Brita Mackay

Where dark romance becomes damnation—and salvation comes with a blood price.

In the winter of 1997, a dying woman, a desperate man, and an ancient force converge in the shadow-drowned woods of Sleepy Hollow.

When romance novelist Marc Saduj watches Lori Francon slip toward death after a horrific car crash, he bargains with the Man in Black, a being older than legend and hungrier than hell. Lori lives—but the cost tears a hole in reality itself.

Now Marc isolates in a brooding mansion in Sleepy Hollow’s western woods, tormented by visions, violent blackouts, and the presence whispering behind every mirror. Back on Long Island, Lori rebuilds her life—until the mutilated bodies begin to appear. Detective Stephen Carver follows a trail of medieval cruelty, occult ritual, and psychological decay… all pointing straight at Marc.

But the truth is far more monstrous than murder.

What rises in Sleepy Hollow is not just a demon’s return—it’s the awakening of a cosmic inheritance, one powerful enough to fracture the boundary between worlds. As possession tightens its grip and a celestial gateway threatens to tear open, Lori races back into the nightmare to confront the man she loves—and the entity wearing his skin.

When someone trades their soul to save your life…what are you willing to sacrifice to save theirs?

Some pacts whisper.
Some howl.
Some remake the world.

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.

Reader discretion is advised.

Tropes: Dark Romance, Supernatural Gothic Vibes, Murder Mystery, Asylum, Renfield & Hannibal Lecter Vibes, Love Story, FMC is in a Coma, Overwhelming Suspense, Captivating, Demons, Historical Fiction, Crime Thriller, Brooding, Deeply Atmospheric, Horror, MMC Makes a Deal of Devotion with a Man in Black, Emotional Resonance, Layered/Slow-Burn/Tension, Heart Breaking, FMC & MMC Have a Feeling that World is About to Change, FMC is left in a Coma after a Terrible Accident, Guardian Angel-Like Person who Reveals FMC & MMC are Pawns in a Game of Good vs Evil, Sacrificial Love, Creepy House in the Woods, Small-Towns Horrific Past, Dark Occult Practices, Hidden Family Secrets, Witches, Ghosts, Portal to Hell, Brutal/Gruesome, Epic in Scope, Horrific Murders, Hearts of Victims Ripped Out, Gothic Horror, Supernatural Crime Thriller Intensity, Romantic Sacrifice, Cosmic Dark Fantasy, Forbidden Love, Ancient Evil, Brutal Cost of Redemption.

The Sleepy Hollow Incident by P.D. Alleva. For the first time, all four books of The Sleepy Hollow Incident are collected in this complete omnibus edition—along with an exclusive, never-before-released epilogue that reveals how the horrors of Sleepy Hollow ignite the next chapter in PD Alleva’s Dominion of Shadows series. Perfect for fans of The Haunting of Hill House, The Witching Hour, and dark romance with claws.

From the first moment I started “The Sleepy Hollow Incident: The Complete Gothic Tale!” I was completely enthralled by this gothic, eerie story. I could not turn away or close my eyes during the horrifying events that began on the first page.

This book brought out so many emotions in me, ranging from anger, sadness, fear, and even shock. When I tried to picture this world, I kept seeing one blanketed in a dense, dark fog that veiled the land and all the buildings, both day and night. To be honest, this really reminded me of movies & TV shows like Stranger Things, Dark Shadows, The Mist, The Fog, and even It, with the mist coating everything.

This was the first omnibus by P.D. Alleva that I have read; in fact, this is the first book by P.D. that I have read, and I found his descriptions vivid, making it easy to picture everything as if I were right there standing in the middle of the world he’s created. As Marc described the world and everything around him, I felt as though I could feel, smell, and touch it all, witnessing everything right next to Marc. I could feel the horror the characters were feeling. P.D. Alleva’s writing is amazing, and I am blown away.

P.D. Alleva has given us this dark tale that is foreboding and unsettling, in a world that no one would ever want to live in, yet at the same time the life-like descriptions make you feel like you have left the comfort of where you’re reading and are right in the middle of the story itself.

