Review: Fight For It: A Second Chance Romance (Finally Falling Series Book 1) by Jessie Harper

Fight For It: A Second Chance Romance by Jessie Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet Small Town Romance

I’d probably give this book 3.75 ⭐️ if I could.

This is much more of a traditional romance novel than I usually pick up. Even though the author states she writes steamy romance, it’s not much steamier than having the door closed on the love scenes. However, it could be my levels are a little skewed because of the levels of steam I’ve been reading for the last few years.

This book is based in a small town in the South of the USA. Julia has just returned back to her hometown because after losing her husband 2 years earlier she has found it difficult to manage alone raising her two sons now the youngest has started school. Back in her hometown, her parents are around to help out.

Julia bumps into Zach, who has vastly changed physically since high school when he asked her prom and she refused because she already had a date. Zach was a nerd and Julia was the prom queen. Zach has spent the last few years becoming a mixed martial arts instructor and has his own gym. He teaches children and they arrange for her boys to join a class and for him to give her private self-defence lessons.

Zach is divorced from a woman who loves to make him miserable and who owns half of his gym. This woman provides a very obvious ‘villain’ to the story, along with Graham, Julia’s first boyfriend from high school, who her parent’s adore.

It’s pretty standard stuff plot-wise. Everything is signalled pretty far in advance, which makes it a stress-free read. It’s not vastly soul searching or heartbreaking. It’s quite sweet, where two nice people have an Happy Ever After, with a few tiny hiccups along the way.

I felt the characters were a little 2 dimensional. They had a series of character traits that were part of a checklist, rather than unique individuals, but I’ve been spoilt by some good writing lately. A few years ago I probably would have reviewed this book more favourably.

It was an entertaining enough book, that had some sweet moments and tiny bits of strife, all contained by a plot you knew would end happily. Sometimes that is what you want, I was just in the mood for something a little bit meatier today.

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Review: Royal (Conner Brothers Construction Series Book 5) by Cee Bowerman

Royal by Cee Bowerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Warm and Funny Small Town Romance

I love all the inhabitants of Rojo, TX, but these Conner boys are by far the sweetest. This is the 5th book in the series and though the book works as a standalone, it is worth reading the books in order to really get to know all the characters properly, of which there are many.

Royal has been roped into taking part in a charity bachelor auction by his sister-in-law. It was supposed to be his twin brother taking part, but as he’s now got a girlfriend since he agreed to take part, Royal, who was single, took his place instead.

Paula comes from a slightly eccentric family. She lives with her daughter, parents, grandmother, great-grandmother and every day is an adventure. Today’s adventure involves her mother and grandmother choosing to buy her a date at the charity auction. Paula thinks she might get a fun one night stand out of it, but thinks that her life is far too busy to manage to fit a man into it. Royal thinks Paula is hilarious and great company, not to mention gorgeous, why would he only want one night?

This book is filled with witty banter that made me laugh out loud whilst I was reading it. This is usually the case with Cee Bowerman’s books, but this one seemed even more fun than usual. I particularly liked the way all the generations of women in Paula’s family banter with each other, especially Paula’s daughter.

I want to know these people in real life. They are funny, warm and caring. They put their family first in every way and adore each other. We could all stand to have a little bit of Conner Brother’s family love in it.

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Review: Forty (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 5) by Cate C Wells

Forty by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Second Chances

This book is part of a continuing story arc and there is information in it that helps move that story on. However, it could probably be read as a standalone with only a little bit of confusion in a couple of places.

This book needs a caution warning, there are descriptions of sexual abuse of a teenager which may cause emotional disturbance. If this is the case, you might want to skip this book.

Neveah has only ever had one good thing in her life, Forty. She had him for three years when she was a teenager and then he left her to go into the army, not realising what he was leaving her to. She acted up and got cut out of the Steel Bones MC family and was forced to leave. It’s been 10 years and she’s had to come back to the only family she’s got that’s worth anything, her half brother Lou. She’s running from one of her many bad choices in men, only this one happens to work for a mob family.

Forty had a pretty rubbish upbringing. The club practically raised him. He went into the army so he could give Neveah everything. He wanted a home and a family and he didn’t think he could do it without some qualifications and the army would give him those. Only when it all fell apart with Neveah he had nothing so he became a ranger, until he was medically discharged. Now he’s looking to make that family he’s always longed for and he can’t find the right woman. Then Neveah comes back and the club hates her.

Neveah is a bundle of energy, bouncing and fizzing through life. Diagnosed ADHD, but unmedicated Neveah can’t focus properly and gets bored, all of which leads her into trouble. Once more this author gets inside the head of her characters, drawing them beautifully for us to be captivated by. She writes a neuroatypical person incredibly well, so you begin to understand a little of what their brains are like.

Forty is the loyal soldier, who always puts other’s first, especially the club. He’s stoic and pensive and always thinks before he speaks. Neveah is his opposite who draws out his smiles. It hurt when it imploded before but something still draws him to her smile.

This book tells the story of how painful subjects can twist you up and force you to keep secrets. Those secrets multiply until you can’t tell anyone what’s going on and things whirl out of control. It tells of being set against the people you love because you can’t bear that they might think less of you. Where you would rather be hated for a lie, than for the truth.

I am really enjoying this series and this author’s way of looking at the world.

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Review: Wall (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 4.5) by Cate C Wells

Wall by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

I will start this review with a trigger warning. If the subject of miscarriage hurts you to hear/read about, you may want to give this book a miss.

Wall has been a member of Steel Bones MC for around 4 years. He joined when his marriage fell apart. His wife Mona still lives in the house they bought together. She is training to be a nurse whilst working in a nursing home. When she has an incident with a resident’s grandson, she finds herself driving to Wall to ask for help after not speaking to him since he left.

Wall never got over Mona, and takes this opportunity to try and win her back, knowing that this time he has to get it right. This time he has to be strong enough to face the hard stuff.

One of the things I love about this writer is her ability to give her characters a different voice from those that came before. So many writers find a formula and kind of stick to it. The lead characters tend to blur together and this author never does this. Each voice is different and the way they think about themselves and their lives is different and that’s what makes it real.

Mona and Wall became 3-dimensional people to me as I read this book, hearing all the little details about their experiences, and the thoughts that blow through their heads. Their story is heartbreakingly common and I have loved ones who went through similar experiences, though thankfully didn’t make a stupid mistake in the middle of it all. This book pretty much ripped my heart out for these characters. There was so much sadness and wasted time, along with hope and redemption.

I was so happy with Mona and Wall’s ending, which was so richly deserved because they worked hard to get it.

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Review: Roosevelt (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 2.5) by Cate C Wells

Roosevelt by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet Prospect Story

I’m reading this book out of order, so I already really liked Roosevelt when I got around to it. He was a cool support character and a prospect who everyone liked. This is the story of how he ended up at Steel Bones MC, and how he won his lady love.

