Katherine

Okay, so we definitely bounced back from book 2! This book was really good, I loved it. I companion read it with the Nightmare and the Daydream novella, and it was so so so great!

We begin with Persephone losing all her memories and being taken back with her mother. Demeter (mother) is cruel and abusive, verbally and physically. She loves the idea of Persephone, but not who Persephone really is.

Hades is healed but has another issue with the shadow tattoos on his body growing. He is also in despair because Persephone was taken from him and he isn’t sure how to get her back.

Once he realizes she has lost all her memories, he starts to date her again and OMG it is so good and mushy and I teared up so many times. There is so much emotion in this book, and I am here for all of it. The poor guy is suffering so hard trying to figure this issue out, and his one saving grace, his spring, his comfort, his queen, is not only not there, but also doesn’t remember who he is.

It is DEVASTATING.

But genuinely this book was so so good following Hades and Persephone and their journey falling for each other again. We got to see another side of Persephone, and also got to witness them formally dating – which was the sweetest most wonderful thing ever.

Watching Persephone come into her power was something we did not get in book 1, and it was a very good plot point in this book. Wavering back and forth between succumbing to her mother and embracing what she feels inside, it is really powerful writing. For anyone out there who has struggled with an abusive parent or abusive anyone, this might sit really heavy – I know it did for me. Not in a bad way, just in a ‘wow this is so nice to see this personified in literature’ way.

This book had tragedy, love, hate, betrayal, war, power, magic, fate, and so much more. It was amazing companion read alongside the Nightmare and the Daydream!

I have so many things I want to say, but want to keep this spoiler free! Overall, The Queen & The King is a wonderful third novel in the Love & Fate series by Alexis Rune & Jeannette Rose. Cannot wait for the next installment!

So I did not love this one. I LOVED book 1, but book 2 focused on Hades being trapped in a tree, and Persephone being thrown into queen-hood and having to figure it all out for herself. Then it focuses on them essentially not understanding each other and not listening.

It just wasn’t a good plot in my opinion, nor was it believable.

I will say that I love Hades so much. We got to learn more of his backstory via his nightmares, and I really felt for him. We also continue to see how much he loves Persephone and how vulnerable he is. The poor guy tried to be good to her in book 1 but finally gave in to sealing their curse, and what does Persephone do? Be pissed at him once she gets him back… smh.

I love Persephone from book 1, and bits and pieces of her from book 2, but overall she missed the mark for me. Her connections with Berry and Mellie, and her exploration of her new home were so good! But honestly it triggered me how she was with Hades. I get that she needed him to let her make choices for herself, and honestly I totally get it that she was abused as a child and so her perception is skewed. But, he is her mate and partner, and they should really talk it out. You can’t be with someone and refuse to deal with your problems to the point where you aren’t sharing rooms.

Overall, If you like the miscommunication trope, and want to see 2 people push and pull and have makeup sex and then continue to fight and not listen to each other, maybe you will love this one. It was not for me.

The Maiden & The Unseen is Book 1 in the Love & Fate series, and so good!!

I am a sucker for a spicy Hades x Persephone retelling, and this did not disappoint.

We meet Persephone living in New York away from her oppressive mother (Demeter) and having become an independent and strong woman. She is sexy, smart, has a job, and is trying to live life as best she can in the Mortal Realm.

Hades is our typical tall, dark, handsome, rich, broody benefactor and head of Plutus Industries. He has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and is quite the cranky broody man.... until Persephone walks into his life - or rather his apartment unannounced and uproots everything.

The chemistry and building tension between the 2 of them throughout the book is INSANE and so good! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, praying for a bit of relief and for them to stop being so stubborn and admit they like each other.

I really enjoyed their banter, back and forth, push and pull - it was so sweet and wonderfully painful to watch. And dealing with the fact that Persephone had a mortal boyfriend?? Sweet Jackson never stood a chance against Hades.

If you are looking for a plot heavy book, this isn't it. If you are looking for a Hades x Persephone erotica, you have come to the right place. I think this is very important to keep in mind. If I had to judge on plot my review would be very different, but knowing what this is, I can say it is literally so good and spicy, steamy, boiling hot! I could not put it down.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Maiden & the Unseen by Alexis Rune and Jeannette Rose. It was the perfect Hades x Persephone erotica retelling set in the modern day.

Secrets Evergreen is a YA fantasy following Ivy Rune, a wonderful girl in a difficult position. I loved following her throughout the story, and had so much empathy for her. Her development and growth in the story was well done, and I can't wait to see more in book 2. There is so much more development she can have and I can't wait! I really enjoyed her anxiety and dread about her profession. It was so relatable and was giving off imposter syndrome vibes which is something a lot of people struggle with, including myself. It was nice to see it written in a character!

I loved the relationship/friendship between her and York. Are they friends, are they more? Will they stay in each others lives? It was cute. They clearly care for each other a lot and want to stay in each other's lives. I am also excited to see what is in store for him in book 2!

The side characters were all well done, and I liked the differences they brought to the story. The mean girl, the selfish friend, the mysterious benefactor, the scary leader, the kind of strange teacher, the wonderful and kind smart friend, etc.

The main plot following her father's clues and the magic forest was great! I loved the magic element, and the notes her father left behind were so interesting and intriguing. All the world building was wonderful and I felt like I could really envision being in the forest with Ivy, and experiencing what she experienced.

We had a heck of a cliffhanger and a few tense chapters at the end, and it left me excited for the next installment of this series.

Overall, Secrets Ever Green by Sara Knightly was a wonderful coming of age story full of magic, mystery, character development, and following your instincts. I will definitely read book 2 when it comes out.

Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione was so good! I love that this series is going the way of the children of the four horsemen of the apocolypse, it is such a good angle!

I really loved the characters in this book – the 2 main characters as well as most of the supporting characters. Eva is beautiful, strong, intelligent, capable, and ready to get this project over with so she can keep working towards her promotion. Logan is handsome, dangerous, strong, and a loyal DART worker.

When their worlds collide, the attraction is insanely strong, almost too strong to resist. While both of them want nothing to do with each other, they can’t help but simultaneously want everything to do with each other, and that sexual tension is so good!

I enjoyed the 2 organizations swapping people and the experience we get to see of the Aegis team in the DART homebase. It gives a lot of themes of racism/species-ism? and prejudice, and general close mindedness from the Aegis team. It was really interesting to see how these feelings and interactions played out, and then how the organizations dealt with everything as it happened.

The plot was great, the stakes were high, and it held my interest the whole time! I read this book on a 5 hour flight and did literally nothing else the entire time except read.

It was giving political government espionage + monsters + racism and I was here for it! Then we had the spice with Logan and Eva and I really enjoyed that. I am interested to see where the series goes from here! While this was my first dip into this world, it is only the beginning… I am so ready to fully dive into the universe and read everything else there is!

Overall, Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione is fantastic and I can’t wait to read more! I highly recommend.

Leo Cesari can come into my life and solve all my problems any time he wants! I love a good age gap + grumpy x sunshine + arranged marriage romance, and to tie it all up into a mafia romance? Yes please!

I really enjoyed The Fixer by Tara Crescent. It was spicy and sweet, heart breaking and heart warming, and overall captivating! I really liked both main characters, Leo was perfect for his role, and Rosa was so sweet but also strong. The ideal coupling for a grumpy x sunshine.

Leo was grief stricken from his previous marriage, and no matter how attracted to Rosa he was, he tried to remain distant from her. Obviously, that fails miserably and I am here for it! Rosa is the ultimate family player and agrees to marry him to save her brother and family with no reservations. She is so sweet and strong, and while I cannot relate to the arranged marriage, mafia, age gap or anything, I still relate to her as the oldest child and the non-golden child.

This book poked at my deep feelings on older children taking responsibility for the younger children, and the family dynamics when you are not the golden child and watch the golden child do whatever the hell they want and it still be praised, while you work so hard and are constantly criticized. Genuinely I wanted to smack her mom on the head several times! I am glad Leo started standing up for Rosa, it showed his loving nature.

I also loved seeing how the trauma and anxiety Leo had from his past manifested. He definitely was overbearing and overstepping, and it was interesting to see how he dealt with everything.

The spice: YES!!! Okay the spice was so good, from the nip slip all the way to the sex club and everything in-between. It was so steamy and good, I loved it! I also enjoy a willing/wanting virgin trope, and that scene was great too. when a virgin is wanting to make that leap, I think those scenes can be so sexy!

Overall, I loved The Fixer by Tara Crescent and thought it was a unique look at a Mafia Romance! I would definitely give this one a try.

Quick little spicy kidnapping novelette.

It was an enjoyable read, and the spice was written so well!! It was very steamy and enjoyable. The rest of the story was quick, but being a short novelette that is to be expected.

If you are looking for a fast spicy kidnapper read, then pick this one up!

Daughter of Sherwood was a great twist on the story of Robin Hood! I really enjoyed it, and will definitely pick up book 2 when it comes out. It is a darker, steamier twist to the original story, complete with a female portrayed as Robin Hood instead of a male.

I liked Robin as our FMC, she had to be tough to survive her life and even tougher to survive with the Merry Men. Her father was horrible to her, her mother was sick, and she didn't have many people in her life to care for her and keep her safe. When she was thrown in with the Merry Men, she had to adjust to their way of living and learn the in's and outs of being in a nomadic group who steal for a living.

This book was very spicy and I loved that aspect. There were solo scenes, couple scenes, and group scenes, and all of them were super hot! I loved the reverse harem trope of the story, it makes sense for a group setting to take place in a group like this, and from the way Robin was thinking, she was the perfect candidate to have multiple partners.

The plot was good, I liked it a lot and felt like the story moved along well. The only thing that felt rushed for me was the contest. there was like 1 hour left in the book and we hadn't started the archery contest yet. It felt rushed for me and I spent most of the book thinking the contest would be book 2. It ended up being fine, just I think could have been expanded on.

I enjoyed the ending and 100% am excited to see where book 2 takes us!

Overall Daughter of Sherwood by KC Kingmaker was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it! I will absolutely be reading book 2 when it comes out.

The Veil of Violence by Marilyn Marks is book 2 in the Fae of the Roaring Age series. The first thing I have to say is just WOW. This book was so so so good. It continued closely to where we left off in the first book, and picked right back up and continued the story. We left The Prince of Prohibition with Adeline being immortal, being something but not knowing what she is, just that she isn't a druid or fae. We know the Morrigan is after her. She feels betrayed by Jack based on what the Morrigan said to her in the field.

We start The Veil of Violence with the crystal Estheria gave Adeline containing Jack's memories. Getting the dual POV of Adeline and Jack in current time, and then Jaevidan and Annwyl in the past was so powerful. I loved loved loved this. It gives us insight into him as a character and how he was made into the man he is today. It was heart warming, horrifying, devastating, beautiful, charming, rage-inducing and so many other emotions, and it was all written perfectly. As we got through the memories, it was a great addition to the story to break up what was happening real time and also to ponder his past with how it affects the decisions he is making now.

Truly the Veil of Violence is a masterpiece. I enjoyed this book so much.

The continuation of the plot and the higher stakes we now have are incredibly interesting and suck you right into the story. I read the entire book in 2 days because I was so invested in what was happening that I could not put it down. Racing around trying to figure out what Adeline is, repairing her and Jack's relationship, dealing with the Morrigan and the Knights. Then, dealing with all the other stuff once we learn about it....SO GOOD.

We went from enemies to friends to lovers now back to enemies sort-of? You'll have to read to find out where we leave them at the end. The relationships Adeline cultivated and continue to cultivate with her found family are just so special. I love seeing them all interact in their own special ways, whether they be arguing, fooling around, scheming and plotting, or just sitting together feeling defeated. They continue to be there for each other time and time again, and that was such a wonderful image to see portrayed in the book.

I continue to love Violet and Lillian and Will and the rest of them, and continue to dislike Tommy even though I know he means well. He is an ass and I hate how he treats Adeline like she isn't capable of handling herself now. Violet was weird this book - still amazing but weird and when we find out why, it is INSANE!! total twist I did not anticipate at all.

The tension of Jack and Adeline is incredible in this book. I was so upset at how their relationship took a turn, but I was living for how it panned out throughout the book. I was living for how everything panned out in this book honestly.

Overall, The Veil of Violence by Marilyn Marks as book 2 in the Fae of the Roaring Age is a Must-Read in 2024. It will make you feel as though you are right there in the 1920's with them, dealing with normal human issues and fae issues all wrapped up together. Run don't walk to buy and read this book!

The Veil of Violence by Marilyn Marks is book 2 in the Fae of the Roaring Age series. The first thing I have to say is just WOW. This book was so so so good. It continued closely to where we left off in the first book, and picked right back up and continued the story. We left The Prince of Prohibition with Adeline being immortal, being something but not knowing what she is, just that she isn't a druid or fae. We know the Morrigan is after her. She feels betrayed by Jack based on what the Morrigan said to her in the field.

We start The Veil of Violence with the crystal Estheria gave Adeline containing Jack's memories. Getting the dual POV of Adeline and Jack in current time, and then Jaevidan and Annwyl in the past was so powerful. I loved loved loved this. It gives us insight into him as a character and how he was made into the man he is today. It was heart warming, horrifying, devastating, beautiful, charming, rage-inducing and so many other emotions, and it was all written perfectly. As we got through the memories, it was a great addition to the story to break up what was happening real time and also to ponder his past with how it affects the decisions he is making now.

Truly the Veil of Violence is a masterpiece. I enjoyed this book so much.

The continuation of the plot and the higher stakes we now have are incredibly interesting and suck you right into the story. I read the entire book in 2 days because I was so invested in what was happening that I could not put it down. Racing around trying to figure out what Adeline is, repairing her and Jack's relationship, dealing with the Morrigan and the Knights. Then, dealing with all the other stuff once we learn about it....SO GOOD.

We went from enemies to friends to lovers now back to enemies sort-of? You'll have to read to find out where we leave them at the end. The relationships Adeline cultivated and continue to cultivate with her found family are just so special. I love seeing them all interact in their own special ways, whether they be arguing, fooling around, scheming and plotting, or just sitting together feeling defeated. They continue to be there for each other time and time again, and that was such a wonderful image to see portrayed in the book.

I continue to love Violet and Lillian and Will and the rest of them, and continue to dislike Tommy even though I know he means well. He is an ass and I hate how he treats Adeline like she isn't capable of handling herself now. Violet was weird this book - still amazing but weird and when we find out why, it is INSANE!! total twist I did not anticipate at all.

The tension of Jack and Adeline is incredible in this book. I was so upset at how their relationship took a turn, but I was living for how it panned out throughout the book. I was living for how everything panned out in this book honestly.

Overall, The Veil of Violence by Marilyn Marks as book 2 in the Fae of the Roaring Age is a Must-Read in 2024. It will make you feel as though you are right there in the 1920's with them, dealing with normal human issues and fae issues all wrapped up together. Run don't walk to buy and read this book!

The Prince of Prohibition by Marilyn Marks is book 1 in the Fae of the Roaring Age series. It immediately rose to my top read of 2024 so far this year. I loved this book so much. I was captivated throughout the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

Adeline is a great character to follow. She starts off as a child who people think is crazy, with a father who teaches her to never interact with the ‘devil-folk’ and a brother who came back from war a changed man. We right away get this vision of Adeline as weak, submissive, taught to do what the man says and never argue. We see her starve herself, go crazy, and feel tormented by what only she can see.

Jack is handsome, successful, wicked, and utterly obsessed with Adeline. She was plucked from rural Georgia and relocated to downtown New York in the height of the prohibition, where everyone drinks behind closed doors.

I truly loved the setting of this book. the roaring twenties? Fae in the roaring twenties? It was beautiful and quite honestly a masterpiece. The premise of prohibition is an interesting one, as well as everyone's involvement in their rag tag group of friends. The way Marilyn Marks wove fae live into bustling New York City was perfect. I felt like there was a perfect blend of it being a fantasy while also being set in the city.

The plot was magnificent. Weak woman, strong man. Incredible pulsing attraction warring with the knowledge that this would be a terrible idea. Woman having to pick herself up and become strong on her own. Massive character development. The dark and light sides of each main character.

I really grew to love the characters and was invested in them and their well being. At first I was sad for Adeline but a little annoyed by her, but as we watch her grow, she grew on me too.

The attraction between Adeline and Jack is incredible! I loved the sexual tension they felt for each other and how much tensions we got throughout the book. The anticipation of them finally getting together and then getting to read that? Whew!! Worth every agonizing second waiting for it.

I also enjoyed the way the author flirted with a back and forth between attraction and obsession. It was a great theme through the book and I liked seeing it from the perspective of the Fae as well as the humans.

Finally, the characters in The Prince of Prohibition are all wonderful. Violet being a complete bitch made the book. She did not pity Adeline when she was fighting her past beliefs and accepting what was happening in front of her. Violet called her out and hung her out to dry, and that is something that really helped Adeline grow. It also helped me because while I love Adeline, she was a bit of a wet towel sometimes.

Overall, The Prince of Prohibition by Marilyn Marks is a fantastic start to the Fae of the Roaring Age series. I cannot wait for book 2, this was an immediate 5 stars for me! If you like the Great Gatsby, Fae fantasy, fated mates, found family and so much more, this is the read for you.

Hollywood Comes Home is another steamy, quick and enjoyable read by V.B. Emanuele as part of the Club Euphoria series. It is book 2, and focused on the story of Chance (aka Hollywood) and Amber.

I really liked this one! I wasn’t sure how I was going to like reading from Chance’s perspective based on his personality in the first book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I knew I would like Amber and her perspective, and that was exactly what happened.

Poor Amber, her chapters were so sad! She was heartbroken and mopey and wary of people… I wanted to wrap her up in a hug and tell her everything was alright. As far as Chance goes, as much as I want to tell him he brought it upon himself, it was really powerful to read his drinking struggles and and despair at the situation. I couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

The spice in Hollywood Comes Home was magnificent. I love that they were more kinky than Ian and Jenna, and I loved them playing rough. It was spicy and sexy and everything you want from a kinky scene.

I am really enjoying the Club Euphoria novels and can’t wait for book 3! The ending in Hollywood Comes Home was crazy and brought the mafia twist back in full force. Interested to see what comes next!

Overall, I really enjoyed Hollywood Comes Home by V.B. Emanuele as part of the Club Euphoria series. It was spicy, heart wrenching, anguishing to read, and a really great read!

If you are looking for a steamy mafia-meets-strip-club romance, look no further. Just Business and the Club Euphoria series has got you covered!

Just Business was so steamy, spicy, sexy, and hot! It pulled me in right away and kept me there through the bulk of the story. I picked it up on a Saturday afternoon and was 85% done by the time I went to bed; my entire afternoon/evening was me focused on Jenna and Ian.

I really enjoyed the Mafia angle as well as the strip club angle. It was great to read both parts of Ian’s business, and see them from both his and Jenna’s perspectives. I’m a sucker for a Dark Mafia Romance, and this was a perfect one!

Jenna is a very strong FMC, willing to do anything to keep herself afloat. She does not wallow in sadness for all the things she went through, but picks herself up and says ‘ okay world, I am going to take care of my self one way or another’. It just so happens that she ends up working at a strip club where she meets Ian Knight.

Ian is the perfect Mafia boss main love interest. He is sexy, broody, dark, serious, scary, and dominant… the perfect combination. His interest in Jenna is riveting, and the scenes between them in the beginning? WHEW! so SPICY.

The spice was incredible. It was VERY good, and I was very into it (lol). Even the non-sex spice, the initial teasing spice, the initial build up and sexual tension – it was so well written, I could not stop reading it. I loved the push-and-pull between them, and before they had sex it was full of so much sexual tension it was insane!

Overall, Just Business By V.B. Emanuele as book 1 in the Club Euphoria series was a great steamy mafia romance with a HAE – if this is your vibe, then definitely pick it and the rest of the series up!