Maggie Mayhem: Incubus with Benefits

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240724189-incubus-with-benefits

Book Blurb:

Witch, please. Falling for an incubus was not on the to-do list.

Losing my job sucks. Getting canned because the boss’s sleazy nephew can’t take no for an answer? Infuriating. To stop me from hexing him into oblivion, my coven drags me out to Darlington’s premier paranormal nightclub to dance off the rage.

When I’m targeted by an unknown spell, who else but Julian, the Delerium’s sexy-as-sin owner, steps up to care for me. The incubus has a reputation for breaking hearts and headboards, so I know better than to let mine get involved.

But he’s also sweet and considerate, and surprisingly possessive. And for a guy who swears we’re just friends with benefits, he sure acts like I belong to him.

Suddenly, losing my job is the least of my worries. Because witches are going missing, and if I don’t figure out who’s behind it, I’ll be next. Julian vows to keep me safe… but who’s going to protect my heart when I fall for my possessive monster?

Incubus with Benefits is a standalone romance with a hunky, protective incubus, and a sassy, modern witch with attitude. Think steamy PNR with a blend of cozy mystery. HEA guaranteed.

*Monster Romance *Witch FMC  *Magical world  *Incubus MMC *Age Gap (😉) *paranormal

 *forced proximity  *Mystery *spice  *protective MMC  *Darkstar Romance ALC 

 *situationship with benefits to more *cute kitty side kick  *banter

Thoughts:

I requested this ALC from Darkstar Romance based off of the description and I wasn't disappointed.  This is the 10th book in the series even though I had not read any of the previous books in the series and didn't know anything about the world it was easy to follow as a stand alone quick read. 

The plot isn't overly complex and had a dash of spice mixed throughout but I didn't feel that the spice over powered the plot at any point and I enjoyed Lilly and Julian's story it was a easy cozy quick read/listen.  

To start with Lilly is fired from her job after her boss's nephew makes a pass at her is unwilling to accept that no means no then goes out of his way to make her life difficult even to the point of harassing her outside of work and hindering her hunt for a new job.  Lilly has 2 best friends (who are also her coven sisters) to help cheer her up they talk her into going to the local night club Delerium where she runs into the super hot Incubus owner Julian.  

After an incident occurs where Lilly's safety is in question it's a surprise to her that Julian steps up in the role as her protector while he has a reputation for being a heartbreaker and she isn't quite sure she should let her guard down around him she does feel so much safer in his home... and in his arms, would it be all that terrible if they got just a little bit closer?  

When Lilly finds herself closer than she wanted to be in the missing witch mystery and the cops lead suspect is Julian... when he did nothing wrong but the last one did vanish from his club our couple decide to work together to help solve the case but in the process they might just find that more is on the line than expected when their hearts get involved.

I loved Lilly and her friend group, Lilly was a take charge FMC and went after what she wanted.  Julian was sweet and protective.  The narrators both did a great job with this and I plan to go back and read other books in this series.  

Thank you to the Author and Dark Star Romance for this ALC copy 

If you've read any books by this author which one is your favorite?  Have you read this series? 

Lenora Bell: Can't Get Enough of The Duke

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199820367-can-t-get-enough-of-the-duke

War hero Deckard Payne, Duke of Warburton, made a battlefield promise to become guardian to orphan Analise Crewe. He certainly didn’t agree to marry the girl! But that’s exactly what happens when he’s forced to wed her to save her honor.   

The last thing Analise wants is a loveless marriage to a broodingly handsome duke who lives in a gloomy castle and keeps his doors—and his heart—tightly locked. He’s determined to keep her at arm’s length—but she’s not easily deterred when there’s a tough case to crack. 

Warburton never wanted a wife. Especially an inquisitive and far-too-pretty whirlwind who upends his regimented life. Her sunny, winning ways charm everyone she meets and soon she’s unearthing buried secrets, plotting love matches, and shining light into even the darkest of hearts…his own. 

*Historical Romance  *Age Gap  *Grumpy/Sunshine  *Duke  *Scarred war hero  *forbidden romance *Spice  *Secrets  *musical retelling (Annie) *no communication *young/naive FMC *Marriage of convenience  *Netgalley ALC 5/12 *PTSD (MMC)

Thoughts:

Deckard Payne, The Duke of Warburton has been through it he has been to war and returned to England and society after a nasty injury that scarred his handsome face (don't worry he's still handsome) and on the hunt for Analise Crewe his new ward, he made a promise to one of his men on the battlefield that he would see his daughter safe and settled... and he intends to honor that promise... only when he returns home she is more difficult to locate than he initially thought she would be.

Analise had been the companion to a popular author however after she passed away and the ladies nephew who inherited his aunts estates took over he also felt that Ana should be part of his inheritance... not likely.  Fleeing in the middle of the night with not much she ends up at a boarding house in a less than reputable part of London, she's going to make a living off of her writing she knows it she just has to make the editor see how fabulous her story is... only when she gets there he is less than thrilled and would rather see her write a story in the series from her late author friend which she can do as her friend dictated the plot to her before she passed... Another problem is that Ana can't seem to keep her mouth closed and told the editor she had a noble fiance, naturally she has no one but that's something to worry about another day.

Ana is short on funds and about to be thrown out of her boarding house if she can't find a way to make some money soon... thankfully Dec finds her just in time, only she thinks he's there for an entirely different reason and tries to fight him off.  Once that ordeal is resolved she goes willingly to her new home where she has to start lessons on how to be a lady but that isn't for her she'll never be fit for polite society.  After a bit of a potential scandal leads to a marriage of convenience between our couple their roles change from ward/guardian to husband and wife pretty quickly. 

As for our couple.  I liked Dec he was a grumpy/brooding, handsome former rake with a lot of lived experience and had PTSD after returning from war at 35 he had been through a lot and it showed with how he presented himself.  Ana... I'm going to be honest she really frustrated me she was 18 but acted like an immature much younger teenager still, if she was told no she didn't take no for an answer she dug in and did things anyway even when told multiple reasons why something could potentially be dangerous the behaviors could lead to potential harm coming to herself and others.  

I just never fully believed that grumpy old Dec and naive Ana could... or even should be in a relationship with how she acted throughout the book.  I'm not opposed to age/gap tropes but this one just felt odd due to the immaturity gap of our FMC and MMC.   

There really wasn't much character growth for our FMC she remained to seem young and naive even though she had lived on her own for a time prior to becoming the Dukes Ward/fiance/wife and that left me pretty frustrated with her throughout.  Dec on the other hand has multiple secrets he's a good guy at heart but doesn't feel worthy of love and doesn't feel he can open his heart to others since he's emotionally damaged from the war and all of his previous losses.

I felt the pacing was kind of off for the story as you could see the feelings grow one sided from her while he remained closed off until an event happens when he realizes his feelings... this seems more rushed at the end and didn't feel natural.  I actually didn't know that it was an Annie retelling until I read some of the other comments but there are similarities... but Daddy Warburton should have picked a more mature woman.  

This one was just ok for me, I might check out the other books in the series to see if the musical turned historical romance worked better.  

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this early listen copy.  

Zara Marielle: The Cafe of Infinite Doors

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239680494-the-caf-of-infinite-doors

book blurb:

In a mythical Scotland of long ago, a goddess’s mortal surrogate dies in childbirth and leaves behind a vindictive firstborn daughter who seethes in the shadow of her new divine sister, leading to a violent clash that leaves both sisters imprisoned in separate worlds. 

Millennia later in San Francisco, sheltered, isolated twenty-three-year-old Marceline is desperate for a job, longing for a temporary escape from her controlling, toxic husband, Baxter. One evening, a magical café appears after Baxter strands Marceline on a desolate street after a nasty fight. Run by a quirky, mysteriously feathered woman named Lucretia, her partner, Kilda, and a gentle Tahitian man named Sylvan, the café holds the safety, comfort, and companionship Marceline has craved. Upon learning that the café’s door is a protected portal that opens to those in need, she joins the cafe’s staff behind Baxter's back.   

Several months after Marceline has found her safe haven, the portals to the café begin closing one by one and the cafe’s sourceless light goes from warm and honeyed to dim and shadowy. Evil is looming that will endanger not only the café but the world at large; if Marceline is to protect herself and her newfound family, she must choose herself for good and escape her marriage once and for all ... or say goodbye to her hard-fought freedom forever. 

*Good Vs. Evil  *magical realm *portals *Goddess *Toxic relationship  *Marriage in trouble  *gaslighting 

*true villains  *netgalley ALC 4/12  *State Challenge California (Repeat) *found family  *multiple POV

*multiple Time lines  *sapphic relationship  *trigger warnings (abortion, abusive relationship, violence)

Thoughts:

I requested this ALC from Netgalley based on the blurb it sounded really interesting and I wanted to see what would happen in this magical cafe.  The story itself while it grew on me after awhile it took me till almost the end to warm up to the book and I almost DNF a few times.  

To start with we have two seperate story lines going on:  an unknown amount of years ago (long time in Scotland) a mortal woman passes away in childbirth while carrying the goddesses child.  Left behind is an older child who is now forced into the villages orphanage to live a life of hard labor and general hardship while her younger sister is segregated and treated like the goddess she will grow to be all the while the older sister becomes more bitter and enraged with each passing year until making a decision that will change both of their lives and shatter everything they currently know... now living in their own seperate prisons for an unknown period of time.

Story 2 is about Marceline she is living in modern day San Francisco trapped in an abusive relationship with Baxter who is truly toxic on their anniversary he leaves her in an unknown to her part of the city where she stumbles into a unique cafe.  The Cafe takes in those in need of comfort and support and welcomes anyone who needs help and Marceline is happy to get out of the rain while she worries about if her husband will come back for her.  

Marceline eventually returns to the street and Baxter does eventually return for her but Marceline has had a sense of freedom and she wants to feel it again but with no money how will she get back to the cafe?  She finds enough money for a bus ride and is able to return to the cafe where she starts a friendship with Lucretia (an obvious magical woman) her partner Kilda (a map maker) and Sylvan a Tahitian man who is truly kind and she hasn't had a lot of kindness in her life... especially lately.  

While at the Cafe she finds that the cafe doesn't operate on regular time she could be there for hours in the real world but only a few hours will have passed while in the cafe, everyone who comes in to find shelter has the ability to speak with each other without language barriers and Lucretia even though she never leaves the cafe she learns about the outside world from the cafe's guests and the birds that come in and out of the cafe.  Marceline then has to sneak out of the house to get to the cafe and hope that Baxter won't catch her in the process leading to some more tense moments.  

I had a really hard time listening to this book due to how cowed Marceline is her relationship with Baxter it is really tough to watch as he continues to belittle her make her feel like she would never make it without him, he's kept her isolated to the point where she no longer has any friends and is not even able to have access to anything outside their home since he believes that she shouldn't have access to the internet and since her father and grandmother have both passed away she has no family left because "I should be all the family you need."  The author did a good job making these situations truly uncomfortable and tense I physically felt afraid for Marceline while listening. I was really upset with Baxter the whole book and struggled with Marceline who was by this point in the relationship gaslighting herself into making up excuses for this jerk, I know that her situation was really tough but I wish it didn't take up so much of the book.

I kind of liked the back and forth between modern day and "Long Long ago" but wish that the stories blended together sooner so it wouldn't feel like so many different things happening every other chapter.  I think that the story would have benefited from more modern day relationships with Marceline and the cafe's characters and building her self confidence and learning real life skills to prepare her for being able to leave her relationship.  I did enjoy the relationships that Marceline made with those that came into the cafe and you could see over time how she realized that she was being treated badly and deserved better at home.  

I could see what the book was heading towards fairly early on in the book but the ending all seemed to spiral a bit out of control and wrap things up fairly quickly for the tense build up that we were waiting for and I definately don't feel that Baxter had the type of ending that he deserved (maybe I'm still harboring my own anger and resentment towards this man).  

I did start to enjoy this book more towards the end but it just took too long for me to get there. 

I thank Netgalley and the author for this early listen copy!  

Dorothy Callahan: Bella and the Bullfrog

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249462710-bella-and-the-bullfrog

Fumbled Fairy Tales Series Book 1 

book blurb:

When the master book of fairy tales is shaken by a wayward human, the stories within are thrown into chaos — and Bella’s quiet village is the first to feel the consequences.

Instead of taming a cursed beast hidden inside a crumbling castle, Bella finds herself hurled thousands of leagues from home. Worried over her sick father but bound by her own concern over a beleaguered, talking bullfrog, Bella grants the creature two days of her help. Imagine her surprise when the frog turns out to be a prince transformed—quite unfairly—by a scheming enchantress. The threads of his fate are now tangled with hers, and breaking the curse will require more than a simple kiss.

As fragments of other fairy tales bleed into their world, Bella must rely on her wit, her compassion, and the strength of her own heart to see this through. The frog-prince who deserves her help may be proud, stubborn, and inconveniently small — but beneath the enchantment lies a man who sees beyond her beauty and is determined to earn her love rather than simply claim her.

Opposites in every way, this couple must overcome class differences, expectations, rank and enchantments if they are ever to find their way to Happy Ever After.

Because in this fumbled tale, love is not chosen by decree.

It is won by sacrifice, humility… and finding the humanity in us all.

Bella and the Bullfrog is a damaged prince, optimistic heroine, forced proximity fairy tale set in a medieval European town. Achieving their Happy Ever After means discovering self-grit and determination, overcoming stereotypical roles and parental expectations, finding found family, and seeing beyond what the eye normally sees.

THE FUMBLED FAIRY TALES SERIES is a collection of reimagined stories by authors who turn fairy tales on their heads to deliver stories that speak to the heart. Inside, you’ll discover bold heroines and unforgettable characters who refuse to wait for rescue, choosing instead to find their own way to a well-deserved Happy Ever After.

*Fairytale retelling  *Strangers to More  *Prince x commoner FMC  *friends to more  *curse

*magical world  *true loves kiss  *Young adult  *no spice/clean  *ARC read  *Indie author

*Forced Proximity  *Medieval Europe 

Thoughts:

The guardian of THE book of Fairy tales gets a surprise visitor who causes havoc by shaking the book feeling that the old tales are outdated and full of big problems that need change too late to stop it from happening the guardian is beside herself with worry over what changes were caused by this action... to start with Belle from Beauty and the Beast is now about to meet the Frog Prince... this is a disaster... or is it?

Bella in order to save her sick father from the Beast's clutches trades places with him as prisoner shortly after her world is shaken up (for real) when she falls... and keeps falling she is no longer imprisoned in the Beasts tower but now in a completely different tower after finding a way out she walks a very long time until coming across a disgusting pond filled with who knows what... and is that a talking bullfrog?

Prince Riven is distressed no one in his family respects him or feels he is responsible enough to have a job he wants... he wants to make people happy with song... is that so wrong?  He has always been the kind brother complete opposite to his older half brother's rudeness but he knows he's not going to inherit the throne anyways so why can't he just do what he wants build a university for all to attend and create music?  

Upon returning home Prince Riven finds that one of the Great Enchantresses visits... the mean one... trying to think back to what he did he finds out that he didn't do anything to enrage her it was his awful brother who told the townspeople to dump their trash into her special pond and contaminate it... but when he tries to explain all of this she doesn't want to hear it instead taking him to the very disgusting pond where he is to live out his days as a frog until he can find a way to decontiminate it... but how can he do this in his tiny new body?  Also will his family even care to look for him?

Bella with a heart of gold finds Riven in his new form and knowing that she's no longer close to home and just traveled far away in mere minutes she figures that it isn't too far off to find her new acquaintance is a cursed prince.  

Unable to leave the murky muck of the pond and still have his voice Riven is bound to the pond and surrounding area but he is thankful to have someone to help him and all in exchange for his help getting home.  He has always wanted to find a partner who liked him for him and not for his status as a Prince.

Bella tired of the men in her village who just want her for her beauty is surprised to find that she is drawn to the prince even in his frog form... could this be love?  

This was a cute quick read, it was a fun reimagining of the classic tales and it's easy to see that if Bella could fall in love with a Beast she could also potentially fall in love with a Frog Prince.  

I love how well Bella and Prince Riven worked together to help with both of their situations and the ending wraps up just like a fairy tale should.  

I truly enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series! 

Have you read this book?  what did you think?  

Tylor Paige: Good For Her

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235992431-good-for-her

Book Blurb: 

Falling in love with her first love wasn’t part of her plan. Helping her kill the Hollywood elite wasn’t part of his. 

Hollywood loves a comeback. Too bad Evie Reyes didn’t come back to play nice.

Five years ago, she watched her mother—an iconic Final Girl—die on the set of Simon Says. Now, she’s back on the same studio lot, cast as the lead in the reboot no one asked for. But Evie’s not here for fame. She’s here for revenge—and she’s got six names on her list.

Sebastian Shaw is Hollywood’s golden boy, a walking six-pack with just enough charm to disguise the fact that he’s a professional liar. He also happens to be Evie’s ex. When he finds out why she’s really back, he doesn’t try to stop her. He offers a he’ll get her access to each of the men she wants to confront—in exchange for six chances to sleep with her.

No feelings. No strings. Definitely no dates.

As bodies pile up and the on-set accidents get harder to explain away, Evie walks a razor-thin line between staying alive and getting justice. And Sebastian? He might be the only person who sees her clearly—and the one person she can’t afford to trust.

