“He taught me how to live in the moment. How good it feels to let go and live and not worry about what comes next. Without him… I’d never have realiz “He taught me how to live in the moment. How good it feels to let go and live and not worry about what comes next. Without him… I’d never have realized how many years I wasted just surviving instead of living.”
Mason, my beloved <3
I really liked the dynamic between Mason and Silas. I thought they matched each other well, though I do wish they had more moments of just them being together and talking. I felt like it made the love confession at the end seem kind of out of nowhere? Like, I didn't think they spent *that* much time together to be having those big feelings?
I was shocked at the twist - totally wasn't expecting that. I feel like both Silas and Mason were living these half lives and being together made them feel whole. I believed in their chemistry, but I wanted just a little bit more?
I feel like this book has set up a lot of questions I am hoping will be answered in the next books!
My prediction is still Dom/Gideon...I mean....right????...more
I was a man who’d never had a Kryptonite, an Achilles heel. There’d never been a button anyone could push to bring me crashing to my knees in despair I was a man who’d never had a Kryptonite, an Achilles heel. There’d never been a button anyone could push to bring me crashing to my knees in despair… until now, apparently, because seeing Rowe so upset made me want to burn the fucking world down.
AHHHHHHHHH.
Okay things I loved: - Rowe brought such a chaotic energy and I loved how Bash matched it at every moment - How down bad Bash was for Rowe, how the feelings slowly started because he knew the truth the entire time but Rowe was so endearing he couldn't help but being curious - Rowe was so wholesome and maybe a little naive about the business part of his idea, but he was so committed and didn't even care about getting credit for his idea (which I am so glad Bash made sure he did) - Bash's trust in Rowe was also great, I loved that he knew he was lying but could tell when he was telling the truth and that was what made him fall for him. He was also so gentle with him in a way that Rowe deserved so much. - I loved all the brothers in the brotherhood. I'm soo curious about all the others and their happy endings.
Lucy Lennox truly is so great at writing these quirky characters that I'm helpless to love. I can't believe it took me so long to read this series but I am delighted to have a new Lucy Lennox world to explore!
“You look like you’re scheming,” Bash said, clearly holding back a laugh as he placed me on the bed. His heated gaze roamed my body, stealing all logical thought from my brain. “There’s no need. I’m a sure thing, I promise.” ...more
There was a lot that really worked for me in this book! I loved the protectiveness, and the power dynamics, and the chemistry between the two characteThere was a lot that really worked for me in this book! I loved the protectiveness, and the power dynamics, and the chemistry between the two characters. I thought Lachlan and Cooper worked really well together and played off of each other’s interests well.
The intimacy, the secret identity, and the class difference were all written really well. I thought this was also a good introduction to the Kings and Libertine and the extent of what this organization is and I’m intrigued by the other characters. I was a little hesitant for this series with the last book of the park ave princes because I felt like that book was very much just a set up for this series so I was sort of like “well this better be good if you’re going to dedicate the finale of another series to this”. So far I’m happy and interested!
I do feel like there were some things that could have been expanded upon like we know Cooper is interested in this story because of his friend Alex but Cooper never really explains like how close he and Alex were or what that friendship meant to him and why it means so much to him to see those who were involved in Rapture to be taken down. It was just sort of like “yeah a friend of mine passed and now I need to take down this very complex drug dealer” and i feel like it could have given Cooper more depth to have him be vulnerable about what losing Alex did to him. ...more
I was nervous going into Twincerely Yours after reading A Stealthy Situation, but I was pleasantly surprised! I ended up liking Emmett’s book more thaI was nervous going into Twincerely Yours after reading A Stealthy Situation, but I was pleasantly surprised! I ended up liking Emmett’s book more than Benny's book because it felt like it had a much more solid resolution. It tied everything up in a way that left me satisfied enough to give this book 4 stars.
I loved Emmett. His relationship with Jonah felt like a lifeline for Emmett—he clung to Jonah in a way that made sense to me. Jonah was the first person in a while to see Emmett as himself and not as Benny. I can’t imagine how he must of felt like he lost himself when he was pretending to be his twin for so long.
I did have some conflicting feelings about the codependent dynamic between Benny and Emmett. On the one hand, I totally get where it's coming from. These two have been through so much together so having that bond and relying on each other is natural. But on the other hand, I found myself wishing they could both have more of their individual journeys. It’s hard to know exactly how I feel about it because their connection is undeniably strong, but there were moments where I thought it would’ve been beneficial to see them more separate from each other, standing on their own two feet.
Overall Emmett’s story felt like a more complete experience than the first book. It makes me a little sad because I feel like unintentionally I almost view Benny as an antagonist in this book? Which I know isn’t entirely fair because he absolutely had his own issues and deserved his happy ending but I felt like in this story arc he was prioritized over Emmett if that makes sense? Idk how to really explain it lol but yeah I loved that west and Asher were more heavily in this book too :) ...more
This has all the ingredients for a really good read, but unfortunately they just didn't come together in a way that I loved
I really liked the sort of This has all the ingredients for a really good read, but unfortunately they just didn't come together in a way that I loved
I really liked the sort of awkward energy Conor had going on, but how he was confident in certain situations. I thought it was a good match for Wells, who needed to be so in control of everything. Their physical relationship was definitely there, and they had good chemistry in that sense. I wished there had been more of the energy that they had when they were texting as they did in person though. I also struggled with believing the emotional aspect of their relationship. I know they had a few moments where they opened up to each other and they said they opened up a lot when they were texting as strangers, but I don't know that I 100% believed how in love they were by the end. I feel like it would have been better if they had their moments as Trace/NotSam but then also as Wells/Conor. I feel like when they were in person, there was too much hesitancy on Conor's part to open up emotionally, despite being attracted to Wells physically.
Despite that, I did enjoy the book and the set up for the whole series. I'm excited to continue read and finally get to Oscar!!...more
one thing about me i love a sarcastic and prone to complain kind of character so Cyril was basically my favorite type of MC. I adored the first book ione thing about me i love a sarcastic and prone to complain kind of character so Cyril was basically my favorite type of MC. I adored the first book in this series (also loved that little cameo omg) and I had high expectations for this one. I am strongly anti nickname but every variation of Lord that Enzo gave Cyril made me smile or laugh. It was such a silly bantery/funny bit throughout the whole book. Their physical chemistry was a no brainer and off the charts, but the way they sort of fell for one another was a lot softer. On Cyril's part there was a lot of trust needed and the fact that he was able to give it to Enzo, despite there being a lot of insecurities as to if being together meant anything to Enzo felt special.
Also it took me way too long to connect the dots of Enzo's lineage lol but i was more focused on how much he clearly wanted Cyril oops
The only thing i would have wanted was there were a few throwaway lines that Enzo says and Cyril is hurt by them and i sort of wish Cyril would have confronted him on them and Enzo could have explained what he meant? specifically the "it wasnt my idea" but like thats just me nitpicking?? ...more
highly anticipated read for me and it DELIVERED!!!
Cam is so <3 <3 <3. He deserved the absolute world. I was worried this was going yes, yes and YES.
highly anticipated read for me and it DELIVERED!!!
Cam is so <3 <3 <3. He deserved the absolute world. I was worried this was going to be a predictable read, but Neve went in a less obvious direction for Cam's story which I thought made it all the better. Cam is 2 years sober, a recovering addict, but the story never painted him out to be one moment away from relapse. He was working hard to stay on track, had an excellent support system from his friends, and this book was surprisingly low angst given Cam's past. Cam mentions how he wants to experience all the things he experienced when he was taking pills because he doesn't remember any of it, which truly just made my heart hurt for him.
Grady was a true knight in shining armor (shining loafers??). He was so unbelievably supportive of everything Cam did, and the way he got to know Cam in such a short time that he was able to pinpoint when Cam wasn't acting like himself?? please. the ethical considerations for Grady and Cam's relationship isn't one they took lightly, it's a big point of stress for the two of them and how they should navigate what they're doing moving forward, but ultimately their feelings for one another were just too strong. I loved how both of them were just so impressed by the other. They just had this pure amazement for each others intellect and didn't want to be the reason the other couldn't achieve their goals/dreams. you could tell they genuinely just LIKED each other and I feel like that's something that's not talked about enough in romances. like, yeah the characters may fall in love and there's implied like but getting to actually see the characters just be content in each other's company??? 100 times yes.
all the cameos from the other boys were so good too! nate/eric stay being THAT couple. also mark. omg. mark <3333 his and Cam's relationship made me so happy. i loved their heart to heart at the end and of course platonic cuddle sessions are a must.
reading this has also made me want to reread the previous 3 books and write better reviews for them because i wasn't really about the review life when i first read them, and i feel like it doesnt do them justice because this whole series is so fun and i want everyone to experience this little found family of roomies find love one by one.
*i received an arc and this is my honest review....more
This was just as sweet and fun the second time around. When books are one persons POV I always wonder what the other character must be thinking so thiThis was just as sweet and fun the second time around. When books are one persons POV I always wonder what the other character must be thinking so this book really satisfied all my curiosity about Sam. I loved getting to be in Sam's head and see his perspective of Lane. I loved getting more insight about his mother as well to really see how pure their relationship was. It made the reveal at the end with Lane so much more wholesome and heart-warming. This was a really fun read, and I definitely recommend to anyway to wants a cute, low angst read!!
*I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion. ...more
**spoiler alert** Ok so the first 40% was very good, I was convinced this would be a 4 star read for me. But...the story just dragged a bit? The slow **spoiler alert** Ok so the first 40% was very good, I was convinced this would be a 4 star read for me. But...the story just dragged a bit? The slow burn was a little too slow and the result of when they finally got together felt too quick. There were also less smut scenes than I thought which isn't necessarily a bad thing but the way these two characters met felt like this book was heading in a different direction. Shaw and Trent meet in a dark room at what's basically a sex party and it's never really brought up except for when they both finally acknowledge that they know it was the other in the room. Was attending Bash's parties a common thing Shaw did? Has Trent attended them in the past? Was it just a one time thing? For Shaw especially, in this book and the previous one it was sort of implied that he was this super kinky character but that didn't really match his actions. The last chapter also ended very abruptly and didn't really conclude some of the plot points that were going on. The epilogue also wasn't very satisfying...but I did enjoy this book better than the first. 4 stars seems to generous and maybe 3 stars is too harsh? We'll go with 3.5ish rounded down....more
The Damned Connection series is a spin off series of Lark Taylor's The Reckless Damned series. I'd recommend having read the other series first as theThe Damned Connection series is a spin off series of Lark Taylor's The Reckless Damned series. I'd recommend having read the other series first as there is a lot of crossover and important plot points that are relevant in this series.
This book follows Ferry, aka basically the Grim Reaper and his quest to be reunited with the love of his life who has been stuck in a cycle of being reincarnated for 70 lives so far. Ferry has been trapped in Hell at the River Styx while Leof, now Leo, lives and dies only to regain his memories of their love for one hour after every life as a result of a deal made to save Leof's life thousands of years prior.
When the archangel who initiated the deal is killed, Ferry is finally able to go topside and find his love. Unfortunately Leo does not have any of his memories and Ferry must woo him another way.
Leo has always felt like there was something he was forgetting and has had a feeling of emptiness, one that only starts to feel filled when he meets Ferry. Ferry is persistent yet respectful, and Leo can't seem to ignore the pull he feels toward Ferry. The two begin to date and see each other frequently though Ferry knows it is only a matter of time before he must tell Leo the truth.
I enjoyed Ferry and Leo's story - I love the whole "in any lifetime" kind of romance. I also enjoyed seeing all the other characters and how they all wanted Ferry to be happy.
“This isn’t on you alone anymore. We’re a team. Whatever problems we face in the future, we’ll do it together.”
Damned tears filled my eyes again. “Together. I like the sound of that.”
“Good. Because you’ll never be alone again, Ferenc. That’s my promise to you.”
My only sort of eh moment with this book is that I like my second chance romance to be as angsty as possible. Give the situation both Leo and Ferry were experiencing I was hoping for a little more hurt but that's just a personal preference! I still enjoyed their story and am excited to continue the series.
Sebastian/Matty is so big brained of Lark Taylor and trust when that book comes out I will be actin a fool....more
This book was so fun to read - I loved how much River and Mori challenged each other but totally loved the fact that they did soRiver and Mori omg <3
This book was so fun to read - I loved how much River and Mori challenged each other but totally loved the fact that they did so.
River and Mori both love their siblings so much it was clear in the way that River was willing to risk it all making the deal with Mori in the first place but then also with how once the truth was revealed Mori struggling with considering that River was his mate and the history Blaise had with his own family.
I love a good grovel/wooing kind of love story. Mori and River had a bit of a back and forth thing going on with not being together and having excuses of why it wouldn’t work. Mori ends up saying some things that upset River and I liked how River didn’t immediately forgive him once Mori got his head out of his ass.
River and Mori are definitely my favorite couple in the series so far! ...more
Cute, easy, and to the point. Basically fate is real and Lane and Sam are soulmates!
“Even if that night hadn’t happened, we would have met at doggieCute, easy, and to the point. Basically fate is real and Lane and Sam are soulmates!
“Even if that night hadn’t happened, we would have met at doggie daycare, and then again at the studio. I like to think we would’ve eventually arrived at the same place.” ...more
This was such a delightful read! I thought I was pretty much done with YA but this book reminded me just how charming YA books can be.
The story folloThis was such a delightful read! I thought I was pretty much done with YA but this book reminded me just how charming YA books can be.
The story follows high school junior, Jessie Holmes, who recently lost her mother and is currently dealing with a move across the country from Chicago to LA when her dad suddenly remarries. Adjusting to a new town, new stepmom and step brother, and being the new kid at school that is totally cliche with its mean girls and cliques is rough. After her first day of school she gets an anonymous message from "somebody/nobody", or SN. SN gives her advice on how to navigate the halls and encourages her to step out a bit and make new friends. Jessie is skeptical at first but ultimately heeds the advice of SN, and has an easier time adjusting. The kicker is that SN knows who Jessie is, but SN is completely anonymous to Jessie. Jessie has her speculations, and while her relationship with SN grows her desire to find out who they are also increases.
I definitely had my suspicions of who SN was, and I had a feeling it was who it turned out to be but there was a moment at the end where I thought the author was going to pull a twist and I was so nervous for Jessie!! I really enjoyed the story overall, there were a few things I wasn't the biggest fan of but it's really just personal preference - I would have liked for an epilogue to see Jessie and SN a bit into the future. I also really liked how Jessie and Theo's relationship developed over the course of the books!