Reading has been a bit of a struggle the last couple of weeks. I have stopped reading several stories at various points. For some, the angsty and worry got to me and others I wasn't in the mood for. I've also been a bit shy about finishing a book if I think that it's going to end in a cliffhanger. I don't have the same appreciation for them as others do. It's not a big deal when the series is finished, but everything I've been reading lately has had cliffs and I really didn't like how things ended. So I've been hesitant to complete stories if I suspect I'm not going to get a HFN ending.
That being said, I did find some gems.
Series:
Author: Jillian West
Length: 330 pages
Genre/Tropes: Romance / Paranormal / Sex Worker / RH / Curvy Woman / Low Relationship Angst / Outside Drama
Notes: I really liked this one. It's a standalone with several extended epilogues that give glimpses to the immediate and far future. The male love interests were each distinct and soft for Emerson. I did worry about Emerson's welfare with the big-bad a few times, but I needn't've. This gave me everything I was looking for the last couple of weeks and couldn't find. Now I want to read more like this. I think this might turn out to be a series of standalones and I'm here for it.
Blurb: Emerson Parker is exhausted. She spends her days chasing around her high energy, half-shifter toddler and her nights working full-time trying to make ends meet.
...oh, and add in the absolute cluster of a situation her ex dumped in her lap on his way out?
Well, that's just icing on the cake.
With virtually no options left, Emerson heads for Haven, a sanctuary city for monsters and humans alike. Survival means taking a job at The Monster's Den - a club that caters to the inhuman residents of her new home.
But freedom comes with complications of its own: delusional monsters dead set on inserting themselves into her life and her bed.
With the North American Alpha hot on her heels and monsters standing in his way...
Will it be enough to keep Emerson and her daughter safe?
...oh, and add in the absolute cluster of a situation her ex dumped in her lap on his way out?
Well, that's just icing on the cake.
With virtually no options left, Emerson heads for Haven, a sanctuary city for monsters and humans alike. Survival means taking a job at The Monster's Den - a club that caters to the inhuman residents of her new home.
But freedom comes with complications of its own: delusional monsters dead set on inserting themselves into her life and her bed.
With the North American Alpha hot on her heels and monsters standing in his way...
Will it be enough to keep Emerson and her daughter safe?
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Title: His Reluctant Omega Mate
Series: Sweetwater Pack, 1
Author: Jax Stuart
Length: 414 pages
Genre/Tropes: Romance / Paranormal / Mpreg / Cinnamon Roll Character / Prickly Character /
Notes: This has been sitting on my TBR since I read January Blues. I really liked that one but wasn't sure how angsty this one would be. It does have 'reluctant' in the title, you know? It wasn't as angsty as I'd anticipated but this is also a plotty book so there was something else to concentrate on other than the reluctance part. I enjoyed this alot, but I'm hesitant to start the next book. The glimpse given of the next MCs has me worried. I'm in love with Dakota and if he gets hurt I will want him to find another mate, just sayin'. I'm already emotionally invested in one of the characters. LOL. I guess that goes to show the author did an excellent job with that. :)
Blurb: Will Kade be able to trust that fate has brought him an alpha that he can love, not just the one that he needs?
As an omega, Kade's purpose is to mate with an alpha and carry children. Years on the run have stolen that from him and ravaged his body. A chance meeting with his fated mate has Kade asking if Blake could be the one to heal his heart as well as his wolf. But what kind of alpha would accept a damaged omega?
Meeting his fated was a dream come true for Blake, but Kade keeps him at arm's length. Blake doesn't need Kade to trust all alphas, just that Blake would never harm an omega, especially his prickly, reluctant mate.
His Reluctant Omega Mate contains mpreg and discussions surrounding the past abuse of several characters. There is some on page violence, a kidnapping, and discussions about infertility. Omegas sometimes have it hard but Blake is a cinnamon roll of an alpha who wants to give them the world.
Title: Scout
Series: Chosen Champions, 4
Author: Macy Blake
Length: 326 pages
Genre/Tropes: Romance / Paranormal /
Notes: So this has been sitting around waiting for me to read it since it came out. I was saving it for when I was having trouble finding something to read. Of all the Chosen spinoffs, this is the series that I like the best. Scout/Jack is so freakin' smart. And Coal's aunt is one dangerous dragon. This was really enjoyable for me. I'm really excited for the next book.
Blurb: Coal Volsunga is a dragon convinced he’s better off alone…
As alone as a dragon who is part of a pack can be, that is. Although he loves the work, his feelings are starting to get involved, especially for a wolf entirely too involved with pack life for a loner like Coal.
Jack “Scout” Jerrick is a wolf with two packs, but only one heart…
Dividing his time between his father’s pack and his new one hasn’t been an issue for Scout. He’s learning to protect the secrets of the shifter world and the innocents involved in a dangerous war over magic and power. But when he develops feelings for the cantankerous dragon in his new pack, things begin to get a whole lot more complicated.
After Scout is kidnapped by the mysterious threat hunting their pack, Coal realizes being alone isn’t his life’s mission after all. If he and Scout are able to survive, they must
…put aside their preconceived notions and work together to save their pack,
…learn to love and heal when nothing is as it seems,
…and realize when it comes to being mates, there’s nothing they won’t do to save each other.
As alone as a dragon who is part of a pack can be, that is. Although he loves the work, his feelings are starting to get involved, especially for a wolf entirely too involved with pack life for a loner like Coal.
Jack “Scout” Jerrick is a wolf with two packs, but only one heart…
Dividing his time between his father’s pack and his new one hasn’t been an issue for Scout. He’s learning to protect the secrets of the shifter world and the innocents involved in a dangerous war over magic and power. But when he develops feelings for the cantankerous dragon in his new pack, things begin to get a whole lot more complicated.
After Scout is kidnapped by the mysterious threat hunting their pack, Coal realizes being alone isn’t his life’s mission after all. If he and Scout are able to survive, they must
…put aside their preconceived notions and work together to save their pack,
…learn to love and heal when nothing is as it seems,
…and realize when it comes to being mates, there’s nothing they won’t do to save each other.
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Title: Dangerous
Series: Shifter Scoundrels, 2
Author: Charlie Chochet, Macy Blake
Length: 259 pages
Genre/Tropes: Romance / Paranormal / Hidden Society / Secret Agent Man / Low Angst Relationship /
Notes: After the first book of this series, I knew that I needed to come into this story understanding that it is going to be more character driven than plot driven. There is some actiony things going on late in the story, but the majority of it is Jason being introduced to this world and the two of them getting to know each other. It was an enjoyable and I really like Jason and Mouse.
Blurb: A grumpy lion shifter duke with secrets, a sassy human who knows nothing of the shifter world, and a fiery arrangement neither of them expected.
Cormac Donegan, Duke of Everard, is all too familiar with the perils of his shifter world, especially as a Dahlia, one of the dragon king’s elite spies. After a mission nearly costs him his life, Cormac is sidelined, healing and grieving his heavy losses. Then a different kind of trouble shows up on his doorstep, a human claiming to be his fiancé.
When Jason Reaves is nearly killed in a house fire, it becomes clear that someone is trying to murder him. With his already fragile health deteriorating, Jason’s only hope is to call in the debt a stranger owes his father– a favor that promises safety, protection… and marriage.
Jason’s escape leads him and his service dog, Mouse, to an impressive country estate. He’s expecting the older man who’d made the promise, not his ruggedly handsome son–who happens to be a Duke, as in rich and royal.
Will this Cinderfella find his happily ever after in the arms of a dashing–if somewhat irritable–duke? Or will Cormac’s secrets prove to be more dangerous than the shifters hunting him?
Cormac Donegan, Duke of Everard, is all too familiar with the perils of his shifter world, especially as a Dahlia, one of the dragon king’s elite spies. After a mission nearly costs him his life, Cormac is sidelined, healing and grieving his heavy losses. Then a different kind of trouble shows up on his doorstep, a human claiming to be his fiancé.
When Jason Reaves is nearly killed in a house fire, it becomes clear that someone is trying to murder him. With his already fragile health deteriorating, Jason’s only hope is to call in the debt a stranger owes his father– a favor that promises safety, protection… and marriage.
Jason’s escape leads him and his service dog, Mouse, to an impressive country estate. He’s expecting the older man who’d made the promise, not his ruggedly handsome son–who happens to be a Duke, as in rich and royal.
Will this Cinderfella find his happily ever after in the arms of a dashing–if somewhat irritable–duke? Or will Cormac’s secrets prove to be more dangerous than the shifters hunting him?
Title: Rejected Omega
Series: Second Chance Mates, 1
Author: Max Ross
Length: 392 pages
Genre/Tropes: Romance / Paranormal / Mpreg / Non-Omegaverse / Rejected Mates / Second Chances / Secret Baby /
Notes: I'm a sucker for the rejected mate trope but I usually prefer it if the one rejected finds a different mate. This one isn't like that since it's a second chance romance with a secret baby. I felt for Justin all through the story and really worried for his welfare since the political intrigue always hinted at corruption and violence. I did want to give a warning that the tone for Justin was always shaded in hints of dreariness/depression. If my anxiety was running high, I wouldn't have been able to read this simply for that reason. I understood Justin's mood since he was mourning his fated mate and stressing over being a single father. The two are separated at the very beginning and don't meet back up until about 73% mark, where I stopped reading last night (I'm writing this Friday afternoon) and I really would like to see more groveling and Richard proving with actions (not words) how he's going to make things better and be a better mate. Richard did acknowledge all that he did wrong and my heart broke for Peter!! I hope he gets a romance because Peter deserves a HEA. I'll probably finish reading the book in the next couple of days and I'm really hoping the bad guys get trounced. And I can't believe that Richard didn't call his brother and warn him about anything! This was a bit more angsty than I was anticipating but had a hard time putting it down. I was sure that assassins were going to come out of the woodwork at anytime. Since 25% is still left, I'm still sure that might happen. Just sayin' the author put that expectation out there very subtly and I've been half inclined to yell at the characters for not hiding better.
Blurb: He once believed true love lasted forever...
Prince Richard Hargreave has been raised in the customs of his pack—to wed the mate chosen for him by the Wolf Goddess and become Wolf King of Altaden. He just didn't expect to fall so deeply in love. Justin Turner is perfect for Richard in every way. Not only is the omega wolf gay, but he's sweet, kind, and just a little shy—traits severely lacking in the royal court. But when the king's new Dreamer, the Goddess's oracle and divine matchmaker, proclaims the previous oracle a fraud and traitor, Richard is devastated. The new Dreamer claims Richard has been deceived, and the sweet, adoring Justin is not his mate after all. The selection of the omega wolf was nothing more than a plot to taint the royal line. Richard can hardly believe it's true, but a prince's duty to his pack must be greater than his own desires, even if it breaks his heart forever.
Justin Turner is leading a charmed life. How else could an omega nobody like him wind up betrothed to a man like Richard Hargreave? Crown prince or not, Justin loves him with all his heart. It wasn't that long ago that the Dreamer priestess appeared on his doorstep, declaring the Wolf Goddess had chosen him as Richard's mate. Since that day, the two had become inseparable. And now, he can barely contain his excitement—he has a surprise for Richard that will change their lives forever. But when he arrives at the place, Richard has a surprise of his own. The betrothal is off. The previous Dreamer betrayed them, and everything they shared was a lie. The new Dreamer has spoken. Justin is no longer Richard's mate. Shattered by the rejection, Justin can barely breathe. After the guards remove him from the palace, he has no choice but to flee with his secret untold—that Richard Hargreave, Crown Prince of Altaden, is going to be a father…
Reader note: contains M/M Mpreg romance, wolf shifters, rejected mates, male male love, royal princes, omega wolves, secret babies, second chances, and six loyal dogs
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