_isabel_'s reviews
1028 reviews

 Absolutely freaking delicious. I adored this lovely little filthy book to bits.

"Stealing the Silver Fox" is fun, so so so fun, and so hilarious I cackled out loud, so damn enjoyable and gripping I managed to devour it in one sitting. It also might be the hottest book I've read in a long, long time: I think I blushed from start to finish.
This was my first Daniel May, but I'm pretty sure it won't be my last because I loved his writing: it's witty, it's hot, it's fresh, it's hilarious, and his protagonist, Tony, is certainly one of a kind. He's loud and immature, filthy and arrogant and overbearing, and his thoughts had me either in stitches (or in a state of perpetual blush).

< “There’s this guy I’m into,” he said, playing it up, going all puppy-dog eyes. “But I can’t get him to look twice at me.”
“You?” Goff’s dry voice was only half-mocking; he was aware of Tony’s propensity for working his way through a population of DILFs like an invasive predator. “Say it isn’t so. Have you tried subtly banging out a set of clap push-ups when he walks by?” >

I wouldn't call what he and Fontaine have a romance because their journey towards a happy ending is pure, non-stop erotica (plus, a few absolutely hilarious scenes between Tony and his Don-like cousin Goff; and some very OTT, but fun nonetheless, dream scenarios featuring hot, and vaguely non-con, dragon/human shenanigans), and also because it's fairly non-typical. I still freaking loved it though, and their (happy, filthy) ending leaves the reader with the certainty that their relationship will one of pure, unadulterated bliss.

We don't get Fontaine's POV, which I thought was a pity because I wanted to see Tony through his eyes, but their scenes together were fantastic and they featured some of my favourite tropes and kinks: opposites attract, reverse age gap with a much younger Dom and an older sub, degradation kink that was *chef's kiss*, and my absolute favourite trope of these past few months, AKA stuffy, high-strung, used-to-getting-what-he-wants CEO being utterly undone by a scruffy, commanding man half his age, with the filthiest mouth. It also featured a fair dose of dub-con, and badly negotiated kink; BUT oh god, I'm obsessed.

Anyway, I absolutely adored this novel, and I'm excited to read more of Daniel May's backlist. I wonder if Goff has a novel already? He definitely left an impression, and I'd be very, very excited to read more of him. In the meantime, I'm already looking forward to re-reading this.
Wholly recommended.

Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review. 

 I loved this book so much.

I admit, when I first started this series, Brad's story wasn't one I was particularly keen on reading because I was afraid it wouldn't hold my interest as much, but BOY HOW WRONG WAS I.
Brad's the most precious human being ever, and he deserves to protected AT ALL COSTS. I loved him so freaking much: I knew he was hiding stuff, scary and painful secrets, but actually reading about what he went through, how he's managed to keep himself afloat after a horrible trauma in college, broke my heart to bits. I was cheering for him from the very start, and I loved that he finally got to have his HEA with such a well-deserving sweetheart like Theo.

I devoured this book in less than a day, and I still can't believe I did that! I've been in a slump since June-ish, and I thought my binge-reading days were over, but Kate Hawthorne proved me wrong <3
I loved Brad, and Theo was freaking great too. Their romance was beyond sweet, hopeful and romantic, and seeing Brad finally overcome some stuff and beginning to heal was absolutely wonderful to witness. He blossomed thanks to Theo's patience and affection, and their romantic arc in general was very, very satisfying.

Surprisingly, I wasn't too keen on the steam this time around; I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I was more interested in the emotional aspect and I kinda kept wishing there were more scenes where the brothers interacted.
Anyway, I adored this.
I'm not sure what to expect from Andy's story, but I'm very much looking forward to reading it (and after that, going back to my beloved James and Levi <3 <3 ) 

 I am VERY, very conflicted about the rating.

On the one hand, "Disrupted Engagement" was a fun, enjoyable ride: a classic Aslan and Quaid adventure, full of mystery, steam, heartfelt romance and banter. I've been highly invested in their relationship since their first book, and I adored seeing them reach this stage of their relationship: they belong together, and the sheer amount of love, respect and affection they have for one another left me misty-eyed more than once.

So, yes, their relationship was a definitive positive; and, of course, Aslan, my baby, I'll always love you. He can do no wrong in my eyes, even when he's being an idiot. The side characters were HUGELY enjoyable too: Torin, Ruiz even, and of course Jordyn (I desperately missed her though; I wish she had a much bigger role!)

On the other, I got kinda bored and frustrated at times: I ended up skimming some of the least interesting chapters, and I didn't find the engagement shenanigans cute or funny at all.
I don't mind the miscommunication trope, but I don't like it when it's done for no reason at all; I get why Aslan wanted to make the proposal perfect, and I get Quaid's insecurities (he's highly relatable in that regard!), but it just felt cruel after a bit, and I think it could have been handled in a different, more thoughtful way (and yes, a funnier way as well).

I wasn't keen on the mystery: it was fun and complex, no doubt, but after the emotional ride and upheaval of the last two books, I was expecting something more "more"? I don't know.
I wasn't keen on the writing: to be fair, Nicky James' writing wasn't my fave to begin with, but it felt especially bland and green here.

And finally, Quaid. Like I said, I understand why he's the way he is; I find his insecurities extremely relatable because I, too, am a neurotic, overthinking mess of anxiety and insecurity. But he desperately needs to go to therapy or at least, get some help: I've already said this, but his health and calories obsession, his constant fat-and-food shaming, the fact that he's so obsessive and the fact that he doesn't sleep nor eat enough, isn't a quirky personality trait, and I sincerely hope it all gets addressed sooner rather than later.

So yes, I did enjoy bits of this book, but not as much as I hoped and not as much as the previous books. "Disrupted Engagement" had so much potential, especially from an emotional and character growth point of view, but most of it felt kinda wasted.
I also know that a few-months-ago-Iz wouldn't have been so picky and fussy, but I feel like I've been in a reading slump for ages, I'm fed up with mediocre books, my brain's decided it only likes TV shows now (of the queer variety, preferably) (I've been on a constant GO/OFMD/WWDITS loop these past few weeks and I AM SOARING, and also suffering), so yes. *bangs head on the table*

I'm excited for book seven though! Wedding shenanigans are always so fun, and I hope NJ delivers. 

 "Dragon's Dawn" was freaking delicious.
It was fun and hilariously bonkers at times, dark, thrilling and quietly (and murderously) romantic; I enjoyed it so damn much.

This first installment in Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes' most recent series is quite different from their previous works together; it's decidedly more violent and dark (even though it's not as dark as some of the stuff in the genre, heed the trigger warnings if needed!) and I freaking adored it for it. It's also politically dense, twisty and full of court intrigues and backstabbing royals, and the plot, even though it's fairly simple and straight-forward, as is the world-building, kept me hooked from the start.

Genya and Misha's story starts with an unwanted arranged marriage (one of the SUPERIOR tropes), and it's packed with action, betrayals and miscommunication from the very start: yes, there's a lot of miscommunication, but for once I found the fact that neither one of them is capable of having an adult conversation about feelings and wants and thoughts, hilarious. They're both murderous, emotionally stunted idiots, and I loved that for them. Talk about a well-suited couple, heh?
Their relationship is also BRIMMING with sexual tension from the very start; their mutual attraction is immediate and explosive, and so damn fun to witness. Their intimate scenes in the bedroom, the only place where they're actually on the same page and their communication skills seem to function, are absolutely, deliciously dirty and steamy, with light D/s undertones and tons of dirty talk.
So yes, their relationship was addictive: I loved following them on their long (and torturous) road to a HEA, and I loved them as individual characters as well, although I still wanted to kick them both many, many times.

The side-characters were as explosive as the two leads, and I seriously cannot wait to see more of the backstabbing, murderous Vasiliev royals and to see of few of them fall in (or capitulate to) love.

I wholly recommend this book! I'm so excited for book two.

TWs/CWs: violence, domestic abuse (not between the MCs).

I received an ARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review. 

This was lovely.
Heart-warming and sweet and emotional, and it put a huge smile on my face.

Landon and Casey's romance journey was freaking cute: friends/teammates/roommates-to-lovers and slow-burn galore, opposites-attract (ft. the loveliest, anxiety-riddled, must-be-protected-at-all-costs introvert, and the sweetest golden retriever sunshine boy ever), first times and found famiy.

I loved them as protagonists, and I absolutely adored seeing them slowly discover their dynamic and watching their relationship bloom.
Both of them struggle with quite a few issues, and I think Rachel Reid did a fantastic job at portraying their struggles: from phobia and sexual discovery to anxiety and grief... everything was done in a really gentle and respectful way.

On the other hand though, I think "Time to Shine" was just a bit too wholesome for me; I know readers seem to gobble that fluff up nowadays, but I'm always going to be more of a fan of the grittier, gutsier stuff in my romances. I also think this book could have proooobably been quite a bit shorter; I don't know, maybe it's a me problem, but I ended up skimming a few of the chapters, especially by the end.

I know Rachel Reid can absolutely write masterpieces, romances with grit and angst, emotional journeys that leave me wrecked for days; I mean, I'm not going to forget "Heated Rivalry", "The Long Game" and "Role Model", to name a few, in a hurry, am I? *clutches heart*

So yes, "Time to Shine" is a lovely, fluffy, enjoyable palate cleanser, and I know lots and lots of people will absolutely fall in love with Landon and Casey's romance, but unfortunately it didn't totally work for me, nor did the writing totally win me over.

But yeah, like I said, I still enjoyed it, and I still cheered for Casey and Landon: both of them are adorable and lovely (and young!), and I freaking loved all the side characters. If there's one thing Rachel Reid always excels at, it's the IMMACULATE found family: all of Landon and Casey's teammates are utter gems, and their families are wonderful.

If you're looking for a hockey romance that's full of sport, heart and just a smidge of spicy and emotional angst, this book is definitely for you! I enjoyed it, despite a few niggles, and I definitely can't wait to read whatever Rachel Reid manages to create next.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was gorgeous.
KJ Charles is really one of the best authors out there: her writing, the sheer amount of skill she puts into creating well-rounded, complex, wonderfully flawed and lovable characters, her storytelling and the absolutely compelling plots... Nobody does it like her, especially in this kind of genre.

And "A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel" is no exception.
I loved this book to bits, even though it took me quite a few more days than usual to finish it (I blame Good Omens *sobbing noises* and my damned summer reading slump).

I've been so excited about Luke's story since he first appeared in "The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen": what he was put through was horrific, and I really could not wait to see how Adult Luke would turn out to be, how he would deal with it all, and how precisely he would get away with an unexpected, inconvenient romance with the new Earl of Oxney (aka Rufus; aka the most delicious and angry grump to ever grump, with the biggest, most kindest heart, and yes, you can say I loved him quite a bit).

Their romance stole my heart; it develops in an unexpected way, much to their dismay, since it's got a bit of a forbidden, employer/employee, class and age gap, vibe going on, and it's also fueled by fierce chemistry and sexual tension, and an understanding of one another, that was both exciting and sexy, and damned moving, and I adored it.
It's also fraught with miscommunication, a fair bit of misleading and secretive scheming and lying; but all of that kept me hooked. The plot was a mixture of romance and mystery, and I adored every single second of it.

As protagonists, Luke and Rufus are both fleshed out in a very vivid, very realistic way; they felt like real people, like flawed and complex men, and their respective character arcs were absolutely gorgeous to witness.
In some ways, they reminded me of Kim and Will (from the Will Darling Adventures, aka my most favourite book series of all time and my favourite of KJ Charles'), with Luke being all secretive, cunning, a tad vulnerable and a scheming, infuriating schemer; and Rufus, being perfectly, and violently, competent and reliable and good and stubborn.

Needless to say, I loved them to bits and their relationship and the dynamic between them was pretty much addictive: sweet and sexy, moving and heartfelt.

So why am I docking half a star? No spoilers, but there were some things (in the epilogue mainly) that gave me pause, and made their romance feel less romance-y. I don't know, in some ways it was new and different and pretty much realistic, in other ways I wish it had been done differently. I don't want to worry people, because Rufus and Luke are definitely (and unambiguously) HEA, but there was a teeny, tiny, unexpected plot twist at the end that kinda made my enjoyment of their HEA less enjoyable.

I might change my mind when I re-read this, but for now that is what I think (re: people who have read this book, tell me your thoughts please).

Anyway, it was a lovely book, and all the side characters (and even the villains!) were absolutely, masterfully created, and I am still thoroughly obsessed and absolutely in awe with how skilled and how much of a genius KJ Charles is, especially at character building and arcs.

I loved seeing Gareth and Joss again, I loved Luke and Rufus, and I loved this book. If you are new to this author, you can literally start anywhere in her backlist because every single book of hers is a masterpiece. I wholly recommend it.

Also, for longtime fans of KJ Charles: there are easter eggs, and I SCREECHED *nod of approval*

TWs/CWs: child abuse (emotional, physical; mentioned), death, murder, rape (of secondary characters, mentioned).


I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 Five stars? More like five hundred million.
"Resurrection Reprise" was freaking perfection. By far, one of my favourite reads of the year.

I've been a huge Spencer Bailey fan since the first time he appeared, in all his horny, messy glory, in Hailey Turner's "Soulbound" series. Imagine my absolute joy when she finally announced he was getting his own story (and his own romance! WITH A VAMPIRE, much to Spencer's, and his danger kink loving heart's, delight).
I knew I was going to love this novel; it still managed to surpass all my expectations in a way I didn't even know was possible.

Spencer first appears in "On the Wings of War", and his soulbreaking magic, so chilling and powerful (and highly regulated), and of course, his bond with his psychopomp Fatima, intrigued from the very start. I was also intrigued by Spencer's own fascination with the undead (because, seriously, same). His story did not disappoint, at all.

Spencer's new career with the SOA, and a mysterious case about a dangerous, stolen artifact, takes him to a rainy Seattle, where he has to deal with werecreatures, rogue magic, cult-like covens, poltergeists, demonic possessions, and of course, the Seattle Night Court and its very dangerous, very ancient, very sexy (and very possessive and very, very commanding) Master, Takoma. And the unfortunate, but very delicious, chemitry he and Takoma seem to have heaps of.

So yes, Spencer's new career takes off with a lot of danger, a lot of magic, and a whole lot of messy, messy feelings; and oh god, what a ride this book was.
It's packed with action and mystery, murder and magic, darkness and adventure, and just the right amount of swoon-inducing, gut-wrenching, panty-melting, romance.

Spencer's and Takoma's romance stole my freaking soul: it's darker, messier than what Patrick and Jono had (and that says it all, considering how complicated Patrick's life was before his much-deserved HEA), but it's still teeming with feelings, heart and swoonworthy moments. It's not sweet in the usual sense; but Takoma promising mayhem, murder and bloody violence to protect Spencer? I'd call that sweet, okay? *nods*

< Spencer tongued at his teeth as his head was yanked back, showing off the line of his throat. His pulse kicked up, but he couldn’t decide if it was out of fear or sheer arousal. He’d always been attracted to highly competent, sometimes murderous people, whether they were human or not. Fatima had always despaired of the times Spencer followed his dick and not his brain. >

Also, oh god. Takoma.
Takoma is deliciously, ridiculously, unforgettably HOT.
Yes, okay, he's a vampire and quite possibly a mass murderer; yes, his morals are very skewed and he only cares for few select people. But he's so freaking delicious.
He's commanding and possessive, dangerous and violent, but also so damn protective, and his past is riddled with heartbreak and violence, injustice and abuse, and it broke my heart quite a bit. He's fiercely protective of his Night Court, of his past and his origins, and I loved that he was so unapologetic in that: he's got a job to do, people to defend, and laws, morals and an unjust government aren't going to stop him.
And the way he was with Spencer was *melts* gawd, their romance isn't sweet and fluffy, but it made my heart beat out of my chest. Both of them are such kinky bastards and their chemistry, inside and outside the bedroom, was seriously fire.

< “You want to be good for me, don’t you?” Spencer closed his eyes, breathing sharply through his nose at those words, and couldn’t stop the way his head jerked into a nod. “So keep being good." >

Spencer is an unforgettable protagonist. He's spent all his life being used and abandoned and feared by the people who should have protected him, because of his particular brand of magic. He's used to it, but god, his aching loneliness was heartbreaking to witness. He deserves every single good thing in the world, and the fact that he finally found a home, somebody to belong to, with Takoma, a vampire who'd probably light the world on fire just to protect him, was beautiful to witness: he deserves to be happy and worshiped and protected. Both of them do.
I loved the fact that despite the horrible cards he was dealt, he still managed to be sunny and funny and nice and honorable; and his bond with Fatima was the cutest thing ever. I loved their snarky banter, and you could see how deep the affection between them run.

This book had a few unexpected, and memorable, appearences from familiar faces of the previous "Soulbound" series, and no spoilers, but it was so so good to meet them again and get updates on how the New York god pack is doing. The other side characters, even the minor ones. were nuanced and masterfully created (and I freaking loved Takoma's whole Night Court), and the writing was FANTASTIC.
The plot was riveting, dark and thrilling, and packed with so much action, magic and twists I got wiplash. I devoured this book, start to finish, and I already cannot wait to read it again. And again. AND AGAIN.


Thank you GRR and Hailey Turner for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review. 

Very, very cute.
"The Unlikely Heir" was a delightful read: it's definitely an OTT, pretty much unrealistic, pure fluff romp of a book, but I enjoyed quite a bit.

I admit, I skimmed a bit of the second half of the book (yes, I unfortunately suffer from a case of "I mostly care about the slow-burn, will-they-won't-they, slowly-simmering-sexual-tension, portion of a book" when it comes to contemporaries, especially of the light-hearted, fluffy variety), but I still enjoyed it and I desperately wanted to know how Callum and Oliver would pull of their HEA.
And omg, it's pulled off with a plot-twist I never saw coming and a fair dose of suspension of disbelief: yes, something like that could never happen, at least not in our century (or universe) but everything is so much better in fiction, yes?

I liked both leads: they're incredible sweethearts, and both of them deserve each other because of how damned well they treat each other.
Again, that's probably the reason I skimmed a few chapters: yes, I like gentle, kind sweethearts who spoil and protect each other at all costs, who bond over jokes and trivia, and are Very Good People™, but personally I love messy, complicated, chaotic, broken disasters just a smide more. And that's precisely why I CANNOT wait for book two. I'd seriously sell my soul for it because oh god, I'm already salivating over the thought of those two characters together *side eye* I can't wait to see THAT mess unfold.

Anyway, I liked Callum and Oliver; and Oliver was so sexy and sweet I was kinda jealous of Callum for a second or two, at least until I remembered how unlucky they both were for their respective positions. I liked the side characters quite a bit too, Toby especially!
The writing was lovely, and it flowed like a dream; I really must read more of Jax Calder's backlist.

I seriously can't wait for book two: I'm so hopeful I'll end up loving "The Unlikely Pair" much more, because the premise sounds amazing and bonkers. In the meantime, I'd wholly recommend this book to anybody who wants to imagine how a slightly better Britain, with a *much* better political landscape, would be: "The Unlikely Heir" is fluffy and romantic and sweet, lighthearted and cute, and it made me smile the whole way through.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Hot, complex and angsty!
I really adored this novel. Kate Hawthorne is slowly becoming one of my to-go-to authors when it comes to kink, and "Humbled" was another absolute delight. 

I admit, I loved the first half of the novel a bit more: the push and pull, the chemistry, the "will-they-won't-they" between Rob and Grayson were absolutely electric. 

Grayson's struggle with how to label himself after finding he wants to submit to Robert made me really feel for him: he goes through quite an identity crisis, and my heart hurt for him quite a bit. I felt for Robert too: he loves Grayson from the start, even when he didn't actually realize it, and seeing him constantly rejected by Grayson HURT. 

Anyway, those two together were fire, and I loved seeing them finally reach a satisfactory HEA.
Even though the second half of the book kinda lost my interest a few times (apart from a secondary conflict between Grayson and his former BFF, the constant rejection and confusion he subjected Robert to made me quite frustrated, and confused at times as well), I adored the ending and I absolutely adored Robert's friends. I can't wait for their novels. 

Absolutely freaking lovely.
Mungo and Milo's story broke my heart, and then made it whole again: it has all the loveliest, most soul-wrenching tropes you can wish for, AND it was so damn heartfelt and funny as well.
I've said this before, but Fearne Hill is SO skilled at weaving humour and banter into her contemporary romances: I admit, "Cloud White" is quite a bit more angsty than the previous two books of this series, but the author still managed to balance out the angst and hurt with light-hearted, funny, genuine humour, without any of the pointless banter that seems to be plaguing the genre nowadays.

Milo and Mungo stole my heart when they first appeared in Frankie's story, and then in Tristan's too. Both of them are a bit of a mystery, the snarky, sharp-witted twink and the gentle, kind-hearted giant: you could see they had hidden depths and hurts, and oh god, their story did not disappoint in that regard. The pining between them was EXQUISITE, and painful and frustrating and beautifully done. These two love each other to bits, but they also have the worst timing ever.
Milo surprised me, with his painful past and his snarky, sharp armour, and with his fierce need to take care of Mungo and their respective friends. He's so protective over them, even though his brand of protectiveness is razor-edged and catty and abrasive. And the way he was with Danny, oh god: the softest relationship ever. I hope Fearne Hill has plans for Danny (and Simon too) because I loved their interactions.
And Mungo? My sweet, wonderful Mungo? Gah, he deserves the whole world. This book is very, very tough on Mungo, and the first half of the book had me gnawing on my fingernails: I kept shouting at the characters to notice what was going on with him. Obviously there's a HEA here, so Mungo does finally get the happiness he deserves but omg, how I suffered for him.
He's the best of them all, and I cheered for him and his gentle heart from start to finish.

I adored the usual found family vibes all the characters had going on, and I loved that we got to see Frankie and Lysander and Tristan and Dom again. I admit, I miiight have loved the previous two books a bit more (because 1) I love workplace romances, and 2) Tris and Dom own my soul), but "Cloud White" was lovely, delightful and satisfying. And the ending? I might have cried.

I thoroughly recommend this book, and this series, to anyone who's in need of a quick, heartfelt and sweet romance that still packs a punch. I can't wait to see if Fearne Hill will write more in this universe, and I can't wait to dive into her backlist a bit more too.

TWs/CWs: domestic abuse (emotional and physical abuse), mentions of child abuse, addiction, gaslighting.

Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received in exchange for an honest review.