This second book in the Guides for Dating Vampires series was just as witty, adorable and heart warming as the first one, if not more! I adore D.N. Bryn’s unique, queer and hilarious romances with characters who are such precious disasters that you cannot help fall completely in love with them.

The Guides for Dating Vampires is a loosely connected MM paranormal romance series with stories that can be read as standalones, but I’d still recommend you to read all of the books in the series, simply because they’re absolutely worth it! The stories are very different from the usual vampire tales, with a strong, lethal, masculine vampire seducing its victim, which honestly can be quite cheesy. Here, it’s the absolute opposite.

The vampire in How to Sell your Blood – Clementine – is a shy, a-spec, nerdy, Ivy League scientist who has been turned without him knowing how or by whom. The human he falls in love with – Justin – is an inner-city badass guy with super strength who protects the vampires in his neighborhood to make amends for a devastating mistake he did in his youth. The story also includes amazing side characters, such as Clementine’s trans sister Sissy and Justin’s vampire friends, and a very thrilling plot with Clementine needing to hide his vampirism at the lab he’s working at and being blackmailed for it.

I really loved the slow burn and watching Clementine and Justin slowly grew closer as well as their respective character development throughout the story. It was so real the way Clementine struggled with his blossoming feelings for Justin and trying to figure out his demisexuality. I also absolutely adored their dorky banter and the humor, and the fact that Clementine wrote erotic fanfic!

The characters from the first book, Vincent and Wes, were mentioned a few times in the book, but I would have loved to see a bit more of them. I also would have liked to get some more background to Antony Hilker and the reasons behind his actions, as well as some more explanation to Justin’s superstrength and his family history. There was a fallen angel-plot there that had amazing potential that I would have loved for D.N. Bryn to explore further. But maybe (hopefully) that will be part of a future book in the series!

All in all, this was a unique, sweet, poignant and addictive story about two adorkable disasters falling in love that I binged in one sitting. Highly recommended!
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Thank you so much to the author D.N. Bryn 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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D.N. Bryn

This was such a wonderfully messy coming of age story about questioning your sexuality and taking the journey of finding out who you truly are. I loved the amazing representation and the relatable, flawed and fleshed-out characters.

“Maybe I’m bisexual or pansexual. Maybe I’m queer. All I know,” I start, taking a deep breath, “is that I’m probably – no, definitely – not straight.”

Ophelia After All is a sweet YA story following Ophelia, a Cuban-American High School senior, who’s been known as a boy-crazy romantic, but who starts to questioning her sexuality when all of the sudden she starts crushing on a girl named Talia. Throughout the novel we also get to know Ophelia’s group of friends as they prepare for the big event of the year – the prom – and to follow all their struggle and drama.

I really loved how the representation with the vast spectrum of identities, and how Ophelia’s group of friends all found each other before realizing that they were all queer. I also really appreciated the way ‘coming-out’ wasn’t made into a major one-time thing, nor a definitive one, but how they were all allowed to question their identities and settle for what felt right at the moment.

It took me a while to get into the story though. The beginning was quite slow and all the high school drama, including love triangles, promposals and prom queen nominations, felt a bit over the top. But once I started to fully root for the characters, and we got to see the struggles behind the drama, it was such an addictive and heartwarming story. I especially enjoyed how flawed and messy Ophelia was allowed to be, and how she fell apart throughout the book without being miraculously mended by a sudden romance.

All in all, I highly recommend this story to anyone, but especially if you are a high schooler and/or enjoy messy, complicated coming of age stories about figuring yourself and your sexuality out.

Rating:
4 stars

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Racquel Marie

This was such a heartwarming and charming story about a middle-aged lesbian librarian wanting to change her life. I loved the library setting, the witty humor, the queer representation and all wonderful side characters!

Nan Nethercott is a queer middle-aged librarian, who finds herself stuck at entry level in the Philadelphia public library system and as well as in tiresome affairs with women who are not looking for that forever after that Nan is. Realizing she might not have that many chances left to make a drastic change, she accepts a pay cut for the job as a head librarian at a small-town library in southern New Jersey. Soon she finds herself way over her head dealing with staff problems, marauding middle-schoolers, a bossy town council principal, and a hot deli owner who is, of course, not looking for the kind of relationship that Nan is.

I loved the library setting and to read about all literary tasks, book club discussions and programs that Nan organized and to get new insights of the life of a librarian (the task of weeding books was definitely a novelty to me)! I also absolutely adored Nan’s wit and sarcasm, and the fact that she was a bit older and very relatable in the way she felt that life hasn’t turned out the way she dreamed of. And the side characters were such charming, kind and fun originals! I loved the way Nan opened up to people in a way she hadn’t before and made some wonderfully sweet new friends that way.

The story was perhaps a bit uneventful at times and it wouldn’t have hurt with a little more romance and passion. Even though Nan is having affairs and dating, I wouldn’t call this a sapphic romance. It’s more a story about changing your life than finding love.

But all in all, The New Town Librarian is a truly sweet, fun and enjoyable feel-good read that doesn’t shy away from the sadder parts of life, with an adorable small-town bookish setting. A perfect book for my fellow bookworms!

Thank you to Pride Book Tours, NetGalley and Ninestar Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating:
4 stars

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Kathy Anderson

Such a thrilling and wholesome completion of this suspenseful, witty and addictive series with a new take on werewolves. Truly loved it! 

The Big Bad Wolf series has such a different take of shifter romances, it’s very refreshing and intriguing. It’s almost difficult to put this book in a genre. It’s partly urban fantasy, partly contemporary mystery and partly a swooning mm romance story. I really enjoyed the way the werewolves were part of the society, but also had their own fascinating culture. The world building was so rich with all werewolf folklore and intricate pack systems. Charlie Adhara also managed to show the struggle to hide in plain sight and the fear for and consequences of discovery so well and make it relatable.

I also really enjoyed the different mystery plots in all books. In this last one, the mystery was such a complex and thrilling one involving the WIP and rebels, Eli being hunted by his past, new surprising family revelations and Cooper’s former partner and lover meddling with his life again. There’s also a huge twist on the alpha myth and on Cooper’s involvement in the werewolf society that was so intriguing and unexpected, definitely ending this series on a high note on the mystery aspect as well!

But the things I love most about this series are the characters and the swooning romance. Park and Cooper have my heart forever! They are both such complex and special characters, and the character and relationship growth they go through, especially Cooper, is beautiful. The love progression is so well done and the chemistry between Park and Cooper is just perfect. I love Cooper’s sarcastic humor and the witty banter between him and Park.

All in all, the Big Bad Wolf series is a highly recommended unique series, full of action, family drama, werewolves and a smoking hot romance, that I’m already planning to reread soon. (But might there be a spin-off of this series in the making though? There’s certainly an opening for it…)

​Rating:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

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Charlie Adhara

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets a darker version of High School Musical in this fastpaced and addictive story about finding your true self, facing your wrongs and making amends. And maybe finding some new friends and love on the way.

Donick (Nick) Walsh has been the stereotype high school jock for years, harassing anyone being nerdy, different or just in his way. But it wasn’t always like this. Up until Nick was eleven, he had a best friend, Michael Penrose, and was into “dorky things” like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and wondering what it would be like to kiss a boy. Or, more specifically, what it would be like to kiss Michael. When he finally tried it, his father walked in on them, and the horror and anger from his dad put Nick on the toxic, masculine football playing, homophobic track he’s been on ever since.

Michael on his hand never really understood what happened. One day, Nick was his best friend, the next day, Nick punched him in the face and looked at him with resentment, either calling him names or avoiding him entirely. The hurt and bitterness kept growing over the years, and got even worse with Nick suddenly coming back into his life again when getting injured and joining the school revue instead of playing football.

I really loved all the musical theatre references and the wonderful representation, but most of all the complex, fleshed out characters, as well as how the story shows how hard it can be to truly change and grow. Not only for the person trying to grow and make amends, but also for the persons around him. Forgiveness isn’t granted just because you ask for it. The hurt you have caused might just be too much to get over, and you have to find a way to live with yourself for the damage you have caused. It was really great that the story was told in dual POVs, so that both aspects were shown so clearly, and we could see how toxic it can be for the victim as well to refuse to confront the past and let the bitterness control your life.

I did find the “Secret Admirer”-thing a little cheesy and over the top though, and I would have liked to get to see more of Nick’s struggle with his conscience before wanting to hit the reset button. Now we entered the story when he already knew that he wanted to change, with glimpses back to his former mean bully self, but we never really got to be part of the internal character transformation as such. But those are just minor complaints.

All in all, this was an emotional, poignant and addictive story about breaking free from toxic expectations to be your true self, making amends and finding new friends and love. I read this book in one sitting, it was such an easy and fast read, full of wonderful music and theatre references and relatable characters. (Just be aware of the trigger warning for homophobia.)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Rating:
4 stars

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(This book will be published on August 15th, 2023.)

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Nathaniel Shea

This fourth book in the Big Bad Wolf series was a bit slower to begin with and I wasn’t completely sold on the undercover couple counseling plot. But about halfway the action picked up again and Park and Cooper were so adorable together. I love the alpha twist and the development of their relationship, especially how vulnerable they dare to be with one another.

This series just keep getting better and better by each book! Really loved getting to meet the whole Park family and see Cooper interact with them and finally getting to understand where Oliver is coming from and why he’s keeping so many secrets. Fast-paced, great romance and relationship struggle/developments and a really thrilling mystery!

In this third book in the Big Bad Wolf series, the story takes Cooper and Park to Park’s family compound for his grandfather’s memorial. Meeting your in-laws for the first time is always awkward, but imagining them not knowing that your golden boy is dating a human when they kind of hate humans… and cats, which he of course brings with him. And on top of that, said human is an agent in the organization that hunts down werewolf suspected of crimes. To say it doesn’t really go well is an understatement. Especially sine Park has left Cooper mostly in the dark about all these issues. But Cooper deals with it all in his characteristic prickly way that I have come to love throughout this series.

This book was the best one yet in this amazing series! The mystery was as thrilling as ever and I loved all the werewolf parts, the romance and the general character developments.

Rating:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

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Charlie Adhara

This second book in the Big Bad Wolf series was so much more fast-paced and addictive than the first one! Park had my heart already from the first book, but Cooper really started to grown on me now as well. And the mystery to solve was a perfect kind of nice puzzle plot pulling Cooper’s family into the story as well.

Cooper and Park are now in a relationship… sort of… as well as partners at the BSI (the (Bureau of Special Investigations for werewolf crimes), but Cooper is struggling with trust issues, anxiety and just with relationships in general. When he’s guilted into a visit to his father and brother on the way home from an assignment with Park, he hopes the trip might help clarify their status as a couple. But then a dead body is discovered in his family’s garden, and suddenly Cooper and Park are drawn into a case that might risk put Cooper’s dad behind bars.

I really enjoyed the relationship parts, the vulnerability and doubts, the miscommunication and the tenderness, as Cooper and Park try to navigate the new feelings. I also loved getting to know more about Cooper and his family and childhood, and all the family drama. The mystery plot with the dead body was a really great, action-filled and unexpected one.

With Cooper growing on me, and Park already having my heart, I can’t wait to continue this series! I’m so curious about getting to know more about Park and his family in the next installment!

Rating:
4stars

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Charlie Adhara

This was such a different take of shifter romances! Even though this is a book with werewolves, I wouldn’t call it a fantasy or paranormal story, it’s more of a contemporary mystery that also happens to have some werewolves in it. And a very slow burn romance with amazing potential!

Agent Cooper Dayton is a grumpy ex-FBI agent now working for the secret division BSI (Bureau of Special Investigations) investigating werewolf crimes. Yes, werewolves apparently do exist and live amongst us humans. They even have their own secret organization known as The Trust. When werewolves keep being the target for murders, both organizations decide to team up together, assigning Cooper a new werewolf partner, the handsome, masculine and mysterious Oliver Park.

This book was very different from what I expected and from my usual genre, so it took me a while to get into it. The beginning was quite slow and the writing style a lot of explaining all things everyone did (a bit too much tell instead of show), so about halfway in I almost didn’t finish it.

But I’m so glad I kept on reading, because the last part of the book was amazing! The action really picked up, as did the romance. Swooning! I love enemies-to-lovers and slow burns, and the second half of this book definitely delivered in that! And the two main characters grew so much too. I rooted for Park from the start, but Cooper took me almost to the end to fully take to my heart. But now I’m completely invested in them both and their romance, and can’t wait to continue this series!

Rating:
3.5 stars rounding up to 4

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Charlie Adhara

I absolutely adore the Hockey Ever After series! This third book is independent of the previous ones (there are some cameo appearances but no real plot crossover) but I’d still recommend you to read all of the books in the series, simply because they’re absolutely worth it! They are all such wonderful and sweet mm hockey rivals to lovers romances, with the perfect amount of steam and lovable characters with an absolutely sizzling chemistry!

In this third book, we get to meet the two hockey players Grady and Max, who are longtime rivals from different teams. Even though Grady is normally the quiet, sensible one, Max has a way of getting under his skin to make him see red and they have been in uncountable fights over the years. But when they hook up by accident, they have a surprisingly good time together. Soon they keep meeting up for more, with the fighting on the ice as foreplay…

I truly rooted for both Grady and Max, and I really appreciated the slow burn from loathing each other to slowly beginning to open up and getting to know each other with all their vulnerability and insecurities, and from there on letting the attraction take them even further. The enemies-to-lovers trope is my absolute favorite one, but lately I’ve read a lot of books where the enemies-part has been over way too fast and I’ve felt a bit deluded from the blurbs, but not here! Here, the trope was perfectly executed! I loved the witty banter, the burning attraction and the love/hate relationship. I read most of this book with a smile on my face, Grady and Max were just so adorable and fun together.

I also rooted for many of the secondary characters, with the supportive (but teasing) team mates and family members, and it was so wholesome to see glimpses of the characters from the first two books again.

All in all, this was such a heartwarming slowburn romance and a truly sweet and addictive reading experience!

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:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

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Ashlyn Kane
Morgan James