Review:  The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Naomi Kuttner

Rating: 4.5 šŸ”ā­ļø

Another great new to me author, another new book and series that I found absolutely fascinating and thoroughly entertaining.

Naomi Kuttner’s new paranormal cozy mystery is unusual in its use of multiple main character voices to provide the story. It took me a while to get the feel for the flow and framing of how these three highly detailed, yet very different characters would be pulled together to form a compelling trio of unlikely friends who solve a mystery. Or mysteries. 

The town of Te Kohe, New Zealand exhibits plenty of main character energy on its own, due to its unique community and character, including its citizens who have a tendency to reveal unexpected sides to themselves. 

It starts with Dante, a retired assassin, who’s moved to Te Kohe, New Zealand and now, mostly due to his choice of homes, finds himself living with a life he never anticipated. He expected isolation, and instead he gets a nonstop flow of visitors, and then a gardener. 

That arrival of Charlie Wilson, a lovely gardener with his own secrets, sets off an entire ripple of events and murder mysteries to solve. The redoubtable Eleanor is right there , to help them, especially Dante, navigate through the town in their investigations. 

Each is such a fantastic character. Dante has been focused on his work as an assassin so now adjusting to being an actual person who’s a part of a team and community is a challenging process. As written by Kuttner, Dante’s personality is realistically chilling in places, hilariously lacking in social skills, and his growth is a result of his own decisions to act on Charlie’s behalf. Eleanor is one revelation after another, a woman of strengths, ingenuity, and a hidden past. And then there’s Charlie, a young man whose story is the basis for the mystery. 

Set in New Zealand, the story and characters are well defined by their location and their respective nationality. From the nature, plants and fauna ( I had to look up several of the birds and trees Charlie referenced to my delight), to the languages and foods, I absolutely knew I was in a small town community in New Zealand. That dynamic of the real nature of a type of place where everyone knows everyone is a prerequisite of a cozy and Kuttner has it down. 

The small trio of strangers that becomes friends through mystery investigations is a fascinating and great storyline.  It fit perfectly into the classic cozy format albeit with a paranormal addition of ghosts here. 

There’s no romantic element between the three main characters. They are, at least here, firmly in the friend zone.  Eleanor appears to have the promise of one in the future with a great side character.

The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Naomi Kuttner is just terrific. Self published, it’s full of amazing twists, great storylines, wonderful characters, and a fascinating town of citizens to explore. 

I can’t wait for the next book to be released. 

Highly recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries and fantastic stories.

Retired Assassin’s Guide (2 book series)

The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening #1

The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting #2 – Dec 16,2025

Buy link 

        The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening: A New Zealand Paranormal Cozy Mystery

    

Blurb 

Dante has come to the small coastal town of Te Kohe, New Zealand, for a fresh start in life. But he doesn’t want to open a BnB, or save a charming bookshop, or start a romance with a single mother in need of rescuing.

He just wants to forget about his past career (which involved a lot of dead bodies) and have everyone leave him the heck alone. Unfortunately for Dante, life has other plans…

  • Publication date: January 25, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 471 pages

Review:  One-Time Shot: MM Small-Town College Hockey Romance (Smithton Bears Book 1) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

If you loved The Elmwood Stories then the Smithton Bear is just your thing. One-Time Shot: MM Small-Town College Hockey Romance (Smithton Bears Book 1) by Lane Hayes is such an adorable romance.  

The two main characters are an absolute delight to read and I easily read this in one evening. 

Jett, the college hockey player is layered, finding his year challenging, and his life full of unexpected stumbles.  Malcolm, the science major who has a thesis and needs Jett’s help to complete it, is fully realized and relatable. He’s so cute.

Together they are funny believable duo, learning from each other, walking around, figuring things out, within the context of their social groups and sports influence. 

Hayes makes these two young men very honest and real in their issues and how they find their way to overcome the obstacles between them.

 

A lovely romance and terrific couple. 

Cover Design by Reese Dante

Smithton Bears:

One-Time Shot #1

Something to Prove #2 – July 29,2025

Buy link

        One-Time Shot: MM Small-Town College Hockey Romance (Smithton Bears Book 1)

    

Blurb 

The jock, the geek, and the hockey project…

Jett

My pro hockey dreams are hanging by a thread. I need to have a great season and that means no partying, no distractions, no fun. The grad student’s science experiment is the definition of no fun, so…okay.

Pros and cons of agreeing to this deal:

Pros: Positive use of free time. (At least that’s what my agent says.)

Cons: Malcolm is bossy, clumsy, and he doesn’t know the first thing about hockey.

But he’s also cute and he’s got a great sense of humor and—oh no.

I cannot have a crush on the geek. No way. Not now.

Malcolm

Yes, I’m a serious student, but a hockey project is not serious. Who cares about big hunky hockey players zipping around a sheet of ice at warp speed? Not I.

However, according to my professor, the only way to attain the required data is to study the specimen in his natural habitat, AKA, the ice rink.

Pros: My thesis should lead to a bevy of job offers.

Cons: Jett. He’s impossibly big and gruff and handsome and disarmingly charming and—

Fine. Guilty. I like the jock…perhaps too much.

Lately, I find myself wondering if there’s such a thing as a one-time shot at forever.

One-Time Shot is a low-angst, geek-jock MM bisexual college hockey romance featuring a charismatic hockey star and an adorkable scientist.

  • Publication date: May 27, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 186 pages
  • Book 1 of 2: Smithton Bears

Review:  The Paternity Puzzle (Sawyer and Royce: Felonies and Fatherhood, #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker

Rating: 4.5🌈

The Paternity Puzzle, the third series and another important evolutionary step in Sawyer Keys and Royce Locke’s relationship and marriage. 

This well written book is about families, from many emotional aspects and from different perspectives.  It’s Sawyer and Royce embarking on their own journey through prospective fatherhood, a murder case  involving a fertility doctor that hits home for them, and Royce’s strained dynamic with his father gets a thoughtful storyline that’s moving and realistic. 

While this investigation is complete, the story sets up a larger narrative with a different darker story going forward. 

Excellent character development, and it’s wonderful to see all my favorites here, including those podcasters from Sinister in Savannah. 

Really looking forward to seeing the next in the series. 

Cover photo Ā© Wander Aguiar

Cover design Ā© Natasha Snow

Sawyer and Royce: Felonies and Fatherhood series: 

The Paternity Puzzle #1

The Sinner’s Son #2 – Sept 9, 2025

Brokered Betrayals #3 – Dec 16, 2025

Preceding Necessary Locke and Key Series :

Zero Hour (3 books)

Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem (3 book series)

Related series:

Sinister in Savannah (3 book series)

Buy link 

        The Paternity Puzzle (Sawyer and Royce: Felonies and Fatherhood Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Royce Locke and Sawyer Key are back and better than ever with new mysteries and hilarious shenanigans as they tackle their greatest challenge yet: fatherhood. 

A perfect holiday weekend takes a twisted turn when Royce investigates a suspicious death involving Dr. Jean Claude Matisse, a retired pioneer in fertility medicine. What first looks like an accidental overdose quickly turns into something more sinister when explosive allegations reveal hundreds of reasons why someone would want the doctor dead.

This investigation hits close to home, exposing the vulnerabilities of relying on science and a doctor’s ethics to have a family, especially when the hopeful husbands are only a positive pregnancy test away from parenthood.

The Paternity Puzzle is book one in the Felonies and Fatherhood trilogy, the third story arc for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key. ** New readers should start with the Zero Hour and Matrimony and Mayhem trilogies before reading Felonies and Fatherhood. ** The Paternity Puzzle continues Royce and Sawyer’s happily ever after as they move into the most anticipated phase of their lives. Though some storylines span the trilogy, this book does not end in a cliffhanger. Heat, humor, heart, and homicide abound. You have been warned. 18+

Review:  Desperately Delicate Viper (Mafia Bound Book 4) by K.M. Neuhold

Rating: 4🌈

Mafia Bound is a series from K.M. Neuhold that focuses on the Moretti crime family and the romantic relationships and partners each Moretti man finds himself in. It’s usually been with a murderous sociopathic twink of a traumatic background. My favorite couple being Sal and dancer Dante (3) , followed by unhinged Sparrow and the family enforcer, Xaviaro (1). 

The energy, chemistry and sheer insanity that powers these relationships made the storylines and those couples. Each had layers and a certain depth of character that allowed for a realistic development of the relationship between them. 

And that’s really the issue here. While we’ve met Luca, the youngest of the Moretti family prior, we’ve not gotten to know him well.  He’s a puppy, as Dante calls him. Against all the others? He’s definitely not the same factor of darkness or seriousness of damage. He’s too young in his current form. 

And the other main character is also not supported by any foundation or framework of storytelling. Anders is a good character but everything we learn about him comes from a ā€œas told toā€ approach. We don’t see any interactions between the father he’s terrified of or honestly, of the brother he’s been protecting.  It’s a diminishing aspect of the character’s storyline. 

The positives, seeing Dante and Sal (#couplegoals ) and Sparrow as well as Xav, was fantastic. The energy and intensity they bring to this narrative made it feel so much better.  And the dialogue and dynamics between them as Luca was hilarious. 

Anders and Luca’s instant love romance could have been better if they had more time to establish themselves as a couple. Instead they come off a new, younger version, without the intense energy or interest.

This is the 4th book but I believe there’s more coming.  I’m definitely going to be reading those. 

A terrific series with D/s elements, crime family romances, and lots of sexy men. 

Cover Design Natasha Snowā€

Great covers.

Mafia Bound:

  • Deadly Little Sparrow #1
  • Beautifully Savage Butterfly #2
  • Unhinged Little Angel #3
  • Desperately Delicate Viper

Buy link

        Desperately Delicate Viper (Mafia Bound Book 4)

    

Blurb 

That Feeling when the man you just robbed and left tied up and blindfolded turns out to be in the mafia…

I’m not proud of the things I’ve had to do for money to pay off my dad’s debts and put my younger brother through college. But I’ll never regret it.

What I do regret is accidentally robbing a Moretti.

Having to look over my shoulder and ducking every time a car backfires is bad enough, but when the man in question starts costing me business? Yeah, I think we’re going to have a problem.

I never knew I could feel the way I do when Luca Moretti gets on his knees for me, but I don’t have time to be romanced by this obsessed, submissive, mafioso.

No one has ever made me feel as strong and capable as he does. Can I really be the viper he sees me as? If I learn how to bite, can I finally make my life my own with Luca Moretti at my side?

  • Publication date: June 6, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 203 pages
  • Book 4 of 4: Mafia Bound

Review:  Speed (Railers Legacy Book 1) by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey

Rating: 3.5 🌈

Speed (Railers Legacy Book 1) by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey continues the Harrisburg Railers Hockey Team multi-series universe with a new addition, Railers Legacy.   Once again, we see a character who the readers have become familiar with and love now grown up and preparing to play for the team his family played for. 

It’s Noah Gunnarsson, son of the fabulous characters and NHL players, Eric Lyamin-Gunnarsson and husband, Stan Lyamin-Gunnarsson , still gloriously happy, retired with grown children and a house full of animals. 

Noah, we see him selected at draft time, and then later when it’s time for the rookies to show up and prepare to play.  

I’ll say I wish there was more ice time and locker room dynamic. That makes a hockey team and a realistic romantic story. And these authors write great hockey. But it’s downplayed so Noah’s diabetes can become a stronger element, which it is.  From Noah regulating the insulin and diet to his health regimen as an athlete and the factors that affect his performance as a diabetic.  It makes Noah an extremely effective character and folds his diabetes in as a important factor.

Noah, and family are a great aspect of the story and come with an established fan base, because honestly, Stan? Still my favorite. 

Brody and his multitude of issues don’t get that same energy or feel of being as well explored or resolved here. He’s got a controlling, abusive grandfather, severe medical problems, bi-awakening, fear of loss of control and direction. And his passion for driving and as a ex F1 driver? Not really established except for the beginning part of the book. The rest is verbiage.

For him to be a completely realized person, there should be more foundation to that race car driver essence of him. Instead the focus switches to his sexuality. Brody becomes instantly obsessed with a man he kisses on the ā€œdownlowā€, Noah. Someone he tracks down, ā€œstalksā€ until he’s part of an instant love story.A romance that has elements of ā€œbisexual awakening ā€œ, ā€œcoming outā€ and immediate almost overnight partnership, tossed into his and their relationship that reads so quickly done that you’ll be blinking and wondering where the foundation is. 

And the controlling, threatening grandfather just disappears completely here. 

The story ends with a number of things unresolved in the story and relationship, and a clear picture of the next couple coming forward. 

I was really happy to see Eric, Stan and some of the other people who I’ve known in my series show up. Noah is just lovely. 

Read it for the connection to Stan and Eric, and the Railers. And this family as they were in the old novels. 

Cover design by Meredith Russell, Edited by Sue Laybournā€

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comSpeed (Railers Legacy Book 1) – Kindle edition by Scott, RJ, Locey, V.L.. Romance …

Blurb 

Hard ice. Fast cars. Fierce love. 

Hockey is as natural as breathing for Noah Gunnarsson. Growing up with two famous hockey stars as his dads, Noah has always aspired to join the Railers to continue the Lyamin-Gunnarsson legacy. With his degree done, it’s time to live that dream; the first step is getting a spot on the team his dads played for. The second step is to pull on that dusky blue-gray sweater and make his fathers proud. His rookie year is bound to be a season of incredible highs and lows, but one of the biggest highlights is meeting Brody Vance at a fundraiser. Brody is the living epitome of a bad boy hiding his pain behind a devil-may-care attitude. As Noah struggles to keep one eye on the puck and not on Brody, it’s only a matter of time before love collides with sport in a chaotic splash of media attention. 

Racing driver Brody Vance has spent his life chasing speed and glory and is only points away from his first world championship when a devastating crash ends his season. Determined to make a triumphant comeback, Brody is blindsided by a diagnosis that forces him off the track for good. With his world flipped upside down, and family and fans questioning why he left, Brody hides his pain by pushing the limits and refusing to let anyone see the cracks. But after a chance meeting with a sweet, sexy hockey player turns into an unforgettable one-night stand, fate keeps putting Noah in his path. With his heart on the line and his body racing against time, 

Brody must decide if he’s willing to risk it all for love—or if he’ll let fear and pride leave him in the dust. Speed is a steamy M/ M romance with a hockey rookie living his family legacy, a bad-boy racing driver with secrets, media attention that would break even the strongest of men, an unforgettable one-night stand, a love that means risking it all, and a hard-won happy ever after.ā€

Review:  Stay in Your Lane! By Cari Z and L.A. Witt

Rating: 4.25🌈

Stay in Your Lane! By Cari Z and L.A. Witt is a terrific suspense action packed thrill ride of a contemporary romance.  Full of incredible characters, great animals sidekicks like Steve the Piranha, and hilariously crafted but vividly executed locations like the Waffles, this is a highly entertaining novel.

The characters are just amazing. Each with their own issue-based families and unique personalities. Everett Mulligan works with his family in the Mulligan Funeral Home. They are a troubled family and Everett, the youngest bears the brunt of the worst of the family’s dysfunctional relationship. 

Kyle’s comes from a law enforcement family, a tradition he veered away from into a company and job as a crime scene cleaner.  It’s not just the fact he’s stepping away from the family career but them as well. 

They are so well defined and beautifully crafted as characters, each with distinctive qualities that endear to us and each other. 

The case that brings them together is one that looks simple but becomes realistically complicated and horrifying in the implications for a larger scenario as they investigate.

It’s a very complex and well plotted case. Both emotionally and psychologically.

The families are drawn into the process too. And here is where it’s both well written and then, at the end, dropped. 

While one family is brought together, the other side, the one with the most family members in upheaval, is left without resolution. Especially Everett’s dysfunctional relationship with his father.  

With such a strong narrative in every other aspect of the story, I’m surprised that this element was left unexplored. 

A terrific story and a definite recommendation. 

Buy link 

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comStay in Your Lane! – Kindle edition by Z, Cari, Witt, L.A.. Romance …

Blurb 

The tasks are simple. Everett Mulligan is there to collect the body. Kyle Bowman is there to clean up the scene. Easy peasy. Get in, get out, get gone.

But Everett, for all he can be on another planet with fourteen tabs open in his brain, isn’t stupid like the cops think he is. Something about this death scene isn’t sitting right, and he’s going to figure it out. Bonus? He gets to team up with the adorkable crime-scene cleanup guy to solve the mystery.

Kyle, ever the thorough and detail-oriented cleaner, can’t ignore the scene’s irregularities either. He also can’t ignore the seriously attractive himbo from the mortuary who insists they should work together to solve what the cops insist isn’t a crime. Especially when that himbo is also enamored with Kyle’s cats and fiercely determined to make friends with his cranky piranha, Steve.

There’s a reason this death isn’t being treated as a homicide, though, and there are people who are very motivated to keep it that way.

And they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the pair of amateur sleuths from uncovering the truth.

  • Publisher: GallagherWitt Publishing LLC (March 26, 2025)
  • Publication date: March 26, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 290 pages

Review: Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4🌈

I picked up Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele because I enjoy this author’s work and I was intrigued by the description of the story. 

I haven’t read any of the books in the series but it wasn’t necessary to read and enjoy this contemporary romance. 

The characters are well written, the story is engaging and the romance develops beautifully, with the background factoring in so it reads less like a instant love but more like a real life affection that is growing stronger between two men. 

The ending did feel a bit rushed which was a shame because the rest of the story is so good with the storyline about Jasper Ryan’s charity, his intimate connection and interactions with the kids that come through his programs, and Beckett Shaw’s relationship to him and his passion for these kids as well. 

That’s well written and they really could have done with a longer story.

Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele is a terrific read and the couple is one who will make your day as they discover their own HEA. 

A definite winner. 

ā€œCover Design by Black Butterfly Designā€

+One Series:

One Good Thing #1

Ex-Boyfriend Material #2

Mr. Big Shot #3

Bad Habits #4

Fake It Til You Break It #5

Buy link 

        Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Jasper Ryan has spent his entire life faking it. He smiles on cue, nods when expected, and endures all the banal small talk. It’s exhausting, and without his favorite plus-one, he’s flailing. Worse, since Project SafeHouse depends on donations from the city’s elite, if he doesn’t get it together soon, his social standing won’t be the only thing on shaky ground.

Reluctantly, he turns to +One. All he needed was a buffer. What he gets is Beckett Shaw.

Adept at navigating the nuances of social etiquette, Beckett knows when to blend in and when to stand out. But none of the usual rules apply when it comes to Jasper. Shy, anxious, too polite for his own good—the guy is a walking disaster wrapped in cashmere. And while he’s comfortable being a hired shield, the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to remember that’s all he is.

It was supposed to be simple. It wasn’t supposed to feel like this. But every touch lingers, every glance sparks, and now, pretending is no longer an option.

Because if Beckett has his way? 

Jasper won’t have to fake a damn thing.

  • Publisher: Peccavi Press (April 24, 2025)
  • Publication date: April 24, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 146 pages

Review:  Bright Shiny Love by Pat Henshaw

Rating:  4🌈

In the same universe as Fragile As Glass, Bright, Shiny Love by Pat Henshaw focuses on the relationship between two childhood friends , who have recently reunited as adults. 

Both have become artists in different mediums, with metal artist Martin working in the commercial arts space owned by the artist from Fragile As Glass. 

It’s a sweet, almost instant love story, with a refreshed crush. The other main character, Ty, has many family complications, that are resolved very quickly, which after years of being their doormat, is a bit of a issue here. I thought it needed more attention or exploration.

But if you want a sweet, contemporary story with a hint of fantasy, then this short tale will go nicely. Put it together with Fragile As Glass for a romantic bookend reading experience. 

Buy link

Click here to preorder from JMS Books

Blurb 

Metal artist Martin Murphy knows dragons don’t talk, especially the dragon crafted of sequins on a former flame’s vest. So when the dragon seems to reach out and tells him to help its creator Ty, Marty refuses to believe the illusion. The sparks between him and Ty, on the other hand? They’re as real as it gets.

As he and Ty reconnect after so many years, Marty sees firsthand how the big man’s innate kindness and willingness to help others consume his time and energy. Maybe the dragon was right, and Ty needs saving.

While Marty is willing to try, what he really wants to do is pounce on the man and keep him all to himself while they walk down the path to HEA. Does that count as saving him?

JMS Press

GENRE: Gay Romance

LENGTH: 19,179 words

Review: Short Stack #3 by Lily Morton 

Rating: 5🌈

A delightful collection of short stories that pick up the lives of various characters from the books and series of Lily Morton.  I quickly finished this, looking for my favorite couple’s stories first, then going back through the others. 

A absolutely joy to revisit each one of these characters and see them once again, in various places in their relationships. Moving, funny and always beautifully written. 

A must read for lovers of the books and author. 

ā€œThese short stories catch up with the men in my books after their stories have ended. Therefore, there are a lot of spoilers. Please don’t read the shorts until you’ve read the original books.ā€-Lily Morton 

Short Story Contents :

Gabe and Dylan 

Skating 

The School Trip 

Tricky 

Jude and Asa 

Old Acquaintance 

Henry and Ivo 

Gone Camping 

Oz and Silas 

Three Dozen Red Roses and a Werewolf 

Freddie and Darcy 

The Prize 

Barnaby and Cosmo 

A Honeysuckle Interlude 

The Wishing Tree 

Joe and Lachlan 

Hobbies 

Rafferty and Stan 

A Mystery Tour 

Jed and Artie 

Afternoon Delight 

Bee and Tom 

Sunday Football 

Bee’s Amsterdam 

Mags and Laurie 

It’s a Family Affair 

Short Stacks: 1,2, and 3

Buy link 

 Book 3 of 3: Short Stack 

Blurb 

What happens after the happy ending?

Drawn together for the first time, this is a collection of Lily’s short stories about some of the much-loved men from her books. Follow them through meeting the parents, a disastrous camping weekend, and a rather eventful school trip.

It includes stories previously written for her website, newsletter, and readers’ group, along with five brand new and exclusive short stories—The School Trip, A Honeysuckle Interlude, A Family Affair, Bee’s Amsterdam, and Gone Camping.

  • Publication date: April 20, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 298 pages

Review: Devilish (Park Avenue Kings Book 2) by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

Rating: 4🌈

I’m not familiar with the series but really enjoyed the book. Devilish did a great job setting up the world building and establishing the series characters. 

There’s a strong sense of world building and the intensity of the characters and sexual elements are vividly captured, without being graphic or otherwise exaggerated.

I enjoyed the relationship that was slowly built up between Lucien and Kai. From one of fear to that of safety and finding the right balance between being able to trust and express yourself in a positive and loving manner. Both men are great characters and I love them both.

Devilish has what I’d consider a soft D/s sexual preference to the relationship between Lucien and Kai. The relationship is in its infancy, they are establishing their own boundaries and learning about each other’s preferences within this dynamic. Safe word, the use of ā€œsirā€, expectations, are all well defined. So if BDSM or a well established D/s relationship might make you uncomfortable, I think this would work for you. 

Another winner. And a recommendation for those who enjoy spicy intense contemporary LGBTQIA romance with a kink.  Can absolutely be read as a stand alone, unlike other books that have come with the same note.

Cover Design: Hang Le Cover Photo: Ren Saliba

Park Avenue Kings (5 book series)

Savage #1

Devilish #2

Immoral #3

Merciless #4

Ruthless #5

Buy link

        Devilish (Park Avenue Kings Book 2)

    

Blurb 

In a world where everything is within his grasp, love is the only thing that’s ever eluded him.

Lucien Vale is temptation incarnate. Devilishly charming, wickedly confident, and sinfully sexy, he rules Manhattan’s most elite clubs, indulging the city’s darkest desires with a knowing smirk and a whisper of seduction. He’s built an empire, played the game to perfection, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it serves the greater good.

But love? That’s always been just out of reach.

Then he sees Kai Daniels—a man too raw, too vulnerable, and too damn captivating to ignore—being used by someone who doesn’t deserve him. And Lucien doesn’t hesitate. He steps in, knowing full well that some things aren’t meant to be owned.

But Kai’s past isn’t ready to let him go. His tormentor is powerful, relentless, and determined to make them both pay. As the stakes rise, Lucien is forced to become the man he’s kept buried—the one who doesn’t just play the game but makes sure his enemies never play again.

Now, with danger closing in and their connection burning hotter than ever, Lucien and Kai must decide if they’re willing to risk everything for a love that was never part of the plan.

* * * * * *
Devilish can be read as a standalone novel in the Park Avenue Kings world, but for maximum enjoyment, read after Savage.

  • Publication date: April 10, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 306 pages