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.

French Fancy by Lily Morton (The Model Agency #2)

TITLE: ⟫ French Fancy (The Model Agency #2)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lily Morton

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Pip Simmonds is the twinkiest twink in London. He’s loud, proud, and packed to the brim with sass. But when he’s laid low by illness, even his hotpants lose their sparkle and his worried boss sends him to the South of France to recuperate in his holiday home.

Cap Ferrat is beautiful, and the periwinkle-blue villa is luxurious, but the real draw for Pip is the villa’s other resident—his boss’s younger brother, Olivier Durand.

Olivier owns a perfume empire and has spent his whole life running from any other form of commitment. He’s worldly, carefree, wild, and the perfect choice for a holiday fling.

Drawn together by proximity, the two men become lovers and friends and then something more. Something special. But will their special bond hold true after summer’s end, when they both must return to their real lives?

This is the second book in the bestselling Model Agency series, but it can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Not Dating Material by Saxon James (Accidental Love #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Not Dating Material (Accidental Love #2)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Saxon James

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ MOLLY

Moving to Seattle is supposed to be all about getting a fresh start and leaving the bitter man I was becoming behind.

I have new room-mates–quirky, sometimes strange, room-mates–a nosy, next door neighbor and a grumpy kitty for company, but even surrounded by people, I still don’t feel like I belong. Plus, it turns out the men in Seattle are exactly the same as the ones I left behind, and my string of romantic disconnections continues.

It’s not until one of my room-mates, Seven, hits me with some hard truths that I realize where I was going wrong.

Maybe the men aren’t the problem.

I am.

And there’s only one way to fix that.

SEVEN

Being found tied up naked to my bed by my cute new room-mate isn’t an ideal way for us to start a friendship.

But apparently a quid-pro-quo is.

He keeps his pretty lips zipped about the compromising position, and I step in as his dating coach. We go out, I point out where he’s going wrong, and he magically becomes dating material.

The problem is, between my codependent brother Xander and a new best friend I can’t get rid of, Molly and I are the target of a matchmaking scheme. My life is way too busy to add another person to it, and Molly is the kinda guy who needs to be made a priority, which I just can’t do. Xander’s medical anxiety takes up too much of my time, and I’ve never found a partner who doesn’t resent it.

I’m determined to help Molly find his ever after.

But that guy will never be me.

REVIEWS: ⟫ I really wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about Molly after his appearance in Ford and Orson’s story, but Saxon made me feel so bad for him that I forgave his rash behaviour. He’s moved all the way to Seattle to get a fresh start, and what a start – meeting the boys from Big Bertha is an eye opener in so many ways.

I enjoyed how vulnerable Saxon allowed Seven to be – he presented as this big, tough guy, covered in tattoos and intimidating until you got to learn more about him. Refusing to swear, his badly hidden inner marshmallow and just the way he was always there for any of the boys (and Aggie) made me fall in love with him.

I liked the way in which the subject of Seven’s no dating rule was brought up – he thought he was being upfront, honest and direct whereas throughout the book, we see that HE might not have thought he was dating people, but others were not quite so sure.

There was background angst, especially with regard to Xander and Seven, but it didn’t really filter through to the main story – it more formed a background thread that you were aware of but didn’t have to suffer through. I loved the dates that Seven and Molly had; loved the way that Seven helped Molly build his confidence; the relationship between Molly, Seven and Xander; and the return to Big Bertha.

One of my favourite parts was when Madden asked Rush how come, if he wasn’t aware of the no-sleeping with room-mates rules, then how come he hadn’t made a move on Madden – that made me laugh so hard, although what a knock to Madden’s ego! I’m looking forward to more in the Accidental Love verse, especially after Seven met Molly’s dad and his initial reaction – that too made me giggle, and I loved the ease with which the two verses intermingled.

This book kept me entertained and gave me a HEA I could sigh happily about after reading and I can’t ask for more than that!

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.

Corin and the Courtier by Eliot Grayson (Beautiful Beasts Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Corin and the Courtier (Beautiful Beasts Book #1)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eliot Grayson

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Most people run from beasts, not to them…

Aster didn’t put much thought into his escape. All he knew when he ran up that mountain—straight into the lair of a grumpy dragon knight with a huge grudge against his family—was that he couldn’t submit to an arranged marriage. It never occurred to him that a snowstorm would strand him there. Or that he’d give in to years of longing and beg for the monster’s forbidden touch. But it happened. All of it…

Corin wasn’t trying to be a hero—especially not Aster’s hero. He couldn’t very well let him die, though. So he protected him. Which might have been considered noble…if he hadn’t also fallen into bed with him. Over and over again. But the cost of keeping Aster is far more than Corin’s willing to pay. Corin will eventually be forced to let him go—even if it destroys him.

When Aster’s problems follow him up the mountain—literally—he realizes running is no longer an option. The only question now is whether Corin will fight for him, or burn their potential happily ever after to the ground…

This spicy, steamy, M/M paranormal fantasy romance features a pair of star-crossed opposites, a little forced proximity (with only one bed), some silliness involving a lack of pants at unexpected moments, and plenty of dirty talk.

This series does not contain mpreg. There’s a brief occurrence of self-destructive ideation in this book, but no action is taken. HEA guaranteed!

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a fun introduction to a new series. Corin has sent himself into exile and is, quite frankly, bored. His boredom is alleviated by the last person he should be pleased to see – the twin brother of his ex-fiancee. Somehow, Asher works his way beneath Corin’s cold exterior until the two of them are discovering they have much in common, including a predilection for a little dirty talk and destroying clothing. But when the very thing Asher is running away from catches up with him, do the two of them have what it takes to grab the happiness that is right in front of them?

This was full of witty banter, fun situations and a new look at the old trope of only one bed. I loved learning so much about the dragons and judging by the cover photo, it’s completely understandable why Asher has such a crush on Corin. At turns touching, annoying, exasperating but always entertaining, I really loved this introduction to a new series – and I can barely wait to see how a certain troubadour copes in the future.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Whispers in the Dark by Nikole Knight & Lily Mayne (Black Oasis Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Whispers in the Dark (Black Oasis Book #1)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Nikole Knight and Lily Mayne

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ You never know what’s hiding under your bed…

At twenty-four, Cody has already lost hope of having a life of his own. All his time is spent playing nurse to a dying, spiteful step-father and maid to his bully half-brother. His only escapes are playing his favorite online fantasy game, Black Oasis, and talking to the strange, unearthly presence under his bed that may or may not actually exist.

But everything changes when his nightly visitor, who introduces himself as Nor, starts talking back.

As their connection deepens, Nor invites Cody into the surreal world existing just beyond his nightmares, filled with haughty demons, passion-killing pet bugs named Gef, and a dark landscape that is oddly familiar. With his sweet but monstrous companion by his side, Cody might finally gain the life of freedom and adventure that he’s always wanted.

Join Nor and Cody as they unearth the true meaning of hope, passion, and a love of endless depths that spans between worlds in Whispers in the Dark, the first book in Knight and Mayne’s co-authored queer, monster romance series, Black Oasis.

Whispers in the Dark is an M/M monster romance full of hurt/comfort, angst, humor, and a sweet, spicy love between a redheaded Texan and his precious, six-fingered Deepdweller. This love story contains explicit content and is not suitable for young readers. Be sure to check the Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book for more details.

REVIEW: ⟫ I went into this with vaguely high hopes and I wasn’t disappointed.

Cody’s life is just so sad, empty yet full of pain that it’s no wonder he begins talking to the darkness beneath his bed – even knowing it’s most likely either a monster or a figment of his imagination, it’s still the best thing to happen to him. It doesn’t take far into the book to realise that Cody is living in a dangerous situation – between the verbal abuse of his stepfather, the emotional damage being caused by his absent mother and the physical abuse he suffers fro his half-brother, it’s a wonder that Cody is the kind, caring individual that he is.

Nor is just amazing. I adore the fact that he rumbles and purrs encouragement at Cody; is terrified of a Pomeranian and thinks comparing something to dirt is a compliment. I giggled more than once at their interactions, but more than anything it was so sweet as these two began to trust each other and their relationship grew until it became sexual. Lily Mayne has a knack for writing hot monsters and she definitely achieved that with Nor,as well as creatures that I imagine will feature in their own story in the future.

Black Oasis as part of the world building was an excellent move and I’m intrigued as to how there are so many similarities, although I suspect a certain curly haired ghost might have something to do with that.

The story doesn’t shy away from the less pleasant aspects of looking after someone who is bed-bound, especially someone who treats their carer with such little respect and regard. The underlying subtext from Cody’s brother, as well as hints given elsewhere, gave the story some urgency and after visiting Nor’s home, I did wonder if it would be possible for Cody to get his happy ever after with Nor.

This book has some laugh out loud moments (Lau’s brother and his mischievous gifts comes to mind) meant that there was some levity to what could quite easily have been an angst-filled story and I appreciated that. Even when things got dark, there was always light and the authors did a great job of ensuring that you knew there was going to be a way through. I felt that the joint-writing was almost seamless and that the authors seemed to work well together and produce something more than worthy of an afternoon’s read.

Captured: A Dark Romance by R.A. Frick

TITLE: ⟫ Captured: A Dark Romance

AUTHOR: ⟫ R.A. Frick

RATING: ⟫ 1/5

BLURB: ⟫ Running away from small-town Montana to Los Angeles, and meeting the handsome Jayantha, Cal thinks his luck is getting better. The man with Jay is looking for models, but Cal gets kidnapped and brought far away from his American life and innocent world view.

Jay learns his family has secrets of their their matchmaking is a front for kidnapping people to sell. He's not sure how to save himself, let alone the innocents they have imprisoned...

Can Cal trust anyone, or will he have to save himself?

*

Content Warning: If you like your stories dark and twisty before the romance happens, this book has that in spades. If you like your romance fluffy with insta-love, this is not the book for you! Third person, past tense, dual POV. Full content warning inside.

REVIEW: ⟫ I love a dark and twisty romance so this sounded like it would be well up my street. Judging by the other reviews this has received, this hit the mark for a LOT of people. Unfortunately, not for me.

None of the characters were built into someone to care/root for; lots of the story seemed to make little to no sense, with villains that were worse than caricatures; I seriously do not understand how any of this made it past beta readers because it was just all so off. It had the bones of a really good, interesting story but unfortunately it was never truly fleshed out.

The relationship between Jay and Cal could barely be called a relationship – in fact, the blurb says if you like insta-love, this is not for you but there is no other way to describe the situation-ship between the two men. There was no reason for Cal to trust Jay, and certainly no reason for Jay to want to save Cal and the others. Even the ‘intimacy’ between Cal and Jay was transactional at best and the fact that Cal was a virgin before anything happened between them actually makes things feel so much worse.

There felt like there was a lot of MF content, albeit non-consensual, and just overall I don’t think this was the book for me at all. I’m not going to get into the whole editing, spelling thing because I know that isn’t the substance of the book, but there were errors in who was speaking, etc that didn’t help.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Only Skin Deep by Kelex

TITLE: ⟫ Only Skin Deep

AUTHOR: ⟫ Kelex

RATING: ⟫ 3/5

BLURB: ⟫ Welcome to the world of Enchanted Ink! For a price, master tattooists can place a beautiful spell directly onto your skin. Want to be wealthy? Beautiful? Loved? You’ve come to the right place. Just make sure the price you’ll pay is worth it as the cost isn’t always in gold.

****

Luca Galioto can tattoo just about any spell, but he specializes in healing tattoos. He’ll need to create his masterpiece after his mate, and Salem PD detective, Ash Montgomery brings in a human suffering a curse to end all curses. Luca uses every ounce of strength to save the man—because they both sense he’s their third.

Colby Kennedy doesn’t believe in witches, demons, fated mates, and the things that go bump in the night. Yet he struggles to ignore the deep-seated lust he feels every time he looks at Luca and Ash. No matter his need, he has his brother to care for and a business to run. He doesn’t have time for nonsense.

The demons don’t stop coming, putting everything he holds dear in jeopardy. Luca and Ash, and the coven at Enchanted Ink, are the only things keeping him and his brother from losing everything.

But can he accept their world and his place in it before it’s too late?

REVIEW: ⟫ Oh I wanted to love this one! Fated mates who just happen to be thirds, tattoos with magic imbued in them, demons and a coven in trouble – it just sounded like it would be a breakneck-paced romance with masses of passion and lust, with protectiveness thrown in and magic being thrown around to protect people. Phew!

Yeah, no – this wasn’t that. For a story that involves a third being nearly killed by a tattoo, with demons threatening to destroy much needed/desired third parties, this story lacked passion for me – which is a surprise as in order to recharge, Luca and Ash go at it quite a bit. I felt like the story got a bit lost in the people – not a lot actually happened apart from hints of another pairing, Daniel turning out to be more than just a little magical, and Colby falling under the spell of two good looking men who insisted he was sent to complete them.

We didn’t find out the underlying reason for what the demons were doing, there was no big battle, and even getting Colby to accept his new reality was nowhere near as difficult as I thought it might be. It all just felt a bit – flat? Or maybe too ‘normal’ for a story that was so heavily steeped in the paranormal.

The writing was solid, some of the characters were better written than others, and the world building/premise behind the mate-mark were really intriguing but this story just didn’t fill in enough of the blanks that I wanted to read. Perhaps further through the series, we will learn more about the background of the coven, why the demons might choose to attack the way they have and how everyone fits into this world, but at the moment I don’t think this was a satisfactory introduction to a new series and I’m not sure I’ll read any further.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Forbidden Match by MM Farmer (The Perfect Match Agency Book #6)

TITLE: ⟫ Forbidden Match (The Perfect Match Agency Book #6)

AUTHOR: ⟫ MM Farmer

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ The Perfect Match Agency’s company policy is clear: No dating in the workplace!

Looks like Renn and Topher didn’t get the memo…

Topher

Working in IT for the Perfect Match Agency has been my dream job. Not just because I get to work with the software that helps people find their mate, but because it allows me to work from home. And with my anxiety issues, working from home is a must. Don’t get me wrong, I have my work friends who I talk to through email and texts every day, especially Renn. We’ve never met, but Renn has become my best friend.

When the system sends both of us emails congratulating us on finding a 99.1% perfect match, not even my anxiety can stop me from heading to the office to solve the problem…and to meet Renn in person for the very first time.

Renn

Having the Perfect Match system send me an email telling me it’s found a 99.1% compatible match for me was not the wildest thing that happened to me that day. Meeting my best friend in person for the first time and having him instantly go into heat and me into rut definitely was. That supply closet will never be the same. Neither will me and Topher, unfortunately. There’s nothing like coming into work on a Monday after a wild heat weekend only to be fired to start a relationship out on the wrong foot.

But are Topher and I victims of nature and destined to go down in flames, or is the perfection of our match exactly what the company needs to study to take the whole matchmaking system to the next level?

Perfect Match Agency is a multi-author gay romance series. The stories are non-shifter omegaverse, with high heat and low angst. Male pregnancy is possible in the world. Each individual book can be read as a standalone, features a new couple, and a satisfying happily ever after. Forbidden Match is the sixth book in the series and features friends to lovers, office romance…that leads to disaster, a convenient broom closet, that guy from HR who ruins everyone’s fun (you know the one I’m talking about), someone else’s wedding, and a happily ever after.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a very sweet story of two workers falling in love with each other through their emails and interactions, before having everything confirmed by the Perfect Match Agency. It was interesting to see a little more of the workings of the agency, although the ‘drama’ felt more than a little manufactured. I thought that Topher’s anxiety was handled very well, with the mating bond acting to soothe some of his concerns but not ‘fixing’ everything. I also liked how the resolution of things considered Topher’s conditions – it wasn’t a case of it simply being a plot device, quickly forgotten and discarded.

I have really enjoyed reading the stories in this verse and it has introduced me to two new (to me) authors so that’s excellent as well! If you’ve enjoyed other stories in this verse, I think you will find this a kind, gentle read with a little heat and a lot of caring/love.

I received an ARC from GRR.

A Salt Bitter Sea by Amy Lane (The Luck Mechanics Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ A Salt Bitter Sea

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Miller Aldrun has spent his life being Cassandra, the prophet nobody believes. Born knowing when a dangerous, armed presence is nearby, Miller has always been dismissed—and had to see the people he cares about hurt. Grieving the death of a closeted lover, he finds solace cruising the waterways of Spinner’s Drift, making sure the people in the outlying islands feel safe.

When Miller discovers the weekly gathering at The Magic of Books, its members become the family he didn’t know he could have. That includes Piers Constantine, who’s hiding on the islands with his cousin to elude her stalker.

Golden, kind, and humble, Piers finds Miller fascinating. But Piers is destined to leave the island, and even if he’s the only person who ever had faith in Miller, Miller can’t bear the thought of losing someone else he loves.

Then Miller wakes up with that familiar warning in his gut. The long-ago evil that has been stalking Piers and his cousin is catching up. Miller’s gift might be the only way to protect them… but he’ll have to let Piers in. Together, they plunge into one of the island’s oldest mysteries. For once, being Cassandra is on Miller’s side. Piers and Miller conceive a desperate plan to set them free from fear—but if Miller fails, he knows nothing will be left of him but the salt-bitter sea.

REVIEW: ⟫ A Salt Bitter Sea is more of an ensemble piece than a romance novel – the lives of all of the Luck Mechanics are so intertwined, it couldn’t really be any other way.

I’ll admit that Miller wasn’t really on my radar when reading the first book and I may well reread it to see what Piers sees in him. This book is another rapid descent into magical insanity, with Miller being able to tell them that something ‘bad’ is coming. The sheer disbelief when not only do they believe him but make plans based on what he says is so obvious – you can feel Miller waiting for the other shoe to drop as these people accept something about him that even his parents didn’t.

The romance between Piers and Miller felt like it was in the background for quite a chunk of time, which is a shame as they have a fascinating dynamic. We find out more about the ghosts around Tom’s bench and what can be done for them, as well as adding at least two new people to the core group.

This was an enjoyable romp, full of suspense, terror-inducing ideas, love and found-family, and a very good additional to the series. There is still more coming the way of the Luck Mechanics and I look forward to seeing just how all of their gifts together can make things better for everyone.

I received an ARC from the author.

Second Match by Wendy Rathbone (Perfect Match Agency #5)

TITLE: ⟫ Second Match

AUTHOR: ⟫ Wendy Rathbone

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ One failed attempt with the Perfect Match Agency leads to a second—will this omega be The One?

Morgan Dor is a handsome wealthy businessman who attracts young omegas easily, but most are looking for a sugar daddy and never stick around.

Signing up with the Perfect Match Agency sounded like the best bet for finding his perfect mate, someone with whom he might form a real relationship, but his first match ended almost before it could get started when the omega matched to him fell for his office assistant instead.

Now the agency has found a second match for Morgan. He’s been skunked before. His heart is yearning but his mind tells him not to get his hopes up. Will it happen again? Will his second match find someone else, just like all the other omegas he’s ever dated or hooked up with? Or will this omega, finally and forever, be his perfect match?

Perfect Match Agency is a multi-author gay romance series. The stories are non-shifter omegaverse, with high heat and low angst. Male pregnancy is possible in the world. Each book can be read as a standalone, features a new couple, and a satisfying happily ever after.

REVIEW: ⟫ Morgan would have been well within his rights to be sceptical of the Perfect Match Agency having a suitable omega for him – the last time they sent someone, they fell in love with his assistant. But Morgan is prepared to give them a second chance and allow for some idiosyncrasies in how he was to meet his omega – at his parents’ property in the evening. There was also the fact that they were insisting on marriage before any mating took place, which was a little out there but he was prepared to risk it for the chance to meet the right man for him.

Riley is allergic to sunlight, which in his parents’ religion means that he’s a demon. As such, they have done the right thing for him all of these years, but now that he is old enough to go into heat, they need to marry him off. He’s managed to avoid the less than attractive offers he’s received from the alphas in the community but time is running out and something has to be done. But what kind of alpha will want an omega with Riley’s condition?

This was actually a sweet, gentle romance with an omega who has more than made the best of what life has given him but who yearns for freedom, and a mature, sensible Alpha who longs for his perfect match. Riley and Morgan were supportive and kind to each other and the Perfect Match agency have managed to do it again.

There were some parts of the story that I felt were unnecessary – the ‘villain’ was a bit of a caricature who wanted Riley for himself which didn’t make sense to me because according to their religion, he was a demon so surely none of the members should have wanted anything to do with him? I thought Riley’s parents were a little bit one-dimensional but to be fair, they weren’t the main thrust of the story. It was nice to see characters from other books in the series and I would recommend this if you are looking for something quietly sweet to read.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Right Place, Right Time by H. L. Day

Title: ⟫ Right Time, Right Place

Author: ⟫ H.L. Day

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Sometimes the path to true love twists so much that you end up right back where you started.

Ben Sutcliffe’s teenage crush on his best friend’s dad burned hotter than a forest fire. Jasper Bennet was sexy, kind, and caring—the perfect man. He was also straight and off-limits. The wrong man at the wrong time. So when tragedy sent Ben running for the hills, he never looked back… until now.

The sleepy village of Pilsdale is exactly how Ben remembers it, and so is Jasper. Only this time, there’s a glint in Jasper’s eye that says Ben might not have known everything about him.

The key to overcoming Ben’s past can be found in Jasper’s arms. But he can’t stay. He has a whole life waiting for him outside Pilsdale. But the longer he stays, the more he thinks it’s finally the right time to be with the right man.

Right Place, Right Time is a low angst contemporary, small town, best friend’s dad, age gap, M/M romance. It features a main character who had good taste even as a teenager, a main character who always puts others first to his own detriment, an animal sanctuary, not-so-secret admirers, meddling villagers, a massage or three, and a sprinkling of humor.

Review: ⟫ Right Place, Right Time is exactly as described – it’s a sweet, low-angst romance with an age gap, complete with the best friend’s dad twist just for a little more spice. Ben and Jasper were sweet, kind and both deserving of a HEA but Ben is wary especially as he doesn’t want to read into things too much. There were a few mishaps and misunderstandings, but one of the best things about the story is the fact that both Ben and Jasper made an effort to talk to each other – communication wasn’t just a buzz-word, they did make an effort to let the other person know what they were feeling.

I liked the way that they addressed the age-gap thing face-on – in fact, they went through ALL of the possible reasons why a relationship between the two of them wouldn’t work – it was lovely that the author didn’t hide behind any of that to make an artificial complication. Especially when they had a naturally occurring one!

I felt that the ending was perhaps a little rushed and a couple of the characters felt like a little too much, but that feeling will probably depend on the mood you’re in/life experiences. I didn’t grow up in a place where everyone knew who you were, so the village occupants’ actions felt a little over the top for me, but what do I know?

A nice, generally uncomplicated romance, with a smidgeon of humour and a good set of characters, this was a lovely read. I received an ARC from GRR.

Consumed by Bailey Nicole (Black Diamond Unlucky 13 #7)

Title: ⟫ Consumed (Black Diamond Unlucky 13 #7)

Author: ⟫ Bailey Nicole

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Welcome to Black Diamond Resort and Spa…

Growing up in a small town in Georgia, I never dreamed of starting a band that would blow up from a viral video or that I’d live in a mansion on the beach in Miami, Florida.

Since we were seven years old, my best friend Percy had dreamed big enough for both of us. He’d always known this would be our future.

But he’s been slowly killing me for years, and yet he’s the only reason I’m still alive. He needs me. He needs me for comfort. He needs me to hold him and love him. Percy wants to live in my skin, and even that wouldn’t be close enough.

But he doesn’t want me the way I want him.

