Staff Picks
Romantic Novels That Embrace the Paranormal and Supernatural đź’–
- Chantal W.
- Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Collection
Curl up with a romance novel that embraces the paranormal and the supernatural.

The Lady in the Coppergate Tower
Published in 2019
"Hazel Hughes finds romance and danger as she travels to Romania with her employer, Dr. Sam MacInnes, and her uncle, Count Petrescu, in an attempt to save her twin sister, who is slowly going mad inside the Coppergate Tower. Hazel and Sam must fight their way past vampires, clockwork beasts, and their own insecurities as they try to reach her sister in the impenetrable tower before time runs out."--Provided by publisher.

Haunting Jasmine
Published in 2011
A call from the past brings divorce Jasmine Mistry home to Shelter Island to run her beloved aunt's bookstore, which has always been rumored to be haunted. Jasmine embarks on a mystical journey, guided by the highly emotional spirits of long-dead authors.

The Widow of Rose House
Published in 2019
"A young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age debut novel It's 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh start, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time. However, fresh starts aren't as easy as they seem, as Alva discovers when stories of a haunting at Liefdehuis begin to reach her. But Alva doesn't believe in ghosts. So when the eccentric and brilliant professor Samuel Moore appears and informs her that he can get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds Liefdehuis, she turns him down flat. She doesn't need any more complications in her life--especially not a handsome, convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, though Alva is loath to admit it, Sam, a pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva's new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva's history--and her heart. Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, The Widow of Rose House is a gorgeous debut by Diana Biller, with a darkly Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers." -- Provided by publisher.

The Midnight Witch
Published in 2014
"When the sixth Duke of Radnor dies, his hapless son, Freddie, takes on his title, but it is his daughter, Lilith, who inherits his role as Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. Raised as a witch, instructed in the art of necromancy, Lilith faces a daunting future, for the coven is threatened by a powerful group of sorcerers, the Sentinels. Nicholas Stricklend, a powerful force in the British government, is the Sentinel charged with wresting the Elixir from Lilith, and he cares not who he must crush in order to succeed. As a society beauty, engaged to another titled witch, and with a grieving mother and an unstable brother to look after, Lilith struggles to maintain her two very different existences. When she meets and falls in love with the talented artist Bram Cardale, she can no longer keep her life as a witch hidden, and she must choose between her loyalty to the coven, her duty to her family, and her love for Bram, or risk destroying everything she holds dear. Paula Brackston's debut novel, The Witch's Daughter, was the little book that could--with a captivating story, remarkable heroine, and eye-catching package, it has sold more than 130,000 copies in all formats. The Midnight Witch is another enchanting tale of love and magic, featuring her signature blend of gorgeous writing, a decadent and intriguing historical backdrop, and a headstrong and relatable heroine for which readers will cheer"-- Provided by publisher.

The Little Shop of Found Things
Published in 2018
"A new series about a young woman whose connection to antiques takes her on a magical adventure. New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter, Paula Brackston returns to her trademark blend of magic and romance to launch a new series guaranteed to enchant her audience even more. Xanthe and her mother Flora leave London behind for a fresh start, taking over an antique shop in the historic town of Marlborough. Xanthe has always had an affinity with some of the antiques she finds. When she touches them, she can sense something of the past they come from and the stories they hold. So when she has an intense connection to a beautiful silver chatelaine she has to know more. It's while she's examining the chatelaine that she's transported back to the seventeenth century. And shortly after, she's confronted by a ghost who reveals that this is where the antique has its origins. The ghost tasks Xanthe with putting right the injustice in its story to save an innocent girl's life, or else it'll cost her Flora's. While Xanthe fights to save her amid the turbulent days of 1605, she meets architect Samuel Appleby. He may be the person who can help her succeed. He may also be the reason she can't bring herself to leave. With its rich historical detail, strong mother-daughter relationship, and picturesque English village, The Little Shop of Found Things is poised to be a strong start to this new series."-- Provided by publisher.

An Unnatural Vice
Published in 2017
In the sordid streets of Victorian London, unwanted desire flares between two bitter enemies brought together by a deadly secret. Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn't expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel?or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years. Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his s?ances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge. And as their battle of wills and wits heats up, Justin finds he can't stop thinking about the man who's determined to ruin him. But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family's secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal. As killers, fanatics, and fog close in, Nathaniel is the only man Justin can trust?and, perhaps, the only man he could love. Don't miss any of the captivating Sins of the Cities novels: AN UNSEEN ATTRACTION | AN UNNATURAL VICE And look for the Society of Gentlemen series by K. J. Charles: A FASHIONABLE INDULGENCE | THE RUIN OF GABRIEL ASHLEIGH | A SEDITIOUS AFFAIR | A GENTLEMAN'S POSITION Praise for An Unnatural Vice "Explosive." ? Publishers Weekly "Animosity and attraction surge in equal measures when Nathaniel Roy, investigative journalist, faces off against Justin Lazarus, the Seer of London. Their opposing vocations and radically different backgrounds create a powerful and fascinating conflict. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, [K. J.] Charles continues to build tension and add menace by deepening the overarching mystery introduced in the first novel. The series is definitely building to a firecracker conclusion." ? RT Book Reviews " An Unnatural Vice is a well-developed, entertaining romance that left me breathless. . . . Keep these historical romances coming, Charles!" ?The Book Corps " An Unnatural Vice is a tremendous follow-up to the first book in the Sins of the City trilogy. Fans of the series?and of K. J. Charles?will love the romance between Nathaniel and Justin, and the Taillefer family mystery. . . . An Unnatural Vice is exciting, entertaining, romantic?and wonderful." ?All About Romance "A real tour de force. The mystery of the missing Taillefer heir is smoothly and skillfully woven through Justin and Nathaniel's love story and the ending brilliantly sets up the next book. . . . The real heart of the book is the complicated, messy but glorious romance between two bitter enemies. An Unnatural Vice is a must-read and I can't recommend it highly enough." ?Romantic Historical Reviews " An Unnatural Vice is a thrilling, achingly romantic story. Nathaniel and Justin have both undergone serious trauma in their lives, and Charles digs into their respective psychologies with piercing insight. . . . With expertly paced action sequences and the evocative setting of fog-drenched Victorian London, An Unnatural Vice is the rare historical romance that is both transportive and immediate." ?BookPage Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Published in 2013
Lykae clan member Bowen MacRieve is a ruthless warrior whose heart has lain dormant since the loss of his beloved. Then he encounters his sworn enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, and finds that her touch rekindles his deepest desires. As evil forces unite against Mari, Bowen marshals all of his Highlander skill to protect her.

The Witch of Willow Hall
Published in 2018
"In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters -- Catherine, Lydia and Emeline -- flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic, but a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere. Remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline. All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves." -- From publisher's description.

Seeing Darkness
Published in 2020
"When a past-life regression session instead sends a terrifying vision of murder to Kylie Connelly, she's shaken and doesn't know what to think. Worse, later she identifies the attacker from her vision: he's a prominent local politician. Special Agent Jon Dickson of the FBI's Krewe of Hunters is on the trail of a suspected serial killer based on the scantest of clues and unreliable witness testimony. When he realizes Kylie's vision might be his best lead, he must gain her trust and get close enough to guide her new talent. Though she doubts herself, the danger Kylie sees is all too real - and the pair will have to navigate a murderer's twisted passions and deceptions to stop the killer from claiming another victim"--Publisher.

Guilty Pleasures
An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel
Published in 1993
When innocent vampires are found murdered, the city's most powerful vampire hires Anita Blake, a vampire hunter known as "The Executioner," to investigate the crimes.


Payback's a Witch
Published in 2021
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper. Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoor, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams. But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago. On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the arts of divination—who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoor. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden—unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Violet want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in? But most concerning of all: Why can't she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?

Payback's a Witch
Published in 2021
"The witch is back and ready for revenge with a little help from her friends in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper. Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one-in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoor, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams. But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago. On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov-an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts-who is fresh off a bad breakup...with Gareth Blackmoor. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden-unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in? But most concerning of all: Why can't she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?"-- Provided by publisher.

Better Homes and Hauntings
Published in 2014
When she is hired to help restore tech mogul Deacon Whitney's dilapidated family mansion on a remote island, landscape architect Nina Linden is faced with supernatural shenanigans and an undeniable attraction to her employer.

Practical Magic
Published in 2003
For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well; as children, the sisters were outsiders. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, but all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back, almost as if by magic ...


Now You See Her (abridged
Published in 1998
From Dream Man to Kill and Tell, Linda Howard's New York Times bestsellers are a tantalizing blend of scintillating sensuality and high-voltage thrills. Now, with a wonderful new pageturner, this daringly original storyteller makes her smashing hardcover debut. A talented landscape painter and portrait artist in her early thirties, Paris Sweeney has achieved enviable success: her work sells at an exclusive New York City gallery owned by her friend, Candra Worth, and her popularity is at an all-time high. Sweeney, as she is affectionately called by those close to her, loves her work and is content with her life. Then she begins to notice odd changes: traffic lights turn green when she approaches. Her plants are in full bloom out of season. Perhaps they're jist coincidences, but she can't ignore her dreams -- lush, vivid, and drenched in vibrant hues -- which are influencing her artwork. And she can't deny her growing restlessness....Suddenly, impulsively, Sweeney finds herself unable to resist a night of intense passion with millionaire Richard Worth, Candra's estranged husband. But the true dangers of her all-consuming urges are about to be revealed where Sweeney least expects it: in her paintings. After a creative frenzy she can barely recall, Sweeney discovers she has rendered a disturbing image -- a graphic murder scene. Against her better instincts, she returns to the canvas time and again, filling out each chilling detail piece by piece -- a shoe, the body of a victim, and soon, the victim's face. But when a shattering, real-life murder mirrors her creation, Sweeney is thrust into suspicious light. Now, with every stroke of her brush, she risks incriminating herself with her inexplicable knowledge of a deadly crime. And every desire -- including her hungry attraction to Richard -- is loaded with uncertainty and terrifying discovery as Sweeney races to unmask a killer. With the breathless excitement that distinguishes all of her blockbusters of romantic suspense, Linda Howard grips the imagination and touches the heart as only she can in Now You See Her.


First Grave on the Right
Published in 2011
First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.First Grave on the Right is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book.

Deadly Deceptions
Published in 2008
Mojo is trying to enjoy her posh new home, but she'd rather be back living over Bad-Ass Bert's Biker Saloon, where life was simpler. Her sexy cop boyfriend can't let go of his past, while her wealthy sister is being blackmailed for secrets in hers. And Mojo's smack in the middle of it all. As the murders pile up, Mojo is starting to uncover secrets that even the dead don't want disturbed ...

Deadly Gamble
Published in 2006
She's got an uncanny knack for winning at slots, but her home-sweet-home is Bad-Ass Bert's Biker Saloon. She'd love to go deep undercover with an irresistibly hot cop, but he's got baggage as big as his biceps. She's survived a mysterious tragedy, but Mojo Sheepshanks hasn't quite figured out who she really is or how to get on with her life. And now the wisecracking Mojo is seeing ghosts--the real, ectoplasmic kind--and turning up baffling clues to her real identity. Suddenly a wealthy man is claiming to be her long-lost uncle ... and she's being shadowed by an ex-con brother with a talent for killer mind games. As Mojo races to finally uncover the facts, she'll need all her savvy and strange new talent to keep someone from burying her--and the truth--for keeps.

The Witch House of Persimmon Point
Published in 2016
"Antonietta Amore - lovingly nicknamed Anna by her family - was once a girl who took baths full of rose petals while she imagined a future of romance and travel outside of her home in the sprawling hills of Sicily. But now, hardened by time and a move to America, a land still rough around the edges, she simply goes by Nan as she tries to make a life for herself and the young daughter she never meant to have. Building her home, Haven House, from the sins and ruins of her past, she means it to be a sanctuary for the women of the Amore family. But blind to the power of her own feelings, Nan unwittingly imprisons those she loves most within its walls. Years later, when Eleanor Amore seeks refuge with her six-year-old daughter at their ancestral home, now dubbed "The Witch House" by locals, she knows her family's entire history is there waiting. What she doesn't know is how big a role the ghosts of the past will play in her future. The Witch House will always be there for Nan, and for the women who share her name, but it is up to Eleanor to discover how to free those who are trapped and to decide once and for all if The Witch House was meant to heal her or destroy her forever. Richly nuanced and full of deeply complex characters, Suzanne Palmieri's The Witch House of Persimmon Point is her most powerful novel yet"-- Provided by publisher.

Angelborn
Published in 2015
Maia It's hard to be normal when you see the dead everywhere. So I gave up. I just focus on staying out of their way. But the guy haunting my roommate is different. He says that she is the only one who can save him from an eternity of torment. He belongs to her, but he?s all I think about. This must be what it's like to fall... for someone who can never be mine. Caleb A lifetime ago, I found my soulmate in the human world. When I lost my her, I also lost my future and my freedom. Now she?s reborn, and I have a second chance. So why am I drawn to another? You only get one soulmate, and mine isn't the broken, scarred girl who sees what no one else can. With time running out and powerful angels hunting me, she's a distraction I can scarcely afford? but I'm unable to stay away from her. *** A standalone, new adult paranormal romance. 40,000 words.

Dangerous
Published in 2010
Summer's going to sizzle with hot passion and searing historical romance from one of the hottest romance writers in the business. Dangerous is a dynamite mix of breathtaking romance and danger set among the magnificent ballrooms and country houses of Regency England. The impetuous Prudence knew the risks a woman took by visiting a gentleman in the dead of night. . . . Amanda Quick is the pseudonym for Jayne Anne Krentz.


Dark Witch
Published in 2013
An American searches for her Irish ancestors to learn more about her powers and break an ancient curse.

The Ex Hex
Published in 2021
New York Times bestselling YA author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong. Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths...and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn't use her magic this way, but with only an "orchard hayride" scented candle on hand, she isn't worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two. That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town's ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town's ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all. Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it's too late.

The Ex Hex
A Novel
Published in 2021
"Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music ... and a curse on the horrible boyfriend..[She] isn't worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two ... until Rhys Penhallow ... returns to Graves Glen, Georgia ... Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all ... Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it's too late"-- Provided by publisher

The Prophet
Published in 2012
My name is Amelia Gray. I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back. In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar. Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

Mooncakes
Published in 2019
"Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmother's bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home. Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery." -- Provided by publisher.