susan swafford

As a Holder’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items. It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind.

Like a songbird in a cage, Anya has spent her entire life as the General's perfect daughter. He snaps his fingers; she jumps. He tells her to smile; she beams like she is made of the sun itself. But underneath all those games and glitter, she's working to destroy her father and save the city she loves. When an undine sneaks his way into her city, intent on kidnapping her, she lets him take her.

Sikthand hadn't planned to take the stubborn little human hostage. But with political tensions at an all-time high, he had no choice. He would unflinchingly use her as a bargaining chip to secure better relations with the new Tremantian ruler. He would not, however, fall prey to her charms. When Sophia and Sikthand realize how far their enemies are willing to go to grab galactic power, they're forced into an unlikely alliance-and possibly a marriage of convenience-to protect their people. It's a good plan, too, if they don't do anything irrational along the way. Like falling in love.

Naomi has spent her entire profits from her farm's yield for a fertility shot. She wants a baby to ease some of the loneliness of life at the edge of the universe. Unfortunately for her, the donor she had lined up can't finish the job. What's a lonely ovulating human to do? This one heads to the Port Custodial office and asks for help from the military custodian on duty. Brawny but awkward Ainar isn't sure why this human is insisting on needing his help for sleeping, but he's happy to assist someone as delicate and pretty as the human colonist.

Asset X: Massive, deadly, and a little terrifying to say the least. A devilish warrior, and a killer. Captured on a hellish world after attacking a military campsite and now imprisoned in a state-of-the-art cell inside one of the military’s top bases, Lazris. Lana has been assigned to "study" him; to learn his secrets and gain his trust, if he is ever allowed to set foot out of his cell. Asset X - or Xerus as he is called - won't give up his secrets easily. He is difficult, elusive, and dare she say, unfathomably alluring.

Aikaterina has lived since the dawn of time. Her species was born at the same time as the universe, yet she yearns for something more. Her experiences with the Valdier, Sarafin, Curizan, and especially the Dragonlings, has left her craving something she never expected—a sense of belonging.

Nothing good ever comes from drinking a box of wine alone. So when I decided to entertain my drunken self by setting up some hand-me-down podcasting equipment and reading the steamy parts from romance novels, I never thought anyone would actually listen. The fact that I admitted my huge crush on my sexy next door neighbor made the whole thing even more mortifying. But sometimes life surprises you, and that’s how my podcast, Heidi’s Discount Erotica, was born. Now I, Heidi Larsen, a sweet former kindergarten teacher in Waconia, Minnesota, lead a scandalous double life.

Elven princesses aren’t supposed to fall for brutish human warriors, especially not warriors from an empire of ferocious conquerers. But when the tattooed Colonel Mrothgar stalks into the elven court, claiming to be there on a diplomatic mission, Princess Hysithea has to learn more about him.

Zylar of Kith B'alak is a four-time loser in the annual Choosing. If he fails to find a nest guardian this time, he'll lose his chance to have a mate for all time. Desperation drives him to try a matching service, but due to a freak solar flare and a severely malfunctioning ship AI, things go way off course. This "human being" is not the Tiralan match he was seeking.

When half your galaxy is unexpectedly sucked into a black hole - when a hitherto-unknown species of space aliens lays waste to your home planet - when disaster rears its ugly head (or heads) - who can you call for faster-than-light appraisals and best-in-the-multiverse customer service? Just one man - Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent. In this latest chapter of his interstellar exploits, Tom is about to deliver a crushing performance evaluation to Jimmy the Intern when the unimaginable happens: The beloved Wendell the Manatee has been kidnapped!