Review: Nightmare for Hire (Monster Match) by Morgan Lysand

Rating: 3.75🌈

Nightmare for Hire by Morgan Lysand is a part of Monster Match series by various authors spanning 9 books about a AP that matches up monsters with a client who wants to scare someone.

Morgan Lysand’s story revolves around an eternal being, a literal nightmare, called Nox. Out of boredom and perhaps a sense of curiosity, he’s come to earth, assuming a human shape and is hiring himself out to give nightmares to exes.

Lysand’s portrait of Nox is an interesting combination of intense curiosity, innocence of many facets of the human experience, and yet a being as old as time itself. While there’s some unevenness in this character, overall, from Nox’s joyful gender free dress and love of pink boots to his own distinctive personality, Nox is a win.

Cyrus is a more complex character and compelling storyline. He’s recently out of a controlling, abusive relationship (read the trigger warnings) and has relocated to a new town and job. Emotionally, there’s so many issues with Cyrus and the behavior/DA that’s behind the damage done in the relationship with his ex that there’s not enough narrative space for the author and characters to explore this fully.

So in some respects and scenes it’s not as deeply horrific as it’s should have been. But Cyrus and Nox are a engaging couple and their chemistry is lovely

I enjoyed the story and characters but felt it needed more development to full explore the background and elements the author introduced.

Monster Match 9 books

◦ Threading Carefully by Ashlynn Mills

◦ His Primal Kiss by Kota Quinn

◦ Nightmare for Hire by Morgan Lysand

◦ His Slender Embrace by Amanda Meuwissen

◦ Conjured Chaos Kisses by Ki Brightly

◦ Pieces of Me by Jacey Davis

◦ Spinning Out of Control by Kit Barrie

Buy Link:

Blurb

Nox is a Nightmare, literally. Having been around for eons, he’s decided it’s time to have some fun… wrecking lives, that is. So he hires himself out to get revenge on bad exes, which leads him to joining the Monster Match app. He doesn’t exactly care what the circumstances are as long as he gets to have some fun scaring humans.

Cyrus moved to Rivenfield for a fresh start after a bad breakup. He just wants to keep his head down and work. Maybe meet a few monster cuties on Monster Match. He’s not expecting to click with someone so soon, but the mysterious Nightmare has him all hot and bothered awake and asleep.

After meeting Cyrus, Nox is flabbergasted why anyone would want to send a Nightmare after such a delightful human. He becomes determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. It looks like the cure for his eternal boredom might just be falling in love.

Nightmare for Hire is an opposites attract MM monster romance featuring a sunshiny Nightmare and a human just wanting to belong. It’s part of the Monster Match series. Each book is a standalone, but why don’t you have fun with all our monstrous beasties?

Review: Nightmare for Hire (Monster Match) by Morgan Lysand

Rating: 3.75🌈

Nightmare for Hire by Morgan Lysand is a part of Monster Match series by various authors spanning 9 books about a AP that matches up monsters with a client who wants to scare someone.

So in some respects and scenes it’s not as deeply horrific as it’s should have been. But Cyrus and Nox are a engaging couple and their chemistry is lovely

I enjoyed the story and characters but felt it needed more development to full explore the background and elements the author introduced.

Monster Match 9 books

◦ Threading Carefully by Ashlynn Mills

◦ His Primal Kiss by Kota Quinn

◦ Nightmare for Hire by Morgan Lysand

◦ His Slender Embrace by Amanda Meuwissen

◦ Conjured Chaos Kisses by Ki Brightly

◦ Pieces of Me by Jacey Davis

◦ Spinning Out of Control by Kit Barrie

Buy Link:

Blurb

Review: Elevator Pitch by Ofelia Grand

Rating: 4.5🌈

Short stories by Ofelia Grand are absolutely addictive. It’s like eating your favorite snacks or chocolates. You can just eat one right after the other. And be happy.

Elevator Pitch by Ofelia Grand, all 41 pages, tells a sweet tale of shifter love that looks incompatible on the surface but these two are perfect for each other.

