Omega Trapped by Beau Brown

Title: ⟫ Omega Trapped

Author: ⟫ Beau Brown

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ I’m a pregnant and vulnerable omega and now I’ve caught the eye of a ruthless mafia boss who won’t take no for an answer.

Omega Nico is carrying the child of an alpha who attempted to end his life, and is now trapped in an impossible predicament. Unwilling to bring the child into the world, but too destitute to change his circumstances, Nico struggles to find hope amidst his crumbling life.

Enter Valentino Syracuse, the heir to the infamous Black Knives mafia. As his father's health wanes, the responsibility to lead falls upon young Valentino's shoulders. His ascension to power, however, comes with a he must take an omega as his mate to prove his unwavering commitment to the syndicate.

When he sees Nico, Valentino is immediately drawn to the sexy, feisty, omega. Unfortunately, Nico has no desire to be Valentino’s omega. Nico has an aversion to anything mafia related. He politely refuses Valentino’s proposition, however, Valentino isn’t an alpha who likes being told no.

Driven into a corner by threats and intimidation, Nico is left with no choice but to accept Valentino's offer or face certain death. As the two forge a fragile alliance amidst the chaos, unexpected feelings begin to bloom. But when the malevolent alpha responsible for Nico's pregnancy re-emerges, a torrent of secrets from the past threatens to shatter any hope of happiness they might have found together.

This is a dark romance and contains violence and graphic smexy times. If you're sensitive to either of those things this story may not be for you.

Review: ⟫ I admired Nico’s resilience in this story – he started from the bottom and was determined to stand on his own two feet. When life threw him into Valentino’s path, it would have been very easy for him to cave in and let himself be dragged along by the current but he continues to fight for his autonomy and life the way he wants to live it.

Valentino was spoiled by circumstances of birth and put into the untenable position of having to present himself as ‘stable’ by getting married at short notice, which meant he had zero interest in hearing Nico’s objections and did whatever was necessary to get what he wanted. In that regard, there was little doubt that this was a ‘dark’ mafia romance.

I enjoyed the other side presented – the idea that Valentino wasn’t just a mafia boss but a doting uncle, a loving son and brother, a person who by circumstances of birth was put into the position of having to do things he might not otherwise have done. A side we rarely get to see in mafia books.

I enjoyed how the situation played out, especially Valentino’s attitude towards the whole situation which wasn’t stereotypical – this wasn’t one of those books with a misunderstanding that revolved around the male ego. I enjoyed reading this and am pleased that I gave it a chance.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Paladin by Onley James (Jericho's Boys #1)

Title: ⟫ Paladin (Jericho’s Boys #1)

Author: ⟫ Onley James

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Arseny Lebedev lives a normal life. During the day, he’s a mechanic. At night, he livestreams a fairy tale video game called Paladin. And sometimes—only sometimes—he kills people. But they all deserve it.

Ever doesn’t know his last name. He doesn’t know much of anything. Most of his life has been torture, bought and sold by a woman who calls herself his mother. He’s resigned himself to a life of servitude, until he meets Arsen.

The moment Arsen sees Ever, they’re bonded. Ever is both fragile and feral, willing to defend himself with any tool at his disposal, even teeth. Arsen is color and light, a beacon in Ever’s darkness, as brave as the knight in the game he plays.

Arsen protects Ever fiercely, but just when he feels safe, someone attempts to drag him back to his old life, reminding him that reality isn’t fairy tales or video games. He knows staying puts Arsen in danger. But Arsen insists they’re safer together. Can Ever truly have his happily ever after or is it game over?

Paladin is a hurt-comfort, dark romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a vigilante twitch-streamer and the beautiful but feral gremlin he saves from a life of misery. As with any Onley book, you’ll find dark humor, steamy sexy times, and gratuitous violence against people who totally deserve it. This is book 1 in the Jericho’s Boys series. Each book follows a different couple.

Review: ⟫ There are so many reasons that I love this book: Arsen with his blue hair; Ever with his baby-faced innocence and inner feral beastie; Levi and the bite; the Mulvaney twins coming to play; Jericho and Freckles – the list is darned near endless.

But the main reason I loved this was how it handled trauma. Therapy was there – which, awesome – but also an understanding that everyone handles trauma in different ways. Some people are talkers, some repress, and some find something that makes them feel safe – there is no template for trauma and handling it, and that is what shone through for me in this book. A deep understanding that whatever you need to do to handle what you’ve been through, as long as it’s not hurting you or other people – do what you gotta do. And that, for me, was priceless to read.

We have the normal madcap run of adventures in this story, with Jericho’s Boys somehow adopting a new person and helping them figure out a whole heap of firsts; we have the steaming hot sex – like, holy moly, these two were determined to burn up the page; some murder and mayhem which included Felix getting to flex his claws, a screwdriver and a live-action mission from Call of Duty – this book was a fun read, which sounds odd when you think of the subject matter.

I rejigged my budget so that I can afford to join Patreon again so that I could read this as it was written, but as per normal, I stopped myself about halfway through so that I could experience Arsen and Ever in full, and I’m so glad I did. I was sad after I read Maniac because I knew it was the end of the Necessary Evils series, but Jericho’s Boys have steamed in and filled that gap and I cannot wait to read more!

I received an ARC from the author.

New Blood by L.C. Davis (The Godbearer Book #4)

Title: ⟫ New Blood (The Godbearer Book #4)

Author: ⟫ L.C. Davis

Rating: ⟫ 3/5

Blurb: ⟫ I know this will end the way it covered in blood.

Too much? Me being a demigod now and all, I figure I can get away with a pinch of melodrama.

I mean, have you seen Olympus? It's a damn soap opera up there. One I'd rather be watching on the couch with popcorn than playing a starring role in.

Not that things are much better down here. I'm still in denial over being madly in love with Cameron, the likely father of my twin babies and the far more evil twin of one of my three boyfriends. Because self-destruction is my brand, apparently.

Fortunately, so is being a vampire-taming, totally badass witch, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my weird little cult-slash-family safe. And convince Cameron he belongs in the circus with the rest of us.

No biggie, right?

(Jk, send help. And nachos. I've been craving those lately.)

Review: ⟫ I was very excited about this book because somehow I convinced myself that it was the last one in the series. It isn’t – in fact, it feels like a very short interlude and very short book and I got cross.

The good bits:

* we spend a chunk of time with Chase and Cameron where they ironed out a few things The new body-sharing thing was interesting and the chemistry between the two of them was palpable;

* the front cover with Hades is absolutely stunning – truly beautiful and quite possibly my favourite cover for this series;

* as always, the writing is engaging and fun, with Chase’s inner dialogue full of snark and banter.

The not-so-good bits:

* how short it was. I read this in a couple of hours and was left feeling like I’d barely scratched the surface or moved forward in the story at all;

* yet another God falling for Chase felt a bit too much for my liking. There was so much going on already, I’m not sure we needed to add someone else to the mix;

* the storyline is getting a bit rinse and repeat-esque. Chase throws himself into danger, the vampires try to figure out how to help/save him, Chase gets himself out of danger with some sex sprinkled in.

I want to know how this story ends and that’s why I keep reading, but I am getting a bit irritated by how much it feels like it’s being dragged out. Maybe I should wait until the whole thing is completely finished and then read it all in one go. I will read what comes next but my excitement is waning.

Oblivious Roommate by Devon Doe (Am I the Problem? Book #1)

Title: ⟫ Oblivious Roommate

Author: ⟫ Devon Doe

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Tl;dr: Am I the problem for trying to sabotage my gay roommate's relationship? I have my reasons!

I [20M] moved to a different college just so I can live with my best friend since high school [21M]. But it turns out that in the two years we lived apart, he’s come out as gay, and he never told me! He also has a boyfriend, and I’m really not homophobic, but seeing them together bothers me. Other than that, we’ve reconnected like it’s magic. Living with him is amazing, and everything would have been perfect if his ass of a boyfriend wasn’t around. I don’t think that guy is good enough for someone as funny, interesting, and cool as my friend.

How do I make him dump the stupid boyfriend?

Update: So I’ve been trying to break them up, and I’m starting to realize that, possibly-maybe, I’m the one who wants to date my roommate. Help! He’s the hottest guy I’ve ever known and I keep screwing things up!

Also, is it gay to love smelling his sweaty T-shirt?

