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REVIEW: Unholy by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
Park Avenue Kings: Unholy – Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
He hears my confessions.
Now he can’t unhear them.I keep showing up to church.
I don’t speak. I don’t confess. I just sit there—close enough to remember what it felt like to be his.Father Rafael Vitale thinks he can keep this professional.
Measured. Contained. Holy.I’m none of those things.
I’m Alessio Trentacapelli—the technocrat of the Park Avenue Kings. I live in shadows, break systems, and protect my brothers at any cost. I still believe in God. I just don’t forgive Him for demanding the man I love.
Rafael is discipline and devotion.
I’m want and resentment and everything he was never supposed to crave.We were boys together. Then lovers.
Then nothing we were allowed to keep.Now we’re orbiting each other again behind a confessional screen—through silence, ritual, and everything we refuse to say out loud. Every look lingers. Every boundary bends. And every time he tells me no, it hurts worse than the last.
Because the priest with the steady hands and the quiet voice?
He remembers me.And then we cross a line we both know by heart.
If he makes me choose between losing him again…
or giving in to something we can’t take back—I already know which sin I’ll commit.
Unholy is the finale of the riveting billionaire romance series, Park Avenue Kings by Ella Frank and Brook Blaine. The series follows the key members of the secret society, Libertine, known as the Kings. With the bad guys already vanquished in the last installment, the focus here is the romance.
Our final King is Alessio Trentacapelli, the billionaire hacker not-so-secretly in love with his childhood friend, Father Rafael Vitale, the Kings’ confessor. Picking up from the events of the previous book, Ruthless, Alessio is haunted by his failure to find the bad guys and his guilt only intensified his pining for Father Vitale.
Until one night he appears on the confessional drunk, baring his soul so raw it shakes our good priest to his core. And set them on a forbidden path of no return.
With all his brooding in the entire series, especially over a man he can’t have, I expected this to be angsty and boy, did it bleed angst. With his brothers happily coupled up, our boy Alessio is bitter that he can’t have his HEA. The amount of pining made my heart ache, especially with Rafael so close yet so far and Alessio can only watch him on his camera and window while he secretly lives across the street from the church.
I expected the drunken confession, yet the scene is still a devastating hit to the kokoro. I recommend audiobooking this for maximum impact.
Rafael and Alessio were boyfriends when they were teenagers. Their paths diverged when Rafael’s parents died and in his grief he turned to religion. Alessio remained loyal for 15 years. It’s ridiculously romantic how they were each other’s first and only. Their chemistry is absolutely nuclear!
I loved how the writers handled the religious theme. Despite his conflicting feelings, Rafael’s struggle is almost gentle rather than tortured. It took him a while though. Ultimately, faith was not condemned but rather reconciled with love and never preachy. The resolution affirms all forms of love, culminating in an uplifting epilogue where the Kings and their families celebrate together.
On a super minor note, it seems every other Italian character’s last name is Vitale, Morelli, or Moretti. I’m happy Alessio’s last name is Trentacapelli. Also, we barely see the rest of the Kings, I wanted more interaction with them.
Unholy is a story of forbidden love and enduring devotion where faith and sexuality coexist. Overall, a beautiful conclusion to an epic series that affirms what is truly hallowed: the courage to choose love, no matter the odds.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Unholy
Artist: Lilith Czar
Album: Created From Filth And DustP.S.
Park Avenue Kings is best read in order and easily one of the most bingeable series out there now that it’s complete.
Savage – Lachlan and Cooper making masks and disasters work
Devilish – Lucien and Kai finding the ideal dynamic among books and constellations
Immoral – Benoit and Dmitri doing a dance of danger and seduction
Merciless & Ruthless – Theo and Shep navigating friendship, desire, and abduction
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If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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RELEASE BLITZ: Shadows Never Lie by Lark Taylor
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COVER REVEAL: Shadow Duet by Lark Taylor
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COVER REVEAL: Unholy by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
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REVIEW: Banded Together by K.C. Burn
Banded Together – K.C. Burn
Punk’s not dead, but it’s time to redefine life.
