Showing posts with label calista jayne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calista jayne. Show all posts

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Ouch! My Vampire Doms Keep Biting Me (Vampire Doms, #1) by Calista Jayne Review


This is a spoiler-free review! Thank you to the author for providing me with an advanced copy for review! You can also read my reviews of Falling for Them and Playing by Their Rules.

Jayne introduces Autumn, Xander, and Will in this first installment -- a quick read for anyone looking for something to introduce themselves to her writing or to the genres in general. If memory serves, this is one of the first -- if not the first -- vampire romance books I have read, and I very much had a fun time reading it. This book certainly was filled with both plot and spice, and starting out hot with Autumn bearing witness to a crime that causes her to go on the run.

The pacing of the book definitely keeps the reader interested, so much so that you could finish this in one sitting in just about an hour if you have the chance to do so. I enjoyed that we were given perspectives from Autumn, Xander, and Will -- it really allows the reader to get into the headspace of all of the characters, which is a commonality in Jayne's writing that I definitely appreciate.

Xander and Will are similar, but both have very distinct characteristics when it comes to what they want from Autumn, which takes a toll on their relationship as they both get to know her on their own terms. The reader is able to see Will and Xander's internal struggles with Autumn coming into their lives, especially with their conflicting views on what they should do with her now that they know her and she has become a presence in their lives.

Autumn is really just trying to get by while on the run and starting over when she has a chance encounter with Will and Xander, which certainly takes her life for a turn in more ways than one. She becomes introduced to a whole new world while trying to rebuild her own, and she just happens to have two vampires to show her the ropes. I did find it hilarious that she did not even seem fazed by the fact that vampires were real and that she was in the presence of two of them -- she really rolls with the punches when it comes to obstacles in her life.

The spicier scenes are more mild compared to Jayne's other novels I have read, but still tasteful and enjoyable nonetheless. Jayne does a great job in making them move at an entertaining pace and places them into the story at opportune moments rather than just throwing them in for shock factor.

I do wish that we were given a bit more background on Will and Xander in regards to their relationship and how they came to live their lives together. It felt a little rushed when it came to introducing them into Autumn's life and then glossed over their actual presence in town. Autumn's choices while on the run also had me just a touched confused, because as a person on the run, I personally would not be stopping to read books at a library, but hey, a girl does what she wants.

With this book ending on a cliffhanger, I may find myself gravitating towards the series later on to see what exactly is in store for Autumn, Xander, and Will. For readers looking to get into paranormal romance, this is a great book to get yourself off the ground and into the genre.


You can add Ouch! My Vampire Doms Keep Biting Me on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Monday, September 11, 2023

Playing by Their Rules by Calista Jayne Review


This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC -- any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an advanced copy for review! Playing by Their Rules will be available on September 12, 2023. You can also read my review of Falling for Them (Cinderella's Daddies, #1) on my blog, here.

Calista Jayne does not disappoint in this fun new standalone -- when Maisie gets a second chance to win Chance and Ethan over for a very special relationship, she goes in with a clear mindset and a plan that would put war battles to shame. Maisie is such a great character when it comes to understanding her own feelings as well as when it comes to experiencing so many new things as once. I really enjoyed her characterization, and it reminded me a lot of Ella from Jayne's Cinderella's Daddies series.

I loved that we had perspectives from Maisie, Chance, and Ethan -- it made the story become cohesive and the reader does not feel as though they are missing out on certain characters and their thoughts. Jayne really allows readers to understand exactly what is going through everyone's minds as the relationship begins to develop, which makes it all the more entertaining to read. 

Once I started reading, I could barely put it down and nearly flew threw the book in one sitting. The pacing of the plot works in the reader's favor, as it makes you feel as if you are going through these new and exciting decisions and moments with Maisie at the same rate as her thought process.

Bradley and Mina made interesting supporting characters, and I loved the relationship that Maisie had with Bradley -- it is a rare find in romance books to have a female lead with a male best friend that does not try to get into a relationship with her, and I found it very refreshing to see such a great dynamic between the two of them. Mina is an entire beast on her own, and low-key felt like a bit of a stage five clinger when it came to doing anything with Maisie -- she really was basically trying to become another version of Maisie and her character definitely added some tension to Maisie's life.

Ethan and Chance were overall great characters that really had maturity behind them when it came to doing anything with Maisie, which once again was refreshing to see in a more taboo romance novel. I love a good age gap romance, and their age difference with Maisie was just the right amount where it was an age difference and not a power difference in the sense that everyone was in control of what was going on in their relationship.

I absolutely loved the thriller element to this book -- much like Falling for Them, Jayne is able to expertly incorporate thrilling, interesting plot twists that compliment the story's relationship without overshadowing the main theme. This was such a fun read, and easily one of my new favorite erotic thrillers. I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and plot development, and the relationship between Ethan, Chance, and Maisie was well-established and overall a great pairing.

This was a super fun read and I will definitely be reading more by the author. If you are a fan of Praise by Sara Cate or Credence by Penelope Douglas, this book will certainly become one of your new favorites. I would definitely recommend Forever Only Once by Carrie Ann Ryan once you read this book, especially if you are looking for a romance book with a touch of thriller to it.



You can add Playing by Their Rules on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!