Category: M/M Romance

Review: Kissed by the Krampus:(Monsters in my Bed Book 1) by L Eveland

Rating: 4.5🌈

Eveland is a new author for me so I did what I always do with new authors I enjoy. Read everything they’ve written. And I’m so happy that I did because I discovered Eveland’s Monsters in my Bed series.

A paranormal fantasy Monster series, it starts at its heart, a group of young soldiers, on duty on Christmas Eve in Afghanistan, heading from from base camp to another when their convoy hits IED’s buried in the road. Only 4 of them survive. The emotional and physical wounds are deep,brutal and for some, permanent. Survivor’s guilt, PTSD, depression and grief runs deep throughout the men. One loses both legs , another, the chaplain, his faith.

One of the themes explores the discussion of whose should be labeled a monster in this universe? Those generals and the military in this world exploiting both humans and nonhumans for power and control or is it the paranormal beings labeled Monster because of their appearance, languages, and abilities?

Each story take one veteran, all still carrying the pain and burden from that day’s trauma in different ways, and pairs them up with a Monster or nonhuman being .

In Kissed By The Krampus, the vet is one Chris Kringle. Angry, depressed, his PTSD overwhelming him to the point he can’t keep a job, and is alienating those closest to him, the three friends who survived with him. It’s Christmas Eve and they are checking up on Hotdog, the double amputee who’s become a hermit, never leaving his house.

That night Chris meets his monster. The Krampus his grandmother warns him will be about that night. But nothing turns out as you expect. The Krampus isn’t the mythical beast of scary stories but a lonely, sad being with a painful past history.

Together, after much mental and emotional sharing , they help each other understand the heart of their pain and how to cope with the burdens of their past.

It’s such a moving journey for both of them. Ollie, the Krampus, and Chris , the vet. Each a warrior in their right and each with a burden they must be able to lay down at the end.

Eveland has many more elements to this story that will carry over to the other books. Themes as well as actual storylines concerning big plot points.

There’s action, suspense, military subterfuge, and more. It’s a fast paced tale.

It’s also very sexy. The author’s very inventive when it come to the sexuality and organs of nonhumans.

And Eveland never forgets the warfare and brutality that starts the book and series, the explosions that forever changes these men’s lives . Its impact is realistically felt through all their actions, emotions, their dialogue, and in what they aren’t able to handle. It’s raw and real.

There are trigger warnings at the beginning of each book. Heed them because this novel is one you will get emotionally caught up in.

And it’s one I’m highly recommending.

One mistake the author made . Not sure why it wasn’t caught. This is , of course, the first in the series, so the author named Hotdog as Robert Jones in real life.

“ So everybody just kind of gets a nickname. Hotdog’s real name was Robert Jones, about as common a name as you can get, so we got to naming him real quick.”

Unfortunately, by the time his book arrives, he’s become Robert Smith. No explanation. Someone should have caught that.

Otherwise, outstanding storytelling. Great concepts, and I love these four men.

Run, don’t walk or slide or whatever, and grab the series up. More reviews will follow.

Monsters in my Bed series:

✓ Kissed by the Krampus #1

◦ Scales and Song #2

◦ Hearts and Halos #3

✓ Lassos and Lace #4

Buy Link:

Kissed by the Krampus: M/M Paranormal Fantasy Monster Romance (Monsters in my Bed Book 1)

Description:

Some wounds, only a monster can heal.

I’ve always hated Christmas. With a name like Chris Kringle, it’s hard not to.


It’s only gotten worse since I’ve been back from the war. Christmas is supposed to be jolly, but for me, it’s a grim reminder of past failures.

I need to get away from it. To be somewhere quiet. To heal.

When I wake up in the South Pole after an accident to a Krampus tending my wounds, it feels like the perfect opportunity to get some much-needed R&R.

Yet this gentle giant is so achingly sweet, I can’t help but fall for him, even though he’s a monster.

But another, more sinister monster may be lurking much closer to home, and if we don’t hunt it down in time, this could be the last Christmas ever.

Kissed by the Krampus is a holiday MM monster romance for adults featuring a cinnamon roll monster and a veteran grappling with his PTSD.

Review: The Handy Nanny (Nannies of New York Book 3) by K. Sterling

Rating: 4.5🌈

I love K. Sterling’s contemporary romance series, Nannies of New York. Each story is a moving tale of love found and new families formed among Manhattan’s single parents/guardians of young children.

Sterling’s romances are gently choreographed tales of love and found families, with its characters often being people of different backgrounds with hidden emotional struggles and fears as well as strengths.

No where is all of this showcased so well as in the latest book The Handy Manny. The themes of this book are hard emotionally. Sterling goes right into the heart of some of people’s worst fears and those moments of despair and loss. The death of those we love the most. Whether it’s a twin sister, or beloved father or mother. Whether they have died in the past, recently died, or because of their illnesses, know that they won’t live much longer.

The characters here are in various stages of loss, and grief. For a recent death of a sister who was half of him, and who can’t find his way out of his grief. The one called on to help him and his daughter? Penn has dealt with this in the past but has known it’s coming as his father’s fighting cancer.

Yet for all the darkness of the themes and subject matter, the characters and their journey towards a relationship is one of food, laughter, tears, and compassion. It’s not perfect. Each man has a history and their own personal experiences that makes them struggle with this relationship.

But because of the group we’ve gotten to know from the previous novels, another found family of nannies, and families of the men who share a special connection, the doubts, the challenges each face and deal with, feel believable and satisfying at the end.

For people dealing with loss, especially that of a loved family member, this book might be too raw to read at the moment. Morris Mosby’s deep grief and black hole of loss is so well done that as a reader it’s as though you feel his pain and his rage and his inability to comprehend life without her. And his resentment of Pennsylvania Tucker when he arrives to take over until Morris can finally begin to recover. He doesn’t want to recover.

As I said. A tough book .

Pennsylvania Tucker is a complicated man for someone who seems like a happy hippie who care for everyone, a fixer. He’s also someone haunted by his own losses and a loss yet to come.

How they start to heal each other while forming a family over one adorable baby is a gentle, complicated story about recovery, grief, loss, and love.

Just wonderful. And that the next in the series The Enchanting Nanny features Penn’s sister? I can’t wait. Because it’s also got the corporate older scary sister from the second book as a main character as well. One wild ride.

I highly recommend the entire series and this book too.

Nannies of New York :

✓ The Last Nanny In Manhattan #1

✓ Giles Ashby Needs A Nanny #2

✓ The Handy Nanny #3

◦ The Enchanting Nanny #4 – Aug 17, 2023 (f/f)

Buy Link:

The Handy Nanny: Nannies of New York Book 3

Description:

They call Pennsylvania Tucker the human Band-Aid because he can fix just about anything and make anyone feel better, but can Penn mend a broken heart? Reid Marshall thinks so and sends his master nanny on a very important and sensitive mission. A close friend is grieving and caring for his newborn niece after losing his twin sister.

Shy and quiet outside of the studio, Morris Mosby has been a myth in the music industry since he was sixteen. But his sister was the brains behind the “Mosby Machine” and Morris is tempted to walk away from his career and focus on his family. He’s got to put his life back together and raise a baby without his best friend and half of his heart.

Not if Morris’s parents and Penn have anything to say about it. The three of them team up to help Morris heal and rediscover his passion for music. Things heat up between Penn and Morris, but our handy nanny has some old wounds that need mending as well. Can two broken hearts heal each other or has Penn finally found a problem he can’t fix?


*Paperback includes additional illustrations, playlist, bonus epilogue, recipes, and more!

Review: Charles, Earl of Crofton (Earls of Crofton, #3) by Rebecca Cohen

Rating: 4.25🌈

Rebecca Cohen’s Earls of Crofton series, past and present, are among my favorite romances to read. It’s a been a delight to be able to follow the members of the Redbourn family throughout the centuries, from the first Earl of Crofton, Anthony Redbourn and his lover, the actor Sebastian Hewel, all the way to the Modern Crofton series and present, Ben Redbourn, the 16th Earl of Crofton , and his husband, Ashley Niven.

Slowly, Cohen is filling in the gaps between the two eras, giving us the histories and romances of the Earls of Crofton of the time periods that bridge these men who share so many similarities of features and personality traits. And of course a title, a love of men, and Crofton Hall.

A neat narrative element in the Modern books has been to explore, via the “recently discovered” vast collection of Crofton books and papers that have been found in the caverns underneath Crofton Hall, some of the Earls of the past. Just hints and guesses as to their natures and backgrounds.

Now we’re getting their stories.

Charles Redbourn, 8th Earl of Crofton, is a man of many passions. Protected by his titles and inner circle of highly influential equally titled friends, he spends his time pursuing pleasure, partying, indulging in passionate sexual activities with those of both sexes, while insuring that his reputation may be wild , he himself never allows for anything to actually endanger himself, or his family. Wild and wily. Self indulgent, highly intelligent, and yet protective and intelligent.

