Never Hollowed By The Stare

boys love manga | MM romance | indie music | giveaways and more

Never Hollowed By The Stare
  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • FAVORITE BOOK COVERS
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Reviews A-Z
    • MINI MOVIE REVIEWS
  • MEMES+TAGS
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • TAGS
    • MISC POSTS
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
  • TOURS & BLITZES
    • COVER REVEAL
    • GIVEAWAYS
  • About + Ratings
    • ABOUT + RATINGS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Policy + Contact
  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • FAVORITE BOOK COVERS
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Reviews A-Z
    • MINI MOVIE REVIEWS
  • MEMES+TAGS
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • TAGS
    • MISC POSTS
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
  • TOURS & BLITZES
    • COVER REVEAL
    • GIVEAWAYS
  • About + Ratings
    • ABOUT + RATINGS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Policy + Contact

Archives

  • May 2026 (42)
  • April 2026 (71)
  • March 2026 (83)
  • February 2026 (71)
  • January 2026 (65)
  • December 2025 (81)
  • November 2025 (76)
  • October 2025 (72)
  • September 2025 (83)
  • August 2025 (49)
  • July 2025 (73)
  • June 2025 (82)
  • May 2025 (84)
  • April 2025 (71)
  • March 2025 (83)
  • February 2025 (72)
  • January 2025 (75)
  • December 2024 (90)
  • November 2024 (82)
  • October 2024 (96)
  • September 2024 (71)
  • August 2024 (99)
  • July 2024 (96)
  • June 2024 (94)
  • May 2024 (94)
  • April 2024 (93)
  • March 2024 (100)
  • February 2024 (94)
  • January 2024 (85)
  • December 2023 (85)
  • November 2023 (84)
  • October 2023 (97)
  • September 2023 (93)
  • August 2023 (100)
  • July 2023 (100)
  • June 2023 (97)
  • May 2023 (100)
  • April 2023 (76)
  • March 2023 (106)
  • February 2023 (104)
  • January 2023 (109)
  • December 2022 (118)
  • November 2022 (128)
  • October 2022 (122)
  • September 2022 (107)
  • August 2022 (118)
  • July 2022 (104)
  • June 2022 (112)
  • May 2022 (114)
  • April 2022 (61)
  • March 2022 (115)
  • February 2022 (88)
  • January 2022 (92)
  • December 2021 (90)
  • November 2021 (114)
  • October 2021 (118)
  • September 2021 (127)
  • August 2021 (84)
  • July 2021 (114)
  • June 2021 (113)
  • May 2021 (119)
  • April 2021 (112)
  • March 2021 (122)
  • February 2021 (101)
  • January 2021 (90)
  • December 2020 (121)
  • November 2020 (127)
  • October 2020 (129)
  • September 2020 (120)
  • August 2020 (131)
  • July 2020 (131)
  • June 2020 (138)
  • May 2020 (118)
  • April 2020 (109)
  • March 2020 (105)
  • February 2020 (99)
  • January 2020 (111)
  • December 2019 (112)
  • November 2019 (94)
  • October 2019 (74)
  • September 2019 (54)
  • August 2019 (51)
  • July 2019 (54)
  • June 2019 (47)
  • May 2019 (43)
  • April 2019 (53)
  • March 2019 (41)
  • February 2019 (41)
  • January 2019 (47)
  • December 2018 (52)
  • November 2018 (51)
  • October 2018 (56)
  • September 2018 (61)
  • August 2018 (55)
  • July 2018 (59)
  • June 2018 (90)
  • May 2018 (60)
  • April 2018 (60)
  • March 2018 (57)
  • February 2018 (51)
  • January 2018 (50)
  • December 2017 (45)
  • November 2017 (50)
  • October 2017 (52)
  • September 2017 (35)
  • August 2017 (50)
  • July 2017 (12)
  • June 2017 (12)
  • May 2017 (21)
  • April 2017 (87)
  • March 2017 (16)
  • January 2017 (5)
  • December 2016 (4)
  • November 2016 (25)
  • October 2014 (67)
  • September 2014 (109)
  • July 2011 (7)
  • June 2011 (14)
  • May 2011 (77)
  • April 2011 (25)
  • March 2011 (5)
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Pretty Policeman: The Case of the Suspicious Stripper by Fifer Rose

    October 20, 2023 / No Comments

    Pretty Policeman: The Case of the Suspicious Stripper – Fifer Rose

    Going undercover at a strip club owned by your mafioso boyfriend without running it past him first? Not the best idea. (Then again, a few spankings never hurt anyone… much.)

    Micah Hart had learned a few things the first few months of officially dating Damon Romano, a vicious mafioso/ridiculously rich billionaire, infamous throughout New York City for his cut-throat “business”

    1. Damon was soft for nothing and no one… except Micah (and maybe his sisters).
    2. His domineering tendencies definitely extended to the bedroom.
    3. Damon didn’t trust him – not completely.

    That last one shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did. After all, there were bound to be certain obstacles to overcome in a relationship when one person was a mafia don and the other was a police-detective-turned-PI.

    Damon keeps Micah far away from anything related to his “work”, and Micah allows it… at least until a stripper named Ginger waltzes into his struggling detective agency, claiming that her boyfriend – also a stripper – is trying to kill her. Ginger just so happens to work at Lust, the most infamous of a chain of clubs Damon has specifically warned Micah away from.

    Taking the job would require him to go undercover at Lust, and he should say no.

    But Damon is out of town for the weekend.

    And Micah’s been salivating for an actually worthwhile case for weeks now.

    What’s the worst that could happen?

    (Psst. Spankings.)


    Pretty Policeman is a fantastic brain candy written in the vein of Pretty Woman but with an undercover cop posing as a rent boy and a ruthless mafia don hellbent on being his sugar daddy. Against all odds and common sense, the two made it work.

    Fast forward to the present day, former detective Micah Hart is now working as a private investigator with his partner, also former detective, Tessa Gallagher. One particularly interesting case came their way, and the two were eager to jump on it.

    Pretty Policeman: The Case of the Suspicious Stripper has Micah and Tessa investigating claims by Ginger, a stripper, that her boyfriend and fellow stripper, Tommy, is trying to kill her. To do this, the detectives have to work undercover as employees of the club owned by Damon Romano and managed by his sister Joelle. And Micah has to do it secretly because everyone knows Damon’s possessive caveman tendencies.

    As with the first book, its best to suspend disbelief, grain of salt, etc. Also, read Pretty Policeman before diving into this to get the lay of land, so to speak, because this installment assumes you had done just that. The plot moves fast and doesn’t waste time explaining who’s who. Previous events were vaguely referenced, as well.

    The new case is interesting but can hardly hold water. It runs on the miscommunication gag where a character says one thing, and Micah thinks another. The people involved could have sorted it out themselves had Joelle not been scheming about Micah and her brother.

    Micah is still our lovable TSTL hero with spectacularly bad self-preservation instincts, has a look of wide-eyed innocence only seen in lambs, and a heart of gold as bright as his smile. The doofus still makes me laugh with his internal dialogues, this time written with less mini-explanations in parentheses. I kinda miss those because they show how Micah’s mind works.

    The story is in Micah’s POV. One of the things that makes it entertaining is that there is a constant sense of impending disaster, or anticipation of the other shoe dropping, whenever Micah makes god awful decisions or is talked into doing dumbass things. We as the reader see the approaching trainwreck a mile away while Micah doesn’t or does but forges on anyway.

    Our boy is all good intentions and saving the people, and we root hard for him, but also, yikes! As cute as he is, I would l love to see Micah’s character develop. When he was still a detective, he convinced me he was good at what he does. Here, his investigations skills were a joke.

    Damon, on the other hand, effortlessly kept the growly, possessive, soft-for-no-one-but-you moments as delicious and swoony as possible. The romance focused more on Damon being a Daddy rather than a Sugar Daddy, though he still loves pampering his precious tesoro. Fuck knows why the man latched on to Micah the way he did, but the mafia don had some of the most intensely romantic lines in the book!

    “You’re my heart, tesoro, and it’s terrifying having to watch it walk outside my body.”

    My favorite part is Geoffrey’s POV. He is Damon’s loyal chauffer and bodyguard who notes the changes in his boss since Damon had Micah. Through him we see a different side of Damon, the much-feared mafioso part, and the more recent besotted boyfriend side that few ever see. Geoffrey’s internal dialogues were more cynical than Micah’s but no less hilarious.

    Pretty Policeman: The Case of the Suspicious Stripper is a shorter read than its predecessor. The plot may be thin, our hero might lack common sense, but the writing made me chuckle, and the romance is high on squees. All in all, fun, light-hearted, and super swoony!

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Treasure
    Artist: Port Duo feat. Jonathan Ogden
    Album: Far Away

    P.S.

    Pretty Policeman the series is should be read in order. Find out how the unlikely pair of a mafia don and police detective came together in Book 1, Pretty Policeman.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Pretty Policeman: The Case of the Suspicious Stripper. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    PRETTY POLICEMAN: THE CASE OF THE SUSPICIOUS STRIPPER: Kindle

    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!

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    BOOK BLITZ: Audiobook Club by Jessica Frances (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 28, 2022

    FLICKer FADE SUNDAY: Kiss of the Rabbit God + deleted scenes

    August 2, 2020

    RELEASE BLITZ: Faking A Groom by D.J. Jamison (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 30, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    COVER REVEAL: Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume By Vawn Cassidy (Giveaway)

    October 15, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Just So Many Places by Jessica Stilling (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 3, 2021

    FLICKer: Born This Way

    July 4, 2024

    RELEASE BLITZ: Picture Perfect by Crea Reitan

    January 8, 2026
  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: Honey Mead Murder by Dahlia Donovan (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 8, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    MUSIC MONDAY: Heavy News by Richard Ashcroft

    November 24, 2025

    BOOK TOUR: Chasing Harmony by Melanie Bell (Excerpt & Giveaway + Guest Post)

    September 4, 2023

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Perceptions by Mary Eicher (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 14, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    COVER REVEAL: Honey Bee Murder by Dahlia Donovan

    October 7, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Plan by Penny Mclean (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 1, 2023

    FLICKer: I Bind You To Me

    November 2, 2023

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Absolving Ash by Chantal Mer (Giveaway)

    April 9, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    99c BOOK BLAST: Pretty Policeman by Fifer Rose (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 7, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: A Deliberation of Dragons by Hanna Dare (Giveaway)

    September 9, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Reluctant Royal by Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 31, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Breathe Out Slow by A.D. Lawless (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 9, 2019
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Pretty Policeman by Fifer Rose

    October 6, 2023 / 2 Comments

    Pretty Policeman – Fifer Rose

    Detective Micah Hart wasn’t sure when his fairly safe, predictable life became something more closely resembling a dumpster fire.

    But if he had to pinpoint an exact moment, he would say it was the first time he went undercover as a prostitute in an attempt to bait the notorious serial killer who was stalking New York City’s streets – the media-dubbed Hooker Hunter.

    It’s when Damon Romano plows into his life, with his fierce protective energy, and those thick thighs, and the bluest pair of eyes Micah has ever seen.

    If only he wasn’t also a temperamental mafioso in charge of running one of the city’s largest criminal empires.

    Damon fixates on Micah, obsessing over feeding him and making sure he always has a coat. He spoils him rotten with gifts and insists on taking Micah on as his personal escort – a “boyfriend” to get his nagging sisters off his back.

    It’s weirdly sweet, and Micah doesn’t know how he’s become a soft spot in the ruthless man’s otherwise hardened exterior, but it would be a lie to say he didn’t want even more: a real relationship with Damon.

    There was just one teensy, tiny problem with that.

    Despite what Damon thinks, Micah isn’t actually a prostitute. He’s a cop for the NYPD.

    Pretty Policeman is an MM billionaire/mafia romance, sprinkled liberally with rom-com elements, served with a side helping of sugar daddy kink and mistaken identity trope.


    I’m not a fan of Pretty Woman because I don’t find Julia Roberts and Richard Gere attractive or appealing as actors. But I could see that the trope could be hella romantic if done correctly.

    Pretty Policeman is a take on Pretty Woman, but instead of a sex worker, we have an undercover cop, Micah Hart, playing rent boy in order to catch a serial killer. He was rescued from an abusive john by billionaire Damon Romano, who then fed and clothed the underdressed, underage-looking Micah. And showered him with presents without expecting anything in return.

    Micah tried several times to reject the care and the presents, but the older man sincerely and quite firmly wants to help get him off the streets. Thing is, Micah has a case to solve. Later, Damon gave him an offer he can’t refuse. And it turned out the caring billionaire is also a ruthless mafia don.

    The premise grabbed me immediately, and I didn’t initially realize what trope it was referencing. Author Fifer Rose sold me the fantasy and spiced it up with forbidden love between an undercover cop and a mafia boss, and I bought it hook, line, and sinker.

    And she made it so much fun! Written in Micah’s POV, his internal dialogues were hilarious, especially with how clueless he is in many situations and how we, as the reader, could see disaster written all over it. The writing also tends to use cutesy mini-explanations in parenthesis. It could have been annoying, but it worked with the tone of the story.

    Both characters have a duality to them. Our boy Micah, lovable as he is, is a total himbo, suffers from verbal diarrhea, prone to making spectacularly bad decisions, and should avoid vodka at all costs. As a newly minted detective, he is surprisingly good at his job. Micah is eager to prove himself, works his cases with dedication and diligence, and has good instincts he utilizes to maximum effect during investigations.

    Damon is known to Micah as a kind, protective, and generous man with a sugar daddy kink. He is a total gentleman, respecting Micah’s virtue even when the dork came on to him while completely smashed. Unknown to our boy, Damon is a much-feared mafia don whose wetwork makes even his hardened chauffer, Geoffrey, queasy.

    We never see Damon’s POV, which I wanted so badly. On the other hand, seeing him through Micah’s eyes enhances his mystique. And boy, does he cut a dashing figure in his sharp suits and greek god good looks! Not to mention all that TLC he showers Micah.

    In the last scene, we are teased with Geoffrey’s POV of his boss, where he comments on the changes to Damon’s character (“pep in his step” among them). While he secretly thinks Micah is an idiot, he couldn’t deny the dork’s good for the don. Heck, their chemistry sizzled and zinged! Even a grizzled mafioso could see that.

    I hope we get Geoffrey’s POV again in book two because I am intrigued by a third person’s POV of the mismatched pair.

    The trick to this book is to suspend disbelief, take it with a heaping pile of salt, and just let the romance sweep you away. The plot is OTT ridiculous but the case is actually interesting and is woven well with the crazy, implausible sugar daddy shenanigans, family drama, and workplace woes. I haven’t had this much fun with a book in a while!

    Pretty Policeman isn’t the kind of literary masterpiece people rhapsodize about. But to me, it is a masterful take on a classic romance trope, a novel of pure escapist fun, and a swoony fantasy of dark knights sweeping pretty boys off their feet. It doesn’t get more perfect than that!

    Rating:
    5 Stars – absolutely perfect

    Soundtrack: Sugar
    Artist: Tonic
    Album: Sugar


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

    PRETTY POLICEMAN: Kindle | Paperback

    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!

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    FLICKer: Nos Sens (Our Senses)

    August 22, 2024

    RELEASE DAY BLITZ: The Rest of the Story by Tal Bauer (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 9, 2023

    ABC BOOK CHALLENGE – T

    September 12, 2019
  • Uncategorized

    BOOK BLAST: Breakfast at Timothy’s by Richard Tyler Jordan (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 6, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Finding Me In July by Christie Gordon (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 11, 2021

    BOOK BLAST: The Refuge Bid by Jude Tresswell

    August 27, 2022

    BOOK BLAST: Magic & Mirrors by L.M. Brown (Excerpt)

    November 23, 2019
  • Uncategorized

    SERIES TOUR: West Coast Forensics by Elle Keaton (Giveaway)

    September 29, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Making History At Crofton Hall by Rebecca Cohen (Giveaway)

    February 24, 2022

    THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: The Call of the Drums by Lynn Michaels

    December 17, 2019

    NEW RELEASE: Meet Me in the Blue by A.M. Johnson

    March 6, 2023
  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: You Can Do Magic by R.L. Merrill (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 27, 2023 / 2 Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: The King’s Delight by Sarah Honey (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 16, 2023

    COVER REVEAL: The Royal Rogue by Sarah Honey (Giveaway)

    October 16, 2024

    BLOG TOUR: Traitors Of The Black Crown by Cate Pearce (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 2, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    AUDIO TOUR: The Lords of Bucknall Club by J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry (Giveaway)

    September 24, 2023 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Missing In Somerville by A.J. Raven (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 21, 2020

    HAPPY NEW YEAR, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

    January 1, 2020

    BOOK BLAST: Clubbed Two: Anxiety, Anger, Activism by Robert A. Karl (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 25, 2022
Load More

You can never have too much MM romance or indie music. Welcome and enjoy your stay!

FOLLOW NEVER HOLLOWED BY THE STARE

Follow Never Hollowed By The Stare on WordPress.com

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Me

May 2026
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr    

If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links to get a copy of your favorite MM romance & yaoi manga. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

As a more ethical alternative, you can also use Bookshop.org to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

Rakuten Kobo UK
Alibris: Books, Music, & Movies

DISCLAIMER

Book images and promotional materials are from Goodreads or media kits provided for blog tours, cover reveals and release blitzes. Manga covers and other images are sourced through Google image search. The two dorks in the header image is from a manga by TogaQ & Kikuchi Neko. The cat logo is my own design. Reviews and other writings found in the blog are mine unless otherwise stated. All Buy Links to Amazon and Bookshop in my posts contain affiliate links.

Support This Site

If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!

Rakuten Kobo UK
SEARCH NOW:
by title
by author
2026©Never Hollowed By The Stare