Fuse by E.L. Todd

Fuse #1
Release - December 18, 2020
Genre - Fantasy
POV - 3rd person
Heat - none
Format - ebook
Length - 315 pages

Growing up in a small village, Cora was destined for an ordinary life.

But fate had other plans.

The shamans, dark servants of the empire, invade her village, searching for something…or someone. Before they can feed on the soul of an innocent boy, she stabs them with her blade. It’s a dire mistake—because they’re invincible.

She flees into the wildlands until a voice commands her attention.

Come to me.

Her curiosity too great, she follows the voice inside her head…and comes across a fiery red dragon. Every free dragon has been enslaved by King Lux, forced into a nonconsensual fuse between man and dragon.

Except this one.

As the last free dragon in Anastille, he’s also on the run.

They realize they need to work together to overthrow the empire…or neither will be free.

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Ashe by E.L. Todd

Fuse #2
Release - July 6, 2021
Genre - Fantasy
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - None
Format - ebook
Length - 548 pages

Cora's visit with the elves proves to be more than she bargained for.
She learns her parentage, but it's the last thing she ever expected to hear.
She came to the elves for help to defeat King Lux, to free the dragons still trapped in captivity, but she discovers a timeless place, where outside matters mean nothing.
There's little chance to convince them of anything, especially when her human heritage has permanently marked her as an outsider.
Rush returns to Bridge to begin their plans, but there's also a fear in the back of his mind.
Is she safe?
Flare shares the same concern. Will they hurt Pretty?
Elven magic separates their borders, but perhaps the connection between Rush and Cora is enough to keep the channel open between them, to exchange thoughts and feelings, until she departs the forest and reunites with him once more.
Forces are moving in the world, and they have to move quickly before King Lux finds them both--and destroys them.

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Fury by E.L. Todd

Fuse #3
Release - October 26, 2021
Genre - Fantasy
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - none
Format - ebook
Length - 568 pages

Cora and her allies must defeat the most vile king in Anastille's history.
Will they find victory?
Or lose everything they have left?

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Slay by E.L. Todd

Fuse #4
Release - April 25, 2022
Genre - Fantasy
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - none
Format - ebook
Length - 740 pages

The events of Anastille have unfolded in the most unexpected ways, and with the odds stacked against them, victory is merely a hope. But our heroes will do what they can to free the imprisoned dragons, to overthrow King Lux from his throne, and heal the divided factions of a war-torn country.

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My review of the series ~ 3 stars

Book One
The world these characters inhabited was very easy to visualize. The forests were lush, the deserts were arid, and the wonders beyond Cora’s village were just that… wondrous.

The mystery surrounding Flare’s character... I had a feeling I knew exactly who he was and I was curious to see how it would affect the story to come. I wasn’t wrong.

I have a strange fascination with Flare and the process of dragons fusing with humans. This is such a unique take on the supernatural. The bond they share, becoming one, seems like something so special.

While Cora was nosy (or inquisitive if you want to romanticize it), I found her a bit annoying. People don’t have to share everything about themselves just because you have. It doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of trust. It could just be an individual’s preference.

Orcs, giant frogs, evil men in power, elves, dwarves, dragons, shamans (shadow-like figures who can suck the soul right out of you, can fly, and are impossible to kill… or are they?). I'm on edge and can't wait to dive into the next book!

Book Two
Is it wrong that when Rush and Cora finally ‘got together’ I wanted it to be somewhat descriptive? I thought this was an adult fantasy novel, especially with all of the cussing. I’m grown. Screw the fade to black theatrics!

I’m in awe of Ashe and everything he’s been through, what he’s accomplished, and what he has yet to do.

Finding out Cora’s parentage, at least who her father was, was a tough blow. I knew it was going to wreck whatever she and Ashe could have. And why does Cora try so hard to stand in her own way of happiness?

I’m still very much in love with Flare and Rush. Their connection is hilarious, sweet, and so touching.

Book Three
I’m all for Rush’s road to redemption. I only wish that this journey changes his mind about sacrificing himself at the end.

I’m still pretty blown away by the imagery this author has created. Once they were stuck in the mountain, I could feel the walls closing in around me. I could sense the dampness in the air.

The action scenes were fantastic. Whether it was Rush chopping off heads and not bothering to take names, or Cora using her magic to surprise attack the previously undefeatable, it was exciting and so entertaining.

Book Four
Favorite character: Callon. Dude, this man was everything. I did get frustrated a bit because his hate game was so strong, but I understood his reasons.

Understanding Cora’s parentage explained a lot about her powers and her innate nature. I was tired of her always being right, even when she was wrong. I was tired of people defending her when it was obvious she needed to be corrected. She got away with way too much and I needed her to come down a peg. She wasn’t better than anybody.

The final battle: better than expected. It was so well written, so intense, so terror-inducing. I didn't know who would even be alive in the end.

Rush was still a phenomenal character, with his horrific past, his attempts to right all of his wrongs, his redemption. He just needs people to see the great strides he’s made and the hero he has turned out to be.

I've been doing a lot of reading, but I'm finding it hard to come up with words to review what I've read. So here I am again, taking inspiration from the wonderful Deanna from A Novel Glimpse, with some mini reviews.

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King of Code by CD Reiss ~ 3 stars

Genre - Contemporary Romance / Enemies to lovers
POV - Hero 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 470 pages

Taylor Harden's on the edge of fame and untold wealth, until a hacker freezes his company and holds it hostage.
Life as he know it is ruined unless he find out what he wants...or what she wants.

Harper doesn't want much from Taylor.
All he has to do to get his company back is teach her how to please a man. Step by step, and for every step she'll unlock a piece of his system.

Kissing unlocks a partition.
Touching unlocks another.
Using your mouth to...

How far is this crazy woman going to go?

They hate each other. They can't keep away from each other. They're decoding each other with every step, until all Harper's secrets are revealed, and Taylor risks losing his heart as well as his company.

REVIEW ~ It took me 9 days to finish this book. It was hard to read and hard to follow. I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that a romance was supposed to bloom out of the mess that was made. The writing was awkward and I guess that suits because the characters were very awkward. I'm oddly intrigued by Keaton, however, I didn't like either protagonist for a list of reasons.

If someone were to jack up my life, try to ruin everything I was working towards, there is no way, no matter how hot or sexy or attractive I found them to be… there’s no way I would get involved with them aside from exacting some swift justice. Taylor was a freaking punk for allowing Harper to get away with what she did. And she came off as a callous, inconsiderate, rude person who didn’t deserve the least bit of compassion.

I did feel bad for the folks of Barrington though.

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Love & Ink by JD Hawkins ~ 3 stars

Genre - Contemporary Romance / second chance
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 246 pages

The only thing more permanent than tattoos is love--and she's inked all over my heart.

I've spent the last seven years screwing half the women in the northern hemisphere, but nobody comes close to the girl I left behind. In the meantime, I've built my reputation as a world-renowned tattoo artist with a six-month waitlist.

All of LA is begging me to put my mark on them.

The last thing I expect is for Ash Carter to walk into my shop and blow me off.

She doesn't know I left her to protect her. That she was my entire world, and that was my only choice. That it was a mistake I've regretted every day for seven years.

Now she's back, and she's everything I remember--stubborn, feisty, sexy as hell. And I'll do anything to make her mine again.

But how can I convince Ash to forgive and forget when I can't even forgive myself?

REVIEW - This was a sweet second chance romance about a yummy tattoo artist (Teo) and a bubble gum heroine (Ash). I loved the idea that seven years apart hadn't lessened or cheapened the connection these two shared. I did wish Ash had a bit more faith in Teo, but I guess her doubts were necessary to drive the plot.

There was a great cast of secondary characters as well and they were very easy to enjoy, even Candace. I find there to be a certain kind of charm to Hawkins's writing that I always find appealing. I'm certainly always entertained.

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Crossroads by Riley Hart ~ 3 stars

Genre - Contemporary Romance / MM
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - 5 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 341 pages

After divorcing the woman he’d been with since he was seventeen, Nick Fuller is starting over. He owns the restaurant of his dreams and he’s determined to meet new people, find new passions, and experience life to its fullest. Easier said than done—that is until he meets his new neighbor, Bryce Tanner…

Bryce is all about a good time. He plans to show Nick how it’s done, help him meet a few women, and enjoy the gift of the single life he’s been given. But things don’t go as planned, and soon they realize they’d rather be together than with anyone else.

Neither man has ever wanted another guy, but there’s a connection between them from the start—a spark they can’t deny. They find themselves navigating an unfamiliar new world and dealing with unforeseen obstacles. Physical desire isn’t enough, and now Nick and Bryce are at a crossroads. They have to decide which way to go: the easy path they’ve always followed, or the one that's determined to trip them up at every turn.

REVIEW - There wasn't too much as far as depth, but I sure enjoyed the heck out of it. Nick and Bryce were both very easy to like and I loved everything they became together.

Aside from Try by Ella Frank, I haven't come across a story about a straight man realizing he was attracted to a man. And once again, I had to suspend belief. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, because I really don't know, but the circumstances surrounding the reveals just seem really bizarre. Entertaining and bizarre.

I liked how these men were so real with each other. And how they loved each other, warts and all. They both had insecurities and helped each other conquer their fears. It was them against the world.

They were hot together. Super freaking hot!

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Priest by Sierra Simone

There are many rules a priest can't break.
A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.

I've always been good at following rules.
Until she came.
My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again.
I am a priest and this is my confession.



You better clutch your pearls because this book is absolutely filthy... and I enjoyed the heck out of it!

Tyler and Poppy were two clueless, love-struck people caught up in an impossible situation. He was a priest and she was his greatest temptation. Their lust game was strong. And while I didn't love how predictable this story was, I liked it. I liked how dirty these characters got, desecrating altars and such.

Poppy was hard to take seriously and Tyler came off as a bit pathetic... and yet I still liked them. I did believe that there was too much religion talk. Tyler was feeling guilty all over the place, which was understandable, but if you're not planning on stopping, figure your ish out!

Overall, it was a delicious smutty story and I recommend it to anyone who loves reading anything taboo.

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Midnight Mass by Sierra Simone

Priest #1.5
Release - December 8, 2015
Genre - Contemporary Romance novella
POV - Hero 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 193 pages
Publisher - Indie

We are told that God will punish the wicked. That sinful men will reap what they sow. We are told to scourge our souls with prayer and pain to become clean once again.

Well, here I am. Wicked and sinful. Desperate to become clean…even though it feels so good to be dirty.

But even I never expected what came next.

Even I never expected my punishment to come so soon.

MY REVIEW - 3 stars

I enjoyed the conflict that existed within Tyler. He’d left the church, married his temptation, and was steps away from achieving his doctorate. He should have been happy. Instead, he was a steaming pile of insecurity. He and Poppy were dealing with their new normal, and it wasn’t without its pitfalls. Their happily ever after definitely wasn't easily achieved.


Sierra is a voracious reader of all things including the smuttiest smut, young adult, piles of non-fiction for research, and everything Bill Bryson (especially on audio).

She loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, Tarot, coffee, leggings, and learning new words daily.

Her previous jobs have included firing ceramics, teaching living history lessons in one-room school house in full, 1904-approved school marm attire, and working as a librarian for several years—not in that order

She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, two children, and two giant dogs. (And two cats, but they're so naughty we don't talk about them.)

Visit https://www.thesierrasimone.com for more information