Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: Idyll Threats: A Thomas Lynch Novel Author: Stephanie Gayle Publisher: Seventh Street Books/Penguin Random House Length: 283 Pages Category: Murder Mystery At a Glance: Idyll Threats is excellent, right up there among some of the best I’ve read in the genre. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: In the summer of 1997, Thomas Lynch arrives as... Continue Reading →
Title: A King’s Ransom Author: Lia Black Publisher: Self-Published Length: 432 Pages Category: Alt U Fantasy, Fairy Tale At a Glance: A King’s Ransom is a dark fairy tale fantasy that might not have hooked me at the start, but by the end, I was crossing my fingers for more from this -verse. Reviewed By:... Continue Reading →
Title: Slow Heat Author: Leta Blake Publisher: Self-Published Length: 118k Words Category: Alt U, Fantasy, Mpreg At a Glance: Knowing mpreg isn’t everybody’s cuppa, I can’t say this book will be for everyone, but I can say that Slow Heat—in my admittedly limited experience—is some of the best I’ve read yet. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
Title: Enemies Like You Authors: Annika Martin and Joanna Chambers Publisher: Self-Published Length: 251 Pages Category: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense At a Glance: The writing team of Chambers and Martin score with a sexy suspense thriller. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: They're dangerous men. Absolute enemies. And totally hot for each other. Will has never met anyone like... Continue Reading →
Title: Recovery (Reawakening: Book Three) Author: Amy Rae Durreson Publisher: DSP Publications Length: 370 Pages Category: Fantasy At a Glance: The world building in these novels is gorgeous and detailed, without ever becoming cumbersome, and the romantic elements are pure and forthright yet complex as well. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Resistance, exile, plague. Raif has... Continue Reading →
Title: Aiden’s Luck (Seattle Stories: Book Three) Author: Con Riley Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Length: 326 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: The one hallmark of Con Riley’s work, one of its core truths, is that love and romance isn’t a destination. It’s a journey. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: House-sitting for a friend is supposed to... Continue Reading →
Title: After Ben (Seattle Stories: Book One) Author: Con Riley Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Length: 300 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: After Ben is a book that I’ve had on my wish list for years. Was it worth the wait? Yeah. Yeah it was, and then some. Heartwrenching but so, so worth it. Reviewed By:... Continue Reading →
Title: A Gathering Storm (A Porthkennack Novel) Author: Joanna Chambers Publisher: Riptide Publishing Length: 309 Pages Category: Historical At a Glance: I have yet to read a Joanna Chambers book I didn’t find to be beautifully executed, and this one doesn’t break that streak. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes... Continue Reading →
Title: Hopeless Romantic Author: Francis Gideon Publisher: Riptide Publishing Length: 293 Pages Category: Contemporary, Transgender Romance At a Glance: This book lives up to its title. Nick and Katie’s love story really is hopelessly romantic. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Nick Fraser is a true romantic. He wants the guy instead of the girl, but other... Continue Reading →
Title: Starting from Scratch (Housemates: Book Five) Author: Jay Northcote Publisher: Self-Published Length: 196 Pages Category: Contemporary, Transgender Romance At a Glance: Starting from Scratch stands alone as a sweet, touching, and lovely new chapter in a man’s life. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Starting over isn't easy, but Ben is ready to live his life... Continue Reading →
Title: Stormfront (Lords of Arcadia: Book Four) Authors: John Goode and J.G. Morgan Publisher: Dreamspinner Press/Harmony Ink Length: 254 Pages Category: High Fantasy, Teen Fiction At a Glance: Stormfront delivers an adventure fraught with danger and action, and a diverse reading experience which the authors deftly ended with a baited hook. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb:... Continue Reading →
Title: Dirty Games Author: Barbara Elsborg Publisher: Self-Published Length: 323 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: While this book didn’t work for me, I can see where it would work for other readers, without a doubt. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: The last thing Linton needs when he arrives home after three months in the States,... Continue Reading →
