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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: We Go Together by Abigail De Niverville (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Alien Eyes by Storm Caywood (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Baking Battles by Sophia Soames (Excerpt)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Fearing the Dream by Ann Marie James (Excerpt)
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AUDIO REVIEW: A Way With Words by Lane Hayes
A Way With Words – Lane Hayes
Tony De Luca is a simple guy. He works for his uncle’s Brooklyn-based construction firm. And he knows from experience that keeping his head down and doing his job is the best way to deal with the meddlesome family members he sees daily. They think he’s quiet and maybe a little awkward but the truth is more complicated. Tony has a secret he isn’t ready or willing to share. He’s an expert at avoiding familial scrutiny. At least he was until the sexy guitar player showed up.
Remy Nelson is a small-town, free-spirited guy looking for a new life in the big city. He stays busy playing his instrument on a busy Manhattan street corner during the day and bartending at night. Remy is more interested in finding steady employment than a mate, but he can’t deny his attraction to the dreamy construction worker with soulful eyes, a kind heart, and a unique way with words. Falling for Remy wasn’t what Tony expected, but keeping him will require courage. And an end to keeping secrets.
A Way With Words is about a man trying to find the courage to come out to his family. I have read many variations of this trope before but Lane Hayes pulled off a very endearing, feel good version that made me smile a lot.
MCs Tony and Remy were fantastic together! The first time they met, they hit it off immediately. From then on, it was a very sweet development with the two men being 100% honest and supportive of each other. I really loved that there were no conflicts and no judgement between them. They talked things through and listened.
Tony is an interesting combination of closed-mouth and talkative. He came from a large, loud Italian family who’s always up in each other’s business. This includes matchmaking attempts with women from the neighborhood.
Tony described himself as being one of the quieter ones who gets tongue-tied every time he tries to open up about his sexuality. But when he’s with Remy, that’s when he shines the brightest. He completely lets loose and says the sweetest, most romantic things in his own inimitable way. He did it so naturally without sounding cheesy.
Remy was a joy! He had a laidback charm and a contagious smile that I felt right off the audiobook. I loved how patient and understanding he was with Tony, when he knew Tony was not ready to come out. No demands, no hissy fits. Just there when he’s needed.
This is my first Alexander Cendese narration and he won me over with his style. He voiced Tony with just the right amount of exuberance and captured Remy’s lovable personality to a T. Definitely will listen to more audiobooks by him.
A Way With Words is a solid contemporary romance short. It’s a low-angst story filled with good food and happy people. Recommended for light reading moods and pick-me-up moments.
P.S.
Thank you to Indigo and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A Way With Words is the first book of the A Way With series. Review of book 2, A Way With You, soon.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: All This Goodness
Artist: Kyle Andrews
Album: All This Goodness -
RELEASE BLITZ: Love According to Liam by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)
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REVIEW: A New Empire by Layla Reyne
Fog City: A New Empire – Layla Reyne
Legacies were made to be rewritten.
Assassin Hawes Madigan wants to do right—by his family, his organization, his city, and the man he’s falling for, ATF agent Christopher Perri. But Hawes’s rules are being challenged by someone willing to kill for the old ways. To save his soul and his empire, Hawes must make an impossible decision: fight from the outside or bend the knee to win back his throne from within.
Chris is used to being the inside man, the one undercover. Now, he’s on the outside marshaling forces in support of the man and the ring of assassins he was supposed to take down. His mission shifted when he found something that’s been missing for ten long years—a home, with Hawes.
As Hawes and Chris make a dangerous play for control, the lines between allies and traitors blur. Trusting the wrong person could destroy the legacy Hawes envisions for the Madigans. But not trusting anyone, or each other, could mean lights out on their love and lives forever.
The King and King Slayer fight together in this thrilling conclusion to the Fog City Trilogy!
Maybe it was those suspenseful build ups. And those heart-stopping cliffhangers. But my expectations of this final Fog City book was sky high.
I was, sadly, underwhelmed.
A New Empire was not a bad book. In fact, we get all the twisty, action-suspense thrills we want. However, none of the surprises shocked me greatly. They were almost to be expected, except for Vivienne Tran’s bombshell.
I had correctly guessed the mastermind behind Hawe’s downfall in book two, King Slayer. Who else would it be? I also expected this person to have a stronger presence in book 3. They were there, but I didn’t feel the powerful aura of somebody who can take down the king.
This series is known for being fast and tight. The plot was a somewhat convoluted but with the way it was paced, it certainly kept things from being boring. I enjoyed going from one twist to another with hardly any lull.
Even the climax was rushed. This part I would have liked to be more impactful given how much time they spent plotting and strategizing. I almost didn’t realize that it was happening because it was over way too soon. Maybe it was respect to the mastermind’s age and status but it wasn’t a comeuppance where the antagonist suffered a slow, painful death,
As with most Layla Reyne books, the characters are what we are here for. I love that they make me feel like part of their group. Family is the heart of it all. My love for the Madigan siblings and their friends is what kept me coming back to this series despite my mixed feelings about it as a whole. Hawes, Holt and Helena are a solid, unified team even as Hawes played his dangerous game of bending the knee. Aidan, Mel, and Jamie, from the Agents Irish and Whiskey series, dropping by for a visit was a delightful bonus.
Romance-wise, I wouldn’t say I warmed up to Chris/Dante but he got Hawes’ back so he’s alright, I suppose. The more interesting angle here is Holt and Kane. They’re getting their own book so YAY! Even Hena will get some action because there’s definitely something going on between her and Chris’ sister.
The best book in the trilogy for me is the second book. However, this finale did a great job finally giving Hawes closure and the rest of the Madigans some peace. More, importantly, it was a really effective set-up for more stories to come. I am definitely here for the spin-offs.
Time to give Little H some love!
P.S.
Review of book 1, Prince of Killer, here
Review of book 2, King Slayer, here
Reviews of Agents Irish and Whiskey, here
Layla Reyne books hereRating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: The Perfect Symmetry
Artist: Demians
Album: Building An Empire -
COVER REVEAL: Love According to Liam by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Saving Rafe by Jocelynn Drake
Lords of Discord: Saving Rafe – Jocelynn Drake
Rafe Varik
The troublemaker. The risk taker. The sexy club owner full of wicked promises.
Rafe has devoted his immortal existence to pleasure and causing mischief.
The only ones who can depend on him are his brothers. Of course, that’s very much a Varik thing.
But when the leader of the Arsenault clan specifically requests Rafe’s help in tracking down a killer, he can’t say no.
Sure, Rafe claims he’s doing it for his family. They’ve attracted too many enemies and could use a few allies.
That’s not the whole truth, though.
There’s something about Philippe Arsenault that draws Rafe in. He wants more of Philippe. The vampire leaves him longing for another second in his presence, another taste of his lips, another caress of those perfect fingers.
Yet when it’s all over, what will become of Philippe and Rafe. Because Philippe will always be an Arsenault, and Rafe will always be a Varik.
Saving Rafe is the second book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a pair of star-crossed lovers.
I am happy to once again sow chaos with the Variks in this second book of Lords of Discord, Saving Rafe.
Vampire politics is something I’m keen on reading about and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. The story picks up months after the Variks defeated the Black Wolf clan. Other clans were getting antsy at what they thought was a power grab by the Variks. None were bothering to believe that it was the Black Wolf clan who attacked first.
The Variks were approached by the Arsenault, a clan many knew little about, for help in looking for their missing member. Rafe was especially picked for the task because the clan leader, Philippe Arsenault, saw something more in him other than a self-proclaimed ‘purveyor of fleshly delights’.
As much as I liked Rafe and Philipe, I wasn’t that convinced with their romance. It was all too insta. What I liked though was how the trust between them was built even if it sprung up too fast for two people who knew better. I also liked the comfortable companionship growing between them. I would have liked their friendship developed properly first before moving on to romance territory. That would have been more believable and would have strengthen the character development too.
Even though I wasn’t that invested in the romance, everyone made the book worthwhile for me. Every Varik, from Marcus, Bel, Winter and Ethan were given ample page time. And I’m so happy Aidan’s back to properly take his seat as the head of the family. The supporting characters Lola, Gideon, Ryder and Julian were also great additions to the cast.
What it means to be a clan was the main theme in the story. The Variks have always considered themselves family and not a clan. Now that their family has expanded to include Ethan, could they possiby accept other vampires into their fold? Would they finally take the step forward and be a clan? Would other clans take this as a sign of aggression?
Meanwhile, Philipe shoulders all the responsibilities of keeping his clan and their secrets safe. Somebody is picking off his most vulnerable clan members one by one. There were dead giveaways as to who the bad guy is. At some point, they were even reduced to a cartoon villain. While I liked it that there are different antagonists per story, the giant spectre of the Ministry hanging over them and an imminent war brewing, I wished we can get more fleshed-out villains.
This is a long book with the showdown reserved almost to the very end. This wasn’t as suspenseful as the first book with less action scenes. There were times I had that just-there-for-the-ride feeling but I wasn’t exactly bored.
The highlight for me was when my favorite twin, Bel, stepped in to save the day with his army. I would love to see that on screen! Winter and his shadowy tricks is making me so very, very curious. The wee Varik is giving Bel a run for his money.
I can’t wait to see what the youngest Variks are up to.
P.S.
review of book one, Claiming Marcus, here.
Jocelynn Drake books here.Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: All You Did Was Save My Life
Artist: Our Lady Peace
Album: Somethingness -
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Family We Make by Dan Wingreen (Excerpt & Giveaway)
