How To Date A Dragon is a short cute prequel to Louisa Masters Here Be Dragons series. This quick romance between Hagen, a dragon, and real estate agent, the vampire Jaiden is about 88 pages long. That doesnāt allow much time for character or relationship development. It comes with the expectation that the reader is already familiar with the characters and the world building behind it.
The purpose of Hagen and Jaiden meeting is to find the location for what will become in the series Here Be Dragons, the seat and home of the dragons on Earth. They meet hot and heavy, go on a couple of romantic dates, and then the epilogue flashes forward to find them into an established relationship.
Itās sexy, the couple engaging, and the entire thing short. Definitely a story that could benefit from more exposition and length. But itās a cute addition to Louisa Masters series and dragons.
Tip #1 for dealing with dragons: be prepared for anything
My whole life, I thought dragons were majestic, wise, and fearsome creatures. Not to mention fictional. Itās been less than a year since that last belief was debunked. Dragons are real, theyāre now living among us, and Iām the lucky realtor who gets to sell a house to their leader. I just have to impress his representative first. No problemāIām a professional.
Except the dragon rep turns out to be the guy I hooked up with last night, and heās fast disproving everything I believed about dragons. Unless āwiseā actually means āaddicted to glitterā and āmajesticā is a euphemism for āovergrown frat boy.ā
Hagen might actually be the most annoying person Iāve ever met, yet I canāt resist going on a date with him. One thingās for sure, someone needs to write me a how-to guide for dating a dragonā¦ glitter not included.
I picked up Pressure hoping by reading the first of the Lunar Wolves books Iād get a better understanding of the universe and setting for Burrellās stories and characters.
Unfortunately, the answer is not really. I still donāt know if the world the events take place in belongs to humans AND lunar wolves originally, or if lunar wolves came later.
Also unanswered is the question of how and why the solar and celestial wolves clans or species came to this world or dimension. And who they are exactly. They appear to have, at least the solar wolves do, a very specific and rigid culture.
But this is a lunar wolf series. Whereās their rich background? Are there other series Iām missing?
At any rate, once again, I enter a story with a incomplete picture of the world and itās cultural history and current affairs. That lack of information will have the reader try to piece together essential bits of storylines and failing because we just canāt make sense of them.
If you can toss aside the backstory and concentrate on just the relationship of Axe Landry, Chief of LCEA, and Caden Borealis, only son of a isolated witch clan, then the story is very interesting. I like the main characters as they met and finally agreed to mate. A messy path indeed.
Axe has a hidden secret (one the reader doesnāt know until later), but he must obtain a mate to continue on in his job.
All wolves ,apparently, must mate with a witch, due to The Sacred Pact. Thatās actually spelled out for the reader and Caden. Otherwise, they go primal, lone, and wild.
So arranging for a mate is a common practice among clans of witches and wolves.
Caden is a different sort of person. Heās headed towards being a drug dealer, with a sleazy boyfriend and loser attitude. I like how this turns out.
Burrell could have spent the entire storyline on the adjustments both Caden and Axe had to make to each other, to the surprises inherent in their relationship and mate bond. Also to Cadenās reaction to Crescent City and the paranormal world. It would have been a excellent time to get those pesky things like background elements and foundation building in.
But instead thereās a mystery and murder to investigate too.
For myself, that took away from character development and pushed the story toward more threads than it could possibly handle.
Did I enjoy Pressure? Yes. Did I feel I had read a story that had a firm foundation of its universe set out for its readers? No. Likable characters and romantic relationships are engaging but within a story where we donāt have a complete picture of the world around them.
Thatās a tad frustrating. Where did those solar wolves come from?
So if youāre a Burrell fan and have the answers, then Iām sure you will be picking up this book. All others make your own choices.
Axe Landry is the disgraced heir of a defeated Alpha. He craves law, order, and stability, but he’s clinging to his position of Chief of the Lunar Council Enforcement Agency, the protectors of Crescent City, by a thread. If he doesn’t find a mateāa witch mate, at thatāby the next full moon, he’s bound for a life of ridicule and isolation. And to Axe, that kind of humiliation is a fate worse than death.
