The Au Pair's Deception

 

 

She was looking for a fresh start,

but some families hide dark truths behind closed doors.

The Au Pair’s Deception

by C.J. Covino

Genre: Psychological Domestic Suspense, Crime Thriller

Claire Sinclair knows what it means to survive.

After a childhood shaped by trauma, she’s built a life rooted in stability—a thriving career, a home filled with love, and a devoted husband everyone envies.

But when Bella arrives as an au pair, the carefully constructed world Claire depends on begins to unravel.

At first, it’s subtle. A shift in tone. A look held too long. A moment that feels wrong—but not wrong enough.

Until it is.

As Grant’s behavior escalates, Claire begins to question herself—her instincts, her memories, the quiet unease she can’t quite explain. For the sake of her daughter, she holds on…even as something inside her starts to fracture.

But Bella sees what Claire can’t. She recognizes the signs. The patterns. The danger.

Because she’s lived it before.

As the tension inside the house builds toward something neither woman can ignore, the line between endurance and survival begins to blur—and the choice Claire makes next could cost her everything.

A layered psychological thriller told through dual perspectives, The Au Pair’s Deception explores what happens when two women—both shaped by their pasts—are forced to confront the same danger from different sides. Combining escalating suspense with emotional depth, it’s a character-driven story of survival, resilience, and the cost of breaking free.

Trigger Warning: This book contains depictions of domestic abuse and violence which may be triggering to some readers. Please read with caution.

 

**NEW RELEASE!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

The warmth of her home should've been comforting, but Claire couldn’t stop trembling. Every breath scraped her throat. Outside, the storm raged through the upscale suburban neighborhood of Wellesley, muffling the world in white. The eerie silence was broken only by the wind's howl.  

She tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea forced her back into the blood-soaked sheets. The air held the metallic tang of iron. Somewhere in the house—or was it the wind?—something creaked. Her breathing grew labored, and something wet and sticky clung to the back of her long blonde hair.   

A fresh surge of nausea swept over her as she attempted to sit up again. Squeezing her eyes shut and reopening them didn't wake her from what felt like a nightmare. Each failed attempt spiked her panic.  

Rolling onto her side made her wince in pain. How long had she been lying here? Her mind was foggy. Who else was home? Why wasn’t anyone coming? Someone must’ve broken in during the storm. She remembered a rattle at the downstairs door earlier that night.   

A figure took shape in the shadows—tall, or maybe it seemed that way in the flickering light. His face was hidden, and his slow, deliberate breathing filled the room. A scream formed in her throat, but what escaped was a broken whisper, swallowed by the darkness.  

A dull, persistent ache throbbed at the back of her skull. Dizziness and nausea pinned her in place. Each pulse landed like a hammer. 

She fluttered her eyelids. The figure was gone. Where had it gone?  

This has to be another nightmare, she thought. 

She wished he were here. He always made her feel safe. Imagining his strong arms wrapped around her and his deep, comforting voice brought a fleeting calm. Her dry lips parted, but no name came out—just a hoarse whisper lost to the wind pressing against the window.  

Claire propped herself up on one elbow and tried to gather her thoughts. She focused, her vision adjusting to the darkness.   

The figure emerged again, and a familiar voice whispered, “It's me. I've been looking for you.”    

 

By day, C.J. Covino is an online fitness coach helping people live healthier lives. By night, she channels her devious side into writing psychological suspense, starting with her debut novel, The Au Pair's Deception: When Love Turns to Lies. She resides in sunny Albuquerque with her husband of 40 years, three grown kids who safely flew the coop, and a literal zoo consisting of three dogs, a parrot, and a cat. She is powered almost entirely by coffee, a passion for travel, and the thrill of a good plot twist. Learn more at cjcovino.com and follow her writing journey on TikTok @cjcovinoauthor.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter The Au Pairs Deception Giveaway

Tree Trek Teaser

 

A Daughter's Walk Through Grief

Nature, Botany of Trees, Healing Through Nature, Grief Journey

Date Published: 05-23-2025

Publisher: Holy Cow! Press

These intimate portraits of trees are a balm that heals grief.

In this memoir, Stephanie Mirocha weaves a blend of botany, philosophy, personal reflections, and healing through nature from grief after the loss of her father. Trees provide the backdrop of friendly support she clings to as she revives her father's educational Tree Trek. She "speaks for the trees," bringing enthusiasm to the treks she leads. Each chapter focuses on the science of a different tree, connecting the reader with the beauty of nature, and the vitality that comes from listening to the guiding wisdom of one's inner voice.

Excerpt

I’d known all along my dad was volunteering for tree projects in the park, starting with invasive buckthorn shrub removal. My daughter had told me about Grandpa’s tree tags. For 15 years, I might have randomly come across one or two tagged trees on my exercise walks, probably telling my dad how much I liked what he was doing. Beyond that, I didn’t look for more information or even think about it. My work took me away on weekends, and Tree Trek was only one Saturday a year. A favorite photo my mom gave me years earlier I knew perfectly well was a Tree Trek promo taken for the neighborhood newspaper. Yet, never before had I noticed that in it, he’s wearing a pair of binoculars around his neck! In fact, I ended up using that photo for his memorial service, creating a birch bark frame to surround it. How many people are like me, needing big arrows under a spotlight before they take notice? Understandably, we’re distractedly putting energy and effort into making a living. Our focus is directed elsewhere as parents. Sometimes we’re just not paying attention.

When I started paying attention, the whole picture swung into a full and complete view. My perspective shifted. Things no longer lined up within me the way I was accustomed, and as a consequence a new picture presented itself. My heart led me to realize that I very much wanted to pick up my dad’s legacy and continue where he had left off. Like Douglas-fir, you could say I needed to place myself in a new genus, a genus I never imagined existing in previously. I no longer, however, fit in the former one. Being here now feels familiar and safe, like home. It makes me feel connected and alive. There is no going back!

Each one of us evolves as we go through the many ups and downs of life. Even in the midst of grief and loss, opportunities present themselves for listening, paying attention, taking notice and following where your own arising inner wisdom leads. As we unlock from the inside and nurture what we find there, a new purpose can reveal itself allowing us to share latent gifts we each possess within us. We may even emerge significantly changed.

The winter after my dad died, upon getting the go-ahead from the park district to revive Tree Trek, I waited for spring to arrive and the snow to melt. Then, I walked my dad’s original route using his initial map to locate trees while planning for my own, first Tree Trek. I was so excited! The Douglas-fir from my dad’s photo was the first tree I looked for when planning my route. The probability was high that it would prove to be one of his tagged trees. Great anticipation of confirming this filled me as I crested the brick stairway of the park memorial that rests nearby Douglas-fir’s hill. That monument was familiar, but then I stepped beyond into an area of the park where I had never set foot before.

About the Author

Stephanie Mirocha is a visual artist, author, Minnesota master naturalist and science communicator who grew up climbing trees and exploring the city park across from her childhood home. Her creative art expression not only takes form in her passion for writing but also translates into her career as a fine art painter. Besides creating the art for this book, she has illustrated four children’s picture books connecting children to nature. Frog in the House won the 2016 Giverny Award for a science picture book in English, and My Little Book of Bald Eagles won 1st place, Juvenile Nonfiction, in the 2010 Next Gen Indie Book Awards. She and her scientist father shared a poetic heart and a love for nature, each informing and supporting the other throughout their close relationship. Graduating from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Philosophy, Stephanie followed her free spirit and embraced the unconventional life of an artist after moving to Aitkin, a small town in north central Minnesota. This is her first written book. Her art business website is https://stephaniemirocha.com/.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram

Purchase Links

Amazon

Bookshop

Olympian Awakenings

 

 

Cursed as children.

Empowered as adults.

Now, they’ve been summoned to stop a force older than the gods themselves.

Stone Hearts

Olympian Awakenings Trilogy Book 1

by CB Samet

Genre: Greek Mythology Urban Fantasy Romance

Madison was cursed to destroy with a glance—until a prophecy calls her to fight beside the one man who sees through her walls… and into her heart.

Cursed to turn the living to stone, Madison has spent her life avoiding others—until a prophecy drags her to Greece to join a team of strangers to help stop an ancient evil. Among them, she meets Rex, a battle-scarred archaeologist with the power to heal and secrets of his own.

Together, they must survive deadly skirmishes, outwit mythical creatures, and recover the Armor of Achilles from the heart of Daedalus’ labyrinth.

The deeper they go, the more the maze twists not just the path, but their minds.

Failure isn't an option. Succeeding might cost them everything.

Magic. Monsters. A love forged in fire. The battle is only beginning.

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Winds of Destiny

Olympian Awakenings Book 2

When a titan’s power surges, mortals pay the price—and the Olympians must answer the call.

Layla, Tyler, and the other Olympians are thrust on a perilous quest across the Mediterranean and into the sunken heart of Atlantis to reclaim Poseidon’s trident. Their sea voyage is fraught with danger with deadly monsters and diabolical magic at every turn. Only by learning to trust—and love—each other can they hope to survive.

Layla’s storm powers are tied to her heart, and to master them, she must first confront the emotions she’s spent years guarding. Tyler, a shapeshifter whose might can rival the fiercest beasts, may be the key to her control—but breaking through the walls around her heart won’t be easy. Their past mistakes still linger, and some wounds run too deep for even the strongest powers to heal.

Adventure, danger, and passion collide in this electrifying continuation of the Olympian Awakens series.

Grab Book 2 and continue the thrilling ride!

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Flame and Shadow

Olympian Awakenings Book 3

A titan is rising.
And this time, the world may not survive.

Fire-wielder Zoey has spent her life afraid of her own power. Ancient soldier Alexios has spent centuries believing he was nothing more than a weapon. Together, they’ve survived monsters, gods, and impossible quests—but nothing prepares them for Kronos’s final move.

As fractures tear open between worlds, monsters pour into the mortal realm and the boundary between life and death begins to collapse. When a desperate sacrifice strands Zoey in the Underworld itself, ancient warrior Alexios must defy gods, fate, and death to bring her home—before she loses her memories… and herself.

The final battle will demand everything from all six champions who have fought side by side: fire and storm, stone and steel, courage, sacrifice, and unbreakable trust.

Because defeating a Titan will take more than power.

It will take a family forged in battle—and two souls willing to burn for each other and the world they refuse to lose.

The explosive conclusion to the Olympian Awakenings trilogy delivers epic Greek mythology, found family, and a sweeping romantic finale where love and legend collide.

 

**NEW RELEASE!!**

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

**FREEBIE ALERT!**

Stormborn & Flameforged

Olympian Awakenings Prequel

When fire meets storm, destiny ignites.

Zoey has always felt the burn of something more beneath her skin—an untamed fire that refuses to be extinguished. After years of hiding her power, she’s finally found belonging and a chance to be normal… as a stunt double on a Hollywood set.

Layla is the picture of grace and fame, a star with a global following. But behind the camera, she’s hiding a dangerous secret: she can control the weather.

When a monstrous creature straight from myth attacks during filming, Zoey and Layla are forced to reveal their powers—and discover they’re not alone. Chosen by ancient forces, bound by a forgotten legacy, the two women must join forces to face a truth that will shatter everything they thought they knew.

Because the world is on the brink of chaos.
And this is only the beginning.

 

Get It FREE HERE!

Christina is a four-time award winning author in thriller, romantic suspense, and fantasy. She is a mother of two energetic boys. She is a lover of suspense, adventure, and happy endings. She writes action and adventure in fantasy, thrillers, and romantic suspense genres. Her novels have empowered women overcoming powerful obstacles and the strong men who support them.

Favorite quote, ‘She needed a hero. So she became one.’ --Robin Reed

 

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Olympian Awakenings Trilogy Giveaway

This Never Happened Teaser

 

Thriller

Date Published: 11-01-2026

Publisher: Rowan Prose Publishing

When former best friends Sam and Rebecca reunite at their college reunion, they decide to repair their fractured relationship and start over.

But then Sam finds out Rebecca is dating Adam, a man she’d had an intense relationship with two years ago. She vows to keep it a secret, lest it sever their newly mended bond.

Sam soon realizes she can’t outrun her and Rebecca’s imperfect past, nor can she ignore her and Adam’s desire for one another.

As Sam struggles between loyalty and lust, she realizes that vengeance can make monsters out of all of us.

Excerpt

Prologue

Sam stared at the blood gleaming on the hardwood floor in front of her. Someone was screaming beside her, but she couldn’t focus on anything other than the blood’s impossibly bright color. It was garnet-colored and aromatic–like a splash of copper-scented wine. Its beauty and grotesqueness transfixed her, and her eyes blinked slowly and heavily as she gazed at it. Concrete-heavy shock packed her muscles and froze her in place.

Her mouth moved, but the words stuck in her throat as she stared at the corpse’s crimson neck. A knife stuck out of it, and blood smeared the black handle. Sam blinked long and slow. Adrenaline began coursing through her once again, and her muscles loosened, but shock held her mind in its sharp claws.

