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REVIEW: Immoral by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank
Park Avenue Kings: Immoral by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank
Who are we? Nobody really knows. We’re the seven most powerful heirs to empires, ruling Manhattan from our thrones on Park Avenue. By day, we’re the elite, untouchable, and more connected than you could ever imagine. By night, we revel in the darkness of our secrets, pulling strings that make the city bow to our whims.
Ruthless.
Dangerous.
We’re the Park Avenue Kings.
In this city of power and desire, where the line between love and obsession blurs, nothing is off-limits—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
He was sent in to seduce a monster. He didn’t expect to fall for the man beneath.
Benoit Olivier has always played the part—charming, cunning, and impossible to pin down. As one of the Park Avenue Kings, he’s used to being the watcher, the flirt, the wild card. But when the Kings need eyes on a powerful new arms dealer with a dangerous reputation, Benoit steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight—as a performer in Dimitri Stavros’s exclusive world.
Dimitri is lethal, calculating, and entirely unprepared for the distraction Benoit presents. Drawn to the dancer’s allure, he offers him a place at his side, unaware that every flirtation, every glance, is a calculated move in a game Benoit was sent to win.
But the deeper Benoit is pulled into Dimitri’s world of wealth, weapons, and whispered threats, the more dangerous the assignment becomes. Because Dimitri doesn’t forgive betrayal—and if he discovers Benoit’s true purpose, it won’t just be hearts that shatter.
Now, with time running out and his feelings blurring the line between performance and reality, Benoit must make a choice: complete the mission… or protect the man he was never supposed to love.
Immoral can be read as a standalone novel in the Park Avenue Kings world, but for maximum enjoyment, read after Savage & Devilish.
Immoral is the third book of Park Avenue Kings, a fabulous, fabulous billionaire secret society series by acclaimed writer duo, Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank.
Our King, this week, is Benoit Olivier – billionaire, burlesque dancer, polyglot, diva, and spy. He’s tasked to gather information about the notorious arms dealer Dimitri Stavros. Benoit is very good at his job, and he pulled out all the stops to hook his mark. Through a burlesque dance, of course.
And what a dance it was! This part alone made the book for me.
Benoit was seduction personified with every sizzling move and smoldering eye contact. He knew he had a gorgeous body and knew how to use it to his advantage. The finale was a cheeky wink and the ultimate tease. If I were in the club, I would have been on my feet, clapping hard and clamouring for more!
So yep, Dimitri stood no chance.
Dimitri is powerful, dangerous, and broody, a weapons dealer in the body of a Greek god. Clearly enamoured by the sassy dancer, possessive and ready to spoil the diva, he was always wanting Benoit so much that his right-hand man had to keep reminding him of business at hand.
Dimitri was a swoony blend of confidence and vulnerability, a tragic prince who slayed the villain, and now the dark king of an underground kingdom. His more somber temperament is a foil to Benoit’s playful side; his burning desire for the spy is matched only by Benoit’s palpable attraction for the man. They fit so well, just watching them interact was a joy!
In the previous books, Savage and Devilish, I had wished the stories were more mission-focused. This time, the mission and romance blended so beautifully, it was pure magic!
Benoit had to endure such hardships as being whisked away to a fairytale castle in Prague, having fantastic smexy times in different rooms each night, dragging Drimtri to a picturesque Christmas market, and sneaking around a luxury train across Europe, not to mention a bout of exhibitionism at a train stop.
Benoit enjoyed himself so much, he had to remind himself he was not on vacation. His sheer delight at a job going well, with how fun it is to flirt with Dimitri, and despite himself, falling in love with his mon monstre, that sense of exhilaration jumped off the page and swept me away!
Immoral have all the perfect moves, from the delicious tease, the nuclear-hot chemistry, the enthralling romance, the riveting cat-and-mouse game, and the constant tension that kept everything tight, fast-paced, and thrilling. Overall, a captivating dance of seduction you never want to escape!
Dating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Kiss Twice, Kiss Me Deadly
Artist: Alice Nine
Album: VandalizeP.S.
Park Avenue Kings can be read as standalones, but the Kings are worth meeting.
Savage is a shadowy king and the innocent journalist in a meet-disaster turned meet-stalker
Devilish is the dom king sweeping the sweet sub off his feet with books and constellations.
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REVIEW: His Reluctant Savior by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Reluctant Savior – Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
I have a second chance to right wrongs, even if it means I’ll lose my family and life.
Sid Virgil
FBI analyst Dalton Reed’s name is on my hit list, but I know I won’t do it. Though I haven’t seen Dalton in twenty-seven years, we have a history together. He saved my life many years ago, and he doesn’t even realize it. Now, it’s my turn to save him and his young son. Saving Dalton puts my life at risk with my assassin family, but I owe it to him, and I owe it to myself.
Dalton Reed
Sid, goddamn, Virgil. I haven’t seen him in twenty-seven years, and I now find him standing between me and my escape. He insists he wants to help me, but I know he was sent to kill me. I don’t trust him. He was a bastard to me growing up as a teen, and I’m sure he’s a bastard now. He’s a killer. But I’m being hunted, and I have no choice but to let Sid help. My son is all that matters.
Can these two men see beyond their past to save Dalton before it’s too late? Can Sid’s family forgive him for his betrayal?
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
Criminal Activity, Loss of Parents (off page), Sexual Assault (on page) of a Minor, Drugging Minors, SA by a Family Member, PTSD, Loss of Spouse, Torture, Murder, Murder of a Family Member, Organized Crime, Pedophilia, Forced Suicide, Mentions of Child Sex Trafficking (side character), Alcohol Consumption, Violence, Explicit Language, Sex.
Last we know of Sid Virgil, in the cliffhanger of The District Book 2, His Bane, he went rogue and betrayed his found family of queer assassins. Sully was raging to skin him alive, with Malik barely able to hold on to his beloved psychopath’s leash.
His Reluctant Savior follows Sid and single dad/FBI agent Dalton Reed as they dodge hitmen, The District boys, and fellow feds. There’s a hit on Dalton’s head after he submitted crucial evidence against the Speaker of the House, only to find out his boss was the Speaker’s friend.
But why would Sid risk everything, even his family and the trust they built for years, for a fed?
Like the rest of the series, Sid’s backstory is dark and tragic, suffering sexual abuse from his uncle since he was very young. It’s not as graphic or disturbing as Book 1, His Death Bringer, but do heed the TWs.
During high school, Sid was a moody troublemaker and treated Dalton, the star quarterback and all-around sweetheart, terribly, even though he was really crushing hard on the golden boy. A fateful night with Dalton at a party changed everything for Sid, though they never saw each other again after that. He never forgot what Dalton did for him.
When adult Sid and Dalton met again, there were sparks between them that quickly ignited into a full-blown inferno. I love the contrast in their personalities: Sid is the bad boy, always making jokes even in life-or-death situations, while Dalton is the concerned dad type—an overthinking boy scout who prefers to do everything by the book.
Trust is key to survival, with Dalton knowing Sid is a killer hired to kill him, and not fully understanding why the man is helping him, but having no choice with his son’s life on the line and bad guys hot on their heels. Also, not trusting Sid 100% didn’t stop Dalt from eagerly jumping into bed with Sid.
The best part is Easton, Sid’s 17-year-old protege and sociopath, who’s obsessively attached to Sid, the father figure in his life. East helped save their asses, and I loved his relationship with Owen, Dalton’s 5-year-old son. The birthday scene was adorable, and it made me eager for Easton’s book.
Meeting the family was also my favorite part. Sid bringing his Boy Scout to The District HQ, a.k.a. throwing him to the wolves, was hilarious and as tense as wild animals circling each other. Dalton might be by the book, but I loved how he shook things up in The District. There were shocking but fitting additions to the family. It’s also a fantastic resolution to their situation.
The story was intriguing, and I loved the connections between Sid and Dalton across past and present. However, I felt it lacked the oomph of Books 1 and 2. The ending scene was unfortunately anticlimactic, although it provided the best solution to protect Dalton and Owen.
Overall, His Reluctant Savior is a story of second chances, trust, and finding the good in a person. It’s a suspenseful chase, a steamy reunion, and an intense shake-up of a crazy family of killers who will always have each other’s backs, no matter what.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Good In Me
Artist: Andy Grammar
Album: Monster (Deluxe)P.S.
The District is best read in order.
His Death Bringer brought together the sweet and innocent with the dark and deadly.
His Bane is a clash of wills, power, and control between a feral psychopath and his closeted mentor.
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HIS RELUCTANT SAVIOR: Kindle | Audiobook
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BOOK BLITZ: The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni
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REVIEW: That Mafioso Magic by Nicholas Bella
Mages & Mayhem: That Mafioso Magic by Nicholas Bella
Private detective, Adrian Elias, knows what trouble looks like, and ruthless mobster and lion shifter, Sage Tamir, was just that with a capital T. On top of smelling like heaven, the man has the face of an angel, with a body made for unbridled sin. A combination Adrian finds very hard to resist.
Unfortunately, someone is trying to kill Sage and they’re using magic to do it. Sage usually takes these types of matters into his own hands, but this time, he’s out of his league. He believes the only person who can help him is the down-on-his-luck detective. Problem is, Adrian doesn’t want to take his case because he feels it may be too dangerous. Never mind the volcanic-level attraction they seem to share for each other raising the stakes. Magic and mayhem awaits.
Reader Advisory: 18 and older. Strong adult situations and language. A sarcastic PI and a no-nonsense mobster will keep you turning the pages way past your bedtime. Best order that pizza, because once you start this book, you won’t want to stop.
That Mafioso Magic is the first book of the shifter paranormal/urban fantasy series, Mages & Mayhem, by Nicholas Bella. The fated mates pairing of a lion shifter mafia boss and a private detective mage intrigued me right away.
Firstly, Sage Tamir and his pride of all-female lions is so Wakanda-coded, I was imagining Killmonger, yes, him, since Sage is a bad boy after all, and the Dora Milaje as mafiosos. Sage is also a mage, though not a particularly strong one. He makes his spells look more powerful than they really are, so he’s feared as the Lion King who can also do magic.
Adrian Elias is also not a particularly strong mage, but he can do enough to help him beat bad guys and solve cases as a PI. My first impression of Adrian was that of a grizzled John Constantine-type character, so I was surprised to learn he was only 26 years old. I would have preferred him to be older, but Adrian is gritty, resourceful, and doesn’t back down from a fight, not even from a powerful vampire archduke.
The first meeting between Sage and Adrian was a nuclear explosion of uncontrollable primal lust; they had people running out of the room, scrambling to get out of their way. When heads cleared and things cooled down, they learned about a grimoire and their destiny. They agreed to collaborate to find out who is trying to kill Sage while also continuing Adrian and his partner Xavier’s investigation into a missing child.
I really appreciated that the author avoided the training trope but was able to create a believable way for Sage’s and Adrian’s magic to grow stronger. I also liked that they were neither the least nor most powerful but strong enough to stand toe to toe with formidable enemies.
I enjoyed the world-building, the secondary characters, and the dynamics between the main characters, as well as the various plot threads. However, the narrative presented two key plot threads that were exciting on their own, but when combined, they felt diminished. Additionally, there was too much telling instead of showing, which would have been more effective.
The opening chapter where Adrian and Xavier were rescuing children and fighting the bad guy was very suspenseful and chilling. Sadly, the continuation of the search for the missing child possessed by a demon seemed like an afterthought. If the book had been written solely as a police procedural or murder mystery, it would have been quite riveting.
The mafia business where Sage and Adrian had to ask a favor from Sage’s vampire nemesis, Archduke Salino Laurent, was hella fun but all over the place. Salino is fabulously sinister and gorgeous! I wouldn’t be surprised if the three end up a poly.
Kinda want them to poly given how Sage and Adrian are both attracted to Salino while also hating his guts. I can’t wait for the vampire archduke to cash in his favor! Pretty obvious who’s my favorite character here.
Overall, That Mafioso Magic could benefit from a tighter, more cohesive writing that could enhance the story’s impact. Still, there is plenty to like about this series, plot threads I’m looking forward to, and characters I’d love to see more of. It’s not setting my world on fire, but it’s keeping it alive with just enough magic and mayhem,
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Lionhearted
Artist: Porter Robinson feat. Urban Cone
Album: Worlds
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That Mafioso Magic: Kindle | Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Mission Skyscraper by Eule Grey (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE TOUR: A New Life by L.J. Ambrosio (Giveaway)
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REVIEW: His Bane by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Bane by Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
He is mine. I don’t care how long it takes. I will have Malik Amin.
Sullivan Beauchamp
Some people call me a monster. A psychopath. As if I care what others think. So what if I relish in the mayhem of slaughter or enjoy feeling the life blink out of someone? I am who I am. It was Malik who eventually brought me to his home and trained me to hone my skills to work under him as an assassin. Malik Amin is my equal, and he will be mine in all ways as soon as I can chip away at his ridiculous and completely unnecessary self-loathing.
Malik Amin
Sully lost everything as a teenager on my order. When I found him covered in blood four years later, I should have put him down, knowing what he was. Instead, I took him in to train him. It works for us until he wants me more than as a mentor. I cannot allow it. But if Sully is anything, he is a master at persuasiveness and discovering my weaknesses.
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
CW: internalized homophobia of MC, murder of family, off-page molestation and rape, psychopathy, murder, torture, consensual sexual mutilation between MCs, betrayal.
His Bane is the second book of the dark assassin romance series, The District, by Courtney W. Dixon. This is a found family of queer assassins founded by Malik Amin and Sid Virgil that takes any jobs, no questions asked. The only rule is no hits on children.
Sullivan Beauchamp is the only survivor of an assassination of his family when he was 12 years old. He was put in foster care only to be sexually abused by his foster father. When the abusive asshole killed Sully’s favorite foster brother, Sully took immense pleasure in ending the bastard. While on the run, he was tracked down by Malik and taken under the older man’s wing.
Malik has been monitoring Sully since he went in foster care, but not close enough to know about his home life. Noticing the teen’s psychopathy and his potential, he offered the 16-year-old board, lodging, and training. He might have gotten more than he had bargained for because Sully kept pushing his buttons and pursued the older man with the kind of obsessive-possessive determination only psychopaths possess.
I loved Sully from the get-go! With so many bad things done to him at a young age, from his cold, harsh father to the abusive foster parent, Sully learned to rely on his instincts and intellect, harnessing his rage as a physical force to defeat bullies and bad guys. His favorite weapon is his 25,000$ knife gifted to him by Malik. His favorite music genre is disco.
Sully is immensely self-aware, constantly evaluating himself and learning about emotions and relationships so he can give Malik what he needs. He doesn’t expect other people to understand him. But far from angsting about it, I loved how unapologetic Sully is about who he is. Malik gets him, and that’s all Sully cares about.
Malik is of Syrian descent and a former member of a Syrian gang. The man is 19 years older than Sully, and unlike his self-assured protege, Malik is a mass of self-pity and woes rooted in childhood trauma.
It’s one of the reasons he keeps putting Sully at arm’s length, even though he wants the younger man. He’s also carrying the guilt from a big secret that he should have revealed to his mentee early on, but he didn’t, so it came to bite him in the ass in the form of a Sully meltdown.
Compared to the first book, His Death Bringer, this is a tad less disturbing but still as dark. Please heed the content warnings, especially if blood play is not your thing, because Malik and Sully are heavily into that.
This is not a romance of warm fuzzies. This is a complicated relationship between a traumatized older man who’s touch-starved and hungry for affection, even if he has a hard time admitting it, and a psychopath who doesn’t feel many emotions. This is a slow-burn of 13 stubborn years and a hot/cold dance of one step forward, two steps back, where the hurt comfort comes with a knife and scars are tokens of love.
Sully did all the heavy lifting while Malik is mired in what Sully calls “pathetic self-pity.” There were hardly any private interactions that didn’t devolve to sex, while Malik hopes they can be a normal couple that is more than just sex, a.k.a. the old man needed hugs and cuddles.
There were hardly any proper communications. I say this one is on Malik, who has his electric fences up while Sully was asking Luca (His Death Bringer) for advice and reading romance novels, trying to grasp the mechanics of being in love and the to-dos in a relationship. Our boy was really trying, bless his psychopathic heart!
Something to watch out for is the content-warning confrontation scene between Malik and Sully. It was nothing short of powerful and cathartic! Sully’s jumble of emotions was intensely palpable, and his breakdown was heartwrenching. Malik finally pulled his head out of his ass, but still left me partly unconvinced.
So I didn’t squee, but I rooted hard for Sully. His growth and resilience as a character, his single-minded determination to go after what he wants, and his willingness to go beyond his “limitations” as a psychopath for Malik are what made the book 4 stars for me.
His Bane is a story of kindred souls, warring feelings, and lifelong devotion. It is not a fairytale romance, but love at knife’s edge, painful, intense, and all-consuming.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Knife’s Edge
Artist: Tiger Army
Album: V…_P.S.
I’m ridiculously thrilled about how spot on the book model is! Red hair, copper penny eyes, and all black suit: that’s our Sully!
The District is best enjoyed in chronological order. Meet Luca, survivor, bunny cuddler, and sweetest soul ever, and his dark angel, Dante, in His Death Bringer.
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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: Lights, Camera, Passion by Isabel Lucero
Lights, Camera, Passion – Isabel Lucero
Playing a lead role in a book-to-movie adaptation with a wild fan base? Sign me up! The only downside is that I’m cast alongside Jacoby “Heartthrob” Hart—Hollywood’s golden boy. If only they knew he was an uppity, pompous snob.
We don’t get along, and if you’re reading the tabloids, you’d assume it was because I “stole” his girlfriend, but they have it all wrong. Jacoby and his cold shoulder started this, and now we’re set to play lovers. The only thing I’d love to do is strangle him, but I’m a professional.
Behind the scenes, we’re either bickering or avoiding each other, but when the cameras start rolling, I can’t believe how much chemistry we have.
One night, during a passionate argument, something happens that I never anticipated. The chemistry that started out as an act turns into much more behind closed doors, but we both have secrets, and Hollywood is a hard place to keep those.
Contains mature themes.
Lights, Camera, Passion is a Hollywood contemporary romance by Isabel Lucero, author of the intense and bloody Dysfunctional.
The plot is life imitating art when two antagonistic actors, Jacoby Hart, and Roman Black, are paired in a live-action adaptation of In Another Life, a popular queer contemporary romance novel. The novel is a love story between the openly gay Andrew and the closeted Will, forced to keep their relationship a secret due to Will’s conservative religious background.
The story hits so close to home that it’s right on Jacoby’s and Roman’s doorsteps. And we witness these two A-listers’s clandestine trysts while dodging friends and co-workers.
The first part where the two actors were thrown in a cabin to get to know each other followed by the filming where they discovered their connection was the most fun! The author brilliantly captured the dynamics and the explosive chemistry between Jacoby and Rome. The long-time secret crushes and mutual pining made things even more delicious!
The book is in their dual POVs and I loved the contrast between their public and private personalities.
Jacoby is reserved and formal, a black-suit-only kind of guy. But when he can be himself, he snarks, likes to take charge, and has a romantic streak that makes Rome swoon.
Rome is a cocky, outgoing, colorful-suits-and-lace-shirts kind of guy. When he’s alone with Jacoby, he’s surprisingly shy and likes to take orders.
The succeeding parts were not necessarily boring, but they were not that exciting either. It was Jacoby and Rome going about their daily lives, meeting family, and doing actor things. The mundane everyday alternates with some intensely passionate alone time, and angstying about coming out.
Most stories about closeted celebrities usually have their coming out moments wrenched out of them, typically through a scene where they’re discovered before they’re ready.
Here, Jacoby and Rome came out on their own terms, prepared, confident, and just happy to let the world know they were together. I really liked how the author executed the coming-out scene. It was cute, sweet, and so ridiculously romantic. The lack of drama made it even more refreshing!
Lights, Camera, Passion is a romance that when from reel to real. While there was a lull, it’s emotional, thrilling and heartfelt on the moments that matter most!
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Another Life
Artist: Dirty Nice
Album: Planet Weekend
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LIGHTS, CAMERA, PASSION: Kindle | Audiobook
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REVIEW: His Death Bringer by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Death Bringer – Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
He calls me his dark angel, but I’m merely a killer. A bringer of death.
Luca Davenport
He is my angel, sent to be my death bringer to save me from my tormentors and betrayers—those who sold me into slavery when I was only eight years old. Angel came in with guns blazing and black wings that were made to crush his enemies and envelope me in love. He belongs to me and I belong to him. We are destined. After he saves me from my captors, we hunt down the remaining men who had abused me for eleven years to make them pay in blood.
Dante Varga
He is a broken boy of no more than nineteen. He sees me as an angel, but I’m simply a killer. An assassin for hire. I can’t save him. I can’t take care of him. There’s no room left in my dying soul to care about someone. Not anymore. But I can’t turn him away either. I should kill him. He’s a witness. But I feel compelled to protect him at all costs. Saving him will either shatter the ice around my heart or destroy me. Either way, Luca is dangerous.
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
CW: graphic violence, murder, rape, torture, human trafficking, explicit content
** Note: This book has been re-edited in December of 2024. Several grammatical errors have been fixed and some scenes have been adjusted for sensitivity issues. If you download this book before then, these changes will not be available on your Kindle. But you can get it updated. **
His Death Bringer is the stirring opener of The District, an assassin, found family series by new-to-me author Courtney W. Dixon.
The first thing you need to know is that the book is quite dark, so you must heed the content warnings. It stars Luca Davenport, taken when he was eight years old and subjected to horrific abuse as a sex slave for 11 years. Luca mentions the tortures he experienced, and it’s so stomach-churning I had to put the book down several times.
He was accidentally rescued by Dante Varga when the assassin was sent to kill all the evil men from the crime family who held Luca captive. Dante had no idea the young man was there when he went about his mission. Luca immediately fell in love with his rescuer, called Dante his “dark angel” and hired the assassin to punish all the bad men who hurt him.
Luca is 19 years old and remains childlike since his captors restricted his education. He also has a streak of ingenuity, is surprisingly insightful, and so resilient he survived and wreaked his vengeance. With Dante’s help, he learned to fight, protect himself, and take control of his life.
Dante doesn’t know what to do with Luca, isn’t equipped to deal with trauma, and doesn’t have space in his life for another broken soul as he is just as fractured himself. It was cute how he tried so hard to resist Luca and before he knew it, the younger man not only stole his heart, he was helping put the pieces back together, too.
With all the violence and dark themes, the relationship between Dante and Luca is sweet and tender. The hurt-comfort worked its magic to warm hearts and heal souls through trust, patience, and a whole lot of TLC’s. Realistically, though, it would have been best if Luca had professional help to deal with his trauma.
Cleo, Dante’s Cane Corso and bestest girl, stole the show as Luca’s emotional support dog and fiercest protector. Dante’s District brothers came through with no hesitations, rallying behind him and Luca with guns blazing.
The District is a found family of assassins-for-hire led by Sid Virgil and Malek Amin. The most intriguing member is Sullivan, the resident psychopath who’s lusting after Malek. The older man has his steel walls up, so I’m excited to see how Sully breaks through in the next book.
His Death Bringer is a story of survival and healing. It’s a young man’s journey to reclaim control of his life with the help of a dark angel seeking retribution. Overall, the journey is daunting, the revenge sweet, the feels intense, and the HEA so damn worth it!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Angel
Artist: Alice Phoebe Lou
Album: Shelter
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HIS DEATH BRINGER: Kindle | Audiobook
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