Caleb Ward is an extremely shy young man who is working on his master's in library science and working in a library that just happens to across the street from a coffee shop where his crush works.

Bailey Keane is Caleb's exact opposite. He's outgoing, friendly, confident, and gregarious. He enjoys interacting with people and that includes Caleb when he comes in for coffee. In fact, he really enjoys interacting with Caleb, far more than Caleb knows.

When Bailey comes into the library where Caleb works dripping rain, Caleb is very happy to see him. When Bailey points out that he's noticed that Caleb has been watching him from the third floor window, Caleb begins wishing the floor would swallow him. But it turns out that Bailey doesn't mind and in fact he likes Caleb just as much as Caleb likes him. In the days that follow, Bailey begins spending more and more time with Caleb at the library and the two men find they have a lot in common. Another thing that Caleb loves about Bailey is his ability to show all the cool things around London that others may not notice. An old building with beautiful carving on it as an example. Will these two make a go of a relationship or just remain friends?

I absolutely LOVED Where the Light Falls! So much of what is available in romance novels misses this getting to know each other initial attraction stage and goes straight for the spicy scenes. While there's nothing wrong with this, the author does a beautiful job of "showing" you the beauty of the beginning of a relationship between two people who are obviously made for each other. I can't wait to read more of Caleb and Bailey's story in Where the Light Shines. If you need a book that is light and wonderful and fun, and that will take your mind off all the nastiness currently going on in the world, then I highly recommend this book and this series! 

Nash is a physical therapist and all around wonderful person who just wants to help everyone. Unfortunately, he always seems to fall for the wrong men. 

Saluda is a Drack, an alien being who is comparable to a dragon. All his life he has wanted to earn his wings, something that can only be done by proving himself in battle and triggering a sort of biological clock.

When Nash comes home from work and finds a tall purple alien that resembles a two-legged dragon doing push-ups in his living room, to say he is surprised is an understatement. Nash rarely checks his email messages and so he missed several where his cousin Ginger tells him that Saluda is coming to be his roommate. But Nash doesn't mind, he cares about everyone and goes out of his way to show it without asking for anything in return. So Nash does what he can to help Saluda with his job at Smash Clash. But it becomes blatantly obvious to Nash when goes on a date with the nephew of the owner, that something is very wrong with Smash Clash. For example, the aliens receive no fight training at all, and the humans they fight are "boosted" using some method that makes them horrifically strong. Even the strong aliens like Saluda can't beat them. When Nash's latest crush the nephew drops him like a hot potato, Nash begins to see that maybe he's been looking in the wrong places for love. But there's a problem because even when it becomes obvious to Nash that Saluda is as attracted to him as Nash is to Saluda, it becomes equally obvious that Saluda does not consider him worthy of being a mate, and in fact considers him to be "weak." Will Saluda realize that Nash is everything he needs?

I enjoyed reading 80% Smoke 20% Ash, while some parts were hard to read for me, meaning the violence towards aliens, I loved Nash and getting to watch him find love with Saluda. I also adored how he took care of his alien friends, as well as Saluda. The worldbuilding for this series is really good, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about it as the story unfolded. I'm excited to go back and read the first two books in this series now that I've read the third one to find out more about this world, and Saluda's friends. I can easily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys alien romance. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review:

Cole Thomas is a graphic designer and an omega. He lives with his alpha of six years.

Hayes is a widow with a son who is six years old. He and his omega weren't just husbands, they were best friends and Hayes misses him a lot. In order to provide for his son, Hayes works as a firefighter.

When Cole's alpha says he has something important to talk over with him that evening, Cole thinks his alpha is finally going to commit to him after six years and claim him. When he finishes up early at work, he figures he'll make a celebration of it and purchases expensive food and wine for their dinner. Unfortunately, when he gets home, instead he finds his alpha in a clinch with his best friend. Clothes are undone, and it's obvious to Cole this has been going on for a while. Heartbroken, he leaves and makes plans to move to Vermont and run the B&B his uncle Gerald left him when he passed away. He decides no more alphas for him, at least for a while. He never wants to experience anything like this again. Will the firefighter alpha who saves the B&B after a dryer fire change his mind?

