Tag: LGBTGIA contemporary romance

Review: Dearest Malachi Keogh (Dearest Milton James #1.5) by N.R. Walker

Rating: 4.75 šŸŒˆ

Dearest Malachi Keogh is a wonderful, romantic Christmas sequel to that incredible heartwarming novel Dearest Milton James. That story is easily in my top ten contemporary romances this year, maybe top five as it ticks so many of my emotional narrative boxes.

Dearest Malachi Keogh picks up four years later with Julian Pollard and Malachi Keogh a happily established couple, living together with a rescue cat, and with families content with their relationship.

Also back and intact is our quirky, deeply endearing ,or in Paulā€™s case weirdly fascinating, small family like staff at the Dead Letters Department at the Mail Office. What a great lot they are! The more I see of them the more of them I want to see! Love each and every one!

Once more the use of a letter mystery is employed here, this time by Julian himself. What we get is a beautiful blend of emotions, poetry, mystery, and joint efforts by everyone! All towards one romantic goal for Malachi and Julian.

My only thoughts here are that I wish the author had somehow utilized the whole Dearest Malachi to even greater effect.

I remember all those Dearest Milton James, as will anyone who read that story and the effect they had on me as well as the characters who read them. And I feel we had just gotten started before it was over. I wanted more, something longer, but it certainly was deeply heartfelt .

ā€œMerry Christmas, my loveā€ is sigh worthy.

This was a lovely, happy, wonderful and, yes, sexy, Christmas sequel to a amazing contemporary romance.

Itā€™s really not a standalone story but needs to be read in tandem with the first Iā€™ve referenced throughout this review.

Havenā€™t read that one? Youā€™re in for a huge treat! Grab up both stories and read one right after the other.

Read the first? Then youā€™ll love this! Itā€™s the HEA youā€™ve been waiting for. Although NR Walker shouldnā€™t be surprised if people start crying out for Malachi and Julianā€™s wedding. Thereā€™s got to be some missing invitations tie in.

And yes to the author for that rescue cat. Leaving that neighbors cat behind bothered me and this was a great solution. I know I know. You canā€™t go about swiping other peoples cats but stillā€¦.

Ty. Extra point for that cat.

Yes, Iā€™m highly recommending this.

Dearest Milton James series:

Dearest Milton James #1

Dearest Malachi Keogh #1.5

Synopsis:

Julian Pollard never believed in love at first sight. That was until he met Malachi Keogh. Well, maybe it wasnā€™t love at first sight, but it sure was something.

Julian had forgotten how to live, how to be happy, and Malachi changed all that. Now together for four years, Julian wants to give Malachi a Christmas heā€™ll never forget.

The only problem is, Christmas at a mail distribution centre is the busiest time of the year. It just might take the whole team to make it happen.

Dearest Malachi Keogh is a 13,000-word short story.

Dearest Malachi Keogh

Review: Extraordinary Things (Star Shadow #4) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.75šŸŒˆ

Extraordinary Things is the series finale for Star Shadow, Beth Boldenā€™s rock band romance.

While all five musicians got their HEA, the heart of the band and much of its drama centered around the couple Leo Humphries and Caleb Chance. It was the disappearance of Caleb that caused Star Shadow to disband and Leo to shatter. And it was his reappearance that eventually put them all back togetherā€¦4 books later.

In Terrible Things, we got the background of the band, the groupā€™s long friendship and the coupleā€™s relationship. It was completely Leoā€™s perspective, including watching and being unable to help a Caleb whoā€™s addiction to alcohol was spiraling out of his and everyoneā€™s control.

It was raw, angry, and painful.

And I wondered about Calebā€™s viewpoint in that book.

In Extraordinary Things Bolden gives us Calebā€™s story and missing voice. A perfect way to come full circle and wrap up the series.

Weā€™re able to go back into the past with Caleb, his addiction, his feelings about what drove him away from Leo and his friends. As well as whatā€™s still driving him today. Itā€™s a complicated and complex internal picture of a man still struggling with forgiveness and the destruction he caused to those around him.

The other side of which is Leo who also is trying to adjust his life to Calebā€™s needs as well as his own.

Boldenā€™s story, the bandā€™s new dynamics, and ongoing trust issues are beautifully defined and well written. I love that communication works out to be key to forward movement here. Frank discussions and finally a leap of faith in each otherā€™s feelings and strength.

This is an emotional story whoā€™s journey starts with Terrible Things. For me books one and four are the jewels here but the others are the necessary pathways to get there.

Read them all in the order they were written with pleasure. Iā€™m highly recommending them.

Star Shadow series:

Terrible Things (Star Shadow #1)

Impossible Things #2

Hazardous Things #3

Extraordinary Things #4

Synopsis:

Leo and Caleb have been through hellā€”addiction, destruction, and even a five year separationā€”but theyā€™ve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.

Caleb knows heā€™s earned Leoā€™s forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn’t. Itā€™s so loud, he can’t block it out. So loud, heā€™d do anything to silence it.

Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.

Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb’s love story from Terrible Things. It should not be read as a standalone.