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SPOILER ALERT! I'm not in the business of ruining books, so if you haven't read this book yet, turn back now! Author: Lauretta Hignett Series: The Waif in the Wilds Series Book 4 Category: Paranormal Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb I have loved every one of the books in this series so far but the conclusion of 'The Waif in the Wilds' series may be the one exception. Book four drops us into the final days before the Lightbringers come to lay waste to Earth. Dani has grown so much over the series and has finally accepted her feelings for Malik, as fleeting as their relationship may be. Malik and Dani are running out of time to find the last of Malik's siblings but as dire as things are, there is still hope since they are finally working together. That is until Malik is forced back into the Wilds, leaving Dani to fend off a rogue Lightbringer set on conquering her world all alone. In trying to spear Malik the betrayal of his brother, Dani created more of a mess with little options to fix everything in time. Shit is quickly going downhill and Dani is not prepared for what she is up against, as evidenced by the beating she takes from the Lightbringer. To make matters worse, Alaar sacrifices himself to save her and he is sent back to the Wilds as well. "This was my fault. I should have told Malik everything." As annoyed as I was that Dani and Malik never really got time together, the plot only got more convoluted from there. Up next is Dani's 'reunion tour', where every possible loose end is wrapped up and all of Lauretta Hignett's favorite cross-over characters get a nice little spotlight in Dani's bid to save the world. Sucked into a slip after almost dying, Dani rapidly confronts life-threatening attack after attack, barely stumbling through dangerous situations with little to none of the fire that we've come to love from her prickly personality. While I was interested in seeing more of the world from Dani's perspective, it's too much, much too late. Tromping through the different worlds of paranormal creatures didn't add any value to the story but felt like filler as Dani was delayed from her confrontation with Savior the Lightbringer until the last possible minute. The constant blackouts to move time forward or end scenes gave me major 'The Scorch Trials' (Maze Runner, Book Two) vibes and I hated its overuse in that series too. "I'd lived both lives, and I'd barely scratched the surface of what it was to be human. But at least I understood what the Savior didn't. None of us were good or evil. Only our actions were." I had a hard time taking some of the non-construct mental challenges Dani experienced seriously, especially with the over-exaggeration placed on them. She fell into the void for millions of years and became so crazy she ate her own eyes but it wasn't real except for the mental anguish...okay? With Malik missing from most of the story, the lack of dark tension and playful banter between him and Dani were very apparent. Dani was a shell of herself, doubt and fear creeping into her actions whereas she never acted that way before. She was more dumb sweet Chloe than at any other time since she had awakened. Characters that I couldn't care less about got way too much page time whereas Dwayne isn't mentioned until Chapter 15!? Of course, he is the BDE who comes through to save the day but his attitude was sorely missed throughout the beginning of the story. "Why the fuck do you think I'm here, bitch? You think the 'white wings' on the White Winged Child of the Wilds were supposed to be yours?" As always with these big buildup confrontations, the actual battle scene seemed much too simple. In the final fifty pages, Dani returns to Castlemaine and manages to find and kill the last two siblings, defeat the Lightbringer who brought a small army to hold her back, and venture to the Wilds to casually command the rest of the Lightbringers to stop acting up and stay in their own world. It was that easy, just bop them on the nose like naughty puppies and send them home?! 'Savage Daemons' fell flat for me and I’m more than a little crushed. I was prepared to list this as one of my favorite urban paranormal romance series but can't say I would recommend it now. I adored the first three books but the fourth was rushed and had a mismatch of plots that did the whole series and characters a disservice. I'm rounding this book review up to three stars but overall, I wanted more magic, more feisty Dwayne, more grumpy Malik, and more self-assured badass Dani. Tropes and Themes: Urban Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Magic, Demons, Fae. Blurb The battle for the fate of the earth has begun... A Lightbringer has crept into our realm, slithering in before the deadline, with brand-new sinister plans. Chloe must face her past, her deepest fears, and survive a trek through the darkest depths of all the realms to get her true love back. And Dwayne ... well, let's not spoil his story. Although the "King of Chaos" has a nice ring to it.

Author: Devyn Sinclair Series: Clarity Coast Omegaverse Series Book 1 Category: Omegaverse Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb The setup of this Omegaverse story started along the lines of a Hallmark movie trope with a reverse harem twist: a girl hires five hot guys to be her wedding dates so she doesn't have to face her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancé alone. But because this is the Omegaverse, the deception takes on new layers when the men not only find themselves falling for their client but immediately realize she is their omega scent match. Isolde was overwhelmed, emotional with a capital E, and just plain hurt. She has put off dealing with her feelings for a year, running away instead of asking hard questions about her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and what it meant that it came to an abrupt end. She constantly felt unworthy, an emotion that affected all of her decision-making, and really needed someone (or a couple of them) in her corner to fight against her low self-esteem with her. "Hiring a pack of escorts to take me to my sister's wedding and pretending to be my...I don't even know what, for three full weeks, is frankly not high on the list of 'best decisions Isolde Allen has made.'" The men in this reverse harem were solid, independent characters with their own personalities - a hard thing to pull off. I loved each of them for what they brought to their pack and Isolde individually but they melded into a strong unit who only wanted to support the woman they loved. It was clear from the get-go that they were walking a tightrope of easing Isolde into a real relationship with them but they slowly showed her their devotion through their actions. The fated mate storyline leans heavily towards instalove/instalust, however, there was genuine communication and work on their emotional connection even as the physical relationships went from 0 to 100 quickly. "She wasn't a client. She wasn't a job. She was absolutely everything. Isolde Allen was our Omega, and we had three weeks to prove it." Isolde and the pack were the perfect mix of apprehensiveness, attraction, and tension through their fake dating act. There was plenty of angst but with low stakes. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes because of the underlying tension as the story progresses, waiting for the inevitable discovery of someone finding out. I adored the relationship between Isolde, Trinity, and Ocean. Friends for life, they supported each other while also pushing at times when needed. Their rock-solid friendship was inspiring and I dearly hope a good setup for the next books in the series. Now what you really want to know about...the sex was🔥🥵 While being the utmost gentlemen for how they handled her heart, Isolde's men were also dirty, kinky dreams when it came to pleasure. Readers are gifted with a handy kink list of all their preferences, and lucky us, most are brought to life on the page at one point during this story. I've done you a favor and added the list in all its kinky glory, which boxes are you checking off? ☑️Blowjobs ☑️Bondage - rope, metal, hands, miscellaneous ☑️Breath play ☑️Consensual non-consent ☑️Hair pulling ☑️Primal play ☑️Cock warming ☑️Cock swaddling ☑️Pain ☑️Praise ☑️Primal ☑️Somnophilia ☑️Spanking Consent was a huge part of their conversations around kink, I loved that this was so prevalent and consistently brought up when new things were introduced. If every book featured having responsible conversations before engaging perhaps we can normalize it in the real world too. The only true plot point that had me grinding my teeth was how far everyone who claimed to love Isoldes let Beau go in hurting her. Her own sister, Ellie, let him continue to be the best man in her wedding for crying out loud - I don't care if Beau was her fiancé's friend, put your foot down girl! That her family refused to do more to shelter her from Beau's continued harassment made it hard to believe they actually were on Isolde's side. Thankfully, St. James Pack always had her back. Five stars book review all around for 'Endless'! Tropes and Themes: BDSM, Fated Mates, Omegaverse, Fake Dating, Kink, Alpha Male, Reverse Harem, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Why Choose. Blurb What do you do when your sister’s getting married and your ex is the best man? Being dumped sucks. Being dumped after four years and getting kicked out of the house? That sucks more. Sadly, I can’t avoid him forever. Not when he’s the best man in my sister’s wedding. But like hell am I facing him alone. So how can a painfully single Omega get out of this mess? Not a clue, but I’ll tell you what not to do. Ready? Don’t hire a pack of male escorts to take you to the wedding. If you do, you can’t sleep with them. No matter how incredible they smell or how well they treat you. Definitely don’t let them take care of you, and don’t let them show you pleasure you’ve never had before. And you absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, fall in love with them. They’re not yours. Because when everything is said and done, this is just pretend… right?

Author: Brianna Labuskes Series: Raisa Susanto Series Book 1 Category: Thriller Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Goodreads Blurb 'The Lies You Wrote' was action-packed and beautifully paced to keep the action coming while causing the reader to continuously second-guess assumptions. The suspense is drawn out but completely engaging and I felt the ever-rising tension like I was in the small town personally trying to wrap my head around each revelation. Raisa has always felt the need to prove her worth despite being an accomplished, if still new-ish, FBI agent focusing on forensic linguistics. She was methodical, headstrong, and thorough, working through the case bit by bit to put pieces of the puzzle together. As a bit of an outsider compared to other agents who are based in one region, Raisa clings to another outsider Callum Kilkenny as someone she can partner up with when she desperately wants to find comradery. "She'd never been one for vulnerability. But that was how to get people to connect with you, and she liked the idea of Kilkenny as an ally. Another cold calculation." Callum has three-foot walls built around himself after a case that went wrong irrevocably changed his life forever. He is exacting and reserved but has an obvious soft stop for Raisa even if he doesn't share her need for connecting with people. He is intelligent but rigid in his intellect, unable or unwilling to make common jumps in logic that ultimately hold him back from truths. Even though they work independently, they have a great working relationship and an easy banter only well-crafted authors can pull off. Brianna Labuskes effortlessly drips out clues while our main characters spin back and forth trying to understand what is important or not. "But every time we engage with words, we make choices. It was a choice to try and give nothing away." This isn't a spoilers book review so I won't go much into the storyline aside from what I've said already. I did make a couple of random notes in anticipation of this review that I'll share, solely for my own entertainment, and maybe yours. I've read a couple of thriller or suspense books with podcasters as a plot point. This book's portrayal was probably the most accurate between investigators being annoyed at the distraction but also using them to their advantage. I took a linguistics class back in college and I do NOT remember it being as interesting as it was in this book. Maybe I should try to find that old textbook.... Why does it feel like the two randomly paired FBI non-partners are the ones doing all the investigating while the rest of the FBI crew is sitting at past crime scenes? Considering Washington State was home to more than a few prolific serial killers, small-town 'Everly', Washington was a great setting for this thriller. "Even as dusty and broken-down as it looked, her car was a reminder: she was Raisa Susanto, and she got shit done." Ultimately, this thriller toes the line between believable police work and an unbelievable puppet master villain. While some extravagant circumstances remain a bit far-fetched, overall, there was more possible reality than not to keep the storyline realistic. 'The Lies You Wrote' was a great thrilling and twister thriller novel, one I highly recommend. Tropes and Themes: Crime, FBI, Thriller. Blurb The double murder of a married couple in a small Washington town draws FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto into an investigation that mirrors a decades-old crime. Twenty-five years ago—to the day—Alex Parker murdered his parents, then took his own life, leaving behind a note admitting everything. Raisa, paired with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, uses her skills to read between the lines. Especially now that paranoid postings on a conspiracy thread suggest that Alex was a victim himself—theories that have piqued the interest of a perceptive content moderator and a true-crime podcaster eager for a big break. As old and new crimes converge, messages from the living and the confessions of the dead take on new meaning for Raisa. Something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play, and plundering the darkest corners of a killer’s mind leaves her vulnerable to a deadly twist even she never saw coming.

ARC Review: Publish date - March 9, 2024 Author: MJ Creed Series: Stand Alone Category: Contemporary Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb Silent Domination is an emotionally charged book where BDSM is the context but not the highlight of the story. Domier and Tacy's relationship was immediately physical but a slow-burn journey toward the wonderful possibility of love and unconditional acceptance. Tacy and Domier's connection is visceral, an attraction so instantaneous that it has no need for words. Though the BDSM romance book market is overly saturated by this point, the characters in Silent Domination are truly unique and engaging. Tacy is neurodivergent and experiences the world differently, as does a deaf Domier. Neither is ashamed of their differences but they do have an impact on their relationship in positive and negative lights. The writing style leans heavily on internal monologue given the silence that engulfs the main characters' relationship. This served only to highlight the self-discovery Tacy goes through as she opens up to Domier and everything he wants to give her if she'd only reach out and embrace it. "And, foolish as I knew it to be, I found myself terribly euphoric about the possibility of him unleashing his inner beast to rule over me so I could experience the flawless domination and the pleasure said to come from an event with someone I wanted like this." The spice in this book does not disappoint, even without the use of dirty talk to heighten these scenes. Domier is in charge and doesn't let anyone forget it, tactically able to communicate his requirements for their sexual encounters and extract Tacy's pleasure when she earns it. Her past held her more tightly than any bindings did, but Domier's constant push on her boundaries and his genuine affection were what ultimately freed her. "Hundreds of words - no, thousands of words - were shared through his dominating touch; more and clearer than anyone had ever spoken to me." I enjoyed this book and all its facets tremendously and highly recommend it to readers who need a solid emotional relationship to round out spicier storylines. Please note that self-harm plays heavily into the storyline, on and off the page, so be kind to yourself if this is a trigger. *Thank you Reedsy and MJ Creed for an arc of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Tropes and Themes: BDSM, Neurodivergent, Deaf, Self-Harm, Slow-burn. Blurb All I wanted was to meet the right man to dominate me. A man who didn't have any intention of further commitment outside of the BDSM club. Someone who didn't require me to speak. And he found me. He saw the SOS of my fist near my shoulder. It was the only sign I knew and all I could manage to do when a bout of mutism took over due to a terrifying burly man in leather. This irresistible alpha male enlightened me to a world where words didn't need to be spoken and passion was universal. We understood each other, at least I thought we did. -- Domier was a successful entrepreneur whose looks alone had women's heads turning, but the attraction ended when they expected a conversation. Then he saw Tacy, a woman flashing a sign while in need of help. From their first moment, she knew what he desired without a word spoken and her body responded to him in a way he never imagined he would experience. When the day came to break away from their roles as Dom and sub and he signed to her, she stared at him as though he'd spoken to her in a language foreign. But how does a man win over a woman whose words he doesn't speak?

Author: A.J. Wynn Series: Stand Alone Category: Romantic Suspense Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb The debut novel from A.J. Wynn, 'Willowbrooke' was a superbly engaging romantic suspense story filled with compelling characters and an even more mysterious mansion. The plot was paced well and it was easy to get lost in Willowbrooke Estate as things heat up and more than one life is in jeopardy. Penny is at a crossroads and desperately needs a big job to make her own interior design business come to life. She comes across as rather pathetic at the beginning, letting people walk all over her. With a need for external validation, Penny has bursts of confidence but at her core, she's a people pleaser. A professional organizer, but her life is a mess. "My entire life fit into my car. I felt humiliated. I felt defeated. I felt so small." Leo is as mysterious as the Estate he calls home. His emotions are fragile as he deals with his grief. Good-looking but reserved to a fault, Penny is immediately drawn to him. She can plainly see some of her own brokenness inside Leo and once renovations start they slowly start to help the other heal while old secrets break down around them. "I appreciate that this house now means something to you too. Perhaps this project can be a new beginning for both of us." Both Penny and Leo act years younger than they are, making childlike decisions and willingly sticking their head in the sand when life gets hard. Fortunately, they bring out the best in each other, and together the characters lean on each other to face challenges head-on. It's obvious Leo has feelings early on for Penny but their relationship is a slow-burn. The romance holds equal weight as the mystery does in this book, adding depth to the story and raising the stakes in an increasingly dangerous environment. There is on page spice, but it's not descriptive. "I thought I'd known Leo West before that moment, but I'd had no idea. I hadn't expected making love with him to be so sweet, so slow, so emotional, so very intimate." Despite the risk and a dwindling number of known suspects, neither character takes any precautions for their safety. As two naive amateur detectives, Leo and Penny set themselves on a silver platter for anyone trying to hurt them. Spiraling into a decades-long mystery that has just gotten more convoluted over time, Leo and Penny race to figure out if it is truly the dead that haunt Willowbrooke, or the murderous misdeeds of the living. *Thank you to A.J. Wynn for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Tropes and Themes: Romantic Suspense, Other Woman Drama, Slow Burn, Mystery, Ghosts, Haunting. Blurb Penny Abbot, an aspiring interior decorator, lands a job renovating the mysterious Willowbrooke estate for the brooding Leo West. As they delve into the project, they unearth a decades old mystery within the house's walls, forging an unbreakable connection. Together, they navigate grief, uncover family secrets, and ignite a passionate romance, while confronting the history of Willowbrooke. Amidst the whispers of the past, Penny and Leo's love story blossoms, forever changing their lives in ways they never expected.

Author: Catherine Cowles Series: Lost & Found Series Book #1 Category: Romantic Suspense Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb I’ve been waiting patiently(ish) for Lawson's book in Catherine Cowles 'Lost & Found' series. After all, a single father of three active boys and a hinted-at messy divorce had to have one heck of a story, right? Blowing through 'Ashes of You' in a late-night reading session, I find myself on the fence which leads to a more than definitive book review to be honest. Hallie has become the product of a horrible trauma, something which now defines her life. While she is courageous enough to actively push her boundaries and try to find normality, after five years she is still timid and afraid of certain situations. Back in the town of her torturous past, she is surprised to find that the nanny position she's come to interview for is for the family of the man who saved her all those years ago. "You didn't seem wary around me that first day. For the interview." Hallie's hypnotic gaze lifted to mine. "You're different. You saved me." While Lawson has made dozens of appearances in the previous books of the series, 'Ashes of You' finally gives readers insight into the hidden guilt he's carried around with him which drives his determination to do everything for himself and the kids. Finally forced to find a nanny, he is knocked back by how attracted he is to Hallie and terrified of opening up again to anyone. "I didn't deserve happiness. Not when my choices before had almost ruined us all." His actions lead her on more than once throughout the story but she is patient and kind, something he ultimately can't resist. When he finally gives in to their feelings, Hallie blossoms under Lawson's care and finds a family to accept her. I wouldn't say I especially felt their connection, their romance was more sweet than spice. Ever-present danger lurks through the storyline, and I couldn't have been the only one surprised at the final reveal of duplicity. Catherine Cowles never goes with the obvious choice but even this psychotic mastermind was out of left field for me! 'Ashes of You' isn't a short book by any means but important parts I wished had more page time were rushed, especially the heart-pounding conclusion. While there was certainly a lot of plot to cover, there was room for better pacing decisions. In the end, I'll settle for saying 'Ashes of You' wasn't as amazing as Asher and Roam's romance in 'Shadows of You', but I enjoyed it much more than Maggie and Nate's book 'Echoes of You". Tropes and Themes: Small Town, Age Gap, Single Father, Single Parent, Nanny, Romantic Suspense, Sherriff, Forced Proximity, Friends to Lovers. Blurb Five years ago, I nearly lost everything. But there was a glimmer of hope on that darkest night. There was him—a stranger I could never forget. Now, I’m finally getting the fresh start I’ve longed for. But when I show up to interview for a nanny position in the small mountain town, the single dad has startlingly familiar blue eyes. Eyes that have haunted my dreams for the past five years. Lawson Hartley is everything I know I can’t have. Older, handsome, and my boss. Not to mention the shadows in his eyes that tell me he has demons, too. Still, he seems to understand me better than anyone I’ve ever met. So gentle and careful of my scars, yet somehow making me believe I’m stronger than I ever thought possible. And when his lips touch mine, I’m lost. We find what we've been missing in each other. But the terrors of my past aren’t done with me yet, and this time, Lawson might not be able to save me...

Author: Melissa Mitchell Series: Lady Witch Series Book #1 Category: Fantasy Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb Aramina and Rixon are bonded Witch and Wielder in a dangerous world they are tasked with defending against demons that roam with the intent to kill. Despite the closeness their bond might imply, there isn't much trust or affection between them on the surface. She's the magical powerhouse he is tasked to protect at all costs, but Rixon refuses to get closer to her even as she is desperate to know him. "What a grump! But he was my grump. That thought sent another flash of pride through me." The beginning of 'Wielder's Prize' felt like the first 50 pages were missing due to the heavy use of flashbacks further along in the novel. This was a little disjointed at first but ultimately settled into a good rhythm that allowed the story to flow while providing context from their time training. With an unfavorably shady past that he isn't willing to share, Rixon's attempt to remain a stoic and remote presence at his Lady Witch's' side slowly crumbles as she breaks through his rough personality and proves she will not take advantage of their bond as others had in the past. Their brief interactions at the academy over those years were frigid and painfully tense by his choice, but he's never met a Witch like Mina. "My little witch has talons. I was wondering when you'd scratch me again. I rather enjoy it." Mina is young and innocent, but powerful. Her path to magic is tragic but she is determined to save their world and pull Rixon out of his shell. Being a Witch gives her powerful status, but she is only ever humble and kind to everyone, even Rixon when he doesn’t deserve it. "Years of training had prepared me to face demons, but no one had prepared me to face my wielder." Their relationship dynamic dramatically shifts from Mina being in charge of decision-making to a subservient student in the confines of the bedroom where Rixon claims control that he isn't afforded publicly. The first book in the Lady Witch series isn't as heavily spiced as the ones to follow but has plenty of sexual tension and intimate touching for three peppers. As the series goes on, Rixon only shows Mina more ways to express their affection and love for each other. "But for now, I would let him lead. After all, outside of these occurrences, I was the one expected to take that role. I was...exhausting, being the decision maker, carrying the reins, leading so that he might follow. Handing over my control, giving myself up to him, was liberating." Overall, 'Wielder's Prize' was a solid start to the 'Lady Witch' series and immediately roped me in to continue on to book two. While there isn't a steep drop of a cliffhanger, Mina and Rixon have yet to reach their posting by the end of book one so there is plenty of story to continue. Tropes and Themes: Magic, Demons, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Witch, Grump x Sunshine, Alpha Male. Blurb Every witch needs a wielder. Newly bonded, Aramina sets out from the Citadel to take up her first assignment. Traveling across Raeria won’t be easy. Not because of the demons along the way, but because of Rixon. He might be the best wielder in the Citadel, but he has a questionable past. Plus, he spent the last two years pointedly ignoring her. Now she’s stuck with him. Not just for this assignment, but for life. She’s determined to remain closed off, to keep him at arm’s length no matter how flustered he makes her. Her heart is locked up tight, and for good reason. But the life of a witch is lonely. And Rixon might be exactly what her heart needs.

Author: Brynne Asher Series: The Killers Series Book #2 Category: Romantic Suspense Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb Love me a tortured hero - the early 2000s wannabe emo girl in me will never get enough of brooding. And Grady Cain has the mood down in spades. Add in a woman on the run and more sexual tension than either of them knows what to do with and you get what should have been a great Saturday night read. But to my dismay, 'Paths' turned out to be the middle of the road for me instead of my next five-star book review. Maya is hiding from her overbearing high society mother and an ex-fiancé who has threatened her more than once for breaking off their engagement and 12-year relationship. A Physical Therapist but working as a retirement community director and waitress at a tight-knit winery, she is just trying to keep her head above water. She hasn't taken many logical steps to hide herself (still using her real name and collecting legal paychecks?!?) and it's only a matter of time before her old life catches up to her. "Even if I thought I knew before, now I know. Don't want anyone else besides you for the rest of my days." I adored Grady's overprotectiveness and his surly attitude in the beginning. Dealing with an injured shoulder and at a loss for his next steps in life, Grady found peace in Maya long before he ever spoke to her. She filled his need for a purpose and lifted the fog of nothingness that he'd let settle. His instant infatuation drove his decision to make Maya love him in return and he didn't ever hesitate to ensnare her. "Yeah, something might've clicked the first time she laid her hands on me, but tonight? tonight, Maya Augustine ruined me." Grady steamrolled his way into her life and her bed but Maya didn't seem to mind for the most part. Their mutual attraction led to amazing chemistry and even their vanilla sex scenes were filled with decently spicy moments. The suspense part of the book is hard to take seriously with outlandish plot points. It is hard to take Weston the ex seriously and the thought that he couldn't have found her by a simple search considering she was employed under her real name is ridiculous. His father's actions proved even more baffling and more consistent with a PG-rated villain instead of a criminal. As with the first book in this series, despite the drama and likable characters, I found myself bored. Generally, if I’m able to put a book down or find myself remembering my real-world responsibilities while reading, I know the book isn’t living up to expectations. And how I wanted it too! With a 4.38 score on Goodreads, and high scores for the rest of the books in the series, this is looking like more of a me problem than anything else so check out 'Paths' for yourself and see what you think. Tropes and Themes: Forced Proximity, Romantic Suspense, Touch Her and Die, Alpha Male, Small Town, Military, Insta-Love, He Falls First. Blurb Maya Augustine needed to disappear—her life depended on it. When her path led her to the middle-of-nowhere Virginia, she found the perfect place to hide. A woman on the run, Maya had no business befriending anyone, let alone allowing herself to become involved with a man … especially after her last experience. Even so, she couldn’t help but become obsessed with the bruised, battered, and beautiful killer who walked into her life. Grady Cain reached rock bottom. His past finally caught up with him, causing him to lose his edge at work and in life. Spiraling down a desperate path of remorse and guilt, Grady wasn’t expecting his refuge to come in the form of a woman. Day in—day out, she was the only thing he’d allowed himself to think about. To focus on. To consume him. One was running. The other had nothing to run to. Until these troubled souls crossed paths… And two paths became one.

Author: Brynne Asher Series: The Agents Series Book #1 Category: Dark Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb The blurb for this book is intentionally vague and even when you think you know what is going on, more twists and turns are in store. With so many moving parts and danger lurking everywhere, the story and characters are captivating. I was at the edge of my seat with this one, panicking in hopes everything turned out for the best. Landyn's life is imploding, and there is nothing she can do about it. Her greedy father sold her body and soul to what might as well have been the devil in human form and it doesn't look like anyone cares enough to save her from a horrible new life. Even when the wedding turns into a shoot-out, Landyn can't get away from the debt she unwillingly is paying with her hand in marriage - she will never be free. "That I'd be the one who would ultimately pay the price for his fuck up. I'd be the one to pay his debt. And I'd do it with my own life." Landyn waivers between being very realistic in her predicament and incredibly naive at the same time. Though she isn't new to crime, she has never been exposed to it as openly before and it takes her time to adjust and accept the cards she was dealt. It doesn't help that everyone around her seems to be playing a game that she doesn't even know is being played. Boz is walking a tightrope that gets even more treacherous now that he's holding onto a woman as well. Navigating this new development isn't part of the plan, and Boz always sticks to the plan, but he has no choice but to adapt. And it doesn't take long for him to throw the plan out the window when he comes to find himself more obsessed with Landyn than he thought possible. "This is wrong. Trust me, baby. I did everything I could not to touch you. It was for your own good." Landyn and Boz have almost instant attraction to one another and their sexual tension is obvious. Even with the mountain of secrets between them, their relationship is built on trust. Actions speak much louder than words and while Boz is keeping half of himself from her, Landyn can't help but become infatuated. I loved that even though the circumstances surrounding their relationship were dire, in the end, their feelings for one another outweighed all of the risks. "Never again, baby. They'll have to kill me before they can get to you again." The suspense in 'Possession' isn't a distant plot point but is front and center in the story. While there is certainly romance and spice, it isn't the sole focus but rather a motivation for our characters. Five heart-pounding stars for 'Possession' in this book review, I couldn't put it down. Tropes and Themes: Crime, Mafia, Forced Proximity, Arranged Marriage, Romantic Suspense, Sexual Abuse, Dark Romance, Touch Her and Die, Alpha Male. Blurb An arranged marriage, forced proximity, thrilling romantic suspense. I’m nothing but a payment, bartered to the most powerful cartel in the northern hemisphere and forced to marry a man I do not know. My father sold me to save his own skin. He might as well have ushered me to the gates of hell. The Marino family is sadistic. If rumors are true, they’ll own me, use me, control me, and strip me of every freedom I’ve taken for granted. I’ll be a shiny new toy in a dark and deadly underworld. So when my husband drops the bomb that our arranged marriage is only a means to an end, I realize there’s something worse than merely being a possession. My stupid, stupid heart. In the end, the last thing I expected to do was fall in love.

Author: Leigh Miller Series: Crescent Coven Series Book #1 Category: Paranormal Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb 'Demon's Bride' was as wholesome as a filthy paranormal romance between a witch and a demon king could get. Allie and Eren were a good match in personality and temperament. They both had a playful side to them and Eren enjoyed indulging her any time he could. Their relationship was only complicated because Allie made it so with her insecurities. The human realm and the realm of demons are connected by a marriage bargain that keeps humans safe. Every so often a witch is chosen, someone strong and resilient, to marry a demon and keep their world thriving, if only so they do not go back to the dark old ways of human possessions and sacrifice for survival. Unfortunately, magic is failing in the demon realm, and despite the previous witch and demon matching, something is wrong. Allie never thought she would be picked, her magic isn't strong, but fate had other ideas. The minute Eren, king of the demons, sets foot through the portal, he knows she is his in every way possible. "My mate. My bride. The one the Goddess has sent me." Allie is kind and determined to fulfill her side of the bargain. She has all the confidence in the world that she will solve the troubles that threaten both realms, however, that confidence does not extend to herself or her self-worth. Her low self-esteem coupled with high stakes in the event of failure has her questioning everything, including Eren's claims of love. Eren knew Allie was his mate the first time he sensed her, and wanted her with everything in him. The demon king's responsibilities cloud his time with her, and though he has no problem accepting fate and destiny, Allie isn't as convinced their feelings are manipulated by their mate bond. "I would choose you in this realm or the human realm or any of the rest. I would choose you always, you beautiful, sweet, unearthly creature. Mates or not, Goddess-blessed or not, there could never be a life in which I did not know you as my own." The world-building is pretty limited but the lack of details isn't too big of a detriment since the whole story takes place within a couple of weeks. Though I never doubted the character's bond, there wasn't much depth to their feelings beyond being thrilled to belong to each other and copious amounts of sex. Not that I would ever complain about the amount of spice in any book review! "Hunt her. Fuck her. Claim her. Allie wants to play. We'll play. I wish there had been more interaction with other demons in the realm to develop more connections to the world. Eren is the demon king, I would have assumed there would have been more for Allie to do than hole up in a library day in and day out. The lack of secondary characters was a little jarring. I'll settle on calling Demon's Bride a cute paranormal happily-ever-after romance. It was an easy drama-free, low-stakes read and there is certainly a time and place for that type of story in anyone's TBR pile. Tropes and Themes: Magic, Demons, Paranormal, Fantasy, Insta-love, Prey Kink, Breeding Kink, Fantasy Romance, Fated Mates, Monster, Arranged Marriage. Blurb The Witch This must be a mistake. There’s no way the Goddess chose me to be a demon’s bride. I barely have any magick, and certainly not enough to repair the bargain between witches and demons that’s kept both our realms stable for centuries. But Eren is…nothing like I expected. Something about him calls to me. Tempts me. And he looks at me like no one else ever has, like I’m strong and worthy. Like he wants to keep me, cherish me…and sink those wicked, wicked fangs of his into me. The Demon Allison Hawthorn is mine. My fate. My bride. My mate. Mine to keep. The magick that witches have brought to the demon realm for centuries is failing, and as High King, it’s my responsibility to see it repaired. I just never expected…Allie. My soul recognizes her immediately, and in a life stained by grief, I’ve ached for her before I ever met her. Now that she’s here I’ll do anything to protect her, even as the fast-failing bargain threatens both of our realms, and will separate us forever if we can’t figure out a way to renew the magick.

Author: Layla Frost Series: The Four Series Book #3 Category: Paranormal Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb First a foremost, if you haven't read the first two books in The Four series, you're going to want to do that before picking up 'Broken'. While each book focuses on a different couple, they are very much intertwined and part of an overarching storyline, so do yourself a favor and just start from the beginning. It's worth it, trust me. This review may have spoilers from the first two books. 'Broken' starts where book two left off, trying to locate the rest of The Horsemen siblings. "The Four Horsemen were real...and not all men. The Devil was real and not evil - even if he was kind of a snarky dick." Whereas in the other books, The Four Horsemen either knew of their true identity or at least knew of the paranormal, the first part of this third installment has both main characters in the dark. This gave them a different dynamic which I appreciated and added a layer of complications as they struggled to understand everything that was happening around them. Lily is loyal and above all else, kind. Her father ends up in the hospital and it is a short moment being trapped in an elevator with someone from her past that turns out to be her lifeline in a painful new reality for her family. Though she comes with a raunchy best friend, Lily is much more laid back and less sarcastic than the previous two heroines in terms of personality. As unassuming as she comes across, there is plenty of depth lurking in her character and once all her secret cards are on the table, I was delighted to see her in a brand new light. "Then I stood tall and lifted my chin, ready to face the consults like a badass. Well, ready to fake being a badass. Which was basically just as good." Lennon's medical profession has weighed him down over the years. The brief childhood flashback we get of him and Lily hints at a much kinder and more open individual than he has grown up as. Once his memories come back, he struggles to become the person he needs to be and fights against bringing Lily into the likely danger. It isn't until he realizes who she truly is and sees her quiet strength that he fully accepts fate. "A night monster. A batman badass who cared about people enough to right wrongs. Fuck she's perfect. Does this make me Robin or Alfred?" As for Absolve, things are trending toward the inevitable end-game scenario. The Four Horsemen all have regained their memories and whatever battle is going to happen has the stage set. With the cliffhanger at the end of this book, I know book four is going to be a doozy. Unlike the first two books in this series, I admit to being a tad bored with this one. It's hard to pinpoint the problem since 'Broken' is well-written and just as fast-paced as the others, but in the end, I think there just wasn't enough relationship drama to keep me involved in the characters. I guess compared to the previous two, Lily and Lennon are a boring couple - even when they are fighting. Still, four stars for this book review on 'Broken' (one purely for Juno's wild antics). I am anxious to see how the next book fits in a new couple as well as the final showdown between our Four Horsemen and Absolve, but if anyone can piece together a fantastic conclusion, Layla Frost most definitely can! Tropes and Themes: Magic, Demons, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Fated Mates, Second Chance Romance, Urban Fantasy. Blurb I’d been called a lot of things. Cold. Cynical. Jaded. An antisocial basta— You get the point. I’d say it came with being an overworked doctor, but that wasn’t the case. In my own personal purgatory, I’d lost touch with what I was meant to do—who I was. Until I got stuck in a hospital elevator with a beautiful, broken woman. Comforting her through hell reminded me why I'd become a doctor in the first place. I had no clue why, but the hippie goddess consumed my thoughts. I was obsessed. From the first touch, I knew I wasn’t going to let her go. And that was before I got my memories back. At the best of times, I was crap at relationships—and we were far from the best of times. Thrust into a war I’d forgotten, I had to find a way to explain that we were targets of the soul stealing organization that’d cursed me. That magicks, fate, Heaven, and Hell were not just tales. That she was my mate. The literal other half of my soul. Unequivocally mine.

Author: Gigi Templeton Series: Spiced Right Series Book #1 Category: Contemporary Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Goodreads Blurb I'm going to preface this review with a disclaimer: this book is corny and filled with every possible pun you can imagine on the topics of cowboys and hot peppers. Yes, it was over the top and yes, I had a blast reading it. If you're not in the mood for a Hallmark movie romance with comically stereotypical southern twang, this one isn't for you. But, if you're like me and need a palate cleanser after binging eight paranormal urban fantasy romances in a row, 'Spiced Right' is a good choice! Jack and Jillian were briefly college sweethearts until Jack was pulled back home to take care of his family's ranch. Neither one of them got over each other, but circumstances meant they had to move on. But fate wasn't done with either of them, they'd just have to be brave enough to take a chance when it came their way. "They'd both had dreams. They'd both been thrown curveballs. The plus side was that they'd learned to assimilate, to recover, to move forward." A freak accident changed the course of Jillian's life and turned the once extroverted and lively woman into a recluse. Still set on growing a successful business, she is steadily making progress in her recovery but is cognizant that it takes time. Jillian was strong, but practical in knowing her limits. She was self-aware and didn't let fear rule her life even when she could have. When she saw a chance to reconnect with Jack, she leaped even as she felt terrified. "For all the right business reasons, but also because kismet and some innate enthusiasm she couldn't grasp spurred her on. All wrapped around Jack Reed." Jack is genuine and playful, a family man through and through shouldering the weight of keeping the ranch going no matter what it takes. He constantly makes sacrifices to put work first but Jillian makes him want to be a little selfish. A swoon-worthy book boyfriend, Jack was empathetic, responsible, and caring - what more could a girl ask for?! "Jack, you're holding my dog's leash so I can double-fist a fishbowl of a margarita. There's just no way a woman recovers from that." The book is called 'Spiced Right' and it certainly delivers on its promise, in both tension and on-page scenes. I don't watch YouTube at all, but if Jack was live-streaming his BBQ grilling show I may be tempted. Jack and Jillian had the best banter dialogue I've read in a hot minute and their chemistry was perfection. Overall, I loved the 'spicy' theme running through the book, the puns and exaggerated southern accent are just fun. Jack and Jillian's story was predictably wonderful. The ending was rushed, but still sweet and I will keep my eye out for book two. Tropes and Themes: Second Chance Romance, Small Town, Cowboy, Podcast, YouTube, Ranch, Surprise Pregnancy, Trauma, Friends to Lovers. Blurb Don’t ever think I didn’t want more time with you, darlin’. Those were her college boyfriend’s last words to her after a phone call summoned him home to Texas. In the ten years since, Jack Reed has taken over his family’s ranch, and Jillian Parks has experienced devastating losses with traumatic repercussions. Now a reclusive insomniac, she podcasts about the specialty hybrid chili peppers she grows in her Seattle greenhouse, keeping a closed door between her and the past. But when Jillian’s producer coaxes her to make a surprise call in to Jack’s YouTube BBQ channel, their chemistry still sizzles! An invite to the ranch for a follow-up collab is a scary proposal for Jillian. But forward movement is key to her recovery, and it’s time to take the bull by the horns. With Jack’s commanding yet soothing presence, maybe this charismatic cowboy is just the right ingredient to help her heal—while adding a different kind of spice to her life.