Tag Archives: book-review

Off Limits by Willow Dixon (Legacy Mechanics #4)

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TITLE: ⟫ Off Limits
AUTHOR: ⟫ Willow Dixon

SERIES: ⟫ Legacy Mechanics #4
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Asa

For eight years I’ve lived in the shadow of my golden child stepbrother. Dex is everything our parents want in a son, and I’m the weirdo who can’t seem to get his life together.

After getting renovicted from my apartment, I’m forced to ask Dex for help. He agrees to let me stay with him while I find a new place, but neither of us is happy about it. Then I accidentally discover that my perfect stepbrother has an online side gig, and I learn how lucrative it can be.

Working together is supposed to be a way to make some extra cash, but it’s impossible to keep things in the business zone when I start to realize that maybe Dex is just as misunderstood and lonely as me.

Dex
The only downside to moving home after college is that I can’t avoid my stepbrother anymore. Asa is one of the most aggravating people I’ve ever met, and he’s spent the last eight years letting me know exactly what he thinks of me.

After agreeing to let him stay with me so he doesn’t end up homeless, he accidentally finds out about my online job. No one else knows my secret, but instead of using it against me, he suggests we work together as a solution to his money problems and my desire to get him out of my apartment as quickly as possible.

I already know this is going to be messy, but I’m not prepared for how difficult it is to keep our arrangement impersonal. And the more I learn about my closed-off stepbrother, the more I realize that maybe we aren’t so different after all.

Asa and Dex’s story is an opposites attract stepbrother romance between a jock and a nerd who can’t keep things in the business zone. You can expect dislike to friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, found family, online spicy times, reluctant roommates, some snark, lots of heat, and all the feels as these two men realize that sometimes the person you need is someone you shouldn’t want. It is book 4 in my Legacy Mechanics series but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book was so much more than I expected and I really, really enjoyed it. Asa is demisexual (or seems to be) and his only experience has been with the one-off with his stepbrother four years ago. His parents don’t care, his mother and stepfather use him as a babysitter and errand boy, and he absolutely detests his perfect stepbrother. Until he’s in a real bind and Dex comes through for him.

Dex gives the appearance of having everything, but it’s only now that he’s finished college and is living alone that he is becoming his true, authentic self. He can’t see his stepbrother made homeless, so allows Asa to move in without considering the consequences. When Asa catches him camming accidentally, it opens the way for the two of them to rediscover who the other is, realise that the hatred they felt for each other when they were younger was a result of the situation, and also realise that the one person meant for them might just be right in front of their eyes.

The camming was hot but it was actually the way that these two communicated, tried so hard for each other and how they became each other’s safe haven that really made this book for me. I quite possibly enjoyed this the most of the legacy mechanics series and I am looking forward to the author’s Silvercrest U series that they are currently working on

I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

Party of Three by C. Travis Rice (A Sapphire Cove Suite Secrets Novella)

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TITLE: ⟫ Party of Three
AUTHOR: ⟫ C Travis Rice

SERIES: ⟫ A Sapphire Cove Suite Secrets Novella
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ C. Travis Rice’s Suite Secrets Novellas are steamy, standalone stories in the beloved universe of Sapphire Cove, a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast, where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their hearts’ desires.

“Jealousy was your word, babe. Not mine.”

Buckley Mitchell lives to put people back together again. The charming, warmhearted EMT is exactly who you want holding your hand in the ambulance after you’ve broken a bone. And he’s just the boyfriend Mateo Cano needs to help him embrace his sexuality after years of repressing his true self. But Mateo hasn’t been entirely truthful about the complicated relationship between him and his best friend from his Marine Corps days, the accomplished crew chief who saved his life during a training accident gone wrong. Why did Master Sergeant Jeff Braxton vanish from Mateo’s life right after Mateo and Buckley got together?

When Buckley and Jeff meet for the first time at Sapphire Cove, a posh oceanfront resort in Southern California, a more complicated history is revealed. But Buckley isn’t jealous. In fact, he’s something else altogether. Something excited…and hungry. He’s spent the past year bringing Mateo’s fantasies to life. Now it’s his turn to have his fantasies realized. And to do it, Mateo will partner with the handsome older Marine who taught him everything he knows in the bedroom, turning their lavish villa at Sapphire Cove into a gateway that brings secret passions to life. Will their wild weekend be little more than a fling? Or will it change all three of their lives for the better?

REVIEW: ⟫ I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by C.Travis Rice and I definitely haven’t read any of the Sapphire Cove series. I must admit, when I first got into the story I thought it was just going to be a bit of a sex-fest between the three characters (which I wasn’t averse to). However, the book goes a little deeper than that. Each of the men has their own issues: fear abandonment, PTSD from a life threatening incident, a fear of being the outsider and each of these themes was addressed in the relationship that grew between them

The storytelling was easy to read, with frequent sex scenes, but I really appreciated that talking was emphasised – we got a lot of their mental thoughts but they also communicated with each other as to what was happening.

The background story about Mateo’s family was a bit irritating, especially with what felt like a lot of hypocrisy on the part of his parents, but that didn’t take away from the fact that this was an interesting, sexy read with a satisfying end. I would definitely read more of these works (depending on the size of my TBR pile) and would say that it’s well worth a shot for dipping your toe into a new series.

I received an ARC through Netgallery.

His Wicked Wants by Leighton Greene (West Coast Mobsters #6)

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TITLE: ⟫ His Wicked Wants
AUTHOR: ⟫ Leighton Greene

SERIES: ⟫ West Coast Mobsters #6
RATING: ⟫ 5/5

BLURB: ⟫ For a man who takes what he wants, desiring the one thing he can’t have is torture.

Nero Andretti is used to getting his way. Cold, calculating, and criminally seductive, he clawed his way up from the back streets of Rome to the edge of the Castellani crime family’s inner circle.

No one can resist him.

No one except Gabriel Carstairs.

Straight-laced, stubborn, and infuriatingly principled, landscape architect Gabriel refuses to bow to Nero’s demands or succumb to his seduction. But each heated encounter leaves Nero more obsessed, more determined to conquer the man who looks at him with equal parts defiance and desire.

Gabriel fled East Coast shadows for California sunshine, hoping to bury his past. The last thing he needs is a tattooed Italian mobster stalking him with promises of pleasure. And as their arguments intensify, so does their dangerous attraction.

But when Gabriel needs a favor, he’s forced to turn to the last person he wants to trust. Nero is only too happy to offer his protection, for a price that has nothing to do with money and everything to do with surrender…

Because some wants are too wicked to deny.

His Wicked Wants is the final book in the West Coast Mobsters series, and delivers a finale packed with romance, heat, and the transformative power of found Family.

***

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 West Coast Mobsters 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.

REVIEW: ⟫ So I might be sobbing just a little upon realising that this is the last of the West Coast Mobsters – that means no more Julian, no more Sandro with his crooked grin, no more Bricker – like, how am I meant to go on without them?

However, Leighton Greene gave these guys the most insane farewell, with a story full of twists and turns, an amazing set of male leads and so much excitement. I was on the edge of my seat for Roxie’s wedding and for good reason – that was a wedding that few will forget. We got the answers to many, many questions and there were a number of people who got their just desserts.

Gabriel was a fabulous foil to Nero – strong, stubborn, loyal and faithful, with a rock-solid moral code that somehow made space for Nero. Nero needed a hug from an early age, as well as a slap for how infuriating he was throughout the story. I loved Ray and Linda (who wouldn’t?!) and have basically spent the last two days feeling like I was mainlining some of the best Mob content available. Obviously, I’m going back to the first book and doing a full re-read, as well as grabbing the extended epilogue offered by the author because I am really not ready to say goodbye to these people.

If you love a mafia romance, with excellent, strong storylines that satisfy, sex scenes that are hotter than a sauna, and men that love so deeply and utterly, get yourself this series – you won’t regret it.

I received an ARC from the author.

#NotJason by Jennifer Cody (Banshee House #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ #NotJason
AUTHOR: ⟫ Jennifer Cody

SERIES: ⟫The Banshee House #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Sean:

When I meet Luke at an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, he’s instantly just the kind of guy I want to get to know better. That he’s the one who asks me out? Well, I’m not going to say no. Our first date goes off without a hitch. He is literally everything I could ever want in a man. Nerd and jock, shy and excitable, competitive in the bedroom yet submissive just the way I like it. It’s not until our second date that I realize why.

I don’t know why these twins are trying to play me, but I’ve got a competitive streak a mile wide, and I will win this game, no matter who started it.

#NotJason is a 35k MMM paranormal romance with twins vying for the love of a single man, a flirty, naked landlord, and freckles in dark places. The Banshee House boys all have interesting kinks, and Sean’s includes the fantasy of millions of men worldwide come true: a twin BJ. There is a Daddy/boy (not age play) relationship in this book, along with consensual and light humiliation kink, and a non-traditional fated mate trope filtered through the skepticism of a take-charge boyfriend.

REVIEW: ⟫ I picked this up to read because of the #NotJason story that I vaguely remembered. As long as you don’t take this too seriously, it’s actually quite entertaining. Obviously the idea that twins are dating one man without telling him could be very problematic, hence needing to suspend a little bit of believe.

I absolutely adored just how Sean was able to tell the difference between Liam and Luke – that was not something the twins could have planned for and made me giggle for quite some time. The members of the Banshee House were entertaining and the story galloped along at an enjoyable pace.

I enjoyed reading this and have move on to the author’s Diviner series based on how much I enjoyed reading this.

George’s Big Day by Mary Calmes (With George #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ George’s Big Day
AUTHOR: ⟫ Mary Calmes

SERIES: ⟫ With George #3
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ George Hunt wants to get married. The fact that he does is utterly amazing and a huge leap of faith for a man who’s always been certain that happily ever afters only happen in fairy tales. The thing is, though, ever since Christmas, when Dr. Kurt Butler, the man he loves, gave him a ring, he’s changed his mind about what’s possible. But between deployments and venues that have to be booked years in advance, matrimonial bliss seems persistently out of reach. Fortunately, George’s friends come through, offering the perfect setting.

Of course, when your life is full of heroes, there are always villains looking to even the score. When the day of the nuptials conflicts with murderous agendas, the only thing that really matters is being married at the end of the day. If George can keep his eye on the prize and everyone does what they do best, it might just all work out.

REVIEW: ⟫ If you are part of Mary Calmes’ monthly newsletter, then George will be very familiar to you – he’s Hannah Kage’s bodyguard and an important part of Jory and Sam Kage’s network from the Matter of Time series. That being said, George is a fabulous man in his own right – he’s a natural born protector who has somehow found his other half in Kurt.

This third novella is George finally getting married, despite what life is determined to throw at him in terms of cartel assassins, his friends bringing trouble down on his head, and the normal shenanigans that Hannah always gets herself involved in.

I love reading these stories by Mary Calmes because they are familiar, favourite characters by now and it allows me to see how some of my old favourites are doing whilst building on the entire universe that these characters inhabit. George is such a lovely man, so sexy, so caring and just utterly right for Kurt – it was a delight to attend their wedding, even if it brought with it the Vault, various assassins and the Marshals service along with it!

A typical Mary Calmes book, it leaves you with a warm, happy feeling when you’ve finished reading it and wishing for so much more in terms of words – this is a world I could happily inhabit forever!

Possessive Puckboy by Eden Finley & Saxon James (Puckboys Book #8)

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TITLE: ⟫ Possessive Puckboy
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James
SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys Book #8
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB:⟫ Connor

Finding out those closest to me don’t see me as the great guy I think I am not only kicks me in the gut, it makes me question everything.

Until that happened, I didn’t think I had many regrets in my life. Now, I have nothing but regrets. And when my NHL team is bought out, and the new owner makes his presence known, my existential crisis kicks up a notch. Because he might be my biggest regret of all.

Parker Duchene.

I made his life a living hell in high school, and now he’s inserting himself into my career to repay the favor.

With everything in my personal life already on the line, I can’t risk hockey too. I need to figure out a way to play nice with the new owner.

Parker

I bought Colorado’s NHL team to honor my late father. I did. Only reason.

Emotionally playing with one of my many high school tormentors is a nice bonus though.

Connor Kikishkin may be the one who made me the target for years of name-calling, but I’ve always wondered if my hatred for him bordered too much on the obsessive side to truly be classified as hate.

Infatuation is probably the right word for it.

Now his whole life is in my hands, and I can’t wait to see him beg for my mercy. Seeing Mr. Popular find his humility will definitely ease the grief from losing my dad … right? Because right now, that’s all I have, and I need to hold on to it so I don’t crumble.

REVIEW: ⟫ First of all I would like to say my mental image of Nish is that he is the cutest Kiskishkin with his daddy in second place. Then I would admit that I binge read this in one go – I had forgotten just how easy it is to fall into the world created by these authors.

When I read East’s book, I was very much on his side with the Connor situation – from his perspective, his brother was completely out of control with his behaviour and utterly unreasonable. Reading this story gave me a completely different viewpoint of Connor and I felt so strongly for him. It was drummed into his head from a very early age what was expected of him, with little in the way of understanding just what that was doing to him.

The subject of bullying was handled very well, with a clear-cut understanding that it’s not acceptable to stand back and allow it to happen and think that you’re a good guy because you didn’t take part. Parker’s pain from his past and his bereavement bled through the page and it seemed like he just needed a really good cuddle.

Which is where Connor did his stellar best. These two together were cheek-squeezing levels of cute, from the pet search, to becoming friends, to how hot they were for each other but the intimacy and closeness of cuddling was also a big thing for them both.

I loved this book – so very much – and it has joined the ranks of the Puckboys quite high. I also fell more than a little in love with Novi but that’s obviously for a future date! A Stanley Cup winner of a book – pleased to have read it!

I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

Ronan by G. Eilsel

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TITLE: ⟫ Ronan
AUTHOR: ⟫ G. Eilsel

SERIES: ⟫ Mate’s Mark #1
RATING: ⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB:⟫ It’s been almost a century since the veil fell and monsters invaded the world. We didn’t give the humans an opportunity to retaliate as we charged in and took over, and I was at the head of the front lines with my sword in hand. A perfect soldier, fighting the battles that ultimately put my people in charge of this planet. Half of humanity was slaughtered, and in the decades since the invasion, things have only gotten worse. Tensions between the rebel humans and monsters grew as the climate changed, and temperatures rose as resources dwindled. The sun scorched away plants and trees, leaving behind a husk of a planet where everyone fights for survival.

The Fates were furious at our violence, and now we’re trapped inside the hell we created.

We’ve all heard tale of the Mate’s Mark, and how we’re destined to find our fated mate. One human, one monster – foretold to be the cure to this cursed world and repair the damage that has been done. What was once the cause of curiosity and intrigue has turned into nothing more than a mockery. Decades have passed, and not a single pair of fated mates had been found.

Until now.

Until me.

Until the night I pull off my armor and find the mark staring back.

Author’s note: Ronan is a First Person Dual POV MM Monster Romance series with explicit content intended for readers 18+. It is the first in a series that will have an overarching storyline carrying between books. While this series ends with a guaranteed HEA, individual books end on more of a HFN basis. The feature couple’s story will be resolved, though there will be some unanswered questions and mild cliffhangers that lead into the next in the series.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book by this author that I have read and in some respects, I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was engaging, with a clear tone for each of the protagonists and an interesting premise. To a certain extent, I found the storyline very similar to the Monstrous series by Lily Mayne, with monsters and humans finding love with each other, and the mate mark as an added bonus.

I did feel like the story could have been shorter – some of it felt a little repetitious and labouring of the point – but the length did allow the relationship between Cameron and Ronan to grow at a steady rather than speedy pace. The intimacy between the two of them built gradually but was very nicely handled, especially in terms of the physical differences between the species.

The over-arching plot of mated pairs was nicely introduced and it was definitely interesting finding out that Ronan and Cameron were not the first and only. The supporting characters were entertaining and I can well imagine at least one new pairing that could sprout from this book. Overall, I enjoyed reading it and will probably keep an eye out for the next in the series. As I say, perhaps a little tightening up of the storyline could have helped but that’s a relatively small point in an overall good experience.

I received an ARC from BookSirens.