To borrow a phrase from this novella, you won’t want to miss this “quick but meaningful” introduction to Fox’s next series. Most novellas that act as this sort of prelude leave me both overwhelmed by introductions to secondary characters and underwhelmed by the story itself. Proving once again why Fox is one of my favorite … Continue reading Book Review: The Thief (Lost Boys #0.5) by Kelly Fox
Book Review: Blue Skies by Marie Sinclair
On the surface, the two heroes of this book have little in common. Though neither of them has ever had a true long-term relationship, that is more a result of facets of their characterization: Greg’s asexuality and Holden hiding his sexual orientation for so much of his life. The theme that ties them together is … Continue reading Book Review: Blue Skies by Marie Sinclair
Book Review: Like I Wanted (Heather Bay #5) by Charlie Novak
Read my reviews of previous books in the Heather Bay series: Like I Pictured (#0.5) | Like I Promised (#1) | Like I Wished (#2) | Like I Needed (#3) | Like I Pretended (#4) Though this book nominally stands alone, I’m glad I’ve been following along from the start so that I, too, could be utterly and delightfully confused … Continue reading Book Review: Like I Wanted (Heather Bay #5) by Charlie Novak
Book Review: Edged (Trophy Doms Social Club #2) by Kate Hawthorne
Read my review of the first book in the Trophy Doms Social Club series, Humbled. I cry at a lot of things in books, but not usually until after the first third of the story or so, once I’ve established a connection with the characters. I may have met Archie as a secondary character in … Continue reading Book Review: Edged (Trophy Doms Social Club #2) by Kate Hawthorne
Book Review: Cover-Up (Irons and Works: Key Largo #12) by E.M. Lindsey
Read my reviews of previous books in the Irons and Works series: Free Hand (#1) | Blank Canvas (#2) | American Traditional (#3) | Bio-Mechanical (#4) | Stick and Poke (#5) | Scarification (#6) | Scratcher (#7) | Ornamental (#8) | Snakebites (#9) | Fine Line (#10) | Heavy Hand (#11) | To Touch the Light (follow-up novella) | Last-Minute Walk-In (follow-up novella) One of the overarching themes … Continue reading Book Review: Cover-Up (Irons and Works: Key Largo #12) by E.M. Lindsey
Book Review: Forward Entry (Sydney Swallows #1) by Aurora Crane
Last spring, I joined a “tipping pool” with other readers of this author in picking the winning teams each week for the Australian Football League. It took me at least 3 months to figure out that the sport was not, in fact, rugby. By that point, I was committed to my strategy of picking teams … Continue reading Book Review: Forward Entry (Sydney Swallows #1) by Aurora Crane
Book Review: Salt Kiss (Lyonesse #1) by Sierra Simone
Read my review of the series prequel, Salt in the Wound. I have zero regrets about enjoying the series prequel before this official beginning to the trilogy, but I’m curious how readers who did not read it engaged with the progression of this compelling story. For me, Isolde was a constant, almost ominous presence even … Continue reading Book Review: Salt Kiss (Lyonesse #1) by Sierra Simone
Book Review: All I Want (All’s Fair #1) by Abrianna Denae
Denae doesn’t waste any time letting readers know what they’re in for with the start of this book. It’s a fairly brutal way to set up a romance, even a dark one. However, launching us straight into the black moment of this story sets up both main characters well, especially since their emotional (and physical) … Continue reading Book Review: All I Want (All’s Fair #1) by Abrianna Denae
Book Review: Pretty Black (Pretty Broken #5) by J.R. Gray
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Pretty Broken series: Pretty Obsessed (#1) | Pretty Toxic (#2) | Pretty Wreck (#3) | Pretty F*cked (#4) The final book in this excellent rock star romance series, which also serves as the second half of an internal duology with the previous book, Pretty F*ed, drops readers right back into … Continue reading Book Review: Pretty Black (Pretty Broken #5) by J.R. Gray
Book Review: Teach Me to Sin (Water, Air, Earth, Fire #4) by Riley Nash
I binge-read the first three books (and supplementary content) in this series in a single weekend, put the release date for the final book on my calendar, and anxiously counted down the days. Then, because I’m a lucky brat, the author was kind enough to send me an advanced copy! Which, of course, I promptly … Continue reading Book Review: Teach Me to Sin (Water, Air, Earth, Fire #4) by Riley Nash
Book Review: Halo by E.M. Lindsey
Victor and Oliver may come from thoroughly different walks of life, and exist in vastly different current lives, but this isn’t an opposites-attract romance. Instead, this is a story about love arriving when it’s least expected (and possibly even least wanted) for two people who don’t believe they deserve it but are still able to … Continue reading Book Review: Halo by E.M. Lindsey
Book Review: Accidentally August by E.M. Denning
The fun thing about romance tropes is that the same general story can be told a million different ways, even by the same author. Denning doesn’t necessarily stretch the boundaries of the “brother’s best friend” trope with her latest book, beyond adding a bit of an age-gap element, but her excellent characterization work elevates this … Continue reading Book Review: Accidentally August by E.M. Denning
Book Review: Heartstrings Series by Erica Montrose
This post includes reviews of the books in the Heartstrings series: Write From the Heart (#1) | Heart For Sale (#2) | Heart Medicine (#3) Write From the Heart (Heartstrings #1) Contemporary romance doesn’t always have to mean a completely realistic setting or characters. In this instance, we’ve got talented, prolific, successful (and self-published) author … Continue reading Book Review: Heartstrings Series by Erica Montrose
Book Review: Humbled (Trophy Doms Social Club #1) by Kate Hawthorne
This book is the beginning of a new series, but one of the heroes is an important secondary character in previous books by this author. I can confirm that this book does work as a stand-alone, but I was thrilled that Grayson got the metaphorical upgrade to anchor a new collection. I first read Hawthorne … Continue reading Book Review: Humbled (Trophy Doms Social Club #1) by Kate Hawthorne
Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Colette Davison
I was warned a few times before I was offered an advanced copy of this book that this was not the typical “MMM” story like most of those I’d read previously in the genre. Since I am all about unexpected stories, especially those that push at genre tropes, I still jumped at the chance to … Continue reading Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Colette Davison
Book Review: Like I Pretended (Heather Bay #4) by Charlie Novak
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Heather Bay series: Like I Pictured (#0.5) | Like I Promised (#1) | Like I Wished (#2) | Like I Needed (#3) One of my favorite aspects of Novak’s writing is that not only does each series portray a fantastic cast of well-developed primary and secondary characters, but each of … Continue reading Book Review: Like I Pretended (Heather Bay #4) by Charlie Novak
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 … Continue reading Book Review: Home Free (Higher Elevations) by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga
Book Review: Affogato (BrewBiz #1) by E.M. Lindsey
I’m really sensitive to second-hand embarrassment, so while I was excited to read this book, I dreaded the inciting incident warned about in the description. Lindsey starts the story by dropping us right into the event, so at least I didn’t have to stress about when it would come. Even better, I felt that they … Continue reading Book Review: Affogato (BrewBiz #1) by E.M. Lindsey
Book Review: Salt in the Wound (Lyonesse #0.5) by Sierra Simone
I adored Simone’s New Camelot trilogy, which was a fascinating take on Arthurian legend set in contemporary American politics. References are made to the full cast in this modern setting, and I was instantly intrigued by what this author would do when bringing the Mark/Isolde/Tristan saga to the foreground. Of course, Tristan doesn’t appear until … Continue reading Book Review: Salt in the Wound (Lyonesse #0.5) by Sierra Simone
Book Review: Take the Plunge by Colette Davison
Limited new ways exist to start a novel, regardless of genre, and contemporary fiction is even more constrained in options. “Waking up hungover and handcuffed to my best friend’s little brother while stranded in the middle of the woods” is pretty unique, especially when for the beginning of a contemporary romance instead of, say, a … Continue reading Book Review: Take the Plunge by Colette Davison