Rating:5🌈
I had no idea Lily Mayne could write romcom. Paranormal romcom! I picked up Impromptu Match, the first book in Mayne’s Goliaths of Wrestling paranormal romance series, based just on that fabulous cover illustration by Vic Gray/Bloodwrit. Didn’t even look at the author at all. I was captivated by the characters I saw beautifully captured by the artist.
But that story! Wow! While I got the book in ebook format, I’m going to buy it again to have it to read in print. I love it. The universe, the characters, the writing, everything about this is amazing.
Where to start? Hard to pick a favorite element. The characters, from the main couple of Taylor and Holt , to all the otherworldly wrestlers, and the easily recognizable corporate office staff are perfect.
Taylor Hough, sad human office worker bee , uniform of suits, dad jeans and old sneakers, 39, caught in the monotony of a job he never wanted, still doesn’t and doesn’t understand, has his world rocked with a wrong turn one night after work. Taylor is a great character. He’s easily identifiable, one we connect with, and as he changes, throwing off his old habits for new growth, exploring new ideas and concepts, we are cheering him on. Especially in his relationship with Holt.
Holt is everything. I’ll let the reader enjoy his character and personality in this book. But chef’s kiss.
Talk relationship goals. These two are so well written, the chemistry, the communication, and great respect for each other, I love them. They’re sexy, they have endless potential, and they’re just so expansive in their approach to life and their love.
What else is top notch here? The dialogue and the author’s keen ear for the sheer awfulness of corporate jargon. The absolute nonsense that gets tossed about as often as zoom meetings these days. Synergy as
“The directors prefer there to be synergy across all our public-facing outputs to really leverage the HutSec brand, you know?”
Snort and giggling. Also
“Let’s circle back to this in the morning. I’ll loop you two in when the team have our group-think first thing.”
Double Snort! More giggles
Honestly, this is so spot on and used so hilariously throughout the office conversations that I found myself laughing constantly. That corporate culture, right down to a bland name HutSec, is narrative perfection.
When I’m not laughing at the dialogue, or swooning over the couple, or enjoying the action of the fantastic group of otherworldly wrestlers of the Goliaths Wrestling Club, I was just trying to see who was the best otherworldly character to see a romantic story next. So many to choose from.
And the sheer comedy scenes here are incredible. These are a very hot, frisky couple, the chemistry is off the charts! Stock up on the fans!
Love this! Highly recommended!
And I’ll repeat it again, that cover is incredible..
Cover illustration: Vic Gray/Bloodwrit
Goliaths of Wrestling:
🔷Impromptu Match #1
🔷Clean Finish #2
🔷Cheap Heat #3
Buy link
Impromptu Match (Goliaths of Wrestling Book 1)
Blurb
I, Taylor Hough, am a painfully average guy.
I have the soul-destroying corporate job, I iron my underpants, and I was unceremoniously dumped for an influencer hippie a few years ago. Every day feels the same, and I don’t know how much longer I can cope before I do something unhinged like rip off my shirt in the middle of my co-worker’s office birthday party and smear lemon cake all over my chest.
But then a case of mistaken identity suddenly lands me in the middle of a covert professional wrestling league, which is apparently being run in the basement of my office building. Weird. Even weirder are the wrestlers. They seem… otherworldly. So does the rest of the staff. And the audience. Pretty much everyone except boring old me.
And then there’s the owner, Holt Hector, with whom I have an extremely embarrassing first encounter. He’s ridiculously attractive, even in the inhuman cosplay get-up he’s wearing that only makes him hotter, if I’m being totally honest.
Then I discover it’s not a costume. And that the show put on by Goliaths of Wrestling every night is more monstrous reality than mindblowing special effects.
My previously boring life is suddenly no longer quite so average, and hot-as-hell Holt is inexplicably as interested in me, and my ironed underpants, as I am in him and his strange new world.
- Publication date: February 9, 2024
- Language: English
- Print length: 422 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 