Blue Blood by L.C. Davis (The Godbearer #3)

Title: ⟫ Blue Blood (The Godbearer book #3)

Authors: ⟫ L.C. Davis

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ If three's a crowd, what does that make four?

My love life, apparently. Now I'm on the run with Cyrus, Sam, and Alex, and that's not even accounting for the fact that I'm pregnant—with twins—and my overbearing mother is along for the ride.

Oh, and did I mention I found out Zeus is my father? Yeah, that Zeus. Turns out Cameron's not the only one who's been hunting me down. And I might have to rely on my not-so-absent dad to protect me from the relentless vampire who's probably the father of my children.

Can you get a bulk discount on paternity tests? Because I'm going to need around half a dozen to sort this shit out.

Review: ⟫ I thought this was the last book in the series, but nope, there is definitely more to come which is both a good and a bad thing. Good because this story is addictive, entertaining, innovative and enticing – this instalment was chock-full of Gods, enemies, the Ichor and Cameron being confusing as all hell. Bad because I thought we were going to get all of the answers and a conclusion but now I have to wait for the next instalment.

I actually stayed up all night reading this – I was so excited when I received the ARC that I decided sleep was for the weak (in retrospect, I am weak and need all of the sleep). It kept me entertained and glued to the page until the very end. We received POV from Alex, Cyrus and Cameron which I don’t remember so much from the first two books but they were appreciated.

Chase remains sassy and determined – I don’t know if I would have the guts to do what he did with Cameron and the river, and let’s not even go there with a certain dog! His men continue to muscle each other around for ‘pole’ position, and the plot continues apace. Most definitely an entertaining read and only one niggle really from me – there is a part of me that would have preferred the complete book in one giant blockbuster read, but then I’d probably need matchsticks to keep my eyes open!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Per Sangiuinem by Ashlyn Drewek

Title: ⟫ Per Sanguinem

Authors: ⟫ Ashlyn Drewek

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Vampires don't get a happily ever after. Over the centuries, Eric Collins learned that the hard way, which is why he has sworn off the idea of companionship and throws himself into his job as a detective. But his plan for a peaceful, solitary existence is disrupted the night he saves Chase Turner, a fellow cop, from being murdered. Aside from the once-dormant feelings Chase stirs up, Eric has a bigger problem. There’s another vampire in Chase’s life whose intentions are even less noble than his own. If Eric leaves Chicago, Chase is as good as dead. But if he stays, he’ll end up in a war with the rest of the city’s vampires and Chase might become a casualty after all.   

Falling in love with his partner was never part of Chase Turner’s career goals. He already has two strikes against him at Chicago PD — the last thing he needs is a third. The son of an infamous Internal Affairs commander and the survivor of a shoot-out that left his partner dead, Chase is trying his best to keep a low profile until the heat blows over. Then he’s reassigned to Eric Collins’ division, the detective who saved him from certain death. Despite the fact Chase’s life is a complete mess, Eric is the only one who seems to think there’s light at the end of the tunnel. And no matter how much Chase denies it to himself or his therapist, it soon becomes clear that Eric is going to be Strike Number Three.  

How much is too much to risk for happily ever after?  

PER SANGUINEM is a slow-burn paranormal MM romantic suspense stand-alone about vampires and cops with commitment issues and what happens when you fall in love with your partner.   

Content Warning: This book contains references to alcohol/drug use; homophobic and racial slurs, as well as other insensitive language; on-page violence and torture; PTSD in various forms including flashbacks; suicidal thoughts and flashbacks; parental estrangement, and a lot of death. Reader discretion is advised.

Review: ⟫ If this was an 18+ movie, I would tune in to see it with popcorn and a HUGE smile on my face!

I loved this slightly new take on vampires, especially the idea that the Queens ran the territories and the males lived kinda on their whims! Kinda.

We dived straight into the action with Eric in a less than glamorous environment, but it did give us a very good insight into the type of ‘person’ Eric is – prepared to do anything and everything to get the bad guy. Despite his many years on this earth, and his attempts at making himself seem uncaring, it was pretty obvious that Eric was one of the good guys.

Chase was a different type of person altogether – you could sense that there was very little holding him together as he tried to keep himself aloof and show an uncaring attitude to the world, whilst inside he was a lonely, scared boy in need of love and security.

And amidst all of that, we have a vampire serial killer, an out of control IA officer, and a queen vampire in need of a smack-down. Add in a werewolf from New Orleans, and this story was a sexy, riotous, gory ride that I absolutely adored. This was very entertaining, full of romance, some sex, and a serial killer case where there was absolutely no way the killer could safely be arrested, and it was a satisfying chunk of a read.

My only quibbles are that occasionally the timeline got a little squiffy for me – sometimes it seemed like not long had gone by at all, and then someone says something that lets you know that at least a few weeks have gone by – that kind of thing. And secondly, I think it could have been a bit shorter – some of it felt like it could have been removed and not missed. Finally, if Eric and Chase thought they were being discreet, I would hate to see them when they were being blatant about things, but to be honest, none of that really messed with my enjoyment of the story.

Vow Maker by Lily Morton (Mixed Messages #4)

Title: ⟫ Vow Maker (Mixed Messages #4)

Authors: ⟫ Lily Morton

Blurb: ⟫ Dylan Mitchell wants to get married.

However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit.

Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour. He’s confounded an army of wedding professionals, and now Dylan, the man who knows and loves him better than anyone, has joined the ranks of the confused. Can anything please his fiancé and get them to the altar?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes the sequel to Rule Breaker. A romantic comedy novella full of family chaos, meddling friends, sexy bathroom encounters, and love. Always love.

Review: ⟫ It was lovely to catch up with Dylan and Gabe – it made me want to go back and re-read their story. As usual, this story was full of snarky banter, heavy sarcasm, a whole lot of innuendo and chock-full of love and sex. We had cameos from other beloved characters and an introduction to at least one that I imagine is going to get his own book.

I really enjoyed this book – it was like snuggling down with an old favourite but with new information. I did grab the book Short Stack but didn’t have time to read it, but having been reminded of the amazing cast of men that Lily has written about, I think I’m going to re-download it.

An easy, relaxing, amusing read – well worth it.

Budding Attraction by Saxon James (Divorced Men's Club #3)

Title: ⟫ Budding Attraction (Divorced Men’s Club #3)

Authors: ⟫ Saxon James

Blurb: ⟫ Ford

I’ve never thought much about Orson Naples.

He’s a cute guy who I’d seen around town a few times, but then one day he up and left and didn’t reappear until a few years later. No one knows where he went or what he was doing, all this gossipy town knows is that he’s a widower, owns the florist, and is friends with that divorced group that hang out at the Killer Brew all the time.

But then one day I step into his flower shop and go from rarely thinking about him, to him constantly being on my mind.

There’s a restlessness to him that I’m dying to unlock answers to.

And his eyes linger on me a little too long for a straight man …

Orson

Ford Thomas is a pest. A delightful one. A tempting one. But I’m too old for games.

The ones I’ve played in the past have always led me to trouble which is why I vowed to settle down and live a quiet life.

So when Ford walks into my shop all uncontained energy and flirty quips in a pair of heavy work boots, I know I should show him the door.

I don’t need fun. I don’t need experiences.

Especially when those experiences have me questioning things I thought I knew about myself.

Review: ⟫ This was not what I expected at all but I loved it.

Orson wasn’t even bi-curious when things began between he and Ford and I loved reading about this man who had been all the way to the bottom who was willing to open his mind and his heart to something completely out of the realm of his experience.

The descriptions of Ford have always made my brain go ‘yum’ and this story completely solidified that. A gentle giant – with a past – I loved how respectful he was of Orson’s previous life experiences, of the fact that all they might share was friendship, and their journey together.

Other members of the DMC featured as usual (please, when are we getting Art’s story?) and their helpfulness if you want to call it that was appreciated. I loved Ford and Orson’s interactions with the kids building cars – it was wholesome, cheeky and irreverent in a way that definitely reminds me of my experiences with teenagers.

I readily admit that in my mind, Orson’s Pour Some Sugar on me moments could have featured in a Magic Mike film, and I truly loved the banter between these two guys. The friendship that grew between them was just awesome and I enjoyed every page of this book. Really looking forward to reading more and I am a certified member of the Saxon James fan club!

The Big Fix by Mary Calmes (Torus Intercession #5)

Title: ⟫ The Big Fix (Torus Intercession #5)

Authors: ⟫ Mary Calmes

Blurb: ⟫ Philanthropist. Humanitarian. Soldier. Spy.

Jared Colter, the head of Torus Intercession, has a secret life he left behind, one that only his closest confidants know about. Normally, the past keeps its secrets, but not this time. Old ghosts come calling to the very doorstep of his new life, when Owen Moss, the person closest to him, goes missing. A carrot left dangling to lure Jared out and into the hands of an unknown enemy.

Owen Moss was once a scared, orphaned boy saved by Jared, but he’s no longer a child even if Jared is having trouble seeing him that way. He’s thirty-two now, in love with Jared, and as Jared’s obliviousness keeps butting up against Owen’s desire, the tension between them keeps escalating. Something has to give, and soon.

With a bounty on his head, Jared races through the brutal underworld of Southeast Asia, in search of Owen. It’s a maze of treachery and murder, where one false move means death. The answer is tied to the man Jared used to be, taking him into the heart of the lion’s den, where he’s forced to face the darkest questions about himself to save the man he loves.

Review: ⟫ This reminds me very much of some of the early Mary Calmes books that I’ve read – specifically the ones with Jin and Logan – as it was sprawling, full of action, violence with the love story underpinning but not the main thrust of the story.

Jared has always been rather larger than life in the way he has been described and he didn’t disappoint – he was very much the man he has been viewed as by his employees in the previous Intercession books – a man on a mission, determined to leave the world (or people) in a better place.

However, this kinda came back to bite him in the butt in this story, as there was someone from his past determined to make Jared pay – and with a long list of enemies to choose from, it was a real puzzle to figure out who it was.

I loved seeing all of our guys from other stories (I’m talking about Darius and Dante to name just two) and the way their lives were interwoven was extremely skilful. Thinking about it, this reminded me very much of the cast of The Expendables movies – all of these men are over forty, not who you would expect to be in the field, but still skilled and talented in what they do. I liked how it was shown that they were the older generation – Jared didn’t just snap back into action with no repercussions. He felt the punches that landed, running around made him tired, and the day after shenanigans he needed painkillers and sometimes crawled out of bed with his body aching.

That brings me to the torture scenes. Oh my goodness, they were kinda hard to read. Not that I would consider them particularly graphic normally, but in a romance novel by Mary Calmes, they were really painful to read and Fang was a complete and utter *bleep*.

The romance very much took a backseat, but the build up between Owen and Jared has been coming since book #1 so I guess it could be considered that we’ve been reading their story since the beginning. I really enjoyed the flashbacks that fleshed out the storyline, and I could understand Jared’s reluctance to view Owen as a romantic partner – he was the hero, saving the day and it would have been really easy for Owen to mistake hero-worship for love. I thought that Mary did a good job of showing the Owen had been living a full life and made an adult choice regarding Jared – it wasn’t like he was locked away in an ivory tower and had no comparisons so that Jared was his only choice. Owen knew what he was doing,

Speaking of Owen knowing what he was doing – those sex scenes! Whoa – they surprised and delighted me in equal measure and I may have to re-read them – just to refresh my mind for the purposes of this review of course.

I think this was a different kind of romance, with the love story underpinning things rather than being at the forefront. I absolutely enjoyed this book, racing from page to page to find out just who was causing such chaos, and I am so pleased that Jared and Owen finally got their happy ever after. The background cast of characters will possibly be confusing for people who haven’t read most of Mary’s previous books, which is a shame, but I found this to be a rollicking, painful, funny and heart-felt story that I really enjoyed. Any stars it may have lost for the main leads not being together for so much of the story were regained for me by the return of Darius, George and Dante, etc. I loved it.

Heart2Heart Charity Anthology (Collection) by Various Authors

Title: ⟫ Heart2Heart – A Charity Anthology (Collection) Volume #6

Authors: ⟫ Various

Blurb: ⟫ Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered... what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating app responsible for pairing up the quirkiest, most perfect couples, brought people together by asking the questions they never knew they needed answered?

From learning each other’s secret zombie survival skills, to disputing the greatest starship captain ever, to confessing their feelings about Cornish pasties, the characters in these fourteen brand new stories inspired by reader suggestions will learn that no matter how random the question… love is always the answer.

And, as always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every day of the year!

Stories included in this collection are:

Heist of Hearts, by Alice Winters

Keeping Him in Cornwall, by Con Riley

Hate 2 Love U, by Daryl Banner

Love Down Under, by Eden Finley

Rock, Paper, Scissors, by Kate Hawthorne

Dog Days, by Kelly Fox

The London Chance, by Lane Hayes

My Darcy, by Lily Morton

A Drag Made in Heaven, by Max Walker

Connection, by Nicole Dykes

Worst. Date. Ever., by Onley James

Down the Mountain, by Rachel Ember

The Anti-Wingman, by Saxon James

The Choice, by Sloane Kennedy

Review: ⟫ You better believe when I saw that this was up for review, I sent in my request immediately! And I was lucky enough to get to read four stories including two by favourite authors of mine, plus two new ones.

Rock Paper Scissors by Kate Hawthorne

Bagel sounded absolutely magnificent in this story of which is better, mountains or the beach. This one started out as sex with no complications but pretty soon, feelings were being caught and things got a whole lot more complicated. I felt this one was more of a HFN rather than a HEA but it was a satisfying read and I liked the protagonists. ⟫ 3.5

My Darcy by Lily Morton

Typical Lily Morton with snarky banter, snappy dialogue and interesting side characters. Our leads were delightfully oblivious and if you’ve ever enjoyed any of Lily’s previous books, you’ll know exactly what to expect and enjoy this immensely. ⟫ 4.5

Down the Mountain by Rachel Ember

Second chance at love, very steamy but still quite heartfelt, I think this might be the first Rachel Ember story that I’ve read. I will definitely be looking out for other books as I really enjoyed the style of writing. ⟫ 4.5

Anti Wingman by Saxon James

As is often the case with characters written by Saxon James, Kai made me laugh my head off! He reminded me of an over-exuberant Labrador, with Rylan having to rein him in. A chance encounter on the Heart2Heart app which could have gone wrong in so many ways turns into a fabulous friendship that built into a beautiful relationship, even if someone had to let our leads know that they were in a relationship! ⟫ 5

I received and ARC of part of the anthology for review from GRR and will definitely be grabbing the whole thing when it’s released on 1st December. Overall score of 4.5 for the stories I read.

Wrecked But Not Ruined by Nicole Dykes

Title : ⟫ Wrecked But Not Ruined

Author: ⟫ Nicole Dykes

Blurb: ⟫ Ethan

I had everything. I was going to college and having a blast. Enjoying myself and not taking much seriously. But then, two years ago, everything changed.

A car wreck destroyed my life. It sent me into a total tailspin. I walked away, even when everyone said I wouldn’t be able to.

But I haven’t recovered from it.

The only thing I have left is my best friend, but I’m sure he’ll give up on me soon. Even so, I can’t fight the truth . . . I’m irrevocably ruined.

Knox

College is coming to an end, and I couldn’t be happier to finally start my real life.

Ethan and I had plans. So many amazing plans. And then, everything changed. He was in a horrific wreck, but he miraculously survived. Except it took a piece of him.

I’ve tried to help him get it back. Tried to get him to go to a trauma support group and come back to me.

He thinks he’s broken, but I know the real Ethan is still there. The brave, outgoing man I’ve known my entire life. And I’m going to help him see the truth. That he can overcome this.

That he may have been a little wrecked, but he wasn’t ruined.

Review: ⟫ This may well be one of the sweetest, most hopeful and most caring books I've ever read.

Ethan has survived a traumatic car accident but because he escaped with minimal injuries, he truly doesn't see the trauma. Reading how his life has changed since the incident and his view of himself was really painful, but also very realistic. After all, a lot of people would dismiss his fears and continuing trauma as him being overdramatic - after all, he wasn't that hurt. 

It was really interesting seeing the group of people he has managed to surround himself with who all care for him dearly, but are also aware that they can't help him until he is ready to help himself 

Knox was really sweet and a rock-solid friend in a way that so many people need. And it was an interesting twist to realise that he had suffered trauma of his own. I liked the parallels the author made and the overriding message that came through loud and clear - it doesn't have to be life-threatening to be trauma.

This was a very nicely written story, with a great list of characters and a solid pairing in Knox and Ethan. I found it a quick, satisfying read and am happy to recommend it.

I received an ARC from GRR. 

Double Play by E.M. Lindsey (Hit and Run Book #3)

Title: ⟫ Double Play (Hit and Run Book #3)

Author: ⟫ E.M. Lindsey

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ If self-destruction is an art-form, then Hervé is a master artist.

After all, he’s perfected self-sabotage since he was young and full of promise.

He’s spent his life running from his past and pushing away anyone who might break down his walls, but it wasn’t until his body betrayed him that he realized just how lonely his present had become. Now he’s in the countryside, trying to figure out if anything is worth salvaging, and wondering if he’s the sort of man who will ever be worth a second chance.

Even when Orion Coulter—one of the star pitchers on the Denver Vikings—shows up in his little village like some sort of predestined knight on a white horse, Hervé doesn’t trust him. How can he when Orion is close to all the men Hervé hurt?

But Orion’s situation is more complicated than Hervé realized, full of pain and grief, looking for some kind of escape. And while Hervé knows that he hasn’t quite earned meeting the man of his dreams, Orion’s quiet voice, tender hands, and impossible promises has him wondering if maybe—just maybe—the universe is willing to give him the chance he doesn’t deserve.

Double Play is the final book of the Hit and Run MM baseball romance series. It features countryside kisses, grief, redemption, long walks, careful handling, and a painfully tender happily ever after. 

Review: ⟫ I haven’t read any of the previous Hit and Run series and that may have influenced my experience with this book.

Well written, and extremely well researched, this book was an interesting read. I didn’t know about cataplexy although I knew a little about narcolepsy, and I found it quite educational. It features characters from the previous Hit and Run books (I assume so anyway), and there is obviously a lot of history playing a role in things. 

 Unfortunately,I think that may be what I struggled with. I haven’t read the previous books, knew none of the characters and therefore had no frame of reference and no ‘side’ in things. There were a lot of references to something Hervé did in previous books (and I know some people figured it out just from this book) but I couldn’t quite grasp what he had done that was so wrong, and I wasn’t sure I really cared.

That sounds really callous, but neither Hervé or Orion appealed to me at all – I felt their relationship moved at light speed when both of them were going through something completely life-changing and perhaps should have been more cautious. The struggles Hervé had with his health were handled sensitively and incorporated into the story – this wasn’t a case of saying a character is suffering from something and then never mentioning it again. But, again, I felt like he should be concentrating on stabilising his life and not on falling in love with someone based in a completely different country. I also thought recovering addicts were advised not to get into a relationship in the first year?

Basically, for me, this story didn’t connect and I think that is in large part because I didn’t have the history with the characters. As such, I personally don’t think that it can be read as a stand-alone novel. The sports was minimal, so I probably wouldn’t class it as a sports romance either.

The last two chapters were absolutely romantic, blistering and everything I could have hoped for. I just didn’t gel with the rest of the book. I received an ARC from GRR.

The Red Collar by M. Kato

Title: ⟫ The Red Collar
Author: ⟫ M. Kato
Rating: ⟫ 4/5
Blurb: ⟫ Chief Inspector Hayashi Teruo is short-tempered, impatient and a perfectionist. When another one of his partners resigns, Teruo is assigned a new one transferred from Hiroshima. But this comes with a condition: if his partner bails on Teruo before the end of the month, he risks demotion.

Miyazaki Shinji wants to forget the problems of his past, focus on his new position at Tōkyō MPD and work with the department’s best homicide detective. As a supernatural, Shinji speaks with ghosts of murder victims, gaining insight into the cases and solving them faster.

Before they get a chance to become acquainted, Teruo and Shinji are thrown into a new murder case. The body of a young man is found, killed with a weapon bearing a strange resemblance to a dog's collar. As more victims are discovered, they need to dig deeper and find the connection between them.

While working on the case, Teruo and Shinji are caught into an irresistible attraction. But being partners on duty and lovers in bed isn't easy. As Teruo slowly unravels Shinji’s secrets, he questions his partner's integrity, while Shinji is caught in endless lies threatening his relationship with Teruo as lovers and co-workers.

Review: ⟫ This book got more and more interesting the more I read, but I definitely had some issues with it. The main characters were not very defined in my opinion and their relationship got hot and heavy extremely fast with no real explanation as to why they were feeling such an intense attraction to each other.

The Supernatural aspects were really interesting, although I sometimes got confused with the terminology that was used. I was also fascinated by Teruo’s reactions – on the one hand, he was more than a little blasé, but on the other hand he was asking the questions I would want answers to.

The procedural aspects of things were good but a bit basic, but with all of the supernatural stuff to explain that is understandable. I will be looking for the second book in the series to read and would recommend this to people interested in a little supernatural touch to their police romance.

4/5 from me – I received an ARC from GRR.

Blitzed by S.E. Harmon (Rules of Possession #3)

Title: ⟫ Blitzed (Rules of Possession #3)

Author: ⟫ S.E. Harmon

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ NFL tight end Andrew McAdams isn’t thrilled to be sidelined with an injury. He’s even less thrilled about his legal troubles. Community service is the only thing standing between him and jail so...yeah. That’s a no-brainer. It's not all bad news, though. He gets to work with Jesse Fox, who is as gorgeous as he is guarded. And there's no rule saying he can't do his hours and have a little fun. Right?

Wrong. Jesse may have to put up an athlete using his center as a "get out of jail free" card, but that's where he draws the line. And who cares if Andrew is unexpectedly sweet and thoughtful? The people in Jesse’s life think he should get a life outside of charity work and find love. And maybe he will. But it won't be with a playboy NFL player wearing an ankle monitor as an accessory. Besides, anyone who dated someone like that would be thrust into the public eye. Jesse has worked hard to become someone else—someone better—and he's not about to dig up the past.

That's just not a game he's willing to play.

Too bad it’s not in Andrew’s nature to give up on something he wants. It may have started as simple attraction, but now it’s much more than that. He doesn’t just want Jesse for now…he wants Jesse for always.

And that's not a game he's willing to lose.

Review: ⟫ I kinda went into this expecting a relatively shallow book about two guys falling in love, with the NFL and a community centre in the background. But this book was so much more than that.

Jesse has had a tough life and is doing everything he can to pay it forward and ensure that others don’t have to struggle the way that he did. In doing so, he’s protecting his heart – especially after his last relationship with a closeted NFL player and how that turned out. That doesn’t mean he’s blind – he can see that Andrew McAdams is a fine looking man and is attracted to him, but that doesn’t mean he has to make the same mistake again.

I really liked Jesse – I liked how aware he was of his flaws and weaknesses; how he could look at his past and the people who let them down and acknowledge that loving them might be something he couldn’t stop but that didn’t mean he had to let them in. I especially liked how he was at the Centre – it shone out of him how much the place, the people and the kids meant to him and he sounded like an exceptional person.

Andrew McAdams took me by surprise. It would have been so easy for him to be some dumb jock trying to get into Jesse’s pants, with no appreciation for what he had and no understanding of why Jesse was the way he was. Instead, he proved himself to be sensitive, caring and just an outright good person who it was practically impossible not to love.

They made a lovely couple, even if they spent almost 75% of the book trying to deny that that’s what they were. Both of these characters were so well written, with a brilliant supporting cast including Blue and Kelly from the previous Rules of Possession books, and an underlying plot that was enthralling, amusing and touching in so many ways.

I motored through this book even though I was completely exhausted and wanted to sleep because I needed to see Andrew and Jesse get their HEA. I have enjoyed every book I have read by S.E. Harmon and this was no exception – well worthy of a read and unputdownable in the best way.

North's Pole by Leta Blake (Camp Bay Christmas Story)

Title: ⟫ North’s Pole

Author: ⟫ Leta Blake

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Located on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in beautiful Northern Idaho, Camp Bay Chalet is a discrete and cosy B&B, popular with both locals and minor celebrities for its fabulous holiday weekends.

The pic seen around the world….

The son of Hollywood royalty, North Astor-Ford has lived his entire life in the public’s eye. He knows better than anyone that someone is always watching.

So when one not-so-innocent picture meant for a hook-up accidentally ends up cross-posted across all his social media, North is left humiliated and scared. With no one to turn to, he flees to Camp Bay Chalet to be close to the one person he used to count on to protect him from the world.

Liam’s life has been in a holding pattern since the moment North fired him three years ago, even if it was for the best. A romance between a bodyguard and his client would’ve caused exactly the sort of scandal Liam was hired to prevent.

Now that North is back in his orbit, Liam’s going to do what he does best, protect North from the world. And maybe, just maybe, the charm of a Camp Bay Chalet Christmas will be enough to both heal North and bring about the romance they’ve both always wanted.

North’s Pole takes place in the Camp Bay shared universe, but can be read as a stand-alone. Look for more of the Camp Bay universe in Stolen Christmas by Marie Sexton.

Review: ⟫ Despite the raunchiness of the initial subject matter, this was a very sweet, quite romantic story with some sexy times thrown in. North was a really sweet guy – slightly naive and perhaps even gullible considering his upbringing, and not the brightest bulb in the box. His humiliation and anguish at the accidental pic that went around the world was palpable and actually made me think about real-life celebrities and wonder how they cope when sex tapes, etc. get released.

Liam was the official white knight – riding to the rescue and taking care of North the way he always did in the past. I thought it was really interesting the circumstances behind him getting fired – both he and North actually handled that with maturity and quite a lot of dignity.

Camp Bay sounds absolutely lovely, especially around Christmas time and this was all-in-all, a lovely Christmas read. The ages of the MCs bothered me a bit – they both seemed so long to be riding into the sunset, but the epilogue definitely helped there – and I quite enjoyed the read. I haven’t read any other books set in the Camp Bay verse but I will keep a look out.

I received an ARC from GRR.