"I don’t know how to have a friend," Gage admits, finally putting me at ease. I like it when other people feel awkward because it makes me feel les"I don’t know how to have a friend," Gage admits, finally putting me at ease. I like it when other people feel awkward because it makes me feel less alone in my awkwardness. Quirks like company, I guess.
Sober Dope & Sundays is book 2 in the fabulous Nordika Night's Weekday Weirdos series. Like the first book in the series, Red Flags & Tuesdays, Sober Dope & Sundays was an unexpectedly quirky, funny and enchanting read, particularly given its dark-themed subject matter (addiction, recovery, relapse, mental health rep, amongst more).
Nordika Night handles the subject matter so beautifully, you can't help but get sucked into the journey these two amazing characters are on.
I totally adored Gage and Alexei. Gage literally WOULD NOT GIVE UP and Alexei was his brightness and strength, without giving up his own identity.
Although this book has dark themes, it's not a dark book; there's so much positivity and support to draw on, with the best parents (on both sides) and the best 'found family' support that you could wish for.
It's absolutely a romance, but it's not smutty or really spicy in any way; whilst the boys both fall quickly, they fall deeply in friendship and soulmateship first, and take baby steps with the intimacy.
"Somewhere, opposing forces raised weapons and unleashed bloodshed. And nearby, the rainforest watched us. And around us, the water flailed. This w"Somewhere, opposing forces raised weapons and unleashed bloodshed. And nearby, the rainforest watched us. And around us, the water flailed. This was how it felt to surrender and conquer. This was how it felt to kiss a villain."
Well, where to start?! I first read Dare by the sublime Natalia Jaster back in 2020 when it was the second book in the Foolish Kingdoms series and I adored it. Now 4 years later, the author is re-writing the series, making it way longer, expanding and developing all the amazing story lines, character arcs and world-building, and upping the spice rating ten-fold!
The first book Trick is now told across three books, the other two being Ruin and Burn, and all books in the series do need to be read in order, because whilst they are about different couples (Poet and Briar are across the first three books) they are all interlinked and there is one overarching story.
So back to Dare, which is Jeryn and Flare's story. Prince Jeryn is heir to the Winter Kingdom (Poet and Briar are from the Autumn court) and Flare is a 'born soul', considered 'less than' because of her inability to speak and her tendency for the dramatic; she has been imprisoned for most of her life.
They hate each other and they are obsessed with each other. Flare escapes from Summer's prison and Jeryn hunts her down. All the way to a tropical island undiscovered for centuries. Where things slowly start to change between them, as misunderstandings and revelations and life and death situations lead to lines being crossed, and the longing for things that can never be starts taking root in both of them....
What To Expect:
❣️MF fantasy romance ❣️Enemies to lovers ❣️Dark themes ❣️Forced proximity ❣️Forbidden ❣️Found family ❣️"Touch her and die" ❣️ALL THE STEAM! ❣️HFN
On the topic of steam, these are probably some of the longest spicy scenes, so be prepared!
As always, with Natalia's work, we have wonderfully diverse characters and fabulous representation. The writing is beautiful, such amazing prose, flowery and descriptive and divine. The world building is stunning and the characters sublime.
When we finally break apart, our chests are heaving as we struggle to catch our breath. Harry rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, hisWhen we finally break apart, our chests are heaving as we struggle to catch our breath. Harry rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his fingers still tangled in my hair. He finally withdraws. He opens his eyes and his blue gaze pierces mine. “It appears you are still a necessity,” he says.
I totally loved this! Toby and Harry are divine. The Unlikely Pair is such a feel-good read and I highly commend a read of the first book in the Unlikely Dilemmas series by the wonderful Jax Calder - The Unlikely Heir - too.
What To Expect:
❥ rivals to friends to lovers ❥ politicians ❥ opposites attract ❥ forced proximity ❥ first times ❥ LOL moments ❥ HEA
"Seconds ticked by . . . The kiss went on . . . Zee’s tail flicked. Victor rocked with the motion of their embrace. Erm. Maybe they should ge"Seconds ticked by . . . The kiss went on . . . Zee’s tail flicked. Victor rocked with the motion of their embrace. Erm. Maybe they should get a room? I shouldn’t watch, but also couldn’t look away. Zee and Victor, tongue-wrestling, hand-grabbing. There was even some hip action going on. Mercy, they were spicy hot."
Ariana Nash continues the craziness in book 5 of her SOS Hotel series. Adam's troubles continue in SOS Hotel: No Rest for the Wicked and in this instalment, we have gremlins. Gremlins and murdery pixies. Oh and did I mention the MMM action is going up a notch. Or three......
To be continued in book - SOS Hotel: Luxury to Die for- and I can't wait for more not-quite-so-human Adam Vex and his boys!
"Something about him drew me like a moth to a flame, which was only a problem because most of the time, he looked at me as if he couldn’t ever trus"Something about him drew me like a moth to a flame, which was only a problem because most of the time, he looked at me as if he couldn’t ever trust me, as if he didn’t even like me, when all I saw in him was safety. A place to lay down my head and rest, knowing that he’d have my back while I slept."
Kiss a Villain is book 1 in the No Mercy duet by debut author Mia Darling, and what a totally fabulous debut this was! I was sucked in from the very first chapter and inhaled the entire book over one (sleepless!) night. I totally adored our gorgeously innocent despite the horror, pining mafia prince Yarik, but my heart is still with that beautifully broken lonely Bratva boy, Kirill. So much angst!
"I leaned heavily against my desk and rubbed my face with both hands. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with already. Despite everything Hayden ha"I leaned heavily against my desk and rubbed my face with both hands. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with already. Despite everything Hayden had said about being independent, I had the intrinsic feeling that the biggest challenge and responsibility, and hopefully the biggest joy, of my life had just come thumping down on my shoulders."
His Captor is book two in the Omegas After Dark series by MM Farmer but can be read as a standalone. Despite the title, this isn't a dark romance and notwithstanding a short kidnapping, it's a quick and angst-less read.
"The world exploded into deafening silence as their lips touched. Thousands of threads had interwoven into their lives, some severed, some stitched"The world exploded into deafening silence as their lips touched. Thousands of threads had interwoven into their lives, some severed, some stitched tight, all of them carrying traces of memories of the years they’d spent in each other’s company."
"Luca glares at me for a moment longer, before his expression softens and his lips tilt up in a soft smile. And as I hold his gaze, I can’t help bu"Luca glares at me for a moment longer, before his expression softens and his lips tilt up in a soft smile. And as I hold his gaze, I can’t help but smile as well, and send him a silent thank you. As irritating as he can be, he’s also the only one that can really get me out of my head, and help me find my way home."
Choke Hold is the second and final book in the No Holds Barred duology by Eve Holmes and my love affair with Ty and Luca continues! Whilst I didn't lose myself in this one quite like I did with Hooks In, it was still a fabulous ending to their story.
"Yeah, I’m a team captain. I play an aggressive, full-contact sport, but I like when he makes decisions for me. I don’t want to think anymore. It’s"Yeah, I’m a team captain. I play an aggressive, full-contact sport, but I like when he makes decisions for me. I don’t want to think anymore. It’s dangerous in my head. My body reacts to him like it never has before, and I’m already desperate to see what else he can do to me."
Off Sides is book 3 in the Darby U Hockey Boys series by Andi Jaxon and this is Nick and Joey's story. We first met the boys briefly in Hidden Scars and then again in novella form, in the Worthy: A Pride Anthology. Now, finally, they get themselves a full lenth story.
Recall, Nick is the confident star player of the Darby U football team and Joey is the Darby U hockey captain, strong on the field but oh, so submissive in the bedroom. I loved how accepting Nick was of Joey's insecurities and their steamy times together were as hot as you would expect with an AJ read. You'll never look at a cinnamon roll in the same way again!
"He’s so needy for me. What the hell kind of partners has he been with that couldn’t figure him out? Did they not care, or did he just not tell them what he needed?"
What to Expect:
❥ Dual POV ❥ MM sports romance ❥ One night stand turns into more ❥ Hurt/comfort ❥ Daddy vibes ❥ Steamy times ❥ Angsty themes ❥ HEA
Adam's troubles continue. Turns out the hotel definitely has a gremlin problem, Zodiac is becoming more and more irresistable, Gideon Cain is unrelenting and Reynard has a damn wife!
This is still just MM as far as the romance goes, with Adam falling for BOTH his business partners in book one, but you just know this is going to end up as MMM once the demon and the vampire sort out their differences - and who doesn't adore an enemies to lovers show-down?!
Adam's troubles continue. Turns out the hotel definitely has a gremlin problem, Zodiac is becoming more and more irresistable, Gideon Cain is unrelenting and Reynard has a damn wife!
This is still just MM as far as the romance goes, with Adam falling for BOTH his business partners in book one, but you just know this is going to end up as MMM once the demon and the vampire sort out their differences - and who doesn't adore an enemies to lovers show-down?!
"He was wrong. Wrong about everything. But mostly, wrong about me. He couldn’t enthrall me. It wasn’t possible. Because I wasn’t human, and never h"He was wrong. Wrong about everything. But mostly, wrong about me. He couldn’t enthrall me. It wasn’t possible. Because I wasn’t human, and never had been. And he could never know."
I am absolutely loving these shorter, funnier yet still spicy, character and story-driven books, from the fabulous Ariana Nash (no offence to Adam Vex!) SOS Hotel: For a Supernaturally Safe Stay! is book one of (at least!) three books in her latest PNR urban fantasy series, SOS Hotel.
Adam Vex is the human (or is he?!) hotelier narrator of the books. He runs a sanctuary for supernatural Lost Ones, the SOS Hotel, with the help of his business partners, the gorgeous lust demon Zodiac and the sophisticated billionaire vampire Lord Reynard, who may or may not be up to something untoward.
Throw in an AI bartender called Tom Collins who's intent on poisoning half the guests, a vicious demon called Sebastien who has a secret hold over Zodiac, a murder (or two) on the hotel's opening night, an interfering detective and a psychotic real-estate mogul called Gideon Cain who wants to see Adam exposed in all the ways, and you have the recipe for a perfect storm!
This is a MM PNR, with Adam falling for both his business partners in book one. But you just know this is going to end up MMM once the demon and the vampire sort out their differences - and who doesn't adore an enemies to lovers show-down?!
"He was wrong. Wrong about everything. But mostly, wrong about me. He couldn’t enthrall me. It wasn’t possible. Because I wasn’t human, and never had been. And he could never know."
I am absolutely loving these shorter, funnier yet still spicy, character and story-driven books, from the fabulous Ariana Nash (no offence to Adam Vex!) SOS Hotel: For a Supernaturally Safe Stay! is book one of (at least!) three books in her latest PNR urban fantasy series, SOS Hotel.
Adam Vex is the human (or is he?!) hotelier narrator of the books. He runs a sanctuary for supernatural Lost Ones, the SOS Hotel, with the help of his business partners, the gorgeous lust demon Zodiac and the sophisticated billionaire vampire Lord Reynard, who may or may not be up to something untoward.
Throw in an AI bartender called Tom Collins who's intent on poisoning half the guests, a vicious demon called Sebastien who has a secret hold over Zodiac, a murder (or two) on the hotel's opening night, an interfering detective and a psychotic real-estate mogul called Gideon Cain who wants to see Adam exposed in all the ways, and you have the recipe for a perfect storm!
This is a MM PNR, with Adam falling for both his business partners in book one. But you just know this is going to end up MMM once the demon and the vampire sort out their differences - and who doesn't adore an enemies to lovers show-down?!
"His kiss swept me out to sea and drowned me, the world fading into nothingness and my body and mind going pliant."
The Captive's Curse is another "His kiss swept me out to sea and drowned me, the world fading into nothingness and my body and mind going pliant."
The Captive's Curse is another really enjoyable read in Eliot Grayson's Twilight Mages series. This is book 2 and it's Cyril and Enzo's story. Whilst it follows The Royal Curse and we do meet the MCs from that book briefly again in this one, The Captive's Curse can definitely be read as standalone.
Again, Eliot Grayson provides some great world-building, hilarious (and hot!) MCs, sinister side-characters, top of the range snark, a mad as hell ghost, laugh out loud moments and off the chart steam all at the same time! The world of the Twilight Mages is definitely one I can recommend.
"His body crashes against mine, and then his hands are in my hair and his lips are on mine. He pins me in place, kissing me like he might crumple i"His body crashes against mine, and then his hands are in my hair and his lips are on mine. He pins me in place, kissing me like he might crumple into a million pieces of nothing if he doesn’t. The chill from the past few days gets chased away by Zahn’s fire, and I don’t know what’s happening right now, but I pull him against me and kiss him back with just as much fervor. My breathing picks up, becoming erratic and wild, making my head pound."
Dare to be Different is book 5 of a proposed series of 7 and is an MM best friends to lovers romance. It was my first foray into the Dare Brothers series and thank goodness for Nordika Night's fabulous recap of the previous four books at the start, so I knew exactly what I was getting into!
I am now heading back to read the first four books in order (they are MF, MF, MF and MFM respectively) and then (because why wouldn't I?!) I'll re-read Dare to be Different, which is Zahn and Remy's story.
Dare to be Different is absolutely hilarious! Between the bestie banter, family snark and Mama Dare's feisty one liners and porch advice, I was sucked in from page one.
"First time l've had a load of cum all over my abs. Didn't hate it." "Oh, good," Mom says sarcastically. "We're having glazed cake for dessert. Fits the theme."
And of course Zahn and Remy are just totally delicious!
"I’ll still be here. In everything around you, even when you feel nothing at all. I’ll be every star in the sky, watching over you. I’ll never be s"I’ll still be here. In everything around you, even when you feel nothing at all. I’ll be every star in the sky, watching over you. I’ll never be so far away that you can’t see me if you look. Just… wait for me."
Beyond Reason is the second book in the Beyond series by Lee McCormick, and whilst they are standalones in that they feature a new couple, they are better read in order because of the overlap in themes, timelines and the overarching story. This is Xavier and Axel's story.
Sorry, that person's shelf is private.
Julia (bookish.jka)
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