A Flame Among the Stars by Thea Landen

March 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


A Flame Among the Stars by Thea Landen
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: LGBTQ, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

The kingdom of Dardrith is under attack from hordes of juvenile dragons. When the king offers marriage to his daughter as a reward to whoever can discover the source of the dragons and prevent future infestations, Meg’s best friend, Ronan, convinces her to help him win the ultimate prize and save their families from a lifetime of poverty. Despite her initial reluctance, they also enlist the aid of Ronan’s sister, the village blacksmith, and a stranger Meg meets in the local marketplace.

The band of aspiring heroes doesn’t travel far before the identity of the stranger is exposed; she is none other than the king’s daughter herself, Princess Celendra. Aside from being the heir to the throne, Celendra is keeping some other secrets. During a battle with a group of dragons, she reveals she has magical powers, the ability to conjure and manipulate elements such as fire and water. Furthermore, she confesses that, like Meg, she would prefer to pursue romantic relationships with other women, which she hasn’t told her father.

As they journey throughout the land, Meg and Celendra embark on a passionate fling, though Meg tries not to form any deep emotional attachment to the princess due to their respective social classes. Following revelations about the dragon attacks and her family history, Celendra must choose between doing what’s expected of her or taking charge of her own destiny. The future of Dardrith is at stake. Can Meg and Celendra find a way to remain together while protecting the people and home they love?

Princesses that don’t want to be married off, dragons that aren’t what they seem, and a bunch of ‘peasants’ who want a bit of excitement in their lives. That’s how I would describe this book in a nutshell.

It is a fast-paced story that concentrates on the main characters, to the detriment of the side ones. They seem to be brilliant, capable additions, and yet we don’t know much about them, even by the end of the story. To be fair though, there isn’t much backstory to the main characters, but at least you scrape the surface with them.

There are also some steamy F/F scenes that are completely fitting for the book.

Our bunch of misfits go on a quest and find out more about themselves along the way. There were parts that just didn’t seem to mesh with other parts, but on the whole, this was a good piece of fantasy that held my attention. If you are looking for fantasy that doesn’t delve too deeply, or last too long, then this is probably right up your street. Recommended by me.

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Finding Him by LM Somerton

March 3, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Finding Him by LM Somerton
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Sometimes, using a safe word gets you exactly what you want.

Canadian Zac Denman is young, rich and submissive. He’s also a kidnap risk who’s grown up in the shadow of bodyguards and security precautions. All he wants is to work out what kind of submissive he is in a safe environment and thanks to his very understanding father, he’s getting the chance to do exactly that. The Retreat in England is safe, discreet and willing to provide a selection of Doms for Zac to play with—a great way of discovering what he is, and isn’t, into.

Dale Gastrell is a friend of The Retreat’s owner, a member of The Underground BDSM club and a soldier turned landscape gardener thanks to an inconvenient bullet. Two weeks providing covert protection to a wealthy client who won’t even know he’s there seems like a perfect break from city life.

But life is never simple, and when Dale and Zac are thrown together, Dale has to fight his attraction. Zac is from a whole different world of wealth and privilege. He’s not for the likes of Dale who has to watch as Doms arrive at The Retreat to give Zac a taste of submission.

Sometimes, all you need is the support of your family. This is what Zac realizes when his father organizes a stay at The Retreat, a super-private BDSM club, so he can figure out just what kind of sub he is. Zac has it luckier than some, in that his father loves him and money is not an issue. However, kidnapping is a constant threat so it’s not all good.

When he arrives at The Retreat, there is instant attraction with Dale, the gardener. He is also extra security but Zac doesn’t know that. Constant sparks fly between the two. Will Zac safeword to be with Dale?

This was a lovely book, that also gave an insight to a couple of other relationships too. Dale and Zac are the main focus though, and I found myself looking forward to the scenes that they were both in. I loved the twist at the end with the number of Doms, but I won’t say anymore.

This is a warm and fuzzy book that gave me a hug as I read it. Although I haven’t read any of the others in this series, it did not impact my enjoyment of this book in any way, apart from making me want to read those too! Highly recommended by me.

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Royal Boy by Hannah Morse

March 2, 2022 By Leave a Comment


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.

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Wet Dream by Elizabeth Monvey

February 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment


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.

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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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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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Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls: Cyberpunk Fairy Tales by Edited by Rhonda Parrish

January 11, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls: Cyberpunk Fairy Tales by Edited by Rhonda Parrish
Publisher: World Weaver Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What do you get when you take the high tech/low life settings of cyberpunk and sprinkle them with the magic and possibilities of fairy tales? Trolls under teleportation bridges, masquerades held in virtual reality, princely avatars, giants and dwarves alongside hackers and androids. From retellings of traditional tales such as Rumpelstiltskin, in which a young woman is tasked with writing code instead of spinning gold, to original tales like the changeling-inspired story of a formless machine intelligence that hijacks human bodies, these cyberpunk fairy tales form a unique collection that is sure to satisfy connoisseurs of both genres.

Original stories from Thomas Badlan, Suzanne Church, Beth Goder, Sarah Van Goethem, Nicola Kapron, V.F. LeSann, Angus McIntyre, Wendy Nikel, Ana Sun, Michael Teasdale, Alena Van Arendonk and Laura VanArendonk Baugh.

Everyone should have a chance to live happily ever after.

In “***********SK.IN,” a young woman named Sam must write an impossible sequence of code for some old computer chips in order to avoid a jail sentence that will lead the authorities to discover a secret she must keep hidden at any cost. She was such an intelligent and resourceful character. As soon as I met her, I earnestly began hoping she’d find a way to slip out of the clutches of those who wished to harm her. This feeling only intensified as she continued to face more obstacles in her path. I couldn’t stop reading until I’d learned her fate!

Nara discovered a tiny seedling in a neighborhood where no plants had grown in a few generations in “Neon Green in D Minor.” I was mesmerized by the dirty place she’d grown up in and how the seedling had managed to sprout when so little sunlight fell on anyone or anything who lived there. The only thing better than that scene was figuring out which fairy tale this was based on. The author’s outdid themselves with their creativity.

Giants were a slowly dying breed in “Firewalls and Firewort,” but Mave wasn’t about to stop searching for a way to save her people. I admired her courage, especially given the cruelty and bigotry that was so often a part of her interactions with humans. Every story in this book was excellent, but this was the one I’d be most excited to revisit in the form of a sequel if the author ever decides to write one. While I was satisfied with how everything ended up, there were so many portions of giant society that could be explored in greater detail in the future.

This is the final instalment of a series of anthologies. It can be read as a standalone work.

Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls: Cyberpunk Fairy Tales was utterly perfect.

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

Nowhere To Run by Andrew Grey

January 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Nowhere To Run by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Roy Unger is greenhorn running from his past. He’s gotten a ranch job and works hard to prove himself every day. Since leaving home in a hurry, he’s come to realize that this job is the only thing standing between him and starvation. He isn’t going to mess it up, no matter how much Brad might drive him to distraction.

Brad has been around the block more than once. He’s a cowboy through and through, complete with a failed rodeo career and a love life that could only be described as hopeless. He’s worked hard and kept his head down. Roy makes him want more, but Brad has come to realize that what he wants isn’t what he gets.

Brad knows what desperation feels like and how important it is to fit in. When he decides to help Roy get over his fear of horses, the two men spend more time together, leading Roy to share confidences about his troubled past. Listening builds trust, which shifts into so much more. But before they can have any sort of future, they need to deal with Roy’s past, which could ruin everything.

I found this to be a wonderful slow-paced cowboy romance. While the world and ranch have been set up in the two previous books in this series this actual story and the two heroes totally stand alone and so I strongly feel this story can be picked up and read by itself. I really enjoyed how both Brad and Roy’s characters were multi-faceted. This helped me feel like they were more realistic. I thought the author did an awesome job making both Brad and Roy feel fresh, relatable but also new to me and I loved this.

I’m not keen to delve too deeply into Roy’s past and his troubles, as I found they were different enough it was quite a pleasant surprise when I worked them out while reading the book and I’d hate to spoil that for other readers. Mostly I feel I want to commend the author for making what could have been very tried-and-true, almost trope-like problems turn very slightly and actually end up being something quite different and fresh. I also really appreciated the patience and understanding Brad had for these problems. Instead of just pushing Roy or guilting him into “fixing” everything, Brad slowly coaxed Roy into explaining everything in greater detail and then Brad supported Roy and helped him help himself. I found that really lovely and a good way for the men to become friends and slowly grow something deeper between them.

Readers looking for something intensely erotic or really fast-paced probably won’t find this romance suits their needs, but I personally felt the slower pace really matched both the character’s needs and the situation they were in. A hot and torrid affair wouldn’t have had either man end up happy and so I loved watching them really build something special between them. I’m also curious as to whether one of the other strong secondary characters (Jessup) might end up being the main character in one of the upcoming stories as he certainly seemed to be interesting and complicated enough that I feel perhaps the author was gently foreshadowing something with that brief snippet of storyline.

