A Vampire Called Leander wraps up Michelle Frostās trilogy about a Paranormal Councilās arranged matings between paranormal beings and humans in order to unify their world.
Itās been a while since I read this series but it was easy to fall back into the universe and characters. At only 90 pages, Frost gets immediately into the storyline, the first meeting and mating of the two characters.
The short length doesnāt allow for much background or depth of culture, but the characters are engaging and the nature of their mating process intriguing.
Itās a fated mates without the buildup of anticipating or the recognition by one that normally occurs. Thereās an ongoing conflict by a Human only faction thatās a series element and a fabulous side character, Ammon, whoās a bodyguard of both Leander and his human mate, Merrick.
The ending sets the stage for a sequel series to come. I can only hope that one of those characters that gets a story will be Ammon.
Vampire Called Leander (Mated to a Human Book 3) by Michelle Frost is highly entertaining and I recommend it and the series. Read them in the order they are written to understand the events and characters.
Can an uptight vampire and a free-spirited human find some common ground?
Merrickās family name is one of the oldest and most influential in Solston, but maintaining an empire has never interested him. He prefers his books, the company of his cat, and to his surprise, his new prickly vampire mate.
Leander refuses to take part in the Councilās arranged matings until the most alluring scent catches his nose. Once their mating is finalized though, he finds he has no idea how to meld their two lives together.
A Vampire Called Leander is the third and final book in this fast-paced novella series where the paranormals are all deliciously protective of their humansā¦no matter what type of trouble they get into. Series is best read in order.
What a wonderful story and fantastic way to send off the series and this team.
The interactions between holdover player, defensive end Deacon Harris and the new owner of the Charleston Condors, security industry billionaire Grant Green, has been a subtle but significant part of the series and teamās dynamic. It was always clear that the two men had a strong connection and attraction to each other. But, throughout each book it was clear that they never actually had acted on it due to their roles in the organization. And we wanted them to have their romance.
The Play returns us to the beginning of their history together, back in college as student tutor and college football player needing help. The chemistry thatās never acknowledged but present is cut short by choices made for career reasons that will quickly separate them until years later. Because of the realness of these scenes we feel every bit of the pain and frustration of this unexpected change in this new relationship. And the startling moment when they meet once more.
Boldenās writing has never been better. Her characters go from uncertain college youth with the future ahead of them to seasoned men who have been living full lives. One, Grant, now at the pinnacle of his career and the other , Deacon, ready to retire after a shattering year of betrayal and disappointment. Each has made big impacts in their professional careers but their emotional relationships havenāt been as successful. The reason is because they have been only interested in one person.
How Bolden works the past and present together, weaving the emotions that never left either man back together into a tight layered narrative of sports, team dynamics, partnership, and a deep bond between them is a read that canāt be missed.
We get the present day run for a playoff spot, as intense as can be and fantastically realistic. Bolden gives us boardroom NFL drama such as what might be likely to be played out across CNN and sports coverage alike, and then while all that is happening, layers into the story, all the human drama we love.
Grant and Deacon trying to find a way to each other in an organization where Grant is the owner and Deacon a player, albeit a retiring player who wants to continue to work with the club. This is a complicated situation thatās believable and loving. They are great, they communicate, and we love them.
And finally, as if I hadnāt just bawled my eyes out over Jason Kelceās retirement speech, here comes another. Deaconās speech was a fabulous second. And all the players from the other series who meant so much to the readers are there as well as the important individuals from this series. Itās a testament to Boldenās ability to create great characters and deeply moving moments that everything about the scene is beautiful and real. And I was bawling again.
Tissues had a workout this week.
Read this book. But not without reading the stories that come before. Itās a great series. And Boldenās an auto read for me. The Play is simply another example why.
Charleston Condors:
ā The Star #1
ā The Game #2
ā The Score #3
ā The Play #4 – finale
Boldenās connected Football series in order they are written:
Last year, defensive end Deacon Harris witnessed the very worst of the Charleston Condors. After everything he and the team went through, he promised himself heād walk away from football. But before he can retire, the team is sold to the last person he ever expected to see again.
Deacon stays because the Condors are going into major rebuilding mode. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.
But one rule hasnāt changed: donāt fall in love with the owner of your football team.
Grant might be brilliant and a billionaire, but Deacon only remembers Grant as his tutor in collegeāand as the one who got away.
In all his dreams about reconnecting, he never imagined that Grant would end up as his boss. Both his downfall, and also his salvation.
Or that theyād be forced into confronting the Condorsā most difficult challenge yetābut that theyād face it together, hand in hand, tackling their critics and proving once and for all that love doesnāt take sides.
I had real trouble arriving at this rating. Matrimonial Merriment is the last Valor and Doyle book by Nicky James. Itās a 7 book series that I found incredibly strong and emotionally compelling at the start, only, imo, to chart a very strange path for the characters and their various storylines.
This story has its strengths and its weaknesses, much like its characters.
Quaid Valor was a tragic character. His young sister had been kidnapped while he and his father were āin chargeā of her during a parade. But he was a child himself and his father was a policeman at the parade occupied with security. It destroyed his family and him emotionally, as his mother left them shortly afterwards, abandoning him. Also the devastating betrayal by a man Quaid thought loved him. These events reverberate throughout the series, including finding out how the events happened and who the kidnappers were.
Then thereās Anslan Doyle who has his own personal demons to fight. That includes his professional reputation, the on the job abuse of alcohol, his alcoholism, his emotional recovery on and off the job. He is the opposite of Quaid. Where the Doyle clan is loud and boisterous, itās just Quaid and his now retired father, quietly playing chess in a house thatās frozen in time.
The journey that takes them through the start of their relationship, the beginnings of understanding of each otherās faults , severe struggles and strengths , all while solving missing persons cases and murders, thatās what makes the series and this couple.
But then as the author wove their personal histories and solved their mysteries into the cases each book was featuring, certain things started to unravel. The very strengths and failures that led to them becoming more powerful and complete individuals were starting to be forgotten in parts of their dynamics . In their interactions the forward movement in overcoming certain obstacles or challenges now seems stalled or even moving back towards what they were in the books that were written earlier.
Especially the penultimate book when Aslan actually caused Quaid to have an emotional breakdown over a poorly thought out proposal. In fact most of that book came close to a DNF as it felt like the author had backtracked the relationship between the two characters and their understanding of each other. The astonishing lack of communication and understanding that brought about a crushing emotional breakdown of Quaid should have been unthinkable by this point in their relationship.
Now comes the finale story and a couple of different issues. Both seen here, one of word choice and another again of authorās characterization. The word is one thatās shown itself increasingly throughout this series.
Imagine a story where the author uses the term āpurple orbā every few sentences. Or at least, ten times a page when speaking with regard to a character. Now how distracting would that be?
Sneering is Jamesās purple orb. Itās everywhere. Itās a feature of Quaid. He sneers constantly. He even smiles sneeringly. It should have been retired. The āsneeringā. The overuse of this word is beyond tired. It starts in the first book as a part of Quaidās common facial expression.
āCan you bring the binder?ā
āWhat binder?ā
I stalled and sneered at my phone. āPlease tell me youāre joking. It has been attached to my hip morning, noon, and night for a week.ā
āGross. Save it, Valor.ā Jordynās sneer won a solid silver medal on the sneer-scale, but it would never surpass the masterās.
Quaid sneered backāproving my pointāthen closed his eyes and let me continue to work.ā
So many sneers.
Also, although I get why, James turns Quaid from a thoughtful interesting layered character with issues to caricature bridezilla. For the majority of this book heās beyond frantic over the wedding planning process . All due to the fact that Doyle decided they must be married before Christmas.
Solution? Donāt get married before Christmas. No one is forcing them to do this, except a whimsical decision (by Aslan and the author). But no, per the authorās storyline, it increases the stress on Quaid to the point he lands in the hospital, again.
Yet, itās never acknowledged that at least some of the issues lie with the fact that the short deadline was his partnerās choice and could be changed.
Itās all on Quaid, here. The imbalance is stark. And while the push to have Quaid seek therapy is a good sign, thereās also another side thatās being ignored.
