Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Catching Out

SERIES:  Rail Riders #3

AUTHOR:  Nicky James

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  374 pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 20, 2022

BLURB:

Dodger Valmai is sure about three things:
He is straight.
He will ride the rails until the end of his days.
And there is a serial killer out on the lines.

When rail riders in the community start to go missing, Dodger is convinced the Canadian rail lines have their very own serial killer. When those same riders start turning up dead, he is determined to prove it and get justice for his long-lost comrades.

Brady Thompson has been studying the mythical rail killer and tracking his movements for the better part of a year in his quest to finally write his thesis and obtain his doctorate. But there are holes in his theory, and only one person can help fill in the gaps. He isn’t sure if requesting help from a homeless vagabond on a sketchy freight-hopping forum is the answer, but he is running out of options.
When Brady seeks Dodger out to help him prove a killer exists, Dodger can’t turn him down. With a little more evidence, and a little more proof, they can take their suspicions to the authorities and have the killer caught once and for all.

Dodger isn’t what Brady expects, and he’s unprepared when Dodger says he will only help under one condition: Brady must take to the rails too.
Will this cross-country journey give them the answers they’re looking for? Or will Brady and Dodger discover things they never expected as their summer adventure turns into much, much more.

** Catching Out is the third book in the Rail Rider series and should be read after End of the Line and Lost at the Crossing for full enjoyment. It is a bisexual-awakening novel filled with adventure, suspense, and self-discovery. **

Reviewed by True

TITLE: Inbetweeners

SERIES: Lost and Found #3

AUTHOR: Barbara Elsborg

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 392 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 20, 2022

BLURB:

An angel and a demon walk into a bar…
It should be the start of a joke, except Emmett and Phoenix loathe each other the moment they meet. Reluctant and mismatched partners they may be, but they’ve been given a job to do on Earth: persuade the newly dead to move on to wherever they’re destined to go.
A friendly word here, a nudge there, all the dead should need is a push in the right direction—but dark forces are working against the pair, and the mission takes a dangerous turn.
From hate at first sight, to toleration, to something more… Except time is running out, and soon Emmett and Phoenix will be torn apart and returned to the worlds from which they came. That’s not what they want, and neither is willing to go back without a fight…
…. Because even though they’re dead, they’ve never felt more alive.

This is book 3 in the series, but all can be read as standalones.

Reviewed by Anna Lynn

TITLE:  Storm Warrior

SERIES:  The Weavers Circle

AUTHOR:  Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  326 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 14, 2022

BLURB:

Hale Anderson

The Air Weaver.

He was the freaking Air Weaver. Not exactly what he expected when he got kidnapped by the pestilents, but Hale’s good rolling with the punches.

He can take a little time away from his pursuit of a doctorate in astrophysics to save the world.

Except that the final spell is poised to kill all the Weavers and their last hope lies with him finding his soul mate.

Hale doesn’t want a soul mate. He just wants Harrison.

Harrison William Davenport III

As the Keeper of the Heart of the Earth, Harrison must bring the final key to the Weavers if they’re to stop the pestilents.

He’s trained for this task his entire life. And he’s prepared to die just like his father did with the last generation of the Weavers.

But what if saving the world isn’t enough anymore?

What if the only thing that matters is saving Hale?

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  The Best Men 

AUTHOR:  Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely

PUBLISHER:  Troliver Books

LENGTH:  377 pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 18, 2022

BLURB:

In my defense, I was left alone with a bottle of single-malt and a life-long penchant for protecting my baby sister. Still, that’s no excuse to send ten drunk-texts on why her hasty marriage would be a mistake.

If only I had just texted my sister. But nope. I accidentally sent the message to her, her groom, and his super hot wingman. I also used the phrase “super hot wingman,” so I’d like to die now.

Instead, I have to plan a wedding with the aforementioned hottie and share a too-small guesthouse in steamy Miami. Three days in the sun with the cocky, charming former athlete who likes to push my buttons? Fine, two can play at that let’s-infuriate-each-other game.

Until Asher ups the stakes with one wildly sexy suggestion. A no-strings fling, then I go back to my single dad life in New York, and he returns to his star-studded one.

Sign me up.

But the more nights I spend with the other best man, the more I want days too, and that just can’t happen. Especially when I find out the real reason why…

Contents Include: First times, a secret to-do list, champion-level flirting, fast cars, #eggplants, and two men who look good in formal wear.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Until his Last Goodbye

SERIES:  Scythe #1

AUTHORS:  Kiki Clark and E.M. Lindsey

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  274 pages

RELEASE DATE:   January 20, 2022

BLURB:

When Death is your soulmate, finding love has never been so heart-stopping.

Having been a powerful medium for as long as he can remember, Elias knows his fair share about the afterlife.

Spirits are pushy.

Spirits are needy.

And they don’t respect personal boundaries.

Being a conduit between the living and the dead is exhausting but ignoring his gift isn’t an option. Even though embracing his calling has ruined nearly every relationship he’s ever had, Elias has learned to offer what comfort he can to those left behind, knowing his own time is limited.

So the day Death comes knocking, Elias is resigned.

Then intrigued.

And then enchanted.

He has no business falling for an immortal collector of souls. No matter how kind and surprisingly innocent he is. Or how the Reaper’s gentle nature soothes the hollow ache inside his chest.

There can be no way forward when you fall for Death…

…unless you join him.

Until His Last Goodbye is the first installment in the epic Scythe trilogy by E.M. Lindsey and Kiki Clark. It features an uptight Victorian reaper, a medium eager to corrupt him, witchy best friends willing to hex anyone who hurts the people they love, and a former Spanish pirate who doesn’t have time for other people’s nonsense.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Iris

SERIES:  Mike Bravo Ops #1

AUTHOR:  Eden Finley

PUBLISHER:  Self Published

LENGTH:  284 pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 20, 2022

BLURB:

Mike Bravo. Knights in shining … camo.

Iris

I live for adrenaline. The thrill of the chase. And because I work for Mike Bravo, a private black-ops firm, it’s my job to go into dangerous situations. But when we’re called in to extract a military team from a hostile situation, the thrill is so much better. Because one of those men happen to be the golden boy from my basic training days.

Brock “Saint” Harlow was a walking Captain America in the flesh. The perfect soldier.

Now my boss wants to recruit him, and I can’t wait to rub it in his face that he was rescued by me. The class clown. I’m not called Iris “I require intense supervision” for nothing.

Saint

Military life is all I’ve known since I was born. I was raised to be a soldier. But when a top-secret mission fails, I find myself suddenly discharged with nowhere to go. Mike Bravo saved my life, and they want me to join them, but there’s one small problem.

Isaac “Iris” Griffin.

He’s as irresistibly snarky as he always was, only there’s a big difference this time. I’m no longer closeted or scared to live my truth. And the truth is, I’ve always wanted him. It’s against Mike Bravo’s rules to fraternize with other team members, and I always follow orders. But something tells me Iris might be worth the insubordination.

Reviewed by True

TITLE: Daddy’s Little Helper

SERIES: Incest Anonymous #2

AUTHOR: T.M. Chris

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 20.990 words

RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2022

BLURB:

When Geordie was little, he loved helping his father with home improvement projects. Now Dad is reeling after a second divorce, and he needs Geordie’s help more than ever— with cooking, cleaning, and just generally getting his life back in order. Then Geordie witnesses his father having a sexy dream and realizes Dad may need help in other ways too.

Contains adult incest, somnophilia, and dubcon

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Blood on Poinsettia

SERIES: Serial Investigations #5.5

AUTHOR: Rhiannon D’Averc

PUBLISHER: self pub

LENGTH: 65 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2020

BLURB:

A Christmas apart…

Will and Ram have survived everything JM Coil could throw at them – and everything they could do to themselves.

But now, Serial Investigations London face their first Christmas apart in years. Will’s in rehab and Ram is stuck at home, wishing his favourite person in the world was by his side – and wondering how he can keep a roof over their heads with no money coming in.

Join the boys for a Christmas interlude in this novella, set between the events of Blood Sport and Blood Diamond. With no crimes or cases, get to know them – and their feelings for each other – a bit better before jumping back into the action.

Haven’t read Blood Sport yet? This book contains spoiler for books 1 – 5 in the Serial Investigations series. Make sure you catch up before you dive in!

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Neighbourly Thing

AUTHOR:  Allison Temple

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  67 pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 10, 2022

BLURB:

Recently single, Tyler is done moping around his apartment. He’s taking life—and himself—in hand, starting this weekend. All he needs is for one very special delivery to arrive, and his party for one can begin. But things get awkward when he comes home to find his box of fun in the hands of his very confused—and very hot—neighbour.

Gray’s not used to being the centre of attention. He works at home and doesn’t mind being single. People are messy. It’s easier if he looks after himself. But when a misdirected package opens up a world of possibilities, Gray knows this isn’t something he can do on his own.

Tyler is a teacher—by profession and by calling—and Gray soon becomes his very willing student. But if the lessons learned are only physical, what will Gray and Tyler’s hearts do when the weekend is over?

The Neighborly Thing was formerly titled Toy Story and offered as a newsletter exclusive.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: The Other Brother

AUTHOR: Jax Calder

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 285 Pages

RELEASE DATE: January 12, 2022

BLURB:

What happens when you fall for the one person you can’t have?

Ryan has had seventeen years of being compared to Cody, part of his toxic fractured family, so you’ll forgive him for some epic eye-rolling when it comes to Mr Perfect. Although not related to him by blood, Cody has always been annoying background noise in Ryan’s life. It doesn’t help that Cody’s a high achieving musician, while Ryan’s life ambition doesn’t extend past catching the next wave.

One summer changes everything. It’s the summer when circumstances collide, and Cody and Ryan end up spending time together at Cody’s family’s beach house. It’s the summer Ryan teaches Cody to surf and Cody teaches Ryan to play guitar. It’s the summer when they become friends.

And then more than friends.

But when summer ends, Cody and Ryan are forced back to reality, where they must hide their relationship from their warring family members. And as tragedy strikes and family secrets buried deep in the past worm their way to the surface, their relationship is threatened. Can their feelings, which began in the summer sun, survive the winter ahead?

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: The Boyfriend Gambit

SERIES: Crimes of the Heart #3

AUTHOR: Elle Keaton

PUBLISHER: Dirty Dog Press

LENGTH: 230 pages

RELEASE DATE: December 30, 2021

BLURB:

How do you repair a broken heart when you were the one who broke it in the first place?

Charley

It’s been four years since Simon broke up with me, but who’s counting? I’m fine these days, thank you very much. I don’t need a man to make me happy.

Simon

Past me had to make a choice. Current me knows it was the wrong one. Future me hopes I can fix it. I’ve never stopped loving Charley this is my last chance; our last chance.