Specter (Crestvale Killers #1))

Here's "Specter" by Mia Monroe. It's the first novel in the Crestvale Killers series.

["He’s my obsession and I own him. Whether he knows it or not.

Colson
Specter is danger personified and pure sex. He tempts me to break my own rules every time he comes into the club, but I’ve learned my lessons the hard way, and somehow I manage to keep my distance.
Until I can’t. When a stalker gets too close, the only place to run is straight to Specter. Instinctively I know he can help me, but am I trading one dangerous man for another?
I’m about to find out.

Specter
Colson’s face is permanently embedded in my mind. His sultry moves, sensual smile, and relentless teasing drives me to the brink of madness and I can’t get enough. He’s hands off, for reasons I don’t understand, and I plan to wear him down until he accepts what I already know.
He’s mine.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him."]

For a dark romance and the MC being a serial killer, the MC-serial-killer is a fucking consent king. "Don't touch me." Specter listened. "I need space." Specter listened. “I want you to live for me.” Specter listened. 

Honestly, this don’t feel like a dark romance. If you put Specters occupation, mild stalking, and sudden, all consuming obsession aside. It was delightfully sweet and kind and filled with consent and vulnerabilities and trust.

Though, there were parts that I felt as if I was missing something, a prequel or something. 

Trigger Warnings: homophobic slur, discussion of past SA, descriptions of SA and minors at risk of trafficking, discussions about suicide attempt and drug abuse, graphic violence, stalking and brief physical assault, and more.

#specter #wraith #crestvalekillers #crestvalekillersseries #miamonroe #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Unholy (Park Avenue Kings #6)

Here's Ella Frank's and Brooke Blaine's "Unholy." It's the sixth novel in their latest series: Park Avenue Kings (which is a spin-off of their Park Avenue Princes series).

["He hears my confessions.
Now he can’t unhear them.

I keep showing up to church.
I don’t speak. I don’t confess. I just sit there—close enough to remember what it felt like to be his.

Father Rafael Vitale thinks he can keep this professional.
Measured. Contained. Holy.

I’m none of those things.

I’m Alessio Trentacapelli—the technocrat of the Park Avenue Kings. I live in shadows, break systems, and protect my brothers at any cost. I still believe in God. I just don’t forgive Him for demanding the man I love.

Rafael is discipline and devotion.
I’m want and resentment and everything he was never supposed to crave.

We were boys together. Then lovers.
Then nothing we were allowed to keep.

Now we’re orbiting each other again behind a confessional screen—through silence, ritual, and everything we refuse to say out loud. Every look lingers. Every boundary bends. And every time he tells me no, it hurts worse than the last.

Because the priest with the steady hands and the quiet voice?
He remembers me.

And then we cross a line we both know by heart.

If he makes me choose between losing him again…
or giving in to something we can’t take back—

I already know which sin I’ll commit."]

"'He was my forever. I just wasn't his.'" Sent me from my steady crying to sobbing (steady crying for like MOST of the book, thank you for that). Then I needed a break. A nice, long, chocolate-filled break. I figured this book would hurt, but I didn't know it would break my heart. A break that wasn't all that long, because this might have been devastating, but it was soooo good!

But it was soooo worth it! The fluff and the sweetness and the utterly effect HEAs (and multiple epilogues) were sooo worth the tears. 

Trigger Warnings: slight religious trauma, slight religious homophobia/internalized homophobia, loss of parents, and more.

#forewordprandmarketing #arcs #arcteammember
#savage #unholy #immoral #ruthless #merciless #devilish #parkavenueprinces #parkavenueprincesseries #parkavenuekings #parkavenuekingsseries #ellafrank #brookeblaine #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Ruthless (Park Avenue Kings #5)

Here's Ella Frank's and Brooke Blaine's "Ruthless." It's the fifth novel in their latest series: Park Avenue Kings (which is a spin-off of their Park Avenue Princes series). This book and the previous are connected duets. 

["They called him America’s golden son.

Now he’s the man who’d burn the world for a prince.

When Prince Theodore Rinaldi vanishes, Shepard “Shep” Winchester III will do anything to bring him back.

What starts as a mission of duty ignites into a forbidden obsession—one that blurs every line between loyalty and love.

Back in New York, the Kings are under attack, their secrets exposed, their brotherhood fractured.

And when an attempt on Theo’s life plays out in front of flashing cameras, the world sees what they were never meant to: a touch too intimate, a look too raw.

Shep is the son of American power.

Theo is European royalty.

And in a world built on loyalty, betrayal, and lies, love might be the most ruthless act of all."]

Their first book was all secrets and angst and not defining their relationship let alone talking about their feelings. This one was all communication and fluff and sharing secrets and sweetness and obsession and protection. It was all of the heart eyes and hand holding and dirty talk in bedrooms instead of closets. It was French endearments and accidental love confessions and pet names (and dramatic as fuck brothers). 

It was also all about a found family coming back together and continuing to heal and accepting failures and much need apologies. It was vengeance and safety. 

And some much needed heart to heart with a hacker who needs a hug. 

Trigger Warnings: blackmail, threats, violence, secrets, and more.

#savage #unholy #immoral #ruthless #merciless #devilish #parkavenueprinces #parkavenueprincesseries #parkavenuekings #parkavenuekingsseries #ellafrank #brookeblaine #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Merciless (Park Avenue Kings #4)

Here's Ella Frank's and Brooke Blaine's "Merciless." It's the fourth novel in their latest series: Park Avenue Kings (which is a spin-off of their Park Avenue Princes series). This book and the next are connected duets. 

["He was sent to watch me. Now he can’t look away.

They sent the president’s son to babysit me.
How precious.

Shepherd “Shep” Winchester III thinks he’s here to keep me in line—keep me quiet, keep me still, keep me safe.

Good luck with that.

I’m Theodore “Theo” Rinaldi, the youngest Prince of Monaco, and the most merciless of the Park Avenue Kings. And I don’t do obedient. Not for my royal family. Not for the crown. And definitely not for the suit King sent to shadow me.

Shep is all discipline and duty.
I’m chaos in a custom suit.

We clash. We combust.
And then we cross a line we can’t uncross.

Now there’s a blackmailer on our trail, a target on my back, and the Kings think I’m the traitor. But if they want to come for me, they’ll have to get through him.

Because the soldier with the perfect posture and the unreadable eyes?
He’s not just protecting me anymore.

He’s falling for me.

And I’m going to ruin him for it."]

They crossed that "uncrossable line" rather early on..and quite a few times. Before the traitor and blackmail business. Before the falling and feelings and "I'm going to ruin him" business (hard to ruin someone when you're also falling and having feelings, Theo, but okay).

These two were, honestly, entirely too entertaining. They weren't soft and sweet or protective and obsessive or push and pull like the other Kings in this series. They were uniquely themselves, while circumstances threw them together, allowing the chemistry that laid dormant explode around them. They flirted and fought and flirted some more until they fell for each other.

Too bad this book ended on a cliff-hanger before they could really, really share their feelings with each other...then again, I knew this book ended on a cliff-hanger, hence why I waited until book five came out to read book four. 

Trigger Warnings: blackmail, threats, violence, secrets

#forewordprandmarketing #arcs #arcteammember
#savage #unholy #immoral #ruthless #merciless #devilish #parkavenueprinces #parkavenueprincesseries #parkavenuekings #parkavenuekingsseries #ellafrank #brookeblaine #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Hazard and The Hitman (The Protectors #1)

Here's Cambria Hebert's "The Hazard and The Hitman." It's the first novel in the Protectors series. This was originally published in the Heart2Heart Anthology (Vol 8) and has since been expanded. 

["Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being in the hospital with stitches in my head and no way out makes me pretty desperate. So I log in to a dating app, searching for a guy willing to pretend to be my boyfriend so I can bust out of this overpriced nightmare.

But what do I get?

Accused of being a prostitute. Talk about a waste of phone minutes.

With plan A a no-go, I move on to plan B. Escape. Except, on my way to freedom, I’m nearly pummeled by a man wearing all black and with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.

When he pretends to be my boyfriend, I’m shook. And even more shook when I discover this is the rude guy from the app.

Turns out he’s not only rude but bossy, irritable, and he keeps calling me a walking hazard. I go along with the lie anyway, thinking I can ditch him as soon as I’m free.

Except that doesn’t happen.

I end up back at his place, eating soup and trying hard not to catch feelings.

Then my apartment is broken into, and I’m running for my life, confused, injured, and with nowhere else to go. Kieran vows to keep me safe, something he seems more than capable of… Which is kinda odd for a real estate agent, right?

As the threat to my life intensifies, I start to wonder if I’ll make it to my next birthday and, more importantly, if trusting Kieran is the deadliest hazard of all."]

When this short story first came out, I was fucking obsessed. I immediately fell in love with both of them, and I immediately wanted more. THIS was sooo worth the wait.

These two were hot fucking messes. Especially our stoic-as-fuck Kieran, hit man extraordinaire, falling in love and becoming utter goo and breaking all of his rules for a stranger with two-toned eyes and a special skill of getting hurt. 

Haz hasn't had it easy. And things just keep getting worse and worse...until a tall, dark and handsome man takes care of him..and then immediately claims he's going to keep Haz forever. It was intense, but Haz wasn't exactly complaining. At any point. He didn't like being coddled (just cuddled), but he was all for the breakfasts and plants and truths and fish.

I canNOT wait for more!!! I'm looking at you Ghost and Rhett.

Trigger Warnings: car crash, hospital stay, violence, murder, foster care, mentions of past abuse, and more.

#thehazardandthehitman #theprotectors #theprotectorsseries #cambriahebert #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Idol (Sacriligious Love #1)

Here's E Baileu's "The Idol" It's the first novel in the Sacriligious Love duology.

["Elior Ransom has never been allowed to be just a boy. To the Covenant, he is the Vessel of Light—sacred, untouchable, born to suffer so the faithful may be redeemed. Every lash across his back, every sleepless vigil, every silent prayer is a reminder that his life does not belong to him. And when unholy longings creep into his heart—longings for touch, for warmth, for love—he punishes himself with prayer until the ache subsides… almost.

Jace Agbayani never expected his latest assignment to bring him here, deep inside the hidden compound of a cult obsessed with prophecy and purity. His mission is infiltrate, observe, and gather enough evidence to bring down Malachi Ransom, the Covenant’s leader. But when he meets Malachi’s son—the so-called Vessel—Jace sees not a holy icon, but a lonely, fragile man who has never known life beyond worship and pain.

What begins as strategy soon becomes temptation. Elior craves Jace’s kindness like forbidden fruit, even as he chastises himself for the sin of wanting. And Jace finds himself risking more than his cover with every stolen glance, every whispered word, every touch he swore he’d never give.

But in a world where devotion is power and betrayal is death, desire is the most dangerous sin of all."]

I gotta say, I was all in very, very quickly. These two had love at first sight, even if neither understood the power or consequences of that love. Elior knew what he was feeling wasn't "right" according to his father and according to the life he grew up in, but he also really started questioning how something so warm and confronting and happy and safe could be wrong. Jace knew his feelings for Elior weren't good for his case or his career, but he quickly put all of that behind him for his little cherub.

These two were cute, even if they were playing with fire (and lives). They didn't have it easy, especially Elior, who knew next to nothing about the world. And Jace probably could have, arguably, went about the last chapter with a little more tact and preparation but....let's blame the FBI on that one. 

On to the next book...where I imagine myself crying. 

Trigger Warnings: religious themes, cult dynamics, distorted interpretations of faith, manipulation through faith, harmful uses of doctrine, MC suffering from long-term narcissistic abuse by a parent, noncon and dubcon, psychopath, physical abuse, violence, unhealthy power dynamics, and more.

#theidol #thejudas #sacriligiouslove #sacriligiousloveseries #ebaileu #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Boss (The Killough Company #1)

Here's MD Gregory's "The Boss." It's the first novel in The Killough Company series.

["Conall Morrissey’s life is pretty bloody easy. He helps his brother take care of the whores at The Exotic Virtue, an exclusive high-end brothel owned by The Killough Company. They might not be earning as much as the other brothels, but if they make ends meet, the Morrisey brothers can get by fine. Until they get a visit from the boss of the mob who owns it, Sloan Killough.

Sloan Killough means business. He’s brash, violent, and tough. He’s the boss for a reason and he doesn’t deal in excuses or exceptions. He visits The Exotic Virtue for a taste of his product, and when he sees Conall, he knows he must have him as his pet. When Sloan demands Conall on his knees, Conall’s horrified. He may be bisexual, but he’s not the guy who takes it. When his brother sells him like one of their whores, Conall has no choice but to submit to their boss if he and his brother wants to live.

Being a whore to a mob boss isn’t what Conall expects. He fights Sloan’s orders at every chance he gets, but the boss seems to enjoy the fights, and has no problem in teaching Conall his place. Conall promises himself he won’t give in, but with each touch and taste, he finds himself addicted to the dark, dangerous man who could rip out his throat the very moment he gets bored of him."]

This book was filled with possession and obsession and desire blinding to reason (the again, if you’re a mob boss, you mad your own reason). It was hate and tentatively approval to hidden meanings and wanting, all giving way to the start of feelings. 

Thai was a strong HFN. To be honest, if I knew that going in, might not have started this series. But I’ve read MDs books before, and I love them. And this book was great. The rest of the series should be great. Don’t love that the newest book (#5) is a continuation of this couple (more angst, more torture, more holding off the Feelings and love declarations). 

Let see if my reading journey takes me thru this series now or to another path (and eventually back here). 

Trigger Warnings: violence, threats, blackmail, trafficking (just guns and drugs), kidnapping, torture, murder, and more. 

#theboss #theprofessional #theassassin #theapprentice #thepet #thekingpin #thebodyguard #mdgregory #thekilloughcompany #thekilloughcompanyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks