ARC: Wicked Flame – Ella Frank Book Review (Chicago Heat #2)

May 27, 2022thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

I’ll keep this short and sweet because I dont have much else to say besides that I loved everything about this book! Ella Frank is my favorite m/m author and I will happily read everything she releases and after the way the first book in this series ended, I need book 2. Wicked Flame was absolutely addictive from start to finish and was the perfect continuation to this story. I am obsessed with these characters and their relationship and I’m so happy with the way things turned out between Jameson and Ryan. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series. I’m giving Wicked Flame 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance!

ARC: Wicked Heat – Ella Frank Book Review (Chicago Heat #1)

February 25, 2022thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

“He’s grumpy, rude, and honestly, not that likeable at all. So why can’t I stop thinking about him?”

Wicked Heat, an all-new high heat and slow burn mm romance, and the first book in the Chicago Heat Series from USA Today bestselling author Ella Frank, is live now!

Synopsis

Ryan

Kind, caring, and protective. Those are the three qualities I’m looking for when it comes to my dream man. In a city as big as Chicago, you wouldn’t think he would be that hard to find, right?

Wrong.

Sure, my boss found a super-sexy detective and my best friend fell madly in love with the most eligible bachelor around. But the only person I’ve met recently is a broody bad boy who saved me at a sketchy pub.

He’s grumpy, rude, and honestly, not that likeable at all. Hardly my “dream” guy.

So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Jameson

I don’t do friendships. I don’t do relationships either. The very last thing I’m looking for in life is to fall in love and live happily ever after.

So saving some rich guy from losing his wallet is the last thing I want to do on a Friday night. Especially when he looks like someone who just stepped off the cover of GQ.

Fate seems to have other ideas, though, and every time I turn around, he’s there.

A wicked heat simmers between us, threatening to ignite, and though I’ve been trained to put out the flames, I can’t help but think: What’s the worst that could happen if I let this desire burn out of control?

Wicked Heat is book 1 of 2 in Ryan Carrigan & Jameson Clarke’s story.

Add Wicked Heat to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3m5yUsb

Review:

I’ve run out of different ways to express my love for Ella Frank’s books!

I’m not kidding, I feel like all my reviews for this author’s work are similar in the sense that I just repeat how much I love and adored them and that’s why I always struggle to review them but man, what else is there to say. In my eyes, she can do no wrong and she is without a doubt, my favourite author. Wicked Heat is just a testament to her incredible talent and unwavering ability to absolutely capture my attention with her phenomenal stories even 31 books later, I’m still as in love with her writing as I was way back when I picked up my first Ella Frank book.

Wicked Heat was everything I could have wanted and more.

I have been waiting for mister Ryan Carrigan to get his love story since he was first introduced a while back in Xander and Sean’s series, The Intentions duet because he just seemed sweet and fun. When Ella announced who his love interest was going to be, I was blown away with excitement because that little glimpse of Jameson at the end of Killian and Bash’s series, The Dare to Try Series, left me wanting to know more about the mysterious and grumpy dude.

Suffice to say, these guys were quite the match. Ryan and Jameson are, evidently very different from one another which plays into the opposites attract trope but it was really well done. It isn’t cliche or anything of the sort, rather because there was a natural progression from resistance to friends to lovers, it felt like them getting together was a genuine and inevitable thing. Their connection and chemistry were clear from the start and you could just tell that there was something just attracting them to one another.

Ryan was funny, outgoing and kind. He was constantly aware and considerate of Jameson’s feelings and was just an all-around amazing man. Jameson was more of a closed-off, quiet and surly guy. He definitely had walls put up because of what seems like a tough past which I’m interested in learning more of cause I feel like we only just scratched the surface with that.

The romance between these guys was both very sweet as they became friends and got to know one another and then became smoking hot once they put an end to the angst tension and gave in to their attraction. Honestly, Ryan and Jameson just clicked and it’s not for nothing that Jameson opened up in a way that was completely unlike him when he was with Ryan and that Ryan felt wholeheartedly protected, safe and comfortable with a man as closed off as Jameson was for a chunk of their time together. They were just sexy as hell and right for each other and I can’t wait to see what happens next because the ending left so many things up in the air.

