Daddy’s Little Librarian by Lila Fox


Daddy’s Little Librarian by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

After an abusive boyfriend, there’s no way Ava will try another relationship any time soon. Since starting over in a new town, she’s met some new friends and has found a great job she loves. She couldn’t ask for more.

Sean has given up trying to find the woman he’s been looking for. He wants a sweet woman like what his friends have, and he isn’t going to settle for less. When he first spots Ava, he’s shocked. She’s small and beautiful, but the pain in her eyes is what grabs his attention, prompting him to make her world a better place.

Threats against her are what finally bring her to him, but he’s not going to complain. He has her where he wants her, and that’s in his bed. Besides pleasing her, he must first use all his energy to keep her safe from an unexpected enemy.

Sean had watched many of his friends begin relationships with their own littles and while at times he found it a bit hard, he always hoped one day he’d find his own woman. The moment Sean lays eyes on Ava he knows the small woman is his and his alone. Only Sean discovers Ava’s history is more complicated than he realized – can Sean and Ava find a way to each other?

I enjoyed Ava and Sean’s characters. While in many ways Sean was fairly typical in the daddy trope – just wanting to take care of his little, make the decisions and protect her – it was really Ava to me who shone and made this book really interesting. Despite her near-instant attraction to Sean, she held her ground and didn’t let him walk all over her, Ava laid out her boundaries and even though obviously she lowered her guard to let Sean in, I felt for much of the story Ava did so on her own terms and in her own way. I found this both refreshing and really interesting to read.

Readers looking for an intensely complicated plot might not find this story fits too well with that. While there is certainly conflict and tension surrounding Ava’s safety, I found that this side to the plot was pretty much on the backburner for the majority of the story and didn’t really have a very strong impact for me, personally. That said, I wasn’t upset that much of the story mainly revolves around Ava and Sean building their own relationship and learning to mesh their lives together.

About halfway through the story Ava and Sean became physically intimate – so I also feel this was a good balance for readers looking for a more erotic leaning towards their story. While the Daddy/little kink was certainly present throughout the BDSM is fairly mild and I feel most readers of explicit stories shouldn’t’ find anything too outrageous here.

A well written and good story, I enjoyed this read.

Daddy’s Little Chica by Lila Fox


Daddy’s Little Chica by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Amber hadn’t known happiness until she literally dropped into Cesar’s lap. Her first look at him made her yearn to be his in every way, but first she had to fight her family for the privilege, which didn’t end well.

Cesar is a man who knows exactly what he wants in his woman. Someone to give up control of her life and put it in his hands. When he comes across Amber, he knows she’s the one for him.

He doesn’t realize how much danger she’s in until he nearly loses her. She was made to be his little, and if he can’t have her, no one else will ever suffice.

Amber is well used to the disdain of her mother and half-sister, the constant criticism and put-downs, but since the death of her father many years ago she’d known no other life and simply had learned to make the best of it. When a random meeting with the handsome Cesar blossoms into something so much more can Amber and Cesar learn to trust and enjoy the special relationship only they can share together?

This is an enjoyable, quick story that I feel a number of readers will enjoy. Very strongly Cinderella-esque, I was pleased that much of the story focused on Amber and Cesar themselves and their slow fall into a romantic and magical love. Each of them really deserved their happy ending and I enjoyed watching them build the start of what would be a lasting bond between them.

While I thought the BDSM aspect to the story was fairly mild, and Cesar was very honest, gentle and up front with his needs and intentions, Amber was an innocent in so very many ways at times I paused to wonder if she really comprehended what Cesar was introducing her to. To be clear, at no time did I feel like Cesar was taking advantage or had malicious intent toward Amber, it was obvious he was deeply smitten and trying to gently introduce Amber to his own needs and kink. But I did worry a few times especially at the start of their relationship that Amber really didn’t have much of a clue what she was entering into.

Readers looking for an intensely sexual story might find the physical intimacy lacking in this story. Personally, I felt the slower pace Cesar and Amber took when it came to their erotic acts made the story both stronger and more believable. Amber in particular needed time to adapt in changing her own self-perception but also in understanding exactly the style and depth of relationship Cesar wanted. I was pleased they didn’t jump too quickly into bed or rush that part of their bond.

With a few cameos from characters of previous stories, this is a solid and fun read that I feel many readers can enjoy. In particular I feel readers who haven’t read much about the Daddy/little style of kink should find this a good “beginners” sort of book – not too intense but enough to give the reader an idea of what the dynamic can be in this style of story.

Royal Boy by Hannah Morse


Royal Boy by Hannah Morse
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Can an English Nobleman and a Texan find enough in common to build a life together?

Duke George Corbyn commands both wealth and power. An attack before he flies to the states leads him to getting an American bodyguard. George is nonplussed. A babysitter is a no, but a Daddy would be a yes, because what nobody knows is that under his posh exterior, he’s a little longing for a Daddy.

When drill sergeant Aaron Anderson needed a job, he was recruited into CARE, Inc.—a security company that gave him a new start as a bodyguard. Assigned to watch over George, Aaron is not only attracted to the man, but also very aware that Georgie needs a firm hand to guide him. And that hand probably needs to be on the brat’s behind.

When the attacker returns, they learn more is at stake than just their hearts.

You know how sometimes you want to absolutely love a book, but then you don’t, and you have no real reason for it? Yep? Well, that was me and this book. The blurb sounded amazing and I couldn’t wait to start.

It starts off with George having paint thrown at him by an unknown assailant, and then returning home to find out his home has been attacked too. Then, he finds out this may be related to threatening letters he’s received. A trip to America cannot be postponed, so George’s team find a bodyguard to protect him whilst over there. And there we meet Aaron.

The parts I did love in this were the scenes between Aaron and George, especially the beginning of their relationship when Aaron clearly recognizes Georgie isn’t getting what he needs and helps him achieve that. Their relationship quickly builds to one of love and trust, with both of them getting what they need from each other. One thing in particular with Aaron’s relationships with others is that he was always cognizant of how he would feel in their position. I adored that!

The bits that didn’t work as well were the bits involving the assailant. It was pretty clear who was behind it, once we were introduced to that character. Not only that, but it felt like a big build-up to something that was over in seconds. One thing I did love about the finale was George’s strength of character and conviction in Aaron.

So, there we go. A book that I thoroughly enjoyed even though it didn’t tick every box. Even so, I would definitely read more from this author and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Looking forward to more in the CARE Inc. series.

Wet Dream by Elizabeth Monvey


Wet Dream by Elizabeth Monvey
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Liam Markwood has issues. When his mother dies, he gets news that he has a younger brother, disrupting his carefully controlled life. His distraction needs an outlet, so he decides to meet the sibling he never knew he had.

His brother’s uncle, however, has caught him completely off guard.

Dirk Wintersmith is a leather wearing, bike riding, tattooed bear of a man. The twinkle in his blue eyes beckons Liam. His innuendos promise nights of sensual delight. But Liam has never thought his own sexuality batted for the other team. That realization spins everything he thought about himself into chaos and he’s not sure if he’s ready to step over the crumbling walls.

Liam had no love for either of his parents, both of whom were incredibly toxic and vindictive. When his mother died though she left Liam one final bombshell, the fact he had an unknown brother in Colorado Liam had never heard of. While it takes Liam a while to process this new information, he nevertheless decides to follow up on this new supposed brother – and what he finds in the tiny Colorado town is a whole lot more than he bargained for.

I really enjoyed this quite different style of biker romance. Not a traditional MC story – there isn’t really a club or group of the bikers – this is very much the “sexy biker meets the uptight business man” style of trope and I found myself really enjoying the pace and writing of the story. Dirk and Liam had some good chemistry and sizzle without being too unrealistic. The plot of Avery – Dirk’s nephew and Liam’s potential half brother – also kept the story moving at a good clip and I felt was an excellent contrast to the bubbling romance between Dirk and Liam.

The balance in this book was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s style and found the meshing of Avery, Dirk and Liam getting to know each other, the conflict and uncertainty of their biological relationship as well as each of their own more emotional baggage was a really solid foundation for the story. There was some great and steamy romantic times between Dirk and Liam though I was thoroughly pleased they didn’t fall into insta-lust nor jump directly into bed, that helped the relationship feel more important and realistic to me. I also enjoyed how each of the three men discovered their own rhythm and grew their connections and relationship.

Overall I found this to be an excellent story with a lot going for it. I really enjoyed it and will happily read more by this author.

Tweed Me by LM Kennedy


Tweed Me by LM Kennedy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Kendra Richmond hates musicians and when Denver Colorado’s home town rock star, Tyler Dyne, friends her back on Twitter, she’s skeptical to believe he’s more than a cocky front man. Talked into meeting him for a coffee, under the guise of helping with a charity show, Kendra ends up driving him to a family emergency and finds herself drawn into his private world of heartache and loss.

Having grown up in a home with an absent artist father, Kendra wants nothing to do with Tyler’s fast paced life nor his flirtatious conversations and pushes him away. Tyler won’t take no for an answer, however, and vies for her affections by opening his heart, revealing he is more than a bad boy in need of taming. When Kendra discovers he’s the recipient of a kidney transplant, with no family to ground him, she can’t deny the feelings she’s developed and the desire to be close to him.

Tweed was the biggest trending band around and the buzz surrounding them is enormous. With cheap tickets and catchy promo – like only physical ticket sales and one ticket able to be purchased per person – the hype is real. Kendra had heard of the band but wasn’t one to usually follow a trend, so she’s a little taken aback when her two room-mates and best friends are serious when they suggest the three of them camp out overnight for a ticket to the concert. Kendra has zero interest in Tyler – the lead rock star of the band – but life often has a way of turning things around.

I found this to be a fun and fast paced rock star style of story. While I strongly suggest readers crack open this story with a disconnected brain and a loose hold on reality or logic – it is absolutely a fun and happy style of story to embrace and fall into. I thought Kendra and her two friends were modern and relatable, Tyler’s character was personable and friendly, but still a mysterious and super sexy rock star hero – so this story absolutely has all the critical elements of an enjoyable and delicious read.

Readers looking for an intensely erotic story won’t find that here – while there is a good amount of chemistry and sizzle between Tyler and Kendra they don’t really become physically intimate on screen until the very end of the story story. Also, much of the plot surrounds the blossoming romance between Tyler and Kendra, this isn’t a complicated or convoluted style of story. I do think the pace keeps the reader engaged and happy to roll along with the romantic developments between Tyler and Kendra. I admit readers looking for a plot heavy or conflict-intense style of story might be left disappointed readers looking for a happy, sexy and fast story should find this suits their needs.

For a fresh, younger style of rock-star falls for the girl next door sort of story this is a good and fun example of the trope and a quick and enjoyable read.

Soft Heart by Megan Slayer


Soft Heart by Megan Slayer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Can two broken souls be repaired with a lot of love and a little power from the gods?

Leto, the goddess of motherhood and womanly demure, wants to be anything but bashful. Working in Las Vegas in the music business has proven she can’t be coy if she has desires, but the man she loves isn’t available. What’s a goddess to do? Help break a curse, that’s what.

Tommy has loved Leto since the day they met, but he never thought she’d want to be with him. He’s also got a girlfriend. When his girlfriend leaves him for his brother and curses him, it’s up to Leto and Tommy to admit their deepest desires—they want to be together.

There’s just the matter of breaking that pesky curse…

Megan Slayer’s Soft Heart sizzles with chemistry and passion. A cross between a second chance romance and a fated mates story, there’s always something that has been in the way of Tommy and Leto being together and finding true happiness. The stars have finally aligned though, and one last obstacle remains. It’s more than just a pesky curse though…

As a fan of Greek mythology, I appreciated the focus on Leto (who is an underappreciated figure in my opinion). I liked how Ms. Slayer incorporated her children (the archer twins Apollo and Artemis), and the dynamic between Leto, Zeus, and Hera (like many things in Greek mythology, it is super complicated and dramatic). Zeus was still a jerk in this book, which is very on-brand for him (I don’t think a book where he’s a redeemable figure would read as realistic). Leto deserves a happily ever after ending, and I’m so happy that Ms. Slayer gave her one.

The chemistry between Tommy and Leto is off the charts. They never actually thought they could be together, but when Tommy’s girlfriend leaves him there’s suddenly a chance. Their relationship goes from zero to sixty very quickly, but I didn’t have any issues with that. Ms. Slayer establishes that they’ve known each other for a while and that the “celestial mates” aspect plays a role. Large amounts of on-page relationship establishment weren’t necessary for a story of this length.

Overall, a very enjoyable and quick paranormal erotic romance read (with some elements of fantasy thrown in). Readers who enjoy the genre(s) and think they might like a story influenced by Greek mythology should pick up Soft Heart. I enjoyed the book and will happily read other books by Ms. Slayer in the future.

Guarding Her Heart by Ashlynn Monroe


Guarding Her Heart by Ashlynn Monroe
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nightmares have tormented Tragedy Michaels since her mother’s murder. Her relationship with her crime boss father is strained. All she wants is to turn twenty-one so she’ll have her trust fund and can finally go to college. Her dream is to do something good with her life and make the world a better place. The darkness her family has brought into society has weighed heavily on her shoulders. What she wants most? Redemption.

Eriq Brock was hired to protect Tragedy when she was fifteen. She’s an adult now, but at thirty-six he feels ancient in comparison. Her beauty and kindness make her a constant temptation. He’s had to save her life twice—only she doesn’t know it. Her father wants her sheltered as much as possible from his ugly feud with Dominic Santiago and family secrets.

Tragedy Michaels’ father is a man used to getting his way. When her father decides she needs full time surveillance he blackmails Tragedy and her bodyguard into a wedding that neither of them can refuse.

A hot story with a hot couple and some harsh circumstances.

I like Ashlynn Monroe’s work. It flows well and the story always draws me in. This book was no different. I liked Eriq and Tragedy right away and hoped they’d have a happy ending. It’s a good one-sitting read and very hot, too.

Tragedy has been sheltered, despite living with a crime boss for a father. Her mother was murdered and she’s been scarred by the situation. Eriq is her stability. I liked that they had a bond before getting into bed together. Eriq wants what’s best for her and has been drawn to her. I liked his protective quality and the way he gets her to come out of her shell. There is a forced marriage aspect to the story, which might put off some readers, but was handled well by the author.

There’s a lot of drama and action in this story and it’s hot, too. Did I mention the heat? Yeah, there’s a lot of that. The chemistry between the characters is off the charts. I liked the age gap and while it might be too much for some, it wasn’t too much of a gap for me. I liked the pairing.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s got some darkness, some sweetness and a lot of heat, then this might be the one for you.

Beautiful Heart by Cooper McKenzie


Beautiful Heart by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mystic’s All Night Café—where the city’s supernatural world meet for the best coffee, tea, and pastries.

Gerri Markham wakes and walks the streets in the wee hours of each morning as physical therapy after a car accident left her a widow. When a pair of street rats try to mug her, a tall, dark man comes to her rescue. Little does she realize he’s going to expand her horizons and completely change her life.

Livingston Daniels, Prince of the city’s vampire coven, has been looking for his mate for nearly two hundred years. He never expected the woman he would spend the rest of his unnatural life with to be the bland woman he saves from two homeless men.

Can Gerri change her life for the vampire Prince? Will Livingston give his mate the time she needs to accept him and his lifestyle? Will Mystic’s predictions come true?

For years now, Gerri had consistently woken up each morning around 2am with recurring nightmares about the car crash which had killed her husband and left her with a permanent limp. With a bit of work, she’d managed to find a route she could – with difficulty – walk safely in these early-morning midnight hours, which helped dispel the memories and thoughts that plagued her. Gerri had never been bothered on these early morning walks, but one evening when two drugged out hoodlums try to change that, Livingston Daniels steps in. Gerri didn’t need the assistance, but she’s happy to allow Livingston to walk with her to Mystic’s All-Night Café, a small but interesting diner Gerri hadn’t known existed. Will both Gerri and Livingston find more than they bargained for together?

This is the second story based around Mystic’s café and I found it really enjoyable. Gerri might be mentally and physically scarred but she’s far from weak or unable to protect herself. She has the sort of stubborn strength only those who have survived can achieve and I found this really interesting to read. I also enjoyed the fact that Livingston was more than he initially appeared to be, being the prince of the local vampire coven. I was pleased that Gerri was exposed to the paranormal element of this book’s world fairly early on – though I will admit I had to completely suspend my disbelief at how readily and easily she jumped on board with the whole “werewolves and vampires are real and hey I’m the Prince of all vampires” thing. While these stories are great to read, I find I really struggle with how readily and easily these kinds of reveals are taken. I think readers will need to disconnect their brains a fair bit and just relax into the story and enjoy it for the fun tale it is – and not expect anything too rational or logical.

That said, I really enjoyed pretty much every other aspect of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed that while Livingston and Gerri had a lot of chemistry and were attracted to each other almost immediately they had a little bit of time getting to know each other before jumping into bed together. I also liked that Gerri continued to ask questions to Livingston and she tried to learn more about the paranormal element to the world she’d never known existed before. I thought the slight plot twist in the middle of the book really helped add some conflict and tension to the story. Readers wanting a very heavily erotic story might find that these other plot elements take up a lot of the story, but personally I found the balance was really well handled and the author did a good job of adding a proper plot along with enough bedroom shenanigans to keep a range of readers satisfied.

I felt this book definitely stood well alone and I don’t feel readers need to read the previous story to thoroughly enjoy this one. Grab a large drink, sit back, relax and just roll with the story – I found this to be a fun and sensual paranormal romance with a few decent intertwining plots and some strong and interesting characters.

Beautiful Soul by Cooper McKenzie


Beautiful Soul by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mystic’s All Night Café—where the city’s supernatural world meet for the best coffee, tea, and pastry.

Five years after her ex-husband left her scarred, 51-year-old Lena Wellings continues to hide from the world. In the wee hours of the morning, she meets a man online. When he invites her to Mystic’s All Night Café, she reluctantly agrees.

Mage Kingsley James gave up on love decades ago, devoting himself entirely to his craft, and to his position as the city’s negotiator between the city’s supernatural species. Meeting Lena online intrigues him. Meeting her face to face enthralls him.

When rogues kidnap Lena, Kingsley must bring vampires, shifters, and other supernatural creatures together to rescue her.

Will Lena learn to see herself as Kingsley does? Will Kingsley rescue Lena in time? Will they be able to keep the city from war between the supernaturals?

After continually waking within minutes each morning of 2am and being unable to go back to sleep, Lena joins a local online chat community for insomniacs and workers on the graveyard shift. One of the frequent chatters in particular has helped ease Lena’s transition into embracing being awake for much of the earlier hours – someone with the screen-name of KingJames. Kingsley James has no idea what, exactly, it is about Lena that draws him, but he can’t resist the allure. His nights are crammed full of mediating between the constant bickering between the local vampire coven and the restless shifter clan and so joining the message board on a whim had seemed like a good, lowkey way to keep his mind off his real-life troubles. Can Lena and Kingsley find something special together during their very long nights?

I admit I just couldn’t go past the idea of a mystical all night café where people get set up – there’s just something inherently romantic about that sort of image to me. While the plotline itself is fairly dated (I recall reading countless “magical cat/shoes/busybody sets the hero and heroine up together” style of stories in the late 90s and early 00s) I have to admit it’s still to this day a strong storyline and plot device. Even in these pandemic times people want to connect with each other and feel that magical spark of attraction and romance. So I really feel this storyline will appeal to a wide range of readers, especially those looking for something fairly straight-forward and maybe even slightly vintage in style of plotline.

Added to this slightly old-school feeling I absolutely loved the more modern reading elements. Lena was not some shy, retiring virginal miss, but a middle-aged, battle scarred woman who had survived an abusive and difficult previous relationship and come out the other end. I was so pleased Lena wasn’t a cookie-cutter style of heroine and – even more importantly – was still willing to take careful and calculated risks to help change her own life for the better. I really feel she will appeal to many modern readers. The paranormal aspects to the story, while not delved into in great depth, also really helped give the whole story a more modern and slightly whimsical feel to my mind.

Readers looking for an intense and graphic sexy story should find that this fits the bill. While Lena and Kingsley don’t jump into bed immediately, they do become sexually intimate very quickly and I feel the speed of this likely will mostly appeal to readers who like insta-love stories or those where the hero and heroine don’t spend a lot of time getting to know each other outside the bedroom first. I was pleased that even though Kingsley and Lena become intimate very quickly they do begin to grow a far strong and more emotional connection that helped sell me on the believability that their relationship should last long-term. This helped me feel more connected and invested in their relationship rather than just feel they were a fling or more interested in a quick romance.

Readers who like a steamy and sexy story with elements of the paranormal world dabbled through should find this a quick and enjoyable read.

Wolf in the Woods by N.J. Walters


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.