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koistyfishy's reviews
362 reviews
Skate the Line by S.J. Sylvis
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 Clay Pascal Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
After just finishing Play the Game, I had a better idea of what to expect going into this... But wow, this took grumpy sunshine to another level. I mean, the main character’s name is literally Sunny, and he nicknames her Sunshine, so the book fully leans into the cliché! AND I LOVED IT!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
The book follows Rhodes, a man who is desperate for a nanny. Somehow, he is cursed because every single nanny he hires just wants to sleep with him rather than actually caring about his daughter, Ellie. So when Sunny starts, he is very clear about setting boundaries. He lays out strict rules... no emotional attachment, no seducing him, and nothing that could jeopardize the arrangement. This is perfectly fine for Sunny because she has just escaped a nightmare of a situation where her last nanny gig’s dad turned stalkerish and obsessive. After that trauma, the last thing she wants is to cross any lines again. She agrees to Rhodes’s rules, fully prepared to keep things professional and just focus on his little girl.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Rhodes is not an easy man to crack. He only cares about two things, his daughter and hockey. Ellie always comes first, no matter what, and he refuses to compromise that. He is grateful that his team, the Chicago Blue Devils, understands that he will give his all on the ice, but the second his daughter needs him, he is gone. Ellie is his whole world, and it is obvious that he never expected to be a dad. She was born from a one-night stand, and her mother passed away shortly after, so suddenly, Rhodes had to learn how to be a father on his own, all while balancing his career. He has been fiercely protective of keeping his daughter out of the limelight and separated from the chaos of his hockey career.
Then there is Sunny, a girl trying to run from her past. She is desperate, and when the adorable little Ellie wriggles her way into her heart, she has to guard herself against catching feelings, especially catching feelings for Ellie's grumpy, brooding, emotionally closed-off father.
But honestly? My favourite part of this book wasn’t the romance between Sunny and Rhodes...it was the relationship between Sunny and Ellie. Ellie showed all the early signs of abandonment issues. She has never really had a consistent mother figure in her life, and every female she has formed an attachment to has left her. She is closed off, shy, and hesitant to trust people. Watching her slowly open up to Sunny was the absolute highlight of the book. Seeing her build trust for the first time, finally talking about her feelings, learning that love isn’t always temporary, and realizing she has someone in her corner was so heartwarming. It felt like we were watching her overcome something that could have left a lasting trauma, and it was just so beautifully done.
And then there was Sunny and Rhodes’s slow-burn romance, which was everything!!! They were so against forming an attachment to each other, but the more Rhodes saw how good Sunny was for his daughter, the more he started to fall for her too. He could see the difference she was making, and even though he tried so hard to resist, he couldn’t help but let her in.
I also loved the banter between them. The way she played off his grumpiness with her relentless optimism was golden. Watching her slowly chip away at his walls, getting him to realize he could care for someone beyond his daughter and hockey, was just so satisfying.
I felt like their romance spoke directly to every microtrope I love. They were constantly skating the line between professional and not, each testing the waters but always pulling back. It was slow and achingly tense, but so satisfying.
And can we talk about some of the best moments?
- He does her hair so he can practice braiding his daughter’s hair.
- The phone sex scene.
- The way he tends to her injuries
- Giving her food...
LIKE I AM A MELTED PUDDLE AT THIS MAN!
It was just everything. Every single scene ticked another box on my "things that make me squeal" list, and I was so happy while reading this. It was the ultimate feel-good story, and it gave me exactly what I needed.
The one issue and why this isn't a full 5 stars? I had the exact same problem with this that I did with Play the Game...but the climax and ending felt rushed. The build-up was fantastic, but when the conflict-hit, it was resolved too quickly and too cleanly. I wanted it to be explored more. It felt like we were building toward this big moment, but then it was over in one page.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ NannyXSingle Dad
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Dual POV
▶ He Falls First
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Touch Her You Die
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Cute Kids
▷ "Out of our systems"
▷ Hockey Jersey Heat
▷ Backwards Cap
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ He does her hair
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ "Look at me"
▷ "Use Me"
▷ "Chin Lift"
Overall I enjoyed this book! It made me happy. It made me smile. It made me squeal. The dynamic between these three characters was just so wholesome, and they made each other better in every way.
Thank you to ValentinePR and S.J. Sylvis for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
After just finishing Play the Game, I had a better idea of what to expect going into this... But wow, this took grumpy sunshine to another level. I mean, the main character’s name is literally Sunny, and he nicknames her Sunshine, so the book fully leans into the cliché! AND I LOVED IT!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
The book follows Rhodes, a man who is desperate for a nanny. Somehow, he is cursed because every single nanny he hires just wants to sleep with him rather than actually caring about his daughter, Ellie. So when Sunny starts, he is very clear about setting boundaries. He lays out strict rules... no emotional attachment, no seducing him, and nothing that could jeopardize the arrangement. This is perfectly fine for Sunny because she has just escaped a nightmare of a situation where her last nanny gig’s dad turned stalkerish and obsessive. After that trauma, the last thing she wants is to cross any lines again. She agrees to Rhodes’s rules, fully prepared to keep things professional and just focus on his little girl.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Rhodes is not an easy man to crack. He only cares about two things, his daughter and hockey. Ellie always comes first, no matter what, and he refuses to compromise that. He is grateful that his team, the Chicago Blue Devils, understands that he will give his all on the ice, but the second his daughter needs him, he is gone. Ellie is his whole world, and it is obvious that he never expected to be a dad. She was born from a one-night stand, and her mother passed away shortly after, so suddenly, Rhodes had to learn how to be a father on his own, all while balancing his career. He has been fiercely protective of keeping his daughter out of the limelight and separated from the chaos of his hockey career.
Then there is Sunny, a girl trying to run from her past. She is desperate, and when the adorable little Ellie wriggles her way into her heart, she has to guard herself against catching feelings, especially catching feelings for Ellie's grumpy, brooding, emotionally closed-off father.
But honestly? My favourite part of this book wasn’t the romance between Sunny and Rhodes...it was the relationship between Sunny and Ellie. Ellie showed all the early signs of abandonment issues. She has never really had a consistent mother figure in her life, and every female she has formed an attachment to has left her. She is closed off, shy, and hesitant to trust people. Watching her slowly open up to Sunny was the absolute highlight of the book. Seeing her build trust for the first time, finally talking about her feelings, learning that love isn’t always temporary, and realizing she has someone in her corner was so heartwarming. It felt like we were watching her overcome something that could have left a lasting trauma, and it was just so beautifully done.
And then there was Sunny and Rhodes’s slow-burn romance, which was everything!!! They were so against forming an attachment to each other, but the more Rhodes saw how good Sunny was for his daughter, the more he started to fall for her too. He could see the difference she was making, and even though he tried so hard to resist, he couldn’t help but let her in.
I also loved the banter between them. The way she played off his grumpiness with her relentless optimism was golden. Watching her slowly chip away at his walls, getting him to realize he could care for someone beyond his daughter and hockey, was just so satisfying.
I felt like their romance spoke directly to every microtrope I love. They were constantly skating the line between professional and not, each testing the waters but always pulling back. It was slow and achingly tense, but so satisfying.
And can we talk about some of the best moments?
- He does her hair so he can practice braiding his daughter’s hair.
- The phone sex scene.
- The way he tends to her injuries
- Giving her food...
LIKE I AM A MELTED PUDDLE AT THIS MAN!
It was just everything. Every single scene ticked another box on my "things that make me squeal" list, and I was so happy while reading this. It was the ultimate feel-good story, and it gave me exactly what I needed.
The one issue and why this isn't a full 5 stars? I had the exact same problem with this that I did with Play the Game...but the climax and ending felt rushed. The build-up was fantastic, but when the conflict-hit, it was resolved too quickly and too cleanly. I wanted it to be explored more. It felt like we were building toward this big moment, but then it was over in one page.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ NannyXSingle Dad
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Dual POV
▶ He Falls First
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Touch Her You Die
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Cute Kids
▷ "Out of our systems"
▷ Hockey Jersey Heat
▷ Backwards Cap
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ He does her hair
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ "Look at me"
▷ "Use Me"
▷ "Chin Lift"
Overall I enjoyed this book! It made me happy. It made me smile. It made me squeal. The dynamic between these three characters was just so wholesome, and they made each other better in every way.
Thank you to ValentinePR and S.J. Sylvis for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Stalking
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Violence, Medical content, and Grief
Play the Game by S.J. Sylvis
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 Biscotti Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️.5/5
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I saw that the sequel was coming out and wanted to get familiar with the characters and world before diving in. I had never read a S.J. Sylvis book on her own (only her co-writing with S. Massery), so I wasn’t sure what her solo style would be like.
At first, I marked this as a dark romance, but the more I read, the more I realized this wasn’t really dark. It has some heavy topics and difficult triggers, but nothing that makes the main characters morally gray or questionably unhinged. The darkness comes from their situations rather than their actions, particularly what Scottie has been through and what she continues to endure in her personal life. But Emery? He is a walking green flag, even though the world has painted him as a red one.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Emery has just been traded to the Chicago Blue Devils. He is a goalie, and he is not happy about the trade. The Devils don’t have the best reputation, and it is seen as a "last-resort" move because they are the only team willing to take him after his difficult run-in with the press. His reputation has been completely twisted, making him seem problematic, violent, and a womanizer. Then we have Scottie, who is doing everything she can to survive. She works as a stripper because it is the only way she can make enough money to support her wrongfully imprisoned brother. She is desperately trying to raise money for his legal fees, since she can’t even begin to challenge his case until she pays off the previous debts. One night, Scottie hears about Emery’s reputation and tries to blackmail him. It goes horribly wrong, but instead of driving them apart, they keep getting thrown into the same space. Eventually, Emery comes up with a proposal. They should get married. It will help his public image by dealing with the press and unwanted advances from women, and in return, Scottie will get the money she so desperately needs. It is a win-win.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This book had tension from start to finish. Scottie is a fighter in every sense of the word. She is strong, and determined, and refuses to let life break her down. She is sassy, quick-witted, and refuses to take anyone’s crap, including Emery’s. Emery starts off as a bit of a dick, but as the story unfolds, you realize that most of it is a facade. He has had to be incredibly guarded because of the situations he has been in, and he doesn’t want to be hurt or used again.
I loved that Scottie had such a heart of gold. She would literally give the shirt off her back to someone in need, and it is that selflessness that first makes Emery start to see her. His first spark of interest isn’t because she is sexy or because of her attitude. It is because he sees how much she cares about others, even when she has nothing.
The banter, the chemistry, and the way they pushed each other’s buttons felt real. It wasn’t forced, and it made their connection feel magical. You could feel the tension, the push and pull, and the slow shift from pretending to be in love to actually falling for each other.
There are dark elements, particularly around Scottie’s emotional abandonment and the difficulties she has endured. But what I loved was that Emery never tries to “fix” her. He knows Scottie wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he just stands by her, offering his strength and support without taking away her sense of doing it herself.
I could see where the plot was going from the start. It was pretty clear that Scottie’s stripper past was going to blow up in their faces at some point. It was obvious that they were going to have to deal with it publicly. I just wish they had been more prepared for that moment, rather than acting so naïve about the consequences.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Marriage of Convenience
▶ Dual POV
▶ He Falls First
▶ Poor GirlXRich Boy
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ One Bed
▶ Hockey Romance
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "My Wife"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Takes Care Of Her
▷ Dressing/Undressing Help
▷ Hockey Jersey Heat
▷ Backwards Cap
▷ "Mine"
Even though the big twist was predictable, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. I really liked it, and I am super excited to see what happens next in Rhode's Book.
Spicy Level:🌶️.5/5
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I saw that the sequel was coming out and wanted to get familiar with the characters and world before diving in. I had never read a S.J. Sylvis book on her own (only her co-writing with S. Massery), so I wasn’t sure what her solo style would be like.
At first, I marked this as a dark romance, but the more I read, the more I realized this wasn’t really dark. It has some heavy topics and difficult triggers, but nothing that makes the main characters morally gray or questionably unhinged. The darkness comes from their situations rather than their actions, particularly what Scottie has been through and what she continues to endure in her personal life. But Emery? He is a walking green flag, even though the world has painted him as a red one.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Emery has just been traded to the Chicago Blue Devils. He is a goalie, and he is not happy about the trade. The Devils don’t have the best reputation, and it is seen as a "last-resort" move because they are the only team willing to take him after his difficult run-in with the press. His reputation has been completely twisted, making him seem problematic, violent, and a womanizer. Then we have Scottie, who is doing everything she can to survive. She works as a stripper because it is the only way she can make enough money to support her wrongfully imprisoned brother. She is desperately trying to raise money for his legal fees, since she can’t even begin to challenge his case until she pays off the previous debts. One night, Scottie hears about Emery’s reputation and tries to blackmail him. It goes horribly wrong, but instead of driving them apart, they keep getting thrown into the same space. Eventually, Emery comes up with a proposal. They should get married. It will help his public image by dealing with the press and unwanted advances from women, and in return, Scottie will get the money she so desperately needs. It is a win-win.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This book had tension from start to finish. Scottie is a fighter in every sense of the word. She is strong, and determined, and refuses to let life break her down. She is sassy, quick-witted, and refuses to take anyone’s crap, including Emery’s. Emery starts off as a bit of a dick, but as the story unfolds, you realize that most of it is a facade. He has had to be incredibly guarded because of the situations he has been in, and he doesn’t want to be hurt or used again.
I loved that Scottie had such a heart of gold. She would literally give the shirt off her back to someone in need, and it is that selflessness that first makes Emery start to see her. His first spark of interest isn’t because she is sexy or because of her attitude. It is because he sees how much she cares about others, even when she has nothing.
The banter, the chemistry, and the way they pushed each other’s buttons felt real. It wasn’t forced, and it made their connection feel magical. You could feel the tension, the push and pull, and the slow shift from pretending to be in love to actually falling for each other.
There are dark elements, particularly around Scottie’s emotional abandonment and the difficulties she has endured. But what I loved was that Emery never tries to “fix” her. He knows Scottie wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he just stands by her, offering his strength and support without taking away her sense of doing it herself.
I could see where the plot was going from the start. It was pretty clear that Scottie’s stripper past was going to blow up in their faces at some point. It was obvious that they were going to have to deal with it publicly. I just wish they had been more prepared for that moment, rather than acting so naïve about the consequences.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Marriage of Convenience
▶ Dual POV
▶ He Falls First
▶ Poor GirlXRich Boy
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ One Bed
▶ Hockey Romance
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "My Wife"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Takes Care Of Her
▷ Dressing/Undressing Help
▷ Hockey Jersey Heat
▷ Backwards Cap
▷ "Mine"
Even though the big twist was predictable, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. I really liked it, and I am super excited to see what happens next in Rhode's Book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Self harm, Blood, and Death of parent
Funny Story by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 Cheesemonger Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️/5
Funny story… How? Just how is this the best romance of 2024?
I know the phrase "Did I read the same book as everyone else?" is overused and some people don't like it, but apparently 170,000+ people voted for this book as the best romance of the year. And honestly? That just makes it worse! LIKE THIS BOOK... This is what people set AS the standard and claim that this is the epitome of the ROMANCE genre. Funny Story is the book that represents everything great about romance! It just makes me so sad. Because I can name multiple romances that had better character development, better storytelling, better emotional depth, and, you know… MORE romance (which this book was missing entirely).
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Our FMC, Daphne, is a very average librarian (borderline forgettable librarian because I basically forgot everything about her when I finished the book) who thought she had "the perfect life." She was engaged to the "perfect" man, and their relationship was straight out of a storybook. That is… until his female best friend (of course) confessed her love to him on the night of his bachelor party. And instead of sticking to his commitment to Daphne, he thought fuck it, I’ve always wanted to tap that and broke off the engagement. Now Daphne is homeless, boyfriend-less, and generally pathetic (sorry, but she kinda is). So what does she do? She moves in with Miles, who just so happens to be the ex-boyfriend of her ex-fiancé’s new girlfriend. Because why just suffer alone when you can double your trauma by living with the guy who got dumped for the same reason?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This book was painfully predictable... Daphne moves in with Miles who she has been told is basically a "waste of space stoner", but SHOCKING... He is actually a nice guy and the more she spends time with him she realises how nice he actually is and how everything she has been told about him is wrong because he is sweet, likeable, and just generally the best person ever!
Like don't get me wrong... THIS BOOK IS NOT BAD... I am just upset that it means so much more!!!
Daphne just felt very underwhelming... She's not a very good friend, not overly witty, or has anything that makes her stand out. She is boring and as such I felt it very hard to connect with her and Miles's romance...
AND WHAT WAS THE WHOLE THIRD-ACT BREAKUP MISCOMMUNICATION MESS? LIKE I wanted to throw my earbuds out the window when that shitstorm happened... Like I cannot deal with that idiocy!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Roommates to Lovers
▶ Single POV
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Opposites Attract
▶ Ex's New Partners Ex
▶ Cinnamon Roll/Golden Retriever
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Miscommunication
▶ Third Act Breakup
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "More"
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Tattooed MMC
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ "Hold on to the..."
▷ "Don't Stop"
▷ Chin Lift
I honestly can’t wrap my head around how this book won Best Romance of the Year. It’s not terrible, but it is entirely forgettable. please be better next year
I do want to give kudos to Julia Whelan, as she did a phenomenal job with the narration of this story... It was not her fault it was just a meh story.
Spicy Level:🌶️/5
Funny story… How? Just how is this the best romance of 2024?
I know the phrase "Did I read the same book as everyone else?" is overused and some people don't like it, but apparently 170,000+ people voted for this book as the best romance of the year. And honestly? That just makes it worse! LIKE THIS BOOK... This is what people set AS the standard and claim that this is the epitome of the ROMANCE genre. Funny Story is the book that represents everything great about romance! It just makes me so sad. Because I can name multiple romances that had better character development, better storytelling, better emotional depth, and, you know… MORE romance (which this book was missing entirely).
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Our FMC, Daphne, is a very average librarian (borderline forgettable librarian because I basically forgot everything about her when I finished the book) who thought she had "the perfect life." She was engaged to the "perfect" man, and their relationship was straight out of a storybook. That is… until his female best friend (of course) confessed her love to him on the night of his bachelor party. And instead of sticking to his commitment to Daphne, he thought fuck it, I’ve always wanted to tap that and broke off the engagement. Now Daphne is homeless, boyfriend-less, and generally pathetic (sorry, but she kinda is). So what does she do? She moves in with Miles, who just so happens to be the ex-boyfriend of her ex-fiancé’s new girlfriend. Because why just suffer alone when you can double your trauma by living with the guy who got dumped for the same reason?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This book was painfully predictable... Daphne moves in with Miles who she has been told is basically a "waste of space stoner", but SHOCKING... He is actually a nice guy and the more she spends time with him she realises how nice he actually is and how everything she has been told about him is wrong because he is sweet, likeable, and just generally the best person ever!
Like don't get me wrong... THIS BOOK IS NOT BAD... I am just upset that it means so much more!!!
Daphne just felt very underwhelming... She's not a very good friend, not overly witty, or has anything that makes her stand out. She is boring and as such I felt it very hard to connect with her and Miles's romance...
AND WHAT WAS THE WHOLE THIRD-ACT BREAKUP MISCOMMUNICATION MESS? LIKE I wanted to throw my earbuds out the window when that shitstorm happened... Like I cannot deal with that idiocy!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Roommates to Lovers
▶ Single POV
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Opposites Attract
▶ Ex's New Partners Ex
▶ Cinnamon Roll/Golden Retriever
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Miscommunication
▶ Third Act Breakup
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "More"
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Tattooed MMC
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ "Hold on to the..."
▷ "Don't Stop"
▷ Chin Lift
I honestly can’t wrap my head around how this book won Best Romance of the Year. It’s not terrible, but it is entirely forgettable. please be better next year
I do want to give kudos to Julia Whelan, as she did a phenomenal job with the narration of this story... It was not her fault it was just a meh story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, and Vomit
Descent by Katelyn Taylor
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
2 Wesley Too Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this book because it just completely fell apart for me. Everything I tolerated in Deceit just compounded into an even bigger issue in Descent, to the point that I found myself skimming just to get through it without rolling my eyes every five minutes.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
This book picks up exactly where book one left off, Skyla and Asher are officially married, and he is an absolute arsehole again after the horrific ordeal at the "wedding" ceremony. Skyla is now unable to determine if he was always a dick or if was he playing the part to protect her from his father? Either way she is left devastated, humiliated and pissed that he treated her like a whore in front of the entire Brethren… but that’s not going to stop her from carrying on with her relationships with the other men in her life. Now that she and Asher are technically married, she’s forced to move into a house with him, meaning they have to navigate whatever twisted version of a relationship they have while also dealing with the fact that she comes with three boyfriends.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
The only aspect that I enjoyed in this book was Asher and Liam’s bi-awakening and how their relationship strengthened. like when the FMC's boyfriends also become boyfriends... There were moments where you could cut the tension between them with a knife and their bond felt like it had some emotional depth… unlike the majority of the book.
This entire book is just sex, THAT IS ALL IT HAS GOING FOR IT. There are also so many contradictions that make zero sense. Like, what the hell is the actual role of women in this society? Because from what I understand, most women in the Brethren die, especially if you look at the family tree. Yet, Skyla’s aunt somehow knows everything and is still alive. Liam’s mother is alive, (even though the elder’s wives are always killed). Vincent’s mother was "apparently" an exterminator... when women aren’t supposed to have any power in this world?
And I know people could say this is a "Character-driven" Story... but where is the actual character development? If you strip out the sex scenes (it would leave you with maybe 10 pages of the actual plot). And don't get me started on how surface-level and bland Skyla feels. I feel like I hardly even know her as a character (this is basically all I know):
- She likes sex. A lot.
- She eats spaghetti bolognese.
- She drinks matcha, not coffee.
- She orders salad and chicken for lunch.
- She used to swim, but she's already sleeping with Vincent and Ronan so this part of her personality clearly it’s not that important cause she hardly ever does it.
- OH... and she HAS A MAGIC VAGINA which means every single man that looks her way wants to sleep with her. Every. Single. One.
Listen, I love a good smutty book, but when every chapter is just another sex scene with another guy (or multiple guys at once), it stops being sexy and starts feeling repetitive. At a certain point, I found myself skimming through the scenes because they weren’t adding anything to the story. They weren’t developing relationships or deepening emotional connections, they were just there to pad the page count.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM but kinda MMFMM?)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Bi Awakening
▷ "Look at me"
▷ Pierced MMC
▷ Nicknames
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ Potato Sack Over His Shoulder
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ Biting/Spitting
▷ Car Sex
▷ Knife Play
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But the more I read, the more frustrated I got. The lack of plot and substance just did nothing for me. I wanted more than just sex...
I am DNFing this series - I opened page one of book 3 to see who the stalker was and once I knew I don't feel like I can get anything else from this book...
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this book because it just completely fell apart for me. Everything I tolerated in Deceit just compounded into an even bigger issue in Descent, to the point that I found myself skimming just to get through it without rolling my eyes every five minutes.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
This book picks up exactly where book one left off, Skyla and Asher are officially married, and he is an absolute arsehole again after the horrific ordeal at the "wedding" ceremony. Skyla is now unable to determine if he was always a dick or if was he playing the part to protect her from his father? Either way she is left devastated, humiliated and pissed that he treated her like a whore in front of the entire Brethren… but that’s not going to stop her from carrying on with her relationships with the other men in her life. Now that she and Asher are technically married, she’s forced to move into a house with him, meaning they have to navigate whatever twisted version of a relationship they have while also dealing with the fact that she comes with three boyfriends.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
The only aspect that I enjoyed in this book was Asher and Liam’s bi-awakening and how their relationship strengthened. like when the FMC's boyfriends also become boyfriends... There were moments where you could cut the tension between them with a knife and their bond felt like it had some emotional depth… unlike the majority of the book.
This entire book is just sex, THAT IS ALL IT HAS GOING FOR IT. There are also so many contradictions that make zero sense. Like, what the hell is the actual role of women in this society? Because from what I understand, most women in the Brethren die, especially if you look at the family tree. Yet, Skyla’s aunt somehow knows everything and is still alive. Liam’s mother is alive, (even though the elder’s wives are always killed). Vincent’s mother was "apparently" an exterminator... when women aren’t supposed to have any power in this world?
And I know people could say this is a "Character-driven" Story... but where is the actual character development? If you strip out the sex scenes (it would leave you with maybe 10 pages of the actual plot). And don't get me started on how surface-level and bland Skyla feels. I feel like I hardly even know her as a character (this is basically all I know):
- She likes sex. A lot.
- She eats spaghetti bolognese.
- She drinks matcha, not coffee.
- She orders salad and chicken for lunch.
- She used to swim, but she's already sleeping with Vincent and Ronan so this part of her personality clearly it’s not that important cause she hardly ever does it.
- OH... and she HAS A MAGIC VAGINA which means every single man that looks her way wants to sleep with her. Every. Single. One.
Listen, I love a good smutty book, but when every chapter is just another sex scene with another guy (or multiple guys at once), it stops being sexy and starts feeling repetitive. At a certain point, I found myself skimming through the scenes because they weren’t adding anything to the story. They weren’t developing relationships or deepening emotional connections, they were just there to pad the page count.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM but kinda MMFMM?)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Bi Awakening
▷ "Look at me"
▷ Pierced MMC
▷ Nicknames
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ Potato Sack Over His Shoulder
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ Biting/Spitting
▷ Car Sex
▷ Knife Play
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But the more I read, the more frustrated I got. The lack of plot and substance just did nothing for me. I wanted more than just sex...
I am DNFing this series - I opened page one of book 3 to see who the stalker was and once I knew I don't feel like I can get anything else from this book...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Rape, Vomit, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Deceit by Katelyn Taylor
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4 Demure Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Now I TOTALLY judged this book by the cover and thought I was getting dark... I mean thinking on the lines of The Hallow Boys crossed with the L.O.R.D.S. given it has very similar aspects they share...
AND while it was dark and spicy and bully... It was not WHAT THE COVER implies...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Skyla has spent her entire life in England with her aunt after her mother passed away, but now that she’s 18 and about to start university, she’s summoned back to the States to attend an invite-only university in Salem. The catch? Her father is a legacy of the university and is forcing her into an arranged marriage with one of her fellow students (who happens to be the Heir to the Brethern - a secret society her father is a part of). The day she meets her fiancé, Asher, she literally walks in on him banging another woman in her bed. Off to a great start, right? Asher is a dick to her from the very beginning, but somehow Skyla has "magical vagina syndrome" and every single man in her orbit is suddenly obsessed with her. This quickly escalates into her having a relationship with her fiancé's uncle (Ronan), her fiancé’s best friend (Liam), and her fiancé’s secret society acquaintance (Vincent) all deciding that they want her. And apparently, they don’t mind sharing...
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Skyla is an odd mix of personalities. In the beginning, she’s demure, conservative, and shy, which given she’s been raised to be a proper meek lady and untouched makes sense as she has been literally sheltered her entire life by a father who sees her as nothing more than a bargaining chip. But then suddenly one guy gives her an orgasm (not through PENETRATION though since she needs to stay an intact 1850s virgin with a Hymen for the plot) and she's hooking up with someone 12 years older than her, someone who watched her get bullied and did nothing and someone that gives her scary vibes, but his tattoo's are sexy - so WHY NOT... She flip-flopped between being this girl who would stand up for herself to being a shy little damsel in distress and it frustrated me a little.
Asher is the absolute worst, acting out constantly because he has no control over his own life, so he takes that frustration out on Skyla. Over time you do start to see glimpses of the boy underneath who was forced to grow up way too quickly and be a man for his terrifying father. It takes a while to warm up to him but he does manage it... somewhat... until he fucks it up again.
Ronan goes full puppy over Skyla SUPER quickly... knowing she is forbidden fruit must have added to her appeal... But even though he is sweet to her, he still has this lethality about him. He is a fully inducted member of the Brethren and is in charge of wrangling a bunch of delinquent legacies while they prove themselves to society so can turn on the "Daddy" when he needs to.
Liam hides a lot behind his charm. He’s got this bubbly, carefree, flirt-with-anything-that-moves personality, but underneath, he is calculating and more serious than he appears. He has a reputation as a man-whore, and Skyla literally walks in on him being sucked off by two people at a party. But the moment he decides Skyla is his, he commits and the flirt-with-everything vibe all but disappears because Skyla is his now!
Then we have Vincent... The broody, scary and silent type who can kill with his bare hands and not feel a thing while doing it. He is not thrilled about sharing Skyla and if he had his way, the other men would already be dead - but since she is happy with them and he wants her happy... he deals with their annoying presence.
Now as I mentioned, I expected a little more dark given the cover. Yes, there is murder, non-con, bullying and a dangerous society, but it was only really touching the service and could have been a little more depraved. The book focuses mainly on Skyla and her relationship with the men and how her innocence changes. The PLOT is VERY VERY slow because its mostly just her flirting with the boys and then getting steamy...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Walks in on him...
▷ Voyeurism
▷ Brands Her
▷ Nicknames
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Cages Her With His Arms
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
Overall the writing is undeniably captivating. It draws you in, and despite my gripes, I flew through this book. It will leave you on a massive cliffhanger though!
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Now I TOTALLY judged this book by the cover and thought I was getting dark... I mean thinking on the lines of The Hallow Boys crossed with the L.O.R.D.S. given it has very similar aspects they share...
AND while it was dark and spicy and bully... It was not WHAT THE COVER implies...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Skyla has spent her entire life in England with her aunt after her mother passed away, but now that she’s 18 and about to start university, she’s summoned back to the States to attend an invite-only university in Salem. The catch? Her father is a legacy of the university and is forcing her into an arranged marriage with one of her fellow students (who happens to be the Heir to the Brethern - a secret society her father is a part of). The day she meets her fiancé, Asher, she literally walks in on him banging another woman in her bed. Off to a great start, right? Asher is a dick to her from the very beginning, but somehow Skyla has "magical vagina syndrome" and every single man in her orbit is suddenly obsessed with her. This quickly escalates into her having a relationship with her fiancé's uncle (Ronan), her fiancé’s best friend (Liam), and her fiancé’s secret society acquaintance (Vincent) all deciding that they want her. And apparently, they don’t mind sharing...
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Skyla is an odd mix of personalities. In the beginning, she’s demure, conservative, and shy, which given she’s been raised to be a proper meek lady and untouched makes sense as she has been literally sheltered her entire life by a father who sees her as nothing more than a bargaining chip. But then suddenly one guy gives her an orgasm (not through PENETRATION though since she needs to stay an intact 1850s virgin with a Hymen for the plot) and she's hooking up with someone 12 years older than her, someone who watched her get bullied and did nothing and someone that gives her scary vibes, but his tattoo's are sexy - so WHY NOT... She flip-flopped between being this girl who would stand up for herself to being a shy little damsel in distress and it frustrated me a little.
Asher is the absolute worst, acting out constantly because he has no control over his own life, so he takes that frustration out on Skyla. Over time you do start to see glimpses of the boy underneath who was forced to grow up way too quickly and be a man for his terrifying father. It takes a while to warm up to him but he does manage it... somewhat... until he fucks it up again.
Ronan goes full puppy over Skyla SUPER quickly... knowing she is forbidden fruit must have added to her appeal... But even though he is sweet to her, he still has this lethality about him. He is a fully inducted member of the Brethren and is in charge of wrangling a bunch of delinquent legacies while they prove themselves to society so can turn on the "Daddy" when he needs to.
Liam hides a lot behind his charm. He’s got this bubbly, carefree, flirt-with-anything-that-moves personality, but underneath, he is calculating and more serious than he appears. He has a reputation as a man-whore, and Skyla literally walks in on him being sucked off by two people at a party. But the moment he decides Skyla is his, he commits and the flirt-with-everything vibe all but disappears because Skyla is his now!
Then we have Vincent... The broody, scary and silent type who can kill with his bare hands and not feel a thing while doing it. He is not thrilled about sharing Skyla and if he had his way, the other men would already be dead - but since she is happy with them and he wants her happy... he deals with their annoying presence.
Now as I mentioned, I expected a little more dark given the cover. Yes, there is murder, non-con, bullying and a dangerous society, but it was only really touching the service and could have been a little more depraved. The book focuses mainly on Skyla and her relationship with the men and how her innocence changes. The PLOT is VERY VERY slow because its mostly just her flirting with the boys and then getting steamy...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Walks in on him...
▷ Voyeurism
▷ Brands Her
▷ Nicknames
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Cages Her With His Arms
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
Overall the writing is undeniably captivating. It draws you in, and despite my gripes, I flew through this book. It will leave you on a massive cliffhanger though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Stalking, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child abuse, Gore, and Panic attacks/disorders
My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 Love Handles Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
You know when a book title gives you a certain expectation, but then you read the book and realize you were totally off the mark? Yeah… that was this book!!! I went in expecting some kind of Valentine’s Day romance between a girl and a demon, only to end up with two characters bonding over jazz music and a song I’ve never heard of...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
We start with Asmodeus, Belial, Mephistopheles and Raum, who have all escaped from Hell, deciding to try their luck at living like humans. The problem? Asmodeus has been cursed... a curse that robs him of any kind of pleasure or sensation. He can’t taste, smell, feel, or see colour, and to top it off, anyone who might have found him "attractive" now sees him as appealing as mouldy sandpaper. He has lived in isolation, untouched and unnoticed for millennia. One night, they visit a jazz club, and Asmodeus finds himself mesmerized by a violinist on stage. Their eyes meet, and something shifts. That violinist is Evangeline and when she walks over to introduce herself, it sets everything into motion. But here’s the kicker, these demons aren’t supposed to be here, and now that they’ve broken free, they’re being hunted. And when a gargoyle tracks them down, and Evie sees their demon forms... things get complicated.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Evangeline is interesting. She’s badass, but at times, way too chill about what’s happening. Like, girl, you just saw a full-on demon execution and your reaction is… mild concern? She has one brief moment of freaking out, and then she’s fine, which made some of her reactions feel a little too blasé. I would’ve liked a bit more depth to how she processed everything. And her mother's advice... "Maybe you should explore this"... Because apparently, almost witnessing a demon battle to the death is not a reason to run for the hills.
Asmodeus and his demon brothers are adorable. And yes, I just called demons adorable! Asmodeus, in particular, is the least attuned to human norms... probably because, for the last three millennia, no one has paid him any attention. He has no idea how to interact with people, which results in this hilariously HIMBO energy. He’s clueless about basic human customs, norms and technology - especially things like how television works. It was just stupidly cute.
I didn’t expect this to have multiple POVs, but it really added to the story. You can tell Aurora Ascher really did her research on demonology, and while some creative liberties were taken with the characters’ personalities and backstories, a lot of their story is based on traditional biblical lore. And listen, BECAUSE I am obsessed with learning random things from books, I loved going down the rabbit hole of researching who these demons were and what they stood for.
Even though he is not the main MMC in this, Belial might be my favourite. He has zero chill and the worst temper, and when he gets angry, he has "little flame" temper tantrums. It was hilarious and endearing how his brothers and Evie calmed him down. I think that's a big thing that I loved about this book, how strong the bonds were between the brothers! I loved seeing how this ragtag group of escaped demons had become a brotherhood... fiercely protective of each other in a world that didn’t want them to exist.
Now there isn't much plot to this story, but it is a fun ride! The characters carry it, and for me, that was enough. I loved watching Asmodeus and Evangeline bond over something as human as music... Seeing them connect through that, how their shared passion brought them together and changed them, was unexpectedly sweet.
There was one thing that annoyed me... The one demon's name is RIDICULOUS and I HAVE NO CLUE how to pronounce it... Mishetsumephtai. Every time I saw it, I mentally rolled my eyes and just skimmed over it because, honestly, I wasn’t about to butcher it in my head.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨::
▶ DemonXHuman Relationship
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Burn The World for You
▶ Band of Brothers
▶ Hidden Identity
▶ Winged MMC
▶ "Mine"
▶ "More"
Overall, this book wasn’t what I expected, but that ended up being a good thing. I went in blind and got a unique, slow-burn connection between two unlikely characters, bonded by music and shaped by their circumstances. It was fun, it was engaging, and it gave me a demon MMC who had no clue how anything worked, which is always a win. My expectations were completely shattered but in the best way possible.
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley and Aurora Ascher for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
You know when a book title gives you a certain expectation, but then you read the book and realize you were totally off the mark? Yeah… that was this book!!! I went in expecting some kind of Valentine’s Day romance between a girl and a demon, only to end up with two characters bonding over jazz music and a song I’ve never heard of...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
We start with Asmodeus, Belial, Mephistopheles and Raum, who have all escaped from Hell, deciding to try their luck at living like humans. The problem? Asmodeus has been cursed... a curse that robs him of any kind of pleasure or sensation. He can’t taste, smell, feel, or see colour, and to top it off, anyone who might have found him "attractive" now sees him as appealing as mouldy sandpaper. He has lived in isolation, untouched and unnoticed for millennia. One night, they visit a jazz club, and Asmodeus finds himself mesmerized by a violinist on stage. Their eyes meet, and something shifts. That violinist is Evangeline and when she walks over to introduce herself, it sets everything into motion. But here’s the kicker, these demons aren’t supposed to be here, and now that they’ve broken free, they’re being hunted. And when a gargoyle tracks them down, and Evie sees their demon forms... things get complicated.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Evangeline is interesting. She’s badass, but at times, way too chill about what’s happening. Like, girl, you just saw a full-on demon execution and your reaction is… mild concern? She has one brief moment of freaking out, and then she’s fine, which made some of her reactions feel a little too blasé. I would’ve liked a bit more depth to how she processed everything. And her mother's advice... "Maybe you should explore this"... Because apparently, almost witnessing a demon battle to the death is not a reason to run for the hills.
Asmodeus and his demon brothers are adorable. And yes, I just called demons adorable! Asmodeus, in particular, is the least attuned to human norms... probably because, for the last three millennia, no one has paid him any attention. He has no idea how to interact with people, which results in this hilariously HIMBO energy. He’s clueless about basic human customs, norms and technology - especially things like how television works. It was just stupidly cute.
I didn’t expect this to have multiple POVs, but it really added to the story. You can tell Aurora Ascher really did her research on demonology, and while some creative liberties were taken with the characters’ personalities and backstories, a lot of their story is based on traditional biblical lore. And listen, BECAUSE I am obsessed with learning random things from books, I loved going down the rabbit hole of researching who these demons were and what they stood for.
Even though he is not the main MMC in this, Belial might be my favourite. He has zero chill and the worst temper, and when he gets angry, he has "little flame" temper tantrums. It was hilarious and endearing how his brothers and Evie calmed him down. I think that's a big thing that I loved about this book, how strong the bonds were between the brothers! I loved seeing how this ragtag group of escaped demons had become a brotherhood... fiercely protective of each other in a world that didn’t want them to exist.
Now there isn't much plot to this story, but it is a fun ride! The characters carry it, and for me, that was enough. I loved watching Asmodeus and Evangeline bond over something as human as music... Seeing them connect through that, how their shared passion brought them together and changed them, was unexpectedly sweet.
There was one thing that annoyed me... The one demon's name is RIDICULOUS and I HAVE NO CLUE how to pronounce it... Mishetsumephtai. Every time I saw it, I mentally rolled my eyes and just skimmed over it because, honestly, I wasn’t about to butcher it in my head.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨::
▶ DemonXHuman Relationship
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Burn The World for You
▶ Band of Brothers
▶ Hidden Identity
▶ Winged MMC
▶ "Mine"
▶ "More"
Overall, this book wasn’t what I expected, but that ended up being a good thing. I went in blind and got a unique, slow-burn connection between two unlikely characters, bonded by music and shaped by their circumstances. It was fun, it was engaging, and it gave me a demon MMC who had no clue how anything worked, which is always a win. My expectations were completely shattered but in the best way possible.
Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley and Aurora Ascher for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Beautiful Fiend by Lola King
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 There Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Okay, what the actual fuck is in this book?! Because holy hell, it is unhinged...like, on a whole different level than expected. Fair warning, leave your morals at the door because you cannot have many while reading this...because wow!!!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Billie Scott is an amateur MMA fighter, desperately trying to break into the professional leagues. The only problem is she’s from an underprivileged community, with no money and no safety net. Her family runs a gang, and since she was born into that life, she’s tangled up in gang life too. A few years ago, when her gang was overthrown as the dominant force in the area, she ended up on the wrong side of Caden King. He caught her, forced her into an extremely non-consensual situation (that he filmed), and then used that leverage to keep her silent. Now, years later, their paths cross again. Caden needs a mule to transport illegal weapons, and he forces Billie to do it, threatening her with the blackmail he’s been holding over her. She wants nothing to do with him, especially because getting involved in anything illegal would destroy her shot at going pro. But, of course, forced proximity changes things... whether she wants it to or not.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Now, I fucking loved Billie. She is a badass, a sassy queen who knows how to take a punch and throw one. But at the end of the day, she’s still a woman, and when it comes to situations with men (especially multiple men) there’s only so much she can do. The strength gap is real, and I liked that the book didn’t ignore that. But she never backs down from a challenge, and despite life being an absolute bitch to her, she refuses to give up. She has this grit that makes you root for her even when she’s making questionable decisions.
And then there’s Caden King. Probably the most fucked up MMC I have ever read. There were multiple moments where I had to stop and go, “Okay, hold on, what the actual fuck am I reading? Is this really happening right now?” And it wasn’t just once. It wasn’t twice. It was at least three times that I had to take a pause and breathe because this man is not right in the head. He is disturbed, dark, depraved, and absolutely unhinged. But did I keep reading? Of course I did!!!! Because your girl is completely fucked in the head when it comes to fictional men like this.
Many men in "Dark Romance" do not have the word no in their vocabulary, and you can guarantee that Caden King has never heard that word in his life. He has no comprehension of it. If he wants something, he takes it, and people are too shit-scared of him to tell him otherwise. So the fact that he has his sights set on Billie? There’s nothing she can do about it!!!
This is almost a modern-day, darker Romeo and Juliet. There’s a lot of gang violence, but at the same time, there’s this undercurrent of sweetness in their relationship, which makes zero sense given what they’ve been through, and yet it works. The willingness to die and sacrifice for each other is so ridiculously poetic. And when you combine that with the lyrical, prosaic writing style, this book hits on another level. Billie hates Caden for what he did to her, and yet… slowly, her perception of him shifts. Does he grovel? Absolutely not! Quite frankly, I don’t think that word is in his vocabulary either. But he exudes this raw, terrifying power, and Billie knows she’s safest with him because he would literally kill anyone who even looks at her wrong.
Caden takes "touch her and die" to an extreme level. And he proves it. Multiple times.
Now, my only real issue is that I wanted more plot. This book is extremely character-driven, focusing almost entirely on Billie and Caden’s dynamic, their attraction, and how they navigate their relationship in a world that is actively trying to tear them apart. At times, I was looking for something to happen beyond the relationship, and it just wasn’t there. The stakes in this book aren’t tied to some high-intensity external plot... the plot is them and the forbidden aspect of their relationship is the high-stakes element.
I also wanted to see a bit more development in their transition from enemies to lovers. There was a bit of a quick jump from outright hatred to love, and while we’re told "they’ve spent a lot of time together, talking, getting to know each other", I wanted to see more of that on page. It was implied rather than fully shown, and I think the slow burn would have been even better if we had seen that shift happen.
Let’s talk spice. The spice is SPICING!!! This is very much a control dynamic, with Caden being the one who takes, but he gives (if you know what I mean) just as much as he demands. He is generous with Billie, and their attraction is explosive. It’s the kind of chemistry that sizzles on page and leaves you breathless.
I have almost a hundred highlights in this book. That’s… a lot for a first read-through. But there were so many quotes, so many passages, that resonated or were just straight-up gorgeous that I couldn’t NOT highlight them.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers ("Mafia Vibes" from Gangs)
▶ Non-Con and CNC
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Burn the World for you
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Car and Phone Sex
▷ Throws her over his shoulder
▷ "Crawl to me"
▷ "Mine"
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Pierced MMC
▷ "Look at Me"
▷ Tattoo's Her
▷ Knife to the Throat
▷ Steamy Spicy Water Scene
and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➣ Squirting
➣ Tied Up
➣ Primal Play
➣ Hand Necklaces
➣ Biting
➣ Spanking
➣ Degradation and Praise
Now, would I recommend this to someone new to dark romance? Absolutely not!!! This book will make a normal person uncomfortable. The level of darkness in here is not for the faint of heart. But if you are a seasoned dark romance reader, if you love an MMC who is dominant, alpha, and would 100% kill someone just for breathing wrong in your direction, then I highly recommend picking this up.
Because holy shit, it hit all the right places!!!
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Okay, what the actual fuck is in this book?! Because holy hell, it is unhinged...like, on a whole different level than expected. Fair warning, leave your morals at the door because you cannot have many while reading this...because wow!!!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Billie Scott is an amateur MMA fighter, desperately trying to break into the professional leagues. The only problem is she’s from an underprivileged community, with no money and no safety net. Her family runs a gang, and since she was born into that life, she’s tangled up in gang life too. A few years ago, when her gang was overthrown as the dominant force in the area, she ended up on the wrong side of Caden King. He caught her, forced her into an extremely non-consensual situation (that he filmed), and then used that leverage to keep her silent. Now, years later, their paths cross again. Caden needs a mule to transport illegal weapons, and he forces Billie to do it, threatening her with the blackmail he’s been holding over her. She wants nothing to do with him, especially because getting involved in anything illegal would destroy her shot at going pro. But, of course, forced proximity changes things... whether she wants it to or not.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Now, I fucking loved Billie. She is a badass, a sassy queen who knows how to take a punch and throw one. But at the end of the day, she’s still a woman, and when it comes to situations with men (especially multiple men) there’s only so much she can do. The strength gap is real, and I liked that the book didn’t ignore that. But she never backs down from a challenge, and despite life being an absolute bitch to her, she refuses to give up. She has this grit that makes you root for her even when she’s making questionable decisions.
And then there’s Caden King. Probably the most fucked up MMC I have ever read. There were multiple moments where I had to stop and go, “Okay, hold on, what the actual fuck am I reading? Is this really happening right now?” And it wasn’t just once. It wasn’t twice. It was at least three times that I had to take a pause and breathe because this man is not right in the head. He is disturbed, dark, depraved, and absolutely unhinged. But did I keep reading? Of course I did!!!! Because your girl is completely fucked in the head when it comes to fictional men like this.
Many men in "Dark Romance" do not have the word no in their vocabulary, and you can guarantee that Caden King has never heard that word in his life. He has no comprehension of it. If he wants something, he takes it, and people are too shit-scared of him to tell him otherwise. So the fact that he has his sights set on Billie? There’s nothing she can do about it!!!
This is almost a modern-day, darker Romeo and Juliet. There’s a lot of gang violence, but at the same time, there’s this undercurrent of sweetness in their relationship, which makes zero sense given what they’ve been through, and yet it works. The willingness to die and sacrifice for each other is so ridiculously poetic. And when you combine that with the lyrical, prosaic writing style, this book hits on another level. Billie hates Caden for what he did to her, and yet… slowly, her perception of him shifts. Does he grovel? Absolutely not! Quite frankly, I don’t think that word is in his vocabulary either. But he exudes this raw, terrifying power, and Billie knows she’s safest with him because he would literally kill anyone who even looks at her wrong.
Caden takes "touch her and die" to an extreme level. And he proves it. Multiple times.
Now, my only real issue is that I wanted more plot. This book is extremely character-driven, focusing almost entirely on Billie and Caden’s dynamic, their attraction, and how they navigate their relationship in a world that is actively trying to tear them apart. At times, I was looking for something to happen beyond the relationship, and it just wasn’t there. The stakes in this book aren’t tied to some high-intensity external plot... the plot is them and the forbidden aspect of their relationship is the high-stakes element.
I also wanted to see a bit more development in their transition from enemies to lovers. There was a bit of a quick jump from outright hatred to love, and while we’re told "they’ve spent a lot of time together, talking, getting to know each other", I wanted to see more of that on page. It was implied rather than fully shown, and I think the slow burn would have been even better if we had seen that shift happen.
Let’s talk spice. The spice is SPICING!!! This is very much a control dynamic, with Caden being the one who takes, but he gives (if you know what I mean) just as much as he demands. He is generous with Billie, and their attraction is explosive. It’s the kind of chemistry that sizzles on page and leaves you breathless.
I have almost a hundred highlights in this book. That’s… a lot for a first read-through. But there were so many quotes, so many passages, that resonated or were just straight-up gorgeous that I couldn’t NOT highlight them.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers ("Mafia Vibes" from Gangs)
▶ Non-Con and CNC
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Burn the World for you
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Car and Phone Sex
▷ Throws her over his shoulder
▷ "Crawl to me"
▷ "Mine"
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Pierced MMC
▷ "Look at Me"
▷ Tattoo's Her
▷ Knife to the Throat
▷ Steamy Spicy Water Scene
and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:
➣ Squirting
➣ Tied Up
➣ Primal Play
➣ Hand Necklaces
➣ Biting
➣ Spanking
➣ Degradation and Praise
Now, would I recommend this to someone new to dark romance? Absolutely not!!! This book will make a normal person uncomfortable. The level of darkness in here is not for the faint of heart. But if you are a seasoned dark romance reader, if you love an MMC who is dominant, alpha, and would 100% kill someone just for breathing wrong in your direction, then I highly recommend picking this up.
Because holy shit, it hit all the right places!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Incest
The Moon and His Tides by Giana Darling
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 Engraved Watch Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
If you want a book that is basically just sex with a tiny sprinkling of plot, then this is the book for you. There is a lot of smut; it starts early and continues at an almost constant rate throughout the book.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Sebastian is an 18-year-old Italian who has moved to London and taken a job as a chauffeur for Savannah Meyers, the wife of the very, very famous movie star Adam Meyers. Sebastian is instantly attracted to Savannah, and the more time they spend together, the closer they become. One day, he makes her pleasure herself in the backseat of the car while watching her. Not long after, Sebastian drops his screenplay (something he has been working on for years), and Savannah picks it up, reads it, and is instantly intrigued. She shows it to her husband, and Adam makes him a proposition: if Sebastian agrees to be their "third", they will help him make the right connections to turn his screenplay into a movie and catapult him to fame. So why would he say no to that?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This is a dual-POV story told primarily from Sebastian’s perspective, with occasional chapters from Adam. Savannah’s POV is left out, which to me felt super strategic and intentional. It almost seems as if she was meant to be "objectified" in the dynamic between Adam and Sebastian rather than being a fully developed character.
Sebastian is your stereotypical passionate and emotional Italian. He has this innocence about him, with rose-coloured glasses firmly in place, but he also has an intrinsic determination to succeed. He is intensely driven and fiercely loyal to the people he cares about. When Adam and Savannah become part of his world, he protects them as if they are his own, yearning to make them happy in the same way he craves his own success.
Adam, on the other hand is stoic, dominant, and fights to remain "controlled". He is closed off, which makes sense given his celebrity status and the need to guard himself against those who might use or manipulate him. It takes time for him to let his walls down and accept that he is developing feelings, especially because he has spent his life adhering to a traditional, heteronormative mould. Anything that deviates from that is a direct threat to his career, and reputation, and will not be tolerated. His internal struggle makes his story- arc compelling, even if it is frustrating to watch unfold and you just want to tell him, PEOPLE WON'T CARE IF YOU ARE BI!
Savannah… Savannah is selfish, manipulative, and greedy. She knows how to play the game, using Adam as a pawn to further her own ambitions. I struggled to get a proper read on her, and I think that was intentional. While this is technically an MFM romance, it almost feels like a bizarre love triangle. You’re constantly questioning whether this will develop into a fully functional throuple or if it’s merely the prelude to Adam’s coming-out story and Sebastian’s bi-awakening and their eventual MM relationship.
As I mentioned, a lot of this book is just sex. These characters have a raw, carnal desire for each other, and it is explored openly and relentlessly on the page. But at times, I found myself craving more plot. With so much focus on the sex, I wanted a little more substance to balance it out.
One thing that confused me was the side characters, specifically the dynamic between Sebastian and one of Savannah’s friend’s daughter - who is 16. Sebastian is 18, technically still a teenager, and because he’s an intrinsic flirt, I wasn’t entirely sure where their relationship was going. There were moments when it felt like it could become something, but at the same time, it never fully crossed that line. So it was a little confusing and weird since he was being sexually active with a 28 and 34-year-old.
The writing itself is stunning. The poetic prose, and the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars… it was beautiful how it all ties into Sebastian’s romanticized view of love. Everything about his character is larger than life, and his emotions reflect that. His love isn’t simple; it’s epic!
And just when you think things are reaching some kind of resolution, the book hits you with a cliffhanger that will leave you reeling. Seriously, what the fuck kind of ending was that?!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Billionaire Romance/Celebrity Romance
▶ MFM, MMF, FMM...??? OH I dunno if its a throuple, love triangle or eventual MM Romance
▶ Age Gap (18, 28, 34)
▶ BossXEmployee
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Marriage in Trouble
▶ Fourth Act Breakup
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Cages her with his arms
▷ "Good Boy"
▷ Bi Awakening
▷ Hand Necklaces
▷ Degradation and Praise
▷ "Look at Me"
Overall, this is pure steamy escapism. It’s dark, sexy, and indulgent. If you’re looking for something thought-provoking or deeply emotional, this might not be for you. But if you want a messy, tension-filled, absolutely unhinged ride? Buckle up!!!
Thank you to ValentinePR and Giana Darling for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
If you want a book that is basically just sex with a tiny sprinkling of plot, then this is the book for you. There is a lot of smut; it starts early and continues at an almost constant rate throughout the book.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Sebastian is an 18-year-old Italian who has moved to London and taken a job as a chauffeur for Savannah Meyers, the wife of the very, very famous movie star Adam Meyers. Sebastian is instantly attracted to Savannah, and the more time they spend together, the closer they become. One day, he makes her pleasure herself in the backseat of the car while watching her. Not long after, Sebastian drops his screenplay (something he has been working on for years), and Savannah picks it up, reads it, and is instantly intrigued. She shows it to her husband, and Adam makes him a proposition: if Sebastian agrees to be their "third", they will help him make the right connections to turn his screenplay into a movie and catapult him to fame. So why would he say no to that?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This is a dual-POV story told primarily from Sebastian’s perspective, with occasional chapters from Adam. Savannah’s POV is left out, which to me felt super strategic and intentional. It almost seems as if she was meant to be "objectified" in the dynamic between Adam and Sebastian rather than being a fully developed character.
Sebastian is your stereotypical passionate and emotional Italian. He has this innocence about him, with rose-coloured glasses firmly in place, but he also has an intrinsic determination to succeed. He is intensely driven and fiercely loyal to the people he cares about. When Adam and Savannah become part of his world, he protects them as if they are his own, yearning to make them happy in the same way he craves his own success.
Adam, on the other hand is stoic, dominant, and fights to remain "controlled". He is closed off, which makes sense given his celebrity status and the need to guard himself against those who might use or manipulate him. It takes time for him to let his walls down and accept that he is developing feelings, especially because he has spent his life adhering to a traditional, heteronormative mould. Anything that deviates from that is a direct threat to his career, and reputation, and will not be tolerated. His internal struggle makes his story- arc compelling, even if it is frustrating to watch unfold and you just want to tell him, PEOPLE WON'T CARE IF YOU ARE BI!
Savannah… Savannah is selfish, manipulative, and greedy. She knows how to play the game, using Adam as a pawn to further her own ambitions. I struggled to get a proper read on her, and I think that was intentional. While this is technically an MFM romance, it almost feels like a bizarre love triangle. You’re constantly questioning whether this will develop into a fully functional throuple or if it’s merely the prelude to Adam’s coming-out story and Sebastian’s bi-awakening and their eventual MM relationship.
As I mentioned, a lot of this book is just sex. These characters have a raw, carnal desire for each other, and it is explored openly and relentlessly on the page. But at times, I found myself craving more plot. With so much focus on the sex, I wanted a little more substance to balance it out.
One thing that confused me was the side characters, specifically the dynamic between Sebastian and one of Savannah’s friend’s daughter - who is 16. Sebastian is 18, technically still a teenager, and because he’s an intrinsic flirt, I wasn’t entirely sure where their relationship was going. There were moments when it felt like it could become something, but at the same time, it never fully crossed that line. So it was a little confusing and weird since he was being sexually active with a 28 and 34-year-old.
The writing itself is stunning. The poetic prose, and the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars… it was beautiful how it all ties into Sebastian’s romanticized view of love. Everything about his character is larger than life, and his emotions reflect that. His love isn’t simple; it’s epic!
And just when you think things are reaching some kind of resolution, the book hits you with a cliffhanger that will leave you reeling. Seriously, what the fuck kind of ending was that?!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Billionaire Romance/Celebrity Romance
▶ MFM, MMF, FMM...??? OH I dunno if its a throuple, love triangle or eventual MM Romance
▶ Age Gap (18, 28, 34)
▶ BossXEmployee
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Marriage in Trouble
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Cages her with his arms
▷ "Good Boy"
▷ Bi Awakening
▷ Hand Necklaces
▷ Degradation and Praise
▷ "Look at Me"
Overall, this is pure steamy escapism. It’s dark, sexy, and indulgent. If you’re looking for something thought-provoking or deeply emotional, this might not be for you. But if you want a messy, tension-filled, absolutely unhinged ride? Buckle up!!!
Thank you to ValentinePR and Giana Darling for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Hate crime, Infidelity, and Vomit
Designed for Disaster by Leslie North
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.5 Stained Glass Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
Calling your book Designed for Disaster might be setting yourself up for disaster... AND WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT...
Yeah, this one was not for me! And coming off of really enjoying Aidan’s story, this just lacked everything I was hoping for.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
This follows Trent and Natalie. Natalie works several odd jobs to fund her furniture-making business and one day has a bad run-in with Coffeezilla AKA Trent at the coffee shop where she’s employed. Their encounter gets her fired, but by some twisted fate, Trent unknowingly hires her to design furniture for his grandmother (OUR NANA DEE). When Natalie, the “hellcat” from the coffee shop, shows up at Dee’s house, Trent realizes it’s her. Seeing how happy Dee seems at the sight of his supposed “girlfriend,” he persuades Natalie to keep up the act. In exchange, she gets a job at his prestigious furniture company and the chance to design a sustainable furniture line. The two must navigate their differences, explosive banter, and mutual stubbornness to figure out if there’s something more between them than just a fake arrangement.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I really liked Natalie. She’s self-sufficient, determined, and doesn’t let anyone push her around. Right from the start, you can tell she’s guarded, careful with her heart, and burned from a bad past relationship. She’s clear about her goals and doesn’t waver in what she wants, which makes her a compelling and grounded character.
Trent, on the other hand, was the main reason this book fell flat for me. I wanted to like him, I really did! I might have developed high expectations based on the build-up of who he was based on his glimpses in the previous books... But I struggled to get past his personality. Yes, he’s the typical brooding businessman with bottled-up emotions, but his protective nature over his family and company came off more as arrogance than charm. His strained relationship with his parents (who sound like they came straight from a soap opera) creates tension in his relationship with Natalie. And while I can understand that trauma shapes people, it didn’t make me empathize with him in the way I wanted to.
The biggest problem was the lack of chemistry between Natalie and Trent. They were always at odds, they have different ideals, different outlooks on life, and different perspectives on relationships. Even in opposites-attract romances, there’s usually some aspect where the couple clicks or at least connects through their banter. With these two, it felt like they were constantly clashing, misunderstanding each other, and talking past each other. There was no sense of connection, just a series of miscommunications and unresolved tension.
Now both characters are guarded due to being hurt in the past, but instead of creating depth, it only adds to the miscommunication that drives the story. The third-act breakup felt forced, hinging on yet another misunderstanding and unfounded assumptions. While there was grovelling and begging for forgiveness after the fallout from Trent (because obviously he is the one that messes up), it didn’t feel genuine. Their relationship lacked the foundation to make me believe they could stand the test of time.
Leslie North often relies on the idea that just because two characters spend time together, the romance will naturally fall into place. And while that can work in fluffy, lighthearted romances, it just didn’t land here. I wanted to see actual development in their relationship, not just time spent together implying love.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Workplace Romance (Boss X Employee)
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Poor Girl X Rich Boy
▶ Band of Brothers
▶Miscommunication
▶ Third Act Breakup
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Grovelling
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ Suit Daddy
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Nicknames
▷ Don't Stop
▷ Banter
In the end...it had some cute moments (I mean he bought her a CHURCH) and I got to see more of Nana Dee. But that doesn't fully counterbalance that for me it lacked depth and emotional resonance. So as a result, the romance didn’t feel profound or satisfying.
Thank you to Netgalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
Calling your book Designed for Disaster might be setting yourself up for disaster... AND WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT...
Yeah, this one was not for me! And coming off of really enjoying Aidan’s story, this just lacked everything I was hoping for.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
This follows Trent and Natalie. Natalie works several odd jobs to fund her furniture-making business and one day has a bad run-in with Coffeezilla AKA Trent at the coffee shop where she’s employed. Their encounter gets her fired, but by some twisted fate, Trent unknowingly hires her to design furniture for his grandmother (OUR NANA DEE). When Natalie, the “hellcat” from the coffee shop, shows up at Dee’s house, Trent realizes it’s her. Seeing how happy Dee seems at the sight of his supposed “girlfriend,” he persuades Natalie to keep up the act. In exchange, she gets a job at his prestigious furniture company and the chance to design a sustainable furniture line. The two must navigate their differences, explosive banter, and mutual stubbornness to figure out if there’s something more between them than just a fake arrangement.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I really liked Natalie. She’s self-sufficient, determined, and doesn’t let anyone push her around. Right from the start, you can tell she’s guarded, careful with her heart, and burned from a bad past relationship. She’s clear about her goals and doesn’t waver in what she wants, which makes her a compelling and grounded character.
Trent, on the other hand, was the main reason this book fell flat for me. I wanted to like him, I really did! I might have developed high expectations based on the build-up of who he was based on his glimpses in the previous books... But I struggled to get past his personality. Yes, he’s the typical brooding businessman with bottled-up emotions, but his protective nature over his family and company came off more as arrogance than charm. His strained relationship with his parents (who sound like they came straight from a soap opera) creates tension in his relationship with Natalie. And while I can understand that trauma shapes people, it didn’t make me empathize with him in the way I wanted to.
The biggest problem was the lack of chemistry between Natalie and Trent. They were always at odds, they have different ideals, different outlooks on life, and different perspectives on relationships. Even in opposites-attract romances, there’s usually some aspect where the couple clicks or at least connects through their banter. With these two, it felt like they were constantly clashing, misunderstanding each other, and talking past each other. There was no sense of connection, just a series of miscommunications and unresolved tension.
Now both characters are guarded due to being hurt in the past, but instead of creating depth, it only adds to the miscommunication that drives the story. The third-act breakup felt forced, hinging on yet another misunderstanding and unfounded assumptions. While there was grovelling and begging for forgiveness after the fallout from Trent (because obviously he is the one that messes up), it didn’t feel genuine. Their relationship lacked the foundation to make me believe they could stand the test of time.
Leslie North often relies on the idea that just because two characters spend time together, the romance will naturally fall into place. And while that can work in fluffy, lighthearted romances, it just didn’t land here. I wanted to see actual development in their relationship, not just time spent together implying love.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Workplace Romance (Boss X Employee)
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Poor Girl X Rich Boy
▶ Band of Brothers
▶ Third Act Breakup
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Grovelling
▷ "Good Girl"
▷ Suit Daddy
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Nicknames
▷ Don't Stop
▷ Banter
In the end...it had some cute moments (I mean he bought her a CHURCH) and I got to see more of Nana Dee. But that doesn't fully counterbalance that for me it lacked depth and emotional resonance. So as a result, the romance didn’t feel profound or satisfying.
Thank you to Netgalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Fated In Blood by L A McGinnis
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
5 Leather Jacket Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
Holy shit, what *crack* is in this book?
Because I am hooked, addicted, obsessed, and quite possibly possessed! I thought I was in a fantasy slump, but it turns out I was just in an epic fantasy slump. This paranormal fantasy gave me everything I needed—dark, dirty, seductive, depraved, violent and vicious... and yet t captivates you in a way that feels almost illegal
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Evangeline Silverwood is on a mission to find her sister, who was taken by vampires one day and never heard from again. Following breadcrumbs to a small town, she takes a job as a bartender and sometimes “fighter” in illegal matches at the bar where she works, trading wins for information on her sister’s whereabouts. She finally discovers where her sister is being held and hatches a harebrained scheme to rescue her, but that means breaking into enemy vampire territory and surviving. The plan goes horribly wrong, and Evangeline is forced to become the very monster she was trained her entire childhood to kill. To make matters worse, she finds herself tied to two vampires who are basically sex on legs, Blake Marten and Riordan Graves and right in the middle of a vampire political war that is only getting started.
Evie is a fierce, badass spitfire who is so determined, committed and on a mission to find her sister, that she’ll stop at nothing until she achieves it. She is smart (and not just intellectual) but has a sense of "street smarts" that make her lethal. She uses every scrap of her wit and skill to get answers.
Then you meet these two boys, and from their first appearance on-page, it’s impossible not to fall in love with them. Their appeal is this amalgamation of taking Spike from Buffy and mixing him with the allure of Damon Salvatore. What you get is this perfect blend of all your favourite charismatic, morally ambiguous heartthrobs with the ability to seduce with just a smirk that bring a whole bunch of “holy hell, get me a fan to cool down” vibes. Their chemistry with Evie is off the charts, and their push-and-pull dynamic brings with it the kind of tension that has you practically licking your lips every time they face off or team up. Not to mention that their inevitable bond will leave you squealing and kicking your feet in delight when things get spicy.
Rohr is the new King of Vampires but is powerless in the chess game he is playing against Tyrell. He is duty-bound to his people and Kingdom and will do anything to save it from tyranny. He does not want the complication of Evie and what she means and especially does not want the complication of falling for her.
Blake... OMG THAT MAN... A walking dichotomy of emotions. He is passionate and OH SO PROTECTIVE... He cannot stand what Evie stands for and what she represents but he cannot help but be drawn to her pull. I don't want to spoil too much about their relationship BUT MY GOD... THIS MAN and their ENEMIES TO LOVERS transition was PERFECTION!
I finished this book a while ago and I can't stop thinking about it! There is this unholy synergy in the writing style and characters. The pace is fast, exhilarating and unapologetic, sweeping you away on a raw, vampire rollercoaster. Even though the prose is often violent, it’s also strangely beautiful, and every time I tried to put it down, I found myself clutching my Kindle just a bit tighter to stop myself so I could just keep reading.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Vampire Romance
▶ Multi POV
▶ Protective, Possessive and Jealous MMC
▶ Badass, Feisty and Strongwilled FMC
▶ MFM - Reverse Harem
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Burn the World for You
▶ Political Intrigue
▶ Fated Mates
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Shadow Daddy MMC
▶ Forced Proximity
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Tied Up
▷ Biting
▷ Dressing/Undressing Help
▷ She Stabs Him
▷ Tattooed MMC
▷ He takes care of her!
▷ "More"
If you need a paranormal fix that’s bold, biting, and nearly indecent in its allure, pick this up and prepare to be possessed and FERAL.... BECAUSE I AM BLOODY FERAL
Thank you so much to L.A. McGinnis for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️.5/5
Holy shit, what *crack* is in this book?
Because I am hooked, addicted, obsessed, and quite possibly possessed! I thought I was in a fantasy slump, but it turns out I was just in an epic fantasy slump. This paranormal fantasy gave me everything I needed—dark, dirty, seductive, depraved, violent and vicious... and yet t captivates you in a way that feels almost illegal
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Evangeline Silverwood is on a mission to find her sister, who was taken by vampires one day and never heard from again. Following breadcrumbs to a small town, she takes a job as a bartender and sometimes “fighter” in illegal matches at the bar where she works, trading wins for information on her sister’s whereabouts. She finally discovers where her sister is being held and hatches a harebrained scheme to rescue her, but that means breaking into enemy vampire territory and surviving. The plan goes horribly wrong, and Evangeline is forced to become the very monster she was trained her entire childhood to kill. To make matters worse, she finds herself tied to two vampires who are basically sex on legs, Blake Marten and Riordan Graves and right in the middle of a vampire political war that is only getting started.
Evie is a fierce, badass spitfire who is so determined, committed and on a mission to find her sister, that she’ll stop at nothing until she achieves it. She is smart (and not just intellectual) but has a sense of "street smarts" that make her lethal. She uses every scrap of her wit and skill to get answers.
Then you meet these two boys, and from their first appearance on-page, it’s impossible not to fall in love with them. Their appeal is this amalgamation of taking Spike from Buffy and mixing him with the allure of Damon Salvatore. What you get is this perfect blend of all your favourite charismatic, morally ambiguous heartthrobs with the ability to seduce with just a smirk that bring a whole bunch of “holy hell, get me a fan to cool down” vibes. Their chemistry with Evie is off the charts, and their push-and-pull dynamic brings with it the kind of tension that has you practically licking your lips every time they face off or team up. Not to mention that their inevitable bond will leave you squealing and kicking your feet in delight when things get spicy.
Rohr is the new King of Vampires but is powerless in the chess game he is playing against Tyrell. He is duty-bound to his people and Kingdom and will do anything to save it from tyranny. He does not want the complication of Evie and what she means and especially does not want the complication of falling for her.
Blake... OMG THAT MAN... A walking dichotomy of emotions. He is passionate and OH SO PROTECTIVE... He cannot stand what Evie stands for and what she represents but he cannot help but be drawn to her pull. I don't want to spoil too much about their relationship BUT MY GOD... THIS MAN and their ENEMIES TO LOVERS transition was PERFECTION!
I finished this book a while ago and I can't stop thinking about it! There is this unholy synergy in the writing style and characters. The pace is fast, exhilarating and unapologetic, sweeping you away on a raw, vampire rollercoaster. Even though the prose is often violent, it’s also strangely beautiful, and every time I tried to put it down, I found myself clutching my Kindle just a bit tighter to stop myself so I could just keep reading.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Vampire Romance
▶ Multi POV
▶ Protective, Possessive and Jealous MMC
▶ Badass, Feisty and Strongwilled FMC
▶ MFM - Reverse Harem
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Burn the World for You
▶ Political Intrigue
▶ Fated Mates
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Shadow Daddy MMC
▶ Forced Proximity
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Nicknames
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ Tied Up
▷ Biting
▷ Dressing/Undressing Help
▷ She Stabs Him
▷ Tattooed MMC
▷ He takes care of her!
▷ "More"
If you need a paranormal fix that’s bold, biting, and nearly indecent in its allure, pick this up and prepare to be possessed and FERAL.... BECAUSE I AM BLOODY FERAL
Thank you so much to L.A. McGinnis for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent