Today's Featured Books— Literary Fiction and Poetry

Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on Unconditional: A Story of Fatherhood, Lost Love, and Lifelong Friendship, a new novel from Stephen Kogon, a multi-faceted author who has written books, screenplays/scripts, comedy sketches, comic strips, and more.

Unconditional is a current #1 Best Seller in Adoption on Amazon.com. Read on to learn more!

★★★★★ "Beautifully explores themes of love, loss, growing up, mental health, friendship, fatherhood and family." ~Amazon Review

Unconditional: A Story of Fatherhood, Lost Love, and Lifelong Friendship

One decision could rewrite Matthew’s life—or forever alter a child’s future.

Matthew, an indecisive bachelor, never imagined parenthood. But when his brother’s sudden death leaves a newborn daughter stranded, Matthew faces an impossible choice: walk away or become a father overnight.

Meeting baby Allie changes everything. In a heartbeat, Matthew trades his carefree life for sleepless nights and diapers—and discovers a love fiercer than fear. With the help of his loyal best friend, Sherry, Matthew stumbles through the chaos of single fatherhood.

Over eighteen years, as life throws enormous challenges in their path—some forcing Allie to grow up faster than she hoped—their bond only deepens.

When the world tests them, will their unconditional love be enough to guide them through?

★★★★★ "A story that captures the heart." ~Amazon Review

About the Author

          

“A charmingly whimsical, whip-smart slice of Parisian life wrapped in equal parts heart and humor" ~A. Norton, Likely Story. Jacquelyn Pajot, a nine-year-old American visiting her sanctimonious grandmother in Paris, falls in with a pair of young French girls whose carefree grasp of ‘right and wrong’ has the wide-eyed American narrowly averting prison, purgatory, and her grandmother’s righteous indignation. "Recommended to readers who enjoy novels like A Man Called Ove or The Elegance of the Hedgehog." ~The Reading Bud. From $3.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Grace Campbell agrees to accompany her husband to a rundown, sun-scorched sheep and cattle station in outback Queensland to save her marriage. She is buoyed by the belief that rural peace will repair her marriage and provide a good life for her growing family, but when the handsome new owner of “Tullagulla” shows up, Grace is torn between the gentle stranger and her hot-headed husband. When tragedy strikes, will a century old ghost help her or destroy her? 4.4 stars, 742 ratings. From $3.99 - SHOP NOW / 

In 1930s New Zealand, Alice Simpson agrees to move to a sheep farm on a windswept peninsula with her husband and children. But the lack of a house, electricity, and a decent road weren’t quite what she expected. As she struggles to adapt to the hardships and isolation, Alice relies on letters from her sister to raise her spirits. But just as the beauty of her surroundings begins to seep into her soul, calamity strikes and long kept secrets begin to unravel. Book 1 in the series. 4.3 stars, 135 ratings. From $4.00 - SHOP NOW / 

"A sweet, sincere read perfect for fans of emotional, character-driven stories with a touch of romance and nostalgia." ~Amazon Review. It's five days to Sara Harmon's dream wedding for her son and his bride at their Cape Cod B&B Blue Hydrangeas! But a demanding guest, mishaps, and the persnickety garden club ladies threaten to derail her perfectly executed plans. Can Sara overcome these obstacles to pull off the perfect wedding? From $1.49 - SHOP NOW / 

New release. From the sunburnt plains of Outback Australia to the misty shores of the Isle of Skye, the fates of two women are intertwined by heartbreak, mystery, and the relentless pull of destiny. 2024: When Ingrid Sloane takes a break from her career in Australia to visit her grandmother's birthplace in the Isle of Skye, she discovers a bundle of pale blue aerogrammes, and embarks on a quest to reunite the authors of the letters. 1990: Lucy Pellegreen found a man she adored on the Isle of Skye, but when a family emergency calls her back to the Australian Outback, the precious letters from Scotland become the only reminder of the love waiting there. From $5.99 - SHOP NOW / 

This amusing, thoughtful, and moving work of historical fiction offers a compelling account of the life of a woman who truly lived all for love. In this opening volume to the series, we are introduced to Jane at seventeen. Spoiled and charming, she seems destined for the privileged life of a well-bred Englishwoman. Her early marriage to Lord Ellenborough begins as a love match until one of the greatest scandals of the Regency era destroys her future, or so it would seem. Discover a life well-lived. 4.3 stars, 70 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

New release: The hours following high school graduation represent the final dusk before dawn when adolescence officially ends, and adulthood begins. You are cordially invited to spend the next twelve hours with the class of 1980, for a wild, magical and wholly unchecked night of thrills, spills and pathos, the equal of which they will never again experience. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

MI6 agent Sarah Leach and American lawyer and OSS operative Robert Johnston return in Book 2 of the Delilah Series. As D-Day approaches, Sarah is sent to France and captured by the SS. With help from friends at Bletchley Park, Robert locates her at Rommel’s headquarters. After a harrowing escape, they return home to find their past is catching up with them. Will their relationship survive the end of the war? 4.1 stars, 35 ratings. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

New Release: In the dour and dense follow-up to The Trismus Candidate, a bouncer explores subversive tribalism, political division, and his own regret during the height of the indie rock scene in Omaha, Nebraska. Achingly honest, DROSS observes contemporary contradictions through the dingy filter of one man's shame. From $4.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Matilda Koontz treasures her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her husband dreams of free land in the Pacific Northwest. When he proposes selling their farm to trek two thousand miles along the Oregon Trail, Matilda hesitates but agrees. In the spring of 1847, the family begins their grueling journey west, facing disease, accidents, starvation, and countless dangers. When tragedy strikes, Matilda must summon the strength to protect her family and survive in this journey inspired by a true story. 4.8 stars, 92 ratings. From $9.99 - SHOP NOW / 

In a run-down neighborhood in an unnamed city, people live and die in “the Obscure.” As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for many bewildered souls. The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. This collection of seventeen short stories all take place in or around the “the Obscure,” a place we all visit metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth. 4.5 stars, 50+ ratings on Goodreads. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Historical Fiction. When former Navy Seabee Colleen Holmes inherits an old house in Centralia, Washington, she sees it as a chance to escape her own ghosts and start anew. But when she discovers a faded diary and a bundle of love letters, she unveils the tragic choices that shattered lives and fractured a town, and learns that the wounds of yesterday still shape today. Inspired by true events. "Forges new paths toward peace and understanding." ~Midwest Book Review. 4.7 stars, 16 ratings. From $2.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Robert Johnston, a New York lawyer at the OSS, and Sarah Leach, a Royal Navy lieutenant with MI6 (code name “Delilah”) meet at an intelligence briefing. Afterwards, they quickly fall in love—and into danger as they track a German double agent, monitoring RAF Bomber Command missions, and rendezvousing with French Resistance fighters. 4.1 stars, 45 ratings on Goodreads. FREE - SHOP NOW / 

Eli Asher needs a job. A good job with benefits so he can take care of his family. He thinks he has one but loses it to a member of a secret society that he wants no part of. Until he has no choice but to take a leap of faith that takes him away from his family and on a cross -country adventure doing simple jobs for some incredible people. Along the way, he learns what really matters, adding depth and breadth to his understanding of himself and the world. 4.1 stars, 45 ratings. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

A collection of six interwoven pieces that tell the life of Maggie. From her Depression-era youth, to the glamorous 1940s of Hollywood and coastal California, to her return to the rural Midwest. Bittersweet and poignant, celebratory and inspiring. 4.3 stars, 48 ratings on Goodreads. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

The poems within this volume have been called contemplative and poignant portraits drawn from the everyday. The themes of leave-taking, the passage of time and loss—of people, places, and things—are a principal focus, and all are adeptly captured in this highly accessible collection. "A collection worth celebrating." ~John Muro, author of the Pastoral Suite. Coming Oct. 15. $20.99 - PRE-ORDER NOW / 

Small town, big dreams. A poignant coming-of-age story about three beautiful teenage sisters and the young boy who comes to spend the summer with them. And So We Dream is about stepping into a world of beauty, wonder, longing, and, ultimately, transformation. “A lucidly described coming-of-age tale [with] a mysterious, almost mythic feminine glamour.” ~Kirkus Reviews. 4.5 stars, 186 ratings. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Excavations is a collection of poetry from the author of Ancilla and Morsels: Tales of Love and Passion. Some of the poetry is structured; some of it is free verse. Many of these poems are archaeological artifacts. The old material has been examined, arranged, and prepared for display. What does not shine is still pleasing to the eye. "A beautiful collection of poems." ~Amazon Review. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Embrace the harmony of words and melodies and embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, spirituality, love, and growth. Dive into this enchanting collection and allow your spirit to soar as you unravel the roots of your struggles and find solace, inspiration, and a deeper connection to your innermost self through the power of poetry and song. From $1.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

Travel to historic medieval Japan for a tale of courage, loyalty, and determination. Bound by oath and duty to protect the four-year-old heir of a powerful lord, Akasuki must get the child through enemy lines and far up river to the Salt Boat people in the hope they will help save the boy. Akasuki will need all her skills and good fortune to succeed and to earn the respect and higher position she desires. From $2.82 - SHOP NOW / 

Marfa, TX - 1968: Vera DeSoto runs a cafe and seems to collect strays—lost people looking for second chances. A 14-year-old girl, two hippie boys, and a scared young artist find their way into her life and suddenly, she’s joining them in a search for buried treasure. Drugs, outlaws, and a little magic in the Texas desert...this book has it all. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW / 

New release: 1933. Chicago World’s Fair. Countless Mysterious Deaths. When Harrison and One-Arm Nettles set out to investigate a missing woman, they have no idea they’ll stumble upon a conspiracy that could shake Mussolini’s regime. Hidden tunnels and restless ghosts point the way—but can Davenport and Nettles decode the clues before it’s too late? Packed with suspense, historical intrigue, and high-stakes adventure. From $0.99 - SHOP NOW / 

Learn how to fake your own death, setup a hospital night club, dress as the grim reaper and many more crazy ideas you can do to kill time at the hospital. A funny mental survival guide for every patient from an author who survived a six-month hospital stay. From $2.00 - SHOP NOW /