Money. Fame. Medications. Therapy.

None of that could’ve prevented what transpired that night, and even though it put me in a mental health facility, I don’t regret it. Not one bit.

Because without him, there is no me.

Consumed is an M/M romance between two highly codependent childhood best friends. Please read the content warning at the beginning of the book as there are themes that might be triggering for some readers.

Review: ⟫ This is actually a really difficult book to review for several reasons. The main reason is that the depiction of the mental struggles of the main character felt so personal that commenting on them feels wrong.

The relationship between Percy and Junesy is so incredibly co-dependent that I kinda wondered how they managed to breathe when other person wasn’t in the room. Their relationship was – well, strange – and part of my difficulty in reviewing is that I struggled to understand the miscommuncation. I fully understood Winston’s feelings – he didn’t feel good enough for Percy, and that along with the issues with his mother and father meant that he tried to pull away. But I didn’t get why Percy didn’t tell Winston how he felt – like, outright just say it. Mind you, it wasn’t like he wasn’t giving HUGE clues with the physical aspect of things that were happening.

I feel that this has quite a different vibe to the other books in the series and therefore it’s difficult to review it on the same level. Who am I to say whether or not this is an accurate depiction of the mental disorders that Winston was struggling with? The ‘romance’ was intense, troubling, complicated but also heart-warming and rewarding, with both men well aware of who/what they are to each other.

Winston’s method of handling the management issue was brilliant and I admit, I welled up a little reading the letter.

I would say take any author warnings seriously, consider whether this is a good book for you to read, but if you are not triggered, I think a lot of people will find this book enjoyable.

I received an ARC from Indie Author Creative.

Diablo by Cora Rose (Unexpected #7)

Title: ⟫ Diablo (Unexpected #7)

Author: ⟫ Cora Rose

Rating: ⟫ 3/5

Blurb: ⟫ After my honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, it only made sense to put my skills to good use as a personal bodyguard. The contracts keep me moving and traveling, and the money is good. All I’ve ever wanted was to make sure my mother and sister were taken care of after my father passed away. So when Anthony Costello, the notorious mob boss and my dad’s ex-employer, asked me to take on a special job for his family, I couldn’t say no.

But not even my six-year stint as an elite Marine could have prepared me for the hellscape that is being trapped in a secluded safe house with his son. Diablo Costello is a rude little chaos gremlin that lives to push all my buttons. I can’t keep him safe if he’s determined to fight me every step of the way. But I can see through the bratty facade. I know what Diablo needs. What he longs for. And God help me, I’m going to give it to him.

This book is a little different than my other books due to the characters involved. Please check the content warning in the beginning of the book!

Review: ⟫ From the first page, you’re thrown into the chaos that is Diablo's life – when we begin reading, he is being threatened by an ex-boyfriend of his twin brother’s who he has ‘hacked’ and needs to be put somewhere safe.

Skylar is his bodyguard, a man pushed beyond his patience by the chaos that is Diablo and how he goes through life. The difference is that Skylar sees Diablo, as well as the needs he is hiding behind his chaotic, obnoxious exterior.

This would normally push so many of my buttons: size-difference, bodyguard, psycho falling in love, mafia – so much to choose from and devour. Unfortunately, this book simply did not work for me. I disliked Diablo intensely and thought he was immature and annoying. The refusing to admit he liked something was amusing to begin with – when it kept happening in situations where his denial was completely absurd, I began to get annoyed.

The feelings of annoyance got worse the more that I read and I finished the book because I felt obligated rather than because I wanted to know what happened in the end.

The physical relationship/sex scenes were intense and fun but I didn’t feel that there was enough between our two leads for there to be a HEA – Diablo felt too young and immature, and I didn’t know enough about Skylar to feel like I knew who he was and what he wanted. Some of their interactions were funny, but overall this book just didn’t work for me because I didn’t like the main protagonist. I admit I have been enjoying Cora Rose less and less with each book but that may well be my issue – YMMV. If you enjoyed Lex, then you will probably enjoy Diablo but this book wasn’t for me.