On Guard by J.R. Gray & Andi Jaxon (New York Gods)

TITLE: ⟫ On Guard

AUTHOR: ⟫ J.R. Gray & Andi Jaxon

SERIES: ⟫ New York Gods

RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Selling my virginity wasn’t how I saw my first week of college going.

But after my parents cut me off, an offer from a gorgeous rich stranger doesn’t sound so bad.

It’s only twenty-four hours and I’ll never have to see him again.

Wrong.

Much to my horror, the stranger is Oliver Godfrey, the captain of my fencing team. And as if that isn’t bad enough, his parents own half the city.

There is no escape from him or the way he makes me feel.

He’s everything I don’t want.

And everything I need.

A playboy like him shouldn’t look at me twice, so why is he ruining my life?

But what Oliver wants, Oliver gets, and he wants me.

He’s arrogant, possessive, and infuriatingly obsessed with me.

This can’t work.

His parents want him to marry an heiress so I can’t keep him.

All I can have is stolen moments hidden in the dark.

He's going to break my heart and I'm going to let him.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

Work: Strictly Professional by Jesse H Reign (Bad Decisions Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Work: Strictly Professional

AUTHOR: ⟫ Jesse H Reign

SERIES: ⟫ Bad Decisions Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ “Not to worry, I’ll compensate you for your time and your… skill.”

My boss is a walking red flag. He’s bolshy and rude. Impossible to please. A big, broody man with dark eyes that carry an unmistakable message – I am not manageable. Seriously, he’s the worst. If it’s not bad enough that he’s a nightmare in the office, he’s all but ordering me to be his date to his son’s wedding. He says it’s called ‘winning a divorce.’ I try telling him that’s not a real thing, but it falls on deaf ears. Not only that, he appears to be in the throes of a major personal awakening and is determined that I’m the man to guide him through it. I’m all for going above and beyond at work, but the man’s demands are becoming downright indecent. See what I mean? Red flags galore. So many red flags I can’t count them all. I might as well be playing a game of red flag bingo at this point. Just my luck, when it comes to Derek MacAvoy, I see a red flag…and instantly want to date it.

REVIEW: ⟫ There’s so much about this story that shouldn’t work – mainly all of the red flags that Wyn notes about Derek when he first meets him. And yet, this was a five star read for me because of Jesse H Reign’s writing style! I laughed so hard with so many of the things that happened – from Derek’s complete and utter cockiness regarding his ‘skills’ (well earned by the way), to how stupendous Wyn was at spending Derek’s money and making it worth while, to the sex scenes – like, phew, these two were hot together!

It was lovely to have the references to previous characters and I really enjoyed just watching Wyn at work – he was absolutely epic and reminded me so much of my working days when you had to manage the boss to ensure optimal output whilst still ensuring they remained somewhat human! The red flags were flying but Wyn managed to turn them all at least a darker shade of green by the end of the book.

A fun, sexy read that put a smile on my face and made me happy indeed!

Beautifully Fractured by Michele Lenard (Front Range University #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Beautifully Fractured

AUTHOR: ⟫ Michele Lenard

SERIES: ⟫ Front Range University #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Ever have someone get you so well it’s like looking in a mirror?

Cruz

Starting over is not what I had planned.

Those stories about magically becoming best friends with the person assigned to live with you… Yeah, that won’t be me. I already have a best friend. Even if I wanted a new one, Liam wouldn’t be it. He’s permanently grouchy, carrying a negative energy I don’t need since I’m finally in a good place. But I’ve never been good at ignoring when people need help, so I paste on a smile and play nice.

Predictably, Liam isn’t much of a talker, but after an unexpected accident he needs my help in other ways. Ways that offer me answers about myself. Ways that raise new questions about the football dreams I’ve been chasing since I was a kid. Ways that make me relive the past I want to ignore.

To say I’m confused is an understatement, but there’s one thing I know for certain…Liam is either the key to one door or the bolt that could prevent another from ever opening. And I have to choose which I want him to be.

Liam

Starting over is exactly what I need.

I can’t get any more invisible than I’ve been for the past few years, and I figure rooming with another person means at least one human on the planet can’t ignore me. Unfortunately, that human is Adonis personified, and not gay, so it’s looking like my invisibility streak might continue.

Then I suffer a minor accident, and Cruz’s hero complex comes out in full force. I should be grateful to have someone to open my door and carry my books, but when you pair his selfless personality with that body… My mind starts to blur the roommate line, which makes his blur the line of not being gay.

My heart is already battered, and I doubt it can take rejection from the one person who broke down all the walls I’d built around it. That doesn’t mean I won’t try to give it to him anyway.

**Beautifully Fractured is a high-heat MM romance with medium angst that features a grumpy/sunshine relationship, forced proximity, hurt/comfort situations and a bi-awakening. This is book one in a series of interconnected standalones. Though the main characters are athletes, this is not a sports romance. Rather, it's a romance that happens to feature people who play sports.

REVIEW: ⟫ This story was beautiful in so many different ways and I don’t think any review I write can do it justice. This book was my ‘treat’ – I’d been looking forward to it for some time, and I decided to settle down with a drink, a cat and a heated blanket. And oh my, did this book deliver.

Cruz is like the world’s happiest golden retriever of a person and it would be so easy to dismiss him as such a simple character. But as the story continues, we learn about the things that Cruz struggles with, the fears he’s hiding, the confusion about who he is and what he is – it’s handled in such a nuanced fashion, I was really impressed. And I loved him so much as a character – so matter of fact about things that would send most people into a tailspin, with a solidness to him that I appreciated more and more the further I read.

Liam broke my heart – over and over – but I was also incredibly impressed with how strong a character he was. With his history – with his family – it would have made the most sense in the world for him to shut down completely, allow himself to be utterly bitter and beyond even the grumpy trope. But instead, Liam allowed Cruz to see the person he was beneath the crusty exterior; made friends with people who by rights should have terrified him based on his history; opened himself to new friendships despite how badly friends had burned him in the past; and ultimately move past his family and the aftermath of the tragedy.

I absolutely adored the relationship between these two – I gotchu was a catchphrase that was made for the two of them, and they demonstrated it so many times over and over with how much grace they gave each other; how supportive they were; how much they understood the other person. I feel like I’m just spewing out words of praise without any substance but I don’t want to risk spoilers – this is a book that deserves people going into it without knowing what’s coming because then they get to enjoy as it all unfolds without warning, to have those ‘awwww’ moments as well as the ‘oh wow’ ones.

I think it’s really easy to tell that I truly adored this book – all I can say is that it’s one of the best ones of the year so far for me. A well deserved 5/5. I received an ARC from GRR.

Dad Next Door by Willow Dixon (Crimson Club #5)

TITLE: ⟫ Dad Next Door

AUTHOR: ⟫ Willow Dixon

SERIES: ⟫ Crimson Club #5

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Moving into my first house is step one in starting my new life. Next is setting up my contracting business. I’m so focused on my future that a relationship is the last thing on my mind.

Then I meet Tristan, the single dad next door. He might be my total opposite, but we click in a way I’ve never experienced, and he quickly becomes one of my closest friends.

After attending a wedding as his fake date to make his ex, and his ex’s new boyfriend, jealous, I can’t deny that things between us have changed. I always thought I was straight, but being with Tristan doesn’t just feel good, it feels right.

Having a fling with my neighbor might be a recipe for disaster, but it could also be exactly what we both need to finally move on from our pasts.

Quinn and Tristan’s story is a friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening romance between a retired porn model who just moved into his first home, and a single dad trying to navigate life after divorce. Expect a fake relationship, an age gap, found family, all the feels, lots of spice, and tons of heat as these neighbors find out that sometimes opposites really do attract. It is the fifth novel in the exciting new Crimson Club series but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a sweet, slow-burn read, with a lovely relationship being built between Tris and Quinn. The two men are at different places in their lives: Tris is divorced with a young son and a bitter ex, whilst Quinn is making the transition from adult entertainment/influencer to becoming a contractor and I liked the way that this was reflected in their attitudes and behaviour. This wasn’t a case of one being swept off their feet by the other – this was a friendship that grew naturally into something bigger and better, and the way that they respected each other was so natural and strong.

I enjoyed the comeuppance of the ‘bad guy’; the numerous pets that Tris had, as well as the relationship with his son and his sister; the friendship that Quinn had with the other guys from the Crimson Club – it was a really well-rounded story, with a realness to it that can often get lost in the romance. The sex scenes were hot without being over-powering, and the epilogue was so lovely that it had me smiling so much! Definitely enjoyed reading and can recommend.

House of Cards by Garrett Leigh (Port Ewan Bay Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ House of Cards

AUTHOR: ⟫ Garrett Leigh

SERIES: ⟫ Porth Ewan Bay #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ What's better than one broody tattoo artist? TWO, that's what. Hurt/comfort, friends-to-lovers, and forced proximity combine in this gorgeous second chance MM romance.

Calum Hardy’s life has unravelled. Reeling from the betrayal of a man he once loved, he boards a train heading south, with no real idea where he’s going except a world away from London.

Brix Lusmoore can hardly believe his eyes when he spots one of his oldest friends outside Truro station. He hasn’t seen Calum since he fled the capital himself four years ago, harbouring a life-changing secret. But despite the years of silence, their old bond remains, warm and true—and layered with simmering heat they’ve never forgotten.

Calum takes refuge with Brix and a job at his Porth Ewan tattoo shop. Bit by bit, he rebuilds his life, but both men carry the ghosts of the past, and it will take more than a rekindled friendship and the magic of the Cornish coast to chase them away.

*Previously published as part of the Porthkennack shared world series, these titles have been significantly reworked and re-edited, with strong links to the Rebel Kings MC universe*

REVIEW: ⟫ Oh my poor aching heart! When I saw that Garrett Leigh had released another story adjacent to the Rebel Kings, it was an instant click. And I thought I knew what to expect – the Rebel Kings stories have obliterated my heart more than once.

But then along came Calum and Brix and I truly knew heartbreak. Calum was such a gentle, beautiful soul that the beginning of this story brought out so much rage in my heart, I swear if Rob had been in front of me, I’d have skinned him alive. But fear not, Brix found Calum and offered him sanctuary.

The relationship between these two was so soft and easy, the trust rebuilding slowly, whilst the love between them was obvious to everyone but them. Brix has bricked himself behind a massive wall ever since his diagnosis, only letting people in so much before he hides again. He’s doing everything right to maintain his health but he’s not really living. Until Calum comes back into his life and he see someone he could want a future with. If only he wasn’t too scared to reach out for it.

Like pretty much every other Garrett Leigh book I’ve ever read, this one grabbed me by the heart and made it very difficult to care about anything else until I’d reached the conclusion. The characters – both new and those familiar to me from the other series – were fully fleshed, amusing, aggravating and people you could well imagine spending an evening with. But front and centre, Calum and Brix were absolutely spot on. I adored these two men and as we meandered our way to their happy end, I was grinning like a lunatic whilst wiping a tear from my eye. I’m seriously pleased that this is a new series and I cannot wait for Kim’s story. An obvious five star story for me.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer by Chloe Archer (Monsters Hollow Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer

AUTHOR: ⟫ Chloe Archer

SERIES: ⟫ Monsters Hollow Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Welcome to Monsters Hollow, where love knows no bounds—even in a town full of monsters!

A quirky romance writer in hiding. A sexy gargoyle lover turned bodyguard. And a stalker that just won’t quit...

Ryder St. James

I assumed writing swoony romance novels about humans and Otherkind might attract some unsavory attention. But I never imagined I’d have an obsessive fan stalking me.

As a former foster kid, I’m pretty resilient but this situation is messing with my sleep and I’m on deadline for my next book!

About the only thing that can help at times like this is some regular mind-blowing…release. Trust me, solo methods just aren’t enough and hooking up with randos isn't my style. I need someone safe who can reliably rock my world in the bedroom and maybe help me with my research as a bonus!

Enter the hunky Scottish gargoyle who’s been flirting with me ever since I arrived to hide out in Mystic Hollow. We come up with an ideal no-strings and no-feelings arrangement.

After all, romance is just a fantasy I write about in my books--right?

Vash DarkWing

From the moment I met Ryder St. James, I wanted to know more about the bonnie, brave man who speaks his mind. With no filter.

When he proposes a few weeks of mutually beneficial shagging before his book tour starts, I immediately jump on the chance to, well, jump him. Just a bit of fun and maybe friendship.

Hell’s bells, but Ryder slips past all my defenses and wins my affections without even trying! Now, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the man I love safe. Even if it means putting my heart as well as my life on the line.

The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer features an inappropriately curious novelist, a sexy Scottish gargoyle, a speciality harness for aerial…shenanigans, a creepy stalker, and true love for the win. This is the second book in the Monsters Hollow series and can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ I actually find this review difficult to write because this book was – different. I haven’t read the previous book in the series (I didn’t realise it was a series initially) so I had no previous knowledge of the characters. This possibly impacted my initial enjoyment as from the very beginning, we start the book on an incident that obviously harks back to the first one.

I found the characters to be a bit of a caricature on occasion – Max, for example, came across as a bit of a stereotype with the way he was described, his mannerisms and attire. This wasn’t necessarily a negative but I was a little thrown by it. I also struggled to connect with Ryder as a character – it felt very much like I should feel a certain way about him because of his upbringing, his attitude and his demeanour. It felt very much like he was written as a neurodivergent character whereby a lot of his mannerisms were ‘covered’ by his neurodivergence. It felt – maybe a little lazy? His inappropriate questions were not amusing after a few occasions of them happening, and I would have expected a man of his age to have better masking techniques.

I thought Vash was fascinating and I wish I had learned more about him – the bits we did find out about his home, actions and motivations was really interesting. The forum entries at the beginning of each chapter were fun to read and to try to guess who each person was. I thought the relationship between Vash and Ryder was nice – it built slowly with regard to the emotional aspect of things, and I liked how respectful, open and honest they were with each other.

I’m not sure if I would describe this story as steamy – there were sex scenes that were quite descriptive and explicit, but I didn’t connect with them very well and wasn’t as involved in them as I might have been. The best way that I can describe it is that I felt like I was told what they were feeling and experiencing rather than feeling it myself – the best sex scenes affect you on a visceral level and I didn’t get that from this story.

The stalker storyline felt under-developed but that might have been covered more in book one, so that is on me for not reading the first book. I did guess who the stalker was going to be but I don’t think it was meant to be a huge surprise by the time the confrontation took place. I did enjoy the confrontation, especially because Ryder proved himself more than capable of looking after himself which I appreciated – he wasn’t a damsel in distress.

The investigation into the magic within Mystic Hollow was intriguing and the arrival of a particular character definitely alludes to future stories. Overall, this was a pleasant read and I enjoyed the time I spent in Mystic Hollow. I’m not sure if I will try to read the first story, mainly because a lot of the plot might well have been spoiled for me by reading this first. I would recommend finding the rest of the series first so that you can enjoy things in the correct order.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Restless by Willow Thomas (Squad Goals Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Restless

AUTHOR: ⟫ Willow Thomas

SERIES: ⟫ Squad Goals #2

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ The Cheerleader and the Football Star

Gio

Kissing Tucker Evans at a frat party was a stupid idea. He’s still getting over his cheating ex and there is no way I am anyone’s rebound guy.

Except when he gets injured, somehow I find myself volunteering to help look after him.

In every sense.

So maybe I will be his rebound. If I know what the score is going in, I can’t be hurt.

Solid plan.

Tucker

Kissing Giovanni Russo at a frat party was a brilliant idea. There was more chemistry in that one kiss than there ever was with my ex.

Now I just have to convince him to give me a chance.

Sharing a bed at his parents house leads to some epic fun times, but he has it in his head that I just want a rebound.

With Gio I want everything.

Restless is a cheerleader/football player MM romance. It has overly helpful friends, forced proximity, one bed, and an accidental grand gesture.

REVIEW: ⟫ I should preface this by saying that I haven’t read Squad Goals Book #1, so many of the characters in this story were unknown to me. That isn’t to say that it can’t be read as a standalone as I very quickly caught up with who was who, and how the ‘lines’ mingled.

Squad Goals was a fun, light, sexy read with both Gio and Tucker being very sweet, loving guys who were just figuring out what they wanted in life. Tucker was cheated on by his ex and, quite rightly, was hurt by it. However, the hurt wasn’t personal to the ex – it was more the general ego bruising that was the issue. Unfortunately, Gio has obviously had experience being the rebound person before and is determined that it isn’t going to happen again. Even for Tucker.

I really liked the way that Tucker didn’t push Gio’s boundaries – he was respectful, understanding and honest about how he felt, and it was good to see both leads be so clear and upfront. The ‘helpful’ friends made me laugh – I loved the idea of just how petty one character was known for being – and I also really liked how supportive they all were in their own, distinct ways.

Gio’s parents made me laugh out loud a few times – his Mom was just absolute gold in her attitude and behaviour, and again, I liked how supportive they were to their son and his friends. I wish there had been a bit more cheerleading involved but that’s a minor quibble. All in all, this was a light, fun read with a decent bit of steam and enjoyable characters.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review and have downloaded the first book so that I can catch up on what I missed.