📚 Our Book Picks for the Week 📚
Reviews and Recommendations
Sept 20th
🔗 The Devil's Plaything by Dani René
🕛 Stealing Cinderella by A. Zavarelli
🏙️ Gay for Pay by T.M. Smith
⚖️ Surrender: XXX Maxim by Lana Sky
🩺 Seduction by Z.L. Arkadie
🕵️ Clockwork Stalker by Cari Silverwood
See all of our reviews and recommendations
The Devil's Plaything by Dani RenéBlurb: Victor Cordero is the devil.Cruel. Sadistic. Heartless.
Sofía Montero is an angel. Beautiful. Sweet. Intoxicating.
My father stole from him, but papá was stupid.
He got caught, and now I’m in trouble.
She’s my payment. My plaything.
Too innocent for my games, but it doesn’t stop me.
Our Thoughts 💭:
Victor is ruthless
Wether it's business or pleasures of the flesh
To keep his rule imperial there is no room for emotion
For forgiveness
For feelings
All weakness s that lead to ruin
Until his newest "payment"
Sofia
His to toy with,
To bend
To break
Victor grows on you 😆 he is the perfect anti hero until he slips and you get a glimpse of the man behind the crown
Sofia has nothing to lose and so her brain to mouth filter lacks a bit
Can she break past Victors walls?
Is she hiding a truth that could cost her life?
Javi what are you hiding?
This is everything I expected from Rene's work
Intense
Suspenseful
A touch twisted
#dark #mafia #romance #thedevilsplaything #danirene
Amazon
Stealing Cinderella by A. Zavarelli
Ever read a story and despite the scene being completely inappropriate, you find yourself smirking at the destruction a character leaves in their wake?
Or maybe, find yourself whispering "that's right, the karma bus has arrived "
Stealing Cinderella had me doing that and a whole lot more
There were a couple of "questionable" scenes that caused me to grimace and for a brief moment I questioned my moral compass (it passed)
I've always been a bit of a fan of the Cinderella tale.
The beaten-down stepchild who gets her revenge and rubs it in -
Come on we all know that's the definition of a good fairy tale
From downtrodden peasant to the queen of the mountain
This has all the hallmarks I expect from a good fairy tale
Lots of impossible possibilities
Some very twisted characters
And a whole lot of " oh he ll no" moments that will cause the toughest of dark lovers to pause and possibly elicit a cringe
Thor is so messed up - that man needs more than a therapist
Ella, as it should be, is the light that shines through the blackest of nights
Lavinia, you straight up scare me
Narcissa your just a sad excuse for a mammal
Mor, I wish you a swift journey
King arsehat 🤣 should have seen that coming
Zavarelli gives Cinderella a whole new look
I like this sootier side 😏
A fabulous addition to the Sinister fairy tales Collection
Stealing Cinderella by A. ZavarelliDescription: Every royal has their dirty little secret. His was… me.
It should have been simple. Go to the ball, meet the prince, and secure his patronage for my favorite charity. But beneath the mask, the brooding beast of a man was not at all who I expected. He was dark and intense and eerily quiet. When I left, I could still feel the ghost of his touch branded into my skin. He haunted my dreams, but I never expected to see him again. Then he came for me. And he took me. And I learned that his darkness was a void I never could have conceived. He’s the crown prince.
And, now, I’m his captive
Our Thoughts 💭:
"Never stop fighting for the beauty in life. You will find it, even in the darkness, if you choose to look. "Ever read a story and despite the scene being completely inappropriate, you find yourself smirking at the destruction a character leaves in their wake?
Or maybe, find yourself whispering "that's right, the karma bus has arrived "
Stealing Cinderella had me doing that and a whole lot more
There were a couple of "questionable" scenes that caused me to grimace and for a brief moment I questioned my moral compass (it passed)
I've always been a bit of a fan of the Cinderella tale.
The beaten-down stepchild who gets her revenge and rubs it in -
Come on we all know that's the definition of a good fairy tale
From downtrodden peasant to the queen of the mountain
This has all the hallmarks I expect from a good fairy tale
Lots of impossible possibilities
Some very twisted characters
And a whole lot of " oh he ll no" moments that will cause the toughest of dark lovers to pause and possibly elicit a cringe
Thor is so messed up - that man needs more than a therapist
Ella, as it should be, is the light that shines through the blackest of nights
Lavinia, you straight up scare me
Narcissa your just a sad excuse for a mammal
Mor, I wish you a swift journey
King arsehat 🤣 should have seen that coming
Zavarelli gives Cinderella a whole new look
I like this sootier side 😏
A fabulous addition to the Sinister fairy tales Collection
#stealingcinderella #fairytale #fantasy #billionaire #romance #azavarelli
Amazon
Gay for Pay by T.M. Smith
Sure the blurb was enticing but would it deliver what I was looking for?
I was in the mood for an emotional read that would have me laughing, my heart doing the flip flop and occasionally maybe shed a tear or two
I wanted fun characters and a solid story line for the MC's romance
I know greedy
Gay for Pay delivered
All the sweetness,
Just the right amount of angst
A bit of nonsense ( I loved Mattie 💓)
All wrapped up in a heartfelt romance that elicited all the feels 😌
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"For bringing me back to life. "
So the story line
Quick breakdown style:
Chris had it all
The sexy girlfriend who held his heart
A career opportunity he had always worked for
The small-town dream of going big
Until one bad choice took it all from him
Flash forward five years
Chris is barley functioning emotionally
He realizes he has become dead weight and decides to do something about it
Having a hard time finding a decent job with his baggage he decides to audition at All Co ... Inc.
Why not? It's not like there is anyone who cares what he does.
And it will provide him with means to move of Michael's couch.
I get small-town behavior and I understand the response but ...
Chris's parents need to be locked out in the cold on a rainy night - no blanket - no cover.
Before I forget
Mr. Victor, I really want to meet you 🤣
Just the way Chris and Linc describe you
And before I get too far off track - The cast as a whole provided such a vast assortment of engaging personalities. The interplay between them helped make the story IMO. It was a bit like living with the seven dwarfs when I think about it. I can't wait to get some of their stories.
Back on track
Chris holds so much guilt and has been pounded down so hard he no longer sees his own worth
The people who should have guided him, the ones who should have been there - did just the opposite.
I liked the way his character slowly reemerged how he was giving the support to see the situation from outside the tragedy.
Linc is just plain smexy. He has this bite to him. Not sure how else to describe him. He is just coming out of a bad relationship so I hope this is not a rebound thing cause I like the chemistry between the two of them.
Oh and Lance? I hope you get lots and lots of what you were planning on giving out.
Amazon
Gay for Pay by T.M. SmithDescription: Circumstance brought them together. A chance for love gives them hope. One choice was all it took to destroy Chris’s future. It’s a mistake that he can’t take back or make right, one that cost another person their life. Adrift, alone, and uncertain of his future, Chris moves to New York, but he quickly learns that the bright lights of the big city don’t offer the absolution he seeks. A fortuitous encounter moves him in the right direction. But is he willing to take the chance he’s offered to make a fresh start?
Our Thoughts 💭:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started thisSure the blurb was enticing but would it deliver what I was looking for?
I was in the mood for an emotional read that would have me laughing, my heart doing the flip flop and occasionally maybe shed a tear or two
I wanted fun characters and a solid story line for the MC's romance
I know greedy
Gay for Pay delivered
All the sweetness,
Just the right amount of angst
A bit of nonsense ( I loved Mattie 💓)
All wrapped up in a heartfelt romance that elicited all the feels 😌
"Thank you"
"For what?"
"For bringing me back to life. "
So the story line
Quick breakdown style:
Chris had it all
The sexy girlfriend who held his heart
A career opportunity he had always worked for
The small-town dream of going big
Until one bad choice took it all from him
Flash forward five years
Chris is barley functioning emotionally
He realizes he has become dead weight and decides to do something about it
Having a hard time finding a decent job with his baggage he decides to audition at All Co ... Inc.
Why not? It's not like there is anyone who cares what he does.
And it will provide him with means to move of Michael's couch.
I get small-town behavior and I understand the response but ...
Chris's parents need to be locked out in the cold on a rainy night - no blanket - no cover.
Before I forget
Mr. Victor, I really want to meet you 🤣
Just the way Chris and Linc describe you
And before I get too far off track - The cast as a whole provided such a vast assortment of engaging personalities. The interplay between them helped make the story IMO. It was a bit like living with the seven dwarfs when I think about it. I can't wait to get some of their stories.
Back on track
Chris holds so much guilt and has been pounded down so hard he no longer sees his own worth
The people who should have guided him, the ones who should have been there - did just the opposite.
I liked the way his character slowly reemerged how he was giving the support to see the situation from outside the tragedy.
Linc is just plain smexy. He has this bite to him. Not sure how else to describe him. He is just coming out of a bad relationship so I hope this is not a rebound thing cause I like the chemistry between the two of them.
Oh and Lance? I hope you get lots and lots of what you were planning on giving out.
#gayforpay #lgbt #mmromance #tmsmith
Amazon
Surrender: XXX Maxim by Lana Sky
And Maxim - the man, the monster
Their story? Far exceeded my imagination
I wasn't sure what unholy nightmare gramps was going to rain down on Max after he disposed (?) of his uncle and set the wheels in motion to claim Francesa as his bride (book two).
I can say that none of the events that occurred where even in my realm of possibilities
Oh and the family members we get to meet in this episode
Holy crimson rivers!
I was on the edge from the moment I read the first page
This was like riding the log ride tilt a whirl ( I know it is two rides imagine them combined)
I thought I was prepared for the pain. The horror.
The inevitable bloodshed
I thought I had an inkling of what was coming -
I was wrong - Oh so very wrong
Everything quickly went sideways
Then suddenly the waters seemed calm again. Familiar.
I was able to breathe, relax.
Fool.
"What do you do after a man proposes marriage while towering over a dead, mutilated, body"
This picks up right where we left off
And if you can believe it Sky twisted the story even more.
I'm not giving recaps or spoilers
I do know if you enjoy darker mafia reads with a twisted happily ever after
This is one you won't want to pass up
This does end on a happy for now -
Be real you and I both know he is coming back
I am excited to see who's story is next
#surrender #xxx #maxim #romanticsuspense #organziedcrime #lanasky
Amazon
Surrender: XXX Maxim by Lana SkyBlurb: In the final round of their twisted game, Francesca and Maxim have the ultimate choice to make: surrender to their dangerous attraction, or succumb to the many dangers driving them apart. With her heart at stake, Francesca must weigh her family’s safety over her own, and trust that Maxim can truly triumph over his past trauma…
Or it will be game over for them both.
Our Thoughts 💭:
What a way to bring Francesca's story full circle!And Maxim - the man, the monster
Their story? Far exceeded my imagination
I wasn't sure what unholy nightmare gramps was going to rain down on Max after he disposed (?) of his uncle and set the wheels in motion to claim Francesa as his bride (book two).
I can say that none of the events that occurred where even in my realm of possibilities
Oh and the family members we get to meet in this episode
Holy crimson rivers!
I was on the edge from the moment I read the first page
This was like riding the log ride tilt a whirl ( I know it is two rides imagine them combined)
I thought I was prepared for the pain. The horror.
The inevitable bloodshed
I thought I had an inkling of what was coming -
I was wrong - Oh so very wrong
Everything quickly went sideways
Then suddenly the waters seemed calm again. Familiar.
I was able to breathe, relax.
Fool.
"What do you do after a man proposes marriage while towering over a dead, mutilated, body"
This picks up right where we left off
And if you can believe it Sky twisted the story even more.
I'm not giving recaps or spoilers
I do know if you enjoy darker mafia reads with a twisted happily ever after
This is one you won't want to pass up
This does end on a happy for now -
Be real you and I both know he is coming back
I am excited to see who's story is next
#surrender #xxx #maxim #romanticsuspense #organziedcrime #lanasky
Amazon Kobo Nook Scribd
Seduction by Z.L. Arkadie
This ends on a serious "Why would you stop there?"
To me, it's a bit more than a cliffhanger
It was ...
Abrupt
Yes, I'm a bit shocked and ranting -
I was so lost in the story I actually thought I was missing part of the book -
The abrupt return to reality sort of threw me
I was invested from the first alluded brush off
The tension between our two mc's is off the charts
and the way Sparrow deals with it - torn between smacking him upside the back of his head and dousing him with cold water
It was full of all those subtle clues - you know the little breadcrumbs that are sprinkled with a false sweetness just to lure you in then
BAM - the plot twist!!!
"Every bad guy had a good side, and every good guy had a bad side. It was the percentage that determined their character. "
Dr. Sparrow has a complete wardrobe of skeletons in his closet.
When we first meet him he seems all kinds of arrogant but if you listen closely you hear him whisper "hello".
That told me more about him than anything that followed.
He had his reasons.
Do I agree with his methods?
Nope
But he wasn't being malicious for the sake of cruelty.
"Know thyself. Always try to be aware of who you are. It's not going to be easy but do it. "
Pen is a survivor. She has her issues and as the story unravels we get to know her past a bit more. The events that made her the compassionate and driven Dr. that she is today.
She is pretty easy going and honest with herself, for the most part.
A tad stubborn but in a good way.
Their paths are about to collide and the resulting implosion just might obliterate both their worlds
Yeah, the secrets are that big.
P.S... This was #Free when I was drafting
#seduction #romanticsuspene #newadult #gothicromance #zlarkadie
Seduction by Z.L. ArkadieBlurb: Is he a surgeon? Is he a billionaire? Or is he both?
Dr. Penina Ross learns that the stranger she shared a brief connection with the other day is not only a surgeon at the hospital where she works but her new boss. And now everybody wants to know who he is, and from what part of Heaven, the hunky and enigmatic angel fell. But Penina knows, if she’s smart, she'll stay far away from Dr. Jake Sparrow—if that’s even his real name. She has a habit of attracting and falling for liars and cheaters, and that's exactly who the secretive Dr. Sparrow feels like to her.
Our Thoughts 💭:
What the he ll???This ends on a serious "Why would you stop there?"
To me, it's a bit more than a cliffhanger
It was ...
Abrupt
Yes, I'm a bit shocked and ranting -
I was so lost in the story I actually thought I was missing part of the book -
The abrupt return to reality sort of threw me
I was invested from the first alluded brush off
The tension between our two mc's is off the charts
and the way Sparrow deals with it - torn between smacking him upside the back of his head and dousing him with cold water
It was full of all those subtle clues - you know the little breadcrumbs that are sprinkled with a false sweetness just to lure you in then
BAM - the plot twist!!!
"Every bad guy had a good side, and every good guy had a bad side. It was the percentage that determined their character. "
Dr. Sparrow has a complete wardrobe of skeletons in his closet.
When we first meet him he seems all kinds of arrogant but if you listen closely you hear him whisper "hello".
That told me more about him than anything that followed.
He had his reasons.
Do I agree with his methods?
Nope
But he wasn't being malicious for the sake of cruelty.
"Know thyself. Always try to be aware of who you are. It's not going to be easy but do it. "
Pen is a survivor. She has her issues and as the story unravels we get to know her past a bit more. The events that made her the compassionate and driven Dr. that she is today.
She is pretty easy going and honest with herself, for the most part.
A tad stubborn but in a good way.
Their paths are about to collide and the resulting implosion just might obliterate both their worlds
Yeah, the secrets are that big.
P.S... This was #Free when I was drafting
#seduction #romanticsuspene #newadult #gothicromance #zlarkadie
Amazon Kobo Nook Google Apple
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Clockwork Stalker by Cari Silverwood
I'm a big fan of Silverwood's work
Put those two together?
You get one entertaining and amazing five star read
This was a bit of who done it blended with some steampunk swirled in base desires of the flesh.
"London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained"
I adored Willa
She was quick of wit - honest with her heart. None of that wishy washy mentality that burdens so many of our heroines
She knew what called to her inner tigress
My beloved Watson so devilish and devious- blame the ME all you want my good man - carnal desire I say
I had so much fun with these two
We didn't get a lot of Watson but I'm hoping this might become a series
Were there unanswered plot holes?
Why yes and it just left me wanting more from this trio
Was there off screen tentacle scenes?
Brilliant deduction - Oh Watson you poor chap
Was there debauchery aplenty?
Its Silverwood... Hello
A delicious addition to the Dirty Heroes Collection
#clockworkstalker #darkromance #gaslamp #fantasy #standalone #carisilverwood
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Clockwork Stalker by Cari SilverwoodBlurb: What if the storybook hero becomes the villain?
She is my arch enemy's niece.
I am an arrogant, controlling bastard, an excellent detective, and women are turning up dead and bound, with strange marks on their bodies.
This is the least appropriate time for me to fall in lust with the enemy.
Obsession is the sign of a man who is losing control.
Be punctual for this appointment, Miss Moriarty.
I have things I need to do. Filthy, perverted things.
Our Thoughts 💭:
I am a total Sherlock junkie - I'm a big fan of Silverwood's work
Put those two together?
You get one entertaining and amazing five star read
This was a bit of who done it blended with some steampunk swirled in base desires of the flesh.
"London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained"
I adored Willa
She was quick of wit - honest with her heart. None of that wishy washy mentality that burdens so many of our heroines
She knew what called to her inner tigress
My beloved Watson so devilish and devious- blame the ME all you want my good man - carnal desire I say
I had so much fun with these two
We didn't get a lot of Watson but I'm hoping this might become a series
Were there unanswered plot holes?
Why yes and it just left me wanting more from this trio
Was there off screen tentacle scenes?
Brilliant deduction - Oh Watson you poor chap
Was there debauchery aplenty?
Its Silverwood... Hello
A delicious addition to the Dirty Heroes Collection
#clockworkstalker #darkromance #gaslamp #fantasy #standalone #carisilverwood
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