"Kai is such a paradox. His feisty attitude mixed with a soft innocence. Even with what he has done in the past, and what he has to do here, it fai"Kai is such a paradox. His feisty attitude mixed with a soft innocence. Even with what he has done in the past, and what he has to do here, it fails to taint him. In my eyes at least. This is all so dangerous. Another side to me has awoken, and I can’t seem to shut that part of myself down. A need to have him."
"The realisation had me gasping, ripping myself away from Killian. We stared at one another, chests heaving, the music echoing around us while flas"The realisation had me gasping, ripping myself away from Killian. We stared at one another, chests heaving, the music echoing around us while flashes of light alternated between illuminating us and throwing us into shadow. Killian’s pupils were wide and dark, but I noticed the same alarm flaring in his gaze."
I have enjoyed all the books so far in Becca Steele's LSU series and Ignited is another good read. Although this trope is not my favourite (age gap/student x teacher), I love the way Becca weaves together the story within the LSU universe and it was fun to finally meet JJ (and his grumpy Killian) properly.
❣️age gap ❣️student/teacher ❣️grumpy/sunshine ❣️one night stand to more ❣️found family ❣️steamy times ❣️HEA
4 stars
Merged review:
"The realisation had me gasping, ripping myself away from Killian. We stared at one another, chests heaving, the music echoing around us while flashes of light alternated between illuminating us and throwing us into shadow. Killian’s pupils were wide and dark, but I noticed the same alarm flaring in his gaze."
I have enjoyed all the books so far in Becca Steele's LSU series and Ignited is another good read. Although this trope is not my favourite (age gap/student x teacher), I love the way Becca weaves together the story within the LSU universe and it was fun to finally meet JJ (and his grumpy Killian) properly.
"I could see nothing but him, feel nothing but him, smell nothing but his cologne, hear nothing but our mingling breaths. His half-terrified, half-"I could see nothing but him, feel nothing but him, smell nothing but his cologne, hear nothing but our mingling breaths. His half-terrified, half-hysterical expression melted into something that was both softer and harder. His pupils dilated and fixed on my face, flicking between my eyes and mouth, like he couldn’t decide which was more worthy of his attention."
I'd read myself into a bit of a MM sports romance stupor of late, but Rookie Recovery was a delightful little palate cleanser from the new co-author duet of Lex Veia and Jemma Croft. It's the first book in their new Bobcat Boys series, and this is Bowie and Jamie's story.
What to Expect:
❥ Dual POV ❥ MM sports romance ❥ Age gap (12 years) ❥ Grumpy/sunshine ❥ Slow burn ❥ All the banter ❥ Steamy times ❥ HEA
It was easy reading, very funny in parts (I'm English, so I loved all the English references, food and of course the "colloquial" terms and the steam (once they got to it) was on point. Some reviewers disliked Jamie's best friend Katie, but I loved her - everyone needs a Katie in their life!
Definitely can recommend for a low-angst, high fun read and am looking forward to Gus and Rowan (guessing enemies to lovers/forbidden) and Zac and Aaron's (guessing best friends to lovers/bi-awakening) books in due course.
"For all the storms that thundered through our lives, his more than mine, Nate Partridge was still the anchor that kept me safe and sound. He was t"For all the storms that thundered through our lives, his more than mine, Nate Partridge was still the anchor that kept me safe and sound. He was the monolith I had fallen in love with and who somehow, miraculously, loved me back."
Coaching Prince Charming is the seventh and final novel in Hayden Hall's Arctic Titans of Northwood U series. It can be read on its own, but reading the entire series in the order of release helps with the overarching team dynamic and characters. This is Carter and Nate's story.
What to Expect:
❥MM sports romance ❥Age gap (19 years) ❥Size difference ❥Coach/player ❥Dad's friend and ex-teammate ❥Forbidden ❥Steamy times ❥HEA
Short and sweet. Not my fave instalment but loved the series overall.
"I’d never considered arson before I found myself living in a motorhome with Harper James. Right now, sending the whole thing up in flames so I can"I’d never considered arson before I found myself living in a motorhome with Harper James. Right now, sending the whole thing up in flames so I can return to my quiet hotel room sounds like a really good idea."
Pole Position by new-to-me author Rebecca J. Caffery was a fun, rivals-to-lovers, MM romance read, set around the sport of F1 motor racing.
Our MCs are Kian Walker and Harper James, rivals on the track although they race for the same team, with Harper being the 25 year old 'rookie' and Kian the 34 year old 'veteran' world champion and golden boy of the sport.
Whilst there were a few angsty moments and themes, this was essentially a light-hearted read and who doesn't love it when the player realises he's fallen hard?!
What To Expect:
❣️MM romance ❣️F1 racing ❣️rivals to lovers ❣️opposites attract ❣️age gap ❣️found family ❣️steamy moments ❣️HEA
"He wasn’t my type. I usually liked guys closer in age to me— in their late twenties at the least— and I preferred them well built. Bloom was slend"He wasn’t my type. I usually liked guys closer in age to me— in their late twenties at the least— and I preferred them well built. Bloom was slender and too damn young. Not to mention, he took people’s lives while I worked to save them."
Bloom: Part One is the third book in Gianni Holmes's The Smoky Vale Alliance spin-off series, following the (often violent!) life and loves of the men in a MC club. This is Bloom and Logan's story.
"The trouble is, I have a thing for each and every one of his red flags. I want them. Have to have them. Want them all. Want to collect them and st"The trouble is, I have a thing for each and every one of his red flags. I want them. Have to have them. Want them all. Want to collect them and stitch them all into one giant red flag. Then I want to cut a neat slit in the middle of that big ole red flag and drape it over my head so I can wear it as a kaftan."
Work: Strictly Professional is the second book in Jesse H. Reign's new Bad Decisions series, which are all linked standalone reads. So whilst you can totally enjoy this as a standalone because the books are showcasing very different relationships, you'll probably get more out of the books if you read them in order, as some of the previous characters make cameo appearances. This is Wyn and Derek's story.
"I’ve never been addicted to anything before in my life, not until him."
I absolutely love the way Rylee Hale puts together a story and Far From Ca"I’ve never been addicted to anything before in my life, not until him."
I absolutely love the way Rylee Hale puts together a story and Far From Camelot is yet another exquisite lesson in story-telling. The character and world-building is divine, the plot weaves its spell on you from start to finish and the chemistry between Merlin and Mordred is palpable. I absolutely inhaled every word!
Far From Camelot is a contemporary fantasy re-telling of the Arthurian legend, set in New York city, 1000 years after the tragic events in Avalon, and featuring our two MCs, Merlin (aka the most powerful wizard in Camelot) and his mortal enemy, Mordred (King Arthur's son to the dark enchantress Morgan Le Fey).
Merlin is quietly living his life, basically magic-free, running a quaint little bookshop in NYC and Mordred is a low-key rockstar in a band, who just so happens to be playing in the city. Both are drowning in their memories of the past. Despite being immortal, the two haven't crossed paths in 1000 years, but that's all about to change.
Because Merlin needs to rediscover his magic and return to Camelot to save Arthur all over again. Whether he wants to or not.
And Mordred is going to be there, in person and in his dreams, to make sure he does just that. Whether they hate each other or not.
"I told Merlin I’d crawl under his skin, but it turns out he’s the one who crawled under mine and made a home there. How dare he make me addicted and then deny me my next fix."
"We’re like a lit match and lighter fluid, which is fine separately, but the second they come together, it creates a fire that spreads, burning eve"We’re like a lit match and lighter fluid, which is fine separately, but the second they come together, it creates a fire that spreads, burning everything in its path."
Painful Love is book 2 in the co-written Kings of Aces MM romance series by T. Ashleigh and Addison Beck, which is set in a small town, and focuses on a group of trailer park friends/gang/found family. This is Whaley and Bunky's story and it is way darker and grittier than Hateful Love, so consider yourself warned!
What to expect:
❥Dark themes ❥Age gap ❥Mine ❥Toxic ❥Hurt/comfort ❥Forbidden ❥Co-dependency ❥Blood play
I'm excited for book 3 now, Sinful Love, which I'm hoping will be Raid and Landon's story!...more
"I’d seen him in various stages of nakedness, but never like this, and why the fuck was my heart pounding? Noah King was everything I shouldn’t wan"I’d seen him in various stages of nakedness, but never like this, and why the fuck was my heart pounding? Noah King was everything I shouldn’t want, and everything I craved."
Ariana Nash is one of my one-click authors, so even though I don't like novellas, I will always read one of Ariana's! The King's Pawn is totally my genre and has all of my fave tropes, so it was always going to be a winner for me - would I have preferred it as a full-length novel well duh, yes, but will I mark it down a star because of my personal preference when I knew it was a novella going in - no!
This is Killian and Noah's story and I was totally here for it. And if Ms Nash writes a full-length version I will be inhaling that too!
What To Expect:
❥ MM mafia romance ❥ novella ❥ enemies to lovers ❥ bodyguard turned assassin ❥ forced proximity ❥ opposites attract ❥ age gap (not huge) ❥ ALL THE STEAM ❥ HFN
Insatiable Hunger is is book three in the Hidden Affairs standalone MM series by Ashley James. Whilst it can"He feels so good. And it’s so wrong."
Insatiable Hunger is is book three in the Hidden Affairs standalone MM series by Ashley James. Whilst it can totally be read as a standalone, there are brief cameos in this one from the author's previous books and series, so your reading experience is enhanced if you've read all her previous work.
This is Elias and Zeke's story, so strap in because it's gonna be a bumpy ride! Elias is a sex worker and Zeke is a highly successful, financially secure, married business man. And did I mention that Zeke is married to Elias' mum and there's a 26 year age gap between Elias and Zeke....
Tropes:
Merged review:
"He feels so good. And it’s so wrong."
Insatiable Hunger is is book three in the Hidden Affairs standalone MM series by Ashley James. Whilst it can totally be read as a standalone, there are brief cameos in this one from the author's previous books and series, so your reading experience is enhanced if you've read all her previous work.
This is Elias and Zeke's story, so strap in because it's gonna be a bumpy ride! Elias is a sex worker and Zeke is a highly successful, financially secure, married business man. And did I mention that Zeke is married to Elias' mum and there's a 26 year age gap between Elias and Zeke....
"Whiskey and desire fill my senses as he floods my taste buds, his hand coming down from my chin to wrap around my throat. Squeezing my pulse point"Whiskey and desire fill my senses as he floods my taste buds, his hand coming down from my chin to wrap around my throat. Squeezing my pulse point lightly, I feel him smile against my lips when he feels how fast it’s beating for him."
Eight Seconds to Ride is another surefire hit for Ashley James, who has been mixing up her genres and style a bit of late, which I love. So many MM authors have been churning out essentially the same book recently, but this is the first bronc circuit MM romance I've read.
Eight Seconds to Ride has obviously still got some of the signature Ashley James style, but this a isn't dark or angsty book, rather it's heartfelt and romantic but with all the steam and spice we've come to expect of Ms James and of course with the trademark AJ character banter!
Eight Seconds to Ride will push all your buttons if you love:
❣️Small town ❣️Virgin MC ❣️All the first times ❣️Rivals to lovers ❣️Forced proximity ❣️Self-discovery ❣️HEA
"It was hard to let go of the people and dreams that had illuminated his path for so many years, but this was for the best. Because without endings"It was hard to let go of the people and dreams that had illuminated his path for so many years, but this was for the best. Because without endings, there would be no beginnings."
Game Changer by one of my favourite new-to-me authors, L.A. Cannon, is a standalone M/M novella. It's very different to the author's previous chunky tomes in the Burn To Rise trilogy, (and if you haven't read Behind the Lights, Beyond the Lights and Of Chords and Dreams, then you need to do that as soon as you've inhaled this little palate cleanser. The first two are M/F and the third is M/M - all dark, angsty and divine but I digress...!)
Game Changer is Jared and Dylan's story. It's light, and (for the most part) angst-free, with a good dose of steam and a HEA.
"By the time he was done speaking, the soft rumble of his voice had rippled through me like a seismic wave. If he wasn’t still touching me, I might"By the time he was done speaking, the soft rumble of his voice had rippled through me like a seismic wave. If he wasn’t still touching me, I might have slumped to the floor in a puddle. He could probably read the phone book and I’d be enthralled."
The Deliverance of Marek Sommers is Misha and Marek's story, and it's a deliciously dark, slow-burn, action romance between the slightly shady but ever so stoic Russian mafia boss, Misha Chernyshevsky and the gutsy, down but not broken, bartender Marek Sommers, who is trying to make ends meet and is doing (literally) whatever is takes to look out for his younger siblings.
There are many dark themes at play here - death, abuse, non-con and beyond (not between MCs) - not to mention all the gruesome scenes you'd expect to find in a mafia novel. But there's also so much emotion, exquisite writing, and the hardest won HEA. And did I mention this is probably the steamiest Ashlyn Drewek book I've read yet (and I've read them all!)
"I wondered if this was what true intimacy was, this feeling of being attuned to him in a way I’d never been attuned to anyone else, this harmony o"I wondered if this was what true intimacy was, this feeling of being attuned to him in a way I’d never been attuned to anyone else, this harmony of understanding and desire and adoration all tangled together the way our limbs were."
I have loved every one of the books in Neve Wilder's Extracurricular Activities series, which follows a group of college friends, living together on campus, through their various ups and downs as they find their happy ever afters. Teach Me is book 4 in the series and it's (finally!) Cam and Grady's story. All of the books are interlinked, and it's always good to 'catch up' with the earlier characters who regularly make cameo appearances.
Full disclosure, book 1 Want Me, is one of my fave MM reads EVER and is still a go-to comfort read for me - the spice, confusion and explosive chemistry between Nate and Eric is second to none. So most books (even Neve's!) don't measure up to that particular read (in this genre) for me. Bearing that in mind, I still loved Teach Me and it's definitely a recommended read, but this one was more about the relationship development than a red hot, angsty smut-fest!
What To Expect:
❣️MM romance ❣️student/teacher ❣️age gap ❣️forbidden ❣️spicy first encounter ❣️HEA
"Why did he have to look at me like that? “Watch me,” Preston said. “If you won’t touch me, then watch me.” I shouldn’t. But even when I told him"Why did he have to look at me like that? “Watch me,” Preston said. “If you won’t touch me, then watch me.” I shouldn’t. But even when I told him again to stop, it was halfhearted. Because the truth was, I didn’t want him to stop, and that was a dangerous admission I couldn’t say out loud."
This is Preston and Archer's story, and this one features an age-gap, forbidden love, (fake) girlfriend's dad trope, with all the usual suspects playing their part.
You'll enjoy this one if you love:
❣️MM college romance ❣️Age gap (21 years) ❣️Found family ❣️Forbidden ❣️Fake girlfriend's dad ❣️All the steam ❣️HEA
"Mercer has learned how to use his body as a weapon, a distraction, and a taunt, and I have no doubt he’s just as dangerous as I am. He’s slender w"Mercer has learned how to use his body as a weapon, a distraction, and a taunt, and I have no doubt he’s just as dangerous as I am. He’s slender without being delicate, firm without being overly toned, and graceful while being rambunctious. He’s the bull and the china shop. His dark hair is mussed up and messy on purpose, adding to his wild boy image, but it doesn’t overly fit his lingerie energy. Maybe he likes it that way."
Nordika Night has quickly become one of my go-to, must-read authors and she's come up with another fabulous murdery, dark and dirty read in Little Demon in the Details!
Little Demon in the Details is a standalone MM dark romance between Mercer, the outcast youngest son of the Palmerston (shady) dynasty and Blake, the bodyguard/assassin given the task of watching/watching over him. Their relationship has a very different dynamic to the characters in the other books I've read by Nordika - which I totally loved!
So many MM books I am reading at the moment are just the author regurgitating the same old story with a different set of names - but not this author! All the kudos to Ms Night for keeping it real and mixing it up.
Check the author's notes on some of the dark themes, and be prepared for:
Julia (bookish.jka)
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