Her eyes finally flicked to the fallen gun on the hardwood floor. Tears gleamed in her eyes. She knew she was the one who had caused this mess. She knew she had severed her relationships and created the target now on her back.

But vengeance was in control of her body now.

Her gaze scanned the blood-spattered murderer in front of her. Sam’s heart thundered as reality slammed through her like buckshot.

This person had killed someone Sam loved.

Sam grabbed the gun and pointed it at the wide-eyed assailant.

Let justice be served.

 

About the Author

 

 Jessica Clem is the author of the thriller, This Never Happened (coming November 2026), and the horror novel In Lieu of Flowers (coming 2027), both from Rowan Prose Publishing.

Her work has appeared in The Stygian Lepus Magazine, Creation Magazine, Dark Harbor Magazine (now Macabre Magazine), Ms Magazine, Literally Stories, on the Creepy Podcast’s Patreon page, and in the horror anthologies Down with the Fallen from Franklin/Kerr Press, D is for Demons from Red Cape Publishing, and After Dark from Rowan Prose Publishing. She is a 2026 Next Step Fund grant recipient, a project made possible by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council through a grant from the McKnight Foundation.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

TikTok

Preorder Today

https://mybook.to/ThisNeverHappened

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Bookshop

Gravedancer Teaser

 

LGBTQ Dark Fantasy Romance

Date Published: September 18, 2026

For lovers Malik and Dorian, the death of one of House Severn’s leaders just turned personal.

 

House Severn is in turmoil with the mysterious death of its leader’s omega mate. No one knows how he died, and it falls on Malik Devries, the House’s resident Spiritori priest, to find answers.

Dorian Morrow was only fifteen when his family fled House Severn. He always thought his dads wanted to get away and live life free of any House ties. He’d been wrong -- so very, very wrong.

 

EXCERPT

 

Wails echoed down the hall, anguished and utterly heartbreaking.

I leaned against the wall halfway down and closed my eyes. This whole nightmare had come out of nowhere, and no one had answers. Not even me.

A few days ago, Cesar, our leader’s mate, had been healthy, laughing and smiling with the rest of us. Then everything changed almost overnight. Darrien had rushed to my chambers and begged me to come with him, which I had. Cesar had been so pale, I’d feared he was already gone. He hung onto life for another couple of days before succumbing to whatever ailed him.

As I listened to one of my best friends mourn his partner’s death, I couldn’t help but curse the gods themselves. Darrien and Cesar ruled House Severn with kindness, and to hear such gut-wrenching sorrow was surreal in this place.

A door farther down opened, and I looked toward it. Darrien’s advisor, Christian Morelock, stepped into the hall. He headed my way, his expression as torn as I figured mine to be. He sighed and leaned against the wall opposite me, hands shoved into his pockets. He closed his eyes, and neither of us said a word for a moment while we listened to Darrien’s cries.

“Send any petitioners or issues to me for the time being.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t suppose you have any clue what happened, do you?”

I wished I could’ve said I had all the answers, but I had none. “No. Doc is just as stumped. Once Cesar is delivered to the chapel, I’ll see what I can divine.”

Christian studied me for a few seconds before replying. “You think it’s magic, don’t you?”

“I do,” I admitted. “Beyond the fact that we are less susceptible to illness than humans, my gut tells me this isn’t something so easily explained away.”

He nodded. “My question is: who is behind it? Who the fuck would target Cesar? That man never harmed a fly.”

That was the crux of this situation. Darrien and Cesar honestly had no true enemies. It just didn’t make a damn bit of sense.

“Anyway,” Christian said, dragging my attention back to him, “I need to go downstairs and call a meeting. Darrien will be out of commission for a while.”

This was one reason why I avoided relationships. Beyond being a Spiritori and dealing with the issues it came with, the thought of finding love, only to possibly lose it, was more than I really wanted to face.

Christian pushed off from the wall and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make sure Cesar’s body gets to you as soon as possible.”

“Don’t rush anything,” I said. “Give Darrien time. I’ll be here.”

Nodding, Christian continued down the hall toward the bank of elevators. He stepped into one, and the doors slid shut, leaving me alone in the hallway again.

Darrien had quieted, but I could feel the soul-deep heartbreak with uneasy clarity. This was personal. We had been friends for centuries. Cesar’s death hit us all with devastating precision.

Like it had been planned.

