Tag: author H.L. Day

Review: Exercising a Demon (Possessive Love) by H. L. Day

Rating: 4.25🌈

Possessive Love is a 15 multi-author book series about demons in love. I love to explore a collection like this because of the opportunities to revisit authors I already enjoy to finding new ones to discover.

In the case of Exercising a Demon (Possessive Love) by H. L. Day it’s an author I’m happily familiar with. Day is on my auto read list and Exercising a Demon is a terrific sample for those readers not familiar with the author to get a feel for Day’s work.

Our main characters in this paranormal love story are a human named Jacob and a demon named Valvach. Jacob is sort of a human magpie when we meet him. He loves things sparkly and shiny, without looking like them too closely. Like the man he formed an immediate crush on and has decided he wants to become his boyfriend. All based on just seeing him.

Then there’s Valvach, a demon who doesn’t exactly fit in with the rest of his demonic family and their love for the family work in Hell. Valvach prefers reading, being helpful, and, adores animals. Not great characteristics for the lower realms.

The two meet cute and then everything becomes immediately more adorable as clueless bumps up against almost blind determination until reality and a family from hell wants to set things right.

The relationship is slow to develop but so cute. The characters are clueless but engaging, and their goals are so very important and rewarding that it’s easy to cheer them on.

Exercising a Demon (Possessive Love) by H. L. Day is the second book I’ve read in this collection and it’s another winner. Funny, with lovely characters. A definite recommendation.

Now to see what the next one has to offer!

Check out the rest of the Possessive Love series! 15 books by 15 authors

◩ A Slice For My Demon by K.L. Hiers & Mozzarus Scout

◩ Cuddly Demon by Aster Rae

✓ My Demon Husband by Jax Stuart ♄

✓ Exercising A Demon by H.L Day ♄

◩ Drop Dead Demon by B. Ripley

◩ The Demon’s Dealbreaker by Delaney Rain

◩ My Demon Rebound by Ashlynn Mills

◩ Curiosity Caught the Demon by Travis Beaudoin

◩ My Saintly Demon by RM Neill

◩ Terrible Lovely Demon by Odessa Hywell

◩ Son of the Arch Demon by Amanda Meuwissen

◩ Recalling My Demon by Colette Davison

◩ The Demon Undertaker by Alex J. Adams

◩ Gift for a Demon by Emily Alter

Buy Link:

Exercising a Demon: An MM paranormal romance

Blurb:

Love comes in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes it has horns and a tail.

Jacob’s in love. Again. Only, his future husband likes muscular men, and Jacob, well
 isn’t. A few sessions at the gym, and he’ll have the leather-clad motorcycle courier eating out of his hand, though. And no, he won’t switch his attentions to his hot new personal trainer. Honestly, he won’t.

Valvach’s not your typical demon, preferring books over torture. Which goes down about as well as you’d expect in Hell. A move to the surface gives him the opportunity to start anew. To stay, he’s going to need to make a friend, someone to help him blend in. And sweet, curly-haired Jacob is the perfect candidate. If he can’t lick him, he can at least spend time with him.

When friendship blossoms into a passion that knows no bounds, Jacob and Val believe they’ve found the perfect match in each other. However, Hell isn’t so accommodating, and they find themselves with a fight on their hands to prevent being torn apart and relegated to different planes of existence.

Exercising a Demon is a MM paranormal romantic comedy featuring a demon who’s more of a lover than a fighter, a human who might finally have found the man/demon of his dreams, steamy sexual liaisons involving a tail, and a sweet demon/human pairing who accept each other for who they are and embrace each other’s quirks.

Review: Scoring Points (A Lights Out story ) by H.L Day

Rating: 2🌈

“You can’t change what happened. But you can still change what will happen.

⁃ Sebastian Vettel.”

After reading Scoring Points by H.L. Day, my first thoughts were you had one job in this series , that was to write a book about Formula 1 racing and you’ve tossed the memo.

How did one author go so wrong in a multi author series about specific teams with specific drivers racing on certain circuit’s during a specified season and not write about racing?

First by not writing about the drivers themselves or anyone within the pit who’s directly in contact with the drivers and the actual action on the racetrack. By now, we’ve gotten a good idea of the various teams and their drivers, even on a superficial level, from the other books who mention the same races and events, albeit from different perspectives.

That’s been a great aspect of the series and an anticipatory factor in every new release to come.

But H.L. Day, whose works are often in my must rec list, has made some seriously ill conceived choices when it came time to plan out and write their book for this series.

Day chose to write about the team’s principals. What is a team principal?

“In Formula One, the team principal is the person who is in charge of a constructor team [team who builds the cars] and its personnel. They are usually responsible for issuing team orders and making day-to-day decisions. “

And they are extremely well paid for the job. Millions a year in fact. It’s a job that’s incredibly hard to get and harder to keep.

So Day chose to work the story around two competitive principals. That’s fine , except instead of it being a normal or. it’s all on a personal level. It’s nothing to do with racing but hurt feelings stemming from episodes when they raced karts as teenagers.

Not racing but sexuality. This really could be any other kind of book. Day just had to throw in racing stuff. And it shows.

Keep that in mind. After slogging through approximately 45%, I kept wondering why Day had made the barest of efforts at incorporating any racing into the story. Only Kurt Whitford’s character , at least, gets some semblance of showing he’s got a team that’s interested in racing.

Giovanni Rossi, whose team is mentioned extensively in all the other books, can hardly remember he’s got a team because he’s so obsessed with his sex life, past as well as present, and his revenge on Kurt. Believable he’s not, petulant he is, as Yoda would say.

By 50 % , I’m denying myself the pleasure of DNF, and page flipping , hoping for some racing somewhere in this story or anything that would ground it in this series. But no.

It’s a hopeless mess of two grown men in constant emotional turmoil over each other. Men, primarily Gio who is not a likable character, playing petty head games as payback, who in this actual situation would never be risking their teams, their drivers, or the millions and their careers this way.

Maybe another author could make a believable case for this scenario but Day never does.

Day uses tweets with events from other stories to make sure the reader knows this story is still “all about racing” . Such a format can’t replace actual depths of plotting and real characters.

So in the end do I recommend this ? No. Skip it, and read the others. You won’t be missing anything here.

Lights Out:

✓ Team Orders by RJ Scott

✓ Full Throttle by Lisa Henry

✓ Pole Position by Charlie Novak

✓ Scoring Points by HL Day

◩ Black Flagged by Emma Jaye 6/20

◩ Rookie Mistakes by Beth Laycock 6/27/2023

Buy Link:

Scoring Points

Description:

Can two warring team principals in the cutthroat world of F1 ever admit that there’s more to life than scoring points?

On the surface, Kurt Whitford has everything. A successful business. Good looks. Money. A famous popstar girlfriend hanging off his arm. And as the icing on the cake, he’s just been announced as Nebula’s new team principal. The downside? The opposition. It’s seventeen years since Kurt has seen the infuriating and irresistible Gio Rossi, but the man hasn’t changed a bit.

Whatever Kurt Whitford has, Giovanni Rossi can surpass. Well, except for the girlfriend. Despite needing to keep his sexuality on the down low, he’s not that far in the closet. And if Kurt thinks that Gio’s ready to let bygones be bygones, he couldn’t be more wrong. Gio hasn’t forgiven. Or forgotten.

As a long-rooted rivalry kicks off once more and sparks fly both on and off the track, can Gio and Kurt go head-to-head without the media getting wind of their true feelings? Or is their undeniable sexual chemistry about to prove their downfall?

This MM romance from H.L Day features enemies to lovers, opposing teams, secrets that go way back, and suppressed feelings. Set in the high-octane world of Formula 1, it features fast cars, spectacular crashes, heated rivalries, and of course, a HEA.

Each book in the Lights Out collection is a standalone story, and the books can be read in any order.

Review: Demon Inside by H. L. Day

Rating: 4🌈

Demon Inside is a new action/adventure paranormal story by H.L. Day, a author whose fantasy fiction I’m enormous fan of. Day’s ability to create the kind of interesting, damaged characters that appeal to readers is exactly why I find Day’s stories so intriguing.

Jude Campbell is a perfect example. Haunted by visions of demons no one else can see since birth, he’s been in and out of psychiatric hospitals and doctors care for most of his life. Placed there for his “own good” by his parents, and even himself.

Jude is an emotional wreck of a man when Day dumps us into his life.

Dante Moretti enters into Jude’s messy life when he needs help the most and least expects it. Dante is a being that shouldn’t exist, a half demon. How he came to be is slowly revealed, along with the other parts of Dante’s life. That’s a priest, Father Rory, who assists him in his mission. A mission which isn’t terribly clear to the reader or Jude for that matter.

That’s one of my issues with the story. There’s a lack of framework for all the demonic creatures and activities that are occurring. Yes , we get Asmodeus, and the neat element of dream creation/talking, but real depth about the structure and behaviors? No. I felt something was missing.

I enjoyed the fast paced narrative, the idea of the characters made to fit together (although that wasn’t as fully developed as it could have been). Jude and Dante were a sexy, enjoyable duo who had a short time to pull together and learned to care about each other. Day did a great job in getting that accomplished.

The ending was swiftly built up and action packed. It was left open just enough for Day to write a sequel if it was ever desired.

Until then, I’m recommending Demon Inside by H. L. Day as a fun, fast paced paranormal adventure!

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com â€ș Demon-…Demon Inside – Kindle edition by Day, H.L. Literature & Fiction …

Description:

The forces of darkness are gathering, and only two men can stand in their way.

Jude Campbell can see demons. His psychiatric history says it’s all in his head, but he knows they’re out there. Watching. Waiting. Biding their time.

Dante Moretti is the half demon child that should never have been born. He might exorcize demons, but the dark urges from his demon side are growing stronger, and he knows the day will come when he’ll lose himself to them completely.

When Jude’s time runs out, Dante is tasked with keeping him alive. Jude might be temptation personified, but for Jude’s sake, Dante won’t give in. Only, being together is changing them, in ways neither could possibly hope to understand, and it’s no longer clear who is saving who.

Destiny has come calling. And love could be its prize.

Demon Inside is a 94k action/adventure paranormal MM novel. It features a demon king who can enter dreams, two flawed main characters who don’t have the happiest of backgrounds, a priest sidekick, secrets that go way back, and plenty of steam.

Content warnings: violence and murder, past mentions of sexual assault (not of the main characters), and mentions of psychiatric difficulties and medication use.

Review: The Wandering Prince (13 Kingdoms, #3) by H.L. Day

Rating: 5🌈

With The Wandering Prince, H.L. Day finishes up the incredible fantasy adventure series of 13 Kingdoms. I’m so so sorry to see this journey come to an end for us and for the loving, magical, and wildly messy relationship that is the couple, Jack and Sebastian.

I love a author who gives a nod to the beginnings of the series and the couple when plotting the finale book as well as solving most of the narrative mysteries created and ending it with a bang up celebration that brings so many great characters together.

The story opens in Jack’s farmhouse with the unexpected arrival of a Queen, the shattering of trust, and the sudden need for a imminent journey to help a dying King.

All that began at the very end of The Stubborn Apprentice in a shocking way.

So we’re prepared somewhat for the emotional fallout that begins this story.

Day’s characterizations are so well written. We’ve come to believe in these men, their strengths and their weaknesses. Especially Sebastian’s inability to face his responsibilities or the consequences of the lies he’s told . Especially the lies or in this case, the truth he’s kept from Jack.

So much here is Jack and Sebastian working their way back into the trust that was shattered and building a better relationship foundation, while dealing with royalty, rogues, monsters, Sebastian’s feelings of inadequacies with his family, and Jack’s fear of the sea! Not a quick or easy fix.

For The Wandering Prince Day has written many complicated narratives and then whipped them together so beautifully that you both want to slow down because you are sure you’re missing something and speed up because there’s something, some element so exciting coming at you just paragraphs away!

Run! No come back!

New and old characters appear to make you want at least 2 more books to this series, so rich and lush are the locations and wonderfully detailed the characters.

Earl and the Prince need their own story. Who says Troy needs a princess? I have questions!

Yes, it ends splendidly. But you just know the two of them will be off on another greater adventure soon. It’s part of them. Let us be a part of it too.

I adored these books and series. Those rich, glorious covers are everything.

I’m naturally highly recommending them, just read them in the order they are written.

13 Kingdoms series:

✓ The Reluctant Companion #1

✓ The Stubborn Apprentice #2

✓ The Wandering Prince #3

Buy Link Amazon:

The Wandering Prince (13 kingdoms #3)

Description:

An ailing father. A missing healer who might have the cure. Now would be a really bad time for Jack and Sebastian to be at loggerheads.

Jack never saw the truth coming. And knowing Sebastian has been lying to him changes everything. Yet, despite his misgivings over whether their relationship can be repaired, he finds himself on a ship to Padora, Sebastian’s homeland. Awkward isn’t the word. And peril, as ever, is just over the next wave.

Sebastian’s whole world is falling apart. His magic is broken. His father, the king of Padora, is dying. And Jack
 Well, Jack hates him, and not in the usual Jack way. He’s really messed up this time, and doesn’t know how to put it right.

Can Jack and Sebastian survive to save the day once more? And if they do, will it fix what was broken between them?

The Wandering Prince is a 101k finale to Jack and Sebastian’s humorous MM fantasy adventure that started with The Reluctant Companion and continued with The Stubborn Accomplice. Travel with Jack and Sebastian as they encounter old friends, sea monsters, a future king who needs babysitting, dastardly pirates who have been polishing their plank, a double-crossing brother, and perhaps even a missing sister.

Review: Five Night Stand (A Snowed Inn story) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4🌈

The holiday stories have started to be released and H.L. Day’s Five Night Stand marks the beginning of my seasonal reading.

It’s a short sweet romance with all the elements and characters that make a heartwarming holiday story and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Nathan Nichols, action/suspense author, is on a break. Nathan is trying to salvage his latest book that’s been rejected by his publisher. And the rewrite, up in a snowy mountain inn, is going nowhere.

A one night stand with CJ, a wildlife photographer, that turns into more courtesy of a avalanche , sparks more than inspiration.

H.L. Day builds a really lovely holiday story around this theme. Nathan’s predicament and his frazzled, upset attitude with himself and the situation is perfect for this moment. CJ, there to capture snow filled wildlife photos, especially rings true. The location, the elements, and the men lead to a romantic, heartwarming journey as they make love and share histories.

Five Night Stand has so much promise for a larger novel about the men, their characters, romance , and relationship. It’s the one reason I find shorter stories so frustrating.

If you love holiday romances and a terrific couple, this is a great way to start your seasonal reading. I’m recommending it.

Description:

The advantage of a one-night stand is being able to walk away. Except, Nathan can’t.

Workaholic Nathan Nicholls hasn’t had the easiest time of late. Still reeling from his publisher’s rejection of his latest book, he seeks refuge in a remote hotel. When he’s propositioned by the sinfully sexy CJ, a man who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to go for it, why shouldn’t Nathan throw caution to the winds for once and have a bit of fun? After all, he’s leaving the next day.

When an avalanche puts paid to Nathan’s quick exit, he finds himself stuck there for Christmas. Stuck with CJ. What should be awkward, quickly becomes something else. The snow might be cold, but the time they spend together is far from it, and Nathan finds his heart warming. If only their passion and laughter didn’t have a shelf life, doomed to come to an end once the road is cleared.

Nathan Nicholls doesn’t do one-night-stands. But maybe, just maybe, if he makes a Christmas wish, this could be something more.

A sweet and steamy 43k forced proximity story which features a man who never was any good at one-night stands, a cheerful wildlife photographer who might not be as confident as he makes out, rustic log cabins, snow, Christmas cheer, and two men gaining a whole new perspective on life.

All the books in the Snowed Inn collection are standalone stories and can be read in any order.

———-

Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.

Five Night Stand

Snowed Inn story Collection:

Five Night Stand is a standalone book.. It’s a Christmas novel in the Snowed Inn Collection

All the books can be read as standalones and in any order and all are available to buy or pre-order

‱ RJ Scott – Stop the Wedding – https://books2read.com/StopTheWedding

‱ H.L Day – Five Night Stand – https://books2read.com/FiveNightStandHL

‱ V.L. Locey – Checking it Twice – https://books2read.com/CheckingItTwiceVL

‱ LC Chase – Breakfast Included – https://books2read.com/BreakfastIncludedLCC

‱ Xenia Melzer – The Real Kaimana – https://books2read.com/RealKaimanaXM

‱ Meredith Russell – Stuck With You- https://books2read.com/StuckWithYouMR

‱ Eli Easton – A Changeling Christmas – https://books2read.com/ChangelingChristmasE

Review: The Stubborn Apprentice (13 Kingdoms #2) by H.L. Day

Rating: 5🌈

I’m so enamored of this series. From that rich, gorgeous cover to the layered, incredibly fantastical story and characters, the 13 Kingdoms has grabbed at my heart and imagination.

From its great beginning, The Reluctant Companion, where Day lays the foundation for the series and introduces us to the main characters, Jack Shaw and Sebastian Beau.

Talk about opposites! The prickly, argumentative Jack, with his roots in a large loving farm hold family versus the vain, glorious and secretive Sebastian, with magical abilities and ex boyfriend’s who pop out at every corner. Sebastian , who’s speech is suspiciously posh with martial skills too good to be true.

We came to love them both even as they formed first an affection, then something deeper, though neither would admit it, through their various adventures together.

Now, they are off again, as we left them at the end of the last story. They’ve been hired to find a religious relic for a goodly reward (something Sebastian is always up for), and the chance they might find Jack’s missing sister.

The search for the relic and their adventures they journey through to seek it out are so fascinating and well crafted.

Of course, they stumble across more of Sebastian’s near endless list of ex-lovers, to various degrees entertainment and emotional issues from all. The journeys also produces or perhaps forces the couple to talk further about their relationship. Jack wants a clarity about Sebastian’s past that’s not been given.

The reader, of course, has more than a reasonable amount of idea of Sebastian’s identity then Jack. This isn’t going to go well, given Sebastian’s personality. Oh the anticipation! And the relationship they’ve been building!

The plot, or plots, full of action, trolls, orcs, enemies, mysteries, exes, magical characters, is just one swift-moving, ingeniously crafted tale . Full of memorable secondary characters that support our heroes so well that everything and everyone becomes a rich, breathing fantasy tapestry!

I need that third novel now! Because this one ends, as I knew it eventually would, on a bit of a heartbreaker.

I’m highly recommending this series and this story. But they must be read in the order they are written for plot and character development.

If you’re a lover of fantasy, and magical characters and romance, don’t pass this series by!

Aren’t those covers amazing?

13 Kingdoms series:

✓ The Reluctant Companion #1

✓ The Stubborn Apprentice #2

◩ The Wandering Prince #3 – 2/28/2023

https://www.goodreads.com â€ș showThe Stubborn Accomplice (13 Kingdoms, #2) by H.L. Day | Goodreads

Synopsis:

A missing artifact. A kingdom of secrets. Two men versus a multitude of magical beasts.

Jack and Sebastian are on the move once more. This time, to the frozen mountains of Askophai in search of a kingdom’s missing artifact. The journey alone would be perilous enough, but how are they supposed to find something that no one can describe? And what does the mysterious man who can make himself invisible have to do with any of it?

Jack has enough of Sebastian’s secrets to deal with, without taking on a whole kingdom’s. He and Sebastian might be together, but Jack still has his doubts about their long-term future. Assuming they have one that is, given Sebastian’s penchant for walking them headlong into danger at every opportunity.

One thing’s for certain, they’re going to need an awful lot of luck to succeed in this mission and return home safely.

The Stubborn Accomplice is an 85k sequel that features trolls, magical knights, an unwanted orc suitor, a wizard only too familiar to one of the main characters, and two men who really need to get better at talking about their feelings. If you enjoyed The Reluctant Companion buckle up for more banter, magic, and adventures in the continuation of the 13 kingdoms series.

———-

Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.

Review: The Reluctant Companion (13 Kingdoms #1) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4.5🌈

The Reluctant Companion is exactly what I was hoping to read when I saw the words whimsical fantasy adventure! The first in the 13 Kingdoms series by H.L. Day, it just encapsulated all those things that have made me love this type of book since adolescence . It’s got a glorious, technicolor cover, complete with fabulous looking being with Fire leaning against a huge lion! Yep!

Then immediately inside there’s hand drawn maps of the places our characters go charging off to, ala Tolkien or many a other great fantasy series. Be still my heart when I saw those tiny little mountains, complete with nonsensical names.

You got to have those in a whimsical fantasy.

And then? It’s quest time! A farm boy sets out to find his sister who’s left his village, only to find himself (and his quest) being immediately led astray by a magical monkey only he can see!

The farm boy isn’t your typical naive wide eyed sweet thing. Oh no. He’s a deliciously stubborn, temperamental person who also happens to be a excellent hunter with a dry sense of humor and strong sense of justice.

A interesting choice when it comes to wanting a companion for a mission and adventure. Especially if the other person’s morals are a tad on the shaky side. As is his identity. But he’s gorgeous, a bit vain. And mysterious. And hard to say no to. Even as a reader. *shakes head at Sebastian *

Jack needs to find his sister and Sebastian says he needs to rescue a Prince. In between those two quests lies, well, a ton of fantastical fun, a bunch of not quite lies, amazing amounts of fabulous characters, including orcs who may not have been cheated, cheating pirates who aren’t nice to their fathers, and sassy, spoiled princes.

And some magic. And not that they’d let on, but perhaps some heartfelt romance.

It’s a wonderfully lighthearted story that allows for the characters to show growth of personality as well as real changes of heart as their journey progresses. It’s surprisingly deep for a whimsical tale of adventure, wild quests, and personal growth.

And maybe finding a companion who loves you too.

The ending is just terrific. One element of the plot had been left open. So of course, a new mission opens up for Jack and Sebastian with the potential to tie up that loose storyline. The Stubborn Accomplice (13 Kingdoms #2) is due out on September 30, 2022.

I will there immediately to grab it up.

Love fantasy? In need of something lighthearted? But with great characters and enough depth and charm that it will stay with you after you are done?

Check out The Reluctant Companion (13 Kingdoms #1) by H.L. Day! And don’t forget to look at the maps!

I’m highly recommending this!

13 Kingdoms:

✓ The Reluctant Companion #1

◩ The Stubborn Accomplice #2- Sept., 30, 2022

https://www.goodreads.com â€ș showThe Reluctant Companion (13 Kingdoms #1) by H.L. Day | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sebastian might have the power to summon animals, but winning Jack over? Far more difficult.

As first encounters go, Jack and Sebastian’s isn’t ideal, leaving Jack nursing a grudge he’s not about to let go of in a hurry. Yet, if Jack is to find his missing sister, and Sebastian is to rescue his captured prince, they’ll need to set their differences aside and work as a team.

Jack is stubborn and somewhat volatile. Sebastian is vain and clearly in love with himself. But as the unlikely companions face all manner of dangers together, they grow closer. Rescuing the prince should be easy. Rescuing him from an impenetrable tower guarded by dragon-shifting knights? Okay, that part is harder.

But once the adventure is over, letting Sebastian go might be the hardest thing Jack has ever had to do.

The Reluctant Companion is an 85k MM enemies to lover’s story featuring murderous orcs, deadly creatures, and marauding bandits. Opposites attract in this light-hearted fantasy romance which mixes humor with action and adventure. Meet a whole cast of colorful characters in the first book of the 13 kingdoms series.

———-

Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.

A Stella Review: Christmas Riches by H.L. Day

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

Opposites might attract. But does that include age?

Christmas comes early for Aiden Malone in the form of a seductive blue-eyed stranger down on his knees. But a shock revelation about his new ‘friend’ has him running for the hills and cursing his stupidity before the night is out.

Tom’s not prepared to give up that easily. He may be rich, where Aiden’s poor. Innocent in a way that Aiden isn’t. And on the wrong side of twenty. But he’s old enough to know what he wants. And that’s Aiden. He just needs to persuade the older man to look past his hang-ups about age and wealth.

Lust and prejudice pull Aiden in opposite directions, severely testing his willpower. As Tom’s layers begin to peel away, Aiden discovers the younger man’s life of privilege may not be all it seems. If Aiden gives in, they could have the sweetest Christmas that either of them has ever tasted.

But Tom’s about to shatter their joy with a surprise announcement. Decisions need to be made on both sides. It’s down to Aiden, though, to stay strong and decide whose happiness is more important. His? Or Tom’s? Because they can’t have it both ways.

It’s possible their relationship won’t even last as long as it takes for the snow to melt.

I honestly wasn’t liking this new release at first, I wasn’t quite sure why at the time, I just wasn’t enjoying the story. Maybe I didn’t like the first encounter between the characters, maybe I didn’t like them at all. Still I went on with the reading and I have to say my stubbornness was well rewarded, as Tom was in trying to convince Aiden they were made for each other. Later I learnt to like both of them, I saw how lonely Tom’s life was, how unbelievable his parents were. He was only eighteen and he had gone through so much. I felt his desire to be part of something, to be loved and to love. There were so many differences between the two men, so many years, so many money. And then things changed, I realized how mature Tom actually was, I fell for him deeply when I saw him make hard choices, cause he was so sure of his love and his future with Aiden.

I ended up loving Christmas Riches a lot, the ending part was beautiful, the author couldn’t have written a better epilogue, it was perfect, so sweet. I liked the writing style too, the book was easy to read and the characters well done, I think I will look for more stories from H.L. Day, I’m curious to know what else the author delivered.

The cover art by is cute, I like the colors.

SALE LINKS  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 157 pages

Published November 15th 2019

Edition Language English

A Lucy Review : Temporary Insanity (Temporary #2) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Sleeping with the enemy never felt so good.
When Paul Davenport comes face to face with the man he caught in bed with his boyfriend years before, it’s hate at first sight. Well, second sight. Indy should be apologizing, not flirting. Except the gorgeous barman is completely oblivious to their paths ever having crossed before. 

Despite his feelings, Paul’s powerless to resist the full-on charm offensive that follows. It’s fine though. It’s just sex. No emotions. No getting to know each other. Just a bout of temporary insanity that’s sure to run its course once the simmering passion starts to wear off.

Only what if it’s not? Indy’s nothing like the man Paul expected him to be from his past actions. What if they’re perfect for each other and Paul’s just too stubborn to see it? Forging a relationship with him would require an emotional U-turn Paul might not be capable of making.

There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Paul’s about to discover just how thin it really is. He can’t possibly be falling for the man that ruined his life. Can he?

What could be more awkward than accidentally running into the guy who cheated with your boyfriend and ruined your relationship?  How about if said guy has no idea who you are?  I was cringing for Paul when he walked up to the bar and realized why the guy looked familiar.  Except, of course, the last time he saw the man he was riding Paul’s ex-boyfriend.  Awkward.

Paul waits for “
guilt, followed by a string of abject apologies.”   Except Indy likes the look of Paul and flirts but doesn’t remember him, other than a “You know, it’s weird, sometimes I think you look slightly familiar. Have we met before?”  I could sympathize with Paul – it was a life-changing event and Indy doesn’t even remember.  “Just over three years ago, I came home to find you in bed with my boyfriend.  His name is Stephen, in case it happens to you a lot and you can’t remember which one it was.  So that’s probably why I seem so familiar.”   While Indy gives a “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry”, I was super irritated that he was pretty blasĂ© about it.  “
three years is a long time. Can’t we put it behind us and move on?”

I very nearly gave this book three stars because I couldn’t figure out why Indy kept pursuing Paul in the wake of their past and Paul’s rudeness to him.  Glutton for punishment?  “Because you don’t like me and you can’t forgive me for making a stupid mistake years ago.”   I had to step back, though, and consider that Indy was not the guilty party in that affair.  The ex was. 

With the advice of Paul’s new friend, Gabrielle, he goes on a hunt for hate sex with Indy.  Which, I should say, he’s really bad at.  Especially since there are times when he does wonder if Indy and Stephen did the things he and Indy were doing.  “So how did I compare to my ex?”   Indy isn’t having it though, “Can’t we forget about it: Or at least find some way to move past it? We’re good together.”

We get a lot of denial on Paul’s part.  It is sex only, no feelings, he doesn’t like Indy, his tattoos, his attitude, nothing.  Umm, hmmm.   “I didn’t want to see him that way though. That was the path to madness, to feelings I couldn’t entertain.” 

There is a secondary plot woven here regarding Paul’s friend, Dom, and the boss of the company, Tristan.  They have a book, completely focusing on them, Temporary Situation which I haven’t read.  I don’t think you need to in order to enjoy this book, as it appears both stories are happening at the same time.  I will now go back and read Temporary Situation.

It was entertaining to me how he was giving advice to Dom and considering him stubborn for his treatment of Tristan and he was so blind to his own situation. Indy gives so many opportunities for Paul to admit they have more than sex but he is twice as stubborn as Dom. Even when Indy gives up, he gives Paul a chance to make it right.  Paul, of course, flubs it entirely and makes everything so much worse.

The side characters, Gabrielle, Paul’s virgin friend Russell, Dom, Tristan and Paul’s family play important roles here and are fully fleshed out characters.  Paul’s issues with his family seem real and so frustrating. Being forced to attend lavish parties, attending holidays where he really isn’t wanted and doesn’t want to be there, having the whole family not listen or understand what he wants.  It added to the story and to understanding Paul.  Getting to know more about Indy’s past  added depth to his character.  And the elephants?  Just made everything better.

The book sets up the next one in the series, obviously going to focus on Russell, shy, virginal Russell.  “You’re never going to believe what he’s been up to and who with.”  Teaser successful, because I want to know what he’s been up to and who with!  I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in this book and the writing really worked for me.

The cover, showing Indy with his tattoos set against the city backdrop, is pretty close to showing how I visualized him. 

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

book
Expected publication: August 29th 2019
Edition Language English
Series Temporary #2

A MelanieM Review: A Step too Far (Too Far #2) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Two men. Three identities. An unstoppable attraction.

Desperate for his luck to change, Jake Spencer manages to land a dance contract with Dmitry Gruzdev. The job has plenty of perks, including a simmering lust between him and Dmitry’s hulking brute of a bodyguard, Mikhail. Life is finally looking up. Except as the shine wears off, it becomes clear that Jake’s stepped into a world of darkness and depravity where Bratva answers to no one and allies are not what they seem.

Mikhail’s hiding a secret: there is no Mikhail. He’s simply a front for undercover operative, Ryan Harris. A means to gain access to Dmitry. Ryan’s not stupid. There’s no way he’s going to get distracted by a pretty face, no matter how attractive Jake might be. That would be far too dangerous for all concerned. Only it’s not that simple and before Ryan knows it, the line between personal and professional begins to blur spectacularly.

Lust develops into more. Secrets start to unravel. Ryan’s got an impossible choice to make: keep Jake safe or maintain his cover. But how much does Dmitry know? The hunted may be about to become the hunter, blowing both men’s worlds to pieces and leaving them with nothing.

Can a relationship built on lies ever lead to love?

Warning: This book contains a seductive dancer prone to getting into trouble, a gruff man who’s anything but, and a villain who just won’t go away.

A Step too Far (Too Far #2) by H.L. Day picks up after the events of A Dance Too Far where Dmitry’s loses his star dancer (and much more), Valentin.  Valentin’s escape has left a hole in Dmitry’s organization as a cover, the lack of a dancer a continuing blow to the mobster’s pride and other self interests and something needs to be done about it.  Immediately.

Questions that Valentin asked himself in the last story were what had happened to Mikhail, the stoic Russian bodyguard who had finally risked everything to help Valentin.  And why?  A Step too Far gives us those answers and so much more. Including the startling information that Mikhail is actually undercover agent Ryan Harris trying to gather intel and take down a Russian gang. The toll of being Mikhail is becoming too much, he’s seen and been a part of to too much. And now Dimitry has tasked him with finding Valentin’s replacement.

Day actually splits this character into Mikail/Ryan, that’s how it reads for most of the story because he’s two completely different personalities.  One cold, ruthless, and trying to being sexless.  The other warm,torn, intelligent, with a conscious that’s telling him he can’t keep doing this no matter the end result.   We see them both.  First it’s mostly Mikhail staying in character, then a mixture, and then finally mostly Ryan as that personality becomes dominant, dangerous while undercover.

The reason why?  A young dancer name Jake who to his peril falls naively into the space vacated by Valentin because he wants to dance and needs an apartment to live, while having little outside ties.  The perfect victim.  Unlike Valentin who had been with Dimitry for a decade when we met him (and endured the abuse and control), Jake is fresh, happy, bouncy even, full of optimism and, trust me, the reader just starts to cringe from the moment Dimitry ushers him into his office and shuts the door.

Because this is a darker story than the first.  Valentin had figured things out in a decades time, had methods to deal with Dimitry’s twisted love and abuse.  But here Dimitry feels no love for Jake, he’s just a commodity.  And what happens between Jake and Mikhail/Ryan is one that develops more than once because its with different men, a neat trick, narratively speaking.

Mixed in with all this is a deep espionage storyline, a high suspense thread that will have you on your seat,  and a long, drawn out climax and resolution  that includes timely and perfect appearances by Max and Valentin to give Ryan and Jake the ending their deserve.

The one thing that did bother me, the lack of therapy for Jake, was finally given a brief mention, a rationale as to why it didn’t work, and what was helping.  I’m not sure I ever bought it , and yes, that was one of my issues in the first story as well.  But at least it was mentioned here.  That was a step up.

I tried to think about how I compared the two stories and decided I couldn’t.  That was like comparing the two men as dancers.  Totally different in so many ways.  I liked some things about this story better but really not the characters.  The characters in both stories are amazing.  And this one leaves me wondering if there is anywhere to go from here.  Just not sure.

But if you love your contemporary romance with raw sex, open emotion, some darkness and wild suspense.  This story and the one prior to it, which you much read before this one, are just the thing!  Pick up Valentin’s story and then head straight for Jake’s. Be prepared to  be totally connected and unable to put them down.  I highly recommend them both.

Cover art: H.L. Day.  That’s post Dimitry Jake alright.  I like the cover but truthfully nothing can match that impact of the first one.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 275 pages
Published June 3rd 2019 by Amazon Digital Services
ASIN B07SNCMDNW
Edition Language English
Series Too Far #2