The Wolf's Wounded Omega by A.J. Cane (The Grizzly Ridge Series Book #2)

TITLE: ⟫ The Wolf’s Wounded Omega

AUTHOR: ⟫ A.J. Cane

SERIES: ⟫ The Grizzly Ridge Series Book #2

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Wolf shifter Knox is thrilled to find his fated mate…until the sassy omega rejects him.

Danny tried the relationship thing, and it ended violently. He has no desire to let another alpha close enough to hurt him…especially not an intimidating stranger like Knox.

Knox has never been called patient. He's grumpy and stubborn, and he's afraid he'll inadvertently push Danny further away.

But when a rogue wolf pack threatens the omegas of Grizzly Ridge, Danny must trust Knox if he wants to escape with his life—and heart—intact.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a sweet, slightly complicated read, with a relationship shy omega and an outcast wolf shifter finding each other. I haven’t read the first book in the Grizzly Ridge series but I don’t think you need to – although the main couple from that are in this book, things are explained enough that this can be read as a stand-alone. I say complicated because it wasn’t as simple as see mate, fall for mate, mated!

I liked the fact that Danny didn’t immediately bounce back from what he went through, and that despite the biology telling him (and Knox) that they were meant to be together, they worked through things at a human pace. It felt more real – as did the reactions of Danny’s pack when it became obvious that Knox was his mate. Seeing someone you care about going through what Danny went through was bound to make the people who loved him wary of anyone new, but I also really liked the way they were prepared to give Knox a chance and appreciated him for what he brought to the pack.

The story does seem to be a continuation of a larger arc for everyone, but this was a good, solid read and I enjoyed my visit to Grizzly Ridge. I received an ARC from GRR.

Dead Serious Halloween Special by Vawn Cassidy (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed Book #6)

TITLE: ⟫ Dead Serious Halloween Special

AUTHOR: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy

SERIES: ⟫ Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed Book #6

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ It’s Halloween and Chan’s hosting a party at Harrison’s newly inherited occult bookshop. Tristan is looking forward to a night of music, food and fun costumes with his husband and their friends.

What they actually get is chaos on the streets of Whitechapel when they accidentally open the Gospodar, the master copy of all fairy tales and let all of the creatures loose.

It’s not the first time they’ve escaped but this time, they’re determined not to go back. They’ve only got until midnight. Tick tock goes the clock...

This Halloween special picks up after the events of book five and leads into the spin off series, The Little Shop of Curiosities.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was such a fun read! I’m sorry I didn’t read it around Halloween time, but this is a story that you can read anytime! Tristan and Danny just can’t seem to catch a break, and when Tristan opens a book that shouldn’t be opened, all hell is turned loose. Actually, not hell exactly, but the world of fairy tales hits the real world with some very funny results.

I cannot express how much I loved who Death decided to model himself after, as well as him fangirling over Hades – that was hysterical! Anyway, this was a lovely read, bringing in some fascinating characters including Puck! Well worth a read anytime!

Riding Shotgun by Amy Lane (Princeton Royals Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Riding Shotgun

AUTHOR: ⟫ Amy Lane

SERIES: ⟫ Princeton Royals Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Val Royal’s tight family has always had his back, but they love to interfere in his life. That interference almost sends him over the edge when they arrange for Rory McCauley, security specialist, marksman, and hound-dog smartass, to ride shotgun as security on his latest run.

Hot, bossy, and sharp as a tack, Val ticks all Rory’s boxes, but Val’s looking for something real, and Rory’s allergic to intimacy. Besides, their gig running refrigerated bull semen from Bakersfield to Austin could make or break Val’s buddy’s ranch, so Val’s understandably pretty focused on the job. Rory still wishes Val would let him help Val, uh, ***relax.***

As Val and Rory work to keep their payload safe from a couple of determined saboteurs and they get to know each other as smart, competent, fearless professionals, sparks fly, and Val starts to fall for Rory’s roguish charm. But can he convince Rory their romance would be worth more than a straight shot to Austin—that it would be a love worth coming home to?

REVIEW: ⟫ I started reading this book and then had to put it down – I’d just started a pre-op diet and this book was just completely and utterly filled with delicious food. It was torturous!

Having made it through surgery, I returned to the book and I am so glad that I did. This was a fabulous adventurous ride into a whole new Amy Lane family and I am so here for it! Val and Rory were so good together – even before the sex – and the way that their relationship built was a pleasure to read. The plot-line was alternately hilarious, entertaining and informative, and meeting all of the family members and seeing them together was wonderful.

So pleased I had this as my week before Christmas read because this family – by blood, found and made – is what Christmas should be about!

Alpha Kings by Roe Horvat (Hedonist Series)

TITLE: ⟫ Alpha Kings

AUTHOR: ⟫ Roe Horvat

SERIES: ⟫ Hedonist series

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ As the king’s only omega son, Prince Aiken has been taught to obey in silence. Kept prisoner in his own home, his only destiny is to accept the alpha his father chooses and produce an heir to the throne.

Then one autumn day, barbarians defeat the king’s army and break into the castle: Aiken is taken hostage and brought to a citadel ruled by the formidable Cairistine lords. Suddenly, Aiken is allowed to look, speak, and roam on his own—and the things he witnesses are both outrageous and marvelous. How come the omegas at the citadel seem so happy? And who are the mysterious lords? What are they?

Bear and Wolf are the last of their kin, the true lords of Cairistine. Their powers have weakened, however, and unless a miracle happens, their sons will be born mere humans. While Bear has his doubts, Wolf believes in legends. If they can find the one omega who’ll give them twin sons from his first heat, the magic in their blood will be revived. None of this is on their minds when they kidnap Prince Aiken—they only want the war to end. But as time passes, the skittish virgin awakens desires in them both. They would never take an innocent omega against his will… but what if they seduce him?

The story is a part of the Hedonist universe in a new place with a new cast of characters. MMM omegaverse, two alphas and one omega, shifter, mpreg.

REVIEW: ⟫ According to Goodreads, I’ve read this before but I have no recollection of it, most likely because I went on an ‘author reading binge’ and read so much by the same author that I can’t tell which stories are which!

This is a reverse harem omega/alpha story, with the completely innocent Aiken taken by Bear and Wolf as reparations for the actions of his father. The atmosphere Aiken finds himself in is completely different to what he is used to – omegas are loved, cared for, and free to show their own feelings in a way that Aiken has never experienced. He doesn’t understand what is happening to his body, but both Bear and Wolf are waiting for Aiken to realise that what he wants, needs, is them.

Roe Horvat has a fascinating writing style and I definitely enjoyed this re-reading. The scenes between Bear, Wolf and Aiken were passionate, hot and more than a little bit kinky. A good read to start off the month!

Honey Sunshine by Gen Blackwell (Bower Brothers Book #1)

TITLE: ⟫ Honey Sunshine

AUTHOR: ⟫ Gen Blackwell

SERIES: ⟫ Bower Brothers Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ “How did the two of you meet?”

The age-old question that turns couples into giggling messes, blushing like they’ve just been shot in the heart with Cupid’s arrow as they recount their cute meeting.

My meet-cute with Harvey Cooper?

Well, it wasn’t exactly run-of-the-mill, and truthfully . . .

It was a damn mess.

I was supposed to be meeting a potential investor for my small advertising firm. However, life decided today would be a great day to test my willpower when—out of all the restaurants in the city—my ex-boyfriend slash ex-business partner who’d stolen all our top clients, also chose to dine in the same one where I was meeting my potential investor.

So there I am in the restaurant’s bathroom, threatening to murder my best friend if he doesn’t come to my rescue. And then, just when I’m about to punch my ex—because it feels like the better option—the love of my life waltzes in to save the day.

Did I say the love of my life?

What I mean is the investor I’m supposed to meet, who’d heard my desperate SOS in the bathroom. Just when I’m thinking of giving myself a potential concussion to forget this whole thing, he lays out a plan that might benefit both of

Why don’t I be the Juliet to his Romeo at his upcoming family dinner?

Well . . .

Romeo to his Romeo, except we don’t try to kill ourselves no matter how embarrassing this is.

It sounds foolproof, and frankly, it seems perfect, so we make a pact.

What I don’t expect?

Accidentally falling for my fake boyfriend like any other cliché novel.

Meet Zach and Harvey in Honey Sunshine, a lighthearted MM romance novella filled with passion, humor, and insane chemistry. This is the first book in the Bower Brothers series and can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed it for the light-hearted romance that it was. Harvey and Zach were very sweet together, and I really enjoyed meeting Harvey’s family. Despite meeting because Zach’s ex was being awful, there was little to no angst in the story, with things being quiet surface. I enjoyed meeting Harvey’s family and they did make me laugh a couple of times. A nice, easy read. I received an ARC from BookSirens.