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booksafety's Reviews (586)
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“I like you, kid.” Jake grinned despite the name calling. “Kid? I’m twenty-nine!” “Anyone younger than me is a kid. Sorry. I don’t make the rules.”
This is my.. fourth or fifth time reading this? Possibly? Who knows. What I do know is that I adore the story. There’s a few awful and graphic subjects in this so I would look at the list of content warnings. It’s relatively low heat (not fade to black or closed door, just not a lot of it), and the romance is a slow burn, even though the plot only happens over a few days. I think it’s an absolutely lovely story of grief, loneliness, and learning to live and love again after loss.
Sure, he scowled a lot and his resting bitch face was more of a don’t-fucking-speak-to-me face, but Jacob saw through that. There was more to August Shaw than met the eye.
August is 41 years old and lost his boyfriend 8 years ago. He basically has no friends anymore, and has closed himself off, trying to solve cold cases. I love how Jake, the younger police officer, is super toppy and a little dominant and just pulls August out of his lonely comfort zone and slowly but surely makes him realize that there’s more to life, and that he’s allowed to live it. Jake is a fantastic character, and has a ton of patience and compassion with August. You maybe wouldn’t think these two work together, but they really really do. There’s no D/s dynamic here, but Jake does sort of take charge sometimes, and August really thrives on that, maybe without even realizing.
“You need a hot shower and a change of clothes.” “I’m fine,” he grumbled. Jake pulled into his drive, shut the engine off, looked at August, and raised one eyebrow. “Don’t argue with me.” August stared at him. “Speaking of rank . . .” “Speaking of pneumonia . . .” August sighed. “Is there any point in arguing?” “Absolutely none whatsoever.”
The murder mystery is well thought out and well done. I think it’s more sad than anything, really, but there’s also a couple properly suspenseful moments too, which I adore. If you enjoy romantic suspense and any of the other tropes, definitely give it a go.
“You’re not broken,” Jake whispered. And August began to cry.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Law enforcement
Cold cases
Murder mystery
Grumpy/sunshine
Slow burn (in the book, not in irl timeline)
Serial killer
Life after loss (8years)
Interracial relationship
Age gap
Romantic suspense
Low heat
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Death of a loved one (past, violent)
Attempted murder
Mentions of suicide
Drugging
Explicit sexual content
Homophobia
Queer men being targeted
Serial killer
Bigotry
Graphic crime scenes (detailed)
Possible suicides (detailed)
Grief
Murder made to look like suicide
Hospitalization
Injured MC
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Romantic suspense, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 29 and 41
“I’m getting it!” Porter replied as he opened a cupboard, but now the cat was glaring at August. He put his hands up. “I’m guilty by association, apparently. But I had no hand in your obvious neglect.”
“Oh, and I’d leave the bedroom door open. I mean, it’s completely up to you, but just so you know, Scarlett has a no-closed-door policy. So if you do shut it, she will scratch and meow at the door until you open it. And if she wants it open and you don’t open it, she’ll shit in your shoe. Well . . .” He considered. “That could have been a coincidence, but given it’s happened twice and she did that twice, I’m thinking not.”
“Um, Scarlett and I can both see the bottom of her bowl. Despite the presence of and build-up of cat biscuits around the inside of the bowl, there is clear evidence of the bottom of the bowl. And she’d like you to know, quite frankly, it’s not good enough.”
“I like you, kid.” Jake grinned despite the name calling. “Kid? I’m twenty-nine!” “Anyone younger than me is a kid. Sorry. I don’t make the rules.”
This is my.. fourth or fifth time reading this? Possibly? Who knows. What I do know is that I adore the story. There’s a few awful and graphic subjects in this so I would look at the list of content warnings. It’s relatively low heat (not fade to black or closed door, just not a lot of it), and the romance is a slow burn, even though the plot only happens over a few days. I think it’s an absolutely lovely story of grief, loneliness, and learning to live and love again after loss.
Sure, he scowled a lot and his resting bitch face was more of a don’t-fucking-speak-to-me face, but Jacob saw through that. There was more to August Shaw than met the eye.
August is 41 years old and lost his boyfriend 8 years ago. He basically has no friends anymore, and has closed himself off, trying to solve cold cases. I love how Jake, the younger police officer, is super toppy and a little dominant and just pulls August out of his lonely comfort zone and slowly but surely makes him realize that there’s more to life, and that he’s allowed to live it. Jake is a fantastic character, and has a ton of patience and compassion with August. You maybe wouldn’t think these two work together, but they really really do. There’s no D/s dynamic here, but Jake does sort of take charge sometimes, and August really thrives on that, maybe without even realizing.
“You need a hot shower and a change of clothes.” “I’m fine,” he grumbled. Jake pulled into his drive, shut the engine off, looked at August, and raised one eyebrow. “Don’t argue with me.” August stared at him. “Speaking of rank . . .” “Speaking of pneumonia . . .” August sighed. “Is there any point in arguing?” “Absolutely none whatsoever.”
The murder mystery is well thought out and well done. I think it’s more sad than anything, really, but there’s also a couple properly suspenseful moments too, which I adore. If you enjoy romantic suspense and any of the other tropes, definitely give it a go.
“You’re not broken,” Jake whispered. And August began to cry.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Law enforcement
Cold cases
Murder mystery
Grumpy/sunshine
Slow burn (in the book, not in irl timeline)
Serial killer
Life after loss (8years)
Interracial relationship
Age gap
Romantic suspense
Low heat
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Death of a loved one (past, violent)
Attempted murder
Mentions of suicide
Drugging
Explicit sexual content
Homophobia
Queer men being targeted
Serial killer
Bigotry
Graphic crime scenes (detailed)
Possible suicides (detailed)
Grief
Murder made to look like suicide
Hospitalization
Injured MC
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Romantic suspense, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 29 and 41
“I’m getting it!” Porter replied as he opened a cupboard, but now the cat was glaring at August. He put his hands up. “I’m guilty by association, apparently. But I had no hand in your obvious neglect.”
“Oh, and I’d leave the bedroom door open. I mean, it’s completely up to you, but just so you know, Scarlett has a no-closed-door policy. So if you do shut it, she will scratch and meow at the door until you open it. And if she wants it open and you don’t open it, she’ll shit in your shoe. Well . . .” He considered. “That could have been a coincidence, but given it’s happened twice and she did that twice, I’m thinking not.”
“Um, Scarlett and I can both see the bottom of her bowl. Despite the presence of and build-up of cat biscuits around the inside of the bowl, there is clear evidence of the bottom of the bowl. And she’d like you to know, quite frankly, it’s not good enough.”
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
All he wanted was the shame to stop and the heavy pressure in his chest to ease up enough to let him breathe.
This is another one of those that are a little bit difficult to rate. I love the book, but at the same time, something is missing got me to give it the full five stars, and I’m probably not gonna be able to say why.
“I thought he’d stop if I stopped fucking up, but I couldn’t ever do anything right.”
I really do adore the plot in this. Two broken men with trauma, with a suspense plot as well (my favorite). Not that the suspense is a massive part of it, but what is there is important. It was a reread for me, and I had forgotten quite a lot of it actually, other than the general impression and a couple of scenes.
“Maybe if I’d dated in high school, gone to the movies and prom, participated in the activities normal teenagers did, I wouldn’t have felt so desperate to cling to someone who wasn’t any good for me.”
The book is about the fallout of Jesse being abused by a boyfriend, and Jesse’s bandmates accusing him of being an addict when the abuse starts impacting his performance on tour. The book starts after the band has a big blowup, and Jesse escapes to a cabin, where he later meets Ryker. They start as enemies, and very slowly become friends. I enjoy that part of the book a lot. How they very slowly build trust. When that trust builds into something more, it’s very sweet. Jesse is very much affected by the abuse he suffered tho, which leads to the book being a very slow burn, romantically speaking. There’s very little (almost no) spice, only a small scene near the very end. It fits for these characters, even though I would have loved a lengthy epilogue so we could see them a bit further down the road when they’re more healed.
The book spent a little too much time hating on Kyle (Jesse’s best friend and bandmate), instead of showing us how they rebuild trust. Overall though, I’m glad no one was let off the hook when it came to how they treated Jesse when he needed help.
A good story that deals heavily with mental health and life after abuse. Low on spice for those who want that. Unfortunately lacked some editing at the time of reading. A sweet and tentative HFN, imo.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Forced proximity
Former soldier
Rock star
Past trauma
Size difference
Slow burn
Suspense
Low spice
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Self harm
Suicidal ideation
Domestic abuse (detailed flashbacks)
PTSD
Panic attacks
Mentions of war/combat
Violence
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: 27 and 32
All he wanted was the shame to stop and the heavy pressure in his chest to ease up enough to let him breathe.
This is another one of those that are a little bit difficult to rate. I love the book, but at the same time, something is missing got me to give it the full five stars, and I’m probably not gonna be able to say why.
“I thought he’d stop if I stopped fucking up, but I couldn’t ever do anything right.”
I really do adore the plot in this. Two broken men with trauma, with a suspense plot as well (my favorite). Not that the suspense is a massive part of it, but what is there is important. It was a reread for me, and I had forgotten quite a lot of it actually, other than the general impression and a couple of scenes.
“Maybe if I’d dated in high school, gone to the movies and prom, participated in the activities normal teenagers did, I wouldn’t have felt so desperate to cling to someone who wasn’t any good for me.”
The book is about the fallout of Jesse being abused by a boyfriend, and Jesse’s bandmates accusing him of being an addict when the abuse starts impacting his performance on tour. The book starts after the band has a big blowup, and Jesse escapes to a cabin, where he later meets Ryker. They start as enemies, and very slowly become friends. I enjoy that part of the book a lot. How they very slowly build trust. When that trust builds into something more, it’s very sweet. Jesse is very much affected by the abuse he suffered tho, which leads to the book being a very slow burn, romantically speaking. There’s very little (almost no) spice, only a small scene near the very end. It fits for these characters, even though I would have loved a lengthy epilogue so we could see them a bit further down the road when they’re more healed.
The book spent a little too much time hating on Kyle (Jesse’s best friend and bandmate), instead of showing us how they rebuild trust. Overall though, I’m glad no one was let off the hook when it came to how they treated Jesse when he needed help.
A good story that deals heavily with mental health and life after abuse. Low on spice for those who want that. Unfortunately lacked some editing at the time of reading. A sweet and tentative HFN, imo.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Forced proximity
Former soldier
Rock star
Past trauma
Size difference
Slow burn
Suspense
Low spice
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Self harm
Suicidal ideation
Domestic abuse (detailed flashbacks)
PTSD
Panic attacks
Mentions of war/combat
Violence
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: 27 and 32
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
4.5 rounded up
Maybe he was right. I was a waste of space and that was why he didn't treat me the way he used to. Was I failing him? Bringing this on myself? Yes, that had to be right. I was letting him down, and I deserved every slap, kick, unkind word, and punishment.
There’s just something about Daddy/boy or Daddy/little books that makes me feel warm and safe while reading. This book is not a sweet and fluffy read, though. It is sad, brutal, and so very real. I have read several books with victims of domestic abuse, but this one was quite unique in that the abused MC is still with his abuser for a while in the book. We get to see the trauma, him getting away from it, and the ups and downs from the aftermath of that abuse. I was in the mood for a fluffy relationship, and even though this wasn’t that with the problems the MCs had individually and when trying to figure out their relationship, it was too good to put down and pick up something else.
The back of his hand connecting to my face wasn’t new, but it hurt worse in the moments when all I needed was love.
After being groomed as a kid and then staying in an abusive relationship for 14 years, it is understandable that he went through a lot of emotions, different coping mechanisms and problems after. It was lovely to see Branson being there for him every step of the way, no matter how hard and in what way Layne pushed him, even when they didn’t quite know what they were to each other yet. I’m not usually a fan of that sort of back-and-forth, ‘what are we?’ sort of situation, but Layne needed a good friend most of all (and therapy), and he got both.
"Are you... going small on me?" Layne blushed. "I-I can't help it. It's been so long, Daddy." He looked up at me with big, blue eyes and I melted. "I wanna be baby." I chuckled. "Then baby you shall be, princess.
(Btw, Layne regresses to 4/5 years old, not actually baby age)
I mentioned that this book wasn’t fluffy, and while that is true, there was thankfully a few lighthearted and fluffier moments, especially when Layne was in little space. I thought those scenes were written beautifully, and I am looking forward to exploring more of this series and author.
Branson grinned. "I thought you liked who I was as a person." I rolled my eyes. "I tolerate you." Mouth falling open, Branson stared at me. "Layne!"
"Daddyyyy." Layne called me in a song-song voice. "You're not paying attention to me."
I think my favorite part of the book was getting to see Layne’s personality shine through once he trusted the people around him again.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Daddy kink, age play (no ABDL), domestic abuse (not between MCs), strangers to friends to lovers, boss/employee, size difference, younger daddy/older boy, sex in little-space, safe-wording, slow burn, stalking
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Domestic abuse
Emotional, physical and sexual abuse
Self harm (skin picking)
Mentions of past grooming
Anxiety attacks
Non-con/rape (off-page, not detailed)
*none of the abuse occurs between MCs
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes. Abusive and stalking ex. Layne tries (unsuccessfully) to find a hookup, mostly to get a reaction from Branson.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
4.5 rounded up
Maybe he was right. I was a waste of space and that was why he didn't treat me the way he used to. Was I failing him? Bringing this on myself? Yes, that had to be right. I was letting him down, and I deserved every slap, kick, unkind word, and punishment.
There’s just something about Daddy/boy or Daddy/little books that makes me feel warm and safe while reading. This book is not a sweet and fluffy read, though. It is sad, brutal, and so very real. I have read several books with victims of domestic abuse, but this one was quite unique in that the abused MC is still with his abuser for a while in the book. We get to see the trauma, him getting away from it, and the ups and downs from the aftermath of that abuse. I was in the mood for a fluffy relationship, and even though this wasn’t that with the problems the MCs had individually and when trying to figure out their relationship, it was too good to put down and pick up something else.
The back of his hand connecting to my face wasn’t new, but it hurt worse in the moments when all I needed was love.
After being groomed as a kid and then staying in an abusive relationship for 14 years, it is understandable that he went through a lot of emotions, different coping mechanisms and problems after. It was lovely to see Branson being there for him every step of the way, no matter how hard and in what way Layne pushed him, even when they didn’t quite know what they were to each other yet. I’m not usually a fan of that sort of back-and-forth, ‘what are we?’ sort of situation, but Layne needed a good friend most of all (and therapy), and he got both.
"Are you... going small on me?" Layne blushed. "I-I can't help it. It's been so long, Daddy." He looked up at me with big, blue eyes and I melted. "I wanna be baby." I chuckled. "Then baby you shall be, princess.
(Btw, Layne regresses to 4/5 years old, not actually baby age)
I mentioned that this book wasn’t fluffy, and while that is true, there was thankfully a few lighthearted and fluffier moments, especially when Layne was in little space. I thought those scenes were written beautifully, and I am looking forward to exploring more of this series and author.
Branson grinned. "I thought you liked who I was as a person." I rolled my eyes. "I tolerate you." Mouth falling open, Branson stared at me. "Layne!"
"Daddyyyy." Layne called me in a song-song voice. "You're not paying attention to me."
I think my favorite part of the book was getting to see Layne’s personality shine through once he trusted the people around him again.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Daddy kink, age play (no ABDL), domestic abuse (not between MCs), strangers to friends to lovers, boss/employee, size difference, younger daddy/older boy, sex in little-space, safe-wording, slow burn, stalking
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Domestic abuse
Emotional, physical and sexual abuse
Self harm (skin picking)
Mentions of past grooming
Anxiety attacks
Non-con/rape (off-page, not detailed)
*none of the abuse occurs between MCs
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes. Abusive and stalking ex. Layne tries (unsuccessfully) to find a hookup, mostly to get a reaction from Branson.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
Lola was falling into an open place in our pack that I’d previously only thought of as comfortable breathing room.
Let me start this by saying that this duet is my favorite reverse harem, and I can’t imagine anything will ever take its place. There’s just something really special about this story and all the characters in it, and I truly don’t get sick of rereading it. There’s six men in this harem, which is a lot. Somehow the author has managed to give all of them their own voice, and I never wonder who’s who. Sure, it hits some of the stereotypes for harems, but I don’t think you could write one without. Matthieu (the oldest MMC) is probably my favorite out of all of the men, and I love his quiet support, his soft and caring nature, and just the way he treats Lola and the other pack members. He’s the ‘head alpha’, but without showing those typical toxic masculinity traits that alpha men often do. Not that any of the others in the books do, but I can go on and on about Matt, lol.
“You’re okay. You’re safe,” he murmured. I might’ve been safe. I definitely wasn’t okay. I was ruined.
Now for the real miracle: I *love* the female main character. I have always easily been annoyed by FMCs to be honest, and this has only been exacerbated by mostly reading MM romance these days. Somehow, Lola is one of those FMCs I keep loving, and she’s such a strong character. She’s flawed and insecure because of her designation (a beta in a world where omegas are coveted above all else), and she has suffered serious trauma in the past. These books are honestly just a beautiful and slow journey working through Lola’s (and the MMCs) problems, while dealing with an external source of angst. It’s beautifully written, emotional, super spicy, and you’ll be able to connect with everyone. Well, *almost* everyone. It is a slow harem build, meaning not everyone becomes sexually involved in the first book, but everyone is present in both books and the slow build of trust and friendship is awesome.
“[…] Not everything needs to be about beta and alpha and omega nonsense,” Matthieu said, echoing my shifting with a little of his own from below. “And you don’t need to be ashamed of wanting material things to go along with emotional affection. We won’t trade one for the other, but you’ll have both if you want. Yes?”
If you couldn’t tell, I really love these books and I’m completely biased at this point, lol. Oh, and there’s plenty of MM action, which only makes it better.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reverse harem
MM
Bodyguard
Interracial relationships
Omegaverse
Beta FMC
Past trauma
Slow harem build
Mental health rep
Purring
Scenting
Heat/slick/knotting
2 betas, 1 omega, 4 alphas
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Flashbacks
Sexual abuse (past, some details)
Explicit sexual content
Slick/heat/knotting
Harassment by past abuser
Mentions of drugging and sexual assault (past, some details)
Group sex (including MM)
Designation discrimination (a/b/o)
Home invasion
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: One MMC is in a relationship with someone outside of the pack in the beginning, but it ends without drama.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, multiple POV
Genre: Omegaverse, RH
MMMMFMM
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: FMC is 25. Oldest MMC is late 40’s.
Lola was falling into an open place in our pack that I’d previously only thought of as comfortable breathing room.
Let me start this by saying that this duet is my favorite reverse harem, and I can’t imagine anything will ever take its place. There’s just something really special about this story and all the characters in it, and I truly don’t get sick of rereading it. There’s six men in this harem, which is a lot. Somehow the author has managed to give all of them their own voice, and I never wonder who’s who. Sure, it hits some of the stereotypes for harems, but I don’t think you could write one without. Matthieu (the oldest MMC) is probably my favorite out of all of the men, and I love his quiet support, his soft and caring nature, and just the way he treats Lola and the other pack members. He’s the ‘head alpha’, but without showing those typical toxic masculinity traits that alpha men often do. Not that any of the others in the books do, but I can go on and on about Matt, lol.
“You’re okay. You’re safe,” he murmured. I might’ve been safe. I definitely wasn’t okay. I was ruined.
Now for the real miracle: I *love* the female main character. I have always easily been annoyed by FMCs to be honest, and this has only been exacerbated by mostly reading MM romance these days. Somehow, Lola is one of those FMCs I keep loving, and she’s such a strong character. She’s flawed and insecure because of her designation (a beta in a world where omegas are coveted above all else), and she has suffered serious trauma in the past. These books are honestly just a beautiful and slow journey working through Lola’s (and the MMCs) problems, while dealing with an external source of angst. It’s beautifully written, emotional, super spicy, and you’ll be able to connect with everyone. Well, *almost* everyone. It is a slow harem build, meaning not everyone becomes sexually involved in the first book, but everyone is present in both books and the slow build of trust and friendship is awesome.
“[…] Not everything needs to be about beta and alpha and omega nonsense,” Matthieu said, echoing my shifting with a little of his own from below. “And you don’t need to be ashamed of wanting material things to go along with emotional affection. We won’t trade one for the other, but you’ll have both if you want. Yes?”
If you couldn’t tell, I really love these books and I’m completely biased at this point, lol. Oh, and there’s plenty of MM action, which only makes it better.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reverse harem
MM
Bodyguard
Interracial relationships
Omegaverse
Beta FMC
Past trauma
Slow harem build
Mental health rep
Purring
Scenting
Heat/slick/knotting
2 betas, 1 omega, 4 alphas
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Flashbacks
Sexual abuse (past, some details)
Explicit sexual content
Slick/heat/knotting
Harassment by past abuser
Mentions of drugging and sexual assault (past, some details)
Group sex (including MM)
Designation discrimination (a/b/o)
Home invasion
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: One MMC is in a relationship with someone outside of the pack in the beginning, but it ends without drama.
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, multiple POV
Genre: Omegaverse, RH
MMMMFMM
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: FMC is 25. Oldest MMC is late 40’s.
Book safety, content warnings and tropes down below.
I'll start with the audiobook part. I am a huge fan of Kirt Graves, so I was very excited to see he was the narrator. I feel like we got another level of him in this one, though. I could *feel* the emotions through his voice, which only added to the impact of the book. I am not a native english speaker, so I can't speak to the accuracy of his accents, but to me at least, it sounded very well done.
Oh boy. I went into this thinking 'ooh, paranormal and BDSM? Sign me up!', and I was NOT ready for the absolutely emotional punch to the damn face that this book was. I either had tears in my eyes or was openly weeping through most of it, lol (I cry very easily, but still). There's so much depth here that I didn't see coming, which is totally my own fault as I didn't do more than take a cursory glance at the blurb or any reviews until after. It deals heavily with grief and alcoholism, and just about every emotion under the sun, but most of all love in so many forms. It was incredibly beautiful.
Halfway through the first chapter, I texted my friend and asked if Uriel becomes a nicer person, especially towards Jesse, eventually, and... yes? Sort of. They do build some sort of friendship after a while, but it's not an easy journey getting there. I think this book captures the difficulty of loving someone with an addiction very well. You love them no matter what, but it hurts you more than anything. I think this line from the blurb captures the book very well:
"A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace."
The kink and BDSM were definitely important parts of the book, but don't let it scare you off reading this if it's not your thing. It was used well to showcase the building relationship between Uriel and Jesse, and getting to see how their kink dynamic didn't work as soon as their friendship (and especially trust) deterioritated was quite powerful.
I haven't read the series this book is a spin-off from, but I navigated the world well enough, I think. I enjoyed it a lot, with all the recognizable names of the archangels, for example. Jesse was an absolute sweetheart with nothing but unconditional love for those he cares about. It was painful at times to see how he was treated, both by Uriel and others around him, but he was strong enough to carry that for as long as needed. I just wanted to give the big teddy bear a big bear hug.
I also have to say that I'm incredibly thankful that we got a great, long and lighthearted epilogue. The boys (and I) needed it after that emotional rollercoaster. I loved this book.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No, but there is a three year gap between their first encounter and 'present day' in the book (from prologue to chapter 1).
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Several hundred years age difference. Specifics unknown.
Content warnings
Brief mentions of past suicide attempt
Suicidal thoughts
Alcoholism
Withdrawal symptoms
Bondage
Impact play
Breath play
Nearly violent situation between MCs
Vomiting
Consensual face-slapping
Humiliation kink
Self harm
Grief
Mentions of the death of past partners
Tropes & tags
Addiction
Paranormal
BDSM
Twink Dom
Widower
Slight age gap
Big sub/small dom
Size difference
Emotional slow burn
Lucifer’s son
I'll start with the audiobook part. I am a huge fan of Kirt Graves, so I was very excited to see he was the narrator. I feel like we got another level of him in this one, though. I could *feel* the emotions through his voice, which only added to the impact of the book. I am not a native english speaker, so I can't speak to the accuracy of his accents, but to me at least, it sounded very well done.
Oh boy. I went into this thinking 'ooh, paranormal and BDSM? Sign me up!', and I was NOT ready for the absolutely emotional punch to the damn face that this book was. I either had tears in my eyes or was openly weeping through most of it, lol (I cry very easily, but still). There's so much depth here that I didn't see coming, which is totally my own fault as I didn't do more than take a cursory glance at the blurb or any reviews until after. It deals heavily with grief and alcoholism, and just about every emotion under the sun, but most of all love in so many forms. It was incredibly beautiful.
Halfway through the first chapter, I texted my friend and asked if Uriel becomes a nicer person, especially towards Jesse, eventually, and... yes? Sort of. They do build some sort of friendship after a while, but it's not an easy journey getting there. I think this book captures the difficulty of loving someone with an addiction very well. You love them no matter what, but it hurts you more than anything. I think this line from the blurb captures the book very well:
"A grieving Archangel searching for hope and a reason to live. A hybrid yearning for a firm, loving hand, and a place to belong. Join Uriel and Jesse as they test the boundaries of love and the infinite limits of grace."
