Review: A Dash of Halloween by Andy Gallo

Rating: 3.25🌈

A Dash of Halloween by Andy Gallo is a short cute instant love romance for the spooky holidays. A sort of paranormal cozy mystery with a romantic theme, it’s got a small town that’s devoted to the holiday of Halloween in every aspect. A newly arrived resident, fleeing a bad situation, and huge haunted mansion and its gorgeous owner. Who is in need of help.

The characters of new resident, Dash Reeves and ghostly manor owner, Slate Blackwood, are charming. There’s a woman bestie and ghosts behind the scenes.

The romance between the two men happens too fast for me without the necessary emotional development I want but Gallo supplies an argument for the relationship and connection that happens so quickly. At 28k things move pretty rapidly along to a dramatic ending and epilogue.

This was short and entertaining.

Buy link

Andy Gallo

Blurb

When software engineer Dash Reeves accepts a too-good-to-refuse job offer in Oriskany Falls, he expects small-town quirks. What he doesn’t expect is a town obsessed with Halloween, or the mysterious and charming Slate Blackwood, whose family’s haunted house attraction draws visitors from miles around.

Slate has spent years hiding his family’s dangerous secret behind staged scares and special effects at Blackwood Manor. But when Dash appears at his gate one autumn evening, Slate recognizes something special in the handsome newcomer – if only he can convince the relationship-shy engineer to take a chance on love.

As Dash and Slate grow closer, the veil between worlds begins to tear. Spirits long trapped in darkness seek escape, threatening to overwhelm the living. Dash discovers he shares Slate’s gift for communicating with the dead, but will their combined powers be enough to prevent catastrophe? With Halloween’s Blue Moon approaching and malevolent forces gathering strength, they must find a way to seal the breach between worlds – or one of them might have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

A Dash of Halloween is a charming 28K word paranormal MM romance novella featuring:

– A Halloween-obsessed small town with real magic

– A cynical engineer who doesn’t believe in love (or ghosts)

– The charming medium who changes his mind about both

– Family secrets

– A guaranteed happy ending

– Sweet romance that leaves the bedroom door closed

Perfect for fans of cozy paranormal romance who love their ghost stories with a side of slow-burn love and small-town charm.

Publication date: October 28, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 118 pages

Review: Dallas: MM Mafia Romance (Light & Shadow Book 2) by N. N. Britt

Rating: 3.75🌈

Is it so incredibly contradictory to say i enjoyed this despite myself? There were so many aspects to this storyline that vexed me because they and the characters actions felt illogical or clueless. And that doesn’t address the plot holes left dangling at the end of the story never to have resolution if this is a duology.

But I did end up getting snared in the messy, enemies to lovers relationship between the mob boss son trying to hold his territory and the undercover agent sent in to neutralize him and his criminal element. Britt’s intention isn’t to write a realistic law enforcement thriller that mirrors current real life scenarios or even alphabet agency procedures, but in her words “to tell a love story “. Which she does.

This second book contains the most detailed aspects about the characters, the horrific abuses in Isaac’s background and family history, including vague references to his prison life.

It’s also where we see a more rounded version of Agent Dallas Bradley, aka Hawk, now a man so conflicted about his duty and where his loyalty is based that he’s hesitant about his own personal feelings and future. This is where a two person POV really excels in getting a reader into the mindset of the main characters, especially in situations where they are so diametrically opposed.

The relationship between Dallas/Hawk and Isaac has a vivid raw realistic connection. Britt has done a great job in making this a passionate, love hate romance that’s so overwhelming that some of the plot’s underwhelming elements get overlooked.

This includes the resolutions to the storylines left dangling at the end of the book. These plot holes relate only to this couple and these two books, at least from what I understand, ties up their relationship and storylines. Not totally satisfying but they do get a HFN.

The third book has a completely different story and couple. And, I expect, follows the same unconventional narrative concerning law enforcement code and policing.

I enjoyed this duo, found it entertaining and the pair dramatic and interesting. Is it in the top of my mafia romance list? No. But if this is a trope that you enjoy, pick it up and see what you think. Read them in the order they are written.

Great cover.

Cover Design by Sarah Kil

Light & Shadow series:

Isaac #1

Dallas #2

Forbidden #3 – different set of characters

Buy link

Dallas: MM Mafia Romance (Light & Shadow Book 2)

Blurb

Prepare for Betrayal and Redemption in Sin City.

As the leader of the Hellhounds and a valued member of the notorious Thoreau crime syndicate, Isaac has it all: power, money, fear. Falling for someone has never been on his radar. But for the first time in his life, Isaac thinks he’s found someone he can truly trust—the mysterious security guard who shattered through his icy defenses and became the one person Isaac could be himself with.

Until everything goes up in flames.

Dallas Bradley has been treading an unstable line of deceit between righteousness and criminality. Isaac Thoreau’s world is slowly turning him into Hawk, the man who doesn’t exist, the man who’s ready to do bad things to survive and remain close to Isaac. But when a dangerous deal goes south, in order to save Isaac’s life, Dallas is forced to reveal the devastating truth—he’s a Special Agent sent to infiltrate the Hellhounds and bring down Isaac.

Heartbroken and enraged, Isaac can’t stand the man who betrayed him so deeply. However, when it’s clear Isaac’s fate is prison, Dallas strikes a bargain with his boss: help save Isaac from life behind bars and keep Dallas undercover to clean up the mess.

Isaac hates Dallas more than ever, but to escape the crosshairs they must work together once more. As tempers and stakes flare in the streets of Sin City, Dallas will risk everything to redeem himself in Isaac’s eyes. But can their undeniable connection survive when trust has turned to ash?

***

Dallas is the second installment of Light & Shadow Duet. It should be read after Isaac. This is a dark MM mafia romance that explores various sensitive subjects like violence, abuse, PTSD, etc. Length: 65,000 words. Alternating POV.

Review: Zero Judgment (Tales from the Tarot story) by Kota Quinn

Rating: 3.5🌈

Major arcana card : Judgement

Zero Judgement is short paranormal romance in the Tales from the Tarot series. It’s a sequel or side story to Quinn’s novel, Love Potions and Moonlight. That story, which I haven’t read, is from another multi-author series and shared universe, Cauldrons and Kisses.

Zero Judgment highlights how a story is often hurt by a author’s decision to make a new book’s storyline a crossover from another universe, complete with those characters and world building, without fully laying down all the knowledge and details needed for new readers to understand and appreciate the characters, relationships in this world and local setting.

I enjoyed the story and characters and was able to see the connections that carried over from the first book but I also missed the details and depth this might have had if it would be a world unto itself.

Example of this is the character of Calix, the childhood friend who’s had a tragic history that led to him being kidnapped, becoming a prisoner and being turned into a vampire. There’s enormous amounts of information and trauma associated with Calix and his background, most of which is “off page” information. His story and character is connected to another person’s story, Nico, who turns out to be a witch. How they came to be together, there’s a significant connection between them (friendship, not romance) but hugely important to the story, but then Nicole basically disappears except for one more reoccurring scene.

But there’s enough missing narrative here for a book or two, the least of which is that Calix was a witch himself.

But the trauma, and most of the realistically induced emotional distress is done away with when the other main character makes his entrance . At The Magic Shop.

The Owner, The Magic Shop and pertinent tarot card are included in the story and get their important part to play. Quinn does a good job of incorporating the series elements into the book.

The fated mates aspect happens immediately which serves to speed up the relationship and romance between the characters of Calix and Zero, the dragon shifter/former vampire hunter.

I think, for me, the reunion part of this was my favorite and could have used further exploration and time spent on their renewed connection.

There’s a dramatic element that brings the main theme back into play but the villain and his story wasn’t really that well explored.

Overall, a nice story with potential but with an attached book that I probably should have read beforehand to get all the characters and universe firmly connected.

