Review: Domestic Do-Over (Restoration Channel #1) by Kate McMurray

A solid contemporary novel with a unique setting.

4 Out of 5 stars

E-book. 212 pages. Published February 9th 2021 by Dreamspinner Press

Blurb:

Can a prickly carpenter build a reality TV host a way out of the closet?

Real estate guru Brandon Chase knows what โ€œfamily friendlyโ€ means in the biz, and itโ€™s not being open about his sexuality.

The end of Brandonโ€™s marriage is still making headlines when the Restoration Channel makes him an offer: helm a show about flipping houses in New York Cityโ€™s risky market. Still smarting from the bad press, Brandon is reluctant to get involvedโ€”until he falls in love with an old Victorian.

Except the house isnโ€™t the only thing that catches his eye.

Itโ€™s contractor Travis Rogersโ€™s job to enumerate every way a renovation could go wrong, which leads to a lot of on-set sparring and mutual frustration between him and Brandon. But when the simmering attraction underneath boils over, the show and their relationship hang in the balance.

Travis hates the media attention that follows Brandon, and the network has a history of firing LGBTQ personalities. Like the houses Brandon makes over, this relationship has potential. But if Brandon canโ€™t convince Travis to take a chance, their chemistry might stay on-screen only. 

Likes:

  • Brandon and Travis, together and separately.
  • Hooked me fast.
  • Both men have a passion for what they do.
  • Good sexual tension.
  • Both men are able to compromise and apologize.
  • Realistic and relatable characters.
  • Enjoyable non-romantic plot.
  • High enough stakes to keep things interesting.

Dislikes:

  • Easy to put down.
  • A little repetitive.
  • The villain of the final act.

I’m having trouble figuring out where to start this review, which is strange because I enjoyed the book. It was normal, in a good way. Sometimes the everyday normality of contemporary romances can annoy me because I want to experience something new. But overall, the ordinary setting and people in this book worked well.

It definitely helped that both Brandon and Travis were easy to like. On the surface, Brandon was made-for-TV perfect. In reality, he had a very relatable kind of worry about whether or not he was making the right choices. Once his backstory was revealed, both his history with his ex-wife and his relationship with his family, he was easy to understand, as was his need to always be successful.

Travis was a little easier for me to immediately like, because he was more down to earth. He was a simple, hardworking guy who was serious about doing his job well because if he didn’t, a house might not be safe for the family who moved in. It was nice that his life was relatively uncomplicated compared to Brandon’s, with no big secrets hiding in his closet.

The sexual tension between the two men was high, and I wasn’t surprised when they got together early into the book. The men had good chemistry, and it was easy to root for them. There were plenty of obstacles to keep their relationship from smooth sailing, not the least was the fact that Brandon was in the closet.

I liked that both men were emotionally mature enough to compromise and apologize when necessary. Their respective self-awareness was probably my favorite thing about the book, because it allowed them to connect on a deeper level without any bullshit. All the things that were keeping them apart were external forces. Forces that they had to decide if they were going to obey or not. There were definite risks to their relationship, and that kept the story interesting, since I spent a lot of time wondering if they’d get caught.

The final ‘villain’ of the book came as a surprise, both that there was one and what happened. It definitely threw a wrench into things, and both men acted in an understandable, if not necessarily mature, way.

The non-romantic plot was surprisingly good. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get into the house restoration part, but I ended up enjoying it. Sure, I had to look up a few things, like what the difference between shaker and craftsman cabinets was, but that was no hardship.

I do have a few complaints about the book. For starters, the reasons why Brandon and Travis shouldn’t be together were repeated a lot. I get that both of them had some doubts and hesitations over starting something, but those hesitations didn’t seem to ever stop them from hooking up. Second, the book was easy to put down. While I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t exactly fast paced.

I was pleased with the happy ending, and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully Travis and Brandon will make a cameo or two.

Review: Borrowing Blue (Made Marian #1) by Lucy Lennox

The plot was fine. A little basic, but not bad. It was everything else that I didn’t like.

2 out of 5 stars

 E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 307 pages. Published November 23rd 2016

Blurb:

Blue: When my ex walks into the resort bar with his new husband on his arm, I want nothing more than to prove to him that I’ve moved on. Thankfully, the sexy stranger sitting next to me is more than willing to share a few kisses in the name of revenge. It gets even better when those scorching kisses turn into a night of fiery passion.

The only problem? Turns out the stranger’s brother is marrying my sister later this week.

Tristan: I have one rule: no messing with the guests at my vineyard resort. Of course the one exception I make turns out to be the brother of the woman my brother’s about to marry. Now we’re stuck together for a week of wedding activities, and there’s no avoiding the heat burning between us.

So fine, we make a deal: one week. One week to enjoy each other’s bodies and get it out of our system. Once the bride and groom say I do and we become family, it’ll all be over between us. Right?

Fair warning: Blue and Tristan’s story contains smoking hot scenes of man parts touching, pee-in-pants descriptions of grannies cursing, and the sweet improbability of two strangers finding their happily ever after when they least expect it.

Likes:

  • The Marian family at large.
  • Piper.
  • Tristan and Blue were likeable.
  • The plot wasn’t bad.

Dislikes:

  • The story’s tone is off.
  • Biphobia.
  • Gay stereotypes.
  • Homophobia.
  • The grannie’s constant sexual remarks.
  • The lack of reaction to serious incidents.
  • Too much sex.
  • The drama felt fake, unnecessary, and didn’t affect the main characters at all.
  • Prolonged first scene too focused on romance.
  • The pre-wedding week didn’t make sense.

Yuck.

This book has a good rating, so I’m obviously in the minority with my dislike. And to be fair, the book isn’t awful. Blue and Tristan are generally likeable, Piper the dog is adorable, the Marian family is cool, and the vineyard is lovely. The plot itself is a little basic, but not bad. I didn’t even mind the insta-love (seriously, they’re in love within 24 hours of meeting). But there are simply too many unlikable things about this book to ignore or forgive.

There are a couple of things that went wrong for me right from the start. First, Tristan and Blue meet right away at the beginning of the book. There’s no chance for the reader to get to know them before they’re focused on each other.  Sure, we learn facts about them, but they’re abstract facts. We barely get to see either man doing something by themselves away from the vineyard, and only at the end of the book. They spend most of the story in one location, surrounded by their families. If this was a novella, it would have been fine. In fact, I think the story would have been ten times better if the unnecessary drama and gratuitous sex scenes were cut, and the whole thing turned into a novella. As it is, I never got attached to the characters.

My second issue was the book’s tone. The author was clearly trying to make this a fun, happy, quirky book. None of it worked for me. Time after time, the characters waved off serious moments like they were no big deal, ignoring moments that would have had serious consequences, emotional or otherwise, in a different book. Tristan casually came out to his family despite knowing his brother was a raging homophobe, and didn’t spare a thought to any future consequences. An employee grabbed Tristan’s neck and slammed him against the wall, and there were no consequences for that employee.

Issue three was all of the biphobia, homophobia, negative gay stereotypes, and “funny” sexual remarks that were, at best, cringe worthy and at worst, sexual harassment. Tristan literally self-identifies as straight because he’s in his early thirties and hasn’t fooled around with a guy since college, so obviously his queer card has been revoked. Ridiculous.

Tristan does go through a not particularly stressful realization that he’s been repressing his attraction to men. But instead of realizing that he’s bisexual (he was married to a woman) he decides that he’s full-on gay now. Hello biphobia. Just about everyone in the book has it. And sadly, being gay doesn’t stop Tristan from negative gay stereotyping. When Blue offers to take Tristan to a gay bar, Tristan says, “Do I need to wear guyliner and go-go boots? Sprinkle myself with glitter?” To which Blue jokes, “You want to swing by my place and I can dress you up in some hot pants and a sequined tank top?” Then Blue laughs. “Oh my god, I’m joking. The look on your face. Jesus, Tris. Do I look like someone who wears that shit?”

John, Tristan’s brother, is the raging homophobe, with their mother less outspoken but no less obvious in her feelings. Why Blue’s sister wants to marry John when she’s got a whopping 5 openly gay brothers is never touched on.

The blurb describes “pee-in-pants descriptions of grannies cursing”, and if it was just swearing, I would have been fine with it. There’s a lot of it in the book already, and most went unnoticed. But the grannie’s other gimmick was their loud sexual comments about the main characters. Aunt Tilly was the worst. Speaking of one of the Marian brothers, she said, “Maybe he just needs to get laid. A good fuck ought to fix him right up. Works for me anyway,” she said with a shrug.” Ignoring the fact that Jude was under a lot of actual stress, I can’t help but be aware that if an old man was suggesting that his twentysomething female relative get laid, he’d be seen as a creep, while it’s supposed to be funny because Tilly’s an old woman.

And speaking of the Marian family, most of them live in California, where the vineyard is. Which made the week long pre-wedding get-together seem unnecessary. I could understand an exotic locale, but literally most of the characters lived within easy driving distance of the vineyard. Especially considering that the Marian family has 9 kids, three of whom are still in college. The cost of this event wasn’t touched on, and there was only a single vineyard specific activity planned all week. I know that the story had to happen that way to give Tristan and Blue time to insta fall in love, but the whole thing felt off.

As for Blue and Tristan, they seemed to fit well together. There was no major drama between them, and the rest of the drama barely touched them. Because of that, the drama felt manufactured, and I rolled my eyes a lot. Honestly, it felt like Blue and Tristan mostly had sex. I did take issue with the fact that, since Blue and Tristan met at the vineyard’s restaurant, they’d consumed beer, wine, and multiple shots by the time they got naked together for the first time. Blue did stop things between them because of all the alcohol. Then he immediately changed his mind because Tristan said he wouldn’t regret it in the morning. By my count, they had sex 15 times throughout the book, all but two on page and detailed. I’m no prude, but that was too much. I enjoy sex that deepens the relationship or furthers the plot. Most of the sex in this book was just filler.

While the actual writing wasn’t bad, I have zero interest in any of the other books in the series, and honestly wish I had DNFed the book instead of pushing through to the end. It wasn’t worth it.

Series Review: Cronin’s Key by N.R. Walker

A great series if you love vampires.

Series Rating: 4.5 stars

Books

Cronin’s Key I โ€“ 5 stars

Cronin’s Key II โ€“ 4.5 stars

Cronin’s Key III โ€“ 4.5 stars

Kennard’s Story โ€“ 3.5 stars

Likes:

  • Hooked me fast.
  • The entire cast.
  • The questions about what Alec is and what he’ll become.
  • Cronin and Alec’s relationship.
  • Historical figures as vampires.
  • Vivid scenery.
  • Good fight scenes.
  • A little bit of mystery in every story.
  • Most vampires gained a unique skill.

Dislikes:

  • Got to be formulaic.
  • Not the best series to binge read.
  • Cronin and Alex’s relationship stopped progressing after a point.
  • Disappointed that Kennard and Stas weren’t the main focus of the final book.
  • Alec ended up overpowered.
  • I stopped worrying that anything bad would happen to the main cast.

I initially picked up the first book because of a reading challenge involving vampires, and I’m glad I did. The first book really impressed me, and I knew right away that I’d be reading more from Walker. I was hooked fast for a lot of reasons, but what I really liked was that Alec’s reaction to finding out about vampires and fated mates felt realistic. He wasn’t panicking or thinking he was dreaming, but it took him a while to really come to terms with everything.

Cronin and Alec had a pull between them right from the start, even when Alec wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Their romance was fun to watch develop. The series doesn’t have a ton of smut, but there are plenty of tender moments. Unfortunately, by book three, Alec and Cronin’s relationship was so stable that there wasn’t much room for anything more to happen. That did make book three feel a little lacking for me.

The rest of the main cast were amazing. Enji and Jodis were a blast, often adding a much-needed dose of humor or rationality, respectively. Kennard was also a fun character, and while I was excited to see that he got his own story, I was disappointed that he and his mate, Stas, weren’t the main focus. I wanted to see them build their relationship and new lives together the way we got to see that with Alec and Cronin.

The non-romantic plot is really where these books shine the most. There’s always a mystery surrounding who the newest villain is, which leads to an information gathering montage. That montage helped flesh out the world and history of the vampires. I loved that so many historical figures ended up being vampires.

When the battle happened, the fight scenes and scenery were really well written. Unfortunately, for the final two books in the series, I was no longer worried that anything bad would happen with the central cast. They were simply too experienced and, eventually, overpowered.

Alec’s position as the key was central to each book. Watching him learn about what it meant to be the key, and the first human key at that, was fun. There were twists and turns, with a fair amount of unexpected reveals along the way.

I really liked that most vampires gained a unique skill when they were turned. It made these vampires unique.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a great series to binge read. The books definitely rely on a formula. An ancient villain that wants to rule the world needs to be defeated, the good guys make a plan, and then eventually go into battle. By the final book, I was really hoping for something new and different because Kennard was the main character, but that didn’t happen.

Overall, I’m really glad I picked up this story. N.R. Walker has several other series out, and I’ll have to give them a shot some day.

Review: Kennard’s Story (Cronin’s Key #4) by N.R. Walker

Definitely disappointed that Kennard and Staz’s relationship wasn’t the main focus.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 156 pages. Published January 26th 2019 by Amazon Digital Services

Blurb:

Kennard and Stas have been enjoying being newly bonded mates, hidden away for the last six months in Stasโ€™ cabin, deep in the forests of Northern Russia. When they get a visit from Alec, Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis, Kennard and Stas decide to return to London where they get news of a supernatural disturbance in India.

Excited for a new adventure, the band of friends embark on a journey like theyโ€™ve never seen before. Following a trail of snakes and serpents, they slip through gates into timeless dimensions all over the world, leaving them without their vampire powers. Even Alec is powerless as they follow a trail of gates and doorways to their final destination.

But the bad guy isnโ€™t who they think it is, and Kennard will need to draw on his past to save their future. Because history is never what it seemsโ€ฆ

Likes:

  • Kennard and Staz.
  • Kennard doesn’t have a vampire power.
  • Enji’s driving.
  • Lots of ancient temples.
  • Great scenery.
  • Historical figures who were vampires.

Dislikes:

  • Kennard may be the POV character, but the story’s not really about him.
  • Kennard and Staz feel like they’re just along for another Alec and Cronin adventure.
  • This book felt completely formulaic.
  • Alec is still the main focus.

I came to this book fully expecting something noticeably different from the first three books in the series, and boy was I disappointed. Yes, Kennard is the point of view character, but he’s not the main focus of the story. Which makes the title feel like false advertising.

A big part of why I’m so disappointed is the fact that I like Kennard and wanted to get to see him and Staz build a life together. And there was plenty of material to work with. The men are so different that I was looking forward to some personality and culture clashes. After all, Staz has spent centuries living alone in a cabin in Lithuania because his mind reading ability is impossible to control, whereas Kennard is a rich, stylish city vampire who is an elder of his coven.

At least one of these issues could be dealt with, because Alec can shield Staz’s mind, which meant that Staz could be around other people. I was looking forward to Staz learning about the modern era. There were a lot of technological advances he didn’t know about.

But we didn’t get any of that. Instead, there was yet another ancient vampire hell bent on world domination, which meant that Alec, Cronin, Enji, and Jodis took the lead to save the day. Kennard and Staz felt like they were just along for the ride. It wasn’t until the 59% mark that there was even a hint that Kennard might have a unique role to play in defeating the bad guy. Luckily, that hint turned out to be true, and Kennard did play a role that no one else could have.

