Review: Rocking Karma : The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 by Kage Harper

Rating: 4.5🌈

It’s great to have another collection of books and authors to enjoy reading, this time the theme is a multi-band rock concert called Rocktoberfest.

Rocking Karma by Kage Harper has the band Corvus Rising as the center dynamic. The main characters are Dax Crow, mixer, songwriter, and half brother to the lead singer Jameson Crow. The other is the new bass player Lane Bennett, younger, naive, and surprisingly, with a hidden talent.

Harper creates in Dax a man whose life has been hard, his survival based upon his own ability to make tough decisions, be , as another man calls it ‘resourceful’ , doing whatever it takes for him to make his way. The wonderful element here is that the narrative allows Dax to change and develop, slowly revealing more of himself and his background as the relationship between himself and Lane continues.

Lane, while not as tough or as damaged, is still got the depth of personality. His character is another that’s slow to see all the many dimensions of his life and his heart. Together, with a tiny flop of a dog called Princess, they absolutely stole my heart.

There’s plenty of drama in this story, a storyline that concerns control, a side character taking advantage, and I enjoyed how that plays out.

The other characters, primarily the other members of this band, they are people I actually would have loved more information about. Whether it’s Brody, or the brother Jameson, or those fabulous women, they weren’t just supporting cast but vividly alive important characters of this book.

If the rest of the collection is half as strong and great as Rocking Karma : The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 by Kage Harper, I can’t wait to read more.

I’m highly recommending this story and author. It’s a fantastic read.

The Road to Rocktoberfest-12 books

✓ Rocking Karma by Kage Harper

◦ Axe to Grind by Gabbi Grey

◦ Key Change by Ari McKay

◦ More Than October by Blake Allwood

◦ Faded Dreams by BL Maxwell

◦ Midnight Riff by Lynn Michaels

◦ Damaged Saints by Layla Dorine

◦ Music & Dreams by JP Sayles

◦ Seltzer’s Taylor: Embrace the Fear book 3 by TL Travis

◦ Loose Strings by Christie Gordon

◦ Killer Notes by CJ Barlowe

Buy Link

Rocking Karma : The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023

Blurb:

Dax

I’ve cut and run on my life more than once in my thirty-one years, leaving everything behind, even my name. Now I’m Dax Crow, long lost half-brother and mixing technician for Jameson Crow, the lead singer of Corvus Rising. I’m using my hard-won skills to help my brother make it big. The rest of the band are incidental to me, although new bass player Lane Bennett is a hot mess of young talent who urgently needs someone to take him under their wing. Not my job. I never get close to anyone. Until some douche of a boyfriend begins jerking the kid around, and I’ve been there, done that. Maybe I can at least give him some advice.

Lane

Playing with Corvus Rising is my dream come true, and I can’t believe in October we’ll play for sixty thousand fans at Rocktoberfest. I just hope I can measure up. The last six months have been a steep learning curve, but I have my secret boyfriend to encourage and direct me whenever he’s around. I wish we could go public, but he’s with the record label and it wouldn’t look good. I also have my secret joy— performing drag as Ms. Fox, when I get the chance. It’s hard juggling everything while touring with the band, but I think I have it under control. Then my worlds collide and my boyfriend shows his true face. I find myself getting surprising advice and support from Dax, the gorgeous, secretive guy behind Corvus’s sound. But I doubt even Dax can turn this disaster into a triumph.

content warning: emotional abuse, coercion

Rocking Karma is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

• Publisher: (October 3, 2023)

• Publication date: October 3, 2023

• Print length: 375 pages

Review: Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand

Rating: 4.25🌈

“It was on. Number one against number three, battling it out in a tight race for the top spot in the Premier League.”

— Be My Endgame: An MM Rivals-to-Lovers Sports Romance by Zarah Detand

It thanks almost totally to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ series about buying Wrexham, a Welsh football (soccer to us in the US) team, I do know a bit about the pyramid shaped structure of the football league abroad. And a smidge of the other aspects of the game that’s so central to the story that Detand’s Be My Endgame tells, that of two players in the game of their lives and the relationship that comes with it.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a novel that I felt was as quintessentially British as this was. I do read a lot of authors who are from the UK but their books haven’t been grounded in a world as British and non American as is the world of what’s known as football there and soccer here. Add to that the element of aristocracy in the form of one of the main characters, Earl Alex Beaufort, whose father is a Duke of not whatever Alex is an Earl of. Ah, rules of the peerage! There’s Lords, seats in Parliament, and issues of class.

The other main character is Manchester United’s top striker, Lee Taylor, a “commoner” with a mum who has battled mental illness and has raised his sisters when she’s been unable to cope. In top of class issues to deal with, each has sexuality issues that have affected their lives and past relationship, both being in the closet.

Enforced proximity as teammates for the World Cup is a perfect format for bringing multiple themes into the mix as well as action on the field as the team’s fight up towards their goals.

Detand’s characters are well defined, the issues each faces laid out in emotional scenes that pull the readers in, and the supporting cast are charming and engaging personalities we enjoy spending time with.

There’s several unexpected dramatic events towards the end, one expected and well conceived. The other like as though it was a distraction from the main story. And never got a full explanation.

Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand is my first by this author but won’t be the last. I’m off to explore more Detand has released. Until then, this is a definite recommendation.

Buy Link

Buy the ebook & paperback

Blurb

Sometimes the endgame is only the beginning. In the heated world of the Premier League, Earl Alex Beaufort, a charming Liverpool midfielder, collides on-pitch with Lee Taylor, Manchester United’s top striker. But when England’s World Cup dream brings them to sunny Spain, the real game unfolds: sharing a room. Rivals to teammates to … more?

Dive into this banter-filled MM sports romance where football meets unexpected feelings. A tale where a “pretty boy” comment isn’t just playful teasing, and a kiss isn’t just a kiss. As the tension of the World Cup escalates, so does the connection between Alex and Lee.

But amidst the drills, goals, and growing team camaraderie, shadows of family legacies and personal battles loom large. Can Alex, struggling with duke-sized expectations and his bisexuality, embrace his true self? Will Lee learn to dribble past his trust issues? Get ready for emotional offsides, family fouls, and a journey of self-discovery as thrilling as a last-minute goal.

With doses of British humour and heartwarming honesty, Be My Endgame serves up a pitch-perfect contemporary MM romance against the electric backdrop of the World Cup. Expect the unexpected—because when it comes to love and football, anything can happen in 90 minutes (plus injury time).

Review: Slay Ride (Saint Brothers Book 1) by Davidson King

Rating: 4.5🌈

I have to admit that early on, my thoughts were that Slay Ride was just one more story about a group of psycho revenge killing brothers, a trope gaining popularity in LGBTQIA romance. The elements haven’t varied enough, 5 brothers, killing, torture, etc, so that only one or two authors have made it really fascinating.

But Slay Ride turns into something else that is side adjacent but still makes this storyline its own. The brothers here have a compelling history that King eventually weaves further into a larger plot line that gives the characters and this book a different feel and direction emotionally.

King does surprise me with the choices that are made narratively with the romances and themes. Mason, a vulnerable man whose attack begins the novel, starts a sexual relationship immediately with Gabe, one of the brothers. For me, that was problematic. Except that King starts to roll it back with more focus on the actual storyline, action, and finally, when Mason’s deep trauma over his ordeal surfaces, the real need for just contact and then therapy is recognized.

King has an Authors note at the beginning stating that this fiction is perhaps more in a gray area, than that of actually being dark fiction. After reading this, that’s pretty accurate. Any discussion of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, assault is off page, left to the reader’s mind, as well as any real torture is along those same lines.

I have included King’s trigger warnings below.

Slay Ride was a real surprise for me. It took my narrative expectations and gave them a great twist with the characters and plot. I connected with all the characters, I found myself invested in the multiple storylines, and, although I could have wished for a worse ending for the villains, I was satisfied with that ending.

Now I’m wondering if the next book will feature all of them or just one couple. Either way, I’ll be there to find out.

This is a definite yes !

Saint Brothers:

✓ Slay Ride #1

“TRIGGER WARNING This book contains on-page violence, torture, attempted rape, and off page mention of child abuse.”

Buy link

Slay Ride (Saint Brothers Book 1)

Blurb:

Christmas is a time for joy, family, and friends to gather around the tree and fill their hearts with love. Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t deserve happiness during the holidays.

Mason keeps to himself. His best friend, JJ, is the only one he chooses to be close to, plus his job keeps him busy. Excitement isn’t something he needs or wants in his life. One night, that all changes when he’s cornered, and his life is threatened. His saviors? Well, they turn out to be just as dangerous, and the mysteries surrounding them soon flip Mason’s world upside down.

Gabe and his brothers spend their lives making sure those who deserve death get what’s coming to them. The one person they never see coming is Mason. What for them should have been a simple rescue turns into even more chaos than they ever thought possible.

Enter the Saint brothers’ dark and twisted world on a slay ride that will have you on the edge of your seat, swooning for the bad boys, and trying to survive the fall of revenge.

**This was originally a short story that was part of the Christmas Anthology O Deadly Night Vol 1. It has since been expanded to a full-length novel. No Cliffhanger!

— Slay Ride (Saint Brothers Book 1) by Davidson King

• Publisher: (October 4, 2023)

• Publication date: October 4, 2023

• Print length: 220 pages

Review: Justice (Damned Connections Book 2) by Lark Taylor

Rating: 4.5🌈

Justice is the second in Taylor’s Damned Connections paranormal romance series, a sequel to the original Reckless Damned that featured the sons of Lucifer and their mates. This one focuses on the outlier characters from that series and their own journey to find their mates.

Vampire assassin Sebastian has lurked about the edges of many a story, snarling and sneering, while providing evidence for his deadly powers with his legendary blade Bessy. Now we get his romance as his tragic history.

Taylor has paired him , that most “monstrous of men” , up with with a man most would consider a true innocent. That’s Matty, who’s brother and mate got their story in the first book, Patience. Matty is that sunny, effervescent personality, a knitting sunny bundle of emotions that’s recently undergone a severely traumatic experience. One that he still has nightmares about.

Please read the trigger warnings for this story. They happened in a prior story and anything here is off page details but those sensitive to this subject matter should be aware.

Taylor’s story gives us two men working through the darkness and damage that life’s worst has dealt them. Each character has let the traumatic violence , emotional damage and the deep fear of loss/death they’ve experienced impact their lives, but in different ways.

Sebastian has cut himself off from all relationships, removing himself ,and potentially anyone he might come to care for, from repeat of the history that continues to haunt him. Matty’s life has become more circumspect, he’s got protection 24/7 whether he wants it or not. Plus he’s unaware of the paranormal world and beings that exist in and around him. They’ve all kept him ignorant for his safety.

In Justice’s fast paced storyline, Clark brings everything together on a collision course. The previous plots from the Damned Connection series weaves together with the story here to bring Sebastian and Matty together.

It’s heartbreaking, tortuous, a definite hurt/comfort, but so satisfying when it all finally comes back together as the characters work through their own struggles and emotional damage to a realistic mating the reader feels fit them both as it should.

Sebastian was never going to be an easy fix but I didn’t realize how hard Clark was going to make the journey for Matty too. That balance was needed for this to be true for them both.

Now for the next novel, Temperance. I can’t wait.

This book and series is a must read.

Reckless Damned Series

✓ Devil’s Mark

✓ Devil May Care

✓ Deal With the Devil

✓ Luck of the Devil

Damned Connections Series

✓ Patience #1

✓ Justice #2

◦ Temperance #3

Buy Link:

Justice (Damned Connections Book 2)

Blurb:

Sebastian

Blood. Torture. Murder. They’ve been my only companions for centuries. I haven’t needed or wanted anything else.

Until I see Matty smile. Then something in me, something that’s been dormant for centuries, begins to reawaken.

Matty doesn’t belong in my world. He’s loving, innocent, and full of joy. The darkness of my life would corrupt him in a heartbeat, but when he’s dragged into it against his will, nothing can stop me delivering my personal brand of justice.

Matty keeps fighting for things I can’t give him, for things I’m no longer capable of. I can’t come between him and his family. I can’t give him what he needs.

But I also can’t stay away from him.

Matty

I’m surrounded by couples in love.

Once, I thought that’d be me. That I’d be swept off my feet and experience the kind of epic love you only see in movies.

Now, I know better.

A horrific night taught me to look for other things in a partner. Someone who’s predictable. Safe. Stable.

Sebastian is anything but.

Everyone tells me to stay away from him, but I don’t understand their concerns. How can he be a villain when all he’s shown me is kindness?

He makes me want things I thought I’d given up on. Things I’m too scared to admit I still want.

The trouble is, I can’t figure out what Sebastian wants. He tells me he can’t say no to me, but he won’t open up. He says to stay away from him, but he keeps coming around.

