dinoqueenreads's reviews
756 reviews

Potions & Proposals by Kate Callaghan

3.75

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 3rd person
spice: closed door romance
TWs: classism, death of a family member, death of a parent, domestic violence, fire (nonfatal), grief
Kinky Content:
standalone: standalone
final thoughts: Benedict has elemental fire powers and Lucinda has elemental water powers. They’re forced into an arranged marriage after their prank wars go a step too far. Extra shenanigans ensue and mysteries unfold.
This was a fun and sweet closed-door romance but there were some plot points that I felt like were dropped and we never get a conclusion. Even through that, this was an enjoyable Autumn read.

read this book if you love
😬 angst
💍 arranged marriage
😆 banter
💞 childhood crush
💬 epistolary
💞 fated mates
🏝️ forced proximity
🤜 frenemies-to-lovers
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
👦 he falls first and hard
🩹 hurt/comfort
🧠 “it’s always been you”
🪄 magic
🤐 miscommunication
💞 mutual pining
💍 “my wife”
❓ mystery
🥰 nicknames
🔀 opposites attract
💖 paranormal romance
🤜 rivals-to-lovers
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🔮 supernatural creatures- witches, wolves, vampires
🧙‍♀️ witches

The Break Out by Madi Danielle

4.25

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
POV: dual 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abuse, addiction, child illness, child neglect, death of a child, death of a sibling, toxic relationships
Kinky Content: anal play, begging, bondage, bratting, breeding kink, crawling, degradation, Dom/sub dynamics, eyes on me, finger licking good, fingering, grinding, hair pulling, hand necklaces, irrumatio, manhandling, marking, masturbation, motorcycle sex, one more, oral, orgasm denial, outdoor sex, pain play, phone sex, praise, public acts, pushing it back in, rimming, shower sex, spanking, spit as lube, spitting, squirting
standalone: book 3 in the Denver Dragons series
final thoughts: i love an obsessed Doberman MMC who is mean, angry, and unapproachable but loves to dote over his girl and cuddle. Colton was amazing and he was the perfect fit for Brynn. I love the angst of brother’s new teammate who was traded from a rival team and who refuses to do any team building … until he realizes he’s in love with the FMC. I was kicking my feet and smiling at their banter, his filthy mouth, and all the sweet moments between them.
Can’t wait to see what’s next in this world!

read this book if you love
👿 alpha-hole
😬 angst
😆 banter
⛓️ BDSM
🐈‍⬛ black cat FMC
👦 brother’s rival
🥵 dirty talk
🐕 Doberman MMC
💬 epistolary
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
👦 he falls first and hard
🛁 he washes her
🤫 hidden secrets
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
😜 obsessed MMC
😌 only soft for her
🙏 praise
😎 reformed bad boy
🤐 secret relationship
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
👕 wearing his clothes scene
👕 wearing his jersey scene
🌍 world building

Someone You Deserve by Harlow James

4.25

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN, cliffhanger for next book
POV: dual 1st person
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: cancer, car accident (nonfatal), death of a parent, death of a spouse, divorce, grief, marines (recounted, side character), parental abandonment
Kinky Content: dirty talk, fingering, food play (frosting), f*ck it moment, mirror sex, oral, praise
standalone: book 2 in the Carrington Cove series
final thoughts: I love how obsessed Penn is with Astrid!! He was sweetly there for her for whatever she needed, however she needed him for years- as a friend, as a grief partner, as a pseudo-co parent- until one day he decides he can’t hold his feelings back anymore and makes his feelings known. I love how much he loved her kids as if they were his own and was so respectful towards them while making sure everyone knew his family was his priority. Such a swoony sweet MMC with a secret dirty mouth.
Another great addition to the Carrington Cove world, I can’t wait to see what happens next! 👀

read this book if you love
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
🍪 cinnamon roll MMC
🥵 dirty talk
❌ ex husband’s best friend
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
💞 friends-to-lovers
🤗 "f*ck it"
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🐕 golden retriever MMC
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
💞 mutual pining
🙏 praise
🤐 secret relationship
👩‍👦 single parent
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🌍 world building 

The Romance Line by Lauren Blakely

4.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
POV: dual 1st person
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: blackmail, car accident (fatal), cheating, death of a family member, death of a friend, dementia, grief, PTSD
Kinky Content: dirty talk, eyes on me, fingering, hair pulling, irrumatio, lingerie kink, masturbation, oral, praise, public sex, queening
standalone: book 2 in the Love and Hockey series
final thoughts: this was a super cute forbidden workplace romance between the good girl publicist and the grumpy goalie. Their banter was great and the side characters were entertaining. I love the world Lauren Blakely has created. I really wish we got to see more of a HEA with next steps in their relationship but I love what we’ve been given so far!
I loved getting to know the MCs beyond just their job and seeing their relationship blossom from work rivals/hate to lovers!
The duet narration between Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin was so good. They fit the characters perfectly and had such great voices.

read this book if you love
😆 banter
🍿 celebrity
🍪 super secret cinnamon roll MMC
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
🫦 girl next door/playboy
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
😡 grumpy/sunshine
🤫 hidden secrets
🙏 praise
🤐 secret relationship
👦 she falls first, he falls harder
💓 slowburn
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance

Zero by Mandy Muse

4.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
POV: multi 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abuse, CSA (non-descriptive), death, drug trafficking, dubious consent, gun violence, human trafficking, kidnapping, murder, organized crime, PTSD, SA (non-descriptive)
Kinky Content: anal, anal play, biting, bondage (zip ties, handcuffs, rope, garland, string lights), breathe play, breeding kink, cum play, deep throating, degradation, dirty talk, Dom/sub dynamics, double penetration, dual penetration, dubcon, eyes on me, fancy peens, fear play, felching, fingering, forced orgasms, frotting, hair pulling, hand necklaces, irrumatio, mild knife play, manhandling, mask kink, nipple play, oral, orgasm denial, primal play, public sex, slapping, spanking, spit as lube, stalking kink
standalone: standalone story in the Tangled Duet world
final thoughts: this was a fun, kinky, dark read that had me on the edge of my seat. There was a lot of dark content but the darkest stuff (for me- SA/CSA) was more insinuated and hinted at rather than described which I appreciated. The rest of the scary, gore, and triggering content was described at varying levels and helped paint the dark storylines.
This could use a bit of polishing in some spots, but I enjoyed the story so much that it didn’t matter much to me as a reader. Ally reminded me a bit of Sibby from the Haunting Adeline universe which was fun.

read this book if you love
⛓️ BDSM
🫡 big MMC
🖤 dark romance
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
🍆 fancy peens
😳 forbidden lovers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤫 hidden secrets
🎃 holiday themes
💘 instalust
😏 kinky
🌈 LGBT+ representation
🔫 mafia
🪄 magic (kinda- fortune teller)
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
😜 obsessed MMC
😜 over the top, jealous, possessive MMC
📖 retelling (Nightmare Before Christmas vibes)
🗡️ revenge
👺 secret identity
☠️ “touch her and die”
☠️ “touch him and die”
😠 “who did this to you?”
⚔️ why choose (MMF)

Tips and Trysts by Rebecca Kinkade

5.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person
spice: SO MANY open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abuse, anxiety, cheating, classism, gun violence, microaggressions, narcissism, mild physical violence, misogyny, racism, revenge porn, sex work shaming, sexism, slut shaming, stalking (not in a cute way), toxic masculinity
Kinky Content: anal, anal play, begging, biting, breath play, CNC, crawling, cum play, deep throating, degradation, exhibitionism, eyes on me, fancy parts (pierced privates), light femdom, financial domination (findom), fingering, fuck it moment, gags (hands, panties), hair pulling, hand necklaces, irrumatio, kneeling, marking, masturbation, nipple play, oral, orgasm control, outdoor sex, pegging, piercing kink, praise, primal play, public acts, public sex, restraints (hands), rim jobs, rough sex, sex worker (cam girl), sex toys, slapping, snowballing, somnophilia, spit as lube, spitting, voyeurism
standalone: book 2 in the Streams and Schemes series
final thoughts: Rebecca Kinkade I love you and this beautiful found family you’ve created so much! I was so worried that I hyped this book up in my head way too much to enjoy it like it should be enjoyed… and I’m so happy to say I was WRONG! This book was everything I wanted and more. We got to see all 6 of the besties in action throughout the story and I was so happy to see them all again!

Cora is smart, loyal, and slow to trust. She’s determined to make Everett grovel, beg, and crawl to get a chance with her.
Everett is a golden retriever who doesn’t want to rock the boat. He is so obsessed with Cora he’s willing to do anything and everything for just a shot.
Cora and Everett were simply incredible. I have no words for how perfect they are together. I love they way they compliment each other and push each other to be the best versions of themselves. The epilogues were so sweet and dirty. I can’t wait for book 3 but I know this book and these characters are going to stay with me for a long time.

The hidden secrets and pining and gestures and groveling in this book had me FERAL. I can’t pick a favorite part since I was gasping and giggling through the whole thing.

Also big shoutout for the civics lesson at he beginning and a bit throughout the book because I don’t know anything about anything – THANKS BYE

read this book if you love
🔢 small age gap (24/28)
😬 angst
😆 banter
💵 billionaire (kinda, but not really)
🐈‍⬛ black cat FMC
🍪 cinnamon roll MMC
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
🍆 fancy privates
🏝️ forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤜 frenemies -to-lovers
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🐕 golden retriever MMC
👦 he falls first and hard
🛁 he washes her
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
😏 kinky
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
😜 obsessed MMC
😌 only soft for him
🔀 opposites attract
😜 over the top, jealous, possessive MMC
🤵 politician
🌀 plot twists
🙏 praise
🤜 rivals-to-lovers
😂 romcom
🤐 secret relationship
💔 no third act breakup
☠️ “touch her and die”
☠️ “touch him and die”
😠 “who did this to you?”
🌍 world building

Redeeming by Bella Matthews

4.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: cancer, emergency c-section, preeclampsia, slut shaming, vomit
Kinky Content: cum play, dirty talk, eyes on me, finger licking good, fingering, f*ck it moment, hair pulling, hand necklaces, manhandling, marking, nipple play, one more, oral, orgasm control, praise, spanking
standalone: book 2 of Red Lips & White Lies series (interconnected with the rest of the Kroyden Hills world)
final thoughts: the Kroyden Hill books ALWAYS hit right! The secret thoughts the Bella Matthews adds at the beginning of each of her chapters are such beautiful, hilarious gems and I always look forward to these when I open one of her books.
I loved the angst of the forced proximity, the secrets, the heartbreak, and the character development. Both MCs were really well done and I loved to see their growth as individuals and as a couple.
Callen really stepped up and gave big alpha energy standing up for Caitlin and it had me swooning hard- that might’ve been one of my favorite parts!

read this book if you love
🤰 accidental pregnancy
🔢 age gap (24/28)
😬 angst
😆 banter
🐈‍⬛ black cat FMC
👦 brother’s best friend
💞 childhood crush
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
🤗 "f*ck it"
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🤫 hidden secrets
🎄 holiday themes
🩹 hurt/comfort
🧠 “it’s always been you”
🔫 mafia
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
😜 obsessed MMC
😂 romcom
🛌 roommates
🤐 secret relationship
👦 she falls first, he falls harder
🏈 sports romance (football)
👕 wearing his clothes scene
🌍 world building 

