Hot Axe (Axford Brothers #2)

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

["Falling in love with my straight best friend? Tragically inevitable.

Telling him? Completely out of the question.

Everyone in Winsome knows Robbie and I are a matched set. A package deal. Ames and Robbie, Robbie and Ames.

He’s the calm to my chaos. The sun shining through my rain cloud. The guy who convinced me to be a firefighter. The man who’s known every single thing about me since we were thirteen…

Except for the teeny, tiny, inconsequential fact that I’ve been in love with him for years.
I planned to take this secret to the grave. Robbie’s straight. He’s engaged. And I’m finally–finally–ready to move on.

But one uncontrollable blaze, one daring rescue, one inconvenient injury, and one heavily-medicated, wildly inappropriate love confession later, my plan’s up in flames.

Suddenly helpful, perfect, shirtless Robbie is bathing me, dressing me, and nursing me back to health. And if being around my gorgeous bestie 24/7 wasn’t torture enough, it seems I’m not the only one having un-platonic thoughts.

But there’s no way I’m letting myself fall into the fantasy again. Because if I let myself believe this is real and it isn’t, it won’t just break my heart… it’ll break us.

And I refuse to risk our friendship, no matter how tempting the man’s hot axe might be."]

The mutual pining and angst from friends-to-lovers is somehow always worse than enemies-to-lovers. Sooo much worse. The heart ache on the page becomes real heart ache in the reader. All of the bittersweet moments of friendship and second looks but nothing ever truly being carefree. 

These two were rough on my soul to be very honest. But they were also adorable and constantly checking in with each other, pushing their own happiness aside for the other's happiness (well, until Robbie said "no more, HEA for us, baby"). 

Holden is going to be...fun. And his brothers are going to be utterly unhinged and delighted with themselves when Holden finally falls in love. 

Trigger Warnings: mention of past parental death, toxic family, and more. 

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

Kiss My Axe (Axford Brothers #1)

Here's May Archer's latest: "Kiss My Axe." It's the first novel in her Axford Brothers series.

["Living in a treehouse? Unavoidable.

Falling for the grumpy lumberjack hottie next door? Unthinkable.

After a viral PR disaster torpedoes my marketing career, I flee Manhattan. The only place left to land? A fairy-tale treehouse in a pickle-obsessed Vermont town, left to me by an uncle I barely knew.

Yes, I said pickles.

No, I’m not okay.

But I'm only here temporarily. Just long enough to regroup, let the notoriety die down, and figure out my next steps in peace.

Unfortunately, my new neighbor has other ideas.

Beckett “the Axe” Axford–cranky local heartthrob and unapologetic tree-murderer–claims Uncle Jim made him promises about the forest around the treehouse, and he’s none too pleased when I won’t take his word for it.

Unfortunately for him, I’m done playing by other people’s rules. I’m not backing down just because some sexy–I mean grumpy–lumberjack says so, and I can handle whatever he dishes out.

Tree climbing? No problem.

Pickle festival popularity contest? Sign me up.

Kissing my unexpectedly-tender, flannel-clad nemesis in the woods after dark? I can take it, bro. And take it. And t– >Ahem. You get the picture.

I’m tired of losing, so I’m not giving up my inheritance or my heart without a fight.

And if Beckett thinks differently, he can kiss my axe."]

Enemies to lovers. Or lust-at-first-sight-but-life sucks-currently and it's-easier-to-be-enemies plus fighting-him-is-kinda-fun to lovers. Basically the same thing. Enemies (or not-enemies) who keep "accidentally" kissing and then pretend it never happened. 

Adorable little idiots. 

Everyone in town knew the truth: love at first sight. They kept meddling (like all Hallmark-y small towns do) to bring them together. Scavenger hunts that led to kissing. Drinking games that led to kissing. Strategizing lunch not-dates that led to kissing. Not to mention the entire Axford family meddling. 

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

Born Wild (Wild Hearts #2)

Here's "Born Wild" by Jesse H Reign. It's the second novel in the new Wild Hearts series.

["It’s a good thing I’ve sworn off men, because Old Me would have taken one look at my new boss, and spontaneous heat would have been a real threat.

He’s an alpha and an English nobleman. A mannered man who employed me to restore the library at Beaumont Craven House. He’s impossibly attractive and also straight up impossible. He’s hard to draw out, quiet and broody. His behavior often as confusing as it is mysterious.

Unfortunately for me he has a sweet side I find impossible to resist.

It isn’t long before the Lord’s sad backstory has me going well above and beyond the requirements of my job description.

It’s fine though. It’s a casual arrangement, and I can keep things casual. I definitely can.

It’s just that my body – and heart – don’t seem to agree."]

Talk about mysterious. In an old English manor. During storms. With cryptic messages from strangers. And a horse that bring out the sunshine side in a nobleman who is quiet and dull and scentless and not rude but not entirely polite. And here I thought this book was going to be "tamer" than the first one (the series isn't called Wild Hearts for nothing). Definite Jane Austen vibes (minus the prisoner in the attic). 

Their love story was a little Austen-y too. Lots of little touches and significant looks and awkward breakfasts and awkward lord making their own tea like commoners. Self-restraint, self-sacrifice that literally no one in the relationship asked for.  Dramatic walks on the moor during a storm. Crying on said moor. Family telling you to leave him.

God, these two were adorable though. Sooo adorable. Less angst than the first book, but no less spice or sweetness or fated moments written in the stars. 

Trigger Warnings: anxiety, mention of past death of a parent by suicide, and more.

#gonewild #bornwild #wildhearts #wildheartsseries #jessehreign #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Boy Next Door (Last Ditch Omegaverse #1)

Here's Erin Russell's "Boy Next Door." It's the first book in the Last Ditch Omegaverse series. 

["Tanner has always felt like a normal college student. Maybe a little too normal. He’s a C-student, a mid baseball player, and the only one in his family of alphas who never presented. But he’s made his peace with it. Mostly.

He can deal with his father’s disappointment that he’s not as tough as his brothers. He’ll live a normal life, marry a normal woman who his dad approves of, and they can all pretend it’s fine.

Until his dad’s childhood best friend–and the star of all his old war stories–shows up. Gray is the epitome of manhood, according to Dad, and everything that Tanner will never be. It’s natural for Tanner to be impressed by him. Gray is impressive, and that sucks you in.

But when Gray tells him the real reason there’s a tension between them–that Tanner is on the cusp of a late-bloom presentation as a rare male omega–it doesn’t seem real.

It can’t be. If there’s one thing Tanner’s father would never forgive him for, it’s that. But if Gray is telling the truth, then this too-sexy, intimidating stranger might be the only ally he has."]

The quote that made me almost immediately download this book (by Tanner): "I’m sure I’m giving him goddamn cartoon bottom eyes right now, like the bitch I am, but I can’t stop it.”

Well, hated Tanner's father (and most of his family) from the very first page. Excepted that to be honest. Gray was equally as captivating as he should have been from his very first page. And I wanted to protect the fuck out of Tanner from page one. 

These two were amazing. Granted they (*cough* Tanner *cough*) were a hot mess, they were amazing. The instant chemistry and undeniable connection was there. The heat was there. The angst was there. Soo much pining and hurt/comfort (mostly Tanner—to Gray and to himself). 

I really liked this universe. The discrimination sucked, but it was a fresh layer to omegaverse, as was the rarity of male omegas and female alphas. 

It sucks (spoiler alert) that Tanner ended more physically “messed up” then when the boom started, but he also grew emotionally/mentally and now has a solid foundation family that he can actually trust as he continues on his healing (physical and emotional/mental) journey. 

Trigger Warnings: systematic discrimination, discriminatory events, discriminatory language, homophobia, internalized homophobia, mental health issues, self-hatred, medical issues, family violence and abuse, medical abuse, medical assault, small town bullshit, and more. 

#boynextdoor #smokedout #scartissue #erinrussell #lastditchomegaverse #lastditchomegaverseseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Not Your Golden Boy (Rent-A-Boyfriend #3)

Here's MM Farmer's newest series, Rent-A-Boyfriend. This is "Not Your Golden Boy."

["He hired a fake boyfriend to ruin his reputation. He fell in love instead.

Nikky Smith became famous overnight. He's spent every day since wishing he could disappear.

Between a stalker who won't leave him alone and a spotlight that never turns off, Nikky's had enough. His plan on arriving in London is to hire a fake boyfriend from Rent-A-Boyfriend, get caught in a scandal, and torch his own image so the world finally looks away.

He didn't plan on falling for the man he hired.

Ten years ago, Harry Bayonne’s musical career seemed unstoppable, until the same producer now managing Nikky's album ended his career for refusing to sell out. Now, living off royalties for his one-hit wonder song, bitter, and B-list famous, Harry only takes the fake boyfriend gig because helping another industry golden boy self-destruct feels like justice.

But the more time he spends with Nikky, the less he wants to watch him fall. He wants to protect him. Claim him. Give him the safety and the structure no one else has offered him.

Then one impulsive video lands in the wrong hands, and their fake relationship becomes very real leverage for the people trying to destroy them both.

Now Harry has to decide if he's brave enough to fight for the career, and more importantly, the man he never thought he'd get a second chance at. And Nikky has to learn that the only way out is standing his ground, not running from it."]

These two were adorable! Soo fucking adorable. They were perfect for each other. Instant chemistry, sure. But love of creative things and making music, being honest and open, love and friendship over money and influence. Interconnected wants inside and outside the bedroom. They were so supportive of each other, even when, especially when, it was scary. 

This should have explored the kink more, but Merry's contemporary books aren't all that spice-heavy (it's there, but itis not overly detailed or explicit). It also could have, in theory, been more angsty. The potential was there, but I'm sooo glad she choose not that route. I didn't need to or want to cry over these two gems. 

Trigger Warnings: stalking, toxic Hollywood bullshit, past foster care, mentions of past toxic/abusive parent, mention of past parent with drug addiction, blackmail, threats to releasing NSFW tape, and more. 

#theweekendboyfriend #alikelystory #notyourgoldenboy #racetothebottom #rentaboyfriend #merryfarmer #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

A Likely Story (Rent-A-Boyfriend #2)

Here's MM Farmer's newest series, Rent-A-Boyfriend. This is "A Likely Story."

["He needed a fake boyfriend to save his career. He found the love of his life instead.

Drew Oberlin became an overnight sensation after starring in a breakout queer TV series. But all that fame comes with a price. As accusations of queerbaiting threaten his skyrocketing career, Drew’s ambitious girlfriend devises the perfect PR solution: hire a fake boyfriend through Rent-A-Boyfriend while filming in London. A few staged photos, a carefully crafted romance, and the internet will finally believe Drew is the real deal.

Enter Lee Cresswell, bestselling indie fantasy author, hopeless romantic, and Drew’s very unexpected fake boyfriend.

Lee only signed up with Rent-A-Boyfriend for “research” while preparing to write contemporary romance novels. He never expected to be thrown into the spotlight beside one of the most famous actors in the world. Or to fall hard for him almost immediately.

What starts as a publicity stunt quickly becomes dangerously real. As Drew experiences a life-changing bi-awakening and finally confronts the truth about himself, the chemistry between him and Lee becomes impossible to fake. But when Drew’s furious ex exposes the truth behind their relationship, both men are forced to decide what matters more: protecting their career or risking everything for love."]

This was adorable and angsty. These two needed to talk more. With each other and Drew with himself (and his team). It was stressful and frustrating. But it was also easy to fall into friendship and easy to fall into chemistry and easy to fall into love, all bookended by people who cared way to much about the lives of celebrities. 

It’s not fair that people care this much about famous people, but we do. Some people take it in stride (Lee), some people take it like an extrovert surrounded by a captive audience (Drew), and some people take it as a reason to be a little too selfish (Jessica).

But with the help of some friends and some cake, these two figured it out. 

I canNOT wait for Nikki!! 

Trigger Warnings: death of a loved one to cancer, cheating, internet abuse, and more. 

#theweekendboyfriend #alikelystory #rentaboyfriend #merryfarmer #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Venegful Monster (Monstrous Heirs #1)

Here's "Vengeful Monster" by JR Gray, which is the first novel in the Monstrous Heirs series.

["Is stalking just a one sided meet cute?

Ash Conrad throws his meticulously curated life plans out the window to attend an Ivy League. In a country he’s never been to, against family tradition, all in the hope of gaining entrance to an ancient and exclusive secret society.

The Legacy of Power isn’t just an elite secret society, it’s where the heirs of the criminal underworld play. Admittance would guarantee Ash access to the type of people who might help him save his brother.
But first he has to get through Rurik Locke.

Son of the world’s most notorious assassins, Rurik’s family founded Legacy. He’s a ruthless, violent enigma of a golden retriever—who’s not above a little stalking—and is utterly obsessed.

Ash needs his help, but Rurik’s chaos threatens every aspect of the careful structure he’s built to survive.

They’re about to find out the skeletons in their closets are a lot more intertwined than they realize, and Ash will have to let Rurik in to save them both."]

Talk about addictive. Rurik was gone from the very first moment he laid eyes on Ash, before they even met each other's gaze for the first time. Ash knew Rurik was...special? different? trouble...from the very beginning, but it took him a while to admit he liked Rurik's stalking and attention let alone what all of that actually meant. Rurik was addicted to Ash, Ash was addicted to Rurik, I was addicted to the both of them.

You know when you connect the things that connect wwweeellllll before the MCs connect the things? The horror at the facts, but the utter euphoria over how fucking smart you are? That was me here. Both unfortunately and fortunately. 

It took me a really, really long time (nearly the epilogue) to realize the little chapter break symbol's were sea glass. Then I read the epilogue and cried. 

Notable Quote (Ru): "I'm confused as to how Locke things the Jackal will listen to him any better than the rest of us." Because they're in lurve, duh (or in lurve and in denial about it). Spoiler alert? 

Trigger Warnings: MC drugged with rohypnol, mentions of past negative experiences with drug hallucinations, mental health is joked about, thoughts of suicide, negative self-talk, dissociation, OCD, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, sleep paralysis, homophobic family, violence, murder, pas sexual assault, gun violence, torture, blood, mention of past child trafficking, knife play, CNC, stalking, kidnapping, internalized homophobia, and more. 

#vengefulmonster #violentmonster #monstrousheirs #monstrousheirsseries #jrgray #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks