Scan barcode
oceaneanagonye's reviews
186 reviews
In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
4.0
TL:dr - Daniel doesn't believe good things can happen to him because he comes from a shit family. Rex will be the one to finally change his mind. Colin can go straight to... Maybe that's not very compassionate, but I don't dig stories where the bullied person has to do all the legwork to try and maintain/fix/care for their tormentor(s) just because they're closeted or "family". Not my vibe. This book also felt insanely long, but I think it was just because I wasn't hooked on Roan's writing style.
Egotistical Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James
3.0
This book was alright! I enjoyed Ezra's character growth throughout the story. However...what the heck was up with them suddenly being vehemently anti-marriage at the very end? I get Ezra breaking out in hives at the mention of matrimony, but Anton? Child-of-two-supportive-parents-who-are-still-married-to-this-day, Anton? Right after they came out and promised their lives to each other? I'm just confused. Please let me know if I missed something. But otherwise, it was a pretty good book!
Seeking Sanctuary by Romeo Alexander, Romeo Alexander
5.0
"Seeking Sanctuary" is an easy five-star read or listen. I listened to the audiobook, so that's what I'll be reviewing today. Please see the blurb for a detailed summary of the plot. BE SURE TO READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS and know that there are mentions of SA, DV, murder, detailed scenes of drug abuse, and on-page violence.
First things first, we have to talk about the narrator. I feel like Michael Dean can be a bit polarizing due to his inflection and pacing. He often draws out words and shifts his tone in a very dramatic way, even when the scene does not necessarily call for drama. To be honest, I had a really hard time listening to the first book I purchased with him as the narrator. But over time, his voice has grown on me. Plus, the way he changes his tone between characters during dialog makes the conversations easier to follow. Definitely listen to a sample before you buy the audiobook!
On to the story itself. I had a hard time putting this one down once I finally got into it! This is a grumpy/sunshine(ish), hurt/comfort, second chance MM romance. We start off with Devin hitting rock bottom and reaching out to his long-ignored former best friend Chase. Devin has gone from one trauma to another his whole life and is now trying to dig himself out of a hole. Chase has been dealing with his mother's death and the sudden abandonment of his best friend for years when Devin comes crashing back into his life. I liked how realistic their relationship felt. There was no insta-love or lust (which, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of). The build-up to their romantic relationship was gradual and kept pace with them building trust with one another again.
The characters were beautifully fleshed out and easy to root for. Except for Bennett, but that might just be me. Devin and Chase's chemistry was believable, and the steam was...delicious. This book is not for minors or the faint of heart.
Overall, I would recommend this book to MM readers who love a good friends-to-strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance.
First things first, we have to talk about the narrator. I feel like Michael Dean can be a bit polarizing due to his inflection and pacing. He often draws out words and shifts his tone in a very dramatic way, even when the scene does not necessarily call for drama. To be honest, I had a really hard time listening to the first book I purchased with him as the narrator. But over time, his voice has grown on me. Plus, the way he changes his tone between characters during dialog makes the conversations easier to follow. Definitely listen to a sample before you buy the audiobook!
On to the story itself. I had a hard time putting this one down once I finally got into it! This is a grumpy/sunshine(ish), hurt/comfort, second chance MM romance. We start off with Devin hitting rock bottom and reaching out to his long-ignored former best friend Chase. Devin has gone from one trauma to another his whole life and is now trying to dig himself out of a hole. Chase has been dealing with his mother's death and the sudden abandonment of his best friend for years when Devin comes crashing back into his life. I liked how realistic their relationship felt. There was no insta-love or lust (which, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of). The build-up to their romantic relationship was gradual and kept pace with them building trust with one another again.
The characters were beautifully fleshed out and easy to root for. Except for Bennett, but that might just be me. Devin and Chase's chemistry was believable, and the steam was...delicious. This book is not for minors or the faint of heart.
Overall, I would recommend this book to MM readers who love a good friends-to-strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance.
Dominate Me by Eve Healy
4.0
"Dominate Me" is my second read by Eve Healy. I really liked "The Mourning Dove and His Snow Sparrow" and was excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. Let's quickly set the scene. This book takes place in a non-shifter omegaverse with three classes: alpha, beta, and omega. There is also a secondary sex characteristic of being dominant or recessive. The book includes mpreg, and trigger warnings apply for miscarriage, abortion, prostitution, abandonment, and strong BDSM elements. There is also a brief mention of a non/dub-con type of kink play in the very beginning.
On to the plot! We follow our main character and only POV Liam, a dominant alpha, as he goes to an omega brothel on a dare. He's incredibly uncomfortable with the concept even though it's considered normal for betas and alphas to partake. He's drawn for unknown reasons to an aloof omega named Raven and spends their first meeting simply talking. He's immediately smitten and returns over and over to Raven for more than just friendly conversation. Over time, the two forge a sort of relationship that extends beyond the walls of the brothel. While Liam is addicted to Raven's presence, the omega is quite capricious, longing only for freedom despite his attraction. But one mistake threatens both of their dreams and happiness.
I really liked this book! I found myself coming back to it repeatedly throughout the day just to see what happened next with our MCs. The relationship was at times heartbreaking and full of trials. I even found myself getting a little frustrated with one of the MCs based on how they were treating the other. But to me, that's a good sign because it means the author did a good job of making me care about the characters. This book also has lots of steam, as you can imagine and I found it rather enjoyable!
I would recommend this book to fans of fantasy omegaverse MM romances with lots of steamy moments. I'm giving it 4/5 stars as it needed another pass by an editor to fix some grammar mistakes that took me out of the story.
Special thanks to Eve Healy and NetGalley for giving me access to this book in exchange for honest feedback!
On to the plot! We follow our main character and only POV Liam, a dominant alpha, as he goes to an omega brothel on a dare. He's incredibly uncomfortable with the concept even though it's considered normal for betas and alphas to partake. He's drawn for unknown reasons to an aloof omega named Raven and spends their first meeting simply talking. He's immediately smitten and returns over and over to Raven for more than just friendly conversation. Over time, the two forge a sort of relationship that extends beyond the walls of the brothel. While Liam is addicted to Raven's presence, the omega is quite capricious, longing only for freedom despite his attraction. But one mistake threatens both of their dreams and happiness.
I really liked this book! I found myself coming back to it repeatedly throughout the day just to see what happened next with our MCs. The relationship was at times heartbreaking and full of trials. I even found myself getting a little frustrated with one of the MCs based on how they were treating the other. But to me, that's a good sign because it means the author did a good job of making me care about the characters. This book also has lots of steam, as you can imagine and I found it rather enjoyable!
I would recommend this book to fans of fantasy omegaverse MM romances with lots of steamy moments. I'm giving it 4/5 stars as it needed another pass by an editor to fix some grammar mistakes that took me out of the story.
Special thanks to Eve Healy and NetGalley for giving me access to this book in exchange for honest feedback!
Garron Park by Nordika Night
5.0
I gotta be honest. My very first thought when finishing this book was, "What the actual fuck did I just read?" But in a good way!
Maddox, Devon, and their respective meddling older brothers Xavi and Nate are all stuck in Garron Park under pretty similar circumstances. They have evil dads who steal their money and are left to care for their mothers. While Nate and Xavi are besties, Devon and Maddox have been pitted against each other since they were 10. They're addicted to making the other's life a living hell. Until one day, someone needs saving, and everything changes.
This was such an interesting take on enimies-to-lovers. More like rivals-to-rivals-who-also-bang-and-love-each-other-but-are-too-stubborn-to-say-it. Here's what I loved; the passion. All of my favorite romance books have one thing in common and it's passionate main characters. It doesn't have to be lovey-dovey swoon worthy declarations of love (which I am ALSO a massive fan of). Just something that makes the characters jump off the page and feel alive. And Maddox and Devon had that in spades! It takes a lot for a book to hook me, but Nordika Night got me with the very first scene. The fighting never stopped. There was no big freak out over being bi. And the characters aren't necessarily trying to escape into the great big world away from their trailer park. I just found it all to be quite refreshing and unique. If I didn't know more books were coming (Lot 62 is out in just a few days!) I would be writing letters and signing petitions for more. So good. 5/5 stars because duh.
Maddox, Devon, and their respective meddling older brothers Xavi and Nate are all stuck in Garron Park under pretty similar circumstances. They have evil dads who steal their money and are left to care for their mothers. While Nate and Xavi are besties, Devon and Maddox have been pitted against each other since they were 10. They're addicted to making the other's life a living hell. Until one day, someone needs saving, and everything changes.
This was such an interesting take on enimies-to-lovers. More like rivals-to-rivals-who-also-bang-and-love-each-other-but-are-too-stubborn-to-say-it. Here's what I loved; the passion. All of my favorite romance books have one thing in common and it's passionate main characters. It doesn't have to be lovey-dovey swoon worthy declarations of love (which I am ALSO a massive fan of). Just something that makes the characters jump off the page and feel alive. And Maddox and Devon had that in spades! It takes a lot for a book to hook me, but Nordika Night got me with the very first scene. The fighting never stopped. There was no big freak out over being bi. And the characters aren't necessarily trying to escape into the great big world away from their trailer park. I just found it all to be quite refreshing and unique. If I didn't know more books were coming (Lot 62 is out in just a few days!) I would be writing letters and signing petitions for more. So good. 5/5 stars because duh.
Hidden Scars by Andi Jaxon
5.0
So let's talk about Hidden Scars by @andijaxon. This is a hockey enimies-to-lovers MM romance.
Preston and Jeremy don't exactly hit it off when they first meet. Preston is a perfectionist, struggling internally, suffering abuse and lashing out at any, and everybody that gets in his way. Jeremy is a sweetheart who has a loving family and a penchant for rough sex. They find themselves rooming together after Preston transfers colleges seemingly out of the blue. At first, they struggle to understand each other and fight non-stop. But eventually, walls come tumbling down, and they become downright codependent.
I loved this book. I live for expressions of deep love and utter devotion, and we definitely get a few in this book. There were moments when I wanted to throttle Preston, but also moments when I just wanted to hold him and tell him everything was going to be ok. Some moments were hard to read, and I'd be remiss not to mention that there is on-page abuse of one of the MCs. But ultimately, everything gets resolved, and our characters find their HEA. I rate this book 5/5 stars. No notes.
Preston and Jeremy don't exactly hit it off when they first meet. Preston is a perfectionist, struggling internally, suffering abuse and lashing out at any, and everybody that gets in his way. Jeremy is a sweetheart who has a loving family and a penchant for rough sex. They find themselves rooming together after Preston transfers colleges seemingly out of the blue. At first, they struggle to understand each other and fight non-stop. But eventually, walls come tumbling down, and they become downright codependent.
I loved this book. I live for expressions of deep love and utter devotion, and we definitely get a few in this book. There were moments when I wanted to throttle Preston, but also moments when I just wanted to hold him and tell him everything was going to be ok. Some moments were hard to read, and I'd be remiss not to mention that there is on-page abuse of one of the MCs. But ultimately, everything gets resolved, and our characters find their HEA. I rate this book 5/5 stars. No notes.
Cruel and Careless by Bailey Nicole
2.0
Oof. Oof, oof, oof. I started off reading Book Two and figured Book One must be equally as decent. But no. This one made me uncomfortable and upset. Damon reeks of "I promise this was the last time. I've changed, I'll never hit you again." It made my stomach churn to see how much Ben took on and suffered at Damon's hands. Including Damon attempting to kill him because he tried to leave?!?! Hello?? Listen, I can handle toxic. I love "Garron Park" and "Lot 62". Because in that situation, its mutual and clearly enjoyable to the characters and at the end of day they can be healthy, protective, and in love. This was just a really upsetting story of an abusive addict manipulating and harming someone who has been surrounded by addicts his entire life. And the fact that Ben's therapist basically pushed him back into his abuser's arms made me want to thrown my Kindle away. There was no major groveling or work. Just 60 days of rehab and a drive to the beach. I hate giving negative reviews, but there's nothing positive I can say here.