Review: Ambrosius : Paranormal Council Enforcers Book One by Taylor Rylan

Rating: 3🌈

Taylor Rylan’s Ambrosius : Paranormal Council Enforcers Book One represents a new author for me as well as series. I enjoy paranormal romance fiction so I was looking forward to reading this, especially as it already has a number of books already published in the series.

Unfortunately, I believe I’m going to stop here. While there’s a few things I enjoyed about this story, they’re overshadowed by other aspects that left me feeling disconnected from the characters, underwhelmed by the plot lines, and , most importantly, uninformed about the foundation or universe itself that the story and characters are grounded in.

Taylor Rylan’s Universe of Destined Paranormals is a group of five inter-connected series and characters, of which Ambrosius is the first in the fifth series, Paranormal Council Enforcers. So there’s a lot of expectations for readers to know who everyone is and who these agencies are that they work for, this giggling goddess that just appears (not a fan), a omega/Alpha relationship that’s not well defined, especially here with one character.

This story actually ends up raising more questions than it does answer with its narrative. But quickly , the poorly crafted characters have lost my interest in their lives and this book.

That starts with the main character of Ambrosius, a made vampire. That term isn’t used in the way we’re accustomed to seeing it. Ambrosius wasn’t “turned” or made. No a goddess who comes across as a blonde bestie from your college sorority days crafted him full blown. Thirtyish looking, now over a millennium old. But how does Ambrosius act during the book? Much like a silent movie heroine, weeping, throwing himself at his mate, overwrought by emotions and the situation he is in. Surely, he’s got his own power and has learned a thing or two about weapons, or something. His character is just so ill defined. In the beginning we learned he went from being rejected by an omega because his fangs are scary to becoming an omega himself when he finds himself mate to a dragon. No explanation. Then there is basically little communication between anyone here.

There’s really little history or reason laid down for personalities. Or for reactions, or just anything in general . And the main drama, a huge criminal investigation into a shifter trafficking organization is barely explored and not finished, a thread that’s carried over to the next book.

The only other major storyline is a mpreg one that comes out of nowhere (literally) because the main character has no clue he’s pregnant. His mate and others know but don’t say anything. They assume he knows. Then he’s got kids. Then they are special. It’s a rapidly changing story without substance or grounding.

If you’re a fan of the author or any of the other series associated with this, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy it .

But other authors do this one universe, multiple connected series better and those are the ones I’ll read.

Paranormal Council Enforcers:

14 books to date:

Ambrosius #1

Attiticus #2 plus more

The Universe of Destined Paranormals is a world of interconnected series set in one universe. Because of this, it is recommended that you read the books in chronological order.

🔷Honey Creek Den Series-When the child of the created warlock goes searching for his mate, a domino effect occurs and the den is blessed by the Fates.

🔷Timber Valley Wolf Pack Series-Magic is changing and the wolf pack is next to be blessed by the Fates.

Does Edison have something to do with it?”

🔷Warlocks of Amherst Series-Edison’s warlocks have finally been blessed by the Fates and it’s their turn to find their fated Ones.

🔷Vampires of the Beloved Gem Series-Master Nikolai’s vampires aboard the Beloved Gem realized that their time has come to find their beloved ones.

🔷Paranormal Council Enforcers Series-the magic has shifted and the Paranormal Council has been formed. Will the chosen enforcers be next to find their forever mates?”

Buy link

Ambrosius: Paranormal Council Enforcers Book One

Blurb:

When you’re the created vampire, and discover your fated mate is a dominant dragon alpha, what could go wrong?

Master Ambrosius was created over a millennium ago and had come to terms with spending his life alone. He has his coven, his second, and a few close friends, but he continues to be haunted by the memory of his fated mate running from him in terror. That is, until the goddess sends him to Montana, and he discovers his body reacting to a sexy alpha with wide shoulders and dark eyes. Surely there’s some mistake though, right?

Emmerich was born on Treasure Ridge, the mountain his grandparents claimed several centuries ago for a reason that wasn’t yet known. Like his brother, he longs for his mate and children but knows they aren’t on their mountain. Emmerich’s dragon insisted he would find his mate in Sicily, but after weeks of searching, he comes back to Treasure Ridge, where his dragon scents the most amazing thing. Mate. When he discovers the scent is coming from the created vampire, he’s not sure about the pairing but is more than willing to accept the match.

Together, they discover a desire for unexpected things. But while they are happy switching roles at certain times, the council is still forming, and they discover an evilness none expected. Will they be able to stop the threat before their family is harmed?

Ambrosius is Book One in the Paranormal Council Enforcers series. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple, but these books are not standalones and should be read in order as there is an ongoing backstory that won’t be resolved quickly. This is a fated mate MPreg story in an MPreg world, and you should expect all the normal vampire shenanigans, and remember that love bites in unexpected places. Especially when your beloved is a sexy dragon.

The Universe of Destined Paranormals is a world of interconnected series set in one universe. Because of this, it is recommended that you read the books in chronological order.

🔷Honey Creek Den Series-When the child of the created warlock goes searching for his mate, a domino effect occurs and the den is blessed by the Fates.

🔷Timber Valley Wolf Pack Series-Magic is changing and the wolf pack is next to be blessed by the Fates.

Does Edison have something to do with it?”

🔷Warlocks of Amherst Series-Edison’s warlocks have finally been blessed by the Fates and it’s their turn to find their fated Ones.

🔷Vampires of the Beloved Gem Series-Master Nikolai’s vampires aboard the Beloved Gem realized that their time has come to find their beloved ones.

🔷Paranormal Council Enforcers Series-the magic has shifted and the Paranormal Council has been formed. Will the chosen enforcers be next to find their forever mates?”

• Publisher: Mortimer Press, LLC (February 25, 2022)

• Publication date: February 25, 2022

• Language: English

• Print length: 294 pages

— Ambrosius : Paranormal Council Enforcers Book One by Taylor Rylan

Review: Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4) by Alice Winters

Rating: 5🌈

“The scream that explodes from within Menace would put a dying banshee to shame.”

So begins Enchanting Exposition, book four in Alice Winters’ marvelous fantasy romance series.

If this is the last in the Demon Magic series, then I’m going to be sad because I absolutely love this universe. But I’ll also be very satisfied because of the way Winters has left the all characters, ok maybe most, happily settled in their lives. All after a wildly terrifying, exhilarating, and emotional adventure that brings the original Geoff narrative to a close.

Geoff, the fiendish mage whose diabolical plans is at the very heart of so much misery and death, will be the basis for much of the story here. The author weaves in all the many painful backgrounds of the characters , established beings and new characters, so that this series arc can finally end. It’s powerful, imaginative, certainly has the hallmarks of the Winters’ take with humor and terror intermixed, along with a great deal of romance and love. Not just between Havoc and Miles. That’s front and center, and totally entertaining.

What else is outright hilarious? Menace and his reactions to Cottontuff. More , love this.

And Marco. Somehow, Marco (my beauty is my contribution) and Lachlan’s developing relationship is everything this book. Along with Evan, Etienne, Dyame combo, even Nicco. Not sure who else I’ve left out, someone I’m sure. Everyone showed up and it was absolutely scarily splendid!

We get a great new character and I’d really love to see more of him . There’s an interesting dynamic we’re left with that needs to be explored.

Miles and Havoc? Happy! So so happy.

Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4) by Alice Winters is a must read and fabulous book. It’s a definite recommend in a series I deeply enjoyed. Read them all!

Demon Magic

✓ Happy Endings #1

✓ Familiar Beginnings #2

✓ Malicious Midpoint #3

✓ Enchanting Exposition #4

Buy link

Enchanting Exposition (Demon Magic Book 4)

Blurb

Maybe it wasn’t my best idea to draw dark magic into myself to save a friend… but it’s definitely not my worst (don’t ask Havoc what that was). The first thing on our list of “Save Miles from the Dark Magic That Might Be Making Him Do Ridiculous Things” is to destroy the ominous book that’s snagging my attention. But what I don’t expect is to be dragged into the book filled with dark mysteries that leaves me with more questions… and a lack of pants.

But it’s nothing that Havoc and I can’t handle. The two of us have proven that our relationship is strong enough that we can face anything life throws at us, so I think we can handle a measly book… maybe… I mean, so far it may look like we’re not winning, but that’s just because it’d be boring if heroes won immediately.

And it’s not like we have to fight this battle alone, especially with an awe-inspiring dragon familiar who is forced to face his greatest adversary (a common housecat), a narcissistic angel who comes with a sword that compliments every cut made, a centaur who always manages to look like he’s on the set of a cologne commercial, and… Etienne (whatever he is).

With the demon I love by my side and my found family, we’re going to stop this darkness before it spreads. But doing so might unveil some things we never expected.

• Publication date: May 21, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 317 pages

Review: Hunted (Into the Wyldewood Book 2) by Rowan McAllister

Rating: 3.75🌈

It’s been a while since I read the first book in the series, Hexes and Horns, so getting back into this universe needed prompting from the author for necessary foundation work.

There’s some really good elements here and some I feel need better explanation or more detail to feel complete.

The characters are terrific. The mixed pack of shifters trying to pull it together on the edge of an uneasy otherworldly boundary situation is a great element. It adds so much natural tension and believable shifting pack dynamics that I wish we’d had more of this aspect of the story. From Grammy, CJ, and various other pack members, the rawness and energy of this stressful scene came through perfectly.

Especially with its Alpha, Angel Velasquez, who has his own struggles to overcome, along with the otherworldly dealings and beings to deal with to ensure that the pack is safe. That includes murky agreements with one of the Fae over someone Angel has agreed to give sanctuary to.

That’s the mysterious Dafydd. His story and background very slowly reveals itself, almost too slowly. We figure out pretty quickly what type of being he is but not why he’s in danger.

That background is extremely difficult to understand and too complicated for the events that follow. It’s not well laid out narratively nor are all the vague clues as to his species history or strangely mysterious individuals that are important to this aspect of the story but without any firm foundation.

It’s frustrating that we get great characters but holes in the storylines and universe building when needed.

Like an unacknowledged mate bond. Why not just go ahead and cement that aspect of their relationship? It made no sense to leave it as one more cloudy element .

I enjoy this author and find she very imaginative and entertaining. This book has many good elements, enough to make it an enjoyable read.

Into the Wyldewood:

Hexes and Horns #1

Hunted #2

Buy link

Hunted (Into the Wyldewood Book 2)

Blurb

Keeping their distance is the safest path, but sometimes magic and the heart make other plans.

For pack alpha, Angel Velasquez, every day is a struggle to keep his head above water. Between running his bar, paying back a mountain of debt, and protecting his pack from dark witches, the Fae, and anyone else just waiting for a sign of weakness, he already has more than he can handle. The last thing he needs is a refugee from Faerie dumped in his lap, no matter how sweet and sexy he might be. But when an elven prince calls in a debt, refusal is not an option.

Dafydd hates keeping secrets almost as much as being seen as a burden. A dragon is supposed to be fierce, proud, and self-reliant. Betrayed by those he thought he could trust most and forced to run from the only home he’s ever known, he isn’t feeling very dragonly. Is it any wonder Angel can’t see him as an equal, someone worthy of his time and possibly his affection?

As Halloween approaches and their bond grows despite every reason it shouldn’t, what will they risk to protect each other when the real hunt begins?

Hunted is an over 100k slow burn romance featuring a cinnamon roll of a dragon, a grumpy alpha, meddling pack, mysterious neighbor and a guaranteed HEA. Each book of Into the Wyldewood can be read separately but are best experienced in order.

Review: Temperance (Damned Connections Book 3) by Lark Taylor

Rating: 4.75🌈

Damned Connections is the sequel series to the original Reckless Damn Series about the rebelling four sons of Lucifer, finding their mates ,and the war with their father. It’s an excellent series.

But I’m finding that Damned Connections is even better, imo. It’s still got the original characters but now we’re focusing on the aftermath and the characters on the edge of their group. And the ones affected by the war. It’s an extraordinary journey.

Now it’s Toby and Blaise’s time for their stories to be told and Taylor has outdone herself with a narrative of incredible emotional depth and intelligence .

Taylor has incorporated the elements of BDSM and D/s in such a way that readers who don’t read this type of thing or think that they don’t understand it will find themselves absolutely absorbed into this relationship. It’s a Dom/ sub relationship that works through each other’s needs and desires as well as those aspects of play that they don’t want to include. It’s clearly discussed as adults and spanking is the top discipline here.

But Blaise is fighting for his life in that his guilt is literally driven him down. The emotional tension and despair attached to him is real and extremely intense.

Toby isn’t the bartender vampire he’s seemed in the previous books and the revelations of his true nature are astonishing.

The exploration of Blaise’s past and the journey between them drew me in like no other. It was 3 am before I realized I was still reading. And often sobbing.

The only reason this didn’t get a 5 star rating is because there was so much “as told to” sections as the author had to fill in the reader with different details about certain aspects of a couple’s story from a book and timeline pertinent to this story.

Temperance (Damned Connections Book 3) runs in the same time period as some of the other books so it’s necessary for Taylor to pinpoint exactly where in the timeline this is happening . Especially if you haven’t read the other books.

But it drags the narrative down in a way and changes the perspective in some cases.

So yes, a fantastic story and incredibly compelling plot that’s one of my favorites. Probably be a reread.

I’m absolutely loving this series and recommend reading it in the original as well as this.

Reckless Damn Series – first series

✓ Devil’s Mark #1

✓ Devil May Care #2

✓ Deal with the Devil #3

✓ Luck of the Devil #4

Damned Connections – sequel

✓ Patience #1

✓ Justice #2

✓ Temperance #3

◦ Humility #4 – Oct 31,2024

Hopeless Blessed – Seraphim sequel series

◦ Conflicted #1 -Sept 5,2024

Buy link

Temperance (Damned Connections Book 3)

Blurb

A fire mage who believes he’s broken. A vampire who believes he can fix him. A contract that’s going to change everything.

Blaise

I’ve never been good at doing the right thing.

A series of bad choices have left my life in tatters. Everyone is telling me to move on, but how can I? What I did was unforgivable, even if some believe otherwise. My whole world imploded the night I left a human dying on a classroom floor.

I don’t deserve anything good in my life, I know that. But I’m desperate for peace. Just a few moments where I can escape from everything I’ve done.

When Toby offers me a solution that promises just that, I jump at it. I never imagined having a Dom, but with Toby in that role?

Nothing has ever felt so right.

Problem is, this isn’t a relationship, it’s a contract. A temporary one.

Which means I need to guard my heart and stop myself from falling for this enigmatic vampire.

Like I said, I’ve never been good at doing the right thing.

Toby

I never learn.

Every time I see a needy sub, I can’t stop myself from offering my help. Every time, I forget that it’s a contract and fall too hard and too fast.

I’m the one who fixes them, never the one they choose to spend eternity with. That’s the way it always goes.

When Blaise bursts into my life, I already know how it’s going to end. I can’t stop myself from wanting to help him, but this man has the capacity to break me in entirely new ways. Maybe if I keep the boundaries strict between us, I can walk away at the end without another scar on my heart.

Like I said, I never learn.

Temperance is the third book in the Damned Connections series. Featuring a needy sub and a Dom who’s trying to avoid heartbreak, this spicy MM PNR romance will pull at your heartstrings. Although this series can be read as a standalone, it’s better enjoyed in order. Each book follows a different couple and has a guaranteed HEA.

• Publisher: Lark Taylor (May 16, 2024)

• Publication date: May 16, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 422 pages

Review: Tears in Time (Arcadia Trust Book 4) by Christian Baines

Rating: 5🌈

It’s a series that starts with The Beast Without, meeting vampire Reyland and werewolf lover, Jorgas. It’s an excellent book, scary and powerful. And with each story, new paranormal characters and convoluted elements are added and explored, like The Arcadia Trust and then the horrifying Wound. Tears in Time is the fourth book in this increasingly complex and scarily powerful series.

Christian Baines has an incredible talent of writing supernatural or other worldly beings and making them absolutely credible. These are beautiful or stunningly horrifically broken creatures that bear no resemblance to human beings. Not in their reactions to events and emotions but in that they lack our standards of morality or ethics. They may understand the rules, the philosophical framework and how to manipulate them to their advantage. But actually have human empathy? Not really.

And for the reader to go in with expectations of the characters who are paranormal beings acting as humans, that’s a pitfall that should be discarded at the beginning. Because, Baines’ brilliantly written and compelling characters are not going to act like humans because they aren’t.

It might be hard to forget this but events will drive this element home. Betrayal after betrayal. Manifesting that each being and group of paranormals is operating on a different level and paths that humans find unfathomable . Such brilliant writing and amazing storytelling.

Chilling and brain breaking plot lines that connect and weave into something so shocking at the end that I’m just stunned that cable producers haven’t come running yet to put this into a show.

Tears in Time is a book whose characters and plots are so intricate and deeply detailed that a reader will have to have read the stories the preceded it. That foundation knowledge and sequencing of events is essential for a total understanding about the characters relationships and twists in the narratives that the reader will experience here.

I absolutely recommend reading this series and book if you’re a fan of paranormal fiction, horror stories, and twisted romance. But be warned, this is not for the faint of heart.

Arcadia Trust:

The Beast Without #1

The Orchard of Flesh #2

Sins of the Son #3

Tears in Time #4

Buy link Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Moments have passed for Reylan since he crossed the barrier between worlds to rescue his werewolf lover, Jorgas. But on their return, nothing feels right. Faithful allies have vanished, and places that once offered solace are now derelict, filled with shadows and inhabited by evil.

How can Reylan find his friends, and who can be trusted once they’re found?

The world Reylan and Jorgas returned to has destroyed the one they left behind. In this new reality, someone is playing a deadly game with time, and their fates are its prize.

• Publication date: May 15, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 284 pages

Review: SOS HOTEL: Sleep With Us #3 by Adam Vex , Ariana Nash

Rating: 5🌈

So, so satisfying. No really. Loved it. Parts also really hurt. But Sleep With Us explored so many new areas of this world and these fabulous characters!

Adam in his desperate need to get demon Zee away from the club and out of his contract with Sebastian, is forced to accept help. Whether it’s sketchy advice from his AI bartender or something more personal and likely physical from the resident vampire, Lord Reynard, some new information is acquired about all of them.

There’s some gross action packed sequences, a few sexy scenes, and ones that make us feel so much more connected and involved with all three characters and whatever craziness is right around the corner.

I’m so in love with this series and characters. They’re so vividly drawn and widely thought out that they are just bigger than the page. Read even the credits, Zee can’t help himself.

How am I going to make it through until June 28th?

Highly recommending SOS Hotel but read them in the order they are written.

SOS Hotel:

✓ For a Supernaturally Safe Stay #1

✓ Friendly Sanctuary for the Fiendishly Fabulous #2

✓ Sleep with Us #3

◦ Great Service from Top to Bottom #4 – June 28,2024

Buy link

SOS HOTEL: Sleep With Us

Blurb

Three weeks in, and the SOS Hotel is still standing. I know, crazy right? Despite the gremlins, lethal electrics, vampire threats, a shadowbeast in the attic, and a psycho sorcerer, our doors remain open to all Lost Ones. Also, nobody has died . . . in a few days.

All I have to do is, hold it all together, keep every guest safe, not mention the body in the flowerbeds—and maybe we’ll last another week?

But Sebastien has demanded Zee return to the club, or he’ll hurt more demons. Sebastien has become a big problem. And problems, like gremlins, have a habit of multiplying at the SOS Hotel.

I promised Zee I’d stay out of his other life. But I can’t—won’t—watch Sebastien mistreat him.

I might be a boring, average, harmless human, but even I have my limits.

Plus, I’ve got a vampire on my side. Lord Reynard has a knack for getting answers out of people, and together, we’re going to find a way to break Sebastien’s hold over Zee, even if part of our plan involves an evening of la mort d’amour at Razorsedge. Reynard says we’re not going to do anything risky. But I kind of, maybe, just a little bit . . . want to?

Trust me. I’m Adam Vex. Totally normal human. It’s all going to turn out just fine.

I’m absolutely certain I have everything under control.

Probably.

Welcome to the SOS Hotel.

***

SOS Hotel is a whacky adventure about a vampire lord, an ex-porn-star demon, and a boring human who absolutely does not have any secrets. You’ll find dark humor, explicit language and sex throughout the books.

If you don’t like the f-word, sex, some minor murders, or a few questionable pies thrown in, do not read these books.

There will be triggering content for some, including sexual coercion and pets in peril.

Proceed with caution.

Have a GREAT stay!

• Publisher: Crazy Ace Publishing (May 10, 2024)

• Publication date: May 10, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 176 pages

Review: Mates, Arranged by Michelle Frost

Rating: 3.5🌈

Mates, Arranged by Michelle Frost is a short, nicely crafted paranormal romance. At 65 pages, it’s the barest beginnings of mated couple, August and Torin. In fact, it ends as they actually physically mate. And it begins on the ritual mating of the two. In between, Frost gives us glimpses of two different people getting to know each other in a number of lovely connected scenes.

We don’t get much in the way of world building or background, just some hints and history tossed in here and there. Just enough to make it interesting and pull us closer into the story.

This could be a much larger book and the couple framed out within a better crafted narrative. It has so much potential.

As it is, it’s a good short story and romance. Very enjoyable.

Buy link

Mates, Arrangedby Michelle FrostBook 1 of 1: Mates, Arranged

Blurb

Will fate smile on a wolf and mage joined together?

Forced into an arranged mating, August and Torin must try to build a relationship from nothing if they hope to usher in peace between their peoples.

With willing hearts, they put aside their differences, but their commitment won’t get the chance to blossom if one of their own destroys it before it can grow.

Mates, Arranged is an MM romance novella and was first published as part of a novella promotion.

• Publication date: March 25, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 65 pages

Review: Inferno (Drake Security Book 4) by Mika Nix

Rating: 3.75🌈

Drake Security, the fated mates series about a family of dragons finding their bonded mates, is now on the fourth brother.

Co-written by K.M. Neuhold and Mia Monroe as Mika Nix, book four follows Valentino Drake, the one brother we know as busy being in touch with his love life instead of the brothers’ business. It takes a younger brother’s wrong doing and throughly bad decision making to bring Valentino back into the fold and help find his own unique mate.

First off, I loved the storyline of Valentino and Montrose, the demon. Montrose is a fantastic character, probably my favorite next to Lake . He’s intriguing, powerful enough to hold his own with his dragon, and dramatic enough to make any scene that involves him a little richer. Put them together and they are a great combination of riches. Dragon and demon.

Unfortunately there is an element that I found almost as irritating as I loved the romance part of the book. I feel that the authors probably have future plans for him but honestly there’s so much to character of Mac, the younger brother, that just gives me a narrative headache. As the authors created him, and as his part plays out in the book, Mac came perilously close to making me stop reading. Yes, his actions and that they spring from a certain problematic aspect of his personality are the ignition point of the story. I feel if it had only been that one factor, that one theft, it would’ve been, maybe, woven into his youthful status better. However, it’s his continued forbidden thievery that causes so much pain and danger to him and those around him. Without the Drake brothers, even at the end, having Mac feel any deeper remorse for his actions and crimes. Maybe the last one because he was so far in trouble. But all the rest? Not really.

It’s send him back home, and a new threat is here. What happened to ending this one? Because parts of Mac’s story felt unfinished.

So yes to the romance of Valentino and Montrose. They were great and could have used some of the narrative space assigned to the more irritating Mac. No, to the younger brother and his storyline who actually wanted to make me put down the book because of his personality, behavior, and lack of finality to his story.

I’m wondering if the next is the series finale for Drake Security. Sounds like Lord’s story. I’ll definitely be there for it. This was a fifty/fifty book for me.

Drake Security:

Hot Head #1

Smoulder #2

Wild Fire #3

Inferno #4

Buy link

Inferno (Drake Security Book 4)

Blurb:

I know I should keep my hands off of Montrose. But the one thing dragons and demons have in common is how much we love to play with fire.

My youngest brother has always had a knack for getting himself into trouble, but this time he’s stolen from the wrong demon and it might just be the last mistake he ever makes.

I have no reason to trust Montrose, but my dragon does anyway. There’s something about the vibrant, sassy incubus that calls to me, no matter how hard I try to resist.

Saving my brother’s scales should be top priority, but this inferno between Montrose and I just keeps heating up.

If fate put him in my path, can I trust that we’ll make it to the other side of this disaster together? There’s only one way to find out…

• Publication date: May 3, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 253 pages

Review: The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer (Monsters Hollow Book 2) by Chloe Archer

Rating: 4.5🌈

In The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer author Chloe Archer continues to explore the mysterious magic of the town while bringing in new characters and adding new details to the dimensions of this universe.

Its all very exciting.

Archer had me at Max “Maxie” Poppins, the absolute star of the first book of the series and still unseated fav character of mine. As the bestie of romance writer, Ryder, he’s one of the reasons Ryder has made the move to Monster Hollow and Max remains a true emotional connection to everyone else around the town. This in turn helps his more awkward, less socially inclined bestie, Ryder, become at ease with its inhabitants and his new surroundings.

That’s the new main character and half of the latest couple.

Ryder Thomas (aka Ryder St. James) the romance writer of the title and a man with a dangerous threat to deal with. Ryder was a foster child like Max. Ryder, however , ended up with a widely different and damaging family. He is given a sensitive and realistic characterization by Archer.

Ryder’s past experiences drives his emotional perception of love, his own inability to recognize, accept and even acknowledge that it exists.

Then there is Vash Dark Wing, a Scottish Gargoyle, with his own complicated background and current situation to deal with. He too is a well defined character who will reveal new depths of personality and emotions as the story and their relationship progresses.

Really, Archer gives us a little bit of everything here. A stalker and a couple of mysteries, a serious heartbreaker for Vash that now ties up a storyline from The Orc and the Manny, and a slew of new potential characters and romances to come . All from a delightful new source.

Oh and lots of sex! And a wonderful, fun drunken street scene. More of these please.

I had such a great time reading this. And am sorry I’ll have to wait in next year to get the next book in the series.

A yes to the book, and series if you are a fan of paranormal romance and this author!

Monsters Hollow series:

✓ The Demon and the Librarian: a prequel

✓ The Bogeyman and the Schoolteacher #0.5

✓ The Orc and the Manny #1

✓ The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer #2

◦ The Sasquatch and the Stylist #3 – coming 2025

Buy link:

The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer: A Cozy M/M Monster Romance (Monsters Hollow Book 2)

Blurb:

Welcome to Monsters Hollow, where love knows no bounds—even in a town full of monsters!

A quirky romance writer in hiding. A sexy gargoyle lover turned bodyguard. And a stalker that just won’t quit…

Ryder Thomas (aka Ryder St. James)

I assumed writing swoony romance novels about humans and Otherkind might attract some unsavory attention. But I never imagined I’d have an obsessive fan stalking me. Fortunately, my BFF Max has an in with a town he assures me can keep me safe.

As a former foster kid, I’m pretty resilient, but this situation is messing with my sleep and I’m on deadline for my next book!

About the only thing that can help at times like this is some regular mind-blowing… release. Trust me, solo methods just aren’t enough and hooking up with randos isn’t my style. I need someone safe who can reliably rock my world in the bedroom and maybe help me with my research as a bonus!

Enter the hunky Scottish gargoyle who’s been flirting with me ever since I arrived to hide out in Mystic Hollow. We come up with an ideal no-strings and no-feelings arrangement until I leave town for my next book tour.

After all, romance is just a fantasy I write about in my books–right?

Vash DarkWing

From the moment I met Ryder, I wanted to know more about the bonnie, brave man who speaks his mind. With no filter.

When he proposes a few weeks of mutually beneficial shagging before his book tour starts, I immediately jump on the chance to, well, jump him. Just a bit of fun and maybe friendship.

Hell’s bells, but Ryder slips past all my defenses and wins my affections without even trying! Now, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the man I love safe. Even if it means putting my heart as well as my life on the line.

The Gargoyle and the Romance Writer is a 106k novel that features an inappropriately curious novelist, a sexy Scottish gargoyle, a specialty harness for aerial…shenanigans, a creepy stalker, and true love for the win. This is the second book in the Monsters Hollow series and can be read as a standalone.

Reviewer’s note: No , no they really can’t. These aren’t even close to being standalone stories. Who knows why they are putting this on their descriptions? It makes no sense. SMH

• Publisher: Rainbow Dreams Press LLC (April 30, 2024)

• Publication date: April 30, 2024

• Language: English

• Print length: 395 pages

Review: Catch and Release by Isabel Murray

Rating: 4.5🌈

Isabel Murray continues to surprise me with her stunning perspectives on romance, relationships, and love.

I fell in love with her through her series, The Unwanted King, a fantasy series with unlikely, memorable characters, subtle heartbreaking elements, hilarious moments, and fabulous storylines.

Catch and Release is a remarkable paranormal romance, usually involving love story between a human and a mythical figure I don’t normally seek out in these romantic novels. I’m talking mermen.

Probably because I overthink the issues that come into play when writing mermen as viable/believable nonhuman beings. More so than other paranormal species, a mermaid or merman exists deep inside our minds, both in fables and mythology. And secretly for some strange reason, there’s a hope that our waters might be actually home to them as well. But would they be humanoid? Humans ,who for whatever reason, live aquatic lives.

Often that’s how they are portrayed.

Not here .

Catch and Release finds Joe McKenzie, 38, ex-hedge fund manager, living a new life as one of the world’s worst fisherman. Joe has moved to Lynwick, small harbour town tucked up between Scotland and northern England. He’s taken up not fishing very well, and been sort of adopted by Jerry Barnes, 58, owner of mid-sized trawler, the Mary Jane.

These are some of the best characters, with a uniquely wonderful dynamic between them. Half friends, and half family, it continues to grow throughout the story, with some of the beloved dialogue between them.

Which is great because there’s none between Joe and what they found in the netting. What they find is not human.

The chapters alternate between titles called Catch and Release. It’s both about the events and about the relationships that occur between them. Dave is the name given to the sea being caught in the nets. Who, what he is ? That’s all assumptions on Joe and Jerry’s part. We only get glimpses of exactly how removed from human Dave is by his actions and interactions with both men.

I love how Murray is able to demonstrate growth in a relationship and layers of understanding without losing sight of his otherworldly self or that Joe is fully human. And that there is a capacity to see each other’s viewpoint even if we have major differences to begin with.

So much deep humanity running into the shocking waters of another world. It’s wonderful, funny, sexy, and painful.

How do I review a book that will break your heart, mend your heart, and break your heart. And sort of mend it again. But only if you don’t think too far ahead past the end of the book.

Because Murray is beautiful in her realism. In her acknowledgement that Joe is and will always be human. And sometimes love is not forever. But it can be enough for today. And tomorrow.

Read this book. And, if you haven’t already, put Murray on your auto buy list. Highly recommended to both.

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Catch-…Catch and Release: MM Merman Romance eBook : Murray, Isabel: Kindle Store

Blurb

Joe McKenzie’s high-flying London life imploded six years ago, and it happened dramatically enough that paramedics were involved. That’s all in the past. Now, Joe couldn’t be happier living a solitary life as a fisherman on England’s wild northern coast.

Okay, he could be happier.

It’s not like he’s depressed or anything but, you know. The weather’s not great. Life’s a bit samey. He’s only thirty-eight. The idea of another forty years is a bit exhausting, to be honest. He passes the time pretending to be a fisherman but the truth is, he sucks at it.

Then Joe makes the catch of a lifetime when he stumbles across the mysterious Dave washed up on the beach—an enormous man with gills and uncanny power over the sea. Once Dave stops trying to kidnap Joe and/or kill Joe’s fishing buddy, Jerry, turns out he’s kind of…intriguing?

And not half as smooth as he seems to think he is.

There’s a lot Joe doesn’t know about Dave. He doesn’t know why Dave keeps disappearing or why he can’t seem to stay away. He doesn’t know what Dave wants from him. He doesn’t even know what, exactly, Dave is. And Joe can’t ask, because they don’t speak the same language.

Joe does know one thing, though. He is in love.

Which, great. How’s that going to end well?

Catch and Release is a gay paranormal romantic comedy featuring a truly terrible fisherman with an octopus phobia, a merman (maybe? Confirmation pending) with no sense of personal boundaries at all, constant communication fails, a whole lot of sea life not in the sea but in Joe’s house, yes, it’s dead, some epic yearning from both sides, and bewilderingly enough, maybe a way to make it work?

• Publisher: (August 16, 2021)

• Publication date: August 16, 2021

• Language: English

• Print length: 267 pages

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