Category: 5 star Rating

A MelanieM Review: Sūnder (Darksoul #1) by Lexi Ander

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

If Sūnder Alārd had been born female he would have been cherished for being faeborn—born with magick—and his birth celebrated. Instead, his L’fÿn mother insisted on his death. Only his Panthrÿn father’s desperate escape through the forest saved him. With most Chándariāns uneasy in his presence due to rumors he is doomed to become a darksoul, and unlikely to find a mate because of it, Sunder has nevertheless carved out an honorable existence as a warrior and commander. Serving as bodyguard and chaperone for the Chándariān prince, Sūnder accompanies his charge to the annual mating festival on Earth, and when the prince is injured, he can’t help but be fascinated by the tongue-tied nurse who attends them at the hospital.

At sixteen years of age, Gabriel St. Baptista came home to discover his parents had taken off into space, leaving him behind to look after himself. Gabe never recovered from the unexpected desertion, and keeps everyone at arm’s length to avoid being abandoned again. However, after meeting Sūnder, Gabe finds himself unable to resist the bond between them and breaks all of his carefully crafted rules to spend time with the Chándariān, regardless of the fact that Sūnder will soon leave. Scared by what he feels for Sūnder, Gabe can only hope his heart won’t be too broken when Sūnder returns to Chándaria.

But deceit and treachery is all around them, and when Gabe saves Sūnder’s life, it sets off a chain of events that could either tear Gabe and Sūnder apart or give them both exactly what they want.

I’m totally captivated by the fantasy world and characters of Sūnder (Darksoul #1) by Lexi Ander.  Finishing at wee morning hours, I lay there lost in the relationship of Gabe and Sūnder, the amazing resolution of the saga that had unfolded through the night hours, all the beings that I had met and fallen madly in love with and knew I was not ready to leave any of them behind.

Ander has created such a deeply layered, diverse universe for the Darksoul series.  There are a multitude of beings, hybrids, mixtures of cultures,  planets, religions, levels of soldiers, magics and technologies interwoven with history, past wrongs and current politics (galactic and racial).  That’s a lot of elements to juggle but Lexi  Ander does a remarkable job of it while keeping the tension and suspense tight and the romance between our two main characters hot and everything you love to read.

Yes, you can have a remarkable foundation but without the characters, the heart of the story, you have nothing.  Here the author truly delivers.  Gabe is one that almost breaks your heart.  Abandoned by his parents inexplicably when he’s in his teens, he has but one friend in his life, Ronan, whose family took him in when his parents left.  Now grown, Ronan remains his best and perhaps only friend who helps him recover from things like his latest boyfriend breaking up with him and going off planet.   Gabe’s that endearing mixture of vulnerability, kindness, and intelligence that draws you in immediately.  Then he meets Sūnder, the faeborn with his own anguished past and pained present, one who smells sooo good, and I’m so connected to this pair that the thought never occurs to me to put down the story.

Told from Sūnder’s perspective as well as Gabe’s, you understand  what Sūnder has gone through his entire life, being on the outside, never being acknowledged for who he really is.  Like Gabe, he too carries his own family induced pain, lessened only by the love of his adoptive mother Princess Válora (adore her too).  Ander lets both Gabe and Sūnder become true partners to each other, working through and supporting each other.   It’s such a joy to read, especially with all the amazing storylines going on around them that adds to the suspense.

There’s so much more I’m not going into here. A Jade forest, Guardians, moving trees, battles…this story is a feast on every level!  I just love it so!  And there’s the promise of more.  I especially want Ronan and Akira’s story so I hope the author is listening.

If you love fantasy, run immediately get this book!  And prepare to fall in love just as I did.  It’s going right on our STRW Fantasy Rec List!

Cover art by Kirby Crow is perfect for the character and book.

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Book Details:

ebook, 2
Published September 4th 2017 by Lexi Ander
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDarksoul #1

An Ali Review: Circle (Roads #3) by Garrett Leigh

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I love him…but he’s forgotten why.


A lot can happen in six years, and Ash and Pete have seen their world flipped upside down more times than most. Being parents to Pete’s young nephew wasn’t in their plan, but life happens to them and they roll with the punches. Or at least they did, until new heartache rocks their hard-won happily-ever-after.

Ash loves Pete as much as ever—more, in fact—but Pete battles alone with a burden that weighs heavily on his heart. Ash is no stranger to dark clouds, but the secret Pete keeps from him is a storm that could break them.

Despite the fierce love that once buoyed them, they’re both drowning until a new friend throws them a lifeline. His wisdom offers insight—for better or worse, real love is rarely a smooth journey. For Ash and Pete to come full circle once more, they’ll have to hit the road and chase it. 
I was both excited and nervous when I saw that this book was coming.  The first book in the series, Slide, was one of the first books I read in this genre and it holds a special place in my heart.  I was happy with how things ended after book two and I wasn’t sure I wanted to revisit these two if their happily ever after was going to be changed.  As it turns out I had nothing to worry about.  This book was fantastic.  I loved every page of it.
When the book starts Pete and Ash are having some troubles.  Pete is really struggling with something and as a result he’s pulling away from Ash emotionally.  The thing that made this ok to read was that despite their struggles, you never doubt how much they love each other.  It jumps off every page at you.  You see that they’re going through something bad but you know that it’s going to work out in the end.  
I’m hesitant to say much about the plot because there are a lot of plot points that can be spoiled.  In fact, I recommend, rather ironically, that you avoid most reviews on this book.  There are just too many things that can be spoiled and I think it’s best to just go in to it with no information.  
This is the third book in this series and can not be read as a standalone. If you want to try this series you need to start with book one. If you are already a fan of this series you can read this without doing a re-read of the previous books.  It takes place a few years down the road and the author does a good job of catching you up on what’s been happening.  I did it without doing a re-read.  Honestly though, I wish I had done a re-read but just because once I got in to this I realized how much I’ve missed these two.  
This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not let me down.  I loved it from the first page to the epilogue that I cried happy tears through.  A must read for fans of this series.
Cover by Garrett Leigh:  I love this cover.  It’s a gorgeous cover and it fits well with the previous books in the series 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 179 pages
Published September 5th 2017
ASINB0758BPRLJ
Series Roads #3

A VVivacious Review: The Highlander (Order Series #2) by Kasia Bacon

 Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

  Lochan Féyes has never been so dependent on his feelings but he can’t seem to overcome his connection with Ervyn. As an assassin who specialises in making sure that people stay at a distance, he can’t seem to understand how Ervyn wriggled his way in. But as Lochan’s experience tells him people die and people leave and as he gets commissioned into the Scouts this fact becomes abundantly clear. Destined on two different paths will Lochan and Ervyn find their way to each other?

This story was amazing, so amazing in fact that I have already read it twice.

I loved “The Mutt” and before starting this one I was wondering if I would love this one too. The Mutt had a really interesting premise with how Ervyn is really just edging the line between affection and obsession and I really wondered if this book had anything that wonderful to offer. But as it turns out, I had nothing to fear on that count for being in Lochan’s head was a surreal experience.

 “The assassin in me rejoiced. The Elven soldier complied. The human lamented.”

This time around we didn’t get such a dark dilemma but a really heartrending one, the dilemma between wanting what you can’t have but wanting it anyway, basically Lochan faced the age-old dilemma of love and you would probably wonder how Lochan’s dilemma would hold a light to Ervyn’s but amazingly it is the other way around and that is the reason why so many stories in the world focus on love because there is something new to explore every single time.

Lochan’s feelings are mired with sweetness and pain and you can feel every bittersweet bit. I loved Lochan, I loved his mind and I loved hearing his side of the story. Lochan is so amazingly written that if the author hadn’t pointed out the fact that most of this story takes place in Lochan’s head I would have definitely not noticed the paucity of dialogue because as it so happens with people who speak less when they do speak it is almost always worth hearing. It bears repeating being in Lochan’s head was such a vivid experience, there are these lines that just kind of stayed with me and others which give you a wonderful insight into who Lochan is, how he thinks and what he feels.

“I held my breath as if the stream of air from my lungs had bearing on Ervyn’s accuracy.”

 “At times, he felt, smelt and tasted like my fate. At others—my biggest mistake.”

Lochan and Ervyn stole my breath. I can’t wait to read entire novels based on these two, like I really can’t wait. I am extremely glad we will be getting a short story to tide over the time because ever since I read about these two characters I haven’t been able to get them out of my head and considering that they only had some forty odd pages to convince me they not only have me convinced, they have me buried in conviction. Now I basically stalk the author almost relentlessly for more information on these two.

There is one scene in this book that is simply so beautiful, the magnitude of its beauty is unexplainable. It’s the scene at the very end when Ervyn is second guessing himself with Lochan and how much that hesitance gets to Lochan. All it takes is two lines to convince you that Lochan loves Ervyn relentlessly and unflinchingly. Now I just can’t wait for these two to finally confess.

“In a startling moment of clarity, with his fingers running through my hair, it occurred to me that just as he considered me his centre, I’d found mine in him.”

The only bad thing about this short is the wait that is bound to follow till I get more on these two. But I for one look forward to re-reading these two shorts while I hungrily wait for “The Scouts”.

Cover Art by Marek Frankowski. I loved the cover. I really liked how the brightness of this background contrasts with the darkness of The Mutt’s background because that is now how I see these books.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 58 pages
Published August 31st 2017
ASIN B074L31YFK
Edition Language English
Series The Order #2
setting The Elven Country
The Mutt (The Order #1)
The Highlander​ (The Order #2)

A MelanieM Review: Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5) by Alex Beecroft

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

A Porthkennack Contemporary Novel

After a massive anxiety attack, Sam Atkins left his high-powered job in the City and committed himself to life on the road in a small van. Six months in, he’s running out of savings and coming to the conclusion that he might have to go home to his emotionally abusive family.

Needing time to think, he takes a walk through a copse by the Cornish roadside, only to stumble upon the body of a ritualistically killed sheep. As he’s trying to work out what the symbols around the animal mean, the sheep’s owner, Jennifer, and her nephew, Ruan Gwynn, come upon him.

Ruan is a kind-hearted young man with a large supportive clan, and since he and Sam feel almost instant attraction, he doesn’t want to believe Sam is a sheep-killing cultist. In fact, the moment he lays eyes on Sam’s miserable solitary life, he wants to rescue the man. But as the killings escalate, he and Sam need to stop whoever is actually to blame before they can concentrate on saving each other.

The Porthkennack series from Riptide Publishing has become a serious addiction of mine and this latest story, Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5) by Alex Beecroft is an excellent example why.  Alex Beecroft gives us Porthkennack from two perspectives, that from the insider, Ruan Gwynn, from one of the ancient families in this Cornish seaside town and the other, Sam Atkins, an ’emmett’, an outsider.  Sam has left his old life behind as a matter of emotional and physical survival.  Sam has fled his controlling, emotionally abusive family, his job, everything and he’s now living out of his van which he has parked in a field in Porthkennack.   And trouble has found in in a huge and troubling way.

Porthkennack itself is not just a setting but a vivid, stirring major element of this series.  It’s layered in ancient history, murder, smugglers, a tightly knit community that believes it can police itself and its actions as it has for hundreds of years.  There’s a tapestry of dependency and communication that’s often invisible to outsiders and making that come alive and apparent to everyone in all the scenes takes a wonderful eye and great writing.  Alex Beecroft has done that here.

All the hidden currents of this village flow around the events that are happening and Sam picks on up them even if he’s not sure what they mean at first. Ruan is aware at the surface of which families might be involved, but as Ruan investigates further into his village’s past, even he is surprised by the revelations.  I love Ruan.  His desperation and bravery as he knowingly goes against village “law’ and tradition only bring us closer to him.  This is a character who’s very vulnerability makes him shine so bright.

Each author builds on the other’s stories and universe which is fascinating. Porthkennack’s legends and histories keep evolving. I loved the author’s take on characters met in other stories.   As always the local, ancient criminal family, the Lusmoores figure large and here I got to see matriarch Wyn Lusmoore in a totally different light than I did in House of Cards (A Porthkennack novel) by Garrett Leigh.  Which was perfect indeed.   Nor was she the only Lusmoore that showed up or character from the village.

So many terrific elements here from the young girls who banded together around the van and Sam, like Tegan and Maryam, aunt Jennifer and Alana.  With Beecroft’s excellent characterizations, these people came to life here and I felt like I knew them all.  Plus the sensitive manner in which the author handled Sam’s anxiety attacks and their debilitating effects it made our connection to and understanding of Sam even stronger.

In all, Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5) by Alex Beecroft is just a terrific story.  It has a great mystery, wonderful romance and is set in a village I never tire of visiting.  The books in this series are mostly independent of each other.  House of Cards by Garrett Leigh does have a sequel coming out soon and some in the series are historical.  But if you love M/M contemporary romance with a touch of mystery, this one is a sure winner!

Cover by G.D. Leigh is perfection.  From the color tone to the character, it has it all.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 249 pages
Expected publication: September 4th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626495463
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPorthkennack #5

This title is part of the Porthkennack universe.

A Free Dreamer Review: Dali by E.M. Hamill

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Dalí Tamareia has everything—a young family and a promising career as an Ambassador in the Sol Fed Diplomatic Corps. Dalí’s path as a peacemaker seems clear, but when their loved ones are killed in a terrorist attack, grief sends the genderfluid changeling into a spiral of self-destruction.

Fragile Sol Fed balances on the brink of war with a plundering alien race. Their skills with galactic relations are desperately needed to broker a protective alliance, but in mourning, Dalí no longer cares, seeking oblivion at the bottom of a bottle, in the arms of a faceless lover, or at the end of a knife.

The New Puritan Movement is rising to power within the government, preaching strict genetic counseling and galactic isolation to ensure survival of the endangered human race. Third gender citizens like Dalí don’t fit the mold of this perfect plan, and the NPM will stop at nothing to make their vision become reality. When Dalí stumbles into a plot threatening changelings like them, a shadow organization called the Penumbra recruits them for a rescue mission full of danger, sex, and intrigue, giving Dalí purpose again.

Risky liaisons with a sexy, charismatic pirate lord could be Dalí’s undoing—and the only way to prevent another deadly act of domestic terrorism.

“Dalí” was simply and utterly brilliant. I loved every single second of it. It’s no secret that I’m a lover of SciFi books and I’m glad I started reading space operas a while ago. Otherwise I might have missed out on this seriously amazing book and that would have been a real shame.

The set-up is intriguing. Dalí is a third gender changeling. Essentially, they’re the epidome of genderfluid. Their body can actually change to become male or female. Or they can stay in their neutral state, where they’re neither. For a big part of the book, Dalí leans toward female, for reasons I fully understood. And the idea of changing genders was only the beginning. The author took great care to create a truly fascinating world, full of little details that showed how much care went into creating this setting. The world building was extremely well done and it all felt so natural.

I absolutely loved Dalí right from the beginning. I felt their grief and loss and suffered through their self-destruction with them. It was breathtaking and felt so very genuine it made my heart ache. Dalí is a tough person, but that doesn’t mean they don’t feel fear or pain or grief or doubt.

Now, I’ve always had a thing for the antagonists/villains in books and movies. And E.M. Hamill did a great job of creating a villain the way I like. He’s not completely and utterly evil. His actions actually made sense, in a cruel, twisted kind of way. And the tension between him and Dalí was absolutely sizzling.

Speaking of sizzling: The sex scenes were smoking hot. Incredibly erotic, without being overly detailed. Dalí’s unique body made the whole experience even hotter for me. But the sex wasn’t just there to get the reader hot and bothered, it always furthered the plot. The balance between hot smut and essential plot device was perfect.

There’s so much going on in this book, with so many unexpected twists and turns, it left me completely unable to put down the book. It was full of action and suspense, but also full of feelings. There were more quiet parts of the book, but those were just as addicting as the fast-moving spy parts.

Another thing I loved about this book was how diverse it was. There are so many different types of relationships and genders portrayed. It always felt completely natural to have such diverse characters. The author didn’t get lost in unnecessary terms or explanations, the characters were just there.

Although this book is set in the distant future and the world as we know it no longer exists, the plot touched on many issues we’re facing right now as well. There’s terrorism, human trafficking, drugs, religious extremism, gender identity and so on. It’s not easy to make a space opera feel like it deals with problems of our day and age.

Every lover of good SciFi with a bit of Erotic thrown in should read “Dalí”. I, for one, enjoyed every single second of it and I really, really hope there will be a second part sometime soon. You’ll love it too, trust me.

I like the cover by Natasha Snow. The colours are gorgeous and the space ship looks great. The young man’s face spoils the otherwise great cover a little. I think it would have looked even better without any human on it.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book details:

ebook
Published August 7th 2017 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781947139572
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Trust with a Chaser (Rainbow Cove #1) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

One hot cop. One bar owner out for redemption. One smoking-hot summer fling destined to leave scorch marks…

Mason Hanks has returned to Rainbow Cove, Oregon with one goal in mind: turn the struggling coastal community into a thriving LGBTQ tourism destination. Step one is transforming an old bar and grill into a gay-friendly eatery. Step two? Don’t piss off Nash Flint, the very hot, very stern chief of police who’s not so sure he’s on board with Mason’s big plans.

Nash Flint just wants to keep his community safe and enjoy the occasional burger in peace. He’s not big on change nor is he a fan of Mason’s troublemaking family, especially his rowdy older brothers. But Mason slowly wins him over with fantastic cooking and the sort of friendship Nash has been starving for.

When their unlikely friendship takes a turn for the sexy, both men try to steer clear of trouble. Nash believes he’s too set in his ways for Mason, and Mason worries that his family’s reputation will ruin any future with Nash. Burning up the sheets in secret is a surefire way to crash and burn, and discovery forces a heart-wrenching decision—is love worth the risk of losing everything?

Trust with a Chaser is a 75,000 word stand-alone gay romance with a May/December theme, a hot law-enforcement hero, opposites attract, plenty of sexy times, and one hard-fought, guaranteed happy ending with no cliffhangers.

Annabeth Albert introduces us to a  brand new series with another heartwarming winner of a contemporary romance!  The first in her Rainbow Cover series, Trust with a Chaser brings us Mason Hanks (so named because he was no bigger than a Mason jar when born) being reunited with his hometown and disreputable family clan when he returns to Rainbow Cove to open an eatery with partners.  Mason is fighting many battles upon his return.  He’s trying to separate his reputation from his family’s, introduce new tastes and dishes to customers not sure they want change or a gay bar and eatery in their community. Albert makes us love everything about Mason.  His enthusiasm for the new business, his love of food and even his family loyalty, especially for his niece.

Nash Flint is the sheriff with the weight of the  town on his shoulders.  Nash feels his responsibilities, not as a job but almost as a family righteous “carved in stone” duty handed down from his dead father, one who could do no wrong in the town’s eyes.  It’s kept him from having a personal life that he wants, an openly gay life with a partner, something he feels the town (or his mother) would never accept.  With Mason’s return and Nash’s attraction, the shakeup that follows is one that is both frustrating to the reader and yet, understandable to a man like Nash.

Albert lets the story and the situations and Mason slowly crack the walls around Nash.  The town is full of complicated relationships and the dynamics are on full display here whether in small situations at the Sheriff’s Office or during Town Meetings about the state of Rainbow Cover and potential development.  The author builds her universe and characters with care and love, with smooth writing and a storyline that pulls you into this couple and their growing relationship.

This is a slow-burn romance with I just fell in love with!  A new book from Annabeth Albert is always a cause for joy, a new series even more so!  Trust with a Chaser is a great new contemporary romance with the promise of more in this universe!  I  can hardly wait!

Cover art is cute and perfect for the character!

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 255 pages
Published August 1st 2017 by Annabeth Albert
Original TitleTrust with a Chaser
ASINB073VPJX56
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Rainbow Cove #1 setting Oregon (United States)