I really enjoyed Omega's New Beginning! This is my first book by Beau Brown but it won't be my last. Mr. Brown does a stellar job of navigating the emotions of both Cole and Hayes. The way he wrote Cole finding his alpha and best friend together just made my heart clench in sympathy for him. The love scenes are emotional and super erotic. For me as a reader, the emotion really has to be there too in these types of scenes and Mr. Brown got it right with regards to this! The descriptions of Copper Leaf Valley, Vermont are delightful and the way the town pulls together to help Cole refurbish the old broken down B&B is heartwarming. If you love mpreg romance, then I highly recommend Omega's New Beginning by Beau Brown.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Two worlds. One prophecy. A love that could doom them both.

Harper

Elves don’t exist.

They definitely don’t crash through portals in the middle of the DMV, looking like a gorgeous God of Thunder, and announce that I’m the chosen one destined to save their world.

Aaran is definitely real, dangerous, magic-wielding, impossible to ignore, and terrifyingly persuasive. After he saves my mother from a brutal, early death, how am I supposed to say no to helping him?

I can barely keep my own life together—my driver’s license is about to expire, for god's sake. How am I meant to fight a witch queen, survive her monsters, and save an entire world I didn’t even know existed?

Aaran

My mission was simple: find the human woman and bring her to Domhan to fulfill the prophecy.
Caring for her was never part of the bargain.

I shouldn’t have healed her mother of the cancer. The effort nearly killed me. But my world is dying, and I couldn’t stand the thought of Harper losing the last person she loves, even if it costs me everything.

The oracle claims her magic is powerful and untapped. If they’re wrong, we won’t survive long enough to reach the witch queen. If they’re right, maybe Harper will save us all, if dark magic and constant danger don’t tear us apart first.
Every step we take binds her closer to me. Desire may be the one magic neither of us can control.

This book was previously published as Light and Shadow by A.S. Fenichel

A Crown of Light and Shadow is the thrilling first book in the Reign of the Witch Queen series. If you love a fated mates, chosen one, good vs. evil romantasy that you can't put down, then you'll love A Crown of Light and Shadow.

Read A Crown of Light and Shadow today!

Review:

Harper is a human woman who can barely keep track of her life. Hell, she can't even manage to get her driver's license renewed on time, never mind the rest of her life. She's just doing the best she can while caring for her beloved mother who has been battling cancer.

Aaran is an elf, from another realm and on a mission. A mission to help fulfill a prophecy that speaks of three human women who are the solution to defeating the witch queen; an elf who has turned to the dark side and is slowly destroying his realm.

When everybody in her local DMV suddenly freezes as if they are stuck in time, Harper knows something is up. When a guy looking like Thor, the god of thunder steps out of a vortex and into the DMV right in front of her, and then knows her name, she's positive of it. Still Harper being Harper isn't willing to just accept the hot elf's explanation that she's to be savior of his realm, and she's definitley not going anywhere with him, or so she thinks. Even though she's pretty much made up her mind, she takes him with her when she leaves, not that he was going to let her leave without him, and even though she thinks he's crazy thinking she can help save his realm she listens. She even takes him with her to visit her mother in hospice. During that visit, Aaran does something that modern western medicine hasn't been able to do, he heals her mother of her cancer. What else can she do but go back to his realm with him to help him save his people?

OMG! This book is sooooo good!! It has everything you could want in a romantasy. A hot elf (who doesn't want a hot elf?), an ordinary woman getting picked up in one world and taken to another, a really evil witch to defeat, the possibility of not being able to stay with the one you love (Harper has to go back to her world and her mother if she survives), some very sensual and hot hanky panky, and a heck of a lot of cool world building. Oh, and lots of awesome secondary characters to get to know. This is one of those books that you read when you have a nice long weekend and several hours of uninterrupted reading time (or figure out a way to create it). It's the kind of book where you tell the hubby and the kids not to bother you on pain of death. They'd better figure out how to make their own meals, clean up after and entertain themselves, because you are reading this book and you are not moving from this spot until you're done! If you love elves, fantasy love stories, truly evil villains, wonderful secondary characters, and great world building, then you don't want to miss this book. Seriously, I highly recommend it!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

On a struggling alien vineyard, the only thing harder than surviving is letting someone get close.

Mariska

I have two years to make this work, and time is running out. The cozy small town is scary when the Aderians are all empaths who seem to know your innermost thoughts.

I came to Llykhe to escape, to find myself again. The vineyard granted to me by the Aderians is supposed to be my salvation, even if it’s rundown and the machines are failing. I have space, but not the privacy I came for.

Then there’s Jeltom. Grumpy and silent, he’s not your typical Aderian empath. When I ask him for help, he actually says no. With Valentine coming, I wonder if explaining a human holiday and asking him to share it is brave or foolish.

Jeltom

I hadn’t come home to fall for anyone. After being shot, I want simple: familiar air, quiet nights, and absolutely no responsibilities. Then Mariska crosses my path, human and shy like a skittish animal.

Giving her my help when she needs it is easy. It feels like the purpose I’ve been searching for all my life.

When she mentions a custom called Valentine, a strange human ritual, I don’t understand it, but I want to. Not for tradition’s sake, but for hers. This human might just be the one thing my people have forgotten how to find: my fated mate.

The Alien Warrior’s Valentine is a standalone Valentine-themed steamy sci-fi romance featuring a scarred alien warrior searching for home, and a traumatized human looking for peace. This is a story of love and redemption. It’s cozy, sweet, with a little action and a whole lot of romance.

Review:

Mariska is kidnapped, put in stasis, taken to another part of the universe and then rescued along with her human compatriots. When her best friend finds love, not wanting to be the third wheel, she decides to strike out on her own and asks to emigrate to a planet of empaths. She signs a two year contract and takes over a broken down homestead. The fact the Aderians can feel her every emotion (and sometimes she wonders if they can read her thoughts too) makes Mariska nervous. They're nice enough and most of them offer to help her, but Mariska mostly doesn't accept.

Jeltom is unlike many Aderians; he's not empathic. After getting shot on an off-planet mission protecting scientists, all Jeltom wants is to be left alone to brood. He's returned home and is living in an old broken down cottage or maybe more like a shed behind his cousin's bar. He's perfectly fine having no responsibilities and a simple life. Then Mariska bursts onto the scene and changes everything.

When Mariska takes stock of the previous year, she realizes all she has to show for it is a sour wine and broken machinery that she's constantly trying to keep going. She knows that if she doesn't get her machines fixed, she's not going to be able to make her homestead profitable and she'll have to leave. That was the deal when she signed on to emigrate to Adera. So she decides to go into town and ask the one Aderian that doesn't make her uncomfortable, if he knows someone that can help; the owner of the bar The Laughing Nia, Avertom. He directs her to a man sitting in his bar named Jeltom. When instead of automatically offering to help before she even asks, when she does ask, he says no which really surprises her. But it also convinces her, he's the one she wants to help her. So, after a bit of haggling and chatting Jeltom more out of curiosity than anything says he'll help. It doesn't take long before a simmering attraction develops between the two, and Mariska even attempts to ask him if he wants to celebrate Valentine's Day with her. Of course he has no idea what she's asking and embarrassed she drops it. Fortunately for her, Jeltom wants to know more and contacts a friend of his who might be able to find out what Mariska wanted. Little do they know though, someone from Jeltom's past is about to burst onto the scene putting Mariska in grave danger. Will Jeltom get to her in time? Will he be able to put his Valentine's Day plan into motion?

I really enjoyed reading The Alien Warrior's Valentine. I love alien romance and Ms. O'Connor did a stellar job with this one. It has great world building, and wonderful emotional relationship buildilng, as well as plenty of spice! These two are perfect for each other, and it was fun to read about how they eventually come together. The mix of Alderian and human traditions really make it interesting as well. If you love alien romance, then you definitely want to add this one to your TBR pile!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Life as a half giraffe mage, a hybrid on the fringes of society, has its positives and drawbacks. Greginald (Gre) lives a simple life with his apothecary shop selling the odd herbal tea and spell for enhancements for certain kinds of men. Together with his whispering books and poltergeist that haunts the kitchen, he lives a fancifully dull life—until Esmeray comes along.

Esmeray is working his way up from the bottom in his father’s law firm to prove himself worthy of the Faust name. The only problem is a certain mage who has earned the ire of the church and society at large. Well, that and his sentient demon shadow. Defending the mage means defending his life as well. They’ll do anything to ruin Greginald.

Review:

Greginald is a half giraff shifter half mage hybrid who is most comfortable in his half shifted form. It can be uncomfortable for him to shift into his human form, so he spends as much time as he can in his half shifted form. Greginald owns an apothecary shop, and is fastidiously neat. 

Esmeray is a demon and a lawyer in his father's law firm. Because he wants to make it to the top of the firm on his own merits he has essentially forbidden his father to help him. So, his current office is a windowless room, and he takes on a lot of the work others don't really want to do.Oh, and he drives an old car as well. No perks from daddy just because daddy is rich, wealthy and owns the firm.

When Esmeray walks into Gre's office and tells him that he along with several others is being sued for cursing a man's d*** so it won't work properly, to say Gre is stunned would be an understatement. Afterall, just because he could do such a curse, doesn't mean he would. Gre's not like that, in fact he goes out of his way to help people, no matter how tempting it might be at times to do otherwise. Fortunately, Grey is so organized, he has enough evidence to make it easy for Esmeray to possibly get the case thrown out. Things get very dicy though when Esmeray's father arrives with a request Gre is not sure he wants to do. It will take some smooth talking and some very creative thinking if Gre is going to save both Esmeray and himself.

Beware the NeckRomancer by Lilo Quie is such a delightful read! I loved all the quirky characters and the world building is fabulous. The love scenes are emotional, and the way that Gre and Esmeray fall for each other is just sublime. And the secrets, oh the secrets that get revealed in this book about the different characters, twists and turns there is no way I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. Plus all the different gods, and goddesses are just so much fun, their personalities are all so distinct and yet so very human and at times fallible. I just loved them! If you enjoy MM Shifter Romance, or even if you've never read one before, I can so recommend this one to you! Check it out, you won't be sorry.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The job is high-profile.

The danger is real.
The attachment is the one thing neither of them can afford.

Griffin Hale is elite close protection—trained to read danger before it explodes and stop threats before they reach his principal. One catastrophic failure cost him his career, his confidence, and his place in the industry. When he’s offered a high-visibility assignment protecting Rune, the lead vocalist of one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, Griffin takes it knowing the margin for error is razor-thin.

Rune lives under constant surveillance. Every movement scheduled. Every interaction managed. Fame has taught him how to disappear in plain sight—and how dangerous it is to want anything unscripted. Griffin is supposed to be another professional barrier between Rune and the world.

Instead, protection becomes physical from the start. Redirecting through crowds. Shared rooms. Hands at Rune’s back when things turn wrong. Trust forms fast under pressure, and the attraction that follows is impossible to separate from the job.

Then the danger turns real. A lighting failure leaves people seriously injured. An encounter among a crowd of ardent fans nearly turns deadly. Someone is testing access, timing, and control—and Griffin is certain this isn’t coincidence.

As the tour escalates toward Seattle, Griffin believes the threat is violent—and he may be right. The deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes that the greatest danger may be coming from inside the system meant to keep Rune safe.

Protecting Rune means confronting the failure that destroyed Griffin’s career.
Loving him means refusing to let him be managed into silence.

First Watch is a suspense-filled bodyguard romance. It’s the first book in The Guardians, a series about elite protection, public lives under siege, and the cost of choosing each other when the whole world is watching.

Review:

Griffin Hale is an elite bodyguard with a checkered past. On a previous assignment his charge was injured because a co-worker leaked the charge's location to people who wanted to hurt him. Now Griffin is doing his best after being let go from his last employer to repair his reputation as one of the best of the best. It hasn't been easy.

Rune is a Korean pop star who is part of a band called Violet Frequency. He's been with the band for years and writes most if not all of their lyrics. He's tired of having every moment of his life planned by what he refers to as the "system" or the "machine." He rarely has opportunities to make decisions for himself, and he's been taught from a young age that he should just obey without question. Worse strange and dangerous things have been happening around him and Chief Kang head of his security is bringing in a bodyguard to watch over him and to a lesser degree his bandmates.

When Griffin gets an assignment to guard a young Korean pop star, he jumps at the chance to prove himself. He knows his intuition is excellent and that he can do the job and keep Rune safe. But it becomes clear from day one that someone is targeting Rune in subtle but terrifying ways. Photographers being where they aren't supposed to be, lights going out and plunging the band into total darkness during a show and many other incidents, the really bad ones beginning right after Griffin arrives. It isn't long before Griffin realizes that it's not just Rune being targeted, someone wants him to fail at his job. Griffin realizes from the first time helps Rune feel safe, that Rune trusts him, and it's not long before that trust and the mutual attraction between them turns into something more. But if they don't figure out who is behind it all, someone could die, and Griffin isn't about to let that happen on his watch.

I absolutely LOVED First Watch! What a rollercoaster ride this book is. I read it in two sittings, and would have read it in one sitting if I could have figured out a way to get out of my work! This novel has everything, two hot men falling love, tons of suspense, intimate and emotional love scenes and so much more. One of the best parts about this book is the descriptions of Portland, OR and Seattle, WA both cities I've lived in. I recognized all the descriptions of where the characters went in those cities which really helped to make this story "real" for me. if you love MM romantic suspence, I highly recommend reading this book, it is so worth it and I can't wait for Book 2!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.