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oceaneanagonye's reviews
186 reviews
Crown of Disguise by Lola Malone
5.0
“Show me how you are mine, Dominique.”
"Crown of Disguise" is a brand new dark romantic thriller by Lola Malone. Gaël and Dominque meet at the funeral of Damien, Dominque's older brother and protector who died of mysterious circumstances. A note from a stranger sends Dominique on a years-long mission to uncover the truth. A mission that leads him right back into Gaël's sights. Throughout this tale, we get glimpses into the depraved world of the elite, a story of a brother's love and loss, and a sizzling hot relationship blooming through it all.
I knew going into this book that I wasn't going to get a standard sweet romance. No, the love story in this book is dark, one of control and possession. I was hooked right away by the chemistry between Gaël and Dominique. And besties, the spicy scenes were off the charts flaming hot.
But almost as important as the relationship between Gaël and Dominque, was Dominque's relationship with his deceased brother. This is his driving force throughout the book, getting to the bottom of what happened that fateful night that took Damien away from him. The descriptions of loss and grief were so poignant that I found myself tearing up throughout the book. They reminded me of my own losses and were so true to real life. This really helps the reader understand why Dominque is going to such lengths and taking huge risks for the truth.
We also have to talk about the dark underbelly of the elite in this book. Everything is not as it seems at Saint-Laurent. Hidden stairways in the castle lead to secret ceremonies and wild nights of passion for the mega-wealthy members of a secret fraternity. What happens when a commoner is found lurking where he doesn't belong, threatening the very existence of this clandestine society?
I can't say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mysterious thriller with some hot MM romance and voyeurism thrown in. TW as always should be taken into consideration.
Excellent work, Lola! Thank you for letting me have an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and all opinions are mine.
Merged review:
“Show me how you are mine, Dominique.”
"Crown of Disguise" is a brand new dark romantic thriller by Lola Malone. Gaël and Dominque meet at the funeral of Damien, Dominque's older brother and protector who died of mysterious circumstances. A note from a stranger sends Dominique on a years-long mission to uncover the truth. A mission that leads him right back into Gaël's sights. Throughout this tale, we get glimpses into the depraved world of the elite, a story of a brother's love and loss, and a sizzling hot relationship blooming through it all.
I knew going into this book that I wasn't going to get a standard sweet romance. No, the love story in this book is dark, one of control and possession. I was hooked right away by the chemistry between Gaël and Dominique. And besties, the spicy scenes were off the charts flaming hot.
But almost as important as the relationship between Gaël and Dominque, was Dominque's relationship with his deceased brother. This is his driving force throughout the book, getting to the bottom of what happened that fateful night that took Damien away from him. The descriptions of loss and grief were so poignant that I found myself tearing up throughout the book. They reminded me of my own losses and were so true to real life. This really helps the reader understand why Dominque is going to such lengths and taking huge risks for the truth.
We also have to talk about the dark underbelly of the elite in this book. Everything is not as it seems at Saint-Laurent. Hidden stairways in the castle lead to secret ceremonies and wild nights of passion for the mega-wealthy members of a secret fraternity. What happens when a commoner is found lurking where he doesn't belong, threatening the very existence of this clandestine society?
I can't say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mysterious thriller with some hot MM romance and voyeurism thrown in. TW as always should be taken into consideration.
Excellent work, Lola! Thank you for letting me have an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and all opinions are mine.
"Crown of Disguise" is a brand new dark romantic thriller by Lola Malone. Gaël and Dominque meet at the funeral of Damien, Dominque's older brother and protector who died of mysterious circumstances. A note from a stranger sends Dominique on a years-long mission to uncover the truth. A mission that leads him right back into Gaël's sights. Throughout this tale, we get glimpses into the depraved world of the elite, a story of a brother's love and loss, and a sizzling hot relationship blooming through it all.
I knew going into this book that I wasn't going to get a standard sweet romance. No, the love story in this book is dark, one of control and possession. I was hooked right away by the chemistry between Gaël and Dominique. And besties, the spicy scenes were off the charts flaming hot.
But almost as important as the relationship between Gaël and Dominque, was Dominque's relationship with his deceased brother. This is his driving force throughout the book, getting to the bottom of what happened that fateful night that took Damien away from him. The descriptions of loss and grief were so poignant that I found myself tearing up throughout the book. They reminded me of my own losses and were so true to real life. This really helps the reader understand why Dominque is going to such lengths and taking huge risks for the truth.
We also have to talk about the dark underbelly of the elite in this book. Everything is not as it seems at Saint-Laurent. Hidden stairways in the castle lead to secret ceremonies and wild nights of passion for the mega-wealthy members of a secret fraternity. What happens when a commoner is found lurking where he doesn't belong, threatening the very existence of this clandestine society?
I can't say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mysterious thriller with some hot MM romance and voyeurism thrown in. TW as always should be taken into consideration.
Excellent work, Lola! Thank you for letting me have an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and all opinions are mine.
Merged review:
“Show me how you are mine, Dominique.”
"Crown of Disguise" is a brand new dark romantic thriller by Lola Malone. Gaël and Dominque meet at the funeral of Damien, Dominque's older brother and protector who died of mysterious circumstances. A note from a stranger sends Dominique on a years-long mission to uncover the truth. A mission that leads him right back into Gaël's sights. Throughout this tale, we get glimpses into the depraved world of the elite, a story of a brother's love and loss, and a sizzling hot relationship blooming through it all.
I knew going into this book that I wasn't going to get a standard sweet romance. No, the love story in this book is dark, one of control and possession. I was hooked right away by the chemistry between Gaël and Dominique. And besties, the spicy scenes were off the charts flaming hot.
But almost as important as the relationship between Gaël and Dominque, was Dominque's relationship with his deceased brother. This is his driving force throughout the book, getting to the bottom of what happened that fateful night that took Damien away from him. The descriptions of loss and grief were so poignant that I found myself tearing up throughout the book. They reminded me of my own losses and were so true to real life. This really helps the reader understand why Dominque is going to such lengths and taking huge risks for the truth.
We also have to talk about the dark underbelly of the elite in this book. Everything is not as it seems at Saint-Laurent. Hidden stairways in the castle lead to secret ceremonies and wild nights of passion for the mega-wealthy members of a secret fraternity. What happens when a commoner is found lurking where he doesn't belong, threatening the very existence of this clandestine society?
I can't say enough good things about this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mysterious thriller with some hot MM romance and voyeurism thrown in. TW as always should be taken into consideration.
Excellent work, Lola! Thank you for letting me have an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and all opinions are mine.
Once Upon a Halloween Night Anthology by Susan Renee, Courtney W. Dixon, Kate Stacy, Katrina Marie, Louise Lennox, Lauren Helms, Mel Walker
5.0
"I want love. A real relationship where my partner loves me back. Where we laugh, get along, travel together, kiss in public, sometimes we’re silly, or finish each other’s sentences.”
This review is for part of the Once Upon A Halloween Night Anthology.
"Masked Love" is a Halloween short story by Courtney W. Dixon that follows Greyson and Xander. The premise is simple; Xander needs a date to a Halloween party and Greyson, as his new PA, can't say no. The date would only be taboo if it were real. And it's not real... right?
This was a fun little story with a little bit of steam that left me wanting more. How does Greyson and Xander's story end? What does their future hold? It's quite the feat to get me to care about characters in such a short amount of time, but Courtney did it by creating two multidimensional MCs.
Thank you to Courtney W. Dixon for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This review is for part of the Once Upon A Halloween Night Anthology.
"Masked Love" is a Halloween short story by Courtney W. Dixon that follows Greyson and Xander. The premise is simple; Xander needs a date to a Halloween party and Greyson, as his new PA, can't say no. The date would only be taboo if it were real. And it's not real... right?
This was a fun little story with a little bit of steam that left me wanting more. How does Greyson and Xander's story end? What does their future hold? It's quite the feat to get me to care about characters in such a short amount of time, but Courtney did it by creating two multidimensional MCs.
Thank you to Courtney W. Dixon for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Daddy Arrangement by Jesse H Reign
5.0
Whew! What can I say about this book? It was another smoldering hot Jesse H. Reign special. If you've been following along with The Situationship series, you'll know most of the characters mentioned here, except for Stuart Wiseman and a certain POS ex. While I HIGHLY recommend you read "The Step Bro Situation" and "Triple Trouble", I believe this book can be read as a standalone. We focus on our favorite playboy Elliot Gould whose crazy generosity and over-the-top spending has finally caught up with him. Luckily, his dad's best friend Stuart has offered Elliot a soft place to land and learn how to "adult". And as time went on, he really did need a soft place...and maybe some ice packs.
What I loved about Gould in this book was that he was truly just a good boy at heart who was craving correction and wanted to learn. He needed someone true and stable to show him the ropes and give him firm punishments when he stepped out of line. He was a little bit bratty, but honestly just didn't know how to ask for what he needed. I loved that Stuart just wanted what was best for Elliot and communicated so clearly with him from day one.
Onto the kink! Impact play in a book can go very wrong, very fast in my opinion. But as always, Jesse got it right. We're able to be in Elliot's head and see just how freaking into it he really is. Alongside the fear and trepidation of the punishments was always excitement and desire. It never crossed over into pure sadism. Safe words were respected. Everyone got what they needed out of the interactions. Chef's kiss all around.
I feel like if I talk anymore about this book I'm going to give too much away. So take my word! You're going to want to give this one a read.
What I loved about Gould in this book was that he was truly just a good boy at heart who was craving correction and wanted to learn. He needed someone true and stable to show him the ropes and give him firm punishments when he stepped out of line. He was a little bit bratty, but honestly just didn't know how to ask for what he needed. I loved that Stuart just wanted what was best for Elliot and communicated so clearly with him from day one.
Onto the kink! Impact play in a book can go very wrong, very fast in my opinion. But as always, Jesse got it right. We're able to be in Elliot's head and see just how freaking into it he really is. Alongside the fear and trepidation of the punishments was always excitement and desire. It never crossed over into pure sadism. Safe words were respected. Everyone got what they needed out of the interactions. Chef's kiss all around.
I feel like if I talk anymore about this book I'm going to give too much away. So take my word! You're going to want to give this one a read.
Stix & Stone by Courtney W. Dixon
5.0
Stix and Stone is the first full-length novel in Courtney W. Dixon's Alpha's Rejects series. Our MCs are Nico "Stix" Jamieson, a perpetual ray of sunshine, and Damien "Stone" Sloan, thundercloud extraordinaire. These characters have both had insanely rough upbringings and are just trying to survive.
The tension starts on page one and is intense. We don't know why Stone hates Stix at first, and we don't find out for quite some time. We just know that Stone has a major chip on his shoulder and Stix loves poking at it. As time goes on though, we (along with Stone) start to figure out that maybe it isn't hate he's feeling after all.
I loved how incredibly patient Stix was with Stone as he slowly began to understand his feelings and some of the motives behind his actions. And some actions in this book will have you a little frustrated or perplexed. But make no mistake, Stix was never a doormat. He didn't just take all the abuse lying down and never speaking up for himself. He is brave, resilient, and saucy and we love him for that. Stone's character growth was beautiful to watch unfold, especially considering the torture he had endured at the hands of his parents.
Please heed the trigger warnings. Prostitution is always hard to read about for me. Stix doesn't enjoy it, and it's more of a survival sex thing. I found that part heartbreaking and felt uncomfortable after every job, but it definitely adds to the story. There are also instances of on-page child abuse and a hate crime. If you aren't in a place to read about that, I would recommend skipping this book for now.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an angsty enemies-to-lovers skater romance with a hard-earned HEA.
The tension starts on page one and is intense. We don't know why Stone hates Stix at first, and we don't find out for quite some time. We just know that Stone has a major chip on his shoulder and Stix loves poking at it. As time goes on though, we (along with Stone) start to figure out that maybe it isn't hate he's feeling after all.
I loved how incredibly patient Stix was with Stone as he slowly began to understand his feelings and some of the motives behind his actions. And some actions in this book will have you a little frustrated or perplexed. But make no mistake, Stix was never a doormat. He didn't just take all the abuse lying down and never speaking up for himself. He is brave, resilient, and saucy and we love him for that. Stone's character growth was beautiful to watch unfold, especially considering the torture he had endured at the hands of his parents.
Please heed the trigger warnings. Prostitution is always hard to read about for me. Stix doesn't enjoy it, and it's more of a survival sex thing. I found that part heartbreaking and felt uncomfortable after every job, but it definitely adds to the story. There are also instances of on-page child abuse and a hate crime. If you aren't in a place to read about that, I would recommend skipping this book for now.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an angsty enemies-to-lovers skater romance with a hard-earned HEA.
DragonRider by S. Rodman
4.0
UPDATE 10/23
I've updated my rating of this book after revisiting it. Bumped up from 3 stars to 4 stars.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
"Dragonrider" is a single POV MMM fantasy romance with a splash of action throughout the book. I feel like S. Rodman did a good job of not overdoing the fantasy elements to the point that romance took a backseat to world-building. I was drawn in quickly by Kirby's inner dialogue and really enjoyed the writing style.
If you follow me anywhere, you know that I almost exclusively review
I've updated my rating of this book after revisiting it. Bumped up from 3 stars to 4 stars.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
"Dragonrider" is a single POV MMM fantasy romance with a splash of action throughout the book. I feel like S. Rodman did a good job of not overdoing the fantasy elements to the point that romance took a backseat to world-building. I was drawn in quickly by Kirby's inner dialogue and really enjoyed the writing style.
If you follow me anywhere, you know that I almost exclusively review
Tentacles & Triathlons by Ashley Bennett
4.0
This was a sweet little book about overcoming your fears and opening yourself up to love. I was in desperate need of a fluffy palate cleanser after a series of incredibly heavy books and this fit the bill perfectly. There's very little angst, some steam, and a lot of character growth. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a light and sweet MM monster romance.
All I Want for Christmas Is Head by J C Bryer
4.0
Fascinating
This was a beautifully formatted, stream-of-consciousness-style novella. Easy to read in an evening. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a low-angst Christmastime spicy read. The pairing is MF, with tropes of a one-night stand and afterthoughts of bi-awakenings.
This was a beautifully formatted, stream-of-consciousness-style novella. Easy to read in an evening. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a low-angst Christmastime spicy read. The pairing is MF, with tropes of a one-night stand and afterthoughts of bi-awakenings.