Winter Caress by R O’Leary

 

4 Stars

He’s broken, her wolf is a killing machine, and somehow they have to survive the holidays… together.

Keep a handle on her wolf. Easier said than done. After months of being held in captivity, Bea’s wolf is unpredictable, at best. And on her bad days? Downright monstrous. She’s barely keeping herself from going furry and attacking her toaster every time her toast pops up—and now she has to celebrate Christmas with her noisy family? Not if Bea can help it.

What she needs is a reason to be unavailable… like a new boyfriend. Now she just needs to convince the sexy bird-shifter from her support group to go along with her plan.

Tortured, battered, and just a little bit broken, Connor is having one hell of a year. After being poked at by scientists and spending months stuck in his bird form, he’s still getting used to being human again. The noise, the emotions, the nightmares. It’s all too much.

The last thing he wants to do right now is sing Christmas carols with his pushy clan. He’s been tortured enough, thanks. When a pretty wolf with haunted eyes offers him an arrangement, it’s just the escape he wants. If only he could as easily escape the need burning in his gut every time he looks in her direction…

Working together, they might be able to dodge their families through the holidays… if they don’t get caught under the mistletoe first.

Bea gets her HEA which is well earned. Loved seeing how she has worked through her trauma. Connor has just as much trauma he is working through and watching them come together was amazing. Added to the overarching story and loved every minute of it.

Book 5.6 Raven Falls Curse

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Boulder Bear by Sophie Stern

3 Stars

We were mates, but then he left. Now I know that I'm better off without him.

Or am I?

It's been six years, eleven months, and four days since Dante left Boulder. I know this not because I've been hoping he'll return, but because I've been counting how many days I've been fine without him. I am, too. I have my clan. I have my company.

And I have my son.

Our son.

Dante never needs to know about Wilder. If he finds out that he's got a son, I just know he's going to come back to town, but I've moved on. We've all moved on.

But all of that is about to change...

Dante comes barreling back to Boulder acting like everything is the same, but I'm different now. I don't need a husband. I don't need a mate. I don't need anything he could possibly have to offer, but my bear is begging to disagree.

And I don't know if my heart can handle it.

I enjoyed this but it is very lacking on world building or character development. I enjoyed the plot and you will be angry with the people in FMC and MMC who screw them both over. It is a quick and easy read.

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Hexed Heart by R O’Leary

3 Stars

A broken monster. A desperate witch. A match made in hell.

The kingdom of Davos is in chaos, and so is Wilos. Banished by his king, the cat shifter is doing his best to keep it together… and failing. Who knew farming would be so hard? The sooner the cat takes over and drags him off into the woods for good, the better.

Curse them all—if Verity could go back in time and slap every last one of her foolish fellow witches, she would in a heartbeat. Create an army of monsters hellbent on revenge? Not the witches’ smartest plan. There’s nothing left to do but run and hope that nothing with fangs catches up to her… especially while she sneaks a desperate night of sleep.

The last thing Wilos needs is a witch hiding out on his farm. She’s beautiful and annoyingly alluring, but she’s a witch—and the sooner he gets rid of her, the sooner he can go back to being left alone.

With half the kingdom hunting her and his cat watching her every move, getting rid of the stubborn creature might be easier said than done.

I think if I started with this book I probably would have liked it better than I did. It gave more information on what led to what is happening in the current books. Since most of the information in this book was already mentioned in other books it felt repetitive. The writing was good and it did flesh out some things so worth the read.

Book .6 Raven Falls Curse

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Dear Grumpy Boss by Julia Wolf

4 Stars

I’ve spent the better part of the last few years successfully avoiding my brother’s best friend, Weston Aldrich.

As CEO of Andes Inc, the infuriatingly handsome and incessantly grumpy Weston also happens to be my new boss.

It shouldn’t have been hard to continue avoiding him. After all, he’s on the executive floor and I’m one of many copywriters.

Weston has his own ideas about how things should go between us. He’s in my emails, leaving notes on my desk, and as if that’s not enough, he arranges for me to accompany him on a business trip.

That leads to stolen touches, frenzied kisses, and the undeniable need to work each other out of our systems. That always works, right?

Except now that I know what it feels like to have Weston Aldrich appreciate every inch of my abundant curves, avoiding him is impossible.

But he’s my brother’s best friend.

And a workaholic.

We have to stop.

And we will.

Soon.

Just…not yet.

Loved this book. The snarky covertness from Elise to Weston made me laugh throughout the book. I loved how Weston was all in with Elise and her daughter almost immediately. The story flowed nicely and made me want to go and read the other books by the author. My biggest complaint was the Elise was a bit of a doormat with her baby daddy and it did get frustrating.

Part of The Harder They Fall

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Frosted Kisses by R O’Leary

4 Stars

Book 4.5 Raven Falls Curse

Banished to a trailer park with nothing but the clothes on his back, Carter has lost everything worthwhile in his life. The tiger inside of him isn’t so sure…

There’s nothing Shelby wants more than to finish up her degree and keep her hellion siblings out of trouble through Christmas break… but her new neighbor is making it hard to focus. He’s sexy, arrogant, and makes sculptures out of beer cans in his yard. There’s nothing about him that should appeal to her, but Shelby can’t take her eyes off of him—maybe because he can’t ever seem to put a shirt on?

All Carter had to do was keep his furry nose out of other people’s business, but he just had to go and do the right thing. Now he’s disowned, destitute, and stuck in the trailer park from hell. Drowning his misery in cheap beer and toaster waffles, he’s doing his best to avoid the loud pack of humans that live next door… especially the one with the cute freckles.

Avoiding Shelby is only going to get more difficult as the holidays draw closer… because the only thing Carter’s tiger wants for Christmas, is her.

Really enjoyed seeing Carter get his HEA with everything he has been through. Loved how it connected with the other short stories…may have read them out of order. Was interesting to see him go from wanting to be left alone and falling for Shelby. It was short and quick read. Melded well with the rest of the series and added to the overarching story.

Book 5.5 Raven Falls Cursed

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Whiskers and Warrants by Nicolette Pierce

 

4 Stars

Wanted: Paranormal Tracker

Late nights, low pay, dangerous assignments, and a cranky boss (werewolf, actually). Apply in person. If wolf is in bad mood, run.

As an untrained witch arriving in the town of Forgotten Falls, I must fight to become a paranormal tracker. Getting the irritable police chief to hire me is a challenge I’m willing to take in order to leave my old life behind. But in a wolf dominated profession, I must prove I can do the job.

Stumbling upon a dead body, I leave the case in the police’s hands, knowing my subpar witch skills are better off tracking than sleuthing. But as I settle into my new town, clues emerge. The killer is on a mission and more people will die. After I receive a threatening message, I know I must act before it’s too late.

To make matters worse, the only room available to rent comes with an occupant. Thinking Niles is just an obstinate talking cat, I find I’m wrong. Niles has secrets of his own. In the hidden town of Forgotten Falls, where witches and paranormal creatures live, anything is possible.

LOVED this book. Met the author at an event and the cover drew me in and then the description was interesting, so I gave it a shot. With the book slump I’ve been in wasn’t expecting much but I blew through it and wanted more. I loved the Wren and finding out what is going on with her magic and her life was interesting. I loved the mystery and finding out how things work in this world. Immediately started book 2 and I can’t wait to see what all the answers for the Wren.

Book 1 A Black Moon Mystery

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Screaming Sins by R O’Leary

4 Stars

Content warning there are talk about self harm and suicide in this book. If this is an issue for you please be aware.

He's promising to make her scream, but the joke's on him.

Eliza is a banshee—screaming is what she does best.

Creed and Eliza were amazing. I loved how Creed back Eliza into a corner to get what he wants and then he falls for her so bad. When they are in danger all he wants to do is protect her. Swoon. She has so much hate because of her talent and he just loves her no matter what. We finally get a huge drop of info on the big bad and it’s big. Can’t wait for the next installment.

Book 7 Raven Falls Curse

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Light in Us by Evelyn Flood

3 Stars

“Welcome to Ink & Quill, Fallon.” Teddy leans back in his chair and grins at me. “This feels like the start of a beautiful friendship.”

Fallon wasn’t expecting to land a job at the best publishing house in the city. But Teddy, golden-eyed omega and CEO of Ink & Quill, is strangely insistent that he needs her.

And Fallon really needs this job. Any job. More than Teddy could possibly know.

But when she walks through the doors of Ink & Quill, she’s not expecting them. The Quill pack are charming, protective as hell, and oddly interested in her. Not to mention, they all smell delicious.

Teddy, Fox, Wilder, Zeke and Rowan are almost too tempting to resist. And as Fallon gets to know them, she begins to wish that things could be different.

Because there’s just one problem.

Fallon already has a pack. A pack who are Ink & Quill’s biggest competitors.

And she’s only staying until she can earn enough money to run as far away from them as possible.

This was gearing up to be a 4 star read for me until the end. It was too abrupt. I loved the FMC and the pack she ends up with. They were all in and wanted to take care of her from the get go. The guys she was with need consequences and we don’t see them getting that in the book. Which with what they did was so not ok for me. Overall, the writing was good, the characters were good, but the plot needed some work.

Amazon 

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Siren Craving by R O’Leary

4 Stars

Her siren call might just be more than he can handle…

Another day, another stalker. Every time a tiny bit of Lexie’s power leaks out, it enthralls any poor fool unlucky enough to be standing next to her. The magic always wears off… eventually. The siren has no choice but to lay low and wait for the obsession to pass.

What better place to hide out than a town full of monsters?

Cam is on loan to the town of Raven Falls to solve their shifter problem. But no matter how hard the scientist tries, he can’t seem to get the monsters back to their human form. It’s not exactly a surprise. He can’t even fix his own broken monster. The last thing he needs is another distraction from his work. Because that’s exactly what the clumsy siren is. A curvy, enticing distraction.

Cam has a job to do—now if only he can ignore her sweet siren call long enough to do it.

Loved Cam and Lexie together. Cam is such a dick with everyone but her…for the most part. Lexie can’t speak because of her talents woo anyone who hears it. She ends up with so many stalkers because of her talent. I love what happens with the bad guy in this one and these two. Without any spoilers I love how Cam handles her talent and just wants to love her. One of the best reads in this series.

Book 6 Raven Falls Curse

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Bound to the Alpha King by KA Iris

4 Stars

An evil alpha is coming to kill me for revenge.

And to top it off,

I’m pregnant with Alpha Jax’s pup.

But our entire pack's livelihood is at stake,

And I have an ultimate choice to make:

Do I hand myself over to the enemy in order to save the lives of my pack?

Do I take my pup and run, alone?

Do Jax and I try to escape and start a new rogue life for our family?

Or do we stay and fight, knowing that we may lose everything…

Still not a huge fan of Jax. He again screws around in this one without finding out any consequences and I am frustrated by this. I do love all the other characters. I also loved how everything plays out with the overarching plot from book 1 to 2. There are more books in the series and I will be checking them out.

Book 2

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Bewitching Allure by R O’Leary

 

3 Stars

All magic has a price... but to possess the witch, he's willing to do whatever it takes.

Don't get involved with monsters. That's Juniper's number one rule for staying under the radar... and the one rule the witch has trouble following. She should have turned down the shifter Alpha when he offered her the job, but the money was good and her sister needed new soccer cleats.

All magic comes with a price... and so does interfering. Alone and hunted by witches and undead alike, Juniper has no choice but to embrace her powers--and somehow find a way to keep the handsome FBI agent dogging her steps from getting killed in the crossfire.

FBI Special Agent Alexander Reid has one job: recruit the witch. Piece of cake, right?

Wrong. Sure, Juniper is beautiful, and fiery, and following her around is far more entertaining than being chained to a desk — but getting attacked by undead monsters isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Reid is in over his head and he knows it. Quitting his job is looking more and more appealing with each horrifyingly supernatural minute, but there's something about Juniper that he can't seem to get out of his head.

The bewitching temptress is driving him mad--but is it magic... or something else entirely?

This was the first book in the series I struggled with. I liked Reid a lot but Juniper was a struggle. She jumped to conclusions so many times that caused so many issues. I still enjoyed the getting the HEA and finding out more about the big bad but it was one I put down a couple of times before I finished it. All other books were sit down and finish in one sitting. It still worth reading just not my favorite.

Book 5 Raven Falls Curse

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Rejected by the Alpha King by KA Iris

4 Stars

I was the alpha king's fated mate.

Until he rejected me, banished me, and left me to die.

Years later he's back, and my wolf wants him more than ever...

I'm not sure why Alpha Jax came back into my life after humiliating me.

But I can barely control myself around him.

All my wolf wants to do is feel his touch, his bond, his everything.

But there's no way we could ever be together. I hate how much he hurt me, how much he made my heart suffer.

Jax offers me a deal to be free- in exchange for helping him with a dangerous mission.

But once he finds out the secret I'm hiding, I'll be killed.

I just have to escape him before that happens...

This book made me so mad, and I am still mad at Jax for not communicating and being a dick. I loved Anna and she should have made him grovel so much more than he did. This does end on a cliff but book two is out. It also wasn’t a major issue anyways as most of the storyline was wrapped up. Anna chooses to do something to save the pack even though they hate her. I loved seeing Anna’s growth in this book and see who all was the bad guys so far. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Book 1 Forbidden Alpha Kings

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Deathly Desires by R O’Leary

4 Stars

For months the wolf has watched his mate from afar. He's finally ready to make his move... that is, if a tiny witch doesn't derail his plans.

A wolf only gets one mate, and Bennett's monster chose the minute he laid eyes on Iris. The smiling ghoul is fierce and beautiful... and way out of his league. That's not going to stop him from getting the girl--assuming he can ever get his foot out of his mouth and actually ask her out.

His wolf is ready to seal the deal, but Bennett's past has other plans. He made a deal to save a life and it's time to pay up... it just never occurred to him that the price might include babysitting a preteen witch. How the hell is he supposed to keep a kid alive when he can't even stop a potted plant from dying?

Iris has had very little time for anything in her life but work. She certainly doesn't have the time to lust after a wolf... but for him, she might just be willing to make an exception. Tattooed and all kinds of sexy, the scarred wolf is exactly the kind of monster she needs in her life--and her bed.

When Bennett ends up on her doorstep saddled with a tiny witch, Iris has no choice but to offer her help. She might be a ghoul with teeth like a shark, but she's not a monster.

Besides, helping the wolf means keeping him close... very close. And with nowhere to hide, how long before they can't help but give in to the wolf's desire?

I loved the give and take between Iris and Bennett. I was curious how a Ghoul would work as the FMC but she was such a sweetheart and was amazing with the witchling Bennett was put in charge of. They work on figuring out more of the mystery that had been affecting all those they love and end up falling in love which was fun to watch. I loved the witchling and how Bennett was with her and hope she gets to stay with them as family because her backstory hurts my heart.

Book 4 Raven Falls Curse

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Bound by Elise Faber

4 Stars

She’s innocent…

And I’m the one who’s going to corrupt her.

I’m a hockey player with a secret—one so big that it can get me kicked out of the league.

I’ve spent years trying to bury it and there’s only one person who’s found me out.

Claire.

Former intern. Current jack-of-all-trades for the Baltimore Breakers.

And the woman I want more than anything else.

More than hockey. More than breathing.

Even more than keeping that secret.

But she’s seen behind the veil…

And, rightfully, wants absolutely nothing to do with me.

Unfortunately for her, I’m going to keep her anyway.

I loved Claire and Jackson so much. It was such a good read, and the twist at the end hurt my heart, but I get it, but Smitty is my favorite. I loved the slow build up and the push and pull between them. They actually communicated really well and it was nice to see that in the book.

Book 9 Breaker Hockey

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Howling Devotion by R O’Leary

4 Stars

Desperate for a shot at claiming his mate, Beau will do anything to get the stubborn owl to give him a chance...even if he has to hijack her investigation.

Alice has always prided herself on being an asset to her shifter clan — that is, until she messed up so badly her Alpha won't even look her in the eye. Confidence shaken and desperate to redeem herself, she has no time for the handsome wolf dogging her steps--even if he is claiming to be her soulmate.

When a mysterious monster starts making trouble in Las Vegas, Alice leaps at the opportunity to prove she is more than just a scatterbrained librarian. A little time away to wallow in self-pity, hunt down a monster, and maybe get a nice tan is exactly what she needs... unless a certain wolf has other plans.

For months, Beau has chased his fiery mate. She's stubborn, smart, and... nothing like he expected. But from the second his wolf laid eyes on the stubborn owl shifter, he's known she was meant to be his. Frustrated but determined, Beau will do whatever it takes to win her over — even if he has to follow her across the country to do it.

A wolf only gets one mate and he'll be damned if he lets her get away.

Alice isn't sure how much longer she can resist his bad-boy charm... or if she even wants to. Enduring the wolf's fierce devotion might just be more than she bargained for.

Poor Beau having to chase his mate to find his happy. Such a fun read and sort of spoiler so be warned. I loved that Alice has to save Beau from the bad guy. Loved the build up with them and how it all comes together. We get more of the overarching story but our couple get their HEA.

Book 3 Raven Falls Curse

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