Cover art: Fae Quin . Fabulous as always

Cover design: Amanda Meuwissen

Tales from the Tarot- 22 books

🔷 Where Fools Have Tread by Jennifer Cody❤️

🔷The Magician’s Heart by J.P. Jackson

🔷Cleric of Desire by Amanda Meuwissen❤️

🔷The Nephilim’s Touch by Morgan Lysand

🔷King of Hollywood by Fae Quin

🔷My Minotaur Daddy: An MM Romantasy by Laura Lascarso

🔷Across Space and Time by Kit Barrie

🔷Chariot of Souls by Morgan Mason

🔷By Rude Strength ❤️by K.L. Hiers

🔷Found in Obscurity by A. M. Rose

🔷Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley

🔷No Justice for the Damned by Hellie Heat

🔷The Angel’s Kiss by Nicholas Bella

🔷Death Song by B. Ripley

🔷Arcanum ❤️by Ashlyn Drewek

🔷The Devil’s Dilemma by Alex J. Adams

🔷Camelot’s Tower by Brooke Matthews

🔷A Highland Gargoyle’s Lucky Star

❤️by Chloe Archer

🔷Trust in the Moon ❤️by Delaney Rain

🔷Raising the Sun ❤️by Eryn Hawk

🔷Zero Judgment by Kota Quinn

🔷The End of the World by Drake LaMarque

Buy link

Zero Judgment

Blurb

Zero is a tracker for the Elite Guard, the supernatural police that hunts down rogues. Zero’s number one goal was to work for the Elite and seek revenge on the vampires who killed his childhood friend.

But after so many years of moving from place to place, he wants to settle down. Zero volunteers to help guard one of the magical small towns where paranormals and humans live together openly.

He’s settled in this new town, has a life, friends, and hopefully, soon he’ll meet his mate. But what he doesn’t expect to find is his childhood friend alive and well. Except his friend isn’t alive. He’s undead, just like all the creatures he’s hunted down.

Zero Judgment is a standalone MM romance novel as part of the multi-author collaboration Tales from the Tarot. This book is based on the major arcana card Judgment.

Publication date: November 7, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 129 pages

Note: some purchasers were saying that their copies were incomplete at 75 pages or less. Some had it corrected. Pls double check your copy.

Connected to :

Love Potions and Moonlight (Cauldrons and Kisses novel) – 8 books in a multi author series

Review: Newly Tied (Marshals Book 7) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5🌈

I have loved this series for a long time and was so happy to see another story and couple added to this expanding law enforcement community and universe. According to the author, this is just the beginning of the journey for Del and Lang in terms of books which is appropriate because the beginning of their partnership and romantic relationship is exactly what Calmes delivers here.

We enter as relocated Texan, Delroy “Del” McCabe, begins a new chapter of his life. Del’s in Chicago as one of a group of law enforcement officers on probation as they hoping for the permanent assignment as US federal Marshals. They’re on probation and training under the office of Sam Kage, the deputy chief of the Northern District of Illinois, basically head of all the Marshals in the area.

Another member of that group is a local Chicago officer, Langston “Lang” Ross, a man whose family and roots run deep and whose connection with Del is instantly apparent and solid.

Calmes delivers an emotional journey of friendship, and emotional connection as Del and Lang go from action packed case to case, exploring their own experiences as relationships as regards to their careers and each other.

Of course, other Marshals and their partners and families are also involved in this journey and story, a wonderful aspect of the series and Calmes’ writing that sees crossover characters.

Other elements of the story include Lang’s discovery of his bisexuality or pansexuality because of his love for Del. Del’s recognition and acceptance of the need for therapy for the parental abuse he suffered during his childhood, and Lang’s support for his own PTSD issues. It’s sensitively written and folded realistically into their characters and storylines.

I love Calmes’ novels and her characters tend to be heroes. Right now I needed to read this. And I definitely want to read more about this couple and their relationship going forward.

Highly recommended.