As far as development goes, which if you’ve read my reviews before you know is very important to me, this book hit all the marks. Ella Frank’s books are not particularly long and read pretty quickly which you might think risks skimping out on development or proper pacing but that is not the case with this author. Her stories are just so well written that she managed to pace the plot appropriately so that it develops throughout the book and doesn’t feel too slow or fast. She also made sure to have Ryan and Jameson evolve throughout the book and grow because of their relationship, which itself also changed over time. All that to say, this book feels like it passes in a blink of an eye but yet feels like so I’ve been touched by so many emotions and have seen such a wonderful storyline play out in front of my eyes. I just can’t wait for more!

Fun, thrilling and sexy, Wicked Heat was the most amazing start to Ryan and Jameson’s love story!

Overall, I adored every second of this book and I’m really excited to see where Ella takes things in Wicked Flame. Those last couple of chapters had me tense with anticipation and were just heart-wrenching. I’m giving Wicked Heat 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance. And as always, it was lovely to see some familiar faces!

Grab your copy today, exclusively on Amazon or FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EVdTIf
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/chicagoheatone

About Ella Frank

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction.

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Connect with Ella

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2sYAgNc
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2tM6vPy
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2TbuBOf
Stay up to date with Ella by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2FFDzeI
Website: https://www.ellafrank.com

Read my reviews for the other books mentioned in this review!

ARC: Doll Parts – Cara Dee Book Review (The Game #4) + Excerpt

February 18, 2022thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Get ready for a funhouse experience that doesn’t belong in an amusement park. But clowns and balloons don’t turn this scorching hot BDSM romance into a wild ride. That’s all Noa, Cam, Lucian, and KC.

I have the best boyfriend in the whole world, but there’s one thing I won’t tell him. It’s that I don’t believe in absolute happiness anymore. Not with the cards we’ve been dealt. I mean, come on! Why do we fall for people who don’t want us back? While he’s been pining after Lucian, one of the Masters in his kink community, I’m the lovesick monster-puppy Little who can’t forget my former stepdad KC. Or the kinky porn I once found on his computer…but that’s beside the point!

It’s complicated, to be honest. I try not to think about it. I have Cameron, and I love him so damn much. Why can’t we try to make it on our own? Why does he want us to find a Top that’s just ours? It won’t work. Our stupid hearts refuse to move on.

What’s even stupider is that Cameron insists we seek out a Dom for our relationship in the very kink community where we can find both KC and Lucian.

Ohhh crap. I think he’s got a plan.

The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, two things are certain. This is not a perfect world, and life never turns out the way you planned.

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://readerlinks.com/l/2311033

Catch up with the series here: https://readerlinks.com/l/1581265/55

Review:

I’ve enjoyed all of the books in this series so far so I was excited to hear about the release of Doll Parts!

I’m fairly familiar with Cara Dee’s books and I know they tend to be unique, sexy and also very cute. While I have really enjoyed the other stories in this series, I have to say that Doll Parts wasn’t as big of a hit for me as the others were. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and I’m certainly interested in reading more in this series!

Doll Parts was hot as hell but I wanted more from the romance!

First of all, I liked the storyline. It seemed like it would make for an exciting story with that bit of a taboo element tossed in and some second chance romance and it definitely was exciting but it fell short in the development. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any connection with the characters or feel a genuine connection between them.

Out of the four characters, Noa was only slightly more developed than all the others in my opinion but that left me wanting to know more about Cam, Lucian and KC. When you’re writing a book where the relationship has several people, you want to really take the time to flesh each and every one of them out so that the reader can get a sense of who they are and build a connection with them but that part seemed to be glossed over because I felt like I missed out on a lot. It was kind of taken for granted that the history between KC & Noa and Lucian & Cam would speak for themselves and tell us everything we needed to know about the guys and their relationship but that didn’t work for me. As a result, I never was able to full connect with them.

I also felt like the romance was a little hard to buy into. I could understand the attraction between them and affection/friendship but love felt like a bit of a stretch. Things moved really quickly and I just never felt like they took the time to fall for one another, rather it seemed like everyone already loved each other in an insta-love kind of way and nothing actually evolved besides them officially getting together. I don’t know how else to explain it, not enough happened. It all just kind of blended together for me.

My other thing is with the relationship between the four of them. I never quite felt like it was an MMMM romance, it felt more like a bunch of couples. I don’t think enough time was spent developing the relationship between KC & Cam, KC & Lucian and Lucian & Noa. As a whole, I was just a little disappointed with the characters and their romance.

I did however like the lightheartedness of the story and the steam which was really well done of course. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t as interesting as I was expecting it to be. Honestly, at this point I’m noticing that the books in this series are kind of blending into one another so that might be my problem. They all just seem too similar and follow a similar pattern.

Steamy and sweet Doll Parts is a fun and quick read but it just didn’t quite meet my expectations.

Overall, I had a nice time reading this book and it was fun to read the cute and sassy banter but I was little disappointed that I didn’t love it. In the end, it ended up being an OK read but not much more than that. It needed a lot more character and relationship development for me to have fallen head over heals with the story but I do think it’ll be a hit for many readers. I am giving Doll Parts 3.75 stars would recommend it to fans of MMMM romance with BDSM elements.

Excerpt

I couldn’t go up there, could I?
I squinted for the sun and peered up at the pale-green–painted trendy restaurant, all three stories of it, including the rooftop terrace. It was one of those restaurants that used to be an apartment building, so you had a bunch of smaller dining areas inside.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek and wondered how the hell I hadn’t connected the dots sooner.
Fuck, it was hot. I ran a hand through my hair and looked around me. The restaurant was right on the corner of a busy intersection, and the sleepy locals on their way to brunch were sharing the sidewalk with tourists.
Maybe I should text him and call it off…
“Excuse me, are you going to the munch?”
I cocked my head to the guy to my left. He was about my age, I estimated. “What if I didn’t know what a munch was?”
He grinned, and it was hot. Hot and cute. “I would’ve said never mind and hightailed it out of here,” he replied. “But I’ve been around long enough to spot someone too nervous to join an event.”
Oh. I wasn’t nervous to join an event. My very first munch, I’d been the first to arrive.
I scratched my head. “I’m stalling because I’m pretty sure I’m barging into someone else’s territory,” I admitted. “My mom’s ex-husband is kinky too.”
The guy made a yikes-face, and I felt the need to elaborate.
“I check his Instagram sometimes, and if he posts four pictures every month, one is from this place,” I explained. “Usually with a caption like ‘Luke is teaching me to post foodporn, whatever that is’ and ‘Macklin’s eggs Benedict are a bit of a religious experience.’”
I could tell I’d mentioned names the guy recognized. I was right. This was the munch of KC’s kink community. Motherfucker. I’d seen eight pictures from this place on KC’s dusty Instagram—or parts of the place. Mostly from the rooftop terrace. Maybe that was where they hosted the munch.
“You know them, don’t you?” I pressed.
The guy smiled uncertainly and shrugged slightly. “We take integrity seriously, but…”
Yeah.
“Who’s your mother’s ex-husband?”
“KC Hayles.”
He nodded once. He’d heard that name too. Then he eyed someone else, or two someones, coming up the sidewalk. They were twins. Hot-as-shit set of twins in their forties.
One of them smirked upon seeing the guy I’d been talking to. “You hidin’, Cameron?”
I observed the guy’s reaction. Cameron. A crooked grin full of mischief lit up his face. He was really fucking cute, and I didn’t usually feel attraction toward men my age. He was a bit taller than me but not much. Blue eyes.
“Does that sound like something I would do, Sir?” Cameron countered.
Definitely a submissive.
One of the twins chuckled and ruffled Cameron’s shaggy, dirty-blond hair. “See you upstairs, boy.” He spared me the quickest of glances, lifted his brow a little, maybe in curiosity, before he and his brother took the steps up to the restaurant.
Cameron turned back to me. “It’s possible you’ve stumbled upon your stepdad’s community.”
I figured. “I’ll just reschedule with the guy I was gonna meet. Thanks for letting me know.”
It wasn’t too important I met him today anyway. It was only a bite to eat to see if I was compatible to play with him and his boyfriend.
Cameron cleared his throat. “Hey, wait. If you know KC… Does that mean you know Lucian too?”
That would be a stretch. “I’ve met him a few times, sure. I wouldn’t say I know him, though.” I’d had my suspicions about Lucian—that he was kinky too. It wasn’t a surprise whatsoever to have it confirmed. He was big-time Master material. “Why? Are you together or something?”
Cameron snorted. “I wish. No, he’s with some dude who’s manipulating him like fucking whoa, and Lucian won’t see it.”
I frowned. That didn’t compute with my impression of Lucian.
“Anyway,” Cameron went on. “Here’s a crazy idea. You wanna get out of here and grab a burger or something? Your plan fell through, and I can think of better things to do than watch Lucian and his little troll.”
I stood straighter instantly. This guy wanted to hang out? Fuck yes! I could use a new friend.
“Absolutely,” I said, sticking out my hand. “I’m Noa.”
Cameron smiled, visibly relieved. “Cameron.”

About Cara

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.
There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.
Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.
I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

Here are my reviews of the previous books in this series!

Top Priority

Their Boy

Breathless

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ARC: Beautiful Nightmare – Giana Darling Book Review (Dark Dream #2)

January 31, 2022thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

Blurb

Bianca has finally found her rightful place amid the powerful Constantines. But all is not what it seems in this glittering new world. And Tiernan Morelli refuses to give her up…

BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE is the final book in the Dark Dream duet by USA Today bestselling author Giana Darling.

Review

Beautiful Nightmare was a great conclusion to this thrilling duet.

I will say, it took me awhile to get through Beautiful Nightmare because unfortunately, I got distracted by so many other things but I’m glad I’m finally getting around to reviewing it. While I didn’t love Beautiful Nightmare as much as Dangerous Temptation, I did still think it was a nice way to close off Tiernan and Bianca’s duet.

For the most part everything was amazing, there were a couple of little things to note, however.

First of all, I think the storyline was super thrilling and definitely had a good amount of action. I appreciated the character development this time around and the evolution of their individual arcs but I especially liked the development of the romance. Compared to other Giana books, the progression of the romance was much quicker so I wanted to be sure to see some natural development in their relationship so that it felt authentic and not instantaneous. I was happy with the romance, for sure, it was so passionate and steamy, I loved every second.

I have to say that I agree with some other readers who felt the end was rushed. It wasn’t so bad that I felt let down but it did feel that given the build up to the end, the conflict resolution happened a bit to quickly and conveniently. I mean when I got to the last two chapters, I was like how are there only two chapters left, there needs to be more to end this right. In the end, it was a good ending, despite there being no epilogue for now, but it wasn’t as seamless as I was expecting or hoping for. Next, I usually don’t pay too much attention to this in ARCs but the typos in this book were so frequent, it couldn’t be ignored. Of course, this has been addressed by the author and the publishing company so future copies shouldn’t be affected by this issue but I think it’s still worth mentioning as it was a part of my reading experience. The further I got into the book, the more typos and errors there were and it became very apparent that minimal to no editing and proofreading had been done and it did become distracting. Not to the point where it detracted from my enjoyment but enough to catch my attention on many occasions.

Steamy, intense and full of passion, Beautiful Nightmare was a nice conclusion to the Bad Dreams duet.

Overall, Beautiful Nightware was an enjoyable read. Despite some issues, I was happy with it so I am giving it 4 stars and would recommend it to fans of age-gap or forbidden romance.

