Tag: fated mates

Review: Wolves Always Bite (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 2) by Lori Ames

Rating: 4.5🌈

Lori Ames has a definite hit with her Willow Lake Supernaturals, a series that just got better with the release of the second novel, Wolves Always Bite.

Most of the winsome nature and endearing qualities of this story are embedded in the character of human Jeremy. BFF to fire mage Ash of Hellhounds Never Lie, Jeremy isn’t aware of the paranormal world or his bestie’s real identity. Instead, he’s a wannabe writer trying to finish his first M/M book, keep a job, and try not to feel like a failure. He’s adorable and the person who draws the reader immediately into the storyline and his perspective on the events as they happen.

Currently, he’s an assistant to a grumbling ill-tempered owner of an antiques/odds and ends shop that mostly sells at open markets. That new job is where we find him at the start of the book. An oblivious human surrounded by supernatural beings, including his shady goblin boss.

Jeremy’s Etch a Sketch sort of mind is a wonderful place to be. Curious, self deprecating, full of book plots he’s jotting notes for, every moment the reader spends with him just makes connect to him even more fully.

While Jeremy’s life is becoming more complicated, Ames introduces a new group of beings that includes the other main character. It’s a traveling supernatural police force that’s got a hot werewolf, Adrian, on the trail of lost artifacts.

This is why reading the books in a series in the order that they are written is so important. Because we know or have an inkling where these artifacts came from because of that introductory book that laid out the foundation for the series.

Now Ames starts her expansions of the series arc and mysteries as well as cast of characters. All roads continue to lead back into Willow Lake, that multi paranormal species town that oozes magical powers.

Jeremy is outright hilarious in his own introductory series of scenes with Adrian and his Supernatural Council law enforcement team of mixed beings that include a demon boss. Wannabe writer needs to know things if he’s going to write MM PNR romances !

Ames does a great job of weaving poignancy along with the humor into her narrative. So there’s Adrian’s traumatic family history to go along with the effervescent questioning and acceptance by Jeremy.

Wolves Always Bite has other wonderful elements. Fated mates, magical mysteries, high suspense, and a author who does a terrific job of continuing the overall arc themes and storytelling from one book to the next, weaving the plots together without necessarily lessening one for the other.

If there’s a quibble, it’s in the “bargain” aspect between Adrian and his boss, demon Gage. While there’s a built in consent clause to the contract, it’s not as valid I find when the person finds a mate. That means to some extent that the initial agreement or its parameters have been altered. At least to my mind.

That’s not addressed in the plot. Maybe it will in the future storylines as Jeremy and Adrian are fully mated with a new path ahead, but uncertain as to what that will be.

The mystery is still evolving, the new group of characters is a great addition, and Willow Lake is looking better than ever.

On to Oracles Always Win in the start of next year. Can’t wait. I’m highly recommending this book and series. It’s exciting, hilarious, and quirky. A definite winner.

Willow Lake Supernaturals:

✓ Hellhounds Never Lie #1

✓ Wolves Always Bite #2

◦ Oracles Always Win #3 – Feb 15,2024

Buy Link:

Wolves Always Bite (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 2)

Blurb:

What’s a simple human to do when he discovers supernatural beings are real?

Ask a lot of questions, take a lot of notes, and try to seduce a werewolf, of course.

Jeremy has always wanted to befriend mythical creatures, play with forbidden magic, and meet his fated mate. Okay, okay. He knows the difference between fiction and real life; he is an author after all… Or he would be if he ever got to “The End” on one of his stories. So he realizes his desire to live inside a fantasy romance novel is a touch unrealistic, but where is the joy in living a life that is boring and predictable and overwhelmingly blah?

At least that’s what he thinks until a hot AF werewolf saves him from his freaky boss and turns his whole life upside down. And his boss? She isn’t the weird old lady he thought she was, but how could he have guessed she is a grumpy goblin with a reputation for selling black-market magical artifacts? Now Jeremy is determined to know everything about the supernatural world, and Adrian, his swoon-worthy werewolf hero, is willing to answer all his questions, even when they make the big guy blush.

But when his former goblin boss kidnaps his cat to convince Jeremy to return the items she thinks he stole, things get serious fast. Now in between plotting his next MM romance and seducing the beautiful werewolf (and not just for research purposes), he needs to stage a cat rescue. Life is definitely not boring now.

Tags: MM Paranormal Romance with Fated Mates! Jeremy has sooo many questions, Adrian tries to answer them even when they make him blush, no cats were hurt in the writing of this book, an obscene number of ‘80s music references, his best friend is a lying liar who lies, his book bag is his weapon of choice, don’t touch the demon’s dimples, supernaturals have magical everything, small towns aren’t so bad, especially when they are full of supes.

No arcs as I paid for my books.

Review: A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 3) by Shannon Mae

Rating: 4.5🌈

This is probably my favorite of Shannon Mae’s Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures series. A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades picks up after the traumatic events that almost destroyed soulmates demon Az and nephelilim Gabe.

Now older brother Michael is dealing with the emotional fallout from his part in those events. And the author ‘s ability to make the reader feel Michael’s turmoil and anguish is a turning point for this character and hook for the story.

Michael beforehand wasn’t a particularly likable person. But we didn’t know him. Now, through some quiet, poignant scenes , we not only understand what’s been the motivations driving his entire life, but the price this life has cost him in terms of emotional isolation and separation from everyone around him. He’s so lonely. And he’s only now realizing how he got here.

Immediately Mae pulls the reader into sorrowful plight that’s Michael’s story and invests us with the touching journey ahead. That it involves a merrymaking chaos revenge demon, Ari, a paranormal force we met before, makes it fantastically delightful.

Michael and Ari are the quintessential opposites couple that we absolutely adore. Chaos on one side, order on the other. One musses up the need for total control , one helps bring a bit of manageability to utter pandemonium. And we get to be a part of the journey.

It’s a process that happens to also involve a mystery as their relationship develops. It’s a terrific element because it allows Michael to reconnect with his family and become the best person he was meant to be. Along with Ari at his side as his soulmate.

I was just thinking about how much I was connected to these characters, their relationship, and those around them. Mae has done a fantastic job in expanding her universe and overall theme while keeping the reader focused on the particular narrative at hand.

Plus there’s still so many great characters that need their own romantic stories told. Two more are definitely in the works, one coming out in December.

Shannon Mae is an author to put on your list if you’re a fan of paranormal fiction and romantic adventures. Make sure to include this series on the TBR list ! I’m definitely recommending it. Read them in the order that they are written.

Cute covers!

Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures:

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Death, Demons, and Other Afterlife Disasters #1

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Mistakenly Summoned Demons and Other Misadventures #2

✓ A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades

◦ A Beginner’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Demons: A Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Novella – Dec 18, 2023

Buy Link

A Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, Chaos, and Other Absurd Escapades (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures Book 3)

Blurb:

Arioch:
Arioch loves his job; creating chaos and encouraging revenge is fun, and if he pranks a few demons, angels, and humans along the way, all the better. When an archangel shows up with a message from god, Arioch knows he ought to take it seriously, but what’s the fun in that? Michael, the human he’s supposed to help, takes everything seriously enough for both of them, and Arioch is determined to teach the guy how to have a little fun with life. If he starts to fall for the human along the way, well, another human-demon pairing can only cause more chaos, which is definitely Ari’s specialty. Now he just has to convince Michael that although the two of them are polar opposites, they actually work perfectly together.

Michael:
Michael has been the dependable, practical older brother his entire life; he took the weight of the world on his shoulders when he was too young to realize how heavy the burden would be. If he can guarantee happiness for his siblings, that will be enough for him, even if all he can see in his own future is loneliness. However, when Michael realizes that someone from the afterlife lied to him and attempted to cause his family harm, he is determined to do something about it. With the help of a certain demon, maybe he can figure out who targeted his family and get a little revenge. He’ll just have to refrain from killing the demon that is messing up his perfectly ordered existence. When the cheerful prankster actually starts looking attractive to Michael, maybe he’ll finally step out of his comfort zone and find out how fun chaos can actually be.

Tags: Michael is serious about revenge, and Arioch isn’t serious about anything; opposites attract; maybe being impractical for once in his life won’t kill Michael (and if it does, at least he’ll have a demon to keep him company in the afterlife); meddling families are annoying; Michael has never done that before, but Arioch would be happy to show him how it all works.

• Publication date: October 30, 2023

• Print length: 246 pages

Review: Beauty and Bad Blood (Hunters Hollow Book 2) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4.5🌈

Arden Steele’s Hunter Hollow series continues with Beauty and Bad Blood. With some characters transplanted from the original series, Blackhaven Manor, we now have more paranormal stories about romance, mystery, and murder to get invested in.

This time, our new location is Hunters Hollow, owned by one of the Dragon siblings, and its township of mostly Otherlings. They tend to work for Ministry of Otherling Affairs in various fields. Now a new case has emerged and investigation team has been formed.

Among that team, newly arrived vampire, Agent Rogue. He’s among a team of MOA Otherlings agents assigned the task of finding what or who are killing young people , leaving them drained of blood.

Human Dylan Murray, true crime podcaster, is having a personal crisis. His best friend, Braeden, mate of nephillim Inspector Zarrik Cox, has been constantly telling him to come stay with them until he knows what he’s going to do next.

Two totally different personalities, one coffee shop, and one unassailable attraction. And several horrific murders to solve.

Steele’s narrative once again brings dramatic storylines to the fated mate trope. Dylan made an impression in Braeden’s book and he becomes an even more engaging, vulnerable character here. The author gives Dylan that layer of armor formed by parental negligence and emotional abuse that feels realistic along with a very real sense that he could still somehow get the love he wants.

Rogue’s backstory is not as fully explored but he’s a powerful character in the present. Especially as it pertains to his quickly evolving feelings towards Dylan.

Dylan’s reaction to Rogue and his actions, and how each handled their dynamics in developing their relationship was a good touch. Each side was open to communicating with each other and with other people. Absolutely beats the no communication approach in other situations.

I thought the mysteries and the murders were interesting but could have used further context or explanation. But that dramatic scene? Heart breaking, emotionally. No way around it.

Nothing that came later could take away from the power of that moment. And frankly, from there, everything was anticlimactic. I enjoyed the rest, but it was already over.

I can’t wait to see what and for who the next book is for. I’m sort of rooting for the new head elf Bastille. You never know. Steele keeps surprising me.

In the meantime, if you’re not already familiar with this universe, you can catch up by reading these in order . See below. Or go all in and go way back to the original series, read all nine books and join in the migration to Hunters Hollow!

I’m highly recommending them all.

Hunter’s Hollow:

✓ Angels and Anarchy #1

✓ Beauty and Bad Blood #2

Connected To:

Blackhaven Manor series-9 books

Blackhaven Manor9 booksArden Steele

Buy Link:

Beauty and Bad Blood (Hunters Hollow Book 2)

Blurb:

When a young woman turns up dead on the banks of the river with half her blood missing, vampires are the obvious suspects. Rogue Masters, however, doesn’t think the case is all that open and shut. As a special agent for the MOA Intelligence Division, it’s his job to find the truth. To do that, the last thing he needs is distractions.

So, of course, the most tempting distraction he’s ever seen strolls through the door of the local bakery, not just flipping the script, but rewriting it completely.

Stuck in a rut and drowning in his own insignificance, Dylan Murray needs a change. For starters, he needs to make a clean break from his selfish and demanding mother. It’s also probably a good time to swear off men, at least until he can get his life back on track. Spending some time in Hunters Hollow with his best friend is exactly what he needs to turn things around. The small town is quiet, a little boring, and completely free of the drama that plagued him in the city.

Now, if he can just stop thinking about a certain sexy vampire with penetrating eyes and a devilish smile, everything would be perfect.

Navigating the ups and downs of any new relationship is challenging. Doing so while searching for a killer will test more than just their commitment. When the worst happens, and Dylan joins the list of humans to mysteriously vanish from the French Quarter, Rogue will do whatever it takes to get his new mate back safely.

Even if that means becoming the very monster he’s meant to be hunting.

Review: Mind Scrambler by Ofelia Gränd

Rating: 3.75🌈

Mind Scramber is in the same universe/series as the wonderful Soul Eater and Ghost Dater. Where the other books involved the fated mates couple of mage Detective Thaddeus Ezax and werewolf ghost Sandulf Hunter, Mind Scrambler focuses on the boss of the Rockshade Paranormal Investigators Department, panther shifter Kol Jaecar.

Kol Jaecar has always presented himself as a dominant, formidable figure in the mixed team of beings that includes a psychic, shifters of several species, a mage and his ghostly mate. It’s a team that doesn’t always function well together with the different pack dynamics in play.

Gränd is able to bring a more complex picture of the personalities and the squad into the storyline here than was previously shown. Maybe that’s because the author was laying out the foundation for the universe and the characters. Elora, the psychic, becomes a more interesting and fully explored character here . We understand her reluctance in using her powers and how the shifters see her interactions with them in regard to their own power dynamics. It’s a great window into into both individuals.

The author opens up her universe and storytelling by enlarging her perspectives even as we meet Elora’s empath brother, Elijah.

He’s already in enormous danger and physical pain.

Trigger warnings for readers should include that this character has undergone extreme domestic abuse and violence, physical and psychological. He’s kidnapped and the implications are unclear for his future. For those readers who are uncomfortable about these issues, please take note.

Elijah has been written as someone who is fundamentally different from everyone else, even his twin. His empathy makes it difficult to tolerate the constant company of beings and their emotions pressing against him. Then pack on a history of abuse and little education of the paranormal species around him, and he becomes a traumatized victim in more than one way.

I thought that the characters and the mate relationship between Kol and Elijah was sensitively handled. Elijah couldn’t just fall immediately into an instant intimate relationship with Kol after the horrible abuse he’s endured under the ex he’s been hiding from. That would negate so much of the trauma and damage. So having it slowly grow made sense.

But I had issues with some of the other things that the author wrote into the narrative. Some felt like drama for drama’s sake. That (spoiler alert) second kidnapping was a bit of an eye roll in every way.

And for a group that’s a part of the Rockshade Paranormal Investigators Department, aka Paranormal police, there felt like very little procedural work going on. Especially when they were trying to find a certain person at the end. Some things were too easy to figure out. Had it been a tv show, I would have been throwing popcorn and shouting out the answer.

The drama there was the showdown in the Interrogation room where Elijah and Kol could have their say with the villain. That is what it was there for, exposition and dramatic moments.

Then came the epilogue.

I really liked the story but came away feeling there were quite a few loose ends that needed some work and explanations.

We are left not knowing what happened to certain important characters and certain magical abilities that were employed by the villain.

Is Ofelia Gränd going to follow up on these elements with another book? I don’t know and that’s more than a little frustrating.

So while I thought this was a better written story In some ways, with more well rounded characters, there were also some narrative elements that were not fully explored or characters that were left without closure.

Hopefully there’s another book to come along that will pick up where this one left off to answer some of these questions.

This author writes some really interesting stories and this is one of them. Pick it up, read the warnings, and enjoy.

Stories in this series:

✓ Soul Eater

✓ Ghost Dater

✓ Mind Scrambler

Buy Link:

Blurb:

Years ago, empath Elijah Long made a bad decision, and he is still paying for it. He’s kept hidden from his abusive werewolf ex for years, but when he wakes in a dark room, cuffed to a wall, he knows he’s out of luck. Elora, his psychic sister, will come for him, he just has to endure long enough to give her a chance to find him.

Captain Kol Jaecar of Rockshade’s Paranormal Investigations Department detests slow times at work, so when Elora wants time off to search for her brother, Kol treats it as if it’s a real case and starts an investigation. What he assumed was a brother not picking up when his sister called turns out to be something else.

Elijah experiences people’s emotions so strongly, it prohibits him from living a normal life. Spending time in the city is out of the question, yet it’s where Elora takes him once she finds him. Elijah does his best to keep his distance, especially from the growling man Elora brought to his rescue. Elijah will never make the mistake of getting close to a shifter again.

The moment Kol smells Elijah, he knows he’s his mate, but how to get close to someone who doesn’t want to be near you? The man who abused Elijah is still on the loose, and Kol calls in the entire team to hunt him down. But how are they to keep Elijah safe when he can’t be around people? And how will Kol stay sane if he can’t touch his mate?

• Publisher: JMS Books LLC (January 30, 2021)

• Publication date: January 30, 2021

• Print length: 198 pages

Review: Cair (Veiled City #1) by Eryn Hawk

Rating: 4.25🌈

Eryn Hawk is a new author for me so I was really curious to see what her Veiled City series was going to be like.

From the description, the LGBTQIA paranormal romance has many familiar themes that readers of this trope will recognize. The human raised by a single mother told to stay away from the Otherworldly side. He’s recently been dumped and is jobless and needs a new home as well.

The other main character is royalty, has made a promise he’ll regret, and will find his soulmate in the human.

That’s familiar in this genre. But Hawk has done some really interesting things with it in the book and series, enough that it makes the story and characters feel fresh and a narrative I could get connected to.

That cover gives the reader hints as to where Hawk is taking her Fae physically. I like a different approach to the Fae and this is certainly that. Cair is all about his physicality and approach he takes to the fact that his soulmate has shown up unexpectedly. I wish Hawk had spent as much time on deepening Cair’s history and how he has spent his time on this side as the author has building up Cair’s half brother Teighan.

I felt I actually had a better understanding of that brother than I did of Cair and his status within the family. The coloration, the sister, that all needed to be enlarged.

Luca was a great character from the beginning. Endearing, intelligent, curious, and written with a snarky dialogue with captures the attention of the reader, he’s quickly the most interesting character of the story.

Then, surprisingly, it’s Teighan, the half brother of the broken horn, sarcastic manner, and one way ticket out of the Fae family, that’s next in line for my favorite and invested emotional connection. Cair , the royal soulmate, and Alex, the human bff, fall in afterwards.

The story has a few formulaic elements , some wonderfully sexy and funny ones, and just a great romantic atmosphere overall.

Hawk plans for a lot more books so it’s hard to tell if some of the elements I found missing are ones the author intends to write into the novels in the future. The hints of danger towards the couple and the mystery about Luca’s past are all left hanging here.

I really enjoyed Cair and am looking forward to seeing what the next in Eryn Hawk’s Veiled City series brings. This is a definite recommendation for people who read fantasy or paranormal fiction and romance.

Veiled City:

✓ Cair #1

◦ Teighan #2

◦ Luca #3

Buy Link:

Cair: MM Paranormal Romance (Veiled City Book 1)

Blurb:

Twenty-five-year-old Luca Elliot lives in a city divided. The humans and the supernaturals mostly keep to their own kind, but Luca—curious and desperate for work—crosses the border and finds himself employed by a tall, stupidly handsome Fae with killer horns. He should be intimidated, but instead, Luca is utterly captivated. Falling for the boss is a bad idea though, right?

Cair Haryk is only a visitor to the human world and, between his position in the Fae kingdom and a bargain he made years ago, he can never remain. He’s content with that until he meets Luca—his soulmate—and hires him to work in his high-end lounge. Cair tries to guard his heart, but fate has other plans and, despite his best intentions, he falls for the pretty little human. Hard.

Luca can’t enter the Fae realm, and Cair’s time in the mortal lands is drawing to an end, so while the attraction between them is irresistible, their situation is impossible. They can’t be together. It’s tragedy and heartbreak just waiting to happen.

Isn’t it?

CAIR is a MM paranormal romance with spice, size difference, and soulmates. It features a lovable human trying to find his place in the supernatural world, and a secretive Fae who’s not as detached as he pretends to be. CAIR is first in the VEILED CITY series, which is best read in order due to the overarching plot. Each book focuses on its own pair and their HEA.

If you want to know more about this story’s tropes, kinks and warnings, visit my Instagram (authorerynhawk) for a full content list—or check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

No mpreg.

Review: Angels and Anarchy (Hunters Hollow, #1) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4.25🌈

If you’re a fan of this author and the series, Blackhaven Manor, or if you just enjoy an entertaining paranormal mystery, then this is the book for you.

It’s a terrific otherworldly thriller with a fated mates romance that has characters from that connected universe and references dramatic events that saw the creation of Hunters Hollow.

Now that one of the three Maddock dragon siblings has established a town and new hotel called Hunters Hollow as a sanctuary for the otherworldly community, the author is set to place a new set of fated mates romances inside the warded township and hotel.

It starts with Angels and Anarchy and a serial killer on the loose. A dead vampire Councilman brings together human waiter/bartender Braeden Burke and nephilim Detective Zarrik Cox . One as a witness , the other as an investigator.

Steele does an excellent job in defining the characters, their personalities, the magical bond that makes them gravitate towards each other, and the messy investigation that follows the murder.

I normally have a issue with couples that don’t communicate but, as friends and family point out, on top of an immediate bond, there’s a serial killer racking up the body count that’s taking up most of Zarrik’s time.

I wish that Braeden had been more open to the idea of therapy than he was, considering that as written, he comes across as severely traumatized by his experience. That was dropped as an element and not addressed again, a weak point here in an individual who has a number of great qualities.

In fact, Steele has potentially so many wonderful storylines threaded in here that not all could be fully realized or explored in the length given. I can only hope that the author will pick them up in the books to come.

The relationship ,once the communication ,begins is wonderful, the chemistry is warm and believable. They make a terrific couple.

The mystery, the dramatic finale, is exactly what you want to see and what the author delivers. With a bit of an unexpected twist.

I can’t wait for the next one in the series. Im definitely recommending Angels and Anarchy (Hunters Hollow, #1) by Arden Steele, it’s a winner.

Hunter’s Hollow:

✓ Angels and Anarchy #1

◦ Beauty and Bad Blood #2

Connected To:

Blackhaven Manor series-9 books

Blackhaven Manor9 booksArden Steele

Buy Link:

Angels and Anarchy (Hunters Hollow Book 1)

Blurb:

Slinging drinks in New Orleans’ French Quarter isn’t the most glamorous job, but Braeden Burke loves the lights, the music, and the excitement. As a long-time believer—even before Otherlings had waltzed out of the paranormal closet—spending his nights flirting with gorgeous werewolves and smooth-talking vampires isn’t exactly a chore. His life is easy, colorful, and for the most part, free of drama.

Until fate throws him a curveball.

It was supposed to be his day off. Instead, Zarrik Cox is called in to investigate the murder of a high-ranking member of the Ministry of Otherling Affairs. Tracking down the only witness to the crime is easy. Discovering the vulnerable human is his mate is a complication he wasn’t expecting.

He might be a nephilim, but he’s no angel, and he’s damn sure no one’s savior. But with a killer on the loose, and Braeden caught in the crosshairs, there’s no limit to how far he’ll go to keep his new mate safe.

Review: Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel) by Andy Gallo

Rating: 4.5🌈

Spell It Out is less a prequel but more a side story to the wonderful Mages and Matea series by Andy Gallo. This dives into a great couple of teachers at a interspecies high school connected to the university central to the series. Here mage Dylan Jurgenson, cousin to Bart Hollen (Break The Spell), has found out that he’s one of the teacher chaperones on the high school camping trip this year. Each year he’s managed to evade the duty by passing it off to another, like his cousin. But this time, Bart’s busy, so he has no other option. And math teacher , Minotaur shifter Xavier Tollis, is going as well.

Those are the basic facts. With the characters in place, Gallo begins to give us a lovely romantic story, filled with all the details that come with new relationship building, the discovery and discussions, and the joy. That Xavier and Dylan have young teenagers in their charge too adds a wonderful dimension. Gallo allows the kids a youthful energy and enthusiasm that makes the adults feel even more connected.

There are some fantastic teens here with their own issues, some of which coincide with that of Dylan’s poor self esteem. And there are other storylines about family, child neglect, and pack culture. All woven together into a story that has romances, humor, teenage angst , adult drama , mate bonding, and HEA.

Im hoping to see more of this couple together in the series, especially as Bart makes an appearance here. They are both really great characters and have such warmth about them. Actually I’d love to see the students too.

Novellas like Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel) by Andy Gallo just wet my imagination and enthusiasm for the series and characters I meet. It makes me want to go back to the beginning and start reading again.

This is a definite recommendation. So is the series. It’s listed below.

Mages and Mates:

✓ Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel)

✓ Break The Spell #1

✓ It Spells Trouble #2

◦ Under A Spell #3 – March 26,2024

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Spell-O…Spell it Out: An MM Paranormal Romance Novella (Mages and Mates)

Blurb:

Sometimes success is a matter of life or death.

Dylan Jurgenson hates camping but is stuck chaperoning his practical magic class on their fieldtrip. Worse, he’s bunking with sexy math teacher Xavier Tollis. You know, the hot Minotaur shifter who barely knows Dylan exists. Not that Xavier’s lack of interest comes as any surprise. Who’d be interested in a mediocre mage, anyway?

Xavier can handle crazy teens and camping. Who he’d like to handle is the cute mage giving him morning wood so often he could build a house. Unfortunately, even in human form Xavier scares Dylan. Minotaurs have terrible reputations and even worse track records in love. Who’d be crazy enough to take a chance on a big guy like him, anyway?

Just when Dylan and Xavier are finally moving beyond their insecurities and misunderstandings, two students disappear under mysterious circumstances. Working together, they put their newfound feelings and lives on the line to save their wayward charges.

Failure is not an option but playing hero can sure have unintended consequences.

Review: Hellhounds Never Lie (Willow Lake Supernaturals, #1) by Lori Ames

Rating: 4🌈

Hellhounds Never Lie is the first in a new series, Willow Lake Supernaturals, by Lori Ames, an author I’m not really familiar with. I really enjoyed getting acquainted with her writing with Hellhounds Never Lie. It’s location is the town of

Willow Lake, a mixture of humans and supernaturals living together, albeit unknowingly by the small group of humans. It’s considered a haven for supernaturals, a safe sanctuary for all , regardless of pack or political affiliation.

Into this comes a badly wounded fire mage looking for a new home. This is Ash, whose escape from a criminal ex, and a DV and DA situation , has left him with scars inside and out. Ash is a lovely character and one easily invested in.

Ames has created an entire community of characters here to carry over from book to book. Alpha werewolf without a pack that’s part of the entire series arc, a Hellhound police captain, a cat whose supernatural identity isn’t revealed, and on it goes. So many magical hijinks afoot here, especially in the bar that’s the watering hole and gathering place for the town.

Dillon, the new Hellhound the arrives seeking Willow Lake, but ends up a misdirected at the beginning, is also a good character. He fit in well with a wounded fire mage and they have great chemistry. It makes the fated maté’s aspect easy to accept.

Some of the elements here by Ames just telegraph their intentions too easily. As in certain characters might as well have narrative red arrows above them pointing downward saying “bad guy, something wrong here”. So when at the point in the storyline they , gasp, show up as , well, bad, you’re not surprised. That’s why the ratings not higher.

But Ames is able to make a reader feel connected to the town and enough of the characters that, even with the predictable aspects of the plot and some minor characters, the enjoyment isn’t lost. Plus I’m curious about Ash’s best friend on the other side of those texts and he gets the next novel! And there is the ongoing mystery left to solve.

So I’m definitely invested in this series and author going forward. The DV/DA (off page) was handled with sensitivity and the mystery is good. I like the characters and the relationships as they develop. So onward to the next!

And a definite recommendation for this!

Willow Lake Supernaturals:

✓ Hellhounds Never Lie #1

◦ Wolves Always Bite #2 – Nov 1, 2023

Buy Link:

Hellhounds Never Lie: MM Paranormal Romance (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 1)

Blurb:

A mage without magic. A hellhound without a home. A greedy wolf pack in the hills.

Ash is technically a fire mage, but he can’t do much. Turning his bedroom lights on and off without having to get out of bed isn’t exactly awe inspiring, not when anyone with the right gadget could clap and do the same thing.

Worse, sometimes he senses something bigger and brighter lurking under his skin, and it feels so familiar he knows it has to be his magic, but then he burps or sneezes, and the feeling passes. So it’s probably just allergies… or gas.

Yeah… Not exactly brimming with magical oomph. Not anymore.

It sucks.

But things start to change when he finds Dillon, a hellhound, being chased through the woods by an angry wolf pack. He is instantly smitten and it’s like something inside him unlocks. What’s even crazier is Dillon seems to think Ash still has magic… and now Ash isn’t sure what to believe.

What he does know is he’ll do what needs to be done to protect his friends and the little supernatural town of Willow Lake from the dirtbag wolves in the hills. Even with his magic on the fritz he can help, right? And, with Dillon at his side, what could possibly go wrong?

Tags: a hellhound looking for a home, a fire mage without magic, a talking cat, a small town full of supernatural beings, size difference (BIG hellhound, small mage), fated mates, Ash has scars inside and out, Dillon wants to hurt people who hurt Ash, Ash is always cold (hello, big fluffy pink sweaters even in summer), and a curious human BFF who knows nothing about supes but has a very active imagination.

Review: It Spells Trouble (Mages and Mates #2) by Andy Gallo

Rating: 4.5🌈

The second in Andy Gallo’s Mages and Mates series, It Spells Trouble picks up after the events of the first book. There we met the renowned Hollen family, one of the world’s most powerful group of mages. That book set the series theme of a Great Group of Guardians made up of a certain kind of mage/fated mate pairing, one that’s in need of replacing the current ancient pair with a new one.

Mage Jannick Pederson is half brother to Mage Bartholomew Hollen of book one. We met Jan there and got to know him, along with his troubled background and impetus personality.

Here we see the growth and maturity those events have brought on and get a new understanding of the man we barely knew. Gallo also provides a deeper perspective into the Hollen family dynamics and Jan’s relationship within their inner circle.

The framework of the story is a frightening one. Human children are being kidnapped and the reasons are unknown. Magic is at work here. So mages are needed to track down the missing.

Gallo introduces a new faction of paranormal beings, Gryphons and a conservative pack that has become a nightmare for those who live under it. It’s a relevant aspect of a fantasy world.

Gryphon shifter Conall Arwan is assigned by the Alpha, his father, to help Jan investigate the kidnappings. Conall is another layered, fantastic character as is Jan and each forms a strong bond with this investigation.

Gallo dives into the juxtaposition of families, issues of loyalty and obedience, and heritage and identity here with these two beings. All that laid next to an investigation into missing children and the dangers they may represent.

I was absolutely into this story and their relationship. Several times I was reaching for a couple of tissues.

This series and theme has me hooked. Plus love those covers!

If you’re a fan of fantasy, fated mates, and great world building, Andy Gallo has a series for you.

One I’m definitely recommending.

Mages and Mates:

✓ Break The Spell #1

✓ It Spells Trouble #2

◦ Under A Spell #3 – March 26,2024

Buy Link :

It Spells Trouble: An MM Paranormal Romance (Mages and Mates Book 2)

Blurb:

Mage Jannick Pederson thought it was a simple assignment: help the gryphon leader find some missing human children and then go home. A noble cause, even if he didn’t much like the abrasive jerk. So why didn’t someone tell him he’d be working closely with the leader’s son instead? That hot piece of perfection could make even happily-single Jannick give up his no-strings-attached ways.

Gryphon shifter Conall Arwan has simple goals for his life: get his PhD in pediatric shifter social work and stay off the radar of his disapproving father. When his father orders him to work with a hot but arrogant mage to find missing human kids, all Conall sees is how it pushes back his graduation date. Again. And even if the mage unexpectedly turns out to be not so bad—and maybe even a little sweet—there’s still no future for them. Conall’s dad has plans for him and they don’t include getting involved with a sexy, infuriating mage.

But fate has other ideas.

It Spells Trouble is a 75K word fated mates romance with a hearty dose of steam and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. This book is part of the Mages and Mates series and includes a plot to destroy the world, a desperate decision with far-reaching consequences, and one pissed off gryphon father.

Each book in the series can be read alone, but they are better read in order.

Review: Wild Fire (Drake Security #3) by Mika Nix

Rating: 4.75🌈

This series just got immeasurably better. Wild Fire, the third in this series about a clutch of dragonshifter brothers finding their fated mates, is my favorite to date.

It’s not that I find the authors, K.M. Neuhold and Mia Monroe, have just written two really fascinating characters, it’s that I don’t remember reading anything that resembles them in another book before. And that’s even more compelling here.

A dragon who’s uncaring about assembling his own hoard , and thrives in the cities and masses away from the smothering isolation of his brothers. And a wolfshifter who has a compulsion to amass a hoard , who needs his space away from his pack, who’s more interested in his own world than his pack’s. A yin looking for their yang.

This switch in characteristics is unexpected and so narratively rewarding.

It makes for a sensational journey or hunt when both Arson Drake and Draydon start on their remarkable continental quest for art treasures and find themselves falling into a surprising relationship with each other. One that carries definite overtones of Romeo and Juliet, as dragons and wolves are enemies up to this stage.

The two person perspective works so well as Arson and Draydon fight the attraction that pulls them together from country to country, their inner beasts empowering their decisions as well. The authors writing as Nix have given the reader two powerfully defined beings that are unique and unable to stay apart. And are trying to explain to themselves why, and if it even matters anymore.

Anything outside of that narratively has to come across as being less interesting because of how rich and powerful these two are.

The elements with the vampires are necessary for being the tool to bring the Montagues and Capulets together, I mean , dragons and wolves , but it comes across as just that. A narrative tool.

Could have been anything, unless it’s going to be included in another story.

Which is set up here by bringing in a new character and younger brother from another “clutch” who’s in trouble.

Interesting but there’s still a couple of unmatched brothers from the original group needing mates. Guess Lord and Tino will have to wait.

Anyway, Wild Fire (Drake Security #3) by Mika Nix is a sure fire winner. Fabulous characters, marvelously plotted romance, and twisted personality traits I really appreciated.

It helps to read the series in order to understand the characters, the events, and the relationships. Lake especially. He’s so over the top divine!

Highly recommended!❤️

Drake Security:

✓ Hot Head #1

✓ Smoulder #2

✓ Wild Fire #3

Buy Link:

Wild Fire (Drake Security Book 3)

Description:

He’s my nemesis, my rival, and the man I can’t get out of my head. We may be star-crossed but there’s enough heat between us to start a wildfire.

I’ve never been one to follow the rules, but sleeping with a wolf shifter might be over the line, even for me. So, why can’t I get him out of my head? Or his scent out of my nose. Even on the other side of the world, I swear I can still smell him.

Everyone has a hobby, mine just happens to be stealing from the rich and powerful to give back to the rightful owners. A native art exhibit in Sydney is the last place I expected to see Draydon again. I can’t shake the feeling that he’s here for the same reason I am… and here I thought larceny couldn’t get any more fun.

I’m a dragon without a proper hoard and he’s too jaded to even trust his own pack. But we’ve already lit a fire that’s getting out of hand.

Stealing Draydon’s heart might be my most impossible heist yet.