How often do you judge a book by its cover? Is it the first thing you’re drawing to, or is it the title that first grabs your attention?

Here’s why I started Judge a Book by its Cover!

Here are three indie book covers that grabbed my attention this week.

Number 1

Puppy Love by Elle Sprinkle. This is a fun and cheerful looking cover. The bubbles give a sense of mushiness. I like the way the O (in the word love) is a paw print. Straight away, this cover tells me romance, and the title confirms it. We know without reading any further that the protagonist is a doggy groomer and she falls for her boss, who is also a female.

Lets read the blurb.

“Puppy Love”, a sapphic romantic comedy, is the first book in a diverse, interconnected standalone series, “Greenrock Valley”. Written with dogs, spice, and everything nice, this debut novel is sure to make you laugh and sweat, all while tugging on your heartstrings.

Cameron Miller hates change. It makes her sweaty, tongue-tied, or worse- silent. Her anxiety doesn’t help, leaving her expecting disaster around every corner. And finding out that her almost one-night stand is her new boss only confirms her fears.

Violet Wolfe isn’t looking for love. In fact, due to her impending divorce, she plans to stay far, far away from it. Luckily, love, and a close encounter in a bar bathroom, don’t bear many similarities. But when the woman from last night turns up as her work’s newbie, Violet realizes she’s accidentally violated her boss’ #1 rule: No dating colleagues.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, sure, but it’s just a physical attraction- or so they tell themselves. Yet as they start to consider breaking workplace policy, as well as the boundaries they’ve set for themselves, they start to wonder if it really is just “puppy love”, or if something larger is pulling them together.

Puppy Love is only recently published; 14th June ’24. It has a lot of positive reviews already.

Emily Jones – 5.0 out of 5 stars – Super cute, I loved it.
Reviewed in the United States on 14 June 2024
This book was utterly adorable. I saw it first announced in a book group on Facebook and was super excited as it looked adorable! Dogs, dogs, and more pups?! Plus a representative LGBTQ story? Yes please! I thought overall it was written well and balanced a fun romance with real life issues. I enjoyed it.

Olivia – 4.0 out of 5 stars A sweet, toe-curling small town romance with spice.

This book will have you kicking your feet in giddiness! From the instant sizzling chemistry to the arguments between two stubborn women and the open-door spice, this has evrything you want!, including dogs, lots of them.

Very nicely paced and well written. For a debut in a niche genre, this is sure to be in the top spot for being extremely exclusive.

CJ – 4.0 out of 5 stars – Cuuuute!

This was such a cute book! It made me giggle and want to cry. Elle did an amazing job really showcasing these characters and their unique personalities. I loved the diversity and inclusion as well. There were some spots in the middle and towards the end where I skimmed a bit because it was a tad slow but overall, loved this book!

If you’re looking for a quick + cozy sapphic read, this is it! The spicy scenes were 🔥.

Puppy Love certainly seems to give the readers what they expect from the cover.

Number 2

Believed by Michael James Emberger is a magical looking cover that tells us that the main, or one of the main, characters is a mermaid. She’s crying and I wonder why. The title makes me wonder even more. Who believed in her, who doesn’t believe in her? It’s something to do with her being a mermaid I’m sure. Snow scene book covers always grab my attention too and this is no different. I’m guessing this is a YA novel.

The Blurb

Kelsea Jones is like a lot of girls at the University of Northern Minnesota. She has a boyfriend, she works at a coffee shop, and she’s on the swim team. But she’s not a girl. She’s a mermaid.

Trouble brews when star hockey player Chad Andersen takes an interest in her. She tries to avoid him, but he won’t leave her alone. A son of wealth and privilege, he takes what he wants, and he gets away with it. He wants Kelsea, she says no, and so he rapes her. Kelsea stands on a tail and two fins to fight the most painful trial of her life. Despite her trauma and a crisis of faith, she speaks the truth of what Chad did, but will she be believed?

This is not what I was expecting at all. Interesting! I assumed like any other mermaid stories I’ve read, that the big secret would be that Kelsey is not a human, but in fact a mermaid.

Read this note from the author;

1 out of 4 college girls experiences rape or sexual assault. That breaks my heart. It’s a crime that has affected people I love, and it has to stop. This novel is my way of raising awareness and showing survivors that someone hears them.

Believed is a product of my friendship with a survivor who is an author and advocate. She opened my eyes to a world of trauma and PTSD that had been largely invisible to me before I met her, and it was life-changing. I needed to share that with others. The burden on my heart was too great to not say something, and fiction is the method I know best to convey the thoughts, truths, pains, and struggles that I see.

Sexual assault is not my story. I haven’t experienced it, I don’t live with the resulting trauma, and I do not wish to profit from the pain of survivors. This is a book for them. It’s a book for those who love them. It’s a book to encourage readers to think and to empathize and to consider the realities of so many whose lives have been affected by this crime. If you purchase a copy here, know that the prices are the minimum allowed. I make no royalty on print copies. If you would like to read for free, you can download the book at my website: http://www.michaeljamesemberger.com/believed

If you find value in this work, please consider donating to an organization that fights against sexual violence or offers support to survivors. Tell your family and friends about the book. Review it online. Let the survivors in your life know that you care, that you believe them, and that you are there for them.

I only have one question (I haven’t read the book); why did the author choose to make his main character – the victim of sexual assault – a mermaid? Maybe he’s into fantasy and Kelsey isn’t the only mermaid and non-human in the story.

Let’s look at some reviews;

Faith D – 5.0 out of 5 stars Graphic and Emotional

This book took on a difficult subject and yet it was approached in a very sensitive manner. Somehow in the back of my mind I knew that these sorts of things happen in our world today, but this book brought it into my reality. And I understand that things do not always turn out as favorable for victims as they did in this story. It’s very well written and informative.

Jordan – 5.0 out of 5 stars  A favorite

I honestly was not expecting to like this book that much. It’s got mermaids in the real world discussing sensitive topics. But let me say, the author surprised me. He eloquently discusses a very sensitive but common issue for men and women. He does not shy away from the reality but remains sensitve to the pain it can cause. The story flows so easily, you will want to keep reading. I look forward to his future novels.

Lisa Alexander – 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing & Authentic – Thank you.

This book was amazing!!! I couldn’t put it down. As a survivor and advocate who works full time with survivors, the authenticity of this book, the way the author writes with sensitivity and details and covers an array of emotions is wonderful. Thank you for tackling such an important and tough topic with such excellence. I have to share this!! Thank you Michael.

The reviews have answered my question. Seems like this is a well-recommended book. Follow the link for a closer inspection! Believed by Michael Emberger

Number 3

The Parcel by Leigh Suznovich looks like a fun sweet romance. The colour drew my attention and then the title. The thought of a mysterious parcel intrigues me… maybe because I’m nosey! Of course, it may not be at all mysterious!

Time to look deeper

Lyra Spinelli is trying to put her life back together after her marriage suddenly comes crashing down. Her trust is shot, her already high walls are firmly in place, and she is focused on work. Growing up and living with a rare genetic disorder has made her wonder whether she is even made for a healthy relationship. The last thing she needs is an attraction to the charming UPS driver Taran, no matter how much she is drawn to him. The more she interacts with him though, the more impossible he becomes to resist.

Taran Malloy hasn’t had much room in his life for romance, working long hours and taking care of his widowed mother. After meeting Lyra though, long forgotten feelings bubble up and he sets his sights on getting to know her and her story. As he slowly unravels her many layers, he finds the woman of his dreams. When Lyra has to overcome her biggest medical hurdle to date, he hopes delivering his growing love for her will be enough to make her stay.

The Parcel is a sweet and spicy romance with all of the fun banter, emotions, and a guaranteed HEA.

Just as I expected judging by the cover. A light-hearted sweet, but spicy, romance. I like that it has the fun banter too!

Here’s what some readers have to say

Rebecca J – 4.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous read!

Before I started reading The Parcel I was in a reading slump. This book 100% got me out of it and I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Lyra Spinelli is in her mid-thirties and has recently split from her husband Derek after he admitted that he’d been having an affair. Lyra has Turner Syndrome and the two of them were fine with remaining child free, so when Derek’s announces that his mistress is pregnant, it is gutting.

After moving into her new house, Lyra gets a glimpse of Taran Malloy, the local UPS driver. After a flirty exchange and Taran instantly bonding with Lyra’s dog Brody, she thinks that a) he must be late twenties so way too young for her, and b) her divorce isn’t even final yet so what is she doing?

The backstories to both of these characters are fantastic and dive into their familial relationships really well. I felt completely immersed, especially in the scenes where all the family got together. I loved the aspect of found family too.

I had never heard of Turner Syndrome before so this was really eye opening for me and having a female love interest with such a syndrome really sets The Parcel apart from other romance novels.

Taran is an absolute golden retriever of a man and his personal growth was lovely to read. Beautiful!

Jen from Jersey – 5.0 out of 5 stars Turner’s, Trust & True Love

I’ve never read a novel with a character who has Turner’s Syndrome – it was informative.
Trust?
That’s so hard when you’ve been burned.
It was great watching Lyra learn to love again – or actually love FULLY – for maybe the 1st time in her life.
True love not only shows itself with these main characters – but also with the friends and family that surround each of them.
Families are complicated.
Sometimes we create a 2nd family for ourselves with friends – and that’s totally okay.
Brody the dog was awesome.
Choosing to remain childless (whether by choice or not) is a brave decision.
We don’t see enough representation of that out there in the world.
You would never know that this is a debut novel!
Looking forward to Book 2 and to see what direction Suznovich takes.

Alicia M. Picone – 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent first novel

This novel was sweet and fun to read. It also touched on several subjects (Turner Syndrome, remaining childless, age disparity, etc.) and handled them all well.

I am looking forward to continuing this series

So if you’re looking for a sweet fun romance, The Parcel might just be for you!

Thank you for reading!

If a family saga set in a small Irish town is up your street, you might like to have a peek inside the pages of my novel, Secrets in the Babby House.

Set in a gossipy small town in Ireland at a time when marriage is for keeps and sexuality is repressed, Secrets in the Babby House is a family saga over three decades that starts in 1956. It is a story of love, deception, and stolen diaries filled with sins and secrets.

MORE ABOUT ME, MY BOOKS AND MY CHARACTERS!

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