Tag: romance

Book Review | Smoke Show, B. Perkins and Aimee Vance

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

When the dean of Bishop College in Boston threatened to close Petra Ambrose’s Pre-Revolutionary American History department, she could feel all of her work towards her dream career slipping through her fingers. To her dismay, students weren’t interested in American Puritanical culture and the status of women in their time, not unless it involved trendy witches glamourized in modern society.

In a last hope to save her job, Petra was tasked with finding something new and exciting to draw in more students. Not exactly sure where to start, she headed up the coast to explore sites other than cliche and touristy Salem.

Small-town Maine had her imagining a quaint village straight out of a romance novel on the water. To some extent, she found it, with the quirky, nosy neighbors, but Deadlights Cove was entirely too dingy to be run by its no-nonsense mayor. Plus, everyone in town seemed to be in on some joke at her expense, none more so than the mischievous and overly friendly bartender, Blaze. Far too handsome for his own good, the man had the unfair ability to irritate her more than anyone else ever had while simultaneously setting her heart racing.

With obstacles popping up at every turn, Petra was ready to throw her hands up and go back to the drawing board for a new strategy until she wound up at the center of a murder investigation.

Nothing was as it seemed in Deadlights Cove, and Petra could have just unearthed more than she’d ever imagined. But was discovering the truth about this town worth giving up everything she’d worked so hard for?

My Thoughts:

Do you ever start a book and know that from the first few pages you read that you will absolutely love it? That is what happed for me with B. Perkins and Aimee Vances’ Smoke Show. I had read Vance’s other series, Call of the Norns, so this new series she has been writing with Perkins has been high on my TBR for quite a while now (and since then they have published more in the Deadlights Cove series so I am keen to read those at some point too).

Everything about this novel from it’s wonderful characters to the witty humour was an absolute delight to read. I love the world these two authors have created together with the small town of Deadlights Cove. It feels like a small town should feel – strange but well suited locals, buildings that house more than one attraction (or seemingly the wrong attraction), and a bar that everyone frequents, and I mean everyone. It all felt very real to me, enhanced by the cagey town inhabitants and their secrets. Even while those secrets were paranormal in nature- actually, especially so.

The romance was really sweet to follow, and I loved being able to read the perspectives of both Petra and Blaze. Both their inner voices were amusing to read, and the story flowed nicely between both points of view. The side characters were also a lot of fun. I think my favourite had to be Orion. He was wonderfully surly, but you can tell he is a softy underneath it all. His friendship with Blaze was fun to read two as they are both so different.

I enjoyed the murder mystery throughout, especially with it’s paranormal ties. I found it flowed nicely with the romance plot, not taking away from it but adding to it in part. I am interested to see if future books in the series have a bit of a mystery to them or not. Though I will be reading them regardless.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and very sweet romance novel that has both mystery and paranormal elements. This was so much more than just romance novel, and I found myself delightfully rereading some of my favourite lines as I read.

Book Review | The City of New Aphros, L. B. Benson

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Goodreads Blurb:

After eight years in hiding as a prostitute, former priestess Andromeda never thought she would find love. Now she has, in Captain William Lennox, a brash pirate who uncovered more than a few secrets on their journey aboard the Bartered Soul.

Deciding to wait out the winter storms in the mild climate of New Aphros, a little serenity is just what Andromeda is hoping to find. Never having ventured far from her home in Selennia, she is looking forward to exploring a new city and, with any luck, settling into a new life with Lennox at her side.

When she meets the cunning Madame Salome, who holds more knowledge about the Old Ways than Andromeda could have ever imagined, it becomes clear this winter will bring much more than whiskeys by the fire as a respite from the storms. 

When the threat of King Dargan Blackwell and his priests comes knocking even across the sea, Andromeda must choose — live the life of freedom she so craves, even if it means continuing to live in hiding, or face her past and step into the full extent of her power.

The City of New Aphros is the second book in Andromeda’s Account. Fans of fantasy, historical fiction, romance, pirates, and magic will enjoy this sequel to The Bartered Soul.

Content Warning:
The City of New Aphros is an adult fantasy/romance is intended for readers over the age of 18. Please visit the author’s website for detailed content warnings.

My Thoughts:

It has been so good to dive back into L. B. Benson’s ‘Andromeda’s Account’ series with ‘The City of New Aphros’. I really enjoyed this as a sequel, and it brought just as much excitement, heartache, and steamy romance as ‘The Bartered Soul’ (if not more). I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while, and it didn’t disappoint.

I really love this world that Benson has created, it has heart but can be cruel, it nurtures it’s characters as much as it challenges them. There is so much support and love between the main characters of this story that it is almost tangible. It makes it so much easier to sink into this world. In a similar train of thought, that romance, so beautiful, and so steamy! I love the support that Lennox and Andromeda give each other, it is so beautiful to read.

It was so lovely to catch up with Andromeda and see how her journey continues. Some pretty big things are revealed for her which further her journey and it was so exciting to see the results of said revelation as her power grows. Especially with that ending! It was wonderfully intense and heart breaking in equal measure. I am really looking forward to book 3!

Pick up this book if you are looking for something action packed with equal amounts of tender and emotional moments, a sweet found family and rich world building you can really sink into.

*Keep in mind there are some content warnings for this novel. You can find them on the author’s website if you want.

Thank you to the author for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 20th December 2022.

Book Review | Jack’s on Fire, Owen Lach

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

What if you were a queer teenage musician outed by his vengeful ex-boyfriend and not a fairy tale princess trapped in a castle tower? What if your wicked stepmother was your ordinary, thoughtless, uncaring mother? What if your fairy godmother was your older brother? What if your Prince Charming was captain of the JV soccer team? Maybe you’d be forgiven for not realizing you were living in a sort of fairy tale.

Faced with the impossible choice of staying home to risk being sent away to Father Sullivan’s special school for exceptionally happy boys or moving in with his older brother in California, 16-yr-old Jack Martin leaves behind everything he knows in Minneapolis to go to San Francisco.

My Thoughts:

This was an absolute delight to read! It was so nice to read a Queer story that was filled with so much joy and hope, but that didn’t shy away from the realities of being a Queer teen. This, I think this threw me a little at first, everything was always going so well that I was waiting for something to go seriously wrong for Jack but it didn’t happen, not like I expected anyway. I realised a little while in that the hopefulness of the story, and the series of lucky events read just like the fairy tale the novel’s tag line promised. I loved this novel for that.

I loved as well that Jack seemed so disbelieving in his good circumstances after such a rough start to the beginning of this story. It would be so easy for him to take it all for granted, but he questions it before he accepts all the good things happening to him. I think this really does align with a lot of Queer stories (and for people’s stories in general, but in this specific context, Queer stories especially) where the person has it rough for so long that when things start heading in a positive direction it seems almost impossible. This made Jack’s character, so much more genuine for me.

I did find though that some of the dialogue felt a little off, especially the regular use of “bro” used between Jack and his brother, and “babe” used between Jack and Damon. Those dialogue choices almost brought me out of the story as I read. if I also found there was a lot of narrative that slowed down for the story for me.

The relationship between Jack and Damon was really sweet. I especially loved Jack’s awkward, and almost fumbling internal dialogue, especially when he was around Damon or thinking about him. It felt so natural for his character and the story.

As I said before this was a really lovely romance to read. Pick this one up if you are looking for a heartwarming read with engaging characters and great plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 27th September 2022.

Book Review | The Syren’s Mutiny, Jessica. S. Taylor

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

“It’s frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard.”

Brigid knew the superstition, but when her father tried to marry her off, she had no choice but to stowaway on a ship bound for Bhodheas. When she’s discovered and discarded, her fate seems sealed…until she’s saved by the ocean and its queen.

Transformed into a syren and given new life, Brigid now has the power to seek revenge on those who wronged her.

Caelum has spent his entire life trying to help those who couldn’t help themselves. After years suffering the cruelty of his pirate father, saving others from a similar fate was ingrained in him. But when he’s unable to save a young girl from being thrown overboard for hiding away, he’s devastated.

Until one day, when he’s thrown into the water by unforeseen forces, he comes face to face with the past, and maybe, with his future.

But there’s a darkness lurking on the seas they both call home. And Caelum and Brigid have no idea just how intertwined their stories really are.

My Thoughts:

I was very easily drawn into this book by the cover and great blurb and I am so glad I was. This novel gripped my right from the first few pages. It was intense and gruesome, and a great introduction to the novel.

I think the thing I loved most about this novel was the characters. ed They all shone through on the page, making me want to read more of their story. My favourite I think had to be Sorcha, she really was so sweet, bless her. I really enjoyed reading the relationship develop between Brigid and Caelum, I found that with the dual POV story I was really able to delve into the minds of the characters. It was a nice change to read from the POV of both romantic leads too.

In saying that, I did feel that while the novel was off to a strong start, I found that there was a little repetitiveness within the narration of certain phrases that made the beginning quite a slow read after the first few more action filled chapters. I found though once the rest of Caelum’s crew was introduced and had more ‘page time’ the pace picked up for me.

I really enjoyed the lore of the world this is based in with the vengeful Syren’s and how they are so fierce. Their sisterhood was one of the main things I loved about this novel and how they worked together to meet their goals, and (for the most part) stuck by them.

I also really loved how the author put an ‘author’s note’ at the beginning with name and place pronunciations, as well as trigger warnings and a map (yes, a map! This gal loves a map!). I really enjoyed this one, and how it didn’t shy away from the violence of the Syren’s, painting them as rather terrifying beings (I wouldn’t want to get on their bad side!), while still showing their grace and compassion. That ending had me in tears, my gosh, that cliff-hanger too. I am so excited for book two!

Thank you to the author, Jessica. S. Taylor for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 8th November 2022.

Book Review | The Bartered Soul, L. B. Benson

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

Andromeda is a priestess without a temple.
She escaped the horrific fate her sister priestesses faced at the hand of the usurper king’s men years ago and has resigned herself to a life in a brothel, hiding from her past and those who would wipe the priestesses and their Goddess from memory.

Captain William Lennox is a pirate with an unsavory and violent reputation.
After years of avoiding the notorious Captain Lennox, Andromeda finds herself ensnared by the rogue. She begrudgingly accepts her fate – to accompany the handsome, yet dangerous, pirate on his latest voyage across the sea; both as entertainment for him and his crew and to keep watch over a younger girl trapped in the same bargain. It’s the only sure way to earn their way to a new life across the ocean, safe from the king’s bigotry.

Despite her best efforts, Andromeda finds herself surrounded by reminders of who she was before her future was taken from her.
Can she continue to wear the mask she has donned for almost a decade and escape her past for good? Or will her traitorous heart push her toward a new future solidly entwined with the painful secrets she has tried so hard to forget and the Captain who harbors secrets of his own?

My Thoughts:

This one hooked me in right from the start! Amazing characters, amazing world building, exciting plot. I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

I really enjoyed reading about the world this novel is set in. I loved the way this novel navigates exploring the history of this world as well as the characters past. And oohmygosh, the secrets upon secrets that are all revealed in the most awesome way. Also pirates!!? They are everything I wanted and more, plus the crew is just plain awesome. Especially with the twist.

One thing with this novel though, is that I found a lot of the epic action happened much earlier than I was expecting it. This left the latter part of the novel to be a little slow. But I really enjoyed it all the same, as the relationship kept me hooked, along with my emotional investment in the characters.

Speaking of characters, I think one of my favourite aspects of the novel is the amazing cast of characters. Especially the MC Andomeda – simply put, she’s a badass. Especially in the way she manages with the hand she is dealt. She is strong, and fierce, but she is vulnerable. I loved her friendship with Lyra too. As well as this, just all the pirates! They all bound together in a beautiful found family, it just made me so happy to read about them all.

Overall this was such a fun read, with awesome plot and amazing characters. Highly recommended! I’m looking forward to reading more from this wonderful author!

*Keep in mind there are some content warnings for this novel. You can find them on the novel’s Goodreads page if you want to read them.

Thank you to the author, L. B. Benson for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 21st June 2022.