Curse of the Reaper - Brian McAuley

Decades after playing the titular killer in the 80s horror franchise Night of the Reaper, Howard Browning has been reduced to signing autographs for his dwindling fanbase at genre conventions. When the studio announces a series reboot, the aging thespian is crushed to learn he’s being replaced in the iconic role by heartthrob Trevor Mane, a former sitcom child-star who’s fresh out of rehab. Trevor is determined to stay sober and revamp his image while Howard refuses to let go of the character he created, setting the stage for a cross-generational clash over the soul of a monster. But as Howard fights to reclaim his legacy, the sinister alter ego consumes his unraveling mind, pushing him to the brink of violence. Is the method actor succumbing to madness or has the devilish Reaper taken on a life of its own?

  The character work in this read was incredible.  McAuley was able to give both of the main characters some fantastically flawed humanity.  They were both, at time, their own heroes and villains and this allowed the reader to be incredibly sympathetic to both of them at different times in the book. They really felt like two sides of the same coin even though they are at odds throughout the entire book.  Each of them also went through an inevitable change during the events of the book that was heartbreaking to read.  Both characters had their struggles and we got to see them both trying their best to make it through life and the Hollywood grind.  This made it all the more bittersweet to see them fall into the horrors of the story.

The horror elements were fantastic and used to just the right levels.  We have a good amount of gore, but much of it is saved for the proper slasher finale. I found this read to be the perfect blend of psychological and physical horror.  I loved the slow descent into the psychological that both Howard and Trevor go through.  Both the characters and the readers are trying to figure out where the line between psychological and supernatural potentially is and I could see different readers finding that line at different points.  I wouldn't really call this a 'slow burn' horror, but it certainly ramps up the horror elements by the end. 

I've never been super interested in celebrity or Hollywood machine, but I loved that we got to explore some of the more behind the scenes of celebrity status.  Obviously Howard and Trevor are at two very different points in their careers but they both have had their share of the limelight.  I think McAuley did a great job of showing the high highs and low lows of fame and celebrity as well as the sort of churning of Hollywood where you're in until you're out.  I loved the atmosphere this created as well because Hollywood is such a pervasive part of culture, even if you aren't super into movies or celebrities.  So it is familiar enough to be relatable but also removed enough from most people's day to day lives that it gives the reader a sort of tabloid feeling of seeing behind the scenes. 

Overall, I very much enjoyed this read.  It was an interesting premise with human characters and the horror elements were fantastic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the ARC.  Publication date was October 4, 2022.

July Romance Wrap-up

 

 The Next Best Fling - Gabriella Gamez

This romance follows Marcela and Theo - their long time crushes are both marrying other people and they are both having a difficult time with that.  When Marcela saves Theo from professing his love for the bride-to-be, a fake dating scheme falls into their laps. Soon, that fake dating turns into something more but with messy feelings and messier family dynamics, a real relationship might be doomed from the start.  This was a fun read and I loved both our MCs.  It was a little weird at first to be rooting for Marcela and Theo to be together knowing they both had feelings for other people.  However, I thought Gamez does a great job at really teasing apart their feelings and showing the reader over and over again that these two are choosing each other.  I did feel like the third act break up was a little forced and I felt like all the relationship building they had been doing could have easily overpowered the little friction between them.  This was a debut romance and I would 100% read more from Gamez in the future. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC. Publication date was July 9, 2024

Mad Man - Onley James

This MM romance is the fifth book in the Necessary Evils series and follows Avi and Felix.  By day, Avi is the owner of a fashion label but by night, he is a psychopath who murders criminals.  Felix is no stranger to either world - being a very fashionable justice killer himself.  The two constantly butt heads, but when they go away together to help bring down a crime ring, they grow closer until they just might like each other ... or more.  This was another fun entry in the series.  I liked how we branched off from the main group of characters and got to see more of the less-mentioned characters.  Avi and Felix are the epitome of opposites attract and I really enjoyed both of them opening up and learning to let the other in.  The events of this book run more or less parallel to the events of the 4th book so there were some fun call back moments as well. I did find the pacing and investigation portion of this to be not as full-fleshed as previous books.  

Highest Bidder - Sara Cate

This age-gap romance follows Ronan and Daisy.  Ronan is a frequent patron of the Salacious Player's Club and Daisy is a new server there who ends up in the auction one night.  Ronan wins the auction and tells himeself that he'll just take her out for a nice time.  He's significantly (35 years) older than her and is convinced she'd never be interested in him like that.  But Daisy finds herself attracted to Ronan, especially when she pushes his buttons.  But there's more than a few secrets and years between the two that they'll have to overcome before their happily ever after.  As much as I've loved the previous books in the series - this was a miss for me.  I think this had a lot of 'not for me' moments that maybe other readers would love.  I don't mind a large age gap on paper, but when there is a large maturity gap between the characters I find it almost impossible to get over.  It felt like Daisy had "parent problem trauma" stamped on her forehead and the care giving scenes between the two of them felt a little to parental for my liking.  Also, this one had a lot of drama/angst than the previous books and that is not for me (but I know a lot of readers love the angst).  I did think it was interesting that we got to see the club from a different point of view than the previous books and I'll be continuing on in the series in the hopes I like the next book better.

At First Spite - Olivia Dade

This opposites attract romance is the first in the Harlot's Bay series and follows Athena and Matthew.  Athena was engaged to Matthew's brother, but when the wedding is called off, she has no choice but to move into the Spite House which just so happens to have both brothers as neighbors.  Athena and Matthew are complete opposites but the two find that they like spending time together (even when verbally sparring). As Athena figures out her new direction in life, Matthew ends up being increasingly helpful and insightful - which makes it harder and harder to keep him at arm's length away.  Olivia Dade has done it again - this was an incredible romance.  I loved how both Athena and Matthew had their own mental health issues they were working through and came together to support each other.  This was a great slow burn and I could really feel the tension as both of them started to realize how much they cared about the other.  I did keep forgetting about the ex-fiance/brother, although he is a constant mention in the book and plays a big role in both their character development and the relationship development.  

Try Me - Neve Wilder

This MM, rivals to lovers romance is the second book in the Extracurricular Activities series and follows Mark and Chet.  They were childhood friends who drifted apart due to family pressure.  Now, they are both in college and in the same law firm internship. Now, their rivalry is bringing new things to light - like their intense chemistry and how they are drawn to each other. I'm not a huge reader of college/new adult romances but this series is really hitting for me.  Wilder does a great job of capturing all the different aspects of college so I always felt grounded in the setting and world.  While I liked that Mark and Chet had some past history from their childhood, I felt like the family history/drama to be just a little too much plot to fit into this story.  The journey from pure rivals to lovers was *chef's kiss* perfection with just the right amount of angst.

Show Me - Neve Wilder

This MM romance is the third book in the Extracurricular Activities series and follows Jesse and Sam.  They are roommates who seemingly have nothing in common.  But when Jesse discovers Sam's NSFW side hustle, Sam asks for his help.  As they grow closer and Jesse becomes a more integral part of Sam's videos, the two need to figure out if they want to move beyond this friends with benefits arrangement.  In comparison to the first two books in this series, this was low-angst, super steamy fun time.  Jesse and Sam both had some internal hiccups when it came to figuring out their relationship, but their connection and chemistry were off the charts. I loved the positivity around Sam's video career and Jesse embracing it when he finds out. We get to see more of the previous couples in the series as well, which I always like.  

The Boys Next Door - Miranda Silver

This MFM taboo romance is the first book in the Next Door series and follows Brendan, Diana, and Ian.  Brendan and Ian are twins and live next door to Diana.  They are home from college while Diana is finishing up her senior year of high school.  The three used to be close, but drifted apart years ago.  Diana comes over to catch up with the twins one night, it turns into a night the three of them can't forget or ignore. 

This read falls squarely into the 'meh, not for me' category but I could see me loving this with just a few tweaks. Silver does a lot of set up for the reader to believe how our three characters could immediately jump into the activities they do.  For me, that set up didn't quite work and I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.  I've said it in reviews of other NA romances, but I have a hard time reading about high schoolers being so extremely sexually competent, it really takes me out of the story.  The book may start as MFM, but it does end with a single MF couple.  There were times where it felt like I had missed something significant like this was book 2 in a series and I missed book 1. 

No Damaged Goods - Nicole Snow

This romantic suspense is book 4 in the Heroes of Heart's Edge series and follows Blake and Peace.  Peace is a massage therapist traveling the country when her van breaks down outside Heart's Edge.  When Blake, the grumpy fire chief, comes to her aid, she can't help but be intrigued by him as well as his limp.  But Blake tells himself he isn't interested in having her hands all over him, in any context.  When it seems like Peace's life is in danger, Blake invites her to live with him and his teenage daughter to keep her safe.  Now that they're under one roof, the spark between them catches into a fire that neither of them expected. This was another great entry in the series.  Snow does a fantastic job of balancing the romance and the suspense in these reads.  Blake has shown up in the previous books as super charismatic so it was nice to see behind his facade for this read.  I also thought his strained relationship with his teen daughter was realistic and not overly sappy.  I did find Blake and Peace's chemistry to be a little hot/cold which I wasn't a huge fan of.  They had a lot of moments where they would get close, only for one of them to push the other away for one reason or another.  I know some readers like it, but find that sort of push/pull dynamic to get tired really quickly. 

The Hungry Dark - Jen Williams

 

This supernatural horror follows Ashley, the face of her family's psychic business.  As a child, she saw figures she called the Heedful Ones but after one disastrous night, they disappeared.  Now, years later, her family wants to branch out from contacting dead relatives to consulting with the police.  No better case to start with than the child murders dubbed the Gingerbread House Murders. For some reason, the Heedful Ones decide to come back into Ashley's life and show her where the most recent missing child's body is.  Now, the press is excited, the police are suspicious, and Ashley start to realize maybe her visions have come back now for a reason and she's more connected to these murders than she ever thought.

I really love when I read a book's description and think "that sounds really interesting" and then the actual book is even better than I was expecting. This was one of those reads.  The premise was intriguing and Williams builds on it expertly to draw me in.  The main character had such a strong voice from the start and we can really feel her internal struggle between her 'job' and her identity/morals. But we don't sit in the status quo for long, instead getting thrust into the Gingerbread House Murders by literal supernatural forces.  This is one of those books where the premise pays off in dividends.

i loved the dual timeline aspect and how it was used to give the reader answers to something the characters were all mentioning (or trying hard to not mention).  The reader can piece together some clues from these half-mentions but it would have been a little out of place to suddenly have one character info-dump the whole story.  Plus, being able to see the events as they were happening in real time also gave insight to Ashley's character.  There is also a true crime podcast element that is looking into the current murders that gives some more background info on the area and the history.  Both of these elements I felt worked with the narrative and didn't feel out of place or like that author was taking the easy way out of plot/character development.

The characters in this were fantastically complex and intriguing.  Williams does a great job at quickly introducing them to the reader in a way where we really get to the essence of that character.  Sure, we'll get more details about them later, but I loved that each character comes onto the page fully developed so I had an instant understanding of them. The main plot takes place over only a few weeks so there isn't a whole lot of time for 0-100 character development which is why I loved the choice to have Ashley already thinking/doubting her place in the world.  she's ready for a change and this plot will take her there. 

The horror aspect of this is mostly supernatural with some body horror pertaining to the child murders.  We also get touches of folk horror tied to the murders. I did find myself wanting more from the murder investigation aspect, it felt a little under-utilized and used more as a convenient way for information to get to Ashley.  I loved the supernatural elements in this, especially the description in both timelines.  I think it really highlighted the differences between children and adults when it comes to the unknown.  Ashley's own growth when it came to accepting what she was seeing vs her profession and all the skepticism that comes with it.  I didn't find this book scary, but it was unnerving at times.  I think this could have been a very different, more gruesome book if it wanted to be but I liked the more understated horror elements. 

Where this book lost me was the ending reveal and the aftermath.  I found in the first 75% of the book, the breadcrumbs of clues were laid out expertly.  I loved the feeling I'd get when I just knew a certain character was 'off' and I'd wonder to myself how they'l fit into the resolution.  Then, on the pages lading up to the actual reveal, those breadcrumbs felt more like an entire loaf of bread the author was using to hit me over the head.  All subtly was lost and then when the reveal came, it was more like "well duh, you basically told us 5 pages ago".  I also thought the aftermath of the reveal wrapped up way too quickly and there were some key conversations I would have loved to see and these were completely skipped over.  I read an ARC, so maybe some of this changed for the final version.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a great setup and great pacing.  However, I felt lit got a little heavy handed at the ending reveal which lessened the surprise.  Also, I wanted more of a resolution to some of the interpersonal drama/issues presented throughout the book. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.  Publication date was April 9, 2024.

A Cast of Falcons - Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

We're back with Dr Nell Ward, a few months after the events of book 1 (A Murder of Crows).  A whole cast has assembled at Nell's family estate, Finchmere, to celebrate the marriage of her best friend Percy to Hawke McAnsthruther.  Family tensions are high and soon Hawke's shady personal and professional life are only making those tension worse.  When the wedding night ends in a death, Nell, Rav, and DI James Clarke find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation.  And with Finchmere being out in the middle of the country, they must come to terms that the killer very well may be still in the house with all of them.

This is the second book in the Nell Ward series and while each book does have stand alone mysteries, I would recommend reading these in order.  There are a lot of character interactions and relationship growth that I think gets lost if you do not read book 1 first.  Of course, Yarwood-Lovett does her best to sprinkle in the needed information from book 1 into this read as it comes up.  For me, since I read the first one a few years ago, these served as gentle reminders of some of the big plot points from that read. 

The maps at the beginning of the book worried me at first because there were so many different rooms and places that I was sure I'd get confused.  I was reading an eARC so flipping back and forth every few pages would have been tedious.  However, I found myself not needing to look back at all and my initial study of the maps was sufficient to get a feel for the layout.  Similarly, all the names on the maps of who was in which room made me worry I would have a hard time keeping so many characters straight.  However, Yarwood-Lovett does a great job of introducing the characters in such a way that I had details to latch onto.  Each character was unique enough that I had no issues keeping them straight, which is something I do struggle with at times.  I could see a reader using that map more if they were really trying to solve the mystery before the characters did but that isn't really my style when reading mysteries.

The mystery plot was a great closed-circle mystery with plenty of rich people problems at the center.  The author does a fantastic job of giving the characters believable motives as well as questionable alibis so I really had no idea who could be the killer until it was revealed.  I was surprised at the number of bodies that dropped but loved how that complicated the investigation.  I was expecting a bit more of a police procedural, given we have a DI in the cast.  There is still a basis in ecology, but I didn't find it nearly as present in this book compared with the first (although it does come into play during clutch moments).

The pacing was spot on and it really made this story potato-chip-readable.  I couldn't help but want to keep turning pages.  This read never had any sort of lull or saggy middle for me as we seemed to have a constant stream of new information.  This is a multi-POV read, which I think helped keep the pacing moving.  So when one character reached a lull in their investigation, the POV switched and we were picking right up with a different character and their investigation.  One small complaint I've had in recent mysteries I've read is that the characters spend too much time debriefing and repeating all the information they have so far - purely for the reader's supposed benefit.  In this read, however, I didn't have any of those feelings.  The few moments where characters got together and ran through their investigation notes were usually when they were teaming up with another character so it felt like a natural part of the story instead of feeling forced. 

Overall, this was a great next installment in the series as well as a great closed-circle murder mystery.  I loved being back with many of the same characters from book 1 and got some great character development through their personal relationships.  I'm looking forward to reading on in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC.  Publication was October 18, 2022
 

NOS4A2 - Joe Hill

This horror/thriller follows Victoria McQueen and Charlie Manx.  While growing up, Victoria (Vic) discovers her gift for finding lost things by riding her bike over a bridge that shouldn't exist.  Within moments, she travels from her home in New Hampshire to wherever the lost item is - even if it is across the country.  At the same time that Vic is using her gift for finding things, Charlie Manx is using his similar power to kidnap children and bring them to Christmasland.  The two initially go about their lives with no knowledge of the other until one day where Vic goes looking for Manx.  After that day, Vic spends her life trying to escape the memories of that day whereas Manx hasn't stopped thinking about Vic and is determined to get her back.  Years later, with Vic has a child of her own, Manx comes back and in order to save her son, Vic must embrace what happened to her as well as her own powers. 

At almost 700 pages, this book was certainly a project to read.  It took me about a month to get through, which I was a little surprised about. But there was just something about the pacing and narration that made me not pick this up unless I had a few hours of uninterrupted time.  I really wanted to make sure I had enough time to sink into the story.  This is my first read from Hill, so I was also worried that there would be some bloat or unnecessary parts of this long of a read.  I was incredibly pleased that I did not find that to be true at all with this read.  So if, like me, you have heard great things about this read but the length is giving you pause, I would encourage you to pick this up because I absolutely loved it.

I was surprised by the pacing of this read and how much story we get before the events mentioned in the description of the book.  The description tells us that Manx will abduct Vic's son.  But it takes half the book before Vic even has a son.  The first half of the book is set up about Vic's history, family life, and the magic bridge as well as seeing how Manx operates.  I'll admit that while I was in the middle of all this set up/backstory initial story I was a little worried this was all bloat and wouldn't come into play later.  However, I'm pretty sure every little detail we learn about Vic and the other characters come back around directly during the second half of the read.  As far as the pacing goes, this first half was a little slower but Hill does a fantastic job of slowly ramping up the pacing as the book goes on.  The more we learn about Vic and Manx and their connection the more it starts to feel like they are two trains gaining speed as they hurtle toward each other. While the beginning of the read is slower paced, by the time we get to the last 25%, we are full speed and I didn't want to put the book down at all.  

The lore and supernatural elements surrounding Manx and Vic's bridge were fantastic.  Hill does a great job of having the reader discover the rules and limitations of these aspects as the characters learn about them.  Every question or idea I had about the supernatural aspects of the story did eventually get answered or addressed which was fun. We don't always get a clear black and white answer to every question but I found that Hill would address those types of questions via the characters in a satisfying way.  There were a few times where I thought I had a handle on the details but then something new would happen and it would introduce a new aspect that deepened the world building.   

The characters in this are wonderfully developed and I got so attached to them while reading.  it is always a plus when I cry while reading a horror/thriller read and this certainly fit that bill.  I would say that if you are not a character-centered reader that this read may feel a bit slow, especially the first half.  However, I loved the fact that we got to see these characters over decades of their lives and get to see the changes they go through.  Hill does a great job with character development and they all felt very detailed and believably flawed.  

Overall, this was a fantastic read that I'm so glad I finally got around to reading.  I heard so many good things about this read and found them all to hold true.  We have some fantastic character development and world building surrounding an absolutely expertly paced adventure. This is a long read, but 100% worth the ride in my opinion and I'm looking forward to reading more from Hill in the future. 

June Romance Wrap-up

 Engagement and Espionage - Penny Reid

This cozy mystery romance is the first book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries Series and follows Cletus and Jenn. After their initial romance in Beard Science (Winston Brothers series #3), we are now following Cletus and Jenn as they are working to balance their busy lives and finding time together while dealing with some fallout from the previous book.  But when a series of unfortunate events befall the residents of Green Valley, Jenn and Cletus suspect these are not coincidences but instead are sabotage.  Add solving this mystery to the to-do list they already have running.  I haven't finished the Winston Brothers series yet, but Cletus and Jenn's book has been my favorite one by far.  I absolutely love them individually as well as together.  Reid does a great job of continuing their personal growth as well as their relationship growth alongside the mystery solving. We're back in the small town of Green Valley and get to see more side characters that we know as well as others we're meeting for the first time.  I always enjoy having a cozy mystery mixed with a romance and I think Reid does a good job balancing the two plots.  I did find there were too many sort of 'sit down and run through all the facts of the case so far' type of moments for my liking. I didn't find the mystery overly complicated and would have been fine with one or two of these sort of moments but there were ones where it felt like we hadn't even really learned anything new since the last one.  Overall, I'm glad that Reid pivoted and we have a whole handful of new books in this series that I'll be sure to pick up.

Rogue - Onley James

This MM romance is the second in the Jericho's Boys series and follows Levi and Shiloh.  The two meet while Levi is working the night shift at a convenience store and Shiloh is sent by his sadistic brother to kill Levi.  Instead of pulling the trigger, the two share a kiss that has them both reeling.  They quickly fall into each other but with Shiloh's brother as a looming threat, they need the whole crew to figure a way out of this one.  This was another great entry in this world and I loved that we get more of what I've come to love from James's books - steamy insta love with a good streak of blood thrown in the mix.  I think this book really opened up the world a bit more and I'm looking forward to future books hopefully exploring more of the other groups or gangs in the area.  Levi and Shiloh were great together and I found their dynamic really interesting.  They both have a hefty dose of trauma that come into play in this book but they are at such different points in their healing journey.  As always, we see a lot of side characters with the main group of boys as well as the Mulvaneys. The romantic suspense elements were well done and there were even a few surprises that I didn't see coming.  

Mercy - Sara Cate

This is the fourth book in the Salacious Players Club series and follows Beau and Maggie.  The two seem about as opposite as possible - Maggie helps run the SPC with Beau's dad - but after both finally give in and take the kink quiz on the SPC app, they have more in common than meets the eye.  Once their true identities are revealed, the two think about cutting it off now.  But neither expected their connection or that maybe the kinky things they've been holding back are just what they've always needed.  With Beau as a submissive brat and Maggie as his Domme - the two might just be able to face everything that says they shouldn't work together.  I didn't love this read as much as the previous entries in the series and I think that mostly came down to the fact I didn't find Maggie or Beau particularly compelling characters.  This will obviously be different for different readers, but I found them both to be pretty solid background characters during the previous books and the beginning of this book didn't really give me any new details about either of them.  I thought their dynamic was well done but when it came to the emotional development and stakes to their relationship, I wasn't hooked.  While Beau played a pretty big role in the first book in the series, Maggie was almost non-existent in the rest of the series.  Cate does a great job, as usual, with the kinky/spicy side of things but the character side of this read just missed the mark for me.

The Babysitter - Jessica Gadziala

This is the fifth book in the Professionals series and follows Ranger and Meadow.  The two meet when Ranger finds Meadow after she's been assaulted out in the middle of the woods where Ranger has built his homestead.  He immediately gets her to safety and then calls in help from the team to get Meadow back to civilization, to a hospital, and then hopefully back to her life.  Only Meadow isn't ready to go back to her life.  Instead, she wants to stay with Ranger while she heals and processes.  This read was much different than the other books in the series.  It was much less of a romantic suspense than some of the others and was a more quiet and calm read.  It was great to finally see more of Ranger and his set up as he was often mentioned off hand in the earlier books.  I loved Meadow's character and her growth as she went from a typical city girl to pulling her own weight on Ranger's homestead. The plot reminded me a lot of Haven by Rebekah Weatherspoon (which I read in April).  But in this read, we get more time with Ranger and Meadow together and see their feelings grow.  They both have trauma but we get to see them both lean on the other when needed.  We also get multiple epilogues so we can see the path they end up taking after the main events in the book.  

May Romance Wrap-up

Tempting Taste - Sara Whitney

This opposites attract romance is the first in the Cinnamon Roll Alphas series and follows Erik and Josie.  After a chance encounter leads Erik to quit his job without a backup plan, he finds himself at the whims of Josie.  Josie is ready for a challenge to prove her worth to herself, her employer, her mother, and anyone else who doubts her.  So when Erik agrees to let Josie help him launch his dream bakery, she's ready to go full speed ahead.  The two are total opposites, but the more time they spend together, the more they find they have in common. This was a fun romance and I loved Erik and Josie but I didn't love the pacing of their relationship.  I felt like there was a lot of stop and starts that felt like they should have been bigger deals than they were.  It was like there were 3 different 3rd act breakups sprinkled throughout the book.  I did like how Erik and Josie both had their own issues to work through and I can see how each of these relationship speedbumps was a direct result of their own baggage/trauma.  However, I never felt like I was able to settle into their relationship and them actually being together because they kept breaking apart.  I did like the cast of side characters and I loved the world Whitney built. 

