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

Seven + Four (Angels of Wrath #5)

Here's "Seven + Four" by Paulina Ian-Kane. This is the fifth novel her Angels of Wrath series.

["Sariel Bear-Stone

I can’t remember a time without feeling his presence nearby. All of my memories are entwined with his. Precious, bittersweet moments spent with him.

Him.
Uriel Mahoe.
My foster brother.
My protector.
My first and never-ending crush.

Unrequited love is misery in disguise, especially when the recipient can’t ever feel the same, not when he’s a sociopath.

Still, I thought I knew everything about him. Until…I didn’t.

For that reason and for the first time in my life, I’ve distanced myself from him, tried to move on, which turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated.

First, all my dates crushed and burned. Then a rat infestation and a dangerous stalker forced me into his overprotective, controlling arms once again.
But I’m not the naive, innocent person he believes me to be.
There’s something I need. Something dark that I crave. Desperately. Something he doesn’t seem able to give me.

Or is he?

All of my other brothers have found their significant others. Now it’s my turn.
But is Uri meant to be mine, or are we destined to die side by side before we find out?

***

Uriel Mahoe

My Sari.
My Baby Blue.
Mine."]

Oh wow. Talk about a fucking idiot. Uriel could have had Sari all of the way, years ago, if only he talked to him. If only he communicated what his obsession and protection meant, fully and completely with zero gray areas. But no, he had to be obtuse (and play it on the sociopathology). In turn, he made Sari doubt himself and cry, and then I cried. 

Oh, my Sari. Adorable baby who did indeed need protection. But he also needed the agency he was asking for. He took it and more...granted, that came after some crying and multiple kidnapping attempts.

Leave us on a cliffhanger. Then again, I offically found out there will be a spin-off series with the triplets so, there's that. 

Trigger Warnings: descriptions of past childhood trauma and abuse, chronic illness of SC, characters with mental disorders, stalking, accidental ingestion of a narcotic/consumption of alcohol, violence, torture, death, murder, references to off-page/past sexual assault and rape, references to off-page kidnapping/drugging/rape of unknown subject, one-page kidnapping/assault/attempted sexual assault, dub-con, gun play, and more.

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

Happy Krampus Xmas & The Meet Not Cute (Angels of Wrath #4.5)

Here's "Happy Krampus Xmas & The Meet Not Cute" by Paulina Ian-Kane. These are two novellas her Angels of Wrath series.

["-Happy Krampus Xmas
Happy Krampus Day!
Krampus who? Santa’s evil brother, duh.
The horned demon sort of cursed me, and I need to find a way to appease him.
Otherwise, I won’t be able to proceed with my donor initiation: blood, torture, death, screams—not in that order.
All I need is to follow my three-step groveling plan.
What could go wrong?
A cussing Santa, a house on fire, donors’ accidental deaths, groping spiders, a possessed hen, and pair of bloody itchy, furry shorts.
Xmas holidays suck, and not in the fun way…

***

-The Meet Not Cute
Falling on a jock’s lap was definitely not part of my plan.
I’m turning my life around, studying hard and going my own way, when a meet not in the least cute puts me on TJ’s path.
Big.
Bigger.
A mountain of a football jock with brown, puppy eyes that unnerve me as much as they suck me in.
We have nothing in common. Not a thing.
But it seems he can’t stay away from me. So why not experiment with his new found bi-sexuality? I’m all for it.
I mean, his athletic, gigantic body is what wet dreams are made of—everything must be proportionate.
Please. Please. Please. Let it be proportionate.
I've been a...good-ish boy.
When I start to catch feelings, my self-preservation kicks in, urging me to turn and leave.
Hard to do that, though, when TJ’s massive body blocks all exits."]

Happy Krampus Xmas:
All Lori, all the time. Being extra Lori during the holidays. Makes sense to be honest. So does his costumes and pettiness and hen...getting possessed? Sure, why the hell not. Weirder things have happened to this family.

The Meet Not Cute:
Two hot messes becoming hotter messes. Plus some general angst and miscommunication and perceived things. Kindness and sass and Krampus magic. Plus Lori intervening and family intervention. These two were adorable as hell, and I'm sooo glad that Spencer got a well-earned future and well-deserved HEA.

Trigger Warnings: demonic evocation, attempt at child kidnapping, mentions of child prostitution, pedophiles and organ trafficking, death, torture, references to drugs and prostitution, references to homophobia and homophobic language, physical assault, discussion regarding alcoholism, fear of abandonment, mentions of living on the streets, bad foster family experience, and more.

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