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…

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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 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…

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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.

Did I dive into Keeping 13 basically one minute after finishing Binding 13, yup I definitely did! What a cliffhanger, maybe one of the most brutal I have read this year. This book wrecked me even harder than Binding 13, it had me bawling my eyes out.

Falling in love was the easy part. What comes next is the test. Johnny Kavanagh’s first, last, and only true love has always been rugby…until now. Following a devastating injury that has left him stripped of his beloved number 13 jersey, Johnny struggles to hold onto his dreams as they crumble around him. Lost and desperate, he sets his sights on unraveling the mystery of the girl with the midnight-blue eyes who haunts his every waking Shannon Lynch. But navigating the future, even together, isn’t as easy as it once seemed. Keeping secrets has never been a problem for Shannon. The life she was born into demands nothing less. After all, demons and evil men don’t just exist in fairytales―they exist in her world, too. Traumatized beyond repair after her return from Dublin and desperate to protect her little brothers, Shannon finds herself struggling like never before, barely keeping her head above water. Her walls are up and her trust is shaken, and only one boy has the ability to reach her heart. But when new truths come to light and old wounds are reopened, will love be enough to help them heal, or is their future forever broken?

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Johnny and Shannon have my heart! This book took all our characters on such an emotional journey. I want to ensure I do not spoil the events of this sequel, but I thought the worst was behind Shannon and her brothers Joey, Tahdg, Ollie, and Sean, but it was not. I will not get over the emotional wrecking ball that is this story and neither will Joey (I cannot wait to read Saving 6, I need to know that Joey and Aoife are going to be okay!). Chloe Walsh has pulled off what I love in an ensemble story when the side characters are so rich that you cannot wait to devour their stories too.
• Setting: This story is set in 2005 Ireland, in the small town of Ballylaggin and I had no idea just how attached I would get to this town and all the people in it. I love all the Irish slang and the early 2000s references. This small Irish town matches the heaviness of the book perfectly.
• Pacing: I read this book in a few days, back to back with Binding 13. It made me stay up late and get up early to read, which is always a good sign of just how much a book is enthralling me. I do feel the need to say that I still find this series too long and I will be interested to see how the lengths affect future instalments.
• Romance: I adore Shannon and Johnny and their relationship. This book features their physical relationship much more than the previous instalment. As they are given so many more moments to be alone together in their feelings. I adored the reformed gentleman Johnny, matched against the bolder Shannon who in falling in love with Johnny grew her confidence and willingness to ask not just for what she wanted, but what she deserved.

Keeping 13 receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

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Thank you again to Bloom and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and su

The post Chloe Walsh’s Keeping 13 Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Broken Vow is officially my second favourite in this series, so far! If you love either mafia romance or cowboy romance, this one is both!

He’ll protect her…whether she likes it or not. Riona Griffin is gorgeous, intelligent, and iron-willed. My perfect woman, except she hates my guts. She thinks she doesn’t need anybody. But she needs me. She’s being hunted by an assassin who never misses his mark. I’m going to stay by her side, day and night, keeping her safe. Riona thinks that’s a fate worse than death, but I know she’ll learn to love me. If this hitman wants to kill her, he’ll have to go through me first. Broken Vow is the wild and dangerous fifth installment in the Brutal Birthright series. It’s a standalone bodyguard mafia romance, with a HEA and no cliffhanger. Contains steamy scenes.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Riona Griffin’s story has been one of my most anticipated since I started reading the Brutal Birthright series. I knew early on I was going to love Riona, in the other instalments she is presented as the workaholic, ice queen sister to Griffin. Being in her head allows the reader to really understand how she balances her fierceness and determination with a whole lot more to it. She’s one of Sophie Lark’s most flushed-out characters, Riona is so focused on taking care of everyone else and her career that she has little left to care for herself. Enter Raylan, her new bodyguard and a bit of a cowboy! I loved him and his family so much, he is a very different hero for this series as he is the first and only one who is not in the mafia directly himself. Rather, he is hired to be Riona’s bodyguard because her life is in danger. He was the perfect counterpart to Riona, ready to match her fierceness.
• Setting: The setting is such a fun part of Broken Vow. Early on it is apparent that the city of Chicago is not safe enough for Riona so they must escape to Raylan’s family ranch. I loved the little, small-town cowboy romance inside a larger mafia romance series, it was like an escape inside an escape.
• Pacing: Sophie Lark writes these incredibly easy to breeze through books. This series is just so damn bingeable to read, I basically read Broken Vow back-to-back with Bloody Heart in the same night. The pacing is so strong in the first two thirds, due to their length these books often need to be wrapped up rather quickly at the end. Yet I can overlook that in the instalments that really shine bright like this one and Brutal Prince.
• Romance: The relationship is very opposites attract, with grumpy sunshine vibes. Riona is the grump, and Raylan is the sunshine. Both characters really push each other because of this and bring out the best in each other. The sex scenes in this book are on another level for this series, with some light BDSM elements for those who are into reading that. Of course, I have always been a sucker for bodyguard romance in each and every form it has come in and this was a great take on it.

