by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 12, 2025 | Book Reviews
I usually shy away from stories with ridiculously long titles, such as
“My Husband Wants an Open Marriage” by Elysian Sparrow. The reason is that these stories often tend to be predictable, formulaic, and frequently written by young authors whose first language is not English, which can be evident in the text. At times, I get the impression that the manuscripts have been machine-translated, as the English can be quite poor.
“My Husband Wants an Open Marriage” by Elysian Sparrow surprised me with its well-written narrative. The story follows a familiar formula: Ryan and Julie O’Brien have been married for several years but are unable to conceive. A significant event causes a rift in their relationship. In their case, the issue arises from their struggles to have a child, prompting Ryan to propose the idea of an open relationship. However, what he truly means is that he wants the freedom to explore outside their marriage, while Julie cannot.
Ryan is openly having an affair with his secretary, Emily. He even goes so far as to bring her to their home, forcing Julie out of her bedroom and effectively ending her role as Mrs. O’Brien. Meanwhile, Julie endures the pain and humiliation of working in the company where her husband is the CEO, all while managing the Marketing Department. One night, she decides to go to a bar to drown her sorrows. There, she meets Luke, who offers to be her fake boyfriend whenever she needs one. This is where the story starts to become interesting.
I found this story on Goodnovel, but I saw it on other reading apps as well. As is my wont, when I find myself engaged after a few chapters, I turn to Amazon and check if the story is available on Kindle. And, YES, it is there! Woohoo! “My Husband Wants an Open Marriage” by Elysian Sparrow is divided into three books on Amazon Kindle and costs $12.97— that is LOADS cheaper than on the reading apps. Click here for Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3 of this story on Amazon Kindle.
38 chapters in and I still love it! So far, it isn’t as predictable as I thought it would be and I love it! I think you will enjoy this billionaire romance, too. And like me, you might fall for Luke as well.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 22, 2025 | Book Reviews
Book 13 of the Huge Series, Pucking Huge by Stephanie Brother
Pucking Huge by Stephanie Brother is book 13 of the Huge Series and was just a joy to read! As soon as I received my ARC copy, I put my iPad on a stand, snuggled under the blanket, and read until my eyes dried out … or I lost consciousness, lol! Then, I resumed as soon as I woke up.
What did I like about it?
- Triplets … because why not? They’re brothers, and there are three of them. I think my eyes just crossed, lol!
- Guys into sports – there is just something sexy about watching them skating on the ice (in my head) and the excitement and adrenalin rush when they are up against a good team. Hockey can get rough, but so can they. Meow!
- They’ve got history. They aren’t new to the concept of being steps, which means that the physical attraction has been there for some time but suppressed.
- The drama of the socials! This was not an issue that would even have been possible back in the day.
It all made for a titillating story that had me holding my breath, laughing at times, and quickly turning pages to know what would happen next.
Grab your copy of Pucking Huge by Stephanie Brother soon on Amazon. Free with Kindle Unlimited.
I promise you won’t be disappointed.
#bookrecommendations #reverseharem #whychoose #stepbrotherromance #enemiestolovers #HugeSeries #StephanieBrotherBooks
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Aug 26, 2024 | Book Reviews
Two Times the Trouble by Stephanie Brother is different from the other stories she’s written that I have read. Identical twins are nothing new, but identical twins pretending to be one person to help a gal out by pretending to be her boyfriend … that’s new.
When a hot, grumpy, silent man entered her yoga class, Callie didn’t know what to expect. She certainly didn’t expect him to keep coming back! Then she encounters him again at the sandwich shop she also works at and encounters him again, but with his personality dialed the opposite way. How can he be so different in yoga class and outside of it? Turns out that the explanation is simple.
Dealing with the Pruitt twins must be like having a relationship with Jekyll and Hyde, except that Max and Miles really are two separate people! It boggles the mind how polar opposite their personalities seem, and yet whenever they switch places, Miles plays Max to a tee that in Callie’s shoes, I would get whiplash! Then there’s the added layer of mystery… what are these twins plotting? It’s clear that their machinations are unrelated to Callie and have everything to do with the family her sister is marrying into. The impending revelation is a source of dread. Hearts will be shattered, feelings will be bruised, and misunderstandings will run rampant.
I’d recommend this book, if only because it is different from most of Stephanie Brother’s stories, and yet it still hooked me! The unique storyline, the complex characters, and the element of mystery make it a compelling read. I think you should give it a shot as well. 🙂
Two Times the Trouble by Stephanie Brother on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. Get your copy now! I enjoyed it, I think you will, too.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Aug 24, 2024 | Book Reviews
As I was going through my Facebook notifications, I encountered a post from an author named
VictoryAnne Vice, who was asking for people to try out her story called
The Alpha and the Rental Luna. She already has several books under her belt, and this is her latest ongoing story. Since the title intrigued me, I thought I’d give it a shot.
If you’ve been reading shifter romance as much as I do, then you are familiar with the werewolf concept of fated mates and chosen mates. For Alphas, that translates to their Luna, who is usually a fated mate in stories. But what if you only wanted a Luna part-time, no commitment outside of a contract? That’s where the Rental Lunas come in. The thought that Alpha females would actually choose to go into training to be a rental Luna is mind-boggling! These ladies aren’t looking to marry, even though it is a possibility. They are there to fulfill ALL of the Alpha’s needs while they are in the contract.
The Characters
The main characters are Sylvester “Sly” Sterling and Apple LeRoux.
The story opens from the POV of Apple LeRoux. She is introduced to us as a human from a small town who moves to Crescent City to pursue a college degree and to get away from her cheating boyfriend and abusive family. She is broke and homeless and desperately needs a job. She sees a notice for a job opening, not realizing that it is for a werewolf company.
In a case of misinformation and misdirection she ends up being interviewed by the Alpha who thought she was a Rental Luna. She wasn’t … but somehow, he ends up trying to convince her to accept the job of being his Rental Luna.
Sylvester “Sly” Sterling is the Alpha. Unlike in most stories, he did not inherit his title from his father. He earned it through hard work. It didn’t hurt that his former Luna was the former Alpha’s daughter, Alexis.
The Story
If Apple accepts the job, it will entail a lot of subterfuge as werewolf/human relations are frowned upon. A human Luna will definitely not be acceptable to the pack! The only ones who know are Sly, Apple, Beta Rudy, and Apple’s new friends with whom she shares an apartment.
Here’s the challenge … should Apple agree to this crazy scheme and become his Rental Luna?
On the up side it means financial security and being able to go to school and enroll in her chosen degree. In addition, being the helpful and caring person that she is, she doesn’t really mind helping the pack.
On the downside, she needs to hide her humanity and pretend to be a werewolf while at the same time fight her growing attraction to Sly..
My Take
As the story progresses, I keep waiting to get bored and move on. However, I am 48 chapters in, and it hasn’t happened yet. It helps that the author usually posts 1 to 2 chapters a day and tries her best not to leave us hanging.
I LOVE the daily updates! It keeps me interested and excited for the upcoming chapters. The story is fast-paced, which definitely kept me interested, and I occasionally went back a few pages just to reread something that caught my eye in the story.
Will they, won’t they? VictoryAnne Vice is good at edging us and making us want more. And what’s with Apple’s very vocal inner voice? My guess is she has a wolf but doesn’t know it. Maybe she’s a late bloomer. I’m on tenterhooks!
This story is something I highly recommend as it is fun, with its witty dialogues and humorous situations, and lighthearted, with its optimistic and feel-good vibe. There’s not too much drama, which I appreciate, and I can hardly wait for Apple and Sly’s first full intimacy. Here’s hoping it happens soon.
Start reading The Alpha and his Rental Luna on Goodnovel.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 7, 2024 | Book Reviews
A few weeks ago, I was searching Goodnovel for a new story to read. It’s always Alpha this, Alpha that. Then, I encountered a couple of stories that piqued my interest.
The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story
The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story
The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story is a story about Piper, a woman who was working as a waitress to raise her twin sister’s daughter. Unbeknownst to her, her friend entered her into a contest by the royal family for all unmated women of eligible age. Whoever wins will become the Luna for one of the three Princes, meaning there will be three winners … one for each Prince. She discovers that one of the Princes is her ex, Nicholas. At the time they were dating, she had no idea of his identity.
She gets chosen as a candidate, and as the story progresses, the candidates go through different challenges where one or more will be eliminated. She brings her niece, who everyone thinks is her daughter, with her. Things are more difficult for her as she has the added challenge of being wolfless and not being high-born. However, she does not really let that stop her. She knows she will get eliminated early, but while she competes, her niece gets the medical care she needs.
Most of the other candidates hate her, some of the servants hate her, some of the guards hate her, and the King and Queen hate her. It seems like only Princes Nicholas and Julian like her. What will her fate be in The Luna Choosing Game?
How she lost her wolf when Nicholas was sure she had one before is part of the mystery of this story. Why are more and more people losing their wolves? Where is Piper’s sister? Why did she leave her daughter with Piper?
Luna Battle: The Game by Billiejo Priestley
Luna Battle: The Game by Billiejo Priestley
Luna Battle: The Game by Billiejo Priestley is about Elara, a slave to Alpha Draven’s pack who secretly entered The Luna Battle in hopes of escaping the torture of her everyday life. She lost her wolf at four years old, has lived her life as a servant, and when she was old enough, she became a sex slave and was made to service Alpha Draven, his betas, and his guests. She was bitten and claimed by Alpha Draven when she was twelve years old and had no mate.
The Luna Battle is a competition to select the Luna Queen for King Darius and the Luna Princess for Prince Kellan. Each candidate will be asked to perform various challenges. At the end of each challenge, one or more of the candidates will be eliminated and sent home.
Magic selected her as a candidate, and when she arrived at the Palace, most of the other contestants hated her and called her “mutt,” but that didn’t stop Elara from being the bigger person and reminding them of how a Luna is supposed to behave. After all, she didn’t really expect to stay in the competition for long. But what happens when Prince Kellan starts to show her favor, and the King seems to do so, too?
The Luna stories go head-to-head.
I started reading The Luna Choosing Game first and then paused at Chapter 102 because I, quite honestly, got bored with the minutiae. More than a hundred chapters in, and it feels like only a little has happened. Some scenes could have been removed, and chapters could have been compressed. You know those telenovelas that seem to go on forever? That’s what it felt like when I was reading this book. It was interesting, but it was taking forever to get to the point.
In addition, as of this posting, The Luna Choosing Game has 460 chapters and counting! For crying out loud! Know when to stop! If you must, then serialize it, book one and book two, etc.
At the point I was getting fed up with it, I encountered Luna Battle: The Game, and the first thing I noticed was the parallels:
- wolfless
- no family
- forced into a life of servitude
Even the challenges were similar, but then, you know what they say, there really is little that is original as we all build off what other people have done in the past. There’s a big difference, though. Luna Battle is fast-paced and engaging and, more importantly … ONLY 151 CHAPTERS!
YES! The author was able to tell THE WHOLE STORY (COMPLETE!) in just 151 chapters. Value for money? Check!
Will I go back to finish The Luna Choosing Game? I am unsure. At this point, as I see the chapter count climbing higher and higher, it doesn’t seem very certain. Maybe I will wait until the book makes its way to Amazon, hopefully, KU, and then read it there. I’ve already spent way too much on it, as it is.
Head to head … Luna Battle Wins!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Feb 26, 2024 | Book Reviews
Do you know how there are stories that get so much hype on social media that you end up giving it a chance and buying coins just to be able to read more? Well, that is what happened with me with Moonlit Mates, a recommended anthology by Dreame. Moonlit Mates is supposed to be a compilation of short(ish) stories from different authors that Dreame highly recommends. But is it all hype or are the stories really good?
Here’s my experience. So far I am on chapter 19 of the first story called “Lies and Betrayal” by Melissa and it is an uphill battle. The story has potential but I don’t see what all the hype is about. The author does not seem to have the chops yet to be receiving the raves this book is supposedly getting. Character building, world setting, and story flow are half-baked. Intimate scenes are rushed and rough, with no finesse.
As for grammar … sigh. Often the author is guilty of using homonyms or simply possibly similar-sounding or spelled words. For example: composer when what she really means is composure.
But this is how much I want to believe it is worth it … I purchased all the 150+ chapters then crossed my fingers hoping I didn’t just throw money in the shredder. So far, with the first story, it is a bust. What are the other stories and who wrote them? No idea. One would think Dreame would have put it in the preview blurb at the very least, but nope!
Why is no one recommending copy editors, at the very least, to these authors? I get the value of uplifting, but doing so should not make us blind to room for (much) improvement.
Color me disappointed. 🙁
The following are the stories within:
- Lies and Betrayal by Melissa
- Deepest Regret by Valerie Irene
- The Moon Goddess Daughter (The Hybrid) by Titania Sattaur
- His Warrior Luna by Cassidy Wilson
- The Alpha Games by Jessica Christensen
I’m hoping your experience is better than mine. I started reading this in December 2023 and I have yet to get beyond chapter 19 of the first story. This, from someone who reads at least 1 completed story a day.
Two Times the Trouble by Stephanie Brother is different from the other stories she’s written that I have read. Identical twins are nothing new, but identical twins pretending to be one person to help a gal out by pretending to be her boyfriend … that’s new.
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