This Final Girl isn’t just surviving—she’s stealing the whole damn show

*Netgalley ALC 3/12  *State Challenge: California (Duplicate)  *second chance for romance 

*revenge thriller, slasher  *Morally Gray MMC and FMC  *darker romance  *Dark Rom-com 

*slow burn  *spice *found family  *Frienemies --> more  *Voyeurism

*Trigger warnings (not sure if there is a list for the book but the ALC didn't mention them and there was a lot of darker stuff in here including serial unaliving in multiple different ways, SA, death of parent, and questionable consent related scenes)

Thoughts:

Evie Reyes and Sebastian Shaw are teenagers in love they have grown up together from a young age on movie sets as Sebastian was a child star of a hit slasher series and Evie is the daughter of Scream Queen Lita Reyes.  Only when they had their whole lives in front of them Evie's world crashes when she finds her mother dead... worst thing is that she sees someone fleeing the scene of the crime but instead of the police actually investigating they help cover up the evidence.  

Evie left Hollywood a few days later with a broken heart in more ways than one she lost her mother but also lost Sebastian as well.  Moving in with family she builds a large following doing a channel that focuses on all things horror movies when she's called to Hollywood to pick up the movie series that her mother was working on when she passed she takes this as the opportunity to get revenge she knows that her mother was meeting with a group of high up men in Hollywood and she now has a list of names they will pay for taking her mother from her.

Sebastian has grown up a lot over the years but he's never forgotten his first love, the one that got away, now he's a hardened actor who has had to do some questionable things at the encouragement of a shady agent (who he has fired) and now that the project that he's resurrected is on track the 6th movie in the series things are going great in his world... until things come crashing down when he realizes that one of his possible love interests for his character is Evie the one who wrecked him so many years ago... what is she doing here now?

Evie and Sebastian quickly pick right back up where they left off even having their own secret language involving movie quotes.  This threw out dark rom-com vibes as there were dangerous things happening but our lead characters were sloppy and inexperienced with everything and tended to do things without fully thinking anything through.  There are a lot of famous horror movies brought up in this along with some famous lines so if you enjoy movie trivia you will probably enjoy that aspect.  

What starts out as Evie on her own focusing on revenge plan quickly turns into a group effort as Sebastian agrees to help her in exchange for 5 chances to win her over and have her want to stay with him (the 5 chances being spicy times... whenever he wants and some of these events take place in front of an audience).  Two of their other co-stars figure out what is happening as well and offer to help Evie with her revenge quest leading to now 4 people who don't really know what they are doing developing messy scenes they have to figure out how to clean up from.

Throughout the book Evie begins to unravel more of what happened to her mother, the fact that Hollywood really does a number on young starlets (and the males too from what has happened to Sebastian).  There are a few mysteries involved that our characters are trying to work through and it kept me wanting to find out what would happen next.

The MMC and FMC were both still young (early 20s) and were true to their age at times appearing to be more naive (especially the FMC... girl why did you not prepare yourself with a better plan)  

I listened to an advanced copy of the audio book and felt both narrators did a good job with their parts.  Some of the sections in the middle dragged a bit and I wonder if it could have been better if it didn't drag out to being over 400 pages.  I've seen this book labeled as horror but I would put it more in a slasher rom-com and not so much in the horror (other than the fact they were on set of a "horror" movie sequel).  

If you enjoy a dark rom-com that try to make things lighter than they are with slasher rom-com vibes you might enjoy this one.  

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  Have you read anything else by this author?  What would you recommend? 

Lauren Smith: The Scoundrel of Drury Lane

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168506582-the-scoundrel-of-drury-lane

book blurb:

He was falsely accused and sentenced to die...

At nineteen, Christopher "Kit" Hollingsworth is spared the noose but sentenced to serve seven years in Australia as a convict. The men who betrayed him have plans to make sure he never returns to England. But Kit's strong will and thirst for vengeance ensure his survival.

Seven long years later, he returns to London but he's forever changed. Gone is the innocent, handsome young lad he'd been. Now Kit is a towering, muscular man of twenty-six with scars inside and out. He wants England to see the new him, the man who lost his soul, and he wants the three men who destroyed his life to forfeit theirs. The only light in his dark night is a beautiful, innocent young woman who paints the sets at the Drury Lane theater. There's just one problem...she's the daughter of one of the men who sent him to prison.

*Historical Romance *handsome lord  *plans for revenge *Lord x Painter FMC  *class differences

*some spice  *gruff MMC learning to feel again  *found family *loss of parents (in past) 

*Book sirens ARC 2026  *false imprisonment  *

*Trigger warnings (Harsh treatment while MMC was in penal colony leading to scars)

Thoughts:

I picked this one up without reading the previous books this is both the 7th book in the Scandals and Scoundrels of Drury Lane series (various authors) and the first book in this authors own series.  

To start with Christopher "Kit" Hollingsworth is a young and handsome lord's son but he is also on the naive side and ends up getting involved in a shady business deal with 2 other people as part of a shipping company unfortunately for Kit the other two work together to frame him for a crime he didn't commit and a "witness" gives false testimony against him sealing his fate thankfully his father is able to save him from a death sentence but it is reduced to 7 years in the penal colony of Australia where he has to regularly fight for his life and is overworked and often attacked. 

Seven years later Kit is no longer the young man full of visions of joy for his future but a solidly built man who has had a hard life but has come through these tough times stronger... and focused on revenge against the 3 men who had him falsely accused and sent away.

Upon returning home he learns that his father (the Earl of Kentwell) has passed away and he now newly back to town has to assume the role as the new Earl all while trying to navigate his life returning to normal... but it will never be truly normal it is just his new normal.  Thankfully he has several loyal friends who stood by him knowing he was wrongly accused and helped his father while he was away and to secure that the title of Earl would still be there waiting for him when they knew he would return.

Seeking his friends help to find out where the 3 men are located and form a plan of action as to how he is going to bring down his enemies he finds that one of the men has already passed away (the witness) but his daughter works at a local theater at first thinking she's an actress he goes to make inquiries only to find out she is a set painter and has to change tactics enticing her to come to his home to do his "returning home" portrait he is determined to know what she knows of her father's involvement in the plot to get rid of him and if she is living off of the wealth that he got from turning against him.

Only when he meets her he is instantly entranced by her beauty and kindness, she lives like a pauper so is she hiding the money or did she just never have any to begin with?  Early on Suzannah finds out who Kit is but agrees to continue to come to his home to do his portrait... we at first don't know if Kit plans to enact revenge on Suzannah or not as he is still set on revenge but she is starting to crack through his armor and bring out a softer side he hasn't seen in himself in years. 

The longer Kit and Suzannah spend together the more Kit's anger and emotional turmoil settles down he hasn't felt love in a long time but is this what he feels for Suzannah?  The story is somewhat repetitive in places and loses focus on the revenge plot that was a primary focus in the beginning somewhere around the middle but picks back up when Kit is now not only worried about his enemies finding him but what would happen now if they find out that he has more than himself to care about?

This was a sweet love story and I enjoyed watching Kit come back to life and find a new purpose the longer he spent with Suzannah.  The issues are all tied up by the end of the book I just wish this part had a bit longer to build it seemed to be done with and tidied up pretty quickly.  

I did have a somewhat difficult time keeping track of some of Kit's friends as they were introduced throughout and kind of all together during parts of the book so I was like "who is that again?"  I'm sure they will get easier to remember throughout the rest of the series I plan to read the next one in the series at some point.

I like how the epilogue leads into the beginning for the next book in the series it was a fun way to introduce our next FMC.  

Have you read this book?  Have you read any other books in this series what did you think?

Evie Rose: Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250473047-accidentally-marrying-the-mafia-don

book blurb:

One tiny oops, and I’m married to a mafia boss.

I’m the stand-in maid of honour, he’s the silver fox uncle of the groom who saves the day when the wedding becomes a disaster, with a fluffy ring-bearer gone rogue, a drunk priest, and a child with perfect comic timing. But the dream Italian wedding continues, and the uncle—Dante—and I sign as witnesses. And if I try to flirt with him, I blame the romantic setting and the fact that although he’s twice my age, he’s the hottest man I’ve ever met. His edge of danger, with his tattoos and the way everyone is nervous of him, gossiping that he’s a morally gray billionaire, only makes me want him more. He turns me down with a touch to my cheek and a hoarse murmur that I’m too young and innocent for a man like him. Back at home, my dull little life doesn't compare. Then a wedding certificate arrives at my door. There’s been a mix up, and I’m married. To him.

Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don is a sweet and spicy instalove romance with fluffy mafia romcom vibes and sizzling chemistry.

Duet narrated by gruff and growly Brandon Francis and light and relatable Zara Hampton-Brown.

*Netgalley ALC 2026 (2/12)  *Duet *Mafia Rom-Com  *Novella *"My Wife" *touch her and 💀

*Age Gap *spice  *quick read  *Insta Love/Lust  *Accidental Marriage *forced proximity *One Bed

*Young, Naive, inexperienced FMC x Experienced older man *Billionaire MMC *possessive MMC

Thoughts:

Ruby (FMC) is working as a hairdresser for a special client at a destination wedding in Italy when things begin to go downhill quickly with the wedding she manages to step into a new role as Maid of Honor since she can fit in one of the extra dresses and the other ladies are not well enough to stand.  She quickly finds herself wanting to do everything she can to give the bride and groom a perfect day... including keeping their dog from ruining the wedding photos... It also doesn't hurt that the brides handsome but dangerous looking Uncle is standing with her in her quest to make this day magical.

The story really falls to "Fluffy mafia romcom" but spent too much time on certain "funny" parts like I don't think in a story under 150 pages there needs to be this many pages about keeping a dog from licking their business... we get that it's a dog that's what they do.  

Ruby and Dante are pretty much immediately in love with each other after this brief encounter at the wedding but Dante is too ancient and his life is too dangerous to be with this sweet, younger woman who is around the same age as his niece in her early twenties.  (I joke about the ancient part as while this is addressed multiple times the guy is younger than me at 40).  

After going their seperate ways a few months later Ruby gets a surprise in the mail... after a mix up at the wedding venue she has received a marriage certificate... she was recorded in Italy as married to her handsome older gentleman and when she goes to the address listed she interrupts a "mafia boss" meeting due to the danger she is now in from her declaration Dante quickly requests she stay with him to keep "safe" while they work on getting their marriage annulled... only he doesn't want that it was love at first sight for him and he might just have to keep her with him until she realizes that they were made for each other.

This book was cute with flirty banter in places and a quick read/listen I didn't dislike the lead characters but there is not enough time for an actual build up of any back story everything feels on the rushed side.  Dante calls her by her nick name or "My Wife" 700 times (I didn't really count this), a lot of corny/cheesy scenes (including in the bedroom).  The FMC also spends too much time worried about being a "Perfect little wife"... girl just be you he loved you the way you are 3 minutes after meeting you.  

While not a bad read this one just missed the mark for me in a lot of places we only really have story with the lead couple with occasional other characters showing up but it's only surface level for everyone and I just didn't feel like I could get invested with the story or the characters.  

I felt the narrators did a good job for the most part the MMC while he has a nice voice it felt like he was doing his sultry/steamy/breathy voice for the whole book... kind of took me out of it at times I've never heard someone talk like that all the time and it didn't feel like a natural speaking voice.  

Have you read/listened to this one?  what did you think?  Have you read this author before?  

Elisa A. Bonnin: The Night King's Court

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239413682-the-night-king-s-court

Book Blurb:

Caraval meets Flowerheart in this rich and immersive cozy fantasy, where dazzling magic, lush descriptions, and a sweet sapphic romance cast an irresistible spell.

Ida’s father went missing without a trace seven years ago, last seen at the court of the enigmatic Night King, which comes to life only after dark with magic and revelry.

So when a position opens up for a new court Luminaire, Ida doesn’t hesitate. She inherited her gift for enchantments from her father—and with this position, she’ll use it to find him again.

Ida is swept into the king’s collection of magical beings, those who bring light and entertainment to the Court’s midnight gatherings—and swept away by the Court, where faerie gardens edge into underwater masquerades, dreaming revels offer blissful escapes, and life is a mesmerizing euphoria.

Yet a sinister thread interrupts Ida’s nights of decadence. Memories go missing, the castle’s magic takes on a malevolence, and Ida can’t seem to leave the boundaries of the court itself.

Enlisting the help of the king’s breathtakingly beautiful daughter Lenore, Ida must unravel the castle’s secrets… before this enchanted world destroys her.

*2026 ALC Netgalley  *Young Adult *Romantasy *Sapphic  *Closed Door  

*ALC 1/12 (Netgalley) *Unique magic system *fast friends *sweet cozy fantasy 

Thoughts:

So I recently went on Netgalley and just started requesting a bunch of audio books that sounded interesting... at the time I didn't think that I would get approved for all of them and then I got approved for pretty much all of them at the same time.  Knowing that I now had to get through so many ALC (along with a few others from different ALC sites I signed up for) I randomly chose this one to start with.

Ida is a young adult (not quite 20) and decides to go on a journey to find her missing father, he disappeared around 7 years earlier while working for the kingdom as the court Luminaire.  Ida lives in a world where magic exists just not everyone has the ability, she inherited her father's skills and while she uses a different medium she decides to leave her family home in search of answers despite what everyone around her says she knows that her father didn't just leave their family on his own free will and she wants to get to the bottom of it!

Essentially she goes to the King after she learns that a spot has opened up and he is searching for a new Luminaire... she has the skills she has been practicing for years and what better way to get answers than to go where her father was last known to be residing when he went missing.  Only once she gets there she has to audition for her job, no one has heard of or remembers her father when she brings up his name and she is told very early on to be careful who she questions and to never ask the King directly.

The narrator does a great job bringing these characters to life and I really enjoyed the world building that the author shows throughout the story it really felt like I was at the castle with Ida searching for her father.  Ida shortly after arrival realizes that she is bound to the king and no longer able to freely leave it is brought up later that leaving is possible but it would come with a great loss that she's not willing to sacrifice.  

Ida meets some friends along the way including Lenore (The king's daughter (not through marriage)), Vegard an Ice spirit from the north, gloam a being that was like a navigator to new arrivals and even her assigned maid.  Learning Ida's quest Lenore and Vegard offer to help even at risk to their own safety while in the castle but they would like answers too they remember arriving but certain memories are gone and even though they were there at the time her father would have been neither one knows of him it's like he never existed at all.

The author does a great job keeping everything kind of eerily mysterious throughout and as the mystery unravels and Ida finds ways to help her friends regain their missing memories will they ever be the same?  Sometimes lost memories should stay lost.

As far as the "romance" aspect goes it's really on the light side like barely there like a few "glances" or a brushed hand but I would say this more focused on the mystery surrounding Ida and her missing father but the story pulled me in and I wanted to know what happened to Ida's father as much as she did by the end of the story.  

I think that I might have an advantage when listening to this story as I am just starting my romantasy journey so I don't have much to compare it to and might have enjoyed it more over others who have read loads of romantasy.  Over all I enjoyed this story and would recommend this to those interested in Young Adult, Cozy Mysteries, Romantasy's (light on the romance) with detailed world building with unique magic systems.

Have you read/listened to this one?  What did you think?  Tell me in the comments!  

Eva Brandt: Cardio With The Easter Orc

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249507814-cardio-with-the-easter-orc

Book Blurb:

I’m an Orc personal trainer with one mission: get the Easter Bunny shredded before the holiday rush. The problem? A curvy chocolatier who keeps tempting him, and me, with her dangerously good truffles.

My name is Brok. I’m seven feet of green muscle, tusks, and discipline. I’ve trained Minotaurs for maze runs and the Headless Horseman for his midnight ride. I don’t fail my clients.

But Barnaby the Easter Bunny is testing me.

He’s soft, sluggish, and sneaking carbs.

The culprit of this corruption? A tiny bakery called The Cocoa Bean.

My plan is simple: confront the owner, cut the sugar supply, and get Barnaby back on track.

Then I meet Hazel.

She doesn’t flinch at my size. She argues with my scowl. She wields a rolling pin like a weapon and guards her pastries with the fierce devotion of someone who truly loves butter. And she has no idea I’m an Orc in disguise or that her sweetest “customer” is a magical being on a deadline.

I came here to stop Barnaby from cheating.

I’m supposed to stay focused.

But around Hazel?

Focus is the first thing to melt.

*Monster romance *Orc MMC x human FMC  *plus size representation  *Boss FMC  *cozy romance 

*some spice  *competition  *strangers --> More  *magical world  *hidden identities  *rom-com 

*opposites attract

Thoughts:

Brok is up for challenges he's trained some of the toughest out there and if he can handle a Minotaur for maze runs he can get the Easter bunny in shape in time for the season, his fitness plans are flawless if Barnaby sticks to his work out routines he will be in top shape with plenty of time to spare... so why is he not losing the weight or getting faster as planned?  And what is this foil wrapper from?

Barnaby is thankful for Brok's help... but his diet and exercise plan is impossible... he needs chocolate... and more chocolate and he's found the perfect source at Hazel's bakery in the human world... she of course doesn't know who he is with his glamour spell but her delicious treats make the day worth waking up for and he's been getting away with it... until now Brok knows and he's after the source of his joy.

Hazel is surprised when Brok shows up with muscles on muscles trying to talk her out of giving Barnaby sweets... but this is her job and while she understands the importance of diet and exercise it can be nutritious and taste good too... and she's about to show this Beef cake that Barnaby can get fit and she's going to help him reach his goals!

I was pulled into this fun world where magic and fairy tale beings are real but they keep themselves hidden from the human world, Brok goes to the bakery to give Hazel a piece of his mind but finds himself entranced.  This is a cozy sweet read and I loved watching these two opposites fall for each other... but would she like the real him if she knew he was an Orc?  

What initially started out as a race to get Barnaby ready for Easter turns into a race to even keep that title when his nemesis comes to challenge him to get this title back... but will Brok and Hazel be able to work together to help Barnaby in time for the competition?  

I truly enjoyed this story it was cute and cozy and had me laughing in parts.  I plan to check out other books by this author!  

Have you read anything by this author?  Have you read this book?  what did you think, tell me in the comments!  

Lexie Black: More Than Words

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240713915-more-than-words

book Blurb: 

Kate Martin does not do spontaneous.
She color-codes her calendar, creates multi-tabbed, cross-referenced spreadsheets to plan her dinner menu, and once made a PowerPoint to decide between two shades of beige. But after a brutal breakup leaves her questioning everything, Kate decides it’s time to shake things up by accepting a job offer as the personal assistant to rock’s biggest heartthrob. For Kate, control is comfort, predictability is peace, and falling for a rockstar—particularly one who has a habit of forgetting things like names, birthdays, and, occasionally, pants—was never part of the plan.

On the outside, Josh Calloway has it all. On the inside, he’s falling apart.
Frontman for the chart-topping band Velvet Shadows, Josh is confident, charming, and used to living fast and loud. He’s always used humor to hide his flaws, but lately, the spiraling self-doubt is getting harder to ignore. Enter Kate—the quiet, capable assistant who calms his chaos with color-coded precision. She wasn’t supposed to matter. Now she’s the only thing that does.

She’s organized. He’s impulsive.
She plans her days down to the minute. He can barely remember what day it is.
On paper, they don’t add up.
But sometimes love shows up exactly when—and how—you least expect it.

*ALC 2026  *rockstar MMC  *personal assistant FMC  *High gravity audio books  *Duet narration

*secret relationship  *forced proximity  *on the road  *high profile career  *opposites attract

*ADHD rep  *toxic ex  *some drama  *cozy read  *rom-com  *found family *friends --> more 

*State Challenge (Tennessee) *golden retriever MMC *spice *banter 

thoughts:

Kate is doing something spontaneous for once in her life after the end of a toxic relationship of several years she has accepted the job of personal assistant to one of the worlds biggest rock stars it's easy for her to fall into the habit of organization and keeping order for her rock star boss Joshua Calloway and even if he can't remember what her name is he's getting closer every day so that's a start right?

Josh is the handsome lead singer of an incredibly popular band to the world he is calm, collected, handsome and just plain cool women want to be with him, men want to be him and that's what he wants the outside world to see but inside his mind is pure chaos struggling with ADHD he goes through each day with the equivalent of a bazillion open files in his head with none of them closing so he can concentrate properly on just one thing.

Kate and Josh balance each other out perfectly what starts out as a boss x assistant relationship turns into a friendship and then so much more.  Josh is down to earth and green flag boyfriend material.  once These two open up to each other they help each other heal emotionally.  The author does a really good job with showing both lead characters have vulnerabilities they need to work through and I think that was what made these two so easy to love they felt real and their struggles were relatable.  

Between spending late nights together watching old rom-coms and talking about anything and everything their relationship turns spicy... but not wanting things out in the open due to his high profile career they keep it a secret even from their closest friends.  

Kate continues to have issues with low self esteem and self doubt throughout since her ex did a number on her.  While they are in a special secluded bubble together while on the road would they ever be able to make things work longer term?  He is in the spot light all the time and she is used to fading in the background to the point where she's not even noticed any relationship he were to have would be criticised and examined in the media and is Kate ready for that kind of extra stress?  What will their friends think about their relationship?  Also Josh said he doesn't do relationships anymore... is this just a fling, and they live thousands of miles away from each other what will happen after the tour?  

The narrators did a great job with bringing these characters to life and towards the end felt like listening to two good friends.  I did feel that some of the story line was predictable but I felt this was a cute feel good read and loved listening to their story and plan to read any other books that come out in this series.  

If you enjoy rock star romances, two broken hearts finding their other half, hot green flag boyfriends and a FMC that knows how to take charge when needed who you would love to hang out with this book will be for you!  

If you've read this one let me know what you think in the comments!  

Kassie Jones: Bake It 'Til You Make It

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250712358-bake-it-til-you-make-it

Book Blurb:

All Taylor Madden has ever wanted is to own a bakery filled with whimsical designs and unforgettable flavors. Landing a spot on America's Next Great Baker is her chance to make that dream a reality--even if her biggest competition is a cocky, annoyingly gorgeous distraction who smirks every time she slips up. Winning could mean a fresh start. Surviving him might be the bigger challenge.

Alexander Harrington only agreed to the competition to get his parents off his back, not to complicate things with the disaster-prone optimist who insists on making everything cute. She's not supposed to be his biggest obstacle, but the longer they're stuck in the kitchen together, the harder it is to remember he's meant to beat her... not fall for her.

The stakes are high, the ovens are hot, and the cameras are rolling. But when the rivalry starts to taste like something sweeter, will either of them walk away with more than just the prize?

*Rom-Com  *Grumpy/Sunshine  *Flirty Banter  *Cozy read  *Baking competition  

*Reality TV Hijinks *protective MMC  *lighter spice *loveable leads and side characters 

*state Challenge (California repeat state) *Rivals to More  *Indie Author  *ARC 2026

Thoughts:

Taylor (FMC) is on the struggle bus she's in a dead end job that is sucking the life from her... and not even paying well as evidenced by her late payment due notices but then she gets the most amazing news... She's going to be a contestant on America's Next Great Baker a new reality show that mixes all of those cute cozy baking competitions but they are taking it up a notch by the show following them while at their shared house as well (think Real world or Big Brother).

Where Taylor is a walking ray of sunshine Alex (MMC) is the exact opposite he is uptight and grumpy he didn't even want to come and he was voluntold by his dad that if he didn't come to this show and put up a real effort his dreams will be gone before they even start... and he and his cousin have worked too hard to throw it away now... besides there are a few good things he's found about this competition like Taylor for instance her sunny disposition might just crack thru his layers before this competition is over.

Alex might take some people a bit to warm up to but he gets there eventually!  I really liked him even when he was the king of Grumps, he just takes a bit to warm up to people.  

This was a fun cozy read there were a lot of cute moments between our couple and I loved watching them fall for each other and support each other through the ups and downs of the competition.  The MMC stands up for what is right even if he knows that it could possibly ruin his chances in the competition I love a protective MMC. 

I love watching those baking competitions and the author did a really great job making that part of the book just like the actual shows... even with the corny jokes from the host and judges.  

I also enjoyed that the story didn't end when the show ended, Taylor and Alex had to actually work to keep something going after leaving their reality show bubble and going back to their real lives and Alex lived in Canada while Taylor lived in California this felt very real their relationship wasn't easy and the ending felt earned.  

I was excited to get my hands on this one and wasn't disappointed this book was a delightful feel-good read.  If you enjoy baking competitions, rom-coms, and characters with heart grab this one it comes out soon!  Thank you Kassie for letting me read this book early I loved it 💓

S. Rena: On Thin Ice

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239680503-on-thin-ice

Book Blurb:

God of Malice meets Pucking Around in this spicy hockey romance where one freshman becomes the twisted obsession of three university hockey players.

I only have one shot to make a life for myself, and more than just my future is on the line. My baby brother is still back in the dump I escaped from, still living in a house of cigarette butts stuffed in beer cans and slurred arguments. So now that I've gotten to Sovereign Kings University, I have to make it worth it. I'll keep my eyes down, ignore the rich kids’ taunts, and graduate.

At least that was my plan before I busted the knee of a hockey player. Having possibly ruined the team’s chance of a championship, I'm now the target of the players. The golden boy captain, Alexander, is the ringleader of my popular bullies. Every day Kane—the tall, dark and perpetually pissed-off defense—finds a way to humiliate me. Yet, being painfully ignored by the huge, reserved goalie they call Mountain may just hurt the most.

When the guys aren’t making my life a living hell, they’re twisting me up inside with desire and giving me glimpses of the real them. But can I risk losing my heart to one hockey player—let alone all three? I’m certainly in for a long, hard season.

*College Romance  *Hockey/sports  *Darker vibes  *Enemies --> More  *why choose 

*spice  *taboo relationship *rich kids/poor kids  *Bully *Trigger warnings (check yours) 

*death of parent (in the past)  *family drama  *multi-cultural characters *Netgalley ALC 

*Multiple POV  *family secrets 

Thoughts: 

Sam (FMC) has had a tough life made even tougher since her mother passed away and she's stayed in custody of her step father to protect her younger brother.  Only now she's leaving her brother to focus on her studies at a new college across town if she does well there this will be huge for both of them she can fight for custody and give them both a better life.

Shortly after arriving she sees a familiar face in Kane (MMC #1)... only he doesn't welcome her like she thought he might he is moody and pushes her away.  Kane doesn't want Sam at his school she knows his history that he has worked so hard to hide from everyone (including his closest friends) and he needs to keep things together finish out the school year and make sure that his mother (who is mentally ill) continues to receive the care she needs in the super expensive facility he can't do any of that if Sam gets in his way.

Alex (MMC 2), Kane, and Mountain/Bryden (MMC #3) live together in the house that Alex's father has bought for them off campus even though he's not supposed to Alex throws a big party.  One of the popular girls invites Sam and she finds herself in a predicament where she is cornered by one of the Hockey players outside it's fight or flight and she fights... originally set on keeping her head down and pushing herself to succeed flying under the radar this just put her on the map for all the wrong reasons and now everyone is mad that she just possibly ruined the teams chances at finals which is coming up soon. 

Instead of listening to what happened at the party the leadership at the school takes the hockey player's side... but she is at that point thrilled not to be expelled, although her sentence might be worse she now has to work as the hockey players assistant (sharpening blades, filling up waters, clean up, washing jerseys) all while surviving the bullying and taunting that is now happening.

My heart went out to Sam she was put in a terrible situation and was trying to make the best of things in a world where the rich and powerful rule.  Throughout the book the lead characters lives all intertwine but for a good majority they are not "together" it is more of a love triangle (square?) until the last 5 or so chapters when things come together... *I will put a spoiler down below

All of these characters are dealing with their own hard times but over the course of the story you see Sam falling for each of the guys for different reasons.  There is a lot of family drama going on throughout this Alex's dad is the head of the school and he is shady and secretive.  Wanting to find out why she is even at the school Sam uncovers news to her that her mother went to this same college she never told her she went there and since she has passed she can't ask her any questions wanting to find out more she begins to investigate which leads down a rabbit hole of bad things that happened and were covered up but someone doesn't want Sam digging and when she begins to receive threats who is there for her... all 3 of these guys and if she's being honest with herself... and the guys when it comes down to it she can't let go of any of them.

I didn't really dislike any of the main characters but certain parts felt rushed especially the ending.  I only truly felt Sam developed a relationship naturally with Bryden as they built a friendship after being paired together in one of their classes for Alex and Kane it was more of a insta lust situation even though she did know Kane previously he went out of his way to not be friendly to her when she re-entered his life.  I appreciated the mystery in the story I just wish that that this section was built up better instead of being rushed towards the end of the book and I think that it could have been extended instead of having a spicy situation right after the big reveal of all of the information. 

I listened to this as an ALC and felt all of the narrators did a great job with their parts.  This one was just ok for me I feel that there was too much going on at the end which is another reason in how it felt really rushed to wrap everything up.

**Possible spoiler***

Kane knows and has known that he and Alex share the same father, the father has been paying for Kane's mother to be in an expensive mental health institution if he keeps quiet and doesn't announce that he is his illigitamet son.... two brothers being with the same girl at the same time and then in a relationship with her after I'm not a fan of this plot point... family shouldn't be getting that close, that parts a no for me.