As soon as I started this book, I had a hard time putting it down; I had to force myself to stop at night to get any sleep. I was completely enthralled and entranced, eager to see how the story would progress and end. I have to say that this was such a petrifying story.

One of the main reasons I found myself really drawn to this book was how much I love Sleepy Hollow and all the different stories told about this small town. But what I found in these pages was far beyond what I had ever imagined. The storyline, plot, subplots, and atmosphere knit together to create a genuinely unsettling feeling, and P.D. Alleva delivered a high level of suspense, with twists and turns that make this book stand out in my mind.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is the full cast of primary and secondary characters. We have a large cast, but I loved the way each character had a consequential role. P.D. Alleva did a great job of making sure that each character was fleshed out, continued to grow throughout the story, and had a stunning arc. I adored the way all the characters' stories were interconnected and came together beautifully by the end.

The way P.D. wrote interconnected stories that all perfectly merge adds depth and keeps you invested and hooked throughout all four parts of this omnibus.

P.D. Alleva has given us a true horror collection filled with blood and gore that any fan of this genre will truly appreciate. He never once tries to hold back, and the intensity he packs into this book is what makes it so horrifyingly addictive and enthralling. He does not write this book just for the shock value; his writing is filled with rich, stunning detail that you can’t help but feel brings every scene you read vividly to life.

If you love a great horror read, it’s dark, detailed, and truly certifiably scary. “The Sleepy Hollow Incident: The Complete Gothic Tale!” is truly worth picking up for any reader who loves a great horror read.

Jaxon thought he could do anything — and lose nothing.

NHL defenseman Jaxson Kingston demanded an open marriage.

Blindsided, his wife Amelia said yes, even as it broke something inside her.

She never expected her husband to betray her so easily.

But what Jaxson never saw coming was Bash Duchesne, his on-ice rival and personal hell, stepping into the space he left behind.

Bash held Amelia together, and the woman who had once anchored Jaxson was quietly slipping from his reach.
Bash didn’t chase her. He didn’t charm her.

He showed up and reminded her of everything she had forgotten she deserved.

The rules had been broken.

The lines became blurred.

And Amelia found herself caught in a game she never agreed to play.

Jaxson was the life she knew. Steady. Predictable. Safe. Until he wasn’t.

Bash was something she never planned for. Dangerous to her heart, impossible to deny, and even harder to leave behind.

But Amelia is discovering who she truly is and what she’s willing to fight for.

Some choices change everything.

Others change who you become.

Three hearts. Two rivals. One ultimate choice.

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.

Tropes: Sports Romance, Hockey Romance, Romance, Life After Divorce, Open Marriage, High School Sweethearts, Betrayal, On-Ice Rival, Personal Hell, Shows Up, Reminded Her of Everything she Deserved, Rules had Been Broken, Lines Became Blurred, Caught in A Game she Never Agreed to Play, Jaxson was the Life she Knew – Steady/Predictable/Safe, Bash was what she never Expected – Dangerous to Her Heart/Impossible to Deny/Hard to Leave Behind, FMC is Discovering who She Is, What She’s Willing To Fight For, Choices Change Everything, Change Who you Becomes, Three Hearts, Two Rivals, One Ultimate Choice, Devotion, Loyalty, Hurt, Devastation, Journey of Heartbreak, Inner Strength, Soaring In Success, FMC has a Figure Skating Career, Olympic Gold Medalist, HEA, Emotional Battlefield, Heartbreak, Healing, Self-Discovery, Raw, Intense, Painfully Real, Confusion, Pain, Quiet Strength, Depth, Resilience, Emotional Growth, Tension, Chemistry, Rivalry, Emotional Weight, Addictive, Angst, Drama, Psycho OW Drama, Found Family, Contemporary.

Stick with Me by Melanie Jaynes.

“Either agree to an open marriage or we will get a divorce!”

Yes, my lovelies, this is exactly what the oh so handsome Jaxson demands of his stunning wife of 5 years, Amelia. And yes, I know exactly what you are thinking because it’s exactly what I was thinking what I read that.

“Divorce it is then D*ckhead, so long!”

