Dare Me , the second book in the Dare To Try trilogy by
Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine picks up a few weeks after the tumultuous events in the first story, Dare To.
That ended with a miscommunication or perhaps a misunderstanding between Kieran and Bash that sent Bash flying back to his home on South Haven Island, a bridge away from Savannah, Georgia.
Dare Me picks up with Kieran alone in Chicago, devastated by Bashās departure and unsure of his next step. And with Bash miserable in Georgia, doubting his decisions to leave and missing Kieran like crazy.
Kieran takes the necessary time here to unpack his complicated emotions over everything thatās happened recently. His awakening sexuality in his feelings in all ways for Bash, the misconceptions over a scene in the firehouse, and the fears each is facing over the future.
Then heās off to confront his man in a wonderful scene in South Haven.
This story is high on love, communication, searing hot sexy scenes, and reconciliation!
Thereās not much angst or drama. Instead you get a couple working through very relatable issues in a new relationship, trying to see how how they can mesh their work and romance when they live in two different places.
It all feels real and while they come to a conclusion at the end of the book, the how of it all will spill over to the last novel in the trilogy for a great HEA.
Kieran and Bash are a fantastic engaging couple, sexy and romantic. And the people around them are just as strong as their support.
Jonās Boom Shaka Laka Problem is the series finale and Sherwood really shakes things up in every way imaginable before seeing Jon and Donovan settling into domestic happiness.
As indicated by the title, it starts with bombs and explosions. Real ones and ones within their relationship. One major decision by Jon that threatens to derail everything theyāve built to date, and Jonās completely, emotionally unprepared and equipped to handle the fallout.
In the final story, all the damage that Jonās parents and stepfather, all the deeply felt pain his childhood has instilled over the years returns and in one instant,making him cut Donovan out of a life threatening decision. For them both.
Sherwood is able to bring us into the frightening turmoil of the situation, the fear and nausea inducing arguments that occur between the men. Itās so painful and intimate.
The fact that weāve come to care so much about these men and their relationship makes this moment of angst, despair, anger, and desperation all the worse. That thereās a bomb and bomber waiting for them too while they havenāt resolved anything between them? Heartbreaking.
The tension, suspense, and life threatening situations here are so well written as are the emotional ones between Jon and Donovan.
There are explosions to diffuse everywhere and just when you think itās over, another complication pops up.
This is such an excellent story and Sherwood wraps up the series and Jonās emotional issues realistically and in an unexpected and gratifying way.
Itās not the last of Jon and Donovan as they appear in Brandonās series.
But for now theyāre happy and very very ever after!
Did I love this series? Why yes I did! Iām highly recommending it !
Read them in the order they are written.
Jonās Mysteries series:
ā Jonās Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case #1
ā Jonās Crazy Head-Bopponā Mystery #2
ā Jonās Spooky Corpse Conundrum #3
ā Jonās Boom Shaka Laka Problem #4
Proposing vs defusing a bomb?
Defusing a bomb is much easier than proposing.
Defusing Donovanās anger over getting on a plane to defuse said bomb? Harder than the bomb.
Jon is not liking these odds.
Is proposing supposed to be this difficult?
Tags:
Synopsis:
Jon and Donovan have a fight, as expected theyāre very bad at it, things go BOOM, my kink is healthy processing and expressing of emotions, relationship lessons, life lessons, love is not based on worth, the dads are awesome, I put Jon on a plane, because Iām evil that way, personal space? Whatās that?, cats, Jon has a new toy, no Iām not talking about Donovan, the bomb squad is ready to just keep Jon, roadtrip!, grandparents also rock, absolutely nothing goes according to plan
How to Hack a Hacker , the story where K, aka Kyou, is finally forced into getting his happily ever after.
Itās also the series finale and an excellent one.
Kyou has been somewhat of an enigmatic character. Now his background is exposed, the reasons for his cyber stalking of Brannigan revealed here. The story behind the cyber stalking is as complicated as Kyou. And it takes time to unfold.
Brannigan Genovese, aka the one Kyou has cyber stalked for 12 years, although his friends only know about 6 of them. Branās a real estate developer with an uncanny ability to fall into deep trouble at the drop of a hat. And itās Kyou whoās gotten him out of it, whether Branās known it or not.
Brannigan has also been trying to find the person whoās been watching and assisting him online all these years but has always failed.
Only his current crisis brings everyone together.
Yes, the family is all here. Ari, Carter, and Remi. Ivan and Aiden. Even Trixie. All are center stage to support Kyou as he jumps into Branās crisis with the Irish Mob. It takes all of them as a family to pull Bran in and pull him out of danger. Itās an exciting and fun filled ride.
This is actually a two part story. Just when one wraps up, a second begins. The last stage brings around an unfinished element that I was very happy to see here. The author was tying up all the loose storylines and making sure that when everyone got their HEA, itās going to stay that way.
Thereās a marriage, a proposal, and a very solid found family thinking about more additions. Such a warm and happy feeling to end the series on.
Sherwood has another marvelous story here and terrific series for me to recommend.
I adore everyone and each couple and family. That includes Remi, naturally.
Unholy Trifecta series:
ā How to Shield an Assassin #1
ā How To Steal a Thief #2
ā How to Hack a Hacker #3
Synopsis:
Staying away is Kyouās number one rule when it comes to protecting the sexy real-estate developer.
Kyou has a routine. A system. He guards Brannigan Genovese, hacks for his family of choice, and drinks far too much caffeine for any living being. Only a few things can completely disrupt his routine to cause him trouble:
ā¢ Brannigan buying up real estate from the Irish Mob
ā¢ Kyouās band of brothers figuring out who Brannigan actually is
ā¢ Ivan
ā¢ Feelings for one Brannigan Genovese
Oddly enough, itās the feelings that get Kyou in the most trouble. Because when Brannigan is in danger, Kyou ignores all his brainās protestations and breaks every rule he has to save the man, including his number one.
And damn the consequences.
Tags:
It’s not stalking (totally stalking), sleep is for the weak, coffee IS food, running-from-the-mob meet cute, Brannigan does stupid stuff to make Kyou call him, Kyou is utterly done, pansexual character, band of brothers, anxiety, family of choice, emotional growth, so simple a ten-year-old can do it, no really itās not that hard, Kyou peopled last week, meddling, so much meddling, Irish Mobsters were hurt in the making of this book, Ivanās actually serious for once, yes the world almost ended
Iāll start my review much the same as the author did. With trigger warnings.
Pretty Poison deals with some very traumatic issues. The main character of Rocky continues to suffer from PTSD, the emotional damage he carries deep from the trauma inflicted from a murder-suicide that occurred while he was on a case. That case and all that occurs happens in the Prologue. And while itās not overly graphic, itās emotionally disturbing enough to cause distress or harm for those people for whom itās a trigger and anyone that might feel anxiety. That is something Rocky is also dealing with.
Pretty Poison is full of serious elements that get a extremely thorough examination without it feeling like a scientific lecture. In Mr Perfect, we learned of Rockyās husband and a mention of Vegas wedding. But now we get to see the events that brought Rocky and his husband together but also devastated their marriage and his career.
Itās the detritus of a broken marriage thatās strewn across chapters as we learn , bit by bit, everything that tore them apart, just as the current case is bringing them back together.
Just a masterful job of characterization and writing.
In between we also have the ongoing heartbreak of knowing that Miss Marla is dying and the community is doing everything they can not to mourn as sheās asked. Sheās still the fabulous heart of this series and the one the men turn to for hugs, love, irreverent advice,and an amazing casserole.
The case of Tess Hamilton that the men are investigating is as fascinating and labyrinthine as the others. Itās full of implications for each manās past, reflections on redemption and forgiveness, and the ability to recover and heal to move forward.
Pretty Poison is an emotional journey and an extraordinary story. Itās an incredibly gratifying way to wrap up the Sinister in Savannah trilogy. Even more so since the author has promised to revisit this universe with stories for characters we met in each of the three novels who also deserve further attention.
I canāt wait. But Iām so happy to leave the men, their partners and Miss Marla here, in Savannah at this point in time.
This is a truly amazing series and shouldnāt be missed. Read them in the order they were written for the character, and series arc development.
By day, Rocky Jacobs is a private investigator. By night, he produces Sinister in Savannah, a true-crime podcast, with his two best friends. Rockyās life revolves around three principles: possessing skill is better than having luck, a manās reputation is everything, and thereās no sacrifice too great for those you love.
Is Tess Hamilton pretty poison or just unlucky in love?
Thatās the question the trio of trouble will try to uncover. This investigation strikes a little too close to home for one of them. Tess, a woman accused of killing her three husbands, has been tried and convicted in the media, something Rocky knows all too well. When their investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, Rocky will keep digging. Is it because he believes in her innocence? Or does Rocky hope to find redemption for himself by achieving it for Tess?
A stagnant case turns out to be the least of his problems.
What happens in Vegas never truly stays stay there. For fifteen months, Rocky has been running from a tragedy that shattered his life and countless others. The most painful casualty was the destruction of his marriage to Asher Dunleavy. When the sexy federal marshal turns up in Savannah, Rocky is reminded of his greatest love and deepest regret. Every minute spent in Asherās presence makes him yearn for the life they lost. Will Rocky drown in the sorrows of what mightāve been or fight for what could be?
Sinister in Savannah series is a fictional podcast exploring the cityās most nefarious crimes with Southern-fried snark. The books explore friendship, love, loss, and the irrepressible human spirit. Pretty Poison is book three of three. While each novel is written about a different couple, the series should be read in order due to continuing storylines. Sinister in Savannah is an LGBT romantic suspense series with mature language and sexual content intended for adults eighteen and older.
Trigger warning: the main character struggles with PTSD resulting from an investigation involving a murder-suicide. While the content is not overly graphic, it could still cause emotional harm to some readers. One of Rockyās side effects is anxiety, which may trigger similar reactions in those battling the disorder. As with the murder-suicide scene, I avoided being too graphic with his attacks.
Ride or Die wraps up Beth Boldenās Food Truck Warriors series. Itās a outstanding way to say goodbye to a great series and group of men and their partners.
Part of a interconnected universe that includes Kitchen Gods and Star Shadow, itās hard to say if this is a complete goodbye as Boldenās characters have a way of popping up in future stories. But if we donāt see everyone again, this is a remarkable sendoff.
Ren Moretti, the gorgeous chef of the one night stands, has met his match in Seth Abramson, security and former soldier, whoās looking for a long term relationship, not a hookup. No matter how hot the chemistry between them.
A two person pov means the reader is in Renās increasingly frustrated, and stymied head as heās confronted with someone he wants who obviously wants him back but wonāt have sex with him. Itās never happened before.
As the steam builds within him, so does the hurt and questions. Renās entire ability is shaken.
I love Boldenās writing and characters because sheās able to make us feel that weāre there in their world with them. And when things , their perspective is being given a good toss up, we are there looking over their shoulder, a part of every minute of their growth and baby steps forward.
Seth has his own issues to work through. Itās not just how to reach a man seemingly committed only to not being committed to anything but his cooking but thereās something lurking in Sethās history too.
How these men work through their individual issues to have a relationship that works and is one we all celebrate is a wonderful story, full of romance, laughter, and some angst.
At the end, Bolden pulls everything and everyone together for one huge anniversary party. All our couples. No loose ends. We get a marvelous and fantastic way to see everyone and say our goodbyes.
What a great run this has been. Iāve loved every story, each couple and romance. Hard to believe itās over.
Ren and Seth are a great couple and their story makes for a fantastic finale.
Iām highly recommending Ride or Die and this series.
Ren Moretti likes his lifeāand his hookupsājust the way they are: fast and loose.
He only ever hooks up with someone once, and relationships? Forget it. Never gonna happen. No guy has ever persuaded him to bend, break, or alter his one date and one night rule.
Until Seth Abramson.
Seth has always tempted Renābut itās not a secret that Seth wonāt settle for just one night. A few dates wonāt cut it, and heās not interested in playing around. He wants it all, and he intends to win Renās heart.
But thatās the one thing Renās never given up. He guards it closely and fiercely, until one day, when he realizes itās no longer his to protect, itās belonged to Seth all along.
How To Catch A Happily Ever After by Ana Ashley is the authorās Chester Falls series finale and ties up loose ends for all the series couples.
While thereās one overall story, it really feels more like a series of connected anecdotes or narratives about every couple in the series. It brings the reader up to date with their current situations as each small couple capsule weaves in and out of Tom and Wrenās wedding. Thereās also a homecoming and new yet returning relationship to pickup on.
This is a book for those fans of this series only. If you have no idea who these people are, their histories, connecting relationships, then youāre going to be absolutely lost. Ashley is making sure her couples get the send off she wants for each one and that leaves no room for anything but the wedding, filling in the reader on any new major happenings for each couple and the new HEA dynamic.
If you have been following Chester Falls and loving this series, then this is a grand way to say goodbye.
If youāre new to the series, skip this and head to the first story written. Take it from there.
I really enjoyed my time in Chester Falls. Lovely contemporary romances, ending here. Check them out. Recommended!
ā¦ļøHow To Catch A Happily Ever After #7. (Series finale)
Synopsis:
You are hereby invited to the wedding of the century. Yes, you got it, Tom and Wren are getting married this Christmas.
Drama. Sparkles. Well intentioned, but meddling friends. Surprise pregnancies. This wedding is set to have it all, including a brand new couple who is well overdue for their Happy Ever After.
How to Catch a Happy Ever After is the final book in the Chester Falls series. Told from multiple points of view, this book is not a standalone, but better enjoyed after previous books in the series.
Well, itās over. And what an outstanding unexpected and absolutely wild epic fantasy journey that ended up being!
That finale and the arc revelations were everything! When the author shows her total stunning ability to have kept the series masterful raison d’ĆŖtre hidden in plain sight? Even through all seven stories while delivering imaginative slights of hand to coverup the real intent? It left me gobsmacked and hugely content with everything Turner created here. Except my inability to see it coming.
Honestly. I smacked myself with several wet pasta sheets. Because well itās just so aligned with everything once you look backwards and then really think about what you know of the cast. Brilliant!
A Veiled & Hallowed Eve was a tremendous story that allowed the author to have a series of white knuckle, heart stopping finale battles with all the supernatural beings and gods involved, the entire city of New York as the field of engagement, including the subway system.
Turner also wrote into this tale so many painful , emotional elements of loss and terror still to continue for both Patrick and Jono before the end arrives so we never forgot what was at stake for them as well for Patrickās soul debt. Every aspect was just so well crafted and written that I stayed thoroughly buried in this book until the end. And then some.
That epilogue also left me extra satisfied with the relationship status of Patrick and Jono. As well as the members of the NYC godpack like Wade that Iād come to love so dearly.
A tour de force finale in every way!
As I said Iām still thinking about so many of the elements here, those gods, that ending!
Iām highly recommending this series to all lovers of fantasy! Read them in the order they were written for character and story development. Thatās a must as is putting this on your TBR list!
SOA Special Agent Patrick Collins has lived a life full of lies, and it has finally caught up with him. Thereās no denying his past any longer, not after giving up the truth to save himself from a murder charge. But truth alone canāt set Patrick free, and time is running out to stop the Dominion Sect from turning his father into a god.
Jonothon de Vere knows survival isnāt a guarantee, but heās desperate to keep Patrick safe, even as hope slips through his fingers. With the future unknown, Jono will follow Patrick wherever he goes, even to Salem, where a family reunion reveals a bitter secret that was never going to stay buried.
With New York City under control of their god pack, Patrick and Jono must fall back on every alliance theyāve brokered to fill the front lines of a war coming directly to the city streets. The veil is always thinnest on Samhain, and what awaits them on the other side is the stuff of nightmares. For when it tears, all hell will break loose, and the gods will be summoned to face a reckoning the world isnāt ready for.
The stakes have never been higher, failure has never been so deadly, and the Fates have never been kind to heroes. Patrick knows that better than anyoneābecause everything has a price, every debt always comes due, and itās finally time for Patrick to pay his.
Black Tie is that lovely macaroon, light, colorful, sweet, a perfect bite! Here the novella is a delightful send off to the Overtime series by giving Jackie Blue and Martin their intimate family wedding and a goodbye to everyone as they sail off, or in this case fly off to their honeymoon and new life together.
Thereās nothing especially angst filled, no real drama, just a final look at the characters, as families and friends gather for a simple, quick ceremony and a flurry of laughter as everyone waves them off.
Itās a closure and a love letter by the author to fans of these men and at least two series.
I happen to love macaroons and think this was charming.
If youāre a fan of this series, you will too.
Synopsis:
Falling in love was easy. Saying āI doā is proving to be the tricky part.
Now that heās lived with the man of his dreams for close to two years, Jackie Blue Kalinski is finally ready to tie the knot. Itās not that he didnāt want to walk down the aisle sooner, but life kept putting obstacles in the way of the nuptials. A big move from Boston to Brooklyn, changing colleges, family being family, and juggling school while working in New Yorkās fashion district have stifled wedding plans. Add in that Martin seems to be speeding headlong into a midlife crisis, and itās no wonder itās taken them this long to get things moving. But now that the final stitches have been made on the wedding outfits, itās full steam ahead to that happily ever after
Extraordinary Things is the series finale for Star Shadow, Beth Boldenās rock band romance.
While all five musicians got their HEA, the heart of the band and much of its drama centered around the couple Leo Humphries and Caleb Chance. It was the disappearance of Caleb that caused Star Shadow to disband and Leo to shatter. And it was his reappearance that eventually put them all back togetherā¦4 books later.
In Terrible Things, we got the background of the band, the groupās long friendship and the coupleās relationship. It was completely Leoās perspective, including watching and being unable to help a Caleb whoās addiction to alcohol was spiraling out of his and everyoneās control.
It was raw, angry, and painful.
And I wondered about Calebās viewpoint in that book.
In Extraordinary Things Bolden gives us Calebās story and missing voice. A perfect way to come full circle and wrap up the series.
Weāre able to go back into the past with Caleb, his addiction, his feelings about what drove him away from Leo and his friends. As well as whatās still driving him today. Itās a complicated and complex internal picture of a man still struggling with forgiveness and the destruction he caused to those around him.
The other side of which is Leo who also is trying to adjust his life to Calebās needs as well as his own.
Boldenās story, the bandās new dynamics, and ongoing trust issues are beautifully defined and well written. I love that communication works out to be key to forward movement here. Frank discussions and finally a leap of faith in each otherās feelings and strength.
This is an emotional story whoās journey starts with Terrible Things. For me books one and four are the jewels here but the others are the necessary pathways to get there.
Read them all in the order they were written with pleasure. Iām highly recommending them.
Leo and Caleb have been through hellāaddiction, destruction, and even a five year separationābut theyāve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.
Caleb knows heās earned Leoās forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn’t. Itās so loud, he can’t block it out. So loud, heād do anything to silence it.
Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.
Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb’s love story from Terrible Things. It should not be read as a standalone.
Here we are at the Hidden Species finale and usually Iām a very mopey reader at this stage because Iām saying goodbye to characters and a universe Iāve fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with.
However, thank you, Louisa Masters, I know that the fabulous sequel series Here Be Dragons ensures that both this universe and characters and romances will happily and eagerly be something I can look forward to, book after book. Sighā¦. More Hellhounds and dragons!
At any rateā¦. Focusingā¦.
Sorcerers Always Satisfy brings to the fore one of the steadiest, grounded characters of this series. The one man we probably have known the least about but also never really thought that much about either.
David Carew, sorcerer and all around steadfast albeit a tad boring friend to everyone in the Luciferās inner circle, including Percy Caraway himself. David has been a bit of a blank page, while all his friends supplied the glitter, flash, angst, age, or samba lines.
Now Davidās past comes roaring back and explains his need , nope, love and need for order instead of chaos. And itās revealed that heās not exactly just āa sorcererā but something extraordinary as sorcerers go. Yeah, heās inner circle for a reason, we really should have seen that one.
Davidās true strengths and past is revealed during a time of disaster and dimension peril so extreme that no one could have foreseen it.
The elf Caolan ,who appeared in Alistairās story , is now a full partner is the Alliance to stop the enemies plan. I wonāt spoil all that entails because itās complicated, imaginative, and well, encapsulates four books. Read them all in the order they are written.
But Caolan is also adoring of David. Before you go itās too soon, as David does actually, thereās a host of explanations that cover exactly why itās not. Just another outstanding element here. Elf loves David, itās perfectly reasonable, I love this couple. And well the Elves. And their love of cell phonesā¦ just wait.
This story easily engages with the heartbreak of a young David and his adolescence, the impending doom of a world, and what that shattering event will do emotionally to several species . Themes both intimate such as couple love to enormous, along the lines of dimension death, are woven into the storylines here. Al itās done so beautifully.
Again written with amazing poignancy and humor. You want to cry and then laugh , both . Often at the same time. Because the author realizes how close both emotions are to each other.
There is joy, there is sadness.
I think thatās a Taylor Swift song.
Sorcerers Always Satisfy is a fantastic story and series finale. It gives David the romance and mate he deserves and this outstanding series the closure to this complicated fantasy epic adventure the send off we need before journeying onto Here Be Dragons!
Letās raise a glass to our heroes until we meet them again! Hereās to an amazing journey! Thanks for the Grand times! See you all soon!
Yesā¦ Iām recommending every single one. Read them often!
š¶Hidden Species series:
Demons Do It Better #1
One Bite with A Vampire #2
Hijinks With A Hellhound #3
Sorcerers Always Satisfy #4
š¶Sequel Series:
Here Be Dragons (happens immediately after the events of Hidden Species)
Dragon Ever After#1
Hidden Species Cast of Characters:
Community of Species Government-CSG
Percy Caraway: the Lucifer . Aka the Head of State of the Physical Plane
Senior Investigators Team:
Sam Tiller – team admin
Gideon Bailey, Demon
Elinor Martin, Hellhound, cousin to Alistair
David Carew, sorcerer
Lily Heath, succubus
Andrew Turner, Vampire
Alistair Smythe, Hellhound
Noah Cage, human
Aiden Byrne, Felix shifter-Shifter Species Leader
Caolan, Elf
Brandt. Wing leader of all dragons
King Radulfr, King of all Elves
Synopsis:Just because I enjoy planning and researching doesnāt mean Iām not the most dangerous badass mothercracker around.
The world sees me as boring, dependable David. And I like it that way. I know things and Iām organized. Plus, Iāve seen firsthand the harm a chaotic life can inflict, and Iād rather have my lists and be called dull.
Which is what makes it all the more disconcerting when a sexy elf declares his adoration and begins to āwooā me. What am I supposed to do?
Hide, mostly. Itās hard, though, because Caolan and I are supposed to be working together. And heās tough to resist: sweet, competent, and so incredibly beautiful. He sees something in me that no one else does. Would it really be such a bad thing if I gave in to temptation?
My personal life canāt be the priority right now, though. The bad guys are gearing up to strike, and if we donāt stop them, the end of the world could be nigh. I need to focus on that, not on letting Caolan show me the benefits of spontaneity. Or do I?
