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REVIEW: Be Mine, Twisted Valentine by Gianni Holmes
Corrupt Cupid: Be Mine, Twisted Valentine – Gianni Holmes
Fifteen years ago, I helped put my abductor behind bars.
And shunned the events of my traumatic past.
I’ve lived a content life with my wife.
Until the dreaded phone call.Duncan Whittaker’s out on parole.
The first time I confront him, I intend to kill him.
But when we’re face to face, everything changes.
I’m still codependent on him.Duncan’s the only man who’s ever made me feel desire.
He’s also the one who held me captive for almost a year.
Isolated me from others to make me grateful for his presence.
Deprived me of sensation to make me crave his unwanted touch.Duncan Whittaker’s the sadist who broke me in the name of revenge.
Now his twisted obsession is about to ruin my life a second time.
And God help me, but I don’t know how to stop him.
I… may not want to stop him.Be mine, Twisted Valentine is part of a multi-author collab. Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged romantic tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules?
I thought I had a strong stomach when it came to dark romance. Be Mine, Twisted Valentine, Book 1 of Corrupt Cupid, a multi-author collab, proved me wrong. The opening chapter alone churned my insides with how exceedingly creepy it is inside the mind of Duncan Whittaker.
The story is a Stockholm Syndrome romance between Duncan and his captive, Teddy Scott, son of the police captain who killed Duncan’s younger brother. As revenge, he abducted Teddy and kept him in a white-out room for nine months, deprived of all senses, driving Teddy mad and desperate to feel anything.
Teddy was so desperate that he started making himself bleed so that he could feel something. Duncan tortured the young man and eventually had BDSM sex with him because Teddy responded the most to pain, then later to the few crumbs of kindness and affection the psycho deigned to dole out, so deprived Teddy was.
The story opens with the courtroom scene, Teddy on the witness stand and in Duncan’s POV. His chilling thoughts showed how much power he had on Teddy. He was spectacularly confident of his hold on the young man, and everyone was shocked when Teddy reversed his testimony just because he saw Duncan looking straight at him.
Fifteen years later, Teddy’s carefully constructed ‘normal life’ crumbled when he received a phone call that Duncan Whittaker was out on parole. He grabbed a gun, drove to Duncan’s house, and started stalking his former captor. Meanwhile, Duncan has court orders to stay away from his victim.
I spent the majority of the book disturbed yet riveted. It was a trainwreck I couldn’t look away. I was hella curious how, HOW is this relationship going to work. How is this romance when it’s nothing but insidious lust and the most toxic co-dependency I’ve witness?!
No matter how dark the romance is, for it to work, there should be some kind of redeeming quality, something that would make me root even just a little for both characters. Here, you have to dig extra deep, because the kernel of good is buried under layers and layers of manipulation, denial, and violence.
Duncan is still as manipulative and unrepentant of the abuse he had done. He’s cold and brutally direct. He says exactly what he means, so at least, he can claim he doesn’t lie. Once in a while, we glimpse a softer side, a tiny, tiny kindness, some niggle of conscience that shows he got a heart somewhere deep down.
Duncan voices things Teddy is too afraid to admit to himself. He confides that he himself is bewildered by this magnetic pull towards Teddy, his pet, likening it to a disease that took hold and spread like cancer that consumed his entire being.
Teddy, oh boy, the man is a mess! A tiresome one too. Teddy says one thing and does the opposite, always in denial but acting otherwise. Goes to Duncan’s house then does his hairpulling routine after having sex with Duncan. Then sneaks out of his house in the middle of the night, leaving his pregnant wife, for more of the same.
One thing I liked about him is that he is fiercely protective of Cassie. The cheating disaster of a husband that he is, he actually shot Duncan when the man threatened her.
Cassie drops her own bomb near the end. I already had my suspicions, and it’s just another proof of the lengths Duncan will go to for his pet.
Just when I was about to lose hope of these two ever getting their shit together, Duncan started making certain decisions. I wouldn’t say things became swoony, this story will never be squees and fluff. But it was a genuine effort to redeem himself.
Teddy too, resolved his internal conflict and blurted out his truths. And just like that, everything clicked! It was completely fucked up but it worked! I heartily applaud the author for taking a huge risk with this story and it is a risk that paid off big time!
Be Mine, Twisted Valentine is a game of revenge, obsession, and dare we say, love in all its twisted glory. Deep, dark, and all-consuming.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Twisted By Design
Artist: Sum 41
Album: 13 Voices
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BE MINE, TWISTED VALENTINE: Kindle I Audiobook
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COVER REVEAL: The Silencer by Cora Rose
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BLOG TOUR: Take Some Tahini by Karenna Colcroft (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Igni Ferroque by Ashlyn Drewek
Tennebrose: Igni Ferroque – Ashlyn Drewek
Despite being branded as an outcast amongst outcasts, Phelan Oliver devotes his life to helping his fellow Necromancers. But even with his vast knowledge, nothing prepares him for the day he comes face to face with a demon he didn’t summon—one who embodies everything he has been taught to hate, whose wickedness sparks sinful feelings Phelan can’t ignore no matter how much he tries.
Taken captive by a prince of Hell, Phelan strikes a desperate bargain. In exchange for his soul’s freedom, he’ll give his captor what he wants, even if it means betraying his own family.
But demons aren’t the only ones with secrets and Phelan’s might end up costing them both more than they’d ever imagined.
IGNI FERROQUE is a dark MM paranormal romance about a pious Necromancer and an incorrigible demon and what happens when their paths intersect. There’s scorching steam and brutal violence in this enemies-to-lovers tale, wrapped up with plenty of intrigue and betrayal. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.
This book can be read as a standalone, but it is highly suggested to read the series in order, as the history of Winslow and its witches builds on itself with each book.
Igni Ferroque is a book that comes with a long list of trigger warnings: non-con, dub-con, blood play, torture, mental illness, occult practices, mentions of animal and human sacrifices, controversial commentary on religion, particularly Catholicism, and more listed in the book.
Author Ashlyn Drewek excels at darkly delicious enemies-to-lovers romances and pulled no punches in this sequel to Malum Discordae, Book 1 of Tennebrose. I definitely enjoyed this book more than its predecessor.
Tennebrose is a secretly magical university in Winslow, where witches trace their family histories to the past 400 years. The university is where their sons and daughters study among unaware non-magical students.
Phelan Oliver is a necromancer from a renowned family of necromancers currently working as a research librarian at the university. The necromancers of Winslow have been systematically summoning demons listed in the Book of Lazarus, only to kill them once they appear. Phelan is one of those involved in the rituals, though his powers barely exist.
The fun started when Demon Prince Remiel spotted him and took a liking to the necromancer. After stalking Phelan for a while, only to find out how blah the man’s life is, he whisked the necromancer to his domain in hell and had his wicked way with him.
On her website, the author admitts that writing the non-con parts was difficult.
“Given all the other horrible things Remiel does, why should that one thing stop him? So even though I knew some readers would hate me for it, I left my human morality at the door and wrote my demon prince as authentically as I could. Did I say it was ok? No. Does Phelan say it’s ok? No. In fact, he brings it up to Remiel on two different occasions to let him know he hasn’t forgotten. But Phelan (and I) also realized Remiel would never apologize for something he didn’t feel bad about because he doesn’t see right/wrong the same way we do. “
And yes, Remiel is the best character here. Sardonic and sauve, he was always true to his demon nature. He was both the dastardly villain and the charming prince sweeping our boy off his feet. He resorts to torture and seduction to weaken Phelan’s resolve, he could be so amoral and cold in some situations, then be a source of comfort and subtle but heartfelt affection.
And always, Phelan’s most fiercest protector.
Complicated he may be, there are no doubts about his deep, unspoken feelings for the necromancer. The tender feather caresses were my favorite!
Phelan, on the other hand, behaves as most ultra-religious MCs I’ve read. This is a man who lives like a 14th-century monk, denying himself pleasure, remaining completely celibate throughout his 30 years, and even whipping himself with those nasty whips used by flagellates.
Initially, he proved quite resistant to Remiel’s methods of seduction because our boy is nothing if not stubborn. He even outwitted the demon prince once. At times, I wasn’t impressed with his actions and reactions, always with the woes, the blame, or begging for punishment from God because he was in complete denial of who he is
Phelan shines best when he’s going toe to toe with demons. Our boy can be quite ballsy and surprisingly wily, outwitting yet another demon prince to save his demon prince. The necromancer even challenged the king of hell in a gutsy move that completely won me over.
This is a long book about the ever-evolving and hella nuclear relationship between Remiel and Phelan. The sexual tension burns like the flames of hell, leaving our virgin hero scorched, conflicted, and then later, became Remiel’s most feral savior. The evolution of their romance was well-paced, convincing, and deliciously satisfying!
Interwoven with the romance are fascinating twisty-turny threads of family secrets, dark pasts, demon wars, town conspiracies, deadly grimoires, and powerful arcane relics bestowed by God himself. Tennebrose lore was already rich and here it brought the series to another level!
There are minor hiccups, things the editor might have missed. Like how one body part was able to reach a certain body part when they were already in a certain position. Or a couple of reactions that seemed confusing or out of character.
Also, just a heads up if you are sensitive about religion, the story might appear to have a grim view of Catholicism and religion as a whole. This is usually voiced through Remiel, who continuously challenges Phelan to be honest with himself and embrace his true nature.
But, however tumultuous and dark the journey is for Phelan, in the end, it’s all in God’s plan. And it was the most bombastic, genius coup de etat + coup de gras + literal deus ex machina climax, I could only shake my head in amazement!
It turned Phelan’s world upside down and inside out, and just like that, he found his place in the grand scheme of things. I could imagine the Almighty giving Phelan and Remiel a big, cheeky wink across the cosmos.
Igni Ferroque is a potent brew of occult and romance told with the skill of a born storyteller. Overall, unapologetically dark and incendiary!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Sanctify
Artist: Olly Alexander (Years & Years)
Album: SanctifyP.S.
Tennebrose books can be read as standalones but get to know the discordant town of Winslow in Malum Discordiae.
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IGNI FERROQUE: Kindle I Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Siphany and the Whale by Susan Jane Bigelow (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE: House of Darkyn by Crea Reitan
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SERIES REVIEW: To Kill A King by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Dawn – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
For nineteen years, I have carved myself into a dutiful son, a courtier of unimpeachable wit, and a genuine delight at a tea party. Now that my success in society has planted me in the path of Mikhail Vasiliev, it’s clear I’d have been better off keeping my head down.
Prince Mikhail is the second son of a traitor. Third in line to the throne, he has a reputation for violence, debauchery, and being a thorn in the side of his cousin, King Dmitri. That is, until the king decides to get him out of the way—by marrying him off.
To me.
Suddenly prince of a brutal, frozen land, I have no choice but to spy on my father’s behalf. From the morning of our wedding, my beastly husband and I have been at odds, but if I cannot win him over, I’ll find myself in the jaws of his colossal red dragon.
By the time I realize there is more between us than hostility and mistrust, it is too late. The die has been cast, the knife thrust, and our private battle is set to topple the whole kingdom.
Beauty gets tied to a real beast in this MM high fantasy romance, featuring: the cutest companion mink to ever bite the hand of a prince, two reluctant husbands who hate each other everywhere but between the sheets, and a heap load of court intrigue to ensure things go perfectly wrong for our murderhimbo and his slinky courtier beau.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: Stole My Heart
Artist: Beasts With No Name
Album: Pretty Fool
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Dusk – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
I have been a runt, a disappointment, and a monster. Now, I am simply a man.
This wouldn’t be so strange, if yesterday, I weren’t a dragon.
Locked away and isolated after a vicious attack left a princess blind, my greatest joy has been my bonded rider, Kostya.
My Kostya is a prince with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders. When his world begins to crumble, a witch offers me the chance to escape my cell and stand beside him.
But on two legs, without my scales and claws, Kostya doesn’t recognize me. He fears his dragon was stolen, and when suspicion turns my way, I learn that there are prisons darker and more dangerous than a dragon pen.
A little very big dragon finds his voice, two legs, and some delightful human appendages beyond in this MM high fantasy romance, featuring: one forlorn dragon-riding prince, a dragon who just wants to kiss the boy, two incredibly self-sacrificing doofuses, a road to pain paved with all the best intentions, and a plot to upend a kingdom.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: With Me All Along
Artist: Bronze Radio Return
Album: Entertain You
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Descent – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
In my life, I have loved a boy, a prince, a king, and a madman. Now, I must let him go.
King Dmitri was once a prince of flowers, but when his father was murdered in a treasonous plot by his own family, all of Dima’s hope and innocence shattered. At his lowest point, he took the crown and bonded the land, and in the process, he lost himself.
Now, the boy I once loved is brutal and cruel, and the best I can do for his kingdom is to put us both out of our misery before he destroys it all.
Join our valiant knight as he fights to thaw the icy heart of a mad king in this MM high fantasy romance, endless pining, so much trauma, a griffin-rider with a heart of gold, a wilting flower prince, more than a little fire, and the end of a kingdom.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Feel Alive
Artist: Half Alive
Album: Now, Not Yet
To Kill A King is another fantasy series by acclaimed writer duo Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes. Set in the harsh lands of Veronyesh(?), a kingdom ruled by the silver-haired dragon-riding Vassilievs, Russian Targaryans, if you will, minus the incest.
In this world, people are soul-bonded to various creatures, the more powerful the creature, the greater the power, with dragons being the most powerful. The kingdom is ruled by the mad King Dmitri, bonded to a dragon, and the very land itself.
And so on the king’s mercurial moods depended the well-being of the Veronyesh(?). Which right now is reflecting his bleak mood.
The backstory of the Vassilievs, much like the Targaryens, is rife with intrigue and drama. The king’s cousins are Prince Mikhail, a.k.a. Misha, Prince Konstantine, a.k.a. Kostya, and their sister, Princess Zoya, a blood witch. Their father, Prince Piotr, killed the former king and, in turn, was executed by King Dmitri.
Dima’s twin sister, Princess Dasha, was accidentally blinded by Kostya and his dragon, Kirian. The king held a deep grudge against them and would rage at the mention of Kirian.
Dragon’s Dawn opens the series, dropping us right in the middle of an arranged marriage forced down the throats of Prince Mikhail and Yevgeny, a 19-year-old courtier from a prominent family. There is minimal world-building here, just enough to know about soul bonds, the mad king, and that the two would-be grooms were strangers to each other.
A very intriguing set-up but to my surprise, this turned out to be my least favorite series opener. The plot runs on miscommunication, a trope I hate. If handled correctly, it would have been tolerable, but it ran for almost the entire story, the characters cycle from bad thoughts about each to fucking then back again with barely any development.
To make matters worse, both MCs were completely uninteresting. Genya was vapid, self-absorbed, and spectacularly naive. The story insists he is clever and witty while showing no evidence of such. Misha was a boor and a brute, an alphahole without the charm.
I would have DNF’ed this, but I wanted to see this series through because I was super curious about Dima.
Dragon’s Dusk picks up immediately after the events of Book 1, And thank the gods, it’s a complete turnaround!
Here we have the most adorable, most precious cinnamon roll puppy dragon I’d protect with my life!
Kostya is the eldest Vassiliev, a morose man with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the guilt of hurting the sweet Princess Dasha, despite the princess already declaring she forgave him and his dragon Kirian.
After that tragic incident, Kirian is not allowed out of the stables, feared by the stable hands as a crazy, feral beast. In truth, the dragon was the sweetest, gentlest creature made of pure sunshine and Kostya’s only joy in life. So much so that Zoya decides to use her blood magic and turn Kirian into a human to be with his Kostya. Because the mutual pining between these two…!!!
A heart-wrenching use of the miscommunication trope but hell of a lot more compelling. I was hanging on to every scene!
Kostya found Kirian in his human form but didn’t recognize him. At the same time, the prince was devastated to discover his dragon was missing. And because Kostya is one of the kindest people in the kingdom, he housed, clothed, and fed the stranger and kept him by his side. While searching high and low, calling his dragon’s name.
Human Kirian hasn’t gain human speaking abilities yet and could only speak with his eyes and action. That scene in the snow where he was silently beseeching Kostya, holding the man’s hand to his heart, that he, Kirian, is right here! here! will forever live in my memory.
These two dorks blame themselves for everything going wrong in the kingdom. And some more suffering before Kostya realizes his Kirian is there all along. Their story isn’t perfect but it’s unforgettable.
Dragon’s Descent is why I started this series. I was curious about the loyal knight who helplessly watched his beloved flower prince descend into madness.
In the first two books, Dima is portrayed as the villain. First forcing Misha’s marriage and then punishing Kostya and Kirian for the accident, then the slew of executions. Whenever Dima’s harsh actions are shown, his loyal bodyguard’s reactions are also mentioned. A pained, heartbroken expression of a man hopelessly in love but could do nothing.
Arkadii was assigned to then Prince Dmitri when they were both teenagers. He is the son of the captain of the royal guard and his mother instilled her strong sense of duty into him. He and the prince became lovers, the prince was a carefree, joyful creature that flowers bloom wherever he goes.
Things took a turn when the old king was murdered, along with Arkadii’s mother, who died on duty. Dima was hit hard and barely recovered. After he bonded to the land with blood magic that went awry, he became worse, and Veronyesh(?) slowly began to decline.
This is also a difficult read, the mad king’s thoughts full of dismal paranoia, frequently hurting Arkadii who’s already at his wit’s end, but still doggedly performs his duties. Dima tends to circle the same dark topics, making the writing repetitive. It’s quite a challenge to redeem this character, and it doesn’t happen quickly.
But Dima’s recovery did happen, a slow uphill battle but gaining ground nonetheless, giving Arkadii hope that his flower prince is still there. The thing with Arkadii and Dima is that everyone knows they are a unit and assumes they will always be a unit. No one ever brought up the topic of the king marrying a woman and producing heirs.
Stoic, steadfast Arkadii devoting his life to his Dima almost to the point of martyrdom is hella romantic. I loved this type of seme in BL manga, and Arkadii cut a striking figure in his armor. That closing scene of him and Dima surrounded by springtime flowers is dreamy and magical. A hard-won, much-awaited HEA!
To Kill A King should be read in order. The books are not standalone. While Dragon’s Dawn might be a struggle to finish, Dragon’s Dusk and Dragon’s Descent are both highly entertaining and better executed. There are threads of betrayal running across the series, but the real villains are deployed like afterthoughts so meh. However, we get two swoony romances, so it’s still a win.
Overall, a moving saga of royals, dragons, lost souls, and unbreakable bonds.
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TO KILL A KING: Kindle
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Together In A Broken World by Paul Michael Winters (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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SERIES REVIEW: Boystown Books 1-3 by Marshall Thornton
Boystown Books: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries – Marshall Thornton
Finalist for the Lambda Award in Gay Mystery, Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries takes place in Chicago during the early 1980s. Haunted by his abrupt departure from the Chicago Police Department and the end of his relationship with librarian Daniel Laverty, Nick Nowak is a beat cop-turned-dogged private investigator. In this first book of the series, Nick works through three cases: a seemingly simple missing persons search, an arson investigation, and a suicide that turns out to be anything but. While working the cases, Nick moves through a series of casual relationships until he meets homicide detective Bert Harker and begins a tentative relationship.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Boys Town
Artist: Babes
Album: Leave Your Leather On
Boystown Books: Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries – Marshall Thornton
The Boystown Mystery series continues as Chicago private investigator Nick Nowak finds himself involved in three new cases. He’s asked to help a young man who murdered his stepfather but refuses to assist in his own defense, hired to find the murderer of a dead porno star, and, in a case that traps him between the two men he loves, must search for a serial killer’s only living victim. Set in the second half of 1981, Nick juggles his deepening relationship with Detective Bert Harker with the return of his ex, Daniel Laverty. Which man will he choose? Or will he be able to choose?
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: OOO
Artist: Karen O
Album: Crush Songs
Boystown Books: Two Nick Nowak Novellas – Marshall Thornton
In the two novellas that make up the third book in the popular Boystown Mysteries private Investigator Nick Nowak works two challenging cases and grapples with an even more challenging personal life. In Little Boy Boom, Nick’s car explodes when a thief attempts to steal it. Realizing the bomb was meant for him, Nick sets out to discover who wants him dead only to find that the list of possible suspects is longer than he’d like. When he begins to run out of suspects he wonders if the bomb was truly meant for him. Little Boy Tenor finds Nick investigating the murderer of a church choir’s star tenor, while at the same time his friend Ross asks him to discover the truth behind his lover, Earl Silver’s mysterious death. As he juggles the two cases, he becomes increasingly disturbed by what he learns.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Slipping Away
Artist: Moby
Album: Hotel
A bit strange to call a series set in a decade you lived through as historical, but I considered Boystown by award-winning author Marshall Thornton as such. My first series from the author, The Wyandot County Mysteries, was entertainingly bitchy, and another modern historical (if we can call it that) set in the 2000s.
The usual Regencies and Victorians are not working for me as of late, so I’m hoping to dive into more books set in the mid-century and later eras.
Boystown starts in 1980, with prequels set in 1979. It chronicles the life of ex-cop-turned-PI Nick Nowak. He’s 33 years old and in the prime of his life. He’s good at his job. His business is going well and he’s free of debts He lives in a garden apartment, a.k.a. basement apartment in downtown Chicago in the known queer neighborhood called Boystown. Every weekend, he works as a bouncer at a gay club owned by a friend.
The storytelling is one of the best and a top favorite in my reading history. Nick has a very compelling voice and a charismatic character. The books are written like episodes in a TV series. Also, Marshall Thornton has always been fantastic at flavoring his stories with period-specific events, culture, technology, and so on. They have a palpable patina of time and they always feel authentic and lived-in.
Nick’s cases intertwine with his private life, and threads from the previous books are continued or mentioned in the succeeding. There are many recurring characters or references to past events that Nick would follow up on or would impact the current story. We see Nick’s everyday habits and work routine, plus the more action-packed moments.
My favorite part is the cases. Almost all mystery series tend to default to murder as the crime, so I loved that Nick’s cases vary from background checks to missing persons to arson to car bombing, and sometimes protection for rock stars. I loved that they realistically portray the variety of work a PI handles.
And Nick’s one hell of a PI! He doesn’t give up until he’s satisfied, not even if his client feels the matter is already settled. He’s got wily investigation skills and is not above lying, impersonating someone, seducing the gullible, or breaking inside an apartment to get answers.
Nick knows he’s a looker and enjoys an active sex life. There is no shortage of people eager to throw themselves at him and Nick’s not inclined to say no. From informants he’s interviewing, to corporate lawyers, to friends with benefits, beat cops mistakenly apprehending him while undercover as a homeless man and even the very person he’s investigating, as well as orgies. A couple of times, he asked himself if he was giving off some kind of pheromones.
Nick is also pining for his ex, Daniel Laverty. They had a bad breakup after a homophobic attack that left Daniel with a broken cheekbone. Daniel wanted to report what happened, but Nick, then a closeted cop, refused.
Nick eventually develops a relationship with a closeted police detective, Bert Harker. Theirs is an open relationship, which means Nick still goes around fucking any willing body. Nick is also torn between Daniel, who recently reunited with him, and Bert, currently living with him. The series is not romance, and it didn’t make promises of a romance HEA, so the open relationships didn’t bother me.
What bothered me was the APPALLING lack of protection in all the sex scenes. There’s also some scenes where the characters take drugs. It was a wild, hedonistic era and Nick is in the thick of it. In contrast, contemporary MM books make it a point to mention rubbers or an exchange of health status.
Knowing what we know now of the 80s and the AIDs epidemic, it is heartbreaking that some of the characters here were among the early victims, and Nick and his friends have no clue yet of what is happening. It’s going to hit very close to home. I almost don’t want to read the succeeding books because the impact is going to crush Nick.
As mentioned earlier, Boystown is written as a continuous chronicle of Nick Nowak’s life and should be read in order. I had grand plans of reviewing the entire series until I learned there are 13 books. It’s a lot for me, so I’ll probably do three books at a time.
The first three books of Boystown opens a highly engrossing mystery series that captures a pivotal era through the eyes of a gay PI. Blending Chicago grit and 80s sex appeal with LGBTQ+ issues and noir mystery, these stories are authentic, steamy and as irresistable as Nick Nowak himself.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Boystown. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
BOYSTOWN: Kindle
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RELEASE BLITZ: Temperance by Lark Taylor
