Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Aleron

SERIES: Chosen Champions #3

AUTHOR: Macy Blake

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 341 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2022

BLURB:

Aleron Eastaughffe is a billionaire griffin who knows what he wants…

Namely, a gorgeous city penthouse, a life of luxury, and the respect and admiration of his peers-–all the things he’s come to expect as one of the Eastaughffes. But when Aleron finds himself connected to a rag-tag group of shifters and forced to work alongside the most awkward yet utterly captivating human witch in all the realms… he realizes he might want something very different after all.

Spencer Walsh is a witch who knows where he belongs…

And that is alone, in his remote cabin, where there are no annoying people around to give him strange looks when he spends his days reading, or to complain when he gets hyper-focused on research and forgets they exist. But when an old friend needs help researching a mysterious set of runes, Spencer joins forces with a group of shifters–and one gorgeous, provoking griffin–and learns that the world might just be more accepting than he thought… and more dangerous than he ever dreamed.

If Aleron and Spencer want a chance at a future together, they’ll have to let go of what they think they know, and face some hard truths together…

The truth about the runes and the magic they hold.

The truth about what love and belonging really mean.

And the truth about how much they’ll compromise to make each other happy… and how hard they’ll fight to keep each other safe.

Reviewed by Cindy

TITLE: Changeling

SERIES: Outcast Mates

AUTHOR: Lee Colgin

PUBLISHER: Colgin Enterprise

LENGTH: 244 Pages

RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2022

BLURB:

Dominus—an incubus who runs a brothel called The Twig & Berries—is bored with his life and customers alike.

Sebastian—a changeling faerie swapped at birth for a human infant—is reeling with the knowledge of his true heritage. Unsafe among humans, he travels north to meet others of his kind.

But danger lurks, and when Sebastian is forced to hunker down with Dominus for safe harbor, the tension between them flares hot.

Sebastian is the only person that’s piqued Dominus’s interest in ages, but he’s fae. And Dominus has reason to despise faeries.

Forced together as trespassers infiltrate the territory, will enemies become lovers or will a curse keep them apart forever?

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Perfect

SERIES: Perfect (Book 1)

AUTHOR: Sam E. Kraemer

PUBLISHER: Kaye Klub Publishing

LENGTH: 90 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 22, 2022

BLURB:

Zachary Foxx has dreams. He wants to achieve success in his chosen profession, be it blowing open corruption in the sacred halls of government or writing the next great American Gothic novel. Sadly, as a recent university graduate—with student loans to pay—who is used to eating and living inside, he finds his newshound instincts will have to suffer in silence until someone is willing to pay him for his pithy prose, which isn’t happening for anyone of his experience level—or lack thereof.

No, Zac’s journey begins a bit lower in the hierarchy. He’s a junior acquisitions editor at a small publishing house, and he’s been tasked by his tyrant of a boss to convince an unknown author to sign on the dotted line. She sends Zac to woo Angus McMurray with promises of fame and a trip to Scotland—which is exciting until he learns it’s the one in South Dakota.

What Zac doesn’t expect is to meet a neurodivergent woodsman who has no desire to share his beautiful stories about his relationships with animals to achieve fame and fortune. He just wants to share them with Zac.

Thus begins Zac Foxx’s moral dilemma… What’s the price of fame? When he meets a handsome man who wants no part of Zac’s desired level of success, will Zac chuck his ethics and betray a pure soul to achieve his own selfish goals? Does Zac have it inside him to ruin someone who is… Perfect?

Reviewed by Anna Lynn

TITLE:  More Than Enough

SERIES:  Pelican Bay #4

AUTHOR:  Sloane Kennedy

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  277 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 17, 2022

BLURB:

Sawyer
Hiding and running, that’s what I’m good at. It’s who I am. It’s who I have to be…
For Sawyer Brower, the picture-perfect town of Pelican Bay was just supposed to be another place to take refuge for a few months before moving on. One year later finds the seemingly unflappable wildlife veterinarian settling into what’s supposed to be the quiet life of contentment he’s always wanted.

But there’s nothing quiet about the arrival of the gorgeous but very bitter ex-soldier who seems intent on destroying what’s left of his life after losing his legs to an IED.

Jett
I didn’t just lose my legs in that godforsaken desert, I lost the man I used to be… the man I should’ve been. How the hell am I supposed to come back from that? I can’t. I won’t…
While it took years of hard work and determination for Jett Sharpe to prove he deserved a spot in a prestigious military academy followed by an illustrious career in the army, it took just seconds for it to all be over. With nearly all of his brothers-in-arms lost to a roadside bomb and his own future irrevocably changed, Jett’s got little left to live for.

So when his best friend shows up in Oklahoma with an ultimatum—go freely with him to Minnesota or by court order— Jett knows he has little choice in the matter. But hell if he’s going to make it easy on any of the men who keep trying to convince him he’s family.

Two men running, one from the past, the other from the future…
Nothing about Sawyer and Jett makes sense. Not after their disastrous first meeting and most certainly not the white-hot chemistry that keeps pulling them together. Scarred minds and wounded souls are forgotten when desire takes over, but masks have a way of settling back into place for two men who have nothing real to hang on to.

Can Sawyer and Jett let the walls that are keeping them safe within themselves fall or will they miss out not only on each other, but the very thing the town of Pelican Bay is offering them?

A place to call home.

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Orphan Duke

SERIES: The Lonely Heroes (Book 7)

AUTHOR: Sam E. Kraemer

PUBLISHER: Kaye Klub Publishing

LENGTH: 357 Pages

RELEASE DATE: Match 30, 2022

BLURB:

Hated? Yeah, I’ll take it and return it in spades.

That’s Duke Chambers motto when he begins working at GEA-A at Giuseppe Torrente’s request. His life isn’t bad before he tracks down Giuseppe–he’s been a drill sergeant in the Marines, garnering the respect of men and women with whom he’s served. He has two women who love him like a son, and a “little” older brother he adores. Everything is great until fate sticks her nose into Duke’s life and upends it, leaving him filled with hatred. He finds out a truth he never wanted to accept but is there more than meets the eye?

Corbin Barr is trying to adapt to a new world after the mechanic flees Arkansas to try to create a life in New York and make up for past wrongs he participated in that hurt his brother Shay and his cousin Chase. The guilt is soul deep, especially since Corby is harboring his own secrets. His unrequited crush on one of the professionals at GEA-A doesn’t help.

Ace Hampton has lived a million lives—everything from an MMA fighter to a mercenary to a bodyguard. He’s meditated with monks in Tibet, and he’s done his fair share of beating fear into the reluctant. He’s traveled the world, meeting men of all walks of life, but when Giuseppe Torrente asks for his assistance, Ace feels it’s important not to turn the man down. What Ace doesn’t expect to find is a brotherhood of security professionals unafraid to do what’s necessary to protect those who are under attack. Among them, Ace finds himself drawn to two men. He’s learned he’s not cut out for monogamy, but can he be faithful to two unique men who have their own pasts to fight?

Can three broken men heal themselves and each other? How strong is the power of love? Can Corbin and Ace help Duke see he could have a new family and be an orphan no more?

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Hot Wings

SERIES: The Hot Cannolis (Book 2)

AUTHOR: Eli Easton & Tara Lain

PUBLISHER: Easton Lain Publishing

LENGTH: 324 Pages

RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

BLURB:

The alpha meets his match.

Most macho of all the super-alpha Canali brothers and proud of it, Donny’s famous for his gorgeous face, his firefighter prowess, and for going through girls his family doesn’t approve of as fast as he changes jeans.

Donny’s biggest hero is his fire captain dad, until his life gets saved from the skies by fire pilot Dell Murphy.

Dell’s certain about most things. He’s been proud to be gay since he was ten, handled a helicopter in Afghanistan like it was part of his body, and can fly a fire bomber in the worst conflagration. And he’s absolutely certain that Donny Canali belongs to him.

Dell also knows how to show a lover he’s in charge.

Donny’s shocked to discover how much he’s turned on by dominant Dell, but Donny’s not gay. He’s not. He can’t be. It would break his father’s heart.

Leaving Dell will break Donny’s.

HOT WINGS is a battle of the alphas, hot firefighters, two crazy families, dominant lover, HEA romance with a helping of laughter and even more feels.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Mayor and the Mystery Man

SERIES:  Single Dads Club #2

AUTHOR:  A.J. Truman

PUBLISHER:  Truman Books

LENGTH: 274 pages

RELEASE DATE:   March 28, 2022

BLURB:

An MM Fake Relationship, Friends to Lovers Romance

To win this election, I should be trying to kiss babies, not my best friend!

My chances of reelection have gone from slam dunk to nose dive.

What happened? A former hookup sold me out to the press, complete with screenshots. In my defense, between being mayor and parenting twins (double the puberty!), I have zero room for relationships that go beyond one night.

My campaign manager says I need to change the narrative, aka get a boyfriend ASAP to make me seem more (ugh) likeable. The only person I trust with this ruse is my charming best friend Dusty.

Despite living 3,000 miles apart, thanks to endless text chains and 2 a.m. phone calls, we’ve been the constant in each other’s lives, navigating through single dad fails (me) and breakups with cruel ex-girlfriends (all him).

Each day we spend as fake boyfriends feels more real, which is odd because Dusty is straight.

And yet our playful banter is shifting from friendly to flirty.

And he doesn’t stop holding my hand when the crowds leave.

And was he always this attractive?

With reporters sniffing for the truth, exploring these feelings could mean the implosion of my political career and our friendship.

The Mayor and the Mystery Man is book 2 in the Single Dads Club series, but can be read as a standalone. Join Leo and Dusty as they stumble toward their happily ever after!

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Battle for the Top

SERIES:  Heroes at Home #2

AUTHOR:  Willow Dixon

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  272 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 23, 2022

BLURB:  

I know who I am and what I want, but Jordan makes me question everything. – Luke

My life is as predictable as it comes. I go to work at my security job, I hang out with my friends, and I spend my free time alone. I don’t want or need anyone or anything else.

Then I’m assigned a night contract with Jordan, who’s my complete opposite, and my world is flipped upside down.

Jordan is friendly, outgoing, and nothing like the men I’m usually attracted to. He’s also big, confident, and can turn me to putty with just his words. I don’t know who I am when I’m with him, and while he makes me feel better than anyone ever has, I’m not sure I’m ready to let someone else take control.

I like Jordan, and I trust him, but is that enough for me to give in and let him take care of me?

***Battle for the Top is aa 75k word opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, hurt/comfort story featuring a jaded former soldier turned security guard, his friendly but guarded co-worker, a found family, and accidental feels. It is Book 2 in the Heroes at Home series, but can be read as a standalone.

TITLE: Almost Like Being in Love

AUTHOR:  Steve Kluger

PUBLISHER:  William Morrow Paperbacks

LENGTH:  370 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 6, 2009

BLURB:

A high school jock and nerd fall in love senior year, only to part after an amazing summer of discovery to attend their respective colleges. They keep in touch at first, but then slowly drift apart.

Flash forward twenty years.

Travis and Craig both have great lives, careers, and loves. But something is missing …. Travis is the first to figure it out. He’s still in love with Craig, and come what may, he’s going after the boy who captured his heart, even if it means forsaking his job, making a fool of himself, and entering the great unknown. Told in narrative, letters, checklists, and more, this is the must-read novel for anyone who’s wondered what ever happened to that first great love.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Death on Denial

SERIES:  Quest Investigations #4

AUTHOR:  E.J. Russell

PUBLISHER:  Reality Optional Press

LENGTH:  227 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 27, 2022

BLURB:

DOA becomes BRB when this client goes MIA…

When I agreed to accompany my selkie boyfriend on a private boat trip, I didn’t realize the invitation included a swim. In the Pacific. In November. Naked. And I certainly didn’t expect to have our swim derailed the instant I got in the water—holy crap, that’s c-c-cold—by a literal boatload of selkie clan leaders.

Climbing out of the water in front of them—did I mention naked? Yeah, way to make a brilliant first impression. Then things get worse: I get served. Not in the metaphorical sense, either. Nope, I’m being sued.

By Death.

Well, not Death precisely, but an Ankou—a Celtic psychopomp who escorts the departed to their final destinations. This guy is miffed that his workload has increased exponentially, which he blames on my actions in Sheol on an earlier case. I’m not about to take the heat when eons of shady demon shenanigans finally come home to roost, but here at Quest Investigations, we aid any and all supernatural folk in need—especially if they’ll drop their specious lawsuits against the agency’s lone human.

When the Ankou skips out on us, though, all hell breaks loose. Because without anyone to lead them on, the dearly departed become nearly departed and stick around to party hearty. Now it’s not just the selkie leaders complicating my love life—it’s the ex-living as well.

And when one of the ex-living decides not to remain ex? Things get really complicated, not to mention deadly.

Dammit.

Death on Denial is the fourth in the Quest Investigations M/M mystery series, a spinoff of E.J. Russell’s Mythmatched paranormal rom-com story world. It contains no on-page sex or violence, and although there is a romantic subplot, it is not a romance. The series is best read in order.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Forever, Again

SERIES:  Shelby Beach #4

AUTHOR:  Skylar M. Cates

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  269 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 16, 2022

BLURB:

Their lives didn’t turn out as they’d imagined as boys, but they never forgot each other.

Personal trainer Oliver Knox is strong and graceful, dedicated to his clients, and fiercely loyal to friends and family. But the thing he takes pride in the most, his business, is failing.

Single father and entrepreneur Nico Kastellanos knows success is hard-won and tries to give back to those who, like him, have to fight for their dreams. His one regret is how things ended with his childhood best friend. Their friendship and their secret kisses linger in his mind.

When Oliver unwittingly hires Nico’s PR firm to breathe life into his failing gym, their connection rekindles instantly. The chemistry is potent, the memories heart-wrenching. They’re no longer awkward, troubled kids. They are men who know what—and who—they want.

Will Oliver and Nico finally get their long-overdue forever together, or will the ghosts from their past continue to haunt them?

Note: Although this is a series, Forever Again can be a standalone book

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Jake: A Single Dads of Gaynor Beach Romance

SERIES: Single Dads of Gaynor Beach (Book 1)

AUTHOR: Charley Descoteaux

PUBLISHER: CeeTwo Publishing

LENGTH: 301 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

BLURB:

A man isn’t defined by the worst moments in his past, but they can be hard as hell to leave behind.

Fresh starts are overrated. I’ve lived in Gaynor Beach my whole life, and I’m damn proud of it. I miss my wife like hell, and a grumpy mechanic may not make the best single dad, but the kids and I are doing okay right here. They’re not complaining—maybe because they’re never home. Teenagers.

Then a fresh start falls into my lap when the hottest man I’ve ever seen has his car quit on him. And if I can’t forget the feel of his arms around me when he rode on the back of my bike…well, nobody needs to know that except me.

But now Micah’s introducing me to worlds I’ve never been a part of before, or even imagined I could be. Worlds with ropes and explosive chemistry and adventures much bigger than our rides in the Southern California sunshine. Being with him feels like the biggest risk I’ve ever taken—and not everyone in town wants us to take this chance together.

I hope we can hang on when the ride gets bumpy.

JAKE is an angsty opposites-attract Romance in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach world with a grumpy mechanic, a sunshiny high school teacher with a secret, size difference and a few first times, and three teenagers who are more perceptive than their parents bargained for. 

Please see the Look Inside feature for possible triggers.

Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Weathering the Storm

SERIES:  Voice Out #1

AUTHOR:  Stella Rainbow

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  244 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 24, 2022

BLURB:

From roommates who barely see each other, to finding their happily ever after, Luke and Scott have a tough storm to weather.

Luke

Escaping a madman with your life barely intact and your ability to trust shattered changes you. It changed me. I didn’t remember who I was before him, my past a murky shadow, and everything in the future looked the same.

Until an ad for a roommate led me to Scott. Scott made me feel safe. He made me feel… happy. But should I allow myself to drop my walls around him when the last man I let in left me bleeding and scared of my own shadow?

Scott

Being lonely was nothing new to me. Other than my best friend and his small family, I had no one in the world and I was okay with that. Or at least, that was what I thought.

But then Luke showed up, looking to rent a room, and something about the beautiful man with his oversized hoodie and eyes full of warniness made me want to get to know him better. Something made me want to earn his trust, to see joy and adoration shine in those gray eyes. But should I let him get close when I’ve lost too many people already?

Tags:
Luke doesn’t trust anyone, Scott doesn’t let people get too close, they both break their rules for each other, some angst, but lots of sweetness, roommates to lovers, slow burn, like sloooooow burn, low heat, demisexual Scott, all the hurt/comfort, Tressa the three-legged cat, because Luke is punny with names, Mama D is a force to be reckoned with, Voice Out is a family, nightmares, comfort with cuddles, Scott is Luke’s safe space.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Pretty Toxic

SERIES:  Pretty Broken Series, Book 2

AUTHOR: J.R. Gray

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 246 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 23, 2022

BLURB: 

Saint Vincent

I might be the best-selling solo artist in the world, but my personal life is a disaster. For every number one album, there’s a sea of my worsts, all documented in photos.

Bad break-ups. Destroyed hotel rooms. Fights. Drugs. And just as many rumors.

Every headline reaffirms the walls I’ve built around myself. Fame destroys everything it touches and I can’t let anyone close.

The only exception is my best friend— Lowe Wilder.

But I’ve fucked that one up too.

It’s all about him. Every song, every lyric. Every piece of music I’ve ever written. I planned to carry that secret to my grave. He’s straight.

Another break-up, another call to Lowe. I can’t bear to have another scandal splashed across the tabloids. At my absolute worst he’s here to pick up the pieces, and I ruined it all with a kiss.

Lowe Wilder

I’m the least famous member of the most famous band in the world. I’ve sat in the background while we toured the world and tore each other apart.

I wouldn’t have made it through any of this without Saint. He came into my life like a nuclear bomb. Unapologetic and with about as much destruction, but he’s kept me sane from across the world.

Nothing could come between us.

Until he kissed me and shattered my world.

Pretty Toxic can be read on its own or enjoyed part of the Pretty Broken Series.