Marshals series to date:

🔹All Kinds Of Tied Down #1

🔹Fit To Be Tied #2

🔹Tied Up In Knots #3

🔹Twisted and Tied #4 – Miro Jones and Ian Doyle (1 through 4)

🔹Balanced and Tied #5 – Eli Kohn and Celso Harrington, ballet dancer

🔹Tied Over #6 – Josiah Redeker and Bodhi Callahan

🔹Newly Tied #7 – Delroy “Del” McCabe and Langston “Lang” Ross

Covers by Reese Dante

Buy link

Newly Tied (Marshals Book 7)

Blurb

For the last six months, Deputy US Marshal Delroy McCabe has been secretly pining for his partner, Langston Ross. He’s kept his desires to himself because he wants to do a good job and prove himself at work. More importantly, if Lang were to find out his true feelings, maybe the person he cares for the most might walk away.

Between the understanding and support Lang gives him, as well as time with his family, Del can’t afford to slip up. But then, why does his partner and best friend care who Del sleeps with? Why, if given a choice, would Lang prefer to do anything with him? Maybe Del’s been missing something important, and perhaps Lang’s not the only one who’s not seeing what’s right in front of him.

Because sometimes the strongest ties are the ones that bind our hearts.

Publication date: November 4, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 246 pages

Review: Winnie Takes Paris (Love and Travels #2) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 5🌈

I just love this and fell deeply under the spell of Winnie Rodriquez as he conquered not only Paris but his wonderful, brilliant professor, Dr. Alistair Creighton.

One of the many things I appreciate about this novel is the absolute joy I can see the author took in writing this. It’s everywhere, in every aspect of the book. The places that Winnie and Alistair travel to and visit while in Paris are all museums, shops, and special spaces that Hayes herself has been and the affection and love shines in her descriptions. Her views of Paris and the surrounding areas mirror Winnie’s in so many ways in the wonderful outlook and appreciation.

I can also see the creativity and passion for this story in the outright hilarity of the conversations, dialogue’s between Winnie and Alistair as they learn about each other, that joyful and deeply rooted in how special each is.

These characters are beautifully real, aware, vividly written, gorgeous characters. I couldn’t look away from the pages and their journey into a relationship and love. And Paris was a stunning background for them to discover that they were perfect for each other and fit together.

I could see both Winnie and Alistair so clearly, their personalities and clothes were as finely detailed as everything else.

My one quibble is I wanted more. One book isn’t nearly enough for this couple who’s spread across multiple countries. I would love to see them together again in books to come.

Highly recommended, along with Raine’s story.

Love and Travels :

Falling for Raine #1

Winnie Takes Paris #2

Buy link

Winnie Takes Paris

Blurb

The fabulous stylist, the absentminded professor, and a Parisian adventure…

Winnie

Someone once said, when life gets you down and you’re feeling blue, brush yourself off and go to Paris!

Okay, maybe that was me.

Hey, I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and style guru in LA. The only worrisome snag is that the professor is determined to do everything on his own.

Not acceptable. I’m here to help the impossibly smart geek with mismatched socks who just happens to be my best friend’s boss.

No, I don’t know nothing about history, but I’m nothing if not resourceful. What could go wrong?

Alistair

I’ve been called an absent-minded professor more than once. I don’t mind at all. My work is important and living on a diet of biscuits and tea while delving into ancient civilizations doesn’t seem so terrible. But Paris calls. And somehow, I have a new temporary assistant.

Winnie is a technicolor, whirlwind American with a wicked laugh and the subtlety of a steamroller. He’s brash and ridiculous and…funny, warm, lovely, and—

Oh no. This can’t be happening. I swore I’d never fall for anyone again.

Winnie can take Paris, but he can’t take my heart.

Or can he?

Lane Hayes

November 7, 2024

220

pages

Review: Skip Trace (Chaos Station Book 3) by Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen

Rating: 4.5🌈

Skip Trace had several hurdles to overcome just by being the book that followed Lonely Shore, a novel that was full of huge emotional storylines, momentous moments, and blockbuster payoffs in terms of narrative development and character development.

Skip Trace picks up after Lonely Shore’s events , which saw the return of Zander Anatolius and the highly emotional reunion that is still unsettled between Zan and Felix.

Felix/Fix/Flick (this constantly changing name is a frustrating element here) is a man of numerous talents and untold problems. He has never dealt with the time he spent as a POW in a stin prison, the torture he endured and the long term effects that it’s had on him, like his mangled hand. And he hasn’t had time to process emotionally the impact that Zander return, his physical condition and abuse suffered has had on his mental health too.

The authors do a great job of writing a man who is mentally, physically, and emotionally under siege. The stress is unbearable, he’s not communicating with Zan or Elias or any of his friends/crew of the Chaos and he’s breaking down.

Zan, who is dealing with his own mental and physical issues, has some of the same challenges in that his own life is far more problematic and complicated. As written, he’s not a type of person who seeks understanding, or in terms of Felix, doesn’t understand the scope of his breakdown because there’s been a severe lack of communication.

The narrative has this complicated challenging relationship that’s trying to sustain itself amid a tangled galactic conflict between species and the world governing body still trying to hide its experiments on the soldiers.

Skip Trace starts off a with establishing the events of the last book and then dives right into the emotional state of Felix and Zan, and the crew as it tries to accomplish the missions and hold onto both men and their ship.

I enjoy how tough and realistic this story is about the effects of trauma and the need for healing and help. That time isn’t enough to overcome the horrors that war has inflicted upon the world and individual. Felix the Fixer isn’t fixed. But he realizes that he needs help. And to communicate.

Burke and Jensen don’t forget about the other aspects of their series arc as new characters and development are added to come together in another absolutely satisfying, dramatic climatic ending.

It’s not perfect. As I mentioned earlier, the ongoing usage of multiple names for the same character is frustrating and often irritating. While I understand that each is chosen to separate a different section of his life and where someone might stand in his life by what they call him, having to deal with a series of names for Felix in just a paragraph is annoying. It’s book three. By now this aspect of his story could have been explored and put away.

Two more books to go and a whole new adventure has just begun.

Can’t wait and I’m definitely recommending this for all lovers of science fiction adventures and romance. Read them in the order they are written.

Series – read them in the order below:

Chaos Station 1
Lonely Shore 2
Skip Trace 3
Inversion Point 4
Phase Shift 5 – series finale

Buy link

Skip Trace (Chaos Station Book 3)

Blurb

Zander Anatolius has been revived from the fatal effects of the super-soldier program, but now he has to face his estranged family and tell a story few would believe. With his lover and the crew of the Chaos at his side, Zander returns home to a media frenzy, threats from the military and pressure to join the family business.

Felix Ingesson still struggles with the horror of believing Zander dead. And no matter how strong their emotional connection is, Felix feels out of place in the glittery world of Zander’s rich family. His lover would be better off without a broken, low-class ship’s engineer holding him back.

When the crew receives word that another of Zander’s former teammates needs rescue, Felix travels with the Chaos…setting Zander free. But when Zander is arrested for treason, the men realize they need each other as much as ever—not only to survive, but to make their lives worth living.

Publisher: Ghost Ship Books; 2nd edition (July 30, 2024)
Publication date: July 30, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 319 pages

Review: Review: Heart & Soulless (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 7) by K. Sterling

Rating: 3🌈

I had high expectations for this story given the main character of Russ Dorian, but several elements made Heart & Soulless just not work for me.

First, Russ is a very interesting, compelling character that Sterling’s been developing over the series of stories. I’m sure that all the readers have been waiting for his backstory to be revealed to explain parts of his character and behaviors.

The horrific background supplied certainly supports the narrative of his current life and actions. Russ remains throughout a multi-dimensional character with the ability to show depth and different facets of his personality to the people important to him here in this story. That’s great character building.

The issue is that it didn’t extend to the other main character of Dr. Cassius Ambrose, who’s basically a one note character. It’s “oh no, the past sucked, my fault, my brother’s fault, I blame you too for your own destruction. (Insert red flag here) we can’t forget the past “ . Same conversation and over again. Flags. A personality Sterling has created that wasn’t relatable. IMO , so much so that I couldn’t understand what Russ saw in him except an old horrible past when he was 20 years old. And Cassius was much older who could have prevented some of the worst moments. More flags.

Sterling, even at the end, never has Cassius improve on his dubious personality. And it hurts the entire story. One in which the reader can see the “surprise “ coming a mile away.

The story written in 2021 even dates itself by its continual references to a character’s Tesla in a highly positive light without other context.

So Owen’s story is next and I believe that the last of the Bisbee Bachelors. The town is amazing and the central characters a wonderful group. This just happens to be not a favorite.

The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club :

Haunted Hearts #1
Moonlight & Madness #2
Unhappy Medium #3
Grave Expectations #4
Riddles & Rivals #5
Shadows & Reservations #6
Heart & Soulless #7
Specters & Sparks # 8

Buy link

Heart & Soulless (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 7)

Blurb

Russell Dorian’s dark past has finally come back to haunt him. An old enemy arrives in Bisbee with a grudge and what may be a cursed object and Russ has no one to blame but himself. As usual. Russ has always played by his own rules but he’s never played with hearts and hopes because he knows what it’s like to be cheated and to lose everything. But all those painful wounds are ripped open when Dr. Cassius Ambrose turns up, looking just like his deceased older brother and Russ’s former lover, Kingsley Ambrose.

That’s what one does when they receive a cursed object in the mail and are nearly killed by it. Right? Cassius’s house was burned down so he’s come to Bisbee to return the Pompeiian fresco to the sender and settle the score. But a mystery and a murder leave Cassius stranded in the quirky former mining town and he has to turn to Russ and the rest of the Bisbee Bachelors’ Club for help. Can Russ and Cassius let go of the past and solve the mystery before the fresco finds its next victim? There’s no denying the heat or escaping their history when they touch, but will Russ give his heart one more chance and learn he’s not as soulless as he believes?

Publisher: Bawdy Books (October 21, 2021)
Publication date: October 21, 2021
Language: English
Print length: 193 pages

Review: Review: Shadows & Reservations (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 6) by K. Sterling

Rating: 4.25🌈

The ranks of the Bisbee Bachelor’s Club continues to shrink with Shadows & Reservations, the story of

Hadley Granger, owner of the most haunted house and hotel in Bisbee and his romantic love story with Lyle Hewer. Lyle Hewer is someone who is an outsider to the close knit Bisbee community but has been working his way into their lives book by book.

Sterling’s story focus is Granger and The Sullivan House, a place he rarely leaves and one that’s rightfully earned the reputation as the most haunted place in the town. Full of spirits that cannot rest and constantly haunt both Granger and anyone who steps on the property, its anguished history is a great part of the story.

That’s where the mystery and murders are and the relationship between the two men will be built. When the story concentrates on Granger, a sad, tormented man with a broken past, the book is terrific. Lyle, for me, no matter what story he’s appeared in, has been more a problematic character. That continues here.

His ex and the issues that come up with Lyle aren’t as realistic, amazingly given that Granger’s are ghostly. But Granger is such a great character and the support group of the rest of the Bisbee community works really well to make him and this an interesting mystery and satisfying story.

The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club :

Haunted Hearts #1
Moonlight & Madness #2
Unhappy Medium #3
Grave Expectations #4
Riddles & Rivals #5
Shadows & Reservations #6
Heart & Soulless #7
Specters & Sparks # 8

Buy link

Shadows & Reservations (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 6)

Blurb

What happened to Dottie Granger and why is her son still trapped in The Sullivan House?

The people of Bisbee have spent forty years whispering about the reclusive Hadley Granger, and the night his mother disappeared from The Sullivan House. The shy inn keeper has done his best to keep her memory, and the haunted bed and breakfast, alive by any means necessary. When the town learns that Hadley is also a best-selling author, his private life and all his secrets begin to bleed off the page.

Hadley’s latest guest is a stoic engineer protecting a few secrets of his own. Lyle Hewer’s come to Bisbee to escape a collapsing affair and to determine if the Queen Mine is safe enough to reopen. But trouble follows him to the quirky former mining town when his ex arrives and books a room at The Sullivan House.

The chivalrous inn keeper volunteers for the part of Lyle’s new boyfriend to help him save face, but their plan goes awry almost immediately. Lyle has been in love with the gentle inn keeper from the first moment he stepped foot in The Sullivan House, and Hadley finds himself falling for his prickly guest too. But Hadley has one very big problem: Lyle has to leave before it’s too late and the secrets of The Sullivan House shatters both of their lives.

Warning: brief scenes depicting domestic violence against women and children.

Publisher: Bawdy Books (September 16, 2021)
Publication date: September 16, 2021
Language: English
Print length: 216 pages

Review: Isaac: MM Mafia Romance (Light & Shadow Book 1) by N. N. Britt

Rating: 3.75🌈

Im a fan of the dark mafia romance trope, including a sub group where one of the main characters is an undercover agent and the other is the mafia boss or something similar. So when I ran across an author I hadn’t read before and this series with a great cover, I had to check it out.

I normally have an issue with stories where the law enforcement officers or their agencies don’t come across as being particularly realistic. Especially when the agent is undercover and there’s intelligence and support staff involved. Having a writer take this element and treat it carelessly usually takes me out of the narrative.

But N. N. Britt chooses to go a different route from the beginning and state upfront that her goal isn’t a “gritty authenticity” but instead a love story about “passion, betrayal, and redemption.” She’s not incorporating real basic law enforcement protocols here, let that be understood. The author is letting the reader know that upfront. So don’t go looking for any. She also places her trigger warnings in the description, which I like.

So a reader is well informed before they read the book. No looking for something that the author never said you should expect to find. And don’t.

What I did find was a good story. Dramatic, half a tale actually, about a two men starting towards a relationship in a highly dangerous situation and unstable world.

Britt sets it up as the undercover agent gets his assignment with a minimum of intelligence and time frame to get in and get the job done.

Special Agent Dallas Bradley has his doubts but accepts the job and his target. And becomes Hawk.

His target is the recently released from prison, Isaac Thoreau, the son of a notorious crime boss. His crime? That involves the fact his father is no longer the crime boss but he is.

Isaac had a brutal, abusive relationship with his father that’s revealed in past memories throughout the story. A new mafia boss in an unsettled state, Isaac is someone whose layers are constantly being peeled off. The two person perspective narrative helps create the complex connection/relationship that’s building between them.

The hellhounds, the bodyguards surrounding Isaac, are memorable in their own right, especially Jeremy. He helps cut into some of the more overly descriptive passages and wordy thought processes of Hawk/Dallas with his concise statements and ill-concealed dislike for the agent in disguise.

To read the book you have to “go with the flow “ narratively speaking and not look at the mafia, law enforcement, or legal systems for any realistic scenarios. Like Britt said, it’s not there. There’s plenty of emotional moments, action sequences, and doubts of self awareness to make the storylines work.

Britt does get overly descriptive and sometimes makes the passages a bit repetitive in the wordings chosen but she’s telling a passionate love story, one that will have its end in the second book, Dallas.

I enjoyed this, it’s entertaining but not so dark that it feels realistic or that dramatic as much happens “off the page “. I’m definitely heading to the next book to see how the characters and plot plays out.

Great cover.

Cover Design by Sarah Kil

Light & Shadow series:

Isaac #1

Dallas #2

Forbidden #3 – different set of characters

Buy link

Isaac: MM Mafia Romance (Light & Shadow Book 1)

Blurb

In the heart of Sin City, two men on opposite sides of the law collide in a dangerous game of power, passion, and betrayal.

Isaac Thoreau, the son of a notorious crime boss, has spent nine years behind bars for his father’s murder. Driven, cunning, and unfeeling, he’s now back to claim what’s rightfully his. But when an enigmatic security guard named Hawk is hired to work at his nightclub, Isaac finds himself distracted… and inexplicably drawn to Hawk, despite his best efforts to resist.

Special Agent Dallas Bradley’s mission is clear: infiltrate the Hellhounds and bring their leader, Isaac Thoreau, to justice. Posing as Hawk, Dallas is determined to uncover the secrets of the Thoreau criminal empire. But as he delves deeper into Isaac’s world, the lines between right and wrong blur, and soon an undeniable attraction grows between the two men, forcing Dallas to question everything.

Walking away before he’s compromised would be the smart choice, but Dallas can’t resist Isaac’s magnetic pull, even if it means risking his life.

As love and duty clash, only one question remains: will Isaac and Dallas survive the fallout?

***

Isaac is the first installment of the Light & Shadow Duet. It can not be read as standalone. This is a dark MM mafia romance that explores various sensitive subjects like violence, abuse, PTSD, etc.

Review: Trust in the Moon (Tales from the Tarot story) by Delaney Rain

Rating: 4.5🌈

Major arcana card The Moon

Trust in the Moon (Tales from the Tarot story) by Delaney Rain was just adorable. It had just the right amount of charm, engaging characters, and a great story that had a cute little twist or two in it that made me laugh and want more.

Honestly? Miami drag queen wedding in a Colorado mountain resort setting? Yes! Add in fated mates, spicy best friends, shifters and a mystery and I just enjoyed every minute of this.

Rain did a lovely job adding in the series theme and carryover element of The Magic Shop, The Owner, and the tarot cards. In fact, here there are some things i wished had further exploration, like those volumes of family history that are passed on at the end of the book.

The author has included so many other things I really enjoyed. Other characters that caught my eye because of their personality or story (Fabian and Matt-the wedding couple, Charlie, one of the “bridesmaids”), unusual elements written into the shifts and recovery, all contributed to making me love the story and wishing that the book was longer. Or that Rain would consider making this a series in its own.

Gavril, Sacha’s little brother, needs more attention. And members of both sides of the aisle of the wedding. Just a prequel too because Fabian’s drag queen name is a thing of beauty!

So I really enjoyed Trust in the Moon (Tales from the Tarot story) by Delaney Rain. Another highly recommended book in this fantastic series.

Cover art: Fae Quin . Fabulous as always

Cover design: Amanda Meuwissen

Tales from the Tarot- 22 books

🔷 Where Fools Have Tread by Jennifer Cody❤️

🔷The Magician’s Heart by J.P. Jackson

🔷Cleric of Desire by Amanda Meuwissen❤️

🔷The Nephilim’s Touch by Morgan Lysand

🔷King of Hollywood by Fae Quin

🔷My Minotaur Daddy: An MM Romantasy by Laura Lascarso

🔷Across Space and Time by Kit Barrie

🔷Chariot of Souls by Morgan Mason

🔷By Rude Strength ❤️by K.L. Hiers

🔷Found in Obscurity by A. M. Rose

🔷Twisted Fates by Adam J. Ridley

🔷No Justice for the Damned by Hellie Heat

🔷The Angel’s Kiss by Nicholas Bella

🔷Death Song by B. Ripley

🔷Arcanum ❤️by Ashlyn Drewek

🔷The Devil’s Dilemma by Alex J. Adams

🔷Camelot’s Tower by Brooke Matthews

🔷A Highland Gargoyle’s Lucky Star

❤️by Chloe Archer

🔷Trust in the Moon ❤️by Delaney Rain

🔷Raising the Sun by Eryn Hawk

🔷Zero Judgment by Kota Quinn

🔷The End of the World by Drake LaMarque

Buy link

Trust in the Moon

Blurb

Fresh off of a bad breakup, Zeke Castro is done with men and love even though he’s in a resort town in Colorado for his cousin’s big gay wedding. After a ruggedly handsome man kisses him in the hotel lobby, though, Zeke realizes his heart might not be so frozen after all.

Sacha Lupescu knows he’s found his fated mate and though he’s thrilled, he already knows that his mother won’t be. He needs to find a way to change her mind while also revealing his truth to Zeke without losing him.

Secrets ruined Zeke’s last relationship, and he’s started to notice that Sacha has a lot of secrets. But when the truth finally comes out, Zeke will need to decide if he can accept that fate is real and that he has a place in a world more magical than he ever could’ve dreamed.

Trust in the Moon is a standalone MM romance novel as part of the multi-author collaboration Tales from the Tarot. This book is based on the major arcana card The Moon with elements of trust issues, instalust/instalove, a bisexual awakening, pack politics, knotting and biting, shifted shenanigans, and a happily ever after.

Publication date: October 21, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 148 pages

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