Zhan
Paused, idk. I stopped at around 18%, at the beginning of chapter 7.
I'm not sure that this book is really working for me, but maybe it's just not working for me right now. So maybe I do come back to it sometime in the future. And I really liked the secondary character, Elas, a lot, so I definitely want to check out his book.
The main characters, Cameron and Ronan, are quite similar in their stubborness, annoyed demeanour and both have a temper. But Ronan seems to carry more anger and sadness, while Cameron is more snarky and restless. And Cameron definitely has a personality, alright. I'll admit that it's not a personality that I could warm up to during this little that I've read, but he's definitely not bland. His remarks are witty, but there's just one little thing that ended up being the reason why I'm pausing this book.
So, it's explained at the beginning that the veil between the two words fell when Cameron's grandparents were kids and that this new reality (humans almost being annihilated, military and monsters are now ruling in cities, while others survive outside etc) is all that he's ever known. For someone who only knows this cruel, devastating world, he uses a lot of references from modern world/language and jokes about them too.
There's quite a lot of them, but just a few that come to my mind are: “Someone give this guy a job in PR”, “he sounds like a pressure cooker about to combust”, “The otherwise silent room echoes with the thud of my palms as I slow clap for some added pizzazz”, “No one cares about the weather, Janice.” (there's no Janice in the story, it was a reference to Janice Dean, who is apparently a rocksolid conservative who cares greatly about her country and talks about weather - I'm from Europe so I had no idea who this lady is until I looked it up, so it's hard to believe that this reference survived and is well known after decades in apocalyptic world), “I'm good here. Nice and cozy in these five-star accomodations, you know? I'd hate to miss room service by leaving too soon...I hear the dessert is to die for.”
It was very hard to connect this kind of language and references to the post-apocalyptic reality that Cameron lives in. If the apocalypse happened recently it would've made more sense, however, as mentioned above, the monster crossed the bridge when Cameron's grandparents were still kiddos. I mean, I don't think I make any reference to things that existed when my grandparents, or even parents, were young, even if they did tell me about them.
However, it was briefly hinted at Cameron loving books, so I guess I could've ignored this if we say that Cameron somehow learned all this stuff from books he managed to get his hands on.
But... It's not only him, but it's also Ronan (the monster MC) and his friend Elas (also a monster) who are familiar with these references and also use a lot of human expressions. Like, Cameron calls Ronan an “emo boy” and Elas laughs his ass off at that as if he knows what emo means. Ronan refers to Elas' teeth as “pearly whites”, which is a very common human expression. At one point one of them said to the other “Stop with the theatrics. You'll give yourself an ulcer.” - which, sure, maybe monsters can have ulcers too, but this is also a common human expression. When Ronan fails to be subtle, Elas sarcastically tells him “Smooth... so smooth.” Then there's this part: “Then he (Elas) shoots them a godsdamned finger-gun, and both guards look like they might either faint or jizz their pants on the spot.” There's many more.
All of this makes these dangerous monsters from another world seem very human and very familiar with (decades old) human culture references. It's very unlikely that a human born decades after the apocalypse would be familiar with so many, let alone a monster who is not even from there.
I do hope that the author will take notice of this for the next book, because this aside, the story is very enjoyable. The world-building is intriguing and scenes are paced just right, so nothing feels either rushed or too slow. I haven't learned much about the bond between Ronan and Cameron since they only have met at the point where I paused, but the romance aspect looked promising too.
That's it. Again, I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on this book, but atm my mood is such that I just couldn't ignore the constant modern references, so I might come back to this some other time.
I think this just became one of my favorites by this author.
It's a taboo smutty story between fraternal twins. One of them, Rex, has a golden retriever personality and looks like Norse god, just like the rest of their viking family. But Skye doesn't look anything like his family (while Rex is blond and huge, with blue eyes, Skye is dark-haired and small, with chocolate eyes) and that's the source of his insecurities. But during one family reunion, Rex decides to show him just how beautiful he really is.
There's a size difference, hot smut, good dirty talk and one super possessive and loving twin brother.
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General Notes
-fraternal twins, short erotica.
-size difference
-MCs are 24 years old.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict roles, Rex tops Skye.
-Kinks/sex notes: sexy times in front of a mirror, BJs, handjobs, mouth fucking, coming untouched, hot dirty talk, phone sex, somno (waking up with BJ), possessive neck grabbing (not choking)...
-Other:
• adorable kisses on top of the head
• big size difference between MCs
• Rex has big hands
• some handtimacy and necktimacy
So, you should definitely take the title seriously (the “obsession” part in particular) and don't expect to find a healthy relationship here. If you're in the mood for obsessed and possessive LI who crosses some important boundaries and does some questionable things, then this is a book for you. I was well-prepared for this before starting, so it wasn't an issue for me.
The book reads fast and easy. College story, childhood best friends to enemies to roommates (frenemies) to lovers.
I'll admit that there were some parts that frustrated me and made me a little mad, but at the end, the book was somehow addictive and I did have a good time reading it. There were many sweet moments that I liked.
Main characters are 19 years old, in their first year of college. They are quite immature at times, but I liked how both of them learned and tried to do better and mend their mistakes.
Charlie is very insecure and I think that's something that most people can relate to. However, he's so frustratingly oblivious, both about himself and people around him. He misunderstoods other people's intentions and he doesn't see how his own behavior impacts them. And you gotta really suspend your belief when it comes to him. He has been masturbating with dildo for years, but the idea that he might be interested in gay sex never even crossed his mind. Sure, there are straight guys who like it in the ass, but how come he never questioned it for even a moment, especially since he has been noticing how hot his roommate (and childhood friend turned enemy) is?
