dragons – Love is Love Reviews

Review: Peregrine (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #4) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

A lot of angst and heartbreak, but a fantastic (and happy) ending.

4.25 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Edition. 347 pages. Published June 3rd 2021

Blurb:

1508
Sebastian Drake, stoic protector of the Drake family, always gets what he wants—and there is nothing he wants more than the half-starved Pedigree omega named Peregrine he comes across on his travels. It doesn’t matter that Peregrine is a Disgrace. Sebastian will do whatever it takes to keep him… and somehow, as impossible as it might be, find a way to be his mate.

Present Day
For hundreds of years, Peregrine has enjoyed life as Sebastian’s mate. Sure, as one of the only bonded omegas in recent history he’s been kidnapped more times than he can count, but with Sebastian there to save him it’s little more than an inconvenience. And attacks from hostile clans? That’s just a typical Tuesday.

But there is one thing Peregrine fears, yet desperately wants.

One thing that has hurt him time and time again.

One thing Sebastian can’t save him from.

And now it’s happening again.

He’s pregnant.

Please use the Look Inside or Download Free Sample feature to read the Content Warning for possible triggers.

Likes:

Trigger warning in the blurb
The right amount of angst.
A good mix of history and present day.
Sebastian was more likeable than I expected.
Got to meet the older clutch.
Super sweet ending.

Dislikes:

Bertram and Raven.
Perry keeping everything to himself.
Sebastian getting called away for months.

I binged this series, but hesitated before reading this book. I very much appreciated the trigger warning in the blurb, even though the contents aren’t triggering to me, because it was a clear indication that the book would contain a fair amount of angst and heartbreak for the characters.

Perry has been likeable since book one, so I knew ahead of time that I’d enjoy his part of the story. What I wasn’t sure of was Sebastian. He’s taciturn and physically strong, but I didn’t have any particular feelings towards him either way. To my surprise, I enjoyed his character just as much as Perry’s. Sebastian acts very instinctively, so he knew Perry was meant to be his right away. But he wasn’t violent or controlling, and didn’t treat Perry like he was lesser.

The alternating timelines worked well, with enough time dedicated to both. It was nice to see how Perry and Sebastian met, and the struggles they went through, all while knowing that everything worked out for them in the end. Yet at the same time, they were still facing struggles with Perry’s new pregnancy.

My heart went out to both men, but especially Perry. Not only did he have to go through the heartbreak and loss again and again, but he did so without telling anyone. He was constantly worried that he’d miscarry again, and on top of all that, he was under attack from Raven.

The end of this book had me absolutely loathing Bertram and Raven. They both hurt characters I liked, and I’m honestly not looking forward to their story. It’s going to take a hell of a lot for me to warm up to them when their story does come out. I’ll definitely read it. Bertram and Raven have been teased for a while, but it seems as though Raven is mentally disturbed and Bertram has his other name/personality thing going on.

I think there was just the right amount of angst in the book. It was paired with some happy moments along the way, and a really fantastic ending. It was the kind of ending where I wouldn’t have been mad if this was the last book in the series. Which is another reason why I’m not looking forward to Bertram and Raven’s book.

I liked that Sebastian and Perry’s first clutch got some page time. They haven’t been mentioned much in the series, but they seemed great, and Perry was so happy to see them. On the other hand, I was disappointed that Sebastian was called away for several months, leaving Perry to deal with the pregnancy on his own.

Overall, I’m glad that Sebastian and Perry got their own story. It was definitely worth the read, though I’m glad I was in the mood for angst when I read it.

Be sure to check out the other books in the series – Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1), Bond (Forbidden Desires #2), Mate (Forbidden Desires #3), Swallow (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #1), Magpie (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #2), Finch (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #3)

Review: Finch (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #3) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

My favorite couple of the series so far!

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Edition. 286 pages. Published September 30th 2020 by Self-Published

Blurb:

Hugh Drake, the most whimsical member of the Drake family, wants a clutch badly… and despite his sanctioned period to reproduce nearing its end, he just might get his wish. New information has emerged that suggests Disgraces are dragons and able to bear eggs. All that’s left to do is find one Hugh can tolerate, and who better to help him find his perfect match than his steadfast and faithful secretary, Finch?

If only Finch were a Disgrace, but alas. Some things simply aren’t meant to be.

Sensible and straightforward Finch has served as Hugh Drake’s secretary for over a decade, and secretly loved him for just as long. Hugh is the light of his life, but he’s also entirely too gullible, which is why Finch refuses to believe his claim that Disgraces are dragons. They’re not. Finch would know, since he is one. But that little fact will have to stay a secret, because Finch would rather his love go unnoticed than be the one who breaks his dragon’s heart when he fails to produce a clutch.

Finch is an 80,000 word hilarious omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains an adorably clueless dragon, a faithful secretary whose heart is invested in more than just his job, the best Funfetti cake ever, “slippery” situations, and a single amethyst cufflink. For maximum enjoyment, Finch is best read following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, and Magpie.

Likes:

Finch and Hugh, together and separately.
Hugh was adorably oblivious.
Just the right amount of angst.
How Hugh doted on his nieces and nephews.
The marijuana incidents.
How things with Finch’s dad turned out.
Finch didn’t believe that Disgraces were dragons.
Chef Funfetti.

Dislikes:

How hurt Hugh was by not having a clutch.
Raven.
Wanted more time with Hugh and Finch as an established couple.

Finch and Hugh were like the spring after a hard winter. I hated Magpie, and was a little worried about this book as a result. I didn’t expect that Finch and Hugh would end up being my favorite couple so far. Harry’s still my favorite character, and Mate still has the best overall ending, but the way Hugh and Finch came together is hands down the best.

Hugh hasn’t been in any of the previous books that I remember, though he’s been mentioned as the brother who most wants a clutch of his own. And he does. He wants to be a dad, and there’s this happy excitement about him that makes me feel like he’ll be a good one. He’s good with his nephews, even if it hurt him not to be chosen for Harry’s experiment. It was easy to root for Hugh, despite the fact that he’s a little simple. Not in a bad way. In fact, it’s part of what makes him so charming.

Finch was raised as a Disgrace to serve dragons sexually. And though he aged out of the Pedigree, he’s determined to continue to serve as the best secretary, no sex needed. Which is a shame since he’s in love with Hugh, a fact he’s determined to keep to himself. He’s a perfectionist when it comes to his job, and it was heartbreaking to watch him help Hugh try to find a mate despite his own feelings.

Finch was easy to like, because he genuinely cared for Hugh and wanted what was best for him. The angst was there, but it was different from Geoffrey, Ian, and Mattheu. Finch didn’t begrudge Hugh or any of the Disgraces. He was determined to serve until the point that it got too emotionally painful for him.

I liked that Finch didn’t believe that Disgraces were dragons. He thought all of the Drake’s mates and children were flukes. It was a nice addition to the series, because it showed that it’s not easy to change everyone’s thoughts, even with scientific data to back you up.

Watching how oblivious Hugh and Finch were about their feelings was adorable. Hugh was the most oblivious, which to my surprise, I really enjoyed. He honestly had no idea his dragon was courting Finch, and Finch thought Hugh was losing it. Their interactions were fun, adorable, incredibly sweet, and sometimes downright hilarious. The marijuana incidents were a blast, especially when it came to Chef Funfetti.

There was just the right amount of angst in the story, coming from both men. It took extraordinary effort on Hugh’s part to convince Finch they should be together. I didn’t like Raven’s part in everything, small though it was. Again, it was something that Bertram promised to take care of, and likely won’t be explained until book eight.

At least Finch’s interactions with his father had a good outcome. It was something unexpected, and a nice, touching way to wrap up Finch and Hugh’s story.

Honestly, I could have read more about Hugh and Finch. While their story is complete, I enjoyed them so much that I want more. Their romance felt like it took longer to really begin in earnest (with both of them aware that their feelings were mutual) than the other books, and then events kept them apart. I wanted more time with them together as an established couple.

Review: Magpie (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #2) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

Didn’t like either character.

2 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Edition. 250 pages. Published March 9th 2020

Blurb:

Reynard Drake, solitary cybersecurity expert and curator of the Drake family fortune, would rather be chucked in the midden than forced to bed an omega, but as the selected Amethyst candidate for the mating experiment, he has no other choice. Resigned to his unhappy fate, he takes solace in the fact that one thing will never change—his virtual rival, Magpie, will always be there to keep him on his toes, even if he has been strangely absent from the internet lately…

Diamond Disgrace Misha Vasiliev has a secret. By day he learns what it takes to warm a dragon’s bed, but at night he’s Magpie, renowned hacker and dark web service provider who steals from dragons in his spare time. His favorite target? Reynard Drake, whom he’s only ever seen in pictures, but whom Misha wants more than anyone else.

And now, with a faceless threat closing in on his cloister, quite possibly the only one capable of saving his life.

Magpie is a 64,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set during the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains pretty things hidden where the sun don’t shine; a scandalous screenshot or two; plenty of laughs; its fair share of tense moments; and, of course, “Beagle!” For maximum enjoyment, Magpie is best read as a companion piece to the Forbidden Desires series.

Likes:

Misha did research on BDSM.
Reynard accepted the submissive side of himself.
Good start.

Dislikes:

Misha was a brat.
Reynard was just a meh character.
Both men needed constant help from the Drake family.
Both men showed constant dislike of the Drake family.
Misha ignoring Reynard’s safe word.
Soggy middle.
Neither Misha nor Reynard had much going on in their lives.
Neither man was as well fleshed out as previous couples.
Too much sex.
Didn’t get to find out what was going on with the bad guys.

With book series, much like clutches of dragon eggs, there’s always the risk of a dud. And this is it.

I’m not surprised that one book in this series didn’t work for me. That can happen with longer series. I just didn’t expect to dislike this book so much.

I initially liked Misha. Despite being a Disgrace, he learned how to hack and specifically targeted dragons. It showed ingenuity, skill, and determination. His focus on Reynard, and his decision to meet him in person, made me curious to see how things would turn out.

But my feelings toward Misha quickly soured. Yes, he’s a skilled hacker. Yes, he wanted to top a dragon, and knew ahead of time that Reynard was submissive. And Misha absolutely gets points for doing research on BDSM. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a brat. He’s selfish and dismissive and never felt like a capitol D Dom.

Reynard needed a Dom. Not just someone to top him, but someone to care and comfort and nurture him. Misha showed up and began issuing orders, expecting Reynard to jump to it. Misha did nothing to earn Reynard’s trust. It really felt like Reynard was so desperate for someone to accept him as a submissive dragon, that he fell for the first person to come along.

There was nothing about Misha that felt like what I think a Dom should be. There was no mention of aftercare. Reynard didn’t even feel like he was given much choice in the matter. Misha just showed up and expected to be treated like a pampered prince. But the thing that completely ruined my opinion of Misha was when he didn’t honor Reynard’s safe word. A safe word means everything stops. Misha left Reynard tied up and made Reynard say, “It’s serious, Misha. When I said beagle, I meant it.” And even then, Misha didn’t untie Reynard! In that moment, it became clear that Misha wasn’t a Dom, he just liked playing one.

I don’t have much to say about Reynard. He was just kind of bland. There wasn’t much going on in his life. I did feel bad that he was made to feel bad because he was submissive. More stupid dragon machismo at work. At least he accepted his submissive side and ended up happy with Misha, even if that did include too much on page sex.

Over the past four books, I’ve come to like the Drake family. So the constant dismissiveness and disdain that both Misha and Reynard showed for the family rankled. Especially since Everard took time away from his own family to help Reynard learn how to channel his magic, and Bertram, Everard, and Sebastian put themselves in harms way to deal with the bad guys. Honestly, aside from the sex, Reynard and Misha couldn’t seem to do much for themselves.

I didn’t like that the problem with the bad guys wasn’t explained. Bertram said he’d take care of it, but there are two other books between this one and his story. I also didn’t like that Misha got himself into trouble and had to be bailed out. He didn’t do anything. It wasn’t a good look for him, character-wise. He felt really impotent, unable to do anything other than spend other people’s money.

Overall, this book was just lesser than the previous ones. There was so much focus on the sex because neither man had nothing else going on in their life. Yet there’s not much in the way of character development either. There’s a soggy middle, where the plot slows and my interest waned. By the 80% mark, I already knew the book would be low scored and I considered giving up. But I pushed through, which actually lowered my final rating even farther. I hope Misha and Reynard don’t show up in future books, because I really don’t like either of them.

Be sure to check out the other books in the series – Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1), Bond (Forbidden Desires #2), Mate (Forbidden Desires #3), Swallow (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #1)

Review: Swallow (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #1) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

A nice novella that adds to the Drake family’s happiness.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Edition. 128 pages. Published July 29th 2019

Blurb:

Grimbold Drake, influential patriarch of the Drake family, revels in his solitary life of order—a life which is thrown into chaos when his son pays him an unexpected visit, bringing with him a broken but gorgeous young man more than a millennium Grimbold’s junior. A man Grimbold instantly finds himself yearning to fix, to protect, and to claim.

Meek, subservient, and eager to please, Wally Brand doesn’t doubt the tales he’s been told of the cruel and deceitful Amethyst clan, so when he’s forcibly taken from his home and entrusted to Grimbold Drake—the most powerful Amethyst dragon of all—he knows he won’t be long for this world. Only there’s a gleam in Grimbold’s eyes when he looks Wally’s way and a tenderness to his touch that Wally can’t understand.

All he knows is one thing: whether Grimbold means him harm or not, if he can be good to his dragon captor, maybe, just maybe, he’ll get out of this mess alive.

Swallow is a 30,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains a broken young man who badly needs love, a curmudgeonly dragon with a heart of gold, new nicknames, familiar faces, and the sweetest dog known to dragonkind. For maximum enjoyment, Swallow is best read as a companion piece to the Forbidden Desires series.

Likes:

Short but complete.
Grimbold did his best to help Wally with his issues.
Wally and Grimbold, together and separately.
Grimbold didn’t force Wally to do anything.
How even dragons like Grimbold can see the harm that’s been done to Disgraces.

Dislikes:

How traumatized Wally is.
Wally’s name.
Wally’s scars aren’t brought up much.

I was honestly surprised that Grimbold got a story. He’s been in the background of all the books, this powerful, looming figure. He didn’t seem like the type to take in an omega, especially considering how big the age difference would be. Grimbold is over a thousand years old and Wally is twenty-two. Talk about an age difference.

Still, Grimbold’s age did give him advantages. He’s willing to take Wally in and is able to quickly ascertain ways to help keep Wally from freaking out too badly. Normally, I’d say that Wally needs extensive therapy, but that doesn’t seem like a thing dragons do, nor would they turn to human therapists.

Wally is traumatized, both from his experiences and from what he’s been told about the Amethyst clan. My heart went out to him. He was initially so focused on just surviving, constantly expecting to be hurt.

I’m not sure how I feel about the lack of attention on Wally’s past trauma. On the one hand, the book didn’t really focus on it, making it feel very ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Even though Everard commented that Wally had extensive scaring, it wasn’t brought up again. On the other hand, delving into it might have done more damage to Wally’s fragile psyche. It would also have lengthened the story and given it a darker overall tone.

As it is, the story is sweet and cute. Watching Wally relax and realize that he’s somewhere safe with someone who cares for him was heartwarming. In the same way, watching Grimbold’s tender care was cute.

There wasn’t as much going on in this book aside from the romance, which makes sense considering its short length. I’m not complaining about the lack of subplot. Wally and Grimbold got plenty of characterization while giving their romance time to grow. I liked that Grimbold didn’t initially plan to be with Wally physically, and when he realized his growing feelings, he made sure they were returned and took it slow.

One of the upsides of having Grimbold be a main character is that we got to see him realize how badly dragon society has been treating omegas and Disgraces. Not only with what happened to Wally, but with the mother of his own children. In a way, taking care of Wally allowed Grimbold to atone for past mistakes.

Even the meaning behind Wally’s name is just another example of how poorly dragons treat Disgraces. Luckily, all of Grimbold’s children seem to be on board with the recent societal changes. Even if Everard said he wouldn’t call Wally ‘dad’. That made me laugh.

Overall, I think this was a good addition to the Forbidden Desires series. Even though this novella clearly had a different theme than the first three books, it’s nice to see how quickly society can change. Even if the dragons are only changing for selfish reasons.

Be sure to check out the other books in the series – Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1), Bond (Forbidden Desires #2), Mate (Forbidden Desires #3)

Review: Mate (Forbidden Desires #3) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

Out of all three books so far, this one had the most satisfying ending.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 380 pages. Published February 17th 2019

Blurb:

Spitfire Disgrace Matthieu Boudreaux has one wish: to age out of the Pedigree he despises, then destroy it. With one year left before he achieves the first step of his goal, Matthieu finally has some hope for an independent future… until a surly Amethyst dragon by the name of Geoffrey Drake and his entourage show up at Matthieu’s cloister and inform him he’s been selected to be part of an ‘experiment.’

Geoffrey Drake, proud and stuffy legal counsel for the Amethyst clan, has been charged with ruining his own life. His mission? Deliver a potential mate to the son of the Amethyst clan’s most despised enemy—and the man he’s loved in secret for the last hundred years—Topaz dragon Ian Brand. Refusal is impossible. Dragons don’t consort with dragons, and should Geoffrey decline, he risks exposing them both.

Ian Brand, charming black sheep of the Topaz clan, is trapped between his forbidden love for an Amethyst dragon centuries his senior and his duty to his family. Chosen by his unhinged father to be the Topaz candidate for the mating experiment, Ian is faced with a terrible choice: run away with the man he loves and face the deadly consequences, or accept his fate with a broken heart.

But dragon magic, as Matthieu, Geoffrey, and Ian soon discover, works in mysterious ways. When an unforeseeable circumstance draws them all together and puts their futures at risk, they have no choice but to set their differences aside and work together to prove a new, startling truth…

What the dragon world knows about mates has been wrong all along, and it will be up to the three of them to prove it.

Mate is a 103,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains an experiment gone awry, five eccentric peacocks, an unusually large number of whelps, an ancient Viking Daddy dragon, and science! For maximum enjoyment, Mate is best read following the events of Clutch and Bond.

Likes:

Matthieu, Geoffrey, and Ian, together and separately.
Matthieu’s plans for the future.
The angst Ian and Geoffrey feel.
Hooked me fast.
Kept me hooked.
Geoffrey isn’t as much of a stick in the mud as he appears.
Open, honest conversation.
Snorre and his family.
The peacocks.
Very satisfying ending.
Good smut.

Dislikes:

Sigric.
Dragon society’s stupid rules.
Not all the French was explained.
Didn’t seem like the Disgraces got a choice whether to take part in the experiment.

After reading Bond, I was eager to see how Harry’s experiments would turn out. I expected things to go smoothly. There was never any doubt in my mind that Harry was correct.

I didn’t expect the emotional pain and angst that would be caused by the experiment. But I loved it. Geoffrey and Ian’s relationship wasn’t typical, by dragon standards. Alpha/alpha romances aren’t accepted by society, which I think is just as dumb as they way omegas and Disgraces are treated. There’s a very strong machismo to the dragon society, demanding they be dominant and proud while also rigidly adhering to a specific type of behavior.

In a way, I’m glad that Ian and Geoffrey had been together for a century by the time the book started. Not only is their love solid, they’re both comfortable with their roles. I’m not sure I’d call it a D/s dynamic, though Ian is the top and Geoffrey the bottom. The men themselves don’t think of it as BDSM.

There were brief flashbacks to the beginning of their relationship, which were helpful to see how they got together. There’s a definite Romeo and Juliet vibe to their relationship. Their respective clans are adversarial, and their relationship is taboo not just because they’re both alphas but because of their family rivalries.

As I hoped, Geoffrey wasn’t as much of a stick in the mud as he seemed from the glimpses of him we’ve gotten in the previous book. The angst he went through, expecting Ian to bond with Mattheu and abandon him, made he ache for him. Geoffrey also didn’t think he had a real bond with Ian.

Ian was just as shaken by the prospect of loosing Geoffrey because of the experiment. At the same time, he couldn’t say no to being part of it. His father was a true villain, cruel and scheming. I really felt for Ian on that account. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Mattheu was also easy to like. He had a solid plan for his future, and was understandably upset when he was chosen for the experiment. It didn’t seem like he was given a choice about participating, which is definitely a con of the experiment. But Mattheu didn’t let that get in his way. He was the one who came up with the plan for how the three of them would proceed.

I’m really glad at the amount of open, honest conversation between the men. It’s definitely part of why they achieved their happy ending. There were only a few times when Ian and Geoffrey tried to mask their emotions, and Mattheu quickly put a stop to it. Luckily, Ian and Geoffrey understood French, since that was Mattheu’s first language, and he reverted to it when angry. Most of it was translated for the reader, but not all, which was a little annoying.

I’ve only read a few romances featuring three people, but in all of them, each person brings something unique to the romance. Mattheu fit well into the dynamic between Geoffrey and Ian. He was versatile, which added a lot to their sex life. More than that, he changed the way the alphas thought of their future. Without Mattheu in their lives, they wouldn’t have sought out Snorre and his family.

I was hooked all the way through the book. There was always some new development or threat to their happiness. All three men went through big personal changes by the end, all for the better. They also changed dragon society for the better. Out of all three books so far, this one had the most satisfying ending. While Harry is still my favorite character, I like this book better than Bond.

Be sure to check out the other books in the series – Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1), Bond (Forbidden Desires #2)

Bond (Forbidden Desires #2) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

So much better than the first book. I’m definitely glad I continued with the series.

5 out of 5 stars

Kindle Edition. 338 pages. Published November 11th 2018

Blurb:

Adorably naive and shockingly brilliant Harrison Lessardi only needs two things in life: his pet iguana, Steve, and his undying love of science. That is until he witnesses his best friend lay eggs, and a third must-have strolls into his apartment—the sardonic and mischievous Everard Drake.

Everard Drake, celebrated doctor of the tremendously wealthy Drake family, has one goal in mind when he arrives at the scene of his youngest brother’s latest disaster: incinerate Harrison Lessardi. Unfortunately for Everard, the moment he spots Harry, incineration becomes an impossibility—he must have the gorgeous beta as his own, even if it means holding him captive on his estate.

But something else lurks behind Everard’s interest in Harry—something that tugs at Everard’s soul in impossible ways, and that will send Everard and Harry down a rabbit hole of discovery that will change the world as they know it.

An alpha and a beta can’t share a bond.

Can they?

Bond is a 78,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains an unexpectedly consensual kidnapping; giant magical lizards; an iguana with a full wardrobe named Steve; never-ending nicknames; and a HEA that may, or may not involve mosquito nets. For maximum enjoyment, Bond is best read following the events of Clutch.

Likes:

Harry and Everard, together and separately.
All of Harry’s questions.
Everard’s pet names.
Dragon whelps.
The recap parts weren’t boring.
Harry’s discoveries.

Dislikes:

Everard can be a bit of a dick.

Clutch was just an okay book for me, but I’m glad I continued on with the series because this book was fantastic.

I enjoyed Harry and Everard in Clutch, and was excited for their story. I was initially a little worried because it can be boring when events shown in one book appear again, even if it’s from a different point of view. Luckily, that wasn’t a problem. Yes, there was rehashing of a few scenes that were in Clutch, but enough new information was presented that the scenes were still fun to read.

I did wonder how Harry and Everard would spend enough time together to grow their relationship when Everard had basically gifted Harry to Sebastian and Perry. It turned out that Everard couldn’t stay away for long. Plus, when he and Harry started working together, it not only gave them plenty of time together, but touched on something I’d noted from the last book.

Dragons generally don’t treat omegas with any sort of respect. It’s a function of their society, and has been going on for centuries. It makes total sense that Harry, with his love of science, would want to delve into the mysteries surrounding all things dragon, including how they reproduce. He asked all the questions I wanted Nate to ask in the last book, and then some. It definitely felt like there was more world building and information on dragon culture revealed in this book.

Harry’s discoveries are going to change dragon society, and will likely create the impetus for the following books. It’s a great way to structure a series, as well as address the fundamental power imbalance between dragons and omegas.

Harry and Everard were an adorable couple. Everard can be kind of a dick to people, his brothers especially, but the way he cherished Harry was great. I loved all the little food related nicknames.

Sebastian and Perry’s dragon whelps were adorable. Steve the iguana had much more pizzaz than Olive the pig, as well as more screen time. An unusual pet to be sure, but he suited Harry perfectly.

The introduction of the next Drake brother, Geoffrey, piqued my interest about the next book. Geoffrey does feel like he has a stick up his ass, but that just means he’ll undergo a lot of character development. I’m hoping the next book will be as fun as this one, though any future characters will have a hard time competing against Harry.

Be sure to check out my review of the first book in the series, Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1).

Review: Clutch (Forbidden Desires #1) by Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

Not the best start to a series, but the second half was better than the first.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 240 pages. Published October 6^th 2018 by Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly

Blurb:

Bookish, snarky, and fiercely independent Nate Boudreaux leads a solitary life. Between teaching classes at the university and working toward his PhD, he doesn’t need a partner to occupy his time, and he certainly doesn’t need a man like Alistair Drake complicating his future.

Alistair Drake, black sheep of the tremendously wealthy Drake family, is more interested in adding another notch to his bedpost than another zero to his bank account. When a Grindr message brings him to Nate’s doorstep, then straight to his bed, he has no reason to believe that what they share will be more than a simple hookup, until, three months later, a tug on his soul informs him otherwise.

For the Drake family has a secret—one that will force Nate and Alistair together as much as it will demand that they be torn apart. One that Alistair and his brothers have carried all their lives… and one that Alistair and Nate’s future children will carry, too.

Bound to each other by the three precious impossibilities, Nate and Alistair have no choice—no matter the consequence, they will fight for their forbidden clutch.

Clutch is a 64,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains a Grindr hook-up gone very wrong (or very right); giant magical lizards; a pig named Olive; a wank throne; and a HEA, right down to the white picket fence.

Likes:

Dragons.
Nate and the eggs were cute.
Good smut.
Good hook for the next book.

Dislikes:

No world building outside the dragons.
Nate didn’t ask a ton of questions about dragons.
Alistair thought humans were beneath him.
Both men were moved by instinct not logic.
The way the draconic society is structured.
Nate keeps forgetting that his best friend got dragged everything too.

I almost dropped this book after about 16%. Not because of the writing or the characters, but because of the structure.

There’s a common writing tip I see a lot, telling authors to start their story as close to the action/turning point as possible. I think it’s because a lot of books where a normal human discovers the supernatural world start off by showing the human’s normal life. In all honesty, that normal life can be a bit boring, and authors want to hook the reader right from the start. I get it.

But that hint of the character’s normal life serves several functions. The biggest is introducing the main character to the reader. This book did not do that. Neither Nate nor Alistair got any introduction. The prologue opens up at the start of the sex scene, chapter one jumps straight into Nate laying the eggs, then Alistair barges in and takes Nate back to his place amid much confusion. There’s not really time for any solid characterization for several chapters.

I don’t think I really got a good feeling for either man until about 25% into the book. Needless to say, Nate and Alistair didn’t know each other until then either. If you’re a fan of unplanned pregnancies driving the romance, this book is for you. It was the only reason Alistair and Nate ever saw each other again.

Thankfully, and I did end up liking both men once they were properly introduced. At first, Nate was bothered by the lack of independence having the clutch caused, but he turned out to be a fantastic parent. Watching him fuss over the eggs was surprisingly adorable.

It took me longer to warm up to Alistair. He didn’t like humans; thought they were beneath him. He was clueless when dealing with Nate, which was clearly supposed to be funny but seemed a little childish. It did fit with his character though. Alistair hasn’t been focused on building wealth like most dragons. His hoard is small because he prefers to travel and buy artwork that appeals to him, rather than what’s worth the most.

However, this allowed Alistair to have the most character growth. It didn’t take him long to realize that Nate wasn’t some stupid, fragile omega. Alistair tried to give Nate what he and the eggs wanted and needed, including building his wealth. While Nate might have been the egg’s predominant caretaker, Alistair loved them just as much, and was willing to go the distance to make sure they and Nate stayed safe.

That being said, this book did feel like a bit of a dumpster fire. Neither Nate nor Alistair had any real experience with romance, parenthood, or dragon eggs. Their hearts were in the right place, but damn. To call them unprepared would be a massive understatement. It was a good thing all dragons have Attendants to serve them.

In the same way that there was no time to get to know the characters at the start of the book, there was no time for initial world building. I know that humans are aware of alpha/beta/omega dynamics, but have no idea how that impacts people or society. There is practically no world building outside of the dragons, and even then it’s lacking.

One of the notes I wrote when reading this book was, ‘Why isn’t Nate asking more questions!!??’ He’s surprisingly blasé about the whole dragon thing, when I expected him (a history professor) to be full of questions. The only one who seems to pepper everyone with questions is Nate’s friend Harry, who got caught up in the whole mess. And strangely, Nate tends to forget about Harry for large swaths of time.

On the plus side, Nate accepted his new reality well. Of course, for the first third of the book, both he and Alistair were basically going on instinct. Especially when Alistair brings Nate and the eggs to his place. Their relationship doesn’t really start to develop until around the 33% mark.

What is shown of the dragon society is definitely a little fucked up. The fact that Nate is allowed to stay with the eggs is rare. The fact that omegas aren’t generally treated well is touched on, but not a main focus of the book, thankfully. But the whole thing smacks of rich men doing whatever is necessary to produce sons.

Overall, this wasn’t an impressive start to a series. I am glad I finished the book, and will say that the second half was much more enjoyable than the first. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book, since it’s about Harry and Everard.

Review: All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1) by Macy Blake

Too much sex, not enough world building. But I’m still going to continue with the series.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 220 pages. Published July 24th 2018

Blurb:

A Gay Paranormal Harem Romance

Sawyer Smith is preparing to take on the world, and with his graduate degree only days away, he’s hoping to convince his gorgeous best friend and neighbor to come along for the ride. There’s only one problem; Draco has a secret, a big scaly secret, and it’s about to change Sawyer’s life forever.

When three mysterious men move into the new mansion across the street, Sawyer is plunged into a fantastical world he never knew existed, one filled with creatures of legend. Discovering the truth about Draco and his role as guardian of The Chosen One is only the tip of the paranormal iceberg.

Being drawn to this strange new world is challenging enough, but then Sawyer finds himself attracted to all The Chosen One’s guardians. Giving into his desire comes with incredible risks. Once the chosen one is found, Sawyer will return to his human life, without the guardians, without Draco.

As danger mounts, Sawyer must choose between guarding his heart from the men he grows closer to by the day, or give in and risk losing it all.

Likes:

Hot smut.
Polygamous relationships.
Good mix of supernatural beings.
Everyone got POV sections.
Potential for growth.
The fight scene.

Dislikes:

Didn’t really hook me.
The characters aren’t well fleshed out.
Not much world building.
Slow, sporadic plot.
Too much sex.
Sawyer just accepted everything with ease.
The reveal of the chosen one is anticlimactic.
The reason the chosen one was chosen doesn’t make sense.
Draco’s name.
Draco being in almost every sex scene.
Lack of discussion around sex and kinks.

Are you looking for a book with a fast-paced, engaging plot, with fleshed out characters and good world building? If so, you need to keep looking, because this book doesn’t have any of that. What it does have a lot of is sex. Too much sex. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if this book is 50% sex scenes.

Now, I’m not against smut in my romance book. I actually enjoy it. In moderation. And I get that the sexual and romantic relationships between the five guys in this book was a focal point. Because the blurb is wrong – this isn’t a harem, it’s full-blown polygamy, with all the guys taking turns with each other.

I actually liked the idea of the relationships being polygamous. It’s more equal. And all of the guys but one were versatile. But after the first few sex scenes, which did advance the relationships, all the rest felt like filler. I’m not joking when I say that once the sex starts, it doesn’t stop.

This presents a very big problem. With the sex scenes taking up so much page space, there is naturally less space for more crucial story elements – like character development, world building, and the non-romantic plot.

I know next to nothing about most of the characters. Henry’s backstory was detailed in the previous book, so he gets a pass. Sawyer got a lot of page space, relatively speaking, so I know the basics about him. As for the rest of them, I know their species, elemental affiliation, and dick size.

Then there’s the world building. It didn’t happen. Even when things were being explained to Sawyer, it was brief. I have so many questions. Like why dragons have multiple mates when other species struggle to find even one. Or who the Goddess is. Or when Sawyer found out about the Goddess.

The prophecy about the chosen one does get explained, so I’ll give points for that. Although no one really seems to know who they’re all going to be fighting against. Luckily, the bad guys space out their attacks so the main characters only have to deal with two interruptions. Isn’t that nice? Gives them plenty of time to have more sex.

Those two attacks are basically the sum total of the non-romantic plot for the book. To say it’s thin and sporadic is an understatement. That’s part of why the sex scenes felt like filler. Like the author really wanted to split everything up into five books, but there wasn’t enough plot, so she’s stretching things out as much as possible.

I did like that each of the guys got point of view sections. Sawyer and Draco seemed to get the most, followed by Henry, with Eduard and Andvari getting the least. I also liked that everyone was a different species. It was a good mix, but I am a little worried about the thought of adding another four people into the mix. Nine main characters seems like a lot.

I do wish there had been more discussion about the sex before it started. All the guys are kinky, and while I do think the guys would have stopped if someone had a complaint, the sex could change direction at any moment. From sweet to rough in a flash. Adding in daddy/boy play mid-coitus. I know that having people sit down and talk about what their likes and dislikes are isn’t sexy, but the lack of it, especially in a book filled with so much sex, was glaringly obvious. Only Eduard asked for explicit consent for a specific sex act.

I also thought it was strange that Draco was involved in almost every sex scene. I can’t tell whether the author just liked him better or whether there’s something about dragons that make them extra needy. This goes back to the lack of world building. I know next to nothing about how dragons behave in this world, expect that apparently they give their kids lame names. Seriously, who names a dragon Draco? It’s not just lazy, it’s lame.

My final complaint is about the chosen one. The answer was obvious from the beginning, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t have been a big deal when it was revealed. It was super anticlimactic. And on top of that, the reason the chosen one was chosen is supposedly because they’re “so full of love” which I call bullshit on. None of the characters have much contact with anyone outside of the house, so unless being full of love is a euphemism for semen, it hasn’t been shown. Again going back to the lack of character building.

However, despite all of my complaints, I think the series has potential. I hope the books will continue to get better – and let’s face it, there’s a lot of room for improvement – because the writing is good. I really liked the fight scene. It was tense and detailed and full of emotions. Hopefully things will really start to take off in book two.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series – Sweet Nothings (The Chosen One #0.5), The Trouble with Love (The Chosen One #0.75), Santa Trouble (The Chosen One #0.76)

Review: Consorting with Dragons by Sera Trevor

More about intrigue and social jockeying than dragons.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 2nd, Expanded Editio., 306 pages. Published April 7th 2018 (first published July 28th 2014)

Blurb:

Lord Jasen of Grumhul, an impoverished young nobleman, has come to the Draelands to find a rich husband to help pay his father’s debts. To the shock of everyone, he ends up attracting the attention of King Rilvor himself, and the dragons who control the magic in the land. Becoming royalty wasn’t something Jasen either expected or wanted, but he can’t control his growing feelings for kind and handsome king. Scheming factions at Court conspire to keep him from Rilvor’s side, and now Jasen has to decide if the chance at true love with Rilvor is worth the burden of being the husband of a king.

This sweet and funny Cinderfella romance is complete at ~85000 words and ends in a solid HEA. After all, true love always wins in fairy tales!

Likes:

Hooked fast.
Liked Jasen and Rilvor.
Rilvor’s kids.
Low angst.
Risyda.
No homophobia.
The daily intrigue.
World building.

Dislikes:

Dragons didn’t get much page time.
Jasen and Rilvor didn’t spend much time together.
Jasen complains a lot for someone who has it good.
Kept waiting for something to go wrong.
Jasen’s being dragon called wasn’t addressed for a long time.
The romance felt like a distant second.

Note: I read the expanded version of this story, which is a full novel. I did not read the novella, and can’t compare the two.

Every once in a while I’ll come across a book that’s fun while I’m reading, but that, when I look back on it, has major flaws. This is one of those books.

I was hooked fast. I liked Jasen a lot because he’s not naïve. He knows that he’s essentially being taken to market and sold to a husband. But he’s not angry or bitter about it. He’s realistic about what’s going on, but also determined to make the best of it. Like how, when his father’s carriage gets stuck in a rut, Jasen gets out and helps the servants get it unstuck. It means getting muddy, but that’s the only way they’re going to move.

I know the blurb describes the book as a Cinderfella story, but I didn’t get that vibe. Sure, King Rilvor is also looking for a spouse, but there’s not a lot of similarities between Consorting with Dragons and the typical Cinderella story. Which is a good thing, in my mind.

Sure, Jasen is a country bumpkin compared to the other men and women at the castle. But I never felt too bad for him because of it. For all that Jasen complains about being behind the curve on things like manners and etiquette, everything always works out for him. When I got to around the 50% mark, I kept expecting something terrible to happen to him, but he skates through everything relatively unscathed.

Rilvor was charming, both as a king and as Jasen’s love interest. I liked that he was older, and that he wasn’t supposed to have been king. I wish he had gotten point of view sections as well. He’s got a rich backstory that could have been expanded upon. And his four children were a surprisingly nice addition to the story.

Unfortunately, Rilvor and Jasen didn’t spend a lot of time together. Their meetings were sparse and short. That did make each meeting more impactful, but when I looked back at the story as a whole, it meant that there wasn’t a ton of romance. I’m the kind of person who likes romance to be more about the dozens of little moments rather than a few big ones. And those sweet, intimate moments were lacking.

The story mostly revolved around the social lives and daily intrigue of Jasen and the other marriage candidates. They were all sequestered in the castle for a final round of social polishing before being put up on the marriage market. This allowed Jasen to make up for being so poorly educated, but it also took up the majority of the page space. I was impressed with the world building, but I wanted more time spent on the romance.

Risyda gets a shout out for being awesome. I was excited that she was interested in women, and got a little hint of romance. I also love that there was no homophobia at all in the book.

My final complaint is about the dragons. They existed mostly in the background. Which was definitely a disappointment, since a big reason I picked up the book in the first place was because it had dragons. I also thought it was strange that Jasen’s being dragon-called wasn’t brought up for a long time.

In the end, I’m glad I picked up this book. I enjoyed reading it. It just wasn’t what I hoped for.

Review: A History of Trouble (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3.5) by S.J. Himes

A short, quick collection of stories.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 96 pages. Published February 25th 2019 by SJ Himes

Blurb:

A collection of brand-new short stories, featuring characters from The Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series by bestselling author SJ Himes.

Red Wine and Blood
The Blood Wars raged for centuries across Boston. Witness a brief glimpse into the brutal history of the Wars with Ignacio Salvatore and the vampire he loves, Ashwin Metcalfe, in 1897.

A History of Trouble
Angel was joking when he asked O’Malley if someone resurrected a mammoth. Little did he know that was exactly what someone did. Experience the untold story of what happened that unfortunate night at the Boston Public Museum.

A Dragon in the City
What happens when Eroch goes adventuring in Beacon Hill without Angel? Chaos, pure chaos.

Fae’s Gold
Daniel is helping the newly-resurrected fae Ruairi Brennan become accustomed to modern-day living. A boring trip to the bank quickly escalates, and Daniel calls Angel for help. The day goes downhill from there but ends in a comfy meal in a pub for an ancient fae warrior and a necromancer’s apprentice.

This is a collection, featuring vignettes and short stories from the universe of The Beacon Hill Sorcerer series. For full enjoyment, the Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series Books 1 through 3 should be read before reading this collection.

Combined word count is 23.5k words.

It’s always hard to review a collection of short stories as a whole. So I decided to simply give a few thoughts on each, as most weren’t long enough to get a full review.

Red Wine and Blood

The only story set in the past and not featuring any of the main characters from the novels. Ashwin Metcalfe and Ignacio Salvatore were soulbonded, much like Angel and Simeon, though their soulbond was not fully set even though they’d been together for twenty years. I liked the reminder that soulbonds usually take a long time to set when one of the couple is a vampire, and that Angel and Simeon are unusual in that way.

The look back at the history of the Blood Wars didn’t do much for me. However, I did find myself wishing that Ignacio had left behind journals. Angel was able to bring Isaac a journal written by one of their ancestors. I have to wonder if Ignacio didn’t write one, he did and it didn’t survive, or if Angel simply hasn’t bothered to read it. I think it would have been of much interest when Angel first started dating Simeon.

The only thing that really stood out about this story was a comment Ashwin made at the very end, about how he and Ignacio had centuries to allow their soulbond to fully set. It made me wonder if he was simply being unrealistic about the risk to him and Ignacio during the Blood Wars, or if the couple somehow survived, left the war behind, and will pop up in a later book.

A History of Trouble

The story of the resurrected mammoth that was mentioned in one of the books. One of the smaller cases Angel took back when he’d just started working with the police. It was something of a standard example of a reason why Angel would be called in. The mammoth was turned into a zombie, its behaviors ruled by basic needs. So, being an herbivore, it tried to eat plants.

This was the only story featuring a smut scene. As far as advancing the plot, or even adding new dimensions to the characters, it could easily be skipped. But the entertainment value of a zombie mammoth makes it worth the quick read.

A Dragon in the City

This story is from Eroch’s point of view, which I liked. And it started off with Eroch watching Simeon and Angel have sex, which I thought was super weird. Eroch isn’t so much interested in the sex the way a voyeur is, he’s simply happy that his nestmates were happy.

I loved the way Eroch labeled everyone – Simeon was the cold predator, Angel was Simeon’s magical mate, Daniel and Isaac were Eroch’s fellow broodmates. The notion of nestmates and broodmates goes back to how Eroch was raised on his home planet. The mention of that distant world was very interesting, and I loved that all the past Earth dragons came from that world and eventually returned there.

Eroch’s war on the pigeons is very amusing. The way he’s still trying to learn about the human world and match the names of things with what he sees showed that he’s very intelligent, even if that intelligence isn’t human. I’m excited about the reveal that, when Eroch grows big enough, he will gain a new ability. One that I’m sure will annoy the hell out of Angel. I hope it’s shown in the books!

Fae’s Gold

This was the longest story in the collection, taking up about half of the page space. And, out of all the stories, was the one that will have the most affect on the future books. It’s set between books 3 and 4, and I suspect it is a ‘must read’ in order for the future book about Daniel and Rory to make sense.

Basically, Daniel’s falling hard for Rory. I expected it. Hoped for it, even. Daniel deserves his happy ending just as much as Angel and Isaac. And Rory seems like a nice guy.

A lot of information about Rory is revealed in this book. It’s not just that he’s still trying to figure out how the modern day works. He’s been alive for centuries. Longer than Simeon or Batiste. He’s truly ancient, though he mentioned that his memory has gaps since he didn’t think certain things were worth remembering.

It was really heartwarming to see how much benefit Daniel got from helping Rory adjust to the modern world. Isaac is someone new, untouched by the Blood Wars, and Daniel is able to relax around him. Rory has promised to protect Daniel, which I can see becoming a conflict when Daniel and Rory’s story gets told in full. Isaac seems like the kind of man who’d think that falling in love with Daniel is somehow at odds with his promise to protect.

Necromancer’s Birthday Surprise

This story isn’t technically part of A History of Trouble but I included it here because I didn’t read it after book 2. I was so intent on starting book 3 that I wasn’t going to stop and read a short story. I wanted to find out how Angel handled the bombshell revel Isaac had dropped at the end of book 2, and this story didn’t seem like it would answer that question.

It turned out to have hinted that Angel was fine with Isaac’s reveal. Or at least, he wasn’t blaming his little brother. But the beginning of book 3 answered the question so much better.

This story is about Angel stopping two members of a grave robbing ring. The story ties in with part of book 3’s subplot, but isn’t a must read. It’s mentioned often in book 3 that Angel stopped two graverobbers, so the basic information was presented to the reader.

Much like A History of Trouble this was a simple story showing Angel using his powers to help the police solve a case. Aside from the connection with book 3, it doesn’t reveal anything extra about Angel. It does, however, reveal something about Eroch. And I’m actually really glad I didn’t read this story before I read book 3.

Eroch showed off a new ability in order to stop some zombies from getting to Angel. It’s the same ability he used to save Daniel in book 3. Because I hadn’t read this story before I read book 3, Eroch’s new ability caught me by surprise, and I loved it. I got so excited when he was able to save the day. If I had read this story first, I wouldn’t have been so excited when Eroch escaped with Daniel. So, despite not reading this in order, I’m glad I did it the way I did.