I don't think I would have picked this up in the first place if I'd known it was fated mates, that whole genre tends to bore the hell out of me becausI don't think I would have picked this up in the first place if I'd known it was fated mates, that whole genre tends to bore the hell out of me because like where's the draw. Like I know in opening all of these that it's gonna come to an HEA, but it's boring when the CHARACTERS know that too. So I don't THINK this book or series is ever going to get a 5 star rating from me just because so much of the will they won't they just doesn't exist. The closest I've come to liking fated mates is the Necessary Evils books, which are very good but categorically aren't fated mates, but the level of psychopathic obsession these boys have makes it feel like it lmao.
But with all of that said, I will be continuing the series because these brothers are hilarious, their banter with each other was so dumb and so perfect. I'm excited to see how Dagan mixes into the group, and how his eventual story with Dimitri plays out. Harlow and Bailey should be incredible, I think if there's one thing I would have wanted, it would be for this to be a spinoff series so we could have some previous books showing who Cal was before he met Oscar and became a lovesick puppy. Because we only know him in lovesick puppy mode, and it's adorable, but all of the changes he made to be that person for Oscar were told not shown, I would have liked to meet him in the before times. And that's what we get from Harlow. Oscar was adorable, I wasn't intending this to be my second recovery from a domestic and psychological abuser book in a row, but this was a much better example of it. Oscar showed actual points of growth, had setbacks, the whole nine yards.
All in all, it was definitely a bit of a fluff book because of the whole fated mates thing, but it was very delicious fluff that I'm excited to go back to at some point....more
This book and I imagine subsequent series has a lot of pros and a lot of cons.
Huge pros: - The disability rep is consistent and in your face. It gives This book and I imagine subsequent series has a lot of pros and a lot of cons.
Huge pros: - The disability rep is consistent and in your face. It gives me similar feelings as Dylan Drake's Sweet and Stocky series where every sex scene, every courtship scene, basically every interaction never let you forget this was a man with no legs below the knees and one eye, and he FUCKS, and that's important - I like characters who don't shy away from being a dumbass or having major issues in their backstory that they're trying to rebuild from, and I liked the approach to Tucker as a character in that regard, he didn't shy away from his past or pull some born again nonsense like he's no longer the man who made those choices. He owns who he was and why he was and who he is now and holds it all in balance pretty well. I like Tucker a lot - Sled hockey sounds absolutely fascinating, as does blind hockey - Boden, Ford, and Jonah all sound like interesting, well-conceptualized characters and I'm excited to see more about them in their future books
Huge cons: - Amedeo. Basically everything about him as a character, from the name to the trauma to the name (I really hate the name). Escaping years of domestic violence and psychological abuse is not something he's going to be able to process to the extent that he did in the what, two weeks he was there? Less? Absolutely nothing about his pacing and thoughts felt like he was in a place to be ready for all of the changes he was taking on or the internal changes he was supposedly making. I'm all for liberation from dangerous circumstances, but it has to feel earned - Speaking of it has to feel earned, Tucker and Deo's entire relationship that at no point felt stronger than two people saying oh hey, this doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would, clearly this is true love and forever and the single strongest thing in my life, even though the entire span of our relationship has been less than a fortnight. Not to mention the whole thing took place while Deo was essentially on vacation with no responsibilities or tasks of his own. I would have loved to see some development of Deo's life in Tucker's town because even on the final pages before the epilogue, it was giving holiday fling that got out of hand - Honestly it feels like cheating to invoke the Vegas accidental wedding trope, and then make it so the wedding was never completed and they don't have to deal with the fallout of it, and every side character already knows it was fake so they never have to maintain a lie, like what was the point? Just to give us the prologue with the shitty twin? Just make it a meet-cute and move on - This last con has very little to do with this book, I'm just already incredibly worried for book 3 with the pairing of Ford and the aforementioned shitty twin because I'm