As usual, Grand’s writing is spot on. We get dumped into a recognizable situation but paranormal world. A gay bear shifter is tired of trying to fit into a bear shifter society that’s not accepting of him. It’s painted quickly for the readers in skillfully written scenarios.

Bjorn Ritter is a bear shifter we can understand and connect with.

What’s next is surprising. That’s a somewhat distracted artist bat shifter, Cecil Baxter. He has a very different background and current situation on his hands. Cecil is engaging, and vulnerable.

It’s hard not to speak to the most powerful and important scenes of this very short story, but it takes place in a dark elevator. It’s believable. Stressful, real (be careful if you’re claustrophobic) and so incredibly emotional. This is why I read this author

It shows how two such individuals can make such an intense, deep connection in such a short period of time.

I love it and them.

I’ll be heading towards my next short story by this author and leaving you all to enjoy the gem that is Elevator Pitch by Ofelia Grand.

Buy Links

books2read.com/ElevatorPitch

Elevator Pitch at JMS-Books

Blurb:

Bjorn Ritter only wants one thing — to live his life away from nosey, demanding bears. That’s easier said than done when you’re the son of the female running the Bayside Bear Community.

Cecil Baxter might be a bat, but he grew up away from shifter communities and he’s doing his best to continue to keep his distance. Shifters aren’t an accepting bunch and Cecil has never fit the norm.

Already facing a dreaded meeting with his mother, the last thing Bjorn needs is a stranger using his elevator to escape a pack of werewolves. And Cecil, whose day just seems to be getting worse and worse, could really do without the added stress of finding himself trapped in an elevator with a huge bear shifter.

Still, what could go wrong in three minutes?

• Publisher: JMS Books LLC (June 6, 2020)

• Publication date: June 6, 2020

• Print length: 42 pages

Review: How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit: Bone 3 (Villainy, #9) by A. J. Sherwood

Rating: 5🌈

When a story contains the phrase “For Bone Daddy” and its uttered by a army of skelebabies in the middle of a rollicking bone rattling battle, well, you just know the book is going to be epic.

For all its short length, Sherwood packs a ton of high quality action, snarky humor, dubious necromancer goings on, and an ever- widening search for the bones of a sentient skeleton dragon called Steve.

I’m so committed to this series and found family of absolutely glorious people, young sorcerers in training in tow included. It’s hilarious, sexy, stunning and entertaining on every level.

I can’t wait for the pirates.

Dive into the series right at the beginning and then follow along. It’s all fabulous.

Love these covers.

Series and side stories

💥How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy-6 books

💥How Tan Acquired an Apprentice

💥How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit:Bone

Buy Link

How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit: Bone 3 (How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy Book 9)

Blurb

Do you wish to deploy the necromancer to fight? (YES) (no)

Niran: The leg bone’s connected to the ~ leg bone. The leg bone’s connected to the ~

Tan: Sword hilt~ the sword hilt’s connected to the bad guy~ hear the voice of the Steve~!

Steve: My boooOOOOoooone!

Tags:

Necromancers, fight!, it’s Niran’s time to shine, lawless city is our friend, onsen nookie, Steve makes a bad alarm clock, look at me, I’m the captain now, stinky city, Sword of the Sea makes an appearance, Steve needs his fainting couch to clutch his pearls upon, ragdoll Steve

• Publisher: (March 15, 2024)

• Publication date: March 15, 2024

• Print length: 61 pages

Science Fiction & Fantasy Shorts Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy

Review: Dire Straits and Entwined Fates (Fanged Mistakes, #2) by Alice Winters

Rating: 5🌈

Fanged Mistakes is everything I love about an Alice Winters universe and series. Fanged Mistakes incorporates humor (high and low), relatable complicated family relationships, interspecies courtship, drama, murder, psychological trauma, and layers upon layers of emotional, often tragic back histories.

