Review: The Magic of Destiny (Emerald Lakes Series Book 4) by Britt Andrews

The Magic of Destiny by Britt Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emotional Rollercoaster

This is the fourth book in a continuing series. You need to read the previous books to understand this one. This book also ends on a significant cliffhanger, however the last book in the series is now out, so you won’t have to wait to get the resolution to all the situations.

TRIGGER WARNING: The final chapter of this book has a trigger warning at the start. I understand why the author has placed the warning at this point rather than at the start of the book as she doesn’t want to cause spoilers, so I won’t list them here. I suggest if you have read this far into the series and have triggers, if you download the book, check the trigger warning before you get too far into the story. Apart from this explicitly given warning, I would also suggest if you have problems relating to emotional abuse coming from a parent that this book may be problematic.

In this book, Saige has all her men back, with the exception of one, Sloane, who has gone to retrieve his father’s ashes. Still unsettled with the fire at Miranda’s and the kidnapping of Annie, Saige is worried about her missing man. It seems The Stars, or destiny, has it out for Saige as nothing ever seems to go right, it’s always out of her control, and yet she’s meant to do so much for others.

This book has a lot of emotional upheaval in it. With disappearances, the possibility of new and the return of old family members, there are a lot of reasons to be emotional.

In amongst the trauma, the team take every opportunity to bond and work their way through the complex web of relationships. Not all the romance in the group is between Saige and her men, some of it is also between the men themselves. There are a lot of hot and steamy scenes in this book too, which will get you hot under the collar.

This book feels very plot and romance focused. Whilst we still keep learning about the characters, the rate at which their secrets are revealed has definitely slowed.

I’m so glad the last book in the series is already out, the cliffhanger is awful. I need to read that book STAT!

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Review: The Magic of Revenge (Emerald Lakes Series Book 3) by Britt Andrews

The Magic of Revenge by Britt Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent Urban Fantasy Reverse Harem Series

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

This is the third book in the series and you need to read the first books to understand this one. There is a cliffhanger, but the next book is already published.

Saige has met her father, Khol, learnt his story and she has reached her age of maturity and manifested. She, Khol and her new mate Bram have had to escape the demon realm where Saige is under threat. She returns to find her mates scattered and gone making her heart break, unleashing her new powerful magic in unexpected ways.

In order to find her mates, she must tap into her new magic and her bonds, whilst they try to rescue themselves from a new unexpected and very dangerous enemy.

Throughout this book, we learn more about each of the histories of the people involved and what makes them tick. Woven between the strands of the emotional evolution between the characters we are treated to an interesting and intriguing plot that is uncovered by the protagonists.

Though this is a reverse harem romance novel it’s also a very good urban fantasy novel with plenty to keep you engaged, with a well-structured world, magic system and excellent plot construction. The romance and the very spicy sex scenes are the icing on the cake.

This is a very enjoyable series and I look forward to finding out how the cliffhanger at the end of this book is resolved in the next one.

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Review: The Magic of Betrayal (Emerald Lakes Series Book 2) by Britt Andrews

The Magic of Betrayal by Britt Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emotional

This book is the second in a continuing series, which means you need to read the previous book before enjoying this one. It also ends on a cliffhanger, but the next book is already available so you can’t get too mad!

TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains instances of sexual assault, emotional abuse and physical assault from outside the harem. If these subject matters affect you adversely, you may want to avoid this book/series.

Saige has been swept off her feet by the new men in her life; Cam, Kai and Fischer, and maybe there’s a possibility of Sloane joining them. However, her magic is failing her, her ex is still causing her emotional damage and she keeps dropping into a strange world in her sleep. Life is complicated and confusing, but she grabs hold of her newfound happiness with both hands.

What she doesn’t know is that her men are lying to her, and Sloane is lying more than the others. Her three boyfriends are very conflicted about lying to Saige and are trying to find a way to be with her when their job is over. They are opening up their hearts to her and beginning to share their history and pain without betraying their mission.

There are a lot of emotions flying around in this book. A lot of trauma is revealed, not just Saige’s that was/is caused by her ex, but also a lot of history is shared as we get to know the men a lot better. As a reader, I feel a bit bounced around as more of the plot is revealed and we learn more about all the players involved and preconceptions are turned on their head. It’s an exhilarating ride as things keep changing and twisting. I felt like I’d been on an emotional rollercoaster with the highs and lows of how the characters all feel.

This is an excellent second book and I’m now heavily invested in the very interesting characters and the complex story. These characters are all well developed and fascinating in their strengths and flaws. It’s the characters that drive this plot and make it so complex because it is their history, personality and secrets that cause the plot to shift at the turn of each page. This author has created intriguing characters and woven a story around them.

I can’t wait to read the next book. It’s hard to believe that this is the author’s first series.

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Review: Twisted Complications (Finding My Home Series Book 3) by Nikita Parmenter

Twisted Complications by Nikita Parmenter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hiding At A School

This is the third book in a continuing series. You need to read the first books to understand this one. The book ends at a natural break in the story but there is a lot left unresolved that makes you feel like it’s got a cliffhanger.

Ever and the guys are sent away to boarding school. Apparently, there is an Elite Academy designed to cater to the rich and the powerful and runs from early childhood all the way up to a college degree. It’s so fancy it’s got houses for the over 18s and the houses become more fancy depending on your money and power. The house they end up in already has one occupant, Atlas. Being reunited is great, but the school only has male students. Ever is the first female student to be allowed.

The school is a bit of a cesspit and not much educating gets done. There is violence (which is standard with these guys) and mysterious goings-on that the team investigate. On top of the investigation, the team now are able to support Atlas in his endeavours, because he has finally told them about his situation. They meet Rage, who has been Atlas’ only support at the school. The lack of other support doesn’t stop Atlas from being the most feared man on campus. Peter is also a new friend they meet at the school who quickly becomes useful.

I felt this book jumped sideways into a new trope by turning up in an academy setting. The group go from being the rich and powerful people at school to being the new poorer members of the student body. It initially seemed a strange choice for the location of this part of the series, but after reading the book it makes more sense because a lot of the plot points are to be found at the academy. It did seem unnecessary to have Ever being the first female student though.

The plot is complex and intriguing and I got sucked into the story very quickly. I liked the new characters and we got to see much more of Ever and Atlas’ histories. There are still a lot of secrets hinted at and I’m looking forward to finding out what those secrets are. There is also a lot of really unbelievable stuff in this book and huge coincidences that really stretch my credulity to the limits, but as it's such a good story I can’t complain too much. I forgive a lot when it’s a good story.

I hope the next book comes out soon, because I really want to know what happens next.

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Review: Hide or Die (Secret Pack Series Book 1) by Ember Blaze

Hide or Die by Ember Blaze
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This is the first book in a continuing series, as such even though the story ends at a natural break in the plot, it feels very much like a cliffhanger!

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It’s an Omegaverse novel and if you don’t know what that is you need to read this. Now you have the basic idea of what Omegaverse is all about, you need to understand this book has a bit of a different twist on things. This book is set in a world where alphas and omegas are enslaved, mutilated and chemically controlled. Every alpha and omega must be registered and being unregistered is a death sentence. Betas are in control of the world and they rule with an iron fist.

Leona is an omega who was born of respectable beta parents who decided to hide her gender using their money and contacts to buy black market drugs to suppress all signs of her status. Living as a beta she worked her way up to a high rank in the diplomatic corps and was doing her best to improve the living conditions of alphas and omegas, despite taking her life in her hands whilst she was doing it.

Leona’s assistant Kam, is also an omega in hiding, except he was discovered as a pre-teen and had his reproductive organs removed in punishment for not being a good little omega in the slave pens. He eventually escaped and now he and Leona form their own little lopsided pack. They are unable to live as their instincts tell them, unable to have love the way they want to experience it, never daring to be themselves even in their own homes.

When on assignment they are kidnapped along with one of their alpha guards and they fear their secret will finally be exposed, as Leona goes into heat without her hormones. Their kidnappers are beta fundamentalists and threaten to use a weapon against all alphas and omegas to wipe them off the face of the earth.

There’s a lot going on in this book. There are echoes within the writing of slavery and the fight for emancipation and LGBTQIA+ rights. There is also an intelligent discourse on diplomacy and the way the business of politics is done. At the same time as all the interesting subtext, there is a compelling story. The characters are interesting and diverse and they are believable in the context of the world that the author has built. The characters all have interesting backstories which are revealed throughout the course of the book in a natural way.

I really like that this is essentially more of a ‘Sweetverse’ book than a straight ‘Omegaverse’ book, as I’m not a huge fan of those books. There is nothing non/dubiously consensual in this book, which is one of the things I don’t normally like about Omegaverse books, with hormones basically taking away the will of the omega to say no. In this book, however, the alphas are protective and nurturing and are trapped within the system as much as the omegas are and take care of the omegas when they are unable to protect themselves.

This is an excellent introduction to a new series and it gives me high hopes for the rest of it, because the intelligent plot structure seems to indicate very interesting things to come, especially when accompanied by the very engaging and sympathetic main characters.

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Review: Aerial (Flying High Duet Book 1) by Manuela Rouget

Aerial by Manuela Rouget
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NA Polyamory

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

This is the first book in a duet, however, there is no cliffhanger.

Fauve is french and partway through a business degree when she finally persuades her demanding parents that she can attend a prestigious circus arts school in Montreal. The course she is taking only lasts a year and the best student gets a guaranteed place at a very successful circus company (like Cirque d’Soleil).

Leaving her boyfriend Loup behind is a hard decision as they’ve been together 6 years and he’s also her best friend and acrobatic partner. They’ve decided to have an open relationship whilst they are apart, which on the face of it seems a bad idea, but they believe they can make it work.

The flat she moves into has two gorgeous men, one is a full degree course student at the circus arts school that Fauve is to attend and the other is an engineering student. Both men are gorgeous and they become flirty friends instantly and Fauve knows they could be something more.

I loved the premise of this book. It’s clever and something that young people face all the time, whether to make a go of a long-distance relationship or end it, or whether to try an open relationship which is always a risk. Fauve and Loup have been together forever and therefore have only small amounts of sexual experiences separate from their relationship but they also trust each other with their lives on a daily basis working together in acrobatics. Knowing they talk about everything and are capable of total honesty makes taking the opportunity to learn more about what they enjoy sexually when they are apart something they feel confident in trying.

I like how slow-moving the change in relationships are in this book. Fauve is in a very intensely physically and mentally challenging programme and as such is often exhausted with little free time. This slows everything down and gives a more realistic timeline than most romance novels, despite them all living together.

All three men are very different from each other, with different priorities and needs and Fauve enjoys being with them all for different reasons. I like how we get to know the characters slowly, rather than having cookie-cutter personas, which is often a risk in a reverse harem book.

Whilst there is plenty of hot sex in this book, it's not the main focus. For Fauve the school is the priority. Learning new skills and getting the opportunity of a lifetime is her prime focus and often the relationships take a back seat to it.

I loved hearing about the circus skills and Fauve, Tibault and Loup’s passion for them. There was a lot of detail and I found it fascinating.

There is also interpersonal drama of the friends variety, because of the pressure of school system where half the students get cut every quarter of the year. This makes things insanely competitive and puts additional pressure on any friendships.

I think this may have been a first published book for this author and I’m really impressed. It’s well-paced, articulate and imaginative. The characters are interesting and the world in which they live is fascinating. I’m looking forward to seeing the next book in the duet, when it comes out, even though there is no cliffhanger. I just want to read more about these characters and their lives together.

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Review: The Games We Play (The Path of Temptation Series Book 3) by Auryn Hadley

The Games We Play by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Initiates

This book is the third in a five-book fantasy series. The previous books need to be read in order to understand the contents of this book.

This book is all about the second part of the main characters' first year of their Initiate years. Nari and Talin return from the Darkest Day festivities at his brother, the Baron of Temptation’s, Residence. The visit wasn’t much fun because the Baron is a very unpleasant man. However, the visit seemed to shine a spotlight on Nari, with the rumour mill going overtime assuming the visit was about Nari instead of Talin. The only good thing to come out of the visit was Maela, the Baron’s wife, reaching out tentatively in friendship to Nari.

Everyone seems to have stepped up their game to force Nari to declare a single Path or to cause her to step down a Path by failing her courses. The pressure is causing her to doubt herself and her ability to succeed in saving Zeal and his brothers and sisters from disappearing completely. Her lovers all want to protect her from the stress and try to find ways to help.

In this book, we get more insight into some of the other Paths, in particular the Path of Obligation. Nari is being exposed to different people around the Temple and spreading her belief in Zeal and the evidence of his existence is worn on her skin. More people are being swayed towards belief in his existence because of her role as his Voice. Still, Nari and her lovers are all being forced to play politics and are being manipulated by those in power far too much.

This book is fantastic. It’s full of emotion, politics and passion. The world-building for the series becomes richer and more detailed as we learn more about Zeal and his siblings. The education of the Initiates becomes more complete and through that education, we get a picture of what it will be like for the students after they become fully-fledged priests and priestesses.

The plot is carefully constructed, as always, to build tension and weave information around the emotions that keep you captivated. Throw in the politics and the passion and you have a winning formula for an incredible book within an amazing series. There is a lot more sex in this book, not only between the main group but as part of their training so there are scenes with people outside the romantic core that surround Nari. This is expected and is warned about early in the series, so it shouldn’t be any big surprise at this stage.

One of the things I really love about this series is the focus on love being many things to different people. There is the love of the parent or mentor, the love of friends and confidants, romantic love, passionate love, the love of brothers-in-arms and the love of their god. There are so many types of love in this book, some even overlap, but it is the thread that runs throughout the series. There is a bond created by love that is stronger than anything their opponents can throw at them.

When I finished this book, I almost want to read it all over again to see the fine nuances that I know this author placed in this book. Whenever I re-read a book by Auryn Hadley I always find more the second or third time around. This book will be no exception as there is such richness in the details of plot, emotions and background. I hate that I have to wait another few months for the next book, but at least it’s up for pre-order!

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Review: Not Quite Whole (Not Quite Series Book 6) by Kaye Draper

Not Quite Whole by Kaye Draper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good Ending

This is the final book in a 6 book series and can’t be read alone. You need to read the rest of the books to make sense of it. The first book is Not Quite Human .

Sam is finally starting to mellow. Spending time with people who love them has been good for their sense of well being. Sam will always be snarky and prone to violence but their anger is more of a simmer than a conflagration these days.

The only fly in the ointment of Sam’s love life is Theo. Theo has wriggled his way under Sam’s skin and they don’t know what to do about it. Bonding with Angel after loving him from afar for years has lead to Sam coming round to the idea that mating might not be the trap they always thought it was.

Along with not knowing what to do with Theo on a personal level, Sam is frustrated with him on a professional level. Theo wants to ‘come out’ as a fiend to thwart his cousin’s plan to expose him, but Sam thinks that could lead to bloody violence throughout the whole town.

I have really enjoyed this series. Sam is a wonderfully spiky and yet loving character. They are loyal and quarrelsome at the same time as being kind and yet still being violent. All their personality ‘quirks’ are totally understandable and I like that they are working on how they relate to their loved ones.

This book nicely rounds off the series and wraps up all the loose ends. We get a fun happy ever after, even with all the bumps along the way. Kaye Draper does write such interesting romances and this is no different. She shows that love comes in all forms as do people.

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Review: Double the D (Capricorn Cove Series Book 2) by Evie Mitchell

Double the D by Evie Mitchell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sweet and Sexy Poly Story

This is the second in this series but can be read as a standalone. This book is about Blue, Dane and Drake. Dane and Drake were fostered together by Blue’s parents when they were teenagers. They’ve been lovers ever since, but they always wanted Blue. They joined the Marines when they turned 18 and have only just come back 12 years later.

When Dane and Drake left it hurt Blue but she understood. When they didn’t come back, despite their promises, she was devastated. Now Dane and Drake are back and she wants to avoid them at all costs. Dane and Drake are not letting her run away because now they have made something of themselves they can all have a life together.

Though technically this isn’t an insta-love book because they all were sort of together as teenagers, it has a similar vibe to it. The men sweep Blue off her feet and she’s pretty happy about it. There doesn’t seem to be much working through their problems. They explain why they never came back and she accepts it. She’s a little too forgiving for my tastes.

Other than that the characters are 2 dimensional, which isn’t unexpected as it’s a novella and there isn’t a great deal of time for in-depth character building. They are still likeable though.

There’s plenty of steam in this polyamorous relationship, but there’s also plenty of love and affection too.

This is a short and sweet book that you can devour in one sitting.

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Review: The Paths We Lay (Path of Temptation Series Book 2) by Auryn Hadley

The Paths We Lay by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Learning What The Path Is

This is the second book, of what is shaping up to be another amazing series by Auryn Hadley. You need to read the first book to enjoy this book, if you haven’t read it yet, you really should because it’s fantastic.

This book is about the Priestess and Priests of Zeal becoming Initiates. They are now onto their secondary education where they learn about the Paths they’ve been placed upon by Zeal. As Nariana has been gifted the Path of Temptation, or all five Paths, she has to find her own Path to navigate and Zeal isn’t helping her choose how to walk it. She asked for free will, so he gave it to her as his Chosen.

One of the things I really like about this series is that it’s not just about Nariana, it’s about all of those Zeal has touched and who can see him. There are multiple points of view in this book and I enjoyed all of them. Each of the characters has importance to this story. They all see things slightly differently and support each other in different ways. The story is a web with strands connecting each person to each other, though that metaphor is far too static for the journey they must all take together.

In this book, we watch as these young people learn about sexuality and other temptations. They start to learn who they really are and what their desires are like. They have formal lessons but learn as much from each other as they do from their teachers. They also have the help of advice from their mentors and, of course, their god. They make new friends and take new lovers. They gain allies for themselves and Zeal. They use friendship and kindness as well as lust to tempt.

I love the winding path this story is taking. This author always allows space for her characters to breathe and think. This is actually quite a contemplative book about sexuality and power. There is plenty of explicitly sexy scenes that will leave you squirming, but there is also plenty of thought-provoking discussions about accepting yourself and your desires. It also makes you think about the nature of power and how easy or hard it is to grab onto and once you have it what you choose to do with it.

This contrast between scenes hot enough to make you blush and cerebral scenes that make your mind whirl is how the author keeps you slightly off-kilter, wondering what is coming next and driving you to keep turning the pages to find out. Thrown into that interesting blender of physicality and intellect is the character development, as we watch these young people grow up. We also watch their mentors, people in their late 30s and 40s mature and start to move towards new stages in their lives. The mentors know a lot about their subjects and are more than capable of guiding their students, but they still have more to learn about life and have Zeal to guide them.

I know this book will be like all other Auryn Hadley books and every time I read it I will find something new and interesting that I missed before. It’s one of the reasons I don’t mind reading each book as it comes out. I re-read all the previous books each time there is a release and get something new each time. It’s also why I don’t mind buying the books even though they are in Kindle Unlimited. I know I will read them time and time again, which for me is the mark of a 5 ⭐️ book, and I want to make sure they are always in my library.

July feels a long way off, to wait for the next book, but as Zeal might tell you, anticipation makes things sweeter.

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Review: Not Quite Free (Not Quite Series Book 5) by Kaye Draper

Not Quite Free by Kaye Draper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So Much Emotion

I left a big gap between reading Book 4 of this series and reading this book, and I can’t think why, because it’s a wonderful series. I think I got distracted with a big series re-read because I was feeling depressed (it always cheers me up to read something familiar) and when I finished the big series this book had moved down my kindle somewhat and it got hidden. I’m so glad I dug it out today and dove back into Sam’s world.

Sam has been named Viceroy of his town by the Sovereign, the phoenix, Theo. Sam is still trying to keep their mates safe by staying away from them, but they are slowly unravelling towards becoming feral, like all mated shifters who stay away from their mates. Sam believe that as they are a cur, only half a shifter, they won’t be as severely affected but everyone else is not so sure.

Angel decides to save Sam from themself, by interfering in the estrangement, and as always he pays the price for his devotion to Sam.

This book in the series is full of revelations about people’s feelings. Sam isn’t the only one hiding their feelings and scared to admit what’s going on, mainly because of Sam’s reactions, because they are so broken by the way they were raised and society hasn’t helped since leaving the shifter community behind, in order to protect themself.

Though there is still quite a lot of action in this book, there is even more emotion and there was a definite lump in my throat in several sections. Sam and their mates are so badly hurt by society and I just want to give them all a big hug. They are all so unsure of their own worth.

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Review: Collide (Shades of Trouble Series Book 1) by Kitty Cox

Collide by Kitty Cox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful Hopeful Messy Romance

Warning: This book contains references to self-harm, eating disorders, grooming for child abuse and violence. If any of these subjects cause painful emotions, you may want to avoid the book, though all subjects are handled with tact and understanding.

I knew I was going to like this book because I like the way Kitty Cox looks at the world. She’s optimistic with a side order of realism and a hint of despair. This is the first in a four-book series and I devoured it in one chunk, staying awake until 6 am because I couldn’t stop reading it. It was all the things I hoped it would be, beautiful, hopeful, messy, real and painful. It’s a wonderful start to the series and I can only hope that the rest of the series lives up to it’s introduction.

Violet’s beloved grandmother has died, leaving her legacy to her brilliant and determined granddaughter. Violet was raised from the age of 12/13 by her grandmother when her mother just left her there. It could have gone horribly wrong, but Violet’s grandmother was gifted with wayward teens and ran a centre for convicted teenagers, who committed crimes that could be seen as justified, such as stealing to feed a younger sibling, or defending someone physically which lead to assault charges. The centre did equine therapy, lead by Bea, Violet’s grandmother’s girlfriend.

Despite the love and care that Violet received she was still a troubled teen, but when she left the area she took with her friends that would last forever. She went into modelling with her best friend Ashton and they started a lingerie business together, with Ash designing and Violet modelling. When Violet and Ashton return to the the small community they are met with distaste and threats when they start to work towards opening the centre again. However, these two bright and strong personalities don’t care what people think of them and they have the support of their friends who were helped by the centre. They also get the help of Luke who has a 12-year-old daughter. He has a very low paid job and lives hand to mouth so his daughter doesn’t go without.

When Cy joins the staff as a psychiatrist for the young people who will hopefully be coming through the centre the four people connect in a way that they never saw coming.

This book may be considered part of the reverse harem genre but in reality it is a book about a polyamorous group of people. These four are strong, but flawed people, who have experience of life and think they know who they are, but are still accepting of their ability to change.

I love the way the group relate to Luke’s daughter, Faith. They all see her beauty and want her to flourish and do their utmost to make it happen. I love no matter what, Faith came first with all of them. Faith was written in a believable and relatable way and she had an important role in the book. She was the girl that Violet could have been if she had a parent who cared about her. She was the reason that Luke was stuck in a dead-end job supporting a woman he never loved, but she was also the reason he didn’t care. Through Cy’s eyes we see her beautiful spirit, intelligence and compassion and she gives Ash someone to protect.

All together they make up a crazy and unacceptable family, in small-town America. They are distrusted and verbally abused by the community in which they live and they fight because they know that what they have could be amazing, if only they can work through all the messy and painful problems that being in a polyamorous relationship can bring.

I can’t wait to see what the next book brings because as well as the relationship aspect of this book, there is a deeper and more sinister story being told. We leave this book on a bit of a cliffhanger and we have to wait until June for the next book in the series. I can’t wait and know I’ll re-read this book before starting the next one, because it’s such a fantastic and emotional rollercoaster of a story, with so many layers I know I’ll be unpicking them even after several read-throughs.

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Review: Destiny Realised (Destiny Series Book 3) by CJ Cooke

Destiny Realised by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An End To This Chapter

This is the final book in this series, but there are more books set in this world involving other characters. There is a HEA for these characters, but maybe not for all the characters involved in the series.

This book is by far the longest in the series and it has a lot of meat to it. This story covers Aria’s trek through Asgard to force Odin to open the gates so the Valkyrie army can take on the demons that are threatening the magical realm. This is not an easy task because Odin seems to have lost touch with reality since he closed the gates.

I love this part of the story as we find out all about Aria’s parentage and her magic. I must admit I never saw it coming about who her father is! We also see her mates become stronger and more tightly bound with her and each other.

There were some mighty plot twists in this book, that kept me guessing which only made me want to keep reading. There are battles, large and small, and Aria and her mates grow in strength as they overcome each obstacle.

Despite all the battles and the tearing around all over the place, there is still time for passion, love and affection. There are some pretty spicy scenes in this book, which includes some MM and MMFMM action.

I’m glad that this world will continue because so many of the supporting characters are really interesting and seem to have really fascinating stories to tell of their own. There are also some plot holes that need to be filled with future books. ***Where DID the angels all go?***

I will definitely be reading the next book about this world.

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Review: The Price We Pay (The Path of Temptation Series Book 1) by Auryn Hadley

The Price We Pay by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic Introduction To A World Of Gods

This book was fantastic from the first page. I’ve been really excited about this book from the first time we got a teaser of the first chapter on the author’s Facebook Group a few months ago and the rest of the book did not disappoint, rather it exceeded my expectations.

This is a story of a small girl, Nariana, who taken to the temple on the one day of the year a child can be surrendered for service to the gods in exchange for a gold mark. It’s a day when families can save their starving children by giving one to the gods to make what they have go further and with the extra money feed the rest of the family through the winter.

Claimed by Zeal, the God of Temptation, Nariana is introduced to a world filled with his priests and priestesses. She is educated and loved by her mentor and her guardian who form a little family inside a greater one.

This book is really about Nari’s education from the time she enters the temple, and the people she meets throughout that time. The alliances and enmities she makes during her education help shape who she is and her devotion to Zeal. Her education also teaches us about the world in which the series is set. As a child, Nari is taught about the world as well as her role within it in a way that is clearly laid out for us. At the same time as we are being entertained by the plot, we are learning about Nariana’s world and her place within it.

This is a complicated fantasy world, filled with gods and magic and the science and fashion of the Victorian era. It’s a decadent dive into passion, rage and the temptation of greed.

This is a reverse harem story and there is plenty of passion as the children grow into adults. As older teens there is fooling around but no actual sex until they are around 19-20 years old. The sex scenes that are included are very well written, tender and still fan-your-face hot. The relationships are not just about passion but about friendship, love, acceptance and a shared path.

I loved all the characters, who are wonderfully well rounded and flawed in a believable and consistent way. There are some different points of view during the book, but it is mainly from Nariana’s POV. The alternate POVs are enlightening both in terms of plot and allowing us to see things in a different way.

The book doesn’t finish on a cliff hanger, but a natural break. I was still gripped with a fierce desire to know what comes next because the plot is wonderfully compelling. Once you start reading this story you won’t be able to stop. Thankfully the whole series is already written, I just have to wait for each book to be published on the due dates. It’s nice to have things to look forward to and know that your expectations will be met!

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Series Review: The Draga Court Series by Emma Dean

Sometimes when life isn't going the way you want it to, and life at the moment is very unpredictable, it's comforting to read books you've enjoyed before because you know you aren't going to be disappointed. When I re-read books I don't post about them on the blog unless I've not reviewed them before. However, after re-reading The Draga Court Series by Emma Dean I decided to try something a bit different. When I re-read a series I'll do a summary post with links to the individual book reviews I've written. On a purely selfish note, it makes it easier for me to post recommendations for the complete series to the various Facebook groups I belong to.

Book 1: Princess of Draga by Emma Dean

4 out of 5 Stars

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Book 2: Crown of Draga by Emma Dean

5 out of 5 Stars

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Book 3: Jasmine of Draga by Emma Dean

5 out of 5 Stars

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Book 4: Heir of Draga by Emma Dean

5 out of 5 Stars

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Book 5: Queen of Draga by Emma Dean

5 out of 5 Stars

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Book 6: Fate of Draga by Emma Dean

5 out of 5 Stars

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I hope you like the new format, and if you think of anything I should include on the summary page, please let me know.

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Review: Solstice (Naked Truth Series Book 3) by Candi Fox

Solstice by Candi Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Letting People In

The last book left us on a doozy of an emotional cliffhanger, and this book takes a surprising twist with Harley finally being able to give in to her crush on her contact with the police, with the blessing of his wife. This is a difficult subject for some people who may not understand how polyamory can work for people in established relationships as time changes them and they decide to alter how their relationship looks.

During the course of this book, we see more of Freya becoming involved in Harley’s life and we discover more about her powers. In fact, her powers seem to be developing more quickly than she thought was possible and she has to reach out to others to learn how to use them. She also learns to start letting people into her life in a more than superficial way, which has a direct impact on her friendships as well as her relationships.

I like how this series handles polyamory and the various levels of emotional connection Harley has with the people in her life. There are people she is friends with, those she has sex with, those who are both and those she has a romantic and emotional connection with. All the people she is involved with are involved with other people too and it’s all out in the open and discussed to ensure no one gets hurt.

There are a few confusing moments in this book, as there were in the previous ones, where things get raised and then sort of abandoned or forgotten about, or half tied off without more explanation. I don’t know if they’ll be raised again in future books but it’s a little frustrating at times. But there is also lots to enjoy, with Harley’s caseload and her romantic endeavours mingling together to produce something interesting and sensual.

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Review: Witch's Transformation (The Naked Truth Series Book 2) by Candi Fox

Witch's Transformation by Candi Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Plot Thickens

In this book, we see a smooth continuation of the previous one as Harley starts a new case after finding an email from a potential client who wants a ‘magic stick’. She finds out her client is transgender and wants something more than the usual surgical options for a transgender man. Fascinated by the concept Harley dives in by taking a drive up to Dallas to meet with the young man.

In Dallas, things get a bit tricky when the diner they meet in gets blown up. This is not the end of the attempts on her life. Supported by Lt Meyers, her contact with police and his new witch employee, she tries to keep under the radar whilst still working her case and trying to find out who wants her dead.

In this book, we find out more about the world in which the book is set and it becomes more and more interesting. We also find out a little bit more about why Niccolo might be interested in Harley, apart from wanting her in his bed. We find out a lot more about Harley’s magic and see why she is a bit different from other magic workers.

There is plenty of hot sex scenes in this book and I really like how polyamory is worked in this book. It could be labelled a Reverse Harem book, but it isn’t really. It’s more about a witch who is sexually self-aware, knows what she wants, is open and honest with her partners and uses sex to heal herself!

The cliffhanger on this book is a bit of a doozy, but it’s more of an emotional one than a perilous one.

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Review: Harlequin's Deception (The Naked Truth Series Book 1) by Candi Fox

Harlequin's Deception by Candi Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting World Building

I’d probably give this book 3.5 ⭐️ if I could.

Harley is a powerful generational witch (one who inherits their powers), who gained strength when the shift happened 10 years ago and magic surged into the world. Paranormals finally got rights in the US 2 years ago. Harley has a successful paranormal consulting business and often consults with the police.

She is called in to consult on the report of a gargoyle attack and heads out, where she finds that all is not what it seems. She gets sucked into the sphere of Niccolo an ancient and powerful vampire who has plans for the powerful witch that don’t all include the bedroom. Niccolo introduces her to Aiden, a jester who is someone who's laughter can incapacitate, who is his hitman, but Harley is strangely drawn to the young man.

As well as dealing with these two new men in her life, she also has her Cowboy, her friends with benefits, who likes to dominate her. Cowboy is a werewolf and is not happy about the vampire showing such an interest in someone he wants as his.

There was a lot to like in this book. The world-building was interesting if a little fuzzy around the edges. The characters were strong if lacking a little depth and the plot was intriguing. However, the style of writing was a little choppy. Things didn’t seamlessly lead into each other and they changed direction quite abruptly which sometimes meant you had to think a little harder about what was going on.

This is the first book in the series and I think some of the gaps in character building and the world structure may be filled in with future books, but I can’t say that for certain.

There is a cliffhanger because this is an ongoing series of events and the original ‘case’ is not solved. The next book in the series is already out, so at least I won’t have to wait to find out what happens next.

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Review: Chaos (The Library of The Profane Series Book 1) by JB Trepagnier

Chaos by J.B. Trepagnier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Funny and Intelligent RH

Ripley is a witch, a pretty powerful one. She’s also the librarian at The Library of The Profane, the place where all the books about the supernatural are kept. She had to fight for her life to get the job, and she loves it. She’s not a typical librarian with her leather clothes and healthy sex-positive attitude, but when they have a werewolf erotica section in your library then you have to expect your librarian to be a bit open-minded.

Ripley is minding her own business, hanging with her familiar Felix when a hedge witch requests some help with some necromancy. She helps raise the corpse only to find it’s actually the physical embodiment of the god of Chaos, who is not only gorgeous but expects Ripley to become his wife. Someone wants Chaos returned to Earth for nefarious purposes and neither he nor Ripley are inclined to help them. The Library itself also seems to be helping out by drawing together a team of gorgeous supernaturals who happen to be excellent at problem-solving, to give them a hand.

There is some pretty juvenile humour in this book, but it’s also pretty funny. I love the banter between the main characters and there is also some real tenderness there too, with genuine affection. There are lots of references to sex, but not masses of actual sex scenes. The plot is more important, as is building the relationships and the tension between the characters.

The world-building is really interesting and I love how the magic systems were slowly revealed throughout the book. There is still a lot we don’t know about the world in which the Library is situated, but are getting to slowly know the characters within its walls.

I really enjoyed this book and it has lots of potential to form the basis of a good solid anchor book to start this series. I can’t wait to see how the author builds on what she has written here.

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Review: Damaged Dreams (The Council Series Book 1) by Kris Butler

Damaged Dreams by Kris Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emotions Based New Adult Reverse Harem

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

Sariah has been in hiding for the last 5 years. When she was 15 she was on the cusp of great success, heading for the Olympics, at a rapid pace with her next-door neighbour, Henry, as her Pairs Ice Dancing partner and and who she hoped was about to become her boyfriend. Then everything changed in the space of 24 hours. She was suddenly on the run with her parents after hearing she was adopted and her parents weren’t who she thought they were. When deciding to run for it they were forced off the road into an accident in which she barely escaped with her life and lost both parents.

Now known as Sawyer Sullivan, she is ready to follow up on finding out who she really is and she is heading for a new job as an Instructor at TAS, the Elite Winter Sports Academy where her parents told her it all began. Due to her new name she was placed in a shared house with male instructors and decides to stay after being told there were very limited options for alternative housing. This is the set up for meeting all the men.

This is a good-sized book and the author spends a lot of time building up the characters. We get to know Sawyer quite well through her own and other’s eyes. There are multiple POV in this book, which helps us get to know the other characters, and not just from Sawyer’s point of view, but from others in the house.

At the end of the book, in the ‘About The Author’ section Kris Butler confirms that she has worked in the mental health field and this book definitely shows that background. The characters are well rounded, with many hidden depths. I like that the male characters have a well developed history with each other and their interactions are as important as those with Sawyer. There are quite a few heated scenes which include MM as well as MFM interactions. The MM interactions are not just physical but also romantic.

Because of the slow build-up of the characters, the creation of the RH situation is believable and sweet as well as hot. I also like that not everyone is automatically included in the RH. The relationships that Sawyer has with each man in the house is very different and they build at different rates. The mystery aspect of the story is put on hold in the middle of the book as we get to know all the characters. There is also some bullying, but it isn’t a focus of the story, and it doesn’t seem to bother Sawyer that much.

I like that though this is set at an academy, the characters are instructors rather than students. I have grown a bit weary of 17 year olds having the sex life of a very adventurous and experienced 30 year old. I know that academies are convenient for placing a group of disparate people together in an enclosed environment but I’ve read sooooo many of these stories that I’ve grown bored of the trope. This twist somehow magically makes it all a bit better. I think because they are adults and are free to do what they want without being bound by ‘academy rules’.

Some people might find this a little slow in places, but for people who enjoy the psychological aspect of the building of a harem, this is a great read and I can’t wait to read the next book when it comes out.

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