I adore Dash and Ari so much, Melanie Harlow has put together a phenomenal novel. Who doesn’t love when a character gets a second chance to fall even harder for her best friend’s older brother, bonus he’s a Hollywood heartthrob!

I am a Melanie Harlow review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

Only in the movies does the Hollywood heartthrob fall for the small town diner waitress.

So when Dashiel Buckley returns to Cherry Tree Harbor for a wedding, I’m determined not to let my massive crush on my best friend’s older brother hijack my good sense.

(It happened once before. Do not recommend.)

But when my hand is injured, it’s Dash who steps in at the diner. The moment he realizes I can’t afford to fix my car, he takes care of it. And when he hears about the way my toxic ex treated me, he refuses to let it go.

Now it’s not just his blue eyes and sexy smile that have me swooning, it’s the way he wants to help me. Encourage me. Protect me.

I can’t resist.

Our text messages heat up. Our phone calls melt all my defenses. “Just friends” turns into “just once,” and “just once” becomes a distant memory. Night after night, he warms my bed, my body, and my heart.

But it can’t last.

Our dreams have us on two different paths–Dash wants the lights, camera, action of Hollywood, and I’ll always be a small town girl.

If only I could be his.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Dash and Ari are the main characters. Dash is the Buckley of this instalment, the brother who left Cherry Tree for a movie career. When we meet him you empathize with him right away, he’s been typecast and wants to pivot into a more serious role. That is not going as easily as he planned, and he’s back in town a bit early for his brother’s wedding to see if being home gives him that boost he needs. That boost comes instead from Ariana DeLuca. Ari is Mabel Buckely’s best friend and has loved Dash since she was young. When we meet her she is all embarrassed about Dash, specifically when she crawled into his bed at sixteen years old with seduction on her mind, and the gentleman Dash is he turned down her advances. I loved Ari and her determination, as she’s a professional chef set to inherit her parent’s diner but waits for nothing to be handed to her. She helps Dash with his bit of stunted emotions at the beginning of the story, by the end every reader will fall for yet another Buckley brother.
• Setting: Cherry Tree Harbor is in this wonderful world of Melanie Harlow’s Michigan. I loved that we are not too far from so many of her iconic settings and so we get this really wonderful Cloverleigh cameo in Small Town Swoon. Speaking of cameos, I see you Melanie with the reference to one of our fave bull riders Rhett Eaton (Elsie Silver fans will eat it up, or should I say drink it up).
• Pacing: I fell headfirst into this story and never wanted to come up for air. I love this town and its cast of characters. The story beats are timed very well, and I enjoyed how the third-act conflict was dealt with maturely. It felt like further proof that when they were young it was the right person at the wrong time, and now is their perfect time.
• Romance: I love this type of second-chance romance, the kind that feels so rewarding when it is so many years in the making. Ari had loved Dash for so long and never thought he’d look at her twice since the night she messed it all up. Rather it was Dash who admits he did always want Ari but believed he was not good enough for her when she was sixteen, and he was nineteen. Now all grown-ups both of them have palpable chemistry, the tension oozes off the page, and Melanie produced one of her steamiest books, each scene is the chef’s kiss (a chef’s pub for Ari). Their relationship conflict felt so real, and it makes me more bittersweet that we are nearing the end of our time in Cherry Tree Harbor.

Small Town Swoon receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Melanie and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Melanie Harlow’s Small Town Swoon ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

City of Darkness was well worth the wait and got me all more invested in these complex characters and compelling world. This third book in a series of four has set up the ending extremely well and I cannot wait!

I am a Karina Halle review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

From the New York Times bestselling author of River of Shadows and A Ship of Bones and Teeth comes CITY OF DARKNESS the third book in the Underworld Gods series, a high heat dark fantasy adult romance series.