These are all further entwined with some of the most memorable, surprisingly written characters, ones which, during both the course of each book and over the series, make decisions that challenge the reader’s perceptions of what we thought we knew about them. Instead, we get another layer of depth and generosity of spirit we didn’t see coming.

It’s not just the main characters this happens to either. More than once, I saw a scene or moment reveal a character’s real identity, one not previously seen. It’s done swiftly and succinctly and with impact. I can name every scene it happens in. The writing is that successful and great.

Dire Straits and Entwined Fates charts the next stage in Julian and Casamir’s relationship. Julian’s family is adjusting, albeit maybe not his father, to their mating, and things are doing well.

Naturally, here comes the past to throw up the biggest challenges they have faced yet. This was briefly hinted at in Faked Dates and Fanged Mistakes but Casamir’s past is back in one roaring, fast paced, action packed, emotional thriller of a ride.

Winters manages to keep all the heavy elements like Julian’s PTSD from his past attacks, the continuing emotional fallout, the devastating impact the return of his past is having on Casamir, the changing dynamics of their relationship, all of this raw material, is kept real and believable.

But interwoven into this is moments of hilarity, scenes of wonderful silliness and outrageous fun with their found family. It’s an eclectic group of friends and family formed of human detective, vampire sidekick, poodle, and a surprising newcomer. This allows a break from the tension and drama. And gives us some truly heartwarming scenes.

The ending and villain of this story are as compelling and complex as the themes and narrative calls for. It’s thoughtful storytelling that makes this a fantastic novel and these memorable characters.

I really need more. There’s that pesky question that keeps rearing its head of what exactly is Julian? No one seems to have the answer. More books please.

I’m highly recommending this and the series but read them in the order they are written for the events and relationships.

Fanged Mistakes:

✓ Faked Dates and Fanged Mistakes #1

✓ Dire Straits and Entwined Fates # 2

Buy Link

Dire Straits and Entwined Fates (Fanged Mistakes Book 2)

Blurb

Julian

When did fake-then-real dating an ancient vampire become the easy part?

Casimir’s ridiculously sweet now that he’s conquered “the art of the flirt,” as he calls it. He tries hard to fit in with my family—if we forget about those silly threatening chocolates he sent my father—and he even makes me popcorn… okay, he tried. I know, I know, I’m just bragging at this point.

Everything is perfect until we stumble upon a half-dead vampire who is being hunted by someone. And I’m afraid the person hunting him knows all about Casimir’s history. Casimir has fought so hard to drive the darkness away, but we both know that he needs to bury his past… one last time.

Casimir

I never saw myself in a relationship, let alone with a pesky werewolf. He’s funny and sweet, has questionable friends, and phenomenal taste in dog bandanas. After five hundred years, I think I’ve finally convinced myself that I deserve this.

However, someone else isn’t quite certain I do. Julian has assured me that it’s time to move forward, but when there’s a masked man waiting in the shadows for me, I find it hard to ignore my past mistakes.

But I have something I didn’t have the last time I faced him.

Someone who loves me.

Dire Straits and Entwined Fates has a cheerful werewolf who seems to have an aversion to clothes; a vampire leader who overuses speedy delivery services; board games with a little too much exhibitionism; and animals that are too cute to be eaten.

• Publisher: (March 12, 2024)

• Publication date: March 12, 2024

• Print length: 368 pages

Join Us for the Tour for “Earthquake Ethan” by R.L. Merrill (giveaway)

R.L. Merrill has a new contemporary MM romance out, Forces of Nature book 3: Earthquake Ethan.

The Earth shook the morning actor Ethan Bradley arrived in Los Angeles looking for a second chance. He hoped his former producers Reese Matheson and Toby Griffiths meant it when they said to look them up if he were ever in LA because he had no other options. The pictures the paparazzi took at the wrap party for their London show made sure of that. What he wasn’t counting on was the reception he got from their manager, Arthur Frye. He was absolutely the kind of together guy Ethan wished would notice him, and for more than his pretty face and talent. Too bad Arthur only sees Ethan as a complication.

Arthur Frye has his hands full with his best clients—and best friends. The last thing he needs is another diva to care for, especially one who has a reputation for causing trouble. He has a strict rule against getting involved with the talent, no matter how pretty they are. Only Ethan Bradley shines for real, and when Arthur realizes his nice-guy innocence is genuine, he’s ready to do anything to help Ethan get his career back on track and get him out of LA. He’s too much of a temptation, and Arthur can’t afford to lose focus…not even for a chance at happiness for himself. Especially not when his star clients are about to risk their professional and personal happiness with their newest creation; a musical about two boys falling in love in the 1960s featuring music written by Reese’s grandfather, whose health is in decline.

Ethan Bradley shakes things up wherever he goes, and Arthur Frye is afraid he’ll be left in the wreckage if he gets too close. Can these two opposites find love on solid ground?

Warnings: implied sexual abuse off page

About the Series

Forces of Nature follows a group of talented men who are natural disasters, and the men who love them.

Amazon | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Giveaway

R.L. is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47309/?

Excerpt

The morning after Ethan Bradley landed at LAX the earth shook. Literally. Being from Iowa, he’d always been afraid of earthquakes. He remembered watching footage when he was a little boy of the one that hit Northridge and it stayed with him. He’d even turned down a part in the film San Andreas because he was terrified of the real thing.

Plus—at the time—he’d wanted to be considered a serious actor, and accepting a role in a Hollywood disaster blockbuster didn’t fit in with his professional goals. Instead, he’d ended up going to London to film a clever romantic comedy. Then came the stage and more accolades at the age of twenty-six than he’d imagined possible.

When his hotel room rattled his first morning in LA and sent him diving under the desk in the early hours, he’d wished he’d stayed.

But London had nothing to offer him after the paparazzi ruined his life, and he couldn’t go home. So there he was, back in the states, and ready to grovel before his former producer—and crush—for a role, any role, that would allow him to get back to doing what he loved…acting, singing, performing.

Love was a strong word. It was what he knew, what he was good at, where his God-given talents lay.

He’d come to LA with a plan. Sort of. Go see Reese Matheson. Pray he opened the door and took pity on him. And that he didn’t hold a grudge.

He plugged the Malibu address he’d gotten from his London manager’s office into the Lyft app and went outside to wait for his ride. And prayed.

If Reese wouldn’t see him, he had a plan B.

He’d go to see Reese’s business partner Toby Griffiths. Which was probably a terrible idea, but the best he had.

Because there was no plan C.

He had exactly fifty dollars cash on him and a credit card dangerously close to being maxed out. Rock bottom was flying up to meet him fast.

The Lyft driver dropped him off at the end of a long driveway leading to a quaint little house that backed up to the Malibu shoreline. He knew nine o’clock on a Sunday morning was early, but the earthquake had shaken him so much, he couldn’t wait to get out of his room at the Holiday Inn. He’d been to LA before to promote his films, but he’d never felt comfortable among the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Malibu had the scenery people thought of when they imagined Southern California. Palm trees, mountains that broke off into the sea, miles of sand with beautiful people jogging along the water’s edge. It was picturesque, and sometimes cliché. For Ethan, it represented his last hope.

He climbed the steps, cleared his throat, reached for that enthusiastic confidence that used to come so easy for him once upon a time—

The door opened before he even had a chance to knock.

The short Filipino man standing there in a pair of scrubs had one eyebrow raised and a hand on his hip.

“Can I help you?”

His tone didn’t come across as helpful, despite his words.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m looking for Reese Matheson? My name is—“

“I know who you are.” The man’s raised eyebrow turned into a frown. “Just a minute,” he said before closing the door with a little less force than a slam.

Breathe. It’s fine. Reese is a good guy. He won’t be angry that I showed up. He’s a generous, kind person—

Author Bio

R.L. Merrill brings you stories of Hope, Love, and Rock ‘n’ Roll featuring quirky and relatable characters. Whether she’s writing about contemporary issues that affect us all or diving deep into the paranormal and supernatural to give readers a shiver, she loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after.

Winner of the Kathryn Hayes “When Sparks Fly” Best Contemporary award for Hurricane Reese, Foreword INDIES finalist for Summer of Hush and RONE finalist for Typhoon Toby, Ro spends every spare moment improving her writing craft and striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after.

She writes diverse and inclusive romance, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and works on various other writing and mentoring projects that tickle her fancy or benefit a worthy cause. You can find her connecting with readers on social media, educating America’s youth, raising two brilliant teenagers, trying desperately to get that back piece finished in the tattoo chair, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance.

Author Website: https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/rochellerlmerrill/

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor/

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9828914.R_L_Merrill

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/r-l-merrill/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.L.-Merrill/author/B00PI6Q1LI

Review: Present Tense (The ABC’s of Spellcraft Book 8) by Jordan Castillo Price

Rating:5🌈

Yuri and Dixon and the rest of their family are back in this absolutely adorable, perfect short story by Jordan Castillo Price.

The ABC’s of Spellcraft is a series that just gets better with each new chapter in Yuri and Dixon’s lives. Here they are scrambling to get each other’s gifts at Christmas, with all the glorious events you might imagine, including drama and the magic!

It ends appropriately with another move forward in their relationship and a HFN. And the realization for me that this is a series for every season for the excellent writing and fabulous characters.

I’m recommending this and the series. It’s magical ride! Binge read for your pleasure!

The ABC’s of Spellcraft series:

✓ Quill Me Now #1

✓ Trouble in Taco Town #2

✓ Something Stinks at the Spa #3

✓ Dead Man’s Quill #4

✓ Last But Not Lease #5

✓ Don’t Rock The Boardwalk #6

✓ What The Frack? #7

✓ Present Tense: A Spellcraft Christmas short #8

◦ Brownie Points #9

◦ Forging Ahead #10

◦ Mayor May Not #11

◦ Bucket List #12

◦ Comic Sans #13

◦ It’s All Relative #14

Buy Link:

Present Tense: A Spellcraft Christmas Short (The ABCs of Spellcraft Book 8)

Blurb

Christmas is a festive time of year, one filled with food, family and tradition—Dixon Penn’s ideal holiday. Too bad Spellcrafters don’t celebrate Christmas.

Dixon’s parents have always been strict about their no-present rule, reluctant to entrap anyone in an “endless cycle of reciprocal obligation.”

Yuri Volnikov was not raised in the Craft, but Dixon has made sure he understands that for Spellcrafters, Christmas presents are verboten.

No gifts. None. Nada. And everyone is on the same page in regards to presents….

Or are they?

The ABCs of Spellcraft is a series filled with bad jokes and good magic, where MM Romance meets Paranormal Cozy. A perky hero, a brooding love interest, and delightfully twisty-turny stories that never end up quite where you’d expect. The books are best read in order, so be sure to start at the beginning with Quill Me Now.

This holiday short is set after What the Frack? and contains series spoilers.

Review: A Vampire Called Leander (Mated to a Human Book 3) by Michelle Frost

Rating: 4🌈

A Vampire Called Leander wraps up Michelle Frost’s trilogy about a Paranormal Council’s arranged matings between paranormal beings and humans in order to unify their world.

It’s been a while since I read this series but it was easy to fall back into the universe and characters. At only 90 pages, Frost gets immediately into the storyline, the first meeting and mating of the two characters.

The short length doesn’t allow for much background or depth of culture, but the characters are engaging and the nature of their mating process intriguing.

It’s a fated mates without the buildup of anticipating or the recognition by one that normally occurs. There’s an ongoing conflict by a Human only faction that’s a series element and a fabulous side character, Ammon, who’s a bodyguard of both Leander and his human mate, Merrick.

The ending sets the stage for a sequel series to come. I can only hope that one of those characters that gets a story will be Ammon.

Vampire Called Leander (Mated to a Human Book 3) by Michelle Frost is highly entertaining and I recommend it and the series. Read them in the order they are written to understand the events and characters.

Mated to a Human:

A Hellhound Called Derek #1

A Warlock Called Jacob #2

A Vampire Called Leander #3 – finale

Buy link

A Vampire Called Leander (Mated To The Human Book 3)

Blurb

Can an uptight vampire and a free-spirited human find some common ground?

Merrick’s family name is one of the oldest and most influential in Solston, but maintaining an empire has never interested him. He prefers his books, the company of his cat, and to his surprise, his new prickly vampire mate.

Leander refuses to take part in the Council’s arranged matings until the most alluring scent catches his nose. Once their mating is finalized though, he finds he has no idea how to meld their two lives together.

A Vampire Called Leander is the third and final book in this fast-paced novella series where the paranormals are all deliciously protective of their humans…no matter what type of trouble they get into. Series is best read in order.

• Publisher: (April 6, 2023)

• Publication date: April 6, 2023

• Print length: 90 pages

Review: Dealing With Mapinguari and Dogged Engineers (The Sorcerer’s Grimoire Book 2) by AJ Sherwood

Rating: 4.5🌈

It’s hard to rate exactly which of Sherwood’s many series are my favorites, but The Sorcerer’s Grimoire is, even at two books, among those I hold dear.

It’s in the universe she’s created, so recognizable and yet not, magical, imaginative and with our histories carefully bound together. It’s in the beautifully crafted, multidimensional characters she’s created and then given such emotional histories that, as readers we can’t help but attach ourselves to them, investing in their lives and stories.

Whether it’s the boys, Julian and MacMallin, and their horrific start on the streets before Adrien’s rescue or Adrien himself and his abysmal family life, there’s so many backstories to these characters. The strength and wonder of this dynamic that builds between the three of them is such a heartwarming element. The boys each develop into young men with their own unique powers and interests while gaining confidence in themselves. The same goes for Adrien and his new relationship with Hugh.

That’s Sir Hugh Quartermain, a businessman, engineer extraordinaire, and someone who’s coming to love Adrien, despite all the barriers he’s raised. And in a time and land when homosexuality isn’t legal.

The tapestry on which these relationships play out is a magical trip to Brazil to a manganese mine. There’s jungle monsters holding up the mining, killing the workers, and Hugh needs their help.

It’s everyone off to an epic adventure! The first one abroad for the boys and an old enemy and a meeting with even older friends for Adrien.

Sherwood even gives us some major drama on the home front which will lead into the next book.

I will say that I was surprised but happy to see that Adrien and Hugh were able to move forward with their relationship. I thought Sherwood was going to stretch out the romance into a really slow burn. But it makes sense given the context.

The boys are such an amazing aspect of this series. They show such growth in their personalities and interests, yet retain the same fears still that the horrors of the street instilled in them. Julian and MacMallin are truly unforgettable young men. So are their Masters, Adrien and Hugh. I need more of all four plus their dog, Darby.

I’m highly recommending this book but read the series in order to understand the universe and the relationships.

The Sorcerer’s Grimoire:

✓ A (Non) Comprehensive Guide to Sea Serpents #1

✓ Dealing With Mapinguari and Dogged Engineers #2

Buy link

Dealing With Mapinguari and Dogged Engineers (The Sorcerer’s Grimoire Book 2)

Blurb:

As Shakespeare once said, the course of true love never did run smooth.

Since parting with Adrien after their first case, Hugh Quartermain has committed himself to one fact: he wants Adrien. With the months’ long trip to Brazil ahead of them, Hugh should have no problem confessing, right?

The problem is the universe seems determined to thwart Hugh. Between creatures terrorizing his worksite, bothersome Americans, and not having any alone time with Adrien, Hugh’s foiled at every turn. When Hugh does get Adrien one-on-one, his advances always hit the wall Adrien refuses to lower, but the rare flare of desire in Adrien’s gaze motivates him to keep trying.

Come hell or highwater, Hugh will confess to Adrien. He just has to figure out how first.
Tags:

Adventures in Brazil, commence!, magical AU, friends to lovers, healthy communication, Hugh’s genius saves the day, confessions in unusual locations, apprentices being awesome, Prince Henry to the rescue, and yes he quite enjoyed that, portals, fights, and shenanigans, oh my!, monsters are always in the most inconvenient locations, romantic getaway in Thailand, oh look relationship development, pesky Americans, romantic getaway, cheeky apprentices, minor home renovations as a romantic gift, Darby is best girl.

• Publisher: (March 8, 2024)

• Publication date: March 8, 2024

• Print length: 213 pages

Review: The Play (Charleston Condors Book 4) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 5🌈

What a wonderful story and fantastic way to send off the series and this team.

The interactions between holdover player, defensive end Deacon Harris and the new owner of the Charleston Condors, security industry billionaire Grant Green, has been a subtle but significant part of the series and team’s dynamic. It was always clear that the two men had a strong connection and attraction to each other. But, throughout each book it was clear that they never actually had acted on it due to their roles in the organization. And we wanted them to have their romance.

The Play returns us to the beginning of their history together, back in college as student tutor and college football player needing help. The chemistry that’s never acknowledged but present is cut short by choices made for career reasons that will quickly separate them until years later. Because of the realness of these scenes we feel every bit of the pain and frustration of this unexpected change in this new relationship. And the startling moment when they meet once more.

Bolden’s writing has never been better. Her characters go from uncertain college youth with the future ahead of them to seasoned men who have been living full lives. One, Grant, now at the pinnacle of his career and the other , Deacon, ready to retire after a shattering year of betrayal and disappointment. Each has made big impacts in their professional careers but their emotional relationships haven’t been as successful. The reason is because they have been only interested in one person.

How Bolden works the past and present together, weaving the emotions that never left either man back together into a tight layered narrative of sports, team dynamics, partnership, and a deep bond between them is a read that can’t be missed.

We get the present day run for a playoff spot, as intense as can be and fantastically realistic. Bolden gives us boardroom NFL drama such as what might be likely to be played out across CNN and sports coverage alike, and then while all that is happening, layers into the story, all the human drama we love.

Grant and Deacon trying to find a way to each other in an organization where Grant is the owner and Deacon a player, albeit a retiring player who wants to continue to work with the club. This is a complicated situation that’s believable and loving. They are great, they communicate, and we love them.

And finally, as if I hadn’t just bawled my eyes out over Jason Kelce’s retirement speech, here comes another. Deacon’s speech was a fabulous second. And all the players from the other series who meant so much to the readers are there as well as the important individuals from this series. It’s a testament to Bolden’s ability to create great characters and deeply moving moments that everything about the scene is beautiful and real. And I was bawling again.

Tissues had a workout this week.

Read this book. But not without reading the stories that come before. It’s a great series. And Bolden’s an auto read for me. The Play is simply another example why.

Charleston Condors:

✓ The Star #1

✓ The Game #2

✓ The Score #3

✓ The Play #4 – finale

Bolden’s connected Football series in order they are written:

✓ The Riptide

✓ Miami Piranhas

✓ Charleston Condors

Buy Link:

The Play (Charleston Condors Book 4)

Blurb

Last year, defensive end Deacon Harris witnessed the very worst of the Charleston Condors. After everything he and the team went through, he promised himself he’d walk away from football. But before he can retire, the team is sold to the last person he ever expected to see again.

Deacon stays because the Condors are going into major rebuilding mode. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.

But one rule hasn’t changed: don’t fall in love with the owner of your football team.

Grant might be brilliant and a billionaire, but Deacon only remembers Grant as his tutor in college—and as the one who got away.

In all his dreams about reconnecting, he never imagined that Grant would end up as his boss. Both his downfall, and also his salvation.

Or that they’d be forced into confronting the Condors’ most difficult challenge yet—but that they’d face it together, hand in hand, tackling their critics and proving once and for all that love doesn’t take sides.

• Publisher: (March 6, 2024)

• Publication date: March 6, 2024

• Print length: 391 pages

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