What a wrap-up of the Four Packs Trilogy! The Final Salvation is the third and final book in this sweet m/m paranormal romance series following four werewolf packs dealing with a deadly disease as well as rising tension between the packs.

The books in the Four Packs series could all very well be read as standalones, since each book focus on different characters and their romances and how they deal with the fight against the disease threatening to wipe out the entire werewolf population (a genetic disorder called ‘The Slow Death’, TSD). But I really enjoyed the extra dimension with getting to see the characters from the other books and to follow the increasing pack rivalry throughout the series, and would therefore recommend to read the previous books first, if you have the possibility.

In the first book, we got to meet Marrok from the North Territory pack, who was trying to find a cure for his friend Grady in the East Territory pack but ending up falling in love with the son of the alpha, Zander, on the way. In the second book, focus was on Grady and his fight against TSD and on Max who has been urged to move from his West Territory pack to be a donor to Grady. Now, in the third book, focus is on Luca Bassani, who has been identified as a compatible donor for Zander (the mc from the first book who is now the new East Territory alpha). When the hostility between the packs increases, and a potential threat on Zander’s life is uncovered, it becomes essential to keep his donor protected and the enforcer Diesel Jones gets assigned as Luca’s personal body guard. But the moment they meet, it’s clear that there will be much more to their relationship than a professional one…
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The story is told in dual POVs from Luca and Diesel. Just like the two other books in this series, The Final Salvation was a quick read, with a thrilling story with the hunt for a cure for a nasty disease and full of pack drama. There were a lot of emotions, and the urge to protect your loved one at all costs. Compared to the other books, the love story here was perhaps a little too much of instalove for me though. I know the mating bond is supposed to be a strong and instant force, but still, I would have liked some more build-up and that the forced-proximity trope would have been more explored. It also felt like this book was a bit shorter than the others and the ending with the wrap-up of the whole series felt a bit too rushed. But the epilogue more than made up for that and was such a great conclusion!

All in all, this was a highly enjoyable and satisfying conclusion to this sweet mm romance series with shapeshifters, fights for life and death, and fated mates!

Thank you so much to Gay Book Promotions for the ARC and release tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rating:
3.5 stars rounding up to 4

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BL Maxwell
Nic Starr

Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue is one of my favorite books of all time, but the second book, One Last Stop, was a bit of a disappointment for me, so going into this book I was more than a little nervous. But right away I could relax, I Kissed Shara Wheeler was everything I’d hoped for! It was queer and witty in that special Casey McQuiston way with memorable, relatable and so loveable characters full of flaws and personality, and I loved every bit of it.

The plot’s concept was more than just a little similar to John Green’s Paper Towns, with Shara Wheeler as the mysteriously disappeared girl, and Chloe, Smith and Rory on a quest to find her. But compared to Paper Towns (which I didn’t like that much to be honest) the characters and the focus on them getting to learn who they were and how the place had shaped them, rather than just trying to understand Shara Wheeler, made it into its completely own story.

At a first glance this might seem like a fluffy teen romcom, but there was so much more going on in I Kissed Shara Wheeler than just the scavenger hunt for clues to finding Shara; there were several love stories and coming out stories, the rearranging of high school cliques and lots of realizations.

This story really examines what being queer in a small southern town and a private school means, and how difficult it is to be the authentic you in such an environment. But at the same time, it was such a fun and lighthearted story with an amazing humor.

I absolutely adored all of the characters. Casey McQuiston has a magic way of writing characters that you feel connected to and immediately root for. Chloe was such a fierce and wonderful main character. I loved how she kept breaking the rules to take control of the reason for people staring and talking about her, rather than the fact that she had two moms and for her sexuality. I also loved the way she realized that she had been kind of judgmental herself, when not seeing beyond Smith’s jock status and Rory’s slacker attitude. And it was so special with the discussions about what being non-binary means and how we got to follow one of the characters in the process of discovering who they truly were.

One of the themes was the rivalry between Shara and Chloe, but I wouldn’t really call it a rivalry-to-lovers trope. It was more of an obsession that had some toxic parts, and which made Chloe neglect her friends in a way I didn’t quite like. I also never truly warmed up to Shara Wheeler herself.

But apart from that, this was such a heartwarming and uplifting queer story about acceptance, finding your true self, love and friendship, combined with a brilliant humor and an addictive mystery plot and some good old high school rivalry. I’m so happy that Casey McQuistion brought back all the magic and wit from her first book once again! 

Rating:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

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Casey McQuiston

Requited is a companion book to Unrequited, which tells this adorable and addictive story once again, but from West’s POV this time and with a twist. It was so wonderful to get more of Andy and West, and I loved this story even more than the original one!

The Unrequited/Requited Duology tells the romantic story between the college roommates and best friends Andy Montgomery and West Baxter. In the first book, Unrequited, the story is told from Andy’s POV and we get to follow his pining for his supposedly straight friend from college and ten years onwards. In this companion book/sequel, the story is instead told from West’s perspective, showing how much he was pining for Andy too.

Just like in the first book, I loved the wonderful chemistry between Andy and West and their friendship and sizzling chemistry. I even rooted more for West this time when seeing it all from his view and knowing what he went through. He’s just such a sweet, kind and wonderful character! The Requited story isn’t an exact retelling of the one in Unrequited though when it comes to the timeline and events, but more of an exploration of what would have been if West or Andy had had the courage to change some of the things from the first story.

I really loved this version and am so happy that the author Jesse H. Reign decided to write it! I preferred the way West and Andy took more chances and were bolder, as well as the added scenes with Andy’s family, and how the spiciness felt sweeter this time without so much of Andy’s hookups from the first book. I also enjoyed the larger focus on the college years, and that the part with Tyler that I didn’t quite like was left out this time.

All in all, this sequel gave me both more of my favorite parts from the first book and some new perspectives that added so much to the already wonderful friends-to-lovers romance, and made me love it even more!

Thank you so much to the author Jesse H. Reign for the opportunity to read this adorable book for free! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
​4 stars

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Jesse H. Reign

This was a quick and enjoyable story about confronting your past, and learning to love and stand up for yourself. There was a wonderful friendship and a promising sapphic romance around the corner, but also a lot of homophobia and a toxic relationship, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.

Unexpected Departure follows 28 years-old Riley, who is stuck in a toxic relationship she can’t get out of and in a job she hates. But after catching her girlfriend cheating (again!) and finding out that her estranged mother is dying, she finally starts a journey of finding herself and reclaiming control over her life.

It was a very quick and short read (only 159 pages) and quite different from the usual romance novel. Most of the story is about Riley trying to get out of her toxic relationship and dealing with her past. The romance part is more of a promise for the future, which I hope we will get to read more about in the next installment in this series!

Riley was both a perfectly imperfect and completely annoying main character. It was almost painful reading about her forgiving her cheating girlfriend time after time and letting the girlfriend control every aspect of her life. There were so many times I wanted to scream at Riley to stop undermining herself and to end the toxic relationship. But on the other hand, Riley was also such a sweet person, always seeing the best in others and willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, and her and Luna’s friendship was pure gold.

The writing style was perhaps a bit too much telling, not showing, and I really wished that the meeting with Riley’s dying mother had turned out differently. But on the other hand, it was probably more realistic this way, and it gave Riley the incentive to confront her demons and start the journey of self-discovery and self-love.

All in all, this was a promising start of a new series and an enjoyable read about reckoning with a toxic relationship, homophobic parents and finding the strength to stand up for and learning to love yourself.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for the free review copy and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
​3 stars

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Shannon O’Connor

Talk about slow burn! Unrequited was such an addictive, fast-paced, friends-to-lovers romance with ultimate pining and an absolutely sizzling chemistry. I read this book in one sitting, it was completely unputdownable!

Unrequited follows Andy Montgomery and his unrequited love for his straight college roommate West Baxter from college and ten years onwards. It’s the first book in the Unrequited/Requited Duology, and is told solely from Andy’s POV.

I immediately rooted for both Andy and West and I loved the wonderful chemistry between them. They were both such amazing and relatable characters, and I adored their friendship. Most of the book was filled with angst, since Andy fell so hard for West right from the start, but never could act on it to risk their friendship. But it was still an easy, fast-paced and heartwarming read! I love slow-burn romances, so I definitely got the bang for my buck here with ten years of pining…

I really appreciated the focus on Andy’s and West’s friendship, and how Andy didn’t let his feelings get in the way of that. There were some really beautiful moments at the end where they talked about their feelings and opened up completely to each other. I also loved the side characters Tyler and Sarah, and how supportive they were of Andy.

The first part of the book was the best, with their college years. After that, the pace changed and the story became much more sweeping and a bit shallow. There was also a part involving Tyler that felt completely out of place and that I’d rather been without. And, but this is just my personal preference, there were some parts that were a bit too sexually explicit for me (I’m more into YA…). I’m sure these spicy parts will be the favorite ones for many other readers though, and they were really well written!

All in all, this was such an addictive, sweet and angsty story about falling for your best friend with adorable characters and a satisfying conclusion. I binge-read it in just a few hours, and can’t wait to read the second book to get West’s POV to it all!

Thank you so much to the author Jesse H. Reign for the opportunity to read this adorable book for free! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
​4 stars

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Jesse H. Reign

This teen romance was such a vulnerable, gripping and realistic story about finding forgiveness and your purpose in life.

Seventeen-year-old Gabe Hunter is struggling with his inner demons (or as he thinks of it, the chimpanzees racing around in his mind) and all thoughts about his half-brother Josh in prison after a drunk driving accident that killed four people, the strained relationship with his mother, worry about the future and problems with his friends who don’t understand him anymore. After the accident, Gabe is so filled with anger and hatred for his brother, and struggles to forgive him (because how can you forgive the unforgivable?). He also keeps thinking of the only survivor of the accident, a sixteen-year-old girl named Sophie, who has now been left an orphan. So, when he gets assigned to do math tutoring for the very same Sophie, he sees it as a way to make amends for his brother. What he hadn’t counted on was falling in love with her, that she would be the “forever-girl” he’s been dreaming about.

This was such a heartfelt, sweet and vulnerable story. I rooted both for Gabe and Sophie and the problems they dealt with were very realistically described. The author Debbie Schrack has spent her professional life working with children and young adults with special needs and learning struggles, and it’s clear that she drew from her own experience when writing this book.

I really appreciated Gabe’s character growth and how we readers got to follow him on this beautiful journey of finding a way in his heart to forgive his brother – not for what he did, but for being human and making a mistake. And Sophie was such a wonderful character, who unfairly had her life shattered and had to struggle with amnesia, learning disabilities, seizures and the feeling of being a “freak” in school. My heart ached so much for her!

There was a lot going on in this book, perhaps a bit too much, with a side plot drama with Gabe’s best friend Matt and his girlfriend, that was handled quite badly by all parties involved. I also wished that the supporting characters could have been a little more fleshed out.

But overall, even though this book dealt with a lot of heavy and sad topics, it was such a sweet, heartwarming and hopeful story, showing the power of love and forgiveness.

Thank you to Xpresso Tours and NetGalley for the free review copy and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
4 stars

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Debbie Schrack

This was such a sweet, funny and entertaining sapphic romance with a great mix of quirky and angst, and a wonderful found family and one of the best aunts in literature!

For Her Consideration follows the aspiring screenwriter Nina Rice, who has been settling for a life in the LA suburbs working as a celebrity email account manager after a devastating break-up three years ago. She’s shut her friends out, believing they were siding with her ex, and has more or less hid herself from the world, feeling as unworthy and bad as her ex told her to be. But then suddenly the out and proud queer and beautiful movie star Ari Fox wants to meet to discuss her email management and suddenly Nina finds herself falling head over heal for her client and maybe wanting something more out of life after all.

I loved the fun and witty way in which the story was told, and all the banter and sarcastic comments. The love interest, Ari, stole my heart too right from the start. Her personality and character were the best parts of the story. She was so strong and confident, yet sweet and warm, and with an amazing humor (the thing with the elusive cat Steve was so hilarious!).

I also absolutely adored Nina’s feisty aunt Lorna and her friends, and not to mention Nina’s group of old friends. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this one did not disappoint! The dynamics amongst Nina’s queer, loud, joyful and funny chosen family was amazing and I loved how fiercely loyal and supportive of Nina they were, even though she didn’t always deserve it, to be honest.

My only problem with the story was the main character, Nina, herself. I had trouble connecting with her and since the story was told solely from her POV, it affected the whole reading experience. I did enjoy her sarcasm and wit, and the way she grew character-wise throughout the story, but she still came across as a little too selfish, immature and annoyingly indecisive, and I didn’t like the way she shut her friends out (twice!) not even considering how that must have made them feel.

But all in all, For Her Consideration was a cute, heartwarming, quirky and fast-paced sapphic rom-com with the great message to believe in yourself and not let anything stop you from chasing your dreams!
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Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Rating:
​4 stars

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Amy Spalding

When I started seeing this book on bookstagram, I immediately wanted to read it, and I’m so happy that it turned out to be exactly the sweet, heartwarming and gripping story I hoped for! Finn and Oliver stole my heart from the very start, and I stayed up all night to finish this book in one sitting!

Finn has had a really rough time, struggling with anger, grief and guilt after his mother dying in a car accident that he felt was his fault, and his father shutting him out. Even though he survived the accident, the boy he used to be didn’t.

Oliver has also had a horrible year, being betrayed and bullied by his former best friends after coming out as gay. So, when his mother decides to marry Finn’s father and asks Oliver to move across the country, he’s only happy for the fresh start and the opportunity to leave all the negativity and hate behind him.

Neither of them had expected how getting a new stepbrother would change the course of their lives forever…

This was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching love story that completely drew me in from the very first page. It was so full of tension, angst, passion and heart-break. Both of the main characters immediately stole my heart in their own separate ways and I read this whole book with a beating heart, desperately needing to know what would happen to Finn and Oliver.

(In case the family ties seem confusing, I want to make it really clear that there is nothing tabu about Finn and Oliver getting feelings for each other. They are not in any way related by blood and have not grown up together.)

Finn and Oliver’s emotional roller coaster when realizing their feelings for each other and the consequences all felt very real and realistic. The sexy parts were quite explicit, but still very sweet. They really showed how both boys felt vulnerable from not having any experience at all, or from being with another boy, but how they allowed themselves to open up and trust each other to explore new things in a safe and respectful way. I also really appreciated how Finn wasn’t ashamed of his feelings once he understood them and how he didn’t feel the need to put a label on them, but just accepting that it was “an Oliver thing”. I also enjoyed the different take from many other stepbrother romances in that even though Finn more or less was mad at the whole world, he immediately got protective of Oliver, so it wasn’t the usual enemies-to-lovers plot.

The toxic relationship between Finn and his father was also described in such a relatable and real way. Charli Meadows did an amazing job capturing the complicated father-son dynamics and how much damage parental neglect and blame can cause their children. The character development Finn’s father went through was amazing, but maybe a little bit too good to be true, but that’s just a minor detail.

All in all, Cali Boy was a truly adorable and emotional stepbrother grumpy/sunshine romance with all the feels and character growth. I read it in one sitting, it was so addictive and I rooted so much for all characters that I just couldn’t bear to put it down until the very end! 

Thank you to the author Charli Meadows for trusting me with your beautiful work! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
​4.5 heartfelt stars rounding up to 5

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Charli Meadows

This was such a sweet and adorable teen gay romance (although a bit too cheesy at times), but also a story about dealing with bullying and homophobia, absent and abusive parents and learning to trust others again after being rejected and told that you’re not good enough as you are.

Jack’s On Fire follows teenage musician Jack who gets bullied and abused at his homophobic high school after being outed by his vengeful ex, and whose religious, bigotry and evil mother is threatening to send him to correction camp. Luckily though, his older brother offers him to move in with him in California and Jack gets the chance to start a new life with new friends and the freedom to be himself. Things are getting even better when Jack gets invited to the varsity band, and when his Geometry tutor turns out to be the hot captain of the JV soccer team, Damon. But not only is he out of Jack’s league, he’s also straight. Right?

There were so many wonderful characters in this book! Jack’s brother was such a sweetheart and I loved his sassy girlfriend, as well as the fun and witty friends Jack made in Red and Sarge. I also really loved both Jack and Damon as main characters and how sweet they were together. Some parts were a bit too cheesy though, and it got quite annoying with the repetitive use of the word “babe” between them as well as the use of “bro” in every sentence when Jack talked to his brother.

The pace was a bit slow off and on, and I think the story would have benefitted from not being quite so full of all details about exactly what they did and when.

But all in all, Jack’s On Fire was the heartwarming, modern, queer fairy tale the blurb promised. It was such a sweet and hopeful coming of age story with great character development, amazing friends and an adorable teen romance showing how everyone can find their happy ever after where they least expect it.

Thank you NetGalley and Jetspace Studio for the free ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Rating:
​3.5 stars rounding up to 4

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Owen Lach

In short, Youngblood follows the two former childhood best friends, and vampires, Kat Finn and Taylor Sanger as they end up as roommates at an elite vampire-only boarding school. Since a virus has infected nearly all of humanity, vampires can no longer drink blood from humans but have to rely on an expensive synthetic blood substitute (Hema) to survive. This has led to a division between vampires, with elite vampires who can afford the drink and who have separated themselves from humans, whereas other poor vampires struggle to make ends meet, and even having to risk their lives to feed on humans when they can’t afford Hema – like Kat’s dad.

Desperate to find a way out of her and her mother’s poverty, Kat applied to the prestigious elite vampire school with a full scholarship. At school, she not only meets but have to share rooms with her former best friend, now enemy after Taylor betrayed Kat and her family. Taylor has grown up in the wealthy vampire world, but she’s tired of its backward, conservative values—especially when it comes to sexuality, since she’s an out-and-proud lesbian.

Soon other problems start to rise, when Taylor stumbles upon the dead body of a vampire, and Kat makes a shocking discovery in the school’s archives. On top of that, the straight Kat might not be as straight as she’d always thought, when she’s starting to have more than friendly feelings for her roommate…

I really enjoyed the concept of this story. It was witty and fun with so many things I love - queer, vampires, boarding school, friends to enemies to lovers, and headstrong female main characters – and it gave me such great Vampire Academy vibes. I also really loved Taylor’s character. But unfortunately, it was also very problematic and dealt with issues like racism and homophobia in a terrible way, and on top of that added HP references.

It was so unnecessary to ruin the story with all these racist and homophobic remarks. It feels like the author added them to prove how woke Kat was as a character, but it only made me like her less and ruined the story for no reason. The story would have worked just as well even if the boarding school had been queer-friendly and diverse.

The blasé attitude about colonization, racism, homophobia and the HP references was way too off-putting for me to be able to recommend this book to anyone. But I’ve decided to give it a 2.5 star rating nevertheless, since there were a lot of things I enjoyed and since the book ends in way that made it possible to interpret it as if the new generation got their eyes opened to the bigotry amongst the elders and that they would create a better world onwards.

Rating:
​2.5 stars rounding up to 3

​Author info:
Sasha Laurens