Ash on the Tongue by Lee McCormick (Mayhem Manuscripts Season one : 1nf3ction Book #1)

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Ash on the Tongue
AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Mayhem Manuscripts Season One : 1nf3ction Book #1
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Humans were always monsters, the rain just gave them an excuse.

Aubrey

The infected didn’t break me. They didn’t capture me for experiments and use me like an object. Humanity made me into the monster I am.

I’m reckless because it makes me feel alive, careless because I’m addicted to pain. And I’m dangerous because I’ve got nothing left to live for.

Nothing, until I meet a raider who seems to see right through me… who demands I do the one thing I said I’d never do again.

Let him in.

Phoenix

My mother left me to die on streets flooded with crimson rain. From the time I was born, all I’ve known is betrayal.

Now all I know is my pack. We take what we want when we want. We survive and we thrive because we know humans are as bad as the infected, and in this world, you eat or get eaten.

When I find a man who seems like he’s got a death wish… I know he’s mine. His reluctance makes me crave him. His defiance makes me burn like the fire in his eyes.

I’ve never wanted anything the way I want him. I need to know if his blood runs as red as the rain.

Ash on the Tongue is a Dual POV MM dystopian dark romance, and part of the 1nf3ction multi-author series. It features a man broken by the world around him and a raider who thrives on his chaos. Expect dark situations, high heat, and two men willing to burn down the world to keep what’s theirs.

REVIEW: ⟫ Whoa, I was not expecting this! A whole new world, where crimson rain has effected humanity in many different, horrendous ways and the discovery that often the monsters are human.

Both Phoenix and Aubrey were just walking red flags – they had been through so much individually, and the world in which they lived wasn’t set up for soft or kind. But somehow, the two of them together managed to look beyond the external scars and the things they had done to survive to the person underneath. This was beautiful – also dark as heck, occasionally made me gasp (seriously, read the warnings because I didn’t have cannibalism on my bingo card for reading romance), brutal and yet there was an underlying desperate need for family, connection and love. I seriously loved reading this one and am looking forward to reading more in the series. I haven’t really enjoyed reading McCormick’s collaborations with R S McKensie so it felt really good to return to their books and find myself turning pages with anticipation for what they were coming up with next. Yeah, this series could be seriously good – fingers crossed for the second book in the series!

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!

Claimed by the Orc Lord by Lee McCormick

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Claimed by the Orc Lord
AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick
SERIES: ⟫Orc Mate Selection #2

RATING: ⟫ DNF

BLURB: ⟫ Kai

When my best friend goes missing, it’s up to me to find him. There’s always been stories of people in Destiny entering the woods and never coming out, but we never thought it would happen to us. That is, until I walk through a cave and find myself stepping into a different world with no way home.

Nash

I’ve always believed my mate would find me. I just never thought he would come in the form of a tall, clumsy human who seems incapable of taking care of himself when he stumbles into my world.

From the moment I set eyes on him, I know he’s mine. Now, I have to convince a man who insists he only likes human females that he’s an Orc Lord’s Mate.

Claimed by the Orc Lord is book two in the multi-author series, Orc Mate Selection. Expect high heat, a sweet himbo who goes through a shocking bi-awakening, and the Orc Lord who will do anything to make sure he has his mate.

While this book can be read as a standalone, the series is best read in order.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is a did not finish for me. Normally, this author is an absolute must-buy but I couldn’t seem to connect with the story at all and had to give up. I think it’s most definitely me and not the writing!

Blitz’d by Lee McCormick & RS McKenzie (Evergreen University #1)

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Blitz’d
AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick & RS McKenzie

SERIES: ⟫ Evergreen University #1
RATING: ⟫ DNF

BLURB: ⟫ Zander

Kissing my rival shouldn’t have felt so good.

Finding out my girlfriend has been cheating on me for months makes me do something crazy: kiss my rival to make her jealous. I wasn’t supposed to like kissing Kerian Slade. He’s a psycho who demands things of me…things I shouldn’t want. But there’s something about Kerian that draws me in, and now that I’m caught in his web, he won’t let me go.

