After so, so, so so so long, we finally get Toby and Blaise’s story. Something has been brewing between these two since the end of the Reckless DamnedAfter so, so, so so so long, we finally get Toby and Blaise’s story. Something has been brewing between these two since the end of the Reckless Damned series and through the first two of the books in this Damned Connections series. By the time author Lark Taylor got to the end of the previous book, Justice, I was positively foaming at the mouth for this book and I can’t help but wonder if that’s where I went wrong, because I loved this book but it just wasn’t the story I thought Toby and Blaise deserved.
This has nothing to do with Taylor’s talents as a storyteller: As per usual, Lark wrote a great story that stands up to most criticism. The problem I see is that it’s standing up against her other works and the background story arc between Toby and Blaise and this book just falls a little short of doing either justice. We have waited a long time for this story and that deserved a big payoff, but there was just too much going on in this book to devote it all to Toby and Blaise’s love story.
It has a rough, if sexy, take-off, but an amazing landing. The pacing seems stuttered because this book covers a longer time period than most of Taylor’s books and there’s a lot of things that need to happen and a lot of stuff to work through, as well as many sublime spicy scenes written in (and they’re hot, trust). New characters are introduced and we see newer characters again in preparation for the next book in this series and the new series that’s coming up.
It’s just a lot of material for a book I felt should’ve been dedicated almost entirely to the romance between Toby and Blaise, because if anyone deserves that treatment it’s these two. They have had an epic story behind the scenes and I just wanted more of them. That doesn’t mean this book isn’t fantastic, because I’ve yet to read a Lark Taylor book I didn’t love, but it does mean I couldn’t have loved it more.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
While I was reading this ARC I really wished I could text Lark Taylor and playfully curse her out because my eyes were already red and swollen from crWhile I was reading this ARC I really wished I could text Lark Taylor and playfully curse her out because my eyes were already red and swollen from crying my eyes out over another romance novel today and had I known Red Haze was going to make me sob like a baby then I maybe would’ve waited a couple of more days to read it!
I’m obviously not mad about a book making me cry. In my opinion, art of any kind should make you feel. That’s the point of art: to elicit emotions. I knew from the start that Arlo and Jack’s story was going to be a sucker punch and that’s one of the reasons I was so excited for it. During the first two books in the Caffeine Daydreams series we’ve watched Arlo pine endlessly over Jack (pine like a pine forest, this boy) and watch Jack clueless act like a guard dog who has no clue he’s obsessed with his master (and Jack is such a good guard dog). So this was always going to be a tormented bodyguard romance, with all of that yummy push and pull, drawing lines only to cross them, miscommunications (for once deployed effectively in this book), and a whole lot of emotional detangling between what’s toxic love and what’s a healthy level of obsession with another human being when they’ve been your world for so long?
Of course, we’re pre-programmed to feel deeply for Arlo: Raised in grotty council estates to a neglectful and abusive family with only his talent with drums as a possible way out. Even then, once Caffeine Daydreams hits success, he’s deep in the hole emotionally and creatively. It’s being assigned Jack as a bodyguard when he’s 18 that finally starts to drag Arlo out of the pit. However, this book makes it very clear we should have also been curious about Jack’s state of mind in all of this too. Keep that in mind when you start to read this book, because in the ways that count this book is a slow burn. It’s HEA guaranteed, but it takes a long time for Arlo and Jack to find happiness.
I’m going to end this with lots of winks, nudges, and nods to Lark, for giving me so many giggles and snorts throughout this book for the easter eggs. I was curious if they’d be in here, and they were. I was delighted.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
File Under: Age Gap Romance/Book Series/Contemporary Romance/Disability Rep/Forbidden Romance/Kindle Unlimited/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Rockstar Romance/Spice Level 2
Even though I’d read a few of Jessign Reign’s books in the past I wasn’t aware of the upcoming release of Rent Paid in Full until about a month beforeEven though I’d read a few of Jessign Reign’s books in the past I wasn’t aware of the upcoming release of Rent Paid in Full until about a month before it happened and when I saw the synopsis I was like, “How in the heck did I miss this? This sounds beyond hot. I love rent boy books!”
And so began the salivating. I counted down the days until the release date, cursing all along that I didn’t have this book on my Kindle yet.
It was torture to wait but now I’ve read it and it was everything Id’ hoped it would be and everything all those bookstagrammers I hounded about it told me it’d be. I don’t know what possessed Jesse Reign while writing this but it needs to keep it coming because this was stupidfilthyhot, omgallthefeelings, and gjshhgjtbshgthjtj all in one and I had to go to bed and sleep it off before writing this review because I didn’t have words or know what to do with myself after I read it. It was an out of body experience and I don’t even believe in that.
From the first sentence of this book I was absolutely hooked on Ryan’s snarky, uptight, contradictory nature. That man would bite off his nose to spite his face and then automatically regret it but then deny that he’s regretful about it. His brain is a washing machine set on vicious cycle and I am here for it because it makes him an absolute wind-up toy for our other MMC, Miller.
If Ryan is snarky, uptight, and contradictory, then Miller is earnest, laid-back (but resigned), and amiable in nature. He’s like water to Ryan’s flame. Miller can go with the flow, become tempestuous waves, or make himself into a whirlpool and summon people to him like a beacon. Miller’s inner narrative about Ryan is some of the most entertaining and amusing writing I’ve read in a long time.
I love how Miller found a way to get Ryan out of his head and accept what they both wanted without Ryan completely sacrificing his pride. I loved watching the two of them develop and grow together as people and lovers. I loved the story and the third act was a thing of romantic beauty. The spice was some of the hottest I’ve read in a long time. I mean, I think I spent a lot of time saying curse words and blaming drugs while reading this. It’s just that brilliant and hot and right.
All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you. ...more
It’s time for another visit to Big Boned Bertha! This time, it’s Rush’s turn.
I adore the Accidental Love series. I consider it to be the perfect middlIt’s time for another visit to Big Boned Bertha! This time, it’s Rush’s turn.
I adore the Accidental Love series. I consider it to be the perfect middle road of Saxon James’ repertoire: More mature than Frat Wars but less mature than the Divorced Men’s Club, but just as spicy (or maybe spicy in a different way?) as Frat Wars but more spicy than the Divorced Men’s Club. Maybe it’s like this: Accidental Love has dirtier spicy scenes than Frat Wars but more maturity to it. It’s a perfect mix of filthy and adult for me.
The Revenge Agenda is a great read because it’s full of forbidden naughtiness:
A butthead’s ex-fiance / said butthead’s ex-side piece Boss / employee ADHD chaos adult / calm but concerned adult Bertha’s Boys plot revenge Everyone loves Rush (except the butthead) Filthy talk Office sex A ton of puns about ants Punches get thrown (not between MCs) Hunter’s coat gets stolen by Xander because it smells good
The cuteness of this book is only outmatched by the sheer chemistry between Rush and Hunter and the sexiness of the spice scenes. These two are scorchingly hot. The steam left me feeling some kind of way. From the first pages of the book I loved Hunter as a character, and that feeling only grew throughout the book. By the end I was sad it was over. That’s one of the hallmarks of a truly good romance–when you wish you could keep reading about the couple’s HEA.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
Pretty Dogs is the second book in Riley Nash’s Dirty Strays series (the first book, Bad Dogs, is also worth a read, but I liked this one a bit more). Pretty Dogs is the second book in Riley Nash’s Dirty Strays series (the first book, Bad Dogs, is also worth a read, but I liked this one a bit more). This is a friends-to-lovers gay romance with a transgender MMC.
Beck and Dallas have been best friends since the night Beck heard a noise outside his trailer he thought was racoons and instead found a dirty, homeless, and obviously out of place boy named Dallas digging through his trash looking for food and brought him inside to feed him the last of his macaroni. Beck’s also been in love with him for about as long as they’ve been best friends. It has never mattered to him that Dallas is trans: Dallas is Dallas. That’s all Beck has ever needed.
Dallas was thrown out (by gunpoint) of the secure, suburban home owned by his loving and supportive mother by her bigoted boyfriend when said boyfriend found his T injections one day. He was lucky enough to get his top surgery done before he was thrown out, but the abrupt ejection from his happy life at such an early age left him with gender dysphoria he’s never been able to completely get under control. He’s loved Beck for a long time, but has never dreamed Beck would return it in any way but platonically, because surely a man as into men as Beck couldn’t want someone without the whole package, and Dallas wants Beck to have the world.
I swear. These two. I wanted to wrap them in bubble wrap and pack them away so they could never be hurt ever again, but I also wanted to buy them a private park full of trees and gardens and just let them live and play there for eternity, you know? But then I’d have to let Scout and Roman live there too. It would get crowded.
From Beck’s struggles with self-worth and identity to Dallas’ gender dysphoria and self-esteem, these two broke my heart a million ways. But watching their sexual and romantic relationship bloom was so satisfying. The spice was so nice, with well-written dialogue and eventual primal play (which is one of my favorite kinks). The build up felt organic and I really appreciated the conversations about Dallas’ wants, needs, and limits.
It’s a really terrific read and I’m glad I gave into the hype.
All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without offer or reception of compensation. Thank you.
This year I’ve felt like there was a time BSD (Before Stats Daddy) and ASD (After Stats Daddy). The era of ASD began on July 21st, 2023, when the firsThis year I’ve felt like there was a time BSD (Before Stats Daddy) and ASD (After Stats Daddy). The era of ASD began on July 21st, 2023, when the first book in this series, Too Safe, was released. Ever since Abby Millsaps unleashed the wicked and cunning Kylian (AKA Stats Daddy) on the world with the publication of the first book in the Boys of Lake Chapel book series, I’ve decided no other book boyfriend compares.
With the release of Too Far, the last in this trilogy, my opinion has not changed. I don’t care how much more Josephine got of Kendrick, Nicky, or even the great Decker Crusade himself. No. It is Stats Daddy who forever holds my heart and is still, in my mind, the true male star of Boys of Lake Chapel.
This review is as much for the whole series as it is for Too Far; but make no mistake, Too Far is a truly excellent novel and is the epitome of what a series conclusion should look like. It picks up almost exactly where Too Fast left off and keeps hurtling forward, barreling towards disaster. It’s obvious that all it will take is a single slip-up for the house of cards to fall down.
The first half of the book is suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, and frustrating (so, so frustrating). The second half of the book is swollen with emotion, angst, love, and lust. The epilogues made me cry. And cry. And cry. Heck, this whole book made my eyes leak water several times. I did not sob. You did.
The last epilogue was so touching to me. I didn’t cry, but I was deeply, deeply touched. I can’t express how much it meant to me which character was chosen for the last epilogue and what they said in it. My heart grew fifty million sizes.
If you haven’t picked up this series, I can’t express how much I recommend it. This is my book series of the year. If you know me, you must know how rare it is for me to pick a non-LGBTQ Why Choose romance series as my series of the year. I just can’t escape how deeply this series touched me nor how hot Stats Daddy made me. The charisma of the group as a whole cannot be denied. Congratulations, Abby Millsaps–You’re a genius.
All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was provided for this review. Thank you.
The Daymakers is yet another feather for Grace McGinty to put in her cap. McGinty is already one of my auto-buy romance authors–especially when it comThe Daymakers is yet another feather for Grace McGinty to put in her cap. McGinty is already one of my auto-buy romance authors–especially when it comes to why-choose romance–and it’s books like The Daymakers that remind me why I love her so much.
You can read the plot synopsis online. I don’t need to repeat it here. (Go do that if you need to and then come back.)
Okay, so the plot isn’t exactly a brand-new idea, but I’m not taking off points for that because I rarely tire of why-choose rockstar romances like this. One of my favorite why-choose book series of all-time has a plot that’s in the same vein as this one (a desperate girl ends up on a rock band’s tour bus and ends up being their personal toy and they both have mm in them, but that’s where the similarities end) and as far as I’m concerned I could read several books with that same general vibe and never tire of it. McGinty does it particularly well here, leaning into the sex worker and feminist aspects of Charlotte’s (the FMC) role in the book and making it about her taking back control of her body and her life when so much of her life has been in the control of so many other people who used it and abused it. Sex work can be empowering for some, and I loved how McGinity leaned into that.
The spice was a solid 3 / 3 on my spice scale. This was due to the number of spicy scenes, the language, the kinks, and the shared partners. There are no large group scenes in this book, but I actually think the book was better for it for once. This book is more about Charlotte’s individual dynamics with each band member than it is with the band as a whole, so the individualized attention works better (save for the shared experiences with Hero and Poet).
I don’t think I need to tell you that the boys are definitely book boyfriend material. Grace McGinity does love her bad boy exteriors with marshmallow interiors. And the villain in this one is most definitely someone you’re going to love to hate (I personally wished he could’ve been done in). The supporting characters were fun and sweet, and the concert scenes were fun.
You’re going to want to read it. You’re going to love it.
All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
So, the thing is: I’m still not sold on alien smut. But I am sold on this alien smut. Because when I was reading this series, but especially this finaSo, the thing is: I’m still not sold on alien smut. But I am sold on this alien smut. Because when I was reading this series, but especially this final book in said series, the fact that the MMCs were aliens didn’t matter in the least. It hasn’t mattered the whole time. When I’m reading the spicy scenes in these books I’m often too caught up in the way C.M. Stunich writes (which is always stunning) to bother worrying about which parts goes where. Who cares how many tentacles are in which orifice? Not me. I care about what Officer Hyt is saying and feeling, and I care about what Eve is saying and feeling. No more. No less. Because what they’re saying and feeling is actually hotter than which part is going where.
To be honest, everyone’s possessiveness, attentiveness, and protective natures is a way bigger turn-on than almost everything else. The way Hyt, Abraxas, and Rurik constantly cover Eve in pheromones and mark spaces is both touching and sexy in a way I’d never condone in real life but find distinctly appealing when a tiny human female is stuck in outer space among environments and alien races who would love to see her dead.