With a lovely pace, multi-layered and complicated characters and a lovely slow burn to the romance this was a great story and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m eagerly waiting in hope for future installments.

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First Bloom by Sean Michael

January 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


First Bloom by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Joey works as a janitor at Dick and Rock’s gym. He’s been there since his parents kicked him out for being gay. He’s happy at his job and loyal to the men who were there for him when he needed them most.

Erik is a master’s student and competitive swimmer who started going to the gym after a hand-gliding accident. He’s trying to recover and get his mojo back.

Joey’s been mooning over the handsome Erik for months now, but hasn’t had the guts to walk up to him. With Dick’s encouragement, he finally approaches his crush. When it turns out that Erik has been watching him too, Joey can hardly believe it.

Join Joey and Erik as they discover what they can be together.

Joey works hard at his job in the gym, grateful for the chance the owners have given him after he found himself on the street when his parents kicked him out. He’s had his eye on Erik – a handsome member clearly recovering from injury – but it’s not until Joey is urged by one of the owners to talk to Erik that he screws up the courage. The two men instantly connect and find they both dearly enjoy their first bloom of romance together.

I really enjoyed this fun and sweet romance story. While there’s plenty of steamy sex in it, there is also that sweetness of a first serious romance, the innocence and fun and happiness that is just a joy to experience and read about. I really enjoyed that both Erik and Joey were both on the same page together and they clearly grew deeply attached and in love with each other at a similar pace and with equal depth. It was joyous to my mind to read and so sweet and happy I feel you can’t help but enjoy each moment.

With some lovely secondary characters in both Erik’s adopted family and Joey’s family-of-choice (who also happen to be old friends for many long-term readers) this quick read was a delight and I strongly believe should appeal to a wide range of people who just want a happy and lovely story to help lift their spirits. I really enjoyed this story.

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Old Wounds: A Nick Shelby Case and Other Crime Stories by Tom Batt

December 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Old Wounds: A Nick Shelby Case and Other Crime Stories by Tom Batt
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Old Wounds: A Nick Shelby Case and Other Crime Stories is a collection of 15 short crime stories from dark detective noir to domestic murder, crossing time periods as far back as the Victorian era and into the near future. Some with a twist of horror, science fiction or the supernatural. Each story revolves around intriguing characters with twists and turns and on occasion a sting in the tail.

Private investigator Nick Shelby is struggling to move on from the abrupt and unexplained departure of Louise, the woman he loved. When she turns up dead in Mexico, he sets off to investigate her death and, in the process, unravels a web of lies and betrayal woven together by a roster of shady characters in 1940s Los Angeles. A mysterious man thought to be dead, a deceiving doctor and a notorious gangster are all connected, but the big question is who killed Louise and why?

Plus, three small town sheriff’s deputies are made a tempting offer by a sinister stranger they’ve arrested; a young prostitute tracks down the man who murdered her friend and exacts brutal revenge; in the near future where reproduction is regulated a desperate mother will risk everything to have a child of her own and in Victorian London a married couple encounter one of the city’s most infamous criminals and find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Sometimes the fringes of society are the most interesting places to be.

After going broke and nearly losing their home, George’s wife decided to work as a prostitute to keep her family housed and fed in “An Unexpected Encounter in Spitalfields.” His angry response to the way their community treated them once word of her new occupation got out piqued my interest. I had a lot of compassion for this couple and was curious to see how they’d manage their financial woes as well as the stigma they faced. There were some wonderful twists in this tale that kept me guessing, and the final surprise was the best one of them all.

“A Deadly Suspicion” began with Cooper and Gabe making small talk as they got rid of a body. I was intrigued by how casually these characters cleaned up the scene of the death and how much more attention they paid to other concerns in their lives like making sure their hair looked good. That wasn’t how I’d expect anyone to behave in that situation at all, so I couldn’t imagine what their reasoning was for it. As intrigued as I was by their unusual behavior, I did find myself wishing that they’d gone into more detail about why they were so used to handling dead bodies and how they were planning to get away with their crimes. This was a pattern I noticed in a few other stories here as well. I would have gone with a higher rating if the author had been a little more methodical about explaining what was going on in them.

Russell was dismayed to learn that his mistress was pregnant in “Fatal Infidelity.” After his mistress died in a car accident a short time later, he had to figure out how to cover up the evidence of their affair and her death. I thought I knew where everything was going based on the beginning and middle of it, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how many tricks the author still had up his sleeve as the characters moved closer to the climax. This was quite creative and was one of my favorite tales of them all.

Old Wounds: A Nick Shelby Case and Other Crime Stories was a well-rounded collection that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys all sorts of different types of mysteries.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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