Lucas has been a bully and I really don't like bullies. But the further I read, the more I warmed up to him and I think his character had a lot of depth. He has anger issues and he hides his real emotions behind it, which are shame, self-loathing, feeling like he's not enough. Obviously, this way of coping results in rather messed up behavior. He (self-deprecatingly) calls himself “obsessed and psycho” at some point and he really does come across like that. But behind that, we find out that he's surprisingly shy, sweet and earnest, and he can be very gentle when he feels safe. He hates himself for the way he behaves and he regrets it as soon as he does it. Throughout the story, he makes effort to change, to control his anger and learn to express his emotions in a healthier way. We also see some glimpses about Lucas past, how his childhood home wasn't so safe and loving as one might think, considering how popular and loved he was at school. There were many flashbacks that made my heart ache for him.
As for the plot, it was a bit dramatic, but I personally don't mind that. Charlie has his first girlfriend for a long part of the book and I didn't enjoy that much. There are some things left unresolved (some misunderstandings and the situation with Gilly), but I didn't care much about seeing it resolved.
I'd recommend it, when you're in the mood for something light and easy, but not-so-healthy. :)
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General Notes
-college, childhood best friends to enemies to roommates to lovers
-obsessiveness and possessiveness
-size difference (Lucas is very tall, Charlie is on the shorter side)
-Charlie and Lucas are both 19, with Charlie being a few months older
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict, Charlie bottoms, Lucas tops
-Kinks/sex notes: brief dry humping, grinding, coming untouched from penetration, thigh sex, marking (hickeys), ditching condoms later on...
-Other: //
I'll start my review by saying that I read this out of order, because I wanted to read MM romance with a paladin. But what I saw of the world in this book was so captivating that I need to go back and read it from the start, as well as this author's other series (I am so curious to learn more about Clocktaur war and The White Rat).
It's a story about somewhat lonely lich-doctor Piper with a secret “talent”, who suffered a lot while working with the living, but he wants nothing more than to help people, so he found another way, by working with the dead, and a brave, sunshine paladin Galen who is hiding a world of hurt deep inside and thinks he's too broken to be loved. They meet when they're called to the river to examine mysterious dead bodies, then they set out on investigation together with a gnole Earstripe.
I loved all characters, I cared for them deeply and, honestly, that's the most important thing to me when reading books. I have a soft spot for characters like Galen, who are gentle, protective, brave, but also a little broody, angsty and paladinly (as Piper would say). And Piper, that cutie. It was really easy to connect to him and feel for him and what he's going through.
“Generally it takes longer for me to make a fool of myself in front of good-looking men. I'm getting more efficient.”
“I'm just worrying, because if I worry enough, maybe it won't all go bad.”
“Human religion is crazy,” said Earstripe with finality. “A gnole wants to sleep. Humans sleep too. A gnole doesn't want humans dying because they stayed awake chattering.”
“Yes, Mother,” said Galen.
“Hmmph! Wipe paws, too.”
A handsome man with a hurt looking to be soothed. Paladin catnip, his friend Clara would say, laughing. No, no. You're in no shape to go around fixing anybody's hurts. The world was full of misery and you had to learn eventually it wasn't your job to fix all of it. Even when it came in attractively built packages.
He was no soldier, but he had those lovely long-fingered hands and smoothly muscled forearms.
I am not equipped for this. I cannot fight and my conversational skills are limited to things like, “Did you know that blowfly eggs only take a day to hatch into maggots?” I am no good for this sort of things.
Galen was going. Galen with his easy smile and some kind of secret in his eyes. Piper had laid awake thinking of those eyes and the arm Galen had laid across his shoulders, the strength of muscle and sinew and safety.
His gaze suddenly sharpened. “My god, Galen. You look like hammered shit.”
“But sexy hammered shit, right?”
That got a rueful laugh out of Piper. “Always. And I doubt I look much better.”
“Oh, I don't know. That tunic really brings out the color of the circles under your eyes.”
He is a good man, thought Galen, almost wonderingly. A good man who is good at what he does. He wants nothing more than to help people, and when it began to hurt him too badly, he found another way to help.
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General Notes
Intimacy Notes
Galen tops Piper, but I had impression that he's fine with either.
I really enjoyed this, although I definitely wish it was longer.
Tristan is trying to hide his feelings for his older brother Trevor and it doesn't help when he learns that they're not blood-related, because they still grew up together as brothers. After coming back to his hometown and meeting his brother's boyfriend, Tristan is heartbroken and runs away, determined to keep his distance this time. But to his shock, Trevor soon shows up at his door and is unwilling to let Tristan pull away from him again...
The story is witty, sexy and sweet, a little OTT and with some bittersweet moments. I will admit that the plot might not be the most original, but it worked well for me and I enjoyed it. At first I didn't care about the online blog subplot, but then I found it interesting how it was used to show us Tristan and Trevor's connection and past, instead of using flashbacks.
Would've loved if it was longer and more developed, but for a short story it was good.
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General Notes
-non-blood related MC raised as brothers; pining.
-Tristan is 22; I'm not sure for Trevor but I think he might be around 2 years older or so.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict? Tristan bottoms and seems to prefer bottoming; Trevor tops but he is open to bottoming (it doesn't happen on page)
-Kinks/sex notes: dry humping while half-asleep and sharing a bed; frotting, BJs, 69, fingering, penetration, first time for Tristan.
-Other: Trevor is just a little protective of Tristan and there are few subtly possessive “mine” moments :)
Rory is a young, traumatized omega who finally escaped his last abusive alpha and, due to circumstances, he decided to enter a marriage of convenience. His new husband is an young alpha Beau, who needs to either marry or enter a pack in order to be able to continue his studies at prestigious Rochester Clinic.
The book is full of hurt/comfort, with hurt happening in the past and the present being focused on Rory's healing and falling in love with gentle, patient Beau. Both characters were so lovable at the beginning and I all I wanted was to see them grow together. Rory's healing journey was realistic and far from easy, but Beau is truly one enormous green flag, trying his best to keep Rory healthy, safe and happy.
Comfort is pretty much what you get for 75% of the book and I wanted to give it 5 stars. But then some drama happened and for me personally, from that point on, it all spiralled down pretty fast.
So, there's this Niemi pack that lives on the territory where Rory and Beau moved in. We know right at the start that Beau chooses to take a mate instead of joining Niemi pack and soon we also find out why. Beau is nice and polite to Niemi pack and he doesn't have anything against Rory hanging out with them (he wants him to make friends), but he doesn't want to be in a pack.
The first time Rory visits this pack (without Beau), the midwives come across as kinda manipulative. They tell him something along the lines how Rory and Beau need a pack, how Beau is stubborn and Rory needs to wait for him to get his head straight. Then, I quote, “These alphas - the more stubborn they are about going it alone and being the great protectors, the more they need a sensible mage to manage them, I swear. The best thing is to make sure they never notice they're being managed. That's easier when you've got a pack to help you with it.”
And what happens then is that Rory starts integrating himself with the pack, without ever discussing it with Beau, despite knowing that Beau didn't want to be in a pack due to how he was mistreated in the previous one. Some minor, vague spoilers ahead: Then when shits happened, Rory lays down all Beau's business to the pack. The pack helps them (and just inform Beau of his new role in the pack) which is technically good and I guess it proved the point that Beau can't do without support of the pack, but my issue with it is that no one asks Beau if he wants to enter the pack or not. Like, sure, being in a pack is good for him - but he has his own traumas, too, and he made decision not to be in on. It really felt like he was slowly and quietly manipulated into it, without anyone ever asking him if he's okay with it.
So, Beau accepts that and even thinks that he made a mistake of not reaching out to Rory and the pack earlier with his problem -but, like, how could he reach out to the pack when he didn't even know that he was in one? The worst thing is, I would bet that Beau would join the pack for Rory's sake if Rory told him that would make him happier, because Beau really did whatever he needed to help him heal.
Speaking of that, how is Rory able to feel so safe with a pack and not Beau? So, Beau made a mistake, which was very out of character for him but let's say he panicked. He wasn't abusive or anything, but he hid something from Rory because he wanted to keep him safe and then asked him to suddenly go somewhere safe for a certain period of time, without explaining it properly. This shatters Rory's trust in Beau, which I can still understand, because trust is a very fragile thing when you're someone as traumatized as Rory.
Rory seeks shelter in the pack and decides to stay with them for them time being, eventually coming to the conclusion that he needs to be in a pack because he needs people to, well, "witness" his and Beau's relationship, because of his fear of being abused by an alpha again. If something happens, he'll have people around and someone can see what's happening. Totally understandable, but hear me out. The pack is full of alphas and midwives he barely knows, both who have badly mistreated and sexually abused Rory in the past. Beau has been nothing but gentle, patient and caring to him from the moment they met. Rory was scared of him (because Beau is an alpha) and of strangers, but then he finds it safer to be surrounded by a bunch of unfamiliar alphas and midwives? For all he knows, the alphas and midwives could do the same thing to Rory that the previous ones did. It was Beau who proved to be the one that would never hurt Rory.
Rory doesn't know whether he can forgive Beau and feel safe with him ever again. Beau feels sorry, but he will accept whatever Rory decides. They start dating, something they never got a chance to do, and Beau tries to prove himself, but Rory still isn't sure. There is a part where Rory says he'll learn to sleep alone and not love Beau if necessary. Beau once asks him for permission to cuddle, then shows concern about pack misunderstanding that they are back together when Rory still hasn't given him his answer. And Rory says it doesn't matter because "They all want me to stay with you anyway".
And speaking of Beau's trauma from his previous pack? Beau doesn't want to talk to it and it took him a lot to open up about it to Rory. He doesn't open about it to Niemi pack, but Rory decides to solve it with this little paragraph:
Rory could hint at what happened with Beau's pack, to Casey or one of the Aunties, and the story would find it's way around to those who needed to know it, quietly but certainly. That was how packs worked." Like, wtf, Rory? Sure, that is how pack worked, but Beau didn't want to join a pack and he didn't want them to know.
Ugh. Honestly, all of that really ruined the whole book for me. :( I don't think Beau deserved that. Sure, pack is good for him - but get his consent instead of manipulating him. There was huge miscommunication and a lot of assumptions from both Rory and Beau (so it's not just Beau making mistake). But Beau made one hasty decision and, idk, suddenly that non-consent pack with manipulative midwives (allow me to repeat once more that Rory was hurt by both midwives and the alphas, and sometimes even multiple alphas at the same time, and the pack is full of them) is safe but Beau, who has been nothing but kind and loving, is not? And it's Beau who needs to prove himself to Rory again???
Man, Rory, I'm really trying to understand you. I can't find it in me to dislike Rory, because he has gone through a lot and needed so badly to see him get his happily ever after (and I really liked Rory for most of the book). But I really hated that last 25% and I feel like Rory was a little too unfair to Beau. :(
I'm not going to say much about the whole Amy subplot, except that it was quite frustrating.
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General Notes- omegaverse, hurt/comfort, size difference, alpha x omega, arranged marriage/mating-CWs: SA in the past (not on-page and not explicit, but it was still distressing to read what Rory went through)Intimacy Notes*
-Top/bottom/verse: strict; Rory (the omega) bottoms and Beau (the alpha) tops
-Kinks/sex notes: BJs, handjobs, rimming, fingering, penetration, knotting, some praise...
-Other: nickname baby; biting mark;
The two of them are getting hot and bothered in the most inappropriate situations. Still, loved it.
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General Notes
-necromancer x knight
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: //
-Kinks/sex notes: frotting or dry humping (forgot)
-Other:
・horse named Cato
・handtimacy
・cuddling up for warmth
・LI with big hands (Roland)
I found it a little rushed at some parts, but I still liked it a ton. I'm simply weak to traumatized, touch-starved characters and their gentle love interests who want to make them feel safe.
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General Notes
-necromancer x knight
-traumatized, touch-starved, outcast MC
-Saris is 22, Roland is 25
-CWs: killing animals, self-harm for the purpose of using magic.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: no penetration here
-Kinks/sex notes: frotting (while hiding), BJ, petting...
-Other:
・handtimacy
・consent
・traumatized necromancer and a knight who wants to make him feel safe
One theme kept repeating - his hands. He was doing something with those giant manly paws of his, I forget what, and I wanted to feel them on me. I wanted them to touch, caress, fondle and handle me. I wanted them on the back of my head as he brought my face to his. I wanted to feel his grip tightening as his tongue slipped in my mouth. I remembered being so close to him I could smell his cologne - and I wanted to taste him. I felt so small next to him. I wanted him to hold me, grab me, and consume me. I wanted him to take every part of me in his big burly arms and do whatever the hell he wanted with me.
Two oblivious friends realize they are into each other while drunk and sharing a tent.
I liked the size difference and how much Aaron was into that. Both are well-built, but the lumberjack Ewan is much bigger and Aaron loves it. Ewan was especially sweet and I wanted to smack Aaron a few times because of how he behaved, but thankfully he came around fast.
The switch from not-accepting to accepting was kinda sudden, but this is a short erotic story after all. I didn't like that “forgotten night they shared” twist. And some of Aaron's reactions were a little unbelievable.
The sex scenes were hot, but there were also some silly and sweet moments that I really liked. Also, their first kiss was really sweet.
Overall, for a short erotica, it was pretty good.
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General Notes
-friends, camping, sharing a tent;
-size difference (gym rat MC and bigger lumberjack LI)
-erotica
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: Aaron bottoms and Ewan tops, but Ewan implies that he doesn't strictly top
-Kinks/sex notes: drunk sex, (mutual) handjobs, (mutual) BJs, frotting, some niplle play, light somnophilia, Ewan is turned on by Aaron's scent down there...
-Other: there's some handtimacy (Aaron really likes Ewan's big and strong hands)
He tore his mouth away from mine and bit at my throat. "Your Highness," he rasped agasint my skin. "My love. Mine."
I'll be honest, there's more smut than plot in this book. It's a story about prince Nikola, a dawn mage who needs to either take a potion to suppress his cursed power or to be fucked by someone to avoid being in agonizing pain. He goes on a trip with hope of finding a solution to his curse, but he ends up being stranded with his bodyguard, running out of his potion and, well... stuff happens.
Even though this was mostly focused on smut, I still enjoyed it. I loved both characters, but especially Andreas. I also found it endearing how Nikola was so mesmerized by Andreas strong and gentle hands. There was so much handtimacy (intimacy involving hands, description of hands etc) and I was in heaven.
Also, for a book with so much smut, this sure made me bawl my eyes out near the end and gave me so much feels.
My only complaint is that I wish we could've seen more. Of Andreas, his life, family and his past; of this world and Nikola's magic; heck, even more of Nikola's horse Fluffy. I just needed more of everything outside of smut. Despite all of that, though, Eliot Grayson's writing is very much my cup of tea and I still loved this and would definitely recommend it.
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General Notes
-prince x his bodyguard, size difference (smaller prince and taller bodyguard); virgin MC;
-prince needs to be fucked when he doesn't take potion for his curse, because without the potion he's in agonising pain
-Nikola (the prince) is 28 years old and Andreas (his guard) is 24 years old.
-horse called Fluffy
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict top/bottom; Nikola bottoms and Andreas tops
-Kinks/sex notes: penetration, fingering, rimming, BJs (both), frotting, pinning/holding down (Nikola loves when Andreas pins him down), brief edging; “just the tip” situation; coming untouched; so many first times for Nikola.
-Other:
•Andreas is super possessive and protective of Nikola (there's even “mine” moment)
•so much handtimacy! Nikola really, but REALLY likes Andreas' hands.
•nicknames: Your Highness, Niko, sweetheart, my darling, my love...
First episode of short erotica following a monster-hunter.
It's really just erotica. We meet Jack, the monster hunter who is so arrogant and right now kinda hard to like (but having read a few other episodes, I know that he actually changes). We also meet Roux, who is Jack's rival, but I also suspect/hope that Roux will be his final love interest.
None of that in this episode, however, but you get a sex with a spider monster. And there are eggs involved. I don't know why I didn't expect eggs when there's spider involved, but I didn't, and that was a little too much for me.
The tension was nice, but I didn't enjoy the scene. Maybe this just wasn't my thing.
I like Jack's character development and how he's slowly changing from the arrogant person he used to be. He still has a way to go, but I hope to see him get there eventually.
And I actually kinda enjoyed that scene with werewolves (maybe I just like werewolves), but I was annoyed a little at the outcome. Also, so sad about how things went between Jack and Roux. Jack definitely has more things to learn!
“You deserve someone who'll take care of you, and I've wanted to be that person for a long time. I'll give you what you need, and you'll be mine. Understand?”
A sweet story about a werewolf escaping his father's abusive pack and finding his mate in gentle and protective bengal tiger shifter. There is so much about this book that I adored and there's definitely more good than bad, but let me get the bad off my chest first.
During the first half of the book, Kieran and Bennett barely interact with each other. Bennet is there to soothe Kieran when he has panic attacks, but they don't talk much. When they do interact, it's brief and cut off quickly. There is a reason they're like that and they acknowledge that later, agreeing that they finally want to get to know each other better, but I can't help but grieve that more than 50% of the book that they could've spent actually bonding with each other. Their dialogue with side characters (Rick, Kai, Kai's siblings and others) is way longer and there's more bonding with them than between Kieran and Bennet. Once they do start to interact more with each other, they're absolutely beautiful together. I just wish, you know, that it started earlier.
I also wish there was a bit more comfort in the book after what Kieran went through. And one minor complaint, but why was there so little shifting in a shifter book?
The good:
-Both Bennett and Kieran are lovable characters and I enjoyed them immensely.
-I love the whole pack, how they care for each other and the found family theme.
-The bond between MCs and side characters.
-Bennett's caring nature and protectiveness (and possessiveness)
-Bennett not being able to keep his hands off Kieran.
-All that necktimacy (intimacy involving necks; grabbing, rubbing, scenting, nuzzling...) was so delicious. Loved it to bits. Especially Bennet grabbing Kieran by the back of his neck and hauling him in for a kiss.
I am an utter sucker for possessive childhood friends to lovers trope. I don't think this had nearly as much possessiveness as I needed, but oh well, can't have everything.
The story was engaging and I liked Kelly and Blue. I'd recommend it if you love codependent friends like I do (I definitely need more books with this trope), even though there were few things that bothered me.
What I really liked:
-Kelly seemed like an ass at the beginning, but I quickly warmed up to him. He's witty and such adorable dork.
-But Kelly is no pushoever and he can take care of himself.
-The scenes where Blue slapped Kelly's ass impatiently - slapped, not spanked, there's no spanking in this book - were for some reason so damn hot.
What bothered me:
-This was the biggest disappointment for me. At the beginning, Kelly confesses to Blue that he likes to be held down, overpowered... But we don't get a single damn scene with Blue holding him down? In fact, Kelly is always on top(when he bottoms he rides Blue and when he tops Blue is underneath him), even in scenes when they're only kissing. I wouldn't have minded that, it fits Kelly's personality, but damn why tease us with that at the beginning if you're not gonna give us that?
-There was too much tug of war between them.
-At the beginning of the story, Kelly has a monologue about his ex where he says, I quote, “and his weird “daddy” kink I sometimes indulged”. Now, I am not a fan of daddy kink either, but why kink shame the dude?
-So Blue's reaction when Kelly told him his feelings was kinda selfish and inconsiderate, but it was a flaw that I could forgive because once he was in, he was fully in. What I couldn't forgive is Kelly's sister Kennedy hearing about what happened and telling Kelly that maybe he didn't deserve Blue. Like, what the heck, Blue was asshole towards him, he was the one who didn't deserve Kelly in that very moment.
-The parts with Kelly teaching his lectures and scenes with his family were really boring to read. Also, that female student at the beginning? What was her purpose anyways?
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General Notes
-childhood friends to lovers, bi-awakening(?or gay for you?); possessiveness; size difference (Blue is bigger)
-Kelly is 29; Blue is 30.
-nerdy MC (Kelly) x football player LI (Blue);
-Kelly has tattos and piercings (ears, tongue, eyebrow)
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: they switch; Kelly is verse; Blue realizes that he prefers to top, but he will bottom for Kelly.
-Kinks/sex notes: handjob, BJ, penetration...
-Other: Blue is possessive of Kelly; Kelly says he likes to be held down and overpowered, but there's not a single scene where he's anything close to being held down.
If you're looking for a light-hearted, friends to lovers (gay x oblivious) with banter, this is the book for you.
Tucker and Dunn grew up in the same town, but they became best best friends later in life. It is obvious to everyone in this small town (and to the readers as well) that the two of them are head over heels for each other. Tucker is gay, secretly in love with Dunn, but absolutely convinced that his love is unrequited despite Dunn's possessive behavior towards him. Dunn has only ever been with women, he knows that Tucker is his most important person, but he is completely oblivious to the fact that he has romantic feelings for him.
The story stays true to the title - both characters are Fools - but they are both such sweethearts, have such lovely connection and somehow this obliviousness worked without being annoying.
But things went a little downhill for me at around 60%. Dunn finally realizes that he loves Tucker as more than a friend, but Tucker, who has been wishing/hoping that Dunn would love him the same way, becomes insecure and is too afraid to be all in, and this is dragged out until the rest of the book. To me, this felt unnecessary and at this point, the plot became a little ridiculous even. The side characters' actions and behavior, as well as sudden convenient weather changes (thunder and rain pouring out of nowhere just at the right moment) felt quite exaggerated. I think I'd be more happy if the story ended at 60%.
But it's still a good story that I would recommend.
What I really enjoyed:
-Dunn's possessiveness
-Dunn paying so much attention to the smallest things about Tucker
-I never thought a pig could be adorable... but I swear, Bernadette is so freaking adorable.
-For some reason I really wanted Dunn to just smack Tucker's ass and I actually got that scene lol (he just smacked it once)
-Dunn's golden retriever puppy personality
-Dunn and Tucker's friendship and connection
-I rarely enjoy humor in books, but it worked for me here
-Bad sex puns (they were hilarious)
-Dunn knowing he is the best man for Tucker because no one could love him the way he can.
I didn't enjoy:
-the ex situation. It was there, but it was sort of in the background and it didn't feel like it contributed to anything.
-Jenn felt so stereotyped somehow.
-The intimate scenes were a little disappointing tbh and I didn't care about reading them. I guess I expected more sensuality or tension between two characters who have such deep connection, but oh well.
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General Notes
-friends to lovers, small town, max obliviousness;
-One out gay man (Tucker); jealous best friend with bi-awakening (Dunn)
-Tucker is 35 or 36 (I forgot exactly) and Dunn is 28.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: verse; one scene for each
-Kinks/sex notes: //
-Other: Dunn is super possessive of Tucker and Tucker is super turned on by that.
I am not going to rate it because I started skimming at exactly 50%. And the whole 20% before that I was contemplating to just DNF it.
I am a huge fan of condependent, posessive and protective childhood friends. Finn didn't disappoint regarding this and he was the main reason why I pushed myself to read so far.
But I really, really disliked Landon. Normally I love bratty characters, but he came across as just manipulative, selfish and immature. He just pushes for what he wants and needs, but he doesn't seem to really see Finn nor care about how he's feeling about things. I seriously don't get why Finn loves him so much (perhaps it's a trauma bond that happened off-page due to Landon's manipulation and all the guilt-tripping) and I think he deserves much better.
Landon's obliviousness is way too exaggerated and unbelievable. He's straight, which is also hard to believe. Around 20% in and he's grinding his ass against Finn's lap - while they are sitting outside the house, around the fire, with Landon's brother Logan and his boyfriend Theo making out in front of them - and he also kisses Finn on the lips and constantly tries to convince him to jack him off, but he's like “What? This means nothing, we are both straight.”
Chapters read kinda like a diary, with Landon waking up and going through his day with Finn. The scenes with them hanging out with Landon's family weren't really engaging. Landon's family is supposed to be eccentric, which normally I don't mind at all, but somehow it didn't land well here. The scenes with his parents getting high, then having sex wildly in the house when their son is visitng, then Basil (Landon's dad) offering Landon some edibles in the later chapters... It was really just icky. Basil seemed kinda interesting, actually, but it's just these weird moments that were uncomfortable to read.
Again, Landon is self-centered and he has a way of making everything about him. When Finn came out, Landon gets upset. Finn apologizes profusely and Landon is like “I'm hurt. You hurt me, Finn.”
Then he outs Finn to his family and somehow Finn ends up apologizing again. There's just a lot of guilt-tripping. Landon apparently feels insecure, which would be totally understandable considering what happened to his leg, except that he doesn't seem really insecure to me? In fact, he seems quite confident, but self-pitying comes to the surface only to get Finn to do something.
That being said... the struggles he faces while living with amputated leg are practically non-existent. His leg is missing, but that's it. If it wasn't for the scenes where Finn helped him put on and take off his prosthetic leg, I would've even forgotten about it. In this regard, I think the blurb was really misleading, because I expected the story to have more focus on that. His disability is so poorly represented, it's just terrible.
One thing though, the smut was pretty hot and Finn's dirty talk was really good - he was pretty much a pro at deepthroating, fingering, everything - which is why it was hard to believe that Finn was a virgin.
And yeah, I skimmed 50% of the book, but that short memory loss at 90% mark seemed really unnecessary.
This was my second attempt at reading Cora Rose's book. I tried Whit in the past, but I wasn't feeling it so I stopped very early with possibility to try again some other time. And I was really looking forward to The Silencer, but now I'm hesitant to even try...
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General Notes
-childhood friends to lovers, codependency, disability rep.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict; Landon bottoms and Finn tops.
-Kinks/sex notes: massage with “happy ending”; breath play, possessive neck grabbing; BJs; fingering, coming hands free from fingers; 69; ass eating; coming hands free from penetration...
-Other: Finn was super possessive and there was some of “you're mine”, which I would've enjoyed if I didn't dislike Landon so much.
The big wolf reminded Tim of the place where Tim slept, warmth and sleep and safe. He smelled like food and bitter drink and paws already dusty from this ground. He stood and watched with his feet planted and his attention partly on the rest of the world. Tim understood. Big Wolf was looking out for him because Tim and the meadow were his.
“Soft Tim.” Nathaniel exhaled. “Timothy Little Wolf with no pointy edges.”
Tim and Albert experiment with each other, handjobs and brief blowjob, but this happens after Tim and Nathaniel already had some intimate moments.
both Tim and Albert kept imagining they were sharing intimacy with other people (Tim imagined Nathaniel, Albert imagined Graham).
a simple kiss would've been enough to make some things clear to Tim.
his uncle Silas
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General Notes
Intimacy Notes
strict, Tim bottoms, Nathaniel tops.
biting, marking, dry humping, frotting, coming in pants, felching, multiple orgasms, BJs, coming hands free
I enjoyed this, though the story was a bit heavier and angstier than I expected.
Two football players, Miller and Talon. They were roommates and teammates at college and they often shared girls in bed. Years later, they reunite and Talon wants to go back to how they were before, but Miller tries to keep distance because he's convinced that Talon is straight.
The story is heavy because it deals with ugly side that sports players (and celebrities in general) face and shit they have to deal with when they enter same sex relationships. This story has a lot of focus on that.
Miller and Talon's friendship is really strong. They're sweet together and their banter is so entertaining. What I really liked is that Talon doesn't freak out once he becomes aware of his feelings for another man. He's like, “I have no idea what this is, but this feels right and I want it.”
My only complaint is that sometimes it felt like there were long periods when nothing was happening. It felt like the scenes were leading to something, but then nothing much would happen.
But yeah, overall, I enjoyed it and I'd definitely recommend it.
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General Notes
-friends to lovers, football players, pining, sports romance...
-Miller is 27 years old, Talon is 28 years old.
-great banter
-Not really a CW, but in case anyone is triggered by this... There's a period in the book where Miller is on a restricted diet and has to do longer workouts than usual if he eats something unhealthy. Then there's a brief scene when he's allowed to indulge in his favorite food for one evening, where the food there has been described kinda negatively, I guess? Miller is eating his favorite sub sandwich with extra cheese and wings, and Talon watches him “eating the saturated-fat-loaded food”. Then there's: “After we eat unhealthy good, drink calorie-filled beer...” I don't know, but it somehow wasn't pleasant to read.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: Verse! They switch, but it seems like Miller is more dominant in bed and Talon quite enjoys when Miller orders him around.
-Kinks/sex notes: phone sex, some praise/encouragement, BJs, light hair pulling, frotting, use of toy (fleshlight), switching...
-Other: cuddling; Miller is a bit possessive at times (“you're mine”, “tell me you're mine”...); consent (Miller refuses to sleep with Talon when Talon is drunk)
This book made me so sad, for real.
I am a huge fan of codependent, possessive and overprotective childhood friends. I was all ready for unhealthy dynamics when I picked up this book.
Jamie and Ryan have been best friends since childhood, but Jamie is secretly in love with Ryan who is straight and has a girlfriend. He can't get over his feelings so wants to distance himself, but Ryan pretty much can't live without Jamie in his life. Ryan is not bisexual or bi-curious, and this is not gay for you story... He genuinely likes women and doesn't like men. But he loves Jamie, as a friend and as brother, and he would do everything to make him happy. He is not in denial of his feelings, it's not a case of internalized homophobia (his brother is in a relationship with a man and Ryan is 100% supportive). He tries to look at Jamie that way, because he knows that's the only way to make Jamie happy and not lose him completely, but every time he tries he says that he simply doesn't have such feelings for him.
-He tries to find boyfriends for Jamie so Jamie could get over him. I expected Ryan to feel jealous once he sees Jamie with other men, but that's not what happens. He is disappointed and desperate when he realizes that his plan with finding him a bf isn't working and that Jamie's feelings for him aren't going away.
-He wishes that Jamie is a woman. Here's one time when he says that to Jamie:
“I'd fuck you if you were a woman,” Ryan said huskily, his warm breath brushing his lips. “I'd spend days in you, loving you in every possible way.” A soft moan slipped out of Jamie's mouth and Ryan sighed. “But you're a bloke and I just can't see you that way. I see my friend, my brother, my Jamie - not someone I should be screwing.”
“It's not just about Hannah. Do you understand what this means for me? It means I'll never have any meaningful relationship with any woman. I can never date anyone. If I do, I'll just end up hurting everyone involved. Because I'll always choose you in the end.”
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General Notes
Intimacy Notes
strict, James bottoms and Ryan tops
It's a simple story about a shy, virgin MC with parental trauma and his manwhore (but quickly reformed) outgoing roommate. Expect a LOT of smut with gentleness, tenderness, a bit of hurt/comfort, and possessive and protective love interest.
I wasn't aware this is a erotica (it was recommended to me for protectiveness and possessiveness), so the first chapter read pretty much like porn plot to me. I had to put it on hold, then return when I was in the mood for it lol. And when I did, I enjoyed it.
Although it had way too much sex for my taste, I enjoyed how gentle and encouraging Tyson was towards Sean. The praise was chef's kiss and sex scenes were, indeed, pretty hot.
You get a great “telling off the evil homophobic parent” scene at the end.
The love declarations were also a bit over the top, but my heart ached so much for Sean and he deserved so much love, that I didn't mind it. For an erotica (that I don't read often), it was really good. I'd definitely recommend it.
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General Notes
-college roommates to lovers; incredibly shy, innocent and sad MC; confident, outgoing and bossy love interest;
-virgin MC, submissive MC; dominant love interest;
-trauma, child abuse, shitty parrents...
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict roles; Tyson tops and Sean bottoms
-Kinks: so much PRAISE, some restraining, pinning (against the wall, bed, pinning hands down...) both for comfort and during sexy times; frotting, BJs and mouth-fucking, grinding, very light spanking, teasing, nipple play, edging, first time, coming hands-free... and possible off page cock-warming but I'm not sure (they sort of just fall asleep like that)...
-Other:
•so much protectiveness and possessiveness
•nicknames: sweetheart, babe, baby, sweetness, pretty thing, sugar, love...
•MC has a scar on his hand, with 3 crooked fingers that were previously broken.
I'd recommend this if you're looking for something low-angst and light. I picked up this book because my anxiety has been high lately and it was recommended to me as a “feel good” low-angst book.
It's a romantic comedy, focused on Ray who keeps finding dead bodies in his house and is struggling to deal with this situation. And then there's Adam, a guy who just wants to take care of him, but Ray is hesitant to let him get close.
I personally didn't enjoy the comedy part, but I was really intrigued by Adam. I just wish we could've learned more about him, because it kinda feels like we only got to see a glimpse. From what we did get, however, I can say that he's a huge green flag. I really didn't get why he was so into Ray (and he was into Ray from the very beginning).
Basically(spoiler ahead, not a big one since you learn this at the very beginning): Ray's ex boyfriend, Freser, slept with Adam and Ray caught them in the act. Adam didn't know that Freser and Ray were together. He wanted to explain that to Ray, but Ray left before he could do that. A year later, they meet again and Adam flirts with Ray, and Ray is struggling (and failing) to resist his charm. They also knew each other's names and I don't know how that even happened.
It was kinda explained at the end, but it still felt so weak. Apparently, Adam was fascinated by Ray since he first saw him at 18 years old, but he had no confidence to approach him. He sort of had an on and off crush on him for years, then fell in love with him when Ray finally talked to him (after Ray broke up with Freser).
I struggle with anxiety myself, so I was really looking forward to this story and anxious MC, but somehow I couldn't really connect to Ray. It didn't really feel like he was anxious or “highly strung”, as they said it, but more like he was just in a really stressful situation (finding dead bodies in your house). There were moments when I found him adorable, but again, the comedy part just wasn't doing it for me.
And lastly, intimate scenes were scorching hot.
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General Notes
-size difference (Adam is 6'3'', can't remember Ray but he's quite shorter), age gap (Adam is 23 and Ray is 32); gentle love interest; slow burn-ish (kinda); comedy; some caretaking (Adam likes to take care of anxious Ray)
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict roles; Adam tops and Ray bottoms.
-Kinks: gentle domination (it's not exactly D/s), grinding/dry humping, holding down...
-Other: Adam acts as a sort of “living weighted blanket” for Ray (lies down on him to help him with anxiety), which might sound a little silly when I explain it like this, but in the book it was really sweet.
This is a really sweet story.
I have to admit that I had some trouble connecting to Jordy, but in a way, the story was mostly about Owen, Jordy's hero, so I didn't mind it too much. And I really enjoyed Owen's personality. Strong but kind, gentle and protective. He's not perfect and it takes some time for him to realize that his responsibility is his own happiness, and not doing what other people want him to do.
The story has a light and heartwarming tone, but I liked how not everything was perfect and happy. Owen made some mistakes that hurt both Jordy and him. People at school weren't all accepting. Not every parent was supportive, yet they weren't cruel either. Even after deciding to pursue their own happiness, the struggles didn't just disappear. I really liked that.
My biggest complaint, however, was that there was way too much telling and not enough showing for my taste. There were so many things that I wanted to see and not just be told about. That's definitely one of the most important thing in a book for me personally.
Second, there was cheating (not between MCs), which is something I personally don't enjoy so I wish I knew about it before picking this up. Owen has his first sexual experiment with Jordan while he's in relationship with Emily. He also sleeps with Emily even though he doesn't want to and there's a mention of how he used to imagine Jordy in Emily's place. I can understand why Emily was accepting when Owen broke up with her at the end, but how she was able to stay friends and continue hanging out with them...Idk.
But other than that, it was a really sweet read.
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General Notes
-childhood friends, pining, protective LI.
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: Not disclosed, as they don't go all the way on page.
-Kinks: one MC likes to be pinned down, while the other MC enjoys to pin down (Jordy likes to be pinned down, Owen enjoys pinning him)
-Other: protectiveness, quite mature communication (considering they're in high school)...
It was definitely a heavier story than I thought it'd be. There was this sad undertone that remained until the very end.
It's a story about two traumatized, lonely men, who were never able to fit in anywhere until they met each other. There's insta connection that bothere me a lot at first, but when I think about everything the two of them went through, it kinda makes sense. They both have painful past experiences and they definitely both have issues with attachment that they were working on at the end of the story.
There was some miscommunication, mostly because Crow doesn't know how to express himself well. And Cyrus decisions were giving me so much anxiety. Some reckless decisions and the way he so easily put utter trust in a stranger... Again, it makes sense when you learn about his past and how love starved he is, how much he needed to feel wanted and cherished by someone.
There were some really sweet moments that will have a special place in my heart:
-“She said you were her sun, but you're mine too.” T^T ❤️
-Crow cooking for Cyrus
-Both of them just wanting to make the other one happy
-how much both of them cherished their moms
-the memory of that Christmas tree that Cyrus' mom drew on the wall
-Melody, who is such amazing person and a good friend
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General Notes
-Gentle giant, two outcasts, size difference, hurt/comfort, caretaking;
-codependency, possessiveness;
-isolation on a mountain (not survival, MCs spend the winter there because it's hard to leave the mountain when it's snowing), selective mutism;
-former drug addiction, surviving a cult, PTSD, healing from trauma, grief over death of parents (past)...
Intimacy Notes
-Top/bottom/verse: strict roles, Crow tops and Cyrus bottoms.
-Kinks: rough sex, primal play, light breath play, cockwarming, kneeling, feeding by hand, no formal BDSM roles or titles...
-Other: kinda insta love/connection; foodtimacy (Crow likes to cook and provide for Cyrus), lots of caretaking...