Random Review: Up For Heir by Stella Starling #Review #Giveaway

Title: Up For Heir
Series: Rosavia Royals #1
Author: Stella Starling
Self Published
Publication date: June 16, 2020
Length: 315 pages 

Reviewed by Nikki

Synopsis

A playboy heir needs: a man to marry, right now.

After spending half his life dodging his duty to the crown, the rebel heir to the Rosavian throne has been told in no uncertain terms that it’s time to settle down. Crown Prince Leopold has one month and a vetted list of suitable princesses, and he will announce his engagement during Rosavia’s Royal Ball. But Leo’s got his own ideas about what really suits him…

Royal Librarian Edvin Blom is good at not attracting attention. Shy and self-conscious of his stutter, he’s used to being overlooked and more than happy to stay in the background. At least, until the crown prince with a wild reputation shows up at the library’s new opening and decides to flirt with Edvin’s sister…

Edvin isn’t at all what Leo thought he wanted, but turns out to be everything he can’t stay away from. Edvin’s been burned by falling for someone out of his league before, though. And believing that Leo has really fallen for him? While Edvin’s drowning in his own doubts and insecurities, that might prove impossible… unless love gives them both a reason to come up for air.

Purchase Link

Review

Up for Heir is the first book in the shared world series, Rosavia Royals. Each book is written by a different author but happen at the same time and in the same place. They don’t have to be read in order but there are some characters in each that you might recognize.

As the crown prince, Leo needs to find a suitable match ASAP. Of course, that plan doesn’t exactly pan out the way he thought when he meets shy Edvin.

I really enjoyed Edvin. He was so, so sweet, and even though he had some self-esteem issues from a horrible ex, he was fierce in his love for his family. Which is a total weakness for me—characters who are normally quiet getting to stand up for those they love? Perfection.

I liked that there wasn’t an issue within this “world” when Leo fell for a man instead of a woman, but I sort of wanted to see him at least react to his attraction since he’d only ever been attracted to women before. Without any sort of reflection or realization, the story doesn’t really fulfill the “awakening” of bisexuality.

The pacing was a little slow in places with a lot of navel gazing during conversations. I’m all for internal realizations but there was a little too much rambling between lines of dialogue sometimes.

Overall, it was a sweet read and I’m interested to see how the rest of the series turns out. Having a whole series of royals finding true love? Definitely sounds like fun!

Giveaway

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New Release Review: Pretty Sweet by Riley Hart & Christina Lee #Review #Giveaway

Title: Pretty Sweet
Series: Boys in Makeup #2
Authors: Riley Hart & Christina Lee 
Self Published
Publication Date: June 17, 2020
Length: 295 pages

Reviewed by Nikki


Synopsis

Seth
Portland was supposed to be my fresh start, my chance to live for myself. Unfortunately, it’s not working out that way. I stay in the apartment Mom chose and major in finance like she wants. I let bad memories keep me from hooking up. I wouldn’t know the first thing about finding a guy who gets me, who’s okay with my need to be held and feel safe.

When I befriend a worker at the assisted living facility where I volunteer, I don’t expect to get invited to dinner, only to realize her son is Jake, a guy I met through friends last fall. Jake’s not only hot, he’s also sweet, a caretaker, and attracted to me too. Since he’s never been with a guy, and I’m a virgin, we’re setting the pace together, learning what we like, one bone-melting touch at a time.

Jake
My childhood was rocky, with an abusive father and a mother I needed to protect. The first thing I did after high school graduation was get us out of there so we could finally breathe. And start living. For me that means managing the garage I own with my best friend and enjoying the modest house I call my own.

Then Seth enters my life. Our connection is palpable. He’s shy, innocent, and sets my blood on fire. He makes it impossible to ignore my attraction to men. The trust he puts in me is more potent than any desire. I get as much from talking to or holding him as when we let our inhibitions go.

Seth and I fulfill each other’s needs—in and out of the bedroom. But our struggles aren’t easy to shake. With my urge to protect and Seth’s desire to fly, we’ll have to strike the right balance, but when we do, the results will be pretty sweet.

Purchase Link

Review

If you’ve never read a Riley Hart or Christina Lee book, you’re really missing out. And the two of them together? Pure. Magic.

This is the second book in the Boys in Makeup series, but you absolutely can read it as a standalone. Seth was the roommate of one of the MCs in book one, but this one stands completely on its own.

The sweetness and innocence of Seth really sucked me in immediately. I loved how he just wanted someone to cuddle with and to make other people feel good. I just wanted to protect and love him!

Then there was Jake. He’s this big, muscular mechanic who’s only ever been with women—so you’d think he’d be a typical alpha male character. He’s the furthest from it and it was awesome. It was so sweet how he was always worried about his mom and how he was protective of those he cared about.

The way the two of them tentatively feel each other out and then slowly begin to build a relationship of trust and love was so nice to watch. They learned from and took care of each other in a way only they could.

Plus, I adored Seth’s relationship with Jake’s mom! Heart-meltingly sweet! I one hundred percent recommend Pretty Sweet. You’ll love it.

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Contest ends June 30th

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Random Review: Jeopardy In Tights by K. Childs #Review #Giveaway

Title: Jeopardy In Tights
Series: Men of the Pantheon #1
Author: K.Childs
Publisher: NineStar Press
Publication Date: March 9, 2020
Length: 170 pages

Reviewed by Nikki


Synopsis

Down on his luck ex-security meets CEO looking for special bodyguard. Fine print: hazardous working conditions.

Errol Mason got fired from his last job and put on a blacklist for a good reason. Now, scraping the bottom of the barrel and desperate for any job, he finally lands an interview with Stardust Global.

Errol’s interviewer, company CEO Nathan Parkes, has a secret, one that might get Errol killed. All Nate wants is a meatshield while he goes on a one-man crusade against a bunch of psycho cultists and tries to rescue his missing stepmother. Errol is the meatshield in this equation.

Things start pear-shaped and only get worse from there. Between military small-arms fire, freeway fisticuffs, and escaping the cult’s secret bases, the duo quickly forms a bond of trust and lust.

Warning: references to a past drinking and drug problem (off page) and some on-page violence

Purchasing Links

NineStar Press

Amazon

Review

I’m a big superhero fan.

Like, have strong opinions about Marvel versus DC kind of fan.

So, I was super pumped about reading Jeopardy in Tights and checking out the rules of K. Childs’s universe. Throw in a bodyguard trope and a kidnapped stepmom? Yup, I was all in.

Errol, the bodyguard, is quite the anti-hero. Disgraced and a drunk, he takes the new job of protecting the rich CEO, Nathan, because he doesn’t really have much else going for him. And Nathan, well he’s just looking for a superhuman shield to hide behind while he goes up against anti-superhero fanatics.

The ingredients for a truly engaging story were there… but the execution was a bit lacking.

There were certain parts that I really liked. Childs injects a quirky and sort of dark sense of humor at times that I liked, but the writing failed to engage me due to the way the narrative seemed to jump from one scene to the next without any connective flow. It could be jarring at times.

And the CEO falling for his broken bodyguard?

Sadly, this didn’t really happen. The romantic arc never really takes off or develops. Maybe we’ll get to see that more in future books?

All in all, an entertaining read that fans of sci-fi or interesting takes on superheroes will probably like, but don’t expect a full-fledged romance or you’ll end up disappointed.

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