by Philip Eliot | Feb 15, 2026 | Womens Fiction |
As the world teeters on the brink of war in 1937, two people separated by an ocean are about to discover a connection that defies logic and time. Eighteen-year-old Grace Fitzgerald, a fiery-haired dreamer, longs to escape the confines of life in her windswept Dingle fishing village. Across the Atlantic, Richard Lewis, heir to a Savannah banking fortune, suffocates under the weight of expectations that feel more like a cage than a crown. When their worlds collide through a twist of fate, Grace and Richard uncover a bond so profound it shakes the very foundations of their existence. As Europe inches towards chaos, they find themselves caught in a whirlwind of discovery, challenging everything they thought they knew about themselves and each other. From the rugged Irish coastline to the genteel streets of Georgia, ‘Lilac Ink’ weaves a tapestry of connection, friendship and learning against the ominous backdrop of impending global conflict. Grace and Richard must navigate not only their impossible bond but also the turbulent waters of family expectations, social norms, and their own conflicting desires. This emotional journey through time and place will leave you questioning the idea of fate and the extraordinary power of human connection. In a world being torn apart, can two young people find a way to be true to themselves and to each other?
by Philip Eliot | Feb 15, 2026 | Christian Fiction |
Book 1: Another Chance at Love She doesn’t believe in second chances. He’s wondering why God called him to Crystal Creek. Can she convince him to walk away, or will he prove his love is everlasting? Pastor Trey Channing is lost in grief when he answers God’s call to travel to a small town. He and his teenage children struggle to let God heal the loss that led them on a cross-country journey. As Trey gets to know Crystal Creek, he’s drawn to Hannah McKean, a friendly waitress whose smile doesn’t hide the pain in her eyes. Hannah knows God never forsook her even when she turned away from Him. In a weak moment, she committed a mistake that stole her future and made each day a struggle to provide for her and her daughter. Believing this lapse has ruined all chances for love, she’ll never get close to another man again. When a terrible accident hospitalizes Hannah, it’s the kind pastor who stands by her side and creates a longing for more. To save herself from heartbreak, she pushes him away. What she hadn’t expected was someone more stubborn than she when it comes to answering love’s call. Will Trey prove Hannah right and leave, or will he teach her that once she loves herself, she can open her heart to his love? Book 2: Never Too Late for Love She’s searching for answers. He wants to be left alone. If he joins her quest, can he risk the damage to his heart? When military author Delanie Jonnson loses her father in the Mid East conflict, she writes the book that will explain the withdrawal and give her peace. As she delves into her research, she discovers a military chatroom and meets Mad Dog who challenges her motive. Zane Gallivan believes moving to a small town will give him the solitude he needs to come to terms with his war injury. What he hadn’t expected was his attractive neighbor Delanie to be concerned about his solitary life and to try to draw him out. But it’s The Nines, the chatroom newcomer who forces Zane to think about the last battle that took the life of his best friend. As he investigates the confrontation, he learns the answer he seeks means accepting Delanie into his life. Can he risk heartbreak for an answer that will bring this fascinating woman peace? Never Too Late for Love is the second book in the Hearts of Crystal Creek Series. If you like sweet romance and valiant heroes, you’ll love Laura Haley-McNeil’s later-in-life Christian romance. Book 3: The Right Time for Love He wants the woman he left behind. She wants a fresh start in her hometown. When their secrets are brought to light, does love stand a second chance? Abby Baites is ready for a fresh start. After a horrific tragedy leaves her questioning her future, she’s eager to return to Crystal Creek with her 5-year-old granddaughter to help a friend run her ranch. But her world is once more shaken when she finds the new ranch owner is her high school sweetheart–the man who broke her heart. Chet Hancock wants a second chance. He fled Crystal Creek at nineteen to become a country-western singer. But when he returned at the peak of his success for Abby, he was crushed to discover she’d married another man. Now Abby’s standing on his doorstep, and he’ll do anything to win her heart again. But will the secret that turned her away from him drive a wedge between them too deep to overcome? The Right Time for Love is the third book in the Hearts of Crystal Creek Christian romance series. If you like later-in-life characters and second chances, then you’ll love Laura Haley-McNeil’s sweet romance. Buy the Hearts of Crystal Creek Boxed Set Books 1-3 for heartwarming stories of love, redemption, and strong family bonds.
by Philip Eliot | Feb 15, 2026 | Paranormal & Fantasy Romance |
She doesn’t know it yet, but the Horsemen of the Apocalypse are real… And the most fearsome of all has just decided to make her his bride. ABADDON: I am the first Horseman of the Apocalypse. Once, my brothers and I brought the world to its knees. Now they are chained in the deepest dungeon—or worse. I am alone. …Until she appears. A fragile human, kneeling at my feet. Begging for my favor. I could devour her. I am the monster of legend—the thing that stalks the night. But I don’t want her blood. I have endured centuries of loneliness. I will endure no longer. She will be mine . Forever. From a brutal Beast who refuses redemption and kidnaps himself a bride ( Monster’s Bride )… to a chained, many-armed angel of Death who has waited centuries for someone fierce enough to survive him ( Death’s Toy )… to immortal twin brothers each willing to burn the world to claim what the other has ( War )… to a fallen angel facing the one woman he loved—and lost ( Hunger )… Angels & Monsters Series is a complete saga, perfect for readers who love: Monster romance • Dark fantasy romance • Villain gets the girl • Touch-her-and-die energy • Angels who fall first Check author’s website for TWs.
by Philip Eliot | Feb 15, 2026 | Thriller & Suspense |
On their second case, Qigiq and Kandy are loaned to the Traffic Division to investigate an early morning accident. Hit and run. By a motorcycle. The victim is an elderly Asian woman. A young witness in a nearby dry cleaner and a truck driver suggest all “accidents” aren’t created equal. Then the Captain drops a new assignment on their desk: an affluent Bay Area lawyer is missing. The man’s wife stomps into their office screaming about a contract she found hidden in the backups of their home computer. A contract with a seven-figure payout, and an incriminating Exhibit A.
Following the trail of both the motorcycle rider and the lawyer with Kandy complaining, “We’re homicide detectives, there should be a body,” leads to a vintage motorcycle club called the Ton Up where lips are sealed, a yacht harbor on the coast where riddles run deep, and a midnight roadside confrontation that ends with a splash. As the trails twist they soon find that these people and places have one thing in common:
A violist named Mylin. Who plays in an all-female orchestra called The Girls of the Orient. And, unbeknownst to her, is the subject of a fine-art photographer’s latest collection.
From San Francisco to Mexico, the treacherous cliffs of the Pacific coast to the desolation of Nevada’s high desert, Tune Up moves like Kandy’s turbocharged Mini through a foggy landscape of false identities, fake romance, and frenzied chases, as Qigiq realizes one picture really can reveal more than 1,000 words.
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by Philip Eliot | Feb 15, 2026 | Contemporary Romance |
A hot cop and a sweet baker get a second chance at love in this small-town romance.
Seventeen years after Shay Michaels left Red Maple Falls—and the only boy she ever truly loved—she’s back and living her dream as the owner of Sweet Dreams Bakery. Life is finally on track… until a break-in at her shop makes her wonder if the past she left behind in New York has followed her home.
As the town’s sheriff, Matt has more than one reason to keep a close eye on the bakery, and its stubborn, beautiful owner who refuses to take the danger seriously. Old feelings resurface fast, and the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore.
But second chances don’t come without baggage. With unresolved mistakes and years of heartbreak standing between them, Shay and Matt must decide if they’re brave enough to let go of the past or risk losing each other all over again.
Mad About Matt is a steamy small-town second chance romance and the first book in the beloved Red Maple Falls series, perfect for readers who love protective heroes, heartfelt reunions, and small towns filled with big personalities.
