booksafety's Reviews (586)

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Roan Parrish is ridiculously talented. It’s almost a guarantee that whatever you read after a Roan book will feel straight up terrible in comparison, and this book was no exception.

I cried because I finally knew what it felt like to love someone more than I hated myself.

Initially I was a little sad about it being single POV, but it made sense for the story and was done well. The book is full of beautiful writing and relatable experiences with depression and anxiety.

Usually I don’t notice the spice in a book all that much and 98% of the time most sex scenes are forgotten as soon as I’ve finished reading them. However. . This little book about depression and finding love might be the hottest thing I’ve read. It was just so intimate and sensual. A lot of it was important for the characters and the story, which made it more impactful.

I really appreciated that there was no ✨magic dick✨ and there’s a focus on living a full life *with* depression, not magically being cured.

Probably my only ‘criticism’ is Jude’s age. I know someone’s age doesn’t tell you everything about them, but I had a really hard time reconciling his behavior and personality with being 36 years old. He felt more like someone in their early 20s.

Highly recommend this one. I will certainly be rereading it.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Mental illness
Eating disorder
Size difference
Edging
Black MC
Lots of foreplay
Following orders in bed
Hands-free orgasms
Age gap
Tattoo artist MC
Caretaking
Hurt/comfort
Depression and anxiety
Prostate orgasm
Blindfolded sex
Sensation play

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Past — recent — suicide attempt (few details)
Smoking cigarettes
Symptoms of depression
Detailed struggle with eating disorder
Harry Potter reference
Alcohol consumption
Prescription drug use
Explicit sexual content
MC emotionally abused by ex (past, details)
Anxiety attacks

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: Almost
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 27 and 36
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 286
Happy ending: Yes


I made my father uncomfortable. He loved me, no doubt. But love without intimacy is lonelier than indifference.

“[…] Something doesn’t have to be forever to be the most important thing you do.”
 

 **spoiler alert** Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Alright, I was planning on writing something short and neutral, you know, that whole ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all’, but then I got more and more annoyed as time went by, and this whole rant happened.

I went through so many emotions when reading this, and unfortunately, by the end, the majority was negative.
(view spoiler)
Okay, now that my little rant is over, let me mention how several moments that were intended to be important and emotional moments were shortly followed by Tyler using the phrase holy shitballs, immediately ruining any attempt at a serious scene.

Although I generally don’t like a ‘fuck buddies’ situation in my romance, I did think the relationship development from casual sex that slowly built into something meaningful was well done and I actually enjoyed it.

Oh, and a big part of Tyler’s whole schtick is being the funny one, using a lot of cliché phrases and just constant bantering, but unfortunately he was also struck by a very serious case of ‘unfunny’, which made things awkward.

I really enjoyed the gameplay tho. I like sports romances when they play sports. Actually, I think I just like Tal Bauer sports romances.

(pls come back talbert)

Also, all the age jokes fall kinda flat when the oldie is 28.

Alright I’m done shitting on this book now. As you can see it was still 3 stars and it kept me goddamn invested, so there’s that.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Sports romance
Rugby
Rookie x veteran
Small age gap
Teenage crush
Closeted MCs
Fast burn
Fuck buddies
Banging the competition
Long distance relationship
Rivals to lovers

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Alcohol consumption (on-page intoxication)
Explicit sexual content
Homophobic parent (past and present)
Use of homophobic slurs
Death of parent (past, traumatic)
Internalized homophobia
Toxic masculinity
MC beaten by parent for being gay (past)
MC hospitalized (minor injury)

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Sports romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 20 and 28
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 299
Happy ending: Yes


Before I had a chance to fully absorb the change, there was a crashing from the pantry. The door sprang ajar as Tyler fell out. My mother froze for a second before swiveling to me. “Um… Aiden. There appears to be a half-naked man in your pantry.” Her voice was calm. “Thanks. I’d been wondering where he’d gotten to,” I deadpanned.

“Exactly. At the end of your life, when you have to sum everything up, that’s what’s most important. Who you love and who loves you back. And so, it doesn’t matter if I get crap on social media or in the locker room or on the field. I’ll cope with it by remembering that nothing’s more important than you.” 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

I wanted to reread this book because I remembered some really good dynamics and a good plot from the first time I read it. I wanted a touch of sad but not too angsty, and while all of that was still true, I had clearly forgotten how fucking spicy it is, lol. It was pretty much one continuous orgasm from when they start banging until the end. There’s nothing wrong with that and the spice is good (except for being knotted in the mouth, that legit gave me breathing issues just reading it), buuut that level of spice just isn’t my thing, so I ended up upping the audio speed during those scenes.

A good omegaverse reverse harem tho. Cute scenting and nesting and all that jazz.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Reverse harem
Omegaverse
Old-fashioned courting
Scenting
Nesting
Knotting
Tattoo artist MCs
Purring
Size difference
Piercings and tattoos
Group sex
Primal play
Double penetration
Mouth knotting
‘good girl’
High heat
Dingaling piercings
Alpha rut
Bondage
Edging and orgasm control

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Alcohol consumption
Explicit sexual content
Mention of death of parent (past, grief)
Slick/knotting
Primal play/rough sex
Throat-fucking w/breath play
Impact play — spanking
Breath play
Rope bondage
Vomiting
Injured MC

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No, almost
POV: 1st person, multi
Genre: Omegaverse romance
Pairing: MMMMMF
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
Main characters’ age: Not specified
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 516
Happy ending: Yes


“Have you ever had a nest during a heat?” I shook my head. “Why not?” Shrugging, I stepped back. “It seemed like it would be harder. It’s already painful when you’re alone. Why emphasize it by making a nest when you don’t have anyone to share it with?”

There was something beautiful about the idea that one person was always meant for you. Like you were going to find each other no matter what, and it was inevitable.

“I’m still scared.” “I know, and that’s okay. As much as anyone might wish it, you can’t just ignore a lifetime full of pain overnight.” 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

I listened to this book yesterday and I must admit I have forgotten just about all of it already. I think my low angst, daddy kink book days are over. There is zero tension and no challenges. Anything that even remotely looks like it could bring some tension or make it interesting is quickly squashed and turns into nothing, and it was utterly frustrating.

Sometimes no angst works, but there needs to be something else to really sink your teeth into and keep you interested. When you have neither it becomes easily forgettable. There were brief mentions of Simon (?) having a manipulative and borderline abusive daddy in the past, and therefore struggling with trust, but even that felt like a non-issue because he started trusting Gunnar straight away, even while three sheets to the wind. Kinda ruined the whole point of including that backstory.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Daddy kink
Small town
Tattooed MC
Found family
Tattoo artist MC
Size difference
Nurse MC
Former military
Piercings
Age gap
Fast feelings

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Mention of MC unknowingly help someone cheat (past)
Alcohol consumption
On-page intoxication
Past manipulation and borderline abuse by ex
Explicit sexual content
Hand-collaring/mild breath play

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Someone hits on Gunnar a few times
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Don’t remember, think strict
Main characters’ age: 25 and 40
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 289
Happy ending: Yes 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

This book was flat and boring. There was no chemistry or tension between the MCs, and I don’t get why they’re together beyond the author writing it that way. The word ‘cookie’ is mentioned 350 times, and the MC’s name ‘Bishop’ is mentioned 239 times. It could’ve just been a story about Rory baking and decorating cookies. That’s what it felt like anyway.

I was briefly intrigued by the fact that Rory wasn’t interested in daddy kink, but that was fumbled because he did end up changing his mind and I don’t even know why.

2.5 stars rounded up because it feels wrong rating it lower.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Daddy kink
Best friend’s little brother
Size difference
Tattooed MC
Bottoming daddy
Slow burn

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Alcohol consumption
On-page intoxication
Mentions of childhood health issues
Explicit sexual content

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 25 and 35
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 285
Happy ending: Yes 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

This was pretty good! I finished the book quickly, which is a good sign considering how long it is. It was a relief reading a hockey romance where you can tell the author actually knows what they’re talking about, even if it was light on the sports.

I really enjoyed both MCs. Charlie especially was a lovely, complex character that felt super genuine. I think it’s the first time I’ve read something with a character trying to avoid casual sex because they’ve previously engaged in it for the wrong reasons/it being harmful for their mental health. It was very lovely to see him eventually have a better relationship with sex and, well, relationships.

Although I sometimes enjoy arranged marriage/woke up married/fake relationship books, sometimes it annoys me? I think the parts that those who love the trope enjoy most, is the parts I ‘dislike’. I just get impatient and annoyed when people are in a fake relationship and there is very obviously real feelings on both sides, yet they spend half the book worrying about just that and not saying anything. To be fair it wasn’t super bad in this one, but still, lol. I just wanna yell ‘JUST TELL HIM ALREADY, DUMBASS’. Anyway tho, their relationship was adorable and the growing love was sweet and realistic.

I do think it’s longer than necessary, literally no romance book without external plot needs to be nearly 600 pages, but it was still enjoyable. There was a fair amount of telling and not showing which really pulled me out of the story sometimes because it suddenly felt so impersonal. Sort of recaps of things that have happened or telling what *just* happened instead of using two sentences to show it happening just really grinds my gears after a while.

Anyway. I obviously still enjoyed, and I thought Charlie’s anorexia was handled well. I’m not sure if I’m excited about the next book or if I’m gonna run in the other direction.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Woke up married
Hockey player
Retired figure skater
Eating disorder rep
Lace and lingerie
Femme MC
Fake marriage
Makeup and high heels
Age gap
Multiple orgasms
Flip-fucking

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Alcohol consumption
Disordered eating
Explicit sexual content
Details of anorexia and excessive exercise
SC driving drunk off page
SC with drinking problem
Neglect and abuse by parent (encouraging disordered eating, etc.)
Mentions of past hospitalization because of ED
Parent commenting on MC’s body and weight (on page)
Brief mention of past stalking and sexual harassment

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: Not specified
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 575
Happy ending: Yes


“Ehh, a piece of paper and some jewelry isn’t what makes a relationship a marriage. It’s … it’s looking at someone like your heart is walking around outside your body. […]”

“Let me love you, Charlie.” Dustin leaned in and whispered against his temple. “Stay with me after this year is up and build a future with me. Please. Let me love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

“You didn’t fuck me last night,” he said with a pout. “I’m feeling needy.” “I don’t have sex with people who are on the verge of passing out. Even if I am married to them.” “Did I ever tell you your thoughtfulness makes me horny?”

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Ya know, I almost loved this. The main story was lovely and it was an interesting pairing I wasn’t sure about initially, but I ended up liking them together. I thought the trans rep was beautiful and it made me really emotional, especially the prologue/first chapter. And then — record scratch. What do you mean it’s a best friend’s dad romance and they don’t tell the best friend? Then what’s the point??! It could’ve just been a random friend or roommate with how it was handled. I was really, deeply disappointed by that. The angst with the best friend and how they react when the MCs tell them is like the best part of that trope! Blegh. It really ruined the novella for me.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Best friend’s dad
Trans masc MC
Own voices
Age gap
Cat dad
Neurodivergent MC
Exhibitionism

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
MC misgendered on page
Gender/body dysphoria
Alcohol consumption
Underage drinking (19)
Vomiting
Prescription drug use (painkillers post top surgery)
Grief — death of best friend (recent past)
Symptoms of depression
MC disowned by transphobic parents (past)
Explicit sexual content
Public sex

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and 39
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 80
Happy ending: Yes


“[…] I can’t do it… I’m not strong enough. But if I stay like this, I think I’m going to die.”

“You heard me. I want to know where things are, what they’re called, and how you like them to be used.”

He doesn’t get it, no matter how I try to tell him that he’s a man, that he’s sexy, that his cock and holes turn me on the same as any other cock and holes, and most of all that I’m falling for him, heart and body alike. 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Books full of banter and humor rarely does it for me, but Alice Winters makes me laugh sometimes. These books are a little more gritty and violent than many of their other books, but still has that Winters charm and humor. The premise is great. Homicide detective who kills bad guys and doesn’t give two shits about anyone other than his detective partner, Gabriel. God help those who threaten Gabriel. Liam will burn down the world to keep him safe, and he’ll be a sarcastic — yet hilarious — asshole to everyone else while doing it.

There’s plenty of murder mystery goodness, interactions with Gabriel’s ‘angel’ cat who tears Liam to shreds on the daily, hilarious — reluctant — attempted friendships with coworkers, and much more. If you enjoy suspense but on the lighter side with plenty of funny moments, this book is fab. I assume there will be more books with these guys, but you can read the first two without issue. There are no cliffhangers in either book.

I was a bit disappointed with how unserious the first book was, but I was more prepared for the Alice Winters-ness of it all this time.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Established couple
Law enforcement
Murder mystery
Killer MC
Vigilante killer MC
Under-the-desk blowie
Coworkers

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Mention of child abuse (SCs)
Graphic murder details
Gun violence
Mention of death of parents (past)
On-page murder
Graphic violence
Physical fight between MC and SC
On-page child abuse (between SCs)
Explicit sexual content
Unintentional self harm during panic
Bad guy stalking teenager — vague references to planned abuse
In the past, on page: murder, underage drinking, almost drugging of SC
Mentions of sexual assaults related to criminal case (past)
Mentions of drug use — side characters

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Romantic suspense
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 32 and 38
Series: Series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 395
Happy ending: Yes


“Would kindness toward others hurt you physically?” “Mentally for sure, and we all know how important mental health is.”

“Gabriel? I think there’s an issue. The issue is that the door is locked, and I’m outside of it. Do you see my issue?” “Oh, my bad. I thought you were going home.” “I would never. I’d live in your closet if you permitted it.” “And you wonder why I locked the door,” I say.

My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and I can tell Liam’s starting to draw back. He thinks he’s said something that’s upset me. The man is so goddamn confident until it comes to me, and then it’s like a simple look or word from me can make him crash. It’s probably not healthy, but I don’t know what the fuck to do about it.

“Liam, it’s okay to show care for people in other ways,” he says. “Just because you don’t hurt when others do doesn’t mean you don’t care.” 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

This was super sweet and fun. It had a great
mix of a low- angst sweet romance, past trauma, and a bit of action. It held my attention through most of it, and all the doggy bits were cute (actual dogs).

Loved the dynamic between the MCs, with the smaller MC feeling safe enough to boss his big, beefy, himbo firefighter around in bed. And said himbo golden retriever was an absolute sweetheart. I love an uncomplicated bisexual awakening.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Firefighter
Awful ex
Dog dad
Fake relationship
Sexual awakening
Jock/nerd
Golden retriever
Himbo firefighter
Only one bed
Redhead MC
Strangers to friends to lovers
Size difference

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Dog rescued from burning building (not injured)
Alcohol consumption
Domestic abuse (past, manipulation, physical, gaslighting, isolation — between MC and ex)
Explicit sexual content
Mention of multiple injuries — minor characters

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Evil ex comes back and is evil, but no real OM drama.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 28 and 33
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 271
Happy ending: Yes


Most people run away from burning buildings, not into them. But I’m not most people. Also, I’m kind of a dumbass.

I’d rather be friends and suffer pining after him than not have him at all.

“Please listen to me as your bisexual elder.” “You’re like… six years younger than me,” I point out. She scowls at me. “Yeah, but I’m really, really bisexual, so shut up and listen.

I was a total jackass for not realizing he had feelings for me earlier and then fucking with those feelings by pretending to be his boyfriend in front of his family. But I was even more of a dummy not to realize that I wasn’t faking anything at all, not from the moment we met. 

 Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Damn, this was cute as shit. Finally a shifter book with satisfying amounts of shifting! It shouldn’t be as rare as it is.

I had an amazing time reading this precious book. It has a really big age gap and a sort of accidental mating, and I really love how that was handled. There’s clear communication and just two genuine people who want to make it work together, even if they’ve only known each other a short amount of time.

I sent just about a million screenshots to the bestie group chat of all the adorable shifted moments. I mean, one of the MCs is an actual pika. One of the cutest animals on earth.

My only (minor) complaint is the mention of free use once but then it just doesn’t come up again and we didn’t really get to see the free use in ‘action’, which I was a little sad about because I haven’t read that kink much. Anyway. I still highly recommend it!

(Somewhat related, such bs that you can’t make highlights in the BookFunnel app. I don’t wanna fking transcribe every word.)

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Single dad (teenaged and adult kids)
Small town
Hurt/comfort
Evil ex
Shifters
Omegaverse
Free use (mentioned)
Size difference
Surprise heat
Virgin MC
Public sex
Light breeding kink
Car sex
Homeless MC
Prey and predator
Age gap
Multiple orgasms
Dong + finger at the same time
Found family
Mpreg

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Homelessness and food insecurity
Mentions of discrimination based on designation
Mentions of suicidal ideation
Dubcon (affected by heat hormones)
Explicit sexual content
Slick and womb-fucking
Domestic violence (off page, between SC and MC’s friend)
Detailed bruises and injuries from DV
Violence
Brief mention of SC being raped (past, off page, no details)
Mention of past neglect and abuse of MC by parents
Mpreg
Incest (between side characters, off page)
Implied murder of bad guy (off page)
On-page child birth in animal form

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Shifter romance, omegaverse
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 23 and (maybe) 43
Series: Standalone, multi-author series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 206
Happy ending: Yes


“Hey. Hey. It’s okay.” His voice is soft and soothing, but worried, as he rubs my arms. “Don’t cry. You’re breaking my heart. At least let me give you a hug.”

“Life hasn’t been kind to you, and when it is, sometimes that’s a hard thing to deal with.” He brushes his thumb under my eye, catching the last of my tears.

I thought he smelled good before but this… this is different. I sway close and press my nose into his chest, breathing deeply.
“You smell good.” Like really fucking good. I kind of want to lick him to know if he’ll taste as good as he smells.
Gavin palms the back of my head and I look up. “Careful, Jules. I’m a little on edge.”