Review: Mage Bond by Eden Winters

Rating:4🌈

Mage Bond is Eden Winters’ new fantasy romance that expands into what could be the beginnings of a epic fantasy series.

The novel’s first chapters are also the characters upheavals out of their familiar lives, putting them ,as well as the reader , on their own personal journeys to bring them together.

We’re introduced to two boys, initially so different in backgrounds and families. Arkenn’s small family life is one of secrets, hiding high in the mountains, and, his fleeing in pain and loss.

The other? Petran’s lives aboard a pirate ship, the Seabird, with his Captain father, and a host of seafaring mates.

The energy and sense of a fantastic adventure is here with the youth at the beginning of their journeys. You get a real idea of mystery, and the fate pulling them towards each other.

Each will realize great personal loss, and achieve enormous growth through challenges they undertake, but it’s on paths they take separately away from each other for a while.

And this is where Winters lost me momentarily.

While the young men are together and exploring their backgrounds, powers, and sexuality, Mage Bond has a real chemistry and dynamic energy.

But as soon as a brown cloaked priest can say , “you’ll see each other again one day” , and pushes each away towards different “journey “, the story starts to loose something.

Now as Arkenn becomes Martin and Petran becomes Peter, each needs their own book in a way. In trying to insure that the main characters acquire all the necessary elements for their powers to be believable, Mage Bond ‘s middle section’s overly packed exposition reads more as a told to which slows down the momentum of the narrative.

For me, at least, it’s not until, Martin and Peter are brought back together that we regain the original energy and the storylines their strengths.

From that moment on, it just starts pouring on the narrative speed as we learn more about all the monsters, the Grand Evil that’s plagued the world, and the real identities of some of the characters who have been playing major roles in everyone’s lives.

The resolution to the end of all the battles is one that’s left me thinking. I can’t exactly roll out doubts here without giving away major spoilers. But while the battles were splendid, the final solution had a few patchy tears in it . Logically speaking. If that’s all it took to take “care” of the villain at the end, then why not just do it at the beginning? It doesn’t follow all the arguments for the reasons it starts at all. I don’t know. Just wasn’t satisfying as a logical, thoughtful ending.

It does set up the possibility for a series of stories with quite a few characters from this book going forward.

I really liked Martin/Arkenn and Peter/ Petran. They have the potential to continue to grow into a even more powerful couple. There’s several other people and beings that helped make this a enjoyable experience.

I found Mage Bond entertaining and it’s lead couple easy to connect with. If you’re a lover of fantasy and this author, this is a story you’re sure to want to pick up.

Synopsis:

A long-ago meeting sets fate into motion…

As captain of the city guards, Martin protects E’Skaara by day. At night, he creeps in shadows to defend the citizens from predators most cannot see. He’s escaped from his past as a mage-born lad who’d nearly destroyed a village in self-defense. The three things he can’t so easily elude? Rage at a deity who condemns mages to death, memories of a pirate who saved him, and the magic he must conceal.

Tavernkeeper Peter keeps secrets. Secrets that can get him killed: his desire for men, a pirate past, and magical abilities. He should run from the one place mages cannot be safe, but yearning for a lost love binds him to where they shared their last kiss, waiting for one more glimpse of a dear face.

When dark forces reunite them, the magic both men try so hard to hide might just be their salvation.

Mage Bond is now available for preorder on Amazon

This reviewer was given a copy to review by the author.

Review: Inferno (Hammer and Fist : Geminatus #1) by Jennifer Cody

Rating: 4.75🌈

Excellent story! This second concurrently running series to Hammer and Fist: Lexatalion , is helpfully set up by the introduction of the Geminatus species and world in that series first story, Sledge and Claw.

It does help to read that series first to get a better understanding of the agency, IDIA, it’s agents, who are it’s Hammer and Fist. Hence the titles of these series. Each agent is the law enforcement, judge , jury, and the one who enacts swift execution.

We met our first Geminatus, a female, in that story. But she’s a kidnapped member of her species. Direct from the planet.

The person who’s story this is , Hunter and Ranger DuPont, has lived as human twins in a small town all his life, with the exception of having his two avatars go off to different collages, graduating with degrees in other fields, before returning home.

He is both , Ranger DuPont, the high school science teacher, and his “brother “ , Hunter, the town’s best friend and go to when something needs to be done. Usually in a wildlife capacity.

In secret, Hunter’s , with Ranger if necessary, has been hunting monsters, keeping his little town safe and himself with his secrets too.

