Plot: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
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Overall reco:
How do I talk about Atticus and Noah. Two boys so beautifully fucked up.

Alright, first I really enjoyed how this book was laid out. Single POV (which I didn't know when I started it) and the back and forth time line. I honestly really loved that part. Shit would be happening in the current time and then we'd jump to the past or the opposite would happen and I kept expecting to to get mad or frustrated by this. But it kept me on my toes. I'm not sure I'd trust too many authors to pull this off, but this was done so well.

Second, The spice was.. not horrible. It was intense. The spice here was secondary but it was still good. There were times it was fast paced and rushed and you felt it with the guys and then times where it was slow and you felt those moments too. There was weight around it every time, both good and bad.

Third, I don't know if its unresolved trauma or what but I love a good heartbreaking addict story line. and this really hit me in the heat just how I needed. I won't comment on realism or how it's romanticized, I just know it felt heartbreaking and thats what I wanted.

I can't wait for Noah's Pov, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Alex Cross. 

 I ended up DNFing this book before the spice. I stopped around 30%, which was about 145 pages into the book. This is the slowest burn to slow burn and while I like that when there is a lot of banter and angst and back and forth, this just felt like an exercise on my ADHD to not get distracted.

I read the forward/note from the author and it actually had me really excited. The author talks about the characters could solve it with one conversation but asks the ready to give into the fantasy. As someone who usually hates this trope I was hesitant. They then go on to say that the characters have trauma and are troubled and to forgive them. This whole bit actually made me want to dive in, to know why the author thought I'd hate the character.
spoiler, I didn't get that far.
I gave up when we spent 3 pages (which honestly felt like more) walking from the car to the pet store. This does not include shopping at the pet store. This was getting to the pet store, out of the car, and to the store interior description. Why did it take so long, you ask? Because the current POV was rehashing again the issues he had or the situation or why he shouldn't be interested in the other MMC. again. You know how there is that test about women on a screen and if they can have screentime that isn't talking about a man? This felt like an extreme version of the test, but instead of talking about a man it was rehashing the same thoughts.
I understand that these characters are dealing withe trauma, and there is a lot of in the head processes that will happen with that. Unfortunately, in this instance, its very redundant. There are other books I've read and this is done very well, and coming off a book I felt handled it excellently, this felt like a slog.
I don't think I even got anywhere close to where the real drama of the story started. I was still in the learning the characters phase and I was already tired of the amount of time we were spending in the one person's head. Funny enough. It was ONLY the one MC that I was having an issue with. I read the one POV fine, it was the other guy that I didn't like. 

Plot: 4/5
Spice: 2.5/5 (this isn't bad, like the ACE rep book, this made sense and didn't detract)
Characters: 5/5
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Overall reco:
I did not think it was possible to like a pair more than Max and Luke, and while I'm not really sure that I do, Marcos and Nate are so damn close to them. These 4 are my babies. I love them. I will protect them.
First, as someone who grew up around horses (jumpers mostly, thought I was around a lot of barrel racers surprisingly) the horse parts of the book felt spot on and it felt so good for someone to get things right. Especially the thing with Annabelle. You have no idea how many times-Sorry, ranting about people buying the wrong horse for their kids is a hot button issue
Anyway, JJ Mulder has this way of writing trauma that I just love. The development of that and really showing how it affected the characters. The self doubt on both sides that comes from that. I was so impressed (not that I expected them to write about it poorly) but, just like with Max, we really got a sense of the anguish it caused. Not just the immediate pain but the long lasting after effects. The questions that never get a good answer. The ways that you don't expect it to manifest, and how, as a partner, you work through that.
I know in the past I've complained about how JJ Mulder doesn't wrap up stories in a way that leaves me feeling satisfied, needing to know where the characters go. This one felt much better at the end. I still am not ready to be done with them, but this time the story felt like it ended at a point that I felt good about.
In the end, I loved this. I will scream about this book to anyone that listens.

 

Tag Note: I added SA to the tags more out of caution. Their relationship is rough, but there are some questionable moments. Most of the SA stuff is off screen and there are drugs involved so consent is "dubious". I wanted to mention this up front. Personally, It didn't bother me but I can think of 1 person that it might bother them.

Plot: 4/5
Spice: 3.5/5 (# of scenes, descriptions)
Characters: 4/5
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Overall reco:
I picked this up because I was looking to read something that would hurt me, that would make my heartache. Starting out this book I DID see a note that while a stand alone there was back story that would be missed but it wasn't critical and while I agree it didn't seem critical I think I missed out by having not read the other works that apparently lead up to this. Which is disappointing. The book starts out with the feeling like you already know these characters and know their story, so some character building is done but it felt kind of a little flat?
The story itself is one of those trainwrecks that you absolutely cannot put down. I don't know if I saw any errors or issues or anything because when I was reading this I was flying through the pages. When I got to the last like 200 or so pages I just devoured it. I didn't even highlight anything, not that there was the desire too, quotes from this didn't really stick out.
I did feel like there was a lot of whiplash. I was expecting sustained bullying and that wasn't exactly the case. OR more internal heartbreak. The amount of alcohol consumption was crazy, I felt like I was going to have a hang over. Also, and I don't want to like judge on peoples recovery, everyone's is different and rich kids people don't have to follow any of the processes after rehab that others do.. Xavi's recovery felt surprisingly easy as a reader. Like, only once, is he tempted and even then we don't really get to see his internal strife about it. But it comes up a few times and there is absolutely no temptation that is expressed to the reader.
Not even when he goes to his

dealer and has the pill in his hand and he's playing with it. He's hesitating and he doesn't know why (because the hero is coming to save him). This didn't feel like addict behavior, especially someone who was in rehab for 4 months after YEARS of easy access.

  I was expecting more struggle from Xavi about his drug use, and maybe thats because I didn't have the prior knowledge of the characters? It felt kind of superficial.

In the end, it didn't fully scratch my "make me hurt" itch, but it was enjoyable. 

 

Plot: 4/5
Spice: 3/5 (# of scenes, great descriptions. I want to say that Rio was intense but didn't hit me like Kai or Isaiah, so it's a little less here but still Tomforde's amazing writing)
Characters: 5/5
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Overall reco: The last book of a great series and it felt like it ended on magic . Rio has been my favorite side character, I love the goofy comic relief. Not as much as I love the mouthy and cocky asshole/bad boy but hey, its still close. I love when they finally get their chance at love because its usually so fucking sweet I fell like I'm going to gain weight. Rio's story was absolutely no exception to this rule.
I didn't devour this the way I did the last two but I think that's because I tend to take the sweeter reads slower AND I tend to struggle when I know its the end of a series. I find ever reason I can to draw it out. That said, I felt like I got to savor this and really soak in all the little things. I loved how this novel unfolded and how we got to see a second-chance that wasn't really another second chance.

In the end: If you enjoyed any of Liz's book in this series, I can't recommend this one enough. Rio is the puppies of puppy dogs and I'm so sad that this ride is over. 

Plot: 3/5 (predictable but still enjoyable)
Spice: 4/5 (# of scenes, descriptions)
Characters: 5/5
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Overall reco:
I liked the first two books of this series, I have LOVED these last two. Kai was one thing. Isaiah is a whole different ballgame (hue hue hue). Seriously. I ate this book UP. The back and forth with Kennedy and Isaiah was hot and adorable. Both characters felt deep and interesting.. y'all. I took this book to a concert to get extra pages in. I took this book to a concert I don't do that.

The plot was fairly easy to predict but that doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. I think I guessed the 'solution' about 20% in but it didn't make the ride less enjoyable. This series was never about crazy twists and storylines, it was about the relationships.

I think I might place this book ahead of Kai/Miller. Isaiah/Kennedy have been a joy and I will miss them.

(Other Notes)
I do also want to make a call out about something I absolutely love about Liz Tomforde. The ability to keep her other characters updated in the books without feeling like we are missing out on huge life events. There is another series that I've been reading (with it's spin off) and we've missed out on critical moments with those characters and it felt hurtful. Like a pair got married and it was mentioned in a line but nothing else. Their characters ended up feeling very dead and not alive. In this series we've missed out on some of those big moments

(like Kai and Miller's wedding and Emmy's birth)

but it didn't feel like those characters were dead, not even Zee of Ryan. We get to keep up with them in a very natural pacing and they still feel so alive. This is probably my favorite nugget, the world feels so alive still. 

