Ravel by R. Phoenix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reese and Ashton were perfection. A werewolf and a human. A supe and a thief.

In this world where humans are at the bottom of humanity's list, a werewolf finds a connection with one. And it's angsty and forbidden and so very exciting.

The build up was perfection. The narration by Jack Noble was sexy and dark and absolutely brilliant.

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Mated by Tricia Owens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story packed a punch. There was so much to it making it difficult to put down.

Wren is the brother of the pack Alpha, who runs his pack with an iron fist. Wren has followed his alpha obediently, put doesn't necessarily agree with his ways.

Gideon is the Alpha of the Corbin pack, who just took over the lands that border Wren's. He's looking to make a deal on the land, but there are quite a few mysteries and secrets that get overturned along the way.

This book was so interesting. It had me guessing at what could happen all along the way. I really enjoyed the world building that was accomplished through trying to bridge the gap between packs. The differences in how the rules were followed, how they governed, where they lived, etc were so different that it created an added layer of interest.

It was a wild ride of intrigue and fun and I would absolutely recommend this fast paced shifter romance.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/*

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The Bucket List by R.J. Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very sweet forced proximity romance centered around two kids who knew each other when they were young kids. When tragedy brings them together again, they join together to fulfill three separate dreams.

Jason and his brother Andrew were close. Especially as adults. When Andrew was diagnosed with cancer and given a deadline on his life, he put together a bucket list. Now it's up to Jason to fulfill his brother's requests, but he's been told they need to involve Andrew's old best friend Mark.

Mark's living in California, working as a soap opera actor. He's in the closet, the only one knowing about him other than his parents is Andrew. But when Jason finds him and tells him the news of Andrew's passing, he agrees to go on this strange quest in Andrew's name.

Both quickly realize there might be more to this bucket list than just a few places to visit on a map. Andrew may have known some deeper secrets.

As always, RJ Scott tells a brilliant story. Both men had been bullied for being gay in a small town. Mark had never fully recovered from the trauma that forced him out of town. But, together, they weave into each other's lives seamlessly and it's an amazing reading experience. I loved it.

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Save the Date by R.J. Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tennant Rowe and Jared Madsen have a special place in my heart and for anyone else who has loved them like I have, this novella will make you very, very happy. It's the perfect end of an era.

Two men who are busy with sports and life aren't supposed to spend their time planning a wedding. Besides, it's what Trent does best. But Trent goes a little overboard and pretty soon picking out napkin edging becomes too much for our boys.

As a last hurrah to the series, we get to see the entire Rowe family involved in wedding planning and pre-wedding interviews. The team shows up for bachelor party shenanigans and it's great to see them all come together to support Ten and Mads, but also to get a glimpse into their craziness as well.

Things fall apart last minute, friends steal the grooms and force them to wear neon, someone gets engaged and there's a silver hockey puck cake. But it wouldn't be a Ten and Mads story if there wasn't romance, a new idea for the future, and strawberries in bed.

As much as I hate to say goodbye to this couple, without an end, this book wouldn't exist. It's well worth the read, as is the entire series.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/*

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Recipe for Romance by Ari McKay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rhys Montgomery is kind of a big deal in Charleston. He's the owner of the Montgomery House, a former mansion that's been completely renovated and turned into a restaurant and rental hall for catered events. It's within this house that all 4 stories are set.

Bay Leaves and Bachelors is the story of Rhys, the mansion owner himself. When he sees a diner at the restaurant one night he knows he wants him and tries his hardest to get him. Unfortunately, Clay Turner, historian, has been harboring issues from his last failed relationship and isn't very quick to trust.

Fennel and Forgiveness is the second chance age gap story of Darius Cooper, the maitre d of the Montgomery House and his long time ex, Max. When Max shows up to film a wedding, he sees Darius for the first time in 7 years. He had told Darius he wasn't looking for long term back then, but he made a mistake and now it up to him to convince Darius that he'll stick around this time.

Ginger and Gentlemen is the friends to lovers romance of Matt and Ian. Ian accepts his brother's request to be on his cooking show to save his diner with the help of Matt, his best friend and business manager. But Matt wants to help him succeed and does so without Ian's knowledge. Trust is a difficult thing to bridge.

Cinnamon and Seduction is the story of Robert and Stephen, the chef and his assistant, who have been talking around romance forever. Both oblivious to their obvious connection, it takes the whole of the business to get involved to show them what they've been missing.

If you are looking for a few fun, relatable, quick reads, this is a great place to go. Given that all of the stories are related, you get more and more glimpses into the relationships and the characters as you read their tales. Each story is unique in the issues and romance.

I was a bit disappointed at the lack of character depth. Given the length of each novella, it's difficult to accomplish, however I felt a bit lackluster at each of the couple's relationships. I had hoped for a bit more spark, though I felt the more I read, the better it became.

*Galley copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/*

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When Love Flue In by Lillian Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was absolutely adorable and sexy all rolled into one.

Dominic had lusted after the chimney sweep, Reagan, for 5 years. When he finally revealed his crush to his wife, she left him.

Reagan shows up for his yearly gig but it’s obvious something is different. His lust for Dominic hasn’t faded, but something is definitely going on. When he leaves him his cell phone number, he’s surprised when Dom uses it the next day.

Seriously, I was just waiting for the magic moment where they threw caution to the wind and it was worth the wait. Both characters were shy and outgoing in their own, different ways that created the perfect pairing.

I loved how supportive Reagan’s mother was and how cute they were with each other.

Very sweet Christmas short.

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Love's Magic by Jan Jarrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a pure delight to listen to. It trailed two separate couples, both in very different stages of their journey, but with overlapping stories.

David and Nate are an established couple, both professors at the University of Virginia. When Nate witnesses an attack on campus, he steps in and gets stabbed. With the backing of another professor, he wants to rally the efforts to fight back against on campus attacks. But when David is more upset about his tenure and professionalism, things between them quickly get muddied.

Colin Campbell is an on-campus security guard and meets David and Nate when he handles their assault case. He's got quite a backstory that fuels him to find the perpetrators and ensure they pay for their crimes. It's during the paperwork side of his job that he meets Joshua Abrams, a Title IV consultant. They quickly start a relationship, however, Colin proclaims his status as a one night only kind of guy. Things get heated between them over a case file, causing Joshua to run. In the months that follow Colin discovers that he might have let the one person that he's ever connected with go.

There was a lot of drama and action as well as a hot guy on a motorcycle. I won't lie, I stayed up listening to this story long into the night because there was no way I could turn it off. The story was gripping and enchanting and I loved getting four separate POV's with distinctly different voices.

Janice Jarrell's prose was lovely. I enjoyed her use of Irish songs and the many sections that boasted such detailed visual imagery. This book was a pleasure to read.

The narration by Walker Williams was spot on. The voices for both Nate and Colin were absolute perfection. His slow, rhythmic tone was soothing and light, but spared no emotion. This was my first audio book narrated by him and it won't be my last.

Very highly recommended!

*Audio copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/*

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