Play the Part by Ebony Brewer Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Play the Part is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

Once again, Stuff Your Kindle Day has overtaken my TBR pile and blinded me from reading a physical book. Sutton, our leading lady, certainly has some baggage packed far into the back of her mind, and it certainly is brought right back to the surface when her childhood friend, Thorn, shows up out of nowhere, after being believed to be dead for years.

Shantel Tessier has prepared me for dark college romance books, and while Play the Part is nowhere near the depravity that Tessier provides her readers, this book certainly starts out with a little bang and within the first six chapters some scandalous things are happening in a cemetery. If you are looking for a quick and spicy read, this certainly feels like a beginner's guide into dark romance border-lining on the taboo side. Brewer writes a great spicy scene, and she definitely fills this book with a fair share of them.

The pet names were killing me after reaching the halfway mark -- they are fun every once in a while, but when every other sentence ends in "angel," "little one," or "sinner," it begins to feel like overkill. I am genuinely perplexed on how Sutton just hopped on the masked man train and did not even seriously question it -- sure, she jokes about it with him, but if I was her, I would have ripped that mask off so fast to see what he looked like and to find out who he was.

I will admit, a little over halfway through this book, I was begging for something else to happen besides Duncan running around like a stalker or Sutton and Thorn going at it -- everything was starting to feel very repetitive. The mask really started to get old fast, and I did not really understand how Sutton just let him get away with that for as long as she did. For a 24-year-old, the way that Thorn spoke just did not feel organic, and every sentence out of his mouth sounded like he was trying to write an epic poem instead of rekindle a childhood flame.

That being said, Sutton and Thorn's chemistry was basically oozing off the pages and you could tell that Brewer put a lot of thought and energy into making their relationship take form. Both of them have a lot of things to work through, and I appreciated the author's attention to their own traumas and the way she addressed them in their own ways.

If you are looking to dabble in dark college romance, Play the Part may be the introduction you need before diving in. And if you find yourself teetering on the edge of entering the world of taboo romance, Brewer's book is just the tip of the iceberg.

You can add Play the Part 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!

Merciless Heir (Kozlov Empire, #1) by Monica Kayne Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Merciless Heir is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

I told myself that I would read more classic literature and then immediately went to the pile of mafia romance books sitting in my TBR pile -- I have no regrets. Georgia is put in an unfortunate circumstance and Andrei has found himself a unique opportunity in her when he raids a rival's mansion. Training Georgia as a spy, Andrei uses her to his advantage in order to settle a score, but he did not expect his new pawn to cause him so much confusion.

The plot moves pretty fast and is accompanied by a lot of action scenes, but I wish we spent more time on character development, especially when it came to Andrei. While we do get perspectives from both of the leads, I felt as though Georgia's development took the main focus, with Andrei's taking a backseat. That being said, I do believe his character development was present, especially toward the second half of the book.

Realistically, I would have preferred this book as more of a slow burn compared the quick development in Georgia and Andrei's development. As a big fan of mafia romances, I know readers always say that they would fold in two seconds if they were put in that position, but it just did not feel ready to move that quickly in this instance. However, the banter between Georgia and Andrei was enjoyable, and being in both of their heads gave a lot more value to their relationship, considering neither one of them wanted to be in the situation they were in. Well, maybe not Andrei, he seemed to be having a blast.

A decent amount of the book is Georgia and Andrei going at it like it is their last day on the planet, so much so that I actually forgot what the plot of the book was. This is definitely a fun palate cleanser if you are looking for something fun and suspenseful in between heavy reads. The plot twists are easy to spot a mile away, but when reading for a light read, that is more than welcome. Sometimes Andrei did some questionable things that I was not a fan of, and he had me teetering on the edge of if I actually liked him or not. Georgia, ever the persistent captive, was not making his life easier, and she really was set on pushing back every chance she got.

I do not understand how she was able to train and master so many skills in such a short amount of time. It takes months if not years to be able to acquire all of the skills they trained her in, and yet she was suddenly a pro after a week of working out, complaining, and getting freaky with the man who captured her. She did seem to be having a relatively pretty good time in that library, so maybe she channeled that into her training. I certainly would not be complaining.

If you are looking to introduce yourself into the genre, an interconnected standalone series is great as a low commitment step into mafia romance. You get the convenience of a closed ending for the main couple of that installment, with the option of moving forward if another character catches your attention, but you are not chained down to the series if you did not clique with the story. With two other brothers, I can imagine they are just as wild if not more intense than Andrei, considering the way they acted in this book.

You can add Merciless Heir 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!

Prey Drive (Parallel Prey, #1) by Jen Stevens Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Prey Drive is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

Dark romance was calling my name and I could not ignore it any longer. Haunted past? Stalker? And we get his POV? Count me in. I know this genre is not for everyone, but it is so entertaining, and I can truly say this was another fun read that keeps the reader intrigued.

Jovie has been through something unimaginable, and the way to start over is to move away from her family in an attempt to rebuild her life after a horrible night. What she does not expect is a mysterious man to become ever so present in her dreams, only to show up as real as you and me. Trying to make sense of this lurking figure, Jovie is just a lamb to his wolf, and only time will show her how much danger she is in when she least expects it.

Sebastian's loss has led him down a dark path that he can never return from, and in his conquest to seek revenge, he crosses roads with Jovie somewhere he least expects it. With Jovie posing a new obstacle in his path of destruction, he must find a way to balance his two lives without merging them. He fails this goal basically three seconds after laying eyes on Jovie, and his interest in her causes a chain reaction no one would see coming. Their relationship lowkey had me giggling and kicking my feet, and since I love a bit of drama, their complicated views of one another really drew me in. Sebastian is basically a little Zade Meadows junior, and that sold me on his character from his very first chapter.

With Jovie and Sebastian forming a complicated relationship, it leads to putting Jovie in a danger that she could not imagine, with Sebastian needing to find a way to keep her in his life while carrying our revenge. Yes, he may be a stalker, but he is polite! Kind of. At least he does not hide who he is from Jovie, so it is a point in my book. He certainly has some serious things to work through, but he has allowed revenge to take over his life, and he is becoming sloppy. He is passionate about two drastically different parts of his life, and takes both of them to the extreme.

Once the story gets into Jovie and Sebastian's relationship, we see them do so many things... literally I do not think that they were ever NOT doing something. And let me tell you, I was not complaining at all -- the author was able to pace the story and the spicier scenes together that still kept the story's pacing while giving a tasteful amount of spice. This being a dark romance, I will say that these scenes may not be everyone's cup of tea, and I would recommend looking into content warnings if you do not fair well on that front.

The ending of this book let me somewhat confused... not sure if we are headed toward the paranormal route or if there is something major to be revealed in the second book, but I will definitely be finishing this duet to get to the bottom of it. Sebastian and Jovie have such an interesting dynamic with each other, and with both having some significant things to work through, I need to see how it ends for them.

If you are looking for something Haunting Adeline-adjacent, but more tame, this is definitely a great choice to slowly work your way into the genre, without diving in head-first. I did not know what to expect from this story, but the summary was so intriguing, I just had to abandon my fantasy TBR to begin this duet. Stuff Your Kindle Day is officially two for two this month for me, and I honestly did not want to put this book down -- if I was not busy, I would have finished it in one sitting.

You can add Prey Drive 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!

The Divine and the Cursed (Fae of Alastríona, #1) by J.E. Reed Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The Divine and the Cursed is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

This book is the best thing Stuff Your Kindle Day has ever given me - it had me absolutely gagged the entire time, and the only reason I did not finish it in one sitting was because my eyes could not stay open any longer. I have been searching high and low for a new fantasy series to get into, and The Divine and the Cursed delivered everything I could have imagined, and so much more. 

I loved the premise of this story, and the characterization of our female lead, Arianna, was fantastic -- she is strong and stubborn, and truly made a great protagonist to follow. Not to mention Rion, more commonly referred to asThe Demon, who immediately had me giggling and kicking my feet over. A general feared by all, with such a complex backstory accompanying well-paced development, he is one of my new favorite male leads in fantasy.

The relationship between Arianna and Rion was something so interesting to see unfold, and Reed does an excellent job at pacing their development so that the reader is truly able to see them individually grow alongside one another. Both characters have such tortured pasts, and watching them both have to come to terms with what they have been through and how they are connected to one another made an entertaining read. Side characters provided a great sense of support to the story, and the friendship between Arianna and Zylah was so important to Arianna's character growth and understanding of the consequences of war. I will admit, Talon got a little on my nerves, mostly because he reminded me so much of Chaol Westfall, and I have beef with that man. However, he completely changed my mind by the end of the book, and I have to say I will be rooting for him to find happiness and leave his crush on Arianna behind him.

As a lover of multiple point of views, this book was feeding me well, especially since they were in third person perspective - my preferred style of writing. In addition to having Arianna and Rion's perspectives, we get to see the story through a number of supporting characters, which in my opinion was a pretty good choice for this story. We as readers were subjected to seeing the plot from our main leads for the majority of the story, but the addition of more perspectives towards the end of the book really allows readers to get the full picture.

The action and battle scenes were great to read and easy to follow without leaving the reader confused on the sequence of events -- the elemental abilities of the characters makes excellent scenes. Watching different characters become one with their magic and form such strong senses of self as they utilize their abilities made the story even more intriguing.

Personally, I had so much fun reading this book, and after being in a major reading slump, this was exactly what I needed to knock some motivation into me to stay on track with my reading goal. This was a great first installment to a series, and I have not had this much fun reading a fantasy book in a long time. The potential for this story is certainly there, and I will definitely be continuing with Arianna and Rion's story to see it to the end.

For fans of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, this is certainly the series for you -- while it is not high fantasy, the action and subtle romance binds the story together that closely resembles a similar feeling and storytelling.

You can add The Divine and the Cursed 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!

Silent Deception by Cathie Dunn Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Silent Deception is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

I was looking for something short and maybe not-so-sweet when I came across this novella, and it was the perfect choice to help me get out of a reading slump. Minnie Goodridge has inherited a haunted manor, and comes across the charming presence of Gideon Drake upon her arrival to fix up the home that no person seems keen to enter. I usually tend to stay away from historical romance, but on occasion when combined with a touch of ghosts, I will be sucked in.

This novella brushes upon a budding romance between Minnie and Gideon as she makes the manor her home while digging into the dreadful past that seems to haunt the estate. Unknowingly tied to Gideon, she attempts to unmask the truth of a relative while he does the same, but he is immediately intrigued by Minnie's presence in his life.

Silent Deception offers the beginning of a romance that brushes the surface of what the future has in store for Minnie and Gideon. I loved the atmosphere that the author created, it truly felt hauntingly eerie as the story progressed, and reminded me so much of Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn in that regard.

Both main characters had a decent amount of character development, considering this novella clocks in at just under eighty pages. I found myself wishing this was a full-length novel, and I really wanted to get more into the story and the romance. The plot moved along at a great pace that allows readers to essentially finish in one sitting, making you want to never stop reading until the end. The relationship between Minnie and Gideon feels very natural, especially for the time period, and I loved the way they slowly began to get to know one another.

If you are looking for a gateway into historical romance with just a dash of mystery, this novella is certainly an excellent step in that direction. On a separate note, I think this is the third book I have read with this girl on the cover -- they never seem to disappoint!

You can add Silent Deception 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!

Awakened Princess (Beyond the Curse, #1) by Laura Greenwood Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Awakened Princess is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.

Kicking off my first read of 2024 with an intriguing retelling plot that seemed to wrap three fairy tales into one fantasy series. More so in the sense that there are hints from different stories written throughout this book, but most notably is Sleeping Beauty, which is at the forefront of the story. 

Keira, freshly eighteen and officially declared the heir, has discovered that a sleeping curse has been placed upon her, and she must find a way to break it before her nineteenth birthday. Going along with the Sleeping Beauty retelling, we have Prince Philip, from another kingdom, who has earned the interested of Keira when he attends her birthday gala.

This was a fun read! It was on the shorter side, but nothing felt too rushed and the characters are still given the chance to develop some more distinguishable traits. It was not overflowing with unnecessary side characters, and the author kept the story to the point and did not drift from the main plot line. Getting to see the early stages of Keira and Philip's relationship as friends to something more felt natural -- it was not instant love for them, and I really appreciated the way they got to know each other before anything else transpired. 

I do wish that we were able to see more development for the individual characters, but given that it is the first book in a series, I have hope that the next installment will draw more on their backgrounds and personalities. Regarding world building, this was a simple introduction to the internal conflict between two kingdoms, and we as readers are given a glimpse at the vast environmental differences between Philip and Keira's homes.

Philip's parents have a more secretive aura surrounding them compared to Keira's parents -- they seem much more untrustworthy, especially given the information we learn about his father during this book. Keira's parents are only a step or two above them, given that they keep a decent amount of information from her until the opportunity strikes once they determine she should know.

I enjoyed the darker undertones to the classic fairy tales that we are familiar with, as it definitely adds a new dimension to the retelling that allows the story to feel fresh. As a longtime lover of Sleeping Beauty, there was a perfect amount of the original story at play while still maintaining originality by the author. This was a great, quick read to get me back into my reading grind and hopefully on a fantasy kick to finally tackle some more books on my shelf.

You can add Awakened Princess 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!

Do You Want Me? (This Love Hurts, #0.5) by W. Winters Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Do You Want Me? is currently available for free on Kindle. You can read my reviews of It's Our Secret and A Single Glance on my blog.

Stuff Your Kindle Day strikes again with this final read of 2023 for me -- honestly, I did not even read the description before downloading -- I saw W. Winters and immediately hit download. As a prequel novella to a series, I was hoping to learn a little background on our main characters before deciding to continue on with the series. For the other books I have read by this author, I have been a one and done reader, with the possibility of returning to the series once I tackle more of my physical TBR pile.

Delilah has a lot of stressors in her life, not to mention the man she parted ways with finally coming back into her life years later. This novella takes us two years prior to the prologue, exploring Delilah's complicated life, along with perspectives from Cody, a detective, and Marcus, the man that just will not stop from making Delilah his own, but only in the future books.

We spend most of the time in Delilah's perspective, with the occasional appearance by Cody and just a dash of Marcus to add to the mix. I wish we spent more time with Marcus in his perspective -- he is so important to the story, yet we barely had two chapters of his thoughts, most of which focused on Cody rather than Delilah. Winters does provide readers with a decent amount of background information considering this is a prequel novella, but I do believe it could have been fifty pages longer, just to really seal the deal with how Delilah and Marcus are connected.

If the author included just a touch more bit of action or suspense in the prequel, it would have really engaged readers to keep moving forward. I took a few breaks while reading this short installment, only because I was not itching to finish it in one sitting, and the way that the plot was moving, I could tell there was not going to be a wild third act or final chapter. Looking back at how the novella started with the prologue, I would have loved to circle back to that moment at the end of the story.

The multiple perspectives did give the story a more well-rounded sense, especially when readers are able to get a wisp of how Delilah, Cody, and Marcus are connected. It was refreshing to see a main character that has some semblance of self preservation and a decent amount of common sense. Delilah is definitely one of the more structured adult female characters that I have encountered when reading romantic suspense novels.

I would not go far enough to say that this was suspenseful, or even wavering on the edge of dark romance, but that just may be due to the fact that the story is just getting started. Winters alludes to Delilah having some big secret or terrible past a number of times in the novella, but never goes further than having it as a lingering thought from Delilah -- I wish we could have gotten just a crumb of what happened. I am interested enough in this story to continue on, but I would not consider it one of my top priorities.

You can add Do You Want 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!