Bull Rush by Maggie Rawdon

5.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN, cliffhanger for next story
POV: dual 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abandonment, animal injury (nonfatal), arson, assault, attempted murder, birth control tampering, breaking and entering, death, divorce, grief, jail, kidnapping, manipulation, murder, stalking (not in a cute way), violence
Kinky Content: anal play, biting, bondage (rope), bratting, breeding kink, car sex, cum play, degradation, dirty talk, DP, exhibitionism, eyes on me, fancy peens, fingering, grinding, hair pulling, hand necklaces, manhandling, marking, masturbation, mutual masturbation, oral, orgasm denial, praise, primal play, pushing it back in, queening, rough sex, sex toys, spitting
standalone: standalone, but continuation of cliffhanger from Mine to Gain
final thoughts: this book was SO GOOD! Maggie Rawdon doesn’t miss with her characters, storylines, and THE TWISTS with this book! I felt strong emotions for all the characters- love, hate, frustration, everything! This was a very emotional read and I love the mix of cowboy, dark, and football. It was definitely one of the best suspense/mystery romances I’ve read in a while.

read this book if you love
👿 alpha-hole
😬 angst
😆 banter
⛓️ BDSM
👦 brother’s best friend
💞 childhood crush
🤠 cowboy
🖤 dark romance
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
🍆 fancy peens
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
🤜 lovers-to-rivals-to-lovers
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🛁 he washes her
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
🧠 “it’s always been you”
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
💞 mutual pining
💍 “my wife”
❓ mystery
🥰 nicknames
🌀 plot twists
🙏 praise
🥈 2nd chance romance
🛁 she washes him
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🏈 sports romance (football)
☠️ “touch her and die”
☠️ “touch him and die”
👕 wearing his jersey scene
🌍 world building

Pretend for Me by Swati M.H.

3.5

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: alcoholism, addiction, anxiety attack, blackmail, bullying from a parent, cancer, death of a parent, emotional abuse, grief, slut shaming, mild violence
Kinky Content: biting, dirty talk, edging, finger licking good, fingering, grinding, manhandling, masturbation, nipple play, oral, orgasm denial, praise, spanking
standalone: standalone
final thoughts: I’ll be honest… I was very not into this book for the first few chapters but I’m glad I stuck it out. The FMC was way too quirky and it was more cringy than funny but it gets better- not gone and entirely un-cringy- but better. The MMC was really the saving grace of this book for me. he was charming, patient, practical but willing to accept the FMCs eccentricities, and vocal about his wants and needs. I enjoyed not only his character but the way he interacted with the other characters in the book (his friends and family).
This felt like it wasn’t fully a standalone and that I would’ve gotten more out of the book had I known the friend groups from the Elements of Rapture series. There seemed to be so much backstory that I was missing from both characters being background characters in other novels.

read this book if you love
😆 banter
💵 billionaire
🍿 celebrity
🥵 dirty talk
💬 epistolary
💏 fake dating
🏝️ forced proximity
🎁 grand gestures
👦 he falls first and hard
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
🥰 nicknames
🔀 opposites attract
😜 possessive MMC
🙏 praise
😂 romcom
💓 slowburn
💔 third act breakup

The Fouls We Make by Brooke O'Brien

4.0

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
POV: dual 1st person
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abuse, addiction, assault, blackmail, bullying, cheating, dementia, grief, manipulation, parental abandonment, revenge porn, stalking (not in a cute way)
Kinky Content: boob job, cum play, cumming in pants, dirty talk, exhibitionism, finger licking good, fingering, grinding, hand necklaces, manhandling, marking, masturbation, mutual masturbation, nipple play, oral, outdoor sex, public acts, sexting, voyeurism
standalone: book 3 in the Braysen U series, can be read as a standalone
final thoughts: there were so many good tropes in this book, and I loved seeing them unfold! I love how Reed saw that Tatum wasn’t ready or available for more than a friend and he became whatever she needed- it was the sweetest to watch him be a genuine friend without expecting more.
While I did enjoy the darker elements of the stalker/blackmail/etc. because it brought the MCs together, I felt like it was an unfinished storyline and I wished we saw more of the fallout for him or the justice of the other victims rather than just “I want to move on” and then BOOM end of storyline.

read this book if you love
😆 banter
👦 brother’s friend
🏫 college setting
🖤 dark elements
🥵 dirty talk
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
💞 friends-to-lovers
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
🙏 praise
🛌 roommates
🤐 secret relationship
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🏈 sports romance (football)
👕 wearing his clothes scene