It’s remarkable that Cody is able to make us believe in this incredibly unique being, who’s one person with two bodies. Yet each body also has and operates with distinct personalities. Hunter has all the creative side, tattoos, long hair, dresses like a hipster. While Ranger, the science teacher, has a more scientific mind, quiet and authoritative personality. And through such excellent writing and genuinely great descriptions, we absolutely believe in all three. The one, and the two.

The weird way they switch back and forth between awareness’s, and remembering the minutiae about each brother to keep their secret intact before whoever they are interacting with. Then letting the awareness drop, as one being to think about the duality and perception.

It’s a narratively tight balancing act and Cody does a beautiful job.

While all that is occurring, there’s also a potential romance happening with another character, who’s aware he’s dealing with a Geminatus. And all the ramifications that comes that situation. But Cedric Clark, a nurse, also has an enormous secret that probably will have a huge impact going forward.

Weaving into this a mystery about all the so called monsters Hunter’s been fighting over the years, why Townsend? With the IDIC as a guide , these monsters soon get very disturbing names .

And mounting questions about Hunter/Ranger’s origins and things they/him can do that the other can’t?

Cody has built a novel of spellbinding questions with little answers.

Some of the characters from Hammer and Fist: Lextalion appear here. It’s fascinating to get another perspective on that group’s dynamics. Unexpected!

I can’t wait to see where Gale, the next novel moves the story. This is such a complicated arc and the characters are amazingly just as convoluted.

I’m highly recommending Inferno (Hammer and Fist : Geminatus #1) by Jennifer Cody and it’s twin series. I’ve listed both below.

Read them in the order I suggested, it will help with character, event, and storylines development

Same universe, events often running concurrently.

🔶Hammer and Fist: Lextalion series:

🔹Sledge and Claw: Lextalion #1

🔹Brick and Brass : Lextalion #2 TBD

🔶Hammer and Fist : Geminatus series:

🔹Inferno #1

🔹Gale #2 – RTBD

https://www.goodreads.com › showInferno (Hammer and Fist: Geminatus # 1) by Jennifer Cody – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Ranger/Hunter:

After an encounter with gremlins that almost kills one of my avatars, I’m forced to get involved with the government agency that enforces the laws that govern non-humans on Earth. The Inter-dimensional Immigration Agency—IDIA, according to the office agent assigned to my case—has a vested interest in me. I’m a species that they’ve only just discovered, and I have a few gifts that I shouldn’t. Plus, I’ve been doing the work of a field agent for more than a decade, and they want to recruit me into the fold. It may be time I start getting paid for my efforts, but I’ll only agree to it if they can respect the family I’ve built and the people I’m protecting. If they want my loyalty, they’re going to have to earn it.

Inferno is an MM Urban Fantasy in the Hammer and Fist series. For a more informed reader experience, read Sledge and Claw (Hammer and Fist Lextalion Book 1) first, or explore the world for the frist time with Ranger/Hunter for a fun adventure into magic and inter-dimensional mayhem.

Review: The Sceptic (Arcana Books #1) by Lily Morton

Rating: 4.25🌈

““What a ridiculous question. Do I look like I have a book on how to reanimate a cadaver? I have enough problems with the living customers without adding dead ones. Go next door.””

— The Sceptic by Lily Morton

That’s a terrific start to a new paranormal series by Lily Morton. And it dives immediately into what is sure to be one of my favorite elements as well as series center, Arcana Books. One of two adjacent bookstores, only this one is full of the weirdness, the magical, the lore or whatever supernatural or paranormal literature you’re searching for has lured a customer there.

It also has , as an occult bookshop would, a Madame Hecate reading tarot cards, if her morning gins haven’t kicked in too much, or the lure of the nearby pub hasn’t been ignored. It’s vastly intriguing, full of wildly imaginative clients and it’s employees, include Will, who’s The Skeptic of this novel.

Tarquin, the Viscount Ingram, who owns the occult bookstore, Tom, the owner of the other more mundane one( a mentor to the psychic Blue) are characters that are pulled from a previous series.

That would be the Black and Blue two-book series, introducing characters such as cartoonist Levi Black, Blue Billings, a psychic, his boyfriend, in two stories of paranormal mystery and horror.

Blue’s background and found family includes Will Buchanan, a gentle giant with whom Blue spent early years that left both with damage they are still dealing with.

Part of this connecting group is Jem Dawson, a well known photographer, who’s also a best friend to Levi Black.

So as you can tell, if you’re like me, and came into this novel not having read those books, you’re missing a substantial amount of important background information.

Morton tries to fill in background for the new reader as best she can, but there’s really no replacement for the foundation those books supply in terms of relationships and events that occurred. Take it from me, read those stories first.

Now having said that, this is still a very good ghost story.

The investigation into what is causing all the issues at the family’s house and the chilling occurrences that help to ramp up the suspense are spread out just enough to give us a lull before smacking us with something to make the goosebumps appear.

And while the paranormal activity is being investigated, there’s a relationship and tentative romance building between two commitment phobic men. That’s something that’s both frustrating and fascinating, because it’s where the missing history is most needed.

Will’s that is. The hints to his lack of trust, the map to the emotional location to his trauma is there but not the details. I expect that’s in Black and Blue.

But there’s enough heft to the men’s internal dialogues with themselves about their feelings, trust issues, as well as the current dangers they were facing to give the reader a excellent window into the men’s personalities and how things were developing between them.

There’s secondary characters in the “ghostbusters “ group that I wasn’t quite as fond of. Not sure if that’s because I think they weren’t as layered or with everything going on with the ghostly elements, just didn’t get as much development as possible.

The main characters, and Blue , who made an appearance towards the end supply the weight for the book and plot. They make it work.

As the first in a series, I wonder how it will go forward. If it derives from customers from the occult bookstore, then I can’t wait!

Until then, read Black and Blue before arriving here at The Skeptic.

If paranormal romances and ghostly horrors are you thing, then this is the book for you. I’m definitely recommending it!

Arcana Books:

The Skeptic #1

Black and Blue – Series – Lily Morton

https://www.goodreads.com › showThe Sceptic (Arcana Books, #1) by Lily Morton – Goodreads

Synopsis:

As the best friend of a psychic, Will Buchanan can’t help but believe in the dead. It’s the living that he finds to be problematic. However, after a spate of betrayals, he finally has the chance of a new life within his grasp, and he’s not going to risk it for anyone or anything. Staying safe is the name of Will’s game.

Jem Dawson defines the word temporary. A talented cameraman, he’s here today and will undoubtedly be gone tomorrow chasing adventure and danger. But, while he’s in York, he’s made it clear he wants Will, and Will can’t help liking the charming daredevil.

This inconvenient attraction results in Will accompanying Jem to the site of a notorious poltergeist outbreak. A malevolent spirit has targeted a family, and now the ghost hunting team for whom Jem does camerawork are going to be locked down in the house for three days.

The house is strange and filled with sinister and violent undercurrents. One by one, the group experiences threatening incidents, and as events escalate, Will has to ask himself if he’s risking not just his heart but also his life with this impulsive gesture.

This is the first book in the Arcana Books series featuring characters from the bestselling Black and Blue series

Review: The Shackles That Hold Us (The Magi Accounts #2) by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4.75 🌈

I sometimes wonder if you can really love a story when you spend so much time cringing in anxiety over the anticipated horrors you know will be visited upon the characters you’re coming to connect with and the found family that’s being constructed. Somehow I’ve found a way. It’s just that great.

The Shackles That Hold Us is only the second book in Michele Notaro’s fantastic dark fantasy series, The Magi Accounts, but already it’s served as both a outstanding foundation for the characters but also as a warning for this horrific, grim universe where several species of beings are seen as nothing less than disposable tools, or worse.

Tagged, tortured, served up as war fodder , born in breeding camps. This is the nature and foundation of the Magi. And the Shifters have it only marginally better. Be warned. The torture scenes happen on page. And to characters we have come to care about.

And because dyad pair magi Madeo and Jude Driscoll are magically powerful, they are targets so any “misbehavior “ will see them collared and taken to a compound for punishment.

This is a utterly brutal world and Notaro makes us feel every inhuman rule, every legal enforcement that uses to pain to degrade and in some instances kill those that would fight back against humanity and those that are oppressing them.

Each story dives a little further into the heartbreaking , cruel conditions under which the humans have managed to contain and imprison all magi for decades. Compounds become breeding camps, children removed to become tools for war. All seen slowly through the tortured memories of Mads and Jude when they’re able to emotionally to look back at what they’ve endured.

This includes, and will probably continue to bring up instances of child sexual abuse.

As I said this series is a dark fantasy fiction and each book will fill the reader with dread as the stakes build higher for all the characters as the events point towards even more deaths and battles to come.

The characters here. The magi, and all the members of the pride are so perfectly layered. Each has a well developed personality and each shows growth as the Pride and the three magi, Mads, Jude, and Logan (all part of the Pride) face greater challenges to the multitude relationships forming and the ones hitting them as a team.

Notaro’s storylines continue to build a series arc that carries a potential for horrific events and further deaths to come.

I’m both highly anticipating the next book and highly afraid for all the characters.

If you love fantasy, read this. But only if you read the trigger warnings first. You decide what you’re comfortable with.

Here’s the series. They must be read in the order they were written to understand the events and relationships.

The Magi Accounts:

🔹The Scars That Bind Us #1

🔹The Shackles That Hold Us #2

🔹A Date To Impress Him #2.5

🔹A Purpose That Restores Us #3 – TBR

The Shackles That Hold Us: The Magi Accounts 2 – Kindle edition – Amazon.com

Synopsis:

As if crushin’ on a shifter wasn’t bad enough, I had to go and date one.

A mage and a shifter walk into a bar… No, that’s the whole joke.

Magi and shifters don’t mix, and yet I find myself in a relationship with Cosmo, a lion shifter. And on top of that, Cosmo, and all his pride members, consider my brothers and me to be a part of their pride. Three magi in a shifter pride. Who would’ve ever thought?

Navigating our connection while trying to figure out what’s going on in the world isn’t easy. Trusting that Cosmo means forever when he says it? Even harder. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned since meeting the Ono-Nais, it’s that taking a risk with my heart will be worth it to be a part of their lives.

The Shackles That Hold Us is a 113K novel and the second book in the MM urban fantasy series, The Magi Accounts. It’s recommended to read the series in order because it has an ongoing storyline.

*Intended for adults only. Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of this novel.

Review: Playing for Keeps (Miami Piranhas #1) by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.5 🌈

Beth Bolden’s new book, Playing for Keeps, is the first in her new Miami Piranhas series about a fake Miami, Florida NFL football team that’s scrambling to come together. New coach and coach teams. And a slew of incoming new players to mesh with the ones already there.

One of those new players is one of the NFL’s legendary players, Sebastian Howard. Howard’s reign as one of the NFL’s outstanding corners is coming to an end as age has caught up with him.

But his agent and the coaches at the Piranhas have gotten him to Miami to talk about playing there.

But there’s a catch. He needs to play safety.

Beau Dawson, assistant coach and son to legendary head Coach Asa Dawson, sees a bright future ahead with the struggling Piranhas. But it includes convincing Howard, a brilliant player, to switch positions.

Playing for Keeps has multiple storylines. All important and all balanced beautifully to maintain our connections to each character, their evolving relationship, and to the team that’s trying to find an identity.

It’s also about family dynamics, juggling how they determine one’s journey in life, and the manner in which each still goes forward.

It’s a lot to pack in but Bolden does so without making this feel dense or heavy.

It was only at the very beginning where Sebastian Howard’s complaining veered towards non-stop whining that it almost lost me. Yes, I got that he was the GOAT at corner. But after a while I wanted his agent to give him a reality smack.

Luckily, it and Sebastian turned a corner and things smoothed out , sort of. Bolden’s run at a struggling NFL team feels believable. Down two, they aren’t functioning as a team. Having several of the people looking at answers feels about right.

The dynamics and talks among players on the queer spectrum? Also real. Putting out the pros and cons, the issues they’ve faced and those to come seems about right. As is the question about coming out while continuing to play. That’s a pertinent question that’s on the mind of many a closeted queer athlete because of toxic environments they play in.

While this is a low angst romance, it’s not without its drama and obstacles that each person raises to the possibility of a relationship. I liked how each man handled it in turn.

The romance between Sebastian and Beau is sexy, believable, and makes for great reading.

Bolden gets the football elements right, from exciting action on the field to tense drama inside the team. Great stuff.

I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment. Until then, I’m highly recommending Playing for Keeps (Piranhas #1) by Beth Bolden.

Happy Reading!

Miami Piranhas series:

Playing for Keeps #1

https://www.goodreads.com › showPlaying for Keeps (Miami Piranhas #1) by Beth Bolden – Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sebastian Howard is the best damn cornerback in the NFL.

Or at least he was.

Age and injuries have taken a toll, and while most people have written him off, Sebastian isn’t ready to acknowledge that at only thirty-two, he’s already in the twilight of his career.

He signs with the Miami Piranhas intending to prove everyone wrong.

Only to realize that the head coach’s son, out-and-proud Beau Dawson, doesn’t believe he can.

Beau is infuriating but brilliant, and when he offers to help him on the field, Sebastian wants to say yes, but there’s one thing stopping him: the unexpected, inconvenient, and all-consuming crush he doesn’t want to have on Beau.

But Beau isn’t interested in playing it safe, with football or with anything else, and soon they’re embroiled in a hot—and secret—affair that would finish Sebastian’s career if Coach Dawson found out.

As Sebastian falls harder for Beau, he begins to realize that actually the worst thing in the world isn’t getting benched, but losing the man he loves.

Review: Crankshaft (Big Bull Mechanics #1) by K. M. Nuehold

Rating: 4.5🌈

I have been looking forward to this new release since the author’s announcement at the end of The Four Bears Construction series. That’s where we met the men of Big Bull Mechanics Shop, the other automotive shop in town, other than Dare’s, husband to Stone, one of the Four Bears.

Steele’s the owner of Big Bull Mechanics and half of the two POV narrative. He’s weighed down by the responsibilities of small business ownership, it’s long hours and his own feelings making it hard on relationships . Plus, the fact he’s always tasked with bailing out a 40 ish irresponsible younger brother.

His companion, his Husky puppy, Denali.

Dr. Porter Grant, Veterinarian, is our other perspective. He’s a character from Four Bears Construction series. There a intern , now he’s graduated and a Licensed Vet with his own clinic . But Porter is also someone suffering from overwhelming issues hitting him. First time vet, beginning small time business owner, no social life. And a big corporation wanting to buy his clinic or threatening to put his small veterinary clinic out of operation. That’s so much to handle on his own.

Nuehold makes us understand and completely relate to both men and the circumstances they find themselves in.

A one night stand that turns into awkward, clumsy meetings afterwards? Yup. Dates that don’t go as planned because one or both are just too exhausted to mentally or even physically show up? Yes. Nuehold gives us, and her wonderful characters, a firm foundation in every day reality. Steele’s late? He’s also covered in the appropriate grease and grime associated with working in a busy garage. Porter’s on call with animal emergencies that sound exactly right for the season. Lost dogs found overheated from running around in the hot summer day.

Love this that both men are defined so perfectly by their personalities and refined by their love of their jobs.

Even their romance, halting as it is as they work their way through layers of responsibilities into a relationship, is worked out in believable steps, one small barrier crossed at a time. Even their sexual relationship, when they actually have time to have it, is extremely hot!

I found myself absolutely connecting to this couple, and their romance.

Plus each comes with a host of friends that can be considered found family. For Porter, he’s adding a new one that I’m sure will have a story later on. Steele’s friends and brother’s books will follow as well. They are a interesting and wonderful bunch.

I’m looking forward to each and everyone getting their HEA!

Start here . It’s one I’m highly recommending.

Big Bull Mechanics series:

🔹Crankshaft #1

https://www.goodreads.com › showCrankshaft (Big Bull Mechanics #1) by K.M. Neuhold – Goodreads

Synopsis:

I don’t have time for a relationship, not even with the adorably dorky vet I can’t seem to stop bumping into… *sigh * pass the oil and lube

Between running a garage full of beefed up, gear head mechanics and bailing my idiot brother out of trouble every other week, the last thing I have time for is a relationship.

I’ve tried it too many times, and the ridiculous reasons I always find to end it have become a running joke around the garage. But I’ve learned my lesson. No. More. Boyfriends.

I don’t care how many times Porter falls asleep drunk in my bed or how cute he looks covered in oil smears while I teach him how to fix up the vintage car he has rusting away in his garage, I’m not going to fall for him.

Even if I did, what do a mechanic and a veterinarian have in common anyway?

It’s better if we’re only friends… friends who occasionally fiddle with each other’s crankshafts…

🔹Connected to The Four Bears Construction Company series.

Review: The Skinny on Djinni by E.J. Russell

Rating : 4.75 🌈

From the fabulously great name on, everything about The Skinny on Djinni by E.J. Russell is absolutely on point. It just makes for a outstanding entertaining read!

Part of Russell’s Mythmatched story universe, it picks up after the events of Death On Denial

(Quest Investigations #4), some of which are referenced here. You don’t have to have read that series, although if you’re a fan of this author, it’s highly likely you’re familiar with the characters, towns, and universe.

We meet Hector Gonzales, IT werewolf hacker in trouble with the Supe Council because he’s been messing around with the magic grid, and it caused huge issues, which was not his fault! So now she’s on probation until his case is heard and he’s technology free until then. Agony!

Hector, a werewolf from Jordan’s group of young were’s, is so perfectly put together that we can see his personality as he’s desperately trying not to use all the devices he has taken for granted and deal with everything going on. He’s young but responsible, intelligent and solid, focused and kind. You can’t help but feel for the position he’s in and still understand how his nature got him there.

Then, through the mechanisms of Shirl, the store owner of the local general store, who sends Hector on a errand for her, he meets Rafi.

That’s Rafi Abbas. Who’s having a very bad life.

Rafi Abbas gets fired from his job at a burger joint when he meets Hector. Then things get even stranger.

Rafi Abbas is that hundred fold object who’s waiting to have their layers peeled back . Only they didn’t know they could do it. Rafi is a sweet, sad, adorable character . His is a history that is not only complicated but expanded on the more Hector gets to know him.

No spoilers but we also find out more about characters we’ve known for many, many books, and get answers for elements that occurred in other stories. Just perfect!

Plus at the end, all the characters and the readers are given a huge thought provoking “what if” question thrown out there that could launch not just another book but maybe a whole new Mythmatched universe series. At least I certainly hope so.

Russell gives us so much here that adds to her unique universe, gives us another couple to love , and another employee for Quest Investigations.

This story makes me soooo happy!

I just need Russell to sort Jordan out now. He’s just getting more complicated and a favorite by the book!

I’m highly recommending The Skinny on Djinni by E.J. Russell . Grab it up and have a outstanding time!

Amazon US

Amazon Universal

Synopsis:

Being in tech time-out totally sucks.

Hector Gonzales knew the danger when he hacked the magic grid to marry it with human technology. He’d never imagined this system crash: A total tech suspension while the tradition-bound supe council reviews his case. He’s reduced to running errands for his friends, and seriously? How had people survived before GPS? Then several wrong turns—thank you so much, stupid paper map—lead him to a remote burger joint. And when he spots the cute guy behind the counter? His wolf wakes up and howls You have arrived at your destination.

Getting fired—again—totally sucks.

Rafi Abbas tries to give customers what they want, he really does. However, when he gets distracted by the lovely man with the gorgeous brown skin, he screws up another customer’s order and his boss fires him on the spot. With no money, no job, and soon nowhere to live, Rafi has no business saying yes when the lovely man asks him out. But something about Hector whispers home.

Obeying the Secrecy Pact totally sucks.

To keep the supe community safe, werewolves cannot partner romantically with humans. That rule has been programmed into Hector since he was a pup. But as the day slides from bad to worse to are-you-freaking-kidding-me, Hector sees the moratorium for what it is: ridiculous and outdated. For Rafi, he’s willing to challenge the status quo.

After all, things can’t very well get worse than worst. Right?

Review: Below Stairs at Crofton Hall (Modern Crofton #3) by Rebecca Cohen

Rating: 4.5 🌈

Just that fantastic cover draws you to Below Stairs at Crofton Hall, third story in the Modern Crofton series by Rebecca Cohen.

Yes, that’s definitely Karl Vinter, new under butler, on the cover. The very portrait of his profession. Karl is maybe one of my favorites, aside from the main couple of course, and Dara.

From his unexpected exit from his last employer to the way he starts making Crofton Hall and it’s inhabitants, his home and extended family, is a subtle and charming story.

It’s a two-way love story. For Karl is in need of a place and people who not only accept him enthusiastically in every aspect, but allow him, through respect and kindness, to shine and grow his responsibilities (and friendships) in ways he never expected. And Crofton Hall, Ben, Ashley, Dara, get a subtly inspired under butler who’s becoming one of them, and irreplaceable.

Watching Karl fall in love with Crofton Hall, maneuvering through the hallways, and staff,and realizing he’s finally home? It’s everything.

The other element? That’s Val Blake, a younger gardener who’s come off an abusive relationship, lost a business, and a home. All at once. Prickly, basically a emotional mess when we meet him, Val and Karl start a friends with benefits relationship that fraught with anxiety and issues from the beginning.

Honestly it’s not really a relationship I rooted for. I liked Karl far more than Val. And while Val was admitting he was parroting the same toxic characteristics as his ex, it took a while and some pain he inflicts, before he seeks therapy. Realistically true to a person recovering from being gaslighted. It wasn’t until the end that he turned around, and it still seemed a little bit fast for everything that went before.

Maybe I got the timeline wrong and it had been longer since they’d seen each other.

Val’s section was written to feel like you had a window into the mindset of someone who was still so screwed up by the person who’s narcissistic personality had damaged him so badly to the point he was using it himself. It felt real, he was a train wreck, and he needed help.

That’s terrific writing.

