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Five-Star Reads for April 2025
Note: Reviews are listed alphabetically by author’s last name. Like my reviews? Shifting Ties Abrianna Denae & Leigh Kenzie (Crimson Bonds #2) One of the authors in this co-write team told me before release that this was the “nice” book in this series. Either nice is a relative term, or we’re in for a real ride…
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Five-Star Reads for May 2024
Immersion Play Katherine McIntyre (Leather and Lattes #1) The experienced Dom and naive sub falling for each other is a pretty common trope in kink romance. However, McIntyre elevates this easy relationship shortcut by making the kink element only a small facet of what develops between Micah and Parker. The chemistry between them is visceral…
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Five-Star Reads for March 2024
My Skin Begs You Please Leta Blake (90s Universe) This was not an easy story to read, and I encourage all potential readers to mind the content warnings because this also isn’t a story for everybody. However, even though I knew I was in for an emotional wringer, I adore Blake’s writing and decided to…
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Five-Star Reads for February 2024
The Trouble With Cowboys Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga (Sin Deep #2) Sam and Thomas are two of my favorite romance characters pretty much ever, so returning to their world is always like getting a warm hug. Kacey is nothing like Sam, however, and his reasons for arriving in New York City are just as…
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Book Review: Home Free (Higher Elevations) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
It is clear from the very start of this book that Early and Connor are two people who are very much in love and who prioritize each other and their family. Starting on such a high note meant I knew that the dark point would be even more difficult. However, while the plot arc does…
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Book Review: Wholly Trinity (Les’s Bar #3) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Les’s Bar series: Just Dex (#1) | Hide Bound (#2) Many books by this author pair fall into the “comfort read” category for me, especially because of the fascinating intersection of city versus cowboy, power exchange, and surprising external story elements. While always coming from unique characters, the…
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Book Review: Making the Rules (Triskelion #3) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Triskelion series: Breaking the Rules (#1) Making a Mark (#2) I’m so spoiled by authors that release books close together that waiting a year for the final installment of this trilogy was brutal—but absolutely worth the wait (and luckily, I had plenty of other books by…
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Book Review: Sin Deep by Jody Payne & B.A. Tortuga
I’m a total sucker for the Payne/Tortuga “East meets West with a side of kink” books, and I knew I’d be reading this one even before I found out it was set in the same world as their The Cowboy and The Dom series. One of the things that most impresses me about this author…
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Book Review: Roped In (Lone Star #2) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Read my review of Lone Star #1: Tending Tyler. If you’ve been following my reviews, you know that this author pairing is an insta-read for me. Especially for their east meets west stories, and doubly so when that trope includes a rodeo cowboy. This particular installment of that concept isn’t my favorite so far, but…
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Book Review: Land of Enchantment by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Though this novel involves the “east meets west” theme I’ve come to adore from the co-written books by Payne and Tortuga, it is also a departure from the formula in that Mason is not some posh city guy. Instead, the major difference has more to do with their relative life experience. Levi is only 5…
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Book Review: Flying Blind by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
I loved the progression of the relationship between January and Hawk in this book. It boils down to “one-night stand” to “sexy weekend fling” to “casually meeting up across the country” to “oops, I think we’re dating” to “okay, I guess we’re in love and all-in now.” This arc includes plenty of highs and lows,…
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Book Review: Wrecked by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
The first half or so of this book is an emotional sucker punch. It left me, dare I say, a bit wrecked. Even if emotional angst is your jam, have some tissues handy. However, all the pain is worth it as the authors slowly reveal the full story of estranged husbands Beckett and Skyler. The…
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Book Review: Tending Tyler (Lone Star #1) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed so much by these authors that it should come as no shock to anyone how sweet I found this book as well. We start in familiar territory (with a special shout-out to one of my favorite subby cowboys), but then this book becomes a major departure from what I’ve read from Payne…
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Book Review: Cryptic (Puzzles #1) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this pair of authors, so I knew I had to check out their newest foray into the romantic thriller genre. Though none of the characters is a Texan former rodeo cowboy, their combined voice shines through the intriguing combination of Derek, NYC detective, and Matthew, a profiler from New…
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Review: The Cowboy and the Dom Series by Jodi Payne & B.A. Torgtuga
This post includes reviews of the books in The Cowboy and the Dom series: First Rodeo (#1) Razor’s Edge (#2) No Ghosts (#3) The Soldier and the Angel (#3.5) First Rodeo (Book 1) I’ve become a lot more intentional about which books I write full-length reviews for rather than just a few sentences on Goodreads.…
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Review: Making a Mark (Triskelion #2) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Read my review of Breaking the Rules (Triskelion #1) Disclaimer: I received an advanced electronic ARC of this novel from the author. The first book in this planned trilogy introduced me to an amazing author pairing and lived rent-free in my brain for the entire summer. I put off re-reading it until right before the…
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Review: Breaking the Rules (Triskelion #1) by Jodi Payne & B. A. Tortuga
This book is the first I’ve read by either of these authors, and I immediately spent the next few days reading more of their work after finishing this one. I already knew going into this title that I enjoy romance that includes power dynamics and age gaps—the fact that this particular story is a “reverse”…
