Tag: author LIsa Henry

Review: Full Throttle (Lights Out, #2) by Lisa Henry

Rating: 4.25 🌈

“Being an F1 driver is a crazy job but not what everyone expects. My year consists of 20% driving and 80% media, marketing, and travel.

-Daniel Ricciardo”

Full Throttle by Lisa Henry is our second fast paced, passionate romance in the multi author series, Lights Out.

In this series about Formula 1 racing, each author takes one racing team, a driver or two on that team , the international races in the series , and the dramatic events that occur during that season. We see it impacting on the various races , season team standings, the emotional reverberations on each driver, as well as the relationships that arise between men on the circuit.

In Full Throttle, Henry’s focus is on Bradley Racing. Sir Andrew Bradley a former F1 champion, his sons , the oldest, Malcolm, the current F1 team champion, and Lennox, the introverted son whose been racing in F2, but now has been called up by his father to be the team’s F1 reserve driver. This is a huge honor as well as an earned achievement for young drivers, a spot that Lennox is well aware he’s not exactly achieved but being given as the son of the wealthy owner. It’s a place that should have gone to his F2 teammate, Renzo.

It’s a sore spot that other drivers, as the infamous Karl Nuemann keeps reminding him, and others, loudly and often. In scenes to be repeated throughout the series.

Henry has given us a very relatable character in Lennox. Lennox is a soft spoken, insecure man, one with a father whose disappointment and indifference to his hopes for his future plans make him withdraw into himself further. There’s no outlet for Lennox, no one to confide with, even on his own truths about his sexuality.

Until a fist fight with Karl and a dropped koala bring him to the attention of Team PR mastermind, Connor Blake.

Henry’s cast of well rounded characters expands with the addition of Connor Blake, a man from Melbourne, with a ex boss and family who want him back in Australia where he’s beginning to feel like he needs to be. Connor ‘s circle comes with the ever so delicious Arlo Paddington, CEO of Hipe, his ex boss who wants him back. Every conversation, every get together is a delight! Same goes for Alexis, the acerbic , perfectly put together director of communications of Bradley Racing, a master of the wry look . Connor is in control of each situation, changing the direction of the narrative to fit the team’s needs, and goals. But not without a heart and informative mind guiding him.

Henry has multiple themes in play here. The troubled Blake family dynamics , team hierarchy dynamics where resentment is building over Andrew’s eagerness to push Lennox forward over other better qualified drivers, and finally, Lennox’ s closeted status.

Because being gay isn’t acceptable if you’re a F1 driver, and, from Lennox’s perspective, that’s one more strike against him in his own family where he’s kept his sexuality a secret.

The slowly building relationship between Lennox and Connor is full of hurdles, and while there’s racing elements, they don’t feel as massive an element as they did in Scott’s novel, Team Orders.

This feels more relationship and personality driven, and while we focus on the team building aspects of Team Bradley, and all the communication/PR that goes into a successful business, I wish we had more track time too.

The quotes from actual drivers at the beginning of each story give us insight into how the author is angling the focus. Here it’s the stresses and frustration of the of 80 percent of the sport as it’s seen through the life of Lennox and Connor, the PR man who’s a magician at handling this aspect of F1 racing.

A bonus was the epilogue, it didn’t extend too far beyond the end of the season, all the characters were comfortably included here.

I really enjoyed Full Throttle by Lisa Henry. The characters, relationships, family dynamics, were all well defined and realistically balanced against the frustrations and challenges that comes with racing at the F1 level right now.

I’m definitely recommending this story and the one that came before. This is turning into a very exciting series!

Lights Out:

✓ Team Orders by RJ Scott

✓ Full Throttle by Lisa Henry

◦ Pole Position by Charlie Novak 6/6

◦ Scoring Points by HL Day 6/13

◦ Black Flagged by Emma Jaye 6/20

◦ Rookie Mistakes by Beth Laycock 6/27/2023

Buy link:

Full Throttle

Description:

When Lennox and Connor race full throttle into a secret relationship, can they navigate the track, or will they crash and burn?

Lennox Bradley is Formula 1 royalty. His father was an F1 champion, and so is his brother, so expectations are high for Lennox’s debut season. But when he suffers a koala-related PR disaster at the Australian Grand Prix, he’s thrust into the media spotlight. For an introvert like Lennox, it’s a nightmare.

Connor Blake doesn’t know the first thing about Formula 1, but as communications manager for Bradley Racing, it’s his job to manage the fallout for Lennox. Except Lennox isn’t anything like the arrogant, shallow guy he’s expecting, and it gets harder and harder to deny the magnetism between them. When Connor and Lennox both have to choose what it is they really want for themselves, is there any room for a future together?

This M/M romance from Lisa Henry features a secret relationship, two guys who are bad at admitting their feelings, pining, and is set in the high octane world of Formula 1 featuring fast cars, driving at the limit, 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.

From R.J. Scott’s Team Orders:

Racing Pride🌈

“Racing Pride The F1 calendar takes place in some countries hostile to those identifying as queer, and teams have sponsors who might not support a queer driver. As of April 2023, there is no openly out F1 driver.”

“Racing Pride is a new initiative embracing all elements within motorsport, and actively promoting, and supporting LGBTQ + participants in order to create some desperately needed role models for aspiring LGBTQ + participants in motorsport.

Find out more here: racingpride.com.”

— Team Orders (Lights Out Book 1) by RJ Scott

Review: A Scandal for Stratton (The Lords of Bucknall #6) by J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry

Rating: 4.5🌈

I had known that A Scandal for Stratton was going to have it difficult as far as the expectations went as it’s preceding story, An Affair for Aument set the bar so very high for any book that followed it. If I could have given that novel a 10 I would have, it was that magnificent.

In An Affair for Aument, a brilliantly written novel, it captures the best of all the characters of every story, who, for all their vagaries in station and personality, form a odd collective of friends bound by events and relationships. Their stories naturally form the basis and universe for The Lords of Bucknall Club series, one I’m deeply fond of.

This book has its own different elements , focuses, and characters that have existed on the outskirts of that circle. A character like Stratton, earning a meager mention or two as a horse seller in all prior books, is now one of the main characters.

A aspect that makes this more a novel that , like it’s men, something that resides just a bit on the edge of the group. In that universe, but very much it’s own different book.

I have to confess I didn’t enjoy it very much. I appreciated the writing but wasn’t finding the deep joy I had in the others. At least until almost until the end.

All the other books were very much within the Regency Romance format while the authors gave them narratively brilliant twists with a new rule on same sex marriages, all still keeping the same cultural rules, gossiping Ton, adding in mystery, exceptional humor and romance. And each book was centered within keeping a character driven storyline. Amazing.

Honestly those books are on constant replay.

Immediately you notice the missing dry wit and humor the preceding stories are noted for. In its place is sexuality . It’s the scandalous stories, The Maiden Diaries, being written by “Anonymous “ that have been discussed all Season. It’s also the D/s pain kink sexual relationship that’s key to the dynamics between the Earl of Stratton, James and his estate manager, Harold. It’s explicit. From whipping, spanking , the huge list of pain kink is introduced here in a way it’s not in any of the other stories.

If BDSM ,D/s, pain kink relationships aren’t your thing, this is not your story. It’s a major element. That’s most of the book and the characters relationship. Again, a departure from the previous books.

There’s no mystery. A simple case of blackmail stemming from a rather nasty brother back from abroad with a large sense of entitlement ( pun intended) who wants the estate and title of Earl of Stratton.

The fun, wit, and liveliness only enters the story with the entry of The Bucknall Club gang, plus the indomitable Lady Rebecca , who gather together to save the day. That’s about 80 percent in. So a fairly long slog without a glint of lightness.

I really missed them Especially Soulden with his wicked sense of humor.

For me, the story sank into my heart when all the Bucknall Club characters were engaged by Harold to help with the blackmail. From there, we got a balanced storyline with strong character driven plot lines, fabulous dialogue full of humor and wry heartfelt commentary on the Ton and society. All our favorites, with their engaging dynamics were there, encircling James and Harold, with their compassion, kindness, and unique outlook, pulling them into the circle of the group.

Of enormous impact is the compassionate Warry , along with Chant, who endeavor to help James with their social anxiety, their other issues and offers of friendship. How I adore that crew.

The last section helps with my connection to the main couple. It includes a far better understanding of the personality and character of James as they try to recover from the shattering events that free them from their brother. It’s also a far clearer picture into the dynamics between James and Harold as they weigh their future and try to get back to the stability they had enjoyed before everything fell apart.

The main couple themselves fracturing, getting a new, deeper exploration of what has made their relationship work, James trying to resolve the emotional turmoil the painful past that his brother has awakened, as well as all the damaging fallout it’s caused, this section of the story brings everything back into The Lords of Bucknall territory in an amazing way.

However, while all the other couples got their HFN in a satisfying manner, I can’t help but feel that James and Harold were still in recovery, trying to see where they and their relationship went next, if it could handle the next stages of growth Harold needed.

Satisfying? That will depend on the reader.

For me, A Scandal for Stratton is an extremely well written book, one that exists more as an addendum to the series The Lords of Bucknall Club then as strictly a part of it. It’s strongly character driven, with its main relationship bases around a BDSM D/s pain oriented dynamic that’s constantly being explored throughout the storyline.

James’s tortured persona is beautifully done as is Harold’s dominating character. Each is layered with their painful histories driving them together, despite their differences in societal levels.

The structure of a Regency romance, so apparent in the others, is what’s missing here for me. Most of the time, with the few exceptions that James does visit the Club (very few) the book could be lifted into another historical series . That is until we’re almost done.

If you’re a fan of the series, I’m recommending this on several levels. It’s a terrific story. It enlarges on a bit character we only heard about in passing. All those horses that Warry always wanted from Stratton. Now we know who he was referring to.

We also get to see our beloved characters again as they gather to save the day, hilarious solutions not withstanding. Not a goat to be seen however. I was very sad about this. Not that type of book which is telling.

And if you’re a fan of J.A. Rock’s other novels which do have a major BDSM element, then this is exactly the book and couple for you.

I think this does see an end to the series. I’m ok with that. I felt it had a brilliant send off in An Affair for Aument.

There’s nothing indicating the authors will go forward with another story.

So I’m absolutely recommending to all what I consider the foundation series, books 1 through 5, and as a addendum, with a note about the BDSM content, pick up the sixth novel if you’re interested in learning about who was selling those horses and writing The Maiden Diaries!

Series – The Lords of Bucknall Club

✓ A Husband for Hartwell #1

✓ A Case for Christmas #2

✓ A Rival for Rivingdon #3

✓ A Sanctuary for Soulden #4.

✓ A Affair for Aument #5

✓ A Scandal for Stratford

———-

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

Review: An Affair for Aumont (The Lords of Bucknall Club, #5) by J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry

Rating: 5 🌈

An Affair for Aumont is my absolute favorite of this fantastic series, The Lords of Bucknall Club, by J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry. If I didn’t already know there was another book in the series with an expected release date, I would have thought this was an incredible series finale. That’s because all the characters from the previous books appear in their now harmonious couple form to indulge in some hilarious hijinks, be included in the huge investigation (yes, everyone), and end up still wandering or strolling in at the ending.

Even my fabulous, now happily married twits, Rivington and Notley, the incomparables of the Season, bring their sheep, Euphemia, who eats the scenery. Pun intended. Hilarious. I adore those two lovers.

Rock and Henry leave nothing out of this book. Besotted pig farmers (I adored Mr. Foster), button art, a sexy swim in the old pond, but they never once take their attention away from the heart of the story.

That’s the broken Aument, former French spy , and George Darling, the Runner, who’s reluctantly fallen in love with him. Aument is a tremendous character, and one we’ve slowly had knowledge of through other stories.

It was Soulden’s brother, Luke, who Aument loved and refused to marry, preferring to return to France to fight, a act that has disastrous consequences for Luke and his family. Aument has never forgiven himself and neither has Soulden who once regarded him as a brother.

This story is about Aument’s redemption and forgiveness as much as it is about the mystery of who’s stalking the very beautiful and kind Teddy Honeyfield. That’s a task that Lord Christmas Gale has asked them to take on at the beginning of the book. Insure Teddy’s safety and find out who’s threatening him.

A not so easy investigation! It takes everyone we’ve come to know to get the culprits and Teddy safe. As well as tie up one more pesky loose end.

While there’s humor and charm a plenty to be had amongst the scintillating dialogue and extremely well written storylines, Rock and Henry include gritty elements such as Aument’s withdrawal from alcoholism as well as his own self inflicted guilt over Luke’s choices.

The authors manage to weave a rawness into a Regency romance and relationship that’s also full of humor, intellectual philosophy, and love . It’s absolutely magnificent.

There’s another to be released in July , about a character that always floated about the very edges of this group. That’s Stratford, he of the horses that’s always about to be bought or talked about.

Honestly, the bar set by An Affair for Aumont is so very high I can’t see how that’s going to top it. But I’m certainly going to see how Stratford plays into this amazing group and uniquely talented characters.

I’m highly recommending An Affair for Aumont and this series but read them in order for the sheer joy of the couples relationships and series development.

Series – ThLords of Bucknall Club

✓ A Husband for Hartwell #1

✓ A Case for Christmas #2

✓ A Rival for Rivingdon #3

✓ A Sanctuary for Soulden #4.

✓ A Affair for Aument #5

◦ A Scandal for Stratford #6 – July 5, 2022

https://www.goodreads.com › showAn Affair for Aumont by J.A. Rock – Goodreads

Synopsis:

All he wants is the love he lost.

Four years ago, Louis-Charles Aumont, the Marquis de Montespan, chose duty over the man he loved. And then the man he loved chose death in service to England. Now, after finally cutting ties with his king, Aumont is living in a slum in Seven Dials–and intending to die there too. But when Bow Street Runner George Darling shows up at his door with a strange proposition, Aumont is intrigued by the prospect of something–anything–that might make him feel alive again. Or at least provide the funds he needs to drink himself to death.

All he wants is the love he couldn’t have.

George Darling joined the Bow Street officers out of a belief in order. He accepts no bribes, indulges in no vices, and tries very hard not to dream above his station. If only Lord Christmas Gale hadn’t put that last one to such a test. Now that turning his thoughts from Lord Christmas only lands them instead on the handsome Frenchman with whom he recently crossed paths, Darling is more determined than ever to keep his head down and focus on his duty–until a knock on his door sends his life into disarray.

Teddy Honeyfield, a former companion of Lord Christmas’s, is in need of a temporary bodyguard. Darling would never pass as the sort of gentleman Teddy requires…but he knows someone who might.

Neither wants to take a chance on a love that can never be.

When Aumont and Darling join forces to help Teddy, they’re not expecting to risk their hearts as well as their lives. Darling’s striking looks remind Aumont quite painfully of the man he’s lost, and Aumont’s title reminds Darling he has no right to desire a nobleman. But the rising threat soon drives them to flee with Teddy to the country–a journey that puts them face-to-face with their pasts while showing them a chance for happiness is within reach, if only they’re courageous enough to grab it.

An Affair for Aumont is the fifth book in The Lords of Bucknall Club series, where the Regency meets m/m romance. The Lords of Bucknall Club books can be read as standalones but are best enjoyed in order.

Review: A Sanctuary for Soulden (The Lords of Bucknall Club #4) by J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry

Rating: 4.5 🌈

In Rock and Henry’s marvelous Regency series, The Lords of Bucknall Club, the authors start with a premise that history zigged instead of zagged in 1783 when the Marriage Act Amendment was introduced in England to allow same sex marriages. Why? Because it wanted to encourage childless marriages between the many lesser young men and women of the Realm. Those who wouldn’t inherit and therefore strengthen the right of the first born to inherit the title and property, not the younger siblings.

It’s a great twist on history and their take on Regency romance is just plain out splendid. It’s full of rakes, spies, romantic twits, Lords of high intelligence and those of questionable morals. It’s got it’s Bow Street Runners and it’s French Haberdashery! It’s just grand fun.

Sanctuary for Soulden , the fourth novel in the series, has at its center the enigmatic Philip Winthrop, Viscount Soulden. Viscount Soulden has been a major character over the series , always in the middle of things. Especially with his friend Lord Christmas Gale (A Case for Christmas #1).

Finally, after the major role Soulden played in what I affectionately call The Tale of Two Twits aka A Rival for Rivingdon #3, the man gets his own fabulous story.

By turns exciting, sexy, unexpectedly poignant, and yes, a tad funny, A Sanctuary for Soulden is such a great romantic romp that I forgot to take notes and just blew right through it.

The dialogue is sheer delight! Especially when it’s Soulden and the rest of the group gathered at The Bucknall Club. Whether it’s Soulden calling Worry “Wally”, a mare being mistaken for a stallion, or a waistcoat of hand painted buttons….of one’s husband. There’s always something memorable to comment one and chuckle at.

The medical profession, the subject of the need for corpses, the war, and it’s traumatic impact is strongly dealt with. But is ways that often sneak up on you, as they do the characters. Here the moments that recollect overwhelming loss, grief, anger, and guilt play out…a cacophony of emotions. All through the great characters of Surgeon Edmund Fernside and Fitz.

Not only can a reader clearly picture each setting and situations, but each character is so well defined that it’s a feeling of being connected each time we drop into the relationships and maneuverings as the story continues.

Like all the couples, who appear here, the relationship is one that is relatable and nicely realistic in its expectations. It’s definitely a HFN. I think that was a great choice here. Especially as all the others are going through changes and growth as well.

I’m excited over the next book, An Affair for Aument. It’s one that feeds beautifully out from this one with a new , yet amazing character.

This series just continues to expand and amaze. I highly recommend it to all. It’s just just a splendid thing you shouldn’t pass this or any of the books up. Read them in the order they are written.

Series – ThLords of Bucknall Club

A Husband for Hartwell #1

A Case for Christmas #2

A Rival for Rivingdon #3

A Sanctuary for Soulden #4.

A Affair for Aument #5 – coming later

https://www.goodreads.com › showA Sanctuary for Soulden by J.A. Rock – Goodreads

Synopsis:

He wasn’t meant for a quiet life.

Philip Winthrop, Viscount Soulden, is a fop. An idle popinjay with nothing more on his mind than how to best knot his cravat. He definitely doesn’t spy against the French. Or arrange hasty weddings. Or occasionally commandeer the navy. And he certainly doesn’t seek out mortal danger in order to combat his pervasive ennui. It’s all just a big misunderstanding when he’s shot by a French intelligence officer during a merry riverside chase. And what a wonderful bit of quick thinking to pretend to be a corpse in order to get himself taken to the local surgeon’s autopsy cellar. The French will never find him there. If the French are even looking for him. Which they’re not. Now he just needs to locate a way out before this surgeon fellow attempts to dissect him.

He’d rather deal with the dead than the living.

Surgeon Edmund Fernside does his best to heal the living, but in truth, he’d much rather look into the gaping chest cavity of a corpse than into the startling blue eyes of a…corpse that just climbed off his autopsy table. Well then. Lord Soulden is clearly a man with some complicated secrets. But with the French in hot pursuit and a rather brutal gunshot wound, Soulden’s not going anywhere anytime soon, and Fernside discovers that he enjoys the pleasure of his company. In more ways than one.

Now, trusting each other could mean the difference between life and death.

As Soulden learns to be still for the first time in his life, Fernside wonders if perhaps it’s time to spread his wings a little. They can only hide from the outside world—and from their pasts—for so long before the secrets they’ve uncovered about each other strain the growing attraction between them. Each man must decide whether a life of comfortable lies is preferable to one full of difficult truths. And whether the sanctuary they’ve created together is something worth fighting for.

A Sanctuary for Soulden is the fourth book in the Lords of Bucknall Club series, where the Regency meets m/m romance. The Lords of Bucknall Club can be read in any order.

A Case for Christmas ( The Lords of Bucknail Club #2) by Lisa Henry and JA Rock

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

A Case for Christmas is just plain amazing. Sumptuous in period details, incredibly well written, and so full of clever scintillating dialogue that a review could easily be filled with one quote after another, it’s one to remember.

From the unusual cast of characters, to a twisting, devious mystery, and a romance that the reader is never quite sure is actually going to come together, along with the misgivings , miscommunications, and overall misunderstandings by our main leading men. Both of whom feel genuine and genuinely so completely flummoxed by their feelings for each other that it threatens to derail the investigation and the romance.

All the while the reader is steadily pulled into this universe and relationship. We learn to love the Gales, what a mad, wild, incredible bunch they are, the urchins, even the dogs. It’s the whole of the dynamics here that have you not only entertained but emotionally involved.

I’m so heavily invested in the proceedings that I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to finish and then I was sorry I had because it meant leaving everyone behind before I knew what happened next.

I honestly want more. Another in their story, the next stage, another case. Perhaps a marriage. But definitely more.

After this, you’ll feel the same.

Now for the others in the series. Yes need those too.

Series: The Lords of Bucknall Club

A Husband for Hartwell #1

A Case for Christmas #2

Third story comes out in August.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/316197-the-lords-of-bucknall-club

See above link for buying choices.

A Husband for Hartwell (The Lords of Bucknall Club #1) by Lisa Henry and JA Rock

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

I started this series with the second book , A Case for Christmas, which was Lord Christmas Gale’s rocky path to love. So my introduction here to that complicated character through his friend’s perspective was a welcome one.

I actually enjoyed the backwards path I took. I knew of course the ending and some of the vaguest details ( that of Gales involvement) but of the depth of the plot and the emotional journey both Hartwell and Warry must take before they get their HEA, as well as Warry’s sister, that is rolled out here in a high-spirited and heartwarming tale.

What a rollicking romance it is. Lusty, entertaining, full of moments of sheer anticipation and angst. Plus those elements of humor I’ve come to expect from Henry and Rock. Just a outstanding combination.

Warry is just the right mix of naïveté, selflessness, and honor while still retaining a normal lusty feeling towards sex. Hartwell is a picture of confusion. Family duty conflicting with new or renewed feelings towards the younger Warry, and the troubling prospects of a loveless marriage with Warry’s sister.

It’s all beautifully laid out before us and we are engaged in the characters as the maneuver themselves through and over all the obstacles in their paths to true love and happiness.

I enjoyed everything about this couple and universe. Especially a new viewpoint on Lord Gales. Fascinating.

Now to wait for the release of book 3 in August. It can’t come soon enough. Consider me heavily in love with this series.

Series – The Lords of Bucknall Club

A Husband for Hartwell #1

A Case for Christmas #2

A Rival for Rivingdon #3 – out in August

https://www.goodreads.com/series/316197-the-lords-of-bucknall-club

See the Goodreads link above for buying options.

Review: Socially Orcward (Adventures in Aguillon #3) by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

How I love this series! It really has everything to offer lovers of fantasy stories.

There’s exciting action, espionage (well eggs and spinach but you’re going to get it ), outstanding humor both gentle and guffaw worthy, and so much love in all its aspects it threatens to tumble out of the pages.

Oh, and did I mention dragons? Tiny, middle sized, graceful to downright awkward dragons! Magic no matter the stage of growth they find themselves in and utterly charming.

Perfect companions to Dave, our lovely gentle Orc of the previous storylines and adventures. Now happily ensconced in the Kings tower turned dragon incubator and sanctuary, he’s now in charge of all things dragons for Kings Quentin and Loth.

All’s well. And when a similar dragon loving soul named Simon appears in the kitchen and brings food to the tower, things look even brighter.

Such great characters, Dave and Simon! With such tremendous travails before them. Including figuring out what the new emotions they are feeling means, to themselves and eventually each other. Especially when neither has had a relationship and what they see or hear from others doesn’t sound like something they might want.