I loved the first half of the book as Eve spends time with Hyt on Yaoh, waiting for Abraxas to arrive and playing “fake-fiancee” with Officer Hyt. She gets to play “possessive girlfriend” and it’s so much fun. I loved the second half of the book more, as she reunites with Abraxas and Rurik and all four of them try to figure out the rest of, well, everything. (Anything more than that would be spoilers).
The playful, sisterly banter Eve has with Jane is hilarious and familiar for anyone who has a bestie who’s as close as a sister. After not seeing much Abraxas since book one I was so happy to have him back. He’s just a dragon-y cinnamon roll who’s incredibly competent.
Watching Eve and the guys come together and pull their stuff together in order to make everything work is everything I could have wished and hoped for out of this series. I loved it so much. I’d love to see what happened to some of the supporting characters in the aftermath of this story. I’ll wait and see what Stunich will do.
All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Another year and another excellent entry into the Sadenverse.
Eden Finley and Saxon James continue to expand their shared universe of characters and nAnother year and another excellent entry into the Sadenverse.
Eden Finley and Saxon James continue to expand their shared universe of characters and novels with this story of Wren and Darcy, both the sons of a multinational media conglomerate who’s just passed away. Both with mothers who love to play the guilt trip card. Only, Darcy’s been groomed all his life to be heir to the throne, and Wren was raised as the illegitimate bastard child, out of sight, but certainly not out of mind. They finally come face to face with one another on the day of their father’s funeral and neither ends up being quite like what the other expects.
The Bastard and the Heir is a little heavier and serious than most of Eden and Saxon’s works. It’s more similar to 2023’s standalone effort, Up in Flames, than it is their Puckboys or CU Hockey series. While there are humorous moments (because I don’t think it could be an Eden and Saxon book without at least some humor), heavier emotions and issues definitely rule the book.
I loved the spicier side of this book because I loved the line this book walked with the forbidden aspect of the relationship between Wren and Darcy. The risque aspect of their relationship was hot enough to sustain me throughout the whole book. I liked that Eden and Saxon wrote it so the characters kept poking fun at it, because it definitely made for hilarious cannon fodder for the whole book.
The cast of characters cracked me up. Yes, even Darcy’s mom. When they weren’t cracking me up I was in the middle of feeling very sorry for the lot of them all because it’s obvious they inherited a ton of pressure, self-esteem issues, and a poor sense of work-life balance. They all need therapy.
While I love this book in the same soft way I love all Sadenverse books, I found myself not totally buying the resolution. The third act felt rushed for me. It also felt like it was all wrapped up a little too neatly. The epilogue was absolute genius, though.
I’m always happy and grateful for new Sadenverse books, because they make the world a little bit brighter every time they come.
I was provided a copy of this book by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Runaway Omega is the first in a series of interconnected standalone omegaverse novels. On the scale from Sweetverse to Darkverse (when it comes to theRunaway Omega is the first in a series of interconnected standalone omegaverse novels. On the scale from Sweetverse to Darkverse (when it comes to the omegaverse light to dark scale), I would say it settles right in the middle at a 5 out of 10. The spice, on my spice scale, is a 2 out of 3 (there’s only one group scene that takes place during the heat and then most of the heat is skipped after that). There is no mm action, either (this is neither here nor there, it’s just worth mentioning for those who might be curious if this book has mm in addition to mf). The burn is slower than I’d like but not so slow as to be boring; plus, Ember Nicole has a real knack for writing strong sexual chemistry and tension that in no way involves the act of sex. That’s a talent not every author possesses and it more than makes up for the lack of actual action for a chunk of the book.
Not surprisingly, I wasn’t too drawn to our FMC, Everleigh, in this story. She’s simply just not the type of FMC I identify with or enjoy reading too much. However, I did absolutely love all three alphas in this story: Rune, Kylian, and Cian are all so uniquely them and they are delightful. The teasers for this book called them protective cinnamon rolls, but I didn’t see cinnamon rolls here, I just saw protective, conscientious, and then one of my favorite traits in some alphas: A willingness to destroy bad alphas. Some of my favorite omegaverse novels have always been the ones where bad alphas get their comeuppance.
The book is well-written and the plot is cohesive. It’s an enjoyable read, even if it’s not completely to my tastes. I loved Everleigh’s little sister, Della, to bits and pieces. She’s a hoot. The book does run a little longer than it needs to, I think, but it’s not so much that you’ll get bored.
Make sure you read the TW/CWs for this book before reading and take care of you.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
I read Pheromone and freaking loved it so much, but I didn’t write a review for it. I don’t remember why. Knowing me, I meant to and forgot. After I fI read Pheromone and freaking loved it so much, but I didn’t write a review for it. I don’t remember why. Knowing me, I meant to and forgot. After I finished Seminal, though, I knew I had to write one because this series is absolutely phenomenal and I need people to get up and not sleep on it.
I don’t usually go for the alien romances where the aliens aren’t humanoid. I know, right? I wasn’t even a fan of Ice Planet Barbarians. There’s something about Stunich, however, that always makes me want to give any genre or trope a try. She’s a terrific writer with fabulous FMCs, an absolutely hilarious sense of humor, and I’ve always enjoyed how sex-positive her writing is. There’s no shame in Stunich’s game, folks.
Stunich has always had such a talent for writing dialogue and creating an amazing amount of sexual tension and chemistry between her love interests that even I, as someone who doesn’t get hot for non-humanoid aliens, was able to feel flushed and squirmy during the spicy stuff because the “alien” aspect of everything was almost the last thing I was thinking about–it was the snap, crackle, and pop of how intense everything felt between Eve and the aliens she’s falling for.
A lot of stuff happened in Seminal, but somehow the book didn’t seem rushed or crammed. That’s proof of good writing, pacing, and editing. Eve has a lot thrown at her, but there are MMCs and supporting characters to help absorb some of the exposition and some of the emotional blows. Poor Avril gets to bear the brunt of Eve’s reckless, stubborn, and sometimes careless behavior, but honestly she’s one of my favorite characters (and the inside jokes between Rurik and Eve about how they should go about killing her made me snicker continuously).
I love that Eve and Rurik both have some internal conflicts regarding the physiological manipulation that their bodies and minds are going through to make them compatible mates, but I love that Eve wants to find a way to free Rurik from the same fate as his father, too. Rurik truly wants to be a good mate and king, but there’s a lot of deprogramming to do there. Officer Hyt? Oh, you poor baby. And steady, protective, fierce, dedicated, loving Abraxas. I love him to the moon and to Saturn.
I can’t wait for Venery, which should be out soon. I never thought that I’d be so happy for a side project that took Stunich away from the F*ckboy Psychos series, but I am.
This review was written without any offer of compensation. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. ...more
Man, oh man this one was hot. Fire. Spicy filthy hot.
This is the third book in the Park Avenue Princes book series and hooboy Ella and Brooke knockedMan, oh man this one was hot. Fire. Spicy filthy hot.
This is the third book in the Park Avenue Princes book series and hooboy Ella and Brooke knocked this one out of the park!
Preston Abernathy is the diplomatic good boy of the Park Avenue Princes: Straight, has a long-term girlfriend, doesn’t go around boozing and carousing as much as the other guys, does a lot of volunteer work, and does all his homework. Right?
Preston’s been keeping secrets: He’s very gay, his girlfriend is his happy bestie beard, he doesn’t really want the life his parents have had planned out for him, he’s starting to chafe at the sight of all of his friends falling in love and being happy around him, and he’s been in love with his girlfriend’s father for years.
This book just hits so many of my buttons: age difference (around 20 years), sexy men in sharp clothing (AKA expensive clothing and suits), filthy talk, voyeurism/exhibitionism, let’s-have-sex-in-as-many-positions-as-possible, and these two are just so lovely together in general. They take care of one another and pay attention to one another. I don’t know if there’s a kink for getting off on the fact that someone is so turned on by your age, but that’s in there too. I don’t know what it is, but I love it and I want more of it.
Preston’s friendship with Serena, Archer’s daughter, is one of the most important cornerstones of this book and I’m so happy with how Ella and Brooke handled it. It could’ve been mishandled so easily in other authors hands. She’s written as strong, knowing, and competent but not so blase that she comes off as cold and uncaring. She’s warm and emotional and cares about both Preston and her father. I cared a great deal about what would happen with her and I’m happy with the result.
I highly suggest you read this if you haven’t gotten into the series yet and then go back and start at the beginning. If you’re looking for an endorsement for the next book if you’ve read the first two books, then know you won’t be disappointed in the least. It’s hot and I’m here for it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Age Gap Romance/Book Series/College Romance/Contemporary Romance/Forbidden Romance/Gay Romance/Kindle Unlimited/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Spice Level 3 ...more
Finally! Finally we’re fully in Project Watchtower for The Watch series, the second Necessary Evils spin-off series by the genius Onley James (the firFinally! Finally we’re fully in Project Watchtower for The Watch series, the second Necessary Evils spin-off series by the genius Onley James (the first spin-off series being Jericho’s Boys). We’re starting off with The Bone Collector, which considering that’s the notorious name one of the project’s instructors, Park, went by when he was still active in the field (and the second book is going to be called The Sin Eater, which was the field operative name of the head of the project), it seems that all the books in The Watch series are going to be titled after field operative names. I’m down.
I’m not going to go over the whole synopsis with you. That’s just blase. Let’s go over the tropes you know, and then I’ll go over what I found of interest that doesn’t come across in the blurb, shall we?
*Age-Gap Romance (oh yeah, it’s a good gap, too!) *Teacher/Student (this one’s a little loosely interpreted, since Park, one of our MMCs, doesn’t teach much in this book because Gift, our other MMC, isn’t one of the students learning his speciality)
Tropes that the blurb doesn’t mention:
*Older brother/younger brother dynamic (they aren’t brothers, but Park insists on Gift using the honorifics for those roles) *Daddy k!nk (Ohhhhhh yes. Our Park is a Daddy Dom and our Gift is his sweet baby boy (no ageplay)) *Semi-public k!nk, virginity k!nk, slight degradation k!nk, edging, impact play, filthy talk *Touch him and you die *Gift is manipulative, secretive, touch-starved, and needy *Park is a possessive mofo *Park is essentially Gift’s legal guardian and full-time bodyguard
Besides the extremely high heat rating of this book (it is super dooper freaking hot, you guys) and how well-written that spice is (good lord, Onley is trying to kill us all, ffs), it needs to be known this book is FUN. It’s hilarious. It’s like “Necessary Evils: High School Edition”. Imagine if the Mulvaneys, Jericho’s Boys, The Feelings Faction (IYKYK), and Elite Protection Services ALL went to the same boarding school. Some are there on merit via scholarship and some are there because they have connections. Some are there because they have both money and merit. There’s all genders, all walks of life, neurotypicals, neuroatypicals, geniuses, people of average intelligence…you get the picture. The point of the place is for the neuroatypicals to be matched with an emotional support human to keep them tethered to their humanity. It’s brilliant. It’s volatile. It’s going to either be wildly successful or they’re going to burn the world down. Either way, I’m going to have a wild-ass and fun time reading to see what they do while they screw each other into every available surface and torture the bad guys along the way.
Please be mindful of your own mental health before attempting to read this book and read the list of CW/TWs before you start. I don’t ever need them but you might. Take care of you....more
The Pro vs. the Fan is the third book in Nicole Dykes’ On the Track motor sports romance series. I was really looking forwarReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
The Pro vs. the Fan is the third book in Nicole Dykes’ On the Track motor sports romance series. I was really looking forward to this entry in the series because I adore Cooper (the zealous animal shelter volunteer no one seems to able to say no to) we met in the previous book and because I’m a huge fan of “motorycycle” racing (I’m using quotes because there are a whole lot of different types of racing that involve motorcycles of different types).
This book didn’t end up being anything like I’d thought it would be and I was disappointed. It wasn’t a total wash, but it wasn’t a match to the two previous books either.
Cooper is a fantastic character, if a bit of a LGBTQ romance cliche. I’m an absolute sucker for any characters who are animal lovers, though. The larger issue for this book was Maverick. Not only did Maverick feel two-dimensional–he felt absolutely bland.
This entire book felt rushed. The chapters were incredibly short. The spice scenes were abrupt and without feeling. There were no cool racing scenes like in previous books to liven things up, and the plot just felt rather aimless.
Is it a worthwhile read? Yes. I love Nicole Dykes and I love Cooper.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
I’ve been so excited for this novella. You wouldn’t be my greedy, grabby hands! Pansexual camgirl? Genderfluid stalker? High spice, low plot? Dark romI’ve been so excited for this novella. You wouldn’t be my greedy, grabby hands! Pansexual camgirl? Genderfluid stalker? High spice, low plot? Dark romance? Oh yes, please and thank you to all of it!
This novella was a bit of a fun project for Dana Isaly, sprung forth from her brain when she saw the cover (Can you blame her? It’s a great cover!). Clara is a camgirl, just trying to get by on her own in Boston. She works in a coffee shop during the day and cams by night.
Io is a private investigator, of sorts. They’ve been hired by Clara’s father to find her. The guy’s sketchy though, so Io’s been taking their time to study Clara thoroughly to really make sure they’ve got the right girl. Yeah. That’s totally why they’ve been taking their sweet time and fobbing off the client with excuses as to why there are no answers yet. It’s not because Io’s obsessed.
As Io works to gain Clara’s trust online, her obsession grows into a sense of possession and a hard protective streak. Clara needs to learn some lessons.
This book isn’t meant to be anything but what’s advertised: an erotic thriller novella with low plot, high spice, gender fluid and pansexual representation, a camgirl, and a masked stalker. The spice is very nice, though it’s mostly solo until the back end of the story. When those couples scenes hit, though, BOY HOWDY was I here for it. Io and Clara were smokin’ hot together. Steam up the windows and burn up the sheets.