Theo, aka Roosevelt, was a teenager when he started working in an Italian restaurant and fell head over heels for the granddaughter of the owners, the sweet and shy Carmela. Carmela also happens to be 9 years older than Theo, but he isn’t going to let that stop him.

Carmela is spiralling. Her brother persuaded her to sign over her share of the business and the house their grandparents left them to get loans. Now he doesn’t do any of the work, takes out the profits and doesn’t let Carmela have access to the books. The only support she has is from 22-year-old Theo who flirts and banters, providing friendship and support. One day she starts to believe it’s not just flirting.

This is a really sweet story. Theo is so strong and self-assured and knows exactly what he wants. He’s looked after his mother, grandmother and sisters since he was 16 and became the man of the house. He’s much more mature than most 22-year-olds.

Carmela is incredibly hard-working, she’s an amazing chef and gentle. She finds it really hard to stand up for herself and can’t understand what the gorgeous Theo sees in her, when she’s exhausted, overweight and can’t remember the last time she wore makeup.

I really enjoyed watching these two different characters come together. I’m so happy that Roosevelt got his HEA, and after reading about Carmela I’m doubly happy for her as she’s been through it. I want to read more about them, but know there isn’t much in the following books because I’ve already read most of them. Fingers crossed there are more books to come and they’ll reappear again.

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Review: Plum (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 4) by Cate C Wells

Plum by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bad Girl/Good Guy MC Romance

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This book is part of a series about the Steel Bones MC, however, it stands alone and you don’t need to have read the previous books to really understand what is going on.

Jo-Beth, aka Plum, works as a stripper at The White Van. She also does a little extra on the side. She’s been with the MC since she was 16 when she ran away from her abusive foster family. First, she was a house mouse until she came of age and then she became a sweetbutt. She has worked hard her entire life and she refuses to be ashamed of who she is.

Adam is a millionaire. He is the adopted son of a venture capitalist, who handed over running his company to his biological son, Eric, and Adam and they saved the firm. But, Adam remembers what it was like before his mother married his stepfather. He remembers being hungry and sleeping in a drafty attic, but it never shows because he worked hard to become the golden child, to earn his place in his new family.

Adam meets Plum when she is at work on her knees in front of Eric, who then tries to stiff her on payment and they start a huge fight. Great introduction!

I really enjoyed the awkward quality of this book. Adam and Jo-Beth are drawn to each other and they can’t quite work out why, apart from the obvious physical appeal. They have moments of silence filled with hesitance and then fall straight into jokes and laughter. They feel like they shouldn’t like each other, but they do.

I really liked both of these characters. At times I wanted to smack both of them and then hug them straight after when I worked out why they reacted the way they did. They both had so many vulnerable spots, whilst still being very strong.

With this book, I had no idea how they were going to get to their HEA. I knew they would because this is a romance, but still, there were a few moments I wasn’t sure how it would get done before the end of the book.

Another enjoyable read from this very clever author.

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Review: Of Moons and Monsters (Of Moons and Monsters Series Book 1) by Willow Hadley

Of Moons and Monsters by Willow Hadley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Complex World Building

This book is hard to describe. I thought it was going to be one way and then it changed direction in the middle and it left me a little confused.

The book itself is built around a complex universe of connected realms. The book starts in our realm which is filled with humans and the secret world of the supernatural. Isla is human but included in that secret world because of her best friend, Alistair. He is a half demon and they went through the foster care system together. They have been through so much together they can’t imagine life without each other in it.

Alistair convinces Isla to go to a sidhe party and life changes for her, forever. Kidnapped and sold to demons she is transported to another world.

The book felt split into two sections. The first section that was like the traditional urban fantasy reverse harem, set up with sexy witches and unseelie lords. The second section was more like an alien abduction story where she is thrust into a realm where they have different magic, different creatures and languages and she can’t communicate.

The thing that gave me hope is the last chapter which had the intimation of the two worlds coming together in the next book. I get the feeling that the flow of the narrative will make more sense over the full course of the series rather than taken as a standalone book, which makes it difficult to judge and, more importantly for me, review.

I liked Isla, she was a lonely character who didn’t really fit in anywhere, but she tried to make the most of it. She knew about supernaturals and was forced to dwell in that world because of her friend, but she wasn’t part of it. It was also scary being part of the supernatural world with no power of her own. Knowing all about the supernatural set her apart from normal human society, as well as her experiences growing up as a child in the system.

In some respects, the end result of getting kidnapped worked out really well for her, even if it left her isolated in an unknown place where she didn’t speak the language. She got her HFN, but it’s really only when the two worlds come together that we will really get to see if she gets HEA.

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Review: Scrap (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 3) by Cate C Wells

Scrap by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Secrets Unveiled

There is a lot in this book about PTSD and assault, depression and body dysmorphia, so if those subjects are emotional triggers, you may want to avoid this book.

In this book, we find out about what went on between Scrap and Christa that got him sent to prison for 10 years. This book is part of a longer ongoing story arc but you don’t necessarily have to have read the first books in the series to comprehend the story, it just helps.

Scrap has spent the last 10 years in prison for the murder of someone. He doesn’t regret it, what he does regret is how he did it because it got him sent away for 10 years where he couldn’t protect Christa anymore. She’s the bright image that’s kept him going for the last 10 years, knowing she’s outside, happy and living her life.

Christa isn’t happy. She’s not been happy for 10 years. She’s lived that 10 years in pain, depression and guilt because Scrap lost his life for all that time. Everyone knows he did it for her and they are expecting a fairytale ending when he gets out, but Christa knows better. She knows she’s far too broken to ever be someone’s Happily Ever After.

This story was principally about Christa and Scrap and didn’t involve the MC much except on the periphery. In fact, the MC got in the way a lot of the time, because they needed to learn how to get along with Christa’s triggers rather than give up, which is what a lot of the MC seemed to expect Scrap to do.

I really liked that both these characters were so loyal to each other, despite not actually having a relationship before Scrap got sent to prison. They had feelings for each other and they weren’t going to shy away from those feelings, even with the circumstances they were in.

Both Christa and Scrap were strong too. They kept on trying, despite all of Christa’s flashbacks. Neither one was willing to back off because they wanted to be together so much. They were fumbling their way together without much knowledge about what would work, except what their instincts told them. It could have gone horribly wrong, except both were strong enough to keep on trying.

Whilst there were difficult areas of the story to read, there was a lot of humour and sweetness in this book. I really enjoyed reading it and will happily continue the series to see what happens to the MC next.

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Review: The Rowan's Stone (The Killian Blade Series Book 2) by Stella Brie

The Rowan's Stone by Stella Brie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fabulously Engaging Urban Fantasy RH Romance

This is the second book in a continuing series and follows where the first book is left off. I loved the first book and have been waiting with bated breath for this book because the story is wonderful. I was not disappointed even after all the internal hype my brain was giving it.

I really love it when authors write meaty books you can really get your teeth into. Especially, when they don’t shy away from writing about the details that surround the characters and plot, which create fantastic worlds that captivate. This book has that in spades. Stella Brie has a wonderful imagination and I love how she has created the different races of the supernatural and the societies in which they dwell. We learn an awful lot more about the different races in this book and my interest just keeps getting more piqued.

In this book, we find out why the books are about ‘The Rowan’. We learn so much and find out we know so little. There is still an excess of information to uncover for Arden and the Cadre and with each step along the journey, you become more invested in the answers that they hunt down.

Stella Brie is a master at dangling little hints, foreshadowing and layering information. It’s so enjoyable to read books by an author who is competent as well as imaginative. Whilst a book with an intriguing plot can be entertaining and engaging, when you have a really competent author, such as this one, your mind gets engaged as well as your heart, and I love that.

During the course of this book, Arden gets to spend more time with the individual members of the Cadre and their relationships slowly evolve. As I said in my review of the first book, I love that these relationships are allowed room to breathe. These are ancient beings that have all the time in the world to relish new and interesting relationships. Despite the leisurely approach to romance, there is still plenty of time for a lot of passion and affection. I particularly liked how nurturing these terrifying ancient individuals are to a relatively (328 years old) young woman. They spend time training her and helping her to become the powerful witch she has the potential to become.

I really cannot speak highly enough of this series and I will once more spend my time waiting with bated breath for the next book. I’m certain it will be well worth the wait if this level of writing continues, as I’m sure it will. If you haven't read it already, go and read the first book, it’s just as good!

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Review: Surviving the Wall (Outlasting Series Book 3) by LK Magill

Surviving the Wall by L.K. Magill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Facing The Source

This is the third book in the series and sort of rounds out this part of the story and an awful lot happens. Whilst some of the men are away in the city trading goods, the compound is attacked and Hannah and Lena are taken. They are taken to an army camp inhabited by thousands of men who are all waiting to attack The Wall to free the women trapped inside, in the hopes of having a chance to start a normal(ish) life.

Once again this book is filled with complex emotions, a carefully constructed plot and evolving characters with intriguing interactions. The plot is incredibly layered taking each character through their own journey, never focusing solely on one of the triad for too long, to keep a balance of their experiences flowing.

I will say that this book seems to once again focus on the ideas and the intellect more than the depth of emotions that the characters are feeling. The emotions are there but they are described intellectually.

This book gives us a Happy For Now ending for this trio of characters but the story is unfinished and other characters will continue the plot. I will read the next book, but maybe not immediately as my brain hurt from stuffing it full of these first three books within a 24 hour period. I need a break!

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Review: Ginny's Angels (Blood Angels MC RH Series Book 1) by SE Isaac

Ginny's Angels by S.E. Isaac
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Vampire MC Reverse Harem Romance

This book is ridiculously cheesy. It’s simple, predictable and quite fun. It’s the kind of book you want to read when your brain hurts and you just want to think fluffy thoughts

Ginny has travelled to Alaska to take a new job as an office manager for an import/export company. She’s going to be paid lots of money and be provided with an apartment. What she doesn’t realise is the company she’s going to work for is owned by a vampire MC.

As soon as she walks in the door she is claimed by the president, the healer and a prospect. Insta-lust ensues. You can probably guess the rest, I certainly did. Sometimes that’s just what you need when life is too stressful to cope with easily.

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Review: Chasing Truth (Outlasting Series Book 2) by LK Magill

Chasing Truth by L.K. Magill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intelligent and emotional

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This is the second book in a continuing series and should only be read after the first book or it won't make any sense.

I am beginning to hate this author with the burning passion of a 1000 fiery suns! Another horrendous cliffhanger!!! I feel like my heart has been squeezed and I can’t take another breath until I download the next book. ARGGHH!!!! I need to sleep!!!! To be honest this author is lucky I’m taking the time to write this review because I want to know what happened next and this is delaying me! I’m just glad the book is already out.

This book is a lot more emotional than the first with some heartbreaking miscommunications, tortuous returning memories and broken women. At the same time the cerebral quality of the first book remains. There are so many layers to this book it’s hard to describe it. This is not the simple dystopian RH series I thought it was going to be when I started. In fact it’s barely a ménage in this book, more of a triangle.

One of the reasons why this is not a typical RH/ménage book is that the reason for starting a polyandrous relationship was purely political. It was to create stability in the compound and in the end it became something else.

As you read the book you see the characters tear themselves apart because emotional relationships must take second place to survival. There is always something that is incredibly important because they are existing on a knife’s edge. There are so many missed moments of connection and explanation because something else must come first. This is a very clever plot device because it is utterly believable. It’s not tenuous or obvious it’s simply understandable and very sad.

The plot is continuing to be slowly revealed and at the same time the tension is ramping up even further as we understand more of what has been going on. We get to gain understanding as Hannah regains more snippets of memories.

This is a very intelligently written series and I still hate the author. I’m going to go and pay for the privilege of hating them some more now. There better not be another cliffhanger or I’m staying awake all night!

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Review: Fickle Fate (Peyton's Path Series Book 3) by SM Olivier

Fickle Fate by S.M. Olivier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

More Teenaged (valid) Angst

I’d probably give this 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

It seems like quite a few people have been waiting for this book for some time, me included. I don’t know what it is about this series but you get so drawn in you just need to know what’s going to happen next. You have to read the previous two books in order to understand this one as it is a continuing series.

In some respects, the series reminds me of Erin R Flynn’s Upended Life, though this is a contemporary reverse harem book. Both series have young women who have survived abuse which has made them mature beyond their years, who have a great deal of strength but aren’t afraid to be weak. They are both also a bit more forgiving of the men in their lives than I would be!

This book starts a couple of weeks after the end of Fighting Fate. Peyton has been trying to regain her strength and gain weight after being starved whilst in captivity. Peyton is trying to come to terms with what has happened to her, and her family, and is hoping to start dancing again soon and go back to school. The men in her life are being supportive and caring and all she wants is to get back to normal.

So much happens in this book that it’s hard to capture the journey the book takes you on. There is quite a lot of peril in this book, once again, and it’s not surprising they have to incorporate bodyguards into their routines. It’s just as well Peyton’s grandfather is rich. It also seems that having bodyguards does not keep you invulnerable if you leave your house.

Peyton is having more positive interaction with the rest of her family, as it seems her abduction was a bit of a wake-up call for some of them. However, it’s not all positive, and Leah and her mother still hate her. Her own mother seems to have crawled out of the woodwork again too.

Through all that she undergoes, Peyton remains loving, kind and intelligent. She has a lot more poise and understanding of human nature than people twice her age. I know she’s had a trying life but she does seem unreasonably mature sometimes, especially as she’s never had any counselling and no one has given her much emotional support until she met the guys.

There’s quite a bit of steam in this book, and I like that though Peyton didn’t have much experience we see her excitement at learning new things and her throwing herself fully into embracing the different sides to her sexuality and trying to work out what she likes and doesn’t with the help of her more experienced lovers. She isn’t an instant expert, but she wants to learn about her likes and dislikes and those of her partners.

I really hope we don’t have to wait as long for the next book in this series, but if we do I’m sure the wait will be worth it. This is an engrossing book, that sucks you in and grabs your attention to the last page. Of course, once you reach that last page you are probably inclined to throw the book/kindle across the room because you want to know what happens next NOW!!!!. This author is a very gifted storyteller and I want to see where the story goes next.

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Review: Outlasting After: A Strike Team Three Novel (Outlasting Series Book 1) by LK Magill

Outlasting After: A Strike Team Three Novel by L.K. Magill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intriguing Dystopian RH Novel

I’d give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

I’ve had this book knocking around on my kindle for eons. I saw an ad for it and realised I already owned the book and thought “why didn’t I read this earlier?”. After reading the book, I had to repeat the question, because I was definitely missing out.

Hannah is on her own and has been for months. She doesn’t even have shoes or trousers on, she is starving and has no memories past a few months ago. When she finds a group of men she starts following them for the scraps of food they leave at their camps after they move on.

When the men catch her she thinks that she’s going to suffer horribly at their hands. When her body gives out on her, and she can no longer defend herself, she believes that is the end for her.

Hannah is the first woman that Cole has seen in 3 years. The world has fallen apart due to a war no one really understood. When authority was gone and the infrastructure collapsed, Cole and his team of soldiers were on their own. When Cole brings her back to his camp he doesn’t understand that he just changed their world, but his best friend and second in command, Liam, does.

This is a very carefully constructed book. It slowly and carefully builds up the tension. It’s a surprisingly calm book. It’s steady and slow as the characters are revealed and the world is built. The sociological structure of their tight-knit group is explored and we start to glimpse how they are all going to change with the introduction of someone new, someone who is desirable.

This is also quite a cerebral book. We are given clear insights into the way that the characters minds work. Hannah may not have memories past a few months but she is very canny and understands people and the way they work. Cole is very single-minded and is like a charging bull at getting things done. Liam sees everything and says nothing, torn up by his own demons.

It’s a captivating book and I can’t wait to read what happens next as this one ends on a total cliffhanger, so you have been warned. But at least the next book is already out.

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Review: Shadow Reaper (Shadow Riders Series Book 2) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Reaper by Christine Feehan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shadows and Shibari

This is the second book in a series and though it can probably be read as a standalone novel, there is information in the first book that makes the second book more easily understood. In the first book, we hear about the years away from the family they did as teenagers, training, and this book explores what happened to Ricco when he was sent to Japan for his training.

Ricco interested me a lot in the first book as he was always the ‘edgy’ brother who drove cars really fast and was into extreme sports and threesomes with twin actresses. He was not a happy person and we find out why in this book.

Ricco has been unhappy for a long time and things have reached an impasse. Nothing he does to make himself less unhappy is working anymore. Then he has a racing car accident and it’s a wake-up call. He decides that one night stands are not helping and he wants to have a long term contract with a shibari model to practice his art. At the last minute, Mariko turns up with no experience except she’s a shadow rider and she calls to him.

Mariko is half Japanese and half American but raised in Japan by a Japanese family. She was treated as less than a servant and the family claimed that they found her and her baby brother abandoned on the street and took them in out of the goodness of their heart. Mariko was given training as a shadow rider but was never accepted by the community. The only thing she has confidence in is her ability as a shadow rider.

When Mariko applies for the job with Ricco she is desperate. She needs to find out enough about him as a man to make a decision on whether to kill him or not in order to save her brother’s life.

I much prefer Ricco and Mariko as characters to Stefano and Francesco as they both have interesting personalities without being caricatures. Both are loyal and honourable people who have been hurt by the actions of others, but they have not completely broken.

The plot for this book is interesting, with plenty of mystery to keep you entertained. I will however say that I felt there was a little too much shibari content. I find it interesting as an art form but focusing on this made the sex scenes a little too cerebral rather than passionate to me. I still enjoyed the book but found myself skipping over some of the shibari scenes, and that’s not something I usually do. Usually, if I’m reading a book I either DNF it or I read every word. I’m hoping the next book engages all part of my brain again. Going on my past experience with this author I’ll give the next book in the series a go and see what happens.

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Review: Back to Chaos (The Ash Court Series Book 4) by Dagmar Avery and K Margaret

Back to Chaos by Dagmar Avery and K. Margaret
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Court Uniting

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ If I could.

This book covers the final stages in Senara’s process of creating a Light Court that can unite with Faerie. She has to navigate the politics, economics and sociology of a Court that has suppressed women for centuries, causing their power to be diluted as they stepped further and further into the human realm and away from Faerie.

Senara spends time with the histories of the Light Court Houses and tried to get to know her new core of female support so she can make the right choices to make sure the Court is strong and flexible enough to grow and change without causing damage to the Courts and their inhabitants.

There is a lot packed into this final book in The Ash Court series and it’s good to see Senara coming into her full strength. I particularly enjoyed having her increase in powers explained, as she does not have a typical Court setup. There is plenty of violence, passion and friendship in this book and I spent quite a lot of time reading this book with a smile on my face.

It feels like this series was a transition from The Nightmare Courts to The Light Courts and I know that these authors have already started with new series as the new Princesses were given guidance about how to bring power back to their Houses in this book, basically setting up the series to come.

All in all a very entertaining read.

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Review: Shadow Rider (Shadow Riders Series Book 1) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unlikely Heroes

Shadow riders are unlikely heroes. They are a tightly knit but large and sprawling extended family. They are tightly knit because they have a unique ability to produce rare children that can travel through shadows. Shadow riders are only born if both parents are capable of riding the shadows. There are other gifts given to the members of the family, but the one that is the most dangerous and most prized is the ability to travel the shadows, because that ability allows them to carry out their mission, ensuring the family survives.

Stefano is the eldest brother of the five Ferraro siblings and they are all shadow riders. He is hard and ruthless and will do anything to protect those in his care. His parents were cold and distant and he thought that was the kind of marriage he had to look forward to, one arranged to carry on his abilities. Then he saw Francesca, walking through his neighbourhood, shivering in the Chicago winter without a coat and knew she was a shadow rider and that he could love her.

The problem is that Francesca doesn’t know she’s a shadow rider or that they exist and Stefano isn’t allowed to tell her unless they get married. She’s lonely, on the run and has no money and she certainly doesn’t trust the scary, hot, rich guy who wraps her in his coat and drops money in her pocket before declaring her to be given the job she’s applying for and disappearing.

This is an interesting paranormal romance. It’s different and intriguing. However, despite the interesting world-building, the plot is quite predictable. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions and there were lots of fun sexy times but there weren’t any surprises, which for me at the moment is no bad thing.

Stefano is a typical controlling alpha male hero who has to know what’s going on at all times and makes sure everyone is safe all the time. He wants to shelter everyone from getting hurt, even if they don’t want that protection.

Francesca is quite happy to be looked after. She shows a little bit of a spine occasionally but usually backs down because she ‘knows it’s because he wants her safe’. She’s a really sweet person and gets walked over a bit. She's the sort of friend you need to talk to all the time to get them to believe in themselves a little bit.

Stefano and Francesca seem to be ideally suited to one another, but I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with either of them! Despite that, I enjoyed the read and will definitely continue with the series.

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Review: Darken the Light (The Ash Court Series Book 3) by Dagmar Avery and K Margaret

Darken the Light by Dagmar Avery and K. Margaret
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Planning For The Future

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This book finds The Ash Court investigating two more high families from the Light Court side of things. Once these two investigations are carried out then Senara can make decisions on how to move forward with sorting out The Light Court and helping them return to Faerie.

Whilst investigating, decisions have to be made about the future for the Light Court, but also Senara and The Ash Court. She is being pushed towards taking over and she’s not sure she’s strong enough to take rule, or even if she wants to, even with her Guards by her side.

This book really seemed to solidify The Ash Court’s bonds as they spent more time together, not only in a romantic sense but also in a family sense. These people are set to spend the rest of their very long lives together and forming tight bonds is really important.

Once more we visit the Faerie of K Margaret and Dagmar Avery’s imagination and get treated to visions of ice fortresses and mystical woodlands. We are shown the adorable and dangerous animals that inhabit Faerie. It pulls us into an extraordinary world where people have Hands of Power and portals that can transport you instantly across hundreds of miles. It’s a lovely world to visit, especially when the world is grey and claustrophobic.

There is only one more book in this ‘series’ and I can’t wait to read it, because once more there is a doozy of a cliffhanger! Thank goodness it’s already released.

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Review: Wrath of the Goddess (Goddess With A Blade Series Book 5) by Lauren Dane

Wrath of the Goddess by Lauren Dane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ferocious, Funny and Sweet

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

Rowan has slowly revealed her tender side over the last few books in this series. She has always had one, but it has been exceptionally well buried except for when she is with the acolytes of her goddess. She also shows it for her ‘family’, the people she has collected over the last decade or so. This book starts with her heart being exposed when someone close to her is killed and she can’t stop it because she is on another continent and watching it over a video call, during her marriage celebrations.

She and her loved ones are being targeted because she has done so much to harm the conspiracy involved in enslaving humans and allowing vampires to rule without constraint.

Rowan and Clive head back to Las Vegas and start investigating and find that this was not the first person to be harmed. Thankfully Rowan and Clive have the invaluable help of Genevieve, an incredibly powerful and ancient witch, with who Rowan is friends and has helped them liaise with the Witches Conclave regarding the magic users who are involved in the conspiracy.

This story is hard on Rowan’s heart but she gets lots of support. Clive in particular is a swoon-worthy hero, who adores his new wife with a passion and understanding that you don’t often read. His character’s understanding of Rowan’s is laid out for the reader so they can see her through his eyes and understand her more. This works in the opposite direction and is actually almost more revealing than when the character’s focus is internal.

There is plenty of mystery-solving and violence, though less than in some of the books. Rowan is having her bloodthirsty tendencies curtailed somewhat by Clive, but we still see Clive cut a bloody swathe through the bad vampires. There are also lots of tender moments between Rowan and Clive. Their relationship is funny, strange and sweet. They seem to enjoy annoying and being annoyed by each other. Snark is their love language.

This is a really good series and I can’t wait to read the next book to see if they actually ever reach the bottom of the conspiracy.

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Review: Sand of Time (The Ash Court Series Book 2) by Dagmar Avery and K Margaret

Sand of Time by Dagmar Avery and  K. Margaret
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fae Investigations

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This book has a greater length than the last one and definitely has more meat to the plot. In this book, we find Sen and her Guards investigating the Light Court high families. The Queen has given this task to The Ash Court, to determine the future of all the Light Court fae. This book covers the investigation of two of the high families.

The investigation involves undercover work as well as travel into the human world. Sen has never travelled in the human world, except Paris and her excitement on seeing different parts of the world is endearing. We get to see the Guard getting closer to Sen and their bonds tightening during these investigations as they get to know each other better and have their feelings strengthened. It’s nice for the reader to get to know all the characters much better.

Throughout this series, we see Sen becoming stronger through the support of her Guards and having a big scary task to carry out for her Queen, forcing her to step outside her comfort zone and become something she didn’t think she could be.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m glad I waited until the whole series was out to binge read it because there’s a cliffhanger that would make me crazy if I had to wait for the next book!

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Review: Lock & Load (PASS Series Book 3) by Freya Barker

Lock&Load by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Geeks FTW

This book takes a look at our geeky hero, Radar. He’s the hacker extraordinaire at PASS. He’s 40 and probably would have gone to prison if it weren’t for his boss finding him when he got in trouble.

Radar tends to get caught up in his work, as a lot of geeks tend to do. He gets distracted and absorbed and the real world disappears, which is why he’s never really had a long term relationship. However, he’s found himself looking around a bit more recently, as two of his colleagues have found love and are still able to do the job. One even has a baby now, who Radar adores.

The mother of his colleague’s baby is Rosie. One of Rosie’s best friends is Hillary, who is a nurse that helped look after Rosie’s mother before she was put into a care home. Rosie has got Hillary working at the homeless shelter part-time whilst she works full time at the hospital in a job she hates because she has student loans to pay off. Hillary doesn’t have any family and now aged 36 she has been on her own for a while.

Close to paying off her student loans, Hillary is also starting to look around at how life is passing her by whilst she’s had her head down, busy surviving. When she and Radar meet by accident they only know each other as passing acquaintances through their mutual friends. They are surprised to find they live in the same apartment complex, but different buildings, especially when Hillary chases off the attacker of someone outside said building and Radar happens to be nearby.

This attack is the start of an investigation that Radar becomes involved with. It’s also the start of something between Radar and Hillary. Both the case and the relationship have lots of bumps in the road, but they are equally fascinating to read about. The suspense plot is twisty and intriguing and you never know what’s coming next, which is kind of the same as the romance.

I like both Hillary and Radar, though they are set in their protective ways, often shutting people out. They are both genuinely caring people who try to look out for others. I’ve always had a soft spot for Hillary who works incredibly hard at a thankless job. Radar has held a slightly more subdued role in previous books.

Once again this is a well-written book about interesting, flawed yet nice people, who you can’t help rooting for. It’s got a great plot that keeps the pages turning and is entertaining in a way that doesn’t have you snorting in disbelief. I’ll keep on reading about Freya Barker’s interesting characters because it’s nice to read about people older than 35 that have lives outside of having children.

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Review: Rise from Ashes (The Ash Court Series Book 1) by Dagmar Avery and K Margaret

Rise from Ashes by Dagmar Avery and K Margaret
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A New Court

This series does not stand independent from the others, but it is a continuation of The Arcane Court Series. It’s also best to think of these ‘series’ as one story and each book is a 'part' of the story. The series order is;

The Sleeping Court: Slumber, Awaken, Trance, Oblivion, Oblivion,
The Blood Court: Vexed, Inception, Aversion, Conquer.
The Dank Court: Seasons In The Abyss, Calling To The Deep, The Sweet Unknown, Queen Of Monsters.
The Grave Court: Of The Grave, Of the Spirit.
The Lotus Court: Dreaming, Darkly.
The Arcane Court: Wicked Games, Devil Inside, Silent Echoes, Dark Paradise.
The Ash Court: Rise From Ashes.

So this book would be Part 1, of The Ash Court, which is Book 7. I don't normally list series but this one is quite tricky to keep track of and it's difficult to find the order on the internet unless you are a member of the Facebook Groups. Please note I've left out some short stories from this universe, but this order keeps the story flowing in the right direction.

It’s been a while since I’ve read any of the Nightmare Court books. I’ve let a few accumulate so I can have a good binge. This new Court is actually under a very old, once defunct name, The Ash Court. It was a Court resurrected by the new Queen of the Nightmare Court, once she began her reign and wiped out two corrupt Courts.

Princess Sendara is now the head of The Ash Court and she only has a Captain of her Guard, Caspera, and her best friend and first love, who isn’t an official Guard at all, Eamon. She has a very small Court, but it is important because Sendara is the accountant for The Nightmare Court as a whole. She’s very clever, but painfully shy and suffers terribly from anxiety and panic attacks. It hasn’t helped that several of the people called to be her Guards, rejected her. The one Guard who hasn’t rejected her, but also hasn’t come to her is Anders, who is a Huntsman who lives and fights at the front, and he’s left a great hole in her Court.

A year after the Court was formed, she’s finally had enough and decides to take matters into her own hands and goes to confront him. She is the last Princess of the Chaos bloodline, something that the Light Court took great pains to try and eradicate, and it was a minor miracle, or maybe an act of Faerie, that she survived after the attack at her birth. She is from a warrior line and she is finally growing strong enough to try and live up to those august beginnings.

As always, I really enjoy the characters in these books. The authors seem to have an endless well to draw from as far as personalities are concerned, not to mention history, family and powers. I love that Sen is not strong and courageous and that she has to fight herself as much as the outside world in order to achieve anything. Her Guard loves her dearly and it’s very sweet how gentle and nurturing they are and that she appreciates that Eamon has chosen to be with her, rather than it being ordained by Faerie.

This series has good potential to be entertaining as always and, of course, as sexy as ever!

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Review: Life & Limb (PASS Series Book 2) by Freya Barker

Life & Limb by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder at the Homeless Shelter

This book continues several months after the first in the series, and though it covers a different couple from the first book, a lot of the same people appear. This book focuses on the homeless shelter Rosie manages to get funded by the movie producer in the previous book. She’s been running it for a while and it has a lot of veterans staying there. They also run counselling sessions and the woman who runs them is Willa, who is also a veteran who served 8 years, working for Army Medical.

Jake’s honorary brother, Dimas meets Willa and is instantly attracted to her physically. Willa feels the same and both expect it to be a hookup but find themselves strangely drawn to have something more between them.

They come from very different backgrounds but work is very important to both of them. Dimas protects people and Willa helps the damaged pick up the pieces. Neither felt they had particularly happy childhoods, in different ways, but they feel protected by each other. Neither of them has had particularly successful relationships in the past, making for a rocky start to things, especially when work seems to get in the way.

Work is the driving force behind the suspense part of this romance. There are several people killed that have connections with the shelter so Dimas swoops in to protect his new love interest.

A lot is going on with this book. The suspense aspect of the book is quite complicated and interesting and definitely kept me guessing. On top of that, the romance is filled with sweetness and passion. There are also family difficulties, particularly on Willa’s side. All in all, this is an interesting and entertaining book, that is encouraging me to keep on reading this author.

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Review: Still of the Night (Still of The Night Series Book 1) by Cerise Cole

Still of the Night by Cerise Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic Concept

I make no secret of being a fan of Auryn Hadley and I like Kitty Cox a great deal too. Their joint series, Gamer Girls: Books 1-3 and Gamer Girls Books: 4-7 was phenomenal and I was delighted to hear they were going to make the joint writing venture permanent under the pseudonym Cerise Cole. This series is their first foray and it’s fantastic.

The story is about The Brethren a group of people dedicated to holding back the Apocalypse. It’s also about a group of 18-year-old high school students. In her final year at high school, Jess is desperate to get away from home and away from her controlling and smothering father. The last few months haven’t been as bad because he brought home a wife, who is actually a decent woman and his laser focus on his daughter has been diverted somewhat. However, Jess still hasn’t been able to get out and spend time with her boyfriend and her best friend.

Then her stepmother’s son arrives. Gorgeous, tall and strong, Lars is half Native American and was raised by his father on the Reservation. He's there because he wants to check out his mother’s new situation because it was rather a quick marriage. With Lars comes Jess’ chance at a little more freedom because he and his mother Linda are willing to help her fight for it.

When Jess finally lets loose and goes to a party and gets drunk, Lars and the school’s two bad boys in residence end up looking after her. Jess finds that the circle of people who care about her has expanded significantly. However, the temptation of three gorgeous guys who all want to spend time with her is not easy to deal with, when she has a boyfriend, who she’s been with for a year.

The majority of this book is about these teenagers and their typical teenage drama; difficulties with parents, grades, detention, bullying and romance. It’s about friendship and knowing what they want for themselves and the people around them and how they want to navigate difficulties and conflicts. It’s a wonderful story about how a family can be created rather than being an accident of birth, which is a common theme with these authors.

I loved all the characters, who are interesting and have real depth. Though Jess is the main focus of the book, the people around her are just as interesting. I particularly liked Linda who was trying so hard to be a good mother figure for someone who desperately needs it. I loved that Jess actually welcomed the attention rather than the stereotypical teen hating their parent’s new spouse. I loved how supportive Linda was of not only Jess and her son Lars but also the two bad boys, Bax and Gavin, for who she felt sorry.

This was a slowly unfolding story, with a gradual unveiling of the characters and their relationships with each other. The plot was set at a gentle pace, that quickened towards the latter part of the book. I found myself turning pages more and more quickly as I got further into the book, especially as the paranormal aspects of the story start to crop up, once the characters were well established. The book transforms from the contemporary New Adult RH book it starts into something different and more exciting.

This is a wonderful start to a new series and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. The rest of the series is already on pre-order which gives me something to look forward to, as there is an actual date for the next book.

I highly recommend this book, which can hardly come as a surprise, but I had to put that out there!

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Review: Repeat Offender (Soul Chapel Revenants MC Series Book 1) by Lani Lynn Vale

Repeat Offender by Lani Lynn Vale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Bit Rushed

This book is about a character from another series by this author. Though I’ve read some of her works I don’t think I’ve read the books that relate to this character specifically. I get the feeling that this book might have been more enjoyable if I knew some of the people and their history, however the author did state at the beginning of the book that the timelines were a bit awry to make the story work, so maybe I wouldn’t be less confused by reading the other books.

The story is about Six and Lynn. Six is a woman in her 30s who lives quite a solitary life. She films nature documentaries and is forced to attend her father’s political dinners on an occasional basis through emotional blackmail. She had a traumatic brain injury as a child that lead to her inability to be anywhere on time, keep track of items or plan anything. School was not easy.

Lynn is mature guy (we only know he has silver in his hair, not his exact age) but he’s in great shape. He has a very dubious past with encounters with the seedier side of life, but also serving in the military and recently becoming mayor of his town. He became mayor to clean up the trafficking going on in his locale, even though being a political animal wasn’t something he enjoyed.

Six and Lynn meet at one of these political dinners. They are both intrigued and they keep meeting over the course of several months, until finally they crack.......and that’s pretty much the plot. There’s bad guys and Lynn getting some guys together to help him out .....and that’s about it.

It’s fairly entertaining, but the plot isn’t exactly riveting. The novel is pretty short and it doesn’t leave much space for plot or character development. The romance is also a little bit rushed. I get the feeling that this book will be more enjoyable as part of the series as a whole, but I probably won’t be buying those books. If they were KU, I’d probably do it just to see if I’m right, but I’m not spending money for curiosity about plot structure.

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Review: Christiansen: City Boy: President in the making (Badass Security Council Series Book 13) by L Ann Marie

Christiansen: City Boy: President in the making (Badass Security Council by L. Ann Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable Story

This book is part of a continuing series and should not be read as a standalone because it would make no sense whatsoever.

This book felt like a return to form for this author. The last book had a very messy first third to it which meant it wasn’t as much of an enjoyable read as usual, whereas this book is a much more smooth creation.

Kristos is quite a minor character in the previous books. He’s just been given a promotion to 2nd Tier Officer, but we don’t see much of him before this book.

Kristos was born and raised in the Club, MC Colorado. His mother was a club girl and she always told him that his father was an enforcer that died when the Club was getting out of the drug business. Crow, the original MC guru, told Major, who was then the president of that MC, to send Kristos to college and gave them a specific list of the courses he should take. Crow did this for people he saw as being important in the future.

In the same week that Kristos met the woman who was meant for him, he found his life shifting in lots of other ways too.

Natalia is rich. Her family had lots of different types of businesses and investments and when they died when she was young, it all became hers, but she never really wanted to be part of running the companies, particularly when all the board members and lawyers would continue treating her like the child she was when she inherited the businesses.

Natalia is incredibly bright and has three degrees. She is very like Stella and wants to make a difference in the world through technology. When Kristos takes her to the compound on their second date they find out she has been trying to get a job with the BSC and knows a lot about the BSC because a good friend works with the Princes up in Mass. Everyone tells them they belong together and she is strangely accepting of this, plus the job they offer her as Stella’s assistant.

Kristos and Natalia getting together is just the beginning of the adventures in this book. So much happens, as usual, but it’s all smooth and makes sense. There are a lot of ties between the original MC, Princes and BSC that happen in this book and it seems to move their connection forward into the future that Crow saw so long ago. There are plenty of visions and plans dangled for future adventures to keep us coming back for more.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It had romance, passion, family secrets and huge firefights. I really liked both Kristos and Natalia and hope to see more of them in the future because they are really interesting characters who have a lot to offer the story, both in this book and the future.

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Review: Hit & Run (PASS Series Book 1) by Freya Barker

Hit & Run by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mature Romantic Suspense

I like Freya Barker’s work because she tends to focus on slightly more mature protagonists, in this case 38 and 42. Both have lived fairly solitary lives up until their meeting. In the case of Jake, his parents died when he was young and after meeting his best friends in foster care, went into the military. When he came out he joined up with his best friends and started working for PASS (Protection and Security Services). He is a loner, who has never been interested in romance or relationships. He didn’t avoid them, they just never even entered his head.

On the other hand, Rosie had wanted a chance for a family and relationships but got sucked into a long term relationship with a married man and believed all his lies. Her Dad, with who she had a great relationship, died when she was 20 and her mother criticised her endlessly.

Eventually returning to Grand Junction to look after her mother who had rapidly worsening dementia, Rosie found herself working in housekeeping on a night shift in order to look after her mother during the day and have someone sleepover at night for less money than a nurse would charge for watching her mother when she was awake. She was exhausted, harried, miserable and alone, apart from her friend Grant, a gloriously camp black man, who was also kind of isolated.

Jake ended up meeting Rosie when he was based at the hotel she worked in, whilst he worked security for a film that was shooting nearby. They both had separate run-ins with the star of the film and they were not happy occasions. Rosie witnessed the star doing something they shouldn’t and Jake ended up having to find out whether she would keep her mouth shut.

This book was interesting because it not only dealt with a romance between two older and more experienced people, but it also dealt with the moral ambiguity involved with working with the rich and the powerful and how the downfall of one important part of the puzzle would mean hundreds, if not thousands of people being affected financially. Having the backdrop of their newly flourishing relationship being lies and coverups doesn’t make for an easy start.

I liked this book because the heroes weren’t ‘good’ people. They were ordinary people forced to see things in grey rather than black and white. These characters were interesting, flawed and normal. Added to the interesting characters was a diverting plot, to keep you guessing until the end.

All around, this was an entertaining book, and I’ll definitely read the next in the series.

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Review: Boss (Time Served MC Series Book 1) by Cee Bowerman

Boss: Time Served MC Book 1 by Cee Bowerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Different Kind of MC

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

I really enjoy Cee Bowerman’s books that are set in Rojo, TX. This is the start of a new series, with no connection with Rojo. It’s about the Time Served MC, which is an MC made up entirely of felons, that have been helped to go straight by Pop, who lost his own son after he got out of prison and had no help.

The president of the MC is Boss and Pop and his old cronies who practically run the town decided that he should be the new chief of police, because he used to be a cop, despite serving 10 years for murder. Somehow they manage to get him elected and a friendly judge got his record expunged, and voila, he’s the chief of police. Once he starts his new job Boss finds that the police department is a dark and messy place, which explains why the crime rate is so high and the arrest rate so low.

Jenn is very intelligent, has three degrees, and is successful. She’s fairly wealthy but she hated her old life. She decided to divorce the cheating husband, took him for every penny and kicked him out of their shared company. She then put her assistant in charge and left the state. She wound up in Tenillo, TX. She had a great house built, adopted a whole farm's worth of animals and set up a food truck selling amazing drinks and desserts. She didn’t need to do it, it was just fun because she loved baking so much.

When Boss pulls up at the truck’s window, sparks fly! It turns out despite their apparent differences they may have more in common than is obvious at first.

I really enjoyed this book. I like that there is an undercurrent of a long term plot that will flow between this series and the one being written by Ciara St James. There is more darkness in this book than previous ones by this author and I think I enjoyed the book more because of it, especially when contrasted with the pithy humour, which is so evident in the author's other books. The plot was interesting and I fell in love with all the characters really quickly.

I think it’s an interesting approach taking two MCs written by two different authors but with a continuous timeline. Ares Infidels are an MC made up of ex-military and provide support to Boss as he tries to clear up the darkness in their town, left behind by the old Chief of Police, and this MC will be the focus of Ciara St James.

I am really looking forward to the next book being released next month by Ciara St James as I am looking forward to getting to know the Ares Infidels better.

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Review: Pooh (The Devil's Angels MC Series Book 3) by Lola Wright

Pooh by Lola Wright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pooh Finds A Family

Pooh is a really nice guy, who has enjoyed the MC lifestyle until recently. Recently he’s seen his President, VP and one of his best friends, settle down with really great women and they seem to be happier than they’ve ever been. He finds himself wanting what they have, one woman who adores him who he adores back and that they can make each other happy.

Then he’s asked to deliver a load of furniture to a women’s shelter that the MC is supporting through donation. He comes face to face with the muddiest boy in the world with the foulest mouth, Craig, and Craig's nemesis, the woman threatening to clean him, Pippa. This introduces him to two people who are to become really important to him.

Pippa runs the shelter and Craig is a little boy who is staying at the shelter with his mother after being beaten by her husband. His mother seems to be taking advantage of the babysitting services offered by the shelter and Craig is being looked after primarily by Pippa and her foster mother Tammy. Though Pooh asks out Pippa, she is reluctant to get involved with anyone. Pooh takes the rejection in good spirit and then sets about trying to help the shelter, along with the rest of the MC.

Once again this is a sweet and funny book. There is darkness but it’s not focussed on, so the book retains it’s sweetness. We get to spend time with all the other characters that have been in previous books and get to know some of the supporting characters better. We also get to know how Pooh got his nickname, it’s quite gross and pretty funny.

This is an entertaining and easy book to read. It’s great for when you don’t want to tax yourself too much and just want to be diverted from life.

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Review: Get Your Rocks Off Series Books 1-3 by Sam Hall

Get Your Rocks Off Books 1-3 by Sam Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fae Shenanigans

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This omnibus of 3 books is the start of the series. I believe there are already or going to be 2 more books after this volume. I’m so glad I read these books all in one chunk because I think I would have thrown my kindle at the wall at the ends of each of books 1 and 2, due to cliffhangers. The three books merge together as a seamless whole.  The three books included are; Book 1 - Away With The Fairies, Book 2 - Riding For A Fall, Book 3 - Star On The Rise.

Kira is a young woman who has never lived independently. She has a fine arts degree, earns a living by her production of stock photographs but she lives in a cottage on her parent’s land. She suffers from severe visual disturbances and migraines. Her condition doesn’t have a confirmed diagnosis but it is debilitating, which is why she lives in a small town where everyone knows who to contact when she collapses in pain. Her one diversion is her photography and her one friend is Jen.

Jen is the daughter of an exceptionally wealthy and powerful man. He is a successful music executive and his home is filled with powerful, beautiful and debauched people on a regular basis. Kira tends to avoid these beautiful people because she feels that she is unattractive and uninteresting. Jen is always trying to get her to appreciate her own beauty but she fails.

Jen finally convinces Kira to take a job photographing a party for her father. At the party she meets The Changelings, the band that have visited her dreams, loving and seducing her, for months. As well as photographing them, she interviews them and in doing so, the band decide they want her on their tour with them.

Everything is changing for Kira, her world is being shaken to the core. She is going out to explore the world, without parental support, to live a rich, distracting and chaotic life. Then her world is turned over even more, as she discovers the world isn’t what she thought it was, and neither is she.

This is a darkly seductive book. The people in this book are damaged and damaging. They lash out and hurt those around them because they have been hurt. So much is hidden about the characters and their motivations that we have no idea why everyone is acting the way they are acting, or how they are going to act at any given point. The plot is filled with twists and turns, beauty, passion, power and pain.

This book is principally about power and love. The characters strive for both and it’s hard to tell which characters strive for what. Kira is thrust into a confusing and difficult world and we are forced to watch as she is put through the mill as she tries to find her balance and hopefully work towards her happiness.

The world-building in this book is rich and complex. We initially see the dark beauty of the fae world and marvel at its decadence and debauchery. Then the author gradually peels back the layers so we can see the rot behind the glittering mask. We learn about the courts and the gods and the fae and how they all interact. We learn about power and how everything fae is related to who has it, who can generate it and who can use it.

The plot is a dark and twisted thing that skitters and dances as you read, never knowing which direction it’s going to turn next. It’s complicated and intriguing and I couldn’t stop reading because I HAD to know what was coming next. I couldn’t predict what would happen next and that rarely happens to me, so when it does I LOVE it.

The plot was principally driven by the characters, their history and personalities. Their complexity is what created the unpredictable plot. Each character is cleverly constructed, with a rich back story and personalities. Their relationships with each other are a tangled web of unknown events in the past that we can only guess at, though the author slowly reveals some key points that help explain some of their motives and why the plot is so unpredictable.

I will say that I didn’t actually like quite a lot of the characters. Personally, if I were to meet them I wouldn’t give them the time of day, and in the blurb at the back of the book, the author echoes that statement, which makes me like her that much more. So many of the characters are seriously damaged individuals and they lash out like toddlers in their fear and their rage. Because we understand their pain, doesn’t mean they don’t inflict their own brand of damage on others. It does make them fascinating to read about though.

Kira is a very interesting MFC. She’s spent most of her life being powerless and uninteresting. Then she is thrust into a world that insists that she has power and is beautiful and fascinating. She is confused and seduced by the passion and beauty that now surrounds her and is at the same time terrified of it.

This book is filled with passion and heat and if you are easily offended by sex in any of it’s forms you will probably hate this book with a fiery passion. There are some trigger warnings throughout the book but I didn’t really feel uncomfortable reading and I usually at least feel slightly uneasy through most books that offer trigger warnings, even if they don’t trigger me personally, however, these triggers are not my triggers and I can’t comment about how that might affect another reader.

All in all, it’s a really good read if you enjoy slightly darker, edgy and sexy fae shenanigans!

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