My Inherited House Might be Haunted by AJ Sherwood is a cute, no angst paranormal romance. It originally came about as a serialized story on the author’s Patreon site but has been updated and expanded.
The characters are adorable, there’s a inherited haunted house, along with ghosts (a family of ghosts which we never meet unfortunately), brownies, witches everywhere!
There’s so many interesting elements here pack together for a short story. Especially the familiars , a cat and puppy, that these characters never get fully developed into their elements. They are familiars in name only because they’re recognized by others as such. But do they talk or do things that we think of as being something familiars do? No. They do things that our cats and dogs do just as adorably mostly.
The romantic relationship is fast and the book length just doesn’t leave them much time for development of magical skills, new knowledge of how magic works, or other relationship areas. But the characters, Rhett and Calix and Calix’s family are so interesting that this story makes me wish for a sequel or expanded version.
Read My Inherited House Might be Haunted by AJ Sherwood for a delightful instant love paranormal tale!
The second book in Cari Z’s excellent fantasy series, Luckless, about dragon rider Evan Luck , his mate/dragon Lee Caldwell, known in his dragon form as Ladon and his son Jason.
Dauntless builds on the foundation that the first novel laid out, but now the author has relationships and a mystery to explore further. There’s also Jason’s unique physiology that’s a major dramatic element here, for his family and the story. It’s superb as the boy’s struggles and deep pain for acceptance is relayed by the author’s scenes so beautifully.
There’s new monsters to fight and the action sequences are suspenseful and compelling. All the while, the Fortress City of Forge, formerly Denver, Co, the location for books 1 and 2, is a bigger presence. The author gives us more details, including possible dragon politics to how the very structures of the Forge, making it more a reality.
By the ending, a family struggles become a wider story, new insights into the world are added, new characters introduced and a mission launched. I’m even more invested than ever before.
What an amazing story and series. Highly recommended!
Evan Luck is a dragon rider who, after years of thinking he’d never bond with another one, now has a dragon again. His empathic connection with the powerful silver dragon Ladon, known in his human form as Lee Caldwell, has made them the most valuable defenders of the city of Forge against monstrous invaders. The fact that they love each other and dote on Lee’s ten-year-old son, Jason? Those are blessings Evan never saw coming. He knows life is good…even as he realizes that the world is becoming more dangerous by the day.
With monsters leaving the mountains of the Front Range to roam the plains for food and the influx of refugees to Forge increasing by the day, Evan has his hands more than full defending the city and training new recruits to fight. When Jason, desperate to bond with a dragon of his own but continually refused by the dragons of Forge, begins to lose control of himself, Evan and Lee make plans to do the unthinkable: leave Forge to fend for itself and take their son to Chicago, the nearest human and dragon stronghold to their own city.
But Chicago has its own terrors to deal with, and their last hope for Jason’s future might be lost before they can save it.
Luckless, a fantastic fantasy short story from Cari Z, reads like a much longer novel. It’s got a depth of characters, and its world building surpasses its length in exploration and dimension.
A absolute fan of anything dragon or dragon rider related, the tale of Evan Luck, now called Luckless because he survived the unimaginable. The loss of his dragon and their bond.
The author brings Evan grief and shattered memories vividly, painfully to life, including the hate and fear that comes from the people around him.
It’s a dystopian Earth fighting for survival against monsters and humanity’s only major hope is the dragons who came and fought with them.
Told completely from Evan’s perspective, we see the remnants of the city, the creatures they are fighting, the dragon and rider pairs, and Lee Caldwell, a new important arrival.
Lee and his young son are both great characters. They balance out Evan in multiple ways, and while it’s easy for a reader to understand or guess about Lee’s role, nothing takes away from the story and the journey that these characters have to go through.
While, the end is a bit abrupt, it helps to know that there’s 2 more books ready to read in this series.
I highly recommend this excellent book, with its fantastic characters and terrific story.
Evan Luck is a dragon rider with no dragon. Five years ago, his dragon gave her life defending the monster-ridden remnants of Marble, and ever since, his ability to connect empathically to another dragon had been as broken as his heart. Now he spends his days dodging his disappointed mayor, crafting arrows, fighting off the not-as-legendary-as-they-should-be beasts that’ve overrun America, and just trying to get by in the city of Forge.
But when he meets newcomer Lee Caldwell, Evan thinks his lonely luck might be changing. Lee is the only person in the city who doesn’t blame Evan for his dragon’s death, and he welcomes Evan into his own little family. There’s more to Lee than meets the eye, though, and between his refusal to talk about himself, pressure from the mayor to split them up, and a monster attacking the city’s foundations, Evan isn’t sure he’ll live long enough to learn the truth. But not learning the truth will almost certainly be fatal, both to Evan and Lee’s budding relationship, and to the entire city.
Riptide: a Super Bowl Year (The Riptide) by Beth Bolden was written by Bolden for her fans of her series, as a final way to say goodbye and to show that all important Super Bowl game from the many perspectives of the characters we have come to understand and love.
We see Sam Crawford and Heath Harris, settled into their respective roles and relationship. As well as all the other teammates from the series who have come to mean so much. It’s the Super Bowl. But more importantly it’s seeing the characters and the impact on their lives one last time.
It’s a fitting tribute and a wonderful addition to the finale story.
For all the fans, it’s a must read.
Riptide series:
The Rivalry #1
Rough Contact #2
The Red Zone #3
Bolden’s connected Football series in order they are written:
I thoroughly enjoyed Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella by Sheena Jolie ( formerly writing under the pen name SJ Himes). It’s been a long while since I read their Infinite Arcana novels, so getting to dive back into this universe was exciting.
It’s not essential to have read the other books to understand the world of the characters and the foundation behind the storytelling. Jolie’s narrative does a splendid job of explaining the history of the world and otherworldly beings living there.
Curse of Silver & Blood literally has an explosive start, one that has our main characters on a collision course with fate.
Alec, an elf is escaping horrific captivity, and Leif, a cursed ancient werewolf, who hears the explosion on the edge of his territory, are two fantastic, well defined characters. Beautifully rendered, from their personalities to their own backgrounds, it’s easy to slip into connecting with each of them and their fated mates relationship.
Their fated mate relationship is built in the story in a way that’s makes the reader accept their bond and their growing chemistry. These characters work together. Jolie also creates magical elements that feel realistic in that situation but fascinating enough that I would want this couple to have additional stories.
The ending is solid and holds so much promise for the characters and their future together. I loved it.
I highly recommend Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella by Sheena Jolie and the others in this universe.
Cover designed by Kelley York of Sleepy Fox Studio
An Infinite Arcana Novel series:
The Beacon Hill Sorcerer*
The Necromancer’s Dance
The Necromancer’s Dilemma
The Necromancer’s Reckoning
A History of Trouble Collection Mastering the Flames
Alec has been held prisoner for months, coerced into using his magic to manufacture illegal drugs for the mountain mafia. His gifts are profitable and dangerous, and his captors have no intention of letting him go. Alec engineers his escape–which lands him in the territory of a local legend–an ancient werewolf, a lone alpha cursed by silver and blood.
Leif has been alone for a thousand years. Forced to keep his distance from his own people, Leif settles into the depths of the Appalachian Mountains and spends his endless days patrolling his territory. One night the forest is rattled by an explosion, and the sudden appearance of a bedraggled fae running for his life.
Neither expected to come face to face with their fated mate in the cold, dark woods.
Fate has a hand in uniting Alec and Leif–but it’ll be up to them to forge the nascent mate bond between them, and Alec and Leif have a fight on their hands–the mafia wants Alec back, and the curse laid on Leif is out for blood.
The expanded version of the FATED MATES Charity Anthology short story, set in the Infinite Arcana Universe by bestselling author Sheena Jolie (formerly SJ Himes.) Contains new content. Novella, MM Paranormal Fantasy Romance. 36k words.
Recalling My Demon: An MM paranormal romance by Colette Davison is part of a multi-author 12 book paranormal series called Possessive Love.
Colette Davison does several things here with this charming kinky novella that make it surprisingly different in many ways from the rest of the typical stories involved demon romances.
It’s a ex priest and demon romance with many twists. There’s a daddy kink, an innocent character, and the church isn’t involved in the story.
Who’s the innocent? Well, it’s the demon. That’s Brin, a bratty, loving demon who lives with his human mother, isolated behind wards for his safety and hers. In Brin, Davison has created such a lovable engaging character. Naughty and innocent. A total scamp.
Ian, the ex-priest turned nurse is an interesting personality. He’s a caring individual, made his peace with his faith, and went into nursing to continue to help others. But he’s got a kinky side. Guess who gets to explain sex to a demon?
There’s more emotional side stories, including the one that involves Brian’s aging mother.
I didn’t find the end as well realized as the rest of the story but it’s definitely a HEA.
If you are a fan of the author and trope, don’t pass up Recalling My Demon: An MM paranormal romance by Colette Davison. A fun entertaining read.
