Winter's Knight (L'Ange #3.5) [Tucker & Keir] by Mary Calmes

I've read this series almost exactly 3 years ago (in June 2018). I ADORED the first 3 installments but frankly I remember very few details about the series itself. It's been a LONG time and as I read quite a lot (not exactly this year but the 2 before for sure) I got into this one expecting to enjoy it mostly as it is. Yet the last few books I've read by Mary led me to realize while I've read most of her published work, I've drifted apart from her writing. These days I need something different so it's no wonder this book or rather, novella, was just an okay read for me. 

We've met Tucker Flynn in the previous installments though I don't actually remember the details of what brought him to be severely wounded and stuck in L'Ange where he feels nobody likes him. Well, he barely likes himself so it's no wonder he is so insecure. Living in the cabin in the woods is preferable. But something strange is happening, animals are migrating, running away. From what/who? Since no-one believes him, he goes to check it out on himself. 

Stand in Place by Mary Calmes

This book started beautifully, but as it progressed I was starting to wonder what I was reading. The interactions between the people made NO sense. The conversations were strange and unrealistic. And in no time half the town was all circling around Kaenon trying to make him feel at home and asking for his forgiveness for the way they treated him 15 years ago when he was outed at 14 years old. This felt like a very strange fairy-tale and I have yet to find any villain... 

Kaenon Geary have been away from the small town of Braxton, Texas since he was 17 years old. Getting a scholarship to play his favorite sport was his way out. Too bad it didn't last as long as he'd hoped getting injured. But he has made a life away from his past and his family. After telling his family he was gay, they basically threw him out, lucky for him his grandparents and his aunt took him in and they were literally his only family from then on. Now when his grandmother Jo is dying he has come to be with her for her last summer. He isn't thrilled to be back but she is all he has now that his grandfather and aunt are gone. Coming home means revisiting all the horrible memories he has of his parents turning away from him, his brother actively making his life a living hell and his beloved sister ignoring him like he died. The kids in town were no better but at a certain point he put everyone beyond a very thick wall and simply played with a sole focus of moving out. 

Forgiven (Forgiven #1) [Mia & Luke] by Garrett Leigh

Honestly this book has been a struggle for me. I finished it for all the reasons that has nothing to do with the book itself. This book was angst galore and not in a way I appreciated. The interaction between Mia and Luke was simply IMPOSSIBLE. They were UNABLE to have any genuine conversation. I guess sex is a way of communication, and they did that well.. But with the history they shared and the troubles they were dealing with now, they needed more and they simply couldn't do it until it was (almost) too late.

Mia Amour has lived in the small town of Rushmere most of her life, but for the past few years she has been living in Paris. But now she is back, moving in with her brother Gus (her only living relative). While she loves her brother, losing their mother as well as the love of her life (even if at 17..) Luke leaving to join the military has been enough for her. But her big dreams were cut short by her manipulative husband so now, licking her wounds, she is back in town, not realizing Luke is back as well..

Luke Daley has left but not because he actually wanted to. After his father died and his mother was left to care for his younger brother (and himself) he decided to help her out financially by joining the military. That he did, but it didn't have the effect he wanted. It didn't save his younger brother - on the contrary - and it made him totally and absolutely miserable. For the past year he is back, managing his uncle's business (the one he hoped he wouldn't) with the help of his best friend Gus (Mia's younger brother). He didn't expect to stumble upon Mia and when he does everything comes back (not that anything really went away). 

Subtle Blood (The Will Darling Adventures, #3) by K.J. Charles

Beautiful, heartfelt and action packed. Really what more can you ask. I can't believe this is our goodbye from Will and Kim. I'm going to miss them! In this one we get more - a lot more - of Kim, his family and upbringing which definitely sheds light on the person he grew up to be. This whole book was seeing a different side of Kim. I was kind of surprised to see that in this book Kim is the one who is sure of his feelings towards Will, while Will needed to think and re-think the whole thing. He enjoys the time they spend together he dislikes when they are apart, but can there be a future for them? That's an answer he is unable to answer. 

Kim has been helping Will out in his 2nd hand book shop now that he is unemployed. But it doesn't change the fact Will is just a commoner and Kim comes from a whole different class. Will feels the effort Kim is making but it's still, at times, unnerving and it gets much more complicated as the book progresses. Their daily routine takes a turn when Kim's older brother (and heir to the family's title) is suspected of murder and Kim (together with Will naturally) decide to investigate the incident. Chingford (Kim's obnoxious brother) couldn't look guilties and he has reasons wanting Paul Fairfax dead.

Deliverance (Darkest Skies #2) [Benito & Mickey] by Garrett Leigh

While Redemption (the previous installment) was one of my absolute FAVORITE books by Garrett and I HIGHLY recommend it, this one just wasn't for me. I can't really complain about anything, I just didn't like the interaction between Benito and Mickey. If you like those kind of fighting for dominance more of aggressive sexual interactions this might really be for you. For me, it's a pass. 

I thought about giving it a fair chance and continuing a bit more but as the synopsis suggests they start with a sexual relationship which slowly becomes more, I feel like I won't be able to connect to either of them until THAT happens. 

Benito Martell got mixed up badly with a gang, he now needs to pay a lot of money he doesn't have while protecting his mother and mostly his little sister. When he stumbles upon Mickey he just wants a break.. Mickey Larwood works for Isha Hussain and Dominic Ramos - if the names sounds familiar it's because we've met them both in "Lucky" (1st and 3rd installment). It seems he has just started working for them and is doing his best to keep himself clean after recovering from a drug addiction. Meeting Benito at the bar seems too good  to be true.

You Had One Job by Cari Z. & L.A. Witt

Such a  WONDERFUL read! Sometimes you need a time-out of life to relax. You'd think a suspense novel with the mob clashing one against the other would do the opposite hehe It was THE BEST escape from life into a world I would NOT want to be a part of, though what Nikita and Lorenzo found in each other WAS beautiful and heartfelt which is exactly the kind of novels I love the most. 

Nikita Ravenov has been working for the Bratva for the past ten years. This is not what he aspired to be growing up but he got mixed up with them when he was young and getting out simply isn't an option especially since he literally has NO ONE. No one to help him, no one to share his daily agony in the horrible world he was thrown into. His only coping mechanism is using drugs. My heart broke for him for most of the book, maybe even more after Lorenzo and him started to have a connection and he saw that with the right person beside him - loneliness and isolation can be replaced by compassion, trust and partnership.

Lorenzo Ferrari has a very specific and hopefully short mission dealing with the Bratva, his own people - La Cosa Nostra - might not always like him that much (being openly gay might is part of the reason) but they know he is good at his job and also - he is family. His first night on the job he takes his best friends' son out to a few gay bars. He is surprised he is watched but when he confronts the guy things get kinda out of hand. So when he sees "Nick" the next day on his meeting with the Bratva and later that day catches him thrown out of a car beaten badly it's even more of a WTF. 

Cameron Wants to Be a Hero (Love, Austen #2) [Cameron & Henry] by Anyta Sunday

~sigh~ This book was totally and absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I read till 3 am! I don't think I moved (more than changing positions) the whole time. This book really touched me. I felt a deep connection with Cameron. Henry was SUCH a sweet heart, he had his own struggles, but even though we didn't get his POV it was obvious how much he wanted, no, craved having something real with Cameron. This is novel, like the previous installment, and like all the others to come, is based on one of Jane Austen's novel. This one being "Northanger Abbey". 

Cameron Morland life is no garden of roses. He lives in his father's house while he is away - now needing to evict in a few weeks notice since his father decided to return (and where to?!). He works with his brother Brandon whom he loves dearly but his job isn't the one he truly wants. He wants to write screen plays not (as his father puts it) be his brother's secretary. His love life is non existent which is no wonder really with how shy and introverted he is. He feels truly uncomfortable in crowded places. He would rather spend time with the few friends he has like Lake and Knightly. Too bad these two are going on vacation and renting their house in the meantime to two siblings - Isabella and John - whom I wanted to MURDER on every appearance. 

Salem's Wish by Charlie Cochet

This novella was simply ADORABLE and SO funny! I don't even know what took me so long to get into it! It was originally published in the "Heart2Heart Vol. 4" Anthology - which is no longer available - lucky for us Charlie has made it a free read through Prolific Works (link bellow). While this is quite short the connection, affection as well as love between Salem and Izzie was obvious in everything they did and said to one another they just needed a reason, a push, or maybe just a hopeful wish..

Salem Havercroft is the younger member of the  most powerful mage family in Florida. Though he is clearly loved by all his family members he can't shake the feeling they basically pity him for being so, well, unlike them, you could say powerless. Well he DOES have one magical power - if you've read the synopsis you might guess (if not, read it and ROFL!) but he can't see how this silly ability can help him in any shape of form... 

Izzie is a dog shifter, his brother's best friend as well as one of his father's trusted bodyguards. All of which make him the LAST one to lust over and from Izzie's POV also a VERY bad idea. But it's obvious they feel for one another and hope for something more especially today, on their way to one of Salem's family reunions.