Impulse Caught by Emily Carrington


Impulse Caught by Emily Carrington
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Riku takes charge in bed, but will he have any control over the day-to-day decisions of a marriage?

Money and status differences challenge Riku and Theo to find a middle ground. Their passion is white-hot, but their ideas of living comfortably are at odds. As their wedding nears, driven forward by Theo’s parents’ sense of guilt, Riku feels the old urge to run.

Riku refuses to give into this impulse at first, but as the comparison between his emotional scars and the mountains of Theo’s familial expectations grow, Riku fears running will be the only less-than-honorable course left to him.

Theo isn’t blind to Riku’s struggles but he doesn’t understand what’s wrong. Each time he reaches out, Riku reaches back, yet they never quite connect. Will their need for each other overcome their differences, or will their passion be subsumed by a wave of conflicting desires?

Riku and Theo are passionately in love, planning their wedding. But money and status differences continue to challenge them both. While their love is strong, they still struggle to trust and connect with each other. Can they work through these conflicts and find each other again?

I found this to be an interesting and emotional love story. Riku and Theo both have a number of challenges – physical and emotional – and it was deeply interesting to see them try to navigate everything between them. While it was clear they loved each other, this didn’t immediately help them fix all the problems that came between them. I found this both realistic and interesting to read.

I admit I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series, so I did have to play a bit of catch-up on the history between the two men. While I found this fairly easy, I have to admit this might irritate some readers. I also didn’t enjoy the characters Theo’s parents too much. I found them a bit too controlling and overbearing and while I expect this was the point, a part of me doesn’t really understand why Theo didn’t limit his interaction with them more or be a bit firmer in setting boundaries. That irked me a bit with this book.

Overall, I found this a deeply interesting and refreshingly different story. While there is some very steamy sex between the men there is a huge amount of plot and conflict and that really helped carry the book to my mind. I’ll definitely be looking into other books by this author.

Box Of Chocolates by Sean Michael


Box Of Chocolates by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

As a single guy, Dorian isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day, but he loves chocolates and when someone brings in a box for the office to share, he falls in love with the heart-shaped truffles he tastes and decides to get himself a box or two at the new-to-him chocolatery before treating himself to a supper out.

Smoke owns Smoke’s Chocolates and Valentine’s Day is his busiest time of year, between making the chocolates and helping to sell them at the front counter, he’s putting in long hours. When the last minute rush slows down, though, Smoke goes out for dinner only to encounter the also flying solo Dorian. The two men get to talking and sharing appetizers and discover a mutual attraction.

Can they both come to love Valentine’s Day for a reason that has nothing to do with chocolate?

Dorian is buying some chocolates for himself as a treat for Valentine’s day and while his eye is caught by chocolatier Smoke, their interaction is brief and the shop is slammed. When they bump into each other later that evening at a bar, they’re able to sit and talk for a while, and both men realize there is attraction sizzling between them. Can they each have a very special Valentine’s day?

I enjoyed this fun and sexy short story. I liked that while Dorian and Smoke weren’t shy with each other, they didn’t jump immediately into bed. The author did a good job of balancing the sexy shenanigans with some semblance of “getting to know you” and reality. Readers should be aware this is an erotic short story – so there is not a complicated, in depth plot outside of the growing relationship between the two men. For a short, erotic story, it is a delightful and enticing quick read.

With two interesting and believable characters and a whole lot of sizzle, this is a fun and engaging read by an author I really enjoy. Recommended.

Kuro by Ana Raine


Kuro by Ana Raine
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When Preston saves a black cat everything he knows about life and demons is going to be questioned.

While shopping for candy for his friend’s Halloween party, Preston saves a strange black cat from a group of teenage boys. Overcome with a desire entirely new to him, Preston takes the black cat home and discovers things are not always what they seem, especially on Halloween.

The cat, a demon named Caleb, has been searching for his mate for months and can’t help but be fascinated with sweet Preston. He’s determined to drag Preston down to his home in the underwater demon world.

Now Preston must choose between his mortal life, or one full of demons — and love.

Preston rescues a black cat from a group of teenage boys. Despite never wanting a cat, Preston decides to take the stray home – only to discover things are not always what they seem.

I found this to be a fun and sexy short story. Caleb and Preston certainly set the pages on fire between them, but I liked that even though Caleb was a demon he didn’t really use powers or magic to lure Preston or fake things between them.

Readers looking for an extended or slow drop into love should be aware that this simply isn’t possible with such a short page count. I thought the author did a good job showing the attraction and chemistry between Preston and Caleb give the quickness of the story and while I do feel readers will need to disconnect their brain a little I did find this a fun and enjoyable Halloween themed story.

With smoking heat between the two men and some sizzling scenes I enjoyed this short and erotic quick read.

Reaper And Ruin by Elle Thorpe


Reaper And Ruin by Elle Thorpe
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

An explosion shatters the night. The three men I love are thrown from the bluff into the raging sea below.

And one of them can’t swim.

But the fall isn’t the only thing trying to kill us.

Every step we take, danger stalks closer.
Every breath we steal, the killer waits in the shadows.

When he rips someone I love away from me, the fragile family I’ve fought to build begins to unravel.

The killer has to be unmasked.
The ruin has to end.

Because this time, losing means more than death.

It means giving up the only people I can’t live without.

Violet and her three lovers are determined to find out who the killer tormenting them is. With all their lives in danger – as well as those around them who they each love – these killers are determined to go back to what they know. To being the predator and not the prey.

Readers should be aware that this book continues on immediately from the explosive ending of book 2. I would strongly recommend these three books are read in order (X’s and O’s – book 1 and then Whips and Chains – book 2). This is a complete trilogy and I don’t feel they can be easily read out of order. This book picks up exactly where the previous one ended on a cliff hanger and for that I was grateful.

I believe that this trilogy stands by itself quite well. There are absolutely hooks/links and characters that I’ve since learned are from Elle Thorpe’s other trilogy’s. This is the first (and currently only) set of her books that I’ve read and I’ve enjoyed them. I do feel that you don’t need to have read any other of the books set in this world because while a number of the characters cross over I don’t feel the other trilogy’s/group stories are necessary to thoroughly enjoy this set.

Readers should be aware of that one of the strong secondary characters in this book has absolutely been set up as a lure/hook into what I feel is likely the next trilogy. The final chapter of this book absolutely is a lure into the next series I feel. Readers who dislike final chapters/epilogues that lead into the next series might want to be cautious before reading the final chapter here.

I was very pleased with the way this series wrapped up. I feel it’s completed enough that most romance readers should be satisfied. The main mystery plot that arcs through all three of these books was very well wrapped up and I was quite happy with the mystery/killer aspect to the plotline. I thought there was also a very good balance between the spicy plotline of the foursome’s relationship and the mystery plotline. I thought the author did a good job with both these sides of the series and this book in particular.

I do also have a strong suspicion that (like with the throwbacks to other groups in this book) Violet, Levi, Whip and X might very well likely have some input in the next and other series so readers can get a glimpse of how things are progressing. For the most part I feel like their story, however, is quite well rounded out and left in a good place. I don’t feel there’s much to complain about here in that respect.

Readers should be aware there is a fair bit of spice in this book. I didn’t feel this book was very dark at all – certainly it didn’t feel as dark to me as the first book did and to a lesser extend the second book. This book felt a bit more like a very spicy mystery/romance and not so much a dark romance. This absolutely isn’t for the faint of heart nor the non-spicy reader, but I did feel some of the darker themes in the first book wasn’t as heavy or pronounced in this book. I absolutely think this is a good trilogy for readers who are new to dark romances and darker themes to dip a toe in and see if this genre is really for them or not.

