August 2025 Book Reviews Round Up

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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

The Beast’s Broken Angel by Greyson Vale

TITLE: ⟫ The Beast’s Broken Angel
AUTHOR: ⟫ Greyson Vale
RATING:
⟫ 3.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ He was meant to save lives. Instead, he signed away his own.

Dr. Noah Hastings is a brilliant trauma specialist with a spotless reputation and a past he doesn’t speak of. When his sister’s life hangs in the balance, he makes a deal with the city’s most dangerous man—a decision that drags him into a world of blood-soaked secrets, brutal power, and a beast with a scarred face and colder heart.

Adrian Calloway rules London’s underworld from the shadows, ruthless and untouchable. But the moment Noah steps into his life, everything tilts. Because Noah doesn’t flinch at Adrian’s monsters. He sees them. Names them. And worse—he stays.

What begins as a transaction spirals into obsession, betrayal, and the kind of love that ruins men.

But love doesn’t cleanse the blood. It only stains you deeper.

REVIEW: ⟫ I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book having finished it, and to be honest I’m still not sure.

There were definitely aspects that I found fascinating. Adrian was an interesting character, especially with how we are introduced to him. It was absolutely horrific what he witnessed as a child and the actions behind it were abhorrent and yet really and truly fascinating.

Noah I found harder to get a grasp on. I didn’t quite understand his back story with regard to his parents, but his devotion to Isabelle was beautiful and he was an interesting character. I struggled slightly with his acceptance of the things that Adrian did and this could have been explored deeper.

Where I really struggled was with how Adrian treated Viktor. For some reason, it just didn’t sit right with me – I actually am still not sure whether it was based on desire, a test of loyalty or just a really messed up view of people and things. I think that this did affect my feelings towards the book. The sex scenes were hot, with some very surprising aspects to them that I hadn’t expected. The plot was okay but the ‘bad’ guy was kinda obvious from the very beginning. I also felt that some of Adrian’s actions didn’t make sense considering what he knew or at least suspected.

The writing was good, the story was interesting and the characters were a little polarising (which meant I didn’t get bored) so I’m probably going to be thinking of this one for a while, trying to figure out how I actually feel!

I received an ARC from Booksprout.