One thing is for sure, Sebastian is who I want in my future.

But how can I keep fighting for us if I’m the only one doing it?

Justice is a MM PNR romance about a grumpy vampire assassin and the sunshine human he can’t stay away from. The second in the Damned Connections series, each book will follow a different couple as they find their HEA. Although better read in order, these books can stand alone.

• Publisher: Lark Taylor (February 1, 2024)

• Publication date: February 1, 2024

• Print length: 476 pages

Review: How Tan Acquired an Apprentice (How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned him to Villainy) by AJ Sherwood

Rating: 5🌈

“The emergency contact mirror on his desk buzzed with an incoming call, jittering on the wood as if conveying the caller’s agitation.

Tan snatched it up promptly, still looking around suspiciously.

“Hi, I’m Tan. I own the place, and I’m going to go cry.”

Tan, that magnificent Black Sorcerer of Grimslock, is back in a short magical tale of acquisition and revenge. Mostly acquisition.

Here is how Tan and his husband, Devan, his Knight and now King of Goodwine, find/acquire a young “sorely in need of saving” apprentice, no really he’s family. And add another cat to their ever growing collection.

It’s got pathos, an enraged Tan, a fireball or two, an orphan, Knight Wells in a short appearance, and a highly satisfying, quietly loving ending.

Sigh.

Yes, I loved it.

The boy is Zi Rui. Be prepared to fall in love.

Buy Link:

Blurb:

Did Tan go looking for an apprentice? No.

Is Tan going to keep Zi Rui? Yes.

Did Devan agree to this decision? Debatable.

Tags:

Devan has CONCERNS, so does Wells, Tan thinks having a minion er apprentice is a wonderful idea, crackity crack, it’s a good thing Tan is cute, Villainy short story

• Publisher: (February 8, 2024)

• Publication date: February 8, 2024

• Print length: 27 pages

Review: The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark

Rating: 4.25🌈

The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark is a terrific paranormal romance. I enjoyed it immensely. Anyone who’s a fan of shifters/mate romances will enjoy the story but there’s a slight caveat.

This book takes place within Clark’s Kincaid Pack universe. It’s helpful to have an understanding of the events and characters from that series as it impacts heavily upon the storyline and couple here. Important Kincaid Pack members are also a part of this story, although Clark does a good job of explaining who they are and how they figure into the plot.

Getting all that out of the way, this book is launched is a great way. With a dramatic scenario and introduction to all the major characters.

Mob boss Quinten Amato is having to adapt to the new world order since the Kincaid Pack took down the corrupt paranormal government that kept things orderly and predictable. A structure that suited him and all his businesses just fine.

Clark gives us a ruthless man at the top, in an uncertain world where he’s got to negotiate a new path without any loss of prestige or credibility. Then a dramatic scenario opens up, where we meet Caden, a deeply damaged shifter, one guaranteed to make an impact on Quinten’s future.

Caden is such a vulnerable, wounded character. It’s impossible not to connect with him, either for the reader or for Quinten’s employees who surround him. Clark’s supporting cast is as intriguing and layered in their personalities as the main couple. They grab our interest too with their interactions with Caden and Quinton, making us want to know more about each of them.

The plot lines equally interesting, up to the great characters. If it’s all over a bit too quickly, then head over to the other series to read more about this universe and the events mentioned here.

Hopefully, this couple will pop up again in another book and series. The characters have a way of doing that.

This is a wonderful read and it’s got my recommendation.

Related Series

✓ Kincaid Pack (6 books)

✓ The Mobster’s Mate – single story

✓ Silver Oak Pack-2 books so far (also within the same universe)

Buy Link:

AMAZON

Blurb:

A human mob boss and an injured jaguar shifter brought together by a cruel enemy… and fate.

Caden hasn’t believed in fated mates since he was a cub. He figures it’s more of a fairytale that shifter parents tell their kids than the reality of what passes for mates in some of the packs he’s seen.

But then he comes face-to-face with a human man who smells like orange blossoms and radiates authority and safety.

And Caden… Well, he hasn’t felt safe in a long time.

While the rest of the world fears and reviles Quinten Amato and the things he does under the guise of his business, Caden is drawn to him like a cub to an alpha. He doesn’t care what anyone says or what Quinten does, he and his jaguar know the kind of man he is.

The kind who saved his life.

The kind who comforts him when he wakes up terrified.

The kind whose calm commands set his blood on fire.

Convincing his bossy human they’re meant to be together isn’t going to be easy. Especially not when Quinten’s certain Caden needs things he can’t get from him—and that being a part of Quinten’s life in the shadows is too dangerous.

And he might be right.

The Mobster’s Mate is a full-length novel featuring a human with questionable morals and a jaguar shifter who only sees the best in him. You’ll find an age gap, found family vibes, fated mates, and gobs of possessiveness.

This title is a standalone novel set within the Kincaid Pack universe. It can be read and enjoyed on its own. However, if you’d like to understand the nuances of the world, then start your journey with The Alpha and His King (Kincaid Pack Book 1).

• Publisher: Rainbow Publishing LLC (February 1, 2024)

• Publication date: February 1, 2024

• Print length: 219 pages

Review: The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark

Rating: 4.25🌈

The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark is a terrific paranormal romance. I enjoyed it immensely. Anyone who’s a fan of shifters/mate romances will enjoy the story but there’s a slight caveat.

Getting all that out of the way, this book is launched is a great way. With a dramatic scenario and introduction to all the major characters.

Hopefully, this couple will pop up again in another book and series. The characters have a way of doing that.

This is a wonderful read and it’s got my recommendation.

Related Series

✓ Kincaid Pack (6 books)

✓ The Mobster’s Mate – single story

✓ Silver Oak Pack-2 books so far (also within the same universe)

Buy Link:

AMAZON

Blurb:

A human mob boss and an injured jaguar shifter brought together by a cruel enemy… and fate.

But then he comes face-to-face with a human man who smells like orange blossoms and radiates authority and safety.

And Caden… Well, he hasn’t felt safe in a long time.

The kind who saved his life.

The kind who comforts him when he wakes up terrified.

The kind whose calm commands set his blood on fire.

And he might be right.

• Publisher: Rainbow Publishing LLC (February 1, 2024)

• Publication date: February 1, 2024

• Print length: 219 pages

Review: A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1) by Elric Shaw

Rating: 3.5🌈

I found it hard to rate A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1) by Elric Shaw because, while it’s got so much to offer in terms of some of the characters and storylines, it’s also got a main character that presents a challenge to the reader in terms of how much we can expect to like or connect with him.

I don’t think Shaw sees this character in the way he comes across, at least not in the manner he does to this reader.

The story is a LGBTQIA contemporary Ground Hog day tale, one situated in an historic location that’s been the subject of many popular stories, lending itself to a magical atmosphere just by its very tone and history. That’s the famous Mackinac Island on Lake Huron in Michigan. No cars, bikes and carriages pulled by horses only, and the gorgeous Grand Hotel, along with all the many other shops and attractions, this is the perfect place to set a story that needs a magical twist to it.

It starts with a college trip, funded by the parent of one of the students, for a small group to go sightseeing, with an historic view, for the weekend, Professor in charge.

Chris, and his best friend, Quinn, are part of the group. Quinn has been the one who has been the instigator in getting Chris to come along. Chris has issues. He has a mother with boundaries problems, it’s her way or no way. Chris came out to family, friends and teammates at college and it didn’t go well. It’s turned him into a loner with self esteem issues. A former runner without a team. His past is also a part of his current issues, and it’s followed him on this journey.

Also on the trip, Percy, whose father set up the trip as a way for Percy to mourn the loss of his mother for both of them. Percy’s character is intertwined with that of Chris’, they have a long history, first as best friends, then as estranged secret lovers. It’s this last part that’s the main storyline of the book and most of the dramatic moments of the narrative.

Shaw’s two person POV gives the reader each character’s side of their journey to this point in their lives. Chris, who is bitter, out as gay, and fighting with his school, classmates (except for Quinn), with his parents, to be a writer. And the one person who he feels betrayed him is there on the trip, Percy.

Percy, whose story is complicated by the fact that he lost his mother to cancer, is a character I was frustrated by and unable to connect to. Yes, it was sad/heartbreaking his mother had died. That journey to a place where they had been happy as a family was a lovely touch but it was marred by a father, who much like his son, was unable to face his loss, so he pushed his “agenda of mourning “ onto his son. A legacy of cowardice that becomes a theme that the author never really thoroughly explores.

For 98 percent of this book, Perce is unable to deal with his own life fears/others expectations/inner voices, and truly face the devastating effect his actions have had on others. I’m not sure if the author is cognizant that they have written a character and a storyline that is so underwhelming weak in this way.

Perce is so unbelievably reliant upon other people’s perception of him that he has taken his own wants and even promises and dreams and tosses them away. Even if those included people who were counting on him. He did it without communication, without thoughtful process, even afterwards when he knew he must have inflicted great harm. It’s a role he set for himself and a path he continues on for almost the entirety of the book.

He says he knows he’s a coward. Chris waits for some word or actions to show that any of the multiple times or moments have changed the way things are. But while Chris is changing, there nothing but stasis for Perce.

And that’s almost certainly a killer when it comes to caring about a character going forward.

They repeat a day over and over, trying to figure out what they need to do to break the cycle. When the “aha” moment comes, it will surprise no one who the character is who makes the connection and saves the day.

Even at the end, Perce has made no concerted effort to talk in detail to anyone who he’s hurt about the choices or lack thereof that’s he’s made. Or really apologized to those people that he’s damaged. It’s left dangling.

So when it came back to the rating, it based solely on the character of Chris, the growth he underwent, the magic of Mackinac Island, and how well Shaw utilized the Ground Hog day format here that gave it that rating. Read it if you’re a fan of the author , the trope, and the storytelling elements above.

Dash of Modern Magic:

A Thousand Second Chances #1

See You In My Dreams #2

Buy Link:

A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1)

Blurb:

The only thing worse than waking up stuck in a time loop is realizing your ex is trapped there with you.

When Chris begrudgingly agrees to accompany his best friend Quinn on a university trip to Michigan’s picturesque Mackinac Island, he expects to suffer through a weekend of sightseeing, school-mandated activities, and entirely too much souvenir shopping. What he doesn’t anticipate is also having to avoid the boy who broke his heart.

Percy used to love his family’s annual excursions to Mackinac Island, but that all changed with the loss of his mother. This school trip is his chance to revisit some of their favorite haunts and honor her memory. However, what’s already guaranteed to be an emotionally charged weekend grows even more fraught when he discovers that he’s not only caught in a time loop, but that the boy he’d walked away from two years ago is his sole companion.

Forced together by the fickle whims of the universe, Chris and Percy must reopen old wounds and confront their painful pasts if they ever hope to escape their infinite Saturday. But even as they grow closer across myriad iterations of the same unending day, they grapple with one terrifying question.

Can the fragile connection they’re rebuilding survive their inevitable return to the real world?

A slow burn, fade-to-black M/M contemporary romance featuring second chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a hard-won HEA. Every book in the A Dash of Modern Magic series is standalone and can be read in any order. Perfect for fans of Roan Parrish, Eli Easton, and Emma Scott.

A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1)

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mackinacisland.org/blog/mackinac-island-places-to-stay-off-the-beaten-path/&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwi6pcbP06GEAxVnEVkFHfxQDQgQFnoECCwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2l0gIq-xPH3AOKfZ3L_Ndq

Review: The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires (Spellbound #1) by A.J. Sherwood / Devon Vesper

Rating: 4.5🌈

The first in a new fantasy series, The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires is a highly entertaining and fast paced fantasy adventure. It’s got reincarnated lovers, a sentient library, a found family of vampire warriors, and so much more.

All in all, a world of fun and magical action adventure, interwoven with love remembered and born again.

Sherwood’s characters are engaging, easily crossing time periods and a magical landscape to emerge in the modern world, embracing the cultural and technological aspects of the era, including even manga comics.

One of my favorite elements is the sentient library herself, Kassandra. A vibrant personality and key figure, even without a voice, I adored her. Master Declan, Ivy and the rest of the found family that defends and inhabits the library are amazing. Then there’s Kit, the one who was left behind, and Gun, the one who died and was reincarnated.

What a story and couple.

I was snared by the tragedy, pulled into the world by the adventures and hope of the future for the couple, and then just had a fabulous time with them along the way with the battles, the magic, and the ever enlarging foundation.

I can’t wait for the next in the series to come.

I’m highly recommending this to fans of this trope and author!

Buy Link

The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires (Spellbound Book 1)

The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires (Spellbound Book 1)by AJ SherwoodBook 1 of 1: Spellbound

Blurb:

Reborn love. Unleashed magic. We won’t fail twice.

Hi, I’m Kit. Immortal vampire and technomage extraordinaire. You know how it goes.

For the record, I am absolutely not stalking my reincarnated husband.

Okay, I am, but it’s for his own good. And mine. Er, assuming I can somehow figure out how to tell him he’s reincarnated and a mage, and we all live in a sentient library.

Any thoughts on that? I’m currently taking suggestions.

One thing’s for sure. He’s not dying on me again. Never again.

Tags:

The fluffiest fluff to ever fluff, that y’know includes violence, magic, reincarnated lovers, vampires, sassy library, Kassandra the library has OPINIONS, found family, all the magical shenanigans, Kit and Gun are part time soulmates full time problem, authors have lost all discretion in this, Kit is a walking green flag, the crack ship armada is sailing at full speed here, master should never have access to a credit card, or a bookstore, no book is off-limits with that man, triggers involve too much sap and cuteness, occasionally blowing shit up, violence is not the question but it is the answer, Sentient Library Tells All, I’m absolutely a library book check me out.

• Publisher: (February 2, 2024)

• Publication date: February 2, 2024

• Print length: 312 pages

Review: Lay it Down by Mary Calmes

Rating: 3🌈

Lay It Down is what the author calls her billionaire/grad student romance, an opposites attract story about a twin ending up with his brother’s ex lover under the worst possible circumstances.

The framework of the novel is a good one. One twin has come to see his happily “engaged to a billionaire” brother only to find himself drugged, and without his passport by his same brother who’s left for parts unknown. Now stranded on the resort island of Ibiza, Hudson has to figure out what happened and make right the damage his twin has caused.

Sounds good, right?

And for many elements of the story it is. Hudson is a lovely character. Unlike his irresponsible , and honestly, unlikable, twin, Dalvon, he’s easily someone that the reader can relate to and admire. A man who’s used his history as the protective older responsible brother as the boys navigated the foster system, he used it to better himself and get an education, which he’s still pursuing.

Calmes spent a lot of time building this character and it shows. Unlike his brother which appears here only through phone calls and by the many times he’s mentioned by others, never favorably. Even his actions are those that swing from negligence to one’s absolutely criminal.

Which means his twit of a brother? That’s where much of the problem with this story comes from.

Hudson awakens from a drugged sleep to find his brother has scampered off with his passport, stranding him in the ruins that he’s made of his life there. Doesn’t seem to matter what he’s done to anyone who has to depend on Dalvon. Off he goes.

Everything this other twin does and says is deplorable. But the author seems to think we’re going to think he’s just so helpless and a bit selfish but it’s ok. Those actions are forgivable

Nope it’s not. And to have a main character who’s constantly either being victimized by his brother or being his brother’s “savior “ doesn’t make for a satisfying story. It makes for a frustrating experience, especially since that pattern seems to continue forward at the end.

I like reading how Hudson runs around using his knowledge to help the people and businesses his brother was ruining. That worked. Especially since the characters that are grounded in the villa are wonderful.

But the instant love with Miguel , his brother’s ex was less successful a believable aspect of the book given the timeframe of a few days. Had there been more time to give their relationship growth and depth, I’d been on board.

Then there’s the whole criminal enterprise thing. That threw the story right over the top. And made no sense.

I really like Mary Calmes but this wasn’t among my favorites. Too bad because it had a lot of potential.

Buy Link:

Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com › Lay-Do…Lay It Down – Kindle edition by Calmes, Mary. Romance Kindle eBooks …

Blurb:

Paradise can be hell.

Most people would say being stranded in the villa of Spanish shipping magnate Miguel García Arquero on the beautiful isle of Ibiza wasn’t such a bad deal. But Hudson Barber isn’t one of them. To him, being stuck without a passport in a foreign country far from home is a nightmare, made worse by the fact that the person who did the stranding was his flighty twin brother.

Unwilling to turn Dalvon in for identity theft, Hudson is forced to wait, but meanwhile he discovers the chance to rehabilitate Miguel’s failing local businesses—enterprises left to Dalvon’s inexperienced care. The flagging ventures are a badly wrapped gift from heaven, and if Hudson can turn them around, he might be able to leverage the experience to finish his MBA.

Then Miguel returns to Ibiza, and instead of finding a boy toy, he discovers Hudson has turned his cold villa into a warm, welcoming home. Miguel’s path is clear: convince Hudson to lay down his defenses and let love in.

Mary Calmes’ other billionaire romance is Parting Shot.

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