His Mate by Allegiance by Mel Aitches

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ His Mate By Allegiance
AUTHOR: ⟫ Mel Aitchess

SERIES: ⟫ Lunetti Pack #3
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ M M mafia shifter PNR with a bite (and a knot).

Rocco is being punished and he doesn’t like it. He probably shouldn’t have stalked the police chief’s son, but he’d been bored and no one ever should’ve noticed. His powers as an air witch skilled in illusion are too valuable for the Elemental Mayhem MC to let him go, so they’ve forced him into this sham of a wedding. They’re lucky the wolf shifter is so hot or he’d never go along with it. All bets are off once he can prove he was betrayed.

Emilio spent the last fifteen years away from New Trinity City refining his crafts—street art and assassination—but he’s still loyal to the Lunetti Pack. Unlike his traitor father. He’d do anything for his Alpha. Even marry a witch he’s never met. Coming home for his arranged marriage is the perfect excuse to hunt the source of the dangerous weapons entering the city. He has every intention of being a widower within a year, until he realises his fiancé is his fated mate. How is he supposed to arrange an unfortunate accident for his husband with his wolf whining about forever in his ear?

His Mate By Allegiance is an MM mafia shifter paranormal romance. It features arranged marriage, fated mates, shadow hands, and other paranormal play, including knotting. There is no mpreg in this world.

REVIEW: ⟫ Rocco and Emmy were absolutely amazing together – they are both possessive and stalkerish, keeping themselves away from their pack and MC because of things in the past. The story was fast paced and interesting, with the MC and Pack having to work together against the threat of outsiders wanting to destabilise the area.

With this going on in the background, Rocco and Emmy managed to have an unusual courtship, with lots of banter, sexual tension and deep feelings developing. I loved the descriptions of Emmy’s art; I thought Rocco’s family was so funny and sweet, and I really enjoyed visiting with all of these characters again. Very pleased I read this and looking forward to the next in the series. I received an ARC from BookSirens.

Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley & Saxon James

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Stubborn Puckboy
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys #9
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Colby

Once upon a time, playing for the NHL was my dream. Then Radimir Novicov skated circles around me and made it clear I’d never be good enough. He was smart, talented, and worst of all–sexy. Every closeted guy knows that you don’t hit on your teammate, even if his gaze lingers longer than it should.

All it took was one drunken close call before our friendship was in tatters, he was called up to the NHL, and I was sent for further conditioning.

Playing in the NHL was off the table, so coaching became my new dream.

And seventeen years later, I’m finally heading to the big time.

Video coach. Pro level. The only downside?

It’s for Novi’s team.

Novi

Radimir Novicov is not scared of anything. I am one of the best. Future Hall of Famer. There are two years left on my contract and I will end my career on the highest high anyone did see.

Then I will slink into the shadows where no one will hear of me again.

Because while I’m playing professionally, I cannot come out and be myself. Not with my family still in Russia.

The plan has been set since I first moved to America, and I only have two years left to wait. It should be easy to focus on hockey.

Then Colby Kessinger walks back into my life. The teammate with the lopsided smiles and cocky attitude–the one who made my heart want things it can’t have.

Now two years feels like a lifetime.

REVIEW: ⟫ I went into this one a little blind as Novi didn’t really make a huge impact on me in the previous books. Big mistake – huge! Novi is a fabulous character, full of humour, strength of character and love and reading about him and Colby fighting for their happily ever after was a fantastic experience, for which I gave up a night’s sleep as I only meant to read one chapter and then hours later, I finished reading!

The secrecy of the relationship – for both of the main leads – was handled extremely well. None of their reasons for the way they acted were frivolous, and acknowledging all of the dangers inherent in workplace relationship, along with the political aspects and potential for ruining lives and careers were all made clear. Which made it all the more beautiful when both Colby and Novi didn’t play games – their communication was open, honest and really good to read . I loved the background cast of characters (Novi’s sister is a definite favourite) and being together with entire Queer Collective was a joy. I almost died laughing when Colby and Novi attended one of the Collective’s parties, and it’s a really good thing that they have the fire department on speed dial – IYKYK!

Eden and Saxon have managed to keep this long running series on a tight leash, with no repetition of tropes, and up to date understanding of what is going on in the real world whilst also allowing us to escape into their hockey world. I am so pleased I grabbed the opportunity to read this and recommend it wholeheartedly – the world needs more puckboys!

I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

One Touch Pass by JJ Mulder

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ One Touch Pass
AUTHOR: ⟫ JJ Mulder

SERIES: ⟫ SCU Hockey #4
RATING: ⟫/5

BLURB: ⟫ Nate meets a stranger at a party, and in the span of seventeen minutes, his life changes.

Marcos meets a stranger at a party and wonders if the universe is laughing at him. His life has become a seemingly endless stream of bad days. Everything is a struggle, from his friendship with Max, to the simple act of changing in the locker room after a baseball game. Stress and anxiety sit so heavy on his shoulders, he can barely function under the weight of it. Starting a relationship is the very last thing he wants or feels he deserves. Particularly when Nate— beautiful, gregarious, and kind Nate— could have anybody he wanted.

If there is one thing Marcos knows, it’s this: Nate deserves someone far better than him.

But despite his best efforts to keep him away, Nate persists. He knows what he wants. He wants Marcos. He wants to coax him out of his shell, take him horseback riding, and treat him right. Seventeen minutes isn’t enough for Nate and Marcos.

REVIEW: ⟫ Currently reading – review to follow.

June 2025 ⟫ Book Reviews Round Up

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Book_Endz

Every month, I try to post a round up of the books I have read and reviewed. They will mostly be M/M books, but occasionally something a little different slips in. These are the books I have read in June 2025.

Books are sourced through Gay Romance Reviews, Foreword PR, Indie Author Creative, Booksprout, BookSirens, Author ARCs and Kindle Unlimited but although some books are gifted, all views are my own honest opinion.

Due to ill health, I didn’t do as much reading this much as I normally do. Hopefully things will pick up in July.

Bend Him Break Him by MN Bennett ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ BookSirens

Sweat by Jonah Yorke ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ BookSirens

The Allure of Ruins by Mary Calmes

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ The Allure of Ruins
AUTHOR: ⟫ Mary Calmes
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Paxton Walsh has a comfortable life, which wasn’t always the case. But ever since he left his tumultuous life on the West Coast, trading it for a new beginning on the East Coast, things have settled. He can thank himself for the change, but also his boss and friend, Colton Gates. Their relationship is…a bit too codependent and close for most people to understand, but it works perfectly for them. So what if thoughts can be conveyed with a glance? That doesn’t really mean anything. Or at least not what other people think.

But now a threat from Pax’s past is back, shattering that hard-won peace. With Pax in danger and needing protection, Colton immediately steps up and takes him in. Without distance, though, without retreating to separate homes, both men have to be honest about their feelings. The truth is, Pax was hurt, body and soul, and if he reaches for Colton and finds they can’t be more, he’ll lose everything. If Colton does the same and it doesn’t work, he’ll lose Pax, his best friend and the person who knows him better than anyone. With both of them terrified of the what-ifs, it might be too hard to have faith and jump. If only they could both be brave.

REVIEW: ⟫ I am a die-hard Mary Calmes fan and have been for a very long time! I know what I’m getting when I read one of her books – they’re reliable in the almost dangerous codependency of the romantic couples, the one character that absolutely everyone adores and want to be around, the chemistry is off the charts and the sex is epic. Guaranteed pleaser!

The Allure of Ruins was a good book but it wasn’t great. I didn’t connect with Paxton at all and because we didn’t get Colton’s point of view, he didn’t click with me either. The relationship between the two of them was interesting – I would have actually liked to have seen what happened when they first began working together and how their relationship progressed from there – but that wasn’t the focus of this story. I thought the plot involving Gen was wasted – as a bad guy, his actions were predominantly in the past so he wasn’t the fearful figure that he could have been. I also didn’t pick up on certain clues regarding law enforcement so that side-plot took me very much by surprise.

I still enjoyed reading this but it wasn’t up there for me. I absolutely adore reading ‘He Said He Said’ which is part of Mary’s monthly newsletter and would have much preferred if this had been a collection of the stories told there! Still worth a read but not her best.