Of all the IAD so far, Dark Skye has taken me the longest to get through, almost a week, which is about an eternity in romance-reading time! BUT, this is a meaty, engrossing story that deserves to be taken in slowly.

Lanthe and Thronos are two damaged souls who have A LOT to get through to get back to the love and respect they had for one another as children, when they first met. Thronos recognized Lanthe has his fated mate even in childhood, which is interesting to me, but at least they were both children and there was no sexual component to it (phew). Dark Skye has a sort of Romeo and Juliet vibe going on, as Lanthe and Thronos are from two Lorean groups that loathe and distrust one another, and the fact these become best friends is so adorable, and then so ultimately heartbreaking when Lanthe's family is killed, Sabine almost killed, and Thronos punished as being the cause.

Thronos was NOT my favorite in the beginning, I found his purity culture and attitude totally off putting, until I didn't. He still isn't one of my favorite heroes of the IAD world, but Lanthe IS. Her attitude toward her past, her sexuality, her history is just refreshing and delightful. She's funny, irreverent, and knows what she wants. She can also admit when she's made a mistake and is just divine.

Thronos and Lanthe's journy through the different realms, basically a wicked road trip to hell, the sea, and back, was super fun to read and I love when Kresley really drags out the sexual tension. So epic here.

Alright the rest of my thoughts are super spoilery, so they are hidden.

Finally another Lothaire mention! I was glad to see his name back on the page.
WE SEE MYST! She's drowning in the sea, and Lanthe knows where she is.
NYX IS BACK! She's trying to become an actual goddess. Gosh I love her and her meddling ways so hard.
Well, I thought horns during sexy-times was hot, now we have wings, wing talons, and FOUR HORNS. Dark Skye really leveled up the erotic "demon" stuff, and I'm here for it. *fans self*
There's a proto-sex planet! Read Robin Lovett if you haven't.
Sex sheet! OMG.
Using wings to create a soundproof room to muffle sounds, I die.
A bed of sea nymphs to have sex on. My lord.
Of all the IAD books, this one reminds me of Saga, my favorite Graphic Novel series, the most.

Um, what shall I say about this Jafar/Jasmine Daddy Domme story?

I think I will mostly keep my thoughts private, but this book is a trip, a ride, and damn messes with my "I grew up with Aladdin as a pubescent kid" head and I kind of loved this, but phew.

I appreciated the obvious care the author took in making sure I, the reader, felt comfortable with the "non-consensual" fantasy relationship these two had, the way the characters gave consent to this fantasy.

Also, bam, that ending, and bam I am really interested to read more about Meg.

At the suggestion of some amazing and trusted leaders in the romance community I finally jumped in to Kristen Callihan's VIP series.

Every book in this series is just so good!
I'm about 1/2 way through FALL and John and Stella are about to cuddle and watch LOTR. *swoon*

I adore how many quiet moments are in this series. John may be a rock star but he's also so very human, fragile, and lonely like us all. And Stella, oh Stella, I want to wrap her up with a blanket and cuddle too.

I've been feeling really lonely lately and also am struggling with anxiety, and this story makes me feel seen.

FIRST LISTEN

So, if you can handle it, I highly recommend enjoying the Queen of Dirty Talk's work on audio. Basically Tessa Bailey's books were meant to be listened to. My face may never stop getting red and I may fear being overheard if my headphones are not completely plugged in, but it is worth every single moment.

I just love this story of the perennial "little sister" and actual clown of the town asserting herself, both in her career and in her love life. Watching the hulking, grumpy, and grunty Travis Ford be brought to his knees by this tiny sunflower made my summer.

Besides the hot romance, I also have to commend the portrayal of female friendship in this novel. Georgie, her sister Beth, and their friend Rosie come together to help each other realize their goals, whatever they may be.

Tessa Bailey's work makes both my heart and my loins sing.


FIRST READ
I've been waiting for the perfect moment to read the ARC of Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, and there was no better way to honor a fav than by making it my first read of 2019!

No way I'd rather kick-off my reading year than with this gem by one of my favorite authors!

I'm already in love with Georgie, the town clown and sister no one takes seriously, and how she's bringing the man she's always loved to his knees. Go girl! Funny and oh so hot 🔥

I kind of love that the cartoon cover is a bit twee and hides a seriously erotic story. Georgie is a virgin but quickly figures out grumpy and gruff Travis's form of rough is exactly what she likes and needs.

A perfect combination of heat, swoon, and small-town feels for those looking for their next read after The Kiss Quotient or My Favorite Half-Night Stand. Avon is on to something good here.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Elia Winters is my new go-to for delicious, erotic, and emotional romance stories. I love the way she explores the boundaries of relationships, using both sex and love. Definitely a must have for modern collections.

Yesterday I led a discussion of ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE while my book Club patrons created decoupage secret boxes.

If you're looking for a great way to spark conversation and creativity, I highly recommend adding a simple craft prompt to your book club.
I encourage everyone to put their own spin on their project and also to not worry about the end product, just enjoy the process

As for the story, I loved how deeply introspective it was. It is a quiet story, mostly of Ari's thoughts. While it is quiet, it is at times traumatic, scary, and sad. The writing is beautifully lyrical.

The final few chapters felt a bit rushed and I really wanted an epilogue showing where Ari and Dante were in their lives.

Great choice for a book club.

Oh gosh this book is everything Sarah MacLean promised and more.

I've been reading the IAD books along with the FatedMates podcast and having an absolute blast, if you haven't listened/read, what are you waiting for?

On to Sweet Ruin. This MAY be my favorite IAD book (I only have one left before we are out of published material *sob*). I really connected with Jo. Her lonliness. Her desire to belong. Her care for her baby brother Thad.

Rune is the type of hero you want to throttle but maybe while you are fucking him? So arrogant, so sexy, needs to grovel so hard.

I know there are a lot of complaints about Rune being promiscuous, but I tried to look through the lens of understanding that Rune really thinks using sex to get information is his job. He's been a sex slave. He was forced to perform sexually for eons. He has no emotion tied to it. Yes, Rune is still an asshole for what he did and said to Josie, but I found it far easier to forgive than a hero who uses sex to get what HE wants. To get off. Just for the fun of it.

There is SO MUCH going on in this story and it really is hard to get all my jumbled thoughts together (I'll definitely do a re-read at some point) but I loved it. Also, Petkoff's narration is A+ and I'm still not over it.

What's Callie to do when she's suddenly single a week before finally getting to take the tropical vacation of her dreams AND be on her favorite reality TV show Island Match? Maybe ask her totally beautiful but totally infuriating coworker Thomas to be her fake boyfriend, even if he's a big part of the reason she needs to get away?

Thomas, in love with Callie ever since she started working with him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, jumps at the chance to show her how good they could be together under the guise of pretending to be the perfect boyfriend for the cameras.

But as much as Thomas wants everything with Callie, Callie needs to come clean about her very real work problems she has with Thomas in real life.

Utterly delightful, and a perfect summer novella to read by the pool. I highly recommend! So many bonus points for great anxiety representation and for having a plus-sized heroine who's weight isn't the focus of the plot. Reading how Thomas appreciates Callie's body was so hot.

Here's my other blurb:
A clumsy, sexier than he knows it librarian with a heart of gold woos a heroine who is badass yet struggles with anxiety when she asks him to be her fake boyfriend for a reality vacation show.

Oliver Huang is flabbergasted when acquaintance and fellow city planner Fay Liu plants a big smooch on him after he arrives at a home tour. Olive has always had a crush on Fay but he thought she was married. And he just submitted a resume to her team and she just may be his boss soon. Doesn't she know?

As it turns out Fay needed a fake boyfriend to stop the unwanted attention of a fellow tour attendee, and Oliver is more than happy to play the part. Plus, Fay is divorced and doesn't seem to know Oliver applied at her firm.

Fake dating for the day turns out to be way more fun then they expected, but when real feelings enter the mix, both Oliver and Fay will need to figure out which parts are real and which parts are simply play.

I adored this novella and gobbled it up in one sitting. I especially enjoyed the details about being a city planner, the different tracks that can take. and how different familial pressures can lead one to make choices, or not. I liked that Oliver wasn't a super high driven career guy; he is a hard-worker but needs to find his own path.

Also, major bonus points for showing Fay masturbating! Huzzah!

Thank you to the author for the advanced reading copy!

Absolutely delightful and sexy!
💙1870s USA setting
💗Both main characters are Jewish
🗡Intrigue
💋Twice-divorced and completely unapologetic heroine.
🚃Trains
🚞cave sex

And SPOILER ALERT:

Spoiler

A Virgin Hero

Felicia Grossman is writing some of the best "unusual" historical romances right now. I'm not typically drawn to the 1870-1900 time period, but Grossman and Joanna Schupe are changing my mind!

I've also never read a historical featuring Jewish characters, and this story shows the different ways one could be Jewish during this time period. Seeing David's struggle with being an immigrant, a non-native English speaker, someone who wears traditional Jewish religious items, and someone who had to flee his home because of being persecuted for his religious beliefs is fascinating. In a similar vein I liked the juxtaposition to Amalia's Jewish upbringing. Because she is American she is offered, as a woman, more opportunity to understand her faith. More education.

Besides the main couples' heritages, I also adore a heroine who takes charge of her life to the extent she can, isn't apologetic for her desires and wants, and has made mistakes and is learning from them. Amalia is twice-divorced for reasons and I loved that while David was jealous he never shames her.

I also really loved the second-chance aspects of this story. David and Amalia were teenage "lovers" (over the clothes only), and I just love when adults who have lived some of their lives can come back together with all that simmering angst still between them.

Plus trains! Makeup! Bustles! So many wonderful details to enjoy. A must read.

I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.