Lord of Whispered Shadow by Jordan Ko (The Demon Reflected #1)

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Lord of Whispered Shadow
AUTHOR: ⟫ Jordan Ko

SERIES: ⟫ The Demon Reflected #1
RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Human. Archie, youngest son of a Duke, is caught between his mother’s matchmaking efforts and his brother’s threats to cut him off. Being married to a rich noblewoman would solve all of his problems, apart from the whole not being attracted to women concern. He doesn’t mean to attract the attention of a succubus but when he does… well, possession can’t be worse than being forever alone and closeted, can it?

Demon. Damaris, reduced to whispers and shadows after fleeing the demon realm. He needs to regain his magic, and the easiest way to do that is to steal energy from humans.

Everyone talks about humans being corrupted by demons, but if this is corruption then Archie will gladly forfeit his soul.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is a difficult review to write because I did enjoy reading this book. However, it was something I came back to every now and then, rather than something I felt the need to binge through as quickly as possible. I expected more steaminess and corruption, whereas I would describe this as quite tame in respect to the sex – most of those interactions took place ‘off page’, which is fine but not at all what I thought this book would be like. I enjoyed the information about demons and their place in society, but overall there was just a sense of ‘that was nice’ rather than anything special. I don’t think I’ll be reaching for book two when it’s released but I would say to give this story a try as it might be something you enjoy. I received an ARC from BookSirens.

Disaster: The Biggest Fan by Nico Verce

Posted on November 9, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Disaster: The Biggest Fan
AUTHOR: ⟫ Nico Verce
RATING: ⟫ 1/5

BLURB: ⟫ Live Fast, Die Loud

God built the myth.

The fan archived it.

Then he bled for it.

Jesse Grady—known online as Red—was never supposed to be seen.

He was just a fan. A digital ghost. An obsessive eye locked on the chaos of the band DISASTER, especially its frontman: the untouchable, unhinged Chase Riot.

But then the legend looked back.

Now Red’s face is on every feed. His obsession has a spotlight. And Chase? Chase wants more.

More control. More devotion. More destruction.

Dragged into a world of fame, fire, and brutal intimacy, Red becomes a target, a trophy, a mirror. The deeper he falls, the sharper the game cuts—until the persona cracks, the truth leaks, and the audience demands more.

This tour won’t end with redemption.

It’s a slow burn toward detonation.

A vicious callout of parasocial culture.

Perfect for fans of dark celebrity romance, toxic obsession, fandom horror, and razorwire banter.

Obsession is currency. Fame is a weapon. You came for the show—now bleed for it.

REVIEW: ⟫ I understand what the author was trying to do with how they wrote this story – it seemed to be aiming at being an insight into parasocial links, complete with hashtags and ‘reactions’ from people to things that were happening. I have also been a hardline ‘stan’ of various groups in my life, so I get it.

This did not work for me even remotely. I kept waiting for something more than dramatic statements and unhinged fan reactions, something between the two leads that wasn’t just toxic situationship behaviour and it never happened. I literally finished reading this book because it was an ARC and I didn’t want to give up too easily. I wish I had. I can’t see me reading anything by this author again, at least not willingly. I received an ARC through BookSirens.

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.

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

Bend Him Break Him by MN Bennet

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Bend Him, Break Him
AUTHOR: ⟫ MN Bennet
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Grumpy Goths and Himbo Jocks Hate to Love Each Other

Colton has always walked the line of golden boy meets bad boy. It helped catapult his popularity as the starting pitcher in his first year of college and during the scandalous exposé when he came out as bi. But Colton struggles with the accolades he receives, balancing who he is versus who he was versus who he’s expected to be. Because before Colton was a queer icon for star athletes, he was a closeted bully who made one guy’s life completely miserable.

Isaac hates Colton. But to be fair, Isaac hates everyone—maintaining an icy distance from even his closest friends. Mostly, Isaac wants to shove Colton off the pedestal he’s been placed upon. Just because he came out publicly doesn’t mean he’s some sort of hero. It doesn’t help that Isaac once fawned over the closeted jock in high school. He cared deeply for Colton and did everything he could to please the star athlete, even keeping their private rendezvous a secret. Which meant Isaac paid the price of utter humiliation, taunting, and bullying as the weirdo loner gay guy with a creepy crush.

When Isaac catches Colton cheating on an exam, he plans to ruin his enemy by destroying his academic standing and costing Colton his baseball scholarship. Isaac wants nothing more than to see Colton kicked out of campus. But when the jock offers to do anything to keep this a secret, Isaac decides to test the lengths Colton is willing to go to make things right between them. Isaac’s over secrets, but this is an opportunity unlike any other. He presents an ultimatum that’ll push Colton to the edge of his limits. In this sordid hate-fueled lust, all Isaac wants is revenge and all Colton wants is redemption.

REVIEW: ⟫ I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one as I have never read this author before.

Colton was fascinating – a strange mix of confident and strong, along with a desperate desire to be loved, he was a people pleaser to the core. Which was a strange thing to think considering how he treated Isaac when they were young teenagers together. It was fascinating watching as his inner sub came out, along with bratty tendencies, and ultimately the ability to become his true self.

I loved Isaac – I loved the fact that even though he hated Colton initially, he still had reservations about what he was doing, as well as a strong ‘moral’ core whereby he went scorched earth on anyone who upset Colton. Their relationship was interesting from the perspective that Isaac didn’t take it easy on Colton – sexually and academically – yet insisted that he didn’t care whilst sorting out Colton’s schedule, making sure he ate well and ultimately giving him a found family through the GSA.

The sex scenes were frequent and hot; I’m going to give a trigger warning for planned assault and some homophobia displayed by Colton’s team mates. I’m pleased that I took a chance on an author I’d never read before and have already downloaded another book!

I received an ARC from BookSirens.

Sweat by Jonah Yorke

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Sweat
AUTHOR: ⟫ Jonah Yorke
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Tommy

I should hate Rowan Hughes. He was a bully when we were kids, and now I find out he’s messed around with my girlfriend. But how can I hate the campus soccer star when he’s everything I’ve always wanted to be?

With my reputation on the line, I can’t let Rowan get away with humiliating me in front of people I know—people we both go to school with.

When he swears he didn’t know Annalese was my girlfriend, I actually believe him. When he says I’m good enough to play beside him, I want to believe that too. But when he insists he’s not gay, all I want is to prove him wrong.

Rowan

I made one dumb decision at a party, and now Tommy Mathison thinks I’m into his girl. He couldn’t be more wrong, but it’s not because I’m gay. It’s because I’m weak. Now I’ve got a beefed-up babyface’s knuckle prints bruising the side of my face, and I can’t get him out of my head.

Tommy isn’t weak, and he may just be the missing piece my team needs to win a championship before I go pro. I don’t know why he quit soccer after high school, but getting him back on the field is easy. Keeping him close without losing control? That’s the real challenge.

SWEAT is a high-spice hurt/comfort sports romance that deals with heavy themes related to identity, mental health, grief, and coping with past trauma. This book is intended for readers age 18 and up.

REVIEW: ⟫ There is very little about this story that makes it seem like a debut novel – I am extremely impressed with this.

Tommy doesn’t have the best life – his sister is struggling from cancer, his Mother is stoic and blunt, and college isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And don’t even get him started on his long-term girlfriend who has cheated on him – again! But this time she’s cheated with someone Tommy knows – and hates.

Rowan honestly broke my heart. I thought all of my sympathies would be with Tommy, but the more into the book I got, the more I just wanted to give Rowan a huge hug and tell him that he wasn’t alone. He felt his only worth was in how he played soccer – finding love wasn’t on the cards for him.

Until Tommy barrels back into his life with a punch, somehow pushing all of Rowan’s buttons and making him face things about himself that he had managed to keep relatively pushed down. Perhaps the story could have been edited to be a bit shorter – we get a lot of training and football, and for a little while I wondered where the story was going. The relationship between Tommy and Rowan was actually really beautiful – the way that their broken edges fit together so well, how they grew to understand each other – was masterfully handled. There was a scene after a soccer match where I literally gasped out loud and clutched my pearls, terrified for what it meant for our boys.

The angst was handled so well – Erica deserves a special mention for making the decision to handle things on her own terms – and the characters were all ‘real’ people. There were no caricatures, obvious ‘bad’ guys or anything like that. The team mates were funny, entertaining and ultimately supportive and I enjoyed the banter and felt it was realistic. I will definitely keep an eye out for the next book in the series and am so pleased that I picked this up.

I received an ARC from BookSirens.

April 2025 ⟫ Book Reviews Round Up

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Book_Endz

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 Other Half of Me by Aiden Wilde (Straight Friends Fall in Love #1)

Posted on April 27, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ The Other Half of Me
AUTHOR: ⟫ Aiden Wilde

SERIES: ⟫Straight Friends Fall in Love #1
RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ MATTY

We hadn’t spoken for years. Then, out of the blue, Chad messages me. He’s getting divorced. He needs to get away.

Did I want to go camping with him again, like we did when we were young? Is he forgetting what happened between us before, why we stopped speaking in the first place?

CHAD

People think I am the straightest of straight guys, the bro-est of the bros.

Kara wanting to divorce me wrecked my heart. I just need to get away, two old friends, the sun on our skin, hiking, fishing, swimming in the river.

But when he reminded me of what happened between us before, I felt new things.

He was always the half other of me, but can he make me whole?

Sometimes, a love comes along that will make you change how the world sees you, and how you see yourself.

THE OTHER HALF OF ME is a steamy, high-quality MM gay romance with a theme of straight guys secretly falling in love, and old friends becoming lovers, with a straight-to-gay / gay-for-you trope.

If you love sexy but emotionally satisfying journeys of romantic self-discovery (some angst), as well as beautiful writing and all the classic romance beats with a happy-ever-after ending (HEA), then this novel is for you.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a quick, easy read – I haven’t read anything else by the author that I can remember so I went into it with no preconceptions. I must admit, I didn’t like Chad – I didn’t like the fact that he only reached out to Matty because he was getting divorced; I didn’t like the whole frat-boy jock thing that he had going on, and he came across as really conceited, even when he was being self-deprecating. Matty, on the other hand, came across as more than a little beaten down by life – being scared of his sexual orientation during his formative years meant that he wasn’t sure who he was apart from being Dylan’s father. I felt that he was possibly too easy going – Chad basically just asked for anything and Matty gave it over.

Matty’s mother was the ‘bad’ guy with her attitude towards homosexuality and, although she redeemed herself slightly with her love for Dylan, she wasn’t a character I enjoyed reading. I think that I could quite enjoy reading more of this series – I like the gay-for-you trope when it’s handled well so I will look out for more by this author.

I received an ARC from BookSirens.