Of all the books in the series, this one felt the most formulaic. Only this time, no one has much information on who they’re up against. That should have made the stakes feel higher, but once again, I wasn’t worried that anyone would get seriously hurt. Even when everyone was temporarily cut off from their unique vampiric powers, I wasn’t worried. I mean, there were six strong, healthy vampires who all knew how to fight.

While the plot itself felt formulaic, I did like the scenery the group passed through. The temples were well described, and the whole portal thing was cool. The historical figures mentioned were on par with the other books, and I honestly think I would have liked this book much more if it wasn’t so structurally similar to the first three. I was especially unhappy to realize that the villain was specifically after Alec, because I genuinely expected this book to be about Kennard.

Overall, I think I would have been less disappointed if I hadn’t expected Kennard and Staz’s relationship and life together to take such a central role. So that’s on me. I still feel like the title was false advertising, and am disappointed that Staz never got point of view sections of his own. But I am glad that the first six months of them together and doing nothing but having sex in a cabin was omitted. And that we finally saw Alec make good on his promise to teach his friends how to drive. Enji’s driving made me laugh.

This book wasn’t a bad ending for the series. There were comments about how it was likely that more evil vampires would pop up in the future, but that none would appear for a few hundred years. So everyone would have plenty of time to relax.

Be sure to check out the review for the other books in the series, Croninโ€™s Key (Croninโ€™s Key #1) and Croninโ€™s Key II (Croninโ€™s Key #2), and Cronin’s Key III (Cronin’s Key #3).

Review: Cronin’s Key III (Cronin’s Key #3) by N.R. Walker

A great way to wrap up Alec and Cronin’s story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

 E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 175 pages. Published September 18th 2015 by BlueHeart Press 

Blurb:

History isnโ€™t always what it seemsโ€ฆ

Twelve months after his change, Alec MacAidan is still getting used to his many vampire talents. While most vampires would give anything to have more than one supernatural power, Alec craves nothing more than peace and time alone with Cronin. But when Alec meets entities from outside this realm, heโ€™s left powerless in their presence.

Zoan are half-lycan, half-dragon creatures that have slipped through time and reality, seemingly undetected by man and vampire. Or have they? They bear an uncanny resemblance to gargoyles, leaving Alecโ€™s view on all things weird to get a whole lot weirder.

This new quest leads Alec, Cronin, and their band of friends to Paris, Rome, and Moscow, where they learn that gargoyles arenโ€™t simply statues on walls. In the underground pits beneath churches all over the world, Alec discovers the Keyโ€™s true destiny. Facing the Zoan might take every talent he has. And he may need help from the dead to get them all out alive. 

Likes:

  • Alec’s new vampire powers are cool.
  • Gargoyles.
  • How involved Kole is.
  • Alec’s feelings about his father’s mortality.
  • The hook for Kennard’s story.
  • A little more world building.
  • Vampire afterlife.

Dislikes:

  • How have humans remained unaware of the supernatural?
  • Some moments that seem to contradict earlier cannon.
  • Alec’s powers make him feel almost invincible.
  • A little formulaic.

While the end of book two was satisfying, I’m glad this third book was written, because I wanted to see what Alec’s life as a vampire would be like. I was curious about what powers he’d have and how he’d use them. And this book definitely delivered when it came to Alec’s powers.

Without giving anything away, I think it’s fair to say that Alec is overpowered. It makes sense, given that he’s the first human Key ever. But like book two, I didn’t worry much about the main cast. I was confident that everyone was going to be fine, no matter who or what came after them. Still, I’m glad we got to see Alec struggle a little with the powers, both with how to use them and with the vampire community’s reaction to them. It was also funny how annoyed he got when Jodis wanted to document everything.

Alec and Cronin’s relationship is so stable at this point that I wasn’t expecting much in the way of romantic development. There’s less smut in this story, which was fine because it made the tender moments that much more impactful. If anything, I’d say this story put an emphasis on friendship, especially given how long vampires live.

Kole, Alec’s father, was a lot more present in this book. Having him along on some of the fact-finding missions added a new dynamic. But what I really loved was Alec’s struggle to come to terms with his father’s mortality. Kole didn’t want to become a vampire, and Alec had a hard time with the thought that he’d eventually lose his father.

This book definitely paid more attention to the ramifications of being a vampire. Alex actually thought about what it would mean to have friendships that lasted for centuries and to watch the normal humans in his life die. The idea that Cronin had been worried about what waited for vampires when they died was interesting, and not something I’ve seen addressed in other vampire stories. The fact that there was an actual answer was really cool. It leant a little more world building to the series.

It was nice that the villains in this book weren’t vampires who wanted to rule the earth. The gargoyles were an interesting concept, as was the search for information about them. I especially loved the group’s trip to the Vatican.

That said, I want to know how normal humans have remained unaware of the presence of the supernatural. I know there was a brief comment about how people thought the video of the statues coming to life was CGI, and the one eyewitness was a homeless man that no one was going to believe, but that isn’t enough. It’s probably the biggest plot hole in the entire series, to my mind, aside from the few instances that seemed to contradict earlier information. For example, Enji offered to feed Alec, but I thought vampires couldn’t feed from other vampires unless they were mated. It was a small moment, but it caught my attention.

As far as the plot goes, this story was definitely a little formulaic. It was still interesting, and I enjoyed it, but I’m hoping that Kennard’s story is new and fresh.

The hook for Kennard’s story was great, and I’m definitely looking forward to starting on it soon. Maybe we’ll get to see more of the English and Russian vampires and be introduced to new characters. As much as I’ve enjoyed Alec, Cronin, Enji, and Jodis, I feel like there isn’t much else to say about any of them.

Overall, this was a good ending to Alec and Cronin’s story.

Be sure to check out the review for the first books in the series, Croninโ€™s Key (Croninโ€™s Key #1) and Croninโ€™s Key II (Croninโ€™s Key #2).

Review: Cronin’s Key II (Cronin’s Key #2) by N. R. Walker

A great follow up book with a great hook.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 195 pages. Published May 22nd 2015 by N.R. Walker

Blurb:

History isnโ€™t always what it seems.

With the battle of Egypt behind them, Alec and Cronin are enjoying the thrill of new love. Though fate doesnโ€™t wait long before throwing them back into the world of weird.

They know Alecโ€™s blood is special, though its true purpose still eludes them. And given Alecโ€™s inability to be changed into a vampire, Cronin is free to drink from him at will. But the ramifications of drinking such powerful blood starts a ripple effect.

With the help of Jorge, a disturbing vampire-child with the gift of foresight, Alec and Cronin face a new kind of war. This time their investigations lead them to the borders of China and Mongoliaโ€”but itโ€™s not what lies in the pits beneath that worries Alec.

Itโ€™s the creator behind it all.

In the underground depths of China, amidst a war with the Terracotta Army, they will find out just what the Key is, and what Alec means to the vampire world. 

Likes:

  • The continuation of Alec and Cronin’s story.
  • There’s smut this time!
  • New mysteries, both big and small.
  • The introduction of new characters.
  • The Terracotta soldiers.
  • The new bad guy.
  • Good ending.
  • Excited for the next book.

Dislikes:

  • The new bad guy didn’t get much page time.
  • The confrontation with the bad guy was over disappointingly fast.
  • I felt bad for Jorge.
  • I didn’t get as into the history research as the first book.
  • I’m curious how vampires have been able to stay hidden with all the shenanigans.

I jumped right into this book after reading the first, eager to find out what was going on with Alec and why he couldn’t be turned. The hook of his time as the key not being over definitely worked on me. Plus, I really enjoyed Alec and Cronin’s dynamic and wanted more.

Now that they know Alec can’t be turned yet, there’s a ton more smut in this book than the last. It got a tiny bit tiresome, but at the same time, it was understandable. Cronin’s been waiting for Alec for centuries. Not to mention they’re fated. However, since Alec and Cronin are in a good place relationship-wise, it did feel a bit like there was sex instead of relationship development.

I enjoyed the mystery and world-ending threat in the last book, and was looking forward to another one. And on this count, book one definitely did it better. I’m not really sure why, but I was just more invested in the researching and fact gathering portion of book one more. Maybe it was because I had more faith this time that the gang would be able to handle whatever this new threat would bring.

I will say, the thing with the Terracotta soldiers was really cool. They added a nice element of uncertainty to the story, as well as being recognizable historical objects. But with evidence of the Terracotta soldiers being more than statues, I did end up wondering how humans were still in the dark about vampires and the supernatural. I know that there was a quip about how humans thought it was aliens, but that didn’t seem like enough of an explanation.

Alongside the big mystery of who was behind this new threat, I enjoyed the smaller mysteries of what Alec’s blood was doing to Cronin and why Alec had to remain human. Alec was really the only vulnerable one of the group, so for him to still be human, and unable to be changed, put him at risk. Cronin’s possessiveness and both men’s inability to be apart for long made things harder for everyone, and also kept me hooked.

There was some more world building in this book, including more information on things that had ties to vampires, like the Great Wall of China, as well as the introduction of some new characters. Kennard got introduced in person, and I was glad that I liked him, since the fourth book is his story. I felt bad for Jorge, even though he was a little creepy.

My biggest complaint about the book is the ending in regards to the bad guy. Now, I loved who the bad guy turned out to be, but he barely got any page time. The whole thing with the bad guy was over super-fast, and felt like a big letdown considering how much buildup there had been. I know there were more pressing things going on, like saving Alec’s life, but I would have liked at least a little more fighting.

As for the actual ending, I loved it! The heroes got their happy ending, and the epilogue was super sweet. But, I’m still glad there’s going to be one more book with Cronin and Alec as the main characters. Not that I think their relationship needs another book, but I am curious to see what more will happen, given the changes they’ve gone through.

Be sure to check out the review for the first book, Croninโ€™s Key (Croninโ€™s Key #1).

Review: Cronin’s Key (Cronin’s Key #1) by N.R. Walker

A fantastic start to the series. Can’t wait for more.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 265 pages. Published March 13th 2015 by N.R. Walker (first published March 12th 2015)

Blurb:

NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec’s view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He’d been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn’t expect him to be human, and he certainly didn’t expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn’t always what it seems. 

Likes:

  • Great start.
  • Hooked me fast.
  • So many questions, but all answered eventually.
  • Good introduction to vampires without feeling like an info dump.
  • Alec reacted reasonably to both vampires and being Cronin’s fated one.
  • Alec and Cronin, together and separately.
  • The unique vampiric skills.
  • Non-romantic plot kicks ass.
  • Good UST.
  • Good hook for the next book.

Dislikes:

  • Easy to realize that Alex is the key, but took the characters a while.
  • Cronin was less developed than Alec.

I feel like it’s been a while since I read an urban fantasy romance with a non-romantic plot that hits a home run, but this book definitely earned its 5 stars. The romance was good, but the non-romantic plot kicks ass.

The beginning hooked me fast. Alec was a good cop used to dealing with weird stuff. He gets taken from his normal life and introduced to Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis early into the book, which gives time for him to acclimatize to learning that vampires are real and that he’s Cronin’s fated one. I liked Alec’s reactions to everything he learned. They were realistic, neither easy acceptance nor a total freakout. His thoughts get muddied, with so much to take in, but his time as a cop allow him to continue to function despite his turmoil. He had so many questions, all of which were eventually answered.

It took me a little longer to warm up to Cronin. He doesn’t get as developed as Alec, something I’m hoping will be remedied in the next book. Mostly the focus is on his vampiric nature, from how he became friends with Eiji and Jodis, to his unique vampiric skill. Cronin was very focused on the fact that he’d finally discovered his fated one, and I liked that he respected Alec and didn’t push for them to instantly get together or move fast.

The addition of unique vampiric skills was cool, and a way for these vampires to stand out from ones written about by other authors. It also added a lot to the plot.

The upheaval going on in the vampiric world was a great plot. Not only was it interesting, showcasing both the individuality of vampire abilities and Alec’s skill as a detective, but it also allowed for lots of moving pieces. Cronin and his coven weren’t the only ones getting involved. Vampires all around the world had a stake in how things turned out. The larger world building was only hinted at, but there was enough to make this book feel well written.

I was a little annoyed that it took the characters so long to figure out that Alec was the key. Of course, with the title, it was easy for the reader to figure out.

The way the vampires in this novel live, they want to feed during penetrative sex, and feeding either leads to death or turning. This meant a lot of UST โ€“ unresolved sexual tension โ€“ between Alec and Cronin. They still had sexy times, just not of the penetrative variety. I didn’t mind that. In fact, I thought it was nice because it allowed both men time to develop deep feelings for each other.

The non-romantic events are wrapped up nicely at the end, but there’s a little hook added in that makes me eager to get to the next in the series. I’m looking forward to reading more books featuring Alec and Cronin.

Series Review: Winsford Shifters by Alice Winters

Not my favorite Alice Winters series, but I loved the characters and the plot was intense!

Series Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Books:

Likes:

  • Fantastic non-romantic plot.
  • All four main characters.
  • Hopeful ending overall.
  • Rowan as a snow leopard was adorable and funny.
  • Some great humor.
  • Some non-traditional alpha and pack dynamics.
  • Rowan and Emery’s journeys.

Dislikes:

  • Not my favorite Alice Winters series.
  • I genuinely worried for all the characters at some point, and I’m not used to that in a romance novel.
  • Heavy discrimination against shifters.
  • The romance took a back seat in book two.

I’m a huge fan of Alice Winters, and while this isn’t my favorite series of hers, it’s still good. There’s lots of the funny moments I’ve come to expect from her writing, especially when Rowan is shifted into his snow leopard form. I came to absolutely adore all four main characters, and was so happy that Emery and Graham got a book of their own.

My favorite thing about this series was that the non-romantic plot kicked ass. It was fast paced and action packed. But that came with a few downsides. One being that a lot of the plot was moved forward by the fact that there was a ton of discrimination against shifters. When the pack was in danger, they had very few people they could turn to for help.

This resulted in a lot of pain and suffering for the pack at large and the main characters in specific. They all got hurt at some point, and it’s always hard for me to watch a character I care about get hurt like that. I actually had to put book three down for a few days because the guys kept going from one bad situation to the next. It’s rare for me to genuinely fear for the safety of main characters, but that happened a few times throughout the series.

The worry I felt made the hopeful tone of the series finale that much sweeter. It wasn’t just that everyone got to go home and be safe, but there were hints that the world at large was moving towards shifter equality. I do hope there are more books set in this story universe, and that we get to see the change, even if it’s with other characters.

I enjoyed the fact that Quinn wasn’t the typical alpha, and his pack was non-traditional. Quinn was smart and clever, and he brought together all kinds of shifters. It was the perfect place for Rowan and Emery to settle into. Both men had painful pasts and a lot of baggage. They both had to go through a journey to self-acceptance. It was nice to see, even if the journey was a long one.

Because the non-romantic plot was so big, the romance in these books takes a back seat at times. This is definitely noticeable in book two, though it made sense with what was going on. Emery and Graham’s romance was a slow burn, but it worked for them. Especially Emery’s snark.

All in all, while I can definitely say that this series has a different feel than the other Alice Winters books I’ve read, it was worth the read.