Sasha Fountain

4.75 stars

This was a very unique and interesting read. M.N. Bennet wove a mix of magic, teenage shenanigans, and complex adult issues that don't seem like they should work together, but they do. The story balances many characters and various plot points well. There was Dorian, who had relationship issues with Milo, a stressful work environment, and struggled with his past failures. Then there were Dorian's students, who each had their problems. In addition, there is Dorian's race to prevent the death in Milo's prophecy and a group of rogue warlocks with nefarious plans.

The book introduces a lot, so it sometimes drags a bit. The good thing about it is that nothing was introduced was boring to read. The world-building was great, and the variety of magical powers was good. Bennet made the magic system understandable despite the many elements involved.

Dorian is highly grumpy, a chain smoker, and an overworked teacher who wants the best for his students. He was also dealing with grief from losing one of his partners. The dynamic between Dorian and Milo was complicated because of the loss of their partner Finn. I loved the storyline of Dorian and Milo coming to terms with their past and moving forward to a better future.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Blind Match is the third standalone omegaverse novel by MM Farmer in the multi-author series The Perfect Match Agency.

This is the second novel I have read in this series, and I enjoyed it. I like reading MM omegaverse romances with mpreg and babies by the end, and this fits the bill.

Luke is an alpha who has been dedicated to his family's luxury yacht business, but he wants to do more than that. He also longs for love, a mate, and family. That's how he finds himself going through The Perfect Match Agency, which uses scientific-based methods to pair alphas and omegas. The omega he is matched with is a whopping 94% match.

Emerson is an omega who wants to live his own life, which includes a mate and a family. Despite being independent and happy with his life, his parents and many others coddle him because of his disability. He lost sight at age six but has a great life and a fulfilling job helping others cope with their blindness. His match with Luke is fantastic, and they have an instant connection as soon as they meet.

Luke and Emerson are thrown for a loop when they realize that the agency did not put Emerson's blindness on his profile. When Luke notices Emerson is blind, they already have a strong connection.

The instalove and physical attraction is obvious, but they still faced a couple of obstacles before they made it to their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a cute age-gap and hurt/comfort trope story.

When a tree falls on Isaac's house, his neighbor Chase offers to do the repairs because he does not want to face a lawsuit. They are attracted to each other, but they both have complicated lives. They help each other see that they deserve to live their own lives. They also support each other in making things work for their families.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is my first BA book, and I really enjoyed it. This is a well-written story about the emotional connection between JD and Nash, and it had a slight amount of spice.

JD is a bullfighter who tragically gets custody of his twins when his best friend Kayla is killed at a rodeo event. Nash is a former rodeo cowboy at the same event as Kayla, and a bullet grazed him. Nash ends up holding onto Kayla's horse Cherish, and he gets in contact with JD so he can give the horse to him. Nash and JD had vaguely known each other during Nash's career with the rodeo, but they never had the time to connect.

When Nash meets JD, he finds a very overwhelmed man struggling with grief, and he volunteers to help him out. Even though I loved this story, a few things were a bit hard to believe, like Tammy's reaction to the twins after Kayla's death and how helpful Nash was to JD. I can see that Tammy is grieving her daughter, but her treatment of the twins was odd behavior. Nash was extremely helpful, but sometimes it felt like he was doing too much for JD.

But as I said, overall, I loved the story and JD and Nash's HEA. This was also the first book I've read in the Cozy Cowboys series, and I look forward to reading the rest.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Now we are starting to learn a bit more about the troubles Caleb is experiencing. After Caleb and Wiley return from the conference, Caleb gets occupied with figuring out who is trying to destroy everything he has worked for. Wiley gets back into the swing of things with work and school, and after work, she finds out that her friend and Caleb's brother Adam are behind Caleb's troubles. She was determined to tell Caleb, but his overly aggressive behavior made her pause. Adam threatens her friend Maeve if Wiley tells Caleb or the authorities what he has been doing. I'm excited to see how everything plays out in the final installment of this series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

3.75 stars rounded up

This is a cute collection of age-gap MM romance stories. This is my first time reading books from Ana Ashley. Most of the selected stories are not standalone and are from different series. I didn't like that approach to a box set because I'm used to box sets where all the books are for one series. I did enjoy most of the books, with my favorite being the first story, “How to Catch a Biker.”

How to Catch a Biker was about two characters who did not know what they needed until they met. They both had baggage from their past experiences and were looking for love, but love is what they got. I am not the biggest fan of age-gap romances, but these were enjoyable.

Love Without Reservations is an excellent grumpy/sunshine MM romance.

Noel drives from Canada to fetch his sister before her visa expires and is upset that she has fallen in love and is determined to stay. Aaron is a local inn owner who intervenes and offers Noel a place to stay while he is in town.

The novel has some challenges, but the journey is well worth it because we see the guys navigate their differences and feelings for each other.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Overall: 3.75 stars rounded up
The Immortal Jewels box set was okay overall. My favorite novel was Beneath the Opal Arc.

Beneath the Opal Arc
I loved Remy and Laurence. I liked that from the beginning, we learn that Laurence has been a bit bored and tired due to his long life and that his reaction to Remy was an exciting thing in the monotony of his life. Remy's curiosity was perfect for this story because he was the ideal character to help introduce this world. Their relationship and HFN were great to see. Learning about Valeri, Laurence's sire, concerned me about the second book.

Across the Sapphire Sea
I was worried about this story due to the content warnings given. Valeri was unlikeable in book one, but he was not as villainous as expected during the previous novel. Valeri's relationship with Elias is highly toxic, and I could not engage with the book because of my disdain for Valeri.

Beyond the Ruby River
This novel felt different than the previous two novels. Mahu and Daka were engaging characters and I enjoyed seeing them fall in love. I am glad that they eventually got their HEA.

Over the Emerald Valley
I loved Temaj and Solon together because their interactions were always fun to read. I liked how Solon and Temaj figured out how to have a life together.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Ashton is an Alpha Phoenix shifter unhappy with seeing his ex every time he goes to work. So he chooses to move to a small town and get away from his ex.

Jeff is a human Omega who is determined to break a long family tradition of going into politics, and he does not want to become the Mayor of their small town. Jeff wants to find an alpha to love him and start a family.

Jeff's best friend, Lavender, signs him up for a dating app and arranges his first date. Jeff and Ashton have an awkward first date, and Jeff is unsure whether Ashton is happy with their date. Meanwhile, Ashton has recognized Jeff as his fated mate.

I loved how they got their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is my second book by B.L. Maxwell, and I like their easygoing style. Both MCs. are likable men. Morgan is a lost soul who isn't sure what he wants out of life, and Stu has put his needs aside to be a dutiful son and responsible father.

When they first meet, we see that Morgan brings out Stu's protective instincts while Stu makes Morgan want to be a better man, They fit together well, and I enjoyed their easygoing friendship that develops into attraction.

The story is pretty fast-paced, and their relationship develops quickly. I liked how they fit into each other's lives without much drama or angst. Stu's family accepts Morgan and their budding relationship without much fanfare, so seeing them form a strong relationship throughout the story was nice.

I liked this book and did not read the other books in the series, so I'm glad I could follow along with the story as a standalone.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I was excited to see this enemies-to-lovers story after seeing Rafe and George's interactions in book one. The romance in this book did not disappoint at all.

We already know that George is the uptight captain of Now, Voyager, and Rafe is Rowan's younger brother, a model turned photographer. In book one, we learn that they can't stand each other after an argument they had at Christmas dinner.

Rafe is using Now, Voyager, for a photo shoot and wants to avoid George as much as possible for the next two months. While they are rude to each other, they both can't deny that the other person is attractive.

They have a lot of tension and can't help but be at each other's throats at first. George takes the step to apologize to Rafe by having the crew arrange dinner for them. During the dinner, they are surprised because they get along and have a great night together, which is a turning point for them.

George is demi, so he needs connection before intimacy, which took him a long time to come to terms with. When talking about sex, George refers to it as lovemaking, while Rafe has always been about a quick fuck without emotional attachments.

Rafe has never experienced romance, and George loves old-fashioned romantic gestures, which catches Rafe a bit off guard. As the story progresses, we see George being attentive, helpful, and protective, showing Rafe that he is his. We see something beautiful growing between them.

The story started rocky because of George and Rafe's history but quickly became a romance. George and Rafe's characters are developed well and were endearing. I loved their HEA, which was well worth the wait.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This a limited edition box set of 7 books that involve princes, noble knights, charming wizards, shapeshifters, and necromancers who fight for love. We join their adventures as Fate lines their path with obstacles that must be overcome as they search for true love.

Titles in this Box Set are:
- Sentinel
- The Hunted Prince
- Familiar Troubles: A Freedom Series Novella
- Plight of an Imp
- Just Another Day at the Morgue: A Mystical Markings Novella
- The Richmond Vampire
- Flames of Fate: A Dragon Shifter” Enchantment

This was a great collection of MM stories. This review is for Just Another Day at the Morgue by B.L. Maxwell. It's an exciting tale with solid characters. Bran sees ghosts and Jordan, who can feel all the pain and emotions from the dead. It was a page-turner, and I recommend checking out this box set.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Caleb has brought Wiley and Maeve to Texas with him so he can spend some time with Wiley while he is at a rancher's conference. Wiley is constantly on Caleb's mind and wants to be with her, but he does not want to push her into something she's not ready for. after the conference, he stops by Nordstrom to get something for Wiley and finds that Maeve and Wiley have taken him up on his offer to go on a shopping spree. He goes back to the penthouse to wait for Wiley. Caleb arranged for Maeve to disappear for the night so he can have some alone time with Wiley. After speaking with Maeve about Wiley's school debt, he arranges to pay for her tuition through a scholarship to take her money worries away. I'm interested in Wiley's reaction when she discovers what Caleb has done.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Interwoven in this book are elements of love and war. This story began in Bargain with the Witch Prince; this book is the conclusion. Each book in the series is focused on one couple; their storylines are involved in other books, so this series needs to be read to understand the context. The world-building in the series is excellent, and the characters seem realistic.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

3.5 stars

The blurb for this book caught my interest, so I was excited to read it. My biggest pet peeve for this story was that there was little character description, so it was hard to immerse myself in it fully. Arie has been crushing on his boss Ren for two years; unbeknownst to him, they are fated mates. The reason that Ren kept it a secret is not very clear. This was a slow burn, and we see Arie support Ren while he works through trauma. I was entertained throughout the book, so I rounded up my 3.5 stars to 4.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was an excellent start to The Wolves of Luven series. This is the first book I've read from this author, and I'm interested in reading the rest of the series. The world-building and plot were interesting, and I liked this take on shifters. The part that made me drop the rating down a star was the initiation because it was disturbing to read. It fits with the book's dark tone, but it wasn't explained why it was necessary. The part of the book where Epsilon is courting Tella is sweet and spicy.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I've wanted to read a Wendy Rathbone book for a while, so I was excited to receive a copy. This is the second book in the multi-author Perfect Match Agency series.

Kace is an omega with Heat Repulsion, a condition that causes painful heats. Due to his condition, his doctor recommends that he find a compatible alpha or take medication to prevent his heats and miss out on the chance to have children. His doctor also recommends Perfect Match Agency which uses genetics to match Alphas and Omegas.

He is paired with Morgan, an Alpha he finds unappealing and dull. He was also distracted from his date with Morgan by the scent of Storm, Morgan's assistant. Storm is an alpha who distrusts omegas due to an omega he dated in high school. Storm initially came off as a bigot because of all the negative opinions he espoused about omegas. There is a serious case of instalust like many fated mates stories. Storm and Kace can't forget each other after their brief meeting before Kace's date with Morgan. They trigger each other's rut and heat and quickly realize they are meant to be. This was a short and fast-paced fated mates story.

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I was excited about the book after the way they reacted to each other in Scott and Travis' book. Henry is the campus Heartbreaker, known for being great for one night and nothing more. He rules the roost at school and plays up his playboy status, but he has one weakness, Anthony Andino. After kissing him and cutting off their friendship, he has pined for Anthony for years.

Anthony showed interest in Henry in Book 1 by getting his number from Travis. The beginning overlaps with the boxing match from Book 1. We see what led to Henry saving the day and helping out Travis. Henry and Anthony used random excuses to be around each other.

We learn about Henry's insecurities due to his parents touting Anthony as a golden boy. Anthony was hurt by Henry dismissing their friendship and giving him the cold shoulder. The push that led Anthony to push his way back into Henry's life was his obligation to Henry's family for paying his tuition. I loved how they got their HEA. I look forward to the Hellhound's book next!

Thank you to GRR for an ARC copy; this is my honest review.

I was hooked when I read the teaser for Hank and Lee's story at the end of Protecting Paul. After reading it, I can say that their story did not disappoint.

In Waking Wyatt, we meet Hank and learn that he rarely speaks, and this story delves into why he has selective mutism. Hank had a terrible childhood with parents that berated and neglected him to the point that when they decided to leave Shafter Falls during his junior year of high school, he stayed with Wyatt as his guardian. He has worked for Wyatt for 15 years, and he considers Wyatt and Sam to be good people, and he does not realize that they view him as family. Hank associates family with his parents and how horrible they were. That's a big reason Hank is very uncomfortable with change, and meeting Lee throws him off kilter.

Lee, Paul's best friend, comes to Shafter Falls to help plan Paul's wedding. He lives in Denver and has missed Paul since he left. Lee had a bad day and resigned from his job due to a homophobic supervisor who denied his leave for Paul's wedding last minute despite it being approved in advance. Lee decides to focus on Paul's wedding and then determine his next steps. When he arrives on the ranch, things look up when he meets Hank. Hank is a fumbling and blushing mess after seeing Lee and the incident where Henry, the goat, knocks Lee on top of him. Throughout the story's beginning, Hank can barely speak to Lee, and he spends a lot of time blushing and running away from Lee, which confuses Lee.

Hank has gone to therapy, and his therapist gave him techniques to get him to speak again, which he has not done. Because he wants to speak to Lee, he goes out to practice those techniques and speak with strangers to prepare. At first, it is hard for him to speak to Lee, but as the story progresses, he is able to speak to Lee with ease.

They are extremely cute together. There is a bit of angst and miscommunication because Hank found it hard to speak and clear things up. They both fall in love fast and hard and get scared, but after a slight freak out from Hank, they begin to work together to build their future. I loved how they got their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a great brother's best friend romance with an enemies-to-lovers trope in the mix. The book started slowly, but the action ramped up in Chapter 3. Leila and Drake had great chemistry, and the book was spicy. For the most part, the book was fast-paced, and the plot was engaging. I love the fake engagement trope, so I loved that aspect of the book. I loved how Leila and Drake got their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I liked this enemies-to-lovers romance. I do wish there was a prologue to give a bit of insight into the characters' backstories. Many of Emily's books feature male MCs who are firefighters, so if you're into firefighters, this book is for you.

Charlotte ends up pregnant with Brandon's baby after a one-night stand. She is independent and is willing to raise the baby on her own. Due to a past relationship, Brandon has trust issues, and he doesn't open up his heart easily.

Overall I liked this romance because it's a quick page-turner. I would have liked an epilogue because even though they get their HEA, I would like to see their future.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Omega fox shifter Kendall has isolated himself in his grandfather's cabin after his husband's devastating death and his grandfather's loss. Alpha bear Callum is out hiking when he comes across Kendall's cabin and the heirloom apple tree outside it. Callum hopes to obtain seeds for his orchard, but Kendall refuses because he wants to keep the apples in his family. I loved the fact that these fated mates were from different species. This was a really sweet romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I really enjoyed this novel. Getting invested in Alex and Jamie's lives and romance was easy. Seeing their friendship develop into something more was wonderful. The progression of their romance and the spice in the book felt age appropriate. Sometimes YA characters are written like adult characters, but Alex and Jamie embodied the tension and angst of adolescence. Jamie experienced culture shock moving from San Francisco to Jacksonville. Alex is the star quarterback, is also class president, and maintains stellar grades. Alex had always considered himself straight until he befriended Jamie and developed a crush on him. Alex had to battle a lot of internalized homophobia throughout the novel, and it caused arguments with Jamie, and even their breakup stemmed from that. I love how they got their HFN. My only wish is that we got an epilogue to see a bit of Alex and Jamie's future. Overall I loved this romance!

I received a free copy of this book via Gay Book Promotions and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book is a sapphic retelling of Snow White. If you like creatures of ocean lore, pirates, and sea witches, this is the book for you.

From the start, this book is full of action. This is my first sapphic fantasy romance, and I enjoyed it. The camaraderie amongst the pirate crew is top-tier. The book is written in dual POV, which I love because it fleshes out both the main characters and their romance.

I enjoyed this unique Snow White retelling.

I received a free copy of this book via Book Sirens and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I enjoyed the fourth book in the Botros Brothers series. This book was a second-chance romance between Aaliyah and Joseph. Aaliyah is the cousin of the Botros brothers, and she was raised like their sister. Her family meddled in her romance with Joseph when they were younger because they disapproved of his common background. Seeing Aaliyah develop and fight for her romance with Joseph is great. I loved how they got their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.