August 2025 Book Reviews Round Up

Posted on September 1, 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 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

Taste of Blood by A.J. Church (Cord & Asher Book #1)

Posted on August 31, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Taste of Blood
AUTHOR: ⟫ A.J. Church

SERIES: ⟫ Cord & Asher Book #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Forever is a long time for a vampire.

I always thought Asher Winston was my forever.
That’s why cutting him out of my life was like cutting off a limb.
But it had to be done.
If I’d stayed, we would have killed each other.
For ten years I avoided him.
Going through the motions.
Empty and alone.
And then that chance meeting on the street.
Now I’m caught in his web again.
I know where this will lead, but I don’t have the strength to end it.
Because as much as I hate it, the only time I can breathe is when he’s near me.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book by A.J. Church that I have read and the premise sounded fascinating. I would say that because Cord and Asher were lovers in the past, the author threw us straight into the meat of the story, with the romance/relationship playing out against the background of a new threat to the vampires of the Crimson Guild. It’s difficult to tell which people we are meant to be rooting for – Dante is an arrogant user, Cord is confusing in the way he pushes and pulls with Asher, and Asher – I can’t put my finger on it. I understand that he loves Cord and wants to be with him, but I don’t understand why he didn’t try to fix things over the ten years that they have been estranged.

There were some pretty heavy descriptions of torture and bloodshed above the whole vampire thing meant that I was taken by surprise a few times – normally, such things aren’t quite as graphic. I’m very glad I knew that this ended on a cliffhanger otherwise I would be seriously ticked off. I am looking forward to part two and hope that it fulfils the promise in this.

Possibly too much ‘filler’ in this book – sometimes it felt like things were very stalled in the investigations, but I would also say that it made it easy to appreciate Cord’s frustration with how things were going. The cliffhanger itself did it’s job – I definitely want to know what happens next! I received an ARC from BookSirens.

Wilde’s End by Saxon James (The Wilde Men #1)

Posted on August 30, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Wilde’s End
AUTHOR: ⟫ Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ The Wilde Men #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Hudson

Give me the smallest reason to make a bad decision, and I’ll jump in with both feet. Case in point: thinking that drunkenly buying an abandoned town with my brothers is a good idea.
As builders, we plan to renovate and flip the town, maybe turn it into something worth seeing, but the longer we’re here, the more things feel … off.
It’s not until a bearded mountain man breaks into my room in the middle of the night and threatens for us to get out of his town that I realize Wilde’s End isn’t as abandoned as we were told.
But there’s nothing waiting for me in the life I left behind, and in making his demands, Wilde has accidentally tapped into my competitive side.
Terrible decisions? Me?
Wilde can bring it on.

Wilde

I escaped to Wilde’s End twenty years ago, and since then I’ve dedicated my life to the town and the people who live there. Because if I focus on others, I don’t have the time or energy to face everything I’ve been running from.
The Bellamy brothers coming to town is like three horsemen of the goddamn apocalypse. They leave destruction in their wake, and when the eldest, Hudson, ignores my very kind request to leave, it’s time to take things into my own hands. Protecting this town is all I know how to do.
But I’ve never faced someone like Hudson.
His stubbornness matches mine, and his attitude has an irritating way of worming under my skin. The more I push him, the harder he pushes back, until we’re locked in a game neither of us will walk away from.
With his smart mouth, bullheaded recklessness and those damn eyelashes I’m starting to question whether I can win this one.
But if I lose, this town isn’t the only thing on the line.

REVIEW: ⟫ I’m struggling a little with this review. At the beginning, I was devouring this book – Wilde was fascinating, as was Wilde’s End and the Bellamy brothers were entertaining. However, the relationship between Hudson and Wilde was occasionally more than verging on toxic and I struggled with it. There was a long period of time when I wasn’t sure if they even liked each other and I couldn’t see a good way for things to end and for them to reach something resembling a happily ever after.

However, I should have trusted Saxon James to pull out the win in the end. I really enjoyed Kennedy as a caring sibling, and the fact that he could lay some truth on Hudson whilst living his own truth was refreshing and just excellent in it’s execution. I am really interested in Kennedy and Ziggy which is apparently going to be the next book, and I would really like to know why Hartwell is the way he is! Ultimately, I enjoyed reading this one and feel that this could be a very worthwhile series. I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon by Wendy Rathbone (Alpha Dragons #3)

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon
AUTHOR: ⟫ Wendy Rathbone

SERIES: ⟫ Alpha Dragons #3
RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ I’m a set-omega and I’ve been sold by my wolf pack to the dragons as a breeder.

My name is Caylen. I’m a wolf shifter whose inner beast is missing. This means I cannot shift. As a set-omega, my pack can’t scent me and I’m officially a non-member. Worse, I have lost all rights and can be sold to the highest bidder.

Dragons are wealthy but omega-poor. To keep their population stable, they have become the biggest set-omega importers and pay the most for breeders.

My fate is in the hands of strangers. I’m afraid but refuse to show it.

On the auction block, someone bids for me with pure gold amid gasps and wonder. What does that even mean? What will happen to me?

MM romance, shifter, dragons, omegaverse, mpreg, first time, size difference, past trauma, rescue, HEA.

Note: This is book three of the Alpha Dragon series but is a standalone read.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was an interesting read based on the premise – a ‘set’ omega is one that cannot or does not have an inner beast. When Caylen presents as such, he knows that he will be sold from his pack and pre-empts the action of his parents.

He is bought at auction and transported to a place of utter isolation to live with an Alpha Dragon who is not only damaged, but wants nothing to do with him. The way in which both Varik and Caylen have suffered was pretty heart-wrenching. Varik in particular has been treated abominably by the people he should have been able to trust with his life and obviously is struggling with paranoia and fear. I did enjoy the relationship that built between the two of them – sleeping in front of the fire sounded so relaxing and seemed to be completely what they needed to let their guards down and see how alike they were. I really enjoyed the relationship between Variksan and Caylen – the respect between them, their desire for an honest connection was a pleasure to read.

I did feel like the second half of the story was rushed – from the time they committed to each other, it felt a bit like a summary of their life rather than reading their story. It’s hard to describe any of this without spoilers and the situation they were in was pretty unique, so I was really wondering just how they were going to reach some kind of happily ever after and ‘normal’ life. The writing style was very easy to get into and the story was well told in general – just a little light at the end.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Pretty Mess by Lily Morton

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Pretty Mess
AUTHOR: ⟫ Lily Morton
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Kiss him, sleep with him, but don’t ever fall in love with him.

The first time Wes Archer steps into Jack of Clubs, an exclusive London pleasure club, he’s completely confident he can heed the tried-and-true advice about becoming an escort. Wes gives himself away for free with casual hookups all the time. Why not make some cash doing what he already loves? And cash is something he desperately needs. His brother’s gambling addiction has taken their family’s home, saddled Wes with insurmountable debts, and compromised his chances for finishing his degree.

Accepting an offer to spend a few hours of fun with a rich bloke will be a simple business transaction, right?

REVIEW: ⟫ Oh my goodness, this story was just so enchanting! Wes and his non-stop ability to find something to say made me laugh but he also made me want to cry sometimes. He was just such a good guy, with a lovely heart, a sense of humour that made me giggle even when it was inappropriate and the luck of a blind lemming. Cormac was harder to read but it quickly became obvious that although he might not want to be falling for Wes, he totally was. The background cast of characters were intriguing and entertaining; the story moved quickly but didn’t feel rushed and the sex scenes between Wes and Cormac were so hot! I read this book in one sitting, devouring it and wishing there was more even whilst I was so happy with how things ended. Lily Morton has a way of writing characters that are flawed and so human, and it’s what keeps me coming back to her books. My favourite is Charlie Sunshine but this one may well be joining the ranks of my top ten. This story left me with a smile on my face and a lightening in my heart – I cannot recommend it enough.

Beyond Hate by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #3)

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Hate
AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond #3
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ The only thing stronger than hate is… his obsession.

Otto

In another life, I’d loved Nikki. In another life, he’d betrayed me. Brought back by a corrupt company who deals in souls and reincarnation, I was promised a chance for revenge. I wasn’t born a psychopath, but death made me into one. Nikki made me into the monster I am.

The problem is, the man they say is Nikki is… different. His name is London, and he’s pure light and softness. I want to peel away his layers to see if the boy I knew—the boy who broke me—is still somewhere inside.

London

My life is thrown into a world of darkness and impossibility when I’m taken by a man who tells me he knows me, who tells me I betrayed him. I don’t know Otto, but something inside me recognizes him.

Even though he abducted me, chained me up… even though he made me watch him do unspeakable things… for some reason, my body craves his darkness. I want to run away, I want to run toward him. I need to know why I’m drawn to a man who wants to break me apart.

Beyond Hate is a dual POV dark romance set in a world where soulmates are real, and sometimes you’re given a second chance you didn’t know you needed. Expect high heat, high emotions, and a psychopath bent on revenge, who realizes the only thing he can’t live without is the one person he wants to kill. HEA guaranteed.

REVIEW: ⟫ I have been absolutely loving the stories in the ‘Beyond’ series and this one was no exception. I love all of the intricate details, the tiny signs that the previous soul is ‘hanging around’ that feed into the story – it’s delicious!

I felt so bad for London and despite the fact that Otto was insistent that all he wanted to do was hurt London, he was adamant that no one else was going to do it. The showing your love by murdering someone can go so wrong, but Otto did it perfectly – believe me, within the first two chapters you’ll already have a small list of people you want to send Otto after!

This was an excellent addition to the series and I very much enjoyed how absolutely off the wall Otto and London were together. Talk about jagged edges fitting perfectly – London realising and accepting this before Otto was not something I expected. This was a wild ride and I may have re-read a few parts just to make sure I’ve understood what happened. In the meantime, I’ll happily wait for whoever is our next couple!I have been absolutely loving the stories in the ‘Beyond’ series and this one was no exception. I love all of the intricate details, the tiny signs that the previous soul is ‘hanging around’ that feed into the story – it’s delicious!

Saving Sparrow by C.P. Harris (Slow Burns & Tragic Beginnings)

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Saving Sparrow
AUTHOR: ⟫ C.P. Harris

SERIES: ⟫ Slow Burns and Tragic Beginnings #2
RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ A missing husband.

A deadly storm.

A stranger he shouldn’t trust.

Miguel Ramirez was living his happily ever after with husbands Quentin and Elliott when tragedy struck. He’s left reeling after waking up in a hospital bed to find both his husbands gone—but only one is missing.

After months of desperate searching, Miguel gets a tip about Elliott’s whereabouts—one that leads him straight into the heart of Alaska’s most brutal snowstorm on record.

Severely injured and with no means of escape, Miguel finds himself held captive in a crumbling mansion by a man he both recognizes and fears. Stumbling upon leverage that could gain him his freedom, he strikes a tenuous bargain with his captor—a bargain that slowly reveals the truth about Elliott’s heartbreaking past.

As buried secrets rise to the surface, missing puzzle pieces begin shifting into place, and Miguel comes to realize he never truly knew his husband at all.

The deeper he digs, the more entangled he becomes in a web of intrigue and longing for a man he thought was his enemy—someone who ends up being something else entirely.

As the polar night draws to an end, both captor and prisoner are aware that their time is running out. Miguel is conflicted, no longer wanting to choose between his past and his present—but he can’t have both. All that’s left to do now is surrender to the inevitable.

Saving Sparrow is book two in the Slow Burns & Tragic Beginnings series, but can be read as a standalone. You can expect an MMM romance, told in past/present timelines, that ends in a HEA. Saving Sparrow does contain unhealthy relationship dynamics. Please utilize the “sample” feature for a full list of content warnings, or visit the author’s website.

REVIEW: ⟫
Like, DAMN, C.P. Harris had me in a choke-hold with this one. The past/present timelines were fascinating, the sense of utter terror and dread built throughout the story, and basically my heart was shattered on numerous occasions. I don’t actually know if I even liked any of the characters but I felt so badly for them – I needed them to find a way to be happy. The subject matter was handled sensitively and with passion for what was the right way to demonstrate what they were going through. It’s taken me two days to write this review because I had to keep removing spoilers – it was an incredibly intricate story that was told and I feel so glad that I read it. I just might need to read some Mills & Boon stories and keep things light and fluffy for a while!!

July 2025 ⟫ Book Reviews Round Up

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Book_Endz

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 Office Bet by Eden Finley (King Sports #2)

Posted on July 26, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ The Office Bet
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley

SERIES: ⟫ King Sports #2
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Fox

There are only three things in life I’m passionate about: my family, sports, and hating Archer Holloway.

He’s the most prolific associate at the firm and out earns everyone at our level. Plus, he’s annoyingly good-looking and is somehow able to charm everyone. Everyone except me.

His athlete roster might be impressive, but his tactics for signing clients can be questionable at best.

So, when the chance arises to stealthily pitch to someone he’s gunning for, I don’t hesitate.

Two can play at this game.

Archer

I don’t understand why Lincoln Fox hates me. Okay, so maybe I signed a few athletes he was pursuing, but that’s not personal. It’s business.

I really do think he’d come to like me if he got to know me. He won’t give me the time of day though. He never has. Which is a shame because Fox is the most attractive man I’ve ever met.

The more he argues with me, the more everyone around us thinks there’s a spark between us. The office pool is over two thousand dollars now, but they’re backing the wrong horse. No one will win this bet because the chance of us hooking up are less than zero. Fox will never see me as anything more than an over-competitive jerk. What a waste of money. Archer and Fox fall in love in this rival sports agents to lovers in this low-angst MM romance.

REVIEW: ⟫

These two were funny as all heck! I loved the dual point of view and how much they thought about the other person, even when they were pretending that they didn’t like each other. I as fascinated by this insight into how the agents work and what they can achieve, and was seriously impressed with how they handled the entire Dalton situation.

The romance between the two of them was well written and believeable – this wasn’t instalove, this was getting to know someone and discovering the things about them that make you appreciate who they are and how they became the person they are. Both Fox and Archer put the effort and work in to make things work out and I loved that this was shown with their actions. The sex was hot but hotter than that was the honesty and communication between the two of them!

It was great catching up with characters from other series (Damon sounds like he has absolutely turned into a silver fox and I am here for it), as well as football royalty still kicking butt in the background. A very enjoyable read and I can think of at least three people I would like to be the lead in the next book which can only be a good thing!

I received a copy from Foreword PR.

These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking by CB Wren (Cobbler’s Corner Mystery)

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking
AUTHOR: ⟫ CB Wren

SERIES: ⟫ A Cobbler’s Corner Cozy Mystery #1
RATING: ⟫ 2.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Someone’s targeting our historical district, starting with Rosie Wilson’s beloved bakery. As the fourth-generation owner of Cobblers’ Corner, I won’t stand by while our community crumbles.

Enter Dominic Steele, a corporate shark of an alpha whose designer shoes cost more than my monthly rent. He claims he wants to help save our district, but his presence sets off warning bells… and other, more primal instincts I’d rather ignore.

When one of Rosie’s former employees goes missing, what started as vandalism quickly unravels into something far more sinister. Every cobblestone in Millcrest holds a secret, and someone’s willing to kill to keep them buried.

Perfect for readers who love:

* Enemies-to-lovers with age gap romance* Small-town mysteries with high stakes * Protective alphas and stubborn omegas * Knotty romance * A dash of steam with your sleuthing

These Shoes Weren’t Made for Stalking is Book 1 of my Cobblers’ Corner Cozy Mystery series. Enjoy the sparks when a spunky omega craftsman and a ruthless corporate alpha collide in a web of desire and deceit.

Single POV (omega) • 20K words

Note: This serial romance book ends on a cliffhanger, but the complete series promises a new mystery in every book that builds on the overarching story, a satisfying HEA, and eventual mpreg.

REVIEW: ⟫ The cover of this book is utterly gorgeous and a big part of why I looked at it in the first place!

I understand the premise of a serial romance book – if it grabs the reader, they will keep coming back for more. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me – I felt like a whole lot of nothing happened during this book and I know the mystery was meant to be ‘cozy’ but it’s almost an insult to call it a mystery. I didn’t like or particularly care for either of our MMCs and felt zero investment in their relationship, especially with how cryptic Dominic was being.

I don’t know if it was my headspace – I generally enjoy omega/alpha dynamics – but this one just didn’t work for me at all and I won’t be continuing with the rest of the series. Obviously, your mileage may vary.