Tights & Tail (Hotter Than Hell #11)

Here's Callie Colby's "Tights & Tail." It's the eleventh book in her Hotter Than Hell series. I'm reading them out of order; they're not connected anyway.

["I’m a fake warlock at a Renaissance Faire. I accidentally summoned a critic from Hell.

I get paid minimum wage to wear tights, wave a plastic staff, and recite nonsense Latin from a fantasy paperback. It was supposed to be a show for the tourists.

It wasn't supposed to actually work.

Now I have Belial, a five-hundred-year-old demon lord, following me around the fairgrounds. He’s not interested in my soul; he’s offended by my historical inaccuracies. He spends his days critiquing the blacksmith’s technique, threatening to incinerate the "abominable polyester" costumes, and winning sword tournaments with terrifying, supernatural ease.

He’s the most authentic thing at the Faire, and the crowds love him. I should banish him before he burns down the funnel cake stand, but there’s a problem.

Belial is fascinated by the modern world. Specifically, he’s fascinated by me. He wants to know how zippers work, why I smell like "cheap mead and desperation," and exactly what it takes to make a fake warlock scream for real.

I’m trying to keep him from murdering the patrons, but it’s getting hard to focus when he drags me into the changing tent to show me exactly what that very real, very sensitive tail can do."]

Ever been to one of those restaurants where the staff is mean to you on purpose (me: I could literally never)? This was Belial. Except instead of all-around-mean, he just told literally everyone how inaccurate their cosplay was (and a lot of people loved it—thought he was an official staffer). It went from hostile to (almost) fond, as it should. 

I gotta say, I love the demon trope where they know nothing of the modern world and everything is a surprise. It’s cliché but it’s fun and silly and joyful in such an innocent way. 

Talk about the spice, though! I was half-dead over here. And at least someone told Jason about tails. ;) 

I have PopTarts far too frequently for my own good, but trying all do them at once, ranking them? That sounds like sooo much fun! 

I’ve already said how I love that each of these books are so different and yet so similar. Each summoning is different, each couple is different, each setting and universe is different, each set of rules is different. But what’s also different is how they bend those rules to stay together, how their love changes the universe, how their situation sets a precedent. All very romantic.

#summoningmrwrong #summoningmrwrongormrright #hisinfernalpurr #exorciseme #devilwearsnada #blueballingthedemon #mydemonmyhandyman #swipeupforsin #turnmeon #passthegravy #loveyoutodeath #tightsandtail #calliecolby #hotterthanhell #hotterthanhellseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Star in Room 7 (Halo House #3)

Here's Colette Davison's "The Star in Room 7." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Halo House ("a shared world that follows vulnerable boys finding shelter, chosen family, and protective Daddies who are ready to love them exactly as they are").

["All my life, I’ve dreamed of moving to LA and becoming a star.

Stepping into the spotlight is nothing like I imagined. Overwhelmed, terrified, and thousands of miles away from my friends and family in England, I’m offered sanctuary at Halo House. Room 7 is supposed to be a temporary refuge— even though I’m convinced I don’t deserve it.

Then I meet Nate. Strong, patient, and nurturing, Nate has spent years protecting actors far bigger than me. He sees right through my tough-guy armour and offers me something I didn’t know I needed: permission to let go.

He makes me want to call him Daddy.

He makes me want to be his boy.

Can I move past my fears and stop hiding, so I can build a new dream in his arms?"]

Soft and adorable. A little balm for your soul. Just enough angst to push these two together, but nothing too, too much--nothing to take away from their falling-in-love story. 

They helped each other heal, from old and new traumas. They helped each other grow a future--and a present. Not to mention ALL of the cuddles. Traumas suck, but they're a little lighter when you're cuddling someone who makes you feel safe and warm and protected and yourself. 

Trigger Warnings: mentions of a stalker, mentions of homophobic/abusive parent relating to a past friend of one MC, mentions of death of past friend, and more. 

#thestarinroom7 #colettedavison #thegoalieinroom1 #theroyalinroom3 #theliarinroom5 #halohouse #halohouseseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Brake Me (Brake Me #1)

Here's Marluxia Bliss's and Athena M Bliss's "Brake Me." It's the first book in their Brake Me series.

["Buying a 1992 Mustang was a stupid idea, and Al knew it, but he had loved that car from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on him. He’d never expected that the car would love him back, until a dark, shadowy figure appeared in the passenger seat beside him, eager to show Al his gratitude. Al's new car, Fox is a jealous, possessive, powerful machine that adores his new owner and will happily distract Al from his driving, but when the two are forced apart, both will have to make sacrifices before they can be reunited."]

Sometimes you just need something a little out there to ground yourself. It...makes sense. 

It took a hot minute (or most of the book) to gather all of the information about this universe/magic system. This novel is part of a different series/universe. So there were characters and plot points and magic that just didn't make sense. Then again, it didn't have to make sense, not really, not to understand the basics of this piece. I actually really did like the magic system (if I liked m/f more, I'd read the rest of the universe).

I loved the dual POV. Al's was standard first-person. Fox's was second-person. It was fun and unique. 

I also loved how fast Al and Fox clicked. They had a connection, and they both fostered it, knowingly or unknowingly. When they finally "met", the chemistry grew. Al needed a shake-up in his life, and Fox was just that. Fox needed life breathed back into him, and Al was more than happy to provide. They were flirty and sassy with each other, but they were also so dedicated, even though, especially through, the hard times. If you didn't know that Fox was a car, you'd think this was your every day average slightly-gray romance. 

Not to mention all of the wonderful, full-color art intermixed in here!!

Trigger warnings: speeding, cheating (sort of, but also not), toxic relationship. 

#brakeme #challengeme #athenambliss #marluxiabliss #brakemeseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Rivals of Copper County (Copper County #2)

Here's May Archer's latest: "The Rivals of Copper County." It's the second novel in her Copper County series.

["My childhood friend. My biggest rival. The only man I’ve ever wanted.

If there were a prize for the most contented man in Copper County, I’d win it every time. I’ve got my business. My son. My family. My friends… and no romantic prospects, sure, but only because I don’t need any. My life’s great as it is. Seriously. Could not be better. I’m practically bleeding serenity over here.

At least until Jasper Wrigley shows up in Copper County after twenty years–as my son’s temporary hockey coach, no less, though the man could barely lace up his skates back in the day–and throws my carefully ordered life into chaos.

Once upon a time, magnetic, confident Jasper was my best friend and greatest rival, and his summer visits to town were the best part of my year. Our competitions were fierce. Our dares were thrilling. We talked about everything under the sun, and he made me believe in the possibility of a bright, hazy future somewhere just out of reach.

But then he left, and I grew up. Now the last thing I need is Jasper back in my space, provoking me, challenging me, and making me question… freaking everything.

Like whether my life’s as perfect as I claim.
Like whether I’m as straight as I think.
Like whether there might be something better than “contentment” out there for me if I’m brave enough to look for it.
And whether the man who was always my greatest rival… might just be the love of my life."]

Whelp, here's aaallllll kinds of complicated emotions. Loneliness, pining, regret, heat, guilt, loss, queer!panic (soooooo much queer!panic--some was hilarious (their first re-meet) and some added to the hot-mess (who kissed who?) and some was sad (___)). The queer!panic added to the other high emotions. It was intense. 

Also, while we're on the queer!panic thing, the blurb is misleading. Watt knew (or highly, highly suspected) that he wasn't 100% straight. He just didn't trust these feelings, because the one time he did, he didn't see Jasper again for twenty years. 

These two were adorable. Really. Nearly everyone supported them, their friendship, their relationship. And how knew drinking the Kool-Aid would be so much fun. ;)

#thestargazersofcoppercounty #thepretendersofcoppercounty #therivalsofcoppercounty #themisfitsofcoppercounty #mayarcher #coppercountry #coppercountryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Pretenders of Copper County (Copper County #1)

Here's May Archer's latest: "The Pretenders of Copper County." It's the first novel in her Copper County series.

["It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.

Boom, done. Easy.

But it turns out things get complicated real fast when your target is an adorkable, accident-prone cutie with a shockingly low sense of self-preservation, zero clue that he’s related to the Fromadgio crime boss, and 100% too much inclination to chat happily with strangers.

When Chris compromises our safehouse (and accidentally starts a “lowkey, unavoidable” bar fight), our only option is to go undercover… pretending to be campground hosts in Copper County, New York.

Make that married campground hosts. (Long story.)

Now I’m hiding out with a guy who’s obsessed with action-adventure shows and hand-knit sweaters, and whose most fearsome talent is arranging charcuterie boards, all of which is far less helpful in a gunfight than you might think.

And worst of all… the sweet little virgin I rescued is growing on me.

Somehow I find myself listening to his happy chatter when I should be watching the woods, trying to figure out how his mind works when I should be getting us out of this predicament, and appreciating the way he looks in my shirts when I should be focused on getting my career back on track.

But when the Fromadgios’ enemies finally find us, protecting Chris is no longer just a job. I’ll do anything to protect what’s mine… and there’s nothing pretend about it."]

I don't know if that meet-cute/meet-awkward was really adorable and hilarious or just really unfortunate and kinda sad. Poor Chris went from thinking he was on his first date to thinking he was being kidnapped, and Reed...didn't help (then again, he didn't know that he needed to tone it down). It caused a looot of angst and hurt/comfort, let me tell you. 

These two were fuuucking adorable. It was rough for a bit, but when Reed finally allowed his feelings out, he was all in with Chris. And Chris was all in from the very beginning. Even if they were both aware of the ticking clock following them. They were sweet and open and protective and possessive and understanding. They made each other feel safe and happy and seen and free. Even if Chris was a hopeless disaster (and freaking adorable while doing it)--Reed found it entirely too endearing. 

Even though I skipped Copper County and read all of Winnesome, I looooved how this series, this book specifically, took us from Little Pippin Hollow to O'Leary to Copper County. It was a wide and beautiful tour of May Archer's universe (well the New England towns). And the mysterious Sunday brother doing all of the touring. 

Trigger Warnings: blackmail, stalking, violence, and more. 

#thestargazersofcoppercounty #thepretendersofcoppercounty #therivalsofcoppercounty #themisfitsofcoppercounty #mayarcher #coppercountry #coppercountryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Stargazers of Copper County (Copper County #0.5)

Here's May Archer's latest: "The Stargazers of Copper County." It's the prequel novella in her Copper County series.

["There’s nothing wrong with admiring a work of art, or so I tell myself…even when the admiring is more like peeping out my bedroom window, and the work of art is the shirtless, sweaty, body of the man who’s been mowing my lawn once a week.

But when Theo Ross peers in my window and catches me… er, mid-admiration… all bets are off.

It turns out Theo is more than someone pretty to look at. Soon we’re trading logic puzzles and drawings as coded messages, I’m inviting him inside for dinner and stargazing, and I can’t help wondering if what we’ve found isn’t a short-term thing… but something written in the stars for us all along."]

This blurb sounded familiar. But maybe it was just because I read the blurb before. Then I started reading it and things kept being familiar, like really familiar, like predicting exact plot points familiar. Except I don’t have this marked as read in GoodReads, and I can’t find a post of it from my blog. This HAD to have been a short story in an anthology somewhere. 

This novella was fucking adorable. Easy chemistry, easy connection, easy first date turned into an easy relationship. Mutual, secret pining over the years. Teasing each other in the form of logic puzzles and doodles all disguising the flirting. A little bit of embarrassment and barely-there angst to push them together. As I said, fucking adorable. 

#thestargazersofcoppercounty #thepretendersofcoppercounty #therivalsofcoppercounty #themisfitsofcoppercounty #mayarcher #coppercountry #coppercountryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Axe Backwards (Axford Brothers #3)

Here's May Archer's latest: "Axe Backwards." It's the third novel in her Axford Brothers series.

["A fake engagement to the hot sheriff who escorted me to family camp? Weirdly delightful.
Failing to tell him that my family is a bunch of professional thieves? Small oversight.

I left the Callahan family business years ago. These days I’m a law-abiding citizen. A photographer who takes nothing but pictures. A man who’s learned not to get greedy for anything… or anyone.

But my family hasn’t gotten that memo, so I expect my week at family camp to be filled with guilt-trippy attempts to lure me back into the fold.

Until Holden Axford comes along… and everything goes axe backwards.

Winsome’s gorgeous sheriff was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night-stand.
He doesn’t have a clue why I’m dreading this week, but he takes his protection game seriously.
So when he thinks I need a rescue, he steps in and declares himself my fiancé… and I’m too busy swooning to argue.

Now Holden’s sharing my bed, stealing kisses like Callahans steal Rembrandts, planning a camp heist (for fun, obvs!), and charming my family of criminals.

Our motto is ‘Callahans don’t get caught’ but nobody warned me about catching feelings.

Unfortunately, secrets don’t stay buried forever. And when someone forces the Callahans toward one last impossible job, protecting the family I love means becoming the man I swore I’d never be again.

But if Holden learns the truth about my past, it’ll be goodbye fake engagement, goodbye sheriff… goodbye heart."]

Oh this entire thing was insanity. Giggling insanity. 

I love how Merritt, sweet, kind, trying his fucking best Merritt has a wildly inappropriate (or Freudian-accurate) giggling-inducing "kink" for Holden's honesty--and the occasional lack there of. Holden: "Because he finds the strangest things about me charming, and I'm charmed that he's charmed, and we're locked in a charm feedback loop."

These two were perfect! They were perfect together, helping each other relax and live. Freedom and safety in strangers, strangers who met doing a lip-sync battle across a bar and...other shenanigans (talk about a fucking meet-cute). They lifted each other up, they supported each other. They did everything backwards, but a love story, a HEA, isn't always a straight line. 

Yay for the bonus story with Rome and Nico!

I was hoping that Milo would get a HEA in this universe..somewhere, but I honestly didn't except his to be with True. Then again, opposites attract. Then again, they might not be as opposite-y as we think. I canNOT wait for the next book!

#kissmyaxe #hotaxe #axebackwards #axesandohs #mayarcher #axfordbrothers #axfordbrothersseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks