Search

Search only in certain items:

Claiming His Cowgirl (Crawley Creek #3)
Claiming His Cowgirl (Crawley Creek #3)
Lori King | 2015 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The third in the series concentrates on second chances, which I love. Vin made a decision twenty years ago that he has regretted ever since. Now he has a chance to put it right, and maybe get his very own HEA.

This series is a like a warm blanket you pull over to snuggle down. The characters are familiar and the new ones quickly become favourites. The humour and love are rampant and are the mainstay of the book, which makes it wonderful for a sappy romantic like myself.

I loved how Lori intertwined the new and old storylines, bringing about a hot and steamy romance, whilst getting updates on stories already told, preparing for new stories and don't forget, battling Mother Nature.

With some definite smokin' scenes, this is guaranteed to warm you up. Definitely recommended.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 15, 2015
  
Shifter Woods: Growl (Esposito County Shifters #3)
Shifter Woods: Growl (Esposito County Shifters #3)
Nicola M. Cameron | 2022 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
SHIFTER WOODS: GROWL is the third book in the Esposito County Shifters series, and features Denise (cougar) and Marco (tiger). There is also the dodgy televangelist and a Venezuelan cartel to contend with.

This fast-paced novella doesn't give you much background on our main characters, but what you do get is enough. It is also told in a way that makes it interesting and natural, not just an info-dump. What you do get is a thrilling account of good against bad, of love and romance, of magic and mayhem.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, devouring it in one sitting. I loved being back in Esposito County and look forward to returning there again. A great story and brilliant addition to the series. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
A Daddy for Christmas: Ever
A Daddy for Christmas: Ever
Wendy Rathbone | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
EVER is the first book in the multi-author A Daddy for Christmas series I have read, and it's sweet and low angst. If that's what you're looking for, you've found it.

Ever is by himself, not knowing who he really is. His last boyfriend made fun of him for liking teddies, so he now tries to hide that part of him. Birch is a daddy who has suffered a painful family loss and isn't interested in being with anyone. Up until he hears Ever's voice, that is.

These two are just so cute - both of them listening and communicating for the most part. I have to admit, my favourite Daddy is the Caretaker Daddy and this was written brilliantly.

A gentle seasonal story that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more in this series. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 14, 2023
  
B(
Buffed (Destinations book 2)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
74 of 230
Kindle
Buffed ( Destinations book 2)
By S.H. Timmins
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

Dante Valdez was the ultimate Bad Boy. Men feared him and women wanted him. A series of events tests his careful control and a forbidden woman tempts his most dominant desires. An undercover assignment threatens to expose more than just what lies beneath his clothes. His perfectly orderly world is thrown into chaos, hilarity ensues, and his friends are there to add in the hijinx. Join him as he shares his story of humiliation, humor, and hope.

While I really enjoyed this book which is Dante’s and lissa’s story it didn’t entertain as much as book 1. There were some funny bits especially the first scene at the strip club with Marco I did really chuckle it didn’t quite live up to Alex and his bent dick 🙈😂.
Saying this I really thought this story was sweet and Dante can take me on a date like that anytime!
I’m looking forward to seeing what Logan can bring to the series next.
  
40x40

Merissa (11961 KP) rated Secretly Mine (Offbeat Shifters #1) in Books

Feb 11, 2021 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)  
Secretly Mine (Offbeat Shifters #1)
Secretly Mine (Offbeat Shifters #1)
Colette Davison | 2021 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
SECRETLY MINE is the first book in the Offbeat Shifters series, and the first thing I want to talk about is how wonderful it is to have two shifters, neither of which are bears or wolves!

Isaac left his job at the London Stock Exchange and is hired by an old college 'friend' as a bodyguard. His first job is to protect up-and-coming pop star, Jesse Steele. He expects a diva, but what he gets is very different.

This is a slow-burn romance with some steamy moments that enhance the overall story. The pacing is smooth, and the world-building and attention to detail are spot-on. I loved the suspense aspect of it, even though I guessed correctly early on who it was.

A great start to a series that I can't wait to continue. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 11, 2021
  
Clausing a Scene (Christmas Falls #6)
Clausing a Scene (Christmas Falls #6)
Casey Cox | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CLAUSING A SCENE is the sixth book in the Christmas Falls series but don't expect to see much of the town!

Brant is Col's best friend. Hig is Col's dad (he was 17 when Col was born.) Both have liked each other for a LONG time and when Col is delayed getting to his dad's, their lust explodes in a shower of purple sparks.

This is one of the steamier stories set in this town, mostly because they hole up in Hig's house and don't want to go anywhere. You hear about the town a couple of times, usually as someone is walking or driving down a road, but that's about it. A couple of characters from other books are also mentioned.

Fast-paced with low angst, this was a great addition to the series and definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 29, 2023
  
40x40

ClareR (5686 KP) rated Ritual of Fire in Books

Sep 24, 2024  
Ritual of Fire
Ritual of Fire
D. V. Bishop | 2023 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I didn’t want to get involved with another series, I’d sworn off them. But here we are, Ritual of Fire is excellent, and I need to hurry up and read book 4 (A Divine Fury) before I read book 5!

I’m addicted to the world of Cesare Aldo and 16th Century Florence with all of its richly described sights, sounds and smells. I love the characters, their relationships (Aldo, Saul the Jewish Doctor, Strocchi and the obnoxious Bindi) - just the whole package!

From the title you can guess that there’s going to be some unpleasant murders this time, and the first death is set up in the same way as that of a renegade monk, Savanola, 40 years previously. Burning.

Aldo had been banished in the last book, but he manages to become embroiled in the mystery (thank goodness!), and Strocchi has to work with him (after a word or two from his wife!).

This series is well worth becoming deeply involved with (ahem…me!). Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
  
Wait - is this the end of Merchant Princes series? But what happens NEXT?! I want MORE! Stross! You can't do this to me!

Anyway, my one and only complaint about this book is that it's been too long since I read the other five, and that isn't Stross' fault. Or maybe it is, in a backwards sense, but only in that it takes longer for him to write than for me to read. If I'd stuck to my guns about not starting any series until it was finished, I'd be fine, but then I'd hardly have anything at all to read, would I? It's just that this particular series is full of intricate plotting and many characters, and I really could have used some sort of serious online reference for this world.

Some plot threads were tied up, and a few new ones were introduced. I'll could understand this book as a resting point for Stross, but not a stopping point! While most series would have lost my interest after six books, this one hasn't. He really is that good.

That said, some of the post-9/11 mania is a little dated, and it is good to be past that. I imagine he's glad to be done writing it, too. I wish our society were completely done with the erosion of civil rights caused by it, too.
  
A Dark and Twisting Path
A Dark and Twisting Path
Julia Buckley | 2018 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Lena’s Path Continues to be Enjoyably Twisty
Lena London and Camilla Graham have just returned from their first joint book tour when Lena gets a call from her friend Allison. Allison has found a dead body on the edge of her property. Lena goes over to be with Allison only to recognize the letter opener sticking out of the victim as one she gave her boyfriend Sam. Who is trying to frame him for murder now?

After the second book in the series, I was anxious to see what would happen to these characters next and how the cliffhanger would be resolved. I’m thrilled to say I was very satisfied with how things developed here, and I am confident that fans of the series will be as well. If you aren’t familiar with the series, it borrows heavily from Gothic stories, so this isn’t a typical cozy plot, but that doesn’t make for a bad story in the slightest. The pages turned all too quickly. I was annoyed by some timeline issues early on, but those were minor overall. Lena is a strong heroine, and the rest of the cast are charming and eccentric. If you haven’t started this series yet, I recommend it; I just don’t recommend you start here. You really need the previous two books to fully appreciate what happens here.
  
A Game of Thrones
A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
4
8.8 (87 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Game of Thrones is one of the biggest success stories in my homeland of Northern Ireland, with many of our locations used in the HBO drama series.

Despite that, and despite knowing various people who are either directly involved (as extras) or peripherally involved (costumers) in the filming of the series, I've never actually seen a single episode of it.

Similarly, I (thought) I hadn't read any of the books in the series until I finally got round to reading this one, and realised not that far into it that, actually, yes, I had read it before - it just didn't really *stick* all that much with me (never a good sign).

Nevertheless, I still made it the entire way through the novel, which is told from a different character's perspective chapter about. As a result (I felt) the book feels somewhat fractured: just as
you're getting used to a particular narrator and their perspective, it's over to someone else ...

If I'm honest, there were also times when I felt like skipping chapters and sections of the book (those dealing with Sansa in particular), with not all the plot threads as gripping as each other.

The acid test of the novel? Would it make me more likely to hunt out and watch the TV series? Sadly, the answer is 'No, not really'.