Tag Archives: romance

3 star reads, Alien Romance, Erotic Sex Scenes, Review, Science Fiction Romance

Infala: The Alien’s Bond – Kira Quinn

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Infala: The Alien’s Bond
(Mark of the Infala #1)
Kira Quinn

Rating: 3 out of 5.

A Promising Start with Unique World-Building, but an Unbalanced Finish

Blurb:

As if alien abduction wasn’t bad enough, it seemed Darla’s captors didn’t want her for something as simple as breeding or even experimentation. The Raxxians were nasty pieces of work, and they had other plans in mind. Namely, they wanted to eat her, and not in the fun way. But the universe, it seemed, had other plans.

Spared a gruesome fate when the Raxxian ship crashed on a distant world, Darla found herself suddenly free. Free but on an alien planet with only the company of another former prisoner.

An alien.

A tall, muscular, impossibly alluring alien.

One who didn’t seem thrilled about taking the little human woman under his protection, at least not at first. Little did either of them know just how hot their time together on this new world would become, and in a way that had nothing to do with the planet’s blazing sun.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this story and the slow evolution of Darla and Heydar’s relationship—from irritation, to respect, to love. The emotional pacing early on worked beautifully. Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and overly focused on the sexual aspects rather than the story itself. Too many questions were left unanswered, and since the following books center on different couples, I’m not sure if we’ll ever get closure.

Character development, particularly for Heydar, felt thin. We learn very little about him beyond what serves the romance, which left me wanting more depth.

That said, the world-building is fascinating. Instead of the usual tech-heavy alien sci-fi, Quinn introduces a culture that relies on living pigment and rune-like tattoos to grant abilities—translation, strength, healing, and more. It’s an original, organic twist that I haven’t seen before and one of the novel’s strongest elements.

The story is told in omniscient narration, which I usually dislike, but it’s handled fairly well here. The perspective mostly stays close to Darla, so it doesn’t suffer from that jarring “head-hopping” effect some romances fall into.

Where it stumbled most for me was in the repetitive language of the intimate scenes. “Again and again” appears three times in the first encounter, and “bliss” shows up five times on one page. Darla’s nearly nonstop orgasms strain believability a bit and undercut the otherwise emotional tone of those moments.

Overall, Infala: The Alien’s Bond is a solid beginning to a series with imaginative ideas and sincere emotion. I just wish the ending had been given more narrative attention instead of sexual repetition. Still, I’m curious enough to pick up Book 2 and see where the Infala universe goes next.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

Occasional foul language.

3rd person past tense, omnipresent voice.

Errors: 1 – an extra quotation mark on page 27. So a fantastic job editing!

271 Pages

$3.99 at Amazon and part of Kindle Unlimited.

5 star reads, Erotic Sex Scenes, Review, SAFE, Science Fiction Romance

The Pulse Between Us – B. K. Brown

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The Pulse Between Us
B. K. Brown

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Debut Author Delivers a Slow-Burn Sci-Fi Romance with a Thrilling, Intimate Core

Blurb:

Across light-years, two strangers are forced into the deepest intimacy imaginable—and hunted for it.

Dr. Mira Tian has built her career on discipline and control. A scientist aboard Aris Station, she has mastered the art of keeping her emotions contained, her focus sharp, and her private longings buried beneath layers of precision.

Rafe Anders has built his exile on silence. Living on the remote mining outpost Sigma-9, he has resigned himself to isolation, convinced that distance is the only way to survive his past mistakes.

But when a violent solar event ripples through deep space, something impossible happens. Through their neural interfaces, Mira and Rafe make contact—mind to mind, thought to thought, feeling to feeling. At first it’s fragile, like a whisper in the dark. Soon it becomes undeniable. Addictive. Irresistible.

For Mira, the connection is the most profound intimacy she has ever known. For Rafe, it is the first chance at redemption. Together they share memories, regrets, and hopes as if they are two halves of the same soul. Yet every moment of closeness leaves traces in the system—traces that the wrong people are trained to find.

Cognixis, the corporation that built their neural technology, sees the bond not as intimacy but as opportunity. To them it is a resource—something to isolate, dissect, and replicate. Under the scrutiny of Camille Thorne, Director of Neurodevelopment, and Vosk, Head of Applied Neurosecurity, Mira and Rafe’s secret lifeline becomes the center of a ruthless corporate campaign. To survive, they must hide their tether, maintain the façade of normality, and outwit a surveillance machine designed to expose them.

But hiding isn’t enough. The deeper the connection runs, the harder it is to conceal. Mira and Rafe are pulled into a high-stakes struggle that tests not just their survival, but the very definition of self, trust, and love. If discovered, they won’t just lose each other—they’ll lose their freedom, their identities, and perhaps even their lives.

The Pulse Between Us is a gripping blend of sci-fi romance and psychological suspense. It explores what it means to be truly known by another person, the risks of radical vulnerability, and the lengths we’ll go to keep the one person who sees us fully.

Perfect for readers searching for:
sci-fi romance adult stories that blend intimacy and suspense
star-crossed lovers romance where connection is both salvation and danger
telepathy romance that explores what happens when two minds—and hearts—collide

If you love star-crossed lovers navigating impossible odds, if you crave sci-fi romance that balances futuristic ideas with raw human intimacy, and if you want a slow-burn bond that feels both dangerous and irresistible, The Pulse Between Us is for you.

In the ink-black void of space, they found each other. But in a universe built on control, love may be the most dangerous anomaly of all.

Set in a corporate-dominated dystopia, The Pulse Between Us delivers one of the most unique sci-fi romance concepts I’ve read in years. While telepathic connections in fiction aren’t new, B.K. Brown takes it to an entirely different level—one that feels intimate, immersive, and emotionally real.

Instead of exchanging thoughts like text messages, Mira and Rafe share physical sensations, involuntary emotions, and even memories. There’s a visceral richness to this portrayal that’s deeply engaging. When Rafe feels the rough scratch of his uniform, Mira instinctively sends back the sensation of her soft lab coat. Their connection quickly evolves beyond intentional messages, and their deepest, most private experiences begin to bleed through.

What happens, his thoughts came slowly, deliberately, when we can’t tell the difference between your sensations and mine?

The question hung between them, unanswerable. Neither spoke the obvious follow-up:

What happens when we can’t tell the difference between you and me?

This slow emotional burn is incredibly well-crafted. There’s vulnerability and fear, but also recognition and trust. One of my favorite moments beautifully captures the raw power of being seen:

He’d stepped into her most vulnerable moment and simply stood beside her, offering neither judgment nor pity. Just recognition.

I see you.

The structure of the book mirrors this deepening connection. It begins with alternating third-person chapters focused on Mira and Rafe individually—standard for romance. But as their bond intensifies, chapter breaks disappear. The POV shifts seamlessly without formal cues, brilliantly illustrating how their minds (and lives) begin to merge. It’s a subtle, masterful storytelling device.

While the sci-fi backdrop is rich and well-developed, the emotional core always stays front and center. When romantic tension finally surfaces, it’s tender and awkward in the most human way—more like best friends tiptoeing toward something more than lust-driven passion. This makes the eventual intimacy feel earned and powerful.

There are broader thematic undercurrents too: corporate surveillance, digital ownership of identity, and the commodification of connection. Mira and Rafe’s fight to stay hidden—when even their thoughts are no longer private—echoes real-world concerns about data privacy and digital autonomy. Their rebellion is quiet but desperate, and it had me rooting for them every step of the way.

Additional Notes:

  • Pacing: Excellent. A fast, immersive read without feeling rushed.
  • Tone: Emotionally grounded with a strong sci-fi framework.
  • Genre Blend: Sci-fi romance with psychological depth and slow-burn tension.
  • POV & Tense: 3rd person close (alternating), past tense.
  • Editing: Very clean. A few small errors were noted and reported to the author.
  • Steam Level: Contains sex scenes, but they’re tastefully blurred rather than explicit.
  • Language: Occasional mild cursing.
  • Tropes: Star-crossed lovers, forced proximity (mental/emotional), neural connection, dystopian surveillance, slow burn.
  • Length: 233 pages
  • Release Date: November 5, 2025
  • Price: $2.99 (Amazon)

Bottom Line:
If you’re craving a sci-fi romance that dares to explore what happens when two people are truly seen—flaws, traumas, desires and all—The Pulse Between Us is a must-read. It’s a love story that is equal parts cerebral and soulful, and it lingers long after the final page.

I loved this book and highly recommend it. It’s SAFE (no cheating, no triangles, no abuse), emotionally satisfying, and delivers a true HEA. I look forward to seeing what B.K. Brown writes next—because I’ll be first in line to read it.

I was given an advanced review copy by the author and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

5 star reads, Alien Romance, Aliens That Look Like Aliens, Erotic Sex Scenes, Review

The Quarry Master: A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy – Amanda Milo

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The Quarry Master:
A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy
(The Grumpy Heroes Book 1)
Amanda Milo

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Super Cute, Funny, Re-Readable SciFi Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

BASH: I dislike people.
I despise humans.
A cruel mandate from one of my region’s rulers has saddled me with a slew of little alien humans: I’m to put them to work.
One problem?
I run a rock quarry, where humans’ thin skin is a detriment to productivity.
Overseeing these humans is like trying to herd yanaks. If I don’t burn, beat, or strangle them to death by the day’s end, it will be a miracle.

ISLA:I can tell the boss likes me, because I’m not dead. Bash is abrasive and acerbic, like some sort of alien love child between Michael Caine and Miss Hannigan. And maybe Ebenezer Scrooge. Bash is a little… anti-human race.
But he’s not all bad. Sure, he’s a little growly and he sets things on fire when he gets mad, but even villains need a friend. And here? Bash is everybody’s villain.
Everybody’s but mine.

Warning: This book is the slowest of slow burns. It’s a 127K standalone story with the personal puzzle parts not snapping together until the last stretch of the book. If you want to sink your teeth into a romance that hits the fireworks level fast, skip on this one. But if you want a sweet slow burn, then this one might be the book for you. (Especially if you love super grouchy heroes with big horns and bigger attitudes.)

Amanda Milo remains one of my all-time favorite authors! This is extraordinarily funny and cute. It continues and is an off-shoot of the best scifi romantic comedy series I’ve ever read: the Stolen By An Alien series. I loved that we got to see many of the stars from past books here.

Bash is a Rakhii, one of the very alien aliens we first met in Stolen By An Alien. Milo has done a terrific job of galaxy-building, giving the Rakhii a rich culture. I loved the grumpy Bash and the perfectly-imperfect Isla. Isla was born with only one and a half arms and has adapted wonderfully.

As the blurb said, it’s a slow burn. Isla starts off as the only human that Bash can tolerate, mainly because she is a diligent worker. Isla’s attraction to Bash is evident from the start, but she gets friendzoned.

I still do a whole lot of Bash-ogling though, because who would miss this opportunity to ogle his acres of muscle? I know for a fact a whole slew of women do it with me when Bash raises the hem of his shirt to wipe a speck of dust from the corner of his eye.

Rocks clatter to the quarry floor, and there is this giant collective sigh. It sounds like fifty women just had a polite orgasm.

But Bash is a cool friend to have.

He’s like the first cactus plant you ever get to see: you know it’s spiny and prickly and could hurt you, but you’re driven to poke at it anyway.

One of these characters wants to wait until marriage, and it’s not the one you’d think! Which is a great twist.

I do love a good pun! This time based on a pitchfork.

“They were fine until you panicked. Settle yourself—and let’s fork.”

A chuckling cough has me glancing to the Rakhii leaning against the kiln’s doorway. He folds his arms over his chest and sends me a shit-eating grin. “Sorry. That word still sounded like something else to me.”

Bash’s hand tightens on my thigh before he lets me go with a grunted, “Isla. Chatter.”

I start talking. And we fork. We fork for a long time. There’s a lot of vines.

Now Isla says herself that if she were willingly abducted, chained to a bed, and put into a chastity belt on Earth, she’d have the man responsible for this arrested and herself in therapy. But this is an alien world with an alien culture and Isla is very much aware of the cultural meanings of these things there. They very much equal the committed relationship she desperately wants! So if you can’t see beyond these things, this is not the novel for you! Some reviewers have complained that Bash is abusive, and he would be considered as such here on Earth! But context is everything. If Isla is happy about it, I’m happy for her. I’m a fan of “dark romance”, so these things don’t bother me, especially in this context. Bash is very vocal about hating humans, but it’s really the Gryfalla that he hates because one broke his heart. Humans can be mistaken for Gryfalla, so this hate gets transferred. But we learn that Bash actually has a gooy soft center and a heart of gold.

I can’t recommend this enough. These will always be re-readables for me!

Contains graphic sex scenes, really only one.

Occasional foul language.

1st person present tense from Bash and Isla.

Errors: 1 comma that should be a period. Amazing!

452 Pages

$3.99 at Amazon and part of Kindle Unlimited.

4 star reads, Erotic Sex Scenes, Paranormal, Review, SAFE

How to Ruin a Librarian – Tansy Applewood

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How to Ruin a Librarian
The Hollow Heart Series: Book 2
Tansy Applewood

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Very cute, whimsical romantic comedy fantasy

Blurb

A cozy spicy monster romance with small town autumn vibes, found family, and a gnome book club.

I’m Roslyn Vellore. Librarian. Lorekeeper. Emotionally repressed human-shaped disaster.

I do not have time for monsters who flirt with their eyes and unpack your trauma with cocoa-dusted confidence. I especially do not have time for Santos Wildmere, Wren’s Hollow’s dangerously tender Velvarkin chocolatier whose magic-infused truffles taste like everything I’ve tried to forget.

My boundaries are ironclad. My wards are gnome-certified.

And I’ve never once accidentally made out with a man behind a bookcase.

Until now.

Because the soulbond between us? It’s real. It hums beneath my skin every time he looks at me like I’m made of sugar and starlight. And when ancient tomes go missing from the Loreloft, stirring long-buried magic in Wren’s Hollow, I’ll have to work with the one monster who makes my knees weak and my shields glitch.

Together, we’ll chase down forbidden magic. Unravel the mystery. And I absolutely will not kiss him in the back of the library.

Or the chocolate shop.

Or… okay, listen. This is getting very inconvenient.

A spicy cozy monster romance about a feral librarian, a chocolate empath Velvarkin with wreck-me eyes, and the most dangerously sweet soulbond Wren’s Hollow has ever seen.

This is filled with very whimsical similes and metaphors that mean we can only guess what. But I like them. It makes me feel immersed, like I’m part of this world, so I should know what they mean. For example, “Sharp with cinnamon want. Laced with spice and sorrow.” And, “And it tasted like library dust and bare skin, whispered arguments and pressed spines.”

This is a very sweet romance and is SAFE. No cheating, Other Person Drama, or coercion. Santos is very patient and waits for Ros to come to him.

Because he’s patient and tender and absurdly respectful and I HATED HIM. (Not really. Just enough to want to climb him again and set myself on fire.)

Ros takes an emotional journey to get to Santos, cheered and jeered along by a great many gnomes, small creatures that can hide within bread boxes or ride dogs. They have a Smut Book Club and provide commentary. I feel like the gnomes are us readers. “your gnomes are reading reverse harem again.”

“You’re the future star of this week’s reading,” Letty said cheerfully.

“I am not in the book,” I said immediately.

Every gnome screamed like they’d been hit with a romance novel cliffhanger.

It’s filled with terrific humor. I highly recommend this for a feel-good, entertaining read. I really liked it and will definitely read more in the series. But I don’t think it’s a future re-read for me, so 4 stars.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

Occasional foul language.

1st person past tense from Ros and Santos.

Errors: 10 – 3 punctuation, 1 spelling, 2 tense changes, 1 inconsistency, 1 transposed words, 1 missing space, 1 missing word. Totally readable.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

270 Pages

$3.99 at Amazon and part of Kindle Unlimited.

4 star reads, Alien Romance, Aliens That Look Like Aliens, Erotic Sex Scenes, Reverse Harem / Menage, Review

Her Alien Delegate – Sky Robert

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Her Alien Delegate
Sky Robert

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Truly alien aliens reverse-harem romance

Blurb:

When her mating contract is sold to the highest bidder, her future and freedom are uncertain until she falls for an alien diplomat that would scour the universe to keep her.

Protective partners, bonding rituals, power dynamics, fated mates, wrapped into a spicy alien romance!

Evie joined the H.E.T. (Human Exchange Trade) to marry an alien trill diplomat after her miscarriages on Earth have led to her housing credits being revoked. Shortly after her arrival, her husband sells her contract at the Blue District where she is to be mated to a stranger or struggle to survive after a terrorist attack on the latest human trade ship, making humans a target for abduction, or death. Her trill husband comes back to forcefully mate with her, but she is saved by a warrior species called the unGor that help heal the betrayal of her last alien mate. Only, the unGor believe the best way to care for their mate is to share the responsibility of her happiness with more than one unGor, and she may have not one, but three fated mates who will stop at nothing to keep her.

A standalone sci-fi fated-mates alien romance from Sky Roberts. This steamy, page-turning romance between three diplomat aliens and the smart human that captures their hearts and tentacles, will have you devouring every morsel towards their HEAFN.

World building sci-fi adventure but with a sexy twist. Strong females, and possessive (but respectful) love interests. For all you alien lovers out there that like vibrating, pulsating extremities, and mates that bond for life. The steamy bare chest should be evidence enough of what you are getting yourself into.

Sky Roberts continues to give us truly alien aliens, but this time we’ve got a human to look at the novelty of it through. I enjoyed this one a lot more than “Her Alien Starbreaker”, with much less confusion.

The Trillume Universe is extremely creative with unique alien species and far-out customs. I did find myself struggling to picture some of descriptions given, but I identified with Evie, her confusion, and the misunderstandings this very alien universe occasioned. It’s truly culture shock. I definitely understood Evie’s emotional journey, and that is the core of this story. It’s an emotional comedy of errors rather than an action story— mistaken identity and misunderstood intentions everywhere.

There was some good humor sprinkled around, but I wouldn’t call it a full-on romantic comedy. I appreciated what there was, especially the very funny AI computer and Vaquel, one of the unGor suitors.

The spicy scenes were hot! Everything was consensual, respectful, and very inventive!

I do join other reviewers in wishing the cover more clearly illustrated the tentacle-like hair. The current cover has hair that is too wispy to match the written descriptions, and it doesn’t have any of the objects that are supposed to be woven in them.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

1st person past tense from Evie and Broma.

Errors: Too many to count. Misspelled, wrong, extra, and missing words. Sudden changes in tense. It wasn’t unreadable.

253 Pages

$3.99 at Amazon.

I received an review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

3 star reads, Erotic Sex Scenes, Paranormal, Review, Shifters

A Luna’s Dynasty – JM Snap

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A Luna’s Dynasty
Celestial Book 1
JM Snap

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Great lore-building werewolf romance marred by errors, repetition, and slow pacing

Blurb:

OUTCAST. REJECTED. UNWANTED.

Pack life wasn’t for Lita. A fated mate would only mean heartbreak. Until she met HIM. The alpha who fought for her when no one else would. But her secret? It’s powerful, and a demon wishes to covet her for himself. Their love could save everything, including the world. Their destiny is for their line to bring balance but, in order to do that, they’ll have to win the war.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and they are much loved. So the fans are going to hate me!

I wanted to love this book! I’m a huge fan of werewolf romances and paranormal romance in general. But I just couldn’t even like it very much. 😦

The Pros:

Great lore-building! There were some very creative additions to the usual werewolf lore, including fairies, centaurs, kelpies, selkies, and more, with twists on the usual lore as well. I did love that!

A Great Start!
At its heart, this is a great story. It’s interesting, with some spicy romance, good action, and some laugh-out-loud humor.

Both main characters are virgins!
I love this! While there is irritating Other Woman Drama, neither main character has been sexually active with anyone before. It’s a very nice diversion from the all-too-often used manwhore cliché.

The Cons:

Omniscient Narrator
I can’t remember the last time I read a romance novel in omniscient narrator, and it really bothered me. We dip into everyone’s head! Secondary characters, tertiary characters, villains, and characters that only appear for a paragraph or two. And all within the same chapters. It’s so confusing and feels so very wrong.

It’s an author’s choice. But I personally can’t stand it. Most modern romance novels are written in 1st or 3rd person close narrative from one or duel POVs, and I vastly prefer it that way. I think the book should come with a warning in the blurb saying it is in omniscient narrator because I would have avoided the book and therefore not left a negative review.

Conflictingly Sometimes Weak FMC
Lita, the FMC, can be strong at times, very strong. So when Lita is weak, it conflicts with the character I want her to be. She passes out three times! Fainting is ridiculously weak unless someone has been choking you for a while or knocks you out with a hit to the head. Lita faints for poor reasons.

Lita is naïve and clueless. It’s kind of funny at times but often irritating. Her self-esteem is very poor. She is at times Too Stupid To Live.

Other Woman Drama
Asher had a fiancé until he found Lita. And then this Other Woman is a villain in the story. I hate Other People Drama, especially in a fated-mate world. If werewolves have fated mates, they have no business starting romantic relationships with Other People. The jilted woman villain is a very tired cliché that bores and irritates me.

Repetition, Length, and Pacing
There is far too much repetition, adding to the length, and slowing the pace. The book is 679 pages long! I got very bored at around 400 pages but kept at it because I wanted to discover what happened with the overall story arc, with the bad guys, but then— I never got it! The romance part gets a Happy Ever After ending, but we never get a final resolution. This will come in Book 2 of the series I presume. But I don’t think I can stand to read the omniscient narrator any more to find out what happens, which makes me very sad.

As I said before, this is a great start to a novel. But it is in severe need of an editor and a re-write. I would prefer the omniscient narrator and Other Woman Drama be removed. But at a minimum, the repetition needs to be taken out and the length cut massively. If I were editing this, I would slash paragraphs left and right, whole scenes, and entire chapters. There is one chapter where they go to a water park, and it feels like a teen romance.  

Hate me if you must, but I can only give this three stars. I hope my criticism is constructive. If it ever did get that re-write, I would be thrilled to change my review!

Contains graphic sex scenes. They start off with somewhat flowery language but get a little more “graphic” later. There really aren’t many of these scenes. Some intimate moments are fade-to-black.

Occasional foul language.

Omniscient narrator past tense.

Errors: Far too many to count! It’s readable but sloppy, with commas instead of periods at the end of sentences and other, easily avoidable, errors. These are things even Word should find if spell check is run! All CAPS and double punctuation marks, ?!, are used for shouting or emphasis. SPLAT, SPLASH, and the like are used like this is a comic book. And there are some inconsistencies and contradictions in the story.

679 Pages

$4.99 at Amazon.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

2 star reads, Action, Erotic Sex Scenes, Military Romance, Paranormal, Review, Shifters

Ranger’s Justice – Delta James

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Ranger’s Justice
Lone Star Wolf Rangers: Book 1
Delta James

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Wolf-shifter action romance marred by too many story inconsistences

Blurb:

They told me to stay out of it… I should have listened.

I was raised to believe in justice. To hunt down the truth no matter the cost. But when that truth led me straight into the sights of the Del Toro cartel, I realized too late, I might have bitten off more than I could chew.

I was tracking a shipment I thought would lead me to my corrupt stepfather. Instead, I ended up in the middle of a bloodbath, staring down the barrel of a gun. And then he showed up. Zane “Rush” Rushton, Lone Star Ranger, all raw power and barely restrained fury. He dragged me out of that hellhole, kicking and cursing, warning me that I was in way over my head.

I don’t like taking orders, least of all from a man who thinks he can control me. But Rush isn’t just any man. There’s something different about him, something dangerous simmering beneath the surface. When he shifted, right in front of me, I realized just how deep this danger runs.

Now I’m entangled in something far bigger than I ever imagined; cartel secrets, human trafficking, and the undeniable truth that my own bloodline is tied to it all. I should run. But Rush won’t let me. He says he’s the only one who can protect me. That he won’t let me go.

The scariest part?

I don’t want him to.

A pulse-pounding, western paranormal, romantic suspense, for fans of fated mates, fierce heroines, and ruthless alpha protectors.

The good: Most of the action scenes are suspenseful and well written. The writing itself is good, and the pace is fast. This is a quick read. I also liked that Cassidy isn’t weak. She knows some self defense and how to shoot.

But then there’s the bad:

Far too many inconsistences in the story!

  • How the hell were they tracked? Are they tracking a phone? If so, they will track them to the next location. – But that doesn’t happen, and we never find out.
  • Why did he shift to show her the truth and then immediately try to lie about it?
  • And then Cassidy is shocked by seeing Rush transform into a wolf two more times as if she hadn’t seen it already.
  • How would he know what’s in shifter romance novels?
  • A character studies a laptop and turns fully around in his seat while he’s driving. Pay attention to the road!
  • The sequence of things is rewritten in places and timings change.
  • Other things happen with no explanation. For example: Rush and Cassidy get out of the SUV, he pushes her up against the back of it, and then suddenly the back hatch is open, but no one opened it.

There are some graphic sex scenes, but they are over far too quickly. There is hardly any foreplay and no dialogue, which is usually the hottest part for me.

There are some interesting differences from the most common werewolf lore, but they aren’t explored in detail. The world-building and lore-building is lacking, as is the character-building. I don’t feel like I really got to know the characters. This has fated mates, so the instalove is expected but not fleshed out.

The climax action is over far too quickly and leaves questions unanswered. We don’t get an epilogue, which leaves me with more questions about the overall story arc. I’d really like to know what Cassidy’s mother has to say for herself.

So overall, I was disappointed. It’s the start of a good novel. The inconsistences could be fixed easily, which makes it feel like the author didn’t care enough to critically re-read through it.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

Occasional foul language.

1st person present tense from Rush and Cassidy.

Errors: 5 – 1 missing ending quotation mark, 1 misspelled word, 1 wrong name, 1 missing verb, 1 dialogue formatting error. So not bad.

I received a review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

211 Pages

$5.99 at Amazon and part of Kindle Unlimited.

3 star reads, Dark Romance, Erotic Sex Scenes, Review

Maidens and Mercenaries, Greywood Legionaries: Book 3 – Rose Gravestone

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Maidens and Mercenaries
Greywood Legionaries: Book 2
Rose Gravestone

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Blurb:

Connor Ward is Greywood’s resident psychopath. And now, he’s my boyfriend…

One impulsive decision is all it took. I needed a ‘boyfriend’ for the year; Connor needed a redemption arc with his legion. So I announced to the world we were dating… before he even agreed.

Connor nearly strangled me for my gall. Then, he named his price: my body, my choices, my complete surrender.

Who am I to refuse such a delicious deal?

Everyone sees him as a monster. Cold, calculating, untouchable. But as our twisted game begins, I start spotting cracks in his armor. He’s undoubtedly brutal, but he’s also beautifully broken.

The longer we fake a relationship, the more real it becomes… and then our pasts catch up with us. My ex wants me back, and he’s getting violent. Connor’s enemies are circling, and I’m caught in the crossfire. The legion’s fed up with Connor, leaving him without backup.

In the face of our conflicts, Connor reminds me that I don’t matter to him and never will. That he only knows how to destroy, not love.

Realizing he can never give me what I’m starting to crave, I try to walk away from Connor… only he changes his mind and doesn’t let me go.

Now, I have to choose my destruction—my ex’s fury, Connor’s ruthless enemies, or Connor himself… who’s breaking me apart piece by piece.

Maidens and Mercenaries is a dual-POV spicy dark college romance featuring a morally grey MMC and a strong, cunning FMC. If you enjoy Rina Kent’s Legacy of Gods or Shantel Tessier’s LORDS, you’ll turn feral for the men of the Greywood Legionaries!

I knew going into this that Connor, the MMC, is the darkest of the legionaries. And true to form, he got too dark for me. This contains unsafe BDSM with a lot of pain and choking. It was a turn off for me. So I can only recommend this if you like this content. If you do, go for it!

It didn’t stop me from finishing the book, but it did curtail my enjoyment. I’m glad I got a resolution to the overall story arc that began in Book 1. This is well written with fleshed out characters, a nice sprinkling of humor, and some good action.

But for me, it just wasn’t right. Kresley Cole is one of my absolute favorite authors, but I wasn’t into her Gamer Maker series.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

Frequent foul language.

1st person past tense from Cara and Connor.

Errors: Very frequent issues with dialogue formatting – not capitalizing and separating action sequences, 1 wrong word, 1 missing word, and 1 missing space between words. So not awful.

366 Pages

$4.99 at Amazon and part of Kindle Unlimited.

3 star reads, Alien Romance, Aliens That Look Like Aliens, Erotic Sex Scenes, Review

Her Alien Starbreaker, Treasures of Trillume Book 0 – Sky Robert

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Her Alien Starbreaker
Treasures of Trillume Book 0
Sky Robert

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Truly alien aliens romance

Blurb:

There’s a threat to the Trillume Universe and the “cure” may just be the beginning of the end.

Commander Yueril of the Galactic Authority was on a mission that he never expected to return from, all in the name of protecting the universe against the Solungors, an invasive species destroying every planet they touch. Though, when he arrives at the outlaw planet Delta-Fal, he comes across someone he least expected to meet, a mate that makes his instincts scream to protect her, but she may just be the one protecting him.

Hazel is snatched from her home planet Estreldez by the krelis horde that seeks to invade her planet, but when she arrives to be sold off to slavers, one takes pity on her and sneaks her off ship, only to find herself trapped on an outlaw planet with no one willing to help her now that she holds the mark of the Birds of Zorn.

For those of you monster fudgers that love something different and like your aliens more alien than human, this spicy romance is for you. The trill are a reptilian species with sharp teeth, scales, fancy equipment, and exceptionally playful tails. There’s a bit of a breeding kink, but there is no “oops I’m preggers”, none of that in these pages. Fated mates, mating marks, biting, tail play, knotting, and even a bit of exhibitionism. All the fun stuff.

This is a standalone alien romance spice that will have you curling your toes, and a fascinating universe that unravels the more books you read in the Trillume Universe. No, you do not have to read any other book before reading this one, in fact, this book takes place before every other book I’ve written in the universe so far!

I love aliens that are truly alien, not just humans with a different skin tone or any other equally subtle change. But I do now know that I prefer one of the main characters to be human so I can more easily relate to the narrative. I was so confused by this that I didn’t know the sex of the narrator until near the end of the first chapter. I was intrigued enough to continue reading, but my confusion remained high throughout. Frequent errors in the text didn’t help matters.

I didn’t feel like I really got to know the characters because I had no human filter to view them through. The graphic scenes were interesting but not overly stimulating for the same reason.

Contains graphic sex scenes.

1st person past tense from Hazel and Yueril.

Errors: Too many to count. Misspelled, wrong, extra, and missing words. Sudden changes in tense. It wasn’t unreadable.

204 Pages

$3.99 at Amazon.

Free copy provided by BookSirens for honest review.

4 star reads, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Sex Scenes, Hate To Love, Review, SAFE

Hate Notes – Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

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Hate Notes
Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Fun bickering in this hate to love contemporary romantic comedy

Blurb:

It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress.

Something blue.

I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.”

Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.

The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed.

He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after.

But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined.

Something new.

But I have no idea how this one is going to end…

The best part of this is the bickering the main characters get into.

I sat up straighter in my chair as Reed closed the door behind his brother. Unlike Max, he didn’t take a seat on the couch. No, this brother preferred to stand with his arms crossed while looking down his nose at me. And I wasn’t putting up with it anymore. I stood, kicked off my heels into the air, and climbed up on top of my chair.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He squinted at me.

Mimicking his posture, I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him over my nose. “I’m looking down at you.”

“Get down.”

“No.”

I loved how Charlotte stood up to Reed at every turn, pushing him past his fears. He’s not commitment-phobic, but he a burden to carry that he doesn’t think is fair to share with a partner. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I can’t give any more specifics on that. It was a good twist that added depth to an otherwise sweet, light read.

Overall, it’s a feel-good romantic comedy that kept me turning the pages quickly. If you like to keep it light or need a break from drama and gore, I highly recommend it.

4 stars – It doesn’t get 5 because I don’t think it will stick with me and make me want to read it again. But well worth my time!

Contains graphic sex scenes.

Occasional foul language.

3rd person past tense from Charlotte and Reed.

I found one missing word, so fantastic editing!

306 Pages

$4.99 at Amazon (Included with Amazon Prime)