Christmas on Stardust Lane by Garrett Leigh

TITLE: ⟫ Christmas on Stardust Lane

AUTHOR: ⟫ Garrett Leigh

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ A scarred ex-biker with a hardened soul. The hot new nurse in town guarding his own bruised heart.

Tam Dubois is used to being alone. With a body that bears the marks of his mistakes, he’s grown to like it. But scratching out a living with pen and ink is tough, the numbers don’t work, and the only solution he can think of gives him the opposite of Christmas cheer.

A lodger.

It’s the last thing he wants, but like most things in life, it happens anyway, and the stranger he’s so keen to avoid turns out not to be a stranger at all,

It’s him.

Tam can’t believe it--and he doesn’t want to. But matters of the heart don’t play by the rules, and as Christmas approaches, love might just prove the greatest gift of all…

If they’re brave enough to unwrap it.

Christmas On Stardust Lane is a steamy, angsty MM holiday romance. Expect: forced proximity, hurt/comfort, and a chaotic canine with a bad case of little dog syndrome. If you love MM romance, holiday love stories, and the magic of two damaged hearts finding their way, Christmas on Stardust Lane delivers the perfect festive read.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Newly Tied by Mary Calmes (Marshals Book #7)

TITLE: ⟫ Newly Tied

AUTHOR: ⟫ Mary Calmes

SERIES: ⟫ Marshals Book #7

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ For the last six months, Deputy US Marshal Delroy McCabe has been secretly pining for his partner, Langston Ross. He’s kept his desires to himself because he wants to do a good job and prove himself at work. More importantly, if Lang were to find out his true feelings, maybe the person he cares for the most might walk away.

Between the understanding and support Lang gives him, as well as time with his family, Del can’t afford to slip up. But then, why does his partner and best friend care who Del sleeps with? Why, if given a choice, would Lang prefer to do anything with him? Maybe Del’s been missing something important, and perhaps Lang’s not the only one who’s not seeing what’s right in front of him. Because sometimes the strongest ties are the ones that bind our hearts.

REVIEW: ⟫ If you’ve read any of the other Marshals books, then you know exactly what you’re in for. And Mary doesn’t disappoint – her books are very much comfort reads for me because despite being new people, new cases, new scenarios, there is always a clear line towards a happily ever after and I needed that at the moment!

Del and Lang made me laugh so hard – their humour, banter, the way they were around other people – it was so obvious that they were each other’s person that it surprised me that it took that long. It was also great to catch up with everyone else (I have missed Chickie so much!) and it was fascinating reading these people we watched mess up and fumble their own love lives being grown ups and settled whilst still being sexy as heck!

Another hit for me and I really loved trying to figure out who’s going to be next or if there will be a spin off. An easy good read for me.

The Backup Plan by Eden Finley (King Sports Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ The Backup Plan

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley

SERIES: ⟫ King Sports Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Thad

Failing to make it in pro ball left me absolutely devastated. Baseball has been my life, my dream, but it’s time to move on.

Becoming a sports agent was always my backup plan, and now that I’m interning at the biggest queer-focused firm in the country, I’m doing my best not to let my bitterness toward baseball affect my future.

That’s really difficult when I’m assigned to babysit Kelley Afton, hotshot rookie pitcher for Philly. He has everything I ever wanted, and he doesn’t even appreciate it. I didn’t become an agent so I could soothe the ego of diva athletes.

His constant need for validation from others frustrates me to no end, but that’s probably a good thing. Because if he didn’t have that, I’d find him irresistibly my type.

Attraction could lead to crossing lines which would put my position at King Sports in jeopardy, and I can’t have that.

I don’t have a backup for my backup plan.

REVIEW: ⟫ I remember reading Damon’s story so it was rather lovely to see him in the present, not just as a visiting uncle but as a major player.

Thad sounded absolutely dreamy – the tattoos, the way he dressed, all of it – but initially, he was a bitter p.i.t.a. However, what I really appreciated about him was that once he realised that he was being really awful to Kelley, he did what he had to do to turn things around. He read Kelley’s file, gained an understanding as to what made him tick, and he made a difference.

I thought Kelley was really relatable and the descriptions of his catastrophising and anxieties were very realistic. I very much felt for him and everything he was going through. What I liked about Kelley was that he gave Thad a chance, listened to him, learned from him, and the two of them together really made each other better. So much better.

I loved seeing King Sports in action and am already trying to figure out who’s going to be in the next book because there were at least two people that I was thinking ‘hmm’. A very enjoyable read and recommended.

Thrown by Merry Farmer (The Art of Love Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Thrown

AUTHOR: ⟫ Merry Farmer

SERIES: ⟫ The Art of Love Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 2.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ The art of love is falling for your enemy without ruining everything…

Ceramic artist Robbie Hawthorne is dedicated not only to his art, but to keeping the arts center and school housed at his family’s ancestral estate vibrant and flourishing. But when the family runs into financial trouble and a heartless corporation offers to buy the estate to turn it into an amusement park, Robbie has to get creative to try to stop them.

That includes working together with a man he has nothing in common with and who instantly irritates him…

Toby Tillman has fought to overcome his working-class roots and to make a name for himself in the financial world. Now he finds himself pitted against his old mentor in the quest to save the Hawthorne House Arts Center, which is run by exactly the kind of entitled nobs he’s always hated. Worse still, he finds himself constantly hot for Robbie, a man he should utterly despise.

And then comes the road trip and a stay at a hotel with only one bed…

Can two men from opposite sides of the tracks find enough common ground to rescue a family’s heritage? And can enemies end up becoming each other’s salvation?

Thrown is an enemies-to-lovers gay romance that includes one tight-knit family and one family disaster, a Renaissance faire, a reality competition, a road trip, only one bed, constantly being mistaken for boyfriends, an unlikely rescue in a moment of humiliation, a familiar scene involving a pottery wheel, and a few things that would get this blurb flagged for naughtiness if I included them in the description. Oh! And a cameo by The Brotherhood!

REVIEW: ⟫ I wanted to love this book so much. I’ve enjoyed reading Merry Farmer before and thought I’d like what this offered – enemies to lovers, one bed, family – what could be better? But this just didn’t gel for me. There were too many characters to get a full grasp on – I kept mistaking the names of the kids. I found myself not liking the family at all – especially for the hotel thing – and for how they’ve let Robbie feel and treat himself for so long.

Toby was just too much – talk about chip on his shoulder. And as for Duckie and all of those shenanigans, it just left me cold. I don’t remember reading about the Brotherhood before which might explain why my reaction to them was verging on utter disbelief to just finding them too cartoonish.

I can’t say I liked the relationship between Robbie and Toby too much either. Everyone seemed convinced that they were hot for each other from the beginning, but to me they just seemed to find each other unendingly frustrating, and the declaration of love had me slack-jawed with disbelief because I simply couldn’t see where it came from.

I was considering getting the next one in the series but decided to wait and let this one fade from my mind first. This may well be where my mind is at and nothing to do with the book at all, but I didn’t enjoy it.

The Wolf's Wounded Omega by A.J. Cane (The Grizzly Ridge Series Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ The Wolf’s Wounded Omega

AUTHOR: ⟫ A.J. Cane

SERIES: ⟫ The Grizzly Ridge Series Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Wolf shifter Knox is thrilled to find his fated mate…until the sassy omega rejects him.

Danny tried the relationship thing, and it ended violently. He has no desire to let another alpha close enough to hurt him…especially not an intimidating stranger like Knox.

Knox has never been called patient. He's grumpy and stubborn, and he's afraid he'll inadvertently push Danny further away.

But when a rogue wolf pack threatens the omegas of Grizzly Ridge, Danny must trust Knox if he wants to escape with his life—and heart—intact.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a sweet, slightly complicated read, with a relationship shy omega and an outcast wolf shifter finding each other. I haven’t read the first book in the Grizzly Ridge series but I don’t think you need to – although the main couple from that are in this book, things are explained enough that this can be read as a stand-alone. I say complicated because it wasn’t as simple as see mate, fall for mate, mated!

I liked the fact that Danny didn’t immediately bounce back from what he went through, and that despite the biology telling him (and Knox) that they were meant to be together, they worked through things at a human pace. It felt more real – as did the reactions of Danny’s pack when it became obvious that Knox was his mate. Seeing someone you care about going through what Danny went through was bound to make the people who loved him wary of anyone new, but I also really liked the way they were prepared to give Knox a chance and appreciated him for what he brought to the pack.

The story does seem to be a continuation of a larger arc for everyone, but this was a good, solid read and I enjoyed my visit to Grizzly Ridge. I received an ARC from GRR.

Dead Serious Halloween Special by Vawn Cassidy (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed Book #6)

TITLE: ⟫ Dead Serious Halloween Special

AUTHOR: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy

SERIES: ⟫ Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed Book #6

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ It’s Halloween and Chan’s hosting a party at Harrison’s newly inherited occult bookshop. Tristan is looking forward to a night of music, food and fun costumes with his husband and their friends.

What they actually get is chaos on the streets of Whitechapel when they accidentally open the Gospodar, the master copy of all fairy tales and let all of the creatures loose.

It’s not the first time they’ve escaped but this time, they’re determined not to go back. They’ve only got until midnight. Tick tock goes the clock...

This Halloween special picks up after the events of book five and leads into the spin off series, The Little Shop of Curiosities.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Riding Shotgun by Amy Lane (Princeton Royals Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Riding Shotgun

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

SERIES: ⟫ Princeton Royals Book #1

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Val Royal’s tight family has always had his back, but they love to interfere in his life. That interference almost sends him over the edge when they arrange for Rory McCauley, security specialist, marksman, and hound-dog smartass, to ride shotgun as security on his latest run.

Hot, bossy, and sharp as a tack, Val ticks all Rory’s boxes, but Val’s looking for something real, and Rory’s allergic to intimacy. Besides, their gig running refrigerated bull semen from Bakersfield to Austin could make or break Val’s buddy’s ranch, so Val’s understandably pretty focused on the job. Rory still wishes Val would let him help Val, uh, ***relax.***

As Val and Rory work to keep their payload safe from a couple of determined saboteurs and they get to know each other as smart, competent, fearless professionals, sparks fly, and Val starts to fall for Rory’s roguish charm. But can he convince Rory their romance would be worth more than a straight shot to Austin—that it would be a love worth coming home to?

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Alpha Kings by Roe Horvat (Hedonist Series)

TITLE: ⟫ Alpha Kings

AUTHOR: ⟫ Roe Horvat

SERIES: ⟫ Hedonist series

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ As the king’s only omega son, Prince Aiken has been taught to obey in silence. Kept prisoner in his own home, his only destiny is to accept the alpha his father chooses and produce an heir to the throne.

Then one autumn day, barbarians defeat the king’s army and break into the castle: Aiken is taken hostage and brought to a citadel ruled by the formidable Cairistine lords. Suddenly, Aiken is allowed to look, speak, and roam on his own—and the things he witnesses are both outrageous and marvelous. How come the omegas at the citadel seem so happy? And who are the mysterious lords? What are they?

Bear and Wolf are the last of their kin, the true lords of Cairistine. Their powers have weakened, however, and unless a miracle happens, their sons will be born mere humans. While Bear has his doubts, Wolf believes in legends. If they can find the one omega who’ll give them twin sons from his first heat, the magic in their blood will be revived. None of this is on their minds when they kidnap Prince Aiken—they only want the war to end. But as time passes, the skittish virgin awakens desires in them both. They would never take an innocent omega against his will… but what if they seduce him?

The story is a part of the Hedonist universe in a new place with a new cast of characters. MMM omegaverse, two alphas and one omega, shifter, mpreg.

REVIEW: ⟫ According to Goodreads, I’ve read this before but I have no recollection of it, most likely because I went on an ‘author reading binge’ and read so much by the same author that I can’t tell which stories are which!

This is a reverse harem omega/alpha story, with the completely innocent Aiken taken by Bear and Wolf as reparations for the actions of his father. The atmosphere Aiken finds himself in is completely different to what he is used to – omegas are loved, cared for, and free to show their own feelings in a way that Aiken has never experienced. He doesn’t understand what is happening to his body, but both Bear and Wolf are waiting for Aiken to realise that what he wants, needs, is them.

Roe Horvat has a fascinating writing style and I definitely enjoyed this re-reading. The scenes between Bear, Wolf and Aiken were passionate, hot and more than a little bit kinky. A good read to start off the month!

Honey Sunshine by Gen Blackwell (Bower Brothers Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Honey Sunshine

AUTHOR: ⟫ Gen Blackwell

SERIES: ⟫ Bower Brothers Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ “How did the two of you meet?”

The age-old question that turns couples into giggling messes, blushing like they’ve just been shot in the heart with Cupid’s arrow as they recount their cute meeting.

My meet-cute with Harvey Cooper?

Well, it wasn’t exactly run-of-the-mill, and truthfully . . .

It was a damn mess.

I was supposed to be meeting a potential investor for my small advertising firm. However, life decided today would be a great day to test my willpower when—out of all the restaurants in the city—my ex-boyfriend slash ex-business partner who’d stolen all our top clients, also chose to dine in the same one where I was meeting my potential investor.

So there I am in the restaurant’s bathroom, threatening to murder my best friend if he doesn’t come to my rescue. And then, just when I’m about to punch my ex—because it feels like the better option—the love of my life waltzes in to save the day.

Did I say the love of my life?

What I mean is the investor I’m supposed to meet, who’d heard my desperate SOS in the bathroom. Just when I’m thinking of giving myself a potential concussion to forget this whole thing, he lays out a plan that might benefit both of

Why don’t I be the Juliet to his Romeo at his upcoming family dinner?

Well . . .

Romeo to his Romeo, except we don’t try to kill ourselves no matter how embarrassing this is.

It sounds foolproof, and frankly, it seems perfect, so we make a pact.

What I don’t expect?

Accidentally falling for my fake boyfriend like any other cliché novel.

Meet Zach and Harvey in Honey Sunshine, a lighthearted MM romance novella filled with passion, humor, and insane chemistry. This is the first book in the Bower Brothers series and can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed it for the light-hearted romance that it was. Harvey and Zach were very sweet together, and I really enjoyed meeting Harvey’s family. Despite meeting because Zach’s ex was being awful, there was little to no angst in the story, with things being quiet surface. I enjoyed meeting Harvey’s family and they did make me laugh a couple of times. A nice, easy read. I received an ARC from BookSirens.