Scan barcode
caffeinatedcrystal's reviews
92 reviews
Off Sides by Andi Jaxon
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed Hidden Scars and Blurred Lines, the previous Darby U books, by Andi Jaxon. However, I LOVED OFF SIDES.
These books are not squishy. They hit some pretty damn serious topics, damaged guys dealing with issues and falling in love. I repeat: not squishy. I'm pretty sure I sobbed the entirety of Hidden Scars. Blurred Lines was funny but so sad, too. And while OFF SIDES was heavy in its own ways, it was *imho* PERFECT.
Joey is the captain of Darby U's hockey team. He's a brother while forced to also be a dad to his siblings while captaining a collegiate hockey team. There's family drama and just too much responsibility all around. He has nowhere he can just let go. At a club, on the hunt for release, he meets Nick.
Nick was a captain of the Darby U football team. His season is over, and he still lives in the dorms. After an electric hookup in a club with Joey, the two begin an intricate dance of hiding, figuring things out, friendship, hooking up, and... so much more.
Joey and Nick become dependent on each other. Obsessed with each other. There's a lot of understandable push and pull for a lot of the book - these two don't know how to trust, no matter how desperately they want to.
Both mcs have baggage. They both have interesting kinks. The chemistry is off the charts. I love a little toxic dependency.
This story was emotional and pretty kinky. I loved Joey and Nick, as characters, in equal measure and found myself really rooting for their happily ever after.
This series isn't light and fluffy. It's gritty with broken but functioning guys who are trying to figure it out. OFF SIDES is definitely my favorite of the trilogy, but I'm a sucker for DADDY books - and the Daddy-ing was Daddy-ing.
OFF SIDES will be available JUNE 20th.
Yes, I have other books I needed to read before this one, but this was a Daddy book, and therefore, it was automatically pushed to the top of the tbr list. I have zero regrets. Zero.
Loved this book. All the feels. And I doubt I'll ever be able to eat a cinnamon roll again. IYKYK.
These books are not squishy. They hit some pretty damn serious topics, damaged guys dealing with issues and falling in love. I repeat: not squishy. I'm pretty sure I sobbed the entirety of Hidden Scars. Blurred Lines was funny but so sad, too. And while OFF SIDES was heavy in its own ways, it was *imho* PERFECT.
Joey is the captain of Darby U's hockey team. He's a brother while forced to also be a dad to his siblings while captaining a collegiate hockey team. There's family drama and just too much responsibility all around. He has nowhere he can just let go. At a club, on the hunt for release, he meets Nick.
Nick was a captain of the Darby U football team. His season is over, and he still lives in the dorms. After an electric hookup in a club with Joey, the two begin an intricate dance of hiding, figuring things out, friendship, hooking up, and... so much more.
Joey and Nick become dependent on each other. Obsessed with each other. There's a lot of understandable push and pull for a lot of the book - these two don't know how to trust, no matter how desperately they want to.
Both mcs have baggage. They both have interesting kinks. The chemistry is off the charts. I love a little toxic dependency.
This story was emotional and pretty kinky. I loved Joey and Nick, as characters, in equal measure and found myself really rooting for their happily ever after.
This series isn't light and fluffy. It's gritty with broken but functioning guys who are trying to figure it out. OFF SIDES is definitely my favorite of the trilogy, but I'm a sucker for DADDY books - and the Daddy-ing was Daddy-ing.
OFF SIDES will be available JUNE 20th.
Yes, I have other books I needed to read before this one, but this was a Daddy book, and therefore, it was automatically pushed to the top of the tbr list. I have zero regrets. Zero.
Loved this book. All the feels. And I doubt I'll ever be able to eat a cinnamon roll again. IYKYK.
Deadly Little Sparrow by K.M. Neuhold
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Just wrapped up Deadly Little Sparrow - Neuhold delivers mafia and revenge ❤️❤️❤️ and I'm here for it.
Xaviaro is the enforcer/assasin/"angel of death" for the Moretti family. This adorable murder marshmallow is yearning for something to cut through his numb exterior and his walled off emotions. At a bar, on a typical day, a tornado of a man breezes in and changes everything.
Sparrow is five foot nothing and out for REVENGE. His plan is to go all "Kill Bill" on the 4 bikers who killed his brother. On a fact-finding mission, he breaks the nose of a mafia dude and thinks his goose is cooked. It isn't. Sparrow may be small, but he embodies dominant confidence and swagger. He's all toppy from the bottom.
What Sparrow learns is that Xaviaro craves letting go after a long day of making life or death decisions for his bestie (the boss of the Moretti crime family).
So Neuhold delivers a story of vengeance, soulmates, and D/s with lots of found family and murdery hijinx. She also sets the stage for the other Moretti bosses to find their matches.
Usually, in mafia stories, we get the mafia dudes being all macho and dominant - it was nice to read the other side of that. To see Xaviaro set down his murdery burdens and be taken care of *and used* by his deadly little sparrow.
So, basically, what happened was that I showed up for the mafia and murder and ended up staying for the kinks. Cheers.
Xaviaro is the enforcer/assasin/"angel of death" for the Moretti family. This adorable murder marshmallow is yearning for something to cut through his numb exterior and his walled off emotions. At a bar, on a typical day, a tornado of a man breezes in and changes everything.
Sparrow is five foot nothing and out for REVENGE. His plan is to go all "Kill Bill" on the 4 bikers who killed his brother. On a fact-finding mission, he breaks the nose of a mafia dude and thinks his goose is cooked. It isn't. Sparrow may be small, but he embodies dominant confidence and swagger. He's all toppy from the bottom.
What Sparrow learns is that Xaviaro craves letting go after a long day of making life or death decisions for his bestie (the boss of the Moretti crime family).
So Neuhold delivers a story of vengeance, soulmates, and D/s with lots of found family and murdery hijinx. She also sets the stage for the other Moretti bosses to find their matches.
Usually, in mafia stories, we get the mafia dudes being all macho and dominant - it was nice to read the other side of that. To see Xaviaro set down his murdery burdens and be taken care of *and used* by his deadly little sparrow.
So, basically, what happened was that I showed up for the mafia and murder and ended up staying for the kinks. Cheers.
A Stealthy Situation by Saxon James
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
A Stealthy Situation, book 2 in this year's FU series was an absolute banger.
Benny Dalton, yes of those Daltons...
Side note: How are the little Dalton twins old enough to be in college? I need to make an appointment with my local funeral home, I guess...
Benny Dalton is a DIK at FU 😂😂😂😂 and plans to be a hockey journalist. But to do that, he needs to pass stats, which isn't difficult because his twin Emmy kills it with numbers. The twins have a rule, don't talk or make friends when you're being the other one. When Emmy is too sick to cover class, Benny goes and there he meets Harrison.
Benny is down to clown, but Harrison is straight.
Right? .... Wrong. It happens, I promise.
Harrison, or Bowser *his silly old nickname*, is auditing stats to prepare for stats 2. One day in class, his seat mate starts chatting (and totally flirting), and a friendship starts.
What begins as a possible hookup turns to a real friendship with chemistry. While Harrison is figuring out his sexuality, Benny is navigating feelings and struggling with numbers & his twin.
Their story is great and filled with lots of plant facts and cute little plant stories *like the naked man orchid, cool!* because Harrison is a plant nerd. Benny and Harrison's chemistry is off the charts. I loved seeing them navigating the dreaded *feelings* while being their own confident selves. I also loved seeing Marshall and Felix from last year's FU series.
I especially loved reading about Benny and his DYSCALCULIA diagnosis. I've never heard of that learning disability, and it was interesting learning about it.
So, in conclusion:
I loved Benny and Harrison.
I can't wait for Emmy's book.
Plants are cool, especially the weird ones.
Saxon James can write a banger of a love story.
A STEALTHY SITUATION will be available 06/14
Benny Dalton, yes of those Daltons...
Side note: How are the little Dalton twins old enough to be in college? I need to make an appointment with my local funeral home, I guess...
Benny Dalton is a DIK at FU 😂😂😂😂 and plans to be a hockey journalist. But to do that, he needs to pass stats, which isn't difficult because his twin Emmy kills it with numbers. The twins have a rule, don't talk or make friends when you're being the other one. When Emmy is too sick to cover class, Benny goes and there he meets Harrison.
Benny is down to clown, but Harrison is straight.
Right? .... Wrong. It happens, I promise.
Harrison, or Bowser *his silly old nickname*, is auditing stats to prepare for stats 2. One day in class, his seat mate starts chatting (and totally flirting), and a friendship starts.
What begins as a possible hookup turns to a real friendship with chemistry. While Harrison is figuring out his sexuality, Benny is navigating feelings and struggling with numbers & his twin.
Their story is great and filled with lots of plant facts and cute little plant stories *like the naked man orchid, cool!* because Harrison is a plant nerd. Benny and Harrison's chemistry is off the charts. I loved seeing them navigating the dreaded *feelings* while being their own confident selves. I also loved seeing Marshall and Felix from last year's FU series.
I especially loved reading about Benny and his DYSCALCULIA diagnosis. I've never heard of that learning disability, and it was interesting learning about it.
So, in conclusion:
I loved Benny and Harrison.
I can't wait for Emmy's book.
Plants are cool, especially the weird ones.
Saxon James can write a banger of a love story.
A STEALTHY SITUATION will be available 06/14
The Hookup Mix-Up by Riley Hart
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
💕💕💕 I just finished THE HOOKUP MIX-UP, and oh my god. What a sweet & squishy story. Perfect if you're looking for a low angst romance.
I was so excited to see the FU series back for a round two, and Riley kicked off the series with an absolute banger.
Perry moved to San Luco to get to know his brother (Ty from Playing Games from FU last year) and works as a bartender at Shenanigans. At a house party, the perfect man for him falls into his arms, Theo.
These two are perfect for each other. What starts as a mix-up 😂😂😂, an adorable miscommunication, Perry and Theo go from friendship to friends with benefits to boyfriends.
The two mcs are ADORABLY clueless. They both have their own issues, their own little angsts. But romance wise, love story wise, this story is about as low angst as it comes.
What I loved most, besides the family dynamics, was the nickname. PUPPY. BECAUSE THEO IS SUCH A GOLDEN RETRIEVER. *squeals in dolphin language because the cuteness is off the charts*
There were so many amazing things to love about this story, and if I listed everything I loved, then I would spoil the entire thing. But god, this book was sweet. Theo and Perry need to be protected at all costs.
If you're looking for sweet, low angst, an adorable bi-awakening with nicknames, first times, cluelessness, and family/found family/new family vibes - look no further. This will be the squishiest, most supportive book of your dreams.
Did I mention this book was cute?
Or that I loved it?
😂😂😂😂
I was so excited to see the FU series back for a round two, and Riley kicked off the series with an absolute banger.
Perry moved to San Luco to get to know his brother (Ty from Playing Games from FU last year) and works as a bartender at Shenanigans. At a house party, the perfect man for him falls into his arms, Theo.
These two are perfect for each other. What starts as a mix-up 😂😂😂, an adorable miscommunication, Perry and Theo go from friendship to friends with benefits to boyfriends.
The two mcs are ADORABLY clueless. They both have their own issues, their own little angsts. But romance wise, love story wise, this story is about as low angst as it comes.
What I loved most, besides the family dynamics, was the nickname. PUPPY. BECAUSE THEO IS SUCH A GOLDEN RETRIEVER. *squeals in dolphin language because the cuteness is off the charts*
There were so many amazing things to love about this story, and if I listed everything I loved, then I would spoil the entire thing. But god, this book was sweet. Theo and Perry need to be protected at all costs.
If you're looking for sweet, low angst, an adorable bi-awakening with nicknames, first times, cluelessness, and family/found family/new family vibes - look no further. This will be the squishiest, most supportive book of your dreams.
Did I mention this book was cute?
Or that I loved it?
😂😂😂😂
Veiled by Nicole Dykes
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Do you need a quick little smooshy love story? Maybe a little manager & musician love fest? Serenade me, and look no further.
Can this be read as a standalone alone? Yes.
Would you enjoy it more if you read Immoral? Maybe.
But it doesn't matter. This book was just what I needed to start off the week.
Justin, sick of all the bad parts of fame, just wants to play music and write songs. He does a runner.
Waylon, managing everyone and everything, needs to know why Justin ran, and how can he help?
This is sort of forced proximity. It's definitely *I've been in love a long time and didn't know it* & it certainly should be on your tbr.
Moments I loved:
💚 Cujo
💚 "I could feel his eyes on me..."
💚 caffeine addiction
💚 Grady & his hard truths
💚 the cabin owner 😂😂😂
💚 Daisy
💚 the baseball field
Nicole is only releasing this on her website, and it's a great deal! It's available right now! Loved this sweet little story.
Can this be read as a standalone alone? Yes.
Would you enjoy it more if you read Immoral? Maybe.
But it doesn't matter. This book was just what I needed to start off the week.
Justin, sick of all the bad parts of fame, just wants to play music and write songs. He does a runner.
Waylon, managing everyone and everything, needs to know why Justin ran, and how can he help?
This is sort of forced proximity. It's definitely *I've been in love a long time and didn't know it* & it certainly should be on your tbr.
Moments I loved:
💚 Cujo
💚 "I could feel his eyes on me..."
💚 caffeine addiction
💚 Grady & his hard truths
💚 the cabin owner 😂😂😂
💚 Daisy
💚 the baseball field
Nicole is only releasing this on her website, and it's a great deal! It's available right now! Loved this sweet little story.
Notorious: A Contemporary M/M Romance by Leslie McAdam
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wow, y'all. Wow.
NOTORIOUS by Leslie McAdam was 396 pages of wow.
I'm going to HEAVILY encourage you to check content and trigger warnings before reading this one. But wow. What a book. This was an amazing love story told with thoughtful attention to detail. If you're looking for a book heavy with mental health/illness rep, and past SA - you can't find a better story.
Kurt and Johnny meet in Vegas and have a very authentic Vegas experience. Meet cute turns Vegas wedding. *at this point, if I ever visit Vegas and DON'T get accidentally married, I will be very disappointed*
The morning after their "wedding" when the decision needs to be made : annulment or what? some of Johnny's secrets come out.
Deciding to go forward together, HONESTY becomes the word for most of the book.
We witness the cold, hard truth of mental illness & intrusive suicidal thoughts, we see treatment and what it's like to be "in recovery" while still fighting. We see two characters struggle with their own brains while falling in love.
When I tell you I loved this story, believe it.
I cried through most of it. Seeing something so horrible and familiar written in words - representation matters.
I loved Johnny and Kurt.
I loved how they love each other.
"I think about Kurt and my promise to him to stay alive. I think about my mama and my need to take care of her. I think about my sister and how she's sacrificed her dreams for Mama, too. I think about Christian saying that to decide is to cut off all other options. The only way out is through."
NOTORIOUS is out June 6th. Listen to your brain, and if reading this would be harmful, then don't do it. But this was one hell of a story. It's absolutely one of my favorites this year.
NOTORIOUS by Leslie McAdam was 396 pages of wow.
I'm going to HEAVILY encourage you to check content and trigger warnings before reading this one. But wow. What a book. This was an amazing love story told with thoughtful attention to detail. If you're looking for a book heavy with mental health/illness rep, and past SA - you can't find a better story.
Kurt and Johnny meet in Vegas and have a very authentic Vegas experience. Meet cute turns Vegas wedding. *at this point, if I ever visit Vegas and DON'T get accidentally married, I will be very disappointed*
The morning after their "wedding" when the decision needs to be made : annulment or what? some of Johnny's secrets come out.
Deciding to go forward together, HONESTY becomes the word for most of the book.
We witness the cold, hard truth of mental illness & intrusive suicidal thoughts, we see treatment and what it's like to be "in recovery" while still fighting. We see two characters struggle with their own brains while falling in love.
When I tell you I loved this story, believe it.
I cried through most of it. Seeing something so horrible and familiar written in words - representation matters.
I loved Johnny and Kurt.
I loved how they love each other.
"I think about Kurt and my promise to him to stay alive. I think about my mama and my need to take care of her. I think about my sister and how she's sacrificed her dreams for Mama, too. I think about Christian saying that to decide is to cut off all other options. The only way out is through."
NOTORIOUS is out June 6th. Listen to your brain, and if reading this would be harmful, then don't do it. But this was one hell of a story. It's absolutely one of my favorites this year.
Boyfriend Goals by Riley Hart
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Just finished up this reread of Boyfriend Goals by Riley Hart. This is a syrupy sweet romance with lots of layers and amazing neurodivergent rep.
Gideon and Milo are ridiculously perfect for each other. They just GET one another. Milo and his blunt honesty and Gideon with his kindness and love of others.
Riley can write a damn good character, and Milo hooked me in immediately. I was instantly invested in his character and so excited to go on his journey with him.
Gideon was an absolute sweetheart. His character was a wonderful example of how we can get in our own heads and get lost instead of just talking out our issues.
Milo gets a phone call one morning at work. A grandmother he never knew he had died and left him a book store, the attached apartment, and a renter he has immediately nicknamed TATTOO GUY. Deciding it was time to be the captain of his own destiny, he travels across the country to the small town - and meets Gideon. Sparks immediately fly.
Gideon, a tattooer renting shop space from the kindly old woman that's recently died, and is worried that the new owner is going to give him the boot. He meets Milo and is instantly enamored.
These two dance around each other for a while. But Gideon and Milo are both wonderful examples of being who you are - just be who you are.
I love their romance.
I love their characters.
BOYFRIEND GOALS is the perfect small-town romance with finding yourself vibes, neurodivergent rep, anxiety rep & really - they're total boyfriend GOALS.
Gideon and Milo are ridiculously perfect for each other. They just GET one another. Milo and his blunt honesty and Gideon with his kindness and love of others.
Riley can write a damn good character, and Milo hooked me in immediately. I was instantly invested in his character and so excited to go on his journey with him.
Gideon was an absolute sweetheart. His character was a wonderful example of how we can get in our own heads and get lost instead of just talking out our issues.
Milo gets a phone call one morning at work. A grandmother he never knew he had died and left him a book store, the attached apartment, and a renter he has immediately nicknamed TATTOO GUY. Deciding it was time to be the captain of his own destiny, he travels across the country to the small town - and meets Gideon. Sparks immediately fly.
Gideon, a tattooer renting shop space from the kindly old woman that's recently died, and is worried that the new owner is going to give him the boot. He meets Milo and is instantly enamored.
These two dance around each other for a while. But Gideon and Milo are both wonderful examples of being who you are - just be who you are.
I love their romance.
I love their characters.
BOYFRIEND GOALS is the perfect small-town romance with finding yourself vibes, neurodivergent rep, anxiety rep & really - they're total boyfriend GOALS.
Burning the Midnight Oil by Ashley James
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
"Will I get over it? No. But life goes on." - Dwight from The Office and also me after finishing this book.
Burning the Midnight Oil is now cemented as one of my favorite stories ever. The end. I will accept no criticism.
This book. Grady and Boone. Everything was just so perfect. THEY were so perfect.
Was it Boone's oblivious obsession with Grady's eyelashes? Was it Grady holding an unrequited torch for his sister's husband? Yes, probably. And so much more.
The tension. The intensity.
THE FIRST KISS.
*sighs*
Boone Stanton, or Daddy Boone, is a professional bronc rider. THE professional bronc rider of all of our dreams. There's been things brewing for his character in the last two Copper Lake books, but with Boone's brother in law moving into his house for the summer... his story really picks up.
Grady Wilde, or Little Wilde, is choosing for himself now. Dropping his family's expectations and pursuing his dreams of being a photographer, he moves into his sister's house for the summer. What he doesn't expect is for EVERYTHING to escalate.
Grady and Boone falling in love is necessary. Their chemistry and their tension is off the charts. Electricity. Everything. And the question becomes: when do you choose for yourself, when can you be selfish if it means you get everything you ever wanted?
We get a sweet times, family moments, found family vibes, cowboys, the rodeo, seriously 🔥🔥🔥🔥🌶🔥 scenes, a first kiss that will stop your heart, Shooter being a loveable jerk, undeniable chemistry, and a romance that was absolutely meant to be. Throw in an amazing talk about sexuality being a spectrum, a little possessiveness, midnight meet ups, "YOU'RE MINE", too hot to handle shirtlessness, obliviousness, and a shifty raccoon - this book was the best.
There were so many moments in this book where I felt everything all at once. Burning the Midnight Oil is one of Ashley's best. I can't recommend this book enough. It can be read as a standalone. It comes out June 7th.
🎶 "Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?" 🎶
Burning the Midnight Oil is now cemented as one of my favorite stories ever. The end. I will accept no criticism.
This book. Grady and Boone. Everything was just so perfect. THEY were so perfect.
Was it Boone's oblivious obsession with Grady's eyelashes? Was it Grady holding an unrequited torch for his sister's husband? Yes, probably. And so much more.
The tension. The intensity.
THE FIRST KISS.
*sighs*
Boone Stanton, or Daddy Boone, is a professional bronc rider. THE professional bronc rider of all of our dreams. There's been things brewing for his character in the last two Copper Lake books, but with Boone's brother in law moving into his house for the summer... his story really picks up.
Grady Wilde, or Little Wilde, is choosing for himself now. Dropping his family's expectations and pursuing his dreams of being a photographer, he moves into his sister's house for the summer. What he doesn't expect is for EVERYTHING to escalate.
Grady and Boone falling in love is necessary. Their chemistry and their tension is off the charts. Electricity. Everything. And the question becomes: when do you choose for yourself, when can you be selfish if it means you get everything you ever wanted?
We get a sweet times, family moments, found family vibes, cowboys, the rodeo, seriously 🔥🔥🔥🔥🌶🔥 scenes, a first kiss that will stop your heart, Shooter being a loveable jerk, undeniable chemistry, and a romance that was absolutely meant to be. Throw in an amazing talk about sexuality being a spectrum, a little possessiveness, midnight meet ups, "YOU'RE MINE", too hot to handle shirtlessness, obliviousness, and a shifty raccoon - this book was the best.
There were so many moments in this book where I felt everything all at once. Burning the Midnight Oil is one of Ashley's best. I can't recommend this book enough. It can be read as a standalone. It comes out June 7th.
🎶 "Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?" 🎶
Under Your Skin by Lee McCormick
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Ooooooo if you love dark romance, you gotta add this one to your tbr!!! Seriously, what a delicious & dark delight.
UNDER YOUR SKIN is Levi and Jonah's story.
Levi lives and works with his dad running a small tourist trap town's funeral home. Immediately we learn there is more than meets the eye going on in this town. With Levi, everyone in the town, and the bodies that get brought into the home.
Jonah is a serial ki ll er that has made this tiny town his home & hunting grounds. For reasons.
When a meet-accident / door lurking session happens, Jonah decides he needs to figure out why Levi is awakening all these feelings and curiosity. He needs to get to know Levi and understand.
That's literally all I'll tell you about the plot.
Holy smokes. This book was seriously amazing and catnip for the psycho bloody romance lovers. Honestly. When I tell you to check the trigger warnings, you gotta do it.
But if you're looking for a story with: made for each other vibes, killer & appreciater, serious darkness, mu rd er, violence, primal play 🔥🌶🔥🌶🔥🌶, blood & knife play, breath play, praise kink, flashbacks and illusions to bad shit that happened in the past, "you're mine", obsession and possessiveness, random creeps, who is the real bad guy?, and seriously off the charts steamy scenes.... look no further.
I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was well written and instantly captivating. The entire book through, I was caring about the characters and the outcomes, waiting to see how the story would progress.
I really couldn't have enjoyed this one more. It reminded me of Dexter. But darker and moodier, and more gay. I was here for it 100%, and now I'll have to see if I vibe with the author's other published stories because this was Chef's kiss, and I don't wanna miss out.
UNDER YOUR SKIN is Levi and Jonah's story.
Levi lives and works with his dad running a small tourist trap town's funeral home. Immediately we learn there is more than meets the eye going on in this town. With Levi, everyone in the town, and the bodies that get brought into the home.
Jonah is a serial ki ll er that has made this tiny town his home & hunting grounds. For reasons.
When a meet-accident / door lurking session happens, Jonah decides he needs to figure out why Levi is awakening all these feelings and curiosity. He needs to get to know Levi and understand.
That's literally all I'll tell you about the plot.
Holy smokes. This book was seriously amazing and catnip for the psycho bloody romance lovers. Honestly. When I tell you to check the trigger warnings, you gotta do it.
But if you're looking for a story with: made for each other vibes, killer & appreciater, serious darkness, mu rd er, violence, primal play 🔥🌶🔥🌶🔥🌶, blood & knife play, breath play, praise kink, flashbacks and illusions to bad shit that happened in the past, "you're mine", obsession and possessiveness, random creeps, who is the real bad guy?, and seriously off the charts steamy scenes.... look no further.
I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was well written and instantly captivating. The entire book through, I was caring about the characters and the outcomes, waiting to see how the story would progress.
I really couldn't have enjoyed this one more. It reminded me of Dexter. But darker and moodier, and more gay. I was here for it 100%, and now I'll have to see if I vibe with the author's other published stories because this was Chef's kiss, and I don't wanna miss out.
The Alpha and His King by Kiki Clark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I love this book 💜 I love this universe 🩷 and I love this author. Kiki is the best.
THE ALPHA AND HIS KING is book one, and sets the stage for an entire series of shifters finding their mates & problem solving a big bad. This universe also branches out into a stand alone (adjacent) and at least book one in another pack's series.
I remember reading this for the first time and being captivated. From the moment Kai comes out of that shed swinging that rake, I loved him. Rick is the alpha-iest alpha, and all the enforcers and betas serve as constant character dramas and entertainment.
Rick and Kai have killer chemistry.
The scene with Veronica, Drago & Kai had me not even BLINKING. I didn't want to miss a minute. *it's not a sexy scene, lol so don't even worry*
The family dynamics between Kai, Samantha, Callie, and Henry were amazing. Ms Beth needs to be protected at all costs.
This story is great.
This universe is great.
I ABSOLUTELY recommend this book.
THE ALPHA AND HIS KING is book one, and sets the stage for an entire series of shifters finding their mates & problem solving a big bad. This universe also branches out into a stand alone (adjacent) and at least book one in another pack's series.
I remember reading this for the first time and being captivated. From the moment Kai comes out of that shed swinging that rake, I loved him. Rick is the alpha-iest alpha, and all the enforcers and betas serve as constant character dramas and entertainment.
Rick and Kai have killer chemistry.
The scene with Veronica, Drago & Kai had me not even BLINKING. I didn't want to miss a minute. *it's not a sexy scene, lol so don't even worry*
The family dynamics between Kai, Samantha, Callie, and Henry were amazing. Ms Beth needs to be protected at all costs.
This story is great.
This universe is great.
I ABSOLUTELY recommend this book.