Month: November 2023

Review: Next Season (The Elmwood Stories, #2) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.75🌈

I’m not sure how I missed this series because it’s from a must read author and it’s a mm hockey romance. The last is a trope that is definitely a grab and devour read for me.

So even diving into the utterly delightful and charming world of Elmwood, Vermont , via the second novel, has me hooked. Yes, small town Vermont in the fall, check off another box in my romantic fiction lists of things that works for me.

Hayes begins our journey with these characters brutally enough. It’s with a realistic but devastating play on ice that sends Riley Thoreau of the Seattle Seattle Slammers to the hospital. He’s 35, teetering at the end of a long career with a new team that’s not playing so well. And now a potentially career ending injury if he’s not careful about his recovery.

Lane’s emotionally charged scenes and exceptional descriptions bring the reader quickly into Riley’s life and mindset, turning this story into a journey we are on with him.

The choice to recover in Elmwood makes sense in though I haven’t read that first book with the characters that extend the invitation. The need for quiet and a certain environment has already been made.

Elmwood brings not only our second main character but all of the other major characters in this series as well as the heartwarming and charming locations.

JC or Jean-Claude Bouchard, the French Canadian chef at the diner owned by Nolan (half of the first book’s couple), is a fantastic character. He’s too easily portrayed as that “grumpy guy “ because Lane has given Jean-Claude so much dimension to his personality and background.

Together with Riley, this quickly became a romance to invest my heart in. Riley’s story is not only about his struggle to recover but also about his future, and with his attraction to Jean-Claude. The last, he acknowledges is the least he finds he’s having issues with. This is a bisexual awareness for Riley and it’s a good one, not high on angst. But with realistic communications and feelings involved as both men find themselves in a relationship and unexpected situation .

I love this story and these men. For me, it wasn’t long enough. I wanted more of their in between life before that epilogue. I found them and their lives rich in emotion and vibrant in joy.

I hope we see them again in book three. And now I’m going back to pick up book 1.

It’s a must for all lovers of contemporary romance and hockey fans. And this author as well!

The Elmwood Stories:

◦ You, Again #1

✓ Next Season #2

◦ Holiday Crush #3 – Dec 10, 2023

Buy Link:

Next Season: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 2)

Blurb:

The injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…

Riley

My time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the rumors: he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.

Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion. It’s a doozy too—the kind that’s going to keep me off skates for a while.

Which is how I end up in a small New England town in the middle of nowhere Vermont, eating every meal at a diner where a grumpy chef from Quebec makes haute cuisine…and burgers. Jean-Claude is funny and charming and—

Okay, I have a crush on a gay man.

This is a new one.

Jean-Claude

Confused straight men are entertaining. But Riley is…fascinating, sexy, and curiously vulnerable. His injury has rocked his confidence a bit, so perhaps he’s in need of a friend. Any friend. Even moi.

I’m an unlikely choice, but maybe he just likes my tuna salad.

No…I think it’s me.

And though I’m happy to help him explore his bisexual curious side, I have career concerns of my own. See, the things I love most about Elmwood seem shaky and uncertain, but not Riley. He’s solid and genuine. Suddenly, this temporary secret liaison feels more real than anything in my life.

I need more than this season. I want it all. With Riley.

Next Season is an MM bisexual-awakening romance featuring a grumpy chef, an injured hockey player, and a big HEA in a small town where anything can happen.

Review: Wolves Always Bite (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 2) by Lori Ames

Rating: 4.5🌈

Lori Ames has a definite hit with her Willow Lake Supernaturals, a series that just got better with the release of the second novel, Wolves Always Bite.

Most of the winsome nature and endearing qualities of this story are embedded in the character of human Jeremy. BFF to fire mage Ash of Hellhounds Never Lie, Jeremy isn’t aware of the paranormal world or his bestie’s real identity. Instead, he’s a wannabe writer trying to finish his first M/M book, keep a job, and try not to feel like a failure. He’s adorable and the person who draws the reader immediately into the storyline and his perspective on the events as they happen.

Currently, he’s an assistant to a grumbling ill-tempered owner of an antiques/odds and ends shop that mostly sells at open markets. That new job is where we find him at the start of the book. An oblivious human surrounded by supernatural beings, including his shady goblin boss.

Jeremy’s Etch a Sketch sort of mind is a wonderful place to be. Curious, self deprecating, full of book plots he’s jotting notes for, every moment the reader spends with him just makes connect to him even more fully.

While Jeremy’s life is becoming more complicated, Ames introduces a new group of beings that includes the other main character. It’s a traveling supernatural police force that’s got a hot werewolf, Adrian, on the trail of lost artifacts.

This is why reading the books in a series in the order that they are written is so important. Because we know or have an inkling where these artifacts came from because of that introductory book that laid out the foundation for the series.

Now Ames starts her expansions of the series arc and mysteries as well as cast of characters. All roads continue to lead back into Willow Lake, that multi paranormal species town that oozes magical powers.

Jeremy is outright hilarious in his own introductory series of scenes with Adrian and his Supernatural Council law enforcement team of mixed beings that include a demon boss. Wannabe writer needs to know things if he’s going to write MM PNR romances !

Ames does a great job of weaving poignancy along with the humor into her narrative. So there’s Adrian’s traumatic family history to go along with the effervescent questioning and acceptance by Jeremy.

Wolves Always Bite has other wonderful elements. Fated mates, magical mysteries, high suspense, and a author who does a terrific job of continuing the overall arc themes and storytelling from one book to the next, weaving the plots together without necessarily lessening one for the other.

If there’s a quibble, it’s in the “bargain” aspect between Adrian and his boss, demon Gage. While there’s a built in consent clause to the contract, it’s not as valid I find when the person finds a mate. That means to some extent that the initial agreement or its parameters have been altered. At least to my mind.

That’s not addressed in the plot. Maybe it will in the future storylines as Jeremy and Adrian are fully mated with a new path ahead, but uncertain as to what that will be.

The mystery is still evolving, the new group of characters is a great addition, and Willow Lake is looking better than ever.

On to Oracles Always Win in the start of next year. Can’t wait. I’m highly recommending this book and series. It’s exciting, hilarious, and quirky. A definite winner.

Willow Lake Supernaturals:

✓ Hellhounds Never Lie #1

✓ Wolves Always Bite #2

◦ Oracles Always Win #3 – Feb 15,2024

Buy Link:

Wolves Always Bite (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 2)

Blurb:

What’s a simple human to do when he discovers supernatural beings are real?

Ask a lot of questions, take a lot of notes, and try to seduce a werewolf, of course.

Jeremy has always wanted to befriend mythical creatures, play with forbidden magic, and meet his fated mate. Okay, okay. He knows the difference between fiction and real life; he is an author after all… Or he would be if he ever got to “The End” on one of his stories. So he realizes his desire to live inside a fantasy romance novel is a touch unrealistic, but where is the joy in living a life that is boring and predictable and overwhelmingly blah?

At least that’s what he thinks until a hot AF werewolf saves him from his freaky boss and turns his whole life upside down. And his boss? She isn’t the weird old lady he thought she was, but how could he have guessed she is a grumpy goblin with a reputation for selling black-market magical artifacts? Now Jeremy is determined to know everything about the supernatural world, and Adrian, his swoon-worthy werewolf hero, is willing to answer all his questions, even when they make the big guy blush.

But when his former goblin boss kidnaps his cat to convince Jeremy to return the items she thinks he stole, things get serious fast. Now in between plotting his next MM romance and seducing the beautiful werewolf (and not just for research purposes), he needs to stage a cat rescue. Life is definitely not boring now.

Tags: MM Paranormal Romance with Fated Mates! Jeremy has sooo many questions, Adrian tries to answer them even when they make him blush, no cats were hurt in the writing of this book, an obscene number of ‘80s music references, his best friend is a lying liar who lies, his book bag is his weapon of choice, don’t touch the demon’s dimples, supernaturals have magical everything, small towns aren’t so bad, especially when they are full of supes.

No arcs as I paid for my books.

Review: Forever Together (The Undead Detective Agency book 4) by Shelby Rhodes

Rating: 4.75🌈

Forever Together, the book in which Shelby Rhodes emotionally glitter bombs the readers with a roller coaster of a finale plot for vampire Octavius Evander and his now zombified hunny bunny love, Turney, and the rest of the Undead Detective Agency family.

I was wondering how Rhodes was going to pull all the wandering plot threads together and give this series and couple the finale they deserve. Especially after all they’ve been through to get to this point in their undead lives. Does it come together? Absolutely, in a well written and exciting manner!

It’s Halloween in the story (and date of release), so naturally Octavius has gone completely over-the-top batty in planning out his Halloween party for the house, his family and his love. It’s an extravaganza of glitter, exuberance and shocking horror. Not surprisingly, and to Octavius’ dismay, most of his crew isn’t happy about the results. That includes Turney.

Imagine a toddler on about a 18-wheeler’s worth of sugar high, and that’s a realistic description of Rhodes’ Octavius. It would be easy to get irritated by this character if not for his traumatic past history and death which is absolutely terrifying. That darkness and the psychopath who killed him has been a black thread throughout the narrative. That knowledge has balanced the childishness and chaos that Octavius sometimes brings to this storyline. It’s his way of dealing with that trauma and part of his life that’s never left him and what happened to parts of his family. And that aspect of his personality allows us a better understanding of him as a whole complex individual.

Turney, an excellent character, is still reeling from all the changes he’s undergone as well as the guilt he feels about surviving when others have been lost. The trauma of his death, being brought back to life by Scarlett, adjusting to his new status, it’s so much emotionally and physically for Turney at the moment. And Octavius isn’t aware of his issues.

I think if I do have any quibbles about this, it’s Octavius’ lack of awareness about Turney’ feelings. Whether it’s to his new status as a zombie or that he really dislikes being scared by the tricks laid out by his vampire partner, it takes someone else to make Octavius look at what he’s doing or not noticing about Turney. That wasn’t a satisfying aspect of this relationship for me. It’s their own type of relationship that’s unchanged since the beginning but certain events here have highlighted that more.

The side relationships for Scarlett, Henry, and the others are just as important and well done. Especially Scarlett who’s been through so much and who’s independence means more to her than anything.

Honestly, Rhodes has written more than one heartbreaking scenes here, amidst some fast paced action packed sequences. With glitter!

Gots to have glitter.

Did I wish the villain , Dayan, had gotten an even better or say worse send off? Perhaps. Honestly, he was so awful Rhodes could have dedicated a page to his death scene to make it really gory.

But dead he is, happy we are.

And per Rhodes, there will be more stories for the side characters and Agency as well to come. Be still my heart.

So Forever Together (The Undead Detective Agency book 4) by Shelby Rhodes gives us a great finale and launching point for more stories to come. I’m extremely satisfied and looking forward for more mysteries and murderous glittering mayhem.

Not familiar with this series and characters? Start at the beginning and read all the way through for the complete journey of Octavius and Turney. It’s one wild and wonderful adventure.

The Undead Detective Agency:

✓ Get It Together #1

✓ Keep It Together #2

✓ In Death Together #3

✓ Forever Together #4 – finale

More stories to come in other related series!

Buy Link:

Forever Together (The Undead Detective Agency Book 4)

Blurb:

Octavius Evander here. I suppose you have come to see how it all ends. Well, ‘ends’, as in, we’ve reached the end of this part of my story. It wouldn’t be proper of me to move on until we finish it all off, right?

As this is the last book in this series, I feel it is my duty, to end things with a bang! A glittery bang. By bang, I mean, a giant, super cool, Halloween party. And what a party it was… Costumes, decorations, family, frenemies, scares, Turney screaming and clinging on to me—fun times! Not so fun was the interruption to said party. It really was unfair to me. I was on vacation from real murder and mayhem—case related mayhem only—yet somehow, someone had the audacity to be murdered. Inconsiderate people all around!

But you didn’t all come here just for the Halloween party. I know that. There is a certain someone you are waiting to hear about, I’m sure. A certain horrible, maggot of a person. Well…you won’t be disappointed. That issue will be solved, once and for all. The question you may be asking yourselves now is, how will it be solved? All I’m willing to say is, it happened in an unusual and extremely unprepared way. While, you shouldn’t worry too much, as my story, my precious Turney’s story, has a happy ending…it may be good to keep in mind that happiness sometimes shines brightest right after despair.

CONTENT WARNING: This is an M/M paranormal romance book. There will be blood, violence, gore, mention of SA (no on-page details), and death. Please do not read if you find any of the previous situations triggering.

Review: Prince and Betrothed (Perilous Courts #5) by Tavia Lark

Rating: 4.75🌈

Prince and Betrothed is the penultimate book in the second group of stories about three princes from a specific Kingdom. The beginning three books centered around the three Sandrelle Princes of Silaise, and the second trilogy focusing on the Dire Princes of Draskora (which has the dragons and Scalestone).

In all those novels, other important Kingdoms, like Fellrin with its mystical enormous Fellcats and home of the guild that trains the powerful human vessels known as grails. Various characters from other countries have interacted with the Kingdoms and their characters .

But these two Kingdoms have been portrayed as the most powerful and politically influential. Mostly due to their unique geography which affords them their magical resources, whether it’s the coveted Scalestone, or dragons which need the Scalestone, or some resources equally elusive or hidden.

Prince and Betrothed is a standout in many aspects of this series. One I absolutely adore the couple. Forced engagement/marriage isn’t a favorite trope of mine but it really does work here with Sei and Marek. They are thrown together immediately by needs of transport (fantastic), and then by necessity as dramatic events warrant new arrangements.

Those events were Vana’s , Prince Marek’s brother, in Prince and Bodyguard #4, and like all the novels here, a must for background information as well as the couple.

But this is far better. Because Lark goes for depth and development in Prince and Betrothed , filling in plot gaps that the previous novels left open.

Marek and his bond with his dragon, Loska, their history, as well as ability to communicate with each other, it’s all well developed within the story and Marek’s relationship with Sei. Loska himself becomes a vivid personality, a distinctive character with a voice that’s sounds old and otherworldly, yet whimsical in some ways.

Osric, the Fellcat is also a great character, and I could not have enough of his presence.

Lark has a dark storyline that’s getting progressively darker with the ruling King Dire. Each book hints at his and his wife’s horrific magical powers and secret plans. This book moves that arc smartly forward.

However, it’s the wonderful romance and growth that we see between Sri and Marek that makes the story. Combine that with the sort of heartbreaking fragility that comes off that last brother and the poisonous plotting of their King father, and this novel is one fabulous bit of storytelling.

One last brother to go in this Kingdom. That’s the hardest one and probably the most broken, Kazia Dire.

I can’t wait to see how this plays out.

If you love fantasy romance, I’m sure you have found this series. But if not, read them in the order that they are written for characters and events that develop.

I highly recommend them ! Especially this one.

Perilous Courts:

🔷Prince and Assassin #1❤️

🔷Prince in Disguise #2

🔷Prince and Pawn #3

🔷Prince and Bodyguard #4 ❤️

🔷Prince and Betrothed #5 ❤️

🔷Prince of Agony #6 – Feb 29,2024

Buy Link:

Prince and Betrothed (Perilous Courts Book 5)

Blurb:

Being claimed shouldn’t feel so lonely.

Sei’s power isn’t truly his. As a grail, his role is to serve a mage by augmenting their magic. He’s equally nervous and excited about his arranged betrothal. After a life without intimacy, Sei will finally fulfill his true purpose as a treasured, valuable grail.

There’s only one problem: Sei’s new betrothed is the legendary Marek Dire.

The dragonrider prince is powerful, intimidating, and larger than life—or at least larger than Sei. Prince Marek doesn’t want a husband, especially one like this. Sei might be captivating, but he’s also too delicate and obedient. Marek vows to break the betrothal, and he refuses to use Sei as a grail.

No matter how much Sei wants to be used.

But Marek underestimates Sei. Wielding kindness as a weapon, Sei discovers unexpected tenderness in Marek—and new fierceness in himself. But being a grail in power-hungry Draskora is dangerous, and Marek still fears two things. That someone else might hurt Sei…

…or that Marek himself will.

Prince and Betrothed is a high fantasy gay romance, with an arranged marriage, dragons, and shameless displays of affection. The Perilous Courts series is best read in order, and Prince and Betrothed continues the three-book arc about the princes of Draskora.

Review: Gods and Monsters : Carnival of Mysteries by Rachel Langella

Rating: 3.75🌈

Gods and Monsters represents both the beginning and the end of the Carnival of Mysteries collection in several ways. In Rachel Langella’s author’s forward, she describes how the collection and concept came about. The isolation of Covid pushing the idea of opening up the Carnival of Mysteries arc themes for multiple writers to use in a collaborative effort . Then it moving forward from being an idea to a reality.

That’s the starting point. For the theme and collection. Now Langella’s story, Gods and Monsters, ends both the collection, and her journey with the characters created those years ago.

I have found that I have throughly enjoyed the way in which the authors tackled the same themes , taking the Carnival and its magical experience into account when weaving their own stories. Some to great effect, others not so much.

Now it’s the Carnival itself as the main setting and its players as the main characters. To be honest, I’m still a bit ambivalent about this aspect of the story. I very much liked the element of not having a lot of information or background for Errante, preferring him to have that mystical ability to be as powerful as he needed to be in any given situation.

Here by supplying him, and all the others there with specific backgrounds and well defined histories, often accompanied by well known mythology, for me he became a less interesting and less mysterious person.

Langella is definitely committed to her concepts and her plots are well formed. The mythological layers are brought in from the early stages and well developed throughout the storyline. I was interested by this element but not sure it worked as well as the author intended.

Characters such as Rafe , the other main protagonist, have a tragic beginning that adds to his history. But the timeline is so fluid within the Carnival, by necessity, that such usual moments of poignancy are lost in the narrative. It all goes by too quickly.

That’s my main concern and issue with the way this story has been written and the relationships between the characters develop. There’s a sexual connection and lots of one-sided internal dialogue that’s ongoing. But between the two of them? That interaction wasn’t as dynamic as one might expect.

When reading the book, I realized I continued to keep an emotional distance from the characters and any actions occurring on the page. I thought certain aspects were interesting or well done. But I wasn’t ever invested in what was happening to the characters in an emotional way.

And I should have been.

Maybe others will feel differently. It’s well thought out. The ending is dramatic, a HFN. And the author’s work has prompted a slew of new stories, a series of some of the greatest covers I think I’ve seen recently, and a fabulous overall story arc.

How about a round 2?

Missed any? The entire list is below.

Carnival of Mysteries series:

✓ Crow’s Fate by Kim Fielding❤️

✓ Step Right Up by L.A. Witt

✓ Magic Burning by Kaje Harper ❤️

✓ Night-blooming Hearts by Megan Derr

✓ Go For The Company by Ander C. Lark❤️

✓ Roustabout by Morgan Brice❤️

✓ Assassin by Accident by E.J. Russell❤️

✓ Dryad on Fire by Nicole Dennis ❤️

✓ The Extraordinary Locket of Elijah Gray by Kayleigh Sky

✓ Smoke and Mirrors by Elizabeth Silver

✓ You Can Do Magic by R.L. Merrill♥️

✓ Sting in the Tail by TA Moore ♥️♥️

✓ The Black Robe of Flanders by Sara Ellis

✓ Gods and Monsters by Rachel Langella

This cover and all the amazing covers of this collection are designed by:

Cover by Dianne Theis at lyricallines.net

Buy Link:

Gods and Monsters

Blurb:

Welcome, Traveler, to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries!

What you see before you is no mere vagabond circus. Indeed, our show is full of wonders and delights that will leave you breathless, but whether that is with amazement or dread depends entirely upon you. We are unlike any other band of creatures you have ever encountered — and you few brave souls who choose to step beyond your mundane expectations and join us may witness sights beyond your wildest imaginings.

