Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: Immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever for the mains
Epilogue: The last chapter is kind of a wrap up shortly in the future
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form through NetGalley which is now super old and past due hehe
Why I chose this book: Because at this point I was grabbing everything I could off NetGalley...
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
This is number 3 in Connolly’s Society for Single Ladies series and I think it’s pretty readable alone. I guess I read book 2 but don’t really remember it...

Basic plot:
Francis is ready to declare his feelings for Virginia, when she informs him she’s trapped by the stipulations of her husbands will...

Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance (maybe Georgian? Not sure)
- widow heroine
- some unrequited longing from the hero
- friends to lovers feel
- medium steam – 3 full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 29, didn’t catch hero

First line:
Virginia, Lady Dulverton, glanced up from her book and scowled.

My thoughts:
I wasn’t in love with this one. Nothing about it really grabbed me and I didn’t realize until writing this review that I also read book 2 and didn’t remember anything about it 😆 . I think this author may just not be for me.


Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating from me: 2.5
Favorite book: I guess this one

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- attempted sexual assault of the heroine by a side character (he kisses her)
- physical assault of the hero
- some scenes of violence, attacks on the mains
- parental death
- heroine’s husband was involved in a smuggling ring and used orphanages as a cover up
Author content warnings? None mentioned

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s good 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  epilogue pregnancy 

 
15% - kiss
23% - kiss
58% (chapter 14) – 🔥kisses, missionary (v loss for her)
83% (chapter 21) – 🔥missionary to her on top
90% (chapter 22) – brief kiss
96% (chapter 23) – 🔥oral for her, missionary
Total chapters: 24 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Not really, this one has darker themes
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? a mix….maybe character?
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later
Format: listened to audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: was recommended by @imromanticallyinvolved on instagram
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
This is the first in Wells’ Underboss Insurrection series.

Basic plot:
Dario and Posy have a falling out over a pornographic video from the past. As he realizes his mistake, he must find her before danger catches her first.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- mafia themes
- darker elements, including a psychopath hero
- a hero turnaround
- curvier heroine
- enemies to lovers feel
- antihero
- chess
- stalking/obsessed hero
- he abducts her
- some levels of groveling – he washes her, helps her heal
- medium steam – 3 full scenes with light breeding thoughts from the hero, light edging

Ages:
- I think heroine is early 20s? She says the video that causes these problems was 5 years ago and with her high school boyfriend.

First line:
Today is a great day.

My thoughts:
So at first I was SO MAD at this book. I was so mad at the hero and didn’t think it would be able to turn around for me at all. But I ended up liking quite a bit about this!

It’s a mafia romance with dark elements, but I liked the focus on their relationship growth – there was still some action and suspenseful scenes but I appreciated most of the book was on them (and especially the hero’s) growth. It had some awakenings I really loved.

I can’t say I super loved these narrators. The male narrator really didn’t work for me but it was just something about his voice (purely personal preference) and the female narrator was okay. I’d definitely read more from this author.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one by default

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- revenge porn used against the heroine (not from the hero)
- plenty of dark elements, including some physical and sexual violence, death on page, kidnapping, murder….
- the hero does shake her, and pushes her off his lap, hurting her wrist, throws her in a trunk and when he stands her up, lets her fall to the ground because her legs give out and hit her head on the cement….calls her names like slut and whore
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any on audio

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s definitely questionable – I’d say if consent is important to you to forgo this one. There’s dubious and nonconsensual acts but it does turn around 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  Most of the book is free from children and pregnancy but she does fall pregnant towards the end of the story 

 
41% (chapter 7) - fingering for her that’s stopped
47% (chapter 9) - fingering for her but it’s not really consensual and painful for the heroine (incomplete)
54% (chapter 9) – 🔥heroine self pleasure, hero self pleasure
63% (chapter 9) – 🔥touches, he tells her to hold the headboard, fingering for her, missionary
77% (chapter 11) - 🔥oral for her with some edging, missionary

Total chapters: 13 and an epilogue 

 

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (this had great character depth!)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I think, I might be off)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in, 3% (chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: voluntarily listened to an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in audiobook format
Why I chose this book: I was intrigued by the title and hockey player hero
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone?

Basic plot:
Gemma and Mason meet again on a TV morning show and soon stage a fake date for some positive PR for both of them.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- historical romance author heroine
- hockey player hero
- childhood friends to lovers
- second chance-ish – mutual crushes in high school
- fake romance-ish – things start as a PR stunt
- size difference – I think he’s quite a bit taller
- celibate heroine – it’s been a couple years for her
- pretty strong consent
- lower steam – I might be off on this, but I think there’s only 1 full scene here? There’s some partials and alluded to scenes...

Ages:
- hero is 36, I didn’t catch heroine but they went to school together so something similar

First line:
Gemma Stanton stared down at her newly released first novel and told herself for the hundredth time that the kilted highland laird on the front did not look like Mason Moretti and absolutely no one would realize she’d used the pro hockey player as her inspiration.

My thoughts:
I liked a lot about this one – and I think those that tire or were never drawn to some of the stereotypical romance issues (especially featured in older romance) will really love this. It features heavily on consent and respect and really shows the growth of our hero.

I liked the character development in this one and the focus on getting to know our mains. But my issues were that I was just kind of bored. There wasn’t a lot of angst between them, and the focus was on teaching him to not be a selfish jerk and respecting her and while I really love that for people that want that focus in their romance, I tend to want those more toxic qualities instead 😆 . I was also a bit disappointed in the steam. I don’t think we even got any penetration??? Or I missed it lol….I could have missed it, my note taking was not as good for that, but I do think there were the start to a few scenes I got excited for and then they fizzled to almost nothing.

As for the narration, I really enjoyed both narrators. The duet narration is so good and just is so much more immersive and realistic to me than single narration or dual. I loved both voices and think they did great! Zero issues with the narration and I’d definitely be eager to listen to either of them again (Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins)

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first!
Average rating from me: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one by default.

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- heroine had a toxic relationship (ex-husband)
- some elements of bullying of heroine (minor and she comes out on top)
- heroine was cheated on and it resulted in a baby
- parental death

Author content warnings? Didn’t hear any on audio

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  I feel like there wasn’t much of a mention of penetration so I don’t think it was mentioned 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s good 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  I think I remember a mention that the heroine can’t have kids? They discuss fostering/adoption in the epilogue 

 
79% (chapter 30) – 🔥 kisses in the water at the beach, oral for her on the boat
87% (chapter 33) – kisses

total chapters: 38 and an epilogue 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot?
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: It takes quite awhile – about 27% (end of chapter 6)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book format
Why I chose this book: So this book was on my radar to try in the future anyway but I was thinking I would finish her first series before starting it (Warriors of Tavikh), but it ended up in my email as an ARC so I’m definitely grabbing it sooner now!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between an alien hero and human heroine

Should I read in order?
There’s quite a bit of character crossover from the first series, Warriors of Tavikh so that might be a good place to start before picking this up. You’ll get some world building and some history of the hero’s people. But overall this romance does stand alone so if you’re not a stickler for that it can be read alone.

Basic plot:
Iris hopes to start a new life on Tavikh and Kala helps assimilate her to their world.

Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting - Tavikh
- futuristic time line (Earth has moved towards a tiered system of humanity and humans are basically ‘shipped’ to planet Tavikh)
- single dad hero
- survival themes
- disability rep (heroine)
- ax throwing lessons
- lower angst
- lower to mid steam – 2 full scenes (slower burn) with knotting and light praise

Ages:
- didn’t catch either

First line:
Our world has changed since the first ship filled with humans arrived on Tavikh many moons ago.

My thoughts:
I liked a lot about this one! I really wanted to try this one as soon as I saw the cover – probably some subliminal push from my husband watching the predator movies frequently 😆

This story had better flow for me than some of the prior books I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed falling into it. I liked the slower burn and tension building between them. It is a very….easy and low angst romance though and I tend to really love my angst! There wasn’t a lot of conflict – which I think is perfect for one of those easy, cozy reads if you are in the mood for that.

Kala is super sweet and I loved Iris. I’m curious about her other spin off series featuring the Bohnari too 👀


Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 7
Average rating from me: 4.29 stars
Favorite book: Fated to the Lost Warrior

Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:

- this book takes place on planet Tavikh. The hero is from a villain-ish species from the prior series, Warriors of Tavikh – though I haven’t fully finished that series to judge how the Krijese were portrayed at the end of the series
- there was some kind of plague/disease that took out a lot of the females of the hero’s people. They (meaning other krijese) have tried mating with humans but it never worked out and the females usually died – to me it was implied in the prior series these women were stolen and raped)
- Tavikh has lavender skies and yellow grass and two moons
- Kara has greenish black skin and thick, black hair, black eyes
- the Earth Iris is from has a tiered society and she’s from the bottom – they were rationed protein bars they dipped in water to soften and lacked basic necessities
- Kala has ‘mouth claws’ and sharp teeth (she cuts her tongue first time she kisses him), and his mouth opens vertically
- he has green blood
- he can smell her arousal (of course!)
- Krijese have 2 hearts

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- hunting/eating of animals
- death mentioned of prior attempted matings and children of their species with humans
- mention of parental abandonment of the heroine – she was raised a religious orphanage
- childbirth on page in the epilogue

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s good 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  Hero has a son and he has plenty of page time, procreating is a focus and desire for the hero, Childbirth in epilogue 

 
48% (chapter 12) – kiss
66% (chapter 18) – 🔥 kisses and touches while he washes her that evolves into mutual self pleasuring
88% (chapter 24) – 🔥 breast play, fingering for her, handy for him, followed by missionary (he has a knot) (v loss for her)
Total chapters – 25 plus an epilogue 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (I feel like this one had some good character depth!)
Tension: ⚡⚡ (they dive in pretty soon and I didn’t get a good sense of tension from them throughout the book)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I did like the intimate scenes)
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, chapter 1
Cliffhanger: This ends on a happy for now
Epilogue: No

Should I read in order?
This is book 2 of Juniper’s Frontrunners series. I found it fine alone! I feel like book 1 happens kind of concurrently with this book (this story does take over a year or two to complete).

Basic plot:
After a hot night together, Natalia and Klaus come together again in a work environment.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- hero is a Team Principal for a Formula 1 team
- heroine is a journalist
- Austrian hero
- American heroine
- widower hero
- silver fox hero
- this relationship is over the long haul – it takes place over the course of 1-2 years
- mid to higher steam – 4ish full scenes with some light kink elements

Ages:
- hero is 45, didn’t catch heroine but I think maybe 20s or early 30s?

My thoughts:
This isn’t my usual type of read but I was drawn in by the title and cover!

I liked the set up of this one. And I thought the character depth was really well done. You really get to know both of these mains, their fears and worries and their baggage. And I was really rooting for them!

But my struggle with this one was a few things. I felt like by the end of the book, both of them hadn’t grown as much as I wanted them to. I felt like if the big thing toward the end hadn’t pulled them together, they never would have made it as a couple. And that leaves me doubting the solidity of their relationship.

The book takes place over a long time. And I felt a bit like as they kept coming together and separating it was the same issues repeating. By the end it just left me a bit sad for them and not feeling like they were meant to be together.

The steam was great!

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I was pretty into this one!)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (I felt like I had a bit more background on the hero)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I like my scenes just a bit longer and more developed but what I got I really loved, especially the first scene)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (please note the scenes are on the shorter side though, so it might not feel quite this steamy to some)
Humor: Not much
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years in the future
Format: voluntarily read an e-book from NetGalley
Why I chose this book: I was intrigued by the cover
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone?

Basic plot:
Cassandra has had enough of Drago’s secrets – she flees to Paris, but he can never let her go.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- marriage in jeopardy
- Romanian hero
- American heroine
- tattooed hero
- close proximity in the mountaines
- artist heroine
- billionaire hero
- amnesia (hero)
- there’s some elements of darkness here – more in background and flashbacks of the hero’s life but the hero is also a stalker
- medium steam – 4ish full scenes, though they are a bit short

Ages:
- there’s a little bit of an age gap? I think she’s early 20s and he’s in his 30s? (She was 20 when they’ve met, he was in his 30s, and they’ve been married for 4 years)

First line:
I’m the mad wife in the attic.

My thoughts:
I really liked this one! And it was not quite what I was expecting in a lot of good ways. I don’t even usually love these tropes...marriage in trouble….second chance vibes – those are usually my least favorite things. But the way it was done here I really liked it. I was able to get the beginning of their story which I really love because it helps me care about the mains and their break up! I loved how obsessed this hero was. I can be picky about amnesia but I really liked the use of it in this book – how they both got to know him while secluded in the mountains.

This book had so many elements I really loved. A touch of darkness with the tortured hero, the fact that he kind of stalked the heroine and was obsessed and over the top...the bit of throat play and dominating sex with got was fantastic.

For pure perfection I would have loved the sex just a bit longer and more developed because I really loved that element of it and the emotional pull of the hero’s obsession.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first by this author
Average rating from me: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one!

Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize

I move my hands up because I want to take his tie off; I want to take his clothes off. He reaches up and grips my wrist, pulls it away, his hold iron.
“No,” he says, pushing his forefinger up against my mouth. “You are not in charge.”
The dominance in his voice makes my internal muscles clench. Yet another thing I feel I should be angry about, but I’m just aroused.
Then I find myself being pushed back on the couch, and he looms over me, his hand coming up to my throat, where he squeezes tight, and my breath exits my body. For one moment, I wonder if I’ve made a grave mistake. But then he lowers his head slowly and starts to kiss me.

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- very controlling hero – mentions of him not allowing her to invite people to the house, denying her a trip home when he can’t supervise
- parental murder remembered
- plenty of childhood torture and trauma gone through
Author content warnings? Nothing listed

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  condoms used the first time, not in the second scene which is 4 years into their marriage 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s...okay? She’s into it but I feel like she’s not really ready for penetration the first time they have sex…. 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  I think there's the mention of having babies in the future...there's epilogue babies 

 
6%/pg 13/chapter 1 – 🔥 I think we’re in flashback mode….kiss, missionary (v loss for her)
22%/pg 45/chapter 3 – 🔥 kisses, desk sex
61%/pg 127/chapter 9 – 🔥 kisses, her on top
97%/chapter 15 – 🔥 kisses, and sex but it’s pretty light

total chapters: 15 and an epilogue 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (I think? My notes aren’t good)
Humor: A bit
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine, and a little bit from a side character
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in – 8% (chapter 2 of 22)
Cliffhanger: No, this has a happily ever for the mains
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to audiobook from library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I saw it on Hoopla and liked book 1 so decided to continue the series.
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because Dallas has a decent character in that book and this is his book.

Basic plot:
All Dallas wants is a son – and he bargains for a wife when the opportunity arises.

Give this a try if you want:
- late 1800s, America - 1881
- Texas, USA setting
- arranged marriage – the hero makes a deal with the heroine’s brother – a wife in exchange for water access
- hero wants a wife and a son
- rancher hero
- bit of rival families feel – the heroine’s family feels they are owed the hero’s land
- taller heroine – she’s up to his nose
- pets – heroine rescues a prairie dog
- lack of communication is a big factor here
- medium steam – this one was actually way steamier than I expected after reading book 1. The scenes were a touch longer and there was multiple of them throughout the book – I didn’t keep the best track but think there’s at least 3? They ARE on the shorter side still

Ages:
- I think the hero is 35 and heroine is 26? My memory might be faulty – I was listening and not taking notes

First line:
Dreams.