Devlin Waters thought he’d have music forever. But the tragic death of his best friend ended the twenty-year run of his punk band, Negative Impression. Unable to process the loss, Devlin distances himself from everyone and everything that reminds him of the band. But forty-one is too young to curl up and wait for the end. In a search for a second career, he finds himself at university with a bunch of kids young enough to be… his kids. His sexy archeology professor, however, makes Devlin think about life beyond his grief….
Dr. Jack Johnson does not appreciate Devlin’s lack of respect, his inability to be serious, or his chronic lateness. Worse, he hates that he’s attracted to a student. When he realizes Devlin is the rock star he crushed on in his youth, he drops his guard—against his better judgment.
Before they can move forward together, Jack must admit to Devlin that he’s not only an admirer, but he also sings in a cover band. How will Devlin react to his ultimate fanboy when his own music has died?
I had to grab this, how could I not?
Banded Together by K.C. Burn stars band vocalist Devlin Waters, grieving the death of his best friend and bandmate, Trent. The two are the founding members of the goth punk industrial band Negative Impression. Devlin, also the bassist, is known as Blade; Trent, the lead guitarist, is Reaver (loved the nod to Nine Inch Nails!); their drummer and rhythm guitarist are Dragon and Moth.
With the band on indefinite hiatus, Dev is going back to school for a second career. It so happens that in his Archeology 101, the professor, Dr. Jack Johnson, is cute, uptight, and grumpy, and Dev just had to push his buttons.
Jack is infuriated with the cocky, always late Dev, who got under his skin. Only for Jack to discover, this Devlin Waters is THE Devlin Waters a.k.a. Blade, vocalist of his all-time favorite band and ultimate crush.
It’s very rare to read stories of rock stars embarking on second careers. So rare that this is my first time reading about it. Dev goes back to college and finds that he enjoys his classes, especially Archaeology 101.
It helps that his professor is not only attractive but is passionate about the subject. Only Dr. Jack is intentionally making the class as boring as possible to weed out dabblers who think they are the next Indiana Jones. Apparently, Indiana Jones is a terrible archaeologist. Something I found hilarious since I wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up.
Usually, I steer clear of teacher/student romances, as I found real-life examples to be iffy because they frequently involve middle-aged persons preying on impressionable teenagers. The story fortunately avoids the cradle robbing, with Devlin being 41 years old and Jack younger at 34. This is also a rare look at the life of a mature student who had to deal with classmates old enough to be his children.
Devlin’s cool confidence and shameless flirtations hide a broken man who literally couldn’t face the music and his remaining band members, the grief too intense, the memories too painful. It also doesn’t hide the fact that he could be an ass, especially to Jack, who secretly bears the trauma of a one-night stand from years ago that Devlin doesn’t remember.
The romance is a rollercoaster! The highs are hopeful and sweet, with scenes of open conversations, humorous banter, and comfort food. The lows are angsty and incredibly raw, where band-aids are ripped off wounds that barely healed, and Dev walks off to escape his overwhelming feelings, which is frustrating as hell!
The healing took time, and so Jack and Dev slow-burned their way through Archeology 101, drunken sleepovers, painful revelations, and eventually, acceptance and happier memories of Trent. While the book is easy to read, it is also very emotional and heartbreaking. I wasn’t impressed with Devlin’s attitude at first, but he was willing to change. Ultimately, his journey with Jack was very rewarding, and it was a well-deserved, hard-won HEA.
My favorite part is Jack’s other secret, Crimson Corrosion, a tribute band to Negative Impression. I loved how this part brings the story full circle in a tribute that is intensely personal, cathartic, and intimate, even with an audience. If I were in the audience, I would have tears streaming down my face too!
Banded Together is a story about second chances and healing. It is a rare glimpse into the lives of mature rockstars starting over, and a heartfelt exploration of grief, growth, and the redemptive power of love. Overall, a cacophony of emotions that leaves a lasting impression!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Gave Up
Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Album: Broken
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RELEASE BLITZ: Evan by Lark Taylor
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RELEASE BLITZ: Merciless by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine
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RELEASE BLITZ: Just This Once by Garrett Leigh (Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Mercy by Ian Haramaki
Mercy – Ian Haramaki
A PRIEST AND HIS ANGEL…
Father Ilya Pavlovich Sokolovis a lonely priest and pariah of his small town. Tasked with killing an injured monster in the woods, Ilya is certain of his death. Instead, he heals the monster’s injury and lifts its curse, revealing a handsome, memory-less man.
Cocksure Danya is a man lost in an unfamiliar world. He struggles to recall his past life, flashes returning as he and Ilya grow closer. Soon, his appearance begins to change once more, but not into a beast — instead, Danya grows into something just like the Sun that Ilya has worshiped all his life.
With complicated pasts between them, the two must work together to deal with the corruption of Ilya’s own church, as well as their blooming feelings for one another.
Mercy by new-to-me author Ian Haramaki has that irresistibly eye-catching cover typically found in YA books, so I went into it blind.
The opening chapter is a mesmerizing scene of the unpopular priest-healer, Ilya Sokolovis, forced by the townsfolk to slay the beast in the forest, only to secretly take the beast back to his church to heal it. The beast then transformed into a man, Danya, who had no memory of what had happened to him.
The following chapters felt like time was standing still, a.k.a. nothing was happening. The pace trickled like molasses as the grumpy, neurotic, and touch-starved Ilya struggled with his attraction to the undeniably lovable Danya, who promptly latched on to the young priest with the enthusiasm of a Labrador retriever.
As cute as all that, it was a struggle to continue, and I had to put the book on hiatus twice. It was that blah, which was too bad because it had many interesting aspects, and the premise was intriguing. The pairing of an angel and a priest isn’t something I encountered often, and I need more of it!
The setting is a Russian-flavored alt-history set in the 1920s, in a small town. Most of the technology, such as radios and telephones, was invented by a woman, which we later learn was connected to one of the MCs.
Their religion worships the Sun Mother and Moon Father. Ilya is a priest of the Sun, a position he inherited from his father. Magic and magical creatures exist, and angels, who were sons of the Sun, and demons, who were creatures of the night, show their presence to humans.
Their world captured my interest, but unfortunately, it wasn’t well-developed. It mainly included fleeting references with minimal details. The elements felt like a jumble of surface-level fantasy, a vague historical atmosphere, and modern language that seemed out of place and didn’t blend with the overall setting. And there wasn’t any magic done all, which was a huge disappointment.
Ilya’s late father is well-loved by the town, and when he fell ill and died, the people blamed 10-year-old Ilya because he could not heal his father. This is a grudge they have carried until now. His mother was especially bitter and harsh, and she hated him with vitriol. Ilya did all he could to avoid her.
Understandably, Ilya is a mass of guilt, anxiety, and woes. Unfortunately, most priestly love interests are of this mold, which I found rather tiresome. The only man of the cloth I knew who’s chill and happy with himself is the motorcycle-riding vicar Archie Thorne of Seven Summer Nights by Harper Fox. That was a joy to read, so give us a happy gay priest MC, please!
The plot is very romance-centric, and happily, it delivered! The pace also sped up considerably when the two MCs became romantically involved. The dynamics between Danya and Ilya were fun, fluffy, and hella swoony, and I loved how the author played off their opposite personalities. Most of the conflict was external, and this highlighted the strength of their bond and protective instincts.
Danya and Ilya went overboard with the Russian petnames, which were silly but also ridiculously cute! Danya, truly a son of the Sun living up to being Ilya’s solnishko, just wants to love on his human, protect him at all costs, and tinker with his many gadgets. His positive effect on Ilya made the book worth reading!
Mercy is a story of healing and embracing happiness. It has a lot of potential, and with better execution, it could have been a real gem. It might be slow-paced and simplistic in some aspects, but the love story at its core shines true.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Light Prayer
Artist: School Food Punishment
Album: amp-reflection
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REVIEW: A Bright Celestial Sea by Chani Lynn Feener
A Bright Celestial Sea – Chani Lynn Feener
Pryor Oro came to the Olympus to find a missing Imperial, not fall for one.
On the space station Olympus, a disappearance and a theft has captured the attention of the Intergalactic Police Force. Assigned to the case, Pryor heads to the World Ship in order to search for a missing prince. While there, he’s forced to work with the Emperor, Wystan Aurelius, who seems to never let Pryor out of his sight. Confused over why a man he’s never met is acting so possessive, Pryor’s urgency to solve the case and get away from Olympus and its ruler intensifies, even as the unruly Emperor starts to grow on him.
Wystan Aurelius finds life on a World Ship dull, until Detective Pryor steps onto his ship, and into his territory.
More concerned with discovering who has stolen missing medical technology, Wystan couldn’t care less about a vanished prince from another planet. At least, not until he sees how invested in the case Pryor is, and realizes how upset he gets when he doesn’t have the Detective’s full attention turned his way, and his way only. Wystan finds himself at a crossroads. Force Pryor to accept him by telling the truth? Or win him over the old-fashioned way?
Wystan’s secrets could unravel everything, but he isn’t the only one hiding things. Pryor’s privy to some classified information could end up turning the entire galaxy for a loop. Together, the two must navigate through their emotions and the seedy underside of Olympus to solve the case before it’s too late, and life, as they both know it, is altered forever.
A Bright Celestial Sea is another book written by Chani Lynn Feener in the same sci-fi universe as Between the Devil and the Sea and A Sea of Endless Light. It does not have a name yet, but I’ll call it IPF-verse since the Intergalactic Police Force is one thing common with the other books. Also, the MCs are IPF detectives with secrets they desperately want to stay buried.
The opening puts us right in the thick of things. From what I could suss out, a member of the Tiberian imperial family, nephew to the Empress, is missing. A critical illness, a top-secret nano-technology, and a classified medical procedure were uncovered. There’s an assassination attempt, and either imperial twins, sons of the Empress, might be involved, but then they were supposed to be dead.
All of this happend in Olympus, which is the world ship of the Vexans.
I spent half the book untangling the convoluted plot. For one, I was confused by all the names that came up. I was audiobooking this, and the Tiberian Imperials had very close-sounding names that I didn’t immediately realize there were several of them.
Roth is the nephew, the party boy wasting Tiberian tax money on lavish shindigs across the galaxy. Rath is his twin and is said to have died at birth or missing (I’m not sure). Ross is the twin most favored by the Empress, so he’s spoiled rotten. Rune is the unwanted, sickly spare.
The world-building was just enough to establish there are world ships, essentially artificial planets, and Olympus is ruled by twin Vexan emperors Wystan and his sister. The two alternately ruled every six months. It seems the Tiberians and Vexans are born in pairs, and this is a key element here.
Also, Vexans have the most beautiful eyes, which are the color of galaxies. The cover grabbed me with the image of Wystan and his eyes.
It helped that I had read the other books, so I was able to piece together the setting. Similarly, we have an IPF team led by Detective Pryor Oro and Inspector Castor (forgot his last name). Immediately, sparks flew as Pryor butted heads with the cocky and shamelessly flirty Wystan, who made it clear he wanted the detective.
Also, Pryor is a Tiberian, and saying the case hits close to home is a gross understatement, as we later discover.
The author was building some delicious antagonistic USTs, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it. I was too busy trying to understand what was going on. This is also the very thing that makes the mystery so compelling. I was in the dark until the bad guy showed his cards.
The second half was full-on squee-tastic BL manga vibes, with my favorite childhood connection trope working its magic. Because Pryor was that abused young boy Wystan wanted to protect once upon a time ago, and adult Pryor is strength, competence, and hurts rolled into one irresistibly gorgeous package.
The detective is still dealing with PTSD and amnesia, and the emperor is that possessive, adoring seme patiently waiting for his hot/cold yet can’t stay away uke, to remember and/or admit they knew each other as children. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t hurt to shower the overworked detective with TLCs and assist, a.k.a. insert himself in the investigation whether the detective wants him to or not.
This part tied beautifully with the mystery, giving us an edge-your-seat villain showdown and a slow-clap-worthy takedown of the person who hurt Pryor the most. It was fanfuckingtastic! And so satisfying, especially knowing what Pryor had gone through. It totally made the book for me!
A Bright Celestial Sea is a story of unwanted children, secret identities, and inescapable ties. The “cold open” and figuring out who’s who took some time for me before the story hit its stride. But I’m thrilled I stuck around. Ultimately, It was a rewarding experience.
Overall, a complex mystery and a sweet sci-fi romance between two men who shine the brightest at their most vulnerable.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Celestial Bodies
Artist: Ghost Data feat. Jovani Occomy
Album: The Occulus Occult
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A BRIGHT CELESTIAL SEA: Kindle | Audiobook
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