Mx. Phoebe

Holy sugar Rough and Tumble is intense. Shae Connor takes us on two separate journeys. Two young men whose friendship path takes a hard left when Grant walks in on his friend and roommate Darryn being intimate with a guy. The shocks keep coming for Grant as Darryn shares more with him. This is where the hard left comes in.

Connor then takes us into possible trigger territory for some readers as they deal head on with abusive relationships. The choices people can make when they think their love is unrequited and how we all want love and what it is supposed to look like. The road can be dangerous instead of filled with rose petals.

Grant's road is just as treacherous as he has to face his own truths about himself, his relationship with Darryn, and with being a homosexual. What is being a friend? How can you be a friend through the bad times and the good? When, when, when...all of those “whens” that have to be answered while still trying to figure out who you are.

Connor adds in competitive gymnastics and the pressure mounts.

The “warning” at the end of the synopsis makes it sound as if the book focuses on the aftermath of the toxicity and this is not true. Rough and Tumble is about all of Darryn's relationships even though the voice is Grant's. Connor makes this story more about friendship and family than about romance. There is romance and a happily-ever-after...don't worry. I just want to emphasize that Connor focuses on the coming of age aspect versus the dating and romance part.

Rough and Tumble's characters draw you in and don't let go. I want to see where they end up and you will too.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Jennie Davids showcases the needs of children through Sierra and Jamie's love story Inked with a Kiss. Children are neglected or get lost in a system for very various and Davids tackles a few of them in Kiss. This book be a trigger for some people as it deals with alcoholism, abandonment, disowning due to being gay, homelessness, and kids in general suffering in system they should not be living in. Davids handles this sensitivity and realism. There is no escaping a harsh truth.

Davids does give us respite by surrounding these circumstances with Sierra and Jamie's love story. Two people affected by these issues who need to see their own truth before stepping forward.

Don't worry there is plenty of humor in this story. Life is funny - remember that. Davids does an excellent job of balancing both.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Arizona Tape does the impossible and writes a dark, twisted, steamy, violent, “OMG did that just happen!” - romance with Play to Kiss.

The covers are designed by Vampari Designs, aka Arizona Tape, are simple with their deception. The clean and innocent covers hide the dark romance inside and it is a brilliant marketing concept. I also love the covers due to their mark difference from Tape's other covers.

Play to Kiss hits every trigger there is if someone has one, BUT Tape warns readers first. Plus, once warned you know what to expect and...(laugh) I just lied. Tape surprises at almost every turn. This is a dark romance. I am trying to think of an example, Killing Eve, keeps coming to mind, but this definitely goes a step further.

There is subterfuge, betrayals, mystery, and of course murder. Tape layers it all brilliantly within or should I say around the romance. It is hard to say which is dominant: the mystery or the romance. I am so glad I have the next book because I cannot wait to see if the threads I see are picked up in book two.

The romance in Kiss is so good.

If you have never picked up the first book in “The Twisted Trilogy”, now is the time to do so before the third book is released. It is a Dexter of a ride.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

[b:A Sweetwater Christmas 43922042 A Sweetwater Christmas Anne Hagan https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1549888717s/43922042.jpg 68345400]First day of school and already Emmie gets a teacher's pet in the form of longhorner Cass Prater.Things move fast in Sweetwater, blink and marriage is already being talked about. Anne Hagan moves things along quickly in A Sweetwater Christmas, but then she tackles a lot of issues in this story. Emmie's family does not know she is a lesbian, she wants to move out of the county to get a job elsewhere to be able to live a freer life with her son, and has already started this process. Meanwhile, Cass is going back to college to learn about wind farming to keep her farm going and take care of her extended family. One is moving away and the other is staying, when all of sudden things change and all kinds of issues are having to be addressed head on to include being fired on a moral's clause at Christmas time. The pace is unusual for a romance, but to cover the ground work that Hagan does it is necessary. The sex at times is very good and other times, I was left saying “ummm that's it”, but then I like sex so I always want more. (laugh) A shorter version of this story originally appeared as “Sweetwater Texas” in Loving Blue in Red States.I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.#FridayReads #BookReview #AnneHagan #ASweetwaterChristmas #PG13Sex #LesbianRomance #Lesbian #Romance #ChristmasRomance #LGBT #BoldStrokesBooks #3Stars #PhoebesRainbowWorld #FlippingRainbows

I love holiday romances and especially those where veterans get a happy ending. Sofia Aves writes a sweet holiday romance. Aves manages to balance the reality of the hardship and difficulty of a veteran coming home from deployment and the hope of love.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Let me preface this review that even though Assault in Asheville is the fourth in the “Amanda Rittenhouse Mystery” series this can be read as a standalone. Matter of fact, I do not think I have read a Kate Merrill book before and thank goodness I have corrected this oversight.

Asheville, NC is where the tea is at, honey, whew! Merrill causes so much drama I am surprised that rainbows have not flocked there in droves. Holy sugar! Never mind that Amanda left drama back at home and it is HUGE drama there. Now she is in Asheville with hungry lesbian and murder is afoot. Well attempted murder...I kind of fudged the tag line for dramatic purposes. This is not to say that Merrill's perpetrator does not try multiple times. I told you there was tea.

There are secrets within secrets and Amanda stumbles upon them as the newcomer to the scene. I think sometimes outsiders can see things that people living in the forest cannot see and Merrill takes advantage of this in Assault.

The mystery is solid and makes sense. Amanda can find trouble anywhere (laugh). The secondary characters are just as interesting as the main characters. I think Merrill should have a side mystery with our lovely sheriff and her young cop.

I am going to go back and start at the beginning, which oddly enough is another series (laugh) that Merrill wrote. This is a great mystery to spend a rainy day with or sit in the backyard on a sunny day. Huddle down in Asheville and enjoy all of the mayhem and tea which Kate Merrill serves with panache.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Turning Two is my favorite story of the three in Queen Vs. Queen. It could just be that I love veterans (chuckle). Either way, Hagan nailed the assignment.

If you are looking to check off the Ice Queen category for any of the reading challenges, pick this anthology because you can't go wrong here.

Check out the rest of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint. Link in bio.


I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Melissa Brayden gives us two movers and shakers in a Beautiful Dreamer.

Devyn with her suits and fast pace lifestyle is the hustler you want to sell your property. Elizabeth will take care of your life. Her business is to make your life easier and she hustles to get these jobs done all while wearing a smile on her face.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Lucy takes on the Vampire Council when she decides to close down blood slavery.

Lucinda Corentine thought it would be easy to get the Vampire Council's support to close down the blood slavery auctions until she found out they backed it. Now she has to take on the Council, find out who owns the warehouses, and get the evidence to stop them.

There is also still the mystery afoot at home with Jester, the mysterious blind cat who just showed up at her door and hates her. Then there is Mika, her own “blood slave” who is just as mysterious as Jester. Then there are some adjustments to make within her own personal relationships.

Live up to her Grandmother's faith in her. Take on the Council. Plus keep the peace in her home and live happily ever after? No fangs!
Laura Greenwood and Arizona Tape bring their usual high-grade octane to Fangs For All (Twin Souls Publishing, B07XBXS7YM, 2019) the third book in their paranormal mystery series “The Vampire Detective”.

There is action, mystery, drama, and romance. I love this book because it extends beyond the norm and I cannot even say why without giving a spoiler away. Greenwood and Tape let us know right away who the villain is but we get to go on Lucy's journey to catch him and that is where the fun comes in.

Greenwood and Tape are an amazing combination and I cannot wait to read the next book in “The Vampire Detective” series.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

There are so many elements and layers to this tale that it is a little overwhelming to have to pick what I liked most. There isn't anything I don't like about Truth to Light. It is complicated, deep, and fascinating. I guess that's how I feel (laugh).

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Sophie Whittemore creates their own world in Minnesota and I do not want to live there. Just saying. Whittemore's descriptions are creepy and otherworldly in Catch Lili Too. I want to echo Byron's, then Lili's, and freaking everyone else's, “Why would you go there?!”

Whittemore compiles their own Scooby gang and what a cast of characters we have. Let's run a quick rundown: Byron the gay poltergeist, Jason the trans necromancer with ADHD, Jo the Asian lesbian ghoul, Ikiaq the Indigenous Inuit shapeshifter, and rounding out the gang is the newly powere Patty the lesbian witch. Oh and let's not forget the “how did I get myself into this?” leader Lili who is an asexual Siren. Talk about a diverse cast of characters. Do not worry, Whittemore adds more to this collective, but they also take some away. Be forewarned.

Catch Lili Too is told through Lili's point-of-view and Whittemore breaks the fourth-wall by having Lili talk directly to us which is amusing. Plus Whittemore has some of the funniest chapter headings for this story and it matches Lili's voice perfectly.

The story seems simple enough as it is about a tired and depressed immortal who does not know whether she wants to live to see another day when they are all the same. Lili is just passing through Gamin when she runs across the first dead body...and then somehow ends up finding another and another until she is investigating the murders with a rag-tag and quickly growing team. It sounds so simple, but Whittemore makes it so delicious.

I was hooked. Gamin has vampires, witches, zombies, and more. This is not a place you want to be for Halloween. Whittemore needs to write more about our “Scooby Gang” as I cannot get enough. Action. Romance. Diversity. Blood. Lots of blood. Catch Lili Too is a book you want to seek your teeth into...or claws - either way works. Just read the first book in the “Gamin Immortals” series and meet the gang so you recognize them when they knock on your door.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Arizona Tape has once again “wowed” me. New Lease of Love tackles a tough issue and does not shy away from the harshness of it. (I just had to read the synopsis to see if Tape mentions anything and does not so no spoilers rainbows!!!! Almost had me!) Tape introduces Quinn and Olivia's first meeting on the first page and in the middle of it. We are literally dropped cold feet into their waters just as Quinn is in her new life.

Tape gives us both character points of view which is great as we see how they both deal with the changes that end up resulting from that first meeting. Then once Tape puts on the steam...whew. So much can be said in a kiss if Tape is writing it. The love scenes are fade-to-black, but who cares when a kiss goes on for a page?!

All I can say is that I want to sit at the Rainbow Central with a coffee after work and dance at it on a Saturday night. I just want more.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Blood Moon is different from the first book and stands on its own. I cannot wait for the third (hint, hint, huge hint).

Check out the rest of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint. Link in bio.


I got this book from my library. I love my local library and you should check out yours too. Request LGBTQ+ books and they will stock them! #freethebooks

T.B. Markinson and Miranda MacLeod bring matchmaking to the 21st century with The Love Project.

I can so relate to this premise. Anyone who has a project or business that needs to earn money has to change everything about how they do business versus ten years ago, five years, and if heavily dependent on online purchases a year makes a difference.

The fact that Joni has to convince her Mom and her unsupportive father to leave the safety of what is known into an unknown and uncertain success is what most people deal with today. Markinsons and MacLeod do justice to this struggle.

It helps that there is a romance filling in what could just be a boring plot. (I say boring because I live this struggle both as a person trying to hustle and as a single person who is dating.) Romance always fixes things. I love the gradual buildup to Joni and Hope's romance. The struggle is real when it comes to dating. Markinson and MacLeod make it look fun, crazy, and depressing - it is! They also bring the heat for Joni and Hope.

There are some interesting twists I didn't see coming and that is always a nice surprise.

Kudos to Markinson and MacLeod for bringing us yet another Love Project that we can root for.

I like the premise of Bi-Furious. Chelsi Robichaud writes a true bisexual story where I did not know if Jess was going to end up with Rick or Lily as there is good solid chemistry between both couples. I thought the issues with Jess' realization that she is bisexual are solid.

I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.


Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily. I am sorry to say that I did not connect with the characters in this book. You might, so please do not take my opinion as anything other than a reader who did not make a connection.

Romance is what can get us through a hard time and Alexander provides it through flashbacks and how Carrie and Liza come back together. This romance brought me great cheer. A Masc for Purim has a little bit of everything, but mainly it has a happy ending which I love.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Cade Haddock Strong tackles what happens after the glory in this sports tale. Karla has spent her entire life skiing, training to ski, eating to ski, curbing her entire life to ski. Then she does not make it to the U.S. Ski Team. That's okay because there is a backup plan as she is going to go to college and ski for them. Then in an instant all of that changes. What happens after you can't compete anymore? I love sports and the dedication and training that goes into any sport. I kind of relate to the feelings Karla has as I am disabled Veteran who used to do biathlons. Strong nails the emotions and frustrations that Karla experiences. I love her personal growth story.

I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Janssen has laid the ground floor for what could be an exciting series about PTSD, life after war, human and non-human relations, and just personal relationships in general. I am excited to see whether refuge can be found after war for Talia, Miki, and Faigin. Finding Refuge is definitely just the beginning.


I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Liz Faraim's new series is interesting. I like the mystery. I didn't guess the killer, but I did guess the accomplices (of a sort). The mystery doesn't get solved quickly so we get to see the full impact of the event on Randy's life.

Check out the rest of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint. Link in bio.



I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Cursed is an epic story about friendship, family, and romance.

To call this a slow-burn romance would be true, but it is a really slow...slow...slow burn (chuckle). I will give a spoiler, it takes over a hundred years for Sandro and Raijin to get together romantically.

Cursed is a beautiful friends to lovers romance that concentrates on the foundation of a relationship. It may take a hundred years, but the journey is an interesting one.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.

Cheyenne Blue gives us a bit of a twist on the fake dating/marriage trope as everyone knows that Tarryn and Sophie are not getting married for real, but faking it leads to real complications.

Read more of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint - link is in the bio.

I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

I'm hooked. Laurel Beckley has written an intriguing mystery set in the future yet one that we can live in because nothing quite works the way it's supposed to (chuckle).

Check out the rest of my review at Mx. Phoebe's Viewpoint. Link in bio.


I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Overall, it is the relationships between Sloane and her partner, Decker, and Reagan that make this story worthwhile for me. The mystery is solid.

Had to read in one sitting! Laughed, got teary-eyed, and sighed with happiness at the happy ending. Markinson and MacLeod have provided a much needed escape from the world with Take Two. Loved it!