-
SERIES REVIEW: Isaac & Dallas (Light & Shadow Duet) by N.N. Britt
Light & Shadow: Isaac – N.N. Britt
In the heart of Sin City, two men on opposite sides of the law collide in a dangerous game of power, passion, and betrayal.
Isaac Thoreau, the son of a notorious crime boss, has spent nine years behind bars for his father’s murder. Driven, cunning, and unfeeling, he’s now back to claim what’s rightfully his. But when an enigmatic security guard named Hawk is hired to work at his nightclub, Isaac finds himself distracted… and inexplicably drawn to Hawk, despite his best efforts to resist.
Special Agent Dallas Bradley’s mission is infiltrate the Hellhounds and bring their leader, Isaac Thoreau, to justice. Posing as Hawk, Dallas is determined to uncover the secrets of the Thoreau criminal empire. But as he delves deeper into Isaac’s world, the lines between right and wrong blur, and soon an undeniable attraction grows between the two men, forcing Dallas to question everything.
Walking away before he’s compromised would be the smart choice, but Dallas can’t resist Isaac’s magnetic pull, even if it means risking his life.
As love and duty clash, only one question will Isaac and Dallas survive the fallout?
***
Isaac is the first installment of the Light & Shadow Duet. It can not be read as standalone. This is a dark MM mafia romance that explores various sensitive subjects like violence, abuse, PTSD, etc.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Another Life
Artist: Motionless in White
Album: Disguise
Light & Shadow: Dallas – N.N. Britt
Prepare for Betrayal and Redemption in Sin City.
As the leader of the Hellhounds and a valued member of the notorious Thoreau crime syndicate, Isaac has it all: power, money, fear. Falling for someone has never been on his radar. But for the first time in his life, Isaac thinks he’s found someone he can truly trust—the mysterious security guard who shattered through his icy defenses and became the one person Isaac could be himself with.
Until everything goes up in flames.
Dallas Bradley has been treading an unstable line of deceit between righteousness and criminality. Isaac Thoreau’s world is slowly turning him into Hawk, the man who doesn’t exist, the man who’s ready to do bad things to survive and remain close to Isaac. But when a dangerous deal goes south, in order to save Isaac’s life, Dallas is forced to reveal the devastating truth—he’s a Special Agent sent to infiltrate the Hellhounds and bring down Isaac.
Heartbroken and enraged, Isaac can’t stand the man who betrayed him so deeply. However, when it’s clear Isaac’s fate is prison, Dallas strikes a bargain with his boss: help save Isaac from life behind bars and keep Dallas undercover to clean up the mess.
Isaac hates Dallas more than ever, but to escape the crosshairs they must work together once more. As tempers and stakes flare in the streets of Sin City, Dallas will risk everything to redeem himself in Isaac’s eyes. But can their undeniable connection survive when trust has turned to ash?
***
Dallas is the second installment of Light & Shadow Duet. It should be read after Isaac. This is a dark MM mafia romance that explores various sensitive subjects like violence, abuse, PTSD, etc. Length: 65,000 words. Alternating POV.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Light
Artist: N3wport feat. Dianna
Album:
Light & Shadow Duet by N.N. Britt is the series opener of the dark mafia romance series of the same name.
The first part is Isaac, where we meet Special Agent Dallas Bradley as he starts his undercover job as Hawk, infiltrating the Thoreau crime syndicate led by Isaac Thoreau, the son of the notorious mob boss whom he killed. Isaac paid the price for murdering his abusive father, and his stint in prison further traumatized the young man.
Hawk had to get close to the leader, first by working as the night club bouncer and then climbing the ranks high enough to be included in Isaac’s inner circle. But Isaac was not what Hawk expected, and he soon found himself getting very personal with the boss,
The second part is Dallas, where, after an ATF bust where the gang was caught running guns, Dallas had to negotiate hard to save Isaac. Trust broken but left with no choice, Isaac had to go against everything he stood for and work with Dallas and the FBI.
Dallas and Isaac have that intense push-pull I always enjoy in well-delivered enemies-to-lovers romance. Both are solitary men who found a deep connection that put each of them in danger. The sexual tension is sizzling, the need for secrecy and the threat of being caught heightening the electric mood.
Isaac is a compelling combination of power and vulnerability, having survived sexual abuse as a child and more trauma in prison, then strengthening the criminal organization he inherited. He’s touch-averse and touch-starved, cold to most, but a well-liked leader of his gang, a Robin Hood who took care of his men and their families.
Dallas is a veteran at undercovers, but this job, a.k.a. Isaac, got under his skin and had him questioning his identity and loyalties. As Hawk, he became Isaac’s lover; as Dallas, he was Isaac’s only chance of avoiding prison. He won’t let Isaac go back, knowing it would cost Isaac his life with so many enemies inside.
While the plot was gripping, the writing was something of an acquired taste. It’s in the 1st-person present tense and a bit too flowery for my liking, with metaphors that could be considered poetic. They detract from the story because I found them unnecessary or better suited to a historical romance
However, there’s a great balance of romance and the rest of the plot, with the cliffhanger of Isaac ending the first book in such an explosive way. The second book continues with the tightly paced plot, still as intense, Isaac hurt and conflicted over the betrayal and Dallas’s Hail Mary rescue.
I say the second part is more suspenseful and more twisty turn-y with Dallas and Isaac jumping through hoops of fire. There were so many hurdles thrown their way, I was left wondering how this would end happily. Our only guarantee that this is an HEA is that this is romance. The author saved it till the very last, a bit bittersweet but still resolutely hard-won and satisfying.
Light & Shadow Duet is a stirring tale of forbidden passion between two men on opposite sides of the law. The prose takes getting used to but, overall, slow burn yet fiery, dark and angsty yet thrilling!
P.S.
Light & Shadow must be read in order.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Light & Shadow. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
LIGHT & SHADOW: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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!
-
SERIES REVIEW: Enticed by the Enemy, Seduced by a Sinner, & Kissed by a Killer (The Morelli Family Books 3-5) by Leighton Greene
The Morelli Family: Enticed by the Enemy – Leighton Greene
He’s an FBI profiler who’s half my age. Contact between us is forbidden. But I can’t stay away from him.
As the Morelli Underboss, I’m the Family problem-solver. So when a task force blames the Morellis for a series of murders in Central Park, it’s up to me to restore our reputation.
But Fate puts me on a collision-course with an agent on the very task force dedicated to bringing down my Family…
And we end up on the run together.
My heart has been ice-cold for decades, but something about him sets my blood on fire.
It would be crazy of me to trust a Fed. But he claims he wants to prove my innocence. That the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
We each want to solve this case for different reasons, but we’ll both end up dead if he can’t follow my lead.
So to make him behave, I’ll use every weapon I have—including my body.
But why do I feel like I’m the one losing control?
Enticed by the Enemy is a M/M mafia romance set in the world of the Morelli Crime Family. It can be read as a standalone, but it’s even more fun to read the series in order. Characters and events from previous books are referenced.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Enemy Mind
Artist: Priest
Album: Samurai
The Morelli Family: Seduced by a Sinner – Leighton Greene
He’s innocent. He’s chaste. He’s promised to God.
And he’s more temptation than I can handle.I’m supposed to guard the Boss’s husband, but I just can’t keep my eyes off his best friend, Aidan O’Leary.
Watching him.
Wanting him.
Knowing I can never have him.
Aidan is pure in body and soul. He’s about to be ordained as a priest. Me? I’m going to burn for the things I’ve done. And I can’t stop thinking about all the sinful things I want to do to him.
But when there’s an attack on Aidan’s life, I’m reassigned to protect him, and we grow closer than ever.
Someone wants Aidan dead. It’s my job to deliver him safely to the Church to take his vows, although I’d rather have him as my own.
I’ve sworn to protect him until I can give him away to God. But it’s getting harder and harder to let him go without a fight.
And if I can’t focus on the job, how can I keep Aidan safe when our enemies are closing in?
***
Seduced by a Sinner is best enjoyed as part of the Morelli Family mafia romance series. Characters and events from previous books are referenced.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Sin So Sweet
Artist: Walter Zeiders
Album:
The Morelli Family: Kissed by a Killer – Leighton Greene
It’s my job to protect the Morelli men when the law is after them. But now their most dangerous Capo has killed to protect me.
My law firm has two unbreakable rules.
1. Never get personally involved with a client.
Nick Fontana was only ever supposed to be a booty call, but he’s had me cross-examining my heart since we started hooking up.
2. Never let the Morellis do you a favor.
I can’t stop thinking about his talented hands on my body…but those hands just took the wrong life to save mine.
I helped Nick cover up what he did, because if anyone finds out, it would start a Mob War that could destroy us all.
But someone knows our deadly secret.
I’ve kept my mouth shut. So can I really trust the killer I’ve been kissing?
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Kiss/Kill
Artist: Michelle
Album:
The Morelli Family Books 3 to 5 feature Luca Di’Amato’s inner circle and the men who came into their lives, causing chaos, mayhem, and heat.
Enticed by the Enemy stars Angelo Messina, the second in command. Angelo is a well-known and well-liked personality in New York, so close-lipped and slippery that he even had lunch with the detective who claimed Angelo was his white whale. Yet the detective still got nothing on him.
Special Agent Baxter Flynn is a forensic psychologist who is just that bit obsessed with Angelo, having even done his master’s thesis on the man. The SA is so spectacularly green that he dropped his gun while trying to stalk Angelo Messina when somebody started shooting, and he and Angelo had to run away.
Turns out a cop was shot, and the bullets are from Baxter’s Bureau-issued gun. The detective Angelo had lunch with was also found dead. Bold if rash, Baxter barged into Angelo’s apartment and clumsily proposed they work together to find the shooter who was after Angelo and/or Baxter. And clear their names.
Angelo has always been a solid guy, the rock the Morelli dons have relied on. He’s a capable, level-headed mobster who loved the late Tino Morelli and now has nothing but respect and support for the new don Luca. He’s also gorgeous. Even the detective spoke with envy, saying Angelo’s got it easy with a face like that. In short, Angelo’s the complete package and made the book worth reading.
Baxter, on the other hand, had me wondering how he passed Quantico. Not because he’s a rookie, I mean, we’re all beginners at some point. But the man was so ridiculously TSTL and inept, I wasn’t at all surprised he got framed for murder. His investigative skills were laughable, his decisions were hopelessly naive, and this case of opposites attract didn’t work in his character’s favor.
The book ended in an HFN and will be picked up in Vow of the Vigilante, where, hopefully, Baxter redeems himself.
Seduced by a Sinner stars Matteo Vitale, Finch’s bodyguard, who’s been quietly eyeing Finch’s best friend, the novice, Aidan O’Leary, in the background.
One day, a man threatened Aidan with a knife, and Teo stepped in to save the novice. Then he took Aidan to the Morelli home to keep him safe. However, Aidan’s upcoming ordination is fast approaching, and they have to get to Boston with Finch and Luca in tow.
Things became even more chaotic when an Irish terrorist group started threatening Finch’s sister, Tara Donovan, now head of the Donovan family, and whose house the Morellis are staying in Boston.
Teo’s another capable Morelli and the best bodyguard the don trusts with his husband’s life. Teo is aware he’s got blood on his hands, not the man for somebody as innocent as Aidan. He’s got nothing but awe and affection for Ai.
Aidan is an openly gay man about to become a priest. When he became romantically involved with Teo, he did angst, but not overly so. He was generally content and happy; the angstying came later, but unlike most religious figures in MM romance, he was not a miserable character to read about.
I loved how Teo let Aidan experience his firsts with consent, gentle reassurances, and positive views on sexuality and Aidan’s religious beliefs. This books doesn’t condemn religion but reconciles it with all forms of love.
With some guidance from his mom and a mentor, he was able to make peace with himself and his relationship with God and Teo. I loved reading their story because their romance has a wholesome and pure quality to it, in contrast with the Irish business that bulldozed its way into their lives.
The book ended with an HEA for the couple and good things for Teo, Morelli-wise, when he stepped up against the Irish terrorists.
Kissed by a Killer stars Nick Fontana, a capo, and rumored to be the future caporegime of the Morellis. He’s occasional fuck buddies with Carlo Bianchi, the Morelli lawyer, a forbidden affair because Carlo’s father, doesn’t want his lawyers fraternizing with the mobsters.
The story opens with a wedding where all five Families are attending. On the night of the wedding, the groom snuck into Carlo’s room and assaulted him. Nick, who had just come from Carlo’s room, saw him and snapped his neck. They had to quickly make the body disappear.
The groom is a scion of the Guiliano Family, and soon everyone was looking for the missing groom. Nick and Carlo were conflicted whether to tell Luca, and alliances would break if they don’t do something about it soon. With the threat of the Irish terrorists hanging over New York, they can’t afford to lose allies.
Nick is Luca’s closest friend, the two rising in ranks together. He’s one of the most trusted men in Luca’s circle, so his not coming clean right away and later dragging his feet for some reason or other really added to the tension and anticipation, a.k.a. dread of when Luca will eventually find out.
Carlo is the heir to the Bianchi firm, which has an exclusive contract with the Morellis. He’s known to be extremely good at keeping the men out of jail. Objectively, I could see that Carlo can be unlikable. He tends to run his mouth and push buttons. Even Nick was annoyed with him several times, as much as he’s fond of the difficult man.
I don’t actively dislike Carlo; he’s just not somebody I would cast as a love interest. Fortunately, he meshes well with Nick, their antagonistic dynamics adding spice to their story. And he totally redeemed himself when he did his big lawyer speech to save Nick’s life. I was actually impressed! So now I see why Luca keeps him on a retainer.
Plot-wise, it was all over the place. There were many overarching threads that were continued here, plus the forbidden romance and the secrets. And for men of their caliber, Nick and Carlo weren’t making the smartest decisions. The ending was bittersweet and an HFN, but I loved that it gave us hope for Luca and Nick’s friendship.
Overall, Morelli men are making their marks and winning hearts.
The Morelli Family continues with Devoted to the Don. The books must be read in order.
Married To The Mobster introduces us to delightfully bratty Finch Donovan and besotted but won’t admit it, Luca Di’Amato.
Beloved By The Boss is Luca and Finch making their marriage work and taking over New York
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of The Morelli Family. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
THE MORELLI FAMILY: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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!
-
REVIEW: His Coveted Obsession by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Coveted Obsession – 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.
When obsession and possessiveness collide…
Thomas Lauder
Easton is my hero, and I’m obsessed. He comes into my life like a knight in shining armor, saving me from a horrible customer at the coffee shop. Then, out of the blue, he asks me out on a date. How could I say no to the mysterious, handsome man? My life revolves around surviving my lying, gambling-addicted father and taking care of my younger sister while trying to earn my degree. Easton gives me the stability and honesty I didn’t know I needed. He’s straightforward and knows exactly what he wants. I do, too. I want Easton in my life forever.
Easton Virgil
I have a new family, but my life is still incomplete. Now that I’m nineteen, I have strong needs, and the loneliness is consuming. Thomas isn’t typical, but he’s attractive, and I enjoy his worship of me. He’s obsessed, and I feed off it. It makes me hungry for him. He’s perfect for me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him. He belongs to me and no one else. But when his useless father is the reason Thomas is ripped from me, I nearly burn the world to the ground to find him. No one better have harmed him, or they will pay.
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience and understanding the characters better, but they can technically be read as standalones.
Mentions of molestation of a child, abuse of a child, neglect, murder, torture, organ harvesting, death of a parent to cancer (off page), gambling addiction, sociopathy, violence, explicit language and sex.
The District by Courtney W. Dixon is a found family of assassins headed by Sid Virgil (His Reluctant Savior) and Malik Amin (His Bane). The youngest member is Easton, who was recruited at 15 after Sid found him newly orphaned. Later, he was officially adopted by Sid and his husband Dalton.
Like the rest of his District family, Easton survived an abusive childhood and emerged stronger and deadlier. Easton comes from wealth and, now 19, enjoys wearing suits to appear more mature. He has autism and ASPD, and his pedantic, blunt manner is off-putting to many. He was trained in all kinds of weapons; his preferred one is the knife.
Easton saved the barista, Thomas Lauder, from a rude customer, and Thomas was immediately drawn to the young man, calling him his hero. The attraction was instantaneous and mutual. Easton didn’t waste time asking for a date, and the two became exclusive right that very night.
Thomas is juggling college, work, caring for his sister, and trying to make his gambling addicted dad stop. The addiction got so bad that not only he and his sister were neglected, but they ended up as collateral when the bad guys came calling for their cash.
Easton was having none of it, and once again he’s the hero with the District family as his backup. It’s touch him and die!
With both MCs at 19, the romance has a teen cute, fluffy vibe to it mixed in with the adultier primal play and possessive-obssessive vibes. Not a fan of the naked chases in the woods because of ants, insects, poking branches, and it did feel like just sex and material gifts at first.
Easton has always been a compelling character since the beginning. He’s very self-aware and unapologetically himself, narcissistic, brutally honest, and tightly holds the reins of barely controlled rage. He can’t feel love or empathy in the typical way, but with Easton, it’s always action speaking louder than words, and he spoke volumes!
I loved that he’s willing to learn to connect with Thomas emotionally. He might not understand Thomas’ POV at first, but he listens to Sid’s or Dalton’s advice and mulls it over until he understands. Easton, being a dark knight saving his damsel, is swoony as hell!
It would have been easy to dislike Thomas as weak, but our boy is nothing if not resilient. He calls Easton “Superman,” and I loved that his complete trust in Easton never wavered, even when rescue seemed impossible. He adored Easton from the beginning, and Easton needed that kind of worship.
“He was honest about everything, even with his anger. Easton was…pure.”
My favorite part about Thomas is that he never asked Easton to change. And he appreciates his honesty, something that most people find rude. He saw Easton for what he truly is and loved him for it. Even defended East when Sid and Dalton said Easton can’t love.
Easton’s intensity and dominance play so well with Thomas’s adoration and devotion, and their chemistry is electric! Watching their relationship evolve from insta-attraction to emotional connection makes this a joy to read!
While still less disturbing than His Death Bringer, please heed the trigger warnings. Easton’s family history is pretty dark, and as a teen, he took matters into his own hands because nobody, not even his father, who knew of his mother’s abuse, did anything.
Thomas also has to deal with his mother’s illness (off-page) and his father’s neglect. Later, he also had to rely on Easton’s money because his dad sold everything of value. During their captivity, Thomas was tortured, and there are mentions of organ harvesting.
Overall, His Coveted Obsession is a captivating journey of finding one’s person. A raw and honest love story of wanting to be wanted and giving everything to give.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSountrack: Trust
Artist: Alina Baraz
Album: TrustP.S.
The District is best read in order.
His Death Bringer is Luca and his dark angel, Dante.
His Bane is Malik and his beloved psychopath, Sully.
His Reluctant Savior is Sid and his boy scout, Dalton.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of His Coveted Obsession. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
HIS COVETED OBSESSION: Amazon UK | Audiobook
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!
-
REVIEW: Black and Brown by A.E. Via
Ravens: Black and Brown – A.E. Via
Grace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness.
Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent.
But there are too many rules and strict orders in the armed forces the Ravens don’t have.Mirage left his world without a trace.
He has a brilliant mind and more degrees in science and medicine than one person could ever hope to obtain.
Now that the Ravens are done administering their treatments, Mirage can throw knives so fast they turn into phantom blades before he disappears in a way that leaves his enemies in chaos and confusion. And Grace can hit a target from three miles away.When together, their form of silent communication in the field is astonishing. Grace’s subtle body movements speak their own language and his long, intense stares into Mirage’s grey eyes have created a special bond neither of them saw coming.
A forbidden romance that won’t stop them from being the second-best assassins in the world.Triggers: Violence
Our introduction to the Ravens was in Ex Meridian, Book 7 of Nothing Special, a book that had me waxing poetic with how GOOD it is. Ex and Meridian are the first-generation Ravens, code-named Blacks. They’re partners turned lovers in a forbidden romance that forever changed their lives.
In one of their missions, they worked with the Nothing Special cops. The book left me so intrigued, I was beyond ecstatic when I learned A.E. Via created a series about these enhanced black ops assassins.
Black and Brown opens the series with the second-generation Ravens, code-named Browns. The secret program significantly enhanced their abilities, giving Mirage super-fast, super-accurate knife-throwing skills and sharpening Grace’s already formidable sniper skills. Their unique fighting style has Grace using the big guns while Mirage is behind him in the shadows, making it seem like knives are coming out of nowhere.
Mirage was a former combat medic, surgeon, and scientist with multiple doctorates and the son of decorated army medics. He talks a lot, and nearly burned Grace’s kitchen trying to fry bacon. Grace was a former military sniper from a small town family with a deadbeat dad who killed his mom. He’s a man of few words and a Bobby Flay in the kitchen. I swooned at the many dinner dates Grace lovingly prepared for his man!
The story follows the evolution of their relationship, from when they were recruited into the program, the enhancements, trainings, and their years in the field, up until that fateful day, Grace witnesses an unguarded moment between Ex and Meridian. It changed the way he saw his partnership with Mirage, giving him hope they could be something more.
Later, they learned there’s a traitor in their organization, and it’s time they choose their own mission.
Mirage and Grace’s dynamic reminded me a lot of God and Day, with a big, taciturn man and a talkative, slightly smaller one. But Mirage and Grace are memorable and different enough. Mirage, talkative and smaller, is the top. My favorite part is how he is always greatly appreciative of Grace’s silence, wrapping it around himself like a comfort blanket.
Another thing that stood out is how the author’s writing has greatly improved. As much as I loved Nothing Special, the first books were clunky and amateurish. Happily, the series improved as it progressed.
Here, the writing is much more refined, the plot well-thought-out, and the romantic development was natural, deliciously slow burn, and hella heartmelting for a pair of deadly assassins. The sex scenes were at the right moments, compared to the poorly deployed ones in the other earlier books. The action scenes were fast-paced and suspenseful, with just the right tension and thrill to keep things exciting.
The vulnerable moments were tenderly intimate. There’s something precious about the big badass Grace being needy and touch-starved, and Mirage being the only one he showed that side of him. When they’re not being secretly sweet and cuddly, they’re intense and fiercely passionate!
It’s best to see the Blacks in action first in Ex Meridian before diving into the Ravens. Black and Brown is told in dual POVs, and also Meridian’s. I loved that we have the Blacks again. My only wish was that the POVs were more balanced. We don’t have Ex’s, and he was kinda shoved to the sidelines.
Black and Brown is a close-proximity, sci-fi-lite, forbidden romance between two assassins from a super-secret black ops program. In a life of guns and knives, it is also two men building trust, exploring intimacy, and speaking volumes in comforting silence and thoughtful gestures. Overall, a thrilling and emotional story of badass assassins and cozy husbands!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: We’re In This Together
Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Album: The Fragile
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Black and Brown. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
BLACK AND BOWN Kindle | Audiobook
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!
-
SERIES REVIEW: Demon Bound by Grae Bryan
Demon Bound: Wreaking Havoc – Grae Bryan
Sascha has always felt powerless, the weak baby of a cruel family. But that’s fine. He has his looks, his ample allowance, and a smattering of one-night stands to keep him busy. But when Sascha’s oldest brother offends the wrong people, Sascha finds himself in hiding with a target on his back. And when poking around in his temporary home leads to accidentally summoning the hottest demon Sascha could ever imagine, he has to ask does he want to feel powerless anymore?
Kai has been waiting centuries for a summons. When he’s at long last brought to the human realm for his final contract, he expects to find another warrior hungry for battle and bloodshed. Instead, he finds himself bound to a saucy, scared mobster princeling who can’t stop looking at Kai like he’s dinner. It isn’t long before Kai decides that—for once—he wouldn’t mind staying exactly where he is, with a certain human for his mate.
But Sascha isn’t used to anyone sticking around, let alone caring for him in any real way. It’s up to Kai to convince Sascha he can give him so much more than protection. He just has to deal with those pesky enemies—and Sascha’s own meddling family—first.
Wreaking Havoc is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a spoiled (or is it traumatized?) mafia prince with trust issues, the cocky warrior demon who wants nothing more than to pamper him for eternity, a stifling family, elusive enemies, and the frustration of never getting to finish a manicure.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Bakemono
Artist: Yoasobi
Album: Bakemono
Demon Bound: Inviting Bedlam – Grae Bryan
Ivan Kozlov doesn’t make mistakes, no matter what his brothers might say. Mistakes in his world mean death. So while he may have summoned the wrong sort of demon to aid him in cementing his empire, binding himself to the creature with an irreversible contract, that doesn’t mean he can’t make use of him. Except the seductive incubus he’s summoned seems to want more from Ivan than just a piece of his soul. Nix wants Ivan’s body, his desire, his faults and his regrets. But giving those things to him would be a mistake. And one Ivan might never recover from.
Nix has been waiting to be summoned again for ages. And while he might have had to trick his handsome mob boss to make it happen, he’s not going to waste the opportunity while he has it. Only now that he’s here, he doesn’t just want to stay in the human realm. He wants Ivan—his greed and his rage and his lust. And if Nix has to fix Ivan’s life to make that happen—if he needs to handle the dangers in his business, mend the broken bits left by Ivan’s father—then that’s what he’ll do. Even an incubus can be useful to a mobster, if given the right incentive.
Inviting Bedlam is a heated, MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a repressed, controlling mob boss and the naughty incubus determined to make him crack, brothers who won’t communicate, more demons than Ivan asked for, and a pair of panties Ivan would like to set on fire. While each book focuses on a different couple, the series is best enjoyed in order.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Vanilla
Artist: Gackt
Album: Mars
Demon Bound: Calling Chaos – Grae Bryan
Cooper didn’t mean to summon a demon. He may be a hacker for the Mafia, but he’s not exactly brave or adventurous by nature. He was only trying to do a small, easy job for his terrifying boss and then get back to not leaving the house for days on end. Only now that the demon’s here, promising to be Cooper’s friend for as long as he needs one, Cooper might just be lonely enough to let him.
Chaos knew it was finally his time to get summoned. No more being stuck in the boring Void, no more hanging out with the same three dull demons. It’s time for madness and mayhem and answering to no one but himself. Except Chaos didn’t expect his newest summoner to be quite so…timid. And sweet. And willing to cater to every single one of Chaos’s many wants and whims. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stick around for an eternity or two.
Now Chaos just needs to convince his new friend that it really isn’t all that scary to be mated to a demon, even one who loves to play with fire.
Calling Chaos is a heated MM paranormal romance. It feature a lonely, socially anxious hacker and the wily, wicked, and slightly feral demon who wants to play with him forever. It also contains “it’s just practice” bedroom lessons, Mafia meetings gone awry, and the joys of stealing your not-boyfriend’s hoodies.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Inhuman Empathy
Artist: Amazarashi
Album: Eien Shi
Demon Bound: Unleashing Mayhem – Grae Bryan
Matteo’s been running scared for so long he’s forgotten what it’s like to feel safe. Or maybe he never knew in the first place. Raised by a cruel man, tormented by an even crueler one, and recently rescued by a demon, Matty’s still jumping at shadows around every corner. When he sees a familiar face from the past and realizes his ghosts really have come back to haunt him, Matty does the only reasonable thing he can think of.
He summons someone even worse.
Nightmare is a solitary demon by nature. He’s never needed a companion or a lover or a friend, and he’s never minded being feared by others of his kind. But one taste of Matteo’s sweet, terrified soul and Nightmare needs more. When he’s finally summoned to Matteo’s side, Nightmare finds himself exactly where he wants to be. Now it’s only a matter of patience, seduction, and convincing his little human that one contract isn’t enough.
What they really need is an eternity.
Unleashing Mayhem is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a sweet human afraid of everyone but the monster at his side, a demon so possessive even other demons run scared, a found family made of mobsters and monsters, and a summoning gone right (for once). While each book focuses on a different couple, the series is best enjoyed in order.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsArtist: Beautiful Monster
Artist: Art School
Album: Flora
Demon Bound is a paranormal fated mates series by Grae Bryan that I picked up because I enjoyed her Vampire’s Mate series, which is set in the same world. Also, both series were narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo and that’s always a bonus. His comedic timing is spot on!
The series opener, Wreaking Havoc, didn’t completely blow me away but I was entertained enough to proceed to the next. The story is a beauty and the brute romance between the youngest son of a Russian mob boss, Sascha, who’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow and far, far away from his dysfunctional family. However, someone is trying to kill him.
Through some creative nail art, Sascha inadvertently summoned the warrior demon, Kai, who became his protector from the very elusive killers out to get Sascha. The plot, as with the rest of the series, focuses on the development of the romance and the bond.
We met Sascha’s middle brother, Alexei, in Vampire’s Mate when he was mated to the cute vampire Jay. Here, Sascha’s notoriously scary older brother and now head of the family, Ivan, makes his appearance.
Kai is essentially a grumpy 7-foot musclehead, though a very protective one who treats Sascha like the treasure he is. Sascha is a petite diva and a shopaholic forced to stay in small town Maine for his safety and try to build a crime-free life. I loved his colorful approach to fashion.
My favorite part was during the villain comeuppance scene when Sacha fainted at the sight of blood and Kai held him till he came to. Their dynamic is something I’ve seen before but the plot left intruiging open threads and teasers that I immediately grabbed the next book.
Inviting Bedlam is Ivan’s book and I was happily surprised to see him paired with an incubus. Ivan is estranged from his brothers having been groom by their abusive father in crime and toxic massculinity.
Ivan is beset by enemies left and right and thinking to summon a fearsome demon like Kai to fight in his corner, he got Nix instead. What use is an incubus in a fight thought Ivan, but Nix surprised him at every turn, even during the big villain showdown.
Their dynamic is a delicious play of the fire and ice. Vanya, as Nix loved to call him, is repressed due to his tough mobster upbringing and Nix just couldn’t resist pushing his buttons every chance he gets.
Vanya is taking steps to improve his organization, his life and his relationship with his family. I loved his redemption story and how Nix helped him even if Vanya was being a cold bastard at first. The way the ice melts was wonderful to witness.
Nix adores everything about his Vanya, even him being “a little bit worn around the edges” at almost 40 years old. Ivan slowly but surely found the incubus inextricately weaving himself in his life and realized he loved having Nix there.
My favorite part was after the big villain showdown when the contract was fulfilled. I could practically feel the world stop for Ivan and it was the coldest this intimidating man has ever been. What came after was pure joy!
Calling Chaos is Cooper’s book. He’s the hacker the family hired and also a cousin. He accidentally summoned the chaos demon Ruckus. Their dynamic is a delightful push/pull of the shy and the feral.
Ruckus is a riot. This gremlin has a childlike propensity for causing trouble wherever he went just for his own amusement. He immediatly latched on to Cooper, drawn to the young man’s shy and sweet disposition, and accepting nature towards his antics. He’s protective and doting of Coop and likes to call him puppy.
Coop is firmly tucked away in his shell, his social anxiety usually getting the better of him. It took a while for him to venture a toe out of it but Coop is nothing if not resilient, skilled, and brave where it counts. I loved how he lets Ruckus be himself just like Ruckus helped him step out of his comfort zone.
Their story is a fantastic reflection of their dynamics, fluffy and cozy and also wild and free. My favorite scene was during the villain takedown when Ruckus was furious that Coop was harmed.
The author perfectly captured the raging emotions in the way Ruckus unleashed his flames and putting them out in a blink of an eye because of all the FEELS he’s feeling for his beloved mate. It was one of my favorite declaration scenes.
Unleashing Mayhem is Matty’s book. Matty is the stray Sascha and Kai rescued in the first book and taken under their wing. He’s very timid and scared of everything. He frequently suffers nightmares and so avoids sleep as much as possible.
Matty is scared that an evil man from his past might come for him eventually. One day, tired of being scared, he decided to summon a demon to protect him, just like his friends and their mates.
Sarcaren is a nightmare demon who frequently visits Matty’s dreams so Matty immediately found comfort in his new demon. Nightmare promised to exact revenge for everything the evil man did to Matty.
Another fantastic dynamics of the sweet and the scary which is what Nightmare and Matty call each other. Adorbs! It’s a bit similar to Coop and Ruckus but Nightmare is more sinister and shadows. He saw Matty as pure, sweet, and endearingly brave even at his most scared.
Matty is smittened with his demon from the get go and eagerly wanted to become his mate so the mating ritual wasn’t the main focus. Matty’s past is the darkest in the series and the villain was one I wanted the most to suffer after what he did to Matty since he was a young boy.
The revenge part was mostly rushed and partly told rather than seen. The story as a whole was fast paced and enjoyable but not as gripping as the middle books.
My favorite part was how everyone banded together to help Matty. I was super amused at everyone horrified at the fearsome Nightmare taking a mate and it’s little Matty.
LOLed at Ivan being wistful and wishing he summoned the scary nightmare demon. Even tried to recruit him but Nightmare has no plans working for anyone other than his mate. Nix was having none of it.
Demon Bound explores the fated mates trope through different flavors of human-demon connections. The series is a blend of fluffy, humor, steam, and violence, featuring the Kozlov family and their friends. The book are best read in order, with interlapping events and cameos from the author’s other series.
Overall, lovable humans to root for, gorgeous demons to drool over, and all that squee-tastic fated mates magic to swoon over!
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Demon Bound. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
DEMON BOUND: 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!
-
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.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of His Reluctant Savior. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
HIS RELUCTANT SAVIOR: Kindle | Audiobook
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!
-
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
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of His Death Bringer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
HIS DEATH BRINGER: Kindle | Audiobook
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!
-
REVIEW: Prodigal by Avril Ashton
The Council: Prodigal – Avril Ashton
One man intent on reclaiming his birthright. Another denied his own. The secrets between them should keep them apart, not bring them closer.
The first time someone tried to kill Gideon Winters, his mother took the bullet meant for him. He was thirteen. The second time they came for him, his father faked Gideon’s death and sent him into hiding. It’s been fifteen years and he’s finally out of the shadows, ready to claim his rightful seat on The Council, the secret group of seven with the ability to make or break corporations and countries.
The son of a powerful man who refuses to acknowledge him, André Tesfaye leads a quiet life of monotony that’s upended when he gets trapped in a random robbery. Whispered warnings abound about the man who saves him, but he’s too busy getting lost in Gideon’s ice-blue eyes to listen.
André is the weapon Gideon plans to use to exact revenge on the people who took so much from him. Wanting him, loving him, puts everything at risk, and tests Gideon’s loyalties and focus… Which is a shame, because a battle is on the horizon.
And Gideon has acquired a weakness.
Prodigal is the first book in The Council, a brand new series by bestselling m/m author Avril Ashton. It features forced proximity, opposites attract, interracial romance, and Av’s signature heat and angst.
Prodigal is the first book of The Council, a series by new-to-me author Avril Ashton that features my go-to trope du jour: billionaire secret societies.
Unlike Park Avenue Kings, where the secret society is unified, Prodigal chronicles the upheaval of The Council’s status quo when the son of a recently deceased council member, Gideon Winters, secured his seat through a series of machinations and assassinations.
Gideon has been groomed since childhood and was biding his time until the right moment to strike. To gain leverage on one council member, he convinced the man’s secret son, Andre, along with his adopted sister Juliet, to stay in his penthouse.
Andre has a chip on his shoulder the size of his absentee father, whom he never met. He was forced to stay with the famous billionaire Gideon Winters when the man saved him and Jules from bad guys. Jules adored Gideon right away. Andre doesn’t trust the man but has nowhere to go.
The premise grabbed me right away and the concept is very intriguing. Sadly, the execution didn’t live up to the promise.
The romance came out of nowhere. Gideon and Andre went from barely talking to professing forevers with hardly any build-up. But this is the only part that made them unconvincing because they were pretty fantastic together! The author did a fabulous job making their chemistry sizzle deliciously!
Father-and-son relationships are the central theme, highlighting the contrast between Gideon’s loving relationship with his dad and that of Andre’s connection the stranger who fathered him.
With daddy issues up the wazoo, the vibe is often angsty and bitter, and it’s usually Jules’ cheerful personality that lightens that mood when things get too intense. Jules is 15-years old but her characterization makes her seem 10-years old.
The plot lacked depth and was all over the place, yet it was also compelling enough to keep me hooked. It aimed to depict Gideon as a morally grey character, which he is, but the execution was clumsy. It also turned out the wrongs Gideon was seeking to avenge were the schemes of a dead character, which felt rather anti-climactic because it took away a villain comeuppance scene.
Prodigal isn’t the strongest series opener but it still has its merits. I’m still interested to see where Gideon and Andre would take The Council, so I’m looking forward to Book 2.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Prodigal Son
Artist: Rationale
Album: Rationale
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Prodigal. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
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!
-
RELEASE TOUR: Green Ravens by A.E. Via (Excerpt)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Through Smoke and Shadow by L. Alyse Amidon (Excerpt & Giveaway)
