Dock Tease (Swallow Cove #1)

Here is D.J. Jamison's latest and highly anticipated "Dock Tease." It's the first novel in the new Swallow Cove series.

["I’ve been in love with Hudson Nash my whole life, but he’s too stubborn to admit he wants me too. For a whole bunch of stupid reasons. Like the fact I’m too young. (What’s a twenty-year gap? Age is just a number, am I right?)

And a virgin. (Which he could easily fix!)

And maybe not the best choice, given he and my dad hate each other. (It’s not that ba— Okay, it is that bad, but our love could totally rise above, right? It would be epic!)

I see the way he watches me like a starving man. The heat in his eyes when I flirt with him. The longing that he feels too.

If Hudson won’t stop pushing me away, I’m just going to have to show him what he’s missing.

I’ll flirt with the pretty boy tourists who come my way. Or maybe the gruff but sexy boat tour operators. Heck, I’ll flirt with the dang fish if that’s what it takes for Hudson to make a move.

I’ll be a total dock tease—until Hudson makes me his.

Because I’m not a tease at all. Not for the right man."] 

These two were hot messes. Liam was head-over-heals a long time ago, a dork with a crush and a dream. Hudson was obsessed with Liam but hated himself for it (and his past wouldn't let him even dream of dreaming about something with Liam).

But continue to put them in the same room, in the same bar, in the same eye-line and its chemistry ready to combust. It was inevitable. Falling in love, despite their reservations, was fate.

As was even more business in Swallow Cove to have inappropriate, double-entendre names (just like our beloved Granville. ;)

#docktease #prettybuoy #knockinboats #restingbeachface #djjamison #swallowcove #swallowcoveseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

How to Hack a Hellhound (Hellhounds of Paradise Falls #2)

AHHH! Here's Shannon Mae's latest book, "How to Hack a Hellhound," which is the second book in her newest series Hellhounds of Paradise Falls (which is a spin-off series from Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures).

["Quinton
Getting kidnapped and held hostage in a human trafficker’s basement was not on my bingo card. Getting rescued by a paranormal being was also not on my bingo card. (Apparently I needed to trade in bingo cards.) The guy who took me may be dead, but I know there are more people behind the operation, and I plan to shut it down. If I need to get the help of one of the creepy glowing eyed dudes to do it, I will. It turns out Liam is incredibly sexy and really good with technology, too. He may be great at hacking into computers, but I’m determined to hack my way into his life.

Liam
Ever since I looked into the feisty human that Dexter rescued from a basement, I’ve been a little… obsessed. Is it wrong that I watch him all the time and hack into all his technology? I’m just trying to keep him safe. After all, he’s sticking his nose into some troubling areas, and I can’t deal with the thought of him getting taken again. Of course I offer to help him when I discover his mission to take down a trafficking ring, although my motives aren’t exactly pure. The little human attracts me in a way that I can’t explain, and my hellhound thinks he’s mine, whether he wants to be or not."]

And the official tags (because they're the best): ["Emotionally traumatized, feisty vigilante and hacker hellhound fall in love; Liam has Quinton under surveillance 24/7 and will protect him; Quinton doesn’t mind being watched if the dude with the glowing eyes will keep him safe; there’s torture and death (but only of really bad people); hellhounds have tails, and they know how to use them."]

I had forgotten how utterly grumpy and snarky Quinton was (and how Toby Toby was--still love him-----also looooved seeing more of Cassius and Kushiel (and the entire Paradise Falls gang)). 

And then there's are perfectly little hellhound nerd, Liam. God, I didn't think I'd love any hellhound more than Dexter (but here we are, just as obsessed with Liam, if not more). He thinks he can understand humans better than his brothers, but he cannot. He’s just as adorably awkward (it amuses Q so it’s okay). 

These two were adorable as hell, calling each other "little hellcat" and "my sexy stalker." I was obsessed. They were obsessed (Aiden was obsessed). Their HEA wasn't easy, but they made it their own (mostly their own).

AND how perfectly Shannon set up the next 2-4 books!!?? D: Yes, PLEASE. 

