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Cruising Right into Love
Cruising Right into Love
JP Sayle | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved this, cannot fault it!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Sometimes, Ms Sayle writes incredibly dark tales, sometimes they are just plain weird (fingerlings, come to mind) and then there are these kinda books: just a beautifully told tale of two men doing something about the attraction between them, and letting it all happen, while on a cruise.

I loved this book, I cannot fault it!

Victor comes to Sweet Haven to recover and heal after breaking up with his abusive partner. That last scene with them two together is the start of this book. It was not easy reading, what he did to Vic, but I think it was needed to get the full horro of what he had suffered. Very well written, but hard reading. Getting a job with Leeson and Garrett (from the book Sweet Haven, I had to look!) gives him time to heal. It helps that Denton is easy on the eye, but taken. Then Denton isn't and then they are sharing a room on the cruise, and all bets are off!

What I loved about this most, was that, apart from that first chapter, and some reference to Vic's history, there is very little about that history. Sometimes, reliving past trauma takes up a lot of book, but it's been 2 years and Vic is far more confident now about a lot of things. And it shows when dealing with Mr Polished who takes a shine to Denton on the crusie and Vic is "he's MINE"!

I loved that while Denton was spoken for, nothing happened between them. I loved that Denton's ex is Vic friend, but they were able to get past the breakup and still be friends. I loved how fast things moved for these two. But it's been two years that they have lusted over each other, so things were not going to go at a snail's pace!

It's steamy and smexy. It's emotional and it's fun. It's beauitfully written and delivered. I cannot fault it!

I loved it, so bloody much, so it can only get:

5 full and shiny stars!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Magic Always Sings (Magic Series #2)
Magic Always Sings (Magic Series #2)
Erin M. Leaf | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved what the magic did!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I wrote in a review for the first book I read of this author: First I've read of this author, I'd like to read a longer book, with more to get my teeth into. And this book delivers, big time!

This is the second book in the Magic Sings series, and I have not read book one, Magic Never Lies. I didn't feel I was missing anything, and I will go back, at some point, and read that book. Not because I need to, but because I want to.

Rowan is a rock star who cannot write songs, hasn't for some time. He NEEDS to, or he will be in trouble. Having someone else's songs shoved at him, and his magic goes haywire. Rowan loves these songs. Meeting Jesse sends him into a tailspin: he knows Jesse but can't recall from when. Once the penny drops, Rowan goes all out to settle his magic. But Rowan isn't out, and doesn't want to come out, not yet. Can they make this work?

What this is, right, is a wonderful tale of being true to yourself. Jesse has loved Rowan for a long time, and he will take him anyway he can get him, but Jesse knows Rowan is not being true to himself, regardless of what he said all those years ago. It's quite difficult reading, when Rowan tells Jesse why he won't come out, but the magic inside Rowan will not be denied.

I loved the magic thing, I really did. It just is, you know? You don't need a long winded explanation about it. Some people have it, and some don't, and I loved what the magic did to them both. Makes them kinda face their feelings, really!

I didn't think it overly explicit, but I liked that here, for these two. It's more about admitting your feelings, and letting them all out. Fairly low on the angst scale too.

A thoroughly enjoyable longer book by this author, and my to-read list is somewhat longer now too!

4 very VERY good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Witch's Knight (The Bloodline Chronicles, #1)
Witch's Knight (The Bloodline Chronicles, #1)
Evelyn Silver | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
quite dark in places, but I do think it is needed!
Independent reviewer for archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Here's the thing, right? I DNF'ed this book, 2 years ago, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why!

I really REALLY liked this book! It starts off with a zombie mouse, and then runs away with itself!

Sarai is a witch, with dual power. She is in hiding from her father. When vigilanties hunting both vampire and witch find her, she is saved by a vampire. Marcelle is second in command to the vampire king, Setanta. Who wants to use Sarai to form an alliance to fight said vigilanties.

This is wonderfully written, starting off fast and furious and not letting up. Mostly from Sarai's point of view, with Marcelle having the other voice, it really was a great read. It is quite dark in some places, with a slightly deranged witch doing despicable things to Marcelle that is on page, but I do feel that it is needed.

The smexy times between Marcelle and Sarai are not explicit, but they are steamy.

But the thing is: I can't see where this is going, nor how it's going to end. And it's frustrating! Sarai and Marcelle have a relationship here, and Marcelle (along with most vampires, if not all) are NOT monogamous, but the relationship between Marcelle and Setanta takes a back seat to Sarai and Marcelle. I think I would have liked a bit more of Setanta, either as a voice or with Marcelle. He's an interesting character! So, I've no idea if Sarai will end up with Marcelle, or someone else, or no one, because her father might get her!

So, the book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, with Sarai being confined to the vampire stronghold. Not quite a kindle-throwing cliff hanger but nearly!

I have book 2, Midnight Fear to read next, which is the conclusion of this storyline.

4 very VERY good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Little & Lethal (Little Paws Haven #2)
Little & Lethal (Little Paws Haven #2)
JP Sayle, Layla Dorine | 2024 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loved that Cosmo pushed, just to get punished.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Little Paws Haven series. I don't think it totally necessary to have read book one, Little Treasure He Hides, before this one. I loved that book.

And while I really enjoyed this one, I found this one a bit...disconnected.

Oh don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, I just found some bits went off and I lost my concentration.

Nomad and Harley have been mated for 20 years. Harley, though, is certain they should have a third. Meeting Cosmo, and all three of them knew they were mates but Cosmo was not letting them have it easy. Getting up close and personal with another Dom in the club, just to rile Nomad and Harley up. But Cosmo is more than a Little. He is deadly. And not incapable of looking after himself. Nomad and Harley need to get with the programme. Cosmo also needs to get with it, but he struggles. Having only himself to rely on for so long, it takes him time to let Nomad and Harley in.

I liked that all three men have a say. I loved that Cosmo gave the other two a run for their money. I loved that Cosmo, once settled into the relationship, pushed all the boundaries and then some, JUST so he could take the punishment.

I found the issue with The Council a bit confusing as to what was really going on, so reading about those bits, I kinda switched off. It all comes clear, I just took twice as long to get it!

Gabai and Asher from book one take part, but you don't need to have read their book to follow this one. The next book is laid here, well, I mean I hope it is! Looking forward to reading about hippos!

I liked this well enough, but something didn't quite click for me.

4 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
An Unrivaled Off Season (Hockey Ever After #3.5)
An Unrivaled Off Season (Hockey Ever After #3.5)
Morgan James, Ashlyn Kane | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
perfect for these two!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.


This is book 3.5 in the Hockey Ever After series, and you MUST read book 3, Unrivaled, before you read this one. This is a continuation of Max and Grady's story. The other books are not necessary though, but they are all 4 and 5 star reads.


What this is, is an immediate pick up from Unrivaled and the summer that Max and Grady spent at Max's home in New Bruinswick. (I have no clue where that is, in relation to Florida or California, but I know its north and colder that those two places!)


Both men are wanting to ask THE QUESTION, but neither man can figure out how best to do it and what follows is a wonderful 100 odd pages of them getting up the courage and spitting the darn question out. But things keep happening and the question comes, finally, at the most perfect time!


These guys love each other, and they make no bones about it! I loved that the smexy times is again fade to grey, maybe even to black, but hey! I don't care! Yes I usually like the smexier times, but I'm big enough and ugly enough to admit that it's not always necessary and these guys do fade to grey perfectly!


I loved the way these two integrated into each others lives, homes, and hearts. They are quite devious in gettting what they want, and I loved that neither one really realsied what the other was doing!


It's got laugh out loud moments (or in my case, a croak cos I have a raging sore throat!) It's got so much love. It's got guys from book 1, Gabe and Dante, playing a huge part. It's got some emotional bits, mostly when Max and Grady are having the internal conversations with themselves about asking the question, but it's not heavy. It's a lighthearted read and it was the perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday morning.


I don't ususally give such short reads 5 stars, since I almost ALWAY want more, but this one??


5 full and shiny stars!


*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
A Thousand Glittering Lights
A Thousand Glittering Lights
Jennie Lynn Roberts | 2024 | Contemporary, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
absolutely stunning book!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Jennie Lynn Roberts has become a firm favourite, her first book blew me away and I'm still struggling to catch my breath! But those books were fantasy/paranormal, and this is a contemporary romance and I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about this book.

I need not have worried! I loved this book, massively!

It has some many layers and subplots, or at least I thought they were subplots, until everything start to merge together and things become much MUCH clearer! I wasn't confused, not really, just at times I felt I was reading those subplots as multiple books. Once things started to come together, however, those subplots made much more sense.

I loved how I just let myelf fall into this, along with those plots, and didn't really try to figure it out as I went. I usually do, trying to put 2 and 2 together to get 4, but for some reason, I let myself flow with the book. And I am so glad I did, because I didn't see it taking that route! Ok, so maybe I did try, but only a little.

I loved that we heard not just from Ellie, but alos from the male MC and some others. I wasn't WHY we were hearing from them, as I was reading, but I have to say, they were absolutely needed for those plots to come together. Roberts NAILED how Victoria (Ellie's best friend) was dealing with things, she absolutely did.

I can't go too much into what I loved most about this book, for spoilers, but know this: I loved this book and the way it went! I cried a lot, and cheered a lot. It's deeply emotional, not just for Ellie, but for out male MC. Because :

All he knows is darkness… and Ellie.

And never has there been a more perfect tag line!

I can't fault this book, I really can't. I'd love to be able to give it more, but I can't so...

5 full and glittering stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Nightcrawler (Trackers #1)
Nightcrawler (Trackers #1)
Patricia Logan | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I liked the steam level was perfect for these two!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Miguel and raven find themselves crossing paths when Raven "steals" Miguel's bounty. Miguel is angry at him for that, but it doesn't stop him saving the man's life at another job. Raven calls to his soul.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book, to be honest. It didn't really push my buttons but there were bits I liked.

I liked that both Raven and Miguel had a say, in the first person. Each change is clearly headed. But doesn't always come at the chapter change. Didn't bother me either way, but some might not like that, so needs mentioning.

I liked the steam level. Granted, it goes without saying I would have liked more steam but I'm not holding that against this book. I liked that the level was perfect for Miguel and Raven, given how Raven was injured early in the book!

I liked, to a point, the Nightcrawler reviews. They were funny, but I didn't read them all. Not sure why, but I skipped them after about half way through. I didn't really see what they added to the story, to be honest.

I LOVED the supporting cast. Miguel's mentor/friends were great, and add in their wider circle who came to help him with that last bounty, and my interest was well and truely piqued. I'm not sure if these guys have stories somewhere, but if they do, I wanna read them!

One last thing, I would have liked some closure on the boob heist 🙂 I'm not sure if I missed what happened to the porn star and her boyfriend, or we didn't find out, but I would have liked to have known what happened to them!

A quick look on shows me I've read a couple of Logan books and they weren't doing anything for me. This one, though, I think is one of the better ones.

3.5 stars but rounded up for the blog to 4 stars.

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Feisty Omega (Leongatha Pack Origins)
The Feisty Omega (Leongatha Pack Origins)
R, Gaen | 2024 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I got to know Talius a bit better!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, Iwas gifted my copy of this book.

This is an Origins book, it comes before The Sad Omega. I am reading this book after that one. I said in my review for that book, that I didn't much like Talius. NOW I understand why he was the way he was in that book! SO, I think you really should read this book BEFORE The Sad Omega. It might give you a better view of Talius when you first meet him.

Omegas and Alphas cannot mate in this world until they are 22, or 19 with a special license. Talius meets Irian first just before his 17th birthday, he was still 16. But both are drawn to each other in a way they never were to anyone before. They get to known each other over several Christmases, until Irian's mother does something unthinkable: she gets that special license and Irian will have no choice but to mate the alpha chosen by her. And that is NOT Talius.

I really did like young Talius, and how he steps slowly around the young Irian, and how they get to know each other over time. That getting to know you bit was what I missed somewhat in The Sad Omega, I think. We don't get it, as they are already mated and bonded and happy in their pack.

I did not like Irian's mother but that also explains why she is absent from his life in future books.

Both men get a say and I loved getting into their heads as they come across each other for the first time, and at the end, when it all goes down! I did not see that going down as it did, but now I feel for Marius, the alpha that Irian was supposed to mate with, and I want to know if HE gets his HEA too.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Talius and Irian better, but more so Talius. I can see him differently now.

I hope to be able to read more of this pack, in the future.

4 very good stars

* same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Kiss Me Honey Honey (To Love a Psycho #2)
Kiss Me Honey Honey (To Love a Psycho #2)
C.F. White | 2025
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved watching them at least try a little to deny themselves
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the To Love a Psycho trilogy and you must must MUST read book one, Dream a Litte Dream before this one. There is a lot in there to unpack here and if you haven't read it, much will not make any sense.

After the events of last year, Kenny and Aaron are spiraling, both of them. They need each other, but cannot be together, not until Aaron is ready to ruin Kenny, his words. But there is a murderer in town, and they are getting close to their goal. Whoever it is, might just kill them both.

Ok so! I'm gonna be super SUPER vague here, and super short, because if I give myself free rein, I'll spoil things for someone else and I don't want to do that!

There was a BLINDER of a plot twist here, and until it was fully revealed, I wasn't able to put all the pieces together so I was kinda blindsided and I bloody loved being knocked off my axis!!

Kenny and Aaron are navigating how not to be together but are still drawn to each other at every turn. I loved watching them at least try a little to deny themselves, Kenny more so that Aaron.

The point I loved the most in this book, apart from the plot twist, was the moment that Kenny finally gives Aaron what he wants: a kiss. Kenny is a complicated fella! But letting Aaron in, finally, was a bit of a profound moment, and I had to stop a little bit to regroup.

I have no idea what's going to happen in book 3, I have a sneaking suspicion it will relate to the previously mentioned plot twist! The HEA I'm waiting on, the L-word usage better come in book 3, it really had!!

I cannot fault these books, they are dark and deadly, but so engrossing, I stayed up til 3 am reading this one!!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere