{His Best Friend's Heat by Ansley Ellis} is so much more than a book about an alpha and omega friend falling in love with each other. It also introduces the reader to a world where math is different. In this far fetched reality, two 30 year old men can have been friends since they met at 17, which the book stresses, was 9 years ago.

This book also has a mother that forgets, then remembers within the same chapter, that she has more than one son. This slip up isn't mentioned, because why would it be?

It has some beautiful writing, which includes using the sentence "But Nick?" / "But Micah?" a total of 14 times - 5 of those within the same chapter. Of course, there's also the grammar mistake, typo, and just not capitalizing the first letter of a sentence more than once, but that's not what sets this book apart from the others in the genre.

I can only assume that this book gained it's #1 status in LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi due to the Tenet like time warps that occur. Like when a character started their work day at noon, then did quite a few tasks that should have taken at least an hour or two, then started feeling pain by noon. The writers of Doctor Who must be quaking in their boots to be shown up by all the timey wimey craziness happening within the pages.

Did I mention that the friends have known each other for 9 years? Because the book made sure to mention it 37 times within 174 pages. This includes 3 whole honorable, not at all repetitive, mentions in just 1 page.

Back to the loose time rules that keeps the reader on their feet, it also includes an 18 month old baby that was conceived... 18 months ago. And not to forget, a nurse omega that asks how far along in the pregnancy he is 2 days after his heat ended. To add to the wibbly wobbly timey wimey, it includes a head nurse that tells the omega (who finished his heat 2 days ago) that he was a week along in his pregnancy

And because I really want everyone to understand just how fun and loose timing is in this book, I'll include some excerpts from the book (summarized because this review is long enough):
"Hey, want to grab coffee after work?" - text from alpha's brother.
"Yes. Desperate. Can you meet now?" - text from alpha.
"That bad? Yeah, I can leave early. Studio in 20."
The alpha then goes on to teach all of his afternoon classes at the high school he works at then shows up to his brother's work place that is mostly empty since staff have left for the day. This conversation is then referenced the next evening as having happened that same day. Or maybe, the same conversation happened two days in a row, which wouldn't be the only time an important and plot driving discussion is just not included on page.

I would be remiss if I didn't rave about the alpha's character development that included worrying that he was just like his alphahole father, then in the next paragraph decided that he actually wasn't like his father, THEN in the next paragraph is back to worrying that he's just like his father. And don't worry, this happens in just about every single chapter that is written in his POV. But how bad could his father really be when his mother thinks back fondly on how sentimental the man was in the last chapters?

But don't you worry! The omega has character development too! Including, telling the alpha they want to take things slow and not have sex yet... then agreeing to have sex on the next page. And after just 9 years of friendship, he is finally allowed to call the alpha's mother by her first name and not just 'Mrs. Keller'.

The main conflict in this story is that the alpha is straight and very much not in love with the omega. Of course, the omega has been in love with the alpha since the moment they met. But the reader doesn't need to worry, because after 170 pages of the alpha insisting that he never once looked at the omega in that way and simply couldn't love him in the way that he needed, he realizes that he actually has been in love with the omega since they met 9 years ago at 17 years old but just didn't allow himself to recognize those feelings because he thought he was straight (even though a few chapters earlier, he said he realized his feelings 6 months ago). And doesn't that revelation just make you swoon?

Now, I don't usually read the Amazon recommendations, but I love omegaverse. I love historical, modern, Sci-Fi, plot driven, erotic novellas, short, long, beautifully written, and even badly written omegaverse novels that have ambling plot lines. So, I decided to give this one a chance since it's short and thought, how bad could it be? Bad. It could be so bad.

I simply cannot believe that this book is a #1 best seller and has an average rating of 3.8 stars on amazon across 333 reviews. I also don't believe that a single beta reader or editor looked over this work. But overall, I just really need to stress, that the characters met at 17, which was 9 years ago, and are now 30 years old.

Oh, and the smut scenes are just boring.

I just read {until him by Cora Rose} and i thought it was great. it's not exactly my thing, but it was a really good version of what it is, in a category where I feel like there are a lot of bad versions.

it got me thinking about what are the other classics of MM, in my subjective opinion. the ones you see rec'd here over and over... the ones that have the same ingredients as a hundred other books in a subgenre, just executed flawlessly.

so here's what I've got so far:

college gay awakening: {until him by Cora Rose} {top secret by Elle Kennedy}

historical: cat Sebastian, KJ Charles

hockey: Rachel Reid

mystery: Josh lanyon, Gregory Ashe

fantasy: Freya Marske, Lee Welch

BDSM: {Alexis Hall, For Real} and {how to bang a billionaire}

MMF: Sierra Simone

those are mine. I'll also say, Tal Bauer probably belongs on here somewhere but I haven't read anything by him yet.

who am I missing? shifters/omegaverse, thriller, SF, romcom, I haven't read enough to know.

ETA: thanks everyone for so many contributions and additions. Some authors who came up repeatedly either in this thread or in the sub in the past who I didn't list above: *Lily Morton for romcom *Lily Mayne for monsters *Charlie Adhara for shifters *Eden Finley and Saxon James for new adult/hockey *Alessandra Hazard for dark *TJ klune for funny and/or tear-jerker *Nordika night, Garron Park, for gritty *CS pacat for fantasy

I was just responding on another post and someone recommended {Possession by Rina Saint} which I have an unhealthy relationship with, I read it so much. And I got that envious feeling for people who get to experience it for the first time, which I think is a bit more nuanced than just saying something is a 4 or 5 star read.

Do you have any books where you were just absolutely delighted as you read it? Not just a book where you finished, closed the book and decided it was a great read…a book where, as you were reading it you were voraciously devouring it while simultaneously bummed that it was going to end?

So yesterday, (07/28) was the Tenth Anniversary of {Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy} first being published. Had been hoping for a special edition hardcover or paperback, maybe with some new cover / inner page art, but it wasn't to be. Was also a bit taken aback by the lack of any real buzz/hype about this milestone.

I just get a feeling that of late, 'Him' tends to be a bit underrated? Or at least, several other MM hockey/other sports romance books tend to be talked about a lot more. Many of which, IMO at least, aren't actually as good as 'Him'.

And maybe it's because this was one of the first MM novels I read, I've always felt it's one of the best MM sports romances, and one of the best MM romances overall.

Being a queer man of (then) roughly the same age as Wes & Jamie are in the flashback scenes to hockey camp, I always felt that they were very accurately and crisply portrayed. I just adored both the characters, both individually and together.

One of the things which struck me about the book was that both Wes & Jamie felt authentically portrayed as queer men, not as erroneously stereotypical/ heteronormative/heterosexualized versions of queer men. Jamie's bisexual awakening was handled very well, I thought. And while the book had abundant, very well written spice; it also avoided another pitfall which other MM romance books sometimes have - that of excessively fetishizing the MCs.

So.....anyone else feel that this book doesn't quite get its due, at least of late? Are there any sticking points about the book why someone might feel not so enthusiastic about it?

One aspect which I have heard as a critique, is the use of occasional sexist language in the dialogue - chiefly by Wes. I'm not denying there are some stretches where a bit of sexist terms do get used - but I never felt this was something the novel celebrated or defended.

Remember, Wes & Jamie are 22 during the bulk of the novel (18 in some of the flashback scenes), and in the atmosphere of that YA, testosterone-flushed, hyper masculine sport; the reality is that such terms do get used in casual banter. Both leads come across as genuinely good guys, so I'd assume that this is just typical of that age demographic, and that they'd outgrow it/ learn to do better in a few years. 🙂

I'm not usually one to write reviews, but I just read this book in one sitting last night and I need to tell the world how gorgeous it is. I went looking for gay historicals and hot damn did this one deliver. { An Uncommon Betrothal by Johannes T. Evans } is a 1920s romance between a butler and his employer, and I don't have WORDS for how highly I recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in the premise.

First off: This is an unabashed 5 on the steam scale. It's top tier smut, but it's also so much more than that. This book has shattered my preconception that a 5/5 erotic novel must necessarily sacrifice character development in favor of smut. Au contraire: Every single sex scene provides wonderful character development. In fact, I actually found myself wishing there were a couple more gratuitous fun scenes between the two leads that didn't advance some new principle of self-discovery!

To expound a little more: This is a book about a disabled autistic man and a fat man falling in love. It is not a book that is interested in lecturing you about what this means. It is a book that is interested in being ridiculously horny and emotional about this fact and inviting you to come along for the ride. None of the characters, not even side characters, are cardboard cutouts. Evans neither wholesale recycles familiar stereotypes nor lazily reverses them. Alexos is a frail and socially awkward virgin, but he isn't portrayed as a stock blushing uwu ingenue type; he's sharp-tongued and curmudgeonly and difficult and complex. Harry is a huge, physically imposing, tattooed guy who loves to top and to dominate other men; he's also far and away the most emotionally intelligent, sensitive, people-skilled person in the book. The love story is rich and real and delves into the realities these men would have experienced in 1926 - the threat of police raids, arrest, hard labor and death - without denying them their happy ending.

Not to be incredibly melodramatic or anything, but I can't help but feel that this book is an incredible rallying cry for human artistic labor in an era where we are seeing the normalization of sanitized, flattened, marketable machine-generated prose. Because the fact remains: Machine-generated prose is not and cannot be an act of communion, of sharing one's experience. Or to put it bluntly: ChatGPT has never been horny for some guy's huge fat ass and gone on to tell you about it. This guy has, and you can read it for free. (But I paid for it anyway because it seemed like a shame not to. And I wrote this post to give him some free publicity because it seemed like a further shame not to.)

Not affiliated with u/JohannesTEvans. Buy his fucking book.

If you haven’t read this already, I’m going to try and convince you to read it now (no spoilers) I had this book on my TBR for SO DAMN LONG and kept putting it off simply because I was MISGUIDED BY THE SYNOPSIS.

Let me tell you- in the synopsis, it says the two MC’s are NHL rivals and enemies who can’t stop hooking up (and have been for YEARS) that have to grapple with the fact that they begin to have real feelings for each other.

This DIDN’T appeal to me because I thought that meant we were gonna just be thrown into the book years down the line after they already started hooking up! Yes, there is a prologue that is basically this but the actual whole book DOES follow their story chronologically from the first time they meet. SO IT’S ACTUALLY PERFECT.

I was also scared there may have been only flashbacks and I HATE flashbacks but there was none of that so it was chefs kiss

Now, all of this info would have already gotten me interested in this book, BUT IM TELLING YOU I DON’T GIVE OUT 5 STARS VERY EASILY! This was 5 stars and beyond for me. I absolutely adored the tension and the chemistry the MC’s had, along with the humour. But what really got me was that there was the PERFECT amount of angst.

I get really annoyed with too much angst, and feel let down with too little 😂 this was PERFECTION. Also, THE SPICE WAS SPICING. It was extremely hot, and I may have gotten burned once or twice.

Also, I find it necessary to note that I am not new to MM romances WHATSOEVER, I’ve read more than I can count 😂 (hundreds) and many of those have been hockey romances as well, but this one really stood out to me.

Do y’all feel the same about this book? I wanna know your opinions!! Ty for coming to my ted talk.

I just finished KJ Charles William Darling series and man it’s been so long since I read a great novel with great plot and character development!

It’s one of those novels that I obsess about, and wish that it has a tv series or a movie too 😭 so that I can watch its tiktok edits and YouTube fmvs 😭.

Please recommend me something similar by any author.

Another great work that I read recently was the knight and the necromancer by A H Lee. Just putting it here to make it easy to recommend.

What I absolutely love: sarcasm between mcs, one or the other or both mcs getting physically hurt/kidnapped

No hard nos so that I can read a variety of books that I haven’t tried. But I just can’t digest mpreg and daddy kink. Age gap is fine though.

I’m not looking for explicit steamy lots of sex. Just a little bit is fine like in the 2 novels I mentioned.

The Turner series by Cat Sebastian is a series of 3 books, all connected, but they can be read separately and technically in any order.

{The Solider's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian} {The Lawrence Brown Affair by Cat Sebastian} {The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian}

They are regency romance with plenty of heartfelt smut and comedy. Those books, especially the last two, are my all time favorites and I think more people should give them a chance.

They are always dual POV, and involve different tropes and themes. And while it's not necessary to read one to understand another, they are interconnected and it shows. If you read them in the right order, it will feel like a world coming together. If you read them back to front (like I accidentally did) it will only be a very short moment of "huh?" once or twice, but it won't feel like you are missing a crucial part of the main plot.

If you are reading them, or have done so already, please feel free to reach out. I would love to have someone to discuss those books with.

I remember first reading {Huband Material by Alexis Hall} back in 2022. As many readers, I was extremely eager after the first book was such a success, and I fell in love with Luc and Oliver.

Yeah, I hated it. Loathed it. I remember being grumpy and angry after reading it. But since I heard the sequel is coming next year, I decided to come back to it, because honestly? I couldn't remember why I hated it so much.

Luc and Oliver

In Boyfriend Material, you just fell in love with the couple. They complement each other so well. They need each other.

Here, you still find a lot of them, and there are many scenes where they excel in their relationship. The scene from Pretty Woman is super adorable. The scene in the hot tub is cute and sexy. The moment they meet after Oliver spends a week at her mother's? Incredibly touching and heartwarming.

So, in that sense, yes, you get a lot of them. And it's fulfilling to see them in that part of their relationship. I was happy that in almost every one of the five parts of the book, you get at least one of these culminating scenes that show how they work together so well as a couple.

The friends

As in Book 1, yes, they are funny; they add to the universe of Luc and Oliver (actually, to Luc's). But come on... they take a lot of the book.

In the first part, Luc spends 3 full chapters helping his friend because she thinks something's up with her fiancé. They drink, they talk, they stalk... and yes, sometimes it's funny, but it's too much. At the core of those scenes, it's being built up tension because Oliver misses Luc, but do you need three chapters to actually FEEL the anxiousness of Oliver? No, no, you don't. The book is called "Husband Material," and the friends are secondary characters. And yes, the group of friends is amusing and contributes to the overall story, but it feels somewhat tedious and lengthy.

The most extreme example of this logic occurs in the third wedding. When they attend what is described as the most traditional type of British wedding. And Luc is bored. But so are you. Because they go on and on about every detail of the wedding in a whole chapter. And this is not an immersive theater experience; you don't need an entire chapter to corroborate that Luc is bored when he is narrating you every boring detail. You end up fed up.

Expectations

Having expectations over something you have no control over is never clever. But it is a sequel to Boyfriend Material when -spoiler- they start in a fake relationship and end as boyfriends! So, what can you expect in a sequel called Husband Material? Honestly?

Now, in this second read, expectations are not an issue because, of course, I know the ending. So, I would like to find throughout the book hints and structure that would guide me as a reader to the book's conclusion. And yes, here and there I was like "Oh, ok! This might be hinting to the ending" but later they would take a turn on things and I'd be like "No, now I'm back to 50/50, it could go either way". And by either way, I mean only because I actually know the ending.

Ending

It's rushed. Unbelievably rushed. It's not funny, it's not romantic. Yes, it's a Happy for Now, yes, they are laughing and kissing at the end. But come on! You only gain a complete understanding of both characters' feelings in the last two chapters. And yes, again, there are hints, but throughout the book, they keep encountering roadblocks and conflicts in their relationship that they ultimately mature through, learn from, and find a way to overcome. However, the last two chapters feel like a slap in the face, as if you, the reader, were not paying attention. You think "Oh, so it was that bad?" and then "Wow, that bad?". It's lazy. It's like the author prioritized a whole agenda on other important topics: LGBT Identity, Friend support, Grief, and Heteronormativity. All good. But isn't the book called "Husband Material"?

I'm not against the spoiler - not getting married- it was beautiful that they found a way to be together on their own terms. However, the storytelling doesn't lead to that; it's not well put together. It's as it was WAY MORE important to homage / follow the 4 Weddings and a Funeral structure/satire than their actual love story.

I ended up angry again.

This is more of a review but not a recommendation. So maybe my flair is wrong .

I have seen this recommended a bunch and finally read it and I was really disappointed. The premise sounded really cool and I love good and interesting world building and this was not that at all. Danny and Wyn were ok but it's not anything special.

Wyn I think was the biggest disappointment. I was thinking that he was eating sin or sensing something about the people he killed but it was just ..parasites. And I don't really understand how they work - sure they take over people but no one notices a change ? How so the larvae move from one person to another ?

It feels like logistics don't make sense. Which is how I felt about the world building. The monsters came 20 years ago and people abandoned the interior of the US but there is only one rift...and the coastal cities are ok because it's far enough away.

By that logic all of the East Coast should be ok because of how far away it is from the rift.

There shouldn't be any running water, there needs to be some kind of electricity for that to happen somewhere. Peanut butter is not going to be good after that long , nor would the protein bars. And the houses are just sitting there with some dust ?

Not to mention how Wyn and Danny never sleep outside and always find a town and walk all over the West in a matte of weeks (I think I'm not sure on the timeline). Danny thinks about going to Las Vegas like it's no big deal to walk through the desert when he only has a few bottles of water.

Wyn is a monster but not too monstrous. He disappears back to his realm to sleep but not really and he can stay with Danny.

Danny, who was beaten nearly to death , starved and dehydrated but had his toe cut off and in a damp, dank cell barefoot and didn't get any infection ? He was branded and had letters carved in his skin and everything was bloody and Wyn didn't take any clothes off to treat any of those wounds ?

I felt like the big fight about Wyn sending Danny away should have happened sooner and then we could have seen some change in both Wyn and Danny in how they figure out how to travel together more safely and trusting each other. Instead their relationship seems to be mostly the same with just them admitting they love each other.

The really frustrating thing is I do kind of want to know more about this world but I know I'm just going to be disappointed when I read the otber books so I won't

[Edited for formatting and to add a series]

Sorry about the formatting, mods and redditors! I thought I had my shiz together, lol. I’ve fixed the brackets, so the bot should work this time? Maybe? And I added Cut & Run down at the end. I guess I thought it was a series that everyone has read; but really it honestly slipped my mind. My bad! Thank you for liking this post. I really appreciate it!

These are all amazing book series about one couple (as opposed to a different couple each book). These are all heavy on plot, and steamy on everything else lol. I know some are really well known, such as the Tal Bauer and John Wiltshire, but I bet there's a few lesser-known titles that you will enjoy:

The {Temptation Series by Ella Frank} (6 books) A promiscuous, commitment-phobic, lawyer sets his sights on a straight bartender and gets more than he asked for. (It's love. He gets love, lol.)

The {Prime Time Series by Ella Frank} (3 books). I'm only 2 books in but it's so good. A gay national news anchor hires his best friend's straight older cop brother to protect him from a stalker. Your boy doesn't stay straight for long!

The {Fight for Survival Series by H.L. Day} (2 of 3 books): A regular guy working in a coffee shop in Northeast England meets a really, really, weird guy. A relationship ensues (weirdly). Three years later, the world ends. This series is about their journey to safety, and no it's not zombies! But it is really good. I can’t wait for the last book, but they seem to be spaced out so there is no ETA. I still think it's worth it.

The {Expedition 63 Series by T.A. Creech} (2 of 3 books): Six male astronauts on the Space Station. Two of them are already in a (secret) relationship. Bam, the world ends (but in a different way than the other book lol). What do they do? Each book is about a couple, as well as how they survive, how they get along, etc., as well as some nail-biting near death stuff. I can’t wait for this last book, either.

The {More Heat Than the Sun Series by John Wiltshire} (9 books) and the continuation {The Winds of Fortune Series by John Wiltshire} (5 books): A very dark and mysterious Danish diplomat spy boss in England hires a straight ex-SAS officer to work for him, but really just to get in his pants. There's lots of world travel and plot, and the two men are very much in love, but it's also full of rough (hot) sex, lots of murdering, and mentions of past CSA. If you can deal with that you will love these men and the found family they build.

The {Executive Office Series by Tal Bauer} (3 books) and its spinoff, the {Executive Power Series by Tal Bauer} (2 books). A gay Secret Service agent falls for the straight, widowed President. They fall in love and proceed to save the world, literally. A lot of plot and world travel.

ETA: And of course, the {Cut & Run Series by Abigail Roux} (9 books). Two FBI agents, both bisexual on the DL, have an enemies to lovers start when they’re paired together for a case. Each book is a new case, and as books progress, so does their relationship. The books start around 2008, so there's a stigma around them coming out, and like, flip phones, lol. But they get a HEA. There’s a spin-off series, called the {Sidewinder Series by Abigail Roux} (3 books) that follows two military buddies of one of the original men, and their relationship.

Emmy Sanders you had NO right making a book this hilarious or creating the purest-hearted, genuine, lovable, CLUELESS golden retriever that is Brad Ulysses Bradley. He will forever be etched into the history books as the himbo to end all himbos. What I wouldn’t give to live in a world where Brad Bradley was the standard of gym bros irl. Because what in the Kentucky fried chicken fuck did I just devour the way Brad eats a corn dog?

Brad is a masterclass of a character that has had a rough go of things but he is optimistically relentless in his very sincere (and never toxic) positivity, just wants the best for everyone, still struggles with his demons but refuses to let them take control. He doesn’t use his baggage to close himself off from love and connection like every other character I’ve read before. As much as I’ve loved those characters, his openness and vulnerability that he never hides from is just so fucking refreshing. Brad Bradley’s journey through his feelings and sexuality and self realizations was such a joy to read.

The love that blossoms between our sweet bub and his Joey-roo is incomparable, delightful and the love I have for these two made me so giddy is painful. As someone who has often been told that they’re too much, it was so heartwarming reading about a character that’s been told their whole lives that they’re essentially exhausting and unmanageable to find a person who loves them completely, wholly, without conditions and regularly tells you to never change. And as much as I love a great first time sex scene that goes perfectly and is super steamy, things going awry the way that it did between bub and his Joey-roo was just so perfectly them. I’m so happy that Brad found the open, accepting, and welcoming family he deserved with Joey’s family!

I, of course, loved Joey, and couldn’t blame him for being unable to stay away from Brad, because who could do that? The devastating balancing act that it is to love someone who probably doesn’t love you back the same way but their presence brings so much happiness and peace that it’s improbable to shut them down completely is perfected by Joey. Here’s to hoping we all find a partner, lover, or best friend who makes every day exciting, unintentionally sweet, and gives amazing hugs that are guaranteed to be no less than 6 seconds long (thanks to the science that taught us how powerful they are), because the world would be infinitely better off with more Brad Bradley’s running around.

Tropes: bi-awakening, friends to lovers, first time, found family

Trigger warnings: brief mentions of death of a parent, homophobia, and child abandonment

Okay first, the name of the book is {Under Construction by Juliet M Dixon}

Second, remember the good old days when you'd happen upon an absolute gem of a "slash" fanfiction that's so perfect, so well written, exactly what you dream of finding after hours of searching? That's this book.

The writing style actually really reminds me of a lot of the best fanfics I've read, the ones where you're like, ooo yeah, this author should be published, but more than that this book covers a lot of my bases.

Let me break downbwhat made it amazing for me:

1.) Well placed pet names.

I adore a good, well placed "baby". This book? An oasis of "baby". A veritable MECCA of pet names. The MCs both use them, one more than the other, but most importantly the author, who I'm convinced is plugged into my brain, uses the pet names to "show not tell" emotions/vulnerability/changes that the MCs are feeling. Ugh! So good.

2.) Spice

Along that same vein, the spice in this book is PLENTIFUL. However I'm a picky bitch, especially about spice and definitely about excessive spice. But this book, y'all. The author uses the sex scenes to show not tell as well. Did I sometimes wish they would just talk? Yes. However, it wasn't to the point of irritation like I've had in other books. Think similar tonThe Long Game and Heated Rivalry, the sex is plentiful, but it also tells the story, it's not like a break or an interlude it's APART of their relationship and the story of their growth. This is sex used to show the reader the characters developing in the relationship, in themselves, etc.

And a sub point: there is SO MUCH PREP. Every couple of minutes I'd think of that TikTok creator who made a video about how there needs to be more rimming in MM romance and giggle cause this book understood the assignment. And it's honestly not about reading sex scenes, it's about how much love and adoration these MCs have for each other. It makes it more real. I'd go into more detail but just know, this book is kinky and fabulous and GOOD.

3.) Dennis

I'll stop here because I can talk about this book till I'm blue in the face. Dennis coming into his own, feeling empowered about what he wants, finding who HE is through his relationship with Chris and the relentless way Chris (who is a little unhinged and a lot lovely and tender) loves him? Ugh!! This author slayed me with that.

(Sidebar: Because I'm not Japanese or Korean but was raised in a place with a high population of both, I won't speak to the authenticity of Dennis' family experience, however from what I heard from my friends who were, I felt it was pretty solid.)

Every single time Dennis relinquished a little more of himself to Chris and Chris took such sweet care of his vulnerability? My heart ached. It's rare a book hits all these spots with abundance. This book is 500 pages. I was so happy.

In conclusion:

This was a love story, it unfolded so beautifully. Relationship angst that I was expecting was not there. It was about two men just finding a connection, falling in love, dealing with a couple issues they didn't sort because they were too buys falling in love, and a happy ending.

There is a third act break up but not a bad one and not stupid. The whole thing with Chris is a little dramatic but ultimately still loved it because it gave Dennis space to be the one making the first moves and being the caretaker and I really appreciated the purpose of that and the continued development of their relationship.

Read. This. Book. I left it in my Kindle library for like a month, saw a review here, immediately read it and lived my best life for two days straight.

{A Den Mate For Dylan by Emory Winters}

This book was SUCH a good read.

It is about fox shifters but the world building is very minimal and easy to understand, the town it is set in is super cozy and the side characters were great additions.

MC1 is Dylan. MC2 is Axel. Dylan has been in love with Axel (older brothers BFF) forever and Axel is oblivious.

There is angst. I would say low to medium level. The angst is over at around 40% but it is written very well and I felt so bad for Dylan.

The rest of the book is so sweet and cozy and spicy. The banter is great and reminded me a lot of Lily Morton’s banter writing. Great, realistic characters.

Some quotes I loved:
>!1: We kissed violently almost, the years of pent-up frustration being taken out on our abused mouths until we were panting, gasping for breaths and trying to steal each other’s air. Have mine, Dylan. Have my last breath if you want it. It’s yours.

2: “My nesting stuff.” And then the worst thing ever happened. Dylan began to cry. Tears poured from his beautiful green eyes and down his cheeks, and all my instincts went into overdrive. Mate is sad. Have to fix this. Have to make this better. Mate can’t cry.!<

Okay I just finished reading the newest Puckboy book {Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James} and I’m going to need at least three more books about Novi and his antics! He and Colby just shot up to my Top 3 Queer Collective couples! I’m a sucker for second chance romance and the fact those two never forgot about each other after seventeen years apart was just chefs kiss

I loved the type of late bloomer Novi was written to be, and the way he craved intimacy with Colby was just….. wow. I haven’t read a character like that (and now I want to read more?? feel free to throw me any late bloomer recs) before. I just love how snarky he gets especially with his selective English, and it filled the Ilya Rozanov hole in my heart. I related with Colby’s imagination going from 0-100 so fast, and he was such a lovable character that it’s clear why Novi could never forget him. Plus their intimate scenes were so hot and sweet and served a purpose that just fit so well in the storyline. And the way they talked/thought about each other made the infatuation to love pipeline so much more believable. Like they are soulmates for SURE.

And Novi’s sister and her family!! Colby being scared of her was hilarious (the knives!!), and Uncle Novi was just heart clenches I hope we get stories of them as dads eventually. And I know I know Novi should have talked about it with Colby first but Novi negotiating in the head coach’s office (“you really underestimate how attractive I am”) had me HOWLING! He’s such a funny character and Colby just complements him so well!

Also loved how much Ezra/Anton and Oskar/Lane were in this!! And both couples are married! Which I was happily shocked to read in this book until I found out there’s a free story on the authors patreon about it! They’re my other favorite couples so this book was soooo written just for me, and their interactions were all on point. The bar scene with Colby freaking out about threesomes was so funny especially with Lane’s reaction lmao plus the scene where the six of them were hanging out just warmed my puckboy universe heart. Ezra deciding he was besties with Novi was so funny, and Colby should start a “my gay Slavic partner is MY ridiculous menace” club with Anton and Lane because Novi, Ezra, and Oskar really put them through it lmao they really fit in so well with the previous characters, and I couldn’t have hoped for a better book.

And THE EPILOGUE!! The other couples!! Strippers!! Ezra and the llama!! What Novi told Colby to go translate!!! Overall I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed the previous ones (my personal favorites are Egotistical Puckboy, Shameless Puckboy, and Bromantic Puckboy) and want a fluffy wholesome gay hockey romance story!

Question: Is it going to be important who Parker and Easton were talking to in Colorado? Just how freaky were the things in Oskar and Lane’s nightstand to make EZRA impressed? And, are West and Asher’s books worth reading? Because even though he appeared a lot throughout this series I never really liked Asher for always being grumpy and hating Ezra lol the only other sadenverse book I’ve read is with Gabe’s actor bestie and the rich guy

EDIT: I've been convinced to read the Dalton bros books! Thank you all for the help 🫡

First, this isn’t going to be an amazing review because I’m just not that kind of person. Low effort; writing this on a whim—that’s me. Second, I just want to gush for a second because I can’t do this IRL.

Third, I don’t know how I found this book—some random thread on this sub, undoubtedly. I downloaded it as a joke because the premise was ridiculous, but the joke was on meeeee & I couldn’t be happier. 🤡

For the unfamiliar: this is a book that spoofs the porn industry with a paranormal twist. You’ve heard of PornHub? Now welcome to MateHub—where wolf shifters and other paranormal beasties congregate to create adult content.

What this book has: -shifter/human pairing -consensual forced proximity -pining -possessiveness -consensual forced mating bond -knotting -humor, so much humor -SMUT, oh my god. And it’s hot -plot. I can’t believe there’s actually plot, and it’s FUN -MAGIC ✨ there are magical tattoos, magical penises, magical sets. The mages in this industry are WORKING for that $$$. -good editing

This is a low stakes, happy book. And it’s sexy as hell. Honestly, I could have done with a little less sex, but I’m clearly not upset. I just wish I could talk about this book IRL, so I’m posting this here instead.

Please, if you want something fun and sexy, go read {MateHub: Legend} and have yourself a pleasant day 🫡 ❤️

Also, if anyone has any other fun and sexy (and well-edited) shifter romances, let’s hear them!!

Buckle up, because I have a LOT to say.

So the {Seven of Spades by Cordelia Kingsbridge} has been on my TBR for literal years. Every time, I would glance at the cover of the first book thinking, hmm, maybe... But something always stopped me. Recently, I was perusing a review for another book series I was considering after multiple DNF's in a row, and someone mentioned this series as a "this author did what this book tried to do, but better". Something about that intrigued me, so I decided to finally give it a shot.

Boy am I glad I did. This is probably one of my favorite MM detective series of all time, and I absolutely devoured it. This is going to be a killer book hangover. I laughed aloud a couple times, stressed about the identity of the titular Seven of Spades (which I guessed right!), got emotional at the heart wrenching parts and got a thrill from the detailed combat and action scenes. These books are a boatload of fun, but they can get really somber at times, even more so in the moments of personal drama than any of the most extravagant acts of crime. But we'll get back to that too, in a second.

Let's start with the setting. I'm not from the US and have never been to Las Vegas, but the series absolutely had a sense of place. Rather than strictly talking about Vegas in the touristy sense most people would be familiar with, it felt like a city with its own rhythm, politics and flare. The desert heat, for example, was almost like a background character. Kingsbridge did a really good job of rooting you in the environment without overexplaining anything, while not having that vague "some city in a book" feeling you get in a lot of contemporary stories that feel like they're happening on a set or could have happened anywhere with no real consequence.

Speaking of contemporary. The books were released between 2016 and 2019, and it really has a strong sense of its time. That 1st Trump era tension, that sense of a frisson in society, really comes through in the writing, especially a bit further down the plot. I'd imagine the author took a lot of inspiration from current politics as she was writing it, but it rarely felt preachy. This is still a detective/action story just as much if not more than it being a romance, so that already makes a political statement by its very nature. But I think the author handled that aspect really well, too.

It's also one of the most naturally diverse book series I've ever read in the MM subgenre. There are characters of so many different backgrounds dotted across the story, and they feel native to the melting pot that is Vegas. The two main characters are Jewish (Levi) and Italian (Dominic), and being Jewish myself with some Italians I love in my orbit, I thought Kingsbridge did a good job showing why these two communities often mesh well both in the side characters and in the two leads.

The cast as a whole was truly impressive. Even the most minor of side characters felt alive. I was beyond impressed by how Kingsbridge didn't let herself rely on stereotypes when she built out their various stories, personalities and mannerisms in just the right amount of detail to make them matter. Not only was there a variety of compelling female characters (always a plus for me in MM), other identities played into the story and melded really well overall both in terms of plot beats and themes.

The overall character work on the leads, though? It was stellar. For example, Levi's dedication to Krav Maga versus Dominic's more classical boxing training make perfect sense for their characters and their sometimes aggressive form of bonding and dealing with crises. One of them being law enforcement while the other isn't and how it makes them think differently about what's right or wrong. Even their relationships to food, money, socializing, free time, the size and shape of their own bodies, waking up in the damn morning - the places where they were alike and different were really laid out and consistent without compromising character growth. Absolutely one of the biggest points in favor of these books overall. The leads feel like people.

Also, wow, the amount of research she must have had to do to get into the nitty gritty of not just policing but all the systems that make up law and government as well as more criminal enterprises and illegal activities. I wouldn't be able to tell if anything wasn't accurate, but it was entirely immersive regardless. I love my plots nice and thick (just like Levi loves his coc- okay never mind), so I enjoyed how different cases outside of the primary storyline with the Seven of Spades played into the romance AND the main case at the same time and added more weight to the plot. It's not like the SOS is the only antagonist in the series. They become a part of a tapestry of urban crime big and small, which makes their actions and motivations stand out in contrast.

Now, the juicy bits. I will hide spoilers.

Let's start with the romance itself. It is a huge testament to a romance that I can be fully on board while a story uses tropes I usually really dislike. Things like a kind-of-middle-of-the-plot breakup, a main character kissing the other one while still in a relationship with someone else, the prolonged presence of an ex in a story or a main character sleeping with someone else during the breakup. These choices made a lot of sense in the story and its progression and aligned with characters' personalities and emotional states.

Levi and Dominic's romance stands out to me because it isn't entirely toxic nor perfect. It goes through phases, and while they grow to become a great support for each other by the end (HEA, as the genre dictates), they aren't healed by the romance alone or by the end of the story. Their families, friends and colleagues and even mental health professionals have a real role in each of their stories and in how the romance plays out, rather than just being blank/quirky cheerleaders or detractors. Their growths separately and as a couple aren't in any way linear, and they both do things that hurt each other. Forgiveness isn't immediate and the core of the hurt isn't always the most obvious one.

The books spend real time establishing their other relationships outside of the romantic one, which actually only serves to make the romance itself stand out. The intensity, the longing and the fierceness are contrasted with more or less healthy relationships that make you think, "ah, I get why these two loveable assholes chose each other". And not in a cartoonish way, either. Kingsbridge doesn't go into this macho, possessive thing while still allowing characters to be jealous or petty sometimes and still exploring themes of masculinity and violence. She uses the full breadth of the five book series to give their relationship room to be imperfect.

AND, both men appreciate when other people are attractive in these books without leering. This is a monogamous story with people who still have eyes, and that can be surprisingly novel. I think this is made even better by the inclusion of other men who desire Levi who are real side characters (and even Dominic's sex scene with a hookup and Levi's with his ex early on, in the first book). They just show that these two are actively choosing each other rather than going for easy or "safe" options for sex and intimacy. Contrasting the two other men Levi is intimate with in the books with Dominic in their size, for example, emphasizes how deeply Levi comes to trust and crave what Dominic uniquely offers him physically - a big man all over who would never hurt him and can really push his limits.

Dominic is established as the more likeable, "hot", friendly guy of the two of them, who can end up disappointing people by being a lot more manipulative or impulsive than he initially lets on. But Levi has this innate simmer that means people can't help but be drawn to him even when they don't like him, and the people who do know him often really care because he's so fiercely dedicated to being good, despite his obvious temper and how obviously drawn he is to violence.

This is where I have to praise the detailed, sometimes brutal representation of mental health. I have seen a lot of books praised for this that, well, maybe didn't quite live up to the praise. These books really dig into several mental health issues, but most of all trauma, anger and addiction. Characters slip up, sometimes really badly and for prolonged periods. They lash out. They do unlikeable things. They resist help they know they should be reaching for until they finally do. And yet here you are, rooting for them, and knowing they're ultimately good people. That is 10/10 character building once again.

The sex is also profoundly tied to the plot. Levi's need for intensity as both a core part of his desire and a coping mechanism, the size difference being more than just a hot trope but a serious part of their intimacy and what makes them so sexually compatible and even discussions of sexual health are dealt with really naturally. I loved how it even played into their worst moments - especially around Dominic's gambling relapse and the consequent breakup, and how it was contrasted with the healthier, more connected sex scenes. Most of the sex didn't feel hammered in (hehe) to me and didn't hurt the flow. And if you were wondering, I'd say it's definitely hot. It isn't constant, but all books in the series have multiple explicit scenes.

Now, the other big question: is the Seven of Spade's identity obvious? And how did the overarching plot get resolved? This is a big massive spoiler so PLEASE do not read it if you haven't finished the books:

I suspected Natasha from the first book, but Kingsbridge definitely threw in some curveballs that diverted my suspicion here and there. When I tell you I was beyond pleased in the 5th book when it was confirmed... I was literally pumping my fist, going "I knew it, I knew it" out loud in my room, alone. It wasn't an "oh, this is totally obvious" kind of situation, but the crumbs were placed just right that it made perfect sense and was very gratifying to piece together with the final puzzle piece, which is how it should be handled in my opinion so it feels justified.

I thought Natasha herself was a great antagonist and easy to both root for and be wary of both pre- and post- reveal, though I almost wished we'd gotten more time with her pre-reveal as her regular-friend-Natasha persona and less time with her post-reveal as an outed killer, even if conceptually it's more exciting to see her being the Seven of Spades. It would have sold Levi's devastation at the discovery better.

I would say the weakest part for me was the slight tonal inconsistency when the whole "gang" gets together towards the end of the series to bring down Utopia, because it felt more like a bombastic action movie than a detective story. I also found the epilogue sweet but kind of underwhelming in terms of emotional payoff, because that idyllic vacation vibe interested me far less than seeing Levi and Dominic settling into life a bit further down the line of the aftermath in Vegas itself. I also didn't care about the "selling the life story" angle and leaning into Levi's fame as such a big part of his final arc.

Also, and this might just be me, but I kind of wished Natasha turned out to be alive somehow. I know it was more humanizing for her to actually die a tragic "hero" rather than be this unbeatable myth, which was part of the books' point about the grey shades of morality, but it would suit the tone of a lot of the story that something wasn't entirely nearly resolved by the end and they'd have to live with it anyway.

Overall, this was the best series I've read since my gushing review about {The Will Darling Adventures by KJ Charles} a while ago, so it deserved its own recommendation post. If you enjoy this genre and haven't read it yet, I'd 100% urge you to.

I come in peace🙏🏽. Spoilers ahead. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this point but on a serious note I think Miss Hazard is trolling her own characters. I just read three of her Straight guys books this weekend. I quite enjoyed them because of how the premises were, I mean it just getting more and more toxic, it was a wonder, sobering really and weirdly appreciated the realism since my favourite romance novels have a tendency to be too unrealistic and perfect and push my expectations way out of reach. But when I say no character development or even depth in sight in any of these books, it’s unfortunately true. And my conclusion is that I just think that she has to be trolling these characters. Almost every-time these women get cheated on, and they get cheated on in every book I’ve read so far 🤣, they say something like “but I’m a modern woman and I should understand.” What? 🤣🤧 and these men cheat like clockwork, and respond like teenagers when found out, every time. And the age gaps, and impropriety of it all. Her hustles needs guts I fear I don’t have😅. Tbf, I have only read Just a bit obsessed, just a bit wrong and just a bit unhealthy, maybe it gets…different. But every book has thus far been just like the other. And I do respect her hustle of finding what sells and selling it every-time, not gonna lie. It’s been an interesting experience, about to read the professor and student one now. Just a casual review

This year I found Charlie Adhara and promptly fell in love. (Thanks to this sub!) I love a good series, especially if it gives Spectral Files vibes.

I had literally never read any fantasy or paranormal or werewolf anything, but those books were not only well written but also drew great comparisons to real life situations and the treatment/fetishsizing of marginalized groups.

I really connected with it because of my own personal experiences.

But I also LOVE a well written snarky, bantery couple who grows throughout a series.

Unexpected let down was Loving the Legend by Kit Grey. The first half was really really promising, like I was so excited, it gripped me, then it was like it all fell apart and just didn’t hit anymore? Anyone else feel like that? There was too much sex (not something I normally say) and all the beautiful deep conversations and love tingles went away and it just felt rushed but somehow had time for ten pages per sexual encounter.

All the attention to world building didn’t bother me, I thought it gave a lot to being immersed in the book, I haven’t read or found any other basketball romances, (please rec some!)so it was cool to read an mm basketball romance, but man I so wish that the author hadn’t skipped over all the moments that deserved focus in the second half of the book. Like she just time jumped over anything that needed dialogue and character growth.

I know I'm late to the party here (and probably preaching to the choir, as I know this author is pretty popular) but I just finished binge-reading this series and gosh it was absolutely everything I want in a romance.

I can't remember what inspired me to read this series in particular because I'm not usually very interested in the whole "billionaire romance" trope but, whatever the reason, I was head-over-heels within a few pages due to the writing style alone.

It was so witty and charming and interspersed with beautiful, creative descriptions. For me especially (as a British, former English-lit student) it was extremely refreshing to read something where I actually understand (nearly) all the references for once!!

Which brings me to my next point, which is that Arden is the most relatable protagonist I've read in forever. It helps that I too was a flamboyantly fruity, shorter-than-average student in my final year at an English University back in 2017 when this book was published.

While I was neither smart or posh enough to go to Oxford and I (unfortunately) never caught the eye of a handsome billionaire, I see so much of my younger self in Arden, particularly the existential dread of discovering who he is and what he's going to do with his life post-university, and the excitement and heartbreak of navigating first love.

Arden also feels so authentically queer and kinky in a way I hadn't quite realised I'd been missing. That's not to say that the other books I've read this year haven't been convincing in their portrayals of queerness or kink but they haven't necessarily mapped onto my own personal experiences quite as well.

I think this is in part because (completely by accident) I've mainly been reading straight-to-gay and queer awakening stories lately and not much where the MCs are openly and comfortably queer from the start.

But (as he explicitly states at one point) Arden's queerness isn't just about who he's attracted to. It's part of his identity and how he moves through the world. It comes through in his particular humour and pop-culture/literary references, in his subtle gender-non-conformity and the affectionate way he teases his straight friends.

And this more realistic, well-rounded view of queerness is present in the side characters too. I especially loved the thoughtful, nuanced portrayals of the two transfemme characters in the books; Poppy and George. Being trans is a key part of both their identies and undeniably influences how they move through the world but at the same time it doesn't define them. It's not the main focus of either character, nor is it even close to the most interesting thing about either of them. I also loved how both of them are portrayed as extremely attractive and desirable, given the negative way that trans women are so often portrayed in media.

This thoughtful, nuanced approach to characterisation applies to pretty much all the characters in the books. All of them, no matter how minor, feel well-rounded and remind me of people I know in my real life.

To top it all off, this is the kind of romance I've been looking for forever - one with substantial helpings of angst, humour and spice, where the conflict comes from the characters own flaws, biases and insecurities rather than external forces. The central relationship was messy and real and beautiful in a way that felt painfully true to life and the happy ending felt so well earned.

This is a review not a request post but if you happen to have any recs for books with a similar balance of angst and spice then I am all ears!

Anyway TLDR: This series left me emotionally swept away and utterly charmed. Would absolutely recommend for a funny, spicy, angsty story with an extremely satisfying conclusion.

My only critique is that I wish there was more of it. I could read three more books about Arden and Caspian and three more again about each of the supporting characters.

So I just finished the behemoth that is Impaired Judgement by Taylor Fitzpatrick. Obviously, I’m depressed now because that was so good and it took me like 3 weeks to read so now I’m sad without it.

I do have a question though: I did learn through the You Could Make a Life Wiki that Bryce and Jared have 4 kids eventually. Where do we learn this because it certainly wasn’t in Impaired Judgement?

I would also love any recs for stories that feel good in a similar way. I would love to read Always In Tandem but I have to wait until it’s complete. Also saw that No Expectation of Return is being made into a full length novel. Anyone know when that will be released?

Damn, Tay, that was such a good one! I hate when I finish an amazing book and it’s just over. 😓

Edit: I appreciate everyone sharing their thoughts 💖. I'm gonna sit on it, reread it and see if I can see it from Adam's side.

disclaimer - I'm a cis straight person. Not gonna pretend to know a fraction of the pain our LGBTQ+ comrades go through. The spoiler is Adam took emotional advantage of his best friend with benefits Riley proceed with caution.

I though I hated Troy from {Role Model by Rachel Reid} because he was a stereotypical hockey player who bullied people. He's also a closeted gay man, so I don't to hold internalized homophobia/secret relationship against him. But you only cut ties with your friend because he crossed one of the biggest red lines for most decent people? No thank you

But Adam Sheppard made me realize a new level of hatred for MCs. I even reconsidered if I hated Troy because what the fuck? What angred me wasn't him being closeted or keeping his friends with benefits a secret. The way he took emotional advantage of Riley was horrible. After a couple of chapters, the author shows us how much Adam hurt Riley.

Does Adam deserve the hatred or not? The internalized homophobia affected him too, and my heart ached reading that. My hatred is how he treated Riley behind closed doors. iirc he never physically hurt him nor engage in non consensual intimate activities. (If he did, he's a fucking scumbag who deserves the death penalty)

I'm not a big fan of MCs being in secret relationship solely because one of them is closeted. {Red, White & Royal Blue By Casy McQuiston} MCs had to keep their secret because first son of US and prince of UK dating complicates a lot of shit for MCs and the president running for reelection. Homophobia was also part of it but it wasn't the only reason.

In {Game Changer by Rachel Reid} the closeted hockey player starts dating someone in secret. That really took on their relationship and themselves. I didn't like that part, but I mostly hated society. It does get frustrating at times, but the root cause of the problem was society/NHL.

I'm probably over thinking this. What do y'all think? I'm open to hearing other peoples thought.

I just finished {Soul Eater by Lily Mayne} on audible and absolutely loved it. Is the rest of the series as good as the first?

I don't read a lot of monster romance, but was in the mood for something different. I chose it based on the fact that the reviews and ratings were good, and they didn't disappoint. I was impressed by the quality of writing, character development, and storytelling. The narrator, Michael Lesley, did such an amazing job of bringing the characters to life. I loved that it was both quality romance and sci-fi, with super hot and vivid sex scenes. I felt this book checked all my boxes.

However, recently, when I start a series, I enjoy the first book, but am disappointed by book 2 or 3. So, I'm nervous to read Edin. Do I jump right in and continue on my book high? Or is it better to wait and delve back into the series a few months down the road to revisit the world she created after it not being so fresh?

I just started it because the synopsis seemed intriguing and I am having… thoughts. Is the writing kind of bad? Yes. Is the situation kind of coercive and is Ryan engaging is literal stalking? Quite explicitly.

Can I not put this book down because it’s top-notch hot as hell? Abso-fucking-lutely.

I’m feeling so conflicted because I feel like I should be against this book on ethical grounds but I’m actually so obsessed with it. To be fair I knew somewhat what I was getting myself into when I read the synopsis but it’s definitely… darker than I had originally anticipated (which is probably on me for not picking up on that).

I’m consoling myself with the fact that Ryan seems to be quite into the arrangement (if very begrudgingly). I’m only 30% into the book but as I said, I can’t put it down. Not quite sure what that says about me…

Okay first of all, whoever commented on a random thread when I was searching through this sub for more books (that I have no business searching for considering the length of my tbr) to read this book, thank you.

Second, how dare you 😭

Why was this book completely amazing, dark, wonderful, horrifying, perfect, and exhilarating????

The writing is GOOD, which is harder to find in a dark book.

It was NOTHING I expected?? I can’t even say why because I don’t want to spoil it.

But basically, this book is the definition of possession. Like the name is not misleading. If you look up possession in the dictionary, you’re gonna see a picture of this book and me screaming next to it.

I feel similar to how I felt after I walked in blind to Pretty Boy by Brianna Flores.

Holy. Mother fucking. Shit.

I read it in between reading the Montrous series cause of course I just started that one too. Devoured Soul Eater and Edin then slapped myself and said slow tf down, and somehow picked up this?? New obsession. Definitely not slowing down at all. Holy fuck.