The relationship between Karl and himself? Along the same lines. I loved Karl so much and Val had just started his therapy that I’d almost have loved to have seen them have a 2-part story to pull it out naturally.

But I’ll settle for this . That was a lovely ending. And of course there’s a fabulous secondary or even main romantic thread running with Ben and Ashley, that follows directly into the next story to be released in September.

Ben and Ashley’s thread is a romantic winner and absolutely sigh worthy at the end.

Highly recommending all the stories. It’s fantastic reading full of great characters and entertaining, romantic, and heartwarming plots.

Read them all in the order they are written.

BUY LINKS

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh – Black Jazz Design

Modern Crofton

🔹Book #1 – Saving Crofton Hall – Buy Here

🔹Book #2 – Making History at Crofton Hall – Buy Here

Modern Crofton series:

🔹Saving Crofton Hall #1 (orig released 2014

🔹Making History at Crofton Hall

🔹Below Stairs at Crofton Hall

🔹Getting Married at Crofton Hall-TBR September 2022

A spin-off from The Crofton Chronicles-historic romance series

🔹The Actor and The Earl #1

🔹Duty to the Crown #2

🔹Forever Hold His Peace #3

Karl Vinter joins the staff at Crofton Hall as the new under butler. He’s too busy to bother with relationships, but he’s more than happy to explore a friends with benefits arrangement with gardener, Val Blake. He couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to settle into is his new life at Crofton Hall. Pity pesky things like feelings start to get in the way.

Meanwhile, Ben Redbourn, 16th Earl of Crofton, is trying to find the perfect way to propose to Ashley, his boyfriend. He’s going to need all the help he can get, especially after at least one misstep and that he’s never given Ashley any indication he wants to get married.

This is the third Modern Crofton novel, featuring Benjamin Redbourn, the 16th Earl of Crofton and descendant of Anthony Redbourn, 1st Earl of Crofton from my historical series, The Crofton Chronicles.

Review: Remedy (Tulip Farm #1) by Alex Hall

Rating: 4 🌈

Remedy , the first in the Tulip Farm series by Alex Hall, is a very good contemporary story. The author certainly knows the show circuit or at least has done their research most effectively so that the world of competitive jumping, and later Dressage, is absolutely believable.

From the heartbreaking prologue to the story lines that involves the recovery of a high performance/level mare and rider , who were destined for the Olympics before a tragic accident sent both to various hospitals and clinics for surgeries and assessments.

Peter Griffin , one of the legendary McAuley-Griffin family and riding barns, is finally coming home after that devastating accident. But his future as a rider is unclear.

His mare is also at the barn, recovering, and waiting on a direction for her future too.

The key for both is Reed Androku. A Russian emigrant who’s specialty and passion is holistic equine rehabilitation, something that’s made them extremely well known in the equine world.

They are working for Peter’s sister at Tulip Farm and have use of another barn for their own animals.

Hall builds a great universe around this big Irish American family that’s equine royalty, their history and the Farm. Then brings in the haunting and painful background that arrives with Reed.

Reed works to bring Peter into decisions that need to be made about Annie’s future as a high level performance athlete, one’s Peter’s been ignoring as well as not dealing with his own.

These elements are real, grounded in the horse world, and , you genuinely get a great feel for all the characters as tenuous relationships and friendships are built over the knowledge and love of these animals.

The horse world, something I’ve been a part of my entire life (although not at this level) , the various levels of people you meet, the animals from show ponies to rescues are all well represented here.

Love every aspect of this part of the story and characters.

There’s other plots threaded into the romance one as well, including one that seems to overflow into the next book in the series.

There’s several mysteries, both of which have the culprits revealed but only one gets a semi resolution.

I would have been very happy with this book but a couple of things kept taking me out of the narrative. Things so easy to notice because frankly, it’s stands out. It’s a description Hall uses repeatedly to have Reed describe Peter’s eyes.

Once, twice even . Ok. But I was noticing this phrase so much that I started to guess when I’d see it next. Not a good thing when I’m paying more attention to counting certain words than content.

A few examples…

“Peter’s Lake Baikal eyes sparkled.”

“The gorgeous specimen in front of Reed rolled Lake Baikal eyes.

— Remedy (Tulip Farm Book 1) by Alex Hall

And when Lake Baikal eyes weren’t sparkling, then Reed’s eyes were peering up through their lashes…a lot.

Things like that should be caught, its ok to say blue. And Reed can just look up at Peter, without any lashes whatsoever coming into play.

When descriptions or phrases become overused to the point they are noticeable? Time to edit. At least in my opinion.

This book is so good without this taking away from the reader losing themselves in a lovely relationship and romance.

There’s another story coming soon. Absolute. I’ll be there to check it out.

If you’re a fan of Alex Hall, of contemporary romance, equine elements, this is a terrific place to go for all three.

Tulip Farms:

🔹Remedy #1

🔹Absolute #2 – summer 2022

https://www.goodreads.com › showRemedy (Tulip Farm, #1) by Alex Hall – Goodreads

At just 28, Peter is one of the youngest athletes ever to secure a spot on Team USA’s Show Jumping roster for the Paris Summer Olympics. With the support a large, equestrian-centric family behind him Peter’s a shoo-in to win individual gold—

—until a freak on-course accident badly injuries Peter and the talented mare he’d been riding. Dreams of success in Paris quickly coming apart, he holes up at the family complex, Tulip Farm, to rehab and re-assess. His parents and three siblings try to keep his spirits up, but it’s hard to focus on the future when by night he’s plagued by reoccurring headaches and by day he can barely walk without pain.

Reed Androku has recently chosen to follow their passion: holistic equine rehabilitation. Tulip Farm – an immaculate facility run by the famous McAuley-Griffin clan – seems the perfect place to chase that dream, and when the family unexpectedly opens up Barn A to boarders, Reed jumps at the opportunity. They’ll happily take advantage of roomy stalls, heated arena, and state-of-the-art footing even if it means putting up with Peter Griffin, the family’s youngest son and ex-Olympic hopeful.

Peter needs healing, and a reason to hope. Reed’s got a knack for rehab and a soft-heart for hard cases, but they also have a dangerous secret. Fate throws Peter and Reed together, sparking a passion that could turn into something deeper, but first they must weather Peter’s recovery, the McAuley-Griffin family’s obsessive need to meddle, and Reed’s violent past.

Review: Caught (Bureau #9) by Kim Fielding

Rating: 4 🌈

I needed to double check the release date because of cultural references Fielding’s used in the story, but she’s stated it takes place in the 70’s , not present day. So mentions of President Carter, Mork & Mindy, and , RIP, Burt Reynolds, makes sense.

Of course, given it’s the Bureau, you just never know.

There’s all sorts of beings that are featured in Bureau stories. This time it’s sasquatch.

Kim Fielding, as she has a way of doing, gets to the heart of her character’s history and momentous occasion in the prologue. Simple, unerringly haunting, and concise.

It sticks with the reader too , following through the story, tugging at you. So when Fielding’s plot neatly threads it into place, as a reader, it’s less surprise but more just a moment of content and satisfaction.

Art Gundersen is a lovely, gentle big, very big, man. One directed into his job with the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs by Ralph Crespo, our Dragon agent of the previous story.

He’s mostly someone who’s devoted to his lab and research until the Director asks him for assistance with a special case up in the woods. One of murder.

Jerry Humboldt is the Forestry Agent who found the hiker’s body and called for help.

Jerry is quiet, protective of his woods, and worried about the circumstances the dead hiker’s been found in. As everything points to another species having been the culprit.

Fielding’s story builds slowly around these two shy huge men , getting to know one another as they try to investigate the murder and maybe the other mysteries surrounding each other.

There’s a bit of Instant love here. But it’s so cute , and neither has had any relationship at all . So well, let’s just give them a break.

The solution to the murders and dramatic climax is a good one! Thrilling.

And it was great seeing a old friend once more.

Wonderful to dive back into the Bureau series again, I’m recommending it!

The Bureau:

Corruption #1

White Clay #2

Creature #3

Chained#4

Convicted #5

Conned #6

Caroled #7

Camouflaged #8

Caught #9

https://www.goodreads.com › showCaught (Bureau, #9) by Kim Fielding – Goodreads

Art Gundersen did not make it as an agent with the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs. But when Chief Townsend orders him out of the lab and into the mountains of northern California to collect evidence from a murder scene, Art’s happy to go. He looks forward to tromping around in the wilderness—and finds he enjoys the company of the forest technician who discovered the hiker’s corpse surrounded by Sasquatch footprints.

Jerry Humboldt lives a somewhat reclusive life in the fire lookout tower. Nobody comments much on his enormous size. Or his unusually hairy feet. Then Art shows up, and Jerry is forced into some new realizations.

As Art and Jerry interact, they discover some long-past connections as well as some very present dangers. It’s a risky equation: an awkward not-agent, a virginal “wild man” of the forest, and a multiple murderer—with the Bureau’s help six hundred miles away.

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