Blue Blood by L.C. Davis (The Godbearer #3)

Title: ⟫ Blue Blood (The Godbearer book #3)

Authors: ⟫ L.C. Davis

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ If three's a crowd, what does that make four?

My love life, apparently. Now I'm on the run with Cyrus, Sam, and Alex, and that's not even accounting for the fact that I'm pregnant—with twins—and my overbearing mother is along for the ride.

Oh, and did I mention I found out Zeus is my father? Yeah, that Zeus. Turns out Cameron's not the only one who's been hunting me down. And I might have to rely on my not-so-absent dad to protect me from the relentless vampire who's probably the father of my children.

Can you get a bulk discount on paternity tests? Because I'm going to need around half a dozen to sort this shit out.

Review: ⟫ I thought this was the last book in the series, but nope, there is definitely more to come which is both a good and a bad thing. Good because this story is addictive, entertaining, innovative and enticing – this instalment was chock-full of Gods, enemies, the Ichor and Cameron being confusing as all hell. Bad because I thought we were going to get all of the answers and a conclusion but now I have to wait for the next instalment.

I actually stayed up all night reading this – I was so excited when I received the ARC that I decided sleep was for the weak (in retrospect, I am weak and need all of the sleep). It kept me entertained and glued to the page until the very end. We received POV from Alex, Cyrus and Cameron which I don’t remember so much from the first two books but they were appreciated.

Chase remains sassy and determined – I don’t know if I would have the guts to do what he did with Cameron and the river, and let’s not even go there with a certain dog! His men continue to muscle each other around for ‘pole’ position, and the plot continues apace. Most definitely an entertaining read and only one niggle really from me – there is a part of me that would have preferred the complete book in one giant blockbuster read, but then I’d probably need matchsticks to keep my eyes open!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Per Sangiuinem by Ashlyn Drewek

Title: ⟫ Per Sanguinem

Authors: ⟫ Ashlyn Drewek

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Vampires don't get a happily ever after. Over the centuries, Eric Collins learned that the hard way, which is why he has sworn off the idea of companionship and throws himself into his job as a detective. But his plan for a peaceful, solitary existence is disrupted the night he saves Chase Turner, a fellow cop, from being murdered. Aside from the once-dormant feelings Chase stirs up, Eric has a bigger problem. There’s another vampire in Chase’s life whose intentions are even less noble than his own. If Eric leaves Chicago, Chase is as good as dead. But if he stays, he’ll end up in a war with the rest of the city’s vampires and Chase might become a casualty after all.   

Falling in love with his partner was never part of Chase Turner’s career goals. He already has two strikes against him at Chicago PD — the last thing he needs is a third. The son of an infamous Internal Affairs commander and the survivor of a shoot-out that left his partner dead, Chase is trying his best to keep a low profile until the heat blows over. Then he’s reassigned to Eric Collins’ division, the detective who saved him from certain death. Despite the fact Chase’s life is a complete mess, Eric is the only one who seems to think there’s light at the end of the tunnel. And no matter how much Chase denies it to himself or his therapist, it soon becomes clear that Eric is going to be Strike Number Three.  

How much is too much to risk for happily ever after?  

PER SANGUINEM is a slow-burn paranormal MM romantic suspense stand-alone about vampires and cops with commitment issues and what happens when you fall in love with your partner.   

Content Warning: This book contains references to alcohol/drug use; homophobic and racial slurs, as well as other insensitive language; on-page violence and torture; PTSD in various forms including flashbacks; suicidal thoughts and flashbacks; parental estrangement, and a lot of death. Reader discretion is advised.

Review: ⟫ If this was an 18+ movie, I would tune in to see it with popcorn and a HUGE smile on my face!

I loved this slightly new take on vampires, especially the idea that the Queens ran the territories and the males lived kinda on their whims! Kinda.

We dived straight into the action with Eric in a less than glamorous environment, but it did give us a very good insight into the type of ‘person’ Eric is – prepared to do anything and everything to get the bad guy. Despite his many years on this earth, and his attempts at making himself seem uncaring, it was pretty obvious that Eric was one of the good guys.

Chase was a different type of person altogether – you could sense that there was very little holding him together as he tried to keep himself aloof and show an uncaring attitude to the world, whilst inside he was a lonely, scared boy in need of love and security.

And amidst all of that, we have a vampire serial killer, an out of control IA officer, and a queen vampire in need of a smack-down. Add in a werewolf from New Orleans, and this story was a sexy, riotous, gory ride that I absolutely adored. This was very entertaining, full of romance, some sex, and a serial killer case where there was absolutely no way the killer could safely be arrested, and it was a satisfying chunk of a read.

My only quibbles are that occasionally the timeline got a little squiffy for me – sometimes it seemed like not long had gone by at all, and then someone says something that lets you know that at least a few weeks have gone by – that kind of thing. And secondly, I think it could have been a bit shorter – some of it felt like it could have been removed and not missed. Finally, if Eric and Chase thought they were being discreet, I would hate to see them when they were being blatant about things, but to be honest, none of that really messed with my enjoyment of the story.

Vow Maker by Lily Morton (Mixed Messages #4)

Title: ⟫ Vow Maker (Mixed Messages #4)

Authors: ⟫ Lily Morton

Blurb: ⟫ Dylan Mitchell wants to get married.

However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit.

Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour. He’s confounded an army of wedding professionals, and now Dylan, the man who knows and loves him better than anyone, has joined the ranks of the confused. Can anything please his fiancé and get them to the altar?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes the sequel to Rule Breaker. A romantic comedy novella full of family chaos, meddling friends, sexy bathroom encounters, and love. Always love.

Review: ⟫ It was lovely to catch up with Dylan and Gabe – it made me want to go back and re-read their story. As usual, this story was full of snarky banter, heavy sarcasm, a whole lot of innuendo and chock-full of love and sex. We had cameos from other beloved characters and an introduction to at least one that I imagine is going to get his own book.

I really enjoyed this book – it was like snuggling down with an old favourite but with new information. I did grab the book Short Stack but didn’t have time to read it, but having been reminded of the amazing cast of men that Lily has written about, I think I’m going to re-download it.

An easy, relaxing, amusing read – well worth it.

Budding Attraction by Saxon James (Divorced Men's Club #3)

Title: ⟫ Budding Attraction (Divorced Men’s Club #3)

Authors: ⟫ Saxon James

Blurb: ⟫ Ford

I’ve never thought much about Orson Naples.

He’s a cute guy who I’d seen around town a few times, but then one day he up and left and didn’t reappear until a few years later. No one knows where he went or what he was doing, all this gossipy town knows is that he’s a widower, owns the florist, and is friends with that divorced group that hang out at the Killer Brew all the time.

But then one day I step into his flower shop and go from rarely thinking about him, to him constantly being on my mind.

There’s a restlessness to him that I’m dying to unlock answers to.

And his eyes linger on me a little too long for a straight man …

Orson

Ford Thomas is a pest. A delightful one. A tempting one. But I’m too old for games.

The ones I’ve played in the past have always led me to trouble which is why I vowed to settle down and live a quiet life.

So when Ford walks into my shop all uncontained energy and flirty quips in a pair of heavy work boots, I know I should show him the door.

I don’t need fun. I don’t need experiences.

Especially when those experiences have me questioning things I thought I knew about myself.

Review: ⟫ This was not what I expected at all but I loved it.

Orson wasn’t even bi-curious when things began between he and Ford and I loved reading about this man who had been all the way to the bottom who was willing to open his mind and his heart to something completely out of the realm of his experience.

The descriptions of Ford have always made my brain go ‘yum’ and this story completely solidified that. A gentle giant – with a past – I loved how respectful he was of Orson’s previous life experiences, of the fact that all they might share was friendship, and their journey together.

Other members of the DMC featured as usual (please, when are we getting Art’s story?) and their helpfulness if you want to call it that was appreciated. I loved Ford and Orson’s interactions with the kids building cars – it was wholesome, cheeky and irreverent in a way that definitely reminds me of my experiences with teenagers.

I readily admit that in my mind, Orson’s Pour Some Sugar on me moments could have featured in a Magic Mike film, and I truly loved the banter between these two guys. The friendship that grew between them was just awesome and I enjoyed every page of this book. Really looking forward to reading more and I am a certified member of the Saxon James fan club!

The Big Fix by Mary Calmes (Torus Intercession #5)

Title: ⟫ The Big Fix (Torus Intercession #5)

Authors: ⟫ Mary Calmes

Blurb: ⟫ Philanthropist. Humanitarian. Soldier. Spy.

Jared Colter, the head of Torus Intercession, has a secret life he left behind, one that only his closest confidants know about. Normally, the past keeps its secrets, but not this time. Old ghosts come calling to the very doorstep of his new life, when Owen Moss, the person closest to him, goes missing. A carrot left dangling to lure Jared out and into the hands of an unknown enemy.

Owen Moss was once a scared, orphaned boy saved by Jared, but he’s no longer a child even if Jared is having trouble seeing him that way. He’s thirty-two now, in love with Jared, and as Jared’s obliviousness keeps butting up against Owen’s desire, the tension between them keeps escalating. Something has to give, and soon.

With a bounty on his head, Jared races through the brutal underworld of Southeast Asia, in search of Owen. It’s a maze of treachery and murder, where one false move means death. The answer is tied to the man Jared used to be, taking him into the heart of the lion’s den, where he’s forced to face the darkest questions about himself to save the man he loves.

Review: ⟫ This reminds me very much of some of the early Mary Calmes books that I’ve read – specifically the ones with Jin and Logan – as it was sprawling, full of action, violence with the love story underpinning but not the main thrust of the story.

Jared has always been rather larger than life in the way he has been described and he didn’t disappoint – he was very much the man he has been viewed as by his employees in the previous Intercession books – a man on a mission, determined to leave the world (or people) in a better place.

However, this kinda came back to bite him in the butt in this story, as there was someone from his past determined to make Jared pay – and with a long list of enemies to choose from, it was a real puzzle to figure out who it was.

I loved seeing all of our guys from other stories (I’m talking about Darius and Dante to name just two) and the way their lives were interwoven was extremely skilful. Thinking about it, this reminded me very much of the cast of The Expendables movies – all of these men are over forty, not who you would expect to be in the field, but still skilled and talented in what they do. I liked how it was shown that they were the older generation – Jared didn’t just snap back into action with no repercussions. He felt the punches that landed, running around made him tired, and the day after shenanigans he needed painkillers and sometimes crawled out of bed with his body aching.

That brings me to the torture scenes. Oh my goodness, they were kinda hard to read. Not that I would consider them particularly graphic normally, but in a romance novel by Mary Calmes, they were really painful to read and Fang was a complete and utter *bleep*.

The romance very much took a backseat, but the build up between Owen and Jared has been coming since book #1 so I guess it could be considered that we’ve been reading their story since the beginning. I really enjoyed the flashbacks that fleshed out the storyline, and I could understand Jared’s reluctance to view Owen as a romantic partner – he was the hero, saving the day and it would have been really easy for Owen to mistake hero-worship for love. I thought that Mary did a good job of showing the Owen had been living a full life and made an adult choice regarding Jared – it wasn’t like he was locked away in an ivory tower and had no comparisons so that Jared was his only choice. Owen knew what he was doing,

Speaking of Owen knowing what he was doing – those sex scenes! Whoa – they surprised and delighted me in equal measure and I may have to re-read them – just to refresh my mind for the purposes of this review of course.

I think this was a different kind of romance, with the love story underpinning things rather than being at the forefront. I absolutely enjoyed this book, racing from page to page to find out just who was causing such chaos, and I am so pleased that Jared and Owen finally got their happy ever after. The background cast of characters will possibly be confusing for people who haven’t read most of Mary’s previous books, which is a shame, but I found this to be a rollicking, painful, funny and heart-felt story that I really enjoyed. Any stars it may have lost for the main leads not being together for so much of the story were regained for me by the return of Darius, George and Dante, etc. I loved it.

Headcase by Onley James (Necessary Evils #4)

Title: ⟫ Headcase

Author: ⟫ Onley James

Blurb: ⟫ Asa Mulvaney is half of a psychopathic whole. He and his twin brother live together, party together…kill together. In the Mulvaney family, murder is the family business and business is good. So, when an experiment separates Asa and his brother, Asa is forced to navigate the world on his own for the first time in his life.

Zane Scott is a small-time crime blogger, but he dreams of a byline in a major paper and his suspicions surrounding Thomas Mulvaney are about to make that dream a reality. When an invitation to a boring fundraiser lands him not beside Thomas, as he had hoped, but Asa Mulvaney, they share an intensely passionate encounter that leaves Zane trapped in a cage of his own making.

At a nearby college, a cluster of suicides isn’t what it seems. When Asa’s father asks him to look into it, he sees the perfect opportunity to exploit his little crime reporter and make him fall in line. And Asa needs him to fall in line. Zane is suspicious of Asa’s motives and half-convinced he’s dead either way, but he won’t say no to a chance to peek behind the Mulvaney family curtains.

As the two unravel a sinister plot, Asa’s obsession with Zane grows and Zane finds being Asa’s sole focus outweighs almost anything, maybe even his career—which is good for Asa because loving a Mulvaney is a full-time job. Can he convince Zane that he’s worth navigating a family of psychopaths and tolerating an almost too close for comfort twin? Or will Zane learn the hard way that the Mulvaney boys always get what they want? Always.

Headcase is a high heat, intense, lovers-to-frenemies, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features an obsessive, calculating psychopath and a wannabe reporter who will stop at nothing to earn himself a major byline. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough killers to fill an auditorium, and enough heat to melt your kindle. This is book four in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: ⟫ Holy sh1t, Onley turned up the heat with this one!

I’ll admit that I have had a bit of a thing for the twins ever since they were first introduced and finding out that their books were next up made me clap my hands with glee.

This is Asa’s book and it should come with a warning to have a large glass of ice water and a cold shower to hand because OMFG the heat rating is off the charts! The sex between Zane and Asa is dark, dirty and sometimes painful but in the best possible way. Their relationship starts at ten and just roars along faster than a speeding bullet!

As usual, the other Mulvaneys are part of the story, we have more insight into the happily ever after of previous brothers, as well as more on Calliope, how Cricket is doing – let’s be honest, just checking in on everyone could be a whole book on it’s own! (Onley, if you’re reading this, I would be MORE than happy to read how the brothers celebrate Valentine’s Day with their chosen person)

The background story is painful to read, and scary because I know that it happens in RL. The delicate subject matter is handled deftly, with plenty of warning given to anyone who might find it triggering.

I don’t understand how each book just gets better and better; how each couple becomes my new favourite; how the sex just keeps getting hotter! I am literally chomping at the bit for Avi’s story because the idea that he thinks that he’s got a leash on Felix is laughable and I cannot wait to see how he handles the truth.

One of my favourite lines – which isn’t a spoiler – is ‘Our Lord and Saviour John Wick’ which had me giggling for far too long, although that might be because I stayed up all night reading the book. Also Avi’s joy at Zane giving permission for him to tick something off his bucket list was absolutely hysterical! This series is a bona fide favourite of mine and I am really happy that they continue to be five star worthy!

I received an ARC from the author.

The Blacksmith and the Ex-con by Jackie North

Title: ⟫ The Blacksmith and the Ex-con

Author: ⟫ Jackie North

Blurb: ⟫ “If anybody ever needed him, Ellis did. Ellis was broken. Jasper liked to fix things.”

Jasper has the perfect life. He’s a blacksmith at a small guest ranch in Wyoming. The last thing he needs is to have that perfect life interrupted by a shifty-eyed ex-con, but the ranch needs the tax benefits the ex-con program will bring.

Traumatized by his time in prison, Ellis can barely speak. He’s about to be offered parole. He knows he will hate working on the guest ranch, but what other option does he have?

It’s not love at first sight. It’s not hate at first sight, either, but something in between.

A gay m/m cowboy romance with age gap, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, forced intimacy, emotional scars, trauma leading to mutism, grumpy/grumpy, and baths. A little sweet, a little steamy, with a guaranteed HEA.

Review: ⟫ This was a very sweet read, despite the subject matter. Ellis made a mistake, under very trying circumstances, and more than paid for it. The situation with his mother was heartbreaking, and although I half screamed at his plan for when he reached the ranch, I did understand. I was gratified by Jasper's response, and that sustained me through what I would definitely describe as slow-burn, which I am not used to reading. The relationship between Jasper and Ellis built very slowly in an organic fashion, with Jasper showing understanding and care with Ellis, despite his initial impressions. The cast of characters were interesting enough for me to look for other books in the series, and the descriptions for the horse ranch were extremely enjoyable.

Solid 4/5 from me and I will be looking for the rest of the series at some point.