Soul to Possess (The Artmaker Trilogy, #1) by E.M. Adams Review

This reviews contains very minor spoilers - no major plot points are revealed.

A Stuff Your Kindle Day hates to see me coming, and this dark romance was one of many more recent downloads. Considering the first two installments of this trilogy were available for free, I knew I had to at least explore what this author had in store for their readers. When Gennie sees an ad in the newspaper of a man who is looking for a wife, she decides she has nothing to lose and sends him a letter. She did not expect to receive one in return, and thus Gennie and Marvin's letter conversation is born as they reveal more about one another. With Marvin sending her means to come to him, Gennie embarks on a journey to meet the man she may very well marry, but fate has other plans as she ends up hundreds of miles away from Marvin and in the hands of a murderous stranger who is intrigued by her innocence.

Atticus is no stranger to commanding control and getting what he wants - when Gennie stumbles upon his door in the middle of horrendous weather after being dropped off at the wrong stop, he knows exactly what he needs to do to keep her there forever. He basically spoon feeds her little bits of information screaming that he is dangerous, yet Gennie does not take the bait. Sure, she is definitely on edge and is not viewing him as trustworthy right from the start, but she certainly does not have the best survival instincts. That being said, if I was trapped in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a hot guy sending off major red flags, I would probably do anything I could to make sure I make it out of there alive. The man is a murderer for crying out loud and he certainly is not trying hard at all to hide it.

While this first installment is short, the author really gets straight to the point and does not waste time once Atticus and Gennie's paths cross. We are able to see the "relationship" between Marvin and Gennie grow and expand as they converse through their letters, then see the drastic change in tone once Gennie passes through into Atticus' door. I enjoyed the change in writing style choice as well - showing readers the letters between Marvin and Gennie definitely gives a much more impactful experience to the reader as they are able to get to know Marvin without ever meeting him or seeing his internal dialogue like what we get with Gennie.

I will admit that this book has me intrigued and I will at minimum continue on to the second installment, which is already downloaded on my Kindle and calling to me. The plot definitely has my attention and I am interested to see how the author takes this story and in what capacity - the initial build up took a little too much page space for me so hopefully that will not be a problem in the second book. If you are on the hunt for a short and more psychological approach on a dark romance, this may be your next read.

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Tough Guy (Game Changers, #3) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Game Changer and Heated Rivalry on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry is now streaming on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in select countries.

Ryan and Fabian's relationship was certainly... interesting. On one hand, you have hockey star Ryan who has been playing in the league for years and on the other hand, you have musician Fabian who hates hockey. I think their personalities definitely complimented one another, but they also brought out things in each other that were not being explored when they were not together. I really enjoyed how Reid explored Ryan's anxiety throughout the book and did not shy away from the struggles he faced and how it impacted his daily life and his hockey career. Ryan's chapters were definitely the most compelling to me as a reader - it felt as though his character had more care taken in developing his internal development. While Fabian did have development as well, I just could not find myself leaning towards his story. He was not as likable as Ryan in my eyes, and I found him constantly stating how much he hated hockey while literally dating a hockey player becoming increasingly annoying.

Ryan's journey with his anxiety was the most captivating plot of this book. Since Reid makes it clear from the beginning that Ryan is out, there were no undertones of him being in the closet or hiding his relationship from the public for the sake of his career. This meant that we were able to explore new avenues with his character and see how even though Ryan is a "tough guy," he still had a lot going on in his life that was outside the world of hockey. Fabian was sympathetic towards Ryan's anxiety, but it still seemed that Fabian wanted Ryan to quit playing hockey every single chapter, which I felt fed into his anxiety even more.

Fabian has reasoning for not liking hockey players, but I found it odd that he basically let it fester his whole life and then when he finally is dating a hockey player. he spends the majority of his time thinking about how he wants Ryan to quit or watching Ryan's games and wondering why he would play. There were a few times in the book where Fabian was watching a game on television and thinking "why would Ryan be this violent during the game?" which I found absurd because it is literally hockey... they fight every two seconds during a game. I found myself becoming more agitated with Fabian as the book went on because of this, and truly tried to like him more, but just could not find it within my to want to take his side.

I really enjoyed the little Shane and Ilya crumbs in the book - while they were only mentioned a few times and made a guest appearance briefly, it was nice to see how they were being perceived by other hockey players. Ilya's one-liners are still a hit in my eyes and he truly is a hilarious character, even when he is not trying to be.

I think I was expecting a lot more out of this book than what was given, and was hoping Fabian and Ryan's relationship would be as enticing as Scott and Kip's or Shane and Ilya's relationships. Instead, I honestly found myself wanting Ryan to stop dating Fabian multiple times during the book - I did not think in the beginning and middle of their relationship that Fabian was the right man for Ryan. I am glad they both were able to be more vulnerable with each other and have their own growth, but would have loved if Fabian's character was not always on a mission to have Ryan literally quit his career because of his hatred towards hockey players. 

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The Sunshine Court (All for the Game, #4) by Nora Sakavic Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of The Raven King and The King's Men on my blog, now! Please read trigger warnings - reader discretion is advised.

I would actually lay down my life for Jean Moreau and I am not even joking. This boy deserves nothing but sunshine - literally and figuratively - and I want him to live in peace and never have to look over his shoulder ever again in his life. His responses remind me so much of Andrew and Neil's when confronting the trauma they have endured. Reading bits and pieces about him throughout the first three books and considering the horrors he went through in The King's Men, I knew that I would be in for a tough read when Nora announced his and Jeremy Knox's trilogy installment for the series. Jean's internal monologue is gut-wrenching and at times literally nauseating to read about the way he speaks about himself and how he blames himself for the years of abuse.

I would personally like to thank Nora for giving us multiple perspectives - seeing Jean and Jeremy's internal thoughts truly made their introduction and development so much deeper as we were able to actively follow along on Jeremy's end as he digested everything Jean revealed to him, as well as follow Jean as he slowly works his way through understanding that what the Ravens - mostly Riko and Grayson - put him through, was horrendous. Their development is very much sunshine and grump, and that is putting "grump" on Jean very loosely as he is more so sheltered and does not understand what was done to him is not normal. He is basically forced to leave an environment that he only remembers, and while it was incredibly toxic, it is the only thing he knows.

Jeremy's entire character is like if you put a ray of sunshine in a jar and walked it around town. I am in love with this kind little soul and would also lay down my life for him as much as I would for Jean. The way he does not overly push Jean into revealing what he has been through but also does not hold back on explaining to him that what he experienced is not normal is fantastic character establishment. I loved the way we could see Jeremy work with what he was given and make sure that he was able to create some sort of balance between having Jean still continue with his "normal" but also try to move on and create a life of his own.

Reading everything that Jean had to go through at the Nest... my stomach was in knots. It was so sick and twisted - every single time something was uncovered or Jean accidentally let something slip, my heart dropped and I just wanted to give him a hug. I desperately need him, Neil, and Andrew to heal emotionally together, but I know their personalities would never allow that to happen. At least Neil and Andrew are able to lean on each other, and hopefully Jean will be able to lean on Jeremy once he opens up more.

You can pry this series out of my cold, dead hands. I will read whatever Nora publishes with enthusiasm and hope that she will never leave this series alone. I obviously will be continuing on with the next installment and can only hope that my dear Jean and Jeremy see some peace - even if it is only for a minute.

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Heavenly Bodies (Heavenly Bodies, #1) by Imani Erriu Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I remember seeing blurbs for this book on TikTok ages ago and adding it to my TBR shelf because it intrigued me so much. Three and a half years later, I should have known that my memories of the blurbs may have combined with other blurbs I have seen over the years. Looking back at my track record with TikTok recommendations, I should have known that I did not have a good chance of finding my next favorite romantasy series. The premise of the series is well-intended and I love the aspect of incorporating Greek mythology into the world, but I felt as though the plot lacked some serious development and character arcs that could have pushed this over from a "sure, read it" to a "definitely need to read" when it comes to recommendations.

Elara's journey was certainly the most gripping aspect of this book - I could very much get a sense that her character development was more thought out compared to the other characters. Yes, she is the female lead, but I am still a firm believer that all characters should be treated equally when it comes to development, especially when the majority of side characters were playing some part in aiding her and Enzo on their quest. That being said, watching Elara's development was refreshing in the sense that she was able to acknowledge her own disadvantages and was able to open up about past experiences that lead her to making certain choices. I felt like she was written slightly more "modern" compared to other characters - at one point she notes while reading a book that she "hates when the female characters lose their powers in the end" - and I could not agree more - but it did feel slightly out of scope for the setting of the book.

Enzo is much more mysterious, and he has that brooding, reluctant aura that tends to draw readers in. I enjoyed that he had this guarded exterior when Elara came along - he did not trust her, and while we knew her intensions were well-intended, she was keeping a few secrets, so it was fair that he did not immediately become vulnerable around her. His personality throughout the book was the one with the most depth in my opinion - he became more intriguing to me than Elara as his actions and development definitely captured me while reading. Elara's development was definitely up there, but there was just something missing in her story that was not pushing me over the line from enjoying her to rooting for her.

While this is not what I expected from this book - was I expecting greatness? No, but I was expecting a much more intricate story with well-developed lore. I did appreciate the guide in the beginning of the book that detailed pronunciation and the basics of who everyone was, but I typically prefer for that to be worked into the story rather than just information being provided to the reader. I will likely continue on with this series to see it through and can only hope that the storytelling improves with the next installment.

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Deep (Stage Dive, #4) by Kylie Scott Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Lick, Play, and Lead on my blog, now! Lick is now available to stream on Passionflix.

I should have read the blurb for this final installment - color me surprised when I was thrown into one of my least favorite tropes in the prologue / first chapter. Accidental pregnancy trope is already a top contender for gag-worthy plot points, but add in the fact that the female lead is twenty? Probably my worst nightmare. This series was already cruising the line of "do I like these books or are they just easy to read?" but this book truly takes the cake on me deciding that they were just quick and easy to read. I will say that the books did improve as the series went on, but that all went down the drown with Deep. That being said, Ben is definitely one of the better male leads and actually takes accountability for his actions, unlike some of the other band members.

Lizzy is so incredibly frustrating and just downright annoying during this entire book. I truly felt as though I was going to pull my hair out if she made one more ridiculous decision - yes, she is twenty and pregnant with no idea how she and Ben are supposed to coparent and embark on this journey together, but good grief the girl does not have a single brain cell floating around in her head. To make matters absolutely worse, she tries not to curse, which just results in the most annoying fake curse words known to man being sputtered every other page. Considering Lizzy was still working on her psychology degree, you would have thought that she would have been able to become more well-adjusted and maybe actually take the time to think about what having a baby at twenty would mean for her.

Ben is likable in the sense that he is in the running in being the best male lead of this series - Jimmy was no walk in the park, Mal truly had me second-guessing how much I originally liked him, and David was the most avoidant man on the planet. I was glad that he was actually taking accountability for getting Lizzy pregnant, and even though they were not in a relationship, he was still focused on making sure she was feeling well and had a support system from him as a coparent. He really wanted to provide for her even with the uncertainty of where their relationship stood, so I have to give him credit for being responsible.

The smut was a mildly redeeming aspect of this book - it honestly was the only thing keeping me going at one point because the plot was just not doing it for me. I truly wish I enjoyed this installment as much as I enjoyed Lead, but not every interconnected stand alone is built the same and unfortunately it shows in this final book. If you are looking for quick romances, this series certainly can be up your alley - they are easy to read and always tie up the relationships by the end of the book. I hope Passionflix decides to adapt the rest of the books into movies because I honestly think I enjoyed the movie of Lick more than the book.

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Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Game Changer on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry premieres on November 28, 2025 - only on Crave.

Oh I ate this up so bad... some of my new favorite boys. Obviously I wanted to read this before the show premieres later this month, and now I wish I could wipe my memory and read it all over again. I have been seeing some "arguments" online with some people stating this book was porn without plot, but the plot in this book is so extremely vital to Shane and Ilya's individual struggles and their relationship. That being said, the smut was well written and tasteful as their relationship develops. We see two newly drafted teenagers enter the world of professional hockey while trying to figure themselves out and navigate this rivalry that has been thrust upon them, all while engaging in one of the most complex secret relationships I have seen.

When I heard I had to brace myself when reading the prologue, I could not imagine what Reid had in store for us - when I tell you my jaw dropped. There was no holding back with this book, and it is certainly a leg up on Game Changer. I will say that the timeline of this story was a touch hard to keep track of, but once you get the hang of the way the book flows, it becomes much easier to follow. Typically I am not a major fan of text message usage in books, but I found myself loving Shane and Ilya's conversations - you could really get a sense of their own personalities and humor even when they were not together.

Ilya's storyline felt like he was going through the horrors every two seconds, meanwhile Shane was trying to tell himself he was not gay even though he was literally sleeping with Ilya every chance they could get. Shane's story felt more lighthearted in my opinion - you could tell that he was going to be surrounded by supportive family members, while Ilya's story had me clutching my seat waiting for the next blow. Both experienced some major battles but they were basically there for each other the entire time, even when they would hold back on telling the other something that made them more vulnerable.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and from what I hear, this is certainly not the last we will see of them. Their relationship was more intriguing than Scott and Kip's, and while I would not consider this a true "rivals to lovers" trope, I can say that I can see how their "rivalry" made the relationship development more interesting. There was a more significant amount of depth to both characters in this book compared to the first and I was glad to see that Reid was able to create some more complex characters. I already placed a Libby hold for the next book in this interconnected series and I am excited to see where it leads readers with the new couple.

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Game Changer (Game Changers, #1) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Heated Rivalry premieres on November 28, 2025 - only on Crave.

I will be completely honest and say that I started this series solely because Heated Rivalry begins streaming soon and I have heard nothing but great things about that book - I wanted to read it before watching the show, and I am very pro-read the interconnected stand-alones in order. I have not read a hockey romance in some time and was excited to get back into them, especially considering the weather is getting colder. Scott Hunter's pre-game ritual of a smoothie has led him to Kip Grady, the kind juice bar barista that captured his eye and led him down a road of a secret romance. Scott's frequent visits become an excitement for Kip, and their friendship blossoms into an attraction that neither can avoid.

However, Scott seems to be the one making all of the rules and has Kip over on his own terms, leading to Kip feeling somewhat isolated from his "old" life and like a secret in the dark. As he spends more time thinking about what he wants and what his future holds career-wise, Scott is focused on playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup. Their different goals seems to cause a rift on the relationship but more so with Kip's perspective, and as playoffs come even closer, Kip is set to make up his mind on what he needs. Sure, Scott is not out to the world, but with Kip being out, he feels as though he is a second thought to Scott when it comes to hockey and what to focus on. I can definitely see both sides - Scott wanting to wait until playoffs are over in order to not overshadow the games, and Kip wanting to be able to go out with his boyfriends without Scott having to hide from the public eye.

Kip and Scott's friends definitely provided them support in different ways - Kip was able to at least confide in a friend regarding his relationship, whereas Scott had to keep everything to himself. You can certainly see how badly Scott wanted to share about his personal life, but also understand why he was keeping that part of him to himself and Kip. It hurt to see Kip go through so much and seemingly alone - you could tell that it was eating him up inside that he would be spending all of his time waiting for Scott to come back from games or practices, and yet barely get to see him when he did get home - not to mention the fact that Kip was not going to any hockey team functions with Scott as his partner - he had to watch from home.

This was definitely a good start to the series, and you can clearly tell where the next installment is headed considering the number of times a certain Russian player was mentioned throughout the book. There are things that I would have changed, but overall the book read well and there was a decent balance of inner turmoil, lightheartedness, and smut. I already have Heated Rivalry on loan from Libby, and cannot wait to see what Shane and Ilya's story has in store.

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