Showing posts with label Colette Rhodes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colette Rhodes. Show all posts
Hello and Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is off to a great start!
I'm sharing four books I read and quite enjoyed and maybe you'll find something here to read too!
Tristitia by Colette Rhodes
Paranormal Romance; one night stand; dual 1st person pov; explicit heat; 128 pages
A monster x monster novella set in the Shades of Sin universe.
It is best read as 3.5 in the series, after Gula.
Suitable for readers age 18+
Rating - 
How sweet was Calix?
From previous books, I knew him as the surly, somewhat unapproachable chef at the palace. I knew something was brewing between him and Levana, but I had no idea how it was going to happen and if we were going to see it happen or if they'd just appear as a couple in a future story.
So thank you, Colette Rhodes, for giving us this tale.
Levana was the queen's guard, but she knew her time at the palace was temporary. Her father had expectations and she had lived her life trying to meet them.
What happens when she falls in love and the life she wants isn't the life her father has planned?
Loved this book!
How sweet was Calix?
From previous books, I knew him as the surly, somewhat unapproachable chef at the palace. I knew something was brewing between him and Levana, but I had no idea how it was going to happen and if we were going to see it happen or if they'd just appear as a couple in a future story.
So thank you, Colette Rhodes, for giving us this tale.
Levana was the queen's guard, but she knew her time at the palace was temporary. Her father had expectations and she had lived her life trying to meet them.
What happens when she falls in love and the life she wants isn't the life her father has planned?
Loved this book!
A Soul to Touch by Opal Reyne
Paranormal Monster Romance; forbidden; dual 3rd person pov; filthy heat; 501 pages
All Mayumi ever wanted was to hunt Demons.
After being discharged from the Demonslayer guild, Mayumi chose to isolate herself within the forest. The best place to hunt and kill Demons. But, one night, she’s surprised when a different monster is lured by her baits.
Just before she unleashes an arrow that’s aimed to kill, Mayumi pauses. She realises she’s seen that skulled, feline face before and that it had once saved her life.
All Faunus ever wanted was her.
After the Demon King cracked his skull, Faunus returns to watch over the only human he has ever cared for. He knows what his future holds, she would never become his bride, but he wants to spend what remains of his life protecting her.
He never expected that she would ever befriend him, or that she would openly desire him. She’s as fiery as her burning passion, and he’s desperate to let her consume him.
But his time in this world grows short, and Faunus doesn’t know how he can be with Mayumi when he knows nothing will save him.
Rating -
I would give anything to be closer to you, Mayumi. - Faunus
This had to be the most angsty story of the series. At least it was for me because there were a couple of times I swear I was on the verge of tears.
Faunus was by far the most emotional Duskwalker of the bunch. His well of humanity seemed to be depthless, especially when it came to Mayumi. His heart beat for her. His very essence held onto this side of the veil simply to protect and be near her.
And wasn't it awesome how easily she welcomed him to her side?
"I've never lost someone who made me feel so whole. How am I supposed to find my place in a world I know for certain you're not in?... How am I to find someone who felt like they were the other half of me when I know it was you... in all your big, fluffy glory? I hate you so much for doing this to me... And I love you so damn much that it feels like my heart is burning." - Mayumi
There was plenty of absolutely naughty scenes to be had, but it was the growth of their relationship that I concentrated on. It was easy to see how much they cared for each other, even though they were more the "show and not tell" kind of people. And they showed... a lot.
I loved getting to see some familiar faces and also a new one. It gave me a bit more knowledge of demons and elves and hints at more. I'm hoping to find out everything and have every questioned answered by the end of this series.
I would give anything to be closer to you, Mayumi. - Faunus
This had to be the most angsty story of the series. At least it was for me because there were a couple of times I swear I was on the verge of tears.
Faunus was by far the most emotional Duskwalker of the bunch. His well of humanity seemed to be depthless, especially when it came to Mayumi. His heart beat for her. His very essence held onto this side of the veil simply to protect and be near her.
And wasn't it awesome how easily she welcomed him to her side?
"I've never lost someone who made me feel so whole. How am I supposed to find my place in a world I know for certain you're not in?... How am I to find someone who felt like they were the other half of me when I know it was you... in all your big, fluffy glory? I hate you so much for doing this to me... And I love you so damn much that it feels like my heart is burning." - Mayumi
There was plenty of absolutely naughty scenes to be had, but it was the growth of their relationship that I concentrated on. It was easy to see how much they cared for each other, even though they were more the "show and not tell" kind of people. And they showed... a lot.
I loved getting to see some familiar faces and also a new one. It gave me a bit more knowledge of demons and elves and hints at more. I'm hoping to find out everything and have every questioned answered by the end of this series.
Grim and Bear It by Juliette Cross
Paranormal Romance; fated mates; dual 1st person pov; explicit heat; 368 pages
Clara Savoie is so confused. She is absolutely positive that Henry Blackwater is practically in love with her. But for some strange reason, he won’t even ask her on a single date. Time to take matters into her own hands.
When Clara shows up on his doorstep with an unusual invitation, tempting cupcakes, and naughty innuendo, Henry has no choice but to say yes. Now he’s the newest member of the High Tea Romance Book Club. While Clara learns the haunting secrets of her broody grim, Henry shows her what commitment from a necromancer truly means.
But when his father is arrested for murder, Henry is dragged back into the nightmare he’s been avoiding all his life. When he steps back into his father’s world, he isn’t just endangering himself but also the bright, beautiful woman he can no longer live without. But he just might have to.
Rating -
The last book of the Stay a Spell series might just be my absolute favorite!
Clara and Henry have been dancing around each other for ages. We all knew that they were into each other, they knew they liked the other, but they never acted on their feelings. That is until Clara can't take it anymore and decides to make the first move.
She brings him closer by sharing their love of romance books, but that is just her first step. She's got a course of seduction set up that Henry has no clue he's been enrolled in. These characters were so oohey gooey and sweet and sexy and I loved them to pieces. Clara with her innate goodness and belief in the greatness of others. Henry with his damage and yet hopeful outlook on life. Their future together was all but guaranteed and I loved witnessing it.
Once again, there were some suspenseful bits and they just about broke my heart, but they also gave Henry a chance to shine, to finally embrace his power, and to heal after his trauma (read the book to learn more). I'm so happy with the endings everyone got and I only wish I could stay longer with these characters I've fallen in love with. I can only imagine the mischief the Savoie sisters and their mates could get up to.
The last book of the Stay a Spell series might just be my absolute favorite!
Clara and Henry have been dancing around each other for ages. We all knew that they were into each other, they knew they liked the other, but they never acted on their feelings. That is until Clara can't take it anymore and decides to make the first move.
As I watched her now, I wondered, not for the first time, if she was in fact my hope and my guide. Because wherever she went, I helplessly followed.
She brings him closer by sharing their love of romance books, but that is just her first step. She's got a course of seduction set up that Henry has no clue he's been enrolled in. These characters were so oohey gooey and sweet and sexy and I loved them to pieces. Clara with her innate goodness and belief in the greatness of others. Henry with his damage and yet hopeful outlook on life. Their future together was all but guaranteed and I loved witnessing it.
Clara. My beautiful Clara. The gold that was mending all of my imperfect, broken pieces.
Once again, there were some suspenseful bits and they just about broke my heart, but they also gave Henry a chance to shine, to finally embrace his power, and to heal after his trauma (read the book to learn more). I'm so happy with the endings everyone got and I only wish I could stay longer with these characters I've fallen in love with. I can only imagine the mischief the Savoie sisters and their mates could get up to.
Being an omega was like being a fragile fluffy bunny
with a hard-on for slavering wolves.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
with a hard-on for slavering wolves.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
Scheme by Colette Rhodes
Rating -
Standalone - On the Shelf #1
Release - July 28, 2023
Genre - Paranormal Romance / fake relationship
POV - Primarily single 1st person (heroine)
Heat - several filthy scenes (omegaverse includes knotting and slick descriptions)
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 300 pages
Margot doesn’t have time for a mate. Between her legal career, and the multitude of friends and siblings who rely on her, her schedule is full.
And if her schedule is full specifically so she doesn’t have time to find a mate? Well, that’s a matter between her and the therapist she keeps forgetting to make another appointment with.
As a travel photographer, Kit is always on the move, going wherever his clients need him to be. There’s nowhere for a nest in economy class or the backs of buses, and Kit has accepted that his choice of career means he’ll never have an omega of his own.
And he’s fine with that.
But if there’s one thing Margot and Kit have in common, it’s that no one else accepts they could possibly be happy alone.
Between them, can they hatch a scheme to keep their friends and families off their backs? Or will their best laid plans lead to the best laid something else entirely?
And if her schedule is full specifically so she doesn’t have time to find a mate? Well, that’s a matter between her and the therapist she keeps forgetting to make another appointment with.
As a travel photographer, Kit is always on the move, going wherever his clients need him to be. There’s nowhere for a nest in economy class or the backs of buses, and Kit has accepted that his choice of career means he’ll never have an omega of his own.
And he’s fine with that.
But if there’s one thing Margot and Kit have in common, it’s that no one else accepts they could possibly be happy alone.
Between them, can they hatch a scheme to keep their friends and families off their backs? Or will their best laid plans lead to the best laid something else entirely?
I liked how easily relatable Margot was. She was burdened by the expectations of others and she was a people pleaser, and while I couldn't relate to that, I could feel a kinship with her efforts to be independent, self-sufficient, and to not settle for less than she deserved. Being constantly reminded by certain members of her family that she was less than, I loved how she was still vulnerable by her poor self-worth while asserting her strengths. She was kind and generous, smart and successful, and I wanted the best for her.
Kit was completely and hilariously ignorant in the ways of alphas and omegas. I thought it was very curious that as an alpha, he didn't really know himself. However, I thought he was extremely brave when he admitted his cluelessness and made steps to correct it. He constantly put his foot in his mouth when it came to Margot, but he didn't let that foot stay there. Of course I admired him!
I found it incredibly realistic that Margot was hesitant to give Kit or her feelings for him a real shot. She was hurt and carried those scars with her every day. I'm just glad Kit was a great hero and didn't quit. They were both able to recognize something special in the other and the journey to get to their shared happiness was full of warmth, fun, and plenty of kink.
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Visit https://coletterhodes.com for more information
"Bed," Selene ordered the moment I stepped into the room.
"What"
"You smell needy."
My historical trend of failing upward appeared to be continuing. "I am. Super needy. Let's go."
"What"
"You smell needy."
My historical trend of failing upward appeared to be continuing. "I am. Super needy. Let's go."
Gula by Colette Rhodes
Rating - ★★★★1/2
Standalone - Shades of Sin #3
Release - September 30, 2023
Genre and Trope - paranormal romance / forced proximity / protection
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - slow burn and descriptive scenes
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 284 pages
Standalone - Shades of Sin #3
Release - September 30, 2023
Genre and Trope - paranormal romance / forced proximity / protection
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - slow burn and descriptive scenes
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 284 pages
Selene cares about three things in life:
1. Her prestigious position as Lieutenant of the Guard that very few of the elite at Court feel she deserves.
2. Her beloved sister and niece, humiliating reminders of her humble origins.
3. Her penchant for rare and expensive dining—a status symbol and marker of the success she’s attained.
Austin only cares about one thing in life:
1. Music.
Except Austin’s rockstar dreams never came true, and the bottom of the bottle isn’t giving him the answers he’s searching for.
But maybe, just maybe, a prickly Shade with a secret wild side will.
Other books in the series:
Luxuria * Superbia
My Two Cents
The love story of Austin and Selene was very different from the books that preceded it. For one, the ex-hunter who never hunted was male. Secondly, there was no instalust or instant connection of any kind. Their meet-cute WAS NOT very cute at all and Austin had a bad impression to make up for. And third, the heat didn't exist for MOST of this story.
These differences allowed the characters to develop a unique relationship. Selene was very set in her ways, living a regimented, sheltered life, with no real companionship or feeling of belonging. And Austin was very mellow, easy to like, and could fit in anywhere. They were very different from each other, but at their core, the author illustrated that they had more in common than either of them realized.
I loved how they drew out the best of each other. Austin got Selene to open up more, to share her true self with him and she inspired him to take life and himself more seriously. It was wonderful to watch how things between them grew out of trust and friendship and became exactly what both of them needed.
I'm enjoying the heck out of learning more about Shades and the hunters that love them. I'm really excited to continue this series!!
The Author
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Visit https://coletterhodes.com for more information
She was my Astrid, my Hunter, my assassin, and I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to remind her just how mine she was.
────── ♔ ──────
Superbia by Colette Rhodes
My Rating - ★★★★
Standalone - Shades of Sin #2
Release - March 7, 2023
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 294 pages
Standalone - Shades of Sin #2
Release - March 7, 2023
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 294 pages
Other book(s) in the series: Luxuria
Astrid is the kind of Hunter that all Hunters aspire to be.
Lethal. Focused. Ambidextrous.
In contrast to her disgraced sister, Astrid has done everything right. And now, she’s coming to realize that everything she’s ever known is wrong.
Soren wants to be the kind of Shade that all Shades aspire to be.
Brave. Decisive. Powerful.
But his disgraced sister is determined to ruin him, and now there’s a deadly Hunter in his realm, smelling like the most delicious thing he’d ever taste.
And the king wants them to work together.
Can they hold the enemy line with each other? Or will the thin line between love and hate be their undoing?
After falling positively in love with Ophelia and Allerick, I knew that I had to continue the series. So here I am, at the end of this book, and I can safely conclude that this series is a must-read. If you’re down with some monster loving, you NEED to read these books!
Astrid and Soren hated each other, and for good reason. She was a Hunter, known for killing tons of Shades. And as the Shade’s Captain of the Guard, Soren was sworn to protect the citizens of his world, so of course he would take offense from her actions. But all of that hate was hiding something else…
In the last book, Astrid finally figured out that everything she knew or had come to believe about the fight she waged against Shades was wrong. She abandoned her false life, took other ex-Hunters with her, and prepared to start a new life in a new world. Too bad she was surrounded by the very people she once hunted. She doesn’t fit and apart from her sister and her new ex-hunter friends, no one has made her feel welcome.
Soren knows he should hate Astrid, but she keeps doing things that show him how much she’s changing. How can he keep his hate game strong when she keeps giving him so much to love?
I really enjoyed the acrimonious nature of this relationship. These characters sniped and growled and fought so hard against the inevitable. Astrid had finally found her person, the one who would understand her even when she couldn’t truly articulate herself. The one person who would always have her back. And Soren found the same.
While reading the acknowledgments, I found out that the author intends to write seven books for this series and that they tackle the seven deadly sins. Book one, Luxuria, was lust and Superbia is all about pride. This fact has given me a new appreciation for what I’ve read so far and I’m really excited to continue this series.
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?
Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Contact her here:
Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author
Facebook: Colette Rhodes
Lethal. Focused. Ambidextrous.
In contrast to her disgraced sister, Astrid has done everything right. And now, she’s coming to realize that everything she’s ever known is wrong.
Soren wants to be the kind of Shade that all Shades aspire to be.
Brave. Decisive. Powerful.
But his disgraced sister is determined to ruin him, and now there’s a deadly Hunter in his realm, smelling like the most delicious thing he’d ever taste.
And the king wants them to work together.
Can they hold the enemy line with each other? Or will the thin line between love and hate be their undoing?
Find Superbia here: Goodreads * Amazon
My Two Cents
After falling positively in love with Ophelia and Allerick, I knew that I had to continue the series. So here I am, at the end of this book, and I can safely conclude that this series is a must-read. If you’re down with some monster loving, you NEED to read these books!