Fangirl Down - Tessa Bailey

This golf romance is the first in the Big Shots series and follows pro-golfer Wells and his #1 fan Josephine.  Wells used to be the hottest thing on the golf course, but his golden years are behind him.  His grumpy manners have alienated him from just about everyone in his life, except for Josephine.  When a hurricane comes through and floods her family's golf pro shop, Josephine is trying to figure out how she's going to put the pieces back together.  When Wells offers her a position as his caddy as he's trying to re-find himself and his golf game.  The two travel together and soon are finding sparks flying along side the golf balls.  I've heard a bunch of skepticism about this when it was first coming out because it was being marketed as a 'bad boy golfer' but I think that perfectly encapsulates Wells's character.   This was giving me a touch of Happy Gilmore vibes with Wells being a little bit of a younger outsider who is looked down upon by the older establishment golfers.  I loved Josephine's bubbly personality and love of golf.  She almost made me want to look more into golf (almost) because she loves the game so much.  Bailey does a good job of working in the golf basics to the reader so we had context for the sports part of this sports romance.  I did think the chemistry between Wells and Josephine was a little choppy at the beginning and I didn't understand why suddenly they had so much chemistry when just a few scenes earlier in the book they didn't really feel like they had that lusty chemistry.  I was expecting them to be a bit more reserved at the beginning and then feelings grow as they spend more time together but instead it was like the burner was turned up to high immediately instead of a simmer.  Overall, it was exactly what I was expecting based on my past history with Bailey as well as the marketing and I had a good time.

Give Me More - Sara Cate

This MMF romance is the third book in the Salacious Player's Club series and follows Hunter, Isabel, and Drake.  Hunter and Drake have been friends since childhood and when Hunter met, and later married, Isabel the trio became inseparable. Now, they are on a business road trip together visiting other kink clubs.  And when Hunter watches Drake and Isabel together in a bondage demonstration, he discovers he might want that to happen again, and maybe more.  The trio don't want anything to harm their friendship, but all three have an undeniable connection and Hunter and Drake's decades long friendship might have a new layer developing that was maybe there all along.  Sara Cate has solidified herself as a new favorite author. This was the first book I heard about in the Salacious Player's Club series - I've been excited to finally get to it and it certainly did not disappoint.   While we've seen Drake a bit in the first 2 books in the series, Hunter and Isabel have been almost completely absent so I was excited to finally get to see them on page.  I loved the dynamic between the friends as well as their history.  At first, I thought maybe I was missing out on a prequel book or something, but Cate does weave their backstory into the current story.  Cate does such a great job at quickly building up these characters so we really get a good sense of their relationship and dynamic.  The spicy scenes were physically spicy but there was this underlying emotional tension that was absolutely spectacular.  This read does a good job of exploring the 'why' behind certain kinks which was an interesting depth of character I wasn't necessarily expecting. We get all 3 character POVs in this read and there's a good balance between all the POVs.  Having them checking out different kink clubs was a fun way to introduce new settings and putting these characters into new situations that were pushing buttons and forcing decisions to be made was a great way to move the plot forward.  Overall, this was a fantastic MMF poly read that had a lot more emotional depth and character development than I was expecting.

Hot Mess - Misha Horne

This MM romance follows Erik and London.  London just moved in next door to Erik and immediately starts crushing on his neighbor.  Only problem is that Erik is very much put together and London is a bit of a mess.  After moving around a bunch as an Army kid, London never learned how to put down roots.  So after buying a house, he's really at a loss of where to start.  Good thing Erik is right next door and loves to help direct London into unpacking his house and undressing for him.  This was almost a DNF because I had such a hard time with London's voice and internal monologue.  I found him pretty insufferable in the opening chapters, to be honest.  However, I've heard so much good about this read that I pushed through and I was pleasantly surprised at how much more I enjoyed it when Erik came into London's life.  We only get London's POV in this read, which was a bummer because I think Erik's calm and settled personality would have been nice to see.  This was a bit of an insta-lust situation but it did have a happy for now ending which I liked because it felt more realistic than a full-on happily ever after ending. I had an issue with the pacing and there was a lull in the middle of the book after Erik and London's first night together where they have a long and in depth conversation about their pasts and kinks.  I think all the information we get in this are important but it was such an info-dump session via dialogue that it took me completely out of the story.  The kinky elements were ones I don't see a ton in the books that come across my feed so I was glad for the variety. Overall, this had some good elements but didn't quite come together for me. 

Captivated - Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield

This romance follows Autumn and Blake.  After Autumn catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she kicks him out of their NYC apartment and is deciding if she will return to her home in Australia.  In the midst of a pity party complete with drawing sexy comics staring her landlord, her landlord himself, Blake, knocks on the door.  When he sees the comics, the two agree to three dates and to explore Autumn's kinky desires.  This has been on my TBR for a few years and I very much enjoy both Bailey and Dangerfield so them together was a no-brainer.  I loved how Autumn and Blake were the perfect example of opposites attract and they were so fun to follow.  The set up was a little fast and felt a little clunky with the comic but we quickly got into the meat of the story and from there I had a great time.  I loved their chemistry and how easily they just got along with each other. We have a great cast of characters and a good amount of character development outside of the romantic relationship.  Autumn has a prisoner/captive kink so there are quite a few CNC scenes but I appreciated the use of a different nickname during these scenes to easily and quickly indicate to the reader the type of scene.  

Barely Even Friends - Mae Bennett

This Beauty and the Beast retelling follows Bellamy and Oliver.  After years of working/studying under her father, Bellamy is finally ready to lead her first restoration job.  Only one problem: the Killington Estate comes with a surly resident - the heir to the Killington empire.  Oliver is less than pleased to find Bellamy in the house but the two soon come to a tense working relationship.  But the father along in the restoration Bellamy gets, the more she learns about Oliver and the two grow closer.  But when it is time to unveil her restoration, they both must figure out their next steps and whether or not their future is together.  This is Mae Bennett's debut and as with many debuts, this was a bit of a hit-and-miss situation.  I loved the first 30% which included the set up to the characters but also a lot of Beauty and the Beast references which were incredibly creative.  However, after that point it felt like the book was playing tug-of-war between being a retelling and a HGTV-esque reno story.  I really wanted it to stay more in the the retelling lane but felt like that magic from the first 30% was sort of lost in the rest of the book.  I did absolutely adore all the characters, especially the staff who work at the Estate. I think the chemistry between Bellamy and Oliver was good, but I think it could have been a little bit more developed and I found some of the secondary plot points got in the way of the romance.  All in all, I enjoyed this and I would read more from Bennett in the future. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC.  Publication date was June 4, 2024.

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date - Ashley Herring Blake

This FF romance is the third in the Bright Falls series and follows Iris and Stevie.  Iris is perfectly happy being single - it is everyone around her who seems to be obsessed with her getting into a relationship. Stevie just got out of a relationship with her best friend and her ex started dating another friend - and everyone around her thinks Stevie needs some help coping.  When Iris and Stevie meet at a bar, and then later run into each other at Stevie's ex's play, Iris agrees to be Stevie's fake girlfriend.  This way, they both can get their friends off their backs.  Only when fake dating turns into sex lessons which turn into real feelings, the two might be doing the most unexpected thing ever - falling in love.  This is the final book in the Bright Falls series and is probably my favorite in the series.  The chemistry between Iris and Stevie was absolutely sizzling from the very beginning and carried through the whole read.  We get to see the couples from the first two books a few times as well, which is always fun.  The fake dating aspect was incredibly believable and I loved that both characters had very good reasons to agree to the fake dating.  The side plots were also very intriguing and tied in nicely with the romance plot.  And when they added in the sex lessons, the already hot chemistry escalated to absolute lava-levels of hot.  The characterization and development was fantastic and this read solidified Ashley Herring Blake as an insta-read author for me.

Paladin - Onley James

This MM romance is the first book in the Jericho's Boys series and follows Arsen and Ever.  The two meet when Arsen rescues Ever from being captive and a life of servitude.  The two have an instant bond and chemistry but Arsen insists on taking it slow to be mindful of Ever's certain trauma.  Only Ever isn't interested in taking it slow.  But as soon as the two come together, the danger following Ever makes an appearance and there are more people to rescue.  It was great to be back in the Necessary Evils universe and this gave me everything I loved about that series so I have absolutely no complaints.  It was interesting to not lean so heavily on the psychopath elements and instead we explore more of the trauma/found family type of dynamic.  We know from the Necessary Evils series that Jericho's Boys do kill bad people, but it is more out of necessity and most of them do have feelings about the killings.  Arsen and Ever were such an interesting pairing and I loved how they connected instantly but still had to spend some time teasing apart their feelings from the potential trauma bond given how Ever was found.  I did want more build up from the romantic suspense element as that did feel like it came in at the last minute.  Otherwise, I'm excited to have another series in this universe.