The Headless Horseman by Marteeka Karland

October 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Headless Horseman by Marteeka Karland
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

One too many Flying Broomsticks and a phobia about Halloween aren’t the only thing chasing Isabelle Crane into the darkness. She’s got one very real-life family legend on her — err — tail.

Literally.

Anything can happen on Halloween.

This was the most creative instalment of the Jack-O-Lanterns series that I’ve read so far. I liked the way Ms. Karland used the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow to bring a few frights to this tale. It balanced out the steamier scenes nicely and made me wonder what could possibly happen next. While I’d recommend reading the original ghost story first to those who aren’t already aware of it, the plot is still perfectly understandable without that prior knowledge. It’s simply a nice bonus for those who are already familiar with it.

There were some plot holes involving Isabelle’s reactions to the Headless Horseman that I would have liked to see explained better as she behaved differently to him in nearly every scene. She changed her mind about him so often that I was never quite sure how she really felt, especially given the limited amount of time they had together. With more development in this area, I would have felt comfortable choosing a higher star rating.

The ending made me smile as I wondered if a sequel might be in the works. While I don’t know whether or not that will happen, there were hints dropped about the fates of the characters that made me hope it will. There’s nothing like a little foreshadowing to keep a reader interested, after all, and the author did leave space for many different possibilities in these characters’ futures.

The Headless Horseman was a fun take on a classic part of this time of the year.

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Cat Out of Hell by Isabella Jordan

October 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Cat Out of Hell by Isabella Jordan
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Joey has gone to Hell.

OK, so it’s not the real hell. It’s still an exciting hotbed of women and sex this Halloween night and that’s just what he’s looking for. When a beautiful blonde dressed as an angel catches his eye, he knows he has to have her and he’s willing to pay to make that happen. Yet, he senses something isn’t quite right here.

Katrina’s been kidnapped by an group of evil werewolves and now she’s being forced to sleep with a man for money. If she resists, they’ll kill her. Still, it could be worse. He’s gorgeous and makes her feel things she’s never felt before.

On top of all of this, when she’s done pleasuring this man, the wolves are coming for him. Will either of them get out alive?

Run faster if you want to survive.

Some of the most interesting scenes in my opinion were the ones that played around with the audience’s expectations of how certain characters should act or what might happen next. This is something I’m always happy to find in any genre of fiction, and it kept my interest levels high as I continued to read. Playing around tropes is a great way to make a storyline fresh and exciting.

It would have been helpful to have more plot development in this tale. I had some trouble understanding the rules of this universe and why, for example, Joey was able to travel freely while Katrina didn’t seem to be able to do the same thing. There were some other rules involving how characters behaved in a crisis that I also would have liked to have clarification on. With a few more paragraphs of exposition, this could have been easier to understand and would have encouraged me to choose a higher rating.

With that being said, I did enjoy how open-ended the final scene was. It left space for all sorts of possibilities for the characters which I thought was a good choice given how much danger they’d already faced and how much more they’d have to endure in the near future. There is definitely something to be said for allowing readers to come up with their own theories about what characters will do once the final sentence is written and the audience is no longer aware of anything.

Cat Out of Hell made me wonder what would happen next.

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Raven by Will Okati

October 20, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Raven by Will Okati
Jack-O-Lanterns
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

On All Hallows’ Eve, when spirits walk the earth, Leonard goes to Andrew for their yearly tryst. The lovers spend all their time waiting for their one chance to be together and seize it with both hands.

One night is never enough time.

I loved the character development in this piece. Leonard and Andrew were only able to share a small portion of their lives together for reasons that were explained later on in this tale, but the limited amount of time they could have together was described in detail and told me everything I needed to know about their personalities as well as the special connection between them. A little goes a long way sometimes.

The loving relationship between these characters only made their one annual night together even hotter. There was so much time to build up their emotional and sexual longing for one another that it was impossible to resist each other once Halloween arrived yet again. Honestly, I’m hoping for both a prequel and a sequel to this in order to get to know these characters even better, although of course I have no idea if such things are in the works behind the scenes.

It was only when I read the last few paragraphs that I realized there was another possible interpretation to this tale. Obviously, other readers should discover that for themselves and make up their own minds about which way the ending should be interpreted but having that twist was what convinced me to go for a full five-star rating due to how much depth it added to the storyline. Bravo for ending on such a high note, Mr. Okati! Raven was the perfect erotic read for Halloween.

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The Boss by Gale Stanley

October 17, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Boss by Gale Stanley
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Maxwell Barnes runs the top law firm in the city, owns a private BDSM club, and has more money than he can spend in a lifetime. He gets everything he wants, and now he wants his paralegal, Aaron Marshall. Mixing work and pleasure is a big no-no, but their mutual attraction is off the charts. The one thing Maxwell isn’t looking for is love, but sometimes fate has a mind of its own.

Maxwell Barnes is used to getting what he wants. He runs to top legal firm in New York and owns a private BDMS club. He has everything – except his paralegal, Aaron Marshall.

I really enjoyed this short, sexy story. Aaron’s character in particular appealed to me because he wasn’t the usual cookie cutter submissive male co-worker. Right from his introduction it’s clear Aaron has plans – school, career and life-goal plans and while he’s a natural red-blooded man, sex and a special partner is fairly low on his priority list. I found it delightfully refreshing that while Aaron was completely open to some sexy shenanigans, his priority wasn’t bedding a delicious Dom. Aaron’s plans and brains grabbed me from the start.

BDSM features pretty heavily – but tastefully in my opinion – throughout this short story so readers should definitely be aware of that. I enjoyed the fact that both Aaron and Maxwell discussed some of their past and personal needs before things got too physical between them. While I admit it slowed down the pace of the story, it did give the whole scenario a more realistic feel to it. Some important factors were discussed and I would have had to suspend my disbelief if they hadn’t gone there.

The sex was hot and spicy. I feel erotic readers should find this a fun and exciting read. I liked that the story had a definite resolution – but I do also feel like the author left things open enough there’s absolutely room for a sequel or another short story that could come about how the two men progress from here. I found this to be a fun and sexy short read.

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Voodoo Queen by Lia Connor

October 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Voodoo Queen by Lia Connor
Jack-O-Lanterns #4
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

You can’t stop the party for long!

Something big is going down in the rebuilt New Orleans, and Marie is behind the big show. She has a secret up her sleeve about who and what she is, but word is getting out.

A young stud by the name of Paul comes to check Marie out and determine whether or not she’s who she claims to be. But will he end up condemning her, or wind up in her bed?

Marie is rooting for the bed…

Halloween treats come in many forms.

The chemistry between Marie and Paul was smoking hot and couldn’t have been written more satisfyingly. That’s not something that’s always easy to accomplish between people who have never previously met each other in a short story, so kudos to Ms. Connor for heating things up between them so quickly as well as making them seem like such a good match. It paid off nicely and made me curious to read the rest of this series, too.

It would have been helpful to have a little more character development in this piece. While I wouldn’t expect as much of that as I would in a full-length novel, I did find myself wishing I could know more about why both characters were interested in spending Halloween night with a stranger and what their lives might be like after the final scene ended. Had this been included, I would have happily gone for a higher rating.

I liked seeing how the world building was woven in-between the sex scenes. Exactly enough of it was shared for me to understand what was going on without slowing down the pacing of the plot at all, although I wouldn’t mind a sequel in the future that explains things in even greater depth if the author ever plans to write one. There was still so much about New Orleans and the Voodoo Queen left to explore, especially when it came to her importance to this community.

Voodoo Queen was a wild ride.

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Badger by Paige Warren & Harley Wylde

September 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Badger by Paige Warren & Harley Wylde
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Badger — I went to prison for ten years after beating a man to death. He deserved it, and then some. I only wish he’d suffered more. Now I’m free, but things aren’t the same as when I left. The little girl I once saved is now a tempting young woman with curves in all the right places. I should stay away, far away, but I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame. The pres of my club adopted her, so she’s definitely a no-fly zone, but damn if I don’t want her with every breath I take. A little sample wouldn’t hurt anyone, right? As long as Griz doesn’t find out, I’ll keep breathing. Sneaking around should be easy enough. I never counted on falling for her, or finding out she was carrying my kid. Now what the hell am I supposed to do? I’m a longtime repeat offender. I can’t walk the straight and narrow. Can I?

Adalia — I’ve worshiped Badger ever since the night he saved me. But what started as a young girl’s infatuation has grown into something more. I know he’ll never see me that way, or at least I thought he wouldn’t. When we’re together, it’s like we just can’t keep our hands off each other. It’s probably against his parole for us to be together, but he doesn’t seem to care. The heat between us is undeniable. He didn’t promise me forever, just right now. But neither of us counted on me getting pregnant, something that wasn’t supposed to happen too easily, and I have no freakin’ clue what to do. I’m scared Badger will run for the hills. He never asked for this, but then neither did I. One thing is for certain. If he doesn’t man up and my daddy finds out, there will be hell to pay. No one can hide from the president of the Devil’s Fury MC.

After beating a man to death – and saving a young girl in the process – Badger didn’t mind the ten years he spent in prison to pay for what he never saw as a crime. Now Adalia is all grown up, but as the adopted daughter of the president of the MC she’s strictly off limits. Badger has never been one to walk the straight and narrow, and Adalia has always been in love with her savior. When she finds out she’s pregnant, life is going to change dramatically for them both.

This is a steamy short story that I really enjoyed. While Adalia had been very hurt in the past, Badger was her hero and despite his rough exterior I enjoyed that he clearly had a soft spot for the young woman. All grown up now, the heat sizzles between them so it’s no wonder they can’t keep their hands off each other. I really liked how they were on even footing when it came to their attraction to each other and it was clear their shared history had their mutual feelings more than just skin deep.

I really enjoyed how Badger and Adalia actually got to know each other – their histories as well as what they were like as people – and not just roll around between the sheets. This helped me feel like the story was more than just about two people coming together and having some fun, but more about two people falling in love and deepening the brief connection they had and their shared history. I really feel that readers looking for some spice – but who equally like a plot and some emotional depth to their story should find this a good fit.

With plenty of steam but an equal amount of deep conversation I found this a refreshing and interesting story with a solid plotline. Recommended.

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Party Animal by Gale Stanley

September 3, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Party Animal by Gale Stanley
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Casey can get just about any man he wants, except for the one he wants the most.

Casey Cox is a porn star legend. Life is a never-ending party and there’s always a hot guy or two willing to play. Then Casey meets the one man who isn’t interested and suddenly it’s a challenge he can’t resist.

Casey’s life is one big party – as a porn star he can have any man he wants and there’s always a few willing participants. But then he meets the one man who isn’t interested in some fun and games and the challenge is more than Casey can resist.

I found this to be a fun and lighthearted short story. A quick read, there is plenty of steamy sex, but readers should be aware that Casey and Lee don’t hit it off right at the start. Personally, I was pleased that Lee didn’t fall over himself to get into bed with Casey – much as virtually every other character did – and so that tension and discord between the two men made for some good chemistry.

Being honest I’m not sure I’d have liked Casey too much if he’d been a secondary character in a different couple’s story. While I enjoyed his lightheartedness and it was clear he had feelings beneath his carefree, playboy, pornstar exterior the fact he so frequently judged and made assumptions about Lee didn’t always sit well with me. Casey came across a little to me like anyone who had seriously different views – like Lee’s wanting to feel a connection and butterflies before having sex and not wanting to jump directly into bed after meeting for the first time and so forth – was wrong or a stick in the mud. In some respects, Casey struck me as a little obnoxious and while that was certainly interesting from a reading perspective, I’m not certain all readers will find him as a relatable or enjoyable character.

That said it was quite clear that Casey really did want connections – with his sister as well as his solid and lasting friendship with both Paul and Joey is proof of that. And while Casey could be a bit of a pain, I do feel the changes Lee brought out in him and made him look into himself we a real pleasure to read about.

Readers looking for a slightly different and interesting take on the “playboy can have everyone except the one he wants” style of story should give this quick read a shot. I really enjoyed it.

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Burn by Mychael Black

August 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Burn by Mychael Black
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Humans and vamps were never meant to be mates, but an accidental meeting changes everything.

Cam Sharpe is just trying to make ends meet. Living in the city can easily break the bank, but that’s where the jobs are. It’s also where crime runs rampant. One night, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, putting him in the crosshairs of the city’s ruling vampire coven.

Nikolai Hart loves his job — maybe a little too much. When hunting a rogue proves to be a pain in the ass, he’s the one House Saridan brings in to find the unfortunate soul. The latest job, however, has hit a snag: a mortal has witnessed everything.

On his bike making a delivery, Cameron witnessed a vampire executing someone in a dark alleyway. Determined that it was none of his business, Cameron tried to not think of how appealing all those muscles were. Nikolai was well used to keeping the finer details of vampire enforcement under wraps – humans were already pretty skittish around them. So when Nik tracks Cam down it’s a quick matter of wiping the memory and moving on. Only neither Cam nor Nik knew that would not be the end – but the start of something neither of them expected.

I really enjoyed this medium length story. I found the world building fairly easy and quick to pick up – I don’t believe I’ve read anything by this author set in a similar vampire/human world so I was pleased to pick up the general gist of it quite easily. I also found it quite refreshing that Nik didn’t fall over himself from the moment he laid eyes on Cam. While Cam was certainly attracted to Nik early on neither of them were looking for a commitment – and certainly not a longer-term pairing – so I thought it gave the story a slightly different vibe and that was refreshing to me.

I did feel that both Cam and Nik embraced the whole mate thing fairly easily – but this isn’t a fuller length novel, and I admit I get a bit tired when characters spend a large chunk of the book running away or denying their attraction instead of owning it. I thought the author had some good balance with this book – thought I have to admit once they realise they’re mates everything moved really quite quickly.

Readers who enjoy a bit of world building should enjoy the fact we see quite a big of the vampire headquarters – and while there is ample steamy sex between Cam and Nik this doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the vampire plotline. I feel readers who like plenty of steamy M/M sex, male pregnancy and destined mates but also a nice amount of plotline should find this to be an excellent read and really enjoy it.

I found this to be a well-balanced book and an interesting read.

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With A Whie by Stephanie Burke

August 25, 2025 By Leave a Comment


With A Whie by Stephanie Burke
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Evan Whie has a big brain, a big company and an even bigger issue… in his pants. Being that big can be a problem when it comes to dating… but he’s not interested in dating just anybody. He wants his queen.

Cleopatra Cockie has a big problem when it comes to love, and an even bigger solution to fix her woes… Seduce her business partner and man of her dreams, no matter what the rumor mill has to say.

They’re two gamer geeks on a mission and if they can work it out, Cockie will always be connected to a Whie.

Cleopatra Cockie and Evan Whie work together and are both smart gamer geeks on a mission. Each has been pining for the other, but for their own reasons haven’t quite yet taken the plunge. When they finally work out the courage, sparks will fly.

I really enjoyed this short story. With a small number of interesting and well-drawn characters and plenty of humour thrown in I found this to be a fun, quick read. Both Cleo and Evan made it crystal clear from the beginning their sights were on each other, so this didn’t feel like an intra-lust story with no real basis. I also really enjoyed that they were both smart people and pretty much on an even footing together work-wise.

The chemistry between them sizzled off the page and I think readers will absolutely feel as drawn into the story as I was. I enjoyed there were equal parts humour and connection between Evan and Cleo, and this helped me relax back and just enjoy the story – going with the flow.

Sit back with a deliciously cool drink, relax and enjoy the fun and sexy shenanigans – I thought this was a good short story.

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Kitten’s Bunny by Wanda Violet O.

August 5, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Kitten’s Bunny by Wanda Violet O.
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

I’ve never been happier in my life than I am since I’ve come to live with Max. Then I meet Kitten and my world changes again. She’s kind and sweet and, oh, so sensual.

I’m about to find out what it’s like to be Kitten’s Bunny.

Bunny has been very happy with her Dom Daddy, Max. Safe inside the house they share with other like-minded friends Bunny is particularly close to Kitten, Daddy Jacob’s wife. When Kitten suggests she and Bunny have a bit of fun playing together, Bunny is initially skittish. Can the four of them find a way to explore some new possibilities between them?

I enjoyed this quick short story. The foursome were clearly already acquainted enough to make the speed within which they all got down to it did not feel like an overly fast process. All four parties were intimate with each other – so I do feel that readers who don’t enjoy F/F action might not find this story quite suits their tastes. That said the two men were heavily involved in all the action, so the story read to me more like a foursome and not just the two ladies as the main sexual characters.

As the title expresses – there is also a bit of alternative lifestyle portrayed here, but again I felt this wasn’t really the main focus of the story. I feel readers who might not enjoy that side of BDSM/alternative lifestyles too much really might want to still give this story a try as I found the main focus to be on the two couples/four individuals exploring their sexuality. This might be a good way for some readers to ease into other genres in a quick and simple way and have a “taste” and see if it might appeal to them.

I found this to be a super-hot, enjoyably short story that had a few different aspects to the usual foursome scene. Readers looking for something quick and different might find this fits the bill.

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