I had no idea that I was signing up for Maverick Insurance Mysteries: Glamping Edition but I'm hereeee for it!
In our series conclusion, we go on a litI had no idea that I was signing up for Maverick Insurance Mysteries: Glamping Edition but I'm hereeee for it!
In our series conclusion, we go on a little adventure to the wilderness and the plot gets that much more wild too. The change of scenery brought some added fun and really mixed things up. Really, the only thing that hasn't changed is Perry and Nate's absolute, perfect, incomparable, steadfast adoration for each other. They're so cute I want to die. So cute that I'm not even that mad that they keep having sexy fun times without letting us in on the fun.
I love that M.J. switched things up this time with the mystery - in previous books, the reader was privy to things that our characters weren't, so it was an anticipation game of us just waiting for the other shoe to drop. This time, we were treated with a completely unpredictable plot twist that was divine, to say the least. It's not often that a mystery can actually kind of surprise me, so it made for a good time.
I'm so sad that Perry & Nate's story is over, but I honestly think it ended perfectly. ...more
Nico's milkshake brings all the alphas to the yard and Charles is like... [image]
Moo-ving. Udderly amazingThis is cream of the crop PWP (pun intended).
Nico's milkshake brings all the alphas to the yard and Charles is like... [image]
Moo-ving. Udderly amazing. Legen-dairy.
Listen, I don't always use homoerotic male lactation to bring myself out of a reading slump, but when I do - that shit apparently works like a charm. This was as hot as it was absolutely fucking ridiculous (in a fun way) cause like- [image]
As short and plot-lite as it was, I still really liked our MCs. It was a quick, fun, horny read and I enjoyed it. There isn't really much more to say.
Kink Spoiler: (view spoiler)[ Also, there's mention of mpreg, knotting, & fisting in this but it's not what I would call a TRUE mpreg/knotting/fisting book so I'm not adding those tags; but it's in there if that's your jam. (hide spoiler)]...more
There are very few books that inspire me to create a new GR shelf, but this is one of them. The title of the shelf, you ask? Medically Inadvisable SexThere are very few books that inspire me to create a new GR shelf, but this is one of them. The title of the shelf, you ask? Medically Inadvisable Sex.
This book is somehow simultaneously exactly what I expected and not at all what I expected.
I expected this to be a fairly simple read (we're all familiar with palate cleanser books by now), and it was! If I'm being honest, the writing was almost a little toooo simple? Enough that, once I started, I was tempted to stop almost immediately. The story seems to call for more formal/fantasy-esque language but the vernacular was, at times, glaringly modern and colloquial. But, I'm not here for the next great american novel, I'm here for green goblin butt porn (I said what I said).
Now, normally, a book like this is almost immediately placed on my "cliterature" shelf but there's something about this book that stops me from shelving it as such: it's more quality than quantity in nature (though, fair warning, the quality isn't anything amazing either). Not only does it take a while before our MCs so much as touch each other with any kind of heat; once they do, it's really only a few times. The sex scenes themselves aren't anything particularly amazing but what IS amazing is some of the...shall we say, positional choices(?) that our MCs make. I'm trying really hard not to spoil it but there are some things that (anatomically) don't quite make sense but that I also find deeply intriguing - hence, "medically inadvisable sex".
As far as the plot goes, it was just okay and I felt most of it was really unnecessary. Frankly, I don't choose books like this for the plot - especially when there is significantly more plot than smut. Seriously, this book is like 90% actual plot and 10% smut and that, to me, is woefully imbalanced with my own expectations. Like I said, the plot itself wasn't anything particularly amazing so I found myself wanting to skim more often than not.
I'm also tempted to shelve this as "mpreg" because there are some thrown in mpreg elements in the epilogue but, if it's not a main attraction in the actual storyline, I don't like officially categorizing it that way.
Overall, it was okay. I'm tempted to rate this as a two because the writing/plot was fairly mediocre but the MCs are sweet and the interesting(?) sex choices I mentioned before (that I truly can't decide if I like or not) are enough to bump it up just a bit, so...
Rating: 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars!
Merged review:
There are very few books that inspire me to create a new GR shelf, but this is one of them. The title of the shelf, you ask? Medically Inadvisable Sex.
This book is somehow simultaneously exactly what I expected and not at all what I expected.
I expected this to be a fairly simple read (we're all familiar with palate cleanser books by now), and it was! If I'm being honest, the writing was almost a little toooo simple? Enough that, once I started, I was tempted to stop almost immediately. The story seems to call for more formal/fantasy-esque language but the vernacular was, at times, glaringly modern and colloquial. But, I'm not here for the next great american novel, I'm here for green goblin butt porn (I said what I said).
Now, normally, a book like this is almost immediately placed on my "cliterature" shelf but there's something about this book that stops me from shelving it as such: it's more quality than quantity in nature (though, fair warning, the quality isn't anything amazing either). Not only does it take a while before our MCs so much as touch each other with any kind of heat; once they do, it's really only a few times. The sex scenes themselves aren't anything particularly amazing but what IS amazing is some of the...shall we say, positional choices(?) that our MCs make. I'm trying really hard not to spoil it but there are some things that (anatomically) don't quite make sense but that I also find deeply intriguing - hence, "medically inadvisable sex".
As far as the plot goes, it was just okay and I felt most of it was really unnecessary. Frankly, I don't choose books like this for the plot - especially when there is significantly more plot than smut. Seriously, this book is like 90% actual plot and 10% smut and that, to me, is woefully imbalanced with my own expectations. Like I said, the plot itself wasn't anything particularly amazing so I found myself wanting to skim more often than not.
I'm also tempted to shelve this as "mpreg" because there are some thrown in mpreg elements in the epilogue but, if it's not a main attraction in the actual storyline, I don't like officially categorizing it that way.
Overall, it was okay. I'm tempted to rate this as a two because the writing/plot was fairly mediocre but the MCs are sweet and the interesting(?) sex choices I mentioned before (that I truly can't decide if I like or not) are enough to bump it up just a bit, so...
J.F. Miev is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
This book is SOOOOOO unserious and I fucking loved every delectable second of it. Having a maJ.F. Miev is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
This book is SOOOOOO unserious and I fucking loved every delectable second of it. Having a mafia romance book with a double bi-awakening between two himbo-but-badass, kinky cinnamon roll MCs is the delicious chocolate cake that that I was craving and it's (YUM) frosted with the sweetest, whippiest lightheartedness.
Really, this book was just so much fun. I AM OBSESSED WITH LEO - THAT ADORABLE ASS MOTHERFUCKER WHO COULD ALSO IMPRESSIVELY BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA ANYONE. His character is just a riot of color and his golden retriever energy paired with Chai's wickedly-sexy-black-panther-but-is-really-just-a-cuddly-house-cat WAS SO STINKIN' ADORABLEEEEE.
Literally, this is Chai when he's on mafia duty: [image]
This is Chai when Leo is around: [image]
And this is Leo 24/7: [image] [image]
But if the adorableness is impressive, THE HEATTTTTTT IS- [image]
Even just reading these two FANTASIZING about each other was getting me all hot and bothered, GOOD LORD. And then we add the fact that both of these men are just immediately unbothered at how gay they are for each other and how they're so unapologetically eager to explore their interests and kinks?? [image]
Not to mention the banter and humor! It was so much fun and sweet without being cheesy and once you get past the "climax" (of the background plot cause Leo & Chai had more than one climax, rest assured *wink wink*), it just gets even more silly and ridiculous from there. It was really refreshing to read a book that has traditionally darker themes that isn't dark at all - it's a ray of fucking sunshine and I'm happy to bask in it any day.
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ALSOOOOOOOOOOOOO [image] Just gonna leave that there.....iykyk and if you DON'T know, go fucking find out if you wanna laugh your ass off.
(view spoiler)[THE ONLY TEENY TINY LITTLE ITTY BITTY part that I had a problem with is that Leo made Chai wait SIX FUCKING MONTHS before he finally topped him and that is a long fucking time to make him wait, Leo. Do better. (hide spoiler)]
Rating 4.5 rounded up to 5!
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧...more
Dude...LITERALLY, I don't KNOW how I feel. This is gonna be a hard one to rate...
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Cause here's the thing: Book 1? FabHmm...I don't know, y'all.
Dude...LITERALLY, I don't KNOW how I feel. This is gonna be a hard one to rate...
[image]
Cause here's the thing: Book 1? Fabulous. Amazing. Wouldn't change a word of it. And you would THINK the vibes and energy of Book 1 would flow into Book 2...but they don't, really. SOMETHING is off and I think I'm having trouble pinning it down because it's more than just one thing.
The book starts strong af; right where Silk & Sand left off. And I was even excited because Seth and Raider IMMEDIATELY communicated any and all misunderstandings which was a FUCKIN' RELIEF cause if that carried through the whole book, I would've literally died. But then that conversation seems to just happen over and over and over again throughout the book? As in, they have small disagreements/arguments but talk and come back together. Which, like, DUH, that's the definition of a relationship, but it felt like EVERYTHING ELSE in the book took a back seat to those conversations? And also their make-up sex?
Like even Seth and Raider as characters seemed to take a backseat to all the fucking and crying and FEELINGS.
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DO NOT GET ME WRONG, I still love those two with my whole fucking heart and I love a good Soft Dom/Brat Sub sex scene (more than you know) but there were SO MANY OF THEM that it overshadowed everything else. There is a reason why this book is on my "cliterature" shelf and Silk & Sand was not.
Guys. Girls. Gays. If I, Sarah the Smut Slut™, am saying there are too many sex scenes!? That means something.
And where that gets difficult is that all of these scenes are STILL SO SO SOOO GOOD. But the quantity and timing of them all makes for a book that lacks...finesse.
Though, what I'm truly most upset about is Raider (my fav character, obvs). I know that he goes through a lot more because he's confronting his past for most of the book but it made me sad that a lot of his vibrancy and sassiness was lost in this one. Again, after all the trauma he's been through, I can understand some of a difference in behavior and personality but he almost seemed like a different person. Because of that, we hardly get any of the banter and humor between him and Seth that we got in the first book.
Everything outside of their relationship (i.e. the plot lol) was still REALLY good - I liked the things that happened but because of the PACING of those things and how it all became background noise(?), it didn't quite reach the potential that was outlined in Book 1. Things happened fast and the ending, especially, felt SUPERRR rushed.
UGHGH, I'm on the verge of rambling but BASICALLY, if I had to summarize it, Silk & Sand contained and promised a lot of depth that Silver & Gold just didn't quite deliver.
BUT AGAIN, I still very much love these books and these characters which is why I'm so torn between ratings. I might end up changing my rating after letting it settle more but for now...
Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4!
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧...more
Drinking Game: Take a shot every time the MCs get lost in each other's eyes.
And if you need something to soak up all the booze, don't worry - you canDrinking Game: Take a shot every time the MCs get lost in each other's eyes.
And if you need something to soak up all the booze, don't worry - you can make a pretty impressive charcuterie board with ALL THE CHEESE.
[image]
Honestly, it probably would've helped if I was drunk for this one. It's all the social anxiety and awkwardness of losing your virginity for the first time but on steroids because the MCs are in their 30s. Which, by the way, I'm not judging. What I AM judging is the awkwardness paired with CLOYING SWEETNESS that makes me want to book a dentist appointment. I've read many a low-angst/insta-love book, but this one...wow. It's a Hallmark Christmas movie minus the Christmas & heavy on the Hallmark.
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(view spoiler)[How was no one mad!? At any point?? The one moment of contention/angst was brushed under the rug like it never happened. I get that Drew had his reasons and if Zach chose to forgive Drew for LITERALLY LEAVING HIM ALONE IN A HOTEL ROOM WITH NO EXPLANATION AFTER LOSING THEIR VIRGINITIES TO EACH OTHER AND FUCKING MERGING SOULS OR WHATEVER, fine. But not even Jen, his guard-dog BFF, is going to be REASONABLY upset with Drew on his behalf!?? I'm all for her being #TeamDrew but AT LEAST BE MAD AT FIRST!? (hide spoiler)]
Is it still a cute story and did I at least avoid DNFing? Yeah, sure. But, authors, listen up. NEW RULE: A scene where a character *says an awkward thing* and then goes "Oh my god, did I say that out loud?" SHOULD ONLY HAPPEN ONCE IN AN ENTIRE BOOK. I don't give a FUCK. If it happens more than once, YA LOST ME. You had me at "hello" and you lost me at "omg I didn't mean to verbalize my thoughts but you're just so hot, look how cute and quirky I am."
Tl;dr Gay Virgins with Big Feelings.
Rating: 2.5 but, I'm sorry, I have to round down on this one cause I'm not feeling 3 energy.
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧...more