August 2025 Book Reviews Round Up

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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 August 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.


The Beast by J.R. Ward ⟫ Black Dagger Brotherhood #14 ⟫ 5/5

Beyond Hate by Lee McCormick ⟫ Beyond #3 ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Kindle Unlimited

Headmates by October Arden ⟫ Inside #1 ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

The Cop by Tom North ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Booksprout

Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon by Wendy Rathbone ⟫ Alpha Dragons #3 ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

Pretty Mess by Lily Morton ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Kindle Unlimited

Saving Sparrow by C P Harris ⟫ Slow Burns and Tragic Beginnings #2 ⟫ 5/5 ⟫ Kindle Unlimited

The Shadows by J.R. Ward ⟫ Black Dagger Brotherhood #13 ⟫ 4.5/5

Starting With Cake by October Arden ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Author ARC

Unsubmissive Omega by R. Gaen ⟫ Leongatha Pack Tales #4 ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ Booksprout

Unsubmissive Omega by R. Gaen (Leongatha Pack Tales #4)

TITLE: ⟫ Unsubmissive Omega
AUTHOR: ⟫ R. Gaen

SERIES: ⟫ Leongatha Pack Tales #4
RATING:
⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Xander is a despised omega living in a house of alphas. And as if that weren’t bad enough, his uncle has plans to get rid of him by giving him to a Pack Alpha in a business transaction.

As an uneducated omega in a world dominated by alphas, Xander’s only defence is his terrible attitude, but that attitude could destroy his new pack, and lose him his one chance at happiness.

When he does finally realize who he can trust, will it be too late?

Content dubcon, explicit sex scenes between men, death of a side-character (& grief), public sex/exhibitionism, kidnapping

REVIEW: I liked the idea of this – an omega that wasn’t submissive, joining a pack unwillingly – sounded like it could be so much fun. I sympathised with Xander – his situation was absolutely awful. However, I struggled with how easily he accepted the things that were told to him – his paranoia around Darius should have extended to other people, or that was what I thought. I found Darius frustrating because he acted so naively about so many things – instead of looking deeper into things, or simply talking to Xander, he just seemed a bit ineffectual. The things he had done for his pack were impressive, but I just wanted more from him. I wanted to see his pack members accepting him as he was, not falling for lies that could be so easily disproved.

I was interested in Xeres, the Mage, and wonder if he’s going to be in another story. Perhaps I didn’t get the nuances involved in this because I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series. The sex was hot and there was a definite connection between Darius and Xander, but ultimately I was disappointed by this read. I received an ARC from Booksprout.

The Cop by Tom North

TITLE: ⟫ The Cop
AUTHOR: ⟫ Tom North
RATING:
⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Gus is a hardened Cop, lonely and gristled – Can street boy Theo tame him?

Gus has been a Cop all his adult life – he has seen it all but he has never found love. He is married to the job. He rescues Theo, who is caught up dealing drugs for a gang and there is an instant spark. Worried that Theo will suffer in jail or contiue his life of crime, Gus offers to take him in. But can Theo clean up? And Can Gus admit his feelings?

This is a steamy read with plenty of heart, sure to quench you thirst for sexy romance.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was actually an incredibly sweet story beneath the street crime, drug dealing corrupt cops and thugs!! Gus and Theo were really lovely together – I loved the fact that Gus didn’t judge Theo and how Theo was able to accept the help from Gus despite his life being so precarious. I liked the way they related to each other, the sex scenes were hot but didn’t take over the story, and I really loved Gus riding to the rescue! I will definitely look out for more stories by this author and was very pleased to have received an arc from Booksprout.

July 2025 ⟫ Book Reviews Round Up

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 July 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. <hr>

The Allure of Ruins by Mary Calmes ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Kindle Unlimited

The Beast’s Broken Angel by Greyson Vale ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ Booksprout

His Mate By Allegiance by Mel Aitchess ⟫ Lunetti Pack #3 ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ BookSirens

The King by J.R. Ward ⟫ Black Dagger Brotherhood #12 ⟫ 4.5/5

The Office Bet by Eden Finley ⟫ King Sports #2 ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Foreword PR

Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James ⟫ Puckboys #9 ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Foreword PR

These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking by CB Wren ⟫ A Cobbler’s Corner Cozy Mystery #1 ⟫ 2.5/5 ⟫ Kindle Unlimited

The Beast’s Broken Angel by Greyson Vale

TITLE: ⟫ The Beast’s Broken Angel
AUTHOR: ⟫ Greyson Vale
RATING:
⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ He was meant to save lives. Instead, he signed away his own.

Dr. Noah Hastings is a brilliant trauma specialist with a spotless reputation and a past he doesn’t speak of. When his sister’s life hangs in the balance, he makes a deal with the city’s most dangerous man—a decision that drags him into a world of blood-soaked secrets, brutal power, and a beast with a scarred face and colder heart.

Adrian Calloway rules London’s underworld from the shadows, ruthless and untouchable. But the moment Noah steps into his life, everything tilts. Because Noah doesn’t flinch at Adrian’s monsters. He sees them. Names them. And worse—he stays.

What begins as a transaction spirals into obsession, betrayal, and the kind of love that ruins men.

But love doesn’t cleanse the blood. It only stains you deeper.

REVIEW: ⟫ I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book having finished it, and to be honest I’m still not sure.

There were definitely aspects that I found fascinating. Adrian was an interesting character, especially with how we are introduced to him. It was absolutely horrific what he witnessed as a child and the actions behind it were abhorrent and yet really and truly fascinating.

Noah I found harder to get a grasp on. I didn’t quite understand his back story with regard to his parents, but his devotion to Isabelle was beautiful and he was an interesting character. I struggled slightly with his acceptance of the things that Adrian did and this could have been explored deeper.

Where I really struggled was with how Adrian treated Viktor. For some reason, it just didn’t sit right with me – I actually am still not sure whether it was based on desire, a test of loyalty or just a really messed up view of people and things. I think that this did affect my feelings towards the book. The sex scenes were hot, with some very surprising aspects to them that I hadn’t expected. The plot was okay but the ‘bad’ guy was kinda obvious from the very beginning. I also felt that some of Adrian’s actions didn’t make sense considering what he knew or at least suspected.

The writing was good, the story was interesting and the characters were a little polarising (which meant I didn’t get bored) so I’m probably going to be thinking of this one for a while, trying to figure out how I actually feel!

I received an ARC from Booksprout.

April 2025 ⟫ Book Reviews Round Up

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 April 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. <hr>

Lustful Nights by Ashley Rayne ⟫ Peaches Book #1 ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ Indie Author Creative

Forever Rebel by Garrett Leigh ⟫ Rebel Kings #11 ⟫ 5/5 ⟫ Foreword PR

Off Limits by Willow Dixon ⟫ Legacy Mechanics #4 ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Foreword PR

The Other Half of Me by Aiden Wilde ⟫ Straight Friends Fall in Love #1 ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ BookSirens

The Price of Ice by N.J.Lysk ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

Pucked Up by Frankie Abraham ⟫ 3.5/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

Royal Crush by E.M.Lindsey ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

The Sin Eater by Onley James ⟫ The Watch #2 ⟫ 4.5/5 ⟫ Author’s Patreon

Worthy by Michele Lenard ⟫ Adrenalin Series #1 ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

The Face of the Wicked by J.K. Jones

Title: ⟫ The Face of the Wicked

Author: ⟫ J.K. Jones

Blurb:Yuli knows a predator when he sees one.

A wide smile, pink lips pulled over rabid teeth.

Ren Hirokazu. A trained assassin who answers to no one.

His stare cripples him. His rough voice unravels him.

Yuli craves exactly what he shouldn’t.

Not a human. An Android.

A criminal. A murderer. A monster.

The sweetest sin.

Then a mysterious discovery forces Yuli to defect from the Yakuza.

Hunted. Branded as a traitor there’s nowhere left to hide.

Yuli must take the devil’s hand. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

And Yuli is about to be consumed.

Warnings: Cyberpunk MM romance, third-person present tense, dark MM romance that deals with mature themes of rape and torture with a HEA please be advised.

Review: ⟫ Unfortunately, this wasn’t the book for me. I felt that it showed a lot of promise and loved the story idea. However, the execution just didn’t work for me. I felt like I was reading (bad) fanfiction. There were leaps in the story that made little to no sense, the character development was non-existent and there was little to no world-building.

I don’t want to tear this down, so will leave it as a 1.5/5 from me, rounded up to 2.

I received an ARC from Booksprout.