Terrific novella just in time for Halloween. Loved it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I’m convinced Lark Taylor is magic, because I can’t stop reading her books. Ever since I read Patience I’ve binged her books and with every single droI’m convinced Lark Taylor is magic, because I can’t stop reading her books. Ever since I read Patience I’ve binged her books and with every single drop of knowledge that more words are coming from her I become like Veruca Salt: “Don’t care how–I want it now!”
So of course I signed up for Justice when it became available, and I loved every single one of its nearly 500 pages. Yes–this book is almost 500 pages long and I don’t regret a single page. From the start, this book is absolutely captivating and it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. By the time it ended I had soaked my t-shirt and my pillow in a substantial amount of tears from ugly crying but I was also so soft for the HEA and so squirmy from the filthy-hot spice Lark Taylor does so well.
Sebastian (you remember Sebastian, right?), the vampire assassin from Taylor’s The Reckless Damned series, is a prickly guy that everyone in the Supe Group (my phrase) pretty much loathes and only shows up when it’s time to get stuff done because Toby (the manager of The Closet) is his cousin and he generally doesn’t want the supernatural world to go cattywampus. It would be bad for business. Well, he’s been sticking around town, if only sticking to the shadows, because a human friend of the Supe Group has caught his interest: Matty. We heard of Matty at the end of Luck of the Devil because he’s mainly Lucky’s friend and he’s a sunshine precious cinnamon roll. He must be protected at all costs. Sebastian feels that way too. Adamantly. He lives to see Matty smile every day. So one day, when Matty isn’t smiling so much anymore and he starts to look a little haunted, Sebastian gets a little invested in finding out why.
Thus begins their story. Well, for Matty that is.
These two were the definition of hurt/comfort for me. They wrecked one another completely only to stitch one another back up so completely my heart grew three times its size by the end of the book. The sexual chemistry between them was fire, as was the spicy scenes. I love size difference and filthy talk and this was excellent for that.
The supporting cast played their role to a T. Everyone has made their opinions on Sebastian known from clear back deep into the beginnings of The Reckless Damned books. Their opinions play an important part in this book, if only so Matty can but heads with everyone as he insists they’re wrong. It’s so sweet and so kind.
I loved this book so much. It’s another Lark Taylor win and now we’ll finally, finally get Toby and Blaise’s book!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
Knot for a Moment is the third book in the Slate City Omegaverse series, which is ostensibly a series of standalone novels set in the same universe anKnot for a Moment is the third book in the Slate City Omegaverse series, which is ostensibly a series of standalone novels set in the same universe and loosely interconnected (the omegas that star in each book are close friends who went to school together), but I should warn you that as of this entry into the series it’s honestly kind of hard to keep track of who’s who unless you’ve read the previous two titles in the series (don’t worry, they’re fabulous).
I was automatically going to enjoy this book because there were ballerinas in it. It’s one of my biggest book weaknesses. I was already a fan of Devyn Sinclair’s writing, and then she went and wrote a why choose omegaverse romance with ballerinas in it. I almost want to send her a present just for that alone, because omegaverse plus ballerinas is a pretty sweet deal for me.
It helps that the plot is actually really good: an alpha who is a little unhinged and stalkerish to the omega, a ballet artistic director who’s toxic to just about everyone, an omega ballerina FMC who has been sad and alone for too long, and four alphas who scent-match to her and know right away they will give her the world if they can.
Speaking of alphas: BOY HOWDY. I need to get myself a Roman. The spicy scenes with Roman in them in this book were my favorite. I love all the alphas, but Roman was definitely my favorite.
Sloane, our FMC, is a genuinely sweet but bratty omega. She’s determined and driven in her dance career and doesn’t live too much in the past. She values her friendships and loves her grandma. When she meets her alphas she immediately becomes as fiercely protective of them as they are of her, and that symbiotic hurt/comfort loop that comes with some of the best omegaverse romances comes into play and I love it. When the omega is hurting they care for her. When one of her alphas is hurting, she cares for him.
Devyn Sinclair has done an incredible job yet again.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I really enjoyed all three books in author E. J. Lawson’s Knot Their Omega series: Captivate, Hypnotize, and Selection. This book, Crescendo, the firsI really enjoyed all three books in author E. J. Lawson’s Knot Their Omega series: Captivate, Hypnotize, and Selection. This book, Crescendo, the first in E. J.’s new Wild Heat series, is loosely interconnected with the Knot Their Omega series (as in they take place in the same universe and some characters from that series will appear in the new series). For example: In this book, Josie (our FMC) has an appointment with Thane from Captivate, the first book in the KTO series. Now, in the KNO series there is some mm content, but there is no mm content in Crescendo even though it is a why choose romance.
You can get the gist of the plot from the blurb online and it actually won’t mislead you for once. This is a rockstar romance with four bad boy alphas and an omega awakening. It’s pretty well-trodden ground but it’s well-trodden because it works. Josie has worked hard to get where she has and she’s done it for one of my favorite reasons: spite. I love that. I love when characters make their way in life because a ton of people who were supposed to believe in them told them they couldn’t do it or shouldn’t do it but maybe there was one person who supported them enough to say, “Ah, screw them, “ and do it anyway. That’s Josie. She put her nose to the grindstone and worked hard to become a band manager. She’s still only a junior assistant when all of a sudden she’s offered the position to manage Firebrand, one of the biggest and most troublesome acts in the business.
The four alphas of Firebrand all have their issues. Of course they have issues. There wouldn’t be a plot without issues. Thankfully it’s not to the point where they’re alphaholes, but they do have damage. Josie’s tossed into the deep end from the start but she’s determined to be the manager they need. She’s good at what she does. Even as she can sense herself changing she stays focused. Even as the band can sense the changes she stays focused. Even as she deals with disaster after disaster, she stays focused. She stays focused until she’s confronted with the truth of how her body is changing and what that possibly means for her job and her future.
This book feels a little rushed, to be honest. It’s not crammed with spice, which is nice, and the spicy scenes are well-written and of the medium-hot kind (rough but not kinky). I think what made it feel so rushed was there was one character that took up a lot of page time and he was a huge part of the plot too. So between his character development and how his development affected the plot there wasn’t a whole lot of room for everyone else to develop organically or for the relationships to coalesce organically. So in the end it seemed less like a crescendo and more like a cacophony.
The fact remains: Lawson continues to churn out excellent omegaverse novels that are well-written with great FMCs. So I will continue to devour them like yummy chocolates.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Now this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodNow this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodel and one up-and-coming adult movie star, throw them together in a moment of serendipity, and you have an explosively passionate and dirty romance novel that will warm up some sheets and make you swoon at the same time.
If I could put a theme to this book it would be, “I’m not ashamed of you, I just care that you’re mine.” This goes both ways, too. Donovan may be the uber-rich supermodel in this book, but it’s not unheard of for the character who has money to be the one who has to work hard for affection in a romance novel. Instead, Ella and Brooke worked hard in this novel to put Donovan and “Sin” mostly on the level: neither of them is ashamed of the other. “Sin” mostly doesn’t care that Donovan comes from money and Donovan couldn’t give a crap that Sin comes from none and lives in a shoebox apartment. The thing they care about most is that they belong to each other and with each other. They each feel like they were made for the other and they want to fight to find a way to stay together.
It’s really freaking sweet. They’re really freaking sweet. That is, when they’re not busy having filthy hot spicy scenes. (And believe me, they are H O T.)
The rest of the Park Avenue Princes are around providing advice, comedy, and color commentary, as per usual. It’s unclear which of the Princes are up next for a book, but keep an eye on Donovan’s little brother, because he’s a sullen brat in this book and is definitely going through some stuff.
Overall, I liked this installment more than the first book in this series, so it’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it. You’ll definitely want to start with Infamous Park Avenue Prince, but that’s not a hardship.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without recompense. Thank you.
This is a very sweet, poignant, small town romance that’s heavier than Cora Rose’s usual books. It’s a change in direction and writing style that didnThis is a very sweet, poignant, small town romance that’s heavier than Cora Rose’s usual books. It’s a change in direction and writing style that didn’t work out perfectly, in my opinion, but it was still a really good read: emotional, angsty, and even a little dark in places. The two MMCs, Wes and Simon, both have some issues to deal with, but Simon is definitely the one who’s hurting the most here.
Small town romances can be hit or miss for me, but Cora Rose just somehow makes them work, usually by drawing attention to the zany parts of small town life (I was born and raised in a small town and had to move back to it after my divorce, so I know small town). In this book the zaniness of small town life is downplayed, though, to match the emotions and moods of Simon and Wes. That’s also a switch for the author, but it’s not a bad one. I have a feeling this book, or maybe even this series, is Rose trying on something new for size. I’m glad she’s experimenting some.
There did seem to be some stiffness, or maybe awkwardness to the book, though. It had some uneven pacing and I thought the story just didn’t flow as easily as her other stories.
The spicy scenes are off the charts fantastic, but that’s never been a problem for Rose. She writes terrific spice, and this book has some of her best spice I’ve seen in a couple of books. I love when characters are desperate for one another, and these two are absolutely ravenous when they come together. It’s hot. So hot.
So while I would’ve liked the story to have flowed a bit smoother and not been so uneven, it was a solid read and I’m really interested in where this series will go.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Loading...