With some seriously spicy sex and a good dose of darker mystery plot this was a trilogy I enjoyed. As my first foray into “Dark Romance” I found it was a good read for me and the new-to-me genre is a bit of a hit.

Whips And Chains by Elle Thorpe


Whips And Chains by Elle Thorpe
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Three…Two…One… The game has just begun.

Shadows crawl across the walls of an abandoned warehouse.
A knife waits on the table. A clock bleeds away the seconds.
Someone isn’t leaving alive.

My only chance of survival lies with the three men searching for me in the dark.

I let my guard down with X, the funny psychopath who has been following me for weeks, claiming I’m his future wife…Until he put his fingers around my throat and the laughter died away. Now he’s convinced he’s going to kill me and I’m not entirely sure he’s wrong.

Whip is the sin I paid for. He was supposed to be a transaction—one night only. Instead, he took my firsts and left me craving seconds neither of us should want.

And Levi… the ex-prisoner who wrote me letters that stole my heart. But love doesn’t protect us from a killer who knows all our secrets.

As sins are exposed and lies unravel, one thing becomes apparent.

The game isn’t over.
And the rules are written in blood.

Violet had been lured into a warehouse where a crazed killer is determined she and the others captured within won’t leave alive. With her three lovers searching for her Violet is understandably terrified. Can her life ever return back to normal?

Readers should be aware that this book continues on immediately from the ending of the previous book (X’s and O’s – book 1) and this book should be read only after the first. A reader picking this up without the previous one might not easily understand what’s going on. That said since the previous book ended on a cliff hanger, it was a relief that the author immediately jumped back into the main events.

I also enjoyed that there was quite a bit of character progression in this middle story. The three main male characters as well as Violet (as the main female character) all had a lot on their plate and seeing them grow and handle it was really good. There was also a lot of development in their foursome relationship – and of course a ton of steamy sex as well. The author had a good balance here between romantic progression and movement in the mystery plot, but the level of spice might not suit everyone’s taste. Also, similar to the first book, I did find some of the conflict a little frustrating due to poor communication and characters getting annoyed or frustrated with each other and acting on impulse instead of sitting and thinking – or talking things through. Violet and the male main characters appear to me to have a tendency to read between the lines and get upset – instead of clearly communicating or discussing stuff they find hurtful. While the conflict this produces and plot movement is understandable it rather annoyed me as a reader.

Readers should be aware that the M/M aspects between Levi and Whip absolutely progress and while there’s still some tension and conflict between them, their arc – along with the foursome arc and Violet’s individual relationship with X, Levi and Whip all have some solid movement for this second book. I greatly enjoyed the same humorous tone this book had – similar to book 1 – and while it wasn’t as front and center as the first book, I did appreciate how the more humorous moments really helped make some of the darker themes more palatable and less heavy. I really enjoyed this. The mystery/killer plotline ramped up in this book and so this wasn’t as lighthearted as the first book, but for a “dark, spicy romance”, this wasn’t bleak or too negative.

There is absolutely a mystery part to the plot and while it definitely takes a back seat to the Whip/Levi/X/Violet relationship, it was well written and strong enough to really help carry the story. I was pleased the plot helped keep the book feeling like it was moving forward and not being clogged up with the foursome relationship. Readers should know that the three male characters tend to fight with each other. I do find this mostly understandable – particularly with the foursome not fully formed and with there still being questions as they all settle into the relationship, but I’m not sure I’ll be as open to the ongoing feuding, arguments and frustrations in the third and final book. I’m kinda hoping this gets sorted out pretty quickly – but they’re absolutely not there yet which is a little disappointing. Also – exactly the same as the first book this one also finishes on a massive cliff hanger and while I was mostly expecting this given the first book’s ending, I was annoyed by this – but fully prepared and had already purchased the third and final book. So, I could move immediately on to it the second I finished the final page of this book. I strongly recommend readers who hate cliff hangers treat this trilogy as one book split into three sections and only begin the first when they’re prepared to binge all three.

This is a well-written and mostly humorous polyamorous spicy romance novel. There are definitely dark themes but with the lighter tone and banter between the characters, this an enjoyable book within this trilogy.

Beautiful Nightmare by Katee Robert


Beautiful Nightmare by Katee Robert
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

For one awkward sleep paralysis demon, scaring humans should be simple—except Gemma’s first solo haunting goes hilariously wrong in this tantalizing dream of a short story by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert.

When Gemma’s supposed to terrify her appointed victim, she ends up captivated instead. Caleb, a romantic who believes in all things supernatural, finds her adorably pink-skinned, horned form more alluring than alarming. But as their steamy night unfolds and unexpected feelings bloom, Gemma must choose between her demonic duties and the human who makes her feel anything but monstrous.

Katee Robert is one of my recent favorite authors, so it was exciting that she released another novella for the Scared Sexy collection from Amazon Original Stories. All of the Amazon Original stories are currently available on Kindle Unlimited as ebooks and audiobooks, centered around a theme, and designed to be able to be read in one sitting. It’s hard to explain, but the best way to describe Beautiful Nightmare would be a VERY grown up Monsters Inc. It’s also very similar to Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid series (though those were released over a decade ago).

Sleep paralysis demon Gemma is at the end of her training, and it’s now time to cut the training wheels and go feed from humans on her own. Unfortunately for her, she’s not the best at harvesting fear. Thankfully, there are other emotions available for feeding on (if you know Katee Robert’s books at all it’s not hard to guess the alternate emotion). I really liked the ending, as it was a nice spin and I wasn’t expecting a twist like that in such a short book. The author also included conversations about consent, which I felt were important but also ate a lot of word count for such a short story.

Overall, this was a fairly entertaining read and I’m glad I picked it up. Andi Eloise did a good job bringing the story to life with their performance in the audiobook, but it didn’t keep me fully engaged. Think of this book as good for when you’re in a bind for something to read (i.e. doctors office, DMV waiting room, etc.) but not something you would necessarily have to go out of your way to pick up.

Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger


Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group/Pan Macmillan
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Five years ago, my fiancé disappeared. He left me with a wedding dress I’d never wear. Left me with the kind of scars that can’t be healed. The man I built my future on vanished like a ghost. All that remained were my broken heart and a million unanswered questions.

Until a mysterious stranger arrives in town.

Tall, dark, and dangerous, Kage is as full of secrets as he is sex appeal. Though I know he’s hiding something, I’m drawn to him like a moth to flame. Heat crackles between us with every look, desire flares into passion, and I fall hard, helpless to resist.

But then I discover he’s been sent to collect on an unpaid debt from my missing fiancé….

And that debt is me.

Nat is struggling in the limbo her life has become. Her fiancé had disappeared without a trace just before their wedding rehearsal dinner and Nat has a million questions along with her broken heart. It might have been five years, but she still can’t seem to reconnect with the world and move on. Then Kage moves in next door. Tall, dark and dangerous Nat knows she shouldn’t be intrigued, but they’re drawn together like a moth to the flame. Then she learns he’s here to collect her fiancé’s debt – and payment will be herself.

This is the first mafia romance/darker romance story I’ve read since the genre exploded in recent years and I have to say this was a good book. In many ways it felt similar to me as the many (many, MANY) erotic romance stories I’ve read over the years, though I’ve usually stayed away from the mafia element. I admit the mafia aspect to this story was fairly light – Kage is the right hand man and member of this particular mafia family but he’s away from home, collecting the debt and “making a point” and I do feel that since he’s out of his home city, away from the rest of the family this really tones down the mafia element of the story. It was perfect for me and I felt it was a really good way to dip my toe into the genre.

The story itself was really quite good. I enjoyed both Nat and Kage’s characters, the plotline of her disappeared fiancé (ex-fiancé, I suppose, since it’s been five years and legally, he was deemed dead) and in particular the emotional fall out Nat has been dealing with over the situation was an emotional and excellent read. I do feel that Kage almost instantly fell in love with Nat – which I thought was strong for the plot and storyline but was never really thoroughly explained or discussed. Much of the book is from Nat’s perspective and so we can see why Kage and his honesty about not being a good person and not being a “regular” kind of man doesn’t turn Nat off. I found Nat’s perspective and attachment a lot better explained and much easier to connect with. I did enjoy Kage and his character truly appealed to me, but I wished a little there were a few more chapters from his perspective so I could have more easily understood some of his thought process. With some difficult themes both characters were going through a bit more balance between their perspectives would have helped me with this, I think.

The paperback copy of this book I purchased and read had a bonus chapter – from Kage’s perspective – at the end and this did fill some of that gap for me. The chapter was after the end of the book, and apparently an addition to the paperback copy only. I thought it was an excellent addition – though obviously I didn’t reach it until I had finished the book itself.

This book has plenty of spice and erotic readers should find it very satisfying. I thought the balance of spice and plot was very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed Sloan – Nat’s BFF and a fun and interesting secondary character. The final chapter fairly clearly outlines that the second book will be Sloan’s story and set up a cliffhanger style intro/prequel into the second book so readers who dislike that kind of ending/lead up to the sequel should probably not read the final chapter from Sloane’s perspective.

Beer Truck by Emily Carrington


Beer Truck by Emily Carrington
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When TJ, a famous country star, finds out he has cancer, he retreats to his hometown to heal away from the paparazzi. Uncomfortable living with his parents, he gets a job as a beer truck driver.

Harvey is the owner of a local bar. He’s been following TJ’s career because the two of them used to be lovers. But TJ insisted on being in the closet. Now that Harvey’s older, he can’t imagine burying himself like that ever again.

But when TJ walks into his bar, both men are shocked by the attraction that still blossoms between them. But neither will budge in their beliefs. How can they possibly find happiness in each other’s arms?

Famous country star TJ’s life is turned upside down when he gets a cancer diagnosis. Retreating back to his hometown, all is wants is to escape and try to heal. Getting a job as a beer truck driver, TJ is shocked when he walks into a bar and hinds his secret ex-lover, Harvey still in town and the owner. Can these two stubborn men find their happily ever after?

I found this to be an emotional read – TJ’s fight against his cancer runs fairly smoothly but the depth of emotion and worry he feels runs deep and is quite powerful to read. Readers who aren’t comfortable with cancer as a main plot device should be cautious with this book.

Normally I find books where one (or both) partners are in the closet fairly difficult and annoying to read. I was fairly impressed though with how the author handled it in this story. TJ had two very strong reasons to be so firmly closeted – his strictly religious, homophobic parents but also his music career. That, coupled with Harvey’s refusal to go back into the closet made this a strongly conflicted romance plot and I feel this gave quite a bit of meat to the story. I felt deeply connected to both characters and the emotion all but dripped from the page for me.

Readers looking for well written and stubborn characters, a solid romance plotline and a lot of emotion should find this to be an excellent story. I do feel this might be a difficult read for some people, but I equally feel the story is well with the discomfort. A charged and emotional read, this was a story I’m not likely to forget any time soon.

Cole For Christmas by Treva Harte


Cole For Christmas by Treva Harte
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Sarah has a secret — she wants her best friend Cole. Cole wants Jeff. And Jeff? Surprise! He wants them both.

Cole is wild, funny, impulsive, and Sarah’s best friend. She doesn’t understand what he gets out of submission, but she’s not going to let Cole get hurt the way he has in the past. So when she discovers his new dom is Jeff, the jerk who helped kick her out of her undergraduate program, she knows she has to intervene.

But when she sees Jeff again, she’s confused. He says he wants Sarah to be Cole’s Christmas present, and she’s stunned. She and Cole are just friends, aren’t they? Amazingly, Cole seems to want her as much as she secretly has wanted him. The even bigger surprise? She realizes she wants Jeff too.

Even if she could have them both, this is supposed to be temporary. It’s too bad she’s only allowed to have Cole for Christmas.

Life was never meant to be simple. Cole is Sarah’s best friend. When she finds out his new Dom is Jeff – the jerk who got her kicked out of her undergraduate program – she knows she needs to keep a very close eye on her best friend. Only Jeff thinks Sarah should be Cole’s Christmas present, and suddenly everything gets complicated. Can the three of them work something out with no one having a broken heart in their Christmas stocking?

Readers looking for a spicy and lightly kinky friends-to-lovers style Christmassy read should absolutely enjoy this read. While Jeff and Cole have recently begun a relationship, Cole and Sarah have been good friends for years. I thought this would be an interesting dynamic to the usual menage scenario – one where all the characters know each other quite well already but the relationship itself changed significantly through the story. This certainly made the quick road to intimacy easier to accept and understand so I think most readers should find the storyline believable and realistic.

There was quite a bit of antagonistic history between Jeff and Sarah. While this created a good amount of conflict and tension in the story I was pleased that the author handled the difficult conversation between these two fairly early into the story. Getting their history, the circumstances leading to the situation and both their feelings aired and discussed really paved the way not just for all the sexy shenanigans to be enjoyed, but also for some truth and trust to have room to flourish between them. While not exactly realistic – when do conversations like this ever really go smoothly this fast and this easily? – I could absolutely appreciate the author getting this worked out and smoothed over early so I could sit back and enjoy the relationship develop between the three main characters.

Readers who enjoy their erotica with a bit of BDSM and plenty of spice and strong characters should absolutely enjoy this story. I thought there was a solid balance between the emotional plot, the strong connections between the threesome and the spice levels which made this a lovely read for me.

One Killer Night by Trilina Pucci


One Killer Night by Trilina Pucci
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Contemporary, Horror, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

Love will stab you from behind.

It’s Halloween night, and out-of-work writer Goldie Monroe’s trip to the drugstore scares up more than the fake blood she’s looking for. It leads to the man of her naughtiest dreams. And in spite of her costume, sparks fly from the moment they meet.

Noah Adler, aspiring sneaker designer, is impossibly gorgeous—like a tatted-up version of Goldie’s favorite blue-eyed vampire. He’s there for candy, but it’s Goldie he can’t resist. When she invites him to her sister’s F/X company bash, he’s all in without a second thought.

The pair’s flirty connection heats up fast, carrying them to electrifying new heights. But after Goldie discovers Noah is hiding a dark secret, it all starts to crumble. Looking for answers about her own past awakens new dangers, and when Goldie and Noah land at a slasher camp for adults, a deadly tragedy threatens to repeat itself. If they can survive this one killer night, they can definitely slay a happily ever after.

A meet-cute that goes a little sideways, but could be the best thing to happen? There’s that and more in One Killer Night.

Trilina Pucci has written a hot book with twists and turns. It’s a quicker read because of the humor. The characters are interesting and it’s easy to root for them, even if the reader isn’t always sure of their intentions, but isn’t that the mark of a good mystery or horror book? This one sure kept me on my toes. Goldie and Noah are fascinating, but can they be trusted? I had to keep reading to find out.

The one thing that was a bit of a distraction for me was how this book felt like an adult retelling of the 80s teen slasher films. Yes, it was a good read, but it was almost too throwback and took me out of the story at times. That’s not to say all readers will feel the way I did. Most will like this story, plus Goldie and Noah do have off the charts chemistry.

If you like slasher films in book form, like mysteries that need to be unraveled and want something that’s a little throwback, then this might be the book for you. Check it out.