jjfey's reviews
180 reviews

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

Swim Crush by Finn Dixon

funny lighthearted 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

4.5

Swim Crush is the perfect bite-sized dose of cute and funny, with just a smidge of spice - ideal for when you need a quick pick-me-up read.

This one has all the good stuff: secret admirers, flirty texts, and love notes that will have your heart doing little flips. Mike’s banter with his mates was so funny and I couldn’t help but laugh at their antics.

This was a sweet read with just enough spice to keep things interesting. The secret admirer angle created a perfect dose of anticipation and giddy excitement that made my inner romantic squeal. And that was balanced out nicely by the s*xting for a little heat.

Dive into Swim Crush - you won’t regret it!

What to expect:
Secret admirer
Texting and s*xting
Love notes
Banter with mates
Novella

No Rules by Nora Phoenix

4.5

This Nerd Is Mine: MM Nerd and Jock Erotica by Jessie Wilson

4.5

Oh my goodness, this spicy little gem was such a fun read! Collin (the jock) and Max (the nerd) are absolutely adorable. Both secretly crushing on each other, and then Max steps up and makes the first move by asking Collin to study together. And that, of course, leads to more.

They're really cute together and they have great chemistry. And those semi-public spicy scenes? Let’s just say, this book brings the heat!

If you’re in the mood for a quick, flirty, and spicy read with a jock/nerd dynamic, you’ll love This Nerd Is Mine.

What to expect:

Jock x nerd

Semi public seggs

Mutual crushes

College

Nerd makes the first move

Dual, first person POV

The Revenge Agenda by Saxon James

funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

The Revenge Agenda by Saxon James was not quite what I was expecting but I absolutely loved it! This MM romance had me hooked from the first page with its mix of humour, heart, and a pinch of chaos (the good kind) you expect from the Bertha boys.

Let’s start with Rush. Oh, Rush. I dare anyone not to fall in love with this charming ball of ADHD energy. And then there’s Hunter, the perfect balance to Rush’s whirlwind personality.

Their chemistry was off the charts. That revenge kiss? Whew! So hot.

P.L. Ant, the infamous butt plant was iconic and the plant custody battles and punny notes between Rush and Hunter were so cute.

The premise of two guys bonding over being cheated on by the same guy was delivered so well. Ian, the dirtbag ex, is truly awful - let’s just say karma’s got a big, shiny target on his back.

One of my favourite parts of this series is the found family dynamic, and that final chapter where everyone is together in the backyard, with Rush pointing them all out to Hunter, gave me all the feels. And that's not to mention all the other Bertha moments. My heart is still doing happy little flips.

This story had me laughing, swooning, and feeling all the warm fuzzies. Saxon James has nailed the balance of heartfelt and hilarious, and I couldn’t recommend The Revenge Agenda enough. It’s pure delight, start to finish!

The cherry on top? Teddy Hamilton’s narration is absolute perfection.

What to expect:

Cheating (it's how the MCs meet and isn't on-page, but is mentioned throughout the book)

Found family

ADHD rep

Dirty talk

Emailing

Forced proximity 

Opposites attract

Turned By My Jock Best Friend by Sylvia Wetwood

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

This is. best friends to lovers short story with Keith, the jock, and his best friend Marcus, told in first person POV by Marcus. Things take a turn when Marcus brings Keith his locker key in the locker room. Cue one look at a sea of nude and near-nude football players, and Marcus suddenly realises, surprise, he’s not as straight as he thought he was.

But wait, it gets better. Not content with his first a-ha moment, Marcus comes up with the worst excuse ever just to go back to the locker room. Absolute gold. I was giggling and grinning the whole time.

This is a spicy short story strikes and Marcus and Keith’s chemistry is so fun to watch unfold. It’s quick, it’s satisfying, and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face (and maybe a blush on your cheeks).

His Middle by Morticia Knight

hopeful sad slow-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

5.0

Hope For The Holidays by Felicity Snow

emotional hopeful slow-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

This one melted my heart into a puddle of festive goo. Hope for the Holidays is a perfectly heart-warming holiday read. 

 

We’ve got Everest, a 35-year-old single dad of three, navigating life two years after losing his wife. We meet him on the anniversary of her death and, yes, I was already crying on the first page. Enter Levi, a 25-year-old primary school teacher with a heart of gold. 

 

The cookie-making scene with Levi bringing his own,special cookie cutters was beautiful, and another teary moment for me. 

 

The way Levi gently becomes part of Everest’s family is pure slow-burn perfection. 

 

This book is sweet, soft, and oh-so-wholesome. There’s almost no spice, but honestly, it didn’t need it - the emotional connection between Everest and Levi more than makes up for it. 

 

I cried in the epilogue, happy tears, obviously. 

 

If you’re after a tender, low-angst Christmas romance with all the warm, fuzzy vibes, Hope for the Holidays will absolutely deliver. 

 

What to expect: 

Single dad 

Christmas 

Teacher x parent 

Age gap (35/25) 

Bi rep 

Grief 

Care-taking 

Slow burn 

Very low spice 

All I Want for Christmas is Tentacles by Chloe Archer

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

This book is everything! It's seriously one of the sweetest MM romances I've read. It kicks off with our adorable pink, tentacled alien Khephren fleeing an arranged marriage. What follows is a heartwarming journey filled with cat-worshipping aliens, Hallmark Christmas movie obsessions, and the nicest alien abduction you could imagine. 

 

Khephren stole my heart instantly. He’s so utterly adorable – his blushing, his endless positivity, and, of course, his tentacles. The way he expresses his emotions through them is just perfection. Watching him cry over Sasha’s family disowning him made me teary, and his flustered reactions to Sasha in glasses (or, let’s face it, anything Sasha does) had me grinning from ear to ear. 

 

This book is a geek’s dream come true, with Star Wars and Star Trek references, AO3 mentions, and aliens chatting on forums. The cute movie date with slow dancing was swoonworthy. The found family vibes were perfect. Kheph wears his heart on his tentacles, and it’s the sweetest thing ever. 

 

As my first foray into tentacle romance, I couldn’t have picked a better place to start. I’d been curious about this genre for a while, and this story didn’t disappoint. It’s equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and downright delightful. The acronyms were laugh-out-loud funny, the geeky touches made my heart happy, and the romance was so sweet I melted into a puddle of goo. 

 

If you’re looking for a feel-good Christmas romance with a tentacular twist, this is the book for you. 

 

What to expect: 

Depression rep (mentions meds, mild & only mentioned at the beginning of the book) 

Alien x human abductee 

Pet cat "Jonesy" 

Grumpy/sunshine 

bBlushing (Keph) 

Cinnamon roll alien 

Glasses 

Vibrating pleasure nodules 

Found family 

The Christmas Keeper by V.L. Locey

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Brann and Kenan’s story is the festive treat I didn’t know I needed. Starting with a meet-cute at the airport, this novella packs in all the goodness of strangers-to-housemates-to-lovers, complete with a boss x employee dynamic and a recovering addict storyline for Kenan. 

It’s funny - like genuinely laugh-out-loud funny! The pet geese, Fred and Wilma, absolutely stole the show for me. Thug life but make it poultry! Brann’s grumpiness is top-tier, and the banter between him and Kenan had me grinning constantly. 

Told in single first-person POV, the writing style is sharp and packed with snark, balancing the warm holiday feels with just the right amount of sarcasm so it doesn't veer into schmaltzy territory. Bonus points for the mix of Christmas and Chanukah traditions - it was lovely to see the Jewish rep with Kenan. 

This is a low-spice read, but there’s some fun with food (icing!) and another addition to my “butter as lube” list. 

The Christmas Keeper delivers a heartwarming holiday romance with plenty of laughs, some wonderfully quirky touches, and just the right amount of heat to keep things interesting. A perfect festive read for when you want to snuggle up with something sweet, sassy, and thoroughly entertaining! 

What to expect: 

Recovering addict 

Fun with food (icing) 

Butter as lube 

Low spice (mostly closed door, not detailed) 

Single first person pov 

Jewish MC 

Publican x country musician