Blurb:Ā Ben Miles always knew it was tough being a human sheriff to a town occupied by monsters. When Ben falls hard for a monster of his own in the form of werebear mechanic Griffin, Ben knew his entire life was about to change. For the better or worse, Ben isnāt entirely sure, but heās certain the sparks between Griffin and he wonāt die down any time soon. Would picking Griffin mean surrendering his career in law enforcement or could he find a balance between love of his bear and love of his job?
Griffin Dawsonās only been obsessed about two things, fixing cars and a particularly smart-mouthed and strong-willed human sheriff. When destiny leads him to Ben, Griffin knows its time he made his move. Ben was born to be his mate and nothing would get in the way of him claiming Ben, not even a war between his bear clan and the resident werewolf biker gang.
Review: Griffin and Ben have been dancing around each other for a while.
It takes Ben getting attacked by one of reapers wolves for Griffin to make his move. But the sheriff has his own mind and despite Griffin wanting him to stay safe and out of danger Ben has a job to do with finding proof against the wolf pack and their shady dealings to get rid of them for good.
Great read with plenty of suspense, danger and action.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (21st March 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb:Ā Ezra Kellerman flew across the country to see if he had another chance with the man he let slip through his fingers. He didn’t. Rico has moved on, but he doesn’t just leave his ex high and dry. Instead Rico entrusts his family and friends with Ezra’s care. Ezra, confused, hurt, and lost, clings to Rico’s cousin and his boyfriend as the lifelines they are – but their friend, Miguel, is another story.
Miguel Rodriguez had great plans and ambition – but a hearty dose of real life crushed those flat. When Miguel finds himself partially in charge of the befuddled, dreamy, healing Ezra, he’s pretty resentful at first. But Ezra’s placid nature and sincere wonder at the simple life Miguel has taken for granted begin to soften Miguel’s hardened shell. Miguel starts to notice that Ezra isn’t just amazingly sweet – he’s achingly beautiful as well. Suddenly Miguel is fending off every sin-gle man on the planet to give Ezra room to get over Rico – while fighting a burning suspicion that the best thing to help Ezra get over his broken heart is Miguel.
Review: Bitter Taffy is the second book in Amy Laneās Candy Man series. Iāve have come to enjoy some of Laneās books and this book is no exception. I find the writing style is really accessible, in that it is well written and very expressive without too much complicated language, so itās easy to relax and read or listen to the book. The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.
Candy Man has a really cute premise. Itās about this almost hippy-like guy, Darren, who runs a boutique candy store in Old Sacramento and just so happens to have psychic visions about the people that he needs to help, i.e. people that are down on their luck and may not be looking for love but are gonna get it anyway. Really cool.
I remember that I tried reading this book years ago without reading ā or realising ā that there were other books in the series before it. I donāt think it went down well, maybe, but to be fair I donāt remember it at all. Regardless, Iām here to say, I recommend hearing this one in order. Also, Iām here to say that I loved listening to the audio and I loved the story.
Lollipop is a story of redemption in a lot of way. Ezra is the ex of Rico from book 2, Ezra regrets how he handled things back in New York at his fatherās company. Ezra bowed to his strict Jewish fatherās wishes. But a mental breakdown changed that and sent him to Sacramento to make amends.
However, Ezra doesnāt allow himself to stop and think what would happen if Rico had moved on, and for those that already heard book 2, you know that Rico has indeed moved on. Instead, he is not only befriended by Ricoās tough looking, ex-army cousin, Adam (who along with Darren and the dog Clopper and cat Jacob, are the common threads for this series) and Adamās boyfriend, another friend of Rico and Adamās takes Ezra under his wing.
Miguel Rodriguez has already had one failed business, which took him back to working at the store Candy Heaven. He is very family orientated and is all around a great, fun loving guy. Heās just still bruised by his failed attempt at going into business for himself. But Miguelās life changes when he meets Ezra while dog and cat sitting Clopper and Jacob. He feels for Ricoās ex and wants to make the guy comfortable. They have an easy friendship and an instant connection. Although they donāt rush into any romance, the friendship is beautiful and patient as both men come to care greatly for the other.
This is another sweet, low-angst romance that is above healing and friendship. A total joy to listen to on audio.
Blurb: Can two divorced dads get a second chance at a redneck wedding?
When Reid Porter agrees to be his best friendās man of honor, he never considers that his ex, Mateo, will be there too. Which is ridiculous, because Jennifer is marrying Matās brother. Reid would never let Jen down, though, so he finds himself at the Leaning N Ranch with his two daughters and a whole lot of baggage about seeing Mat again.
Mat loves his baby brother and would do anything for him, including face the love of his life, whom heās sure has moved on. When he and Reid come face-to-face after more than two years apart, they realize theyāve never let go. Now they have to do what they never could beforeābalance work, home, and children, while finding a way to come back around to each otherās love.
Review: Come Back Around, by BA Tortuga, is the fourth instalment of the series Leaning N. I donāt believe that the books need to be read in order, although I would say that people should at least read the first book because that is the introduction to the guys on the Leaning N ranch, which now operates as a destination for LBGT+ weddings and the like.
Now, I love BA Tortuga. I really enjoy Tortugaās writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. Thereās always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy! However, although I did enjoy this book overall, I had a couple issues with the main plot which had me unable to really suspend my disbelief.
Iāll explain why after I do a quick overview of the plot.
The plot is quite simple. A wedding at the Leaning N ranch brings together ex-husbands Reid and Mateo. The wedding is for Mateoās brother and Reidās best friend, where Mateo is best man and Reid is man of honour. They have two daughters together, who they had through surrogacy, but they havenāt seen each other in two years. In that time Reid panicked and took his daughters away to another state, causing an ever-bigger gulf between the two men. While Reidās life has changed and he has gone from struggling artist to an artist in high demand, Mateo has gone through his own personal issues. Their time at the Leaning N ranch, even with their families making their opinions known, is a time for them to reconnect and realise what is best for them as a couple and what is best for the children, who have undeniably suffered from the absence of their papa.
So now the reason why I found this book less enjoyable compared to other books by Tortuga. First off, I found the two years apart difficult to swallow, especially with their daughters, but mostly of their frustrating miscommunication. I do not like miscommunication storylines as a general, and unfortunately for me, this is where the book fell short for me. I also felt really frustrated because I kept thinking that Mateo needed Reidās help, but Reid appears to have a penchant for acting before he thinks.
Despite this, I did like the characters a lot. Mateo is really likable, although at the time of their separation he was a over-stressed business man who needed to talk more to his husband. Reid is equally as likable, but he is too quick to jump to conclusions and is very hot-headed, forgetting that something as simple as talking could help them a long way. But in the end, the guys have learnt a valuable lesson. The love has never gone, but they needed this second chance to get to know each other again.
Blurb:Ā Personal assistant to an insufferable boss, Bob heads to the town of Lily Valley run his bossā errands on a weekend, only to bump into sexy werebear Alpha mechanic Piston Royal. Bobās never had any luck with love. Heās too busy with his career but Pistonās not a man whoās easily ignored. When things get hot and heavy between them, will Bob risk his heart, along with his career, to be with a wild bear mechanic?
Pistonās preoccupied with three things, keeping his car repair business afloat, reeling his unruly crew of were bears in, and avoiding any confrontation with the resident werewolf biker gang in town. He canāt afford any distractions but he canāt deny the sizzle between Bob and him. A warās bound to break out in Lily Valley and Bobās only human but when the enemy Alpha takes whatās rightfully his, Piston has no choice but to retaliate.
Review: Piston is a grizzly shifter and owner of a car repair business meets Bob when his car breaks down and he calls for assistance. The two hit it off and Piston Knows he’s the one but when he tells Bob the human goes back to his job only to realize he’d rather be with Piston.
There is a werewolf pack that always makes trouble for Piston, his clan of bears and the entire town. To make matters worse there is more going on than they realize at first and when Bob decides to come back he runs into trouble with the wolves who take him hostage as a way to get rid of Piston for good.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (August 1, 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ššššĀ 4 Hearts
Blurb: Some scars can never heal and Derrick knows he can never return to his old life after the trauma heās experienced with a rogue vampire group. One reckless night nearly costs Derrick his life, but his unexpected guardian angel appears in the form of Raphael. Raphaelās the only reason Derrickās maintained his sanity, but he never thought heād see the vampire lieutenant again. Derrick doesn’t understand his magnetic attraction to Raphael but he intends to find out if thereās a possible future between them.
The vampire Raphael has never been interested in finding a mate, until Derrick Pace. After their kidnapping ordeal, Raphaelās closely watched out for Derrick, although he doesnāt comprehend why. When a new enemy rises, Raphael decides heās done watching his mate from the shadows. He intends to claim Derrick, even if that means igniting a fight with another vampire coven.
Review: Each book in the Abelās Bloodline collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Derrick had thought his brotherās problems were mental, but then he proved that it was more than that. It had led them straight into the paranormal world and monsters. He had been captured along with a vampire, tortured. It almost got him killed. Now he tried to stay away from that type of life, but his mind kept reminding him of Raphael.
Raphael has found his mate and decided to leave him alone. He had not wanted a mate but he wanted Derrick. He watched him to keep him safe, but one is never safe from the past.
This story has a dark tone to it that I didnāt care for. It is a very unique story that is very entertaining. The only thing is that even though it is a short story it feels like it comes off longer. You get excitement, danger, a new world and some sweet sexy times in this book and quite a bit more.
I will admit that even though I did like it, it is not one of those stories that will get read more than once.
Blurb: For teenage secret agent Theo Reese, summer brought one surprise after another, and now that heās back at school, the shocks keep coming. The unthinkable has happenedāenemies have breached Tactical Operational Support, forcing Theo and his parents to instigate the protocols theyāve put in place in case of a worst-case scenario.
As Theo goes on the run and tries to stay ahead of those pursuing them, he realizes the TOS network is downā¦ and heās on his own.He soon discovers the renegade organization Blackbird is responsible.
Theo’s been targeted by an old nemesis, who will do whatever it takes to force his hand and obtain his help in taking global control of the internet.
Theo must prevent the internet hijacking, and while he finds allies, theyāre in the last place he expectsā¦.
Review: Theo is back in this heart stopping addition where Blackbird strikes again. Only this time they mean business. The cost is high as the plans are put into motion. Theo is cut off from everyone else as all communication has been hijacked.
Demands are made and Theo realizes he has no choice after he saves Mitch but to help Blackbird. It’s a complicated but brilliant plan that Blackbird has, but Theo tries to thwart the plan the only way he knows how.
Edge of your seat, non stop danger and a great plot are all ingredients that make this story awesome.
I loved everything about the book. The twists and turns as well as the deadly events that unfold are riveting.
Blurb: Age is just a number, especially when it comes to love.
Hugo never expected his life to go the way it has. Heās only twenty-one, yet here he is, single father to a three-month-old Ennis. His parents arenāt happy he made the decision to keep Ennis, but heās dealing with everything better than he ever thought he would, and when he meets his mate, he feels everything coming together.
Leo is lucky his son lives in Gillham. With the help of the pack, he managed to beat cancer, and he can now focus on Brian and his mate, Josh, and on rebuilding his life. He knows it wonāt be easy, but at fifty-four, he doesnāt expect much. He certainly didnāt expect to have a mate and for him to be thirty-three years his junior.
Leo tries to stay away from Hugo because he thinks heās too old. No one else seems to think thatās a problem, or no one who matters, anyway. But will Leo be able to get over his hang-ups and give his relationship with Hugo a chance? The family heās always wanted is right in front of him. Will he take that opportunity, or will he let his age get the better of him?
Review: Each book in the Wyoming Shifters: 12 Years Later collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. This series is branched off from Gillham Pack and Whitedell Pride, so I would suggest starting with them.
Leoās foster son brought him to the pack to live when he had gotten cancer for the second time. Now that he was cancer free, he wanted to start his life over in away. Let his son and his mate have their lives without having to worry about him. He had not expected to find out that he was a mate. Nor the fact that he was over thirty years older than said mate.
Hugo was a single dad of a baby at the age of twenty one. He lived with friends or should I say foster brother and mate, but he wanted a place that would have a bit more room. His parents had not wanted him to keep the baby but they were slowly realizing that was not an option, nor the fact that they thought they were better for the baby. When he found his mate he was happy as hell, but knew it was going to be difficult. Difficult in more ways then one.
This author was one of my favorites and I knew that she would become an automatic buy author. She has not disappointed me in a bit. This series caught my attention from the moment I started reading and kept it all the way to the end. The characters are a blast to read about and their stories are pretty unique.
I had a lot of fun reading it and canāt wait to get my hands on the next story. This is one author whom I would recommend for all her books.
Blurb: Life in Corent is exciting and challenging. As one of the main paranormal communities you never know what might be around the corner.
Mattās life has always been peaceful. He splits his time between helping at his mamaās shop, and spending time with family, friends, and his coven. Yet, when his magic becomes increasingly unstable, he finds himself shunned and cast away as people fear what is happening to him.
Feeling lost and alone, and his magic becoming ever more erratic, Mattās thoughts turn inward as he tries to work out just who he is and what being a mage means to him.
Matt draws strength from his best friend Charlie, and the powerful tiger shifter family, the Vaughnās.
Frequent visits from Tyler, and messages from a mystery man, provide the only break from the melancholy he feels like heās drowning in. Yet, even that complicates his life further, as he struggles with growing emotions toward both of them.
When unexpected events bring radical changes to Matt’s life, the news shocks him and those closest to him. Yet, as scary as everything is, it helps him see who is truly a friend and who is a foe, and that it isn’t always blood that means family.
No one knows what these changes mean, leaving Matt to weave his way through the knowledge and find what his true path is meant to be. Finding the strength to stand for himself, but also allowing those around him to support him, he comes to find that there is so much more to him than he thought possible, and that love can come from unexpected places.
Just when he didn’t think life could get any darker, light comes, showing him that his future holds more than he ever imagined.
Review: Matt struggles with life and it’s further complicated when his magic becomes unstable. His family is no help as they turn away from him. Charlie, Matt’s best friend, tries to help as much as he can. But Matt continues a downward spiral.
Tyler decides it’s time to let his feelings be known to Matt and so the wooing begins, which was sweet and in the nick of time.
With his friends helping Matt begins to grow in confidence. Tyler is a shot in his quest to gain Matt’s love. I loved these two together.
When fast-living flight attendant Brayden Wood agrees to accompany a first-class passenger to a swanky charity ball, he discovers his dateāāCall me Flipāāis actually His Royal Highness Prince Antoine-Philipe. And he wants Brayden to pretend to be his boyfriend.
Being Europeās only prince of Indian descentāand its only openly gay oneāhas led Flip to select āappropriateā men first and worry about attraction later. Still, flirty, irreverent Brayden captivates him right away, and Flip needs a date to survive the ball without being match-made.
Before Flip can pursue Brayden in earnest, the paparazzi forces his hand, and the charade is extended for the remainder of Braydenās vacation.
Posh, gorgeous, thoughtful Prince Flip is way out of Braydenās league. If Brayden survives three weeks of platonically sharing a bed with him during the romantic holiday season, going home afterward might break his heartā¦.
Review: Fake Dating the Prince is a standalone novel by Ashlynn Kane for Dreamspun Desires. As usual I always look forward to the released from the Dreamspun Desires line. They are sweet, sexy and just oozing with romance.
I have to admit that although Iāve read books by Ashlynn Kane before, I canāt actually name one from the top of my head but nothing stands out in my memory that I have disliked Kaneās writing in the past. Which, as it turns out, must be true. I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. It had all the sweetness and romance that I expected from a fairy tale romance. I really enjoyed Kaneās writing overall, I found myself quickly invested in the emotions of the two MCs and I was engrossed until the end.
The story starts with adventurous flight attendant, Brayden Wood. He wants to make the most of life and is lucky enough to use his job to be able to do so, going to many different locales between long haul flights. Instead of going on a cruise with his family for Christmas, which is something that he doesnāt want to do, he has plans to go to an obscure European principality for three weeks to relax on his own.
However, things change when one of his first-class passengers, who has openly flirted with him on numerous occasions invites Brayden to a very posh charity ball, offering to pay all expenses. That passenger says to call him Flip, when in fact he is really the Prince Antoine-Phillipe. One thing leads to another and Braydenās very own royal romance begins to play out. It is seriously sweet; Flip is a wonderful character in that while he can be high handed he always wants the best for Brayden. Also, I loved the chemistry between the men, they wonderfully complement each other.
This is a wonderful, fairy tale like story. There are enough stereotypes to make you think of a Hallmark movie or that Netflix move A Prince for Christmas ā an adventurous flight attendant is swept off his feet by a European Prince. With his father being a Bollywood star back in the day, it all feels very Grace Kelly. And being that my own mother is obsessed with Bollywood, I found myself thinking of a movie with Shahrukh Kahn in it. Very cute, very sweet and absolutely perfect.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th November 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 4.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Merle Justice wants to reach for the stars, but itās tough to get respect when playing a teeny-bopper vampire on TV. Then he meets a famous director anxious to give him all he thinks he wantsāand maybe a bit more. Everythingās looking up until a life-threatening encounter with some homophobes on Main Beach puts Merle face-to-face with a Sasquatch-sized hero in a pink puffer coat.
Tom Henry defies description. As unsophisticated and simple as an angel, he walks through life content with who he is and asking for very little except to care for his sister, Lily, and the dogs he loves. Then he meets Merle, the embodiment of dreams he barely knows he has. Merle knows the people who hold his future in their hands might love Tomābut theyāll never under-stand Merle and Tom together. Tom knows it too. With lives this far apart, whoās really the fool of Main Beach?
Review: Fool of Main Beach is the fifth and final book in Tara Lainās Love in Laguna series. If you havenāt read or heard the rest of the series, you really should, just so that you can do justice to all the characters, because Iāve become so emotionally invested in this, itās crazy. However, this book in particular is good for those that love sweet romances with a splash of Hollywood.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, with incredibly relatable characters and deep romances, Iāve loved both Lainās writing and Kellyās narration. Both were excellent, although Iām going to say that I got a little annoyed hearing Audi pronounced as āOr-deeā as opposite to āOw-deeā. Though I figure it could be an accent thing, like the ridiculous way Americans pronounce Craig (donāt get me started).
Onto the actual story, Lain has left the sweetest story to last in this series, and other than the pace of the story starting at a good speed and then slowing down at a couple points, there isnāt really much I can criticise. Quite simply, this is a sweet romance and full of heart.
Readers met Merle Justice in book 2, when Ru and Gray got together. Merle was the famous TV actor who starred in the stage production of Hamlet with Hollywood heartthrob Gray Anson. Unlike Gray, Merle has been out of the closet for years and while that has affected his career heās been pretty comfortable as the lead in a popular teen vampire series (basically, heās like the Angel or Edward Cullen of the show that heās in). However, his stint in Hamlet introduced him to a group of down to friends, the very same group weāve been following for this series. Now Merle is having a home built in Laguna when he can get away from LA, heāll be close to his friends and in an idyllic seaside location.
One night on the beach some bigots try to attack Merle, but he is saved by a gentle giant called Tom Henry. Later, when he goes through his home with his friend and contractor, Billy from book 1, Merle finds Tom working on Billyās crew. And now fate has intervened and is throwing the two men together. They start a really beautiful friendship, although at first it takes time for Merle to see that Tom is much more than his outside appearance. In this sense, Merle undergoes a lot of change and development throughout this story.
Tom is a gentle giant. He kind of naĆÆve and has very low self-esteem, but he loves animals and will do just about anything for his friends. His naivety can be easily mistaken for some form of mental illness by the reader, Iāll admit that I wondered this, but in the end he is a pure soul whose doesnāt seem to be touched by the darkness of life. He just wants love and happiness for everyone. Even for his parents who have sent him away for being gay and will do anything, even sending the last of his money, for his beloved little sister.
Together their lives seem incompatible, Tom knows what he wants and knows how much of that he can get because in reality he is not famous as Merle and does not see himself as amazing as the man he could give his heart to. Despite the fact that they are amazing friends, it really does seem to be an impossible dream, to both of them but especially to Tom. But Merle is less accepting of the logical outcome, yet he must contend with his own preconceived notions before figuring out whatās more important.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (27th February 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Aaron Hall has never been able to remain faithful to a single woman, and for most of his life, he’s dated two women at once. Recently his girlfriend tracked him down and knocked on his door – and his live-in girlfriend answered. Now he has no girlfriend and a mortgage he can’t pay by himself.
Vinnie Rosello needs to change his life – get a better job, stop drinking all his money away, find himself a serious boyfriend…and move out of his parents’ house. Aaron needs help with his ex-penses, so they become housemates.
Even though Aaron harbors some misconceptions about gay men and Vinnie misses his large Italian family, both men find comfort in their friendship. It’s a good arrangement until everything between them changes.
Vinnie falls in love with Aaron, and Aaron is shocked to realize he feels the same. There’s only one problem – he’s still straight. He’ll have to overcome his fear of labels in order to love the man who’s captured his heart.
Review: The Straight Boyfriend is the third book in Renae Kayeās Loving You series.
Iām going to keep my comments on the author and the narrator quite short, because this is a feeling that echoes throughout the whole series for me. At this point I am warming up to her Renae Kayeās writing. Since weāre not here for an Australian geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing because I am Aussie myself. I feel the humour and love hearing the slang that is part of my everyday life in my favourite genre of book. So far thereās been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesnāt want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners, industrial workers) or his very manly-man type father. Not that itās a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.
The narration for this book was by Joel Leslie, who only narrates books 2 and 3. After listening to his two performances for this series, I feel that he fit the books really well. While I enjoyed Gilles narration in the first book, it annoyed me when his Aussie accent slipped a bit (I know itās a stupid of me) and I also just remembered that his pronunciation of the name Aaron was odd. However, I loved Leslieās Aussie accent, it was really well done. I also am a fan of pretty much all of Joel Leslieās performances because I always feel the emotions from the characters and hear their distinct voices, this book was no different.
The Straight Boyfriend. The title says it all. By the time I got to this book, I had a pretty good idea about Vinnie and Aaron because they were so prominent as secondary characters in the previous books. The set up for this story happened in book 2, so there isnāt much point listening or reading this one before at least going to the previous book.
Vinnie is a sweet guy from an unconventional, Italian family. He has a thing about epiphanies, and a subcategory of which being epipoofanies. Heās really a wonder and fun loving. He has a big heart, with a complicated family and is lonely. Wanting to get out of his parentsā home, he moves in with Aaron ā a friend of a friend whose house he would often drink at after watching amateur football games.
Aaron is a manwhore and a serial cheater, he is unapologetic about the fact, although he now feels a sense of shame. He wants to better himself, he wants to be a good boyfriend/partner, but is unsure if he could even be faithful to a girl. After all, it was this that led him to a mortgage he could no longer afford without a roommate. Having Vinnie as a roommate would help him with that mortgage, but hanging with the gay man, although he is determined that he is straight, does have a positive effect. Aaron is adaman that he is straight. But he has *feelings* when it comes to Vinnie. Add to that, Vinnie, who has never been alone in a house in his life, often spends the night in Aaronās bed, completely platonic.
Itās just awkward because Vinnie is in love with a straight man and he knows he has to get rid of those feelings because he was pining for something that would never happen. Yet, for Aaron life with Vinnie is slowly opening his life to much more than he thought. Aaron has a lot of angst, because it has to be a mind fuck to be straight, a manwhore and now suddenly falling for a gay man. Aaron has a long journey and Vinnie is strong. These guys have a serious connection and it is completely wonderful.
This book had a lot more angst and confusion compared to the previous book in the serious, but it worked well. However, the ending was sweet and poignant and totally worth all the drama. It was great to catch up with all the characters that weāve met through the journey as well. This is a wonderful end to a wonderful series.
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (19th September 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….
Henry never believed his older sister Alice’s fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter – an odd but strangely attractive fellow – just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each oth-er intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.
Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.
Review: Mad About the Hatter is an audio for a book that I remember reading a couple years ago. I remember that I loved reading the book and was totally keen on listening to the audio.
Dakota Chase isnāt really an author on my radar and I think this was the first time I had read the authorās work initially a couple years ago. But the writing is fun and even though it is a fantasy based on a classic book, the story doesnāt feel completely ridiculous. The narration was also awesome. I donāt actually remember the narratorās name, although when I heard him talking I know Iāve heard his narration at least once before and like this time, I am sure it was a pleasing audio experience. I particularly loved the voices that Froomkin gave these classic characters that we know so well, especially Hatter, the Tweedles and the Chesire Cat.
Mad About the Hatter is a story that is about a sweet, quiet romance with a dash of friendship and adventure, all set in the world of Lewis Carrolās Alice in Wonderland. Itās an interesting spin on the classic, where the events of the book take place after Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The story itself is more of an young adult read than anything else because this story is essentially eighteen year old Henry coming to terms with his own identity ā having a coming of age adventure and falling in love.
Anyone who likes urban fantasies and new takes on classic tales would enjoy this story, although if youāre dead set against young adult fiction, then this probably isnāt what youāre looking for.
The story starts with Henry. He and his sister, Alice, do not have an easy relationship, despite the fact that their only other family is their possibly alcoholic father and mysterious/random Uncle Leonard. The main problem is that Alice likes to talk about her time in Wonderland which Henry knows that logically could not have happened at all. I was siding with Henry there although Henry is a bit of brat at the start of this book. Then his sister gave him punch and Henryās world changes to the surreal.
We meet up with the Mad Hatter. The Red Queen is getting more insane by the day and is having people beheaded left, right and centre. When Hatter is sent after āBoy Aliceā, we have the quirky adventure throughout Wonderland not unlike the original. We also meet other familiar characters, aside from the Red Queen, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat as well as that opium fiend Caterpillar.
There is not a lot of romance, there is very little in the way of sex but there are some rather sweet moments between Hatter and Henry. I particularly liked the end but it left me thinking ābut I want more!!!!ā but in a totally good way.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (January 25, 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: šššš 4 Hearts
Blurb: .All Solae wants is to be accepted and loved by the family that has always rejected him. But given it was his late mother who cursed the kingdom to eternal winter, the chances of that happening are minimal. If he can find a way to break the curse, however, surely that would be enough to change their minds regarding him.
But Solae is forbidden to practice magic because of his mother, which limits his ability to pursue solutions. Desperate for advice and new ideas, he contacts a famous curse breakerāand has no idea what to do when the man unexpectedly shows up, handsome and friendly and dangerously intriguing.
I loved Solae. I felt he was born into a family that did not care anything for him and treated him wrong. A rescuer in the name of Millio comes to save him from said family.
The story was short but good. The only gripe I have is that the people doing Solae wrong never paid for their misdeeds against him and that pissed me off.
Other than it as a really good read.
Pixie’s Review: šššš 4 Hearts
This story is a great version of the Snow White fairytale. Solae is the son of the ‘evil’ witch and the King, after the King is convinced by others that his new Queen is an evil witch he has her killed and she curses the Kingdom, Solae is left behind to bear the brunt of hate when the Kingdom falls into an endless winter.
Millio is a magic user who has secrets of his own but when he is contacted by Solae about his Kingdom’s curse he travels to the Kingdom to help out, but what he discovers is a sweet gentle prince who is despised because of his fathers vanity.
I enjoyed this story immensely and cheered for Solae and Millio as they got to know each other, the treatment that the pair receive makes you gnash your teeth at the injustice done to the both of them and you really do hope that rather than break the curse that they leave it in place for all the petty minded people in the Kingdom.
You’ll enjoy this if you love old fairytales with a new twist, characters who overcome those around them, and a great ending.Ā
Blurb: Twelve years have passed since Tristan and his friends were rescued by the council enforcers and brought to Gillham. Tristanās friends have adapted. They have full lives, but he doesnāt. Heās still trapped in the grief of losing his mate in the lab they were both locked in, and he hasnāt given himself the opportunity to start healing, isolating himself instead.
Hudson knows exactly what losing a mate does to a person. He lost Paul, his mate, in a car accident twenty-six years earlier, and in many ways, he still feels the pain of that day. When he meets Tristan, he immediately knows he can help himāif not to heal, at least to have a chance to start living again.
Tristanās shell is hard to break, but Hudson isnāt the kind of man who gives up easily. Still, Tristan has to be the one to choose to take the first step toward healing, or Hudson wonāt be able to do anything for him. Will Tristanās shroud of grief keep Hudson away, or will Hudson be able to get through to him and talk to his hurting soul?
Review:Each book in Council Enforcers collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. This series is the children from Whitedell Pride and Gillham Pack so I would suggest reading those first.
Tristan is one of the shifters who had been rescued from one of the labs twelve years ago. His mate had been killed and he was still hurting. He had never spoken a word of it to his friends or the pack though. He designed his beautiful home and made it his prison. A prison of pain and guilt.
Hudson had lost his mate over twenty-six years ago to a car accident. So he knows how it feels to loose a mate. So when he meets Tristan, he sees the same pain as he had and still has. He just wants to help the man, but doesnāt expect to fall in love with.
Fascinating story that kept my attention throughout the whole book. It has quite a bit of surprises in it for me, lots of action, excitement and so much more in it. The worlds that this author creates is quite entertaining and somewhat mysterious. The characters are fully developed with quite a bit of attitude backing them up.
I enjoyed reading this story and canāt wait to get my hands on the next one. I would definitely recommend it.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (3rd January 2018)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: šššš 4 Hearts
Blurb: Zachary Bradford has spent his whole life running from the future heās seen, not wanting to accept it. He definitely doesnāt want anything to do with Titus Lucius, the man his parents have arranged for him to marry, and who heās secretly loved for years.
Titus has been tasked with finding the new Royal Seer. A search that leads him to his betrothed, Zachary. He must make Zachary accept both their new relationship, and the future heās running from. He doesnāt have an easy time of it, as Zachary is determined to keep him at armās length, and hide from the truth of his own destiny.
The final battle for the balance of both our world and the Nether is finally at hand, and everything hinges on Zacharyās ability to see the future. He must accept fate, even if that means losing the one person he loves above all.
Review: Because of a future he has seen in a vision Zachary does everything he can to push Titus away from him. He does not want to be a royal seer in the least. Titus is tasked to find the royal seer and is surprised when he discovers who it is.
I really liked Titus and Zachary. Though I understood Zachary’s fear his constant moodiness got on my nerves. Titus was strong and determined which I liked in a character. This was a great addition to the series that I enjoyed reading.
Blurb: **Previously Published As Marcās the Spot with Loose ID**
Marcus āMarcā Lacroix, a red panda shifter, knows who Lucas Grayson is, and up until playing with him during the world cup of hockey, didnāt much care for him. But when he finds out the jaguar shifter with the hot body has a personality to match, heās a bit blown away. A night of celebration leads the two of them to the bedroom, and they discover that one night might not be enough to finish this thing between them.
Passion grows to love and more than a little kink, and the two make things work despite the obstacles standing in their way. Lucas plays for the Aces and Marc for the Hares, the distance and crazy schedules of a pro-hockey player keeping them apart. Lucas discovers it’s harder to let go of things than he’d thought. When ill-fate strikes, Lucas spirals and Marc has to try and hold them together. It’s one match Marc doesn’t know if he’ll win.
**No content changes have been made, only minor edits.**
Review: When I first came across this story, I didnāt immediately pick it up. It wasnāt until I actually realized that it is a paranormal that I decided to give it a try. I have not read many stories by this author, so I wasnāt real sure what I was going to get. I love paranormal romance stories, but am not a fan of anything sports, so it was going to be an interesting read.
Marc is a cute red panda shifter and a goalie. He is not what I had expected to say the least. I am picturing a very small person but he is in fact taller than I had thought. So I put my son in his place and imagined him playing the game, and remembered a couple of goal shots he had done, and got it. Marc has the hots for a player on another team, and things are heating up pretty fast between them.
Lucas is a jaguar shifter and lets just say he is sexy as hell. He is falling for the goalie of another team and damn things are looking up for them both. Then an injury ends his life on the ice, as a player. If you want to know more, read the book.
Now I will say that it is a very cute story, but also very long winded. The story jumps time from meeting to hooking up. It is a long distance romance I suppose. There is no real spice to the story, just a normal romance. If you didnāt know they were shifters, you would not know it through out the story to much. Half the time I forgot they were, because the story is focused on the ice. It is a straightforward romance with just a bit of kink, nothing making the story standout at all.
The guys had chemistry from the start, but the story did not. It came off as a bit boring and dull to me, donāt get me wrong I still liked it a bit, but wouldnāt read it again. It was drawn out and could have been a bit better had there been more excitement to it. However for now, there is nothing to make me want to read it once more. I am sorry, it is a cute story but just off to me.
Blurb: When alpha Jake and his two betas, Theo and Landis escaped their birth pack, they never expected to get caught in a category 4 storm thousands of miles from home. The fishing vessel they were on capsized and the three find themselves washed ashore of a deserted island.
With Jake’s leg being injured and Landis not regaining consciousness, Jake and Theo must find a way to keep them all alive until they can either find help, or be rescued. The trio soon find out the that island isn’t as deserted as they thought it was, and that their rescuers come with guns, mistrust, and very special powers.
Once thrown in a cell, they are informed that it is for the residents protection, not theirs. When one of their rescuers turns out to be their mate, Jake, Theo, and Landis become excited,because not only have they found their mate, but that means that these three lifelong friends and lovers can finally claim each other and become a mated quad.
But things are never that easy. It turns out the island is a hidden sanctuary for omega wolves who don’t trust anyone from the outside world, especially alphas and betas. Each of these omegas had been abused by dominating alphas, which caused them to run from their lives and hide away.
Now Jake, Theo, and Landis must do whatever is necessary to gain the trust of their mate, as well as all these special men, so that they may be allowed to stay on the island, not only for their own safety, but so they can claim their mate, and each other.
Please Note: This book was originally released as part of an anthology. 6,000 words have been added and it has been re-edited.
Review: Although I’ve read this type of story before I was looking forward to reading this one. I loved some of the authors other series I’ve read so I was expecting more a long the same lines. Alpha Jake and Betas Theo and Landis have been everything to each other for a long time. However they keep things quiet with the other members of their pack. When they are found out they flee for their lives.
We are introduced to Aiden, the trios mate and Finn. Now I found Aiden to be a bit childish considering his age and what about Finn? There is not a lot of resolution to different questions I have by the end of the book.
I am hoping at least some questions will be answered later in the series or the next book.
I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to this audiobook. Both the author, Colette Davison, and the narrator, Piers Ryman, were totally new to me. I Wish For You was amazing. All the parts of the book ā from the characters, the writing, the plot and the narration ā worked wonderfully, giving the reader a sweet, sexy friends to lovers romance.
The narration was flawless. This was the first time Iāve heard Piers Ryman and quite frankly, it was a flawless performance in my opinion. I look forward to any other work he does in the future. Ryman does justice to three very complex characters, whose relationship (at least the friendship part) is already establishment and therefore they are past having to get to know each other. Each character had a distinct voice and tone which suited each man.
The plot itself is quite simple, but was so well executed, that I donāt want to give too many details away. The story opens from Sebās point of view as his best friends Connor and Matt meet his drunk butt in a pub. Heās been dumped and itās his best friends since childhood who come to his rescue. An impulsive camping trip, lots of alcohol and wishing upon shooting stars blurs the lines of friendship for these men. But with only Seb out gay, Matt believing he is straight and Connor refusing to allow himself close enough to love anybody, they are complicated. Thankfully, these guys know how to communicate, they take their time to do things properly and as a reader it just made me so happy.
The guys have three very distinct personalities. I adored each of them, which for me does not always happen, especially when we get into menage/poly romances. Seb is the one that leads everyone into trouble, and the leader when it comes to easing into a physical relationship. Connor is a nurturer but his fear based on his past, which you canāt blame the guy for, is a hurdle that only Matt and Seb can help him with. And then there is Matt. Heās the soft, cuddly teddy bear. I donāt want to say that he is glue between the three, because this is a relationship that has been clearly written that this relationship couldnāt work if one of them was left out. Instead, I think the best way to put it is that Matt is the one that is something of a conduit for the emotions, helping Connor express himself and compliments Sebās matter-of-fact delivery of the more practical side of their physical relationship. Iām really finding it difficult to put into words, so I hope that makes sense!
I think what I loved the most was that despite being friends, the guys donāt have a smooth transition into the romantic relationship. There is some baggage associated for all the characters, and so for these reasons I find this one easy to relate to each of the characters and what they need to go through to make things work. The POV alternates between the three men throughout out the story, which is just another thing that I liked about this book. I never felt that I was missing information or emotions because I got a full story.
This book has got me intrigued into reading more of Colette Davisonās work. This was such a well written story with characters that were so beautifully developed, I need more.
If youāre sucker for a friends to lovers story, this is an awesome book for you, and if you love MMM on top of that then you be very happy.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (12th December 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššĀ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at 18 for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boy-friend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is look-ing better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of 15 years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to suc-cumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian – even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a friends with benefits fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an old guy who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage?
Review: Lord of A Thousand Steps is the fourth book in Tara Lainās Love in Laguna series. This has been a wonderful series to listen to on audio, Lainās writing translates well to audio narration and the characters are just so relatable. I was looking forward to this book because weāve already met both characters separately in the previous books. The series revolves around one of the men in the featured couple battling his way out of the closet, while the other is out and proud but needs to support and understand the transition is new man needs so much.
KC Kelly has done a fantastic job performing the narration for this series. He nails the light-hearted moments just as well as he nails the tense moment, with just the right tone and distinct voices for the main characters.
For Braden Lord, his life is a mess. His professional life is fine, heās CEO of a major architectural firm. His personal life is a mess. Heās divorcing his wife, trying to keep his kids and she is after everything she can get her grubby hands on, including the company if she can. Braden is ready to not live a lie in the back of the closet. His attraction to the firms intern, Ian, doesnāt help but Braden is far too ethical to allow anything to happen. But fate brings them together, along with Ianās cat and Bradenās kids, who both love Ian as well. If not for the conspiring ex-wife, their lives seem to just click together as the romance slowly builds once Ian can allow himself to give his heart to another after Rico.
I have to admit that this is probably my least favourite book in the series. I simply found Ianās situation was vastly more complicated than called for. While there was no cheating or anything, the timeline made the plot feel rather compressed and I didnāt feel the development of the characters quite like I did in the other books until about halfway through this one. The story also employs one plot device that I feel is bit bland ā the old evil ex, for both men, the lying rat ex-boyfriend and the bitch ex-wife who doesnāt want her kids so much as she wants revenge. Still, how Lain has written this in works fine and actually adds a little more drama into the overall plot.
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable book and those that have been following the series will likely appreciate Ian getting his own story, I know I did.
Hi guys! We have Colette Davison stopping by today with the tour for her new audio release I Wished For You, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Prime’s review so check out the post and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon GC!Ā ā¤Ā ~Pixie~
I Wished For You
by
Narrated by: Piers Ryman
Colette Davison
Three wishes.
Seb wants to be happy.
Matt wants to find āthe one.ā
Connor wants them.
Two drunken kisses.
Seb didnāt plan to kiss Matt and Connor, but he doesnāt regret it, even if it has changed their friendship forever.
Matt has never considered dating a man before, let alone two. Despite his confusion, being with Seb and Connor feels right.
One uncertain future.
Connorās potential fate has stopped him living and loving. Can he face his fears to be with the men he loves?
Title: Griffin
