#BookReview: Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1) by Brynne Weaver

Synopsis: Every serial killer needs a friend. 
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match? 

Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.

#BookReview: Lore of the Wilds (Lore of the Wilds, #1) by @asbranawrites

Synopsis: A stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together. 

A library with a deadly enchantment. 

A Fae lord who wants in.

A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power.

In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile—her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors.

She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own.

As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.

#BookReview: Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails #1) by Katee Robert

Synopsis: Sail the magical high seas with this first book in a new sexy fantasy romance series from Katee Robert, the New York Times bestselling author of the TikTok smash-hit Neon Gods.

Evelyn is a witch with a perfect storm of impulses: terrible taste in bed partners, sticky fingers, and a lust for danger. After she steals from her vampire ex and falls through a portal to another realm, she’s fished out of the waters by a band of seafarers and their telekinetic captain. She’s immediately given a choice—join their group or die.

Bowen has no memory of his life before he became one of the Cŵn Annwn. He and his pirate crew are bound by vow to patrol through Threshold, the magical sea in between realms, keeping the portals to other worlds safe. When he rescues Evelyn, he doesn’t expect to be attracted to the unflappably brassy pickpocket. The longer he spends in her presence, the more he begins to question if his heart is the next thing she’ll steal.

But as tension heats up between Bowen and Evelyn, danger escalates as well. Because Evelyn has no intention of keeping her vows to the Cŵn Annwn, and if she betrays the crew, both she and Bowen will pay the ultimate price....

#BookReview: The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet-Cute #1) by @ChristinaLauren @ReaderLatte @BistroBookBabes

Synopsis: On February 14, an accidental email to a stranger opens the door to an unexpected relationship in a captivating short story by the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners.

One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?

Christina Lauren’s The Exception to the Rule is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

#BookReview: Night Shift by Annie Crown @BistroBookBabes

Synopsis: The bookworm and the basketball player are about to meet their match.

Kendall Holiday spends her Friday nights exactly where she wants to be: with her head buried in a spicy romance novel while she works the graveyard shift at her university's library. She knows she could join her friends for a weekend of drunken debauchery and college parties, but she likes her alone time, so she tells herself she isn't hiding when she gets lost in the pages of fictional love stories.

But that all changes when Vincent Knight, captain of the basketball team, turns up with an injured wrist, a sour mood, and a pressing need for poetry recommendations for a class he hates. Vincent is tall, smart-mouthed, and challenges Kendall like no one has before. Suddenly, she's falling headfirst into her very own romance novel—but it takes a lot more truth than tropes to get to a happy ever after in real life.

NIGHT SHIFT is a 75k-word sweet and spicy single-POV college romance perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Hannah Grace, and Elena Armas.

#BookReview: To Be Claimed by Willow Winters @ReaderLatte @ververomance @BistroBookBabes

Synopsis: Their authoritative presence is felt before anything else. My heart skips a beat and my blood runs cold. They’re here.

The voluminous cloaks cover their bodies entirely and their faces are mostly concealed by their hoods. Standing with their broad shoulders squared and hands tucked behind their backs, they emanate sheer masculinity and dominance.

His baritone voice whispers, and his breath burns hot against the shell of my ear. His tone is gentle, but there’s no doubt in my mind that his words are a command.

Gather and present yourself. This is the offering ...


To Be Claimed is a dark paranormal romance collection with high heat and suspense to keep you on edge. This collection features Wounded Kiss, Gentle Scars & Primal Lust

#BookReview: When Stars Come Out (When Stars Come Out, #1) by @ScarlettStClai1@Read_Bloom

Synopsis: Anora Silby can see the dead and turn spirits into gold coins, two things she would prefer to keep secret as she tries to lead a normal life at her new school. After all, she didn't change her identity for nothing.

Hiding her weirdness is just one of many challenges. By the end of her first day, she's claimed the soul of a dead girl on campus and lost the coin. Turns out, the coin gives others the ability to steal souls, and when a classmate ends up dead, there's no mistaking the murder weapon.

Navigating the loss of her Poppa, the mistrust of her mother, and Roundtable, an anonymous student gossip app threatening to expose her, are hard enough. Now she must find the person who stole her coin before more lives are lost, but that means making herself a target for the Order, an organization that governs the dead on Earth - and they want Anora and her powers for themselves.

From the brilliant mind of A Touch of Darkness's bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair comes a crossover reimagining of Orpheus and Eurydice, in a darkly unique fantasy world.

#BookReview: Behind Closed Doors by @baparisauthor @BistroBookBabes

Synopsis: Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.

Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.

Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.

#BookReview: Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1) by Rebecca Ross

Synopsis: When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

#BookReview: Making Her Theirs (Unbreakable Bonds #1) by Lily Manning

Synopsis: Stepping into a bustling bar in enchanting Edinburgh, my eyes meet those of three breathtakingly gorgeous brothers. I thought exploding ovaries were a myth!

Knox, intense, possessive, and loyal. The brother who holds the family together. Ridiculously handsome, he exudes an aura of authority. He knows I want to be dominated, worshipped, loved.

Charming Finn buries the past under a fast, devastating smile and a laugh like sunshine on a cloudy day. Every encounter is an adventure—wild, sweet, exciting, and utterly irresistible.

Strong, silent Lachlan’s the loaner. Why use words when one long stare brings me to my knees. Yet he understands me in ways no one else does. He sees everything, reaching the depths of my desires with an unspoken connection.

Together, these three scorching Scottish brothers embark on a passionate journey to claim me as their own. Bound by desire and an unbreakable bond, they’ll stop at nothing to make me theirs.

‘Making Her Theirs’ promises a happy ever after, scorching the meaning of love, lust, and ultimate fulfillment. Get ready for an electrifying adventure filled with passion, romance, and a love that knows no bounds.

#BookReview: Pen Pal (Special Edition) by J.T. Geissinger @BrambleRomance

Synopsis: LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN--featuring spray-painted edges with a stenciled script design. Only available for a limited time and while supplies last.

The high-octane sexiness of Ana Huang meets the addicting thrills of Rachel Hawkins with a delicious twist in this dark romance from indie superstar J. T. Geissinger, now with a brand new bonus chapter!

The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single 

I’ll wait forever if I have to.

It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.

Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?

You .

I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.

We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late.

Dante was at my doorstep.

And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.

This title will be released on July 2, 2024.

#BookReview: Corrupt Shadows by Rebecca L. Garcia & C.M. Hutton

Synopsis: The Witch…

Nine years ago, I killed my brother, and I’ve been running from my past ever since.

I find a home in Darkwood, finally safe from those who hunt me. But no matter what I do, the darkness keeps pulling me in.
I allow my shadow magic to edge closer to the surface to feel something, anything. But no matter how much I want to embrace the power, I can’t. My magic thirsts for violence but I won’t let it kill again. It remains dormant... until he shows up.
A masked man watches me from the mirrors, stalking my dreams.
He haunts me, unraveling my thoughts until I’m not sure what to believe. I move closer to the edge and I’m afraid of what I’ll become if I let him in.

I can’t lose control. If I do, then I’m already dead.

The Demon…

I’ve spent a century trapped in the Shadow Realm, a purgatory created for me and my demons.

I watch the humans through mirrors, waiting for the moment I can find a way to leave and return to my domain. But I never found a way. Until now.
She’s everything I’ve been waiting for. The last descendant of the only bloodline that can free me.
I stalk her from the shadows, watching her every move. Her dark magic calls to me, craving for me to unleash it.
The closer she draws to the shadows, the more she’s within my grasp. Obsession takes over, pulling me into her world.
If she won’t unleash her power, then I will make her.

Corrupting a soul has never felt so good.

Corrupt Shadows is a dark, gothic romance with dark themes that may be triggering. Please see the TWs inside, under the copyright page.

#BookReview: Night Shift by Annie Crown

Synopsis: The bookworm and the basketball player are about to meet their match.

Kendall Holiday spends her Friday nights exactly where she wants to be: with her head buried in a spicy romance novel while she works the graveyard shift at her university's library. She knows she could join her friends for a weekend of drunken debauchery and college parties, but she likes her alone time, so she tells herself she isn't hiding when she gets lost in the pages of fictional love stories.

But that all changes when Vincent Knight, captain of the basketball team, turns up with an injured wrist, a sour mood, and a pressing need for poetry recommendations for a class he hates. Vincent is tall, smart-mouthed, and challenges Kendall like no one has before. Suddenly, she's falling headfirst into her very own romance novel—but it takes a lot more truth than tropes to get to a happy ever after in real life.

NIGHT SHIFT is a 75k-word sweet and spicy single-POV college romance perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Hannah Grace, and Elena Armas.

#BookReview: It All Comes Back to You by @Melissa_Wiesner @bookouture

Synopsis: An absolutely unforgettable and heart-shattering romance, perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Lucy Score and Carley Fortune, that does keeping secrets destroy true love?

Anna works two jobs to get herself through college and never, ever talks about her family. It’s easier to keep her distance from everyone until she can finally leave her old life behind. That is, until chance throws her together with Gabe …

Gabe is top of the class, in a fancy fraternity, and has a big, perfect, warm-hearted family. He is everything Anna is not. Their connection is undeniable. His silver-blue eyes pierce right through her, and he makes her laugh in ways she never thought possible. But Anna would do anything to stop Gabe from discovering her darkest secret, and the real reason she goes home every night to a cold, silent apartment…

When Gabe and his family get close to the truth, Anna runs, vowing to never see them again. But forever is a long time…

Years later. Tragedy brings Anna back to the town she grew up in—a place she escaped a decade ago. When Gabe wraps his strong arms around her, it’s like finally finding home.

But when the truth comes out after all these years, will both their worlds come crashing down? Gabe is the one person Anna trusts but what if he has secrets, too? And how much pain can two hearts endure, before they are torn apart forever?

It All Comes Back to You will make you laugh, cry with both joy and pain, and hold your loved ones tight.

#BookReview:: Pen Pal (Special Edition) by @JTGeissinger @BrambleRomance

Synopsis: LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN--featuring spray-painted edges with a stenciled script design. Only available for a limited time and while supplies last.

The high-octane sexiness of Ana Huang meets the addicting thrills of Rachel Hawkins with a delicious twist in this dark romance from indie superstar J. T. Geissinger, now with a brand new bonus chapter!

The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single 

I’ll wait forever if I have to.

It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.

Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?

You .

I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.

We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late.

Dante was at my doorstep.

And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.

This title will be released on July 2, 2024.

#BookReview: Sanctuary of the Shadow by Aurora Ascher

Synopsis: Enter at your own risk―and discover the greatest show unearthed in this explosive, darkly imaginative debut fantasy…

For humans, the circus is a place filled with wonder and amazement. For Harrow, though, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan. Disguising her abilities as part of her act has kept her true identity safe for years.

Until he arrives.

A strange new attraction with no name, no memory of who―or even what―he is, let alone an explanation for his odd yet deadly powers. But beneath the layers of anger and isolation, one glimpse into his inky eyes reveals a soul that calls out to the loneliness in her own.

And so she chooses him.

Harrow is drawn to the darkness, to her insatiable need to soothe the beast who threatens their very existence. But with every secret she unlocks from his past, another from hers whispers free as well―luring enemies who will stop at nothing to get their final revenge on Harrow. And she’s afraid she’s given them the perfect weapon against her…because he’s not what he seems.

But maybe it’s time they finally learn―neither is she.

#BookReview: The Christmas Fix (Fixer, #2) by Lucy Score @Read_Bloom

Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over

 She'll save Christmas just to spite him… There's only one thing standing in the way of Cat King saving Merry, Connecticut's Christmas Grumpy town manager Noah Yates. Single dad Noah takes his responsibilities seriously. When a late season hurricane turns his town into a disaster, he's left scrambling to pick up the pieces of the town he loves. At least, until home renovation expert and reality TV star Catalina King arrives with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again. But Noah doesn't want a celebrity diva capitalizing on their tragedy or filling his young daughter's head with visions of glitz and glam. Blonde bombshell Cat is used to being underestimated, but Noah has an uncanny knack for getting under her skin. They can't be in a room together without rubbing each other the wrong way…except that time in the dark alley where the rubbing was just right. Can these enemies work together to pull off a Christmas miracle or will their fighting leave them both on the naughty list? 

Author's These enemies-to-lovers deliver the holiday feels with a dirty-talking hero, ballsy blonde who never backs down, steamy hot break-the-dining-room-table sexy times, and a small town that still believes in the magic of Christmas.

#BookReview: Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout #2) by Lucy Score @Read_Bloom

Synopsis: Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk.

Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.