jjfey's reviews
179 reviews

Under the Lupine Moon by A. Knightley

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Jaime and Finn were absolute perfection as fated mates - they really deserved every bit of their HEA, and I loved watching them get there.

Chapter 1: Cue the tears.
Chapter 2: “WTF just happened?” Okay, now I’m hooked.

From there, it’s a whirlwind of emotions. The spice was spicing, let me tell you! And the way Silas casually explains knotting to Finn was stupid funny.

I also adored Finn’s inner wolf voice - it was such a cheeky and entertaining addition that kept me smiling throughout.

One thing I love is when a story balances serious moments with humour, and this one did it perfectly.

I laughed, I cried, I was on the edge of my seat, and I definitely needed a fan at certain moments. This book really packed a punch in all the best ways.

File this under: Books that made me cry in the first chapter. (Related TW: pet loss - mention of a family pet who passed away the previous year.)

What to expect:
Check the TWs for this one!
Action/mystery
“Baby”
Blushing
Breeding
Claiming
Dirty talk
Fated mates
Freckles!
“Good boy”
Illegal unaliving (off page) & defensive unaliving 
“I’ve got you”
Knotting
MC who reads smutty romance novels (Jaime)
Mental health themes
Panic attacks and anxiety rep
PTSD rep
Redhead MC (Jaime)
Whining
Wolf shifter x human

You Again by Dianna Roman

3.0

The Amazing Alpha Tau Boyfriend Project by Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey

4.25

My Best Friend's Brother by K.C. Wells

4.25

Really cute and sweet!

Forced proximity, minor age gap

Poetry On Ice by Jesse H Reign

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Robbie McGuire and Ant Decker go from rivals to reluctant teammates when Robbie gets traded to Ant’s hockey team. These two are menaces to each other at the start, but it’s not exactly enemies to lovers. More like “we’re jerks but also hot for each other” vibes, and I was here for it.

The spice was spicing in this one. That first scene in the hotel room was so hot.  The slootty socks made me laugh so much.

There were so many stupidly funny moments with Ant’s internal monologue.

There are so many cute and sweet moments too - a couple of hand-holding moments that are so sweet they could melt an ice rink. 

Low-angst and funny with just the right touch of heart, this book had a smile plastered in my face all the way through.

And naturally, I got teary in the epilogue. Because what’s a romance without a few happy tears to wrap it up? Highly recommend this one for a laugh, some heat, and all the feels.

What to expect:

Hockey

(not really) Enemies-to-lovers

Teammates-to-lovers 

Penile Lack of Intelligence

Nicknames

Bi awakening 

Slooty socks

Grey sweatpants

Lacy jockstraps 

First times with a man 

Freckles x dimples

Hand-holding

Tempting Tristan by Melissa Foster

4.25

Tough Love by Dianna Roman

3.5

A Very Gay Dare by M.M. Phoenix

funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.5

Review: A Very Gay Dare by M.M. Phoenix

This book kicks off with our very straight (insert exaggerated wink here) Justin being dared by a mate to get a guy’s number at a bar. Enter Shawn- the hottest guy in the place - and Justin’s absolutely adorable, fumbling flirting. Spoiler: he gets the number. Next we get an awkwardly phone call and some cute texting.

The setup is solid, with the chemistry building nicely. From about the 50% mark, the book cranks up the spice, and wow, it delivers. The last half is basically one steamy scene.

If you’re looking for a meet-cute and a scorching finish, A Very Gay Dare is worth picking up!

What to expect:

Short story

Dare

Awakening

Flirting

Texting

Haze Me by BL Sparrow

dark fast-paced

5.0

Book Review: Haze Me by B.L. Sparrow

I sent 2024 out with a bang! Pun intended. My second foray into tabu territory (and both on the same day), and Haze Me did not come to play. This short, scandalous little read about half-brothers Aidan and Foster was the cherry on top of a year full of bookish adventures.

Here’s the deal: Aidan knows Foster is his brother, but Foster’s clueless. Cue frat hazing shenanigans and some messed up power dynamics.

B.L. Sparrow doesn’t hold back, and while this story is short, it packs a punch that’s equal parts scandalous and addictive.

I wasn’t sure how I’d go with tabu reads, but honestly, this one was so good. I think, like with any book, you just need to find the right one for you. Consider me hooked, I will absolutely be reading the rest of this series.

If you’re looking to dive into your first tabu read like I was, Haze Me will deliver.

What to expect:

Check the TWs

Tabu

Spicy

Short story

Long-lost half-brothers

College

Frat hazing

90s

Spanking

Messed-up power dynamics

Humiliation

Dubcon

Incyst

Morally grey

Crybaby by Marina Vivancos

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Crybaby by Marina Vivancos

Jason & Sasha were such a cute best friends-to-lovers duo. They had such a great dynamic and their banter was gold. They really made me laugh.

This novella brings the heat. The dirty talk? Whew! 

The ending was perfect, Sasha’s got this line that's hilarious:

“Sasha smiled triumphantly. ‘I best boyfriend. Cry for you every night. You will be very happy.’”

If you’re after something short, sweet, and steamy, Crybaby is the perfect pick.

What to expect:
Dacryphilia (crying)

Best friends to lovers

Dirty talk

Single, first person POV
Novella