Review: Prince and Bodyguard (Perilous Courts Book 4) by Tavia Lark

Rating: 5🌈

In one sweet, moving, and foreboding scene from the Prologue, Lark manages to set her characters and simultaneously break our hearts even before the present day story begins.

It’s a succinct , heartbreaking sentence and we’re pulled in and completely crushed emotionally.

I’ve been a huge fan of Lark’s Perilous Courts series since I read the amazing Prince and Assassin book with it’s haunting, damaged character of Whisper, one of the famed Kennel hound assassins who ends up with a Prince of the intriguing Silaise Kingdom, Julien. It was my favorite book, until now. Mostly because of the Kennel Hounds aspect and the character of Whisper who has managed to remain such a strong, complicated character throughout the series.

Stories one through three centered around the three Princes, their magical abilities, and the power structure of their matriarchal Kingdom of Silaise.

Now Lark switches focus to a new realm but one that’s had a huge impact on the other stories and kingdoms. That’s Draskora, an island Kingdom that’s incredibly powerful, incredibly wealthy and with a magical ability for weather. But more importantly, it’s has two things no one else has and everyone else wants. Scalestone, a purple stone that is mined and dragons that need Scalestone. The kingdom that has one, controls the other.

Its people are also known for their purple colored eyes (see Whisper), an effect that comes from the Scalestone. A harsh, cruel place that is mirrored by its rulers, King Imrik, his bloodmage wife, and his three sons, two of whom are adopted through coercion treaties with neighboring kingdoms forced to give up their sons. The other a natural son considered spoiled if a bit unstable.

Prince and Bodyguard starts the Draskoran three son arc.

This is the story of how Vana Kaiskara Tellik of the Kingdom of Kaiskara became Vana Dire, adopted son of Imrik, wielder of storm powers, along with his bloodguard Daromir Azri.

It’s got everything. Magic, dragons, political schisms within the ruling family, layers of pain and damage to the characters and unbelievable chemistry to the dynamics between Vana and Daromir.

The author continues to weave her world arc threads into the ongoing drama, here bringing back characters from prior novels as well as elements such as the Kennel Hounds, and Fellrin fellcats, which will help set up the next novel.

It’s a series that is playing out like a huge board game but we can’t yet see all the pieces. I’m sure Fellrin or Kaiskara is coming,knowledge of each of those places have been very interesting but limited.

And the prize or prizes at stake are Scalestone and dragons which will see that whoever has them has the power or potential to control what the other kingdoms are able to do logistically, monetarily and influentially.

But as rich as this is in details, as layered in cultural fabrication and depth of imagination, it beats at its center a heart that’s guaranteed to make you weep more than once , and then want to shout for joy.

It’s that fabulous a story and a journey for two men over time.

Yes, definitely my favorite. And one I’m highly recommending, along with this incredible series. But it has to be read in order to understand the complex character relationships, the situations and story development.

Perilous Courts:

🔷Prince and Assassin #1❤️

🔷Prince in Disguise #2

🔷Prince and Pawn #3

🔷Prince and Bodyguard #4 ❤️

🔷Prince and Betrothed #5 – Oct 31,2023

🔷Prince of Agony #6 – Feb 29,2024

Buy Link:

Prince and Bodyguard (Perilous Courts Book 4)

Description:

Vana Dire can’t show weakness if he wants to survive the Draskoran court. The only man he can be vulnerable with is Daromir—Vana’s magic-bound bodyguard. The binding lets them share each other’s pain, and Vana depends on Daromir’s comfort as much as his services as a guard. Vana could never risk their friendship.

Even if he craves far more than Daromir’s loyalty.

Daromir Azri sees a side of Vana nobody else sees. Behind closed doors, the cold, elegant prince is kindhearted. Vulnerable. He needs Daromir. If Daromir’s devotion sometimes feels like something else? Daromir must be mistaken. His duty comes first, and he’ll do anything to protect Vana—including one thing he’s never done before:

He’s keeping a secret.

Then their magic bond changes, and suddenly Vana and Daromir don’t just share pain anymore. Each shared sensation pushes their friendship to the breaking point, just when Vana and Daromir need each other most. They’re facing a mysterious ambassador, a chaos-stirring prince, the consequences of past schemes—

And an assassin seeking Vana’s life.

Prince and Bodyguard is a gay fantasy romance with pining, hurt/comfort, and codependent cuddling. The Perilous Courts series is best read in order, and Prince and Bodyguard begins a new three-book arc about the princes of Draskora.

Review: Beefcakes (a Culinary Creatures novella) by L. Eveland

Rating: 4.75 🌈

A sequel to Brimstone, Beefcakes expands on the original by making the focus the short notice celebrity wedding of the famous chefs of the first novel. But while we get those characters and the event, they are peripheral elements here.

Our new characters and romance are fantastically , in a twist, in the “supporting” roles to that event. Ones the wedding planner and the other the wedding baker.

L Eveland really goes all in here with Beefcake and gives us a romance of surprises, depth, and remarkable storytelling. It’s cupcakes, minotaurs, anxiety, porn, kink, and true love. Really, the elements contained within this storyline should overpower each other but instead Eveland uses them to enhance each character’s depth of personality.

The author also uses them to chart the relationship development of Ezra Higgins, highly anxious human wedding planner, and exuberant Minotaur Matteo Reyes, wedding baker.

I absolutely loved these two characters, so completely different, disregarding their species for the moment, but matching in their emotional needs for each other and in their chemistry.

Eveland has two areas of special significance here. One is the treatment of Ezra’s social anxiety disorder. We get to see its origins in his mother’s death, how it took over his life, and how with the help of his therapist, he has been able to get back to running his business. It’s a sensitive subject and the author does a terrific job in giving the reader a small glimpse of what it might be like living with the disorder.

The other element is Matteo’s kink that involves cooking and voyeurism. I really won’t go further with the explanation except to say I was wondering how the author would resolve this situation between Ezra and Matteo myself. What a fabulous solution! I loved it!

I throughly loved this entertaining tale of paranormal romance and a stressful wedding to end all weddings. The only reason it didn’t hit the 5 rating was that while all the other characters were passionate about their careers, Ezra wasn’t about his. He was only doing what was expected of him. And at the end , he was extending his time with Matteo without saying exactly what he was doing.

That left a great an impression of things being unsettled a bit . I wish Eveland had been a tad more finished here. But maybe that because there’s a third book in the works. Bluz, is coming. Werewolf BBQ anyone?

So I’m happily awaiting the third in this wonderfully wacky culinary series. Definitely recommending this and the one prior. Read them in order to understand the characters, relationships, and universe.

Culinary Creatures:

✓ Brimstone #1

✓ Beefcake #2

◦ Bluz #3 – December 31,2023

Note: don’t miss out on the recipe at the end!

Buy Link:

Beefcakes: A High Heat, Low Stakes MM Monster Romance Novella (Culinary Creatures Book 2)

Description:

Wedding planner Ezra Higgins is having a bad day. He’s lost his phone, he’s got six weeks to plan the biggest wedding of his career, and now the minotaur baker won’t stop flirting with him.

It’s enough to make anyone’s anxiety spike.

But the minotaur owner of Beefcakes bakery, Matteo Reyes, has an oddly calming effect on Ezra, and he can’t stop thinking about him, no matter how hard he tries.

Matteo is sweet as salted caramel and twice as hot, but he’s off limits, especially since they have to work together.

Pulling off a televised celebrity wedding in less than ninety days? Doable. Resisting Matteo’s candy-coated charm in the process? Ezra can’t have his cake and eat it too…or can he?

Review: Scoring Points (A Lights Out story ) by H.L Day

Rating: 2🌈

“You can’t change what happened. But you can still change what will happen.

⁃ Sebastian Vettel.”

After reading Scoring Points by H.L. Day, my first thoughts were you had one job in this series , that was to write a book about Formula 1 racing and you’ve tossed the memo.

How did one author go so wrong in a multi author series about specific teams with specific drivers racing on certain circuit’s during a specified season and not write about racing?

First by not writing about the drivers themselves or anyone within the pit who’s directly in contact with the drivers and the actual action on the racetrack. By now, we’ve gotten a good idea of the various teams and their drivers, even on a superficial level, from the other books who mention the same races and events, albeit from different perspectives.

That’s been a great aspect of the series and an anticipatory factor in every new release to come.

But H.L. Day, whose works are often in my must rec list, has made some seriously ill conceived choices when it came time to plan out and write their book for this series.

Day chose to write about the team’s principals. What is a team principal?

“In Formula One, the team principal is the person who is in charge of a constructor team [team who builds the cars] and its personnel. They are usually responsible for issuing team orders and making day-to-day decisions. “

And they are extremely well paid for the job. Millions a year in fact. It’s a job that’s incredibly hard to get and harder to keep.

So Day chose to work the story around two competitive principals. That’s fine , except instead of it being a normal or. it’s all on a personal level. It’s nothing to do with racing but hurt feelings stemming from episodes when they raced karts as teenagers.

Not racing but sexuality. This really could be any other kind of book. Day just had to throw in racing stuff. And it shows.

Keep that in mind. After slogging through approximately 45%, I kept wondering why Day had made the barest of efforts at incorporating any racing into the story. Only Kurt Whitford’s character , at least, gets some semblance of showing he’s got a team that’s interested in racing.

Giovanni Rossi, whose team is mentioned extensively in all the other books, can hardly remember he’s got a team because he’s so obsessed with his sex life, past as well as present, and his revenge on Kurt. Believable he’s not, petulant he is, as Yoda would say.

By 50 % , I’m denying myself the pleasure of DNF, and page flipping , hoping for some racing somewhere in this story or anything that would ground it in this series. But no.

It’s a hopeless mess of two grown men in constant emotional turmoil over each other. Men, primarily Gio who is not a likable character, playing petty head games as payback, who in this actual situation would never be risking their teams, their drivers, or the millions and their careers this way.

Maybe another author could make a believable case for this scenario but Day never does.

Day uses tweets with events from other stories to make sure the reader knows this story is still “all about racing” . Such a format can’t replace actual depths of plotting and real characters.

So in the end do I recommend this ? No. Skip it, and read the others. You won’t be missing anything here.

Lights Out:

✓ Team Orders by RJ Scott

✓ Full Throttle by Lisa Henry

✓ Pole Position by Charlie Novak

✓ Scoring Points by HL Day

◦ Black Flagged by Emma Jaye 6/20

◦ Rookie Mistakes by Beth Laycock 6/27/2023

Buy Link:

Scoring Points

Description:

Can two warring team principals in the cutthroat world of F1 ever admit that there’s more to life than scoring points?

On the surface, Kurt Whitford has everything. A successful business. Good looks. Money. A famous popstar girlfriend hanging off his arm. And as the icing on the cake, he’s just been announced as Nebula’s new team principal. The downside? The opposition. It’s seventeen years since Kurt has seen the infuriating and irresistible Gio Rossi, but the man hasn’t changed a bit.

Whatever Kurt Whitford has, Giovanni Rossi can surpass. Well, except for the girlfriend. Despite needing to keep his sexuality on the down low, he’s not that far in the closet. And if Kurt thinks that Gio’s ready to let bygones be bygones, he couldn’t be more wrong. Gio hasn’t forgiven. Or forgotten.

As a long-rooted rivalry kicks off once more and sparks fly both on and off the track, can Gio and Kurt go head-to-head without the media getting wind of their true feelings? Or is their undeniable sexual chemistry about to prove their downfall?

This MM romance from H.L Day features enemies to lovers, opposing teams, secrets that go way back, and suppressed feelings. Set in the high-octane world of Formula 1, it features fast cars, spectacular crashes, heated rivalries, and of course, a HEA.

Each book in the Lights Out collection is a standalone story, and the books can be read in any order.

Review: Brought To Light by Eliot Grayson

Rating: 4.5🌈

I don’t know how I missed this first time around but I’m overjoyed to have discovered it now when it was re-released this May.

A delightful beautifully crafted urban fantasy story, it has such a great storyline, one guaranteed to draw the reader in.

It all starts with a hitman scoping out his target in a small coastal village, just after Christmas. A two person narrative, it’s the assassin who’s first up in telling us his perspective on the events of that evening.

He’s really not prepared for anything he’s seeing, but he has no choice.

Callum, our hit man, has been hired against his will to kill an innocent young man, if his and his partner’s research is to be believed.

Grayson’s believable characterization of Callum, the tired killer desperately seeking another way out of this contract, is perfectly realized and raw. More so once he sees his actual victim and talks to him.

That would be Linden, a Fae walking or hiding in the mortal realm from the very person who wants him dead. Linden, a Fae cook’s bastard son, has the unfortunate position of being the person named as the being a prophecy said would end an evil Lord’s life. Needless to say, that Lord’s not happy about it. And is trying to kill Linden.

Grayson has written a fantastic fantasy adventure story, one which has evil lords, magical powers, wonderful found family friends of both Fae and human kind, terrifying creatures, battles, and romantic love!

How an assassin and a Fae slay an evil lord, save a Kingdom, and find true love! Honestly, it’s a fantastic story! With great characters! I’m so on board with assassins finding happiness these days.

And assassins ending up in another realm that’s made for them? Perfection. It’s not a new concept but Grayson has done an imaginative and wholly satisfying job here with it.

I certainly wouldn’t mind a return trip to see how everyone is doing. What a universe.

I’m highly recommending Brought To Light by Eliot Grayson for all lovers of urban fantasy and romance in general.

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com › Brought…Brought to Light: An M/M Urban Fantasy Romance – Amazon.com

Description:

A hitman and a fae walk into a café…

Callum always gets the job done—whether he likes it or not—but this job isn’t like any other. The target’s too young and pretty for comfort, and the clients are offering more threats than cash. And either the target poisoned his hot chocolate or he’s going crazy, because magic trees are suddenly a thing. It’s really not his day.

Linden’s on the run, and the human realm’s a good place to hide from evil sorcerers who think he’s the answer to a prophecy. But his enemy has found a way to send a very human and very dangerous assassin after him—a man who could kill Linden with one hand. He should be terrified, but his knees go weak for all the wrong reasons.

When Linden’s family is taken hostage, Callum ought to be the last thing on his mind, but Linden can’t resist the chance to fulfill his deepest fantasies before sacrificing his own life. Callum knows he should walk away—it’s not his fight. But the beautiful fae is under his skin and now protecting Linden and his family feels more important than his own survival.

A human learning to feel. A fae learning to trust. Can two worlds merge into one true love?

This re-release of Brought to Light has a new cover and has been partially rewritten, but the characters and the ending are the same. This book contains explicit scenes, a magic flashlight, a prophecy that doesn’t quite work out the way anyone expects, and a guaranteed HEA.

Review: Hunter’s Descent (Mischief and Monsters, #2) by Alice Winters

Rating: 4.5🌈

I waggled between ratings because going into Hunter’s Descent, the reader absolutely must have read Monstrous Intent first or be completely lost. There’s simply no way to catch up or have enough information to understand the characters or backstory here to get a grip on the mayhem that occurs as well as underlying serious issues the author has woven through the series and relationships.

Some books you can do that with but not here.

But past that very basic point, this is a fabulous read and layered piece of storytelling from Winters.

Winters drops you into the lives of chimera Lake and ex hunter , now schoolteacher DeClan living their happily chaotic life, complete with Sir Reginald the beta fish and Mittens, the small chimera (it took me a while to remember Mittens wasn’t actually a cat). Back also are those two wonderfully humorous, slightly bent , ok very bent, members of this found family, chimeras Indigo and Sy.

Just when Lake and Declan are settling in after the last events of Monstrous Intents , a call from the DRD and murders of both humans and chimera draws them back into a past they’ve said they’d never return to. Serious issues alert, but extremely well addressed by the author.

Winter’s brings her typical snarky, sarcastic humor to a terrific plot that has elements of murderous hilarity, high suspense, fast-paced action, and mystery. It also brings in hard questions about research, speciesism, racism, guilt, and the inclination to equate anything different as a “thing”, less than whatever is on the other side of that equation.

And while we are narratively taking that all in, the author isn’t letting us forget that at heart, we’ve a found family and couple in love to care about. So she delivers moving scenes of fear of loss, anxiety and despair that brings Lake, Declan, and even Sir Reginald and Mittens, to the front emotionally of the story.

All the elements engaging the readers on multiple levels, humor, horror, drama,action , and romance. Right to the end.

Even then there’s a surprise or two , several threads that are left open, and many potential storylines for a third book. I certainly hope so.

In the meantime, I will probably go back and reread Monstrous Intent to see what things I possibly missed because it’s been a while. And who knew I missed those scamps Indigo and Sy that much!

I’m absolutely recommending Hunter’s Descent but not without reading Monstrous Intent first. Then hurry yourself right on over here.

Mischief and Monsters:

✓ Monstrous Intent #1

✓ Hunter’s Descent #2

Buy Link :

Hunter’s Descent (Mischief and Monsters Book 2)

Description:

Lake

Snagging the hunter was the easy part. Now I have to prove to him that a life filled with chaos, the most amazing fish ever, and delightful me is so much better than normal—trust me, he isn’t too hard to convince.

But when a group of insolent chimeras laughably think they can target my one true love, they have another thing coming for them—likely death.

With my dubious sidekicks in tow—and Declan, who is as happy as I am to run headfirst into danger—we travel across the country to track down why these chimeras are harassing Declan. But what we find might prove yet again that you never know who the real monster is.

Declan

Yeah… what he said. Except the fish part.

Review: Atlas (Mike Bravo Ops, #3) by Eden Finley

Rating: 4🌈

Kudos to Finley for including her trigger warnings at the beginning of the story instead of making her readers hunt for them or discarding them altogether. I always appreciate a author who does this for their readers.

In Atlas, the third of the Mike Bravo Ops series, the warnings apply to a secondary character who’s a victim of domestic assault and abuse.

There’s an author’s note also on a main character’s pov on sex workers but, honestly, I don’t see that a perspective that changes over time due to character development was necessary, or triggering.

Could be wrong though.

Atlas is a member of the Mike Bravo Ops team sent under cover to discover who’s stealing from an owner of a strip club, said owner being a bit of a criminal himself. The job has a murkiness about it from the beginning that not all the team is happy with. Especially Atlas who’s been assigned the job of bartender, wearing the barest of bottoms, and getting groped by the clientele as well. Accused by the team of being judgmental, this isn’t a job he’s comfortable with.

Finley’s characterization conveys all this information well on Atlas but at the same time doesn’t make him feel like he’s being condescending. Instead, he’s stuck trying to figure out why the people are there , their lives and motivations. You might want to shake him but he’s a good person. A really ginormous person. Who quickly becomes fixated on the stripper on the pole dazzling everyone in front of him.

That’s Lemon, who loves the power he possesses when he’s on stage or dancing for clients privately backstage. But there’s more to Lemon, and the life he’s living. Secrets he’s keeping.

I liked the dynamic between Atlas, who seems powerful in so many ways but unsure in others, and Lemon who has a inner strength and power not easily seen but a outer vulnerability and beauty that draws people to him.

The story has some nice details and twists to it, especially in regards to the main characters and their relationship.

A aspect of the story that didn’t do much for me was that element that this job was supposed to be Atlas’s chance to prove himself able to fill a leadership position, second in command to Travis, their boss. Domino, the team member in that role is “retiring “ from their unit to have a family and Atlas is the one being considered to replace him.

Thing is nothing about Atlas’s actions here point towards him acting like he is ready for such a role. Not that Domino acted in the best interests of the team in accepting this job, but Atlas’s had no choice in anything here except go along with the decisions made by others. With the exception of vouching for Lemon when the situation called for it.

So I’m perplexed as to how this element of the story works or doesn’t work, in my opinion. It feels like it was just written in to justify the fact that the author had Domino leaving and needed some additional “framework” for him. Just an afterthought sort of aspect of the story.

The rest is strong, but not without its flaws. There’s two characters left without being accounted for, including one who had a major role here.

Atlas is being referenced as the third book of three but it in no way feels like a finale, especially with those loose ends left dangling at the end of this story.

Also there’s still so many men of Bravo Ops without partners. Like Zeus, Decaf, or Romeo , I think. Even though Domino was written off due to matrimony happiness and a transfer to a linked agency, chances are he will pop up again. So I’ve no idea if this is a finale or not. As a series it doesn’t come across as complete.

I’ve enjoyed all three books with Iris still my strong favorite. I’m recommending this series to date for fans of Eden Finley, those who love conflicted main characters, with a bit of suspense and action thrown in.

Buy Link:

Mike Bravo Ops: Atlas

Mike Bravo Ops:

✓ Iris #1

✓ Rogue #2

✓ Atlas #3

Description:

ATLAS

Working undercover at a strip club is not my usual kind of job. If it weren’t a great opportunity to show the Mike Bravo team I can run my own op, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.

When my boss asks me to befriend the biggest gossip in the establishment, the person who knows everything, I’m even more reluctant. Because that happens to be one of the dancers. The only dancer to catch my attention in all the wrong ways.

I need to be professional or I will never prove I’m leadership material.

Only problem is, the guy with the stage name Lemon makes me want to be anything but professional.

LEMON

I’m sick of the new bartender throwing dirty looks my way. He’s as judgmental as he is hot, and let’s just say he’s really judgmental.

I don’t know why he’s working here if he looks down on us dancers so much. He could bartend at a regular club.

But when he saves me from a drunken customer getting too handsy, his attitude suddenly flips, and we find ourselves becoming … friends?

Underneath the judgment, it turns out Atlas is a total sweetheart.

Maybe more caring than anyone I’ve ever met.

I’ve never had a relationship before, but something tells me it could be way too easy to fall for the gentle giant.

Review: Chance Encounter (The Elite ) by Luna David

Rating: 4.5🌈

Chance Encounter (The Elite ) by Luna David finishes out the multi-author series, The Elite, and does so smartly with a storyline that leans towards the dark side and characters that fit in nicely with a hellish city built on crime, sin, and murder.

We’re talking about that dark, sinister city of Old Defiance, where even the alleyways are paved smooth for ease of use for cars and trucks picking up or dumping trash, er bodies. And that most elegant of hotels, The Menagerie, home to unsavory club, The Anonymous, where the criminal members get a safe card even if they’re mortal enemies as well as a on call doctor.

It’s a fabulous theme and David dives right in with an ex-SEAL sniper turned assassin for hire, Tate McKenna, out on his latest assignment when a complication arises in the tiny form of Chance Forester.

I’ll stop here for a trigger warning. Chance Encounter has explicit scenes of domestic violence, father on son vicious beatings. It also contains scenes where memories of past childhood violence is revealed. If this is something that triggers you, then perhaps this isn’t a book for you.

That said, David has created in Chance a person who has crafted their own coping mechanisms over the years, a character so believable in his personality that he’s instantly beloved and connectable.

Another note is about the kink aspect. There’s a Daddy kink at play here, mild bdsm as both sides are new to this and neither one seems to want it to extend past the need to take control of the care of the other. Even if Daddy kink isn’t your thing, I believe you can still enjoy this romance. Very sexy and key to this couple’s relationship and romantic journey.

There’s several interesting elements that include family dynamics, family relationships , and characters which I wish the author (and book size) would have been able to explore further.

If this series had a combined plus and minus it would be that the greatest stories were both too short and left the reader wanting more of this fabulous theme and characters it inspired.

The series is done. My recommendations are marked below with a ❤️. It includes Chance Encounter. Happy Reading!

✅The Elite Multi-Author series (9 Books):

✓ Reckless Roulette by Alice Winters

✓ Leave No Trace by Michelle Frost and Sammi Cee

✓ Ace of Maids by K.L. Hiers (DNF)

✓ Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody❤️

✓ Liar’s Gambit by Kelly Fox❤️

✓ Dealer of Secrets by Davidson King ❤️

✓ Bullets & Butterflies by Maz Maddox❤️

✓ Love for the Reaper by Charlie Cochet

✓ Chance Encounter by Luna David❤️

Buy link:

Chance Encounter (The Elite Book 1)

Description:

Tate isn’t a savior. And Chance doesn’t need to be saved. Turns out they’re both wrong.

For Tate McKenna, Navy SEAL sniper turned assassin, rescue missions are part of a past he prefers to forget. But the target in his scope isn’t supposed to be choking someone to death right before his eyes. Saving some kid isn’t part of the job and derails his meticulous plans. Disruptions to his schedule make Tate a grumpy bastard and unforeseen complications just piss him off.

To Chance Forester, being forced into a blacked out SUV isn’t much of a surprise. He figures this trip to see his father is just like all the others until the usual beatdown becomes attempted murder. Turns out, the secrets he thought he’d been keeping from his father, weren’t secrets at all and might end up getting him killed.

When the heat of Tate’s anger morphs into a desire to protect and care for Chance, will Chance allow himself to let his guard down? And will Tate be able to keep his boy safe like a good Daddy should while they’re on the run from those who may want them both permanently silenced?

Chance Encounter is a part of the multi-author series The Elite. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Anonymous, a club beneath the gritty city where only the elite are welcome.

The complete series is:

•

• Reckless Roulette by Alice Winters

• Leave No Trace by Sammi Cee and Michelle Frost

• Ace of Maids by K.L. Hiers

• Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody

• Liar’s Gambit by Kelly Fox

• Dealer of Secrets by Davidson King

• Love for the Reaper by Charlie Cochet

• Chance Encounter by Luna David

Review: The Star (Charleston Condors Book 1) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.5🌈

Bolden extends her connected football series with the addition of the Charleston Condors, that reviled team that targeted the Miami Piranhas the last season to such an extent the NFL demanded their sale to a new owner who’s done a complete overhaul. That’s the point where we dive into this new team and series.

I love Bolden’s sport’s romances for any number of reasons. She has a in-depth, passionate knowledge of the sport she’s writing about that makes her players, the team, and the team dynamics she makes a huge part of her stories so realistic and compelling.

In The Star, we see a number of familiar characters or faces that are associated with characters in other series. Tight end Landry Banks comes from the legendary football Banks family that includes his brother, Logan (center for the Miami Piranhas). We have seen him before when the entire family came together for Logan in Miami. A huge, impressive figure, a Thor-like physicality combined with a strong, centered personality. He’s immediately likable and a person who the reader can relate to, odd as that sounds.

Bolden’s ability to get such a distinct looking person and make him relatable through his actions and innermost emotions is one of the greatest qualities of her stories. The other being able to get the reader into the locker room, or onto the field, in the middle of the action and plays, letting us feel the pressure, the excitement and adrenaline! During those scenes, it’s as though it’s actually happening and we’re caught up in it all!

Which brings us to the other main character and his complex relationship with his older brother who also happens to be Landry’s best friend. Rookie quarterback Riley Flynn also has major football connections, in this case it’s his bigger, older, more famous and still playing NFL quarterback brother, Aiden Riley. The golden boy who’s raised him and is now trying to control his life.

This entire situation and element is unexpected and well done. It’s tricky because, as stated Landry and Aiden went to college together, remaining best friends still. Now through a series of surprising events, Riley ends up as the quarterback of the Charleston Condors, something his brother is unhappy about.

In addition to the torturous brotherly relationship he lands in the middle of, Landry is undergoing an epiphany about his sexuality. The only “straight” brother of the Banks family isn’t actually so straight after all when faced with a grownup Riley .

Bolden’s storylines are beautifully woven together as personal attraction grows into something more along with a team that’s learning that it’s possible to overcome the past and for the Condors as a team and organization to come together and move forward as a new unified family.

The Star was a wonderful story and romance as well as a great start to a new series. I can’t wait for The Game to be released! I’m highly recommending this !

The Charleston Condors:

✓ The Star #1

◦ The Game #2 – Aug 31, 2023

Buy Link:

THE STAR

Description:

Tight end Landry Banks knows the score when he signs with the Charleston Condors in a rebuilding year.

New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.

But one rule hasn’t changed: Don’t hook up with your best friend’s little brother.

Rookie quarterback Riley Flynn knows what it takes to make it in the NFL. He’s in Charleston to prove himself—to the world and to his teammates, but mostly to his older brother, who’s never believed he could be a star.

The last thing he expects is for his brother’s best friend Landry to welcome him with open arms and an offer to become roommates.

Riley’s always believed Landry was straight—but the way Landry keeps checking him out leaves him suddenly unsure. And Landry’s hot looks certainly don’t help squash the crush he’s always had on his brother’s best friend.

Revisiting his teenage crush isn’t part of the plan. But as he and Landry fall into a rhythm of thrilling plays on the field and sizzling tension off it, there’s no denying their connection.

Riley isn’t willing to trade becoming the next big NFL superstar for love. But with a man like Landry Banks waiting to catch anything he throws at him, maybe he can have both.

Bolden’s connected Football series in order they are written:

✓ The Riptide

✓ Miami Piranhas

◦ Charleston Condors

Review: Pole Position (A Lights Out Novel) by Charlie Novak

Rating : 4🌈

“We win and lose together. “

-Sir Lewis Hamilton”

In this series about Formula 1 racing, each author takes one racing team, a driver or two on that team , the international races in the series , and the dramatic events that occur during that season. Major events, even conversations crossover between novels.

Like the other books, this story begins with a quote from a race driver that hints at theme the tale and romance will carry.

A long time couple is the focus and heart of Charlie Novak’s contribution to the Lights Out series about a Formula 1 racing season .

Dean Williams and Mateo Llorente are established Formula 1 drivers and a long time couple, although only their families and a few friends are aware of the later. This season a new element is being introduced to their relationship. For the first time, both men will be racing for the same team- Cadigan Racing. It’s the team where Mateo has been the established driver for several years, where he’s the son of a legendary driver and the hopes for a championship win.