Broken Vow receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

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

The post Sophie Lark’s Broken Vow Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been meaning to read this book for what feels like forever. I know fans more than just love this book but live and breathe it. I have always been intimidated by the length, I still am not fully sold that this book needed to be this long. What I am sold on is that I love Shannon and Johnny, and want the world for them both.

He wants to save her. She wants to hide. She’s damaged. He’s determined. Fate brought them together. Love binds them. Johnny Kavanagh has everything going for him. On the rugby pitch, he’s a force to be reckoned with, even plagued with a hidden injury. Everyone knows he’s heading straight for the top—but that means there’s no room for mistakes or distractions. Not even the shy new girl at Tommen College, the one with the sad eyes and hidden bruises. He needs to stay focused, keep his cool, and not let anything get in the way of the bigger picture.  Except before he knows it, this lonely girl has become his only picture. Life has never been easy for Shannon Lynch. Bullied and tortured, she arrives at Tommen College mid-way through the school year praying for a fresh start and desperate to shake off the demons that plague her. But when she meets the notorious Johnny Kavanagh on her first day, her plans to keep a low profile are at serious risk. As they fall into a complicated friendship and grapple with their undeniable chemistry, hidden pain and complicated secrets threaten to be their undoing—but Johnny won’t give up on Shannon. No matter what it might cost them both.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: I love Shannon Lynch and Johnny Kavanagh, and I totally get why you all do too. When we met Shannon, I was attached within the first few pages as I could not help but feel for this girl carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. After facing severe bullying at her public school, Shannon the only daughter in a family of multiple sons is able to go to a private school instead. This poor girl spends so much of this story helpless, yet I began to see the light in her as not just Johnny but her siblings and friends fill in the bright spots of her days. How does one not fall for Johnny Kavanagh, the high school rugby star is so endearing, charming, and caring. The cast of side characters really shines too, I know that there are books out about some, and others have books coming and I am invested to see what happens to everyone.
• Setting: The story is set in 2005 Ireland, in the small town of Ballylaggin. I did not know what to expect with the setting, and I loved it! I have learned some Irish slang, I am very thankful for the glossary that is included in this book. What the slang and the time period of almost twenty years ago do is it really transport you and further immerse you in the story.
• Pacing: This book is heavy, you need to look up content warnings and be cautious about the real-world themes it tackles. I knew about the topics this book would delve into, but I did not know how graphic some of the scenes would be. This book is not just heavy emotionally, it is heavy physically as it is just over 600 pages. I understand fans eat up every scene and love all this time with Shannon and Johnny. I did love most of their interactions, but some of the other chapters fell a bit flat when the two of them were not interacting. I really do think this book could have been a bit shorter, it really deters someone from starting this series when you see these huge books ahead of you.
• Romance: Johnny loves hard and falls fast and I adored reading every time he stepped up so quickly to defend her, while still being her greatest comforter. Shannon really struggles with her feelings, first, the idea that Johnny or anyone could love her this deeply is a foreign concept for her. Then once her own feelings develop she must navigate lying every day to the person she loves. What drove me through this book was getting to the revelations, I wanted Johnny and Shannon to communicate with each other in the most open way possible. While reading I had to remind myself of their age, which gives them a bit of a pass for struggling to communicate with one another for hundreds of pages. What is so special about this story though is the epicness of this love story. It has this deep overwhelming feeling that had me thinking about them constantly days after finishing this (along with propelling me to jump into Keeping 13 basically as I finished this one).

Binding 13 receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

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

The post Chloe Walsh’s Binding 13 Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been loving this series so much and this next instalment sure throws readers for a loop, with so many things I was not expecting.

When you get a second chance, you don’t wait for a third…

Simone Solomon lives in a gilded cage. She’s been raised to wealth, privilege, and above all, obedience.

Hiding in the back of a limousine, dreading another tedious gala, Simone is abducted by a mafioso who intended to steal a car, not a girl.

Dante Gallo looks like a beast and behaves like one, too — until he lays eyes on Simone. Their attraction is irresistible, even if they’re completely wrong for each other.

Simone is willing to risk everything for Dante — until the disastrous night that splits them apart.

Fate grants her one more chance to reconnect with the man she can’t forget. But Simone has a secret… a mistake she fears Dante will never forgive…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: The Gallo this instalment centers around is Dante Gallo and his second chance at love with Simone Soloman. I enjoyed these characters but I was not as invested as I have been. I did struggle with some of Simone’s choices, I do not want to give too much detail to avoid spoilers, but she was put in some difficult situations. Dante not holding that against her too much is indicative of what a great guy he was. He was easy to fall for and I loved reading all his interactions with his siblings.
• Setting: Sophie Lark’s mafia world is set in Chicago, and it does feel like coming home to a cast of characters that I love.
• Pacing: I just find these books so incredibly easy to fly through. This story is told in two parts, with a significant time jump in between. I was enraptured by the first part especially and how the characters met got me intrigued right from the start. This is paced so quickly though that at times it sure helps you read fast, but I did wonder if there were parts of the story that could have been flushed out a bit more.
• Romance: From the moment Dante and Simone meet in the most unlikely of circumstances I was cheering them on. I adored their early courtship, the sneaking out to see each other and of course the scaling of the balcony such a classic. Sophie Lark writes incredibly hot people, in hot scenes, with perfect accompanying art from Line Maria Eriksen. After being so attached to the characters in the first part of the book, naturally I was so invested in their second chance not just at love but at family.

Bloody Heart receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

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

The post Sophie Lark’s Bloody Heart Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

It still doesn’t feel real that this is a real book! My favourite thing about this story was just how nostalgic the reading experience felt. But that nostalgia was balanced with an original story that all hockey romance fiends are going to love!

Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.

Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.

Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word
with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Gigi Graham and Luke Ryder are the main characters of The Graham Effect. Gigi is the daughter of Hannah and Garrett the main characters from The Deal, the first book in the Off-Campus series. Gigi is just a mini-Garrett Graham, and I loved her for it! She’s got his sass and I loved how she held her own in every situation this book threw at her. Her determination is commendable too, as throughout this book her quest for a spot on the Women’s Olympic Ice hockey team is unmatched! Ryder is her love interest, and you won’t be able to help it he’s so easy to fall for. Another hockey player which I loved as both characters could bond over their shared love. Now I must say the cameos are one of the best parts for the loyal Elle Kennedy readers out there! I loved seeing Hannah and Garrett as parents, along with meeting Gigi’s brother Wyatt and a few of the other characters at Briar U.
• Setting: It felt so nostalgic to return to Briar University! I have such a soft spot for hockey romances with college settings, they are probably some of my favourite college romances to read. There is an additional setting near the end of the book that takes the plot on a sharp left turn, I’d say you have to read it for yourself because Elle sure takes the entire Graham family on a journey.
• Pacing: Fans will be delighted that you will have a sizeable Elle Kennedy hockey romance to escape into. For being a slightly larger book, it is paced incredibly well, and the plot never slows so I was hooked into the story at all times. I found the ending a tad rushed, but that did not deter from the fact that I loved the pacing of the buildup just so much.
• Romance: Gigi and Ryder hate each other when our story starts, but their undeniable chemistry has them catapulted into a friends-with-benefits arrangement. From that FWB dynamic to them being unable to keep their feelings to themselves. Fear not this is not a situation where neither of them share their feelings for a while, rather they are so communicative, and I loved that! Now in the past, I would not have added Elle Kennedy to a list of best smutty scene writers, I always enjoyed her spice, but she did not write the kind of scenes you go read again and again. In this one though there are so many iconic scenes from the shower to the library that will live on in this fandom for infamy! Needless to say, if you like your college hockey romance with spicy heat but also heartwarming you will love this.

The Graham Effect receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

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

The post Elle Kennedy’s The Graham Effect ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

The Sinners duet has been on my TBR for a long while now. This is one of the most dark romances I have ever read. I will be honest there were elements I enjoyed, and others that I just did not jive with.

She knows he’s no saint, but she has no idea she’s dancing with the devil. Cole Blackwell values control. He’s the hottest sculptor in San Francisco―wealthy, successful, and respected. His only weakness is the dark impulse he carefully conceals. In truth, he’s not just an he’s a predator, and the city is his hunting ground. Mara Eldritch is a nobody. Broke and damaged, she works three jobs while creating paintings no one will ever see. When a chance encounter throws Mara into Cole’s path, her escape from certain death fascinates Cole. More than that―it fixates him. He begins stalking her, discovering there’s more to the struggling misfit than he would have guessed. She makes him feel things he never thought he could feel. Want things he thought he’d never want. He doesn’t know if he should protect her at all costs or destroy her before she ruins him. He’s losing control, breaking the rules that have kept his true nature hidden from the world. Mara knows he’s dangerous, but Cole is the only person who’s ever recognized her talent, and it leads her heart astray, straight into the dark. Cole can teach her to get what she wants…but what might this vicious killer want in return? Content serial killers, blood, dubious consent, graphic murder, graphic violence, mentions of child abuse, kidnapping, stalking, emotional abuse, self harm, sexual assault, alcoholism, torture.

Just because he couldn’t kill her doesn’t mean his enemy won’t. Cole and Mara’s relationship has grown to consume them both. Cole, sculptor and killer, finds himself adrift in a depth of feeling he’s never known, while Mara, unafraid of his darkness, is blossoming into a successful artist, shaking off the trauma of her youth to finally chase success. For the first time in both their lives, they might actually be…happy. But the past has a long shadow. Alastor Shaw is the Beast of the Bay, a frenzy-killer who once hoped to share his hunting ground with Cole. They never chased the same prey…until the night they both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch. And now, when Shaw realizes the cold-hearted Cole has fallen in love with the girl they once targeted, he plans to destroy him, using Mara as his weapon and pawn. Cole will do anything to protect Mara, including making her strong enough to protect herself. And soon, he finds himself tempting her deeper and deeper into the depths of violence she never thought she’d commit. Shaw’s hunt won’t stop. Neither will Cole’s love. When the time comes for Mara to act, will she be ready to do what needs to be done?

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Mara and Cole are the main characters of this duology. When we meet Mara she is a struggling artist, who happens to catch the eye of rich artist Cole. Due to his infatuation with Mara, one of Cole’s rival serial killers takes an interest in her too. Oh yes, Cole is a serial killer but has seemingly only killed bad men. While his rival has a taste for young women. I found that I was not getting attached to either character as I just kept not agreeing with the choices they kept making. My favourite character arc came in the second book with Mara embracing her edgier side, it felt reminiscent of the villainous descent many of Emily McIntire’s characters go through throughout various Never After novels.
• Setting: This story is set in San Francisco and depicts the affluent art scene. Much of the books take place at art galleries or feature scenes of the characters painting, sculpting, and of course the art of serial killing. The wider cast of characters in the San Francisco art scene did very little to hook me, and I found myself caring more about reading scenes with the two leads together.
• Pacing: Both stories have breakneck pacing, especially the first book. I flew through it because I kept needing to know more about the completely bonkers plot.
• Romance: So I will admit to growing slightly invested in Mara and Cole figuring things out. I found in the second instalment especially I grew much more connected to their relationship and its success. The first book was not so much for me, as I was more taken aback by some of his actions while he was initially fascinated with Mara, but had not made a move yet. There are countless hot and heavy sex scenes throughout the book and the art is such a perfect accompaniment.

The Sinners Duet receives three out of five stars.

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

The post Sophie Lark’s Sinners Duet Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

The first time I read through the first few Chestnut Springs books I got super attached to Willa and Cade. The second time through I loved them even more! He’s the grumpy cowboy single dad and she’s the sunshine nanny, who won’t be able to help but fall for him and his little boy.

Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should be simple…except she can’t keep her eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off her. Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than Willa Grant, and he barely looks her way, even though she’s living in his house for the summer. That is, until she gets him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then, all bets are off―and so are their clothes. Cade is gruff, a little rough around the edges, but broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl’s kryptonite. So who is she to resist? But it’s in their quietest moments together that he softens. It’s in the unexpected way he takes care of Willa that she realizes his hardened exterior is just a façade. And it’s when she watches him go all sweet with his little boy that she starts to fall for him, whatever the consequences. Someone once convinced Cade that his best wasn’t good enough. But Willa has never felt more cherished than she does in his arms. Her contract says this arrangement is only for two months. But her heart says this is forever.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: I adore Willa, Cade, and of course Luke. Willa is feisty and I loved every second of it. I love her friendship with Summer, bestie goals those two. I love the touch of having the text conversations at the beginning of each chapter, and the bestie texts were the best. Cade is your classic grump but I couldn’t help but fall for him right away. He is such a good dad to his son Luke and the way he cares for his family and their ranch. He has a big heart, even if he would be the last person to admit it. Of course, Luke is an adorable kid along with the rest of the Eatons and the extended family who shine in their side roles in each instalment.
• Setting: The Wishing Well Ranch in Chestnut Springs is just such a special place. In contrast to Flawless where Summer and Rhett are on the road (a motif that continues into the next book where Jasper and Sloane will road trip away from Chestnut Springs), this book is the only instalment (so far) with lots of dedicated time on the ranch. Me the city mouse, this ranch temporarily converts me into a country mouse – and I can totally see why Willa fell for it so hard.
• Pacing: Elsie’s books are so easy to read, as they are the perfect length – not too short or too long. This story is just so compelling, with a plot that never rests for too long so I guarantee you will read it quickly because you will never want to stop reading. If I have one passing complaint is that the ending and resolution felt a tad rushed, but that could have totally stemmed from me never wanting this book to end.
• Romance: As Willa radiates sunshine she soon melts Cade’s grumpy exterior and he can’t help himself from falling in love with the nanny. It showcases one of the best elements about single dad romances – the sweet moment of the love interest falling not just for her hero but for his child too. Cade had been hurt before and deserved the happiness Willa brought to their lives. Plus, this book is super hot, even hot enough to steam up a hot tub.

