Sherry’s Shelves 7.12 – 7.18.26

Dr Shamus Bergin and his ex-patient, Erladoch Dunbar, leapt into a portal and traveled 20,000 years back in time. Shamus comes from the Sacred Order Of Keepers, an army of part human and part angel warriors. It’s not enough that Shamus, as a man of science finds it hard to accept the magic around him, he also has to contend with the voices speaking in his head, talking of the past and the future.

It has been four years since Erladock Dunbar left Loura Lure and much has changed. The Evil King of Trborg is looking for the last Angel’s Itavo stone. He wants to open the gates of Hell and bring about the end of times.

I love books that deal with darkness and light, good and evil, angels and magic. The Loura Lure is a fabulous blend of the mystical and magical and time travel. Shamus becomes a more complex character as the story develops and the characters draw closer together through their struggles.

I’m so glad I have Book 3 on my stack so there is no wait to find out what happens next.

GOODREADS BLURB

Dr. Shamus Bergin and his former patient Erladoch Dunbar have leapt into a time portal hurtling them backwards 20,000 years to Loura, a time and place erased from history. Before the seas rose up to separate Ireland and the British Isles from the rest of Europe, the Kingdoms of Loura thrived in peace.

Much has changed since Erladoch’s departure four years earlier. Enilorac, the Evil King of Treborg has already begun his invasion. He has come looking for the last Angel’s Itavo stone. If found, Enilorac will use it to open the gates of Hell and usher in the end of times.

Having accepted that his parents were descended from the Sacred Order of Keepers, Shamus must find his place amongst this army of part-human, part-angel warriors in their struggle to repel the encroaching darkness. Can this man of science come to terms with a world filled with magic, or will he lose his sanity in the presence of so many emerging voices seeking to direct his Will? These voices, whispers from the past and echoes of future battles, threaten to overwhelm him.

Burdened with so much, the answers he seeks may lie in the hands of a woman he has never met. He doesn’t know her, but her call grows stronger in his mind with every passing danger. With the weight of obligation crushing down on him, he must have faith that his allegiances will hold and that not all paths laid before him will ultimately yield the same destiny.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published April 25, 2025 by Austin Macauley Publishers LLC
Series: The Loura Lure, Book 2

ABOUT JAMES MCMAHON

James is a lawyer, inventor, musician and life-long student of the Martial Arts. He and his family travel extensively and share a love for all things ancient. This first book in the series is inspired by an enduring curiosity about the lives lived, and the struggles overcome by ancient societies whose legacies continue to defy modern understanding.ames is a lawyer, inventor, musician and lifelong student of the martial arts.

Walk amidst the dolmens and stone circles of old and hear the whispers of those who lived there. Magic was everywhere!

MY JAMES MCMAHON REAVIEWS

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Posted on July 17, 2026 by fundinmental

$30 GC – Bound Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood @xpressotours #jennifersilverwood #boundbeauty

Posted on July 16, 2026 by fundinmental

Bound Beauty
Jennifer Silverwood
(A Wylder Tale, #3)
Publication date: July 14th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Forgotten gods haunt her steps, and the cursed prince she left behind isn’t done fighting for her soul.

Vynasha is bound to the prince of Bitterhelm. Even if she were to die, her spirit will remain trapped with him in the castle forever. But she won’t give in to Grendel without a fight. With the aid of an oracle, a witchling, and the wolf that claims her heart, Vynasha plans to claim her power as the curse breaker.

Ceddrych guards their nephew secretly while fighting to keep the feral beasts roaming their borders at bay. But the monsters are closing in, and the madness he has struggled with drives him to one desperate, unforgivable act.

A war is about to begin between the forgotten people of Wylderland and the cruel might of Bitterhelm. Beings of prophecy and legend unite in the epic third chapter of the Wylder Tales Series, a romantic gothic re-telling of Beauty and the Beast.

WYLDER TALES is a series of romantic dark fairy tales, set in the past of the wider Borderlands Saga, and includes:
•slow burn romantasy
•forced proximity
•enemies to lovers
•found family
•magical bonds
•wicked witches
•burly beasts
•morally gray characters

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

IN A FORBIDEN DREAM IN WYLDERLAND…

The journey seemed to take far longer than she remembered, and part of her feared the passage of time here compared to the world her body remained behind. Ceddrych had told her countless tales of the dangers of magick, of what happened when one dwelled too long in enchanted dreams.

Here the palace looked less like a ruin wrought from rampage. Candles gave off an unnatural silver glow and the hovering lights that had been trailing Vynasha seemed to thicken and gather as she lifted a hand to push open the doors to the throne room. They cracked open before her hand could touch the intricately carved wood.

Snow filtered in through the broken ceiling and rose vines curled over every surface, crawling up the obsidian columns and steps to the throne. Surrounding the steps, the shadow-spirits of beasts of every size and shape lounged and paced. Their forms flickered about the edges, and their eyes glowed brightly, turning to fix upon Vynasha as she slowly entered the hall.

Upon the throne, the thorned vines had dug into a hunched over man. His blood gleamed luminous violet, the same shade as hers was now.

With every step she took, the full wreck of his downfall became increasingly apparent. The shadow beasts at her back pressed closer, urging her forward. Vynasha clenched her fists and refused to climb the steps to face him.

“Grendel.” Her voice echoed like a plucked lute string through the cavernous hall.

Grendel shuddered and then raised his head and looked at her with dead violet eyes. “Vynasha.” The crack in his voice echoed clearly to her ears. His eyes widened when she remained, and his vine-wrapped hands clawed at the arms of his throne. “You have come at last.”

Her feet began to move of their own accord. She barely caught herself in time. She could not, would not go to him, and certainly never pity him. “What happened here? Why are my roses taking over like this?”

“Can you not guess, Vynasha” Grendel leaned forward, ignoring the press of the rose crowning his dark hair. “Vynasha, you have no idea how your absence has undone me. It has been pure torture to sense you but never able to touch you.”

“Good.” Vynasha took a single involuntary step up the stairs leading to his throne. His violet eyes flared wide with apprehension as she growled, “You and your monsters have made our lives a living hell, Grendel. It’s only fair I repay your bloody kindness.”

Grendel’s lips parted and his gaze took in the full measure of her with all the subtlety of a starving man. “Yet you are here,” he said, a new clarity brightening his violet gaze. His hands flexed against the arms of his throne. “You are truly here, and that means the spell has been broken.”

Vynasha flinched at his sudden smile and found herself unable to take a step back. Her feet drove her forward once more, and this time she had no power over herself to stop. “What are you doing to me?”

Grendel’s hand twitched and then she was flung forward. He groaned as he caught her, the thorns digging deeper into his flesh. She cried out as the same thorns cut her palms as she braced herself against his chest. “I have you, at last, I have you,” he said, eyes bright with unshed tears.

He was mad. No, she was mad. For the instant her hands found his flesh, a roaring wave of need assaulted her. She could rage at him and claim this was his need she felt, not her own. But this compulsion was familiar, forbidden and something she had fought desperately to forget in the past three moons.

“Grendel, let me go” she pleaded as she leaned into him, the pain of his thorns forgotten as he pulled her into his lap and began to press his lips over every part of her he could reach.

“How could I give you up my beauty, my love, my queen?”

She couldn’t breathe. The scent of roses, of life and death, of him were overwhelming. A part of her was starving, had been starving for months, she realized wish sickening clarity. “I hate you,” she sobbed as she tilted her chin and gave him further access to her neck. “If you pull me back here again, I will find a way to kill you, I swear it.”

“You cannot kill me without killing yourself, love,” he said with a laugh.

“Then we both die.” She shook her head but could not help tracing her nose along his neck, to draw in more of his heady scent.

“Vynasha,” he cried as her lips pressed to his pulse. “Please, Vynasha!”

But he was no longer tangible beneath her hands, the thorns no longer piercing them both. The painful aching need to mold herself to him faded just as she did, her hands disappearing before her eyes.

