Review: The Vampire’s Delicious Fae (Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala Book 2) by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4🌈

I absolutely enjoyed this fantasy romance of miscommunication resolved between an ancient vampire and a green fae, both of which have their own families to share.

It’s a sort of fantasy With Eight You Get Eggrolls, but with drama, plants, and mate bonds.

Anton and Keryth were both very great characters and wonderful together, quickly figuring out why they were so drawn together (fated mates). It wasn’t the normal fast paced relationship I expected in a fated mate story. I loved the way Notaro let them go down a slower path than an immediate step into a full blown love match. Each has a family to consider and those kids (young and old) were part of the bigger picture (and discussions) as they grew together.

Ker’s children are a more well known group (from previous stories) than Anton’s with the exception of Jed, Anton’s youngest.

The full found family Ker and Keryth’s young sisters Alsira, Gemma, Saranor, and Zellya, and Anton has his fledglings Phaeron, Beshiro, Katja, Jedediah. Then there’s one more youngster who becomes a major character and storyline here.

All played out while a series or universe drama /mysteries is going on around them, including them in its horror.

There is one book left in this trilogy and I can’t see how the huge overall plot is tied together within that book. It’s just that big.

But the author already has another series coming to follow this one, about the vampires. Which makes sense because vampires are the focus of the ongoing mystery and arc plot.

So I expect a switch in locations and characters. What fun! And more crossovers as well.

Looking forward to the final book in this series and the next series.

A definite winner.

Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala (3 book series):

The Witch’s Grumpy Dragon #1

The Vampire’s Delicious Fae #2

The Dragon’s Devoted Defender #3 – March 17,2026

Buy link

The Vampire’s Delicious Fae (Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala Book 2)

Blurb

I hate vampires. Well, just one in particular. But I do kinda love how his eyes follow me whenever he’s around… Sigh.

Step One: Find a hot vampire. Check.

Step Two: Get the hot vamp to drink from me. Check.

Step Three: Try to forget his stupid face. Ugh. This one’s impossible to check. F my life. Sigh.

Anton is beyond frustrating. He was so sweet when we first met, and I’d thought we had a real connection. But then he had to ruin everything with his big mouth and jerky face. Ugh.

I can’t get him out of my head. Even when I’m beyond angry at him, I still feel a pull to be near him. A pull I can’t seem to ignore.

And when my entire world gets turned upside-down, I can’t help but reach for the ancient vampire and hope that together, we can conquer anything that’s thrown at us… anything that’s coming for us.

The Vampire’s Delicious Fae is Book 2 of the MM urban fantasy series, Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala. It follows a new couple in each book with a guaranteed HEA. It takes place in the Brinnswick world in the far away country of Gauhala and brings a whole new cast of characters, so you don’t need to read the other series first. But don’t worry, there will absolutely be some cameos along the way.

Publication date: March 27, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 360 pages

Review: Draken the Rules (Blackhaven Manor Book 13) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4🌈

Draken the Rules is a sweet, sexy paranormal novella in Arden Steele’s long running fated mates Blackhaven Manor universe.

It’s a quick read and I really enjoyed the characters, especially as Arden added another dragon shifter to the universe who a total powerhouse!

Up until now, we had only the original dragon siblings acknowledged and now we know that there are others out there. Fantastic expansion of this series and universe. Also intriguing little toy , a fabulous tiny dragon that used blood magic to animate it. Was it sentient or not? Could have used an entire story on it alone.

Minor drama that was easily removed but the couple was adorable and Itri Lockwood , Storm dragon shifter , morally grey magic item dealer needs a series. Especially now that his mate has decided to work with him.

That would be great!

Another recommendation!

Check out the full list below.

Blackhaven Manor:

Purrfect Harmony #1
Night and Fae #2
Dragon It Out #3
Grin and Bear It #4
Pixie Little Liar #5
Dead Over Heals #6
Silent Knight #7
Pain in the Ice #8
Walking a Tight Rope #9
Royally Flocked #10
What The Hex? #11
Dewitched #12
Draken the Rules #13

Sequel/adjacent series:

Hunter’s Hollow:

Angels and Anarchy #1
Beauty and Bad Blood #2

Buy link

Draken the Rules (Blackhaven Manor Book 13)

Blurb

Welcome to Hell Week.

For Arlo Eichen, the annual Heritage Festival is less of a beloved tradition and more of a weeklong exercise in patience. The crowds are insane, the chaos is overwhelming, and the sense of entitlement is off the charts. So, when an honest-to-the-gods storm erupts inside one of the ballrooms? Just another day at Blackhaven Manor.

Until he sets eyes on the source of the storm.

Six-and-half feet of brooding, lightning-throwing dragon shifter, Itri Lockwood has a bad-boy reputation and a temper as short as his patience. And he doesn’t take kindly to threats against what’s his—especially when it comes to Arlo.

Mixing business with pleasure was never part of the plan. He came for a distraction, but now he’s juggling a coveted artifact, a deal gone sideways, and a mate who went from an unexpected temptation to a primal obsession.

Itri might be able to control the storm but keeping Arlo out of trouble…

That’s going to take a miracle.

Publisher: Peccavi Press (March 27, 2025)
Publication date: March 27, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 144 pages

Review: Calling Chaos (Demon Bound, #3) by Grae Bryan

Rating:3.5🌈

Grae Bryan’ Demon Bound series has been fantastic to date, matching the damaged, dark Russian mafia brothers with an assorted cast of demons who were an unlikely found family of demons, each watching and waiting to be summoned.

The Koslov family history is deeply disturbing, criminal as you’d expect, and horrifically terrifying for those raised inside its core. The author did a fantastic job capturing this emotional trauma and layering it into each brother in a different way, and how it impacted their stories and relationship with the demons they summoned.

Yes, the intensity and complexity of Ivan and Nix hasn’t been matched. My favorite!

So when their cousin, the highly introspective Cooper, gets the next story and summoning of a demon we’d met, I was curious.

Calling Chaos is a good book but it feels separate from the rest of the series. Bryan gives us scenes that have occurred before, but now we have them from the perspective of this couple and these characters. That’s amusing.

And while we are given a general glimpse into what a painful background Cooper must have had, there’s been no foundation laid out in the series for him or his character before. So while Chaos becomes a vital part of the series and wildly entertaining dangerous being, Cooper remains more of a one dimensional person. Someone who reacts with Chaos, has tons of sex with him, and as we know will bond with him.

There’s a “save me “ element that comes out of nowhere and goes away with equal impact. It’s there for just that. So the reader believes in it just as much.

The ending sets up the next story and series finale which I’m really excited about. That should bring everything together. And the scariest demon yet.

So the best part of Calling Chaos is actually Chaos. There’s small scenes here and there where he’s the chaos demon you want and expect. I wish we had more of that. Or a better defined and fleshed out Cooper.

Cover designed by MiblArt.

Demon Bound:

🔹Wrecking Havoc #1 (Kai and Sascha)

🔹Inviting Bedlam #2 (Nix and Ivan)

🔹Calling Chaos #3 (Chaos and

🔹Unleashing Mayhem #4 – Sept 30,2025 / finale

Buy link

Calling Chaos (Demon Bound Book 3)

Blurb

Cooper didn’t mean to summon a demon. He may be a hacker for the Mafia, but he’s not exactly brave or adventurous by nature. He was only trying to do a small, easy job for his terrifying boss and then get back to not leaving the house for days on end. Only now that the demon’s here, promising to be Cooper’s friend for as long as he needs one, Cooper might just be lonely enough to let him.

Chaos knew it was finally his time to get summoned. No more being stuck in the boring Void, no more hanging out with the same three dull demons. It’s time for madness and mayhem and answering to no one but himself. Except Chaos doesn’t expect his newest summoner to be quite so…timid. And sweet. And willing to cater to every single one of Chaos’s many wants and whims. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stick around for an eternity or two.

Now Chaos just needs to convince his new friend that it really isn’t all that scary to be mated to a demon, even one who loves to play with fire.

CALLING CHAOS IS A HEATED MM PARANORMAL ROMANCE. IT FEATURE A LONELY, SOCIALLY ANXIOUS HACKER AND THE WILY, WICKED, AND SLIGHTLY FERAL DEMON WHO WANTS TO PLAY WITH HIM FOREVER. IT ALSO CONTAINS “IT’S JUST PRACTICE” BEDROOM LESSONS, MAFIA MEETINGS GONE AWRY, AND THE JOYS OF STEALING YOUR NOT-BOYFRIEND’S HOODIES.

Publication date: March 28, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 248 pages

Review: Sun and Stone (Elementally Yours Book 5) by F.N. Manning

Review: 4.5🌈

Sun and Stone is the finale story for F.N. Manning’s terrific paranormal romance series about a group of elemental mages getting their branding (think magical acceptance from each of their own magic elements) and finding love in the process. Often with other mages or paranormal characters.

The series started with a series mystery and wrapped it up within a couple of books then went on to tell stories with characters from the university of magic that’s a prominent location.

But Sun and Stone might be my favorite. The characters are older, and when the story opens up, Perry is leaving the building where his magic is checked and reviewed for potential and power levels. At his later years, he knows he’s running out of time to become a mage and that his now limited magic will be locked soon. And he’s devastated.

These early moments connect the reader into Perry’s broken heart so quickly that when he collapses into a stranger’s arms, weeping, we get it.

It’s a heartbreaking moment.

But as the stranger introduces himself and offers Perry comfort, a sweet, unexpected friendship is struck up between them. For Flynn knows exactly what Perry is feeling as he’s been forced to accept the reality about his magic as well.

As the men explore the possibility of a relationship between them , revealing their past experiences and dashed hopes, author Manning writes a story that gives us two wonderful characters growing stronger together and a romantic connection to root for.

There’s a dramatic twist or two. A villain who isn’t much of a surprise but a great ending that’s absolutely satisfying and is also a fantastic way to see the series out.

Highly enjoyable and my favorite couple of the series.

A winner.

Elementally Yours (5 book series)

The Frost Or The Bite #1

Strikes Twice #2

Bold As Brass #3

Where There’s Smoke #4

Sun and Stone #5 – finale

Buy link

Sun and Stone: M/M Paranormal Romance (Elementally Yours Book 5)

Blurb

Can love outshine magic when time runs out?

Perry has spent a lifetime chasing magic, but the clock is ticking, and he’s still not a full-fledged wizard. As his window to earn elemental stone power closes, he’s struggling to imagine a life without magic. But when he bumps into a kind stranger and meets Fynn Callahan, everything changes.

Once a lover of sun magic, Fynn shows Perry that it’s possible to move on and build a new life. And the more Perry gets to know the cheerful graphic designer with a sweet tooth, the easier it is to believe he’ll be just fine—especially if he winds up in Fynn’s arms.

But something strange is happening with Fynn’s powers. If they get to the bottom of what’s wrong, then Fynn will get another chance to gain magic. But if only one of them can become a caster, is their relationship doomed?

Will Perry find a way to keep his magic and his man, or will he lose both forever

Publication date: March 23, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 186 pages

Review: Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron

Rating: 4.5

After finishing Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series, I had to return to see how it all started. Before the DFZ was sentient, when dragons were outlawed, and the Lady of the Lake , the Algonquin herself was a highly manipulative, deadly spirit and Detroit was rising up again from all her destruction and under her authority.

This is another wild, strange and fabulous ride. Told in five instead of three books.

It’s centered in Detroit, the non-sentient DFZ, and its focus is the powerful and numerous Heartstriker dragon family, in particular its youngest and smallest dragon, Julius. Julius, a constant source of disappointment and anger to his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has been sealed into his human form and sent off to the DFZ to prove himself a true dragon or else.

Julius the Good Dragon, which isn’t a compliment to dragons, is such an engaging character. The only one of his many siblings who is an anomaly in his personality, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, just loves gaming and people.

Marci, a mage from Las Vegas, ends up in the DFZ after fleeing from some sort of terrible situation that leaves her without a home.

These two are incredibly great characters and together they are the beginnings of a fabulous series arc and the basis for I’m betting the magical creatures and world building of the DFZ.

Another hugely important character is Bob, the Heartstriker seer and Julius’s oldest brother. We meet more siblings , each letter according to the clutch they hatched (?) in. Bob being one but not the only oldest remaining child of Bethesda. She’s not a good mother or parent FYI.

I love Aaron as an author, the magical system is beautifully conceived, and it’s expanding to fit this ever growing imaginative new universe. Not even the established spirits themselves know what’s happening, or what the world is capable of doing. Truly a gonzo magical fantasy.

But it’s also a very powerful story of empathy, emotional empowerment, and quiet bravery. Whether it’s on a human or dragon’s level.

Julius deciding to be himself or Marci’s grief, or other characters stepping forward to help others.

So many aspects of Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron to love and appreciate, storylines and characters, relationships and themes.

This author is a must read and these connected series as well. Highly recommended.

Love the covers .

Cover Illustration by Anna Steinbauer, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron.

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished

A Dragon of a Different Color

Last Dragon Standing

Buy link

Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1)

Blurb

The start of the series that won back-to-back RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards!

As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn’t fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Now, sealed in his human form and banished to the DFZ–a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit–Julius has one month to prove he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons…

Winner of the 2015 Audie Audio Book Award in Fantasy!

Publisher: Aaron/Bach (July 13, 2014)
Publication date: July 13, 2014
Language: English
Print length: 287 pages

Complete series

Series Information from the author:

All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order.

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished

A Dragon of a Different Color

Last Dragon Standing

The DFZ Trilogy (This series) Minimum Wage Magic

Part-Time Gods

Night Shift Dragons

DFZ Changeling Trilogy

By a Silver Thread

With a Golden Sword

To the Bloody End

Review: The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman

Rating: 4⭐️

I was looking for something to read that wasn’t fae or trial themed so that fantastic cover for The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman pulled me right in. New author and apparently a new series or duology, terrific!

And yes, I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book. I feel that Lauren Palphreyman really captured the Highlands of Scotland, the wilds and beauty of the region through scenes and descriptions so well. And then to intertwine the Clans of Scotland with werewolves or Shifter packs and include mythology and kingdom wars, it’s a very compelling story. And the political landscape isn’t just about the shaky Wolf clans but their history with the human kingdom as its own wars are being played out.

On this background, the author is writing a larger story about a woman, Princess Aurora, who’s kidnapped by an Alpha and taken to the Highlands.

Aurora, or Rory as she is called is a delightful character, one of tremendous strength and perseverance. She’s a woman who can emotionally and mentally evolve from a tightly controlled princess into a woman who decides her journey is transformative instead of that of one of being a victim.

On the male characters side, Callum is the main protagonist and romantic lead but instead I found the morally ambiguous Blake to be the far more interesting character. Callum was forever “running” off to somewhere important to the narrative leaving Rory behind for the moment and events to come.

Blake’s background and character, however, manipulative and dubious, is just that much more intriguing than that of Callum, imo. And there’s the Wolf King, Patrick, who is a non-entity here. He’s got one purpose, as an antagonist for the main characters and then he’s done until the next book.

The world building could be better explained or developed. It’s an alternate universe. But what’s the time frame? A 17th century type of story. Not sure. There’s a difference between a author who vividly describes a location , whether it’s a natural setting or parts of a castle, and an actual world building with cultural elements, religious traditions, political traditions and history. And so far the latter is missing here.

The relationship between Rory and Callum is more of one of self discovery. I really didn’t buy the idea that Rory loved Callum, honestly, he’s just too much a Golden Retriever in wolf’s clothing. He’s the boy next door you date but then leave when you go to college.

The book ends on a really interesting note. And sets up the multiple conflicts and storylines for each character. For me , it’s still all about Blake.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

A definite recommendation .

Love the cover.

Cover Design by: Damonza

The Wolf King series:

The Wolf King #1

The Night Prince #2 – March 31,2025

Buy link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance – Books

Blurb

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers

Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations.

Publisher: Lauren Palphreyman (September 14, 2023)
Publication date: September 14, 2023
Language: English
Print length: 468 pages

Review: Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #1) by Nisha J. Tuli

Rating: 3⭐️

There’s a whole trope of romance fantasy books that’s falls into the academy/trials category where a character, most likely a FMC, has to undergo a certain amount of training (in an academic setting) and experience a set amount of traumatic , often potentially deadly, trials in order to meet their goal.

Survival, becoming a ruler, save someone, including yourself. Or the world are the typical end game examples. Or perhaps all of those. Gods are usually involved, lately the Greek pantheon, and the Fae are huge here. Huge!

So it takes an extraordinary or a very special well constructed or conceived story to rise up from the those that are already out there with the same type of theme and characters.

This isn’t the story, unfortunately.

It’s a nice one but the characters and world building is lacking substance. It’s initially three siblings, Lor, Willow and Tristan, the older brother in a death prison where she’s been since basically a toddler ( I just read another similar story), and it’s been years of trauma and struggles to survive.

Past and present mentions of SA, violence, and other physical attacks are part of their lives.

But why they are there, the Fae Kingdom it’s in, and any world building is pretty non-existent. And Lor and family members aren’t that believable as very young women and men who are starving to death, fighting for their lives under conditions that should have done them in years prior. Her brother is downright jaunty.

There’s a side accompanying story about a Fae prince who hates his father, the King. Why? We don’t know . But there’s a secret. And he needs to go figure it out.

Lor ends up , in an around about way, being a competitor in a contest to win the Sun King’s heart and a crown. It doesn’t make sense as it happens , other women are cardboard creatures at best, and the contest is wildly uneven.

The problem is with the characters, Lor especially. Is she someone who could have survived the prison experience she’s been through, has that personality and survival chops here or is she a naive young girl who’s somehow going to believe everything that told her, saving lives of those who trying desperately to kill her, etc. Lor’s personality seems as changeable as a throw of the dice. She’s just not a character worthy of investing in.

It’s more, huh, so that happens. Ok. Turn page. Where did that element go?

I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to get the next book. Probably not. As I’ve got several other series I’ve read that are terrific and have second books to read in the same trope.

Read it because you like the author or are a fan of the trope.

Artefacts of Ouranos:

Trial of the Sun Queen #1 (KU)

Rule of the Aurora King #2 (KU)

Fate of the Sun King #3

Tale of the Heart Queen #4

Completed series-2 are available on KU

Buy link

Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos)

Blurb

Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

My notes: the initial blurb compares this to Fourth Wing and other popular fantasy novels. No. Not even close.

Review: Avalon Tower (Fey Spy Academy, #1) by C.N. Crawford and Alex Rivers

Rating: 3.75⭐️

Back in the universe of academy training , trials, the Fae and saving the world. But this time the twist is the Tales of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, Lady of the Lake, and every one of the hugely magical characters who are part of that mythology. Yes, Merlin too.

But all updated to current times with interesting interpretations and weaving of modern history and the author’s dystopian narrative. Again, Fae bad and mad at humanity. And the magical system is still being developed here.

Nia is kidnapped while on vacation in Europe and taken to Avalon Academy to become a spy against the Fae. That’s a very bare minimum outline.

She, naturally, has strict training to undergo, much of her classmates are against her, and there are dangerous trials to pass for her to say that she’s graduated and a spy. Plus a ex boyfriend to contend with.

Elements I thought made the story stronger were Nia’s asthma, a contributing factor to her personality and less than stellar physical condition. Her mother is alcoholic whose dependence upon Nia makes any separation, even a hard won vacation, one of emotional distress and anxiety. This is a very well written aspect of the book and her character, and it’s used perfectly.

The magical powers and systems are slowly developed, brought along or revealed as Nia’s own character changes and grows during her time in the Academy and her missions there.

This ends in a cliffhanger, two to be exact. Both made me want to continue further into the series and Nia’s journey.

A definite recommendation for fantasy lovers and those who read this trope. Last book to be released this Spring.

Fey Spy Academy (3 book series)

Avalon Tower #1

Vale of Dreams #2

Lady of the Lake #3 – April 18, 2025

Buy link

Avalon Tower: A Fantasy Romance (Fey Spy Academy Book 1)

Blurb

Avalon Academy rules: spy on your enemies, resist temptation, and try not to die in the process.

As a bookseller, Nia saved up for years for her dream vacation—drinking champagne on a beach with her favorite books. But her dream turns into a nightmare when she’s kidnapped by a muscular, tattooed jerk of a fey named Raphael.

Yes, kidnapped.

It turns out Nia has a magic power, and Raphael demands that she train at Camelot’s elite academy for spies. Raphael is hellbent on revenge against an evil Fey king, certain that Nia’s powers can help. But Nia is in way over her head–asthmatic and out of shape. She’ll be lucky to get out of there alive.

Still, there’s no escape when Raphael is watching her every move. He’s lethal, dangerous, and hot as hell. When they’re sent on a dangerous missions together, he becomes harder to resist. Touching him is playing with fire. Is she ready to get burned?

Publisher: (March 22, 2024)
Publication date: March 22, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 454 pages

Review: Puck Love (The Elmwood Stories #6) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

It’s fitting that Lane Hayes brings her heartwarming series, The Elmwood Stories, to a close with one of the boys who we met in the earlier books.

Now grown and playing in the NHL, Jake Milligan is one of the boys we met from the first Elmwood junior hockey camp, and along with Denny Mellon, who’s been a character we’ve watched as their parents got their own romances in the early books.

So it’s perfect that the series finale will have Jake’s own story and we get to see many other familiar faces in this book as Jake’s enemies to lovers story unfolds.

The “enemy” is hockey arch rival Mason Trinsky, a trash talking, exuberant player who has made their rivalry a media firestorm to Jake’s chagrin.

Elmwood’s Junior Hockey Camp is now a huge success, with famous players participating as coaches and that’s how both Trinsky and Jake end up as partners for a camp weekend.

It’s a terrific story that Lane manages to bring together elements of bi awakening, Trinky’s family members with special needs as well as his mother’s history of addiction and recovery. That balances so well with the fears and need for control of Jake’s upbringing.

But we get juicy, sexy scenes of discovery, great characters, hockey, adorable kids in Eddie, Nathan, Ella and Charlotte. Truly a fabulous heartwarming story of love , family and finding your forever home.

Elmwood and its magical, small town places hold a special place in my heart. I know that I’ll be revisiting it and it’s love stories.

Lane is going to bring us a new series based in the neighboring town, Wood Hollow, and hopefully we will see some crossovers in characters. Vermont’s fictional Four Forest area has so much to offer and more towns to explore.

A highly recommended and heartwarming sendoff of a fantastic series. I love it. Read them in order and fall in love with this town and its people.

The Elmwood Stories:

You, Again #1

Next Season #2

Holiday Crush #3

Thin Ice #4

Hot Shot #5

Puck Love #6

Buy link

Puck Love: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 6)

Blurb

Two rivals, one secret, and a shot at forever…

Jake

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, family, friends.

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Mason Trinsky.

I have my reasons, but since you’re curious, Trinsky is a showboat and a loudmouth. Sure, he’s a great athlete. Good for him. I accept that we have mutual friends, and I grudgingly accept that he’ll be a coach at w this summer—however, I plan to keep my distance.

Of course, some wise guy pairs us up for a camping expedition, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

Guess who I’m stuck with?

Trinsky

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, surfing, and my kid brother

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Jake Milligan

Look, I might be in the minority, but if you ask me, Jake is a nitpicking diva who wants everything his way. I hope my NHL team crushes his, and this summer, I want my campers to out-prank his. Childish? Nah, it’s all in good fun.

Until it starts to feel…complicated. I shouldn’t care if he’s happy, should I? I don’t want to be Jake’s friend. I don’t want to have feelings for him at all.

The only thing that matters is hockey. It’s all about the puck. Not love.

Or is it?

Puck Love is an MM bisexual, small-town romance featuring hockey’s hottest rivals, a hiking trip gone wrong, and a shot at forever…

Publication date: March 21, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 280 pages

Review: Grave Situation by Louise Masters

Rating: 3.75🌈

Grave Situation by Louise Masters is a story that was so emotionally moving at times that it had me sobbing in parts and yet, left me wondering why I wasn’t completely satisfied by how the story was finished. Nicely written, had humor, pathos, dragons, with a diverse cast of characters but with a book of this length and thought that’s gone into the storytelling, there’s something along the lines that is also missing.

The twins Talon, the mage, and Tia, the dragonrider sister, are wonderful . The his class and the character of Talon, especially,are vividly illustrated , easily becoming people we care about. As too are the found family that Talon starts to gather together along the way on the journey he’s sent on.

Each one is well crafted , easily recognizable and relatable. There’s a non-binary one. The big hearted gorgeous but not bright one, the naive young one, etc. But because they are so well done, they become winners in their own right.

But there’s noticeable flaws that’s frustrating. Example, Masters tells us what a powerful mage Talon is but the magic , unless it’s telepathic, isn’t really there in any scenarios to prove that. Dangling a person upside down a couple of times isn’t really enough.

And we get dragons , without a substantial foundational knowledge about them, and then later on when its becomes a major narrative element, we realize that for the most of the book there is no background information for our characters. In a novel that’s 577 pages.

That’s an aspect of the story that’s seen elsewhere. Religion plays a huge role here but we’ve no idea what it is about. What, other than the name, that makes it so important or fun or interesting or whatever. It’s a “waves hand “ something religion.

There’s no substance to the governments, kingdoms, religions, or even magic.

But there’s zombies and a mission and a gang of found family to save the world. And dragons.

Grace Situation is a serialized story that began on her Patron page and for me, it has that feel.

It’s fun. Definitely entertaining and moving in parts but it doesn’t come across as a well defined and deeply developed world. Nor does that end feel very satisfying. Good but not great.

I’ll still recommend it but it’s not a book I read straight through as I did others of the same style and length.

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comGrave Situation – Kindle edition by Masters, Louisa. Romance …

Blurb

He’s not the hero they deserve, but he’s the hero they’ve got.

No, seriously. Talon wants to know what he did to deserve this. What would make a sentient rock decide that he of all people should be the one to save the world from zombies? That’s right. Zombies. Because apparently a higher power decided that teaching magic to teenagers wasn’t enough of a challenge.

With a ridiculously attractive healer (who may or may not hate him), his sister (who he miiiight have a forbidden telepathic link with), a sentient god-like rock (that can only communicate via yes/no vibes), a disdainful dragon, and a rude matchmaking horse by his side, he just might be able to save the world.

Or die trying.

Meet Talon Silverbright. He’ll save the world, but only because a rock said he has to.

Publication date: March 20, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 577 pages

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