Creekside Township Rivals by J T Fader

TITLE: ⟫ Creekside Township Rivals

AUTHOR: ⟫ J T Fader

SERIES: ⟫ Books #1 - 3

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Three HEA stories set in Creekside, a sleepy little town, where rivalries don't generally occur due to the leadership of the East Creekside pack. This boxed set follows the love stories of three brothers, dedicating a book to each. Lots of knotting, MPreg, and of course love.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is pretty much exactly as the blurb describes – three tales set in Creekside, featuring members of the East Creekside pack. It includes mpreg but doesn’t go into huge amounts of detail. There is minimal angst, some violence and an interesting look at werewolves living alongside humans and the issues it can cause.

Reading these was a nice way to while away a few hours – they are nice, gentle and romantic, with fated and chosen mates as the main tropes. If you’re looking for something simple and pleasant, these stories won’t steer you wrong.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Dead Serious: Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plum by Vawn Cassidy

TITLE: ⟫ Dead Serious: Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plum

AUTHOR: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy

SERIES: ⟫ Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed #4

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Inspector Danny Hayes has something very important to ask his boyfriend Tristan Everett. Over the past six months they’ve survived reapers, chaos monsters, and biblical storms, not to mention averting an apocalypse. So, what’s left to do but pop the big question?

Tristan is ready for a break from world-saving, spectral crises, and most definitely from ghosts. He wants some one-on-one time with his boyfriend, preferably horizontally. So when the incredibly thoughtful aforementioned boyfriend books a romantic New Year’s getaway at a quiet little hotel in the wilds of the north Yorkshire moors and away from London, Tristan can’t wait.

But as usual nothing ever goes according to plan. Snowed in during an unexpected murder mystery weekend at what turns out to be one of the most haunted hotels in Northern England is not what they had in mind, but when one of the actors turns up really dead not just fake dead, they once again find themselves caught up in another investigation.

With only one night to figure out who the killer is while wrangling a multitude of overly helpful ghosts, Tristan begins to wonder if romance really is dead…

REVIEW: ⟫ It would be very easy for the romance between Tristan and Danny to take a backseat to a rip-roarer of a weekend where murder, family, extra marital affairs and ghosts are running riot, so it is a credit to Vawn Cassidy that that doesn’t happen.

Danny wants to propose to Tristan – has been planning it for some time – but can’t seem to find the right time. A weekend away where they can both relax after the extremely busy and challenging last few months seems like the perfect opportunity – now if only there wasn’t a murder, an affair, an insane amount of ghosts and a hotel on its’ last legs getting in the way.

I really loved the way that Tristan supported Danny as he faced up to various things from his past, and I was pleased with how went and was handled. Dusty is, as always, the absolute bomb and the interactions between her and Danny had me giggling at various stages. Once again, we have a murder and Tristan using his abilities to help solve the case. This time, other people get up close and personal with the ghosts and it was fascinating seeing their reactions, Danny in particular. At one point, Tristan notes that this is Danny’s first face-to-face conversation with a ghost and for some reason that really made me stop and pause. Up until now, Danny has taken Tristan at his word, not unduly questioned him or made him feel even stranger than he already does. But this represents an opportunity for Danny to see what it is like for Tristan all of the time and I really appreciated this touch.

This was an excellent follow-up to the previous books, with call-outs to characters from other books that were lovely little hints for regular readers to pick up on without being obnoxious for people only now discovering the author. I look forward to the next book – the ending definitely set things up to be completely fascinating and also more than a little bit darker.

This book was like watching a romantic comedy with a little drama/murder for added spice and I really enjoyed it. Definitely recommend.

I received an ARC.

Beyond Time by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Time

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ SETH

I always thought my world would begin and end with Jayce Walker. When a sleep study offers us life-changing money, we jump at the opportunity. There’s only one I don’t have insomnia. Bluffing my way in is easy, but getting there and losing everything that’s ever mattered is a nightmare I can’t escape.

Jayce is gone. My only ally is a voice in my head named Clay, who insists the body walking around — the one I’ve known and loved my entire life — belongs to a man named Kade, and he only wants one thing.

To kill me.

KADE

Most people don’t get second chances, but I did. Brought back to life by a power-hungry company, I have one thought: I want revenge.

But... the man I’m chasing isn’t Clay. His name is Seth, and all my years of being a heartless, psychopathic killer never prepared me for the way his wide eyes make me feel. I don’t know how to deal with the emotions still knocking around in my chest that used to belong to someone named Jayce.

They make me question things. They make me wonder if my agenda has changed…

I want to make Seth mine.

~~~

BEYOND TIME is a dual POV dark romance with a twist on soulmates that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Prepare yourself for scorching heat, high emotions, and a psychopath who doesn’t know what to do with all the feelings he’s suddenly being forced to experience. Guaranteed HEA with a universe that’s wide open for exploration!

REVIEW: ⟫ Well, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, but boy oh boy, this kicked 2024 off with a bang!

The premise is so simple and yet full of twists, turns and idiosyncrasies and the characters are fully fleshed out – even the ones that are not at the forefront of the story for long become real through memories and feelings. The idea of bringing back assassins from the past is absolutely genius, and Clay and Kade were the ultimate duo. Their first task is to take the other one out – to prove that they are worthy – but both men have a personal stake in things. After all, Clay killed Kade once already.

Add to that baby-tiger Seth and the depths to his character that could not have been expected, and this book is an absolute roller-coaster of a ride. It’s actually difficult to know who to root for – the ultimate bad boy who decides from one taste of Seth that they are meant to be, or Clay who simply wants to keep Seth safe. And then we have Seth, who seems to be drawn to the very person who wants to kill him! It’s a troubling one – unless you’re used to, and love, the whole concept of Psychos in love!

I really enjoyed this and am very pleased to see that it is the first in a series – I can only imagine where the author will take things from here and I am excited to see where this goes.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Unnatural Fate by J.R. Gray

TITLE: ⟫ Unnatural Fate

AUTHOR: ⟫ J.R. Gray

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ My soul mate is my natural enemy.

Or close enough.

He’s a vampire and I’m a wolf.

Our kinds are at war. A centuries old blood war.

I can’t stay away from him. I hate him, but I want him.

Our love is a standoff. For every inch I take, he pushes a mile.

The world is against us. But I’m so tired of fighting the ties between us.

For every wolf that dies at the hands of a vampire, I feel more guilty.

Yet I go to him over and over and we use each other just enough until next time.

I can’t stop.

We both swear it’ll be the last time, but here we are again.

The cycle never ends.

But this time it has to.

I must either choose him and betray my people or walk away for good.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Royal Curse by Eliot Grayson (Twilight Mages Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ The Royal Curse

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eliot Grayson

SERIES: ⟫ Twilight Mages

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Dawn mage. Twilight mage. Cursed, useless, damaged, dangerous…

His birth magic leaves Prince Nikola with nothing but bad live as another man’s possession, subject to his whims and his desires, or remain dependent on a potion that stunts his powers and prevents him from knowing love. Andreas vows to protect the prince with his life—whether Nikola wants him to or not. After all, the queen pays his soldier’s wage. Nikola’s nothing but a job to do. But when they find themselves stranded, with Nikola’s potion running out, Andreas has to…improvise. Because what Prince Nikola needs to survive is the opposite of a lowly guard’s respectful protection. It should’ve been only one night. Just until the potion’s refilled. But now that Nikola’s had Andreas’s touch, he craves Andreas again and again. He shouldn’t. But he—and his magic—can’t live without it…

The Royal Curse is a high-heat MM fantasy romance with a stubborn prince, an even more stubborn soldier, and cursed magic that can’t be denied. There is an attempted on-page assault that is not between the main characters. HEA guaranteed.

REVIEW: ⟫ I need to start by saying that I am extremely happy that this is going to be a series because there needs to be so much more about Twilight Mages! Their magic is fascinating and I really enjoyed the descriptions included in the story.

This book is described as high heat and is well deserving of the notification – once Andreas and Nikola get going, they really get going! And I loved reading the two of them together – they were hot, sexy, caring and oh, so much fun! I enjoyed the back story regarding Niko’s trip and the reasoning behind it, and the subplot was entertaining even if just for seeing Andreas getting all possessive and violent over Niko.

This was a lovely addition to my Eliot Grayson library and I will happily re-read it in preparation for the next story – which, please, be out soon!

I received and ARC from GRR.

Weddings, Christmas and Such by Amy Lane (Holiday Stories from Granby)

TITLE: ⟫ Weddings, Christmas and Such

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

SERIES: ⟫ Holiday Stories from Granby

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Welcome back to the world of Granby, where the yarn is soft, the knitting is fine, and the critters are never far off.... After the happy ever after of Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair, Jeremy and Aiden continued to be fan favorites, and author Amy Lane visited them from time to time in a series of whimsical shorts that were posted on her blog and Patreon. Those shorts, together with a brand-new, never before seen Christmas novel featuring the entire Granby family, are gathered here in Weddings, Christmas, and Such, a collection of stories that show the good times in the bad, and the hope even in the darkness. Welcome back to the world of Granby—Jeremy, Aiden, Craw, Ben, Stanley, Johnny, Ariadne, Rory, and baby Persephone are all happy to see you again!

In This The Gift of a

The folks at Craw's mill and shop have always knitted for each other's big holidays, but one person in their midst hasn't been entirely honest about his own birthday... Ariadne and Rory are going off on a much-needed vacation--are Jeremy and Aiden prepared for full-time childcare and all the hard questions it might entail?

And the Mountains Should

Hard times have come to Granby--can Craw and his small patchwork family survive fire in the pandemic, and find something to be thankful for on the other side?

Weddings and

After all the troubles and some years of peace, it really is time for everybody to get married. Has Jeremy come far enough along from his rabbit days to be the center of attention while his boy makes an honest man out of him?

Crocheting Hawks and Knitting Christmas

Gideon Haze and Pippen Madison commit a near-tragic mistake, and everybody's favorite bunny is laid up for Christmas! Can the bodyguard and his vulnerable charge find a way to atone for their lapse in judgment and grow into the men who can make themselves and their new Granby family safe from Pippen's dangerous father?

REVIEW: ⟫ The chicken in a Tuxedo on the front cover is fully explained, I promise.

Do you ever experience that feeling where you return somewhere and think, yeah, it was okay at the time but nothing special now? What about when you return somewhere and remember everything good about it, how it made you feel, the way it touched your heart and mind? Returning to Granby is definitely the latter – I only vaguely remembered Jeremy and Aiden until I started reading and my brain went ‘oh yes, happy place!’

Not that these stories are all happy – some of them are quite poignant, they remind us of a difficult time that the world went through, the struggles many are currently facing. But they also give us hope and faith that if we find our family – by blood or by choice – then we can make it out the other side.

I promised myself I was just going to read one of the short stories, and here I am at 6 am in the morning, sniffing away happy tears and writing these reviews whilst I still have all of those Granby feelings still in my heart. Having this now – for Christmas – may just be exactly what I needed to get me through the next few weeks, and I can only imagine the feeling is similar for so many other people. How Amy Lane continues to manage to rip my heart out with one hand, whilst giving me the mushiest love feelings of all time with the other is beyond me, but this book of stories is a perfect addition to Granby.

And, hey, if you can’t quite remember reading the Knitting/Crochet books, what better treat than to get them all for yourself in time for Christmas!

I received an ARC from the author.

Best Served Cold by Willow Dixon (Crimson Club #3

TITLE: ⟫ Best Served Cold

AUTHOR: ⟫ Willow Dixon

SERIES: ⟫ Crimson Club #3

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ When the guys at work dare me and the new guy to play a game of gay chicken, I figure I’ll get my first kiss and bragging rights for winning. What I don’t expect is for that game to awaken something in me. Something I’ve never felt before.

Something that makes me want more. Makes me want him.

I never back down from a challenge, but that doesn’t explain why being with Noah feels so good. Why I can’t stop thinking about him. Why he’s the only person who’s ever stirred even the slightest interest in me.

Why getting him off gets me off.

Watching Noah lose control is everything. So is knowing he can’t stay away from me, either.

Zane and Noah’s story is an animosity to lovers, double bi-awakening romance. You can expect public fun, tons of heat, lots of banter, and reluctant feels as these two impulsive and competitive guys realize that in some games, everyone’s a winner. It is the third book in the exciting new Crimson Club series but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ I was expecting an every day, ho hum, enemies to lovers story but in Best Served Cold, we get so much more.

Zane and River have utterly fascinated me from the first time we met them – especially considering their act at the Crimson Club – so finding out about Zane’s lack of interest in dating, etc was a bit of a surprise. But a very good one. I really enjoyed the fact that his sexuality was just another topic of conversation amongst the friend group – no one tried to make him feel weird for not knowing certain things, or needing explanations/examples that worked for him. I also really enjoyed seeing more of the relationship between the twins (although River talking to Zane and Noah through the bedroom wall for some reason had me in absolute stitches!

Noah was a complicated character, and once we learned more of his back-story, my heart broke for him. Even with the distance he managed to gain from his abusive family, their words – and the words of the Pastor – had buried deeply into his psyche and made it so difficult for him to see that he was a good person, deserving of love and respect and friendship.

Once again, an excellent cast of characters in the background made this story multifaceted, and we caught up with some old friends during the course of the story but not in a way that precluded it being a standalone. Willow Dixon is rapidly becoming one of my auto-reads as I have always enjoyed reading her stories. I’m really pleased with this addition and cannot wait for River’s story.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The 12 Kittens of Christmas by Amy Lane

TITLE: ⟫ The 12 Kittens of Christmas

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Killian Thornton likes his downtown life, tending bar, and enjoying time with his friends and community. He'd given up on passion long ago—he wasn't cut out for grand romance or dramatic gestures. Then one night, in a characteristic act of kindness, Killian offers his couch to help a friend's little brother find his feet in a new city, and everything Killian thought he knew about himself and his little life gets turned upside down.

Lewis Bernard, the funny, quirky guy happy to find a spot on Killian's couch, can’t believe his luck. After being forced to flee his parents’ house, he was afraid of what came next, but Sacramento seems to be treating him just fine. The stunningly handsome bartender who lives downstairs from his brother offers Lewis his couch and doesn’t even balk when Lewis discovers two abandoned kittens in a vacant lot as they walk home.

Vet bills, cat food bills, litter boxes—none of it was on Killian's Christmas agenda, but he jumps in gamely to help because all the shelters seem to be full, and that's just the kind of guy Killian is. But kittens can multiply faster than rabbits, and Killian and Lewis accidentally rescue more and more cats.

Lewis starts to panic. He really wants to know Killian better, but with each act of kindness, Lewis falls further in love while ruining Killian's life. How can Killian find time to fall in love with Lewis and ask him to stay if they’re inundated with destructive furry poop-machines who all seem to need a home before Christmas?

REVIEW: ⟫ Oh my goodness, the cover for this book is absolutely perfect!

Right, on to the story! This was absolutely gorgeous – I read it on 1st December and it completely put me in the mood for Christmas. Killian was an absolute ANGEL who deserved everything and Lewis is just that!! And the cats – Boris and Natasha were so cute together, but Moose and Squirrel may well own my whole heart!

You have the traditional Amy Lane ability to create main characters that you love and want the best for; a cast of background characters who were the best friends available; and best thing ever for the festive season, there were SO many Easter Eggs from other series that I absolutely loved. You don’t need to have read any of them but it was a lovely nod to regular readers.

I’m about to put on some Christmas songs and head into another book – this one was absolutely brilliant and I am so glad it was the beginning of my Christmas reading.

I received an ARC from the author.

Honey Bee Murder by Dahlia Donovan

TITLE: ⟫ Honey Bee Murder

AUTHOR: ⟫ Dahlia Donovan

RATING: ⟫ 2.5/5

SERIES: ⟫ Honey Bee Cosy Mysteries

BLURB: ⟫ George Bernard Sheth plans to spend July in the garden with his beloved pug, Bumble. He’s tending to his bees when a neighbour harasses him quite vocally. When the man winds up dead, all eyes are immediately on George and the many hives in his garden.

Murphy Baird knows without a doubt George wouldn’t harm a fly or a bee or an obnoxious rich businessman. He balances keeping his brewery going with trying to help solve the murder and preparing for the upcoming Highland Games. It’s not made any easier by the impending visit from his father.

As the mystery deepens, they find themselves not knowing quite who to trust. Can they find the killer before George winds up arrested for murder?

REVIEW: ⟫ I should preface this by saying that I didn’t realise that there was a book one. Once I realised that, I had to accept that I might be a little on the back foot with regards to the characters and dived in.

Not having read the first book was not much of a hindrance with regard to the characters – it’s made very clear who everyone is, how they’re related to everyone. The main character of George is neurodivergent, and this plays quite the role in his interactions with other people. It was quite heartening the way that the people around George understood the limitations he was under, supporting him in whatever way was necessary – there was quite the vein of love and affection that played out throughout the story.

The murder mystery was a little weak – simply the fact that George has bees should not really have made him a suspect. As George opines slightly dramatically, how is he meant to ‘control his bees’? I understood that the police had to investigate all claims but it just seemed a bit too exaggerated – at least in my opinion. Also, it wasn’t so much that I couldn’t tell who had committed the murder in that I didn’t care, which isn’t a great sign in a murder mystery romance.

