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  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Dangerous by Charlie Cochet & Macy Blake

    September 1, 2023 / 1 Comment

    Shifter Scoundrels: Dangerous – Charlie Cochet & Macy Blake

    New Paranormal Romance from Bestselling MM Authors Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake.

    A grumpy lion shifter duke with secrets, a sassy human who knows nothing of the shifter world, and a fiery arrangement neither of them expected.

    Cormac Donegan, Duke of Everard, is all too familiar with the perils of his shifter world, especially as a Dahlia, one of the dragon kingโ€™s elite spies. After a mission nearly costs him his life, Cormac is sidelined, healing and grieving his heavy losses. Then a different kind of trouble shows up on his doorstep, a human claiming to be his fiancรฉ.

    When Jason Reaves is nearly killed in a house fire, it becomes clear that someone is trying to murder him. With his already fragile health deteriorating, Jasonโ€™s only hope is to call in the debt a stranger owes his fatherโ€“ a favor that promises safety, protectionโ€ฆ and marriage.

    Jasonโ€™s escape leads him and his service dog, Mouse, to an impressive country estate. Heโ€™s expecting the older man whoโ€™d made the promise, not his ruggedly handsome sonโ€“who happens to be a Duke, as in rich and royal.

    Will this Cinderfella find his happily ever after in the arms of a dashingโ€“if somewhat irritableโ€“duke? Or will Cormacโ€™s secrets prove to be more dangerous than the shifters hunting him?


    Dangerous is the second installment of Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake‘s highly entertaining paranormal series, Shifter Scoundrels. After shocking the ton by bringing a human to the ball in Book 1, Notorious, the Duke of Everard, Cormac Donegan, and his fiance, Jason Reaves, set expectations high.

    And they delivered!

    The plot is an arranged marriage trope between the shifter duke and a human after a pledge by the old duke to Jason’s father years before. I have yet to experience the charms of Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy, but if comparisons between him and Cormac made Jason blush, well, I have to meet the guy ASAP.

    Duke Everard is a black lion shifter whose bite is deadlier than his growl, and boy, does he love to growl. He’s secretly working as a spy, a member of the Dahlias, the king’s eyes, ears, and claws in the kingdom. He’s an honorable man and a stickler to duty. So much so that when a complete stranger showed up his doorstep claiming to be his fiance, with the old duke’s letter in hand promising protection, he was immediately determined to see it through.

    Sad to say, Jason was my least favorite thing here. The man has to learn to shut up. His brand of sunshine and babble failed to charm me. His service dog Mouse, on the other hand, was adorable! Jason has Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and throughout the story, when his illness manifests, he requires Mouse’s aid as well as the duke’s and his staff.

    But our boy is no damsel in distress. A very admirable thing about Jason is that he’s very good at keeping his head even under extreme pressure. He might hyperventilate and be hypertensive, but our boy can still strategize, helping Cormac in the key parts of his mission. And he won the hearts of the two deadliest Dahlias, Lady Alia and Lady Marmont(?), as well as the rest of society.

    The book delves deeper into shifter world, looking at it through human eyes via the Cinder-fella trope. Cormac is the type who would spoil his beloved Jason rotten, so I wished the authors laid on the luxury and opulence thick. Also, the leap from friends to lovers happened too quickly. We are just told they spent some time together before taking the leap. I wished we were shown these scenes more.

    My gripes aside, Dangerous is another one-sitter. The romance was sweet and heartwarming enough, but like Notorious, it’s the rest of the story and the cast that really made my day. And with storytelling that kept me glued to the book, this sequel is a worthy addition to the magical alt-Regency paranormal world.

    The series over-arching thread overlaps with some events from Book 1. This is a very intriguing mystery of who is behind the murder of the prince. The crimes keep coming, but we barely have clues. I have sworn to see this through the end.

    The supporting cast was a riot, and I loved seeing familiar faces helped saved the day. The plot had most of the action at the last part, and this was full on mayhem and chaos! Thrilling car chases, explosions, and Cormac with the swag of Colin Firth in suit and umbrella.

    Overall, this story of dangerous dukes, sassy humans, and royal shenanigans is well-written, fast-paced, snarky, and super fun! Definitely the talk of the town!

    Rating:
    4 Stars โ€“ minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Danger
    Artist: Olivia Dean
    Album: Messy

    P.S.

    Beau’s book is next!

    Shifter Scoundrels should be read in order. Know who’s who in society starting with Notorious.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Dangerous. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    DANGEROUS: Kindle | Audiobook

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    REVIEW: Got Me Hoping by Casey Cox

    August 18, 2023 / 1 Comment

    Vet Shop Boys: Got Me Hoping – Casey Cox

    It’s just a one-night stand, they said. It’ll be simple, no-strings fun, they said. They. Lied.

    I’m done with love and being broken-hearted. The only dogs I want to deal with are the ones I treat in the veterinary clinic I work at.

    But at thirty-four, having my first one-night stand can’t hurt. Right? The rules are pretty simple.

    1. Don’t spend the night.
    2. Don’t see him again.
    3. Don’t share anything personal.
    4. Don’t fall in love with him.

    But when Haze, the guy I spent a blazing hot night with and haven’t been able to forget about, shows up as our new receptionist, the rules fly out the window.

    There’s no way one night could lead to anything more. So why has Haze got me hoping this might just last?

    Got Me Hoping is book 1 in the Vet Shop Boys series and can be read as a stand-alone. Expect plenty of humor, found family, an adorable golden retriever, a foul-mouthed parrot, a whole new way of getting clean (as well as very, very dirty) and a heartwarming happily ever after!


    Got Me Hoping is the opener of Casey Cox‘s contemporary romance series, Vet Shop Boys. The prospect of cute couples with fur babies piqued my interest, so I had to give this series a go.

    It took a few tries for the book to stick because the opening chapters weren’t that riveting. It wasn’t until Henry Cavill-lookalike and veterenarian Noah started hanging out with Haze regularly that it clicked. As Jeff and Will of Big Gay Fiction Podcast would say, this is a story about nice guys doing nice things.

    Although we have examples of sunshiny all-around sweethearts who are completely adorable, our favorite angel Aziraphale being the perfect example, Noah and Haze failed to make me gush, despite being two perfectly, genuinely nice guys. These two men feel like secondary characters in their own book.

    The character that stole the spotlight was the 40-something owner of Vet Shop Boys, Gus, a.k.a. the best boss in the world. He’s been through the wringer, first with the death of his former partner, who was also the co-founder of the clinic. As if it’s not bad enough, his new husband was caught cheating on the very day of their wedding. Now the asshole is demanding half of the clinic in their divorce.

    Gus’s story was more compelling, and reading the blurb of his book, he’s going to be paired with a younger man. Which was disappointing because I was hoping for an equally mature boyfriend for him. There’s too few silver fox+silver fox romances, sadly.

    Noah and Haze’s romance was mellow and comfortable, spiced with some kinky nipple play and a lot of rimming. They’re kinda forgettable, but at least they’re having fun.

    The plot focuses on realistic problems and follows the MCs as they go about their days while breaking the rules of one-night stands. They navigate their relationship while Haze ponders what he wants to do with his life. This is what stood out to me the most.

    All his life, Haze jumps from one thing to another, good enough at everything but never a master of something. He took microbiology in college, then bounced from one odd job to another, including a bed tester. Now, he’s on his second degree, while making soaps and part-timing at the Vet. And still feeling lost.

    This is eerily similar to my situation, especially during my younger days. I majored in applied physics, even have a masters in the damn subject. But then I worked several odd jobs, and took various courses, including fashion design and hairstyling.

    If somebody asked me before what I want to do with my life, I really didn’t know. Now, I’ll probably say my dream is to have enough resources to do what I want when I want it. That should cover everything.

    Got Me Hoping is a good example of a 3-star book for me. It didn’t set my world on fire, but it got me hooked on the series.

    Rating:
    3 Stars โ€“ not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it

    Soundtrack: Break The Rules
    Artist: Ruen Brothers
    Album: Break The Rules


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    GOT ME HOPING:ย Kindleย |ย Audiobook

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