Needless to say, Jaxson’s wife Amelia is left stunned her mind reeling. I can’t believe how Jaxson has the audacity to try and tell Amelia that opening their marriage is actually a good thing, and how he only wants it to be just a temporary thing. He doesn’t actually want to lose Amelia.

Amelia is in love with Jaxson still after all their years together. He was her high school sweetheart. They had gotten married shortly after graduation. Growing up Amelia knew that she was never anyone’s first choice, she was often pushed off to the side, overlooked by everyone she wished would see her for who she was.

Then one day Jaxson stepped up and Amelia realized that he truly saw her, or at least that’s what she thought as Jaxson wrapped her up in his perfect cocoon of love. Both Amelia and Jaxson shared a love of skating; Amelia as a professional figure skater while Jaxson had been signed to the NHL.

I really didn’t like Jaxson. (Maybe it’s because he reminded me too much of my own ex-husband.) Jaxson keeps a tight hold on his marriage and on Amelia. He convinces Amelia that her job is to support him, his aspirations, and that’s it. Jaxson convinces her to give up on her pursuit of figure skating, give up on seeing her friends (although I love that she continues to see her friends behind Jaxson’s back in secret.) Jaxson refuses to allow Amelia to have children, telling her that they are too young and they are not ready for kids, and on top of all that, rather than letting his wife go on the road with him, he tells her she needs to stay home as she would just get bored being on the road. And that’s just a bit of the list of what Amelia goes through in her marriage.

Now Jaxon is demanding they open their marriage, he believes, or at least he thinks he knows Amelia would never step out on their marriage, so his demand to open the marriage is just a way for him to give himself a way to cheat without the guilt. Once Jaxson nails down all the details with Amelia he decides to take off…not for the day, a night, a couple of days, or even just a week, no Jaxson decides to take off on Amelia for a month.

Jaxson goes no contact with Amelia except for a pre-prepared auto text message he’s set up to go out daily. Jaxson’s so cruel to his wife. Amelia could have died suddenly and Jaxson would never have known. Honestly, in my opinion, I don’t think Jaxson would have even cared if Amelia had died while he was off ignoring her completely. Even though Jaxson will swear up and down the wall that he loves his wife, personally I think he is more in love with himself than anyone. I really think that he’s a borderline narcissist, I see absolutely nothing redeemable in Jaxson what so ever.

What I adored was that Amelia had been keeping a secret of her own from Jaxson. She has been back on the ice skating in secret, and more than that, she’s been meeting with a trainer.

Bash is nothing less than this genuine, supportive, respectful partner who truly loves Amelia for who she is inside and out and I love the way he helps her see what a healthy relationship can look like. And for Amelia that’s a first. I fell in love with Bash. He was so sweet and so much better to Amelia than Jaxson ever was. At least, until he screwed up royally and he wasn’t. But, he does learn and oh, I love his grovelling.

I adored the friendship they built together before they ever fell in love. And his blow up, it shocked me. I’m still shocked that Bash listened to his friend over Amelia and I have no idea why he did that. Amelia never once lied to Bash about who she was. Amelia used her maiden name for her figure skating career, and she just kept it that was. And Bash kept his own secrets; he never opened up to Amelia and told her that he was an NHL player either.

I loved the way that Amelia refused to forgive Bash the first moment that he came crawling back begging her for forgiveness. I loved the way Amelia made Bash prove himself to her all over again. Honestly, Bash is light years ahead of Jaxson in terms of maturity.

Bash was always putting Amelia first and that’s something that she deserved. And even though he does screw up, I do have to say that at least he never once cheated on Amelia like Jackson did.

I don’t want to give to much away, but I will answer what would be my burning questions:

Will Amelia ever grow a backbone? Yes, Amelia doesn’t realize it at the time but between Jaxson’s demand for an open marriage and disappearing for months at a time without a word (with the exception of his automated messages) is really the best thing to ever happen to her. It is the singular event that sets her on her own path of self-discovery and empowerment. And while Jaxson’s busy living up his life as this so called “single man”, Amelia chooses to work her butt off to earn her own place in the Olympics by training hard and entering all the competitions possible. And along the way, she meets her own special friend.

