The Book of Leo: A Why Choose Assassin Romance (Zodiac Killers 3) by Crystal North
Description
I don’t fear monsters. I hunt them.
By day, Dr. Zara Nightingale is a senior biochemist at DSTL – overlooked, underestimated, and dismissed as the pretty blonde in the room.
By night, she becomes Leo, one of the Guild’s deadliest Zodiac assassins.
Seductive. Theatrical. Traceless.
Her first mission is simple: eliminate a modern-day Jack the Ripper who has terrorised London for years.
Her second mission is not so easy.
She’s ordered to eliminate a corrupt politician whose power reaches far beyond the UK – into boardrooms, governments, and blood-soaked back channels across Europe.
Everything fractures the moment she crosses paths with:
Fox – the infuriating, cocky Guild assassin sent to monitor her every move.
Elias – the soft-hearted son of her target, who sees past her masks and makes her hesitate.
Cole – the elegant right-hand man of her target who looks like a villain but may just be her most dangerous ally.
Three men.
Three threats.
Three obsessions.
When a conspiracy inside the Guild rises to the surface, Zara must decide who to trust, who to love…
and who to kill.
But the lioness doesn’t bow.
She hunts.
And this time, she isn’t hunting alone.
~~~
The Book Of Leo is a dark reverse-harem assassin romance with high tension, steamy chemistry, and a guaranteed HEA.
Publication Date 29/9/2026
The Book of Leo: A Why Choose Assassin Romance (Zodiac Killers 3) by Crystal North
My Review
I finished The Book of Leo in a state of quiet satisfaction mixed with the residual adrenaline that only a well executed dark romance can leave behind.
Crystal North has taken the why choose framework and fused it with the high stakes precision of an assassin narrative, and the result feels fresh and dangerous.
Zara Nightingale is the kind of heroine who refuses to soften for anyone’s comfort….. By day she is the overlooked biochemist, the pretty blonde people underestimate, but at night she is Leo, theatrical and lethal, moving through London’s shadows with a confidence that borders on arrogance.
That dual existence is never treated as mere costume. The tension between the woman the world sees and the lioness who hunts is the engine of the story, and the author keeps it taut without ever tipping into melodrama.
The three men who orbit her each bring a distinct flavour of threat and desire…. Fox is the cocky Guild handler whose constant presence is both surveillance and provocation….. Elias, the soft hearted son of her target, threatens her professional detachment in ways that feel more dangerous than any weapon…. Cole, the elegant right hand man, is the most intriguing of the three in appearance, potentially the most useful ally, and therefore the most complicated.
The push/pull between them never collapses into simple jealousy contests. Instead it becomes a story in shifting loyalties, where every glance and every shared silence carries the weight of possible betrayal.
What I liked most was the way the larger conspiracy inside the Guild slowly surfaces. It doesn’t arrive as a sudden twist but as a creeping realisation that the organisation Zara serves may be as monstrous as the people she is ordered to eliminate.
That internal fracture forces her to decide not only who she loves, but who she is willing to kill for, and who she is willing to kill despite loving.
Zara never becomes a saint, nor does she revel in cruelty for its own sake. She remains a predator who has begun to question the shape of the cage she was trained inside.
The writing is sharp and atmospheric, especially in the London sequences where the modern day Ripper plot unfolds. There is a theatrical quality to Leo’s kills that matches her sign grand, almost performative, yet always clean.
The quieter moments between the characters are equally well judged, the hesitation, the unexpected tenderness, the reluctant trust all feel earned rather than manufactured for heat.
This is not a gentle romance. It is bloody, obsessive, and frequently ruthless. Yet it never loses sight of the woman at its centre who refuses to bow.
By the final pages I felt the same fierce protectiveness toward Zara that her three men clearly feel, and that, more than any particular scene, is the mark of a story that has done its work.
This author has delivered a strong story in the Zodiac Killers universe. one that stands on its own while leaving the door open for the larger shared world to expand.
I closed the book already hungry for the next sign.
There are three reviews on this post. I read them whilst on holiday. I couldn’t post as I was in the middle of the ocean at the time 😉 so as soon as I got home, I posted them.
Love Me Not: DI Helen Grace 7 (Detective Inspector Helen Grace, 7) by M.J. Arlidge
Description
A blood-red sunrise
Just after 7 AM DI Helen Grace stumbles on a dead woman lying in a country road. She has been brutally shot for no apparent reason.
Two hours later
At gunpoint a shopkeeper is forced to close up by two assailants. Before the police can get inside a single gunshot rings out.
A rampage of revenge?
Over one long day the town of Southampton is terrorized by two young killers who appear to be killing at random.
For DI Helen Grace, it’s a race against time.
Uncover why they’re doing this and who’s next – or always be one step behind . . .
Publication Date 21/9/2017
Love Me Not: DI Helen Grace 7 (Detective Inspector Helen Grace, 7) by M.J. Arlidge
My Review
I’d not read M.J. Arlidge before, but the blurb and cover drew me in.
Love Me Not, is a high stakes thriller that unfolds almost entirely over a single, tension filled day in Southampton. (How spooky, I’m in Southampton to start a three day cruise 😜!)
The story kicks off when DI Helen Grace stumbles upon a brutally murdered woman on a country road during her morning commute.
What follows is a terrifying spree of seemingly random shootings by two young killers, forcing Helen and her team into a desperate race against time. 😮
Short, sharp but punchy chapters marked by timestamps keep the momentum relentless and make the book impossible to put down.
The killers’ motives are cleverly tied into the broader series arc without feeling contrived, and the “who’s next?” puzzle keeps you guessing. While the core premise (random/seeming rampage) isn’t entirely groundbreaking, the tight execution, strong character work, and relentless pace more than make up for it.
A fast, addictive read that’s best enjoyed if you’re caught up with the series. (So it looks like I’ll be heading back to Amazon 😉)
Perfect for fans of gritty, character driven British crime thrillers who love a ticking clock atmosphere.
I’ll definitely be continuing with Helen’s story.
🦋
The Odd Sisters by Serena Valentino
Description
When the truth about the odd sisters is revealed, will anything be the same again?
Throughout the course of time, three witches – Lucinda, Ruby and Martha – have changed the fates of the greatest villains ever known. They’ve turned innocents into monsters and left chaos in their wake.
Now those they have wronged throughout the many kingdoms demand justice and the secrets of the twisted, diabolical odd sisters are about to be revealed…
Publication Date 21/7/2019
The Odd Sisters by Serena Valentino
My Review
The Odd Sisters by Serena Valentino is a solid, lore packed that is part of the Disney Villains series.
It finally dives deep into the chaotic lives of Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha, the meddling witches who’ve been pulling strings behind many classic villains.
Through journals and revelations, we get their tragic origins, family secrets, and the full extent of their twisted influence, with Circe and Snow White playing key roles in confronting the fallout.
The book delivers satisfying connections across the series, emotional themes of sisterhood, motherhood, and the cost of meddling with fate, plus the sisters’ signature unhinged energy.
However, it’s heavy on exposition and dialogue, which slows the pace at times. Some resolutions feel a bit convenient, and it’s definitely not very standalone you’ll enjoy it most if you’ve read the previous books. (So that’s me starting at the beginning then 🙄)
Recommended for fans who want the Odd Sisters’ backstory.
It’s dark, whimsical, and expands the villainous mythos nicely, even if it drags in places.
A must read if you’re already invested in the series.
🦋
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land
Description
Can we ever escape our past?
Annie’s mother is a serial killer. And the only way Annie can make it stop is to hand her in to the police.
Now with a new foster family and a new name – Milly – she’s hoping for a fresh start.
But as her mother’s trial looms, the secrets of Milly’s past won’t let her sleep . . .
Publication Date 12/1/2017
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land
My Review
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land is a chilling, voice driven psychological thriller that stuck with me long after I finished it.
Told entirely from the perspective of 15 year old Milly (formerly Annie), whose mother is a serial killer of children!
The book explores her attempt at a fresh start in a foster family while her mother’s trial looms. The big question, nature or nurture? hangs over every page….. Can Milly truly escape her past, or is she doomed to become her mother’s daughter?
What I loved most was the way it was written. It’s raw, and deeply immersive, perfectly capturing Milly’s fractured, anxious inner world. The book is tense and unsettling without relying on constant gore, it digs into trauma, bullying, family dysfunction, and the desperate desire to be “good.”
Milly is a complex character, you root for her even as you wonder about her darker impulses!
It’s not a light or easy read (trigger warnings for child abuse, violence, and psychological distress), but it’s gripping and thought provoking. The foster family dynamics add extra layers of unease, and the ending delivers a strong payoff.
A book that blends character study with suspense.
If you enjoy dark psychological thrillers like The Girl on the Train (with a younger narrator), this one is highly recommended.
It messed with my head, in the best way.
🦋
The little library on the ship we were cruising on. I left the three books I read. I didn’t bring anything back (husband says I have enough!)
In a dark, why-choose romance about the healing power of chosen family, a woman finds sanctuary in a remote town and in the arms of three men desperate to claim her—even as her abusive past continues to hunt her down.
Everleigh Banks has a secret.
Living under a false identity, she’s plagued by the lingering trauma of her husband’s cruelty. Hiding in the small town of Hawkthorpe is a last-ditch effort to bury the evil she’s fled.
It’s a fresh start, but she didn’t count on three complications carrying their own demons to steal her fragile heart and refuse to surrender it.
There’s Sterling, hot-tempered and gruff, a widower grieving his wife’s mysterious death. Leo, Sterling’s adoptive brother, the playful optimist who seeks to fix everyone. And Fletcher, the stoic former pilot, struggling with survivor’s guilt from the crash that stole his voice.
Their love defies limits, but under the cloak of snow-capped mountains, these four are happy to share.
As Everleigh’s lies spiral out of control, she’ll have to face her past to protect their future. Because no matter how deep the darkest secrets are buried, some ghosts can’t be outrun.
And this ghost wants his wife back.
Publication Date 29/9/2026
Sanctuary of Lies (Hawkthorpe) by J Rose
My Review
Sanctuary of Lies by J. Rose pulled me in with that quiet, aching promise of a woman trying to disappear into a small mountain town and somehow finding herself instead.
Everleigh Banks arrives in Hawkthorpe under a false name, carrying the kind of trauma that settles into the bones and makes every soft moment feel dangerous.
But she’s not a damsel waiting to be saved, she is a woman in her thirties who has already survived the worst of it and is still learning how to claim space for herself. And that alone made her story different for me.
There is something deeply satisfying about watching a character who is no longer young and shiny figure out that healing does not have an expiration date.
The three men who circle her Sterling, Leo, and Fletcher are each carrying their own heavy histories, and the way the author lets those wounds interact without turning the book into a trauma olympics feels careful and intentional.
Sterling’s grief is sharp and sometimes ugly. Leo’s relentless optimism has a brittle edge. Fletcher’s silence after the crash that stole his voice becomes its own language of protection and longing.
Watching them slowly decide that Everleigh is worth the risk of opening up again, and watching her decide the same about them, is the heart of the book.
The why choose dynamic never feels like a checklist of tropes. It grows out of genuine connection and the slow realization that safety can look like three pairs of arms instead of one.
Th author does not shy away from the darkness of Everleigh’s past. The threat of her abusive husband hangs over everything, and the tension of secrets that cannot stay buried forever keeps the suspense humming.
Yet the story never loses sight of the softer moments, the small town, the found family that expands beyond the central quartet, the tentative laughter that starts to feel earned.
The romance is steamy when it needs to be. These characters love messily and protectively, and the book makes space for that mess without rushing to tidy it up.
Sanctuary of Lies is not a light read, but it is a rewarding one.
It understands that chosen family can be the place where the ghosts finally lose their power, and that sometimes the only way to outrun the past is to stop running and let the right people stand between you and whatever is still chasing you.
For anyone who likes their dark romance laced with real emotional weight and a hard won happy ending that does not feel cheap, this one is worth the journey into the mountains.
“She is my salvation. The only thing that can drag me out of the abyss I was born into.”
He spent six years dreaming of the only woman he ever loved.
She spent six years trying to forget the worst night of her life.
When Drystan Rowe returns, neither of them realizes the past isn’t finished with them.
Hidden betrayals, deadly secrets, and a darkness that has waited years to strike forces them into a nightmare where love becomes obsession, obsession becomes devotion, and survival demands blood.
Because someone has been waiting for Drystan to come home.
And this time…
They aren’t coming for him.
They’re coming for her.
This is a stalker gothic dark romance told in first-person POV by both main characters. Please check the author’s website for a full list of content warnings.
Publication Date 28/9/2026
Hellebore by Joan Morven
My Review
Hellebore by Joan Morven is the kind of dark gothic romance that sinks its claws in early and refuses to let go.
From the opening pages, the story of Drystan Rowe and the woman he has obsessed over for six years feels less like a reunion and more like the inevitable collision of two people who were never truly free of each other.
He spent those years in the abyss, clinging to the memory of her as the only light that could pull him out…..
She spent them trying to bury the worst night of her life….. (we do find out, and I’d suggest a box of tissues 😢)
When he finally returns, neither of them understands that the past has been waiting, patient and hungry, ready to claim them both.
What i liked most was the way it handles the slow, inevitable slide from love into obsession and then into something darker and more consuming.
Drystan is not a soft hero. He is a man forged in shadows, and his devotion is absolute, bordering on the unhinged.
But the woman he finds is no longer the girl he once watched from afar. She carries her own darkness now, and the chemistry between them is charged with equal parts longing and dread. (He wants to know what happened to her,) he left her sweet and innocent, now she drinks to oblivion, finds male company and dresses like night itself!
Their relationship becomes a living thing that demands blood and sacrifice, and the story never shies away from that cost.
The atmosphere is pure gothic intensity.
Hellebore Mansion itself feels like a character, heavy with secrets and the weight of old betrayals.
Hidden threats circle closer with every chapter, and the sense that someone has been waiting for Drystan’s return, not for him but for her, creates a constant undercurrent of menace.
The writing is lush and immersive without ever becoming overwrought, letting the tension build in the quiet moments as much as in the explosive ones.
This is not a gentle romance. It is possessive, dangerous, and steeped in the kind of devotion that can destroy as easily as it saves.
The author leans hard into the moral gray areas, forcing the us to sit with the discomfort of characters who love too fiercely and protect too ruthlessly.
The result is a story that lingers long after the final page, leaving you unsettled and oddly satisfied in equal measure.
If you crave dark romance that prioritizes atmosphere, obsession, and the thin line between salvation and ruin, Hellebore delivers exactly that. 🖤
Hades’ Revenge: A Dark Age Gap Romance (Morally Gray Gods Book 1) by Ella Jade
Description
When a vicious assassin is banished from the life he’s known, he starts over only to be tempted by the goddaughter he hasn’t seen in almost twenty years.
Hades
Vindictive, malicious, some would even say sadistic…
I couldn’t argue with any of those assessments. We are who we are. I’m a vengeful assassin who will stop at nothing to make those who wronged me pay. And I’m thirsty for revenge.
Eighteen years ago, I took the fall for a man who was like a brother to me. I even vowed to protect his daughter by becoming her godfather— and then he betrayed me.
Two decades later, his daughter, now a stunning woman strolls into my life, having no idea who I am or what I’m capable of. Capri takes an unhealthy interest in me, the older and dangerous man, and I don’t do anything to discourage her. I welcome her obsession because it suits me.
When her infatuation with me grows stronger, I prove just how vindictive, malicious, and sadistic I really am. Is she the opportunity I need to enact my revenge against her father or is she the reason I finally let this vendetta go?
Don’t miss the start of this bold dark romance series by USA Today Bestselling Author Ella Jade. Hades’ Revenge is a dark age gap rom com that may contain content that is disturbing to some readers. It is a standalone with no cliffhanger and has an HEA.
This book is not a Greek Mythology retelling.
Publication Date 23/9/2026
Hades’ Revenge: A Dark Age Gap Romance (Morally Gray Gods Book 1) by Ella Jade
My Review
Hades’ Revenge by Ella Jade pulls you into a world of long simmering vengeance and dangerous attraction that feels both inevitable and forbidden from the very first pages.
The story centers on Sebastian “Hades” Zikos, a former mafia assassin now running a nightclub, whose entire existence has been shaped by betrayal.
Eighteen years earlier he took the fall for a man he considered a brother, only to be cast aside, and he has never forgotten it.
When Capri Ferrante, the daughter he once vowed to protect as her godfather, walks back into his life as a twenty year old college student with no memory of him, the stage is set for something far more complicated than simple payback.
What makes the story compelling is how completely Hades leans into his darker nature. He is openly vindictive, calculating, and more than a little sadistic, yet the author never lets him become a cartoon villain.
His obsession with Capri begins as strategy using her growing interest in the older, dangerous man as a weapon against her father, but it quickly twists into something genuine and consuming.
Capri herself is no passive pawn. She is drawn to him with a reckless intensity that borders on unhealthy, and the dual first person narration lets us feel both the heat of her infatuation and the cold calculation running through Hades’s mind at every turn.
The age gap and the godfather connection give the relationship a sharp, taboo edge that the story never softens. Their chemistry is intense, the intimate scenes charged with power imbalance and a thread of daddy kink that fits the characters rather than feeling tacked on.
At the same time, the larger web of family secrets, mafia loyalties, and competing agendas keeps the tension high.
Capri’s father has his own plans for her future, plans that place her squarely in the crosshairs, and Hades finds himself forced to choose between the revenge he has nursed for two decades and the woman who is rapidly becoming the center of his world.
This has the morally gray hero who is as magnetic as they are dangerous, and Hades is a strong addition to that lineage. The supporting cast especially his loyal right hand man and the circling threats from rival organizations adds without overwhelming the central romance.
The pacing stays tight, the secrets land with satisfying weight, and the emotional conflict feels earned rather than manufactured.
This is not a soft or redemptive story in the conventional sense. It is dark, possessive, and unapologetic about the power dynamics at play.
If you enjoy age gap mafia romances with high stakes, complicated family history, and heroes who refuse to pretend they are good will find plenty to sink into here.
Hades’ Revenge opens the Morally Gray Gods series with a confident, steamy, and morally tangled first chapter that leaves you eager to see where the next book will go.
Sometimes rescuing someone once isn’t enough to banish their demons. This is something that has haunted the Deth brothers for a decade. Erez can’t let it go.
It took him ten years to prove that his baby sister didn’t die accidentally. Ten years to uncover horrors that he never imagined plagued her behind the smile she wore.
Now that he’s discovered the truth, Erez and his family are ready to usher in the days of reckoning for such vile acts committed against his sister.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 17/9/2026
Vile Acts (Legacy of Deth Book 2) by Crea Reitan
My Review
This is the second installment in the Legacy of Deth series, it picks up the threads of family, grief, and justice that began in Dead Nights and weaves them into something darker, more intimate, and ultimately more devastating.
This book is about Erez Deth and his ten year long refusal to accept that his younger sister’s death was accidental.
The story digs into the horrors that hid behind her smile and the slow, relentless work of uncovering the truth.
What follows is not a simple revenge tale but a careful story of trauma, loyalty, and the kind of love that waits patiently while someone else learns how to see it.
Erez is consumed by what happened to Alice. His grief has shaped him so thoroughly that almost everything else in his life exists in its shadow.
Fade, his best friend of five years, has been right there the entire time, offering quiet constancy without ever demanding more than Erez can give.
Watching that dynamic unfold is both frustrating and deeply moving. Erez’s obliviousness never feels like a cheap plot device, it grows naturally out of the way his trauma has narrowed his focus.
Fade’s patience, seems infinite. He stays, he supports, he softens the edges of Erez’s pain without ever trying to fix him.
And when the shift from friendship to something deeper finally arrives, it feels earned rather than sudden, the natural result of two people who have already built a life around each other without fully naming it.
The revelations about what Alice endured are heavy, sometimes nearly unbearable, yet they were handled with care and a seriousness that never slips into exploitation.
The involvement of the wider Deth and Van Doren circles, along with the unexpected presence of Aven, an AI figure tied to Van Doren technology, adds layers of both practical help and quiet philosophical unease. These elements never overwhelm the central story, instead they expand the world in ways that feel consistent with the larger Creaverse while still keeping Erez and Fade at the heart of the story.
I would say that Vile Acts is one of her darker stories.
I loved how this book shows us that love does not require perfection or immediate clarity, only presence. The banter, the found family warmth, and the moments of genuine tenderness keep the darkness from becoming total, but they never pretend the darkness is not there.
This is not a light read, and it is not meant to be. It is a story about reckoning, about the cost of looking closely at what people suffer in silence, and about the possibility that even the most broken among us can still be met with patience and care.
Vile Acts delivers exactly what her best work always does, characters who feel real, emotions that land hard, and a conclusion that leaves you both gutted and strangely hopeful.
I finished it feeling drained and grateful at the same time, already eager for whatever comes next in this series.
Knights of Deceit and Desire (The Lustbound Curse Book 2) by KC Kingmaker
Description
She went to war for her brother… but she may uncover a war for her body and soul.
Katyr has become a Pantheon Knight. Now she’s marching into enemy territory on a Divine Storm—a holy crusade to reclaim the Sacred Land of Ninthalus from the wicked fae of Ke’ontha.
She has three powerful knights at her side: Vrace, Lethander, Keradin. Her magical powers have finally awakened. And yet, there is still one thing she wants more than anything.
Her brother.
Anfel was taken by the fae. Katyr intends to find him, no matter what stands in her way.
But the deeper she ventures into Ke’ontha, the less she understands. The journey becomes more dangerous than the destination. Enemies hide among allies. Katyr and her mates make alarming discoveries. And in the depths of the jungle, she encounters a secretive people that will shatter everything she thought she knew about the world—and the war she’s fighting.
The closer she gets to the heart of the enemy, the more she fears the enemy may be closer to her own heart than she ever imagined.
And Katyr begins to realize… some secrets are more dangerous than any enemy.
Knights of Deceit and Desire is the second book in “The Lustbound Curse” saga. The spice is high and the stakes are higher. Unhinged situations abound as Katyr must learn to navigate her lustful curse, her unstoppable men, and the cutthroat war surrounding them all.
Publication Date 25/9/2026
Knights of Deceit and Desire (The Lustbound Curse Book 2) by KC Kingmaker
My Review
Knights of Deceit and Desire continues the Lustbound Curse series in a way that feels both inevitable and thrilling, diving deeper into the moral fog that KC Kingmaker seems to thrive in.
After the events of the first book, Katyr has claimed her place as a Pantheon Knight and set out on the Divine Storm, that holy crusade meant to reclaim Ninthalus from the fae of Ke’ontha.
What begins as a mission driven by loyalty to her missing brother Anfel quickly becomes something far more personal and far more dangerous.
The three knights at her side Vrace, Lethander, and Keradin are no longer simply powerful allies, they are mates whose presence complicates every choice she makes, and whose own secrets threaten to unravel the very cause she has sworn to serve.
The jungle of Ke’ontha is the real star here. The author turns the enemy territory into a living, breathing pressure cooker where every shadow could hide an ally or a traitor, and where the line between righteous crusade and personal obsession grows thinner with every step.
Katyr’s newly awakened magic gives her strength, yet it also leaves her more vulnerable to the pull of desire and the weight of the truths she keeps uncovering.
The deeper the party ventures, the more the war itself starts to feel like a carefully constructed story told by people who have every reason to lie. Enemies hide among allies, and the secretive people she meets in the heart of the jungle force to question everything that once seemed certain about the Sacred Land, the fae, and even her own heart.
What I liked most is how the romance never feels like a distraction from the plot. The bonds between Katyr and her knights intensify under the strain of the campaign, and the growing suspicion that the true enemy may be closer than anyone wants to admit adds a delicious tension to every charged interaction.
This story has high stakes action with steamy, complicated relationships, and this book leans hard into the idea that love and loyalty can be as treacherous as any battlefield.
By the time Katyr begins to realize that some secrets are more dangerous than any open enemy, the story has already pulled you into a place where victory might demand more than she is prepared to give.
If you loved the first book’s mix of dark fantasy, found family, and unapologetic heat. The second expands the world without losing the intimate focus on Katyr’s internal war, the one for her brother, for her body, and for her soul.
If the series continues at this pace, the Lustbound Curse is shaping up to be one of my favourite reads this year so far.
Whispered Promises (Not Yours Duet Book 1)by Issy Eva
Description
I’ve been alone my whole life. That part I can handle.
It’s the grief that’s breaking me.
After losing the only person who ever chose me, I’m running on empty, tending my rescue farm, fighting my anxiety, and lying awake at 3am pretending I’m fine. I don’t need saving. I just need to survive.
Then four men step into my life.
Nate, who scowls at everyone except me.
Noah, who sits with me in the quiet and never asks for more than I can give.
Brynn, who learns my favourite foods and makes sure I never go without.
And Max, who treats making me laugh like it’s the most important job he’s ever had.
I didn’t ask for any of this, but warmth has a way of getting in.
The problem is, not everyone circling my life has good intentions. Some people want what I have.
And some will take it, regardless of the consequences or the hurt it causes.
Will it be possible for us all to forgive and forget, or will we forever drown in fear and heartache? Or maybe we’ll never get the chance to know.
Whispered Promises is a spicy, medium burn, MFMMM why choose romance. It’s the first in the Not Yours Duet and ends on a cliffhanger. For mature readers, and parts may be triggering. The second in the duet is a darker read.
Publication Date 24/9/2026
Whispered Promises (Not Yours Duet Book 1)by Issy Eva
My Review
Whispered Promises opens with a quiet kind of heartbreak that feels painfully real.
Rosy has spent her life alone, and while solitude itself never broke her, the fresh grief of losing her beloved grandmother (the one person who ever truly loved her) has left her running on fumes.
She tends her rescue farm, battles anxiety in the small hours, and tells herself she’s fine because survival is the only goal she can manage right now….
Then four men move into her world, neighbours who somehow see past the careful walls she has built and the story becomes something warmer, messier, and far more hopeful than she ever expected.
Nate is the one who scowls at everyone else yet softens only for her. (Favourite microtrope at the moment) Noah simply sits with her in the silence, never demanding more than she can give. Brynn learns her favourite foods and makes sure she never goes without, while Max treats every laugh he can pull from her like the most important work of his life. (I know we shouldn’t have a favourite, but I think Max might just come out on top 🫣)
None of them arrived to save her, and she never asked them to, yet their steady presence begins to crack the isolation she has worn like armour.
The farm, the animals, the slow building domesticity of shared meals and quiet evenings all feel like a gentle reclaiming of space she thought she had lost forever.
What i loved about the book was that undercurrent of threat. Not everyone in her life has kind intentions, and the growing sense that someone wants what she has and will take it without care for the cost adds a tension that kept me turning those pages.
The author balances the hurt/comfort romance with real emotional weight, letting Rosy’s anxiety and grief remain present even as warmth starts to take root. The four men are distinct without competing for the spotlight, each offering a different kind of care that feels earned rather than convenient.
By the time the story closes, the question of whether forgiveness and healing are possible hangs in the air with genuine uncertainty.
Whispered Promises is the kind of contemporary why choose that understands loneliness as both a wound and a kind of strength, and it trusts us to sit with that complexity while still delivering the found family comfort so many of us crave.
It is a tender, slightly shadowed beginning that makes the wait for the second book feel almost unfair.
At First Catch: A Friends-to-Lovers, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 5) by Renee Harless
Description
Some mistakes are worth making twice.
Hadley Wright never expected one unforgettable night with a stranger to become the beginning of something she couldn’t forget. After slipping away before sunrise, she’s convinced she’ll never see the quiet, guarded man who made her feel safe on one of the hardest nights of her life again.
Until he walks right back into Coral Bell Cove.
Nolan Pierce has spent his entire life believing it’s easier not to need anyone. Buying the town’s struggling marina is supposed to be his fresh start—not falling for the woman who comes from the loud, loving family he’s never had.
But while Hadley believes love means showing up, Nolan is convinced it means protecting the people he cares about… even if that means shutting them out.
Now they’re both about to discover that falling in love is the easy part.
Trusting someone enough to stay might change everything.
At First Catch is a heartfelt, steamy small-town romance featuring a one-night stand, found family, slow-burn chemistry, meddling siblings, marina life, and a hero who falls first, falls hard, and learns that sometimes the strongest thing you can do is let someone stand beside you.
Publication Date 23/8/2026
At First Catch: A Friends-to-Lovers, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 5) by Renee Harless
My Review
Some mistakes really are worth making twice, and that opening line sets the perfect tone for a story that lingers long after the last page.
I went into At First Catch already fond of Coral Bell Cove and the Wright family’s particular brand of loud, meddling love, but Hadley and Nolan’s book still managed to feel fresh.
Hadley’s one unforgettable night with a stranger who made her feel safe on one of the hardest nights of her life is the kind of setup that could easily turn into pure fantasy.
That quiet, guarded man becomes Nolan Pierce, the new owner of the town’s struggling marina, and watching their paths collide again in the same small town hits with a quiet inevitability that had me cheering for this couple.
Hadley is all heart, she believes love means showing up, and that belief radiates through every interaction.
Nolan, shaped by a lifetime of believing it’s safer not to need anyone, is the opposite. His instinct is to protect by shutting people out, and the tension between those two approaches to love creates the push/pull of the story.
What I liked most was how the romance never races ahead of the emotional work. Falling for each other is the easy part, just as the blurb promises. The harder, more satisfying stretch is learning how to stay, how to trust that the person who once made you feel safe can keep doing it when life gets complicated.
Nolan’s growth from self contained loner to someone willing to let the Wright family’s chaos wrap around had me smiling.
This is warm, and steamy when it needs to be, and full of the found family comfort that makes Coral Bell Cove feel like a place you want to return to.
I closed it smiling, already missing these two and the marina they made their own.
Genres/Tropes: Secret Society, Dark University, New Adult, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Shy Virgin FMC, Possessive/Obsessive Morally Grey MC, “Touch her and die”, Bad Boy/Good Girl, Rich Boy/Riches to Rags Girl, High Heat/Slow Burn, Spicy Scenes and Triggering Themes.
Prepare to dive into the dark secretive world of the Obsidian Order with the Cover Reveal of In Darkness We Claim by USA Today Bestselling Author Emma Luna.
🖤 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐀𝐓𝐇🖤
Step behind the elite, unforgiving walls of Shadowmere University and enter the world of the 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫—a secret society ruling the world from the shadows, where power is absolute and weakness is fatal.
When a sudden fall from grace shatters her status, Harper Westmore is left with only one way to clear her father’s name: make a deal with the devil. Lawson Radley is the cold, ruthless High Crow Pledge who has made her life a living hell for two years. Now, she’s offering herself up as his Prize.
The terms? 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫. 𝐍𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
He wants to break her. She’s fighting to guard her heart. But in a game built on dark obsession and hidden secrets, love doesn’t follow the rules—and catching feelings might just cost them everything.
🔥 EXPECT ALL THE TROPES YOU CRAVE:
🖤 Secret Society 🖤 Dark University Romance 🖤 Enemies to Lovers 🖤 Possessive, Obsessive Morally Grey MC 🖤 Shy Virgin FMC 🖤 “Touch Her and You Die” Energy 🖤 Forced Proximity
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Join us on 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝐭𝐡 as we officially unveil the cover for 𝐼𝑛 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑊𝑒 𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑚—the explosive first book in the Obsidian Order universe, releasing 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓𝐭𝐡!
The Book of Aquarius: A Spicy Why Choose MMFM Romance (Zodiac Killers 9) by K.L. Thorne
Description
Never underestimate a blood-thirsty blonde bombshell.
Charlotte is an unassuming MI6 agent by day, but by night she becomes Aquarius, one of twelve Zodiac assassins employed by a mysterious shadow organisation known as ‘The Guild’. With her long-term boyfriend and intelligence operative Freddie – codename Relay – at her side and in her ear, there’s nothing she can’t handle.
A hit on an elusive wanted villain arrives at her doorstep and Charlotte is all too excited to do what she does best. Little does she know that this is just the beginning of a job unlike any other.
The Guild hires a new pilot, Theo – codename Hangman – but when he meets Freddie, the mission isn’t the only thing he’s eager to assist Charlotte with.
When Charlotte’s meddling MI6 subordinate, Aaron Dixon, gets suspicious and starts digging into secrets that are best left buried, he quickly finds himself in hot water, endangering both the mission and Charlotte’s team.
It’s up to Charlotte to save the day and the skin of everyone she cares about… But the clock is ticking, the pressure is on and The Guild is always watching.
***
The Book of Aquarius is a standalone novel as part of the Zodiac Killers shared universe series.
Publication Date 22/9/2026
The Book of Aquarius: A Spicy Why Choose MMFM Romance (Zodiac Killers 9) by K.L. Thorne
My Review
Never underestimate a blood thirsty blonde bombshell…. that’s the first line of the blurb for The Book of Aquarius, and it sets the tone perfectly for what K.L. Thorne is offering in this entry of the Zodiac Killers shared universe.
Charlotte, an unassuming MI6 agent by day who transforms into the lethal Aquarius by night, immediately feels like the kind of heroine I root for hardest… she’s competent, dangerous, and completely unapologetic about the double life she leads. Pair her with her long term boyfriend and intel operative Freddie (codename Relay), and you already have a solid foundation of trust and heat.
Then the Guild drops a new pilot, Theo (codename Hangman), into the mix, and the dynamic shifts into the spicy MMFM territory the title promises.
The chemistry between Freddie and Theo is teased right away in the description, and that layered attraction alongside Charlotte’s central place in it is exactly the kind of why choose setup that keeps me turning pages late into the night.
What draws me in most is the way the story seems to balance high stakes assassination work with the personal risks of keeping secrets.
A hit on an elusive villain starts as business as usual for Charlotte, but the arrival of a suspicious MI6 subordinate, Aaron Dixon, who starts digging where he shouldn’t, raises the tension beautifully.
The Guild is always watching, the clock is ticking, and Charlotte has to protect not just the mission but the people she cares about.
That pressure cooker atmosphere, mixed with the slow burn expansion of her intimate circle, feels like classic spicy assassin romance done right, deadly competence in the field matched by vulnerability and hunger behind closed doors.
As a standalone within a larger shared universe, it has the advantage of being accessible while still promising the fun of seeing how this particular Zodiac’s story fits into the bigger picture of twelve killers working under the same shadowy organisation.
There is spice and great characters and the interpersonal dynamics among Charlotte, Freddie, and Theo carries emotional weight alongside the action. The meddling subordinate subplot also adds a layer of external threat that should keep the plot moving without overshadowing the central relationships.
The premise delivered everything I look for in this subgenre…. a fierce female lead who doesn’t need saving, multiple love interests who complicate and enrich her life, covert operations that raise the stakes, and the promise of heat that matches the danger.
The Book of Aquarius is a thoroughly satisfying, pulse quickening addition to the Zodiac Killers lineup.
The Daft King (Whispers and Fates Book 1) by Daphne Ryan
Description
In the kingdom of Myren, King Nicolas Brennan is dismissed by his council as “The Daft King”—a ruler more interested in camaraderie than the mounting pressures of the throne. But when an assassination attempt shatters his complacency and a dark entity stirs within the kingdom’s depleted mines, Nic can no longer afford the luxury of playing the fool.
Amidst a court swarming with ambitious noblewomen—each vying for the crown and the duty of securing his line—Nic finds an unlikely guide in the mysterious Wyn. A constant traveler with a tragic past and uncanny wisdom, she offers him something the other ladies cannot. Under her influence, the “Daft King” begins to shed his persona, finally embracing the heavy burden of leadership he has long avoided.
Yet, as their bond deepens, ancient secrets and courtly betrayals threaten to tear them apart. With Apronia’s armies encroaching and a forgotten evil rising from the roots of the earth, Nic is caught between his heart and truths better left buried. In a kingdom teetering on ruin, he must navigate a court where every smile hides a blade and decide whom to trust before the darkness claims them all.
Publication Date 18/9/2026
The Daft King (Whispers and Fates Book 1) by Daphne Ryan
My Review
The Daft King opens with a ruler who has spent years carefully performing the part of a charming, slightly foolish king, more at ease among friends than under the weight of a crown.
Nicolas Brennan’s carefully maintained persona is shattered by an assassination attempt that forces him to confront the real dangers closing in on Myren, dangers that run deeper than political intrigue and into the very earth of the kingdom itself.
What follows is a story that had me turning those pages as Nic begins the slow, reluctant process of becoming the leader his people actually need.
Wyn arrives as an unexpected constant in a court full of ambitious noblewomen who see the king primarily as a means to power. She carries her own quiet tragedies and an almost unsettling wisdom that cuts through the noise of court life.
And with her guidance, Nic starts shedding the protective mask of the “Daft King,”.
And the relationship that grows between them had me firmly rooting for them both. It never felt forced or purely romantic, instead it develops through shared understanding, sharp conversation, and the gradual realization that each is offering the other something the rest of the court cannot. Their bond becomes a rare steady point in a world where every smile can hide a blade and every alliance is temporary.
The larger threats in the book…. we have the encroaching armies of Apronia and the ancient darkness stirring in the depleted mines. And even the court itself is a pressure cooker of ambition, secrecy, and carefully veiled betrayal, and Nic’s growing awareness of how little he can truly trust anyone makes every decision heavier.
The story balanced political and supernatural elements really well, and add the quieter moments where Nic is finally accepting he needs to actually rule and not play!
What i liked in the story was how Nic changed. He does not suddenly become a flawless hero, he grows in fits and starts, still capable of missteps, still haunted by the easier path he once chose. And Wyn’s presence helps that growth, offering both challenge and unexpected steadiness.
By the end, the first book in the Whispers and Fates series has set a fascinating stage, one of fractured trust, rising darkness, and a king who can no longer afford to play the fool.
I’m eager to see how the secrets already buried will surface, and whether the fragile connection Nic and Wyn have formed can survive the storms still coming.
Hexy Beast (The Sherwood Witches Book 3) by Avery Flynn
Description
An impulsive witch and a buttoned-up werewolf discover love is its own beast in this spicy rom-com from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.
As the eldest daughter of the magical Sherwood family, I’m supposed to have everything together. Well, joke’s on them—I, Effie Sherwood, am chaos incarnate, and you’ll never be able to guess my next move.
Like jumping on the back of Darius Aetos’ motorcycle. Not only is Darius grumpy, gruff, and hot, he’s also the head of the Aetos werewolf pack.
My spur of the moment decision has quickly become a much bigger commitment, because a pack elder is convinced this hunk of a man (or wolf, depending on the hour) is my fated mate.
Even though I’m a witch and he’s a werewolf, we’re stuck together until we can find our way out of the tricky pack politics. But under the light of the blue moon, it’s almost starting to feel like Darius doesn’t want to stay away from me. And I’m not sure if it’s my magic going haywire or the starlit skies, but I can’t imagine leaving his arms either.
Publication Date 8/9/2026
Hexy Beast (The Sherwood Witches Book 3) by Avery Flynn
My Review
Hexy Beast is pure Avery Flynn chaos in the best possible way, the kind of book that grabs you by the collar, throws you onto the back of a motorcycle, and refuses to let go until you’ve laughed, blushed, and maybe questioned a few of your life choices. 😜
Effie Sherwood is the eldest daughter of a powerful witch family who is supposed to have her life together, yet she is unapologetically a walking disaster.
Jumping onto the motorcycle of Darius Aetos, the buttoned up, grumpy head of a werewolf pack, is exactly the sort of impulsive decision that defines her, and it is also the moment everything starts spiraling in the most entertaining direction.
The fated mates twist lands with perfect timing. A pack elder decides these two are meant to be, and suddenly the witch and the werewolf are locked into pack politics neither of them asked for.
What should feel like an inconvenience instead becomes a forced proximity trope delight, where their differences crackle.
Darius is all structure and control, (and don’t forget those low growls….. ) Effie is magic that refuses to behave and a personality that delights in poking the bear, or in this case, the wolf.
Their banter is sharp and constant, the kind that makes you smile at the page even while the tension between them builds under every blue moon glance and accidental touch.
The tone light and spicy without ever letting the story feel too silly. The pack politics add just enough external pressure to keep the stakes real, while the chemistry between Effie and Darius crackles.
There is instalust they both try (and fail) to ignore, slowburning emotional pull that sneaks up on them, and enough magical mayhem and quirky side characters to make the world feel fun.
By the time the blue moon is high and neither of them wants to walk away, the romance made me smile, which is exactly how a good fated mates story should land.
If you loved the Sherwood Witches books for their humor, heat, and chaotic energy, this one delivers more of the same while giving the eldest sister her moment in the spotlight.
It is funny, steamy, and completely unconcerned with being quiet or sensible.
Sometimes love really is its own beast, and in Hexy Beast that beast is loud, messy, and impossible not to root for.
Pretty Thing: A dark psychological romance about trauma, obsession, and the danger of mistaking isolation for protection. (Pieces of Despair Duet Book 1) by Brooklyn Cross
Description
There is nothing I won’t do to keep her.
The crash has taken everything from me.
I was Eden Hale, a girl with a future, parents I adored, and a life just beginning.
Now…I don’t know who I am.
I’m broken in more ways than bones. Stuck in a hospital, and the only person with me is Felix, the stranger who pulled me from the wreckage.
He says people don’t survive what we did by chance. He says no one else understands.
In grief, his attentiveness feels like salvation.
In loneliness, his possessiveness feels like love.
As I rebuild my life, fighting my way through depression, rehab, and nightmares, he’s there. The savior who calls me his Pretty Thing.
I stop knowing where healing ends and dependence begins.
Because some people rescue you, and some people keep you.
And sometimes you stop knowing when safety becomes captivity.
Publication Date 10/9
Pretty Thing: A dark psychological romance about trauma, obsession, and the danger of mistaking isolation for protection. (Pieces of Despair Duet Book 1) by Brooklyn Cross
My Review
I picked up Pretty Thing expecting the kind of dark psychological romance that leans hard into obsession and blurred lines, and Brooklyn Cross delivers exactly that from the opening pages.
The story drops you straight into Eden’s shattered world after the crash that steals her family and her sense of self.
She’s left broken, (literally and figuratively) stuck in a hospital with only Felix, the stranger who pulled her from the wreckage for company.
What starts as gratitude for the man who saved her life slowly twists into something far more complicated and unsettling.
The depression, the physical rehab, the nightmares, they’re not glossed over or used as mere backdrop. You feel her isolation pressing in, the way the world shrinks until Felix becomes the only constant.
His attentiveness reads as care at first, the kind of steady presence anyone would cling to when everything else has been ripped away. But the possessiveness creeps in so gradually that you understand exactly how Eden could mistake it for love.
The nickname “Pretty Thing” lands with an edge that grows sharper the more you hear it.
What I liked most is how the book explores that dangerous line between protection and captivity. Felix never needs to force anything outright, the dependence builds through quiet control, through the way he positions himself as the only person who truly understands what they’ve survived. Eden’s struggle to reclaim any sense of self while still needing him feels heartbreaking. You’re never quite sure where her healing ends and his ownership begins, and that i feel is the book’s greatest strength.
This is not a comfortable read, nor is it meant to be. (Please check TW)
The author leans into the psychological tension without offering easy answers or neat resolutions in this first half of the duet. (Yes, you heard me, A CLIFFHANGER APPROACHES!!!)
By the time I finished, I was left unsettled in the best way, already wanting the next book to see how far this dynamic will push both characters.
If you like your dark romance heavy on obsession, moral grey areas, and the slow erosion of boundaries, Pretty Thing will sit with you long after the last page.
Yours Truly, Fall: A Small Town, Forced Proximity, Firefighter Romance by S.L. Scott
Description
There are worse things than being stuck alone in a cabin with a hot as sin firefighter who’s good with his hands. A lot worse . . . This should be fun.
Agreeing to help Brandon Culver recover from his injury seemed harmless enough.
Sure, he’s a firefighter and Mountain Laurel Cove’s most eligible bachelor. But I’m too busy focusing on my nursing career to be distracted by a handsome face.
Unfortunately, Brandon is a lot more than a great face.
He’s steady. Dependable. He’s the kind of man who remembers the little things and shows up when it matters. His easy confidence is comforting. His quiet strength makes me feel safe. And the way he looks at me makes me question everything I thought I wanted.
But I’m in his home to care for him, not fall for him.
One tiny slip could ruin all the plans I’ve meticulously made for my life. Romance is a fool’s game and if I’m anything, I’m level-headed. Until his heated gaze and lingering touch threaten to turn the electricity between us into a five-alarm fire.
If I’m not careful, I might be the one getting burned.
Tropes included:
🔥 forced proximity
🩵small town
🔥 firefighter + nurse
🩵workplace romance
🔥 friends to lovers
🩵he falls first
🔥 feel-good romance.
Publication Date 14/9/2026
Yours Truly, Fall: A Small Town, Forced Proximity, Firefighter Romance by S.L. Scott
My Review
From the moment Autumn agrees to help Brandon Culver recover from his injury, the setup feels deceptively simple… a level headed nurse focused on her career, a steady firefighter who’s the town’s most eligible bachelor, and the kind of forced proximity that turns a quiet cabin into the only place either of them wants to be.
What starts as professional care quickly becomes something far more complicated.
I found myself completely drawn into the way Brandon is written, not just the physical appeal of a man who’s good with his hands and even better at showing up when it matters, but the quiet reliability that makes Autumn’s carefully constructed plans start to crack. He’s the kind of hero who remembers the small things, whose confidence never tips into arrogance, and whose gaze carries enough heat to make the whole five alarm metaphor feel earned.
Autumn, meanwhile, is the perfect counterpoint…. She’s ambitious, guarded, and determined not to let romance derail the life she’s meticulously built.
Watching her resistance slowly melt under the weight of lingering touches and the safety he offers is one of the book’s greatest pleasures. The forced proximity never feels over done, instead it becomes the natural pressure cooker that lets their chemistry simmer until it finally boils over.
The small town setting of Mountain Laurel Cove adds just the right amount of cozy without overwhelming the central relationship.
The workplace element, (nurse and firefighter) grounds the story in a shared world of duty and care, while the friends to lovers progression and the way Brandon falls first give the romance a tender, almost inevitable quality. There’s a second chance undercurrent and a hint of memory that deepens the emotional stakes, yet the story never loses its feel good heart.
The writing is smooth and immersive, the banter light enough that it made me smile, and the slower, more intimate moments charged enough that it kept me turning pages long after my bedtime 😜
Autumn’s internal conflict feels real, the worry that one slip could undo years of careful planning.
The author lets the connection between these two grow until the idea of walking away becomes the greater risk.
And by the time the story reaches its satisfying close, the cabin no longer feels like a temporary arrangement, it feels like the place where two people finally stop fighting what was always meant to happen.
If you’re in the mood for a romance that balances heat with heart, that celebrates the quiet strength of a man who shows up and the courage of a woman learning to let someone in, Yours Truly, Fall delivers exactly that.
Flare: An Angsty Brother’s Best Friend Slow Burn Romance (Embers of Us Book 1) by Jessica Jude
Description
CASSIAN
I’ve loved Vivienne Wilson for so long, I don’t remember what it feels like not to. Not that it matters.
She’s my best friend’s sister. She’s off-limits. And now, she’s engaged to marry a man who can give her everything I can’t. A title. A future. A life that makes sense on paper.
I’m only the estate manager’s son—temporarily running Belgrave Park while my father recovers—and doing my level best to survive the autumn without losing what’s left of my sanity.
So I do what I’ve always done.
I stay quiet. I keep my distance and pretend it doesn’t carve out my heart to do it. I’ll give her every last thing she needs.
Even if it kills me.
VIVIENNE
Getting married at Belgrave Park is supposed to be a dream. It’s everything my family has ever wanted for me—an impeccable match, a perfect wedding, a future that fits neatly into the world I was born into.
There’s just one problem.
Cassian Cordero is everywhere. In the stables. In the library. Across the dinner table, looking at me like I’m something he’s already lost.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
My first crush.
The only boy I’ve ever loved.
And the last man in the world to ever be mine.
Because no matter how close we get—how long his hand lingers, how quiet the world feels when it’s just us—he never crosses the line. Never says the things I’m desperate to hear. Never gives me a reason to believe this isn’t all in my head.
I said yes to a man I don’t love, because if Cassian wanted me, he would’ve chosen me by now.
Flare is perfect for readers looking for:
Contemporary romance
Forbidden love
Brother’s best friend x best friend’s sister
Childhood friends to lovers
Brooding bad boys with secret tattoos
A man who yearns
Found family friend groups
Angst & pining
Slow burn love stories
What to Expect:
Brother’s best friend
Friends to lovers
Forbidden love
Forced proximity
Mutual yearning
Found family
Bad boy x good girl
Slow burn & angst
Content Warning(s):
Parental abandonment
Verbal / emotional abuse
Explicit sexual content (chapters 60-61)
Language
Publication Date 15/9/2026
Flare: An Angsty Brother’s Best Friend Slow Burn Romance (Embers of Us Book 1) by Jessica Jude
My Review
Cassian has carried his feelings for Vivienne for so many years that the emotion has become part of the landscape of his life, as familiar and as painful as breathing. She is his best friend’s sister, firmly out of reach, and now she is engaged to a man who can offer her the polished future her family has always envisioned.
Watching her move through the halls of Belgrave Park while he keeps his distance is its own quiet form of torture, and Jessica Jude lets that tension breathe without rushing it.
Cassian’s restraint feels both noble and heartbreaking, every small act of care he offers her is edged with the knowledge that he is giving away pieces of himself he will never get back. 😢
Vivienne’s side of the story is equally complicated. The wedding at Belgrave is supposed to be the perfect culmination of everything expected of her, yet Cassian is simply everywhere, in the stables, across the dinner table, in the library, looking at her with an intensity that makes the rest of the world go quiet. 💔
He was her first crush and remains the only man she has ever truly wanted, but he has never crossed the line, never given her the words she needs. That silence becomes its own kind of rejection, pushing her toward a choice that looks right on paper even as it feels wrong in her bones.
The slow burn between them is built on all the things left unsaid, the lingering touches that almost happen, and the unbearable weight of timing and circumstance.
Cassian is the estate manager’s son, temporarily holding everything together while his father recovers from an accident, and that position keeps him forever on the edges of Vivienne’s world.
By the time the novel reaches its emotional peak, the question is no longer whether they love each other, that has been clear from the beginning, but whether either of them will finally be brave enough to stop protecting the other from what they both want most.
Flare delivers exactly the kind of angsty, restrained, slow burn romance that leaves you quietly rooting for two people who have already waited far too long.
I loved meeting the friends, and hope they all get books. 😜
There is a little cliffhanger and an ooooh moment at the end 🤐 and it tells us at the end who the next to fall is…..
Wolf Crowned: An enemies-to-lovers rejected mate fae / shifter romantasy (Bound to the Shadow King Book 3) by Felicity Heaton
Description
The king I love is now my enemy.
Trapped in a court of powerful fae where every smile hides a blade, I have to become as ruthless as they are if I want to survive. But survival isn’t enough—not when the people I love are the price of failure.
To save them, I’ll have to face a truth that changes everything and embrace a part of me I never knew existed.
Because something inside me is awakening.
The land whispers to my wolf. Strange dreams call me deeper into a world that feels more like home with every passing day. And something inside me is answering.
But I’m not the only one changing.
Every day we’re apart, the darkness Kaeleron fought so hard to overcome is sinking its claws into him again—and the wrathful Shadow King the fae still whisper about in fear is returning.
And soon there may be nothing he won’t destroy to get me back.
I need to escape. I need to get back to him.
Before one of us does something that can’t be undone.
This time, I’m not fighting for my freedom.
I’m fighting for us.
Wolf Crowned is the final book in the opening trilogy of the Bound to the Shadow King series — a fae x wolf shifter romantasy that blends the modern world and fae world in a dark, addictive portal fantasy romance filled with danger, obsession, and forbidden desire.
🔥 Perfect for fans of:
– A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fae and Alchemy & The Wolf King
– Morally grey shadow daddy fae kings
– FMCs who refuse to break
– Enemies-to-lovers tension and Beauty-and-the-Beast vibes
– “Touch her and die” obsession
– Rejected mates angst, found family bonds and scorching hot banter
– Forced proximity meets mating heat to make your toes curl!
Told in dual POV, this fae x wolf shifter romance will keep you hooked until the very last page.
One-click the Bound to the Shadow King series today and discover the fae fantasy romance readers can’t stop screaming about:
Publication Date 15/9/2026
Wolf Crowned: An enemies-to-lovers rejected mate fae / shifter romantasy (Bound to the Shadow King Book 3) by Felicity Heaton
My Review
Wolf Crowned pulls you straight into the heart of everything that has been building across this series, and it does so with a fierce, almost desperate intensity that feels earned after the earlier books.
The story finds Saphira trapped once more in the glittering, treacherous world of the fae, where every gesture of courtesy can hide a knife and where the only way to protect the people she loves is to become harder, sharper, and more ruthless than the court that holds her.
What makes this final chapter land so hard is the way it balances that external pressure with something far more intimate…. the quiet, insistent awakening of a power inside her that the land itself seems to recognize and call to. Her wolf answers in ways that feel both terrifying and strangely right, turning the fae realm from a place of captivity into something that begins to feel like a second home, even as danger closes in from every side.
At the same time, the distance from Kaeleron is doing its own brutal work. The darkness he once fought so hard to contain is rising again, and the wrathful Shadow King the fae still fear is slipping back into place.
Their separation becomes its own kind of battlefield, one where love and desperation twist together until it is impossible to tell which will win.
The enemies to lovers tension that has always defined them reaches a new pitch here, no longer simply about trust or desire but about whether two people who have already lost so much can still choose each other before one of them crosses a line that cannot be uncrossed.
What i liked most is the determination that drives Saphira. She is no longer fighting only for her own freedom, she is fighting for the fragile, hard won “us” that exists between her and the king who once claimed her.
The dual perspectives let you feel every moment of that struggle from both sides, the slow, painful pull of the mate bond, the political knives at her back, the growing sense that something ancient and powerful is stirring inside her, and the terrifying knowledge that Kaeleron’s control is fraying.
The result is a story that feels both larger than the earlier books and more personal, a climax that refuses to let either character off the hook.
By the time the last pages arrive, the series has delivered on the promise of its dark, addictive blend of shifter and fae romantasy.
It is messy, high stakes, and full of the kind of yearning that leaves you a little breathless.
If you have followed Saphira and Kaeleron this far, Wolf Crowned gives their story the fierce, hard won resolution it deserves, one that stays with you long after the final page.
I know technically the trilogy has ended, and I’m sad, both these characters have wormed their way into my heart. But on the plus side, we do have another book featuring Saphira and Kaeleron coming out. I’m not sure if it will begin a new chapter for the pair, or if it’s just a prelude to a new book. But either way I’m glad the author hasn’t finished with our Shadow King and his “little wolf” 🖤 🐺
A Murderous Omega: A Dark Romcom Omegaverse Novella by Penny Foxglove
Description
They say meeting your scent matches changes everything. They weren’t wrong … but they also didn’t mention the kidnapping.
Just because I’m a serial killer and they’re alsoserial killers doesn’t mean we’re compatible. Right? Except that these two alphas are cheerfully unhinged, shameless, and utterly convinced that I belong to them. Instead of courting me like normal alphas, they kidnap me. Twice.
I should hate it.
I do hate it, I swear.
Conor’s loving degradation makes me melt. Emile’s control makes me feel safe–and his praise makes me purr. Together, they’re everything I didn’t know I was missing.
I’ve survived a lot of things. But my scent matches might just be what takes me down for good.
A Murderous Omega is a complete MMF dark omegaverse romcom novella with explicit heat, graphic violence, and characters who consider dinner, murder, and a movie a perfectly reasonable first date.
♥ Omegaverse ♥ Dark Romcom ♥ Serial Killer x Serial Killer x Serial Killer ♥ Obsessed alphas ♥ Fierce, damaged omega ♥ Enemies-to-lovers ♥ Scent Matches ♥ Chase and Primal Hunt ♥ Heats, Bonds, & Nesting ♥ Kidnapping ♥ Forced Proximity
Publication Date 14/9/2026
A Murderous Omega: A Dark Romcom Omegaverse Novella by Penny Foxglove
My Review
I went into A Murderous Omega expecting pure chaos, and this author delivered exactly that, with a wicked grin and zero apologies.
The premise alone is unhinged in the best way…. Lark (an omega serial killer) who meets her scent matches, only to discover they’re serial killers too, and instead of flowers and soft words they simply kidnap her…..Twice.
That should have been the warning label, but it only made me lean in harder.
What surprised me most was how cheerfully dark the whole thing felt. Conor and Emile are not brooding, tortured alphas waiting to be fixed. They are shameless, gleefully unhinged, and completely convinced the omega belongs to them, no negotiation required.
Their courtship style is abduction, murder dates, and the kind of filthy, loving degradation that somehow still manages to feel affectionate.
Conor’s particular brand of praise and degradation combination had me shifting in my seat, 😜 while Emile’s quiet control and genuine praise created this strange, almost tender safety that cut through the blood and chaos.
Watching Lark try and fail to convince herself she hates it was half the fun. She is sharp, lethal, and just as broken as they are, which makes their twisted compatibility feel inevitable rather than forced.
The novella never pretends to be soft or morally upright. Dinner, murder, and a movie is presented as a reasonable first date, and the story leans all the way into that energy. The heat is explicit, the violence is graphic, and the humor is pitch black, yet somehow the emotional core still lands.
These three are not redeeming each other, they are recognizing their own darkness reflected back and deciding it feels like home. That acceptance, wrapped in scent match intensity and zero hesitation, is what makes the short length work so well.
There is no slow burn here just immediate, feral recognition and the messy, bloody process of figuring out what “ours” actually means when everyone involved is a killer.
I finished it in one sitting, equal parts horrified and delighted.
It is not for the faint of heart or anyone looking for sweet, traditional omegaverse, but if you want a dark romcom that laughs while it slits a throat and still manages to feel strangely romantic, this one hits the mark.
Penny Foxglove clearly had a blast writing these three, and that energy is contagious. And I’m hoping we go back and catch up with Emile/Conor and Lark at some point.
A.l. Human (Lietvia Galaxy Book 2) by MK Stephenson
Description
She was never artificial. Their love was never supposed to be real.
After spending weeks trapped in a cage, Lyssa is sold in her sleep to a telepathic, purple-scaled alien looking for the latest in A.I. technology. She’s forced to play the role of a companion android or be liquidated by a shady dealer to make room for new inventory.
Returning home with a synthetic companion for their lonely household, Terrald and his mates believe their new toy is defective. It can’t communicate and resists their commands. The moment they learn she can hear their mindvoices, they realize–to their horror–that they have purchased a living being.
Now Lyssa is stranded on an alien planet with three reptilian males who claim they want to protect and cherish her. But trust does not come easily to a woman who has been treated like merchandise. Should she leave and rebuild her life in the safety of a human sanctuary, or take the risk of opening herself up to the males who are determined to own her heart?
A.I. Human is a dark, steamy, why choose/reverse-harem sci-fi alien romance. It is the second book of the interconnected Lietvia Galaxy Series, but can be read as a standalone.
Tropes:
Alien romance
Reverse harem/why choose
MMMF, including sword crossing
They fall first
Child-free
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Content warning: Dubcon
Publication Date 16/9/2026
A.l. Human (Lietvia Galaxy Book 2) by MK Stephenson
My Review
Lyssa’s situation is harrowing from the first pages…. weeks spent caged, then sold while she sleeps to a telepathic, purple scaled alien who believes he is purchasing the latest in companion AI technology.
Forced to perform the role of a defective android or face liquidation, she is thrust into a household with Terrald and his mates, three reptilian males whose initial disappointment at their “toy’s” resistance quickly turns to horror once they realize she can hear their mindvoices and is very much alive! 😮 (they are telepathic so don’t speak out loud)
What I liked about this story beyond standard captive to beloved trope was the dawning realization that lyssa was in fact not an A.I “toy” but a living being! and the emotional fallout that follows had me wanting Lyssa to escape, then hoping she realises that why only want to care for her. The males’ determination to protect and cherish Lyssa collides with her deep seated distrust, born of being treated as merchandise. And the fact this was an already established relationship between Gareth/Kahnnan and Terrold could they make room for a fourth?
The author does not rush the healing or the attraction. Trust is earned slowly, through small acts and the gradual understanding that these aliens, for all their possessiveness, are not the same as the dealers who sold her.
The telepathic element adds an intimate layer, making every shared thought feel both invasive and strangely binding, and the reverse harem dynamic (definitely an era I’m deep in 😜) is woven in naturally rather than forced for novelty.
The writing leans into the darker, steamier side of the genre, yet it never loses sight of Lyssa. Her internal debate, whether to risk opening herself to these three or seek the relative safety of a human sanctuary, gives the story that two sided decision.
The world building (alien world and culture) gave me glimpses without overwhelming the story, and the why choose structure allows each male’s personality and relationship with Lyssa to develop distinctively. Gareth had the “puppy vibes” Terrold was the caregiver/peacemaker and our dominant (we have to have one 😜) was Kahnnan.
As the second book in the Lietvia Galaxy series, A.I. Human stands well on its own while expanding the universe established in the first book.
It is not a light or purely escapist read, the early trauma and the constant tension between ownership and genuine care linger. They want to cherish her, I got the feeling that Lyssa just wanted to escape!
But for us who appreciate dark, steamy scifi romance that prioritizes emotional recovery alongside heat, it delivers a compelling, character driven story that had me thinking about for the next few days.
The author has written a story about finding connection in the most unlikely and complicated of circumstances.
I loved it and can’t wait for more in this universe. 👍🏻
Pretty Savage. The Order. Book Two: Defy: A Southern Gothic Dark Academia Novel by Lexi Davis
Description
Getting sucked into a secret society was bad.
Falling for its ruthless heir was worse.
Now I’m part of a secret society preparing to brand me, bind me to him, and turn our most intimate promise into a public ritual.
Carrson will destroy anyone who threatens me. But the enemy is no longer one man. It’s the world that made him, the father he can’t escape, and the secrets buried in my own blood.
To survive, I have to learn The Order’s rules faster than they can use them against me. I must decide which truths to hide, which alliances to risk, and how far I’m willing to go to claim a future with the man I love.
Carrson thinks he’s the dangerous one.
He’s about to discover I can be savage too.
Pretty Savage is an obsessive secret society dark romance with a ruthless, morally gray hero who is only soft for her, touch-her-and-die possessiveness, dangerous rituals, forced bonding, an us-against-the-world romance, and an increasingly powerful heroine. It is the second book in The Order series and should be read after Pretty Vicious.
Want more from this world? Read the prequel Pretty Ruthless, set thirty years before the events of Pretty Vicious. She’s an outsider on the hunt for answers. He’s the cruel, reluctant ruler who will one day become Carrson’s father. When these two collide, sparks fly and blood spills.
You’re not ready for what happens next.
Publication Date 10/9/2026
Pretty Savage. The Order. Book Two: Defy: A Southern Gothic Dark Academia Novel by Lexi Davis
My Review
Pretty Savage picks up the thread of Laurel and Carrson’s story with the kind of immediate intensity that makes putting the book down feel almost impossible.
Where the first installment pulled Laurel into the shadowed world of The Order against her will, this one forces her deeper still, into rituals that demand public branding and binding, into the weight of secrets that stretch beyond one man’s control, and into the realization that the real threat is the entire machinery that shaped Carrson and still holds his father at its center.
Lexi Davis writes the Southern Gothic atmosphere so thickly that the elite campus, the old money, and the blood soaked rules of the society feel less like fiction and more like something that could be happening just out of sight.
What struck me most was watching Laurel stop simply surviving and start claiming ground. She learns the Order’s codes faster than its members expect, decides which truths to bury and which alliances to risk, and discovers a savagery of her own that matches Carrson’s protectiveness blow for blow.
Their relationship, already charged with enemies to lovers tension, deepens into something fiercer and more equal, he will destroy anyone who threatens her, yet she refuses to remain only the protected one. The chemistry is relentless, the spice high, and the moral grayness of nearly every character keeps the stakes feeling dangerous rather than decorative.
The rituals grow more twisted, the family legacies more poisonous, and the questions about Laurel’s own bloodline more urgent.
Side characters who appeared earlier gain new layers once their histories are clearer, and the sense that no one is fully safe least of all the heir who was raised to rule never lets up.
The book ends on a cliffhanger that is both devastating and inevitable, the kind that leaves you staring at the final page already hungry for the next volume.
This is dark academia romance that leans hard into possession, power, and the cost of defiance.
It is not gentle, and it does not apologize for its intensity.
If the first book hooked you on the world and the couple, Pretty Savage will sink the hooks deeper.
I finished it equal parts satisfied by how far Laurel and Carrson have come and restless for whatever destruction comes next.
If life had a customer service department, Nova would like to file a complaint.
At thirty, she’s still waiting for the successful-adult package everyone else seems to have received. Instead, she’s got a stalled career, a messy dating life, and a New York apartment that feels one rent increase away from falling apart.
Then she meets Sayer, a thirty-two-year-old freshly single man who’s having his own existential crisis after realizing the life he planned isn’t the life he wants.
When he moves into her building, a clumsy collision throws them into each other’s lives in the most inconvenient way possible.
He’s rebuilding. She’s just trying to make it through the week.
Neither of them is fixed and they definitely aren’t perfect.
But together…
They’re almost functional
Publication Date 10/9/2026
Almost Functional by Elen Gait
My Review
I finished Almost Functional by Elen Gait with the quiet satisfaction of someone who has just read a good book.
Nova’s opening complaint about life’s missing customer service department landed so cleanly that I laughed out loud .
At thirty she is still waiting for the polished adult package that everyone else appears to have unboxed without effort, a steady career, tidy relationships, an apartment that does not feel permanently in need of a makeover (or demolition!).
Instead she has the familiar New York cocktail of stalled ambition, dating disasters, and rent anxiety.
Sayer arrives in the same building carrying his own version of the same discontent… he’s thirty two, freshly single, and suddenly aware that the life he carefully planned no longer fits.
Their first meeting is pure physical farce, a clumsy collision that somehow becomes the most honest introduction either of them has managed in years.
What I loved most is how little the novel pretends these two are going to fix each other. They remain unfinished, still fumbling through ordinary weeks, still capable of saying the wrong thing or choosing the easier avoidance.
The romance grows not from grand gestures but from the slow accumulation of small, inconvenient kindnesses, shared laundry room complaints, late night admissions that neither of them has it figured out, the quiet relief of being allowed to show up messy.
The writing stays light enough to keep the pages turning yet never flinches from the exhaustion of trying to become a functional adult when the instructions seem to have been lost in the mail.
By the end I did not feel as though I had watched two broken people become whole. But I felt as though I had watched two people decide that “almost” might be enough for now, and that choosing each other in the middle of the mess is its own kind of success.
It is a gentle, funny, unexpectedly comforting book for anyone who has ever looked around at thirty and wondered when the real adults were supposed to arrive.
Lose You Twice (PCU Ice Storm Book 2) by Riley Paige
Description
Three years ago, Wren Calloway slipped through my fingers.
I’ve spent the last 1,276 days pretending my sister’s best friend doesn’t exist.
Now she’s the new equipment assistant for my hockey team for my final year and avoiding her is no longer an option.
The closer we get, the harder it is to ignore the truth: letting her go was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.
Because Wren has never stopped feeling like home.
And I’m not sure I’d survive losing her twice.
Tropes:
🏒 best friend’s brother
🩵 second chance
🏒 forced proximity
🩵 college hockey romance
🏒 found family
Publication Date 10/9/2026
Lose You Twice (PCU Ice Storm Book 2) by Riley Paige
My Review
Lose You Twice pulls you right into the ache of unfinished business.
Three years after Wren Calloway slipped away, Kai has spent every one of those 1,276 days trying to pretend his sister’s best friend no longer exists…..
Then she shows up as the new equipment assistant for his college hockey team in his final year, and suddenly avoiding her is impossible. The forced proximity that follows feels inevitable and electric at the same time.
What works so well here is how deeply the history between them is felt. This is not two strangers discovering attraction, it is two people who already know each other’s edges, memories, and soft spots, trying to navigate the weight of what they once almost had.
Kai carries quiet guilt and a stubborn refusal to look too closely at what he let go. Wren is the one who keeps putting everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, school, family, the constant demands at home, until she is running on empty. Watching her slowly remember she is allowed to take up space, and watching Kai realize that she has always felt like home, gives the story its emotional feel.
The hockey setting adds something without overwhelming the romance. Practices, the locker room banter, the grind of a senior season all serve as background noise that keeps forcing Kai and Wren into the same spaces.
The found family threads around Wren’s siblings and the team itself had me smiling. Their relationship feels lived in rather than manufactured, full of unfinished conversations and the particular kind of longing that comes from knowing exactly what you lost.
Riley Paige leans into the second chance and best friend’s brother tropes without letting them become checklist items. The pining is heavy, the regret is genuine, and the slow reconnection feels earned. There is heat when the walls finally come down, but the real tension lives in the quieter moments, the shared glances across the ice, the careful way they circle each other, the fear of getting it wrong again. By the end, the idea of losing her twice carries real weight, and the resolution lands with the satisfaction of two people finally choosing each other with open eyes.
If you like college sports romance that prioritizes emotional history over flashy drama, and second chance stories that let the characters sit in their mistakes for a while before finding their way back, this one delivers.
Kai and Wren feel like people who have been waiting for each other longer than either of them wanted to admit.
Lifeline: (Blackbird Saga, Book 1) by Emily Lockwood
Description
In Paris, luxury and danger dance to the same rhythm.
Olivia Roussel works discreetly in the shadows of a nightclub, far from the spotlight and scandals. But one night, everything explodes: an armed attack, secrets hidden on a hard drive, and the certainty that someone wants her dead.
Théo Gaillard, a powerful producer and a man of magnetic intensity, wasn’t part of her plans. However, he will be the one to pull her out of the line of fire… and awaken a desire Olivia never even suspected existed.
Amid coded messages, ambushes, and the constant threat of an invisible enemy, every moment together becomes an explosive mix of danger and passion.
Because when attraction ignites under the bullets, every caress could be the last…
Lifeline: suspense, romance, and steamy scenes that will keep you reading until the early hours.
Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️
💋 He saved her from the bullets. Now, no one can save her from him.
🌃 Amidst the lights of Paris and the edge of a gun, a desire impossible to extinguish was born.
🔥 When danger breathes so close… heart and skin burn in unison.
🖤 Deciphering the code could save their lives. Resisting desire… isn’t in their plans.
Publication Date 29/8/2026
Lifeline: (Blackbird Saga, Book 1) by Emily Lockwood
My Review
I picked up Lifeline expecting a solid dose of romantic suspense with heat, and Emily Lockwood delivered exactly that, wrapped in the glittering yet dangerous nightlife of Paris.
From the opening pages, Olivia Roussel feels like someone who has carefully built a life in the shadows, and watching that carefully constructed world shatter in a single violent night pulled me in hard.
The attack, the mysterious hard drive, and the sudden knowledge that someone wants her dead set a relentless pace that never really lets up.
Théo Gaillard arrives as the magnetic force the back cover promises powerful, intense, and impossible to ignore.
Their chemistry is immediate and charged, the kind that simmers under every conversation and explodes when danger forces them closer.
The author does an excellent job of balancing the external threats (coded messages, ambushes, an invisible enemy closing in) with the internal pull between these two.
What I liked most was how the romance never fully softens the suspense. Even in quieter moments, the sense that time is running out keeps the tension high. Olivia’s determination and Théo’s protective intensity create a push/pull that feels real to the high stakes world they’ve been thrown into.
The Paris setting adds atmosphere without overwhelming the story, luxury clubs and shadowed streets become characters of their own, heightening both the danger and the desire.
As the first book in a series, Lifeline left me wanting more while still offering a satisfying ending of its own.
It is pure escapism of the addictive variety, we have action, heat, and emotional stakes tangled so tightly that i kept turning pages long after I was meant to stop. 😉
If you enjoy romantic suspense where the attraction burns as hot as the threats closing in, this one is well worth the late nights.
🦋
*copy supplied for review
I was sent this arc from the author. So thank you Emily, it’s a great read.
Blood and Trouble (RBMC: Helena, MT Book 3) by Jena Doyle
Description
Three hearts. Two months in Europe. One trip that changes everything.
Ava
I don’t trust easily, and I never give anyone control.
But Lycan isn’t a man I can say no to. He’s dangerous, dominant, and far too good at finding the cracks in my armor. I told myself I’d survive two months in Europe with him. Instead, I woke up in Copenhagen with a ring on my finger, blood on my teeth, and something feral living under my skin.
Then his gorgeous, infuriating ex shows up, and I learn the worst thing about wanting two people is how hard it is to resist either of them.
Lycan
I’ve never been in love. Ever. Not even with the one man I’d have burned the world down for.
But Ava Vanderbilt is exactly the kind of trouble I’ve spent my life avoiding. Untouchable. Brilliant. And mine on paper for the next thirty days. I only meant to get her through her transition. I didn’t mean to keep her.
Then Poe crashes back into my life and decimates everything I thought I knew about myself.
Poe
I told myself I came for the job. For the pack. Because my Alpha needed the favor.
I lied.
Lycan can bring me to my knees with a look. Ava’s a good girl with a filthy soul, and my wolf instantly recognizes her as his, despite the diamond on her finger. Together, they make me weak.
I’m used to running when things get hard, but once I get caught in this twisted thing between the three of us, there’s nowhere left to hide.
~~**~~
Something has been hunting the Vanderbilt bloodline for twenty years. It’s starving. And the only thing left standing between Ava and a disastrous curse is a complicated bond and two wolves who will tear Europe apart to save her.
Publication Date 8/9/2026
Blood and Trouble (RBMC: Helena, MT Book 3) by Jena Doyle
My Review
Blood and Trouble pulled me in the moment Ava woke up in Copenhagen with a ring on her finger, blood on her teeth, and something wild stirring under her skin. But there is more to the story before that happens 😝
This is the third book in the RBMC, Helena, MT series, and although it suggests you start from the first book, this can be read on its own (but I’m going back to read them as I loved this book.)
What starts as a two month European trip meant to help Ava and her family regroup (money issues) and (help through her transition) becomes a tangled, intoxicating collision of three people who keep trying and failing to keep their hands and hearts to themselves. 😜
Ava’s voice is sharp and guarded from the start. She doesn’t trust easily and refuses to hand over control, yet Lycan dismantles those walls with the kind of quiet dominance that feels both dangerous and inevitable.
Their dynamic crackles with tension, he is the man she cannot refuse, and watching her fight that pull while her new instincts wake up is one of the most compelling parts of the story.
Then Poe arrives, the gorgeous, infuriating ex who upends everything.
The way the author writes the shift from two to three is messy and electric. Poe’s presence forces Lycan to confront feelings he has spent years denying, while Ava discovers that wanting both of them is less a complication and more a revelation.
The chemistry among the three is constant and layered, it’s possessive, tender, filthy, and surprisingly vulnerable all at once.
Away from the pack and the club, the usual rules loosen, and the three of them are left to figure out who they are to each other without the safety net of familiar territory.
The author balances the heat with real emotional stakes. Lycan’s admission that he has never been in love, not even with the one person he would have burned the world for, lands with quiet devastation.
Poe’s tendency to run when things get hard collides with a bond that refuses to let him escape.
Ava, newly feral and still learning the edges of her own power, becomes the unexpected center that holds them together.
This is not a tidy romance. It is bloody, complicated, and deeply sensual in the best way.
The polyamorous relationship develops with an intensity and possessiveness that had me reading late into the night. Add in the the history between Lycan and Poe and it gave it a richer, more fraught feeling.
Moments of tenderness sit right next to moments of raw need, and the story never softens the edges for comfort.
By the time the three of them stop fighting what is happening between them, the backstory comes into play …..
The danger comes in the form of an old adversary, vampires and witches are in full force, and assistance comes from a couple of RBMC chapters. (Well it is a motorcycle gang story 😉)
Blood and Trouble is steamy, emotional, and full of cheeky banter.
It left me turning the last page already wanting more of these three and whatever comes next for the pack.
The first time I lay eyes on our new cyber security expert, I know I’m in trouble.
Lush curves, full lips, big blue eyes–exactly the type of woman who makes me do stupid things.
Good thing casual hookups are frowned upon at Shadow Security, and I don’t do serious.
Until I hear her plans to get pregnant.
The last thing I need is a kid but the only person putting a baby in her is going to me.
So we make a deal: No emotions, no promises, just lots of sex and eventually uncomplicated co-parenting.
But the first time I touch her, I know I’ve grossly underestimated her allure.
And when an old enemy comes looking for revenge, I’ll do anything to protect what’s mine.
Publication Date 3/9/2026
RAGE (Shadow Security Book 2) by Kat Mizera
My Review
RAGE is the kind of book that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers it without apology.
From the moment Rage first sees Luna, the new cyber security expert walk into Shadow Security, the attraction is instant and also inconvenient! The sort of sharp, physical pull that makes a man who prides himself on control start making very bad decisions. 😜
Luna is soft and quiet (but full of determination), the opposite of the no strings lifestyle he has carefully maintained, and the fact that workplace rules frown on casual hookups only makes the tension worse. 😝
What really hooks the story for me, was the deal they strike once he overhears Luna’s plans to have a baby on her own. No emotions, no promises, just sex and eventual shared parenting.
It is a classic setup that should feel clinical/cheesy, yet the first time they touch it becomes clear neither of them understood what they were agreeing to. The chemistry is immediate and heated, the kind that turns practical arrangements into something far more complicated almost overnight.
Rage’s possessiveness flares hard and fast…. the idea of any other man being the one to give her what she wants is simply unacceptable.
Around the personal drama sits the darker thread that keeps the book moving….. An old enemy surfaces looking for revenge, and suddenly the careful boundaries Rage tried to set around this arrangement are irrelevant.
Protecting her becomes instinct rather than choice, and the external threat forces both of them to confront feelings they swore they would not allow.
The suspense never overwhelms the romance, but it adds enough danger to raise the stakes and give Rage a reason to stop pretending this is still casual.
The team dynamics is just fun, the banter is easy, and the heat between Rage and Luna is consistent and satisfying. The pregnancy arrangement trope is handled with enough emotion that the shift from “just sex” to something deeper felt honest.
By the end, the protective intensity and the reluctant softening of a man who never planned on wanting more make for a solid, addictive read.
It is steamy romantic suspense with an alpha hero, strong heroine, high heat, and just enough danger to keep the pages turning.
In a world where every unsolved mystery whispers of a darker truth, a reclusive inventor unleashes a technological marvel—a device powered by the triumphs and failures of law enforcement’s past. This AI, designed to obliterate crime with an unerring precision, comes with a challenge that few could resist.
Down on his luck and haunted by the unresolved murder of his wife, Detective Max Delaney is chosen to test the invention. With a tantalizing offer of half a million dollars and the final, life-altering chance to uncover the truth behind his greatest loss, Max must traverse the country—from the cold, unforgiving streets of Massachusetts to the sun-drenched alleys of California. Alongside his loyal friend Luca, he is tasked with solving five formerly unsolvable crimes—a journey that promises redemption, revelation, and risk at every turn.
But as Max edges closer to justice, a sinister force lurks in the shadows, tracking his every move with a single, corrupt intent: to seize the device for its own nefarious designs. With the clock ticking and every clue deepening the mystery, Max and Luca find themselves entangled in a deadly game where the price of failure is far greater than they ever imagined.
Publication Date 2/6/2026
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin
My Review
Shadows in the Code by Collin Tobin feels like the kind of thriller that digs under your skin and stays there.
From the first pages the story alone pulls you in…. a reclusive inventor hands over a revolutionary AI built from the triumphs and failures of past investigations, and the man chosen to test it is Detective Max Delaney, still raw from the unsolved murder of his wife.
The half million dollar payday is almost secondary to the story, what really matters is the chance to finally dig into the case that destroyed him.
That emotional stake turns what could have been a simple high tech mystery into something more personal and urgent.
Max and his friend Luca set out across the country, starting in the grey streets of Massachusetts and ending in the bright, deceptive heat of California, tasked with cracking five cases that had already beaten every other detective who tried.
The road trip structure keeps the story moving, each new city bringing its own atmosphere and its own buried secrets.
You can feel the weight of those cold cases pressing on Max, and the author does a strong job of letting the unresolved grief bleed into every decision he makes.
At the same time a darker force is already hunting the device, turning the investigation into a race against people who will do anything to control the technology. The tension never really lets up once that shadow appears. 😮
What I liked most is how the book balances the flashy AI concept with old fashioned detective work and the quieter cost of obsession.
The gadget is impressive, but the real engine is Max’s need for answers and the loyalty between him and Luca. Their friendship is real, which makes the danger they face hit harder.
There are moments where the plot leans into classic cat and mouse territory, and a few of the twists announce themselves a little early, yet the emotional moments stays steady enough to carry the story through.
Shadows in the Code is a solid read for anyone who likes crime fiction mixed with a near future edge and a character who has something real to lose.
It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it delivers a tense, character driven ride that stuck with me for a few days after.
🦋
*copy supplied for review
I was kindly sent a paperback to read and review. I want to thank Collin for sending a great read.
Every high school has a bully who has gone unpunished.
Walking the halls of my high school after two decades reminds me why I’ve blocked those years from my memory. The walls hold secrets but perhaps none as potent as the woods behind the school where a life ended too soon.
I wasn’t able to make a difference then. But I’m not a frightened kid anymore. Bullies no longer scare me. It’s time to deliver long overdue consequences to those who have never been held accountable for their actions.
With my pack of wolf dogs and this blindingly bright fake boyfriend at my side, nothing can go wrong.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 27/8/2026
Rhodes (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan
My Review
Rhodes is a sharp, satisfying little novella that digs into the kind of unfinished business most of us would rather leave buried.
The premise alone had me hooked…. Rhodes now an adult has returns to the halls of his old high school, (school reunion) but he’s no longer that scared kid who once watched something terrible happen in the woods behind the building, and who has decided the people responsible have coasted long enough without consequences. (You need to read to find out what it was 🫣)
That quiet, simmering rage is what drives the whole story, and as usual this author handles it with the same unapologetic edge that runs through the rest of the Van Doren books. And I loved it.
Rhodes arrives with his pack of massive wolf dogs animals that feel less like pets and more like living extensions of his will, and don’t forget Bennett (a fake boyfriend who is clearly there to serve as both cover and complication. 😜)
The dogs are pure chaos in the best way….. they give the quieter moments a feral energy that keeps the tension from ever fully settling. The fake boyfriend setup, meanwhile, starts as pure practicality and slowly reveals itself as something warmer and far more interesting than either man planned, (they remind me a little of Loren/Oakley)
The novella moves quickly, balancing the darker undercurrents of past trauma and present day reckoning with the kind of charged chemistry we have come to expect.
There is heat, there is possessiveness, and there is that particular Van Doren brand of loyalty that borders on the unhinged.
Yet the story never loses sight of the story, a man who has carried guilt and helplessness for twenty years finally deciding he is strong enough to do something about it.
Because it sits inside the larger family web, there are familiar faces and the comfortable sense of an established world, but the book still works as a self contained story.
If you already enjoy the Van Dorens, especially the protective, slightly feral energy that surrounds them, this one will have you smiling.
I finished it wanting more time with Rhodes and his strange, devoted little family of dogs and chosen people, which is exactly the feeling a good novella should leave behind.
🦋
Rhodes (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan (Discrete Cover)
Now their starlet (Starletverse Book 2) by Callie Clark
Description
My entire life has belonged to someone else.
My image belongs to the public. My career belongs to my mother. And now, with a judge’s signature on a piece of paper, my life belongs to her too.
I finally thought I knew who I was.
Then my mother took everything from me.
My freedom. My father. The five men who made me believe I could be more than the carefully curated starlet the world expected me to be.
Now, I’m trapped under an emergency conservatorship with the woman who spent my entire life teaching me that love is conditional, and she’s determined to force me back into the perfect little box I finally escaped.
But Beckham Knight and the pack I’ve started to build aren’t ready to let me disappear. They’re fighting to get me back. The problem is, escaping my mother is only the beginning.
I’m faced with a terrifying truth: if I want a life that’s finally my own, I have to stop trying to survive it alone.
I’ve spent my entire life being whoever the world needed me to be.
Maybe it’s time I decide who I belong with.
And this time?
I’m Now Their Starlet.
—
Now Their Starlet is book two in a why-choose MMFMMM contemporary omegaverse romance duet and has a HEA!
Publication Date 1/9/2026
Now their starlet (Starletverse Book 2) by Callie Clark
My Review
What I can tell you from the official description and the foundation laid in Knot Their Starlet is that this second half of the duet is clearly designed to finish the emotional arc that left so many of us on the edge of our seats!
Book one introduced Andromeda as a woman who had spent her entire life performing for everyone else’s expectations, her mother’s, the public’s, her toxic ex’s
and only just begun to discover what it felt like to be claimed by a pack that saw her as more than the carefully curated starlet.
The cliffhanger put her under an emergency conservatorship controlled by the same mother who taught her that love was conditional, stripping away the fragile independence and the five men she was starting to trust.
This sequel picks up right where we left her…. asks the harder question…. what does it take for someone who has always survived by becoming whatever the world needed to finally decide she gets to belong to herself, and to the people who refuse to let her disappear?
The promise of a full HEA for the MMFMMM pack, the fight against the conservatorship, and Andi’s internal shift from “surviving alone” to “choosing who she belongs with” are all front and center in the blurb.
The author delivered the same intensity of emotional payoff, protective pack dynamics, and Hollywood omegaverse tension that made the first book so addictive for me.
Andi has to navigate her new pack, her feelings towards her estranged father and her deranged mother!
I did feel a little cheated as there wasn’t as much romance/intimate moments as there was in the last book. But the emotions it left me with I felt more than made up for it.
Could there have been a third book? Possibly. Or maybe a novella tells us how Andi gets on with her pack in the future (but that’s just my personal opinion.)
Definitely need to read this duo in order to get the full experience.
The Price of Uncreation (The Faceless Chronicles Book 4) by Grant Pierce
Description
When the Lightbringer unleashed the power of Uncreation, the heavens shuddered and answered with a storm of Celestial Fire.
From the ashes, the shapeshifter Valko emerged, unshackled and bent on summoning The Thousand Legion, a force composed of the most powerful greater fiends of the Abyss. Their destructive potential is unimaginable.
Valko seeks to spread the Scarlet Plague and ignite a war that will consume the hybrid races. Amid the carnage of countless vanquished souls, he will seize the power of Creation and Uncreation. No prophecy foretells salvation from his mad machinations.
Standing against him are the gorgon sisters, Azzlya and Nyssa. They must rally an unlikely band of a lich, a flesh golem, a mute skeleton warrior, a half-orc mercenary, and a human rogue. Together, they must unmask Valko, distribute the plague’s cure, and prevent a genocidal war.
The Legion is coming. Valko is its herald.
Publication Date 1/9/2026
The Price of Uncreation (The Faceless Chronicles Book 4) by Grant Pierce
My Review
The Price of Uncreation is a dark fantasy that delivers a strong blend of apocalyptic stakes, unusual characters, and relentless danger.
The threat posed by Valko and the Thousand Legion feels genuinely overwhelming, while the Scarlet Plague adds an unsettling sense of urgency to the story.
I especially enjoyed the unlikely group of heroes. A lich, a flesh golem, a mute skeleton warrior, a half orc mercenary, and a human rogue make for an intriguing party, and their differences create plenty of potential for tension and unexpected loyalty. Azzlya and Nyssa also stand out as compelling figures as they struggle to unite this fractured group against an enemy who seems almost impossible to stop.
The story has a vivid, brutal atmosphere, with celestial fire, fiends, shapeshifters, and the dangerous forces of Creation and Uncreation adding a grand mythological scale.
At times, the large cast and complex mythology can feel overwhelming, but they also give the story a distinctive identity and makes the world feel much larger than the immediate conflict.
Overall, The Price of Uncreation is an entertaining dark fantasy adventure filled with monsters, magic, war, and desperate heroes.
It should appeal to those who enjoy grim fantasy, morally complicated characters, and stories where survival depends on enemies learning to fight together.
Not my usual read, but this author writes some really good stories (and it’s good to change my reading pattern once in a while.)
I’d seen these done on facebook/instagram and TikTok. I didn’t think I’d ever do one. But I’m going to give it a go. And at the end of September, I’ll show you how many I did 😝
I. Selfie
2. View
3. Random Photo
4. Reflection
5. Shadow
6. Fruit
7. A Sign
8. Best Part Of The Day
9. Bold Colors
10. Flower
11. In My Bag
12. What am I doing today?
13. Me With 13 Things
14. Must Do
15. On my bookshelf
16. Clouds
17. Today I Love
18. Comfort Food
19. Beauty
20. Must Have
21. The Weather
22. A Doodle
23. Significant Other
24. Animal
25. Favorite Colour
26. Leaves
27. What I’m watching
28. Something I made
29. Baked Goods
30. Today’s Small Pleasure
Have you ever done a 30 days photo challenge? If so, what was it? Did you finish it? Would you do one again?
🦋
I probably won’t post on here as I tend to forget! But I’ll try to post on my Instagram/Facebook book page and TikTok.
OWNED: An Obsessive Stalker Dark Hockey Romance (Dark Ice) by Daphne Sinclair
Description
I don’t want to be loved. I want to be the lock on her door, the eyes in her hallway, and the last thing standing between her and the world.
Maren Aldrich just inherited a billion-dollar NHL hockey team and a craving she can’t admit out loud: the possessive captain whose contract she owns. She tells herself it’s just a photo. Just a private moment. Just a line a boss should never cross with a player.
Then she crosses it—and hands him exactly what he’s been waiting for.
Beckett Vaughn has spent his career being the man everyone watches. What no one knows is who he watches back. Driven by an obsessive need, he turned her own surveillance against her—learning the exact rhythm of her days, the layout of her shadows, and the sound of her breathing in the dark. He knows he should stop. He isn’t going to.
But Beckett isn’t the only stalker watching Maren.
Her ex never raised his voice, but his quiet control was physically abusive, and he never truly let her go. Maren thinks she’s finally safe, but the threat is closer than her cameras can see. When danger forces them into a brutal, claustrophobic proximity, a lethal game begins. As a predator turns into her ultimate morally grey protector, Beckett must decide how far he’ll go to shield the woman he claims as his.
Owned is a tense, scorching dark hockey romance featuring an owner-player forbidden dynamic.
Tropes & Vibe:
🏒 Obsessive Stalker Hero
🖤 Morally Grey MMC
🏒 Forbidden Owner-Player
🖤 Billionaire Heroine
🏒 Surveillance & Voyeurism
🖤 Touch-Her-and-Die
🏒 Dual POV
🌶️ Spicy
Publication Date 31/8/2026
OWNED: An Obsessive Stalker Dark Hockey Romance (Dark Ice) by Daphne Sinclair
My Review
I have to admit, when I first read the back cover for OWNED by Daphne Sinclair, I couldn’t wait to dive in.
Dark romance is already a slippery slope for me, and throwing in an obsessive stalker hockey captain whose contract is owned by the woman he’s been secretly watching? Sign me up 😜
The tension, the forbidden owner/player dynamic, and the promise of a morally grey protector who doesn’t just claim Maren Aldrich, he becomes the lock on her door.
From the opening, the story leans hard into that possessive intensity. Maren has just inherited a billion dollar NHL team and finds herself drawn to Beckett Vaughn in ways she knows she shouldn’t. 😉
The power imbalance is written into every interaction…. she holds his future in her hands, and he has already mapped out the rhythm of her days, the layout of her shadows, and the sound of her breathing.
What starts as her quiet, private craving for him quickly becomes mutual in the most dangerous way possible. Beckett doesn’t just watch her…. he turns her own surveillance against her, and the book never pretends this is healthy or soft.
It’s obsessive, it’s calculated, and it’s written with a kind of dark heat that makes you keep turning pages even when you know you should look away.
What makes the story beyond pure voyeuristic fantasy is the external threat. 😮
Maren’s ex isn’t the villain you might expect. His control was quiet and physical, and the fact that he never truly let her go adds a layer of dread that feels more intimate and realistic than many darker romances manage.
When that danger forces Maren and Beckett into claustrophobic proximity, the relationship shifts. Beckett’s obsession becomes protection, and the line between predator and savior blurs in a way that is both unsettling and strangely compelling.
The book doesn’t shy away from the moral greyness…. it sits in it, lets it breathe, and then some….
The hockey setting grounds the obsession in something tangible. The rink, the contracts, the public scrutiny of an NHL captain all of it raises the stakes.
Every boundary crossed carries the risk of exposure, career destruction, and scandal. That forbidden element gives the chemistry that forbidden touch.
Maren’s struggle between what she should want and what she actually craves is felt on the page, and Beckett’s unwavering claim on her is written with enough intensity that you understand why she eventually stops fighting it.
This is not a gentle romance. It’s tense, scorching, and unapologetically dark. The possessive language, the surveillance, the way Beckett positions himself as both threat and shield, these elements will either pull you in completely or push you out.
For us who enjoy morally grey antiheroes who would burn the world down for the woman they claim, OWNED delivers.
I finished it feeling slightly unsettled but satisfied, which, for this particular subgenre, is exactly the point.
Bring Them Home: A totally gripping and unputdownable crime thriller (Detective Amanda Steele Book 16) by Carolyn Arnold
Description
She’d never been this terrified but she refused to let it show, to give her captors more power. As she was led out of the van with her parents, she stifled a cry. Ahead of her was an old farm, surrounded by fields. There was no one for miles around. No one to hear the screams that would inevitably come.
When a seemingly ordinary family goes missing in plain sight, Detective Amanda Steele is called in to find them before it’s too late. The only evidence left behind is the mother’s abandoned car in a mall parking lot—her phone and purse on the front seat. But why would anyone target a loving mother, a dedicated father and elementary schoolteacher, and a teenage girl?
Amanda and Trent speak with friends and family but can’t unearth any reason the family would disappear on their own. Their darker suspicion is confirmed when they find CCTV footage of the mother and daughter being bundled into an unmarked black van, driven away at speed. They are looking at an abduction.
Soon human remains are discovered in a field outside of town, and Amanda uncovers a lead that could blow the investigation wide open. If she’s right, this case is linked to a woman who went missing ten years ago—and closer still, to someone within the police department. But can Amanda and Trent put all the pieces together in time to stop a twisted killer before more lives are lost?
Publication Date 27/8/2026
Bring Them Home: A totally gripping and unputdownable crime thriller (Detective Amanda Steele Book 16) by Carolyn Arnold
My Review
I picked up Bring Them Home expecting another solid entry in Carolyn Arnold’s Detective Amanda Steele series, and it delivered exactly the kind of tense crime thriller I’ve come to like from her.
From the opening pages the sense of dread is immediate and personal…. an ordinary family vanishes in broad daylight, leaving behind little more than a mother’s abandoned car in a mall parking lot with her phone and purse still inside….. That simple, chilling image sets the tone for everything that follows.
Amanda and her partner Trent dig into the lives of the missing parents and their teenage daughter, only to confirm what their instincts already suggested, this was no voluntary disappearance!
CCTV catches the mother and daughter being forced into a black van, and the investigation shifts into higher gear.
When human remains turn up in a remote field, the case deepens and darkens, connecting to a decade old disappearance and, most unsettling of all, pointing toward someone inside the police department itself.
What I liked most was how the author keeps the focus tight on the procedural work without sacrificing the emotional weight of the family’s situation.
Amanda’s determination feels genuine, you sense the pressure she and Trent are under as the clock ticks and the possibility of more victims looms.
The farmhouse setting, isolated and surrounded by empty fields, becomes a recurring image that heightens the isolation and helplessness of the captives. The twists land with satisfying force, especially the way the older case folds into the present one, and the internal threat within the department adds a layer of paranoia that keeps the tension high right through the final pages.
This is the sixteenth book in the series, yet it stands comfortably on its own. (I’ve only read a couple of this series, and at some point I’m definitely going back.)
The pacing is relentless in the best way, once the abduction is confirmed I found myself reading far later than I intended, 😜 unwilling to put the book down until the pieces clicked into place.
If you enjoy police procedurals that balance solid investigative detail with genuine emotional stakes and the occasional gut punch twist, Bring Them Home is a great addition to the Amanda Steele series.
Miss Wylde and the Wynd (The Wynd Brothers Book 2) by Jane Charles
Description
A wayward spinster. A gentleman determined to set things right. An attraction too tempting to ignore.
Lord Damian Wynd had control of his world and his life. As the second born, it was his responsibility to manage the family import business, Trade Wynd. His days were spent on the docks overseeing the unloading of ships or in his offices not far away, which left Damian with little else in his life. An emptiness gnawed at him, but he had no time to determine the cause, let alone fill it. Nor was it as important as keeping order of all he supervised. However, his carefully balanced world is soon overturned when he spies a young woman sneaking away from one of their newly arrived ships.
Miss Georgiana Wylde had always had an adventurous soul, though limited in what she could pursue, grounded, intelligent, and knew what was expected of her. However, when her sister disappears in pursuit of an English rogue, Georgie must go after her before all is ruined, although she fears that it may be too late.
Damian’s first intention is to send Georgie back from whence she came, but her determination and fear for her sister pulls at something deep in his chest that might very well be his heart.
Georgiana had not expected that the most difficult and pragmatic gentleman in all of England would come to her aid. Further, she does not even like him, nor does he care for her. Yet, as their search takes them from the docks in Southampton throughout England and beyond, she finds herself coming to care, even love, the one gentleman who should be completely wrong for her.
Tropes you’ll enjoy:
Forced Proximity
Unconventional Heroine
Fake marriage
Broody hero
Enemies to Lovers
Protective Hero
Regency Road Trip
Slow Burn
Read in Kindle Unlimited!
The Wynd Brothers
Book 1 – Mistress for Wyndview
Book 2 – Miss Wylde and the Wynd
Book 3 – Whispers in the Wynd
Book 4 – Chasing the Wynd
Book 5 – The Lady and the Wynd
Publication Date 22/8/2026
Miss Wylde and the Wynd (The Wynd Brothers Book 2) by Jane Charles
My Review
Miss Wylde and the Wynd is the second book in Jane Charles’s The Wynd Brothers series, competent, slightly prickly people who would rather solve a practical problem than examine their feelings, until the practical problem forces them to do both.
Lord Damian Wynd is the second son who has made order his life. He runs the family import business with a focus that leaves little room for anything softer, and the emptiness he feels is something he simply schedules around rather than confronts.
When he spots Miss Georgiana Wylde slipping away from one of his newly arrived ships in Southampton, his first instinct is pure irritation.
She is chaos in a sensible gown, determined to chase after her sister who has run off with an English rogue, and she has no intention of being sent home quietly.
Damian’s carefully controlled world collides with Georgie’s stubborn sense of duty, and what begins as an attempt to remove an inconvenient woman from his docks turns into a joint search that carries them across England and beyond…..
I loved how the author lets their mutual dislike do the early work. Georgie finds Damian rigid and exasperating, he finds her reckless and far too willing to put herself in danger. Neither is wrong, and neither is entirely right. Their banter has an edge that never tips into cruelty, and the slow shift from reluctant allies to something warmer had me smiling.
Georgie’s adventurous spirit is constrained by the realities of her situation, she is a spinster with limited options and a sister whose reputation hangs in the balance, yet she never becomes passive. Damian’s pragmatism is tested by the very real fear and loyalty she carries, and watching that controlled exterior crack is one of the quieter pleasures of the book.
The journey itself keeps the story moving. There is travel, uncertainty, and the constant awareness that they may already be too late to save Georgie’s sister from ruin.
The stakes remain personal and grounded. Along the way the attraction neither of them wants becomes harder to ignore, and the emotional payoff lands because both characters have been forced to see past their first impressions.
What i liked was the sense that these two people are genuinely wrong for each other on paper and somehow right in practice. Damian’s need for order softens without disappearing, Georgie’s independence gains a partner rather than a handler. Their eventual understanding feels like the natural result of shared purpose and hard won respect rather than destiny or convenient coincidence.
If you enjoy Regency romances that favor character over grand spectacle, that let competent people be both flawed and capable, and that build affection out of friction instead of instant sparks, this one satisfies.
It stands well on its own while clearly belonging to a larger family of stories, and it left me curious about the rest of the Wynd brothers.
A solid, engaging read that shows both its heroine’s determination and its hero’s carefully maintained walls.
Heartless As Puck (Chicago Chaos Hockey Duology Book 1) by A. Rivers
Description
Everyone in Chicago calls him Heartless Harris. Nobody has ever needed a reason.
I’m the assistant who runs his schedule, cooks his dinners, and lives in the studio above his garage. Six months of that, and I could tell you exactly how long Austin Harris will hold a door without once looking at me.
Then the Chaos put the captaincy up for grabs, and his agent decided the only thing standing between Austin and the job was a girlfriend. His agent also decided that girlfriend should be me.
Fake, obviously. Public, photographed, and over by the end of the season.
I said no. Twice.
There are two reasons for that. I stammer when I’m frightened, and a relationship on camera means a camera pointed at my face. And I’ve spent my whole life being useful to men because of my last name. I wasn’t going to be useful for a headline too.
So when Austin asked again, I wrote ten rules of my own, handed them over, and waited for him to argue.
He agreed to all ten before he had read a single one.
Nobody warns you about the coldest man in the league. That he notices everything. That he puts himself between you and the room. That the moment he decides you matter, he is the one who falls, and he falls like a man who has never done it before and has no intention of surviving it.
I wrote those rules to keep myself safe.
I’m the one who keeps wanting to break them.
Heartless As Puck is a steamy hockey romance featuring fake dating with a contract, a grumpy NHL captain, the assistant who lives above his garage, and a hero who falls first and falls hardest. Book one of the Chicago Chaos duology. Guaranteed HEA, no cheating, no cliffhanger.
Publication Date 27/8/2026
Heartless As Puck (Chicago Chaos Hockey Duology Book 1) by A. Rivers
My Review
Heartless As Puck pulls you in with a premise that feels familiar at first glance… fake dating, hockey romance, the grumpy captain and his overlooked assistant, but it’s executes with a quiet intensity that makes the emotional stakes feel freshly sharp.
The Chicago Chaos need a new captain, and Austin “Heartless” Harris is the obvious choice on paper, except his agent decides the missing piece is a public girlfriend to soften his ice cold image.
The agent’s solution is Jane, the woman who already lives above his garage, manages his life, and has spent six months carefully staying invisible in his orbit.
She refuses twice….. When he asks a third time, she answers with ten non negotiable rules and fully expects him to push back. He doesn’t. He agrees before reading a single one.
What follows is less a whirlwind of public appearances and more a slow, careful dismantling of the walls both of them have built.
Jane’s stammer and her lifelong pattern of being useful because of her last name give her real reasons to protect herself from cameras and headlines. Austin’s reputation as the league’s coldest man is not just branding, it is armor, and the author lets us watch it crack in increments so small you almost miss them until the weight of his attention becomes unmistakable…..
He notices everything. He positions himself between her and the room. When he finally decides she matters, the fall is absolute raw, inexperienced, and completely without an exit strategy. And I LOVED IT 🥰
The forced proximity of their living situation and the public performance of a relationship create constant low grade tension, but the real heat comes from the private moments when the rules start to feel like obstacles instead of protection.
Jane’s determination to stay safe collides with her growing desire to break every boundary she set, and Austin’s transformation from distant employer to someone who cannot look away is handled with restraint that makes it more powerful.
This is the kind of sports romance that prioritizes emotional honesty over spectacle. The hockey world exists as pressure and backdrop rather than endless game recaps, and the secondary characters orbit without crowding the central relationship.
By the time the season winds down and the original end date of the arrangement approaches, the question is no longer whether the fake will turn real, it is whether either of them can survive the honesty that has already taken root.
I’m now wanting the next book in the duology, not because of unfinished plot threads, but because these two people have become too interesting to leave behind. 😊
Hide Little Traitor: A Dark Why Choose Mafia Romance (Lombardi Legacy Book 2) by Montana Fyre
Description
The gilded cage I grew up in was nothing more than a pretty cell, and now I find myself in another one, torn from the life I built myself by a ghost from my past.
Kingston may have held me through the worst moments of my life, but when he steals me away in the dead of night and offers me the life I thought I wanted, I can’t help but think of the men I left behind.
But the complicated feelings for four men that hate each other are the least of my worries as our enemies circle.
Can they put their differences aside for long enough to escape those that want us dead or will their contempt for one another be our downfall?
Content Warning: This book contains dark themes and readers discretion should be applied. For a full list of TW’s, please see authors website.
Publication Date 23/8/2026
Hide Little Traitor: A Dark Why Choose Mafia Romance (Lombardi Legacy Book 2) by Montana Fyre
My Review
Hide Little Traitor picks up the moment the first book in the Lombardi Legacy left off, and Montana Fyre does not ease us back in.
Chloe is once again pulled from the life she tried to build for herself, this time by Kingston, the man who once held her through the darkest moments of her past and has spent a decade watching over her from the shadows. He offers her the safety and the future she once thought she wanted, yet her thoughts keep drifting to the three other men she was forced to leave behind. That push/pull sits at the heart of the story and gives the book its restless energy.
What works especially well is the way the four men refuse to settle into easy harmony. Damon remains the brooding presence who cannot decide whether loyalty to the family or loyalty to Chloe will win. Ryker seems determined to needle everyone around him just for the entertainment value. Ronan brings his own brand of intensity, and Kingston, the oldest and most possessive of the group, struggles openly with the idea of sharing the woman he has claimed for so long. Their mutual dislike is not softened or resolved too quickly, it simmers, flares, and occasionally turns into reluctant cooperation when danger closes in.
The tension between them was electric and I loved the why choose setup. And I cheered as Chloe’s growing confidence allows her to demand what she needs from all of them without shrinking.
The spice is frequent and unapologetic, matching the dark, possessive tone of the series. Scenes between Chloe and the men crackle with jealousy and raw chemistry, and the group dynamics never feel like simple add ons.
Outside the bedroom the plot keeps moving at a steady clip. Old enemies circle, secrets about Chloe’s past surface, and the sense of being hunted never fully lifts.
External threats with quieter moments of character work, particularly around Chloe’s physical health and the long term effects of the life she has been forced to live. (The endometriosis representation is handled with care and becomes part of who she is rather than a plot device.)
By the final pages the story has deepened every relationship while leaving enough unresolved that the next installment feels necessary rather than optional.
The cliffhanger lands hard, exactly as the first book’s ending did. I so wanted to read what happens next.
The writing is sharp and immersive, the dialogue sharp enough to cut, and the found family friction among the men is one of the book’s strongest assets.
Hide Little Traitor delivers on the promise of its predecessor and leaves the Lombardi world wider and more dangerous than before.
Seraphine Austen, raised by the Ravellian rebels, has spent her life below, hidden in the shadows after a ruthless regime drove magic wielders and Nulls into hiding below ground. Above, Whitefall, a projected idealistic society, keeps peace and order by practicing law over lore. Gifted with dangerous power, Seraphine has never known independence, instead fiercely protected by her father, the Ravellian leader. Tired of hiding and burning with anger at the injustices above, she’s ready to step into the light and prove herself.
He carries the truth that could change everything.
Tark Lowell is the son of the regime itself. As the Commander of Whitefall’s military forces, he enforces order without mercy and is loyal without question. Burdened by duty and the weight of those he’s sworn to protect, the pressure of it all threatens to expose him.
When Tark captures Seraphine after a mission gone wrong, their meeting creates a chain of events neither anticipated. Ugly truths are exposed, and loyalties fracture, blurring the line between enemy and ally.
Surrounded by deception, Seraphine and Tark must decide whether trusting each other is the greatest risk or their only chance at survival—because how do you trust someone who’s betrayed the only world you’ve ever known?
We’re all traitors in the end.
Publication Date 20/8/2026
Traitors by Willa Hollis
My Review
Traitors arrives with a description that immediately pulls you into a world of shadows and carefully maintained illusions.
The setup is classic dystopian fantasy, on the surface magic users and Nulls driven underground by a polished, law obsessed society called Whitefall that projects an image of perfect order.
Seraphine Austen has spent her entire life protected, hidden, and essentially caged by her father’s protectiveness and the rebel cause that raised her. That simmering frustration, the hunger to step into the light and claim some agency of her own, is vey apparent. You can feel the weight of being the protected daughter of a revolutionary leader, gifted with power that makes her both valuable and dangerous, and still never fully free.
On the other side stands Tark Lowell, the Commander who enforces the very regime that keeps people like Seraphine in the dark. He is the loyal son of the system, carrying the burden of duty and the quiet knowledge that the peace he protects may be built on lies.
When their paths collide after a mission goes wrong, the story promises the kind of forced proximity and uneasy alliance that can either destroy both characters or remake them.
The blurb’s insistence that ugly truths will fracture loyalties and blur the line between enemy and ally is what makes the book feel promising rather than predictable. It is not simply “enemies to lovers” for the sake of tension, it is about two people who have been shaped by opposing myths of the same broken world, forced to decide whether the person standing in front of them is the greater threat or the only one who can see the truth.
What I liked and stays with me is the final line….. “We’re all traitors in the end.” It reframes the entire premise. Loyalty, in this world, is never pure. Everyone is betraying something…. a parent, a regime, a carefully constructed identity, or the version of history they were raised to believe. That moral grayness is the book’s real strength.
Seraphine’s rage at injustice and Tark’s quiet cracking under the weight of what he has sworn to uphold suggest characters who will not remain static. Their relationship, is less about easy romance and more about the dangerous act of choosing to trust someone who has already been trained to destroy everything the other person has ever known.
The tropes are there (prisoner and guard, forced proximity, the weight of family legacy).
Traitors has the potential to be one of those rare dystopian fantasies that lingers.
Checking Out with the Gargoyles: A steamy why choose monster hotel romance by Aura Frost
Description
What’s a girl to do when two hunky gargoyles are literally fighting over her?
Marielle is a half-human, half-gorgon just trying to get by. When her gorgon mother insists Marielle take a job at the monster hotel chain she co-manages, Marielle doesn’t have much choice but to agree. Next thing she knows, she’s assigned to mediate two rival gargoyle leaders to prevent further destruction to the hotel–and to stop a repeat of the bloodshed from the previous gargoyle summit fifty years ago.
Her assignments? Runelian, the stubborn grouch with a dominant streak. And Goliath, the jolly giant with over-eager puppy dog energy.
None of them expects to find their fated mate at the conference, but when Marielle has to physically separate the two before they rip each other to shreds, the bond between them snaps into place.
Now she has even more incentive to convince them to work together, if only their families didn’t have generations of vitriol behind them. Can Runelian and Goliath overcome their hate, or will they both lose the mate they’ve waited over a hundred years for?
CHECKING IN? WELCOME TO THE MONSTER HOTEL!
This monster hotel story has been brought to you by World Tree Resorts…
Whether our clients are fanged, furred, or looking to frolic, World Tree Resorts is here to provide sssservice with a ssssmile! Be sure to visit any one of our multi-universal locations to find your next Monster Hotel Adventure!*
*WTR is not responsible for any sudden obsession with monsters, though our staff is happy to provide you with a list of our extended service menus, should the need arise.
Checking Out with the Gargoyles is a standalone queer polyam / why choose gargoyle romance intended for mature readers as part of the World Tree Resorts shared world series. It’s full of banter, bursting with sweet and spicy moments, and features plenty of tail, horn, and wing action! Everyone is with everyone – HEA guaranteed
Publication Date 20/8/2026
Checking Out with the Gargoyles: A steamy why choose monster hotel romance by Aura Frost
My Review
I just finished reading Checking Out with the Gargoyles by Aura Frost, and I have to say this steamy why choose monster hotel romance completely pulled me in from the first page.
The premise alone had me hooked… Marielle, a half human, half gorgon just trying to keep her head down, gets strong armed by her gorgon mother into working at the family run World Tree Resorts monster hotel chain.
Next thing she knows, she’s stuck mediating between two rival gargoyle clan leaders who clearly want to tear each other apart, and the hotel along with them, while also trying to stop history from repeating the bloody disaster of their last summit fifty years ago.
What hooked me in was how quickly the tension between the three of them turns electric. Runelian is exactly the kind of stubborn, dominant grouch I love to hate (and then fall for), while Goliath brings this big, sunny, over eager energy that somehow makes the whole situation both funnier and hotter.
When Marielle has to physically get between them and the fated mate bond snaps into place for all three, the story shifts from “please don’t destroy the hotel” to “how the hell do we make this work when their families have been at each other’s throats for generations?”
That push/pull of old hatred versus new, irresistible connection is handled with just the right mix of heat, humor, and genuine emotional stakes.
The monster hotel setting was just great, World Tree Resorts feels lived in and delightfully chaotic, with enough world building details to make the place feel real without ever slowing down the romance.
The scenes between Marielle and her two gargoyles are intense and never feeling tacked on. I also appreciated that Marielle isn’t just a passive prize. She’s practical, a little reluctant, and has her own identity and agency even as the mate bond rearranges everyone’s priorities.
By the end I was fully invested in whether these three could actually build something lasting despite all the clan baggage.
The book delivered on the promise of its blurb without wasting time, and I closed it feeling satisfied and already wondering what other World Tree Resorts stories might be waiting.
If you like your romance with claws, wings, rivalries that run deep, and a heroine who somehow ends up claimed by both the grumpy one and the golden retriever in stone form, this one is absolutely worth checking into.
Unhinged Obsession: A Darkish College Secret Society Romance (Saints of the Black Crown Society Book 1) by London Snow
Description
Last summer, Elijah Moretti and his elite circle made a mistake no one can survive.
It begins as an accident.
It ends with a body… and a series of decisions none of them can take back.
So they make a pact:
That night never happened.
No one will speak of it again, because they all have something to lose.
Elijah isn’t just a star hockey player and a mafia heir.
He’s also a Saints legacy within the Black Crown Society.
Most importantly, he’s Blair Winthrop’s best friend.
She was born into the Black Crown Society too. A legacy in her own right, destined to be matched with a Saint chosen for her.
She’s the only person who has ever been able to tame Elijah’s fiery temper.
Not even Elijah understood his obsession with Blair… until she left without a goodbye, leaving him to believe the worst.
Her opinion is the only one that has ever mattered to him.
And when he needs her most, he believes the girl he would burn the world down for chose the Society over him.
With the Saints’ first pairing ritual looming, their futures have already been decided. Matches are chosen. Loyalty is proven. Prestige is preserved.
When Blair reappears at St. Augustine University, just a shell of the girl he once admired, Elijah realizes she’s been keeping secrets far darker than he imagined.
Secrets that will bring him to his knees, begging for her forgiveness… begging to touch her one last time.
If one person breaks, the entire kingdom will crumble.
But the past never stays buried when loyalty is scarce, does it?
Blair isn’t willing to play her part.
And Elijah will never let her go.
Publication Date 20/7/2026
Unhinged Obsession: A Darkish College Secret Society Romance (Saints of the Black Crown Society Book 1) by London Snow
My Review
Unhinged Obsession drops you straight into the kind of high stakes, morally gray territory that this author does so well.
Elijah Moretti is everything the title promises…. a star hockey player, mafia heir, and Saints legacy whose carefully controlled world is already cracking under the weight of a deadly secret shared with his elite circle.
That pact/secret, sets a tense undercurrent from the opening pages, and the constant threat of exposure keeps the story humming with low level dread even as the romance takes center stage.
What i loved about the book was the complicated history between Elijah and Blair Winthrop.
She is not just the girl he is obsessively drawn to, she is the one person who has ever been able to soothe his temper, the childhood friend whose opinion has always mattered more than anyone else’s.
And when her sudden disappearance and equally abrupt return as a fractured version of herself created a delicious push/pull of hurt, longing, and suspicion.
Elijah’s conviction that she chose the Society over him fuels a raw, almost feral possessiveness is the author’s style that I love, its protective to the point of danger, tender in the moments he lets his guard down, and completely incapable of letting her go.
The Black Crown Society itself is rendered with the right mix of ritualistic pomp and quiet menace. Pairing ceremonies, legacy expectations, and the pressure to preserve prestige give the campus setting an oppressive feel that contrasts beautifully with the messy, private feelings developing between Elijah and Blair.
Their dual virginity and the slow, charged build of physical intimacy add another layer of intensity…. every touch carries the weight of years of unspoken desire and the fear that one wrong move could destroy everything they are trying to protect.
Blair’s secrets prove darker and more personal than Elijah anticipated, forcing him to confront both his own failings and the limits of the loyalty he has always sworn to the Society.
The result is a romance that is equal parts yearning and desperation, full of the obsessive “burn the world for her” energy that i have come to expect, yet grounded in real emotional stakes.
By the time the past begins to surface and loyalties are tested, the story has locked itself firmly around my heart. I loved the characters, the banter and the dark corners of the university had me gripped.
It is a gripping, atmospheric start to the Saints of the Black Crown Society series, dark enough to keep the pulse racing, romantic enough to make the obsession feel earned, and compulsive enough that finishing the last page only makes the wait for the next book feel longer.
He had a one-way ticket to the top. Now, he’s sleeping in his childhood bed.
Math genius Charlie Garrity had a simple checklist: power, prestige, money. With an MIT Sloan MBA in his pocket and a dream job in the front office of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was rounding the bases toward a perfect life. Then came the blindside.
With his rocket-like trajectory abruptly stymied, Charlie is forced to do the one thing he swore he would never do: move back in with his zany, chaotic, filter-free family. Between his wine-guzzling mother’s weekly allowance, his weed-loving father’s high-stakes business pitches, and his curmudgeonly grandfather’s constant grousing, Charlie’s life has become a documentary of errors—literally, thanks to his aspiring filmmaker brother. To make matters worse, his older sister tries to guilt-trip him into joining her dog-walking business, and his younger sister manipulates Charlie into posing as a Speedo-clad art model.
Charlie is desperate to reclaim his once-lofty status, but when a path back to the top forces a choice between his ambition and his ethics, he has to do the hardest math of his life. He knows what he wants—but is he ready to calculate what he actually needs?
Publication Date 14/6/2026
Charlie Goes Sideways: A Novel by Bob Marsocci
My Review
Charlie Goes Sideways starts with a blurb that feels familiar…. the high achieving young man who has everything mapped out… MIT Sloan, a dream job with the Dodgers, the clean trajectory of power and prestige… only to find himself suddenly derailed and sleeping in his childhood bedroom!
What follows isn’t a simple “back home to find himself” story, but more like a collision between Charlie’s carefully constructed self image and the loud, messy, unfiltered reality of his family. 😬
The wine guzzling mother with her weekly allowance demands, the weed loving father forever pitching high stakes schemes, the grandfather’s constant complaints, the brother turning the whole ordeal into documentary footage, the older sister pushing the dog walking business, and the younger one maneuvering Charlie into the Speedo modeling gig, all of it feels exaggerated in the way real families sometimes are, and the book leans into that exaggeration without apology. (I felt sorry for poor Charlie and exasperated most of the time! He just can’t get a break)
Charlie’s discomfort is on every page, every attempt to reclaim his old status is undercut by the chaos around him and then eventually by the ethical choice the plot forces him to confront.
What i liked was the quiet shift the story makes from pure farce toward something more pointed. The “hardest math of his life” isn’t just a clever tagline, it’s the moment the story asks whether the checklist Charlie once lived by still makes sense once the supporting structure of status is stripped away.
The book doesn’t lecture, but it does let the question hang… ambition is easy when it’s winning, when it asks you to compromise…. what do you actually need?!
It’s a brisk, character driven comedy with enough heart and enough bite to keep the laughs from feeling empty. I really liked Charlie, I wasn’t too keen on his freeloading family!
I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it.👍🏻
So does Charlie finally escape the family he loves? Or will he accept his lot in life? 🤐
Puck Me Twice Over: a Jericho Chimeras Second Chance spicy romance (Jericho Chimeras Hockey Romance Book 6) by Sofia Aves
Description
I don’t believe in Destiny. I make my own fate on and off the ice. But when I see her again, it’s game on.
I’ve always stayed the hell out of l the Chimeras drama. Keep my head down and play it hard on the ice, leave everything else safe in my heart. Focus on the career.
Never let anyone in.
Until I find myself staring into pretty eyes I haven’t seen in years that nearly knock me on my a** in the middle of a game.
When the girl I was sweet on back in high school is stranded by her butthole of an ex in the middle of a rain storm afterward the game I nearly threw, I’m right there beside her.
Accident? More?
This is my second chance with the girl I’ve never forgotten and I’m taking it with both hands. Because she doesn’t know my secret. The fantasy I’ve kept to myself all these years with her right at the center.
Hell, I’ll do anything for this girl. I’ll even let her puck me over. As long as I can keep her.
I’m not the nice guy everyone thinks. I’ll protect her from her ex, and even from herself. And she’s about to find that out. Tonight.
PUCK ME TWICE OVER is a stalker dark romance filled with twisted second chances and obsessions that flow in both directions set in Sofia Aves’ Jericho Chimeras’ world.
Publication Date 18/8/2026
Puck Me Twice Over: a Jericho Chimeras Second Chance spicy romance (Jericho Chimeras Hockey Romance Book 6) by Sofia Aves
My Review
I dove into Puck Me Twice Over knowing i would get a dark, obsessive hockey romance with a side of intensity, and this installment lived up to that promise in the best and most twisted ways.
The story centers on Knox, a player who has spent years keeping his head down, focusing solely on the ice and locking away anything that might distract him, until he locks eyes with the girl from his high school past during a game.
That moment of recognition hits hard, and when he finds Felicity stranded in a rainstorm after her ex leaves her hanging, the second chance he never expected suddenly becomes impossible to ignore.
What makes this a good read for me is the push/pull of their reconnection. Knox has carried a a torch for her for years, something he has never shared, and the way that secret fuels his determination to claim this opportunity feels all consuming.
He is not the nice guy the world assumes him to be, and the story leans fully into that darker edge…. protective to the point of possession, willing to shield her from her ex and even from her own doubts, all while the chemistry between them burns hot and fast.
The spice is generous and 😜, fitting the “stalker dark romance” label the book carries, with obsession flowing in both directions rather than remaining one sided.
The hockey world is definitely present, without letting it overwhelm the story.
The ice becomes both a refuge and a pressure cooker for Knox, and the second chance setup gives their history real weight.
The tension builds steadily, the protective streak intensifies, and the final stretch delivers the kind of charged payoff that I love with twisted second chance tropes.
This is not a light or purely sweet hockey romance. It is spicy, possessive, and dark in places.
If you enjoy second chance stories where the hero has been quietly obsessed for years and is finally ready to act on it consequences and all…. Puck Me Twice Over delivers a gripping, heat filled ride that left me both satisfied and a little breathless. 😜 🥵 🏒
The Vanishing: Book One of The Exiles by Kelsey Crane
Description
It all begins with a game. Six teenagers from around the world receive a mysterious VR headset and are dropped into RIZE: a hyper-realistic survival simulation game where the Earth still lives and breathes as it used to. But when tragedy strikes, the 17-year-olds are faced with a radical choice: to remain obedient heirs to a broken world or take their virtual civilization offline and build it for real.
In a daring heist, the six disappear. They flood the system with fake identities, hijack their supplies, and vanish into the Pacific Northwest to build The Ark: an off-grid homestead rooted in ancient wisdom, the science of permaculture, and the hope of creating a blueprint to save the world. At first, The Ark feels like utopia. Spring brings blossoms and blurred boundaries. But love entangles. Ideologies fracture. Winter descends. A traitor is unmasked, and survival turns brutal. As the outside world hunts them, and the true creator of RIZE is revealed, cracks in their idyllic community begin to form. They had set out to save the world, but now they’re fighting to save themselves.
Publication Date 18/8/2026
The Vanishing: Book One of The Exiles by Kelsey Crane
My Review
I picked up The Vanishing drawn by its premise…. six teenagers from around the world receive mysterious VR headsets, enter a hyper realistic survival simulation called RIZE that shows Earth as it once was, and then make the radical decision to abandon the broken real world and try building something better offline. (Sounds a little like the Maze 🤔)
What starts as a game soon becomes more, a disappearance into the Pacific Northwest, and the creation of The Ark (an off grid homestead grounded in ancient knowledge, and stubborn hope.)
This is a YA dystopia that feels uncomfortably close to home rather than distant spectacle. No superpowers, no monsters, just ordinary 17 year olds confronting a world of pollution, scarcity, and systems that no longer serve them.
The choice they face…. remain obedient heirs to a failing civilization or risk everything to try living differently lands had me turning those pages. The early sections in the simulation and the transition to building The Ark are particularly effective at making the environmental stakes personal and tangible.
What worked best for me was the found family dynamic and the focus on the daily work of creating a community. Spring at The Ark brings the expected blossoming and blurred boundaries…. love, ideology, and personality clashes. Winter brings its own issues and external pressure harden everything.
The characters had great backgrounds, traumas, and skills, watching them try (and sometimes fail) to become a functioning unit was really compelling (I’d happily watch this on the big screen.)
Utopia is fragile. Relationships tangle. Trust fractures. A traitor emerges. Survival gets brutal. These elements keep the story from feeling naïve. At the same time, the book never fully abandons hope, the sense that young people might still be able to live a different life from their parents.
Pacing is deliberate in places. Getting to know six distinct points of view and settling into the rhythms of The Ark takes time, and some of the day to day details may feel slower if you’re primarily looking for high stakes thriller momentum. But once the external pressure and internal cracks intensify, the tension rises effectively.
The writing is clear, strong on atmosphere and emotional moments without becoming too much.
As a debut and the first in a series, The Vanishing sets up larger questions about technology, nature, community, and what it actually costs to try changing the trajectory of a damaged world. It left me invested in the characters and curious about where the story goes next.
If you like character driven YA that treats climate crisis and found family seriously then give this one a go.
It’s thoughtful and often moving.
I’m glad I read it, and I’ll be looking for Book Two.
Falling in love with my best friend’s little brother is the biggest mistake I could possibly make. But Cash Ellis has hypnotized me since we were children. Every song I write is a love letter. A plea. Lamenting what can never be.
As my best friend gets angrier and more unrecognizable with each setting sun, I find that I’m taking solace in Cash’s company. I shouldn’t. It’ll prove my undoing. It’s only a matter of time before my one-time best friend finds out.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 13/8/2026
One Breath (Isle of Kala Book 2) by Crea Reitan
My Review
One Breath pulls me in from the very first line of the description, that quiet confession that every note of longing tastes like Cash.
There is something immediately intimate and painful about the way Onyx frames the story, as if the music itself has become both sanctuary and confession.
Falling for a best friend’s little brother is one of those classic forbidden setups that can feel overdone, yet here it lands with a particular ache because the history between them stretches all the way back to childhood.
Cash has always been the one who hypnotized Onyx, the constant undercurrent in every song written, every lyric shaped into a love letter that can never be delivered. That long, slow burn of unspoken feeling gives the story weight before it even properly begins.
What makes it so tense is the slow erosion of the friendship that once felt unbreakable. As the best friend grows angrier and more unrecognizable with each passing day, Onyx turns toward Cash almost instinctively, seeking the steadiness and understanding that used to come from elsewhere.
I love this author’s work, they have always been skilled at writing characters who are messy and human rather than perfectly heroic, and this setup seems tailor made.
The island setting of the Isle of Kala series adds another layer. I love this island and its inhabitants, is a sense of closed community and watchful eyes that heightens the stakes.
But secrets do not stay hidden long in places like that, and the knowledge that the truth will eventually surface creates a constant low level dread that sits beneath the romance.
The music element was a lovely addition. Songs as love letters, as pleas, as the only safe way to say the unsayable, give Onyx a voice that is both artistic and deeply personal. It turns the internal conflict into something external and lasting, something that will exist even if the relationship itself cannot.
I find myself most drawn to the quiet moments of it all. Onyx knows this will prove an undoing, knows the cost, and still cannot step away. That kind of helpless honesty is what stays with me after reading the description, I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to know more, even though I knew I would probably need a tissue 😢
It promised a story that does not shy away from the messiness of wanting someone you are not supposed to want, of finding comfort in the one place that will eventually cost you everything else. And it delivered that and more.
One Breath was a book that left me sitting with the characters long after the last page, still hearing the songs that were written for someone who was never supposed to know they existed. I loved it. And can’t wait to return to Isle of Kala.
After a lot of suffering, she gathers the courage to dump him, at the behest of her friends. Especially Darius’s, who has had his eyes on her since they met, though he has managed to hide it behind an aloof mask.
To get rid of secret messages and midnight calls, Daiana comes up with the brilliant idea of asking Darius for a fake relationship. Ha!
The joke’s on her, because she’s the one who breaks the rules they set between them.
But can she accept that their friendship is becoming something more?
Publication Date 15/8/2027
Just a Glimpse by D.M.R.
My Review
Just a Glimpse is the kind of romance that pulls you in with its familiar setup and then keeps you invested through the messy, human way the characters actually navigate it.
Daiana’s story begins in a place of real pain! An ending marked by violence that forces her to reclaim her life with the support of her friends. That foundation matters. The story doesn’t rush past the aftermath or treat her decision to leave as a neat plot device…. instead, it lets the weight of that experience sit with her, shaping how cautiously she approaches anything new.
What follows is the classic fake relationship arrangement, sparked by her desire to shut down unwanted contact from her past. She turns to Darius, the friend who has been quietly watching her for longer than either of them fully admits. His aloof exterior is a thin cover for something more genuine, and the tension between what they pretend and what they begin to feel drives much of the emotional pull.
The humor in Daiana’s “brilliant idea” lands well at first, there’s a lightness to the early stages of their arrangement, but the story earns its depth when she is the one who starts breaking the rules they set.
That shift feels honest rather than forced. Friendship turning into something deeper is never as clean as the rules pretend it will be, and the story lets that complication unfold at a natural pace.
The real strength here is how the book handles the question of whether Daiana can accept the change. Recovery from an abusive relationship doesn’t vanish just because a new connection appears, and the story respects that complexity. Darius’s patience and the gradual erosion of his carefully maintained distance give the romance room to breathe without rushing into easy declarations.
Moments of vulnerability between them feel earned, and the supporting friendships add warmth without overshadowing the central pair.
It isn’t a perfect book, there are stretches where the internal conflict circles the same ground a little longer than necessary, but the emotional core holds.
Just a Glimpse delivers a solid, heartfelt take on the fake dating to real feelings trope, grounded in the reality of healing and the quiet courage it takes to let someone new in.
If you enjoy romance that balances light chemistry with heavier emotional stakes, this one is worth the time.
Helping a drugged Devil Daddy wasn’t the only risky move Rosa had ever taken.
The newest member of the Devil Daddies MC, Street works hard to prove himself. Who knew his attempt to spy on the Ravagers’ plans would end with a slip of a woman driving his beloved motorcycle? Now, his rescuer needs protecting and Street will do everything in his power to keep her safe.
Rosa Serrano has survived on her own since she was fourteen. Staying under the radar has forced her to work crappy jobs where they don’t ask questions. She should have stayed quiet, but the last guy the Ravagers targeted met a bad end. Can she truly trust the tough biker whose caring Daddy dominance calls to the woman she’s buried deep inside?
The members of the Devil Daddies MC will risk all to secure two things: special acquisitions and women with a Little side.
Publication Date 11/8/2026
Street: Devil Daddies MC by Pepper north
My Review
Street: Devil Daddies MC delivers exactly the kind of high stakes, protective romance that I love from this series, and it does so with a hero who feels both raw and carefully layered.
Street is the newest story in the club series, still grinding to prove his loyalty, and the moment he ends up drugged and vulnerable while spying on the rival Ravagers, the story locks into place.
Rosa doesn’t just help him, she steals his bike in the process of saving him, which is such a perfect, chaotic meet/cute for this world.
From that point on, the tension never really lets up. Street’s determination to keep her safe collides with Rosa’s long habit of surviving alone, and the push/pull between them is what carries the whole book.
Rosa is one of those heroines who feels earned. She’s been on her own since fourteen, working the kind of invisible jobs that let her stay under the radar, and she has the wary instincts to match. When she risks drawing the Ravagers’ attention by helping Street, it lands as a genuine character choice rather than a plot convenience. Watching her slowly let someone else take the lead, especially someone whose Daddy dominance speaks to the part of herself she’s kept buried, is quietly satisfying.
The author doesn’t rush that trust. She lets Rosa’s independence and Street’s protective streak grate against each other in ways that feel authentic to both characters.
The motorcycle club backdrop and the ongoing threat from the Ravagers keep the external stakes high, but the parts I loved the most comes from the quieter moments… Street’s quiet care, the way he reads what Rosa needs even when she can’t ask for it, and the slow unfurling of the dynamic that defines so much of the author’s work.
It’s steamy without being reckless, protective without becoming overbearing, and it lands with the kind of emotional payoff that makes the series worth following.
If you’ve enjoyed the earlier Devil Daddies books, Street feels like a natural and satisfying next ride, gritty on the outside, deeply tender underneath.
Wulf, Tales of the Chosen: Erotic Gay Sci-Fi by Kayelle Allen
Description
With his career threatened and his life at risk…
Wulf must seek help from the man responsible for the death of Wulf’s father.
Luc Saint-Cyr, a.k.a. the Harbinger. An enigmatic man whose legendary power makes him the most feared person in the empire, and the one person Wulf swore he would never trust again.
For the Harbinger, saving Wulf is a simple matter of asserting his will. Luc’s ties to the Thieves’ Guild grant him access anywhere. He can shield Wulf without difficulty.
Until Luc brings Wulf home for safekeeping, and discovers the real reason for the threats. Protecting Wulf has not only put his and Wulf’s lives at risk, it’s also risked the life of Luc’s teenaged son.
Now, this is beyond protection.
To the Harbinger, this is personal…
Wulf, Tales of the Chosen, an erotic MM Sci-Fi romance between a lusty immortal and a hot, mortal supermodel who longs for protection.
For detailed content notes, see the trigger warnings on the author’s website.
Publication Date 3/3/2021
Wulf, Tales of the Chosen: Erotic Gay Sci-Fi by Kayelle Allen
My Review
Wulf delivers exactly what the blurb promises: steamy MM sci-fi with high stakes and power imbalance tension.
A celebrity model forced to rely on the immortal “Harbinger” who destroyed his family makes for a charged enemies to lovers setup.
The Tarthian Empire world building is solid, the heat is explicit and frequent, and Luc’s protective intensity (plus the added risk to his son) keeps the personal stakes sharp.
It’s a quick, lust driven read that prioritizes desire and danger over deep emotional resolution.
Fans of erotic gay space opera will enjoy the ride, those wanting stronger emotional payoff or tighter plotting may find it uneven.
Solid entry in its niche, hot, dramatic, and unapologetically adult.
Risk Appetite (London Bound Book 1) by Amara Pardeshi
Description
They taught her that good decisions were the safest ones. London is teaching her something far more dangerous.
Amara Pardeshi has built her life on discipline. A risk analyst at Sterling Rowe, she trusts numbers more than instincts, caution more than impulse, and has spent years becoming the kind of woman who never wants too much. Raised between expectation and ambition, she has learned how to succeed without making a mess of herself.
Until Lucas Scott.
As Head Chef of Opus Blue, the crown jewel of restaurateur Hugo Vinther’s growing empire, Lucas is central to a high-profile expansion proposal that lands on Amara’s desk. Quietly confident and impossible to impress, he unsettles her in ways she cannot explain. The more time they spend together, the more she discovers that certainty can be as intoxicating as ambition – and far harder to resist.
As boardrooms give way to restaurant kitchens, rooftop bars, and late-night conversations, Amara finds herself caught between professional judgment and personal longing. What begins as attraction deepens into something far more disruptive – a challenge to everything she believes about control, ambition, and the life she is supposed to want.
When the future of the deal – and her relationship with Lucas – begins to fracture under the weight of impossible choices, she must decide whether caution has been protecting her all along, or simply keeping her from herself.
Set between the polished world of London finance and the charged atmosphere of fine dining, Risk Appetite is a character-driven contemporary romance about desire, identity, and the quiet courage required to choose a life that belongs to you.
Tropes Include:
🖤Workplace Romance
💛Reserved Heroine
🖤Dominant Hero
💛Opposites Attract
🖤Forced Proximity
💛Good Girl Awakening
Publication Date 6/8/2026
Risk Appetite (London Bound Book 1) by Amara Pardeshi
My Review
Amara is the kind of woman who has turned discipline into both armour and identity, someone raised between expectation and ambition who has learned to succeed without ever allowing herself to want too much.
That restraint is what makes her encounter with Lucas Scott so quietly disruptive. As Head Chef of Opus Blue, he represents everything her professional world tries to contain, yet he remains quietly confident and impossible to impress in a way that unsettles her from the start.
What drew me most is how the story seems to refuse the usual shortcuts of workplace romance. The high profile expansion proposal that lands on Amara’s desk is not merely a convenient plot device, it becomes the pressure point where professional judgement and personal longing begin to collide.
The shift from boardrooms to restaurant kitchens, rooftop bars and late night conversations had me glued to the pages.
You can almost feel the temperature change as Amara moves between the polished certainty of London finance and the charged, sensory world of fine dining. Lucas does not storm in and overturn her carefully ordered existence, he simply exists in a way that makes her question the value of that order.
And when the future of the deal and her relationship with Lucas start to fracture under impossible choices, the question of whether she has been keeping herself safe by guarding her heart comes to the forefront. Can she really have both? Or will she pick the safe option?
It is not just about two people falling for each other, it is about a woman discovering that the systems she trusted to keep her steady may also have been limiting her.
Risk Appetite was the kind of romance that understands the cost of control and the unexpected freedom that can come from finally risking more than numbers on a page.
Healing the Demon: A Cozy, Spicy, Monster Fantasy Romance (Demons of the Rift Book 2) by Evelyn Embers
Description
Running a Boston ER is controlled chaos. Falling into a dying dimension and landing at the feet of a seven-foot demon medic? That requires a totally different triage protocol.
I’m a nurse, not an interdimensional traveller. But in a sunless realm where humans are enemy number one, my only shield is the terrifying demon who scoops me up.
Torik is a mountain of sweeping wings, lethal horns, and a rugged dad bod. He’s a deeply grumpy, solitary healer who spends his lonely days with his pet lizard. He’s also the most infuriatingly stubborn male alive.
Now, we’re trapped together in his rustic clinic, two fiercely dedicated medical professionals clashing over everything. He barks orders for me to stay hidden from other demons; I can’t just sit quietly while there are patients to save.
He refuses to let me lift a finger, but when I ignore him and do it anyway, those clawed hands are devastatingly gentle when he washes the grime from my curls, or pulls me against his broad chest in his single bed just to keep me warm.
Giving in to the blistering heat between us—and his very, very accommodating demon anatomy—is a dangerous game when one wrong move could get us both killed. Because once this grumpy monster claims my heart, I might just burn the portal home.
Healing the Demon is a cozy, high-heat monster romance featuring:
Cozy Fantasy Monster Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Extreme Size Difference
Cinnamon Roll Caretaking
Forced Proximity
Portal Fantasy
Magic
Competent, Smart Heroine in her 30s
Hidden Identity
Fated Mates
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
No 3rd Act Break-Up
No Pregnancy (for the FMC)
Guaranteed HEA!
Publication Date 7/8/2026
Healing the Demon: A Cozy, Spicy, Monster Fantasy Romance (Demons of the Rift Book 2) by Evelyn Embers
My Review
Healing the Demon is the kind of book that slips under your skin and stays there, wrapping you in equal parts warmth and heat until you forget the outside world for a while.
From the moment Sloane, an exhausted Boston ER nurse, tumbles into a dying, sunless realm and lands at the feet of Torik, a towering demon medic with sweeping wings, lethal horns, and the kind of rugged dad bod that somehow feels more comforting than intimidating, the story settles into a rhythm that feels both dangerous and deeply intimate.
What struck me most was how naturally the two of them clash and then soften around each other. Sloane is capable, stubborn, and unable to sit still while people need help, even when those people have claws and the world around her considers humans the enemy!
Torik is the classic solitary grump who has built his entire life around quiet competence and a pet lizard 🦎 for company, yet the moment he scoops her up, his protectiveness turns almost aching in its intensity.
Watching two people who have spent years taking care of everyone else slowly remember how to let someone take care of them was great to watch. Their arguments over medical protocols in his rustic clinic are sharp and funny, but the quieter moments, the careful way his clawed hands wash the grime from her curls, the way he pulls her against his broad chest in that single bed just to keep her warm, carry a tenderness that makes the spice land even harder when it arrives.
And the spice does arrive, fully and unapologetically. The author doesn’t shy away from the size difference or the unique accommodations of demon anatomy, and the heat between them builds with a delicious sense of inevitability rather than sudden convenience…. every charged glance and careful touch grows out of the forced proximity and the slow recognition that they are both lonely in the same bone deep way. The danger of discovery by other demons keeps the stakes real without overwhelming the cozy atmosphere of their little clinic sanctuary.
I closed the book feeling the same satisfied ache I get from the best comfort reads, the ones that manage to be both soft and scorching at once.
Sloane and Torik’s story is about two healers learning that they are allowed to need something for themselves, and that the person who can give it to them might just have horns and wings.
If you like your monster romance with genuine emotional healing, high heat, and the kind of protective caretaking that makes you sigh, this one delivers.
I already miss that grumpy demon and his lizard.🦎 💜
Secret Seduction: a single dad, dark romance (Tempting Love Book 4) by Nikki ash
Description
From USA Today Bestselling author Nikki Ash comes a single dad, age gap, dark romance …
She’s too young. Too reckless. And now she’s my wife.
Vanessa Baker is a temptation with a body made for seduction and secrets swirling in her violet eyes.
There’s no denying that she’s a stunning woman, but she’s a wild card.
Irresistible, unpredictable, and unexpected.
Exactly the kind of trouble I’ve vowed to stay away from.
So, imagine my shock when I wake up in the Bahamas with a ring on my finger and Vanessa in my bed—with no memory of how either got there.
She swears she had no choice. That marrying me was the only way to save herself from a dangerous deal she’d never agreed to.
And now I’m torn between protecting her and resenting her … doing the right thing and wishing I’d never met her.
I don’t trust easily. Not with my heart. Not with my son. And I definitely don’t trust her.
But I bring her home anyway—because her life is at risk. And even though she doesn’t deserve my protection, she has it.
Every day she’s here, charming my son, slipping past my walls, she reminds me of what love is supposed to feel like.
So, what happens when she doesn’t need me anymore … and I still want her anyway?
Please note: Secret Seduction is not a mafia romance. The book is a dark romance because of its content. Since dark romance can mean different things to different readers, please check the detailed content warnings on my website. Your mental health matters.
Publication Date 6/8/2026
Secret Seduction: a single dad, dark romance (Tempting Love Book 4) by Nikki ash
My Review
Secret Seduction, pulled me in with that classic setup of waking up married to a stranger and never quite let me go.
Lorenzo is every bit the guarded single dad the blurb promises, protective of his son to a fault, distrustful after being burned before, and determined to keep his walls high.
Vanessa arrives as pure chaos in the form of a younger woman with secrets in her eyes and a body that tempts him even while he resents the ring suddenly sitting on his finger. Watching him wrestle between resentment and the instinct to protect her felt raw and believable, especially once he brings her into his home and she starts slipping past those carefully built defenses one quiet moment at a time.
What surprised me most was how the forced marriage never felt like a pure convenience trope for long. Vanessa’s reasons for needing the protection are dark enough to justify the label, and Lorenzo’s conflicted sense of duty creates real tension that keeps the pages turning.
Yet the heart of the story lives in the softer moments, the way she charms his son without trying, the gradual thawing of Lorenzo’s suspicion, and the slow realization that the woman he never meant to keep is the one making him remember what it feels like to want more than safety.
Their chemistry builds with a delicious reluctance that makes every charged interaction land harder when the heat finally arrives.
The author balances the darker undercurrents with genuine sweetness, especially in the scenes involving the little boy who steals more than a few of the best moments. By the time the question of what happens when Vanessa no longer needs Lorenzo’s protection becomes urgent, I was fully invested in whether this grumpy, fiercely loyal man would let himself keep the unexpected wife who had already claimed a place in his carefully ordered life.
It’s messy, protective, and ultimately satisfying in the way the best age gap single dad stories can be when the emotional walls come down.
I closed the book feeling that familiar ache of wanting just a little more time with these two and the family they somehow built in the middle of all the secrets.
A Cymbal Of His Love: Rockstar Romance (The Silent Oath series Book 2) by C.M. Harte
Description
Sophia is a down-to-earth single mom with a quiet strength, fierce love for her son and a deadbeat ex determined to make her life difficult. She swore she’d never fall for another musician – that was until he came into her life.
Sam is the fun-loving drummer of Silent Oath. Who parties hard, laughs loud and hides his pain behind jokes and charm.
She’s the calm to his chaos. They shouldn’t work. They shouldn’t fit together.
He wants nothing more than to be worthy of her, but can he do that when everything around him, including the battles within himself, threaten to tear them apart?
What happens when the storm feels unyielding and shadows wait around every corner ready to pounce?
As their worlds collide, will they become the family they deserve?
Or will Sam implode and take everyone with him…
Publication Date 3/8/2026
A Cymbal Of His Love: Rockstar Romance (The Silent Oath series Book 2) by C.M. Harte
My Review
A Cymbal of His Love pulled me in from the very first chapter and refused to let go.
As someone who doesn’t usually reach for rockstar romances, I was surprised by how deeply this story stayed with me.
Sophia is so strong but not in that flawless, untouchable way. She’s a single mom carrying the weight of a deadbeat ex, protecting her son with everything she has, and still somehow keeping her heart open enough to let Sam in despite every warning bell in her head. I loved her quiet determination and the way her calm presence slowly becomes the anchor Sam desperately needs.
Sam, on the other hand, is pure chaos wrapped in charm, and the author writes him so convincingly that you can’t help but root for him even when he’s making questionable choices. His humor, the way he hides real pain behind jokes and late night parties, watching him grapple with his own demons while trying to prove himself worthy of Sophia and her son was both heartbreaking and hopeful.
Their dynamic is electric, the classic “opposites attract” done right, where her steadiness doesn’t extinguish his fire but gives it direction.
The romance is steamy and heartfelt, but what really stood out was the emotional depth. The book doesn’t shy away from the messiness of blending families, battling inner shadows, and the constant fear that everything could fall apart.
There were moments that genuinely tugged at my heart, scenes of vulnerability, quiet domestic tenderness, and the heavy pull of Sam’s internal storm.
The side characters from the band and Sophia’s world just added another layer without ever stealing focus.
By the end, I was fully invested in whether these two could actually make it work.
It’s a story about choosing to fight for love even when the odds feel stacked against you, and about finding family in the most unexpected places.
If you enjoy rockstar romances with real stakes, flawed but lovable heroes, and heroines who feel like friends you’d cheer for, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
I’m already looking forward to the rest of the Silent Oath series.
The Pucks We Freeze: A Grumpy/Sunshine Hockey Romance (Rixton U) by Brooke O’Brien
Description
A small-town stepbrother romance by Brooke O’Brien about a girl trying to stay in control and the grumpy hockey player who still remembers the night she ran—and what it did to him when she didn’t look back.
I never expected to see Willow Anson again—not after the way she left.
No warning. No goodbye. No explanation.
She was the girl who got under my skin.
The one who kissed me like she meant it… and disappeared like none of it mattered. I’ve spent every day since convincing myself it didn’t.
Now she’s back in Rixton, staying at her family’s lodge while her dad recovers from surgery. And thanks to our parents’ surprise wedding, we’re stuck under the same roof.
She’s off-limits. My new stepsister. But the way she looks at me says she remembers everything.
And the tension between us? It’s anything but frozen.
I’ve trained my whole life to handle pressure—on and off the ice. The last thing I need is a distraction in the middle of a season that’s already falling apart.
Games are being thrown. Players are faking injuries. And Willow’s holding on to the photos that could expose everything.
They’re watching. Threatening. Waiting for us to slip.
But I’m not just playing defense anymore.
I’m fighting for the truth. For my team.
And for the girl I never stopped wanting.
What you get in The Pucks We Freeze…
🏒 Stepbrother
🩵Grumpy x Sunshine
🏒 Hockey
🩵Small College Town
🏒 Secrets, Lies, and Scandals
🩵Prequel Novella
🏒 Interconnected Standalone
Publication Date 22/8/2025
The Pucks We Freeze: A Grumpy/Sunshine Hockey Romance (Rixton U) by Brooke O’Brien
My Review
The Pucks We Freeze is a solid, engaging prequel novella that kicks off the Rixton U series with plenty of steam, tension, and a hint of suspense.
This story centers on Kade, a grumpy hockey player who’s laser focused on his game amid a team scandal involving thrown matches and threats, and Willow, the sunshine to his grump his new stepsister after their parents’ surprise wedding.
The forbidden step sibling dynamic adds immediate spice, layered with a past one night connection where Willow ghosted him, leaving lingering hurt and unresolved chemistry. Now forced under the same roof, old feelings resurface while external dangers (blackmail, photos that could ruin the team) keep the stakes high.
What works really well here is the grumpy/sunshine trope execution. Kade’s brooding, protective nature contrasts nicely with Willow’s brighter, more open personality, creating fun banter and electric tension. The hockey elements feel authentic without overwhelming the romance, and the small town college vibe sets up the interconnected series effectively.
The suspense plot of secrets, lies, scandals, and a mystery unfolding across the books adds intrigue beyond just the romance, making this feel like more than a typical sports romcom.
As a prequel, it teases the larger arc without resolving everything, which is smart for hooking readers into the full series. 😉
The romance is steamy and swoony, with solid emotional depth in how both characters grapple with trust, past hurts, and family changes.
It’s a quick, addictive read, perfect for us that like forbidden tropes, second chance vibes (even if it’s more “unfinished business”), and hockey romances with a dash of mystery.
The author delivers the heat and heart, and the chemistry between Kade and Willow is believable and hot. 🥵
On the flip side, as a novella, some elements (like the scandal buildup) feel introductory and fast paced, leaving you wanting more depth in places.
The step sibling aspect might be a hard no for some readers due to the taboo factor, though it’s handled with the usual romance novel consent and emotional buildup.
It’s a strong, fun launch to the Rixton U world, great for a weekend escape if you love grumpy heroes who fight for what (and who) they want, sunshine heroines with backbone, and just enough drama to keep pages turning.
If you’re into interconnected hockey series like those from other authors in the genre, this is a promising start.
Highly recommend for romance readers craving that mix of sports, forbidden attraction, and suspense.
Island Wolf: A Fated Mates Paranormal Wolf Shifter Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 1) by Rachel Armstrong
Description
“There is just one rule. Don’t eat the koalas.”
The Alpha of the Magnetic Island Pack has neglected his duties and escaped into the bush to live as a wolf after the death of his mate. With rogue wolves on the mainland threatening to destroy them, the pack make a desperate attempt to defend their territory. They call a Warrior of the Moon Goddess for help.
Finn Cassidy has lived a nomadic life saving wolf packs in the hope of finding a home. Since escaping his ruthless father, it has been his mission to honor the Goddess and fight those who don’t—rogue wolves. But to restore the Alpha on Magnetic Island, Finn must face his darkest rivals yet. And a greater challenge—meeting his mate.
Finn won’t let distractions deter him from his mission, but he can’t ignore Fate. Ava Hart has been hurt by the rogues and though she remains ignorant of the paranormal world, the best way to protect her is to forge their mating bond. As they work together at the koala hospital, desire ignites and Finn gains her trust. But can Ava embrace his world and accept him as her mate? Will proving the pack can protect their mates from the rogues be enough to lure the Alpha out of the bush? Or does Fate have other plans this coming full moon?
The first book of the Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island series by award winning author Rachel Armstrong!
A Fated Mates Paranormal Wolf Shifter Romance
★★★★★ If you love:
Alpha hero
Cinnamon roll hero
Heroine in peril
Forced proximity
Just one bed
He’ll burn the world down for you
Slow burn spicy romance
Then this book is for you!
Publication Date 4/1/2025
Island Wolf: A Fated Mates Paranormal Wolf Shifter Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 1) by Rachel Armstrong
My Review
I picked up Island Wolf knowing almost nothing about Rachel Armstrong’s work beyond the fact that it was a fated mates shifter romance set on Magnetic Island, and I finished it wishing I’d discovered the series sooner.
The opening rule“Don’t eat the koalas” sets a tone that felt playful, and that toneplace really leaves the page.
Real bays, resorts, a shipwreck you can actually snorkel, and a genuine koala hospital all sit comfortably beside the pack politics and moon goddess mythology, which makes the paranormal elements feel less generic than they do in so many of these stories.
Finn arrives as a lone Warrior of the Moon Goddess, nomadic and scarred by a ruthless father, and almost immediately runs into Ava, a physiotherapist who has fled an abusive situation and is trying to rebuild herself while helping her friend at the koala rescue.
Their chemistry builds at a satisfying pace, Finn’s protectiveness is intense without tipping into pure caveman territory for most of the book, and Ava’s wariness felt real.
The dual perspective lets you sit inside both the slow burn and the practical. Watching as she learns to trust someone who is literally not entirely human.
The koala rehabilitation subplot could have been pure window dressing, yet it becomes one of the warmer, more human threads, giving the characters shared purpose beyond the inevitable mating bond.
What kept me turning pages was the larger conflict. The Magnetic Island pack is fractured after the Alpha lost his mate and retreated into the bush as a wolf, while rogue wolves on the mainland pose a real threat.
There is action, some genuine darkness, and a few moments of heat that didn’t overtake the plot. A couple of the classic tropes (the “I’m keeping secrets to protect you” refrain, the size difference, the touch her and die energy) are present and accounted for, so if those bother you this may not be your book. For me they mostly worked because the characters around Finn and Ava especially the pack members trying to hold everything together have enough personality to keep the story from feeling over crowded.
It ends with enough resolution to satisfy while clearly leaving threads for the next books, and I closed it already curious about who else on the island is about to get their own moon blessed complication.
If you like your shifter romance with a strong sense of place, a found family pack vibe, and a heroine who isn’t instantly swept off her feet by destiny, Island Wolf is a solid, entertaining start.
🦋
Island Bite: A Friends to Lovers Billionaire Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 2) by Rachel Armstrong
Description
“I can tell you one thing, wolfie. She tastes good.”
The Magnetic Island Pack have won a battle against the rogues, but the war is far from over. The Dark Alpha will retaliate quickly and hit the pack where it hurts most, by targeting their Fated mates. And he’s about to unleash his deadliest assassins yet. Vampires.
Rain Blackwood has resisted his Fated mate for years to protect her from his enemy. Since his brother abandoned the pack, Rain has made it his mission to restore Sly’s faith in the Moon Goddess and save him from turning feral. He needs to prove that the pack can protect their mates and form his own mating bond. That is, if it’s not already too late.
Eden Starr has loved Rain since she first laid eyes on him. But despite the unexplainable connection she feels to her mysterious friend, she can’t wait for him any longer. Determined to move on, Eden finds herself strangely infatuated with a charming, charismatic stranger interested in supporting her koala hospital. But Lucas isn’t who he seems, and Eden suddenly finds herself facing the horrors of the paranormal world. With her life on the line, Rain is the only man with the power to save her. But can Eden find the strength to overcome her fears and embrace her new fate? Can Rain defeat the devious bat-shifting vampires hiding in shadows? Or will saving Eden’s life cost Rain everything he believes in beneath the darkness of the new moon?
Book Two of the Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island series by Award Winning Author Rachel Armstrong!
A Friends to Lovers, Paranormal
★★★★★ If you love:
Billionaire hero
Heroine in peril
Friends to lovers
Werewolves vs Vampires
Forced proximity
He’ll burn the world down for you
Slow burn spicy romance
Then this book is for you!
Publication Date 10/5/2025
Island Bite: A Friends to Lovers Billionaire Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 2) by Rachel Armstrong
My Review
After finishing Island Wolf I went straight into Island Bite, and it felt I’d never left.
This time the focus shifts to Rain Blackwood and Eden Starr, the pair whose slow burn tension had been simmering quietly in the background of the first book.
Rain has spent years keeping Eden at arm’s length, convinced that claiming his fated mate would only paint a target on her for the Dark Alpha and his growing army of threats.
Eden, meanwhile, has loved him for just as long and has finally decided she cannot keep waiting for a man who treats her like a precious secret rather than a partner. When she starts responding to the interest of a charming newcomer who claims to care about her koala hospital, the careful distance Rain has maintained begins to crack.
Their history gives every charged glance and almost confession real weight, and when the paranormal world finally crashes into Eden’s life complete with bat shifting vampires sent to destroy the pack through its mates, the stakes felt personal.
The same vivid Magnetic Island setting that grounded the first book is still doing excellent work here, the ongoing koala rescue work, and the everyday rhythms of island life sit comfortably beside the darker, bloodier conflict. That contrast keeps the story from tipping too far into pure darkness, there are still moments of warmth, banter, and genuine care for the animals that remind you why these characters fight so hard for their home.
Rain remains stubborn and protective to a fault, and the familiar “I’m hiding the truth to keep you safe” pattern does reappear, which can grow a little frustrating. Yet Eden’s strength and independence push back against it in ways that had me smiling, we all know how much Rain cares, it’s now time to claim his mate!
The new vampire threat raises the danger level nicely, and the pack’s secondary stories, especially those touching on grief and the fragile hope of bringing the former Alpha back from the edge, add depth without slowing the pace. There is spice, suspense, and a few genuine surprises that had me racing toward the end.
Like the first book, Island Bite closes with enough resolution to feel complete while clearly setting the stage for whatever comes next under the new moon.
I closed it already impatient for Sly’s story and for the pack’s war to reach its next turning point.
If you enjoy fated mates romance that mixes island atmosphere, found family loyalty, and a healthy dose of danger, this second installment delivers exactly what it promises and then some.
🦋
Island Moon: A Fated Mates Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 3) by Rachel Armstrong
Description
“If I wasn’t so broken, I wouldn’t hesitate to take you as mine.”
The Magnetic Island Pack are gaining strength. They’ve defeated the rogue wolves, killed the vampires, and only one enemy remains. Tyrone Thorne. The Dark Alpha of the Pallarenda Pack. And with his malicious right-hand man, he is ready to seize the island.
Sly Blackwood has lived as a wolf since the death of his mate, broken and savage in his hunger for revenge. Embracing the wolf is the only way he knows how to survive and destroy the Pallarenda Pack as to kill an animal, one has to become an animal. Or better yet, a monster. With the final battle brewing, Sly is ready to end this war and live out his days as a lone wolf. Until Fate intervenes with an unwelcome mating bond.
Isla came to perform at the Full Moon Party, but the popstar is more than she seems. She is everything Sly never wanted, the second chance he feared, and the only person with the power to pull Sly out of his self-imposed darkness and into the light. In an unexpected twist no one’s ready for, Isla finds herself thrust into the paranormal world from her nightmares with a man too broken to resist. But can she face her demons to help Sly become the man he once was? Can Sly let go of his anger and open his heart again? Or will Sly’s determination to save his second chance at love be the pack’s ultimate undoing?
Book 3 and the epic conclusion of the Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island series by award winning romance author Rachel Armstrong!
A Fated Mates Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance
★★★★★ If you love:
Broken heroes
Protective heroes
Fated mates (and not happy about it)
Grumpy/Sunshine
He’ll burn the world down for you
Wolf shifter battle
Then this book is for you!
Publication Date 1/8/2026
Island Moon: A Fated Mates Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island Book 3) by Rachel Armstrong
My Review
I went into Island Moon knowing it was the final chapter of the Wolf Shifters of Magnetic Island series, and I still wasn’t quite prepared for how satisfying it would feel to finally sit inside Sly Blackwood’s head.
For two books he has been the quiet, aching presence on the edges of the story, the former Alpha who chose the wolf after his mate was murdered and stayed there, feral with grief and hunger for revenge.
Watching him slowly, reluctantly claw his way back toward being human again is the emotional core of this book.
Isla arrives to perform at the Full Moon Party, she’s a chart topping popstar and has her own private wounds and a connection to Ava and Eden that pulls her straight into the pack’s orbit.
She isn’t the quick fix for our broken hero, oh no, she has her own demons and her own reasons for resisting the destiny the Moon Goddess seems determined to force on both of them. 🤐
Their mating bond feels less like instant magic and more like two damaged people recognizing something familiar in each other and deciding, against every instinct, to risk it. The push/pull between Sly’s self imposed darkness and Isla’s stubborn refusal to let him stay there had me clinging to my kindle, I loved the quieter moments, especially those between Sly and his brother. 🥺
Around them the larger war finally reaches its climax. The Dark Alpha and his remaining forces make their move on the island, and the pack’s found family loyalty is tested to its limits! There is more spice here, more gore, and a handful of genuinely kick a$$ sequences that reward the long build
up of the previous books.
By the time the final confrontation arrives and the epilogue closes the last door, I felt both satisfied and a little sad to leave these characters behind.
Island Moon does exactly what a series finale should…. delivers the villain confrontation that we had been promised, and ties up a few loose ends.
And still leaves room for the quiet hope that maybe, someday, we might return to this island again. 🤞🤞
If you have followed Finn, Ava, Rain, and Eden this far, Sly and Isla’s story is the one that makes the whole journey feel complete.
On this review is a prequel (you need to sign up to the newsletter to read) Then books 1-3. So all in total a whopping 4 reviews! 😜
Brutal Beauty book 0.5 (Brutal Beauty series) by Misti Wilds
Brutal Beauty book 0.5 (Brutal Beauty series) by Misti Wilds
Description
Three masked men claim my body. I never meant to give them my soul.
I’ve created the perfect life. Perfect image. Perfect career. Perfect home.
But when a masked man delivers an exclusive invitation to the most sought-after event in the city, I step out of my perfect world and enter theirs.
Rage. Rebel. Ruin. Three brothers who claim my body in front of a room of masked strangers.
My perfection cracks in their hands. They want more than the image I’ve created for myself – they want all of me.
The imperfections. The pain. The sorrow.
What I thought was one night of fun turns out to be a lifetime deal with three dangerous devils.
My soul is on offer, and they mean to collect no matter the price.
Brutal Beauty is a prequel novella that takes place prior to Celia’s full length romance, featured in the Brutal Beauty trilogy starting with book 1, Claimed by Rage. This novella features dubcon, explicit sex, cursing, multiple POVs, exhibitionism, and a whole lotta smut for such a short novella. For full TWs, please see the content warning page on the author’s website. https://mistiwilds.com/
Signing up to the authors’ site gives you this book as a thank you.
No publication date (not on Amazon)
My Review
Misti Wilds delivers a mesmerizing and tantalizing prequel to her series with “Brutal Beauty.” The novella captivates you right from the start, plunging them into a world where perfection meets chaos, and the allure of danger beckons with open arms.
The story revolves around Celia, a woman who has crafted her life to perfection, a perfect career, a perfect image, a perfect home. Yet, as the saying goes, “all that glitters is not gold.” Her ordered existence shatters when she receives an enigmatic invitation from a masked man to an exclusive event, drawing her into a world that is anything but perfect….
Enter the three brothers… (Rage, Rebel, and Ruin) Each represents a different facet of complexity, intensity, and allure. Their masked identities symbolize not just the mystery that surrounds them, but also the layers of their personalities and desires. As they claim Celia’s body in a daring display before a crowd of strangers, the vulnerability of her carefully constructed facade is laid bare.…
Celia’s journey from an image focused life to one filled with raw imperfections, pain, and sorrow is nail biting. The author deftly navigates themes of vulnerability and the high cost of emotional engagement in relationships, effectively raising the stakes as Celia finds herself bound to these dangerous men, ultimately offering her soul in a bid for acceptance.
The pacing of the novella is good, moving fluidly from one intense scene to the next. The author’s vivid descriptions bring the party atmosphere to life, enveloping us in the tension and drama of the night.
In conclusion, “Brutal Beauty” is a provocative and beautifully written prequel that sets the stage for an enthralling series. With strong character development and a plot that dances between pleasure and pain, this novella is a must read for fans of romance with an edge.
Prepare for a whirlwind of emotions and an insatiable craving for more as you delve into Celia’s tumultuous journey.
🦋
Claimed by Rage: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 1) by Misti Wilds
Claimed by Rage: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 1) by Misti Wilds
Description
I thought I was falling for three dangerous men, but in the end, I only fall for their lies.
After a heartbreaking divorce, a sudden invitation to the most exclusive nightclub in the city is the fresh start I need to get back on my feet. But what begins as a fun diversion quickly forces me to my knees for three wicked brothers.
The eldest brother Rage controls the club with an iron fist–the same one he uses to enforce bratva law. Rebel is the troublemaker–stealing secrets is only fun when he gets caught, and mine are his new addiction. Ruin hides behind a mask, bringing death to everyone but me.
First they claim my body, then my entire life. But I have dreams these mafia enforcers can’t fulfill no matter what they promise. If I’m not careful, they’ll drag me into their darkness and make it feel like home. I can’t stop fighting or I’ll drown in their desires.
Because life with these brothers could be good–if I’m willing to give up everything in return.
Claimed by Rage is book one of the Brutal Beauty trilogy following Celia Monrovia’s RH. Why choose, Russian mafia, dark romance, cliffhanger ending for book 1, HEA guaranteed by the end of the series.
Publication Date 13/1/2025
My Review
I picked up Claimed by Rage on a whim after a long week, hoping for something steamy and escapist, and it absolutely delivered on the dark, intense vibes I was craving.
Following her painful divorce, Celia steps into an exclusive nightclub thinking it’s just a night to feel alive again…… Instead, she’s pulled into the orbit of three dangerously compelling brothers…. Rage, Rebel, and Ruin, who turn her world upside down in the most addictive way possible. 😜
What starts as a thrilling diversion quickly spirals into a possessive, all consuming connection that blurs the lines between desire and danger.
Misti Wilds does a fantastic job weaving that intoxicating reverse harem tension.
Each brother feels distinct….Rage’s commanding presence and iron fisted control set the tone for the Bratva world they inhabit, Rebel’s playful yet cunning nature keeps things unpredictable, and Ruin’s masked mystery adds a layer of lethal intrigue.
Their dynamic with Celia is raw and unapologetic, they claim her body first, but it’s the way they slowly infiltrate every part of her life that makes the story so gripping.
I loved how Celia isn’t a passive character, she’s fighting to hold onto her own dreams even as these men threaten to swallow her whole. The push/pull between her growing feelings and her need for independence created some tense, emotional moments.
The dark romance elements are handled with the right balance of heat and menace. There are plenty of spicy scenes that lean into the “why choose” fantasy without feeling over the top, and the Russian mafia backdrop adds a delicious layer of forbidden danger.
The author’s smooth, immersive style pulls you into the club’s shadowy atmosphere and the brothers’ world of secrets and violence.
That said, it’s not for the faint of heart, the possessiveness runs deep, and the cliffhanger ending left me desperate for the next book in the Brutal Beauty series.
If you enjoy dark mafia romances with complex anti heroes, strong willed heroines, and a slowburn emotional entanglement beneath all the steam, this one is worth diving into.
Just be prepared to clear your schedule, because once these brothers set their sights on Celia, it’s hard to put the book down.
I’m definitely continuing the series for that promised HEA. 😜 🔥 🖤
🦋
Tempted to Rebel: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 2) by Misti Wilds
Tempted to Rebel: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 2) by Misti Wilds
Description
They promised to love me, but that love might kill me.
After I finally agree to having a child with Rage, the domineering mafia enforcer holds on too tight. His love is suffocating, bruising, and too much for me to handle.
But his brother Rebel might be the secret to our success. He lives to bend the rules, and I quickly become his favorite one to break. As our stolen kisses heat up, the brothers learn that taking turns isn’t enough.
They need to share my body in order to claim my heart.
When a hidden threat starts claiming victims that look like me, the danger in our lives takes a darker turn. In order to protect the future we’re building together, we need to get stronger, and fast.
Because we can’t save each other if we’re at each other’s throats. Loving these men might kill me, but fighting with them guarantees it if I can’t change.
I’ll do anything to get our happy ending, even if it means walking through Hell to get there.
Tempted to Rebel is book two of the Brutal Beauty series, a why choose mafia dark romance filled with angst and a growing harem of brothers. You must read book one, Claimed by Rage, before reading book two, Tempted to Rebel. Book one and book two end on cliffhangers that lead directly into the next book, with the end of the series HEA guaranteed.
Publication Date 12/4/2025
My Review
Tempted to Rebel is the gripping sequel in the Brutal Beauty series, delivering an intense and tantalizing blend of dark romance and mafia intrigue. Misti Wilds expertly weaves a tale filled with emotional depth, suspense, and steamy encounters that kept me reading way past my bedtime! 😝
The story picks up with Celia struggling to balance her tumultuous relationship with Rage, the domineering mafia enforcer, whose love becomes a suffocating burden.
The author brilliantly captures the pain and tension that comes with extreme devotion, making me feel the weight of Rage’s overwhelming affection.
Enter Rebel, his brother, whose carefree rule bending nature introduces a breath of fresh air into the story. The chemistry between the characters sizzles, with Rebel’s playful defiance providing a counterbalance to Rage’s intensity.
As the plot unfolds, the stakes escalate when a hidden threat emerges.
The duality of their relationship dynamics adds yet another layer to the story.
The evolving harem aspect of the story adds all the emotions, as the characters navigate their feelings and learn that love isn’t a competition but a shared experience.(and what an experience 😜 🥵)
The plot threads lead to a cliffhanger that left me wanting the next book now!
In conclusion, Tempted to Rebel is a thrilling continuation of the Brutal Beauty saga, filled with angst, passion, and the promise of a hard earned happy ending.
Fans of dark romance and reverse harem stories will find this book a dark and delicious read.
🦋
NSFW Preview
Celia’s POV
Our lips crash together, and the groan reverberating inside Rebel’s chest leaves me buzzing from the sound. “Do that again,” I rasp, my eyes fluttering shut as his teeth skim my jaw.
He chuckles. “Oh, did you like tha—oh, fuuuuck.”
As I grind down on top of his iron-hard length, he moans loudly, flopping back onto the seat to gaze up at me through half-lidded eyes. Biting his bottom lip, he thrusts up, smirking when I gasp. “That’s it, baby, take what you want. I need you to feel good.” Cupping my breasts, he squeezes, massaging them and pinching my nipples between his knuckles.
I keen as pleasure ripples through me, soaking my panties and making me writhe that much harder on top of him.
Rebel curses under his breath, both of us panting. “Fuck, baby, fuck.”
Slipping off the leather jacket and pulling my t-shirt over my head, I give him better access to my tits before reaching down to undo his belt. He bucks up into me, hissing as my nails scratch his abdomen. “That’s right, pull me out, baby, feel how hard I am for you.” Lifting my hips, I shove his jeans down as much as I can, finding him bare underneath. His cock springs free, just as hard as promised, hot and silky-smooth when I grab the shaft. Twin piercings, two silver balls just beneath the head, gleam in the lowlight, and I gently brush my thumb over them.
He gasps, tossing his head back as I stroke him hard. “Fuck.” Pre-cum leaks from the tip, and I smear it across his slit, making him pant harder. “Don’t tease me, just—just let me feel your pussy.” He reaches for my waistband, but I smack his hand away. Eyes wide, he watches as I spit on his dick and continue stroking, his body twitching every time I pull his skin over the head and rub directly over the piercing. “F-fuck,” he stutters, biting his lip. “You’re driving me crazy, Celia, baby, please. Fuck, don’t tease me.”
My body is on fire, but Rebel looks like he’s about to combust. Sweat breaks out across his forehead and chest, a flush trailing down his neck and across his tattoos. Their colors are muddied in the yellowed streetlight, but the flex of his muscles beneath the skin is clear as day. He thrusts in time with my hand, puffing hot air every time he exhales. “C-Celia,” he moans, biting his lip. “Baby, you’re gonna make me—” His breath catches as more pre-cum spills from the tip of his cock. “So close. Please. Let me—ah!”
I reach between us and cup his balls, massaging them while I stroke his shaft. My back and shoulders scream at me to switch positions, but I don’t dare, not when Rebel’s clawing at the car door and writhing in the leather seat.
Whoever said that men can’t come from hand jobs was fucking lying.
Rebel comes hard, a whine tearing through his throat as his hips jerk up into my palm, thick ropes of his cum splashing against his abs. I stroke him through it gently, saying the first, unfiltered thing that comes to mind—
Good boy.
He shudders at the praise, moaning as another spurt of cum coats my fingers. Still panting, he reaches for my free hand and squeezes tightly.
I bring his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles. “Such a good boy, coming for me,” I continue, enjoying the way his cheeks flush. “Do you feel good, baby?” I squeeze his cock, enjoying its twitch in my palm.
He bites his plush bottom lip and swallows.
Bound by Ruin: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 3) by Misti Wilds
Bound by Ruin: (Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance) (Brutal Beauty Book 3) by Misti Wilds
Description
Being their lover means sharing their pain.
Every second my men and I are together puts our lives at risk, but staying apart guarantees our ruin. As we prepare to fight for our future, falling in love seems like the only thing worth living for… if we can survive that long.
But as one tragedy turns into another, the path forward isn’t revealed by love–it’s born from revenge.
Not all souls are meant to be saved.
Bound by Ruin is book three of Misti Wilds’ Brutal Beauty series, a why choose mafia dark romance filled with angst and a growing harem of brothers. You must read this series in order, starting with the prequel novella Brutal Beauty or book one, Claimed by Rage. Each book ends on a cliffhanger, with the end of the series HEA guaranteed.
Publication Date 26/5/2025
My Review
Bound by Ruin pulled me deep into its turbulent world and refused to let go.
Misti Wilds has crafted another intense installment in the Brutal Beauty series that amps up the emotional stakes, the danger, and the scorching heat between Celia and her growing circle of mafia brothers. 😜
Picking up after the previous cliffhanger, this book dives straight into the consequences of their choices.
Celia’s connection with Rage, Rebel, and especially the more enigmatic Ruin deepens in raw, vulnerable ways. I loved how the story gives Ruin space to open up, his guarded intensity and the pain he carries made his moments with Celia feel particularly powerful.
The “why choose” dynamic shines here, with the brothers’ individual personalities clashing and complementing each other as they rally around Celia. The addition of Riot teases even more fire for the next book, and the spice level is unapologetically high, blending passion with the kind of emotional intimacy that makes dark romance so addictive.
What stands out most is the blend of angst and revenge. Every tender moment between Celia and her men feels stolen because the threats surrounding them are relentless.
The author doesn’t shy away from tragedy or moral gray areas, some souls really do seem beyond saving and that darkness makes the glimmers of love and loyalty hit harder. The pacing keeps you hooked with twists, escalating danger, and that signature mafia tension, even as the relationships continue to evolve and strengthen.
If you’re already invested in the series, Bound by Ruin delivers exactly what i crave…. more possessive protectiveness, steamy group dynamics, and a plot that hurtles toward an inevitable confrontation.
It ends on another brutal cliffhanger (as expected), leaving me desperate for Riot’s story in the next book.
This is not a light read, it’s raw, spicy, and emotionally heavy, but for lovers of dark reverse harem mafia romance, it’s deeply satisfying.
Highly recommended if you’ve read the earlier books.
Em Dubois, 35, likes to think of herself as rational. Embarrassing breakups, unstable employment, existential dread? All survivable with strategic compartmentalization and panicked decision-making.
Then she catches the attention of Vael, who appears out of nowhere with frustrating levels of confidence, an inexplicable interest in helping her, and a remarkable ability to dodge every question she asks.
What Vael fails to mention is that he is one of two cosmic architects who shaped the earth itself, or that they have spent millennia awkwardly trying, with mixed success, to pass as the humans they created. His history comes with consequences, with powerful organizations pursuing him for centuries. The deeper Em is drawn into the oddly welcoming circle around him, the harder it becomes to imagine a future separate from theirs.
When that conflict turns its attention on her, Em has to decide whether the family she’s found is worth risking everything for, despite considerable evidence that this is a terrible idea.
What to expect:
Book one of a trilogy; why-choose and MMF romantic arc unfolds across all three books
Slow-burn romance with complex, morally grey characters
Found family, deepening bonds, and emotional healing
Powerful ancient beings hiding behind modern lives
Cosmic urban fantasy
Secrets, difficult choices, and characters learning how to belong
Tropes (Book 1)
Character-driven storytelling
Found family
Slow-burn tension
Protective love interest
Morally gray characters
Ancient beings
Fish out of water
Touch her and die
Humour
Publication Date 29/7/2026
Auspice & Animus by Marcella Caees
My Review
I just finished Auspice & Animus by Marcella Caees, and I’m still turning it over in my head days later.
There’s something quietly magnetic about this book that caught me off guard.
On paper it sounds like urban fantasy with cosmic stakes, but it reads more like a very human story about loneliness, found family, and the terrifying moment when your carefully compartmentalized life stops working.
Em Dubois is a mess! Thirty five, juggling emotional wreckage and shaky employment, she’s convinced she can logic her way through anything if she just boxes it up tightly enough.
Watching her slowly lose that grip as Vael barrels into her life was oddly satisfying. He’s the kind of character who could easily tip into annoying territory, all effortless charm and cryptic answers, but somehow he’s still grounded. His confidence feels genuine rather than arrogant, and the way he genuinely seems to want to help Em, even when it complicates everything, made me root for him almost immediately.
The real strength here is the slow unraveling of the bigger picture. The world building sneaks up on you. One moment you’re in the middle of Em’s everyday chaos, and the next you’re realizing these people have been shaping (and hiding in) human history for literal ages. I loved how the cosmic elements never overshadowed the intimate ones. The “found family” around Vael feels warm and lived in, full of awkward affection and old grudges, which makes the later tension hit harder. When the danger that’s been chasing them finally turns toward Em, the stakes feel personal instead of abstract.
What stayed with me most was the painful push/pull between self protection and connection. Em’s journey from “I can handle this alone” to “maybe this chaos is worth it” feels authentic, never rushed. The romance is tender and charged without dominating the story.
It’s funny, heartfelt, and sneakily profound. I’m already hoping for more in this world.
Forced Promises: A Dark Mafia Stalker Romance by Alexis Abbott
Description
From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Alexis Abbott comes a slow burn but spicy dark mafia-lite romance standalone.
To escape an arranged marriage, I’ll become the wife of a killer.
I had to flee the cult, or be forced to marry my own brother.
I have no money, no ID, no family.
Hated by my mother, disowned by my father.
My twisted salvation comes in the form of
a beautiful monster with silver eyes.
His need for revenge has him infiltrate the Bratva.
They demand a rite of initiation.
When he tells me to be a good girl and submit, I obey.
I’m touch-starved. Desperate for love.
And he publicly claims my innocence
to become one of them.
The Bratva and the cult want to destroy us.
But we’re already broken,
shattered by the dark secrets of our past.
And when we pick up each other’s pieces
Our tortured obsession is made lethal.
Forced Promises contains themes of
🖤 forced proximity
🩶 age gap
🖤 grumpy x sunshine
🩶 mutual hurt/comfort
🖤 mental illness rep between a morally grey antihero who hates to be touched and a touch-starved, innocent heroine.
His love language includes stalking and touch her and die, and hers includes physical touch and forehead kisses.
Please check the content warning as there are very dark themes.
Publication Date 28/7/2026
Forced Promises: A Dark Mafia Stalker Romance by Alexis Abbott
My Review
Reading Forced Promises felt like stepping into a story that refuses to let you look away, even when the darkness presses close.
Alexis Abbott has a talent for morally grey men who live in the shadows, but here the weight of trauma on both sides of the relationship gives the book a rawer edge.
Evelyn’s escape from the cult is painted with such careful, aching detail that her wide eyed bewilderment at ordinary freedom becomes almost painful to witness. She is touch starved in the most literal sense, desperate for any scrap of gentleness after a lifetime of control and threat, and that hunger shapes every choice she makes once she crosses paths with Laszlo.
He, in turn, is a man carved out of revenge and self imposed isolation, someone who cannot bear to be touched yet finds himself unable to keep his distance from the woman who has crashed into his carefully laid plans.
The age gap and the forced proximity that follows their first encounter never feel like simple tropes…. they become the pressure cooker in which two broken people slowly, warily begin to piece each other back together.
What stayed with me most was the mutual hurt/comfort that runs beneath the darker elements, the stalking, the public claiming required by the Bratva, the ever present danger from both the organization he is infiltrating and the cult that still wants her back.
Their connection is obsessive and imperfect, full of missteps and the kind of protectiveness that borders on possession, yet it never loses its core of tenderness.
Laszlo’s intensity and Evelyn’s quiet resilience create a push/pull that feels earned rather than manufactured. The slow burn allows their trust to build in small, charged moments, forehead kisses, hesitant touches, the gradual melting of his aversion, before the heat arrives, and when it does it carries the emotional weight of everything that came before.
This is not a light read.
The content warnings are necessary, and the book leans hard into themes of religious trauma, childhood abuse, and the long shadow of violence. Yet the story never feels over the top, every dark turn serves the larger story of two survivors learning that love can be both a weapon and a refuge.
By the end I was left with the sense that their “tortured obsession” had become something lethal not only to their enemies but to the walls they had each built around themselves.
Forced Promises is messy, intense, and ultimately hopeful in the way only a story about two people who have already lost almost everything can be.
Toxic Kiss: A Dark Rockstar Romance of Toxic Love, Obsession, and Forbidden Desire (Wrecked Encore Book 1) by Brooklyn Cross
Description
I’m the voice that makes people scream. But I scream for her.
The world calls me Cyrus Vale. Rockstar. God of the stage. The man with a guitar in his hands and a crowd ready to bleed for one more song.
But Haven Gaillard knew me before the fame. Before the noise.
The night my mother married her father, I hated her on sight.
I wanted her pain. Dreamed about it. Lived for the way her eyes burned with anger as sweet tears fell down her cheeks.
Making her cry was the only thing that ever made me feel whole.
Until one day, I realized something worse.
I don’t want her pain anymore. I want her.
Her anger.
Her touch.
Her eyes on me like I’m the only thing in the room.
She tried to escape, but now my muse is back. And every song I write still sounds like my heart wailing her name.
The problem?
I don’t know how to want her without destroying her.
And I’ve never been good at letting go of things that I’m addicted to.
Publication Date 24/7/2026
Toxic Kiss: A Dark Rockstar Romance of Toxic Love, Obsession, and Forbidden Desire (Wrecked Encore Book 1) by Brooklyn Cross
My Review
Toxic Kiss, is one of those books that sinks its teeth into you and refuses to let go, even after you’ve turned the last page.
As a dark rockstar romance, it doesn’t hold back on the toxicity, obsession, or the raw, messy edges of forbidden desire, and I was completely hooked.
Cyrus Vale is the kind of anti hero who lives up to the “wrecked” in the series title. He’s magnetic on stage, worshipped by fans, but beneath the rock god persona is a man consumed by something far more dangerous….his fixation on Haven!
Their history as stepsiblings adds a sharp, taboo layer that makes every interaction crackle with tension.
What starts as hatred and a twisted pleasure in her pain slowly morphs into a deeper, all-consuming need. Cyrus doesn’t just want Haven, he needs her in a way that feels both romantic and terrifying. His internal monologue is intense, poetic in its darkness, and brutally honest about his inability to love without destruction.
Haven is a strong heroine who doesn’t crumble easily, which makes her dynamic with Cyrus even more compelling. She’s been burned by him before and knows exactly how dangerous he is, yet the pull between them is undeniable.
Their chemistry is scorching, laced with anger, longing, and that addictive push/pull that defines the best toxic romances.
The author does an excellent job showing how obsession can masquerade as love, and how two broken people can both heal and ruin each other at the same time.
The rockstar world feels authentic, gritty, loud, and seductive without falling into clichés. The music itself becomes another character, with Cyrus’s songs serving as raw confessions of everything he can’t say out loud.
The author’s writing is atmospheric and emotional, pulling you deep into the characters’ heads and hearts. There were moments that made me wince at the toxicity, moments that made my heart race, and moments that genuinely hurt in the best way.
This isn’t a light or fluffy read. It’s dark, possessive, and unapologetically intense, which is exactly what I was craving.
If you love rockstar romances that lean heavily into the “dark” side with obsession, emotional damage, and that delicious forbidden tension you’ll devour Toxic Kiss.
It left me eager for the rest of the Wrecked Encore series and still thinking about Cyrus and Haven days later.
A solid, addictive start to what promises to be a wild ride.
Bastard of the Alpha (The Damned Return Book 1) by Karina Espinosa
Description
My name’s Francesca Lucia Salazar—Frankie, if you don’t feel like choking on the syllables.
The title I usually get stuck with? The Alpha’s Bastard.
My father, Antonio Salazar, Alpha of the Queens Pack, had an affair and got stuck raising me when my mom died giving birth. Guilt made him keep me; shame made him ship me off to Colombia at thirteen.
Big mistake.
He thought I’d disappear. Instead, I became La Loba Blanca—the White She-Wolf of Colombia. An urban legend who hunted the monsters terrorising the streets.
Then my mentor called. My father’s dead—killed by his beta, Tian Láng—and I’m headed back to New York City to protect the family that once threw me away. But the city I return to isn’t the same. Wolves are vanishing. The ones found aren’t just dead—they’re poisoned in ways no one can explain.
That’s when I meet Elias Láng—the God of Death. Cold, brilliant, impossible. My rival. My equal. My worst mistake waiting to happen. Then there’s Angel Rodriguez—a tattooed ex-con lone wolf fresh out of Ironwood, all charm and chaos, who shouldn’t care but somehow does.
Between the Alpha’s son who challenges everything I am and the lone wolf who sees everything I hide, I’m walking a line thinner than a blade.
I have one rule: trust no one.
But when loyalty and lust start to look the same, even legends can bleed.
New York’s full of secrets, and I’m done being exiled from my own story.
They can call me a bastard all they want.
But this bastard bites back.
Publication Date 27/3/2026
Bastard of the Alpha (The Damned Return Book 1) by Karina Espinosa
My Review
Bastard of the Alpha is a fierce, addictive start to The Damned Return series that sinks its teeth in and refuses to let go.
From the very first page, Francesca “Frankie” is sharp tongued, battle hardened, and unapologetically fierce. She’s been through hell and come out sharper for it. Nicknamed the Alpha’s Bastard, she carries deep wounds from a father who shipped her off to Colombia as a child, but she didn’t break. Instead, she became La Loba Blanca, a legendary hunter taking down monsters in the streets. Her return to New York after her father’s murder is packed with tension, betrayal, and the gritty urban werewolf vibes I didn’t know I needed.
The mystery of vanishing and poisoned wolves adds a dark, suspenseful layer that keeps the pages turning.
What i really liked in this book is the cast of complicated men orbiting Frankie. Elias Láng, the “God of Death,” is cold, brilliant, and dangerously magnetic, every interaction crackles with rivalry and undeniable chemistry. Then there’s Angel Rodriguez, the charming, tattooed lone wolf fresh out of prison, who brings chaos and unexpected warmth. The push/pull of loyalty, lust, and distrust between them creates a delicious slow burn tension that never feels forced.
Frankie’s “trust no one” rule gets tested at every turn, and watching her navigate old family resentments while trying to protect the pack that once rejected her is both heartbreaking and empowering.
The balance of action, mystery, and simmering romance in a vibrant New York City setting full of wolf politics and hidden dangers is just right. The writing is fast paced and atmospheric, with Frankie’s voice leaping off the page, she’s sarcastic, resilient, and impossible not to root for.
This bastard absolutely bites back, and I loved every second of it.
If you enjoy strong heroines who own their scars, morally gray love interests, urban fantasy with shifter intrigue, and that perfect mix of vengeance and heat, Bastard of the Alpha delivers in spades.
I’m already hooked and eager for what comes next.
Highly recommended for fans of fierce paranormal romance.
🦋
Wrath of the White Wolf (The Damned Return Book 2) by Karina Espinosa
Description
I escaped Queens with my freedom—but not my enemies.
They accused me of kidnappings and poisonings I didn’t commit. Turning an entire city against me. So I did the only thing I could—I ran. Back to Colombia. Back to the only place that’s ever felt like home.
But peace doesn’t last long. A new alpha from Medellín steps onto my territory, testing what’s left of my control. And before I can finish dealing with him—Queens reminds me exactly why I ran in the first place. Because they don’t let their enemies go. They finish them.
What comes for me isn’t a warning. It’s a message. And it costs more than I’m willing to lose.
So I stop running. I go back to New York with one goal: revenge.
But Queens isn’t just waiting for me. The God of Death is. The man I thought I could trust when everything fell apart. The one person who should have stood at my side—and didn’t. Now Elias is the only thing standing between me and the war I came to start… and I don’t know if I want to destroy him or make him understand exactly what his betrayal cost me.
And somehow, there’s someone willing to follow me straight into the chaos. No questions. No hesitation. Angel walks into the destruction with me like it’s the easiest choice he’s ever made.
Queens thought the bastard of the alpha had run. They’re about to learn the truth. I’m not running. I’m coming back. And this time? I’m bringing wrath.
Publication Date 24/7/2026
Wrath of the White Wolf (The Damned Return Book 2) by Karina Espinosa
My Review
Wrath of the White Wolf is an explosive, adrenaline rush follow up that takes everything I loved about Bastard of the Alpha and turns the intensity up several notches.
Frankie returns with even more fire in her veins after being framed and forced to flee Queens….
Her time back in Colombia feels like a brief, hard won breath before the past drags her right back into the chaos….
The shift from hunted to hunter was deeply satisfying. Watching her decide she’s done running and instead bring the fight to New York had me cheering.
This book dives deeper into her rage, resilience, and the heavy cost of leadership, making her feel more legendary than ever as La Loba Blanca.
The relationships that pulled me in during the first book become even more tangled and compelling here. Elias, the God of Death, is a constant storm of betrayal and magnetic pull, his presence creates this gut wrenching push/pull that had me torn between wanting to shake him and rooting for some kind of reckoning. On the other side, Angel’s unwavering loyalty shines brightly. He’s steady in the storm, walking straight into danger with Frankie without hesitation, and that kind of devotion adds a beautiful contrast to the darker, more volatile dynamics. The emotional stakes around trust, loyalty, and revenge felt real.
The momentum is kept blazing with high
stakes action, pack politics, and escalating threats that span cities. The urban werewolf world expands naturally, introducing new players and raising the danger level without losing the personal heart of Frankie’s journey. The writing remains sharp and addictive, blending gritty revenge with moments of vulnerability that make the characters feel real.
If you enjoyed the first book, this sequel delivers on the promise of wrath in the best way possible.
It’s darker, more intense, and leaves you desperate for the next installment.
Frankie’s story is shaping up to be one of my favorite paranormal series in a long time, a strong heroine, complicated romance, and non stop tension.
Knights of Sin and Secrets (The Lustbound Curse Book 1 by KC Kingmaker
Description
The Knights Pantheon are sworn to virtue. So why do they look at her like they want to sin?
Katyr grew up hearing stories of the lustbound curse, a fae hex that corrupted humanity generations ago. She’s dismissed it as a fairy tale. An excuse for men’s weaknesses and the Vrinian Empire’s endless failures to reclaim the sacred city of Ninthalus.
Katyr never believed a word of it. She’s never trusted the gods, and she’s never needed to.
Until the day a knight arrives at her door with a revelation that shatters her world.
Forced to leave her quiet homestead for Vulwen Bastion, Katyr finds herself among the empire’s most divine warriors, whose restraint seems to fray whenever she’s near.
Vrace, the stoic sentinel who found and rescued her from a mundane life.
Lethander, the wicked shifter who can’t decide whether to hate her or claim her.
Keradin, the mysterious warrior-priest whose fate becomes entwined with her own.
Bound by secrets and rivalries, haunted by desires they cannot control, the Knights Pantheon awaken something dangerous within Katyr. As the growing pull toward men she should never want becomes impossible to resist, she begins uncovering the truth behind the lustbound curse… and the terrifying possibility the fae are not the real enemy.
Some curses aren’t meant to weaken kingdoms. They’re meant to destroy them from within.
Tropes.
why choose / reverse harem
enemies to lovers
touch her and die
knights
badass female lead
military academia
secret societies
religious cults
fae sex curses
morally grey men
close proximity / one bed
swords crossing (mm)
fae vs. humans
Trigger Warnings:
abuse, blood, breeding, captivity, choking, crude language, crude sex toys, cult behavior, death, debasement, degradation, depravity, depression, discussions of rape, domination, execution, forced childbirth (not the main character), gore, graphic sex, graphic violence, group sex, imprisonment, kidnapping, maiming (missing body parts), misogyny, objectification of women, public sex, rape (off-page, not the main character), religious overtones, sexual assault, submission, torture, violence against women, war.
Knights of Sin and Secrets is a loose and very spicy retelling of Knights Templar legends, but with fae and smutty curses. One-click today if you enjoy forbidden attraction, dark and culty academia, unbelievably raunchy spice, wicked mysteries, enemies to lovers, and so many men to choose from it’s enough to make any girl’s head spin!
Publication Date 17/7/2026
Knights of Sin and Secrets (The Lustbound Curse Book 1 by KC Kingmaker
My Review
I just finished Knights of Sin and Secrets, the first book in KC Kingmaker’s Lustbound Curse series, and I’m still a little breathless.
This was exactly the kind of dark, indulgent fantasy romance I didn’t know I needed, it’s steamy, mysterious, and packed with tension that had me flipping pages late into the night.
From the very beginning, Katyr’s ordinary life is upended when a knight shows up at her door, dragging her into the world of the Vulwen Bastion and the elite Knights Pantheon.
What follows is a delicious collision of forbidden desire and ancient secrets. The lustbound curse isn’t just for background, pulses through every interaction, turning even the smallest glance or brush of skin into something charged and dangerous.
I loved how the knights……Vrace, Lethander, and Keradin, feel like they’re constantly one breath away from losing control, even as they cling to their vows of virtue. Their individual personalities shine through, we have Vrace’s quiet intensity, Lethander’s sharp edged antagonism that flips so satisfyingly into heat, and Keradin’s layered mystery. The way each man reacts differently to Katyr kept the dynamic fresh and addictive.
The world building is atmospheric and immersive without ever slowing the pace. The Vrinian Empire, the looming threat of the fae, and the sacred (but cursed) city of Ninthalus create a rich backdrop that feels both medieval and otherworldly. There’s a cult like, dark academia vibe to the Bastion that pairs perfectly with the spice, (think sacred halls, whispered rituals, and simmering rivalries.) And speaking of spice… KC Kingmaker does not hold back. This book is unapologetically raunchy in the best way, with scenes that are creative, intense, and emotionally layered rather than just over the top. The slowburn tension before things ignite makes the payoff incredibly satisfying.
Katyr herself is a great character, she’s strong, skeptical, resilient, and refreshingly unafraid to question the world she’s been thrown into. Her growing awareness of the curse and her own role in it adds a compelling layer of intrigue that kept me guessing.
The enemies to lovers threads, the secrets, and the larger conspiracy unfolding around the knights all weave together into a story that feels bigger than just the romance, even as the romance remains front and center.
If you love reverse harem (or why choose) stories with high heat, morally gray warriors, fae touched curses, and that perfect blend of mystery and lust, this one delivers in spades.
It’s a spicy reimagining of knightly legends that leans hard into the “sacred but sinful” vibe, and I was absolutely here for it.
I’m already eager for book two, those final revelations have me hooked.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants their fantasy romance dark, delicious, and more than a little wicked. 😜
Hanging onto trauma I can’t escape and being ridiculously selfconscious and shy doesn’t exactly create a recipe for losing my virginity. In the darkness where no one can judge me seems like the best place. Yet somehow, l manage to find myself a stalker in the darkness.
Which isn’t so bad since he knows exactly how to take care of me.
Arek
My weakness is blushing boys and Kylen is exactly my type. I’m a little late realizing but now that I’ve had a taste, ‘ll never let this man go.
Thankfully, my stalking game doesn’t last forever and he’s willingly mine. He doesn’t shy away when I tell him Mil kill anyone who tries to touch him. I bet he didn’t realize that the threat is retroactive.
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 16/7/2026
Hush Anonymous (Longwood U) by Crea Reitan
My Review
Hush Anonymous by Crea Reitan is a deliciously dark and surprisingly sweet MM romance that completely won me over with its unique blend of vulnerability and fierce possessiveness.
Kylen’s story starts from such a raw place, he’s haunted by past trauma, is cripplingly shy, and using the anonymity of Hush Anonymous as a safe way to explore his desires.
His journey from hiding in the darkness to slowly opening up felt so real and deeply emotional. I loved how the book handles his self consciousness and healing without shying away from the intensity of his experiences.
Arek, on the other hand, is the ultimate obsessive dream (or nightmare, depending on your taste). 😜 His instant fixation on Kylen and unapologetic “he’s mine” energy, complete with deadly threats, brings a thrilling edge that had me hooked.
What surprised me most was how tender their connection becomes once the stalking phase shifts into something real and consensual. The way Arek instinctively knows how to care for Kylen, respecting his boundaries while unleashing that protective, possessive side, creates some incredibly steamy and heartfelt moments. Their dynamic is equal parts sweet and dangerous, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Set in the Longwood U world, the book captures that intense university atmosphere with just the right amount of campus life mixed into the romance. The author delivers a story that’s spicy, emotional, and full of that addictive dark romance tension without crossing into unnecessary angst.
If you enjoy MM romances with shy, traumatized heroes finding their match in a dangerously devoted partner, stalking to lovers vibes, and a healthy dose of possessiveness, Hush Anonymous is an absolute treat.
It’s addictive, comforting in its own twisted way, and left me smiling through the heat.
I love this author and their work, I’ll definitely be recommending this book.
Justice for Glennon (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) (Six Paths to Justice Book 3) by Nicole Craig
Description
Ten years ago, a tragic shootout took her brother’s life. The CIA took what was left of hers.
Now she’s on the run in South America with nowhere to turn. Unless…
Mason “Triumph” Zelinski needs to be needed.
The loss of close friends last year left a gaping hole in his life, and nothing holds meaning anymore. If only something would happen to bring purpose to his life again.
He should have been careful what he wished for.
Over a terrible phone connection, two voices are reunited after almost a decade, and it’s a race against the clock to help a CIA agent cross an entire continent to safety.
How many men does it take to bring home a burned CIA agent? Two Texas Rangers. Two FBI contacts. Two deadmen. And one very determined blast from her past.
It’s time to bring Glennon home for good.
Publication Date 14/7/2026
Justice for Glennon (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) (Six Paths to Justice Book 3) by Nicole Craig
My Review
Justice for Glennon by Nicole Craig is a gripping, high stakes romantic suspense that delivered exactly what i wanted in an intense action, a second chance romance wrapped in danger way.
Ten years after a devastating shootout claimed her brother’s life and the CIA claimed the rest of hers, Glennon is burned and on the run across South America.
Her desperate call for help reconnects her with Mason “Triumph” Zelinski, a man still reeling from his own losses and searching for purpose.
Their reunion over a crackling phone line ignites old feelings while kicking off a frantic race to bring her home safely.
The author builds the tension as a team of Texas Rangers, FBI contacts, and determined allies works against the clock and deadly enemies to extract Glennon from a continent away. 😮
What I loved most was the balance between pulse pounding suspense and heartfelt reconnection. Mason’s need to be needed pairs perfectly with Glennon’s resilience and vulnerability after years of isolation and betrayal.
The “how many men does it take” element adds layers of camaraderie, while the romantic thread feels earned rather than rushed.
The story doesn’t shy away from the trauma both characters carry, making their growing bond all the more satisfying. 🥰
If you enjoy military tinged suspense with strong, capable heroes stepping up for a heroine who’s been through hell, this book hits the mark.
It’s part of the Six Paths to Justice series, and I’ve not read any of the other books, it stands on its own with nothing feeling missing, but it left me eager to explore the other paths.
This is a solid read that reminds you why we root so hard for these characters to find their way home, not just physically, but to the people and lives they’ve been missing.
Highly recommended for fans of protective alpha heroes and women who refuse to stay broken.
Courted by the Fae: The Kismet Duet (The Dark Realms Book 4) by Kyra Alessy
Description
Three traitorous fae males. One broken human woman. A bond none of them asked for. She knows she was just a way for them to get what they wanted, so why are all three acting like they’d die for her?
Tricky fae.
Bryn is no fool. She survived years as a captive. She survived months in the pits. She even survived Locke, Jak, and Morgan, the three dark fae who swore they’d save her, who acted like they cared, who dangled her dreams in front of her…and then ripped them away and used her trust to get what they wanted instead.
But Bryn didn’t get this far just to give up. She might have been sold into a worse nightmare, and she might not remember how she got here, but she will survive.
Whatever it takes.
When the chance comes to save a fae male who feels so familiar, one who says he’ll take her to the Light Realm, where humans aren’t bought and sold like animals, she takes it without a second thought.
They call her Fate Touched. Touch her, and fate will make you pay. No one who hurts her escapes punishment… except the three fae who left her in the Dark Realms to die…
She remembers everything.
Now, stuck with the three fae she wishes she could hate: the bully who broke her trust, the protector who said he’d burn the world for her, and the healer who promised he wouldn’t leave her, Bryn’s priorities are shifting. A dark power is rising inside her. Dreams of a father she can’t recall are pulling her toward a truth she isn’t ready for. And the found family she’s slowly, reluctantly building might be the only thing standing between her and the enemies who want to use her.
She thought all she wanted was a life of her own. But what good is that when her people are being stolen, and enemies lurk around every corner? When the fae males she’s starting to care about again, no matter how hard she fights it, are in danger and the life she’s built is falling apart?
Will Bryn step back into the Breach and do what only she can to save them, even if it means giving up the one thing she’s always wanted, her freedom?
Courted by the Fae is book four in the Dark Realms Series, a dark fae romantasy of interconnecting duets. This is NOT a standalone and must be read in order. No cheating. HFN.
This book contains dark themes. Please read the Author’s Note at the front.
Enemies to lovers
Dark fae romance
Touch her and die
Found family
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Morally grey MMCs
Publication Date 16/7/2026
My Review
I just finished Courted by the Fae, and wow, the author knows exactly how to rip your heart out and somehow make you thank her for it.
This book picks up right after the brutal cliffhanger in Given to the Fae and dives deep into Bryn’s story as she grapples with betrayal, fragmented memories, and a growing, reluctant bond with the three fae males who shattered her trust.
Locke, Jak, and Morgan are complicated, flawed, and magnetic in very different ways, the bully, the protector, the healer.
And watching Bryn slowly lower her walls again while fighting every step of the way felt painfully real. She’s been through absolute hell, surviving captivity, the pits, and now this tangled web of fate, power, and politics, yet her resilience never feels forced. She’s angry, broken, and determined, and I rooted for her the entire time.
What I loved most is how the romance isn’t simple forgiveness or instant redemption. The push/pull is messy and earned, laced with tension, protective instincts, and moments of surprising tenderness (that hair braiding scene still lives rent free in my head ❤️).
The dark romantasy elements are strong power imbalances, moral grayness, high stakes, but the author balances them with genuine emotional moments and hints of found family that make the quieter moments hit just as hard as the intense ones.
The world building continues to expand in fascinating ways, with the contrast between the Dark Realms and the pull toward the Light Realm adding layers of intrigue.
Bryn’s emerging powers and the dreams about her father pull everything together into a bigger picture that left me desperate for more. The pacing kept me hooked, I devoured it in one sitting, equal parts anxious, swoony, and heartbroken.
If you enjoy dark fae romantasy with a strong, Fate touched heroine, morally complex love interests, betrayal that hurts, and a story that’s equal parts spicy, emotional, and action packed, this duet (and the whole Dark Realms series) is absolutely worth it.
Courted by the Fae delivers on the promises of its predecessor while raising the stakes even higher.
I’m still thinking about that ending and counting down until the next installment.
Highly recommended for fans of intense, immersive romantasy.
Her writing style is addictive, and she doesn’t shy away from the darkness while still giving you characters worth caring about.
Rival’s Pledge: Why Choose Academy Sports Romance by Maddison Cole
Description
Meg may have escaped her captor, but recovery will be the true test of her survival.
Returning to Hollowbrook Academy months after her sudden disappearance, Meg is thrust into the spotlight in a way she’s not used to.
Cruel whispers spread about the former award-winning lacrosse captain, headlines pining her as a lost cause.
Thanks to the gossip trailing her across campus, Meg wants nothing more than to blend into the background. Her classes turn into interrogations, nightmares bleed into daylight, and old threats begin to stir from the shadows.
However, upon discovering her team has been hijacked by her old rival, Everest Calloway, the fire within her roars back to life. She might not want to be seen, but there’s a stronger impulse that won’t be ignored. She can’t let him win, even if she’s sleep deprived thanks to a certain asshole next door who keeps her up at night with his bad taste in music.
Luckily, she’s not completely alone. With her cyber hacking friend, Thiago, watching her back, as well as all of the campus cameras, Meg slowly begins to find herself again. She lives for the rivalry, whilst Everest thrives on control.
Going head-to-head with Golden Boy is going to take all of her energy, but that’s the least of her problems.
With her captor still at large, Meg is forced to confront a terrifying truth. Surviving doesn’t mean she’s safe. And the men circling her?
They don’t want to protect her. They want to ruin her.
This dark academy romance is a Spin-Off from the Shadowed Souls series. For your enjoyment, you might want to binge that completed series before diving into Meg’s world, filled with rivalry, obsession, and slow-burning devotion. Amongst these three men, loyalty is dangerous, and love may be the most reckless pledge of all.
Publication Date 16/7/2026
Rival’s Pledge: Why Choose Academy Sports Romance by Maddison Cole
My Review
Rival’s Pledge by Maddison Cole is a gripping, emotionally charged dark academy romance that pulls you straight into Meg’s turbulent world and refuses to let go.
Returning to Hollowbrook Academy after surviving captivity is no triumphant homecoming for Meg. Instead, she faces cruel whispers, invasive questions, and the heavy weight of being labeled a lost cause.
The way the author portrays her struggle to reclaim her place, haunted by nightmares, desperate to disappear into the background, yet unable to let go of her fire is raw and incredibly compelling.
The lacrosse rivalry with Everest Calloway injects sharp, addictive tension. Watching Meg’s competitive spirit roar back to life as she refuses to let her old rival take over her team delivers some of the most satisfying enemies to something more moments I’ve read in a while.
What really makes this book stand out is the slowburn obsession building around Meg. Between the arrogant, controlling Everest, the mysterious neighbor whose terrible music choices keep her up at night, and the fiercely loyal Thiago with his hacking skills and watchful presence, the “why choose” dynamic simmers with danger and devotion.
These men are complicated, part protection, part ruin and their circling intensity keeps the stakes high. The romance is messy, possessive, and layered with genuine care that develops alongside Meg’s healing journey.
The sports element adds energy and rivalry without overshadowing the darker themes of trauma, survival, and the lingering threat of her captor.
The author balances suspense, academy drama, and steamy tension beautifully, making Meg’s path to reclaiming her strength feel earned and empowering.
As a spin off from the Shadowed Souls series, it stands well on its own while teasing a bigger world.
If you enjoy dark academy romances with strong heroines fighting their way back, intense rivalries, and a why choose romance filled with obsession and loyalty, Rival’s Pledge is a fantastic read.
It’s angsty, addictive, and left me eager to see where Meg’s story goes next.
Highly recommended those who are fans of the genre.
The Coming of Endless Darkness (The Faceless Chronicles Book 3) by Grant Pierce
Description
In a world ruled by Astaroth, hope is the deadliest rebellion.
Aeryth has endured a dozen years under the Demon Wars, and the world teeters on annihilation. Kingdoms lie shattered. Lawless warbands roam the wastes. And Astaroth plots to summon The One Below All Creation, an ancient god whose mere presence will extinguish all life on Aeryth.
Yet, a prophecy whispers of hope. In their most desperate hour, the Lightbringer will appear and drive the darkness back. However, Arkal Lightbringer has chosen to abandon Aeryth and return to Nymriel.
Without the Lightbringer, the surviving heroes face a reckoning no prophecy foretold. To stop the end of all things, the companions must reclaim the shattered world, defy Astaroth’s tightening grip, and stop Thezgoron’s treachery.
Ancient powers stir. The hour is desperate. The endless darkness is coming.
The world cries out for its Lightbringer.
Publication Date 15/7/2026
The Coming of Endless Darkness (The Faceless Chronicles Book 3) by Grant Pierce
My Review
The Coming of Endless Darkness, the third book in Grant Pierce’s The Faceless Chronicles, is a grim and gripping plunge into a world that feels like it’s already lost! 😮
After the events of the previous installments, Aeryth is a shattered place, scarred by years of Demon Wars and now teetering on the edge of total oblivion under Astaroth’s tyrannical rule.
What makes this volume stand out is how relentlessly it leans into despair without ever feeling hopeless. The prophecy that once offered salvation has been upended by Arkal Lightbringer’s decision to abandon the realm, forcing the remaining companions into an even more desperate fight against overwhelming odds.
It’s a bold choice that raises the stakes dramatically and gives the story a raw edge that I found interesting.
The author’s world building continues to impress, painting vivid pictures of ruined kingdoms, roving warbands, and the creeping influence of ancient, malevolent forces!
The atmosphere is thick with dread, and the political intrigue especially Thezgoron’s treachery adds layers of tension that kept me turning pages late into the night.
The battle worn heroes feel genuinely exhausted…. their doubts, fractured alliances, and moments of quiet defiance makes them relatable. There’s a real sense of weight to every decision they make, knowing that failure doesn’t just mean death but the literal extinction of all life!
What I appreciated most was the way the book balances large scale cosmic horror with intimate character moments.
The threat of The One Below All Creation looming in the background gives everything an apocalyptic urgency, yet the story never loses sight of the personal costs of this endless war.
It’s atmospheric and cinematic, especially during the action sequences and the eerie, dreamlike passages hinting at older powers stirring beneath the surface. (I could watch this on the big screen.)
If I had one minor critique, it’s that the pacing can feel relentless at times, giving me little room to breathe between crises, but that intensity ultimately serves the theme of a world running out of time.
Overall, The Coming of Endless Darkness is a powerful continuation that elevates the series into something darker and more ambitious.
It left me emotionally drained but deeply satisfied, already eager to see how the companions’ rebellion against the coming endless night will conclude.
If you’ve enjoyed the first two books or love high stakes epic fantasy with crumbling empires, this one delivers in spades.
Highly recommended for fans of grimdark adventures that still cling to the faintest threads of hope.
Secret Husband: A Second Chance, Accidentally Married Hockey Romance (Chicago Players) by Kate Meader
Description
Years ago, I broke her heart, but fate has given me a second chance. I am here to claim my wife—and I will fight like hell to make her mine.
Lauren
I might be late to the game of life, but things are finally starting to go my way. I’ve just started my own sports talent agency, stepped on the first rung of the property ladder, and landed myself a normal boyfriend who’s about to propose. (I found the ring!)
Unfortunately, I have a slight problem—as in a husband who is surplus to requirements. Somehow, I got married without even realizing it to the guy who once broke my heart , and now he’s back in my life, making demands and turning my world upside down. Except I’m no longer that starry-eyed girl in love with the Russian hockey star. These days I’m a ball-busting tigress for my clients, and the last thing I need is Alexei Nazarov ruining everything for which I’ve worked so hard.
But when he makes me an offer I can’t refuse, I wonder if I’ve struck a bargain with the devil who knows my heart better than anyone …
Alexei
Years ago, I met a hockey playing spitfire and fell ass over skates for her. But my life was in disarray, and I had to let her go. When a chance comes to reconnect with her, I grab it with both hands.
There are obstacles. A boyfriend (unworthy), her disdain for me (admittedly, hot), and the fact I hurt her deeply (my biggest regret). It won’t be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. Known for fighting dirty on the ice, I am not opposed to fighting dirty off it to get what I want.
And I want Lauren Yates …
⭐Second chances
🏒Accidentally married … but she already has a boyfriend!
⭐Sports agent/former player
🏒Russian hockey god
⭐Best friend’s sister energy
🏒Right person, wrong time
⭐A touch of blackmail
🏒It’s always been her
⭐Spicy
Publication Date 14/6/2026
Secret Husband: A Second Chance, Accidentally Married Hockey Romance (Chicago Players) by Kate Meader
My Review
I absolutely devoured Secret Husband by Kate Meader in one sitting, it’s the kind of addictive, heart racing romance that perfectly blends second chance longing with the high stakes world of professional hockey.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked by Lauren Yates, a heroine who feels so real and down to earth. She’s built a life on her own terms after heartbreak, running her own sports talent agency with fierce determination while navigating the ordinary milestones most of us chase, a steady relationship, a new home, and the promise of stability.
Finding out she’s secretly married to the man who once shattered her heart throws everything into chaos (in the best possible way 😜.)
Alexei Nazarov is pure catnip for us romance readers who love a possessive, slightly morally gray hero with a soft center.
As a Russian hockey star known for fighting dirty on the ice, he brings that same relentless energy to winning Lauren back. 😉
Their history is layered with regret and unresolved passion, and the author does an excellent job showing how much he’s grown while still letting his protective, alpha tendencies create delicious tension.
The accidental marriage trope is executed so cleverly here, it’s not just a convenient plot device but a catalyst that forces both characters to confront old wounds and undeniable chemistry.
What I loved most was the push/pull dynamic. Lauren isn’t a pushover, she’s a “ball busting tigress” who makes Alexei work for every inch of forgiveness. Their banter crackles with heat and humor.
The hockey setting adds an exciting backdrop without overshadowing the story, and the side characters (including glimpses of the Chicago Players crew) make the world feel vibrant.
There were moments that had me grinning, others that tugged at my heart, and plenty of steamy scenes that delivered on the romance promise without feeling too over the top.
If you enjoy second chance stories where the hero has to grovel just enough, strong heroines who hold their ground, and that irresistible “mine” energy, this book is a winner.
It left me smiling and immediately wanting to dive into more of Kate Meader’s hockey romances.
Highly recommend for a cute, swoony escape. 🏒 ❤️🩹😊
FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE OF MINE SERIES COMES A NEW DARK ROM COM…
What happens when a vigilante serial killer climbs in through your bedroom window?
Hazel
I never really considered what I’d be doing the first time I met a serial killer but if I had, it wouldn’t have been dancing around my bedroom in nothing but my nightshirt.
‘Move in next to a secure psychiatric prison’, they said. ‘No one will ever break out’, they said. Tell that to America’s most dangerous vigilante who’s currently standing in my lilac themed bedroom.
Except Flynn is about as far from how I imagine a serial killer to be as possible. He’s funny, protective and it’s only when he touches me that his darker side comes out to play. And maybe working as a 911 operator has messed me up because that Flynn, he doesn’t scare me, he enthralls me.
Flynn
The last thing I expected when I broke out of the insane asylum was to face off with a five-foot-nothing woman wielding a vibrator wand.
I have one last monster to hunt. I don’t have time to obsess over sweet-as-pie Hazel Halloway. But my little lilac is a fixation I can’t shake, and it turns out Hazel’s past leads right back to the monster I’m hunting.
It’s not long before that man turns his sights on her, but I fell for Hazel the second I climbed through her bedroom window, and here’s the thing about morally black men, no one hurts the people we love.
Choked in Love is an M/F dark rom com set in the Of Mine universe. It features on the page spice, darker moments and one possessive, over protective MMC. It is book one in the Stalked Love series, an interconnected trilogy, but can be read as a standalone. Please read the content warnings.
Dark Rom Com
Stalking
Morally Black MMC
Friendly Kidnapping
Hate to Love You
OTT Possessive and Protective MMC
Golden Retriever Serial Unaliver
Publication Date 13/7/2026
Choked in Love: A Dark Rom Com by Alexis Grace
My Review
I just finished Choked in Love by Alexis Grace, and I’m still grinning like an idiot while side eyeing my own bedroom window.
This book is exactly what it promises, a deliciously unhinged dark romcom that somehow makes you root for a vigilante serial killer who climbs through windows like it’s a meet/cute.
Hazel is an absolute delight. As a 911 operator, she’s already seen enough chaos to be a little desensitised, but nothing prepares her for the moment America’s most dangerous vigilante drops into her bedroom while she’s dancing around in her nightshirt. 😂
I loved how real a she felt, funny, a bit chaotic, and surprisingly unbothered by the morally gray (okay, pitch black) man who’s now fixated on her. Her reactions walk that perfect line between “this should terrify me” and “why is this kind of hot?” that makes the whole story so addictive.
Flynn, though… whew. He’s the golden retriever serial unaliver of my dreams. He’s protective, sarcastic, and ridiculously obsessed with Hazel from the second he meets her. The way his darker, possessive side emerges when she’s threatened is 🤌🏻🤌🏻. The “friendly kidnapping” and over the top stalking elements are handled with such playful darkness that they never feel grim. Instead, they’re strangely sweet in the most twisted way. Their banter is sharp and flirty, and the hate to love tension crackles on every page.
The spice is on the page and plentiful, blending perfectly with the humor and the darker moments. Alexis Grace nails the balance, there’s genuine danger from Flynn’s past and the monster he’s hunting, but it’s wrapped in so much charm and wit that you’re laughing even when things get intense.
The Of Mine universe tease and the setup for the Stalked Love series have me excited for more. I loved The Of Mine trilogy, and was sad to see it end, but if I get to see cameos then I’m a happy book girlie 🥰.
If you love morally black MMCs who would burn the world down for their woman, quirky heroines who match their freak, and a story that leans all the way into the absurdity of a serial killer falling head over heels, this one is for you.
It’s fun, filthy, and surprisingly heartwarming in the most deranged way possible.
I devoured it in one sitting and already want to reread the chaotic bedroom window scene.
Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something dark, spicy, and laugh out loud entertaining.
Run Little Liar: A Dark Why Choose Mafia Trilogy (Lombardi Legacy Book 1) by Montana Fyre
Description
It’s been ten years since I fled the only home I’d ever known and I haven’t stopped looking over my shoulder since.
I should have died that night.
I would have if I didn’t run, leaving everything behind, including the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with.
Ronan was supposed to be my happily ever after, but after a decade of bed lies about why I left, he hates me just as much as his brother.
My relationship with Damon was complicated even before I ran, but now he looks at me like I never meant anything to him.
They’ll stop at nothing to make me pay for the sins I never committed but I haven’t come this far to let them take me now and once again I’m on the run.
The problem?
My bodyguard with a dark past I know nothing about won’t let me out of his sight.
What to Expect:
Dark Romance
Mafia Romance
Why Choose
Second Chance
MMC’s Hate Each Other
Forbidden Romance
Content Warning:
Miscarriage
Non Con / Dub Con
Violence / Torture
Betrayal
Elements of BDSM
Kidnapping
Captive
*Please note: this is book 1 in a trilogy and will end in a cliffhanger.
Publication Date 10/7/2026
Run Little Liar: A Dark Why Choose Mafia Trilogy (Lombardi Legacy Book 1) by Montana Fyre
My Review
Run Little Liar pulled me in from the first page and refused to let go.
This dark why choose mafia romance kicks off the Lombardi Legacy series with a gripping mix of second chance tension, betrayal, and raw survival instincts that kept me hooked straight through to its brutal cliffhanger.
Chloe’s story is heartbreaking and intense. Ten years after fleeing a traumatic night that nearly ended her life, she’s still running, haunted by the past and the men she left behind……
Ronan, the one she once dreamed of a future with, now looks at her with pure hatred fueled by years of unanswered questions and lies. His brother Damon brings his own complicated history and cold resentment into the mix. The emotional pain of lost love twisted with mafia loyalty and misunderstandings creates a volatile, addictive dynamic.
Throw in her enigmatic bodyguard (Ryker) with his own shadowed past, who refuses to let her slip away, and the “why choose” elements heat up in ways that are as dangerous as they are steamy.
The book delivers on the dark romance promises…. The high stakes suspense, constant threats, intense chemistry, and morally gray men who are as protective as they are punishing.
The author’s writing flows effortlessly, building tension and emotional depth that makes you feel every ounce of Chloe’s fear, longing, and defiance.
What stood out most was how invested I became in the characters. Their journeys are tragic and compelling, with backstories that add real weight without slowing the pace. The mafia world feels lived in and ruthless, and the forbidden/second chance vibes amplify every confrontation and charged moment.
And that ending …. left me desperate for book two, I need answers and resolution after the way things wrapped up.
If you love dark mafia romances with strong heroines who keep fighting, complex anti heroes, and a why choose setup full of heat, suspense, and heartbreak, this one delivers.
It’s addictive, emotional, and perfectly sets the stage for more chaos in the series.
Hart and Souls: A Ghostly Second Chance Romance by Amy J. Elliott
Description
Love never dies, and neither does he, in this second chance romance with a ghostly twist.
Ruby Hart used to believe in happily ever afters. It’s why she runs the Big Tippers and Bodice Rippers book club at the library where she works. But after calling off her engagement six months ago, romance feels more like fiction than fact.
So color Ruby surprised when she gets a call from her ex-fiancé’s phone, only to learn Oliver Blackwood has died in an accident. Or so she thinks, until she comes home to find Ollie’s ghost waiting for her.
Turns out Ruby is a Navigator, part of a long line of Hart women destined to guide souls to the beyond. But when she touches Ollie, he doesn’t move on. Because while he’s dead…he’s also sort of not.
Ollie did betray Ruby, but not the way she thinks. When he was alive, he hunted the undead, tracking a spreading infection that could become an epidemic. Now he is the undead, and he’s tethered to Ruby until they find his zombie body and the creature that bit him, laying them both to rest.
Living with your ex’s ghost 24/7 makes it hard to hold a grudge, and Ruby quickly realizes she might not be as over Ollie as she thought. But if they succeed, Ollie will finally cross over…and Ruby will lose him for good.
For a librarian who wants to believe in happily ever afters again, it may be the ultimate heartbreak.
Publication Date 1/7/2026
Hart and Souls: A Ghostly Second Chance Romance by Amy J. Elliott
My Review
I absolutely loved Hart and Souls by Amy J. Elliott.
From the very first chapter, this book wrapped me in a perfect blend of heartfelt romance, supernatural intrigue, and quiet emotional depth that kept me turning pages late into the night.
Ruby Hart is such a lovable character, she’s a librarian who runs a book club called Big Tippers and Bodice Rippers, still nursing the wounds of a broken engagement while clinging to her belief in happy endings through the stories she loves.
She’s the kind of heroine you immediately want to root for.
When her ex-fiancé Oliver’s ghost shows up after what she thought was his death, the story takes off in the most delightful and poignant way.
The chemistry between Ruby and Ollie crackles with all the unresolved tension of a second chance romance, but the ghostly twist adds layers of tenderness, frustration, and humor that made me laugh and ache in equal measure.
Living with your ex 24/7 would test anyone, but watching Ruby grapple with forgiveness while discovering the truth about Ollie’s hidden life as a hunter of the undead felt fresh and compelling.
The Navigator lore woven through the Hart family history is fascinating without ever overwhelming the central love story.
What i liked was the bittersweet push/pull of loving someone you know you might have to let go.
The author writes the romance with genuine heart, balancing sweet moments, banter, and real stakes in a way that never feels contrived. The supernatural elements…. zombies, tethering, the race to lay Ollie’s soul to rest, elevate the second chance trope into something truly unique.
By the end, I was fully invested in whether these two could find their happily ever after, even knowing the cost.
If you enjoy ghostly romances with strong character development, a touch of mystery, and that perfect ache of “what if we only had this little time,” Hart and Souls is an absolute must read.
I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.
Down and Dirty (Italian Stallions book one) by Mari Carr
Description
Confirmed bachelors Tony Moretti and Dr. Reece Beaumont share the same motto—work hard, play harder. But when fate drops a homeless waitress and her young son on their doorstep, their wild and free lifestyle takes a sharp turn. Their desire to help her is only surpassed by their desire to claim her, share her, make her theirs.
Jess has one goal in life—protect her son. But when an overcrowded shelter puts her and Jasper out on the street in the dead of winter, she fears she’s going to fail that mission. Help comes in the form of not one, but two sexy saviors.
Tony and Reece offer Jess a place to stay and security, and there’s no denying the chemistry between the three of them. However, Jess’s past is lined with people who’ve hurt her and she’s not looking to add anyone else to that list. No matter how persuasive, how determined, how deliciously possessive her new roommates are.
Publication date 25/1/2022
Down and Dirty (Italian Stallions book one) by Mari Carr
My Review
Mari Carr’s “Down and Dirty” delivers a compelling story that blends emotion, romance, and a dash of steamy tension. The story follows Jess, a devoted single mother, who finds herself homeless with her young son, Jasper, during a harsh winter. The stakes are high as she fights to protect her son while navigating an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.
Enter Tony Moretti and Dr. Rhys Beaumont, roommates who embody the phrase “work hard, play harder.” Their lives take an unexpected turn when they take in Jess and Jasper, offering not only shelter but a chance at something deeper. The chemistry between the three characters is palpable, and Carr skillfully captures their evolving dynamics.
What stands out in this story is the way the author explores the theme of trust and healing. Jess’s battle with her past and reluctance to open her heart adds layers to the story, making the journey to romance both compelling and relatable. Tony and Rhys are charming, protective, and equally alluring, creating a delicious tension that keeps readers engaged.
The pacing is smooth, moving seamlessly between moments of intimacy, emotional struggles, and light-hearted interactions, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the characters’ world. The vivid descriptions paint a picture of both the warmth of home and the chill of uncertainty, enhancing the emotional impact.
Overall, “Down and Dirty” is an engaging read that artfully blends romance with real-life challenges. Mari Carr has created a narrative that captures the essence of hope, love, and the importance of finding your family, even in unexpected places. Fans of steamy romance with a heartfelt twist will definitely want to add this book to their reading list.
Knot Their Starlet (Starletverse Book 1) by Callie Clark
What do you do when your carefully curated, picture-perfect life comes crumbling down around you?
Andromeda Sterling. My name is synonymous with so many things. Daughter of the infamous star of The Real Omegas of Beverly Hills. Social media darling. Good girlfriend to a powerful nepo-baby alpha with the right last name. I’ve spent my entire life playing my part perfectly.
Until one violent, humiliating night at the Grammys leaves me single, bleeding, and running from paparazzi hungry for their next scandal. My mother already has a plan to fix my image: forcing me right back into the arms of the man who hurt me.
Instead, I stumble into an alley with Beckham Knight—the entertainment industry’s first male omega pop star—and catch him on his knees in front of his very male, very alpha manager.
When the cameras catch us all together, we spin the only story that saves us both. Beckham needs the world to warm up to the idea of a male omega in the spotlight. I need protection from a mother who’d sell my safety for a headline.
Everything is supposed to be meticulously planned. No risk to my heart or body.
So why does the stunning pop star make me feel more alive than I have in years? And why am I so drawn to his brooding manager, his razor-sharp publicist, his powerful record-label executive, and the seasoned reporter hell-bent on exposing our ruse?
Funny how the universe works sometimes. Because this fake relationship is making me realize that despite everything the world expects of me—I’m Knot their Starlet. — Knot Their Starlet is book one in a slow-burn why-choose MMFMMM contemporary omegaverse romance duet.
Publication Date 25/6/2026
Knot Their Starlet (Starletverse Book 1) by Callie Clark
My Review
Knot Their Starlet by Callie Clark is one of those books that sinks its hooks into you from the opening pages and refuses to let go, even after the final cliffhanger twist leaves you desperate for more.
Andromeda Sterling’s life has always been a performance, daughter of a reality TV omega star, social media influencer, and arm candy for the “right” kind of alpha.
Her “boyfriend” attacks her whilst attending the Grammys! Scared and bleeding, Andi bumps literally into Beckham Knight, the groundbreaking male omega pop star, right as he’s in a very compromising (and very MM) moment with his alpha manager!
Cameras catch the chaos, and suddenly the only way to salvage both their reputations is a fake relationship that pulls in an entire pack of compelling men into Andi’s crafted world!
What starts as pure PR strategy quickly becomes something far more real and far more dangerous to Andi’s heart. The slow burn tension is 🤌🏻🤌🏻.
The author gives Andi space to breathe, heal, and rediscover her own desires after the trauma, while the guys each bring something distinct to the dynamic. Beckham’s charisma and shared omega experience create an instant, tender connection with Andi. His manager Elijah, offers that steady, protective calm (the man cooks for her, and I felt that in my soul). Leo is Beck’s publicist, he’s razor sharp, but definitely has eyes for Andi, and the label exec (Everett) wields real power, and Cameron the reporter who starts out wanting to expose them ends up tangled in the web.
The existing MM relationship between Beckham and Elijah adds beautiful layers of complexity and emotion rather than feeling like an afterthought. (They basically grew up together, and don’t want to jeopardise that relationship, but they’ve both want more!)
The Hollywood setting is used brilliantly here, it’s not just a glamorous backdrop but as a pressure cooker of media scrutiny, image control, and the way omegas are commodified.
Andi’s journey from dissociation and people pleasing to reclaiming her anger, boundaries, and agency is genuinely amazing to watch. The spice is open door and serves the characters (with solid MM content), but the emotional and protective aspects of the pack forming around her are what made me the most invested.
It’s a why choose (MMFMMM) omegaverse contemporary romance duet opener, so yes, it ends on a cliffhanger that had me yelling at my screen. But the character work, the found family vibes, the sharp commentary on fame and control, and the way these men slowly become Andi’s safe place make it completely worth it.
If you love celebrity/rockstar romance with real stakes, slowburn tension that pays off, traumatized characters finding healing, and a pack that feels distinct rather than interchangeable, this one delivers.
I devoured it in one sitting and immediately wanted the next book.
Callie Clark has a real talent for blending heat, heart, and high stakes drama.
Oh….. and watch out for the mother!
I’d recommend checking out the TW’s before starting the book.
Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for an omega who finally decides she’s knot playing by their rules anymore.
Speechless (Clarity Coast Omegaverse Book 3) by Devyn Sinclair
Description
From the outside my life is perfect. Inside, no one can hear me screaming.
Being the only Omega in your friend group who’s single is the worst. Being alone while your friends are happily bonded? Even less fun.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends, and I’m happy for them. But nothing erases the truth: No one wants me. Not even the people meant to be my family.
Until them.
A chance meeting throws me in the path of the hottest Alphas I’ve ever seen. They’re powerful, dominant, and entirely intoxicating. And they want me. Not just for a night— they want forever.
It doesn’t feel real. I’m too loud, too much, and too broken. But these Alphas? They’ll stop at nothing to prove me wrong.
Between chasing the biggest break of my career and finally learning what it’s like to be loved, every secret I’ve tried to hide is rising to the surface. Breaking my silence might shatter me, but, for the first time, I know there will be someone to pick up the pieces.
When danger from both present and past threaten everything, I have to remember my new truth: I’m not alone anymore.
For too long, secrets have kept me silent.
Now it’s time to find my voice.
Speechless is a standalone reverse harem Omegaverse. No choosing, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA!
This book is part of a series of standalones, and can be enjoyed on its own, without reading any other books in the series.
Content Warnings available on the author’s website.
Publication Date 29/5/2026
Speechless (Clarity Coast Omegaverse Book 3) by Devyn Sinclair
My Review
Speechless really got to me. 🥵❤️🩹🥹
As the third book in the Clarity Coast Omegaverse series, it follows Trinity, the last single Omega in her close friend group, and her journey into a forever bond with the Breaker Pack…. Aiden, Bastian, Brooks, Logan, and Theo. (I loved how they came up
With the pack name 😉)
What stood out most is how deeply Trinity’s internal struggle was. On the surface her life looks fun and easy, but she’s been carrying heavy silence from family rejection, past trauma, and the constant ache of watching her friends find their packs while she feels “too loud, too much, too broken.” I cried when Trinity finally learns to trust that these Alphas want all of her, not just the polished parts. ❤️🩹
The diabetes representation and her journalism career add layers that make her feel like a real person rather than just an Omega trope.
The Breaker Pack brings serious heat and protective devotion. This is easily the kinkiest book in the series so far, with a strong BDSM lifestyle focus, power exchange, and plenty of impact play. 🥵
What impressed me was how consent, negotiation, and aftercare are woven in, questionnaires, check ins, and clear communication make the dynamics feel safe and character driven instead of purely titillating.
The men are dominant without being overbearing, and they actively support Trinity’s career even when it pulls her into danger. Watching her open up and find her voice, both personally and professionally, while the pack stands beside her created some genuinely moving moments. (I cheered when she finally stood up and told her story.)
That said, the story juggles a lot….deep trauma healing, a blossoming (and very spicy) reverse harem relationship, career stakes, corruption threats, and family confrontation. At times it felt a little crowded, and I wanted more balanced development across all five Alphas or extra group pack bonding beyond the individual connections.
The way the friend group from previous books weaves in adds wonderful warmth and continuity. And a surprise/twist that I didn’t see coming, but was throughly pleased with 🤫
If you enjoy emotionally raw Omegaverse with heavy kink, excellent consent, and a heroine who grows into her strength surrounded by worshipful Alphas, this one delivers.
It’s a true standalone that still feels like a satisfying conclusion to the friend/circle stories. You don’t need to read the other two, but meeting Isolde and Ocean, you’ll definitely want to read their stories.
Highly recommended if you’re already invested in the series or just want a why choose story that prioritizes healing and found family.
I have to admit my favourite was Isolde’s book Endless. But after reading this one… I think this one just became my favourite ❤️
Demon: A Tortured Anti-Hero MC Romance Novel (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 5) by Bianca Lee Ward
Description
I’m obsessed with her. She’s mine … she just doesn’t know it yet.
They say I’m a sociopath, but Ivy makes me feel like I’m worth something. She’s the only one to see past the fake smile that hides how dead I am inside.
Ivy is an incredible nurse to my sister and a loving single mom. Which is exactly why she should fear me, because while she saves lives, I end them.
And she would, if she discovered I’ve been stalking her, like a man possessed. Because as the club’s Enforcer, I protect what’s mine.
Ivy needs to take sanctuary at the club with her daughter, and I vow to keep them safe. In return, she thinks she can save my tortured soul and heal what’s broken inside me. But I know better.
I’ve already sinned too much to be saved. She can’t change my violent past. My dangerous life. Or the fact that I’m damaged beyond repair.
But if she wants my heart, I’ll carve it out for her, because I’m not afraid of pain or death. There’s only one thing left in life that scares me …
Losing Ivy.
Publication Date 27/5/2025
Demon: A Tortured Anti-Hero MC Romance Novel (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 5) by Bianca Lee Ward
My Review
Demon by Bianca Lee Ward is a raw, gripping ride that sinks its claws into you from the very first page and refuses to let go.
As the fifth book in the War Brothers MC series, it delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect from this author, a deliciously dark anti hero romance that doesn’t shy away from the gritty, violent underbelly of club life.
Demon is one of the most tortured heroes I’ve read in a while. He’s the club’s Enforcer, he’s cold, lethal, and convinced he’s too far gone to ever be redeemed.
His obsession with Ivy feels real, the stalking, the possessiveness, the way he watches over her without her knowledge, it all walks that razor thin line between terrifying and intoxicating.
What i liked about Demon was the unapologetic way he was, the author never tried to make him anything other than that. His past is what shaped him. But underneath all that knife wielding is a heart that beats for his sister and now for Ivy.
Ivy is the perfect partner for Demon. As a dedicated nurse and protective single mom, she brings light and warmth to Demon’s shadowed world without coming across as naïve.
I loved watching her stand her ground while slowly peeling back his layers. Their chemistry is explosive, equal parts tender and scorching and the way their relationship develops through danger and forced proximity feels earned rather than rushed.
The tension, the push/pull, and the raw need between them made for some seriously addictive reading.
The story moves at a solid pace, blending suspense, club drama, and steamy romance without ever feeling bloated.
And in the quieter moments when Demon’s inner darkness clashes with his growing attachment to Ivy and her daughter. It’s heartbreaking at times, especially when he wrestles with the idea that he might be beyond saving, yet hopeful in the way Ivy refuses to give up on him.
If you enjoy dark motorcycle club romances with morally gray (bordering on black) heroes, intense obsession tropes, and strong heroines who can hold their own, Demon is a must read.
It’s emotional, steamy, and unflinchingly honest about pain, loyalty, and love in a world that doesn’t forgive easily.
I finished it wanting more of this couple and this world, definitely one of my favorites in the series so far.
They say opposites attract, but for two people who come from different worlds, is the impossible-possible?
Reed Carrington is a ne’er-do-well, a former bluecoat who barely made it through school. He was a terror to his tutors and despised sitting inside a stuffy classroom. He would rather be outside wreaking havoc on London’s social elite.
Or so he’d thought. Determined to make a name for himself and leave the past behind, he is starting to embrace success, but one day he rescues a beautiful debutante in a pink dress from drowning, and he’s suddenly dubbed a hero by the Brazen Belle.
Miss Sariah Kent doesn’t appreciate all the strictures placed on women in the beau monde.
She would rather be independent than be forced to marry simply because it is expected of her to do so. She yearns for more, but she doesn’t know how to obtain that freedom until a blond Adonis breathes new life-and fire-into her blood. In July, when the temperatures are rising in central London, the passion simmering between this rebellious lady and her hot and bothered hero soon become a recipe for love.
Publication Date 1/7/2026
HOT AND BOTHERED IN JULY by Tabetha Waite
My Review
I picked up Hot and Bothered in July as I loved the authors writing. And it turned out to be the perfect escape.
Tabetha Waite writes delightful historical romance that captures the heat not just of a London July, but of two fiery personalities colliding in the most unexpected way.
From the very first pages, I was drawn into the world of Reed Carrington and Sariah Kent, a pair whose instant chemistry practically leaps off the page.
Reed is the kind of hero who refuses to fit neatly into any box. A former troublemaker with a bluecoat past, he’s rough around the edges and carries the weight of a less than privileged background. Yet there’s something magnetic about his determination to reinvent himself. Watching him shift from a man who once thrived on chaos to someone embracing success felt deeply satisfying.
His rescue of Sariah in that pink dress is the inciting moment that flips both their worlds upside down, and I loved how the author uses it to spark that attraction.
Sariah, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air in the rigid beau monde. She chafes against the expectations placed on women of her station, marriage as duty, propriety above all else, and her yearning for independence had me wanting her to succeed. She’s spirited without being reckless, intelligent, and quietly rebellious.
The way her world expands after meeting Reed, how he awakens both her passions and her courage, made their relationship feel electric. Their banter crackles with tension, and the slowburn of their romance, set against the sweltering backdrop of a London summer, is really well done.
The author balances the heat between them with moments of tenderness and self discovery that give the story real emotional depth.
What I appreciated most was how the novel explores the theme of opposites attracting while never making it feel clichéd. Reed and Sariah come from vastly different worlds, and the obstacles they face had me keeping my fingers crossed 🤞.
The secondary characters, including the intriguing Brazen Belle society, add delightful layers and a touch of scandalous fun to the story.
The writing is smooth and immersive, painting vivid scenes of Regency era London without ever slowing the pace.
By the end, I closed the book with a happy sigh and a smile.
Hot and Bothered in July is a charming, passionate read. If you enjoy historical romances with strong willed heroines, reformed rogues, and plenty of sizzling chemistry, this one is absolutely worth diving into.
Tabetha Waite has delivered another winner that left me feeling warm in all the right ways.
I had her and loved the taste of her. But she’s too young, too sweet and good. I’ll keep her safe, and I want her happy. Even if my own heart tells me I’m a fool for not making her mine.
Our few nights were electric. She left her mark and burned her goodness into my heart. There’s no room left for anyone else, only her. I can’t chase her. I have to let her go. Sure, she’s a club girl and I could have her under me whenever I want, but I can’t do that to her. I refuse to pull her any deeper into the Diamond MC.
When that decision is taken out of my hands and she’s dragged into the darkness, all I see is rage and bloodshed. I’ll make them pay. Every single one of them who thought they could steal her away, take her from me.
She’s everything. And once I have her back, I’ll make sure I never let go. She’s light and goodness. Maybe she’s too good for me, but maybe she’s just what I need to balance my world. I’ll give her everything and make her mine. And just maybe she’ll make me hers too.
Warning: this book contains violence, offensive language, and very mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up.
Note: Book #1 in the Diamond MC series, though these characters have been seen in the mm Polished P &P series, you don’t have to read them first to read Country.
Publication Date 15/2/2022
Country (Diamond MC Book 1) by Lila Rose
My Review
From the moment I opened the first pages of “Country,” I was swept away into a world of passion, motorcycle clubs, and internal conflict. The author masterfully crafts a narrative that pulls you in with its electric tension and complex characters.
The mmc’s love for the mfc is palpable, you can feel his struggle between desire and the fierce need to protect her. He’s captivated by her sweetness, yet understands that their worlds are vastly different. The emotional depth he experiences speaks volumes, and I found myself rooting for him at every turn. Watching him grapple with his feelings while trying to keep her safe was both heart-wrenching and exhilarating.
Their nights together? Utterly intoxicating. The author’s writing encapsulates those moments perfectly, making it hard to put the book down. I felt the chemistry crackle, and I couldn’t help but wish for their happy ending, even amid the chaos surrounding them.
What truly stood out to me was the transformation in the male lead. The moment he realizes she’s been dragged into danger by others, his rage and determination to protect her shine through. It transforms the story from a simple romance into an intense, gripping battle filled with stakes that leave you on the edge of your seat.
The author has a way of weaving light and darkness, goodness and grit.
This book explores the complexity of love, the challenges of loyalty, and ultimately, the power of sacrifice.
“Country” is not just a love story; it’s a thrilling journey of personal growth and redemption.
If you’re looking for a read that will keep your heart racing and your emotions engaged, I wholeheartedly recommend diving into this captivating tale. The author Lila Rose has created a world that I can’t wait to explore further!
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.
With this bold and deeply personal novel, It Ends With Us is a heart-wrenching story and an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.
Publication Date 2/8/2016
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
My Review
“It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover is a contemporary romance that explores love, resilience, and the complexity of relationships.
Lily Bloom is a determined character who has overcome significant challenges to build a fulfilling life for herself. After moving to Boston and starting her own business, she meets Ryle Kincaid, a charismatic neurosurgeon. Their immediate chemistry sets the stage for a passionate relationship, but it quickly becomes evident that Ryle’s emotional walls complicate their connection. His reluctance to engage in traditional romantic commitments makes Lily question whether their bond can withstand the pressures of his past and her hopes for a future.
As the story unfolds, Colleen weaves in themes of domestic violence, mental health, and the cycle of trauma. Lily’s past experiences, including her relationship with her father, shape her understanding of love and acceptance.
The novel also features Lily’s first love, Atlas, who unexpectedly re-enters her life, adding complexity to her situation. Her feelings for both Ryle and Atlas raises questions about the nature of love and the choices she has to make.
Overall, “It Ends with Us” is an emotionally charged read.
🦋
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. Book I read on holiday.
Stopping Short (Pit Bulls Baseball Book 6) by Kristin MacQueen
Description
She’s been my best friend despite our age gap. Seven years seems like forever, but it’s never stopped us from turning to each other for everything. Now that we’re both adults, I can’t seem to stay away from her. I’m begging to take off work and miss baseball games just to celebrate her birthday with her… Only when I get there, I’m met with a massive surprise I wasn’t expecting.
I messed up. I made an impulsive decision and now I need to deal with it. I assume I can keep it quiet and fix everything before I return home from college… but when the man I’ve been in love with my entire life comes to celebrate my birthday with me, he finds out my secret and everything goes wrong.
Tropes:
⚾️ small town romance
🧢sports romance
⚾️ baseball romance
🧢age gap
⚾️ friends to lovers
🧢he falls first
⚾️ shared past
🧢closed door romance TW – stalker, violence
Publication Date 2/7/2026
Stopping Short (Pit Bulls Baseball Book 6) by Kristin MacQueen
My Review
Stopping Short by Kristin MacQueen is a warm, heartfelt addition to the Pit Bulls Baseball series that perfectly captures the slowburn tension of longtime friends finally crossing that invisible line.
I’ve haven’t been following this series, but I’m definitely going back to take a look. I liked this one because of the friends to lovers angle combined with a seven year age gap.
The hero’s devotion is everything, watching him drop everything, including baseball commitments, just to be there for her birthday shows how deeply he’s fallen, even if he’s been trying (and failing) to keep things platonic.
Their shared history gives the story a lovely foundation, every interaction feels layered with years of inside jokes, quiet support, and that underlying ache of wanting more.
What I appreciated most is how the small town setting wraps around the romance like a comfortable blanket. The community feels lived in, and the baseball elements are woven in naturally without overpowering the emotional core.
The heroine’s impulsive decision and the secret she’s carrying create real stakes, and when everything collides on her birthday, the fallout is messy in the most realistic way.
MacQueen handles the closed-door romance with sweetness and restraint, focusing on the emotional intimacy and longing rather than explicit scenes.
There’s genuine tenderness here, especially in how the hero steps up once he learns the truth. The “he falls first” trope is done beautifully, he’s been gone for her for a long time, even if it took this crisis for him to fully admit it.
The story moves at a gentle pace that lets you sink into their relationship, and the resolution left me smiling with that satisfied, hopeful feeling I look for in a sweet romance.
If you enjoy low angst sports romances with strong friendships, small town charm, and characters who genuinely know each other inside out, Stopping Short delivers. It’s comforting, a little spicy in spirit (even if closed door), and another solid win for the author.
I’m already looking at binge reading the previous books, and I’m forward to whatever comes next in this series.
A Magic So Deadly (Kingdom of Dark Magic Book 2) by Vasilisa Drake
Description
She has become everything she ever wanted… and everything she despises.
Samara wakes in a prison cell as her worst nightmare: She’s a vampire, cursed with bloodlust that horrifies her. And though she now has the magic she’s always desperately craved, it’s a secret she must guard with her undead life.
Because this same magic marks her as an enemy of all vampires. Especially Raphael—their king.
Now, as a vampire, Samara is haunted by an inescapable thirst. In her sleep, she claws at her throat, trying to ease the pain. But when she’s around Raphael, her fangs ache for a deeper reason she can’t explain.
A mystical bond ties Samara to Raphael as her sire, preventing her from fleeing before he can discover her identity as the very witch he’s been hunting for centuries. Instead, she must journey with him to the Southern Vampire Kingdom. A journey that has her sharing both his carriage… and his bed.
There, Raphael offers her another bargain: Yield to her vampire nature and master her abilities, and he will help her break the bond.
But if she lowers her guard too much, if her control over the powers she barely understands slips and Raphael learns she’s the necromancer…
He’ll be forced to kill her.
A Magic So Deadly is the second book in the Kingdom of Dark Magic series, filled with a slow burn romance, unique magic systems, and forced proximity. This romantasy series is perfect for readers of Carissa Broadbent, Penn Cole, and Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date 30/6/2026
A Magic So Deadly (Kingdom of Dark Magic Book 2) by Vasilisa Drake
My Review
A Magic So Deadly is a gripping continuation of the Kingdom of Dark Magic series that left me equal parts thrilled, tense, and emotionally wrecked, in the best way.
Samara’s transformation into a vampire is the ultimate cruel twist of fate. She finally has the raw magical power she’s craved her whole life, but it comes bundled with an insatiable bloodlust that disgusts her. The internal conflict she wrestles with is so raw and visceral, I felt her horror at waking up as the very monster she once feared. The author does an excellent job making her bloodlust feel immediate and horrifying rather than just a sexy vampire trope. The moments where Samara claws at her own throat in her sleep genuinely unsettled me.
The forced proximity with Raphael, the vampire king who has every reason to kill her if he discovers her true necromancer identity, is delicious. Their sire bond traps her at his side, leading to shared carriage rides, shared beds (yes, please), and a slowburn tension that simmers dangerously close to boiling over. Raphael is exactly the kind of morally gray, dangerously obsessed love interest I love, he’s powerful, calculating, and inexplicably drawn to Samara in ways neither fully understands yet. The push/pull between them, layered with secrets that could destroy everything, kept me turning pages late into the night.
What I appreciated most was how the book builds on the unique magic system introduced in the first book. Samara’s struggle to master her new vampire abilities while hiding her necromancy adds layers of suspense and clever problem solving. The Southern Vampire Kingdom setting expands the world beautifully, introducing new politics and dangers.
The romance is classic slowburn forced proximity done right, the intense eye contact, charged touches, and bargains that test loyalties and desires. It never feels rushed, and the emotional stakes feel incredibly high because of the constant threat that Raphael will learn the truth……
If I have any minor critique, it’s that some of the middle journey sections lean a bit heavy on the internal angst before the plot accelerates again, but it’s a small quibble in an otherwise addictive read.
The ending sets up what promises to be an explosive continuation.
Fans who enjoy dark romantasy with vampires, secret identities, and high stakes bargains will devour this.
I went in excited after the first book and came out fully invested in Samara and Raphael’s fate.
It’s easily one of my favorite recent vampire romantasy reads.
Can’t wait for whatever chaos comes next in this series.
Property of Kevlar: Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City, OK (Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City Chapter Book 1) by Victoria Jayne arc
Fox (Blood Rebels MC: Book One) by Lizzie James arc
Shut Out: An MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds by Riley Bauer arc
His Heart to Steal (The Executioner Duet Book 1) by Aurora Steinhart arc
Kairo (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan arc
The Short List (Paris Undressed Book 1) by Emilia Cazanescu arc
Darkened Desires (Kings of Pointebreak Book 2) by Cara Wade arc
Darkened Truths (Kings of Pointebreak Book 1) by Cara Wade arc
Ahelno: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Lietvia Galaxy Book 1) by MK Stephenson arc
The Last of the Fire Lilies by M.A.R. Pereira arc
Lord Halsey’s Tempestuous Minx (Scarlett Affairs Book 6) by Cerise DeLand arc
Arath (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan arc
Goalie Fake Out: An MM Fake Dating Single Dad Rougarous Hockey Romance (Book 3) (Bayou Boys 9) by Chris Cox arc
Hit & Run: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Rom-Com (A Blood Sport Agency Book 1) Kinsley Kincaid arc
Kieran (Blackwell Brothers Redemption Book 3) by N.J. Walters arc
Claimed by my Father’s Enemies: A Reverse Harem Romance (Claimed by… Reverse Harems) by Adelaide Brook arc
Songs of the Silent Ones by Micheal Wells Ball arc
Loyal: Lotus MC: San Antonio by Cala Riley arc
Under the Radar (Outcasts of Oloria Book 4) by Bea Tama arc
White Lights by Lauren Kate arc
The Dustmage: Book One of The Dustmage Archives by N.A. Woltzen arc
Jace: A Surprise Pregnancy, Mafia Romance (Belles & Bratva Beasts) by Kelly Finley arc
Grim (Shadow Security Book 1) by Kat Mizera arc
XOXO, Summer: A Single Dad, Sports, Small Town Romance by S.L. Scott arc
The Divine Feminine Scent: Paranormal Femdom Romance by E.C. Beaumont arc
Watch Over Me: A Watched in Darkness Prequel Novella by V.E. Huntley arc
The Unwilling Bride: A Best Friend’s Brother Fake Marriage Romance (The Hamiltons : A Fake Marriage Billionaire Romance series Book 1) by L.Steele arc
The Demon’s Reckoning (The Faceless Chronicles Book 2) by Grant Pierce arc
📚 BOOKS I READ IN JUNE 📚 📚 BOOKS I READ IN JUNE 📚
As you can see I read a few more than my 25 limit (I had time off and the UK was in the middle of a heatwave) Most of the books were arcs that I had applied for. And some were sent to me.
Property of Kevlar: Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City, OK (Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City Chapter Book 1) by Victoria Jayne
Description
No heroes. Just a feisty woman and a ruthless biker.
Kevlar, a criminal with a new road name and a score to settle, has returned to Oklahoma City to reclaim his territory. He doesn’t have time for the gorgeous damsel in distress who keeps crossing his path.
Enter Kelsey, a small-town girl who can’t stand bikers, and who is caught between two dangerous men vying for her attention and control of the city. Loud, crass, and handsy isn’t her style—except when it comes to Kevlar, her not-so-white knight, clad in leather, who rides a steel horse.
Undeniable attraction, possessive obsession, and all-consuming fiery passion could cost Kevlar everything. Will Kelsey survive the treacherous world of outlaw bikers at war? Can Kevlar protect her and establish a new chapter?
Victoria Jaynes delivers an opposites attract, woman in peril, steamy biker romance with Property of Kevlar, book one of the Royal Bastards MC Oklahoma City Chapter series. If you’re a fan of Misty Walker, Madeline Sheehan, and Emma Slate, you need to dive into this series.
Property of Kevlar contains scenes written for mature audiences only.
Snag your copy today!
Tropes:
Motorcycle Club Romance
Opposites Attract
Woman in Peril
Morally Grey MMC
Curvy FMC
Publication Date 30/6/2026
Property of Kevlar: Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City, OK (Royal Bastards MC: Oklahoma City Chapter Book 1) by Victoria Jayne
My Review
‼️ TRIGGER WARNING ‼️
This was a gritty, fast paced biker romance that delivers exactly the kind of raw, no holds barred outlaw MC vibe i was looking for.
Victoria Jayne gives us opposites attract with a heavy dose of danger, possession, and steam.
Kevlar is a ruthless, newly patched biker with a score to settle and zero interest in distractions. He’s back in Oklahoma City to reclaim territory and build something new.
Kelsey is a small town girl who has every reason to steer clear of bikers, she doesn’t do loud, crass, or handsy. Yet the undeniable pull between them keeps throwing them together, even as she finds herself caught in the middle of a dangerous power struggle between ruthless men.
What worked well for me was the tension. The chemistry is instant and intense, but the story doesn’t rush past the conflict. Kevlar’s possessive, protective side clashes hard with Kelsey’s reluctance and independence, creating friction that makes the eventual surrender feel earned.
The outlaw world is violent, territorial, and unforgiving, with high stakes that keep the pages turning. The author doesn’t shy away from the darker elements of club life, which adds weight to the “will she survive this world” question.
The romance is fiery and explicit, with that classic “he’s bad for me but I can’t stay away” heat.
Kevlar makes for a compelling anti hero, not softened into a secret softie, but a man whose obsession with Kelsey forces him to balance his ambitions with the need to keep her safe.
If I had one small critique, it’s that some of the side conflicts and club setup occasionally take a bit of focus away from the central couple in the middle, but it’s only a minor issue.
This is a solid, spicy start to the Oklahoma City chapter. It’s steamy, suspenseful, and unapologetically biker.
So if you enjoy raw MC romances with strong heroines who get pulled into the life, possessive alphas, and real peril mixed with passion, Property of Kevlar is worth the ride.
I’m curious to see where the rest of this chapter goes. 😜
He’s her biggest mistake waiting to happen. She’s the only thing keeping him clean.
Fox
Road Captain of the Blood Rebels MC. Ex‑junkie with track marks he can’t erase and a dealer who won’t stay buried. He lives for the roar of his bike, the weight of his cut, and the brothers who dragged him back from the edge. He has no business watching a small‑town waitress push a trolley through a grocery store every Monday morning… but for a month she’s been his one pure obsession. She’s light, normal, good—everything he swore to stay away from. Until danger circles her, and walking away stops being an option.
Tessa
Twenty‑two, broke, and drowning in medical debt, Tessa works double shifts at the diner and spends her nights caring for a mother who’s running out of time. Men, fun, and happily‑ever‑afters? Not on the menu. But the tattooed biker who keeps showing up where she is—the one with the soft eyes and the dangerous past—makes her feel seen for the first time in years. When grief shatters her world and a ruthless loan shark tightens his grip, Fox is the only person standing between her and the dark.
He thinks he’s too broken to touch her. She thinks she has no room left to love him. In a town where the MC rides the line between outlaw and saviour, Fox and Tessa will have to decide if risking their hearts—and their lives—is worth the one thing neither of them ever believed they’d get.
A raw, emotional MC romance told in dual POV about a reformed bad boy, a good girl with nothing left to lose, and the brotherhood that won’t let them fall alone.
Publication Date 29/6/2026
Fox (Blood Rebels MC: Book One) by Lizzie James
My Review
I picked up Fox knowing it was the start of a new MC series, and it pulled me in with that classic gritty motorcycle club vibe mixed with raw, emotional romance.
Fox is the Road Captain of the Blood Rebels MC, a man haunted by his past as an ex-junkie with scars he can’t hide and a dangerous world that keeps pulling him back.
Tessa is a young waitress drowning in medical debt and caring for her ailing mother, living a life with little room for anything beyond survival.
Their paths cross in small town moments that turn into something neither expected.
Fox has been quietly watching Tessa for weeks, drawn to her light and normalcy in a life filled with chaos and temptation.
And when danger from his world and her debts collides, he steps up as her protector, even though he believes he’s too broken to deserve her.
Tessa finds herself drawn to the tattooed biker who sees her in ways no one else does, but grief and threats test everything they both hold onto.
It’s a story of two people who think they’re not meant for love, risking their hearts and lives in a town where the MC walks the line between outlaws and saviors.
What really worked for me was the tension between Fox’s self doubt and his fierce protectiveness. He’s got that tortured hero edge, rough around the edges with a soft spot that emerges for Tessa.
She brings a grounded strength that feels genuine, especially with the heavy burdens she’s carrying.
The slow build from obsession to connection, laced with the high stakes of club life, loan sharks, and personal demons, kept me turning pages. There’s plenty of heat, loyalty, and the found family feel that MC romances do so well, balanced with real emotional weight around addiction recovery and loss.
This one sets a strong foundation for the Blood Rebels series.
If you enjoy motorcycle club stories with a damaged hero, a resilient heroine, and that push/pull of forbidden attraction turning into something deeper, Fox delivers.
It’s gritty, heartfelt, and leaves you wanting more of the club.
A solid start that has me looking forward to the next book.
Shut Out: An MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds by Riley Bauer
Description
Soren Lundmark fills every room he walks into. Julien Soucy has spent his whole life making sure he doesn’t. They’ve been sharing a crease on the Atlanta Firebirds for seven months, and the thing building between them is about to collide with a Cup run.
Julien is quiet by design. The less space he takes up, the less anyone has to manage. He’s never wanted anyone before. With Lundy, the want arrived before he had a word for it, and now he can’t make it stop.
Lundy is 6’5″ of steady, reliable, and never asks for anything. He’s been with men and women. None of them made him feel like this.
None of them were Julien.
The Cup Playoffs are about to test everything they’ve built. When an injury takes Lundy out of the net, Julien has to become the man nobody expected him to be. Including himself.
Shut Out is a demisexual first love MM hockey romance about two goalies, a found family that sees everything, and the series finale five books in the making.
Atlanta Firebirds Series, Book 5 Series finale. Can be read as a standalone. HEA guaranteed.
Tropes:
🏒 MM hockey romance
🥅 demisexual first love
🏒 friends to lovers
🥅 hurt/comfort
🏒 protector role inversion
🥅 forced proximity
🏒 found family
🥅 size difference
🏒 touch-starved
Heat Level: Steamy
Tone: Emotional, Sharp Humor, Series Finale
Series Type: Interconnected Standalones,
Book 5 of 5 Ending: HEA POV: Dual, Present Tense
Publication Date 25/6/2026
Shut Out: An MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds by Riley Bauer
My Review
I just finished Shut Out, and honestly? It wrecked me in the best possible way. As the series finale for the Atlanta Firebirds, this one had a lot to live up to, and Riley Bauer absolutely delivered.
What struck me most was how beautifully the story handled Julien Soucy. He’s the definition of quiet, intentional minimalism, someone who’s spent his life shrinking himself to make things easier for everyone else. Watching his slow, aching realization that he wants Soren Lundmark (and that the want isn’t going away) felt incredibly real, especially with the demisexual first-love angle. It wasn’t rushed or overly dramatic; it was tender, internal, and deeply moving.
Lundy is the perfect counterbalance, big, steady, 6’5” of quiet reliability who’s been with people before but has never felt this.
Their dynamic is everything the tropes promise…. forced proximity (shared crease, hello tension), friends to lovers, and that delicious role inversion when injury forces Julien to step up as the protector. The hurt/comfort hits hard without feeling manipulative, and the touch starved moments? 🤌🏻🤌🏻
The hockey is there, the Cup playoffs provide real stakes and intensity, but it never overshadows the romance. The found family of the Firebirds team is warm, supportive, and full of sharp humor that had me laughing out loud even during heavier scenes. They see everything, call out the tension, and rally around the boys when it matters.
The steam is excellent, explicit, emotional, and character driven. It never feels gratuitous, every intimate moment deepens their connection and reveals something new about them. The emotional payoff in the final act, especially with the injury arc and Julien stepping into his own, is cathartic and satisfying.
This can absolutely be read as a standalone if you haven’t read the rest of the series, but coming in at the end made the cameos and team dynamics even sweeter.
A heartfelt, steamy, emotionally sharp series finale that does justice to its characters and the world built across the Atlanta Firebirds books.
If you love MM hockey romance with depth, found family, and two goalies falling in love, this is a must read.
I’m sad the series is over, but what a perfect way to close it out.
Highly recommend.
HEA achieved, heart fully captured. 🏒❤️
Would I reread? Absolutely. Already thinking about it.
His Heart to Steal (The Executioner Duet Book 1) by Aurora Steinhart
Description
“Once a weapon, always a weapon.”
A mantra Scythe lived by. One he killed by.
It carried him through the bad decisions and the uncertain ones.
Being a contract killer for over a decade, how could he not?
A legendary former Army sniper, paired with an enormous build, he is the perfect weapon.
At least that’s what he thinks the world sees him as; until a mission lands in his lap that destroys this perception.
“Nightmare.” “Weapon.” “Machine.”
“A dog.”
The one thing he never wanted to be.
“Ruby is… a woman of the people. A female Robin Hood, if you will.”
Lurking in the shadows of homes, or disguised in the corners of dimly-lit casinos, Ruby has one mission, one singular purpose.
Protect and help the less fortunate.
Armed with traditional shinobi techniques and skills, Ruby’s job is to bring hope and salvation to the vulnerable.
Through casino heists, home robberies, and galas, she uses her beauty and tact to seduce wealthy scumbags out of their exorbitant riches.
But when a skull-masked Assassin threatens to thwart her plans, she finds herself working with the same evil that she’s been fighting against.
Can they put their differences aside and work together before the gluttonous tycoons win it all?
Tropes: 🖤 Grumpy x Grumpier 🩶 “Pierced” 🖤 Black Cat x Doberman 🩶 Skull-Masked Hit Man 🖤 Enemies to Lovers 🩶 “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” 🖤 Slow Burn
His Heart to Steal is a dark, enemies to lovers slow burn romance set in Las Vegas and intended for mature audiences only.
Publication Date 26/6/2026
His Heart to Steal (The Executioner Duet Book 1) by Aurora Steinhart
My Review
I dove into His Heart to Steal knowing it was a dark romance debut, and it absolutely delivered on the intensity. I’d read a few of the authors other books (and loved) so I couldn’t wait to see how they would handle dark romance.
Set against the glittering, gritty backdrop of Las Vegas, this enemies to lovers story follows Scythe, a massive, skull masked former Army sniper turned contract killer, and Ruby, a clever, shinobi trained vigilante who plays modern day Robin Hood by stealing from the rich to help the vulnerable. (I can hear my dark heart already cheering.)
Scythe lives by his mantra, “Once a weapon, always a weapon” and has fully embraced his role as an unstoppable force for over a decade. Morally grey ✔️ (what more do I need or say?!)
Ruby operates in the shadows, using her wits, beauty, and skills to seduce and rob corrupt tycoons. Their first meeting had me in stitches.
When their paths collide on a mission, the sparks fly in the most antagonistic way possible.
What starts as opposition turns into a reluctant alliance against a bigger threat, forcing them to confront their own perceptions and walls.
Scythe’s internal struggle is compelling. He sees himself as nothing more than a nightmare or a dog on a leash, and watching the image he has of himself crack as Ruby challenges him felt raw and earned. He’s the ultimate grumpy, pierced MMC, intimidating, lethal, but with layers that make you ache for him.
Ruby is a fierce black cat FMC who gives as good as she gets, her strength, moral code, and refusal to back down make her incredibly likable and fun to root for. It made a nice change to have a strong female that didn’t need rescuing.
The slow burn tension is chef’s kiss. The banter, the forced proximity, and the “enemy of my enemy” dynamic build beautifully into steamy, charged moments.
It’s dark romance through and through, you can expect morally gray characters, violence, high stakes, and spice that matches the intensity of their world. The Las Vegas setting adds flair, with casino heists and shadowy galas keeping the plot moving.
This is a duet, so it ends on a note that will have you immediately reaching for book 2. Sadly it’s not ready yet 😩 Would I call it a cliffhanger? Well, where we leave Ruby and the conditions she was in …. I’d say YES!!
Overall, Aurora Steinhart’s debut dark romance book is a strong, atmospheric start to The Executioner Duet.
If you love dark romance with a masked antihero, a badass FMC who steals more than just money, gritty action, and sizzling enemies to lovers heat, this one is for you.
Check those trigger warnings, it doesn’t pull punches, but it’s worth it for the ride.
He walks into my office like he has a right to be here. Unfazed and unbothered by my sharp words and thorny exterior, Malcolm challenges everything I know. Somehow, he breaks down my walls and I’m laid bare before him.
There’s nothing more terrifying than exposing my vulnerability so when I force him out of my life to protect my heart, I realize there are some things that being a Van Doren alone can’t fix.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 25/6/2025
Kairo (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan
My Review
I picked up Kairo right after finishing Arath Van Doren’s book, and it felt like the series had been building toward this one.
If you’ve met Kairo in previous installments, you know him as the sharp tongued, standoffish, sometimes outright abrasive member of the family, the guy who keeps everyone at arm’s length with his thorny exterior. This book flips that on its head in the best way, (and after Lorne I think he might be my favourite Van Doren.)
The story follows exactly what the description teases at…. Malcolm walks into Kairo’s world (and office) completely unfazed by the walls and barbs. He sees through the armor almost immediately and starts gently (and sometimes not so gently) dismantling it. What unfolds is a slowburn MM romance heavy on emotional vulnerability, hurt/comfort, and the kind of deep trust that doesn’t come easily, especially for someone like Kairo, who’s carrying serious childhood wounds and a bone deep fear of never been chosen first.
I went in not particularly liking him based on earlier appearances. By the end, I was fully invested. The author did a great peeling back the layers to show why he is the way he is. The moments where his softer, protective side peeks through, especially with those that aren’t family by blood (both a chosen family) hit hard. It’s so satisfying watching him learn it’s okay to be cared for.
Malcolm (we met him in another Van Doren book) He’s the steady, patient force Kairo desperately needs. His own baggage from the “Creaverse” adds a little more to this story.
Now I love a little DDLG/GB and caretaker/Daddy kink dynamics feel real rather than forced. The way he challenges Kairo without pushing too hard, and the quiet persistence, made their connection so swoony.
The “I have to push you away to protect my heart” phase is painful in the best way, and the reconciliation/rebuilding was definitely not easy. It balances the spice, sweetness, and darker Van Doren style plot threads nicely.
This series does enjoy its crossovers and updates on the growing found family. It slots in well without requiring you to have read every prior book, (though context definitely helps.)
It’s classic Crea Reitan, steamy, emotionally intense, with some darker themes and content warnings you should check. The pacing is slower in the emotional buildup, which worked for me.
This one surprised me by making me genuinely love Kairo. If you enjoy MM romances with prickly characters who get the gentle (yet firm) handling they need, and stories about breaking down walls to find real connection, this delivers.
It’s a solid addition to the Van Doren world, it’s tender, spicy, and healing in places I didn’t expect.
Highly recommend for series fans or anyone who loves a good hurt/comfort redemption stories.
The Short List (Paris Undressed Book 1) by Emilia Cazanescu
Description
Some love stories begin with certainty. Others begin with inconvenience.
When fashion buyer Emilia Cazanescu steps into the fading elegance of Maison Sirène, she’s tasked with reviving the boutique’s reputation – or watching it disappear. Her chance arrives in the form of Valentina Venturi, an Italian designer whose name is on every editor’s lips and every buyer’s list. But Emilia isn’t the only one chasing her signature.
Across the city, André Lemaire, the impossibly self-assured buyer for Atelier Saint-Clair, is after the same prize. Their rivalry is instant, their chemistry inconvenient, and Paris – alive with rain, silk, and deadlines – gives them no room to hide. When Valentina forces them to collaborate on a joint proposal, professionalism turns to obsession, and desire becomes a negotiation neither can control.
As the season reaches its climax, love and ambition blur into the same pursuit. In a world where appearances are everything, Emilia must decide what she’s willing to lose to win – the designer, the career, or the man who makes both feel perilously close to art.
Set against the mirrored glamour of Paris fashion, The Short List is a story of rivalry, restraint, and the quiet power of surrender.
Tropes Include:
Rivals to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Luxury Fashion
Workplace Romance
Intellectual Seduction
Paris in the Rain
Publication Date 12/6/2026
The Short List (Paris Undressed Book 1) by Emilia Cazanescu
My Review
The Short List is a stylish, tension filled romance that swept me up in its elegant Parisian world. (Think Devil wears Prada) 👠
Emilia Cazanescu, a fashion buyer fighting to save the fading Maison Sirène, finds herself locked in rivalry with the confident André Lemaire over the same sough -after Italian designer, Valentina Venturi.
Forced to collaborate, their sharp professional clashes give way to undeniable chemistry and a slowburn attraction that feels both inconvenient and inevitable.
The story captures the glamour, deadlines, and sensory details of the fashion scene, rainy streets, rustling silks, mirrored salons with a luxurious touch that makes Paris itself feel like a character.
What i liked was push/pull between Emilia and André. Their banter crackles with wit and frustration, and the way ambition and desire intertwine raises the emotional stakes.
Emilia’s internal struggle between career survival and personal surrender feels authentic and real. The romance builds with restraint before delivering satisfying heat, all while exploring themes of rivalry, appearances, and what it really means to win.
The pacing keeps things engaging, and the fashion setting adds freshness without overwhelming the central relationship.
It’s the kind of book that leaves you wanting to linger in its world a little longer.
So if you enjoy sophisticated workplace tension, strong leads, and an enemies to lovers vibe with a European flair, this one delivers.
Pure silk and rainy nights escapism with heart. ❤️
I created Hush Anonymous last year for me. Hanging onto trauma I can’t escape and being ridiculously self-conscious and shy doesn’t exactly create a recipe for losing my virginity. In the darkness where no one can judge me seems like the best place. Yet somehow, I manage to find myself a stalker in the darkness. Which isn’t so bad since he knows exactly how to take care of me.
Arek
My weakness is blushing boys and Kylen is exactly my type. I’m a little late realizing but now that I’ve had a taste, I’ll never let this man go. Thankfully, my stalking game doesn’t last forever and he’s willingly mine. He doesn’t shy away when I tell him I’ll kill anyone who tries to touch him. I bet he didn’t realize that the threat is retroactive.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
About the Author:
Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…
When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!
Darkened Truths (Kings of Pointebreak Book 1) by Cara Wade
Description
Everything we’ve ever wanted. But this isn’t my dream. I didn’t have a choice. I never have a choice…
My plans involved Dartmouth, not Pointebreak—a school that thrives on secrets, and dark games. This is my jail for four years, but it’s not the classes that I fear will break me.
Julien Azarian, Zander Fedorov, and Wesley Bastian—my personal tormentors—aren’t just out to ruin me. They’re out to control me, to bend me to their will.
I’m expected to break, but I won’t. I can’t. I’ll prove I can endure everything thrown at me. Classes are easy compared to navigating the murky waters of lust and hate between the self-appointed kings of Pointebreak. They’re wrong if they think they can crush me. I might be their target, but I’m not the one who’ll end up losing control.
Julien, Zander, and Wesley…be careful I may just turn your world upside down.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a bully, why choose/reverse harem romance. As such, there may be some scenes that are triggering to readers.
Publication Date 5/8/2025
Darkened Truths (Kings of Pointebreak Book 1) by Cara Wade Darkened Truths (DISCREET COVER Kings of Pointebreak Book 1) by Cara Wade
My Review
This romance that dives headfirst into the treacherous world of Pointebreak Academy…. a place where secrets fester, power rules, and nothing is what it seems. 😮
From the very first pages, I was pulled into Riley’s reluctant journey. She had her life mapped out, Dartmouth was the dream, but her powerful father yanks her into this shadowy elite school instead.
What starts as a punishment quickly spirals into a battle for survival, identity, and unexpected desire. Riley is a strong, resilient FMC who refuses to be broken. I loved how she holds her ground against the overwhelming forces around her, even as her world turns upside down. She’s a little vulnerable yet defiant, with a backbone that made me root for her fiercely. ♥️
Enter the Kings of Pointebreak….Julien Azarian, Zander Fedorov, and Wesley Bastian. These three aren’t your typical brooding love interests, oh no, they’re intense, morally gray tormentors who thrive on control!
Their dynamic with Riley crackles with tension, hate, lust, and those delicious push/pull moments that define bully romance. The chemistry is electric, the spice is plentiful, and the “why choose” elements are handled with heat and the emotional moments are 🤌🏻.
Watching Riley navigate (and gradually flip) their power games was one of the highlights in this book, and I might have cheered 😝.
For me, what made this more than a standard dark academy fare is the atmosphere. Pointebreak isn’t just a backdrop, it pulses with hidden agendas, betrayals, and a sense of constant danger.
The plot balances steamy encounters with mystery and suspense, keeping the pages turning. Tragic pasts for the characters add depth without slowing the pace.
If you enjoy dark romance with bully vibes, reverse harem dynamics, touch her and die energy, and a school full of secrets, this one delivers.
It’s addictive, intense, and left me eager for the next book in the series (Darkened Desires).
Not for the faint of heart, expect darkness, obsession, and plenty of steam.
It’s a solid, page turning start to the Kings of Pointebreak world.
Highly recommend for fans of dark why choose romance.
🦋
🎉 ARC REVIEW 🎉
Darkened Desires (Kings of Pointebreak series Book 2)
Description
Someone thought they could make me disappear. Too bad for them, I got away. I’m demanding answers, and this time, the gloves are off.
Julien, Zander, and Wesley—the Kings of Pointebreak stand beside me now.
Dangerous. Untouchable. And all mine. One by one, the boys’ pasts are unraveling. The more they share, the closer we become.
I won’t stop until I uncover the truth. Whoever came for me will pay…in blood. I’m done hiding. Done being afraid. I’ll fight, claw, and destroy anyone who stands in my way.
The more I depend on the Kings, the more I feel we’re bound by something beyond our control. I may not know Julien’s endgame yet, but when I do, no hell on earth will be enough to save those who dared to cross us.
Secrets. Lies. Blood.
At Pointebreak, nothing stays hidden forever.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a bully, why choose/reverse harem romance. As such, there may be some scenes that are triggering to readers.
Publication Date 22/6/2026
Darkened Desires (Kings of Pointebreak series Book 2)Darkened Desires (Kings of Pointebreak series DISCREET COVER Book 2)
My Review
Darkened Desires is a gripping continuation that ramps up the tension, steam, and darkness from the first book.
I dove into this one right after finishing Darkened Truths, and it did not disappoint.
The story picks up with Riley pushing harder for answers after her traumatic experiences.
She’s no longer just surviving, she’s demanding justice, and that shift in her character is incredibly satisfying to watch.
The blurb perfectly captures her growth, “I won’t stop until I uncover the truth. Whoever came for me will pay…in blood.” (Shivers 😜)
The Kings…. Julien, Zander, and Wesley, remain magnetic and dangerously protective. (For me, Zander is probably my favourite) Their pasts start unraveling in this instalment.
I loved seeing their bonds with Riley strengthen through shared secrets and vulnerability, even as the danger escalates. The “bully” elements from book 1 have largely transformed into fierce loyalty and possession, which fits the reverse harem vibe perfectly. The spice is intense 🥵 and well balanced into the plot rather than thrown in here, there and everywhere.
I loved the atmosphere at Pointebreak. The secrets, lies, and underlying threats create a constant sense of unease that keeps the pages turning.
The cliffhangerish tension and hints about Julien’s endgame left me eager for the next book. 🤫
If you enjoy dark romance with bully roots, strong FMC growth, morally gray (or outright black) men, and a why choose dynamic packed with blood, power plays, and scorching chemistry, this series is a solid pick.
It’s not for the faint of heart, you can expect violence, explicit content, and emotional intensity, but i devoured it.
Highly recommended if you’re already invested in Riley and her Kings. I’m ready for book 3 please 😝
Ahelno: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Lietvia Galaxy Book 1) by MK Stephenson
Description
Claimed by an alien prince. Bound by a mistake neither can undo. Can love bloom, even in their darkest hour?
Andie
One moment, I was a college student with Broadway dreams. The next, I was kidnapped from Earth, sold to alien traffickers, and stranded on a planet light-years from home.
When a giant, winged alien found me in the wreckage of my captor’s ship, I screamed and ran. Now the entire Ptexari kingdom believes I initiated a mating ritual with Crown Prince Dakleth—a four-armed warrior who chased me down and claimed me.
Dakleth may regret what happened between us, but remorse doesn’t erase trauma. I may never go home again. I may never see another human being. But I will never accept this alien as my mate.
Dakleth
The moment I saw the tiny human emerge from the crashed vessel, I knew she was mine. I believed she had chosen me, according to the traditions of my people, and instinct overtook reason.
By the time I understood the truth, the damage was already done. I will accept any punishment demanded of me, because no sentence could equal the harm I caused my mate.
Andie may never forgive me. She may hate me until my dying breath. Still, I will spend the rest of my life protecting her, earning her trust, and proving that I would sooner destroy myself than ever hurt her again.
Because she is my mate… even if I no longer deserve to be hers.
Ahelno is a steamy, emotionally intense dual-POV sci-fi romance featuring cultural collision and a slow-burn path toward healing and redemption. It is the author’s debut novel and first in a new series. Intended for mature audiences only.
No cliffhanger. HEA.
Tropes:
M/F slow burn romance
Enemies to lovers
Mating/bonding
Alpha MMC (nonhuman)
Child-free
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Content warnings:
SA/Noncon (Non-consensual sexual encounter between main characters)
Trauma recovery
Suicidal ideation and attempt
Publication Date 27/5/2026
Ahelno: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Lietvia Galaxy Book 1) by MK Stephenson
My Review
I went into this one because the “accidental mating claim” trope is one of my favorites, and the setup grabbed me immediately.
Andie, a college student with Broadway dreams, is suddenly ripped from Earth, kidnapped, and then stranded after a crash….
When the massive four armed, winged alien prince Dakleth finds her and believes she’s initiated a traditional mating ritual by running and being chased, everything spirals into a cultural collision neither of them saw coming.
The story unfolds in dual POV, which works really well here because you get to feel both sides of the pain and confusion.
What I liked most was how seriously the book treats the emotional fallout. Andie’s trauma and sense of total isolation are portrayed with real weight, she didn’t choose this, and she’s not about to just accept an alien prince as her mate no matter how protective or remorseful he is. Dakleth, on the other hand, is consumed by guilt once he realizes the truth. His determination to atone, protect her, and slowly earn her trust makes for a very satisfying slowburn redemption story. The romance feels earned rather than rushed, and the cultural differences add depth without overwhelming the character focused story.
The spice is nicely done too,creative use of those extra alien features without tipping into pure novelty. 😜
If you’re looking for nonstop space battles or galaxy hopping adventures, this one stays more intimate and relationship driven, which I personally enjoyed. It left me wanting to see more of the Lietvia Galaxy in future books.
It’s a comforting yet pretty intense read that’s perfect for fans of alien romances that balance heat with genuine healing and consent exploration.
If you like stories where the hero has to work hard to deserve his mate after a serious mistake, this one hits the spot.
Definitely worth picking up, especially if you’re on Kindle Unlimited.
The Last of the Fire Lilies (A Lullaby in the Rain Book 1) by M.A.R. Pereira
Description
A throne built on a lie.
Thravaena has always known who its kings are. The bloodline of Aaghra has ruled for a thousand years, and the realm has built its certainty on that continuity the way a man builds a house on rock.
The rock is a lie.
A necessary lie; a bedtime tale woven by mothers to lull their children to sleep.
Men of power created it. Men of conviction protected it. And when the ones who told the truth were cast out into the dark, the lie became the ground beneath your feet: so old, so deep that no one living remembers the world it replaced.
But the truth does not require memory. It requires only time. Some truths, when they finally surface, do not set you free.
They burn everything.
The Last of the Fire Lilies is epic/mythological fantasy in which the deepest wars are fought between what we were told the world is, and what it truly is.
Publication Date 20/6/2026
The Last of the Fire Lilies (A Lullaby in the Rain Book 1) by M.A.R. Pereira
My Review
The Last of the Fire Lilies is a stunning debut that wrapped itself around my mind and refused to let go.
This is the kind of epic mythological fantasy that feels ancient and urgent at the same time, like a forgotten legend that’s suddenly been whispered directly into your ear.
The story centers on a kingdom whose entire foundation rests on a beautifully maintained lie…..
The bloodline of Aaghra has ruled Thravaena for a thousand years, and that continuity is treated as unshakeable bedrock. But as the story unfolds, you slowly realize that the rock beneath everyone’s feet is sand.
This revelation was written with such patience that every new layer of truth feels both inevitable and devastating. The tension comes not from battles (though those exist), but from the growing fracture between what people have been told the world is and what it actually is.
I was especially impressed by how the book treats myth and memory. The lie isn’t portrayed as simple villainy, it was necessary, protective, even comforting. Watching characters confront the cost of that comfort is heartbreaking and exhilarating. The world feels lived in, with a deep sense of history that makes every political move and personal decision carry centuries of consequence. The magic (not as much as I thought there might be,) and lore woven throughout felt right, and the mythological elements have real teeth.
There are moments of raw beauty alongside unflinching looks at power, legacy, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.
If I have one small critique, it’s that the pacing in the early sections is deliberately measured as the world and its illusions are established.
It is slow, it is methodical, and I did put it down and come back to it several times, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
This is the first book in the A Lullaby in the Rain series, and it does what every great opening should, it leaves you both satisfied and ravenous for what comes next.
The stage is set for a conflict that feels genuinely epic, not just in scale, but in its philosophical and emotional weight.
If you crave fantasy that asks big questions about truth, power, and the stories that shape civilizations, The Last of the Fire Lilies delivers in spades.
Lord Halsey’s Tempestuous Minx (Scarlett Affairs Book 6) by Cerise DeLand
Description
Inès believes she can do any deed to free her brother from prison. What she cannot predict is how one man’s love can destroy her illusion.
Inès Bechard has performed a miraculous feat in France of deluding the French—and escaping their vengeance. Fleeing to England, she has the help of her friends to create a new life for herself. She desperately needs their gaiety, their security, and their promised exposure to the British social whirl. But she can never tell them why.
What she does not need is a charming man who lures her with promises of kisses, affection, and wedded bliss.
Evan, Lord Halsey, sees in this lovely French émigré a woman he wants to treasure as his own. Resist him she can, and does. But the man is damnably persistent and convinces her that all she has lost, including family, friends, and love, she can regain in his fond embrace as his wife.
Torn between duty to her brother and love for her husband, Inès tries to find a way to do both.
But love has it limits.
Doesn’t it?
Read in Kindle Unlimited!
Scarlett Affairs
Book 1 – Lord Ashley’s Beautiful Alibi
Book 2 – Lord Ramsey’s Red-headed Ruin
Book 3 – Lord Appleby’s Gorgeous Imposter
Book 4 – Lord Fournier’s Shameless Princess
Book 5 – Lord Carlisle’s Enticing Lure
Book 6 – Lord Halsey’s Tempestuous Minx
Book 7 – Sir Durham’s Disarming Asset
Book 8 – The Dowager’s Irresistible Rogue
Book 9 – His Highness’s Tender Trap
Book 10 – The Duke’s Tamed Hellion
Book 11 – The Marquis’s Dangerous Enchantress
Book 12 – The Smuggler’s Precious Cargo
Book 13 – The Baron’s Brazen Confidante
Book 14 – His Grace’s Guilty Pleasure
Book 15 – Lord Fox’s Rebellious Vixen
Book 16 – Scarlett’s Best Agent
Publication Date 18/6/2026
Lord Halsey’s Tempestuous Minx (Scarlett Affairs Book 6) by Cerise DeLand
My Review
I picked up Lord Halsey’s Tempestuous Minx knowing Cerise DeLand’s Scarlett Affairs series that Regency romance with a side of intrigue, and this installment did not disappoint.
It’s a heartfelt, tension filled story about love clashing with duty, set against the backdrop of French émigrés navigating British society in the post-Revolutionary/Napoleonic era.
Inès Bechard is a great heroine, she’s resourceful, resilient, and fiercely devoted to her imprisoned brother.
Having pulled off a daring escape from France after deceiving her pursuers, she arrives in England guarded and determined to rebuild her life while keeping her secrets close. She craves the safety and joy her friends offer but refuses to burden them with the truth. What she doesn’t bargain for is Evan…..
Lord Halsey a charming, persistent suitor who sees her as the woman he wants to cherish and marry.
The slowburn/push/pull between Inès and Evan was great, we watch as Inès resists his advances with fire and wit (earning her that “tempestuous minx” title), but Evan’s genuine affection and steadfastness gradually chip away at her walls.
Their romance fits the series’ tone.
Inès’s internal conflict…. torn between saving her brother and embracing the love and stability Evan offers, had me shouting at my kindle, parts were heartbreaking at times.
The supporting cast from the Scarlett Affairs world adds warmth and continuity. (Although you don’t really need to read the other books first.)
The British social whirl provides delightful settings for balls, flirtations, and quiet moments of connection.
The historical details put you right in the heart of the scene. And the pacing kept me turning pages as Inès weighs her dangerous secrets against a future she never thought possible.
If you enjoy Regency romances with strong, independent heroines who have traumatic pasts, devoted heroes who respect (and challenge) their boundaries, and a mix of steam, emotion, and light intrigue, this one is a winner.
A satisfying addition to the series that left me eager for more.
Highly recommended if you’re already a fan, or if you’re looking for a great historical escape with heart.
Elgin Bolingbrook is drunk and in the wrong place at the wrong time. The mistaken target for a gang lands Elgin in my protection. He’s cute, confused, and so ridiculously responsive to me that I quickly become addicted.
As we close in on the gang who’s after Elgin, I realize that once we eliminate the threat, I’m going to lose the man I enjoy playing like a violin.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 18/6/2026
Arath (Van Doren) by Crea Reitan
My Review
I just finished Arath and damn, Crea Reitan knows exactly how to deliver that addictive mix of dark intensity, protective obsession, and scorching heat that keeps you glued to the page.
This one hit all my favorite spots in the Van Doren series vibe wealthy, dangerous, fiercely loyal family dynamics with a heavy dose of “touch him and die” energy.
The story kicks off with Elgin Bolingbrook in classic wrong place wrong time fashion… drunk, vulnerable, and suddenly the mistaken target of a gang.
Enter Arath Van Doren, who steps in as his protector.
From the blurb’s first person tease, you can feel Arath’s immediate pull toward Elgin, (Ellie) he’s cute, confused, and incredibly responsive, which quickly turns Arath’s sense of duty into straight up addiction. The way Arath describes playing Elgin “like a violin” is spot on for the dominant, controlling energy he brings. It’s possessive without being silly, and the power exchange builds gradually in a way that’s both hot and surprisingly tender.
What I loved most was the tension between the external threat (the gang closing in) and the internal one, Arath realizing he doesn’t want to let Elgin go once the danger is handled. That fear of loss adds real emotional weight to the steam. The chemistry is off the charts, intense, dominant Arath paired with Elgin’s responsiveness makes for some seriously memorable scenes.
If you’re into dominance, protection, and that addictive “mine” possessiveness, this delivers in spades.
The Van Doren world continues to expand in satisfying ways, with that signature blend of suspense, family cameos, and unapologetic spice. It’s fast paced where it needs to be (the action and threat) and lingering where it counts (the developing relationship).
The author balances the darker elements violence, danger, emotional vulnerability with humor and heart, which is why it’s always a one click for me.
If you’re already a fan of the series (Loren, Noaz, etc.), Arath slots in beautifully. If you’re new, it works as a solid entry point too, though the family connections add extra flavor for those caught up.
Just check the trigger warnings there’s gang violence, intense kink/power dynamics, and typical dark romance fare.
It was exactly what I was craving, steamy, suspenseful, and emotionally satisfying.
Be careful what you ask for indeed, once you start with the Van Dorens, it’s hard to stop.
Highly recommend if you like dominant protectors, responsive partners, and that addictive rush of obsession turning into something deeper.
Can’t wait for Kairo’s book and “Daddy” Jalon’s. I love visiting this world!
Goalie Fake Out: An MM Fake Dating Single Dad Rougarous Hockey Romance (Book 3) (Bayou Boys 9)by Chris Cox
Description
One minor league goalie. One tai chi instructor. One fake relationship. The lie was never the problem — the truth was.
Goalie Brennan Keane signs with the Baton Rouge Rougarous, hiding his recovering hip injury because injuries don’t pay the bills or get you minutes. But tai chi instructor Jonah Holloway sees the way Brennan’s body lies, even to the man himself.
And then the lies get bigger.
Brennan pretends to be Jonah’s boyfriend to keep Jonah out of the predatory clutches of an influential woman who could harm Jonah’s mentor.
When a fake relationship becomes the only way out of a corner neither man asked for, the problem isn’t maintaining the lie. It’s what happens when the lie starts feeling like the only honest thing either of them has.
Goalie Fake Out is a slow-burn steamy standalone MM hockey romance set in a sports-mad Louisiana city. Full of favorite tropes, including fake relationship, single dad, workplace romance, hurt/comfort, found family, body-awareness chemistry, career-vs-home tension, and a hard-won happily ever after.
This story is an interconnected Standalone in the MM Rougarous Hockey subseries which is part of the Bayou Boys world.
TROPES:
🏒 Slow burn
♥️ Hurt/comfort
🏒 Single dad
♥️ Found family
🏒 Workplace romance
♥️ Fake dating
🏒 Minor league hockey romance
♥️ Cajun Louisiana setting
🏒 Forced proximity
♥️ Protects his person
Heat Level: Steamy Genre: MM Romance Tone: Warm, slow burn, emotionally honest Series Type: Interconnected Standalone in the Rougarous Hockey subseries — each book reads independently. Part of the Bayou Boys world. Ending: HEA POV: Dual / First Person Content Notes: Hip injury / chronic pain, single parenting, teen son
Perfect for fans of: TJ Klune and Schitt’s Creek and Ted Lasso
Publication Date 15/6/2026
Goalie Fake Out: An MM Fake Dating Single Dad Rougarous Hockey Romance (Book 3) (Bayou Boys 9)by Chris Cox
My Review
I went into this one expecting a fun, trope heavy read, and it absolutely delivered while still feeling grounded and emotionally real.
Brennan Keane is complicated, a goalie trying to outrun (or rather, out skate) a nagging hip injury while proving he still belongs on the ice. His determination to hide the injury had me both rolling my eyes and cheering him on, (the passion for the game, but also the pay check he needs.)
What I loved most was how Jonah Holloway, the tai chi instructor, sees right through Brennan’s carefully constructed facade from the start. That body awareness chemistry the blurb mentions? It’s palpable and beautifully written, turning everyday movement and touch into something charged and intimate without rushing the heat.
The fake relationship trope here is not just a convenient plot device. It starts as a protective measure for Jonah against an influential woman threatening his mentor, but it quickly becomes the emotional anchor for both men. Watching the “lie” become the most honest part of their lives is where the story shines, it’s full of quiet moments, growing trust, and the kind of vulnerability that makes fake dating stories so satisfying when done right.
The single dad trope adds lovely layers of found family and real life tension (career vs. home). The supporting cast from the Rougarous and the broader Bayou Boys world had me wondering if I’d be going back at some point to visit (TBR list will be growing 😝) I don’t think you need to read previous books, this didn’t feel like I missed out, but rather gave me more characters to look up.
It’s steamy when it needs to be, but the slow burn and emotional payoff are the real stars. The hurt/comfort hits just right, and the HEA feels earned rather than rushed.
If you enjoy hockey romances with depth, sensitive portrayals of physical (and emotional) recovery, and relationships that grow from pretense into something beautifully authentic, this one is a winner.
A cozy, steamy, feel good read that left me smiling.
Hit & Run: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Rom-Com (A Blood Sport Agency Book 1) Kinsley Kincaid
Description
I fight crime by night and watch cute animal videos by day. Just call me your modern day superhero. Kidding, but how fun would that be?
My name is Parker Presley, and I am a professional Bounty Hunter for a supersecret government organization called, The Blood Sport Agency, in New York City. It’s not as scary as it sounds, as long as your name doesn’t appear on my radar. Because as much as I joke, I can say with absolute confidence, I am very good at what I do.
Only the elite and wealthy of Manhattan have our number. The agency scrutinizes every request. Many get rejected. The process is painstakingly boring until the accepted bounties hit my inbox. That’s when it’s my time to play!
With the help from my team, Tac, Connor, Ophelia, and the Sparrows, we chase and find the bad guys for, at minimum, six-figure rewards. Which I had collected only days before everything flips upside down, figuratively and literally speaking. You’ll see what I mean.
The deliciousness that is my new neighbor reveals himself in the rudest way. He’s horribly infuriating and delightfully distracting, which changes nothing and everything at the same time. l quickly come to learn that the more I can make him tick, the happier I get. Which is fine until his name is the next one in my inbox.
The price is unresistable and Mr. Holden Hammer, it seems like you killed the wrong person from the wrong family, because your serial killer sins are so worthy of my attention. You better watch out, because now I’m coming for you. And once I get you, that’s when the real fun begins.
Don’t worry my new friends, don’t feel left out, for the right price I’d chase you too!
Genres:
Dark Romance
Romantic Comedy
Tropes:
🖤Found Family
💚Enemies-to-Lovers
🖤Grumpy/Sunshine
💚Revenge
🖤Dual POV
💚Fast Paced Slow Burn
🖤Secret Gov’t Agency
💚Bounty Hunter × Serial Killer
🖤Dark Humor/Banter
💚Dead BFF (Think Weekend at Bernies)
🖤Breaks the Reader/Character Wall,
💚Mental Health Rep
🖤ADHD
💚Wealthy NYC
🖤Betrayal
*This is a Dark, Enemies to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Found Family RomCom Duet with Lots of Banter.
Publication Date 16/6/2026
Hit & Run: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Rom-Com (A Blood Sport Agency Book 1) Kinsley Kincaid
My Review
Hit & Run by Kinsley Kincaid is a wild, addictive ride that perfectly blends dark romance with sharp romcom energy.
Parker Presley is an absolute blast the FMC. A professional bounty hunter for the ultra secret Blood Sport Agency, she chases high value targets by night and scrolls cute animal videos by day. Her voice is fun, chaotic, and unapologetically herself, complete with ADHD representation that feels authentic rather than performative. She’s the sunshine to Holden Hammer’s grumpy storm cloud, and their banter crackles from the moment they meet…. as neighbors, no less. She had me cracking up at her antics. (Who hasn’t sent kittens a dozen times to that one person🤣)
The setup is deliciously twisted… Parker’s new neighbor turns out to be her next bounty, a man with serial killer sins and a body count that hits too close to powerful families.
What follows is an enemies to lovers story where the chase is literal and figurative.
I loved how the author plays with the bounty hunter × serial killer trope. The tension is high, the revenge is personal, and the slowburn chemistry builds through constant provocation and reluctant attraction.
Parker’s determination to bring Holden in clashes beautifully with the growing pull between them, creating that “I hate you but I can’t stop thinking about you” push/pull that works so well.
The dark elements are balanced with genuine humor and heart. There’s dead BFF chaos, found family vibes with her team (Tac, Connor, Ophelia, and the Sparrows), and plenty of dark banter that had me laughing even during the more intense moments.
The dual POV lets you inside both characters’ heads as everything flips upside down.
This is fast paced but never rushed, with a slowburn romance that simmers beneath the chaos. It’s dark without being grim, funny without losing its edge, and the mental health rep and betrayal threads give it more emotional weight than you might expect from a romcom.
If you’re in the mood for a bounty hunter versus serial killer enemies to lovers story packed with banter, found family, and that perfect grumpy/sunshine dynamic, Hit & Run delivers.
It’s the start of a duet that left me immediately wanting the next book.
Kinsley Kincaid has created a fun, filthy, and surprisingly heartfelt ride that lives up to its dark romcom promise.
Kieran (Blackwell Brothers Redemption Book 3) by N.J. Walters
Description
From New York Times bestselling author N.J. Walters comes the tale of Death’s third son…in this gripping, paranormal small-town romance where love defies fate—and even Death himself.
Love her. Defy Death. Lose everything.
Kieran Blackwell has always done everything right.
While his brothers rebelled against their father—the Grim Reaper himself—Kieran followed the rules. Reaped souls without question. Buried every shred of emotion that might make him weak. As Death’s most loyal son, he thought he’d earned his place at his father’s side.
He was wrong.
Now his brothers have fallen—choosing love over immortality—and Kieran has been sent to the small town of Redemption to clean up their mess. One final assignment. One impossible task.
Reap the soul of a woman destined to die.
It should’ve been simple. Find her. Do the job. Walk away.
Then he meets Georgia Baker. She’s warm, stubborn, and far too good for a creature like him. A small-town baker with a fierce heart and a dangerous past, she sees something in Kieran he thought he’d buried long ago.
And for the first time in centuries…he feels.
But Georgia isn’t just anyone. She’s his assignment.
And this time, failure doesn’t mean punishment. It means exile…or worse—losing the only woman who’s ever made him want to live.
Each book in the Blackwell Brothers Redemption series is STANDALONE:
* Samael
* Alexiares
* Kieran
Publication Date 15/6/2026
Kieran (Blackwell Brothers Redemption Book 3) by N.J. Walters
My Review
For me, Kieran is a solid, satisfying conclusion to the paranormal small town romance trilogy featuring the sons of the Grim Reaper.
Kieran Blackwell is the dutiful, rule following son who’s spent centuries burying his emotions and reaping souls without question. (Sounds a lot like his brothers 😉)
But after his brothers fall for love and defy their father, Kieran is dispatched to the town of Redemption for one last assignment….. reap the soul of Georgia Baker, a warm hearted smalltown baker with a fierce spirit and a troubled past.
What starts as a straightforward (if emotionally cold) mission quickly unravels as Kieran finds himself feeling for the first time in centuries drawn to her warmth, stubbornness, and the way she sees the man beneath the reaper. ♥️
This book delivered exactly what i like in this series, forced proximity, fastburn steam, plenty of hot/cold tension, and a suspenseful edge that feels a notch higher than the previous installments.
Kieran’s broody determination and internal conflict made him interesting, he’s not just rebelling like his brothers, he’s actively trying to stay loyal while his resolve crumbles in the face of real connection. Georgia was just delightful, she’s grounded, resilient, and full of heart.
The smalltown setting of Redemption continues to shine as a cozy yet dangerous backdrop, and the way the story ties up the brothers’ arcs and their father’s expectations provides a sweet, cohesive series closure without feeling rushed.
The romance has solid heat and emotional depth, though some elements like the initial hookup dynamics can lean towards predictable or convenient at times.
It’s a quick, engaging read that balances steam, emotion, and family drama well. If you’ve read the first two books, the overall formula will feel familiar (reaper son meets assignment, falls hard, defies Dad). Some tension resolves in expected ways, but the execution and series payoff make it worthwhile.
It’s a comforting, spicy paranormal romance that sticks the landing for the Blackwell brothers.
Perfect for us who enjoy fated (or defied) love, immortal heroes learning to feel, and heroines who bake their way into your heart.
If you enjoyed the earlier books, this is a must read finale.
Claimed by my Father’s Enemies: A Reverse Harem Romance (Claimed by… Reverse Harems) by Adelaide Brook
Description
A Reverse Harem Romance
My father destroyed their lives.
Now I’m trapped in the middle of the three men he turned into enemies.
William Martin hates my family with a cold, controlled fury that makes my pulse spike every time he looks at me.
Carter Hill watches me like he’s trying to decide whether I’m a threat or something far more dangerous.
And Adrian Kade… looks at me like he already knows exactly how I’ll break.
I should stay away from all of them.
Especially when every secret tying us together is built on lies, resentment, and the kind of history that leaves scars no one talks about out loud.
But staying away becomes impossible when my life starts unraveling around me.
Because the more time I spend inside their world, the more the lines begin to blur.
Between protection and possession.
Between anger and obsession.
Between the men who should want revenge… and the ones who start acting like I belong to them.
The worst part?
I don’t know how to stop wanting them back.
Not when William’s control starts cracking every time someone touches me.
Not when Carter becomes the only place that feels steady.
Not when Adrian slips past every wall I’ve spent years building and sees parts of me I’ve fought to keep hidden.
Claimed by My Father’s Enemies is a steamy contemporary why choose romance featuring three possessive men, enemies-to-lovers tension, emotional scars, forced proximity, protective obsession, high heat, and a heroine who refuses to break. No cheating. No choosing. Guaranteed HEA.
Publication Date 28/5/2026
Claimed by my Father’s Enemies: A Reverse Harem Romance (Claimed by… Reverse Harems) by Adelaide Brook
My Review
Claimed by My Father’s Enemies by Adelaide Brook is a scorching, addictive reverse harem romance that delivers exactly what it promises, and then some.
I devoured it in one sitting, equal parts tense and turned on, with that perfect mix of emotional scars and unapologetic steam.
The premise is deliciously fraught… Sienna is caught in the crosshairs of the three dangerous men her father ruined. William Martin who brings that icy, controlled hatred that makes every shared glance feel like foreplay laced with threat. Carter Hill is the steady observer who sees too much, while Adrian Kade cuts straight to the bone with his unsettling insight into her vulnerabilities. Each man carries deep resentment toward her family, yet the longer she’s forced into their orbit, the more that hatred twists into something far more possessive and addictive.
What I loved most is how the “enemies” dynamic never feels cartoonish. The history between them is messy and raw, built on real pain, lies, and old wounds that refuse to stay buried. The slow unraveling of those walls, the way protection starts bleeding into obsession, and the blurring of lines between revenge and desire kept me hooked.
Each man has a distinct feeling that brought something to their dynamic, William’s cracking control, Carter’s grounding presence, and Adrian’s ability to slip past every defense. Watching them go from “she’s the enemy’s daughter” to “she belongs to us” was pure 🤌🏻 for anyone who loves possessive, morally gray heroes.
The heat is high, the tension is constant, and the forced proximity situations crank everything up to eleven. There are plenty of emotionally charged moments alongside the spice, giving the relationships more weight than pure smut.
Our Sienna isn’t a doormat, she’s resilient, flawed, and increasingly drawn to the very men she should fear, which makes her journey feel authentic. Her story had me with a box of tissues and hoping these men wouldn’t do her over (revenge is definitely a key word with With Will/Carter/Adrian!)
If I have one small note, it’s that the beginning throws you right into the deep end of the conflict, which works for momentum, but that said, once it gets going, it doesn’t let up. 😉
This is classic why choose done right…. There is no cheating, no last minute choosing, and a hard earned HEA that feels earned after all the push/pull.
Hot, addictive, and satisfyingly intense.
If you’re in the mood for possessive men, enemies to lovers tension, and a heroine who learns to claim her power right alongside being claimed, this one’s a winner.
In the remote northern reaches of 14th-century Norway, hidden beyond mountains and untouched by kings, a silent clan lives in harmony—communicating not with words, but through dance.
Their way of life has endured for generations.
But now, it is under threat.
As forces from the south push north to claim the land in the name of a distant king, the people of Njuorjojávri must face a world they were never meant to survive—one ruled by power, conquest, and spoken command.
At the heart of the story are two brothers… and the women they love.
In Book One, a young couple is torn apart by a ruthless warlord, forcing them into a desperate fight for freedom and survival.
In Book Two, one brother makes an unthinkable choice—to enter the enemy’s world and seek peace from within, despite not speaking a single word of their language.
As love, loyalty, and identity are tested, one question remains:
Can a people without words survive in a world built on them?
Publication Date 1/6/2026
Songs of the Silent Ones by Michael Wells Ball
My Review
I picked up Songs of the Silent Ones with curiosity, it’s not my usual read, and I did wonder if I’d get through it!
A silent clan in 14th century Norway who communicate entirely through dance? 🤨
It sounded like a premise that could either soar with originality or collapse under its own weight. I’m happy to report it mostly soars.
The story unfolds in the remote northern reaches, following the people of Njuorjojávri as their ancient, wordless way of life collides with the expanding ambitions of southern powers under Queen Margaret’s era.
What I really liked the most was the world building. The author makes us feel how the people dance to communicate…. a slow, deliberate turn of the wrist might convey grief, a synchronised leap joy or warning.
I found myself visualizing scenes like a living performance, which is rare in historical fiction.
At the heart are two brothers and the women they love, split across the two books (or parts) mentioned. Book One delivers raw tension as a young couple is ripped apart by a ruthless warlord. The desperation, the physicality of their flight and fight, lands with visceral impact.
There’s a grounded sense of peril, starvation, exposure, betrayal, that never feels over the top.
Book Two shifts gears as one brother ventures into the enemy’s world, attempting diplomacy without a shared spoken language.
This section explores identity and sacrifice , raising sharp questions about assimilation, loyalty, and what “peace” really costs a culture.
What moved me most was the quiet (pun intended) exploration of love and belonging. Love here isn’t just romantic, it’s in the fabric of the community, it’s survival through touch, rhythm, and shared silence. Voices are sacred, reserved for song.
The women in the story feel fully realized, not props for the brothers’ arcs, which is refreshing.
That said, it’s not flawless. The premise is so unique that some parts feel a touch heavy. Pacing in the second half occasionally stretches during the brother’s internal struggles, though it pays off in the end.
Overall, Songs of the Silent Ones is a heartfelt, imaginative story that lingers. It’s about more than survival against conquest, it’s about whether a people defined by what they don’t say can endure when the world demands they speak its language.
I liked it, I just didn’t love it. Maybe because it’s not my usual read. Maybe too much history and not enough of the other stuff (people/emotions)
I’d recommend it especially to fans of historical fiction quite happily.
🦋
If you read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts, the silent ones have a lot to “say.”
Getting involved with someone new after my divorce was the last thing I expected.
Then I met him.
Loyal.
A younger bad boy who belongs to a motorcycle club.
I shouldn’t want him. Especially when he is only a few years older than my daughter, but I’ve come to crave the safety and peace he brings me.
The only problem is my daughter won’t accept him.
Do I risk my relationship with my daughter for true happiness or do I let him slip through my fingers and make the sacrifice?
Loyal
My sole focus has always been the club that took me in when I needed it most.
Until I saw her.
Sami.
The single mom who is a decade older than me.
I knew I wanted her the moment I laid eyes on her. It’s why I bought a house to be close to her.
There are powers that be that don’t want us together though. Society, her daughter, and the sleazy ex-husband who seems to think that she belongs to him.
I’m not one to give up easy though. I will fight for her until my dying breath.
Publication Date 4/6/2026
Loyal: Lotus MC: San Antonio by Cala Riley
My Review
Loyal, is a heartfelt, steamy age gap MC romance that hits all the right notes for fans of protective heroes and second chance love.
We start with Sami having to change a tyre, her neighbour sees her and assists, they flirt, they have dinner…..
Sami is a divorced single mum trying to rebuild her life when Loyal crashes into her world. He’s younger, rough around the edges, and deeply tied to the Lotus MC, yet he brings her a sense of safety and peace she hasn’t felt in years.
What starts as unexpected attraction quickly deepens into something real and intense.
I loved/hated reading Sami’s internal struggle, torn between her own happiness and her fear of damaging her relationship with her daughter. It felt raw, especially the guilt and longing that come with choosing yourself after years of putting others first.
Loyal is the kind of hero who makes you swoon. From the moment he sees Sami, he’s all in, buying a house just to be near her, fighting against her ex, society’s judgment, and club complications without hesitation. His devotion is fierce but never over the top. The way he respects Sami’s boundaries while still pursuing her with quiet determination makes him a hero in my eyes.
The romance is passionate and well balanced. There’s plenty of heat, but the emotional core…. Loyal’s willingness to fight for Sami and her journey toward reclaiming her own desires, gives the story a little something extra. The daughter’s disapproval adds tension without feeling forced, and the (ex) husband drama brings just enough conflict to keep things moving.
This book has that addictive pull of forbidden love mixed with found family vibes from the club. It’s comforting in its predictability while still delivering satisfying emotional payoff.
I felt a little sorry for Loyal, he wanted a life with Sami. She was still feeling guilty about putting her daughter through a divorce (Farrah wants her parents back together) and so won’t commit to Loyal. I did wonder if at some point Loyal would walk away!
If you enjoy age gap romances with a protective biker hero, a strong single mom and stories about choosing love despite the obstacles, Loyal is a winner.
Once I finished it, I was wanting to find out more of the Lotus MC world and rooting hard for Sami and Loyal’s future.
Under the Radar (Outcasts of Oloria Book 4) by Bea Tama
Description
Keep calm, Nicole. You’ve only been abducted by an alien. Nothing to freak out about.
Trapped aboard a ship hurtling through deep space at god-knows-what speed, Nicole does what any sensible horse therapist would—plans her escape. She has no map, no plan that actually works, and zero patience for the arrogant alien who took her. But she’s not giving up until she’s back on Earth, with her friends and her horses.
Any opportunity. Any opening. She’ll take it.
Arture’s got himself a handful of trouble when he abducts Nicole, but he’s determined to get her to his home planet in one piece for his mission. What his mission is he can’t remember, nor can he recall a lot about his past… but that doesn’t matter, he has orders he can’t disobey.
When their ship is attacked, survival forces Arture and Nicole to work together… and the line between enemy and ally starts to blur. The more they pretend to trust one another, the more real it becomes.
But the closer they get, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
Because when Arture finally remembers who he is—and his deadly mission—Nicole’s heart will be the price of his obedience.
One impossible truth remains: He was never meant to love her, but now he can’t let her go.
🔥 A sizzling sci-fi romance dripping with slow-burn tension that will leave you breathless, featuring a caring, exiled alien and a determined human heroine. Perfect for fans of Ruby Dixon and Honey Phillips (for fast-paced plot) with Emma Hamm vibes (angsty slow burn with lots of tension and adventure). Featuring a cocky alien, forced proximity, DV survival rep and boss babes who refuse to back down.🔥
Trigger warnings: Domestic violence discussed, torture flashbacks, strict culture, mention of suicide, death and execution, fantasy peril, on page sex. No cheating.
Contains: Lots of longing looks and alien appendages 😉
Publication Date 10/6/2026
Under the Radar (Outcasts of Oloria Book 4) by Bea Tama
My Review
🚨 please read the trigger warnings 🚨
I went into Under the Radar (Outcasts of Oloria Book 4) by Bea Tama expecting a fun alien abduction romp with some slow burn spice, and it absolutely delivered, while also giving me more emotional depth than I bargained for. 💜
Nicole is an absolute delight. As a horse therapist (yes, really), she brings that calm, no nonsense energy to being yanked across the galaxy by a cocky alien with memory issues. Her determination to escape, her quick thinking, and her refusal to just roll over and accept her fate made her a heroine I genuinely rooted for. She’s capable, snarky when needed, and has a backbone of steel, exactly the kind of “boss babe” the blurb promises.
Her backstory with domestic violence is handled with care, it informs her character without defining her, and the survival/trauma rep feels real rather than exploitative.
Arture is the perfect MMC, arrogant, competent, and increasingly undone by this human who refuses to make his mission easy. 😂
The memory loss trope works really well here because it forces him to question his orders and his own identity alongside the growing attraction.
The forced proximity on the ship is done right, lots of charged silences, lingering looks, and that delicious “I shouldn’t trust you but I have no choice” tension.
When the ship comes under attack and they have to team up, the shift from wary enemies to reluctant allies to something deeper was on point.
The slow burn is 🤌🏻🤌🏻. It simmers for a long time before igniting, and when it does, the spice is explicit, creative (those alien appendages get their due 😉), and emotionally connected.
The author balances the steam with real vulnerability, flashbacks, cultural clashes, and the looming dread of Arture’s forgotten mission all add weight to the romance. The “he was never meant to love her” angst hits hard in the final act without overdoing it.
I thought the world building had enough detail about Oloria and the larger conflict to feel immersive without info dumping. It’s a fast paced adventure with strong emotional moments.
Overall, this is a strong addition to my alien romance shelf 😉.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you’re in the mood for a romance that makes your heart race and ache a little.
It’s a steamy, heartfelt sci-fi romance that delivers on tension, heart, and alien appendages. 😜
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go add the rest of the Outcasts of Oloria series to my TBR
Your next adult fantasy romance obsession set in a brand-new world of angels, from the No.1 Sunday Times and internationally bestselling author of the Fallen series phenomenon.
When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him – and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.
Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale – with more than her heart on the line.
Publication Date 4/6/2026
White Lights by Lauren Kate
My Review
Desdemona, (or Dez) starts the story trapped in a nightmare… her brother is in the hospital after a brutal attack, she’s the prime suspect, and her dreams of filmmaking feel like they’re slipping away.
Enter Rafe de la Cruz, mysterious and magnetic, offering her an escape through enrollment at Acheron, an elite film school shrouded in secrets. (Can I just say “RED FLAG” anyone 😝)
What follows is a mix of dark academia, cutthroat competition, forbidden attraction, and cosmic stakes that slowly unravel as Dez digs deeper into the school’s hidden agenda. (Thinking Hogwarts and all those secrets 😉)
I really enjoyed reading about Dez. She’s driven, she’s someone who clings to her camera and her craft as lifelines while everything else crumbles around her. (I did feel her character could have been filled out just a little more, in places she felt one dimensional.)
Rafe brings that classic brooding, dangerous energy that we all love so well, and their chemistry crackles from the start.
(I’d not read an angelic read for a while.) And I will admit I haven’t read her fallen series. But I am interested, are they like this one? I think they were aimed for a YA audience.
The film school setting is a clever backdrop, blending artistic ambition with otherworldly danger in a way that keeps the pages turning.
Acheron pulses with seductive tension, deadly rivalries, and that delicious sense that nothing is quite what it seems.
That said, the pacing occasionally leans more into setup for the trilogy than standalone satisfaction, and some of the secondary characters and school dynamics felt they needed just a little more information. Still, the book’s strengths, the romance, the world building hints, and Dez’s emotional journey kept me turning the pages.
Overall, White Lights is a compelling launch for what promises to be an addictive new series.
If you crave angel romantasy with dark academia vibes, high stakes, and a blend of desire and destiny, this one will hit the spot.
I’m already curious (and a little nervous) about where Dez and Rafe’s story heads next.
Solid, atmospheric escapism with heart and heat. But it will need to pick up the pace.
The Dustmage: Book One of The Dustmage Archives by N.A. Woltzen
Description
IN A WORLD WHERE MAGIC IS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH, A YOUNG SERVANT WITH FORBIDDEN MAGICMUST CHOOSE BETWEEN LOYALTIES, FREEDOM, AND SURVIVAL IN A CITY THAT HUNTS MAGIC.
Katja, a servant of the Maiden Tower, hides a dangerous secret—she can levitate brooms, dust pans, and wash buckets across the room. In a city where magic is met with the noose, such a gift could cost her everything. But when she is caught in the crossfire between the decadent nobility she serves and a secret society of thieves plotting revolution, Katja’s carefully ordered world begins to unravel.
As the line between ally and enemy blurs, Katja must navigate a web of deceit, danger, and intricate magic. She must discover her true potential and decide if she is willing to risk everything to become a Dustmage—a symbol of power and a weapon of rebellion.
For in a city that hunts magic, her gift could be the key to survival—or the spark that destroys her.
Publication Date 20/3/2026
The Dustmage: Book One of The Dustmage Archives by N.A. Woltzen
My Review
This story pulled me in with its quiet intensity and never really let go.
From the very first pages, the author creates a world that feels lived in and oppressive in the best possible way.
The city, with its rigid hierarchy and constant threat of the noose for any whisper of magic, sets a tense atmosphere that lingers throughout the story.
Katja is an excellent character, she’s a servant who’s learned to keep her head down, her mouth shut, and her small magical talents hidden behind brooms and buckets. She is practical, cautious, and increasingly frustrated as her world begins to expand beyond the Maiden Tower.
What I appreciated most was how the magic system is introduced. It isn’t flashy or over explained. Instead, it starts small and domestic before gradually revealing deeper layers and consequences. The “dustmage” concept itself is clever, turning something as mundane as cleaning into a foundation for real power and rebellion. It gives the story a grounded feeling that contrasts nicely with the high stakes political intrigue.
The supporting cast is strong too. The lines between allies and enemies blur effectively, and I found myself second guessing several characters right alongside Katja. The revolutionary undercurrents and the decadent nobility are both portrayed really well, no cartoonish villains or flawless heroes.
The pacing is deliberate. This isn’t a lightning fast adventure, it builds like a slowburning fuse. I liked the atmospheric detail and character development, this paid off during the later twists and revelations. The writing has a dark, almost gothic quality at times that suits the subject matter perfectly.
As a debut, The Dustmage sets the bar. It sets up a larger series (The Dustmage Archives) without feeling like pure setup, and it left me eager to see where Katja’s journey goes next.
If you enjoy fantasy that leans into political maneuvering, hidden magic in restrictive societies, and a character who grows through quiet defiance rather than instant chosen one power, this one is worth picking up.
Solid start to what looks like a promising series.
I’ll definitely be reading Book Two when it arrives.
🦋
I was approached by the author who asked if I could read this. It had been out further a few months.
Jace: A Surprise Pregnancy, Mafia Romance (Belles & Bratva Beasts) by Kelly Finley
Description
Don’t let his smoldering smile fool you; Jace Ryan is a Bratva beast who gets what he wants—except me.
Sexy. Sweet. Steamy. Jace is my best friend, hiding his savage side.
Working at an adult store together, I’m a boudoir photographer, and he’s the king-sized guard.
It’s a tempting proximity, but we don’t cross forbidden lines.
Lines that ache; it hurts not to be together.
But Jace knows I’m miserably married.
I would never break a vow.
And he’s a man of honor…
Until he discovers I’m trapped in a hellish arrangement.
My evil husband is holding me prisoner, and Jace is the killer key.
For me, his mafia beast emerges, bloodthirsty and unbound.
His secret society of Bratva kings and queens conspires to help me.
We forge taboo bonds that can’t be broken, As demons from his past shockingly abet our love.
I’m not afraid of their vigilante justice. I need their help to fight something even a bullet can’t destroy.
A stolen image of me I can’t erase. One that’ll destroy my name.
But I’ll do anything to finally be with Jace. Anything to be his proud queen.
And Jace will destroy anyone to protect our precious future.
Author’s note: JACE is a mafia romance with rom-com moments and darker themes. It is the final interconnected standalone in a series, best read in order. It is set in a small-town world of morally grey heroes, hot banter, and taboo traditions, featuring a secret society and very explicit scenes. This is an 18+ romance with a guaranteed HEA.
🖤 Best friends to lovers
♥️ Mafia King × Girl Next Door
🖤 Yearning Soulmates
♥️ Dark secrets & society
🖤 Touch her and be tortured
♥️ Surprise baby
💕 HEA for all
Publication Date 1/6/2026
Jace: A Surprise Pregnancy, Mafia Romance (Belles & Bratva Beasts) by Kelly Finley
My Review
I just finished Jace, the final interconnected standalone in Kelly Finley’s Belles & Bratva Beasts series, and it completely lived up to the hype I’d built up in my head while reading the earlier books.
This one felt like the emotional payoff the whole series had been building toward, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
If you love best friends to lovers with a heavy dose of protective mafia energy, aching yearning that actually feels earned and sweet rather than convenient, this delivers in every way.
Jace has always been the approachable one in the group, the big, smiling, king sized guard at the adult store with that smoldering charm that makes you think he’s the safe, golden retriever type. But don’t mistake that twinkle in the eye, he’s at home holding a gun or holding his Queen.
The author peels back those layers so effectively here, revealing the beast underneath who will burn the world down for the woman he loves. His dynamic with Vivian is everything. Their years of close friendship, working side by side while fighting that forbidden pull because of her miserable marriage, creates this slowburn tension that’s almost painful in the best possible way.
You feel the ache in every almost touch and stolen glance. When Jace finally learns the truth about how trapped she is, the shift into full savage protector mode is so satisfying. The “touch her and be tortured” trope hits hard, and the secret society of kings and queens rallying around them adds this rich found family layer that ties the entire series together beautifully.
You don’t need to read the previous books (you’ll miss out if you don’t though 😉)
Vivian i absolutely adored. She’s strong and principled, refusing to break her vows even when she’s living in hell, which makes her eventual decision to fight for her future with Jace feel powerful and real. I whooped and kicked my legs when they eventually realised they could be together.
Her work as a boudoir photographer brings a sensual, artistic vibe to their scenes together that fits the steamy tone perfectly.
There are darker themes here such as the evil husband, vigilante justice, and a scandalous stolen image that threatens everything, but they’re balanced with rom com lightness, hot banter, and genuinely tender moments that made me smile through the intensity.
Overall, this is a spicy, explicit read with very steamy scenes that don’t overshadow the emotional core.
It’s the perfect blend of sweet yearning soulmates, dark secrets, and that guaranteed HEA that left me warm and satisfied 😊
As a series finale, it gives lovely closure with cameos from previous stories, wrapping up an arc that continues through the series.
If you’ve read the previous books, Jace is a must. Even as a standalone, it works beautifully for anyone who enjoys morally grey heroes who are secretly soft for their girl next door queens.
I’m definitely going to be rereading it again and again, especially when I want that comforting mix of heat, heart, and happy ending.
Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for a romance that makes you root hard for the couple while delivering all the possessive vibe and thrills. ♥️
Duty or desire—some battles can only be won by risking everything.
I was Special Forces—disciplined, controlled, untouchable. Now I’m an elite bodyguard, living for the next mission and nothing else. Until a routine gas stop turns into chaos, and I find myself rescuing a terrified woman from what looks like a trafficking ring.
She’s no ordinary victim. She’s the daughter of a notorious motorcycle club president—and the men who took her aren’t finished. They want her silenced.
Protecting her is supposed to be just another job. But one look into her haunted eyes, and every rule I’ve lived by starts to crack. She’s fierce, vulnerable, and stronger than she knows—making me want things I shouldn’t.
As danger closes in, resisting her becomes impossible. Every glance, every touch, draws us deeper into a fire that could consume us both.
Because in my world, love isn’t safe—it’s lethal.
🖤Bodyguard / Protector Romance
♥️Hero Saves the Heroine
🖤Forced Proximity
♥️Touch Her and Die
🖤Alpha Protector Hero
♥️Woman in Danger
🖤Romantic Suspense
♥️Grumpy / Stoic Hero
🖤Damaged Hero
♥️Trauma Bond / Healing Together
🖤Opposites Attract
♥️Reluctant Hero
🖤He Falls First
♥️Emotionally Guarded Hero
🖤Strong but Vulnerable Heroine
♥️On the Run Together
🖤High-Stakes Survival
♥️Rescue Romance
🖤Hidden Safehouse / Protection Detail
♥️Danger Brings Them Together
🖤Ex-Special Forces Hero
♥️Motorcycle Club Princess
Publication Date 1/6/2026
GRIM (Shadow Security Book 1) by Kat Mizera
My Review
This was a solid, entertaining romantic suspense read that hits the right notes for fans of protective alpha heroes and high-stakes bodyguard stories.
Grim (Landon Grimshaw) is exactly the kind of hero I enjoy, former Special Forces, disciplined, emotionally closed off, and living for the mission.
When a routine stop turns into a chaotic rescue of a terrified woman from what appears to be a trafficking situation, his protective instincts kick into overdrive. The woman he saves isn’t just any civilian, she’s the daughter of a notorious motorcycle club president, and the danger following her is very real! 😦
What I liked most was how the romance develops. The attraction isn’t purely instant lust, it builds through shared danger, quiet moments, and Grim’s growing internal battle between duty and desire.
I loved Allora, she’s so resilient, she’s been through hell but refuses to break, which makes her chemistry with Grim feel believable and earned. Their connection has real heat, and the intimate scenes are well written, blending physical intensity with emotional vulnerability.
The suspense plot keeps things moving. The threat from the men who want her silenced creates constant tension, and the action sequences are gripping without becoming too over the top.
As the first book in the Shadow Security series, it also does a good job introducing Grim’s team and laying groundwork for future stories, though that occasionally slows the middle section a bit.
Overall, GRIM delivers exactly what the blurb promises…. a steamy, protective romance with edge of your seat moments, a strong heroine, and a hero who risks everything once he lets someone in.
It’s heartfelt without tipping into melodrama and left me curious about the rest of the series (Rage is next, I believe). 🤞
If you enjoy bodyguard romances, military style protectors, and stories that mix real danger with genuine emotional connection, this one is worth picking up.
XOXO, Summer: A Single Dad, Sports, Small Town Romance by S.L. Scott
Description
Summer,
I can’t decide if my new summer tenant—a devastatingly handsome hockey player and single dad—is the answer to my problems or the start of a new one.
When big-city developers threaten to buy up my small town, I need to save the rental cottage next door from demolition. I have a plan . . . until Daniel Sutton checks in.
Six-four, a face chiseled by the gods, and a body built by a career on the ice, I’m knocked sideways. He’s charming with me and adorable with his son. And when we touch, it’s electric.
But two things change everything. The pipes break in the cottage, and his agent calls. Before I can stop myself, I’m offering him a place to stay, and Daniel is offering me the answer to my problems. He’ll buy the cottage for me if I help him clean up his reputation.
Sounds simple enough. But when I start to fall in love with him, even though I know he’s leaving in a few months, it’s suddenly more complicated than ever.
I’m willing to take a chance on us and pour my heart into a letter. But with him skating on thin ice, he’s going to have to sacrifice something—me or his career.
I just hope XOXO, Summer isn’t the last thing I ever get to say to him.
🐝 Single Dad
🌻 Sports Romance
🐝 Age Gap
🌻 Small Town
🐝 He Falls First
Publication Date 5/6/2026
XOXO, Summer: A Single Dad, Sports, Small Town Romance by S.L. Scott
My Review
I just finished XOXO, Summer and I loved it, the story gave me exactly the kind of light, heartfelt escape I was craving from a summer romance. 💕
The story follows Summer, a small town woman fighting to protect her family’s rental cottage and her community from big city developers. And when a hockey player/single dad becomes her unexpected tenant, everything shifts. 😉
Daniel is the kind of hero who ticks all the right boxes.. Tall, athletic, charming in that quiet confident way, and completely devoted to his young son. The single dad scenes are genuinely warm and never overdone. (They are probably some of my favourite moments in the book)
You feel the pull between him and Summer right away, especially once the cottage pipes burst and she offers him a place in her own home….. What starts as a practical arrangement turns into something much deeper, with Daniel offering to buy the cottage for her in exchange for help cleaning up his public image.
The romance builds nicely with plenty of tension, sweet moments, and that chemistry the blurb promises. I particularly enjoyed the age gap dynamic and how Daniel falls first, showing his vulnerability beneath the professional/athlete exterior.
The small town setting felt like I wanted to live be there, it’s cute and charming, and with the threat of development I felt it added just enough drama to keep things moving.
The conflict around Daniel’s career and the choices he has to make felt a little rushed to me, and I wanted a bit more emotional depth in how they navigated the “he’s leaving soon” reality. (But that’s my own personal opinion)
Still, the letters and the XOXO theme tie everything together in a pretty satisfying way.
Overall, this is a cozy, feel good sports romance with heart. If you enjoy single
parent stories, small town charm, and a hero who knows what he wants, it’s worth picking up for an afternoon read.
I was asked by the author if I could read and review their book.
The Divine Feminine Scent: Paranormal Femdom Romance by E.C. Beaumont
Description
She seduces powerful men to harvest their energy.
Selene is a high-stakes investor building life-saving infrastructure, powered by a secret. What begins as a gift becomes her Protocol, refined through psychology, ritual, technology, and obsession.
Then Ethan signs the Protocol.
Ethan is a Silicon Valley millionaire with everything to lose. He becomes her most powerful subject yet. Their connection is intoxicating, obsessive, and irreversible. But Selene’s power comes with a brutal cost. As the line between harvest and love blurs, the stakes become more dangerous for both of them.
A story of dark feminine power, psychological intensity, and the cost of loving your prey.
Inside this high-heat, literary romance:
• Female-dominant dark power dynamics
• A powerful woman who may be saving the world or destroying what she loves
• Psychological conditioning and control
• Obsession-driven relationship
• Morally complex, unapologetic protagonist
• Explicit, high-intensity scenes (no fade-to-black)
• Foot worship and sensory domination
• Supernatural elements woven into a grounded, literary narrative
What would you do to the man you love if it saved thousands?
Content note: This novel contains explicit sexual content, power exchange dynamics, psychological manipulation, and morally dark themes. Intended for adult readers (18+).
This is not a conventional romance.
There is no redemption arc.
The ending will stay with you.
Publication Date 4/6/2026
The Divine Feminine Scent: Paranormal Femdom Romance by E.C. Beaumont
My Review
The Divine Feminine Scent is a bold, intoxicating plunge into dark feminine power that refuses to apologize for its intensity, I will admit I picked up the put it down several times. But once I really got into it, I found it a fascinating read.
E.C. Beaumont has crafted something uncompromising, a paranormal femdom romance that blends psychological depth, supernatural seduction, and raw eroticism into a story that lingers long after the final page.
Selene is a compelling character, she’s ambitious, calculating, and driven by a secret ability that lets her harvest energy from powerful men!
What could have been a simple predator/prey dynamic becomes far more layered as she begins to builds her empire.
When Ethan enters her world, their connection ignites something deeper and far more dangerous than her usual transactions. Their relationship is obsessive, charged, and beautifully unbalanced.
The author leans fully into the female dominant dynamics, delivering explicit, high intensity scenes that explore sensory domination, psychological conditioning, and foot worship without any fade to black restraint. The heat is undeniable, but it’s the emotional and moral complexity that gives the book its real power. (Now each to their own, but I don’t do feet, I find them the worst part of the body, I did tend to skim those parts, it’s not a trigger, I just don’t like feet 👣 😂)
Selene isn’t here to be redeemed or softened. She’s a woman wielding her divine feminine scent and supernatural gifts as both weapon and salvation, constantly forcing the question…. what would you do to the man you love if it could save thousands? Ethan’s surrender is as fascinating as it is unsettling, and watching the line between harvest and genuine love blur creates a tension that runs throughout the novel. It’s dark, seductive, and occasionally brutal in its honesty.
This is not a comfort read or a conventional love story, it’s a psychological journey into power exchange, obsession, and consequence. I’m not going to lie, I did keep expecting Selene to want more from Ethan, I don’t think she loves him in the traditional way 🤨
But if you’re looking for romantasy that embraces morally complex characters, intense femdom themes, and a protagonist who refuses to be tamed or forgiven, The Divine Feminine Scent delivers in spades.
It’s provocative, beautifully written, and refreshingly unafraid of its own darkness. I’ll be thinking about Selene and Ethan for a while. Definitely not for everyone, but for the right reader, it’s an unforgettable experience.
Watch Over Me: A Watched in Darkness Prequel Novella by V.E. Huntley
Description
Before the stalker. Before the bodies. There was a raccoon with terrible boundaries.
Luna Foster built Sage & Summit Wildlife Sanctuary from grief, stubbornness, and her grandfather’s inheritance. She’s hand-raised wolves, rehabbed mountain lions, narrowly escaped a bear mauling, and pulled injured raptors back from the edge of death.
Nothing prepared her for Ricky.
He arrived at two weeks old. Motherless. Barely breathing. Small enough that Luna’s whole heart fit around him with room to spare.
Watch Over Me is the origin story of Sage & Summit’s most notorious resident, told through the chaos, laughter, found family, sleepless two AM feedings, and the kind of love that sneaks up on you while a raccoon is motorboating your best friend.
If you thought this series was only about dark obsession and dangerous men…
You haven’t met Ricky yet.
The darkness is coming for Luna’s world. The stalker is coming. The bodies are coming.
But not yet.
Before the wolf came. Before the darkness gathered at the edge of the trees. There was a raccoon who decided he was home, and two women who never stood a chance.
A prequel novella that introduces the beloved characters (and one very inappropriate raccoon) from the Watched in Darkness series.
Perfect for fans who want to know how Ricky developed his legendary boob obsession and see the moment before Damien and Luna’s worlds collided. 🦝
Publication Date 3/6/2026
Watch Over Me: A Watched in Darkness Prequel Novella by V.E. Huntley
My Review
Watch Over Me is an absolute delight, it’s warm, funny, and surprisingly tender. 🦝
V.E. Huntley delivers a prequel novella that feels like a breath of fresh air before the storm.
Luna Foster is instantly likeable, tough, and fiercely dedicated to her wildlife sanctuary. Watching her pour everything into Sage & Summit after the loss of her beloved grandfather gives the story real emotional weight, but it’s never heavy handed.
But this book belongs to Ricky, the tiny, motherless raccoon who crashes into her life and immediately takes over. 🥰
Ricky is chaos incarnate in the most adorable way possible. From late night bottle feedings to his complete lack of personal boundaries (that boob obsession is legendary for a reason), he steals every scene.
The way he becomes “Mr Grabby” with Luna’s best friend (Meren) had me laughing out loud.
There’s something genuinely joyful about seeing this small creature decide these two women are his people and refuse to take no for an answer. (I had tears rolling down my face at his antics) 😂
The found family vibe between Luna and Meren gave me such a warm vibe. Working long hours, their exhaustion, laughter, and shared midnight rescues had me happy sighing.
What I loved most was the balance between the light and the looming dark. You know the stalker storyline is coming. You can feel the tension hovering just beyond the trees. But this novella stays firmly in the “before,” focusing on healing, stubborn hope, and the ridiculous love that comes from hand raising a wild animal who thinks he’s a lapdog. I would have loved to visit the sanctuary and all the characters.
As a prequel, it does its job beautifully, it makes you care deeply about Luna and her world before the darkness arrives.
It’s short, sweet, and surprisingly comforting, especially if you’re an animal lover.
Ricky alone is worth the read, he’s become one of those fictional creatures I won’t forget anytime soon. 🥰
If you’re planning to dive into the Watched in Darkness series, start here. It gives the upcoming tension so much more impact. And even if you’re not, this novella stands on its own as a charming, heartfelt story about grief, love, and one very inappropriate raccoon who decided he was home.
Highly recommended.
I’m officially invested in Luna, Ricky, Meren and whatever trouble is coming next. 😜
The Unwilling Bride: A Best Friend’s Brother Fake Marriage Romance (The Hamiltons : A Fake Marriage Billionaire Romance series Book 1) by L.Steele
Description
He’s my best friend’s brother. My billionaire boss. And now… my fake husband
I walked into his restaurant needing a paycheck.
Now I’m his fake wife.
And if I’m not careful, I might just fall for the man I hate.
James Hamilton is grumpy. Emotionally unavailable. Impossible to reach.
He’s also my best friend’s brother.
The man who broke my heart without even trying.
Now he’s a world-famous chef. Well known for his brilliance.
Working for him is my chance at the career of my dreams.
But when he calls me out in front of his entire staff.
I decide to leave.
But James stops me with an offer I never saw coming.
A marriage of convenience to secure the future of his culinary empire.
In return, he will pay off my debts and help my family.
I should refuse.
Instead, I say yes.
His rules are simple.
This is a contract.
There will be no feelings.
No expectations.
No future.
I agree to keep things strictly professional.
But the longer I share his home and answer to the title of his wife, the harder it is to pretend this is just business.
And when he lets me see the man behind the reputation,
I start to wonder if this fake marriage is the most real thing I have ever known…
Welcome to The Hamiltons. A new emotional romance series from international bestselling author L. Steele, where strong women go toe-to-toe with powerful billionaires… and love never follows the rules. This is James and Harper’s second chance, workplace romance.
Tropes:
💜 Marriage of convenience
♥️ Best Friend’s Brother
💜 Second Chance
♥️ Workplace Romance
💜 Hate to love
♥️ Boss x Employee
💜 Grumpy x Sunshine
♥️ Neurodivergent former Marine MC
💜 Curvy FMC
♥️ “My wife”
💜 Possessive billionaire hero
♥️ Emotionally wounded hero
💜 Found Family
♥️ Close proximity
💜 One bed
♥️ No cheating
💜 Very satisfying HEA
In this ebook you’ll also find
An exclusive illustration of James & Harper
The Hamiltons Family Tree
A map of Primrose Hill where the Steeleverse is set
Recipes of all the dishes James cooks for Harper
Publication Date 2/6/2026
The Unwilling Bride: A Best Friend’s Brother Fake Marriage Romance (The Hamiltons : A Fake Marriage Billionaire Romance series Book 1) by L.Steele
My Review
I picked up The Unwilling Bride expecting a fun, trope heavy escape, and it absolutely delivered on that promise.
This is classic L. Steele…. emotional, steamy, and packed with tension between two characters who are drawn to each other even when they’re trying hard not to be.
Harper is a curvy, sunny and resilient character. But she carries her own burdens with family debts and career dreams. She starts the story needing a job, not realizing she’s walking straight into her best friend’s brooding billionaire brother, James Hamilton…..
James is the grumpy chef whose reputation precedes him, he’s brilliant, emotionally walled off, and carrying the weight of his past as a former Marine.
Their history adds a genuine second chance layer that feels earned rather than convenient.
The marriage of convenience setup kicks in at just the right moment, giving the story momentum…. What starts as a contract with strict rules (no feelings, no future) quickly gets complicated by close proximity, one bed situations, and the slow unraveling of James’s guarded personality.
I especially enjoyed watching the “hate to love” dynamic shift, his possessive “my wife” moments are satisfying without feeling over the top, and the workplace to home tension keeps the pages turning.
The neurodivergent representation for James adds depth to his emotional unavailability, making his growth feel meaningful instead of rushed.
The author handles the found family elements and Harper’s sunshine balancing his grumpiness nicely. The spice level is high (as expected from this author), but it adds to the story rather than overshadowing it.
If I had one small critique, the billionaire romance formula is very familiar, so some moments feel predictable. Still, the characters’ chemistry and the satisfying HEA more than make up for it.
This is comfort read material for anyone who loves boss/employee, best friend’s brother, and fake marriage stories with heart.
It’s a solid start to The Hamiltons series. I loved the pictures of the characters and the map that shows where everyone is.
Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation.
Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.
So where will they be on this one day next year?
And the year after that?
And every year that follows?
Publication Date 25/1/2024
One Day by David Nicholls
My Review
David Nicholls’ *One Day* is a deeply poignant exploration of love, friendship, and the intricate tapestry of life.
Spanning two decades, the novel centers on Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, whose relationship begins on the day of their graduation from university on July 15, 1988.
The story unfolds over one specific day each year, offering us a unique lens through which to witness the evolution of their characters and the choices they make.
The brilliance of *One Day* lies not just in its format but in the character development. Emma is smart, ambitious, and often insecure, while Dexter is charming and charismatic, but wrapped in self-indulgence. As they navigate their individual journeys…romantic entanglements, career changes, and personal growth, we see how their lives intersect, diverge, and sometimes collide in unexpected ways.
One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the stark contrast between Emma and Dexter’s paths as they both chase their dreams (and sometimes fail miserably). Their annual meetings serve as significant checkpoints that reveal not only the changes in their own lives but also the changing dynamics of their relationship. From Emma’s struggles in the pursuit of her career in writing to Dexter’s globe trotting adventures in television.
The writing is sharp and witty.
The author weaves humor into the story, balancing the heavier moments with light hearted observations about life, love, and growing up.
As the years pass, we become invested in both Emma and Dexter’s lives, hoping for their happiness, yet painfully aware of the realities of choice and timing.
The climactic moments are both heartbreaking and triumphant, as important life events unfold on the same date year after year, serving as a powerful reminder of the passage of time and the unpredictable nature of relationships.
In conclusion, *One Day* is a beautifully written exploration of love, friendship, and the nuances of human connection. The author reminds us that while life may not always go the way we plan, the moments we share with others shape who we are.
A perfect read for fans of contemporary romance.
🦋
One Day by David Nicholls. Book I read on holiday.
The Demon’s Reckoning (The Faceless Chronicles Book 2) by Grant Pierce
Description
Book Two of The Faceless Chronicles. The story continues where Book One ends.
The forces of evil are triumphant.
As Aeryth burns, Kalen and his surviving companions are cast into a strange, deadly realm. Banished far from home, they find refuge with the fae and their legendary king, Elflun Lightbringer, who offers a perilous path back. They must make a bargain with Thezgoron, a greater fiend as ancient as he is cunning. Salvation may cost their souls.
Complicating their path, the ruthless reapers, the murderous shapeshifter, and new horrors trail their every step. The greater fiends Astaroth and Morgaelion plot in the shadows, threatening both the fae and one another.
To save their world, Kalen and his allies must rally the fae army and confront impossible odds.
When blood and courage aren’t enough, heroes turn to the darkness and pray the world survives the price of redemption.
Expect:
Dark epic fantasy with escalating stakes
Demon schemes and individual character agendas
Reaper assassins, a murderous shapeshifter, and new horrors
A perilous otherworld realm and a desperate bargain for redemption
War, dark magic, and brutal consequences for every choice
Publication Date 1/6/2026
The Demon’s Reckoning (The Faceless Chronicles Book 2) by Grant Pierce
My Review
The second book in this series is a great continuation that ramps up everything I enjoyed from the first book while throwing the characters into even deeper peril.
Picking up directly from the chaos at the end of Book 1, we find Kalen along with his battered companions banished to a strange, deadly otherworld! 😮
Their desperate alliance with the fae and the legendary king Elflun Lightbringer feels both wondrous and fraught with danger, and the high stakes bargain they strike with the ancient greater fiend Thezgoron is one of the most tense sequences I’ve read in a while. That deal carries real weight, the kind where you can feel the characters’ souls hanging in the balance.
Ruthless reapers, the ever dangerous shapeshifter, shadowy plots from greater fiends like Astaroth and Morgaelion, and a host of new horrors keep the tension high throughout.
No one feels safe, and every choice comes with brutal consequences that actually matter. The story builds toward rallying the fae army and confronting overwhelming odds, blending large scale war and dark magic with intimate personal struggles, especially Kalen’s internal journey.
It stays consistently dark and gritty without crossing into pointless grimdark territory. When courage and blood aren’t enough, the turn toward darkness feels earned and carries a heavy price.
As its second book, it does leave some threads open for future installments, which would make sense. That said, thisstory delivers satisfying payoff while expanding the world in exciting ways.
The writing is immersive and effective, carrying you through the otherworldly realms and battles without getting overly flowery.
It’s ambitious indie dark fantasy that delivers on its promises of demon schemes, fae intrigue, shapeshifter betrayal, and high cost redemption.
I’m fully invested now and looking forward to Book 3.
If you like your epic fantasy with teeth, moral gray areas, and relentless stakes, this series is absolutely worth diving into.
🗡️ The Shapeshifter’s Gambit (The Faceless Chronicles Book 1) by Grant Pierce arc
🏒 Thrown Off Balance (Python’s Hockey Book by Kristin MacQueen arc
🏒 Between The Pages And The Rink by Meadow Thompson OFF MY TBR LIST
🏒 The First Rule Of Faking It: A Colorado Dragons Novel by A. Rivers OFF MY TBR LIST
🏐 Simply Irresistible : A Neighbors-to-lovers Romance (Lesson in Love) by Tara September arc
🖤Duchess of Debits: An Enemies to Lovers, Age Gap, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Dixie Mafia Romance by Victoria Jayne arc
🏒 Fresh Ice: An MM Hockey, Friends to Lovers Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 1) by Riley Bauer OFF MY TBR LIST
👑 Crown of Storms and Starlight: An Empire of Curses and Dreams Novel by Susan Person Arc
🖤 Cut Me, Alpha: A MM military Omegaverse Dystopian Romance: Omega Rebellion Book 1 by Darcy Blackwater Arc
👑 Rise Of The Immortal Queen by Paula Ellison Franklin Arc
📝 Writer’s Block by Kimberly Amato Arc
🧙♀️ Witcha Gonna Do? (The Sherwood Witches Book 1) Avery Flynn Arc
🖤 Rage: A One Night Stand MC Romance Novel (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 7 by Bianca Lee Ward Arc
🗡️ A Sense of Murder: Road Mage Volume 1 by Sam Robb arc
👑 Thrones We Steal: A Hate to Love Arranged Marriage Royal Romance. Castles We Storm: A Forced Proximity Billionaire x Royal Romance. Crowns We Save: A Marriage in Crisis Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 3) by Jessica Jude arc
🩸 Thirst: A Dark Vampire Mafia Romance (The Vampire Syndicate Book 6) by Rebecca Rivard arc
🔥 At First Spark: A Firefighter, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 4) by Renee Harless arc
🏒 Penalty Shot (Winnipeg Avalanche Hockey Book 3) by Crea Reitan arc
🖤 The Sweetheart (Twisted Boys Book 1) by Noelle Reve arc
🖤 Unbridled Fire: A Mafia Protector Romance (Enduring Vendettas Book 3) by Kaya Sable arc
🏠 Nowhere to Hide: A completely unputdownable and pulse-pounding FBI mystery thriller (Sandra Vos Book 3) by Carolyn Arnold Arc
🏒 Splitting the D (Cedar Rapids Raccoons Book 7) by Lasairiona McMaster Arc
🤠 Wild Love, Cowboy: The Portree Cowboys Series Book 1 Reckless Hearts Cowboy Book 2: by Ellie Wilder arc
🏒 Breakaway: An Age Gap MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 4) by Riley Bauer arc
🐺 Wild Mate: (Heartsflame Academy Book 1) by Misti Wilds arc
🖤 Pretty Ruthless. The Order. The Beginning: A Southern Gothic Dark Academia Secret Society Romance by Lexi Davis Arc
Wild Mate: (Heartsflame Academy Book 1) by Misti Wilds
Description
All I want is a pack. All they want is to see me dead.
After my pack is brutally murdered, I’m branded a traitor because I survived. Alphas put me on a hit list as a wild wolf—too dangerous to live. The only safe haven is Heartsflame Academy, a school for magic folk to find their mates. The Alphas can’t touch me here.
But my asshole fated mate can. As heir to the strongest pack, he’s furious because my existence ruins his life. To make matters worse, my obsessed ex-boyfriend won’t keep his lying mouth off me, and a charming vampire claims that he’s the answer to all my problems.
…until this year’s Mating Games reveal secrets only the dead can keep. I’m more powerful than anyone bargained for—and a bigger threat now than ever. I can’t control my magic any more than I can control my heart.
Alistair may be fated, but his touch burns. Revyn may love me, but our past hurts. Callum may want me, but his intentions hide.
I didn’t enroll at Heartsflame to take a mate, but I’m left with no choice when the danger lurking in the wilds follows me to the academy. I can either take a mate… or watch them die.
Because the only way to cheat death is to complete a bond… and pray we survive it.
Wild Mate is book 1 of the Heartsflame Academy series, a morally gray romance filled with angst, enemies to lovers fated mates, an older MMC second chance romance, a vampire illusion master, and a woman who does not have to choose between love interests. If you like your FMC’s carrying hidden powers to save the world, dive into Heartsflame and find your mate. 😘
Publication Date 31/5/2026
Wild Mate: (Heartsflame Academy Book 1) by Misti Wilds
My Review
I really enjoyed diving into Wild Mate.
After her entire pack is slaughtered and she’s branded a traitor just for surviving, Sienna finds herself labeled a dangerous “wild wolf” with alphas hunting her.
Heartsflame Academy becomes her only refuge, a magical school centered around finding mates, but even there her troubles follow….. Her fated mate Alistair, heir to a powerful pack, resents her existence and wants nothing to do with how she upends his world…… Then throw in an obsessed ex who can’t stay away…. and a charming yet secretive vampire named Callum, and the emotional tension skyrockets.
The story blends enemies to lovers heat, second chance angst, and why choose dynamics beautifully.
The academy’s Mating Games introduce high stakes secrets and revelations that keep the pages turning, while Sienna grapples with uncontrollable magic and growing threats from the wilds outside.
What stands out is how the romance never feels forced. Alistair’s burning touch and furious attitude create that delicious push/pull, Revyn’s past hurts add layers of pain and longing, and Callum’s mysterious intentions left me guessing about his true motives. 🤔
The spice builds naturally amid the danger, and the morally gray men bring plenty of protective, possessive energy without overshadowing Sienna’s journey toward embracing her hidden powers.
Pacing moves quickly with solid action and world building around shifter and magical society, though a few early timeline details felt a touch confusing on first read.
The book definitely ends with strong cliffhanger vibes that make you want the next installment right away.
Overall, this is a strong start to the Heartsflame Academy series for anyone who loves dark paranormal academy romance packed with fated mates, angst, explicit steam, and a powerful heroine who refuses to be a victim.
It delivers on the “touch her and die” vibes while exploring bonds that might be the only way to survive the looming threats.
I’ll be continuing with book 2 for sure.
If you enjoy morally gray love interests and high heat/ why choose with real emotional stakes, this one’s worth picking up.
I had the lovely Ellie Wilder reach out to me, she asked if I could read her books in a new series. Cowboy Romance🤠
Wild Love, Cowboy: The Portree Cowboys Series Book 1 (Rodeo Royalty meets City girl, One Bed, Forced Proximity, Sports romance, Found Family, He falls first and hard, Funny AF Book Series) by Ellie Wilder
Description
She’s a fiery, smart-mouthed city girl and world-class swimmer – Small town intolerant, pepper-averse and allergic to unsolicited cowboy charm – about as cuddly as a cactus. So when I find myself in a store aisle, holding her red lacy underwear and giving her my best Cowboy drawl… She looks about ready to set me on fire instead of saying hello. It’s adorable. It’s a challenge and I accept.
Because I live for the challenge. Heck, the Rodeo world calls me the main event. The town calls me trouble, but they don’t know my big ‘ol smile, hides a past that’s got me rooted to this land. Mia might be here by mistake and can’t seem to leave my town soon enough. Too bad fate keeps shoving us into the kind of situations that make it real hard to keep a straight face…or keep my hands to myself.
She swears this is temporary. Says she’s leaving.
But I’m a man of action.
I keep showing her exactly why she should stay.
Publication Date 24/7/2025
Wild Love, Cowboy: The Portree Cowboys Series Book 1 (Rodeo Royalty meets City girl, One Bed, Forced Proximity, Sports romance, Found Family, He falls first and hard, Funny AF Book Series) by Ellie Wilder
My Review
I went into this one expecting a light, trope packed cowboy romance, and it absolutely delivered exactly what it promised, with a big grin and a whole lot of spark. 😜
Mia is a delightful storm of a heroine, a world class swimmer who’s sharp tongued, zero tolerance for small town nonsense, and hilariously prickly about everything from unsolicited cowboy charm to peppers. She’s not “cuddly,” and that’s precisely what makes her so refreshing. Watching her clash with the charming rodeo hero had me laughing out loud more than once.
Grant (I’m still smiling thinking about him) is pure main event energy. He’s the guy who lives for the challenge, flashes that troublemaker smile while hiding some heavier baggage, and falls first, and hard. His pursuit of Mia was just funny to read, equal parts golden retriever sweetness and filthy minded determination.
The banter between them is top tier, it’s quick, teasing, and genuinely funny without trying too hard.
The forced proximity and one bed situations are handled with perfect spot on timing, and the small town/found family vibe adds warmth without slowing down the romance.
There’s solid sports romance flavor woven in through Mia’s swimming background and his rodeo world, giving both characters real drive and stakes beyond just “will they or won’t they.”
The spice hits all the right notes, but what I loved most was how heartfelt it gets underneath the laughs. The hero’s rooted past and Mia’s gradual shift from “I’m leaving yesterday” to “maybe this town isn’t so bad” felt earned. It’s steamy, sweet, and surprisingly tender in places.💜
So, if you’re in the mood for a fast paced, laugh out loud romance with a city girl/cowboy clash, strong banter, and a hero who knows how to show (not just tell) why she should stay, this is a winner.
It’s the fun, escapist kind of read that left me grinning and ready for the next book in the series.
Highly recommend if you love funny, spicy, feel good romance with heart. 🤠
🦋
Reckless Hearts Cowboy Book 2: The Portree Cowboys Series (Spicy Small Town Cowboy Firefighter – City girl, Second Chance, One Bed, Forced Proximity Found Family, He falls first, Funny AF Book series) by Ellie Wilder
Description
She’s the wildfire he never saw coming. He’s the calm that makes her burn hotter.
Brè Easton talks fast, edits faster, and gives advice entirely through sexual innuendos. She’s a sharp-dressed, sass-dripping, all-woman hurricane with a filthy mind and zero time for feelings. Love? Please. She’d rather commit to skincare.
But fate? That cruel, drama-thirsty diva? Throws her straight into the arms—and the fire-hardened chest—of the one cowboy she was never supposed to want again.
Mason West. Quiet. Brooding. Cowboy firefighter with eyes like bottled lightning and a body built to ruin plans. He doesn’t remember the masked woman who kissed him breathless at a PR ball years ago.
But when Brè crashes back into his life—red hair, wicked mouth, and all—she tastes familiar.
Now she’s the maid of honor to his best friend’s bride. He’s the best man. And they’re stuck in close quarters, far too often, with far too much chemistry.
She’s chaos in heels. He’s the protector who doesn’t flinch from heat. And neither of them do anything half-way.
One kiss lit the match. This time, they’re playing with fire.
Publication Date 30/4/2026
Reckless Hearts Cowboy Book 2: The Portree Cowboys Series (Spicy Small Town Cowboy Firefighter – City girl, Second Chance, One Bed, Forced Proximity Found Family, He falls first, Funny AF Book series) by Ellie Wilder
My Review
I finished this one with a big smile and maybe a few blushes (reminder, never read in public if you don’t know what you are getting into )😝
Ellie Wilder really turned up the heat in book two, giving us a spicier, more emotionally layered follow up that still keeps the humor and heart that made the first book so addictive. (You don’t need to read book one to love this one.)
Brè Easton is Mia’s (book one) best friend and absolute force of nature. She’s this sharp, fast talking, red headed city girl who weaponizes sexual innuendos, edits like a whirlwind, and treats actual feelings like they’re optional accessories. She’s confident, chaotic in the best way, and completely committed to never slowing down for love. I loved how unapologetic she is. Watching her carefully constructed walls get systematically dismantled was pure entertainment.
Then there’s Mason West, the quiet, brooding cowboy firefighter who looks like he was built to carry people out of burning buildings and ruin romantic plans in the best possible way. (You know the type of book boyfriend 😜)
The second chance element, rooted in that one unforgettable masked kiss from years ago, adds a delicious layer of tension. I couldn’t wait for Mason to remember Brè 😂
He doesn’t remember her at first, but the chemistry hits like muscle memory. As best man and maid of honor, they’re thrown together constantly, and the forced proximity (including some excellent one bed moments) keeps the sparks flying nonstop.
What really works is how well their personalities clash and complement each other. Brè’s hurricane energy meets Mason’s calm, protective steadiness, and the result is fantastic banter, scorching tension.
He falls first and hard in that quiet, intense way that makes you swoon, while she fights it every step until she can’t anymore.
The characters from Portree returns with warmth and laughs, making the whole world feel lived in and welcoming, (in fact I’m packing a bag and moving out there 😉)
It’s still a fast and fun read with plenty of humor to balance the heat. There’s emotional moments underneath the sass, especially around trust, vulnerability, and letting someone in after past hurts.
If you loved the first book, this one feels like coming home, the same addictive vibe but with higher stakes and even more spice. 🥵
This is a winner for anyone who enjoys second chance romance, firefighter cowboys, sassy heroines who give as good as they get, and stories that are equal parts funny and fiery.
I’m completely hooked on this series now and can’t wait to see what Ellie Wilder does next.
Highly recommended.
Just keep a fan nearby, you’re going to need it. 🤠🔥
Pretty Ruthless. The Order. The Beginning: A Southern Gothic Dark Academia Secret Society Romance by Lexi Davis
Description
At Ashford University, power doesn’t belong to the professors.
It belongs to the students.
The ones with the right names.
The right connections.
The ones who decide what happens behind closed doors.
Becky Dawson doesn’t belong there.
She’s not rich. Not connected. Not invited.
But she knows something’s not right.
And every answer leads back to one man.
Carrson Ashford.
Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.
They say he’s dangerous. They don’t know the half of it.
Now Becky’s on the hunt.
Studying him, following him, learning patterns he thinks no one sees.
Because Carrson isn’t just a man.
He’s a door.
The heir to a world built on power, ambition, and survival.
But Becky isn’t the only predator here.
Carrson notices. Pushes to see if she’ll break.
When he presses a blade to her throat, she doesn’t run.
When he tells her to stay away, she steps closer.
When he tells her to run,
she waits to see if he’ll chase.
That’s a problem.
Because Becky Dawson?
She was never supposed to be part of his world.
But now that she is,
Carrson can’t decide
whether to destroy her…
or make sure she never leaves.
Before Pretty Vicious… there was Pretty Ruthless.
Set in 1994, this dark academia secret society romance is where is all begins, where power is everything, obsession is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all.
Publication Date 28/5/2026
Pretty Ruthless. The Order. The Beginning: A Southern Gothic Dark Academia Secret Society Romance by Lexi Davis
My Review
I just finished Pretty Ruthless, the prequel to Pretty Vicious in The Order series, and it left me properly unsettled in the best way.
Set in 1994 at Ashford University, this Southern Gothic dark academia romance drips with atmosphere from the very first pages.
Old money, hidden power structures, humid Southern nights, and secrets that feel like they’ve been rotting under the surface for generations. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to look over your shoulder while reading.
Becky is the outsider who refuses to stay in her lane. She’s not from the right family, doesn’t have the connections, and definitely wasn’t invited into the elite circles that actually run the university. But something feels deeply wrong on campus, and every thread she pulls leads straight to Carrson Ashford…… He’s the untouchable heir, cold, calculating, and radiating danger. The kind of man who was raised to rule rather than live!
What begins as Becky studying and following him turns into a charged, obsessive game where the power dynamic keeps shifting. She’s not some fragile girl who stumbles into his world. She steps into it with her eyes open, even when he presses a blade to her throat and tells her to run!
The cat and mouse tension is relentless. Carrson expects fear and obedience. Instead he gets someone who leans into the darkness with him. Their chemistry is sharp, twisted, and surprisingly emotional once you see the weight Carrson carries from his upbringing. The book doesn’t romanticize the brutality that shaped him, but it makes his unraveling around Becky feel earned and dangerously intimate.
I loved how grounded in the 90s setting it felt, no cell phones, no social media, just raw pursuit and whispered threats in old buildings. The Southern Gothic tone is thick and immersive, and the secret society elements simmer underneath everything, building that constant sense of something larger and more sinister watching.
There were a couple spots where the internal thoughts slowed things down a touch, but it never killed the momentum for me.
Overall this is a strong, moody start to the world of The Order. It stands well on its own while making me even more curious about the rest of the series.
If you enjoy dark academia with morally black heroes, obsessive heroines who refuse to flinch, and romances where love feels like the most dangerous risk of all, Pretty Ruthless delivers.
It’s intense, atmospheric, and exactly the kind of ruthless romance the title promises.
I’m hooked.
🦋
Want a sneak peek……..
Chapter One
Becky
I came to Ashford University for one reason.
Carrson Ashford.
It takes me three months to finally see him, and, by then, I already know too much.
This place is deceiving. Century-old brick buildings sit in neat rows, as if nothing bad ever happens here. Spanish moss drips from the trees, sways lazily in the thick, humid air. Church bells clang in the distance, their sound drifting across the quad like a warning no one hears.
Strangers are so friendly that I startle when they approach.
In New York, where I’m from, nobody talks to anybody. Here, they won’t shut up. People stop me in the grocery store, in the mall, on the street, the moment they hear my Yankee accent. My words are clipped. Hard vowels, sharp as a picket fence. Theirs stretch and curl, long S sounds like snakes moving through honey.
They want to know where I’m from. Why I picked a university so far from home.
I give them the same answer every time. Strong academics. A top-ranked psychology department. Access to new technology, the Internet. Email. I tell them you can send messages through a computer now, no paper, no pen, and they nod like that explains everything. As if it’s enough to justify a decision this big.
It isn’t.
Carrson’s like this town, polished on the surface, something else underneath.
From across the quad, he looks like he stepped off a screen. Square jaw. Thick-lashed eyes. Dark hair cut clean and neat. A pale blue Oxford button-down so perfectly preppy I almost laugh.
Heat creeps up my neck as I shove the sleeves of my flannel shirt higher. I lift the newspaper, hiding behind it, which is dumb. He hasn’t even glanced my way. The headline catches my eye again. It’s an old article, from when his dad was still alive. Senator Ashford. A vote against funding pediatric medical research.
There are more articles like it in my backpack. Newspaper clippings. Notes I’ve jotted down, on him, his family, this place. The kind of documents no one reads unless they’re searching for something specific.
At first, it was nothing. Random names. Random outcomes.
Then patterns started to form.
A judge in Virginia resigned overnight. A hospital director vanished two weeks later. A congressman from Georgia died of a “heart attack” three days before a corruption hearing. Different states, different stories, but the same last names kept repeating.
Men. Alumni of this university.
One mentioned more than the rest.
Ashford.
Not just Carrson. His father. His grandfather. All the way back.
That name was tied through everything, holding it together.
I shove the paper into my backpack, tugging on the turtle charm that hangs from the zipper, a gift from my sister, while I keep my eyes trained on the last remaining Ashford. Those grainy photographs didn’t do him justice, and I’m not the only one who notices. Conversations dip as he passes, as if someone turned the volume down on the entire campus. Heads turn. Not only the girls. Everyone.
And him?
He doesn’t acknowledge any of it.
He stares straight ahead, moving without hesitation. Doesn’t stroll or swagger. He marches along a path only he sees. Shoulders square. Posture perfect. His stride so exact I swear if I laid a tape measure across the ground, each step would land the same distance apart.
Uptight prick.
I trail him across the quad in my ripped jeans and heavy Doc Martens, the foam headphones of my Walkman resting around my neck. Girls in pastel sweaters and pearl necklaces step back when I pass, their penny loafers scuffing against the pavement like they’re afraid I’ll ruin something delicate.
The students here all look like they stepped out of a Ralph Lauren catalog.
I look like I’ve come to rob one.
It’s the mid-1990s. Thanks to Pearl Jam, grunge is everywhere. Except, apparently, at Ashford University.
Carrson disappears into the biology building.
I follow.
The three-story structure is older than the rest of campus, all dark stone and tall windows filmed with decades of dust. Ivy strangles the walls, trying to drag the building back into the earth. Words carved above the doorway catch my eye, the letters worn smooth with age. I squint to read them.
Aptissimus superstes.
Latin. I mouth it silently, pulling the meaning up from memory.
Aptissimus. Best. Or fittest. Superstes. Survives.
Only the fittest survive.
Darwin? Or something else?
The words feel less like a motto and more like a warning. Unease stirs low in my stomach as I stare up at the carved stone, but I force myself forward. I’m not here to admire architecture.
I’m here to hunt.
And my prey just walked inside.
The doors groan in protest when I push them open. I stop in the entryway, where the air is cool and stale, thick with the smell of paper and ink. Of wood and damp stone.
The silence here isn’t empty.
It hums, low and watchful.
My boots echo against the old tile floor as I scan ahead, searching for the pale blue of his shirt, but there’s nothing. I move quickly, checking every corridor, every classroom. Rows of lab tables stretch under flickering lights. Shelves hold glass jars full of pale shapes in murky liquid, warped beyond recognition. Portraits of long-dead professors line the walls, their eyes following me wherever I go.
Empty rooms. Empty hallways. He’s not here.
Carrson Ashford is gone, vanished like smoke, like a dream turning to nightmare the moment you wake.
I stop and sweep the space one more time, irritation burning hot in my gut. I was right behind him. There’s no way he could have disappeared that quickly. Unless he knows more than I do.
That’s fine. His disappearance only confirms it. I’m getting closer to the truth, to him.
Because Carrson Ashford isn’t just a man.
He’s a door.
Somewhere behind him are the people who decide who lives…and who doesn’t.
Splitting the D (Cedar Rapids Raccoons Book 7) by Lasairiona McMaster
Description
He’s the fire I was never meant to touch.
I’m the ice prince who can’t seem to stay frozen.
Artemis:
Graduate. Dominate. No distractions—especially cocky sophomores like Xavier Martinez. Every stolen kiss in the shadows, every brush of his hand, sends cracks splintering through the walls I swore would never break.
He sees the mess underneath the ice prince. And now the sight of him across the rink feels less like rivalry and more like self-destructive obsession.
He’s bad decisions in gray sweatpants, sin-slick confidence, the rival team’s golden boy.
My antithesis. My counterpoint. My favorite chaos gremlin.
One slip, and I hand my father the proof he’s always wanted—that I was never enough to bear the de la Peña name. I can’t afford to want him, but he’s determined to prove that imperfection tastes better than any win.
Xavier: I’ve spent my life chasing light—now I’m falling for the man who makes the dark feel like home. Artemis makes me feel chosen, but at the rink, I’m still just the enemy.
When it all comes crashing down, I won’t walk away. I’ll stand there, bare and unguarded, and dare him to love me anyway. Artemis has to choose—between his fear of failure and the reckless, messy love that might finally set us both free.
You can’t be the ice prince when your lover is the fire.
Publication Date 21/5/2026
Splitting the D (Cedar Rapids Raccoons Book 7) by Lasairiona McMaster
My Review
This book is for anyone who loves a tense, fiery MM rivals to lovers hockey romance.
Artemis de la Peña is the textbook ice prince, controlled, perfectionistic, and carrying the crushing weight of his family name on his shoulders.
Xavier Martinez is the chaotic golden boy from the rival team who keeps sliding past every one of Artemis’s carefully built defenses with cocky smiles, stolen kisses, and way too much confidence in gray sweatpants. 😜
I loved how the fire and ice dynamic wasn’t just surface level. Their attraction feels genuinely dangerous for Artemis, who knows one slip could give his father exactly the ammunition he’s always looked for to prove his son isn’t good enough. That internal battle between wanting Xavier and fearing what it could cost him is written so raw and believable that it hurts in the best way.
Xavier, on the other hand, brings this beautiful mix of playful persistence and deep longing, he just wants to be chosen by the one person who makes him feel seen.
The hockey rivalry adds tension. Every time they face off on the ice, the chemistry crackles even harder because they’re supposed to be enemies.
The scenes are well written and immersive without getting overly technical. (I could almost see the game being played on the ice.)
The steam is there (and it’s delicious), but the tender, quiet moments where the walls come down are what make this couple stick with you.
I liked that Artemis has to confront his obsession with perfection and his terror of failure, while Xavier shows real strength in standing steady when things get messy.
If I had any small criticism, it’s that the push/pull angst drags just a touch in the middle, but it’s the kind of delicious agony that makes the payoff feel earned. By the end I was fully invested in their happy ending.
Splitting the D is spicy, heartfelt, and emotionally satisfying.
If you enjoy grumpy/sunshine with teeth, forbidden rival vibes, and characters who have to fight their own heads as hard as they fight on the ice, this one delivers.
Nowhere to Hide: A completely unputdownable and pulse-pounding FBI mystery thriller (Sandra Vos Book 3) by Carolyn Arnold
Description
He paced while keeping his eye on his hostages. They watched him back with their gazes fixed on each step he took. Locking eyes with the father in a home so luxurious, so unlike his own, he knew this was his only chance for justice after all these years. He’d stop at nothing to get it.
When a lone gunman takes an entire family hostage in a wealthy suburb, there is only one FBI negotiator he’ll engage with. Special Agent Sandra Vos hit the headlines for bringing a crisis incident at Founders Hospital to a close, but there’s no time to rest with a family’s life in her hands.
Arriving on the scene, Sandra discovers that Edward Hanson and his family are the hostages. Edward is the son of the late Timothy Hanson who left his entire fortune to his son. While it seems this may be all about money, the hostage taker makes a demand that is far more personal. Reopen an investigation into a fatal car accident from thirty-three years ago or he shoots the entire family. But how does this connect to the Hansons?
Sandra calls in her boyfriend, Detective Eric Birch, at the Metropolitan Police Department, and asks him to dig into the case. Eric works to untangle a web of lies which leads him straight to the heart of the police force. But can any of this help Sandra talk the hostage taker down and save the family? And how much will Eric need to sacrifice in the pursuit of the truth?
Publication Date 20/5/2026
Nowhere to Hide: A completely unputdownable and pulse-pounding FBI mystery thriller (Sandra Vos Book 3) by Carolyn Arnold
My Review
I just closed the final page of Nowhere to Hide, and I’m still feeling that satisfying mix of adrenaline and relief that only a really well executed thriller can deliver.
This third installment in the Sandra Vos series is every bit as gripping as the blurb promises completely unputdownable and genuinely pulse pounding.
The story opens with a lone gunman holding a wealthy family hostage in their luxurious suburban home. He’s calm, determined, and laser focused on one FBI negotiator…. Special Agent Sandra Vos.
What first appears to be a straightforward (if terrifying) hostage situation quickly reveals itself as something much more personal and layered.
The gunman’s demand isn’t simply money, it’s justice! He wants a thirty three year old fatal car accident investigation reopened, or the entire Hanson family pays the ultimate price!
The connection between this cold case and the wealthy victims isn’t obvious, and that slow burn mystery kept me hooked as the clock ticked! 😮
I really enjoyed how the author balances the high tension real time negotiation with a parallel investigative thread.
While Sandra works to build rapport and talk the gunman down, her boyfriend, Detective Eric Birch, digs into the old case. What he uncovers pulls back the curtain on lies, corruption, and secrets that reach deep inside the police force itself.
The dual perspectives create excellent momentum and raise the personal stakes for Sandra and Eric as a couple.
Sandra is a strong character, empathetic yet professional, skilled under pressure, and human enough to feel the weight of every decision. The supporting cast, including her family, adds warmth and depth without slowing the pace. The gunman himself is portrayed with believable intensity, you understand his pain and twisted sense of justice even while hoping Sandra can stop him from crossing the final line.
There are some genuine twists along the way, and the moral gray areas give the story extra weight.
If you’ve read the earlier books, you’ll appreciate the character continuity. If you haven’t, (like me) this one works well as a standalone entry too, the necessary background is woven in naturally. (It didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything)
Overall, Nowhere to Hide is a strong, satisfying thriller that blends intense tactical negotiation, cold case investigation, and personal drama.
Fans of strong female FBI protagonists and procedurals with heart will find a lot to love here.
I’m already eager to see what Sandra faces in the next book.
Unbridled Fire: A Mafia Protector Romance (Enduring Vendettas Book 3) by Kaya Sable
Description
I’ve always wanted her.
She belonged to someone else.
Now her past is coming for us both.
Leo
Being an FBI agent who informs for the mafia has taught me the line between good and evil is blurry.
I help Michael Caruso because he has honor—and because sometimes justice requires bending the rules.
I’ve pledged my loyalty to him, despite the fact that he once claimed the woman who haunts my dreams.
Now our enemies are closing in on her, and I’ll burn the world down before I let them touch her.
Even if protecting her means risking everything—including my badge.
Katia
Michael Caruso gave me a purpose when tragedy nearly destroyed me. We found comfort in each other, but I always knew Bianca owned his heart.
I gave up on dreams of happy ever after—until Leo gazed at me with those piercing blue eyes; threatening to unravel every wall I’ve built around my heart.
He thinks I chose Michael, but comfort was never love.
Now danger is closing in, my life is falling apart, and the only man who can save me is the one determined to keep his distance.
Even though every part of me longs for him to pull me close and prove that some dreams are still worth believing in.
If you enjoy sizzling mafia romance with a stoic FBI agent, a brilliant heroine, and a love worth risking everything for, dive into Katia and Leo’s story today.
Publication Date 21/5/2026
Unbridled Fire: A Mafia Protector Romance (Enduring Vendettas Book 3) by Kaya Sable
My Review
Unbridled Fire by Kaya Sable delivers exactly the kind of intense, emotionally layered mafia romance its description promises, and I found myself fully pulled into Leo and Katia’s story. 💜
What stands out most for me was the slowburn tension between the leads.
Leo is the classic protector with a badge, an FBI agent walking a dangerous tightrope by feeding information to the mafia while clinging to his own code. His long held feelings for Katia, who was once tied to Michael Caruso, add real depth and conflict. The “she belonged to someone else” trope isn’t just window dressing here, it shapes every hesitant glance and protective instinct. I loved how the author lets that history breathe without rushing the romance. The yearning feels authentic, especially as danger forces them closer.
Katia is a strong, resilient heroine who has already survived tragedy and settled for emotional safety rather than passion. Her internal journey from guarded comfort to risking her heart again is compelling. She’s intelligent and capable, never a damsel waiting to be saved, which makes Leo’s determination to protect her feel like a true partnership rather than overbearing alpha posturing. Their chemistry builds beautifully from lingering looks and restrained touches to the kind of sizzling connection the “spicy mafia romance” label suggests. The heat is confident and fits the characters rather than feeling inserted for the sake of it.
The plot balances the romance with genuine stakes. The mafia world, vendettas, and Leo’s dual loyalties create constant pressure that keeps the pages turning. It’s not just background noise, the threats feel personal and escalate in a way that forces both characters to confront what they’re willing to lose.
I loved how this book ties in with the Enduring Vendettas series, while standing solidly on its own.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the “keeping his distance” phase goes on just long enough that I occasionally wanted to shake Leo, but that restraint also makes the eventual payoff more satisfying.
Overall, this is a heartfelt, steamy read with strong protector vibes, moral gray areas, and a love story that feels earned.
If you enjoy mafia romances where the emotional walls come down as hard as the action ramps up, Unbridled Fire is worth diving into.
The Sweetheart (Twisted Boys Book 1) by Noelle Reve
Description
Kai is tired of living his whole life in survival mode. He’s spent the last eight years on and off the streets of Toronto, and he has the scars to prove it. Kai and his brothers have only made it through by sticking together and doing what they need to survive.
Nolan Laurent was supposed to be a mark–a means to an end. But when Kai turns around to find Nolan right there in his personal space, he has a hard time remembering that Nolan isn’t his to keep.
The problem is, Nolan is everything Kai has ever wanted.
Will Nolan still want him when he finds out all of the things Kai’s done in his past?
**This book is an M/M romance featuring a Daddy/boy relationship with mature content. Suitable for ages 18+.
A list of trigger warnings is available on the author’s website.**
Publication Date 22/5/2026
The Sweetheart (Twisted Boys Book 1) by Noelle Reve
My Review
The Sweetheart by Noelle Reve is a deeply emotional M/M Daddy/boy romance that genuinely moved me.
Kai has spent years surviving on and off the streets of Toronto with his chosen brothers, doing whatever it takes to stay together.
When Nolan Laurent enters his life as an intended mark for one of their schemes, everything changes.
What starts as a transaction quickly becomes something Kai never expected: real connection, safety, and the kind of care he’s never known.
Kai’s backstory is raw and unflinching. The book doesn’t shy away from the scars of homelessness, survival sex work, trauma, and the constant fight just to eat and protect his family.
Watching him slowly lower his walls with Nolan and begin to believe he deserves softness and stability was heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.
I loved that Kai isn’t stuck in endless self sabotage. Once he feels genuine safety, he leans into healing.
Nolan is everything you want in a Daddy character, patient, steady, protective, and willing to prove himself through consistent actions rather than just words.
Their dynamic has a strong age gap, hurt/comfort, caregiving, and spicy Daddy/boy elements that feel natural to the story rather than tacked on.
The tenderness between them balances the heavier themes beautifully, and the chemistry is intense from their very first real interaction.
The found family aspect with Kai’s brothers added warmth, humor, and depth, especially with Liam, who already has me excited for future books in the Twisted Boys series. 😉
The writing flows well, and the Toronto setting made me long to visit.
A few small things kept it from a full five stars for me. The large cast takes a little while to settle into, and the third act conflict felt a touch abrupt and convenient.
I also would have loved a deeper conversation during the resolution to fully unpack some of the trust issues.
Still, these are my opinions in what is otherwise a very satisfying read.
If you enjoy emotional hurt/comfort romances with scarred but resilient boys, caring Daddies, chosen family, and real healing through love, The Sweetheart delivers.
It’s spicy, tender, and left me rooting hard for Kai’s happy ending.
I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.
Highly recommended for fans of this trope done with heart and maturity. 💙
(Content note… This book includes past homelessness, survival trauma, and explicit kink content.
Penalty Shot (Winnipeg Avalanche Hockey Book 3) by Crea Reitan
Description
You miss all the shots you don’t take.
Denny
My world turns upside down when I’m thrust into single parenthood to my day-old son. Coming from a home where hatred and resentment thrived, I’m terrified of messing up my kid. Just when I’m at my lowest point, on the brink of drowning, a stranger shows up at my door and somehow, he makes it a little easier to breathe even as he makes the guilt in my chest a little louder.
Tyler
My world turns inside out with the loss of my sister – my best friend. I’m hours too late to say goodbye and by the time I get to the hospital, her newborn has already left with her fiance. Tracking them down isn’t as difficult as not falling for him. Everyday this man makes me fall a little harder as I search for the answers my sister took with her to an early grave.
***
This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
Publication Date 14/5/2026
Penalty Shot (Winnipeg Avalanche Hockey Book 3) by Crea Reitan
My Review
Penalty Shot by Crea Reitan is one of those books that quietly sneaks up on you with its emotions and warmth.
It’s the third installment in the Winnipeg Avalanche Hockey series, and it delivers a tender, grief laden MM romance centered on two men learning to navigate sudden single parenthood, loss, and the slow bloom of unexpected love.
The story opens with Denny’s world shattering when he becomes a single father to his newborn son under heartbreaking circumstances. (Sally and Denny aren’t a couple, but Denny was stepping up for his little family.) Haunted by his own toxic upbringing filled with resentment and hatred, he’s terrified he’ll ruin his child. Just as he’s drowning in panic and exhaustion, Tyler appears at his door, the brother of Denny’s late fiancée. Tyler arrives reeling from his own devastating loss, hours too late to say goodbye to his sister, only to find his nephew already gone with the man she was going to marry. What follows is a beautiful, aching slowburn as these two strangers are thrown together by necessity and shared grief.
I loved both of these characters. Denny’s journey from overwhelmed and self doubting to confident, loving dad had me feeling like a proud mother watching her son navigate fatherhood….. You watch him grow through the little victories and quiet moments with the baby, all while carrying heavy guilt. Tyler is patient, steady, and incredibly supportive, even as he grapples with his sister’s secrets and his growing feelings for Denny.
Their relationship develops through late night feedings, shared responsibilities, and the hockey team’s wonderful found family support system. The teammates from previous books step up in meaningful ways that made me smile. I loved both this “Creaverse” everyone still visit’s 😊
The book balances heavy themes of grief, family trauma, and sudden parenthood, with sweetness, domestic warmth, and solid steam. The emotional intimacy often hits harder than the physical scenes, though those are nicely done too. There are touching moments where Tyler tries to keep his sister’s memory alive for the baby, and I loved that.
If you enjoy hurt/comfort stories, single dad tropes, hockey romances, and characters who choose to build something better than what they came from, this one delivers.
It’s comforting in its messiness and left me with that warm, satisfied feeling long after finishing.
A heartfelt, emotional, and very much worth picking up, highly recommended as usual from one of my favourite authors.
Breakaway: An Age Gap MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 4) by Riley Bauer
Description
Closeted athletes on opposing teams. A two-year secret relationship torn apart by an expansion draft. A Swiss left wing dissolving in Atlanta and the Minnesota veteran center in Miami who’s about to break every rule he’s ever made to reach him.
When Luca Berger joined the Miami Tempest, he ended up in Wesley Mercer’s penthouse for what was supposed to be a few weeks. He stayed for two years. They kept it from the team, from the league, from everyone. Because Wes asked. And because being chosen quietly was the first time being chosen had ever felt like enough. Then the expansion draft sent Luca to Atlanta. The relationship survived the initial trade. It might not survive what comes next.
Luca is loud, Swiss, and managing his life the way he’s always managed it: by being the first one talking and the last one to leave the rink. The version of him that existed in Miami has been getting quieter for months.
Wesley is Minnesotan, watchful, and has been closeted his entire NHL career. He keeps the wall up because he’s seen what it costs others. Now, the man he loves is dissolving hundreds of miles away.
Texts become missed calls.
Missed calls become silence.
An MM hockey romance about a two-year secret, a long-distance silence, and walls that have to come down before either of them can be loved out loud.
Tropes:
🏒 MM Hockey Romance
♥️ Secret Relationship
🏒 Closeted Athletes
♥️ Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Age Gap
♥️ Long Distance Relationship
🏒 Mental Health Rep
♥️ Forbidden Romance
🏒 Found Family
POV: Dual, First Person, Present Tense Heat Level: Explicit (Open Door) Tone: Emotional, Hurt/Comfort Series Type: Interconnected Standalones, Book 4 of 5 (best read after Tape to Tape) Ending: HEA (hard-won) Content Notes: On-page depression and recovery, on-page therapy
Publication Date 21/5/2026
Breakaway: An Age Gap MM Hockey Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 4) by Riley Bauer
My Review
Breakaway is a deeply emotional MM hockey romance that will stay with him for quite some time.
As the fourth book in the Atlanta Firebirds series, it follows closeted players Luca Berger and Wesley Mercer, whose two year secret relationship is thrown into chaos when a draft brings Luca from Miami to Atlanta.
What starts as a story about long distance strain evolves into something more raw…. an exploration of depression, the weight of staying hidden, and the courage it takes to finally choose yourself and the person you love out loud. (I cried buckets in this book.)
I really liked Luca. He’s been in all the books so far, and now it’s his turn. He’s the loud, charismatic left wing player who keeps everyone entertained and stays late at the rink, but beneath that mask he’s quietly unraveling in his new city. 😢
Wesley, the watchful veteran center, carries his own burdens after years in the closet. His cautious nature makes perfect sense given what he’s seen in the league, but watching him slowly break every rule he’s lived by for Luca feels earned and powerful.
The flashbacks to their hidden life together in Wesley’s penthouse add real warmth and intimacy, making the present day silence and missed calls hit even harder. (I kept shouting… pick up the phone!)
It’s not a light or fluffy read, this one leans heavily into the angst, the loneliness, and the slow process of tearing down walls.
If you’re looking for constant banter or high heat scenes, this might not be it, but the emotional payoff and character growth are worth it. The supporting cast and team dynamics from the series continue to shine, giving that found family comfort even amid the heavier themes. (Thank goodness the group chat added a little levity.)
Overall, I’d call this one of the stronger books in the series for anyone who appreciates thoughtful sports romance with mental health depth.
It’s tender, painful in the best way, and leaves you rooting hard for these two to make it.
If you enjoyed the earlier Firebirds books but wanted more emotional weight, Breakaway delivers.
At First Spark: A Firefighter, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 4) by Renee Harless
Description
Lark Carrington came to Coral Bell Cove for a fresh start. A fading inn, a quiet life, and a chance to rebuild something steady after everything she’s lost. She didn’t expect her first real connection to come in the middle of chaos.
Holt Wright is used to being underestimated—long before he ever put on a uniform. The easygoing one. The goofball. The brother no one expected much from. Until he became a firefighter. Now, when the alarm sounds, he’s the one people trust when it matters most.
The one who shows up.
The one who stays.
Even for her.
What begins as a single moment—smoke, heat, and the steady presence of the man who pulled her back from the edge—turns into something neither of them can ignore. Long days restoring the Carrington Inn. Late nights that feel a little too honest. A connection that builds slowly… and burns deeper than either of them expected.
Because Lark doesn’t trust easily. And Holt is still learning what it means to be the man people finally believe in.
And when the past Lark tried to outrun starts to catch up with her… they’ll have to decide if this is just a spark—or something worth risking everything for.
At First Spark is a tender, slow-burn small-town romance about healing, showing up, and discovering that sometimes the person who saves you… is the one you choose to stay for.
This is what you’ll expect in At First Spark:
🔥Small Town
🔥Firefighter
🔥 Forced Proximity
🔥 Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥 He Falls First
🔥 Slow Burn
🔥 Found Family
Publication Date 20/5/2026
At First Spark: A Firefighter, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 4) by Renee Harless
My Review
I went into At First Spark wanting cozy small town vibes with a firefighter hero and some emotional depth, and Renee Harless delivered ♥️
Lark Carrington is running from a painful past and trying to restore the fading Carrington Inn in Coral Bell Cove for a quiet reset. She’s guarded, a bit prickly, and carrying heavy baggage, the kind that makes her wary of letting anyone close. All she wants is stability.
Holt Wright is the standout for me. 😉 He’s the classic “easygoing brother no one expected much from” who’s grown into a reliable firefighter, the guy who shows up and stays. He’s patient, steady, and quietly determined without being pushy or overly alpha. His “actions over words” approach to winning Lark over had me smiling.
The slow burn romance between them builds naturally through inn restoration days, honest late night talks, and that initial dramatic rescue moment that kicks everything off. The chemistry simmers rather than explodes, which suited the healing focused story perfectly.
I’ve not read any of the previous books, but Coral Bell Cove feels lived in and supportive, there are cameos apparently from previous characters that made me want to read their stories too. There’s also a suspense thread from Lark’s past that adds tension toward the end.
The pacing is very much slowburn (which I enjoy), so if you’re craving high heat or fast paced action, it might feel gentler than expected.
It’s perfect for fans of small town romance who appreciate stories about rebuilding (both literal inns and emotional walls), found safety in another person, and the quiet power of someone who simply shows up.
If you’re in the mood for tender, hopeful vibes with a touch of suspense and steam that builds, At First Spark is worth the a pickup. It left me smiling and wanting more time in this cozy coastal town.
Highly recommend for a comforting, feel-good read with heart.
A warm, heartfelt slowburn that delivers exactly what it promises.♥️
Thirst: A Dark Vampire Mafia Romance (The Vampire Syndicate Book 6) by Rebecca Rivard
Description
Wanting her just might destroy me—and I’d still go back for more.
A rival syndicate enforcer is muscling into our territory—no permission, no truce, no rules. Just blood. He’s the kind of vampire who doesn’t blink before ripping out your throat to gain power. And I know him. I’ve seen firsthand what he’s capable of. He’s not just a threat to the syndicate I’d bleed to protect. He’s a threat to the only people who matter to me.
And then there’s his daughter. Beautiful. Unpredictable. She moves like a siren and tastes like sin. But there’s a crack behind the gloss, a softness only I can see.
I should’ve kept my distance. But the first time we collided, it felt like the Dark Gods had a cruel sense of humor. Now I can’t stay away. We’re fire and gasoline, secrets and scars. This isn’t a love story. It’s a warning.
Because wanting her might be the one thing that finally destroys me—and I’d still go back for more.
*A gritty forbidden romance set in Rebecca Rivard’s award-winning Vampire Syndicate world*
NOTE: THIRST completes The Dark Hearts Trilogy(FALLEN, HUNGER, THIRST), but can be read as a standalone.
THE VAMPIRE SYNDICATE
Gritty vampire mafia romance about alpha male vampires who’d burn down the world to possess the women they crave. Perfect for fans of dark romantasy, forbidden love, and morally gray heroes.
THE DARK ANGEL TRILOGY
TEMPTED (FREE Prologue)
PURSUED
CRAVED
TAKEN
THE DARK HEARTS TRILOGY
FALLEN
HUNGER
THIRST
OTHER TITLES
THE VAMPIRE KINGPIN (a standalone set in the Vampire Syndicate New York Underworld)
Publication Date 19/5/2026
Thirst: A Dark Vampire Mafia Romance (The Vampire Syndicate Book 6) by Rebecca Rivard
My Review
Thirst by Rebecca Rivard is the book I read, I’ve not read any of the other books in the series (but I’m going back at some point.)
(I devoured this in one intense sitting)
Rebecca Rivard has done it again. Thirst is exactly the kind of dark, addictive vampire mafia romance I crave, pun fully intended 😜 and it delivers on every level, scorching chemistry, brutal stakes, and that signature morally gray alpha energy that makes the genre so addictive.
Cain grabbed me from the first page. He’s a syndicate enforcer through and through, loyal, lethal, and carrying the kind of baggage that makes him deliciously complicated.
When a ruthless rival starts encroaching on his territory, the threat feels personal on multiple levels. But it’s the rival’s daughter, Nyx, who turns his world upside down.
She’s not just beautiful and seductive (though the “moves like a siren, tastes like sin” description is 🤌🏻🤌🏻), she has layers. There’s vulnerability and hidden softness beneath the polished, dangerous exterior, and Cain is the only one who truly sees it.
Nyx isn’t some passive mafia princess, she’s unpredictable, strong willed, and tangled in her own complicated world.
Their relationship is pure fire and gasoline…… explosive encounters, power struggles, blood bonds, and a connection that feels fated even as it threatens to destroy everything Cain has built and everyone he protects. The tension is constant, whether they’re clashing or colliding in the most delicious ways. The author writes it how it is, raw, sensual scenes that feel earned rather than gratuitous, and the vampire elements (thirst, blood, immortality’s darker edges) are woven seamlessly into the mafia intrigue.
What I loved most was how the book balances the high heat romance with real danger and syndicate politics. The rival enforcer isn’t cartoonishly evil, he’s terrifyingly competent, which raises the stakes and makes Cain’s internal conflict feel genuine. You believe he’d risk it all for Nyx, even knowing it might be his undoing. The “this isn’t a love story, it’s a warning” vibe in the blurb is spot on, yet it still delivers a satisfying, hard won resolution that fits the series. 🥰
This is the conclusion to the Dark Hearts Trilogy (following Fallen and Hunger), but it works beautifully as a standalone if you’re new to the Vampire Syndicate world. That said, after reading Thirst, you’ll probably want to go back and devour the rest. I know I will.
If you’re a fan of dark paranormal romance, vampire mafia stories, forbidden romance, and possessive anti heroes who’d burn the world down for their woman, then grab it.
If you like authors who blend gritty crime family drama with supernatural heat (think a more vampiric take on certain mafia romance favorites), this book is gold.
If you’re looking for a guilty pleasure read that sinks its teeth in and won’t let go, Thirst is an absolute must.
Can’t wait to see what she does next in this world. Highly, highly recommended.
Thrones We Steal: A Hate to Love Arranged Marriage Royal Romance. Castles We Storm: A Forced Proximity Billionaire x Royal Romance. Crowns We Save: A Marriage in Crisis Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 3) by Jessica Jude
Thrones We Steal: A Hate to Love Arranged Marriage Royal Romance by Jessica Jude
Thrones We Steal: A Hate to Love Arranged Marriage Royal Romance by Jessica Jude
Description
My life couldn’t have been more perfect. A handsome fiancé. My dream career. My family’s beautiful estate. I should’ve known it was too good to be true.
When an old diary resurfaces, it reveals a scandal buried for over a century and destroys everything I thought I knew. Thanks to the biggest royal disgrace of the nineteenth century, I’m not just nobility.
I’m the rightful queen of Wesbourne.
On paper, it sounds like a fairytale upgrade. Money. Power. Fame. And the chance to make a difference in the country I adore. All I have to do is give up the life I’ve built and the man I love.
Oh, and one other small thing. I’ll have to marry the crown prince.
Yes, he’s gorgeous and charming and his voice makes your body sing. Everyone thinks I’m crazy for hesitating. But they don’t know him like I do. They don’t know that he destroyed me last time.
If I say no, this country will crash and burn in a civil war, and I’ll be responsible. But if I say yes, he will annihilate what’s left of my heart.
Thrones We Steal is perfect for readers looking for:
Contemporary royalty romance
Hate to love
Morally gray MMCs
Childhood friends
Arranged marriages and forced proximity
Protective playboy princes
Slow burn love stories
Thrones We Steal is the first book in a duet. The second part of Henry and Celia’s story can be read in Castles We Storm.
This story may not be suitable for everyone.
Publication Date 19/5/2026
My Review
Thrones We Steal by Jessica Jude is a deliciously dramatic contemporary royal romance that completely delivered on its promise.
I finished it in just a couple of sittings and honestly couldn’t put it down.
The story follows Cecelia, whose life seems perfect, handsome fiancé, dream career, beautiful family estate, until an old diary surfaces and shatters everything……
Suddenly she learns she’s the rightful queen of Wesbourne due to a century old scandal.
The only way to prevent civil war is to marry the crown prince… the same man who once destroyed her heart.
It’s the ultimate hate to love, arranged marriage story with childhood friends, forced proximity, and sky high emotional stakes. 😉
What I loved most was the tension between Cecelia and Prince Henry. Their shared history makes every scene crackle with resentment, chemistry, and unresolved pain.
Henry is the classic morally gray playboy prince, he’s gorgeous, charming, protective, but deeply frustrating. You’ll want to shake him and kiss him in the same breath.
Cecelia’s reluctance feels completely believable, which made the slowburn romance even more satisfying when it finally ignites.
The royal world building is rich and immersive without getting bogged down, and the diary element cleverly connects past scandals to present day consequences.
The book balances palace intrigue, political pressure, and heartfelt moments really well. It’s escape in the best way, but it also made me cry in places.
That said, the middle does get a little soap opera dramatic with the constant back and forth and secrets, but that’s my opinion.
If you enjoy royal romances with arranged marriages, second chance angst, protective (but flawed) heroes, and a heroine torn between love and duty, this one is absolutely worth reading.
It’s addictive, steamy when it counts, and leaves you fully invested in Wesbourne’s fate.
Perfect for a weekend escape into palace drama and hard won love. 👑
Highly recommend 👍🏻
🦋
Castles We Storm: A Forced Proximity Billionaire x Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 2) by Jessica Jude
Castles We Storm: A Forced Proximity Billionaire x Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 2) by Jessica Jude
Description
I’m the most powerful woman in the world, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. It may surprise you to learn that Her Majesty the Queen is as vulnerable to a bullet as anyone else.
Especially when someone would rather see me in a body bag than on the throne.
This is inconvenient for several reasons. One, I’m rather attached to staying alive. And two, Henry is back in Wesbourne and has decided that the safest place for me is locked inside his ridiculously pretentious penthouse.
Yes, I’m aware being roommates with a sexy billionaire sounds like a fantasy. Trust me, it’s not
Because Henry isn’t just insanely rich and intoxicatingly attractive. He’s the man who has broken my heart more times than I care to count. The man who knows exactly how to get under my skin, into my head . . . and dangerously close to my defenses.
Every glance feels loaded. Every conversation turns into a battlefield. And the longer we’re forced into close quarters, the harder it becomes to tell which threat is more dangerous—the one waiting outside, or the man inside.
Henry wants me to trust him, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to trust no one. If something gets broken this time around, I can promise you one thing.
It won’t be my heart.
Castles We Storm is perfect for readers looking for:
Contemporary romance books
Romantic suspense
Modern royalty
Hate to love
Morally gray MMCs
Hot billionaires and strong heroines who bring them to their knees
Forced proximity
“It’s always been her”
Castles We Storm is the second book in a trilogy. The first part of Henry and Celia’s story can be read in Thrones We Steal.
Publication Date 19/5/2026
My Review
Castles We Storm by Jessica Jude is a gripping, tension filled follow up that ramps up the stakes and the steam in the best way.
I was hooked from the first chapter and flew through it even faster than the first book.
Now Queen of Wesbourne, Cecelia finds herself the target of dangerous enemies who would rather see her dead than on the throne. When threats escalate, Henry steps in and insists the safest place for her is locked down in his luxurious penthouse! 🙄
What sounds like a dream, forced proximity with a ridiculously hot, powerful man, quickly becomes emotional warfare. (Because Henry isn’t just any protector. He’s the man who’s already broken her heart multiple times!)
The forced proximity in this book is 🤌🏻 🤌🏻. Every loaded glance, every sharp tongued argument, and every moment of unwanted closeness crackles with chemistry and frustration.
Henry continues to be the ultimate morally gray hero, arrogant, protective, and far too intoxicating for Cecelia’s peace of mind. 😉
I loved watching her fight to keep her walls up while the situation (and Henry) slowly chips away at them. The “it’s always been her” undercurrent just adds to the story.
Jessica Jude balances the romantic suspense perfectly. The danger feels legitimate and keeps the pages turning, while the emotional and physical tension between the leads delivers that addictive hate to love push and pull. There are tender moments mixed in with the banter and heat that made me root for them even harder.
If I had one small note, it’s that the back and forth/push pull can feel intense at times, but it completely fits their history and the high pressure situation they’re in. It left me desperate to see how everything resolves in the next book.
This second installment is addictive, steamy, and suspenseful while still delivering the heartfelt royal romance I enjoyed in Thrones We Steal.
If you love forced proximity, strong heroines who don’t make it easy, and billionaires who finally get brought to their knees, you’ll devour this one.
Highly recommend continuing the series!
Have you started Book 2 yet?
🦋
Crowns We Save: A Marriage in Crisis Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 3) by Jessica Jude
Crowns We Save: A Marriage in Crisis Royal Romance (Thrones We Steal Book 3) by Jessica Jude
Description
It’s been two years since I became the happiest woman in the world. I thought marrying the man of my dreams would be enough. I thought I would be enough.
I never imagined love would come with demands I’m unprepared to meet. Or that being queen would mean choosing between my country and the man I love. Again.
So yes, I’m keeping a secret from my husband. Some might call it lying. Others might call it betrayal. I call it necessary.
What I can’t forgive is the way she has wedged herself into our lives with her secrets and her lies, claiming she belongs here. She looks at him as if he’s already hers. As if my marriage, my family, and my country are pieces on her board.
They’re not.
Because I will do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine. My husband. My crown. My country. And if she thinks she can bring this family—or this kingdom—to its knees, she’s made one fatal mistake.
She’s underestimated her queen.
Crowns We Save is perfect for readers looking for:
Contemporary romance books
Modern royalty
Marriage in trouble
Other woman drama (no cheating)
Morally gray characters and darker themes
Slow burn
Second chance romance
Crowns We Save is the final book in a trilogy. The first two books should be read first for best reading experience. Start with Thrones We Steal. This story may not be suitable for everyone.
Publication Date 19/5/2026
My Review
Crowns We Save is a powerful, emotionally charged conclusion to the Thrones We Steal trilogy.
It takes the royal romance into deeper, messier territory and delivers a satisfying payoff for fans who’ve followed Cecelia and Henry’s turbulent journey.
You do need to read books one and two to both enjoy and understand book one.
Two years into marriage, Cecelia is now fully settled as queen, but the honeymoon phase is long gone. What should be a happy life with the man she loves is strained by the heavy demands of the crown. She’s keeping a significant secret from Henry, one she believes is necessary, but the arrival of another woman brings fresh tension, jealousy, and threats to everything Cecelia holds dear! 😮
This book dives headfirst into marriage
in trouble territory with “other woman” drama (handled cleanly with no cheating), moral grayness, and high stakes choices between love, duty, and power.
I really liked how the story shows the evolution of their relationship. The forced proximity and hate to love fire from the earlier books have transformed into something more complex…. a marriage under pressure, where love is still present but tested by secrets, misunderstandings, and external forces.
Cecelia shines as a strong, protective queen who refuses to be passive. Her determination to safeguard her husband, her family, and her country makes her incredibly compelling.
Henry remains the complex, brooding, morally gray hero we’ve come to love (and occasionally want to throttle). 😜
The slow burn tension works well here, letting the emotional wounds and lingering trust issues breathe. The palace intrigue and personal stakes intertwine well, and the darker themes add weight without tipping into unnecessary angst. There are tender, hard won moments as well.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the middle section feels heavy with the back and forth and emotional intensity, which might test some readers’ patience. But it stays true to the characters’ history and the high pressure world they live in, and the resolution makes the journey worthwhile.
This third book brings the trilogy to a strong close, blending heartfelt romance, royal duty, and personal growth. ❤️
If you’ve enjoyed the first two books, you’ll want to see how everything unfolds.
Perfect for readers who like their royal romances with real marital conflict, strong heroines, and couples who have to fight for their happy ending.
In a far-flung corner of the worlds-spanning Empire, Ser Kellan tor Iaestus is a Highwayman, sworn to keep the peace in the rugged Outlands. Armed with a revolver from a forgotten war and a hidden Talent to see truth, he is an agent of justice and peace in a wild land… so long as he keeps his talent hidden, lest he be pressed into the service of the Empire.
When Prospero, an Imperial Magus, arrives in the Outlands hunting for a magical truth-teller, Kellan is assigned as his guide. Certain he can keep his Talent concealed and maintain his freedom, Kellan escorts the magus on his journey. All goes well until a string of seemingly unrelated murders exposes demons, dark powers, and a warlock weaving cruel designs in the shadows. As Kellan and Prospero investigate, they follow a thread that leads from the Outlands to the city of Victar de Reya, links whores and politicians, and takes them from fine restaurants to piratical celebrations.
Saddled with a suspicious young seer and facing demons clawing at them from the Unreal, the two must work together to unravel the warlock’s conspiracy before he kills again. But can Kellan locate the killer without exposing his own power, and surrendering the independence he’s fought so hard to protect?
Duty demands truth. Survival demands secrecy. Kellan can’t have it both ways… and time is running out.
Publication Date 17/5/2026
A Sense of Murder: Road Mage Volume 1 by Sam Robb
My Review
A Sense of Murder Road Mage by Sam Robb is a gripping dark fantasy mystery that blends noir detective vibes with imperial fantasy and supernatural horror.
I picked this up expecting a solid genre read and came away impressed by how well it weaves its threads together.
Ser Kellan tor Iaestus, is a Highwayman in the rugged Outlands with a hidden Talent for seeing truth. He’s armed with a revolver from a forgotten war and determined to protect his independence in a vast Empire that would conscript him if his abilities came to light. Kellan’s internal conflict between duty, survival, and secrecy drives much of the tension, and it had me gripped from the time I opened my kindle, until I finished the book. 😊
When Imperial Magus Prospero arrives hunting a magical truth teller, Kellan gets pulled in as his guide.
What starts as a reluctant escort job quickly spirals into a complex investigation involving seemingly unrelated murders, demons from the Unreal, dark powers, and a shadowy warlock.
The story moves from wild Outlands to the city of Victar de Reya, mixing gritty frontier justice with urban intrigue that links whores, politicians, fine dining, and piratical celebrations.
I especially enjoyed the “nobledark” tone evil feels genuinely patient, persuasive, and terrifying, while faith, sacrifice, and moral struggle emerge naturally through the characters without feeling preachy.
The world building spares no details, a worlds spanning Empire where magic is law, guns and steel deliver justice, and threats from beyond are a reality. The addition of a suspicious young seer adds another layer of suspicion and alliance building. Action sequences with demons and investigations keep the pace brisk. But what I liked most was dynamics between Kellan and Prospero as they navigate trust, secrets, and escalating danger.
It’s not just a whodunit, the conspiracy builds with real stakes, and the supernatural elements heighten the dread without overshadowing the human (and political) drama.
If you enjoy fantasy mysteries with revolver wielding lawmen, demonic threats, and a protagonist torn between justice and self preservation, this delivers all that.
It’s the first in what feels like a promising series (Road Mage), and it left me wanting more of Kellan’s world and adventures.
A strong recommend for fans of dark fantasy with detective elements, think a fantasy infused blend of grit and otherworldly peril.
I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next volume.
Rage: A One Night Stand MC Romance Novel (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 7 by Bianca Lee Ward
Description
She was mine from the moment I saw her, even if she was ten years older.
A woman in a wedding dress, drinking alone at a bar. She was stunning, curvy, and running from a betrayal that shattered her world.
We shared one night—a collision of passion and desperation that seared itself into my soul. Then she vanished.
As a member of the War Brothers MC, my life is about brotherhood, fighting in the club’s underground fights, and protecting the innocent. I never expected that my job at the women’s shelter would lead me back to her. When she calls, in danger from the man she almost married, I’m the one who answers.
Now she’s under my roof and my protection. She’s my angel, a light in the shadows of my world, and she’s healing parts of me I thought were long dead. But our pasts refuse to stay buried.
An enemy is seeking revenge against me.
They’ve made a fatal mistake—they’ve put her in their sights.
They came for what’s mine, and now they’ll discover exactly why my MC brothers call me Rage.
Publication Date 14/5/2026
Rage: A One Night Stand MC Romance Novel (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 7 by Bianca Lee Ward
My Review
I really enjoyed Rage. It gave me exactly what I look for in an MC romance, a possessive, protective biker hero, a curvy heroine with real emotional depth, steamy chemistry, and enough danger to keep the pages turning.
The story opens with a great scene, Rage spotting a beautiful older woman in a wedding dress drinking alone at a bar after her world falls apart. Their one night stand is intense, raw, and full of desperate passion that clearly marks him. When she vanishes afterward, it leaves him haunted.
Later, his work at a women’s shelter brings her back into his life when she needs protection from the man she almost married!
From there, she ends up under his roof, and the real story unfolds as they heal old wounds while an enemy from his past targets her to get revenge!
What stood out most was the age gap dynamic, with Rose being ten years older. It felt refreshing and added a nice layer to Rage’s instant claim on her. He calls her his angel (and sexy cougar 😂) and light in his dark world, and it works because you see him backing it up with actions, not just words.
His fighter side and MC loyalty come through strongly, especially when threats arise, and you understand why his brothers call him Rage.
The suspense elements with her ex and his enemy are handled well, they create real tension without taking over the romance.
Both characters carry pain from their pasts, and watching them open up and support each other under one roof gave the book solid emotional weight alongside the heat.
If you’ve read the earlier War Brothers books, (I jumped in here, but I’ve earmarked the rest of the series to read 😜) then you’ll know (and love the characters)
It’s fairly classic for the genre, which I like, it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, just delivers a satisfying, fast paced story with a strong protective hero and a heroine who grows stronger as the book progresses.
Great if you love MC stories with age gap, second chance after one night energy, and a hero who will burn everything down to keep his woman safe.
I’d recommend it to fans of the series or anyone who enjoys this trope done right.
It’s a solid, enjoyable read that hits the possessive biker romance spot perfectly.
Witcha Gonna Do? (The Sherwood Witches Book 1) Avery Flynn
Description
An unlucky witch and her know-it-all nemesis must team up in the first of a new, spicy romantic comedy series from USA Todaybestselling author Avery Flynn.
Could it possibly get any worse than having absolutely no magical abilities when you’re a member of the most powerful family of witches ever? It used to be that I’d say no, but then I keep getting set up on dates with Gil Connolly whose hotness is only matched by his ego. Seriously. I can’t stand him. Even if I also can’t stop thinking about him (specifically kissing him) but we’re going to pretend I never told you that part.
So yeah, my life isn’t the greatest right now, but then it goes straight to the absolute worst hell when I accidentally make my sister’s spell glitch and curse my whole family. And the only person who can help non-magical me break the spell? You guessed it. Gil the super hot jerk.
Now we have to work together to save my family and outmaneuver some evil-minded nefarious forces bent on world domination. Oh yeah, and we have to do all that while fighting against the attraction building between us because I may not be magical, but what’s happening between Gil and I sure feels like it.
Publication Date 6/12/2022
Witcha Gonna Do? (The Sherwood Witches Book 1) Avery Flynn
My Review
Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn is a delightful, spicy enemies to lovers witchy romcom that gave me exactly the fun escape I was hoping for.
Tilda Sherwood is the only non magical member of a famously powerful witch family, which already makes her life feel like one long streak of bad luck.
To make matters worse, she keeps getting thrown together with Gil Connolly, the arrogant, ridiculously attractive guy who seems to exist just to irritate her. 😜
The chemistry between them is instant and electric, even as Tilda insists she can’t stand him (while secretly thinking about kissing him far more than she’d ever admit). 😂
Things go from bad to catastrophic when Tilda accidentally messes up one of her sister’s spells and ends up cursing her entire family. The only person who can help fix the mess is none other than Gil.
What follows is a fast paced adventure full of train rides, heists, quirky magical side characters (including a unicorn), and dangerous enemies with world domination plans.
All of this happens while Tilda and Gil are fighting both the curse and the growing attraction that keeps pulling them closer.
I really enjoyed the snappy banter and the way their relationship develops. The dual perspectives let you see both sides of the tension, and the forced proximity trope is done really well here.
The magic system feels fresh and playful, with little details like enchanted everyday objects that made me smile. The spice level is satisfying too.
The story stays very light and humorous throughout, which is perfect for a romcom but means it doesn’t dive too deeply into angst or overly complex emotions. A few plot moments felt a little convenient, but the charm, humor, and steam more than made up for it.
I laughed out loud several times and genuinely rooted for Tilda to break the curse and claim her own kind of happy ending.
Overall, this was a breezy, feel good read with heart, heat, and just enough adventure to keep things exciting.
So, if you’re in the mood for witty banter, magical chaos, and a satisfying romance, I’d definitely recommend it. 👍🏻
This is a rerelease. I’d not read it the first time around, so I can’t compare it. Someone will have to let me know if it’s the same story, or slightly different.
One’s traumatized. The other needs a miracle. With secrets muddying the waters, can these two women find their perfect pairing?
Plensglade, NY. Reilly Vail feels like a fraud. Still bearing the wounds of an emotionally abusive relationship, she rebuilds her self-publishing career enjoying the quiet anonymity even though her narcissistic ex takes credit for her work. But when a striking woman wanders into the local café, the reclusive author is smitten right up until realizes the stunning film producer could expose her identity to the world.
New York, NY. Breanna Blaine is fighting to save her company. Frantic to get the rights to a popular book series and bring it to the big screen, she searches a small town for the elusive writer and is shocked when a lovely local makes her pulse race. And after finally securing a coffee date, the thirty-something is thrilled when her sweet acquaintance shares the email address to the secretive novelist.
Falling hard, Reilly sees no way out of her subterfuge and fears it could destroy her newfound happiness. While Breanna grows frustrated by the scribe’s string of ridiculous demands and refusal to sign a contract even as she’s increasingly certain she’s found her soul mate.
Can they get past the lies to build a lasting union?
Writer’s Block is the emotional first book in the Love in the Empire State lesbian romance series. If you like relatable protagonists, humor and angst, and curling up with a happily ever after, you’ll adore Kimberly Amato’s big-hearted tale.
Buy Writer’s Block to let the passion flow today!
Publication Date 12/5/2026
Writer’s Block by Kimberly Amato
My Review
“Writer’s Block” by Kimberly Amato offers a captivating exploration of love, ambition, and personal turmoil set against the backdrop of New York’s vibrant atmosphere.
The story centers on Breanna Blaine, a determined executive desperate to secure the film rights to a beloved book series. Her journey leads her to a small town where she encounters Reilly Vail, a reclusive writer struggling with the scars of an abusive past and the complexities of anonymity.
The author weaves the their emotional moments beautifully, allowing us to connect with their struggles and triumphs. Breanna’s relentless pursuit of her career and the elusive novelist, combined with Reilly’s internal battles, creates a tension that drives the story forward.
The relationship between Breanna and Reilly blossoms amid humorous moments and heartfelt exchanges, depicting the challenges faced when love is complicated by secrets and self doubt.
The character development is great, with portrayals of women dealing with personal and professional obstacles.
The author balances humor with angst, making the emotional stakes feel authentic and engaging.
I found myself rooting for the couple as they navigate misunderstandings, fears, and the hope of forging a lasting bond.♥️
The writing style flows smoothly, making it easy for me to immerse myself in the story.
“Writer’s Block” is the first book in the “Love in the Empire State” series and lays a solid foundation for what promises to be an engaging exploration of love within the lesbian romance genre.
If you enjoy stories filled with relatable characters, humor, and the promise of a happily ever after, Kimberly Amato’s novel is sure to please.
Overall, “Writer’s Block” is a heartwarming read that captures the essence of love’s complexities while delivering a satisfying emotional journey.
Rise Of The Immortal Queen by Paula Ellison Franklin
Description
In a world where immortals rule from the shadows, Temperance, a royal-born Geto-Dacian, finds herself torn between two paths. When she discovers during her first human cycle that she is the new Reqwm, the Queen, her world fractures. Torn between experiencing the normalcy of human school, parties, and friendships and the crushing responsibility of ruling her people, she is forced into a dangerous balancing act. Her journey grows even more perilous when she learns two truths: the Yestisis, the ruling council of her people, want her dead, and she has fallen in love with a human.
Now, Temperance stands at the heart of impossible choices. Will she submit to the will of the Yestisis, or assert her rightful claim as their leader? Will she wipe the Venatores, the hunters, from existence, or strive for peace with them? Will she abandon her forbidden love for a human and let him slip away, or risk both their lives by embracing it? And if she does, will she break the ancient law by turning him into a Geto-Dacian, or condemn him to remain fragile and mortal?
Publication Date 24/10/2025
Rise Of The Immortal Queen by Paula Ellison Franklin
My Review
Rise of the Immortal Queen, is a captivating tale that intertwines themes of duty, identity, and forbidden love.
Set in a mesmerizing world where immortals rule from the shadows, the story follows Temperance, a royal born Geto-Dacian, as she grapples with her newfound identity as the Reqwm, (or Queen.)
From the outset, the author establishes a richly detailed world, steeped in history and mystery. The conflict facing Temperance, not only from her own responsibilities but also from the treacherous Yestisis council, creates a tension that drives the story forward. As she stands at the crossroads of pressing choices, we are drawn into her inner turmoil, making her journey a fascinating read.
Temperance’s struggle between obedience to the Yestisis and her desire to assert her rightful claim reflects the universal conflict between personal ambition and societies expectation. Plus, the added pressure of dealing with the Venatores, the hunters who threaten her people, further complicates her circumstances.
The romance between Temperance and her human love interest adds to the story. Their relationship serves as both a refuge and a source of conflict, forcing Temperance to confront the implications of her feelings. The tension of potentially breaking ancient laws by turning him into a Geto-Dacian, or choosing to let him remain fragile and mortal, made me really connect with her, and you really hope she gets what ate
Temperance is a multi-dimensional character, we watch as she grows into her role. Her resilience to everything thrown at her would have made me curl up into a ball and not want to continue!
Overall, Rise of the Immortal Queen is a thrilling blend of fantasy, romance, and moral quandaries that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next instalment.
I loved the beginning, we are told how this all starts. And I liked the explanation at the end (almost like a timeline.)
Highly recommended for fans of fantasy and romantic intrigue.
Cut Me, Alpha: A MM military Omegaverse Dystopian Romance: Omega Rebellion Book 1 by Darcy Blackwater
Description
Sig, 31 His entire life was a fight for survival.
Siggismund “Sig” Dragomir is not only one of the best Science Officers of the Empire—he has a dangerous secret.
He is an Omega who learned to create illegal suppressors to pass as a Beta. If anyone found out, his freedom would be lost and he would end up owned by some Alpha.
That’s why he has never loved.
Never touched.
Never allowed anyone to see behind his walls of cold sarcasm and unyielding competency.
A virgin at thirty-one, the last thing Sig ever expected was to fall in love… with a damn sunshine Alpha who is younger than him.
Luca, 23 A late bloomer, Alpha Luca Marchesse only turned Alpha at age nineteen.
But the newfound power didn’t change the way he sees life—with a smile.
When he returns to Base 7 as Acting Commander, he has to face his old crush on Sig.
Because that man could freeze a mountain… and still, Luca would do anything to get his attention.
Everything changes when the secret Omega Sig—who has spent his life passing as a Beta—and Alpha Luca are trapped alone in a bunker and Sig’s heat is violently triggered.
Can they build a relationship after a wild night where instinct took over?
Can Sig ever trust an Alpha when his own Alpha father abused him badly?
A story full of heat, yearning, and action set in a dystopian world.
Book 1 of a duet. Ends on a cliffhanger.
Reader discretion advised—please check the trigger warnings.
Publication Date 7/5/2026
Cut Me, Alpha: A MM military Omegaverse Dystopian Romance: Omega Rebellion Book 1 by Darcy Blackwater
My Review
I picked up Cut Me, Alpha on a whim because the premise hit every single one of my buttons….. MM military romance, Omegaverse, dystopian setting, age gap, and a traumatized virgin Omega who’s spent his life outsmarting the system.
It delivered on the heat (literally and figuratively), but it also gave me more emotional depth than I expected from a trope heavy setup.
Sig is the kind of character I fall hard for. At 31, he’s a brilliant, sarcastic Science Officer who’s clawed his way through life by suppressing his Omega nature with illegal drugs he makes himself. He’s cold, competent, and closed off for very good reasons, his backstory with his abusive Alpha father is brutal and explains every wall he’s built. Watching this man, who has never let anyone touch him, slowly unravel because of Luca was genuinely compelling. His internal conflict felt raw, especially the terror of losing control after a lifetime of meticulous self protection. ❤️🩹
Luca, on the other hand, is pure sunshine Alpha energy. 🥰 At 23, he’s younger, physically imposing after a late bloom, but still carries that optimistic, almost boyish warmth that contrasts so sharply with Sig’s frostiness.
I loved that he wasn’t written as the typical overbearing Alpha. He’s respectful (until biology takes the wheel), persistent without being creepy, and genuinely smitten with Sig in a way that feels both earnest and a little heartbreaking.
Their dynamic has that delicious grumpy/sunshine tension, amplified by the military hierarchy and the massive power imbalance inherent in the Omegaverse world.
The bunker sequence is the explosive turning point, and yes, it’s as intense as you’d expect. The heat scene(s) are very spicy, very instinct driven, and well written for the genre.
And the aftermath, the confusion, the regret, the budding trust mixed with deep fear. Sig’s trauma doesn’t magically disappear just because Luca is a good guy, and that realism made the romance feel earned rather than purely hormonal.
The dystopian military world building is solid enough to support the plot without overwhelming it. There’s enough lore about the Empire, the rebellion simmering underneath, and the brutal social structure around Alphas, Betas, and Omegas to make the stakes feel real.
I loved the yearning and slow emotional burn before the heat hits.
The pacing is fast, which I liked, but a couple of emotional beats could have used a little more breathing room. And yes, it ends on a brutal cliffhanger, so go in prepared (Book 2 is apparently coming).
Overall, Cut Me, Alpha is a strong start to the Omega Rebellion duet. It’s steamy, angsty, action packed, and emotionally engaging.
If you love protective Alphas who actually respect their Omegas’ trauma, brilliant but broken protagonists, and that perfect mix of military grit and desperate love, this one’s for you. I’m invested now and impatiently waiting for the resolution.
Highly recommended for Omegaverse fans who want more story and character work alongside the heat.
Just clear your schedule, once Sig and Luca get under your skin, it’s hard to put down.
🦋
I was approached by the author after liking her posts on TikTok. When the next book is due out, I’m going to reread this on kindle unlimited
Crown of Storms and Starlight: An Empire of Curses and Dreams Novel by Susan Person
Description
Some destinies end in ashes. Others are reborn in starlight.
Fated mates blessed by the magic of a goddess, Ari and Rain face their darkest hour. Her father, Albert, has become something beyond fae or vampire, a false king determined to devour the magic of all fae-kind and forge a new world in his image.
Ari must lead her allies, her friends, into the darkness one last time. But Albert knows his daughter’s greatest weakness. She would burn the world to save those she loves.
Victory demands more than magic. It requires the absolute surrender of two souls who were always meant to burn together.
The fate of not only fae-kind but the entire realm rests on the edge of a dagger and the strength of a bond forged in storms and starlight.
The storm has come to claim its queen. The reckoning has come for them all.
Crown of Storms and Starlight is the shattering finale to The Night and Rain romantasy series
Publication Date 30/4/2026
Crown of Storms and Starlight: An Empire of Curses and Dreams Novel by Susan Person
My Review
Crown of Storms and Starlight by Susan Person is the explosive, heart wrenching finale the Night and Rain series deserved.
From the very first page, this book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.
Ari and Rain have always been a fated mates pairing that felt electric, storm and starlight, chaos and calm, two souls who burn brighter together than apart. ❤️🔥
In this concluding installment, their bond is tested in the most brutal ways imaginable.
Albert, Ari’s father, has transformed into something monstrous, a false king whose hunger for power threatens to consume not just fae kind but the entire realm. The stakes have never been higher, and the tension is relentless.
What I loved most was how deeply emotional this finale felt. The author doesn’t shy away from the cost of love, leadership, and sacrifice. Ari’s journey from a woman protecting her found family to a queen willing to face unimaginable darkness is powerful and raw. There were moments that genuinely made my chest ache. (scenes of quiet moments between Ari and Rain 💔)
The “absolute surrender” the blurb promises? It delivers.
(There are moments I cried and cheered.)
The world building reaches its peak here, with the magic system expanding in creative, sometimes terrifying directions. The side characters I grew to love (and sometimes fear) get satisfying arcs, and the themes of found family, loyalty, and the blurred line between hero and villain were just 🤌🏻🤌🏻 (morally gray characters who still manage to steal your heart. 😜)
That said, the pacing is breakneck. While the action and emotional highs are thrilling, some resolutions felt swift after such a slow burn buildup in earlier books.
A few threads wrapped up a touch too neatly for my taste, though the emotional payoff largely made up for it.
Overall, this book is a worthy but shattering conclusion to a lush, atmospheric romantasy series full of fae intrigue, goddess blessed bonds, and high heat tension.
It’s dark, dreamy, and devastating in the best way. If you enjoy fated mates who would burn the world for each other, powerful heroines, and finales that actually feel like a reckoning, this one is worth the wait.
A fitting end that left me satisfied, a little heartbroken, and already missing this world.
Fresh Ice: An MM Hockey, Friends to Lovers Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 1) by Riley Bauer
Description
A bisexual awakening, a closeted captain, and the NHL expansion team that becomes their found family. Co-captains. Teammates. A slow burn neither of them saw coming.
Ryan “Ash” Asher is the sunshine center who makes every locker room warmer just by showing up. Signed to the Atlanta Firebirds after a divorce he’s still pretending didn’t break him, he’s chasing a fresh start. New city. New team. New ice. He’s fine. But from the first phone call with his co-captain, something he can’t explain takes hold. Ash has never wanted a man before, and Antero Ikonen is unraveling everything he thought he knew about himself.
Antero “Avi” Ikonen hasn’t let anyone close in a decade. Fifteen years closeted in professional hockey. A secret relationship with a teammate that ended on a highlight reel. A trade that felt less like a roster move and more like being thrown away. Avi’s job is to lead this expansion team, not fall for the too-warm center who texts at midnight and keeps finding doors in walls Avi didn’t know existed.
He falls first. He falls quiet. And he can’t stop.
A grumpy-sunshine, slow burn teammates romance about a bisexual awakening, a closeted captain who’s been hurt before, and a stray cat at the team facility who knows what he wants before either of them do.
Tropes: MM Hockey Romance
• Bi-Awakening
• Slow Burn
• Grumpy-Sunshine
• He Falls First
• Forced Proximity
• Secret Relationship
• Hurt/Comfort
• Found Family
• Co-Captains
• Stray Cat
Heat Level: Spicy
Tone: Emotional, Sharp Humour
Series Type: Interconnected Standalones, Book 1 of 5
Ending: HEA
POV: Dual, First Person
Content Notes: Bisexual identity, coming out later in life, closeted athlete, on-page sexual content between consenting adult men, past relationship that ended in physical confrontation
Publication Date 26/2/2026
Fresh Ice: An MM Hockey, Friends to Lovers Romance (Atlanta Firebirds Book 1) by Riley Bauer
My Review
Fresh Ice by Riley Bauer is a heartfelt, slow burn MM hockey romance that delivers exactly what it promises. ♥️
Ryan “Ash” Asher, the sunny, recently divorced center, brings light and easy charm to the new Atlanta Firebirds expansion team.
Antero “Avi” Ikonen, is the guarded, closeted veteran who’s been burned before and keeps everyone at arm’s length.
Their connection starts with late night texts and forced proximity as co-captains, then quietly builds into something neither expected, especially Ash, who’s navigating a genuine bi-awakening.
The grumpy/sunshine dynamic works beautifully here. Ash’s persistent kindness slowly cracks Avi’s walls, while Avi’s quiet intensity gives Ash a safe place to question everything he thought he knew about himself. The romance is a true slow burn with excellent tension, hurt/comfort moments,
Oh, and don’t forget the stray cat at the facility that steals scenes (and hearts). I loved those moments.
The found family vibe with the expansion team had me laughing (the team chat and the book club had me in stitches) 😂
What stands out most is the emotional honesty, the fear and vulnerability of coming out later in life, the weight of past heartbreak (including a painful secret relationship for Avi), and the joy of discovering new desire.
The pacing is deliberately measured, which suits the slow burn trope, it might not suit everyone, but I think it was needed.
Perfect for fans of bi-awakening, teammates to lovers, and hockey romances with real heart.
I’d happily pick up the next Atlanta Firebirds book. (In fact I think I might have just downloaded book two 😜)
Duchess of Debits: An Enemies to Lovers, Age Gap, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Dixie Mafia Romance by Victoria Jayne
She’s the daughter of a mafia family. He’s a leader hungry for revenge. When she falls into his world, can their unexpected road to love survive betrayal?
Amy Kirk’s life revolves around spreadsheets and ledgers. Essentially invisible as the syndicate’s accountant, the detailed daughter of a mobster is happily boring. But after balancing the books of the family strip club, she’s shocked when she’s kidnapped by their handsome but ruthless enemy.
Niall Doherty is out for blood. Full of vengeance, the determined Irish mafia king orders the murder of the one responsible for his nephew’s death. Hoping to salvage his collapsing syndicate and put an end to the war between organizations, he’s not prepared for the tempting woman taken as an unexpected hostage.
As Amy struggles to resist his charm, she refuses to fall for the man who’s twice her age and her family’s arch nemesis. And although Niall’s drawn to her cunning mind and beauty, he knows trusting her could be the final nail in his coffin.
With loyalties tested and allegiances broken, will family ties tear them apart, or can forbidden love prevail?
Duchess of Debits, book three of the Dixie Mafia series, is a dark mafia romance. This is an enemies to lovers, age-gap, slow-burn, but steamy book you won’t want to put down. Run, don’t walk, and continue this sizzling series.
Duchess of Debits contains scenes written for mature audiences only.
Snag your copy today!
Publication Date 5/5/2026
Duchess of Debits: An Enemies to Lovers, Age Gap, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Dixie Mafia Romance by Victoria Jayne
My Review
Duchess of Debits is a great addition to Victoria Jayne’s Dixie Mafia series, delivering exactly what the blurb promises…. enemies to lovers, age gap, kidnapping, slow burn mafia romance with plenty of steam. 😜
Amy Kirk is the “invisible” accountant daughter in a Southern syndicate family, she’s smart, detail oriented, and content with her spreadsheets, until she’s yanked into the rival Irish mafia’s orbit. 😮
Niall Doherty is the vengeful, older leader out for blood after losing his nephew, willing to do whatever it takes to stabilize his crumbling organization.
Their collision is classic, she’s the hostage who wasn’t supposed to be tempting, he’s the ruthless captor who didn’t count on her sharp mind and quiet strength complicating his revenge. ❤️ Don’t you just hate it when that happens? 😝
Letting the attraction build amid distrust, the power imbalances, and moral conflicts was just great. The “twice her age” gap and enemy status added friction. Amy’s resistance and Niall’s internal war between vengeance and growing feelings had me turning those kindle pages.
Amy isn’t a typical shrinking violet captive, her cunning and savvy skills play into the plot. Niall is suitably intense and commanding without losing depth. The chemistry is steamy once it ignites.
It is book 3 in the series, it stands alone reasonably well but continues to build on the Dixie Mafia world.
If you enjoy stories where the road to “us against the world” is paved with suspicion, heat, and hard choices, this one delivers. Run (don’t walk) if the blurb already has you hooked, especially if you’ve been following the Dixie Mafia series.
Looking forward to seeing how the larger syndicate stories play out in future books!
Simply Irresistible : A Neighbors-to-lovers Romance (Lesson in Love) by Tara September
Description
They share a duplex. They share a workplace. They should not share anything else
Beth Henley is Thatcher College’s new volleyball coach, focused on her students and keeping her life uncomplicated. Falling for her reserved, anti-sports neighbor was definitely not on her roster.
Colin McClure is an English professor whose perfectly ordered life gets a change-up the moment his colleague Beth moves in next door. She’s confident, disruptive, and impossible to ignore.
He lives by boundaries. She loves to cross them.
Living next door to your coworker is complicated. Falling for them? That’s simply irresistible.
Simply Irresistible is a slow-burning, neighbors-to-lovers university workplace romance with sizzling chemistry, no unnecessary third-act breakup, and two opposites who discover some rules are meant to be broken.
Publication Date 5/5/2026
Simply Irresistible : A Neighbors-to-lovers Romance (Lesson in Love) by Tara September
My Review
Simply Irresistible delivers exactly what it promises, a warm, slow burning neighbors to lovers romance with charming opposites attract energy and zero unnecessary drama. 😊
I picked this up after reading (and loving My Fight Song) and it fits right into that sweet spot of college campus romances that had me devouring the book until I was done.
Beth is the new volleyball coach at Thatcher College, and is all energy and drive, she’s focused on her team and wants a straightforward life after a tragedy changes Beth’s way of life!
Colin McClure, the reserved English professor next door, thrives on order, quiet routines, and keeping things compartmentalized. Sharing a duplex (and a workplace) immediately throws those neat boundaries into chaos.
What I loved most was how natural their pull felt. The tension builds through everyday interactions,borrowed sugar, thin walls, late night encounters, rather than big dramatic gestures.
Beth’s confidence and Colin’s quieter intensity play off each other perfectly, she shakes up his world in the best way, and he gives her a safe place to land without trying to dim her spark.
The workplace and neighbor complications add just enough stakes without tipping into angst or ridiculous misunderstandings.
The university had enough details about coaching and academia to ground it without dragging. And a few characters from previous books maybe spotted without stealing focus.
If you enjoy low angst romances with witty banter, genuine emotional connection, and steamy payoff, this one hits the mark.
Looking forward to whatever Tara September brings next!
The First Rule Of Faking It: A Colorado Dragons Novel by A. Rivers
Description
What’s worse than being stuck in paradise with your ex and the woman he cheated on you with?
When your hot hockey player best friend–who’s always made your heart beat a little faster–insists on pretending to be your new boyfriend.
Alec means well, but no one–not my ex, not my friends, and certainly not my family–is going to believe he’s suddenly madly in love with me. The only person at risk of believing the act… is me.
But maybe I’ll get through this despite his tempting touches, lingering smiles, and the fact there’s only one bed in our hotel room… as long as I remember the most important rule of all: Don’t fall for your fake boyfriend.
If you loved the emotional heat of books by Becka Mack and Avery Keelan, then buy THE FIRST RULE OF FAKING IT to start reading your next addictive hockey romance today!
Publication Date 17/4/2026
The First Rule Of Faking It: A Colorado Dragons Novel by A. Rivers
My Review
I went into The First Rule of Faking It purely for the tropes…. best friends to lovers, fake dating, and forced proximity with that classic one bed setup in paradise, and it checked every box with a smile. 😊
The setup is deliciously awkward, Tally is stuck at a family wedding event with her cheating ex and his new woman, and her longtime hockey player bestie Alec is the fake boyfriend savior.
Rewind a moment …. Tally found her ex, in their bed with her cousin! Not wanting to appear like a loser, she asks Alec to come to the island wedding and protestor be her boyfriend. Simple …. Nope! Not when Tally has loved Alec forever. Hence the awkward situation we are in now…..
Alec is a great hero, protective without being overbearing, charming and a little cocky in that athlete way, but genuinely caring.
His long standing feelings for her make the “fake” touches and lingering looks feel electric right from the start. The best friend’s foundation gives the romance real warmth, so the emotional intimacy clicks faster than in many fake dating stories. It’s steamy but not overwhelming, the tension builds nicely through the forced proximity. The ex boyfriend drama is present but not dragged out into unnecessary angst, keeping the story light and breezy overall.
At around 170 pages, it’s a quick, satisfying read rather than a deep epic. Some side characters and family dynamics felt a bit surface level, but that fits the shorter format. (If you’re craving massive character arcs or heavy emotional turmoil, this isn’t it, it’s more of a smile while reading on the couch kind of book.)
Overall, if you enjoy hockey romances with low drama, high chemistry, and that satisfying “they’ve been in love the whole time” realization, this one is worth picking up.
It’s perfect for a palate cleanser between heavier reads that I’ve done lately.
I’d happily read more from the Colorado Dragons world.
Recommended for fans of best friends to lovers hockey romance that leans into the fun rather than the pain.
A fun, low angst hockey romance that delivers exactly what it promises.
Ivywood is everything a small town should be: a sparkling lake, towering trees, and one of the best nursing homes around—it’s exactly what Fawn Higgins, a newly published author, needs.
Between caring for her grandfather and trying to write her next ice hockey romance novel, she has no room in her life for distractions.
That is, until two talented hockey players, Dylan Crawley and Torin Anderson, skate into her life. Intense and impossible to ignore, the two hockey players challenge everything Fawn thought she wanted.
As emotions simmer and tension builds, why choose when she can have both, right?
Tropes:
🩵 Why Choose
🏒 Ice Hockey Players x Writer
Small Town
🩵 Slow Burn, but when it hits – IT HITS
🏒 Protective MMCs
🩵 PCOS Rep
🏒 Friends to Lovers
🩵 Golden Retriever x Grumpy Mysterious MMCs
🏒 Aftercare Kings
Publication Date 28/2/2026
Between The Pages And The Rink by Meadow Thompson
My Review
Between The Pages And The Rink by Meadow Thompson is a delightful read in the why choose hockey romance genre, I’m hoping to read more.
This small town romance follows Fawn Higgins, a newly published author juggling her grandfather’s care in the charming town of Ivywood and her next ice hockey romance novel.
She’s determined to avoid distractions, until two irresistible hockey players, Dylan Crawley and Torin Anderson, glide into her world. 😜
The blurb promises a classic slow burn buildup that explodes into something intense, with no need to choose between the two protective, MMCs, one golden retriever energy and the other grumpy mysterious, both serving major aftercare king vibes. 😍 and it definitely delivers on that promise.
I really liked the friends to lovers dynamic, and the “why choose” romance structure, the cozy small town setting is a little cliched, but it works. And If you’re into sports romances that blend steamy tension, emotional depth, and feel good comfort (think warm hugs on a cold rink), this checks all the boxes.
The author nails the balance of spice, tenderness, and character driven storytelling. The protective MMCs, small town charm, and that “when it hits, IT HITS” promise make this one a must add to your TBR if you love hockey romances with a fresh twist.
If you’re into why choose stories with plenty of rink side tension, this debut it’ll delivers all the feels!
Have you read it yet? I’d love to hear what tropes you’re most excited for. 🏒❄️
For Emily – it’s true. When she watches a documentary on the average human she sees her life. Her job, her hair, her favourite food. All of her – plainly, horrifically average. Even her blood group. Right there and then, she decides she wants more.
She’ll travel the world (i.e. venture out of her hometown)
She’ll become a vegan (it’s interesting to hate cheese, right?)
She’ll do something daring (As long as it’s safety tested)
Nothing will stand in the way of Emily living her best life. Not even Josh and his dimples. Because she absolutely can’t fall in love . . . that would be too ordinary.
And from now on, Emily is going to be extraordinary.
Publication Date 5/1/2023
My (extra)Ordinary Life by Rebecca Ryan
My Review
Rebecca Ryan’s novel *My (extra)Ordinary Life* is an exploration of identity, ambition, and the quest for authenticity in a world that often celebrates the mundane.
The story follows Emily, who discovers that she epitomizes the average human in every conceivable way, from her job to her blood type. This realization prompts her to embark on a journey to break free from the confines of her normalcy and seek out the extraordinary.
Emily’s character is just charming. Her commitment to change is both humorous and earnest, making us root for her as she takes on challenges like traveling beyond her hometown, adopting a vegan lifestyle, and attempting daring feats, albeit with a safety guarantee.
Ryan infuses comedy into Emily’s misadventures, allowing us to laugh alongside her as she navigates her quest for self-improvement.
The contrast between her desire for a vibrant life and the lure of romance adds another layer to the story, especially in her interactions with Josh, a charming character whose dimples bring both attraction and trepidation.
The pacing of the story is engaging, with witty dialogues and relatable scenarios that keep us entertained. The author’s writing is light-hearted, making it an enjoyable read for those looking for a fun escape. The vivid descriptions of Emily’s experiences and the charming supporting characters round out the story, adding depth to her journey.
Ultimately, *My (extra)Ordinary Life* sends a powerful message: being ordinary is not inherently a bad thing. The journey to self-acceptance and the pursuit of authenticity is what truly makes life extraordinary. Emily’s transformation is not merely about the changes she makes but also about embracing who she is and finding joy in the process.
In conclusion, Rebecca Ryan’s novel is a whimsical and insightful trip through the search for one’s identity. If you’re in need of a light-hearted read, *My (extra)Ordinary Life* is an excellent choice.
Perfect for those seeking a cheerful reminder that it’s okay to be average.
🦋
Book I read on holiday. My (extra)Ordinary Life by Rebecca Ryan
Thrown Off Balance (Python’s Hockey Book by Kristin MacQueen
Description
He was my first love. The man I thought I’d spend forever with… until my parents moved away and I lost contact with him. I’ve been back in my hometown for a while and never ran into him. The last place I expect to see him is at a hockey game… on the ice.
She’s the one I compare every woman to. The reason I don’t date even though there’s no chance of us getting back together. Yet when I’m slammed into the glass during a game and find her on the other side, I can’t stop thinking about her and what could’ve been.
Tropes: small town romance, sports romance, hockey romance, friends to lovers, second chance, meet cute, forced proximity, he falls first TW: stalker
Publication Date 2/5/2026
Thrown Off Balance (Python’s Hockey Book by Kristin MacQueen
My Review
I went into Thrown Off Balance expecting a fun sports romance with classic tropes, and it delivered exactly that. 😊 It’s a new author for me too, and one I’m going to be looking into after reading this book.
Sloan and Cody were childhood sweethearts/first loves who lost touch when her family moved away.
Years later, she’s back in their small hometown, and he’s a professional hockey player for the Pythons.
Their reunion happens in the most dramatic (and meet/cute) way possible, when he gets slammed into the glass right in front of her during a game. (She’s with another man!) From there, the forced proximity, lingering feelings, and “he falls first/hard” energy kick in strong. 😉
I loved the second chance vibe. The nostalgia, the “what if” conversations, and the way they both compare everyone else to their first love hit that sweet spot without being overly angsty.
Hockey elements were good. The author gives enough game scenes and team dynamics to satisfy sports romance fans without overwhelming the central relationship.
The suspense/stalker thread (as noted in the TW) adds an “out of left field” layer of excitement without derailing the romance. It raises the stakes in a way that feels fresh for the subgenre.
It leans heavily into the tropes (small town, friends to lovers/second chance, forced proximity), so if you want something super unpredictable it might feel familiar. But when the tropes are executed this warmly, I’m here for it.
Overall, this was a charming start to the Python’s Hockey series. It’s comforting, low angst, and leaves you smiling with that “happily ever after” glow.
Perfect for fans of second chance sports romances who enjoy small town charm and a hero who never got over his first love.
I’ll definitely be picking up the next one!
A sweet, heartfelt second chance hockey romance with just the right amount of tension.
If you like authors who blend heartfelt reconnection with light suspense and a tight knit community, this one’s worth checking out.
The Shapeshifter’s Gambit (The Faceless Chronicles Book 1) by Grant Pierce
Description
Book One of The Faceless Chronicles.
A dark epic fantasy of prophecy, loyalty, and demons.
The strangers foretold the world would end in fire—and Logan would strike the match.
Kalen and Logan grew up as brothers in all but blood. But when a secretive order recruits Kalen, he learns a devastating truth: Logan is destined to summon the dread fiend Astaroth and unmake the world.
The order wants Kalen to kill him before the prophecy comes to pass.
Driven by memories of their youth and visions of a burning future, Kalen refuses to believe Logan is lost. The path ahead is paved with betrayal and death. Reapers and a murderous shapeshifter trail Logan, guarding him with a devotion carved from fear.
As fate tightens its grip, Kalen must face the truth he dreads most. Logan may be the world’s last hope… or its final curse.
When fate is written in fire and blood, only the damned can bend destiny to their will.
Expect:
Prophecy, impossible choices, and epic stakes
Reapers, assassins, and a lethal shapeshifter
Demons, dark magic, and brutal consequences
Publication Date 1/5/2026
The Shapeshifter’s Gambit (The Faceless Chronicles Book 1) by Grant Pierce
My Review
The story centers on Kalen and Logan, who grew up as close as brothers. When Kalen is recruited by a secretive order, he discovers a chilling prophecy…. Logan is fated to summon the demon Astaroth and bring about the world’s end!!
The order demands Kalen kill Logan to prevent this catastrophe. Torn between loyalty, shared memories, and terrifying visions of a fiery apocalypse, Kalen rejects the order’s command and sets out on a perilous path…
Logan is protected by reapers, assassins, and a particularly lethal shapeshifter to a fanatical level, but is this by fear or devotion?
As we travel through the book, Kalen grapples with the possibility that Logan might not be the villain everyone fears, but then again he could be something far worse, the world’s final curse!! And for most of the book I wondered the same thing myself, and that had me wanting to find out which way Logan would go! 🤔
It’s a grim, world steeped in dark magic, and demonic forces.
You have a friendship that could go either way, Logan and Kalen go through so much together, I really wanted them to triumph.
The pacing keeps things moving, balancing the quieter mand backstory with brutal confrontations and escalating stakes.
The writing is straightforward and immersive, effectively conveying a sense of dread and inevitability, I have to admit, the first couple chapters almost had me putting it down, but I’m glad I persevered as it definitely got better, then i couldn’t outfit down.
As a first book in a planned series (The Faceless Chronicles), it sets up an intriguing larger arc involving shadows, power, and uncreation, without feeling overly incomplete, though it clearly builds toward more.
If you’re drawn to fantasy with strong character driven drama, prophecies, and creatures like demons and shapeshifters used in service of the plot rather than as gimmicks, this should hit the spot.
Overall, a solid debut that promises an ambitious series.
It is full of potential, with room to grow in world building depth in future installments.
If the blurb’s themes appeal to you, it’s worth checking out, especially as an indie epic fantasy launch.
An epic dark fantasy that delivers on its promise of prophecy, betrayal, demons, and high stakes moral dilemmas.
It’s my Granddaughter’s birthday this month. Its also my Grandad’s birthday (sadly no longer here) 😞
Arcs I’ve signed up for and hope to read.
Thrown Off Balance (Python’s Hockey Book by Kristin MacQueen
Simply Irresistible : A Neighbors-to-lovers Romance (Lesson in Love) by Tara September
Duchess of Debits: An Enemies to Lovers, Age Gap, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Dixie Mafia Romance by Victoria Jayne
Writer’s Block by Kimberly Amato
Witcha Gonna Do? (The Sherwood Witches Book 1) Avery Flynn (this is a rerelease of an old book)
A Sense of Murder: Road Mage Volume by Sam Robb
At First Spark: A Firefighter, Small Town Romance (Coral Bell Cove Book 4) by Renee Harless
Penalty Shot (Winnipeg Avalanche Hockey Book 3) by Crea Reitan
Nowhere to Hide: A completely unputdownable and pulse-pounding FBI mystery thriller (Sandra Vos Book 3) by Carolyn Arnold
Under the Radar (Outcasts of Oloria Book 4) by Bea Tama
The Shapeshifter’s Gambit (The Faceless Chronicles Book 1) by Grant Pierce
Books on my TBR I’m hoping to read.
I have two of the Savage Kings MC to finish, then the series is done 😃
BOOKS DUE FOR RELEASE:
All the above books are due to be released this month. If I don’t get an arc, then I’ll probably still read them. As long as they are on Kindle Unlimited.
Are there any books this month you are looking forward to? Are there any recommendations?
Fire and Ice: A Fake Dating Hockey Romance (Boston Bobcats Book 2) by Carly Robyn arc
Miles (Savage Kings MC Book 8) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Sax (Savage Kings MC Book 9) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Cooper (Savage Kings MC Book 10) by Lane Hart & D. B. West (from my TBR)
Stolen claim by Katherine St. Vincent arc
Into the Apocalypse by Daniele Vaccaro
Deceived: The D’Immortali Vampire Dynasty: 1 by L.A. McGinnis arc
Dark Possession: Alpha Legend book two (The Wolf Pack 2) by Helen Johnston 📕
Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem: The Riddle Sisters: Book 6 (A Clean Regency Romance with a Spy Heroine, Secret Heir, and Opposites Attract) by Jennifer Monroe arc
Distorted Perceptions: A small town stalker romance (The Lanton Legacy Series Book 2) by Esme Taylor arc
We Can’t Have Forever : A Single Dad Cowboy Romance by Ria Wilde arc
Rogue to the Rescue by Jane Charles arc
Vicious Wins: A Dark Hockey Romance (Cruel Games Book 2) by Poppy Jacobson arc
Until I shatter by L.B. Martin arc
Beautiful Betrayal : An Enemies to Lovers, Dark Romance (Tempting Love Book 3) by Nikki Ash arc
Loving A Witch Is Totally Foolish : A Paranormal Dark Rom-Com (Total Chaos Book 2) by Aura Hayes arc
The Daredevil (The Dawn of America series Book 3) by Regan Walker arc
Mister Van Doren (CEOs of Kink) by Crea Reitan arc
Claimed by the Mountain Men: A Reverse Harem Romance (Claimed by… Reverse Harems) by Adelaide Brooke arc
Forbidden Forget-Me-Not: An Age Gap Mafia Forbidden Bodyguard Romance (California Made Men Book 3) by Brooklyn Cross arc
Fink: A Contract Killer Clown Dark Romance by Victoria Jayne arc
Vamps and Vendettas (Star-Crossed Chronicles Book 3) by AK Nevermore arc
The Highlander’s Wicked Ways (Spellbound Hearts Book 3) by Julie Johnstone arc
The Rise of Lazarus by B. W. Jackson arc The Brotherhood of Barnabas (The Rise of Lazarus Book 2) by B. W. Jackson arc
You Have My Attention: A Dark Stalker Romance by Rebel Rose arc
The Unwilling Love: A Best Friend’s Brother Romance (The Hamiltons : A Marriage of Convenience Billionaire Romance series) by L. Steele arc
Yours Always by Corinne Sullivan arc
How much did you read this month? Is there anything on my list that looked interesting to you? Do you have any recommendations for me to read in May?
He has risked war to get to me. Now I’ll sacrifice everything to stay by his side.
Taking my place as Lord Stryker’s Omega isn’t as simple as becoming the Lady of his house. It’s more than high tea and fancy balls.
Because claiming my spot next to the most powerful vampire lord on the West Coast isn’t just a marriage…
It’s an act of war.
But the heat of battle has nothing on the heat of an Omega desperate to be claimed once and for all eternity by her Alpha.
And nothing, not even the most vile Alphas, will stop me from becoming who I was always meant to be.
Publication Date 16/4/2026
Stolen Claim by Katherine St. Vincent
My Review
I dove into Stolen Claim, and it delivered exactly the kind of indulgent, high heat paranormal Omegaverse escape I was craving.
This is the second half of the “Stolen” duet (following Stolen Promise), focusing on Lord Kestrel Stryker, the most powerful vampire lord on the West Coast, and his destined Omega Versie.
The blurb sets it up perfectly, he risks war to reach her, and she’ll sacrifice everything to stand by his side. What follows is a blend of political intrigue, fated mate tension, and that signature sweet yet steamy Omegaverse dynamic that this author does so well.
I loved the Alpha/Omega dynamic, Lord Stryker is the ultimate possessive, protective Alpha, ancient, ruthless when needed, but surprisingly tender with his Omega.
The heat level is delicious, the desperation and biology driven pull between them is intense without crossing into overly dark territory. It stays on the sweeter side of Omegaverse, which I liked.
World building and stakes, This isn’t just fancy balls and high tea. Claiming her place truly is an act of war, with rival vampire houses, treaties at risk, and political maneuvering that adds real tension. Coming back to West Coast vampire covenant was like coming home, especially if you’ve read the earlier books in the series.
If you’re new to the Covenant Omegaverse series, you’ll probably want to at least read Stolen Promise first (or the earlier books for full context on the vampire houses and politics). The story leans heavily on the duet’s established setup, so jumping straight in might feel a bit like starting mid conversation. Also, while the steam is plentiful, the “sweeter” tone means it’s more about emotional bonding and heat than extreme kink or darkness, which is a feature, not a bug, if that’s your preference.
Stolen Claim is pure catnip for fans of vampire Omegaverse romance, with age gap tension, fated mates who’ll burn the world (or at least risk war) for each other, protective Alphas, and a heroine who refuses to be sidelined.
It’s a spicy paranormal romance with just enough danger to keep the stakes high.
If you love stories where the heat of battle pales in comparison to the heat between an Alpha and his Omega, this one’s a winner.
Highly recommend if you’re already invested in the Covenant world or looking for a steamy, romantic vampire read with strong bonding and claiming vibes.
I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
The world has fallen, but Patrick has one promise left to keep: save his family.
His wife, son, and daughter are isolated, trapped in the center of a monstrous outbreak while a hostile military tightens its grip on the borders. As he fights his way back into the United States, Patrick faces a desperate challenge, confronting both the infected and the ruthless soldiers who see him as a threat.
As humanity prepares for a devastating final act, Patrick’s impossible journey forces him to face a harsh truth: the greatest weapon against pure evil isn’t a bullet but the unbreakable strength of a family’s love. The clock is ticking, but nothing can break hope.
Content warning: violence and graphic injury, child in danger, discussion of suicide.
Publication Date 8/11/2025
Into the Apocalypse by Daniele Vaccaro
My Review
Into the Apocalypse is a gripping, fast paced post apocalyptic thriller that centers on family, survival, and unbreakable hope in the face of total collapse.
The book clocks in at around 198 pages, making it a relatively quick, momentum driven read with short chapters that keep the story charging forward without much downtime.
The plot follows Patrick, a father who is overseas when a monstrous infection erupts in the United States, turning people into violent threats and plunging society into chaos.
Stranded abroad, he embarks on a desperate, high stakes journey to reenter the country and rescue his isolated wife, son, and daughter, who are trapped in the epicenter of the outbreak.
Complicating matters are ruthless military forces enforcing borders and viewing outsiders (including Patrick) as potential carriers or threats.
The story alternates between Patrick’s perilous trek,filled with infected encounters, betrayals, and moral dilemmas, and glimpses of his family’s struggle to hold on while awaiting his return.
The story emphasizes that in a world stripped of everything, the real weapon against evil and despair is the enduring power of familial love. Moments like the reunion and a poignant letter deliver genuine heartfelt impact, giving the book more emotional depth than many straight up zombie/apocalypse action tales.
The pacing is great, easy to devour in a sitting or two, with constant action, twists, secrets, and reveals that propel the plot.
It’s straightforward, no nonsense, and free of excessive filler.
It’s a great read if you enjoy high stakes, family driven survival stories with horror elements, and action oriented.
If you’re in the mood for a quick, uplifting yet gritty apocalypse read that puts heart over grimdark excess, this one comes highly recommended.
Miles (Savage Kings MC Book 8) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Sax (Savage Kings MC Book 9) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Cooper (Savage Kings MC Book 10) by Lane Hart & D. B. West
Miles (Savage Kings MC Book 8) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Sax (Savage Kings MC Book 9) by Lane Hart & D. B. West Cooper (Savage Kings MC Book 10) by Lane Hart & D. B. West
Miles (Savage Kings MC Book 8) by Lane Hart & D. B. West
Description
Who could ever fall in love with a cold-blooded killer like me?
The answer is no one.
That’s why I’m giving up trying to find a woman who wants me for more than one rowdy night. I’m determined to find a wife instead.
If I buy a mail order bride, then she’ll have no choice but to stick around. Besides, I have plenty of money to spend thanks to all the successful Savage Kings MC legal and outlaw enterprises.
Kira’s the perfect woman, and she’s just as eager as I am to tie the knot. I didn’t ask why she needed half a million dollars; and honestly, I didn’t really care.
Maybe I should have.
A few weeks after Kira becomes my wife, I find myself in the middle of her family’s fallout with the Russian mafia.
When I shoot first and ask questions later, I unknowingly drag the entire MC into the crossfire.
Now the Russians are pissed and are out for blood. But they’ve screwed with the wrong man this time.
The Kings will do whatever it takes to protect their own, no matter the consequences.
And now that Kira is mine, I’ll gladly kill anyone who tries to hurt her.
This is the eighth book in the Savage Kings MC series but it can be read as a standalone.
The preferred reading order is:
King’s Road
Chase
Abe
Torin
War
Maddox
Dalton
Reece
Miles
Publication Date 18/5/2019
My Review
Miles is exactly the kind of unapologetic, brooding alpha the Savage Kings series does so well.
Tired of meaningless hookups, this cold blooded enforcer decides the only way to keep a woman around is to buy one half a million dollars for a mail order bride named Kira, no questions asked!
Their instant marriage starts as a pure transaction, but the heat and possessiveness kick in fast. 😜
What I loved…. the raw chemistry between Miles and Kira, the classic MC protectiveness that turns fiercely devoted once he claims her as his, and the way the club rallies when her Russian mafia family drama explodes!
The action is intense, the steam is plentiful, and Miles’s “shoot first, protect what’s mine” attitude delivers that satisfying alpha vibe. 🥰
On the flip side, the mail order setup and quick timeline mean the emotional depth develops rapidly, great for pacing if you’re in the mood for fast burn romance, but it skips some slower burn tension you might crave. Kira’s backstory adds solid stakes, though I wish we’d lingered a bit more on her perspective.
Overall, it’s a fun, standalone ride in the Savage Kings world, gritty, loyal, and entertaining if you enjoy possessive bikers, arranged turned real love, and club wide chaos.
It’s perfect for a quick, steamy escape with heart and bullets. If you’re already a fan of the series, Miles fits right in without missing a beat.
🦋
Sax (Savage Kings MC Book 9) by Lane Hart & D. B. West
Description
I never thought I would be stupid enough to make a deal with the devil, but here I am doing just that.
It’s not like he really gave me a choice. I have to give the Governor what he wants, or he’s going to throw all of my Savage Kings MC brothers into prison for decades.
And what exactly does Governor Satan need from me? That’s the real kicker because he’s insisting that I…date his daughter. No, not just date her. He wants me to convince Isobel to stop spiraling out of control before she ends up dead, or worse – ruin her father’s chance at getting re-elected.
I have no clue why his beautiful wild child is partying her way through life, crossing off items on a mile-long bucket list, and I don’t really care. Somehow, someway, I have to convince her to put down roots and go back to being the picture-perfect good girl her father raised.
As if I’m not in deep enough, I’ve never wanted anyone more than the free-spirit who refuses to spend her short life standing in one place for too long. Too bad Isobel is going to hate my guts when she finds out I’m the asshole who has to lock her back up in a cage.
And if I fail to do so, well, there won’t be an orange jumpsuit waiting for me. I’ll never make it to prison because the Governor dug up all my dirt that I thought I had carefully buried.
If he tells the Kings that I started prospecting with them as a DEA rat ten years ago, they’ll never forgive me.
How could they when I still haven’t forgiven myself?
The preferred reading order is:
King’s Road
Chase
Abe
Torin
War
Maddox
Dalton
Reece
Miles
Sax
Publication Date 30/7/2019
My Review
Sax delivers one of the most tension filled entries in the series so far.
Forced into a devil’s bargain with the Governor to save his brothers from prison, the brooding biker has to “tame” the man’s wild, free spirited daughter Isobel, convince her to settle down before her reckless bucket list lifestyle ruins everything.
The catch? Sax has been secretly carrying the guilt of being a former DEA rat for a decade, and failure means the club finds out.
What I loved was the electric push pull chemistry between Sax and Isobel is off the charts.
She’s vibrant and defiant, he’s tormented and possessive in that classic Savage Kings way, and their forbidden “relationship” blurs lines fast.
The high stakes blackmail plot adds real suspense, the steam is scorching, and the club loyalty (with its dark undercurrents) feels authentic.
On the flip side, the deception heavy premise means some emotional moments hinge on secrets and eventual blow ups, which can feel a bit manipulative if you prefer straightforward romance.
The pacing is brisk, but the internal guilt and “I don’t deserve her” angst from Sax gets laid on thick at times!
Overall, it’s a gripping, angsty ride with strong MC vibes, heartfelt redemption threads, and plenty of heat.
If you enjoy tortured heroes, wild heroines who push back, and the ever present threat of club fallout. It works well as a standalone but hits harder if you’ve met the Kings before. Perfect for fans craving drama with their bikers.
If you enjoyed the fast burn intensity of Miles, Sax turns up the emotional stakes nicely.
🦋
Cooper (Savage Kings MC Book 10) by Lane Hart & D. B. West
Description
Cooper and Elizabeth Townsend are from two very different worlds – she’s an attorney and he’s an outlaw biker. At first, she was just an escape he needed, but now she’s everything to him, even though their relationship remains a secret.
After his world is blown apart, Cooper is no longer the same man he was before. He’s questioning everything and wondering how the Savage Kings MC are going to fix the mess they made.
It isn’t easy for him to admit that he needs Elizabeth’s help, knowing she’s resisted becoming a part of his life. She just doesn’t think the two of them make sense together. Cooper lives in the constant chaos that Elizabeth tries to control in the courtroom.
Despite the danger, she decides to go all in and do whatever it takes to help Cooper heal.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tries, nothing goes Cooper’s way, not with Elizabeth, the MC, or the redemption he desperately seeks.
Trying and failing to do the right thing, Cooper finally submits to his demons, letting them have everything they crave – the violence, vengeance, and destruction because he doesn’t think he has anything else to lose.
Before it’s too late, Elizabeth and the other Kings will have to try and stop Cooper from making a mistake he’ll never come back from.
The preferred reading order is:
King’s Road
Chase
Abe
Torin
War
Maddox
Dalton
Reece
Miles
Sax
Cooper
Publication Date 28/9/2019
My Review
This one dives deep into emotional territory and feels like the most introspective book in the series so far.
Cooper, the hardened biker, has always kept his secret relationship with strait laced attorney Elizabeth strictly casual, an escape from the chaos.
But after a devastating blow to his world, he’s unraveling, questioning the club, himself, and everything he thought he knew…..
When he finally lets her in, she risks it all to help him heal, even as he battles the pull toward violence and vengeance.
What I loved was the raw, angsty push/pull between Cooper and Elizabeth,it’s compelling, their opposite worlds (biker vs. lawyer) created the tension, and the slow shift from secret hookups to something real had me smiling. The club fallout adds weight, and Cooper’s internal struggle with his demons had me wanting to reach inside the kindle to cuddle him.
The steam is still there, but it’s wrapped in more vulnerability than usual for the Savage Kings.
On the flip side, the darker, slower burn redemption arc means less of the fast paced action and club wide chaos that defined books like Miles or Sax.
Cooper’s self destructive spiral can feel a little heavy at times, but overall it’s a solid, emotionally charged addition, it’s more about healing, love across divides, and fighting inner demons than pure adrenaline.
If you’ve enjoyed the series and you’re ready for a grittier, character driven story with strong romantic payoff, Cooper delivers.
Great for fans who like their bikers broken before they’re redeemed.
If you liked the intensity of Sax, this one trades some of the external drama for deeper personal stakes.
Deceived: The D’Immortali Vampire Dynasty: 1 by L.A. McGinnis
Description
The Dominico family controls Venice—every shadow, every secret, every vampire—and rules the D’Immortali Dynasty with an unforgiving fist.
When Don Marcello ordered my father’s assassination, he thought he’d settled an ancient rivalry. He started a war instead.
Now I’ll paint this city red with their blood.
I have one chance at revenge—marry Gabriel Dominico, the Don’s golden heir, and destroy their empire from within. My plan is simple. I’ll become his innocent bride, hide a knife in my veil, then carve out his heart to keep for my own.
But as we exchange our vows, Dante Dominico returns.
The exiled son.
The traitor the empire tried to destroy.
In front of Venice’s most powerful vampire families, Dante shatters my carefully laid plans like they were made of glass, claiming his sworn right to steal me from his brother’s altar.
Now I’m bound to the wrong Dominico. The brutal, ruthless male forged in the fighting pits of the Fossa, returned to Venice to wreak his own version of vengeance.
And if I’m not careful, I’ll be the one ending up in a box.
DECEIVED is a steamy enemies to lovers vampire mafia romance set against the haunting backdrop of Venice, with forced marriage, forbidden romance, hot villains, age gap, morally gray antiheroes, power plays and a fierce, stabby heroine.
Publication Date 27/4/2026
Deceived: The D’Immortali Vampire Dynasty: 1 by L.A. McGinnis
My Review
Deceived: The D’Immortali Vampire Dynasty Book 1 by L.A. McGinnis is a deliciously dark, fast burn enemies to lovers vampire mafia romance that sinks its teeth into you from the very first page and refuses to let go.
Set against the moody backdrop of Venice, this story blends high stakes revenge, forced proximity (via a very dramatic altar interruption), and scorching chemistry into a gothic cocktail that’s equal parts bloody and seductive. 😜
The premise is 🤌🏻🤌🏻, it’s for fans of morally gray antiheroes and stabby heroines…. Emberline (our fierce FMC) watches her family get destroyed by the powerful Dominico vampire dynasty. Her meticulously plotted revenge? Marry the golden heir Gabriel, play the innocent bride, then gut the empire from the inside. Simple, right?
That’s until exiled brother Dante, the brutal, (battle hardened fighter forged in the pits) storms the wedding and claims her as his by ancient right. Cue the forced marriage to the “wrong” brother, simmering hatred that flips into forbidden heat, and a web of power plays, betrayals, and secrets that keep the tension sky-high. (Yeah, keep up 😜)
I loved Dante, he is the ultimate damaged, ruthless hero. He’s not just “morally gray”, he was exiled, and now back for blood (and now, her). The age gap tension and his intense, possessive energy make every interaction crackle. He’s the kind of villainous love interest who makes you root for him even while questioning your life choices. 😂
Emberline is smart, vengeful, and unapologetically stabby. She doesn’t lose her edge once the marriage happens, instead, she navigates the dangerous new dynamic with cunning and fire. The banter between her and Dante is sharp, witty, and often laugh out loud funny amid the darkness.
Steamy and plenty of it, with that “hate you but can’t keep my hands off you” energy.
If you’re into tropes like forced marriage, forbidden romance, revenge plots gone sideways, hot morally gray vampires, and a fierce heroine who brings a knife to a wedding, this delivers in spades. It’s got the dark glamour of vampire lore with the ruthless family intrigue of mafia romance, all wrapped in lush Venetian settings.
For me, Deceived is a gripping, addictive read that left me eager for more of the D’Immortali world.
If you like your romance dark, possessive, and dripping with tension (think a vampiric The Godfather meets Twisted) enemies to lovers with a Venetian twist, pick this up.
It’s bloody good fun. 😜
(I devoured it and immediately wanted the next one.)
Highly recommended for those who enjoy steamy paranormal mafia romance with bite. 😜
Dark Possession: Alpha Legend book two (The Wolf Pack 2) by Helen Johnston
Description
As the pack settles into its routine, Jack and Ralph, the newly appointed managers of the nightclub The Pack, stumble upon what they believe to be a homeless woman rummaging through the bins.
However, before they can claim her as their mate, an ominous threat from the past resurfaces, endangering the pack’s lives.
Jack and Ralph, noble red wolves of the esteemed Scottish Highlands clan, are ready to move heaven and earth to protect the pack they’ve embraced—and the woman destined to be their mate.
Publication Date 31/3/2025
Dark Possession: Alpha Legend book two (The Wolf Pack 2) by Helen Johnston
My Review
I picked this up after finishing book one (The Alpha Legend), and it slides seamlessly into the ongoing world of the Wolf Pack.
If you enjoyed the first book’s mix of pack politics, protective alphas, and very spicy shifter romance, this sequel doubles down on all of it, while introducing a new fated mate dynamic with the red wolf twins, Jack and Ralph.
The story kicks off with the pack trying to settle into a more normal routine. Jack and Ralph, now managing the nightclub The Pack, discover what looks like a homeless woman digging through the bins. Instant mate recognition hits (classic shifter insta pull), but before they can properly claim her, an ominous threat from the past crashes back into their lives, putting the entire pack in danger.
From there, it’s a fast paced blend of action, protection mode on steroids, and the twins going all in to keep their woman (and their found family) safe.
Jack and Ralph are noble red wolves from a Scottish Highlands clan, and that heritage shows in their fierce loyalty and “move heaven and earth” energy. They’re possessive, dominant, and very much in the “touch her and die” category, perfect for fans of why choose tropes with a dark edge.
The heroine starts in a vulnerable spot, but she doesn’t stay passive, the story gives her room to navigate the overwhelming intensity of being claimed by two powerful shifters while danger looms.
What I liked most was the continuation of the pack from book one. Seeing familiar faces and how the group is evolving feels rewarding if you’ve read the first installment. Threats from the past keep the plot moving, while the romance delivers that possessive, fated mate obsession many i crave in shifter books.
This is unapologetically erotic paranormal romance with plenty of spice (definitely on the darker, more intense side of grey). The chemistry between the twins and their mate is combustible.
Threats from the past keep the plot moving, while the romance delivers that possessive, fated-mate obsession many readers crave in shifter books.
Overall, Dark Possession is a solid, entertaining follow up that delivers exactly what the blurb promises, protective wolf shifters, a woman they’ll do anything for, pack loyalty, and steamy scenes that don’t hold back. It kept me turning pages late into the night, much like the first book.
If you loved book one and want more of the same fated mates, alpha energy, action mixed with heat, and that possessive shifter romance vibe this one’s worth diving into.
Highly recommend if you enjoy Helen Johnston’s style of smut with plot wolf shifters.
Just go in knowing it leans hard into the possessive, erotic side! 🐺
Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem: The Riddle Sisters: Book 6 (A Clean Regency Romance with a Spy Heroine, Secret Heir, and Opposites Attract) by Jennifer Monroe
Description
A deadly mission. A stolen legacy. A love neither of them saw coming.
Lady Veronica Standwick has spent years proving she is more than another woman waiting for rescue. As a spy for the Underground, she has learned to trust no one and guard her heart with the same precision she guards the Crown’s secrets. But when she locates the lost heir to the Saltersford dukedom, those iron barriers begin to crack.
James Dunning is a quiet schoolteacher who believes shaping young minds is the greatest adventure he will ever have. When a sharp-tongued beauty arrives at his door claiming he is the lost heir to a dukedom, he thinks she has lost her mind. But the proof she carries is undeniable. And so is the woman holding it.
As James adjusts to his new life as a duke, the mystery of why he was kidnapped as a child brings on a new danger—an assassin wanting to take his life. As Veronica fights to keep him alive, James finds the red-headed beauty impossible to read and harder to look away from. For Veronica, the allure of James awakens a feeling she thought long buried: love. But the secret she hides may destroy them both before his enemies ever get the chance.
Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem, Book 6 of the six-book Riddle Sisters series, is a sweet and clean Regency romance with a guaranteed happily ever after. Perfect for fans of Sarah M. Eden and Julie Klassen.
What to Expect:
Secret heir
Spy heroine
Rags to riches
Opposites attract
Publication Date 30/3/2026
Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem: The Riddle Sisters: Book 6 (A Clean Regency Romance with a Spy Heroine, Secret Heir, and Opposites Attract) by Jennifer Monroe
My Review
Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem is thrilling conclusion to The Riddle Sisters series, a sweet, clean Regency romance that perfectly blends espionage, mystery, and opposites/attract love.
As book 6, it wraps up the overarching family secrets and conspiracies while giving the fiercely independent Lady Veronica her own well deserved happily ever after.
Lady Veronica Standwick is no damsel in distress. She’s a skilled spy for the Underground, hardened by years of guarding Crown secrets and trusting no one. Her ironclad emotional walls have served her well, until her latest mission leads her straight to James Dunning, a quiet, unassuming schoolteacher who turns out to be the long lost heir to a dukedom!
When Veronica arrives at his door with undeniable proof of his true identity, James’s peaceful life of shaping young minds is upended in the most dramatic way possible!
What follows is a delightful rags to riches journey as James navigates his new role as duke, complete with etiquette training from the sharp tongued Veronica. The chemistry sparks immediately through their opposites attract dynamic…. she’s all fiery determination and guarded vulnerability, while he’s steady, kind, and seems to genuine.
As danger escalates, an assassin targeting the new duke, plus the lingering mystery of James’s childhood kidnapping, Veronica must protect him while fighting the unexpected pull of her own heart.
James, in turn, sees through her defenses and gently pushes past every barrier she’s built. 🥰
Veronica is a strong, capable, and layered, character, yet her buried longing for love makes her vulnerable. James is the perfect counterbalance, patient and honorable, with a quiet strength that proves far more compelling than any rakish charm.
Their romance builds naturally through shared danger, stolen moments, and mutual respect, staying true to the clean/sweet style with tender kisses and heartfelt connection rather than explicit content.
The spy elements add welcome suspense and intrigue without overwhelming the central love story. The author ties up the series’ loose ends beautifully, delivering satisfying resolutions for the Riddle sisters while keeping the focus on Veronica and James.
As the finale, Lady Veronica’s Lost Gem feels like a warm, rewarding send off to a beloved series. It’s low angst overall, with just enough tension from the assassination plot and Veronica’s internal struggles to keep pages turning.
If you’re looking for a clean Regency romance with a clever spy heroine, a kind hearted hero who rises to the occasion, secret heir vibes, and gentle opposites attract sparks, this one is a gem.
It stands well on its own but is even richer after following the previous Riddle Sisters books.
Highly enjoyable and a perfect palate cleanser after reading some of the stuff I’ve read 😜
I loved seeing Veronica finally let someone definitely a series highlight!
Distorted Perceptions: A small town stalker romance (The Lanton Legacy Series Book 2) by Esme Taylor
Description
I made a promise to a dying man.
Watch Hana.
When my friend was murdered in prison, serving a sentence I should have been doing with him, I vowed I’d look out for his little sister.
I kept my word.
Hunted her down.
Watched her 24/7.
It’s been six years of watching her from a distance, but now she’s here, standing in front of me.
My obsession spirals, and I lose control.
I break all the rules to make her mine.
But the closer I get to Hana Monroe, the more I wonder if I misheard my friend.
Maybe he didn’t say, ‘watch Hana’. Maybe he actually said, ‘watch out for Hana,’ because I’m starting to feel less like the protector and more like her prey.
Publication Date 24/4/2026
Distorted Perceptions: A small town stalker romance (The Lanton Legacy Series Book 2) by Esme Taylor
My Review
Distorted Perceptions is a small town stalker romance, it’s an intriguing blend of obsession and romance, centered around a complex relationship rooted in a promise.
The story follows Roman, who is haunted by guilt and a sense of duty after promising to look out for his late friend’s sister, Hana, after his tragic death. This setup creates a tense backdrop as Roman grapples with his intense feelings and compulsive behavior towards Hana.
The story explores themes of protection and obsession, raising questions about boundaries in relationships. Roman’s character is deeply conflicted, he transitions from a protector to a potentially dangerous figure as his fixation grows.
The pacing of the plot is steady, allowing for the characters to develop and get their claws into you 😜 while ramping up suspense as Roman’s obsession deepens.
The writing style is straightforward, making the story accessible while maintaining intensity.
In summary, Distorted Perceptions offers a captivating read for fans of romance and psychological thrillers. It explores dark themes with a good approach, leaving us eager to see how the story unfolds and whether love can prevail amidst turmoil.
If We Can’t Have Forever : A Single Dad Cowboy Romance by Ria Wilde
Description
I had only one goal.
Survive.
I’ve spent years simply trying to disappear.
Don’t make waves.
Don’t be too loud.
It’s the only way I know how to survive in this cruel, loveless marriage.
I never let myself believe there could be a way out, not until he stepped foot on my property.
He was only meant to be here to help train one of the horses on this ranch and then leave, but Silas Knight can’t see a problem and walk away from it. I tried to pretend I was okay, that I didn’t need help but that
all comes tumbling down when I’m left with no choice but to run.
And there’s only one place I can go.
Knight Falls Ranch.
I just need time and a place to get myself back on my feet and Silas offers that and more.
Now I’m living here with him and his two adorable kids. I tell myself it’s only temporary, that I will be leaving eventually but with every day that passes, the more I’m wondering if there’s a possibility of forever here in Sunstone Ridge.
We both have reasons not to fall in love and we’re both a little broken and yet when he looks at me, he makes me forget all the hurt in the past.
It makes me believe that maybe, just maybe, we could have forever.
But life is unpredictable and messy and all those things we try to run from have a way of catching up with us.
Publication Date 23/4/2026
If We Can’t Have Forever : A Single Dad Cowboy Romance by Ria Wilde
My Review
I’ve just finished it and can’t stop thinking about Juni and Silas.
This book delivers exactly what the title and blurb promise, a heartfelt, emotionally layered escape into small town cowboy romance with a side of romantic suspense.
It’s the kind of story that wraps you in the warmth of Sunstone Ridge while never letting you forget how fragile that safety can feel…… Juni’s situation broke my heart from the very first pages. Trapped in a cold, controlling marriage where survival means staying small and silent, she’s the definition of quiet strength. Watching her finally reach her breaking point and run had me crying and cheering at the same time, there’s no instant empowerment fairy tale here.
Her journey toward reclaiming her voice and sense of self is slow, tender, and incredibly rewarding. I loved how the author shows her healing not just through romance, but through the simple, grounding routines of ranch life and the unconditional acceptance she finds with Silas’s family.💜💜
Silas Knight is the ultimate single dad cowboy hero, he’s protective without being overbearing, quietly intense, and carrying his own scars. He’s the kind of man who can’t ignore someone in trouble, even when he has every reason to keep his walls up for the sake of his two adorable kids.
The way he sees Juni…. really sees her without pushing too hard or too fast made the slow burn tension between them electric.
Their chemistry builds beautifully through stolen glances, late night conversations, and those quiet domestic moments that feel even more intimate than the steamier scenes (though the spice is there and hits just right 😉).
The kids add such genuine warmth and levity without ever feeling like plot additions. They ground the story and give both Juni and Silas extra reasons to be cautious about falling in love, yet they also become part of what makes “forever” feel possible.
Both characters are a little broken, both have valid reasons to guard their hearts, and the external threats from Juni’s past aren’t glossed over or resolved too neatly. The romantic suspense element keeps the stakes high without overwhelming the emotional core. It’s hurt/comfort done well, tender, supportive, and never veering into toxic territory.
Is it predictable in places? A little, as many romances in this vein are. But the execution feels fresh enough, thanks to the authentic ranch setting, the Knight family dynamics, and Ria Wilde’s smooth, engaging writing style that pulls you right into the small-town atmosphere.
A comforting, steamy, emotionally satisfying read that made me want to move to Sunstone Ridge and never leave. Can’t wait for the rest of the Knight brothers’ stories! Perfect for fans of small town cowboy romance with heart and a touch of suspense.
If you love single dad romances, cowboy settings, hurt/comfort vibes, a heroine on the run finding safety and love, and that perfect mix of sweet domesticity with underlying tension, this one is a winner.
