Skim Blood and Savage Verse (2017) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes) How could he have even thought about not celebrating his thirty-fifth birthday? Especially if it meant it gave her an excuse to invite all the old money and local officials to the affair. And outside? Of course it had to be outside. The weather in […]

The Pill Bugs of Time (2016) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes) “Should get an Odo bucket,” Vikash murmured. “A what?” Kyle chuckled into his coffee. “Seriously, Carr? You never watched Deep Space Nine?”” It was the first time Vikash had experienced Greg’s particular talent being useful. He heard emotions, but only negative ones and only avian […]

Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters (2016) Angel Martinez (Offbeat Crimes) Between them, in the chair a suspect would take while he was being booked, was a leather jacket. Not odd if the jacket had behaved normally and stayed draped over a chair arm like a good, proper jacket, but this one was sitting up with […]

That Kind of Guy (2019) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) (N)ecessity was the mother of every skill Zach had. Growing up poor with a busy single parent and a missing older brother had led him to learn a lot of practical shit at a very young age. The hard way. And those skills had never been allowed […]

Untouchable (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) “So, just to be clear,” she said slowly, “you are not concerned by my numerous criminal convictions.” “Nah. I’m used to having a convicted criminal in the house.” “You… are?” “Yeah.” He leaned in close, his expression conspiratorial, and she couldn’t help it— she leaned in too. Then he whispered, […]

Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) The worst thing about Samir’s parents— worse than the cruelty, the manipulation, the toxicity— was the fact that Samir had loved them. She was pregnant, and pregnant people were like the Pope, right? You had to treat them with total respect, even in your own head, just in case […]

A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) Avoiding conflict was his mode of operation. They’d taught him that at basic training, once they’d figured out his hair-trigger temper. Always avoid conflict. That was what they called it. Distant. Words like depressed were for girls with English mothers. She wasn’t graceful. She was, in fact, […]

Band Sinister (2018) KJ Charles Set in England ~1811 “It’s all perfectly decent,” Amanda said. “Or at least, if it isn’t, the indecent parts are only hinted at, which means they’re in your head. I can’t be held responsible for your thoughts going awry.” “Oh yes you can,” Guy said with feeling. “What do you […]

Shadows of the Heart (1996) Tracy Grant (Lescaut Quartet Book) Set in Scotland in 1817 Only a woman accustomed to servants would have so many tiny fastenings on the back of her dress. Wilkins stared at the flock. At the other huts they’d searched, the sheep had been grazing farther afield. But the day was […]

Shores of Desire (1997) Tracy Grant (Lescaut Quartet) Set in Scotland, Belgium, and France in 1815 “I’m sorry.” Melton’s eyes warmed with sympathy. “I wish there was more I could say. But if there are words that ease such a grief, I have yet to discover them.” “Don’t worry, Em. Leave it to the men.” […]

Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant (Lescaut Quartet) Set in Spain and England in 1813 Caroline had not understood why he chose instead to go to India as private secretary to a private citizen of scholarly bent who could offer him no hope of riches or advancement. “The Company don’t employ men of mixed blood,” her […]

Not So Cookie Cutter (2019) Aidan Wayne He clasped his hands behind his back, at-ease stance so he wouldn’t cross his arms. He’d been told enough times that it made him look like a thug, so he tried to avoid doing it. He tended to hyper focus when it came to certain subjects, and to […]

Seance on a Summer’s Night (2018) Josh Lanyon “It’s one thing to be open-minded about the possibility of the supernatural. It’s another to bundle the Psychic Hotline with other phone and Internet services. I couldn’t quite understand the words. It took me a second or two to identify them as non-English. Oh, right. Because Roma’s […]

For Better or Worse (2017) R. Cooper Everything looks like friendly teasing if you don’t know what sexual tension is. I get confused.” To this day he could remember the exact feeling of relief at discovering terms like demisexual and gray ace, and his immediate need to know more, and then still, always, that faint […]

Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter (2017) R. Cooper (T)hey’d searched all around for suitable men for Cole. They hadn’t ever done that for Scott, and he saw nothing in Kathy’s expression that said she had ever considered it. He ought to demand why he wasn’t good enough, but he wasn’t going to like the answer, […]

Family Man (2017) Heidi Cullinan & Marie Sexton “You can’t stay with a brand of shampoo, Vinnie. You have commitment issues that have commitment issues.” I worked over fifty hours most weeks. Thirty-four at the restaurant, the most they’d give me, because even one more would require them to give me benefits, and they were […]

Work for It (2019) Talia Hibbert (Just for Him) “Everyone said he was handsome, but this is just silly.” “He’s staring a hole into you, Griff. No, don’t look, you donkey. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?” I finally take my shot and fluff it. “Year 2, you told me to pick up […]

Undone by the Ex-Con (2018) Talia Hibbert Just like that, her mind— and its thoughts— disappeared. She was only a body now. How beautiful that was. After testing and noting down her blood sugar, Lizzie undressed and took her insulin. She’d had a discreet word with the hotel manager yesterday afternoon; now her little fridge […]

Bad for the Boss (2017) Talia Hibbert He turned to his right and found a group of sober-ish women. “Excuse me; I don’t know this girl, but I think someone needs to look after her.” The women blinked at him, then at the girl, and then, as though choreographed, they smiled all at once. “Hey, […]

Swordheart (2018) T. Kingfisher Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle’s estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder. “Begin asking unexpected questions until everyone in […]

Paladin’s Grace (2020) T. Kingfisher (The Saint of Steel) Stephen was a paladin for the Saint of Steel until that god died, and all his paladins went mad. The remaining seven paladins now serve the Rat, in gratitude for taking them in and giving them some purpose. The Rat’s priests fixed things that could be […]

Bringing Down the Duke (2019) Evie Dunmore (A League of Extraordinary Women) Set in England in 1879. Annabelle Archer has finally earned a place at Oxford. Only now, she has to convince her cousin she deserves to go–despite the fact her doing so will inconvenience him, as he’ll lose his free maid of all work. […]

Unacceptable Risk (2011) Kaje Harper (Hidden Wolves) I really enjoy the world-building around supernatural creatures–especially an individual authors choices when there is so much mythology to choose from. His wolf form was outsized, conserving the mass of his human body, but it would look canine, would X-ray canine. As with several other werewolf fantasies, wolves […]

Heart of the Forrest (2021) Morgan Mason When he was a teenager, Forrest found a wooden heart with the letters A+F carved in it. He didn’t know who it was for, but it made him feel better. So now he’s heading back to where he found the lost heart. Even though he never spoke to […]

Cry Wolf (2021) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental. Though if you do know of a criminal plot involving werewolves that has taken place at any of these locales, that is a coincidence I would love to know about. Cooper and Park have bought and moved into […]

Interlude: Snow & Winter Collection Volume One (2021) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) This is what it says on the tin: A collection of Snow and Winter short stories. Dopamine: Take Only as Directed Lunch Date Credit Scores and Cohabitation The Ghost of Durango Interpersonal Relationship Studies on the Way to the Coffee House Someone’s […]

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper and Oliver are house hunting. “So what do you think of this place?” Park asked. Cooper bit his lip. “What do you think?” Park tilted his head and regarded him. “I think your facial expression says you’d rather be drawn and quartered than put […]

The Ex Talk (2021) Rachel Lynn Solomon Shay Goldstein loves radio–especially public radio–and for the most part loves her job as a producer. What she doesn’t love is her co-worker, Dominic Yun, who constantly mentions his master’s degree in journalism. I’d read mixed reviews about this, so my expectations weren’t especially high. So I was […]

Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper is mostly (but not completely) recovered from the events in the previous book, but not yet back to work, so when Oliver receives a call that his grandfather has died, Cooper heads north to Canada with him. Things go badly from the very start. […]

The Wolf at Bay (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper and Oliver are trying to figure out their partnership–both at work and on a more personal level. Cooper doesn’t want to admit he has feelings for Oliver, because that means he’ll be hurt if/when Oliver leaves. We all know how well that works. When […]

The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper Dayton played on a long career with the FBI, but an attack by a creature that sprouted claws changed everything, and he is now part of the BSI, investigating werewolf crime. This is a reread, because I wanted something I knew I was […]

After the Scrum (2014) Dahlia Donovan (Sin Bin) Caddock Stanford lost his brother, lost his place on the national rugby team, and became the parent to his young nephew. So he wants a place to start over, to make a new life for himself and Devlin. “Looe’s a brilliant place for starting fresh. Oh, and […]

The Lotus Palace (2013) Jeannie Lin Tang Dynasty China, 847 AD Yue-ying is a maidservant to Mingyu, one of the highest ranked courtesans in Pingkang li, the pleasure quarter. Mingyu had started training in music, dance and calligraphy immediately after Madame Sun had taken her in. She had been twelve years old at the time, […]

The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 2 (2015) Nicole Kimberling This is three stories: One Man’s Treasure, Birds of a Feather, and Pentimento Blues. One Man’s Treasure (Set in 2011) Evangeline needs help with her food truck, and although she’d prefer Nick she gets both Nick and Peter. In addition to trying to solve a murder, […]

The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 1 (2015) Nicole Kimberling This is a collection of three stories: Primal Red, Evergreen, Black Cat Ink “Primal Red” finds Peter Fontaine hoping to break a big story. He likes working for The Bellinghamseter, but he wants a story that will be noted, that will make his name. So he’s […]

Wheels Up (2017) Annabeth Albert (Out of Uniform) None of this worked for me. I am a chaos muppet. I often disregard rules. But when rules are in place for a reason–for the safety of others–I am not ok with rules being broken. I almost DNFed this but decided to see if it got any […]

Off Base (2017) Annabeth Albert (Out of Uniform) Zack Nelson has finally completed his training and is joining a team. Unfortunately, that team contains a homophobic bully, so even if Zack were ready to confront his family and religious upbringing, being out isn’t an option. So he takes a place off-base–rehabbing a house for his […]

Sin Bin Series: Box Set (2020) Dahlia Donovan This is seven stories (and three short stories) around a group of former rugby players and friends and the men they fall in love with. The Wanderer (2017) The Caretaker (2017) The Botanist (2017) The Royal Marine (2017) The Unexpected Santa (2017) The Lion Tamer (2018) Haka […]

Family Matters (2018) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) My feelings for this book are summed up in just how WONDERFUL this cover is. Because it’s awesome, and so is the book. Plus: Why do you wear a kilt? It’s the tail, isn’t it? Though kilts are cool. As with the previous book, there are three stories: […]

The Mystery of the Bones (2019) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) Sebastian is mostly recovered from the events of the previous book. “Life isn’t all about money, Seb.” “You can say that. You don’t have a hospital bill the length of a CVS receipt.” Physically, if not financially, anyway. But he has sworn off mysteries. […]

The Mystery of the Moving Image (2018) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) A lot has happened to Sebastian and Calvin, so they are ready for some calm and quiet. Of course they don’t get it. Someone sends Sebastian an old Kinetoscope–and some never-before-seen reels for it. “Hundred-twenty-year-old movie,” Max said with an astonished tone. “It’s […]

The Mystery of the Curiosities (2017) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) Sebastian and Calvin are settling into their relationship. Calvin came out for Sebastian–and his family didn’t take it well. But the two are doing their best to make the relationship work. Except that someone throws a brick through the window of his store, asking […]

The Mystery of Nevermore (2016) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) Sebastian Snow’s relationship with his boyfriend has been circling the drain for years. But things come to a head and Sebastian is involved in a crime, and Neil’s only concern is to keep from being outed to his co-workers. “Where were you Sunday night?” Lancaster […]

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (2021) K.J. Charles Set in Historical London Robin Loxleigh and his sister Marianne have come to London to seek their fortunes, each seeking a wealthy spouse. Unfortunately for Robin, the young lady he has set his sights for, has a very protective uncle who is determined to prove that […]

Best Laid Plans (2021) Roan Parrish (Garnet Run) Charlie Matheson cares for people. It’s what he’s done since his parents died and he became guardian for his brother and took over the family business. Rye Janssen has spent his time bouncing from place to place, never finding a home. So when he learns that his […]

Just a Little Wickedness (2020) Merry Farmer (The Brotherhood) Set in London in 1890 Joe Logan came to London to search for his sister, who went missing while working as a maid at Eccles family, so he’s become a valet to the son. Lord Alistair Bevan is his father’s heir, and is feeling pressured to […]

Heir to a Curse (2020) Lissa Kasey (Romancing a Curse) This story is set during the pandemic. Zach Frank is struggling with inheriting a cursed house. Not just–or even mostly–because of the curse, but because of the loss of the woman who left the house to him. The woman who was to all intents and […]

Dine with Me (2019) Layla Reyne DINE WITH ME— THE CULINARY EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME Tour the country and experience the best meals in America with a Michelin-starred chef as your guide. Two weeks, eight incredible meals, coast-to-coast destinations. A once in a lifetime opportunity for food and travel enthusiasts. Singles or couples welcome. Please […]

Bound by Memories (2020) Kaje Harper (Necromancer) This is a holiday short story. Silas and Darien are sent to deal with a ghost at a Christmas tree farm. And Ferngold (head of the local guild) is not pleased about Pip and is blaming both Darien and Silas for Pip’s existence. I quite liked the story […]

Powered by Ghosts (2020) Kaje Harper (Necromancer) Set in alternate 1963 Darien is free of his ghosts (literally) and has become Silas’ apprentice. However, he still has work to do, being a necromancer, and so the two end up dealing with a ghost problem, in a town where the local necromancer is too busy caring […]