Would this special friend happen to be a love interest? Eventually, but not till much later. But, till then her and Bash are just friends with their own secrets. Like Jaxson is a hockey player, actually Bash is Jaxson’s biggest rival on the ice and now it looks like Bash is Jaxson’s biggest rival off the ice. Bash doesn’t realize who Amelia is right away and when he finally does realize who she is he automatically thinks the worst of her. As soon as Amelia learns this, she leaves, and Bash is filled with nothing but deep regret.

Does Jaxson have any regrets? Again eventually. He’s young and really very stupid. Jaxson asked for an open marriage without realizing that an open marriage had rules and he had no clues about a single rule. He went with no communication with Amelia his own wife for months, he was gun hoe to have his fill of all the women he could have. But there was this one puck bunny that had other ideas for Jaxson. And he suddenly realized he was in yet another monogamous relationship with this puck bunny named Mandy, and boy oh boy, does she run circles around him.

Mandy manages to control Jaxson’s movements off the ice, and Mandy goes the extra mile to ensure that Amelia knows her place in their new dynamic. Jaxson is blind to what Mandy is up to and how she is manipulating all these situations.

Slowly Jaxson begins to wake up from his self-induced alcohol induced blackouts, he starts to wakes up to the reality of what Mandy has been doing and the power he’s given her, and Jaxson decides that he wants to get his wife back.

Then we have Bash who knows that he also screwed up with Amelia. And like Jaxson, Bash wants another chance with Amelia.

Amelia shocks both of them when she makes her choice and lets them both know that for once she’s choosing herself and putting herself, her needs and her wants first. Amelia makes it clear that she is going to divorce Jaxson and that is a done deal. The only question left is if she’s ever going to choose Bash?

I found Stick With Me to be a very entertaining story. Melanie did a stunning job in allowing Amelia to appear weak in the beginning, allowing Jaxson to dictate everything in their marriage, disregarding Amelia’s hopes and dreams. And given her background it’s so easy to understand why she would give in to Jaxson so easily.

Amelia had been raised to believe she was nothing more than a burden. She was gaslight into believing she was the kid no one wanted, and she just believed that if she kept herself smaller and smaller then Jaxson would always be there for her and he’d never leave her. Amelia truly loved Jaxson with her entire being.

Jaxson on the other hand was young, stupid and surrounded by nothing but temptation and made the reckless choice to take his teammates advice on opening up his marriage without learning the rules of an open marriage, setting boundaries, and expectations. All Jaxson saw was the chance to cheat guilt free and without consequence. Jaxson believed with his entire being that Amelia would never exercise her own right to have her own fling with someone else.

Then he gets involved with Mandy who has her own agenda. And Mandy has her own mission to get rid of Amelia by sending her incriminating evidence and harassing phone calls. Mandy also managed to make sure there was no other woman in Jaxson’s orbit, just her and her alone.

I honestly saw the open marriage as the best thing to ever happen to Amelia. Even without Jaxson learning the rules, setting boundaries or setting expectations. I say this because after Jaxson leaves for months on end Amelia is finally given the opportunity to come into her own. Amelia uses this time to finally start chasing after her own dreams, and she starts to really look at her marriage.

Shortly after Amelia and Jaxson open their marriage, Amelia meets Bash, and despite the fact he does mess things up, you can tell that he’s head over heels in love with her. On top of that, unlike a lot of other hockey players Bash isn’t a playboy.

I love how Melanie does ensure that she shows us enough insight into Amelia and Bash’s future with a perfectly beautiful wrap up. And I love how our evil doers get their own realistic retribution. Jaxson gets slapped in the face with the fact that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Jaxson also quickly comes to regret the choices he’s made and ends up with a grade 10 hanger on.

There are going to be times when this story is going to disgust you and really get under your skin and make you made with what some of the characters do, especially Jaxson and Mandy, and it does add to all the entertainment value. Stick with Me is a romance but it’s also Amelia’s journey to the person she was always meant to be.

Small Town Rivals

Small Town Series Bk. 1

J.C. McCann

In a town where loyalties are divided by school colors and Friday nights revolve around basketball, Georgia Harris knows one rule you don’t break: You don’t fall for the enemy.

As a Maple Grove cheerleader with a spotless reputation, Georgia has always played by the rules—until a prank gone wrong puts her face-to-face with Beau Connelly, Pine Ridge’s star player and the last boy she should be talking to. What starts as teasing banter quickly turns into something neither of them expected… or can control.

But in a small town, secrets don’t stay secret for long.

When rumors explode, lines are drawn, and Georgia finds herself caught between loyalty, fear, and her heart. With pressure from friends, rivals watching her every move, and faith being tested in ways she never imagined, Georgia must decide who she really is—and whether love is worth the cost.

Tropes: Divided Loyalties, School Colors, You Don’t Break, Don’t Fall for the Enemy, Enemies-to-Lovers, FMC Cheerleader, Prank gone Wrong, Teasing Banter, Small-Town, Secrets, Rumors Explode, Lines are Drawn, Loyalty, Fear, Pressure from Friends, Rivals Watching, Faith is Tested, Finding who you really Are, Is Love really Worth It?

Small Town Rivals is the 1st book in the Small Town Series by J.C. McCann.

In a lot of way Small Town Rivals is a fun, sweet, heartwarming modern-day retelling and reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, a reimagining of this romance in a lot of ways, placed in the high-stakes backdrop of the small-town dropped into the high stakes high school basketball rivalry.

In Maple Grove loyalties are divided by school colors and on Friday nights you know you’ll be in the bleachers cheering on your high school basketball team. And that’s true for Maple Grove cheerleader Georgia Harris. And more than that, there’s one rule that Georgia knows you never break, you never ever fall for the enemy.

Georgia has a spotless reputation and it’s one that she plans to keep, she’s always kept to the rules, at least until what seems to be a harmless prank goes horribly wrong, and when it goes wrong it puts her on a face-to-face collision course with Beau Connelly. Beau’s Pine Ridge’s star basketball player and he’s the last person Georgia should be talking to. Georgia and Beau start off with this incredible teasing banter but it quickly starts to shift and turn into something so much more and something that neither of them ever expected…or can control.

But, as in typical small-town fashion, there’s no such thing as being able to keep a secret, and very quickly Georgia and Beau’s secrets come out and soon the entire town knows.

Soon rumors are exploding, lines are being drawn, and Georgia finds herself caught between her loyalty, the fear that lives deep in her heart, and everything else that lies deep within her very heart.

Soon Georgia finds that pressure is being put on her from her family and friends, all her rivals are closely watching her very move, and the faith she holds dearest is tested in ways that she never imagined it could be. Now Georgia has to decide who she truly is and who she really wants to be – and more importantly she has to decide whether love is worth the cost.

Small Town Rivals is the debut novel by J.C. McCann and as an ARC reader I personally take a lot of enjoyment from reading an up-and-coming author’s debut novel. I found Small Town Rivals to be well written, enthralling, and really very easy to read and get into.

J.C. did a stunning job in her character development while leaving enough room to give her characters to grow and develop through the book and her character arcs were phenomenal. Georgia was a strong, intelligent, beautiful, independent FMC who was so believable and felt real. She was your typical teenager trying to figure out who she was and who she wanted to be. Beau was such a strong, handsome, independent, protective MMC who wanted to protect Georgia from all the pressure, all the rumors that were swirling around them, and he wanted to protect her from all the bullies that wanted to rip them apart.

I honestly felt like I was back in high school, walking the halls, and it brought back memories of what it was like for me to be that age. As I was reading this book I felt as though I was living in Georgia’s shoes and walking through this book in her shoes and goes through what she was going.

There were moments where this book shattered my heart, then put it back together, and then other moments had me giggling like a school girl again.

If you enjoy a great enemies-to-lovers, basketball romance, a strong FMC & MMC then honestly this is the book that you are going to want to pick up. I highly recommend this book. I greatly enjoyed it and I honestly think you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did.