not positive they're a strong enough writer to walk back the situation they've set up. Like if I were in Tucker's prosthetics, and I spent my life watching this human get my face, my body, my parents' unconditional love, my fiancee, and a comfortable life, just for him to cut me out of his life and essentially bully me for accepting an invitation and abandon me in a weird city, and I swallowed all of that and just accepted moving on without a family, AND THEN this human emerges again to steal my best friend??? I'm afraid I would be contractually obligated to sh*ot him to de*th with a g*n. And to be honest, given the amount of legwork or lack thereof (pun intended) that the author put in to have Deo heal from his PRESENT trauma, not even past trauma, before deciding he was well enough to end the story, I don't have high hopes for a satisfying resolution...more
Another banger from Eve Holmes on her mission to make gay people fall in love with Canada. Trevor and Arthur were so cute together, and balanced each Another banger from Eve Holmes on her mission to make gay people fall in love with Canada. Trevor and Arthur were so cute together, and balanced each other really well. Trevor helped Arthur find a reason to push himself beyond his safety and routine, even if he struggled at many points. Arthur helped Trevor settle into his skin and find how own patches of comfort and peace. I won't say anything on the quality of the autism rep because it's not my area to comment on. I will say there were a couple of points where Arthur was kind of treated as precious, like the kid gloves were on a little too strong, and Firefox was an adorable but cumbersome pet name. But still an incredible time, I teared up every single time it was clear Arthur was waiting for a reaction that he'd seen countless times before, and then Trevor met him with grace and genuine interest instead...more
Me before reading this: I'm really excited to start myself off on the journey through Beth Bolden's sports series! Me after reading this: I'm tentativeMe before reading this: I'm really excited to start myself off on the journey through Beth Bolden's sports series! Me after reading this: I'm tentatively looking forward to continuing on the journey through Beth Bolden's sports series, probably...
Like it was fine, but nothing happened. Bolden made sure that Colin's coming out would have a comically evil reaction, and a comically good everyone clapped reaction. I would've loved to read the article that Nick wrote, especially the lovey dovey version, but alas, this book just felt empty. I'm definitely still going to keep going in it, but with much less enthusiasm, so I hope one of the next couple really hook me, especially once one of the series starts, so keeping fingers crossed....more
This would have been an immediate five stars IF!!!! 1. Alex had been like 20% less creepy for the first 100 pages, like genuinely that man would have This would have been an immediate five stars IF!!!! 1. Alex had been like 20% less creepy for the first 100 pages, like genuinely that man would have gotten assaulted by more than a pen, and 2. the family hadn't been horrendous and insufferable like the whole time about how aggressively they're playing matchmaker. Like we get it, you hate George's abusive ex and he really does need someone to like shake him out of all the negative thoughts and self-esteem issues that the ex put into his head, we really do understand. But like his rant said, this was his first time home in eight years, and I just really want to know what their follow-up plan would have been if George and Alex hadn't worked out, like this could've been a horror book so fucking quickly smh. As usual with Fae, the book was at least 100 pages too long because she REALLYYYYYYY gets off on having as many metaphors and as much exposition as humanly possible and still call itself a chapter. I'm PRAYING this loops itself into the next Christmas Daddies book, it sounded like Joe was about to go to Vermont to see Baxter sooooooo make it happen!...more
Ooey gooey as hell. The premise was honestly dumb because the boyfriend they were trying to put up the act for was on the page for like two seconds anOoey gooey as hell. The premise was honestly dumb because the boyfriend they were trying to put up the act for was on the page for like two seconds and then left a comment that lasted for like 200 pages, and oh boy wasn't that annoying. Just two people who had themselves utterly and wholly convinced they didn't deserve a single good thing in life and had actively decided to shut themselves off from the world, finally opening up to each other, and that was cute as hell. The team reminds me of Brigham Vaughn's Toronto series, in how much I care about all the side players and am invested in them eventually getting their own books. I'm happy both Jacob and Alex have found their security after such a rough ride to get there. I'm so mad I have to wait until book 5 for Elliot's story, he's gonna be such a rollercoaster....more
Start of the book was borderline unreadable, I caught myself skimming by page 60 (and this book is over 500 pages...), I actually messaged the friend Start of the book was borderline unreadable, I caught myself skimming by page 60 (and this book is over 500 pages...), I actually messaged the friend who recommended this series saying I'm gonna bow out. I am glad I continued, but it took a LOT of Dan pulling his severed head out of his ass and just being a decent person. Because Rafe honestly never did anything wrong ever, and that's not just me protecting a baby because I love them (I wouldn't put him in that category, he doesn't have the range), he actually just had very little growing to do lmao, he was just a sexually inexperienced ghoul with a new job and a bad neighbor LKGJFHDLS but I loved how sweet the back half was, really interesting sex with a severed head in the game, and the book really did catch its stride. Just took WAY too long lmao. Who knows how long it's going to be before I pick up the next one, I don't know how desperate I am to wade through all the tension between Vince and Crossbody. But it's the last one so I'm sure I'll get to it eventually, if only to clear it off the list....more
Incredibly charming cotton candy, can't say I pulled much from the book overall, but it was super sweet and opened up what I think will be a really fuIncredibly charming cotton candy, can't say I pulled much from the book overall, but it was super sweet and opened up what I think will be a really fun new series world for me. I love me a reformed slutty bad boy and the gentle good guy who's worth turning it all around. The initial lust attraction was silly as hell, I saw him from across the plexiglass during warmups and spilled beer on him, and now he doesn't want to immediately hyuck me, what's happening, is this love? But not derogatory, it was weirdly fun....more
Immaculate, these are my babies, Larkin the slutty virgin is a perfect hilarious character and his growth was amazing over the book, and Seb the quietImmaculate, these are my babies, Larkin the slutty virgin is a perfect hilarious character and his growth was amazing over the book, and Seb the quiet pillar and the only one who deserves him. No notes....more
PEAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK idiots to lovers in a way that came so close to annoying me, but managed to stay just on the side of not quite pissing me off lmaPEAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK idiots to lovers in a way that came so close to annoying me, but managed to stay just on the side of not quite pissing me off lmao. Love a marriage of convenience for medical insurance, first time coming across that trope but with the state of the world, I fear it won't be the last...more
A not great book that needed to be not great because there was so much lore to catch us up on that the actual romantic pairing was kind of left on theA not great book that needed to be not great because there was so much lore to catch us up on that the actual romantic pairing was kind of left on the altar of setting up the world. In like 500 pages (honestly too long), Holt never really moved beyond fetishizing Taylor for being human, and same with the rest of the wrestlers. Great sex though....more
The rarest of rare misses for miss Brigham, I don't think the pairing made any sense, way too much was focused on the twin's relationship, and it's thThe rarest of rare misses for miss Brigham, I don't think the pairing made any sense, way too much was focused on the twin's relationship, and it's the first book of hers in a long time that's felt genuinely too long. I think as intrigued as I was by the concept, I wasn't moved by a hockey romance where neither of them were hockey players, especially so early in the series when there aren't that many side characters we care about, just Connor and Jesse. This might have worked as like book 4 of the series, but it didn't work here. I do like how they were both trauma-informed tops and had to clear that hurdle. Typically the MCs either settle into natural roles, or they're both vers and switch hit all over the place, so that was a series of conversations that was interesting to read (even if it did lead to one of the most awkward drunkenly aggressive failed sexual initiations I've ever read, whew I hated that and Dakota would've been correct to back out)...more
In every shared universe, there is one genuinely good story. This is that story. At least for me, because it's also my exit ramp ;KLFGJSHLDKGHFD I'm gIn every shared universe, there is one genuinely good story. This is that story. At least for me, because it's also my exit ramp ;KLFGJSHLDKGHFD I'm glad this is going to be spun off back into Amy's own universe for a trilogy because I want both the CC/Hughes book and Ryland's book. But yeah this was delightful, first time I've seen a brother's rival pairing, and in a hockey book no less....more
Good fun but ultimately a filler book. It felt like it had more to say about Jericho and the group, and about Asa and Avi as twins, and about Aiden anGood fun but ultimately a filler book. It felt like it had more to say about Jericho and the group, and about Asa and Avi as twins, and about Aiden and Thomas as foreshadowing, than anything to do with the actual romantic pair. And god help me if I ever pick up a book that has devil's breath in it as a mind control plot device again, I'm over it, it didn't work the first time, it didn't work here, no more. All this is v negative, but I did have a good time with this, just had more problems lmao...more
Okay it's time for actual words on this one. Anyone who has followed my goodreads reviews (thank you to all 2 of you) know that one of my favorites isOkay it's time for actual words on this one. Anyone who has followed my goodreads reviews (thank you to all 2 of you) know that one of my favorites is a guy who's been through some major trauma and entering the story at their lowest, so I can watch them heal over the course of the Story and finding a safe place to let his guards down. And this book gave me that in SPADES in Liam. He was carrying so much grief that he was processing as guilt, and it left him in a place of total shutdown. Until Theo came in, offered him a bed and a place to stay, eventually turning into a lot more. I have a lot of emotions about this book, it gave me the same soft but heavy and powerful energy I get from Tal Bauer, and I couldn't be happier that this is about to be a long saga. The author says the plan is to write a book for every province of Canada, or something to that effect, which means I've got SEVERAL amazing books in my future, and I trust her with them implicitly.
I can't believe I would hurt my own feelings like this, this was beautiful...more
This was set to be a cute gooey Hallmark story of two guarded idiots slowly letting said guards down, it was sweet and I had no complaints AND THEN A This was set to be a cute gooey Hallmark story of two guarded idiots slowly letting said guards down, it was sweet and I had no complaints AND THEN A SIDE PLOT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND IS DUMB ALL OVER THE PLACE and now it's this, still a very strong opening to the series, I get the vibes the year of festivals is gonna go for, but ugh please don't let any more of these books have a (view spoiler)[third act break-up (hide spoiler)], it's lazy and you're boring me....more
These are my two damaged babies just being damaged all over the place at each other, and I love them. Owen channeling everything into suicide jokes, CThese are my two damaged babies just being damaged all over the place at each other, and I love them. Owen channeling everything into suicide jokes, Colin rebelling against everyone because he doesn't trust anyone, so much fun. This is not my first Vegas wedding story, but it is the first I can think of that chose to go into it for a specific reason and wasn't just a drunk mistake (though they were drunk lol). Also enjoyed the conversations with Oliver around Owen getting better and more capable of managing his mental health because Colin was providing him with self driven coping tools in addition to support and accountability, and that Oliver's method of total control was keeping him safe, but not helping him get better at dealing with it.
This could have easily been a five star review, but I am taking off a star because a couple of the sex scenes had me a little uncomfortable and entering into dubcon territory. Some of it was hot asf though...more
The answer to the riddle "What do you get when you combine 'money and love can cure mental illness' with 'this is why literacy and staying informed maThe answer to the riddle "What do you get when you combine 'money and love can cure mental illness' with 'this is why literacy and staying informed matters'?"
Honestly this book exhausted me lskgjfd I don't think they explored Malibu's relationship with his mom and his feeling of guilt enough that got him into this financial mess in the first place, Malibu's POVs was so weighed down by the secrets he's keeping from everyone that end up being such a non-issue, Henrik's entire demeanor was told not shown, because like of course I want him to be different with Malibu, that's the point of believing the romance arc, but if you never show him at his worst then I can't know he's at his best. Also there being such an extended miscommunication trope born of the fact that Henrik, businessman extraordinaire who is so particular about everything in his life, didn't read the file on Malibu from the start??? Frustrating.
I'm still excited for Alex's book, love an MMM moment, but if it's also not fulfilling as a story, that may be my last book in this series....more