Tag Archives: romance

Off-Ice Misconduct by S. Legend (Daddies of the League #8)

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TITLE: ⟫ Off-Ice Misconduct
AUTHOR: ⟫ S. Legend

SERIES: ⟫ Daddies of the League Book #8
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Ace McKinnon

If you don’t want me, you want to be me.

Being so popular, my extracurricular activities crashed my GPA risking my NCAA eligibility. I asked my professor if there was any way to bump my grade. Let’s just say we worked out a clandestine deal.

Look, life is short, okay? My mom’s proof of that. The most beautiful female hockey player there ever was, died too soon.

But let’s see … captain of the hockey team, president of Alpha-Sigma, full-time course load, and looking after said hockey team and frat members around the clock.

Is it any wonder I have to persuade a few professors to help me with my grades?

Professor VanCourt doesn’t even look like a professor. It looks like someone abducted him from the wilderness and dropped him in the classroom. His feral eyes give “raised by wolves”, and I might have been the first human he’s talked to in a while, judging by how many of his words are grunts.

This guy is so not gonna let me “work out a deal”. He’s set on putting me in my place.

Luke VanCourt

His body is a conduit for power, all the force in the world his to harness. It bends to his will.

That’s probably why everyone trips over themselves for him. They probably want to be controlled by all that wild power.

Not me. I want to restrain it. Keep it under my thumb. Keep him under my thumb.

My brother has no issues keeping his team perfectly obedient on the ice, but he needs help with them off the ice.

Ace McKinnon is the key.

All I need to do is make him comply, and the rest will fall into line.

But I’ve never claimed to be a saint. What’s wrong with having fun while I do it?

Daddies of the League is a college ice hockey shared world, where you’ll find Daddies both on and off the ice. Skate into your newest obsession and grab them all. Off-Ice Misconduct features an MM age-gap relationship with the kind of possessiveness that will make you shiver and morally gray heroes.

REVIEW: ⟫
So a few arcs overtook this on the tbr pile so I’m only just finishing it. This was entertaining although a little confusing on occasion. I haven’t read any of the other Daddies books in the series, but Luke was an absolute trip and I loved him so much! Him and Ace together were a potent duo and I adored how Luke took Ace under control and made his life better. Obsession, but good obsession. Not sure how I feel about Coach but I guess I’ll find out in the next book!

Red On His Lips by J. Tomala (Blood on His Lips Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Red On His Lips
AUTHOR: ⟫ J. Tomala

SERIES: ⟫ Blood on his Lips #1
RATING: ⟫ 3/5

BLURB: ⟫ “So, are you a witch?”

“It depends,” Lars said, leaning just that little bit closer.

Valerian had thought the boy was timid, afraid even, but that wasn’t the case at all. Or maybe Valerian had lost his edge over the last fifty years and didn’t look scary anymore.

“On what?”

“Do you need a witch?” Lars asked pointedly, stressing the you.


The last things Valerian expected to see on the random inspection of his brothel was a wild, pretty thing with blood on his lips. And for some reason, he can’t look away from the boy or leave him there.

The solution to this is to take him home, give him a job, and call him into his parlor every night, pretending he’s only there to elevate Valerian’s boredom. They say the boy is a witch, and when Valerian looks at him in the candlelight, he believes it. How else could he explain his impulsive behavior? His growing attachment to Lars, the feelings blooming in his chest?

Lars should hate Valerian Wilk, after all he’s ended up in the vampire’s brothel, because his stepfather owed him money. But as soon as Valerian Wilk walks into the room, something inside him awakes, tells him to get closer to the man. Mouthing off to the owner of the brothel pays off for him. He’s bundled up and taken to Wilk’s townhouse to be his gardener, but that’s not all he does. Every evening, he sits with Lord Wilk in the parlor and talks to him. Soon he starts looking forward to these hours when they can be alone, and his feelings for the handsome vampire grow and deepen.

But Lars is a mortal witch and Lord Wilk a powerful immortal vampire. Would he even want someone like Lars at his side and in his bed?

This is the first book in the ‘Blood on his lips’ series, but can be read as a standalone title.

REVIEW: ⟫ There was a lot to enjoy about this book – the vampire lore was very interesting and well done. However, as my first read from this author, it just didn’t grab me. There were time jumps – to allow for one of the male reads to age up appropriately – but apart from maybe a character making mention of months or years passing, there was little indication that any time had passed. The relationship between Valerian and Lars was very insta-love but not in a passionate way. It’s difficult to describe and maybe that’s my problem – there seemed to be no reason why they fell for each other. We never find out if part of Valerian’s attraction to Lars is because of his witch blood; the fight against bad vampires was short, didn’t feel particularly clear and was anticlimatic. I wanted to enjoy this more than I did which is a shame because I can’t see myself reaching for book two. Obviously YMMV but this one didn’t work for me at all.

Bitter When He Begs by Avery Collins (Sinners of Blackthorne U Book #2)

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TITLE: ⟫ Bitter When He Begs
AUTHOR: ⟫ Avery Collins

SERIES: ⟫ Sinners of Blackthorne U Book #2
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Luca
I’ve built my life on control. On the field, in my reputation, and in keeping my demons buried where no one can see.
Sage Blackwell was never supposed to be a part of that. The nerdy prodigy overheard something that could ruin my entire career, so I do the only logical thing. I don’t threaten him. I don’t scare him off.
I claim him.
I tell myself it’s about survival, about keeping my secret safe. But the longer I keep him close, the more I realize I might be addicted again.
Only this time, my drug of choice is him.

Sage
I wasn’t supposed to hear it.
I definitely wasn’t supposed to get caught.
One wrong step. One overheard conversation. That’s all it takes to make me the unwilling keeper of Luca Devereaux’s darkest secret.
Now, Blackthorne U’s arrogant, untouchable quarterback, has decided I belong to him.
He’s relentless, possessive and cruel in the way only someone with too much power and too little consequences can be.
Being owned by Luca might just destroy me… especially when I realize I don’t want him to let go.

***
Bitter When He Begs is the second book in the interconnected Sinners of Blackthorne U series, but it is a complete standalone. Readers are advised to approach with caution and ensure they are comfortable with the listed triggers and content warnings before proceeding.

REVIEW: ⟫ Well if I thought book 1 was unhinged, book 2 basically went just that little bit higher! Luca Devereaux was everything that’s wrong with elitist society – using his money, position and power to make his problems go away without facing any consequences. Sage Blackwell is in the unfortunate position of accidentally coming into some information that could cost Luca dearly, and Luca can’t afford to let that happen.

It would have been so easy to make this a more traditional ‘bully’ trope, but Avery Collins dug deeper and harder, turning this story into a scorching tale of obsession, love and addiction, with a side order of kink. It was too easy initially to think of Sage as the innocent caught up in something he didn’t understand, but the further I read, the more I realised that Sage had issues of his own that made him more than a match for Luca.

The background plot and characters were solid, adding depth and nuance to the story, as well as causing more than a tear or two of their own. The relationship between Sage and Luca was by turns hot, confusing, dangerous, dark and ultimately a fabulous love story, with them becoming each other’s anchor in the turbulent seas they were facing. I think I still prefer book one but only by a smidge, and spending more time with Roman and Damon was fabulous. Luca and Sage fought so hard for their happily ever after and the change in the two of them, supported by their friends, was beautiful to witness.

Now I only have book three to read and I’m sad to say goodbye to these guys – in such a short space of time, they really touched my heart.

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

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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)

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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

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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.

Headmates by October Arden (Inside Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Headmates
AUTHOR: ⟫ October Arden

SERIES: ⟫ Inside #1
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ At six-and-a-half feet tall, Luke should be impossible to miss. Instead, he’s spent his life being overlooked, dismissed, forgotten. So when brilliant, magnetic Jaime starts pursuing him with unusual intensity, Luke doesn’t question it. He’s just grateful someone finally sees him.

What Luke doesn’t know is that Jaime shares his body and consciousness with Alex—his headmate, protector, and the man he’s loved for eleven years. What Luke can’t see is that when Jaime looks at him, he’s seeing someone else entirely.

Because Luke looks exactly like Alex would if he had his own body.

As Jaime becomes obsessed with touching Alex through Luke’s skin, their perfect bond begins to fracture. Alex watches helplessly as the man he loves betrays what they’ve built together. And Luke falls deeper for someone who’s using his body to love a ghost.

When the truth comes out, it will destroy everything they thought they knew about love, identity, and what it means to be real.

An intense, emotional queer romance about the dangerous space between want and need.

For fans of TJ Klune’s hurt/comfort and Eli Easton’s emotional complexity.

REVIEW: ⟫ This is the first book by this author that I have read but as soon as I finished, I went to see what else I could find. The second book incorporating DID that I read this weekend, this book was a trip. I couldn’t get a grip on Jamie – I kept trying to figure out what his deal was. Luke – I felt so bad for Luke, ready to accept the scraps from the table as long as it meant he could continue to be with Jamie – heartbreaking. Alex – who we don’t spend a huge amount of time with – made so much more sense to me. Obviously he was jealous and scared – the thought that he might be replaced was terrifying. I completely understood why the cliffhanger happened when it did but boy, I was cursing because I wanted to know what happened next immediately.

This was fascinating, innovative and satisfying and I look forward to the next instalment. I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews.

The Shadows by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #13)

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TITLE: ⟫ The Shadows
AUTHOR: ⟫ J.R. Ward

SERIES: ⟫ Black Dagger Brotherhood #13
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Trez “Latimer” doesn’t really exist. And not just because the identity was created so that a Shadow could function in the underbelly of the human world. Sold by his parents to the Queen of the S’Hsibe as a child, Trez escaped the Territory and has been a pimp and an enforcer in Caldwell, NY for years- all the while on the run from a destiny of sexual servitude. He’s never had anyone he could totally rely on… except for his brother, iAm.

iAm’s sole goal has always been to keep his brother from self-destructing- and he knows he’s failed. It’s not until the Chosen Serena enters Trez’s life that the male begins to turn things around… but by then it’s too late. The pledge to mate the Queen’s daughter comes due and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no negotiating.

Trapped between his heart and a fate he never volunteered for, Trez must decide whether to endanger himself and others- or forever leave behind the female he’s in love with. But then an unimaginable tragedy strikes and changes everything. Staring out over an emotional abyss, Trez must find a reason to go on or risk losing himself and his soul forever. And iAm, in the name of brotherly love, is faced with making the ultimate sacrifice…

REVIEW: ⟫ I didn’t expect to care so much about this story – Trez and iAm are both fascinating characters, but they weren’t fully on my radar until reading this. The culmination of years of running away and hiding, the story of Trez and iAm is so entwined that the way things played out should not have been a shock.

The background plot-points – war, the Bastards, Throe and the changes within the whole society – were also gripping and there were times when I gave a hefty sigh of frustration when the next chapter didn’t continue from where the previous chapter ended, but I should have trusted that J.R. Ward knew what they were doing. I cried so much during this story – like, sobbing into a tissue as I dashed the tears away so I could continue reading. Some of this story was so painful to read – my reactions to what Trez and Selena went through were visceral.

Layla continues to drive me insane – like, seriously, so many opportunities to at least try to unravel things, but I could also well understand just why she was holding back. I loved seeing more of the various doggen; Fritz continues to be the MVP; and the three menaces of V, Butch and Rhage were in this enough to keep me happy. I loved the further world building, learning about other societies and how they existed alongside the vampires. The ending was relatively satisfying – although I hesitate to call it a HEA – and it leads directly to “The Beast” which is Rhage and Mary who are one of my favourite couples. I’m glad I read this and will consider looking into the off-shoots that have sprung up but I still have about seven Black Dagger Brotherhood books to read first!

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

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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!!

The King by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #12)

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TITLE: ⟫ The King
AUTHOR: ⟫ J.R. Ward

SERIES: ⟫ Black Dagger Brotherhood #13
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle- with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything- and everyone- at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated with the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response- or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out… or tortured legacy take over?

REVIEW: ⟫ It has been about seven years since I read anything by J.R. Ward but when I saw that the series had been adapted by Passionflix, I tuned in to see what they managed to create. Watching the first season of the series, seeing Wrath and Beth get together and remembering my love for the Brotherhood led me to a new community on Livejournal at this link here and back to the books.

Which led me to The King, whereby we see what life is like for Wrath and Beth after a crazy year or two. Firstly, I truly appreciated the fact that Wrath and Beth are struggling – true love doesn’t necessarily mean everything is hunky dory, and it was good to see them trying to figure out how not to lose sight of each other amidst the madness that is their life.

It was so easy to fall back into this world. I did need to think to remember all of the side-players (how the heck JR Ward manages to keep them all straight is beyond me) and because there are so many people it’s difficult for them all to get face-time.

Trez and Serena were fascinating and I know they have their own story to come. I’m kinda terrified to read it because I don’t think it’s going to have an happily ever after but that’s future me’s problem. Assail and Sola were so aggravating and heart-breaking, especially with how well her grandmother fitted into the mix.

John Matthew and Xhex are going strong, but his seizures continue and I was absolutely convinced we were going to find out about the cause but nope! This was full of political intrigue, fighting, sex, drugs – the only thing it was missing was rock and roll! Wrath and Beth together always make me a little tearful – I think it’s because up until this book, Wrath didn’t seem able to accept that he was allowed to be happy, that he was allowed to have his brothers, take care of his wife, and honour his father’s legacy. Somehow, Ward managed to make all of this clear to Wrath and the world, whilst weaving a tale of love, intrigue and happiness amidst the chaos.

I’m trying to avoid spoilers – I know the books have been out for a long time, but for the people who came to it following the series, I don’t want to ruin anything. Suffice it to say, I really loved returning to this universe, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Then I’ll think about tackling the off-shoots!! Hopefully I’ll see you at the livejournal comm!