Possessive Love series:
A Slice For My Demon by K.L. Hiers Cuddly Demon by Aster Rae
My Demon Husband by Jan Stuart Exercising a Demon by H.L Day
Drop Dead Demon by B. Ripley
The Demon’s Dealbreaker by Delaney Rain
My Demon Rebound by Ashlynn Mills Curiosity Caught the Demon by Travis Beaudoin
My Saintly Demon by RM Neill Terrible Lovely Demon by Odessa Howell
I’m told Nethermire House is haunted, but the truth is even stranger.
Nethermire is home to an eccentric 80-year-old and the young man she claims is her great-nephew.
Except he’s not.
He’s a demon.
Brin’s chaotic, bratty ways draw me to him. When he calls me Daddy, I’m a goner. I want to protect him, take care of him, and call him mine.
But when he gets summoned to hell, our happiness is shattered.
Can I recall him to my side, or will I lose him forever?
Recalling My Demon is a standalone MM paranormal romance in the Possessive Love multi-author series. It has an age-gap relationship between a bratty demon who needs someone to love him more than he realises and an ex-priest who’s now a Daddy.
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services (October 19, 2023)
V.L. Locey has written a new MM fantasy romance in The Pastel Prince, the first novel in her Crowns of Melowynn series.
It’s an age gap, slow burn romantasy that’s setting the stage and foundation for the world and stories to follow.
Locey has managed a magical horrifying journey, a terrifying mystery, an epic adventure, and a developing relationship to engage the reader’s imagination and hold our attention.
Mages, elves, pixies, and various other creatures and types of magical elements that will continue to be explored as the series deepens its knowledge of the political system and its history, little of which is set down here.
Kenton, the young Druid and Beirach , the archdruid , were a solid well written couple and strong start to a new series.
If you love fantasy romance, check them out and this series from VL Locey!
Kenton, a young druid prince, feels trapped in the bustling city life, a world away from the forests of his birth. Despite his royal duties keeping him tethered to the urban sprawl, his spirit remains tangled with the whispering trees and the ancient, mystical rhythms of the forest. But when a sinister threat endangers his people’s land and lives, Kenton embarks on a perilous journey to track down a powerful and ancient being; the lone archdruid powerful enough to stop the darkness.
Only, Beirach is nothing like the archdruids of old tales. Instead of withered and world-weary, he is younger than expected, vital, and has a magnetic charm that Kenton can’t ignore. Thrown together by fate and bound by a shared mission, Kenton and Beirach find themselves in the heart of a battle to save nature. As the dark mage’s shadow looms over the forest, they fight together and find a love as raw and wild as the forest itself.
The Pastel Prince is an M/M age gap romantasy set in a faraway land with magicks and mythical beasts, a belligerent pixie, a young druid on an epic quest, an older archdruid who’s not as washed up as he thought, Elven castles, long glances over a campfire, and a fey-tastic happily-ever-after.
Deliciously demented! Alice Winters has another great book and character with A Simple Mistake, the first novel in her new Deadly Mistakes series.
Dark humor and psychopathic main characters are my jam. That makes Winters’ A Simple Mistake and Homicide Det Liam Paige, the psychopath who’s one delicious side of this two POV narrative definitely my new favorite. The other voice being the , shakes head, engagingly normal, law abiding Detective Gabriel Hyde and his cat,Lucille Pawl aka Lucy Fur.
Clearly you see what side I fall on.
Liam’s POV and dialogue, clearly non empathetic as it should be unless it relates to Gabriel, often had me cackling. My enjoyment ran deep. And Winters, while laying down the traumatic scenes and background for Liam, doesn’t ask us or Liam for remorse or for him to change his behavior or actions. He simply is what he is. It’s only from Gabriel that he’s slightly willing to make alterations.
I’ll be so fascinated to see how this dynamic evolves as the series and their relationship develops.
The murderer and the investigations are complex, wonderfully detailed and constructed. Winters built so much suspense, intelligent psychological drama and horror into a story with equal amounts of gleeful dialogue and great action that it’s a must read!
Alice Winters is an auto buy and this fantastic book is just one more reason why. Highly recommended!
Great characters, fantastic writing, excellent story. Win, win, win.
Weirdly, people don’t react overly well when you’re caught standing over the dead body of a murderer who’d walked free.
It’s not that I thought my fellow homicide detective would rejoice when he saw what I’d done, but is a pat on the back too much to ask for? Maybe a gold star at the very least?
The problem is that the person who caught me is Gabriel, the only person I care for and adore… and he’s prepared to look the other way if I leave homicide and promise to never kill again. Yet when Gabriel gets taken by a serial killer, there’s absolutely no way I can sit back while this parasite takes what is mine.
But what the killer doesn’t know is that I’m coming for him and that I would destroy the world to keep Gabriel safe. After all, who could hunt a serial killer better than another one?
Gabriel
Drawing Liam back into homicide is the last thing I thought I’d ever do, but the killer is picking off my fellow detectives, and the only way we’re going to make it out of this is with Liam heading the case (even if there’s one—or five—coworkers he’d rather not save).
Liam is smart, sarcastic, and the most dangerous man I’ve ever met, and yet I can’t look away—even if he calls my adorable cat Lucy Fur. No one has any idea just how far Liam will go for me, especially not the killer, who won’t realize until too late that the prey he hunts is actually a predator.
Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack has a very strong start on a potentially engaging fantasy romance but several elements ending up making it fall short.
The storyline revolves around an embittered witch who lives on the edge of a forest. Florian once was a young child in the castle and best friend of Prince Malachi. Until he was thrown out into the streets, when he was 13, sick, and without resources or some place to go. He faced twenty years of fighting homelessness, poverty, and finding himself isolated and a witch in a world that didn’t understand magic.
That’s a good plot and character. Florian has many character traits that make him relatable to the reader and a strong background.
Then Malachi appears, and what could be a terrific romance starts to lose its appeal. This is a 20 year old separation, a traumatic one and the scene should be emotionally reflective of the situation. It’s not. They could be coming off a misunderstanding over a bagel choice. It’s that low key.
The rest of the author’s story takes the same approach. A high drama plot that has little of that in the narrative. It’s so low angst that even the mystery maladies that affect the Prince are comical.
The Queen is the final issue here. And I’ll admit that in her behavior she’s a personal flag for me.
After chucking a hurting, sick 13 year old out of the only home he’d ever had and never following up on him afterwards, what does this person say 20 years later to him. Any apologies? No. Just this . Framed out that she’s feeling better about herself now that she’s sees that her son is determined Florian is staying so as he’s the next King there’s little she can do.
“For what it’s worth, I really am happy to see you again, Florian. It broke my heart to send you away, but seeing you two together again has mended a tiny piece of that.””
— Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack
It’s basically oh, you survived being tossed out, suffering homelessness as a sick child. Then poverty and discovering that you are a witch in isolation. We lied about you and no one , except for our son, cared. It ends well, so I can feel better about myself and my despicable actions.
For me, I’d rather they tossed her out. But no. And it appears Florian gives us his cottage to treat all the castle royals.
There’s just too much that’s unexplored or left at a one-dimensional element while being a subject that requires a deeper or more detailed explanation.
On one side a child thrown away, suffering and hardship. The other ? Magical hilarity from parsley and croaking frog noises. Child abandonment and years of trauma versus instant love and quirky humor.
It’s too incongruous. To work well, imo, this needs more layers and exposition. Just way more length.
Read it because you’re a fan of the author. Or reading the series.
Malachi is a prince and next in line for the throne, but as his coronation gets closer, strange things keep happening to him.
Florian grew up in the palace alongside the prince. The two were always together until it was discovered that Florian had magic.
The young witch was torn away from his friend and cast out from the only home he’d known. Despite the turn his life had taken, he has worked hard to build a reputation for helping people.
When Malachi realizes his problems are magical, he seeks out his childhood friend. As Florian works to undo the charms controlling the prince, that bond they once had comes back even stronger than before.
Prince, Charmed is a low angst MM friends to lovers romance. Cauldrons & Kisses is a multi-author series of MM magical standalone stories. Each low angst read will feature a witch finding love.
Santano’s been away from his mate and boyfriends, now it’s the New Year. It’s time for his family and all the minions to celebrate with a special party! Mostly sans clothes, lots of sex and energy to celebrate his return and the New Year!
It’s all charming characters on board and their new family dynamic on sexy loving display.
Fun, sexy and a great addition to this series.
Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees :
The Trouble with Trying to Date a Murderer #1
The Trouble With Trying to Save an Assassin #2
The Trouble with Trying to Love a Hellion #3
The Trouble With Trying to Hook a Harbinger #4
The Adventure of Sterling Jones: A Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees Sidequest
How to Start the New Year Right: According to the Minions
In preparation for Santanos’s return from a retreat in the Alps, the minions are putting on a New Year’s Eve party, but if one more person touches Edovard, the celebration is going to get bloody.
Hassan:
My mate is adorable, but he’d be even cuter with bloody hands. If only that wouldn’t upset Edovard.
How to Start the New Year Right is a 6k short story featuring a New Year’s Eve party with fewer clothes than people and the minions’ evil New Year’s resolutions.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 