His Plaything (Omegas After Dark: Omega Auction #4)

Here's MM Farmer's newst series, Omegas After Dark: Omega Auction, which is a spin-off from her Omega's After Dark series. This is "His Plaything."

["All bets are off when a cruel prank and a case of mistaken identity throw a shy omega and a wounded alpha together under sexy circumstances

Linus
When my identical twin brother, Lucas, begged me to go to a job interview for him, I grudgingly agreed. Only it turned out not to be an interview at all, by brother tricked me into taking his place at one of his Dark Fantasies Club events. And the alpha I ended up with is definitely something straight out of a dream.
But it turns out my brother is involved in bigger things than pranks, and now Saint and I are stuck in the middle of real danger…and I’ve just gone into heat!

Saint
Dark Fantasies Club is supposed to be a way to practice control and keep the bad memories at bay. But when my play partner turns out to be a sweet, scared omega who needs my help standing up to his brother, I go into full-on protective alpha mode. Things get even worse when Linus’s brother turns out to be involved in genuine criminal activity.
Can I keep my omega safe, get him through a surprise heat, and protect us all from a criminal gang, or will the ghosts of my past mean I’m the one who needs a hero to take care of me?"]

Just when you think MM can't get any better (even though you think that every. single. time). She just does. Her books are never boring, they're never overly cliche, and they're somehow all unique and repetitive while all fulfilling the same theme. 

Plus these two?! D: Both desperate for...something. They both battled their own securities while falling hopelessly in love (without realizing it...or without their brain realizing it; their hearts and souls definitely knew). 

Not to mention all of the additional stress and danger.

All of while so much fluff and sweetness (and spice to HERE) to make your teeth ache, in the best of ways. 

Trigger Warnings: evil twin, gang, violence, threats, trauma, ptsd, smuggling, and more.

#arcs #arcteammember
#hisprize #hisreward #hisgift #hisplaything #mmfarmer #omegasafterdark #omegasafterdarkseries #omegasafterdarkomegaacution #omegasafterdarkomegaacutionseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Hollis (Moore Men #2)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Hollis" by Ashley James. It's the second novel in the Moore Men series.

["When the universe hands me a hot, older, recently divorced man on a silver platter, who am I to turn down such a generous offer?

Big deal if he also happens to be my best friend’s boss.

Ford Wesley, Captain of the Wolf Creek Fire Department, is the whole package, with hair that’s a delicious mix of dark and silver strands, and deep brown eyes that hold a touch of mystery.

He’s also always been off the market… Until now.

When he gets caught in a bind and has to temporarily stay on my family’s property, I know it’s my chance to get closer to him, but I never expected it to be so easy.

One night, I match with an anonymous stranger on an app, and it doesn’t take long for things to go from innocent and flirty to raunchy and scorching.

Then when I catch a glimpse of my new neighbor shirtless one day, it becomes clear Mr. Tall, Broody, and Off Limits is the mystery man sending filthy messages to me every night online.

The best part? His profile may be anonymous, but mine isn’t… He knows exactly who he’s talking to.

The chemistry on the app morphs into a reality in the sheets…and at the firehouse, and what starts out as a secret, no-strings arrangement quickly becomes so much more. Before I know it, it’s not just his body I crave, but everything he keeps close to his heart as well.

But I’m not the settle down type, and he’s fresh out of a long marriage. When push comes to shove, will this turn into something more, or are we destined to crash and burn?"]

Opposites attract...where the opposites aren't nearly as opposite as they thought. As they fall in love, something they said they would never do. With some serious spice and out-of-nowhere (not really) fluff. Plus it's a cowboy and firefighter romance?! Yes, yes, yes, and yes. All of the yes. 

CanNOT wait for Gentry's book! God, he's in for it. ;) 

#august #finn #hollis #gentry #ashleyjames #mooremen #mooremenseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Finn (Moore Men #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Finn" by Ashley James. It's the first novel in the Moore Men series.

["Falling for my girlfriend’s twin brother wasn’t what I had in mind when I hired him to be my son’s nanny.

Working on my family’s cattle ranch, the hours are long, and sometimes unpredictable, so when my regular nanny quits, leaving me in a pinch, I have to think fast.

In walks Ash Tudor.

My opposite in almost every way.

He’s cheerful and bubbly, has horrible taste in music, and does yoga in my yard almost every morning in the tightest shorts I’ve ever seen.

Not that I’m looking.

But it’s none of those things that have me scratching my head and second guessing everything I thought I knew about myself.

No… it’s the fact that he’s a him and I can’t seem to keep my eyes away, no matter how confusing that may be.

I’m nearly thirty, and never once have I looked at another man the way I catch myself looking at him.

The feelings and urges growing inside of me make no sense, and then when he gets a special delivery to the house of items he plans to use on himself, I can’t stop imagining him doing just that… Or imagining me using them on him.

But confusion and curiosity aside, I can’t fall into bed with my son’s nanny.

Doing so would be reckless and irresponsible.

No matter how tempting it may be."]

I’ve been hearing a lot of really great things about this book, and it did not disappoint. It was a perfect mix of sweet and sass and temptation and angst and fate and found family. It was coming home in so many ways. It was loving yourself and loving your flaws, but it was also letting go and letting someone take the reigns for a while.

#august #finn #hollis #gentry #ashleyjames #mooremen #mooremenseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

August (Moore Men #0.5)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "August" by Ashley James. It's the prequel novella in the Moore Men series. It was originally published in the Saddles & Sweethearts anthology.

["“Teach me.”

Two words I never thought I’d say while lying underneath somebody I barely know, yet here we are.

August Moore is one of the sexiest cowboys I’ve ever laid my eyes on, with a flirty smirk and southern drawl that would make anybody weak in the knees.

When I move to the small town of Wolf Creek and get a job at a local coffee shop, he sets his sights on me, and I don’t stand a chance against his charm and filthy mouth.

After an embarrassing run in with him involving hot coffee and a whole lot of flour, he does the very last thing I expect… He asks me out.

Except I’m inexperienced in every sense of the word.

And him? Well, he’s more than happy to show me the ropes as we lie under the stars late at night.

But word around town is August Moore is a one night type of guy… Am I ready for that?"]

A sweet and flirty playboy cowboy who is (almost) instantly gone for the shy and adorable new-in-town barista? Yes, all the yes.

This novella was short and fluffy, just like the two of them. There was zero angst (except for some feisty Tripp--which August frankly found even hotter than innocent Tripp) and lots of sweet moments peppered with honest and vulnerable moments. 

I can't wait for the rest of these cowboys to fall hard and fast. 

#august #finn #hollis #gentry #ashleyjames #mooremen #mooremenseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Beastkin (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #3)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Beastkin" by Blake R Wolfe. It's the third novel in his Widdershins Supernatural Academy series. 

["A cursed Beastkin. A witch born of fire. A bond neither of them expected… and a love too dangerous to ignore.

Beastkin aren’t meant to fall in love with witches. That’s what the world tells me. My kind carries a curse—once human, now creatures of claw and fang, feared for a past drenched in war and betrayal. At Widdershins Academy, I’m the monster they all pretend not to watch.
Except for him.
Phoenix Emberwood—the boy who was once my best friend. The boy I lost when his family ripped him away. He’s back now, fire magic at his fingertips, stronger, sharper, and looking at me like he’s trying to decide if he still knows me at all.
I’ve only ever been with women. I never questioned that—never questioned myself. But when I see him, when I smell him, something inside me shifts, something primal and undeniable. It’s impossible. It’s forbidden.
And I want him anyway.
Loving Phoenix means turning my back on everything I know. It means facing a world that would rather see us apart—if not dead. But I’m not sure I can walk away. Not this time.

I never thought I’d see Karrick again. I never thought I’d return to a world where witches whisper warnings about Beastkin, about the creatures who were cursed for a reason.
But here I am, and there he is—bigger, stronger, impossible to ignore.
My family says I should stay away. The academy says I should know better. But my magic doesn’t listen. It flares every time he’s near, like it knows him, like it’s reaching for something lost.
I tell myself he’s just a childhood memory. I tell myself I don’t care. But when he looks at me, when our bodies collide in fleeting touches and unspoken confessions, I feel it.
The bond. The pull. The fire waiting to consume us both.
Giving in to Karrick means defying my family, my coven, the very laws that keep our world from falling apart. But maybe the only way to change history… is to burn it down."]

These two were fucking adorable! I love the flashbacks and the memories and the utterly strong reaction to seeing each other again. All of the moments of fluff and rightness. It was beautiful and adorable. Best friends to lovers, with some minor detours. 

Plus our favorite tetrad making some appearances to save the day. 

Trigger Warnings: toxic parents, discrimination, violence, torture, and more.

#hexmate #faeheart #beastkin #dustborn #undertow #nightbound #evergreen #hearatflame #blakerwolfe #widdershinssupernaturalacademy #widdershinssupernaturalacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Faeheart (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #2)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Faeheart" by Blake R Wolfe. It's the second novel in his Widdershins Supernatural Academy series. 

["A sheltered witch. A reckless Fae. A bond they never wanted… and a passion they can’t escape

Rules? I don’t follow them. Hearts? I don’t keep them. I live for the chase, for the thrill of taking what I want and leaving before anyone gets too close. As a Fae, passion is my power, and at Widdershins Academy, where magic pulses in every shadowed corridor, I have my pick of lovers.
Then there’s Elias Thorne.
Sweet, quiet, untouchable Elias, the witch with too much potential and too little confidence. He’s the only one who has ever dared to look at me like I’m dangerous instead of desirable. The only one who doesn’t melt under my charm. And for some reason, that makes me want him even more.
But Elias isn’t interested in my games. He sees through the mask, past the wicked smirk, to the part of me I don’t want to acknowledge. And that terrifies me.
I don’t do commitment. I don’t do love. But Elias is different, and I can’t tell if he’s my greatest weakness or my only salvation. When a magical accident binds us together, things get dangerous. Because at Widdershins Academy, witches and Fae aren’t compatible, but now that we’re bound together, neither of us has a choice.

I’ve spent my life hidden behind spellbooks and expectations. The son of a prestigious coven, I was raised to be polite, reserved, and obedient—everything Wild is not. He’s reckless, untamed, a storm wrapped in silk and sin. And he infuriates me.
He pushes, I retreat. He flirts, I ignore. But somehow, Wild always finds a way under my skin, testing my patience and my control. The worst part? I think he enjoys watching me unravel.
Then on our first day back, a wild magic accident binds us together in ways neither of us understands. Now, his magic calls to mine, a pull that’s impossible to resist. Every touch is a spark, every glance a challenge, and the more I fight him, the more I realize… I don’t want to.
Loving him means risking everything—my magic, my future, my heart. But as whispers of war spread through the academy, I begin to what if Wild is the only one who can teach me how to fight back?"]

I loved how they were so different, and yet, deep down, they were nearly the same. They both wanted freedom and acceptance and love without obligations/expectations/strings. And the soul recognition?! On top of literally everything else?! D: End me. 

This book was so much more than the first novel It exceeded all expectations and predictions. It shocked even the Elder Council. It was glorious in this history and power and presence and connection. It was beautiful, in so many fucking ways.

Trigger Warnings: toxic parents, discrimination, violence, and more.

#hexmate #faeheart #beastkin #dustborn #undertow #nightbound #evergreen #hearatflame #blakerwolfe #widdershinssupernaturalacademy #widdershinssupernaturalacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Hexmate (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Hexmate" by Blake R Wolfe. It's the first novel in his Widdershins Supernatural Academy series. 

["A witch without power. A werewolf with everything to lose. A forbidden love that will change it all.

Being a werewolf and the star of the wrestling team means my life is all about control—control on the mat, control under the full moon, and control over my emotions. I’ve spent years perfecting it. But then I met Caden, and all that control started to slip. He’s a witch without magic—or so everyone says—but there’s something about him that draws me in. He’s got this quiet intensity, a spark that feels more powerful than any spell I’ve ever seen.

But in a place like Widdershins Academy, where bloodlines and magical purism rule, witches and werewolves are not supposed to mix. The rules are clear, and breaking them could cost me everything—my pack, my title, and even my future. Yet, every time Caden looks at me, every time he brushes against me, it feels like the world shifts, and suddenly, those rules don’t seem so unbreakable. I can feel his soul calling to mine and when I finally get up the nerve to kiss him, I know I won’t be able to stop.

Caden:
I’ve spent my whole life feeling like a failure. Born into a legacy of pureblood witches, I should have been powerful, but my magic never came. In a world where worth is measured by power, I’ve always been on the outside, trying to blend in and failing miserably. And then there’s Atlas.
He’s everything I’m not—strong, confident, and untouchable. But somehow, he sees me, really sees me, in a way no one else ever has. When he’s near, it’s like I’m more than just a powerless witch. But I know better than to hope. He’s a werewolf, an alpha, and everything about our world is designed to keep us apart.
When a cruel prank leaves me stranded in the woods during a deadly snowstorm, it’s Atlas who finds me. He saves my life, his wolf instincts guiding him through the snow, but the storm traps us together in an abandoned cabin. There’s no escaping the truths we’ve been avoiding, and as the fire crackles, we give into the instincts we’ve been denying for too long. In those intimate moments, I see the vulnerability he tries to hide, and for the first time, I believe I might be someone he truly needs.
But the storm is only the beginning. When a magical attack threatens Widdershins Academy, we’re thrust into a battle bigger than either of us. As purists tighten their grip on our world, we’re faced with an impossible defy the rules that divide us and risk everything for the love we’ve found or let the system win and tear us apart before we’ve even had a chance."]

My GOD was this adorable as fuck. It was mix of fate moments and true love, which are magical as fuck on their own, mixed with real magic. Plus all of the fluffy moments and the protective moments. It was softer possession. It was also a connection to self and earth/nature and found family.

The angst was just enough to keep you reading and keeping you on the edge of your seat but not enough to make your chest ache or your heart race. And, spoiler alert, the angst wasn't between Caden and Atlas (not really). Watching them fall for each other, and then fall into the safety of loving each other, was beautiful. It was comfortable and confidence-boosting. 

I honestly can't wait for more!!

Trigger Warnings: threats of violence, violence, borderline blackmail/definite coercion, toxic parents, attempted assault, bullying, discrimination, and more.

#hexmate #faeheart #beastkin #dustborn #undertow #nightbound #evergreen #hearatflame #blakerwolfe #widdershinssupernaturalacademy #widdershinssupernaturalacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks