Tag: Romance

Serena’s Review: “Druid Cursed”

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Book: “Druid Cursed” by C. J. Burright

Publishing Info: Entangled: Amara, October 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Every fifty years, Kellen Ravenwood escapes his magical prison for seven days. This Samhain is his last chance to break the curse, or he’ll be bound forever. All he needs is a sacrifice: the blood of Maggie O’Malley, the last living descendant of the witch who cursed him.

Maggie, desperate for cash after a brutal divorce, jumps at the chance to win a $500,000 prize at a mysterious Irish estate. She never expected ancient rituals, strange magic, or Kellen, the dangerously charming man who claims she’s the key to his freedom.

But Maggie won’t be anyone’s sacrifice. And if there’s another way to break the curse, she’ll find it.

Because some destinies are meant to be rewritten.

And some love stories are worth defying fate for.

Review: I was excited to check out this book when I was approached by the publicist. I think it always would have been interesting to me, but it just so happened that I was in the middle of a run of “Baldur’s Gate 3” where I was romancing the druid, Halsin, and bemoaning the fact that druids really aren’t seen in fantasy books all that much. And low and behold, here we get a book referencing druids right there in the title!

I really like the cover on this one, but I have to say, I do think it’s a bit misleading for the type of book you’re picking up. At some point I knew this was a paranormal romance, but by the time I picked it up, when I glanced at the cover, I was assuming we were back in good ole “second world” fantasy. Nope! Main character is a divorcée out to win big cash and get on her with her life. What she doesn’t expect, of course, is to find herself caught up in an ancient curse and drawn into another romantic entanglement right off the bat.

To that last point, while I ultimately really enjoyed this book for what it is (a fun paranormal romance!), I do think that the instalove straight after divorce thing was a bit much. The story was saved by its fun writing and solid characters, but from afar, the love story happened incredibly quickly and was all the more strange for the fact that she had just gotten divorced and would, rightly, probably need a bit of a break from love.

That said, the story was so fast paced and full of action and romance that I barely had time to really linger on the timing of it all. For one thing, there is a certain tone to paranormal romances that lends them a sort of propulsive energy. Thins happen quickly, and that’s all for the best!

The book also had a tough sell trying to straddle the worlds of dark, gothic fantasy and fun, cozy romance. I perhaps would have liked to lean in a bit more towards the gothic side of things at times, but overall, I was impressed the author was able to pull off this balancing act at all! This duality was best expressed in the dialogue, switching between the modern lingo that Maggie uses and the more old-fashioned and formal way of speaking that Kellen employs.

Overall, I thought this was a fun paranormal romance. I think the combination of gothic, Irish estate full of strange magic alongside a more lighthearted character and romance worked well. I also really enjoyed the side characters (perhaps more than the main characters??). If you’re looking for a fun, fast read, I think this is definitely one to check out this spooky season!

Rating 8: Curses, magic, and romance, oh my! Quite the balancing act to pull off combining dark, gothic vibes and cozy romantasy, but this book does it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Druid Cursed” isn’t currently on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Paranormal Romance Outside the Box.

Kate’s Review: “All of Us Murderers”

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Book: “All of Us Murderers” by K.J. Charles

Publishing Info: Poisoned Pen Press, October 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.

WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?

When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative’s remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family―but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there’s no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house’s shadowy depths…

Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House―and live to tell the tale?

Review: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending me an ARC of this novel!

It’s still pretty hot here in Minnesota (THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN LATE SEPTEMBER!), but I’m definitely settling in and eager for the cooler temps, the longer nights, and the overall coziness of Fall to finally set in. And while October is dedicated to all horror reads when it comes to my reviews (Horrorpalooza 2025 starts on Thursday!), I do have a great historical mystery to put on your Autumn reading lists to talk about! I had seen “All of Us Murderers” by K.J. Charles floating around, the retro cover really catching my eye, and I was definitely interested in it when Poisoned Pen Press reached out with a request for me to take a look at it. What’s not to love? It’s Gothic! It’s Queer! It’s a SUPER VINTAGE COVER DESIGN! I was excited to dive in, and man, it did not disappoint!

I really do enjoy a Gothic thriller (well, Gothic anything), and “All of Us Murders” pretty much had my attention from the start and didn’t let go until the end. The premise is pretty straight forward: The Wyckham Family has a powerful but notorious history, and when Zeb Wyckham is called to the family estate for a meeting with his immediate and extended family, as well as his ex-lover Gideon, who is now working for head of family Wynn Wyckham who called the meeting. Wynn tells them all that he’s shifting the inheritance around and that they only way to get the money is to marry his young ward Georgina, and then the bitterness and dysfunction of the family is put to the test when he won’t let them leave and a fog rolls in. Then people start dying. It’s locked door, it’s Gothic, it’s family dysfunction, and EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT! Charles really set the scene in a way that was gripping, and as Zeb and Gideon try to figure out what is going on (is it a family curse? is someone plotting against everyone else?), the mystery deepens and the twists keep coming. I’m usually someone who can parse through red herrings and misdirections when it comes to thrillers, at least a little bit, but in this book I had a really hard time guessing where it was all going, and I was absolutely delighted by that. I also love how an isolated house surrounded by fog and a family filled with vipers just makes for that much more of a heightened stake for Zeb and Gideon, who may be in serious danger.

And on top of the really well done Gothic mystery, we also have a pretty sweet romance at the center of the book! Zeb and Gideon are just so likable, their chemistry is off the charts and I love how they aren’t perfect in their love for each other, but they also aren’t melodramatic or constantly being torn away from each other for merely dramatic purposes. Gideon is a very steady and pragmatic (and oh so patient) character, and he is a great foil for the somewhat scattered and anxious Zeb (also, side note, I LOVE seeing ADHD representation in books and Charles did a good job with Zeb, keeping it within the time frame’s understanding while also completely nailing it), and I was SO rooting for them basically from the jump. I love a solid and sexy romance in a mystery like this, it’s just so moody in the best way and I loved Zeb and Gideon.

“All of Us Murderers” is a fun and atmospheric Gothic mystery that kept me guessing up until the end. I could just feel the fog and melancholy of the moors as I was reading it, and it’s a moody read just in time for Autumn.

Rating 9: A stellar mystery, a lush Gothic setting, and a steamy romance combine to make a delightful thriller with a nasty family that may be cursed at the center.

Reader’s Advisory:

“All of Us Murderers” is included on the Goodreads list “A History or Historical Fiction Book”.

Serena’s Review: “It Happened on a Sunday”

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Book: “It Happened on a Sunday” by Tracy Wolff

Publishing Info: Entangled: Amara, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: They call her the Black Widow. A pop star. A tabloid tragedy. A girl who set the world on fire—and got burned in return.

But Sloane Walker doesn’t care what they say. Not anymore. The headlines, the hashtags, the rumors that never die? Let them come. She’s survived worse—like the ex who tried to kill her and the fans who blamed her for surviving. These days, she’s armor and eyeliner, singing songs that hurt and pretending they don’t.

She’s halfway through a sold-out tour and dangerously close to unraveling when a meet-and-greet throws her into the path of Mateo Sylvester—a rising star quarterback with a devastating smile and a grandmother who’s Sloane’s biggest fan. He’s got stadiums at his feet and the press eating from his hand. She’s got a flask full of sweet tea, a voice full of ghosts, and no patience for golden boys with good intentions.

She tells herself it’s just a photo op. Just another handshake. Just another charming fan with perfect cheekbones and no idea what it means to bleed for your art.But Mateo sees more than the stage persona. He sees the cracks in her smile. The songs she’s too scared to write. The girl underneath the glitter, still fighting to stay.They weren’t supposed to fall. Not in the spotlight. Not when the world is watching. And definitely not when the people closest to them would do anything to keep them apart.

This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a slow-motion car crash. And if they’re not careful, it might just cost them everything.

Review: As I’ve ventured further into romantasy and fantasy romance fiction, I’ve also started dipping my toes back into other subgenres of romance. I’ve most regularly enjoyed historical romance novels (Sherry Thomas, one of my favorite authors, has written several!), though I’ve been known to read a few contemporary romances sprinkled throughout. I’ll be honest, these are the hardest sell for me, most of the time. But I’ve also read a few recently that I’ve enjoyed (after loving “Shield of Sparrows,” I’ve gone back and read a few of Devney Perry’s contemporary books and really enjoyed them, though I haven’t reviewed those here on the blog.) All of this to say, I was happy to jump on board when I was given the opportunity to review an early copy of this title!

So, this one both worked really well for me in some areas, but also was a struggle in others. First off, there’s no escaping the obvious and intentional parallels to Taylor Swift and and Travis Kelce (the book leans into this, in fact, with several references to Swift’s songs). I don’t particularly enjoy Taylor Swift, but that’s more due to the fact that her style of music isn’t my preferred style, and less to do with anything to do with her particular songs. Further, I’m by no means caught up on all of the celebrity gossip and drama to be found there. That said, there’s no avoiding the basic points, so it was easy to see the lines being drawn within the book.

However, I think the author did a very good job of distancing this story enough from these real life individuals. While there are similarities to be found, the core of the story revolves around an almost “thriller-like” plot line involving the mysterious deaths of Sloane’s previous boyfriends and the present danger of an increasingly threatening stalker. And, of course, this gives the book plenty of opportunities to place our romantic hero in a protective role as the couple tries to cope with these increasingly dire circumstances. All of this gives the book a lot of action, as well as fully centers the story around unique characters who aren’t simply carbon cut-outs of their real-life counterparts.

I will say, there were quite a few moments that push the limits of credibility with the way many things played out, particularly with the stalker plot-line. However, this is a romance novel first and foremost, so I didn’t go in with expectations of a hard-nosed thriller/mystery. That being the case, it was easy enough to sit back and enjoy this plot line for what it was. And by far, this mystery and built up sense of danger was my favorite part of the book.

Unfortunately, while I liked the the thriller aspects of the story, I struggled more with the romance itself. For one thing, there was exactly zero build up or progression of feelings. Instead, by date number two, love is being expressed and devotion committed. While I expect romance novels to move a bit more quickly than my slow-burning heart desires, this one was fast even by comparative standards. There was no tension, no push and pull, just instant gratification. It was all too much and too fast for me to ever feel fully invested in their relationship.

Further, some of the writing was a bit off-putting to me at times. While most of the book is written in a very casual style, there would be random moments where the author would throw in obscure, lesser-used terms. These moments always stood out to me, almost as if a second editor had went through and used a thesaurus sporadically to “smarten up” the text. It just read as off. Similarly, some of the spicey scenes also included phrases and descriptions that felt oddly clinical or even eerie at times, leaving me feeling as if perhaps there was some deeper mystery being built up between the two. But nope, in the end, it seems like it was just odd writing choices.

Overall, this was an ok read. I enjoyed the stalker plot line and the tension that was built up as this threat intensified. However, the love story itself didn’t quite land for me. That said, I do think this book will work well for a lot of contemporary romance fans, particularly those who have enjoyed following Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story!

Rating 7: I enjoyed the stalker plot line quite a bit, but the romance took off too quickly and never quite struck the right chord (chord…get it??) with me.

Reader’s Advisory:

“It Happened on a Sunday” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Musicians Romances and September 2025 Sports Romance Release.

Serena’s Review: “The Second Death of Locke”

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Book: “The Second Death of Locke” by V. L. Bovalino

Publishing Info: Orbit, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Grey Flynn has dedicated her life to her mage, Kier.

She will be his blade on the battlefield, his healer and protector. The deep well of raw power inside her is Kier’s to use. Grey would do anything for Kier – be anything for him – if he would only ask.

When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into the dangerous heart of their nation’s war, Grey and Kier will need to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their secret.

For Grey is no ordinary magical well, but heir to the lost island of Locke – the root of all power. If she dies, all magic dies with her.

Review: I’ve always had an inkling that I’m probably not the typical romantasy reader. Not only do I not often enjoy the most popular titles in the genre, but, especially as I’ve gotten older, my preference for romantic tropes has shifted greatly. Mostly, I have a limited tolerance for the exhaustingly popular “enemies-to-lovers” trope. It can work (see “The Jasad Heir”), but it takes incredible restraint and dedicated character-building to properly pull it off, in my opinion. Something that you rarely see. Usually, the characters are called “enemies” because they have a minor disagreement or have been put on opposing sides of an incredibly simplistic conflict only to immediately fall head over heels for the first person they’ve talked to from the opposition. Instead, I’m coming to understand that I strongly prefer “second chance” or “friends to lovers” love stories. Alas, we see so few of these in the fantasy/romantasy genres. But, all of this long preamble aside, I present you with pretty much the perfect version of the “friends to lovers” trope all wrapped up in an excellent fantasy novel to boot!

Before I start raving about the romance, let’s talk a bit about other aspects of the book. While this is a character-driven story, the world-building and magic system we get were incredibly interesting. I’ve read other fantasy books that include a magic system somewhat similar to this, where it essentially takes two people to channel and direct magic. But this one was fairly unique in the dynamics this created between Well and Mage. What’s more interesting, the rather straight-forward dynamics that are set up in the beginning are challenged throughout the book. By the end, we see much of this flipped, particularly with Grey and her abilities as a Well.

I also really enjoyed piecing together the history of this world. The author just throws the reader into the middle of the action and the political strife. Only slowly does information come out about what exactly happened in the past and how things ended up where they did. Not only do these revelations explore the political past between nations, but we slowly learn more about Grey’s own previous life.

The plot was also fairly action-packed, especially, again, considering how much of this is a character-focused story. I closed the book feeling like I had really spent a lot of time with Grey, understood her fully and had read an excellent book about her coming into her own. But when I stopped to actually go over it all, I discovered numerous actions scenes peppered throughout, many throwing massive swerve balls into the plot and changing the entire direction of the story. The action ranges from one-on-one conflict all the way up to massive scenes of warfare.

But man, the characters and the love story, this is where it truly shines! This book should be held up as an example to all authors looking to write stories with mutual pining at the heart. And it’s not like you have to wait long to get to the good stuff (and by “good stuff” I don’t mean the spicy scenes; I mean, good ole longing and affection). Almost from the very start, it’s completely obvious that Kier and Grey are head-over-heels for one another and each are too oblivious to say anything about it. But instead of being annoying, this just leads to the reader getting to linger in all of the sweetness that is constantly touched on between them. Every little scene, we see constant affection from Kier towards Grey. And Grey, silly that she is, writes it all off. Now, this could have been tiresome, but instead I felt like I was in on the joke most of the time and was able to shake my head at her all while enjoying what we got in the meantime. Further, the author knew when to give up the ghost and allow the romance to actually move forward.

But what made this romance so successful was the fact that the progression didn’t end the moment confessions happened between them. Instead, through their romance, the story spends a lot of time exploring themes of sacrifice and what that means for those we love. This was particularly interesting as self-sacrifice in the name of love is something we see all the time in romance plot lines, but it’s rarely discussed in any meaningful way. Here, the story takes the time to dive into the nuances of sacrifice, specifically the way it can add an unhealthy dynamic to relationship development.

So, probably not a surprise by this point, but I absolutely loved this book. Grey was a fantastic, complex main character. Kier was pretty much the perfect romantic hero for a friends-to-lovers romance. And the fantasy aspects surprised and impressed at every turn. If you enjoy romantasy but are looking for something unique from the million-and-one generic enemies-to-lovers books coming out right now, definitely give this one a go! I’d also say that this is a great pick for general fantasy fans who enjoy romantic subplots, as I think there’s a strong enough fantasy adventure at its heart beyond the love story.

Rating 10: A perfect rebuttal to the idea that “enemies to lovers” is the peak romance trope. This, this is what I’ve been looking for in romantasy fiction!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Second Death of Locke” can be found on this Goodreads list: Year of the Lady Knight 2025

Serena’s Review: “A Forbidden Alchemy”

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Book: “A Forbidden Alchemy” by Stacey McEwan

Publishing Info: S&S/Saga Press, July 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

Review: This is the kind of book that has really stuck with me since reading it, both due to the aspects that I very much enjoyed, but also due to some points of frustration that I really can’t let go of!

Let’s start with the things that I enjoyed though. First and foremost, I’m a big fan of this author’s writing style. She’s incredibly “readable,” easily weaving together nuanced worlds, incredible characters, and a smooth style of writing that sucks me in and doesn’t let me go until its several hours later and I realize I haven’t eaten for a while. All of that was true here. I was immediately invested not only in our two main characters when we first meet them as children, but also with the stakes of this world and the building division and conflict between the workers who live out in the countryside and the magical elite who live in their, quite literal at times, ivory towers.

The magic system was fairly straight forward, and the kind of thing where it’s probably best to just take it as it comes. I did have a few questions about how some of this all worked (or how it had been allowed to work this way as smoothly as it had for so long), but I was happy enough with the action of the plot to let these little niggles go.

I think it’s also fair to say that this author knows how to write an excellent romantic arch. I’ve been loving second-chance/childhood friends romances, and this one works so well as it also dips its toes into the tried-and-true enemies-to-lovers trope as well. Yes, there is the barest hint of a love triangle, but as it is set up so obviously weighted in one direction, it didn’t bother me in the way that most love triangles did. I will say, I’m not quite convinced that this other character really served much of a purpose in being in this book past a certain point. Sometimes it felt like he was there just to build angst and push forward the main romantic couple’s interactions.

But when we were focused on this main couple, the swoon-worthy moments hit hard. Both main characters were at their best in the scenes between them, and the tension was built up nicely as they grew to better understand and trust one another. Perhaps if I had my way, I would have held off on them actually getting together until the next book. But hey, I know I’m in the romantasy-readers minority with my strong preference for true slow-burn love stories.

Now, my frustration came with regards to the over use of the miscommunication trope that played out strongly in the last half of this book. The conflict it set up fairly early (though we did run into the problem where we were in the head of Nina for much of this time and it made no sense for one of these “twists” to not be mentioned in her own thoughts), but the way it actually played out was incredibly frustrating. There was one particular scene where Nina pretty much lays it all out there. And then the book (and the characters!) act as if somehow she didn’t just give the entire gig away! There was such an incredibly obvious follow-up question that was just…ignored, for the sake of the plot. And even without asking it, an intelligent person (as the hero is set up to be) could easily make some deductive jumps that would explain the current situation. But nope. None of that happens and when the true conflict hits in the end…Shock! Horror! Betrayal! But…didn’t you guys already know all this basically?? I found it incredibly frustrating.

Overall, however, I enjoyed the main plot points and Nina and Patrick as individual characters and as a couple. While some of the twists towards the end were fairly predictable, I’m still excited to see where the story goes from here! I just may have to skip a few scenes where the characters deal with the stupidity of their own confusion and betrayal here…

Rating 8: A bit frustrating at times with the predictable build up to the ultimate reveal, but the world and characters were still strong and I’m excited for the next book!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Forbidden Alchemy” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Original Stories . . . a Breath of Fresh Air and Romantasy TBR 2025.

Serena’s Review: “Voidwalker”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Voidwalker” by S. A. Maclean

Publishing Info: Orbit, August 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark.

Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient – free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal’s immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing – and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi’s home caught in the crossfire.

She’s always known the dangers of her trade – and of the power she’s wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she’ll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution.

And a temptation – for how sweet the monster’s fangs might feel.

Review: This book has such a wacky cover, I can’t decide whether I love it or hate it! Either way, between that and the author (though I didn’t love “The Phoenix Keeper,” I still felt it had a lot of potential), I thought this one was definitely worth checking out. Unfortunately, I still didn’t completely connect with this story, but that’s not to say there were things to enjoy!

For one thing, in a lot of the ways that matter, this book reminded me strongly why I felt the way I did about “The Phoenix Keeper.” There, I struggled a bit with characters and worldbuilding, but felt the writing was, overall, quite strong. The same exact thing happened here. The story started off incredibly well. The plot took off quickly, full of action and stage-setting, laying before the reader a dark world full of monsters and danger. And throughout it all, the prose was strong, especially in a surprisingly dark and bloody prologue. Honestly, that prologue remains one of the best parts of the story! It felt serious, dangerous, and intriguing.

However, once our main character showed up, much of that seriousness quickly seeped from the story. Fi shows up and pretty much right from the start presents herself as your typical fantasy badass heroine. We’re told repeatedly how savvy a smuggler she is, how well she can read people and situations, and how deftly she has navigated her life living between the lines of what is allowed. However, for all that bravado (both in her inner descriptions of herself and her life, as well as in the actual dialogue between her and other characters), these traits are immediately called into question. The reader is told one thing (Fi is a great smuggler with a long history of success under her belt) but are shown a completely different thing (Fi makes incredibly stupid decisions against her explicitly expressed better judgement for pretty much no reason at all). Frankly, the first few scenes played out this dynamic so strongly that I was immediately on a back foot from there.

Beyond that, I haven’t read a ton of monster romance books, but this one did solidify a few things for me. While I’m not against them (ahem, how can anyone be when their favorite fairytale is “Beauty and the Beast??”), there are some incredibly important caveats to my enjoyment. Physical traits really don’t matter. I really enjoyed Ruby Dixon’s “Bound to the Shadow Prince” and that character is described as quite outside of human norms. But, importantly, Nemeth’s “monstrosity” was limited to physical characteristics. In that particular case, he was the direct opposite of a monster: bashful, bookish, and incredibly caring.

Here, however, the monstrous aspects went well beyond physical differences. While I loved the prologue for the true darkness that it set out for this world, it quite effectively killed my ability to see this character as a romantic lead. I don’t want to spoil things, but if you read the very first chapter, you’ll see what I mean. For some, this isn’t an issue. But I’ve discovered, for me, I really do have a line where I just can’t see how humans can cross to love this sort of monster. And this issue isn’t explained away! Fi has to confront it head on, and somehow is…fine with it?

Beyond all of this, there was something rather childish about the way Fi was written. Again, the prologue set up what felt like a serious, adult world. But I just couldn’t buy into Fi as a woman in her 30s. Her swearing was so childish, and don’t even get me started on the horrible nicknames (can we please PLEASE just kill this idea of giving each other cutesy nickname in romantasy novels??).

Overall, I didn’t love this one. Personally, I’d say it was around a “6 rating” for me, but I’ve bumped it up since I know that the romance (a large part of the story) was killed for me on a very subjective basis that may not apply to many other readers. Beyond that, I still think the writing had many strengths. I just really hated Fi.

Rating 7: I have a line for monster romances, and this one crossed it. However, I can see it worked well for others who really enjoy this sort of romantasy story.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Voidwalker” can be found on these Goodreads lists: All the New Horror, Romantasy, and Other SFF Crossover Books Arriving in August 2025

Serena’s Review: “The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk”

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Book: “The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk” by Carissa Broadbent

Publishing Info: Bramble, August 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Mische made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves – and plunged the world into an eternal night. Now, imprisoned by the gods and obsessed with revenge, Asar is desperate to find her again.

When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption – and back to each other – Asar and Mische embark on an extraordinary mission. Together, they must seize the power of the god of death so Asar may do the impossible: ascend to true divinity.

Their journey will take them through mortal and immortal realms, alongside both old friends and ruthless enemies. But as the underworld teeters on the brink of collapse and the gods prepare for a war, Asar and Mische must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the power to defy death. In a game of vengeful gods and ancient betrayals, there are some debts that even love may not be able to repay.

Previously Reviewed: “The Songbird and the Heart of Stone”

Review: This was definitely one of my most anticipated reads for the summer! The first book left off on a fairly massive cliffhanger, but luckily it’s only been about a six month wait between. And, in most ways, everything wrapped up nicely in this second half of the duology!

Like the first book, the two lead characters anchored my enjoyment of the story. Following the pattern of Broadbent’s first duology in this world, while the first book followed Mische’s perspective exclusively, this one opens things up, introducing chapters from the romantic lead, Asar’s, perspective as well. While I still have mixed feelings about how well this shift in perspectives worked in the first duology, it definitely worked well here. Much of Mische’s internal journey was covered in the first book, and while there were still aspects of her growth to cover here, her story is more straightforward. However, there was much still to learn about Asar’s own history and the ways in which the events of this book shaped his internal arch. Indeed, this story is largely his, with Mische serving more as a supporting, secondary character. I really enjoyed Asar in the first book, and he was even more interesting here, so I think this change worked out well.

I also really enjoyed the numerous cameo appearances from tons of characters from previous books. While it’s not strictly necessary to have read those other books, readers who have read them all will definitely get the most out of this book. Characters show up from not only the first duology, but also the other stand-alone novel and the novella as well. I really enjoyed spending time with them all! In particular, I was reminded how much I enjoyed the main couple from “Slaying the Vampire Conqueror;” we only got one book of them and I wish we had more! I also really enjoyed the return of Vincent, who played a surprising role in this book. He’s such an interesting character, and I liked the way pieces of his story that had felt like they were still left hanging were more neatly wrapped up here.

All of that said, there were parts of this book that I struggled with. As I said, I enjoyed seeing all of these other characters on the page, but unfortunately, there were times where I felt like I was becoming more invested in these other characters again than I was in the main two of the current duology. Part of this, I think, came down to the fact that Mische often felt as if she didn’t have a lot going on in this book. It’s kind of an odd thing, becomes she demonstratively did have things happening throughout it all (most notably, you know, being dead), but her internal arc still felt rather static.

The romance itself also didn’t feel as if it had anywhere to really go. I’m not a fan of forced drama and angst to increase tension, but as the story continued, the love story felt a bit flat and deflated at times (and I just finished reading a few books that navigate solid relationships throughout without falling into this trap, so I know it’s possible without unnecessary angst). One simple thing was that I thought there were perhaps one or two too many spicy scenes. I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I definitely fall on the “higher quality but less” side of the spice debate. At a certain point, an increased number of these scenes simply fail to add anything new to the story, and that was definitely the case here.

Lastly, the plot felt all over the place. There is a ton of action in this book, with our characters hopping all over the place, not only within the world, but in the heavens and the underworld as well. While the first book felt tightly paced and plotted, this one felt a bit scattered. I could never really latch on to any single current event before I was whisked away into the next location and conflict. The balance simply felt off, and it was one of those odd situations where, because there was always so much going on, I began to disconnect from the story and even became a bit bored at times. Always weird how that can happen, but I’ve found it’s definitely a phenomenon that can happen.

Overall, however, I still very much enjoyed this book! It does feel like there is a bit of a pattern developing here, where the first book in these duologies is noticeably stronger than the second. But the quality overall is still quite high. There were also a lot of major changes on a world-wide scale in this book, so I’m incredibly excited to see how events play out in the next duology! We’ve also already met the next leading male character, and I’m definitely intrigued. Fans of the first book in this duology are sure to enjoy this one as well!

Rating 8: Perhaps a bit more scattered than the first in the duology, but still a satisfying conclusion to the story, while also setting up a strong setting for the next stage in this series!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025 and August 2025 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “The Enchanted Greenhouse”

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Book: “The Enchanted Greenhouse” by Sarah Beth Durst

Publishing Info: Bramble, July 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Previously Reviewed: “The Spellshop”

Review: While I didn’t love “The Spellshop” as much as other readers did, I definitely still wanted to give this sequel a chance. As many of my struggles with the first book came down to my dislike of the main character, I had a lot of hope for this one as it is following a new character; I mean, she’s a librarian, so….. And, as predicted, I did enjoy this book more for this very reason!

Overall, I thought Terlu was a much more interesting and sympathetic character to follow. I enjoyed the set-up, with her having spent the last six years frozen as a statue as punishment for creating a sentient plant. Thus, when she wakes up, she, like the reader, is seeing her world through fresh eyes. Yes, there were times where her internal monologues and reflections became a bit repetitive, and I think the book could have benefitted from some editing down. But, overall, her story was exactly the sort of low stakes cozy experience that readers of this genre are looking for.

I also think that the love story worked better here. Again, I did have a few quibbles with it (it was a bit too fast burn for my personal taste), but the grumpy/sunshine nature of their relationship worked much better here than it did in the first book (if indeed that was even trying to be a grumpy/sunshine relationship; I’m still not convinced the heroine wasn’t meant to be a better character than how she came across).

I also enjoyed the quirky cast of characters found in the greenhouses. As I was returning to this world, I was better able to turn my brain off a bit as far as the world-building goes, but the entire set up of the new location we explore in this one helped with many of my qualms from the first. Here, I think the whimsical nature of the greenhouses worked in natural-feeling manner and left me with few questions about how this all worked.

I have to say that I struggled with some of the inner narrative word choices at times. I just don’t like modern lingo in books like this, and there were too many instances of a casual “yay!” and such for me to fully settle in to the story. But, again, this is highly subjective, and there were many other parts of the writing that I enjoyed more, particularly some of the descriptions of the world and its magical creatures.

However, in many ways, this book was very familiar. This can be seen as a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about that first entry. I think there were definite improvements with the main character and with the love story. But many of the beats of the plot felt very familiar, as well as the cozy elements. They were cute and quirky, but just a bit too shallow for me to fully enjoy any of them. That said, I’m not a huge cozy fantasy reader, and given the popularity of the first book, some of my negatives here will be definite positives for others! So, for readers looking for more of the same, this will likely be a hit! And even for those who were a bit on the fence with the first book, this may be worth a read!

Rating 8: Perhaps aggressively cozy at times, but I still enjoyed the love story overall!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Enchanted Greenhouse” is on these Goodreads lists: CozySFF and Heartwarming Books of 2025.

Serena’s Review: “Never the Roses”

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Book: “Never the Roses” by Jennifer K. Lambert

Publishing Info: Bramble, July 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.

A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her… or it could destroy her entirely.

Review: This was such a fun read! From the mature main characters, to the slow (ish) burn of the romance, to the stand-alone (with an open ended conclusion) nature of the story, this is the kind of romantasy novel that is few and far between in a crowded but often too similar-feeling genre.

One of the first things that stood out was how committed the author was to establishing not only this world, but our main characters, disconnected from one another. So often, it feels like romantasy falls into the trap where the entirety of what makes up the characters is tied up in their dynamics together. Here, the book is largely focused on Oneira’s personal arc, one where she explores themes regarding regret, responsibility, and repentance. Through this journey, she almost backs her way into the relationship with Stearnos. And even there, through their love story, both she and Stearnos further these greater themes, even as they fall in love.

I also really enjoyed the slow-burn nature of the romance. The book gets through a solid quarter of the page count before there’s any interaction between the characters at all, and it’s not until closer to the halfway mark where they even really meet in person. That said, between the shifting perspectives and the interesting magical elements that make up this world, there was more than enough plot to go around. However, the story is definitely on the slower side, overall. I, personally, really enjoyed the more reserved approach to storytelling that was used here, as I think it matches well with some of the heavier themes explored throughout. But readers looking for more action may not connect as well. And, as much as I enjoyed the slow nature of the love story, the true highs of the story were found when we did finally get to see these two together. The banter was everything, and the author did a fantastic job with showing this relationship progress in a truly lovely way.

With this strong focus on the love story and the characters’ personal journeys, the greater plot conflict did fall a bit to the side and was wrapped up fairly succinctly towards the end. However, it never felt like any of these greater plot points were the true focus to begin with, so I felt satisfied with the way they were handled. There were moments where I perhaps would have liked to see a bit more fleshing out of the political systems at play and ways in which magic was used and monitored, but I was still happy enough with what we received.

The ending definitely fell on the bittersweet side of things. Though, again, I think the nature of this conclusion fit perfectly alongside the themes that were so strongly centered in the story. As of now, I don’t see anything indicating that this is the beginning of a duology or series, but the door is definitely left open for a return to this world. Readers looking for a beautiful stand-lone love story with a focus on mature main characters should definitely check this one out!

Rating 8: Luscious and deeply romantic, this book is a beautiful portrayal of forgiveness and redemption.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Never the Roses” can be found on this Goodreads list: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025.

Serena’s Review: “Bound by Stars”

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Book: “Bound by Stars” by E. L. Starling

Publishing Info: Entangled: Teen, July 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: She never belonged in his world. He never thought he’d leave it.

When Weslie Fleet wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless, humanity’s most opulent starliner, it’s a dream―and a danger. Raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth, she is thrust into the gleaming luxury of Mars’s elite, where every whispered word carries weight and every glance is a silent judgment. And none watch her closer than Jupiter, the golden boy of Mars’s high society, bound by duty, legacy, and a future he never chose.

Their reluctant partnership was supposed to be a one-off assignment. Instead, it becomes a battle of wills, a spark that ignites, and a love neither of them anticipated. But fate is as cruel as it is unpredictable, and when the Boundless veers off course, love won’t be enough to save them.

The ship is failing. The odds are impossible. And in the darkness of space, survival is the only thing that matters.

But some loves are worth defying the stars for.

Review: This is one of those odd reads where what drew me to the book (science fiction re-telling of “Titanic”) is the specific aspect of the read that I most disliked. That is to say, there was a lot to like here whenever I could disconnect my brain from the parallel’s to the movie. While there weren’t any groundbreaking science fiction moments, the struggles between Mars and a vastly reduced Earth was an interesting political stage upon which to set the story. And the overall conflict and themes of the story (mostly centering around classism) were fairly well handled, especially for a young adult novel. The discussions of these themes was also done well and avoided straying too far into preachiness, a perpetual problem it seems in books like this. Further, the disaster itself that befalls the starliner was action packed and intense. However, this is a perfect example of how the comparisons to “Titanic” don’t work in the book’s favor.

Maybe I’m being nitpicky, but to me at least, there is a huge difference between the natural disaster that befell the Titanic with its ramming of the iceberg and a rebellion attack upon a luxury starliner. I picked this book up looking for a disaster and survival story; indeed, anyone who is promised a book that is a re-telling of “Titanic” would expect the same. A rebellion attack is a very different thing, and while not bad on its own, not what I been expecting or wanting from this read.

And you might say at this point “well, just try to read it as an original story, disconnected from the re-telling.” But you can’t! There are scenes that are direct call-backs/re-imaginings of scenes from the movie. From little things, like the FMC winning her ticket onto the starliner at the start of the book to a full scene devoted to re-imagining the “you jump, I jump” scene from the movie. There’s no getting away from the callbacks. (And I didn’t want to get away from the re-telling POV ultimately, I just wish the book had more confidently stuck to that premise in the first place!)

The change-out from disaster to rebellion attack was annoying enough, but I really began to get fed up with the way our main characters’ love story played out. Yes, classism is present in the dynamic between Rose and Jack in the movie. But there, we are seeing it through the lens of how restricted Rose is beneath the weight of this system, and Jack’s role is to free her from these binds and remind her of the joy and love to be found in life. That’s a lovely story! But here, a huge chunk of the first half of this book is devoted to Wes’s resentment towards Jupiter and his place within the wealthy uber-upper class. The enemies-to-lovers trope struck again, and in one of the most inopportune books you could find. Rose and Jack were NOT enemies! Jack didn’t spend all of his time resenting and lecturing Rose!

Not only does the change in this dynamic hurt a book that is being marketed as a science fiction version of “Titanic,” but it’s frankly a more boring choice. I’ve read a million stories that have this exact same romance and commentary on classism at their heart. And frankly, I didn’t need another. The book would have not only been more true to its concept had it stuck with the original dynamics between romantic interests, but it would have been a more interesting read on its own, as well.

If I really squinted, I could try to read this book disconnected from its “Titanic”-retelling origins. And for the brief moments where I could, it was a fine read. As a YA science fiction story, I think there’s definitely an audience for this book. But at the same time, I was incredibly disappointed with the more direct ties to the movie, especially the significant changes made to the love story at its heart. If you’re looking for a decent YA science fiction story, this may be a good fit. But if you were looking for a “Titanic” story, disaster and romance included, this is probably not for you.

Rating 7: Fine enough as a YA science fiction story, but disappointing as a “Titanic” re-imagining.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Bound by Stars” can be found on this Goodreads list: Books with “Star” in the Title.