So sit back, relax, and let us entertain you. For time and worlds are fleeting, but each soul has a tale to tell.

For centuries beyond count, Errante Ame has taken his Carnival of Mysteries from world to world and across times, never staying in one place too long lest his great enemy discover his location. Along the way he has accumulated friends and built a family of sorts among his ragtag band of performers, yet he doesn’t dare let anyone get too close to protect them from becoming a target as well. He stands apart, an outsider even among those closest to him, concealing his true nature.

Even from the man who has somehow come to mean more to him than his own life.

The Carnival is all Rafe Harper has ever known. Plucked as a toddler from the remains of a destroyed village on a world he doesn’t remember, he was adopted by Calliope, the Tattooed Lady, and raised among the performers. As an adult, he was given the position of Ringmaster by Errante — though he secretly longed for far more from the enigmatic leader of the Carnival. Despite all the wonders he has seen, Rafe stayed with the Carnival to remain close to Errante, wondering if someday he could break through Errante’s walls and finally reveal how he truly feels.

But unbeknownst to either of them, a traitor lurks among their friends, and unless Rafe can discover the secret of his past, he stands to lose Errante, the Carnival, and perhaps his very soul.

Gods and Monsters is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a mysterious hero, a lonely wanderer, a vengeful god, and a guaranteed HEA.

— Gods and Monsters by Rachel Langella

Review: A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 3) by Shannon Mae

Rating: 4.5🌈

This is probably my favorite of Shannon Mae’s Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures series. A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades picks up after the traumatic events that almost destroyed soulmates demon Az and nephelilim Gabe.

Now older brother Michael is dealing with the emotional fallout from his part in those events. And the author ‘s ability to make the reader feel Michael’s turmoil and anguish is a turning point for this character and hook for the story.

Michael beforehand wasn’t a particularly likable person. But we didn’t know him. Now, through some quiet, poignant scenes , we not only understand what’s been the motivations driving his entire life, but the price this life has cost him in terms of emotional isolation and separation from everyone around him. He’s so lonely. And he’s only now realizing how he got here.

Immediately Mae pulls the reader into sorrowful plight that’s Michael’s story and invests us with the touching journey ahead. That it involves a merrymaking chaos revenge demon, Ari, a paranormal force we met before, makes it fantastically delightful.

Michael and Ari are the quintessential opposites couple that we absolutely adore. Chaos on one side, order on the other. One musses up the need for total control , one helps bring a bit of manageability to utter pandemonium. And we get to be a part of the journey.

It’s a process that happens to also involve a mystery as their relationship develops. It’s a terrific element because it allows Michael to reconnect with his family and become the best person he was meant to be. Along with Ari at his side as his soulmate.

I was just thinking about how much I was connected to these characters, their relationship, and those around them. Mae has done a fantastic job in expanding her universe and overall theme while keeping the reader focused on the particular narrative at hand.

Plus there’s still so many great characters that need their own romantic stories told. Two more are definitely in the works, one coming out in December.

Shannon Mae is an author to put on your list if you’re a fan of paranormal fiction and romantic adventures. Make sure to include this series on the TBR list ! I’m definitely recommending it. Read them in the order that they are written.

Cute covers!

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures:

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades

◦ A Beginner’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Demons: A Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Novella – Dec 18, 2023

Buy Link

A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 3)

Blurb:

Arioch:
Arioch loves his job; creating chaos and encouraging revenge is fun, and if he pranks a few demons, angels, and humans along the way, all the better. When an archangel shows up with a message from god, Arioch knows he ought to take it seriously, but what’s the fun in that? Michael, the human he’s supposed to help, takes everything seriously enough for both of them, and Arioch is determined to teach the guy how to have a little fun with life. If he starts to fall for the human along the way, well, another human-demon pairing can only cause more chaos, which is definitely Ari’s specialty. Now he just has to convince Michael that although the two of them are polar opposites, they actually work perfectly together.

Michael:
Michael has been the dependable, practical older brother his entire life; he took the weight of the world on his shoulders when he was too young to realize how heavy the burden would be. If he can guarantee happiness for his siblings, that will be enough for him, even if all he can see in his own future is loneliness. However, when Michael realizes that someone from the afterlife lied to him and attempted to cause his family harm, he is determined to do something about it. With the help of a certain demon, maybe he can figure out who targeted his family and get a little revenge. He’ll just have to refrain from killing the demon that is messing up his perfectly ordered existence. When the cheerful prankster actually starts looking attractive to Michael, maybe he’ll finally step out of his comfort zone and find out how fun chaos can actually be.

Tags: Michael is serious about revenge, and Arioch isn’t serious about anything; opposites attract; maybe being impractical for once in his life won’t kill Michael (and if it does, at least he’ll have a demon to keep him company in the afterlife); meddling families are annoying; Michael has never done that before, but Arioch would be happy to show him how it all works.

• Publication date: October 30, 2023

• Print length: 246 pages

Review: Poison at Penshaw Hall (The Milverton Mysteries Book 2) by G B Ralph

Rating: 4.75🌈

“With nothing else for it, Addison took a deep breath and dove in, hoping to traverse the carnage and reach the cafe without being trampled under the masses of Milvertonians. He may not have known what was going on, but he did know he’d kill for a coffee.”

— Poison at Penshaw Hall (The Milverton Mysteries Book 2) by G B Ralph

Ahhhhh, the masses of Milvertonians! So lovely to be back in the cozy mysteries of G B Ralph! He’s returned with his second in The Milverton Mysteries series, Poison at Penshaw Hall. Addison Harper, still getting acquainted to the town and looking forward to his first date with Sergeant Jake Murphy, is in the thick of it all. We are right beside him.

So happy to see all the quirky people and places that Ralph has created for Milverton, New Zealand , his location for this cozy mystery series.

Ralph gets exactly what a cozy is all about, so his small township vividly reflects that weird and wonderful intimacy that only a small population of longtime residents can bring to a community. It’s in the names of the businesses, like Lynne’s Cafe, or in the believable dynamics that play out on the town square between the local septuagenarian and craft fair organizer.

A reader needs to have the foundation of the first novel, Murder on Milverton Square, to understand why Addison Harper has ended up in Milverton (a will from a long lost relative), has gotten a reputation as a amateur sleuth (a murder solved), and began getting a tenuous relationship with romantic overtones with the local Sergeant. I mean they are just inching towards anything approximating romance here. That’s the facts. But the charm, the mystery, and all the fabulous depth of detail are in the reading.

Poison at Penshaw picks up shortly after the events of the first book, the timeline being very close between the two novels. Addison is still weighing the possibility of staying in Milverton versus returning home to the life he left behind in Wellington, such as it was. Milverton is swaying away with its small town beauty and welcoming mix of personalities and culture. I was swayed too.

In fact, Ralph plunges the reader into the craziness that’s Milverton getting ready for a Terrific Town Award contest/ceremony. There’s statues to be judged, arguments among organizers, and goats on the lawn. Perfect cozy atmosphere for murder and mystery.

Things start to go awry immediately and some of our favorite characters are pulled into the murderous proceedings. In addition to Addison, there’s the wonderfully funny septuagenarian Mabel Zhou , town library and visitor center’s volunteer. I love this character and can’t get enough of her. Vibrant, gossipy, and dedicated to Addison, Mabel is lively woman who’s into everything. Constable Sean McGiffert and Constable Manaia Edwards are welcome sights but have limited roles here. But the author expands our knowledge of Milverton’s citizens and introduces new interesting people into the narrative. And does it in such a way that we get further insight into the history of the town and Addison’s great uncle.

The murder and investigations proceed as we expect. One official and one not so much. It’s the later that’s Addison’s involved in.0

At the end Ralph has moved everything forward incrementally, case solved so Addison and Jake can continue to work on their relationship. And a decision about staying in Milverton. Yes, they progress past heart eyes but not much.

If you’re looking for a sexy story, this isn’t it. Slow slow burn it is.

It’s also charming, funny, interesting, endlessly entertaining, and with characters I find endearing in that quirky small town way.

I can’t wait to see how Addison’s life there and his relationships progress.

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, slow burn romances, and just fun, well written stories, this series and book is a wonderful place to explore. Read the series in the order they are written in:

The Milverton Mysteries :

✓ Murder on Milverton Square #1

✓ Poison at Penshaw Hall #2

◦ Death in Douglas Glade #3- Oct 2, 2024

Buy Link:

Poison at Penshaw Hall (The Milverton Mysteries Book 2)

Blurb:

Addison Harper is back, and with another dead body at his feet. Only this time, the entire town saw it happen.

Milverton is in the running for the Terrific Town Award, so a dramatic death at the opening ceremony is far from ideal. Addison had only been lending a hand, but now finds himself much more involved than he’d ever hoped. To think his biggest worry before had been his upcoming date with Sergeant Jake Murphy.

As for the sergeant, he can hardly ignore a hall full of witnesses even if he wanted to. And they’re all pointing the finger at his date, Milverton’s newest arrival, Addison Harper.

Poison at Penshaw Hall is the latest in a wonderful cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery. Investigate The Milverton Mysteries for a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course… murder!

Review: The Score (Charleston Condors #3) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.5 🌈

I may have become disillusioned with the RL game of football but not with Beth Bolden’s fantastic group of connected football series. They continue to keep me emotionally invested in each and every team and player.

The Charleston Condors are the third team and series represented in the group and The Score signals the penultimate storyline as this wonderful series comes to an end.

Carter Maxwell is a Condor that’s made indelible appearances in every book so far, usually because he’s happily hitting on the men in almost every scene he appears in. Not that anyone takes him seriously. Funny, handsome, a sexual hound, a “player” as they call it, and a star on the field. All very surface level things.

Now Bolden does her best job in bringing us a man in trouble. One filled with rage and long simmering resentment left by dysfunctional parenting that bordered on abuse, neglect, and internalized guilt that’s affecting his life on and off the field. Carter needs and finally asks for help.

And gets it. In several ways.

In an agent who works for him, one who hires a son and his mother to help Carter get his life together.

The son is Ian Parker. A well known LA sober coach whose goal is to become a professional agent like Alec, he’s hired by Alec to be a companion/coach for Carter. The whole steamy dynamic between Ian and Carter that began upon their initial encounter is fully realized. Bolden creates such heat between them immediately that you wonder how the rest of the story is going to unfold. Including the no sex part.

The other aspect I was unexpected and so well thought out was the therapist/therapy sessions with Carter and Moira, his therapist. Who is also Ian’s mother. Bolden’s work here is nuanced and thoughtful. Both on how these sessions provoke a discussion and how they affect the life of Carter because he’s open to the dialogue that’s happening.

And for all the situations that are also involved when two people are related and in the positions they have taken on in their respective lives. In other cases, this could have been a disaster. That was only marginally addressed.

Now to what Bolden’s spectacular at. That’s bringing the game of football alive on the page. Whether it’s team dynamics, inter team chemistry, game planning and then the all important explosive on the field action, it’s brilliantly described and vibrantly illustrated in the scenes. Those pigskins soar, every hit hurts.

Win or lose, this author carries us with her players and team with a passion.

And that’s why I’ll continue to read about football and her teams. Because she makes me continue to care.

A few quibbles. Ian’s career development wasn’t really explored towards the end. Did he really want the job? Was he a part of Alec’s team? Not sure what happened with that.

There’s a sense of HFN here as they are getting settled into their new roles as well as their relationship. And Carter’s ability to get a handle on his temper is new.

I’m looking forward to the finale story with Deacon and Mr C. And if there’s more football in Bolden’s future, writing wise.

I’m definitely recommending the Charleston Condors series as well as all of Bolden’s connected books. That includes The Score! It should be read in the order that the series is written for relationships and team development.

Charleston Condors:

✓ The Star #1

✓ The Game #2

✓ The Score #3

◦ The Play #4 – March 31, 2024

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

✓ The Riptide

✓ Miami Piranhas

✓ Charleston Condors

Buy Link:

The Score (Charleston Condors Book 3)

Blurb:

Carter Maxwell knows he’s a screwup. Four teams in three seasons tells the story, as much as he wishes it didn’t.

But finally, he’s landed in a good place, where he likes the team and the team actually likes him. Even the Condors’ current rebuilding mode suits him. There’s a new owner. New coach. New players. New rules.

But one rule hasn’t changed: don’t seduce your agent-appointed c*ckblocker.

Ian Parker agrees to live with Carter and keep him on the straight and narrow for one simple reason: Alec, the agent in charge of cleaning up Carter’s reputation, has promised him something Ian wants very, very badly.

Even more badly than Carter naked above him and below him and next to him.

A chance for Ian to become an agent.

But Ian didn’t take into account just how persuasive Carter is—or just how desperately he desires to be persuaded. Or how, while spending time with Carter, they’ll somehow stumble into a fake relationship that begins to feel all too real.

It doesn’t matter that Carter’s never fallen in love or that he’s never been in a real relationship. It doesn’t matter that Ian’s risking his future as an agent.

He’s determined to score the impossible and reform the bad boy—only after encouraging Carter to misbehave one last time. But this time, only with him.

Review: I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc: Crack Fantasy Adventure Chapter Three by Jennifer Cody

Rating: 5🌈

Necromancer Prince Lawton, his lover, the half Orc barbarian and founding member of the League of Extraordinary Rage, Berklak, and their merry crew of mismatched otherworldly beings are off on an adventure, I’m mean, mission to find out what’s plaguing the Kingdom of Fasgard. Turns out, it’s quite a lot.

So many mysteries , bodies, zombies, and magic gone awry.

Cody’s having a blast rolling the dice in a serialized story that’s , in the author’s words, playing out in a “lighthearted, fun TTRPG vibe”. For those who don’t know what this is, it’s a tabletop role-playing game. You grab paper, pencil or pens, and game is on with a bunch of people in various roles. Dungeon & Dragons being the hallmark here.

This has all the feels and more. I love the characters and, especially in this chapter, we get more growth and history along with the “event a minute “ storyline. Dwarves and every aspect that even has a side dwarven element is just amazing. From the dwarven mead to their ability to accept any other being as a dwarf if they have grown up in a dwarven environment is incredible. We absolutely believe in these dwarves, yes, we do.

Armus and Inghram’s relationship is looking intriguing, Darian, Frost (the Unbearded, which I’m still giggling about) and Tavia, all the crew members are developing further. So is the sexy bond between Lawton and Berklak.

Cody’s expanding the boundaries of the darkness plaguing the Kingdom while giving us and the intrepid crew very little answers. Hopefully more will come soon in the next chapter.

Until then, enjoy these short wonderfully entertaining stories for the format as well as the spontaneity that it narratively captures so well!