Cohen paints a picture of wealthy, bored , over indulged entitlement that layers over a bedrock of steadiness and loyalty. Even more remarkable is that Charles exists within a family unit that enthusiastically encourages his lifestyle. Both his wife, yes he’s married with a son, and his sister both live and love much like he does. They treat each other with fondness, a loving respect, and have lovers of both sexes often, sometimes at parties they throw. Marriage is done for convenience and to preserve blood lines. It’s a time of high debauchery , endless wines, gorgeous clothes and incredible food and parties. Just be careful enough. And have the right friends.

I ended up understanding and liking both the sister, Amelia , and wife, Lucy. Great layered characters, full of personality, and with rich lives of their own. The author has a wonderful ability to create a supportive cast of characters , like Marchent, that fit in with the main people in such a tightly defined manner that it makes you feel as though you want more of them as well.

The other main character? That’s Captain Timothy Thorne, an officer of the Light Dragoons. And soon the spotted prey of Charles.

This aspect of the story would be reprehensible except that Charles is upfront about his pursuit. It’s discussed between the men, and Timothy is given the choice of calling it off. There are reasons behind the conflict between them, which make sense given Timothy ‘s upbringing, profession, and lack of personal experience.

It’s a complicated subject and I thought it required more page time to address all the issues brought up, especially when real, potentially devastating events occur to speed things up.

Cohen uses historical data to ground her books and storylines to help her readers understand the world around her characters. It works far better when she’s had the page time to dive deeper into whatever era she’s based her character in. I didn’t feel we actually got that with Charles. Only a mildest of outlines for the 18th century here and the troubles that were rocking the royals.

Perhaps we will find a greater depth of the era with his son’s story, Samuel. Samuel is a huge part of this tale. His own marriage, his failure of a romantic relationship with a man called Hugo, and how his father and Timothy help him survive a family tragedy with the help of the Redbourn’s family enduring legacy of decadence and debauchery. It’s a really great twist.

At the end, we leave all the entire Redbourn family together at the end, Charles, Timothy, Lucy, Amelia, and Samuel carrying on their lives together At Crofton Hall, with Samuel heading into the next stage of his life.

Cue up his story, the next in the Regency Earls of Crofton series.

My thoughts on Charles, the story, not Charles the utterly fabulous Earl of Crofton, was that we missed out on pieces, or had tears in the fabrics of the tapestry of his story so it felt as though we had not enough time or information to fulfill the fully rounded tale the storylines Rebecca Cohen promised. But it came very close.

I am recommending Charles for lovers of the Crofton universe, and fans of Rebecca Cohen , and regency romance. It’s another twist on romance of it’s time.

Regency Earls of Crofton series:

✓ Charles

◦ Samuel

The Crofton Universe :

The Crofton Chronicles–Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart):

The Actor and the Earl

Duty to the Crown

Forever Hold His Peace

The Love and the Anger Historical (Elizabethan/ Early Stuart)–Sebastian/ Anthony 10 years together

The Earls of Crofton–Historical: (Different eras–can be read as individual standalone novels):

Anthony, Earl of Crofton (Early Stuart)

James, Earl of Crofton (Restoration) Charles, Earl of Crofton (Regency) Samuel, Earl of Crofton (Regency)

The Modern Crofton–Contemporary: Saving Crofton Hall

Making History at Crofton Hall

Below Stairs at Crofton Hall

Getting Married at Crofton Hall Starting Again at Crofton Hall

Standalones in the Crofton Universe Much Ado About Lady Macbeth Note: Sebastian Hewel is a minor character

Something extra for Crofton! Modern Crofton Short Story: Ben and the Mistletoe (set the Christmas after Saving Crofton Hall)

Buy Link:

Description:

Anyone who had thought Lord Byron mad, bad and dangerous to know, obviously hadn’t met Charles Redbourn, 8th Earl of Crofton.

Charles Redbourn cares little for anyone’s opinion, life is there to be lived and the London Ton provides a host of pleasures. He is used to getting his own way and, after another clash with the impertinent Captain Timothy Thorne, Charles is determined to put the uniformed upstart in his place.

Both are stubborn and passionate men, and someone is going to win this battle of wits—to the winner the spoils.

But when enemies turn into lovers, they face an uncertain future. Charles has to decide which is more important, Timothy or being the Earl of Crofton.

Trigger warnings: drug use and recovery.

Review: Poison Hearts (The Elite universe story) by Jennifer Cody

Rating: 5🌈

Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody was a real winner for me. It’s so entertaining, it’s characters so outrageously out there and engaging that it cries out for more adventures.

Pls pls I desperately need more stories of the merry insanity that is Orlando, Shannon, Minion , and hopefully, Linus.

Do not deprive us of this!

And it all starts so not so innocently with the blow dart murders of some bad guys in the Old Defiance neighborhood being protected by Orlando Ludovici, your neighborhood vigilante ninja assassin .

Cody has created a fabulous character in Orlando, complete with a fascinating family background and creative methodology for dealing with the baddies. There’s several authors that jump immediately to mind with their similarly charismatic assassins and Orlando easily ranks right in there with that crazy murderous fictional group.

Then there’s the fabulously insane scientist Shannon Mayburn, the tool peddler, brilliant inventor of tools of murder and mass destruction . He loves to dance and soon, he loves Orlando.

Plus his Minion. Whose name isn’t really minion and may kill Shannon at any moment because his boss annoys him so. I adore Minion. Who’s full of revelations and a delightful character in his own right.

Did I mention Linus the coroner who gets texts from Orlando about the bodies he’s about to receive? Theirs is a funny complicated anonymous relationship.

Ah, The Anonymous ! The elegant extremely private club where a crème colored invitation ushers you into a world of an utter criminality. The urbane of the world’s rift raft or this section’s of it, all secretly having cocktails and making connections in a lavish atmosphere in an art deco hotel.

It’s the meet cutely dangerous for Orlando and Shannon (as well as being the theme for the series). The characters Cody creates for the reason for Orlando’s entrance are mysterious and so beautifully written they scream for a story of their own. Especially since they come with such a scrumptious companion/bodyguard to boot.

Honestly, there’s no aspect, no element that Cody used in the many storylines that wasn’t a money maker in terms of its narrative use here. Thrills, excitement, more dead bodies, smooches and love talk ala crazy people. Yes! All there along with some explosions. And frogs.

I love this story and all the characters. Well, not the dead ones. The very much alive and deadly ones. And need more of them.

Hopefully Jennifer Cody is listening.

Yes this is a highly recommended read.

The Elite Multi-Author series (9 Books):

✓ Reckless Roulette by Alice Winters

✓ Leave No Trace by Michelle Frost and Sammi Cee❤️

✓ Ace of Maids by K.L. Hiers

✓ Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody❤️

◦ Liar’s Gambit by Kelly Fox

◦ Dealer of Secrets by Davidson King

◦ Bullets & Butterflies by Maz Maddox

◦ Love for the Reaper by Charlie Cochet

◦ Chance Encounter by Luna David

Review: Bring Me Home (Safe Harbor Book 1) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4.75🌈

I probably wouldn’t have picked up this story except that the author is Annabeth Albert, an auto read.

While age gap is a trope I read, something about dating the sons of best friends hasn’t set right with me, especially when paired with a substantial age gap. Add in other factors of familiarity of knowing the person as a child and those stories ride a fine line.

But Albert’s story, the first of a new series, successfully addresses every aspect of those issues and has written a very moving romance. It’s also a fascinating one, in that one element, a ongoing cold mystery case investigation, is left to run into the next novel and appears to be a connecting bridge to all the books in Safe Harbor.

Give me a mystery and I’m a happy reader!

Albert has always been able to get intimately into the mindset of military men. Whether they are still in service, or in the case of Monroe, a recently retired Lieutenant in the NCIS unit of the Navy. He’s returned to Safe Harbor, near Portland, Oregon, to handle the sale of the old Victorian he inherited from his great aunt and then move to San Francisco, where he plans to live an anonymously contented gay life.

Albert paints Monroe’s return to Safe Harbor as a choice both joyous as he connects with his friends and tumultuous as aspects of his plans start to become less manageable. And things he thought he knew about his aunt and life make him rethink his perspectives.

Monroe is a multifaceted person. Far from the expected textbook of a naval officer, Albert gives us a man of emotional riches and dimensions. Those sensitive layers are revealed from the beginning. And to a person we absolutely know to be Knox. Whose own personality and character traits are the yin to Monroe’s yang.

Love Knox as deeply as I do Monroe. He’s another well crafted character who keeps revealing more depths and details to his personality and background as the story progresses.

Albert is able to build a believable relationship between two men, equal in intensity and intelligence, whose passion for each other overrides any consideration for age differences.

The reader gets invested in the relationship because of the chemistry and excellence of the dynamics being shared between them. The history of needing to feeling safe as a child that’s never left behind as an adult. That deep desire to have a true home. That all rings true.

As does the power of the fear of rejection that comes from losing the love of a friend or parent who doesn’t approve.

All this great storytelling that encompasses a romantic relationship, a town and its people, and an ongoing mystery. I’m 100 percent in and invested.