Socially Orcward is both about fantasy adventures, with dragons, and a complex story about figuring out who you are, what you stand for, and accepting the same for the one you love. I laughed….a lot. Really, the authors pulled the thespian joke and it’s still hilarious.

And I brought out the tissues in places too because both authors got right into the hearts of Simon, and Dave…. and it hurt. And then it soared, as it should.

Which made that last line and the ending so incredibly satisfying and heartwarming. Perfection really.

Everyone is happy. Even Scott.

Who saw that coming?

Adventures in Aquillon just made my comfort reads list as well as automatically recommended.

Incredibly well written, beautifully plotted, outstanding characters, with lines that have the capability to make me burst out laughing or equally shed tears.

Honestly? Farmyard fornicator? Dirty alchemist? Certain things will live on …. Not sure if I should send the authors unspeakable gingerbread as thanks or threats for these mind worms…..

Either way, read for yourself. I’m highly recommending them all, including Socially Orcward

Series:

Red Heir (Adventures in Aguillon #1

Elf Defense -2

Socially Orcward-3

https://www.goodreads.com/series/299397-adventures-in-aguillon

See the above Goodreads link for all buying options for the series.

Elf Defense (Adventures in Aguillon #2) by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

Rating: 4.5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

Red Heir would be tough for any tale to follow, not just that rollicking couple but that sheer magnificent whackiness and frivolity of all that great oddity mixed together.

So Elf Defense takes its own path to happiness. Much like the elves themselves, the quest- minded, Houses & Humans playing Calarian and the abrasive, ever rebellious political anarchist Benji, this story is completely different.

Given a quest by Kings Loth and Quen the elves, friends with benefits, set off to solve a mystery of marauding trolls. A quest that goes spectacularly wrong immediately. Enter the gorgeous Lars.

The tale unfolds through alternating POV, the most interesting for me being the prickly Benji. While both Calarian and Benji have known each other for literally ages, they haven’t really “known” each other. Until the events of their quest start multiplying and Lars becomes more to each of them then just an attractive lay and solution to a problem.

Yes, we will get an encyclopedic list of sexual positions, including the reverse double paladin and of course the ever popular dirty alchemist, but we are also given thoughtful, believable character growth. Especially from two young elves and a culture not given towards love or lasting relationships.

While we might miss the guffaws, we are given plenty of heartwarming moments, including some with cows. Many outstanding characters and other couples also follow as well as the quirkiness and weird elements I expect now from this series. None of which I’ll spoil for you here.

But I’ll say that I’ll never look at a certain movie the same again. Just saying.

The authors do give me the laughs similar to those from the first story by including a snippet story at the end. It includes Loth and Quen, Calarian and Benji, and well the gang from Red Heir. Marvelous!

Next up is Dave’s story. I expect it to be as sweet as Dave is. Can’t wait.

Until then, read the engaging, warm-hearted Elf Defense. I highly recommend it

Series:

Red Heir (Adventures in Aguillon #1

Elf Defense

Socially Orcward

https://www.goodreads.com/series/299397-adventures-in-aguillon

See link above to buying options at Goodreads

Red Heir (Adventures in Aguillon #1) by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

Rating: 5 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

So many things I could quote to use as examples of just what a brilliant comedy romance Red Heir is if Amazon didn’t forbid the use of certain words. Ah well.

Ok I’ll just say it here. Fuckery stool. 🙈🤣🤣 nope can’t go further. My sides are still too sore.

That just means you’ll get the pleasure of reading first hand the sentences and passages that had me in tears! Tears! Holding my stomach, outright guffawing from almost the very beginning of the story.

And once the laughter came it never stopped. The amazing characters, the outstanding plot that’s so full of the oh so well crafted lines that it will have you spewing out whatever you so cluelessly thought to munch on or drink while reading this tale ( big note to you all, don’t eat or drink anything…just saying….you are warned). Also grab a box of tissues if you’re a snotty laugher.

Really it’s as if a great bar joke came to life and suddenly it’s THE tale you always wanted to read full of characters you always wanted to meet (well maybe not Scott ) and it’s perfection!

A elf, a dwarf, a prince, a pickpocket, a orc, a human, and a dragon walk into a bar…. Nope scratch the bar…. But the rest? Priceless adventures and hmmm the encyclopedic mention of sex positions fantastical.

So incredibly well written I’m still laughing at lines as I write this ( and realize I’m going to go back and read it immediately again), the characters so beautifully fleshed out that I can see them all so clearly before me, funny, engaging, sometimes fragile but always full of the unexpected.

And while I was contemplating the ending (which is fabulous) the authors give us the gift of a second book coming in the series. Be still my heart. What a glorious journey awaits.

How I wish I could run around shouting, read this book! Because it, the characters and the authors deserves it.

Btw? My sides still hurt. Well done, Red Heir! I haven’t laughed that hard and long in ages. Love, love this book

Series:

Red Heir (Adventures in Aguillon #1

Elf Defense

Socially Orcward

https://www.goodreads.com/series/299397-adventures-in-aguillon

See the Goodreads links above for all the buying options

Would that it would contain a link to a travel service that would transport me into this universe directly!

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Starlight (Dark Space #3) by Lisa Henry

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

This is the third book in the series. While there is recapping through memories, I still think it would be difficult to start here. Without the emotional attachment to the characters built through books one and two, I don’t know why anyone would want to just jump into book three. Having said that, as much as I loved books one and two, this is really for those who wanted more closure than book two provided. The story drops the reader right into the action on Kai-Ren’s spaceship. The psychic connection is there between all the humans and Faceless onboard, but muted. All seven of the humans have been on the ship three months, sharing a room, and have still learned nothing about the Faceless. The ship is humid, damaging their equipment, their batteries are draining, and human food is running out. Just when I was wondering why this would be interesting, it got really interesting.

Chris and Brady have their moments of understanding. When disaster strikes, Chris really steps in as the leader here, which is understandable as he has always had an endgame, likely ordered by his superiors. Cam and Brady have their lovely intimate moments. Harry seems to spend the most time with Lucy, but I don’t feel like I know him any better. Andre is barely in this at all. Brady’s point of view is still fearful, angry, and anxious, but tempered from the previous books as he actively tries to be more grateful. His love for Cam and his growing belief in Cam’s love for him makes him less nihilistic. He wants to grow, to be a better role model for Lucy. His relationship with Doc has given him a father figure. He finally even has friends. This is a little repetitive, Brady’s thoughts looped into themselves and his existential crisis, his hatred of space, and his nostalgia. Still, if you are a Brady fan already, you should like this as he finally sees his own worth and what he brings to the table.

For me, the fear (terror really) of the Faceless seemed removed. Even though plenty of horrifying things happen, I didn’t feel it like I did in the other two books. Because of the Faceless that were not part of the hive they share with Kai-Ren, there were few moments the humans were safe, yet everything here felt muted, like their psychic connection. I don’t want to spoil the plot at all. I will just say that traveling on an alien ship in the hopes of learning about the universe and finding some weakness out about the aliens to give humans any sort of chance to not be decimated…didn’t go to plan. By the time they figure out anything useful, the book has turned into a disaster movie in space. The point of this book seems to be to give humanity some sort of triumph and to allow Brady to be brave, in many ways, in a totally Brady way. As much has been made about Kai-Ren and his rape of Cam, I feel like I need to say that it almost happened again…and I am not sure how to feel about it. Some people expressed that after the slow build of book one, the ending seemed rushed for a forced HEA; one could level the same criticism at this book also. I think everything happened exactly the way it needed to for the ending it had, even if beating all the odds was completely unlikely. Kai-Ren doesn’t control or rule all Faceless; he also is obviously not the only Faceless curious about humanity, so I am unsure about the ending provided. I enjoyed the book, but this is the weakest of the three, like watching Return Of The Jedi after The Empire Strikes Back.

The cover art by Mayhem Cover Creations matches the other two covers in the trilogy.

Sales Links: Universal Link: https://books2read.com/darkspace-starlight

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 197 pages
Published December 1st 2019 by Self-Published
Original TitleStarlight
ASINB07YN2GHWP
Edition Language English
SeriesDark Space #3