Susan Scribner

3.5 stars I really enjoy this absurdly-named author, but she needs an editor, stat! So many comma splicings, characters labeled with the wrong name and other errors. That weakness detracted slightly from a very sweet romance but I still enjoyed it, especially the first half. The author says she is interested in why and how characters fall in love, and accordingly, we are shown, not told as the two MCs get to know each other from grudging attraction to swoony crush and genuine caring. The last third of the book is a bit drawn out after the inevitable conflict but the end left me with a silly smile on my face.

Felt pretty Meh about this book. Some cute scenes but the world building was under-developed. Could have used more explanation of Lang's background and home planet, and fewer sex scenes. Not as enjoyable as Jensen's [b:Chaos Station 23595481 Chaos Station (Chaos Station, #1) Jenn Burke https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422552182s/23595481.jpg 43197919] series that she co-authored with Jenn Burke.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3. I hate to post a lukewarm review when the book hasn't even been published yet, but Contraband Hearts did not work for me as a love story at all. First, the two MCs barely interact until almost halfway through the novel. When they finally do meet, there's a lot of kissing/making out, then pushing each other away. Then they suddenly decide they're in love with each other, based primarily on their assessment of each other's character and physical appearance (as opposed to actually spending time together and getting to know one another). Secondly, although Perry is supposed to be an experienced, highly regarded customs officer, he spends a lot of time getting hit over the head and being at the mercy of various bad guys. The last third of the book is the strongest, as Perry finally gets to kick some butt, and the climactic scene manages to be exciting, poignant and even funny as the two MCs are forced to examine how much they really want to achieve the disparate goals they have been trying to accomplish for so long. Beecroft's writing is stellar as always, and her secondary characters are interesting (I would argue some of them are more interesting than the MCs), plus the risky experience of living as a free black man in 18th century England is an important issue to examine. I had similar “insta-love” concerns about the last Beecroft book I read ([b:Foxglove Copse 34093999 Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack, #5) Alex Beecroft https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487206368s/34093999.jpg 55111151]) so maybe her style just isn't right for me. YMMV, especially if you are looking for a well-written adventure story.ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

Started out really strong - I loved the combination of enemies-to-lovers and hurt/healing tropes. But then the two MCs end up at the amnesiac's family estate and the plot screeches to a halt, except for a lot of sex. Even the denouement is anti-climactic. Then there's the ending - okay, we all want a HEA or HFN for our MCs, but given the historical time period, this one was just too much rainbows and unicorns for me to buy.

I was hoping Ruby Moone would be one of my new go-to historical MM authors, but I think I'll limit myself to considering her books when they are on sale or very strongly reviewed.

Cute but slight. Made me miss secret agents Daniel and Gennady from Gray's 2020 far more serious [b:Honeytrap 55135062 Honeytrap Aster Glenn Gray https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598478534l/55135062.SY75.jpg 85889122].

Breezy, entertaining look at 100+ years of movies that bombed. They weren't all awful movies; many were victims of bad timing, studio interference, or auteurs given too much freedom. I was most interested in the chapters about movies before my time, such as William Friedkin's Sorcerer, which was released in the midst of the 1977 Star Wars frenzy and sank like a stone, and 1935's Sylvia Scarlett, which almost destroyed Katherine Hepburn's career. I don't need another takedown of Cats; I can find snark about “the butthole cut” anywhere on the internet.

Did anyone tell the cover artist that the hero of this novel is African-American? Or was the publisher worried that that an accurate picture might scare away prospective readers? While I have enjoyed this series in a guilty pleasure sort of way, I thought the portrayal of the one African American hero as an oversexed joker was just a teensy bit racist, although perhaps I am too sensitive. Apparently the next book is the last in the series (for now at least) so hopefully it will end on a strong note.

Cute but under-developed novella that might have worked better as a full-length novel with more time to devote to each subplot. Didn't quite feel the HEA spark between Joe and Eddie, although I definitely believed they liked each other. And while the current day mystery is solved, the truth about the centuries-old mutiny that pitted Joe's ancestor against Eddie's is never determined. Hiccup the dog stole the show though.

Zarah Detand can write strong scenes between her MCs with clever dialogue and lots of UST, but my god, this book was LONG. It needed more plot besides: Joshua and Leo flirt with each other, talk about it with their BFFs, sleep together, talk about it some more with their BFFs, and agonize over why they can't be together for 350 pages. I like a good slow build romance as much as anyone else but there has to be something else to keep my interest. And for a novel about the heir to the British throne, there was very little that felt genuine or fleshed out. I don't mean that every royal romance has to have a severely disapproving monarch (see [b:Red, White & Royal Blue 41150487 Red, White & Royal Blue Casey McQuiston https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487.SY75.jpg 61657690] or [b:His Royal Secret 31178834 His Royal Secret (His Royal Secret, #1) Lilah Pace https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1468969648l/31178834.jpg 49767076]), but Joshua's entire family is immediately 100% fine with his coming out and the object of his affection, to the point where they barely register as real people. Maybe reading this book immediately after watching Season 4 of “The Crown” was a bad idea, as the series doesn't paint the most flattering portrait of British royalty. So maybe I viewed even this fictional version with skepticism from the start. YMMV if you are more of a Anglophile than I am, and don't mind endless scenes of characters saying “He can't possibly want me!” and “He can't possibly be with someone like me!” ad nauseum.

I'm glad this wasn't the first Claire Davis/Al Stewart book I read because it might have been my last. I think they do best when they use dual POVs - in this book I didn't really get a sense of Troy at all, other than the fact that he was troubled, and there seemed to be little growth or change in his character. Cal's journey was more evident, as his past slowly came to light with the help of the most caring parole officer ever.

I was trying to be a Davis/Stewart completist but this was a misfire. I still love them for the Adam and Tork series and their latest masterpiece, Oskar Blows a Gasket.

3.5 stars. Sweet slow burn romance, with the angst largely related to the two MCs' families, not the MCs themselves. Got a little too sappy at the end, and the large Italian family was a tad too stereotyped but I would definitely re-read if I wanted a quick feel-good read.

Very well written novel about the various forms and features of motherhood, although the message is a little heavy-handed, and the suburban mom character approached caricature at times. It would provide plenty of fodder for a book club discussion because the reader's own experiences with motherhood will color her view of each character's actions and decisions. Not as good as Ng's debut novel, Everything I Never Told You but definitely a strong sophomore effort.

This novella has been enthusiastically recommended to me so many times that I was worried the reality wouldn't live up to the hype. Fortunately, that was not the case. Coffee Boy was a charming, poignant and funny romance between Kieran, who is a trans man, and Seth, who is bisexual and Kieran's supervisor at his unpaid internship for a political campaign. Seth is a bit of a grump, but he is the only one in the office who doesn't misgender Kieran, and the two have some lovely scenes together as they open up to each other (plus one smoking hot love scene). The story helped me understand the daily stresses of being transgender, and how tempting it is to have low expectations for your life when every single interaction is a potential landmine. I'm glad I finally got around to reading this, and I can now join the ranks of those who sing its praises.

I don't know how the hell to review this book. For about 85% of it I was going with 2 stars because I thought the relationship between James and Ben was emotionally abusive, and then by the story's end I felt somewhat differently (trying not to spoil anything here). Very well written, with strong plot and characters, but I felt more sad and disturbed than happy and fulfilled at the end (the HEA seemed more of a crowd-pleaser than a natural conclusion). Bottom line is that I don't think I want to read anything else by this author, talented though she may be. If you like gritty, dark and real more than fluffy kittens you might find it to be a 5-star book.

4 stars for the storytelling, 2 stars for the awkward sentence structure and grammatical errors. And maybe one more ding for always referring to Angel's dragon familiar as a “wee beastie.” Are we in Boston or Scotland?

I love the world that Himes is creating, and I'm always a fan of series in which the two MCs have a solid relationship that continues to evolve (much preferable to having a manufactured crisis in each installment that keeps the couple apart). But her writing needs some serious copy editing; the mistakes pulled me right out of the story numerous times.

I'll keep reading the series because I want to see what happens to Angel and Simeon, and to a lesser extent Isaac and David (neither young man seems capable of carrying a book by himself yet). Judging from the numerous 4 and 5 star reviews, I'm very much in the minority, so YMMV if you are less of a grammar snob than I am.

Cute contemporary romance with a message (“be yourself, everyone else is taken”) and a gentle but sincere criticism of bias within the gay community. Lionel is fabulous (even when he tries not to be) and Dog/Doug is earnest (and master of the Grand Gesture). Thornton wisely doesn't wrap up the book with a flowery HEA, just a hopeful HFN that sees the two very different men working together on a genuine, promising relationship. I was confused and bothered by the book's “punchline,” (the masc guy likes to bottom) which seems to counteract the author's warning not to get caught up in stereotypes, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.There is a sequel ([b:Masc 39717722 Masc (Femme, #2) Marshall Thornton https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1522859181s/39717722.jpg 61387128]) but I don't think I'll check it out. I'd prefer to leave the two MCs as they are at the end of Femme, without creating new drama to keep them apart.

3.5 stars for a new-to-me author and series that I'm eager to continue. Interesting dynamic between the two MC's. They already know each other and have a cordial but distant relationship. Once the action begins Simeon the vampire is pretty quick to declare his love, and it's a question of whether Angel the necromancer will reciprocate his feelings or not. It's to Himes' credit that Simeon doesn't come across as a creepy stalker; in fact, he is charming, courtly, patient and supportive. Angel's struggle is more internal than anything else - can he accept love after losing almost his entire family? - because Simeon is pretty much irresistible. With the “I love you's” out of the way so early, I wonder how much effort Himes will devote to developing their relationship further in the rest of the series.

I'm here for the romance more than the paranormal elements, but they're intriguing, although there's a little bit too much info-dumping. However these days I prefer that strategy to the other extreme of providing so little background that you have no idea what is going on and have to work really hard to piece it together from contextual clues. I don't want to work that hard when I read romance, I'm trying to relax here!

Himes could use a better editor to fix some of her run-on sentences, dangling modifiers, and mixed tenses, but she gets the point across and her characters carry the day. At the end of the book, our former loner necromancer has himself a mate and the elements of a found family. I'll be back to see where he goes from here.

3.5 stars. New to me author, would buy his work again at the right price. A bit melodramatic and required a suspension of disbelief for the big plot twist, but the relationship between the two MCs was well developed and strong.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Good but maybe slightly underdeveloped. That might be because I know Book 2 ends in a cliffhanger and I'm not willing to start it until Book 3 is published in October 2018, so I kept myself at a slight distance from the characters. Ash and Ren are very cute together and I liked the fact that they became best friends long before they realized their relationship could be even more. It felt like fanfic between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo if they were both teenagers. Well, and if Luke had an amazing superhuman talent. Sigh. October feels like a long time away.

I love this couple, and I love Harper Fox, but this felt more like a coda or a holiday tale instead of a fully developed novella. Cameos from secondary characters in the previous books + a baby with special powers wasn't enough for me. The entire series is worth 4.5 stars, this one maybe 3.5 if I'm being generous. I hope this isn't the end of the series because if so, it is ending with a whimper not a bang. I think there are still stories to tell about Gideon, Lee and especially Tamsyn.

A very strong YA coming out story, enhanced by beautiful drawings from the hero, an artist who learns to be his own superhero. I didn't find it as charming as 2014's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but the plot was much more serious (and occasionally violent). Aidan and the object of his affection also aren't as articulate as the two MC's in Simon, but their awkwardness and clumsiness is probably a much more realistic portrayal of adolescent boys. Not sure how I feel about the inclusion of the sassy black female friend - yay for diversity but boo for stereotypes.

Note to self: after trying two books by Rhys Ford, I think I'll have to admit she is one of those “authors others love but you just don't get.” Just not my cup of tea.

DNF at 50%. Thought I would enjoy this rare non-Omegaverse novel from Roe Horvat, but it was light on plot and heavy on explicit sex scenes. Just not my jam. I'm still a fan of his earlier work, especially [b:The Layover 35455703 The Layover (The Layover, #1) Roe Horvat https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497772305l/35455703.SY75.jpg 56844379] and [b:Vanilla Clouds 40699859 Vanilla Clouds Roe Horvat https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1530608017l/40699859.SY75.jpg 63301694].

CW : References to prior sexual assault and abortion. One character experiences virulent racism. K.J. Charles is no longer self-publishing's best kept secret. Sourcebooks published her 2023 M/M historical duology, [b:The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen 57102663 The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books, #1) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663091244l/57102663.SX50.jpg 89360006], and [b:A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel 75505273 A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677601132l/75505273.SY75.jpg 100794063]. Orion recently released the previously self-pub'd [b:The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting 192786618 The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699055167l/192786618.SY75.jpg 87603321], with a follow up scheduled for July. And she recently announced an additional three-book deal with Sourcebooks. So it's a perfect opportunity for her to spread her literary wings and experiment with a new genre - historical mystery. Of course, she nails it.England, 1905. Downtrodden hero Jeremy “Jem” Kite loses his menial clerk job when his boss receives an anonymous letter linking Jem to the unsolved murder of his Oxford classmate ten years ago. With no college degree and few employment prospects, Jem decides that his life will never improve unless he identifies the note writer - and the killer. He has a finite list of suspects: the five other surviving members of the once close-knit “Seven Wonders.” Flashback to 1895. As a first year scholarship student at Oxford, Jem is astonished to find himself, club foot and all, recruited into an ebullient, exclusive circle of upper class men and women. He initially suspects that his acceptance by these shining stars is part of a cruel joke. But by the end of first term, he is secure in his place and envisioning a bright future with his new BFFs. That lasts until third year, when Toby Feynsham, the group's ringleader, is murdered. Due to the circumstances of his death, the friends are acutely aware that the killer has to be one of them. Jem has a mental breakdown and never finishes school. The other Wonders scatter and lose touch with each other, until Jem stirs the pot by asking questions. There's nothing worse than a mystery in which the characters take a backseat to the clues and theories of the crime. Fortunately KJC brings her brilliant character building skills to this new genre. It's easy to identify from page one with Jem, a disabled scholarship student without social graces or connections who is briefly one of the Best and the Brightest, before his bubble is cruelly popped and his illusions are shattered. Jem may be “a drab man with a drab job,” but through his investigation he discovers strength and cunning that help him uncover long-held secrets. The other characters, especially the victim's best friend Nick, are also richly drawn, to the point where I found myself wishing that the “Random Crazy Lunatic” theory of the murder espoused by Oxford's administration would somehow be proven accurate. The book is set at the turn of the 20th century, but the issues uncovered by Jem's dogged pursuit of the truth are alarmingly relevant today. Timeless themes of justice, redemption, and morality are also explored, with the book's denouement demonstrating that these concepts are rarely black and white. The Seven Wonders perform Shakespeare's [b:Cymbeline 305510 Cymbeline William Shakespeare https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1418615076l/305510.SY75.jpg 745601] just prior to Toby's murder, and many of the play's themes are echoed in the novel (also, it's Mr. KJC's favorite). Charles has been very upfront that Death in the Spires is not a historical romance, but that it has “romantic elements.” The physical relationship between Jem and another member of the group is essential to understanding the past, but their future together is murky. If you squint really hard, you can just barely imagine an HFN ending, but that could be my stubborn romance novel mind grasping at straws. KJC's foray into historical mystery shows that her incredible talents are easily transferable to other genres. I'd follow her anywhere. ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review. I am a member of KJC's Facebook fan group.

4.5 stars. K.J. Charles' 2016 blog post about British nobility titles yielded this gem: ‘Duke' is an immensely important title, with only a handful existing at any time, except in romantic fiction where they outnumber the servants. So now that KJC has finally decided to give her latest MC that rare title, you can be sure he will not be a cliched handsome, arrogant rake. In fact, the fourth Duke of Severn's looks are unremarkable, and he is in the midst of a dandy existential crisis. He's gradually losing the struggle to fulfill his obligations to the title without completely losing himself in the process. That doesn't mean it's not fun to watch the clueless “Cassian” master such mundane skills as riding in a public stagecoach or getting a laugh in a crowded bar room, but there is significantly more depth to his character than Poor Little Rich Duke. Daizell Charnage has a unique artistic skill that has kept him off the streets and enabled him to cling to a few shreds of dignity after being ruined financially and socially. Once he and Cassian become lovers, it's inevitable that the reveal of The Duke's Big Secret will not go well. Where Luke in KJC's [b:A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel 75505273 A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677601132l/75505273.SY75.jpg 100794063] was hiding an ulterior motive, Cassian is lying by omission about his entire identity, which is arguably even worse. Even if Daizell is the forgiving sort, how can the Duke of Severn and a disgraced near-pauper have a future together? The chemistry between Cassian and Daizell is somewhat slow to develop, but once the Only One Bed trope is deployed, things heat up considerably. This is definitely a kinder, gentler KJC, with a low body count and villains who are wealthy, entitled asshats instead of spies or assassins. The Duke at Hazard can easily be read as a standalone, although characters from [b:The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting 192786618 The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (The Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune, #1) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699055167l/192786618.SY75.jpg 87603321] play a not insignificant role in the climactic scene. KJC has proven that she can breathe new life into an old romance novel staple. Perhaps she can do the same for vampires next? ARC gratefully received from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for objective review.