REVIEW - Bound in Violet Ink: Forbidden, Fated Mates Dark Romantasy by Charlotte Mallory

The Book

Release Date: 1 August 2025

Goodreads Link

Crave obsessive, fated love where he knows before she does? He's an Unseelie High Lord, chained in a Seelie prison, and she's the adopted daughter of the very court that locked him away. She writes to him out of boredom, rebellion, a hunger for more, and he answers because his mate has found him, even if she doesn't yet understand what she’s done.

Now nothing—not walls, not politics, not the fragile peace between courts—will stop him from claiming what's his. Even if it means tearing her world apart to reach her.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Do you feel lost? Is that why you write to me?"

His words are forbidden, and yet I crave them.

Locked in a golden cage, I’m the adopted daughter of a High Lord—a pawn dressed in silk and promises, meant to smile, marry, and obey. But I’m not sweet. Not docile. And certainly not interested in the polished men lining up to claim me. Well beyond my years for marriage, I don’t care for decorum anymore.

So, I write to a prisoner. Kane, the infamous Unseelie High Lord held in the depths of my father’s dungeons, is my absolute obsession and it’s driving me mad. It starts as a game. A risk. A breath of rebellion in my suffocating world.

But Kane writes back.

I’m no longer just playing with fire, I’m falling into it.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...GAURUNTEED HEA

A novella PERFECT to read for a single night. Excellent cure for book hangovers!

CONTENT 18+ minor adoption trauma, intimate scenes, prison setting, some graphic violence, murder, death, references to assault, revenge

My Review     4 STARS

**My thanks to the The Nerd Fam and author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a short little novella that brings you into the dark world of the Fae between the Seelie and the Unseelie courts and two characters that come together against all the odds.

I really enjoyed this short for the author which promises so much, even though everything happens so fast.

I will certainly be looking out for more from this author.

REVIEW - Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1) by Callie Hart - Narrated by Stella Bloom & Anthony Palmini

The Book

Release Date: 4 June 2024

Goodreads Link

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.

In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares… but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate.

His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...

From USA Today bestselling author Callie Hart comes a brand new, highly addicting enemies-to-lovers romantasy with razor-sharp banter, heart-stopping action, and blistering hot romance that you won't be able to stop listening to! For mature listeners.

Narrated in duet style.

My Review     5 STARS

I may have gotten to this book a little late, but at least i have read it before the second book in the series have been released.  I have seen this book talked about all over TikTok and Facebook so I thought that I should give it a try.  I was NOT disappointed.

Saeris lives in a poverty stricken district where even water is rationed so badly that the water they get is filter from others waste and they only get a small amount of ounces a week.  She looks after her younger brother and works part time in the forge with a man that'd the best he could for her and her brother.

But Saeris has a secret, metal talks to her and with her light fingers to get them by, finds herself in trouble and taken to the palace where her whole world suddenly changes.

Kingfisher has his own demons and Saeris is through into his world when she goes through the Quicksilver, however not only is she a very strong character, she is not afraid of hard work and does her best for those around her.

I loved the strength of this character, the world building and the relationships between all of the characters, especially between Saeris and Kingfisher.

There are a few twists and turns that I did not see coming and I really cannot wait to see what happens in book two and if it can top this first book.

A book that I would certainly recommend.

REVIEW - Full Contact (Redemption, #3) by Sarah Castille

The Book

Release Date: 7 April 2015

Goodreads Link

"Fifty Shades of Grey meets Fight Club."-RT Book Reviews on Against the Ropes

Ray wraps his arms around me and holds me tight as if something terrible has happened and he doesn't want to let me go. 

Full Contact. This is how Ray speaks when his emotions overwhelm him. I melt into his stillness. His body is hot and hard, his breath warm on my neck. He smells of leather and sweat, sex and sin. Nothing can tear me away.

When you can't resist the one person who could destroy you...
Sia O'Donnell can't help but push the limits. She secretly attends every underground MMA fight featuring The Predator, the undisputed champion. When he stalks his prey in the ring, Sia is mesmerized. He is dominant and dangerous and every instinct tells her to run.

Every beautiful thing Ray "The Predator" touches he knows he'll eventually destroy. Soft, sweet and innocent, Sia is the light to Ray's darkness-and completely irresistible. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he knows he's going to have to put his dark past behind him to win her body and soul.

Redemption Series
Against the Ropes 
In Your Corner 
Full Contact 
Fighting Attraction (coming Spring 2017)

Praise for Sarah Castille's Redemption 
"Smart, sharp, sizzling and deliciously sexy."-Alison Kent, bestselling author of Unbreakable
"Powerful. Gritty. And sexy beyond belief. Sarah is a true master!"-Opal Carew, New York Timesbestselling author of His to Claim

My Review     4 STARS

**My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

So this is the third book in the series and although it can be read as a stand alone, really is better if you have read the previous books.

