Bubblegum Pop is author Abigail Hunter’s (writing as Abby Hunter) debut omegaverse novel in the Suck It Up omegaverse series, set in the town of KnottBubblegum Pop is author Abigail Hunter’s (writing as Abby Hunter) debut omegaverse novel in the Suck It Up omegaverse series, set in the town of Knottinghill. As such, the series itself is labeled “Suck It Up”, while the universe is known as “Knottinghill”. (I’m noting this because at first I was a little confused, so I thought I would un-confuse it for anyone else that might be in the same position).
I’ve recently begun to assess the light to dark scale of omegaverse romances based on a 6-point scale that was inspired by a coffee roasting chart. 1 is a light omegaverse, and 6 is a pitch black omegaverse. Bubblegum Pop falls at about a 4 on the omegaverse roast scale: The story itself isn’t too dark, but the way it’s executed (along with some story elements that could be very triggering to some, so watch your TW/CWs) could be considered dark.
In the teasers and promos for this book, Hunter told us to expect a lot of smut, heats, knots, and nesting. The first thing is true: There is a huge amount of smut in this book. Now, I love a smutty book, and since this book is about a sex worker and her bodyguards working in a huge brothel I don’t think the amount of smut written into this book is invalid or out of character. Also, The way Hunter has chosen to write her omegaverse (sometimes authors write their omegaverses with a little tweak here and there) means that the fast burn and hypersexuality are completely in character for alphas and omegas in this universe.
Are there heats? Yes, but most of them aren’t on page. Are there knots? Yes, so many. Is there nesting? Yes. There’s also a lot of trauma (both on and off page), angst, violence, mental health issues, manipulation, coercion, extortion, and blackmail.
It was interesting, hot, and entertaining. I’m curious about where Hunter’s going with this and what she’s going to do next.
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.
The wake for Elena’s dad, head of the Amante crime family, isn’t even over before she catches her brother selling her off to a pack over the phone wheThe wake for Elena’s dad, head of the Amante crime family, isn’t even over before she catches her brother selling her off to a pack over the phone when her father had always told her she would have a choice when it came to finally packing up. Now not even trusting the bodyguard she’s in love with, she swallows her pride and decides to run and hide in the sex club/casino known as the High Roller. At least at the High Roller she can still make her own choices.
Elena’s a striking contrast of an omega, and I fell in love with her immediately. She’s a hopeless romantic, but she’s no swooning doormat. She wants to know what it is to love and be loved in return, but you had better do it with some respect for her as a person or not do it all. She can be spiteful and vindictive, which are two things I love seeing in FMCs and never get to see enough of. She’s your good girl if you’re good to her, but she’s a hellion if you get on her bad side. I was here for it.
Her pack is nicely complicated too, full of family conflict, resentment, emotional trauma, and hurt feelings that have lain buried under the guise of duty. There is no sword-crossing action in this one, but there is a very nice twin sandwich scene.
The plot is where this one gets a touch wiggly, but I really think the characters make up for so much of it. I enjoyed the whole book a great deal.
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.
We’re Sara Cate readers, so of course we love our good girls and good boys; however, we also love it when our good girls and boys go bad, too. That’s We’re Sara Cate readers, so of course we love our good girls and good boys; however, we also love it when our good girls and boys go bad, too. That’s exactly what The Home Wrecker has in store: A sweet married couple with a silly daughter who live in the suburbs and have gotten caught in a very big rut (not that kind of rut, get your head out of the omegaverse). What do these two happy marrieds need? A bit of a shake up. And if that shake up just happens to come in the shade of tall, dark, tattooed, sexy, and working at the local sex club? Well, they’re good people and he needs a place to stay. Charity begins at home, right?
Did I like The Home Wrecker as much as The Anti-Hero? No. Does that mean it isn’t good? Absolutely not. Sara Cate is just as amazing as always. I don’t know what it was about this book that just didn’t make it hit 100% with me, but it had nothing to do with the quality of the book or the writing. I just couldn’t vibe with it all the way. It happens with the best of authors, and Sara’s an auto-buy author for me anyway.
I did love just about every character in this book, especially Caleb with his need to please, his daddy issues, his protective instincts, and his endless well of love. I also adored Dean for every interaction he had with little Abby, because sometimes adults who’ve never interacted with kids have some of the most honest interactions with them.
I’m excited for this series to continue because this family is so interesting and I love seeing them learn, love, and grow.
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 waiting for Sean’s story since the first Elite Escort’s MM book because there’s nothing quite like seeing what happens when a playboy falls I’ve been waiting for Sean’s story since the first Elite Escort’s MM book because there’s nothing quite like seeing what happens when a playboy falls in love. When the hints dropped in Two Chances that Sean was going to go back to college, I was happy la-la at the idea of Sean in a forbidden professor-student romance. The terrific news is this is one hot romance.
Sean has decided to go back to college to get his MBA mainly because he wants to stick it to his old man that he can put in the work and dedication to things just like his big brother, Micah. He sees Micah as the golden boy of the family and he longs for acknowledgment and praise. (I totally feel Sean on this, considering I went to college at 30 specifically to prove I could–but my fuel was spite not affirmation). On the first day of classes he meets Professor Matteo D’Angelo, a widower, who finds himself inexplicably drawn to Sean even though he’s never looked at a man at any point in his entire life. Sean’s thrown deep into the biggest crush of his life and Professor D’Angelo finds himself racked with guilt over being attracted to someone for the first time since he lost his wife (not to mention the terror that comes from finding yourself attracted to one of your students).
I love forbidden romances, and the professor/student dynamic is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to the forbidden tropes. The fact that Sean is an older student and there’s a 10-plus year age gap between him and Matteo doesn’t lessen the hotness of it at all. It’s not quite grumpy-sunshine, but Matteo’s more stoic and mature nature does contrast nicely with Sean’s effervescent and sunny spirit. Matteo needs someone to lighten up his life and Sean needs someone to ground him. They each bring something to the relationship and that’s always a good thing.
I enjoyed the subplot in this book, as well as catching up with Micah and getting to know a couple of the other Elite MM escorts as well. It’s always nice when we get to meet some side characters. It was a great read!
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: Age Gap Romance/Book Series/Contemporary Romance/Forbidden Romance/Gay Romance/Kink Friendly/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Sex Worker/Spice Level 3 ...more
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
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.
Two Chances is the second book in Lynn Burke’s LGBTQ Elite Escorts spin-off series. This book is mostly taking place, time-wise, concurrently with theTwo Chances is the second book in Lynn Burke’s LGBTQ Elite Escorts spin-off series. This book is mostly taking place, time-wise, concurrently with the first book in this series, One Night.
In One Night we met both of the main characters for Two Chances: Kellen, one of Elite’s LGBTQ escorts, and JJ, the lead detective on the criminal case that’s part of the central plot for One Night. Kellen and JJ come across one another briefly on the courthouse steps during One Night when JJ approaches Mason for a conversation and in this book we get to see that same interaction from both Kellen and JJ’s perspectives near the very beginning of the book.
On my spice meter, this book merits a 2 out of 3. The spice is explicit but not prolific or kinky. The chemistry between Kellen and JJ is something that can’t be faked, though, and these two have it in spades.
I’ve come to appreciate LGBTQ romance novels that take place at a more mature age. Both of the main characters in this book are middle-aged, and sometimes it’s refreshing to see both characters at the same point in their lives, needing a fresh start at a later stage. I love a good age difference or a good college love story, but sometimes people find themselves needing love later in life, too, and it’s nice to see those stories.
That’s why I had a hard time with the way both JJ and Kellen handled their individual issues. Their approaches didn’t match their professions or their ages. Both sex workers and police officers are often in need of therapy, yet neither of these men have sought help. It’s rather irresponsible. This is kind of what turned me a little sour on the book. It wasn’t enough to drop the rating significantly, though, because I still greatly enjoyed the read.
Lynn Burke continues to write consistently great romance novels and I’m happy to ride along.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. 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.
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.
Discovering Damon is the third book in Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes’ immensely enjoyable Behind the Camera series, which features beautiful camboys fallDiscovering Damon is the third book in Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes’ immensely enjoyable Behind the Camera series, which features beautiful camboys falling in love. I really, really enjoy this particular subgenre of romance, whether it’s camgirls or camboys. To be honest, I enjoy any and all romance novels that delve into sex worker subgenres, because I’m sex positive and sex worker positive and believe that visibility helps in the destigmatization of sex workers as a whole.
This time around we have the outgoing, unapologetically femme Damon (gorgeous and fabulous from head to toe every day, thank you very much) who is house/dog sitting for Carter’s moms (in case you need a memory check, Carter is one of the MMCs from the first book in this series, Reaching Reed) and is lusting after their neighbor, a hunky mechanic named Tomas. Alas, Tomas is straight (because of course he is) but he’s also very nice. Damon is a smitten kitten but knows that even if Tomas gets a little…curious…that he probably should keep his distance because curious men have a tendency to break hearts.
Yes, this is a bi-awakening book with a more gay-for-you vibe, but I am honestly a sucker for anything Cora Rose writes and for this writing duo when paired together. It helps that I love a good mechanic character who’s secure in his masculinity enough to do face masks and let someone do exfoliating treatments on him. Tomas may be blue collar with calloused hands and more used to drinking cheap beer than champagne, but he’ll try just about anything for Damon, because Damon absolutely fascinates him. Revelations can come at any point in our lives, and that’s part of the appeal of bi-awkening and gay-awakening novels.
Tomas and Damon are so sweet and sexy together, all desperation and hunger in bed and cuddles out of it. The spice is on point and the fluff is cute as heck. I 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 love it when Lynn hits all my sweet spots…in her writing, of course. What, did you think I meant it another way? You must have as dirty of a mind asI love it when Lynn hits all my sweet spots…in her writing, of course. What, did you think I meant it another way? You must have as dirty of a mind as I do!
One Night has all the best things I love about Lynn’s writing wrapped up into a lovely gay romance with a suspense subplot that could be potentially triggering (so be on the lookout for TW/CW if they’re in the final copy or make sure you look for them online).
I mean, I absolutely adore Daddy-looking bottoms and femme tops. I mean, I swoon! I don’t know what it is about it: I think it’s the visual combined with the subversion of the traditional roles? I just find it hot, hot, hot! Then Lynn went and added one of my biggest weaknesses in the world: dirty talk. So we’ve got an older, bigger, silver fox bottom with a younger, femme top that talks dirty. The spicy scenes are smoking hot. They can’t keep their hands off one another. What’s not to love?
Mason and Jasper (our MMCs) are just so easy to love, too. I recognize Mason’s childhood trauma in a way, having been raised by a narcissistic mother myself (even though narcissistic mothers raise their daughters differently than they raise their sons), and Jasper’s childhood abuse is sadly not an uncommon tale for gay males who long to express their feminine side from a young age. Mason’s anxiety is also something that resonated with me and made me feel for him.
It was terrific to see old friends from both Due Process and Unholy Yearning in this book, especially since I loved both of those books so much.
This was a great book to start off this spin-off series with. I’m looking forward to the next!
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/Age Gap Romance/Book Series/Book Universe/Contemporary Romance/Gay Romance/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Sex Worker/Spice Level 3/Suspense ...more
Second Go-Round is my favorite Elite Escorts book thus far! After a few days of reading dense thrillers and one disappointing YA fantasy, I was so hapSecond Go-Round is my favorite Elite Escorts book thus far! After a few days of reading dense thrillers and one disappointing YA fantasy, I was so happy to snuggle down and drown myself in a spicy, emotionally-charged suspense romance where the man falls first and the lady knows what she likes and isn’t afraid to show it. I love a woman who has a high “body count” and isn’t ashamed of it. The world would certainly know more peace if more people had regular…releases, if you will. So cheers to Christine, our protagonist, for being sex-positive and reveling in that pleasure. I salute you.
