Books I’m Excited About Right Now (And a Short Author Update)

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

I always enjoy hearing about new books, so I thought I’d share a few that have caught my eye lately. Whether you’re planning a beach day, relaxing on the patio, or hiding indoors with the air conditioning running, here are a few new releases and upcoming books from authors I’ve enjoyed and am excited to support.

Melody Loomis has been working hard on her Storm Series novels, and she just released her fifth one! If you love contemporary romance featuring natural disasters, this series is for you!

Promotional graphic for Melody Loomis's Storm Series. Features covers for books one through five, including Thrill of the Chase, When the Ice Melts, Lightning Strikes, Into the Storm, and Heat Wave. The design includes scrapbook-style hearts and arrows on a light parchment background, with text reading "Storm Series, Books 1–5, Now Available."

Promotional graphic for Heat Wave by Melody Loomis. The book cover appears beside the text: "A family feud. A brutal heat wave. One attraction neither of them can ignore." The design features a warm parchment background with heart accents and highlights the novel's romantic and small-town themes.

When temperatures rise, tensions flare…

Never trust a Ford—that’s what Dallas Jones was raised to believe. For decades, the Jones and Ford families have been sworn enemies, and Dallas has no intention of letting his guard down. The family ranch, their legacy, everything they’ve worked for—it’s up to him and his brother to protect it. The last thing he expects is Kenneth Ford’s daughter at his door…and the attraction to her catching him completely off guard.

Alison Ford has always had a crush on Dallas, even if she knew it could never happen. Their families’ feud complicates everything, and Dallas has never even noticed her. But when her job as an HVAC tech sends her to his ranch during a brutal heat wave, Alison finally gets to know the man she’s admired for years. The spark between them is impossible to ignore.

Dallas knows his family would never approve of him getting close to Alison. Still, she doesn’t feel like the enemy he was raised to expect. But when the Fords sabotage a business deal, suspicion gnaws at him. Dallas can’t help wondering if Alison might have had a hand in it. Already in too deep, the thought of Alison betraying him hurts worse than he imagined.

As the land grows dangerously dry, fire threatens the ranch, and mistrust threatens his heart. Dallas must decide what matters more—holding onto old grudges, or risking it all for the woman who might finally make him believe that not all Fords are the enemy.

Melody’s books are available on Amazon and other retailers. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDQHHF24

I’m excited to read Heat Wave, but I think I’ll wait until it cools off a little bit. Here in Minnesota, we’ve been going through our own heat wave, with temperatures in the nineties every single day for the past week. But it’s definitely at the top of my TBR!

Another book I’m excited about is my friend Jennie’s paranormal romance! She’s been teasing us with blurbs and snippets all summer. August 25th can’t come soon enough!

Promotional graphic for Smoke and Ivy by Jennie Ritz. The book cover is displayed against a dark brown background with ivy accents and text reading "Pre-Order Now" and "Available August 25, 2026." The design conveys a dark, atmospheric paranormal romance tone.

Promotional graphic for Smoke and Ivy by Jennie Ritz featuring the book cover and the text: "A childhood friendship. A haunted mountain cabin. A secret that could destroy everything." The dark, ivy-themed design highlights the novel's paranormal romance and mystery elements.

She aches to belong somewhere, and he’s determined to forget his past. Stuck in a cabin whose dark end is approaching, they’re both in denial, and one of them has secrets. Smokies magic could save them. If only he would allow it.

When heartbroken Faye Livingstone escapes to the Smokies, she hopes to reignite her long-lost creativity and the magic she hasn’t felt in years, but she isn’t prepared for the deficit of it in her beloved cabin or for sparks to fly when reuniting with the boy she once called her hero, now the cold company exec who owns Smoking Bear Lodge, and the man against preserving it.

In denial that magic ever existed here, Ty Woodlock is trapped, and he’s determined to remain hardened, even while his childhood friend thaws his heart. As they share their souls and their art, he finds himself letting go of lifelong bitterness, but it’s only a matter of time before she learns about his company’s deal to demolish the only place either of them ever called home.

Time is running out as darkness spreads, stealing what magic remains, and when unveiling family secrets, they discover that an ancient treaty must be honored, or they’ll lose more than just the haunted cabin. With death at their doorstep, will they be able to listen to their hearts once and for all and save the mountainside?

Jennie’s book is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be live August 25th, 2026:
https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Ivy-Jennie-Ritz-ebook/dp/B0H5TBVD8N

The last book I’m thrilled to feature is a “sweet” contemporary romance by DM Simmons! 🧁 I’ve had my eye on this book for a long time and I can’t wait to read it! It will be the perfect novel to dive into after all my beach reads!

Promotional graphic for Sweeten the Deal by D.M. Simmons. The book cover appears in a white frame against a pink brick background with text reading "Pre-Order Now" and "Coming September 9th, 2026." The design reflects the novel's sweet bakery romance theme.

Promotional graphic for Sweeten the Deal by D.M. Simmons featuring the book cover and the text: "A career-threatening scandal. A small-town bakery. Stirs up a second chance neither of them saw coming." The pink bakery-inspired design highlights the novel's fake-dating and second-chance romance themes.

Tess never expected Brady Hawk to walk back into her life.

Once Thornbrook’s golden boy—and her best friend—Brady is now an NFL star sidelined by a shoulder injury and fighting career-threatening rumors. When the media frenzy spins out of control, his agent has the perfect solution: a fake relationship to change the narrative.

Brady needs someone he can trust. The only problem? The only person he wants is the one whose heart he broke. For Tess, agreeing to play the part should be easy. Let Brady hang out at her bakery and flash a few convincing smiles. Then he can go back to his life and Tess, hers.

But when old memories that refuse to stay buried, and a chemistry that never truly disappeared, pretending becomes harder than either of them expected. As the lines between fake and real begin to blur, Tess and Brady discover the greatest risk isn’t the cameras, the rumors, or the headlines—it’s losing each other for a second time.

Sweeten the Deal is available for preorder and will be live September 9th, 2026. You can find it on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Sweeten-Deal-D-M-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0H92G15KL

I hope something here piques your interest! I know I’m looking forward to reading them!

As for me and what I’ve been doing . . . I’ve been busy writing Cold Mercy, the second book in my hockey duet. These characters have so much to say, the book is practically writing itself, which is lovely! Other than that, we’ve been having fabulous weather for Minnesota. Hot and sunny, it’s just what I need before the freezing winter sets in.

In bookish news, I’ve set up my free days for my Cedar Hill Duet (Captivated by Her and Addicted to Her) and I’ll be announcing that soon in a separate post. They’ll be free on Kindle and as always, they’re available in Kindle Unlimited and Paperback. I recently redid the covers, and I’m really happy with how they turned out! Set a reminder to check back next week!

Next month, Rescue Me will be included in a huge book blast, but I’ll remind you as the date comes nearer. We have a little while yet, but I’m excited to give Sam and Lily some love! So get ready to stuff your ereaders! You’ll have lots to choose from to get you to the end of the year! 📚 ♥️

That’s all from me today. I hope you’re having a relaxing and sunny weekend! ☀️🌸

Talk soon!

Vania

PS: None of the links posted here are affiliate links and the graphics were made without the use of AI. Thanks!

Wicked Games is now live! ✨ 💕

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

After months of plotting, writing, and getting this story ready, Wicked Games is officially live on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited and paperback!

If you love emotionally intense romantic suspense with mystery, secrets, and two damaged people finding their way through grief and danger together, then add Wicked Games to your TBR ASAP!

Two broken hearts. One small Minnesota town. Too many secrets to count.

Promotional graphic for Wicked Games by VM Rheault featuring the book cover against a dark, moody wooded background with text reading “Wicked Games is now on Amazon!”

📚 Kindle Unlimited / ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX2WSDTW
📚 Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Games-VM-Rheault/dp/1956431462

If you pick it up, I hope you love Avery and Seth’s story. And if you enjoy it, reviews are always deeply appreciated—they really do help readers find books they might love.

Happy reading! ♥️

Vania

Wicked Games is on Goodreads!

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

Promo graphic for Wicked Games by VM Rheault featuring the cover on a Kindle and paperback against a moody, foggy road background. text reads, wicked games is now on goodreads

So, here’s a funny little story. When I set up my pen name, I decided to not use periods after my initials. I’m not sure why. Maybe I just liked how it looked without them? No matter what I was thinking, I had no idea what kind of annoying inconvenience it would create whenever I published. Because on Goodreads, all official author profiles need to have the periods after an author’s initials whether they publish with them or not. So when my books port over from Amazon to Goodreads, they land on a fake profile that doesn’t have periods after my initials. This profile can’t exist (and honestly, I have no idea why), so every time I publish, once my book ends up on that “fake” profile, I have to contact support and have it moved to my official profile.

It’s just an annoying thing I have to remember to take care of every time I publish because readers have a difficult time finding my new books if they’re not on the profile with all the others. If I would have known what a hassle publishing without periods would cause, I think I would have just used periods. Live and learn.

The good news is, I did remember to check after I put Wicked Games on preorder, and after contacting support, it’s now where it should be! That means, you can:

* Mark it as currently reading if you grabbed an ARC
* Leave a review if you read an ARC
* Add it to your TBR list if you’re waiting for it to become live on Amazon (May 15th!!)

Doing any or all of the above is so appreciated because it helps readers find the books they love to read! ♥️

If you want to find it on Goodreads, look here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/251402490-wicked-games

If you want to preorder it, look here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX2WSDTW

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Vania

Cedar Hill has a new look!

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

Surprise! My Cedar Hill Duet has a brand new look!

Graphic featuring the updated Cedar Hill duet covers. Captivated by Her appears on the left with a lighthouse and stormy sky background. Addicted to Her appears on the right with a city skyline background. Center text reads: “NEW LOOK!” on a light panel against a dark floral backdrop.

I recently refreshed the covers for Captivated by Her and Addicted to Her and I’m so happy with how they turned out! These stories are so close to my heart since they were the first books I published when I started my pen name, and it felt like the perfect time to give them covers that better reflect the characters and the world inside the books.

The insides also got a light polish to reflect the changes on the outside, so if you’ve read them before, nothing has changed except some cleanup edits and polishing. If you’re new to Cedar Hill, now is a great time to meet Rick and Devyn and Beau and Talia!

I want to do something special to celebrate, so watch this space for updates!

Thank you all who have read them and supported me! I appreciate all of you! ☺️

You can find both books now on Kindle, in Kindle Unlimited, and Paperback!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1PV65WD

Wicked Games ARCs are now available!

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

foggy lake background

picture of book cover on tablet

text says. arcs are available. now through april 19th

I have been working so hard this week to get everything ready, and I have some exciting news—digital ARCs for Wicked Games are now available!

I went back and forth on doing this again. Last September, a lot of readers downloaded an ARC of Loss and Damages . . . but not many reviewed. That always breaks my heart because authors see a lot of interest, and then when release week comes, nothing happens. And I understand. There are a lot of books out there. My Kindle is bursting too.

I still believe in giving ARCs in good faith, so I’m trying again, but I am asking that if you aren’t going to read and review, then please don’t take a review copy.

If you enjoy billionaire, small-town romantic suspense, this might be for you. It’s a standalone at 322 paperback pages. A little steamy, angsty, and no third-act breakup (though there is forced separation).

ARCs will be available through April 19th, with a May 15th release. Wicked Games will be available on Kindle, in Kindle Unlimited, and Paperback.

If you download, I’d really appreciate an honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads when the book goes live. Please don’t use AI to write your review. I want to know what you think of the book!

https://BookHip.com/GAMSRCS

Thank you for giving Seth and Avery a chance. They deserve all the good things! ♥️

Hello Spring! What I’ve been working on.

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

Hello, hello! 🌸

It’s the first day of spring, and here in my part of Minnesota, it actually feels like it. We don’t have much snow left, and everything looks a little… dull right now. Brown grass, all the garbage the snow was hiding suddenly in plain sight, mud everywhere—it’s kind of a gloomy vibe, especially on cloudy days.

But the weather is warming up, the sun will dry everything out, and pretty soon the trees will start getting their leaves again.

I like fall best, but there’s something about a new season that feels like a fresh start. You just never know what life has in store.

I should be getting my final proof of WICKED GAMES today! 👀 I made a few small tweaks to the formatting (including a blog post and an interview!) and adjusted the cover just a bit. Once everything looks good, I’ll be ordering paperback ARC copies. 📚

I’m really excited about that since it’s something I’ve never done before. I’ll still offer ebooks like I usually do, but sending out a few paperback ARCs feels like something special. I’m so proud of how this book turned out, and I can’t wait for you all to see it.

While I’ve been waiting, I’ve been re-editing my Cedar Hill Duet. I love those characters so much, and they deserve this glow-up. New edits, new covers… yep. They deserve it.

And of course, I have a new story rattling around in my brain. Beckett and Sloane won’t leave me alone—in the best way possible. I teased their story a while back (like… last year 😅), so it’ll be nice to finally “skate” into the world of hockey. 🏒

Have a great first day of spring, and keep an eye out for WICKED GAMES ARCs soon! ♥️

Wicked Games Cover and Blurb Reveal!

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Vania Margene Rheault

I love being an author! ♥️ 📚 I love when all the pieces of a book fit together just right.

When I first saw this cover, I knew deep in my bones that it was a perfect match to Seth and Avery’s story.

Set in a small Minnesota town near a lake, the background captures the moody setting where this story takes place.

Needless to say, I love it, and I hope you do too!

black background with grey weeds/lake/fog. picture Wicked Games' cover. text reads Cover Reveal! May 15th 2026

Seth
On a cold February afternoon, I lost my son at a ransom exchange gone wrong.
My wife left me a week later.
Every morning I wake up alone in a house filled with nothing but their memories, and most days I can barely get out of bed.
I need to get out of the city, and I go to a small Minnesota town to grieve and come to terms with my little boy’s death and the loss of my marriage.
There I meet Avery McKay, who’s in Lakehaven Falls for reasons of her own.
I’m not ready to fall in love, but I do anyway. In just a few short days, she becomes my lifeline—someone who understands my grief in a way that no one else ever could.
As we spend time together, Avery and I discover that my son’s kidnapping and her sister’s death are connected, and we realize the danger isn’t over. When I’m warned to stay away from her if I want to keep her alive, I do the only thing I can.
I walk away from the woman I love.

Avery
In a dark alley covered in snow and trash, my sister was murdered, and the police think it was a violent act of revenge.
Two months later, my husband left me for another woman.
I came to Lakehaven Falls to grieve and to figure out who I am now that I’m alone. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with a man who was as damaged as I am.
When the detective handling my sister’s case asks me to write a goodbye post on her gossip blog to draw out her killer, I stumble across a devastating secret that connects her to Seth’s family. The longer Seth and I look for answers, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
Someone will do anything to hide what they’ve done.
Loving Seth could cost me my life—but the last thing I’m going to do is let him walk away with my heart.

Wicked Games is a standalone billionaire romantic suspense with an HEA. It will be available on Kindle, in Kindle Unlimited, and Paperback May 15th, 2026.

ARCs to come!

Check here later for further details.

I hope you all are having great week!

Vania