The Sheltering Tree by J.R. Lawrie

Title: ⟫ The Sheltering Tree

Author: ⟫ J.R. Lawrie

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ The heart of Alastair Harding's life is his duty. Becoming the first gay chief of the Metropolitan police has required certain sacrifices, but Alastair made them willingly. If his life now lacks human connections, he can't exactly complain—and it's a little too late for regrets.

Jay Fieldhouse knows all about sacrifice, too. Brought to London for his own safety by witness protection, Jay's grassroots charity works day and night to save vulnerable kids from a life of crime. But getting close to other people is tough when no one really knows who you are.

When he meets Alastair one night at a charity event, Jay is intrigued by his glimpse of a gentle soul beneath the commissioner's uniform. The two men decide to run their lonely paths side by side for a while—after all, life is short and good sex is hard to come by.

Then the shadows of the past begin to stir, and the words which go unsaid might be Jay and Alastair's undoing.

The Sheltering Tree is J.R. Lawrie's first full length novel, following her debut anthology, Let Your Heart Be Light.

Review: ⟫ I loved this book. I cannot believe it is the author’s first full length novel – it was freaking amazing!

Alastair and Jay meet at a charity event and two more different men don’t come to mind. Alastair is at the peak of his career as the Police Commissioner and Jay has pulled himself up from nothing and built up a worthwhile charity. But the sparks fly, and a one-nighter turns into a FWB relationship that neither man is prepared to admit has deepened considerably.

That in itself would be a brilliant story, but J.R. Lawrie goes much further and this is where the tale reminds me strongly of some of Garrett Leigh’s work. There is a red herring that truly sucked me in, a reveal that is heartbreaking and then things hot up even more.

I truly loved this book – it struck so many chords with me. Both Jay and Alastair were so lonely, despite their achievements, and the way they were together was incredibly touching.

I have followed the author on Amazon/Goodreads and look forward to reading more.

STR8 B8 by K.C. Wells

Title: ⟫ STR8 B8

Author: ⟫ K.C. Wells

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Work has been a little hard to come by recently for builder Tom Ryder. When a friend tells him about the wad of cash he got for starring in an adult video, Tom seizes the opportunity. Besides, his friend said his co-star was really hot, so Tom is definitely not seeing a downside.

Until he arrives for the shoot and finds out his friend glossed over one important detail—Tom’s co-star is a guy.

Denny Bailey is only a few months away from finishing the dissertation for his master’s, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find time for his ‘other’ career, especially when it helps him pay off his student loans and keep body and soul together. Life as an adult performer is fun, there are no strings... What could be more perfect? And this latest arrival is definitely ticking most of Denny’s boxes, even if he is a skittish straight guy. That’s fine. Denny can handle that.

Until the next day when Tom Ryder walks into Denny’s favourite coffee shop—and he isn’t smiling.

All it takes is one afternoon to change both their lives, in ways neither of them could ever have imagined...

Review: ⟫ I grabbed this book because I read two chapters of a new KC Wells book that is due out at the end of April and I wanted to get an idea of how they wrote.

The story is set in the UK – Tom is a builder and suffering from big businesses coming in and taking all of the work. He wants to help support his ex-wife and her new wife in their attempts to do IVF but money is proving to be a sticking point until his friend, Andy, makes a suggestion. Porn.

Denny is a student finishing his Masters degree, who does Porn and OF for the money and because he likes/enjoys it. He turns out to be Tom’s partner in his first attempts to do porn – he and the owner of the business have a habit of ‘tricking’ straight guys by saying that it’s going to be a threesome before telling them that the woman has dropped out and offering them money to do a gay scene. Obviously, the straight guy can say no and there’s no pressure, but still it seems like a pretty icky practice.

Tom accidentally runs into Denny at a later point in time and they talk things through, whereby Tom admits that he could have said no, and somehow from this a kind of friendship builds.

The relationship between Tom and Denny moved at an interesting pace – Tom is coming to terms with the fact that not only did he enjoy his scene with Denny, but that he might just be interested in something more. Denny is determined not to fall into the trap of falling for a straight friend – he’s been there before and got hurt, and he’s not going to do it again. But in the meantime, the attraction/chemistry between the two of them is hard to resist.

This was a nice, easy read with the miscommunication between the two men being completely understandable. The sex scenes were good, the writing style was relaxing, and I did enjoy reading the story. I found the ending a bit rushed: we went from declarations of love to graduation to babies very quickly. However, I couldn’t seem to get past the whole trick that Ari and Denny played on Tom at the beginning. It just felt – wrong, and stuck with me as I read the rest of the book. I can imagine that someone who is desperate for money might end up doing something that they wouldn’t normally do and it causing them some stress/anxiety afterwards and that seemed cruel. It was slightly addressed in the book – Denny told Tom that there had been at least one occasion where someone realised that they had been tricked and retaliated, but other than that it wasn’t really talked about.

