A.E.'s bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 13 Oct 2024 12:31:46 -0700 60 A.E.'s bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Pros & Cons of Desire (Pros & Cons, #3)]]> 50539282 FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION. 

One thing’s for sure: these men are no angels.

Two jobs down, three to go, and job #3 is mine. My name is Ridge Pfeiffer, ±ő’m a dirt poor jewel thief from the wrong side of the tracks, and I don't play well with others.

Theoretically, the deal works like this. I do the job Charlie planned for me and Miranda erases my past, makes my biggest problems go away. Too bad my biggest problem is the one thing I don’t want to go away: Diplomatic Security Agent Davis Ethan.

When Davis caught me breaking into a safe during job #2, I should have ended up in jail. instead, I ended up in his bed. Rich, gorgeous, and privileged, the only thing we have in common is a love of beautiful lingerie and beautiful men. He’s everything I hate, everything I want, and he could destroy me with a word. 

There are a hundred red flags surrounding this job, I should walk away and take my chances, but ±ő’m going to do it anyway. Anything to buy me one more night with Davis.

One more job, one more night, and then I’ll leave for good.

]]> 296 A.E. Wasp A.E. 5 4.15 Pros & Cons of Desire (Pros & Cons, #3)
author: A.E. Wasp
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves:
review:

]]> Trailer Trash 28531239
Now, instead of spending his senior year in his hometown of Austin, Texas, he’s living with his father in Warren, Wyoming, population 2,833 (and Nate thinks that might be a generous estimate). There’s no swimming pool, no tennis team, no mall—not even any MTV. The entire school’s smaller than his graduating class back home, and in a town where the top teen pastimes are sex and drugs, Nate just doesn’t fit in.

Then Nate meets Cody Lawrence. Cody’s dirt-poor, from a broken family, and definitely lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Nate’s dad says Cody’s bad news. The other kids say he’s trash. But Nate knows Cody’s a good kid who’s been dealt a lousy hand. In fact, he’s beginning to think his feelings for Cody go beyond friendship.

Admitting he might be gay is hard enough, but between small-town prejudices and the growing AIDS epidemic dominating the headlines, a town like Warren, Wyoming, is no place for two young men to fall in love.]]> 340 Marie Sexton 1626493952 A.E. 5 Sweet first love in the time of AIDS.

I loved this book. Nate and Cody were so real, and I could feel that Wyoming wind and a town that managed to be claustrophobic in a wide open place. And though I knew the boys would have a happy ending, my heart ached for them just the same.

Merged review:

Sweet first love in the time of AIDS.

I loved this book. Nate and Cody were so real, and I could feel that Wyoming wind and a town that managed to be claustrophobic in a wide open place. And though I knew the boys would have a happy ending, my heart ached for them just the same.]]> 4.19 2016 Trailer Trash
author: Marie Sexton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2016/05/25
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves:
review:
Sweet first love in the time of AIDS.

I loved this book. Nate and Cody were so real, and I could feel that Wyoming wind and a town that managed to be claustrophobic in a wide open place. And though I knew the boys would have a happy ending, my heart ached for them just the same.

Merged review:

Sweet first love in the time of AIDS.

I loved this book. Nate and Cody were so real, and I could feel that Wyoming wind and a town that managed to be claustrophobic in a wide open place. And though I knew the boys would have a happy ending, my heart ached for them just the same.
]]> <![CDATA[Cross & Crown (Sidewinder, #2)]]> 20764021 225 Abigail Roux 162649133X A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.99 2014 Cross & Crown (Sidewinder, #2)
author: Abigail Roux
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Pansies (Spires #4) 31195691 Can the fully paid-up pansy make things right with the pink-tipped hipster?

A Spires Story

Alfie Bell is . . . fine. He’s got a six-figure salary, a penthouse in Canary Wharf, the car he swore he’d buy when he was eighteen, and a bunch of fancy London friends.

It’s rough, though, going back to South Shields now that they all know he’s a fully paid-up pansy. It’s the last place he’s expecting to pull. But Fen’s gorgeous, with his pink-tipped hair and hipster glasses, full of the sort of courage Alfie’s never had. It should be a one-night thing, but Alfie hasn't met anyone like Fen before.

Except he has. At school, when Alfie was everything he was supposed to be, and Fen was the stubborn little gay boy who wouldn’t keep his head down. And now it’s a proper Fen might have slept with Alfie, but he’ll probably never forgive him, and Fen’s got all this other stuff going on anyway, with his mam and her flower shop and the life he left down south.

Alfie just wants to make it right. But how can he, when all they’ve got in common is the nowhere town they both ran away from.

* * * * * * *

The Spires stories can be read in any order -- jump in wherever you'd like.

Word 108,000; page 405]]> 376 Alexis Hall 1626493065 A.E. 5 4.15 2016 Pansies (Spires #4)
author: Alexis Hall
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/30
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> Crow Roads 14760500 23 Charles de Lint 0920623158 A.E. 5 4.35 2007 Crow Roads
author: Charles de Lint
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Strawberries for Dessert (Coda, #4; Strawberries for Dessert, #1)]]> 8578533
Their arrangement may be casual, but Jonathan soon learns that when it comes to Cole Fenton, nothing is easy. Between Cole’s fear of intimacy and his wandering lifestyle, Jonathan wonders if their relationship may be doomed from the start—but the more Cole pushes him away, the more determined Jon is to make it work.

]]> 242 Marie Sexton 1615815511 A.E. 5 4.16 2010 Strawberries for Dessert (Coda, #4; Strawberries for Dessert, #1)
author: Marie Sexton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> Olive Juice 32993007
I want to see you.

He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived.

David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders.

Phillip offers redemption.]]> 132 T.J. Klune 1635335027 A.E. 0 4.40 2017 Olive Juice
author: T.J. Klune
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2017/07/30
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Down and Dirty (Cole McGinnis, #5)]]> 22906910 A Cole McGinnis Mystery

From the moment former LAPD detective Bobby Dawson spots Ichiro Tokugawa, he knows the man is trouble. And not just because the much younger Japanese inker is hot, complicated, and pushes every one of Bobby’s buttons. No, Ichi is trouble because he’s Cole McGinnis’s younger brother and off-limits in every possible way. And Bobby knows that even before Cole threatens to kill him for looking Ichi’s way. But despite his gut telling him Ichi is bad news, Bobby can’t stop looking� or wanting.

Ichi was never one to play by the rules. Growing up in Japan as his father’s heir, he’d been bound by every rule imaginable until he had enough and walked away from everything to become his own man. Los Angeles was supposed to be a brief pitstop before he moved on, but after connecting with his American half-brothers, it looks like a good city to call home for a while—if it weren’t for Bobby Dawson.

Bobby is definitely a love-them-and-leave-them type, a philosophy Ichi whole-heartedly agrees with. Family was as much of a relationship as Ichi was looking for, but something about the gruff and handsome Bobby Dawson makes Ichi want more.

Much, much more.]]> 200 Rhys Ford 1632166151 A.E. 4 4.15 2015 Down and Dirty (Cole McGinnis, #5)
author: Rhys Ford
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]> King Slayer (Fog City, #2) 52143198 Never fall for a mark. Mission fail.

Christopher Perri--a.k.a. Dante Perry--infiltrated the Madigan organization with one vengeance for his murdered partner. Falling for the assassin at the head of the table wasn't part of the plan, but Hawes Madigan is not the cold, untouchable Prince of Killers Chris expected. Everything about the newly crowned king is hot, and every inch of him eminently touchable... and off-limits once Chris's cover is blown.

Exposure couldn't come at a worse time. Hawes's throne is threatened, and Chris suspects the same person who killed his partner is behind the coup. Working with Hawes benefits them both, but Chris's employer has other ideas. Dismantling criminal organizations is what Chris does best, and his boss expects the King Slayer to deliver.

But Hawes is taking the Madigans in a new direction, one Chris can get behind, and the two men form a shaky alliance strengthened by the irresistible attraction between them... until Chris learns who killed his partner. Once he knows the truth, the King Slayer is unleashed, and Chris will stop at nothing to destroy those who betrayed him, including the king who stole his heart.

Twists and turns--and cliffhangers--continue in book two of the Fog City Trilogy. Read at your own risk!
]]> 205 Layla Reyne A.E. 5 mm-romantic-suspense 4.17 2019 King Slayer (Fog City, #2)
author: Layla Reyne
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: mm-romantic-suspense
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book Two (The Cadeleonian Series, #4)]]> 19455339 568 Ginn Hale 1935560352 A.E. 0 4.41 2014 Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book Two (The Cadeleonian Series, #4)
author: Ginn Hale
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/02
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Invitation to the Blues (Small Change, #2)]]> 38510053
Faron Locklear came to Philly looking for a fresh start and has thrown himself into tattooing at Small Change. He’s only met Jude a few times, but something about the red-haired man with the haunted eyes calls to him. Faron is blown away by Jude’s talent. What he isn’t expecting is the electricity he feels the first time they kiss—and the way Jude’s needs in bed speak directly to his own deepest desires.

Jude and Faron fall fast and hard, but Jude has spent a lifetime learning that he can’t be what the people he loves need. So when the opportunity arises to renew his career in Boston, he thinks he has to music, or Faron? Only by taking a huge risk—and finally believing he’s worthy of love just as he is—can he have the chance for both.


The Small Change series is set in the Middle of Somewhere universe and features crossover characters from that series. Each book can be read on its own.

Content This book contains explicit discussion of depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, and feelings of worthlessness.
]]> 220 Roan Parrish 0998967149 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.22 2018 Invitation to the Blues (Small Change, #2)
author: Roan Parrish
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Off the Ice (Hat Trick, #1) 35482402
Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.

But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.]]> 275 Avon Gale 1626496617 A.E. 0 3.63 2017 Off the Ice (Hat Trick, #1)
author: Avon Gale
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/04/06
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Graveyard Shift (Not Dead Yet #3)]]> 46155798 Shifting Into High Fear

Ghost/god Wes Cooper and his not-life partner, vampire Hudson Rojas, have settled into cohabitation in an upscale part of Toronto. So what if their hoity-toity new neighbors haven’t exactly rolled out the welcome mat for the paranormal pair? Their PI business is booming, and when a suspect they’ve been tailing winds up in the morgue, it’s alongside a rash of other shifters in apparent drug-related fatalities.

Now Wes and Hudson must connect the dots between the shifter deaths and an uptick in brutal vampire attacks across the city. Throw in a surprise visit from Hudson’s niece—who may or may not be on the run from European paranormal police (who may or may not exist)—and guardianship of a teen shifter who might be the key to solving the whole mystery (if only she could recover her memory), and Wes and Hudson have never been busier…or happier.

But when a nightmare from Hudson’s past comes back to haunt him, their weird, little found family is pushed to the brink. Mucking this up would mean Hudson and Wes missing their second chance at happily-forever-afterlife�



Not Dead Yet
Book 1: Not Dead Yet
Book 2: Give Up the Ghost
Book 3: Graveyard Shift

Ashes and Dust
Book 1: All Fired Up
Book 2: House on Fire
Book 3: Out of the Ashes

Chaos Station by Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen
Book 1: Chaos Station
Book 2: Lonely Shore
Book 3: Skip Trace
Book 4: Inversion Point
Book 5: Phase Shift]]> 259 Jenn Burke 1488036276 A.E. 0 4.21 2019 Graveyard Shift (Not Dead Yet #3)
author: Jenn Burke
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2023/02/08
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:

]]> Silent Sin 50908798
Robbie fled Idaho after a run-in with the law. A chance encounter leads him to the film studio where he lands a job as a chauffeur. But one look at Martin and he’s convinced he’s likely to run afoul of those same laws—laws that brand his desires indecent, deviant... sinful.

Martin and Robbie embark on a cautious relationship, cocooned in Hollywood’s clandestine gay fraternity, careful to hide from the studio boss, a rival actor, and reporters on the lookout for a juicy story. But when tragedy and scandal rock the town, igniting a morality-based witch hunt fueled by a remorseless press, the studio brass will sacrifice even the greatest careers to defend their endangered empire. Robbie and Martin stand no chance against the firestorm—unless they stand together.]]> 352 E.J. Russell 1947033085 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.02 2020 Silent Sin
author: E.J. Russell
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder and Mayhem (Murder and Mayhem, #1)]]> 24937601 Murder and Book One

Dead women tell no tales.

Former cat burglar Rook Stevens stole many a priceless thing in the past, but he’s never been accused of taking a life—until now. It was one thing to find a former associate inside Potter’s Field, his pop culture memorabilia shop, but quite another to stumble across her dead body.

Detective Dante Montoya thought he’d never see Rook Stevens again—not after his former partner falsified evidence to entrap the jewelry thief and Stevens walked off scot-free. So when he tackled a fleeing murder suspect, Dante was shocked to discover the blood-covered man was none other than the thief he’d fought to put in prison and who still makes his blood sing.

Rook is determined to shake loose the murder charge against him, even if it means putting distance between him and the rugged Cuban-Mexican detective who brought him down. If one dead con artist wasn’t bad enough, others soon follow, and as the bodies pile up around Rook’s feet, he's forced to reach out to the last man he’d expect to believe in his innocence—and the only man who’s ever gotten under Rook’s skin.]]> 236 Rhys Ford 1634762231 A.E. 0 4.07 2015 Murder and Mayhem (Murder and Mayhem, #1)
author: Rhys Ford
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2020/11/11
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Glitterland (Spires, #1) 17727137
Then a chance encounter at a stag party throws him into the arms of Essex boy Darian Taylor, an aspiring model who lives in a world of hair gel, fake tans, and fashion shows. By his own admission, Darian isn’t the crispest lettuce in the fridge, but he cooks a mean cottage pie and makes Ash laugh, reminding him of what it’s like to step beyond the boundaries of anxiety.

But Ash has been living in his own shadow for so long that he can’t see past the glitter to the light. Can a man who doesn’t trust himself ever trust in happiness? And how can a man who doesn’t believe in happiness ever fight for his own?]]> 248 Alexis Hall 1626490244 A.E. 0 4.14 2013 Glitterland (Spires, #1)
author: Alexis Hall
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2017/03/01
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Bonfires (Bonfires #1) 34389595 Book One

Ten years ago Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron George lost his wife and moved to Colton, hoping growing up in a small town would be better for his children. He’s gotten to know his community, including Mr. Larkin, the bouncy, funny science teacher. But when Larx is dragged unwillingly into administration, he stops coaching the track team and starts running alone. Aaron—who thought life began and ended with his kids—is distracted by a glistening chest and a principal running on a dangerous road.

Larx has been living for his kids too—and for his students at Colton High. He’s not ready to be charmed by Aaron, but when they start running together, he comes to appreciate the deputy’s steadiness, humor, and complete understanding of Larx’s priorities. Children first, job second, his own interests a sad last.

It only takes one kiss for two men approaching fifty to start acting like teenagers in love, even amid all the responsibilities they shoulder. Then an act of violence puts their burgeoning relationship on hold. The adult responsibilities they’ve embraced are now instrumental in keeping their town from exploding. When things come to a head, they realize their newly forged family might be what keeps the world from spinning out of control.]]> 280 Amy Lane 1635333415 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.21 2017 Bonfires (Bonfires #1)
author: Amy Lane
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Where There's a Kilt, There's a Way (Kilty Pleasures, #2)]]> 54824195 Sweden, 1930

Two years ago, Dr. Ainsley Graham proved the existence of ghosts, and fell in love—hard to top that. But a trip to Sweden to research at a prestigious University for the summer is nothing to sneeze at, especially since his partner, psychologist Joachim Cockburn, will be teaching alongside him. A change of scenery might be just the thing.

Their idyllic trip to Sweden is interrupted by a ghost with a proclivity for rude hand gestures and graphic curse words—and a ghastly history begging to be investigated. Life among the living is complicated, too, by a gruff professor who can’t take his eyes off Ainsley, and an enticing new job offer for Joachim.

What starts as an adventurous trip abroad turns into mayhem, murder, and…a magical moose? And everyone—well, perhaps not the moose—is a suspect in the death of the ghostly young man who brings them together to expose secrets, loves lost, and a crime that will shock them all]]> 265 Ella Stainton 1488076944 A.E. 5 mm-historical 3.69 Where There's a Kilt, There's a Way (Kilty Pleasures, #2)
author: Ella Stainton
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.69
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: mm-historical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Best Laid Plaids (Kilty Pleasures, #1)]]> 52739473 In 1920s Scotland, even ghosts wear plaid.

Welcome to a sexy, spooky new paranormal historical series from debut author Ella Stainton.

Scotland, 1928

Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric.

Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogues him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life's work.

But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley's intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland's most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he's not crazy--he just needs someone else to know it, too.

Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he's not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland's lovely--and definitely, definitely haunted--landscape, Joachim's resolve starts to melt. And he's beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed...]]> 332 Ella Stainton 1488076839 A.E. 0 3.61 Best Laid Plaids (Kilty Pleasures, #1)
author: Ella Stainton
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.61
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2021/02/10
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves:
review:

]]> Spectred Isle (Green Men, #1) 35118935
Randolph is the last of an ancient line of arcanists, commanding deep secrets and extraordinary powers as he struggles to fulfil his family duties in a war-torn world. He knows there's something odd going on with the haunted-looking man who keeps turning up in all the wrong places. The only question for Randolph is whether Saul is victim or villain.

Saul hasn’t trusted anyone in a long time. But as the supernatural threat grows, along with the desire between them, he’ll need to believe in evasive, enraging, devastatingly attractive Randolph. Because he may be the only man who can save Saul’s life—or his soul.]]> 271 K.J. Charles 0995799075 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.11 2017 Spectred Isle (Green Men, #1)
author: K.J. Charles
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book One (The Cadeleonian Series, #3)]]> 19455351 There, creatures of myth and witchcraft—long since driven from Cadeleon—lurk in dark woods and prowl the winding streets. Soldiers and priests alike fear the return of witch-queens and even demons. Elezar soon learns that magic takes many forms, some too alluring to resist, others too terrible to endure. But just as he begins to find his place in this strange new country, the past he left behind along with his school days returns to challenge him once again.
]]> 454 Ginn Hale 1935560336 A.E. 0 4.36 2014 Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book One (The Cadeleonian Series, #3)
author: Ginn Hale
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Small Change (Small Change, #1)]]> 34878010
Christopher Lucen opened a coffee and sandwich joint in South Philly because he wanted to be part of a community after years of running from place to place, searching for something he could never quite name. Now, he relishes the familiarity of knowing what his customers want, and giving it to them. But what he really wants now is love.

When they meet, Christopher is smitten, but Ginger � isn’t quite so sure. Christopher’s gorgeous, and kind, and their opposites-attract chemistry is off the charts. But hot sex is one thing—truly falling for someone? Terrifying. When her world starts to crumble around her, Ginger has to face the fact that this fight can only be won by being vulnerable—this fight, she can’t win on her own.

Small Change is the first in a series that is set in the Middle of Somewhere universe. It features crossover characters from that series but stands on its own. The Small Change series will include M/F and M/M romances.]]> 285 Roan Parrish 0998967114 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.02 2017 Small Change (Small Change, #1)
author: Roan Parrish
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Restless Spirits (Spirits, #1)]]> 23569031
The contest takes Henry to Reyhome Castle, the site of a series of brutal murders decades earlier. There he meets his rival for the prize, the dangerously appealing Vincent Night. Vincent is handsome, charming…and determined to get Henry into bed.

Henry can’t afford to fall for a spirit medium, let alone the competition. But nothing in the haunted mansion is quite as it seems, and soon winning the contest is the least of Henry’s concerns.

For the evil stalking the halls of Reyhome Castle wants to claim not just Henry and Vincent’s lives, but their very souls.

69,409 words - 2174 KB]]> 218 Jordan L. Hawk 1941230105 A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.98 2015 Restless Spirits (Spirits, #1)
author: Jordan L. Hawk
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders (Dragons and Blades, #1)]]> 53349060 From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a tale of dragons, and Fallen angels—and also kissing, sarcasm and stabbing.

Lunar New Year should be a time for familial reunions, ancestor worship, and consumption of an unhealthy amount of candied fruit.

But when dragon prince Thuan brings home his brooding and ruthless husband Asmodeus for the New Year, they find not interminable family gatherings, but a corpse outside their quarters. Asmodeus is thrilled by the murder investigation; Thuan, who gets dragged into the political plotting he’d sworn off when he left, is less enthusiastic.

It’ll take all of Asmodeus’s skill with knives, and all of Thuan’s diplomacy, to navigate this one—as well as the troubled waters of their own relationship�.

A sparkling standalone book set in a world of dark intrigue.

A Note on Chronology
Spinning off from the Dominion of the Fallen series, which features political intrigue in Gothic devastated Paris, this book stands alone, but chronologically follows The House of Sundering Flames. It’s High Gothic meets C-drama in a Vietnamese inspired world—perfect for fans of The Untamed, KJ Charles, and Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves]]> 122 Aliette de Bodard 1625674848 A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.83 2020 Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders (Dragons and Blades, #1)
author: Aliette de Bodard
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fish Stick Fridays (Half Moon Bay, #1)]]> 25832741
Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on. Zig deserves a better life than what he had, and Deacon is determined to give it to her.

Lang Harris is stunned when Zig, a little girl in combat boots and a purple tutu, blows into his bookstore, and then he’s left speechless when her uncle, Deacon Reid, walks in hot on her heels. Lang always played it safe, but Deacon tempts him to step over the line� just a little bit.

More than a little bit. And Lang is willing to be tempted.

Unfortunately, Zig isn’t the only bit of chaos dropped into Half Moon Bay. Violence and death strike, leaving Deacon scrambling to fight off a killer before he loses not only Zig but Lang too.]]> 204 Rhys Ford 1623809487 A.E. 4 3.95 2015 Fish Stick Fridays (Half Moon Bay, #1)
author: Rhys Ford
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Test of Valor (Valor, #2) 39818669 They’re free of the White House, but can their forbidden romance survive in the real world?

With his father no longer president, twenty-two-year-old Rafa Castillo can finally be with ex-Secret Service agent Shane Kendrick. Shane’s given up his career for Rafa, a move his fellow agents question the sanity and morality of. Eager to get away from the questions and judgement, Rafa and Shane are building a new life together in Australia. Though Shane struggles with nightmares and his over-protective instincts while Rafa fights his own insecurity, they love each other more than ever.

Now they just have to get through a visit from the former president and first lady.

Rafa’s parents certainly don’t approve of his romance with forty-year-old Shane, and they’re determined to make him see reason. They don’t see how their son could possibly be happy settling down with an older man, and they question Shane’s motives. Shane and Rafa just want a normal life together—but when they must suddenly battle for survival, they fight to prove their fierce love can withstand any threat.

This gay romance from Keira Andrews is the conclusion of the Valor duology. It features a May-December age difference, sex on the beach, and of course a happy ending.]]> 240 Keira Andrews 1988260337 A.E. 0 3.91 2018 Test of Valor (Valor, #2)
author: Keira Andrews
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2021/01/02
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Engineer (Magic & Steam, #1)]]> 48612064
Gunner is also stalking Shallow Grave in search of Tinkerer, who will stop at nothing to take control of the town’s silver mines. Neither Gillian nor Gunner are willing to let Tinkerer hurt more innocent people, so they agree to a very temporary partnership.