Kerian

The number one rule: don’t care about people.

Caring is a distraction, and emotions are messy… and messy is something I hate. Which is why I’m confused when the messiest player I’ve ever met—my rival—kisses me and turns my world on its head. Zander Braithe is sweet, emotional, and straight. That doesn’t stop him from coming back for more, and that doesn’t stop me from realizing I’ll burn the world down to make him mine.

Blitz’d is a dark themed MM romance between two rival football quarterbacks and a kiss that changes everything. It contains high heat, unexpected sweetness and a possessive quarterback that thinks stalking is a love language and a NFL hopeful that wants to love him despite his initial misgivings.

REVIEW: ⟫ I love a dark MM romance and thought this sounded like just my kind of book. Unfortunately, I found myself disliking both of the MMCs and the way the premise came about was just too much for me. I hate not finishing books which is why this has carried over for about three months but I think it’s time for me to admit that I’m not going to finish it. YMMV.

Always Watching by Lee McCormick and RS McKenzie (Always Book #1)

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Always Watching

AUTHORS: ⟫ Lee McCormick & RS McKenzie

SERIES: ⟫ Always Book #1
RATING: ⟫ DNF

BLURB: ⟫ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴꜱ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ꜱᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴍʙᴏʏ ɪꜱ ʜɪꜱ?

ℝ𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕟

My life has become a nightmare. A stalker intent on having me permeates my waking moments. Gifts and threatening messages greet me at every turn. Every cam session is filled with the fear of them watching me in my most intimate moments. One day, my stalker takes it a step further than words and attacks me in my home. Just when I think I won’t make it, a stranger with a blue-green stare saves me from my fate.

ℕ𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙

I wanted him before I knew his name, and he’s belonged to me since the first time I touched him. When a crazed fan attacks him, there’s only one solution. I move in with Ranen to keep him safe. Now I need to navigate finding his stalker while keeping my murderous habits in check. All I want is Ranen. I just have to figure out how to make him mine.

~~~
𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 is a dark MM romance featuring a psychopath who will stop at nothing to keep his camboy safe from any danger that comes his way… By any means necessary.

REVIEW: ⟫ I don’t know why, but this did not connect for me at all. I love reading Lee McCormick but have read RS McKensie slightly less, so maybe that’s the disconnect? Either way, I’ve tried several times to get into this one and failed each time. So time to add it to the did-not-finish pile.

Love's Ace by Lee McCormick

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Love’s Ace

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ There’s no good. No evil. No angels and demons. There’s love and there’s hate… and somewhere between the two, lust finds a way to thrive. It tips the scale. It burns everything to ash.

Wren — Cupid

We’re created from birth to unite soulmates and stop the monsters that would tear them apart. We’re trained to fight, to kill… and born without the ability to feel the thing we give. A cupid can’t feel love. A cupid can’t have a soulmate. And a cupid can’t fall in love with their sworn enemy, with the monster they’re destined to destroy. Until… Theo.

Theo — Enmity

When the world breaks a human, the Enmity can find a place in their heart and turn them into creatures of pure rage. The world has broken me over and over again until I’m not sure there’s anything left but anger. Hatred. Fear. I don’t believe in love, or soulmates… I don’t believe there’s anything out there that could stitch together the wounds that left me vulnerable to the monster I’m becoming. Until… Wren.

~~~

Love’s Ace is a dual POV enemies to soulmates MM Romance with a jaded cupid, a broken man turning into a monster, and the red string that connects them both. Expect high heat, high emotions, and an HEA that defies all odds.

REVIEW: ⟫ Dang, Lee McCormick did the thing! Not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Cupids and Anti-cupids fighting it out on earth but, my goodness, this book dragged me in from the very beginning and I didn’t stop reading until I’d finished.

Wren has been a cupid for over a century but feels next to nothing. Cupids are not allowed emotions and Wren has become more than accustomed to feeling nothing. Until he meets Theo – a man on the verge of turning into Wren’s sworn enemy, the Enmity.

Theo has lost everything and cannot think of the last time he felt something good. Which is why when his body begins burning with hate and only the touch of a Cupid can stem the pain, he has no idea how to handle things.

The way that these two hated each other initially was intense – you could feel Wren’s desire to kill Theo and just get things over with, and Theo almost wanted to give in to the hatred and lust for violence inside him. But then circumstances meant that they needed each other, until it wasn’t about the circumstances, it was about how they made each other feel.

The tension was palpable, the sexual tension was there in spades, but this entire story was just about emotion and how the right person can make you feel like you’d do anything for them. I loved the lore behind everything (although I can’t help but feel the way they created Cupids was unbearably cruel), and I absolutely loved the characters we were introduced to. This is a fast paced, romantic, sexy, touching and painful story to read and I almost wish I hadn’t finished it because now I’m left with all of these feelings!

A fantastic read and it solidified Lee McCormick as an auto-buy for me. I don’t know how much it fits with Valentine’s Day just being around the corner, but this dark romance definitely worked for me!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Beyond Reason by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #2)

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Reason

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #2

RATING: ⟫4.5 /5

BLURB: ⟫ Sometimes the hardest thing is being the only one left alive.

Axel Fetterman: The Cleaner

Twenty-two years ago, my world ended. I was called to a scene to find the man I loved, cold and lifeless, on the ground. Every moment between now and then has been nothing more than existing between one breath and the next while dealing with the grief of losing the one person I couldn’t live without.

When a man shows up at my door telling me he’s Xavier, I don’t know what to believe. On one hand, it’s impossible—on the other, I’ve never met another person who makes me burn the way he does. Is believing in the impossible too good to be true?

Xavier Benham: The Killer For Hire

Twenty-two years ago, I died. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but I’m alive again. Whatever screwed-up experiment brought me here, I won’t waste the opportunity. I can’t remember most of my life. I can’t remember much, but I can remember him.

Axel.

I’ll do whatever I have to if it means getting back to him, and whatever it takes to become the man I used to be. The only thing standing in my way is the company that brought me back and their determination to rectify their mistake.

~~~

Beyond Reason is a dual POV dark romance with a twist on soulmates that answers the question of how long a man can wait for the person he’s destined to be with. Prepare yourself for angst, high heat, high emotions, and a killer for hire who is suddenly thrown into a world he doesn’t understand. Guaranteed HEA with a universe that’s wide open for exploration! Best read after Beyond Time.

REVIEW: ⟫ No, like seriously, who do we have to kill to get a TV series made about these books? I need this in my life – for science or whatever! This book was explosive from the beginning – Xavier and Axel do not have the healthiest relationship – think slamming each other into things, weaponry, lots of kinky sex – and yet by the end of this book, they were pretty much relationship goals. Alongside Seth and Kade – oh my, my appreciation for Seth actually grew.

Apart from the insane relationship dynamics, choosing who I wanted for the next instalment, and biting my nails waiting to see just how damaged these guys were going to be by the time they got their happily ever after (in this lifetime), the plot kept me fascinated, the ideas behind the science were intriguing and troubling, and my admiration for the world that Lee McCormick has created just grew exponentially. If you have read the previous Beyond book, you know the premise, but I still don’t think you’re ready for this ride.

There were times I wanted to kill Xavier myself – he sometimes was more annoying than Kade and that’s saying something – but ultimately, I finished this cheering despite being sick with COVID (again). Petition to live in Lee McCormick’s brain alongside her characters but not as one of the bad bad guys please!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Under Your Skin by Lee McCormick

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Under Your Skin

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ You’re the only one who can get under my skin.

Levi

Trapped in nightmares from my past, the only comfort I find is in gifts from the man who killed my mother’s killer—presents wrapped in a body bag and delivered to the morgue for me to examine.

From the first time I saw his mark, I knew I had to keep my Killer safe, had to keep his work a secret for me and me alone. Every body is a love letter, and I’m the only one who can read them.

Jonah

When I accidentally leave evidence behind during a kill, I have to go to the morgue to rectify my mistake. I didn’t expect to find a young mortician admiring my work.

Relishing in it. Studying it.

Covering it up.

I have no idea why someone would want to hide my crimes, but I’m determined to find out. What I discover is a man named Levi—a man obsessed with the idea of who he thinks I am.

A man who threatens to change my entire world.

~~~

Under Your Skin is a dark romance set in a world where a corrupt town lets a serial killer walk free, and a young mortician is determined to make sure it stays that way. Expect high heat, intense emotions, and two men who find their own way to define what love really means.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a dark and delicious insight into the mind of a serial killer and a traumatised young man that was just the right side of unhinged.

Levi survived a trauma that no one should ever have to go through at such a young age – not only the loss of both parents but actually seeing his mother die whilst trying to save him. It’s no wonder that his adopted father represents such safety and that the young man has a few quirks. What I didn’t expect was for Levi to be the character who came across as the darkest one – the way in which he views the bodies he works on daily, his obsession with his Killer, his coping mechanisms – Levi could definitely be viewed as a sick puppy.

Jonah initially came across as a more standard psychopath but he had hidden depths. The way he watches Levi and how he thinks of him – it was both hot and disturbing, and yet I very much felt that Jonah was completely under Levi’s spell in more ways than he had ever thought possible.

The links that brought them together were twisting and fascinating, as was the way they moved around each other. This could almost be classed as slow-burn as they manoeuvred around each other. Levi’s integral understanding of Jonah – the ways in which he made Jonah admit things, show Levi his allegiance and his unwillingness to be seen as a damsel in distress – they were all incredibly sexy even whilst they could be viewed as disturbing.

The underlying story about the town that they lived in – the corruption of the local government and police force was really interesting. Everyone turning a blind eye to the things going on was bizarre to watch as I’ve never seen this play out with even our main characters being involved in hiding the seedy underbelly. Of course, Levi had ulterior motives but it was fascinating nevertheless.

I loved the way these two worked together and how they came together – psychos in love is definitely my catnip! But the thrill and suspense didn’t end with just Levi and Jonah – the other characters in the book had so much going on. This felt like I dived head-first into a murky river and was trying to find my way out whilst also wanting to see what was under the surface.

This is the third (fourth?) book I’ve read by Lee McCormick and I am definitely putting them on my insta-read because it was just as good as others I’ve read whilst being completely different. Lots of surprises, oodles of sexiness and a satisfying conclusion made this an excellent read for the Bank Holiday weekend and I heartily recommend this to anyone who likes their romance on the dark side. I received an ARC from GRR.

Beyond Fate by Lee McCormick (Beyond Novella #1.5)

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Fate

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #1.5

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ “Maybe in our next life, things will be different? It can be you and me. Maybe we’ll finally fit. Soulmates, right? So maybe…”

Clay

I’ve been on a hundred jobs, but I’ve never met a person like Jayce Holden. He’s everything I shouldn’t want, wrapped in a protective package that seems hellbent on making sure I’m safe from his family. Making sure I’m his.

I’m not sure what I want… not when my mission is to kill his father, and Jayce is the only person who knows where to find him.

Jayce

I’ve had a dream of the same man my entire life. Sometimes, he’s soft and sweet… and sometimes, he’s trying to kill me. Sometimes he does.

When Clay walks into my life, I recognize him immediately. I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him, whatever it takes to make him mine… even if it means defying my family and putting everything on the line.

BEYOND FATE is a dual POV novella that follows Jayce and Clay into the future for their shot at finding happiness in their next life. While connected to the Beyond universe, this is a uniquely crafted story set in the future to give two characters their very deserved happily ever after. Expect high heat, an assassin and the son of a mafia boss fighting for their chance at love, and the HEA that everyone demanded.

REVIEW: ⟫ I was one of those people who read the first book in this series and felt bad for Jayce and Clay, so when I heard that the author was going to release a novella featuring the two of them, I was so here for it. And this did not disappoint.
Set in a non-disclosed future, Clay is an assassin for the government who does whatever is needed in order to get the job done. Including putting himself into the position to have to handle a serious sexual assault – all in a day’s work. But then the giant mechanic that keeps watching puts himself in the middle, messing up Clay’s plans for getting close to the big boss and suddenly, all bets are off.

The tension between Clay and Jayce is palpable from the very beginning and getting to see what they are thinking through the dual POV is excellent for understanding just what the heck is going on. Jayce has memories – dreams of Clay – that have been going on for a very long time and just wants to figure out what the hell is going on. And maybe see if Clay could be the one person in the horrid existence he is living that can make it all worthwhile. Clay, on the other hand, is discovering that there are things about his past and himself that he has no memories of and Jayce just happens to be one of them.

Despite being a novella, the story doesn’t rush straight into a relationship between the two of them. Instead, it simmers in the background whilst the story of a son desperate to get out from underneath the thumb of his evil father and the government assassin who should be using said, unknown son in order to get to the father hurtles along with a sense of impending doom hanging over everything. The interactions between Clay and Jayce get more and more intense, and things throw us into meeting characters that we completely and utterly hate (I’m talking Nick here) as well as hopefully someone we’ll meet again (Rhys) and this story grabs you and doesn’t let go.

I’m beyond excited for the next instalment and really pleased that Clay and Jayce got the action and romance that they deserved. A very satisfying novella and I recommend giving this author a read!

I received an ARC from GRR.

Beyond Time by Lee McCormick (Beyond Book #1)

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Book_Endz

TITLE: ⟫ Beyond Time

AUTHOR: ⟫ Lee McCormick

SERIES: ⟫ Beyond Book #1

RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ SETH

I always thought my world would begin and end with Jayce Walker. When a sleep study offers us life-changing money, we jump at the opportunity. There’s only one I don’t have insomnia. Bluffing my way in is easy, but getting there and losing everything that’s ever mattered is a nightmare I can’t escape.

Jayce is gone. My only ally is a voice in my head named Clay, who insists the body walking around — the one I’ve known and loved my entire life — belongs to a man named Kade, and he only wants one thing.

To kill me.

KADE

Most people don’t get second chances, but I did. Brought back to life by a power-hungry company, I have one thought: I want revenge.

But… the man I’m chasing isn’t Clay. His name is Seth, and all my years of being a heartless, psychopathic killer never prepared me for the way his wide eyes make me feel. I don’t know how to deal with the emotions still knocking around in my chest that used to belong to someone named Jayce.

They make me question things. They make me wonder if my agenda has changed…

I want to make Seth mine.

~~~

BEYOND TIME is a dual POV dark romance with a twist on soulmates that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Prepare yourself for scorching heat, high emotions, and a psychopath who doesn’t know what to do with all the feelings he’s suddenly being forced to experience. Guaranteed HEA with a universe that’s wide open for exploration!

REVIEW: ⟫ Well, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, but boy oh boy, this kicked 2024 off with a bang!

The premise is so simple and yet full of twists, turns and idiosyncrasies and the characters are fully fleshed out – even the ones that are not at the forefront of the story for long become real through memories and feelings. The idea of bringing back assassins from the past is absolutely genius, and Clay and Kade were the ultimate duo. Their first task is to take the other one out – to prove that they are worthy – but both men have a personal stake in things. After all, Clay killed Kade once already.

Add to that baby-tiger Seth and the depths to his character that could not have been expected, and this book is an absolute roller-coaster of a ride. It’s actually difficult to know who to root for – the ultimate bad boy who decides from one taste of Seth that they are meant to be, or Clay who simply wants to keep Seth safe. And then we have Seth, who seems to be drawn to the very person who wants to kill him! It’s a troubling one – unless you’re used to, and love, the whole concept of Psychos in love!

I really enjoyed this and am very pleased to see that it is the first in a series – I can only imagine where the author will take things from here and I am excited to see where this goes.

I received an ARC from GRR.