Tag: first in a series

Review: Haunted Hearts (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 1) by K Sterling

Rating: 4.5🌈

K Sterling’s series The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club is a wonderful strange world to tumble into. For starters, it exists. Bisbee, Arizona is a real place. That knowledge alone sent me running to google as much as I could about a place that is as descriptively beautiful, narratively haunting, and just outright fascinating as you might imagine. The photographs made me want to take the next plane out to see it for myself.

With that rich, historic haunted town as both a backdrop and foundation, Sterling populates it with some great characters, of equal degrees of emotional depth and haunted backstories. The Bisbee Batchelor s Club. Stories written about the single men of the queer friendly, hippy artsy former copper mining town.

And it starts with one of the most emotionally haunted man of them all,

Cace Talbot. Surrounded by his son and close friends, it’s still not enough to keep the pain away from losing his soul mate, the man who left him and the town to pursue his art. Cace is still struggling and Sterling make him easy to understand and relate to.

Especially when the man he’s been trying to forget returns to town. That’s Laurence “Lorrie” Nixon, who’s come back after 25 years away.

There’s a realistic look at the years these men have lost. It’s a true bittersweet element that runs through their reunion and reconnecting relationship. Discussions over what might have been, the children they should have had, the moments lost they will never get, it’s so sad in those moments when they are sharing memories , painful, and heartbreaking. It’s twenty-five years of love and loss and longing that they know could have been theirs but wasn’t. This aspect is there even as they decide to go forward because it’s ingrained into who they’ve become.

I love that Sterling is able to build this not only into the storyline but into their characters too. It makes the depth of their bond even more believable.

The murder mystery that runs along side the romance rebuilding is good but strangely just a secondary storyline. It never feels like a main theme. I liked how it plays out, but wanted a little bit more details and depth to the investigation until the reveal. It was all a bit pat for me.

But the relationship between Lorrie and Cace? That was emotional and heartfelt. And adding in all the found family members around them was perfect.

I’m onto the next. I’m absolutely sold on the town and these characters. And I’m a fan of the author, so I’m thrilled to gave a new series to binge.

I’m happily recommending Haunted Hearts (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 1) by K Sterling. Enjoy!

The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club:

✓ Haunted Hearts #1

◦ Moonlight & Madness #2

◦ Unhappy Medium #3

◦ Grave Expectations #4

◦ Riddles & Rivals #5

◦ Shadows & Reservations #6

◦ Heart & Soulless #7

◦ Specters & Sparks #8

Buy Link

Haunted Hearts (The Bisbee Bachelors’ Club Book 1)

Blurb:

There are worse things haunting Cace Talbot than the ghosts inhabiting his beloved hometown. Hidden in Arizona’s Mule Mountains, Bisbee was small in a cozy way and just casually haunted with specters from its wild and sometimes dark past. Then, Laurence “Lorrie” Nixon returns after breaking Cace’s heart twenty-five years earlier and the town becomes too small and the memories a lot scarier.

Lorrie’s waited long enough and is determined to win Cace back no matter how hard he has to grovel. He’s already got his work cut out for him when a pair of copycat killings with echoes from Bisbee’s past cast suspicion Lorrie’s way. Lorrie turns to Cace and their band of childhood friends for help solving the brutal murders.

Cace doesn’t want to see his first love accused of a gruesome crime he didn’t commit but that doesn’t mean he’s letting Lorrie Nixon back into his life. At least, that’s what Cace says. His body on the other hand… Can Cace help find a killer without getting caught up in the memories and the pull of Lorrie’s lips?

Review: Fated Mates and How to Woo Them (Fated Mates #1) by A. J. Sherwood

Rating: 4🌈

The Fated Mates duology (at the moment) is a weird one. Primarily due to the fact that the books were written and released out of order. So book two, Fated Mates and Where to Find Them , Zander and Max’s romance, preceded this one. And it felt like we were missing out on important things, like foundation history and grounding within a universe framework.

While not complete, Sherwood delivers more of the detailed layering about the VSP, true mates, and a certain matchmaker that was absent from book two. It helps make the story. This and really delightful characters who have wonderful chemistry with each other.

I actually enjoyed them and their story better because I got who they were, their backgrounds, and Sherwood made me believe in their instant connection and hot chemistry.

Chase, the overly extended, pushed to his physical and mental limits grad student, is so well defined. He is over scheduled, too many responsibilities, isn’t sleeping, and he’s exhausted. He may come across as young, and naive but always kind. Definitely not an “air head”, a term that has always carried a note of derision along with it. Tbh, I was surprised to see it in the tags/description.

Ronan, a vampire of many interests and talents, is a perfect choice for Chase. I enjoyed his pursuit of Chase and Ronan’s twin brother, who clearly needs his own story. Ronan is a great character all his own, from his interests in mechanics and racing to his interactions with Father, he has layers to go with Chase’s.

Their story is 153 pages but it could easily have been much longer or even have a sequel of their own.

I’m definitely recommending Fated Mates and How to Woo Them (Fated Mates #1) by A. J. Sherwood . It’s a delightful paranormal romance and has a wonderful couple of fated mates at its heart.

Fated Mates:

✓ Fated Mates and How to Woo Them #1

✓ Fated Mates and Where to Find Them #2

Buy Link:

Fated Mates and How to Woo Them

Blurb:

Chase is crazy busy behind the scenes at the fraternity get together, so when an alumni comes in, he just notes a hot man in his vicinity and goes right back to work.

When Ronan gets hurt, and Chase feeds him, Chase’s reaction opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Ones that Ronan wants to explore.

Is Chase compatible with vampires? Or could he possibly be something more?

Tags:

Vampire story, same universe as Max and Zander, because yes the plot bunnies absolutely ran wild with this one, I am not in charge of this trainwreck, just along for the ride like you are, Chase has his airheaded moments, there is absolutely no chill where Ronan is concerned, bad guys have human sacrifice written all over them, whole story is mindless violence and fluff, sorry not sorry for this

• Publisher: (December 8, 2023)

• Publication date: December 8, 2023

• Print length: 153 pages

Review: You, Again (The Elmwood Stories 1) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

You, Again is the first in Lane Hayes heartwarming, contemporary romance series set In Elmwood, Vermont. This is another case of me running back to the beginning of a series after reading the second book, Next Season, and falling into love

with the town and characters.

Delightfully, You, Again, just reinforces all my impressions that Hayes has carefully crafted with the previous book, having left such a warmhearted and deeply happy memory of this series and town.

It’s got Vermont with all its small town charm and northern beauty, especially with its rich history and traditions. Then folds that in with hockey, at every level. From the famous NHL D-man reluctantly retiring from a game he passionately loves to return home for reasons he’s not even aware. Then the local ice rink and junior hockey teams with their tag team coaching, it’s all there realistically on the page. The kids pushing on ice, raw and full of energy but maybe not talent, using whatever equipment available, for the love of a game that defies age and skill and background. Hayes’ writing has this element richly jumping off the pages , off the ice and into our hearts. Along with the returning recently retired hockey god, Vinnie Kempinski, 36, trying to make amends and find a future.

Nolan the man Vinnie left behind, Ronnie who is Vinnie’s old friend and Nolan’s brother ,and MK, Ronnie’s daughter, all are amazing characters. Nolan especially as he’s been the one to shoulder the burdens of a family and the bitterness of a career left behind.

Hayes’ narrative has to rebuild relationships by revealing old ones and replacing them with new structures that have new truths for all involved. This is an emotional story and journey for both men. The fear on Vinnie’s side for his sexuality revelation, his coming out late in life feels believable.

This was the foundation for Next Season which is still my favorite of the series but I very much loved the characters and journey here to HEA. I’m hoping that the author has quite a few more stories planned for Elmwood. It’s a fabulous place to visit.

The Elmwood Stories:

✓ You, Again #1

✓ Next Season #2

◦ Holiday Crush #3 – Dec 10, 2023

Buy Link:

You, Again: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 1)

Blurb:

The hometown hockey hero and his best friend’s brother…

Vinnie

Hockey is in my blood. I learned to skate before I learned how to ride a bike. I’ve been on a wild ride, playing at the highest level for some of the biggest and best teams in the league. But now it’s over, and I’m not sure what to do with myself.

So I’m going home to Elmwood.

But I’ll tell you what I’m not gonna do—I’m not going to coach my buddy’s junior hockey league. No chance. I don’t know how to deal with kids, and besides, the other coach—who happens to be my best friend’s brother—hates me. With reason.

That may be old news, yet something tells me we’re going to have to deal with the past.

And that’s almost as scary as coaching teens.

Nolan

No, I don’t hate Vinnie, but he drives me nuts.

He’s cocky, goofy, selfish, and yeah…after all these years, I’m still attracted to him. But I’m a responsible adult now. I run my family’s business, and with the help of my ex, I’ve made Elmwood Diner into a New England institution.

So maybe my life isn’t particularly exciting at the moment, and maybe Vinnie isn’t the worst. Nonetheless, I have no desire to rekindle a friendship with the hockey hero who no doubt will be on the first flight out of town the second he gets bored or gets a better offer.

And I’m not coaching with him. No way.

Ugh…

I can’t believe I’m doing this again.

You, Again is an MM bisexual, best friend’s brother, frenemies to lovers romance featuring old friends, a new quest, and a little hockey HEA!

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: 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: Break the Spell (Mages and Mates #1) by Andy Gallo

Rating: 4.5🌈

Andy Gallo’s Break The Spell is such a great introduction to this author’s writing if you’re not familiar with his work already. The first in a new fantasy series, Mages and Mates, it’s full of fully realized characters, an amazing world who’s foundation of magical powers and knowledge appears to be expanding with each new story, and a dark exciting mystery that’s an overall arc for the series.

Did I say sexy as well? Yes, it’s that too.

I really appreciated that it seems to start with a shocking scene that introduces us to Bartholomew Hollen, one of THE mage family Hollens, powerful, wealthy, and at the center of all things magical. At least in Philadelphia.

Gallo will expand on who Bart is, his role in the Hollen family, the famous Utrecht University, and as a mage worldwide. We get slowly lead into it as events allow. That lets the author reveal more of Bart’s character, personality, and history. It’s a fantastic way to develop the story and character together.

And it works not only for Bart but for the elf Caelinus Reinhold, who’s arrived in Philadelphia from Chicago to become the professor of creative magic at Utrecht University. His character becomes entwined with that of Bart’s almost immediately.

Gallo builds the suspense and mystery through various scenes and storylines. It’s in past histories and seen through current events. And while that arc’s mystery thread is being explored, Gallo is also building the relationship between a fearful Bart and Cael, whose feelings have him trying to figure out how to make Bart take a chance on them both.

The university, the Hollen family members, and magical powers are included in the fabric of this storyline that are fantastically creative elements.

Is there a resolution? Only to the couple’s scenario here. The overall arc mystery rolls forward. The ending came about a tad suddenly for me and was the only reason this didn’t earn the full five stars.

I’m heading to the next book and highly recommending you start here if you’re a lover of fantasy novels and magical romance. This has tons of both and won’t disappoint!

Mages and Mates:

✓ Break The Spell #1

◦ It Spells Trouble #2

◦ Under A Spell #3 – March 26,2024

Buy Link :

Break the Spell: An MM Paranormal Romance (Mages and Mates Book 1)

Blurb:

Bartholomew Hollen, professor of defensive magic at Utrecht University, just wanted a no strings, no feelings, no attachment hook up. Nothing messy like when his ex-boyfriend tried to feed him to a demon. Bart’s heart, however, has other ideas. But when he has a vision of the future and sees his hookup dying at his feet from yet another demon, Bart does the only sensible thing – he sneaks out like a thief in the night.

Not like he’ll see the guy again.

Caelinus Reinhold has done something no elf has done before – become the professor of creative magic at Utrecht University. His first day should be magical, except Cael can’t stop thinking about the hot mage he hooked up with the night before who then snuck out while he slept. Whatever. His loss.

He’ll never see the jerk again, anyway.

Things get awkward fast when the department assigns Bart to be Cael’s mentor. Despite their rocky start, neither can deny that Fate wants them together. But Bart’s premonitions all end in tragedy for the pair. No matter how he tries to change the future, Cael is always a casualty. How can Bart follow his heart when Cael’s death is sure to break it?

Review: The Human’s Incubus: A Brinnswick Story 1 by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4🌈

I really enjoy Michele Notaro’s work so I immediately picked up her release, The Human’s Incubus: A Brinnswick Story 1 . It’s the first in a new series but one that’s connected with two of her other larger series, and shared universe . Those would be the Ellwood Chronicles and Brinnswick Chronicles world.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve read any of those books, but I will be after meeting some of the characters who crossed over from there into this story to help out our main characters.

That would be Hugo, a human with an angst-filled history and Zaos, an incubus with an emotional backstory who’s determined that Hugo is his viramore, his soulmate.

Unlike Michele Notaro’s The Magi Accounts series which I’m reading and throughly in love with, this isn’t the dark fiction that is. While it does contain hints about Zay’s horrific childhood, that’s all it’s got. See the author’s trigger warning. It does seem it’s more from the narrative in another series.

And that’s a bit of an issue as far as the world building goes. That the knowledge of the world is assumed because of the other series. There’s enough of a framework to fill in some necessary details but the overall structure isn’t quite there.

Does it spoil a terrific story? No. I loved getting to know Hugo and Zay, watching them navigate their way through Hugo’s problems, the idea of their bond, Zaos’ large family, and their (much needed) interference in their lives here.

I can’t wait for the next story and chapter in their relationship to be released. That will be The Human’s Heart (A Brinnswick Story Book 2). No date as yet.

Until then I’ll be heading back to pull up on the connected series and the universe I missed out on.

I’m definitely recommending this to all fans of the author and fantasy fiction.

A Brinnswick Story series:

✓ The Human’s Incubus #1

◦ The Human’s Heart #2 – TBD

Trigger warnings:

“Mentions of past child abuse/ sexual abuse (nothing on page).”

— The Human’s Incubus: A Brinnswick Story 1 by Michele Notaro

Buy Link:

The Human’s Incubus: A Brinnswick Story 1

Blurb:

When an incubus tells you he’s your soulmate, do you stay and listen or run and never look back?

I’ve spent most of my life knowing that supernatural creatures exist but never really interacting with any, so my knowledge of them is limited. Still, who would’ve thought a demisexual incubus was a thing?

Well apparently, not only is it a thing, but I have one who claims to be my soulmate—or viramore, as he calls it. And now he has it in his head that he’s going to save me from my past.

I think he might have a few screws loose, but something about him intrigues me, and I find myself drawn into his orbit. Could he be telling the truth? Could he really be my soulmate? Or should I be running from him the way I’m running from my enemies?

The Human’s Incubus is the first book in A Brinnswick Story series and is a MM paranormal romance. This series takes place in the Ellwood Chronicles and Brinnswick Chronicles world, but it’s not necessary to read those series first in order to enjoy this one.

Review: Like I Promised (Heather Bay, #1) by Charlie Novak

Rating: 4.5🌈

In Heather Bay, Charlie Novak has the beginnings of a truly lovely, location centric contemporary romance series. The location itself, a historic community, complete with castle, on the cliffs of Heather Bay, is rich in scenic beauty and steeped in the aged community buildings and families.

The first story has a base of two old childhood friends and first loves whose romance was broken apart by the doubts and fears of their teenage years and stress of one headed off to college in York. The death of a beloved grandmother, the need to renovate the cottage inherited by the grandson that left for college and rarely returned, yields up a warmhearted, beautifully written romance. One that’s about second chances and the joy of finding comfort in coming home to the friends and lover you’ve always known yourself to have been missing.

The characters, the close circle of unique personalities that make up old childhood friendships and new members to this tight group, are so well defined. We feel like we know them at the end.

I enjoy a romance where the author takes an adult approach to a relationship. Here the men acknowledge early on that the anguish caused each other by their actions years ago was primarily due to their teenage fears , lack of communication that each was responsible for.

How refreshing. They talk as adults as their friends advise them to and move on. Love this.

Low angst? Yes. But does it make sense or make the storytelling less engaging? No. There’s plenty of elements here to keep the reader interested and invested in their lives and that of the community.

I especially thought that of Oliver’s work, and trying to see if he could get his company to agree to a different work environment was on point of discussions these days. And Lane’s issues with his contractors felt pretty realistic and grounded him firmly within his profession and his crew.

I could picture these men, this small community of people so clearly because Novak has made them such a great compelling center for emotional history and a wealth of relationships going forward.

I’m really excited to see where this series goes next. I’m highly recommending it !

Heather Bay series :

Like I Promised #1

Like I Wished #2

Like I Needed #3

Like I Pretended #4

Like I Wanted #5 – Sept 28,2023

Buy Link:

Like I Promised (Heather Bay Book 1)

Blurb:

Falling for my childhood sweetheart wasn’t part of the plan.

Moving back to Heather Bay wasn’t on Oliver’s agenda for the summer, but after inheriting a cottage in dire need of renovation he doesn’t have much choice. Supervising the builders should be easy… except the man in charge is Oliver’s childhood best friend and ex-boyfriend.

Lane’s spent nine years desperately trying to forget his first love, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasising about Oliver in every spare moment once he discovers Oliver’s back in town. Falling into bed together isn’t supposed to mean anything, even if Lane’s emotions feel too big to be ignored.

Being drawn to each other is one thing, but being stuck together after disaster strikes the renovations is another. The pull of the past is strong but Oliver and Lane have been down this road before. This time they’ll need to learn from their mistakes so they can finally keep their promises.

Like I Promised is a steamy second-chance contemporary MM romance featuring former childhood sweethearts, interfering friends, questionable barbecues, a very lazy collie, cosy coffee shops, and secret beaches.

Review: Dearly & Deviant Daniel (Dearly and The Departed #1) by L.A. Kaye

Rating: 3.75🌈

Dearly & Deviant Daniel is the first in a new series, Dearly and The Departed, by L.A. Kaye. Centered firmly in the popular trope of main characters who’re able to see and converse with the dead/newly departed, Kaye’s MC is Mortician Keir Dearly, of Dearly & Son Mortuary, a business that’s been handed down through generations of Dearly men.

He’s been able to see and talk to the dead since his teens, a fact he’s kept to himself. Naturally. Unfortunately, since he’s always in the mortuary, there’s dead people ready to talk to him and ask for favors constantly.

Which happens when a particularly nasty person dies and asks Keir to help his brother stay out of the prison . Seems that the dead man has framed his brother for things he regrets but definitely not murder.

That’s the basic premise of the story.

Around that Kaye needs to build her storyline,as well as fill in the paranormal background , all the weird characters, and continue with the growing relationships that started within the narrative.

Is the author successful? Only partially. The world building has the feeling of jumbled assembly. As a reader, I’m just getting into the interesting aspects of the historical paranormal history and foundations being setup but instead of continuing to explore the universe being laid out, the opposite happens. The narrative breaks here and there , so only bits and pieces are visible, or it opens gaps where elements disappear all together.

A mysterious helper arrives, background of which is constantly changing. A grandfather appears in an unexpected place and just as quickly disappears. His supportive role diminished when it is explained that it’s really a portent of darkness coming. So why not embellish it ? Why allow this to dribble narratively away? It’s elements like this that add up to storyline with issues.

There’s the odd physical descriptions. Forty-ish, Keir describes himself as tall, thin, of the whitish skin, with brown hair and ice blue eyes. An appearance typical of someone, he thinks, you associate with the mortuary and dead. He very much resembles all the Dearly men. Sounds a bit on the vampire/ghoul side. Not even a hint that’s he’s remotely attractive. But the other main character insists Keir is insanely hot. That’s so odd because the author hasn’t put in the groundwork for this. He’s kind, compassionate, and intelligent. Insanely hot? Nope, haven’t done the paperwork on that.

Mechanic Dashiell Clegg and his dead dreadful brother are weak points here. Not sure why Kaye called Daniel deviant outside of the need for a cute name. Dead Daniel is reprehensible. A man who thought nothing of betraying everyone around him, framing his brother, putting others into danger, a sexual predator, oddly he now decides to save his living brother he supposedly hates and has setup makes zero sense. Especially when he’s still a manipulative dead mess throughout the book. Great smarmy character though. Dashiell is younger hotheaded mechanic who borders on the TSTL character. When in doubt, run off into dangerous situations without telling anyone then be surprised at the obvious consequences. SMH.

When Keir has a chance to date two people, a great detective and Dashiell, I started rooting for the detective.

What saves Dearly & Deviant Daniel is the side storylines, those of the dearly departed of lesser characters . Some are funny, some grim, and one had me outright sobbing, it was so well written that the pain, regret , and bitter loss was overwhelming. That was believable and raw.

I wish the main characters and theme had showcased more of that aspect and emotion.

I’m onto the next to see what happens after the cliffhanger this ends on. A strange one that again made absolutely zero sense.

Read this for the fun of the trope, and the beauty of those small scenes I indicated above. They are worthy of the entire story.

Dearly and Departed series:

✓ Dearly & Deviant Daniel #1

◦ Dearly & Vain Valentino #2

◦ Dearly & Notorious Nancy #3

◦ Dearly & Homeless Horace #4-Jan 16,2024

◦ Dearly & Threatening Thane #5-June 28, 2024

Buy Link:

Dearly & Deviant Daniel: M/M Urban Fantasy Romance (Dearly and The Departed Book 1)

Blurb:

When the family business is death, what does it take to feel alive?

Maybe a gorgeous motorcycle mechanic with a dark past has a few ideas?

Mortician Keir Dearly has a secret he plans to take to his grave. If he tells anyone he speaks with the dead who come through his funeral home, who will believe him? Keeping the secret prevents Keir from pursuing a love life because how would a lover react to such news?

Mechanic Dashiell Clegg owns Clegg Cycles, the family business his father left to him and his estranged brother Daniel. Dash has only seen Daniel twice since Dash was released from prison, and that’s perfectly fine with both of them. The brothers stay out of each other’s lives until one day, Dash gets a call that changes everything.

When Dash’s brother, deviant Daniel Clegg, shows up on Keir’s table with a final request: Keep my brother from being blamed for my murder, the temptation to jump into the mix is too much for Keir to resist. Can Keir save Dashiell Clegg without telling anyone about his conversations with the dead?

After being warned about communing with the Departed, will Dearly have to pay a price for assisting them in finding their final peace?

L.A. Kaye’s debut novel, Dearly & Deviant Daniel, is the first tale in the Dearly & the Departed M/M paranormal romance series.It’s a little mysterious, a little creepy, and a lotta sexy, so be sure to check it out! It’s approximately 90,000 words in length and ends happily for now.

Review: At First Irritation (The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx Book 1) by Shelby Rhodes

Rating: 5🌈

When a book leaves me laughing at the end, has me doing spittakes and in stitches in the middle, and absolutely captivated by the strangeness and unique nature of the characters at the beginning of the story, well 5 stars it is.

And Shelby Rhodes didn’t even include one cliffhanger this time! Murderous, pain-loving characters (yes, pls do read the trigger warnings), a vampire who is quite unlike any other I’ve read, and a snarling human hunter who gets him as a partner. Both seem to have mysteries swirling around them. Even better.

The writing is really great, moving the story forward quickly without sacrificing character growth or relationship development. There’s so much more going on here that’s it’s easy to miss the small details. Bombs going off,bodies everywhere, mythologies being laid down, an agency foundation and country laws pieced together for the readers and multiple species at the same time.

It’s fabulous and woven in a bit at a time. Along with a great cast of characters that support diminutive vampire Foxx Honeywell and hulking hunter Harlow Blackmore.

Those terms in no way even begin to describe how complex and dynamic this partnership will become.

I’m dying to have the next release in my hands! My mind is filling with possibilities about what is going on with both of them. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Highly imaginative, beautifully written, yes! A five-star read! One I’m absolutely recommending.

The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx:

✓ At First Irritation #1

◦ Taste of Fear #2 – Dec 15, 2023

Trigger Warnings:

“This is a slow burn M/ M paranormal romance series with heat. There will be blood, violence, gore, torture and death. Please do not read if you find any of the previous triggering.”

— At First Irritation (The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx Book 1) by Shelby Rhodes

Buy Link:

At First Irritation (The Unwilling Adventures of Harlow & Foxx Book 1)

Description:

“Welcome, welcome. I can only guess you are here to read about my wonderful adventures? Oh, you don’t know who I am? Well, I’m Foxx Honeywell. An adorable, fierce vampire with a kink for violence. Anywho, this marks the beginning of my story. A story of violence, blood, possibly pain, and love. Though, the love part is not so apparent at first.”

So how does this story start, you may ask? Well, it starts with a simple—okay, maybe not so simple—law change, and a new job. I, Foxx, join the notorious Hunters Guild. An organization that used to murder my kind indiscriminately. But that was in the past. We’ve moved on and forward to better things, as paranormals are legal now! Yay, legal…

However, joining this government agency of questionable morals was just the catalyst of it all. Sure, the job is fun; lots of killing, maiming, blood, and even some explosions. But what is an adventure if you are all on your own? Boring, that’s what. No, the true satisfaction and fun comes not just from the job but from my partner on the job, Harlow Blackmore. The man is a sexy, silver fox of a human, who may or may not be a psychopath. He also possibly finds me irritating as hell. As any rational adult would, I choose to ignore those last parts and focus on the sexy! It will surely all work out in the end!”