For that reason, I gave the book a 3.5/5. I will be looking for more books by the author but I think there should, perhaps, have been a bit more warning about this before people go into reading the book.

Apidae by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #3)

Title: ⟫ Apidae

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ No good deed—or good record of solving crimes—goes unpunished.

Detectives Andi Hayes and George Donovan of the Charleston PD are on vacation. Or at least they are until they are called back for an emergency: find Chief Norris’s missing son.

Fortunately, Andi’s insect spies lead him right to little Tyler Norris, who is safe and sound.

Unfortunately, along with the chief’s son, they find twenty-five corpses, victims of a serial killer who’s gone unnoticed for over a decade.

Chief Norris promptly cancels Andi and George’s vacation and assigns them as lead detectives on the case. Physical evidence leads them to a mental health facility where some of the victims received treatment, but Andi’s gift—his usual secret weapon—fails him. Promising leads and shady suspects all turn out to be dead ends, and they’re running out of time. Because the killer isn’t going to stop at twenty-five victims—and Tyler Norris has just gone missing again….

Review: ⟫ This book took things in a direction that I truly wasn’t expecting and I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

By now, the relationship between Andi and George is becoming more complex – so much so, that they are attending the equivalent of couple’s meditation classes and George has pretty much moved in. And yet, there is still nothing physical between them. Well, initially at least.

This look into the private life of Chief Norris could have gone in so many different directions and I was delighted with where it went. It was nothing at all that I was expecting and yet perfect.

The addition of more people to their ‘team’ was intriguing – after all, so much of what makes them a success in solving crimes is working together and hiding Andi’s secret How were they going to be able to continue doing that when they were working with so many other people?

Once again, the murder mystery was an important part of the story, but ultimately this was about relationships, finding out that you’re not alone, and bringing Andi and George to a larger area. And I was all the way here for it. It’s so difficult to review this book without spoiling things and I appreciate the ability to get into this without knowing too much because it made the impact of the things that happened that much more special.

I am sad that this is the last book in the series so far, but feel really lucky to be able to immerse myself in George and Andi’s world for three books in one go. Really chuffed that I got to read this ARC and can only be pleasantly surprised that Xenia Melzer is managing to make these books more and more special the further along we go.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Eruca by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #2)

Title: ⟫ Eruca

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ There is no crime without witnesses

When Detective George Donovan and his eccentric partner, Detective Andi Hayes, need a break from their gruesome job, a hike seems like just the thing.

Unfortunately, the job catches up with them when they find three dead men in a lake.

When the promising clues dry up, George and Andi turn once more to Andi’s “gift”—but this time things aren’t so easy. Andi’s mysterious talents are growing stronger, making it harder to block out the barrage of information and taking a toll on his physical and mental health. The cryptic clues his informants offer are even more bizarre than the case itself. And the more they discover about the victims, the more uncomfortable the investigation becomes.

Torn between catching a killer and serving justice, between George’s career and Andi’s sanity, the detectives have their work cut out for them if they’re going to solve these murders.

Review: ⟫ Book two in the series, and the relationship between George and Andi is growing closer – through necessity, George often takes care of Andi and it’s this that forms the backbone of the story. Yes, it’s another murder mystery,with twists and turns aplenty along with hassle from the chief, but it’s the growing partnership that is the real story.

Andi is learning to rely on George and is alternately terrified/pleased. He doesn’t want to turn out like his grandmother – bitter, alone and unloved – but at the same time, George isn’t planning on staying in Charleston and what happens to Andi when George leaves?

George is beginning to realise that what he feels for Andi is more than a traditional partnership, and if that’s the case, how does he leave? But if he doesn’t leave, does that mean giving up on the career he’s spent his life working on?

Eruca is a very strong follow-up to the first story in the series, building on the strong foundation and bringing the reader further into Andi’s world. His relationships with Shireen and Evangeline, the way his gift is changing, and George all make for a fascinating read. Again, this is a book you need to concentrate to read and it is so intriguing seeing further into Andi’s gift and how it’s manifesting and changing. The frustration of wanting the two men to talk to each other is actually mitigated by the fact that they both have really good reasons for not talking – how do you define a relationship like theirs?

I adore when George talks to his brother and must admit, I would love to see what’s happening in his life. I can’t say I mowed through this book but that’s because I would sometimes go back and reread some bits to be sure I’d picked everything up. I really enjoyed reading this and was pleased to know that I didn’t have to wait for book #3.

Arthropoda by Xenia Melzer (Arthropoda #1)

Title: ⟫ Arthropoda

Author: ⟫ Xenia Melzer

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ An Andi Hayes Murder Mystery

Detective George Donavon doesn’t plan to stay in Charleston long. Skeptical and by-the-book, he’s on the fast track to the top, and he won’t let anything derail his career. Especially not Andrew Hayes, his grumpy, awkward new partner—and not the chief’s secret order to find out how said partner solves even the most difficult cases.

George and Andi can’t agree on anything except their mutual dislike, but when three dead girls turn up at a storage unit, they must put their differences aside before the suspected trafficking ring claims another victim.

There is no crime without witnesses. Andi knows George suspects his always-right “hunches” point to corruption, but he doesn’t care. All that matters is catching a killer… and keeping his secret. But with leads on this sprawling conspiracy drying up, he has no choice. He just can’t let his partner find out how he’s getting the information.

Andi’s on the verge of losing his life, his mind, and his career. He could take George down with him…

If the violent criminals who are always one step ahead don’t get to them first. 

Review: ⟫ I picked this book up because GRR were offering the third book in the series as an ARC and I like to try to read any previous titles, and I am so glad that I did.

Firstly, I would say that the ‘romance’ takes a very back seat in the series, an is non-existent in the first book. This is a police procedural with a supernatural twist and it would be unfair to judge it as anything else.

George Donavon has a very clear career tragectory in mind and Charleston is a small step on the ladder to success. His new chief asks him for a favour and there’s no reason for him to say no – and it always helps to have people owing him favours.

This favour means that he looks into his partner perhaps a little closer than he might have otherwise, and thus begins his complete and utter fascination with Andrew Hayes.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Andi, but his secret actually completely blew my mind. Like, how wasn’t he completely and utterly insane? The plot moved swiftly, was well written and the growing professional relationship between George and Andi was really interesting and I found myself completely hooked. It is an intense read and you have to concentrate so that you don’t miss things, so much so that it wasn’t until near the end that I realised that there really hadn’t been anything resembling romance in the story at all. I loved it – was absolutely fascinated, and extremely pleased to realise that there were two more books just waiting for me.

I would say go into it with an open mind and be prepared to be thrown off track, confused and then obsessed with this series.

College Bros: Scott and Caden's Story by Brett Chimes (Book #1)

Title: ⟫ College Bros: Scott and Caden's Story Book 1

Author: ⟫ Brett Chimes

Rating: ⟫ 3/5

Blurb: ⟫ I love my best friend and roommate, Caden. But it isn’t exactly your typical platonic love. Regardless of how much I wanted him, I always kept myself in check just fine until we became college roommates. Things have gotten a little complicated since Caden came on to me. We’ve started sleeping together every chance we get and Caden doesn’t really seem to care where we are either.

We’re going home to meet my dad’s new wife this weekend. Something tells me Caden isn’t going to respect the fact that it’s my childhood home. From the look in his eyes I have a feeling he’s going to be all over me this weekend.

I’m nervous. But I can’t wait.

These books are smokin' hot but emotional too. Every story features a new couple and can be read as a standalone.

Review: ⟫ I’m going to be honest, I didn’t pick up much in the way of emotion in this book despite the blurb describing it as emotional. Smokin’ hot – kinda? There were a lot of sex scenes but I found myself more than a little annoyed at Cayden for how he treated Scott, and Scott for the fact that he constantly let Cayden get away with it. It definitely came across to me that Cayden was using Scott for sex, and the fact that he kept seeing girls on the side and often flaunted them in front of Scott got me angry.

It also seemed as if Cayden didn’t care if Scott was enjoying himself sexually a lot of the time, with little to no prep or foreplay. It just didn’t sit right with me.

All in all, I found this a lot more shallow than I was expecting from the blurb and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped, although obviously YMMV.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Molly Boys by Vawn Cassidy (London Underside #1)

Title: ⟫ Molly Boys (London Underside Book #1)

Author: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ London 1883:

For Lord Everett Stanley, escaping his fate seemed impossible. As the second son, he’s destined for ordination and the life of a priest, but he’s hiding a dangerous secret. The laws punishing homosexuality by hanging may have been repealed but he and others of his kind are far from safe. Given no other choice, they take solace in the underground molly houses of London. Now that fragile world is threatened when the East End is rocked by a series of gruesome murders.

Inspector Archibald Franklin worked hard to overcome his working-class roots, making a name for himself as a respected inspector of Whitechapel’s H Division, but when he begins to investigate the deaths of several beautiful young men, fate throws him into the path of the handsome and enigmatic Lord Stanley. His gut instinct tells him the young lord knows more about the murders than he lets on, but the closer he gets, the more Everett calls to him in a way he’s tried to deny his whole life.

As a reign of terror grips London, they are drawn together in order to stop a monster, but for Archie, the growing feelings he has for Everett are a betrayal of the very laws he has sworn to uphold. And as the killer closes in, the two men find themselves bound together by a passion that may be their ultimate salvation or their utter destruction…

Review: ⟫ As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I was very much looking forward to reading it. I seriously wanted to know just how Archie and Everett were going to get their happily ever after, especially in the period they lived in and the circumstances under which they met.

The story was rich in detail and you could feel the Victorian atmosphere: it felt very similar to “Oliver”, with children being pickpockets and having to give their ill-gotten gains to their overlord; the molly houses we saw were fascinating, and the plight suffered by Everett as the ‘spare’ to the heir was suffocating in the extreme. The manner in which the men had to hide their true selves for fear of retribution was palpable and that added to the drama.

The background characters were fully fleshed out and interesting, and I imagine we will see more of them in future books. Francis was an absolute diamond, especially with his regard for Everett, offering him a much-needed escape. There was talk of drugs, orgies and the like, much in line with the era – I don’t think it needed a trigger warning, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

The serial killer plot was fascinating and I was not expecting the conclusion of that the way it occurred. The twist took me by surprise, along with the resolution. So why the 4/4.5 rating? Quite possibly my fault, but although I knew it was a series, I expected more resolution in certain areas that I didn’t receive and that frustrated me. I was also frustrated by the amount of time our two leads spent together. I completely understand that this was setting up the series, but I felt that quite possibly we spent too much time in the Molly houses and therefore missed out on the relationship build-up.

I enjoyed Jack Lightfoot and am looking forward to reading more about him, and I will pick up the next in the series because I have a feeling it’s going to be a doozy, but I was a little disappointed in some areas and that is reflected in my rating.

I received an ARC from the author.

For The Fans by Nyla. K

Title: ⟫ For The Fans

Author: ⟫ Nyla. K

Rating: ⟫ 5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Kyran Harbor is everything I’m not.

Rich. Popular. A superstar football player who’s awfully broody for someone who has it all. Basically, he’s a preppy jock who hates me. Oh, and he’s also my stepbrother.

That’s right. We’re stuck together, sharing a school, a house… A bathroom. Honestly, I wouldn’t care… If he wasn’t such an uptight control-freak who messes with me just because we’re different.

I had every intention of avoiding him when we got to college… Until abrupt misfortune forces us both into a compromising position.

Now the grouchy jerk I was hoping to evade might be the only person who can help me out of it.

Avi Vega is everything I despise.

A dreamer. A flake. An artist who smokes too much weed and thinks aliens exist. And by some sick cosmic joke, he’s now my stepbrother, following me on what should’ve been my escape plan.

It was already a disaster. Add a sudden financial disruption to the mix, and let’s just say my options are heavily limited.

If I want to stay an all-star quarterback on the way to the NFL, I’ll need to do something drastic. Unfortunately for me, and my desperate desire for control, the perpetually smiling stoner has a plan.

Maybe we can stop hating each other just enough to pull this off. As long as we remember we’re only doing it… for the fans.

**For The Fans is a full-length standalone MM forbidden romance with an HEA. This book contains sensitive subject matter that could make some readers uncomfortable. Please heed foreword warnings and proceed with caution.

Review: ⟫ I wasn’t expecting this story – not in any way, shape or form. I certainly wasn’t expecting to feel so much for both Avi and Kyran. The premise was interesting enough to grab my attention, and initially, the story (although good) followed a well-worn path. Stepbrothers are forced into proximity to each other, then forced to rely on each other and get physical. I was also a teeny bit squeamish about the whole thing with Kyran being paid to do things with Avi.

But very quickly, the story became so much more than that. It was obvious something was going on with Kyran – the way he bolted from what he was doing with Avi, the confusion and anger he displayed – it was intriguing and mysterious and kept me reading.

The sex scenes were hot, and the banter between the two of them was even hotter – Not_His_Baby has got to be one of the best handles I’ve ever seen. But what kept me reading and interested throughout was what was beneath all of the sex and chemistry between the two men – Avi’s insecurities, and Kyran’s need to be perfect. And that is where this book hits you with both barrels.

I appreciated the fact that the author provided warnings on her website although I chose to go in blind. I would definitely recommend reading the trigger warnings if you have any concerns about reading this story because although I think the entire situation/reveal was handled very well, I don’t have the same experiences in my background and YMMV.

I really enjoyed reading this story – much more than other books I have read by the author – and I especially liked the fact that Kyran took some time to figure things out for himself. Avi wasn’t his saviour even though he called him his Angel. The way he confronted the people who had hurt him in the past was also handled very well – he got to speak his truth and it made me feel so happy and almost triumphant for him.

Totally unexpected, hot, steamy but also thoughtful, this was a very good read.

Waiting for You by Cora Rose

Title: ⟫ Waiting For You

Author: ⟫ Cora Rose

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ As a divorced man in my thirties with a throwaway job and very few friends, I admit that I’ve made a lot of bad decisions over the years. Rounding out the top of that epic list was allowing my son’s best friend, Quinn, to talk me into taking him on a two-week summer road trip…alone.

What was supposed to be quality father-son bonding time before Joshua goes off to college has somehow transpired into a battle of wills between me and his nineteen-year-old best friend.

Quinn may be young but he genuinely seems to enjoy spending time with me, something I’ve never experienced before, and it feels nice to finally have someone care. I mean, being friends with the kid wouldn’t be so bad, right?

But Quinn suddenly seems hellbent on flirting with me, and the way he looks at me is anything but friendly. My will to stay away from this sweet, attractive, and persistent young man is waning. With the two of us alone in a camper, in the wilds of Michigan…Christ, this is bad…very, very bad.

Waiting For You is a low-angst and spicy MM age-gap, son’s best friend romance.

Review: ⟫ In a way, this is a very different book from Cora Rose. All of the other books by this author I have read have been college age men, just beginning life and not as beaten down. Grey has been beaten down – by life, his ex-wife, by the lack of relationship with his son.

This trip is his last chance to spend some quality time with his son before Joshua goes off to college and he has put so much hope into the trip, it actually hurts when Josh lets him down.

Then we meet Quinn – Josh’s best friend – who volunteers to go on the trip with Grey and everything changes. Suddenly, Grey isn’t travelling as someone’s Dad, playing catch up with a bitter ex-wife, or just trying to be someone he’s not. Quinn sees Grey – more clearly than even Grey realises.

As a character, I had the utmost respect for Quinn. He was willing to put his feelings out there, let Grey know what he wants and just go for it, even knowing he’s risking rejection. And as their relationship builds – and from the very beginning, it IS a relationship, not a hook-up – my respect for Quinn grew. He’s had to be so self-reliant, with his parents erring too far on the side of ‘letting him be his own person’ from too young an age, and as such, even though he’s 13 years younger than Grey, he’s more than capable of holding his own and taking control.

The physical connection between the two of them is undeniable – hot, steamy, dirty in all the best ways – but it’s when they’re hiking, eating or just talking to each other that everything becomes so much sweeter. I loved the possessiveness that Quinn displayed, his willingness to be a sulky teenager if it suited the circumstances, but the way he took control of Grey was absolutely epic.

My feelings towards Grey were more mixed. I could see just how/why he was beaten down – he married young, stuck by his wife and child until he couldn’t any more, and instead of the amicable relationship they agreed on, he was quickly made out to be the enemy. It was easy to see how he fell into the role of silent provider, never taking anything for himself.

Until Quinn. I wanted Grey to stand up to his ex-wife, to tell his son the truth, to reach out for Quinn instead of letting Quinn make so many of the moves. It was fascinating to see his character grow and begin to realise that he wasn’t a bad person – that, yes, some people might have an issue with the age gap but as long as he and Quinn knew nothing inappropriate had ever happened, that was what counted.

There was some drama – to be expected with a best-friend’s-dad scenario – and it was heartbreaking to see it from both angles. However, I really appreciated the way that it wasn’t drawn out artificially, and I really loved the way that Grey finally stood up for himself. I was practically cheering when that happened.

All of the hallmarks of a Cora Rose romance are here – possessiveness, hot sex, deep, abiding love – but there feels like there was a maturity in this story that I found missing in a couple of the recent titles. I literally read this story in a matter of hours – I was completely engrossed and needed to see how things played out, and I think there’s no greater compliment that I can pay than that.

I received an ARC from Indie Author Creative on Booksprout.

Confetti Hearts by Lily Morton (Confetti Hitched #1)

Title: ⟫ Confetti Hearts (Confetti Hitched #1)

Author: ⟫ Lily Morton

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Joe Bagshaw doesn’t believe in love or marriage anymore, which is rather a hindrance for a wedding planner.

His own marriage was a whirlwind affair that ended before the ink could dry on the wedding certificate. Nevertheless, even with his divorce pending, he’s getting by. Or at least he was until he finds himself snowed in at a remote Scottish hotel with the wedding party from hell, a terrible ABBA tribute band, and his soon-to-be ex-husband.

Lachlan has missed Joe from the second his husband walked away. He wants Joe back and is prepared to do anything to get him. Being snowed in together seems to offer the chance Lachlan needs, but does he have what it takes to get Joe to trust in love and their marriage again?

From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy about love, matrimony, and the best of second chances.

This is the first book in the Confetti Hitched series.

Review: ⟫ I clicked request for this one as soon as I saw Lily Morton’s name, which meant that I didn’t read the blurb and got a little bit confused initially – Joe seemed to be in love with his husband, how was he going to fall in love with someone else?!

This was typical Lily Morton, full of banter, snark and sarcasm and oodles of chemistry between our two leads. Joe and Lachlan meet and hook up at a wedding – something Joe sees as an extremely hot and pleasant one-night kind of thing until he meets Lachlan at yet another wedding. And somehow those two nights have changed into something more, although neither him nor Lachlan are prepared to put a label on things.

When they end up drunkenly getting married, Joe realises just how little he knows about his husband, and this distance between them as well as some well hidden insecurities mean that he and Lachlan don’t go the distance, especially with Lachlan’s housekeeper and assistant making it perfectly clear that Joe just isn’t good enough.

Lachlan is feeling out of control and terrified of it, and when he should be making himself vulnerable and sharing himself with Joe, he’s pulling away, even whilst dragging Joe to the altar. It’s only when he loses Joe – to the point of divorce paperwork – that he finally realises what he has done and decides to do everything he can possibly do to get his husband back. (Can I just say the signing of the divorce papers had me giggling for ages?)

This is a very typical Lily Morton story so if you have enjoyed previous books of hers, you know what to expect. It’s hot, sweet and sexy, being a lot of fun to read as well as satisfying when you reach the end.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Love Thy Brother by Garrett Leigh (Rebel Kings MC #4)

Title: ⟫ Love Thy Brother (Rebel Kings MC #4)

Author: ⟫ Garrett Leigh

Rating: ⟫ 5/5

Blurb: ⟫ The fourth instalment in the bestselling Rebel Kings series

Expect: His brother’s best friend. His best friend’s little brother. The soft-hearted bear and the rowdy chaos gremlin. The inevitable only happens when you let it.

“Riv, if you ever let me speak, you’d know exactly how I feel.”

I’ve told him that a thousand times, but River’s stubborn streak is a mile wide.

He doesn’t want to hear it.

To him, we doomed.

Cursed.

Forbidden.

Because he thinks I love a goddamn motorcycle club more than him.

My worst nightmare is losing him before I get the chance to change his mind, and in our world, bad dreams come true. Our reality is mess and pain, but I love him. And he loves me.

And I’ll fight for us to the end.

Love Thy Brother is a hurt/comfort MM romance from the best-selling Rebel Kings MC series. Content warnings for violence, off page abuse, self-harm, and grief.

Review: ⟫ I didn’t realise how much I needed Rubi and River’s story until I received this. I began reading it just after midnight and didn’t sleep until I’d finished it.

This story is a gut-punch for so many reasons, not least because of the pain our two main leads are dealing with. River is a complex character, in love with Rubi, deeply caring but also wanting absolutely nothing to do with the MC that is Rubi’s life. He struggles with addiction, has a hair trigger and feels like he’s never going to have the man he wants almost more than life itself and it seems to be leading him down a self-destructive path.

Rubi is struggling – his health is messed up following the big hit on the club, his emotions are all over the place and his legendary chill seems to have deserted him. All of that on top of how he feels about River and what he allowed himself to do.

This had much more ‘local’ issues than previous books – there isn’t a real need for Alexei to work his magic, but the club still has to handle some stuff, including ones that drag River back to where he swore he would never return.

The relationship between Rubi and River is incendiary, but Garrett Leigh is a master of writing characters that make you feel incredibly deeply for them. You need them to get their HEA, and are willing to do through the highs and lows with them on the way. We also catch up with our previous throuple/couples including Cam, Saint and Alexei, and Embry and Mateo.

This was a very intense read that had me concentrating hard to follow all of the plotlines, and the darkness and violence is definitely on a par with the previous books in the series. There is no pulling back from the violence, drugs and harsh emotions inherent in the lifestyle and it reminded me very much of the first few seasons of Sons of Anarchy.

No surprise that this is a 5/5 from me and I look forward to book #5 in the series. I received an ARC from GRR.

Tales of the Harker Pack Collection by Tara Lain

Title: ⟫ Tales of the Harker Pack Collection

Author: ⟫ Tara Lain

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ A werewolf versus a panther shifter, a billionaire, socialite flamboyant, half-human wolf, and a shifter so charismatic he captivates with a stroll across the room—meet the males of the Harker Pack in Tara Lain’s bestselling paranormal collection. You’ll fall in love – just like they do.

Book 1 – The Pack or the Panther

Cole Harker, son of an alpha werewolf, is bigger and more powerful than most wolves, tongue-tied in groups, and gay. For twenty-four years, he’s lived to please his family and pack—even letting them promise him in marriage to female werewolf Analiese to secure a pack alliance and help save them from a powerful gangster who wants their land. Then Cole meets Analiese’s half-brother, panther shifter Paris Marketo, and for the first time, Cole wants something for himself.

But this is the battle between cats and dogs!

Book 2 – Wolf in Gucci Loafers

The billionaire, socialite, playboy -- werewolf.

Socialite Lindsey Vanessen wants someone to love who will love him back — an impossibility for a gay, half-human, half-werewolf. Then Lindsey meets tough cop Seth Zakowsy—the hunky embodiment of everything Lindsey wants but can't have.

Seth has never been attracted to flamboyant men. But intrigue turns to lust when he discovers Lindsey’s biting, snarling passion more than matches his dominant side.

Book 3 – Winter's Wolf

Winter Thane was raised on the two cardinal rules of werewolf existence: don’t reveal yourself to humans under penalty of death, and there’s no such thing as a gay werewolf. Ha! Winter takes one look at human FBI agent, Matt Partridge, and decides bird is his favorite food, but trying to convince Matt of that ends them both up in chains and facing imminent death. Winter quickly learns the pack alphas are a bunch of wusses, and humans aren’t quite what they seem.

Review: ⟫ The ability to read all three of these books in one was what initially attracted me to this book, and I’m pleased I did read all three of them. I’m not sure when they were originally written, but I found some of the attitudes described to be more than a little out of date – the idea that werewolves can’t be gay being so wildly accepted didn’t sit right, especially as this appeared to be within a contemporary setting.

The romances themselves were nice enough. In book one, I found Paris to be rather aggravating. I understood his need/desire for distance, but I didn’t like the push me-pull me attitude towards Cole and this definitely affected my enjoyment of the book.

In book two, I seriously wasn’t sure what to think. The way in which Lindsey was described was a bit over the top, and I found myself offended more than once by the things that his love-interest, Seth, said to him. Add to that the sounds that Lindsey made during the sex scenes (literally making arroooo noises) pulled me out of the story more than once. I think I would have preferred a different method of describing things but obviously YMMV.

In book three, I found Damon’s attitude really confusing. I didn’t understand why he chose to bring Winter up so far away from the pack, and why he chose to come back when he did. I did love the resolution to all of the politics and fighting, and the way that the characters from book one and two came back. The ‘twist’ with Matt and his father was signposted a little too much for me, but it didn’t take away too much from the story.

I think, for me, this felt a little out of date and this definitely affected my enjoyment to some extent. They were a nice, easy read and enjoyable, but I’m not sure if I will be looking for Jazz’s story which I understand is available.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Sean's Sunshine by Amy Lane (The Flophouse Series #3)

Title: ⟫ Sean’s Sunshine (A Flophouse Story #3)

Author: ⟫ Amy Lane

Rating: ⟫ 5/5

Blurb: ⟫ As a young detective, Sean Kryzynski expected violence on the job, not to get stabbed coming back from lunch. Add an angsty bedside breakup, and by the time he gets home from the hospital, he’s over everything, including his irritating, hot-as-balls nurse, Billy No-Last-Name with the big, cynical brown eyes.

Billy’s whole porn-model flophouse is experiencing a wave of altruism and adulting—people getting real jobs and going to shrinks and doing good works. Billy opts in too—he wants to be a good guy—but his assignment is taking care of the world’s most exasperating, headstrong patient. At least bunking with Sean means Billy has his own spare bedroom and some peace and quiet to do classwork.

The porn model and the policeman seem to have no common ground, but Billy's experience herding his younger siblings helps him manage Sean with unexpected empathy—a skill Sean has been working on too, because he wants to be a good cop. Eventually they chip away at the walls around each other’s hearts and discover a real connection. If not for their incompatible day jobs and inconvenient pasts, they might even be falling in love….

Review: ⟫ Do you know that feeling when you’ve read a really satisfying book and your heroes have got their HEA? But sometimes you just want to see a few slice of life things – domesticity and how they live together? Well Sean and Billy did this kinda backwards because to begin with we get the slice of life.

Recovering from a stab wound that almost cost him his life, Sean has been ‘assigned’ a nurse from none other than the Flophouse full of Johnnie’s boys and he’s really not sure how he feels about it. He appreciates the offer, but really, just how long is it going to take him to recover and what’s a porn star going to do to help him get around until he’s back on his feet?

This story is full of the frenetic insanity that always surrounds Ellery and Jackson from the Fish Out of Water series, but Sean and Billy are on the sidelines. They somehow wind up with a case of their own, that leads to some shenanigan in the dog park (seriously hilarious), as well as the normal gut-wrenching, angsty family stuff that Amy Lane is infamous for.

We get to see what Ellery, Jackson and their crew appear like from the outside – avenging angels of chaotic good come to mind – as well as catch up with some of the other guys from the Flophouse. But what I enjoyed the absolute most about this story was the love that grew between Billy and Sean – how they got to know each other in embarrassing and touching situations; how they moved around each other as they tried to navigate something that they could never really have expected to happen; and how the cop and the porn star fell in love.

This one had me in tears a couple of times (some of them happy, some of them sad), and there were no quick fixes for any of the things that went on. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the other series (this slots in with the other Flophouse books as it falls into the same timelines), and there was an appearance from Dex and Tango who are a couple of my favourites from the Johnnies books.

This was a real pleasure to read and when I finished the story, I gave a happy sigh because not only was it full of epic adventure, family, porn stars and our favourite Fish duo, but the slices of domesticity and happiness were so good for the soul.

An easy 5/5 from me and I really can’t wait to read further books in this series.

I received an ARC from the author.

Waking Up Filthy by R. Cayden (Love Unexpected Book #5)

Title: ⟫ Waking Up Filthy – Love Unexpected Book #5

Author: ⟫ R. Cayden

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Why in the hell is there a naked, tattooed man in my bed?

I’m a closeted tennis pro, and I’m certainly not accustomed to waking up with strange men.

Never mind that Gabriel is a notoriously flirty rock star and, according to the marriage certificate we find in our Vegas hotel room, my new husband.

Last night is a drunken blur, but there’s no doubt in my mind what needs to happen this morning.

Annulment. ASAP.

Gabriel might be annoyingly charming and hot, but he’d spell disaster for my life and career.

Then the photos surface, the ones where we’re making out at the chapel.

A

fake relationship might be our only way through the media frenzy, which means playing nice with the man who makes me want to scream and swoon at the same time.

The long-haired rocker who makes me laugh when I least expect, who swears that his songs aren’t sad, and who I definitely don’t want to kiss.

Except for maybe one more time. Just to get it out of our systems…

Waking Up Filthy is a steamy and sweet M/M romance about two guys who try hard but just can’t resist each other. It features dirty talk, sunrise serenades, and a touch of angst. The fifth book in Love Unexpected, Waking Up Filthy can be ready as a standalone or as part of the series. Enjoy!

Review: ⟫ I wanted to enjoy this one more than I actually did. There was nothing wrong with it as such – the premise was fun, and the contrast between the two main characters was good. The fact that it looked like they might be able to walk away from the entire marriage thing with no worries before their hopes were dashed was handled well.

I think – perhaps a little unfairly – the ‘extra’ bit of story that we got after the epilogue might have helped me fall for the main story more. The night of their meeting/marriage was never expressed/explained, and so it was difficult to see just where their attraction/relationship had begun. Perhaps if this ‘addition’ had made it’s way into the main story, I would have been able to connect better with everything.

It was well-written, with good communication between our leads, no annoying ‘misunderstanding’ getting in the way of things, and the sex scenes were good. I just felt like something was missing and I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but it affected my enjoyment of the story.

I haven’t read any of the other ‘Filthy’ series or anything else by this author before, so maybe that’s why? Either way, I think this is one of those stories that you should read for yourself and make up your own mind – I definitely feel that it’s a case of it being me rather than the writing/story.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Never Have I Ever Had a Bromance with a Teammate by Willow Dixon (Never Have I Ever Book #3)

Title: ⟫ Never Have I Ever Had a Bromance with a Teammate

Author: ⟫ Willow Dixon

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ How could one kiss change everything between me and my best friend?

Jax has been my best friend since the day we met. We not only share our passion for baseball, but we train together, play on the same team, hang out together, even sleep in the same bed half the time.

I feel safe with him, and he gets me like no one else. Yeah, he’s gay and I’m straight, but that doesn’t matter.

Until it does.

Until one stupid dare to kiss each other leads to the most amazing, epic kiss of my life.

Until I suddenly can’t stop thinking about him, about what he awakens in me.

Until all I want is him.

Our bromance evolves into something much deeper, something neither of us can define. I explore new territory with him and discover sides of myself I never knew I had.

But with not only our future in baseball on the line but also our friendship, how can this thing between us ever be more than temporary? A bromance between besties doesn’t have to change anything, right?

Matt and Jax’s story is a best friends-to-lovers romance between teammates who discover that a bromance with their bestie is exactly what they’ve always wanted but never thought they could have. Expect lots of BFF banter, some serious steam, and tons of sweetness as these two oblivious jocks navigate the line between boyfriends and bros. It is the third novel in the exciting Never Have I Ever series but can be read as a standalone.

Review: ⟫ This is the third novel in the Never Have I Ever series and I really enjoyed reading it. Matt and Jax are joined at the hip – they are bros who do everything together, or nearly everything. Jax is gay and Matt is straight, otherwise they could be each other’s everything.

A kiss at a party gets Matt thinking and because Jax is his best friend, who else would he turn to in order to figure out if he really is as straight as he thought? This bi-awakening was lovely to read – the ease of communication between the two of them, the way in which they rely on and take care of each other – it was all really lovely to read.

There are some moments of angst – what happens if things go wrong? Will they lose their friendship? And there’s the typical a-hole team-member who is homophobic, but that was such a small amount of the story that it wasn’t too irritating.

The sex scenes were very nice – hot, steamy and yet caring at the same time – and the progression of things wasn’t hurried. It was also lovely to learn a bit more about Eli and check in with the guys from the previous stories. All in all, this was a nice, relaxed romance with lovely main characters and a good story. I look forward to reading more in the series.

I received an ARC from GRR.