I can’t wait for the next book to be released. The listed books can be found below.

Until then, I’m highly recommending Bring Me Home (Safe Harbor Book 1) by Annabeth Albert.

Note. Two person POV until it switches at the end to include a third person to set up the next story in the series. I understand why but it’s still strange to switch format that late in the book.

Safe Harbor:

✓ Bring Me Home #1

◦ Make Me Stay #2 – June 15, 2023

◦ Find Me Worthy #3 – Sept 7, 2023

Buy Link:

Bring Me Home: A Dad’s Best Friend Small Town MM Romance (Safe Harbor Book 1)

Description:

Help!

I’ve inherited my aunt’s historic house in small-town Oregon, and I need to fix it up and sell it fast before I move on to my big-city dreams. I’m one of the navy’s best investigators, but twenty years of living in base housing means DIY isn’t part of my extensive skill set.

Luckily, my best friend has the solution: his twenty-three-year-old son. Knox recently graduated from college, needs a room for the summer, and comes with a giant cat and years of remodeling experience.

Not only is Knox all grown up and hot as sin, but I recognize him. He’s the bossy, bearded guy I shared the hottest kiss of my life with. No way can my buddy find out I’ve got it bad for his son. But with all the stripping, hammering, and drilling, my defenses crumble one dance break at a time.

As our sexy secret summer fling continues, Knox also proves himself handy at fixing my grumpy mood and wounded heart. Now I can’t imagine a future without him. I can solve any problem the navy throws at me, but I have no clue what to do about loving Knox or the damage this could do to my decades-long friendship.

Can we build a forever together, or are we destined to go our separate ways?

BRING ME HOME is a small-town Dad’s-best-friend MM romance. It features a forty-something grumpy former naval investigator, a much younger ray of sunshine, a matchmaking cat, sexy times in unusual locations, enough heat to burn the neighborhood, and a warm fuzzy hug’s worth of found-family feels. Dual point-of-view and big fluffy HEA guaranteed!

BRING ME HOME launches the brand-new Safe Harbor series from acclaimed author Annabeth Albert. Knox, Monroe, and the rest of Safe Harbor, Oregon, welcome readers to a historic town with a tight friend group, memorable secondary characters, quirky businesses, and long-held secrets. Each book stands alone with a fresh couple, but the background mystery of the town’s secrets ties the series together.

Review: Woods of the Raven by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 🌈

Mary Calmes has written a splendid mystical tale of witches, mythology, dark ancient magical struggle for power and land, and a journey to love.

I found myself instantly wrapped up in the world of Osprey, New York , circa 1825 on the books but actually so far earlier. One whose history extends beyond that of the human race and into the realm of the mythological.

It starts with 32 year old Xander Corey, librarian and witch. Exactly what type will be revealed as the story proceeds. Xander and the ancient family house, and the land on which it rests are the heart of the story.

And they’re a fabulous one. Xander, the house, and the land . All distinct. All inclusive. Calmes’ done an exceptional job in creating a world where all three are believable, rich, and living beings, each in their own unique way. How the reader comes into that knowledge is part of this terrific book.

Chief of Police Lorne MacBain is the other half of the romantic equation here. Lorne’s personality and history is a slow reveal. Only coming about as Xander (and us) finds out what actually brought him to town. It will bring about the change in perspective for his early actions which can be seen in a new way.

The town, it’s people, the events as they happen. All well plotted and exciting. The people are typical of Calmes in that they are beautifully drawn and we come to care for them as greatly as we do the main characters.

We really need to see more of those dogs!

I absolutely was drawn into the suspense and mystery here. I love the magic and the Norse mythology that’s threaded fully into every aspect of Calmes’ narrative. It’s enriched the story in an innovative way.

I’m hoping that this is merely the start of a series and new adventures that the author intends to explore further. It certainly deserves it.

I’m highly recommending Woods of the Raven by Mary Calmes for all lovers of fantasy romance and this author.

Beautiful cover by Reese Dante.

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Woods-…Woods of the Raven – Kindle edition by Calmes, Mary. Paranormal Romance …

Description:

Something wicked this way comes…and it might be too late to stop it.

Xander Corey lives simply, sustainably, on the outskirts of Osprey, a small, quaint town in Upstate New York. He’s a librarian when the town’s budget can afford him, a good friend, kind neighbor, and also, a witch. And while that’s of no concern to anyone around him, there are others, non-humans, who have a vested interest in Xander’s family land. Xander knows something dark and dangerous is brewing. He’s just not quite sure what.

And that’s not the only mystery he’s dealing with. The new chief of police is, by turns, giving him heart palpitations and homicidal thoughts. Xander can’t decide if the gorgeous yet infuriating Lorne MacBain is on his side, or trying to drive him insane. Added to that, the man doesn’t believe in magic, and since that’s who Xander is, their future looks anything but bright.

But Lorne is not the unimaginative, stick-in-the-mud Xander thinks he is. And a rock to anchor him as his life is turning upside down is just the thing Xander needs. Now if only the two of them can stay alive…

Review: Murder on Milverton Square (The Milverton Mysteries #1) by G. B. Ralph

Rating: 4.5🌈

I love a good cosy mystery! Especially when it brings me a new author and a new series to explore.

Murder on Milverton Square is the first book in The Milverton Mysteries, written by G. B. Ralph. This is Ralph’s first published novel and it’s absolutely marvelous.

Set in New Zealand, it’s primarily focused on a Wellington marketing consultant named Addison Harper. His life is in the doldrums. He’s been dumped. He needs a shake up and he gets it when an unknown uncle dies and leaves him everything.

In a small town called Milverton two hours away from Wellington.

Ralph has written a charming, well plotted mystery with an independent surprisingly optimistic Addison Harper journeying to Milverton to hear about his late uncle’s will and his shocking inheritance.

It wouldn’t be a cosy without the quirky towns’ personalities and remarkable relationships. Ralph has imbued this town with plenty of dramatic moments, gossipy ladies who embrace Addison immediately and enough chaotic town dynamics to fill a tv drama.

Plus a good looking Sergeant Jake Murphy, who seems to like Addison even when he’s the primary suspect.

Yes there’s a murder, several other elements of high suspense. A town and its people to explore and get to know.

And plenty of decisions to make. Or at least ponder. Like if Addison is staying.

The dialogue is quite well done, the characters are beautifully executed, and the place so visually rich in its descriptions that it’s easily seen in the mind.

I loved the cast of characters. They’re what make a cosy so warm-hearted as well as funny. I can’t wait to get to know them all further.

This is a slow burn romance. Honestly, they are taking their time. I expect everyone around will have to get involved at some point.

I’m definitely recommending Murder on Milverton Square (The Milverton Mysteries #1) by G. B. Ralph . Be on the lookout in October for the next in the series.

The Milverton Mysteries:

✓ Murder on Milverton Square #1

◦ Poison at Penshaw Hall #2 – TBR Oct 25,2023

Buy Link:

Murder on Milverton Square (The Milverton Mysteries Book 1)

Description:

Addison Harper is abruptly summoned to Milverton at the behest of an abrasive lawyer. He plans to be in and out, back to the city lickety-split. Instead, he finds himself charmed by the small town with its delightful and eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy.

Despite the rocky start, Addison admits he’s had a pleasant day out. That is, until returning to find the prickly old lawyer on the floor, and very much dead. Worse, it looks like murder, and Addison’s fingerprints are all over the crime scene.

Murder on Milverton Square is the first in a wonderful new cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery. The Milverton Mysteries features a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course, murder…

Review: Sweet As Pie by Beth Bolden

Rating: 5🌈

Beth Bolden’s Sweet As Pie is everything I needed and all I love about contemporary romances. This genre is able to encompass so many different styles, elements, types of characters and storylines that I can choose right now between a beautifully written novel about grief and loss or this heartwarming tale of family, food, and two chefs in need of each other.

Bolden’s story called to my heart at the right time. Letting me know I needed her superbly written tale of a romantic journey between two lonely hardworking chefs. One from a large Italian family of California restaurateurs and the other a baker of exquisite pastries in a small South Carolina town , Indigo Cove, with a romantic legacy that bears his family name.

Luca Moretti, a family of restaurateurs we’ve met before in Food Truck Warriors, is instantly recognizable as the overworked (self induced) , tightly controlled brother who sees himself as the person who has sacrificed himself for his family. He’s intense and very stubborn.

And believable. I’m sure there’s some readers who are able to see him as someone they know. Bolden makes his personality and our ability to further understand him enlarge when he meets baker Oliver Billings.

Oliver, a genuine creative genius with baked goods and a fine businessman, understands Luca in a way his own family hasn’t been able to. Kindred spirits from opposite sides of the country.

They bond over food, Luca’s mission to save his aunt’s deli, their love of family with all its attending issues, and finally their love for each other.

I was so caught up in their love story, this small world of people, and , yes, the food they were creating, that I hardly noticed the time.

The author is able to pull me into this world so completely for so many reasons. One it’s her love of her subject matter. Not love, but food.

Beth Bolden is an excellent conveyor of her passion for food and its chefs. Whether she’s writing about bakers or sous chefs, chefs in fine restaurants or those madly cooking fare in food trucks, it always feels, passionate, authentic , exhilarating, with the aromas and , yes, flavors, coming through the pages.

I’ve drooled while reading these pages.

And her characters are rich with warmth, lively with humor, living, breathing human beings that capture your heart and mind.

This is a book that will be a comfort read for me. Give it a chance. I bet it will be for you too.

It’s a must have and must read!

Sweet As Pie is everything!

Related Series:

Food Truck Warriors series

Buy Link:

Sweet as Pie: a MM Grumpy/Sunshine Standalone188Kindle Edition$5.99

Description:

Luca Moretti is grumpy—and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wrangling six—Italian—siblings and the family’s restaurants would make anyone cranky. But when his mother requests that he save his aunt’s struggling Italian deli in charming, picturesque Indigo Bay, he has no idea that he’s about to overdose on sweetness.

Luca expected his aunt’s stubbornness—she’s a Moretti, isn’t she?—and his cousin’s resistance to actual work, but the last thing he expected is the absolute ball of sunshine known as Oliver Billings.

Oliver loves Indigo Bay. Loves owning his small artisan bakery, Sweetie Pie’s. Helps nice old ladies cross the street. Even volunteers for the local Sweethearts Festival.

Sweet isn’t really Luca’s style, or so he thinks. But when he discovers Oliver can be a little spicy too, his prickly exterior begins to crumble like a well-baked crust.

If Luca isn’t careful, he’s going to develop a taste for sweets—and a particular baker’s pie.

And one or two servings will never be enough.

Review: Body by Mage (Supernatural Affairs #4) by F.N. Manning

Rating: 4.75🌈

This series has exponentially expanded its world building and arc themes with each new book. It’s dramatically improved over the previous stories while making the series consistent.

Body By Mage brings us a very familiar character to focus on. The ex small bit thief, recovering magical magpie of a minor mage, Rob Walters is back.

Snarky, sarcastic, well meaning but just can’t help it if trouble comes along, constantly chattering Rob, is off doing a favor when he runs into a mess.

That’s he’s trying to steal something for a good cause doesn’t help him. It’s in the sex club office of its owner, Orion Lennox. He’s an incubus who’s been looking for Rob. There’s been a slew of dead bodies and Rob has a hint , whether he’s knows or not, as to who’s behind it.

This meeting leads to a story of fantastic proportions. As well as an unexpected romance and so many twists, that I gobbled this story up and was ready for more.

Manning has written a tale that has so many storylines to grab your attention and make you think about all the various characters. The complex relationship dynamics, especially that of the incubus and mage, the balance of power, and other aspects of their lives are so strong that you forget at times the reason they met to begin with.

The dead bodies, the brutal backgrounds, and the monsters that are coming.

Manno G’s take on Hell is interesting and I’m sure will get more fleshed out when the finale is released.

But this story is completely complicated all on its own. It has a remarkable story, great characters, quite a few twists and revelations. And a cliffhanger too.

I actually enjoyed that.

Yes, I’m definitely recommending Body by Mage (Supernatural Affairs #4) by F.N. Manning . The series to date. But read them in the order they were written. Just marvelous!

Supernatural Affairs:

✓ The Werewolf’s Heart #1

✓ Shifter for Brains #2

✓ Crazy Like A Fox #3

✓ Body By Mage #4

◦ The Soul of An Angel #5 – September 24, 2023 series finale

Buy Link:

Body by Mage: Gay Urban Fantasy (Supernatural Affairs Book 4)

Description:

To stop a killer, a mage and an incubus need to get closer magically… and sexually. But their hearts are off limits. Right?

Crime doesn’t pay. Not for Rob Walters. Being a petty criminal has only given him lots of enemies and a dwindling supply of magic, so he’s trying to turn his life around. But when the mage nearly resorts to his old dirty tricks during a moment of weakness, a gorgeous incubus catches him and gives him an offer he can’t refuse… a job offer.

When a deadly sex demon starts draining people dry and dropping bodies, Orion Lennox will do anything to stop the rogue predator who gives their kind a bad name. He’ll even team up with a loud-mouth mage who drives him crazy. The incubus assumes keeping things professional will be easy, but the growing magical and sexual connection between them is hard to resist.

Catching this monster is Rob’s best chance to atone for his past mistakes and level up his magic. Learning what makes mysterious, unbelievably sexy Orion tick is a nice incentive too. But his previous encounter with the dangerous demon they’re hunting nearly destroyed him. Can Rob save the day and get the guy, or will the monster finish him off for good this time around?

Body by Mage is the fourth story in the Supernatural Affairs series of passionate M/M paranormal novels. Each book focuses on a new couple but reading in order is best for those who wish to avoid spoilers.

Review: Loki and his Master (Demon Gods Book One) by Rhys Lawless

Rating: 4.5🌈

Rhys Lawless has gotten to be a must read for me so I picked up this latest book not realizing it’s part of a much larger world of two , now three , connected series, set in the Cursed Hearts universe.

I haven’t read those but found it didn’t handicap me as much as I expected in terms of background. Lawless fills in much here in terms of foundation for the story’s structure so it’s easy to mentally files bits and pieces away as the tale progresses.

And what an entertaining story it is.

Combining various mythologies, particularly Norse, Polish, and adding in twists and mashups to the story narrative makes this fantastic storytelling.

Creating a fantasy landscape of demon gods, witches, and a host of other paranormal beings to use as characters is exciting, imaginative and dangerous while still being a titch familiar for grasping that being’s history. And that works for the reader in every aspect of the storyline.

Especially when the book opens upon a tragedy of immense personal pain and suffering. The loss of one young witch’s entire family by a brutal attack.

Tomasz, a young witch who’s never been able to utilize his powers, is filled with the need to find his family’s killers and get his revenge. But how?

Here comes along a central character who’s a bridge between every book. A ancient witch who lives under a bridge with the answers.

Tomasz needs help and gets it in the form of a demon mate. In this case, it’s Loki, the master trickster! They are sealed together in a master/slave relationship that’s a complicated forced binding.

It’s explored on several levels here by Lawless. The guilty feeling it causes in Tomasz that he’s forcing/must force Loki into the position of having no will, no say , complete servitude. It’s an anathema, especially as their affection grows stronger towards each other.

With Loki, a slave status or that of being forced into a submissive relationship, fills him with rage. He’s a god on a personal mission. It also will turn out that this element will have further philosophical implications, as certain plot points are revealed , that Lawless could but doesn’t fully give narrative voice or space to all the deeper issues it brings up.

Things like if a god has been forced into servitude for all the wrong reasons but it still has ended up being the right thing to do, should it have happened? Does one have the right to take away someone’s freedom for the greater good?

That’s not sufficiently clear or explored here despite being raised several times by more than one person and in more than one way.

However, there’s so many other plot threads to deal with that things like this get overlooked or handled in a way that doesn’t quite have the necessary support for such heavy questions.

The plot lines converge swiftly towards the end, leaving the climax feeling a bit too rushed for all the characters and great plot twists involved. I hope to have more of the children and a certain “not cat “ in future stories. They were fantastic.

Lawless sets us up for the next pair and development in this series. I guess I’ll be spending some of the time looking into those preceding series.

I’m recommending Loki and his Master (Demon Gods Book One) by Rhys Lawless for the levels of detail, the mythology, the characters, and the fast paced, highly entertaining story. Oh and the kinky sexy storyline.

That too. D/s hurt/comfort anyone?

Demon Gods:

✓ Loki and his Master #1

◦ Hades and His Witch #2 – TBD release date

Buy Link:

Loki and his Master: A contemporary fantasy romance (Demon Gods Book 1)

Description:

The trickster god is free and he’s under my command.

When I asked the old witch under Camden Lock for help with avenging my family’s murder I didn’t expect her solution would be to invoke a powerful god.

Loki is big, strong and pissed!

Thankfully he’s bound to me so he can’t hurt me.

But the only way he’ll ever help me get my revenge is if I help him find someone really important first.

The problem is the more time I spend with him, the less I’m able to resist him.

But I can’t let my guard down.

He might say all he wants from me is to punch my V-card and end the people that killed my family, but I know he wants something more.

And I’m scared it has the potential to destroy everything.

How can a young, meek little witch like me tame a god like him?

Loki and his Master is the first book in the Demon Gods series, a spin-off series set in the Cursed Hearts universe.

Demon Gods is a contemporary fantasy MM romance/urban fantasy MM romance series where mythical gods are re-incarnated into the 21st century and let loose to destroy, avenge and fall in love with young little witches. Written in British English with US spelling and grammar.

Tags:

mythical gods modernized, witches, demons, master/servant, Ds, age gap, punching his v-card, hurt/comfort, forced co-operation, beauty and the beast vibes, alpha protector, tragic past, big/small pairing, lover in peril, trouble magnet, I don’t know if I can trust you, urban fantasy world, morally gray main characters, Polish folklore, Norse mythology