Review: Hot as Heller (Aster Valley #3) by Lucy Lennox

The man asked me to valet his damn car

Rating: 3.5 🌈

Hot as Heller by Lucy Lennox is a new release I happened to grab up as it’s tag line caught my attention.

Of course, it’s a middle book in a series. But I found this time that really didn’t make a difference for me understanding the characters or for getting a feel of place and community. Lennox does a good job of laying out her foundation universe. It’s folded into this story so well that it includes enough of all preceding storylines and history that the reader doesn’t feel lost when past events or people are mentioned.

Also each book represents a different couple so while minor threads appear from previous novels, each story can stand somewhat alone, with a support cast you can become familiar with if this is your first book. Or one you already know because you’ve read their stories. Either way, it works.

I enjoyed this story and felt that one of the elements was excellently on topic , especially given the timing. I’m talking about the current tragedy on the now shut down movie set of “Rust”, and the intense and much needed movie industry discussions going on about safety, stunts .and overall actor/support control.

I wonder if the author knew how on point and current this aspect of the story would be.

It was excellently written and the suspense almost made the romance take a backseat for me. It did have the effect of making me care about a character I was having trouble connecting with.

That would be Finn Heller, the child actor who’s the lead in this action movie being filmed in Aster Valley. Finn is/was a very problematic character for me. Most doormat personalities are. For the majority of this book , Finn let’s everyone make decisions for him. Whether to go to a bar when he doesn’t want to. He says no and goes anyway. He says no and does it anyway. For everything.

While the author is doing her best to explain his actions, that very personality is turning into white noise for me. Not good when he’s half of a main romance.

Better is Sheriff Declan Stone. Recently of LA’s PD, a corruption scandal involving his partner and just sick of Hollywood and its denizens, he’s relocated to small town Aster Valley for a saner, better lifestyle.

I liked this character immediately. He comes across as realistic, competent. At home in his skill set and person. He’s, in short, believable and someone we can connect with.

Which begs the question as to why he’s attaching himself to a doormat, however attractive. Finn does find himself undergoing a sea change before the story ends but I still found him not as fascinating a person. Oh well.

What I did fall in love with? The small town community of Aster Valley. I need dispatcher Penny to finish filling me in on the romance drama between Charlene Candy, her ex wife Clara Corn ( yep you see that coming), and her new love Clara’s brother. Plus there’s that thing with Colman and his wildlife…

Never a dull , funny , or just small town human moments. This book and the Sheriffs time of full of them. Those made it for me

The town, it’s people, the secondary romances, as well as other interesting , warm-hearted aspects to Aster Valley pulled me in and engaged my imagination to make me want to explore the rest of the series.

This has so many different terrific elements that I can definitely recommend it as a contemporary romance people will enjoy.

Aster Valley Series:

◦ Winter Waites #0.5

◦ Right as Raine #1

◦ Sweet as Honey #2

✓ Hot as Heller #3

◦ Thick as Thieves #4 – coming 2022

Synopsis:

The man asked me to valet his damn car.

Look, I left LA for a reason. I’ve had my fill of big Hollywood stars and their even bigger egos. I want something genuine. Something real. And it doesn’t get any realer than being the new sheriff of Aster Valley, Colorado.

That is, until entitled Finn Heller appears on the scene, handing me the keys to his convertible like I’m his personal servant.

The former child star and wannabe action hero is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. He’s also a snarky party animal with legions of adoring fans and attitude for days.

Or so I thought.

The longer the film crew stays in town, the more I begin to wonder if Finn is hiding his true self, one that’s as beautiful inside as out. He’s a star alright, but the kind that shines bright enough to light up the night sky… the kind I want to make a wish on.

A wish Finn will find a way to make things work with me, even if it means his next role is my very own leading man.

https://www.goodreads.com › showHot as Heller (Aster Valley, #3) by Lucy Lennox | Goodreads

◦

Review: Bigger Than Us by B.A. Tortuga and Jodi Payne

Rating: 4 🌈⛄️

Artist Daniel McCaverty and businessman Mitchell Brown were both close friends of Adam who has just died of cancer. His Will has irrecoverably changed both mens lives forever, leaving them intertwined with those of two young children, one a baby. Two men, two children, and one house . That’s equals a family…

Bigger Than Us is among the latest of what authors Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga are calling their “shoe stories “ and I call their cowboys n kids books.

They have cowboys, a city boy, kids, a second chance at love, and a major drama/trauma that pulls the two men together to form a family.

Here , as it’s been in several stories, it’s been a death by cancer of a guardian or parent, that lets the men step in and take charge.

I liked both characters of Dan and Mitch, both very different from each other. Dan for me was more fascinating and his background and history raised a lot of questions that were never satisfactorily answered. I think if I had gotten more of Dan’s past, it would have raised the rating higher. Because I felt we were going to get his background then the authors never came back to it. Too bad. He’s a compelling personality.

Dan and Mitch’s love story also comes about quickly. But they acknowledge the fast pace, communicate their doubts and questions about their situation, the kids, their relationship, everything that’s been fast tracked… just as adults should. And that element, the ability for the men to voice their own issues with everything that happened so fast actually makes the reader happier and ok with the love and warmth occurring on the pages in front of us.

The kids? Priceless. Act and talk like kids. Especially Vicki who’s hurting and acting up because she’s scared and mad and little. And wants her Dad back. Your heart will ache for her.

This story runs through Thanksgiving and ends at Christmas so for me it’s a holiday story. Sweet, sad, heartwarming, and loving.

I enjoyed it, especially the ending even if it stopped a bit abruptly. Still happy.

Side note. What is going on in Burlington, Vermont? Did I miss the heart eyes text for Burlington where it’s now the romance destination ?

Anyway, add this to your holiday TBR pile. You will absolutely enjoy it.

Bigger Than Us

Synopsis:

When Daniel McCaverty gets the call that his best friend and mentor up in Vermont has cancer, he expects to have plenty of time to go help. He never expects that Adam will be gone before he gets there, or that he will suddenly be in charge of Adam’s two small children. He’s a loner, an artist, and a wanderer. What’s he supposed to do now?

Mitchell Brown is a white-collar kind of guy. Organized. Careful. He has a plan in place for Adam’s kids long before Daniel arrives, and is shocked when Daniel is given custody. But for Vicky and Emory, he’s willing to put his hurt and confusion aside to help Daniel figure things out, to make the whole situation work.

Daniel and Mitch have to deal with a tidal wave of grief while getting one kid started in school, and keeping up with their work. But they’re going to have to figure out their unexpected attraction to each other if they’re going to build something together that’s bigger than either one of them alone

Review: Cosy & Chill by Jackie Keswick

Rating: 5🌈⛄️

Cosy & Chill by Jackie Keswick really conveys so much of what I really think is authentic when it comes to the holidays. It’s never just that glitteringly happy, fun filled holiday. full of congenial family gatherings and mountains of gifts. No, there’s also the elements of melancholy, feelings of bitterness, loneliness, exclusion, family dysfunction, and outright pain and loss.

Yes, what the holidays can and does mean to people runs the emotional spectrum depending upon the person and their history. Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself A Merry Christmas” anyone?

Keswick brings us into Cosy & Chill as one being, a Fae, experiences the pain of betrayal, and extreme loss. She’s now trapped in the human realm by a theft of her amulet, her key home. Her anguish, loss, her rage is bone deep and as her search becomes ever fruitless… we connect deeply with her grief and loss of hope.

That’s just the beginning of this outstanding tale of renewed heart, new paths, personal growth, and learning how to reach for your dreams. While finding love and friends along the way.

Done through knitting and making ice cream! Oh, and a hunt for a silver amulet!

All the characters here are so remarkable. Whether it’s the Fae Roisen determinedly searching for her amulet through a mysterious clue, drawn to a house by magic, Finn Wooten, with his Cosy Etsy knitting store or Leo Wetherall of Chill organic ice creams, these beings and people come alive through their struggles and all the obstacles, small to large, past and present, they must overcome.

Really Keswick’s storytelling will captivate you!

Both Finn and Leo each had a wonderful supportive grandmother in their past as well as dysfunctional families. How badly dysfunctional varied. Each man’s past is rolled out and dealt with slowly as their relationship progresses and it gets closer to many important dates for all involved.

I found myself forgetting my own lists, things I really need to get to, as I sank into this tale of discovery, self determination, courage, hope, love, and, of course, Holiday spirit….in a Fae sort of way.

As the author put The End to this story I couldn’t help but hope that next Christmas Keswick sees us making a return to a certain shop on High Street, Number 13 to be exact. And all who live overtop and within.

I’d love to catch up with them. You will be enchanted and wish for that too!

Cosy & Chill by Jackie Keswick goes to my top five holiday reads this year. I’m highly recommending you out it in your own stocking and your TBR pile!

What a joy!

Synopsis:

Knitting. Ice Cream. And a Matchmaking Fae.

Quiet, industrious Finn dreams of his own knitting store. He needs Leo’s enthusiasm to make him reach for what he wants.

Cheerful, adventurous Leo sells artisan ice cream but shies away from fulfilling his grandmother’s last wish. He needs Finn’s love and support to put his past to rest for good.

Add a Saxon treasure, a fae stranded in the human world, and an empty store with very unusual rental terms – and falling in love is not the only challenge Finn and Leo have to face.

Making a dream come true takes work. But there’s magic in dreams if Finn and Leo can hold on tight.

***

Tags: I’m only here for socks and ice cream. Sometimes you just click with another guy even if you’re opposites. I look at you and know what I’ll be knitting. How to share a house with someone you’ve just met. Utensils don’t sparkle, right? Grandmas rock. Making a deal with a burglar. Roisin is a decorating wiz and Finn worries about antique furniture. If you don’t talk to me, I can’t help you. Finding treasure at inopportune moments. And yes, there’s a happy ending

https://www.goodreads.com › showCosy & Chill by Jackie Keswick – Goodreads

Review: Holigay by K.M. Neuhold

Rating: 4 🌈⛄️

Holigay is a term that denotes someone who is gay or gay curious just for a holiday vacation. Once again home, they return to their safe sexual orientation.

Holigay by K.M. Neuhold is a sweet best friends to lovers, sexual discovery holiday romance. It’s frankly adorable.

It helps that the men involved have known each other all their lives and their dialogue reflects that long time familiarity and deep love for each other. For it to move from one type of love to a romantic, sexual love felt easy and natural.

Matt, large, gentle and learning that Caspian isn’t merely his oldest and best friend but also the person he loves and wants to spend the rest of his life with? It’s a journey of joyous awakening as well as sexual pleasure. It’s as though everything finally makes sense. And for Caspian, it does finally as he’s long loved his best friend.

This is a sweet, absolutely romantic, low angst holiday romance. I adored this couple and story.

You will too.

Synopsis:

I’ve been in love with my best friend for almost as long as I can remember. The only problem is he’s straight. At least I thought he was.

But when he gets me to Fiji for Christmas, he’s suddenly looking at me in a way I’ve never seen before. Could this all be real, or is he just HoliGay?

https://www.goodreads.com › showHoligay by K.M. Neuhold – Goodreads

Review: Spellbound (Fallen Messengers #2 by Ava Marie Salinger

Rating: 3.5 🌈

Ah, time for that all important second book in a series review. So many questions and weighted hopes hangs on this follow up novel if the author is continuing an overall series arc.

Is there continuity and character growth? Does it flow somehow out from the events of the first book? Does it empower not only the characters but our imagination in the same manner the original launches us into this journey?

Hmmm, with Spellbound, the answers are a bit mixed.

Let’s tackle them one by one.

Plots.

The storyline that takes up the majority of this novel is wonderful. It contains so much depth and emotional layering that I expected. There’s a serious mother/daughter flawed relationship built on lies, love, and a great tragedy. Eden, the daughter is so relatable in her anger, pain, and apparent maternal abandonment. Her rage is both poignant and deeply frightening. We get it. This aspect of the novel, and everything that surrounds Eden is absolutely terrific. With an exception.

Eden is a high school student. At the end of this story, she’s found herself in a serious permanent as in forever relationship. With a ancient being. Now while we are all smacking our heads over that flag, I will say the author has several characters bring up the illegality of that issue as well as the idea that she’s not emotionally ready. Ok good.

But there’s no real resolution. So perhaps that’s to be addressed in upcoming novels but Eden clearly deserves a more defined finish here. She’s a marvelous character and so is this entire element of the arc.

Which brings me to

Series Arc plots .

As best I can tell, Salinger is slowly adding bits of pieces to her overall arc mosaic much like a 1.000 piece table puzzle . You fit a bit in here, several snap in together there. So hopefully, Eden and her new Dryad Prince are part of the huge battle group that will be needed to fight the Evil whoever who is trying to do whatever. Still not a clue. But Salinger’s strengths are in her ingenious storylines and layerings. She knows how to build a suspenseful scene, and then top it off with high action.

However , this didn’t move the overall arc along hugely. Did confirm new information about our main characters though.

That brings us to the aspect of characterization. What I thought worked and, frankly, what I felt didn’t.

Eden’s group and storyline. Those characters were new , including her BFF Lois and her family. All the beings that gravitated around Eden and her drama? They really worked as far as realistic emotional scenes and reactions to her dilemma. Again great job.

But, unfortunately, in what should be solid, continuing .character growth for Cassius and Morgan, our main couple and the series biggest heart as well as mystery? It felt as though we got a stripping off of layers instead of a depth of dimension.

In the first story, we saw the ages of wisdom, the compassion and pain coming through for Cassius. Now he’s a pouty, insecure lovesick being? What happened to the serious character of the other novel? He seems to have vanished, replaced by a boyfriend of Morgan’s. Who occasionally transforms into something cool. Morgan too is undergoing a bit of a metamorphosis, although into what exactly is anyone’s guess. But the gravity of these downright elemental or idk other worldly transformations seems to be missing.

Idk maybe they should actually stop having sex for a mo’ and figure out if this pertains to their missing memories, and maybe even the bad guy! Good grief.

Definitely not the same beings I liked in book one. They need to regain their gravitas, their focus, and personalities.

Almost missing main character. You all know how I feel about this. Here it’s Loki the magical cat, a main player in book one and the series arc. He lives with Cassius now. When do we see and here about him here? When the book is about 74% complete. Then Loki is mentioned as part of the growing mystery so , yes, he has to be trotted out in one scene so everyone sees he’s still around. That’s it. Done. He disappears again back into the apartment not to be mentioned again. It fed or whatever. So Loki could have starved because he’s not seen or mentioned even when they are back in the apartment. A huge change from book one when he’s a constant presence, weaving catlike around the feet or in their laps. SMH. Continuity and consistency!

All of which finally brings me to my last bit of griping. Since I had time to notice all the above, then the issues I had with the repetition of adjectives and certain author’s fondness of terms definitely continues on here.

Pls, someone either tell her about how to find and replace a word within a document, Thesauruses our old friend , (and edit) or point a great editor her way.

We are back to muscles jumping in every character’s face and often. Adrianne is saying things “leadenly”again. I pity poor Adrianne. No sex and the worst lines. A couple of female characters always “smile softly “.

There’s also a lot of “she___fill in the name___snarled,” “so and so hissed”,

Lots of hissing and no they aren’t snake shifters.

Also “growling “. Cedric growled. But it could have been and usually is another.

Plus a host of clenched whatever… jaw, fist… whatever can be clenched.

