Review: Revenge is Sweet by Felice Stevens

Rating: 2.75🌈

It’s not a good thing when you finish a book and instead of feeling happy, you’re dissatisfied, and slightly ill at the outcome. That how it was at Revenge is Sweet by Felice Stevens .

I hadn’t read anything by her in a while so her style of writing didn’t immediately come to mind. But my issues with this story are plentiful.

The plot is already one that has numerous toxic elements to make one wonder. It’s a revenge plot that’s even worse the deeper into the storyline you go.

The MC, Lyon Elliot, finds out on his wedding day that he’s been left at the altar, as his bride (and new business partner) has eloped with his best friend and best man, Dan, making the betrayal even more devastating .

Immediately he decides to hurt his formerly best friend by dating Dan’s younger vulnerable brother , Miles. Miles, who has a crush on Lyon, would be a easy target. Lyon would get Miles involved with him emotionally, then cruelly dump him to hurt Dan. That “Miles the Mouse” would be collateral damage isn’t much of a concern here.

Stevens then has to work to demonstrate that cold, withdrawn Lyon isn’t the toxic character she’s portraying him to be by backtracking on that scenario a bit and making it a joint venture by Lyon and Miles when the author brings both Dan, the best friend/brother and Lyndsey , the newly married wife/ex fiancée firmly into view.

This couple shines with self absorption, a lack of understanding how their actions affects others, and a inability to care if they did. Toxic and narcissistic, and in Dan’s case, controlling and a bit stupid. And we spend too much time with them here listening to their specious opinions and arguments as to why no one should be upset or continue to be angry over the way they’ve handled the situation. It’s chapters of these individuals.

Honestly, I have no patience for people like this in real life and less in my books. Not impressed with Stevens creation of Lyon either.

For Stevens to have her main characters either choose to give in to the behaviors of those personalities or constantly not deal with them in an adult manner is highly frustrating to read. Grown people physically fighting, not being able to choose between the other methods we know just because it’s adding to the drama doesn’t make this a emotionally satisfying story for me.

Miles traumatic back history and awful dating life that lead to his overbearing brother’s control is understandable. So is Lyon’s history of loss and parental neglect and abandonment. But what they do with that throughout their storylines varies from something that feels adult and thoughtful to a wildly one dimensional approach.

In the end, after Miles has decided to choose himself and a future he wants with Lyon over a controlling brother with jealousy issues and a self-involved wife, Lyon makes a decision to get Dan reinstated into Miles life without asking.

It’s negates all the hard work Miles did , and frankly, Dan feels insincere in the scenes that follow. It’s as though he’s giving mouth service to everything Lyon wants. The ending didn’t ring true.

I was left feeling uncomfortable with the conclusion, the storylines came across as unbelievable and ill suited to the characters as framed out by the author.

I liked Uncle Harry though. He was my favorite of the group.

So read it if you’re a fan of Felice Stevens or a collector of the fake boyfriend trope . But for the rest, I’ll not be leaving you any further recommendations.

https://www.amazon.com › Reveng…Revenge is Sweet: A Fake-Dating, MM Romance

Descriptions:

Falling in Love is the Sweetest Revenge
What do you do when your best friend runs off with your fiancée on your wedding day?
If you’re me, Lyon Elliot, you don’t get mad.
You get even.
Which means seducing my ex–best friend’s younger brother, Miles Halloran.
The quiet one.
The man I’ve known all my life but never paid attention to.
The one I was told to stay away from because he’s way too nice for someone like me. Maybe they’re right.
But see, this is where it gets a little more complicated.
Because the more time I spend with Miles, the more I like him.
Want him.
Now I need him and his sweet smiles in my life.
If this is still a game I’m playing…who’s fooling whom?

Review: Rental (Boston Rebels Book 6) by R. J. Scott and V.L. Locey

Rating: 4.75 🌈

R. J. Scott and V.L. Locey take their Boston Rebels series out on a grand story, one that’s my favorite of the group. In a fitting way, they do it by giving us two perspectives we as hockey’s fans and LGBTGIA hockey romance readers don’t often get, one of the professional NHL referee and the other of a type of player called a “Rental”. A rental is a really good player who’s brought in just to fill a spot for a part of a season or maybe a year. But not great enough , young enough, whatever, to sign permanently. They play for many teams over the course of their careers.

