Category Archives: arc

From Coast to Coast by J.J. Mulder (Offsides Book #4)

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TITLE: ⟫ From Coast to Coast

AUTHOR: ⟫ J.J. Mulder

SERIES: ⟫ Offsides Book #4

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ NHL forward Remy Stone steps off the plane in Calgary a newly divorced man. While he doesn’t necessarily want to live in Canada, the trade offered a good excuse for a fresh start and he means to capitalize on it.

Defenseman Grayson Brody has played most of his career with Calgary, but has long fallen out of love with his team. After coming out, he has struggled with his teammates and management, and wishes he’d never done it at all.

With the addition of Remy Stone shaking everything up—both on the ice and off—things start looking up for the first time in years. What starts as a friendship between them, turns into a casual, friends-with-benefits relationship.

Except a casual relationship with a teammate is fraught with complications; particularly when it starts to feel less casual to Grayson, and neither of them are sure what the future looks like for them.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book was absolutely delightful! Remy made me laugh, mainly because he was just so open and honest about everything – if he had a thought, he shared it! And Grayson – I would absolutely LOVE to see this made into a film just so that we could have a physical representation of him because he sounded absolutely lush!

We all need a friend like Alex – blunt, honest, caring and thoughtful, as well as being in a very helpful profession – and I loved catching up with the characters from the previous books. The relationship between Grayson and Remy was really lovely, with both of them doing their best to be honest about where they were and how they felt. I was rooting from them from the very beginning and really appreciated how genuine they were with each other. Even when Remy was trying to figure out what he wanted from the future – with Alex providing the necessary nudge to face some realities – he realised quickly how he had been messing up and addressed it.

I have really enjoyed all of the books in this series but in terms of the romance, this might be my favourite. Well – apart from Carter but that’s a different series by the same author so that doesn’t count! I received an ARC from GRR.

His Brutal Heart by Leighton Greene (West Coast Mobsters #2)

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Title: ⟫ His Brutal Heart (West Coast Mobsters #2)

Author: ⟫ Leighton Greene

Rating: ⟫ 5/5

Blurb: ⟫ The ultimate forbidden love: a Mafia Boss and his captive.

I’m a man without mercy. A Mafia heir.

Brutality was all that ever made sense to me…

Until I saw him.

Unfortunately, he happens to be the sole witness to my latest crime.

That should mean one thing.

Elimination.

But one look into those pleading blue eyes, and I lost myself.

I let a beauty live…

But – beast that I am – I’ve locked him away.

Little by little, he charms his way out of his cell and into my bed, until I begin to wonder which of us is the real prisoner.

After all, I’m the one trapped by my own brutal heart.

And that oh-so-innocent beauty I took and kept?

He has secrets of his own.

Secrets that could destroy me.

***

His Brutal Heart is the second book in the West Coast Mobsters series. Follow the men of the Los Angeles underworld in this page-turning romantic suspense series as they find love, danger and mystery in the most unexpected places.

Each book in this series tells the love story of a different couple who find their happy ending, as well as a resolution to the mystery they’re investigating, but there are cliffhangers to the wider suspense plot for the series.

Content advisory notes are available to view on the Copyright page via Look Inside or by downloading the sample.

Review: ⟫ I have crawled out of my sickbed to write this review immediately because I just HAD to!

I absolutely adored the first book in the West Coast Mobsters series and must admit when I started reading this one I was thrown a little. The tone was different, more sombre. Jack was a major flirt from the get-go, whereas Sandro is dark, sombre and threatening and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Teddy came across as cute and sweet but I wasn’t sure how I felt about him either.

But then I found that I was racing through the book, trying to figure out the mystery and absolutely falling in love with Teddy and Sandro together. There are a lot of suspects – like, A LOT – and it was fascinating watching as Teddy helped Sandro through the unconventional means of Cute Crims and they tried to untangle what was going on.

Sandro has an absolutely filthy mouth and things between the two of them were hotter than hot – like, take a cold shower then come back ready to dive back in kind of hot. Him falling in love with Teddy was so obvious and it was heartening how sincere Teddy was in his feelings for Sandro – he has been more than obsessed for the longist time and to finally spend time with Sandro has made all of his fanboy dreams come true. But there’s more, and their relationship is actually really beautiful. Sandro finally accepting that he is beautiful and that what Teddy feels for him is real was painful and lovely at the same time, which made the entire betrayal situation so much more painful.

Jack and Miller were here, moreso Jack because of his commitment to assist Sandro. And we get the face-off between the two of them that we have been waiting for and can I just say? Film this ish because it would be so completely epic watching them duke it out.

As always, the intricacies of being in a Mafia family are handled beautifully – you know that these are not the good guys, but don’t care because it is so completely and utterly fascinating. I did not see the initial twist coming – I kick myself because the clues were all there and once it was revealed I could see it immediately. I am pleased to say that I figured out the main thing but to be honest, even that held a surprise for me in the reasoning.

I know, I know, I’m trying not to do spoilers so it’s like I’m speaking in code, so I guess what I really want to say is that this was an epic second story in the series and I would give much to live in Leighton Greene’s brain and speak to the characters directly so I didn’t have to wait for the stories to be written.

As per my previous deep, dark desire, Julian is getting his book next and I am so extremely excited for it, my hands are shaking!

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Good Liar by C P Harris (Infidelity #1)

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Title: ⟫ The Good Liar (The Infidelity Series #1)

Author: ⟫ C P Harris

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Six years ago, Jasper Des Moines traded in the only life he knew. In order to keep a promise and a secret, he walked from the only man he’d ever loved.

Now, he has a career in need of constant defending, a best friend who knows nothing about his past, and a husband he should love. He has the life he believes he deserves.

Until one day, the unfinished business he’d left behind catches up with him, and he’s faced with the one man he’d never been able to resist or forget.

Cole Kincaid arrives in New York City with ulterior motives, but good intentions. He simply wants a place in Jasper’s world again. And if Jasper is happy, then so is he. But as the truth of Jasper’s new life unfolds, the role Cole wants to play in it begins to shift.

He soon reminds himself that Jasper belongs to him, and no promises made before God to a man who isn’t him will ever change that.

Cole’s presence threatens the carefully constructed life of penance Jasper has created. And while Jasper is focused on maintaining the existence he’d rightfully earned, Cole tempts him with the existence he actually wants.

Tragedy might have torn them apart, but lies will bring them together again.

**The Good Liar is Book 1 in the Infidelity series. Each book features a new couple, can be read as a stand-alone, and ends with a HEA. Themes include possessiveness, jealousy, and second chances. Both MCs are consenting adults. Please use the “Look Inside” feature for a full list of tropes and trigger warnings.

Review: ⟫ C P Harris has a way of writing possessive, obsessive love in a way that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go for the whole story, and this was yet another stellar example.

Jasper is a happily(ish) married man, living in a rut of ‘okay’. He’s had consuming passion and it cost him too much and he doesn’t want to risk anything like that ever again.

Cole wants whatever he can have of Jasper – even though he knows it might kill him to accept that he can’t have everything.

And Daniel wants to be the best.

I did not expect this story to take me where it did. I expected the impassioned writing; the steamy scenes; the gut-wrenching reasoning behind decisions even, but I really did not expect the rest of what I got.

I have been struck down with some kind of mutated flu, but not even the coughing, sneezing, wheezing and revolting medicines could prevent me from devouring this story whole. And then I went and read all of the bonus scenes that were made available. And then I wanted to reread the story again with the benefit of those bonus scenes.

This was hot, possessive and intense and the codependency between Cole and Jasper was palpable – you could practically feel their skin yearning to touch whenever they were in the same room together. All of the pieces on the board had their role to play – and perhaps a future role for at least two of them maybe? – but this just didn’t play out the way I thought it would. There were times when I was practically raging at Jasper for the hurt he was causing – to himself and to Cole – and other times when I just wanted to scroll to the end of the book to see that they did get their HEA and their suffering would come to an end because I couldn’t stand the pain any longer.

The back-story involving the artificial heart, prosthetic limbs and child amputees was handled sensitively and with grace, and I loved the glimpses we had into the lives of the people Jasper let himself be with – the relationship Cole and a certain young lady constantly made me smile.

I adored Surviving the Merge – I’ve reread that more than a few times since the first time – but this one might just be a close second. I freaking loved this story so utterly and cannot wait for more. This may be only the second time an author has made me see past the infidelity tag and I am so incredibly pleased I decided I loved Harris’ work enough to give it a try.

I received an ARC from the author.

Be Mine, Twisted Valentine by Gianni Holmes (Corrupt Cupid #1)

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Title: ⟫ Be Mine, Twisted Valentine

Author: ⟫ Gianni Holmes

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Fifteen years ago, I helped put my abductor behind bars.

And shunned the events of my traumatic past.

I’ve lived a content life with my wife.

Until the dreaded phone call.

Duncan Whittaker’s out on parole.

The first time I confront him, I intend to kill him.

But when we’re face to face, everything changes.

I’m still codependent on him.

Duncan’s the only man who’s ever made me feel desire.

He’s also the one who held me captive for almost a year.

Isolated me from others to make me grateful for his presence.

Deprived me of sensation to make me crave his unwanted touch.

Duncan Whittaker’s the sadist who broke me in the name of revenge.

Now his twisted obsession is about to ruin my life a second time.

And God help me, but I don’t know how to stop him.

I… may not want to stop him.

Be mine, Twisted Valentine is part of a multi-author collab. Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged romantic tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules?

Review: ⟫ I have flu, so this review is probably going to be shorter than normal – apologies for that.

Be Mine, Twisted Valentine was not even what I would call a twisted valentine story – it was just straight up twisted. It just seemed like everyone in this story was all the way effed up and I felt like I was reading a car-crash. How the heck was there going to be anything even resembling a HEA in this story? The person I felt for the most was Teddy’s wife – she was the only one who didn’t deserve all of the stuff that went on in this story.

Teddy was obviously traumatised by what happened to him all of those years ago, and no surprise considering what we learnt about how Duncan treated him. Did he not get therapy? He obviously didn’t get support from his father, but surely someone could have looked a little deeper and seen how he was feeling.

And Duncan was like a man completely obsessed. As soon as Teddy was anywhere near, he seemed to lose all sense of survival instincts or common-sense. This book was a trip, and I hurtled through it because I was really fascinated with all of the characters and wanted to see how they got their HEA – or their version of it.

If you like your stories a little bit trippy, a lot dark, and more than a little unhinged, this one if for you!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Claiming Rys by Annabelle Jacobs

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Title: ⟫ Claiming Rys

Author: ⟫ Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: ⟫ 3.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ All that time apart and yet the pull between them is as strong as ever…

Rys

Ten years ago Gabriel Mason betrayed me in the worst way. He made me question my instincts because I’d trusted him with a bone-deep certainty, and for that I will never forgive him.

Seeing him again after all this time sparks memories I thought I’d buried so far down they’d never surface. He’s as beautiful as I remember, but I’m older and wiser now, and I refuse to make the same mistakes again.

Gabriel

Rys Calder, wolf shifter and the biggest regret of my life. I loved him, and yet I didn’t share with him the one thing that eventually became our undoing. I broke his trust and I’ve carried that guilt for years. I knew seeing him again would hurt, but no matter how many times I’d imagined it, being on the receiving end of his cold stares and indifference hurt more than I’d anticipated.

Thrown together again with a killer on the loose, will the past continue to haunt them, or can they move past it and claim the future that fate always had in store for them?

Claiming Rys is an MM paranormal romance with second chances, fated mates, pining, angry alphas, and feisty ex-hunters.

Review: ⟫ This was a pretty straight-forward story of second chances, but with the added benefit of the Fae and fated mates and werewolves. Rys and Gabriel were young and in love and thought they had nothing but time – time to explain who they were and what they meant to each other.

Unfortunately, things caught up with them and because of a misunderstanding they were separated. Each suffered in their own way – Rys distrusted himself and his instincts, convinced that he had fallen for a hunter’s lies. And Gabriel paid the price for going against ‘his’ people in the worst way.

The situation they find themselves in is bigger than their misunderstanding, and although there is bad feeling they have to work together to try to save supernaturals from a dangerous poison that is causing them to go feral and be put down.

I really loved the plot idea and also the way that this was written, but something didn’t gel for me. I don’t know if it was because I was looking at the side characters and wondering which of them would be getting their own storyline, or because the culprit was too obvious.

It was a nice, easy, enjoyable read and I will probably keep an eye out for follow-up stories. I received an ARC from GRR.

Face Off by Marina Vivancos (Alpha Omega Hockey Series Book #2)

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Title: ⟫ Face Off (Alpha Omega Hockey Series Book #2)

Author: ⟫ Marina Vivancos

Rating: ⟫ 5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Orion’s life turns upside down when someone outs him as the first Omega in the NHL…that anybody knows of. Now, he has to wrestle with the decisions he made throughout his life to keep that secret hidden—including the man he left a decade earlier.

Problem is, that man is Gabriel McKenna, Captain of the Gotham Hounds. Seeing as Orion captains the Brooklyn Cats, their relationship is more one of hate than love at the moment.

Or so he wants to tell himself.

Orion has enough difficulties dealing with idiots on the ice thinking they can put him on his knees just because they know he’s an Omega. He doesn’t need to suddenly reconnect with his old flame. Doesn’t need to deal with the feelings he thought he’d buried long ago.

Orion is trying to escape the memories of the best year of his life, but the past is catching up with him. After the way Orion left, after all the fights on the ice, he doesn’t know if he deserves a second chance…

But he might want one anyway.

This book is a steamy rivals-to-lovers story with a complicated past. It is the second book in the Alpha Omega Hockey series but can be read as a standalone.

Review: ⟫ I was a little wary of reading this book – although I liked the first one in the series, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. But this book actually blew me away! I was engrossed from the very first page when Orion was outed as an Omega – the first one to actually be known about in the Hockey league.

The story is told with some flashbacks – to his rookie year when he met Gabby and how things progressed between them, to how things were now where he and Gabby were known to throw down on the ice. It was fascinating, painful and engrossing to see how things progressed – from the way Orion accidentally became the Omega to go to for all of the others hidden in the league, to the way things between he and Gabby moved forward now that what could be seen as the major barrier being removed.

I felt for Gabby the most – he had no idea why Orion ended things between them all those years ago, and his bitterness was understandable. Yet this wasn’t one of those silly misunderstandings that make you roll your eyes – Orion’s reasons were more than valid, and the fact that they managed to talk about it and see each other’s point of view was special.

The relationships Orion had built up over the years were a pleasure to read, and the fact that his team completely had his back was refreshing – it would have been easy for there to be a complete 180 in how his team-mates treated him once they knew.

I also have really enjoyed the fact that Orion is a man of colour, yet that’s not made a big deal of. He just is. Instead of it being used as a plot point, it was just a fact in the story and that was incredibly refreshing.

The sex between Orion and Gabby was extremely hot – the nesting scene for some reason made me tear up and squirm in equal measure – and this book has completely reaffirmed my desire to read more of Vivancos’ work. It was a pleasure to read – from the hockey games, to the relationship building, the chirping – everything. An easy 5/5 from me.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Scales and Song by L Eveland (Monster in my Bed Book #2)

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Title: ⟫ Scales and Song: Monsters in my Bed Book #2

Author: ⟫ L Eveland

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ We were supposed to protect the world from monsters, not become them.

All I’ve ever wanted was to protect the people I love. That’s why I joined the military’s Elite Specimen Containment Unit.

When I learned they were experimenting on sentient monsters, however, everything changed.

Now, I have a new mission: protect a scaly winged monster named Bud and escort him to somewhere he’ll be safe from my superiors.

Yet, Bud’s so sweet and perfect, I can’t help but fall for him, even though I know it’s too dangerous for us to be together. It’ll be safer for us to go our separate ways, especially when we’re being hunted.

But I’ve only got so much willpower…

Though Scales and Song is the second book in the Monsters in my Bed series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. It features a closeted and traumatized special forces soldier, the sweet cinnamon roll monster who loves him, and a HEA. Please see the interior for content warnings.

Review: ⟫ I’ve got complicated feelings about this book. In the first instance, the premise really reminds me of the Lily Mayne’s Monstrous series: monsters coming through a tear, being imprisoned by the army and experimented on; soldier falling in love with one. That’s not a bad comparison, but it did make it hard to shake from my head whilst I was reading.

I’m in the middle of reading the first book in the series, Kissed by the Krampus, as I enjoyed reading Scale and Song enough to want to go back to the beginning. I would say if you’re wanting a bit of monster-loving, with a side order of stoic soldier boy and conspiracy theory, this could well be the book for you. The love-making scenes were frequent and hot, and the lead characters Bud and Phoenix were interesting. As a gay man of colour, Phoenix was quite well written – his concerns about telling his family, the way in which he compartmentalised things, his feelings of isolation and betrayal – were all palpable.

However, I didn’t get as much of a sense of Bud. Maybe it was me and I was missing it, but I wasn’t sure how the music thing was such a calming influence on him, and I really didn’t get his magical abilities – they felt a little vague and definitely unexplored. It felt like some of them transpired at just the right moment with little to no real explanation of them.

The mating cycle’s influence on Phoenix wasn’t fully explained for me either, and I would have liked to know just a bit more about how and why he was reacting to Bud the way he was.

The main cast of characters was interesting – obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone looking for the rest of the series – and it was obvious who else would be getting their own story. I did enjoy reading Scale and Song and would recommend it if you’re looking for something a bit different, with some kinky monster sex for good measure!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Never Have I Ever: Submitted to my Enemy by Willow Dixon

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Title: ⟫ Never Have I Ever: Submitted to my Enemy

Author: ⟫ Willow Dixon

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ How could I not have realized the guy I’ve been chatting with online is the one person I hate?

Kai, the bad boy I broke my rules for. Who stomped all over my heart. Twice. He’s arrogant and annoying, and worse, he doesn’t even remember what he did to me.

He’s also my new presentation partner. I want nothing to do with him, but the more time we spend together, the more I realize he’s not the monster I’ve made him out to be. I want to keep hating him, but it’s hard when he’s made it his mission to get me to like him.

As if things weren’t messed up enough, enter MrWrong, the bossy as f*ck guy I’ve been chatting with online. Using an anonymous app was supposed to be an uncomplicated way to explore my more extreme interests. I didn’t count on meeting the only person who’s ever been able to give me not only what I want, but what I need.

I spent years denying my attraction to men to protect a broken heart. Now I have two guys I can’t stop thinking about.

F*ck my life.

Alex and Kai’s story is an enemies-to-lovers romance between classmates who discover they have more in common than they think. Expect lots of steamy, kinky conversations, and even hotter encounters when these classmates realize who they’ve been chatting with. It is the second novel in the exciting Never Have I Ever series but can be read as a standalone.

Review: ⟫ Well, this was full of surprises!! First of all, MrWrong has an absolutely filthy mouth on him and I am well and truly here for it. Secondly, someone needs to give Beck a smack around the head for not realising how much he was letting Alex down – you don’t have someone like that as your friend without realising how much damage you might cause by not being there for them.

The relationship(s) between Kai and Alex were complicated and interesting. I especially liked the hints the author dropped into things that could have revealed their connection earlier if they had been paying attention. The different sides to their personalities were represented in each scenario – there was the Alex that obeyed Kai’s every instruction and was his brat; the battling students working together; and the vulnerable young men who slowly let the other into the hidden sides of their lives until they all became entwined. It was beautifully done, and I really enjoyed the reveal and the very honest reaction to it.

So why a 4/5? I (personally) think that Alex was intelligent enough to recognise the signs of ADHD and even though when he was younger, he was made to feel like he was just being lazy, etc., once he reached university I think he would have investigated further. That niggled at me throughout the book – especially as a parent to a child/young adult struggling with ADHD – so that affected my enjoyment somewhat.

I was surprised/pleased to discover that I’m actually in the middle of reading Step-Bully which includes a couple featured in this book – my magpie mind jumped to other things whilst reading it, so I haven’t finished it yet but I will be bumping it up on my TBR pile.

This was a really enjoyable book to read and I think you will find yourself rooting for Kai and Alex to get out of their own way to find love. Alex truly deserved the family he found with Kai, his mother and sister, and Kai had someone that was his in a way that he had never experienced.

I received an ARC from GRR.

The Tech by Amy Lane (Long Con Adventures #5)

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Title: ⟫ The Tech – A Long Con Adventure

Author: ⟫ Amy Lane

Rating: ⟫ 4.5/5

Blurb: ⟫ Can two quiet con men who lost their childhoods find their places as a part of a family—and with each other?

Ever since he watched his father die, Etienne Couvier has kept to himself. Under the tutelage of his adoptive family, the Salingers, Tienne grows into a gifted forger and artist. But no matter how hard they try to draw him into their midst—and despite the singular pull their friend Stirling Christopher has on his emotions—he resists.

When computer tech Stirling lost his foster parents, he found shelter and love with the Salingers. Stirling knows first-hand what Tienne has been through, so when an attacker shatters Tienne’s self-imposed isolation, Stirling urges him into the Salinger crew. Maybe they can finally explore the quiet attraction between them.

Then the Salingers announce their next project: an inquest into the mysterious deaths of Stirling’s adoptive parents. They descend on the Caribbean for answers, with Stirling and Tienne the quiet centers of the human justice-seeking hurricane. As they stretch out of their comfort zones, they learn that being family means someone always has your back. Hand in hand, they’ll solve the mystery. They might even be able to live with the consequences—as long as they do it together.

Amy Lane’s Long Con series follows a crew of civic-minded thieves on their quests for justice, adventure, and love. Fans of Leverage, heist movies, and romantic suspense will love The Tech.

Review: ⟫ Someone just needs to film this ish, release behind the scenes stuff, audition tapes, the whole thing because this series is just something else!

The Tech is about Stirling and Tienne, two young men who have been through far too much in their young lives who are not quite sure how they fit in with the Salinger’s team of loveable rogues. After all, they’re not the action-men – they’re the ones who create forgeries and sit on the computers doing all of the background stuff. They’re not the heroes or the mainstays of the family.

Amy Lane manages to create an action movie about family – found or by blood – whilst also weaving a love story between two young men who are not quite like everyone else. And she does it masterfully.

The latest con isn’t so much a con as a gift, and the whole family is in on it. We catch up with everyone from Michael and Carl, to learning more about Josh and Grace, to seeing more about how life doesn’t stay still. Felix and Danny have only just really settled into being together again with Julia by their side and Josh recovering when they have to consider how they will cope with a new person being within their midst (Leon is back and I am here for it because Julia deserves all the love).

I’m not sure there’s a man out there who could actually handle Molly – I feel like she needs someone who will be happy to be in the background, acting as a safe place for her to fall whilst allowing her to shine. But I kinda do need her to get her HEA too.

There are so many people to weave into this story that I think that might actually be part of the issue and why it’s a 4.5 instead of a 5 for me. It’s far too easy to get lost if you haven’t read everything that’s come before, and even if you have, cliff notes would really help. This Long Con adventure is turning into such a sprawling creation, that it’s in danger of getting out of control with so many characters and stories intertwined that it can be a little overwhelming.

Actually, thinking about it, maybe that’s why I related to both Stirling and Tienne so much – sometimes the Salingers as a group are just a bit much. I also found myself paying a lot of attention to Grace and worrying about him. His worry that he might become superfluous to Josh now that the young man is truly recovering touched my heart so much and I felt for him.

The love-making scenes were incredibly sweet whilst also being utterly filthy,and I adore the thought of Stirling researching all of the things he wanted to do and then putting his research into practice. The bad guys get their comeuppance in the best way, and the whole story was completely and utterly as described – think Guy Ritchie movie, or Ocean’s Eleven if that isn’t ageing me too much!

If you want a story that keeps you fully engaged, cheering, laughing and crying, then you can’t go wrong with picking up one of the Long Con Adventure stories and this is a worthy addition.

I received an ARC from the author.

The Alien Emissary by Eryn Ivers (Interspecies Alliances #0.5)

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Title: ⟫ The Alien Emissary (Interspecies Alliances #0.5)

Author: ⟫ Eryn Ivers

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ The metal tentacles tightened around Bryant’s wrists and for the first time in years he finally felt…safe.

When Bryant breaks into the ship of a powerful Qeshian emissary, he knows he might get caught. But he needs the money to save his daughter, and for her anything is worth the risk.

What Bryant doesn’t know is that Emissary Serihk can see everything that happens on his ship, and he’s got enough flex metal tentacles packed into its every nook and cranny to do something about it.

But when Serihk has Bryant bound and kneeling on the floor, the feelings the human brings out in him are far from vengeful..

Review: ⟫ This novella was sexy and sweet and an excellent introduction to the series. It includes a very interesting take on tentacle sex whilst also having a very human element to it.

Bryant’s reasons for doing what he’s doing set the scene very clearly for how much his daughter means to him – there isn’t much he wouldn’t do for her, and it’s been a weight on his shoulders for so long. Letting go – thinking that he has nothing to fight for any longer – frees him in ways he could never have imagined and he discovers something in Serihk he could never have even dreamed of.

Although we learn less about Serihk, what we do know shows him to be good. He has never felt the way that Bryant makes him feel and he struggles trying to find a way to show that – misunderstandings between the two of them make for some pining that is really sweet.

The side characters – Serihk’s bodyguard and Bryant’s daughter – are delightful, and I really enjoyed reading this story. The sex was tender, alien with more than a hint of BDSM, and I was fascinated by the idea of the entire ship being an extension of Serihk. This is the introduction to a series and I will be keeping an eye out for the following stories.

I received an ARC from GRR.