vicki_williams's reviews
2710 reviews

Unhinged Little Angel by K.M. Neuhold

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Dante is perfectly unhinged! 

Mobster Salvatore has had a thing for Dante ever since he first saw him, unfortunately the feisty confident and full of sass dancer Dante doesn’t return those feelings - yet. Circumstances lead them into a quickie marriage where slowly but surely Dante learns that he can trust Salvatore with not only his love but also his secrets. Secrets that are about to come back and haunt him but this time he has Salvatore and all the Moretti’s at his back. There’s plenty of steam as Dante slowly lowers his walls and learns who he really is under the care of Salvatore. Rest assured though that the unhinged little angel still remains fiery! 

There’s some sweet moments, an interesting plot that kept me fully engaged with the rest of the Moretti men playing their parts and an HEA that left me feeling so very happy for for the wonderful main characters. A very enjoyable read that has me eagerly awaiting for more. 

Mine To Keep by Davidson King

mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

What I loved about Matt (don’t call me Mattie) and Nick’s story is there’s just the right amount of spice perfectly balanced with just the right amount of tension and drama. There’s plenty of people that could be Matt’s obsessive stalker which keeps Nick very busy doing his computer and security magic. He also finally gets Matt to stop avoiding him after an embarrassing moment and the chemistry between them sparks to life. I did have an inkling regarding the stalker but wasn’t at all prepared for the twisty turn moment that made look back on the interactions with a different view. 

All the Saint brothers and partners from the previous books are of course involved and play their parts perfectly. There’s also some side characters that provide some interesting moments so all this combined with an intriguing plot meant I was fully immersed from start to finished and read this in one sitting. Once again the story telling ability of this dependable author didn’t let me down and I can’t wait for more of the brothers getting their stories told. 

Road Trip by Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey

relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Took me by surprise in the best of ways. 

I’m not really a big reader of books with characters aged in their teens as I find that I can’t connect with them easily. I put my faith in the story telling abilities of these talented authors and they didn’t let me down. I certainly didn’t have a problem connecting with Matt and Jacob as I just really like them. Matt is moody and prickly with a vulnerability that few people see whilst Jacob is a popular all round nice guy who sees the real Matt and not the person presented to the world.  

The road trip is filled with adventures and misadventures, good times and some moments that gave me all the feels. I smiled at the banter between Matt and Jacob and laughed out loud at some of the road trip antics. My heart felt heavy at times but I was all warm and sappy with a big happy smile at the end. 

It was an absolute joy going on this road trip with Matt and Jacob and watching their platonic friendship morph into more. There’s a bit of spice, some external angst and a very “happy boyfriend’s in love” ending. 

Finding Lord Landry by Lucy Lennox

emotional hopeful relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Wonderful end to the series.  

Landry desperately wants to lead the life he wants, not the life his familial responsibilities demand. He also desperately wants Kenji in his life as more than an assistant. Kenji is still as prickly as ever and is satisfied with the current arrangement he has with Landry. When Landry learns that Kenji is in a very dangerous situation he uses long held connections to have him rescued but there’s a cost, not just to himself but also to the arrangement with Kenji. Another victim to the fallout is Landry’s anonymity which no one but family were aware of, not even the Brotherhood or Kenji. 

As the reality of Landry’s life unfolds, Kenji realises that he greatly misjudged Landry but changing his feelings towards him does take some time. There’s plenty of miscommunication between them and lots of tension due to familial responsibilities and unwarranted headlines. Which is perfectly balanced by some sweet and steam before they get their HEA.

I really enjoyed this engaging read and loved watching the personnel growth in Kenji as he adjusted to the new reality of who Landry truly is - a man with depth and passion. I also enjoyed the members of the Brotherhood dutifully play their parts when required. I had plenty of feels ranging from laughter to having my heart cracked open but it was fully restored and feeling very happy and warm at the end. 

This is a wonderful conclusion to the series and I bid it a fond farewell. 

A Forgotten Mistake by Alice Winters

funny mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Brilliant addition to the series. 

It’s so nice to be back with Gabriel and Liam who is once again up to his usual shenanigans with his coworkers. The shenanigans begin immediately so I was laughing from the first page and continued to do so throughout the remainder of this entertaining and engaging book. There’s also the complete joy in watching Liam interacting with people and coming to the realisation that he has friends and his reaction to that moment. 

To balance out the humour there’s an intriguing and intricate case to be solved. A case that has a very solid connection to Liam’s past with some unexpected surprises along the way. Once again Liam’s insights combined with the entire team’s solid investigative techniques bring the case to a successful close. 

Whilst all this is going on Liam is doing his utmost to encourage Gabriel to live with him so an over the top first month anniversary present is of course necessary as is a visit to a cat cafe with unexpected results. Their relationship is as strong as ever and Liam not only survived “meeting the parents” but became a family member whether he wanted to or not. 

This is a fantastic example of this talented author’s work and to enhance the reading experience you really should read the first book in the series as it provides much needed background information. 

Possessive Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James

funny reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I was unexpectedly surprised at this sweet slow burn romance. 

I admit I was in two minds regarding Connor after Easton’s book but the storytelling ability of these two talented authors had me cheering for Connor. He really doesn’t like the person he was when he interacted with Parker in High School. When his brothers no longer need him to watch over and protect them he feels lost has he likes being needed. His journey of self discovery isn’t easy but after some struggles his priorities change and he thrives living his life authentically. 

Parker was the geeky bullied nerd in high school and even though he’s extremely successful, younger Parker’s insecurities still plague him. He’s been alone a long time and wants nothing more than to have friends, affection and close relationships. 

When these two flawed but strong characters reconnect it takes some time before old hostilities are laid to rest and their connection morphs into a non toxic relationship. Connor’s over possessive nature is catnip to Parker and I loved seeing the personnel growth between them as a whole and as individuals. 

The younger Kiki brothers play their roles had even the Collective make themselves known. I laughed a lot, felt the pain held by both Connor and Parker and also enjoyed their journeys of self discovery. Which happens to include some sweet and steamy times. Overall this is a very enjoyable reading experience that held my interest from the start and left me with a happy heart at the end. 

Solan by Becca Seymour

adventurous hopeful inspiring slow-paced

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

5.0

Fantastic! 

Where to begin on how much I loved this monster romance. The superbly crafted world building, the intriguing twisting and turning plot that kept me glued to my kindle or the wonderful Solan and Jack who I just want to be besties with. There’s plenty of action and this very enjoyable book starts off with a bang with a piece of outback Australian being ripped up and plonked into another world. Taking Jack and his property along with his nephew Jamie and their horses. Once dumped in this new and frightening world Jack and Jamie navigate the dangerous environment with the help of Solan, a humanoid monster with some understanding of Earth. So begins a a tale filled with action, drama and a slow burning romance that bubbles quietly along as Jack and Solan explore their fated mates connection. I giggled at the many references Solan made to a world famous actor and I adored young Jamie who is unbelievably resilient. It’s not a cliffhanger ending by any means but the reader is left in no doubt that there’s more to come and I can’t wait for more from this talented author. 

Grave Situation by Louisa Masters

emotional funny relaxing slow-paced

5.0

Loved this so much, 🥰

Talon really, really really doesn’t want to go on, let alone be the leader of, a quest to save the world. This wonderfully snarky smart-mouthed mage does have a sense of responsibility though so he sets out with his dragon rider twin sister Tia, Jaiman and Coryn to rid the land of zombies. Jaiman is a kind and intelligent Master Healer whilst Coryn is a member of the Kings Own Guard and is such a delightfully precious cuddle bunny who happens to be a master with a sword when needed. Their travels not only include plenty of adventures but also the addition of two more members to this talented band of misfits. 

They departed without much information regarding the what, why, where and who regarding the quest but they do have a semi sentient stone that sort of helps when asked, a dragon that just tolerates Talon and a sassy horse that enjoys making Talon’s life just a tad more interesting. 

I loved every moment of this very enjoyable adventure. The twists and turns of the intriguing plot kept me fully engaged from start to finish and the world building is superbly done. There’s plenty of secondary characters to keep things interesting and the slow burn romantic sub plot bubbles along nicely. I felt a myriad of emotions reading this book. From giggling and loud bursts of laughter to sadness and a heavy heart but was left with the biggest smile in my face at the end. 

Reading Between the Lines by Nicky James

hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely amazing! 

What an absolute pleasure to be back with Tallus and Diem as they solve another intriguing case. The sassy, stylish and stubborn Tallus and Diem with all his instability and insecurities are now boyfriends. 

Circumstances have them travelling to Port Hope where a grieving mother requires their investigative abilities. It’s a case that had me hooked from the start and the twists and turns throughout certainly kept me on my toes when it came to guessing the villain. At times my heart broke for Diem and the life he’d had to endure, he’s truly a troubled soul but with Tallus by his side more of the heavily constructed walls surrounding him start to crumble. I also found myself giggling at the absurdity of the Bed and Breakfast they had to endure but it did bring them closer together. This is a fantastic read which kept me fully engaged from start to finish and I loved seeing the relationship between these two wonderfully flawed men grow stronger as slowly but surely Diem opened himself up just a little bit more and accepted some good into his life. 

Over and Above by Annabeth Albert

hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

I’m sad to say goodbye to the characters of Mount Hope but I’m thrilled that Eric finally has his story told. 

Eric can be a little bit prickly at times and tends to overthink things but he is also a wonderful Dad, a highly respected paramedic and a grieving widower. Barowner Magnus is very much a people person who happens to be interested in Eric. Circumstances have them spending a lot of together when Magnus is in need of accommodation and stays on Eric’s property. Both feel the attraction but Eric is of course a bit wary to begin with but soon the chemistry between cannot be held at bay any longer. The “friends” arrangement does slowly morph into more for both of these very likeable individuals and although there’s some hesitation, especially when it comes to the offspring’s reactions, communication is the key to Eric and Magnus getting the HEA they wanted. There’s plenty of sweet balanced with steam along with some minor angst and I had the biggest smile on my face and a very happy heart at the end.  As previously stated it’s a bittersweet farewell to Mount Hope but what a way to say goodbye.