The Judas (Sacriligious Love #2)

Here's E Baileu's "The Judas." It's the second novel in the Sacriligious Love duology.

["The day the Covenant falls, Elior’s world shatters. Torn from the only life he’s ever known, he watches as the FBI raids the compound, his father’s voice thundering over the chaos—condemning him as sinful, as a whore, as Judas the Betrayer.

For the first time, Elior is free.
So why does it feel like a nightmare?

Outside the compound walls, everything is different. Elior finds himself drowning in a world that doesn’t feel like his own. Everything is too loud, too bright, and too confusing. His only constant is Jace, his Daddy.

Jace who lied to him. Jace who betrayed him. Jace who held him and comforted him.

Nothing makes sense anymore."]

I wasn't quite ready to read this one after I finished "The Idol." There was a loooot of feelings of betrayal and abandonment and isolation and desperation and loss that I just wasn't ready for. 

These two were just as cute as the first book. Just as dedicated and protective. Just as sweet and spicy. They were so in love, just trying to make it through more troubles and trials (literally and figuratively). 

Dark and unethical and awkward at times, over the top and totally possessive. Baileu's books are always a great read when you want something not to logical. 

Trigger Warnings: religious themes, cult dynamics, distorted interpretations of faith, manipulation through faith, harmful uses of doctrine, involuntary inpatient hospitalization resulting in food avoidance/weight loss/trauma-induced bed wetting/depression, MC with sensory needs, noncon and dubcon, psychopath, unhealthy power dynamics, and more.

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

Fox Down (Forsaken Mountains #3)

Here's "Fox Down" by Paulina Ian-Kane. This is the third novel the Forsaken Mountains series.

["John Lennon was right about what a waste of time planning is.

One day, I’m innocently exchanging notes with an intriguing stranger, and the next, I find myself recovering from a near-death experience in a mixed shifter crew surrounded by vicious alphas.

As a gamma fox wounded and healing in the presence of such powerful shifters, I should be wetting myself, but the kindness of one scarred, stoic bear shifter changes everything.

Big—a perfect name to describe his massive, intimidating build—cares for me, protects me, becomes my friend. But the scorching hot attraction that fills my head with dirty images and thoughts that we could be more…are terrifying.

Not only because I’m pretty sure he’s as straight as an arrow and sees me as nothing but an adorable, defenseless puppy. But I can’t afford distractions.

I need to stick to my plan. If only it were that easy…"]

God, I loved so much of this book. The unique look on fated mates, how there are stages, how magical it all is. Beautiful. Plus how Jamie was just kinda...oblivious to it all was adorable and worked really well. 

They both could have worked on their communication some, talking about their feelings and their future plans and the whole core mate thing. But their feelings were so deep and so real, and their protectiveness was everything. 

I loooved the entire cast, all so different and broken in their own ways. I hope there's more MM in the future. 

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, violence, toxic parents, parental abuse, misogyny, mentions of human trafficking, and more.  

#foxdown #forsakenmountains #forsakenmountainsseries #paulinaiankane #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Sin (Salvation #1)

Here's "Sin" by Remi Varlow. This is the first novel the Salvation series.

["Sin

My preacher father named me Sin because he claimed I was born bad.

He must be right. There's not a rule I won't break. A line I won't cross. A person I won't hurt to make him pay for what he did to my mother.

Until My father remarries and Cassidy comes into my life. He's beautiful. He's good. He's innocent. All I want is to protect him from everyone else but me.

Despite how wrong it is I want to be the one to teach Cassidy, how to sin."]

The hurt/comfort was real, but Cassidy eventually saw through it (and kept seeing through it). Then again, Sin was bad at hurting Cassidy when he was so protective of him. 

These two were adorable, even as they held themselves back.

Their only real obstacle was Sin's horrible father (and Sin's walls). 

I can't wait to read Mercer's book!

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, religious bigotry, use of firearms, murder, mentions of parental mental and physical abuse, and more.

#sin #saint #salvation #salvationseries #remivarlow #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pragma (Mafia Babes #2)

Here's "Pragma" by Paulina Ian-Kane. This is the second novel her Mafia Babes series.

["He comes first.

Akira Hebikawa, the heir of the strongest ruling Yakuza family. Unhinged, impulsive, belligerent, careless. A continuous pain in the butt for his bodyguard and right hand. Me.

We couldn’t be more different. We’re opposites who got together to fight against a common enemy, then never parted. He took me in out of curiosity and boredom, and with nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to, I followed him.

It was hardly love at first sight. I can’t pinpoint when these inconvenient feelings started to develop. Nevertheless they did, and slowly grew with time. Years to be precise. I quickly learned to push them down where no one could see. Not even myself.

Now out of the blue, the big boss orders Akira to get married, digging an even deeper grave for my ever-growing affection. I never had a chance, though. I’m a gaijin—an outsider—and I always will be. It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been part of the family, how obedient or loyal I am.

But Akira? He’s a Yakuza prince. A straight prince, with a future already planned and paved for him. Or so I thought. Because suddenly he wants to experiment…with me. How can I say no to that when I’ve been dying to have him under me? Skin to skin, breath to breath.

But each suitable marriage candidate he meets makes my heart ache, my desperation grow, and my inner fight rage. On top of that, danger is lurking. Old and new enemies are closing in from all sides, just as someone from my past comes back into my life without warning.

One false move, and I could lose everything. But don’t I need to actually have something to lose it? Have him?"]

Akira really tried to out-brat all of the other brats Paulina wrote previously. Plus he had swords. Swords, sass, sexual prowess. River tried to resist him, he had for sooo long, but Aki didn't really give him a choice. Then again, Riv was so head-over-heals obsessed and in love that having that 'choice' taken from him was a blessing (and a curse).

Plus a Clover cameo!!! God, I fucking love that guy!!!

Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, on-page reference to past child kidnapping, references to drug use/paraphernalia, one-page description of injuries, descriptions of past child abuse, torture, knife play, no established safe word, and more.

#petrichor #pragma #apricity #mafiababes #mafiababesseries #paulinaiankane #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Petrichor (Mafia Babes #1)

Here's "Petrichor" by Paulina Ian-Kane. This is the first novel her Mafia Babes series.

["The Family comes first.

I’ve been part of the Leone family since Don Massimo took me in when I was a boy.

Now I sit beside his son, il capo, Don Sebastiano. Being a mobster is all I know and want.
Even when betrayal comes knocking at my door.

A teasing smile, the most striking cloud-gray eyes, an androgynous body wrapped in lingerie and a belly chain around his narrow hips. Can a man be pretty? I must be drunker than I thought to wonder such a thing.

Fly.

That’s what another man calls him before a whiskey bottle is smashed on his head. My tailored Italian suit is ruined, and Fly owes me now. When he proposes a way to repay his debt, I decide to go along with it even though my misanthropic nature protests vigorously.

I feel a sense of deep irritation when he acts unbothered by my menacing threats. Getting information from him before getting rid of him was my goal, but the urge to keep him close grows stronger, as does the desire to have another peek at those scraps of lace he likes to wear underneath his clothes.

Nevertheless, I won’t make the same mistake twice, because I’m Marco “the Knuckle” Moretti. And if he’s working for another family, nothing and no one will stop me from unleashing my vendetta upon him."]

Talk about hurt/comfort. I almost cried (and did cry) sooo many times. It was a crazy ride of protection and pushing-away. But Fly stuck out.

When the walls were down and the Feelings were out, these two were adorable as hell. Fluffy and possessive, spicy and sassy. Fate intervened to bring them together, but they kept themselves there, they fought for each other.

And it all ended on a cliffhanger that I’m not entirely sure we’ll see resolved. At least not until near the end of this one…big feelings about that tbh. 

Plus a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Lori cameo?!?! Yes, all of the naughty yes. 

Trigger Warnings: violence, gun use, reference to a child kidnapping, drug use/paraphernalia, injuries from off-page assault, descriptions of past child abuse, CNC, on-page assault, and more.

#petrichor #pragma #apricity #mafiababes #mafiababesseries #paulinaiankane #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Portrait of a Killer

Here's "Portrait of a Killer" by KA Merikan.

["“You’ve got no idea what I’m capable of, pretty thing.” --Victor -Sevastyan is the most beautiful man I have ever seen.

He is also a fraud. No one who looks like the man in his self-portraits would ever choose to live as a recluse. It simply makes no sense.

And I will expose his lies. Because Sevastyan ruined my life with a single exhibition.

Over the years, my loathing has turned into poison coursing through my veins and helped fill my sketchbooks with violent fantasies fixated on one man, who doesn’t even know I exist.

Well, he’ll find out when I break into his home and prove to the world his beauty isn’t real, humiliating him once and for all.

What I don’t expect is that Sevastyan is ready for me. Amused, unafraid, the monster behind the masterpieces traps me before I get to fire a single bullet.

He sees me for the obsessive little freak I am and tells me I’ll never leave. That I will be his toy, his muse, his entertainment, his distraction from years of isolation.

I thought I was the danger.

I was so, so wrong."]

TO BE UPDATED SOON

Trigger Warnings: violence, abduction, Stockholm syndrome, and more.

#arcs #arcteammember #grr #gayromancereviews
#portraitofakiller #kamerikan #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Eight (Angels of Wrath #6)

Here's "Eight" by Paulina Ian-Kane. This is the sixth and final novel her Angels of Wrath series.

["Sully Carver

A man in a mask keeps appearing in my dreams. Sounds like the beginning of a psychological thriller. And while I thought I left all the drama in my dark past, and have since focused on moving on, the truth is, those dreams have awakened a side of me I didn’t know existed—a kinky side. And soon, my diary entries are filled with sexy fantasies.

My brain implodes when, one night, I’m saved by a real man in a white mask. And that man turns out to be Ezra—the latest addition to the family.

My intelligence is above average, but even I never would’ve guessed he wanted me badly enough to stalk me. After all, we’ve barely spoken since we met.

I should be horrified and wary, simply because most of my family doesn’t trust him. The reason behind it isn't his psychopathy—that’s kind of a family trait. Nor his job—assassination is not very far from vigilante justice. The problem is his reluctance to share his past and his ties with the murderous maniac, Nine, who is after us all.

But Ezra’s stoicism and the intensity and dominance he exudes send an electric thrill down my spine every single time. I can’t resist. I have zero experience in how to…proceed. But it looks like he knows exactly how to make my hot desires come true.

In the midst of all the new excitement, I’m still fighting with my past demons, while Nine is upping her dangerous game. Will we get through this battle unscathed? I can’t seem to foresee a happy ending.

Not for all of the Angels of Wrath."]

These two were sooo sweet. For the more unhinged psychopath of the family, Ezra was perfect for Sully. He wanted him to be happy and safe, smiling and unhurt (he event kept correcting him for needlessly apologizing al the time). And Sully needed someone strong, protective, slightly (or not so slightly) bossy, and utterly supportive in every single way. Maybe that last one was more deserves than needs.

These two were perfect...even if it took Ollie and Rag some time to see it. Everyone else shipped them (to the extreme...like everything they do...including all of the bets). 

A really, really cute and fun ending to a fabulous series. A little cheesy, but also just like...perfect.

I wonder if Ezra's other friends will be in any future novels... Maybe with the trouble trio. 

Trigger Warnings: stalking with breaking and entering, on-page graphic violence, murder, torture, gore, on-page reference to past child kidnapping and torture, descriptions of past child abuse, on-page assault, blood play, no established safe word, and more.

#one #six #three #five #seven+four #eight #happykrampusxmas #themeetnotcute #angelsofwrath #angelsofwrathseries #paulinaiankane #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks