New York Legends Book 2: Big Stick Energy by Sarina Bowen

 

New York Legends Book 2

A hockey team captain and a bubbly staffer mix business with pleasure when they start fake dating through the wedding season in this hot sports romance perfect for fans of Mariana Zapata​ and Elle Kennedy. 

Darcy Kendrick is used to putting out fires. As an overworked admin to a hockey team, she’s seen it all. But nothing prepares her for accidentally DMing her very private, very NSFW fantasy to the subject of this fantasy: team captain Eric Tremaine. Nobody actually dies of embarrassment. Right?

But when a wedding invite puts them on a collision course with her chaotic family and his emotionally fraught past, Eric suggests a plan: they fake-date their way through the “Wedding Experience.” It’s mutually beneficial. Totally strategic. And definitely not real. Except between mini tacos, slow dances and lingering glances, Eric starts to wonder if the sharp-tongued assistant with a bottomless to-do list might be the one person who truly sees him. And for Darcy? The fire in her heart might be the only one she can’t put out.

It’s supposed to be fake. It’s supposed to be temporary. So why is it so hard to walk away?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242445304-big-stick-energy

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

I’ve been so excited to read Darcy and Eric’s story, and it did not disappoint! It was clear from the previous book that Darcy had some feelings for Eric. And when she sends a message to her best friend about her fantasy about Eric she soon realizes that she didn’t actually send the message to Zoe but to Eric himself. Though she is most definitely mortified, it may end up being the best thing she has ever done. Turns out Eric needed a bit of a wake up call when it came to Darcy. Eric and Darcy have worked together for years and it’s very clear that Eric has paid attention to Darcy. But Eric is anything but selfish. He puts others before him all the time and spends so much of his energy being the best captain he can be. Doing things from himself? Not really a thing. But the message is the start of something. Especially when he realizes that the two of them will be going to the same wedding this summer. Cue the family drama for them both. What starts as being one another’s date to fake dating, is just the beginning glimpse of what they could be together if they give themselves the chance. For Eric, he has never really dated. Never found someone who made him want to ask for more. And for Darcy, growing up she has seen what it looks like when things go bad. Can they be brave enough to take the risk? I loved these two! They were so much fun and had amazing chemistry. I loved that they were friends and how this one trip really gave them a chance to realize how much they knew one another and how much more there was to learn. They just worked together so well. And these two were clearly falling hard for one another from the start, yet neither would admit it. Another great book in this series! We have some great characters and I can’t wait for the next one!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sins of the Father Book 3: Sweet Obsession by Riley Hart

Sins of the Father Book 3

Rory

I’m beginning to unravel.

When I meet Shai Burrows, he intrigues me enough that he has me stalking him, following him, watching him.

And when I find out he’s the one who robbed me, instead of handling business, it only makes me obsess over him even more.

But I can’t just let him get away with that, so we cut a deal. Shai will work off what he owes me, with his body, something he’s as eager about as I am. Because after that first touch, our worlds collide.

We get off on danger and seek trouble we’re not supposed to find. He craves my body, and though I don’t understand it, I know I want him by my side.

He’s my obsession, and I can’t help but want more.

In fact, I want it all.

And I’ll take it.

Our world is violent and chaotic. I’ve always reveled in that, but I’m risking it all now. I need to learn control because if I lose him, no one will be able to pull me back from the edge.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240502498-sweet-obsession

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

It’s Rory’s turn! He has finally met his perfect match and who would have thought it was the guy that robbed him? Rory is chaotic and wild and sometimes he can lose himself in the darkness but the right person, like his best friend, can bring him back. There are just a lot of layers to Rory. And finding someone who gets that, gets him, is hard to find. They need to care for him but also understand his relationship with his best friend and his best friend’s boyfriend too. Rory and his made family have deep bonds. Ones that will never break. They have one another’s back for anything. And when Rory meets Shai, he is surprised by the obsession he immediately feels toward him. Especially when Rory lets Shai close to his family. But the thing is, Shai understands Rory. And while Rory may think he doesn’t understand love, being with Shai? He begins to figure it out. Shai is used to having no one. His mom may be the only person in his life that he cares about, but the way she acts is anything like a mom should be. And Shai turns into the adult in their relationship. But he’ll do anything to protect his mom. Even if it means doing something he probably shouldn’t be doing. But it leads him to Rory. And the more he gets to know Rory, the more they just get one another and just can’t stay away from each other. I loved their chaotic dynamic, yet they ground one another at the same time too. I love their relationship with each other and the one they had will Cillian and Ollie too. These two deserve someone who will always be in their corner and never ask the other to change. It was fun to see Shai match Rory’s chaos but at the same time knowing when to reel him in. Action, violence, humor, and lots of romance, this was everything I could have hoped for in Rory’s story!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Crown of Hearts & Chaos Book 1: Hollow by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

 

Crown of Hearts & Chaos Book 1

Don’t listen to the whispers of the woods.

Don’t trust the man cloaked in shadow.

Don’t earn the wrath of the scattered spirits.

Don’t go out after dark.

The Great Hunt begins once every fifty years and only the Champions willing to face death to shatter the curse dare to enter.

The Champions…and me.

I’m no warrior, no swordsmith, and certainly no Fae, but the forest is my only hope. To enter those trees is to walk willingly to my demise. But I need the boon the forest will grant the winner and I’m willing to risk it all for a chance at claiming it.

I just never expected to face him beneath those trees. The beast who strikes fear into the desperate people of all lands. The monster who commands the legion of Hollows and makes our plight a thousand times worse.

The Hollows are empty of all things but none are so heartless as him.

Prince Bane intends to be the death of me. But I have an oath to fulfil before I’ll let him have me. And I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve it.

I am Ferris Creed and I’m going to unite the lost spirits who once bound the wandering trees in place, return the scattered amulets to the core of its corruption, and use the winner’s boon to change my fate. Come wretchedness or torment, through trickery and deception, I will get what I came here for. And no one will stand in my way. Not even Prince Bane.

*** Hollow is a dark Romantasy from the bestselling authors of Zodiac Academy, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It is a heady cocktail of Summoners, seduction and spirits, set to get your heart racing and feet kicking. There will be a ruinous, black hearted love interest, a rebellious, ruthless FMC, plot twists, cliff hangers, dark humour and a healthy seasoning of make-you-blush spice. It is not for the faint of heart. All those who enter the forest are bound by its terms – will you walk willingly into the dark? ***

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222472678-hollow

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

A new world of magic written by the Twisted Sisters and it’s another I’m going to really enjoy exploring! There is a curse is desperate need of breaking. Every fifty years the Great Hunt occurs. Champions go into the cursed woods with the goal to collect the thirteen spirits and bring them to the Great Elm. Whoever brings the most will not only break the curse but receive a boon. And that is something Ferris needs desperately. She has secretly prepared to go into the woods to begin the quest but never expects to be literally dragged into it. Death and danger surround her at every turn. With a limited amount of time, Ferris will have to find a way to survive. And meeting a Fae by the name of Hendrix is the last thing she wants. Enemies to reluctant allies, together they hunt for the spirits. But there is more to Hendrix than meets the eye and in the end only one can claim victory. This was a fun and dark new world to explore. The magic is very different than what I’ve read from these authors so far and I’ve really enjoyed getting to see their new take on magic and Fae. Ferris was a fierce and clever woman who has a way with the forest and spirits. And Hendrix while we can guess who he is and what he does, there is still a lot more to him than we know. This is just the beginning of what I think is going to be a really interesting series. And I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Heart by Jesse H. Reign

 

The first time I laid eyes on him my heart skipped a beat. 

My obsession began the way all obsessions do…with a spark. A small, seemingly insignificant flicker that quickly took root.

He was pure, liquid light. A sunshine boy with a heart of gold.

He turned my world up-side-down. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t let him out of my sight.

Ever wondered what happens when red flags and green flags collide? If so, you’re about to find out.

Heart is an obsessive, swoony, stalker-y MM romance featuring the biggest green flag in existence, and a broken boy you can’t help falling in love with.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244019552-heart

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

This was so good! Could not put it down. Get ready for a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Lennon is drowning. And he has no idea how to pull himself out of it. Not sure how to move on, if he even can. Then he sees him. Connor. It’s like a spark lights back up in him. This sunshine of a boy with a heart of gold. And Lennon has no idea how to stay away. Literally. Lennon knows that the bit of light stalking he is doing isn’t a good idea. He is super self aware of it and yet can’t really stop. And then an opportunity comes up when he sees Connor post a notice looking for a roommate. Lennon won’t do it. He tells himself he can’t. Even waits two weeks before calling the number because he is sure by then Connor would have filled the spot. But he doesn’t. And Lennon finds himself finally meeting Connor and it’s electric. And turns out? Not just for Lennon either. Connor sees more of Lennon than anyone and can see the guy is hurting in more ways than one. They go from roommates to friends and to so much more. Something Lennon never actually imagined for themselves. It takes him quite a while to realize that these things he is feeling toward Connor is really a crush. And from there… well, watching these two fall hard for one another was so sweet. And there is a lot more going on than you think. We had some pretty neat twists by the end. Which I’ll admit there was one thing I figured out early on and then another by three quarters in and even with that guess in my head, I still loved the story. I wasn’t disappointed at all. I had to see if I was right and how it actually played out. Just really, really good! And one you do not want to miss!

Guild Hunters Book 18: Archangel’s Eternity by Nalini Singh

 

Guild Hunters Book 18

Elena and Raphael return for the hauntingly poignant conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s genre-defining Guild Hunter series.

A thousand years.

It’s been a millennium since Elena’s fateful first meeting with Archangel Raphael. She has survived war and loss, experienced beauty and cruelty. But no matter what, she has always held on to her mortal heart, as she and Raphael have held on to each other. Passionate and vibrant, they’ve built a life that has stood the test of time, growing ever stronger with each turn of the sun.

But change is coming—of a magnitude they could have never imagined—and it will forever alter the trajectory of their existence.

Even as they grapple with the cataclysmic shift in their personal lives, the Cadre of Ten, which has maintained a hard-won peace for centuries, begins to simmer with dangerous fault lines. The specter of madness looms in one archangel, the promise of war burns between two others, and in darkness far from mortal and immortal eyes stirs an ancient, slumbering power.

Suddenly, the future is terrifyingly uncertain . . . at the very moment that Elena and her archangel need to protect a treasure infinitely more precious than eternity.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239779041-archangel-s-eternity

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Amazing. Brilliant. 10/10. No notes. THIS is how you end a series. A series that was already amazing book after book. But wow! Absolutely beautifully done. Easily one of, if not, the best of the series. I was so happy to get an early copy of this book and I literally spent the day reading it, I couldn’t put it down! The conclusion to Elena and Raphael’s story has arrived. And it’s everything you could want in a final story for them. If you can guess what this story is about based on the hints of the blurb, then know it’s so much more and even better. We truly follow their happy ending for a while and I loved seeing how so much played out. Elena and Raphael are on a whole new journey a thousand years after their story began. We see it all. We see everyone. You’ll laugh and cry and simply be unable to stop smiling. I loved this world from day one and as sad as I am to see it end. I will be thinking about this one for a while and will have to do a reread of the entire series in the near future. It was such a bittersweet read to know we were at the end yet so much happens in this story and I loved every moment of it. We catch up with all those we love and see countless happy endings while Elena and Raphael enter this new chapter in their lives. I think anyone who has loved this series from the beginning will be satisfied with its conclusion!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chronicles of the Avatar Book 6: The Awakening of Roku by Randy Ribay

 

Chronicles of the Avatar Book 6

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Reckoning of Roku comes the page-turning conclusion to the third duology in the Chronicles of the Avatar series, starring Avatar Roku and set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

There are as many paths to full Avatarhood as there are Avatars…

This suspenseful follow-up to The Reckoning of Roku delves into the Avatar’s continued efforts to trust himself and restore peace to a world hovering on the brink of catastrophe

Three years after the mess on Lambak Island, Roku has finally mastered airbending and is on track to become the Avatar the world needs. But when he encounters a mysterious illness on his way to Agna Qel’a, he delays his journey and the next phase of his training to prevent the situation from worsening.

As Roku ventures deeper into the North and nearer to danger, he soon realizes there’s more to the malady than meets the eye. With the assistance of his good friend Gyatso, a gifted Waterbender named Makittuq, and others near and far―including from his past―Roku races to contain the crisis before the disease can ravage the North . . . and beyond.

Don't miss this stunning conclusion of the story of Avatar Roku from New York Times bestselling and National Book Award nominated author Randy Ribay!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216847477-the-awakening-of-roku

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

It’s been three years since Lambak Island and Roku has now finished his Avatar training with the Air Nomads. Water is next and that means another round of change. Roku has come to love his time with the Air Nomads and specifically his closest friend, Gyatso. But he must complete his changing. Luckily for Roku it seems that Gyatso isn’t ready either to say goodbye and offers to travel with him to the Northern Water Tribe before Gyatso starts his emissary mission with the Fire Nation. But when they arrive in the North they realize danger is in the air with a mysterious illness. And they cannot sit back and do nothing. So they team up with a waterbender named Makittuq to discover the origin of the poison and if they can find a cure before others get hurt. Meanwhile, Sozin is showing more and more of signs of meeting the future we all know is coming for him as he tries to prove his place as the heir. And then there is Tam Min! Who is currently an emissary of the Fire Nation staying in Omashu where she uncovers something big and that may connect to what Roku is dealing with. I really liked this story! As obviously a big fan of the Avatar the Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra, there were so many things we get to see here that actually will come into play in the future. So it was interesting to see a previous Avatar deal with similar issues. I also loved how seeing this younger version of Gyatso is basically Aang. The man raised a mini him and it’s hilarious to see. I also just enjoyed really getting to know Roku more and how his journey shapes him more and more into the Avatar we see in the future. Great story all around! 

Pine Ridge Book 0.5: Returning to Pine Ridge by Ana Ashley

Pine Ridge Book 0.5

Unemployed. Blacklisted. Drowning in debt 

I'm the saddest case of a man who had it all and then lost it.

Back in Pine Ridge, I smile and lie. Everyone thinks I'm thriving in Denver. 

But in a hot minute I confess everything into a recording microphone, and I meet Kai. 

His kindness terrifies me. I'm completely, and unexpectedly drawn to him.

As we fight a predatory corporation threatening to exploit our small town, something shifts. Kai sees me and suddenly I'm not pretending anymore. I'm real,  honest, and I'm becoming someone I actually want to be.

In this small town I once couldn't wait to escape, I'm discovering what I've been searching for all along.

Home isn't a place. It's a person.

And maybe—just maybe—I'm brave enough to stay.

Returning to Pine Ridge is a prequel novella in Ana Ashley's new series, Pine Ridge. Expect small-town romance, corporate corruption, and discover why this small town becomes a sanctuary for broken men learning to heal. This is where the story begins.

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Atlas returns home to Pine Ridge for his parents’ anniversary party and the only thing that is crossing his mind is trying to hide what’s been going on with him the last few months. In trying to do the right thing at work, he ends up fired and backlisted. He’s not homeless and has debt and he is trying hard to stay afloat and figure out what to do. And telling his parents and family the truth? He hates it. He doesn’t want to disappoint them. And in a moment he ends up confessing everything into a microphone but lucky for him the only person who is listening is Kai. Kai, who immediately gets rid of it before anyone can hear and reaches out to Atlas with a listening ear. Because that is really what Atlas needed. Someone to listen and comfort and perhaps see past what he is hiding. Kai doesn’t expect the connection sparking between him and Atlas and when they must team up to save the town from being exploited by a big corporation, well Atlas may find more than one reason to come back home. This was a great way to get a sneak peek into this series! Looks like we have some great characters, a great town, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next!