Novak’s chosen a different format for her storyline that provides a intimate window into the next stage into this couple’s journey, both in terms of their careers and their relationship, as heavily intertwined as they now are. It’s divided by races, almost every race in each country on the way to the grand finale , then a space of nine years as they prepare their retirement announcement.

This narrative formula has positive and negative aspects to it when I look at the way overall book made me feel about the themes and the characters.

I liked it in terms of seeing how each race and the dynamics of that particular race started to change the way in which Dean and Mateo’s were thinking about their own races (each has a team for their own car), their personal dynamics , and the team’s leadership. Where they originally thought they could handle the challenges, each race, each new event piled into an ongoing highly publicized , intense team effort, is starting to get to them.

We’re in as the stress, the constant press, the media attention and wrongful coverage puts such pressure on them that’s it effecting their team as well as them personally.

This feels very realistic.

Another great twist? The team owner, the leadership and support staff? They are aware of the fact that their top drivers are in a long term relationship with each other. And they are supportive. I love that. Terrific characters here in these roles.

On the other side of this format, I found that having the book “chopped “ into so many little sections or narration stages in this journey of Dean and Mateo’s meant less time for us in getting some of the more interesting details in more depth. Elements like Dean’s toxic relationship with his father who we never get to meet and his mother who seems to have been an equally complex person, not quite protecting her son from his father. But we hear about them. They call , he’s nearby.

Another similar aspect is Mateo’s parents who we also know about, a legendary Spanish driver and a French supermodel who adore him and Dean. We hear all about their parties, their passion and personalities. But where are they here? They even visit a race but are “absent “ in the story. It’s people and elements like this that add warmth and a great deal of value to a story and help ground a couple in a realness. That’s sort of missing from this.

Charlie Novak’s style of writing, the choice of story format gives us a sense of how a season of racing for one team impacted the relationship of two drivers racing for the win for the same team. The ambition, the fears, the stress , the excitement and yes the anger and the passion.

What is missing is the depth of actual racing action and the thrill of each man as they crossed the line to win the podium. There’s no smell of oil, exhaust, or burning rubber. And there should be in a novel about men racing at the highest speeds at the top of their game.

The relationship and the challenges Dean and Mateo face and overcome in Pole Position is well worth the read. I just didn’t get as emotionally invested as I was prepared to even as I found myself enjoying the ride. On that note, I’m recommending it.

Buy Link:

Pole Position

Lights Out:

✓ Team Orders by RJ Scott

✓ Full Throttle by Lisa Henry

✓ Pole Position by Charlie Novak

◦ Scoring Points by HL Day 6/13

◦ Black Flagged by Emma Jaye 6/20

◦ Rookie Mistakes by Beth Laycock 6/27/2023

Description:

Pole position gives a driver the best chance at winning, but can there be a winner when a long-term relationship is on the line?

Mateo Llorente was born to be Formula 1 World Champion.

Charming, handsome, and incredibly talented, Mateo is everything a champion should be. Dean Williams has fought for his position in Formula 1 with everything he has, and dreams of podium finishes and championship trophies.

For the past three years, Mateo and Dean have kept their long-term relationship under wraps, but when they both find themselves driving for Cadigan Racing, they know things won’t stay simple for long.

Keeping their relationship a secret is one thing, but dealing with the demands of the season is another.

As both drivers rack up points and the media scrutiny puts them under pressure, cracks start to appear in Mateo and Dean’s relationship.

Can their love survive the intensity of Formula 1? Or will winning cost Dean and Mateo everything?

This M/M romance from Charlie Novak features a steamy long-term secret relationship between teammates, and is set in the high octane world of Formula 1 featuring fast cars, driving at the limit, spectacular crashes, heated rivalries, and of course, a HEA.

Each book in the Lights Out collection is a standalone story, and the books can be read in any order

Check Out the latest Release from M. D. Grimm! A Priest, A Plague, and A Prophecy!

M.D. Grimm has a new MM fantasy romance out (ace, bi, demi): A Priest, a Plague, and a Prophecy. And there’s a giveaway.

“Orcs are the answer but what is the question?”

Elias is a priest at the Temple of the Divine Sibyl. When he becomes lost in the woods after his brother’s hunting party abandons him, it’s just his luck that he’d stumble upon an angry orc caught in a trap. Unable to stomach the suffering of others, Elias throws self-preservation to the wind and frees the orc. Then Gurrkk—that’s a name?—ends up leading him to safety.

Gurrkk finds himself rather smitten by the sweet, awkward human. He’s always been fascinated with his people’s sworn enemy, and now he has a life debt to fulfill to maintain his honor.

Hiding an orc among the temple’s crypts wouldn’t have been Elias’s first choice but Gurrkk is stubborn about leaving. As they learn each other’s languages and spend more time together, Elias realizes they’ve become friends… and maybe more. And when the dying sibyl gives her last prophecy, Elias knows it wasn’t chance that brought them together, it was the gods.

But why?

This is a sweet, ace romance, so no sexy times, but plenty of snuggles and cuddles!

Universal Buy Links | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Giveaway

M.D. is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

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Excerpt

Elias closed his eyes and clasped his hands under his chin, sending a fervent prayer to the gods, asking for a sign. Any sign that would lead him home. Seconds passed. Minutes. He cracked open one eye to look around. Seeing nothing, he glared and set his fists on his hips.

So much for divine intervention.

“I’m one of your priests, and you don’t give me the time of day,” he mumbled as he set off down the left-hand path.

He was hungry again.

Even as he was contemplating the pros and cons of eating one of his last apples, he stumbled around a thick tree before halting in shock.

An orc sat on the ground, his greenish-gold skin glistening with sweat and his coal-black eyes glaring with menace. He was almost bald, except for a spiky strip of green hair running from his forehead to the back of his skull. The lack of hair accentuated his large ears that moved independently of each other. Two pronounced fangs jutted up from his lower jaw, which was square and blunt, and more sharp teeth showed when he growled.

Elias stayed frozen, taking in the long black tunic cinched at the waist by a gold cord. The short sleeves were trimmed with gold thread, baring muscled arms. The stately garb struck Elias, making him wonder as to the status of the orc. Did they have hierarchy as humans did? The tunic ended around his knees, leaving the rest of his muscled legs bare. Also, this orc wasn’t of monstrous size, so he couldn’t be of the mountain variety. He was certainly taller and broader than Elias, but also leaner, corded with muscle, like that big cat Elias had spotted earlier. And his face was… not horrible. Brutish and sharp but not hideous or even ugly. Those illustrators of tomes really set out to depict orcs as the most horrific creatures ever to grace the earth.

The urge to run made his palms grow damp and his breath to quicken. Not that he could run for more than a few steps before wheezing because he was so damn out of shape, and why the hell didn’t he train with his brother? I’m going to die, I’m going to die….

Then his gaze traveled down to the reason the orc was sitting on the ground and not eating his face. Vicious steel jaws had the orc by the ankle, piercing deeply into his flesh. The jaws were attached to a chain that was buried into to the earth. The fact the orc hadn’t freed himself meant this was one of the trick jaws. One specifically made for capturing orcs. The scoured earth around the chain proved that the orc had tried to dig himself free but clearly hadn’t succeeded. His ankle was a mess of torn flesh and caked blood, and only then did Elias notice the buzz of flies.

How long had he been sitting there, in pain? In fear?

Sympathy rose with anger not far behind. Elias and the orc stared at each other, and Elias found himself stepping closer without consciously deciding his actions. The orc growled deeper, eyes narrowed in warning. Elias stopped again, wondering what he was doing. This was an orc! The enemy! The beasts that kept trying to take their lands. Attius’s tirades whirled through his mind even as the battle songs about marauding orcs jangled in his memory.

He’d never joined in. He’d never had anything personal against orcs. He never thought one way or another about them. Fighting them wasn’t a part of his world. Most of his life had been spent ensconced in the Temple of the Divine Sibyl, which was safely behind fortified stone walls and separated from the general populace of the city.

He was sheltered and he knew it. To see such ugly pain in another living creature struck him to the core. That was one of the reasons he didn’t eat meat. He couldn’t reconcile killing just to feed himself when there were plenty of other things to consume if he simply looked.

At that moment, this orc was no different than any other wild animal caught in a trap. And would he let such a creature die so horribly? No, he would not.

Taking a deep breath, and with more courage than he would profess to have, Elias crouched before slowly pushing off his pack. He kept his eyes on the orc and opened the top flap before tilting it to show the orc that it only held medicines, plant samples, parchment, and ink.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said gently. “Can you understand me?”

The orc made no indication either way. He continued to growl and glare.

“I want to help you.” Elias took the one weapon he had, a long dagger, and showed the orc the blade before tossing it away. The orc stopped growling and blinked in apparent surprise. Elias shuffled closer on his knees, keeping his demeanor as non-threatening as possible. He almost snorted—as if a soft priest like him could be threatening. He kept speaking in low tones as he would to a frightened animal. He kept his pack held out in front of him, hoping the harmless items would convince the orc he wasn’t a hunter.

The orc’s large nostrils flared, and he squinted into the bag. He must have smelled the remaining apples, the plant samples, and the few healing ointments Elias carried with him everywhere. Elias set the bag within easy reach of the orc just in case he wanted to investigate. Then he took a good look at the steel jaws and winced.

The orc didn’t wear shoes, his sturdy, rough feet tough enough not to need them. His nails were more like claws, almost identical to those on his fingers. The trap would have been covered, and he’d stepped directly onto the triggering mechanism. The blades had barely missed his foot to cut into his ankle, probably scraping against the bones and tendons.

Elias took a moment to fight nausea.

“Damn. Once I free your leg it’s going to bleed profusely. I have to wrap it fast and tight.” He glanced up and met the orc’s eyes. Grim determination stared back at him and Elias blinked. “You do understand me.”

Author Bio

M.D. Grimm has wanted to write stories since second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things actually, but not that!).

Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!). After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English, (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?) she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier.

Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quests and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain, (or else what’s the point?) finding their soul mate in the process.

Author Website: https://www.mdgrimmwrites.com

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Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-grimm/

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