Review: Loving Graham

Loving Graham by Kenna Knight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a story about two men, who both have bitter backgrounds. Graham almost lost himself to drugs and addiction. Through a lot of work, he’s made it back. He’s now a successful business owner, having opened Tease, a high-end salon. And he gives generously to those he cares about. He had a muse that helped him, so he’s paying it forward by helping those around him. But he’s never gotten to the point where he thinks he’s made up for how low he went.

Levi’s background is gritty, he was abandon as a baby and grew up in the orphanage. So, he has a low sense of self-worth already. Adding to his low self-esteem, Levi lost at love, hurting so bad that he doesn’t want to risk his heart ever again.

Levi is a cop, he sees the worst that is out there, leaving him a ‘bitter realist’. When Graham’s salon is stolen from for the third time, Levi catches the case. It’s a case of insta-love for them both. And they have help from both of their best friends. Reading their story as the romance blooms is beautiful. The journey has its ups and downs. There are misunderstandings and tears along the way as they both open up to each other.

The plotting of this story was well done, mixing the romance with the robbery elements. And mostly the writing is great. There were a few places where more editing might have helped. Where I wasn’t sure who was doing the talking. Overall though I did enjoy this story and I did see growth in the author’s writing. I am looking forward to the next story from them.


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Review: Promises of Eternity

Promises of Eternity by Lina Langley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Best friends to lovers, through revenge. When Holden is left at the alter by his fiancé, his best friend Gabriel comes to his rescue. After his rescue, Holden can’t deal with real life, so he does a disappearing act. When he’s ready to join real life again, he calls Gabriel. And coerces Gabriel into helping with his revenge on his ex, Sean. This leads them on a path of discovering that the right man was in front of them this whole time.

I have read other stories by this author that I loved. But this one was not as smooth a read as the other. Holden and Gabriel are great characters. The plot was a fun one. Cute enough story to be worth reading though.


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Review: The Elves of Christmas

The Elves of Christmas by Wendy Rathbone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very sweet Christmas story about never making assumptions. Something both Ice and Pepper have done, about each other. Pepper thinks that Ice is to irreverent about all things Santa. Ice believes that Pepper is a suck up to Santa, stuck up and standoffish to boot.

A visit from Santa creates a frantic cleaning and decorating of the workshops. All elves are called on to help. Paired together, Ice and Pepper slowly discover that what they thought was true about other is only an illusion of their own minds.

There is tension, some angst, misunderstandings, and some hot sex. Loved the characters, they are well written. And the secondary character adds fun to the mix.

There was one point that I was unhappy with, the ending. Santa’s attitude toward Ice, and how he dismissed Ice’s idea didn’t give me any ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling towards Santa. And the issue wasn’t resolved, and yet all seems to be forgiven at the end. Christmas magic, maybe. Otherwise, I loved this story.


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Review: The Cupids Do Christmas

The Cupids Do Christmas by Riza Curtis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a short, sweet, and very cute Christmas story. Set in a paranormal world where Santa must take paternity leave, the Cupid squad is talked into helping take up the slack.

Piotr, a cupid, is tired of watching everyone else get their happy ever after’s. He doesn’t think there is a someone for him, it doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Nobody wants him, he’s so different, so he pushes everyone away with his mean personality. In another story, he’d be the one saying “bah, humbug”. He’s decided that he’s going to leave the Cupid ranks. But darn it, his boss reminds him that he has to give a month’s notice. She ships him off to help Santa and the elves. Piotr gets assigned to help Danny.

Danny makes magical wooden ponies. Danny is kind and caring, the opposite of Piotr. And Danny doesn’t see Piotr as different, he sees him as being hot. And tries to act as his friends, making sure that Piotr has some fun. This is the beginning the change in Piotr.

I love both Piotr and Danny as well as Piotr’s boss Marseille. The plot was well done, and the world built here is fun and imaginative. This is just a fun story to read.


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Review: Daddy, It's Cold Outside

Daddy, It's Cold Outside by Max Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Christmas story about second chances. About the one that got away, for Jude. Or the one you let get away, which Logan did. The writing is good, the plot is a tried and true. Through mishaps and circumstances, Jude and Logan get stranded together. Giving them the time to hash things out and realize that they still care for each other, maybe even the big “L” word.

There is a lot of angst as you read about the horrible childhood Logan went through. With his mother dead, he was raised by his homophobic grandmother. The only thing in his life that kept sane, it was Jude and his family. And yet, how does he get past the echoes of everything he’s grown up with, the slurs thrown his way by his grandmother.

From the beginning of the story, you knew that something big had happened to end the best friends and budding romantic relationship between Logan and Jude. And now that they work together, they both are trying to act as if the past doesn’t matter. But it does still matter to both of them. So Boss Logan sets up a retreat, insisting that Jude be there. His assistant does him a favor by mixing up the arrival time of the others on the work team. Mother Nature does him another favor by throwing a snow storm at them and stranding them alone.


There were times as I read that I felt like I had missed something. Through research, I found out that most of these characters have appeared in another story by this author. All of the characters were great. This is an enjoyable, good read.


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Review: Breaking Free

Breaking Free by A.T. Brennan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story of Zander and Kai is my favorite of the series, so far. The story telling, and the writing has gotten better with each story. The author takes damaged and scarred characters, making them feel real, then takes us along their journey to healing and their happy ever after. There is some angst here, some tears, some humor and a lot of pulling for the two of them to work their way through.

Zander thought he’d lost the love of his life. And while he’s not drowning himself in a bottle, or taking every man that he can to bed, he’s also not living either. He won’t let anyone into his life. But his family at The Den bar won’t let him bury himself. They talk him into coming out to a new club, one that has dancers. One of the dancers, stage name Skylar, peaks Zander’s interest like no man has since his lost lover. Kai has so much going on in his life, dancing, camming, and school, he doesn’t have time for anything or anyone. At least that what he’s told himself. At one of his jobs, his eyes meet Zander’s across the room. Zander and Kai have a chemistry that comes off the page. It’s hot, the sex is hot. And yet there is a gentleness to the sex scenes that make them so much more.

Although this is book three in the series, it can standalone. But for background on the secondary characters that show up here, it’s best to read the series in order. And really, the books are great, so you’d want to anyway. Now I can’t wait for the next in the series.


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Review: Orion's Circle

Orion's Circle by Victoria Sue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has a wonderfully built new world of shifters. It’s different from most shifter book, based on a legend of ancient Gods and Goddesses, with Sirius creating a triad tasked with saving mankind. But the triad needs its Psi Omega to complete the circle.

Aden hasn’t shifted yet, and never will. His sadistic Alpha takes that to mean he’s an Omega, that he can do as he wishes. That Aden is there to take the negative emotions from the rest of the pack. And to generally be the whipping boy, to be abused, beat and whatever else the Alpha decides. Unable to endure any more, when the alpha orders Aden to run so the pack can hunt him, he’s wishing for death.

Enter the triad, Blaze, Conner, and Darric. They are three of the most gorgeous wolves Aden has ever seen. Aden has a hard time believing that they really want him. Or that he has anything that they need. What follows are the ups and downs of them finding a path to balancing all of their needs. Of the triad helping Aden see his own self-worth.

This is well written and fast-paced. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.


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Review: Archie's Accidental Kidnapping

Archie's Accidental Kidnapping by Toni Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read the original and loved it. But this expanded version is all the better for the adds. It’s a complicated world now, with hellhounds patrolling cities to take care of run amok Nephilim, Djinn and other creatures that go bump in the night. And like all peacekeepers, the hellhound pack is run ragged with too many bad guys and not enough of them to go around. Adze and his pack are tracking a Nephilim serial killer. Tracking the killer, Adze gets there before the killer can get his next victim into a getaway car. When Adze catches the scent of his mate coming from the victim, he’s torn. He doesn’t want to let the killer go but he can’t leave his mate unprotected. In the end, he protects his mate, taking him back to his home.

The last thing Archie remembers is arms grabbing him, so when he wakes in a strange place with a man he doesn’t know, he assumes it’s the kidnapper. And what if the stranger resembles the fantasy man from his dreams and there’s a spark of attraction when the man is near. What if the guy only wants to protect him? Archie is independent and wants to stay that way…maybe?

I loved the back and forth between Adze and Archie. And the two cents that is thrown in by the rest of the pack makes you laugh. There’s lots of teasing in between the serious jobs of tracking the bad guys. The world built here is well written, sucking you in. The plot keeps you turning the pages. As characters, the pack of hellhounds is varied and fun loving, but serious about their job. Can’t wait to meet more of them as the series progresses.


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Review: Hot Mall Santa

Hot Mall Santa by A.J. Truman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Incredibly cute, sweet and funny story, with some cheesy laugh out loud dialogue. The characters are engaging and likable. Except maybe Kirsten. Several places I didn’t like her much, she was a bit too pushy and obnoxious, yet in the end she is a good friend to Tom. Then there is Antonio, as you find out, he’s not a nice guy at all.

The contrast between Tom and Randall was part of what made this story work. That Randall, for all his good looks, had just as many insecurities as did Tom. Tom, thinking that someone as hot as Randall wouldn’t ever be interested in someone like him. Their chemistry was hot, and sex was hotter. You may never look at a Santa suit the same way again.

Yes, this is an insta-lust/love story, with its HEA, but it works here. This is a Christmas story and isn’t love the greatest gift of all?


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Review: Texas Gift

Texas Gift by R.J. Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was the author’s gift to us, to let us catch up with a beloved family, the Campbell-Hayes. We, the readers, have had the privilege of watching the love bloom and grow between Riley and Jack. Then see that love expand as they added Hayley, Max and the twins, Lexie and Conner.

But now the kids are growing and growing up. Hayley is ready to leave the nest and go to college. RJ Scott does a masterful job of showing the kinds of pains parents have when one of their own is leaving the nest. Of how hard a job it is, to balance the need to forever keep your child safe and letting them test their wings.

This story is an emotional one, with highs and lows. There are some scary moments and some bittersweet as well. You connect with every feeling the characters on the pages are going through. As always, this story is so well written. It was wonderful to see the rest of characters on the ranch and the extended family, to be able to catch up with them. It is, a one click, one sitting read.


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Review: Home for Christmas

Home for Christmas by Lina Langley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Short, sweet, enjoyable story, with a few twists and turns. Rory is hoping to get home for Christmas. But you can’t fly home without ID and that’s been stolen from Rory’s hotel room. Then Rory’s room is stolen from, again. Enter Officer Spencer Crane, who is there to investigate the theft, but he also wants to check out Rory. That Rory is checking him right back leads to a date, ‘but not a date while I’m investigating the theft’ type of date, which leads to even more between them.

Along the way, there are snarky best girlfriends (Spencer’s) and a scuzzy boss (Rory’s). Spencer does solve the crime and in time for Rory to go home. Rory wants Spencer to go with him. It ended with more of a HFN, rather than a HEA. I’m not sure if these two will show up in a new book, but I think they need their full story told.


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Review: Giving Chances

Giving Chances by Tanya Chris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cute, cute short story. Sweet and sexy at the same time. I loved both Mitch and Jackson. Together they made a wonderful duo.

Mitch came out to his parents over a year ago and hasn’t seen them since. So when the invitation to come for Christmas this year is issued, he’s nervous and scared while still happy it happened. But this sends him scurrying to the mall for gifts. Where he and Jackson both grab the last toy on the shelf. This leads to a discussion about who needs it most. Mitch’s 12-year-old sister or Jackson’s 5-year-old niece. When Jackson points out the age range for the toy, Mitch must admit that his sister is too old for it. And leaves Mitch without any ideas for his sister.

Caring and nurturing Jackson now feels bad, because Mitch is so lost about what to get now. So, he offers a few suggestions before hurrying away to his job. Both he and Mitch wish they’d taken the time to exchange info or at least let the other know there was interest. As Mitch wanders the mall, he takes Jackson’s suggestion for his sister then sees a massage shop. He thinks this might be a great gift for his mother. And look who works there. Jackson. Well, one thing does lead to another. They each have an interest in the other, so maybe they should see where it goes, at least for one night. Jackson invites Mitch to his place for a massage. And a massage wasn’t the only thing that table was used for. Their one-night stand turns into a morning after. Neither wants to stop there, leaving Jackson to invite Mitch to a friend’s get together.

Through all of this, Jackson keeps telling Mitch to give his parents a second chance. That is what the season is all about. Forgiveness. But Mitch wants to hold on to his bitterness just a little bit, how could his parents have done this to him? And yet, when he goes home, he and his family start the slow healing process.

Well written, but like I said, very short. And that is the only negative for me. There was more that I wanted, like what happened with Mitch’s brother Joseph? The year gap at the end, I needed more of Jackson’s and Mitch’s relationship. How did they get there, a year down the road?


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Review: Resurrected

Resurrected by Kris Sawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not a standalone, you need to read book one for this story to make sense. But you need to read book one anyway, it’s a great story. And this one is even better.

Terry is back from the land of the in-between and death. He and Clyde are still together, but there is an unsettled feeling between them. Terry knows things he didn’t before his death but has gaps in his memory that test the trust between him and Clyde.

Before things get bad between him and Clyde’s pack, he leaves to find answers. Along the way, he picks up a companion, Seb. Who happens to be a vampire, but not a great one. He’s small and doesn’t or can’t do the whole neck sucking thing on humans. But Seb is going to be Terry’s protector since he saved him. Seb is so darn cute. Can’t wait to see more of him.

There are more twist and turns in this story. Some answered questions and new ones asked. And once again, it’s a well-written plot that keeps you turning pages. I was at the end of the story way too soon. And now I have to wait for the next one. I need more of Terry and Clyde’s story.


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