“Vynasha!” He cried with an agony she felt as her spirit was ripped free from Grendel’s nightmare. And the world around her dimmed, consumed by a cloud of inky ashes.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Silverwood lives in the middle of an enchanted forest surrounded by cursed books, nosy spirits, and mischievous goblins she calls her children. After beginning several nonsensical degrees, she found her calling helping other authors bring their books to life. Jennifer is the author of two fairy tale fantasy series: the Borderlands Saga and Wylder Tales. Because she wasn’t satisfied writing in one genre, she also invites you to explore uncharted space with the Heaven’s Edge Novellas—and dare to fall in love again with the standalone romance titles Stay and She Walks in Moonlight.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

GIVEAWAY!

Bound Beauty Blitz

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Gift Box Giveaway – Immortality Island by Nikki Jefford @xpressobooks #nikkijefford #immortalityisland

Posted on July 15, 2026 by fundinmental

Immortality Island
Nikki Jefford
Publication date: July 21st 2026
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Survivor meets Fear Factor in this romantic fantasy filled with magic, vampires, and enemies-to-lovers adventure.

Hunting her was meant to be easy . . . until desire got in the way.

Twenty human spellcasters. One deadly island. Four cutthroat vampire masters. Only one caster can make it to the end . . . and win a place in a vampire clan for eternity.

After her doctor discovers a brain tumor and gives her months to live, Joni Mullins sees winning the show as her last chance at survival.

Sterling Alder is a vampire master with a personal vendetta and a mission: destroy her. But on Immortality Island, survival isn’t just about magic—it’s about temptation, betrayal, and falling for the one person he should never want.

Welcome to Immortality Island, where contestants are literally thrown to the sharks!

Goodreads / Amazon

Visit the KICKSTARTER here!

—

EXCERPT:

My pulse thunders, loud enough that I’m sure he can hear it.

“You have a terrible poker face,” Sterling says.

Only when it comes to him.

When I glare, he laughs—a low, warm sound that does infuriating things to my nerves.

“And you don’t know when to give up,” I say.

“There it is,” he says, clearly pleased. “No more playing pretend.”

I tap my wand against my hip, right where the rune tattoos hide beneath my jean shorts. It’s meant to remind him of my powers. What I’m capable of.

Instead, his gaze drops.

Sterling is fit in a way that looks effortless—long lines of muscle beneath his shirt, all restraint and coiled strength. The Bahamian sun has done irritating things to him. His skin, once pale, has picked up color. Not much—but enough that it warms his face and makes his gray eyes look brighter. Even his thick silver hair catches the light differently now, almost luminous against the blue of the sea.

I hate that I notice.

But it tracks. I have terrible taste in men. Not that I’m into Sterling Alder! He’s literally here to kill me.

When his gray eyes slide back up to mine, his fangs descend.

Hunger flashes across his face—raw, quick, and unmistakable.

My body reacts before my brain has a chance to step in. A traitorous heat curls low in my belly, and I clamp down on it hard.

Absolutely not.

I need to shut down this freak show before it goes any further. And I know just how.

Author Bio:

Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan nomad married to an amazing Frenchman. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt! Books, travel, TV series, hiking, writing, and motorcycle riding are her favorite escapes. The dark side of human nature fascinates her, so long as it’s balanced by humor and romance.

To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://nikkijefford.com/newsletter/

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook / Bookbub / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

Immortality Island Blitz

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Giveaway – Reaper’s Quest by Debra A Kristi @xpressotours #debraakrista #reapersquest

Posted on July 14, 2026 by fundinmental

Reaper’s Quest
Debra A Kristi
(Curse of the Royal Reaper, #1)
Publication date: July 13th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Two rival reapers. A century of overdue souls. Revelations sure to crumble foundations.

Raven Gunn blamed herself and the cheat she used on her last job for her team’s assignment to the cursed reaping. Her father even packed the tool responsible for the cheat in her travel bag, silently suggesting the need, while reminding her not to trust her designated coreaper, Chace Badden. A hundred years of accumulated reapings, a prohibited reaper-tool, her born rival tasked as her partner… What could go wrong? She definitely wouldn’t allow Chace’s good looks to compromise her focus. Not. One. Bit.

Chace Badden suspected family connections were to blame for his team’s assignment, and he trusted nothing about the current reaping task. Especially not the Fae bastard showering Raven with unnecessary attention. That pr*ck needed to go. Raven was his coreaper and the pretty boy held no claim. Of course, the same could be said for Chace given Raven was his coreaper and his rival, professionalism and distance needed to remain steady between them.

But as more complications arise and old ones intensify, will Chace and Raven’s rivalry cloud emotions, hinder task success, and pave the road for, not only failure but, something far more concerning than mortal danger? Because the overwhelming number of unreaped souls is turning out to be the least of their worries.

Reaper’s Quest is the first book in an adult romantasy series that grows spicier with each book, while containing dark themes that may be uncomfortable for some readers. This series is ideal for fans of:

•Slow Burn & Tension (with plenty of action)

•Angsty, Trapped, Morally Gray Hero

•Forced Proximity

•“Who did this to you?”

•Multiple POV

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Halfway across the rotunda, near the God of Death’s center statue, Chace Badden fell into step at my side, a confident swagger in his walk.

“Reaper Gunn,” he said, his delivery a smooth tease I ignored.

Even as my shoulders stiffened at the sight of him―black shirt, two unfastened buttons exposing a hint of skin, and pants snug against his body.

I dipped my gaze below his belt, and a tight breath dragged through my lungs.

Eyes up, Raven. Eyes up.

He snagged my elbow―his touch gentle, casual, as if zero tension existed between us. “Spot something of interest?”

I fought the desire to roll my eyes. Of course he’d shown up today with a megabat-sized chip on his shoulder. An ego, no doubt, inflated by his parents’ never-ending bolstering.

Author Bio:

Award winning and USA Today Bestselling Author Debra Kristi writes addicting young adult fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal adventures. Born and raised a Southern California girl, she still resides in the sunny state with her husband, two kids, and several rescue cats.

Unlike many of the characters in the stories she writes, Debra is not immortal, and her only superpower is letting the dishes and laundry pile up. When not busy drumming away at the keyboard spinning new tales, Debra is hanging out creating priceless memories with her family, geeking out to science fiction and fantasy television, and tossing around movie quotes.

Debra Kristi’s books are published by Ghost Girl Publishing LLC.

Visit www.DebraKristi.com for FREE books, new releases, and/or to become a member of the Insider’s Club.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!

eBook copy of Reaper’s Quest + an e-ARC of book 2 Blitz

—

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Giveaway – The Key West Food Critic Mysteries by Lucy Burdette @dollycas #lucymurdette

Posted on July 13, 2026 by fundinmental

The Mango Murders & A Delicious Deception
Key West Food Critic Mysteries
by Lucy Burdette

Rating –
The mango theme running through the story gave it a bright, summery feel, and the recipes at the end were my favourite bonus.
~bibliophile_foodie

Concepts of home and family together with the uniqueness that is Key West make A DELICIOUS DECEPTION a mystery you won’t want to miss.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

About The Mango Murders

Now Available in Paperback

The Mango Murders: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery
15th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 12, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892421652
Kindle ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892421669
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DMTQ5QXH
Paperback
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 7, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892424530
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FV7CYMLC

The turquoise waters of Key West are stained with pink in this explosive 15th installment of the Key West Food Critic mysteries from USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette.

Food critic Hayley Snow’s employer, Key Zest, is throwing the event of the season, a lavish cocktail party catered by Janet Snow, Hayley’s mother. As Hayley boards the luxurious cruise, she anticipates a smooth sailing soirée filled with shimmering cocktails, mouthwatering mango-infused delicacies, and new supporters for the e-zine. But as the boat sets sail, the festivities take a tragic turn when an explosion rocks the vessel, plunging the party guests into chaos.

In the days that follow, Hayley learns that a local culinary entrepreneur died in the explosion and it was no accident–someone on board had a deadly agenda. With the tropical city of Key West as her backdrop, Hayley navigates a web of secrets and lies. Her investigation takes her from the shadowy corners of island politics to fierce competition between high-end event caterers and personal vendettas.

With the clock ticking and the stakes higher than ever, Hayley must rely on her keen intuition to unmask a cunning culprit before they strike again.

About A Delicious Deception

A Delicious Deception: A Key West Food Critic Mystery
Cozy Mystery
16th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 14, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892426251
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FWBC8M37
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892426268
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G3SSHF54

Mother-to-be Hayley Snow bites off more than she can chew in the sixteenth installment of Lucy Burdette’s USA Today bestselling Key West Food Critic mysteries.

When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers asks Hayley for a small favor, she can’t say no. Nine months pregnant and temporarily benched from her food critic duties, Hayley’s itching for a distraction and eager to help. All she has to do is tag along while a young woman picks up her daughter from her father at Monroe County’s safe custody exchange location. Easy, right?

Wrong.

In the chaos of the Sheriff’s Office open house, the mother disappears. Then the father bolts, leaving Hayley with a terrified girl and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Hayley and Deputy Rogers head north up the Keys to search for answers.

When a body turns up, Hayley realizes this isn’t just a missing-persons case—it’s a race against time. With the little girl’s safety at risk, Hayley must trust her instincts—and her heart—to uncover the truth.

About Lucy Burdette

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette writes the USA Today best-selling Key West food critic mysteries, a cozy, culinary mystery series starring food critic Hayley Snow, including #16, A DELICIOUS DECEPTION. A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS, won the Florida Book Award’s gold medal for popular fiction. Both the 12th book in the series, A DISH TO DIE FOR, and the 10th, THE KEY LIME CRIME, won the bronze medal for popular fiction from the Florida Book Awards. Lucy’s first women’s fiction title, THE INGREDIENTS OF HAPPINESS, came out in July 2023.

As Roberta Isleib, she wrote the golf lover’s mystery series (SIX STROKES UNDER) and the advice column mysteries (DEADLY ADVICE.) Lucy loves using her psychology background in her stories. She also loves to cook and to eat and to talk and write and read about food. She blogs with the wonderful crime fiction writers at Jungle Red Writers, and shares recipes and stories with twelve other cozy mystery writers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

Lucy’s books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a past president of both Sisters in Crime and the Friends of the Key West library.

Author Links

Website https://lucyburdette.com

Facebook https://facebook.com/LucyBurdette

Instagram instagram.com/LucyBurdette

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucy-burdette

Purchase Links – The Mango Murders – Amazon – B&N – PenguinRandomHouse

Purchase Links – A Deadly Deception – Amazon – B&N – PenguinRandomHouse

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July 7 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

July 7 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW

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July 9 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea

July 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

July 10 – Baseball, Books, and Banter – SPOTLIGHT

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Sherry’s Shelves 7.5 – 7.11.26

Posted on July 12, 2026 by fundinmental

Sunday Post is hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Readerbuzz
Stacking The Shelves by Reading Reality
**images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

Hi Everyone. Hope your week was filled with fun and good books.

LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

COMING UP ON fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves

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Giveaway – The Case Of The Bullfighting Builder by Debbie De Louise @dollycas #debbiedelouis #thecaseofthebullfightingbuilder

Posted on July 11, 2026 by fundinmental

The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
by Debbie De Louise

About The Case of the Bullfighting Builder

The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Buttercup Bend, New York (fictional town in the Catskills)
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8196898846
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H1V1TW5M
Digital
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H1QYNW2G

When Cathy Jefferson’s builder is found dead at the construction site of her new home, she’s pulled into a murder investigation that will test her detective skills like never before.

While sorting through her grandmother’s attic, Cathy uncovers a secret about her parents, who died in a car crash years earlier. Now juggling two cases and determined to learn the truth about her parents’ death and catch her builder’s killer, Cathy teams up with her fellow detectives Nancy and Howard.

Their investigation leads them to a ranch where a prize bull is kept, and to Cathy’s estranged uncle and her college roommate. As secrets unravel and danger closes in from every direction, Cathy discovers that the biggest surprise of all may still be waiting for her.

Will Cathy catch her builder’s killer so that her new home can be finished, and will she receive closure about the death of her parents? Find out in THE CASE OF THE BULLFIGHTING BUILDER, the sixth book in the Buttercup Bend Mysteries series by Debbie De Louise.

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s written over twenty books including three cozy mystery series: the Cobble Cove Mysteries, Buttercup Bend Mysteries, and her new series, Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in more than a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com.

Author Links

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/

X: https://x.com/Deblibrarian

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ

Purchase Links – Amazon Universal Link

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

July 6 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

July 7 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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July 9 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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July 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

July 19 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Romantic Fantasy – The Convergence: Restoration by Richard French #richardfrench #indiepenpress #theconvergencerestoration

Posted on July 10, 2026 by fundinmental

Restoration, Unified Magic, Evolution of Magic

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Convergence: Restoration by Richard French is the second book in The Convergence Series, a romantic fantasy between Samantha Reed and Connor Blake, that crosses generations.

The Federation has taught that magic is made up of opposing force that must never unite…but that is not the truth of the matter. Do you believe in reincarnation? That a soul can travel across time and existence and be reunited?

Magic. Enemies to lovers. Sacrifice. Reincarnation. Romance. Complex world building. Original. It’s pretty hard to come up with a scenario that seems fresh to me, because I always have my head in some kind of book.

Richard French has created a complex and thought provoking fantasy that is sure to entertains. I was lost in the world he created.

GOODREADS BLURB

When reality fractures, love becomes the ultimate weapon.

Engineer Samantha Reed’s perfectly ordered world explodes the night golden light erupts from her hands. Across the city, artist Connor Blake watches impossible shadows flow from his sculptures, defying every law of physics. Neither understands that these abilities mark them as living echoes of souls who died 150 years ago—souls who sacrificed themselves to save reality itself.

Now reality is breaking again.
Cosmic forces write aurora patterns across daylight skies. Reality storms tear through populated sectors. And the zealous Williams organization deploys weapons designed to destroy souls so completely that no form of existence—not even reincarnation—would survive.

But Samantha and Connor are more than just targets.
They’re the key to completing a restoration that was interrupted a century and a half ago. As shared dreams and inexplicable compulsions draw them together, they discover their connection transcends this lifetime—and that their growing love might be the only force powerful enough to heal wounds carved into the fabric of existence itself.

The hunt is closing in. Reality won’t wait. And some bonds are stronger than death.
Margaret Carter, guardian of forbidden historical knowledge, races to reach them before the Williams assassins strike. Emergency coordinator Nina Reyes struggles to protect civilians as magical disasters escalate beyond all containment. And deep in classified archives, evidence emerges that everything the magical authorities believe about unified consciousness—and the couple who wields it—is catastrophically wrong.

In this breathtaking sequel to The Broken Magic, two souls separated by lifetimes must choose between individual survival and cosmic salvation. Their victory heals the broken reality around them, letting them become guides for a restored world while keeping both their love and their lives..

Perfect for readers who loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
⭐ Enemies-to-lovers across family bloodlines
⭐ Reincarnated soulmates with preserved memories
⭐ Contemporary fantasy with hidden magical history
⭐ Engineer meets artist in a love story that could heal the universe
⭐ Complex worldbuilding with philosophical depth
Some missions transcend individual authority. Some love transcends time itself.

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
502 pages, Paperback
Published July 8, 2025 by Indie Pen Press

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Richard French writes at the intersection of technology, transformation, and storytelling. A former executive at Oracle and Nokia, and a serial startup leader, Richard brings decades of leadership experience to his books.

His non-fiction works include Daniel as a Blueprint for Navigating Ethical Dilemmas, The Journaling Mastery Series, and The Journaling Prompts Series. In fiction, his Convergence Series explores quantum physics, high fantasy, and human connection in richly imagined worlds.

Richard lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he writes full time and races GT cars on weekends. He believes in challenging limits—on the track, in business, and on the page.

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