Add to Goodreads:
https://bit.ly/BeautifulNightmareTBR

About the Author:
Giana Darling is a USA Today Bestselling Selling Canadian romance writer who specializes in the taboo and angsty side of love and romance. She currently lives in beautiful British Columbia where she spends time riding on the back of her man’s bike, baking pies, and reading snuggled up with her cat Persephone. She loves to hear from readers so please contact her at gianadarling@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

Connect with Giana

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ARC: These Thorn Kisses – Saffron A. Kent Book Review (St. Mary’s Rebels #3)

December 9, 2021thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

Blurb

Eighteen-year-old, Bronwyn Littleton is in love with a stranger she met on a summer night a year ago.

A stranger who was tall and broad in a way that made her feel safe. He had dark blue eyes that she can’t stop drawing in her sketch book. And he had a deep, soothing voice that she can’t stop hearing in her dreams.

That’s all she knows about him though.

Until she runs into him again. At St. Mary’s School for Troubled Teenagers – an all girls reform school – where she’s trapped because of a little crime she committed in the name of her art.

Now she knows that her dream man has a name: Conrad Thorne.

She knows that his eyes are way bluer and way more beautiful than she thought. And that his face is an artist’s wonderland.

But she also knows that Conrad is her best friend’s older brother. Which means he’s completely off-limits. Not to mention, he’s the new soccer coach, which makes him off-limits times two.

What makes him off-limits times three however, and this whole scenario an epic tragedy, is that, Conrad, Wyn’s dream man, has a dream girl of his own.

And he’s as much in love with his dream girl as Wyn is in love with him…

NOTE: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of St. Mary’s.

Review

I’ve been loving this series and couldn’t wait for Wyn and Conrad’s story!

I think this was one of the books in this series that I was most anticipating and I was happy with the way it turned out. Saffron A. Kent writes angst, tension and forbidden romance so well. From start to finish, it was a fun, and cute ride with lots of steam and super sweet moments.

Wyn and Conrad were great characters!

I really liked these two. They were quite different but complemented each other well. I loved how Wyn cracked Conrad’s shell and I loved his dirty talk. Their banter was really nice and I had a great time reading their story. It was a whole lotta cute!

Full of angst and forbidden hotness, These Thorn Kisses was a great read!

Overall, I had wonderful time reading this book and thought the story was lovely. I especially loved the forbidden aspect since that’s my favorite trope! I am giving These Thorn Kisses 4.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden romance!

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ARC: Secrets & Lies – Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine Book Review

December 1, 2021thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

Blurb

I wasn’t supposed to want him. The bronzed god lying by my pool in tight shorts that left little to the imagination. But I was only human, and with the temptation constantly within reach, it was only a matter of time before I could no longer resist.

It was wrong. I knew that.

He was my son’s age.

Hell, he was my son’s friend.

But even worse…I was his teacher.

Secrets & Lies is a standalone teacher-student MM romance from USA Today bestselling authors Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank.

Get your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZDTzLq
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SecandLies
Add Secrets & Lies to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3btSyZi

Review

Gah, Secrets & Lies was yummy!!

I am no stranger to these lovely ladies’ writing and I just know that anytime I pick up one of their stories, I’m going to be blown away. Secrets & Lies was no different, it was addictive, sexy, fun and oh so satisfying. I really didn’t want it to end, I was so hooked.

This was one for the books, I loved everything about it!

I’ve read nearly every book these authors have published, individually and together and I can honestly say, Secrets & Lies is one of my new favorites. The characters were so easy to love. Their romance was steamy and forbidden which is my absolute favorite and I just ate it up. I flew through it and could not put it down! I’m definitely feeling like this is a book I’ll reread over and over again because I just had so much fun with the story.

Steamy, forbidden and entertaining, Secrets & Lies was one of my top reads of the year!

Overall, I had such a great time reading this book and I wish it would have been longer. It was just so good, I wanted more more more. I am giving Secrets & Lies 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance with a forbidden twist!

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ARC: Incubastard – Charity B. Book Review + Giveaway!