Trigger Warnings: some on page torture of bad guys, violence, implied abusive relaitonship (secondary character), drugging of a character, kidnapping, human trafficking, stalking, mention of trauma including violence and abuse, and more

#gayromancereviews #grr #arcs #arcteammember
#howtoflirtwithahellhound #howtohackahellhound #hellhoundsinparadisefalls #hellhoundsinparadisefallsseries #shannonmae #demonicdisastersandafterlifeadventures #demonicdisastersandafterlifeadventuresseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Good Pucking Luck (The Jilted Exes' Club #1)

Caught up with ARCs (that are due...sorta). Caught up with my latest multi-author series. Not caught up with a lot of other TBRs. So here's to crossing off at least one of those TBRs. Here's Riley Hart's latest novel "Good Pucking Luck." It's the first in Riley's new series, The Jilted Exes' Club.

["Hayes
Proposing to my first boyfriend at a hockey game wasn’t my smartest move. Not only does said boyfriend walk out on me, but the whole stupid thing goes viral, and it turns out the man I was dating has too many boyfriends to count. Internet fame has crowned me a member of the Jilted Exes’ Club, a name I’d do anything to escape.
One thing’s for I’m not making the same mistake again. No more boyfriends, just easy hookups. And I’ll start with this gorgeous catch in Seattle. The only problem…he’s a god in bed, and I’m an inexperienced mess.

Rylan
After a night with Hayes, I play some of the best games of my career. It’s meant to be a one-and-done deal, but when I find out he also lives in LA and doesn’t want anything serious, I see an opportunity.
Hayes wants experience. I want my good-luck charm to help me win the cup.
The media would go wild over a pro hockey player dating a member of the Jilted Exes’ Club—a distraction neither of us needs. We want this to stay simple. Easy. No strings, no falling in love.
Except I’m pretty sure I’ve already fallen. After all Hayes has been through, how do I get him to entrust his heart to someone who’s only ever been labeled a player on and off the ice?"]

Who knew that nerdy+dramatic blended with jock+sunshine?? Because these two were glorious together. Adorable and snarky and supportive as fuck. 

They were fire from the moment they met, both as friends and as a situationship. But they both had their own insecurities and struggles and things they thought they wanted. It took a while (and other people point it out) for them to realize it was more.

Also, for some reason, I assumed this series was named after people dumped by hockey players, but it's even more intriguing that it's about other people Hayes's asshole-ex was cheating with. And now they're all get their own HEAs (...possibly with hockey players (I mean, come on, who isn't obsessed with hockey romances (they're the best))).

#goodpuckingluck #themarriagepolicy #thejiltedexesclub #thejiltedexesclubseries #rileyhart #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Rex (Fallen Gargoyles MC #3)

Catching up my short-list TBRs with a book that just debuted. Here's Willow Thomas's "Rex." It's the third novel in her Fallen Gargoyles MC series. 

["Falling in love was not something I had planned

Rex
Watching my club brothers find their forever men has got me wanting something more than the odd hook up.
Love isn’t on the cards for me though. How could it be when the example I had growing up was an abusive asshole.
I’ve always thought that I could never love someone the way that they deserve.
But then I meet him.
Sweet, funny, lonely Ian.
I don’t care if I can’t love, I’ll learn.
Because he deserves the world.
And I am going to be the only one who gives it to him.
Ian is mine.

Ian
I am so freaking lonely.
All my family are gone, I don’t have any friends, and working from home means I don’t even have work colleagues.
Being painfully shy does not invite friendships easily.
I miss hugs.
Having not been touched by another human being in so long I do something a little bit impulsive.
Getting a tattoo just so someone will touch me isn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but it quickly proves to be the best thing when I meet Rex.
Rex gives me more than just a tattoo. Pretty soon I am drawn into his world of bikers, parties, and a family I would give anything to be a part of.
I want to stay here. With Rex.
Now I just need to hope the beautiful man might see me as something other than a friend."]

These two!!! D: I was giggling and happy-dancing soooo much just in the first two chapters! Their entire meet cute?!?!? I'm swooning and smiling over here like a crazy person. And Ian's entire Siri-blamed text chain to Rex!!!! God, he's adorable (and Rex thinks so as well).

These two literally laid eyes on each other and went "I'll keep that one, please." It's adorable and ridiculous and perfect.

"Maybe my default setting is caveman." Don't worry, Rex, Ian likes it. 

Trigger Warnings: mentions of domestic violence and more.

#nicky #echo #rex #jet #fallengargoyles #fallengargoylesseries #knockedforsix #caughtoffguard #caughtoffguardseries #willowthomas #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

How to Start the New Year Right: According to the Minions (Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees)

Catching up my short-list TBRs with a book that just debuted. Here's Jennifer Cody's "How to Start the New Year Right: According to the Minions." It's the within the same universe as her Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees series. 

["Gregory:
In preparation for Santanos’s return from a retreat in the Alps, the minions are putting on a New Year’s Eve party, but if one more person touches Edovard, the celebration is going to get bloody.

Hassan:
My mate is adorable, but he’d be even cuter with bloody hands. If only that wouldn’t upset Edovard.

How to Start the New Year Right is a 6k short story featuring a New Year's Eve party with fewer clothes than people and the minions’ evil New Year’s resolutions."]

*Sigh*, I love Edvard. He's such a good pupper. I forgot about his cute little way of calming the minions down. Gregory's response to it though (sooo good): "but I put up with his form of love because he's pretty." And then: "it appeases the possessive little bitch inside me that doesn't like sharing my me with anyone" (because Gregory (and because Edovard told him that violence wasn't the answer (but apparently an orgasm is)).

Edovard talked all of the minions of Evil through their New Years Resolutions (aka, how they can do more evil in the world), and honestly, I feel a little inspired.

#thetroublewithtryingtodateamurderer #foxrecruitsamuteboyandfallsinlove #thetroublewithtryingtosaveanassassin #thetroublewithtryingtoloveahellion #thetroublewithtryingtohookaharbinger #thetroublewithtryingtobagabloodwitch #howtostartthenewyearoffright #theadvetnturesofsterlingjones #sidequest #jennifercody #murderspreesandmutedecrees #murderspreesandmutedecreesseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Hello, 2025!

2025...let's be kind.

For this year's resolutions, I didn't change a thing. I liked my routines (for the most part) last year, and I want to focus on these same things this year.

2025 Resolutions:
     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/reading
     (4) Be kinder to myself

What are your 2025 resolutions?

#newyearsresolutions #hello2025 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye, 2024!

This year was...rough. Then again, I told 2024 to bring it...
It was a roller coast of good and bad and worse and almost the worst and good again. It was a year of growth and learning for sure. I learned a lot about myself, what I need, what I want, what I still need to figure out. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; it was a lot of tears and self-doubt and general anxiety 90% of the year. But it's all looking up (hopefully... NO, it is).

Positives: Lots of looking into and completing self-care. Lots of good family memories. Visited my sister (and will be again in a few days). I quit my job (negative: it took me a while to find a new one, but now, positive: I'm happy and comfortable where I am). Lots of babysitting and cleaning for my grandma (lots of memories and little bursts of cash). My dad retired (he deserved it). My sister visited for week. I got a new job at an indie bookstore. 

Negatives: Lots of anxiety breathing, lots of imposter syndrome, lots of self-hatred. Lots of being sick (thought it got better as the year went on). We had to put our perfect dog Charlie to sleep (and still no new dog 10 months later). I quit my job and was unemployed for a while, and now I have zero savings. A second visit to my sister was cancelled because hurricanes. 

2024 Resolutions:

     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/writing
     (4) Be kinder to myself

(1) Books read this year: 555 (might get one more in there before midnight though).
    (b) Reading Challenge(s): Monthly Book Shape Challenges. Recorded everything on an A-X spreadsheet. ARCs. Beat The Backlog done (go me!).

(2) 2024 Memories: See above Positive/Negatives as well as below. But overall: lots of anxiety, lots of books, lots of little adventures and moments of strength and cocoa (loooots of cocoa). And I turned 30 this year. 

(3) Posts this year (including this one (and the next few)): 370.

(4) Be kinder to myself: For a lot of the year, my anxiety and depression wasn't very good. I didn't know how to handle it, and stress from losing my dog and my job just compounded on it. I wasn't kind to myself until the many breakdowns just kept coming and coming and I reached a breaking point. But it also showed me who and where my support systems laid and how strong I really am. Changes weren't as swift or as successful as I had hoped/dreamed, but I'm still a firm believer in everything happens when its supposed to happen (even if it sucks at the moment). As things in my life got better (and worse and then better), I realized that I really, really needed that mental break (still need it to be perfectly honest). Healing takes time, and its far from linear. But I think I'm finally in a place mentally were I can start to find more of myself and more of my future. It also took me a while (and many, many, MANY reminders) that sometimes relaxing can be doing nothing; that doing nothing is okay. 2024 was the year of mental health, maybe 2025 can be the year of physical health?

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions from last year?
What are your resolutions for this year?

Any existing 2025 reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbye2024 #hello2025 #keeplearning #dontstopreading #monthlyreadingchallenge #makememories #shareloveofbooks #bekindertoself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks