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The Star (Charleston Condors #1)
The Star (Charleston Condors #1)
Beth Bolden | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved that there is no real drama!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian,I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 1 in the Charleston Condors series, and I will admit that I only read it, because I was offered book 2 via the blog, but said I would read this one too.

I'm glad I did!

I really rather enjoyed this. The thing I loved, and I mean LOVED, the most was: there really isn't much drama in this book!

Oh there is some, don't get me wrong, but it's mostly around Riley's big brother, Aidan, being an overbearing twatwaffle! I get it, to some extent, but Aidan took the "bringing my brother up" thing to the extreme and became . . . difficult. Landry, as Aidan's best friend, was kinda stuck between them, but I loved that Landry stood up for Riley against Aidan, even before Landry was fully aware of his feelings for Riley. But there is no DRAMA, you know? There is not nutty ex, no massive break up/make up, none of that, Just one man falling in love with his best friends little brother, when he thought he was straight, and that little brother acting on his long time crush! And it made for a wonderful read.

My only niggle, and it really is just a very personal, none-US citizen thing. There is a lot of detailed football play. The majority of the terms used, and what they mean, went straight over my head and I mostly glanced over those scenes. I have no clue about what American football entails, or what a play is, or any of those terms, so on that point, I didn't like it.

BUT!

Now I know what to expect, I can brace myself for the second book, The Game. I am aware of the football scenes coming, and I can make peace with them :-)

4 wonderful Stars!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Alexi (Tangled Tentacles #1)
Alexi (Tangled Tentacles #1)
JP Sayle, Lisa Oliver | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved the water cuddles, and the whole tentacle thing!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my coy of this book.

I read a lot, like a LOT of shifter books, and the more obscure the better. So a Kraken was always gonna hit the spot for me! Add in a bear who doesn't like water, a family of brothers who proper take the mickie out of each other, and a whole big mystery of missing shifters, this was a sure-fire hit.

BAR one thing.

Questions! I'm left with a whole gaggle of questions!

And I can voice a couple of them, which for a Sayle book and me? Makes a change!

How old is Alexi? Or indeed Danik? It's clear they are old, comments made attest to that, but it wasn't revealed just HOW old they are.

And just what is it that Todd smirked about, that Alexi should have talked to Danik about, huh?

There are a couple more lurking at the back of my book mind, but I can't dig them out just yet!

BUT!!

Questions aside, I loved this. It's different, so works for me. I loved the easy acceptance of Danik and Alexi's bond with each other, and Alexi's brothers taking Danik in. Loved the water cuddles, and the tentacle thing! It is heavy on the smexy times, but I think they actually fit in well with the overall story line, rather than being chucked in for the sake of it! Loved Alexi's brothers teasing!

I enjoyed the missing shifter plot, and the way it leads into the next book, with Alexi's brother Victor. And there is clearly something going on between another brother and the guys that turned up to help find the other shifters!

Can't wait to read them!

Also, gonna check out Oliver's work, not sure I've read any!

So, because of those pesky questions that Sayle always leaves me with,

4 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Hanging with Daddy (Pride Pet Play 2023)
Hanging with Daddy (Pride Pet Play 2023)
JP Sayle | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
cute and sweet but maybe not for me.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, i was gifted my copy of this book.

I love JP Sayle, you know I do. I've watched the skill this author has grow from the very beginning, and I'm incredibly proud of the work this author continues to produce.

But!

This one I found a little too sweet for me, and I hate that I did.

It's well told, from both Gaines and Austin's point of view. It's the first I've of a koala as a chosen pet for play, and at times, I did find the koala stuff too much. There were koalas in everything, EVERYTHING Gaines did, and it was a bit overpowering.

I loved that both men had an immediate and powerful reaction to the other, and both men, once they started to get to know each other, were fully able to adapt and bend to the others' needs, without sacrificing their own. I liked that Austin gave Gaines time to work things out in his head, before he came to Austin, even if it killed Austin to wait.

I loved that we got to catch up with Terrence and Warner from A Little Christmas, Terrence. It's always great catching up with characters fromprevious reads, even in those that can stand alone from others.

I really liked that, while some things *little* were mentioned in passing, and others were talked about, Gaines doesn't slip far into little-space. He's more a pet-space kinda guy and I did like that. LOVED the descriptions of Gaines climbing Austin like a pole! LOVED them!!

It's steamy and smexy, not overly emotional and there is no real drama, save for Gaines getting his head straight to talk to Austin.

It just didn't really work for me, and I hate that it didn't! I'm sorry, Jayne!

3 good, but not really for me, stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere