Ever Seas Blog Tour Spotlight

 Hi All! Since there is an extra Sunday in August, I thought I'd share a brief spotlight for a great duology that is being traditionally published with Ace Books. It is the Ever Seas series by LJ Andrews. Below is a brief summary of the series along with book covers and blurbs shared with me by the publisher and a brief bio of the author herself. The first book was released earlier this August. The sequel comes out September 16, 2025. Enjoy!!

From USA Today bestselling author LJ Andrews comes a sweeping romantasy debut with claws, crowns, and the kind of brooding antihero you’ll gladly drown for.  The Ever King launches the Ever Seas series with a storm of vengeance, Norse mythology, and undeniable slow-burn chemistry. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, and anyone who dreams of Viking-inspired kingdoms and dangerous romance, this viral sensation is finally making waves in hardcover—complete with exclusive bonus content. If you love your fantasy full of saltwater, spice, and scarred kings with shattered hearts, then this one will absolutely wreck you—in the best way.

Image provided by Ace Books

They stole his crown. So he stole their daughter....

For years, Erik, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves, making him a prisoner in his own realm.

Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains on the Ever, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge.

She’s innocent. He’s vicious. But he will take back what he lost, no matter the price.

Unless she steals his heart first.

And if you love The Ever King, you’re in for a treat! Because from USA Today bestseller LJ Andrews comes the searing second volume in the Ever Seas romantasy saga—where vengeance simmers, love burns brighter, and the sea holds more than just secrets. The Ever Queen is a lush and blood-soaked continuation of a TikTok-favorite fantasy romance series that blends Norse mythology with irresistible spice.

Image provided by Ace Books

With his queen missing, the king’s wrath knows no boundaries.

Captive. Challenger. Queen.

Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.

Let them think they’ve won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms.

Captor. Villain. King.

They’ll die for touching her.

His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.

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LJ Andrews is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy romance. She could 

live in dark worlds with brutal romantic heroes all day. When she isn’t writing, 

she's keeping her four kids alive, spending time with her hot husband, 

or enjoying the mountains of Utah. 

Next weekend, I will begin my September reviews with a fun back-to-

school theme, starting with Caitlin Rozakis's unique urban fantasy

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association.

image copied from Goodreads

Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.

When Vivian’s kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys, and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire. 

As Vivian careens from hellhounds in the school corridors to demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society—shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents’ WhatsApp group. 

And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door…

Laugh-out-loud End of Summer Read

 

Image copied from Goodreads

I picked this one because it incorporated one of my favorite romance tropes, the blocked writer who finds love and is inspired to write her next great novel. In this case, the author is a popular romance writer who has been recently dumped. Yep, her fiancé left her for their wedding planner after knocking said wedding planner up. Ouch! The story opens with Gracie Landing paging through her old high school yearbook in a drunken stupor. Her friends sent her home from their night out to cheer her up after Gracie sees pictures of her ex's new baby. Gracie is a hot mess and shouldn't have been left to her own devices because she ends up sending an email to her old high school crush right before passing out.

From there the comedy begins in this cute romance. Her former crush, Colin Yarmouth is now a successful lawyer who has suffered his own breakup, recently. Even sadder, he'd only been married for six months, so barely enough time to even be out of the newlywed phase. I won't spoil what his ex did to him, but it's a doozy. Needless to say, he finds Gracie's accusatory drunk email, to his work email no less, intriguing. And yes, he does realize after reading it a second time that it was probably sent to him while Gracie was wasted. Colin surprises Gracie by replying, setting off a series of funny emails that move on from there to texts, then phone calls and eventually a meet up in person. The story is also told in dual points of view between Gracie and Colin. 

I found Gracie to be a real, delightfully imperfect character right from the first. I did get a little tired of all of her stomach issues she seems to develop. I did find those to be overdone. But overlooking some of that, the rest of her personality was wry, honest, and hilariously spot on in terms of her observations of the world. Some reviews I read complained that she seemed immature. I suppose you could say that. But I don't necessarily see not having your life together or all figured out after a devastating breakup like hers a sign of immaturity. Instead, I thought is was refreshing to read about a character who is unapologetically grieving and a hot mess. Colin in contrast is much more together on the surface. But inside he is just as hurt and depressed as Gracie. Its their shared relationship woes that help draw them together. I also liked the fact that Colin remembers Gracie as someone he thought was pretty in high school but never connected with because he had no real idea how to talk to girls. Being one of the youngest varsity players on the high school soccer team though meant that he never had to really learn, as girls were more than happy to flirt with him first. I liked this glimpse into Colin as it made his interest in Gracie after her initial email more plausible as to why he'd be so willing to respond and reconnect with her all these years later. 

The two decide that to help Gracie overcome her writer's block, she should use the details of Colin's breakup with his ex-wife in her next romance. This not only gives Gracie plenty of fodder for her plot, but also makes Colin feel he's helping someone again, which helps boost his confidence. Their plan ends up having some very unexpected consequences that aren't good for either of them. Again, I won't spoil it for you. But in trying to iron out the fallout, things go from really bad to awful. However, I did enjoy the eventual character growth for each. The relationship between Gracie and Colin ends up helping each of them face down their fears, and in Colin's case his overbearing parent. The two are able to come out the other side of their latest troubles stronger and more resilient and of course, because it's a romance, find their happily-ever-after. 

I have not read any books by K.J. Micciche before. But after enjoying The Book Proposal, I plan on reading more by this author! If you'd like to grab a copy of this laugh-out-loud romance for yourself, click on the link. It will take you to the page for a small local indie bookstore in my hometown, Next Chapter Bookstore, to order from. The Book Proposal is also available wherever books are sold.

Next month, I'm looking forward to reading a fun urban fantasy, with a unique back-to-school premise called The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Associaton by Caitlin Rozakis. Check out the book cover and the blurb for it below, both copied from Goodreads.

Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.

When Vivian’s kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire.

As Vivian careens from hellhounds in the school corridors and demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society – shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents’ WhatsApp group.

And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door…

Second Chance Love Perfect for the Beach

 

Image copied from Goodreads

I found Heart Marks the Spot to be a charming and entertaining romantic adventure. The premise revolves around Stella, a focused and driven treasure hunter and Huck, a talented but seriously blocked, bestselling author. The two are given a second chance at love when Huck breaks Stella's heart after tagging along on one of her expeditions the first time around.

I was surprised that the first half of the novel is set in the past when the two characters first meet. But I actually enjoyed this, since it allows for plenty of character development for this vibrant cast of characters. Not only do we get to know the two main characters, but we get to know Stella's crew who are also her family. Once we get to the present in the second half of the book, we know these people well and have a good handle on what's at stake for them. In addition to that, we also get some great glimpses into the landscapes where the treasure-hunting quests take place. The beginning of the story is set in Iceland. The author does a good job of vividly painting this fascinating and rugged place, giving us a taste of its unique beauty and topography. She also weaves in elements about Viking treasure that are fun and seem like they could be plausible. In the second half of the story, we are introduced to the beauty and perils of deep-sea diving off the coast of Key West. But Hubscher sprinkles in some local flavor for that area as well with mentions of both real and probably some imagined places there. One reference to Judy Blume in the story had me chuckling.

The love story between Stella and Huck was just the right balance between steamy and emotional. Both have wounds from their past that make them simultaneously guarded and rawly vulnerable when it comes to trusting someone else with their hearts. There is even a bit of intrigue about why Huck walked away from Stella the first time. I will agree with some other readers that I'd love to get Teddy's love story someday. As Stella's best friend, he was one of my favorite characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic adventure and am thankful to both NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read an eARC of it right before it came out in exchange for an honest review. To get your own copy, simply click on the book title in this post which will take you to bookshop.org. Heart Marks the Spot  is also available with retailers wherever books are sold.

My next beach read for review will be The Book Proposal by K.J. Micciche. It is a fun rom-com. Check out the cover and blurb below both copied from Goodreads.

DESPERATELY SEEKING FICTIONAL HERO FOR HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Broke up with, broke, and with a vicious case of writer's block, romance writer Gracie Landing is a hot mess. She can hardly be blamed for drinking one (or a few) too many cocktails when out with her besties in an attempt to cheer herself up. Sometime in the foggy wee hours, she recklessly emails her unrequited high-school crush, Colin Yarmouth, who is now a successful attorney harboring regrets of his own. When she receives an intriguingly friendly (not to say flirty) response, her acute embarrassment is overcome only by her fervent curiosity―what would a hottie like Colin be like as a grown up? The two forge an unlikely friendship that's unmistakably headed for more. Colin's tales of his own woeful break-up become fodder for Gracie's fertile imagination and her current work-in-progress takes off. With the deadline looming and her checking account dwindling, Gracie has no idea that borrowing Colin's story could wreak havoc on her life, her career, and her own chance at happily-ever-after...