Review // Luxuria by Colette Rhodes

October 06, 2022

Luxuria by 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

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

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

Review // Risk on Ice by S.R. Grey

October 02, 2022

Risk on Ice by S.R. Grey

I've been falling since the day we first met.
And I'm fully in it now.

────── ♔ ──────


Risk on Ice by S.R. Grey

Risk on Ice by S.R. Grey


Standalone - Boys of Winter #11
Release - October 11, 2022
Genre - Sports Romance / brother's friend / forced proximity
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 3 out of 5 / a couple of semi-descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 181 pages
Publisher - Indie

I, Alex Hartwell, just screwed up big-time.

Now the hockey team I was traded to, the Las Vegas Wolves, have me on a short leash.

You’d think a hotshot defenseman like me would have known better.

Guess not.

But I’m trying real hard to behave now.

Why else would I agree to stay at my teammate’s house for the next three months in order to keep the team happy?

It should be a breeze, as Sebastian Alderman is cool. Only problem is I didn’t count on his hot sister, Kelsi, staying there too.

FML, as Hockey Code 101 says sisters are off-limits.

Yeah, I can’t take the risk. Even if Kelsi and I are wildly attracted to each other. Not to mention, she’s pretty effing cool.

But I better behave.

Or not only will the Wolves be breathing down my neck, but Sebastian will be too.

My Two Cents

4 "Easy Peasy" stars

You want sweet? It doesn't really get sweeter than this story.
You want smooth? The love that blossomed between Alex and Kelsi couldn't have been easier.

The author made these characters seem genuine and realistic. What happened between them felt organic and necessary. There was absolutely no muss and no fuss. Imagine a story that is about what the couple shares, without the drama.

Risk on Ice was a sweet and beautiful story. It won me over with how utterly simple and natural it was.

So if you're looking for an adorable couple who do adorable things... look no further than this!

Risk on Ice by S.R. Grey

About the Author

S.R. Grey is a USA Today Bestselling Author of the popular Boys of Winter hockey books and Men of Fall football novels. Both series can be read in any order or as standalones. Other New Adult and Romantic Suspense works of hers include the Judge Me Not books, the Promises series, the Inevitability duology, A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy, and the Laid Bare series of novellas.

Ms. Grey resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, she can be found reading, traveling, running, or cheering for her hometown sports teams, sometimes all at the same time.

Check out https://www.srgrey.com for more information

September 2022 Bookish Recap

October 01, 2022


Hello hello! Welcome to another recap of whatever the heck I'm reading.

While I was able to knock a few books off of my to-read list, I read plenty of ARCs this month as well. Go me!

This wasn't the best reading month for me, but it wasn't too shabby either. From contemporary to paranormal, I found plenty of romance to fall in love with.

I hope that September treated you as well (or even better) as it has treated me and I wish you all the best for October!!

Stats

Total Books Read: 14
Total Pages Read: 4530
DNFs or No Rating: 0
From my TBR: 3
Avg. Rating: 3.39

All the Books

My favorite books of the month:



The other books I still found worthwhile (and would recommend) were:

Stolen by the Warlord by V.K. Ludwig
Never Trust the Living by Lani Lynn Vale
Beauty and the Villain by V.F. Mason
The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason
City of Souls by Mel Harding-Shaw

Added to my TBR

Sea of Roses by Opal Reyne
The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith
The Isle of Sin and Shadows by Keri Lake
Lost Boy by Ker Dukey

Book Haul

Challenged by Ryan Michele
The Lady by Golden Angel
Making Faces by Amy Harmon



I hope you find only the best reads!

Talk soon,


xo, Natalie

Review // A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

September 30, 2022

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

Part of him wanted to eat her, the desire to eat humans ever present inside him, but another part of him had wanted to find and protect her.

────── ♔ ──────

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne


Standalone - Duskwalker Brides #1
Release - June 16, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / think alien parts people!
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 542 pages
Publisher - Indie

All Reia ever wanted was freedom.

Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed for Demons eating her family, Reia is shunned by her entire village. When the next offering is due and the monstrous Duskwalker is seen heading their way, her village offers her an impossible choice – be thrown into the prison cells or allow herself to be sacrificed to a faceless monster.

However, he is not what he seems. His skull face and glow eyes are ethereal, and she finds herself unwittingly enchanted by him.

All Orpheus ever wanted was a companion.

Each decade, in exchange for a protection ward from the Demons that terrorise the world, Orpheus takes a human offering to the Veil – the place he lives and the home of Demons. The brief companionship does little to ease his loneliness, and their lives were always, unfortunately, cut short.

He'd thought it was a hopeless endeavour, until he met her. She’s not afraid of him, and his insatiable desire deepens within every moment of her presence.

But will Orpheus be able to convince Reia to stay before she’s lost to him forever?

My Two Cents

4 "The Beast is Beastly" stars

Honestly, I didn't want to like this story as much as I did. I kept thinking to myself 'but he's a monster'. I kept having to remind myself that he wasn't human because he was chockfull of humanity. For a monster, he was more human than most of the humans. And Reia was the perfect person to shine a light on how amazing he was!

The author did an incredible job of bringing this mythical land to life. From the atmosphere, the weather, the demons, the beings, the everything. It was written extremely well. And it was hard to avoid liking the characters, especially the sweetness of Orpheus. He was magical!

It's not fair that he's so sweet.

I liked the idea of how this story paralleled Beauty & the Beast, without the beast changing to human. Orpheus remains Orpheus right to the end. And while I personally wouldn't be falling in love or having sex with him, he was lucky enough to find a human who could see him for who he truly was.

Who better to relate to his feelings of loneliness and not quite belonging than Reia? She knew what it was like to be ostracized and shunned, and for the first time, with a monster no less, she was offered acceptance and a home.

"In order to become my bride, you must gift me something. No human ever has, and I am beginning to doubt they ever will. You will be no different."

While I didn't like when Reia would manipulate Orpheus, considering how nice and forgiving he was, I liked her for the most part. Orpheus, however, was the character I loved. The monster. Go figure.

When I started this book, I didn't realize that it was the first in a series, and after meeting and learning about Orpheus and where his kind comes from, I'm strangely fascinated to learn more.

About the Author

Opal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.

She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.

-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.

-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!

-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.

Release Blitz // The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason

September 26, 2022


Check out my review

Title: The Heart of a Villain
Series: Beauty and the Villain Duet #2
Author: V.F. Mason
Genre: Age Gap Billionaire Romance
Release Date: September 23, 2022


What happens when a Villain falls for the one woman he shouldn’t…
Does love break the curse and change everything?
Or will it destroy them both?

The Heart of a Villain is book two in Beauty and the Villain Duet and should be read after Beauty and the Villain.


Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58040752-the-heart-of-a-villain



Purchase Links




About the Author

V.F. Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her mama over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn't happen.

Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.

When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

Visit http://www.vfmason.com for more information

Review // The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason

September 23, 2022

The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason

My heart, if it exists, is no longer my own, as it cares about her well-being more than my revenge, common sense, and the vow to my mother.
It belongs to her.
And I will do anything to protect her.
Even if it means letting her go so she won't be caught in the crossfire between me and her father.

────── ♔ ──────

The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason

The Heart of a Villain by V.F. Mason


Beauty and the Villain Duet #2
Release - September 23, 2022
Genre - Dark Romance / captive / age gap / vengeance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / several descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by Give Me Books PR
Length - 419 pages
Publisher - Indie

What happens when a Villain falls for the one woman he shouldn't...
Does love break the curse and change everything?
Or will it destroy them both?

My Two Cents

4 "More than they bargained for" stars

The Heart of a Villain gave me so much of what I was looking forward to in the conclusion of this duet!

➤ Rush and his backstory will break your heart
➤ redemption arc
➤ a HUGE twist that I DID NOT expect
➤ swimming in the darkness and depravity of vengeance

Finding out the truth was a painful journey for everyone in this book. I really enjoyed actually getting to know these characters and what made them tick. I even started to see Rush in a whole new light. This man deserved every bit of happiness he could get!

I still didn't like Aileen. I'm sorry, but she drove me nuts. Finally admitting how much she cared for Rush, even allowing herself to understand she loved him, she still had him jumping through hoops to prove his own love and devotion to her.

Is it wrong that I derived great satisfaction when her delusions of superiority were crushed?

"You might be smart, but you're eighteen and have zero experience in life."
Our gazes clash, and I shrink inwardly at the complete hollowness and coldness of his green orbs.
"So, no offense, darling, but if I needed a professional opinion, I'd go to the best of the best."


She was just so silly. She would wax on about her 'professional knowledge'. What professional knowledge? Where do you practice? Who are your clients/patients? Stop. This.

The true villain of this story got what he deserved, there were new beginnings and healing happening for the people that mattered, and love truly did conquer all.

My review of book 1, Beauty and the Villain

About the Author

V.F. Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her mama over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn't happen.

Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it.

When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

Visit http://www.vfmason.com for more information

Free Books & Book Deals - September 23, 2022


Hello everyone and Happy Friday!!

I'm back with a new list of books that are either free or for sale for less than $2. These books are cheap and we should grab them up at these prices while we can.

I hope your weekend is happy, healthy and safe! Happy Hunting xo

Please Note: All books are listed for $2 or less (prices valid at time of post). I apologize in advance if the sale is over by the time you found yourself here.



I only list books I've either read or plan to read. If you know of any deals that are missing that you'd like to share, that I'd probably enjoy, please let me know in the comments section below :)

A. Zavarelli


Aleatha Romig


Anna Hackett


Aurora Rose Reynolds


Carly Phillips


CD Reiss


Christine Feehan


Donna Grant


Gena Showalter


Helen Hardt


Helena Hunting


Ilsa Madden-Mills


J.T. Geissinger


Jaci Burton


K.A. Linde


Kandi Steiner


Karina Halle


Kendall Ryan


Larissa Ione


Lauren Blakely


Layla Hagen


Louise Bay


Mariana Zapata


Meghan Quinn


Melissa Foster


Penelope Douglas


Pippa Grant


Rachel Van Dyken


Dr. Rebecca Sharp


Rebecca Zanetti


Shayla Black


Stacey Marie Brown


Susan Stoker


Suzanne Wright