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

Free Romance Novel for Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 27, 2025 by Vania Margene Rheault

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate!

For the Thanksgiving holiday–and my birthday which happens to be on Black Friday–I wanted give a book away to celebrate! What better than a small-town romantic suspense Christmas novel?

A Heartache for Christmas is free Thursday, November 27th to Saturday, November 29th. You can download it for free, borrow it in Kindle Unlimited, or purchase a paperback.

You can find it here:
https://www.amazon.com/Heartache-Christmas-VM-Rheault-ebook/dp/B0CM2BLRPF

Breaking down in a creepy little messed up town three days before Christmas, I didn’t expect to fall in love. But Evie’s past hides deadly secrets and I don’t know if I’m enough to keep her safe.

on black background, book cover, a heartache for christmas, shown on a kindle and in paperback. text says, a heartache for christmas, free, november 27th-29 2025

A few weeks ago the Northern Lights swept across Minnesota, and my sister, daughter, and I drove out of the city hoping to see them. We were lucky and caught faint glimpses. Here are a few pictures that I was able to take with my phone.

pink and green streaks with little bright stars

pink green and creamy/cloudy streaks with stars

That’s all I have this time around. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with friends and family. Stay safe traveling and grabbing those early Christmas deals!

Until next month,

Vania

Fall Reads & Road Trips: October Update 🍂

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Vania Margene Rheault

Happy October! There’s been a lot going on in my corner of the world and I thought I would pop into your inbox and say hey!

Last Sunday my sister, daughter, and I went on our yearly road trip to Maplewood State Park near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. It was a lovely drive and the temperatures were just right. The trip actually did double duty, though I didn’t know at the time. One, to get out of the city to look at the leaves as it’s peak leaf-viewing season here, but two, driving through Pelican Rapids was something I needed but didn’t know I needed until I did it, if that makes sense. I’m working on a new book right now and it’s set in a small, northern Minnesota town. The vibes of Pelican Rapids fit just right. The quiet Main Street, the schools, the tiny fire department. It will be a perfect backdrop for my angsty contemporary romance. They also had a giant pelican statue (his name is Pete) that probably won’t make it into my book, but he was fun to look at just the same.

picture of a pelican--white body, orange beak. standing on a type of fenced overlook. blue sky and a bridge in the background

Loss and Damages has been out for three weeks, and the launch has been great! I’ve been getting really lovely feedback from all who have read it so far. If you grabbed an ARC, now would be the perfect time to leave a review. I appreciate your time and willingness to share! 💕

You can find it here:

https://www.amazon.com/Loss-Damages-VM-Rheault-ebook/dp/B0FKFH8QT9

white text on dark red flowers:
“Hello. Can I help you?”

Her voice does funny things to my cock. I know it’s Jemma Ferrell before I turn my gaze away from the teacup, and it only took those two seconds for the words to leave her mouth for me to fantasize about fucking her. Her lips to my ear, begging for more as I’m buried so deeply inside her I can’t think about the next deal.

That would be quite an accomplishment.

Keeping my head in bed.

Loss and Damages

I’ve decided to release Wicked Games in May of 2026! I know that’s a bit of a wait, but I wanted to give you a heads up. I’ll be doing the cover reveal, ARCs, and all that good stuff here, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t or bookmark this site to check back.

Wicked Games is a standalone Billionaire romantic suspense, and I can’t wait for you to meet Seth and Avery!

foggy black and white lake with the text:
When Seth Lockwood retreats to the little town of Lakehaven Falls to mourn his son who was killed in a ransom kidnapping gone wrong, he falls in love with a woman who could be in
the middle of it all.

Wicked Games, May 2026

That’s all I have for this month. I hope you’re having beautiful fall weather wherever you are!

I’ll check back with you soon.

Vania 🌻

VM Rheault

Contemporary Romance Author

Category Archives: reader update

Cedar Hill has a new look!

Wicked Games ARCs are now available!

Free Romance Novel for Thanksgiving!