Enter Caden Borealisāwild, reckless…and irresistible.
Caden hasn’t made much of his twenty-three years on earth. His dysfunctional family and traumatic past sent him on a five year bender, but when his grandpa gets sick, Caden knows he needs to take care of the only person who ever cared about him. Caden’s life is a mess, though, and he desperately needs money if he wants to save his grandpa’s life.
A deliciously indecent proposal.
When Caden first hears Axe’s proposal, he can’t believe Axe is serious. All he has to do is pretend to be Axe’s husband and Axe will give him half a million dollars? There has to be a catch. Sure, Axe is a little strict. And yeah, there’s a list of rules Caden has to follow. But he can play the obedient pretend husband for as long as it takes for his grandpa to get better.
Unless it’s all real…
When werewolves start to go missing in Crescent City, Caden realizes he might be in over his head. He’s never let himself rely on anyone before, but Axeāolder, gorgeous, steady Axeābecomes his rock as he learns to navigate this newfound world of witches and werewolves. But as the lines between real and pretend blur, Caden can’t always remember that he’s only acting like he’s in love. He needs to keep his head in the game, but it might just be his heart that’s calling the shots now.
Pressure is the first book in the Lunar Wolves series. It is a paranormal gay romance with mystery, suspense, a stern and sexy wolf, and an impulsive twink who maybe shouldāve actually read that contractālike Axe had instructedābefore he signed it.
Scorched by Kiki Burrell is my first visit into this authorās Lunar Wolves series. It is described as a standalone novel so I approached it from that perspective, wanting to see what sort of story comes from such a interesting melding of elements.
Much of the above doesnāt come with much explanation or foundation. I cobbled that together from things mentioned throughout the book. So I really donāt think this exists as a standalone except perhaps if the author is talking about the couple.
And we need more here because the Wolves society seems to be a very rigidly conservative group at the highest levels, with a cultural outlook and ingrained values ,that to outsiders and those of status below them , seem not just imperious but richly oppressive. That seems to include a witch society too, but Iām not sure.
The two main characters of Scorched are from widely different backgrounds as well as cultures. One, Magnus, is a struggling human alchemist. Heās overwhelmed with bills, family obligations, and a adolescence full of secrets that heās still carrying around.
The other is Calore Fier, first generation Solar, billionaire, retired at 45. Powerful, restless, and sure heās discovered his mate in a human that wants nothing to do with him.
Burrell does an good job with the characters but she starts out with too many elements and then just doesnāt have the narrative time or space to carry out on these aspects. So they get dropped.
Thatās not a bad thing. Just something I noticed. In the case of Magnus, early on the author said his upbringing had instilled a need for āhumiliation and submission ā.
That need for submission is started to be addressed in the first stages of a relationship with Calore. But any need to be humiliated is forgotten. And then submission aspect is relegated to a tiny corner of the development of the story.
Burrell has so many good ideas and storylines to work through that other threads started get lost. Like the ones above. Thereās a shattered peace between races? Not sure. Issues with building the gate? I donāt know. Do witches and wolves have to mate? Donāt know. None of those things are certain or anything but hints here.
The ones that remain are wonderful and really require more page space. Magnusās family, the painful loss of his mother, his fatherās health and stance against the supernatural, and all the warm-hearted scenes with Magnus, Calore, and the siblings. Yes, pls. Couldnāt get enough. They were so well written with the characters, children especially, being fully fleshed out.
Scenes with Calore trying to adjust to Magnus and the opposite, also felt like a couple making tentative moves towards a mutual goal.
But for all that well developed narrative, Burrell gives us scenes with Lunar Wolf society which pulled the exposition rug out from under the reader. Suddenly we meet a āclose friend ā of Magnusā whoās a Solar/Lunar ? wolf too ( not sure how he fits in other than heās a scientist), unheard of grandparents suddenly appear, we get a mating ceremony we have no idea about, as well as references from the gathered high society about the Solar Wolf world, which apparently still exists. Why everybody is on Earth Iāve no clue. Plus thereās hints some do want a gate home and others not so much. But that too disappears, another thread gone.
The characters were very good. As I said, Burrell didnāt have the chance or space or , to be honest, need, to follow through on all the character traits she intended for Magnus. It worked out fine. He was overloaded and we didnāt get enough of the man the alchemist, especially as he was so famous for his skill. I wish that had been explored more.
Same for Calore. We didnāt get enough of him personally. More of his background, his personality, his interests. He wasnāt anywhere near as multi dimensional as Magnus was. Only in the scenes with the family did he become a person with depth.
So how to sum up a book I very much enjoyed but got occasionally frustrated with? Donāt treat this like a standalone. Iām going to have to go back to the series and get more of the world building to get answers the the questions this book raises.
If youāre a fan of Lunar Wolves, you should be fine. And youāre probably going to enjoy the story as I did. More so because you have the background I was missing.
Iām recommending Scorched (a Lunar Wolves novel) by Kiki Burrell with some asterisks.
Magnusās human family would despise him if they found out how deep heās fallen into the supernatural world. The witching world had been nothing but cruel to his late mother and now his human family wants nothing to do with it. But with an ailing father and siblings who need his help, Magnus doesnāt have a choice. He canāt make enough outside the magic world to support them but he refuses to watch them suffer over something as stupid as money. Heās lucky to live safe and isolated in Crescent City among other witches and werewolves where he has a steady stream of both income and men to call when he needs to let off steam. Magnus never lets himself become overly attached to any one partner, his life is stressful enough without the addition of emotions.
Calore Fier is a billionaire werewolf with his sights set on Magnus. The sexy witch calls to him in a way no one ever has, except, Magnus is resistant to Caloreās charms. He claims he canāt feel the draw that Calore canāt ignore but he didnāt build his empire by giving up. Calore will find out why Magnus is holding back and heāll tear down those walls until nothing stands between him and his mate.
Every second near Calore is a mistake. The older wolf is pure desire and Magnusās body aches whenever he is around, but they could never become more. Calore has no idea who Magnus really is or the baggage he carries, and as a solar werewolf, Caloreās life is about elegance and luxury. He wouldnāt understand Magnusās generic brand upbringing, his need to hide his magic, nor his penny pinching ways. Besides, if his family ever found out heād embraced the witching world, theyād hate him more than Magnus would hate himself.
Scorch is a standalone novella in the gay, paranormal romance series, Lunar Wolves. It features a sarcastic, proud witch and an arrogant wolf who won’t stop until he gets what he wants.
Other books in the Lunar Wolves series: Pressure Tension Force Thrust
First thing. This book should come with a trigger warning for domestic assault/violence. While the assault happens off page the immediate physical damage and emotional effects upon the victim ,a main character, is on page . The resulting trauma and continuing aftermath, for the victim, his family and the man who loves him is a major part of the storyline. Itās just one of several elements that readers might not be aware of from reading the description.
Another potentially triggering storyline is one where Noone explores the devastating consequences of outing a person, no matter why, by using Justin Mooreās genetic makeup instead of his sexuality to demonstrate just how dangerous and devastating outing a person can be. Itās realistic, especially when some States now are trying to roll back rights for LGBTGIA , non-white races , and Women (no order involved). Jobs lost, housing lost, even more. So this becomes even more involved with bullying and harassment.
Both the D/A , D/V, and outing storylines are well written and handled with sensitivity and respect.
Readers who find these are triggering elements should consider whether this is a book they should read.
Having dealt with the warnings, onto the main characters and narratives. Itās a very well written story and the characters have depth and dimension I hadnāt anticipated.
In fact, the entire story surprised me.
It begins with a famous, has been rocker, Kris Starr, trying and failing to come out with a holiday album of his ex-bands hits. Itās familiar story territory . It gets more so with the addition of a beautiful young music record company assistant , Justin , whoās been working with Kris to produce it.
Justin Moore, the young music assistant, has had a long time crush on the older singer. This also isnāt new ground. But itās what Noone does with these easily recognizable character models that elevates their personalities and relationship.
I would love to say itās done in tandem, that Noone builds the characters to their final depths together. And to a degree, that happens. But as Starr pulls out of his depression and stasis as a person and musician , itās a path heās started on . He wants a recovery of the soul, as heās reconnecting with the people important to him. Itās Justin that helps with his continued emergence, and it will be Kris in turn who will join in committing to helping anotherās survival and restoration.
However, as Kris and Justin wobble along a obstacle strewn path, the author surrounds both with a veritable banquet of memorable multi layered people and scenes of heart searing moments. Jasonās family is superb.
From the many siblings, the scarily wonderful twins being my favorite, the parents, and yes, those Aunts, to the emotional support that Kris is shown to be able to bring, Noone swings the characters from one dramatic twist to another , often with heart wrenching detail. The author lets the readers feel fully immersed and invested in the lives and emotions as the events unfold through the pages.
Does this sounds like that simplistic, perhaps humorous synopsis written for this book? No it does not, and it is not.
Thereās light hearted moments here as it needs to because otherwise the pain and trauma the person and characters are experiencing would be overwhelming. As they acknowledge. Doesnāt matter what species you are, trauma is trauma.
Thereās a section at the end that might give some people pause. But again, itās all about asking for permission, itās about control, and no matter what, think about perspective.
Another great example of how this book tilts one way when youād expect to go another.
I was unaware of The Demon Universe until I read Snowed In: Kit and Harry, a superb book about a magical Regency mystery. That seems to have no bearing on this, so perhaps they are all standalones.
I intend to find out. This one and Snowed In set the bar high indeed.
Kris Starr used to be famous. Rock and roll. Sold-out shows. Literal magic. Empathic talents and screaming fans.
But he has a problem or two. He’s having a hard time writing new music. Itās Midwinter, which means heās surrounded by depressing holiday cheer. And he’s in love with Justin, his manager, who has a talent for rescuing almost- or once-famous bands … and whoās hiding secrets of his own.
Justin Moore, on the other hand, is very good at keeping those secrets — he’s had to be for years. One secret involves a demonic inheritance that would make him a target of suspicion. Another involves his past.
And the third involves Justinās feelings for Kris Starr, rock and roll icon and now his client … and a powerful empath of his own.
Itās not a good thing when you finish a book and instead of feeling happy, youāre dissatisfied, and slightly ill at the outcome. That how it was at Revenge is Sweet by Felice Stevens .
I hadnāt read anything by her in a while so her style of writing didnāt immediately come to mind. But my issues with this story are plentiful.
The plot is already one that has numerous toxic elements to make one wonder. Itās a revenge plot thatās even worse the deeper into the storyline you go.
The MC, Lyon Elliot, finds out on his wedding day that heās been left at the altar, as his bride (and new business partner) has eloped with his best friend and best man, Dan, making the betrayal even more devastating .
Immediately he decides to hurt his formerly best friend by dating Danās younger vulnerable brother , Miles. Miles, who has a crush on Lyon, would be a easy target. Lyon would get Miles involved with him emotionally, then cruelly dump him to hurt Dan. That āMiles the Mouseā would be collateral damage isnāt much of a concern here.
This couple shines with self absorption, a lack of understanding how their actions affects others, and a inability to care if they did. Toxic and narcissistic, and in Danās case, controlling and a bit stupid. And we spend too much time with them here listening to their specious opinions and arguments as to why no one should be upset or continue to be angry over the way theyāve handled the situation. Itās chapters of these individuals.
Honestly, I have no patience for people like this in real life and less in my books. Not impressed with Stevens creation of Lyon either.
For Stevens to have her main characters either choose to give in to the behaviors of those personalities or constantly not deal with them in an adult manner is highly frustrating to read. Grown people physically fighting, not being able to choose between the other methods we know just because itās adding to the drama doesnāt make this a emotionally satisfying story for me.
Miles traumatic back history and awful dating life that lead to his overbearing brotherās control is understandable. So is Lyonās history of loss and parental neglect and abandonment. But what they do with that throughout their storylines varies from something that feels adult and thoughtful to a wildly one dimensional approach.
In the end, after Miles has decided to choose himself and a future he wants with Lyon over a controlling brother with jealousy issues and a self-involved wife, Lyon makes a decision to get Dan reinstated into Miles life without asking.
Itās negates all the hard work Miles did , and frankly, Dan feels insincere in the scenes that follow. Itās as though heās giving mouth service to everything Lyon wants. The ending didnāt ring true.
I was left feeling uncomfortable with the conclusion, the storylines came across as unbelievable and ill suited to the characters as framed out by the author.
I liked Uncle Harry though. He was my favorite of the group.
So read it if youāre a fan of Felice Stevens or a collector of the fake boyfriend trope . But for the rest, Iāll not be leaving you any further recommendations.
R. J. Scott and V.L. Locey take their Boston Rebels series out on a grand story, one thatās my favorite of the group. In a fitting way, they do it by giving us two perspectives we as hockeyās fans and LGBTGIA hockey romance readers donāt often get, one of the professional NHL referee and the other of a type of player called a āRentalā. A rental is a really good player whoās brought in just to fill a spot for a part of a season or maybe a year. But not great enough , young enough, whatever, to sign permanently. They play for many teams over the course of their careers.
In Rental, Scott and Locey give us the gift of getting to get a feel for what itās like working as a professional Ref, and as a Rental. As a Rental, walking into a locker room , having that lack of commitment to any team or not feeling of being a part of a team dynamic. Something so instrumental in a teamās development and success. For a NHL ref itās the constant movement and commitment to the sport as fans ideas on the refs themselves. Itās their personalities and perspectives on the sport, and how they are put together as Referees teams on the rink.
I felt like I had such a strong connection to both men , Webber and Logan, and a real understanding of their emotional state when they met at that bar.
That Scott and Locey love and understand the sport of hockey as they do shows in every beautifully crafted character, on all the fast paced scenes on ice, the emotionally demanding nature of the game as delivered through heartfelt moments of pain , loss, and passion of winning. Itās those of physical beauty of the players and the crushing bruising of the brutality of the game too.
Both authors deliver that so seamlessly. Here we get all that threaded through a heated forbidden romance between Webber Kelty, NHL Ref, 40ās closeted from Georgetown, Ontario, and Logan Mackie, out gay , a rental replacement for the beloved hurt Dunny Dunkirk , as the Rebels are making a run for the playoffs .
Itās a story thatās got all the right elements and depth. Great characters, passion, hidden romance, secrets, and everything on the line.
Plus it has so many fantastic characters from other series that pop up during the playoffs to create extra fun.
My tiny quibble is that thereās a small storyline that comes in towards the end that feels unnecessary. Thereās so many great aspects to this book that are grounded in reality or things that have a firm foundation that the authors laid down, that this other element feels flimsy by comparison.
Itās a fabulous book and fast engaging read without it. It adds extra drama. But thatās like saying, ok we had 47 cherries on top, not enough. Letās add 3 more. Ok Done.
Either way, this is a marvelous book and a fantastic way to see the Boston Rebels out. Now onto the next series.
Iām highly recommending Rental (Boston Rebels Book 6) by R. J. Scott and V.L. Locey.
A steamy romance between a player and a referee breaks all the rules but will it destroy their careers?
Five different cities in eight years ā Loganās never had the chance to settle in one place. Heās the guy who fills in gaps on teams as a temporary fix and is traded at yearās end because no one wants to keep a thirty-year-old rental after heās outlived his usefulness. When heās called up to the Rebels, he knows itās his last run in the NHL. Now, he must decide if itās worth carrying on with the weight of his secrets around his neck for one more year. Heās never had a love that mattered, his career is nearly done, his ex-wife is remarrying, his sex life is drier than a desert, and abruptly, Loganās had enough. He craves one night to ease the frustration, and hooks up with someone tall, dark, and dangerous in the bathroom of a club. The sex is off the charts, but itās one and done, until Logan realizes exactly who he slept with and understands how dangerous it is to play games with secrets.
Being a referee is in Webberās blood, and itās a job he loves. Sure, sometimes heās called dirty namesāby fans, coaches, and playersāor must insert himself between two massive men trying to pummel each other. Some nights, heās knocked on his ass. Other times, he might take a puck to a tender spot. But despite all the hazards and name calling, there is no place he wants to be than on the ice. If only his love life was as settled. Itās hard to find someone willing to put up with his travel schedule, and even if he found Mr. Right, how would he juggle a romance when heās never home? A chance hookup while officiating a game in Boston should be a simple matter of scratching that itch, but he couldnāt be more wrong.
Unfortunately, that one-night standāwhile memorableāturns his sedate life upside down in ways he couldāve never foreseen. When the penalty for love is losing everything heās worked hard for, is it a price heās willing to pay?
The brilliance and beauty of the narrative of Into The Riverlands (The Singing Hills Cycle #3) by Nghi Vo is the reason I read. Itās the reason Iāll stay up all night, my mind filled with the characters and imagery and possibilities Vo has created within this powerful story.
Itās the reason why Iāll be picking it back up because another thought has just occurred to me about one aspect of the story and I need to see how fluidly Vo has buried the clues Iād missed until now. Itās a never ending treasure of culture, mythology, myth, and life. As told from multiple perspectives in a manner so crafty, so subtle and seductive that the reader is often unaware of all the narrative currents flowing through the story until later on.
I tried to figure out how to explain such a utterly complex yet seemingly simple narrative style. A Chinese nesting doll perhaps? But that too was simplistic. More like a Chinese box structure . A Chinese nesting box structure can refer to a āframe narrative , where a novel or drama is told in the form of a narrative inside a narrative (and so on), giving views from different perspectives.ā
This is a format that Vo uses to great effect with Cleric Chih and Almost Brilliant. As they travel through to various locations, they gather information, knowledge of every type. They catalog it for transfer back to the Singing Hills Abbey and the other Abbey sites. But itās not just a myth or story that they here from one personās perspective but when they can, itās a story they often have told to them from others experiences. Which often means a shared understanding and a deeper appreciation for the people and events that have happened.
But sometimes itās something even more. Sometimes itās a subtle change or something hidden behind the scenes thatās occurring that the reader isnāt aware of until later on that highlights the brilliance of the narrative thatās been building without us noticing it. And when you realize it, itās everything.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading, discovering new authors, myths, the thrill of the beautifully crafted story and a great ending.
Romance? Subtle, look at the clues.
Chih uses pronouns they, them. Itās not understood whether itās by personal preference or because they are a Cleric. Same sex couples exist and experience the same things heterosexual couples do in this world. Thatās not always a happy ending. But sometimes it is.
Nghi Vo’s Hugo and Crawford Award-winning series, The Singing Hills Cycle, continues…
“A delicious bonbon of a novella about stories and their unreliable narrators, who wink at their listeners (or readers), fully expecting us to catch on.”āThe Wall Street Journal
“Nghi Vo is one of the most original writers we have today.”āTaylor Jenkins Reid onSiren Queen
Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills travels to the riverlands to record tales of the notorious near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. On the road to Betony Docks, they fall in with a pair of young women far from home, and an older couple who are more than they seem. As Chih runs headlong into an ancient feud, they find themself far more entangled in the history of the riverlands than they ever expected to be.
Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every storyābeautiful, ugly, kind, or cruelābears more than one face.
The Singing Hills Cycle
The Empress of Salt and Fortune When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain Into the Riverlands Mammoths at the Gates
The novellas of The Singing Hills Cycle are linked by the cleric Chih, but may be read in any order, with each story serving as an entry point.
If youāre in the mood for a cute kinky adult bedtime story, Iāve got a new trilogy for you! Author Charity Parkerson is offering up a trio of short adult paranormal tales, a mixture of fang, kink, and love done weird vampire style.
Little Pestās unique bag of elements include BDSM Daddy play, amorous tiny bats fielded by a fly swatter, a lonely ancient vampire who loves Vegas, and a sad young man who picked the wrong night to be brave and find a Daddy.
As odd a group as this sounds, as a short story, it comes marvelously together. Even if Daddy play or BDSM isnāt a trope you read, the way itās written is done well and easy for a reader to understand why it fills such an emotional need for Tate.
The ancient vampire? Draco, lonely in Las Vegas and unaware of how his long undead life is about to change. A terrifyingly good vampire and terrific character. I always suspected magicians were vampires anyway.
Tate is, uh was a vulnerable young man with a short unhappy life behind him. Parkerson creates in Tate a character of such bravery, self knowledge, and honesty that itās impossible not to root for him and love him. Onesie and all.
And turns out heās actually perfect for Draco, if only he can get past the ancient fears.
Little Pest is a quick fun Paranormal romance. Itās quirky, gives the reader a new slant on types of vampires (pesky young things), and mild kinky romance.
Iām looking forward to the remaining two tales. They look to be equally weird , different, and daffy while fangy and romantic. Gotta love that!
Draco is the oldest vamp around. Tate is the newest and possibly the most annoying. Theyāre the perfect pair.
As one of the oldest living vampires, Draco has seen a lot of history. Heās also extremely powerful. With that power comes an allure that draws younger supernaturals to him like flies, hoping for a taste of hisā¦ expertise. Draco wants none of that. He lives a quiet life as a magician at a casino in Vegas. Itās a fun gig for a retired vamp with no real responsibilities left to his name. Then Tate flies into his life. Now nothing is the same.
Tate is a little hapless. Heās a little everything, actually. In fact, that pretty much sums up his personality. Heās a Little. At least, he was before some dude bit him in a nightclub and now Tate is stronger than ten men, can control minds, and turn into a bat. He has no clue how heās doing any of that. No one taught him how to be a vampire. In fact, he doesnāt know how to survive. Without Dracoās help, he wonāt. If it means Tate has to make a pest of himself to get Draco to notice him and teach him the how-tos of his new life, then so be it. Falling in love, that was just another one of Tateās little mistakes, but it might be his best one yet.
Little Pest is the first book in Charity Parkersonās Once Upon a Bite series. These books are meant to be short, fun paranormal romps to brighten your day.
I have been anticipating this book since I encountered Joe Bagshaw in Vow Maker, where he acted as the wedding planner to Gabe and Dylan. It was a hilarious and memorable introduction. And made all the readers want more, especially his painful romantic history.
Morton reveals Joeās love life and tale of marriage woe between scenes of weddings that Joeās firm is handling, past and present. This format works in some respects to help the story and not in others.
By breaking down the story into different timelines, a wedding here that begins the relationship, a wedding that sees the men meet up again, and so on to weddings three and four, the reader gets a wonderful feel for the strong amazing personality that is Joe Bagshaw. Quick witted, kind, thoughtful, well organized, and extremely intelligent. Heās exactly who youād want to plan your wedding. Or anything else for that matter. We connect with Joe immediately.
The other man in this unusual relationship that they arenāt calling a relationship? That would be forensic accountant Lachlan Moore. Older, self possessed, and assured of himself and his status quo, personally and professionally , heās not the immediate choice weād expect for Joe. Heās not a bad person but from the early stages, Morton doesnāt give the reader (or Joe) enough reason to believe he is the best person for that amazing being we love.
In my opinion, this is where the issues with the format overlap into character and relationship development. And not for the first time in a Lily Morton story.
Lachlan falls into that category of main protagonists that are emotionally unavailable to the other more engaging and lovable men in their lives. For the majority of the story, itās Joe whoās the narrator. Through Joeās thoughts and feelings, we watch as Lachlan creates a āon my terms only ā scenario for them where not even the term date can be used. When they marry, he then leaves Joe to be abused by a housekeeper, his friends, and his PA. Even a house. We, Joeās audience , along with Joeās friends , find this situation naturally appalling.
Morton has created a one-sided emotional connection with the couple through Joe with her readers. Only later does Lachlan get his perspective voiced. By then itās almost too late.
The authorās plan to right this one sidedness starts at a wedding in Scotland. There itās a strictly 2 person POV. So Lachlan becomes the fully fleshed out character he should have been all along. However, Iām not sure heās still a great person.
Communication, or itās lack of, is key here between the two people. Neither was able to talk to the other person about their feelings or the fact they were upset until now. Thatās not addressed either. A secret from Lachlanās end doesnāt help on the open communication front.
Thereās another smaller issue for me. I donāt know why but itās stuck with me because it held such promise for being such a tiny narrative gem.
Frances is the mother of Erica, the bride whose wedding is being held in Scotland. Frances is a veritable harridan. Nasty, demanding, arrogant, Frances has made Joeās job difficult and her name is synonymous with the worst that bridezilla mothers can deliver. But just when sheās fallen into a stereotype, Morton elevates this controlling one dimensional woman into someone human. It happens during a snowed in game night.
ā Iād thought Frances would steer the ship, but unexpectedly she defers to her husband, and thereās even a smile on her lips as they look at each other. I narrow my eyes.ā
It goes further with Frances emerging as a defender of another member of her family. And Frances goes from harridan to family matriarch with a inner life of her own. What a transformation in a few sentences!
But such a subtle , and appreciated detail wasnāt to last. Morton throws away this lovely narrative gem by reducing Frances once more to a comic flat horror of a woman because Joe needed a one-liner towards the end of the romance.
Itās choices like those, where the easy narrative path was taken, rather than the one where the author must build up the storyline further with heft and a sense of fullness, that leaves this lacking.
Mortonās booklist has so many novels where such care was taken. It pains me to say that Joe Bagshaw – Mooreās isnāt one of them. I so hoped it was.
So read this because we fell in love with Joe and want to know what happened to him. Because Lily Morton is a must read for you. For all the others, you decide if itās the age gap, second chance at love story next on your TBR pile.
Joe Bagshaw doesnāt believe in love or marriage anymore, which is rather a hindrance for a wedding planner.
His own marriage was a whirlwind affair that ended before the ink could dry on the wedding certificate. Nevertheless, even with his divorce pending, heās getting by. Or at least he was until he finds himself snowed in at a remote Scottish hotel with the wedding party from hell, a terrible ABBA tribute band, and his soon-to-be ex-husband.
Lachlan has missed Joe from the second his husband walked away. He wants Joe back and is prepared to do anything to get him. Being snowed in together seems to offer the chance Lachlan needs, but does he have what it takes to get Joe to trust in love and their marriage again?
From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy about love, matrimony, and the best of second chances.
This is the first book in the Confetti Hitched series.
Midwinter Firelight, a sequel to the inestimable Snowed In, takes place 2 months after the events of that story that introduced us to Constable Kit Thompson, empath and Bow Street Preternatural Division, and his now lover, the Honorable Harry Alden, younger brother to the Earl of Fairleigh.
This is a case where the bar was set so high narratively speaking by the origin story, that anything that followed would have a difficult time getting close to the magic that first one captured.
And Midwinter Firelight doesnāt. It doesnāt have the setting. It doesnāt have the sense of isolation or otherness that allowed Nooneās prose to soar into episodes of poetry alongside scenes of beautiful imagery.
No, here in a London setting, Kit and Harry are firmly attached to more a emotionally busy and physically demanding time of it. They are still so new in their relationship but London is full of challenges and promises., as well as hidden obstacles.
Whereas Fairleigh was magical and sparse of people, London is the exact opposite. Itās the copious amounts of mundane , the demands of society, and more mysteries. Itās a more interesting and realistic grounding of this couple in their everyday realities and the rigidity with which society regards them.
Noone weaves both mens insecurities, which is interesting given that they are empaths, into the internal conversations each is conducting about their future. It shows the some of the limitations of that empathy bestows.
The mystery itself is the weakest part of the story. I found myself thinking about the participants for just a moment, then they were forgotten.
No, it could have been any problem to solve. The focus and power belongs on Kit and Harry. They are made of magic, both in the city and out in the countryside, as long as they are together.
Iām recommending Midwinter Firelight by K.L. Noone. Itās a lovely follow up to the sublime Snowed In.
Kit Thompson, empath and Bow Street Preternatural Division constable, is looking forward to Midwinter. His lover Harry, Viscount Sommersby, is visiting, and Kit has plans to show Harry his London … and plans for Harry in his bedroom.
But Kitās Chief Magistrate needs him. And the case is important. Personal. Taking up Kitās time.
Even worse, Harry wants to help. And Kit could use Harryās magical talents. But that means endangering Harry … something Kitās sworn never to do.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 