- Theo Reads Blog
- Posts
- First comes love đź’—. Then comes blackmail đź–¤.
First comes love đź’—. Then comes blackmail đź–¤.
Some love stories begin with flowers. Others with threats and a contract.

Tonight’s email has two forks in the road. One of them leads to sweet, swoony favorites:
🧯 A firefighter who doesn’t burn
💔 A single dad falling for his ex’s best friend
💗 Her high school crush… at her brother’s wedding (I know, right?!)
🧨 A cocky kid turning a small-town dad’s life upside down
🫣 A man who’s going to have to beg to win her back
The other fork is much more dangereux:
🖤 She wanted to be dominated—she got blackmailed instead
🗝️ The bastard son of a fallen woman uncovers his forbidden heritage
🩸 A small-town murder unearths something otherworldly
🕯️ Sent as a lady’s companion, she’s drawn to the family’s secrets… and the woman she should fear most
Pick your poison. Get (un)comfortable.
Go.
With love,
Parneet
Co-founder, Theo Reads
A Touch of Fire By Kathryn Murphy (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Small Town, Romantic Suspense) Megan White should’ve died twenty-five years ago. Now she appears to have it all—a solid career, a trendy apartment—but she feels like a fraud. A firefighter, Megan has an edge she doesn’t deserve. She doesn’t burn. Torn between her duty and her dreams, Megan is about to escape to the life she always wanted when a handsome soldier marches into her life. |
Shattered Heart By Dorothy F. Shaw (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Best Friend’s Sibling, Alpha) A crush is just a fantasy. The real thing packs some serious heat. When Cynthia sees her high school crush at her brother’s wedding rehearsal, she regrets her year-long dating ban. Shane, who once ignored her, now can’t resist the sexy, sassy woman she’s become. One hot night together leads to romance, but an ex’s violent obsession threatens it all. |
Beg For It By Megan Hart (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Forbidden Office Romance, Second Chances) She had never been more beautiful to him than when she was making him hurt. Reese wasn’t Corinne's first lover, but he was the first to submit to her. For a while they had something special, but it ended badly. The wealthy businessman who just bought the company she works for bears little resemblance to that boy. If only Reese would stop making her feel like the goddess she used to be…and showing her who’s been the boss all along. But if he wants her...he's gonna have to beg for it. |
My Best Friend’s Ex By Shannyn Schroeder (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Forced Proximity) A single dad, a forbidden attraction, and a second chance they never saw coming. Trevor just lost his ex-wife—and got full-time custody of two grieving teens. Callie, his ex’s best friend, steps in to help. But neither of them expected the sparks. Grief, guilt, and a love they shouldn’t want... but might not be able to resist. |
Bittersweet Irish Cream By Eskay Kabba (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Small Town, Enemies to Lovers) All Ethan wanted was a quiet life to raise his son, EJ. But Ethan’s quiet life was constantly disrupted every Friday morning when the sanitation truck rolled around, and the smart mouth, cocky garbage kid assigned to his block did everything he could do to piss him off. Jack Redmond was content with his life in his small town. But when a new guy moves to town and takes over McKinley’s Inn, every encounter with him resulted in Jack trading insults with the arrogant man every Friday morning. |
Darker, more dangereux
A Very Big Mistake By Mira Hartley (🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ Enemies to Lovers, Dark Romance) Be careful what you wish for. I wanted a man who could dominate me—mind and body. Now, I have him, and I may never escape. Blackmail turns into corporate sabotage when a professional woman’s private life is exposed—and her D/s fantasies bleed dangerously into her reality. |
Counsel of the Wicked By Liz Butcher (🌶️🌶️🌶️ Forbidden Office Romance, Second Chances) The bastard child of a fallen woman, Matthias has known nothing but judgment and hatred from the harsh, religious people of his enclave—except for Balthazar. The son and heir of the High Elder, Balthazar shows Matthias kindness, love... and desire. But when the High Elder discovers them, Matthias is arrested and sent to an isolated prison known as the School. There, and in the wastelands beyond, Matthias learns the truth about his world, his heritage, his power, and love. |
Cardinal Virtue By J.R. Lesperance (🌶️🌶️ Paranormal Romance) Police legacy Lara Nadeau finds herself exiled to Eastfall, a small New England town just outside of Salem, Massachusetts. After the murder of a local high school teacher, Lara is thrust into an investigation that will reveal otherworldly secrets and force her to come to terms with her own demons. It just so happens one of those demons wears the face of her ex-girlfriend and another has the face of an angel in the guise of her boss' son. |
A Dark, Cold Touch By Megan Hart (🌶️🌶️ Gothic Romance, Ghosts) The position of lady’s companion at the grand, isolated Hemford House was meant to save Estelle Glass from the scandal of her own making. But when she arrived at the mansion and was greeted by the stern, mysterious and intimidating Mrs. Blackwell, Estelle began to see what had been meant as a punishment might possibly become more like a reward. Soon, Estelle finds herself caught up in a web of rules designed to keep Ginny “safe”…but safe from what, exactly? Or from whom? |