When L. Marie Adeline’s S.E.C.R.E.T was released earlier this year, it quickly became a bestseller, garnering praise for its refreshing—some said “feminist”—take on erotic fiction. It centered on Cassie Robichaud’s introduction to S.E.C.R.E.T. (Safe, Erotic, Compelling, Romantic, Ecstatic, and Transformative), a mysterious society devoted to helping women who have lost their self-esteem find the strength to love themselves—and others—by enabling them to act out their deepest (usually repressed) sexual fantasies. Through a series of fiery encounters with gorgeous men, who are all handpicked by S.E.C.R.E.T.’s council members, the women learn to challenge their inner fears and inhibitions under safe conditions. The result is a profound sense of satisfaction and confidence that helps them break down their emotional walls and embrace the self-assured, sexual creatures that were once hidden within. Thanks to S.E.C.R.E.T., Carrie gained the confidence to go after what she wanted, which ended up being Will.

The drama kicks in right at the get-go in the second book in the series, S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared. Unfortunately, though, it looks like a happily-ever-after was not in the cards for Cassie and Will. Having lost Will to another woman—who’s pregnant, no less—Cassie is nursing a seriously broken heart. The icing on the cake? Will is her boss, and the other woman is a co-worker. The worst.

Though Cassie’s heartstrings are playing a sad tune, that doesn’t stop her from orchestrating steamy pick-me-up encounters with some very desirable bad boys. She finds herself between the sheets with a very talented young rocker, and she is irrepressibly drawn back to the tattooed pastry chef from one of her S.E.C.R.E.T. fantasies—but no one makes her heart skip like Will does.

As S.E.C.R.E.T.’s latest success story, Cassie wants to give back by helping the organization select the next woman in need of a reawakening. She finds the perfect candidate in 31-year-old local vintage-store owner Dauphine. Stunted by a massive betrayal in her past, Dauphine has retreated into an isolated existence. Though she pines for closeness—particularly with Mark, the handsome rock star Cassie has no trouble bedding—she is unwilling to take the first steps out of her comfort zone to reach for it. That is, until Cassie and S.E.C.R.E.T. present her with the chance to live again. Taking a leap of faith, Dauphine agrees.

To her alternating shock and delight, Dauphine discovers that each of the ten steps in the S.E.C.R.E.T. process requires that a different elaborate scene be played out, giving plenty of variety to her rendezvous. A different man, a different location, a different emotional issue at hand—such an assortment keeps things hot and heavy for readers along for the ride as Dauphine surrenders to ecstasy in the great outdoors, finds trust at 30,000 feet and learns to be a generous lover in an underground salsa club. 

At its heart, S.E.C.R.E.T. is about women helping women. Yes, it’s about women learning to fully embrace their sex lives, but, almost more importantly, it’s about these women realizing their self-worth and figuring out—and going after—what they really want in life. Though self-discovery is not a new theme for erotica, a female lead relying on a supportive community of women to achieve it is unique. Adeline packs the book with enough heat to satisfy even the most voracious of erotica devotees, and the female-empowerment angle might encourage hesitant-but-curious readers to challenge their own inhibitions and give erotica a try.  

Pacific Northwest author Susan Wiggs has a long list of best-selling novels that have earned her accolades, awards and the adoration of a legion of fans. In The Apple Orchard, Wiggs begins a new series set in California’s verdant Sonoma Valley, presenting readers with a riveting novel that combines history, romance and suspense.

What if you suddenly learned that everything you thought was true about your life was not, in fact, the whole truth? This is the position that Tess Delaney is placed in when she’s blindsided by a revelation that shatters nearly everything she’s believed about her past.

At 29, Tess has carved out a successful career as a treasure hunter, restoring stolen pieces to their rightful owners. She lives a career-focused life filled with travel, a handful of friends and an apartment in San Francisco, where she rarely spends any time. All of this changes when Dominic Rossi arrives at her office one morning to tell her that her grandfather—whom she didn’t even know existed—has been severely injured. Furthermore, Tess learns that she has a half-sister with whom she now shares responsibility for Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in California’s Sonoma County.

Stunned by Dominic’s news, Tess agrees to travel with him to Bella Vista, where she meets her sister, Isabel, who is just as fascinated as Tess by their newly discovered connection. Bella Vista’s rolling green acres are a revelation, representing a slower pace of life that is vastly different from Tess’s fast-track lifestyle in San Francisco.

Tess had only planned on a short visit, but the need to learn more about the family she never knew makes her stay. And then there’s Dominic, whose solid strength, goodness and undeniably rugged good looks are difficult to ignore. The days quickly slide by, and Tess finds herself more entranced by and entangled with her sister, Dominic and Bella Vista. 

But there are secrets at Bella Vista. Secrets that stretch back to World War II and her grandfather’s childhood in Denmark. Fortunately for her newly discovered family, Tess is a woman trained to solve mysteries. Her inquiries could bring resolution and happiness to Bella Vista’s residents, but will it mean happiness for Tess, too? 

The Apple Orchard is a feast for the senses—rich with fascinating detail about researching provenance for lost treasures and the sumptuous descriptions of fabulous food, accompanied by actual recipes. Readers will fall in love with Tess’s family, the fragrant, vital life-pulse of Bella Vista’s lush acres, and California’s warm golden sunshine. The second book in the Bella Vista series will focus on Tess’s sister, Isabel, a prospect that is sure to have many readers eagerly awaiting their next visit to the luscious Sonoma apple orchard.  

In the third book in her Chesapeake Shores trilogy, author Sherryl Woods takes readers back to Maryland and a small-town beach community with warm yet complicated family relationships.

The only girl among the O’Brien siblings, Susie O’Brien has spent more than a year “not dating” Mack Franklin while they’re spending every spare moment together. Her family is confused, and she’s ready to move past their just-friends status. Mack feels the same, but when he’s about to turn up the heat in their relationship, he loses his job as a sports reporter. Reeling from the shock, he’s barely absorbed the impact when Susie is slammed with a diagnosis that’s devastating.

While their once-idyllic world threatens to crumble into chaos about them, the two struggle to come to terms with a radically changed view of the future. The O’Brien clan rallies around them, but the depth of their love and commitment will be tested to the limit. Will they survive the storms that challenge them? Woods tugs on the heartstrings with this endearing romance and readers will find much to enjoy in this charming love story.

Lois Dyer writes from Washington.

The third installment of Emily March’s Eternity Springs series, Heartache Falls tells the story of Mackenzie and Alison Timberlake. When their youngest child leaves for college and Mac accepts a challenging promotion, the Timberlake home grows tense and lonely. In an effort to mix things up (and hopefully reheat what has become a frigid marital bed), Ali moves out of her home in a huff and accepts a job in Eternity Springs working for her friend Celeste Blessing.

Although her children are worried and her husband is furious, Ali’s respite in Eternity Springs—a tiny, close-knit town in the Colorado Rockies—is incredibly restorative. She remembers dreams from before her marriage and why she fell in love with her husband in the first place. Meanwhile back in Denver, Mac’s own reflections lead him to confront some of the demons from his past. Changes are in store for the Timberlakes as they think over what they want in this second half of their lives.

Without a doubt, we could all use a dose of Eternity Springs to ease the transitions of our lives. Emily March graciously takes readers there in this immensely readable story of love reborn.