That thought took root in my mind, and I couldn’t shake it. I hurried to the elevators and headed down. My apartment was on the same floor as Christian’s, but I worked in the basement. I enjoyed the solitude and quiet more than the usual bustle of the rest of the complex.

As soon as the doors opened, I stepped out, only to find Seth Gates, the head of security and the fifth member of our close-knit friendship circle, waiting for me. I nodded in greeting and unlocked the door, gesturing for him to join me. The moment we were alone, I turned to him.

“You’re thinking the same damn thing.”

“I am,” Seth said. “For several reasons.”

“Talk to me,” I replied as we walked through the entryway and toward my workspace. I pressed my hand to the sensor on the wall, and the door’s lock clicked. Confident Seth followed, I headed to my lab, turning on lights as I went. Once we were alone again, Seth sat on one of the nearby stools while I booted up my computer.

“I don’t think Cesar was the actual target.”

One eyebrow raised, I glanced over at him. “Okay…”

Seth shrugged. “I think we all were.”

I sat down and signed into the network. “Explain?”

“He was the only omega in Darrien’s inner circle. At least the only one anyone knew about,” he added. “He’d be the ideal target for magic, too, since he was a laicas.”

“True.” I turned to him. “Do you recall a trouble-making asshole named Jules Morrow?”

Seth scowled. “Bastard was a fucking pain in my ass. Why?”

“He and his laicas mate, Roman, struck out on their own about seven years ago. Before they left, Jules had been in touch with someone outside House Severn, asking about delayed magic.”

“How the hell did you find that out, and what the fuck is ‘delayed’ magic?”

“Let’s just say I do have contacts throughout the area,” I replied. “I can’t elaborate for their safety.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “You know you can trust me, but I get it. Now what’s ‘delayed’ magic? I thought spells hit when cast.”

“Most do, but those that are labeled as ‘delayed’ act much differently. They attach themselves to their targets and only activate when a certain event occurs or when a certain amount of time has passed. Essentially, a Magien can cast a spell on someone to activate, say, when that person hits a particular age or what have you. Follow me?”

“Sort of,” Seth muttered, though his expression said otherwise. He was a Venari, and, like laicas vamps, they tended to steer very clear of magic in general.

“Anyway, and this is a very loose hypothesis, what if Jules Morrow did something along those lines to Cesar? If your idea of all of us being the actual targets is true, then it would definitely be plausible.”

“I recall Jules being a rather jealous, vindictive shit,” Seth said. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Jealous being the keyword here,” I pointed out. “Cesar was an omega in a strong position of power. Jules was an omega with nothing but a cheating, worthless alpha.”

Seth sighed and raked a hand through his short, spiky black hair. “So what do we do?”

“I need to see if I can track down one of them.”

“That’s like searching for a needle in a haystack, Malik. How --”

“They have a son.”

 

About the Author

Mychael Black has been writing professionally since 2005. He writes gay romance and erotica, but also het romance as Carys Seraphine and queer fantasy as Katherine Cook.

He's an avid PC gamer with a love for RPGs, a horror fanatic, and a fantasy nut. He also has a weakness for anything relating to skulls, dogs, and Spongebob Squarepants.

Mychael lives on the Eastern Shore of the US with his family. He loves to hear from readers, be it via email or Facebook.

 

Author on Facebook

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

Pre-Order Today

When Harry Met Charlie

 

 

Can two men who clash over everything ever agree on love?

When Harry Met Charlie

by Donna Costa

Genre: MM Romantic Comedy

Harry is a number-cruncher. Charlie is a people-person. One is bubbly and optimistic, the other serious and pessimistic. With an endless stream of verbal sparring and heated debates filling the car on their road trip from Vancouver to Toronto, they arrive at the conclusion they are complete opposites and go their separate ways.

When they meet years later – older, wiser, and love-worn – will their sparring become a prelude to romance? An exciting turn on? Will they be there for each other when it’s needed most?

Boys’ Love + Nora Ephron Fan Fiction = When Harry Met Charlie

 

“Fun, funny and wonderfully delightful! Reminds you of experiencing your first crush – I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!” – Leeanne Whitehouse, Pure Country Morning Host

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

Donna Costa draws on her love of romance, both novels and movies, plus her years in the aviation industry for When Harry Met Charlie. She writes in a variety of genres including YA, memoir, romance, and historical fiction. She lives in London, Ontario.

 

Website * Newsletter * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the reveal HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the When Harry Met Charlie Giveaway Here