Review: Consorting with Dragons: Expanded Edition by Sera Trevor

At last, the novel-length expansion of the award-winning novella!

Lord Jasen of Grumhul, an impoverished young nobleman, has come to the Draelands to find a rich husband to help pay his father's debts. To the shock of everyone, he ends up attracting the attention of King Rilvor himself, and the dragons who control the magic in the land. Becoming royalty wasn’t something Jasen either expected or wanted, but he can’t control his growing feelings for kind and handsome king. Scheming factions at Court conspire to keep him from Rilvor’s side, and now Jasen has to decide if the chance at true love with Rilvor is worth the burden of being the husband of a king.

This sweet and funny Cinderfella romance is complete at ~85000 words and ends in a solid HEA. After all, true love always wins in fairy tales!

Back in 2014 when I read the original version of this story I was overjoyed with the dragons and world building of this slow burn, Cinderfella romance. What Sera Trevor has done with the expansion of that story is wonderfully cinematic making it was again a delight to read.

Jasen tells the story of his falling in love with King Rilvor despite all the pomp and circumstance he's subjected to at Court. Jasen hails from Grumhul which eschews high customs. The Grummish are practical people who aren't afraid of hard work and love their mudball (sounds similar to soccer), but his father has drank and gambled away their money which puts Jasen in the position of trying to secure a wealthy husband to sustain them. Somehow his father secures a highly coveted place for him at Court and lays on the 'your poor ole dad' pretty thick as encouragement.

One of the things I really liked about Court is the lack of heteronormativity. It seems counterintuitive given how rigid the protocols are but a bright spot in an otherwise uncompromising society never hurt anyone, right?

All the provinces in the Allied Realm send their most eligible daughters and sons to the Draelands annually to strengthen bonds through marriages, but also to increase power. Many of these nobles are dragon blessed which gives them some sort of magical ability; that ability can intensify if the marriage is a strong one.

Since Grumhul has no dragons Jasen is automatically believed to be a poor match and certainly not worthy of the King's affections. The King, however, did not get the memo because he is smitten upon first meeting. Jasen, after being called by Tasenred (one of the dragons) and wandering the grounds, has no idea who the King is whence they meet. He's in his low country attire and quite plainspoken all of which Rilvor finds refreshing.

Tasenred is my favorite. There are other dragons but Tasenred is one pushy dragon and I hearted the bejeezus out of him. He takes a shine to Jasen and their connection was heartwarming to read.

The role the dragons play in this realm was marvelous and something that didn't stand out in the original version.

The Court and its protocols were also explained much better too. Court is largely a popularity club reminiscent of the ton, complete with corsets, ridiculously high heels and hairstyles, balls, organized activities, all of which are supervised and exceedingly proper with the requisite backbiting and jockeying for place, and yet somehow Jasen still forges some lifelong friendships. The secondary characters of Princess Polina, Lady Risyda and many of the tertiary characters like Lady Isalei and Larely played a larger role.

Nevertheless, Jasen isn't really cut out for Court. He plays along and does as told, but he is Grummish through and through, preferring to be outdoors, playing mudball or doing something useful which oftentimes prompts him to sneak out of the castle and made for some entertaining scenes.

Generally speaking, I like my romances when the MCs spend a significant amount of time together and while Rilvor and Jasen spend some time together, I craved more. They have chemistry and a few heart to heart conversations were had, but their relationship isn't well developed, instead relying on the de rigueur fairy tale instalove.

Jasen comes into his own, but he did run a little hot and cold, sometimes seemingly self-possessed and others harried. His thoughtfulness and diligence in deciding whether or not he was suited for the responsibilities of Lord Consort to Rilvor are what won me over. I also liked that he stayed true to himself AND that Rilvor loved him because of all those qualities.

If there were to be a follow up I would be interested in seeing where their story goes, because I'm smitten with the world Sera Trevor has built. If you're in the mood for a sweet, high fantasy, no sex fairy tale then give Consorting with Dragons a try. There are new twists and turns in the narrative, so this is definitely not the same story from the DRitC event.

It's still 99¢ on Amazon if you pre-order it too!

An ARC was provided by the author.

Review: His Fairy Godfather by Cate Ashwood and Nico Jaye

Since the death of his father, Trick Grigsby has fought to keep his head above water. Following in his father’s footsteps as a talented architect, he hopes to work his way up at the firm. Unfortunately, the company’s new owner barely resembles the man who was once Trick’s father’s best friend. Trick’s days are filled with drudgery and cruel remarks from the man who was supposed to be his mentor—along with his two sons, whose only jobs seem to be making Trick’s life miserable.

But all that is about to change.

Edwin Goodmaker struggled through his fairy godparent curriculum, but his mother—the reigning Fairy Queen—has a simple solution: Edwin will go to New York City and get some practical experience. When he meets Trick, Edwin knows he’s found a worthy charge, and he’s sure he can help Trick achieve all of his heart’s desires. Edwin falls for Trick, but with everything standing in their way, a fairy-tale ending might remain nothing more than a dream.

Adorably flufftastic! I wanted something light and fun and that's exactly what was delivered. A cute Cinderfella story, complete with an evil step-dad type figure and a fairy godfather.

Edwin was a fairy godfather in training and is sent to New York to get some hands-on experience. As soon as he ran into Trick, Edwin knew he found his charge.

When he ran into Trick, his new charge was working at a job he hated for a terrible boss and his two sons. I can't believe how badly he was treated at his job. He was barely getting by and was underappreciated. Actually, he wasn't appreciated at all. He was constantly insulted. Trick had his reasons for staying at the firm, but even after his explanation, I still didn't understand why he would stay in such a bad environment. It was a tad far-fetched. But, hey, this is a Cinderella story, after all!

Edwin was pretty much clueless about life in New York. He was adorably naive and so damn endearing. Always smiling and always willing to help. I just wanna squeeze him! Apparently, so did Trick. I loved that their relationship had exactly zero angst. From strangers, to friends, to boyfriends, there wasn't any unnecessary drama. Just adorable dates, a magical Thanksgiving, and Christmas cuteness.

This modern-day Cinderfella story is full of fairy godfather magic with the sweetest HEA. Grab your hot cocoa, a blanket and prepare to snuggle up.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads and Dreamspinner Press.

Review: Settling the Score by Eden Winters

Outed and dumped on national television by his rising star boyfriend, Joey Nichols must face the bigotry of the locals in his small Southern town alone. His dreams of a happy ever after lie crushed at his feet.

Novelist Troy Steele has an axe to grind against Hollywood heartbreaker types. Transforming Joey into a gorgeous, unobtainable hunk would be payback worthy of Troy’s poison pen. It's a brilliant way to get back at Joey’s image-obsessed ex-boyfriend and the movie producer who’s mutilating Troy’s novels.

What begins as simple revenge may tangle them together in something far more complicated. Living well may be the best revenge, but Troy and Joey could rewrite that to loving well.

Another fun one from Eden Winters.

The premise was interesting to me. I don't know that I've read a love story quite like this one. I've read the fake boyfriends trope, but nothing quite like Settling the Score. While I didn't love everything about it, it was nice to read a M/M romance with a little something different.

Joey was outed on TV by his long time boyfriend. Not only was he outed to his family, but also to everyone in the small town he lives in. His ex (who is an actor) got big time publicity for this stunt, and it helped his career. Basically, the ex is an asshat. 

In comes Troy. He's a writer and wants to use Joey's situation as his muse. He hires him, gives him a makeover, and uses him to write his newest book. And uses the new-and-improved Joey to get revenge on his own ex.

Lots of revenge happening here! It was fun and different... if a little much. The revenge thing got a tad old, but I liked how it all worked out in the end. And it did bother me how much Troy was changing Joey. He stressed that Joey didn't need to change but... then he went on doing it anyway? Eh. Rubbed me wrong.

That being said, I really liked Joey and Troy together. They made a for a fun couple to read about. While they were both seeking revenge on their exes, they were able to see what was right in front of them. 

Settling the Score is full of fun shenanigans with a lighthearted romance. Definitely recommended for some easy and relaxing reading. 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

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Review: Hotline by Quinn Anderson

Zack never intended to become a phone sex operator, but with half a college degree and a smart mouth, his options were limited. It helps that he has a knack for thinking on his feet and a willingness to roll with whatever his clients throw at him. Sure, he gets his fair share of creeps and unconventional requests, but it pays the bills, and he’s in no danger of breaking his one rule: never fall for a client.

Until a man named “John” starts calling, and Zack finds himself interested in more than a paycheck. It’s not just that John has money, or that his rumbling baritone drives Zack wild. He’s everything Zack isn’t: educated, poised, and in total control of his life.

A twist of fate brings them face-to-face, and now that they’ve seen each other—and spent an unforgettable night together—they can’t go back to the way things were. A sex worker and a trust fund brat . . . It’s like Romeo and Juliet, but with less stabbing and slightly fewer dick jokes. Hopefully they can pull off a more successful ending.

Cinderfella Slash-fic pretty much sums this book up. I'm actually totally fine with fanfic/slash-fic. If taylorpotato hadn't abandoned my ship for Sciles I'd still have a largely inappropriate relationship with his fics. What makes a really good fic or book for me is layers be it a gripping subplot, great relationship development, feel good fluff that'll make your teeth hurt or angst. Unfortunately, Hotline was one note, and that note was sex. There's nothing for me to sink my teeth into and 350 pgs of nothing but nuclear sex... I got bored. I can easily imagine this being classified as a one-handed read, but aside from the sex it's not all that imaginative. 

Zack is a phone sex operator who sucks at his job. He's only in it for the paycheck and it shows in his lackluster performances and his paychecks until he gets a call from John. John turns out to be a trust fund baby who's also GQ beautiful, single and available. They accidentally meet one night and that bell can't be unrung, so they start dating (mostly fucking). 

Truth be told, I requested this because I saw a post of Rachel Haimowitz' that was essentially squealing. The word "stitches" was used and not in a medical sense. I like funny. I get funny. So it was a foregone conclusion that I'd be requesting this as soon as it hit NetGalley. However, this wasn't funny to me which leaves me with two possible explanations, (a) my sense of humor is deficient...

or (b) it's not funny. For the sake of argument, let's go with 'b'. I mean, there is a zinger every now and again mostly by Alexa, Zack's co-worker and snark monster extraordinaire, but comedic it is not.

The problems I have with it aside from it being monotonous and not funny are neither of these characters are well-defined and I need to know and see why they feel like they're right for each other when they're not fucking each other into the mattress or the couch or the backseat. Zack's characterization comes off inconsistent-he has some college but he doesn't know what proclivity means yet he uses vacillate often? 

I also don't understand the point of introducing his parents because aside from a tempestuous dinner his sister is the only one who makes a reappearance. I think it was a half-hearted attempt at evil family/Cinderfella trope but it fell flat. In a nutshell, it could've been pared down. 

Hotline is told through Zack who comes across very immature and dickish and his relationship with John has very little substance. John didn't do much for me either.

On a more positive note, I like this author's voice; it's a nice blend of fanfic lingo and freshness. I would read something else by her. It's also probably a 5 on the fluffometer with a feel good HFN ending. I like fluffy and I didn't hate this I just wish there had been more to it. Also, have I mentioned how hot the sex was? 

Recommend to those who enjoy a one-handed read just break it up over several days. Because chafing or carpal tunnel. 

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Spell Weaver by Megan Derr

Myka's dream was to someday own his shop, making and spelling suits that were prized throughout the world. Instead, he rejected an apprenticeship with a master who proved to be reprehensible—and touchable—and lost everything. Now, he works in a derelict shop in the wrong part of town, and it's only a matter of time before he's caught spelling without a license or thrown out by his odious landlord.

The only bright part of his days are the occasional visits from his best client, Johan, a man who works in the palace and always brings the finest suits to have spelled. When he accidentally leaves behind an invitation to the royal ball, Myka takes it, determined to have one evening where he can enjoy himself—and perhaps even spend time with Johan as something other than a spell weaver.

A sweet dose of gay Cinderfella.

Myka has had a rough time. Since his master died before Myka could become a fully certified spell weaver, Myka has been practicing illegally in one of the poorest parts of the city. He’s near destitution, and will likely be on the streets soon, as his landlord has raised the rent too high for Myka to pay.

The only bright part of Myka’s life is one of his clients - Johan. He’s a kind and handsome man who works at the royal palace, and wears some of the finest suits Myka has ever worked on. Myka knows Johan is out of his league, but he can still dream about it. When Johan accidentally leaves behind an invitation to the royal ball, Myka decides to take a chance. He’ll enjoy himself while he can at the ball, and maybe even impress Johan.

But Myka goes to the ball disguised in a mask, so Johan is left wondering who his mysterious dance partner was.

I grew up on Disney, so I can’t help but equate fairy tales with the movies I watched as a kid. ‘Spell Weaver’ has a different take on Cinderella, and it works well. There’s no evil stepmother, fairy godmother, or pumpkin carriage. Instead, we’ve got a lecherous landlord, Myka’s own magical abilities, and a steam-powered carriage. The clock striking midnight still spells trouble.

While Myka’s predicament is quite gloomy, this is a very low-angst story. Myka and Johan’s interactions with one another are sweet and fluffy. They flirt a bit, but for the most part they’re pretty reserved with one another. It’s not until right near the end, when the truth about the ball comes out, that Myka and Johan admit what they feel for each other.

This is a fairy tale, so it’s easy to believe that the two are going to live happily ever after without too much effort.

Unlike a Disney movie, there’s some hot steam in ‘Spell Weaver’. There’s even some manties. Given how short this story is, I was impressed that the author was able to pack in some heat.

Overall, ‘Spell Weaver’ is a short, sweet, and slightly sexy fairy tale. Recommended if you’re looking for a quick read.


Can I request a Hercules and Aladdin mash-up next? Pretty please!

Check out on Goodreads!

Review: Sinders and Ash by Tara Lain, Narrated by Kale Williams

Housekeeper Mark Sintorella (Sinders) works diligently at a resort hotel while designing clothes anonymously, hoping to get into fashion school. Then his carefully planned life is upended with the arrival of Ashton Armitage, son of the fifth richest man in America - and the most beautiful guy Mark has ever seen. Ash must find a wife or he'll lose his grandfather's inheritance, and he settles on Bitsy Fanderel. But secretly Ash is gay, and the guy who cleans the fireplaces sets his heart ablaze.

Further stirring the pot is the little elf of a man, Carstairs Pennymaker, who has Mark wearing his own designs and masquerading as a girl to impress the fashion investors in the hotel. When the clock strikes 12, two beautiful princesses line up for the wedding - but one isn't a woman. Will the slipper fit? Only Mr. Pennymaker knows for sure.

Suspend belief all ye who enter here!

Not saying that’s a bad thing. But, you do need to know that this is very much a Hallmark type fairy tale so you can appreciate it for what it’s giving you. Everyone is exceptionally beautiful, the drama is dramatic as are the reactions to the drama and the ending is perfectly perfect.

Sinders, or Mark, is a beautifully sad and quirky character that cleans the fireplaces at a luxury resort along with a bunch of menial bullshit things that no one else wants to do. He lives in an attic room, saving all his money to one day go to design school. Ash is a delicious rich boy who, in order to claim his inheritance of eleventeen trillion dollars, must marry by his birthday. Needless to say he doesn’t have that handled and he’s at the resort to try and find himself a bride.

