Deader Than Dead by H.L. Day (Paranormal Problems: Necromancers Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Deader Than Dead

AUTHOR: ⟫ H.L.Day

SERIES: ⟫ Paranormal Problems: Necromancers Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 3.75/5

BLURB: ⟫ Even death can’t stop fate.

Professional thief, Bellamy, might have bitten off more than he can chew this time. Jobs have gone wrong before, but never this wrong. His moral code might be grayer than most, but it exists, and he finds himself facing an impossible choice that could cost him everything.

Necromancer, John Averill’s day just got ten times worse. One more job, his boss says. Well, that job sucks, because not only does he find himself with a gun pointed at his head, but the man he’s been hired to raise temporarily from the dead is none other than his fated mate… the man he’s been searching for all his life.

Their love story is over before it ever began. Or is it? Fate still has a few tricks up its sleeve, and the impossible might just become possible.

Deader than Dead is a 57k Fated Mates MM paranormal novel featuring villains who will stop at nothing to get what they want, a stolen artifact, kidnapping, betrayal, lies, and two men determined to overcome death itself to be together.

Content warning for death and mention of suicide.

REVIEW: ⟫ A very entertaining premise, I came to this story after reading the second in the trilogy so I kinda knew what happened. However, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Both John and Bellamy were fun to read about – they lived such different lives and yet when they met, they were both more than ready to accept that what they had found was something special. The fact that Bellamy was dead when they met was neither here nor there!

The plot of the mask was really interesting, as was the view into a little more of Cade and the PPB. I’m sort of glad that I read the second book first – I’m not sure if I would have read more after this one because although I enjoyed it, it didn’t grab me as much as the second in the series.

A good set up for what sounds like an interesting show-down, as well as (hopefully) finding out more about Asher and the other members of the team, I’m glad I read this but I found book two more entertaining.

Ours - Young, Dumb and Full of Bad Decisions by Dominic N. Ashen

TITLE: ⟫ Ours

AUTHOR: ⟫ Dominic N. Ashen

SERIES: ⟫ Young, Dumb and Full of Bad Decisions

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ If growing up is hard, becoming an actual adult is even harder, and the transition between the two can, at times, seem like a minefield.

Cory is just an average 18-year-old nerd who plays video games and reads comic books. Well, mostly average. He’s also gay, in the closet, and into some pretty kinky stuff. Sure, his only outlet is the internet and his left hand, but with college right around the corner, he figures his secret is safe… Right?

Except Cory’s two best friends, Derek and Nic, recently found out about that secret. And just like a lot of teenage boys, they decide to think with their groins and take advantage of the situation. With the internet as their guide, they formulate a plan to train Cory into being their personal submissive plaything.

As they learn more about themselves, each other, and the kinky world of BDSM, Cory, Derek, and Nic may also discover that romance can bloom in the most unexpected of places.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a surprise for me – it was a fun read, but also covered some really interesting topics deeper than I expected. I was a little concerned with how things started because getting Cory drunk and then persuading him into sexual acts was more than a little problematic. Along with the initial stages of their relationship – and Nic’s insistence on sticking his head in the sand – made it more than a little unsettling.

It would have been very easy to leave this as a slightly dub-con friends to lovers story, but Dominic went further along the path, making the three of them see the errors that they had made, face up to things about themselves and realise that what had begun under such dodgy circumstances could mean so much more.

Derek struck me the most out of the trio – he has an obvious need to control things which explains his Dom side, but I appreciated his willingness to learn from the mistakes he made. I was also impressed with how open he was to Carl’s teachings and his obvious desire to do better. I liked how Nic struggled with his perception of himself and how he figured out his relationship with his family as well as how he felt about Cory and Derek. Surprisingly, Cory seemed to be the one who was most well-adjusted about the whole thing, which was an aspect I didn’t expect but definitely appreciated.

The sex scenes were numerous and entertaining, and I would definitely recommend this if you are in the mood for some BDSM light role playing, copious amounts of sex with varying people and three kids figuring out what they mean to each other. I received an ARC through Booksprout.

Dropping Like Flies by H.L. Day (Paranormal Problems: Necromancers Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Dropping Like Flies

AUTHOR: ⟫ H.L.Day

SERIES: ⟫ Paranormal Problems: Necromancers Book #2

RATING: ⟫4.5 /5

BLURB: ⟫ Quickest way to catch a killer? Bring the victim back and ask who did it. Only, nothing’s that easy.

When the bodies of young gay men start piling up in London, DCI Ben Weaver would do anything to bring the massacre to an end. Well, almost anything. He didn’t have the powers-that-be recruiting a necromancer on his bingo card. Or who that necromancer would turn out to be.

Griffin doesn’t want to work for CID, but then he has little interest in most things these days unless it involves getting drunk. Especially if it brings Ben back into his life. Ben might be his fated mate, but Griffin refuses to dance to fate’s tune. Not when guilt still gnaws away at him.

Stopping Satanic Romeo from claiming any more victims requires teamwork. But as they try to navigate their feelings and work out the killer’s endgame, he might already have them in his sights.

Who’s hunting who?

Dropping Like Flies is book 2 in the Paranormal Problems trilogy but can be read as a standalone. It features a necromancer bond stronger than most, a killer with a liking for fingers and not in a good way, and two men far better together than they are apart.

Content warning for murder, violence and suicide.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a cracking story! Griffin is a necromancer who for reasons not explained initially broke things off with his fated mate, Ben. Ben works for CID and has a serial killer he desperately needs to catch. Ben’s boss has the brilliant idea of getting a necromancer ask one of the victims about his murderer and just his luck, Griffin is the man called in.

It sounds really simple but it’s actually pure genius. Trying to solve the case whilst dealing with the tension between Ben and Griffin was engrossing, and the more I heard about the PP, the more I wanted to know. I knew this was book two (although it can be read as a standalone quite successfully) but I downloaded book one as soon as I finished reading the ARC because I really want to read more about what happens in this verse.

I’m not used to reading a police/paranormal procedural from H.L. Day although I have enjoyed other stories from them, but I am really chuffed that they branched off into this area. The story was fast paced, the romance and sex was grounded in reality with the perfect twist of fated mates and mysticism, with a storyline that seems to follow on from book one but the over-arcing plot-line doesn’t get in the way. Perfect way to spend a Saturday evening reading this and looking forward to spending Sunday reading book one!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Something Borrowed by Lily Morton (Confetti Hitched Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Something Borrowed

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lily Morton

SERIES: ⟫ Confetti Hitched Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Stan has never let his blindness hold him back, but he’s beginning to realise his love life is keeping him from moving forward.

He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t in love with his best friend. Rafferty is everything to him—his partner in crime, his confidante, and the person who understands him best. But Rafferty is incapable of reciprocating Stan’s feelings.

As a successful wedding planner, Rafferty is passionately committed to helping newlyweds begin their happily-ever-afters, but after a rootless childhood he’s equally determined not to seek his own. How can he trust in love and marriage when so many of his brides and grooms are repeat customers?

Stan is the glue that keeps the pieces of Rafferty’s life together, and as such Rafferty has always kept Stan safely in the friend box where he can’t lose him. However, lately that conviction has wavered and now Rafferty is bursting with complicated feelings for his best friend. The timing couldn’t be worse because Rafferty has realised he’s in love with Stan just as Stan is moving on.

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a friends-to-lovers story about realising you have the perfect man when you’re on the brink of losing him.

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

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a lovely, slightly frustrating, but ultimately satisfying read. As per usual, the sassy banter was top-notch and Rafferty and Stan were such an absolutely delightful couple that you couldn’t help but root for them. Rafferty is fighting off the effects of his parents on his lifestyle, unable to see that he already has a strong, solid relationship with Stan that his parents could never hope to emulate.

Stan was a brilliant character. I think there can occasionally be a tendency to make characters who have a disability either paragons of virtue or their disability becomes their entire personality. Stan was most definitely not like that. He was as acerbic (if not more so) as Rafferty, unwilling to suffer fools gladly and making the most of the life he has built with himself. The only thing that would make it more perfect would be to finally be rid of his patronising and controlling boyfriend, Bennett, and get over this useless love he has for Rafferty.

With a cast of familiar and new characters being less than subtle cupids, weddings to organise, and life to survive, the relationship between Rafferty and Stan was stellar. They simply fit together and everyone but them knows it. I loved this story – the flashbacks, the sex scenes, the music store – it all pulled together to make the time fly as I read it in one sitting. I always forget just how much I love reading Lily Morton books until I fall back into one and this was no exception.

Rowan & Aldred by Lucie Fleury (Ambrosia Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ Rowan & Aldred

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lucie Fleury

SERIES: ⟫ Ambrosia Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Rowan is a bully. Always has been, always will be. After all, what better way to prevent people from hurting you, than hurting them first? But this time, he’s gone too far. The God of Justice has heard about his crimes, and now he must suffer the consequences…

Aldred, God of Justice and Retribution, is all too willing to take Rowan into his dungeon to deliver the sentence he rightly deserves. After all, punishing humans is his favorite pastime—he’ll take great pleasure in the careless, sadistic fun that Rowan’s incarceration offers him.

What he doesn’t expect is finding more. Because there’s something underneath Rowan’s spitefulness. Something he wants to find, care for and protect. However, if he acts on his urges, his ward will become permanently addicted to the ambrosia his body produces, altering Rowan’s life forever.

Set in a medieval fantasy world full of magic, conniving divinities and a newborn god gone rogue, follow the redemption story of one broken boy who gets his second chance at life, and a god who discovers his softer side.

REVIEW: ⟫ I was very interested in just how Lucie Fleury was going to get the reader to like Rowan after the person he was in book one. But they did it somehow – Rowan was a fascinating character and I admired Aldred for digging deeper into why Rowan was the way that he was. The other thing that I really enjoyed was how the relationship between the two of them built up as it was so different to Lodrick’s story – Aldred was punishing Rowan and he held nothing back as he dived into everything that made Rowan who he was.

The background story regarding the God that was risking so much by letting mortals have ambrosia was well handled, although the God responsible was a little bit of a cliché. The BDSM aspects of the story were well written and entertaining and my favourite characters are definitely the familiars and the horses – Felicity was the snarkiest cat I’ve read on page and I loved her. I also really loved Rowan’s familiar – that was cute beyond belief.

Definitely an entertaining addition and I will look for more in the ambrosia series in the future.

Lodrick & Godefroy by Lucie Fleury (Ambrosia Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Lodrick & Godefroy

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lucie Fleury

SERIES: ⟫ Ambrosia Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 3.75/5

BLURB: ⟫ Lodrick had the perfect a good and loving family and a promising future as a Royal guard. But hatred and jealousy ruined everything. He was forced to drink ambrosia, the highly addictive substance produced by god’s bodies. Now to survive he only has one to become a god’s lover.

Godefroy, the god of Peace and Harmony, has longed for a companion for a long time. He’s ready to love and care. Yet, as good willing as he is, he has trouble understanding humans and Lodrick is a real mystery. Why does he refuse his soothing?

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a really interesting story – from the blurb, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, especially as Lodrick would have been well within his rights to hate everything about his circumstances. Considering it was quite a short story, I was impressed with how much time and effort went into looking at how Lodrick was feeling, how he found a way to spend his time and begin to build a life, as well as encompassing his shame and unhappiness with how he came to be in the situation.

Godefroy was a real sweetheart, much like you would expect from the god of Peace and Harmony. However, I particularly enjoyed how he was prepared to maintain his boundaries – he could accept Lodrick’s unhappiness and anger without letting it ruin his hard-earned peace. I was fascinated by the host of background characters and loved the world-building, lore and hints of the darker side to the entire Nymph/god relationship.

I have already downloaded the second book because I am very interested in reading more in this verse and would recommend this if you like your stories spicy but with some thought there too.

Taylor-Made for Me by K.C. Wells

TITLE: ⟫ Taylor-Made for Me

AUTHOR: ⟫ K.C. Wells

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Cupid ran out of arrows – so he used a luggage cart…

Will Bryant Gets Roped In

It’s only for one night—well, a weekend, actually.

Becca Taylor needs a fake fiancé to take to her parents’ anniversary party. All Will has to do is shake hands, smile on cue, and act as if they’re totally in love. No problem.

They get there, they’re holding hands in the hotel lobby, and then BAM. Something heavy plows into Will’s back, and suddenly he’s flying, only to be greeted by the most gorgeous guy he’s ever seen.

Aiden Taylor Gets Attacked By The Green-Eyed Monster

It was a total accident. Aiden’s hand slipped.

Okay, it sort of slipped. He wanted to scratch his sister Becca’s eyes out. Her fiancé is freaking perfect, but not for her—for Aiden. And he did try to warn Will, especially since Aiden wasn’t aiming for him in the first place. So now he’ll spend the rest of the weekend trying to make it up to Will.

Then everything snowballs, and now there are plans for a wedding that was never supposed to happen. Becca is panicking, her girlfriend is distraught, Aiden is confused…

And the more time Will spends around Aiden, the more convinced he becomes that he’s (accidentally) engaged to the wrong Taylor.

REVIEW: ⟫ Okay, there is a fair amount of suspending belief required for reading this story. Initially, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the premise – the set up seemed rife for what could be conceived as cheating and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to work around that.

The story made me laugh more than once, especially at Will’s internal musings – his view on his best friend’s behaviour was entertaining to say the least. I enjoyed meeting the family and their interactions – it reminded me of Christmases spent with my own very large family. I’m not generally a fan of pranks, which might have affected my viewpoint on quite a chunk of the storyline, but overall I quite enjoyed reading this. It was entertaining watching as Becca failed time and time again to take the chances offered to her, with Will in the background face-palming and Aiden plying him with alcohol! Light-hearted (with zero cheating), some lovely family moments and a nice romance with a little bit of steam. Definitely worth a read.

I received an ARC from GRR.