In Rental, Scott and Locey give us the gift of getting to get a feel for what it’s like working as a professional Ref, and as a Rental. As a Rental, walking into a locker room , having that lack of commitment to any team or not feeling of being a part of a team dynamic. Something so instrumental in a team’s development and success. For a NHL ref it’s the constant movement and commitment to the sport as fans ideas on the refs themselves. It’s their personalities and perspectives on the sport, and how they are put together as Referees teams on the rink.

I felt like I had such a strong connection to both men , Webber and Logan, and a real understanding of their emotional state when they met at that bar.

That Scott and Locey love and understand the sport of hockey as they do shows in every beautifully crafted character, on all the fast paced scenes on ice, the emotionally demanding nature of the game as delivered through heartfelt moments of pain , loss, and passion of winning. It’s those of physical beauty of the players and the crushing bruising of the brutality of the game too.

Both authors deliver that so seamlessly. Here we get all that threaded through a heated forbidden romance between Webber Kelty, NHL Ref, 40’s closeted from Georgetown, Ontario, and Logan Mackie, out gay , a rental replacement for the beloved hurt Dunny Dunkirk , as the Rebels are making a run for the playoffs .

It’s a story that’s got all the right elements and depth. Great characters, passion, hidden romance, secrets, and everything on the line.

Plus it has so many fantastic characters from other series that pop up during the playoffs to create extra fun.

My tiny quibble is that there’s a small storyline that comes in towards the end that feels unnecessary. There’s so many great aspects to this book that are grounded in reality or things that have a firm foundation that the authors laid down, that this other element feels flimsy by comparison.

It’s a fabulous book and fast engaging read without it. It adds extra drama. But that’s like saying, ok we had 47 cherries on top, not enough. Let’s add 3 more. Ok Done.

Either way, this is a marvelous book and a fantastic way to see the Boston Rebels out. Now onto the next series.

I’m highly recommending Rental (Boston Rebels Book 6) by R. J. Scott and V.L. Locey.

Boston Rebels series:

✓ Top Shelf #1

✓ Back Check #2

✓ Snowed #3

✓ Royal Lines #4

✓ Blade #5

✓ Rental #6

Buy Link:

Rental (Boston Rebels Book 6)

Description:

A steamy romance between a player and a referee breaks all the rules but will it destroy their careers?

Five different cities in eight years — Logan’s never had the chance to settle in one place. He’s the guy who fills in gaps on teams as a temporary fix and is traded at year’s end because no one wants to keep a thirty-year-old rental after he’s outlived his usefulness. When he’s called up to the Rebels, he knows it’s his last run in the NHL. Now, he must decide if it’s worth carrying on with the weight of his secrets around his neck for one more year. He’s never had a love that mattered, his career is nearly done, his ex-wife is remarrying, his sex life is drier than a desert, and abruptly, Logan’s had enough. He craves one night to ease the frustration, and hooks up with someone tall, dark, and dangerous in the bathroom of a club. The sex is off the charts, but it’s one and done, until Logan realizes exactly who he slept with and understands how dangerous it is to play games with secrets.

Being a referee is in Webber’s blood, and it’s a job he loves. Sure, sometimes he’s called dirty names—by fans, coaches, and players—or must insert himself between two massive men trying to pummel each other. Some nights, he’s knocked on his ass. Other times, he might take a puck to a tender spot. But despite all the hazards and name calling, there is no place he wants to be than on the ice. If only his love life was as settled. It’s hard to find someone willing to put up with his travel schedule, and even if he found Mr. Right, how would he juggle a romance when he’s never home? A chance hookup while officiating a game in Boston should be a simple matter of scratching that itch, but he couldn’t be more wrong.

Unfortunately, that one-night stand—while memorable—turns his sedate life upside down in ways he could’ve never foreseen. When the penalty for love is losing everything he’s worked hard for, is it a price he’s willing to pay?

Review: Little Pest (Once Upon A Bite Book 1) by Charity Parkerson

Rating: 4.5 🌈

If you’re in the mood for a cute kinky adult bedtime story, I’ve got a new trilogy for you! Author Charity Parkerson is offering up a trio of short adult paranormal tales, a mixture of fang, kink, and love done weird vampire style.

Little Pest’s unique bag of elements include BDSM Daddy play, amorous tiny bats fielded by a fly swatter, a lonely ancient vampire who loves Vegas, and a sad young man who picked the wrong night to be brave and find a Daddy.

As odd a group as this sounds, as a short story, it comes marvelously together. Even if Daddy play or BDSM isn’t a trope you read, the way it’s written is done well and easy for a reader to understand why it fills such an emotional need for Tate.

The ancient vampire? Draco, lonely in Las Vegas and unaware of how his long undead life is about to change. A terrifyingly good vampire and terrific character. I always suspected magicians were vampires anyway.

Tate is, uh was a vulnerable young man with a short unhappy life behind him. Parkerson creates in Tate a character of such bravery, self knowledge, and honesty that it’s impossible not to root for him and love him. Onesie and all.

And turns out he’s actually perfect for Draco, if only he can get past the ancient fears.

Little Pest is a quick fun Paranormal romance. It’s quirky, gives the reader a new slant on types of vampires (pesky young things), and mild kinky romance.

I’m looking forward to the remaining two tales. They look to be equally weird , different, and daffy while fangy and romantic. Gotta love that!

Once Upon A Bite:

✓ Little Pest #1

◦ Cosmic Cardio #2 – April 25,2023

◦ Must be Clowning Me #3 – May 8, 2023

Note: love these covers!

Buy Link:

Little Pest (Once Upon a Bite Book 1)

Description:

Draco is the oldest vamp around. Tate is the newest and possibly the most annoying. They’re the perfect pair.

As one of the oldest living vampires, Draco has seen a lot of history. He’s also extremely powerful. With that power comes an allure that draws younger supernaturals to him like flies, hoping for a taste of his… expertise. Draco wants none of that. He lives a quiet life as a magician at a casino in Vegas. It’s a fun gig for a retired vamp with no real responsibilities left to his name. Then Tate flies into his life. Now nothing is the same.

Tate is a little hapless. He’s a little everything, actually. In fact, that pretty much sums up his personality. He’s a Little. At least, he was before some dude bit him in a nightclub and now Tate is stronger than ten men, can control minds, and turn into a bat. He has no clue how he’s doing any of that. No one taught him how to be a vampire. In fact, he doesn’t know how to survive. Without Draco’s help, he won’t. If it means Tate has to make a pest of himself to get Draco to notice him and teach him the how-tos of his new life, then so be it. Falling in love, that was just another one of Tate’s little mistakes, but it might be his best one yet.

Little Pest is the first book in Charity Parkerson’s Once Upon a Bite series. These books are meant to be short, fun paranormal romps to brighten your day.

Review: Confetti Hearts (Confetti Hitched, #1) by Lily Morton

Rating:3🌈

I have been anticipating this book since I encountered Joe Bagshaw in Vow Maker, where he acted as the wedding planner to Gabe and Dylan. It was a hilarious and memorable introduction. And made all the readers want more, especially his painful romantic history.

Morton reveals Joe’s love life and tale of marriage woe between scenes of weddings that Joe’s firm is handling, past and present. This format works in some respects to help the story and not in others.

By breaking down the story into different timelines, a wedding here that begins the relationship, a wedding that sees the men meet up again, and so on to weddings three and four, the reader gets a wonderful feel for the strong amazing personality that is Joe Bagshaw. Quick witted, kind, thoughtful, well organized, and extremely intelligent. He’s exactly who you’d want to plan your wedding. Or anything else for that matter. We connect with Joe immediately.

The other man in this unusual relationship that they aren’t calling a relationship? That would be forensic accountant Lachlan Moore. Older, self possessed, and assured of himself and his status quo, personally and professionally , he’s not the immediate choice we’d expect for Joe. He’s not a bad person but from the early stages, Morton doesn’t give the reader (or Joe) enough reason to believe he is the best person for that amazing being we love.

In my opinion, this is where the issues with the format overlap into character and relationship development. And not for the first time in a Lily Morton story.

Lachlan falls into that category of main protagonists that are emotionally unavailable to the other more engaging and lovable men in their lives. For the majority of the story, it’s Joe who’s the narrator. Through Joe’s thoughts and feelings, we watch as Lachlan creates a “on my terms only “ scenario for them where not even the term date can be used. When they marry, he then leaves Joe to be abused by a housekeeper, his friends, and his PA. Even a house. We, Joe’s audience , along with Joe’s friends , find this situation naturally appalling.

Morton has created a one-sided emotional connection with the couple through Joe with her readers. Only later does Lachlan get his perspective voiced. By then it’s almost too late.

The author’s plan to right this one sidedness starts at a wedding in Scotland. There it’s a strictly 2 person POV. So Lachlan becomes the fully fleshed out character he should have been all along. However, I’m not sure he’s still a great person.

Communication, or it’s lack of, is key here between the two people. Neither was able to talk to the other person about their feelings or the fact they were upset until now. That’s not addressed either. A secret from Lachlan’s end doesn’t help on the open communication front.

There’s another smaller issue for me. I don’t know why but it’s stuck with me because it held such promise for being such a tiny narrative gem.

Frances is the mother of Erica, the bride whose wedding is being held in Scotland. Frances is a veritable harridan. Nasty, demanding, arrogant, Frances has made Joe’s job difficult and her name is synonymous with the worst that bridezilla mothers can deliver. But just when she’s fallen into a stereotype, Morton elevates this controlling one dimensional woman into someone human. It happens during a snowed in game night.

“ I’d thought Frances would steer the ship, but unexpectedly she defers to her husband, and there’s even a smile on her lips as they look at each other. I narrow my eyes.”

It goes further with Frances emerging as a defender of another member of her family. And Frances goes from harridan to family matriarch with a inner life of her own. What a transformation in a few sentences!

But such a subtle , and appreciated detail wasn’t to last. Morton throws away this lovely narrative gem by reducing Frances once more to a comic flat horror of a woman because Joe needed a one-liner towards the end of the romance.

It’s choices like those, where the easy narrative path was taken, rather than the one where the author must build up the storyline further with heft and a sense of fullness, that leaves this lacking.

Morton’s booklist has so many novels where such care was taken. It pains me to say that Joe Bagshaw – Moore’s isn’t one of them. I so hoped it was.

So read this because we fell in love with Joe and want to know what happened to him. Because Lily Morton is a must read for you. For all the others, you decide if it’s the age gap, second chance at love story next on your TBR pile.

First in a new series.

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Confetti…Confetti Hearts – Kindle edition by Morton, Lily. Romance Kindle eBooks …

Description:

Joe Bagshaw doesn’t believe in love or marriage anymore, which is rather a hindrance for a wedding planner.

His own marriage was a whirlwind affair that ended before the ink could dry on the wedding certificate. Nevertheless, even with his divorce pending, he’s getting by. Or at least he was until he finds himself snowed in at a remote Scottish hotel with the wedding party from hell, a terrible ABBA tribute band, and his soon-to-be ex-husband.

Lachlan has missed Joe from the second his husband walked away. He wants Joe back and is prepared to do anything to get him. Being snowed in together seems to offer the chance Lachlan needs, but does he have what it takes to get Joe to trust in love and their marriage again?

From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy about love, matrimony, and the best of second chances.

This is the first book in the Confetti Hitched series.

Review: Midwinter Firelight by K.L. Noone

Rating: 4.5🌈

Midwinter Firelight, a sequel to the inestimable Snowed In, takes place 2 months after the events of that story that introduced us to Constable Kit Thompson, empath and Bow Street Preternatural Division, and his now lover, the Honorable Harry Alden, younger brother to the Earl of Fairleigh.

This is a case where the bar was set so high narratively speaking by the origin story, that anything that followed would have a difficult time getting close to the magic that first one captured.

And Midwinter Firelight doesn’t. It doesn’t have the setting. It doesn’t have the sense of isolation or otherness that allowed Noone’s prose to soar into episodes of poetry alongside scenes of beautiful imagery.

No, here in a London setting, Kit and Harry are firmly attached to more a emotionally busy and physically demanding time of it. They are still so new in their relationship but London is full of challenges and promises., as well as hidden obstacles.

Whereas Fairleigh was magical and sparse of people, London is the exact opposite. It’s the copious amounts of mundane , the demands of society, and more mysteries. It’s a more interesting and realistic grounding of this couple in their everyday realities and the rigidity with which society regards them.

Noone weaves both mens insecurities, which is interesting given that they are empaths, into the internal conversations each is conducting about their future. It shows the some of the limitations of that empathy bestows.

The mystery itself is the weakest part of the story. I found myself thinking about the participants for just a moment, then they were forgotten.

No, it could have been any problem to solve. The focus and power belongs on Kit and Harry. They are made of magic, both in the city and out in the countryside, as long as they are together.

I’m recommending Midwinter Firelight by K.L. Noone. It’s a lovely follow up to the sublime Snowed In.

Midwinter Firelightby K.L. Noone

Description:

Kit Thompson, empath and Bow Street Preternatural Division constable, is looking forward to Midwinter. His lover Harry, Viscount Sommersby, is visiting, and Kit has plans to show Harry his London … and plans for Harry in his bedroom.

But Kit’s Chief Magistrate needs him. And the case is important. Personal. Taking up Kit’s time.

Even worse, Harry wants to help. And Kit could use Harry’s magical talents. But that means endangering Harry … something Kit’s sworn never to do.

Review: Snowed In: Kit and Harry by K.L. Noone

Rating: 5🌈

It’s rare that short stories earn high ratings from me but Noone’s rich descriptive passages and gorgeous imagery won me over from the start.

There’s an immediate impression when Constable Kit Thompson meets Harry, younger son of Fairleigh Hall , of hair of “wayward sunshine “ , combined with boundless enthusiasm that the author perfectly projects a image of Harry that’s indelible and warm almost to the touch. Even as the brutal cold of winter encapsulates them.

That’s why Kit is there. To investigate why winter, the cold has fallen out of season on Fairleigh Hall. He’s a constable in Bow Street’s Preternatural Division where he can use his magical gifts to solve crimes and apprehend criminals.

The time and setting is Fairleigh Hall, Yorkshire, 1802. Regency. Same sex relationships and marriages are now acceptable for the younger non inheriting sons and daughters.

There’s an astonishing mystery and equally compelling resolution. The relationship between Kit and Harry is unexpectedly strong, complex, and kinky. Rope play, D/s, all so well done and beautifully written.

These are nuanced characters which is hard to do in short stories but the author achieves it. Kit has a complicated history. Son of a courtesan and bastard of a nobleman, he skirts the edges of society. Harry, the younger brother has the most complex background but it’s one that’s slowly revealed throughout the story.

While winter swirls around the hall, there’s still a tiny but very strong support cast to deepen the sense of family and friendship within relationships that are developing. That’s Ned Arden, the Earl of Fairleigh, Harry’s older brother and Lizzie, his betrothed. And Grayson, the butler. All so beautifully portrayed and realistic that you feel like you have met them.

The storylines move briskly along, but with a poetic tone to the imagery and a sense of otherness when it comes to the characters themselves and their magic.

I was so in love with everyone here. So sorry to be finished with the story.

But what a delight to read and reread. A new favorite of mine. And hopefully yours. I’m highly recommending this!

And I just found out that it has a sequel. Onto that next.

✓ Snowed In: Kit and Harry (part of The Demon Universe of 9 books)

◦ Midwinter Firelight (it’s sequel)

Buy Link:

Snowed In: Kit and Harry

Description:

Someone — or something — is causing magical blizzards at Fairleigh Hall. The estate is suffering, and the Earl has requested assistance.

Constable Kit Thompson, of Bow Street’s Preternatural Division, isn’t especially thrilled to be sent out to the country. At least the assignment gets him away from fashionable London society and his own unwanted celebrity after successfully solving a notorious case. Of course, he’s now trapped at a country estate due to closed roads, snowstorms, and magic, but Kit’s always liked solving puzzles. He’s good at using empathic skills for investigations, and this is definitely a challenge. Besides, the Earl’s younger brother is an irritating and delicious temptation, all blue eyes and muscles and boundless enthusiastic optimism. Kit wants to either shake sense into him or kiss him senseless — and can’t trust him, either, because if someone’s genuinely sabotaging the weather, everyone’s a suspect.

Harry Arden, younger brother of the Earl of Fairleigh, has never met a Preternatural Division constable before, much less a famous and celebrated one. He wants to help. And he wants to make that attractive but cynical constable smile, at least once. But the estate hides a family secret, and Harry knows perfectly well Kit doesn’t trust him … and for good reason. Still, Harry offers to do what he can to assist with the investigation, and if that means spending more time with Kit, that’s a bonus.

When Harry and Kit end up caught by those magical storms, snowed in together at the old hunting lodge, they’ll have to trust each other with their secrets … and their hearts.

Review : Stitched Under Fire (Paranormal Investigative Service Book 2) by Cassidy K. O’Connor and Sheri Lyn

Rating: 4.5🌈

Stitched Under Fire takes place relatively close to the ending timeline of the first book, Faeted Under Fire. That’s where the formerly human Det. Tristan James died, becoming reborn as a phoenix shifter and federal agent in the Paranormal Investigative Service, aka P.I.S. Yes, the series has a sense of humor.

He also gained a new perspective on paranormal beings he’d been phobic about, gained a partner and boyfriend in fellow Agent Maddox Smith, half orc/half Fae.

We dive back into their world where Tris has become acclimated enough to consider his new Agent Pod/group friends and he’s moved into a house with Maddox, getting ready to met the parents.

The authors do such a great job in creating the paranormal experience for Tristan James. He’s new to everything so we get to see and learn about it along with him. Honestly, the human side pales a bit by comparison.

Tristan is thriving even if he’s at level one with regard to his shifter abilities and new identity as a phoenix shifter. The fact that phoenix shifters are rare means that even his own teammates and boyfriend aren’t exactly positive about what Tristan can do , other than the vaguest ideas.

O’Conner and Lyn are on a slow path here with Tristan’s shifter transition. I’m not sure how many books they have planned for the series, but at this point, for Tristan to gain full access to his phoenix abilities, it will be at book 10. But oddly, the cases become so big and the victims so important, that Tristan’s shifter journey can safely be relegated to a lower storyline status without hurting the character or the book.

It becomes all about the characters, the relationships, the realness of their lives and the pain of their loss. That’s what we feel as does those investigating the cases.

The side storyline about , Tallie,the young teenage prostitute who’s basically family, Maddox’s mom, and Silas, the Fae father , is heartwarming and a wonderful element that helps ground Tristan in this new world and relationship.

This book and series is one I’m enjoying so much for its well developed characters, well plotted storylines, rich world building, and expanding new information into the exploration between human and paranormal phenomena and physicality.

Bring on book 3. I’m highly recommending this and the series. Read them in the order they are written to understand the events and character development.

Paranormal Investigative Service series:

✓ Faeted Under Fire #1

✓ Stitched Under Fire #2

◦ Taken Under Fire #3 – June 8, 2023

Buy Link:

Stitched Under Fire (Paranormal Investigative Service Book 2)

Description:

Paranormals left for dead, parts of them missing. When bodies start piling up, the agents of Paranormal Investigative Service quickly realize the killings aren’t random and they are escalating.

Life is never dull as an agent of P.I.S. but Tristan James didn’t expect his fourth week as a newly turned phoenix shifter and federal agent to be spent hunting for the person who was dissecting paranormals. If that weren’t enough, he was also moving in with Maddox, his partner at P.I.S. and he had it bad for him.

Maddox Smith was going monogamous. If that weren’t shocking enough, Tristan was also moving in with him. Add to that the man of his dreams was still getting used to being a shifter and getting over old prejudices about their kind. Taking it slow was never in Maddox’s vocabulary before, but Tristan was worth the wait. A new case was exactly the distraction he needed.

They have to work quickly to stitch the pieces together if they want to stop the madman hurting their kind.

Book 3 ‘Taken Under Fire’ releases June 8th, 2023 and continues Maddox and Tristan’s story.

Review: Dangerous (Shifter Scoundrels #2) by Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake

Rating: 4.5🌈

Shifter Scoundrels is a wildly imaginative , heave everything the multi era/trope sink has to offer into the adventure/romance world as conjured up by Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake. Part paranormal universe, it also includes such features as a Regency era monarchy, a royal society with the accompanying aristocracy events. To say nothing of the Regency societal laws such as rigid dress codes to go with the peerage rankings. All of these adopted by the Dragon Shifter King and the rest of the shifter world that lives invisibly along side the human one. It’s so marvelously descriptive and realized.

All of that serves as a foundation for mystery, murder, and magical mayhem as well as romance from book to book, with each novel featuring one couple involved in and investigating the overall series arc mystery. That being the murder of Prince Brandr, the son of the King.

I enjoyed the Regency relationship , romantic gameplay and subterfuge of the first story. It was all very in keeping with the theme and types of storytelling that the genre does so well.

But Dangerous goes in a different direction, romantically speaking, with its couple. And while it kept some of the Regency parameters intact, it also borrowed from the contemporary genre too. The combination is one is I found engaging and wonderfully entertaining. Because this other main character is oh so human, and comes with a very serious heart condition.

Jason Reaves is a surprise in every way. Jason has POTS, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. He also has a wonderfully realized service dog, a German shepherd, Mouse, who’s a great character. The authors, both of whom own GSDs, show us exactly how Mouse helps Jason with his disability and their partnership in letting Jason lead a wider life. This is such a superb element of this book and it’s worked so perfectly to elevate Jason as a multi-dimensional character including great backstory. As is Mouse who’s so much a part of him.

Cormac Donegan, Duke of Everard, is bringing heavyweight Regency energy here to his part of the relationship. Cormac is in recovery from a traumatic event, the losses which still haunt him. We’ve seen this event and connected events in the first book (which is running concurrently in terms of timeframe). So we have some knowledge about what’s happening and the details around the events.

Cormac and his team of valets/soldiers are absolutely fantastic characters. Cormac as he starts to understand Jason’s predicament and fall for the human he’s bound to protect. Vega and Sillian ,the manservants , who are fabulous in their roles as foils for each other and for Jason as he becomes part of the household and their world.

The mystery and fast paced action is fantastic. The narrative runs along at near breakneck speed to match the scenes unfolding on the pages.

There’s humor, some pathos, passion, and action, along with great support cast and main characters.

I honestly couldn’t put this down.

The setup for Scandalous, the third installment and romance is smoothly executed. Now to wait until next year.

I’m highly recommending this story but read the series in order first so you understand the events and backgrounds as it all comes together.

What a wild whacky mashup! I love it.

Shifter Scoundrels series:

✓ Notorious #1

✓ Dangerous #2

◦ Scandalous #3 – Feb 29,2024

Buy Link:

Dangerous (Shifter Scoundrels Book 2)

Description:

New Paranormal Romance from Bestselling MM Authors Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake.

A grumpy lion shifter duke with secrets, a sassy human who knows nothing of the shifter world, and a fiery arrangement neither of them expected.

Cormac Donegan, Duke of Everard, is all too familiar with the perils of his shifter world, especially as a Dahlia, one of the dragon king’s elite spies. After a mission nearly costs him his life, Cormac is sidelined, healing and grieving his heavy losses. Then a different kind of trouble shows up on his doorstep, a human claiming to be his fiancé.

When Jason Reaves is nearly killed in a house fire, it becomes clear that someone is trying to murder him. With his already fragile health deteriorating, Jason’s only hope is to call in the debt a stranger owes his father– a favor that promises safety, protection… and marriage.

Jason’s escape leads him and his service dog, Mouse, to an impressive country estate. He’s expecting the older man who’d made the promise, not his ruggedly handsome son–who happens to be a Duke, as in rich and royal.

Will this Cinderfella find his happily ever after in the arms of a dashing–if somewhat irritable–duke? Or will Cormac’s secrets prove to be more dangerous than the shifters hunting him?

Review: Deal With The Devil (The Reckless Damned Book 3) by Lark Taylor

Rating: 4.5🌈

Deal With The Devil is the third novel in Lark Taylor’s The Reckless Damned series about the rebellious sons of the Devil who left Hell (and servitude under Father) behind for life on earth.

Each book concentrates on a brother as he finds his fated mate , and along with his brothers, helps investigate a rebellion against their father (understandable) and thwart any possible apocalypse (also clear).

I may have enjoyed this book the most, probably because as it’s the third story it now has a solid family cast to act as a foundation/sounding board/support system for whatever Mori, this brother, needs. Whether it’s backup in an attack or advice about a relationship, the brothers and their mates, who’ve formed their own smaller group, are there for each other. Taylor has created a entertaining and interesting family dynamic here. Each is so different, some with traumatic histories , others with flamboyant personalities, differences that make for lively conversations and fast paced scenes.

River is the first non-human main character that plays up against a brother in a story to date. I liked the twists Taylor works into her narrative here. Including the several at the end. It’s a aspect of these stories I’m expecting when I pick them up and the author hasn’t let me down yet.

The relationship between Mori and River is full of obstacles for them to overcome. Mori’s human ex Eric left an indelible mark on Mori, one he needs to relinquish before he can move forward. This is a believable development in anyone’s life and it works here too in a paranormal environment.

There is also the element of the relationship between River and his brother, one that’s explored emotionally through past and present events and actions. It feels realistic as well.

Overall, this is my favorite story to date in the series. I’m only frustrated that I didn’t have the fourth book to read straight on through.

If you like paranormal fiction, romance, and mystery, here’s a series for you. Read them in the order they are written to understand the events and character relationships.

I’m definitely recommending them.

The Reckless Damned series:

✓ Devil’s Mark #1

✓ Devil May Care #2

✓ Deal With The Devil #3

◦ Luck Of The Devil #4 – May 11,2023

Buy Link:

Deal With the Devil (The Reckless Damned Book 3)

Description:

When you make a deal with a devil, you must prepare to face the consequences…

Mori

I’ve loved and lost once before, and it nearly destroyed me.

One might think I’d be scared to try again, but since discovering the existence of fated mates, I’ve waited on tenterhooks for mine to appear.

Fate, apparently, is content to keep me in suspense.

When a nervous human brokers a deal to find his brother, I can’t refuse. My tracking days are over, but there’s something about River that makes me want to get back in the game. Besides, it’ll be a good distraction from waiting for my dream guy.

It quickly becomes clear that River isn’t all he seems. And even worse…I can’t deny the attraction between us. But can I go there when I can’t promise River forever?

River

I’ve always been a liar…but this might be the most dangerous lie I’ve ever told.

Making a deal with a son of Lucifer to track my brother is a bad idea. Especially since he currently holds the number one spot on Mori’s hit list.

I’m asking for trouble.

But I’m out of options. Blaise’s death creeps closer every day, and despite his past misdeeds, I have to save him. Even if it means pretending to be a human, when I’m anything but.

The more time Mori and I spend together, the harder it is to hide my true identity. How can I when he’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner?

There’s no point dreaming of a future with Mori. Even if he forgives my deception, he has a fated mate out there somewhere.

And it isn’t me.

Deal With the Devil is an exhilarating, forced-proximity M/M paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliff-hanger. It is the third book in The Reckless Damned series, which is best enjoyed in order due to the overarching plot. Each book focuses on a different couple and will have a HEA.

CW: references to off page domestic abuse and anxiety attacks. Includes references to torture and murder. One scene of homophbia, including the use of a homophobic slur.

Review : Faeted Under Fire (Paranormal Investigative Service Book 1) by Cassidy K. O’Connor and Sheri Lyn

Rating: 4.25🌈

Faeted Under Fire was a wonderful find. The vibrant cover caught my attention and the imaginative storytelling is just so well done. Both authors are new to me, so I was excited to see what they brought to paranormal fiction.

The universe building is sparse as far as how human beings and the paranormal realm came to exist together. The authors deal with this question in smattering of sentences that raise more questions than answers. Where they spend their narrative energy and enthusiasm is in the creation of the paranormal “section’ of the city much like we have a Chinatown or Little Italy. Only more as in the past when the cities were more racially segregated.

It’s a lively, culturally diverse community, with food trucks and bars owned, and run by the various paranormal species. It feels alive. Sometimes grungy and a perfect fit for the pod or group of paranormal investigators to run through or hang at .

O’Connor and Lyn spent considerable time as well as in creating engaging personalities for their main characters. One is Tristan James, a human cop, who’s prejudiced towards paranormals, and then has to undergo a psychological and physical traumatic change when he’s attacked. Tristan is an amazing perspective for the reader into paranormal life as he’s a fresh viewpoint. I adore him. He’s a good cop and someone trying to be a good person, whoever they may be.

His partner, half orc/half Fae, with prejudices of his own, is Maddox Smith. This character has layers, which continue to get peeled back throughout the story and into the next. He’s one whose character consistently deepens and matures to accommodate changes in the relationships around him.

This is the first story so everyone is still learning about each other and getting settled into their new roles.

O’Connor and Lyn kept me involved in the paranormal and human investigations and emotional stories playing out throughout the novel. If I had a bit of a quibble it was that I recognized the villain early on. Not the motivation for all the events, but who it must be at least behind one attack.

However, I do admit that mysteries and crime investigations have been my jam since early childhood. So take that for whatever it may be worth.

In total, Faeted Under Fire (Paranormal Investigative Service Book 1) by Cassidy K. O’Connor and Sheri Lyn is a exciting, immersive journey into a new partnership and journey towards a romantic relationship for two memorable people . I’m absolutely thrilled with my find and recommending it to others.

Paranormal Investigative Service series:

✓ Faeted Under Fire #1

✓ Stitched Under Fire #2

◦ Taken Under Fire #3 – June 8, 2023

Buy Link:

Book 1 of 3: Paranormal Investigative Service

Description:

A human cop, a paranormal agent, and nine missing kids. Prejudice aside, they have to work together if they want to stop number ten.

Tristan James didn’t know he had a latent paranormal gene in his body until he was attacked on the job as an officer with Tampa PD and killed. As a phoenix shifter, he rose from the ashes and came back stronger than ever. Unfortunately, he was no longer human, this meant no job, no home, no friends. New purpose finds him with the help of a paranormal federal agency offering him a job. He has to put his own learned hatreds aside and accept the paranormals he was now one of.

Maddox Smith loved his job with the Paranormal Investigative Services. He knew what it was like to have no one looking out for you and that’s what made him a good agent. Someone is taking paranormal kids and he has no leads. When a recently turned human is booted from the police and brought to P.I.S. and partnered with him, Maddox wants nothing to do with him. What had the humans ever done for their kind?

Can they forget their biases and solve the case before there’s a tenth?

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