Review: Hex Work (Babylon Boys #1) by T.A. Moore

My name is Jonah Carrow, and it’s been 300 days since I laid a hex.

OK, Jonah Carrow isn’t actually an alcoholic. But there’s no support group of lapsed hex-slingers in Jerusalem, so he’s got to make do. He goes for the bad coffee and the reminder that he just has to take normal one day at a time.

Unfortunately, his past isn’t willing to go down without a fight.

A chance encounter with a desperate Deborah Seddon, and a warning that ‘they’re watching’, pulls Jonah back into the world he’d tried to leave behind. Now he has to navigate ghosts, curses, and the hottest bad idea warlock he’s ever met…all without a single hex to his name.

But nobody ever said normal was easy. Not to Jonah anyhow.

Now, I’m no TA Moore expert, but what I’ve consistently found so far is that she creates unique worlds and set ups, leaving some things to the imagination, some things to infer. Despite some nebulousness that is just this side of frustrating (or maybe because of it) this was quite the compelling read, spurring me to finish this in almost one go.

This is a world of magic but it’s not the kind of magic that is benign or kind and is done for good. It’s the kind that has consequences, which can be dangerous and often demands a price that many can’t pay.

Jonah knows too well the repercussions of throwing hexes and despite being very adept at it, he’s determined to lead a magic free life, treating his compulsion like an alcoholic. He’s just minding his own business, trying to hide from his infamous family legacy when he’s unwillingly made a person of interest as he’s approached by an off kilter stranger. This sets in motion coming to the attention of the local magical mafia biker gang, and Jonah soon finds himself a target of some deadly curse where he must bargain for his life, drawing him deeper into a world he’s trying to avoid, where temptation is a constant struggle against his self imposed abstinence.

Ensue a dark twisty story with snarky suspense and some grisly horror as Jonah must find answers for those he doesn’t want to associate with. There’s a couple romantic options here too, where neither evolves past a promise of a date or a kiss, but I’m finding that Moore does brewing sexual tension like nobody’s business and I”m all here for it! It remains to be seen if this becomes a triangle or not.

Overall, this touches on addiction, religion, the morally gray areas of action and thought. This thing has layers, steeped in mystery, curses, family legends, and pervasive secrets. Moore once again brings this first act to a good conclusion but there's a promise for more in store for Jonah and his personal struggles. I’m invested, and I’ll be eagerly waiting for the next installment!

Review: Shift Work (Night Shift #1) by T.A. Moore

You'd think the werewolves would be the worst thing about the Night Shift; you'd be wrong.

All Officer Kit Marlow wanted was a cup of coffee and some downtime before his next night shift. Instead, he got a naked man in the elevator and an unaccounted-for dead girl in the morgue. He's going to need to deal with both before he can head for his bed.

Or anyone else's. Although not much chance of that.

Reluctantly partnered with the acerbic security consultant Cade Deacon—last seen naked in the elevator—Marlow delves into the dead girl's life. Between them, they uncover a new crime scene with the whiff of old corruption. A corruption that, five years ago, nearly took Marlow's life and ended his career.

Finding out who killed the dead girl on the slab might only be the start of this investigation. Oh, and it's the second night of the full moon. So 80% of the city, including Cade, will turn into werewolves in the middle of the case.

So, there's that.

My second foray into Moore and I’m not disappointed despite the mild rough edges in execution, editing, and the occasional confusing bits.

This is a somewhat bleak alternate reality where the population is 80% werewolves, 20% nulls. It stands to reason that rules and regulations are skewed towards the majority where every full moon, said majority loses their logical rational thinking and becomes deadly monsters. Kit here, is a plain ole normal human being, and he works the thankless job of a law enforcement officer on the night shift. He patrols for and controls any wayward wolves, keeping homicide and destruction at a minimum if at all possible. One night, a dead girl shows up at the morgue and the evidence points towards a werewolfy suspect. This forces Kit to work with the enigmatic Cade, werewolf and CEO of private security for his kind, who can perhaps ease the way in the investigation.

Make no mistake that these two have noticed each other from afar, and now that they're in close proximity, certainly not by choice, their unwanted attraction to the other comes out nonetheless. Honestly, it was fascinating to watch their so-called flirting that was full of acerbic wit, deserved but humorous self flagellation, and an overabundance of foot in mouth syndrome. It made these guys more relatable as Cade isn’t always the cool, calm, and deadly alpha that he tries so hard to project, and Kit has a certain vulnerability that he can’t always hide behind his droll dismissive attitude.

I can see why many readers may be disgruntled with this latest release from Moore. The romantic progression, if you can call it that, goes at a snail’s pace but the sexual tension is strung bow tight and ready to be released with the littlest provocation. The one kiss we get was nothing to sneeze at, and I’m totally ok with that for now. Some things can’t and shouldn’t be rushed.

And yes, this ends on quite the cliffhanger, hinting that Kit’s past is on the brink of rearing its ugly head to wreak havoc on him again, dragging Cade along. I suspect and am thankful that Moore probably wrote this story in one sitting and decided to divvy it up into two books, and the conclusion will be shortly released if not already. I look forward to seeing how this pans out - both in the overall story arc and where these two end up!

Review: Unforgotten (Forgiven #2) by Garrett Leigh

Billy Daley hasn’t been home in years, and he likes it that way. He’s just fine on his own—he has a cash-in-hand job at a scrapyard, a half-feral cat to keep him company, and many miles between him, his hometown and all the baggage that comes with it.

Until the job goes sideways. Suddenly he’s back in Rushmere, working for none other than his brother’s best friend—a man whose kiss Billy can’t seem to forget.

Gus Amour’s memories of Billy Daley are all spiky edges, lips crushed against lips and a reckless streak that always ended in trouble. But when Billy needs a place to stay, Gus steps in. He’d do anything for the Daley family, including living, and working, side by side with a man who makes his heart beat too fast and his blood run too hot—two things he’s been running from for years.

It doesn’t take long before their easy banter, lingering touches and heated glances become a temptation too hard to resist. But falling into bed and falling in love are two different things, and love has never come easy to either Billy or Gus. Only when fate threatens to steal away their opportunity for a second chance will they realize they don’t need easy.

They just need each other.

Billy and Gus grew up together, always in each other’s lives. They even shared a sneaky kiss once. But family events forced the two onto very different paths.

Now Billy is back in town, and he’s staying at Gus’ place. They’re very different men, but the spark between is just the same.

I really liked the set-up of this book - family drama, moody boys, sexual tension, unspoken feelings, and a judgy cat.

A winning recipe!

This is very much so a character-driven story - all of the focus is on Gus and Billy, and on their respective siblings, Mia and Luke. What a tricky web that family is.

This isn’t an overly angsty book, at least not by Garrett Leigh’s standards, but it’s definitely heavy on the family drama and dynamics. That being said, Billy and Gus were still pretty cute from the get-go.

Their relationship grows very naturally, and it’s easy to see how well they fit together. Whether the two were trading insults, working, attempting to cook, or trying to ignore the growing heat, the connection between them was obvious.

Sure, both have some unresolved issues with their families, but the shared experience made it easier for Gus and Billy to address their problems. They’re adorable once they finally give in to the tension between them. Years worth of longing paid off!

Where the book took a bit of a left turn was the second half.

so. much. miscommunication.

Or lack of communication, more accurately.

Both men just jumped to one inaccurate conclusion after another, and it all seemed to snowball into the perfect storm. I was a bit miffed, and just not as invested for a while.

Luckily, the big resolution set it all to rights. And everyone accepted their responsibility. Growth is amazing to see.

Even better, the happy ever after was perfect. Overall, I quite enjoyed Billy and Gus’ story!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Wrecked by Jodi Payne & B.A. Tortuga

The call comes when Beckett Adler least expects it. He’s made a new life for himself in Vermont and has a law practice of his own. After four years he’s even stopped wearing his wedding ring. So when he finds out his husband, bull rider Skyler Paulson, has been seriously injured at an event, he isn’t sure what he wants to do. He knows what’s right though, so he heads down to Baltimore to bring his man home.

Sky knows his injuries are a career-ender, and he can’t believe Beck has come for him after all this time. He’s not a hundred percent sure what went wrong with their marriage and he has no idea how to be anything but a bull rider. But he wants this second chance, so he grabs at it with both hands.

There’s a lot Sky has to learn, from how to walk again to how to settle down with the man he loves. Beck needs to learn to open up and how to be more trusting. For their marriage to work again, both men will have to find a way to meet in the middle. Because neither of them wants to be wrecked anymore.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

First I need to gush, I LOVED THIS BOOK! It had everything. Great characters, a super premise, the idea that the guys had a love story that had fallen apart, a good dose of tension and love and working at a relationship, plus super hot sexy times!

So, we have Beck, a good guy lawyer that has carved out his perfectly orderly and lonely life, and Skyler, the wild bull rider who loves his husband and has no idea what went wrong other than him leaving to ride bulls, again.

When Skyler has a life changing ride that sees him win, but also trampled by the bull, thinking he’s going to die, his friends call Beckett. Of course Beck goes to Sky at once and is shocked to see his broken cowboy. The road to recovery is long and hard, but is more about whether our guys can find their way back to each other and actually talk things out this time, and fight for their marriage.

What we get is a well written and thoroughly engaging story where I truly cared about the guys from the outset. I was rooting for them all the way through to a satisfying HEA. The supporting characters were interesting and the whole story led me on a roller coaster of emotion to the happy tears at the end!

Highly recommended!

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The 5th Gender (Tinkered Stars Mystery) by G.L. Carriger

A species that has no word for murder, has a murderer aboard their spaceship.

ALIEN

Tristol lives in exile. But he’s built a life for himself aboard a human space station. He’s even begun to understand the complex nuances of human courting rituals.

Detective Hastion is finally flirting back!

MURDER

Except that Tristol’s beloved space station is unexpectedly contacted by the galoi – a xenophobic species with five genders, purple skin, and serious attitude. They need the help of a human detective because there’s a murderer aboard their spaceship. Murder is so rare, the galoi don’t even have a word for it.

Tristol knows this because he is galoi.

ROMANCE

Which means that he and Detective Hastion are on the case… together.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains men who love other men in graphic detail, regardless of gender, biology, or skin color... and lots of emotively sexy tentacle hair.

What is it about an endearing lavender alien, whose guileless charm, flirty ways, and innate goodness oh so easily and seamlessly melted my cold prickly heart? Throw in said alien having fae features, excellent fashion sense, and fascinating “sentient” hair (crazy I know), and you’ve got quite the start to a new series!


Tristol is an outcast amongst his fellow galoi, and he lives his life on a bustling space station, as his very sunny disposition makes him the perfect diplomatic ambassador to bridge relations between humans and other aliens. Deep down, Tristol misses his home, but he knows his personal choices and preferences prevent his return and he’s made peace with that. All Tristol really wants is for a certain grumpy detective to notice him and make Tristol his. Said surly lawman is Drey, who keeps his distance from the vibrant alien, thinking such a wonderful person would never settle for boring old him.


When Tristol’s self isolating people contact the station for help, this unexpected never before encounter is probably a once in a lifetime event. For a race that doesn’t know what murder is, a dead galoi is a confounding mystery to all. They barter for detective Drey’s skills, and Tristol must accompany him to help solve the case.


Seriously. If you are a fan of Gala’s Claiming series, then this should be an absolute slam dunk. Finishing a 346 page book in two quick nights speaks volumes as to how much I enjoyed this as precious sleep was sacrificed.


This was smart and complex, contemplating human and alien nature as Carriger creates a fascinating species with their own complicated problems and foibles. Such contrasting dynamics always bring an interesting perspective in seeing ourselves from another point of view and to be more accepting and opening minded about others’ choices and beliefs. This in turn, also aptly contrasted Tristol and Drey, the former who can't contain his infectious joie de vivre and the latter, being the ultimate protective gentle giant beneath a gruff exterior. Be reassured that there was no shortage on the romance as this was super sweet, funny, poignant, and very nicely smexy, showing all the different ways the galoi can bring pleasure with their anatomical differences. *wink*


I recommend reading the glossary in the back first to avoid initial frustration and confusion but regardless, take a chance on this and enjoy!! I so look forward to what Carriger will further bring to this new world of hers. I just hope we don’t have to wait an interminable amount of time to get our next fix! Fingers and toes crossed!

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Imperial Stout (Trouble Brewing #1) by Layla Reyne

Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout , the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series

It’s a good thing assistant US attorney Dominic Price co-owns a brewery. He could use a cold one. Nic’s star witness has just been kidnapped, his joint operation with the FBI is in jeopardy, his father’s shady past is catching up with him and the hot new special agent in San Francisco is the kind of distraction best handled with a stiff drink.

Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne has his own ideas about how to handle Nic, but his skills are currently needed elsewhere. The by-the-book FBI agent goes deep undercover as a member of an infamous heist crew in order to save Nic’s witness, break up the crew and close the case before anyone else gets hurt. Nic in particular.

Things heat up when Cam falls for Nic, and the witness falls for Cam. As the crew’s suspicions grow, Cam must decide how far he’s willing to go—and how far into his own dark past he’s willing to dive—to get everyone out alive.

First thing first: I am going to implore any of you that see this book and go into reading it as a standalone to not do it. Yes, I know it’s listed as first in a series and well, I guess you could read the whole universe it’s involved in backwards but I don’t recommend it. This is a spinoff of one of my favorite series: Agents, Irish & Whiskey and in that series is where we first meet Assistant US District Attorney Dominic Price and Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Cameron Byrne. There is history with these two long before you open this book and you really need to witness their sexual tension that leads up to a kiss at a wedding.Then gets ramped up to 11 in this book as they are working a case together. Nic and Cam were so special in the AIW series that I was begging for them to get their own series and when the author teased about it and then confirmed, I was so ready. See, they were so freaking good as supporting characters for Aidan and Jamie that they would have to blow my socks off in their own series and boy did they ever! This is just the first book, a book that amazed me, had me riveted to the page and squirming with all the sexual tension between Nic and Cam that I melted right off my chair when they finally give in. The book is a good one. The series it came from is stunning and I would love for everyone to meet all the players that show up in this to get the full experience.

Okay?
Thanks.
Now to try and review this…

An attraction that had boiled over in that one kiss…

This story is one hell of a ride. We begin straight away with the action as Nic and Cam are running an operation that gets turned upside down and puts both men in danger. Told from Nic’s POV first, we know his thoughts keep straying to keeping Cam safe and that he wants nothing more than to have a second kiss. Gunfire and shit hitting the fan leads the men and their combined team efforts to find out what with wrong with the op when a dignitary’s wife is killed and we get thrust into Cam’s POV. Why am I telling you this? Because it’s important to set up the beginning of this book, to let us know that no matter what the argument is, these two are in over their heads and pretty much head over feet for one another, they just don’t know how to handle it yet. So, back to Cam’s POV and his worry regarding basically everything that comes along with crushing on Ex-Navy SEAL and Assistant US District Attorney Dominic Price when they are thrust into a deeper situation than either man predicted.

Wow.

Okay, I am talking in major circles so let’s just put this simply: Nic and Cam are working together on a case that is actually led by Aidan Talley, who is currently on his honeymoon. The men have to deal with asshole US District Attorney Bowers, who I wanted to punch repeatedly throughout this book. I still don’t know what was up the dude’s ass when it came to the entire team other than he is just an asshole, but anyway. They have to consider what their CI may know about her girlfriend’s plan and how the third party came into play during the operation she was working on with them.

Good lord. I have to say that when I first met Dominic Price as someone involved with Aidan I didn’t like him and my dislike was purely due to the fact that Aidan belonged with Jamie. But through the AIW series and Nic’s actions, he started to grow on me. When Jamie’s best friend and the FBI’s best kidnap and rescue agent Cam is brought in to help and he meets Nic, the spark of attraction was palpable between them and I started to see Nic different. I started to adore Nic more times than not and I really fell hard for him once the series was done and then that small POV in Blended Whiskey tipped the scales. I love Nic and we get so much more of him than I could have expected with his back story. And not just of his SEAL days, but what he has gone through with his family and the father he hasn’t spoken to in 27 years. I also love that we get parts of him with his brewery, his feelings about Jamie, Aidan, Mel, Danny and more important about Cam. Nic is so lost in what he wants from Cam but he doesn’t know how to reach out and grab hold of it.

Now, Cameron is another story. I’ve loved him from the moment I met him on the page and thinking of his Boston accent coming through makes me grin. Once again, Cameron has a heartbreaking backstory that is visited here and only hinted at a deeper story that led him to his passion of being a kidnap and rescue agent. A reminder is always on Cameron of someone lost and while we get the who towards the end of the story, it is in no way a closed case, literally. But Cam, I love being in his head seeing how he works as an agent and seeing how much he wants Nic. How these two see one another, I wish they could put it to film and play it for each other so they would know how deep the feelings between them go before that second kiss every happens.

Oh yeah, that second kiss. This story is so freaking fracking full of UST, it’s insane and I am absolutely crazy for it. The way they dance and circle around the attraction is so good and it hurt so badly, but I would totally ask for more. Knowing that their attraction and being witness to their first kiss helped ramp up the tension between then. I have to say, UST done well is fantastic. Reyne gives it to us again and again in a way you don’t mind, because you know UST this good will have an explosion of emotions when the men let themselves become intimate. And… it’s totally worth it. Trust me on that.

When it comes to stories like that of high level attorneys, FBI agents and the like I am always floored by how the author can pull someone like me into the story. I know nothing about being a SEAL, a JAG officer, a AUS or a ASAC, about running covert operations or thievery of Siberian artifacts, but OMG I was so in this story. Reyne’s words are always cinematic and I was in the thick of it every stop of the way. I was as entrenched in the storm of bullets as they flew and I was feeling the sexual tension that I needed a release just as bad as Cam and Nic! It’s just so good and while reading all of this, I felt like I knew what I was doing because the characters did.

Of course, I love that we get to see Aidan and Jamie again as well as Mel and Danny. I was so happy that Lauren was working with the team because she really does excel as a Mini Jamie and her wit always cracks me up. Getting to see a new side of Cam kinda like we did with Aidan as Ian gave more to the story and the romance between him and Nic and I just ate it up. I read and I read even when I wasn’t supposed to be reading at work. The files on my desk have piled high and I will have to scramble to meet deadline but I don’t care. The book was that good and everything including the secrets were worth it, because I know there is at least one more book after this. More Nic and Cam is not a bad thing at all.

So after all that, I need to add one more thing.

I have fixation with book titles and that moment in the story that it clicks, that the title makes sense. What I loved about the AIW series is how I could relate the whiskey to the romance and guess what? I can relate the beer to this series too.

You see. Imperial Stouts were created to be stronger beer, a more aggressive brew that could survive its temporary and yet difficult stay without spoiling and with that they became a different and new style of beer. With this book, we have the same universe, yet a new style of coupling between Nic and Dom and how they blend their world of the US Attorney’s office and FBI together. What we also get is their temporary, but difficult stay of not breaking rules or crossing line by being intimate with one another without spoiling all the yummy UST. You see where I am going with this? Imperial stouts are brewed to be formidable and have the ability to weather the storm in the cold climates where they were originally favored. Formidable and able to weather the storm are pretty much the same descriptions you could use for Dominic and Cameron’s new found relationship and romance. Both men are formidable in their careers and both men have been through much more than I would have expected, but they can outlast the past and together they can push the envelope of what is the accepted standard and create something new. Something that is just theirs while harboring no disrespect to heritage or tradition, but simply broadening it with who they are. Yup, this title works and I will leave you with this: The combination of roasted barley and other dark characters malts will give an imperial stout a bittersweet personality… barley, which is known to be milder when combined with a dark character.

Hmm…

Guest Review: A Love to Remember by Sarah Hadley Brook

Graham Hayes decided long ago he’d never be in a relationship. It was better to stay single than to fall in love only to be left alone, which he was certain would happen to him. He’d seen Alzheimer’s ravage his family members all his life, leaving their loved ones to deal with the fallout. Some of them stayed, but some didn’t. Graham isn’t going to risk it.

When he hires nurse Sam Morgan to take care of his dad during the day, his pledge to stay single is put to the test. He soon finds it difficult to maintain a professional distance.

Graham’s guarded his heart for so long, but his resolve is crumbling. Will he be able to conquer his fear to give himself a chance at love? Can he trust Sam to stick around for better or worse?

Reviewer: Shee Reader

Our story starts with Graham having one last hookup-fling before his life changes forever. Graham ‘meets’ a huge, sexy man who ticks every box of his invisible perfect guy checklist, but Graham cannot entertain the idea of anything but a one off.

We next see Graham moving into his family’s lake house that he’d recently bought from his father, changing his life completely to care for his dad who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's. The situation with Graham’s dad is achingly realistic and highly relatable to anyone who has seen a loved one cut off in their prime by this most horrific degenerative disease, myself included.

When Graham realises he cannot continue to work as a writer whilst caring for his dad full-time, his sister suggests getting in a nurse to help during the day. It doesn’t take a romance genius to guess who turns up. Of course, it's the sexy giant from the nightclub.

Sam, the home health care aide was as surprised as Graham to see the man who had meant so much more than a hook up at the site of new job.

Sam took great care of graham’s dad, and made no secret of the fact that he wanted to pursue more with Graham, despite Graham being less than encouraging! At least with his words…

The sexual tension between these two was hot and spicy, the developing relationship and the care of Graham’s dad are interwoven into such a sweet and sad story that i was hooked from early on. I liked the start of the story less than the rest of it, the club scene jarring a little in its brashness and it didn’t really feel like it fitted that well with the tone of the rest of the story.

The romance is well told, the characters genuine and warm, and there is lovely growth for them both. The bittersweet epilogue was perfectly balanced to leave me smiling.

Review: P.S. I Spook You by S.E. Harmon

SSA Rain Christiansen used to be the agency’s golden boy. It just takes one moment of weakness, one slight, tiny, itty-bitty paranormal sighting, and all of a sudden he’s the agency’s embarrassment. His boss gives him one last chance to redeem himself—go down to Brickell Bay, play nice with the local police, and leave the ghost sightings behind. Rain is determined to do exactly that, even if it kills him.

Cold-case detective Daniel McKenna’s latest investigation is going nowhere fast. Five years earlier, high school student Amy Greene went missing after leaving her part-time job and was never seen again. Daniel is glad to finally have the FBI help that his department requested, even if it does come in the form of his ex.

It doesn’t help that Rain is pretty sure he’s falling in love with Danny all over again—if he ever stopped. Add to that the frustration of seeing ghosts at every turn while he works a case that’s stalled in its tracks, and Rain is starting to wonder if second chances and happy endings are just for fairy tales.

5 THIS MUST BECOME A SERIES Hearts!!!

Okay. Rambling Red is going to say a few words about this story and try to keep it short. I hear your snickers… save it.

I absolutely loved this story. I knew when I read the sample on the publisher’s site it was a book for me. Honestly, it vaguely reminded me of a ghost story (ha story, like 10 pages maybe) I attempted to write a few years ago and gave up on and it doesn’t matter because the author outdid mine and turned this story up to 11!

Told from the POV of Special Agent Christansen, we meet Dr. Rainstorm Christansen as he is being pestered by a young man, a ghost, named Ethan as he is on his way to meet his boss. Rain had been on mandatory leave and dealing with a psych evaluation after he tried to pass on information to Ethan’s parents from their dead son. Rain’s boss informs him he is being sent to Brickell Bay, Florida to help the local police department solve a cold case. You think this would be a good thing but Brickell Bay is home for Rain, where his family is and where he left the love of his life with a broken heart.

From the first moment Detective Danny McKenna comes on the page I was in love. From the first exchange between Rain and Danny I was hooked and from their first banter to argument and back to banter I knew this book was going to be an absolute favorite of mine.

I am a huge fan of second chance romances and this book was perfect. Danny and Rain have such history, chemistry, passion and friendship between them that is was easy to see how they were a couple and how well they worked together in every way. I adored that they could flirt and tease even though it was laced with hurt that both men caused one another. Sure, most of the fault belongs to Rain but Danny could have fought for his man. You know?

Goodness but the UST with these two if off the freaking charts hot! I was on edge waiting for them to cross the line either with lust, compassion or anger. I didn’t care really. I just wanted something to happen because the tension was so thick and delicious. Seriously. These two are hot when they are arguing over not drinking sodas and then almost jumping off bridges… yeah. This book… it kinda owns me right now.

So I have a confession. When it comes to romantic mysteries I can find myself skimming parts of the mystery to get to the romance. Don’t judge me and my hopeless romantic heart, the romance is my jam. But with this, the mystery is layered with Rain’s new craft as a medium I was hooked on what happened to Amy Greene, the why and the whodunit. The ghosts were hilarious with how they came at Rain and when he finally accepted that he was a medium and could help, I realized the possibility of this being a kick ass series…it needs to be a series.

Speaking of ghosts, I have to say I was wondering when Rain would tell Danny about Anna but Danny is clear on his decision, even if there wasn’t a rutabaga in sight. So there has to be another book or 10 for that conversation to happen, right?

Oh boy! This was good. I laughed a whole lot because it’s witty and ridiculously funny. I fell in love because this book is heavy on the romance and I sighed a few times with emotional moments between Danny and Rain.

That end left the book wide open for possibilities and I am just going to say it again: THIS. NEEDS. TO BE. A. SERIES. Who do I have to beg, bribe or blow for it to happen???

A review copy was provided.

Review: Something's Brewing at Joe's by S.J.D. Peterson

The promise of a dream job lures Murphy to Tampa, but he arrives to the rude awakening that the offer is on hold. Now he’s got two choices: slink back to Michigan with his tail between his legs or stay and look for work. Things perk up when he goes into a coffee shop and learns the owner is looking for someone to renovate the apartment above it. He happily takes the job, only later realizing he’s met Joe Sterling, Kaffeinate’s proprietor, before… when they hooked up at a club Murphy’s first night in Tampa.

Murphy and Joe are both proud, passionate, and outspoken. Neither is looking for a relationship, though they can’t deny they go together as well as coffee and doughnuts, in spite of their tempers. But that’s before Joe learns Murphy will be working for the corporation he believes is harming local businesses and the environment—and if Murphy will be supporting it, Joe will want nothing to do with him, dooming any possibility of an unexpected happy ending.

I firmly believe in there’s a right book for you at the right moment and this was the perfect book for me. I was in a bit of a slump with nothing quite pulling me in like I wanted it and then I met Murphy and Joe and they quite literally fucked the slump away.

Enjoy the moment. There’s time later to talk.

Murphy has left the cool temps of Michigan to follow his career to Tampa and use the skills he’s gone to trade school for but a snafu leaves him jobless and unwilling to run back home with his tail between his legs. With the need to get his frustrations out, Murphy finds a local gay friendly bar and attempts to find something or someone to pound his frustrations out with.

Joe is out for the night during his employee imposed vacation dancing the night away at Flamingo’s when he sees a man who is just his type at the bar, aka Murphy. A bit of small talk and a bit of talk about anatomy not being small, has Joe and Murphy headed to Joe’s to find some mutual release through horizontal dancing of their own.

But both men see this as a one night stand even though both men have a hard time getting the other out of their head. I guess it’s a good thing Murphy is in need of a job and the coffee shop he walks into just happens to need a handyman to renovate the upstairs apartment. Oh and that coffee shop is owned by Joe, yup… Murphy has kinda turned into the one night stand that never left.

The sexual tension between these two is insatiable and I loved it. There isn’t much talking to be had when your mouth is full of cock/ass and these men love the taste of one another. It would seem tedious how much they are together physically if they weren’t perfect and so sexy together. Good lord. Joe and Murphy have amazing chemistry from the first look at one another that blends into passion that burns your fingertips as you read this. Passion like these two have makes for some serious bedroom sessions that leave the men and this reader panting because seriously, they are hotter than hot.

“Jesus, Joe.”
“Too slutty?”
“Not unless you do that for everyone.”
“Just you.”
“Then the only term I’d use to describe it is ‘really hot.’”

It’s not all smooth sailing and sex for the couple though. Passion, as telenovelas have taught us, leads for hot sex and hot tempers, and Murphy and Joe are guilty of both. The men fight and fuck their way to resolutions and honestly, admit that they fuck and fight their way through it all. The both know they should talk about issues that come up but end in bed and talk later. I loved that about them, how they call themselves out on being hornier than a ten peckered owl but get the sex out and then get down to talking. Communication isn’t only verbal between these two and their best communicating is when they are connected, intimately.

There is a story with all this sex and while it caused tension and a bit of angst between the men, it wasn’t that big of a distraction from the romance and that made me happy. Sure, both Murphy and Joe make some quick/wrong decisions when it comes to how they treat the other but both men have come from bad relationships and carry a bit of that baggage around. The good thing though, they fall so damn hard for one another so damn fast they barely recognize when it slaps them in the face and not with the other’s penis.

Seriously though.

This book was fun, sweet, sexy and romantic. I don’t need to give you a long rambling review to tell you that I enjoyed the hell out of meeting Murphy as he was melting from the Tampa heat and humidity after getting a blow to his career dreams to meeting the man of his dreams on a hot and humid dance floor. I just need to tell you this book made my Monday, took me out of a book slump, made me squirm in my seat and made me smile more times than I can count.

Review: A Kind of Home (A Kind of Stories #4) by Lane Hayes

Isaac Dalton is the guitarist for Spiral, arguably the biggest rock band in the world. The band’s meteoric rise to superstardom has its perks, but fame and fortune aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Nonstop touring and performing exhaust him, and when an overzealous fan makes it imperative that Isaac travel with a clingy bodyguard, he is ready for a break from the madness. More so when his newly single first crush shows up on his doorstep. The man is strictly off-limits. He’s a memory from a place Isaac would rather leave behind. And he’s straight.

Fun-loving former athlete slash construction worker Adam McBride desperately needs a new beginning. And New York City is the perfect place to start over and think about how to rebuild his life. A short stint as roommates with his brother’s best friend from high school seems like a mutually beneficial arrangement. However, when friendship gives way to fierce attraction, both men find themselves in unchartered and possibly dangerous territory. Isaac has to decide if he’s willing to take the ultimate risk for a kind of love and a kind of home he never dreamed possible.

Once again another fantastic addition to this series! This book was definitely the fluffiest of the series. We had a nice slow friends-to-lovers with some looovveerrrllly sexual tension thrown in, a good solid relationship once they were together without denying or hiding from feelings. And yes it was a teeny tiny bit slow at times, hence the 4 hearts.

So this book follows our lead guitarist of Spiral, Isaac. He is a surprisingly serious man who is stressed with the rock star lifestyle and has a significant lack of family and friends to support him, other than his bandmates.

Luckily for him his high school best friend’s older brother and ex crush crashes at his house and Adam is just adorable! Also Adam literally looks like Superman. Yummy!

Adam was the light of this book. He is such a happy relaxed man and I adored him. He's just gotten divorced and has had to reevaluate how he wants to live his life, which he has and is taking life by the balls! He's loving it and it's just was Isaac needs. Like I said it was a little slow to get started, but these two were super cute!

I actually liked the stalker plot, it wasn't overdone and didn't overturn the romance. The end climax was pretty good too. Adam was fantastic as always!

I don't think there is anymore planned for this series, and if that's the case then this was a good place to end. On a nice fluffy note. Will definitely reread this series over and over!

Guest Review: Believe in the Wish by Christi Snow

I buried my twin sister six months after she found out she had cancer. Her funeral was three months ago. Today is our birthday and it started with delivery of letters from her.

It seems she didn’t trust me to move on after her death. She knows me too well. But how can I go on when my other half is just...gone? That’s not something I can recover from with a snap of my fingers. But I also can’t ignore her instructions even though I’d be perfectly content to cuddle up with my buddy, Johnnie Walker, and call it a year.

She has a list of things for me to do and there are rules attached.

There’s one major problem besides the fact it’s been three months since I left the house. I have to do all these things with her jerk of an ex, Hawk Simmons. He abandoned her shortly after she found out she was sick. If that wasn’t enough to make this a really bad idea, the fact that he makes an appearance in all my nighttime fantasies probably does.

I don’t think I can do this, but I owe it to my sister’s memory to try.

Reviewer - Lost in a Book

Let’s start with the cover…I loved this cover for some reason. I know they say not to judge a book by its cover. I judge. I judge the hell out of them. This one called to me and I just had to get my grubby hands on it. The cover along with the blurb sucked me in.

Twins.

One Died.

Hot for twins Ex.

Enemies.

Sign. Me. Up.

Ethan buried his twin sister Emma and hasn’t been handling her death well at all. He has become a stinky, drunk recluse in a downward spiral until his fairy godmother bangs down his door on his birthday. His fairy godmother appears in the form of Katya Monroe, a sassy attorney hired by his dead twin sister. Emma knew how Ethan would decline after her death so she planned a very specific course of action in order for Ethan to keep full control of their house and the business they created together, E Squared.

"You have a series of tasks to undertake. Once you’ve done them all, then the ownership of the business and house will be signed over to you completely and freely. Your tasks will be revealed to you slowly."

The kicker, he has to complete these steps with her ex, Hawk.

"Hawk." Ethan shook his head before he even looked up. “No. No. No. I will not work with that man. Why would she even ask this of me?” He bit out the words.

Hawk and Ethan’s relationship is very strained due to circumstances that happened prior to Emma’s death. In conjunction with the strain was white hot desire.

"Hawk Simmons stood there. Part wary. Part defensive. Part disgruntled. All gorgeous. Like a dog smelling a steak, his dick perked up at the sight of Hawk. Fucking hell."

The first half of this book was on point. I loved how Ethan and Hawk interacted together. They were snarky and trying everything to keep their interest hidden. They really struggled with their feelings for the other person.

"Hawk had been his sister’s lover, the love of her life. He was off-limits!"

I was on a blissful high of a nerdy introvert and a motorcycle mechanic when all hell broke loose. All throughout this book there are moments of calm right before a category 5 hurricane is unleashed. Ethan and Hawk were H.O.T together. Like, make-sure-you-have-spare-batteries-and-a-cigarette-for-after hot.

"Let me come back to your place tonight and fuck you," Ethan said. 

“I know you say you don’t do men anymore, but I promise you, I’ll make it good for you. You feel this thing between us, too. Please just don’t let this stop. Not tonight.”

Ethan licked and bit down Hawk’s neck, heading toward that now throbbing nipple. “Just sit back”—suck—“take your pleasure”–bite—“and let me play.”

The second half of the book dropped off IMHO. Ethan and Hawk had a lot of baggage to work through in regards to Emma’s death and their relationships with her and each other. Both also have very serious hang-ups from past relationships. Some of the interactions became a little over the top. Dr. Dix and his ”counseling” with Ethan made me suspend reality for a bit. I’m sure there are many psychiatrists that have really awesome personalities. However, when a person is in the hospital for an “attempted suicide,” I can’t imagine the interactions taking place like they did. Hitting on the attorney while introducing yourself to the patient and also calling the patient selfish? Those are just a couple examples. Maybe I’m wrong, but I hope not. I liked his personality, I just had to go into make-believe land for processing. The encounters became much more cheesy in the 2nd half as well.

I loved the secondary characters of Katya and Miller aka Trina on drag nights. They both all three had great personalities, really complimented and added to the story. Especially Miller. He was funny AF.

"We’ve got to see the goods, darling, so I know if I’m on the right track or not." Miller looked him up and down, those violet eyes lighting up. 

“Oh, we are most definitely on track. I thought you were a twink, but oh my, look at what you were hiding under all that fabric."

There were a bunch of editing issues throughout this book. Hawk’s name was misspelled Hawke and there were random words that didn’t fit in their sentences and should have been deleted; even on the last page which got in the way of reading. There also needs to be trigger warnings; there was an attempted rape during their outings, a past sexual encounter from high-school was discussed as possible rape and also an attempted suicide (although the way suicide is written, it almost seemed as an accident. However, the MC stated that he might have subconsciously done it).

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I really didn’t want to put it down during the first half and I rooted for Ethan and Hawk in the second half.

"Make a Wish, Ethan. Believe in it. It’s time to live."

A review copy was provided.