by Penny Angeles-Tan | Aug 19, 2023 | Book Reviews
Crush On My Best Friend’s Alpha Dad by Luxie landed in my inbox as a recommendation, and I decided to try it. The author has just started writing it, showing great potential so far. I get the age gap romance; it happens a lot, especially when we talk about a man who was widowered early and looks like Patrick Dempsey in Grey’s Anatomy, aka McDreamy.
Her characters, CJ and Lenora, make decisions that I find questionable but, at the same time, make delicious drama that moves the story forward.
- CJ finds himself attracted to Lenora, so why in the world would he kiss her sister, Esme?
- Esme knew about how Lenora felt about CJ, so why would she kiss CJ in the first place? Is this a reflection of how much she doesn’t care for CJ or how much she wants him for herself?
- After catching them in the kiss and being hurt by their betrayal, why would Lenora decide to agree to become a girlfriend to someone she wasn’t even a little attracted to or, at least, could relate to?
So far, in the story (I am 41/45 chapters in) CJ’s being an Alpha wolf has no bearing. At the moment, it is all about Lenora’s unresolved feelings. I’m really curious to see where this story will go.
There are some grammatical issues that are forgivable (for now) that I hope the author will go back to fix, but overall, this has been engaging. If there is anything major I would ask the author to change, it would probably be the title. Not only is it a mouthful and unnecessarily confusing, it is also “spoilerish” because without even opening the book we know the dad’s a werewolf.
But see, here is where it gets confusing. CJ is the dad of Lenora’s best friend, Mariselle. At the same time, CJ is also friends with Lenora’s dad. So, would it be better to say “Crush on my Dad’s Best Friend” or stay with “Crush on my Best Friend’s Dad”?
I still think “Alpha” could be removed from the title. Without it, learning he is an Alpha becomes a gem we discover in the story. This, by the way, raises the question … where is his pack and why aren’t he and Mariselle in it?
Now that I’ve whet your curiosity, you can find Crush On My Best Friend’s Alpha Dad by Luxie on the Goodnovel app and read it for yourself.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 24, 2023 | Book Reviews
There is just something about well-executed body art that is so darned sexy, and the grumpy men of Brothers in Ink in Four Tattoos by Stephanie Brother are prime examples.
The female lead character is Rose, a beautiful woman in her 20s who works in Island Java (a coffee shop owned by her brother) by day and at the front desk of Club Red (a male revue club) at night. She meets her men for the first time when she delivers coffee to their shop.
Mace, Zipper, Christian, and Hutch are the owners and tattoo artists behind Brothers in Ink. They bonded while in the army and have been as close as brothers since.
From the moment Rose meets the four she found herself inexplicably drawn to them and at the same time confused at how she can be attracted to all of them at the same time. Despite Christian’s and Zipper’s initial grumpiness, it didn’t detract from their appeal. She was excited for their next coffee delivery order so that she could see them again.
Christian, Hutch, Mace, and Zipper usually have different preferences when it comes to the women they date or sleep with. However, in this instance they found themselves unanimous in their desire for Rose. This was not the first time they have found themselves all attracted to the same woman. They had a polyamorous relationship in the past that did not end well. Nevertheless, this did not deter them from deciding to pursue Rose together. It’s a good thing they did or we wouldn’t have this story, lol!
I was bothered by the fact that she was keeping them as her “dirty little secret”. I understand her hesitation in saying anything to her brother Patrick and his fiancé, Nancy. I had hoped, though, she would have told someone in Club Red, like Brittany. She would definitely understand Rose’s situation, as would the the owners of Club Red and some of the dancers and Duke.
When it comes to their intimate moments, despite there being four of them, the men mostly tend to give each other one-on-one time despite all being in the same room. So, smut level is dialed down but still leaves room for my imagination to run wild. I thought that was actually sweet because it meant that Rose had the opportunity to really connect with each man and it didn’t read like a gang bang.
If you like age gap romances, tattoo artists, and grumpy men (in general) then you will enjoy. Four Tattoos by Stephanie Brother. You can get a copy of this story in Kindle and paperback format on Amazon, free with Kindle Unlimited. 🙂
Eager to know what else happens to Rose, Christian, Hutch, Mace, and Zipper? Check out the bonus chapter HERE.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 11, 2023 | Book Reviews
I am so glad I discovered Rejected Mate by Sam Crescent. I have read many rejection stories but this one stands out. It is not about a rejected she-wolf being stronger than she thought she was. It isn’t about a bully who rejects a she-wolf changing his mind and deciding to accept her again. It isn’t about finding a second-chance mate.
This story was so well-written that I was captivated from page 1! It takes popular tropes (shifter romance, rejection, and age gap) and puts a unique spin on them. I hesitate to even call this a bully romance as the bullying part is incidental to the story.
Constance is a late bloomer. Where everyone else she knows shifted at 18, she didn’t shift until she turned 21. Tanner is the Alpha’s son. He has been bullying Constance for many years, calling her fat, ugly, and disgusting. Constance and Tanner realized they were mates on the day of her shift. Oh, horror of horrors! Constance hates his guts!
At this point in other books it would go one of two ways … Tanner would realize how he has been stupid all these years and would do his damnedest to win her or outright reject her. In this book, he chose the latter … Tanner rejected Constance and he did it publicly. Since he is the Alpha’s son, the pack took his rejection as a sign that they should all reject her, so they did. Her parents threw her out, she lost her job, and the rest of the pack turned their backs on her.
Rejection is painful, as we know from shifter lore, but this is the first time that I know of where the effects of the rejection go beyond chest or belly pains or pains caused by infidelity. Instead, the rejection is described as feeling very cold from the inside. Being rejected by one’s mate is bad, but imagine being rejected by the entire pack.
The entire pack, except for one … Gage, the Alpha, and Tanner’s father. In an emergency pack meeting, he announces that according to scripture, when a wolf is rejected, a relative of the one who did the rejecting can step up and accept the rejected wolf in their place. And that is what Gage did.
What a twist! Is it just custom or does Gage really want her for himself as a mate? Will Tanner change his mind and decide to take her back? Will Constance fall in love with Gage and decide to take him as her mate?
If you’ve never read any of the books from Sam Crescent’s Alpha Shifter Collection, this is a good book to start with. It isn’t in Kindle Unlimited but it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You can get Rejected Mate by Sam Crescent on Amazon for $3.99. All the books in the Alpha Shifter Collection are $3.99 a piece.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 17, 2023 | Book Reviews
Age gap romances are “in” right now and Silver Fox Secret Daddy by Ruby Emhart is one such story.
Dr. Jensen Banks is a well-known heart surgeon. He is well-known for his skill in the operating room and in the bedroom. Panties fall when he walks into a room. Yes, he is that hot. At 47, Jensen has it made … a successful career, any woman he wants, and no romantic relationship to tie him down. To the casual observer, Jensen has everything. And yet a memory of a passionate moment in the past often enters his thoughts and makes him wish for more.
Luna is an aspiring doctor who just got hired to intern at a hospital in Boston. An amazing encounter in Heathrow Airport’s VIP lounge restroom left her with memories of the best sex of her life and a baby she later named Eloise. Little did she know that her trip to Boston would bring her closer to her baby daddy.
Bring in the complication: Peter. He is Jensen’s best friend. He also happens to be Luna’s estranged father. Jensen talks to him often about “the one that got away”. Luna reconnects with Peter in an attempt to possibly build a familial relationship with him and talks about this man she is dating. None of them realize they are talking about each other.
I think I both love and hate Ruby Emhart at the same time because she makes me wish that men like Jensen actually existed in droves. I mean, where are all these sexy silver foxes? Most men I meet who are in their 40s and up don’t seem to measure up to these book boyfriends. At the same time, it does make me smile to think of the “what if”. 🙂
Wait until you meet their uber-lovable daughter, Eloise.
This story was more interesting than I thought it would be. Are there funny moments? Yes. Are there parts that make me want to giggle like a schoolgirl? Yes. Are there scenes where I want to hit Luna at the back of the head? For sure. Are there steamy scenes guaranteed to make my eyes glaze? Absolutely! Am I telling you to read this book? Hell yeah!
This story shows us how love can change preconceived notions and push people to become better versions of themselves for someone else. Silver Fox Secret Daddy by Ruby Emhart is the fourth book of the Boston Billionaires series. Grab a copy now on Amazon in Kindle or paperback. With a Kindle Unlimited account, you can read for free!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 2, 2023 | Book Reviews
Twin Alpha Kings Pup Mate by Platinumstar is a wonderful “coming of age” shifter romance story between a young girl who loves all things Disney and who grows up to become the mate of the twin Alpha Kings.
Jayden and Kayden are in their late 20s when they meet Kiara “aka Kiki” Middleton, their mate. Unfortunately, she is only 9 years old and is, therefore, too young to feel the mate bond. Nevertheless, she feels strongly drawn to the twin kings who decide to find a way to keep her close so that they could be with her as she grows up. This paved the way for a wonderful friendship that will later segue into all parties realizing they are mates when Kiara turns 18.
I loved how the author did not rush through Kiara’s childhood. We, the readers, get to watch/read her grow up before our eyes and it is wonderful! It is organic and doing it this way eliminates possible questions that may have arisen about her relationship with her best friend and other people around her.
It is not until Chapter 44 that the author makes her 17, 2 weeks before her 18th birthday, so we know we are THIS CLOSE to seeing her recognize the mate bond and I have been on tenterhooks!
Pro: This story is really, really, really good! Con: The author has not updated this story for quite some time. Admittedly, it only really bothers me because I zoomed through the chapters in less than 2 days … that’s how good the story is! I understand, though, that aside from having several books to update, Author Platinumstar does have a life outside of writing. Whether we like it or not, we just need to accept our beloved author is human, as are we, and can only do so much while maintaining her health and relationships with people outside of the literary world.
I am truly lovin’ Twin Alpha Kings Pup Mate by Platinumstar and I look forward to receiving an alert on a story update on Goodnovel. If you guys are looking for something different and refreshing, do check this story out! I highly recommend it. The innocence of the story is so wonderfully refreshing.
The female lead character is Rose, a beautiful woman in her 20s who works in Island Java (a coffee shop owned by her brother) by day and at the front desk of Club Red (a male revue club) at night. She meets her men for the first time when she delivers coffee to their shop.
This story was so well-written that I was captivated from page 1! It takes popular tropes (shifter romance, rejection, and age gap) and puts a unique spin on them. I hesitate to even call this a bully romance as the bullying part is incidental to the story.
Dr. Jensen Banks is a well-known heart surgeon. He is well-known for his skill in the operating room and in the bedroom. Panties fall when he walks into a room. Yes, he is that hot. At 47, Jensen has it made … a successful career, any woman he wants, and no romantic relationship to tie him down. To the casual observer, Jensen has everything. And yet a memory of a passionate moment in the past often enters his thoughts and makes him wish for more.
Twin Alpha Kings Pup Mate by Platinumstar is a wonderful “coming of age” shifter romance story between a young girl who loves all things Disney and who grows up to become the mate of the twin Alpha Kings.
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