If facing illegal magic, Gatling gun contraptions, and a wild engineer in America’s frontier wasn’t enough trouble for a city boy, Gillian must also come to terms with the reality that he’s rather fond of his partner. But even if they live through this adventure, Gillian fears there’s no chance for love between a special agent and outlaw.

Based on the short story, "Gunner the Deadly." Entirely revised, newly expanded, and Book One in the exciting new steampunk series, Magic & Steam.]]> 94 C.S. Poe 195213319X A.E. 0 3.97 2020 The Engineer (Magic & Steam, #1)
author: C.S. Poe
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/27
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lost In Time (Lost in Time 1920s, #1)]]> 37805701
London in 1919 is cold, wet, and tired from four years of war. Alec is back in the Metropolitan Police after slogging out his army service on the Western Front. Falling for a suspect in a gruesome murder case is not on his agenda, however attractive he finds the other man.

Both men are floundering and out of their depth, struggling to come to terms with feelings they didn't ask for and didn't expect. Both have secrets that could get them arrested or killed. In the middle of a murder investigation that involves wild magic, mysterious creatures, and illegal sexual desire, who is safe to trust?]]> 212 A.L. Lester 1634865316 A.E. 0 3.38 2017 Lost In Time (Lost in Time 1920s, #1)
author: A.L. Lester
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/12/30
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Blood From a Stoner 36286224 A paranormal gay romance with vampires & weed. In Seattle. Obviously. ***

Greg Dawson’s not sure which he regrets more—becoming a vampire or becoming a software engineer. Immortality? Not all it’s cracked up to be. The job? Way more headache than it’s worth, especially on those increasingly frequent nights when he’s overworked and hangry. With a deadline looming and his hunger growing, he’s nearing the end of his tether. Then relief comes from an unexpected source—Zane Webber, the hot programmer Greg’s been fantasizing about for two years.

Disregarding company policy, Zane lets him feed, but kind of forgets to mention he’s got some weed in his system. The next thing Greg knows, he’s high as a kite� and he likes it. He wants more. Except how much of that high is secondhand weed, and how much is the electric and undeniable chemistry between him and Zane?

That chemistry draws them back to each other again and again, and suddenly their downtime is full of sex, smoke, feeding� and emotions. The only problem is that Zane’s a mortal. If they’re in this for the long haul, then Greg has to either turn Zane or accept a future of watching him wither and die. Greg doesn’t want to lose Zane, but he also can’t stomach condemning him to this “life.�

And if they can’t find some middle ground, they’ll have no choice but to let their love go up in smoke.

This novella is approximately 26,000 words.]]> 129 L.A. Witt 1944426035 A.E. 0 3.77 2017 Blood From a Stoner
author: L.A. Witt
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2020/09/12
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Druid Next Door (Fae Out of Water, #2)]]> 34857549
Former Queen’s Enforcer Mal Kendrick doesn’t think his life could get any worse: he’s been exiled from Faerie with a cursed and useless right hand. When he’s not dodging random fae assassins in the Outer World, he’s going toe-to-toe with his tree-hugging neighbor. And when he discovers that the tree-hugger is really a druid, he’s certain the gods have it in for him—after all, there’s always a catch with druids. Then he’s magically shackled to the man and expected to instruct him in Supernatural 101.

All right, now things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Until a mysterious stranger offers a drunken Mal the chance to gain back all he’s lost—for a price. After Mal accepts, he discovers the real catch: an ancient secret that will change his and Bryce’s life forever.

Ah, what the hells. Odds are they won’t survive the week anyway.]]> 328 E.J. Russell 1626496218 A.E. 0 3.99 2017 The Druid Next Door (Fae Out of Water, #2)
author: E.J. Russell
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/21
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves:
review:

]]> Blind Tiger (The Pride, #1) 57127534
When Sam Cunningham flees his small-town life to try his luck in the big city of Chicago, he quickly finds himself in over his head in a world of gangs, glitz, and glamour. Fortunately, he has his cousin Eldon to teach him the trade of hex-making.

Everything changes the night Sam visits The Pride speakeasy and meets grumpy cheetah-shifter Alistair Gatti. After losing his first witch to the horrors of the World War, Alistair isn’t interested in any new entanglements, romantic or magical. Especially when said entanglement comes in the form of kind, innocent Sam.

When Eldon is brutally murdered, Sam becomes drawn into the dark underworld of the Chicago gangs. Sam must find the missing hex Eldon created for one of the crime bosses—before whoever killed Eldon comes back for him.

Together, Alistair and Sam begin the search for the mysterious hex, diving deep into the seedy side of Chicago’s underworld while dodging rival gangs. And as they come to rely on one another, Alistair realizes he’s falling for the one man he can’t afford to love.]]> 220 Jordan L. Hawk 1941230482 A.E. 5 pnr-uf 4.01 2021 Blind Tiger (The Pride, #1)
author: Jordan L. Hawk
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves: pnr-uf
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Man & Beast (The Savage Land, #1)]]> 31949205
The year is 1797, and 24-year-old John Chapman is lost on the American frontier with winter falling fast. Near death, he stumbles upon a lone cabin, and the owner, a rugged but sexy frontiersman named Daniel McQuay, agrees to let John winter over.

John and Daniel quickly find themselves drawn to each other, the sex between them unlike anything John has ever known. But as the weeks turn into snowbound months, Daniel begins to change into someone brutish, and the line between man and beast disappears.

With the arrival of spring, John flees, eventually finding refuge in the company of a group of frontier outcasts, including a brash young settler named Palmer. But in the wilds of this savage land, love is not so easily tamed, and John soon finds himself calling upon the raging animal within him to save the man he loves.

Man & Beast, which The Advocate calls “equal parts romance novel and history lesson, heaped with sex and violence,� is the first book in the Savage Lands, a series that celebrates the untold gay history of the American frontier. Man & Beast is for fans of Harper Fox, Jerry Cole, K.J. Charles, and Mary Renault, as well as anyone who enjoys pulse-pounding suspense and romance.

(Man & Beast was previously published under the title Frontiers.)]]> 368 Michael Jensen 1370913885 A.E. 5 3.88 2016 Man & Beast (The Savage Land, #1)
author: Michael Jensen
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2016/12/19
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bad Boy's Bard (Fae Out of Water, #3)]]> 34857523 Book three in the Fae Out of Water series

As far as rock star Gareth Kendrick, the last true bard in Faerie, is concerned, the only good Unseelie is . . . well . . . there’s no such thing. Two centuries ago, an Unseelie lord abducted Gareth’s human lover, Niall, and Gareth has neither forgotten nor forgive.

Niall O’Tierney, half-human son of the Unseelie King, had never lost a wager until the day he swore to rid the Seelie court of its bard. That bet cost him his freedom, his family—and his heart. When he’s suddenly face-to-face with Gareth at the ceremony to join the Seelie and Unseelie realms, Niall does the only thing inhumanly he fakes amnesia. Not his finest hour, perhaps, but he never revealed his Unseelie heritage, and to tell the truth now would be to risk Gareth’s revulsion—far harder to bear than two hundred years of imprisonment.

Then a new threat to Gareth’s life arises, and he and Niall stage a mad escape into the Outer World, only to discover the fate of all fae resting on their shoulders. But before they can save the realm, they have to tackle something really mending their own broken relationship.

Word 77,000; page 301
]]> 264 E.J. Russell 1626496234 A.E. 0 3.89 2017 Bad Boy's Bard (Fae Out of Water, #3)
author: E.J. Russell
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/22
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding (Coda, #6; Strawberries for Dessert, #2)]]> 17915534 The long-awaited sequel to Strawberries for Dessert.

Families should grow, not shrink. It’s been on Jon Kechter’s mind since before he tied the knot with his millionaire lover, Cole Fenton. Now hoping to adopt, Jon and Cole search for a mother-to-be willing to let them love her baby, but the interminable wait is wearing on them both.

Jon is close to his father, George, but until Cole, he didn’t have anyone else. Now George is pushing Cole to reconcile with his estranged mother. When the three of them spend Christmas with her in Munich, the results are disastrous. Jon and Cole resolve to stay positive, but no hope exists without a tinge of fear. Jon and Cole can’t help but wonder if their dream of being parents just wasn’t meant to be.]]> 139 Marie Sexton 1623805554 A.E. 3 4.15 2013 Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding (Coda, #6; Strawberries for Dessert, #2)
author: Marie Sexton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Thieves' World: First Blood (Thieves' World, #1-2)]]> 113111 Lynn Abbey
Poul Anderson
Marion Zimmer Bradley
John Brunner
David Drake
Philip Jose Farmer
Joe Haldeman
Janet Morris
Andrew J. Offutt
A. E.van Vogt]]> 460 Lynn Abbey 031287488X A.E. 0 to-read 3.96 Thieves' World: First Blood (Thieves' World, #1-2)
author: Lynn Abbey
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.96
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Doctor (Magic & Steam #3) 57616747
Rumors of a doctor, known only as Sawbones, with access to illegal magic have persisted into the new year. Gillian believes that violence, chaos, and certain death will befall New York City if this criminal isn’t apprehended. And despite having lost his sense of purpose, Gillian knows he’s the only one capable of confronting this new madman—with or without the backing of the FBMS.

But such dangers should never be undertaken alone. Gillian will need both Gunner’s deadeye marksmanship, as well as his love, if he’s to detain Sawbones before irreparable damage is done to the magic of his world.]]> 255 C.S. Poe 1952133386 A.E. 0 4.39 2022 The Doctor (Magic & Steam #3)
author: C.S. Poe
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/27
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Printmaking Unleashed: More Than 50 Techniques for Expressive Mark Making]]> 23071209 130 Traci Bautista 1440333939 A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.71 2014 Printmaking Unleashed: More Than 50 Techniques for Expressive Mark Making
author: Traci Bautista
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest]]> 15791459 369 A. Lee Martinez 0316226440 A.E. 0 4.04 2013 Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest
author: A. Lee Martinez
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2022/09/10
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Winter Oranges (Winter Magic, #1)]]> 26117781 A Love for the Holidays charity novel

Jason Walker is a child star turned teen heartthrob turned reluctant B-movie regular who’s sick of his failing career. So he gives up Hollywood for northern Idaho, far away from the press, the drama of LA, and the best friend he’s secretly been in love with for years.

There’s only one problem with his new a strange young man only he can see is haunting his guesthouse. Except Benjamin Ward isn’t a ghost. He’s a man caught out of time, trapped since the Civil War in a magical prison where he can only watch the lives of those around him. He’s also sweet, funny, and cute as hell, with an affinity for cheesy �80s TV shows. And he’s thrilled to finally have someone to talk to.

But Jason quickly discovers that spending all his time with a man nobody else can see or hear isn’t without its problems—especially when the tabloids find him again and make him front-page news. The local sheriff thinks he’s on drugs, and his best friend thinks he’s crazy. But Jason knows he hasn’t lost his mind. Too bad he can’t say the same thing about his heart.

* * * * * * *

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website at glbthotline.org.]]> 325 Marie Sexton 162649357X A.E. 4 romance 4.08 2015 Winter Oranges (Winter Magic, #1)
author: Marie Sexton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Jackdaw (The World of A Charm of Magpies)]]> 34861586 If you stop running, you fall.

Jonah Pastern is a magician, a liar, a windwalker, a professional thief…and for six months, he was the love of police constable Ben Spenser’s life. His betrayal left Ben jailed, ruined, alone, and looking for revenge.

Ben is determined to make Jonah pay. But he can’t seem to forget what they once shared, and Jonah refuses to let him. Soon Ben is entangled in Jonah’s chaotic existence all over again, and they’re running together—from the police, the justiciary, and some dangerous people with a lethal grudge against them.

Threatened on all sides by betrayals, secrets, and the laws of the land, the policeman and the thief must find a way to live and love before the past catches up with them...

A Charm of Magpies linked story, set after Flight of Magpies. Previously published by Samhain.]]> 222 K.J. Charles 0995799059 A.E. 5 4.25 2015 Jackdaw (The World of A Charm of Magpies)
author: K.J. Charles
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/05
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pros & Cons of Vengeance (Pros & Cons #1)]]> 43606374 REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED PUBLICLY

A disgraced army ranger seeking redemption. An innocent college student caught in the crosshairs. Can their love survive a mission to expose a powerful senator with a secret he’ll kill to keep?â…â…â…â…

There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time. Since job number one calls for some muscle, ±ő’m up first.

±ő’m Steele Alvarez, ex-Special Forces Close Protection Specialist (aka, a bodyguard for some not so nice guys). My job is to take down a powerful senator who talks a big â€down with the gaysâ€� game in public but, behind closed doors, gets off on beating up the young male prostitutes his handlers procure for him.

Yeah. ±ő’m in. No questions. A bullet ought to do the trick.

Then I meet Breck Pfeiffer, a gorgeous college kid who made a few really bad decisions and now finds himself in the senator’s crosshairs. One look at him and ±ő’m gone. That kid laid me out harder than any punch ever did. I’ll do anything for him.

But Breck says death is too good for the slimebag. He wants vengeance.

I can do that, but ±ő’m going to need all the help I can get. Luckily, I don’t have to do it alone.

FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION.

One thing’s for they're no angels.]]> 331 A.E. Wasp A.E. 5 4.11 2018 Pros & Cons of Vengeance (Pros & Cons #1)
author: A.E. Wasp
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/06/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Boy Toys (Hot Off the Ice, #4)]]> 52969202 An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

Boy Toys is a heart-warming Christmas story featuring the inappropriate use of a Santa suit, sibling bribery, and ninety separate instances of the f-word.

10 siblings, 7 fish courses, 6 hockey players, 5 cousins, 4 calling birds, 3 spouses, 2 houses & 1 night that changes everything.

Betrayed by first his body and then his girlfriend, Liam O’Reilly, assistant coach of the Seattle Thunder, is not having a very merry Christmas. So when a smoking hot hockey player in a Santa suit offers himself up like a present begging to be opened? Well, it’s a freaking Christmas miracle.]]> 108 A.E. Wasp A.E. 0 4.10 2017 Boy Toys (Hot Off the Ice, #4)
author: A.E. Wasp
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2021/02/08
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City Boy (Hot Off the Ice, #1)]]> 52969144 An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

City Boy is a first time gay, fish out of water, May/December love story with a happy ending. It features snarky siblings, a dirty-talking farmer, lots of food, and big choices. (No poultry was harmed in the making of this book.)

When a blown tire leads directly to mind-blowing sex with a white knight named Dakota, pro-hockey player Bryce Lowery discovers he is most definitely gay.

Being with Dakota opens up a whole new world and Bryce can’t imagine life without him. But Dakota refuses to be Bryce's dirty little secret. If he wants to keep his new love, he’s either going to have to come out publicly or retire and walk away from a contract worth millions of dollars.

Follow the money or follow his heart? Either way, he loses.]]> 414 A.E. Wasp A.E. 5 4.09 2017 City Boy (Hot Off the Ice, #1)
author: A.E. Wasp
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves:
review:

]]> The Handmaid's Tale 222326 A gripping vision of our society radically overturned by a theocratic revolution, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale has become one of the most powerful and most widely read novels of our time.

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife. She may go out once a day to markets whose signs are now pictures because women are not allowed to read. She must pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, for in a time of declining birthrates her value lies in her fertility, and failure means exile to the dangerously polluted Colonies. Offred can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name. Now she navigates the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life in breaking the rules.

Like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Handmaid's Tale has endured not only as a literary landmark but as a warning of a possible future that is still chillingly relevant.

]]> 395 Margaret Atwood A.E. 5 4.13 1985 The Handmaid's Tale
author: Margaret Atwood
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/11/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Casting Light (Shadow's Lure, #2)]]> 195094782 Bastian
When life dragged me down, I assumed I’d never get back up. I never guessed that Andras—the dark magic user I was always told to fear—would not only give me a helping hand but draw me into his arms and protect me from those who wished to harm me.

I never imagined that Andras and his “danger noodle� would be there to make me laugh, to care about me, and show me what it means to be loved. But now, the two of us have to prove to the Casters that we won’t be knocked down. Not when we don’t know who we can trust� and when there’s something darker coming for all of us.

Andras
As the hunt for the book that started all of this comes to a head, our enemies are getting closer, but so is the truth of what happened when my light magic was taken years ago. While they’ve fought to tear us apart, they’ve done nothing but draw us together as well as nearer to the truth.

±ő’m determined to finish this so I can get my happy ever after with the man I love and show him all of the little things he missed out in life. Oh, and so he can make me more chili.

Casting Light is the thrilling and humorous conclusion to the Shadow’s Lure duology.]]> 350 Alice Winters A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.38 Casting Light (Shadow's Lure, #2)
author: Alice Winters
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Poisonwood (Poisonwood & Lyric #1)]]> 52296454
A bear alone.

Jasper Jones is Lyric’s most pitiful incubus. He can’t feed and doesn’t want to if it means hurting people. When a witch gives him a chance at breaking the cycle of hunger, he rushes half cocked into the woods in search of a cure.

Caleb moved into Poisonwood Forest to escape the crowded city of Lyric, but it’s lonely by himself. He doesn’t expect to find his mate when he trips over an unconscious young man in the middle of the woods, but there he is, perfect—except for a peculiar fondness for processed cookies.

Their only problem is that Jasper’s sick, and when he doesn’t get better, his one shot at survival is in the hands of a bear shifter who’ll do anything to save him.]]> 113 Sam Burns A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.75 2020 Poisonwood (Poisonwood & Lyric #1)
author: Sam Burns
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> How to Say I Do 172112406 Opposites attract, sure. But when Manhattan glitz collides with Texas grit, will love be enough?

±·´ÇĂ«±ô:
Manhattan is my heart and soul. In the cutthroat world of elite public relations, ±ő’m one of the princes. I manage global superstars, predict the up-and-coming trends, easy. And social media? That’s my specialty. I can make you, hon, and launch you straight to the stratosphere. My life is champagne glitter and starlight, and everything around me is gold. But then, my own wedding bells turn into alarm bells, and suddenly, I'm off to Cancunâ€�alone. Alone with a first-class ticket to a honeymoon for one. All that gold? Tarnished tin. Everything I thought I knew? Gone.

Cancun is supposed to be where I obliterate myself on margaritas and tropical waves. Forget the past, shake off the pain, and look ahead. It's my strategy, always has been. But beneath it all, I long for someone to see the real me, the NoĂ«l I’ve hidden away for years. ±ő’m so damn lonely.

And then I meet Wyatt.

He’s nothing like me. He’s a rancher from Texas, he can’t tell me whether high waist jeans are in or out, and he’d rather work his fields than rub elbows with celebs. Velvet rope lines and VIP access are meaningless to him. He’s also kinder than me, and altruistic in a way I haven’t seen since cargo pants died as a trend in the early 2000s. He’s the best man I’ve ever met.

And that’s a problem, because all of his big-hearted warmth and Texas gentleness is drawing me in. I'm desperate to surrender, but I can’t. Good things aren’t meant for me. ±ő’m no good for Wyatt. In fact, ±ő’m his looming heartbreak.

So why am I kissing him?

Wyatt:
±ő’m a man of the land, made from the Texas soil I work on, strengthened by the vineyard I tend to. It's a world I've carefully nurtured, a balm for the wounds of my past. This life hasn’t been easy, but it’s mine. ±ő’m fiercely protective of the world I’ve built for me, my brother, his fiancĂ©e, and my nephew. The four of us are everything that matters to me, and my life and my cares extend to my cross fences and the edges of my range. Everything else out there? It’s all just dust in the wind.

And then Noël blows into my life.

±ő’m gone. Captivated, spun around, tipped upside down and torn apart. I can’t breathe; being around NoĂ«l makes me feel like ±ő’m sixteen again and hiding all my secret fantasies and unspoken desires. ±ő’m down in Cancun with my family, and this isn’t the time to be falling for a guy, but how can you not fall head over heels when the man of your dreams walks into your world?

Noël’s many multi-hued layers fascinate me and perplex me, and I want to spend every minute unraveling him. Noël's life is glittering gold, and mine is Texas soil, but I can learn to understand Manhattan, pop culture, and celebrities if that means I get to be Noël's man.

But does Noël feel the same? What is this between us? Is it just a week that we both need, a Pause on life, out here in this place so far removed from our real lives? Or is this the start of something new and huge and life-changing for the two of us? What am I seeing in Noël's eyes when he looks at me?

And what’s going to happen when this week ends?

***

How to Say I Do is an opposites-attract, slow-burn, bi-awakening, rom-com-meets-heartfelt romance love story full of swoony beach vacation vibes, laugh-out-loud moments, and grab-your-chest heartache. Add a sprinkle of fake husbands, second chance romance, small town vibes, and celebrity shenanigans, and you’ve got the makings of Wyatt and Noël’s love story.

Pour yourself into the sand and sun and enjoy Noël and Wyatt’s journey to their Happy Ever After.]]> 406 Tal Bauer A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.44 2023 How to Say I Do
author: Tal Bauer
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dead Tired (Cold Case Psychic #23)]]> 195471538
Still reeling over his sudden mediumship abilities, Ronan and the cold case team begin working a new investigation involving a nurse who was found murdered after a blind date. Complicating matters further, Ronan can see the young woman’s spirit, while Tennyson cannot, leaving the psychic to grapple with this blow to his confidence.

The hunt is on for Amber Thomas’s killer. Ronan is pulling double duty working the case and speaking with demanding spirits who won’t give him a moment’s peace. As the investigation deepens, the list of potential suspects grows. From Amber’s best friend, to her high school sweetheart, nursing school professors, and that fateful blind date, no one’s as innocent as they seem.

Who murdered the young nurse? Why? More importantly, will Ronan’s new ability lead him to Amber’s killer?]]> 176 Pandora Pine A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.56 2023 Dead Tired (Cold Case Psychic #23)
author: Pandora Pine
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love for the Reaper (The Elite)]]> 123268205
Until Remy Corbin gets into his car.

Remy is just a regular guy working a regular bartending job. At least, that’s what he thought before walking in on his boss taking someone out. Witnessing the assassination paints a target on Remy’s back, and when the bullets fly, he jumps into a stranger’s car.

Dev has no intention of getting involved in Remy’s problems, but something about the guy brings out protective instincts Dev didn’t know he had. Going against his better judgment, Dev vows to keep Remy alive.

Can wild nights fueled by danger and explosive passion lead to more? Or will the hitman on their tail cut their romance–and lives–short?

Love for the Reaper is a part of the multi-author series The Elite. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Anonymous, a club beneath the gritty city where only the elite are welcome.]]> 86 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.98 Love for the Reaper (The Elite)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.98
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Killer Heart (Cursed Hearts #1)]]> 74028021 alternate cover editions can be found here and here

Raised to hate them. Trained to kill them.

Witches are evil. They’re everything that’s wrong with this world. My unit is tasked with finding and killing each and every one of them.

Until he comes along. Caleb Carlyle.

My next target.

Silver hair, small with a big-boy attitude, and an offer I can’t refuse. Trade my cursed, frozen heart for his broken one.

When we join forces, witches and hunters turn against us. Now we have to rely on each other for survival and I know this won’t end well.

Rule number one of witch-hunting? Never trust a witch.

Even when he comes in such a gorgeous package.

Yet his honesty surprises me every step of the way.

Is it all a lie? Or are there darker forces at play here? And if witches aren’t evil, who is?

Killer Heart is the first book in a gay urban fantasy romance series.
It’s filled to the brim with magic, heart-pumping action, and steamy times.
Book 1 contains enemies-to-lovers and bi-awakening and ends on a HFN minor cliffhanger.

Read now and immerse yourself in the curse of a lifetime.]]> 340 Rhys Lawless A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.72 2019 Killer Heart (Cursed Hearts #1)
author: Rhys Lawless
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> For Real (X Club, #1) 59739397
Ash is a high-powered San Francisco real estate agent by day, Professional Dom by night. They live their life gender-queer and proud, but sex-work has gotten old. Will they ever be able to quit Pro-Domming and do kink for fun again?

Jefferson “Flowers� Flores is bitter from twenty years in the military and trying to find where he fits in the world. He's finally out of the Army and out of the closet; looking for love, hopeful but cynical in a new city where he doesn't feel like he belongs.

When one of Ash's clients has a video of their scene released, his criminal family is out for blood. Flowers steps up to protect Ash and keeps them safe as the feelings for each other grow. Can they really be what the other needs in the middle of running for their lives?]]> 190 R.A. Frick A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.15 For Real (X Club, #1)
author: R.A. Frick
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: The Complete Works (Princes of Mayhem)]]> 197712952 456 Jocelynn Drake A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.45 How the Necromancer in the Gold Vest Saved My Life: The Complete Works (Princes of Mayhem)
author: Jocelynn Drake
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Lady of Spirit (Magnificent Devices, #6)]]> 22081829
You can choose your friends, but you cannot choose your family � or can you?

Under normal circumstances, Maggie and Lizzie would be delighted to meet their long-lost relatives and be reunited with those who had believed them dead, but when are the Mopsies� circumstances ever to be considered normal? With her half-brother Claude Seacombe, Lizzie travels to Cornwall to meet her mother’s parents. Maggie goes along, too, since she is part of the family � or so one might assume. But the more time she spends in her grandparents� clifftop mansion, the more she realizes that something is not right, and the events surrounding her own mother’s death are more mysterious—and dangerous—than anyone alive suspects.

For an old nemesis is preying on the weak and proud, and no matter how well dressed or well educated a young lady might be, she cannot stand by and watch evil destroy a beloved cousin’s future. Maggie must straighten her spine and plunge into danger for Lizzie’s sake � and prove that no matter the name she bears, she is first and foremost what the Lady of Devices believes her to be � a lady of spirit.]]> 272 Shelley Adina A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.24 2014 A Lady of Spirit (Magnificent Devices, #6)
author: Shelley Adina
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cast in Shadows (Shadow's Lure, #1)]]> 181991108 Andras
When the light-magic users known as Casters took everything from me, I vowed to make them pay.

Little did I know the perfect opportunity would show up in the form of a sweet Caster the moment I took his arrow to the heartâ€� literally. Bastian knows that ±ő’m made of dark magic, the very thing he’s been taught to destroy. But instead of turning away from me, he takes a chance on me, leading me behind the walls of the group out to kill me.

Bastian makes me remember that there’s more to life than revenge—although I can’t help but love the look he gives me when I cause chaos. But what I don't realize is there's someone who's been watching me, someone only Bastian can help me fight.


Bastian
How is it that a man wielding dark magic is the only one who can save me?

Even though Andras goes against everything I fight for, I can’t stop myself from drawing him into my life.

What’s worse is that it’s clear he wants something from the Casters, but when he makes me laugh and feel like ±ő’m living for the first time in my life, it’s impossible to turn him away.

When I find myself caught in a web of lies between those I trusted and those I feared, I realize the only one I can rely on is the one person who’s forbidden.

Cast in Shadows contains an antihero with no filter and a strange obsession with chili, a “pet� who sleeps through all the excitement, and possibly the least romantic movie date ever.]]> 363 Alice Winters A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.32 2023 Cast in Shadows (Shadow's Lure, #1)
author: Alice Winters
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/30
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dealing Him In (The Kings: Royal Flush #1)]]> 195416247 Play with fire, and you’ll get burned.

Santos “Saint� Cavallero had his life all figured out when he married his high school sweetheart, joined the Navy, and became a SEAL. After years of being deployed, Saint comes home for good, only to discover his wife has fallen for another man. Now divorced and a bodyguard for Four Kings Security, Saint loves his job and his found family. His dating life? A hot mess, until the spark of an unexpected attraction strikes him like lightning, leaving Saint confused. Why is he feeling hot and bothered over the ruggedly handsome Fire Chief?

After twenty years of service, Valentino “Val� Serrano is passing his fire ax on to the next Fire Chief. His retirement starts off with a bang, literally. Val is saved by the young, hot bodyguard he’s been dreaming of for longer than he cares to admit, but Saint is straight, isn’t he?

Val and Saint get roped into working on Val’s tavern, but Val is determined not to let Saint get under his skin. He’s been here before, and he’s not about to risk his heart, no matter how hot and flirty Saint is. When a killer sets his sights on Val and puts everyone he cares about in harm’s way, there’s suddenly more at risk than their hearts. If Val and Saint don’t stop the killer, their whole world could burn to the ground, and the possibility of a future together will go up in smoke.]]> 267 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.30 2023 Dealing Him In (The Kings: Royal Flush #1)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Solstice (The Lake Prophet Mysteries, #1)]]> 183765531 From the dramatic peaks of the Olympic mountain range to the small town of Prophet, murder is only a footstep away.

Gabriel is a former undercover cop haunted by the things he’s seen and done. He returns to his small hometown of Prophet, taking on the role of sheriff, hoping to mend his fractured relationship with his estranged brother and rebuild his life. But when a chilling murder occurs at Sentinel Rocks, a sacred Makah site on Lake Prophet, Gabriel’s dreams of peace and reconciliation are shattered.

Gabriel navigates a web of intrigue, where suspects abound; from local tribal elders to fervent Solstice worshippers and even those hunting the elusive Big Foot. When the brutal murder leaves Duke, a loyal Labrador retriever, as the sole witness, Gabriel stumbles upon an unexpected ally—a local animal behaviorist named Tiber.

Tiber, a newcomer to Prophet, seeks refuge in this remote haven, attempting to escape his own inner demons. Armed with his extraordinary ability to communicate with animals, he offers his expertise through video consultations, helping pet owners with their beloved companions. While he attributes his skill to his academic background, his intuition and flashes of insight owe as much to his Navajo heritage as to science.

With the relentless rain washing away sins and good intentions alike, Gabriel and Tiber must begin to confront their own vulnerabilities and unravel the truth.
]]> 274 Eli Easton A.E. 0 4.15 2023 Solstice (The Lake Prophet Mysteries, #1)
author: Eli Easton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/27
date added: 2023/08/27
shelves:
review:

]]> House of Many Ways 6574028
By opening that door, Charmain has become responsible for not only the house, but for an extremely magical stray dog, a muddled young apprentice wizard, and a box of the king's most treasured documents. She has encountered a terrifying beast called a lubbock, irritated a clan of small blue creatures, and wound up smack in the middle of an urgent search. The king and his daughter are desperate to find the lost, fabled Elfgift—so desperate that they've even called in an intimidating sorceress named Sophie to help. And where Sophie is, can the Wizard Howl and fire demon Calcifer be far behind?

Of course, with that magical family involved, there's bound to be chaos—and unexpected revelations.

No one will be more surprised than Charmain by what Howl and Sophie discover.]]> 338 Diana Wynne Jones A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.31 2008 House of Many Ways
author: Diana Wynne Jones
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Breaking Point 600278 486 Mary Roberts Rinehart 1594565031 A.E. 0 to-read 3.60 1922 The Breaking Point
author: Mary Roberts Rinehart
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1922
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Curves for Days (Big Love from Galway, #1)]]> 86490216
How is Rose Barnes supposed to build the home (and life) of her dreams when her big, burly contractor keeps scowling at her?

Rose Barnes has got curves for days—and to Angus Drummond, the big, bearded contractor working on her new house, she's the perfect thorn in his side. Little does she know Angus is perturbed on a daily basis by his attraction to this cheery, smart-ass woman with her sunshiny enthusiasm, her kindness, and her beautiful body.

Angus feels he has a debt to pay to the world and doesn't deserve love until he pays it. Best to keep his mind on his work and his hands to himself. But the more Rose sees of Angus's gruff, honorable thoughtfulness, and the more rusty laughter she surprises from him, the more she wants him too.

As their unlikely friendship becomes love, antagonism turns to partnership, and Rose's house becomes a home. But Rose is keeping a secret that could blow up everything with Angus, and sure enough, it comes to light at the worst possible time...]]> 335 Laura Moher 1728278066 A.E. 0 3.82 2023 Curves for Days (Big Love from Galway, #1)
author: Laura Moher
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/22
date added: 2023/08/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Step Right Up (Carnival of Mysteries)]]> 157622932
Then a mysterious carnival rolls into town, and Jason and Ahmed can’t resist going. Not even if Ahmed’s boyfriend can be depended on to make everybody miserable.

When Ahmed wins a strange prize from an even stranger carnival game, weird things start happening. First, a mishap with a friend’s newly purchased love potion. Then a cascade of steadily worsening bad luck starts to rain down on every corner of Ahmed’s life. Though he doesn’t believe in the paranormal, he can’t help but wonder if his prize is cursed. Just to be safe, he throws it away.

But it comes back. And it keeps coming back.

Upon learning about the prize that won’t go away, Jason suggests the only solution he can think return it to the place it came from.

Now Ahmed and Jason are on a mission to get rid of the cursed prize� assuming they can find that game again.

Step Right Up is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains some long overdue friends to lovers, a strangely insightful caricaturist, and a little magical realism.]]> 222 L.A. Witt 1642301493 A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.76 2023 Step Right Up (Carnival of Mysteries)
author: L.A. Witt
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Magic Burning (Carnival of Mysteries)]]> 157842008 Alan

I haven't been out with a guy in the last two years. Partly because I'm a gay elementary-school teacher in a fairly small, conservative town. Partly because I'm a sorcerer, and dating ordinary humans only leads to trouble. Sleeping with one though? That's doable, so when my birdbrained familiar Sunny lines up a tall, muscular firefighter for me, I'm not going to say no. Just once, though. Maybe twice. I don't need more trouble in my life.

Jason
I don't regret moving back to my hometown and my big family. Well, not much. I'm not out to them, and I miss the anonymity of the big city, but I like the local fire house and the slower-paced life. Still, when I see my niece's teacher, Mr. Hiranchai, in gray sweatpants talking to a mini-parrot on his shoulder, something inside me (or maybe something in front of me) perks up and says "I want that one." I can't have an actual boyfriend, but I sure wouldn't mind getting laid, and Alan's slim, dark-haired, smart-assed style rings all my bells.

It's no surprise we turn out to be great together, even if my job and his responsibilities make it hard to find time. It is a surprise when I realize I want more than just an occasional night. But some weird fires out in the brush keep us firefighters hopping, and when this strange carnival comes to town and lands me with a pair of magical doll shoes, life gets truly confusing. There's more to Alan than he's telling me, and I'm getting a bad, bad feeling about all this.

Magic Burning is a story in the Necromancer universe, 60 years after Marked by Death, and is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a snarky, matchmaking bird, a lonely young teacher, and a gay firefighter finally coming out to his large family.]]> 323 Kaje Harper A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.33 2023 Magic Burning (Carnival of Mysteries)
author: Kaje Harper
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Accidentally August 193745855 August
±ő’m not supposed to have a crush on Crispin Tate. He’s my brother’s best friend, and he’s also gorgeous and perfect in every way... except for his horrible taste in men. And the fact he’s ten years too old for me. Falling for Crispin at sixteen was a surefire way to break my own heart, but I convinced myself one day I’ll get over my unrequited crush. Only, I don’t. I grow up and fall even deeper in love with a man who knows I exist, but won’t ever want me *like that*.
Crispin
Sometimes I think the only thing I’ve ever done right was rebuff August’s advances, because other than that, my life has been a complete mess. I married the wrong person, which led to a divorce that was the opposite of amicable. Then, one day in the middle of it all, August Shaughnessy grew up and grew into himself, but he didn’t outgrow the way he used to look at me when he was a teenager. It’s hard to not like him because he’s smart and funny and kind—he’s everything I ever wanted.
Now that he’s a grown man, the years between us hardly seem to matter. I can only hope that everyone else in our lives feels the same way because one morning I woke up and realized I’d accidentally fallen in love with August.]]> 194 E.M. Denning A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.21 Accidentally August
author: E.M. Denning
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The King's Delight (Tales of Lilleforth, #1)]]> 75384100
Felix Hobson left the kingdom of Lilleforth as a teenager to train as a groom. While he was away he learned a lot, and not all of it had to do with horses—although riding crops were definitely involved. Now an adult, Felix is home to take up the position of royal groom, where he hopes he'll have plenty of opportunities for a roll in the hay.

When Felix mistakes Leopold for a horse thief and attempts to seduce him, Leopold is delighted by the irreverent, attractive lad, and sparks fly. Their arrangement is all fun and games, right until they both fall hard and fast. But while what they have together is a delight, there’s no way it can last—can it?

They’ll have to navigate a visiting princess, an assassination attempt, and a
kidnapping if they want a chance to find out.]]> 216 Sarah Honey A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.71 2023 The King's Delight (Tales of Lilleforth, #1)
author: Sarah Honey
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/10
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> So Into You (The PI Guys #2) 48889956
PI Drew Rodriguez is used to people depending on him. He’s the classic rock for his family. Responsible. Dependable. The classic rock would never succumb to the borderline sleazy temptation of friends with benefits, no matter how sexy that temptation is. Drew is looking for something enduring. Despite Drew’s misgivings, it’s not long before they’ve got all the requisites for friends with benefits going. Friendly, good conversation? Check. Fun times in and out of bed? Check. Hot, electrolyte-sapping sex? Double check. Falling in love? Yeah. About that�.]]> 328 S.E. Harmon A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.18 2016 So Into You (The PI Guys #2)
author: S.E. Harmon
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Spooky Life (The Spectral Files #4)]]> 60711282
At least work is keeping Rain and the PTU plenty busy. Their latest case involves Hannah Caldwell, a silent ghost who can’t—or won’t—speak. She still manages to request that they find her dear friend, Cherry Parker, so that she can say goodbye. Piece of cake. Finding people is pretty high on the list of things that Rain does best.

But when it comes to ghosts, nothing is ever quite what it seems. Before long, his simple missing person’s case takes a dark and twisted turn. And Rain realizes he’s been so busy trying to protect Danny that he forgot to protect himself.

If he doesn’t turn things around—and quickly—his spooky life might be cut short for good.]]> 324 S.E. Harmon A.E. 0 4.38 2022 The Spooky Life (The Spectral Files #4)
author: S.E. Harmon
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/08
date added: 2023/08/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The First and Last Adventure of Kit Sawyer]]> 191391451
Unwittingly, he unleashes a force he doesn't know how to control. And now he has to reunite the relic with a powerful Aztec God. The trouble with that? Kit doesn’t know where to find the Tlaloc’s temple. No one does, in fact. Finding it could be a discovery for the ages. It could also lead to his untimely death. So...yay? But it’s not like he has a choice. So off to the Mexican jungle he goes.

At least he isn’t going alone.

Ethan Stone, former stepbrother and overall pain in the rump, horns in on the expedition. An experienced archaeologist, he's only coming along at their grandfather's request—which annoys Kit to no end. But he knows Ethan is just the right person to get them through the jungle safely. It’s just too bad someone is trying to beat them to the temple. And he’s willing to do anything to get there first.

Ethan thinks Kit is in over his head. Kit is secretly afraid he just may be right. In manners of archaeology...and manners of the heart�.]]> 326 S.E. Harmon A.E. 0 4.30 2023 The First and Last Adventure of Kit Sawyer
author: S.E. Harmon
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/04
date added: 2023/08/04
shelves:
review:

]]> Work for It 52054712 For men like us, trust doesn't come easy.

In this village, ±ő’m an outcast: Griffin Everett, the scowling giant who prefers plants to people. Then I meet Keynes, a stranger from the city who’s everything ±ő’m not: sharp-tongued, sophisticated, beautiful. Free. For a few precious moments in a dark alleyway, he’s also mine, hot and sweet under the starsâ€� until he crushes me like dirt beneath his designer boot.

When the prettiest man I’ve ever hated shows up at my job the next day, ±ő’m not sure if I want to strangle him or drag him into bed. Actually—I think I want both. But Keynes isn’t here for the likes of me: he makes that painfully clear. With everyone else at work, he’s all gorgeous, glittering charm—but when I get too close, he turns vicious.

And yet, I can’t stay away. Because there’s something about this ice king that sets me on fire, a secret vulnerability that makes my chest ache. I’ll do whatever it takes to sneak past his walls and see the real man again.

The last thing I expect is for that man to ruin me.]]> 284 Talia Hibbert A.E. 0 4.06 2019 Work for It
author: Talia Hibbert
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/04
date added: 2023/08/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Thief and a Gentleman (Flos Magicae #7)]]> 193550380
When a friend dares him to seduce Morgan Hollyhock—rich, handsome, and incredibly boring—Sebastian thinks he’s found the perfect mark. There’s just one problem. He and Morgan have history, and he’s unprepared for the flood of emotions when he sees Morgan again for the first time in twenty years.

For once, Sebastian wants to be honest about who he is and what he’s done. But Morgan has always been a stickler for the rules. If Sebastian opens up about his crimes or his past, Morgan might turn him in, or worse, reject him. And that won't just jeopardize Sebastian's criminal career. After a lifetime of cheating and lying, Sebastian is appalled to realize that he does in fact have a heart to break.

A Thief and a Gentleman is a full-length MM novel set in a 1920s universe infused with magic. All the books in the Flos Magicae series can be read as standalones.]]> 397 Arden Powell A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.94 2023 A Thief and a Gentleman (Flos Magicae #7)
author: Arden Powell
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gateway Catastrophe (Ghostly Guardians, #4)]]> 106962455 It only took seconds for my world to change�

I live a simple, small-town life. Helping with the family restaurant, my side gig as a ride-share driver, hanging with my best friend, making the most of the extra time with my ghost grandma. The only exciting thing to happen to me in the past year was when Gabe moved to town—too bad Nonna scared him off. It’s hard to impress a guy when your dead grandmother calls him the devil.

The last thing I expect when I pick up a ride-share client and take him to Mannix Estate is that he’s a demon. An actual, breathing, can-kill-me-with-a-thought demon. That night blows my simple life apart and changes everything. Turns out, ghosts aren’t the weirdest things out there, my best friend and Gabe are both part of this alternate world, and there’s a big bad demon who wants to end us all. What’s a small-town boy to do but roll up his sleeves and join the fight to save the world?

Working side by side with Gabe reminds me just how much I liked him when we first met� and the feeling’s mutual. As the clock counts down and we both struggle with personal issues, it’s good to know there’s someone to lean on. But I don’t know if our tenuous connection can survive the hell that’s coming and see us through to the other side.]]> 261 Louisa Masters A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.31 2023 Gateway Catastrophe (Ghostly Guardians, #4)
author: Louisa Masters
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dead Serious Case #3: Mr Bruce Reyes (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed #3)]]> 178422317 Life was good.
That is until Death—honest to god, Death (aka The Grim Reaper)—pitches up in Tristan’s kitchen with an unusual stop Dusty’s ghostly hookup Bruce from crossing into the light, which may result in dire consequences.
Determined to do the exact opposite, Tristan and Danny assemble their own ragtag gang of one prickly witch, one snarky psychic private investigator, one living drag queen with an affinity for feathers, and one dead one with an affinity for a deceased rugby player in tiny shorts. Together they must solve a forty-year old cold case, while juggling a dose of the flu, a broken leg, a supernatural storm, and an immortal death deity with the looks and temperament of a sexy but grouchy CEO.

Seriously� what could possibly go wrong?]]> 350 Vawn Cassidy A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.51 2023 Dead Serious Case #3: Mr Bruce Reyes (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed #3)
author: Vawn Cassidy
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Shock & Awe (Sidewinder, #1) 18777316
Nick knows all of Kelly’s quirks and caprices, so the kiss was a low-risk move on his part . . . or so he thought. But what should’ve been a simple moment unleashes a flood of confusing emotions and urges that neither man is prepared to address.

Now, Kelly and Nick must figure out what they mean to each other—friends and brothers in arms, or something even deeper?—before the past can come back to ruin their tenuous future.]]> 108 Abigail Roux 1626490554 A.E. 0 4.09 2013 Shock & Awe (Sidewinder, #1)
author: Abigail Roux
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at: 2023/07/24
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Ball & Chain (Cut & Run, #8) 21472915 308 Abigail Roux 1626491062 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.21 2014 Ball & Chain (Cut & Run, #8)
author: Abigail Roux
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Phoenix Christmas (Out for Justice)]]> 56066248 It's a dog gone Christmas!

The plan was to gather at Noah and Mac’s place for a holiday celebration, but when the couple’s nine-year-old Labrador Retriever goes missing, the men and women of Phoenix descend on the city of Alameda. The neighbors and local cops get involved in a search that stretches from the streets of downtown to the rocky beaches. The unit swears they will find the pooch, but when hours pass with nothing, Noah fears the worst.

This MM short Christmas romp is filled with badass alpha men searching for a beloved K-9, and heaven help anyone who gets in their way. In typical Reese Knightley style, A Phoenix Christmas is a fast paced, multi POV, action packed short story with guns, bad guys, a standoff, and a tiny little explosion. What else would you expect from An Out for Justice Holiday?

*This book includes all the characters from the Out for Justice series, so while it’s not necessary, reading the series is helpful.]]> 52 Reese Knightley A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.32 2020 A Phoenix Christmas (Out for Justice)
author: Reese Knightley
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bulletproof (Out for Justice, #5)]]> 52680626
- A chance encounter left an impression and Wolfgang Brandt was hooked. When Caleb turns eighteen in two months, Wolf is going to be at that birthday party come hell or high water. He doesn’t care if he has to fly across the world to be there. But then things go south and Wolf is left reeling when Caleb goes missing. He will do everything in his power to bring him home. The world isn’t big enough to contain his rage.

- Caleb Robertson wants Wolf, an older man, a sexy warrior. Is it any wonder he’s drawn to the soldier since he’s been around military men his whole life? Not to mention, he’s going to enlist or join the police academy when he turns eighteen. He just hasn’t decided which one. But all that will need to wait when someone snatches him off the streets and he has to find a way to get back home.

-One man’s will to survive and one man’s devotion to find him come together in this next explosive story when Phoenix and the military might of Infinity team up. Will it be enough to stop a psychopath?

Trigger warnings: Violence, human and sex trafficking.

*Bulletproof is not a standalone novel. To get the full enjoyment out of the story and characters, reading from book one is strongly recommended.

**Out for Justice, Code of Honor, and Cobalt Security series are loosely connected.]]> 262 Reese Knightley A.E. 0 4.44 2020 Bulletproof (Out for Justice, #5)
author: Reese Knightley
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2023/07/10
date added: 2023/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> Ricochet (Out for Justice #1) 40741070
Battle scarred US Marshal Robert “Mac� Mackenzie has a job to do, and guaranteeing the safety of Noah Bradford is at the top of that list. Mac will do whatever it takes to keep Noah safe, even if it means walking away.

Mac and Noah, brought together during extreme circumstances, have been separated by evil. It's been six years, give or take, and Noah is coming for vengeance against the men who killed his mother. He's on a collision course with Mac, who has no idea of the man Noah has become. Sparks fly and the heat sizzles when these two powerful men are reunited, but will they survive the passion the past created?]]> 311 Reese Knightley A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.15 2018 Ricochet (Out for Justice #1)
author: Reese Knightley
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2)]]> 41735449 “Sexy, hot, funny and sweet, Heated Rivalry is a game changer in sexy sports romance.â€�Ěýâ€� All About Romance

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Reid

Game Changers
Book 1: Game Changer
Book 2: Heated Rivalry
Book 3: Tough Guy
Book 4: Common Goal
Book 5: Role Model
Book 6: The Long Game]]> 375 Rachel Reid 1488051240 A.E. 0 4.36 2019 Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2)
author: Rachel Reid
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2020/01/30
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Game Changer (Game Changers, #1)]]> 40601927 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07DCTFR2K


New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, never mind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?]]> 400 Rachel Reid A.E. 0 3.79 2018 Game Changer (Game Changers, #1)
author: Rachel Reid
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves:
review:

]]> The Tech (The Long Con, #5) 62634752
Ever since he watched his father die, Etienne Couvier has kept to himself. Under the tutelage of his adoptive family, the Salingers, Tienne grows into a gifted forger and artist. But no matter how hard they try to draw him into their midst—and despite the singular pull their friend Stirling Christopher has on his emotions—he resists.

When computer tech Stirling lost his foster parents, he found shelter and love with the Salingers. Stirling knows firsthand what Tienne has been through, so when an attacker shatters Tienne’s self-imposed isolation, Stirling urges him into the Salinger crew. Maybe they can finally explore the quiet attraction between them.

Then the Salingers announce their next an inquest into the mysterious deaths of Stirling’s adoptive parents. They descend on the Caribbean for answers, with Stirling and Tienne the quiet centers of the human justice-seeking hurricane. As they stretch out of their comfort zones, they learn that being family means someone always has your back. Hand in hand, they’ll solve the mystery. They might even be able to live with the consequences—as long as they do it together.

Amy Lane’s Long Con series follows a crew of civic-minded thieves on their quests for justice, adventure, and love. Fans of Leverage, heist movies, and romantic suspense will love The Tech.]]> 448 Amy Lane 1641084766 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.35 2023 The Tech (The Long Con, #5)
author: Amy Lane
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[It Spells Trouble (Mages and Mates #2)]]> 123025405 closely with the leader’s son instead? That hot piece of perfection could make even happily-single Jannick give up his no-strings-attached ways.

Gryphon shifter Conall Arwan has simple goals for his get his PhD in pediatric shifter social work and stay off the radar of his disapproving father. When his father orders him to work with a hot but arrogant mage to find missing human kids, all Conall sees is how it pushes back his graduation date. Again. And even if the mage unexpectedly turns out to be not so bad—and maybe even a little sweet—there’s still no future for them. Conall’s dad has plans for him and they don’t include getting involved with a sexy, infuriating mage.

But fate has other ideas.

It Spells Trouble is a 75K word fated mates romance with a hearty dose of steam and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. This book is part of the Mages and Mates series and includes a plot to destroy the world, a desperate decision with far-reaching consequences, and one pissed off gryphon father.

Each book in the series can be read alone, but they are better read in order.]]> 291 Andy Gallo A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.36 2023 It Spells Trouble (Mages and Mates #2)
author: Andy Gallo
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Break the Spell (Mages and Mates #1)]]> 61092190
Not like he’ll see the guy again.

Caelinus Reinhold has done something no elf has done before � become the professor of creative magic at Utrecht University. His first day should be magical, except Cael can’t stop thinking about the hot mage he hooked up with the night before who then snuck out while he slept. Whatever. His loss.

He’ll never see the jerk again, anyway.]]> 324 Andy Gallo A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.22 Break the Spell (Mages and Mates #1)
author: Andy Gallo
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Muscle (Long Con Adventures #2)]]> 61094496
Hunter Rutledge saw one too many people die in his life as mercenary muscle to go back to the job, so he was conveniently at loose ends when Josh Salinger offered him a place in his altruistic den of thieves.

Hunter is almost content having found a home with a group of people who want justice badly enough to steal it. If only one of them didn’t keep stealing his attention from the task at hand�.

Superlative dancer and transcendent thief Dylan “Grace� Li lives in the moment. But when mobsters blackmail the people who gave him dance—and the means to save his own soul—Grace turns to Josh for help.

Unfortunately, working with Josh’s crew means working with Hunter Rutledge, and for Grace, that’s more dangerous than any heist.

Grace’s childhood left him thinking he was too difficult to love—so he’s better off not risking his love on anyone else. Avoiding commitment keeps him safe. But somehow Hunter’s solid, grounding presence makes him feel safer. Can Grace trust that letting down his guard to a former mercenary doesn’t mean he’ll get shot in the heart?]]> 284 Amy Lane A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.38 2021 The Muscle (Long Con Adventures #2)
author: Amy Lane
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Straight Dad (Fixer Brothers Construction Co. #2)]]> 177139897 249 Raleigh Ruebins A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.21 2023 Straight Dad (Fixer Brothers Construction Co. #2)
author: Raleigh Ruebins
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cypress Ashes (San Amaro Investigations, #7)]]> 123020595
In the heart-pounding conclusion to the San Amaro Investigations series, Parker faces down enemies on all sides, including one within his own family. With his city under lockdown, Parker is fighting for everyone and everything that he cares about.

The fate of the thousand realms rests on his shoulders. What’s a local PI to do?]]> 518 Kai Butler A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.52 2023 Cypress Ashes (San Amaro Investigations, #7)
author: Kai Butler
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Thousand Recipes for Revenge (Chefs of the Five Gods, #1)]]> 62094214
Adamantine “Ada� Garland has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania—until she had enough of injustice and bloodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. When mysterious assassins ferret her out after sixteen years in hiding, Ada, now a rogue Chef, and her beloved Grand-mère run for their lives, only to find themselves on a path toward an unexpected ally.

A foreign princess in a strange court, Solenn unknowingly shares more with Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical perception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiancé, the prince. It’s part of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow conflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame.

As Ada’s and Solenn’s paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter reunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada’s past who is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption?]]> 406 Beth Cato 1662510292 A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.87 2023 A Thousand Recipes for Revenge (Chefs of the Five Gods, #1)
author: Beth Cato
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Mage's Guide to Wicky (R'iyah Family Archives #3)]]> 95583274
He kinda likes it, to be honest.

For some reason, it’s upsetting everyone else though. Maybe he should figure out who it is?

Ooooo, maybe his fated one is on the other end! In…Thailand?

Tags:
Wicky use your brain challenge: Failed, author has lost discretion in this, Wicky is in Thailand, pray for Thailand, the trio is along for the ride, fated mates, Thai magic, don’t mind the author ±ő’m just over here building a ship, Sun is the younger of the two but he’s also resigned to being the responsible one, chosen family, Mobius talks, in Thai, Wicky feels so betrayed, look this is pure romantic crack, Sun is cute that’s all you need to know]]> 113 A.J. Sherwood A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.36 2023 A Mage's Guide to Wicky (R'iyah Family Archives #3)
author: A.J. Sherwood
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sleight of Hand (The Kings: Wild Cards, #3)]]> 58295191
When Gio returns from his travels abroad, everyone is charmed by the handsome billionaire philanthropist, but in Joker’s experience, anyone who’s too good to be true usually is. Gio is hiding something, but the more time Joker spends around Gio, the more his walls start crumbling, leaving him exposed and at risk of losing his heart, something he swore he would never do. Love is for suckers, and that’s not him.

For years Gio has dedicated his life to his charity work, helping people around the globe, but when things go horribly wrong during one particular trip, Gio decides it’s time to come home for good. The desire for family, and a certain ex-Green Beret with a chip on his shoulder, has Gio eager to restart his life Stateside. For all of Sacha’s blustering and griping, no one makes Gio feel safer. If only Sacha could see how right they are for each other.

Danger lurks in the shadows as someone sets their sights on Gio, and secrets are forced into the light. If Gio and Joker are to have any kind of future together, they’ll have to face difficult truths, because where love is concerned, it’ll take more than sleight of hand to make things work.


The Kings: Wild Cards series is a spin-off of the Four Kings Security series.]]> 290 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.37 2021 Sleight of Hand (The Kings: Wild Cards, #3)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Boyfriend by the Hour (Firsts and Forever Stories, #9)]]> 123270240
But when a wealthy CEO makes me an offer, it’s too good to turn down. It's not just about the money, though. He’s never been with a man before, and I love the idea of being his first.

This arrangement comes with an expiration date, and we've agreed there are no strings attached. The only problem? ±ő’m starting to fall for my client.

Is there any chance this could turn into something real? Or am I headed for heartbreak?

This spicy, lighthearted gay romance is set in the world of Alexa Land’s Firsts and Forever Series, and it can be read as a stand-alone.]]> 212 Alexa Land A.E. 5 4.21 Boyfriend by the Hour (Firsts and Forever Stories, #9)
author: Alexa Land
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/05
date added: 2023/06/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Four Kings Security Series Boxed Set]]> 58047928 When the cards are stacked against you, the Kings will even the odds.

Binge read the bestselling Four Kings Security series in one set!

LOVE IN SPADES

Ex-Special Forces soldier Anston “Ace� Sharpe is fighting a different battle these days—one involving the world of private security across the state of Florida. As part owner of Four Kings Security, Ace and his fellow Kings tackle everything from cyber intelligence to executive protection. Cocky, fearless, and brash, Ace isn’t afraid to take risks.

Sparks fly the moment Ace meets Colton Connolly, but getting involved with a client, even one as fiery and beautiful as Colton, is a line Ace is unwilling to cross. As the Florida nights heat up, so does their passion, and Ace and Colton are faced with a difficult choice—take the plunge and risk it all, or play it safe and walk away?


BE STILL MY HEART

Former Special Forces medical sergeant Russell “Red� McKinley knows a thing or two about wounds, like the fact some can take a lifetime to heal, if they heal at all. The scars Red carries run deep, and living with PTSD often means battling the memories of his past. Injuries he received while working an executive protection case with fellow Kings and co-owners of Four Kings Security, have once again forced past heartaches to the surface, but Red is determined not to let it derail his blossoming romance with sweet and beautiful fashion photographer Lazarus Galanos.

When an attempt is made on Laz’s life, Red is determined to keep him safe. Can Red and Laz find a way to help each other heal and take a chance on love, or will their fears and insecurities cost them more than their future together?


JOIN THE CLUB

Eduardo “Lucky� Morales is a fighter, from his childhood days in Cuba to his time as a Special Forces Green Beret. Scarred by the wars of his past, Lucky has learned nothing lasts forever. Guarding his heart is second nature, and getting emotionally involved is not an option. As co-owner of Four Kings Security, Lucky works hard alongside his former brothers-in-arms and fellow Kings, but he also plays hard. Flirting with sexy Texas cowboy and detective, Mason Cooper, is too much fun to resist, until Mason turns the tables on him.

