Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Blood Sacifice

SERIES: Serial Investigations #8

AUTHOR: Rhiannon D’Averc

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 168 pages

RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2021

BLURB:

A romantic trip to Paris…
… A dead body at a famous landmark.

A trip to Paris for Ram’s birthday was never going to go smoothly. From the second he spots a police presence while exploring a monument and learns there’s been a murder, he’s chomping at the bit to get involved – and when he’s recognised by a fan, he gets his chance.

With Will sucked into the investigation as well, this should be a chance for them to enjoy an international reputation and solve a case for the Paris police. But as more bodies appear and the case gets more complicated, their unfamiliar surroundings could turn around and bite them.

Locked out of their hotel, with their cash stolen and an unfriendly police force shutting them out, Ram and Will might just come up against their biggest opponent yet. Are they embroiled in a conspiracy that could overtake them entirely – or are the shadows in the corners of Notre-Dame really just shadows?

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  The Shutout

AUTHOR:  Dianna Roman

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  481 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 22, 2022

BLURB:

Sometimes love is where you least expect it, and sometimes it’s right where you left it.

Widower, Max Hartwell, is barely keeping it together, being a single dad, managing his law firm, and navigating life’s chaos. Life after loss is too difficult for surprises, which is why Max would be lost without his reliable best friend and neighbor, Jack.

Best pitcher in the MLB, Jack Spears, is at the top of his game. He has it all, except for the one thing he wants most, which happens to be the one thing he can’t have if he doesn’t want his private life to overshadow his career – love. When an emotional evening reveals his biggest secret, he’s faced with losing everything that matters most to him.

Can Max see him for the man he truly is, or will Jack forever be doomed to live in the shadow of the image he created as America’s favorite pitcher?

Heartfelt and human, The Shutout is a story of friendship, loss, love, and the rough road to new beginnings.

Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Just Calamarried

SERIES: Sucker for Love #5

AUTHOR: K.L. Hiers

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 257 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2022

BLURB:

Newlyweds Sloane and Loch are eagerly expecting their first child, though for Sloane that excitement is tempered by pregnancy side effects. Carrying a god’s baby would be enough to deal with, especially with the whole accelerated gestation thing, but it’s not like Sloane can take maternity leave. He works for himself as a private investigator. Which leads him to his next case.

At least this strange new mystery distracts him from the stress of constant puking.

When two priests are murdered within hours of each other, a woman named Daphne hires Sloane and Loch to track down the prime suspect—her brother—before the police do. Between untangling a conspiracy of lies and greed, going toe-to-toe with a gangster, and stealing a cat, they hardly have time to decorate a nursery….

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  The Trail Boss and the Brat

SERIES:  Farthingdale Ranch Book 6

AUTHOR:  Jackie North

PUBLISHER:  Blue Rain Press

LENGTH:  309 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 22, 2022

BLURB:

Even a rugged heart can be broken, but can it find love again?

After a fierce betrayal, Quint closes off his heart, walking the earth alone. He can’t trust anyone, even if they need him. He can’t, he just can’t.

He’s designed his life to follow a steady, even cadence. There are rules.

• Rule Number One – Don’t mess with Quint.
• Rule Number Two – Don’t disobey Quint on a trail ride.
• Rule Number Three – Don’t ever forget rule 1 or rule 2.

Then along comes Ashley, who doesn’t follow any rules, especially ones that keep him from getting exactly what he wants.

A gay m/m cowboy romance with opposites attract, fish out of water, grumpy/sunshine, rugged meets bratty. A little sweet, a little steamy, with a guaranteed HEA.

Reviewed by True

TITLE: The Foxxxy Gentlemen’s Club: Angel

SERIES: Foxxxy #2

AUTHOR: Nikole Knight

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 255 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2022

BLURB:

Foxxxy Rule #2: Don’t mix business with pleasure

Life has not been kind to Adrian Vasquez. He spends his days hiding the truth of his sexuality from his homophobic brother, sticking to every rule of his probation so he isn’t sent back to jail, and keeping out of the crosshairs of Los Hermanos del Diablo—Boston’s most notorious Mexican gang, of which his brother is a prominent member—all in the name of survival. Thankfully, he has his nights working at The Foxxxy Gentlemen’s Club as an escort and exotic dancer to keep him sane. It may not be his dream job, but under the neon glow of the Foxxxy stage, Adrian can pretend to be someone else, even if it’s only for a little while.

Life has not been easy for Taylor Greer. Born queer and intersex to a Southern Baptist preacher, they left home at fifteen to escape conversation therapy, masquerading as a “Christian summer camp.” After surviving four years on the unforgiving streets of Boston, they struggle to get their life back on track for a chance at a better future. Working two jobs to stay afloat and studying every spare minute to pass their GED exam, Taylor has little time for a social life, let alone a love life. But who needs romance when living is this complicated?

When Taylor and Adrian’s paths meet with a literal crash, a bruised plantain is the catalyst for a connection they’re both starving for. Dating a coworker never ends well, but some forces cannot be fought, and Adrian and Taylor can only ignore the magnetic pull between them for so long before physics wins.

Adrian knows better than to mix business with pleasure. Taylor knows better than to get involved with a colleague. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and some rules are made to be broken.

Every book in the Foxxxy series can be read as a standalone, but they are best enjoyed when read in order.

*Trigger Warning: Racist and homophobic language/slurs, Mild gang-related violence and threats, Scenes and discussions about eating disorders, Scenarios and mentions of gender dysphoria, One non-violent but bigoted/racist exchange with the police.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Fool Hearts

SERIES:  Plum Valley Cowboys #1

AUTHOR:  Emmy Sanders

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  294 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 24, 2022

BLURB:

Best friends. Unrequited love. A story that spans decades.

Wyatt
At twelve, he was my best friend. At sixteen, he became my crush. And now, at thirty-four, he’s the man I’m still pining after.

Falling in love with Easton was never part of the plan. But now that I’ve done it, I can’t seem to stop. It doesn’t help that we’re living under the same roof. Or that Easton is so dang sweet, I want to lick him from head to toe.

But Easton is straight, and all the cattle in Texas won’t change the fact that he’ll never look at me the way I see him. I want someone who can love me back. And I won’t be able to find that while I’m hung up on my best friend.

It’s time to find a way to say goodbye.

Easton
I always knew I was a little bit different than everybody else. When kids my age were hooking up, all I wanted to do was sit on the ranch with Wyatt and plot out our future. I didn’t need anyone else.

When Wyatt leaves Plum Valley, he takes a piece of me with him. When he returns at the moment I need him most, he helps me to heal and feel whole again. We have a good life now, Wyatt and I, best friends still after all these years.

So when I happen to catch my friend down on his knees in the barn, I don’t understand why, all of a sudden, I’m thinking things I shouldn’t be. Now, I can’t stop wondering and wanting.

But would taking that chance with Wyatt risk the best thing in my life?

Fool Hearts is a small town, longtime friends to lovers romance with a whole lot of pining, a bi-awakening in a barn, swoon-worthy cowboys, a roller coaster of emotions, and one very HEA. It’s book 1 in the Plum Valley Cowboys series but can be read as a standalone.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Frat Wars: Master of Mayhem

SERIES:  Frat Wars #2

AUTHOR:  Saxon James

PUBLISHER:  May Books

LENGTH:  275 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 23, 2022

BLURB:

Bro big or bro home.

Robbie

As social chair of Sigma Beta Psi, I’m the life of the party. It’s what I’m known for, and if it’s not fun, I’m not interested, simple as that. I’m not someone who overthinks. So when one of my brothers hooks up with a dude from another frat house, it catches me off guard when I can’t stop thinking about them … together.

There’s only one way for me to get this obsession out of my head and that’s by jumping in with both feet and putting it into practice. The problem is, the one guy who’s up for the ride, is the last one I’d expect.

Brandon

Being risk manager of a frat house is nobody’s idea of a good time. My brothers get annoyed when I put a damper on their plans, and wrangling drunken frat brothers isn’t how I pictured my Saturday nights of senior year. I’m bored. In a rut. Study, frat duties, planning for the future. When is it my turn to let loose for a moment?

So when my dumb-as-bricks frat bro is scoping out the house for a little experimenting fun, I throw out the offer like it isn’t the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever considered.

I never imagined I’d actually enjoy it.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Trial by Fire

SERIES:  Shadows of London #3

AUTHOR:  Ariana Nash

PUBLISHER:  Crazy Ace Publishing

LENGTH:  319 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 18, 2022

BLURB:

The third book in the thrilling Shadows of London series.

Action, MM romance and adventure combine on the streets of London. Time is running out for John “Dom” Domenici.

It’s not just Kempthorne’s secrets bubbling to the surface of London’s streets …

Outmanoeuvred at every turn by the figure known as “M”, only Alexander Kempthorne can free Dom, but juggling the horrors of his own past, containing a rising preternatural threat and the twisted machinations of “M” might just be too much, even for Kempthorne. Can Kage Mitchell be trusted to help?

Alexander Kempthorne lost an agent before. He’ll not lose another. He’ll do anything to save Dom, and if that means revealing who and what he truly is, then his time has come.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Tell Me Our Story

AUTHOR:  Anyta Sunday

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  287 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 21, 2022

BLURB:

Icy, standoffish Jonathan Hart always turned towards that laugh. Full-throated, uninhibited, addictive.

Soft smiles encouraging him over swing bridges. Hearty chuckles dancing around a ballroom. Wobbly grins. Double-glances. Eyes that brightened the world. His world.
From the moment he met David O’Hara, Jonathan started forming a smile of his own.

And then O’Hara left. One lingering look. No last goodbye.

Seven years later, that laugh again. Full-throated, uninhibited. Addictive.

O’Hara. Still all fire and flame, still drawing Jonathan in.

And now he wants Jonathan paired with him in a seven-week social influencing challenge.

Now, he wants to finish melting his heart…

Reviewed by True

TITLE: Lure

SERIES: A Hitman’s Bait #1

AUTHOR: Gianni Holmes

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 315 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2022

BLURB:

When it comes to book smarts, I’ll never be anyone’s first choice.

Luckily, when a wealthy and dangerous stranger picks me off the street to work for him, he uses me for my body, not my brains.

KIT

I’m the bait tasked with luring men into his trap.

I have no idea what he does with them.

I don’t want to know.

Until the night he tells me to run, but I stay.

Now I know what he’s really capable of…the blood on his hands…

But the danger, being part of something so exciting, only makes me want him more.

SULLY

My life was simple before he swishes his way into it with his catsuits and kitty ear headbands.

I’m only interested in the men he gets me close enough to kill.

Until he pounces in my lap, meows at me, and changes everything.

I’m straight, but I want him.

I send him to lure men, but they must not touch him.

I take pleasure in seeing them want him, but know they’ll never have him.

This cat-and-mouse game between us can only end one way. Should I let him go before his innocence gets stained by the darkness of my world?

Lure is the first book in The Hitman’s Bait series with a grumpy hitman and the boy he hires to lure men into a trap. All books in this series will be of the same couple, and each book will end with an HFN. Each book will follow a different lead. There is no cheating and no breakups between the main characters. The couple enjoys exhibitionism and playing flirtatious games with other men, observing strict rules of a no-touch policy, but watching is absolutely free.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: No More Secrets

SERIES: Zone Defense #2

AUTHOR: Becca Seymour

PUBLISHER: Rainbow Tree Publishing

LENGTH: 284 Pages

RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2022

BLURB:

Some things you can’t just blurt out… right?

When you’ve shared a kiss with your best friend and it blows your mind—and other parts of your body—it’s inevitable that everything changes.

That’s the way it now is with me and Jayden Moore, my best friend who thought he could rock my world with no consequences, all while throwing me his signature grin.

But this is Jayden we’re talking about. He gets himself into unexpected trouble no matter what, and when visiting Australia, I’m compelled to make sure he doesn’t get eaten by a croc or try to steal a kangaroo. Like the glutton for punishment I am, I follow him.

And that’s all great until my desperation and big mouth send our worlds spiraling. Apparently, we’re now officially a couple. And because of course it goes one step further, I’ve now got my very own fake fiancé.

Being in the media is one thing, but being inspiration for others creates a whole new set of guilt and problems. But we’ll tackle it together and find our way back to how things were.

And if that’s not possible, just maybe Jayden and I can find ourselves with a brand-new label. One that’s real, and one I don’t run from. That’s the thing with Jayden: he has a way to extract my secrets. Whether he’s prepared for them or not.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Tough Luck

SERIES:  A-List Security #1

AUTHOR:  Annabeth Albert

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  286 pages

RELEASE:  March 24, 2022

BLURB:

My best friend’s little brother needs a bodyguard. Now I’m the one in danger…

I’m a SEAL. Or rather, I was. Retired at the grand old age of thirty-eight, I’m at loose ends. My best friend wants me to join his security team. I’m not sure I’m bodyguard material, but he needs someone to protect his kid brother. How hard can spoiled brat duty be?

Somehow, I missed the part where former child star Danny Love went from dorky TV darling to all grown up and disturbingly attractive. All the gossip about his wild ways fails to mention that he’s trying hard to clean up his act. But now he’s got a stalker.

Hiding out together in a remote mountain cabin, alone, the temptation keeps building. I’m feeling things I never have before. Secrets I’ve kept even from myself bubble to the surface every time Danny looks my way with those puppy dog eyes.

I’m a SEAL. We leap into danger. So why is it so terrifying when that danger comes with the softest pair of lips I’ve ever known? At some point we’re going to have to return to Hollywood and our vastly different lives. Will Danny still want me around when he doesn’t need me for protection? Can I be brave enough to give him a reason to?

TOUGH LUCK is book one in a brand-new SEAL bodyguard series. It features an age gap, steamy first times, and all the high heat, big emotions, and found family feels readers expect from this fan-favorite military romance author. Join A-List security for this lower-angst series featuring former SEALs and the celebrity clients who win their hearts. Happy endings and no cliffhangers guaranteed!

Reviewed by Anna Lynn

TITLE:  Redemption’s Rebel

SERIES:  Task Force Ambra #2

AUTHOR:  Annabella Stone

PUBLISHER:  Embers Romance

LENGTH:  283 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  January 23, 2022

BLURB:

Can his Redemption really be a Rebel?

Two years ago, Navy SEAL Zack McGuire swore to protect a US Navy Cryptologic Technician Interpretive on a routine trip into the heart of the green zone in Kabul. He failed in his mission, shattering the heart of her husband, Marc, his fellow SEAL brother. Unable to deal with his failure, Zack left Teams and wandered for months before being recruited to Task Force Ambra. Now he has a new mission, and a new purpose, to protect the innocent from former military members gone rogue. This time he will not fail.

Marc Colgan has never forgiven the brother in arms who failed to protect the only person he’d ever loved. After losing his wife, he moved clean across the country to escape the nightmares and to avoid shooting the asshole on the street. He once promised his wife he’d stay out of jail at all costs. That promise was the start of his Navy career. But now she’s gone. His time in SEALs is done, he has new job and a new life. He thought he was finally moving on… then temptation moved in just down the street.

Can two broken warriors find the strength to forgive the painful wounds of the past and build a future together? Will survivor’s guilt stop their second chance before it ever gets going? With his heart on the line, Zack must figure out if his Redemption really is a Rebel.

Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: A Conspiracy Of Ghosts

AUTHOR: Tricia Owens

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 179 Pages

RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2022

BLURB:

As young men struggling to deal with their paranormal abilities, Michael and Dane found relief when they found each other. Michael could hear the dead. Dane could feel them. Together, they seemed the perfect pair. But chasing ghosts is a demanding lifestyle, and despite their attraction to each other, their tumultuous experiences drove them apart.

Eight years later, their paths cross again. They’ve been pitted against each other in a competition to exorcise a ghost from a B&B. Now that they’re changed men, Dane is determined to win Michael back. But Michael is distracted by Jericho, a ghost with the face of an angel but with a core of cruelty. A ghost who knows their deepest, darkest secrets.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Wanted: Gentle Daddy

SERIES: Love On Tap: Fragile Hearts (Book 1)

AUTHOR: Sammi Cee

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 189 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2022

BLURB:

Joey thinks he’s broken. I think he’s beautiful.

Joey’s body began betraying him years ago. With his world in chaos, his new friends search for a Daddy to cherish him. When his ex-boss volunteers for the position, Joey panics.

Can Daddy Tucker’s gentle touch and soothing presence reassure Joey that he can trust him with all his pain or will fear of being broken beyond repair keep him from the man he’s wanted for years?

Welcome to The Tap Tavern where this chosen family of boys are braver than they think, and their Daddies are ready to be what they want and so much more.