When mortal Hanna agreed to marry Tuoni, the God of Death, in exchange for her father’s life, the last thing she expected was to fall for the morally grey anti-hero. But it’s not only her heart that’s in danger now. As she navigates her new role as the Goddess of Death in the spooky and macabre underworld of Tuonela, Hanna discovers that Death has many enemies in his kingdom, none more powerful than his half-demon ex-wife, Louhi. With an uprising of Old Gods at her fingertips, and skeleton armies ready to do her bidding, Hanna and Death must work together to make sure the underworld isn’t lost forever, even if it means losing each other and all they hold dear.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Hanna and Death continue to go on a masterful character journey. I really like the new challenges thrown at them in this one and how that forced them to grow not just as individuals but together. This story features a few more points of view, Death’s children specifically and I really did appreciate getting these looks into what is going on with the other characters. It began to feel like Death’s son and daughter, being more apart from Hanna and Death throughout the story are starting to grow as characters. I think most of my character highlights came from Death, he was so sure in himself and Karina messes that up a little bit and forces him to adapt. Making him all the much more complex and layered.
• Setting: Our story begins in Tuonela, the Finnish underworld and throughout the story you do get glimpses as to what the future of the underworld may hold, and it’s a wee bit terrifying. Karina is always so good at writing these immersive settings, but I do love that she threw in a curveball in this one. I do not want to give it away, but there is a shift in setting and I loved it. I was initially worried about this being four books rather than three, but I see why it needed to be and these are the scenes that made me happy for this third instalment. At the same time, I do see why many might feel a little let down in this instalment, but I always trust Karina when it comes to sticking the landing on a series.
• Pacing: I must shout out the amazing “previously in” section as it was comical and informative, the perfect way to guide readers who have been keeping up with the new instalments in this series. As much as I flew through this book, I love when I do that while reading. It did feel a bit on the shorter side, but I have a feeling that Karina has a lot planned for the final book. So this tonal-shifting almost novella-like bridge story was necessary to bridge books two and four.
• Romance: I love Hanna and Death together, and in this book, they really got to be just a powerhouse of a couple. The perfect team both in and out of the bedroom. Fear not readers the spice in this is great, nothing as bonkers as a certain scene from the previous instalment but still many fun ones. It felt as if their relationship really grew emotionally, and has hit a beautiful level of maturity. I cannot wait to see what this king and queen do to fight for their well-deserved happily ever after.

City of Darkness receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Karina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Karina Halle’s City of Darkness ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Devney’s college football series which began with Coach is continued with Blitz and damn is this book dripping in forbidden. He’s a football coach and she’s a star volleyball player, they can not explore any sort of relationship. What ensues is a slow burn, with so much tension, and I will guarantee that any reader who likes a taste of forbidden will enjoy this one.

I am a Devney Perry review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

A forbidden, small town, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.
 

A coach. A student. The rules were concrete. We broke them anyway.
 

The night I met Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lie. He was a Treasure State football coach. I was the star of the volleyball team. Coaches and students were forbidden. My future was on the line, so I told myself it was only one night.
 

That was the first lie. They got easier to tell after that. The lines blurred. The boundaries shifted. Our relationship became a game of its own.
 

A chaste smile. A knowing glance. A veiled touch or a hushed kiss. We hid in plain sight. We were invincible. Or so we thought. Neither of us saw the blitz coming until it was too late.
 