The kink and BDSM were definitely important parts of the book, but don't let it scare you off reading this if it's not your thing. It was used well to showcase the building relationship between Uriel and Jesse, and getting to see how their kink dynamic didn't work as soon as their friendship (and especially trust) deterioritated was quite powerful.
I haven't read the series this book is a spin-off from, but I navigated the world well enough, I think. I enjoyed it a lot, with all the recognizable names of the archangels, for example. Jesse was an absolute sweetheart with nothing but unconditional love for those he cares about. It was painful at times to see how he was treated, both by Uriel and others around him, but he was strong enough to carry that for as long as needed. I just wanted to give the big teddy bear a big bear hug.
I also have to say that I'm incredibly thankful that we got a great, long and lighthearted epilogue. The boys (and I) needed it after that emotional rollercoaster. I loved this book.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No, but there is a three year gap between their first encounter and 'present day' in the book (from prologue to chapter 1).
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: Several hundred years age difference. Specifics unknown.
Content warnings
Brief mentions of past suicide attempt
Suicidal thoughts
Alcoholism
Withdrawal symptoms
Bondage
Impact play
Breath play
Nearly violent situation between MCs
Vomiting
Consensual face-slapping
Humiliation kink
Self harm
Grief
Mentions of the death of past partners
Tropes & tags
Addiction
Paranormal
BDSM
Twink Dom
Widower
Slight age gap
Big sub/small dom
Size difference
Emotional slow burn
Lucifer’s son
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
Wait, do I actually like hockey books? I think I’ve read and enjoyed too many to say I don’t like them anymore, lol. It’s certainly not my favorite trope, but it’s obvious that L.A Witt knows what she’s writing about. I haven’t had any problems with the technical/hockey stuff in her books at least.
When it comes to this book specifically, I enjoyed it. There’s something about characters that have been abused (in any form) that really tugs at my heartstrings, and I enjoy reading their stories and seeing them get their happy ever afters. In this book, both MCs have suffered abuse, just in different ways, and they are both extremely wary of starting anything new, which is understandable. They basically start a hookup/friends with benefits situation, which is definitely not my favorite way to start a romance book. However, it does make sense for these characters, and it would’ve been strange if either man was excited about dating at all. They do quickly blur the lines as they get emotionally invested as well.
Asher was my favorite MC in this book by far. There’s nothing wrong with the other MC (Jeff? Geoff? I listened to the audiobook lol), but I didn’t really connect with him much either. He was just kinda there, and I’m not left with a lot of thoughts about him.
I’ve read a ton of MM books this year, and even though characters often mention how anal sex isn’t a dealbreaker or *that* important to them, this is the first time I’ve read a book where they actually don’t have penetrative sex at all, and it’s not because of trauma. It’s just something one of the MCs doesn’t enjoy, so they don’t do it. I like how L.A Witt included that. It’s important to show how sex can look different for every couple.
As mentioned I listened to the audiobook, and it was narrated by Michael Ferrawhatsit AND Nick J. Russo (my voice crush), so it was like finding the Holy Grail. God, they are both perfect.
Way off topic:
You ever feel like Michael shouldn’t ever swear? His voice is too classy to say filthy things, lmao.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Hockey player
Police officer
Abusive ex
Single dad
Friends with benefits
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Domestic abuse
Combat PTSD
Manipulative ex
Mentions of homophobia
Gaslighting ex
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: 25 and 44
Wait, do I actually like hockey books? I think I’ve read and enjoyed too many to say I don’t like them anymore, lol. It’s certainly not my favorite trope, but it’s obvious that L.A Witt knows what she’s writing about. I haven’t had any problems with the technical/hockey stuff in her books at least.
When it comes to this book specifically, I enjoyed it. There’s something about characters that have been abused (in any form) that really tugs at my heartstrings, and I enjoy reading their stories and seeing them get their happy ever afters. In this book, both MCs have suffered abuse, just in different ways, and they are both extremely wary of starting anything new, which is understandable. They basically start a hookup/friends with benefits situation, which is definitely not my favorite way to start a romance book. However, it does make sense for these characters, and it would’ve been strange if either man was excited about dating at all. They do quickly blur the lines as they get emotionally invested as well.
Asher was my favorite MC in this book by far. There’s nothing wrong with the other MC (Jeff? Geoff? I listened to the audiobook lol), but I didn’t really connect with him much either. He was just kinda there, and I’m not left with a lot of thoughts about him.
I’ve read a ton of MM books this year, and even though characters often mention how anal sex isn’t a dealbreaker or *that* important to them, this is the first time I’ve read a book where they actually don’t have penetrative sex at all, and it’s not because of trauma. It’s just something one of the MCs doesn’t enjoy, so they don’t do it. I like how L.A Witt included that. It’s important to show how sex can look different for every couple.
As mentioned I listened to the audiobook, and it was narrated by Michael Ferrawhatsit AND Nick J. Russo (my voice crush), so it was like finding the Holy Grail. God, they are both perfect.