From men who fought to get a deep understanding of each other and their relationship dynamics to people who seem to forget they know each other and each otherās foibles.
Thereās good elements here. The gardenerās who marrying them. Quadeās relationship with Ruiz, something that has greatly evolved over the series has Ruiz will talk about here. Thatās a remarkable and heartwarming thread.
Itās also setting up the new sequel series, which will feature Ruizā cousin and a ex police officer.
So this raises the question. The rating. Itās a finale book. Yes, the final part of the story with Aslan and Quaid finally getting married was heartwarming and satisfying. I think it was the best part of the story and made me happy to see this come to an end. It was time.
The narrative before was a mix of lovely bits of storytelling that reminded me why I loved this series and couple entwined with sections of scenes and moments that made me want to stop reading, remembering why I thought it had lost its charm.
So read it for all the above. To finish the series, to see the couple off, and, if youāre curious, get an introduction to the new series to come.
Quaid Andrew Valor and Aslan Ronan Doyle cordially invite you to be an honorary guest as they join their lives in matrimony. The ceremony is set to take place at Strongwind Castle on December 23rd. Save the date!
Time is short. Quaid has less than three months to plan the wedding of his dreams. A wedding that happens to land two days before Christmas. Donāt be fooled. It is not a Christmas weddingāat least not if Quaid has anything to say about it.
The wedding binder is fat and the list of things that need to be done is long, so when the department decides to implement a mandatory team-building Secret Santa event that will take up every one of Quaidās available Saturdays, he is livid. There is no time for nonsense on his tight schedule.
Relationships grow deeper. Friends and family come together to celebrate. And Quaid and Aslan finally tie the knot.
**Matrimonial Merriment is the seventh book in the Valor and Doyle series. Unlike the other books, this one does not contain a mystery and is wholly focused on our two favorite detectives finally getting married. It was meant as a bonus book but somehow came in at over 100k words. Oops. More of them to love.**
Miracle marks the end of R.J. Scottās Single Dadās series, a group of loosely related stories about single fathers and their journey to a romantic relationship and family life.
This finale novel is definitely more of a standalone story than some of the books earlier on in this series. Then those books were adhering to the series theme, see below:
āIntroducing the single dads of La Jolla, and the first responders they fall in love with.
From surrogacy to adoption and everything in between, this series of books follows the highs and lows of being a single father.
For these men finding love might seem impossible but sometimes it’s as easy as meeting the doctor next door, finding the firefighter who makes you feel beautiful, or learning that a cop can be trusted to keep you safe.ā
But thatās been left behind by Listen Book 5 as the main characters have other professions as careers and different types of issues to work through.
Thereās several main themes or narrative components to Miracle, only two of which are well developed. The main characters, Jax and Arlo work together in Jaxās construction business. Both are secretly in love with each other but are unable to approach each other about their feelings, even though theyāve known each other for a long period of time.
Jax has a complicated past. Heās adopted (great adopted family) but heās a twin and has hunted for that twin since he found out about his existence. Arlo has raised his siblings since the unexpected death of his parents, giving up his own dreams to help them grow up and achieve their own.
Those are two great storylines by themselves. And Scottās narrative dives deep to explore the emotional layers that exist within a person who is still dealing with issues of grief, loss, frustration over the past, and acknowledging that the change of dreams for oneself that happens when you devote your own life to your family. This is where the book and characters feel grounded and believable. Each man and their respective families feel real.
The pathway to a romantic relationship is a tad frustrating for me as I value communication highly, especially between adults and adults who have a long history with each other, in the books Iām reading. When thereās excessive dithering of the ātell him you care, he doesnāt care, yes , he does ā variety, then itās hard to go forward.
Luckily, Scott throws in a third element here to push the reader through. Thatās the appearance of Zachās baby , Jaxās missing twin brother little boy. The little baby is adorable and heās the glue that pulls the main characters together and, honestly, the story as a whole. But heās also part of the storyās issues. Or his father is.
Because the entire āZach is the fatherā aspect of the story is just a mere mention here and there. A throwaway line or two, along with the mysterious Kai, his partner. What we do know is that they leave the babyās status legally in a shaky state. It never stated who is the actual guardian, who has rights to this child. Zach pops in, and out. The baby calls Arlo and Jax papa and Daddy both as they are his stable home figures but also as Zach wants his enemies to think they are his parents. Itās never said that they are now legally so because Jax couldnāt go on record about how he got him.
This entire thread is just needs more context, or thought, or something. And it leaves me feeling as though it was intentionally vaguely written because the author has a new series out and Zack and Kaiās story is book 3. So this narrative was left with holes to lead towards that one. A formula I can do without.
To wrap up, Miracle (Single Dads Book 7) by R.J. Scott has some good heartwarming elements to it as the finale book. The main characters get a lovely romance that includes a baby and meshing of two families. However, thereās an odd other aspect to this with a mysterious twin brother and his partner that really doesnāt work. It feels exactly what it is, a preview for a new series and story to come instead of a well developed part of this book.
An abandoned baby, a poignant note from his long-lost twin, and unexpectedly, Jaxās world is turned upside down.
Despite being adopted by a loving family when he was a child, Jax feels part of his life is missing, and driven by dreams of his brother being in danger, Jax is consumed by his search for his biological twin. Shocked to find a surprise delivery on his doorstep, Jax discovers that not only is he an uncle, but apparently, heās a legal guardian to baby Charlie. He calls on the unwavering support of his friends and family to solve the mystery surrounding the new arrival, but also finds help from an unexpected source ā Arlo, the enigmatic bear of a man who works for him.
Arlo is no stranger to caring. When his parents passed, he dropped out of college to care for his siblings, working construction to pay the bills. With his brothers grown and having left home, itās Arloās turn to live, but when the next stage of his life means owning up to his love for Jax, he canāt find the words to be honest about how he feels. The problem for Arlo is that heās been in unrequited love with his boss for three years and canāt bear to not be part of his life. Is it too much to wish for a miracle to make Jax fall for him too?
ā¢ Publisher: Love Lane Books Ltd; 1st edition (December 22, 2023)
ā¢ Publication date: December 22, 2023
ā¢ Print length: 302 pages
Zack and Kaiās book (#3) is found in the new series,
With Zachary, the wonderful Demons-In-Law trilogy comes to a heartwarming conclusion and for me, itās way too early for this series to end.
I feel like we are just getting to know the extraordinary mountain enclosed village of Hortplatz, the most demon inhabitants, and run by an imperious demon grandmother whoās a remarkable figure. Plus we barely explored the mysterious dragon hoard , hidden behind a 12,000 ish year old puzzle door, that had been built into the mountain above the village by a long ago dragon, and it now the scientific find of the world. Oh, Hortplatz, we hardly knew you!
Masters finishes with the heartbreak couple. Ronan Draco, Steffenās twin brother, who is burdened by their horrific past, and his self inflicted āprisonā of guilt, doubts, and inability to connect with others. Ronan is selected by Brandt to catalog the items and help identify them as them come out of the vault. Itās terrifying to him.
On the other side, thereās Zachary, grandson to the formidable grandmother ,Damaris Bailey , who rules the family, town Council and everyone else with a steely voice and gaze to match. Zachary is the townās forester, well, go to demon, depending on the job, despite having his own hopes and dreams. Heās continually sacrificed for the sake of the family and the community, letting family obligations and responsibilities become an invisible prison for himself. Until the bitterness is threatening to swallow him.
This is the setup that Masters introduces the reader to the situation and these haunted beings to each other. It is not a meet cute.
But the journey to redemption and love for both is a fabulous and heartwarming story to read. Ronanās as he realizes his need to connect with the Hortplatz community and learn how to make friends. Thatās a truly remarkable, funny, and joyful stumbling path he had to take, one that included pastries, group text sessions, and a box from the World of Wangs makes an important appearance. Ronan finds he can become part of a community, have a home, with a loving partner, leaving the past behind.
And Zachary? In Ronan, he finds someone to stand with him, support his passions, explore new experiences, even if it means staying in Hortplatz. For now.
Masters doesnāt forget Damaris, the stern, unyielding grandmother, whose actions and character become fully revealed in a wonderful, memorable scene.
So many great characters are brought in to help Ronan and Zachary achieve their dreams and HEA, from Steffen to all the many demon cousins and their families.
As I said, three books is barely breaking the surface of this villageās stories and what the future now holds for them.
Itās my wish that Masters might come up with another series that will find its way back into this world and town , so we can get an update on everyone there and the new couples to arrive.
In the meantime, Iām highly recommending this series and book. Itās fantastic and a grand bit of fantasy!
A dragon with endless secrets meets a demon with nothing to hideā¦
Iām the easygoing one. The fun one. The rare member of my family who gets along with anyone. Except thereās a chance I may have got off on the wrong foot with our new dragon liaison, Ronan. In my defense, he rubs everyone the wrong way. The only thing heās got going for him is his looksā¦ if the miserable frown werenāt there to mar them. But he seems to be trying harder to connect, and I guess I should do the same. Even if his arrival here was the beginning of all my problems.
When I cross the line and guilt compels me to apologize, I get my first glimpse of a different Ronan. Someone who enjoys baking, thinks glitter is amazing, and wants people to like him. Someone I could be friends with. And when that frown disappears? I want more than just friendship.
But thereās something going on with him, something heās been carrying for a long time. Heās been hurt before, and the secrets heās keeping are the kind that eat you inside. How can we take things to the next step if he canāt be open with me?
Itās only when he steps up to make all my dreams come true that I realize some secrets need to stay that wayā¦ and that loving Ronan means accepting him for who he really is.
The time has come, the wizard says, for all great adventures to come to an end and all the fabulous adventurers to tend to their wounds, gather their treasures, and head back home.
Necromancer Lawton, Half Orc Berklak, and the rest of the Beefcake Brigade are still on their quest to find the reason for the dreaded miasma thatās spreading over the lands, causing the females of various species to turn on the males in a murderous frenzy.
Now they are headed into the frozen southern landscape of Gwafellaw. There awaits such wondrous things as dragons, a crazy wood elf, and the solution to the murderous rage thatās seeping over the continent.
Codyās final chapter in this fabulous adventure is a doozy. She gives us a bit of fatherly acceptance for Lawton, forest love for Berklak and new magical powers, some wildly inspired battles, and an ancient, devastating origin tale that is the beginnings of all the woe here.
Yes, that does contain mention in an ancient poem of multiple SA to a woman long dead. Be warned.
Cody pulls together all the pieces of the journey, the events of carnage, and magical scenarios to create one monumental experience as a cap to the adventure and a final chapter in this epic tale. Loved it.
What a strange and glorious romp this has been! I shall miss this motley, powerful, magical crew. And hopefully, one day, Cody will decide to send them forth to adventure once more.
Until then, Iām highly recommending all five chapters of this excellent adventure. Make sure to read them in order.
I honestly thought passing through the ward to the freezing land of Gwafellaw would be more miserable than it turns out to be. Who has time to be miserable when everything in the land wants to kill you? No one, thatās who.
Between fighting dragons, finding a new species, and saving a crazy druid, Berklak and I are learning exactly what it means to be anchored, tied together, bonded, and in love. Weāre going to defeat the aelysou hurting Fasgard no matter what it takes, because Iām the high sorcerer of Fasgard and the most powerful necromancer alive. I wonāt let anything separate me from the love of my lifeānot my father, not a goddess, not even death.
Berklak:
Iāve been adventuring for over fifty years, and Iāve adventured in Gwafellaw before, but Iāve never seen so much hostility. The only good thing walking this land is Lawton, and Iād follow him to the portals of death herself if thatās where he wanted to go.
I might not be sure exactly what weāre going to find in this frozen wasteland, but if itās not my happily ever after, I wonāt have done my job right. Iām proficient in weapons, and Iām confident weāll prevail, but itās a good thing we have Lawton to keep us from permanently making the ultimate sacrifice. Iād hate for him to lose me before we even figure out where weāre going to live after this.
I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc is a five chapter serial fantasy adventure with a light-hearted, fun TTRPG vibe. Expect big magic, lots of cuddles, plenty of steam, and a team of characters that might not get a natural 20 on every roll, but they make up for it with creative solutions to both magical and mundane problems.
Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared has the feel of a finale story without all the characters and smaller threads getting their due.
McKinnonās third book contains several mysteries, a couple of murders, and a case of mistaken paternity, in this case, Mr Mustachio, who has been accused of having ārelationsā with another prize winning Persian cat whoās now expecting kittens! And everyone, including Algernon wants his name cleared!
Itās hard to say if this is indeed the finale book because I canāt find anything else from the author (this was written in 2022). So Iām just not sure. But it has that tone.
It starts ,as they all have, with Mr Mustachioās POV , him out on the town and having an encounter trying to prevent a amorous cattery attack thatās part of the story and his characterās thread.
Then itās right off back to Chez Celine, the richly entertaining daily life of its human characters where more investigations are about to drop into Samās lap. At this point, Sam has finally finished his book, his and Algernonās relationship is going well, and Chez Celine is adjusting nicely to new artists.
So things should start to fall apart, naturally!
Thereās potential for Algernon real identity to be discovered by others outside of those already in the know. Thereās multiple murders that center around a restaurant, and many other complex investigations for Sam, Algernon, Mr Mustachio, and Chief Baldwin to get involved in. Even Sven does his own wild part here.
I canāt help but think that the author crammed more than one book into this one. Itās full of so many different stories themes and plots that itās hard for McKinnon to bring them all to completion, let alone explore them to the fullest extent possible.
Sam finishes a book heās had problems writing. We never explore Algernonās character fully, his background nebulous and his type of being purposefully vague on certain aspects. Sven never gets his due and thatās a shame.
But we do have several completely good mysteries, dramatic moments, adorable kitties, and HEAās for more than one couple.
I canāt find any more information on this author or more books. But Iām ever hopeful. I just adore this series, found them charming. And am absolutely recommending them to all lovers of cozy mystery romance with a delightful twist.
Algernon is eager to assist Sam in his cases, and Sam is willing to let himāas long as thereās no murder involved. But the embezzlement case heās been hired to investigate for a local restaurant turns sinister when a diner gets poisoned right in front of his eyes.
Sam sets out to discover whether the death was the accidental result of a plan to sabotage the restaurant or if the high-maintenance woman who got served poisonous mushrooms was the target of a plot to kill her. She does seem like the type youād want dead.
Meanwhile, Chez Celine learns Mr. Mustachio is going to be a father. Or so the high-maintenance woman claims when her prize-winning cat turns up pregnant. Algernon denies responsibility, but how to prove it? When Mr. Mustachio’s habit of poking his nose in where it doesnāt belong lands him in cat jail, Sam has to ask the one man he least wants to turn to for help in saving his partner.
Mr. Mustachio Gets Collared is book 3 in the Mr. Mustachio Murders.
What those plans are were revealed at the end of book three, so itās no big secret here that itās a wedding. But much of the story is Leo running around, getting Christopher, aka Winterhavenās townās Mayor and Santa, to help him organize this and make it happen. All while keeping King in the dark about the wedding.
I wish Cochetās story had more details about Christopher and his wife, as they are both very āMr and Mrs. Clausā but thatās not carried out fully.
Itās sweet, romantic and very much in the holiday spirit. I enjoyed it .
When Colton surprises their family with an unforgettable Christmas vacation to Winterhaven, the possibilities that await in this enchanting holiday town stir Leoās imagination, and with a few keystrokes, he discovers the town’s mayorāa man who remarkably resembles Santa Claus himself.
Join Leo, King, and their Four Kings Security family as they embark on a shenanigan-fueled adventure filled with unyielding determination and boundless love to rescue the holiday season for Winterhaven, where Santa Claus may just hold the key to delivering the perfect Christmas.
ā¢ Publication date: December 20, 2023
ā¢ Print length: 91 pages
Welcome to the Four Kings Security Universe! The current reading order for the universe is as follows:
FOUR KINGS SECURITY UNIVERSE
āSTANDALONES
ā¦ Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts-Standalone (Spencer and Quinn. Quinn is Ace and Luckyās cousin.) Can be read any time before In the Cards.
FOUR KINGS SECURITY
ā Love in Spades-Book 1 (Ace and Colton)
ā Ante Up-Book 1.5 (Seth and Kit) Free short story
ā¦ Be Still My Heart-Book 2 (Red and Laz)
ā Join the Club-Book 3 (Lucky and Mason)
ā Diamond in the Rough-Book 4 (King and Leo)
ā¦ In the Cards-Book 4.5 (Spencer and Quinnās wedding.)
ā¦ FOUR KINGS SECURITY Boxed Set includes all 4 main Four Kings Security novels: Love in Spades, Be Still My Heart, Join the Club, and Diamond in the Rough.
BLACK OPS: OPERATION ORIONāS BELT
ā¦ Kept in the Dark-Book 1 (Standalone series can be read anytime)
THE KINGS: WILD CARDS
ā¦ Stacking the Deck-Book 1 (Jack and Fitz).
ā¦ Raising the Ante-Book 2 (Frank and Joshua)
ā¦ Sleight of Hand-Book 3 (Joker and Gio)
ā¦ THE KINGS: WILD CARDS BOXED SET Boxed Set includes all 3: The Kings: Wild Cards books: Stacking the Deck, Raising the Ante, Sleight of Hand, and bonus story In the Cards.
I believe this is the last in The Hitmanās Guide series and if it is, itās a fantastic way to see this series off. I laughed out loud, and at the end, I may have sniffled a bit, because Winters layered in some moving, emotional scenes of deep love and growth for retired hitman Leland and his now husband, Jackson, along with those of outrageous hilarity.
But before we get to those moments, thereās high action, mystery, hilarious murderous hijinks, car chases, explosions, a young teenager in need of help, and, of course, that evil monster, Lukas, still trying to manipulate Leland from behind bars. In short, itās got all the narrative bells and whistles we expect from this series and characters and more!
It delivers on all our expectations and then goes further into high emotional gear!
What I especially loved about this story was how Winters created her tale, starting with a small time holdup by amateurs, a seemingly throwaway scene. But with this author, the smallest of details , like a barely there character, that threads throughout the many storylines , to end up being a big part of the plot and eventual found family. Itās beautiful fabrication and imaginative storytelling.
And not to be lost among the fireworks and gunfire is the emotional turmoil and toll that exists within Leland, Cassel, and everyone else who is involved with Lukas. That monster manipulator behind bars but still causing emotional damage to Lelandās peace of mind. Thatās as well written as the high pitched action and suspense that comes with the comedic timing and moments here that had me in stitches.
Winters balances the moving moments where Lelandās heart and vulnerability shows through with the flat out bad jokes and nonstop violence thatās associated with this former hitman and gang of found family. Yes, Winters has everyone back together here, dogs and mother in law included.
With that combination, this becomes a fabulous narrative ballet of bullets and comedic verbal poetry that absolutely kills it in every aspect!
Iām so sorry to see this series and group of characters go but what a book to end on. Itās a great finale. One Iām highly recommending, along with the series.
Hitmanās Guide:
ā The Hitman’s Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love #1
ā The Hitman’s Guide to Staying Alive Despite Past Mistakes #2
ā The Hitman’s Guide to Tying the Knot Without Getting Shot #3
ā The Hitman’s Guide to Righting Wrongs While Causing Mayhem #4
ā The Hitman’s Guide to Codenames and Ill-Gotten Gains #5 – finale
Related side story: Casselās romance:
ā The Former Assassin’s Guide to Snagging a Reluctant Boyfriend
Stopping a robbery was only the beginningāto fun, action-filled mayhem. Jacksonās afraid that Iām running headfirst into trouble (again), but Iām notā¦ Iām running gun-first into it. When one of the robbers whoās really just a kid comes begging for my help, I definitely have no choice but to help him.
The kid is convinced his brother has been wrongly accused, and while Jackson My Love might be over there going, āYou were hired to look into it, not to go undercover, sink a boat, and hunt down a gang,ā I feel like heās simply confusedā¦ because Iām gonna hunt down TWO gangs (and is that a car chase I see?).
Jackson
A simple āWhodunnitā turns into us being targeted by multiple bad guys as we run after them instead of away from them, dragging Cassel and Henryāand some othersāalong for the ride. I really canāt be the only one who sees the issue here, butā¦ as I watch them race into danger, Iām starting to think I am.
Loving Leland comes easy, but keeping him safe doesnāt because thereās someone trailing Leland who might want to hurt him. The problem is that as Lucas strings us along and tales begin to become tangled, itās hard to tell who is right and who is wrong.
Contains: Lifejackets used to protect all the wrong things (Leland: all the RIGHT things), the greatest tragedy of ALL TIME (involving The Fence)(even if Jackson doesnāt think so), and the kind of friends that make you realize you donāt need enemies.
Brewtiful’s is the heartwarming, wonderful finale story in L Evelandās fantastic Culinary Creatures series. Iām so sorry to see this series end.
Bluz, the preceding novel, is a small masterpiece of storytelling that combined a old musical sounding style of Appalachian dialect , a vanishing American mountain voice, with a vivid location, mouth watering BBQ and layered memorable characters. It remains a top tier book for me.
Now Brewtiful’s, with characters, especially one, that could have been written as tragic but end up as triumphantly beautiful and with a joyful ending that brings this series to a satisfying conclusion.
Why have I fallen in love so quickly with this story? Iāll start with one of the main characters. Tripp Powers.
Tripp Powers has the emotional power to move the reader to tears but it wonāt be immediately evident why. The clues, his halting words as he assembles his thoughts and sentences to give voice to his own inner feelings. Itās those beautifully written scenes that will carry Trippās sometimes jumbled excited messages that will melt the readerās heart and that of Nicola Lightwing, a mothman he meets in Las Vegas.
You see Tripp is suffering from an injury that comes from being a ex-NHL hockey player. Heās got head/brain trauma from taking a hit. Heās in forced retirement, has memory issues, migraines, and more. Heās lost his passion and focus. But in an extraordinary way, found a new one.
Tripp is real, heartbreaking, and inspiring. And he wakes up married.
To a mothman.
Yes itās a wake up married, bi-awakening, hockey romance in a paranormal world with antennas and itās fabulous.
Tripp has a well written bi-awakening journey along with finding true love. Done with another character, Nicola Lightwing, a mothman. We met Nicola before in Bluz but he comes fully into his own here. Heās a successful agent who sacrifices his private life for his clients and now , because of an impulsive decision, has the potential to make changes for himself and Tripp.
Evelandās story weaves a gentle reminder that sometimes the simplest thing can bring the best possible outcome to a personās life. A cup of coffee, an act of kindness, a smile or even a positive saying to start the day with. Or find true love and happiness.
The author gives the characters depth of personality, intelligence, interesting uses of otherworldly sexuality, love in all its forms, and as always, a fabulous recipe at the end. Never miss out on those.
L Evelandās Culinary Creatures is four books and Iāll always regret it isnāt more. But those four books are on auto reread for me, the last two in particular. The entire series is a must read for just splendid storytelling.
Pick up the series today and prepare for some joy in your day.
Culinary Creatures with great recipes at the end of each story:
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegasā¦unless you accidentally marry a mothman.
My nameās Tripp Powers, former NHL star, notorious playboy, and aspiring coffee connoisseur. My plan? Open a chain of coffee shops to brighten everyoneās day. All of that was going according to plan until I woke up in bed with a man.
And not just any man, but Nicola Lightwing, a mothman!
Itās a mistake weāre both keen to undo as fast as possible until we realize we have a lot in common. Nicola is smart, suave, and almost as obsessed with coffee as I am. With his help, I might even be able to make my coffee shop dreams into reality.
Thereās only one problem. Until today, I was sure I was straight. Yet I canāt help but want to drink Nicola up, especially when heās promised heās good to the last drop.
Can I resist his bold advances? Or is a lifelong romance brewing?
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 