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 4/5 (Fucking hell, The mouth on Kai alone gets me here.)
Characters: 5/5

Overall reco:
Okay. So, truth time. I enjoyed the first two of these books and then took a break, because I was late to the series and the 3rd book (this one) didn't seem that interesting at the time. I figured I'd come back to it eventually, and when Rio's book dropped and people started freaking out I remembered Rio and remembered this series. This is important. I promise.
I regret stopping this series when I did because I have been missing the fuck out on MALAKAI FUCKING RHODES.
Like Holy shit. HOLY SHIT. God damn but that man just.. (insert unladylike growling)
Seriously. AND THEN MILLER.
Miller is a BAMF. I'm more made about missing out on her than I am about anyone else! I have more highlighted quotes that are 100% because I barked a laugh at her. I knew I was going to love her at 9% when she quipped about all men belonging on their knees.
The flirting, the yearning, that teasing. This was so good I started doing that weird thing where I ration it because I didn't want it to end. I knew when I hit about 70% I wasn't going to be able to put it down and it was true. I cried. I only cry in hurt/comfort books where the author is basically ripping your heart out. This wasn't that and I was crying as I raced through the end.
I did find the tory to drag at parts, the characters were rather cerebral and in their heads a lot, which meant that they were often rehashing their thoughts over and over but as someone that can get obsessive thoughts (NOT OCD, but anxiety from ADHD) that felt rather relatable.

In the end, I would totally listen to the Audiobook version of this as a reread. 

 

Plot: 4/5
Spice: 4/5 (# of scene's, risky scenes, detailed descriptions)
Characters: 5/5
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Overall reco: I love a good cocky asshole. Beck from the Finley/James CU Hockey series comes to mind instantly, but pretty much every bad boy to bad boy is my favorite thing. I love watching that dynamic where the MC cracks past that attitude and peeks that soft center. (I also love warm half baked cookies BTW). Holden might be my favorite yet. He dripped with confidence, oozed it. I loved watching the game develop between the Phoenix and Holden, I was on the edge of my seat with anxiety about them but it was the best ride.
When I read the warning at the beginning of the book I was a bit nervous. I'd not actively avoided the cheating tag but it's just not come up much (yet) in the books sphere's I've been into. I figured I'd probably hate it, when I did run across it, but I was very much surprised by this book. Yes, it's a grey area in this book, and while not technically fully into it it does give the taboo feeling. CE Ricci actually worked this line really really well. I was upset for EVERYONE in this book, it would have been so easy to make someone a villain and then lean into that but really, I loved Kason, and Phoenix, and Holden. I get WHY she did that (Kason's book is next) but it made the story more real, more human.
I raced through this book in 2 days because I needed to know. I was gripped by the throat and it didn't even let me go once. I was grabbing pages between every little thing going on in my life the last 2 days. I can't wait to get into Kason's story!

additional random thought : I just, while writing this review found out Jacob Morgan is Phoenix in the audiobook version and I think I just died and maybe went to heaven 

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 2.5/5 (only for number of on page V off page. Rather bland, clinical.)
Characters: 3/5 (they were ok, not problematic but not rushing to remember their names)

Overall Reco:
It's a very cute and low stakes book. And really, if that's what you are looking for this will probably be an enjoyable time. I do think this is a cute read and the series has potential and it's an interesting take on fated mates (without using the words "fated mates"). It's very insta-love, but that is expected, even so it's not a crazy rushed thing, there is still courting and relationship building. Nothing seriously offensive of upsetting happens in this super low stakes read.
I enjoyed the confrontation with her antagonists,

her mother and her Ex

. They already felt pretty villainous, and that climax felt pretty satisfying, even if rather low stakes (though that's the point of a cozy novel, low stakes).
I had a few issues with the story and I'm honestly waffling if I'm giving this too high a star mark (at just under 3 stars). The biggest problem I had with this story was staying in it. I often found my brain wandering and had to reread pages or paragraphs. Something in the book would spark a thought and my brain would run off and suddenly I'm a page later an no idea what's happening. This tends to only really happen in books that are rather repetitive or not that interesting to me. I did find some errors that I emailed the author about, those did not affect my rating surprisingly.

My rants:
The spice: 

Was very, very clinical feeling. There was hardly any dirty talk or really flowery/steamy language. We got some dirty talk towards the end in the actual heat but before that the spice is rather dry. It's over in paragraphs in some places and like there was a lot of glossing over what people were saying using things like "he was whispering naughty things in my ear." or "She screamed MMC's name as she came." but nothing in terms of dialog. I kind of wanted to give this a 2 on spice, but every time they DID something it was on page, just rather.. dull.

An established pack but no Swordplay?: I'm hesitant to put this behind a spoiler tag, only because I would have wanted to know this before reading the book..

but there is no fucking swordplay. There is no Dude on Dude action. They are just 3 bros living together and making a back when an omega comes along. I'm sorry. what? Did I trip down the wrong lane of OV? Like god damn, at one point a dude snuggles up to another and the one guy gives him a look and the author points out that that's just the way it has to be. I was expecting some relationship building between the dudes but nope. This makes the guys seem just kind of flat. Like yeah they have personalities but they feel totally like sticks and not dudes.

Backdoor Spice (Anal):

Cali must have a unicorn ass. There is anal in this book with just about ZERO prep. The MMC is described as being "is wide, dark, and intimidating". He lubes up (thank god with actual lube) and just about dives right in. The chapter literally ends with him lubing himself and then pressing to her backside. There is a bit of backtracking, it seems, at the start of the next chapter where he uses his thumb (yes SINGLE thumb) a bit but nothing beyond that. This girl has said she's never done anything anal before, and while yes she's mentioned toys its kind of implied in how she talks that she hasn't used anything back there before. EVEN SO, the MMC handling her should have been a better partner. But of course she has a unicorn ass so there is no pain or issue with him going fully to the hilt in just a few thrusts. *Eye roll*  Like, I get this is fantasy. Even more so because it's OV and while I forgive a whole lot of things around anal it still bothers the SHIT out of me.

She screams:

This annoyed me so much. Every time this girl gets some pleasure she screams. The author though doesn't write it out what she's screaming. Its usually "as I scream my release into his room." or "tipping over the edge, screaming my name into the stars,". Like okay, boring. But after the first few times it being described as screaming I just kind of picture her screeching, which really lost its appeal.

The world building:  

There was a lot of political stuff in this book, a surprising amount for a cozy type novel. It felt a bit out of place for me, and maybe it's important in the later novels that will come in the series, but the whole thing about Jane Eyre had me kind of scratching my head. I didn't understand why it was added. Maybe it was because I was really having trouble staying in the novel at that point but it definitely had me wondering what the author was trying to say. What is trying to make a comment about current society? Okay. This wasn't so bad but when it happened it felt a little jarring, but again, that was probably because I was half out of the book by this time was was just trying to finish to see if there was any god damn swordplay..

 I recieved an early copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 4.5/5 (# of scenes, detailed, I'm waffling on it this is a 4 or a 5 honestly)
Characters: 5/5

Overall reco: Am I coming off a group of less than great books or have I just been absolutely sleeping on C.E. Ricci? I am going to believe I've just been sleeping on C.E. Ricci and this series because I'm a god damn moron.
This book hit a LOT of buttons. There is a great amount of angst in this story. It hits just right and the tension between the two guys is heavy. It actually felt like they hated each other instead of just a "oh why am I so obsessed with this guy?" kinda stuff that lots of E2L tries to pull off. I started off in Oakley's camp, like what the fuck was Quinton's problem? And then we get into Quinton and he started revealing his layers and my heart broke. THEN, THEN they started pulling back the layers from each other and every little misstep and moment felt heartbreaking and breathless is the same moment.
Watching these two slowly transform over the 350 pages was so amazing and I hate that it took myself so long to get to this book and so upset that I can't experience it again.

Far too often enemies to lovers is just like instant love. No build up and once they get there they are rushing to tell each other they love each other. This was such a good balance. The build up, the moment that changed them, then the continual slow build of their relationship. God, even the 3rd act heartbreaking moment felt honest and good. It wasn't just a miscommunication and stupidly not talking together. It had depth and felt realistic and honest and .. just damn.