I loved how both Christine and Jarod essentially had the same issue with intimacy but came at it from opposite sides of the issue: Christine doesn’t want to let anyone close because she doesn’t want to face the prospect of losing them one day, and Jarod doesn’t want to let anyone close because bringing people close makes you too vulnerable to being hurt. Christine’s parents loved each other so much it nearly broke her father when her mother died, and Jarod’s parents cared more about hurting one another than being there for him when he was ill. It’s no wonder then that Jarod is the one to fall first, because Christine is obviously a good person with a good heart capable of doing extremely generous or even selfless things for her loved ones. How is Jarod supposed to keep his walls up in the face of someone without artifice?
Jarod is genuinely a good guy who really enjoys giving and sharing pleasure. He’s persistent, diligent, and determined. He has a filthy mouth and a body built for sin. Christine hypnotizes him from the start, but it isn’t until he realizes just how much more there is to her than the imprint of his one night with her in his memory that he gets how much he’s stuck on her.
I loved watching these two strong, confident people realize and admit how scared they were of one another. They’re both people who don’t allow themselves to feel the deeper emotions easily because when they do those emotions are like the deepest wells they have. It’s scary to think of allowing someone that deep inside of you (Emotionally, people. Jeez).
I did think there would be a bit more suspense in the plot, but in the end I did love the book as it was. I hate beer and football, but I love people who have passion, and both Jarod and Christine are people who have a great deal of passion for the things and people they truly love. The characters are truly what make this book great. Well, that and excellent spice.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
This is a really sweet, soft, slow-burn suspense romance entry into Lynn Burke’s Elite Escort series featuring two main characters who have both been This is a really sweet, soft, slow-burn suspense romance entry into Lynn Burke’s Elite Escort series featuring two main characters who have both been burned by love and are finding it hard to put themselves out there again, let alone trust anyone with their hearts.
If you know me, I’m not a fan of slow burns. I’m an impatient person, both while reading and in real-life. But for the right book and the right reasons, I can put my thirst on hold. In the case of this book, the slow burn is not only earned, but completely warranted. Both Reid (our MMC) and Jessica (our FMC) may be physically on board with twisting and winding around one another in between the bedsheets when they first spend time alone together, but neither one of them are quite emotionally or mentally there yet. Especially Jessica, who has a lot more at stake since she’s got a cute as heck daughter at home and she works hard every day to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.
Reid is in carpentry and construction during the day and, up until he meets Jessica, specializes as a “third wheel” escort for Elite Escorts. Essentially, his speciality is being brought in by couples to help give the woman in the relationship double the pleasure. He meets Jessica when he pinch hits a date for a fellow escort who called out sick. It turns out to be the night that changed his entire life.
Everything about this book is sweet and thoughtful even while the interactions between Reid and Jessica thrum with sexual chemistry and tension. In the scenes when they do eventually give into those pulse-pounding needs, wants, and desires, the spice is well-written and the passion doesn’t feel forced.
This is a very solid novel for Lynn, and a great entry for this series.
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: Book Series/Contemporary Romance/Romance Series/Sex Work Content/Spice Level 2/Suspense Romance ...more
I was really impressed by the first book in this series, Reaching Reed. Back then I hadn’t read any of Nicole Dykes work, but I really liked how theseI was really impressed by the first book in this series, Reaching Reed. Back then I hadn’t read any of Nicole Dykes work, but I really liked how these two authors worked together. My opinion hasn’t changed because Becoming Bennet is just as good as Reaching Reed, just in a different way.
I think some people may have read Reaching Reed and looked for too much of Cora Rose’s influence in it from reading her more dramedy-like books like Sem and Until Him and when they didn’t get that same vibe, they might have been disappointed. But I felt that Reaching Reed was this really nice blend of spicy, soft, and sweet, with the two characters coming together more naturally than they do in most Cora Rose books. And it was refreshing. When two authors choose to co-author books it can either go disastrously (I’ve seen that happen), or those two authors can coax out the best of each other’s talents and temper some of their more signature ones to create a harmonious duet of voices on the page.
Becoming Bennet skews more towards dramedy, almost reaching into romcom territory. I think I would’ve liked it to be a little softer, but I truly do like it as it is too.
I did have an issue with the California stereotypes in this book, but that may be because of where I live in California. Becoming Bennet takes place almost entirely in Kansas, which is where Bennet was born and raised in a very small town. Jasper, the other MMC, is from San Diego (as are the other Behind the Camera characters who show up later in the book) and they all act like they’ve never been to a farm or been around farm animals and that the notion of big skies and flat fields for miles is foreign to them. In reality, San Diego County has the largest number of small farms (less than 10 acres) out of any other county in the US and also has the largest number of organic producers out of all the counties in the US. Agriculture is the 5th largest industry in San Diego County. They have great nurseries, floriculture, apples in the mountains, are the number one producer of avocados in the country, tomatoes, citrus fruit, succulents, a large crop of strawberries every year along the coast, some coffee, and cannabis. In the city itself many people keep chickens in their yards for their eggs. San Diego has at least 44 regular farmer’s markets in the city. So I find it very hard to believe that all of the homegrown San Diego guys in this series have never had contact with a chicken or have never been on a farm. You would not believe the amount of people who love going to farms to pick their own produce (up here in northern California people will pay a lot to pick their own berries and apples).
I’m sorry to go off on a tangent like that. It’s just… California is a really big place with a ton of people, and we produce most of America’s fruits and veggies. We have farms and more farms. Especially if you live near the coast or in a valley. (Please note this did not affect my enjoyment of the book and did not in any way influence my rating but is more of a “this really bugs me” thing).
I loved Bennet so much. I love how sure he is of himself, his sexuality, his job, and how he feels about Jasper. He has Jasper’s number and he’s one determined man. He wants to crack Jasper open like the tough nut he is. I also love how passionate and patient he is about making Jasper come around. He’s loyal and invested. That loyalty and investment also extends to his family, and the way his heart is so tangled with guilt and sadness over how he hasn’t been to see them enough is completely relatable. Sometimes we’re born in a place we can’t stay in for many reasons. Bennet’s lucky that his family loves him and tries their hardest to understand him.
Jasper’s a jagged little thing. If there’s one more thing I wished this book had done it was go more into Jasper: where he came from, why he is the way he is, and how he deals with his demons (we all have demons). We got to know Bennet so much during this book, but I felt like we barely touched getting to know Jasper. I would’ve liked more peeks into his psyche. (Though his scene in the petting zoo made me so, so, so happy).
I don’t know if I need to tell you the spice is perfect. Because if you know this writing duo you gotta know the spice is ghost pepper hot, right? It is. It’s downright yummy. And it’s not just during the spice scenes: It’s almost an omnipresent thing, their chemistry and tension evident in words and actions throughout the book. They can’t keep their minds off of one another at first, and once their hands get involved they can’t keep those off one another either, quickly followed by just about every other body part.
It’s a really fun, sweet, and hot read. There are some truly funny scenes and some that are truly touching. Check it out!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I am a sucker for romance novels involving sex workers. I’m not ashamed to say that, considering there are myriad other romance novel tropes I won’t nI am a sucker for romance novels involving sex workers. I’m not ashamed to say that, considering there are myriad other romance novel tropes I won’t necessarily admit to many people. I’m all pro-sex worker over here, though, so I feel safe in admitting my love for rent boys, escorts, and call girls.
Fourth Attempt is the introductory novel to Lynn Burke’s latest romance novel series, Elite Escorts, which is indeed about a male escort agency. Our MMC in this story, Blake, is not an escort, however. He’s friends with the owner and sometimes fills in as a pinch hitter for non-sexual encounters from time to time though when asked. So I wouldn’t classify this story to be a male escort romance but more of a taster, if you will, of the Elite Escorts world and all the books to follow coming up in the series.
Fourth Attempt follows Wren, a touch-starved, poor, fiercely independent, and very hard-working pharmacology student at the local college who also works part-time at a local pharmacy. She’s got less than a year until she graduates and she’s just trying to keep her eyes on the prize. When her eyes get tired of looking at the prize, they stray across the street to where a construction company is building a luxury condo building that will eventually block her beloved view of the river. Yeah, she’s a little salty, but she knows there’s nothing to be done about it. In the meantime, though, she can ogle the workers, especially the man in charge, Blake. Blake is definitely something like a swift-moving river: look, but don’t touch. Dangerous to her fragile heart and her laser focus. So Wren keeps to herself and lets her fantasies stay where she thinks they belong: firmly in her head.
The hitch in Wren’s plans to be left alone to fantasize in private about Blake first come about when the two run into each other briefly in front of the Victorian she rents out the attic apartment on, and then again when Blake comes into her pharmacy to buy some sinus medication and realizes how attracted he is to her.
From this point on, Fourth Attempt alternates from being fluffy and sweet, emotional and endearing, and spicy hot. Not in any certain order, mind you, it simply has ups and downs and happy middles. The characters go through transformations, of course, and they have their highs, lows, and very lows. They also have their sweet, sour, gloomy, and absolutely desperate for one another moments.
I thought the pacing was a little off on the book as a whole, but it wasn’t bad enough to affect my enjoyment of the book. It’s a sweet, fluffy, racy romance that’s meant to let you escape the world for a while. Enjoy!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All ideas, thoughts, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Contemporary Romance/Erotica/LGBTQ Friendly/Romance Series/Sex Work Content/Spice Level 3 ...more
This book was a change of pace from the first two Mike Bravo Ops books in a big way and I have to say, I’m still a little off-kilter about it.
Don’t tThis book was a change of pace from the first two Mike Bravo Ops books in a big way and I have to say, I’m still a little off-kilter about it.
Don’t take that to mean the book isn’t good, because it is. It’s merely a different vibe and speed than the previous two books, and a different feel than most of Eden Finley’s books. This book is more about connection, both making it and keeping it, than it is about almost anything else. Lemon is a stripper who is afraid of true connection and Atlas is someone who longs for true connection and is patient enough to wait for it. This is definitely not grumpy/sunshine–this is shy/uninhibited. They’re both either far too nice or too protective to be either grumpy or sunshine. If anything, they’re a lot alike, save Lemon is more apt to be taken advantage of because he isn’t trained to pick up on things about human behavior like Atlas has.
This book is a slow burn for an Eden Finley book, and that surprised me. I actually thought it was too long of a wait for the length of the book and wasn’t justified by the plot. I can see her reasoning for the wait in the writing, but it still bothered me and didn’t sit quite right with me. And when the spice did come, it wasn’t as fulfilling as I’d hoped it would be.
The few brief appearances by the rest of the Mike Bravo team were entertaining, as always, but they felt almost wedged in at times instead of seamlessly slotted.
Overall, did I like the book? Of course I did. Eden Finley doesn’t write bad books or even mediocre ones. I just think she’s written better. The book is still a very worthy read and you’ll love the precocious minx, Lemon. He’ll steal your heart and run away with it.
A copy of this title was provided to me by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Contemporary Romance/LGBTQ Fiction/LGBTQ Romance/Military Romance/Romance Series/Sadenverse/Sex Work Content/Spice Level 2/Workplace Romance ...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
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