Game over. The night I left Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lose.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Toren and Jennsyn are the main characters of this story. Fans of this series may remember Toren as Ford’s best friend and assistant coach. Torren grew up and attended Treasure State, his dream was always to come back and help coach the team he played for. It’s hard not to fall for him quickly, he’s noble and kind. Jennsyn threatens that nobility, she’s a transfer student to Treasure State, but she and Toren hook up in the summer and never share the key details that would have had them clue in to the forbidden nature of their relationship. Jennsyn will be relatable to any reader out there who struggles with balancing parental expectations with doing what actually makes you happy. Jennsyn’s past reveals itself throughout the story (I think some of the reveals could have happened earlier, I don’t like how long she kept pieces of her past from Toren), but nonetheless, my heart broke for her and I loved her character journey.
• Setting: As with all of Devney’s stories it is set in Montana. Treasure State is in a little college town called Mission, and it has that very US college town feel. Toren and Jennsyn are neighbours so much of the book is the longing glances and the sneaking out late at night and early in the morning. I think Devney writes college very well and am very excited for more books in this series.
• Pacing: The timeline of this story was super interesting as it is told concurrently with the previous standalone, Coach (Millie and Ford’s story), which I really liked. I find most often romance series tell one story after another in chronological order, so it was a nice change. It also gave a nice insight into Toren’s thoughts on Millie and Ford’s relationship. I flew through this book, I literally read it on a plane and half my flight just went by in a blink cause I was so entranced by it. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending, it felt like it was like an abrupt end and here’s an epilogue. I would have liked a bit more exploration of their relationship once more people knew about it.
• Romance: Ooooh Devney crafted a delicious slow burn here, the payoff is so worth it. The story naturally opens up with them meeting the night Toren hosts a party and Jennsyn is compelled to check out what her new neighbour is up to. You don’t get the story of that first night right away, rather you get it in flashbacks and I loved this. After that night they do attempt to steer clear of each other, but their undeniable chemistry breeds some emotional and romantic moments. That build-up also meant that when they could no longer keep their hands to themselves the characters and the readers alike were giddy. 

Blitz receives 4.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Amazon Worldwide | Paperback | Hardcover

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Thank you again to Devney and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Devney Perry’s Blitz ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

When Helena began to tease her triumphant return to hockey romance, I could not be more excited for her to kick off a new series. I adore her hockey romances and am so excited to have a Toronto-set hockey romance. This book is perfect for existing and new fans of Helena’s work alike who want their hockey romance scorchingly hot but also laugh-out-loud funny.

I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

A brand new standalone hate-to-love, brother’s best friend hockey romance.

My new roommates are two pro hockey players.
First, my manwhore older brother, and second, his seriously hot best friend (who I seriously hate).
This was a last resort.
No one should be sleeping on a futon that smells like Cheetos and ball sweat.
But here I am, trying to get my life together.

Tristan Stiles is the bane of my existence.
He never wears a shirt.
We can’t seem to stop fighting.
He’s an arrogant playboy with a filthy reputation.
Sure, I had a crush on him when I was fourteen, but that was a long time ago.
I know better than to trust him.

I just need to survive long enough to find a new job and get a new place.
And not accidentally let Tristan rail me into next week.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Beatrix and Tristan are the lead characters and when we meet them they hate each other. Tristan is a hockey player on the same team as Beatrix’s brother Flip and the boys are also roommates. Beatrix, or Trix ends up moving in when she needs to get out of her unsafe apartment the only problem is that she and Tristan hate each other. The early part of the book has them bickering and playing tricks on one another, but over time the facades they put up melt away. Tristan has such a sweetness in him and I loved when Trix brought that out. It would be rude to not mention how many wonderful side characters Helena introduces from the other hockey players to the group of girls Trix befriends, it is the girls, especially with their heartwarming found family that will have readers begging for future instalments.
• Setting: I was ecstatic to start this and see Helena set a book in Toronto! She lives in the GTA and rarely writes about her home, even rarer for us to get hockey romances set in Canada so I loved the Canadian touch this one had.
• Pacing: I did find the beginning of this book a little slow and it took me a few characters to be invested in why Trix and Tristan hated each other. Warning you as well that it is decently chunky so it did take me quite a few hours to read, but at the same time, I was having such a wonderful time with all the characters and having a longer book did set up many potential future books to look forward to.
• Romance: Helena announced a while ago that this was the spiciest book she had ever written, and after reading the vast majority of her backlist I was super intrigued to see what she was going to throw at us readers. All I can say is after I read Chapter 12 (winky face and I am never looking at a cucumber the same way again) I understood why this was Helena’s steamiest yet! I adored all of it from the crazy spice to the Helena Hunting signature sometimes out-of-pocket banter. It is hard not to cheer on Tristan and Beatrix as they sneak around her brother and deny the depth of their feelings for each other. For all the talk of spice and banter, this book is quite emotional and I welled up at times when Trix and Tristan were navigating how they could be together. The tension, sparks, and chemistry are off the charts so this is an essential read for hockey romance fans everywhere!

If You Hate Me receives 4.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Paperback | Audio

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Thank you again to Helena and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Helena Hunting’s If You Hate Me ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been excited about this book ever since Giana first teased it! All I have to tell you is that this is a dark academia, sapphic, Medusa retelling, that should be enough to get you to look at this twice. I loved this book, and even if you think it is not for you, trust me give it a try and get ready to be whisked away to Archeron University with Lex and Luna.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Giana Darling comes a sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling about a woman who was wronged by her idols and refused to pay the price without getting revenge…

I was born a woman.
Raised by women.
In love with women.
Until I enrolled at Acheron University, I’d never known much of men. I certainly didn’t know enough to fear them.
Then one stormy autumnal night, Professor Morgan tried to destroy me.
And when we were discovered by the university President, it was me who was punished for the unwanted seduction.
But they left me with two valuable lessons.
I would never let another woman be hurt by men again if I could help it.
And when someone hurts you, betrays you, and tries to rip out your soul, there is only one remedy for the pain.
Revenge.
And mine takes the form of the President’s very beautiful, very virginal, very straight daughter, Luna Pallas.
Before the end of term, I’ll destroy her innocence just as her mother and Professor Morgan destroyed mine.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Lex and Luna are the main characters of this sapphic dark academia Medusa retelling. Lex Gorgon is Archeron University’s Medusa. Lex’s story is dark and heavy, warning everyone now that there is sexual assault depicted quite early on in the book and that assault along with many others are discussed throughout the story. Lex’s character has such a magnetism, with a rage that draws you in and has you cheering for her revenge journey. If you love a little feminine rage you will love Lex. Now Luna Pallas, when you meet her you think here is the goody two shoes headmaster’s daughter, and throughout the story, she grows more defiant, and I loved every moment of it. Her development is also a sexuality awakening story as she goes from someone confused about herself to growing into who she is, a bisexual woman. Both of the gals have their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities, I loved them individually but loved them even more together. Lex’s sisters are a perfect addition to this story too, loved the Man Eaters.
• Setting: The story is set in the world of Acheron University, with whisps of dark academia especially at the Gorgon house readers will find it easy to immerse themselves fully in this world.
• Pacing: The book is seamless with just how fluid and beautiful Giana’s writing is. For those who love retellings and literature (all the English majors), you will adore the reference and reverence shown throughout the story. I was hooked on the plot of the Man Eaters and their quest for revenge, and I really loved how Giana went about navigating it and how she brought so much care to how she wrote about sexual assault.
• Romance: Giana pulled off writing a relationship that was heartwarming, earth-shattering, and so damn filled with tension. Lex and Luna had me giggling over their banter, and then swooning as they read poetry to the other. But fear not this book is also incredibly hot, from their first interactions the sexual tension melts from the pages. There is so much emotionality, they are navigating so many roadblocks in their way from others’ homophobia to processing trauma to seeking revenge, many times I was brought close to tears by this relationship. This out-of-the-world attraction and chemistry are balanced against how they are perfect for each other, Lex brings a bit of darkness to Luna, and Luna is Lex’s light. Truly it is such a special sapphic romance and powerful story.

Serpentine Valentine receives 5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Giana and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Giana Darling’s Serpentine Valentine ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

When Bloom announced they were picking this up I took it as the sign I was waiting for to dive into this series finally. I love a good why choose story every once in a while and I was ready to be whisked away into the world of Madison Kate and her boys.

“Madison Kate Danvers was murdered tonight.” Those words changed my life, and not for the better. They were wrong, of course. I wasn’t dead. But I was set up. After being framed for a deadly riot, charged with a string of offences, and being made into an example by my politically minded father, I’m eventually released back into Shadow Grove. I could keep my head down, but I only have one thing on my mind. Hate. The boys who framed me are going to pay for derailing my carefully laid-out future. They’re going to catch the full force of my revenge. Except when I arrive back in town, thanks to my father’s shiny new girlfriend, I find all three of them living in my house, right down the hall. Archer, Kodiak, and Steele are secretive. Untrustworthy. Dangerous―and dangerously magnetic, too. But I’m not falling for their games. Not after what they did to me. Archer D’Ath and his boys messed with the wrong chick, and they’re about to learn just how cold Madison Kate’s hatred can run.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Let’s first dive into the titular Madison Kate, back in town after her father exiled her to Cambodia and she’s ready to re-enter, no actually to reclaim her life. She’s a character you’ll love if you like to embrace rooting for a morally grey leading lady. She’s violent and vengeful, and I loved every bit of it. She has this magnetism about her, which no doubt lures her three boys in. In a why choose story it’s hard to make sure all the love interests are well-defined and separate characters. Archer, Steele, and Kodiak are very different from each other. Archer is the possessive asshole type, the classic I hate you but am wildly attracted to you, type of character. Kodiak is the sweetest of the guys for sure, while Steele definitely brought his own swagger, having the balls to really put the moves on MK first. For sure though it’s these main characters that have me intrigued to keep reading.
• Setting: Shadow Grove is the setting for this story, and I feel like I have yet to understand this town. This is understandable because this is the first book, not all the secrets are going to reveal themselves just yet. It does lead to a few frustrations while reading as it is hard to believe an entire town let MK be the scapegoat for Riot Night.
• Pacing: The first few chapters took me a bit to get into, but I felt way more invested in what was happening once the plot picked up. The story improves as we get more information, I do not really like how left in the dark we are as readers. It ends with quite the cliffhanger, which did have me diving into the second book Liar, basically right away.
• Romance: It’s hard to really rate the romance in this one, as this first instalment is very much more the boys lusting over Madison Kate, and her denying that she is lusting after any of them. The spice in this book doesn’t really hit for me, but I really do hope as the series continues we get longer scenes, basically most of the scenes in this book did not last nearly long enough. I am invested in seeing how each of the relationships grow, especially Kodiak and Steele, but I trust that Tate James will even have me rooting for Archer by the end.

Hate receives 3.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Indigo | Amazon

Thank you again to Bloom and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Tate James’ Hate Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I love a little hit of taboo from K. Webster and this series delivers both a steamy romance and a bit of a surreal emotional experience. The time the Park family is delivering an M/M romance with Jude falling for his therapist Tate.

I am a K. Webster review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

He’s a mysterious recluse with an unhealthy obsession with his therapist.He doesn’t want help… He just wants him.

Love is for those who deserve it. I certainly don’t. The person I loved most in this world died in my arms decades ago and I am to blame. I’ll forever be tormented by what-ifs where I was Mom’s hero instead of this repulsive, mask-wearing beast I’ve ultimately become. All that’s left of my heart is black smoke—suffocating and toxic. I’m nothing but a shadow of a man, locked in my dark fortress of a home, away from people and hidden in my carefully walled-up world. My family is all I have to live for. Somehow, they look past the fact I survived when Mom didn’t. Like it’s not my fault. It’s also why I’ll protect them with every single fiber of my being. Even from him. Tate Prince has been paid by my father to infiltrate our family. Invited not just into our homes, but into our past, our heartaches, and even our minds. Dad thinks this young man—a therapist with a captivating grin—is the key to repairing all the damage we’ve sustained over the years. But I know better. I can see through Tate’s friendly disposition and easygoing nature. In his eyes are dark secrets that haunt him like ghosts from another life. He’s not as perfect as he seems. Underneath his mask of smiles are ugly truths I’m desperate to uncover. And I will uncover them. If that means keeping him under lock and key where I can watch his every move, I will. It’s not captivity if he’s being paid, right? However, when I start unraveling his life, I learn there’s a lot more to Tate than meets the eye. The more I discover, the more obsessed I become. My heart, the dusty, charred, still-smoking useless organ sparks to life making me come to a startling realization. I want him. I’m not the only one who feels this way, though. Tate’s biggest secret is he already has a monster in his life. A terrible, spiteful monster—one who’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. But I’m uglier, nastier, and a hell of a lot more vicious. I may have failed to save my mother, but I will not fail this time. Tate is mine.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Jude and Tate are the leads in the latest Park saga. Jude is the Park, a member of the most influential and well-off family in town. This family is struggling though, with an eclectic group of characters really in need of a neutral party to talk to, enter Tate. Callum, the lead from The Teacher of Nothing hires Tate to help him, his student-turned-wife Willa, and the throuple from The Tangle of Awful: Aubrey, Hugo, and Spencer. Jude may be the most troubled of them all though, keeping his face behind a mask after sustaining damage in the housefire that killed his mother. Tate may have been hired to help the family, but in turn, it is the family that helps Tate begin to heal after he escapes an abusive relationship. As Tate is everyone’s therapist, there are lots of character cameos that will make fans of this series happy. Warning everyone that this family and its taboo tropes are not for the faint of heart, make sure you are ready before you dive in. There are times I love the taboo of it all while I am reading it, but at least in this book it really feels the least taboo of them all. I also loved all the teases for Dempsey’s book, give me another age-gap romance!
• Setting: Park Mountain is the town in which the story takes place, but really the central location is Jude’s home. He’s a recluse and so much of the story takes place in his bedroom and all of this contributed to the surreal emotional reading experience of these two boys in desperate need of each other’s comfort.
• Pacing: I flew through this book in about two days. As the stakes in the story rose so did my desire to just keep reading. I loved the pacing of the relationship too. I was on the edge of my seat in the latter third of the book when Jude and Tate’s inner and actual demons had to be battled and how they fought for each other and themselves.
• Romance: Now for Jude and Tate’s love story which I was emotionally invested in quite quickly. What starts as Jude being a bit sinister and destructive morphs into how he heals himself by caring for Tate. Then Tate is going through a similar journey, as he’s never had anyone he can trust to help him carry his burdens. Don’t get me wrong this book is still quite steamy, maybe not as taboo as the previous two instalments, but this one for sure pulls on the heartstrings.

The Heart of Smoke receives 4/5 stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Kristi and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post K. Webster’s The Heart of Smoke ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

It is bittersweet to be saying a final goodbye (again) to the Marked Men/Saints of Denver/Forever Marked world. I read Rule nearly eight years ago now and it was a book I read very early on in my romance discovery era so I am forever grateful for it being one of the books that made me the reader I am today. So I have adored these second-generation stories, rich with nuance for both old and new characters alike.

I am a Jay Crownover review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

She’s the only girl he’s ever loved.

Zowen Archer has been in love with Aston Wheeler for as long as he can remember.

She’s perfect, except for the glaring fact that she fell in love with his best friend instead of him. For years, he loved her from afar with zero expectation. He told himself that as long as Aston was happy, his feelings for her didn’t matter.

However, Aston isn’t nearly as happy as she seems. And by the time Zowen figures things out, his life takes a drastic turn for the worse.

Now that Aston is single and laser-focused on making up for the lost time between the two of them, Zowen is doing everything in his power to avoid her. He’s convinced that if she never wanted him when he was at his very best, there is no chance in hell she could care about him now that he’s at his absolute worst.

He’s the only boy she’s willing to wait for.

Time has never been on Aston Wheeler’s side.

She spent too long pretending to be someone she was not. She lost herself in a first love that everyone, except her, thought was perfect. She wasted a lot of time trying to convince herself that she should be happy when she was anything but. She watched for years as the one person who made her feel like her true self drifted further and further away.

Finally, when she’s ready to reach out and grab the one-of-a-kind love that Zowen Archer has always silently promised her, it’s too late. Zowen is taken away, and when he reappears in her life, he makes it clear there’s no going back to whatever they might have been.

Good thing for Zowen that Aston is patient and doesn’t mind waiting for him to have a change of heart. It’s the least she can do after all the time he spent waiting for her.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Wayward Son’s leads are Zowen and Aston. Zowen is the son of Rome and Cora Archer, while Zowen’s parents are Poppy and Hudson Wheeler. I have been anticipating this story for a while as these characters have been on the sidelines of the other stories. Aston was Ry’s ex-girlfriend in Fortunate Son, so I only viewed her through his lens. Getting in her head is so rewarding, as you get to read the journey of a girl struggling to be her own person and get out from under the thumb of her mother. This is the perfect time to mention how much I commend Jay for how she has written the parents in this second-generation story. The characters we originally fell in love with all those years ago are flawed and so those flaws do not magically go away once they have children. They are not always the best parents, in many cases, they are not always aware of how they pass on their traumas to their children. It was so real to see this though and a risk of Jay’s that makes these stories shine. Zowen is what brings the heaviness to the start of the story, within the first chapter you see his prison sentence delivered after a tragic night of street racing. I also adored two side characters in particular and really hope Jay delivers on something for them!
• Setting: The story is predominately set in Los Angeles, California rather than the Denver we know and love. The space is really good though and we get to go on a very special journey with the couple while they are away from the prying eyes of family and friends. With Daire and Campbell out in California too it started to feel like a second home in the Marked Men universe. But do not worry there is some lovely quality time in Denver and it is there where Jay’s skill of balancing the nostalgia we readers have for the parent characters with their less-than-stellar parental sides.
• Pacing: I flew through this in about a night as from the prologue I was just hooked! It is hard to not devour this as I wanted happiness for both Zowen and Aston and I needed it as fast as humanly possible. I did find that the ending did not enthral me as much, but I was still very happy to have lots of time in the books with the wider cast of characters too.
• Romance: What can I say besides another epic romance from Jay! I loved Zowen and Aston, and as I alluded to before I got really attached to them rather quickly. Their chemistry was electric from the first chapter and I loved all their romantic scenes. This story does fall under a trope I find hit or miss and I was overall happy with how Jay executed it. What a beautiful second chance for Zowen and Aston, and a beautiful ending to the eight-year journey I have been on with the Marked Men characters.

Wayward Son receives 4.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Follow Jay on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Reader Group

Thank you again to Jay and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Jay Crownover’s Wayward Son ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am nothing if not consistent, and I consistently love Katee Robert’s throuple novels so damn much. Midnight Ruin is phenomenal, I’ve read it twice through before writing this review. If you have not started this series yet I beg you to start with Neon Gods and let yourself be taken away on this rollercoaster of fast-paced political intrigue and toe-curlingly good romance.

I am a Katee Robert review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

Eurydice Dimitriou has always been the innocent sister, but she’s finally ready to step out of the long shadow cast by her powerful family…and the ex who shattered her heart. Perhaps rough hands on soft skin are exactly what she needs to forget her heartbreak once and for all?

Charon Ariti has been Hades’s right-hand man for years. He’s given everything to the lower city, but now he’s ready to take something for himself. He’s only too happy to give Eurydice a special kind of education…but is her heart really free enough to be claimed?

Orpheus Makos will do whatever it takes to make things right. Once the golden boy of the upper city, he’s now a shadow of his former self. He’ll do anything to get Eurydice back…even if it means she’s not coming into his arms alone. Three hearts. Three futures. Countless ways to get it wrong.

But with enemies slipping through Olympus’s faltering barrier to lay siege on the lower city, a trio of broken hearts will be the least of these would-be lovers’ worries…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Eurydice, Charon, Orpheus – what a cast of lead characters for this instalment! All the Dimitriou sisters have my heart and so of course I was excited to get into Eurydice’s head. After only seeing her through predominately her sisters’ eyes, I loved getting to know this powerhouse character better. She is not as innocent as what meets the eye, which is perfect. Charon and Orpheus were perfect for her because they both brought something different. Charon
• Setting: Back to the underworld baby! We have not had a tried and true Underworld book since Neon Gods, since book one! I was so happy to be back over the River Styx. I know Katee has spoken about how this book was initially third and I am so happy things were switched around to make the long-awaited return to Underworld just hit perfectly!
• Pacing: What is so special about Katee and this series is just how well-balanced the political intrigue is against the relationships and the steamy scenes. Every chapter just makes you want to read the next one, and every instalment just ups the stakes in this world!
• Romance: Katee proves once again why they are just so damn good at writing throuples. The best triads show how the relationships just work as a group of three, not as pairs. I really liked how this was both a second-chance romance and a friend-to-lovers. So much of this series is more enemies-to-lovers so that was a lovely change of pace, I love when Katee throws in a few curve balls to the romance. The biggest one probably being the puppy play which I know Katee even said online came as a surprise while writing but my god it fits this story so well. Orpheus at his most submissive was the missing piece of the puzzle for Charon and Eurydice. Along with what a great take on that second chance that what made Eurydice and Orpheus not work originally really was that people were not their true authentic selves. So simply I say this book was hot and it gets steamy or should I say foggy rather quickly. A Katee Robert slow burn is fun every once in a while, but Katee is at their best when they write characters with so much tension and chemistry that it drips off the page.

Midnight Ruin receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

Follow Katee on all their social channels…

Twitter | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Instagram | Tik Tok | Patreon | Website

Thank you again to Katee, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Katee Robert’s Midnight Ruin ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I enjoyed the first book of this series, Claim had such an interesting presence and characters. Then when I read Defy I was a bit worried about the direction this trilogy is going. I am super happy to see that the story has been turned around. I will always have a soft spot for the first instalment, but nonetheless, I enjoyed this trilogy overall.

I am a Dangerous Press review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

Damon Pierce is a man haunted by his own darkness and knows he’s dangerous to the woman he loves. This is why he must stay away. He needs to focus on his buildings. On success. On things he can control.

Sophia Morelli is never going to be a sweet little submissive. Her rebellious nature runs too strong and deep. Which means she’ll never back down without a fight.

She’ll confront his demons, even if it means finally facing her own.

OWN is the breathtaking, scorching conclusion to the Violent Delights Trilogy. Find out what happens when desire burns hotter than fire.

“Sienna Snow knows how to bring the heat to a story. With fascinating characters, she builds worlds I’m thrilled to spend hours in.” – New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake

Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors. This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: I am very happy with the ending of Sophia and Damon’s story. I had been unhappy with Damon’s slippage in character development in the last instalment and it did kind of feel like we were rehashing the same development from the first instalment. Sophia making him work for it was great though! It was lovely to see so much of the extended Morelli gang, Lucian really gets lots of moments to shine in this book. I truly hope it is not the last one because I love this family, plus Lizzie needs her story next!
• Setting: This story is predominately set in New York City, but I was so happy for a quick little whisk away to Bishop’s Landing the pinnacle of Dangerous Press settings.
• Pacing: I was hooked on this final book super quickly and I was enthralled until the end. There is an event near the end (which of course I will not spoil) that had me on the edge of my seat while reading. A feeling I was not expecting from this conclusion.
• Romance: I was still rooting for Sophia and Damon by the end. I want to note that there was a bit of a trope that does not hit for me, but you might be a huge fan so use this as a red flag or green flag. I could have done without the bit of breeding kink that reared its ugly head near the beginning of this, but gratefully it was not overkill throughout the entire story. The steamy scenes were fun, but I felt like the sub and dom dynamic was much better explored in past instalments.

Own receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to the Dangerous Press team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sienna Snow’s Own ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.