Way off topic:
You ever feel like Michael shouldn’t ever swear? His voice is too classy to say filthy things, lmao.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Hockey player
Police officer
Abusive ex
Single dad
Friends with benefits
⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Domestic abuse
Combat PTSD
Manipulative ex
Mentions of homophobia
Gaslighting ex
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Third-act breakup: Yes
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: 25 and 44
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“I don’t ever want to hear you speak about yourself that way again. You can question whether or not you are satisfied with your place here with us, but never your worth. Do you understand me?”
Book 1 and book 2 really should be read like it’s just one big book, because it pretty much picks up right where the first one stops. I love the continuation of the evolving relationships with all of the pack members, and Lola’s slow healing. This book isn’t smooth sailing by any means, but the men in the pack are so freaking supportive and understanding, and I love seeing Lola learn to trust them, and trust that they love her.
“You follow the sun through the house like a cat,” Matthieu said.
I don’t have a lot to say about this one that I didn’t already say in my review for book 1 as I generally think of them as one book. It is incredibly spicy and turns into a bit of a sexfest in the final parts of the book, but I’m good with that, lol. It’s an amazing omegaverse, reverse harem, hurt/comfort duology, and my very favorite.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reverse harem
Pack life
Omegaverse
Beta FMC
Hurt/comfort
MM content
Past trauma
Mating
Purring
Mild D/s dynamic
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted kidnapping
Kidnapping
Mentions of past sexual assault
Explicit sexual content
Death of an antagonist
Knotting/slick/mating
FMC filmed during past sexual assault
(past, detailed)
On page killing
Violence
Brief mentions of parental death
(cancer, past)
Flashbacks to past abuse
Drug use (marijuana)
Pregnancy (mentioned in epilogue)
Threats of sexual assault
Non-con kiss (antagonist and Lola)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, multiple POV
Genr: Omegaverse, reverse harem, MMMMFMM
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: FMC is 25, oldest MMC in his late 40s
Pages: 333
But a girl that sweet deserved flowers and dates and excuses to get dressed up and a fuck of a lot of kisses before I took her to bed. And definitely before I begged to bite her and make her mine.
“I don’t ever want to hear you speak about yourself that way again. You can question whether or not you are satisfied with your place here with us, but never your worth. Do you understand me?”
Book 1 and book 2 really should be read like it’s just one big book, because it pretty much picks up right where the first one stops. I love the continuation of the evolving relationships with all of the pack members, and Lola’s slow healing. This book isn’t smooth sailing by any means, but the men in the pack are so freaking supportive and understanding, and I love seeing Lola learn to trust them, and trust that they love her.
“You follow the sun through the house like a cat,” Matthieu said.
I don’t have a lot to say about this one that I didn’t already say in my review for book 1 as I generally think of them as one book. It is incredibly spicy and turns into a bit of a sexfest in the final parts of the book, but I’m good with that, lol. It’s an amazing omegaverse, reverse harem, hurt/comfort duology, and my very favorite.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Reverse harem
Pack life
Omegaverse
Beta FMC
Hurt/comfort
MM content
Past trauma
Mating
Purring
Mild D/s dynamic
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Attempted kidnapping
Kidnapping
Mentions of past sexual assault
Explicit sexual content
Death of an antagonist
Knotting/slick/mating
FMC filmed during past sexual assault
(past, detailed)
On page killing
Violence
Brief mentions of parental death
(cancer, past)
Flashbacks to past abuse
Drug use (marijuana)
Pregnancy (mentioned in epilogue)
Threats of sexual assault
Non-con kiss (antagonist and Lola)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, multiple POV
Genr: Omegaverse, reverse harem, MMMMFMM
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: FMC is 25, oldest MMC in his late 40s
Pages: 333
But a girl that sweet deserved flowers and dates and excuses to get dressed up and a fuck of a lot of kisses before I took her to bed. And definitely before I begged to bite her and make her mine.
Book safety down below!
Alright folks, this book was deliciously low on angst, but still had meat on it's bones, if you catch my drift. It's the first book I've read with a gender fluid character, and I'm glad I did.
I'm often prejudiced against books that start with a one night stand, as I've noticed that it often leads to a friends-with-benefits situation, which I'm not a huge fan of, but this one didn't, and it made me so happy!
I was super impressed by the chemistry between characters, too. We're so often 'told' that the main characters have chemistry and that the sexual tension is off the charts, but so rarely do I actually feel it through the writing. Stef and Blake though? Definite chemistry.
Characters that are described as ‘sassy and fabulous’ make me nervous sometimes, because it's often used for characters that are *only* sassy and fabulous, so I'm glad that wasn't the case here. Stef was all that and so much more, without being OTT.
It’s a sweet story about two people falling in love.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third act breakup: No
POV: Dual
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 35 and 44
Pages: 245
TW/CW: transphobia, sexual harassment, explicit sexual content, mentions of parent heartattack and death, hospitalization of main character
Favorite quotes:
"I'm here, I'm queer, and I have an amazing rear."
"'I'm concerned this is all happening fast. Not worried but concerned. A bit.' And now I'm concerned that he keeps saying 'concerned.' 'What if we find out we have nothing in common?' I do not roll my eyes, and that should earn me some kind of recognition. This man is going to give me wrinkles before my time."
Alright folks, this book was deliciously low on angst, but still had meat on it's bones, if you catch my drift. It's the first book I've read with a gender fluid character, and I'm glad I did.
I'm often prejudiced against books that start with a one night stand, as I've noticed that it often leads to a friends-with-benefits situation, which I'm not a huge fan of, but this one didn't, and it made me so happy!
I was super impressed by the chemistry between characters, too. We're so often 'told' that the main characters have chemistry and that the sexual tension is off the charts, but so rarely do I actually feel it through the writing. Stef and Blake though? Definite chemistry.
Characters that are described as ‘sassy and fabulous’ make me nervous sometimes, because it's often used for characters that are *only* sassy and fabulous, so I'm glad that wasn't the case here. Stef was all that and so much more, without being OTT.
It’s a sweet story about two people falling in love.
⚠️ Spoiler warning ⚠️
Book safety
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third act breakup: No
POV: Dual
Genre: Contemporary romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
MCs age: 35 and 44
Pages: 245
TW/CW: transphobia, sexual harassment, explicit sexual content, mentions of parent heartattack and death, hospitalization of main character
Favorite quotes:
"I'm here, I'm queer, and I have an amazing rear."
"'I'm concerned this is all happening fast. Not worried but concerned. A bit.' And now I'm concerned that he keeps saying 'concerned.' 'What if we find out we have nothing in common?' I do not roll my eyes, and that should earn me some kind of recognition. This man is going to give me wrinkles before my time."
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“For hell’s sake!” the demon cried, stamping one silver, crystal-studded pump against the pavement. “Summoned mid-blowjob? Seriously?”
I don’t have tons of thoughts on this one, but it was quite funny, very well written and entertaining. I had a good time reading it, and both main characters were interesting.
“I told you, when shit hits the fan, I’ll bring the badass.” “Shit is hitting the fan, Lyn. And you got your face smashed in!”
There’s no spice (not explicit at least), and the characters get together at the end, so I would look at it more as an ‘adventure’ type story more than a romance. The main characters just also happen to be soulmates with good chemistry, lol. It was all very cute. Oh, and I mentioned funny already, but it really was.
“Yeah, it really wants to kill you.” “I know,” he seethed, pointing viciously at Lyn. “That’s why I summoned you!” Understanding dawned, and they shook their head vigorously. “Oh no, I’m not dressed for this.” Jamie gaped at the demon, and they waved at their feet. “Um, I’m not getting ghoul pieces on my Jimmy Choo’s, thank you very much.” “But it’s going to eat me!” They sucked on their teeth, then offered him a patronizing simper. “That sounds a lot like a you problem.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Paranormal
Demon
Human
Novella
Fated soulmates
M/X
Tattoos
Banter
Snarky character
No explicit sex scenes
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Graphic violence
Gore
Sold as a child
Brief mentions of child abuse (past)
Torture
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, single POV
Genre: Paranormal/urban fantasy, M/X
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: Not specified
Pages: 114
“You literally just beat a ghoul into a bloody pulp with your handbag, and you’re grossed out by a little spit?”
“I’m going to disembowel him.” Lyn grinned darkly, flashing too many teeth. It was the most demonic they’d ever looked, and Jamie was mortified when his dick twitched behind his zipper.
“For hell’s sake!” the demon cried, stamping one silver, crystal-studded pump against the pavement. “Summoned mid-blowjob? Seriously?”
I don’t have tons of thoughts on this one, but it was quite funny, very well written and entertaining. I had a good time reading it, and both main characters were interesting.
“I told you, when shit hits the fan, I’ll bring the badass.” “Shit is hitting the fan, Lyn. And you got your face smashed in!”
There’s no spice (not explicit at least), and the characters get together at the end, so I would look at it more as an ‘adventure’ type story more than a romance. The main characters just also happen to be soulmates with good chemistry, lol. It was all very cute. Oh, and I mentioned funny already, but it really was.
“Yeah, it really wants to kill you.” “I know,” he seethed, pointing viciously at Lyn. “That’s why I summoned you!” Understanding dawned, and they shook their head vigorously. “Oh no, I’m not dressed for this.” Jamie gaped at the demon, and they waved at their feet. “Um, I’m not getting ghoul pieces on my Jimmy Choo’s, thank you very much.” “But it’s going to eat me!” They sucked on their teeth, then offered him a patronizing simper. “That sounds a lot like a you problem.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Paranormal
Demon
Human
Novella
Fated soulmates
M/X
Tattoos
Banter
Snarky character
No explicit sex scenes
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Graphic violence
Gore
Sold as a child
Brief mentions of child abuse (past)
Torture
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, single POV
Genre: Paranormal/urban fantasy, M/X
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
MCs age: Not specified
Pages: 114
“You literally just beat a ghoul into a bloody pulp with your handbag, and you’re grossed out by a little spit?”
“I’m going to disembowel him.” Lyn grinned darkly, flashing too many teeth. It was the most demonic they’d ever looked, and Jamie was mortified when his dick twitched behind his zipper.