My thoughts:
I honestly didn’t know how I’d like this one after reading book 1. I guess I didn’t love Dallas after reading that story? I just was kind of leery. And I was so surprised how much I started out loving this story. The first third or so was soooo good to me. Dallas was so sweet and gentle and understanding with Dee. And I loved the arranged marriage.

But it was soon after they were married I just started getting annoyed and it never got better. They both start to love each other. But neither will say it. And both are hinting around that they want to believe each other will love them. But neither will reassure the other. And they will say little hints and the other will walk away morosely because alas, the love will never happen. It was so annoying to me – it was like the whole book was a giant miscommunication/lack of communication and it got old for me.

Then the ending just went bonkers with every plot thing you could think of. I really dislike books that stuff all this drama at the very end of a book especially after such a slog and I just want them to talk to each other. (view spoiler) It was A LOT and the romance and couple just got lost for me. I was just ready for this one to be over sadly.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 13 4444533244334
Average rating from me: 3.62
Favorite book: Lord of Wicked Intentions

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- parental loss
- remembrances of domestic abuse resulting in extreme disability of heroine’s mother
- attempted sexual assault of a side character (from their point of view)
- miscarriage on page
- physical assault of heroine resulting in miscarriage
- kidnapping and torture of hero
Author content warnings? Nothing mentioned on audio

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story: My note taking was bad and I definitely missed some

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s pretty good – the heroine might not have wanted the marriage but the acts are consensual 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  Pregnancy is a focus of this story – the hero really wants a son. There children that have page time (nieces, orphaned children). Heroine does fall pregnant and have a miscarriage on page and then goes on to have a miracle baby in the epilogue after the doctor told her she wouldn’t have any more kids

 

Chapter 3 (? I think? I didn’t take notes at this point) – kiss
Chapter 12 – kisses, missionary (v loss for her)
Chapter 14 – kisses, missionary (it’s pretty light)
I think there’s there’s another at the hotel bridal suite
Total chapters: 21 and an epilogue 

 

Overall: 2.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ (It’s very instalust and didn’t have much tension for me)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (It’s fine but they are short and not developed or emotionally involved like I prefer)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (These scenes are very short)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes – this book is very humorous and if you have more a slapstick, one liner preference for humor you will find it quite funny (the humor just wasn’t my favorite and didn’t work for me)
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel?medium to fast
When mains are first on page together: very soon in – chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes but it’s just a short scene from the hero’s POV from the next book
Format: read a paperback from the library
Why I chose this book: It was mentioned in Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats and I was curious
Mains: This is a M/F romance between a bear shifter hero and human heroine

Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Alder’s Bewitched and Bewildered series.

Basic plot:
Aiden is dreaming of his mate and when they turn to nightmares, he knows he must find her sooner than later to protect her.

Give this a try if you want:
- paranormal romance
- contemporary times
- bear shifter hero
- human heroine
- fated mates
- instalust
- found family elements
- humor – this has a kind of slapstick, one liner, silly humor throughout the whole book
- lighter steam – there’s about 3ish scenes but they are super short and not very developed

Ages:
- heroine is 34, didn’t catch hero

First line:
“Aiden, come find me!” the soft voice teased.

My thoughts:
This one didn’t work for me at all. I was a little leery after reading the hero’s friend call his mate ‘mentally retarded’ on pg 3….

The humor in this one just isn’t my type of humor. I didn’t like how they just met and just started living life together. It was kind of weird and anticlimactic. Just over the top emotions of being in love out of nowhere. There wasn’t any relationship angst, or spending a lot of time together. There were a lot of supporting characters so people that enjoy that element will like that aspect more. For me there was just no tension, the parts that were meant to be funny weren’t to me, and the instalust just made their relationship boring.

I’m sad because I was really looking forward to this one! I loved the cover. I’m not sure if I’ll come back to this author. Probably not this series at least.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one by default

Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:

- Hero is a bear shifter. They have fated mates they can find by scent. Their eyes can turn all black in human form.
Lycaonia is the shifter city, Noctem Falls is the vampire city, Danu Eire is the fae city, and Storm Keep is the witch’s city.
- Getting pregnant is a big deal and the four races can only conceive during certain holidays. Witches during winter solstice, vampires during spring equinox, shifters at summer solstice, and fae during fall equinox. Once someone conceives there’s only a 60% chance the pregnancy will make it to full term.

Endearments

  Hero calls the heroine ‘baby’.

Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)

- Fertility is an issue with the difference races but not for the main couple because she’s human (see cock/hero stats/worldbuilding for more details)
- animal cruelty – a dog is killed on purpose by the villain
Author given content warnings: Nothing listed

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story: There’s kisses most chapters but I didn’t note them. They are very brief, a sentence or two and not developed.

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s okay – he initially kidnaps her repeatedly and puts her in a trunk but once she sees him take his clothes off she is all over him and the consent is good... 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  No pregnancy in the story but fertility and having babies is discussed 

 
Pg 24 (chapter 2) – kiss
Chapter 4 – fingering for her (a couple paragraphs, quite short)
Chapter 11 – missionary
Chapter 12 – her on top to missionary
Total chapters - 15 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in, 5% (chapter 2 of 39)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, about a year later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form from the author
Why I chose this book: I’m on Glen’s ARC team and like to try her books
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
I wouldn’t say it’s totally necessary, but the prior heroines do make appearances and have page time – they befriend this heroine. And some of their plot points are touched on so to get fully immersed the whole series would be great!

Basic plot:
Josephine needs the help of a man from her past that hates her.

Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian romance - 1866
- forbidden love – heroine is engaged to hero’s brother
- hero has a love for inventions and engineering
- heroine loves to make perfumes
- former soldier hero
- second chance
- fake(ish) engagement
- mid to higher steam - 4 full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 21, hero is 23 for the first quarter of the book, then a jump 12 years ahead (so about 33/35)

First line:
Her parents had betrayed her.

My thoughts:
I went into this one without reading the synopsis and I’m glad I did because I tend to be really judgmental about second chance romance! But I liked that in this one we get the whole beginning story and set up of their relationship. This helped me actually care about them getting back together and working it out haha.

I felt the heartbreak in this one and adored how the hero fell so hard for the heroine, and his utter anguish when he realized he had judged her wrong. And how protective and gentle he was with her was so, so sweet.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 7
Average rating from me: 4.71 stars
Favorite book: mmm I think The Marquess and His Muse

Endearments

The hero calls the heroine ‘little fairy’. 

Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize

“Don’t kiss my brother.” He drew her close to her and his lips brushed against her cheek, her ear. A butterfly caress. “You are mine, and mine alone. Even if you don’t know it yet.”

 

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- toxic parents including domestic violence (heroine’s mother hits her)
- parental death, mention of unknown side characters death in childbirth
- human trafficking – heroine is sold into a harem to pay for her brother’s gambling debts
- sibling death from disease (possible purposeful opium overdose)
- fire of the manor house – no injuries
- infertility
- kidnapping, threats of child endangerment, rape, abuse, gun violence

Author content warnings? None listed

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: 

  hero pulls out first time, not in later scenes (he asks, she agrees) 

How’s the consent? 

  It’s good 

Pregnancy/children in story? 

  The heroine is barren, but they have her nephew – he has page time throughout the book as a small child 

8% (chapter 3) – kiss
11% (chapter 5) – brief kiss
14% (chapter 7) – kiss
15% (chapter 7) – 🔥kisses, oral for her, handy for him, her on top (v loss for her)
”Like this,” he croaked. “Stroke it faster. Yes, like that...Oh fuck.”
44% (chapter 20) – brief kiss
61% (chapter 25) – kiss
70% (chapter 29) – 🔥he self pleasures in the bath while the heroine watches that leads to oral for her, missionary but she gets distressed and tries to fake an orgasm but he knows
There, in the enormous tub inset within an intricately carved walnut cabinet, illuminated by the multicolored light that passed through the stained glass skylight, was Michael.
Naked.
In the bath.
And he was...touching himself.
78% (chapter 31) –  🔥 she ties him to the bed, edges him, some fear play with a knife, then she self pleasures for him, her on top
She sank all the way down, taking all of him inside her. Testing the feeling, she rocked her hips. He groaned.
“Fuuuuck, Josephine, wait,” he said through gritted teeth.
95% (chapter 37) - 🔥 her on top
Total chapters: 38 and an epilogue 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 I felt like I didn’t know either well but really didn’t know anything about the heroine
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Just a touch
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too long in – chapter 2 of 11
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, the first one is pretty soon after and then there’s another part that takes place later in the future
Format: listened to audiobook from library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: it was suggested on A Love Less Ordinary group on fb when asking about monster romance
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a ‘monster’ ice giant hero and human heroine

Should I read in order?
This is the first of Fae’s Arranged Monster Mates series.

Basic plot:
Lucy is ready to sacrifice her life for her family and promises herself in marriage to Alrig

Give this a try if you want:
- futuristic earth setting...I think?? I wish the world building on this had been more developed. I don’t know what happened
- monster hero / human heroine
- arranged marriage – hero is an ice giant that pays for a bride/match and the heroine offers herself because the money goes to her family
- celibate hero – he’s had multiple relationships stolen from him
- big size difference – he’s way bigger and there’s a lot of ‘seeing movement’ inside her
- exhibitionism is an element in the first scene, breeding vibes
- shorter page count
- medium to high steam – 2ish full scenes in a shorter page count but the first scene is really long in comparison with the page count of the book

Ages:
- didn’t catch either

First line:
No one remembers the world before the shift.

My thoughts:
I saw this one my library hoopla and wanted to try but this one just didn’t work the best for me. I did like parts of it – like I liked both main characters. But most of the actual book and plot was just kinda...weird for me? It kind of gave you a bit of world building but not enough for me to understand or care really – I know it’s short so I wasn’t expecting like a lot of details but I was still disappointed in this aspect.

It also had some focuses that just didn’t do it for me – some things that will really work for others especially if you’re interested in breeding and size difference with a notice of how it affects the heroine’s body because it’s so LARGE. But that wasn’t really for me and I found myself just wanting to move on from this one.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 6
Average rating from me: 4.17 stars
Favorite book: A Very Stalker Christmas

Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:

- this is like a...post invasion/apocalyptic kind of feeling Earth? I don’t really know what happened. There’s no proof or written text of ‘what happened before’ and it’s now a different plant.
- Virgins could get tested to see if they are compatible with monsters. If they are, the monsters pay a bride price to their family for the marriage
- Most of the females of the hero’s people don’t mate for life. There are way fewer females and they would usually have a baby and leave it with the father to go with another man
- They have a ‘virgin’ oil that makes penetration go smoothly
- broad shoulders and muscled, he looks hard with sharp edges, bluish gray skin and electric blue eyes
- his cock is blue and shaped like a bow, veiny with violet precum

Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)

- I’m not sure what’s going on with the virgins only clause for marriages?? It wasn’t explained very well
- attempted sexual assault of the heroine
Author given content warnings: Didn’t hear any on audio

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
How’s the consent? 

  It’s...okay? Like there’s some fear elements and the heroine got married for money for her family...but overall she’s willing (I don’t think she loved the exhibitionism that was forced on her though) 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  Children in the epilogue and breeding and children is kind of a focus 

 
26% (chapter 3) – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, fingering for her where you can see the movement inside her stomach, missionary – this is also an exhibitionism scene that is done in front of his two friends and evil relative to prove the marriage
92% (chapter 10) – 🔥 her on top sex in the hot springs