to be just one night. One wonderful night with a handsome alpha at a business hotel. I never expected him to set my heart and body on fire. I never expected to walk away with a piece of him inside me.

Reviewed by True TITLE: Kiss Him Bloody SERIES: Cuore Family #1 AUTHOR: Adara Wolf and R Phoenix PUBLISHER: Self-Published LENGTH: 322 pages RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2026 BLURB: I was ordered to kill him--not kneel for him. When my cousin orders me to assassinate Zane Vilani, head of the Vilani Mafia Family, I don't ask questions. I'm the Cuore family's ruthless, cold-blooded hitman.

Book Title: The Crucible Author and Publisher: Aoibh Wood Cover Artist: Rebecca Frank Release Date: September 28, 2026 (InkColors) / October 5, 2026 (Amazon, Kobo, and wide) Tense/POV: First person, present tense, single POV (Mora), with a brief closing interlude. Genres: FF Fantasy/Romance (adult sapphic romantasy; dark academy elements) Tropes: Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, hidden identity, slow burn, found family, morally gray love interest, sparring as flirtation, knife-gifting as a love language…

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE: Business vs. Pleasure  SERIES: Hitman vs. Hitman AUTHORS: Cari Z & L.A. Witt PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 254 pages RELEASE DATE: September 16, 2026 BLURB:   Oh, FFS. Apparently we’re doing this again because nobody wants to give up this life. Not Ricardo, who’s bored out of his skull because he hates being retired. Not August, who won’t stand for anyone but his husband outranking him on RateYourHit.

Reviewed by Cindy TITLE: Nightshade SERIES: Wolves of the Wildwood Book 2 AUTHOR: Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 298 Pages RELEASE DATE: August 27, 2026 BLURB: Altair has been a prisoner for most of his life. First of his creator, the monster who murdered him and made him a creature of the night. Now, and for the last few hundred years, of a coven of witches who keep him in a cell, eating rats and “awakening” their members.

Reviewed by True TITLE: My One Obsession AUTHOR: Casey Cox PUBLISHER: Self-Published LENGTH: 481 pages RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2026 BLURB: I have to keep him safe… A chance encounter. A silly favor. Once it's done, I walk away. But someone spotted us. That puts Preston in danger. Because of me. Which means I have to protect him. Even if he fights me on it.

Title: Dalriada Author: Harry Rey Publisher: NineStar Press Release Date: 09/22/2026 Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex Pairing: Male/Male Length: 333 Genre: Historical Fantasy, MM romance, historical, fantasy, action/adventure, barbarians, Celts, Gaels, Roman soldiers, screenplay writers, folklore, goddess, illness, interracial/intercultural, road trip, reunited, tattoos, time travel Add to Goodreads Description…

Here are the new releases for the week. Let us know if there's something missing & we'll add it to the list. Title Author Publisher Release Date Other Details Link My One Obsession Casey Cox Self Published 9/28/26 Amazon Blades and Bone TJ Nichols Self Published 9/28/26 Hunting Hearts #4 Amazon Wanderer Jax Stuart Self Published 9/28/26 Greyhaven #1 Amazon…

Book of the Week Poll Welcome to the Love Bytes Book of the Week Poll! Here are the books which achieved a 4.25 and up review last week from our reviewers. As a reminder, the top two books from each week’s poll will roll into our Book of the Month poll at month’s end. Happy Voting! Please scroll to the very bottom for the voting section…

Book of the Week Winners! Here are the winning books of this week’s Book of the Week Poll. Both will go through to the Book of the Month Poll Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE: Axe Backwards SERIES: Axford Brothers AUTHOR: May Archer PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 329 pages RELEASE DATE: October 15, 2026 RATING: BUY LINK: Amazon Reviewed by Kat TITLE: …

Reviewed by Kat   TITLE: Returning the Runner SERIES: A Forestville Silver Foxes Novella #6 AUTHOR: Nora Phoenix PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 68 pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB: Twenty-five years ago, Hanson Swaim broke my heart and left Forestville without looking back. I stayed. I built a life, a brewery, a reputation as the town’s most reliably single bachelor.

Reviewed by Kat   TITLE: Dragon Enlisted SERIES: Dragon Heirs #2 AUTHOR: Eden Winters PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 268 pages RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2026 BLURB: A broken dragon. An unknown task. Insurmountable odds. A warrior’s life gives Prince Daire Thorne a sense of purpose and defines his place in dragon society. Independent, daring, and resourceful, he’s one of his court’s greatest defenders.

Reviewed by Cheryl TITLE: The Devouring Time SERIES: A Widdershins Universe Novel AUTHOR: Jordan L Hawk PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press LLC LENGTH: 343 pages RELEASE DATE:  September 25, 2026 BLURB: I wasn’t even supposed to be there. My business partner, James—co-owner of Forgotten Folios Rare Book Shop—is the one who meets with clients. But an accident kept him in New York, so I took the train to Hart’s Leap, Massachusetts, to meet with eccentric book collector Zebulon Hart.

RELEASE TOUR incl Exclusive Excerpt: Too Close To Home by CF White Length: 456 pages Series: Whitton and Black 1 (first of an ongoing trilogy) Prior Reading: n/a Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Romantic Suspense Tropes: Cop x Cop-Hater, Widowed Detective x Hot-Headed Ex-Con, Age Gap, Forbidden Attraction, Hurt/Comfort, Trilogy-long Slow Burn Trigger/Content Warnings: Missing persons / child disappearance…

Reviewed by Taylin TITLE: Dragon’s Ending SERIES: Wings Over Albion #4 AUTHOR: Joy Lynn Fielding PUBLISHER: Self-Published LENGTH: 351Pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB: Dragon history was easy. This particular dragon? Anything but. I was sent to Dragon's Ending to uncover lost dragon history. What I found was Dominic Bedwyr. The heir to one of Britain's oldest dragon-shifter families, Dominic has a reputation for turning heads and causing trouble in equal measure.

Reviewed by Ro TITLE: Angel of Thursdays AUTHOR: Luciano Luo PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 328 pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB:  Cassiel has never brought a man home to his parents. Then he hires one. As a child, Cassiel Lim named himself after the angel of temperance and time. Now he repairs watches, and his life runs like clockwork. He's autistic, keeps his world quiet and manageable, and his mother is afraid he'll die alone.

RELEASE TOUR incl Exclusive Excerpt: In The Frame by Hayden Stone Length: 342 pages Series: The London Arts Club, Book 2 (standalone title in series) Prior Reading: not required Genre: Contemporary, New Adult/College, Rom-Com Tropes: forced proximity, opposites attract, millionaire, and fake dating Trigger/Content Warnings: "Although this is a light-hearted romcom, please note this novel includes descriptions of anxiety and depression, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, hospitalization, adult situations, reference to self-harm, alcohol use."

Reviewed by True TITLE: Twisted Little Game SERIES: Crimson College #5 AUTHOR: Raleigh Ruebins PUBLISHER: Self-Published LENGTH: 270 pages RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2026 BLURB: My stalker is a problem… but my bodyguard is a monster. I never asked for Roman Petrov. I made one mistake, got threats on my life, and now my brother hires me a bodyguard? Roman is six-foot-five, pure muscle, and a gorgeous, scowling face.

ROOKIE MOVES (The Rookie Diaries #1)  Jodi Oliver Release Date: September 24  Blurb: Colby For almost ten years, the world of hockey has had their eyes on me, watching my every move.  I’m projected to be the first overall pick in the NHL draft this summer, and have been nicknamed a franchise altering talent. But with high praise comes a lot of pressure I can’t escape, and has resulted in me being a rookie in more ways than one.

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE: Timeless Doors and Captured Gods SERIES:  Hidden Realms AUTHOR:  Alice Winters NARRATOR:  Greg Boudreaux LENGTH:  10 hour and 5 minutes RELEASE DATE:  August 11, 2026 BLURB: Riley Everyone knows the way to a god’s heart is by tossing him onto a roller coaster… okay, maybe not, but it’s a dash of normalcy that Torin and I need before dealing with a malevolent god hellbent on destroying four realms.

Reviewed by Lesley TITLE:  The Liar in Room 5 SERIES:  Halo House #2 AUTHOR: Kerry Kilpatrick PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 205 Pages RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2026 BLURB: Sometimes the hardest person to find is yourself. Andrew Greene I always thought I was pretty good at relationships. Sure, they ended eventually, but people break up. You dust yourself off, meet someone new, and move on.

Book Title: Housesitter – Renfield Concierge Services Author and Cover Artist: TA Moore Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press Release Date: September 10, 2026 Pairing: MM Tense/POV: Third person, alternating POV, past tense Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy Tropes: Forbidden love, Lust at First Sight, Pants on Fire, Dark Past Themes: Sometimes lying is a form of the truth. Heat Rating: 4 flames…

Reviewed by Kat   TITLE: A Himbo for my Heat SERIES: Enduring Hearts (Book 1) AUTHOR: Regitse Liljadorff and A. E. Jensen PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 240 pages RELEASE DATE: January 27, 2026 BLURB: They told me alphas were dangerous. They never warned me I’d fall in love with one. As king, I’ve spent my life upholding balance in our kingdom, ensuring the safety of omegas by suppressing the alphas with the magic passed down through my bloodline.

Title: Cupids' Flight Series: Wings, Book Two Author: Mell Eight Publisher: NineStar Press Release Date: 09/22/2026 Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex Pairing: Male/Male Length: 18800 Genre: Paranormal, MM Romance, Halloween, Samhain, anthropomorphic, interspecies, magic/magic-users, Japanese mythology and folklore Add to Goodreads Description Betrayed by love in the worst possible way, Leo spends his days alone.

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE:  Flipping the Switch SERIES:   A Naughty in Pendleton Story AUTHOR:  Brigham Vaughn NARRATOR:  James Edward Jones PUBLISHER:  Self-published LENGTH:  9 hours and 34 minutes RELEASE DATE:  September, 2026 BLURB: A silver fox Dom, a sweet sub, and a feisty switch: could three be the perfect number? Logan Shaw is a divorced dominant with a bag full of toys and no one to play with.

Reviewed by Cindy TITLE: Allegiant SERIES: The Firm #4 AUTHOR: Cora Rose and Lark Taylor PUBLISHER: Self-published LENGTH: 350 pages RELEASE DATE: September 10, 2026 BLURB: Some ghosts never stop haunting you. Mine wears the face of the only boy who ever knew the real me. His blood stains my conscience, and the guilt I carry keeps everyone in my life at arm's length.

Ready to get your hands a little dirty? Pick up Vile Acts by Crea Reitan today! One Click Your Copy Today! Cover Designer: Rebeca Covers The missing black paint told of horrors… Sometimes rescuing someone once isn’t enough to banish their demons. This is something that has haunted the Deth brothers for a decade. Erez can’t let it go. It took him ten years to prove that his baby sister didn’t die accidentally.

Reviewed by LadyMacbeth TITLE: Don't Fall SERIES: Storm Season #1 AUTHOR: E.M. Lindsey PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 326 Pages RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2026 BLURB: That’s it. My neighbor has to die. There’s no other way around it. The man must be killed—and I’ll even find a way to do it gently, but this cannot go on. Okay, maybe I’m a bit dramatic, but living next to my brother’s best friend who decided to befriend the crows that spend all week spreading garbage across my lawn is not what I signed up for.

Reviewed by Kat   TITLE: Red, White, and BearCat Blue SERIES: FBI Files Spec. Ops. Tac Team #4 AUTHOR: Patricia Logan PUBLISHER: Westburg Publishing Corp. LENGTH: 323 pages RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2026 BLURB: I’m used to getting along fine on my own, but when my mom got sick after losing my brother to an overdose, I legit lost my way. With bills mounting for the care home Mom lived in, I put my auto theft skills to use.

Title: Gravedancer Author: Mychael Black Cover Art: Angela Knight Genres: Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Mystery /Suspense /Intrigue, New Releases, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy Themes: Dark Romance, LGBTQ+ Gay, LGBTQ+ Sex & Gender Shifters, MPreg, Vampires Series: Broken Houses (#1) Book Length: Novella Page Count: 81 Description For Malik and Dorian, the death of one of House Severn’s leaders just turned personal.

Reviewed by Sadonna TITLE:  Not Your Golden Boy SERIES:  Rent-a-Boyfriend AUTHOR: Merry Farmer PUBLISHER:  Self-published LENGTH:  252 pages RELEASE DATE:  September 11, 2026 BLURB: He hired a fake boyfriend to ruin his reputation. He fell in love instead. Nikky Smith became famous overnight. He's spent every day since wishing he could disappear. Between a stalker who won't leave him alone and a spotlight that never turns off, Nikky's had enough.

Reviewed by Cheryl K TITLE: The Little Shop of Curiosities The Music Box - Part 2 SERIES: Crawshanks Guide to the Occult AUTHOR: Vawn Cassidy PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 314 pages RELEASE DATE: August 19, 2026 BLURB: The Music Box - Part 2. Strange things are happening in London, with a murder investigation underway into his biological mother’s murder Harrison is trying to find answers about the mysterious and powerful bloodline he’s descended from.

Reviewed by: Sue Eaton TITLE: Topped SERIES: Lick It #3 AUTHOR: Charlie Novak PUBLISHER: Self Published LENGTH: 228 pages RELEASE DATE: September 3, 2026 BLURB: Top It With Cream & Say Please Having spent the summer antagonising Rupert, the gorgeous sweet shop owner next door, I’m ready to make amends. Unfortunately, he thinks I’m a prick. Rupert might be uptight and annoying, but he’s also the most interesting man I’ve ever met, and I’m utterly intrigued by him.