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REVIEW: Screwed by K.M. Neuhold
Four Bears Construction: Screwed – K.M. Neuhold
I’ve had my fair share of less than proud relationship moments, but waking up married to my brother-in-law’s best friend is a new low.
A drunken wedding to a man who already rejected me once? Check. A hefty bet about how long it will last? Check. My feisty new husband, determined to make our friends pay up? Double check.
I’ve never managed to make a real relationship last nearly a year, there’s no way Daniel will stick around long enough to win this bet. The only problem is the longer he stays, the more the lines blur between what’s real and what’s for show. Does he feel it too or am I totally screwed?
***Screwed is a woke up married, faking it to their friends but also totally hooking up, sweet, STEAMY love story that happens to be the fourth book in the Four Bears Construction series. There are no bear shifters in this series, only the OTHER kind of bears.
We finally get to Ollie’s story!
We know Ollie as that hopeless romantic teddy Bear who’s too sweet for his own good. He’s always falling for the wrong man. I’ve been rooting for him since book one, Caulky, because you couldn’t help but feel for the poor guy as he watched his friends find their Mr. Right one by one while he’s saddled with one bad boyfriend after another. Fed up with it all, he made a decision to give up dating entirely.
K.M. Neuhold did a great job setting up Ollie and Daniel’s story since the previous books. Here and there, we get mentions of interest from Ollie or Daniel sticking up for him when his best friends were teasing him about his pathetic love life.
Screwed starts with Ren and Cole’s bachelor party in Vegas. All the Bears and their boyfriends as well as their apprentice, West and his date, Sawyer, and Daniel were there. I wasn’t that engaged with this part of the story yet but things started to pick up after Ollie and Daniel woke up married.
The way the author brought them together, through a drunken Vegas wedding, was perfect. It was such an Ollie situation. And I am dying to know how drunk Ollie convinced drunk Daniel to tie the knot.
They could have gotten it annulled right away but Daniel’s tendency to defend Ollie was what started their crazy marriage life. The guys were making fun of Ollie for yet another wedding. They started making bets on how long it would last. Daniel’s very determined to stick it to the guys. So he and Ollie challenged the Bears that they would make it past Ollie’s record of 8 months. Later, they both agreed to divorce after the time was up.
The Bears were being assholes here, going as far as talking their new employee, Miller, into hitting on Daniel knowing he and Ollie were already married. There’s still a lot of silly pranks and razzing. Almost everyone got their page time except for Ev and Watson. I wished they had more appearances.
I wouldn’t have picked Daniel as the guy for Ollie. He’s not a relationship guy, preferring to hook up with different men and never staying long enough to get attached. He’s very cynical about love. He thinks sappy rom-coms have brainwashed people into believing in true love. I was skeptical at first but K.M Neuhold totally made it work! I was left with no doubts Daniel was the man for Ollie.
They slow-burned their way through months of undeniable chemistry just bursting with sexual tension. Both are acutely aware this is best relationship they ever have and it’s not even real. The romantic development was executed really well here. It was paced just right and flowed smoothly. It gave time for Ollie and Daniel to form a real connection.
You could clearly see how they fit into each other’s life seamlessly. They helped each other grow. There’s Ollie realizing he doesn’t need another person to complete him, especially after seeing how confident Daniel is on his own. Daniel, almost 40, finally had the courage to start school again and pursue his dream job after Ollie’s encouragement and support.
I liked that they were able to establish a solid friendship while developing romantic feelings for each other. The way they fell in love happened naturally. It was sweet and low-angst. It felt comfortable yet exciting.
It took a string of bad relationships, three failed marriages, years of bad jokes, one too many tequila bottles, a Vegas wedding he couldn’t even recall, a hefty bet and one feisty fake husband realizing his true feelings but at long last, our Ollie got what he deserved. If there’s ever a Bear worthy of grand gestures and rom-com-perfect HEAs, it’s him!
P.S.
Screwed might not be the last book in this series. We still have West and his hopeless crush on Sawyer, the bartender. Miller is also a promising new character. I want their stories too.
Four Bears Construction is best read in order. Check out my reviews of the first three books:
Caulky
Nailed
HardwoodRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Can’t Believe The Way We Flow
Artist: James Blake
Album: Assume Form
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Caulky | Nailed | Hardwood | Screwed
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Stranded With Desire by Rick R. Reed & Vivien Dean (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Liquid Courage by Stephanie Shea (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Love In The Shadows by Maggie Doolin (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Godfather Wars by Brittany Cournoyer
Godfather Wars – Brittany Cournoyer
Dolan versus Everett. Snarky meets stoic.
Dolan Masters loathes many things: root canals, splinters in his fingers, and people putting toilet paper on the roll wrong—loose end over the top, please. But the one thing he hates more than anything else is Everett freaking Henson.
Everett Henson spends more time with animals than people, his best friend Eli being the exception. The downside of that friendship means crossing paths with Dolan Masters; the man who rubs Everett wrong in every way possible.
But a baby changes everything.
With both men believing they deserve the honor of being the godfather to their best friends’ baby, the only way to settle things is through a competition. Will there be bloodshed, or will these two realize the truth staring them in the face?
May the best godfather win.
Godfather Wars is a stand-alone MM romantic comedy, filled with funny mishaps, snarky banter, and colorful language.
I have only read one other Brittany Cournoyer book and that is the dark stalker story, Captivated. Godfather Wars is her more effervescent offering. It grabbed my attention me because of the cute premise. Which is two guys duking it out to become the godfather of their bestfriends’ first baby.
I love enemies-to-lovers stories, most especially when the MCs hated each other with a passion. I wouldn’t say Dolan and Everett hated each other with a passion but there’s enough animosity for them to be considered enemies. We later discovered this was due to a miscommunication between the four friends that happened a couple of years ago. The two then went about snarling and snarking at each other whenever they meet.
To decide who deserves the title of godfather, soon-to-be-parents Tasha and Eli, concocted a series of tests for the two contenders. This was one the best parts of the story. Expect hilarious epic fails, gross chocolate/peanut combinations and killer geese. Competition was fierce. The two men fought hard. They were neck to neck. The clincher is the toughest task of all. Who will come out on top?
For me, it’s the dogs.
Delilah is Everett’s dog. She has eyes that stares right into your soul. Lucky found Dolan when the stray pooch injured his hind leg. The two furballs bonded right away. They had front row seats to the two dorks and truth that is staring their humans in the face. If dogs could roll they eyes, they would be rolling them out of their sockets.
I liked the MCs’ voices and how they were distinct from each other. Dolan had a more serious, level-headed personality while Everett’s thoughts run to the more dramatic and hyperbolic.
The contest was a brilliant ploy to get the two to see past whatever it is that kept them apart. After the initial hostilities, Dolan and Everett soon discovered how easy it is to talk to one another. The transition from enemies/rivals to lovers happened naturally. I liked the pacing a lot, being a fan of slow burn.
While the romance was cute and all, I don’t sense that strong a connection between Dolan and Everett. I appreciated the plot veered away from the cliches, like the big fights and the grand gestures, focusing instead on smaller, more intimate moments like bonding over their dogs and splinter removals. However, the whole thing lacked depth somewhat which was unfortunate because the story had all the right ingredients.
Overall, Godfather Wars is a low-angst, low-steam novel with almost no conflict. It’s a happy book about expectant parents, ridiculous feuds, judgmental dogs, missed encounters and a second chance of sorts. Recommended if you like your MM romance sweet and light with a chick-lit vibe.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Haven’t Had Enough
Artist: Marianas Trench
Album: Ever After
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Godfather Wars. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
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SERIES REVIEW: Hot Shots Books 2 & 3 by Annabeth Albert
I was very eager to delve into these two book of the Hotshots series mostly because of the elite firefighter theme. I have not read many of those yet and this was my first introduction to smoke jumpers.
The first installment Burn Zone was an enjoyable series opener. The next two books feature other smoke jumpers working in the same base as Linc and Jacob. The books can be read as standalones.
Hotshots: High Heat – Annabeth Albert
Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series continues—the emotions and intensity of Chicago Fire with the raw, natural elements of Man vs. Wild .
Smoke jumping is Garrick Nelson’s life. Nothing, not severe injuries nor the brutal physical therapy that follows, is going to stop him from getting back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbor. As they work together, trying to re-home their little princess, Garrick can’t resist his growing attraction for the other man, even though he knows this guy isn’t the staying type.Rain Fisher doesn’t take anything too seriously. He dances through life, one adventure at a time, never settling in one place for too long. When his hot, conveniently buff, neighbor shows up on his doorstep, dog in tow, Rain’s determined to not just save the adorable puppy, but her reluctant owner as well. He never expects their flirtation might tempt him into stay put once and for all…
Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts. Don’t miss the Hotshots series from Annabeth Albert: Burn Zone, High Heat, and Feel the Fire.
High Heat is Garrick and Rain’s story. Garrick is an injured smoke jumper undergoing physical therapy. He met the carefree, twenty-something Rain when he was asking his neighbor’s help in dealing with a wounded lost dog who strayed in his yard.
This is an opposites attract, age-gap story about healing. Garrick was not only injured physically, he also had issues getting it up. Garrick found himself drawn to his younger neighbor. Rain gradually became an indispensable part of Garrick’s life along with the dog, now named Cookie. He helped him with Cookie, as well as with Garrick’s sexual healing.
Thing is, I know their connection was there. Just that, I wasn’t connecting with the characters. I don’t feel invested in what happened to them.
I was more interested in the job aspect. Here specifically, because Garrick was being offered a position as dispatcher while he was recovering. I liked that we will see firefighting from a different point of view but it’s taking too long to get to those parts. There’s just not enough of the smoke jumping to keep me glued.
Sadly, DNF’ed.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave
Artist: The Who
Album: My Generation
Hotshots: Feel The Fire – Annabeth Albert
The third installment of Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series—the emotions and intensity of Chicago Fire with the raw, natural elements of Man vs. Wild .
When their career paths bring two high school sweethearts together again, the forest isn’t the only thing ablaze…
Fire behavior specialist Luis Riviera goes where his job takes him. But when he’s assigned to an arson investigation in Central Oregon—the place he left his broken heart twenty years ago—he’s afraid of being burned all over again.
Tucker Ryland had planned to join his first love, Luis, in LA after high school graduation, but life got in the way. Now a fire management expert and a divorced father of teen twins, Tucker’s thrown for a loop when he finds himself working side by side with his Luis, now all grown up and more intriguing than ever.
Though consumed by a grueling fire season and family responsibilities, the two men discover their bond has never truly broken. Tentative kisses turn to passionate nights. But smoking sheets aside, old hurts and new truths stand in the way of this time being the start of forever.
Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts. Don’t miss the Hotshots series from Annabeth Albert: High Heat, Burn Zone and Feel the Fire. (less)
Thought I would feel better with High Heat. This one’s a childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, something I always enjoyed.
Tucker and Luis were best friends from their grade school days up until high school when they started discovering they both like boys. Specifically, each other. Luis wanted to come out but Tucker had more conservative parents who he knew would not take it well. Luis’s family moved to California when they were seventeen. The two boys exchanged promises that Tucker would follow later on. That was the last they saw each other.
Their reunion decades later was all sorts of awkward. There were the whys that needed to be hashed out, sparks of attraction that threatened to ignite once again. Not to mention, how to explain to Tucker’s family.
There’s great chemistry between Luis and Tucker. Their shared history lent their current attraction extra weight both in the bad and good sense. There’s the baggage to deal with but there’s also a deep connection they can only find with each other. This is especially important because Tucker is demisexual.
There are a lot of promising things here. Also, a gray/ace character is right up my alley. They weren’t enough to keep me hanging though. As the story progressed, I found myself less and less engaged with the story. The going felt slow. For a book about fires, the delivery wasn’t generating enough sparks with me until it got to the point where it left me cold.
Comforting myself with the thought that Tucker and Luis get their HEA, eventually. Too bad I have no patience to stick around and see it happened.
Rating:
2.5 Stars – far from hate but not quite a likeSoundtrack: Fire And The Thud
Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Album: HumbugP.S.
I’m sorry that not feeling things is the theme of today’s reviews. Doubly sad because I had such high hopes for these two blazing books. I’m not writing off Annabeth Albert yet. I heard good things about her other books so I’m definitely giving those a shot.
On to better things now.
3.5 -star review of Burn Zone here.
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Flicker by Elizabeth Tybush (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BOOK TOUR: A Shore Thing Series by Grace Kilian Delaney (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Stacking the Deck by Charlie Cochet
The Kings: Wild Cards: Stacking the Deck – Charlie Cochet
Ex-Special Forces Communications Sergeant Jacopo “Jack” Constantino knows a thing or two about communications technology. As head of Cyber Security at Four Kings Security, Jack spends his days working with high-tech systems. Life for Jack is pretty uneventful—despite working with his brothers-in-arms—and he finds himself longing for a little excitement.
Be careful what you wish for.
Two years ago, Fitz Harlow captured Jack’s heart and walked away with it. Now he’s back.
Fitz spent the last two years picking up the pieces of his life after a disastrous end to a ten-year relationship. After much therapy, and ice cream, Fitz leaves the fashion world behind and returns home to St. Augustine to open his own high-end salon, Hair Comes Trouble. Two years later, Fitz finally has the quiet, peaceful life he’s wanted for so long. There’s only one thing missing, or rather, one man missing, but Fitz has his doubts. With Jack, he’s not just gaining a boyfriend, he’s gaining a boyfriend, his family of mischief-magnet ex-Green Berets, and one highly opinionated Belgian Malinois.
Fitz and Jack discover their connection has only grown stronger over time, thanks in part to meddling friends, but just as they start to pick up where they left off, someone takes objection to their reunion. Danger hides in the shadows, a stalker determined to keep Fitz out of Jack’s life, no matter the cost. With the odds stacked against them, can Jack and Fitz win a battle against an unknown enemy, or will Jack lose Fitz forever?
The Kings: Wild Cards series is a spin-off of the Four Kings Security series.
I know Charlie Cochet writes great humor (witness The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard) but Stacking The Deck had me LOLing. Scenes from the book even started popping in my head the next day. I was chuckling to myself while working. These guys are crazy!
The Kings here refer to King, Ace, Red and Lucky who co-own the Four Kings Security company along with Jack and his best friend, Sacha a.k.a Joker. All of them are ex-military. The Kings have their own books and I’m pretty sure Joker is going to get one.
Our hero of the moment is Jack, head of the cybersecurity department. He’s super smart, sweet and nerdy. He’s a Macguyver who can fix anything from broken fridges to military parachutes but can’t cook to save his life. Not even toast because him and kitchen appliances don’t get along.
Fitz was a runway hairstylist who got tired of the limelight. He’s been together with his former boyfriend for 10 years until he caught him cheating. He needed a fresh start. Fitz is first to admit he’s high maintenance. He’s wary of relationships because of his cheating ex.
He and Jack had an brief but unforgettable history together where Jack saved his life. This probably happened in the other books. The attraction was strong but Fitz wasn’t in the right headspace yet to start a new relationship. So he ghosted Jack.
Fast forward present day, Fitz is now in a better place, running a successful salon. Jack receives a text from him about a hair appointment and promptly got distracted from monitoring Joker and the guys on the job. He got razzed about it because Fitz texted all of them
Despite all the USTs exploding all over the place, the romance was a slow-burn. Trust had to be gained and the two danced around their feelings. Everybody did their best to help them along because they knew these two dorks are a forgone conclusion.
I loved how the book didn’t hold back on the fluff. There’s this really squee-tastic scene where Fitz was drugged and Jack had to keep him awake on the way to the hospital. Fitz basically confessed everything while Jack in his best gentlemanly self, tried not to take advantage of Fitz in his present condition. The next day, Laz, Fitz’s bestfriend told him all about it. Then he finds Jack in his kitchen where he burns the toast.
Jack is adorbs! His brain short-circuited when he realized he fell in love and had to be talked through it by Joker. Joker his wild, dog-loving, hates being called by his real name, “I’m never falling in love” best friend was suddenly the voice of reason. What is the world coming to?
Also, famous last words, Sacha.
This is a book about friendship and camaraderie. The author really did a great job with her characters because I remember all of them. King is the alpha and their big brother. His boyfriend is Leo, the best hacker of them all. Red’s a former military doctor. He’s a great cook. His boyfriend is Laz, a fashion photographer. Ace, purveyor of all mischief, is about to be married to his billionaire fiance, Colton. Colton is friends with Laz and Fitz. Lucky is a Latinx whose boyfriend is Mason, a former detective.
The guys are awesome but the star of the show is Chip, Joker’s military dog. Everybody loves Chip.
I appreciated that the author really made the effort to get all her well-loved characters in the picture so readers who want to check in on their favorites get a treat. There were a lot of cute scenes that were mostly there for cuteness sake, all designed to reduce you into a warm puddle of goo. The writing is so thorough in providing every detail, it’s like she anticipated all our questions. It gave all the information we need, giving hints to potential love interests because 99% of the male characters are queer
The thing with this, however, is that it’s easy to guess who the good guys are and who’s not. If their eye color is mentioned, it’s probably either they have a book or will get one in the future. The faceless ones are usually up to no good which makes the mystery weaker. Understandable, since it comes as third priority to the romance and the group dynamics.
While totally consumable as a standalone, Stacking the Deck is best experienced by reading Four Kings Security first. I have not read the main series yet and nearly got lost on the who’s who at the first parts because this had a huge cast. Not only you meet all the ex-Green Berets and their boyfriends, there’s also the other supporting characters that make their appearances here and there. There were a lot of inside jokes and references to hilarious past events that had me itching to start on the other series.
All in all, this spin-off is off to a rocking start! Recommended if you’re up for some fantastic, fan-servicey, escapist fun.
P.S.
Review of The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Moonlight
Artist: Future Islands
Album: As Long As You Are
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of Stacking The Deck. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Seventh by Rachel White (Excerpt & Giveaway)
