Beyond Reason by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Reason

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #2

RATING: ⟫4.5 /5

BLURB: ⟫ Sometimes the hardest thing is being the only one left alive.

Axel Fetterman: The Cleaner

Twenty-two years ago, my world ended. I was called to a scene to find the man I loved, cold and lifeless, on the ground. Every moment between now and then has been nothing more than existing between one breath and the next while dealing with the grief of losing the one person I couldn’t live without.

When a man shows up at my door telling me he’s Xavier, I don’t know what to believe. On one hand, it’s impossible—on the other, I’ve never met another person who makes me burn the way he does. Is believing in the impossible too good to be true?

Xavier Benham: The Killer For Hire

Twenty-two years ago, I died. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but I’m alive again. Whatever screwed-up experiment brought me here, I won’t waste the opportunity. I can’t remember most of my life. I can’t remember much, but I can remember him.

Axel.

I’ll do whatever I have to if it means getting back to him, and whatever it takes to become the man I used to be. The only thing standing in my way is the company that brought me back and their determination to rectify their mistake.

~~~

Beyond Reason is a dual POV dark romance with a twist on soulmates that answers the question of how long a man can wait for the person he’s destined to be with. Prepare yourself for angst, high heat, high emotions, and a killer for hire who is suddenly thrown into a world he doesn’t understand. Guaranteed HEA with a universe that’s wide open for exploration! Best read after Beyond Time.

REVIEW: ⟫ No, like seriously, who do we have to kill to get a TV series made about these books? I need this in my life – for science or whatever! This book was explosive from the beginning – Xavier and Axel do not have the healthiest relationship – think slamming each other into things, weaponry, lots of kinky sex – and yet by the end of this book, they were pretty much relationship goals. Alongside Seth and Kade – oh my, my appreciation for Seth actually grew.

Apart from the insane relationship dynamics, choosing who I wanted for the next instalment, and biting my nails waiting to see just how damaged these guys were going to be by the time they got their happily ever after (in this lifetime), the plot kept me fascinated, the ideas behind the science were intriguing and troubling, and my admiration for the world that Lee McCormick has created just grew exponentially. If you have read the previous Beyond book, you know the premise, but I still don’t think you’re ready for this ride.

There were times I wanted to kill Xavier myself – he sometimes was more annoying than Kade and that’s saying something – but ultimately, I finished this cheering despite being sick with COVID (again). Petition to live in Lee McCormick’s brain alongside her characters but not as one of the bad bad guys please!

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Haunted Hotel by Vawn Cassidy (Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres and Spirits Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ The Haunted Hotel

AUTHOR: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy

SERIES: ⟫ Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres and Spirits Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Have a frightfully good stay…

Morgan Ashton-Drake hasn’t given his ancestral family home in Yorkshire a second thought in decades, even if it is technically part of his hotel empire. He has a great life in the States, so what if he works eighteen hour days seven days a week? you don’t get and keep a place on the Forbes 500 list unless you’re prepared to sweat blood.

But when a suspicious death and rather public scandal at his childhood home forces Morgan to return to England for the first time in years he’s determined to close the hotel which has been a millstone around his family’s neck for centuries. What he didn’t count on was the seriously cute little blonde disaster who seems to be single handedly running his grandfather’s hotel.

Ellis Sparks has worked at the Ashton-Drake Manor House Hotel since he was sixteen and he loves it from the bottom of his soul. Always the eternal optimist and ray of sunshine, he’s never met a frown he can’t turn upside down, that is until he meets Morgan Ashton-Drake the grumpy, silver fox grandson of his employer.

With barely any staff and unable to attract or keep guests, Morgan is determined to close the hotel for good and Ellis is just as determined to convince him otherwise, but when strange things occur, Morgan begins to wonder if there’s more to this eccentric hotel than he thought.

From the creator of Dead Serious comes this hilarious grumpy/sunshine spin off which will leave you wanting to book your own room at The Ashton-Drake Manor House Hotel.

REVIEW: ⟫ Set in the same world as the Dead Serious verse, this a new series from Vawn Cassidy, complete with ghosts, twinks, all kinds of rules and regulations and shenanigans! This is very much an ensemble piece, with the main romantic character playing off beautifully against the backdrop of ghosts who have broken the rules, a beautiful old home that needs saving, and family.

I loved these characters when they appeared in Dead Serious – who isn’t going to fall in love with a Bartender that can barely see over the bar and never speaks? And as for John the Maid? I’d love him to take care of my home!

The actual plot is very simple – Morgan has come to the hotel to figure out what’s going on and perhaps find out what happened there when he grew up. He has a grumpy exterior yet you watch as he falls in love with the hotel, the staff, his grandfather but most of all Ellis. Ellis is a literal ray of sunshine and the grumpy/sunshine trope shines in this introduction to the new verse.

Special mention to Warren for his meddling ways and inappropriate commentary! If you’ve read any of the author’s other works, you’ll know the kind of banter to expect, the sexy scenes and the romance that permeates the whole story. I loved reading this story – it was absolutely everything I needed as I recover from COVID. Looking forward to reading more and can highly recommend.

I received an ARC from the author.

Divine Heart by Garrett Leigh (Rebel Kings MC Book #8)

TITLE: ⟫ Divine Heart

AUTHOR: ⟫ Garrett Leigh

SERIES: ⟫ Rebel Kings Book #8

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ The bestselling Rebel Kings MC series returns with Ranger and Viktor’s long awaited love story. Expect: a damaged Russian mobster and grouchy nomad. Hurt comfort, second chances, forced proximity. Love ain’t true if it doesn’t hurt.

Viktor

The message from my brother lies bold and bright on the screen.

This will be it.

Four words that could mean the end or the beginning. And for many years, as long as my sister was safe, I hadn’t much cared which. But as my gaze falls on the woven thread knotted at my wrist and the rough diamond of a man sleeping beside me, I realise everything has changed.

Ranger.

I want more than a hot summer with him. A handful of stolen nights. I don’t deserve him—no one does. But true to the fear I’ve carried since I met him, I can’t give him up.

We survive together, or we die.

And if we live?

I will love his divine heart forever.

Divine Heart is the eighth book in the Rebel Kings MC series. A sizzling MM love story with all the trigger warnings you’d expect from a gripping biker romance.

REVIEW: ⟫ Oh my heart!! I have been saving this ARC for when I really and truly felt I could give it my full attention – COVID and an ear infection, followed by an eye infection has made reading a chore. But it was so incredibly worth the weight.

This wasn’t the action-based story that the last few stories in the Rebel Kings series has been – this was all about the heart, about trust, about making the people you love safe. Ranger and Vik wormed their way into my heart in much the way other characters by Garrett Leigh have done, and I shall keep them safe – rereading their time spent on Satsuma Island as they let down their guard, shared their fears and became one of the absolute best couples in this series.

We have the Russian mafia, Albanians, Alexei, Cam and Saint, children, the most perfect dog in existence and we have a love story that made me tear up more than once. I cannot believe what a stranglehold this book had on me – I began reading it at 11.30 am and finished it just after 2 pm. I feel like I have lived a thousand lives reading this. I was scared about who we might lose and how we might lose them; entranced by the lives that are being built by the Rebel Kings, and in awe of the family Garrett Leigh has written.

I know that there are a couple of stories still to be told – specifically what was happening in places other than Satsuma Island, and I have a hankering to see if Jake ever gets a happily ever after – but either way, this was a perfect, albeit bittersweet, ending to the Rebels’ saga. I’m listening to Sinead O Connor, Nothing Compares to U whilst I am writing this review and it is incredibly apt – I can’t think of another series out there that compares to this one.

I received an ARC from GRR.

His Mate By Vengeance by Mel Aitchess (Lunetti Pack Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ His Mate by Vengeance

AUTHOR: ⟫ Mel Aitchess

SERIES: ⟫ Lunetti Pack Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ I have lived for centuries. I have used and been used. Had countless lovers. And I have never wanted more. Not once. Not until today. Not until you.

Angelo is a protector—head of the Lunetti Pack's security. He walks a delicate line avoiding the darker side of his mafia shifter pack's business, but there's no grey area in his hatred of vampires. Not after what they did to his family. When his Alpha orders him to keep one safe, it takes everything in him to obey. So, why is his wolf so intoxicated by the sassy vampire assassin's scent permeating the safe house? And did there have to be only one damn bed?

Vin doesn't know who's trying to frame him for the bombing targeting the head of the local vampire coven, but he's got the skills and ruthlessness to figure it out. When he called in a favour for somewhere to lay low, he hadn't intended it to come equipped with a wolf shifter bodyguard, but he isn't complaining. Angelo is as easy on the eyes as he is to rile up. Seduction is a game and Vin's always loved a challenge.

Until Angelo does something no one ever has before. He cares.

Now, all bets are off. Angelo is his.

His Mate By Vengeance is a steamy enemies to lovers, fated mates, MM paranormal romance between a grumpy wolf shifter and a murder sunshine vampire assassin. It features forced proximity, only one bed, and knotting. There is no mpreg in this world

REVIEW: ⟫ This was so much fun to read! Vin is witty, quick thinking, lethal and caring. Angelo is the definition of a grumpy marshmallow – even his position as enforcer doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t kill without reason. Angelo has plenty of reasons to hate vampires, but what I absolutely adored about this book was the way his other half, his wolf, fell for Vin completely and utterly from the beginning and had no problems showing it. The tail wagging, head butting, providing food – all of it made me grin.

The background story was also interesting and I really enjoyed the world building as we learned about the vampires, witches and wolves in this new (to me) series. It was a very easy, quick read, enjoyable without too much angst, with some spicy scenes that were nicely written. The descriptors had this playing in my head like a movie and I very much enjoyed the scenery that was painted for us!

Have joined the author’s newsletter and looking forward to the next in the series. I received an ARC from GRR.

The Former Fake Boyfriend by Maya Jean (Sweet Southern Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ The Former Fake Boyfriend

AUTHOR: ⟫ Maya Jean

SERIES: ⟫ Sweet Southern Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Beau

The strong one. The dependable one. Eldest son. Big brother. Now the family farm is mine to run. My entire life is centered around others. To keep the attention off me at my baby sister’s wedding, I impulsively hire a fake boyfriend to give the pretense of happiness. What I don’t expect is a man that seamlessly fits into my life. Trevor holds me up when no one else thinks twice about my needs or wants. And he keeps coming back for me. Again and again. Our relationship might be fake to Trevor, but I’m playing for keeps.

Trevor

Fake boyfriend. Good friend. Shitty son. Faking is my only real skill. The dark family secrets I carry inside remind me daily of my worth. Nothing. I’m only of value when I’m providing fake boyfriends a service. But when a sweet farmer hires me for a wedding weekend, everything slowly starts to unravel. Beau works his way into my battered heart with gentle smiles, shy looks, and profound steadiness. Safe with Beau, maybe it’s finally time to stop faking my way through life.

The Former Fake Boyfriend is the second novel in the Sweet Southern series. Expect a swoony fake dating romance between a city boy sex worker and a gentle giant farmer featuring an age gap, hurt/comfort, and second chances.

REVIEW: ⟫ When I say that this was easy to read, I mean that the characters draw you in pretty much immediately and it was very easy to enter the world of Beau and Trevor. However, the things that Trevor and Beau were handling weren’t easy and I really appreciated the thought and effort the author put into showing these two men being so vulnerable with each other. The strength that they both showed in such different circumstances was fascinating to read – with Trevor, it wasn’t always easy to understand why he did what he did – but the parallels between the two of them made it perfectly plain why they were so good for each other.

I read the Husband Experience previously so knew some of the background, but I didn’t expect to care as much as I did about these two.

The phone calls between them – the one word from Trevor – made me feel so sad for him. I can’t imagine going through what he did and could well understand his difficulty in accepting the love that was offered to him. The background characters were fun, touching and very real, and I very much enjoyed reading how these two men fought for their happy ever after.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Owed to the Billionaire by Medusa Stone

TITLE: ⟫ Owed to the Billionaire

AUTHOR: ⟫ Medusa Stone

SERIES: ⟫ Belonging to the Billionaire

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ MM/Dark Mafia/ Billionaire-Romance/ Hurt-Comfort/ Enemies to lovers

Michael-

The criminal underground wasn't something I had anything to do with. That’s until my brother's gambling got out of hand. Ryan owes a lot of money to the vicious Vincent Salvatore, and the man wants what's his. We can't pay, so Salvatore demands my brother works off his debt… and I'm the collateral.

I may be held in a luxurious prison, but it's still a cage. So why am I developing feelings for the man who holds our future in his hands?

Vincent-

I don’t give a damn about some gambler's brother. I want my money, and Ryan's debt is a noose tightening around his neck. My world doesn't tolerate failure. But then I see Michael—the innocent collateral. The moment our eyes lock, everything shifts.

I should be focused on getting my money back, but Michael's got this quiet strength that gets under my skin. Suddenly, it's not just about the debt. It's about keeping him close, protecting him. Anyone who dares to touch him will face my wrath.

I didn’t plan for this. But now, there's nothing I won’t do to keep him safe—even if it means breaking all my own rules.

All books in “Belonging To The Billionaire” series are standalones.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is a short novella – approx 12.5k words – and as such, the author makes sure to warn the reader that there isn’t a lot of room for backstory or build-up. Nevertheless, from the beginning, you do get a very good sense of the depth of the caring between Ryan and Michael, and just why Michael is prepared to do anything to keep his brother safe, and vice versa. It also quickly becomes clear that Vincent is confused by the emotions that Michael engenders in him – he is far more used to delivering pain, manipulating people into owing him fealty, and running the darker side of things than he is to gentle emotions. I liked how the men who collected Michael were made to pay for their actions – they didn’t have permission for the things that they did so were reprimanded – a sharp reminder that Vincent is in charge of all of it.

I don’t recall reading any Medusa Stone prior to this but would be interested in reading what could come from a story with the space to go into more detail – whether in building the relationships, the backstory, or even the resolution. This was a quick, interesting read and I will probably look for more stories by this author, and particularly in this series as the next title sounds interesting.

I received an ARC from the author but the views are my own.

Shots on Net by J.J. Mulder (SCU Hockey Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Shots on Net

AUTHOR: ⟫ J.J. Mulder

SERIES: ⟫ SCU Hockey Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Carter Morgan III hates everything about South Carolina University except for one thing: hockey. As the starting netminder for the team, he lives for those moments when he can step onto the ice and between the pipes. Unfortunately, his time at school and on the team is slowly coming to an end; although he’d love nothing more than to pursue a career in the NHL, he knows better than to get his hopes up.

Zeke Cassidy needs a place to live. When he answers an advertisement for a roommate, he’s not sure what he is expecting except that it isn’t Carter Morgan III. Carter is unfriendly, aloof, and they have nothing in common; even so, the pair hit it off immediately and become friends.

Carter knows Zeke isn’t interested in being anything beyond friends and roommates. Unfortunately, knowing this doesn’t stop him from hoping for more, no matter how much he tries to convince himself it’s impossible.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book completely crept up on me and I am so pleased to have found a new author to read! Zeke was an absolute delight – just so upfront and honest, open and caring – exactly what Carter needs. And Carter! Oh my, I just wanted to give him the biggest hugs and hold on tight – that boy deserved so much better than he had gotten before Zeke turned up! The fact that Zeke could read through his grumpy exterior, treasured every single one of his smiles, and made Carter begin to realise that he could have more – really brilliantly done!

I haven’t read anything from this author before but you can bet I’m hitting up everything on their back catalogue after this – Coach Mckensie needs to be read, obviously!!

The Night I Lost Him by Calliope Rhys

TITLE: ⟫ The Night I Lost Him

AUTHOR: ⟫ Calliope Rhys

RATING: ⟫ 2.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Caden Conner had never planned on coming out of the box he’d placed himself in long ago, the one he’d carefully crafted to look like everyone around him wanted it to. He had determined to be what they all expected. He’d decorated it with hockey and parties and girlfriends. No one was ever supposed to find him there, but then Jamie came along and ripped him right out of it.

Jamie Bryant was an enigma. He did what he wanted, wore what he wanted, and never apologized for who he was. He had plenty of whispers swirling around him, side-eyes and some outright hatred, but he seemed to simply ignore most of it. Caden had been watching, though, and he’d always hated it when people picked on Jamie. One moment would change everything between them, but Caden still had one foot in that box, torn between being who he truly was and holding onto the reputation he’d worked for.

Caden wasn’t the only person who could see that Jamie was beautiful. Jamie had plenty of his own admirers, and one of them was more dangerous than anyone realized until it was too late. No one thought that he would take it as far as he did, but by the time they understood, Jamie was already missing.

Caden realized he’d lost everything that truly mattered in his life when he’d lost Jamie. The regret and guilt swirled with fear and pain. And he would do whatever it took to get him back.

REVIEW: ⟫ I wanted to love this book so very much – the premise was fascinating and it started out incredibly well. The pain Caden was going through was palpable and the initial flashbacks were introduced in such a way as to fill in the backstory well. But then things went on. And on. Constant pages of Caden going over and over the same thing.

By the time we got to court, even the flashbacks that told their love story couldn’t save it. I was so aggravated by so many things that it got to the stage where I was almost hate reading it. I just wanted to get to the end so that it was over.

The characters were interesting, the premise was well thought out – this was let down by the lack of someone to tell the author to move the heck on with the story. Sometimes I actually felt like I was literally taking the same footsteps as Caden and it was just taking too darn long.

I hesitated on what to rate this as, but for the sake of Caden and Jamie, the excellent meaning the author was working towards, and the friends who proved to be worth their weight in gold, I decided on 2.5, rounded up.

I understand that this is a debut novel (I think) and I will look out for more by this author.

Passing Through Purgatory by Nikole Knight (Passing Through Cafe Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Passing Through Purgatory

AUTHOR: ⟫ Nikole Knight

SERIES: ⟫ Passing Through Cafe Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ When Oliver applied for a job in the Hell dimension on a whim, he didn’t expect it to turn his whole world—or his heart—entirely upside down.

Recently graduated at twenty-six, and two months behind on rent, Oliver Barnes is desperate. So desperate, in fact, that he applies for a job in the Greed district of Hell’s Pentagram. But when he misses his train and, subsequently, his job interview, he stumbles, instead, upon a strange little coffee shop in the middle of Purgatory’s barren desert—and into an unexpected opportunity.

It isn’t the job he came to Hell for, but maybe it’s exactly the job he needs.

As he navigates the demon dimension and tries to survive the ridiculous shenanigans of his unholy co-workers, Oliver soon falls head-over-ass for a tentacled lawyer with electric fingers and a deadly-sharp grin. Together, they discover that, sometimes, love and happiness can be just a train ride away.

REVIEW: ⟫ Initially, I struggled to connect with this book. Everything sounded so alien, sometimes in what felt like an unnecessarily alien way as if to emphasise how different everything was, and I thought I wouldn’t get over that aspect of things. It didn’t help that we didn’t meet Liel until what felt like over a third of the way through the story.

However, once I began to distinguish between the different characters/demons Oliver was working with and Liel was introduced, I fell in love with this book. The banter from Gem – utterly deranged, completely inappropriate, but laugh your socks off funny; Rus with his description of something between a pink raccoon and a Care Bear; Willow with her empathy – each of them had their distinctive characteristics and role to play in this found family.

Oliver and Liel were so sexy together – both lacking confidence on occasion, yet open and honest with each other, and the lack of judging from both of them on their differences in physiology was lovely. The sex between them was hot, but ultimately it was all of them together on the trip back to Montana that brought a smile to my face that didn’t leave until I finished the book. I will definitely be looking out for more books about Purgatory and can heartily recommend this one.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Infected: Prey by Andrea Speed (Infected Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Infected: Prey

AUTHOR: ⟫ Andrea Speed

SERIES: ⟫ Infected Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds. The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was "cat" obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli. Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.

REVIEW: ⟫ I don’t even know why I decided to re-read this book – I think I saw the author’s name on Goodreads and I found myself wondering what happened to the protagonists so re-downloaded it from my kindle library.

Firstly, there is no explicit mm sex in this couple of novellas, which isn’t an issue but definitely isn’t the ‘norm’ when it comes to mm nowadays. I absolutely loved the whole concept of the infected and virus children, and remember being utterly delighted back when I read it initially. I loved it even more now – it felt fresh and new compared to the werewolf/shifter stories I’ve been reading over the years and I can’t think of anyone who’s used the same idea.

Roan and Paris are a fabulous couple – both complete AHs in their way and very much suited to each other. Their back stories are slowly revealed as you follow them in their investigations and they are just fascinating – the world they live in is fascinating and I was entranced from the time I began re-reading. I feel that the story has definitely aged well – the lack of internet, smart cell phones, etc. didn’t hurt the story at all.

I really enjoyed this revisit and will be continuing to re-read the series. I’m not sure how far I actually got in my reading so this could be a lot of fun rediscovering an old favoured author and ‘new to me’ work!

Forgotten Romance by Saxon James (Divorced Men's Club Book #6)

TITLE: ⟫ Forgotten Romance

AUTHOR: ⟫ Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Divorced Men’s Club Book #6

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Davey

In a list of what’s most important to me, three things are right up there at the top. My kids, my husband Mack, and my career I’ve spent my life building. Unfortunately that career has me away from home more than I'd like, and when I refuse to walk away from it, my husband walks away from me instead.

Living together post-divorce makes sense for us, but it blurs the lines between what we were and what we have. Now that I’ve scored a big promotion and negotiated twelve long weeks at home, memories of our life together haunt me. They make me long for what we had. And now that Mack is moving on with someone else, I’m being faced with the cold truth. I should never have let Mack go, and now it might be too late to get him back.

Mack

Twelve weeks. It’s the longest Davey has been home since we had the kids, and all it does is remind me of everything I wish I still had. So I decide this is it. I have twelve weeks to remind Davey of everything he lost and hope like hell when I give him the choice between work and me again, that this time he chooses me.

None of my friends are on board with my plan, and the new guy in town is trying his hardest to win me over. But I can ignore cute notes slipped into my favourite books if it means getting back the man I’ll love forever.

All I need to do is remind him our life together was perfect.

Now if only our kids, our friends, and his work would get the memo …

REVIEW: ⟫ I can’t believe this series has come to an end! But what an ending – Davey and Mack broke my heart more than once reading this. I loved, loved, loved that this was a journey of self-discovery for both of them; that they both separately and together realised that what happened in the past was both of their responsibility; I loved all of their friends doing their best to support them – whether it was together or apart.

Saxon James has a way of writing characters that feel very real – their banter, their feelings, emotions – how they handle what life throws at them. It’s not always a simple journey, and in this case Mack and his need for Davey to love him above all else comes up against the brick wall of Davey’s need to provide for his family. Neither of them are actively wrong, but neither of them are right either. And this story is all about them figuring out how to mesh their lives together for good this time, without losing what makes each of them special.

I have loved this series as it is has merely affirmed my love of Saxon’s writing. I’m sad to leave this series behind but extremely happy with how it ended.

The Laughing Game by AE Lister (Parlor Games Book #3)

TITLE: ⟫ The Laughing Game

AUTHOR: ⟫ AE Lister

SERIES: ⟫ Parlor Games Book #3

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ When people are placing bets, maybe you’re not so straight after all.

Angel Barnett always assumed he was straight. Sure, he’d had an occasional fantasy about sex with a man. But he’d never contemplated having sex with two men, until he met Gideon Foster and Vihaal Petrovsky.

Now he can’t get them out of his head, and the casual friendship that’s developed between them is heading into unknown territory. It seems like everyone he knows, including his aging mother, has known for years he’s ‘not so straight’. And it turns out that Gideon and Vihaal have been deliberately trying to seduce him.

But they’re married, and Angel isn’t sure about sex with men to begin with. It only takes a few instances of physical intimacy with Vihaal and Gideon, who seem to live a very kinky life with few boundaries, for Angel to finally accept and start to explore his bisexuality.

But can Angel be a third to Vihaal and Gideon’s twosome? They seem to want him. But the two of them are kinky as hell so not only is Angel embarking on a same-sex relationship for the first time, he’s also being initiated into the kinky world of dominance and submission. And since Vihaal is a die-hard Dom, it looks like Angel had better get used to submission—a mindset that comes surprisingly easily.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book that I can recall reading by AE Lister and as this one is book number 3 in the series, I think I have done it a slight disservice. I haven’t read the previous books in the series and I don’t think that this works as well as it might do without all of that background.

That said, I found the dynamic between Angel, Vihaal and Gideon to be entertaining, sexy and on occasion, very sweet. Vihaal and Gideon are a married couple who occasionally indulge in adding a temporary third to their relationship. However, it becomes obvious that they have had their eye on Angel for a while and it quickly becomes apparent that this is not a temporary thing for any of them. Not least, because for Angel this is his first relationship with men.

I enjoyed the relationships and characters in this story, especially Angel’s mother who made me laugh a lot. The friendships were nicely written and the encouragement and acceptance was good to see/read. The sex scenes were hot and intense, and although I felt that occasionally there wasn’t enough attention paid to the fact that this was all new to Angel, the triad worked very well with Vihaal most definitely in charge with Angel and Gideon as his pets. I may see if I can read the previous books in the series.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Angel by Linden Bell (The Camboy Network Book #)

TITLE: ⟫ Angel

AUTHOR: ⟫ Linden Bell

SERIES: ⟫ The Camboy Network Book #3

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ He was only supposed to be gay for pay.

Angel

I’ve never had sex before. And I've definitely never looked at a guy that way before. But with his brightly-colored hair and beautiful outfits, Rhys is hard to ignore--especially after I learn what he does for a living.

Signing up with The Camboy Network is way outside my comfort zone, but with Rhys guiding me the whole way, it doesn’t feel all that scary. In fact, it feels like fate.

Rhys

I left home the minute I turned eighteen, so falling for a guy from the old neighbourhood is the last thing I should do - especially since he's straight. But he's utterly adorable, so innocently kinky, and exactly my type.

We shouldn't fit together so well, but we do. No matter how hard I try to stay away, I can’t. Our lives couldn’t be more different on the outside, but maybe we're a lot more alike than we think.

Angel is a bi-awakening, opposites attract, size difference MM romance between a burly cinnamon roll construction worker and a flamboyant pole-dancing twink. Expect accidentally dirty text messages, completely unexpected kinks, and chivalrous courage that truly runs deep. Angel is the third book in The Camboy Network series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

REVIEWS: ⟫ I have not previously read any Linden Bell, a mistake I fully intend to rectify! This book was so much fun, whilst also being sexy, touching, kinky and full of surprises.

I loved Rhys from the first moment we met him – I loved his flamboyancy, his attitude towards people and life, and his general happiness with life. He was where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do, and no-one was going to look down their noses at him for him – especially the people from his old neighbourhood.

Angel took me completely by surprise – he was so quiet, so sweet, and yet just beneath the surface you could tell that he wanted to break free and become himself. He just didn’t know how. Angel’s meeting with Rhys at a family birthday was the beginning of the road to discovery – a road where Angel was happy to follow Rhys, learning so much about himself and finding love and new friends in the process.

I loved that this wasn’t a simple story, where everyone was accepting and they faced no backlash – Angel’s mother in particular comes to mind – but I especially loved how these two had each other’s backs from the very beginning, even if they both refused to see it for what it really was.

The sex scenes were extremely hot and discovering Angel’s kinks alongside him was surprising and fun in equal measure. I loves reading about the other members of the Camboy Network and will be looking out for their books. Reading this made me smile and feel good – especially with the way in which Rhys discovered that his family – both made and born – had his back in satisfying ways. I wish I could have seen the outfit Rhys wore to the wedding because it sounded divine and I can heartily recommend this book!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Omega Captive of the Alpha Dragon Prince by Wendy Rathbone

TITLE: ⟫ Omega Captive of the Alpha Dragon

AUTHOR: ⟫ Wendy Rathbone

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ I’ve been sold to an unfriendly foreign land of dragon shifters to become a brood slave.

Tavi is a set-omega, which means he has no inner beast and cannot shift. Considered worthless by his wolf pack, and with no individual rights, he is sold into slavery along with other set-omegas as they come of age.

Alluresh is a dragon shifter, all business and very little play. His inner dragon is feral and often controls him, shifting inappropriately at times, creating chaos and damage. Others fear him, causing Alluresh to become bitter and reclusive.

All of that changes when a shady friend from his past invites him to an omega auction. Alluresh attends, only to discover his dragon has eyes for one of the omegas for sale, demanding he bid on him or else.

What is Alluresh to do but obey his beast and call out a ridiculously large sum?

Two outcast men learn they might have more in common than they think, and a feral dragon finds his inner heart.

Contemporary omegaverse, alpha/omega, dragon shifter, mpreg/eggpreg, omega heat, knotting, opposites attract, age gap, size difference. This is a sold-into-brood-slavery tale turned romance where everything is consensual with a terribly sweet HEA.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was absolutely delightful – I read it in a matter of hours and loved every moment! I really liked all three lead characters – Allure, Alluresh and Tavi – they each had reasons for acting the way that they did, but went above and beyond to be better than their circumstances. I loved the combative relationship between Allure and Alluresh, and could well understand them butting heads from the time Alluresh was a teenager – teenage hormones along with an unruly, nearly feral dragon must have been a nightmare.

I admired Tavi for facing the situation he was in and making the most of it, as well as allowing himself to fall in love with both Allure and Alluresh. Alluresh and Tavi were incredibly sweet together, both a little gun-shy with regard to emotions and their situation, but both prepared to communicate and work together to make the most of things. This was a well-deserved happy ever after and I really loved it.

I received an ARC from GRR.

A Perfectly Sonny Daye : A Fish Out of Water Short by Amy Lane (Fish Out of Water Collection)

TITLE: ⟫ A Perfectly Sonny Daye : A Fish Out of Water Short

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

SERIES: ⟫ Fish Out of Water Collection

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Sonny Daye works hard in the business he and his lover Ace have built from scratch. He sweats through days that shouldn’t be so hot, he fixes cars that shouldn’t be broke—he even puts up with customers that oughta just drive off the road and spare the car and Sonny himself the pain. On an ordinary day, Sonny can help a bunch of stupid kids, teach a snotty rich guy a lesson, and stop a felon in his tracks without killing him! It's hard work indeed—but Sonny’ll do anything for Ace.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.