Review – Duke; Faking the Play by Kayley Loring and Connor Crais

Duke;Faking the Play; Boston Tomcats #3
(standalone within a series)

Publication Date: March 30, 2023

Genre/Tropes: Sports/Romcom/Grumpy-Sunshine/Single Dad/Fake Relationship Romance

Author: Kayley Loring and Connor Crais

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
Adorable, funny, and wittily written, Duke is a gem of sports romantic comedy.

There is magic sprinkled in between the pages when Kayley and Connor write together and I always look forward to reading whatever they write as their books just get better and better.

Callum “Duke” Duquette is not your ordinary grump. He’s a stoic grump, almost unbreakable for even producing a smirk. It took more than a sunshine, sweetheart heroine to break such a smile on Duke’s face, in fact, it took one cheeky Brit who knew just how to work her way under his grumpy skin to break through his stoicness. Millie Darden just so happens to be one of my favorite heroines in this world and a lot of happens to be because of her sarcastic wit and constant need to make Grumpy McGrumplestein tilt his mouth up even the slightest bit.

Millie is fantastically adorable. Her charm is easy to love and she is the perfect offset to the grouchy kicker. Their story is quite believable within the romcom realm, which makes the comedy that much funnier while reading it.

Lastly, think what makes this series extra special, I love the tidbits of sports knowledge that I can share with my spouse and for once he turns off his, “I’m not listening” filter because I’m actually talking about sports. 😂 I guess, what I’m saying is, it’s written in a way, that even I can carry on a conversation with a sports fanatic and I don’t get tuned out. So thank you for writing a wonderful book.❤️

Synopsis:
#4 Callum Duquette. Placekicker for the Boston Tomcats. Former underwear model. NICKNAME: Duke.

I thought the most annoying thing about being a single dad was that my friends were always trying to find me a date. Until a sassy British ray of sunshine bumps into me at a bookstore. One accidental butt grab, a viral photo, and a lot of misunderstandings later, I find myself in a fake relationship with a movie star.

Now I’ve got my friends off my back, but the cheeky Brit has complicated my life even more.

She calls me the Duke of Grumpville.
I call her movies the end of civilization as we know it.

She calls my job “the wrong kind of football.”
I call her the one thing on Earth that can make me lose focus and control.

It’s getting harder to pretend I still want this to end after my team’s game in London.

I thought we were only faking it.
But getting to know the real Millie Darden changed everything.

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Review – No Such Ring by Coralee June

No Such Ring; Bloody Royals #3
(#3 within a series)

Publication Date: March 22, 2023

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/New Adult/Dark/Royal/Reverse Harem/Mafia/Forbidden Romance

Author: Coralee June

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
Angsty, suspenseful, and full of keep-me-on-the-edge moments, the final book in this dark trilogy did not disappoint.

I was already in love with August and Atticus and how deeply they loved and cherished Christine, but Leo, that boy…ugh, he sure knows how to play with the heart of his queen. It isn’t vindictive, or for spite, Leo is just conflicted. A man torn because of his love for Christine and his deep rooted morals, he constantly goes back and forth on the rightness of what he’s feeling with Christine and sharing her with two other men.

Honestly, as much as I wanted to punch him, I actually loved his internal conflict. To go even further, I really loved each man’s reason for loving Christine, as it all comes out when things begin to disintegrate and they all go morose thinking they aren’t good enough. What’s even better, is when Christine gives her men grief for being sad sobs. I totally pictured Edna Mode from the Incredibles slapping each guy and telling them to, “Get yourself together” LOL. Instead it was Christine doing it in her own way as she is tough, strong, and fights for what she wants through this entire trilogy, and I totally love her.

Fighting for what you want is never easy, especially when it goes against the grain. The love between August, Atticus, Leo and Christine is hard fought through this entire trilogy, but well worth it. All the fights, deceit, love, passion, secrets, and lots of angst that wound their way through this great trilogy. . . I’m going to miss it.

Synopsis:

𝑀𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒.

Dark reverse harem trilogy

Royal romance

Secrets and twists

Arranged marriage

Enemies to lovers

Multiple second chances

ANGST
Leo Winthrop knows how to hold a grudge.

He doesn’t trust me, and I can’t blame him.

Prince August and I are reunited, and Atticus has escaped the influence of his powerful family. I’m back in the castle, and it feels like I have enemies around every corner. I want to protect my husband, defend my lover, and eliminate our adversaries. Our guard has made it his mission to destroy me.

Leo is vengeful.

I loathe him.

I love him.

The damaged guard has trust issues and a hero complex.

I have to prove to him that I am a trusted partner in this fight, before it’s too late.

Deadly is the Queen,

Dead are the crown’s enemies.

𝗡𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝐑𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆, 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟮𝟮!

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨:

No Such King: https://books2read.com/u/3n5R96

No Such Queen: https://books2read.com/u/bz1RAD

Preorder No Such Ring: https://books2read.com/u/mg7v8K

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Review – A Kingdom of Venom and Vows by Holly Renee

A Kingdom of Venom and Vows; Stars and Shadows #3
(#3 within a series)

Publication Date: March 23, 2023

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Fantasy/Dark/Royal/Epic Romance

Author: Holly Renee

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
For any fantasy reader, romance reader, soul mate believer, or epic story reader this book has it all. From beginning to end I’ve was enraptured by this world, pulled in by the characters and transfixed by what happened to them. It’s a tale for the ages.

Evren, oh Evren…what a mate Evren turned out to be. My heart beat so fast for how much love he felt for Adara and the anguish he felt when she wasn’t by his side. That does not diminish what Adara felt for Evren by any means. These two were twined together in an unbreakable bond, even though the crown prince tries his hardest to do so. I found myself continually tearing up at how much love these two had for one another as it poured off the pages and filled any darkness that was consuming them at that moment.

It’s a beautiful love story mixed around an epic royal battle between kingdoms and I loved the entire story from start to finish. Their epic journey never failed to entertain, tear me up, nor lose my interest as the pages rolled by and even as I’m sad that the trilogy has come to an end I’m equally as happy that Evren and Adara have found their HEA.

Synopsis:
I entered into a bargain—choosing my mate over my freedom.

But I underestimated the crowned prince who took me. His touch like venom. His vengeance lethal.

He craves a power I no longer hold, and he’ll sacrifice every part of me until he gets it.

But I don’t belong to him. I belong to his brother.

His brother who will come for me, consequences be damned.

My fate is entangled between two princes—one who craves my power, the other who covets me—and I have more to lose than I ever imagined.

War rages in a game between queens, and I have become their pawn. But I will fight for my life, for my mate, and he will raze kingdoms to get me back.

The Stars and Shadows trilogy must be read in order for the best reading enjoyment:

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