Astrid and Soren hated each other, and for good reason. She was a Hunter, known for killing tons of Shades. And as the Shade’s Captain of the Guard, Soren was sworn to protect the citizens of his world, so of course he would take offense from her actions. But all of that hate was hiding something else…
In the last book, Astrid finally figured out that everything she knew or had come to believe about the fight she waged against Shades was wrong. She abandoned her false life, took other ex-Hunters with her, and prepared to start a new life in a new world. Too bad she was surrounded by the very people she once hunted. She doesn’t fit and apart from her sister and her new ex-hunter friends, no one has made her feel welcome.
Soren knows he should hate Astrid, but she keeps doing things that show him how much she’s changing. How can he keep his hate game strong when she keeps giving him so much to love?
I really enjoyed the acrimonious nature of this relationship. These characters sniped and growled and fought so hard against the inevitable. Astrid had finally found her person, the one who would understand her even when she couldn’t truly articulate herself. The one person who would always have her back. And Soren found the same.
While reading the acknowledgments, I found out that the author intends to write seven books for this series and that they tackle the seven deadly sins. Book one, Luxuria, was lust and Superbia is all about pride. This fact has given me a new appreciation for what I’ve read so far and I’m really excited to continue this series.
The Author
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Contact her here:
Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author
Facebook: Colette Rhodes
He didn't get to have horny Ophelia. Rude kings who probably had a harem of monster side chicks didn't get to have horny wives.
────── ♔ ──────
Luxuria by Colette Rhodes
Standalone - Shades of Sin #1
Release - April 30, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance / monster theme / arranged marriage
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / several explicit scenes / knotting and slick people
Format/Source - ebook borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 310 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - April 30, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance / monster theme / arranged marriage
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / several explicit scenes / knotting and slick people
Format/Source - ebook borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 310 pages
Publisher - Indie
Ophelia has a dirty secret.
Well, it’s not really a secret anymore.
Ophelia was born into a family of Hunters, tasked with protecting the humans from the creatures of the night who feast on their fear.
Except Ophelia always found the idea of monsters kind of intriguing. She even made the grave sin of committing some X-rated monster thoughts to paper—which in hindsight may not have been the best idea because her parents were mortified—but you live and learn. Well, everyone finds out your secret, you get banished from society, and then you learn.
But the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Ophelia has been waiting for to make good on some of those fantasies has arrived. The King of Shades requires a hunter bride, and Ophelia is the best fit for the job.
Now she just needs to convince her surly monster husband, Allerick, that she’s the best fit for him.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3RBD8EQ
My Two Cents
4.5 "I'm down for some monster luvin" stars
Why did I love this story so much?
⮞ a hunter born who was never a hunter who has fantasies about monsters
⮞ a monster king who is only agreeing to an arranged marriage to save his people
⮞ two people who couldn't be less alike, but who end up being everything for each other
⮞ hot sex. I don't know if this story would be as good as it was for me without all of the sexual tension and actual sex.
Ophelia was hilarious! In the hunter world, she never fit in. How could she when she wanted to befriend the people she was supposed to kill? After being ostracized to the human world, she never quite fit in there either. When given the opportunity to offer herself up as a bride to broker a treaty, she figured maybe she could find her place in the shadow world.
And she definitely made the most of it.
Usually when there's some form of miscommunication, it drives up the angst, doing its best to frustrate me. And although these two really needed to work on their communication skills, the author did it in such a way that I was simply amused, waiting for them to get their act together.
I wanted to walk around with her taste on my tongue every minute of every day. It was a travesty that I wasn't doing so already.
Ophelia and Allerick were magical together. She was all too eager to fall in love with him and he was a bit reluctant. Yet during all of it, they were entertaining while falling deeper into each other. They were so much fun to read and I can't wait to see them again in the following books of this series.
The Author
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Contact her here:
Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author
Facebook: Colette Rhodes
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