ARC Review - Lights Out by Navessa Allen

Thank you so much Navessa Allen for sending me this ARC!

Title: Lights Out

Author: Navessa Allen

Genre: Dark Romance, Romantic Comedy

Series: Standalone

Pages: 454

Synopsis:

“I don’t need another kink.”

That thought pops into my head whenever I pull up my favorite social media app, but alas, every time I scroll, I learn something new about myself, and another one is born. And yes, I know I’m responsible for what the algorithm shows me, but I’m trying to ignore that fact.

Lately, my feed has been dominated by masked men. I’ve favorited videos with them dressed in full cosplay, decked out in futuristic military apparel, and wrapped up like ghouls.

But more than anything else, my FYP is filled with shirtless men wearing ghost masks. Bonus points if they’re heavily tattooed, wielding a knife, or covered in fake blood. At night, I dream about being chased by them, of them catching me and doing deliciously dark things to my more than willing body.

I never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become my new reality.

Review & thoughts:

Lights Out is a standalone book and a mix of Dark Romance and Romantic Comedy and I had so much fun reading it, I really enjoyed it! 

I’m not going to say much about the plot of this book because I think it’s best to go blind into it, but I think the plot was interesting and perfectly paced and the book being a 
mix of rom com and dark romance made it a really unique read that I loved. Aly, our FMC, is a trauma nurse and a really strong woman, I really liked her from the first page and loved seeing her explore her sexual preferences and watching those videos on social media. 

Josh was definitely different than I expected and that’s what made this book truly different. He was a stalker and definitely a morally grey MMC, but he also wanted to be different from his serial killer father which made him overthink and also not be overconfident, the way he was trying to woo Aly was so cute and funny at times, I really liked him. 

Josh and Aly together were absolutely amazing, I loved all the banter, the spice and the way they slowly fell in love, they were perfect together. And I don’t want to spoil anything but that second part of the book was totally unexpected and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure everything out and wondering how it will all end and let me just say I loved how everything turned out. 

Lights Out is a really great book and I really recommend it to all dark romance lovers, I already can’t wait for more books from this author!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - A Cursed Son by Day Leitao

 Thank you so much Day Leitao for sending me this ARC!

Title: A Cursed Son

Author: Day Leitao

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Remnants of the Fallen Kingdom (book #1)

Pages: 420

Synopsis:

Romantic & sexy dreams link a false princess to a dangerous, disgraced fae prince in this fun, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy.

In her dreams, he envelops her in love. In real life, he imprisons her in ice. 

Assassin, liar, impersonator—dreamer. 

As a royal decoy, trained to replace the Krastel princess even in a political marriage, Astra’s life is not her own. With a duty like that, how can she dream about love?

And yet she knows she has a kindred soul. She can feel his presence every night, holding her in his arms, surrounding her with his warmth.

But ice-cold reality crashes in when Astra’s carriage is attacked by the Crystal Court’s disgraced prince. Banished for heinous crimes and armed with powerful relics, he’s a wielder of mighty magic and can even penetrate minds.

It turns out that he is the man in her dreams.

And this is about to get very, very awkward. 

Review & thoughts:

A Cursed Son is the first book in a Fantasy Romance series and the first adult book from Day Leitao and I must say I hope the author will continue to write in this genre because this book was so good, I really enjoyed it!

As a substitute for the princess, Astra’s life is not her own, she and her two friends are impersonating the princess on various events and they all know one of them will be asked to enter into an arranged marriage in their princess’s place. But when Astra is attacked on the way to an event by a disgraced prince from another kingdom and later the prince asks to marry Astra, not the princess, Astra knows her life is going to change forever, especially since prince Marlak is the man she has been seeing in her dreams for over a year and leaving her home makes hiding what she is and her strange powers extremely difficult. 

I really liked our main characters, Astra and Marlak. Astra annoyed me a bit in the beginning, but I ended up invested in her story, she grew a lot in this book and based on the ending, I think she will be even more interesting in book 2. Marlak is the typical morally grey MMC with many secrets and I loved discovering them and his story, my heart was breaking for him at times and hope we will learn even more about him in the nest book. Together, Astra and Marlak are absolutely amazing and I already miss them. I loved the banter, the tension and later the romance, they were so perfect together (despite some misunderstandings that made me want to just shake them and make them talk honestly) and I hope the next book comes out soon because after that ending I can’t wait to know what happens next. The plot was interesting and the pacing was good, it took me a bit to get into this book but once I did, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting. 

A Cursed Son is a really good adult fantasy romance book with amazing characters, slow burn but spicy romance and interesting plot that I definitely recommend and already can’t wait for book 2.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - The Bonds That Break Us by Erin Mainord

 Thank you so much Erin Mainord for sending me this ARC!

Title: The Bonds That Break Us

Author: Erin Mainord

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

Series: Bound by Blood (book #2)

Pages: 382

Synopsis:

She wants revenge.
He wants her.

After learning of Sin’s dark deceptions, Wren travels to The Feral Vale where she is introduced to the rustic land of the elves. She vows to protect her family at all expense, even if that means keeping the Black Art’s treacherous secret. 

When a realm divided draws the unwanted attention of a neighboring king, Wren and the elves must resort to clever schemes to gain leverage in the impending war. Wren and her family are determined to lay low—a challenging feat when the entire kingdom guard is searching for the “white-haired witch.” She longs to forget the betrayal that drove her here, more so, she longs to forget him, but when circumstance thrusts them together, the result is nothing short of incendiary. 

As motives come to light, Wren isn’t sure who she can rely on, but one fact becomes startling, and infuriatingly, clear: Wren and Sin must combine forces if any of them has a hope to survive the disconcerting conflict ahead. With past hurts challenging them at every step, the road ahead is punishing. 

War is brutal, but nothing is more maiming than furious love.

Review & thoughts:

The Bonds That Break is the second book in a Dark Fantasy Romance series with angsty and spicy romance, amazing characters and interesting plot that I absolutely loved! 

After everything that happened at the end of book 1 I was desperate to know what happens next and this book definitely didn’t disappoint. It was even more captivating, dark, had more action, romance, character development and was just everything I’ve been hoping for and more. Wren and Sin are everything and I absolutely love these two. The feeling of betrayal, the angst, the longing and all they were feeling were written perfectly and OMG I was not ready for how amazing they were in this book, they have come a long way from who they were at the beginning of their story and I just love their enemies to lovers to back to enemies and again lovers romance, it was perfect and the spice was *chef’s kiss*. 

The plot was interesting and pretty fast paced, we get to see more of this interesting world the author created and get to meet some new characters and all the old ones. I really like the found family trope here, Wren’s chosen family was amazing and it was great to see how they all love and support each other, I hope we will get to see more of them in the next books and also to see how they interact with Sin more which was already pretty interesting, to say the least. 

The Bonds That Break Us is a perfect sequel to The Blood That Binds Us, I definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys this genre and already can’t wait for book 3!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Soul of Salvation by Ali Stuebbe

 Thank you so much Ali Stuebbe for sending me this ARC!

Title: Soul of Salvation

Author: Ali Stuebbe

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

Series: The Divide (book #2)

Pages: 400

Synopsis:

In the aftermath of the battle at the Court of Ashes, Emma’s sacrifice for salvation thrusts her into a dark realm where the God of Darkness demands a grim price for her newfound power.

The fate of the world hangs in the balance,A God is harboring dark secrets,And a mate refuses to lose again.

The darkness’ hold on her makes her hunger for death, until a predestined bond beckons her and conflicts the monster she has become. Emma must follow through with a world-altering task, or decide if she wants to break free from the vice of her powers, for the sake of all she loves.

Then, a profound truth changes everything, testing her strength to bring light to a dark reality. Will Emma endure the burdens of her task or will she sacrifice her heart to protect those she holds dear?

Will she choose love over darkness?

Review & thoughts:

Soul of Salvation is the second book in a Dark Fantasy Romance duology, I really enjoyed book 1 and this one might be even better!

Soul of Salvation starts shortly after Blood of Desiderium ended and there is so much happening from the first page, after that cliffhanger at the end of book 1 I had some predictions about what could happen and it was just as amazing and dark as I expected. The plot was perfectly paced and really interesting, there were some plot twists I didn’t expect and despite it being quite a long book, I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I really like character development in this duology, Emma has come a long way from who she was at the beginning and I love her character, she went through a lot and it was amazing to see her journey and how strong she is. Draven was also as amazing and morally grey as in the first book and I love how he never gave up on Emma and always supported her, these two definitely had to go through a lot to be together and I loved their romance, they are truly perfect for each other and I hope we will get to see more of them in Ali’s next books. The found family trope was written very well here and I loved Kye, Cora and Fynn, they all, alongside Emma and Draven, became an amazing and loving family and I loved their scenes together. 

Soul of Salvation is a perfect conclusion to this dark fantasy romance duology, it has amazing characters, beautiful and spicy romance and interesting plot that had me hooked, I definitely recommend it and already can’t wait for more books from this author.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - The Nightmare & the Daydream by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

 Thank you so much Rose & Star Publishing for sending me this ARC!

Title: The Nightmare & the Daydream

Author: Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Love and Fate (book #3.5)

Pages: 256

Synopsis:

The Nightmare…

Melinoë, Goddess of Nightmares and Ghosts, mysteriously spawned from the deepest pits of Tartarus, spent centuries barely surviving and enduring torture in the Underworld. Now she spends her life teetering on the brink of insanity and clinging to reality. After one fateful night in a nightclub with her best friend, Persephone, Melinoë gains a stalker in the form of the Titan of the Sun.

The Daydream…

Helios, Titan of the Sun, became instantly obsessed with the little gothic Goddess of Nightmares the second she knocked him out after their tryst in the club bathroom. Since then, he has shined for her and her alone. But war is here, and Helios has some big decisions to make regarding which side he will fight for. Will he choose love or his family?

Some Opposites Should Not Cross Paths…

When tragedy strikes, Melinoë has to use her abilities to bridge the gap between her friends. The problem? Every time she does, she is pushed closer to the edge of complete insanity. Mellie would rather dive headfirst into the River Styx than admit that the only person able to pull her from the deepest recesses of her mind is the one person she can’t stand. Will Melinoë allow herself to open up to the Titan of the Sun? Will Helios choose to fight alongside his family or stand by his friends?

Review & thoughts:

The Nightmare & the Daydream is a novella in Love & Fate series and can be read as a tandem read with the third book, The Queen & the King. This book was so much fun and I loved seeing all my favorite characters again! 

I loved Mellie and Helios since the first time they appeared in the Love & Fate series and I loved finally reading their story. Mellie is such a complex character, she was chaotic, sometimes insane and obsessed with Helios, she was written in a really unique way and I loved reading her POV, she was an amazing and strong FMC. Helios was Mellie’s polar opposite and a sunshine to her grumpy, I loved how understanding and supportive he was for her and never gave up. Mellie and Halios have a definitely unique relationship and I absolutely loved reading about it, the banter was amazing and often made me laugh out loud and the way Mellie tried to fight their attraction and Helios was always tempting her OMG I just love these two and their romance and let me just say the spice was *chef’s kiss*. 

The Nightmare & the Daydream is a really grey book a perfect next installment in this fantasy romance series, it has Greek mythology, beautiful & spicy romance, really interesting characters and fast paced plot, I loved it and can’t wait for next books in this series.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - The Queen & the King by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

 Thank you so much Rose & Star Publishing for sending me this ARC!

Title: The Queen & the King

Author: Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Love and Fate (book #3)

Pages: 360

Synopsis:

God of the Dead. King of the Underworld. The Unseen. The Renowned. A King without his Queen. They were at odds for what felt like months living together, and just when he finally felt they were on stable footing, she's again wrenched from his grasp. Is this their true destiny? To be torn from each other over and over again? Yet, Demeter could never count on their mental connection, one as tied to the Underworld as they are. Too powerful and too old for even Demeter to touch.
Goddess of The Maiden. The Mistress. The Venerable One. The Queen without her King. It's another day on Olympus, as her mother's carefully guarded secret. Never seen. Never heard. Except for the dark, mysterious man who visits her dreams. One who keeps insisting they know each other. Not just know each other. He states quite clearly, they're married.
Destiny. Fate. Fortune. Kismet. Time's Up. Yet the lack of memory isn't their only problem, the Underworld is under attack. And the Titans are loose. Blood will be spilled. The Destroyer of Worlds will awaken. And nothing will be the same.