*

“Oblivious Roommate” is a best friends-to-lovers, gay-awakening steamy romcom filled with misunderstandings caused by an oblivious himbo who means well but has no clue.

While the books in the series share a setting each can be read as a standalone.

(Matt and Cassian’s story)

Review: ⟫ I remember reading this on social media and being in love with the idea that this roommate had accidentally fallen in love and discovered he was gay, so I loved the idea of a story that seems to be based on that premise.

Mattie is an idiot – I mean, I know he’s described as a himbo but the absolutely ridiculous ideas he comes up with and drags Aaron into had me laughing out loud whilst facepalming on his behalf. This story was fun to read, light-hearted with what I would describe as light angst – Matt handles the idea that he might be bi-sexual well, and his coming out to his mother was very sweet. The whole story is very sweet as Mattie tries to find the means to incriminate Logan, pines for Cassian and generally acts like a complete idiot.

I enjoyed reading it and will definitely look for more books by this author.

I received an ARC from GRR.

His by Daniel May

Title: ⟫ His

Author: ⟫ Daniel May

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Lucas Russo was never a child. He was raised like a soldier, trained like a dog to hunt down his master’s enemies.

Shane Case was barely a man. Unraveled by grief, he kidnapped two children to follow in his footsteps, to shape in his image and continue his mission of vengeance.

Lucas never forgave Shane, because forgiveness is something reserved for the living. So is hate. With Shane gone, all Lucas has left are hot, guilty memories he denies to himself as he continues the hunt alongside his brother. Many things in Lucas died with Shane, but desire was not one of them.

But Shane is not dead.

Now Lucas hunts his old warden, seeking Shane’s ghost in both dreams and waking world, haunted by memories of his fists, his mouth, his cruelty. And more than haunted, Lucas is hungry — hungry for answers. For a reckoning. Hungry for the love of the man who stole his childhood.

His is part one of a dark, age gap MM romance.

Review: ⟫ It would be disingenuous of me not to mention that I had some thoughts about the potential plot bunnies for this half of a tale. Two brothers, hunting monsters in an American muscle car much beloved by the older one; a missing father – if your mind goes in a certain direction, I am with you. Add to that, the missing father figure who had a complicated and entangled relationship with the older son, and it sounds a lot like a few stories I’ve read.

This is difficult to review simply because it is only half of the story. Lucas – and the inner writhings of his mind – were fascinating, as was his relationship with his brother, Nicky. Lucas is completely and utterly obsessed with Shane, their pseudo father figure, who died three years ago – his mind creates memories and he self-medicates with weed to handle the chaos in his head. This is very much the back story – how Lucas came to be the man that he is, why he is obsessed with Shane and how much the need and desire for that man rules his life.

I would say it isn’t so much of a romance because Shane doesn’t come back on the scene until very late into the book. How Lucas finds him is fascinating, and their first real time spent together in three years is hot and terrifying in equal measure. But the story is most definitely only half-told and as such, it’s really difficult to rate this story. I don’t think there is any way to read this as a standalone and I await the publication of part two in September to complete the picture.

As always, May writes with assured confidence, pulling you easily into the story and the calibre of the writing isn’t in question – I think that I personally would have preferred it if the two halves had been published together.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Becoming Bennet by Cora Rose & Nicole Dykes (Behind the Camera #2)

Title: ⟫ Becoming Bennet (Behind the Camera Book #2)

Author: ⟫ Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ I cannot stand Bennet Montgomery.

His rugged hotness knows no bounds and his unwavering cheery disposition is maddening. How can someone be that happy all the time? His smile infuriates me.

I need to keep my distance from this man and all his Midwest charm. I have my camboy career to focus on and I can't afford to get attached or bogged down with his nonsense.

But when Bennet receives devastating news about his mother, his grief consumes him.

I don't know what to make of this new sad side of Bennet. All I know is that his teary eyes infuriate me even more than his smile. I need to get his stupid smile back.

So that's how I wind up accompanying him home to his tiny town in rural Kansas.

And let me tell you, this California boy is not cut out for a land where fruit salad has marshmallows and where you're just as likely to be eaten by a feral cow as you are to be chased down by an angry rooster. *Shudder*

The worst part is, Bennet and I are forced to share one bed in a cramped trailer. And as I try my hardest to comfort this man who I can barely call a friend, I wonder if maybe that flutter in my chest isn't just heartburn. Maybe I can allow myself to get swept up in him...just for a bit.

That is if a rogue tornado doesn't sweep me away first.

Becoming Bennet is a funny and sweet MM romance with forced proximity and only one bed.

Review: ⟫ Jasper finds himself thrown into a completely unexpected situation when he is with his co-worker Bennet when he finds out that his mother has had a stroke. Somehow, this complete city boy finds himself travelling to a farm in Kansas, helping to take care of Bennet’s family who never met a vegetable they liked, all whilst sleeping in a decrepit old trailer with Bennet and trying to figure out just when feelings had crept into things.

Bennet is an absolute sweetheart who falls apart during times of stress. He can’t quite believe that Jasper has not only accompanied him to Kansas but is sticking around, taking care of Bennet and his family, and showing signs of interest that Bennet has been searching for ever since their scorching hot scene in front of the cameras.

The relationship builds as the two men work together to keep things together for Bennet’s mother, film what are meant to be teasers for Carter’s fledging cam-boy business and fall in love – all at the same time. This story is full of jokes, snark and banter, as well as a healthy dose of sexual innuendo and steamy sex.

The writers work well together – I didn’t find it obvious which of them wrote which section and there didn’t seem to be hiccups or plot holes which I would imagine can be difficult in a collaboration. I’ve read more Cora Rose than I have Nicole Dykes, so I would describe this as appearing to be very much in Cora’s style – slightly off the wall, very sexy, and quite swiftly paced. An enjoyable romp with a sweet centre and plenty of laughs.

I received an ARC from Indie Author Creative.

Under Cover by Amy Lane (Covert Book #1)

Title: ⟫ Under Cover (Covert Book #1)

Author: ⟫ Amy Lane

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ For Judson Crosby, the transfer to the elite law enforcement branch of the SCTF is a great escape from the death sentence he earned as a whistle-blowing patrol officer. Calix Garcia, the fierce new guy, makes a perfect partner, catching bad guys while minimizing collateral damage. Crosby loves working with him.

Of course, he’d also love to work him over in a totally different way.

Garcia has waited his whole career for a solid, dependable partner like Crosby. But after six months fighting crime together, he’s done fighting their attraction.

Their coming together promises to be everything they need… until a threat from Crosby’s past comes back to haunt not just him, but their entire team.

When Crosby goes undercover to keep them safe, Garcia is frantic with worry. One false move could get Crosby killed and Garcia exposed. But they have to fight their way clear, because hiding your lover under the cover of darkness is no way to live. Crosby and Garcia will risk everything for the chance to live their lives in the light.

Review: ⟫ This one hit the floor running and pretty much went full tilt from there!

The beginning of a new series finds us meeting Judson Crosby, a good cop put in a bad situation who finds a transfer to a new city and new unit makes his life immeasurably better. And that’s before he gets a new partner.

Calix Garcia starts on a new team, with a new partner, wanting this to be the best thing in his life. And rapidly finds that not only has he found the perfect workplace, but quite possibly the perfect partner – in more than one way. And that all happens in the first few chapters!

What happens after that is vintage Amy Lane – we have bad guys, even worse guys, an intricate plot that you have to pay close attention to, and a set of characters that you very swiftly come to care very much about. It’s kinda obvious by now that I absolutely freakin’ loved this book! I started reading and found myself absorbed immediately, trying to remember who was who, and figure out what was happening, all whilst rooting for our guys to get something resembling a happily ever after. Calix and Judson were good people and the way they were with each other, both caring, a little possessive, loving and downright hot for each other was perfect.

The plot was intricate and deeply involved, with The Sons of Blood who were similar to the KKK but working within the police force and other agencies. It also involved drugs, crooked lawyers and politicians and a set of people who were determined that justice was deserved for all – regardless of their race, creed, sex or colour. It reminded me very much of the Marshals in Mary Calmes’ series which means I am already jonesing for the next story.

An easy 4.5/5 from me and I heartily recommend it to anyone who likes a lot of action amidst their steaming hot sex.

I received an ARC from the Author.