Heartless receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

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

The post Elsie Silver’s Heartless Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

The anticipation for this series is unmatched! I adore Sierra Simone’s New Camelot series, as those books were some of the first of hers I ever read. I was over the moon excited to see Sierra Simone decide to do another take on an old legend, this time the story of Tristan and Isodole. This story is definitely setting the stage for something bigger and I cannot wait to see where Sierra takes us.

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

Tristan Thomas is lost. After leaving the Army, the young former soldier is in limbo. Until, that is, he’s hired by Mark Trevena, the owner of Lyonesse—DC’s ultra-secret club—to be Mark’s new bodyguard. He’s drawn into Mark’s dark, seductive world of power and desire, and slowly drawn to Mark himself, even though Mark is everything Tristan knows he shouldn’t want: cruel and wicked and shamelessly amoral.

But protecting Mark isn’t Tristan’s only duty: soon, Mark asks him to guard his soon-to-be bride as she travels home from Ireland on Mark’s yacht. Tristan is jealous—and hurt to learn that the object of his obsession is engaged—but the soldier in him is made to obey orders, and he goes to fetch Mark’s bride for him.

Isolde Laurence is nothing like Tristan expected, however. Young, quiet, and sharp, she’s being pushed into this marriage by her family, and as the two travel back to America, Tristan finds himself fascinated with Isolde and the glimpses he gets of the lonely but determined woman behind her reserve. And the fascination is mutual: one night, while sailing under the cold stars, they share a searing kiss.

From there, it’s a fast fall into the forbidden. But in Mark Trevena’s world, the fall is only the beginning…

The Lyonesse trilogy is a queer, kinky contemporary retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, set in the same world as the New Camelot series. Readers will not have to read New Camelot to enjoy Lyonesse, although readers who enjoyed New Camelot will find all the things they loved about the trilogy here: MMF ménage, plenty of the angsty forbidden, and a sweeping retelling of a familiar story.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: First we should unpack Tristan, the character whose point of view we follow throughout Salt Kiss. He is such an interesting character as he is so contradictory – he is one of the most naive characters I have ever read while also not being naive about the mess he got himself into. I did really appreciate Sierra’s depiction of a past soldier struggling with survivor’s guilt and PTSD. But for all the war he has seen, he still had such an innocence about him. This loyal, endearing puppy of a man was prime for Mark’s much darker tendencies. I did read the prequel Salt in the Wound (which I highly recommend you do) and so I knew a bit of what we were getting into with Mark. I also saw Sierra at an event say that Mark is her first true anti-hero and he definitely is. This mysterious guy is ruthless, but there is definitely something festering under there that both Tristan and Isodole will be able to root out.
• Setting: The home base of the story is Washington, D.C. where Mark has his infamous business the sex club the Lyonesse. I loved that setting and cannot wait for the next book to bring us to it more often. Mark and Tristan travel so much for work, and I just kept begging to go back to Lyonesse.
• Pacing: I flew through this story, in many ways, it truly didn’t feel long enough. So I am dying for the next one and grateful I also had the prequel to read. Most of my issues with this story do have to do with plot and pacing. It takes way too long for Isodole to enter the story, so I am warning you of that now that this story is primarily an M/M and not an M/F/M. I guess I just have to be more patient because I do understand Sierra’s choices of growing a larger story here and setting up the playing field.
• Romance: So needless to say this starts as an M/M and the corrupting of Tristan at the hands of Mark. I ate up every minute of it. They were so hot together with such great tension. I cannot wait to truly see Isodole thrown into the mix more, crossing my fingers for hopefully with both of them. I say this coming from a place of having adored all of Sierra’s poly stories and that I am craving more.

Salt Kiss receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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

The post Sierra Simone’s Salt Kiss ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.