The Perfect Book

"Time to pluck some cherries"

 

I love Theo and Jamie and I enjoyed the stubbornness, the jealousy, and the playfulness in this short story.
It is a great thing to read more about this sexy couple, witnessing their complicity is still there.

What an awesome read!
What a nice way to reach the maximum rate!
Congrats, Anyta Sunday, you did it again!

This is the kind of book I always crave. This is the story I always want to read and feel. These are the characters that always make me smile. These are the conversations that I enjoy the most: the funny and smart ones.

This is the kind of book my kids and husband are afraid of: the one that makes me forget everything around and skip out on any task and keep reading. Yeah, yeah, Shame on me..., but when I'm loving a book it keeps me absorbed and unconscious of the the world around. My obsession level was so high with Theo and Jamie's story, last Sunday (hitting the 60% of the book) when my little girls were asking for dinner I thought "Dinner!?? If they just had lunch! How many times humans need to feed!". ;) Yep, that disturbing level.

Now, seriously. There are terrific reviews out there, and this isn't going to be one of them because I can't say anything new (so I'm not trying to do it).I just gonna say: If you like slow burn MM romance, you have to read this one, because it will give you what you are asking for. A perfect friends-to-lovers story.

But if you have any doubts or need further incentive, I just gonna expound a few undeniable facts:

Jamie and Theo are awesome. They are good people who deserves happiness, and more good people to share their lives with. Special mention here to Leone. She is a terrific character, I love her strength and independence. I'm Proud of her!

The book is very funny . Great quotes, fantastic humor and awesome interactions. I loved every single page.

The slow burn is delicious.The flirt. The tease. The growing trust. The sweet and entertaining jealousy.

The friendship this two guys build is enviable. You can witness the bond growing while Theo and Jamie create something beautiful. I was mesmerized.

"Love is a Hollywood invention. It's right next to Maglor and Middle Earth in a Talkien dictionary"

The sex is hot and in the perfect amount . Dirty and funny, between hot guys that I completely loved. I especially love Theo, he is one of those characters I become obsessed with. Oh, who I'm kidding? I am a little obsessed with Jamie too. He is kind, caring with both the Leos, patient and super funny. Jamie is lovely and the perfect match for our smartass Theo. There is a characteristic both of them share and its is selflessness. They always act in their beloved ones benefit.

"And if I can't swim?"
"I swim for both of us"

One of the most beautiful things in this story is the fact that Theo never asks himself if he is gay. There is no inner struggle. He never questions his sexuality or attraction to another man. The feelings just flow. He is attracted to his best friend, he has fantastic sex with him, he cares about Jamie and wants him to be happy. And after some funny time being clueless, he discovers he is completely in love with him.

"He'd never been turned on by any other guy before. He was confident when he said he wasn't gay. The thought of getting off with Jamie didn't make him question his identity or make him curl into a ball of angst. Sex didn't define who he was"

I really love the the initial quotes in every chapter. A smile always in my face imagining the situation described. Loved it!

So, let's recap: this lovely story is about honesty, friendship and loyalty. Here you have two good guys, and you always want to read about good guys who find love, right? Much more if they are hot, smart, funny and written by Anyta Sunday.

I almost feel pity for my next book... It has to be soooo goood, just to compete with Leo loves Aries.

**This book was generously provided to me, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review**

"By the time their lips met, he was sure there was already brain matter leaking from his ears"

Bisexual cop Lex Turner meets straight Doc Gavin Anderson and after a weird, messy threesome, something starts between the two of them. Something, none of them is prepared for.

This is, above everything, a book about friendship. No, cross out that. This is a funny and sweet book about friendship and love, riddled with great quotes and hot sex.

"Oh holly shit! Lex had kissed him again! Gavin was confused because he'd maybe, kind of, somewhat, enjoyed it. What the hell was going on?"

Gavin, our Doc, is a lovable dork, stuttering included. He is going through a disastrous divorce and he meets -apparently cold- agent Cooper, while he has to deal with the humiliation his shitty ex wife is giving him.
One night, after some drinks, straightforward Lex, and naïve and inexperienced Gavin, end up in bed together sharing a woman.

Here is my Warning: I have some friends that don't appreciate M/F/M sex scenes in MM romance books. Well, here we have two of them and they are completely explicit. In my opinion, it's vital in the story. It's the way our MCs connect and feel each other for the first time, and the scenes are sexy as hell, too.
Personally, I enjoyed these threesomes a lot, and not only because I am super smutty, but also because I could witness Gavin's insecurities in his first time "with" a man, and how Lex wanted to be with him, more than with the -nameless for me- girl.
These scenes reminded me slightly of the first encounters in "Just a bit obsessed" by Alexandra Hazard, book that I loved.

What to say about our heroes?

Gavin is cute, sweet and naïve. He seems confused most of the time. He is a bit lost, clueless, and I liked his oblivious behavior even though I think it was a bit too much. Really, I don't know how Gavin made it through a marriage (with a malicious bitch, no less) or though life in general.

Lex, on the other hand, is strength where Gavin is weakness. He is a experienced man who has a crush on the doctor since the very beginning. He is a selfless and devoted son, a loyal friend and in Gavin's words "officer Turner, aka Lex, the God of awesome, kinky, threesome sex".
But he is also insecure. He doesn't want to hurt the doc and he is afraid of telling him, a straight guy, that he has feelings for him.
Lex is affectionate and very funny and my favorite person in this story.

"Are you, doc?"
Gavin was speechless, but Lex waited until he couldn't compose himself enough to speak.
"Are I what?"
"Not an English professor, that's for sure"

Together they are cute and scorching hot at the same time.

In my opinion, It's not easy to write good supporting characters, but Riley and Sheila (the friends) deserve a mention here. The couple was understanding and really funny. I enjoyed their interactions a lot. Quotes like: "So you gonna be gay now?" or "I'm never talking to you again if you give any details about you and that cooper having butt sex" had me reading with a smile on my face most of the time.

I really enjoyed the progressive transition from occasional threesome participants-to friends-to lovers.
I always get the most out of the slow burn, the flirt, the not knowing what to do, the clueless characters and the funny and entertaining dialogues and, dear readers,"Falling for him" by CL Mustafic has it all.

So, why I´m not giving this book the highest rate? Well, basically the reasons are two: It turned a bit too long (not boring, not at all, just long) on the second half and, also, I REALLY HAVE TO LOVE a story and its characters to get to the maximum score. It is not an easy task, and the author did a great job here, really good, and I am looking forward to read what comes next with CL Mustafic. If it is something near this one, I´m gonna love it!

**This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Desingn in exchange for an honest review**

DNF

It seems I am the dissenting voice here. I am clearly a minority. It looks like everyone loves this book but me! Maybe I'm weird, but I'm not finishing it.

The characters are so volatile, so flighty, so bipolar... they drove me crazy. The are constantly changing their minds and behaving like teenagers.

It's a bit weird how the childish and sometimes annoying Harrison's twins become crime's masterminds between book one and book two. How is it even possible? Abby suddenly is a hit woman? In three months? Come on!

It seems a joke to make us believe that Abby is capable of running a gang all of a sudden. And is pretentious on Abby to think she could. I don't know what kind of abilities she has developed in this time, but a cold soul and a perfect aim are between them, apparently.

And about the bipolar thing going on: one moment Abby thinks Damon is family and tattooed his gang name on her back and the day after that (literally next morning) she goes crying to her Daddy asking for help and betraying Damon and the Hellhounds? Is it normal? to accept Damon's assassination without hesitation?I don't think so, and I don't want to read anymore about such a bipolar, crazy and childish main character.

I really enjoyed the first installment, in spite of its inconsistencies, I gave it 3 stars but with this one, I'm done at 20%. I can't stand the constant change of minds, the juvenile behavior (in badasses bikers, no less) and the annoying heroine.

**An advanced reading copie of this book was generously provided to me by Inkitt, in exchange for an honest review**

** This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review**

In this second installment, Summer McCloud and his cop boyfriend, Jerry, leave Ames to have some vacation in the beach town of Watch Hill, but as they arrived, they discover a dead body in the water and the mini holidays gets complicated.

The plot is good and I like the idea of a team made up of psychic skills (Summer) and detective abilities (Jerry). It is a really great combination. I think I enjoyed this one more than 'murder in plain sight'.

The fast pace is one of the best things of this book. It drugs you in, wanting to know more. Everything happens fast and the dialogues go straight to the point.

Nikki Broadwell has created a great scenario, mixing paranormal elements, with some politics, converging in a thriller with some twists and turns.

That being said, now I have to explain why this book wasn't my cup of tea.

First of all I need to say, the way they face the dead woman discovery upset me a bit. I don't know how to explain it... in some point Summer was even worried because a storm was coming, and she thought something like"I hopped we could spend some time in the beach. I wanted to work on my tan". Seriously? Is not a priority to know what happened? This probably affected me more than it should but I think, sadly, it determined the rest of my reading.

The other thing I don't get is that they should be a great team: psychic and cop together? Come on! piece of cake! But, no, they are not. They are constantly ranting in a childish way, and dismissing the obvious, or worse, jumping to conclusions without a clear cognitive development (not clear to me, anyway)

For the reasons above it didn't work for me but this is just my opinion and it could work for you perfectly, because, the thing is, I am very picky with suspense themes, so this is a problem of mine and no one else's.

In spite of my rate, you probably should give this story a go, I think it would work perfectly for some readers. So if you are attracted to the synopsis (as I was) and the great cover (it is great) give "Saffron and Seaweed" a try!

Marco and Oskar were best friends until something happened between them when they were 16 years old. Now, 4 years after, Oskar is back to Marco's life and they have to deal with their past, feelings, insecurities and resentments.

This is a story of a beautiful friendship, a book about hate and love- and the thin line between them-. This is a novel based on second chances, regrets and forgiveness. This is a story about colors and perceptions masterfully told by Anyta Sunday.

I loved this book. LOVED IT! It made me feel every emotion with the protagonists. I felt every stare, every vulnerability, every insecurity. The love, the resentment, the unrequited trust, the lust. EVERYTHING.

True Colors was a fantastic read, an awesome story that had me crying and smiling, all the way.
Really, I was crying on page twenty or twenty something (10% of the story, I think). Don't know why. It wasn't a moment of big angst right there, it was just the way Anyta Sunday writes, how she perfectly introduce us to Marco and Oskar, how the story starts and grows.

I read part of this book on the beach, listening to the sound of the sea waves, while my little girls were playing on the sand, and I thought "This is perfect" and it was, perfect book for a perfect moment. True Colors was IT for me: PERFECT.

It was beautiful, sweet, hot, a little angsty, with amazingly likable characters and depth enough to drag you in and make you feel what the characters are feeling since the very beginning.

I know I'm not even talking about the story itself, just my thoughts here and there, but this could be a good point, this way you can find out, by yourself, how amazing Oskar and Marco are!

This was not my first book by Anyta Sunday. and it won't be the last. I'm starting "Leo loves Aries" as soon as I can, and after that one ,no doubt I'm gonna pick another, and then another... So, Thank you Anyta for your writing!

**This book was generously provided to me via Netgalley**

A New Adult Motorcycle Club romance that follows the story between Abby, the daughter of the Satan's Sons Prez, and Kade, a tough member of the club, known as Reaper.

I can't make up my mind with this one... Finally, after a long inner debate, I'm giving it 3.5 stars.
The first 30% of the story was almost a 5 stars rate, but then, something changed and it became a New Adult story, missing the real club problems, more focussed on the Harrison's twins and their issues.

Don't misunderstand me, I love New Adult novels. Just it's my first time mixing MC with NA and I didn't know what to think about it. Maybe I wanted more depth in the club business and less about Abby's childish behavior.

Abby, our female main character starts being sassy and brave, because she has lived all her life between rough and violent men, and knows how to deal with them.
She is, at the same time, badass and reserved and this is an attractive combination that makes you understand why Reaper likes her. I really liked Abby at first too. Then, out of the blue, she became the typical annoying character, acting like a teenager and making wrong decisions.
I get it, she is young and I have to say I didn't hate her even I didn't understand her at times. I missed the Abby from the first 30%.

Probably the thing I loved the most about the book was Reaper. He is a very attractive alpha male. I really liked him, though maybe I wanted to read more about his job for the club.
It's not that it's not developed, is just I needed and wanted to know why he is the way he is, to profound more in the killer, soulless bastard that he supposedly is. After all, that is his excuse for not being with Abby.

There was something I didn't get along completely: all the sex scenes fade to black. All of them. Every single one. And though I don't hate it, sometimes, I like to read some steamy, hot sex. Not the unnecessary, gratuitous and out of place scenes. No. The dirty ones all bikers books need to have because they are rough, and sexy, and usually super dirty.
In my modest opinion, in this kind of book, at least one dirty scene is completely necessary. It is one of the most attractive things to me in biker's books: the contrast between the hard, rough and dirty mouthed guy, and the sweet and loving in him.

Even though all the criticism above, I really enjoyed this story. I couldn't put it down and I would recommend it to anyone who likes MC's books, but here is my warning: Reaper's Claim has a big component of New Adult, so some love for this genre is needed.

The second installment come out this month. Am I going to read it? OF COURSE I will. In fact, I can't wait!

***This book was generously provided to me by Inkitt in exchange for an honest review***

First of all, I must say, even though this is book three in the Housemates series, it can be read perfectly as a standalone novel. But I recommend reading the predecessors, just for the fun of it!

Dev has to move out his dorm because some stupid homophobic students are giving him a hard time.
Settle in his new home, he meets Ewan, his neighbor, who agrees to give Dev some sexual experience in exchange of statistics lessons.
What Ewan is really doing is protecting a sexy and naïve guy from a not so innocent world, so you could say, Ewan's intentions are sweet and kind from the very first moment and it makes you love him since the beginning.
And the same with Dev. This cute, insecure, virgin guy, weird in the social relationships, is so lovely and insecure you gonna like him since page one.
These two characters together? they are adorable!

I really enjoyed this story. Dev and Ewan are sweet, cute and funny. Once I started I could not stop reading. This is something Northcote usually do for me, so it wasn't a surprise.

The pace is great, the conversations fluid and funny, the characters very likable, entertaining and developed, and the sex is hot.

This is the other thing I loved of this book: good, steamy, hot sex in the exact and perfect amount. And the same with the angst. There is little angst, coming mostly from Dev and Ewan's insecurities and fears. But it is something light, easy, based on the uncertainties of our main characters and perfectly fitted in this sweet and lovely story.

No doubt Jay Northcote knows how to write MM romance.

**This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review.**


This story starts with a murder connected to Summer, our heroine, that makes her run away, introducing the reader to an old mysterious disappearance, involving magic, ambiguous felonies, and more murders.
Everything happens very fast in this paranormal mystery, and I love the pace, don't misunderstand me, in fact I really enjoyed the first 50 pages. The pace was not my issue with this book.

My main problem with this one was the incoherence of the story, the inconsistencies.
I don't want to spoil nothing so I'm not giving examples but, sadly, this book has a few nonsenses, like incongruous conclusions and really wrong judgements, ironically coming the most from a cop (our heroine's boyfriend is a cop, a terrible one, if you ask me).

Every time I was enjoying the story and wanting to know what was going to happen, someone jumped to a ridiculous conclusion and kicked me off the book completely.

Maybe I didn't enjoy this one because I have read lots of mystery books in my life and I am a very picky with them. I don't know. I just know it wasn't for me.

I love the suspense, the way this kind of novels makes me think and has me constantly guessing and on the edge of my chair (or sofa, or bed).
I want them to be difficult, to make me struggle to know what is happening and who did what.

In my modest opinion, in mystery, is equally important the conclusion and the way you come to this conclusion. I think this is exactly the charm mystery books has, and what "Murder in plain sight" lacks.

I hate to give bad reviews but this book was not for me, and it's really a shame because the premise seemed very attractive, and I usually enjoy paranormal mystery.

If you are not as used as I am to mystery books maybe you could love this story.

DNF

*** An advanced reading copie of The Wizard of Kharathad by Matia ben Ephraim was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review***

The author take you in a very appealing journey, with a great main character in a magic world full of beauty, adventures and mystery. It is very well written book, with very likable characters and a rich language that embellish the story even more.

But I have to say, I didn't know that this book was not an standalone novel. The Wizard of Krarathad is the first book in a series and some of the enigmas and mysteries remain unanswered at the end of this first book.

That been said, let's start with my opinion:

This is a book you can read for your own entertainment or, like I did, also to your kids in bed at night, because this is a beautiful tale whose basis is nobleness and kindness and whose hero is a really nice character, with a big heart and integrity, who transports you to a universe where truth and honesty really matters.

I loved the way the author based magic on the belief of God, in some form of another. And I specially loved something Gabriel teaches Dogalas about wizards: 'all men should be noble, virtuous and decent- but as wizards, we above all others must be an example to those few who are not.'

The problem for me with this one (and I emphasize "FOR ME" here) is the long descriptions and the extremely detailed narration. But of course this is, as I said, MY problem, because even though I read a lot, I have to recognize that I am a lazy reader. It happened to me with 'The Pillars of the Earth' and with 'The Lord of the Rings' books with a very high rate, so...
Fortunately, reading is a very subjective thing, and you probably will enjoy every page of this beautiful adventure.

I encourage to any fan of epic fantasy adventures to immerse themselves in this story of magic, elves, gyontar, wharlocks, dragons... In the world Matia Ben Ephraim has ingeniously created.

2.5 "this is not what I was expecting" stars.

Callie meet Asa at the wrong place, among wrong guys, involving wrong circumstances. And, after that first encounter, everything changes in Callie's life, needing Asa to protect and take care of her.

I didn't expect this story... And what was I expecting? I don't now, but at least, some of the good stuff I love in bikers books: that crime vibe with some intrigue, that always achieve to catch me. The dark atmosphere, that drags me in and stick with me for days. A hot badass hero with his hot badasses friends. Enough dirty talk, tough scenes, rough sex and great love... The usual MC background.

Unfortunately, this book has none of the characteristics mentioned above.
None. And it's a shame because I loved Craving Constellations and loved Grease in the first book. So knowing this story started where the first book ended, kept me on the edge, hungry for more.

And... Well, let's say, this book JUST starts where C. Constellations ends. Literally. After the first chapter, everything is past tense until the last chapter. Literally again.

And the past story about an immature and needy sixteen years old girl, and a guy named Asa (not Grease here. Really. He could had been a plumber or a mechanic with a bike) was not for me.
I wanted to kill her very often, and when I didn't want to kill here, I was wanting to kill Asa for loving her.
I didn't understand their relationship, and unfortunately I didn't feel it.

As I said, is a shame, because I started this story enthusiastically, and that's not the way I felt once I read it.

Anyway, I am probably going to try Craving Absolution, because I like Cody but, with this disappointment, this time I am starting the book with no hopes.

**This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.**

Clay and Aaron meet after fifteen years of being apart and Clay wants Aaron back in his life, so he suggests his ex a year of dating, hopping to win him back in this time.

I thought I would love this book. I really wanted to. I enjoy second chances stories, mostly because of the angst that they usually contains in some point. But in this book something was... off. I could not connect with it, with them. I didn't feel it.

In my opinion, the conversations between Clay and Aaron seems unnatural, forced. And the same happens with the nicknames. They call each other "Sunshine" and "Love" since the very beginning and, personally, I think it is a little out of place, mostly since the breakup was a hurtful one and a long time ago.
Seriously, after fifteen years without any interaction, I think the terms of endearment don't fit here and, since during the time they've been separated, one of them has been married to a woman and the other has been in a relationship with another man for five years... It seems... I don't know... Weird?

Maybe the "second chance" thing didn't work for me because it was like they never had been apart. Clay left Iowa fifteen years ago choosing his career over Aaron and everyone treats him like he went on a business trip for the weekend.

I do not like to say bad things about a book. I really hate it but, this one was not for me.
Anyway, if you give this book a try it could work for you perfectly, because reading is a very subjective thing and the one above is just one opinion!

All starts in a convent in 1476 where an eighteen years old princess awaits for his father who is, no more and no less than the almighty Vlad Dracula.


A sarcastic and tyrant angel changes her in something she doesn't want to be and that is what this story tell us: how Ruxandra looses her innocence and naivety, how she becomes a creature of darkness while trying not to be a monster.


The story lays between the idea of Bram Stoker's legendary Vlad Dracula and Ann Rice's vampire with a soul. Ruxandra is daughter of the former, but has more similarities with the latter, with the regretful/tormented vampire that hates to feed on humans.


The dark atmosphere and the loneliness and fear vibe are well made. And the loneliness is a constant since Ruxandra spent most of the time in the book by herself. But don't be afraid of it, dear reader, her inner dialogue makes it very easy to read.


A entertaining tale, a little repetitive and slow at times but really well written. You have to read this story as the beginning of something, because that is what this is and, for me personally, the best part starts near to the end promising a good second book.

***This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review***

I really enjoyed this one! I loved it!

Brenna came back home after five years of being away. Escaping from her abusing husband, she looked for comfort in the arms of the Motorcycle Club of her childhood, the one she left during college, hiding a big secret with her.

This is the story of Brenna and Dragon and let me tell you, it's not an easy one. It's told by a girl who has lived the ACES Motorcycle Club since she was born. She is used to violence and bad behavior and sees things in a way you, reader, maybe not. She has been surrounded of rough men and criminals all her live so her point of view could be far from yours at times. It works for me perfectly, anyway and, if you are a biker's books fan, you will love it as I did.

After running away from the life Brenna thought was wrong for her, she ended up marrying a sociopath who was evil personified. Not his pop, not the Aces Brothers, not biker's life. No. The man she thought was her way out, ironically was her worst nightmare.

I loved the way Brenna realizes what is important in life, how she finally understands family. Her family at least. But regarding this, there is one thing (well, probably more) I didn't understand from Brenna: how she possible go away for five years without contacting her father? I'm not talking here about Dragon, I'm talking about the lack of contact with the dad she knows loves her more than anything.

The other POV is Dragon's. He is a great hero and a very well written one as well.
You will enjoy his dirty mouth as much as I enjoyed it, and the mix of rough and sweet in him.
I think he is my favorite thing in a book full of things I liked. But, really, I could empathized with Dragon and I understood his behavior, mostly.
What I completely understand is his feeling of helplessness as he discovers the secrets kept from him.

I give it 5 stars out of 5and not just because I'm a biker's books addict but because there is love, action, hot sex and angst in the perfect measure.

Enjoy it!