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.

I adored this book which comes to me as no surprise because I love Sarina Bowen’s M/M romances! I did find it a bit slow going but once I was hooked it was blast off and I tore through the rest of the book.

TOMMASO
The furniture district is my personal hell. I don’t know my ass from an ottoman. But when a hot designer comes to my rescue, I realize my problems are bigger than the house I’m trying to furnish.
A scorching kiss over fabric samples makes me question all my choices. But is it too late to change my entire life to get more of them?
CARTER
I need this gig, but my cocky new client leaves out a couple crucial
He doesn’t mention that he’s a famous hockey player. And he doesn’t own up to the way he’s always trying to undress me with his dark, broody eyes.
The man throws out more mixed signals than a broken traffic light. I’ve never been more sexually frustrated in my entire life. I need to back away before I do something stupid, like lose my heart.
Oops. Too late.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are the hockey player Tommaso and the interior designer Carter. Tommaso is the grump and Carter is the sunshine, but I could not help but find them both endearing. Both read a bit like lost souls, as while Carter struggles to find a healthy financial footing, Tommaso is struggling with his sexuality. I got attached to each of them super quickly as I wanted them together so badly. This book also had some great side characters, I loved Carter’s friend Rio and his man and of course, I loved Tommaso’s mom. Fans of the first book The New Guy will be so happy with all the cameos from Hudson and Gavin.
• Setting: This is Sarina’s first hockey romance that is not predominately set within the world of the Brooklyn Bruisers. Instead, the end of the last instalment put us behind the scenes of the Colorado Cougars. It is a whole new team to explore and I liked the change of pace from busy Brooklyn to the quiet moments of Colorado. As Tommaso brings Carter in to furnish his place it should come as no surprise that the majority of the book takes place inside Tommaso’s home. It really made it feel like this romance was given a safe place to blossom.
• Pacing: It was in the pacing where this book fell a tad short for me. I struggled to get into it, as the first few chapters simply don’t grip you. There was some point where I realized I was hooked and at that point, I did not want to stop reading. Then the feelings of poor pacing crept back in at the end. Don’t let that dissuade you if you are open to much more of a slow-burn romance.
• Romance: The grump and the sunshine sure had a slow-burn romance. As I got to know these characters it made total sense, Carter had been hurt before and Tommaso had never embraced falling for a man before. It is not a complete sexual awakening, rather Tommaso suppressed what he truly wanted due to family issues and his working through that had me tearing up at a few points. I adored their first kiss, and their first time you just have to savour the moments leading up to them.

I’m Your Guy receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Audio

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

The post Sarina Bowen’s I’m Your Guy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Karina never misses! I knew this retelling was in good hands because I knew she could definitely deliver something equally spooky and steamy. If you are looking for a smutty read this spooky season look no further.

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 a smutty spooky dark academia gothic romance retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, where Kat Van Tassel doesn’t have to choose between Brom Bones and Ichabod Crane, and there are worse things haunting them than the Headless Horseman.

Ever since she was a child, Kat Van Tassel knew that her parents had arranged for her to marry her best friend, Brom Bones, when she became of age. That was until Brom mysteriously vanished from the secretive village of Sleepy Hollow when he was just a teenager.
Now, at nineteen, Kat is fulfilling the tradition of attending Sleepy Hollow Institute, a shadowy and prestigious school that is run by her powerful family. There she starts to fall for her new teacher, the enigmatic, smart, and much older Ichabod Crane, whose fascination with dark magic and the occult brings out a new side of Kat—in more ways than one.
Until Brom Bones suddenly appears in her class. Her childhood friend doesn’t remember what happened to him in the four years that he’s been gone, all he knows is that he’s back in Sleepy Hollow for good. The only problem is, he’s not the same man that Kat knew. Cocky and brash as a youth, this Brom is violent and prone to bouts of madness. It doesn’t help that his reappearance coincides with gruesome decapitations that are plaguing the town, with rumors swirling about a vengeful ghost called The Headless Horseman.
Determined to get to the bottom of the murders and Brom’s volatility, Crane takes Brom under his wing to study him, and they begin to grow close, just as they do with Kat. But the more that the threesome submits to their sexual desires on the path to the truth, the more dangerous Sleepy Hollow becomes.  The Headless Horseman might claim them as his next victims…if something even more terrifying doesn’t get to them first.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroine Katrina Van Tassel was the perfect point of view character. She is just as naive as the reader about what Sleepy Hollow holds and I loved seeing points of the mystery unfold through her eyes. Her heroes, are Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones and in Karina’s story, she will not have to choose one over the other. Crane is a professor, specifically the newest professor at Sleepy Hollow’s academy and he was probably my favourite part of this book. His character was so interesting and I loved how hard he fought to protect not just Katrina, but Brom. Brom is not just Katrina’s childhood friend but her betrothed. Crane has his own history with Brom, something I cannot wait to explore more in the sequel. Brom is complicated and I really did not know what to think of him except for he better be okay!
• Setting: This story is set in Sleepy Hollow and I loved all the spooky vibes! The story begins with Katrina heading off to the Sleepy Hollow Academy which has the best dark academia and gothic vibes. Some of the scenes here were absolutely terrifying, especially Crane’s scenes overnight. I loved finding out more about the school, and all the teachers and students within it.
• Pacing: From the first few pages I was hooked on Hollow. I started it Sunday night read as much as I could and got up early before work on Monday to finish it. I always find Karina’s pacing so compelling and I loved where she took the story. This book ended in the perfect spot and has made me just die with want for more.
• Romance: What initially intrigued me about this book was that it would be Karina Halle’s first MMF romance. This first instalment only really plays with MF and MM as Karina builds all the character relationships, and so no complaints from me I like how all of it is developing. Needless to say, this book is so smutty and I ate it all up. Katrina and Crane are that professor/student dynamic that I am always a sucker for with a nice eleven-year age gap. Crane and Brom’s relationship while only given a few glimpses I cannot wait to see how it develops. Karina did such a good job illustrating how Katrina will be the glue in this triad and now I must just wait patiently for what I know will be a delicious payoff.

Hollow receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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

The post Karina Halle’s Hollow ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I adored A Merry Little Meet Cute and was excited to see Julie and Sierra gifting us this sweet treat of a novella. Luca was a fan favourite and I was so excited to see where his fling with Angel could go. Fans of this series will love this story, as it is a great check-in on beloved characters and a tease of what is to come.

I am a Sierra Simone review team member but remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

After Angel and Luca connected on the set of Duke the Halls and had a whirlwind romance in the literal snow globe of Christmas Notch, Vermont, Luca found himself falling in love. Hard. He’d never been one to believe in fate or true love, but one thing was certain: Angel was his person. He knew it as well as he knew the history of American figure skating. But when Angel left for an art school semester abroad without a word, Luca’s already brittle heart was broken. No one ghosted Luca. Unless he was in a haunted house.

But with the spring semester long over, Angel is back home in Los Angeles for the summer, and unfortunately for Luca, this big town is turning out to be smaller than either of them ever expected.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: For both Luca and Angel this story picks up where A Merry Little Meet Cute left off, with a movie wrapped and next plans up in the air. Luca returns to LA hoping to keep what started in Christmas Notch with Angel alive, but life has other plans. I was surprised how much of Luca’s character was dominated by self-doubt, but that is why having someone like Angel show Luca what his work was worth was so essential.
• Setting: The story is predominately set in L.A. and actually includes some thoughts on its hustle culture and way of life which were refreshing to see. Rather than another romance that romanticizes the L.A. life. Plus I enjoyed all the cameos from the characters I already loved like Bianca and Sunny.
• Pacing: This will be the perfect quick read for someone who is already a fan of this world. It is not an essential instalment, you can skip this and wait for the full-length book in the fall. If you want a speedy read it is perfect raunchy fun. Just one note, it is a single point of view with a focus on Luca and my preference is a dual point of view. I felt it was hard to know what was going on with Angel and to connect with him.
• Romance: My favourite part of the story was the chemistry between Luca and Angel. They shared so many scenes together that weren’t just deliciously steamy, but emotionally heartwarming. A few of the romantic problems were solved with little conflict but that was the nature of the shorter story. Honestly, they were partner goals!

Snow Place Like LA receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Sierra, Julie, and their teams for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone’s Snow Place Like LA ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Another sports M/M from Lauren Blakley, which was an overall enjoyable read but it felt like it lacked something special.

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

One weekend with no strings was supposed to be the plan.

After barely escaping my last train wreck of a romance, I’ve got a new dating goal—play it cool.

I stick to that strategy when I meet a hunky Brit at a fundraiser and ask him to grab a drink. But he’s newly out and eager for all the things he’s never done, so he ups the ante with the wild suggestion that we jet off to the city of sin for a weekend, then say goodbye.

But instead, thanks to blackjack, a bet and some bourbon, we’re saying I do.

And in the morning I’m asking myself what the hell have I done? I can’t risk being the football player who’s also a playa. We’ll just undo the holy matrimony right this stinking second.

Except, the pics of our nuptials are splashed all over the Internet, and my agent says we need to stay Mister and Mister until the brouhaha blows over.

Thirty days as fake husbands with the charming Brit who’s determined to prove that he’s nothing like my ex?

My bruised heart can handle that as long as I don’t fall for my husband.

And I won’t. When we split for real, he’ll be an ocean away.

Contents include: A sarcastic, romance-phobic American football player, a charming and dirty-minded British businessman, an Elvis impersonator, white-hot first times, dangerous decisions, and a sexy, witty, emotional fake marriage, first times MM standalone sports romance!

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Hunter, a British TV producer and Nate, an American football star. Nate brought some adorable shy energy. He was newly out as Bi, so he is dealing with many insecurities and self-doubt about being with a man for the first time. Lauren loves to make one of the characters a virgin so he takes center stage. While Nate is the much more experience one of the pair. The San Francisco Hawks player is pretty fresh off a divorce and has not really re-entered the dating scene. I enjoyed the warmth Nate gave off, he seemed like a good brother and a good friend. Realistically though neither character impressed me all too much, they were likeable guys but not standouts.
• Setting: This story has a few settings from San Francisco, to Las Vegas, to London. The best part of the story was the part set in Las Vegas. They stayed at the Extravagant Hotel (love a Lauren Blakley easter egg) and it provided fodder for so many hot scenes, including one too many drinks and one too many weddings.
• Pacing: I had some big pacing issues with this story. First off the beginning dragged a bit, I know there needed to be some time to establish how these characters met and who they are. I do think that section could have been condensed so that readers can get swept up in the accidental Las Vegas wedding a bit sooner. Those passages were the shining star, so we needed to get to them sooner. The rest of the books also felt bogged down, my heart just was not in it and it put me in a bit of a reading slump.
• Romance: This couple had really great tension. What great chemistry as both characters oozed sex tension. Lauren keeps writing these characters who just cannot get enough of each other. The best part in many ways was their insatiability, the physical part of their relationship was much stronger than the emotional part. I found I just did not grow that attached to these two, it may be different for other readers. So, please do not let my review disparage you, if you have enjoyed this series it is worth picking up this instalment!

Limited Edition Husband receives three out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

✦ Amazon ✦ Audible ✦

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

The post Lauren Blakley’s Limited Edition Husband ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

This book is a culmination of so much I love about Sarina Bowen’s work. First off, it’s part of the Brooklyn Bruisers world one of my fave hockey romance series ever. Plus Sarina is so good at writing M/M love stories. Yet, she has not written a gay hockey romance since Him and Us, which she co-wrote with Elle Kennedy. Everyone will eat up The New Guy. If you especially loved Him and Us then The New Guy will pull on the same emotional heartstrings.

My name is Hudson Newgate, but my teammates call me New Guy.

That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.

But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.

What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.

We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.

Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Gavin and Hudson. We met Gavin fresh to New York City, ready to start a new chapter in his life. I got attached to him so quickly. He is a single dad, as his late husband died in an accident and had adopted this young girl two years before he and Gavin got together. Jordyn is an adorable kid, and no surprise because her dad Gavin is such an incredibly endearing and kind guy. We meet Hudson when Gavin does, in a bar watching a hockey game. Hudson should be playing for the Brooklyn NHL team but he’s out with an injury. He is the perpetual “New Guy” who keeps getting traded around the league. He’s got a controlling father as his agent, who is forcing him to remain in the closet. I loved how Hudson can be adorably awkward especially when it comes to his feelings for Gavin.
• Setting: I love this world so damn much! As Sarina grows her Brooklyn hockey world, I just never want to leave it. Previous fans of Sarina’s hockey books will be ecstatic as there were just so many sweet moments with the other team members and the extended organization.
• Pacing: I enjoyed every moment of this story so much, that I never wanted it to end. I loved that right away it was set up that we were not only an epic love story but also the first time that in Sarina’s hockey world, we would see the ups and downs of navigating coming out as a hockey player. I hope we see even more diverse stories come into this universe.
• Romance: This relationship starts off with a great meet cute. Just two guys in a bar, that should be watching a hockey game, and instead are unable to keep their eyes off each other. Plus we get such a steamy kiss as a tease for the intensity to come. Sarina did a great job of building the sexual tension between Gavin and Hudson. Once those two collided every scene was not just super hot, but brought an emotional intensity. I cried after so many scenes in this book, which is not something I usually find myself doing when I read Sarina’s books.

The New Guy receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Audio

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

The post Sarina Bowen’s The New Guy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I really enjoyed this M/M romance from Lauren Blakley. Filthy in the title does not even describe just how hot and heavy this book is. Fans will fawn over the intensity and steaminess of Gunner and Rafe.

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

It’s a fine line between lust and obsession…

Lately, I’ve been full of questions. Then one hot summer night I find all the answers when I kiss another guy for the first time. But all too soon, he disappears, leaving me wondering who my mystery man was.

Then I can’t stop thinking about him. Even on the ball field, I’m daydreaming about his hungry hands, and the filthy things he whispered in his posh British accent.

Somehow I still win one of the biggest games of my career, and afterward the man surprises me with an invitation: “Meet me in a private suite.”

When I RSVP, he makes me an offer – one chance to try all the things I’ve never experienced. Then we’ll walk away.

But once will never be enough. Soon I’m locked into an intense lessons-in-seduction game with the secretive billionaire who keeps love at a distance, all while he pushes the boundaries of my brand new desires.

And soon I learn that all my desires come with a terrible cost, as he breaks down the walls around my heart.

A Very Filthy Game is a lessons-in-seduction, first times, forbidden MM romance between a billionaire and an athlete…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Gunnar is the athlete. You might recognize him as one of Zane’s (Turn Me On) and Declan’s (Scoring with Him) teammates on the San Francisco Dragons. I loved how his story kicked off with his teammates betting him that he would be in a relationship by the end of the season, but he plays it off and acts very resistant to coupling up. So it was super enjoyable when Gunnar’s plans to win the bet are thwarted when Rafe enters the scene. He’s a charming and rich business owner of a men’s underwear company but has his sights on expanding to clothes from head to toe. He will be super relatable to any reader that has been burned by love, and my favourite part of the story was reading about his reluctance to open his heart. Don’t worry Gunnar will shake that foundation.
• Setting: The story is set in San Francisco. The best part of this is getting to have other members of the Dragons MLB team as essential presences in the story. I especially love Zane’s role as accountability man turned biggest cheerleader.
• Pacing: This book moves at a steady pace, I wouldn’t say either too fast or too slow. I cannot say it’s a very plot-driven book, the charisma of the leading men much more drives it.
• Romance: In terms of romance this one is a scorcher. They ooze sex appeal from their first meeting and it never stopped. Lauren Blakely throws in a virgin who wants to learn, a staple of many of her books. What I like about it is that it adds some breathing room, and may force them to slow down their pace and really be conscious about consent, pain, and pleasure. There is no denying that this book is hot and permeates every scene, from the texts they send to the glances across the room. If you want something more slow burn or less sexually charged this story may not be for you. If you want to escape into one hot relationship you’ll enjoy this one.

A Very Filthy Game receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Audible

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

The post Lauren Blakely’s A Very Filthy Game ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

The Muse is set in the same world as The Sinner, Emma Scott’s first forary into paranormal romance. I found the first novel very unique and so I am excited to return to this world. Plus Emma is giving us an M/M romance, which she is just so damn good at writing emotional M/M romances!

I am an Emma Scott review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

An emotional paranormal romance about sacrifice, redemption, and the power of true love.

Cole Matheson didn’t expect the road toward being a successful painter would be paved in gold, but he hoped there’d be a few less potholes. Insidious self-doubt that whispers that he’s no good, talentless, hopeless has him on the brink of despair. Maybe it would be better to just give up.

A midnight visit by a beautiful creature of darkness changes everything…

Ambrosius Edward Meade-Finch surrendered to the underworld centuries ago after knowing only pain and suffering during his short life. Now, Ambri makes humans dance on his strings, feeding on their desire for his own pleasure. But his liege lord questions his loyalty and commands him to bring a pure soul into their dark realm.

Cole Matheson seemed like an easy mark, but Ambri didn’t count on his goodness or the depth of his generous spirit that wants Ambri just as he is. And Cole never expected to find in Ambri a muse who unlocks his talent and who might also be what his lonely heart has been searching for. Something fragile yet powerful grows between them, and the possibility of soul-deep love hangs in the balance, if only they have the courage to reach for it.

But fairy tale endings don’t come without a price. The dark forces Ambri answers to have been promised a soul, and they’re coming to collect…

The Muse is book 2 in the Angels and Demons series but can be read as a standalone.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our lead characters are Ambrosius Edward Meade-Finch and Cole Matheson. Ambrosius or Ambri for short initially born in 1762 is a demon of lust, vanity, and excess. If you have read The Sinner you will remember Ambri as a servant of Casziel. Ambri was turned into a demon by an archduke of hell, whom he had made a deal with. The story opens with Ambri’s new lord Asmodai demanding a newly corrupted human soul. Ambri sets his sights on the soul of Cole Matheson. Cole is an up-and-coming painter living in London. He is in The Sinner too, as the protagonist Lucy’s best friend. Cole is such a sweetie, readers will not be able to stop cheering him on. While Ambri is cocky and sassy, a man disappointed by life and is a bit of a cynic. It is adorable to watch Cole melt Ambri’s, frozen heart.
• Setting: This story is predominately set in modern-day London. Emma did a great job at depicting a more whimsical London. Ambri’s apartment was an important location and I loved how its part in the story evolved, or should I say devolved. One of my favourite touches to this story is the historical nods throughout the story such as involving Ambri in Marie Antoinette’s affair of the diamond necklace.
• Pacing: I found the pacing off a bit. It was slightly dragging but honestly, I was veering into a tiny reading slump and that may have affected my reading experience a little bit.
• Romance: This is another take of Emma’s on the soul-crushing emotional, must-be-fought-for romance. I loved that the flirtation started with Ambi on a mission to seduce Cole to his death. What started as dreams and an immediate attraction on both men’s parts became something deeper. Emma has always been great at writing that flow from lusting over another, to falling in love with them. Ambri and Cole had such good sexual tension, but the real shining star of this book is the emotional part of their relationship. The steamy scenes don’t pull the focus of this story. It is much more emotionally driven. Emma’s work is notorious for bringing people to tears and once you read the author’s note you won’t have a dry eye left. What I liked and found refreshing about this M/M romance is everyone was out. It was not a closet love interest or a questioning protagonist. It was just two guys who have been waiting a long time for a love like this, a love worth fighting everything for.

The Muse receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Follow Emma on all her social channels…

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

The post Emma Scott’s The Muse ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I always look forward to Lauren Blakley’s M/M romances and this one featured two characters with some palpable chemistry but it took way too long to take off.

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

The first rule of being an attorney is don’t sleep with your clients.
The second rule is–see the first rule.

Those guidelines don’t account for a man like Zane Archer though. The major leaguer is all confidence and big D energy as he swaggers into my life one night at a hotel bar, determined to spend the night with “the sexy suit,” as he calls me.

I’m so damn tempted to say yes, especially when my new client devastates me with a scorching kiss that has me reconsidering all my life choices.
The catch? If I tear up the rule book, my reputation as a lawyer to the most bankable stars in pro sports is on the line. Including my new goal of striking the deal of a lifetime for him — one he desperately needs to take care of his family.
Instead, I fight like hell to stay professional as I work closely with the man I can’t have.
But the more time we spend together, the more his irresistible charm threatens to break my resolve . . . right along with my heart.

TURN ME ON is a red-hot, MM, forbidden sports romance between a sports agent and an athlete…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our male leads are Zane and Maddox. Zane is an athlete, he plays for the San Francisco baseball team. He’s out and proud while being quite the charmer. In this pair, Zane is more of the dominant one. The best part of his though is he is such a good uncle to his adorable niece. As for Maddox, he is a sports agent. He was recently poached by Zane’s agent Vance over to Vance’s agency. Maddox was brought in to help Zane acquire more sponsorships. Mad was definitely dominant in his professional capacity, a workaholic who chased deals and clients. But in the bedroom, he subdues for Zane, and I loved the dichotomy of Maddox’s character.
• Setting: The setting flips around quite a bit in this story. The most pivotal setting in New York City as so many key scenes happen there. I have always loved NYC and want Lauren to eventually return to the East coast settings over her current runs in the West Coast settings. The majority of the story is either in San Francisco, where Zane is based or Los Angeles where Maddox has his house and his very lovely pool, hehe.
• Pacing: I found the pacing off in this story. The beginning half really dragged for me, I struggled to return to the book to read the much stronger latter half. The pacing of Zane and Maddox giving into their attraction took too long. I am not saying they needed to hook up in the first chapter, but it was getting frustrating as I was reading that they had not stumbled into bed together.
• Romance: Maddox and Zane had some scorching scenes, but the pacing issues I had made me wait for most of the novel to get to them. I was not as emotionally invested in this couple as I have been with other Lauren Blakley M/M couples. This is because of the pacing issue, how am I supposed to buy into the depth of their feelings when the beginning is too drawn out and all the hookup scenes happen in rapid succession near the end? It would have been more powerful for them to hook up a few times before the roadblocks hit, instead, it read like the minute there was one slip up there were consequences.

Turn Me On receives three out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Follow Lauren on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

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

The post Lauren Blakley’s Turn Me On ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Two men, rival football teams, and a pre-season fling that stumbles into something more. Sign me the heck up!

I am a member of Lauren Blakely’s review team, but I stand by my reviews remaining honest and true.

“A sexy, emotionally-charged, rivals-to-lovers, second chance sports romance…

Some men are just off-limits. Like, say, the other pro quarterback in the same city.
When I first hear the news that my preseason fling has been traded to my cross-town rival, I tell myself it’ll be no big deal.
Just like our night together was to him when he stood me up for the second date.
Whatever. I’m over it. What are the chances I’ll even see him that much now?
Except my team’s PR department wants me to play nice with him. Which means I’m doing TV appearances and charity events with the broody, sexy, enigmatic athlete who stares at me both like he hates me and like I’m his last meal.
I’m doing a winning job ignoring those looks.
Until the night he shows up at my door after a game and confesses why he walked away from me…”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our lead characters are Jason and Beck. Jason plays for the San Francisco Hawks and he’s the only openly gay quarterback in the league. You can’t help but like Jason he’s easygoing and quite the charismatic charmer. Beck is the shier one of our pair. He is the quarterback for the rival San Francisco team, the Renegades. He’s bisexual he’s out to people around him but not to the wider Football community. I loved both of these characters as individuals and even more when they would bring out the best in each other.
• Setting: The story is set in San Francisco. San Francisco brought this fun dynamic in this story, the nature of being out and proud. It is a safe city to be out in, but what’s the wider reaction from the league, and sports media? It was cool to see this explored.
• Pacing: Our story starts with a short story prequel that tells the story of their meeting and first hookup. The story really kicks off with Jason butthurt about being ghosted and avoiding Beck for an entire year. Just to have Beck get traded to San Fran that season. Talk about a fun premise, that kicks off such an engaging story.
• Romance: I loved their immediate chemistry. How shy Beck has a crush on Jason and he cannot help himself but make the first move relatively quickly. I loved their intensity, the feel the way our fingers brush kind of intensity. Their encounters were hot and dirty, yet still had this innate sweetness to them. I especially adored their first hookup. They were hot in bed together and it was matched by the intensity of the emotions they felt for each other. It is such a fun read to have characters who cannot stop.

The Boyfriend Comeback receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Follow Lauren on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

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

The post Lauren Blakely’s The Boyfriend Comeback ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.