We have seen Ray in the previous books as a bit of a secretive character as he works for Amanda as a PI, but he has other secretive work that takes him away.

Sia is Tag (Fuzzy's) little sister and together they are hiding a secret that happened to Sia and changed their outlooks on the world. Sia got PTSD and Tag ended up becoming a cap to help others like her.

Sia has always had a thing for The Predator (Ray) and has gone to all of his underground fights, but when he finally speaks to her and they get to gather their chemistry is explosive. He helps her with her panic attacks and she becomes a stronger person.

I loved how the traumatised person got the strength to fight back and live her life the way she wanted with a man that supported and helped her.

I can't wait for Rampages book, he has been in all the other books and he is such a lovely character.

REVIEW - A Crown of Echoes (The Crown Saga #1) by Brindi Quinn

The Book

Release Date: 26 March 2025

Goodreads Link

“I want you, and I would give up everything to have you. So…think about that and let me know, lion queen.”

Queen Merrin might just be the least queenly queen in all the realms. After all, proper queens don’t sneak out at night to drink with their guards.

Her vibrant northern kingdom is famed for magical curatives—remedies for everything from headaches to fairy pox. Spirited, compassionate, and fiercely loyal, Merrin is utterly unprepared when her closest friend, the elegant Queen Beau, vanishes after confessing a secret that could shatter their reigns.

Determined to rescue Beau, Merrin disguises herself in a guard’s cloak and ventures into forbidden territory alongside three knights—including Windley, the North’s most notorious flirt. With hair that betrays his moods by changing color and a dangerously seductive touch that leaves victims enthralled, Windley’s hidden past and guarded heart conceal secrets that could alter Merrin’s destiny forever.

As Merrin navigates enchanted forests and ancient lore, she becomes bound by dark magic to shadowy echoes only she can command. To save Beau—and her kingdom—she’ll risk everything, including her heart, on a dangerously irresistible guard whose secrets are too tempting to ignore.

Prepare for forbidden romance, vengeful goddesses, and a thrilling journey deep into the heart of magic itself—because even the least queenly queen must fight to keep her crown.

A sweeping new adult romantasy filled with courtly intrigue, dark magic, and pulse-racing emotional stakes. Immerse yourself in a lush, vivid world where love is rebellion, alliances are treacherous, and destiny waits for no one. With swoon-worthy romance, captivating characters, and richly layered mythology, The Crown Saga delivers an epic journey of power, devotion, and the perilous secrets that bind hearts and realms.

My Review    4 STARS

**My thanks to the author and Hidden Gems for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

First of all i was drawn to this gorgeous cover!  That synopsis then brought me right in to wanting to read this book.

The book has been reformatted and partly rewritten by the audience as i believe it was initially written in the pandemic and she wanted to updated it for the New Adult market.

I really liked this book.  There's action, romance, intrigue, kidnapping, suspense, and so much more that you just can't help turning page after page.  

Merrien is a strong character.  She is loyal to her fellow queen Beau, respects her guards Ablie and Rafe and leans more about Windley, Beau's guard, where they all set off on a mission to find the missing queen.

Secrets come out, and Merrien finds out that both Rafe and Windley have more to offer her and open up more about themselves.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have now downloaded the next two book in this 4 book series and look forward to seeing what happens next!

REVIEW - Hero (Kindled #4) by Claire Kent

The Book

Release Date: 29 December 2022

Goodreads Link

I was in college when the asteroid hit, and all my dreams and ambitions went up in smoke along with more than half the planet. Now I'm left eking out a treacherous existence in the lonely, violent world that remains. Everyone who loved me is gone, and I'm stuck depending on Zed, my former stepdad's younger brother. I never liked him, but he and his four-year-old daughter are the only people I have left.

The small world we've built for ourselves in the past five years is crumbling at the edges. Our food is running out. So soon we'll have to leave our home and travel a dangerous road in search of safety that might not exist anymore. To make it worse, I'm hit with new feelings for Zed and start wanting things from him that I can never have.

I know better than to put my hope in romantic daydreams. This has become a world without heroes, and the happiest ending is just to survive.

Note: Hero is a short, steamy post-apocalyptic romance. This title was originally intended to be Mack and Anna's book, but their story has been postponed until later in the series. Hero features a different couple. 

My Review    4 STARS

**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a quick little novella in the Kindled series that I had happened to miss.

Is quick, fast pasted and lots happens in a short space of time, but we get a prologue of just after impact and then 5 years later when everything has changed for our main characters.

I enjoyed the characters journey as the navigated not only a change in relationship, but a change of circumstances as well.

The author has certainly out a lot of effort into this post apocalyptic world and the whole series is certainly worth reading.

REVIEW - Try As I Smite (Brimstone Inc. #4) by Abigail Owen

The Book

Release Date: 26 October 2020

Goodreads Link

Bah humbug just got a lot darker.

Alasdair Blakesley is the head of the Covens Syndicate. He shouldn’t need to look beyond the witches and warlocks he governs, or his own abilities, to solve any problem. But a demon infestation means he can’t trust anyone who may be possessed. The last person he wants to ask for help is also the only person who can fix this, so he sucks up his pride and storms into her office.

And she turns him down cold.

As the owner of Brimstone Inc., Delilah’s passion is helping others with their supernatural problems. But Alasdair is the last man Delilah wants to tangle with. The infuriating man sees too much and demands even more. And did she mention the way he sets her body on fire?

Not that it matters — demons are the only things with which she cannot interfere. Too bad a higher power steps in and sends them both on a crash course of each others’ pasts, presents, and futures.

How is a Christmas Carol nightmare supposed to solve his demon problem without breaking the rules she’s bound by?

My Review     4 STARS

**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a quick and dirty little novella and certainly has a decent story as the pair battle magic and demons to come together. Not only that they must survive the vision that Heath send them thought to teach them an important lesson that is almost not learned without a little more intervention.

I really liked this book and I certainly like the authors writing.

REVIEW - Renovating My Bossy Billionaire Grump by Aria McDow

The Book

Release Date: 1 June 2025

Goodreads Link

I came to renovate the British billionaire’s paradise resort... now I'm leaving with an island bump. 

Winning a design competition brought me to Damon King’s outdated island resort.

An encounter in a dodgy elevator, and I mistake the powerful owner for a hot-looking construction worker with salt and pepper stubble. 
One heated glance and I’m undone.

But working for Damon? Pure hell.
He hates change—on his island, in his life, in his heart.

He guards his secrets well, but watching him with his little girl reveals the tender heart beneath that no-nonsense exterior.

When a tropical storm strands us together those walls he's built crumble against my fingertips.
Calloused hands caress my flesh…his smooth tongue takes me to downtown ecstasy.

I see — beach walks, candlelit dinners, a future bright as the Caribbean sun with a man learning to love again.
Until his college-aged daughter arrives. One look at me—close in age—and her accusations of “gold-digger" hurt.

Now I'm back in Tennessee, hugging the toilet each morning, wondering why I told the baby daddy that I left with much more than a great resume.

Some renovations are messier than others.

If you like brooding billionaire bosses, sassy younger heroines who don't back down, steamy island encounters with silver foxes, and surprise pregnancies that change everything, then you will love Renovating My Bossy Billionaire Grump.
Ready for a night you won't forget? One-click now and let the heat begin.

My Review    4 STARS

**My thanks to the author  and Hidden Gems for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised.

Twenty something Riley has won a competition for a TV show called The Last Resort and she has her choice of Resorts to choose from. She has chosen the Golden Sun resort, a resort that Damion King is renovating and a place close to his heart.

Damion is a widower in his forties and has two teenage children. This resort meant something to his family and his late wife , he has also been grumpy, but finds that he is immediately attracted to Riley especially as she does not recognise who he is at first.

The relationship happened both fast and slow between the pair and Riley is a strong character and shows an emotional maturity and heads things straight on when there is an issue, she does not sulk or go off in a strop.

I loved the supporting characters and that those that needed to made apologies where needed and that Damion had people to point him in the right direction.

REVIEW - Tale of the Heart Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos #4) by Nisha J. Tuli

The Book

Release Date: 26 November 2024

Goodreads Link

After Lor makes the biggest mistake of her life, she finds herself on the run from the Aurora King and decides it's time to end this, once and for all. But when a new enemy emerges to claim her freedom, the entire fate of Ouranos comes to rest on her shoulders. 

As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn't recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother's mistakes. 

When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld's shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, she’s competing for everyone's future, not just a crown. 

The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.

My Review     5 STARS

This is the last book in the series and cannot be read by itself as there is very much an ongoing story.

This one had me crying at times, but it was lively to see how much strength Lor and Nadir had when they fought for each other and worked together.  Nadir was such a support knowing what he needed to do to make sure Lor became the Heart Queen.

All paths cleared and the right people got the roles they now should have and it was lovely to see the friendships and family ties come together.

I loved the continued world building, the character development and the whole story that developed.  There was just one point/twist that i did not spot coming, but i very much enjoyed the journey that this book and series took me on.

A strong recommended read.

REVIEW - Fate of the Sun King (Artefacts of Ouranos #3) by Nisha J. Tuli

The Book

Release Date: 4 June 2024

Goodreads Link

The highly anticipated third installment of the steamy Artefacts of Ouranos series journeys deeper into the glittering fae world as Lor puts both her life and her heart on the line in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance.

With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses.
As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.

My Review     5 STARS

For the third book in the series, we finally get to see Lor and Nadir settle more into a relationship, find out what they mean to each other and more of the background of the beginning or the High Fae.

We find out what Atlas has really been hiding with his secrets and why Gabriel is so hot and cold and I am happy with the karma that Atlas receives.

I loved watching the relationships of them all develop, new relationships emerge and the greater world building and background given.

Lor is certainly a strong character and so much is thrown at her.

The book all but ends of a cliff hanger and i so hope that she gets the happy ending she deserves.

REVIEW - Rule of the Aurora King (Artefacts of Ouranos #2) by Nisha J. Tuli

The Book

Release Date: 6 Apr 2023

Goodreads Link

Full of pulse-pounding action, steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, and glittering fae magic, the epic second installment of the Artefacts of Ouranos series is perfect for fans of romantasy favorites like A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Fourth Wing.

“I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.”

Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Aurora Prince. Convinced she’s hiding something, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets—she’s been keeping them her entire life—and she’s not letting hers go without a fight.

When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the key to her past and her future, she isn’t sure she can trust him. All she knows is she won’t fall for another royal fae’s promises again.

With the Sun King determined to reclaim her, Lor must keep on the move, but nowhere is safe. Not until she destroys him and the Aurora King. But she soon learns that the future of Ouranos depends on much more than avenging her shattered legacy.

My Review    4 STARS

The second book in the series starts where the first book left off, however although Lor is in The Aurora kingdom again a relationship now forms between Nadir and her. We also start to get the backstory about her grandmother Serce and her love Wolf. We get to see what lead her to do what she did.

For has her own battles, finding her family again and learning to trust others even when she want to do things herself as she has been used to. She feels deeply the betrayal by the Sun King and it affects the way she trust Nadir and the relationship she make with Nadir.

The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, but I can't wait to see what happens next with book three of the series.

REVIEW - Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #1) by Nisha J. Tuli

The Book

Release Date: 12 September 2023

Goodreads Link

A Court of Thorns and Roses meets The Fourth Wing  in this pulse-pounding, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance—with fae magic, high-stakes trials, and a dark prince—from Booktok favorite author Nisha J. Tuli. 

Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King's heart.
Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

My Review     5 STARS

I can see why there is a comparison to this book with A Court of Thorns and Roses, haven’t yet read Fourth Wing to compare but the is definitely some hunger games in there too.

I enjoyed the twists and turns and could not tell at first if Gabriel was friend or foe, but i could tell that Atlas was up to no good.  He was a good actor.

Considering her upbringing Lor was able to lead others, make friends and make decisions that shaped those around her.  I loved her strength of character and that she stayed true to who she was at heart and did not mislead anyone in who she was as a person.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what happens next.

REVIEW - A Lair So Fateful (The Last Dragorai #4) by Zoey Ellis

The Book

Release Date: 19 May 2022

Goodreads Link

From a dark, magic-ravaged world comes an enthralling new fantasy romance series. Five brothers, last of an ancient Alpha bloodline, each bound by fire and blood to their majestic dragons.

He demands her worship. Or he will bring her to her knees.

Uraya is desperate to live in peace. Having finally escaped the queen of the south, her goal is to vanish - to leave the war in the Twin Realms and start a new life.

But to get her freedom she must work with the most intolerable dragonlord across the Realms.

Known for reducing women into simpering worshipers, Sethorn ruins the lives of any woman he desires.

Uraya refuses to be his plaything…

And her defiance fuels his intense captivation with her.

In an effort to maintain her quest for serenity, Uraya is forced to bargain with him, but Sethorn rouses a sinful craving that he dominates.

Primal attraction erupts into savage, carnal hunger.

When the queen complicates their mission, Uraya realizes she is on the brink of losing not just the peace she has always dreamed of but every part of herself.

And if she doesn’t evade Sethorn’s obsessive claim on her, he will drag her to a fate of his choosing.

A LAIR SO FATEFUL is the fourth book in The Last Dragorai, an epic fantasy romance series. This series can be read as standalones but will be better enjoyed if read in order. Includes romance of a dark nature and a HEA.

My Review     5 STARS

I missed this book by accident when i was reading the series and is such a good book.

I really loved who Uraya pushed Sethorns buttons and challenged him. She is certainly a strong character and was exactly what he needed.

Again the brothers band together and work well as a team and the women are welcoming and friendly to each other.

Loved this whole series.