You get the idea. Salinger once she uses a word or term in a certain manner, it stays used. To the detriment of the story. And the reader’s, at least this reader’s concentration.

And that’s a shame, because the plots? Both one the book and overall series arc scale are imaginative and layered. They have grabbed my attention and the potential for a really great series shows everywhere….

But there’s some definite tidying up to be done. Both in the major characters personalities and language. I look forward to see what book three brings.

High marks mostly for Eden and her journey.

Fallen Messenger series:

Unbound #0.5

Fractured Souls #1

Spellbound #2

Edge Lines #3

Oathbreaker #4

Synopsis:

Can Cassius and Morgan overcome an elusive enemy and save a young girl’s life?

Eden Monroe has spent her entire existence believing she has no magic. Shunned by her mother Brianna and the magical bureau Hexa, she runs away from home when she is forced to embrace a future she never chose, only to fall into the hands of ghastly monsters from the Nine Hells. After being rescued by a mysterious Dryad with secrets of his own, Eden realizes there is more to her past and future than she could ever have imagined.

When San Francisco PD asks Argonaut to assist them in solving a series of strange bank robberies, Cassius Black and Morgan King uncover a disturbing plot that points to an unknown artifact hidden somewhere in the city. Their investigation soon has them crossing paths with a desperate Brianna, who seeks their help in finding her missing daughter. When the witch reveals the shocking circumstances surrounding her daughter’s birth as well as the deadly magic sealed inside the young girl’s body, the Argonaut agents realize their case is linked to Eden and the weapon of devastating power the bank robbers are after.

Can Cassius and Morgan defeat the malevolent organization behind it all and save Eden from her cursed fate? Or will the young girl suffer a destiny worse than death itself?

Spellbound is the second novel in the gay urban fantasy romance series Fallen Messengers. If you like your paranormal adventures full of action, magic, snark, and a host of steamy angels and demons, then you’re not going to want to miss this jaw-dropping, fun-filled ride!

Spellbound

Review: Ghost of Lies (Medium Trouble #1) by Alice Winters

Rating: 4.5🌈.

Ghost of Lies was a great read. A scary thriller of a ghostly murder mystery with a side of romance to spice things up.

As if it needed it.

Alice Winters certainly knows how to write a messy murder detective mystery. This was terrific, amping up our anxiety and suspense as the body count increases along with the suspects.

However, Winter added ghosts and the paranormal to this and the scary became horrifying. I LOVED this!

Hiro, Medium bookstore owner who’s surrounded by ghostly companies is seeking the killer of his brother ( who’s still very much a part of his life… non corporeal state not a issue). Along the way he’s assisting other ghosts to move along, and that brings him up against Def. Grumpy.

Maddox keeps running across this strange guy at his crime scenes, and his explanations for being there and disrupting the scene just don’t add up. When a serial killer strikes again, the man, Hiro, is there.

The characters twist and combust, especially after Hiro reveals his ability to talk to ghosts. Uh yeah.

Things are exciting, funny (ghost strippers and ravens), horrific (malevolence off the scale), great plot twists, pathos, and a very rewarding romance.

If I got a tad annoyed with Hiro’s manner in which he dealt with issues, then he absolved himself later on.

This had a surprising resolution which I didn’t see coming. Absolutely enjoyed that.

I can’t wait to see how this partnership continues. Next book out in January.

So if you enjoy mysteries, detective stories, ghosts, and romance? I got just the thing for you! Great characters, outstanding plots, swoon worthy romance. Scary stuff. There you go.

Highly recommended.

Medium Trouble series:

◦ Ghost of Lies #1

◦ Ghost of Truth – coming in January 2022

Synopsis:

Hiro

Though I was born with the ability to see the dead, I struggled with it until my brother was killed and his ghost was left behind. Now, I’m determined to figure out who is responsible for his death… the problem is that Detective Maddox Booker, the one working the case, is a grumpy and stubborn man who wants nothing to do with me and definitely doesn’t believe in ghosts. It doesn’t help that I keep finding myself looking ridiculous in front of the detective, thanks to interfering ghosts who enjoy laughing at my expense. Still, the more I’m around Maddox, the more I realize that beneath that surly exterior is a kind and caring man who will do anything to help.

Maddox

When another man dies, I know we have a serial killer on our hands—the same murderer who has remained elusive for a year and a half. To add to my frustration, I keep running into Hiro at crime scenes only to hear him claim that he can talk to ghosts. The words of the dead could lead us to the serial killer and even tell us who is next, but ghosts? There’s no such thing as ghosts. Hiro is determined and charming, and no matter what I do, I can’t stop letting him get involved. He’s definitely snagged my attention, but when he nearly winds up dead, I know he’s getting closer to the truth—and if I don’t do something soon, he might be next.

Ghost of Lies is full of action, mystery, humor, and romance. Though more is planned for this couple, the mystery is solved and there is a happy ending.

https://www.goodreads.com › showGhost of Lies (Medium Trouble, #1) by Alice Winters – Goodreads

Review: Merry Elf-ing Christmas by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.5 🌈⛄️

With the holidays almost upon us for those that celebrate at this time of the year, there’s always a number of holiday books that arrive with it.

Merry Elf-ing Christmas by Beth Bolden is a wonderful and sweet addition to anyone’s holiday reading stack this year!

I was wracking my memories if I had read any similar plots because a Tir na Nog Fae being hauled off to the North Pole because of a prophecy was all sorts of imaginative. And in terms of character development, downright awesome.

If I was from Ireland and dragged away to the ice and freezing cold, away from the pubs and rainbows, would I be happy? Without any say in the matter? Uh, no. And neither is Aiden.

Bolden is able to get the reader a real connection with Aiden’s emotional state over this huge permanent upheaval of his life. The loss of friends, home, a job he felt he was good at and is now looked down upon by certain North Pole elves as nothing important. As is Auden’s favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. His entire old life is made to feel.. well less in the face of being a Christmas elf, which he doesn’t want to be.

While the North Pole May glitter , it’s often cold, freezing, and unfriendly. Except for Sam aka Santa (a title) who’s assistant Aiden is supposed to be.

Bolden builds quite the pictures of a role foisted on Aiden by a prophecy he doesn’t understand in a place he doesn’t want to be. And it’s a role that doesn’t seem to fit him. At all.

The reader, listening and watching through Aiden’s pained eyes, will tend to agree.

Then on Christmas Eve, outside of Chicago, in a small convenience store, Aiden runs into college student/store clerk Dex and a friendship as well as instant attraction is struck up.

Dexter is another layered marvelous character. Dysfunctional childhood, poor family dynamics means he’s not a fan of the holidays. Until an unhappy elf stumbles into the store looking for milk and cookies for Santa.

What follows is such a heartwarming, funny, sometimes poignant love story…via a long series of texts, and then of course there’s that prophecy.

I may have actually sniffled once or twice here.

I really felt for that given no choice here’s your new future elf Aiden and his engineer graduate boyfriend… to be…they fully grabbed at my heart .

I believe they will at yours too. That’s why I’m highly recommending this.

Synopsis:

Aidan might be a bad elf, but he’s never been naughty.

Aidan has always landed on Santa’s nice list, thank you very much. But that doesn’t mean he’s cut out to be a North Pole elf; instead of worrying about the dwindling magic of Christmas, he’d much rather be back in Tir na Nog, calculating where the next end of the rainbow is going to land.

Instead he’s freezing his butt off in Santa’s sleigh.

His situation seems grim despite all the decking the halls, until on Christmas Eve, during a milk and cookies run, he meets Dexter, an engineering student.

They couldn’t be more different, and Dexter couldn’t be more forbidden, but Aidan is drawn to the handsome human anyway. Over the next year, their emails start out as a entertaining way to pass the time in all his interminable elf meetings, but soon, hearing from Dex becomes the very best part of his day.

And when they meet up on the next Christmas Eve? Aidan and Dex discover that their infatuation is so much more than just attraction. If they believe in each other and in the love they share, together their magic might be powerful enough to save Christmas.

https://www.goodreads.com › showMerry Elf-ing Christmas by Beth Bolden – Goodreads

Review: The Professor’s Dragon (Here Be Dragons #2) by Louisa Masters

Rating: 4 🌈

The Professor’s Dragon is a sweet, often funny, low angst fantasy romance. A part of the Hidden Species series universe, this novel’s events picks up from the end of Dragon Ever After.

That’s the book that launched this series and frankly was my introduction to this universe and Louisa Masters. Make sure you start there, if unfamiliar with this series. It’s a winner and you’ll need the background established there to help with all aspects of the characters and romance here.

The Prologue gives us Dustin’s first look at his soon-to-be all consuming crush/love Professor Rob Sarris on Dustin’s first day of class at a human college.

Fast forward two years and things are only more intense for Dustin. He’s still deeply emotionally attached, but still from afar and it’s all one sided.

Dustin has grown from overly exuberant youth we met in the stories of the Great Migration to a more responsible, yet totally adorable one here. The character growth continues while maintaining all aspects of his personality that makes Dustin such an engaging and endearing being.

Rob is the new and wonderful element here. Before he was just the object of adoration. Now he’s an actual person, with a family and history. He’s become fascinating in his own right and I wanted more, actually of him as I got to know him and his family dynamics and history. Charming, heartwarming, funny… Rob’s family has its own story to tell.

Together, along with the madcap denizens of Here Be Dragons, Dustin and Rob’s courtship plays out, with all its wide ramifications, to great and romantic fun.

I will admit I keep waiting for some type of element of suspense or mystery to enter, much like that of Hidden Species. But maybe this series is the author’s gift to the characters for all they went through there so it’s going to be low angst all the way. Except for bit of a craziness from Steff now or then.

Next up? That’s the slightly weird, always entertaining Fabian’s story, The Dragon Experiment coming in 2022. Can’t wait to see what hilarity that brings!

Until then, I’m recommending this series and novels. And all the Hidden Soecies stories too if you haven’t read them as well.

Read them all in the order they were written and enjoy a grand journey through a fantasy series and a multitude of marvelous characters.

Here Be Dragons series:

◦ Dragon Ever After #

◦ The Professor’s Dragon #2

◦ The Dragon Experiment #3-coming 2022

The Professor’s Dragon

Synopsis:

It was love at first sight… with my professor. What’s a dragon to do?

For two years, I’ve been pining over Professor Sarris. I knew the moment I saw him that we were meant for each other, but it’s not to be. For one thing, I was his student, and he’s the most ethical man I know. For another, he has no idea I’m actually a four-thousand-year-old dragon from another dimension.

When my people fled to Earth to avoid extinction, I vowed to clean up my life and stop acting like a fledgling. It’s bad enough that nobody takes me seriously… sure, maybe I used to be flighty and irresponsible and caused a few interspecies incidents, but that’s all in the past. I have big plans for the future, and this college gig is the first step in proving myself. I’m not endangering this fresh start for anyone.

But then my professor and I wind up at the same party, and suddenly it seems he’s not completely out of reach. Except I’m still the adorable flirt nobody wants to rely on, and convincing him we should be together while proving I’m a changed dragon is a monumental task.

Good thing I’m up for the challenge.

Review: The Hound of the Burgervilles (Quest Investigations #2 ) by E.J. Russell

Rating: 4.75🌈

The Hound of the Burgervilles was such excellent fun! A total non-stop madcap romp fest of a urban fantasy murder mystery.

How’s that for throwing in the narrative trope sink! There’s a hint of romance but it’s really a backseat story line to all the other plots running about hither and yon here in and out of Fae lands.

The Hound of the Burgervilles picks up closely after the events of Five Dead Herrings, the novel that launched this series.

Now Quest Investigations has two new employees added to the payroll since the deeds of book one. That would be Eleri, the dryad who’s now an investigator and Matt Steinitz, aka Hugh Mann’s BFF. Jordan, the ever lovable, overly energetic and accident prone young werewolf.

Jordan, a fav character of mine, has become Quest’s new, well only, intern. Probably just to save the coffee shop they like where he recently worked from anymore acts of accidental destruction. Here Jordan’s character starts to show real emotional growth. And tbh, I’m not sure I’m ready for him to outgrow his “golden retriever’ stage . Ah well.

Matt’s love life is still on hold primarily because Brody’s husband has disappeared and is needed to sever their Fae marital bond.

But more dire happenings intrude … a murder or more to investigate. Loose doggies, and a hellish quest! All described through this author’s uniquely vibrant and imaginative writing.

Russell keeps the remarkable characters hopping to a labyrinthine plot that’s cements our interest to every page and scene as it occurs.

I mean glued!

Even if we have good clues as to who dunnit HOW they did it is still a even bigger problem. And a rabbit hole we and all the characters end up following or is it falling into?

Either way… it’s a quick paced, high action, plot full of complexity and great characters and multiple storylines.

And while this story perfectly ends this mystery, it sets the stage for the next in the series The Lady Under The Lake.

This should be rated 5 🌈 but it’s so interwoven with the Mythmatched series and characters that for those readers who haven’t read those stories, you’re missing a richness of layers here that makes this story and series so much more multi dimensional.

These books must be read in the order they were written. And for, imo, complete understanding and enjoyment, read in conjunction with the other series referenced above.

Plus they’re great novels too.

So yep, recommending this, that, and all of those!

Quest Investigations Series:

◦ Five Dead Herrings #1

◦ The Hound of the Burgervilles #2

◦ The Lady Under The Lake #3 – not yet released

The Hound of the Burgervilles

Synopsis:

This case is really going to the dogs…

After I try a little off-the-books interrogation to locate my selkie almost-boyfriend’s nearly-ex-husband (don’t ask, it’s complicated), I’m in the doghouse again with my bosses, who bust me back to surveillance. Ugh. So when another human inexplicably storms into Quest Investigations—something our security spells ought to prevent since I’m supposed to be the only human admitted to our offices—I’m reduced to staking out local fast food restaurants to check out the guy’s alleged sighting of a giant, glowing-eyed, dumpster-diving spectral hound.

Ridiculous, right? Humiliating, too, not to mention boring. But at least they didn’t fire me.

Imagine my surprise when there actually is a giant, glowing-eyed, dumpster-diving spectral hound—one of the Cwn Annwn, Herne the Hunter’s traitor-tracking dog pack, to be exact. Jeez, who let this dog out? It’s my case, though, so it’s up to me—Matt Steinitz, aka Hugh Mann—to return him to Faerie. But while Herne’s normally hopping kennels are inexplicably unpopulated by pups, they’re playing host to one extremely dead body.

Uh oh. Looks like someone’s bite was a lot worse than their bark.

Guess my love life will have to take a back seat again while we nose out the truth.

Dammit.

The Hound of the Burgervilles is the second in the Quest Investigations M/M mystery series, a spinoff of E.J. Russell’s Mythmatched paranormal rom-com story world. It contains no on-page sex or violence, and although there is a romantic subplot, it is not a romance. The series is best read in order

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

Rating: 4.75 🌈

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 Paul’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 .

“Merry Christmas, my love” is sigh worthy.

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

It’s really not a standalone story but needs to be read in tandem with the first I’ve referenced throughout this review.

Haven’t read that one? You’re in for a huge treat! Grab up both stories and read one right after the other.

Read the first? Then you’ll love this! It’s the HEA you’ve been waiting for. Although NR Walker shouldn’t be surprised if people start crying out for Malachi and Julian’s wedding. There’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 can’t go about swiping other peoples cats but still….

Ty. Extra point for that cat.

Yes, I’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 wasn’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 he’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

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