Tag: magic

Review: Stop Dragon My Heart Around (Magic Emporium) by Rachel Langella

Heavy on the tropes, but still a fun read.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 181 pages. Published April 1st 2021 by Independently Published

Blurb:

Sometimes Fate has a bizarre sense of humor.

Or at least it seems that way to Gus, owner of the Rainbow Room, Asheville’s main hangout for gay paranormals. He’s seen Fate catch up with the patrons of his bar while he served drinks and listened to their stories for three hundred years. He found all of it amusing, until his fated mate walks in and suddenly the twists aren’t so funny any longer!

Bear Hickes is a mage who specializes in fire, but life has lost its spark since his twin brother got married and left him alone. His older brother, Whimsy, is determined to help Bear find happiness no matter how much Bear objects, but meeting Gus gives Bear a wonderful idea: if Gus will pretend to be his boyfriend, Whimsy will get off his case. And somewhere along the line, Bear finds he wants it to be for real.

But there are secrets Gus is keeping from not just Bear, but the whole world. And when those secrets catch up with him at last, the danger won’t be just for Gus alone.

This story is set in the Asheville Arcana universe, but can be read as a standalone.

Stop Dragon My Heart Around is part of the multi-author Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes and a guaranteed HEA. 

Likes:

  • Gus and Bear, together and separately.
  • Good amount of secrets surrounding Gus.
  • Gus didn’t want to force the mate bond on Bear.
  • Bear’s art.
  • The romance’s slow build.
  • How Gus shifted.
  • The way the emporium item was used.

Dislikes:

  • Heavy reference to previous books in the series.
  • I don’t remember Bear ever telling Gus he wanted to stop fake dating.
  • Whimsey got annoying.
  • Book relies heavily on tropes.
  • Not much world building.

While I enjoyed this book, one of the most memorable things about it was something that annoyed me. Whereas the previous books in this multi-author series have been standalone, this one is part of an ongoing series. And despite the comment in the blurb that it can be read as a standalone, there was a ton of references to previous couples and events. The references happen all throughout the book, and got really annoying. The book ended up feeling like an advertisement for the Asheville Arcana series.

That annoyance aside, I did enjoy the story. Fake dating isn’t my favorite trope, but I liked that Gus immediately realized he and Bear were mates. Since Bear didn’t, Gus was left trying to keep all of his many secrets while trying not to fall in love.

Considering the title, it wasn’t hard to figure out what kind of supernatural Gus was. His backstory was tragic, and it made total sense that he wouldn’t want to subject Bear to the dangers of being mated to a dragon. I loved the way Gus shifted. It was a really unique take on dragons and their hoards.

Bear was a good guy, but he’d become withdrawn after his twin brother got married and moved away. Seeing him open up to Gus and regain his creative spark was nice. The way Bear used his fire magic to work glass was really fun. Plus, I loved that he and his family were keeping their cultural heritage alive.

The romance took its time, but I didn’t mind. The fake dating quickly turned into real feelings, though Gus stubbornly tried to hide the mate bond until the last minute. Yes, the tropes were strong with this book. No, it’s not the most original thing out there. But anyone who read the blurb would have been able to pick up on that. My only real complaint about the romance is that I don’t remember Bear ever actually telling Gus that he wants to stop the fake dating and do it for real.

The sinister presence that leads to the climactic ending could have been more notable. It was there, but neither character did much about the signs. Luckily, the emporium item came to the rescue once again. I loved how unique and seemingly random the item was, and how it was used.

I’ll definitely give the Asheville Arcana series a read soon. There’s not much world building in this book, so I’m hoping there’s more in the previous ones. I’m still unhappy with how heavy handed the references to the previous books were, but hopefully I’ll like the three couples enough that it evens out.

Review: The Young Man’s Guide to Love and Loyalty (Magic Emporium) by Clara Merrick

The romance was lacking and the ending was HFN not HEA. Disappointed because it wasn’t what I expected / what it promised to be.

2.75 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 218 pages. Published March 11th 2021

Blurb:

Loyalty is Lieutenant Owain Morgan’s watchword—loyalty to England’s Queen Elizabeth XII, to her daughter the Princess of Wales, and to the Royal Navy in which he serves. When his loyalty leads him into danger, an unseen something—or someone—lends a helping hand. Is he imagining it? Could it be a guardian angel? Or is it someone—or something—else?

Enter the intriguing Benjamin Fletcher. Owain knows that sharing a drink and a steamy afternoon together doesn’t have to mean anything, but Benjamin’s quiet charm works its way into his heart…. Until Benjamin turns up in the Earl of Essex’s retinue, that same Earl who, rumor says, is angling to marry the Princess of Wales and make her power his own.

Every encounter with Benjamin binds Owain’s heart more tightly to this enigmatic man yet tests his loyalty to Queen and Country. Will Owain be forced to choose between love and loyalty?

The Young Man’s Guide to Love and Loyalty is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This alternate history contains princesses, palaces, steam trains, fumbling lovers, and a guaranteed HEA. 

Likes:

  • Alternate historical setting.
  • Women in positions of power.
  • Owain was an interesting character.
  • Lots of hints about what was going on behind the scenes.
  • The non-romantic plot.
  • Watching Owain try to figure out what was going on.

Dislikes:

  • I have no idea why Owain was pulled into the central plot.
  • There isn’t much romance.
  • Anyone who knows who Mab is figured things out much sooner than Owain.
  • Owain and Benjamin don’t spend much time together.
  • The emporium item wasn’t as special as others in past books.
  • HFN ending, not HEA like blurb promised.

I’m definitely a little disappointed in this book. A big part of that is because the story didn’t meet my expectations. I expected this to be a romance set in an alternate historical timeline. In reality, the romance, what little there is, is far from the most important thing going on.

Owain was an interesting character to follow. He’s a relatively normal guy for all that he’s a naval first lieutenant. He has no idea about anything supernatural or mystical, except for the fact that he gets repeatedly saved by a mysterious force several times within the first 8% of the book.

Despite this, Owain doesn’t think to look into that mysterious force. He just does his job, reporting to the higher ups about his latest mission. When he meets a handsome guy who seems interested in them, they waste no time sleeping together, and while Owain wouldn’t mind doing it again, there’s nothing that ties them together.

I think, if this story hadn’t been a part of a romance series, and was instead presented as an alternate history with a dash of romance, I’d have been happier. Because the non-romantic plot was interesting. Political plots, assassination attempts, betrayal and double crossing, mystical forces, and poor unaware Owain caught up in the middle of it all. I’m not sure why he was brought into things. Him being asked to help protect the princess seemed to come out of left field. Especially because he spent almost the entire book trying to piece together what was going on.

But Owain’s involvement with the princess did allow him to see Benjamin again. They didn’t spend a lot of time together, and there was none of the typical ‘getting to know each other and falling in love’ of a typical romance novel. It was more like Owain couldn’t stop wondering what was going on with Benjamin. Just one more mystery added to the list of things Owain didn’t fully understand.

Everything was explained eventually. Of course, any reader familiar with who Mab is figured out the basics much sooner than Owain did. Unfortunately, with how long it took for Owain to understand everything fully, the ending suffered. It’s definitely not a happily ever after. More of a happily for now. Which, again, I wouldn’t have minded if it wasn’t that the blurb guarantees a HEA (happily ever after).

My final gripe about the book was the item that came form the emporium. In all the other books, the item has been something seemingly random but super specific. Something that, without which, the happy ending couldn’t have been achieved. The item in this book could have been replaced with dozens of other things. In the end, it was nothing more than a distraction, instead of being of vital importance.

A part of me feels like I’m being too harsh on this book. It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t do what it promised. And honestly, it felt out of place in the series. Like maybe it had been written already and the emporium elements had been shoehorned in.

Review: Must Love Demons (Magic Emporium) by Meghan Maslow

A super fun book filled with shenanigans and a murder case.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 310 pages. Published February 18th 2021

Blurb:

You’d think being magically tethered to the hottest warden in all Verona wouldn’t be a hardship.

You’d be wrong.

Incubus Nico Azertiran has his dream job as a cherub-in-training. It’s the perfect position for a lust demon who’s more interested in happily-ever-afters than one-night stands. Or it would be, if he didn’t keep screwing it up. When a new cherub gadget misfires, Nico is left trussed to Verona’s most eligible warden, the incredibly grumpy, Sir Flame.

Flambeau Illume has a job to do. Someone’s murdering Verona’s rich and famous, and Sir Flame’s hot on the killer’s trail . . . until he has the misfortune to get magically lassoed to the most infuriating incubus he’s ever had the displeasure to meet. Except, maybe Nico isn’t so terribly awful. But how can he solve his case and keep Nico safe at the same time? Especially when the sweet demon seems to have a bullseye on his back.

Together they need to solve the crime, stay alive, and—if their luck changes—maybe even fall in love. Easy, right?

Must Love Demons is part of the Magic Emporium series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a lariat of love, a demon tail with a mind of its own, and a guaranteed HEA. 

Likes:

  • Hooked me fast.
  • Nico and Flame, together and separately.
  • Watching them deal with being stuck together.
  • Good mystery element.
  • A cute, fun story.
  • Loved the reason why their relationship might not work.
  • How excited Nico was to try to find a use for what he got from the emporium.

Dislikes:

  • The cupids.
  • Not much world building.
  • Knew there was something more coming at the end.
  • Needs a follow up story.

This is easily my favorite book of the Magic Emporium series so far.

Nico was so easy to like. I mean, all he wanted to do was help people find their true love. It was just a shame that the cupids were so awful. But that didn’t keep Nico down. He still did his best to help people, despite the way he got treated for being an incubus who wants to spread love and not lust.

Flame was a bit uptight, but it made sense. He’s hundreds of years old and takes his job seriously. He basically lives for his work, and it was nice to see him realize that there’s more to life as he spent time with Nico.

The two ended up tied together very quickly, and I loved all the shenanigans that followed. A lot of them were fun. Or at least, they started that way. The murder case Flame was working on was woven throughout the story, and was never far from Flame’s mind. Especially since he was angling for a promotion, and didn’t want to be taken off the case, despite being tied to Nico.

Both men were attracted to each other, but there were a whole host of reasons why it was a bad idea. I especially loved Flame’s main reason. It was really unique, and fit with his phoenix shifter side.

Nico’s excitement to use the item that came from the emporium made me laugh. He kept trying to find the perfect fit for it, knowing it would come in handy. And it did. Once again, the item saved the day.

My only complaint about the plot was that I knew something more was going to happen. It’s always suspicious when it seems like everything’s all wrapped up and there’s more than 15% left to the book. I wasn’t mad with the twist, even though it wasn’t the most surprising thing ever.

The story could have used some more world building. I had a fair number of minor questions, like who made the cupid’s list. I would love to see a whole series written like this. Or, more importantly, a follow up short story or novella about Nico and Flame. Even though everything was wrapped up, I wanted to see them settle into their new lives.

Review: Brought to Light (Magic Emporium) by Eliot Grayson

A fun story with a good plot and a quick hook.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 187 pages. Published January 21st 2021 by Smoking Teacup Books

Blurb:

A hitman and a fae walk into a café…

Callum always gets the job done—whether he likes it or not—but this job isn’t like any other. The target’s too young, too pretty, and too appealing for comfort, and the clients are offering more threats than cash. And either the target poisoned his hot chocolate or he’s going crazy, because now magic stores and wizard-looking dudes are appearing out of nowhere. It’s really not Callum’s day.

Linden’s on the run, and the human realm’s a good place to hide from evil sorcerers who think Linden’s the answer to a prophecy. But his enemy has found a way to send a very human and very dangerous assassin after him—a man who could kill Linden with one hand. Linden should be terrified, but his knees go weak for all the wrong reasons.

When Linden’s family is taken hostage, spending the night with Callum ought to be the last thing on his mind, but Linden can’t resist the chance to fulfill his deepest fantasies before sacrificing his own life. Callum knows he should walk away—it’s not his fight. But the beautiful fae is under his skin and now protecting Linden and his family feels more important than his own survival. A human learning to feel. A fae learning to trust. Can two worlds merge into one true love?

Brought to Light is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a magic flashlight, a prophecy that doesn’t quite work out the way anyone expects, and a guaranteed HEA. 

Likes:

  • Good hook.
  • Interesting item from the emporium.
  • Callum was surprisingly likeable for a hitman.
  • Linden was nice.
  • The non-romantic plot was good.
  • The last few chapters had a good amount of tension.

Dislikes:

  • Not a ton of world building.
  • Easy for the reader to know how the prophecy would be satisfied.
  • Linden felt a little passive.
  • I’d like a short story follow up.

I’m always a little leery about books that have a main character who would typically be called a bad guy. So I wasn’t sure how I’d like this book, given that Callum is a hitman, and a good one at that. Luckily, Callum was very likeable. Yes, he kills people for a living, but he had a code of conduct. The fact that he immediately realized that Linden wasn’t like his usual targets definitely earned him brownie points, as was the fact that he cared for his friend and work partner Jesse.

I also found myself enjoying Callum’s reactions to learning about magic and multiple realms. It wasn’t over the top, more of a grudging ‘guess I have to add this into my world view’ type thing. Callum was practical no matter what happened, and watching him go through the story was fun.

Linden was also a likeable character. The fact that he removed himself from a dangerous situation so that the people he cared about weren’t caught in the crossfire was noble. Plus, Linden was a genuinely sweet person. Did he do much to protect himself? No, but that’s what Callum was for. Linden just got swept up in a mad man’s delusions and was trying his best to survive.

The romantic tension simmered beneath the surface between Linden and Callum for a while before they acted on it. Despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, the two fit together really well. The smut was good, and I wouldn’t have minded more.

The non-romantic plot was solid, and did a good job of keeping both men together as well as giving some serious stakes if they failed. The bad guy was the perfect amount of unlikeable, and his minions were plentiful.

There’s not a ton of world building in this book, which I kind of expected given that it’s a standalone. Enough was explained that I didn’t feel at a loss while reading, but looking back, I do have some minor questions.

What I do want is a short story or novella follow up, showing how Callum and Linden have adjusted to their new lives. Both experience some drastic life changes at the end of the book. There is also a hint of romance between two other characters who I’d love to see get their own story.

I loved the item that Callum got from the emporium. I had an idea of how it would be used, which turned out to be completely wrong. I can’t be mad at that, though. The ending was very satisfying, with a good amount of tension through the final chapters. It was easy to tell how the prophecy was wrong, but that just made me eager to see how everything would end up.

I’ve read a lot from Elliot Grayson in the past, and while I prefer their longer series, this was a fun book.

Review: Knight and Day (Magic Emporium) by Jacki James

A by-the-numbers story that was cute and low angst.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 137 pages. Published January 14th 2021

Blurb:

Theodore Knight has a curious nature. Ever since he was a child, he’s loved books that are full of danger and adventure. In real life, he’s a simple bookstore owner. But in his imagination, he’s a hero who goes on great quests to save the princess, or in his case, the prince, from evil dragons.

Until one day, real life starts to look a lot like his imaginary world. . . and the fate of an entire kingdom rests on his shoulders. The world is more magical than he ever thought, and he will have to learn to accept the impossible as possible, if he and Samuel are to succeed.

Samuel Day had never journeyed to the human realm, and he sure didn’t mean to get stuck there. That said, he’s found it all incredibly fascinating. Especially Theodore, the adorable human who holds a piece of the puzzle necessary to stop an evil immortal and save the magic realm known as Evorea. His loyalty is to his king, but it doesn’t take long for Theodore to become equally important.

They come from different realms and are as different as night and day, but together they have everything they need to save Evorea from ruin. They just have to find their way back there.

Knight and Day is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains a magic realm, a handsome guardian, one clueless human, and a guaranteed HEA. 

Likes:

  • Theodore and Samuel, together and separately.
  • Both Theodore and Samuel were visited by the emporium.
  • Theodore acted rationally when faced with the weird stuff.
  • Samuel’s love for human clothing.
  • Samuel’s vegetarianism made sense and wasn’t preachy.

Dislikes:

  • Insta-love.
  • No excitement towards the end.
  • Obvious who the dragons were.

This was the third book in the Magic Emporium series that I’ve read, and the first book where both main characters were visited by the emporium. I thought that was neat, especially since what they were given was what got the story started.

Both Theodore and Samuel were easy to like. The story only covers a few days’ worth of time, so there’s definitely some insta-love, but I enjoyed watching them get together. Especially with the way Theodore showed Samuel around the human world.

Theodore won major brownie points by reacting in a sensible way to all the weird happening in his life. He tried to throw away his piece of the dagger, then tried to give it to Samuel without a fuss. There were no theatrics or hysterics despite his crash course in magic and multiple worlds.

Samuel’s interest in the human world was adorable. I loved how much he enjoyed sweatpants. It was also nice to see a character who was a vegetarian without being preachy about it. In return for all of Theodore’s help, Samuel showed Theodore all of the magical things that existed right in his own city.

Unfortunately, it was painfully obvious who the missing dragons were going to be. In fact, this book is very by-the-numbers. There’s nothing too new or unique about it. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun read. But ultimately forgettable.

With how much damage the dagger could cause, I was expecting some excitement or intensity towards the end of the book. I kept waiting and waiting and…nothing. Maybe I’ve read too many high fantasy books, but I was a bit disappointed that there was no tension. Not with the dagger or the romance.

Overall, this book was about what I expected. For a standalone book set in a series like this, it did well. I liked the guys and the romance was sweet. It was a gentle read. Very little angst or violence. The happy ending was easily achievable. And sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of book you want.

Review: Hexes and Horns (Magic Emporium) by Rowan McAllister

A fun, low angst standalone with a unicorn shifter.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 242 pages. Published February 11th 2021 by Independently Published

Blurb:

Ryan O’Byrne has rules: 1) no using his magic, 2) no getting dragged back into his family’s craziness, and 3) no dating supernaturals of any kind, especially shifters … in other words, nothing and no one who will tempt him to break rule number one.

But what if the gorgeous wall of muscle he can’t seem to stay away from just happens to be a shifter? Well, it is only a short-term thing, and he isn’t a master of denial for nothing.

Leo Holt can’t help it if he has a teeny tiny weakness for bad boys—not really bad, just a little prickly around the edges. Even for a unicorn, all sweetness and light, all the time, can get a little boring. But, falling for the eldest son of the dark witch family who runs his little West Virginia town might be getting his fingers too close to the fire, even for him.

For Ryan, it was supposed to be a simple trip back home to show support during a family crisis. But when hexes, secrets, a family demon, and the O’Byrne witches are involved, nothing is ever simple.

Likes:

  • Hooked me fast.
  • Good for a standalone.
  • Leo’s a unicorn shifter.
  • Both Leo and Ryan, together and separately.
  • Good smut.
  • Happy, fluffy read.
  • The side characters, especially Mo and Kaia.

Dislikes:

  • Chapter one didn’t explain the setup as well as it could have.
  • I wish Ryan’s family had suffered more.
  • Could use a follow up short story or novella.
  • I want more.

Since this entire series is a set of standalone books by different authors, I read this one first and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to stay away from standalone fantasy/magic books because I usually feel like the world building is lacking. But not this one. There was plenty of information about the magic, especially about why Ryan didn’t want to use his. Could it have used more world building? Sure, but then I almost always say that because I want to be truly immersed in the world.

Ryan’s feelings towards his family and his reluctance to be back in his hometown hooked me straight away. As did his determination not to start using magic again. I liked that Ryan had conflicted feelings towards his family. He doesn’t like a lot of what they do, but they’re family and he can’t turn his back on them. As a queer person with some intensely racist and homophobic family members, I understand completely.

Leo also has a complicated past, though that has more to do with his shifter side and trusting nature. When I started reading, I’d forgotten that the blurb reveals that he’s a unicorn, so it came as a pleasant surprise. The fact that he constantly had to be on the lookout for people wanting to capture him made me feel bad for him, but he didn’t live in fear.

Leo’s bright, cheerful attitude worked wonders on Ryan’s troubled soul. It was sweet watching Ryan open up to Leo. Both of them had secrets, but they were a good match. There were some good smut scenes, and the romance was fluffier than the non-romantic plot, which did have some angst to it.

The non-romantic plot was good, and moved at a nice pace. I liked when the Magic Emporium showed up and how it affected the plot. I do wish that Ryan’s family had gotten a more intense punishment. With everything they’d done, all the pain they caused, not just in the immediate time frame but for decades, I wanted to see something big happen. This is part of why I think there needed to be a novella of some sort after the book. It needed to show what was going on a few months or years later.

Mo and Kaia were great side characters. Again, I wish there was a follow up novella showing what happens with Kaia’s magic. I’m looking forward to the other books in the series. Hopefully they’re all as much fun.

Review: Hell Freezes Over (Hellhound Champions #3.5) by Macy Blake

A teaser novella that’s no longer available or listed as part of the series.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Blurb:

Safe to say Achim’s day wasn’t what he planned. First, his mission for the fire goddess ended up with him—a hellhound who’d never actually been to hell—being sent precisely there. Worse, he found himself stuck in the strange hellscape with Ozias, a guy who’s a) hotter than the fire of both suns in the hell-realm, b) really, really likable, despite his arrogance, and c) oh yeah, the actual prince of hell. Now, Achim needs to keep them alive until he can figure out how to get home… which isn’t as easy as it sounds, since Ozias’s magic isn’t working and Achim is just a wee bit distracted keeping his hands off the gorgeous-but-cocky prince. Achim will do whatever it takes to complete his mission, but getting involved with Ozias? Ha. Maybe when hell freezes over.

Likes:

  • A new realm.
  • Hot smut.

Dislikes:

  • Insta-love.
  • More of a prequel/teaser than a full story.
  • The novella isn’t listed as part of the series anymore.
  • Left me with more questions than answers.

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest fan of teaser stories in general. I get that they’re a great way for an author to give out something free to attract new readers to try their series. And honestly, this one worked, because getting this novella for free from Prolific Works was what made me start the Chosen One series to begin with, since I hate reading series in the wrong order.

So I’ve been sitting on this novella for months. And when I went back to get the info on it, including the Prolific Works link, I couldn’t find it. It’s not listed on Goodreads anymore either. Which seemed strange until I realized that the actual novel this story was teasing came out about a month ago. I’m guessing that the events of this novella have been incorporated into the novel, since this story is about how Achim and Ozias first meet.

While I think it’s a little strange to completely remove the novella to prevent new people from reading it, that might be for the best. Ozias and Achim needed a longer story. This novella was just about their first meeting, their insta-lust, and insta-love. Neither man was well fleshed out, and I was left with more questions than answers.

As per the Chosen One series, the smut was hot. And I was excited about a new realm, especially one the hellhound champions aren’t familiar with. As a teaser to the novel Hell Breaks Loose, it did its job. I’m curious to see what’s in the full novel.

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), All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1), Nothing Ventured (The Chosen One #2), Hell on Earth (Hellhound Champions #1), Double or Nothing (The Chosen One #2.5), Next to Nothing (The Chosen One #3), Give Him Hell (Hellhound Champions #3), Nothing Gained (The Chosen One #4),  Stop at Nothing (The Chosen One #5), Sweet Spot (Paranormal Sugar Daddy #1), All Kidding Aside (Magical Mates #1), Stop Kidding Around (Magical Mates #2)

Review: Stop Kidding Around (Magical Mates #2) by Macy Blake

A good story, even if the romance wasn’t enough to fully carry the story.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 307 pages. Published December 15th 2020

Blurb:

His so-called mate thinks it’s fate. Toby has other ideas.

When Toby Sanders shows up to interview for a teaching job at a mysterious estate, he’s not expecting his world to flip upside down and backward.

Shifters are real… and the hottest, most protective wolf of all is claiming him as a mate.

Toby can’t deny that Brooks is everything he ever wanted and never thought he could have—loving, strong, drop-dead gorgeous—or that the two little girls Brooks wants to adopt give Toby a glimpse of the family he’s always dreamed of…
But how the heck is he supposed to believe in this mating magic stuff when life has taught him that the only person he can count on is himself?

As dangers from multiple sources threaten everything he’s come to care about, Toby learns that being part of a pack isn’t just about accepting his fate, it’s about choice: choosing to trust Brooks, choosing to believe in himself, and choosing to fight for the life and love he deserves, even if he has to cross the entire fae realm to do it. 

Likes:

  • Toby and Brooks, together and separately.
  • Toby’s hang-ups with sex.
  • How Brooks was willing to take it slow.
  • Toby was a good teacher.
  • The side characters, especially Ollie and Jeremy.
  • Toby added a lot to the pack.

Dislikes:

  • Not as good as All Kidding Aside.
  • A lot of extra non-romance things added in to stretch the length.
  • Some issues not resolved at the end.
  • The statement at the end about Zachary and Toby becoming good friends.
  • Daisy and Marigold weren’t central to the story.
  • Toby was only introduced to one other human who learned about the supernatural world.

I read this book right after finishing All Kidding Aside, and I have to admit that it’s not as good. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. I liked Toby and Brooks, and their romance was sweet. But their romance wasn’t enough to fill up the book, which meant that other, unconnected issues were brough up to take up space. I wouldn’t exactly call it filler, because it is important to the pack’s overall story. But it definitely wasn’t related to Brooks or Toby.

Stop Kidding Around might be the second book in the Magical Mates series, but it’s the 15th in the Chosen Universe series. Which made it an unusual choice to have Toby be a human with no knowledge of anything supernatural. The Magical Mates series is deeply tied to all the books that came before, but I guess people might come into the series without reading the earlier books. Then why not have Toby be the main character of the first book? I guess I always assume that characters who are introduced to a new magical/supernatural world are there to also introduce the world to the readers, and Toby doesn’t fulfill that purpose.

Despite that, I liked Toby. He was passionate about teaching and good with the kids, especially Jeremy. As an outsider, Toby added a new perspective to the pack meetings, and Nick and the others listened to him. Toby did need time to adjust to the new world he found himself in, and thankfully did so without any major freak-outs. I wish he’d been able to sit down and talk with some of the other humans who’ve learned about the supernatural world. He briefly met Shelly, but I would have liked him to meet Cody. I think they could have become friends.

Brooks was a good guy, but is definitely less developed than Toby. He’s a member of the Jerrick pack, and wants to adopt two little girls who Nick rescued. Being single, he doubts he’d be considered a good pick. Throughout the book, his main focus is on wooing Toby. Besides that, he doesn’t really have much else going on.

The little girls, Daisy and Marigold, are also less developed than I expected. Since Gus was such a cutie in All Kidding Aside, the girls felt bland. They’re there, and Brooks and Toby dote on them, but personality wise they were lacking. On the plus side, they weren’t annoying.

Jeremy made much more of an impact on me than the girls. I liked Jeremy, and the way Toby saw himself in the boy and made sure to include him. It was nice to see Jeremy get a happy ending as well.

Brooks recognized Toby as his mate right from their first meeting, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because I was annoyed at how long it took Riggs and Victor to realize they were mates in the last book. Bad because the romance wasn’t enough to carry the book on its own. Yes, Toby needed a lot of time to get used to all the new things in his life. Plus, Toby had hang-ups about sex. And I loved that Brooks was willing to take things slow for him. But the romance could only be stretched so far, which led to the other, unrelated plot points being added in.

Jeremy’s story was one such extra plot point. As was the entire trip into the fae, and how they couldn’t just go back once the danger was over. Seriously, the whole ‘you can’t leave until the Lady says so’ thing was super heavy handed and definitely added to the page length despite not having any bearing on Toby’s life.

I do wish the issue of Toby and Brooks belonging to different packs had been cleared up. It wasn’t even addressed, and it left me with questions like where they’ll live and what pack the girls will belong to. I also didn’t appreciate being told that Toby and Ollie became besties with Zachary when Toby never interacts with Zachary on page at all.

I am curious about Zachary and Rowan, and am glad they’ll be getting a novella eventually. I also hope Ollie gets a story one day. He was the standout character of the book. Ollie is as cute as an adult as he was in the first book of the series, and it was nice to see him and Toby be friends.  

There’s no word yet on when the next book will come out, which is a little strange as Blake seems to have been putting out three books a year and it’s been six months since the last book. Still, I’m hoping the next book will be worth the wait.

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), All or Nothing (The Chosen One #1), Nothing Ventured (The Chosen One #2), Hell on Earth (Hellhound Champions #1), Double or Nothing (The Chosen One #2.5), Next to Nothing (The Chosen One #3), Give Him Hell (Hellhound Champions #3), Nothing Gained (The Chosen One #4),  Stop at Nothing (The Chosen One #5), Sweet Spot (Paranormal Sugar Daddy #1), All Kidding Aside (Magical Mates #1)