Buy Link:

I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc: Crack Fantasy Adventure Chapter Three

Blurb:

Lawton:

I expected challenges along the way in this adventure, but I didn’t expect to come face to corpse with the work of another necromancer. It pains me, but I can’t let just anyone carry on creating potential wights and contagious zombies. Fortunately, I know exactly how to fix the problem, even if it drains me dry. Thankfully, I have a Berklak to help me recover.

Berklak:

Mead—that’s all I need. At least that’s what I think, until my little necromancer reaches for a weapon that could kill him, and I realize that I might need a little bit more in life than the drink of orcs. It’s a good thing Lawton’s ok with me setting boundaries, because I need him to be safe, whole, and energetic, even if I have to give him everything I am to make that happen.

I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc is a five chapter serial fantasy adventure with a light-hearted, fun TTRPG vibe. Expect big magic, lots of cuddles, plenty of steam, and a team of characters that might not get a natural 20 on every roll, but they make up for it with creative solutions to both magical and mundane problems.

Review: Light from the Grave by Sara Dobie Bauer

Rating: 5🌈

What a stunner! Sara Dobie Bauer’s recent release, Light from the Grave is such fabulous cornucopia of paranormal elements of powerful magical families, beautifully crafted characters textured with layers of darkness, grief, and death, set into the mossy, old southern landscape of Charleston, South Carolina. Bauer’s plot is a thriller of horrifying beauty.

I was immediately entranced by the characters, the raw emotion that the author keeps pulling out of her scenes and how she can carry those heart wrenching memories over into a new situation that becomes an entirely different experience. One that may have humorous overtones.

Everyone here, each character, from childhood to adulthood, has experienced gut wrenching loss. And that pain, that overwhelming grief continues to haunt them deeply in various ways.

Dylan Quinn’s lost his foster mother and he’s unable to process her loss. It’s not the first or last deep grief he’s had to deal with but it’s the most devastating.

Bauer’s nightmarish descriptions of Dylan’s pain feels so real, the emotional turmoil and endless loop of mourning raw and believable. The power of the memories doesn’t have to be magical to make us feel what it’s putting him through.

More subtle, and deadlier is Keller Rex. Keller too has deeply suffered, and ,in turn , caused unbelievable losses. He’s been sent to bring Dylan to the Zaine ancestral home in Charleston. What type of magical creature he is should be left to the story as it’s so much a part of the powerful narrative.

But it’s the growth and revelations that Kelley’s presence and the death of Vivian Zayne start to bring about in Dylan that’s brings the darkness and magic to this story.

I just wanted to jump in and start reading it again after I finished to see what I’d missed the first time around.

There’s battles, zombies, crazy families, familiars (wish more had been done with the bobcats), and quite a few bittersweet moments. And a fierce young girl, Raven, who needs more page time, as she’s a great character on her own.

Actually, Light from the Grave by Sara Dobie Bauer is bursting with darkly detailed and fabulous scenes that make a reader want more than was left on the page. More of the characters in that army, more backgrounds, just more. Because what we did get was so imaginative and marvelous that we naturally needed more. Of everything and everyone.

Yes, this beautifully written and plotted book is a must read. It’s dark fiction and romance, just a reminder. So if grief, dying and death isn’t your thing, this might not be either.

It’s definitely mine.

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Light-G…Light From The Grave – Kindle edition by Bauer, Sara Dobie. Paranormal Romance …

Blurb:

I’m what nightmares are made of, but I’m not sure who’s more dangerous: him or me.

In the world of witches, Keller Rex is a legendary monster—a dark sorcerer with a gift for suffering. He has long been the protector of the Zayne coven and their ancestral home in Charleston, South Carolina. When the family matriarch, Vivian Zayne, dies under mysterious circumstances, he is tasked with finding the only person who can open her sealed Book of Shadows: the son no one knew she had.

Dylan Quinn has never bothered to figure out why cats follow him everywhere, but it’s been that way for as long as he can remember. After the unexpected passing of his adoptive mother, he had to make a new home for himself in small-town Ohio. Things have been quiet ever since, but lately, there are strange voices in his dreams and a sense of being watched.

When a striking Southern gent appears in town, Dylan welcomes the distraction. Keller is handsome and charming, but Dylan can tell there’s something else, something eerie about him. And he discovers he’s right, as Keller goes from being Dylan’s seducer… to his abductor.

Now back in Charleston, Dylan’s newfound family is shocked when it’s discovered his magical affinity is for death itself. Despite his fears, he’ll need to learn to control his terrifying powers in order to open the Zayne Book of Shadows. He also needs to keep his coven safe, and time is running out. The estate’s protective wards expire on Halloween, and power-hungry witches from all over are ready to pounce.

While Dylan’s awakening darkness threatens to overwhelm him, Keller finds himself confronted by feelings he thought long dead. Keller will do anything to protect his young necromancer and open Vivian’s Book of Shadows, but the Zaynes are in for a surprise when Dylan resurrects someone he shouldn’t.

• Publisher: Carnation Books (October 24, 2023)

• Publication date: October 24, 2023

• Print length: 352 pages