Review & thoughts:

The Queen & the King is the third book in Love & Fate series and the conclusion to Hades and Persephone’s story. I love this series and this third book definitely didn’t disappoint, I really enjoyed it and already can’t wait for next books about other characters! 

The Queen & the King begins shortly after the ending of the previous book and after that cliffhanger, I couldn’t wait to see what happens next. The is so much happening from the first page, the plot is perfectly paced and I literally read the book in a few hours at night because I couldn’t put it down, we learn some new things and the confrontations with the villains were so satisfying to read. It was amazing to see Persephone and Hades again, after everything they went through in previous books I was rooting so much for them to find their HEA. Persephone is different here from who we met before and my heart was breaking at times for Hades, but I loved how they fell in love all over again and learned how to love the new pieces of each other, they both came a long way from who they were at the beginning of their story and I just love these two and how perfect they are for each other, I hope we will get to see them again in the next books in this series. And of course, it was great to see Mellie, Helios and Berry again (especially Berry, he is so cute!) and I can’t wait to dive into Helios and Mellie’s story next!

The Queen & the King is the perfect conclusion to Hades and Persephone’s story, this series has everything I love in fantasy romance genre and I definitely recommend it, it’s amazing! I already can’t wait for more books in this series.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - How To Fake It With a Fae by Amy Boyles

 Thank you so much Amy Boyles for sending me this ARC!

Title: How To Fake It With a Fae

Author: Amy Boyles

Genre: Fantasy Romance, Romantic Comedy

Series: Seven Suitors for Seven Witches (book #1)

Pages: 360

Synopsis:

A brooding fae king bent on revenge meets his match in this hilarious modern romance. 

Book lover Addison Thornrose can match you with your next perfect read. Unfortunately, she can’t match herself with a good man. Her latest just dumped her. Worse, she’s learned that unless she marries, and quickly, her family will lose their witch magic—forever. 

Feylin, king of the fae, has no interest in romance. In fact, the only thing he’s interested in is getting revenge on the Thornrose family because they ruined his life. So when he learns that they’re holding a Bridgerton style ball to marry off their oldest daughter, Addison, he sees an opportunity for vengeance. 

But what Feylin doesn’t expect is to start falling for Addison. And worse, he really doesn’t expect it when ancient fae magic binds him to her so that they can’t be separated. 

His solution is to strike a bargain—be in a fake relationship. Just until they can break the spell between them, and just until he can get his revenge. 

For Addison, this is a dream come true. She doesn’t want to be pawned off to a line of suitors, and she certainly doesn’t want to be engaged. But between the spine-tingling fake dates and the tension-infused banter, lines begin to blur. And Addison begins to wonder when her heart will stop faking it and her feelings become real. 

Review & thoughts:

How To Fake It With a Fae is a Fantasy Romance book and the first in a series of standalones from Amy Boyles and OMG I had so much fun reading this book, I loved it and already can’t wait for the next one!

When Addie’s grandmother dies and it’s decided Addie and her 6 sisters need to marry in order to preserve their family’s magic, Addie has no choice but to find herself a husband. The problem is, she is a witch with no magic and all her previous relationships ended because of it. But when during a ball a Fae king accidentally traps them both in a magical engagement and literally unable to be apart from each other, Addie and Feylin need to find a way to break the bond between them, all the while pretending to be a couple in love and trying to fight their growing feeling for each other. 

This book takes place in a modern world with witches and Fae living among humans using mobile phones, but there also were formal balls and a Fae court and I liked how everything fit well together. The plot was perfectly paced, there wasn’t a single boring moment and I couldn’t put the book down, it had the perfect amount of action, family scenes, romance, banter and funny moments that made me laugh out loud. Addie and Feylin were absolutely amazing together, I loved their enemies to lovers romance, it was definitely a slow burn but there was so much tension and LOL banter that I couldn't help but root for them, these two were everything. I also really liked Addie's family and really hope we will get books about all her sisters, I already can't wait for Briar’s story, it's going to be so interesting.

How To Fake It With a Fae is a really great book with everything I love in fantasy romance, I definitely recommend it and already can’t wait for the next book!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5