Well, the steam is coming off the pages in this new book from A. J. Merlin. I mean, I knew I was going to read it as soon as I knew it involved camminWell, the steam is coming off the pages in this new book from A. J. Merlin. I mean, I knew I was going to read it as soon as I knew it involved camming (one of my favorite tropes and real-life turn-ons), but then you add in this pretty little thing falling in with two men who are utterly obsessed with her and the promise of a plot that’s looking more dark and complicated than what the short blurb is alluding to? Aw, come on. You might as well have told me you had a whole pen full of piglets for me to play with if I’d just follow you!
Blair just needs to earn some money, but doesn’t want to work in another restaurant or coffee shop while she’s trying to take a heavy course load before she hits her senior year and has to work on her thesis. Shortly before her semester starts, she comes across a cam site she’s surfed before and watches a user that tempts her and causes her to feel things she hasn’t felt before and she wonders if she could do that. Could she put on a mask and make just about the same amount of money per month as she would at a part-time job without having to work as many hours and on her own schedule?
It turns out she can, and she quickly gains two fervent followers who tip well to keep her from having to do the lascivious things other tippers try to get her to do on screen. At the same time, she’s taking a photography class with a guy she has a crush on who doesn’t even need to take the class but is anyway and seems to have the strangest dynamic with their professor. She feels this tension between them, and she feels a push-pull within herself between the sweet and playful Oliver and her icy, stern professor. There’s just something about them both that she wants, but what it is yet she doesn’t know. What she does know, though, is that there’s just something a little off with both of them and it should send her running…but she just can’t bring herself to do it.
I don’t want to spoil most other aspects of the plot, because that would ruin so much of the fun of the book for you. There are some great surprises in store for you, both in the erotic sense and in the plot sense. I love how Merlin can manage to write a great deal of romantic suspense and psychological fiction into these dark romances. It’s not all physical violence–it’s a whole lot of mind games and I’m here for it.
The book is the first in a series, but thankfully it ends on a natural break in the storyline and not on an abrupt, torturous cliffhanger. There is an important question asked near the end that is meant for Blair to contemplate between this book and the next, but it’s no emergency. There’s no rush. The only ones who’ll be in a rush are us readers, who’ll be begging nonstop for the next installment.
I was provided a copy of this book by the author. All views and opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Contemporary Romance/College Romance/Alphabet Soup Romance/MMF Romance/Dark Romance/Forbidden Romance/LGBTQ Friendly/Romance Series/Read at Your Own Risk/Spice Level 3/Very Bad Folx Doing Very Hot Things ...more
I think this might be my favorite entry in the One Night Series since “Secrets We Hunt” (AKA Wes and Zoe’s story). Once you read this book you might sI think this might be my favorite entry in the One Night Series since “Secrets We Hunt” (AKA Wes and Zoe’s story). Once you read this book you might see there’s a shared kink between that book and this book, and that totally has something to do with it, but another reason I loved this book was because I really and truly have a deep and abiding love for MMF romances where the female is willing, ready and able to embrace her male partner’s desires for the same sex and wants to join in. The human has the capacity for infinite amounts of love; it’s just each of us as individuals that determine if we have the ability to open our hearts in that way.
I don’t want to ruin too much about this book, but I can tell you that there isn’t much in the way of plot. This is mainly Pyro’s story, but it’s almost an extended epilogue, in a way, to “Burdens We Carry” (Owen and Aurora’s story). This entry in the One Night series takes place about six months after Owen and Aurora’s wedding when the whole group of friends this series centers around gets together for a rare group vacation in Tokyo. Jack, Quinlan, Owen, Aurora, and Pyro all decide to go out for a night of racy and spicy fun… but Owen and Aurora have a proposition for Pyro. I think you can likely guess where this is going.
What follows is a book that’s about 60% MMF spicy goodness. I don’t know about you, but that’s a dang good time in my opinion.
I want to take a time out to address how Dana Isaly writes her mm interactions: I don’t know if anyone of her other readers feel like this, but I really and truly wish she would take the plunge and write a full-on gay romance. She’s written RH/Why Choose with mm content, MMF, and a mm short story, but never a full-length mm romance, and I’m dying to see her attempt it. I know every author has their comfort zones and knows what they want to write and what they’re comfortable writing, but she’s just so good at writing male characters and the spicy scenes she does write for her bisexual male characters are already so well written I feel like if she took the plunge it would be fire.
As with the other books in this series, the book isn’t going to make sense if you haven’t read the rest of the series (especially if you haven’t read “Secrets We Hunt” or “Burdens We Carry” in this case), but it’s a worthy entry indeed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I don’t often go in for a huge amount of emotional angst in my romances. I mean, I don’t mind my characters being a hot mess, but usually too much of I don’t often go in for a huge amount of emotional angst in my romances. I mean, I don’t mind my characters being a hot mess, but usually too much of it just brings me down and I’m not down for it. I got my own depressive demons to deal with, you know? I guess that’s why I love Andi Jaxon’s books. They’re thick books (this one comes in at 431 pages and I still finished it in less than 6 hours), but inside those pages are a shockingly consistent, well-balanced, and well-placed amount of angst, spice, humor, and genuine emotion. Throw in making it a hockey romance and we get some of that sweet locker room action, along with some action on the ice.
The plot of this book is a doozy, and I was here for it. I can’t say much about it because of spoilers; but Preston, one of our two MMCs, is new to Denver and its’ college hockey team after he was forced to move from Boston by his father, who is a famous and renowned plastic surgeon. Since he’s moving to the university past the housing deadline, he has to share a dorm instead of having a single like he’s used to. He ends up rooming with our other MMC, Jeremy, who is Preston’s opposite in just about every way. This, of course, leads to just about my favorite romance trope in the world: forced proximity. Heck yeah! Contents under pressure, man.
Preston is indeed the definition of a pressurized container, because he is a bottle stuffed full of secrets, lies, pain, and shame. He’s surrounded by walls made practically of adamantium, mainly because he’s made sure he’s been alone for so long. Living in close quarters with Jeremy begins to quickly erode Preston’s walls and his resolve.
Is there angst? Oh yes. Plenty of angst. You will feel plenty of emotional pain for both Preston and Jeremy, and you will feel rage on one character’s behalf as well. I know I did. Luckily, Jaxon knows when to lighten things up just a little, throwing in humorous scenes that will make you grin, cackle, and snort. If you aren’t busy laughing, you’re reading about hockey, reading about Preston and Jeremy trying to find their way through to one another, or reading one of many (but not too many) scorchingly hot spice scenes (hot, fast, and dirty, just like I love them).
If you’ve never read Andi Jaxon before, you’re in for a wild ride. She doesn’t pull punches with her characters and her writing never shies away from the darker side of romance. I know for a fact she puts a lot of time and care into writing her books and fine-tuning them into the creatures they become. Her novels are some of my favorites because they draw you in and don’t let you go.
This is a book about bondage. Yes, it is somewhat about bondage like the cover shows, but it’s really about all sorts of bondage women could be bound This is a book about bondage. Yes, it is somewhat about bondage like the cover shows, but it’s really about all sorts of bondage women could be bound in the time period this book is set in, especially when that bondage involves the will of men or the power of money.
The cover calls this “a novel of suspense”, but if you’re looking for some high-wire suspense thriller or suspense mystery, you’re looking in the wrong place. This is more of a low thrumming, steadily beating, pastoral sort of suspense novel. The gothic isolation and overall story of trying to undermine and find a way out of an untenable situation with an awful patriarchal overlord is a more quiet and furtive pursuit for a lady’s maid in the 1800s than in most other suspense novels you may read this year. And this is, indeed, a rather quiet book, despite its cover.
I like this book, though, because it’s so unassuming and has no pretenses. It simply is what it is: a historical fiction novel that brings us some suspense, some mystery, some romance, and lovely prose. The narrative isn’t heavy, which can be an issue with some historical novels set in this time period, nor is the dialogue melodramatic, which can also be an issue. The small details a frequent reader of historical fiction would notice have been neatly taken care of, as far as I can tell, which is something I always look at in reading HF. The characters are outstanding, and their moral dilemmas, as written, would be quite consistent with the social mores and conventions of the time. Sure, even the Victorians got a little spicy and liked more than a little slap and tickle, but only the rich and privileged would have had the freedom to express such feelings without consequence (because they would have been the only ones who could pay for loyal silence).
This book does have a non-linear timeline of sorts, too. The book has scenes set in the past, when two of the main characters are young and live in one of London’s workhouses, and then in the present as they work together at Valor Rise. There are also letters from the FMC to an anonymous receiver interspersed throughout the novel. I greatly enjoyed the scenes set at the workhouse, because I believe the past scenes greatly helped to inform the present scenes. In some books I believe a juxtaposed timeline like this is extraneous, but in this book I fully believe it works really well.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable page-turning novel. I greatly enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting me access to this novel.
Lynn Burke knows what her readers want and what they crave. Well, at least this reader anyway. As an author who stays in close contact with her fans aLynn Burke knows what her readers want and what they crave. Well, at least this reader anyway. As an author who stays in close contact with her fans and is attentive to their feedback, she’s always picking brains and brewing plots inside her naughty mind. It makes her all the more endearing when she puts out a gem like this book, “Due Process”.
This book hits some of my favorite gay romance tropes: size difference, overly-protective and possessive morally grey alpha male, psychologically-damaged cinnamon roll twink, lacy panties, gay-for-you, dirty talk… and it’s a courtroom drama too! (Just in case you’re wondering, the only tv show I love more than BTVS is every incarnation of Law & Order).
From the insta-lust between the two MMCs to each scorching hot spicy scene, this book hit so many of my mm romance novel buttons I could’ve have easily read an even longer version of it. It’s rare that I think a book could’ve been longer and I wouldn’t have minded one bit, so just take that one in for a second.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
First, a note for Sara Cate: I have been here from the beginning of SPC with you and I have been honored to have reviewed every single title of this sFirst, a note for Sara Cate: I have been here from the beginning of SPC with you and I have been honored to have reviewed every single title of this series as a member of your street team. Thank you for creating the SPC for all of us readers and inviting us in. It’s been a pleasure.
I have to say that I had my doubts when Sara announced there would be two more books added to the SPC lineup from the original four expected books. While I didn’t like The Highest Bidder as much as everyone else did, I absolutely loved Madame. It ripped me apart and then put me back together and then I sobbed like a baby at the end (actually, there were a couple of places here and there in the book where I teared up, too).
While this book generally feels like a mix of Eden St. Claire’s story and a general send-off for the SPC series as whole, it never feels like these two matters are just being mushed together for matters of convenience. It feels very organic, like it was meant to happen like this. After all, none of the characters of the SPC are getting any younger, and this book takes place two years after the events at the end of Mercy (book four, if you’re keeping track). All the founding SPC members have settled down in one way or another. Most of them don’t even come into the club anymore. Eden, the Madame who’s been a fixture at SPC since day one, is still there almost every night, working to support her and her son. Does she have control issues? Why yes. Even more so, she has trust issues. I can relate.
Sometimes, life happens though, and even Eden St. Claire can make a mistake. Like getting in a little too deep with a submissive named Clay. She was in too deep before she knew it and Clay was in love. She wasn’t ready for him and she cut the thread between them. She’s felt the ghost of him ever since.
Now, at the beginning of this book, Clay has a new girlfriend named Jade and he’s crazy about her, but she can’t give him everything he needs and part of his heart still belongs to Eden. Jade may be younger and a touch naive, but she knows Clay is hiding a part of himself from her. After a chance run-in with Eden and her son at a movie theater, Jade wants to know who Eden was to Clay, and once she knows a piece of the puzzle all Jade wants is to know more so she can make Clay happy.
So much of this book is focused on a very important point about any relationship, but it’s something that’s essential about BDSM relationships: You can’t just pick up a riding crop and start dominating your partner because you want to make them happy (or vice-versa). You have to want to do things for yourself, to make yourself happy. You can’t fake confidence. You can’t fake dominance. You can’t fake happiness. If you don’t actually want to dominate your partner, you can’t force yourself to. You have to want it for yourself. It has to make you feel good to be that person for them.
Another salient point this book makes is that communication in any relationship at all is key. Especially when everything is falling apart and when everyone is feeling their worst. That’s when it's most important to stand up, say something, and be honest. People can misunderstand things so easily when they’re already down or upset. If you aren’t open and honest with the ones you love, they could slip through your hands and you’ll never regret anything more.
I loved both Eden and Jade in this book. I didn’t like Clay as much. I found him to be a little too much of a privileged man child who didn’t understand boundaries or ethics, but I admired how much he loved Jade and Eden. I definitely identify with Eden, with my control and extreme trust issues.
Eden’s story is touching, as is her evolution as a person and a domme. Seeing her find her place in love and at SPC was a spicy, lovely read. I’m going to miss this series so much but I know I’ll always have at least two copies of every book in the series to keep me happy. You won’t regret reading this 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. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Alphabet Soup Romance/Book Series/Contemporary Romance/Erotica/Kink and BDSM Friendly/Lesbian Romance/LGBTQ Romance/Polyamorous Romance/Sex Club/Sex Worker/Spice Level 3 ...more
I read and reviewed all four of the originally-planned SPC novels, and I adored every single one. I had that soft sadness that comes whenever a beloveI read and reviewed all four of the originally-planned SPC novels, and I adored every single one. I had that soft sadness that comes whenever a beloved book series comes to an end, but I was absolutely satisfied with where it ended and felt the series had wrapped up exactly where it should’ve wrapped up. Nothing more was needed or wanted, in my opinion. I was happy for Sara to move onto other projects and to create more beautiful books for us to read.
Then Highest Bidder and Madame were announced, and I felt…concerned. Two characters, one very peripheral and one we’d had a cameo from in almost every SPC novel (if not all of them). I was satisfied with letting those characters lie. I liked leaving them to be mysteries. I didn’t want more SPC novels. I wanted Sara to let sleeping dogs lie. Apparently, agents and managers and publishers come before one reader’s opinions, though, and these books were coming whether I liked it or not. And I told myself, “Well, if these books are coming then I’m coming along enthusiastically to support Sara and to support the SPC series”, because the Salacious Player’s Club series has done more to clear up erotica readers eyes concerning BDSM and sex clubs than I thought was possible, undoing a ton of damage that books like 50 Shades had done. Sara had truly taken the romance novel community to church when it came to subjects such as BDSM, polyamory, owning your sexuality and k!nks, letting yourself become emotionally vulnerable, teaching about safe spaces and aftercare, and deprogramming toxic masculinity. I was truly scared Highest Bidder was going to come in and throw off the chemistry of the original four books.
I’m going to be honest with you and say that yes, this book does throw off the direction and chemistry of the original four books. It doesn’t match up with the other books in vibe, emotional depth, or in the way BDSM is woven into the story and the characterizations.
Does the age gap squick me out? No. Honestly, this is a fiery, panty-melting, chemistry-fueled read filled with dirty talk and filthy thoughts. The sexual chemistry between Ronan and Daisy starts off as mere curiosity on her side, but soon balloons into something akin to napalm, brilliantly hot, insatiable, and just about impossible to put out. Ronan, for his part, wants to flip up her tiny uniform skirt as soon as he sees her, but that’s not exactly an unusual reaction for a mature male who regularly visits a sex club. It’s how much she needs someone to help her, take care of her, provide for her, pamper and pleasure her and give her everything she needs that sets Ronan on fire. If Daisy’s physical attractiveness is the flint, then her neediness is the spark.
The largest part of why I loved this book is Sara Cate’s impeccable characterizations and how the woman never takes any shortcuts when it comes to writing BDSM dynamics. She has a reverence for BDSM practices and the lifestyle that most authors wouldn’t bother with that bridge the gap between the sex scenes and the characters that give depth to their individual issues and motivations that would otherwise have to be explained in more mundane and roundabout ways. BDSM forces you to confront your emotions and feelings, to process them and feel them. Sara’s gift as an author is giving her characters safe space to do all this, while keeping their love intact.
The only large complaint I have about this book is that there seems to only be the barest shell of a plot to this book that only appears at convenient times. If you’re going to have a plot, then have a plot and don’t let it just go to the wayside for the sake of whimsy and spice. Keep some structure to the story’s plot at all times.
In the end, this is Sara Cate, this is the SPC, this is some of my favorite tropes, and it’s a dang good book that will melt your underthings off your body.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All views, thoughts, opinions, and ideas herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Age Gap/Age Gap Romance/Billionaire Romance/Contemporary Romance/Daddy K!nk/Forbidden Romance/Kindle Unlimited/KU/BDSM/LGBTQ Friendly/Romance Series/Sex Club/Spice Level 3 ...more
Dana Isaly has been one of my favorite romance authors ever since I got into this whole book blogging, reviewing, and influencing shindig in the middlDana Isaly has been one of my favorite romance authors ever since I got into this whole book blogging, reviewing, and influencing shindig in the middle of last summer, and “My Summer Fling” is just another example of why she captured my attention as a writer and why I’ve stayed so devoted to her as a reader and consumer. She knows what she likes, she knows what her readers like, she knows what she excels at, and the lady knows how to draw new readers in with time-honored tropes that she then turns up the flame on. The woman loves her spice, and we so dearly love her back for being so liberal with it.
This time it’s a second chance romance with a large dollop of best friend’s sister/brother’s best friend on the side. Normally, I’m a big fan of the latter and ambivalent to the former (I blame my lack of sentimentality when it comes to people). And yeah, I wasn’t a fan of that aspect of this book. The part of the plot that had to do with the second chance romance wasn’t vibing with me. I’ll be completely honest about that.
So how does a book where the main part of the plot earn 4 stars then? Well, it comes down to Dana’s writing style, her characterizations, and her amazing spicy scenes. She happened to hit one of my favorite buttons in the world when it comes to spice: dirty talk. I can’t get enough of it. Honestly, I couldn’t put this book down simply because I wanted to hear whatever dirty things were going to come out of Noah’s mouth next. This book would’ve been worth it for that alone. Heck, Dana could’ve gone even dirtier and I would’ve been even happier.
I also loved that Dana never resorted to full-on flashback or playback of what happened between Noah and Millie in the past. Readers aren’t stupid. We didn’t need to see what happened, and Dana knew that. She made a smart choice to keep us readers in the present by only alluding to what happened, giving us the bare bones so we could fill the picture in ourselves so we could stay in the story happening right in front of us just like Noah and Millie were trying to do. I hate flashbacks with all of my being, so I was relieved to see that I was just allowed to fill in the blanks myself, because I didn’t need to be told what happened. It was easy enough to surmise.
If you’re not familiar with Dana’s work, this is a great place to start. It’s a great summer read, just in time for the warmest part of the year. ...more
For all its solid writing style and small town charm, I found “Leaving Halberd Peak” to simply not be my cup of tea. I know for sure there will be pleFor all its solid writing style and small town charm, I found “Leaving Halberd Peak” to simply not be my cup of tea. I know for sure there will be plenty of fans for this debut book by a debut independent author, especially if those readers are fans of contemporary, small town romances with a medium-to-slow burn, but personally I tend to be very picky about. Sadly, I had a whole lot about this book to pick at.
For one, I felt the book was far too long. I felt as if the author could have dropped around 50 pages and we likely wouldn’t have known the difference. Two, I hate slow burns and I didn’t feel as if our two main characters (Sam and Gretchen) had much chemistry at all. Three, some of the supporting characters were downright annoying to the point where I dreaded when they came on the page again. Four, I am picky about books billed as being “k!nky”, because that adjective is very subjective, and to me this book wasn’t k!nky at all. Seeing as one of the reasons I was interested in reading it was that aspect of the plot, I was disappointed.
I encourage Rowan Helaine to keep writing and to keep working on finding their literary voice. I have a feeling there is something here in this book that is truly the heart of their writing style and the shape of what is to come from them in the future. Just because a jaded, lust-addled, k!nky af, decades-long reader of romances of all genres didn’t immediately fall in love with this title doesn’t mean I can’t be converted in the future. I wish Helaine all the best in their career.
Thanks to Rowan Helaine for reaching out to me directly and providing me a copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. Due to personal policy, this review will not be posted on any social media or bookseller websites due to the 3 star or lower rating. This is standard protocol for all my book reviews. ...more
When I wrote my review for “Praise”, the first book in this series, I had some things to say about how the book was as much a love letter to good girl When I wrote my review for “Praise”, the first book in this series, I had some things to say about how the book was as much a love letter to good girls everywhere as it was to the kink community at large: “A lot of authors write kink-centric books and they don’t feel authentic. They don’t read as authentic. It’s a manufactured experience… This novel is the kind of BDSM-centric writing I wish every one of those novels could be, because it actually rang true for once.”
If “Praise” was a love letter to the kink community at large, then “Eyes on Me” is just as much of a love letter to the idiosyncratic people who live in that community, day in and day out, and the people who find themselves wandering in happenstance, end up finding their tribe, and never end up leaving. The ones who didn’t even know what they craved the most had a name or that they might be able to come across like-minded individuals who would be willing to hold their hand as they travel down dark hallways and open closed doors.
I cannot help but love Sara Cate even more than I already do for getting into the psyche of Garrett in this book. In the first book, Emerson wasn’t a perfect person, but it was hard to find too many flaws. Garrett, though? Garrett is a mess under that carefully curated veneer of control. The face of the company. The life of the party. The man with the plan. But that can be a lot of pressure. And all work and no play can, well, you get the idea. Garrett has long ago cut off anything and everything from his life that isn’t work. But at the opening of the book we can see this attitude toward his life is already starting to chip away at his psyche in a negative way. It serves to make us readers curious, in a good way. What could ruffle the smooth Garrett?
Meanwhile, we have the uncurated, welcome mess that is Mia. She’s young, beautiful, uninhibited, and absolutely adrift. All she knows at the beginning of the book is she loves being a cam girl and she’s been in love and in lust with her stepbrother (Garrett) since she first knew what it was to feel that way. But he’s a locked door to her. So she shows him as much disdain as he shows her, even if neither of them truly disdains the other. It’s just another unhealthy pattern.
The romantic plot of this book reminds me of the saying, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back”. Curiosity both sets the romance in motion and ultimately endangers it; but, in the end, only physical and emotional satisfaction for both Mia and Garrett ends up bringing the kitty back home safely. And it’s done in a beautiful, hot, and extremely satisfying way. (There’s a bit of “turnabout is fair play” that I LOVE Sara for putting in and wish so much I’d see more authors put into their books!)
If you loved “Praise”, there’s no doubt you’ll love this just as much. This may not be dedicated to all the good girls, but I’d say it’s dedicated for every sexual person who just wants to be seen for who they are, without judgement or reservation. ...more
It wasn’t until I first read the blurb for this book that I even knew I needed this dark, spicy, gothic, and suspenseful retelling of my favorite chilIt wasn’t until I first read the blurb for this book that I even knew I needed this dark, spicy, gothic, and suspenseful retelling of my favorite childhood novel. My own reaction of, “I absolutely need to read this,” shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since even when I was younger and read the original story some of my thoughts and observations about the characters and their interactions made me envision different scenarios that weren’t as innocent as the tragic and gothic tale of little orphan girl Mary Lennox. Granted, I don’t remember them being this dark, dirty, spicy, and suspenseful… but I certainly know there were some naughty thoughts going on.
Raven Jayne is a newer author, and I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing almost the entirety of her debut series, Master Class. With this book, Jayne definitely takes the same tenor and approach to female sexuality and male dominance (combined with veneration for their females) she started in Master Class and has translated it into this gothic, suspense romance where Mary Lennox is torn between her wicked, sexual nature and her duty-bound and guilt-ridden nurture. She’s innocent of body but not of mind; her upbringing has taught her nothing but that any feeling that might amount to luxury is sinful. At the same time she knows she’s inherently not meant for a life of purity: she feels wicked in her core, like there’s a hole of need and want inside of her that will never be filled in the commune she’s been raised in before she’s kicked out over what she views as an honest mistake borne of ignorance.
The reason this book rates five stars from me is not because it’s perfectly-plotted and has zero holes. It’s not perfect. The thing is: it’s exactly what it advertises, it’s everything I could’ve wanted (short of it being a RH romance), and it’s such a great read. I could see myself reading it again. My fantasies from reading this during childhood have only been spurred to greater heights by reading the story of Mary Lennox through Raven Jayne’s eyes. Be prepared for a dark, erotic, and unique ride. ...more
While not a series, per se, this book follows Fiona Cole’s titles “Blame it on the Tequila” and “Blame it on the Champagne”. But this book can easily While not a series, per se, this book follows Fiona Cole’s titles “Blame it on the Tequila” and “Blame it on the Champagne”. But this book can easily be read as a standalone without any issues whatsoever.
One of my favorite movie quotes from my absolute favorite romcom, “When Harry Met Sally”, came to mind several times while I was reading this witty, sweet, and touching best friends to lovers romance: “...when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible”.
While reading this book I felt like the main male character, Austin, somehow had become the epitome of this quote. He knows just who he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and while it takes setting the primary point of conflict for the entire book for him to be put in a position of possibly making the rest of his life start as soon as possible, once he gets there all Austin wants is to ensure he keeps his somebody and starts their life together as soon as possible.
The issue is that the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with (our main female character, Raelynn) might as well be a commitment-phobe with a ton of baggage when it comes to the idea of marriage. Don’t get me wrong: she has a whole lot of sound reasons for her outlook on marriage to be the way it is, but that doesn’t help the fact that Raelynn never wanted to be married and now doesn’t know what to do when she finds herself unexpectedly married to Austin, who has been her best friend since college.
I usually don’t do a plot recap in my reviews, because I feel like all of you can get what you need from the book blurb, but here I’m recapping it because I loved both Raelynn and Austin, with all their preconceptions, misconceptions, emotional baggage, and fierce commitment to their friendship no matter how tumultuous the world around them gets.
From the witty and engaging beginning scenes of this book that serve to draw us readers immediately into Raelynn and Austin’s world to the excellent spice scenes with an absolutely delicious dose of dirty talk and the very real fears and hopes one can feel when it comes to marriage, Fiona Cole’s newest is a fun, hot, and touching ride. ...more
There are parts of this novel that almost made me weep for how beautifully-written they were, how the emotions, actions, and dialogue played out on thThere are parts of this novel that almost made me weep for how beautifully-written they were, how the emotions, actions, and dialogue played out on the page like something too big and magnificent to merely be described–it could all only be felt somewhere deep within.
I have a very particular vision in my personal life for what I want for myself, and I found it in this book. I’ve never seen what I visualize as passion, desperation, desire, and an all-encompassing love that obliterates anyone and anything in its path. It’s like a cataclysm, or a shibboleth. Love like that can rip the world apart, in a metaphorical sense.
The spice scenes in this book are beyond. Just… beyond. If I had to use the words I actually think my review would get rejected in most places, lol. They’re hot, raw, fierce, desperate, sticky, dirty, and drew a visceral and emotional response from me.
The prose is equally gorgeous, with dialogue that will break your heart and mend it, over and over again.
My minuses come from a predictable turn I really thought could’ve been handled better all around and from the author’s decisions in regards to the narrative style and non-linear storytelling in the book. Other than that, it’s a touch too long (but not by much) and a little too heavy on the angst in the first half for me.
Otherwise? Goodness, go read this book. Read it now. ...more
I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series, “Shades of Lust” and looked forward very much to reading **spoiler alert** Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series, “Shades of Lust” and looked forward very much to reading Jet’s story when I found out the second book would be about him. I love this series and how it tries very hard to destigmatize disabled characters and to make them the main characters in an industry that can be very ableist or all too often relegates disabled characters to sidekicks or to subplots. This series is the only mm romance series I can think of to make normalizing disabled characters a priority without making the story all about their disability. It’s part of who they are but it doesn’t define them.
That being said, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first one and it fell short of my expectations. Lindsey is a fabulous romance writer–this is not in question. The characters are well-developed, distinct, and multi-faceted. They have backgrounds, pasts, hope, dreams, and their own demons. The books are never too long and there isn’t an unnecessary amount of subplot or filler content. The book has a plot and it sticks to the plot. I love that very much.
The main issue I had with this book was my inability to put together either Jet or Taylor with the issues from their past that created the initial conflict of the book. It seemed as if it was a plot point that was tossed in so they could have past trauma that would indicate they are both wary of relationships, happiness, and love. But Taylor’s past barely seemed to affect him, his stress over his job seemed to be more important than anything else (but didn’t seem meant to affect him in the present), and early on in the book there were mentions of Taylor having chronic pain and repetitive stress pain issues, but those issues were never brought up again, making them feel like a throw-away plot point. And Jet’s main trauma was present for a grand sum of a few chapters before it was tossed aside and only mentioned with some grimaces and winces after that point.
All in all, it’s an all right read, but not Lindsey’s best. ...more
Sara Cate dedicates this book to “all the good girls”. All I can say is: thank goodness for all the good girls, because this book is both fire and balSara Cate dedicates this book to “all the good girls”. All I can say is: thank goodness for all the good girls, because this book is both fire and balm for the soul of any reader who loves good girls, dominant males, the kink community, and a big helping of praise and affirmation.
I know from experience that sometimes there’s nothing quite like being told you’ve been a good girl. The best girl. The sweetest girl. To be told you’re worth it–whatever “it” is. I also know there’s something about seeing someone being on their knees for you, being so sweet for you, doing anything and everything to please you. Yeah, I’m versatile like that.
A lot of authors write kink-centric books and they don’t feel authentic. They don’t read as authentic. It’s a manufactured experience. And yeah, so maybe that’s fiction and I shouldn’t be surprised, but since I’ve done my time in and out of clubs and parties and dynamics, I know good kink writing when I read it. This novel is the kind of BDSM-centric writing I wish every one of those novels could be, because it actually rang true for once.
Charlie’s curiosity once she discovered who she was working for felt as authentic as my own when I first encountered what some people can and will do behind closed doors (and sometimes not even closed doors, lol). At one point Charlie talks about it like it’s falling down a rabbit hole. To be honest, that’s exactly what it can feel like. Her first experience inside a working club read as honest and familiar from so many stories I’ve heard from fellow players before, and her full-on embrace of submission once she discovered it matches just as many stories. Sometimes, when something fits, it just fits. There’s no shame in that, and I fully believe that was one of Sara’s largest and most firm points in writing this book: don’t be ashamed of what you love, who you love, or what makes you happy. If your happiness comes while kneeling for your millionaire boss, then who’s anyone else to judge?
It’s a wonderful romance novel and an even better love letter to the BDSM community. ...more
“Pull” is actually a compilation of a few bonus scenes that comes after the original novel, “Push”, the novella “Pull”, which follows the Harper-Lockw“Pull” is actually a compilation of a few bonus scenes that comes after the original novel, “Push”, the novella “Pull”, which follows the Harper-Lockwood family as they attend their first Pride parade as a polyamorous throuple, and then a couple of more short stories that come after the time frame set in “Pull”. As the author states: You DO NOT want to read “Pull” if you haven’t read “Push”. Needless to say, you don’t want to skip “Push” anyway, because it’s a brilliant romance novel. One of my favorites of all time, in fact.
I’ve always wished for another novel to come after “Push”, even though I knew Nyla wrapped everything up nice and neat in the original novel, if only because the book was so scorching I just wanted more so I could revel in the hotness of it all. “Pull” does a great job of giving me what I want.. Which is mainly just more Ben and Ryan spicy goodness. I mean, just, whew! *fans self* Holy heck! Those two men! In the original novel they were already fogging up my glasses, but in this they take it to another level! The dirty talk is so on point. We get exhibitionism. We get role play. We get it rough and hard. We get it intense. And I loved it all.
I was surprisingly into the very first bonus scene in the book, which involves Ryan and Tate. I’m not going to spoil it, but for some reason, I thought it was hot. I guess that’s going to be a scene that’s not going to be for everyone, but I like what I like.
I love the dynamic between Ryan and Jess. They’re so similar, but not so similar that they’re the same person. And the way Jess gets turned on by her husbands is so similar to how I feel when I watch two guys makes her a really relatable character.
I’ve been a fan of Nyla K. ever since I read “Push” the first time, and I’m so glad this has been released to a wide audience. Polyamorous throuples deserve more love from the romance community at-large, in my opinion. Hopefully more authors start to pick up on polyamory soon. Us poly people would appreciate it. ...more
I like to think that every time Cara Dee releases a new book the romance book world gets a little brighter, because she’s just that good at what she dI like to think that every time Cara Dee releases a new book the romance book world gets a little brighter, because she’s just that good at what she does.
All of the books in The Game series have something to do with Daddy Doms, usually with an additional twist. This time, the additional twists are a beautiful romantic relationship between two submissives, with one of the submissives having a long standing crush on his ex-stepfather and the other having a crush on a Master in their community. This, in the end, makes for a delicious milieu of spice and play sure to thrill any fan of BDSM gay romance and especially of Cara Dee fans.
I loved the characters in this story, and I loved the plot equally so. Where the book faltered, just a little, was in letting the relationships between all four main characters fully develop and flourish in a natural manner. The pacing felt forced, if not outright pushed. Don’t get me wrong, I love fast-burn and low-angst, but with how much each character had going on it didn’t feel like it came from an organic place.
While this forced pacing didn’t outright ruin the book, it did affect my overall enjoyment of the book because it caused me to question the characters and their motives more than once. I felt worried for them because I thought they were all moving too fast and it would all fall apart. In the end, I was still a bit worried. For a book with a guaranteed HEA, that shouldn’t be happening.
But I’m looking forward to book 5, as this is one of my favorite MM romance series.
Thanks to Cara Dee and Xpresso Book Tours for this eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
Atonement is a fast-paced, smart, sexy novella that follows an estranged married couple (and also freelance intelligent agentsReal Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Atonement is a fast-paced, smart, sexy novella that follows an estranged married couple (and also freelance intelligent agents) as they are put together for an assignment after not seeing one another since their lives were torn apart several years prior when a mission went wrong.
I love a good novella. I love how authors are forced to pick and choose very carefully what they are going to sacrifice and what they are going to keep in the name of their writing muses in order to create, maintain, and finally put out a short and impactful story. The best novellas and short stories can tell us, in around 100 pages, just as much of (and as powerful of) a story as a full-length novel. Some of my favorite stories of all-time are novellas and short stories.
Atonement is entertaining enough, but I wouldn’t say it completely accomplishes what it set out to achieve. While there is a good amount of tension that suits any suspense novella, and the pace is suitably fast for the length, I think the frequent pauses left for emotional gravity between the estranged married couple that are our main characters lets up on the gas a little too much. If you add in the emotional angst and the light BDSM they engage in, it ends up letting up on the gas just that much more when it comes to the primary plot, leaving too much space for uneven pacing. To me, it ruined the natural ebb and flow a good suspense thriller like this should have. Instead, there were fits and starts that were out of place, and it showed.
Where this novella was at its best was in the fast-paced action scenes, the bitter and angry banter between the main characters, the steamy tension and build-up between them, and when they were working in tandem despite their differences.
While not an amazing short story, Atonement is certainly an entertaining one and worth the read. ...more
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