Get ready to discover this week’s five favorite indie eBooks, spanning romance, mystery, and pulse-pounding thrillers. From small-town secrets to stormy psychological suspense, these reads are full of twists, passion, and unforgettable characters. Which one will you dive into first?
Thaw of Spring by Rebecca Zanetti
In Knife’s Edge, Alaska, Christian Osprey prefers the wild solitude of the mountains to the complications of human connection. A former Navy Special Operator, he thrives in isolation. That is, until Amka Amaruq. Amka has always been the strong one for her community. But with a controlling engagement threatening her future, she feels more trapped than ever. When danger comes to town and Amka becomes the target, Christian’s protective instincts flare to life. Their slow-burning attraction ignites into a fierce passion, but trust is fragile in a place where secrets run deep and danger waits in the shadows. Thaw of Spring blends small-town suspense, forbidden romance, and the irresistible “grumpy loner/protective hero” trope into a heart-pounding, emotional read.
What Readers Are Saying: “Intense, and gripping plus unforgettable romance. An author that always goes to the top of my Read Next list.” – ReadingOverTV, B&N Reviewer
X-Ray in the Xanth by Dale Mayer
When Doreen discovers Chester and Darren digging up a body, she can’t help but dive headfirst into a brand-new mystery. What begins as a single strange clue quickly spirals into a tangled web of twists, turns, and more deaths than anyone expected. As usual, Doreen’s curiosity lands her in the thick of things, sometimes even earning the blame for creating extra work. With the cold case she’s chasing colliding with Mack’s current investigation, the puzzle becomes more baffling by the day. Every lead only seems to open more questions, and finding the truth feels more elusive than ever. Fans of witty sleuths and delightfully twisty whodunits will find X-Ray in the Xanth an irresistible cozy mystery that keeps the pages turning.
What people are saying: “An always delightful series that never disappoints and always leaves me eagerly looking forward to the next new entry in this series.” – TrishAM, B&N Reviewer
Broken Dream by Helen Hardt
Angie Simpson may be the quietest of her family. But she’s determined to make her own way through the grueling demands of medical school. What she doesn’t expect is the pull she feels toward her anatomy professor, Dr. Jason Lansing. He’s a man whose brilliant career was shattered by a tragic accident that stole more than just his future as a surgeon. Hardened by loss, Jason has walled himself off from hope, until Angie sparks something he thought was gone forever. Their stolen kiss threatens to ignite a passion that neither of them can deny, even as the shadows of the past loom over them both. Boundaries blur, secrets resurface, and desire turns dangerous. Broken Dreams is a moving, forbidden romance that blends heartache, healing, and the kind of love worth risking everything for.
What people are saying: “Helen Hardt again has written a book that has everything! Romance, surprises and of course the classic Helen Hardt cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read the next book!” – Jennifer Bradfo, B&N Reviewer
The Yacht Girl by Sean Black
Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson think they’ve landed an easy job: a routine security audit on a billionaire’s private island. But beneath the glitz and glamour, something is very wrong. The island promises its ultra-wealthy guests absolute privacy. There are no cameras, no questions, no accountability. But Lock and Ty soon uncover cracks in the facade. A missing yacht girl, whispered rumors, and a network of secrets point to something far darker than indulgent luxury. What began as a payday becomes a deadly trap, with powerful people determined to keep the truth buried. The Yacht Girl is a pulse-pounding thriller perfect for fans of Harlan Coben, Gregg Hurwitz, and James Patterson.
What people are saying: “Sean Black is a master at writing great books. Read Yacht Girl and loved the book. It was fast moving and kept your attention to the point of not wanting to put it down. I highly recommend this book to other readers.” – Jeanb1942, B&N Reviewer
Cut Off from Sky and Earth by Melissa F. Miller
Emily Rose retreats to a remote cabin to finish her feminist fairytale retelling, but the isolation soon turns sinister. Haunted by the trauma of her college roommate’s murder, she wants peace and quiet—until she meets Alex, a woman with secrets of her own and a dangerous tie to Emily’s past. When a brutal storm traps them together, unnerving events mount: a shadow in the woods, slashed tires, a smashed phone. As fear and paranoia spiral, the women realize survival depends on confronting not only the present threat but also the ghosts they’ve tried to outrun. Blending past and present with chilling excerpts from Emily’s unfinished manuscript, this thriller twists the fairytale of imprisonment into a harrowing modern nightmare. A gripping read, Cut Off From Sky and Earth is perfect for fans of psychological suspense and darkly feminist mysteries.
What people are saying: “All the usual greatness of a Miller novel is there – the rich characters, the gripping story, the inability to put the book down and inability to do anything other than finish it. I was so hooked into the story and found myself trying to figure out “who did it”. It was unpredictable, gripping and inspiring.” – SteinmanTX, B&N Reviewer