October 22, 2021thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

Blurb

Mishka
Angels, demons… the afterlife.
I’d always thought they were bullshit.
Until all my misguided beliefs were proven wrong by an infuriating, flippant asshole with horns who has no concept of boundaries.
Summoning him was never the plan, especially since I’m not willing to do what it takes to send him back.
If I’ve learned anything from Loch, it’s that preconceived ideas are usually false, and the truth is much messier than fables.
The theory of good and evil is flawed.
Nothing is that simple.
Loch
The only side of human nature I’ve ever encountered is vile and perverse, depraved and cruel.
However, Mishka’s none of those things.
She’s an insufferable, snarky creature who makes me question everything I know about myself.
The longer I’m with her in this world, the less desperate I am to return to mine, which is absurd.
I am son of Asmodeus.
A prince spawned from lust to torment the damned.
The mortal realm is not where I belong.

Incubastard deals with Christian lore that does not align with the Bible. It is completely fictional. If this will make you uncomfortable, please do not read this book.
Content Warning: This novel contains graphic scenes depicting blood and gore along with sexually explicit content and violence. For mature audiences only.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58394613-incubastard

Review

Incubastard was amazing and far exceeded my expectations.

I love Charity B.’s writing and I’m always in the mood for dark romance so I was definitely excited to pick up her newest release. Colour me surprised when I started reading and realized it wasn’t dark at all actually. I’m not sure how I missed the subgenre but apparently, I did which was fine because it made it all the more exciting. Incubastard was fun, flirty, sexy and had a nice amount of action and suspense that ramped up as the story progressed. In the end, it was very entertaining and I enjoyed it very much.

I haven’t read Charity B. in what feels like forever so I was ready for her incredibly addictive writing…

And addictive it was. I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what would happen next. The storyline was very unique and I don’t think I’ve actually read anything like it before, at least not that I can remember. The writing was super engaging and there never was a dull moment. Charity B. is really great a creating well-developed stories and characters and moving things along at a good pace. It was a pleasure to read in all aspects.

The characters were so damn lovable!

Loch is our resident demon who’s been summoned to earth by a human woman. Loch was such a flirt, the things that came out of his mouth, man he was a character. Loch was also super kind, considerate, honourable and absolutely swoon-worthy. Or a demon who apparently had no heart, he was caring and loving towards those he was close to and it was clear in all of his actions throughout the book.

Mishka was a lovely heroine and it was easy to relate to her and love her. She was generous, understanding, patient and fiesty. Lord knows in her position she’d have to have had the patience of a saint and a healthy dose of sass to deal with the hand she’d been dealt. Mishka was a perfect match for Loch and he for her because they just suited each other so well.

Mishka and Loch had chemistry from the start. They circled each other at the beginning with so much angst and it was so yummy. When things finally reached a breaking point and the romance truly began things were fiery hot. I mean a demon of lust is bound to bring the heat and that’s exactly what he did. And Mishka was able to match him blow for blow so they were steamy with a capital S.

In addition to the characters and their romance, the plot was super interesting. There was so much going on behind the scenes that when you first start reading you’d never expect. I enjoyed this to a degree but I did feel like towards the end, like the last quarter, things were taken in a completely different direction that was a bit more chaotic and felt like O was reading a whole other story. That wasn’t such a huge deal but I did feel like things could’ve been less dramatic. But I mean for the purposes of the story, it worked so it didn’t have a big effect on my enjoyment.

Steamy as hell, with an addictive plot and characters that are impossible not to love Incubastard was one fun, yet wildly thrilling ride.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book and really did enjoy the outcome. It was unique and engaging and the romance was very well done. I look forward to reading more from this author. I am giving Incubastard 4.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of paranormal romance with a humorous vibe.

Buy Links

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UMWnnG
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3FnsmNJ
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3uK2q9T
Amazon AU:https://amzn.to/3mr1Wlh

Praise

Amazon Review – “So, here’s the question…Do I recommend it? For all my dark PNR lovers out there with a tolerance for triggers.. YES! A thousand times YES. Will I keep reading?Absolutely, Charity B has taken me on some fantastic, imaginative, and dark journeys and I want more. This book is now on my 2021 Favorites list! READ IT!”

Amazon Review – “This book �� man I can’t even begin to describe how freaking amazing this book was!”

Amazon Review – “I was instantly enthralled with this story , I love when it’s so good you can forget everything going on around you. The characters are fascinating and so is the storyline , I absolutely loved it !!!”

Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/Ol_rGn0yvpU

Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/81aa78942443/

Social Media Links

Website: www.authorcharityb.com
Amazon: www.smarturl.it/CharityB_Amazon
Facebook: www.smarturl.it/CharityB_FB
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charitybauthor
Instagram: www.smarturl.it/CharityB_Insta
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CharityBbooks/
Goodreads: www.smarturl.it/CharityB_GR

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ARC: A New Enemy – Cara Dee Book Review + Excerpt

September 30, 2021thegoldenbookshelves Leave a comment

A New Enemy by Cara Dee
Series: Enemies Book #1
Genre: Gay Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Lovers to enemies/Enemies to lovers, Found family, Opposites attract,
Best friend’s brother

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://readerlinks.com/l/1992930

Synopsis

Family | Book 1 of 2 | Lovers to Enemies | Enemies to…

The rivalry runs strong and fuels the burning chemistry between Sebastian and Blake in this late-summer romance where they have two options. Quick and hard or not at all.
He put me on edge before he even cruised into town with his cowboy hat, devil- may care grin, and Southern drawl. Partly because I couldn’t help viewing him as a threat. He was my best friend’s brother—and maybe more importantly, the uncle of Teddy, a special kid who’d been the light of my life for years.
Teddy couldn’t be more excited about his uncle visiting. Me…not so much. No matter how intensely the chemistry sizzled between us when we met, no matter how much my chest seized up at the sight of him, no matter how easily he drew me in.
He could return to his closet in Georgia for all I cared, preferably before I lost my ever loving mind and had to wage war against the man who somehow got under my skin.
This story takes place in Cara Dee’s Camassia Cove Universe, a fictional town where all books stand on their own, unless otherwise stated, and the reader can jump in wherever they want.

Review

I’m a big fan of Cara Dee’s m/m romance and jumped at the chance to review A New Enemy.

I was really excited to dive into this book, the blurb and the titles promised some sizzling angst, lots of tension and a gripping story. I was hoping for a good dose of steam and some tender moments thrown, which I’ve loved so much from her other stories but this one didn’t quite work out as well for me.

A New Enemy was ok but felt like it only just scratched the surface of what it could have been.

I’ll admit I was a little disappointed with the way this book played out. I was expecting so much more from it because of the allusion to the enemies-to-lovers trope but really, there was no heat or angst to substantiate that. It kind of just fell flat. I did really like the characters and thought they were all very interesting individually, particularly our two leads, but there needed to be more to actually make them well-developed characters o whom I could connect and the same thing applies when it comes to making their romance stand out more. As I said, it was all kind of flat. I really wish there would have been more showing and less telling as that could have made things more engaging. A finally, just a personal preference, but I think I’d have really liked to see dual POVs but I’m hopeful for the next book in this duet because there was a nice cliffhanger.

Quick, sweet and with a little steam, A New Enemy was an ok start to this new duet.

Overall, I was hoping for more with this book but because I liked the characters and have hope that the second book can fill in the gaps this one left in this duet, it wasn’t a total loss. It was a good introduction to the duet but there is surely more to come in order to get it right. I am giving A New Enemy 3.75 stars because it was a fine read just not as developed as I’d have liked. I would recommend A New Enemy to fans of m/m romance.

Excerpt

As I reached the front door, I peered through the round window and spotted Teddy with his uncle next to my four-wheeler. Teddy was sitting in the driveway, right next to the wooden fence I shared with Bob, and he was picking flowers from the strip of greenery the fence stood on.

Blake was squatting down beside him, with his back to me, and he had on an actual cowboy hat. Christ. So that was a thing. Jeans, white tee, black cowboy hat.
He’d brought Georgia with him.
I scratched my chest absently, hesitating, then thought, fuck it. I opened the door carefully, just a few inches. Sue me, I was curious.
“You ready to go in?” Blake asked. “I’m sure your mama needs us to tell her to sit down and rest.”
Oh, his accent was way more pronounced than Sophia’s. His voice was something else entirely too. Low and rich, and with that Southern drawl.
“My sister kicks a lot,” Teddy said and picked another flower. He sounded tired.
“Dylan and I kiss her belly and say ‘Be nice to Momma.’”
I smiled faintly and stepped out on the front step.
“Does your sister listen?” Blake asked.
Teddy laughed and shook his head. “Nooo. She kicks when she wants.”
Blake let out a chuckle. “Typical sisters.” He reached out and gave Teddy’s
shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s head inside, champ. You were gonna introduce me to your little friend too.”
Little?
That had to be Lily or one of the dogs, because I didn’t think 6’5” and 210 pounds was considered little.
“Uncle Blake, you hold these for Momma?” Teddy extended the flowers he’d picked.
Blake stood up and held out a hand. “Of course. You need any help gettin’ up?”
No, he didn’t.
“No,” Teddy grunted.
I revealed myself fully, preferring to let Georgia boy think I’d listened in without qualms rather than eavesdropping like some sneak.
Blake must’ve seen me in his periphery. He did a slight double take before facing me, and fuck me, the man was ten times more gorgeous in real life. Rugged as hell, soulful brown eyes, a couple days’ worth of scruff.

He furrowed his brow a little and touched the brim of his hat, and he dipped it a tiny bit, like they did in old movies. “Hello.”
I smiled. Soph had neglected to tell me how fuckable her brother looked. And sounded.
“Bastian, I see you!” Teddy exclaimed with a tired grin. He jogged over to me and hugged my middle.
“I see you too, buddy.” I squeezed him tightly and noticed Blake approaching. So I stuck o out my hand. “I’m Sebastian, Teddy’s little friend.”

About Cara

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.
There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.
Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.
I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too.
But mostly, I just love to write.

Find Cara on social media here:
https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

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ARC: Truth or Dare – Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine (Dare to Try #3)

September 30, 2021thegoldenbookshelves 1 Comment

Truth or Dare, the must read last book in the Dare to Try Trilogy from USA Today bestselling authors Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine is available now!
Truth or Dare is the final book in the Dare to Try trilogy and should only be read after Dare You and Dare Me.

Blurb

Lieutenant Kieran Bailey never saw his life anywhere but the bustling streets of
Chicago—but then again, he never saw his life with a boyfriend, either. That all changed when he fell in love with bombshell CEO Sebastian “Bash” Vogel.

But it’s one thing to fall in love. It’s another to try to build a life together when you live hundreds of miles apart.

How do you choose between everything you’ve ever known and everything you’ve ever dreamed of?

This series must be read in the following order:

Dare You (book one)
Dare Me (book two)
Truth or Dare (book three)

Review

Ah, Truth or Dare was absolutely fabulous!

I love these characters so much and Brooke and Ella just made me love them even more with this last installment in their series. Bash and Kieran are a new favourite couple of mine and I’m sad that their books are all wrapped up now. But damn, what a ride it’s been!

Everything leading up to this moment made it so special!

I’ve been rooting for Bash to find the love of his life for what feels like ages and the fact that he found that with Kieran is amazing. Both of these guys are truly wonderful men and their romance has been a beautiful thing to witness. From friends to lovers, these guys have grown a lot throughout these three books and I was over the moon happy to see them get their happily ever after. These guys had such a profound connection, and chemistry beyond compare and it was clear as day what with how sexy they were. I wish I could read them endlessly…

Sexy, sweet and entirely too addictive, I loved every second of Truth or Dare!

Overall, Brooke and Ella did a lovely job at concluding their story in a great way and while I loved every last thing about Truth or Dare, as always, it’s bittersweet. Nevertheless, I can’t recommend this series enough because it’s just so addictive and sexy. I am giving Truth or Dare 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance.

Grab your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mwVURY
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TruthDareEB
Add Truth or Dare to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3jkNCKT

Start the Dare to Try Trilogy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3znXIzN
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DareYouEB