Determined to keep Mason at arms� length, Lucky is surprised to find the man at Four Kings Security. The Florida nights might be getting cooler, but the heat between Lucky and Mason burns hotter with every passing moment. Working private security can be dangerous and unpredictable, but so can falling in love.


DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

For Ward “King� Kingston the role of protector, forged by fire and tragedy, is one he takes seriously. When King is asked to safeguard the son of a four-star general and friend, he is pulled back into the world of government black ops on a mission that raises painful memories from his past. The moment King meets Leo, amid the chaos of a lockdown at a secret black site, it’s clear he’s never faced a challenge like this—one that will test his unwavering sense of control.

King and Leo couldn’t be more different, yet as they navigate the dangers of a secret multi-agency operation and face unknown threats, their differences could be what saves them. Neither man believes a happily ever after is in the cards, but their hearts might just prove them wrong� if they can survive a deadly betrayal.


Four full length novels filled with action, humor, found family shenanigans, and romance! HEAs guaranteed!]]> 1039 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.61 2019 Four Kings Security Series Boxed Set
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Reckless Roulette (The Elite) 123262462 Seven days until game over.

Len

Kade has seven days left to liveâ€� unless I do something about it. I am one of the best assassins around, after all. Butâ€� ±ő’m not sure I exactly care what happens to Kade. He’s rude, only cares about himself and his casino, and did I mention he doesn’t know a single thing about video games?

Okay, okay. Maybe that’s not enough of a reason to watch him dash headlong into danger while I kick back and enjoy the show.

It’s kind of fun though.

Now I know what you’re thinking� doesn’t that make me the selfish one? See, I don’t mind helping people—it’s kind of my thing. But the ones I help aren’t anything like Kade. They’re people who have nothing left yet are willing to go to great lengths to save those they love, even at the cost of losing themselves. Still, maybe Kade can show me that beneath his icy exterior is a man worth saving. A man worth loving. And maybe even a man worth risking everything for.

Issue is� he only has seven days to do it.]]> 154 Alice Winters A.E. 0 4.19 2023 Reckless Roulette (The Elite)
author: Alice Winters
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/06/02
date added: 2023/06/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool Book 2)]]> 57966320
There's something rotten in the state of Indiana. When con man Henry Page takes it upon himself to investigate the death of an elderly patient at a care facility, he does so in true Shakespearean tradition: dressed as a girl.

FBI Agent Ryan "Mac" McGuinness has more to worry about than Henry's latest crazy idea. Someone is trying to send him a message - via a corpse with a couple of bullets in it. He needs to figure out who's trying to set him up before he gets arrested, and he really doesn't have time for Henry's shenanigans. Then again, he'd probably be able to focus better if Henry didn't look so damn distracting in a baby doll dress and a wig.

But when Mac discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that connects the cases, he has to find a way to live on the right side of the law when he just might be in love with the wrong sort of man.]]> 179 Lisa Henry A.E. 0 currently-reading 3.98 2015 The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool Book 2)
author: Lisa Henry
name: A.E.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gone But Not Forgotten (TIN, #1)]]> 58691927 Codename: Chaos.
Former THIRDS agent turned TIN operative Dexter J. Daley is a legend. Just ask him, he’ll tell you. Chaos isn’t so much a codename as it is Dex’s state of being. As a spy for the Therian Intelligence Network, Dex has spent the last four years bringing down the bad guys. Hell, his middle name is literally Justice. But a new mission brings him face-to-face with a different kind of monster, one with a weapon that can alter the course of history. Failure is not an option, but as the mission goes from dangerous to deadly, Dex finds himself up against a far more terrifying force, and this time, there’s no escape.

Codename: Atlas
As former team leader for Destructive Delta and now a TIN operative, Sloane Daley knows what it feels like to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. But no matter the challenge, Sloane knows that together, he and his husband, Dex, can overcome anything. When their latest mission takes a personal turn, Sloane is forced to confront the very thing that created him. Looking back to a past he thought he’d left behind is the least of Sloane’s problems, because the greatest threat he’s about to encounter � is his own husband.]]> 266 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.61 2021 Gone But Not Forgotten (TIN, #1)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Cold Light of Day (TIN #1.5) 80337335 Reaper. Fang. Caine�

An alias for each life lived.

Government operative turned assassin, Wolf, had lived in the shadows until a secret cabal forced him into the light. The last thing Wolf needed was a confrontation with what—and who—he’d left behind. Now there’s no going back.

Agent. Torturer. Killer�

An identity fueled by pain.

Growing a conscience had not been part of the plan, but what did Wolf expect after letting certain annoying do-gooders into his life? If having to endure a season of Christmas cheer wasn’t bad enough, Wolf accepts an invitation to spend the blasted holiday with the biggest do-gooder of all, Sean Belmonte, his dead partner’s brother.

Sean has no idea what prompted him to ask the mysterious Englishman over for Christmas, but as soon as the handsome wolf Therian walks through his door, Sean is captivated. He’s never met anyone like Caine. The more time they spend together, the more obvious their attraction becomes. Can Sean get Caine to let down his guard? One thing’s for sure. It’ll be a Christmas neither of them will soon forget.]]> 88 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.36 2022 Cold Light of Day (TIN #1.5)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, #7) 49254680
Discovering the whole truth about John and Gina Daley’s homicide sets off a series of events that will change Dex and Sloane’s lives forever. As buried secrets rise to the surface and new truths are revealed, Dex and Sloane’s love for each other is put to the test, with more than their relationship on the line. If traversing the waters of murder and secret government agencies wasn’t enough, something inexplicable has been happening to Dex—and nothing will ever be the same.]]> 309 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 4.42 2016 Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, #7)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2023/05/28
date added: 2023/05/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Catch a Tiger by the Tail (THIRDS, #6)]]> 49254683 292 Charlie Cochet A.E. 0 4.24 2016 Catch a Tiger by the Tail (THIRDS, #6)
author: Charlie Cochet
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2023/05/28
date added: 2023/05/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Penric’s Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1)]]> 25791216
Set in the fantasy world of the author's acclaimed novels THE CURSE OF CHALION, PALADIN OF SOULS and THE HALLOWED HUNT, this novella has the depth of characterization and emotional complexity that distinguishes all Bujold's work.]]> 103 Lois McMaster Bujold A.E. 0 4.21 2015 Penric’s Demon (Penric and Desdemona, #1)
author: Lois McMaster Bujold
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2023/05/22
date added: 2023/05/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Skeleton Under the Stairs (Beyond the Veil #3)]]> 61371992 There was a poltergeist on the stairs.

And she wasn’t the only one.

The house was full of restless spirits—all of them killed by the Antiquus Ordo Arcanum, a secret society that didn’t seem to care much for the welfare of either the living or the dead. And Mason and I—along with Hart and Sylvia—are right in the middle of it.

Again.

If that weren’t enough, Mason’s nephew, Jackson, is starting to have nightmares, and when you’re from a family of witches, that can only mean one thing—your power is growing, and you’ve also just become a threat to your own family. In our case, that means Jackson has to come live with us so that Mason can help him learn to control his power, which means that my home life is just about as chaotic—and dangerous—as my work life. Let me tell you, ±ő’m getting pretty sick of hospitals and bandages and sleepless nights.

Oh, and I think I might be a warlock.

Things are going from chaos to worse, and somehow we still have to plan a wedding. And we haven’t so much as picked out the cake.

HEA M/M Paranormal Romance
Book Three in the Beyond the Veil Series
The final book in Mason & Ward's story]]> 418 K.M. Avery A.E. 0 4.46 2022 The Skeleton Under the Stairs (Beyond the Veil #3)
author: K.M. Avery
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2023/05/09
date added: 2023/05/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hiding the Moon (Fish Out of Water, #4; Racing for the Sun, #2)]]> 41061823 Fish Out Of Water: Book Four - A Fish Out of Water/Racing for the Sun Crossover.

Can a hitman and a psychic negotiate a relationship while all hell breaks loose?

The world might not know who Lee Burton is, but it needs his black ops division and the work they do to keep it safe. Lee’s spent his life following orders—until he sees a kill jacket on Ernie Caulfield. Ernie isn’t a typical target, and something is very wrong with Burton’s chain of command.

Ernie’s life may seem adrift, but his every action helps to shelter his mind from the psychic storm raging within. When Lee Burton shows up to save him from assassins and club bunnies, Ernie seizes his hand and doesn’t look back. Burton is Ernie’s best bet in a tumultuous world, and after one day together, he’s pretty sure Lee knows Ernie is his destiny as well.

But when Burton refused Ernie’s contract, he kicked an entire piranha tank of bad guys, and Burton can’t rest until he takes down the rogue military unit that would try to kill a spacey psychic. Ernie’s in love with Burton and Burton’s confused as hell by Ernie—but Ernie’s not changing his mind and Burton can’t stay away. Psychics, assassins, and bad guys—throw them into the desert with a forbidden love affair and what could possibly go wrong?]]> 216 Amy Lane 1640809368 A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.10 2018 Hiding the Moon (Fish Out of Water, #4; Racing for the Sun, #2)
author: Amy Lane
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/17
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Claws of Winter (Arcane Hearts #7)]]> 61755579 Revenge is a dish best served cold.

The guild of artificers is so close to completion, Jackson Pryde can almost taste it. Befriending the Black Market's guilds has paid off. Everyone agrees that Jackson should become master of the artificers, even Mother Dough, the powerful guild of bakers.

But it’s not all sugar and spice. A strange sorcerer has reawakened Xander's interest in Incandescence. The second AI has unearthed a bizarre blueprint. And not everything is as it seems in the Verdance.

Tensions mount as the fae courts question the value of human friendship � and human life. Jackson and Xander may have saved the King of Summer, but now they must face the wrath of the Queen of Winter.]]> 237 Nazri Noor A.E. 0 4.39 2023 The Claws of Winter (Arcane Hearts #7)
author: Nazri Noor
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/04/04
date added: 2023/04/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Real Thing (West Coast Forensics, #5)]]> 62237884 As deeply as he craves his own fairy tale happily-ever-after, resort owner Cody Prescott doesn't have time for a relationship. That doesn't stop him from crushing on most men on Piedras. Luckily for him, they're emotionally unavailable or already taken, so he doesn't have to worry about getting attached.

Wade Buckner, the island's handiest handyman, is tired of waiting for Cody to wake up and realize Wade is the man for the job. He's ready and willing to rescue Cody from just about anything, even questionable hotel guests.

The Harvest Feast is the kick-off for the resort's one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary and they have a full house. But something sinister is afoot at the resort, something that even his knight might not be able to rescue Cody from.

Are they trying to kill him, put him out of business, or both?

#grumpy-sunshine #FamilyHistory #OnlyOneBed

The Real Thing, book five in the West Coast Forensics series, is dual POV and follows Cody and Wade all the way to their happy ending. Can be read as a standalone but might be better enjoyed if you start with Real Trouble, first in the WCF series.]]> 260 Elle Keaton A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.28 The Real Thing (West Coast Forensics, #5)
author: Elle Keaton
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lonesome Paladin (A Fistful of Daggers #1)]]> 49417319
Lincoln and a mysterious prisoner named Sophie Keyes are the only ones crazy enough to sell themselves on this suicide mission. Sophie doesn’t talk much, but she’s got something that Lincoln no longer has: faith. And between the two of them, they might be able to bring God back to a godless world...]]> 286 S.M. Reine A.E. 0 currently-reading 4.08 2018 Lonesome Paladin (A Fistful of Daggers #1)
author: S.M. Reine
name: A.E.
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]>