Only for Ollie by Lisa Henry (Starcrossed #3)

Title: ⟫ Only for Ollie (Star Crossed Book 3) 

Author: ⟫ Lisa Henry 

Blurb: ⟫ Xander Finch is a top-ranked MotoGP rider, desperate to get back to the circuit after an injury. He’s going stir-crazy in his parents’ house in Ventura while he works on his recovery. Xander has tunnel vision when it comes to his sport—it’s all he’s ever wanted to do in life. 

When he hires a massage therapist to help speed up his recovery, he’s not expecting the guy to completely flip his universe on its head. 

Ollie Baker is living in his car after a disastrous break-up and jumps at the chance to earn some extra cash through massage. Xander Finch might be hot as hell, but Ollie’s not going there. He’s never going to let some rich guy screw him over again. 

Besides, Xander’s straight. Isn’t he? 

When their friendship deepens into something more, Xander discovers that Ollie makes him feel a way that nobody ever has before, and maybe motorbikes aren’t his only passion after all. Navigating Xander’s newly discovered demisexuality isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to face if they’re going to be together, because Ollie’s been burned before. It’s hard for him to trust Xander, to believe that he’s really willing to make room in his life for Ollie as well as his racing—assuming he recovers enough to race at all. 

Only for Ollie is the third book in the Star Crossed series, where regular guys meet famous ones, and sparks fly. 

Review: ⟫ Ooh I wanted to slap Xander! There was so much about him that I absolutely loved – the way that he was willing to accept a new view of himself, his kindness, his understanding and the way he treated Ollie was special. Just seeing him as a human being and doing what he could to help whilst remaining respectful and accepting boundaries. 

But the risks he took with his health made me want to slap him. I could well imagine the pressure he was under and it was very realistic – as long as people don’t see the spells he’s suffering from, he can get his life back. As someone who suffers with vertigo and has far too many spills, I know how easy it is to hope no one saw and try to go about your day like everything is fine. 

But the difference is, I’m not putting people in danger. He could have cost someone their life with his actions and I liked the way that this wasn’t brushed under the carpet – there were repercussions for what he did and he learned his lesson. 

Ollie was a cupcake who deserved absolutely everything in life, and it’s about time life handed it over in spades. The way he was accepted by the Finch family and open to their support and love despite how he has been treated in the past was lovely to witness and I really enjoyed his growth in the book. 

I loved reading this – learning more about MotoGP without becoming overwhelmed, the relationship that grew between Ollie and Xander, and the supporting characters – it was all extremely enjoyable. 

I haven’t read any of the other Star crossed books but I will keep an eye out for them. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommend. 4/5 from me – I received an ARC from GRR.

Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy (Belong to Me #1)

Title: ⟫ Suddenly Beck (Belong to Me Book 1) 

Author: ⟫ Vawn Cassidy 

Blurb: ⟫ A surprisingly sweet, sinfully sexy, and deliciously hilarious romp along the Cornish coast. 

Nathan Elliott has run away from home at the age of twenty-six. His teenage rebellion may have come ten years late, but better late than never. Leaving behind a world of wealth and privilege, and a strict patriarchal family that would never except a gay son, he’s ready to embrace life and make up for lost time, but nothing’s ever that simple. 

A coin toss, a delayed train, and a wrong bus later, and Nat finds himself in a small bay in Cornwall being hauled out of the ocean by a gorgeous stranger and wondering how the hell his life got so off track. 

Beck Ainsley lives life by a very simple ethos, don’t get attached, don’t get involved and don’t fall in love. He’s been there, done that and got the t-shirt that reads I’m a gullible idiot. Now, he keeps his life simple; all he needs is his dog, his art, his rambling sea cottage overlooking the bay and a few choice waves to surf. 

He’s not looking for love or commitment, but when he ends up plucking a posh boy from London with incredible blue eyes from the ocean, Cupid doesn’t just shoot him with an arrow, he decides to club him senseless with the bow too. 

One simple agreement. A summer fling, a chance to act on the insane attraction between them with no strings attached, and at the end of the summer they walk away. 

There’s just one problem, fate is a fickle and capricious creature, and she has no intention of letting them walk away unscathed. They’re about to discover that sometimes the heart wants, what the heart wants… 

From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy, comes this hot and sweet, first time, MM romance that will leave you laughing out loud and fanning yourself from the heat… 

Review: ⟫ This story was completely delightful! 

I adored Nat – the way he was determined to be free and experience everything; and Beck sounded completely delicious. There is a certain amount of suspending disbelief required, but this book is so well worth that. Full of love, laughter (Molly cracked me up so much), a family dealing with grief and a young man finding himself and true love – who could ask for more? 

The descriptions made me want to visit Cornwall again (I went about 25 years ago and there was nothing but wind and rain), and the whole story was just so sweet and enjoyable. The cast of characters were really cool – I come from a big family so it was fun watching the dynamics of the Ainsley clan and it brought back so many memories. I loved the surfing aspect, especially the family tradition – the description was so vivid and evocative, I almost felt like I was there. And the sex scenes were steamy as all hell – I wasn’t expecting the level of dirty talk but I LIKED IT a lot! 

Happily rounding up from 4.5/5, I received an ARC from GRR.

Cross by S.E. Harmon (The Formicary #2)

Title: ⟫ Cross (The Formicary #2) 

Author: ⟫ S.E. Harmon 

Blurb: ⟫ I thought getting shot, losing my memory, and being hunted by people I didn’t know for reasons I couldn’t remember was rock bottom. Turns out I was wrong. I found a shovel, dug a little deeper, and found a whole new sublevel of suck. 

Apparently, I took something from the Formicary that doesn't belong to me. The boss, Petar Dobroslav, is willing to do just about anything to get it back. Making an enemy of a super-secret organization of assassins might seem like a bad idea and…well, it absolutely is. 

To be honest, it was inevitable that Grayson Laurie would get dragged into my mess. In my line of work, love is a luxury, a vulnerability I can't afford. But I couldn't stay away, and now we're both paying the price. But I can fix this. I will fix this. 

Everyone knows the Formicary is a formidable adversary. It's time to remind them that so is Christian Cross. 

Review: ⟫ Yeah, so I didn’t fangirl over the first book enough, but book two surpassed it! Talk about action packed – this was a wild ride, full of twists and turns and the return of favourite characters. 

Can we have a moment of appreciation for Chaos please? And his relationship with Nick cracked me up constantly. Like, can we have the two of them getting together, even if it’s just for a one-off hate thing? 

The Formicary #2 was full of fascinating characters, a better understanding of what Cross had got himself into and why, and the story just kept twisting itself into pretzel-like knots, then smoothing out. 

I loved it – Gray and Cross are so sweet in a hyped up, horny duo and intensely messed up pairing. On paper, Gray should be completely out of his depth, but he more than showed his mettle this time and I really appreciated seeing more of what makes Cross love him so much. Villains, henchmen, Operation Genesis – I raced through this book and was so sorry to put it down. 

Really appreciated how this was written, and have now got a kindle full of S.E. Harmon’s books to read because I just wanted more. Another 5/5 from me!

The Red Collar by M. Kato

Title: ⟫ The Red Collar
Author: ⟫ M. Kato
Rating: ⟫ 4/5
Blurb: ⟫ Chief Inspector Hayashi Teruo is short-tempered, impatient and a perfectionist. When another one of his partners resigns, Teruo is assigned a new one transferred from Hiroshima. But this comes with a condition: if his partner bails on Teruo before the end of the month, he risks demotion.

Miyazaki Shinji wants to forget the problems of his past, focus on his new position at Tōkyō MPD and work with the department’s best homicide detective. As a supernatural, Shinji speaks with ghosts of murder victims, gaining insight into the cases and solving them faster.

Before they get a chance to become acquainted, Teruo and Shinji are thrown into a new murder case. The body of a young man is found, killed with a weapon bearing a strange resemblance to a dog's collar. As more victims are discovered, they need to dig deeper and find the connection between them.

While working on the case, Teruo and Shinji are caught into an irresistible attraction. But being partners on duty and lovers in bed isn't easy. As Teruo slowly unravels Shinji’s secrets, he questions his partner's integrity, while Shinji is caught in endless lies threatening his relationship with Teruo as lovers and co-workers.

Review: ⟫ This book got more and more interesting the more I read, but I definitely had some issues with it. The main characters were not very defined in my opinion and their relationship got hot and heavy extremely fast with no real explanation as to why they were feeling such an intense attraction to each other.

The Supernatural aspects were really interesting, although I sometimes got confused with the terminology that was used. I was also fascinated by Teruo’s reactions – on the one hand, he was more than a little blasé, but on the other hand he was asking the questions I would want answers to.

The procedural aspects of things were good but a bit basic, but with all of the supernatural stuff to explain that is understandable. I will be looking for the second book in the series to read and would recommend this to people interested in a little supernatural touch to their police romance.

4/5 from me – I received an ARC from GRR.

Pretty Toxic by J.R. Gray (Pretty Broken #2)

Title: ⟫ Pretty Toxic (Pretty Broken #2) 

Author: ⟫ J.R. Gray 

Blurb: ⟫ Saint Vincent 

 I might be the best-selling solo artist in the world, but my personal life is a disaster. For every number one album, there's a sea of my worsts, all documented in photos. 

Bad break-ups. Destroyed hotel rooms. Fights. Drugs. 

And just as many rumors. 

Every headline reaffirms the walls I’ve built around myself. Fame destroys everything it touches and I can’t let anyone close. The only exception is my best friend— Lowe Wilder. But I’ve fucked that one up too. 

It’s all about him. Every song, every lyric. Every piece of music I’ve ever written. I planned to carry that secret to my grave. He’s straight. Another break-up, another call to Lowe. I can’t bear to have another scandal splashed across the tabloids. 

At my absolute worst he’s here to pick up the pieces, and I ruined it all with a kiss. 

Lowe Wilder 

I’m the least famous member of the most famous band in the world. 

I’ve sat in the background while we toured the world and tore each other apart. I wouldn’t have made it through any of this without Saint. He came into my life like a nuclear bomb. Unapologetic and with about as much destruction, but he’s kept me sane from across the world. 

Nothing could come between us. 

Until he kissed me and shattered my world. 

Pretty Toxic can be read on its own or enjoyed part of the Pretty Broken Series. 

Review: ⟫ Ooh, this one was a doozy! 

Lowe and Saint are practically joined at the hip. Platonically. Or at least from Lowe’s side. 

And then Saint finally gives in to his feelings and opens a whole can of worms. 

This book is a mess of emotions and trauma, from the main couple, to the band Pretty Broken, and it was a roller-coaster of a ride from start to finish. Lowe and Saint are a couple in every way apart from sexually, if only Lowe would open his eyes and admit it. 

And Pretty Broken is living up to it’s name. 

I was immersed from the beginning, along for the ride, and suffering alongside both Lowe and Saint. It was a pretty intense look into what life is like for the rich and famous – whether it be living without consequences or in a fish-bowl. 

Lowe and Saint are two peas in a pod – possessive, nearly obsessive, and almost on a crash course to destroying each other unless they can get their act together and figure out how to be together despite how much time they have to spend apart. 

I really enjoyed this one – not as much as I liked Pretty Obsessed, but in a different way. And I am desperate to find out what is going on between Cas and Iris. This was an intense book and very real, and I think this entire series could well become one of my favourites for when I want to ‘suffer’ alongside the main characters. 

4.5 rounded up to 5 – I received an ARC from GRR.

Lord Garrington's Vessel by S. Rodman

Title: ⟫ Lord Garrington’s Vessel 

Author: ⟫ S. Rodman 

Blurb: ⟫ It's 2022. 

Magic isn't supposed to be real. 

Arranged marriages aren't supposed to exist. 

How are gay arranged marriages for the purpose of magic a thing? 

Fen has grown up all alone in boarding schools. Never meeting any of his family. At his graduation, his older brother turns up to take him home. 

Except Fen discovers he is the result of a shameful affair and not actually related to Lord Garrington at all. Yet, for appearance’s sake, everyone must continue to believe they are brothers. 

To make matters worse, an indiscretion reveals that Fen is a vessel. Someone who grows magic but cannot wield it. Magic can only escape his body and not kill him by regularly submitting his body to a mage. 

Hence the crazy arranged marriage idea. 

It's a shame the only mage he wants is his arrogant and obnoxious fake brother. 

 

Lord Xander Garrington, like all British nobility, is secretly a mage. 

He was only supposed to pay the boy off, but Fen turned out to be outrageously pretty. Then he turns out to be a vessel. The opportunity is too great to miss. 

He needs to pretend Fen is his brother and sell his stepmother’s bastard to the highest bidder. Securing the best possible match to advance the family’s fortunes. 

If only Xander's emotions would obey. He is supposed to sell his fake brother, not fall for him. 

Please note. Xander is a controlling, obsessive bad boy who likes to take control. This book touches on dark themes, including a side character subjected to the worst that can happen. Off page and not from either main character. 

This book is high heat. No Mpreg. HEA guaranteed. 

Review: ⟫ Suspend belief and strap in for a bonkers ride! Fen made me lmao off and I enjoyed his inner thoughts. Xander was a complete AH, even if he was a sexy one. The story was a fun, quick read that delivered exactly what it said it was. I wish we’d seen more of the magic side of things, but basically, this was hot and steamy with a plot that was pretty much Mills & Boon, but gay and with some magical elements! I read it for what it was and enjoyed it – solid 3.75 happily rounded up! I received an ARC from GRR.

Punching the V-Card by Leta Blake

Title: ⟫ Punching the V-Card 

Author: ⟫ Leta Blake 

Blurb: ⟫ Best friend’s hot older brother? Check. 

A weekend alone? Check. 

Finally punching that V-card? Oh yes. 

Carl has a pesky “innocence” problem that requires a solution. His best friend's brother Devon is the perfect answer. Devon’s experienced, gorgeous, and Carl’s been secretly crushing on him for ages. Carl doesn’t want to “lose it” to just anybody. Everyone says the first time should be special—and what’s more special than sharing it with the guy of his dreams? 

It’s not like Devon won’t enjoy it. 

Solving this so-called problem is an objectively fun experience for most people! The plan is totally win/win! Shockingly, Devon agrees. But even though it goes better than either of them ever expected, Carl’s moving across the country soon. It’s not possible to have more. 

No matter how much they both want it. 

Right? 

Punching the V-Card by Leta Blake is a is a high heat, low angst, new adult gay romance featuring a best friend’s hot older brother, scorching first times, and falling in love with the guy of your dreams. 

Review: ⟫ I have no idea how to review this story fairly! It sounds like a (fairly) realistic idea, but some of the elements are a bit fantastical. It was a very steamy, fun read and the entire book involves the two main characters with a small cameo from the sister. 

I think for me the things I found difficult were how innocent Carl was, and yet he turned out to be some kind of mega-dominant sexual maestro straight out of the gate. Probably a ‘me’ issue that I found that hard to get my head around? 

I did enjoy reading it, although I struggled a little with the emotions from Devon as he went from vaguely fancying Carl to being so in love with him by the end of the weekend that he literally changed his life plans. 

It was well written and perhaps if I had gone into it in a different frame of mind, I would have enjoyed it more and been less critical. I think I’m going to look for a few other books by this author to see if it was just this one that my sceptical mind struggled with! 

A solid 3.75 rounded up to 4 from me. I received an ARC from GRR.