Title: Loose Cannon (The Woodbury Boys: Book One) Author: Sidney Bell Publisher: Carina Press Length: 448 Pages Category: Contemporary, At a Glance: Loose Cannon is the shortest 400+ page novel I’ve ever read. Sheer perfection. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Released after five years in the system for assault, streetwise Edgar-Allen Church is ready to leave... Continue Reading →
Title: Bitten by Design (Regent’s Park Pack: Book Two) Author: Annabelle Jacobs Publisher: Self-Published Length: 245 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy, Shifters At a Glance: In which a human learns to never say never, and it turns into a beautiful romance. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: When the last thing you want, is everything you need…. Seb... Continue Reading →
Title: Play Dead (Glasgow Lads: Book 3.5) Author: Avery Cockburn Publisher: Self-Published Length: 170 Pages Category: Contemporary, New Adult At a Glance: As much as it was difficult to see Andrew and Colin struggle, it was also satisfying to see them triumph, and that makes Play Dead a must read for fans of this couple... Continue Reading →
Title: Exposed Author: Bey Deckard Publisher: Self-Published Length: 264 Pages Category: Contemporary, May/December, BDSM At a Glance: Bey Deckard: writing addictive dysfunction and heart-tugging erotica, one plot bunny at a time. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: With middle-age looming, Greg offsets his boring day job with what truly feeds his soul: photography. The camera is an... Continue Reading →
Title: Parasite (Vertex: Book Two) Author: Soren Summers Publisher: Self-Published Length: 69k Words Category: Horror At a Glance: Far be it from me to make a corny cannibal zombie joke, but I devoured this book and loved every bloody word of it. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: It’s been one hundred and forty-five days since the... Continue Reading →
Title: Drinker of Blood (SPECTR Series Two: Book Three) Author: Jordan L. Hawk Publisher: Self-Published Length: 84 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal At a Glance: Fans of SPECTR and its cast of key role players should be thoroughly geeked by Drinker of Blood; the way Jordan L. Hawk is teasing out this story a bit... Continue Reading →
Title: Love After Love Author: Peter Styles Publisher: Self-Published Length: 156 Pages (plus the bonus novella, The CEO and the Artist) Category: Contemporary At a Glance: With a bit more exposition, these two short novels could have been just about perfect, but what we do get is still pretty fine. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: After... Continue Reading →
Title: Sugar and Shakedowns Author: Peter Styles Publisher: Self-Published Length: 148 Pages Category: Contemporary At a Glance: My one and only complaint about Sugar and Shakedowns is that it just isn’t long enough, but Styles has such a talent for creating lovable characters and, maybe most important of all, making me laugh, which went a... Continue Reading →
Amazon USTitle: Everything Between Us: A Story of Love and Chaos Author: Stephen Hoppa Publisher: Self-Published Length: 282 Pages Category: Contemporary, D/s, Erotica At a Glance: This story is Psych 101 with an erotic twist, and I couldn't get enough. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Ethan is confused about more than just his sexuality the night... Continue Reading →
Title: A Careful Heart Author: Ralph Josiah Bardsley Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Length: 312 Pages Category: Literary Fiction At a Glance: From a quiet novel of self-discovery to a turbulent exploration of love and friendship, Ralph Josiah Bardsley delivers another beautiful novel exploring the human condition. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Travis Gaines and Stephen Davis... Continue Reading →
Title: Change of Heart (An Hours of the Night Story) Author: Liv Rancourt Publisher: Self-Published Length: 70 Pages Category: Historical, Transgender Romance, F/F At a Glance: I wanted much more from these characters—not because something was missing but because their story was so affirming that I wasn't ready for it to end. Reviewed By: Lisa... Continue Reading →
Title: Single Malt (Agents Irish & Whiskey: Book One) Author: Layla Reyne Publisher: Carina Press Length: 194 Pages Category: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense At a Glance: While there were some parts where my investment in this story ebbed and flowed, there is also no doubt that there are some thrilling scenes peppered throughout and that this is... Continue Reading →
The Novel Approach Reviews 