I also felt that there was very little romance in the story. George and Murphy are a newly established couple and I expected more demonstrations of affection. I didn’t feel very much chemistry between the two male leads and there was no sex scenes to speak of. Murphy made little to no impression at all – he was the vague representation of a big, solid, protective male who was very involved in his brewery and loved his parents/family and George. Apart from that, I feel like I learned more about the pug, Bumble, than I did Murphy. It made his character more than a little one-dimensional and that was a shame.

My overall impression of this book is that it reminded me very much of an episode of a slow, easy, country life-style mystery along the lines of Murder She Wrote – easy viewing for everyone but nothing about it was particularly memorable. The writing itself was stilted and didn’t flow as easily as it might but I’m not sure if that was meant to be a representation of George or was simply the writer’s style.

If you’re looking for an easy, comfort read without little to no spice and a side-plot murder mystery, I can see people enjoying this book. I received an ARC from GRR.

Bad Pucking Influence by Michele Lenard

TITLE: ⟫ Bad Pucking Influence

AUTHOR: ⟫ Michele Lenard

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Thor meets Tony Hawk in this comedic, low-angst/high spice MM romance about a serious hockey goalie who is drawn out of his shell by a bratty skateboarder, a dare involving cake, and a lesson in how to use joysticks-for video games of course.

On the surface, I’ve got it all. I’m the starting goalie and Captain of the Colorado Bulldogs hockey team. I’ve got more money than I know what to do with. I can count an entire team of elite athletes as my friends. And according to the pundits, I’m an eligible bachelor.

That's the image everyone sees, but it’s just a role I play. A part dictated by my career. I have to be just as perfect off the ice as I am on it since everything I do reflects on my team in some way or another. So, those questions I have about why I don’t crave sexual contact the way my teammates do–questions I’m afraid to ask with the world watching… I decided a long time ago it didn’t make sense to look for answers until after I retire.

Then I ran into him.

Tripp is loud, obnoxious, and full of confidence. Some people find his sass off-putting, but not me. I find it intriguing, and I admire his ability to be himself, consequences be damned. Apparently, I also admire the way he looks, since my eyes seem to linger on him longer than they should, and when he sets his sights on me…

Waiting for retirement to explore who I am seems like too big a sacrifice, so when Tripp offers to help me answer some of those questions about myself, I jump.

I'm tired of pretending to be Mr. Perfect… Tripp and his playboy antics might be just the thing I need to figure out who I am outside of hockey. The only problem is, everyone–including our mutual friends–see him as a bad pucking influence.

Bad Pucking Influence is a low-angst, high-spice MM romance featuring a hockey player and a brat, not a hockey book featuring a romance. Fans of bratty playboys and gentle giants will enjoy this light-hearted, steamy yet touching love story.

REVIEW: ⟫ This story was an absolute hoot! I don’t think there was a single sexual thought that crossed Tripp’s mind that he didn’t let out of his mouth and I am SO here for it. As was Noah.

I really enjoyed reading this journey of discovery – for both men – as Noah realises that he isn’t broken just because he’s not wired the same way as other people, and Tripp realises that letting somebody in might just be worth it. I enjoyed the background characters and will be looking out for books featuring them. The sex scenes were numerous, entertaining and inventive (just as Tripp likes them!), and the small side plot near the end didn’t derail things which I was pleased about.

I very much enjoyed reading this and will definitely be looking for more by this author.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Deliverance of Marek Sommers by Ashlyn Drewek

TITLE: ⟫ The Deliverance of Marek Sommers

AUTHOR: ⟫ Ashlyn Drewek

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

SERIES: ⟫ Spin-off from the Solnyshko Duet

BLURB: ⟫ Marek Sommers is everything Misha Chernyshevsky shouldn’t want—young, angry at the world, and, worst of all, a man. The fact Marek is dealing drugs for a competitor is the icing on the cake. None of that deters the Russian mafia boss, though.

From the moment he lays eyes on the surly bartender, Misha is captivated. Learning about Marek’s troubled past and fearing for his future, Misha is certain that Marek needs his help—whether he wants it or not.

Convincing Marek to trust him, however, proves to be a more formidable task than Misha anticipates. But if they have any chance of surviving the brutal world of the Russian mafia, Misha needs Marek to trust him before it’s too late. THE DELIVERANCE OF MAREK SOMMERS is a slow-burn MM romance about a down-and-out bartender with a harrowing past and the Russian mafia boss determined to save him from it all. Violence and heartache make the tender moments that much sweeter, HEA guaranteed. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.

This book can be read as a stand-alone. However, it is a spin-off from the Solnyshko Duet and contains spoilers for those books if you haven’t read them.

REVIEW: ⟫ The Solnyshko Duet was the first experience of Ashlyn Drewek so finding out that Misha who featured in that duet had his own story made this a no-brainer. And like that duet, this book did not disappoint.

It would easy to get dragged down into the hell that life appears to be for Marek Sommers – he’s doing everything he can to take care of his siblings and save them from his nightmare of a mother, and yet he can’’t seem to catch a break. Throw in an abusive ex-lover who is determined to get Marek back and it’s perfectly obvious why Marek doesn’t trust Misha and everything he’s offering. I absolutely adored how stoic and consistent Misha would – he made himself a constant presence in Marek’s life, always there to lend a hand, a place to stay – something Marek hasn’t experienced.

It was even more touching with the fact that Misha was risking his life in how he was handling things with Marek – there was little doubt made of the fact that Sergei would have expected Misha to be more blunt in his discussions with Marek. The further insights into the views of the old-fashioned Russian brigade with regard to homosexual relationships and what they meant about the men involved with them were fascinating, albeit wince-inducing.

I loved the characters, especially Misha’s bodyguards who were incredibly loyal to him I also really enjoyed the fact that the brutal aspects of Misha’s life were not brushed over – from him making love with Marek with a single-minded determination to make everything about him juxtaposed with him handing out justice to the people who deserved it was handled extremely well.

There was a cameo from the Wolf and I loved the interactions between him and Marek – they made me laugh, especially after Misha got shot! The children in the story were written as children, not mini-adults which can often be the case. The slow burn was just long enough to make the interactions between Marek and Misha sizzle just that little bit more, and it was extremely satisfying watching them building such a normal relationship. Even after the truth of what Misha has done to get information out of Marek there wasn’t a miscommunication – Marek knew enough about the world to accept what Misha had done and why, and even appreciate the avenues he chose not to take.

This is a brutal mobster love story, very engaging, with excellent relationship building and a satisfying ending and merely confirmed my love for Ashlyn Drewek’s skilful writing.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Cute as Cats by Suki Fleet

TITLE: ⟫ Cute as Cats

AUTHOR: ⟫ Suki Fleet

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Meet-cute in a cat cafe, but oh no! there's a storm and they're trapped together...Zu has spent his life wishing he wasn’t so big and awkward and always making a mess of things. When he gets stood up by his date at a cat café one rainy Christmas eve, it turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to him. He finds himself exchanging flirty glances with Kiitan, the café’s slender pudding chef. But when they start to talk, Kiitan tells Zu he’s deaf and Zu’s shyness get the better of him, and his worry about messing up makes him do just that. Gathering his courage, Zu vows to wait until the end of Kiitan’s shift to make it up to him. But as the streets around the café start to flood, the café closes early to make sure everyone can get home, and Zu thinks his chance is gone. Until he sees Kiitan is staying behind to protect the café’s cats. Ignoring all the ways things could go wrong, Zu does the only thing that feels right—he takes a chance and offers to help him. This contemporary Christmas short story has gay, pansexual, disability rep and a HEA. An earlier version of this story was available as part of the Rainbow Christmas Advent in 2022. This is an extended and updated version of that story.

REVIEW: ⟫ I admit it, I picked up this book because of the cats and the meet-cute premise! I went to a Cat Cafe for my 50th birthday with my kids and we had an absolute blast!

This novella is sweet, cute and all of those words that are appropriate for this time of year. It contains a lot of representation for such a short story: disability representation, gay, pansexual – but all of it is just part of the story rather than a big deal. Obviously there isn’t a lot of space for character/world building and it was a little instant-love – basically Zu and Kiitan fall in love over the course of a (very busy and traumatic) day. If you ignore that aspect of things if it doesn’t work for you, then this is a simple tale of two men meeting and liking each other, working together to keep cats safe, and a little bit of sexy-touching to round things off. A really nice read and a good start to my Christmas reading!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Unholy Trinity by Garrett Leigh (Rebel Kings #6)

TITLE: ⟫ Unholy Trinity

AUTHOR: ⟫ Garrett Leigh

SERIES: ⟫ Rebel Kings #6

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ A full steam, page-turning Poly Romance. Why Choose one book boyfriend when you can have two? Satisfy your romantic cravings with this heart-pounding hurt/comfort love story.

The vice-president of the Rebel Kings MC.

The girl of his dreams.

And the six-foot-five firefighter-turned-bodyguard they can’t resist.

Nash

It’s three in the morning, and we’re in her bed. My body throbs from his mouth on me, my blood still whooshing in my ears.

I want to make him feel like this, so I can drown in it.

So I can drown in him.

Goddamn, I want to suffocate in every fibre of Locke Halliwell with the woman I love at my side.

He has me fragile already.

She has me in pieces at her feet.

And man alive, I wish that was all I had to worry about.

But this life. It’s vicious. It’s deadly. And if I can’t protect every soul I’ve ever loved from the past, the future is already in ashes at my feet.

Unholy Trinity is the sixth instalment in the bestselling Rebel Kings MC series. An MMF romance with strong MM romance content, hurt/comfort, angst, found family, forced proximity, single dad, and friends-to-lovers tropes.

Content warnings for everything you’d expect from a biker romance.

REVIEW: ⟫ Good Lord, this book! Talk about steamy! Unlike the rest of the series, this book is clearly a threesome from the very beginning, with both Orla and Nash making sure that Locke knows that this is not just for fun – this has Feelings with a capital F. The chemistry between the three of them is off the charts, with the physical side of things being a very clear merging of all of them rather than them just pairing off randomly.

The background knowledge provided on Nash and Orla – she having faced the threat of SA from an early age, he growing up with parents that thought being gay/bisexual was wrong – helped to explain why neither of the have acted on their feelings for Nash previously. However sex-positive they both might be, they have their own issues. Locke is a gigantic marshmallow wrapped in the body of a sex-God, with the mouth and experience to know how to man-handle someone and make them like it. He also has an extremely tragic backstory that just about broke my heart.

I knew I was in trouble when I was nearly 89% of the way through the book and the main ‘storyline’ had still not been resolved. What I was not expecting was that cliffhanger – I’m surprised Garrett Leigh didn’t hear my scream of outrage! I’m in two minds as to whether or not I wish I had waited until the second part of this one is out – I wasn’t aware that there was going to be a cliffhanger so that does explain some of my pain/sorrow/outrage.

This is yet another stunning story from Garrett Leigh and I highly recommend reading it. You definitely need to have read the rest of the Rebel Kings series because otherwise all of the names/partners/relationships could quickly get muddled. If you’re squeamish about heterosexual encounters in your MM literature, then this is NOT the book for you – the scenes involving Orla are just as explicit as those involving Nash and Locke (definitely here for the PAN/Bisexual representation), written beautifully and evocatively as always.

Now I just have to wait for the next instalment! I received an ARC from GRR.

When The Law Needs Help by Jackie Keswick (Dwight and Conrad Case Files #1)

TITLE: ⟫ When The Law Needs Help

AUTHOR: ⟫ Jackie Keswick

SERIES: ⟫ Dwight and Conrad Case Files #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Can love, loyalty, and family step in when the law needs help?

Join Jack Horwood and Gareth Flynn as they tackle murder, secrets, and moral dilemmas in a world where the law isn't always enough - while finding comfort in each other and their home-made family.

The first volume of Dwight & Conrad Case-files stories includes:

Mouse Hunt: When a friend's death and old secrets collide, Jack has no choice but to step up and help.

A Very Bagpuss Christmas: Can adopting a cat really cause so much heartache that Jack considers escaping to Tokyo? Can Gareth fix what's going wrong?

Grand Union Hunt: Gareth lives to help people. But should he obey the law or follow his conscience?

When the Law Needs Help is a collection of three stories set in and featuring the characters from the Power of Zero world.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a very interesting set of short stories, set in the Power of Zero universe. It was really excellent to be back with Jack and Gareth, to fall back into their world and be swallowed up by the fascinating life they lead.

Jack has always been such a vulnerable character to me, and I worried about him being away from Gareth, Daniel and Nico whilst dealing with his grief from the death of one of the few people in his life that he has been able to rely on. I loved all of the small details that help immerse you in the world – you could almost feel like you were the home they had built for themselves, watching as they used their skills to help people who might otherwise not have a voice.

Before reading, I wondered if I should try to do a quick recap on the previous books, but the details came flooding back as soon as I began reading. Not that re-reading the previous books would have been onerous – I had almost forgotten Jackie Keswick’s ability to throw you in at the deep end whilst ensuring that you could keep up with what was going on – a deft hand is used to keep you interested in the spy/drug dealing/murderous goings on whilst concentrating on the things that matter – the relationships being revealed on page.

This is not a traditional MM romance – Gareth and Jack are an established couple with a rich history – but it was enjoyable to see them working and growing together, with the compromises and promises that they have made to make their relationship work, and the way that they are still learning about each other. I’m quite looking forward to reading more of the Dwight and Conrad Case-files – if you are looking for an immersing, absorbing read with great characters and interesting stories, you can’t go wrong with this series.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Fishermen by C.P. Harris (Infidelity #2)

TITLE: ⟫ The Fishermen

AUTHOR: ⟫ C.P. Harris

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ At the age of twenty-five, Leland Meadows has his whole life mapped out in front of him, with four rules to live by:

No new friends.

No dreams or aspirations.

No repeat hookups.

And definitely no committed relationships.

Leland’s looking for safety, not heartbreak and disappointment. Then one day he receives an offer he can’t turn down. Rent is due, and the catering company his best friend’s sister works for is suddenly one server short for the biggest event of the year. Leland accepts the job—but those rules he’s been so careful to follow? They don’t stand a chance against Franklin Kincaid.

At forty-five, the lie Franklin Kincaid has been living his entire life catches up with him.

His job no longer fulfils him—if it ever had.

His marriage is in crisis.

His heart yearns for something he can’t identify—or maybe he’s just too terrified to admit it.

And his children are clueless about all of it.

On a cold and lonely night, Franklin’s search for courage leads him to a rooftop in down-town Seattle, where he finds Leland Meadows instead.

Neither of them would ever be the same again…

***The Fishermen is a best friend’s dad MM romance and Book 2 in the Infidelity series. Each book features a new couple, can be read as a stand-alone, and ends with a HEA. Themes include age-gap, possessiveness, hurt/comfort, and second chances. Both MCs are consenting adults. Please use the Amazon “Look Inside” feature for a full list of content warnings.

REVIEW: ⟫ No one does messy relationships like C.P. Harris and boy, was this story full of messy relationships.

Having read the first book in the Infidelity series and grabbed hints about Leland and Franklin, I was confused by the start of this book. Had I misinterpreted what was going on? Were they not the people I was thinking they were? This misdirect was masterful – the story wouldn’t have had anywhere near the impact that it did if it wasn’t for (a) reading the first book and (b) the stellar writing.

Leland refuses to connect to anyone. Well, he allows himself one person but that’s it – his trust won’t extend further. So finding himself getting to know Franklin, telling him things that he hasn’t revealed ever before and falling into a ‘summer’ together was never on his radar.

Franklin is at a crossroads where his perfect looking life is beginning to crumble – along with the person that he presented to the world and kinda thought he was. How do you stay married to someone, live your life, when everything inside you is screaming for just a bit of freedom? He feels like a failure as a husband and a father and has no idea where to go from there. Taking Leland’s hand and ‘looking down’ is the beginning of a journey that he would in no way ever have been able to prepare for, or expect.

Oh man, this story took us down some dark paths and even though I fell down this rabbit hole willingly, I still wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen. Leland and Franky were so destructive, so blinded by their past and present that you could see the damage they were going to cause each other and yet you followed along with them. It was like watching a car crash between your fingers, feeling pain for the people involved in it, wanting to hug them, cry with them – coming out of this story felt like awakening from a different universe and the book hangover is real.

C.P. Harris is quite possibly the only person who could have me reading about infidelity and cheering on the adulterers – now THAT is talent. Told in three main parts, this book provides background to Jasper and Cole’s life growing up and just how much Franklin did to try to protect them from anything and everything. And because it’s an older protagonist, there is a lifetime of mistakes and experiences that Franklin regretted and wished he could change. All of this went into his relationship with Leland because Leland was absolutely the only person that Franky could be himself with. Not even just warts and all – Leland knew the good, the bad and the ugly about Franky but loved him anyway. Loved him fiercely and without reservation in a way that could only lead to hurt because neither of them were ready.

I worry that this review is just incoherent ramblings as I try to encourage people to read this story without ruining any of it. C.P. Harris is one of my auto-buys and hasn’t let me down once. Even when I’m shaking my head at the circumstances her characters get themselves into, I’m flipping pages desperate to see how things turn out. It really is brilliant writing to capture human nature whilst inspiring hope for the future – the world may be dark, people may let us down, cause us pain and damage, and yet hope remains. That is special.

I can’t leave this review without talking about the sex scenes. They were – well, almost feral and base and primitive. I don’t think I’ve ever read the kink that Franklin displays and was kinda shocked at how into it he was, but dang, it was hot af and suited his well-hidden caveman perfectly.

I need to go and read something light and fluffy to recover from this hangover, but I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I have an idea who might feature in it (and am SO here for it) but in the meantime, I heartily recommend this book. Just make sure you have tissues, time and an open mind before you start!

I received an ARC from the author.

The Face Man by Amy Lane (A Long Con Adventure)

TITLE: ⟫ The Face Man (Long Con Adventures)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Torrance Grayson has forged a solid independent journalism career with help from his friend and mentor, Felix Salinger, and he's relished being the face of the Salinger crew, exposing the corruption of the powerful while keeping his friends safe in their anonymity. But being face to face with the worst in the world takes its toll, and when Tor has a moment of weakness, it's the Salingers who come to bail him out.

During his recovery, Tor makes friends with the household's confident, charismatic young chef, Marco. Their quiet conversations make Marco more and more reluctant to confront Tor on the grave mistake the man is about to make in his current exposé—a mistake that can harm Marco's loud, boisterous family irrecoverably.

Tor is more than willing to listen—and to correct any mistakes. He's seen graphic proof that he's not infallible, and he'll go to any lengths to avert tragedy. But as Tor works toward the truth of what's happening with Marco's family, Marco begins to develop deep suspicions about the people they both work for. Torrance Grayson is in deep with the Salingers, and Marco isn't sure he should know any more than necessary about people who seem to be great bosses but shady citizens.

In order to help Marco, Tor needs to trust him—and that means to trust him with the truth of the Salinger Crew, as well as with his heart. But in a world of capers and crime-fighting, trust, it appears, is worth more than gold and jewels. Tor can expose crime and injustice with impunity, but can he expose his heart to Marco, a man who desperately wants in?

REVIEW: ⟫ Okay, I defy anyone to read this and not want to give Tor a humongous hug, followed by some of Marco’s delicious food because he needs to know that we love all of him and not just how gorgeous he is!

I was fascinated by this read because it references the previous book and we get to see the aftermath – our fabulous team are a little bruised and battered, showing their humanity and just how broken they are, whilst also demonstrating incredibly well how they have each other’s backs and understand the demons that drive each of them.

I loved the introduction of Marco’s cousins; Tor’s cameraman Phil was a quiet favourite of mine; Josh is beginning to recover fully which has me squeeing with delight because that means he and Liam can move past ‘potential’ to full on LOVE; Grace continues to break my heart and give me hope – the whole team is here and in full effect and this was a fantastic ride.

Marco and Tor were beautiful together and I adored the way that Marco took control of Tor, let him know that he was loved and wasn’t too proud to go to any of the others for help in figuring out his man. The sex scenes between them were alternately hot, steaming and just so damned touching – phew! This book – the con, the parties, the descriptions of the grift along with the family and lover dynamics was exactly what I needed. Just absolutely perfect – if you know Amy and have read any of the rest of the Long Con Adventures, then you know what to expect.

Literally read this in one day (I will apologise to my cats for the disruption to normal attention levels) and I plan to grab all of the Long Con Adventures and read them ALL in one go (when my TBR goes down). No surprise that this was a five for me!

I received an ARC from the author.

Arranged by Fate by Jacey Davis

TITLE: ⟫ Arranged by Fate

AUTHOR: ⟫ Jacey Davis

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Alpha Orion Strongfire: The last thing I wanted was to marry one of the Inwood omegas. Or anyone really. But the choice had been taken from me. This arranged marriage was the only thing that stood between my family and complete ruin after my father’s scandals nearly caused irreparable damage to my family’s reputation and our business empire. I could care less about the business, but I refused to allow my mother and siblings to be vulnerable and without protection, so I guess I was getting married.

I may not have wanted an omega to care for, but one brush of my lips against Lyric’s and all of that changed. He was mine and I would burn down the world before letting him go.

Omega Lyric Inwood: I was not looking forward to being under the control of Orion Strongfire. The Strongfire alphas had a reputation, and it wasn’t a good one. But omegas had no power and this union was the only way I could protect my family.

I never believed in fated mates, but just moments after meeting Orion, it was impossible to deny the connection. For better or worse, it seemed fate destined me to belong to Orion.

This was originally featured in the anthology, Tying the Knot. It has been expanded into a full-length novel with over 30k additional content added. Arranged By Fate is book one in an alternate reality non-shifter MM omegaverse series all based around arranged marriages and marriages of convenience.

Arranged by Fate is a high-heat, insta-lust omegaverse romance. While each book in this series ends in an HEA for the main characters, with no cliffhanger, there is an overarching plot that will continue throughout. It is an alternate reality omegaverse with adult themes and explicit content. It is not meant for those under 18. While MPreg is possible it does not occur in this book. This is a world where omegas have very little rights and are essentially owned by their alpha guardian or mate. There is also a biological kink element where alphas are biologically inclined towards dominance while omegas are inclined to submission.

CW: domestic discipline, power exchange, kink elements such as spanking, mentions of child abuse and spousal abuse (not between main characters), some on page violence, SA (not between main characters). Please read the content warning at the beginning of the book for a full list of triggers and kinks.

REVIEW: ⟫ There were many elements of this story that worked for me – the premise of an arranged marriage where neither party was completely willing, the fated mate idea, an omega being able to calm their alpha down – lots of things for me to sink my teeth into.

The characters of Orion and Lyric were interesting together – they were both intelligent, caring men who were more than willing to accept what fate had thrown at them. They cared deeply about each other, were determined to make the best of things for themselves and their family members, and worked together extremely well.

The sex was – hmm, it’s hard to describe my reaction to the sex. I liked the scenes but there was something missing. They should have been burn the page up hot, but for some reason they just didn’t resonate with me. I enjoyed the different kinks including spanking and dominance, but somehow the scenes still came across as perfunctory. I don’t even know why and kinda assumed it was me rather than the story.

The sub-plot involving Orion’s father was interesting enough but some of it didn’t make sense. His father was the one pushing for the arranged marriage, so his actions afterwards didn’t make sense to me and I wasn’t quite satisfied with the explanation given. Overall, I’m not sure how I felt about this book – the ideas ticked a lot of boxes but the execution didn’t quite do it for me but YMMV.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Candy Magic by M.C. Roth (All Hallows' Harem)

TITLE: ⟫ Candy Magic (All Hallows Harem)

AUTHOR: ⟫ M.C. Roth

RATING: ⟫ 2/5

BLURB: ⟫ An All Hallows’ Harem story

Sweeter than candy—hotter than magic.

Crean is trying to leave it all behind—the closet, his overbearing family and, of course, his magic. In a world where vampires and shifters are hidden among humans, Crean is the odd one out. Born as a human to a family of shifters, he’s been hiding his orientation and his magic for his entire life.

In search of a new start, he sets out on a journey to a different province. The only condition is he has to live with his brother and his three roommates.

Living with a vampire, a werewolf and a faerie is bound to be a disaster, and Crean does his best to avoid the strangers. But everything he’s been told about others is wrong, and his life is about to change forever.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book had such an interesting blurb that I went into it with high hopes. Unfortunately, for me, this book simply didn’t follow through.

There were so many titbits thrown at us – from Crean’s magic and what happened when he used it; Tristan and his wings; Nate and his general dislike of humans – and yet none of them went anywhere. They felt thrown into the air and just left there. Not such a big deal until you realise that the whole thing about Crean and his magic is part of why he left home, but we are never told just what happened.

The relationships between all of the characters were murky and shallow – these guys were meant to be Crean’s brother’s best friends and yet not one of them seriously considered how their friend might feel about their four-some relationship with Crean. Hardly loyalty.

We don’t really learn anything about how the supernatural came to be known – or why – and there seems to be no lingering issues with prejudice or fear. Crean being desperate to escape from his smothering family yet we don’t witness one single instance of them being that way or hindering him. The whole story was incredibly shallow and we were told so much was happening and yet didn’t witness any of it.

The sex scenes were perfunctory and felt passionless, and even though the idea of asexuality was sort of thrown out there with regard to Tristan, it wasn’t explored at all. I guess what I’m saying is that if this was meant to be a sex-fest harem read, it failed in that perspective; as an examination of prejudice between species, it failed; to be completely honest, the whole book just failed for me.

I can’t see me reaching for any other books by this author, which is a shame as a quick flick through it looks like they really have some interesting ideas.

What We Earned by Hinsel Meyer

TITLE: ⟫ What We Earned

AUTHOR: ⟫ Hinsel Meyer

RATING: ⟫ 3/5

BLURB: ⟫ Glenn

With so many things to do before I graduate college, any distraction is an unwelcome one. I’m not in the greatest mindset when George arrives at my place to move in, and let’s just say I’m not a ray of f***ing sunshine our first day as roommates. When I finally make things right and start a tentative friendship with him, he throws me a curveball by kissing me. Can anyone blame me when my reaction to that kiss is to offer him a friends with benefits deal? The guy’s the definition of handsome—he looks like he could be a Hemsworth for f*ck’s sake—I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by now that I know he’s not straight. I have way too many things to do in order to get the life I want, so having a live-in hookup seems to be the perfect solution to let off some steam.

George

I’ve known I’m not straight for almost a year now. The realization didn’t come because of Glenn, but my attraction to him cemented it. Now, I have a chance to explore this new side of my sexuality with the only person in campus who I hung out with last year, too. The fact that he’s a gorgeous walking contradiction—buff and tattooed, but also a big-glasses-wearing genius—doesn’t hurt a thing. How he’s able to be so willingly vulnerable draws me in, and before I know it, I’m catching feelings. And just when I think he’s catching some himself, he drops a bomb that makes me question if the “friends” part of our deal is real.

Will Glenn ever fully trust me?

Glenn’s moving to Boston next year; no matter how much of a nervous wreck he is about getting his acceptance letter to MIT, I know he will—he’s worked too hard not to. And I… I don’t know where I’ll be, all I know is I’ll be playing for an NFL team. Our deal to be friends with benefits for our last year at Cavendish and then go back to being just friends seems to be the most logical, and we both love logic. But when things start going off track we have some decisions to make.

Will we fight for each other?

What We Earned is a contemporary MM Friends with Benefits, Bi-awakening, College Romance and Book 2 in the Fan Service Series. While it is a standalone, it would be best enjoyed by reading the series in order. This book has no cliffhangers and ends in a HEA. There are a lot of very gay things happening inside, so if that's not for you, then this book isn't either. If it is, then welcome to the mostly low-angsty world of the Fan Service Series, I'm thrilled to have you and hope you enjoy this journey.

REVIEW: ⟫ I struggled with this book – for me, it dragged until around 50%, and then I kept going through sheer bloody-mindedness and sunk-cost fallacy. That’s not to say it’s a bad book – I just found it nearly impossible to get into it, like the characters or care what was happening.

I would say that it was difficult to read as a stand-alone. From the very beginning, it references things that seem to have happened in the first book in the series (which I haven’t read) involving the intermingled friend groups of the two main characters. Sometimes when this happens, I will try to read the first book in the series to ‘catch up’ but I couldn’t bring myself to do that this time. I also found myself kinda disliking some of the characters from the previous book – they felt like ‘set’ pieces rather than real people. It’s hard to describe what I mean, but for example, Sebas was over the top, annoying and apparently loved by absolutely everyone.

Glenn was an interesting character – having survived his childhood, he was very self-aware and knew that he had issues. He had even pencilled in therapy as part of his life plan. He was determined to stick to his plan and a friends with benefits thing with George seemed ideal until he started catching feelings and then things just got very confusing for him. Unfortunately, I just didn’t like Glenn. I admired his resilience and his determination to get where he wanted in life, but I didn’t like him as a person. I found him difficult to picture in my head – I know he was meant to be a buff, tattoo-covered geek wearing glasses, but apart from the stereotypical imagery that produced, I couldn’t ‘see’ him in my head. Which made it difficult to figure out what all of the fuss was about – yes, Glenn was a genius, but when it came to human relationships he seemed like a bit of a robotic a**hole.

Then we come to George and I feel really bad, but I can barely remember anything about him. He just didn’t seem to come alive for me in any respect, and as such I didn’t care about him or what happened to him. Between him and Glenn, I didn’t feel heat, chemistry or even true regard – it began as a relationship of convenience and carried on that way. Even the ‘break’ felt overly complicated although I was really annoyed with Glenn for breaking such a cardinal rule. That felt out of character to me – for it not to even occur to him what he was doing until George reacted felt wrong, somehow.

The writing is solid, with good grammar and no plot holes. Perhaps if I had read the first book, this one wouldn’t have been such a struggle for me? I think marketing it as a stand-alone might be doing it a disservice somewhat but without reading the first novel, I couldn’t confirm that. This is a YMMV I think – perhaps I simply wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it?

I received an ARC from GRR.

Fated Mates Anthology by various authors

TITLE: ⟫ Fated Mates Anthology

AUTHOR: ⟫ Louisa Masters, Nikole Knight, Michelle Frost, Kelex

RATING: ⟫ 2.5 - 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Fated Mates is a Paranormal Romance Charity Anthology from some of your favorite MM authors!

It features new, exclusive stories from Kiki Clark, Mia Monroe, Louisa Masters, Kelly Fox, Sheena Jolie, Jennifer Cody, Nikole Knight, Vinni George, Chloe Archer, Meghan Maslow, Lee Colgin, Kelex, H.L Day, Grae Bryan, AJ Sherwood, Michele Notaro, Lisa Oliver, Ariana Nash, Michelle Frost, and JP Sayle.

All royalties will be donated to the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund and the ACLU's Drag Defense Fund.

REVIEWS: ⟫ I received an ARC of four of the stories contained in this anthology.

Aether and the Elements by Louisa Masters

3/5 – I wasn’t a huge fan of this one to be honest. Aether confused/annoyed me simply because so many of his actions didn’t make sense. If he had been through this so many times before, why was he so confused by his mate’s actions/reactions? This felt like it should have been a full length novel rather than the length it was in order for the full back story and climax to be fully realised.

How to Survive a Summoning by Nikole Knight

4.5/5 – This made me giggle so much. I loved Lyn – who wouldn’t fall in love with Lyn? And Jamie was such an absolute sweetheart. I enjoyed the running gags throughout the piece, the hints of further, deeper lore, and the back characters were entertaining and made me want to learn more.

A Werewolf Called Ammon by Michelle Frost

2.5/5 – this didn’t work for me at all. To be fair, I should have known this would be the case after realising it was in the Hellhound called Derek verse, another book that just didn’t work for me. I felt no chemistry between the leads whatsoever, the premise was paper thin and it felt very much like not a lot happened and then it was finished. The weakest story for me.

A Squirrel Gets His Nut by Kelex

3/5 – having just recently read ‘Only Skin Deep’ which is the story following on from this one, I was interested to see how Luca and Ash got together. The idea of ‘wearing’ your mate like a tattoo was intriguing and I wanted to enjoy this far more than I did. Unfortunately, Luca’s feelings about police/authority seemed overblown and although I could kinda understand it, it felt like a bit much. I was also really confused by Luca’s mother and felt like there was much more to that story that we didn’t get to find out. Kudos for the title though!

I received an ARC from GRR but all opinions are my own.