Mark is taken under the wing or a strange little man with the ultimate connections in the fashion industry named Carstairs Pennymaker. Mr. Pennymaker is the mastermind behind the meet cutes in the story and his plans to put Mark on the fashion map come with pearls of wisdom and self-confidence building bits of enlightenment. He’s very charming and quirky and I liked him a lot.

The bad guys were especially ugly and the part of the Evil Stepmother and sisters was played out well in a modern way. One of the sisters ends up being a good friend to Ash and the side story with Bitsy and Ronnie (Ash’s assistant) was really my favorite part of the story. I liked both of their characters and they were the most “real” of the lot.

I listened to the audio version of this story and I did like the narrator’s voice, my only problem was that his Mark and his Ash sounded the same as the story progressed. I never got confused about who was talking, but the sameness of it made it too easy for my brain to wander. When I read the book many moons ago I never realized how much the characters talked to themselves, the narration really emphasizes that and it got old after a bit. I started thinking, “who the hell are you even talking to?” It made the story sound more narrated than organic.

Go into Sinders and Ash knowing you are getting a contemporary fairy tale with a plethora of voice inducing situational boners and beautiful people getting happy endings with very little realism. Sometimes that flavor of brain candy is exactly what a person needs and if you’re in that moment, this is the story for you.

Check out Sinders and Ash for yourself over at Dreamspinner Press.

**a copy of this audiobook was provided for an honest review**

Review: Mr. Jaguar by K.A. Merikan

--- One day you’ll be pumping my gas ---

Mike Miller’s life has gone to shit. The formerly popular high school quarterback now works at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The last thing he needs is meeting the guy he used to bully at school and seeing him all sorts of polished up. James is now the proud owner of an amazing silver Jaguar and a self-made millionaire. It seems that the day couldn’t get any worse for Mike, but James ‘Lovelace’ Austin might just turn out to be his golden ticket out of the job he hates.

When James Austin meets Mike Miller, his high school crush and tormentor all in one, working at an old, dirty gas station, it feels as if the stars have finally aligned in his favor. He wants to finally get his revenge on the guy, but when Mike turns out to be gay, the whole afternoon takes a turn for the surreal. Instead of just humiliating Mike at his workplace, James decides to hire him for a weekend at a conference he’s attending. A hot guy by his side is the only accessory James needs to rub his success in the faces of his frenemies.

Only problem is, a gay Mike Miller might be too much of a blast from the past than James ever expected. If James wants his nerdy heart safe from the hunky jock, he needs to keep Mike at arms length. The task would be a lot easier if Mike wasn’t unashamedly hitting on James. Or is it just James’s money Mike is after?

My take: a hokier version of Pretty Woman except, y’know, Mike’s not an actual hooker. He’s just a dumb jock down on his luck when the high school, gay nerd happens to stop at the Vega Gas & Motel in his bright, shiny, new Jag. Kind of prophetic considering James did tell him one day he would, in fact, be pumping his gas.

The Merikans do seem to have a soft spot for characters that aren’t very bright. What Mike does have going for him, aside from his hot bod is his bluntness. I chuckled when he said he wanted to “bury his face in it and sleep there” when referring to James’s ass. I got the big eyes AND snortled when he laid this gem on James:

“That was great, I’m gonna fuck you so hard tonight if you win more cash.”

I gotta hand it to the dude. He’s got shock value down to a fine art, though I’m not quite sure Michelle Obama would ever say that to her man. In public. Well, maybe…

The trope of enemies to lovers is tried and true. Taking it all the way back to high school and the nerd redeeming himself AND turning out to be a hottie was enjoyable. I'm glad James and Mike worked out their problems and they're happy together. For now. I'm not sure I really liked either one of them, though. Some of the antics with the conference douchebags got old. I did quite enjoy the paint ball expedition and the shack. Quite.

All told, the Merikans delivered on the prompter’s request and my thanks to them for participating in the LL event.