Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
How To Flaunt Your Chains follows two single dads who learn there's another chapter in their stories. They both know the comfort of love and the devastation of loss. They understand parts of one another that might be lost on a partner who has never known that kind of trauma. I loved seeing them help each other heal.
My favorite part of this book is how familial love is as integral to the story as romantic attraction. Kids are too often used as a plot device to throw a wrench into a budding romance. Lydia, Mercer's daughter, is far more than a symbol of her father's past. She's a curious, strong-willed girl growing into her independence and managing traumatic upheavals at every turn. I was equally invested in her as I was in the adults.
How To Flaunt Your Chains works well as a standalone, but I think it would help to at least read book three first. I think having that context helped me catch on to the dark implications of errant research more quickly. I also just thought it was neat to see where this story intersects with the previous one. I'm excited to see how the others overlap.
Thanks so much to the author for the chance to check out an advance copy of this book. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
My favorite part of this book is how familial love is as integral to the story as romantic attraction. Kids are too often used as a plot device to throw a wrench into a budding romance. Lydia, Mercer's daughter, is far more than a symbol of her father's past. She's a curious, strong-willed girl growing into her independence and managing traumatic upheavals at every turn. I was equally invested in her as I was in the adults.
How To Flaunt Your Chains works well as a standalone, but I think it would help to at least read book three first. I think having that context helped me catch on to the dark implications of errant research more quickly. I also just thought it was neat to see where this story intersects with the previous one. I'm excited to see how the others overlap.
Thanks so much to the author for the chance to check out an advance copy of this book. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent
emotional
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh my word... or lack of as I'm still floored by how I absolutely devoured this book!
I think, by far, this is my favourite! Not only the plot, but the characters as well. Rahil had me laughing at times but also running the full gamut of emotions. And with Mercer, I could relate to in more ways than one. Really enjoyed the dynamic between the two, too and all the emotions that came with seeing their story unfold.
Another great book to an already fantastic series!
I think, by far, this is my favourite! Not only the plot, but the characters as well. Rahil had me laughing at times but also running the full gamut of emotions. And with Mercer, I could relate to in more ways than one. Really enjoyed the dynamic between the two, too and all the emotions that came with seeing their story unfold.
Another great book to an already fantastic series!
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love finding authors on Instagram, and I love getting their ARCs just as much!
Although this is the fourth in a series, I do not feel like I’m missing anything. I don’t feel like I’m walking into an already developed world with no idea what’s going on. That’s some solid writing.
Although this is the fourth in a series, I do not feel like I’m missing anything. I don’t feel like I’m walking into an already developed world with no idea what’s going on. That’s some solid writing.
Oh. Werewolves too. Neat.
Monster hunters, less neat.
Loving Rahil’s personality and looking forward to Mercer peeling back those layers.
I don’t like this doctor. Skeevy “I’m using your weakness to get what I want that is against your morals” vibes. Also seems like maybe I should already know who he is but what matters for this book is who he is now.
He’s fae? Cool.
I’m really enjoying the natural progression of a very tentative work partnership to potential friendship.
The similarities between the MCs don’t seem coincidental for the romance; it feels realistic that two people in similar situations with different but familiar reasons for having become the people they are currently to organically come together.
Rahil’s intense interest in all things mechanical and taking things apart is very tism coded and I’m here for it.
Oh we love a good, open conversation about sexual preferences and boundaries.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
I enjoyed a lot of this. There were a few strange parts and the first half didn’t exactly fly by, but once it really picked up I didn’t want to put it back down. Well, except for the sex scene because that felt very impersonal and clinical, so it took me a while to read it.
The MCs had really good chemistry outside of that, though. The biting and feeding? So sensual and intimate, which is the best part of any vampire romance imo. It just didn’t quite translate to the sex. One MC is asexual and only just figuring himself out so that might have affected things, but I think mostly it was an awkward writing situation.
The plot definitely gives you the feeling that these characters were destined to meet and for their lives to collide. I thought the plot was neat, and I could follow it better than I did in the previous book.
There’s also about 98% less pirate-related stuff than you’d expect from the cover. That is indeed not rope, a boat, or a pirate (the remaining 2% are Rahil’s pirate-y shirts).
Entirely personal grievance: having both a Leah and a Lydia in the same book apparently fucks me up. Could not keep them straight.
Thank you to D.N. Bryn for the ARC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Vampire MC
Indian heritage
BIPOC MCs
Divorced MC
Pansexual MC
Single dad
Chronic illness rep
Dog dad
Slow burn
Fae MC
‘good boy'
Bondage
Fang-muzzle
Sex toys
Cock ring
Sensory play — clamps, blindfold, cold dildo
Asexual rep
Fang-induced orgasm
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Blood consumption
Grief and guilt
Death of spouse (past, violent, details)
Death of spouse (past, cancer)
Recreational drug use (gummien)
Insomnia
Animal killed off page (detailed corpse)
Prescription drug use
MC’s pet dog poisoned - medical emergency (survives)
Explicit sexual content
Death of MC’s children (past)
Mentions of MC’s child committing suicide (past, few details)
Vomiting
Alcohol consumption
Past severe injury to MC (hit by drunk driver)
Bondage
Erotic spanking (brief)
On-page graphic violence
Chronically ill child (on-page seizure)
MC injured (stabbed and beaten, on page)
MC killing bad guy on page
Anxiety attacks
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Rahil has two failed hookups with other people after meeting Mercer for the first time (nothing has happened between the MCs at this point). Rahil uses hookups to get blood.
Breakup: Almost
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Fantasy romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 64/65 (vampire) and 41
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 372
Happy ending: Yes
“You really are just like this?” “A stupid, irrevocable flirt with no brain-to-mouth filter? Yes.” If nothing else, he would die how he lived: a terror.
Occasionally, someone would contract an electrical engineer who looked like a South Asian vampiric twink with a pirate’s wardrobe and only worked at night, if he gave them enough of a discount, or they had just the right set of kinks.
He fucking missed Rahil, like a crack had been revealed in his chest, and only that soft touch could fill it again.
“I just want to have a night that’s all mine, and when you’re here, I feel the world is meant for me again.”
“Good boy,” he murmured against Rahil’s forehead.
I enjoyed a lot of this. There were a few strange parts and the first half didn’t exactly fly by, but once it really picked up I didn’t want to put it back down. Well, except for the sex scene because that felt very impersonal and clinical, so it took me a while to read it.
The MCs had really good chemistry outside of that, though. The biting and feeding? So sensual and intimate, which is the best part of any vampire romance imo. It just didn’t quite translate to the sex. One MC is asexual and only just figuring himself out so that might have affected things, but I think mostly it was an awkward writing situation.
The plot definitely gives you the feeling that these characters were destined to meet and for their lives to collide. I thought the plot was neat, and I could follow it better than I did in the previous book.
There’s also about 98% less pirate-related stuff than you’d expect from the cover. That is indeed not rope, a boat, or a pirate (the remaining 2% are Rahil’s pirate-y shirts).
Entirely personal grievance: having both a Leah and a Lydia in the same book apparently fucks me up. Could not keep them straight.
Thank you to D.N. Bryn for the ARC.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Vampire MC
Indian heritage
BIPOC MCs
Divorced MC
Pansexual MC
Single dad
Chronic illness rep
Dog dad
Slow burn
Fae MC
‘good boy'
Bondage
Fang-muzzle
Sex toys
Cock ring
Sensory play — clamps, blindfold, cold dildo
Asexual rep
Fang-induced orgasm
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Blood consumption
Grief and guilt
Death of spouse (past, violent, details)
Death of spouse (past, cancer)
Recreational drug use (gummien)
Insomnia
Animal killed off page (detailed corpse)
Prescription drug use
MC’s pet dog poisoned - medical emergency (survives)
Explicit sexual content
Death of MC’s children (past)
Mentions of MC’s child committing suicide (past, few details)
Vomiting
Alcohol consumption
Past severe injury to MC (hit by drunk driver)
Bondage
Erotic spanking (brief)
On-page graphic violence
Chronically ill child (on-page seizure)
MC injured (stabbed and beaten, on page)
MC killing bad guy on page
Anxiety attacks
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Rahil has two failed hookups with other people after meeting Mercer for the first time (nothing has happened between the MCs at this point). Rahil uses hookups to get blood.
Breakup: Almost
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Fantasy romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 64/65 (vampire) and 41
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 372
Happy ending: Yes
“You really are just like this?” “A stupid, irrevocable flirt with no brain-to-mouth filter? Yes.” If nothing else, he would die how he lived: a terror.
Occasionally, someone would contract an electrical engineer who looked like a South Asian vampiric twink with a pirate’s wardrobe and only worked at night, if he gave them enough of a discount, or they had just the right set of kinks.
He fucking missed Rahil, like a crack had been revealed in his chest, and only that soft touch could fill it again.
“I just want to have a night that’s all mine, and when you’re here, I feel the world is meant for me again.”
“Good boy,” he murmured against Rahil’s forehead.
I received an arc of this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book singlehandedly pulled me out of my reading slump! I was so glad to be back into the Guides For Dating Vampires world and yet again this book did not disappoint. Every book in this series has been a 5* for me with this one being no exception.
There's just something about how carefully vrafted the plot line is in these books, the complex characters and how this is all layered together with such gorgeous slow burn romance and spicy scenes that are perfectly balanced!
If you're a vampire reader and you want something thats queer, unique in lore and has glorious bite scenes then you need to give this series a try asap!
This book single-handedly broke m heart and pieced it back together all in the one day it took me to read it and I couldn't have loved it any more than I did, perfection. I don't want to say too much as I want this to stay spoiler free but ahhh this was IT! I love Rahil and Merc so much and I'm so glad to have them as new characters to hold close to my heart.
This book singlehandedly pulled me out of my reading slump! I was so glad to be back into the Guides For Dating Vampires world and yet again this book did not disappoint. Every book in this series has been a 5* for me with this one being no exception.
There's just something about how carefully vrafted the plot line is in these books, the complex characters and how this is all layered together with such gorgeous slow burn romance and spicy scenes that are perfectly balanced!
If you're a vampire reader and you want something thats queer, unique in lore and has glorious bite scenes then you need to give this series a try asap!
This book single-handedly broke m heart and pieced it back together all in the one day it took me to read it and I couldn't have loved it any more than I did, perfection. I don't want to say too much as I want this to stay spoiler free but ahhh this was IT! I love Rahil and Merc so much and I'm so glad to have them as new characters to hold close to my heart.
***ARC Review***
This is my honest and voluntary review.
This is the fourth book in D.N. Bryn’s Guides for Dating Vampires series. (Vitalis-Barron is a common thread throughout the series). I was a big fan of the diversity and representation in this novel. This is a slow burn romance (there is a spicy scene around the 72% mark) that features loneliness in such a way that it makes you want to hug someone. Your heart will go out to Rahil and Mercer. They have a bumpy start, but I really appreciate how Rahil and Mercer grow to accept one another as they are, flaws and all. Both MCs help one another to deal with loss, regret, and grief.
Rahil is a vampire. He keeps to himself, yet he often offers physicalness (read between the lines) in exchange for blood. After one rendezvous goes south, Rahil winds up hiding in a shed. Mercer is a single dad who is trying to navigate his relationship with his chronically ill daughter, Lydia. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to Rahil. His immunity to holy silver was a nice addition to his charming personality. (It was pleasant to discover that there is also more than meets the eye when it comes to Mercer as well).
I adored the back and forth interactions between these two MCs. I appreciated the vulnerable moments between Rahil and Mercer even more. [Chapters 32 and 33 are gut wrenching]. There is a bit of suspense in this novel as well as moments of conflict. That said, Mercer and Rahil find a way to get through it all and achieve their HEA.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes