Honor by January Bain

March 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Honor by January Bain
Sin City Wolf, Book 3
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Never run from a wolf!

Isadora Champagne is a witch on a dangerous mission—to take down Lucius Luceres. That bad boy alpha billionaire doesn’t deserve to have it all his way. Thinks he can dump her baby sister and get away with it! But now that she’s met the shifter, keeping her heart safe from him is going to take more than the curse she laid on him…it just might cost her a pact with the devil himself.

Lucius of the House of Luceres is an alpha werewolf, secure in his bad-to-the-bone reputation. But when confronted by the beautiful Isadora one fateful night, even he can’t ignore the extreme attraction that instantly ignites between them. But what he hadn’t counted on was how useful her magic gifts can be to the House of Luceres when one of their own goes missing.

Will he be able to set aside the centuries of mistrust between witches and shifters and allow her special brand of courage and caring to heal even the most jaded heart?

A witch and a wolf – who will come out on top?

Well, the wolf, obviously, because the witch (Isadora) is supposed to be a strong, fearsome woman who bends the rules of her coven to help out other women but the minute the wolf (Lucius) speaks, she melts.

This was a fast-paced story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you occupied. Unfortunately for me, I wanted more depth to the story, instead of skimming the surface. Isadora’s sister acted strangely when they were speaking, but Isadora never questioned it. Why did she think her actions in the elevator were the right way to go? Why did the disappearing cousin not even leave a note? I don’t know.

This story was good, it just didn’t give me what I needed. Their emotions flip on a dime, and it made me dizzy. I’m sure fans of this author will rave over this book, but it just wasn’t one for me. Perhaps it is because it is the third book in the series and I haven’t read the others? I don’t know.

If you want steamy hot romance, then this may be the book for you.

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In the Midst of Magic by Christian Cura

February 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


In the Midst of Magic by Christian Cura
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: LGBTQ, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Meet Kara Hartman, a young painter who is hiding her magic from the world. Traumatized by the loss of her brother, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But just as her art career takes off and she has found new love, it becomes apparent that the universe has other plans for Kara. When she discovers that an old foe has broken out of prison, hellbent on destroying her new life, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.

In the Midst of Magic is a standalone book (as far as I can tell) although it has plenty of potential for further stories set in this world. I actually checked to see if it was part of a series as I felt like I had dropped halfway into a story at the beginning.

Kara was friends with a woman named Charlotte, who was bad news and killed Kara’s brother. Due to this, Kara locks away her magic, only releasing it when she has to stop the ‘flickers’. Charlotte is captured and locked away but escapes, with revenge on her mind.

The world our main characters inhabit is intricate – both in its belief/magic system and also how they live side-by-side with non-magical people. I would have preferred the story if more information was given about the different gods and what they represent.

The pacing was good and the story kept moving along, but it was like two stories rolled into one. Firstly, you have Kara, Selene, Nora, and Charlotte. And secondly, you have Reagan and Thalia. I have no issue with this, but I would have preferred more back story to all of it. I felt like I was only skimming the surface when I wanted more! I was left with unanswered questions.

On the whole, this was an enjoyable F/F action story that is light on the romance and intense on the action/fighting side.

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Securing His Mate by Laura M. Baird

February 10, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Securing His Mate by Laura M. Baird
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

A vow to his ailing mother gives Grizzly shifter, Micah, six months to find his mate, or he and his brothers lose their family’s land. He can’t contemplate a lifelong bond, but one tease of Nicolette’s enticing scent has him and his bear ready to do what it takes to make her his.

Nicolette and her sister are all each other have in the world so she protects their existence by living a sedate life. A chance encounter with the charming Micah has her rethinking her decisions.

But how will she view him when she learns he’s a shifter and her only experience with that world led to heartache?
Micah offers love and security, but can he convince her their bond is meant to be?

* * *

He’s reluctant to face his destiny.
She’s protected herself from more heartache.
Their bond will prove fate doesn’t make mistakes.

Vows are not meant to be broken – so Micah has to find his Mate with only one month left of the time limit given.

This is the fifth and final book in the Shifter Mail-Order Brides series, so all the other brothers have found their Mates, leaving only Micah, the youngest, left. He is fed up with the whole thing but will do his duty. He has no idea how though until he runs into Nicolette. Then he knows what he must do.

This is a typical fast-read paranormal. See Mate. Sniff Mate. Want to mate Mate. Boom! And, of course, the Mate takes it in stride. Okay, so maybe Nicolette has a wobble, but trust me, she takes it quite easy considering rape and murder were on the cards just a few minutes before.

This is a quick read at only 91 pages, so don’t expect anything too deep. However, if you are wanting a fast story that makes you smile at the HEA then I can absolutely recommend this one.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Resisting the Dream by Ann Marie James

February 2, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Resisting the Dream by Ann Marie James
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Can two overachievers discover how to make love work?

Nikolai is the fun-loving, flamboyant cousin of Sergei Barinov. He doesn’t know a lot about cars but is happy working as the desk person at Everyone’s Mechanic while he completes his doctorate in finance and accounting. While his parents never accepted who he was, he at least had Cousin Sergei’s family to love and support him. Comfortable in his own skin, he dresses according to his mood, which could be a skirt and makeup or sweatpants. He has crushed on Brandon since he met him but has never been able to be around him without doing something embarrassing. He would love a chance to show Brandon that he’s not just style without substance.

Brandon began interning with Sergei’s company in college and has since worked his way up to be his right-hand man. He is very regimented, likes his routines and needs to stay focused to complete his many duties for Sergei. Brandon is also balancing secretly raising his now-fifteen-year-old brother. He has watched from afar as Nikolai went from being a gangly, awkward teenager to a stunning adult. Brandon might wish he could take the time to get to know Nikolai better, but he doesn’t feel he can add one more thing to his already-full plate.

When Sergei tasks the pair to work together to plan an LGBTQ youth center, sparks fly. Will they decide to take a chance—or will outside forces ruin the possibility before they can even get started?

Can love be planned? Will the timing ever be right? Or should it be a case of Carpe Diem?

In the third book of the Everyone’s Mechanic series, Brandon has his life planned out. He’s got three more years to wait before he can date Nikolai, so until then, he will carry on ignoring him as best he can. Not the best plan, by any stretch of the imagination, and Sergei is quick to point out that someone else may just come along and snatch Nik up. Nikolai is going about his life the best way he knows how, keeping parts of it just to himself. I loved hearing about all the things he did that no one else knew about, not just a frivolous bit of fluff after all.

Things move swiftly for these two, and it is in a perfectly natural way. Nothing about their relationship seems forced in any way. Brandon is quick to reassure Nikolai that he adores his quirks and he isn’t going anywhere – that is until stress gets the better of him and he jumps to the wrong conclusion. I really wanted to slap Brandon upside the head at this point, but then Nik too as he avoided Brandon (something I may or may not be guilty of myself!)

This story was a great addition to the series. I haven’t read book two but will be now as I need to see more of ‘big personality with a heart of gold’ Sergei. This is one of those series where you read the stories and end up with a huge smile on your face and a sugar high from all the sweetness. Definitely recommended by me.

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Semper Fitz by Aurora Russell

January 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Semper Fitz by Aurora Russell
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

He’s always strong, always faithful…but will he be always hers?

Pregnant, alone and temporarily staying at her family’s cabin in northern Minnesota, Clara Olafson is determined to overcome the hurt of her recent past and build a good life for herself and her child. The last thing she expects to find on her morning walk through the state forest nearby is an unconscious and injured former Marine.

Colin ‘Fitz’ Fitzhugh might have initially joined the Corps to prove that he was more than just a wealthy playboy, but he grew to love the brotherhood and purpose he found there—until his last mission in Afghanistan cost the life of one of his men and left him badly scarred in body and mind. Hoping to shed some of his pain and guilt alone in the wilderness, instead he finds a feisty, pregnant angel.

Sparks fly as sassy Clara nurses the gruff and mysterious Fitz back to health, but the happiness and peace they both begin to find in the little cabin is shattered when Clara faces a health emergency. When Fitz reluctantly chooses to return to the wealth and privilege of his family in order to save her and the baby, he plunges them all into a glittering society that Clara doesn’t know if she likes. But Fitz might just prove to her that, whether he’s being a billionaire philanthropist or a sudden stand-in dad, he’s always hers.

Pregnancy can make you do weird stuff!

At least, that’s how it is for Clara. The weirdest being when she finds a hulking man unconscious in the forest and takes him home with her. Fitz has gone to the forest to find himself but, instead, finds something so much more.

This is the first book in a new series set (I think) in Minnesota. It moves along at a fair pace with some steamy scenes. You do have to suspend reality though, which is something I find a tad difficult with contemporary stories. For one thing, she recovers from a caesarian section very quickly and, just as quickly, moves onto having sex multiple times in one night. Maybe some do move on that quickly, but no one I know has. And let’s not forget all the ‘accidents’ she had that no one, not even her marine, questioned. A doctor, her brother, not questioning the exact same BP reading for a week? The exact same?!

Barring these small points though, this was a sweet read with some angst and steamy moments. If you like Contemporary Romance, then give this one a go!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Wolf in the Woods by N.J. Walters

January 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wolf in the Woods by N.J. Walters
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Not wanting to be forced to mate to an eligible male in her pack who won’t take no for an answer, Addie Fuller is on the run.

Billy Gallagher might be human, but he understands werewolf culture all too well after being raised in the Salvation Pack.

When their paths cross, he helps her, even knowing it will likely mean his death. He’s no match for a full-blooded male wolf. A short, brutal fight leaves him near death and Addie fighting to save his life.

He recovers, but he’s not the same man he was. The one thing he does know for sure—he and Addie are meant to be together. All he has to do is convince her of that and deal with the threat looming over them.

Forced mating? No, thank you!

Addie goes out for a run with her packmates when she realizes things aren’t quite as they seem. What should have been a ‘fun run’ turns into a fight with a human who wants to protect her.

This is the first book in the Salvation Pack: The Next Generation, a spin-off from Salvation Pack. I haven’t read any of those but didn’t find it necessary to get the enjoyment from this one. Billy, although human to begin with, is the stronger of the two main characters, owing to his upbringing as part of a healthy Pack. Although a wolf, Addie is the one with the internal monologue as she worries about everything. The rest of the characters were written in the way you would expect from their designation as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. I would like to know more about Ryan, the alpha of Addie’s Pack, as he didn’t seem a bad sort, just not interested in any dealings with Salvation.

This was a smooth, well-paced story that didn’t hold any surprises but was a thoroughly enjoyable read that kept my interest from beginning to end. There is some steam, but it is all part of the story and doesn’t take the front seat in every situation.

A great paranormal read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bound by Fear by Jayce Carter

January 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Bound by Fear by Jayce Carter
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

One night of submission to prove she doesn’t crave it, and three sexy Dominants eager to call her bluff.

Sunny has come a long way in the years since escaping the abusive Dom who made her life hell. Still, when Sunny can’t shake a frighteningly strong need inside her, she decides one night at a local BDSM club, Sanctuary, will prove she doesn’t want that in her life anymore.

Instead, she meets three masked men there who give her pleasure she couldn’t have imagined and twist everything she thought she knew about BDSM. Rather than the proof she thought she’d get, that the lifestyle wasn’t for her, Sunny is further drawn to what had nearly destroyed her before.

When fears that her ex-Dom could be after her again occur, Sunny and the men are forced to confront the dangers of her past and the scars it left behind. Can Sunny risk everything for the men she’s fallen for, or will she let her fears rob them all of a future?

What do you do when your big idea of realizing you don’t like something backfires, and you realise it’s exactly what you need?

Sunny has come a long way in five years, but not enough to completely be free of her past. So, she decides to confront it head-on. Only she finds three people who treat her in a way she’s never experienced. Although she is unnerved, she finds she likes it.

I thought this was really well-written, with plenty of steamy scenes. Each of the male characters is well-defined and stands alone. They don’t all mingle together in your mind until you can’t remember which one is which. As for Sunny, she is a beguiling mix of strong and confident, and quiet and unsure. I loved how she came out of her shell and the guys were there for her whenever she would accept their attentions and/or help.

Spike though! Ah, man. He was gorgeous! (And yes, he deserves a paragraph of his own!)

The story moved at a steady pace, giving it time to develop without being rushed. I can’t say the confrontation was a surprise, but it needed to happen the way it did, and I was absolutely satisfied with the consequences.

Another winner by this author that is definitely recommended by me.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Forest God’s Favor by AT Lander

December 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Forest God’s Favor by AT Lander
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Erotic Romance, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Can the love of a man heal the heart of a god?

Fertility god Anthos, a shy and gentle three-hundred-year-old virgin, has grown up in the shadow of his brutal older brother Dryas and spent his life hiding from mortals, no matter how much his nature draws him to them.

Cleon, a humble farmer who always has room in his heart and his bed, knows that Lord Dryas is angry. The crops aren’t growing, and his family is going to starve if he doesn’t give the god a worthy sacrifice—his own body. But when he reaches the shrine, he finds a very different god, the sweet, untouched Anthos.

Eager to satisfy Anthos’ curiosity, Cleon shows him what sex is…and what a relationship between them could be, with their instant attraction blooming into love. But when Dryas returns with a vengeance and Cleon’s life hangs in the balance, Anthos is forced to make a choice.

Will he bow once more before his brother’s rage, or take a stand for the only man who has ever had faith in him?

If your local fertility god suddenly stops blessing you, what are you to do?

This is the dilemma that troubles Cleon as his family, and those in his village, face starvation due to their crops not growing. He decides to pay a visit to the cruel Lord Dryas but, instead, meets the sweet and caring Anthos.

Oh, man! This story!!! Considering it has a Reader Advisory, I found it to be so completely sweet. The violence in it is necessary and shows the growth of the main characters and how they solve the problem they have. The rest of it is pure, unadulterated erotica and if that shocks you, maybe you shouldn’t be reading a book about a fertility god!

Anthos and Cleon are fantastic together, and their ending brought a happy tear to my eyes. Jealousy is not part of their relationship, and I loved how it worked between them. They are supported by a great cast of characters that remain in the background until needed. The focus really is on Anthos and Cleon and that makes it so much more intimate.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and read it in one sitting. I am going to be reading more by this author, that’s for sure! Absolutely recommended by me.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Shiloh’s Secret by KD Ellis

December 3, 2021 By 2 Comments


Shiloh’s Secret by KD Ellis
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Shiloh Beckett has a trust fund, a stalker and a secret. He doesn’t trust easily, but his new bodyguard might just break the cycle.

Shiloh Beckett might be the sole heir to Beckett Industries, one of the leading tech companies in the world, but the last thing he wants is to become another suit-and-tie. He’s learned the hard way that money can’t buy happiness, just a better brand of misery.

Gage Tucker lives by the motto Protect and Serve. Raised by a cop who failed his family, Gage chose to serve his country the only way he knew how—with boots on the ground and a gun in his hand. After a mission gone wrong, Gage came home with a broken body but the same drive to protect. Months of rehab later, he joined Eagle Security as a Personal Protection Officer and he’s been a bodyguard ever since. Protecting a trust-fund brat from the paparazzi isn’t what he signed up for.

Soon he learns that there’s more than just the media after Shiloh, and the secrets the boy is hiding will change everything. If he can’t convince Shiloh to trust him, how can he keep him safe?

How many masks can one person wear?

Shiloh wears more than a few – playboy and slut to the press, disappointment to his father, pain in the ass to his bodyguards – and yet there is so much more to him than what you see. Luckily, as the reader, you see the many aspects of him and hear his truth. And it’s horrible, just so you know. There are trigger warnings for this book so take heed.

Gage is Shiloh’s latest bodyguard, and the last thing he wanted to be was a babysitter to a socialite playboy, but when he spends time with Shiloh, he realises just how wrong he was. He is the one who gets Shiloh to lower his guard, who trusts him, who cares for him. There was one part when I was ready to slap him upside the head but he quickly realised his mistake and went back to Shiloh for his side of the story.

I was completely engaged with this story and so wanted Shiloh and Gage to get their HEA. There is one bit about the ending that I can’t figure out, but I won’t say because, you know, spoilers. The thing is, even with that part, I still can’t give this less than 5-stars. I may not understand exactly how something was achieved, but I am oh-so-glad it did!!! And I’m happy it was Shiloh who did it. I feel he definitely was the one who would need the closure that brought.

This is book two in the series but it can be read as a standalone. But, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and find book one now. Thoroughly loved this dark romance. Absolutely and utterly recommended by me.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Slayer by Stephanie Burke

December 2, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Slayer by Stephanie Burke
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Revenant is what they call him. For centuries, Kye has not lived, he has merely existed. Moving from city to city, continent to continent, Kye is always searching for the one man who visited upon him the destruction of his family and the shattering of his soul.

Tali is a woman with a mission of her own. Her objective, find the vampire Balthazar and, by any means, send what is left of his soul fleeing from this life.

When two slayers meet, the results are bound to be… Violent. Explosive. And erotic. But if they both work together, they may overcome the insane odds stacked against them and, just possibly, come out alive.

The Slayer is a standalone novel featuring vampires and revenge. I have read quite a few of this author’s books and this is the first one that didn’t work for me.

Kye is not a vampire but he’s not human either. Tali is a human on a mission. One problem, two different angles. Both of them are aided by different characters, but a lot is left unsaid and unexplained.

The trouble I had with this book is I didn’t connect with either Kye or Tali. Instead of being immersed into the storyline, where I feel like I’m there, and care about the characters and situations, I was most definitely outside the book, reading in. I felt no connection to either of the main characters, indeed, none of the characters. I also didn’t really care if Kye and Tali got together, which is sort of one of the main points of the book.

I feel this is a marmite book – some will love it, others, not. Unfortunately for me, I fell into the second category on this one. It was an okay read that I finished. The writing is good, the story – good, but I just didn’t feel anything. Saying that, I would still recommend this book as I know this author has written some amazing stories, and this just wasn’t one for me, but someone else might love it.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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